The black-robed elderās expression remained unchanged, but his pitch-black eyes now held a flicker of emotion. "Since you know who I am, you should also know thereās nothing for us to discuss. Why are you wasting your breath?"
"This is what I was talking about before. It seems you have some misconceptions about me!" Li Changāan said with a smile. "Iām no Cultivator. On the contrary, if the price is right, I donāt mind helping you stick a knife in their backs!"
Upon hearing this answer, and limited by his physical state,
the black-robed elder showed no emotional fluctuation.
But Lu Shang, standing beside him, couldnāt help but stare with wide eyes.
āNot a Cultivator? How is that possible?ā
āIf heās not a Cultivator, then what kind of monster have I been fighting all this time?ā
Although the black-robed elderās expression didnāt change, he remained silent and still for a long time. "Are you a Reincarnator?"
Hearing the black-robed elderās question,
Li Changāan forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, careful not to reveal any major tells. Still, he couldnāt stop one eyebrow from twitching. He neither confirmed nor denied it, instead replying ambiguously, "You donāt need to worry about what I am. All you need to know is that Iām not a Cultivator. Thatās enough."
When Li Changāan had fought the black-robed elder earlier,
he had been caught off guard and used the Fireball Skill. It was at that moment the elder had branded him as a Cultivator.
Now, to clear up the misunderstanding, it would take some explaining.
The black-robed elder had already guessed his identity and was clearly less wary of him. He asked directly, "What do you want?"
Seeing that the other party was willing to negotiate,
Li Changāan couldnāt help but smile. "I want the Cultivation Method for the Soul Fire. In exchange, I can help you deal with the Cultivators!"
Hearing this, the black-robed elder glanced at Li Changāan, his face a mask, and said indifferently, "I cannot be the one to decide this. The Cultivation Method for the Soul Fire was not my creation. I merely provided a general direction for reference. As for the specific method, youāll have to ask him."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Lu Shang.
Li Changāan also turned his gaze to Lu Shang.
Finding himself the focus of both their gazes, a trace of bewilderment flickered across Lu Shangās face. Clearly, before this moment, he never would have dreamed things would turn out this way.
He looked at Li Changāan, and after a long moment, said through gritted teeth, "Heh, I see youāre just trying to trick me out of the Cultivation Method I worked so hard to comprehend. Iāll never give it to you!"
Li Changāan laughed and waved a hand in front of his face. "Fine by me. In that case, Iāll go help the Cultivators. Iāll tell them how to counter the Soul Fire!"
At these words, Lu Shang choked, unable to say anything for a long moment.
Finally, looking dejected, he said in a low voice, "Elder Hun, you decide. I, for one, donāt believe heāll help us!"
Li Changāan didnāt waste any more words on him, turning his gaze directly to the black-robed man.
The black-robed Elder Hun stared at Li Changāan for a long time before speaking. "I can agree to your terms, but you must show your sincerity!"
Just as Elder Hun finished speaking and Li Changāan was about to reply,
a sudden burst of light flared into existence.
[The Worldās Favor is taking effect. Hidden task triggered!]
[Hidden Task: Help the Heaven and Earth Consciousness of the Jiuzhou Continent deal with the Cultivators (Difficulty: Three Stars)!]
A stone glowing with an azure light appeared in the Void. The moment he saw it, the black-robed Elder Hun, whose expression had been a constant mask, showed a rare trace of astonishment.
Although the change in his expression was minuscule,
it was incredibly conspicuous precisely because his face had shown no emotion at all before.
He glanced at the azure stone, then back at Li Changāan, and said, "Since you have this, I am willing to trust you. Lu Shang, give him the Cultivation Method."
The black-robed Elder Hunās attitude had changed so quickly that Lu Shang didnāt react for a long moment. It wasnāt until Li Changāan prompted him that Lu Shang finally snapped out of it as if waking from a dream.
He glanced at Elder Hun again, and only after confirming that his master hadnāt been hit with some kind of mental attack that muddled his mind did he reluctantly say, "This Cultivation Method has no written record. Iāll write a copy for you when I get back. Once you learn it, remember to destroy it immediately!"
The smile on Li Changāanās face instantly became radiant. He teased, "Hey, kid, Iām your ally now. Show a little respect!"
Being called ākidā by someone three years his juniorāeven knowing the otherās soul was likely an old fossilāmade Lu Shangās face twitch uncontrollably.
He fought to suppress his anger, merely snorting coldly without a word.
Li Changāan stopped teasing.
Instead, he turned his gaze to the black-robed Elder Hun and asked, "Since weāve established a preliminary alliance, we should now learn more about our common enemy..."
He paused, gathering his thoughts for a moment before continuing, "I read in the Imperial Palaceās Library Pavilion that for the last thousand years, the Twelve Countries have been fighting constantly without ever being destroyed, turning the entire Jiuzhou Continent into a massive meat grinder. This is why youāre here, isnāt it?"
The black-robed Elder Hun nodded. "The Cultivators founded the Twelve Countries. At set intervals, whenever the Cultivators need to begin their Alchemy, they use the Twelve Countries to start wars and harvest the life force of the Jiuzhou Continent..."
"The Twelve Countries are nothing more than twelve dogs raised by the Cultivators on the Jiuzhou Continent. They firmly control all paths to advancement and treat everyone as medicinal ingredients to be harvested at regular intervals!"