Chapter 9 Part 1

Human Cauldron?

Lian Yunzhi never imagined that this ancient book discussed the extremely cruel art of human cauldrons.

He frowned and picked up the book, feeling a slight displeasure in his heart.

But he also knew.

He had found this book in the cave not by coincidence, nor had it unlocked in this space by chance.

This book was certainly very important.

Lian Yunzhi looked up at Mu Cheng beside him and said, “You go into the palace first and find the Immortal Pill. That pill is purple with golden lines on it… Never mind, just go look for it. Bring me all the pills you can find, including any books.”

Mu Cheng nodded. His gaze swept over the title of the ancient book, but his expression remained unchanged as he walked into the Extreme Pleasure Hall.

Lian Yunzhi glanced at Mu Cheng’s back, then opened the Hehuan Sect Furnace Cauldron Great Accomplishment Technique with a solemn and serious expression.

Half a quarter-hour later.

Lian Yunzhi: “…?!!?.”

Lian Yunzhi: “………………”

So that was what a human cauldron meant. So human cauldrons transferred spiritual power through dual cultivation. So dual cultivation was those things depicted in the Fire Avoidance Illustrations, the acts done between mortal husbands and wives.

Human cauldrons also had qualities, divided into innate and acquired types. Inferior human cauldrons would be drained of their spiritual power and die after just a few uses, while superior ones could be used by multiple people for years and even resold.

The Hehuan Sect leader used more than ten human cauldrons each time he “cultivated,” most of them low-grade ones that died after two uses.

“Extreme Pleasure Hall” was the Hehuan Sect leader’s cultivation site.

Lian Yunzhi gazed complexly at the large bed in the Extreme Pleasure Hall, unable to imagine how many corpses had lain upon it or how much bodily fluid had stained it.

Lian Yunzhi shook his head and continued flipping to the next chapter.

The next chapter was about methods of refining human cauldrons.

There were many methods to refine human cauldrons: some involved engraving inscriptions on the body, others placed people into blood arrays for live sacrifice and tempering, and some required pills or spiritual herbs…

Lian Yunzhi had no interest in this and skimmed through quickly.

But when he flipped to one page, his gaze suddenly paused.

【Moon Red Grass, entirely crimson, leaves like crescent moons, five feet tall, sweet taste, prefers yin-facing shade…】

Lian Yunzhi’s breathing quickened.

This was the herb! He had eaten this spiritual grass, which made him lose his senses, feel unbearably hot all over, lose his reason, and lose his Primal Yang!

He eagerly read on.

【Condensed Frost Grass, three inches tall, leaves white and frosted, abundant spiritual power, easy to store. A ten-thousand-year-old Condensed Frost Grass can elevate a cultivator below Golden Core by one minor realm.】

Lian Yunzhi’s fingers stiffened.

This… this was the spiritual grass he had first found in that outer cave. He had indeed advanced from Foundation Establishment Early Stage to Foundation Establishment Mid Stage after consuming it.

He continued reading.

But this time, when he saw the text on the page…

…His eyes nearly split open in rage.

The book stated that Condensed Frost Grass over a hundred years old, combined with Moon Red Grass, could refine a mid-grade human cauldron. The cauldron would initially be deeply afflicted with Aphrodisiac Poison, burning with unbearable heat. After Breaking Yang, spiritual energy would leak out, requiring prompt use. If not used within ten days, it would “expire” and become a mortal without spiritual energy.

Lian Yunzhi’s eyes turned bloodshot, his whole body growing cold.

He flipped frantically onward.

And then? Then what?

Was there no other way?

Suddenly, his fingertip paused, his gaze falling on a short story recorded at the end of the chapter.

The story told of a Golden Core Hehuan Sect elder who abducted a Foundation Establishment Peak sword cultivator and used Condensed Frost Grass and Moon Red Grass to turn him into a mid-grade human cauldron. Upon learning the truth, the sword cultivator flew into a rage and slew the Golden Core elder across realms.

After killing the Hehuan Sect elder, the sword cultivator succumbed to the Aphrodisiac Poison, lost his reason, and used all thirty-two of the elder’s human cauldrons… Ten days later, the sword cultivator broke through to Golden Core on the bed and shattered his human cauldron state. Discovering the wonders of human cauldrons, he immediately joined the Hehuan Sect, slew the sect leader after reaching Soul Transformation, and became the new Hehuan Sect leader.

Lian Yunzhi: “…”

Lian Yunzhi rubbed his eyes and read it again, confirming that this “reformed righteous cultivator turned evil” sword cultivator was indeed the master of the Extreme Pleasure Hall.

Though somewhat bizarre, knowing the story’s protagonist was the Extreme Pleasure Hall’s master allowed Lian Yunzhi to finally exhale fully—this at least proved the story was real, and he still had a chance at salvation.

…But how to save himself?

Did he have to find thirty-two human cauldrons too?

Actually, it wasn’t impossible. The book recorded many human cauldron refining methods, the simplest and quickest being Inscription Engraving.

For candidates, he could find thirty-two spiritual root-bearing, heinous death-row criminals in Xiaoze State…

Lian Yunzhi’s mood grew heavy.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and continue reading the book.

.

The final chapter discussed Natural Furnace Cauldrons.

Acquired refined human cauldrons were mostly mid- or low-grade, while Natural Furnace Cauldrons started as high-grade upon appearance.

Natural Furnace Cauldrons referred to cultivators with special physiques.

For example, female Water Spiritual Root cultivators born in yin year, yin month, yin day, yin hour were generally Supreme Yin Bodies. Male Fire Spiritual Root cultivators born in yang year, yang month, yang day, yang hour were generally Supreme Yang Bodies. Both types were high-grade human cauldrons.

High-grade human cauldrons were said to be very sturdy and durable. The Hehuan Sect once obtained a Supreme Yang Body cauldron, who was passed around the entire sect. Three years later, the poor male cultivator finally perished from exhaustion. Later, the Hehuan Sect obtained a Supreme Yin Body cauldron, used solely by the sect leader. Unfortunately, her cultivation was only Foundation Establishment, too low to benefit the Soul Transformation sect leader during dual cultivation, so she was given to other elders. She later killed an elder in bed and died as well.

In short, utterly tragic.

Beyond that, the cultivation world had an ultimate physique called the Spirit Washing Body, classified as a Peerless Furnace Cauldron. However, descriptions were scarce, as no Hehuan Sect member had dual cultivated with one.

“Peerless” was mere speculation.

But according to the Hehuan Sect’s well-founded speculation, the wonder of the Spirit Washing Body was its lack of cultivation restrictions. Even a mortal without the path could serve as a human cauldron for Nascent Soul or even Soul Transformation cultivators if they possessed it.

Yet the Spirit Washing Body had never served as a human cauldron, as it usually accompanied the Myriad Absorption Spiritual Root. Those with Myriad Absorption Spiritual Root were peerless geniuses, either heavily protected by their families or recruited early by Immortal Sects. Their fates invariably ended in Ascension.