Yefutidaolu

Chapter 342 Yuan Law
Xia Youdu's previously hazy, drunken eyes instantly cleared.

She lowered her hand that had been supporting her chin, sat up straight, and the charming drunkenness she had just displayed receded like the tide, leaving only two faint blushes on her cheeks, proving that the "cypress wine" had not been entirely ineffective.

Her large, watery eyes gleamed with a cunning and sharp light as she stared directly at Gao Jian, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"Are you afraid I won't tell you, Mr. Gao?" Her voice was clear and crisp, slightly hoarse from being "drunk," but every word was distinct, with no trace of confusion.

Gao Jian's surprise lasted less than a moment before turning into a knowing smile, even tinged with a hint of "I knew it." He wasn't embarrassed by being exposed; instead, he seemed to have watched a delightful little play and applauded with pleasure.

"Some," he admitted frankly, meeting her gaze honestly, as if he weren't the one who had just tried to "get her drunken talk."

Xia Youdu tilted her head slightly, like a smug cat that had caught the other person by the scruff of their neck: "Is it because you think I'm an obedient and well-behaved girl that you think you can... well, take advantage of me?" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, with a hint of mischief.

"Yes." Gao Jian answered crisply and decisively, even nodding, without any intention of arguing. "Miss Xia has a noble status and extraordinary luck in the Netherworld, yet she often acts naively and innocently, unaware of the ways of the world. Facing a 'bad guest' like me, whose murderous aura has not yet dissipated, and having drunk wine... wouldn't it be a pity to miss such a good opportunity?" His tone was calm, as if he were stating a perfectly natural truth.

"Heh!" Xia Youdu snorted softly, but that slight dissatisfaction was quickly replaced by another emotion. She leaned forward slightly, closer to the low table, and also closer to Gao Jian, her bright eyes seeming to pierce through his facade. "Mr. Gao, you've gone to such lengths, blocking the door to establish your authority, inviting me for tea, and finally hooking me up with all this. You couldn't have gone through all this trouble just to find out about a weak woman like me, could you? What is it about this Youming Land that you're after? Are you after those earth-shattering treasures, or the attitudes of the ancestors?"

She began to ponder Gao Jian's intentions, testing his tone, her words carrying curiosity and a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

At this moment, she was no longer the hot-tempered Hakimi, nor the naive girl pretending to be drunk; she was more like a chess player sitting across the chessboard, trying to figure out her opponent's moves.

“Miss Xia,” Gao Jian’s voice deepened, carrying an almost sincere admiration, “you are by no means a ‘weak woman.’ Your fortune, your innate talent, your current clarity and shrewdness… all prove your extraordinary nature. As for your schemes?” He gently shook his head, his gaze open and honest, “The secret treasures of the Netherworld have their own owners, and the attitudes of the ancestors are beyond my control. I have come here for two reasons: first, to resolve the previous misunderstanding, and second…”

He paused, his gaze falling on Xia Youdu with a peculiar focus: "I want to see some things clearly. For example, why the Netherworld can nurture someone like you, Miss Xia... a contradictory yet harmonious existence. Your cultivation technique might be the key to unlocking this mystery, and this matter is related to my deeper understanding of the Netherworld."

These words, half true and half false, were full of approval. In particular, the phrase "a contradictory yet harmonious existence" accurately hit the nail on the head regarding a quality that even Xia Youdu himself might not fully understand.

Xia Youdu felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. His focused look seemed to carry a heat, making the blush on her cheeks seem to deepen. She subconsciously looked away, picked up the glass on the table that had long since gone cold, and took a sip as a cover-up, only to find that it was already empty.

Of course, how could this tea have survived until now?

"You...you really are..." she muttered under her breath, as if trying to find the right words.

“Alright,” she said, her voice returning to normal but no longer sharp. “Since Mr. Gao values ​​it so much, I might as well tell you. What I practice is not the ghost-summoning, soul-refining, corpse-controlling, or evil-averting techniques commonly found in the netherworld.”

Her fingertips unconsciously traced mysterious lines on the table, as if outlining some invisible veins.

“I walk the path of ‘fate’.” Her voice carried a peculiar ethereal quality. “The cycle of reincarnation in the underworld is vast and turbulent, within which fate flows, like a surging underground river. My technique is to peer into the details of ‘fate’ within this underground river. Observing a person’s fate, it may be like a magnificent brocade or like withered branches and fallen leaves. What I can do is to ‘pave the way’ for it.”

She paused, as if carefully choosing her words: "If destiny has a foundation of wealth and nobility, I can nourish it with water to make it shine even brighter; if destiny harbors signs of calamity, I can also... plant the fuse in advance so that the calamity comes more 'just in time'."

"This is my method, using 'fate' as the guide and 'fortune' as the medium, to provide a small...guidance in the gaps of the six realms." After Xia Youdu finished speaking, he quietly looked at Gao Jian, seemingly observing his reaction.

Gao Jian's expression showed no surprise, only a knowing "I knew it" and a deeper contemplation.

He nodded slowly: "Observing fate, paving the way forward... No wonder, no wonder Miss Xia's luck is so extraordinary. This technique is indeed worthy of you." His approval was once again focused on her.

Xia Youdu seemed slightly taken aback by the phrase "worthy of you," but then a sly smile appeared on her lips again, as if she wasn't the one who had just revealed the core secret.

"I've told you the cultivation method, haven't I shown enough sincerity?" She stood up, straightened her slightly wrinkled sleeves, her movements carrying a languid elegance. "So, Mr. Gao, what's next..."

She walked to the door, then stopped and looked back at Gao Jian. The light from the window outlined her beautiful profile, and her eyes, now clear again, held a hint of playfulness and...anticipation.

"I'm really looking forward to your 'performance' later." She smiled gently, like spring ice just beginning to bloom, with a hint of coldness, yet incredibly captivating. "Let's see what kind of door you, this 'unwelcome guest' from the capital, can open in this netherworld with my 'key'. Don't... disappoint me."

After saying that, she didn't linger and her figure disappeared gracefully outside the door, carrying a hint of cunning.

The door to the stone chamber closed gently.

But... the gentleness, appreciation, and even the hint of helplessness at being "tricked" on Gao Jian's face receded as quickly as the tide, leaving only the calm of the deep sea.

He put down his teacup, his eyes sharp as knives, showing no trace of the "seeing through" and "counter-attack" he had just been given by Xia Youdu.

Xia Youdu thought he was testing Gao Jian's abilities, wanting to see him perform.

Gao Jian chuckled lightly, exuding an air of complete control. Little did he know that from the moment he entered the room, Xia Youdu had already been standing on his stage.

Xia Youdu's fear, pretense, probing, and triumph after succeeding... even his little secret desire to 'watch the show' at the end... were all predicted.

Only by praising this young girl so much that she becomes complacent and thinks she has mastered profound insights can she be persuaded to reveal the truth.

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back. Outside the window was the dim light unique to Youming.

"Now that we know her cultivation method..." Gao Jian closed his eyes: "The next step of the plan is much clearer."

To be honest, the techniques of the Netherworld are indeed powerful.

Besides exorcising spirits and commanding ghosts, is there really such a method of destiny that relies on the Yellow Springs...?

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At this very moment, deep within the Netherworld, in a place enveloped by the Yellow Springs, there are no sun, moon, or stars, only churning, living Netherworld energy, condensed into a viscous liquid.

Here sat a figure in a black robe. He was not as ferocious and terrifying as one might imagine; on the contrary, he was rather thin and wore a pure black robe that seemed to absorb all light. His face was indistinct, as if shrouded in a constantly flowing black mist, with only his eyes clearly visible—two flickering, eerie blue flames.

He was one of the ancestors of the Netherworld, a giant at the peak of the twelfth realm, known as "Yuan Lü".

The number six is ​​the earthly number, and six is ​​the law. The law has form and color, and the color of yellow is the most prominent among the five colors.

Therefore, the yang energy is bestowed upon the Yellow Springs, where it gives birth to all things, and is the origin of the six qi. The primordial qi is named after the color yellow, which corresponds to the Gong tone. The Gong tone is played in nine phases, six phases, constantly changing and circulating throughout the six voids.

This is also the foundation of his skills.

At this moment, those dark blue eyes were calmly gazing ahead.

Where his gaze fell, a huge water mirror floated in the void, reflecting scenes of Gao Jian and Xia Youdu enjoying tea and conversation in the stone chamber, and even Xia Youdu's slightly tipsy departure.

The Yellow Springs reflect all three lives, allowing one to clearly see past, present, and future lives. At this moment, using the power of the Yellow Springs, observing events happening in the netherworld is a piece of cake.

Every scene was vividly depicted, down to the smallest detail; even the sounds of the two talking could be clearly heard, as if it were unfolding right before his eyes.

"Liangzhou...a billion lives..."

This thought, like the deepest brand, etched itself into his mind with a hint of barely perceptible sorrow and an even stronger longing.

The Liangzhou Plan was something he had been planning for many years. By using the despair and resentment of a billion mortal beings and their pure soul power as fuel, and refining it with secret methods, he could obtain enough resources to exchange with the True Dragon of the East Sea.

If his estimation is correct, then the method in the East Sea is the most crucial step for him to break through to the ethereal realm of "Earth Immortal"!
Earthly Immortals… truly immortal, transcending all constraints, living as long as heaven and earth! For this sliver of possibility, let alone a billion lives, even if the number doubled, he wouldn't bat an eye! The Great Dao is ruthless; those who obstruct it are reduced to dust!

pity……

"Insightful..."

The image of the young man in the mirror instantly became incredibly glaring in the old ancestor's eyes.

It was this person! A mere junior at the sixth realm, an existence like an ant, dared to make a rash move in Liangzhou, stirring up trouble! He tore a huge hole in his plan to harvest ten billion resources! His efforts were in vain! All his hard work was destroyed in an instant!
At that moment, the surrounding yin energy began to surge, and his killing intent almost broke through the void, crushing Gao Jian into dust from afar!

"Imperial Academy...Imperial Envoy..."

However, he ultimately suppressed that overwhelming killing intent, as if doused with ice water.

Gao Jian was not a rootless duckweed. He was a graduate of the Imperial Academy, backed by Li Zoufang, and more importantly, he held the position of Imperial Envoy of the Divine Dynasty! Killing a student of the Imperial Academy might be possible to negotiate behind the scenes; but openly executing an Imperial Envoy was tantamount to openly declaring rebellion against the Divine Dynasty!

Although Youmingdi is powerful, it is far from being able to directly challenge the Divine Dynasty. Especially at this crucial moment when he is trying to break through to the Earth Immortal realm, any major upheaval could cause him to fail at the last minute, or even bring about a more terrible reckoning.

"So... I've come to capture you..."

They couldn't kill him, but they couldn't let him go easily either. Thus, the seemingly domineering but actually manipulative tactic of "inviting the enemy into the trap" came about.

He personally intervened, traversing thousands of miles of void, to "invite" Gao Jian from Liangzhou to this depths of the Netherworld. His purpose was clear:

Firstly, force him to submit, placing him in your grasp. With the chilling pressure of the Netherworld and the imminent threat of being crushed at any moment, force him to reveal his true trump card, the mastermind behind the chaos in Liangzhou, and even... whether you can turn him to your side. After all, this young man is capable of stirring up such a storm with his sixth-realm cultivation, and his intelligence and methods are extraordinary.

Secondly, investigate thoroughly and observe closely to see what this audacious young man has to rely on besides his status as a student of the Imperial Academy and an imperial envoy.

The image in the mirror is frozen on the back of Gao Jian standing alone in front of the window after Xia Youdu left.

The dark blue flames in the old ancestor's eyes flickered slightly. Now... he knew what Gao Jian was relying on.

The opponent himself has enough confidence; such talent...

"Blocking the gate to establish authority, the true essence of ten defeats... defeating a seventh-level opponent from a sixth-level opponent, and not through trickery, but through genuine martial arts combat techniques... This child's combat strength far surpasses his peers, and his solid foundation is rarely seen in the world. The Imperial Academy... has indeed produced another monster."

"Facing You Du..." The old ancestor's gaze swept over the scenes in the mirror as Xia You Du went from fear to probing to revealing her cultivation technique. "First, he used murderous aura to suppress her will, then used the elegance of tea ceremony to confuse her judgment. Knowing she was pretending to be drunk, he didn't expose her, but instead flattered her with 'approval' to lure her into lowering her guard... He was meticulous in his planning, with a deep and cunning mind. Knowing that asking about cultivation techniques was a major taboo, he still managed to pave the way for her to willingly open up... This control over people's hearts is not something one should have at his age."

"You Du's background... was so easily revealed by him... he's still too inexperienced." The old ancestor didn't blame Xia You Du much; he was more focused on reassessing Gao Jian's methods.

The killing intent? It still lingers. His brilliant insight has ruined his path; this enmity is irreconcilable!

Fear? Even more so!

They feared the imperial court behind him—killing him would come at too high a cost, and the gains would not outweigh the losses.

We are wary of his potential and character – this child is no ordinary person; if we cannot use him, he will surely become a great threat in the future!
"Now it seems..."

The raging anger in the ancestor's heart slowly subsided, and a chilling conclusion emerged:

"Brilliant insight... We really shouldn't kill him."

At least, not now, not here.

However... not being able to kill doesn't mean letting them go.

(End of this chapter)