I Can See Through All Things' Information

Chapter 497: Chapter 326: Leaving Fire Tripod Artifact Spirit, Divine Soul Oath, Setting Three Rules_2

“There’s one thing you’re mistaken about, elder,” Lu Qing said seriously, in the face of the middle-aged man’s mockery, without showing any anger. “I’m not at the Foundation Establishment realm, but the Qi Refining realm, and I’ve just broken through not long ago. Currently, I am at the Qi Refining Early Stage.”

“Qi Refining Early Stage? Impossible!” The middle-aged man blurted out. “Your Divine Soul Power is so strong, how could you be just at the Qi Refining Early Stage!”

“It’s because the Cultivation Technique I practice is somewhat special,” Lu Qing replied calmly. “Moreover, not long ago, I was fortunate to have survived a Heavenly Tribulation. My Divine Soul Power was washed by the Tribulation Thunder, changing from Yin to Yang, which is why it is stronger than those of cultivators at the same level.”

“Survived a Heavenly Tribulation and refined the Divine Soul Power with Tribulation Thunder?” The middle-aged man was shocked again. “Young man, what kind of joke is this, with your Cultivation, how could you trigger a Tribulation Cloud and survive a Heavenly Tribulation?”

Lu Qing did not argue but simply smiled faintly.

However, his confident demeanor made the middle-aged man cool down.

He finally took a deep breath and started to observe Lu Qing closely.

Then, with this sensing, his expression gradually became solemn.

Because he realized that Lu Qing’s Divine Soul Power was indeed extraordinary.

Not only was it exceptionally strong and resilient, but it was also full of the essence of Yang, unlike the usual Yin-type Divine Soul Power.

Most importantly, he sensed a hint of the essence of Tribulation Qi in it.

The middle-aged man was no stranger to the meaning of Tribulation Qi.

Back when he was created by the Li Huo Sect, he had undergone the baptism of a heavenly tribulation and only then was he born after breaking through it.

So what Lu Qing had just said was not false; he really had experienced a Heavenly Tribulation and had successfully passed it?

The middle-aged man was immediately filled with doubt and uncertainty.

“It seems elder has noticed,” Lu Qing said with a light smile. “I haven’t deceived elder, have I?”

“Right now, the rules of Heaven and Earth have just begun to evolve and stabilize, yet you’ve already managed to bring about a Tribulation Cloud and pass through a Heavenly Tribulation.

Young man, could it be that you are the prophesied child of destiny, destined to suppress the anomalies of an entire era?”

The middle-aged man looked at Lu Qing with surprise etched on his face.

“Whatever child of destiny, I don’t understand,” said Lu Qing. “I just want to ask elder one thing, I wonder if elder would be willing to cooperate with me

and hand over the control of the Leaving Fire Tripod.

Elder, as an Artifact Spirit, should know that it’s nearly impossible for a Spiritual Artifact to advance on its own.

Even if it endures until the end of this Cultivation Era, it likely won’t be able to achieve it.

But with my help, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Leaving Fire Tripod to ascend to the ranks of High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts in the future.

Even going a step further and freeing elder from the cage of restrictions to obtain a free body isn’t out of the question.”

“What if I don’t agree? What then will you do?” the middle-aged man asked, staring at Lu Qing.

“Then I can only offend and forcibly refine elder,” Lu Qing said uncompromisingly.

“Do you think, with you being just a little Qi Refinement cultivator, that you’re capable of refining me?”

“Elder can try if you like.”

The middle-aged man fell silent.

If it had been at the beginning, when Lu Qing dared to speak such words, he would surely have thought the other was indulging in wishful thinking and daydreaming.

And he would have burned him to ashes without any courtesy, as the price for having the audacity to offend him.

But now that Lu Qing possessed the complete control formula of the Li Huo Sect, it had become impossible for him to burn away Lu Qing’s Divine Soul Power.

It was even incredibly difficult to expel him from the Leaving Fire Tripod.

More importantly, Lu Qing’s Divine Soul Power, having been refined by the Heavenly Tribulation, was exceptionally tenacious, filled with Yang, and not afraid of fire.

If he really had to forcibly refine the Leaving Fire Tripod, he couldn’t take it lightly.

Otherwise, once Lu Qing refined even a layer or two of the restrictions within the tripod, he would be thoroughly at a disadvantage.

So strictly speaking, what Lu Qing said was not an exaggeration.

He truly had the ability to gradually refine the Leaving Fire Tripod.

But for him to be controlled by a Qi Refinement Realm junior, the middle-aged man found it difficult to accept.

Spiritual Artifacts have their own pride.

In the Ancient Cultivation Era, ever since he was forged, he had always been firmly controlled by the Li Huo Sect.

But in the Sect, his status was also very revered.

Apart from the Sect Master and a few Supreme Elders, within the entire Li Huo Sect, there was no one else who had the right to speak to him.

Even those Golden Core Realm seeds of the Sect, the True Disciples, had to show him the utmost respect and did not dare to overstep or offend in any way.

And now, to be controlled by a mere Qi Refinement Realm youngster, the middle-aged man was truly reluctant.

“Seems like elder is unwilling, so don’t blame me for offending.”

—

Lu Qing saw the conflict on the middle-aged man’s face and shook his head.

He had said all he could, good and bad, and if the other party still wouldn’t accept his goodwill, he would have no choice but to take a tougher approach.

Although he didn’t want to forcefully refine the artifact spirit, because doing so would mean that under the spirit’s resistance, the mental and spiritual energy he had to expend would undoubtedly increase a hundredfold.

But since the other party was impervious to both carrot and stick, there was no need for him to waste any more words.

As his will surged, Lu Qing’s Divine Soul Power instantly permeated the surrounding space.

He soon touched upon the first layer of restrictions and began to forcefully refine it.

The middle-aged man immediately sensed this change, and his face shifted before he finally sighed.

He said, “Alright, stop. I agree.”

Lu Qing’s Divine Soul Fluctuation immediately stalled.

He looked at the middle-aged man’s expression, feeling that it didn’t seem like a joke.

So, he slowly retracted his Divine Soul Power and waited in place.

“However, before I hand over control, I need to negotiate three terms with you,” the middle-aged man said seriously. “If you don’t agree, I would rather destroy myself than stubbornly resist your refinement.

Believe me, with my obstruction, with your current level of Cultivation, you won’t be able to control the Leaving Fire Tripod in a few decades, let alone a hundred years.”

“Please speak, Senior,” Lu Qing said, listening to the middle-aged man’s threats without agreement or objection.

“First, you can refine the restrictions of the Leaving Fire Tripod, but you must swear a Divine Soul Oath not to enslave my Divine Soul into a puppet.

This is the most critical point; if you don’t agree, there’s nothing to discuss.

I would rather die than hand over control of the Leaving Fire Tripod to you!”

The middle-aged man spoke this last sentence with absolute finality.

It was as if should Lu Qing disagree, he would completely turn hostile.

“That’s easy to agree to. I have no intention of enslaving you, Senior. After all, to tap into the fullest power of the Leaving Fire Tripod, I need your help,” Lu Qing agreed without hesitation.

What the middle-aged man referred to as enslavement was actually a method of control over Spiritual Artifacts in the Cultivation World.

In the Ancient Immortal Cultivation Era, the Major Sects had two different approaches to their Spiritual Artifacts.

One was to completely refine and enslave the Artifact Spirit, making it completely obedient to the controller.

The other was not to enslave the Artifact Spirit but to cooperate more with it to control the Spiritual Artifact together.

These two methods cannot be said to be better than the other; each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Completely refining and enslaving the Artifact Spirit allows total control over the Spiritual Artifact, but it greatly diminishes the spiritual nature of the spirit.

Raising the Grade of the Spiritual Artifact then becomes extremely difficult, nearly impossible.

The second method maintains the Artifact Spirit’s spiritual nature intact, allowing the spirit to control the Spiritual Artifact independently during combat, thus adding an extra force.

But the downside is also clear.

If the Artifact Spirit betrays at a critical moment, fails to contribute, or even backstabs,

It becomes extremely dangerous and could lead directly to the master’s demise.

Thus, in the Ancient Cultivation World, the vast majority of Sects and powerhouses with Spiritual Artifacts would choose to completely enslave and refine the Artifact Spirit to accept their control.

Even those who did not enslave their Artifact Spirits would impose numerous restrictions on them to prevent any betrayal.

Only when there were special experiences, and absolute trust and friendship between the master and Artifact Spirit, would there be complete freedom for the spirit.

Of course, such cases were extremely rare.

Even in the Ancient Immortal Cultivation Era, over tens of thousands of years, there were only one or two such examples.

The Li Huo Sect’s approach to the Leaving Fire Tripod back in the day was not to enslave its Artifact Spirit, but to control and limit it through restrictions.

Lu Qing knew this, so he was not surprised by the middle-aged man’s request and nodded in agreement.

Of course, the most important thing was, as the middle-aged man said, if he resisted desperately.

With Lu Qing’s current level of Cultivation and realm, to enslave and refine him would indeed be extremely difficult.

The chance of success was practically nonexistent.

Seeing Lu Qing agree to the first condition, the middle-aged man revealed a smile.

“The second condition…”