Chapter 192: The Scheming Heaven-Stealing Thief

Without a sliver of hesitation.

In the very instant he shouted a curse, Wang Ping threw a punch. Almost simultaneously, Chenlong and Xuanhe launched their own attacks at the figure.

And then their strikes hit thin air.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief stood perfectly still. Whether it was the howling magical power or the Blood Qi True Gang, it all seemed to vanish into a bottomless abyss.

Let alone any grand phenomena, the combined assault didn't even stir up a splash.

Xuanhe's brow furrowed at the sight. "The Object-Stealing Thief..."

A thief of objects can seize anything outside the body, possessing the power to pluck the stars and snatch the moon... The relevant information quickly flashed through Wang Ping's mind as he flew backward in retreat.

"My good disciple, you're being far too distant."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief looked over with a dark gaze and laughed heartily. "I came specifically to seek cooperation, just as you suggested. Shouldn't you welcome me?"

"Then again, you really caused a massive headache for me this time. Kunlun just recovered his memories and barely regained his former magical power and Divine Powers. Before he even had the time to reclaim his position in destiny, you prematurely triggered his life tribulation. Tell me, what should I do with you?"

"What the hell does that have to do with me!"

Wang Ping answered without missing a beat. "I wasn't the one who told Kunyun about you. Every wrong has its instigator, and every debt its debtor. If you want to find someone to blame, you should go look for Daoist Xuanhe."

Xuanhe: "???"

Seeing the Heaven-Stealing Thief cast a smiling, sidelong glance his way, Xuanhe instantly threw all thoughts of true spiritual roots and past favors out of his mind. He didn't hesitate for a second. "The Victorious Combat Sect put me up to it!"

Wang Ping instantly glared at Xuanhe, cursing aloud, "Biyang's... you have no loyalty!"

Xuanhe's face didn't redden, nor did his breath catch as he retorted, "Loyalty is something people talk about, not something they actually do! Fellow Daoist Dousheng, just go in peace!"

The two hurled insults at each other while rapidly retreating.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief chuckled lightly. "Why go to such lengths, you two? Trading words back and forth, running while you talk, and shouting so loudly—you're just short of crying out for help..."

"Help!!!"

Wang Ping and Xuanhe screamed for help at the top of their lungs, entirely abandoning their dignity. It wasn't until Weifeng suddenly swept past that their pounding hearts finally settled down.

An ethereal voice rang out calmly, "Rest assured, you are fine."

"Master!" Wang Ping swore this was the most sincere cry he had ever uttered in his entire life. He wished the First Seat would immediately pull him into the Martial Drill Platform.

"Enough."

Not far away, the Heaven-Stealing Thief spoke calmly. "Since everyone is here, let's get straight to the point. The incident with Kunyun—you two are the ones who caused it, correct?"

"Nonsense!"

Wang Ping immediately shot back. "If we're talking about who started it, you attacked me first! I was merely acting in self-defense."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief tilted his head. Although his face was hidden, he radiated an aura of perfect innocence. "When did I ever attack you?"

"You're still denying it?"

Wang Ping sneered. "The matter with Xiaoxiang, deliberately letting me master the Pill Manipulation art, and the path of Uniting Earth to Behold Fire... do you dare say none of that had anything to do with you?"

"...Tsk."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief smacked his lips, swiftly shifting the blame. "You were the one who dragged Kunlun into this first. I only came up with a countermeasure. You can't blame me for this."

Those words undoubtedly confirmed Wang Ping's suspicions.

I knew it!

The path of Uniting Earth to Behold Fire that he had suddenly comprehended required one other critical factor, aside from his Gui Water magical power and Wu Earth Divine Powers.

Fire! Heavenly yang fire!

The final step of Uniting Earth to Behold Fire just so happened to require heavenly yang fire—specifically, spiritual materials related to the Radiant Universal Illumination of the Six Harmonies to assist in the process!

And by sheer coincidence, Kunlun cultivated the exact same Radiant Universal Illumination of the Six Harmonies. In Wang Ping's eyes, this undeniably proved the Heaven-Stealing Thief was the mastermind pulling the strings in the shadows. He had created leverage out of thin air, using the path of Uniting Earth to Behold Fire to drag Wang Ping into the same camp!

Clearly, this was the Heaven-Stealing Thief's counterattack.

Right after Wang Ping exposed the thief's existence to Kunyun and made him the scapegoat, the thief immediately pulled Wang Ping onto the same boat, refusing to let him sit back and watch the fire from the opposite shore.

"Let's cooperate."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief chuckled lightly a second later. "If you and I join forces to kill Kunyun, Kunlun will help you complete Uniting Earth to Behold Fire once he passes his life tribulation."

"Strictly speaking, you're the one profiting here."

"After all, you wanted to kill Kunyun from the very beginning, didn't you?"

Wang Ping's eyes narrowed. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a deep voice. "Afterward won't work. I don't trust you... Pay up first, and then we can talk about cooperation."

"I don't trust you either."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief shook his head. "How about this: we settle half. I'll give you half the spiritual materials so you can inspect the goods, and the remaining half after it's done."

"That works." Wang Ping nodded.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief reached into his robes. After rummaging around for a moment, he pulled out an object the size of a fist, emanating a radiant light from the inside out.

Its texture was translucent, and its interior was densely packed with fine, crimson-gold threads. They spread outward from the center like frozen bolts of lightning, flickering on and off as if the object were breathing. Faintly, at its very core rested an even brighter light source, looking like a sun that had been shrunk countless times over.

Just looking at it made one feel dizzy.

"This object is called Crimson Glaze."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief rolled the jade-like stone in his hand, gave it a small toss, and threw it toward Wang Ping, who hurriedly reached out to catch it in midair.

Hum!

In an instant, Wang Ping felt a torrent of scorching heat erupt from the stone, while the crimson-gold threads within it surged madly toward his palm.

Within a few seconds, Wang Ping's tempered, battle-hardened palm felt as though it had grasped a branding iron. The stone seared a visible mark right into his flesh.

On the side, Xuanhe's eyes widened.

"Crimson Glaze, Crimson Glaze... to think it was this item!"

What the hell is that?

Wang Ping naturally did not recognize this treasure at all, but with the atmosphere already set, flatly admitting his ignorance would make him look like a filthy independent cultivator.

With that thought in mind, he quickly linked his consciousness to You Xuexin again.

Soon, he received his answer.

"Crimson Glaze is a type of heavenly strange fire."

"It originates from the Radiant Universal Illumination Six Harmonies Qi. Its nature is extreme yang. In the heavens, it manifests as the sun and lightning. It can forge Geng Metal, incinerate Jia Wood, and holds the wondrous property of nurturing Earth into benevolence."

Geng Metal was yang metal.

Forging Geng Metal was not hard to understand; it simply followed the principle of fire overcoming metal. As for incinerating Jia Wood, Jia Wood was yang wood, aligning with the principle of wood feeding fire.

Nurturing Earth into benevolence referred to fire generating earth. Earth was the child of fire, so whether it was yin earth or yang earth, it did not matter. An abundance of earth could actually disperse the fire's violent energy, cultivating a virtue of benevolence. Therefore, this strange fire would significantly aid yang earth-type spiritual materials, magical power, and even Divine Powers.

Of course, if the fire was too strong and the earth too dry, there was also the risk of utter destruction.

"However, in such a scenario, a stream of water can perfectly harmonize the conflict between the two, forming a flawless cycle of water suppressing fire, fire generating earth, and earth suppressing water."

This balance was like the two ends of a scale.

Water could quell the raging fire, while earth could keep the water in check, controlling the intensity of fire generating earth within a safe range and completely avoiding the risks of excessive fire and dry earth.

What a coincidence! My magical power happens to be Earthly Yin Water, and the Divine Power I cultivate is Heavenly Yang Earth. This Crimson Glaze couldn't be more perfect!

Wang Ping had absolutely no doubt that with the Crimson Glaze as a spiritual material, utilizing the resonance of generation and suppression between heaven and earth, his cultivation speed for the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart would vastly exceed that of ordinary cultivators. It was practically tailor-made for him. From this, it was obvious that the Heaven-Stealing Thief...

...had indeed premeditated all of this.

"Huu..."

After figuring everything out, Wang Ping didn't hesitate for another second. He instantly put the Crimson Glaze away and beamed. "Senior, you are far too generous!"

"I wonder, how does Senior plan to cooperate?"

The Heaven-Stealing Thief smiled. "I cannot personally act to kill Xuanyin. This person is a poisoned bait deliberately dropped by Kunyun. If I take the bite, I will undoubtedly die. Therefore, you must be the ones to kill him."

"How do we kill him?"

Wang Ping asked in return. "The Martial Dao cannot be easily exposed. My master and the various Great Grandmasters will not take action. And even if they did, Xuanyin wouldn't be easy to kill."

"If we fight too ruthlessly and cause a massive disturbance, drawing too much attention to the Martial Dao, the losses will outweigh the gains."

"I naturally understand that."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief nodded. "That is why the one who kills Xuanyin cannot be a martial artist. Ideally, it should be a cultivator with extraordinary talent and a spotless background."

"You want Daoist Xuanhe to do it?" Wang Ping was stunned.

"Huh? Me?"

Xuanhe hurriedly waved his hands. "Xuanyin's cultivation base and Divine Powers are on par with mine, and he possesses a top-tier Grotto-Heaven. I'm no match for him. Please find someone better qualified."

"Daoist Xuanhe, please don't decline."

Wang Ping curled his lip. "After all, you are the most spotless cultivator here. You're an inner sect disciple with a flawless lineage. If you don't step up, am I supposed to do it?"

The Heaven-Stealing Thief immediately nodded. "Exactly. You will do it."

Wang Ping: "..."

Huh? I'm going to kill Xuanyin?

Wang Ping hurriedly waved his hands. "My background isn't spotless, and my cultivation isn't high either. I even struggle to fight Chenlong, so how am I supposed to fight Xuanyin? Please find someone better qualified."

Chenlong: "..."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief smiled. "On the contrary, my good disciple, you are the most spotless one of all. Because you have come into contact with the Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron."

"When you burst onto the scene, everyone will assume your cultivation originated from that Treasure Cauldron. The Divine Power you are about to cultivate will serve as perfect proof of that."

Wang Ping furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"Oh? You don't know?"

This time, it was the Heaven-Stealing Thief's turn to be surprised. "Spiritual Treasures also have their aligned heavenly and earthly elements. And that Ever-Suppressing Six Harmonies Cauldron happens to be aligned with Wu Earth."