“What’s your bargaining chip for this deal?”

Fairy Lingyue looked coldly at the Blade Ghost.

Although the Corpse Lotus’s demonic root wasn’t brought in by the Blade Ghost, he had been hiding it all along, clearly intending to use it to threaten her and Xu Taiping at a time like this.

“As far as I know, once the Corpse Lotus takes root, removing it without harming the host requires many preparations and a long time.”

“And during this period, the Corpse Lotus will continuously absorb the host’s essence. At best, it will delay the host’s cultivation progress; at worst, it will completely halt the host’s cultivation.”

“Someone as powerful as you surely has ways to deal with it, but it will undoubtedly require a lot of effort and energy.”

The Blade Ghost spoke with a smile, looking at the two of them.

Hearing this, Xu Taiping felt a tinge of worry in his heart, but his face remained calm as ever.

Because he knew that the Blade Ghost in front of him was definitely trying to use this matter to bargain with Fairy Lingyue.

“What exactly do you want to say?”

Fairy Lingyue’s eyes were icy as she glanced at the Blade Ghost.

She was very annoyed by the Blade Ghost’s current attitude.

“I can use the Blade Realm to help you seal this Corpse Lotus.”

The Blade Ghost grinned with a somewhat frivolous tone.

“Don’t think I don’t know that once the Corpse Lotus takes root, it can even devour your Blade Realm.”

Fairy Lingyue looked coldly at the Blade Ghost.

“As long as that kid continues to spar with me, even if the Blade Realm is completely devoured by the Corpse Lotus, I won’t hesitate.”

The Blade Ghost suddenly switched back to an old, solemn tone, earnestly promising Fairy Lingyue and Xu Taiping.

“Just spar with you?”

Xu Taiping was a bit surprised.

He had originally thought the Blade Ghost would make some excessive request.

Fairy Lingyue was also puzzled, but she sensed that the other party wasn’t lying.

“I may have forgotten many things, and without reminders, I can’t recall them at all. But there’s one obsession I’ve never forgotten.”

“What obsession?”

“I’m searching for a certain blade technique.”

“What blade technique?”

“I don’t know what kind of blade technique it is. I only know that once I find it, I will be free.”

“Sparring with me, you can find that blade technique?”

“Not you, but the blade technique you inherited from Duan Tianya. That blade technique is the pinnacle of human blade techniques. I have a feeling that if I can spar with someone who has fully mastered that blade technique, I will be able to find that blade technique.”

At this point, the Blade Ghost suddenly looked excited.

Hearing this, Xu Taiping suddenly recalled the scenes of the Blade Ghost urging him to practice his blade technique over the past few days, and some of his doubts were instantly resolved.

“Taiping.”

Fairy Lingyue didn’t immediately respond to the Blade Ghost but turned to Xu Taiping.

“Even without him, I have a way to suppress the growth of the Corpse Lotus.”

She confidently added.

“Kid, as long as you continue to spar with me, I can give up everything to seal this Corpse Lotus for you!”

Hearing Fairy Lingyue’s words, the Blade Ghost suddenly became nervous and, with a trembling voice, pleaded with Xu Taiping.

But Xu Taiping wasn’t someone who acted on emotions.

“Which method carries more risk?”

He turned to ask Fairy Lingyue.

“That depends on whether you trust me or him more.”

Fairy Lingyue replied.

“Of course, I trust you, Fairy Lingyue.”

Xu Taiping answered without hesitation.

“Then leave it to…”

“Kid!”

Before Fairy Lingyue could finish her sentence, the Blade Ghost suddenly knelt down with a “thud,” trembling as he looked at Xu Taiping and said, “Other than my parents and mentors, I’ve never knelt to anyone. But today, I’m willing to kneel and swear that everything I’ve said is true, and I will never betray you.”

“I just ask you to continue sparring with me!”

After saying this, the Blade Ghost slammed his head onto the ground.

Xu Taiping stood there in shock.

During this time together, what impressed him most was the Blade Ghost’s pride and arrogance in his obsession.

But now, this proud existence was kneeling before him, which he found unbelievable.

“Bang!”

At this moment, the Blade Ghost slammed his head onto the ground again, causing the ground to tremble.

“Please continue sparring with me!”

The old voice, tinged with stubbornness, echoed.

“To give up pride and dignity for an unrealistic blade technique, blade cultivators can be harder to deal with than sword cultivators sometimes.”

Fairy Lingyue looked at the Blade Ghost with a hint of respect in her eyes.

“Duan Lao said that when you practice the blade to the end, you either go mad, become a demon, or die.”

Xu Taiping nodded.

“Bang!”

At this moment, the Blade Ghost slammed his head onto the ground again.

“Kid, please, please continue sparring with me. I’m just one step away, just one step away from finding that blade technique.”

The Blade Ghost looked at Xu Taiping with pleading eyes.

Xu Taiping quietly looked at the blood-stained old face for a long time before turning to Fairy Lingyue and said, “Fairy Lingyue, I want to see.”

“See what?”

“See what kind of blade technique makes him willing to give up his life and dignity.”

“Alright.”

Fairy Lingyue rarely interfered with Xu Taiping’s serious decisions.

“I agree.”

After getting Fairy Lingyue’s approval, Xu Taiping turned to the Blade Ghost.

In an instant, the Blade Ghost’s pupils dilated, and a childlike joy appeared on his face.

“But, the sparring sessions will be once every three months.”

Xu Taiping demanded.

Sparring with the Blade Ghost wasn’t just ordinary practice; it was a life-and-death battle. Even though he could be revived in the Blade Realm, once a month was still too much for Xu Taiping at the moment.

“Alright!”

The Blade Ghost agreed without hesitation.

After saying this, he swallowed the Corpse Lotus and solemnly promised Xu Taiping, “As long as I live, I will never let this Corpse Lotus harm you in any way!”

…

“Although the Blade Ghost agreed to use the Blade Realm to seal the Corpse Lotus for you, it’s not a long-term solution. We still need to prepare the necessary items to remove the Corpse Lotus in advance.”

That evening, by the bamboo grove in the courtyard, Fairy Lingyue, who had transformed into a little girl, earnestly advised Xu Taiping.

“What items do we need?”

Xu Taiping asked.

He was feeling a bit uneasy. Given how seriously Fairy Lingyue was speaking, those items were probably not easy to obtain.

“They are…”

“Taiping!”

Just as Fairy Lingyue was about to speak, a familiar female voice suddenly came from the entrance of Qi Yue Pavilion.

It was Zhao Linglong.

“Taiping, come out quickly, great news, great news!”

“Taiping, you’ve been granted a spot to enter the Immortal Gourd Cave!”

Before Xu Taiping could respond, Zhao Linglong at the entrance was already shouting excitedly.

“Immortal Gourd Cave?”

Xu Taiping was puzzled.