Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 214 - 173: Pursuit (Part 2)

After retraining the Five Spirits Divine General Talisman, he again focused on cultivating the Desolate Soul-shaking Divine Light along with several other auxiliary Daoist techniques he had collected over the years, including the Tunneling Earth Technique he previously used.

Just mastering all these Foundation Establishment Daoist Techniques would take at least several decades, and he had the patience to wait.

......

Within the Da Li Territory.

Nearly three years had passed, and the atmosphere in the Da Li Cultivation Realm was gradually becoming unsettled.

The news of the imminent opening of the Five Elements Secret Realm was no longer a secret, spreading widely within the Da Li territory and causing numerous waves.

Many second-tier forces had tacitly stopped their disputes, waiting for the grand feast of the Five Elements Secret Realm opening.

Meanwhile, at the Celestial Treasure Tower Headquarters in Qian Province:

"The time is about right..."

Yu Wen Tai, clad in a mystic robe, walked out of the dark chamber with a hint of satisfaction.

"Qian Le's cultivation has gone smoothly, even faster than I expected."

"Within three years at most, he will reach Foundation Establishment Perfection, gaining the qualification for Blood Sacrifice Soul Melting..."

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but show a hint of regret:

"It's said that back in the day, within the Wei Kingdom where Qian Le was born, there was an even more suitable Qi Refining cultivator to be a Realm Breaker, naturally powerful in Divine Soul, and also practiced Mortal Martial Dao—a real talent."

"What a pity, the person handling matters at that time was utterly useless; a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, even with the assistance of the local Noble Family Leader, still let the person escape right under their nose..."

Recalling the matter still made him regretful and angry.

Qian Le's aptitude was quite ordinary, just barely qualifying; if it had been that Qi Refining cultivator instead, they might have reached Foundation Establishment Perfection twenty years earlier.

If it had come to pass, his plan would have already succeeded, without dragging on until his own lifespan was nearly exhausted.

"Forget it, what's missed is missed."

"Too much time has passed; that Qi Refining cultivator might have passed away due to old age, so regretting now is meaningless..."

Yu Wen Tai returned to the top floor, sitting alone in the hall, pondering silently.

"And there's also Lord Qingxu of the Haihe Association."

"This person's origins are mysterious; even Celestial Treasure Tower couldn't trace them. He's probably not from within the Da Li territory."

"However, regardless of his background, since he cultivated the 'Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature,' it counts as a pleasant surprise."

"Even though he cannot be used for Blood Sacrifice Soul Melting, he may serve a significant purpose in the Secret Realm..."

Thinking of this, a subtle smile appeared at the corners of his mouth:

"Coincidentally, not much time is left."

"It's time to confront this individual formally; hopefully, he understands his circumstances..."

Three days later.

Fang Continent, within the Cangjiang Water Mansion.

Yu Wen Tai, clad in a mystic robe, strolled leisurely within the Water Mansion, admiring the scenery of the Crystal Palace.

The patrolling Qi Refining disciples, even the Foundation Establishment masters who occasionally passed by, all ignored him.

Even the powerful arrays covering the inside and outside of the Water Mansion, as well as the layers of security patrols along the Cang River, did not issue any alerts.

"This fellow indeed had some luck, acquiring a portion of Kunyuan Spiritual Liquid."

With an untroubled expression, Yu Wen Tai wandered while contemplating his objective for this trip.

"Then again, it's beneficial; the stronger he is, the more he can assist me."

He clearly hadn't considered the possibility of Lord Qingxu refusing his proposal.

He wasn't skilled at persuasion, but he frequently offered prices that no one could refuse.

Soon, Yu Wen Tai arrived at the deepest part of the Water Mansion—the cave abode of the Chairman Association master.

This location served as the central core of the Grand Array within the entire Water Mansion, layered with protective and alert arrays.

Due to Lord Qingxu's long-term retreat, all arrays remained activated, with not even Peng Yue Xian, who temporarily held power in the Haihe Association, having the privilege of entry.

However, none of these obstacles posed any difficulty for Yu Wen Tai.

"Ssss..."

With a nearly inaudible sound, a five-colored radiance emanated from Yu Wen Tai, allowing him to effortlessly walk into the array.

The five-colored brilliance, as it passed, acted like a slippery fish skin, automatically 'sliding' through layers of array restrictions without triggering any alarms.

Ultimately—

Yu Wen Tai utilized a tiny wall penetrating Skill, easily breaching the door to enter the cave's interior.

"Hm?"

Upon entering the cave, Yu Wen Tai realized something was amiss.

The cave was completely empty, lacking any scent of living beings; after careful examination, he found no trace.

"That person isn't inside their cave?"

Standing within the Quiet Chamber, Yu Wen Tai's expression grew somewhat displeased.

"Where could he have gone?"

As the dignified Chairman Association master of the Haihe Association, why would he leave his home base without cause?

Especially after consuming and refining the Kunyuan Spiritual Liquid, which was a critical time for him to retreat and stabilize his magical power—what place could be safer than his home base?

"Unless...he has something pressing to attend to, something even more vital than stabilizing his realm, something that must remain hidden, requiring deception."

"Alternatively, he might feel he is in grave danger, necessitating abandoning his base and legacy to stealthily escape..."

In an instant, multiple possibilities raced through Yu Wen Tai's mind, his brow furrowing with concern.

"Could he have...discovered something?"

Initially, he hadn't considered this angle, yet the other's mysterious disappearance promptly heightened his awareness.

The person also cultivated the 'Scripture of All Transformations and True Nature,' maintaining considerable secrecy; concerning the Five Elements Secret Realm, the Five Sects battle, and related matters, he would be extremely sensitive.

In these circumstances, it wasn't impossible for the individual, following interactions with him, gifting of Dragon Carp Essence Blood, and exchanges with Lord Haihe from the Fuhai Sect, to have detected any anomalies.

In the world, walls have ears, and he never assumed there weren't other intelligent individuals besides him.

The most crucial aspect was—

After years of planning, the final moment to reveal victory or defeat was near, leaving no room for unforeseen events; every potential threat must be eliminated in advance!

And the identity of Lord Qingxu, the Chairman Association master, along with his prior close contact with Lord Haihe, could indeed pose a significant threat to his scheme if he intended to disrupt it.

"Previously thought to be just a pawn on the chessboard, yet unexpectedly, he holds potential as a game-changer..."

Yu Wen Tai narrowed his eyes, his facial expression gradually shifting to icy coldness:

"Better to err on the side of caution, without leniency!"

"If I'm wrongfully accusing you, then you can only blame bad luck."

With this thought, Yu Wen Tai promptly mobilized his magical power, employing a series of Mysterious Daoist Techniques to trace remnants within the cave.

He consecutively cast seven or eight different techniques, some of which were top-grade techniques, unheard of and unseen by other Foundation Establishment masters.

"In an enclosed environment, the Spiritual Qi hasn't fluctuated significantly, indicating he didn't leave recently."

"...Nor did he depart using Secret Treasures. Seems he's not as highly-backed as I imagined."

"...Examining the Array Core's traces, he likely fled almost three years ago..."

"Hm? Got it! Turns out he used earth escape to flee!"

Yu Wen Tai's expression shifted decisively; he finally caught hold of a pivotal clue.

Many remain unaware that the operation of mountain and river formations follows natural laws; an earth escape journey leaves unique soil and terrain anomalies that endure for years.

Nonetheless, most techniques and magic cannot detect, let alone trace, these unusual traces.

However, under the scrutiny of Yu Wen Tai's Mysterious Daoist Techniques, these traces appeared conspicuous like fireflies in the dark, allowing for tracking.

"Since you didn't opt for a preemptive strike, there's no chance of escape!"

Cold and detached, Yu Wen Tai's demeanor already brimmed with murderous intent.

With a slight shift, he too activated an earth escape technique, following the trail.

"Curious to see where you'll run..."