In a flash, Wei Su thought of many things.
The three characters he had exchanged had already been exposed, but this did not necessarily mean... that Shen Xingzhu knew how much he truly understood.
She probably still didn't know what these three characters truly represented, which was why she came to question him.
But at the same time, she must have already realized that the significance of these three characters was very important and could be highly consequential, possibly related to Li Hongling's prolonged battle outside the city.
After all... anyone with a bit of foresight would find Li Hongling's suspicious actions curious upon careful reflection.
Wei Su couldn't help but feel a bit regretful for letting Shen Xingzhu into his scheme out of a momentary impulse, trying to use her for his purposes.
If it had been someone else, both Li Hongling and he would have been more vigilant.
But the opponent was precisely Shen Xingzhu.
Shen Xingzhu's path among humans was so famous that anyone who had heard of her name would subconsciously believe that as long as their actions did not contradict her path, she would definitely not intervene in any unnecessary matters.
Moreover, even if one slightly touched her bottom line, she likely would not make a fuss, as long as you could reason and defend yourself.
There was once an extremely famous example.
It is said that a mortal, originally an ordinary woodcutter from Jinyang Kingdom under An Mountain, lived off cutting wood every day.
While his family was impoverished, they shared the tide of fortune with a devoted wife and two children, enjoying family bliss. However, misfortune struck: the woodcutter, going out for wood as usual, returned to find his home collapsed into a large hole and his wife dead untimely.
Upon inquiry, he learned that nearby, Moon Embrace Realm cultivators had been fighting, with one of them accidentally falling onto the woodcutter's house during the duel.
A calamity, a disaster unwarranted.
The woodcutter's character transformed; he searched for immortals and sought enlightenment solely for revenge, thus attracting the attention of a demon cultivator who took him as an apprentice.
Three years later, relying on the demon cultivation technique, the woodcutter rapidly achieved Tower Ascension Realm and found his old enemy, only to discover that this person had chosen to become mundane to break through to the Grandmaster Realm, having a wife and children at home.
The woodcutter and the cultivator had traded places; the woodcutter was no longer just a woodcutter but a demon cultivator with bloodstained hands.
He struck the enemy's wife's head into pieces with one palm and then cooked the two children for revenge.
Just as he was about to kill the cultivator, he encountered Shen Xingzhu.
The cultivator hastily sought help, while the demon cultivator dared not act.
At this moment, the children still had a breath of life left, prompting Shen Xingzhu to ask first, "Did your children cultivate?"
The cultivator answered truthfully, "Even though I chose a mundane existence, I couldn't bear to see my children suffer from ailments, hence I taught them the Qi Refining technique."
Shen Xingzhu said, "Among cultivators, the struggle relies on individual skills; I shall not intervene."
Thus, these children died without closing their eyes peacefully.
The cultivator wailed in despair, while the demon cultivator laughed heartily, "My hatred from that year is now resolved; I won't kill you; I want you to regret for a lifetime."
Shen Xingzhu asked again, "Have you cultivated?"
The cultivator replied, "Having chosen a mundane form physically, all of my cultivation has dissipated."
Shen Xingzhu said, "Should you forcefully transition back into cultivation now, your cultivation would retreat to the Tower Ascension Realm; you wouldn't be able to kill him."
Suddenly, the cultivator laughed loudly and ran into the demon cultivator's blade, dying instantly.
The demon cultivator hadn't yet regained his senses before hearing Shen Xingzhu say,
"You murdered a mortal; this is pathless and warrants execution."
Thus, Shen Xingzhu slew the demon cultivator.
Had others judged this, it might have been convoluted and unclear, not knowing who was right or wrong.
But to Shen Xingzhu, it turned out surprisingly clear and understandable.
She didn't need to know who was wrong or right; her focus was solely on the gains and losses of her path.
In the end, both died, grievances ended in this cycle, making the outcome seemingly appropriate.
Some even believed that Shen Xingzhu's comment was intended to drive the cultivator to suicide so that the demon cultivator would err.
But the one deciding was ultimately the cultivator, having no apparent relation to Shen Xingzhu...
Therefore,
Wei Su understood that until Shen Xingzhu found concrete evidence, she would absolutely not kill easily.
But that didn't mean Wei Su wasn't afraid.
Shen Xingzhu's aura was too aggressive and imposing; he feared Li Hongling had already broken the rules, implicating him consequently.
Hence, he immediately showcased his backing, even exposing some information, aiming to extricate himself.
When it comes to hesitance, he actually had no choice at all.
If Shen Xingzhu wished to act, even the most powerful backing would be useless for him...
Wei Su bitterly smiled, saying:
"叾卟叿, that means... Elixir of Longevity."
Shen Xingzhu squinted, staring at his expression for a few breaths before sheathing her longsword.
"Most earthly emperors are avid in searching for the Elixir of Longevity; each mention is nothing more than wishful thinking. This time, they truly found one?"
Wei Su cautiously nodded: "Exactly, Su Yu once sent people to visit the Penglai Immortal Sect extensively and established the National Preceptor's Mansion, electing a deceitful Lai Zitou Daoist as the National Preceptor, merely to find an Elixir of Longevity."
He adopted a candid attitude, disclosing everything he knew.
"But this Elixir of Longevity is unrelated to his endeavors; it's a bizarre tale instead."
Shen Xingzhu glanced at him, indifferently saying:
"Fellow Daoist, being a Sea Breaking Realm cultivator, do you actually believe in tales of ghosts and foxes?"
Wei Su awkwardly smiled but then replied earnestly:
"This Elixir of Longevity arrived in an eerie manner; it's beyond doubt for us to believe."
"Legend has it, Su Yu was startled awake by knocking sounds one midnight, thinking an assassin was acting, awoken suddenly, only to see a silhouette outside the thick bed curtains."
"Terrified, he quickly begged for mercy, but the figure said, 'Your Majesty, no need to panic; seeing your sincerity, I have come to deliver you medicine.'"
"The silhouette took out a round Elixir from his bosom and handed it over."
"Su Yu, skeptical yet intrigued, extended his hand through the curtain and indeed felt an Elixir."
"Elated beyond measure, he lifted the curtain to thank the figure, only to find no one outside, just his reflection on the bed curtains, holding an Elixir identical to what he had seen."
Whether Su Yu truly obtained the medicine from a specter or concocted a story himself, it was already unknown.
Yet the Donghuang Saint personally verified through divination that the Elixir of Longevity indeed existed.
Shen Xingzhu said, "So, Li Hongling seeks the Elixir of Longevity and therefore detained the musician?"
Wei Su nodded: "I suspect the musician holds the clue, Li Hongling constrained by this, having no means for Primordial Spirit Soul Search, nor willing to tell us, thus detaining the musician to stall for time."
He added further clarification:
"Although I harbored intentions to exploit them, it was also to rescue the musician from peril, not to oppress the lower with the upper hand, Fellow Daoist Shen..."
No response.
Wei Su raised his head, only to find Shen Xingzhu had already left.
"Phew..."
Wei Su finally released a deep sigh, hurriedly using the fan to "brush brush" fan his forehead, cooling himself down.
After fanning for a while, looking at the blank fan, he suddenly curled his lips into a smile.
What he swapped was the Elixir of Longevity, yet not only the Elixir of Longevity.
But the "Eternal Life Lock"...
As long as this matter isn't uncovered, even if Shen Xingzhu knows about the Elixir of Longevity, it's irrelevant.
His eyes flickered: "How did Shen Xingzhu learn about the three words 叾卟叿? It must have been from what the musician said."
And this musician directly voiced that term, approximately to do what he did, attempting to use Shen Xingzhu.
Yet strangely, if he knew the whereabouts of the Elixir of Longevity.
Simply sharing the location simultaneously with Shen Xingzhu and Li Hongling would instantly create discord, achieving an immediate effect.
But he did not do so.
Was he not clever enough?
"No, no, no... This person being able to negotiate terms with Li Hongling isn't any ordinary character."
Wei Su murmured: "Either he's lying, or he simply can't produce the Elixir of Longevity."
Unable to produce it, yet knowing... it seemed to dawn on him brightly.
He suddenly stood up.
He contemplated an almost impossible possibility.