Refining the Mountains and Rivers

rest continued for one day and one night.
When he woke up, it was in the middle of the night.
His pupils glinted in the dark.

He looked at the clock hanging on the wall.
The time wasn’t wrong; in other words, he had six days at most before the world killing tribulation arrived.
Although he already knew this, he still couldn’t help but feel an intense sense of worry rise in his heart.
He took a deep breath and started to further contemplate his plan.

Four hours later, Qin Yu stood up and walked to the bathroom.
After washing and putting on a new set of robes, he stood in front of the grand windows and pulled open the shades.
A dim light entered.
The eastern skies were white and a new day was about to begin.

Soon after, there was a knock on his door.
Qin Yu opened it, and without accident, it was precisely Qin Wushang.

The Lord Chief Steward had a warm smile.
“I heard the maid say little friend opened the window blinds, so you must have awakened.
I hope I didn’t disturb you?”

Qin Yu cupped his hands together.
“Chief steward speaks too seriously.
Please, enter.”

He stepped to the side and allowed him in.
When the door closed behind him, a sharp light flashed in Qin Yu’s eyes.
Now was the time for his acting skills to make an appearance.
Although he was still lacking when comparing the thickness of his facial skin to these old things, he had still experienced enough plots and schemes and snobbery that when it came to acting alone, he was quite confident in himself.
Moreover, the play and the stage had already been prepared for him.
In a situation where Qin Wushang was unaware, he already had the advantage.

After asking Chief Steward Qin to sit down, Qin Yu was silent for a moment.
Then he said, “If Chief Steward Qin came here today to convince this junior to continue refining another Revival Good Fortune Pill, then there is no need to speak any further.”

Qin Wushang’s complexion was calm as if he had already expected this.
He nodded, “200 years of life.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator, that is almost a fourth of their lifespan.
That is indeed not a negligible amount.
But, once you break into Divine Soul and sense the rules of the Great Dao, the passing of your life will slow down according to how deeply and how greatly you perceive the Great Dao.
Divine Souls live for 1600 years, but there are many who can live for 3000 years or longer.”

When 200 years was placed in front of 3000 years, it naturally seemed tiny.

Qin Yu had a bitter expression.
He slowly shook his head.
“In truth, it isn’t because of my lifespan…”

Qin Wushang’s eyebrows knitted together.
Qin Yu’s reply was actually unexpected.
Although he came here today ready to offer conditions that this junior couldn’t refuse, he still couldn’t help but feel a sense of restlessness.

“Then why?”

Qin Yu shook his head, his complexion turning white.
“Chief steward, please don’t ask.
No matter what, this junior will not refine another Revival Good Fortune Pill.”

Qin Wushang took a deep breath.
“What if I tell you that the Old Ancestor has prepared a Deva Soul for you?”

Qin Yu’s pupils shrank.
He never thought that the Southshine Nation Old Ancestor would actually be willing to pay such a steep price.

Deva Soul…it was said that if a Nascent Soul refined it, they could directly ascend to Divine Soul.

This temptation was unimaginably great to any cultivator below the Divine Soul realm!

Qin Yu’s breathing quickened.
After gnashing his teeth for a long time he shook his head and said, “Chief Steward Qin, I cannot agree no matter what.”

Qin Wushang had no expression.
“Ning Qin, do you feel that my Southshine Nation isn’t sincere enough? What do you want? Feel free to state your conditions.”

Qin Yu forced a smile.
“On that day, this junior already obtained so many astonishing treasures, so how can I dare express any dissatisfaction? It’s just that this Revival Good Fortune Pill absolutely cannot be refined again!”

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be faking it, Qin Wushang frowned.
He stood up and said, “Good, then I will give you some more time to consider it.”

He turned and left.

Chief Steward Qin thought back to when Qin Yu finished refining the pill yesterday.
Something seemed different, and he didn’t appear too happy.

Could something really have happened?

He didn’t dare to delay.
He took his private car straight to the royal palace and went to see the Old Ancestor atop the altar in that underground temple.
He reported Qin Yu’s response.

The Old Ancestor’s eyebrows wrinkled together.
The air in that dim underground chamber seemed to suddenly thicken like a swamp.
“Ning Qin rejected the Deva Soul?”

Qin Wushang knelt on the ground, saying, “Yes, this old servant has carefully observed him.
He seems sincere.”

“You are saying that Ning Qin really doesn’t want to refine another pill?”

“That should be it.” Qin Wushang hesitated for a moment and then said, “Old Ancestor, Ning Qin kept wavering and hesitating.
It seems like he feels apprehension.”

The more he thought about it, the more he determined this was true.
“Thinking about Ning Qin’s current actions and behavior, it seems he is vaguely afraid of something.”

A bolt of light seemed to flash in the Old Ancestor’s eyes.
Without any movement from him, a phantom walked out from one of the oil lamps around him.
In the blink of an eye, this phantom condensed into reality.
It was one of the avatars that Qin Yu had seen before, one that looked the same as the Old Ancestor himself.

“I really am curious about just what he is thinking.”

Qin Wushang returned, this time bringing back a person that Qin Yu couldn’t help but reveal awe and panic towards.
The Old Ancestor had a light expression, “Ning Qin, I didn’t come here to force you to refine a pill.
Rather, I want you to give me a reasonable explanation.”

Qin Yu’s white face paled even further and he swept his eyes around again and again.
“It isn’t that this junior wishes to refuse you, but I really dare not continue refining another Revival Good Fortune Pill.”

The Old Ancestor narrowed his eyes.
“Is someone threatening you?”

Qin Yu quickly waved his hand.
“No, no, it is just a truly horrifying feeling.” The crucial moment in this play had finally arrived.
Qin Yu diligently recalled the aura of the world killing tribulation and what he felt.
Slowly, fear dawned on his face.
“When this junior refined the second Revival Good Fortune Pill, it seemed as if there were a pair of eyes staring closely at me.
This junior has never felt anything like that before.
It was like those eyes could see through me, peering past all my secrets.
This junior has no idea why, but I suddenly understood that it was a warning.
If I dared to refine another Revival Good Fortune Pill, I would certainly die! Yes, there is no way to escape, I will definitely die!”