Chapter 9 Part 2

Lian Yunzhi blinked, thinking he had misread, and leaned closer to check again.

No mistake—it was Myriad Absorption Spiritual Root!

Myriad Absorption Spiritual Root, Spirit Washing Body, Peerless Furnace Cauldron!

—Mu Cheng!

The surprise hit him suddenly, and Lian Yunzhi’s head began to spin.

At that moment, Mu Cheng emerged from the Extreme Pleasure Hall, holding a familiar Stone Casket: “I think I found the Immortal Pill.”

Double blessings!

Lian Yunzhi looked over with burning eyes.

.

Mu Cheng paused at Lian Yunzhi’s scorching gaze.

He then walked up expressionlessly and opened the Stone Casket for Lian Yunzhi to see.

A pill lay quietly inside, pale purple with golden lines, looking exceedingly beautiful.

Lian Yunzhi’s gaze finally shifted from Mu Cheng. He breathed evenly and carefully stored the Immortal Pill.

“Aren’t you going to take it?” Mu Cheng asked.

Lian Yunzhi shook his head: “This is a life-saving Immortal Pill. I’m not in mortal danger yet, so I won’t take it now.”

Calmed with other solutions, he felt the Immortal Pill treated fatal wounds but didn’t fully restore the body to its original state—otherwise, Mu Cheng’s spiritual root would have regrown already.

His condition might not fall within the Immortal Pill’s scope.

Mu Cheng fell silent for a moment before asking, “Have you found a solution for your spiritual power leakage?”

Lian Yunzhi hummed affirmatively: “I have.”

Mu Cheng asked: “What method?”

—The method is you becoming my human cauldron.

Lian Yunzhi didn’t say this immediately, as countless tragedies flashed through his mind.

He recalled the high-tier Demon Beast forcibly manipulated by its master’s Beast Taming Contract to breed, which eventually bit its master to death in mutual destruction.

He recalled the clear-featured youth who, upon learning he was to become a human cauldron, laughed miserably and pierced his own heart with a sword.

He recalled the Supreme Yin Body female cultivator who was used, discarded, resold, and finally killed a Hehuan Sect elder in bed.

Finally, he recalled seeing Mu Cheng in the alley, those blood-red, wolf-like, unyielding eyes when Mu Cheng opened them to look at him.

Lian Yunzhi shuddered instinctively.

He couldn’t say it.

At least not like this.

Making someone a human cauldron was such an insulting thing.

What if Mu Cheng pounced like that Demon Beast for mutual destruction? What if he miserably suicided like that youth? What if he killed him in bed at the most relaxed moment like that female cultivator?

No, no…

Mu Cheng had already endured enough humiliation. What if asking him to be a human cauldron became the final straw?

…

Lian Yunzhi discreetly put the book away.

He clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the opulent Extreme Pleasure Hall, and smiled faintly at Mu Cheng: “This palace is so vast. You must have worked hard to find this Immortal Pill.”

Mu Cheng: “…It was fine. I found this Immortal Pill in a hidden compartment by the bedhead, which also had a small Formation.”

Lian Yunzhi praised him, saying “You did very well” and “I wouldn’t know what to do without you,” then rummaged in his Storage Bracelet and handed Mu Cheng a celadon agate box inlaid with jewels, smiling: “Open it and see.”

Mu Cheng: “.”

Mu Cheng opened the treasure box and saw the Scar Healing Ointment that could heal the scars on his face.

Lian Yunzhi said: “Scar Healing Ointment is hyped up highly in the mortal world now. I went to great lengths to buy this for my mother, but now I’m giving it to you.”

Mu Cheng lowered his gaze and accepted the Scar Healing Ointment: “Thank you for the reward, Master.”

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Lian Yunzhi: “Aren’t you going to use it?”

Mu Cheng: “This face is more convenient for my travels now. Do you want me to use the Scar Healing Ointment immediately, Master?”

Lian Yunzhi: “…Use it whenever you want.”

Mu Cheng: “Yes, thank you for your generosity, Master.”

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Lian Yunzhi hesitated, then said softly: “I’m sorry.”

Mu Cheng looked up, staring fixedly at Lian Yunzhi.

Lian Yunzhi walked over and gently took Mu Cheng’s hand, rubbing his fingers: “You must have had it hard, right? Climbing down from such a height to find me—your hands must be scraped raw—”

Lian Yunzhi’s voice cut off abruptly, for Mu Cheng’s hands were clean and pristine, slender and attractive, with only some rough sword calluses and no wounds.

Lian Yunzhi: “Uh.”

Lian Yunzhi reached out to touch his shoulders and neck, whispering: “I must have kicked you hard earlier. Sorry, I wasn’t in my right mind then, and your teeth… Does it still hurt? It must be swollen. Sit down, I’ll apply ointment now…”

His voice stopped again. When he pulled open Mu Cheng’s collar, the shoulder and neck were spotless, without even a hint of redness.

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Mu Cheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed oddly. His large, hot hand pulled Lian Yunzhi’s wrist down as he lowered his gaze: “I used Master’s ointment on my own. Please punish me, Master.”

Lian Yunzhi said awkwardly: “How could I punish you for something so minor? I’m not that unreasonable.”

Mu Cheng looked at him quietly, as if to say: Aren’t there few places where you’re unreasonable?

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Lian Yunzhi felt a rare twinge of guilt.

He took Mu Cheng’s hand again, his other hand gently touching his cheek: “Are you resenting me for hitting you? I’m sorry, but I was really angry then. Think about it—because you ate my Immortal Pill, I came back for another one. Because I believed you, I got injured by a Demon Beast and nearly died… And I was poisoned, out of my mind… Forgive me, okay?”

Mu Cheng was silent for a long time before calmly saying: “What am I to dare resent Master?”

Lian Yunzhi: “.”

Lian Yunzhi: “…I knew you cared most about me forcing you earlier. But I was afflicted with Aphrodisiac Poison and out of my mind. If I had even a shred of clarity, I wouldn’t have done that. Rest assured, I definitely won’t—”

Lian Yunzhi stopped in time, realizing he couldn’t voice that promise.

He took a deep breath and lifted his head.

His hand still held Mu Cheng’s. His face no longer smiled; instead, it grew firm. His eyes were clear, inspiring inexplicable trust.

He said word by word: “Mu Cheng, I will definitely treat you well from now on.”

…

If Mu Cheng frequented the Lian Family, if he knew Lian Yunzhi’s mortal cousin Lian Pingyao, he would certainly know that Lian Pingyao had said such words with this tone and expression to all seven of his bed-servant maids.

But he didn’t know.

Thus, gazed at with such sincere eyes, his heartstrings were easily plucked.

He lowered his eyes and said: “I can be your human cauldron.”

Lian Yunzhi: “!!!”

Lian Yunzhi forgot to be shocked at how Mu Cheng knew his thoughts; his heart was filled with joy.

Mu Cheng: “But I have a condition.”

Lian Yunzhi: “Say it! I’ll agree to anything!!!”