A hint of the True Meaning of Fire!
Qi Ping was absolutely certain he hadn't sensed it wrong!
This meant the creator of this technique must have comprehended the True Meaning of Fire and infused some of that insight into these spells! Thus, the value of this technique to Qi Ping was immeasurable.
Moreover, he didn't need Meng Yan to explain; Qi Ping knew the price of this set was something he currently couldn't afford. Yet, he did not refuse or decline. He solemnly accepted the gift.
"Many thanks for the gift, Brother Meng!"
He knew that by accepting these gifts, he would inevitably be drawn into the battles Meng Yan faced. He might even have to fight life-and-death battles against the mysterious Shadow-Servant Alliance, the Sky-Fire Pavilion, or even certain people within the Qingyuan Sect.
But Qi Ping chose to accept! Through Meng Yan, he could obtain powerful spirit beasts and rare spells that were vital for his path to immortality and for gaining comprehensive cultivation knowledge!
While Qi Ping disliked dangerous situations and didn't want to fight unnecessarily, he was not afraid of conflict if there was a necessary reason. If he were afraid of battle, what was the point of cultivating immortality? He would eventually be consumed by heart-demons or the backlash of his own power. Did he think immortality was so easy to attain?
He could also use this as an opportunity to temper his combat will and character. Most importantly, the conditions Meng Yan offered were impossible to refuse! If he lost this chance, Qi Ping could think of no other way to obtain these rare techniques and resources.
Of course, the most critical factor was that Qi Ping still held the initiative. He was in a much better position than sect disciples who had no choice. He had absolute confidence in his ability to escape. Even against a Foundation Establishment cultivator, as long as he used the Beast King's Flame, Explosive Flame Net, and Wood Shield Art to withstand the first wave of attacks, his swarm of over ten thousand bees would allow him to regain the initiative and transform to flee.
As for how much power he could withstand, that would depend on whether he could comprehend the True Meaning of Fire and how far he could cultivate these three methods.
Seeing Qi Ping accept the jade slip, a smile appeared on Meng Yan's face. What he feared most was that Qi Ping wouldn't take it. Now that he had, Meng Yan was at ease.
He then took a spirit fruit and two seeds from his storage bag. "This is a first-grade high-rank spirit fruit, the Scarlet Dragon Fruit. It works well with the Explosive Flame Technique. These two are seeds for Fire-Glimmer Flowers. This is all I have on me for now."
Qi Ping accepted these items without hesitation as well.
Only after handing the items to Qi Ping did Meng Yan slowly speak about what he wanted Qi Ping to do.
"Recently, the sect gave me a task. A pair of demonic cultivators known as the Black and White Twin Slayers have entered Qingshi County. I've been ordered to find their traces and slay them. These two are twin sisters, both at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Their combined combat arts are seamless, and their methods are extraordinary. I fought them once and almost fell into their trap before they managed to escape."
"Because multiple forces are exerting pressure on the Qingyuan Sect's leadership, the high-level members are currently in a state of silence. For now, in Qingshi County, only I can take action. I have recently found a trace of them, but I'm not entirely confident, and they might have allied with others. So, I hope Brother Qi can lend a hand when the time comes!"
Facing Meng Yan's request, Qi Ping agreed without the slightest hesitation.
"Two at the ninth level of Qi Refinement? No problem! Just notify me in advance via the transmission talisman!"
Since he had made a promise, he would naturally do his best. In a war of factions, there was often no right or wrong, only life and death. Furthermore, the Qingyuan Sect was currently the party being invaded; the law of the jungle was the natural way of things.
"Good! With your help, Brother Qi, this battle will surely be a victory!"
Looking at Qi Ping's expression, Meng Yan knew that the pair of demonic sisters hadn't caused him much stress. He was certain that besides Yaya, Qi Ping must possess extraordinary combat strength!
Qi Ping then inquired with Meng Yan about the specific details of the enemy and the current situation in Qingshi County after bidding him farewell.
From Meng Yan, Qi Ping learned that the Qingtian Domain was currently under joint pressure from several major powers for some deep-seated reason. These forces, including the Sky-Fire Pavilion and the Shadow-Servant Alliance, were allied against the Qingyuan Sect. The current result was that the Qingyuan Sect strictly limited the involvement of cultivators above the Golden Core stage, and even Foundation Establishment cultivators faced certain restrictions on the battlefield. This was a tacit agreement between the high-level leaders of both sides.
Now, many disciples had entered the Qingtian Domain, carrying out killings and struggles under the command of their respective leadership. But even Meng Yan didn't know exactly what they were fighting for; his Master remained silent on the matter. All they knew was that the disciples entering the fray were pawns following the orders of the sect leaders.
Meng Yan even suspected that the goals of the various leaders were not aligned. This wasn't wild speculation but a deduction based on a summary of complex information. In this context, Meng Yan sensed a strong crisis. Thus, upon meeting Qi Ping, the idea of allying with someone who was not on anyone's chessboard was born.
This was the way he had devised to protect himself. He was overjoyed to have discovered Qi Ping's talent and hidden strength. He didn't expect Qi Ping to play a major role in the overall war or help him gain great merit; he only needed someone to secretly help him deal with certain life-and-death crises.
Meng Yan had no interest in such disputes to begin with. If possible, he just wanted to quietly forge artifacts and walk his own path of the immortal Dao! He didn't even care that Qi Ping's talent might be higher than his; in fact, he was quite happy about it. What he needed now was a powerful external aid who was outside the game! Together, they could face the dangers. Since the leaders were playing a grand game of chess, why couldn't he play a small one of his own?
The world had many geniuses and even more mediocre people; comparing talent was meaningless. The only thing that truly mattered was walking one's own path well!
Clarify the Dao-heart! Reach the peak!
After parting with Meng Yan, Qi Ping quietly transformed into a bee and rushed back to Peak 29. Everything on the peak remained as usual; the bees were busy as ever gathering nectar, brewing honey, and clearing weeds. At the moment, they looked more like pure spirit farmers than Qi Ping did.
Sitting under the ancient pine tree, Qi Ping looked at the jade slip in his hand, unable to suppress the smile on his face.
'The harvest from this trip is truly beyond expectations.'