"I have figured a few things out. This Three Talents Array isn’t easy to break, but it’s not impossible," Song Changsheng said calmly.

Xia Qingxue was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected Song Changsheng to say that. "You have a way to break this Array?"

"Get real, kid from the Song Clan. I admit you have some talent, but just as you said yourself, this is an Array somewhere between Tier Two and Tier Three. How could you possibly break it?"

Hou Tianming, who had recovered a bit, scoffed. He was no stranger to Song Changsheng. During the Heart Inquiry Trial held by Zhan Tianxia, he had also participated and lasted until the Third Illusion Realm.

If they were ranked by the time they lasted, Song Changsheng was first in the trial, Xia Qingxue was second, and he was third. The performances of the other two were still fresh in his mind; they were truly not on the same level. He had to admit that Song Changsheng’s talent in "a certain area" was above his own.

But that didn’t mean he could believe that Song Changsheng, someone from a minor background, could break the Array before them—an Array that had left both him and Xia Qingxue helpless.

Song Changsheng glanced at Hou Tianming. He understood what the other man was thinking. ’He’s just looking down on my background. It’s a common failing among disciples from the Major Sects.’

"If you don’t believe me, then we can just keep waiting." Song Changsheng didn’t want to waste his breath arguing with him. For one, he had no obligation to explain anything. For another, he really didn’t want to cooperate with these two.

’Among the three of them, Hou Tianming is the Direct Disciple of a Celestial Vein Sect Elder. His own strength isn’t weak, and he surely has all sorts of trump cards. He won’t be easy to deal with.’

’As for Xia Qingxue, she’s even more unfathomable. Her strength is certainly above Hou Tianming’s. Given her status in the Golden Crow Sect, she must have even more trump cards than he does.’

’If I cooperate with them, I probably won’t get a single thing after we break the Array.’

’Although the two Major Sects are like fire and water, that’s all bullshit in the face of profit. Given the nature of disciples from Major Sects, they would just team up to kick me out first. It would be too late for regrets then.’

’In comparison, I’d much rather work with Luoxia City. Not only are they the strongest force in the Qiantian Secret Realm, but based on their reputation alone, they wouldn’t just abandon an ally once they’ve served their purpose.’

’Worst case, I got this spot for free anyway. Even if Yinn Shang and his people took all the treasure for themselves, I wouldn’t mind. That’s still far better than it falling into the hands of the two Major Sects.’

Seeing Song Changsheng remain silent, Hou Tianming assumed he had hit the mark, and his gaze became even more disdainful.

Xia Qingxue, however, looked at Song Changsheng thoughtfully. She took a few graceful steps to stand before him and asked coolly, "Do you really have a way to break the Array?"

"You believe me?" Though a beauty stood before him, Song Changsheng’s heart remained unstirred. He gave a perfunctory reply and went back to studying the Grand Array with his Pupil Technique. ’This Array is far more attractive to me than she is.’

"I know of you. You are a Tier Two Low-Grade Array Master, and your grandfather is a Tier Three Low-Grade Array Master. It’s said your talent surpasses even his, so I believe what you say has some credibility.

"As long as you can break the Array, I can split the spoils with you evenly or give you sufficient compensation." It was rare for Xia Qingxue to speak at such length, and her tone was incredibly serious.

Song Changsheng couldn’t help but glance at her in surprise. His intuition told him she was serious, and the terms she offered were good. ’She’s not like that Hou Tianming.’

But after careful consideration, he still shook his head. "The two of us alone aren’t strong enough. We should wait for Fellow Daoist Yinn and the others to arrive."

"Tch. In the end, you’re still relying on them," Hou Tianming said impatiently. "Fellow Daoist Xia, you don’t actually believe a word this guy says, do you?"

Xia Qingxue shot him a cold glance. ’This idiot. More of a hindrance than a help. Then again, that might be a good thing for me.’

Withdrawing her gaze, she nodded to Song Changsheng, then sat cross-legged on the bluestone again to circulate her energy and regulate her breathing.

’What in the world is being nurtured in here? If only I could get a closer look.’ Even after trying every trick up his sleeve, Song Changsheng still couldn’t see what treasure the Array was protecting. All he could feel was a surging life force, so rich it was absurd.

’It couldn’t be a treasure that extends one’s lifespan, could it?’ A thought stirred in Song Changsheng’s mind. In this world, if one had to name the most precious treasure, it would undoubtedly be a Spirit Medicine that could prolong life.

What do Cultivators strive for as they continuously climb the path of cultivation?

For greater power and a longer lifespan, of course.

Of the two, lifespan was what the vast majority pursued. After all, as long as you lived long enough, your strength was bound to be formidable. You could even just outlast all your enemies.

Therefore, whenever a treasure capable of extending one’s lifespan appeared, it would invariably spark a mad scramble among countless people.

The treasure being nurtured in this valley was at least at the Tier Three Level; Tier Four wasn’t out of the question.

There were only a few types of Tier Four Longevity Pills. Though their effects varied slightly, they could extend one’s lifespan by at least a hundred years. If refined into a Pill, the effect could be even better.

Even Golden Core Masters would go crazy for it!

’My luck can’t be that bad, can it?’ Song Changsheng muttered to himself. As far as he knew, the Golden Crow Sect had a long-famous Golden Core Master whose lifespan was running out. If this really was a treasure that could extend life, he might as well just pack up and go home.