My Synthesizer Has Talent

Chapter 198: Chapter 196: A Heaven-Defying Bounty, Su Qing in Hiding

Meanwhile, Su Hongshang had learned that Su Qing was suspected of possessing an Immortal Realm.

She quickly left the Ring Vine Islands of the Nether Sea.

’That guy!’ Su Hongshang knew she had already benefited quite a bit from him.

The moment she’d stepped forward to protect Su Qing, she knew a Divinity Transformation cultivator would come looking for her.

She had to get out of there.

Otherwise, she’d likely be fleeced for all she was worth.

’An Immortal Realm...’

’It’s the stuff of legends.’

’It’s what every Immortal Cultivator—no, what every living being—desires.’

’To possess it is to achieve Longevity, to defy the passage of Time, to live forever.’

’No wonder... no wonder he had Spirit Fruits that could extend a life by five hundred years.’

Su Hongshang felt a pang of regret. ’If I’d known, I would have devoured him completely. Then I’d have a shot at Longevity myself.’

’Is this his secret?’ Su Hongshang recalled Su Qing’s condition. ’Or maybe... maybe not.’

...

...

These days, Cold Extremity Peak was no longer deserted.

But higher up, a few buildings still stood alone, their solitude sacrosanct.

...

...

"Lanxin, did the Sect Lord summon you too?"

"Yes. We talked about what happened with Senior Brother."

"Anything else?"

"That was all." Luo Lanxin shook her head. ’As long as I keep my mouth shut, and they don’t resort to Soul Stealing, how could they possibly know what Senior Brother gave me?’

Besides, it seemed her own master had also received treasures left by her senior brother, and she had actually distributed them all.

In her case, Luo Lanxin had consumed two Immortal Fruits and two Elixirs.

Now, Luo Lanxin was focused on expanding the foundation of her Golden Core; she had already reached Golden Core Perfection.

Her master was in the same situation.

So was her martial uncle.

Her senior sister had also reached the Golden Core Realm.

By now,

it was safe to say that every Sect knew her former senior brother possessed an Immortal Realm.

It was simply unbelievable.

It still felt like a dream.

In their interactions, everyone had, to some extent, inquired about their relationship with Su Qing.

Heh, no fool could cultivate to the Golden Core Realm.

They all said they didn’t know him well, that he was always in seclusion.

"Lanxin, your senior brother... No, don’t call him that anymore. Su Qing is not one of us. Perhaps he was in the past, but now, we cannot be associated with him."

"Do you understand?" Ouyang Mingming sighed. This disciple of hers had been an unexpected but pleasant surprise.

But she’d never imagined that things would lead to the Sect Lord forcing Su Qing away.

Now, the bounty on his head had reached an absurd figure.

The Immortal Alliance’s bounty was also ridiculously high.

They’d even added the bounty from the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sacred Land into the mix.

That alone showed how terrifying the situation had become.

In total, the reward even included a Tier Six Spiritual Treasure.

Truly terrifying.

All of this was for a single purpose: to find Su Qing.

The implications were clear.

Whether it was the rumors or the bounties,

none of it mattered anymore.

The only thing that mattered was Su Qing himself. Whether he possessed an Immortal Realm or not, the moment he exposed his location, Divinity Transformation Realm experts would descend upon him.

Real or fake, they had to seize this chance at an Immortal Realm.

Besides, a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator under the age of fifty had routed a Divinity Transformation expert—an expert who was now demanding compensation from the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sacred Land.

The message was clear: he wouldn’t leave without getting something out of it.

—

—

A storm was brewing.

Su Qing assumed a new name: Le Wanjia.

He settled in the Profound Bright Islands, playing the part of a cultivator who could set up Tier Two Arrays.

He even made regular public appearances to set up Arrays for clients.

With his Disguise and concealed Cultivation, who could possibly recognize him as Su Qing?

No one would ever know.

On the islands, most cultivators belonged to a faction. Su Qing claimed to be a mere Loose Cultivator. What was wrong with that?

「Three months later.」

All was calm.

An Elixir created by Standardization to improve his aptitude appeared in Su Qing’s hand.

He would use it to elevate his power and reach Technique Perfection even faster.

Today,

Su Qing arrived at a shop.

"Lord Le, here to purchase Array materials again?"

"That’s right. Bring out my usual Array materials. The market price hasn’t changed, so if you try to jack up the price, I’m not buying."

"Hey, listen to you! How could I possibly rip off a regular customer? Master Le, just a moment, please."

The shop was quite large. It belonged to the Fang Family of the Profound Bright Islands and specialized in selling Spiritual Materials.

Su Qing had become a familiar face here.

After all, he had been coming here frequently over the past three months to buy things and take on Array-setting jobs.

His reputation had quickly spread throughout the Profound Bright Islands.

The shopkeeper quickly brought out the materials, and Su Qing paid him several thousand Ordinary Spirit Stones.

"Any interesting gossip lately?"

"Gossip? There hasn’t been much lately. The Immortal Alliance, the Celestial Sea Realm, the Nether Sea Realm... they’re all searching for that Demon Su on the bounty list. The only thing of note is that the auction on the nearby Chongming Islands has started."

"I hear this year’s auction is mostly Tier Three Cultivation Techniques and Spiritual Materials, though it seems there’s also a Tier Four Body Refining Technique."

"A Tier Four Body Refining Technique is practically trash. Now, if it were a Tier Four Immortal Cultivation Technique, even my clan’s elders might have shown up."

"Body Refinement is worthless. The methods are too one-dimensional," the shopkeeper said with a look of disdain.

"Shopkeeper Fang, I’ll be taking my leave. I wouldn’t dare attend that auction. I’d be afraid of buying something and not living long enough to use it."

"Indeed. Take care, Master Le. Auctions attract too many Tribulation Cultivators. It’s better to just cultivate peacefully in this area. Just staying alive is a victory in itself."

Su Qing left the shop.

His mind, however, was on the Tier Four Body Refining Technique.

’I can’t believe it just fell into my lap.’

Su Qing had been worrying about what to do after he perfected his Micro Acupoint Technique.

And just like that, a Tier Four Body Refining Technique appears at a nearby island auction.

’They say a cultivator who only refines their body but not their soul is just a brute, but I cultivate all three paths. Do I have weaknesses? Do I have shortcomings?’

’Impossible.’

The Immortal Enlightenment Tree King hadn’t grown much yet,

but the Enlightenment Tree had already taken root and sprouted.

The Enlightenment Tree was a Tier Five existence. As long as it grew, Su Qing wouldn’t have to worry about finding ways to increase his Comprehension.

Standardization would clear the path ahead for him.

He didn’t even dare go to the Nether Sea to purchase Enlightenment Tea leaves now.

He was too afraid of being targeted.

Fighting a single Divinity Transformation cultivator had been troublesome enough. If he were ganged up on by two or more, Su Qing feared he wouldn’t be able to hold out.

His Soul Protection Technique was still far from Perfection.

Su Qing didn’t dare get careless.

—

[Soul Protection Technique: Entry Level (143/500)]

—

One point per day.

Fortunately, the Divinity Transformation expert’s Soul Secret Technique hadn’t been able to cause him much damage.

After all, his Visualization Map already granted him immense resistance to soul attacks.

After getting his thoughts in order,

Su Qing made a few more inquiries and learned that the auction on the Chongming Islands would begin on the first of next month.

The Tier Four Body Refining Technique was supposedly found in a ruin.

While rare, the cultivators in this part of the world didn’t place much importance on Body Refining Techniques.

The path of Body Refinement made it difficult to advance one’s Soul Cultivation.

The path of Qi Cultivation, however, did.

Both the Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation realms involved forcefully elevating one’s Soul Cultivation.

This left their Physique as their main shortcoming.

But most cultivators engaged in Magical Combat from a distance. Truly powerful Body Refinement, like the Ten Thousand Tribulations Divine Body Technique, was a single technique that simultaneously cultivated all three paths—body, qi, and soul.

However, one had to withstand the Thunder Tribulation to master it.

Moreover, it was exclusive to the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sacred Land.

Before, Su Qing might have had a way to obtain it, but now, that was no longer certain.

This Body Refining Technique...

Su Qing was determined to get it.

Because there were no Divinity Transformation Cultivators on the Chongming Islands.

There were only two Nascent Soul Families.

If Spirit Stones couldn’t secure the technique, then too bad. Su Qing would snatch it by force if he had to.

....