【Reject them all!】
Mu Cheng’s voice rang in his mind once more.
As if sensing that his tone had been too harsh, the next sentence came with a much calmer voice.
【The Great Dao is lonely. The path of cultivation needs no excessive entanglements. Leaving behind heirs will only disturb your state of mind and hinder your cultivation.】
【You possess a Single Wood Spiritual Root. Those two Human Cauldrons have Supreme Yang Bodies with Fire Spiritual Roots. Fire overcomes Wood—Dual Cultivation with them would bring you no benefits at all. Your grandfather actually has two Supreme Yin Body Human Cauldrons in his hands as well, but since he has an Earth-Wood Dual Spiritual Root, he used the Supreme Yin Body ones himself. These two are the ones he found unsatisfactory and gave to you.】
Mu Cheng paused for a moment before adding wickedly—
【Do you think he tried them out himself?】
Lian Yunzhi: ？？？
Lian Yunzhi: ！！！
Lian Yunzhi: 【Don’t slander people with baseless accusations! My grandfather isn’t that kind of person… How would you even know about this?】
Lian Yunzhi quietly probed, and sure enough, those two young men were no longer in possession of their Primal Yang.
Lian Yunzhi: ……
The mere thought of the possibility Mu Cheng mentioned sent massive waves crashing through his heart.
Mu Cheng: 【The Family Heads of the Four Great Families all use Human Cauldrons. You simply didn’t know… Reject them first, quickly.】
Though Lian Yunzhi was very reluctant to obey Mu Cheng just like that—feeling it undermined his dignity as Master—his grandfather had already assumed his silence meant consent and was signaling the young men and women to approach. Lian Yunzhi immediately waved his hand in refusal. “No need, Grandfather. I have no desire for heirs, nor do I wish to bring a mortal into the world and watch them age, sicken, and die, all while it affects my Dao Heart.”
Even the children of cultivators could turn out to be mortals—Lian Yunzhi’s own parents had possessed no Spiritual Root.
The Lian Family Head was momentarily taken aback before letting out a soft sigh. “……Very well, then. Just accept those two Human Cauldrons.“
Lian Yunzhi shook his head. “No need for those either, Grandfather… I already have a Human Cauldron.”
Lian Yunzhi paused before continuing, “Actually, my rapid progress in cultivation—beyond the fortuitous encounter in the Xiao Yun Mountain Secret Realm—is inextricably linked to that Human Cauldron.”
The Lian Family Head asked, “Does she possess a Supreme Yin Body?”
Lian Yunzhi hesitated. He had kept Mu Cheng’s existence hidden to avoid bringing trouble to the Lian Family, but that didn’t mean he wanted to lie to his own grandfather. Thus, he replied vaguely, “He’s a male cultivator, but not a Supreme Yang Body either. I’m not sure what physique he has, but he is indeed a very useful Human Cauldron for me.”
The cultivation world boasted a vast array of Natural Furnace Cauldrons, far more than just a couple of types. It was perfectly normal for cultivators from the knowledge-poor Xiaoze State to be unable to identify them.
The Lian Family Head harbored no suspicions. He merely pondered for a moment before saying, “If there’s a chance in the future, bring him to me so I can take a look.”
Lian Yunzhi: “Alright.”
.
Lian Yunzhi stepped out of Four Directions City and mounted his Flying Sword, still somewhat dazed.
Using a Human Cauldron was clearly an act of utmost wickedness.
How had it become such a normal thing in the blink of an eye?
Before leaving the Lian Mansion, one of his cousins at the Qi Refining Stage had assumed he accepted the Human Cauldrons from their grandfather and offered congratulations with an envious expression.
……
Lian Yunzhi shook his head to clear away these trivial matters and flew straight toward Luo Ping Trading City.
Though the market at the relay station outside Four Directions City was always bustling and lively, the truth was that Xiaoze State’s largest cultivation market lay far away in “Luo Ping Trading City.”
Luo Ping Trading City had been jointly funded and constructed by the Four Great Families, with all the major merchant associations inside belonging to various clan influences. Its location was superior, surrounded by several large and small secret realms. The foot traffic and scale far surpassed that little market near the Qi Refining Bird station.
“Don’t reveal that there’s anything wrong with your eyes.”
Lian Yunzhi handed Mu Cheng a Black Cloak and Mask, issuing the warning.
Mu Kunrong seemed aware that his Magic Artifact had been tainted with deadly poison, so during the search for the “assailant,” he had particularly emphasized watching for those with eye ailments.
Mu Cheng donned the Mask and pulled up the Black Cloak’s hood, not exposing a single inch of skin. “Understood, Master.”
Lian Yunzhi changed into the same attire.
Many cultivators concealed their figures and faces within the trading city, so their disguises drew no attention—this was precisely why Lian Yunzhi dared to release Mu Cheng.
.
Lian Yunzhi didn’t linger anywhere else and headed straight to the Lian Family merchant association to sell the spiritual herbs he had harvested outside Extreme Pleasure Hall.
All those herbs were thousand-year or ten-thousand-year vintage. Lian Yunzhi sold fifty strands of Thousand-Year Spiritual Herbs and fifteen Ten Thousand Year Spirit Herbs, netting a total of 1.8 million Spirit Stones.
1.8 million Spirit Stones!
Lian Yunzhi had never been this wealthy!
And there were still plenty more such herbs in his Storage Bracelet!
But Lian Yunzhi didn’t continue selling. After all, rarity drove value—selling more might not yield as much, and it could attract unwanted attention and danger.
Yet just as he pocketed the 1.8 million Spirit Stones with satisfaction and prepared to leave the trading city, he halted at the entrance to the Mu Family merchant association.
.
In the central hall of the Mu Family merchant association stood a new glass crystal display case containing… a Long Sword.
The Long Sword was entirely snow-white, as if carved from the moon itself—beautiful enough that one glance etched it indelibly in the mind.
