Chapter 141: Chapter 137: My Filial Piety Has Not Gone Bad
Seeing that Feng Xiaoyi was in a good mood, Du Youqian decided to strike while the iron was hot. "How could I? I said it was a gift to show my respect for you, Master. Now that you’ve accepted it, I’m only happy. How could I possibly feel heartbroken? But if Master thinks my devotion is commendable, perhaps you could tell me... is there any way to obtain the Red Blood Seven Transitions Technique?"
Feng Xiaoyi laughed. "You little monkey! So that’s the trap you were laying for your master. No wonder you were suddenly so devoted."
Du Youqian protested, "I’ve always been devoted!"
Feng Xiaoyi tapped his forehead with a long, slender finger, as pale and delicate as a spring onion. "You have always been devoted, it’s true. But you are *especially* devoted when you want something."
Du Youqian chuckled sheepishly.
He could sense that Feng Xiaoyi was still in a good mood. Her words weren’t a reprimand, just playful banter.
"Fine," Feng Xiaoyi said with a sigh of resignation. "Just wait. If an opportunity arises, I’ll keep an eye out for you. But for now, don’t even think about it. The Red Blood Seven Transitions Technique is a major Secret Technique of our Sect, second only to the Sect’s Foundation Technique, the Crimson Scripture of Profound Mystery and Spiritual Mechanism. It is taught only to True Inheritors. Without some special opportunity, my hands are tied."
"Thank you, Master!"
"Is there anything else?" Feng Xiaoyi couldn’t help but ask when Du Youqian didn’t leave.
"Well..." Du Youqian began shamelessly, recounting a secret he had learned when he killed Feng Bin and performed a Soul Search on him.
He didn’t go into detail, only telling Feng Xiaoyi that it involved an unexposed, precious ore vein—a Flower Cyan Gang Jade Mine.
This was a precious Artifact Refining Material. Large quantities of Flower Cyan Gang Jade were often needed as a supplementary component when refining Spiritual Artifacts.
Even the Treasures of a Core Formation Ancestor could make use of refined Flower Cyan Gang Jade.
Of course, this was likely just a small ore vein with limited reserves.
But if it were fully exploited, it could likely yield tens of thousands, or even a hundred thousand, Spiritual Jade.
This was an astonishing fortune, enough to enrich an entire Sect.
If Du Youqian could secretly develop it and sell the ore, he would make an absolute killing.
Feng Xiaoyi nodded slightly. "So, what are your plans?"
"I plan to wait until I reach the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, then I will go and seize this opportunity. When that time comes, I must ask Master to go to the trouble of helping me secure the position of Qi Country Guardian Envoy."
Feng Xiaoyi smiled with a hint of resignation. "I knew accepting your gift wouldn’t be so simple. Let’s not even talk about how difficult it is for you, the Guardian Envoy of the Wu Kingdom, to get transferred to the Qi Kingdom."
"And you want to mine it in secret? That’s like trying to wrap fire in paper. The slightest misstep and you’ll be the one who gets burned."
"According to past precedent, when a small, undiscovered ore vein is found, the local Holy Sects and Profound Sects are usually left to fight over it. Our Sect and the Taihe Sect simply preside over the matter, collecting a certain percentage as tribute."
"But if the profits are too great, even our Sect and the Taihe Sect will personally join the fray to compete for it."
"You want to pull chestnuts from the fire? It will be difficult. Extremely difficult."
Du Youqian said respectfully, "Of course, I will proceed with caution, keeping it a secret while I develop the mine. If it proves impossible, I will let it go immediately. But if I do succeed, I will naturally offer half the profits to have two high-quality Treasures forged for you, Master."
Feng Xiaoyi retorted, annoyed, "Do you really think I only have eyes for such a small offering?"
"Of course, Master isn’t helping me for the sake of an offering, and I’m not being devoted just to get Master’s help."
"Are you really devoted?" Feng Xiaoyi’s voice became languid and seductive.
"I am."
Feng Xiaoyi gave a captivating smile. She walked over to a soft couch and lay down, slipping off her outer gauze robe to reveal a thin, form-fitting undergarment. Propping herself up on an elbow, she reclined, playfully kicking her feet.
"Then let’s see just how deep your devotion runs. Come, give me a shoulder rub."
’Are you kidding me?’
’What kind of devoted disciple could possibly pass a test like this?!’
’Feng Xiaoyi’s perfect body was laid out before him, her eyes shimmering, her silk robe loosened, a waterfall of black hair cascading over her fair, rounded shoulders.’
’A tantalizing fragrance lingered in the air, impossible to ignore.’
Du Youqian had to summon every ounce of his concentration and willpower to suppress a physical reaction.
For someone like him, who had meticulous control over his body and a mind as tranquil as a placid well, this was an extremely abnormal situation.
It was a testament to Feng Xiaoyi’s truly irresistible charm.
He walked to the couch, removed his shoes, and knelt, shuffling on his knees behind Feng Xiaoyi. He reached out with steady hands and began to knead her shoulders.
The moment his hands made contact, his heart jolted.
Her shoulders felt boneless and soft, as smooth and delicate as fine jade beneath his fingertips.
Feng Xiaoyi seemed like a defenseless woman, completely unguarded, ripe for the picking.
Du Youqian’s mind was flooded with distracting thoughts he couldn’t suppress.
Like an innocent young boy seeing a woman for the first time, his breathing grew ragged and his mouth went dry.
It took all his self-control to keep his hands on her shoulders and stop them from wandering.
"Not bad. A little harder."
"Harder still."
"More."
"Don’t stop!"
Feng Xiaoyi’s purred commands made Du Youqian feel like he was walking a tightrope over a cliff; he didn’t dare relax for a second.
He was now certain Feng Xiaoyi was testing him on purpose.
He didn’t know what the consequences would be if he failed.
’But the critical question is... to pass this test, am I supposed to act like a beast, or be something less than a beast?’
Du Youqian was tormented.
’I really wish I could perform a divination on myself right now.’
After a long while, Feng Xiaoyi finally said softly, "That’s enough."
As if granted a pardon, Du Youqian scrambled off the couch.
He raised a sleeve to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead, his heart still pounding with lingering fear.
’That was close. My devotion was on the verge of turning into something else entirely.’
With the physique of a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator, he wouldn’t break a single sweat even if he ran a thousand miles.
Yet here he was, drenched in sweat from just a shoulder rub. It was unbelievable, almost laughable.
No one who hadn’t experienced it could possibly understand how heart-stopping that ordeal was—how at any moment, one misstep could have sent him plunging into an abyss.
’Thankfully, I passed the test...’
Sensing Feng Xiaoyi’s satisfaction—a contentment so deep she seemed ready to hum a little tune—Du Youqian knew he had passed the perilous trial.
’So, being *less* than a beast was the key to passing.’
He didn’t understand why Feng Xiaoyi would test him like that.
But now was the time to reap the rewards.
"I have felt your devotion. Go on, now. In the future, you can be a little bolder. Understand?"
"Yes!"
’A little bolder?’
’That means there’s no problem with the ore vein!’
Speaking of which, although the ore vein was located right under the "North Shore" Market.
Geographically, it was actually within the borders of the Wu Kingdom, merely close to the Qi Kingdom.
But since most of the Foundation Establishment Clans living in the marketplace were Cultivation Clans from the Qi Kingdom...
...the "North Shore" Market fell under the jurisdiction of the Qi Kingdom’s Guardian Envoy.
But to act on the opportunity beneath the North Shore Market, Du Youqian would have to wait until he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
That would be in a few years, at least.
For now, he had to focus on his cultivation.
Feng Xiaoyi personally escorted Du Youqian to the entrance of her immortal cave.
Just as Du Youqian was about to leave, Feng Xiaoyi stopped him. A smile played on her lips as she tilted her head, tucked back a strand of dark hair, and fixed her mesmerizing eyes on his. "My dear disciple, about that Demon Core... what are your plans for it, exactly?"
Being watched by Feng Xiaoyi like that made Du Youqian nervous, and his heart couldn’t help but beat faster.
But he didn’t look away. He answered frankly, "I plan to gather the necessary materials and, when the time is right, refine it into an Outer Pill. I also need to collect four kinds of Celestial and Earthly Spiritual Objects. Later, I’ll find an Alchemy Master to refine it all into a Tier Three Four Spirits Heaven-Repairing Pill, which can improve my Spirit Root."
"An Outer Pill?" Feng Xiaoyi asked. "Not a Fake Pill?"
"No," Du Youqian replied without hesitation.
Refining a Demon Core into an Outer Pill allows one to borrow its power at any time, unleashing might close to that of a Core Formation Cultivator and even activating the Divine Abilities contained within.
However, each use damages the Demon Core’s essence. After several uses, the Demon Core would be rendered useless.
It was an extremely extravagant use for such a precious Demon Core.
Refining it into a Fake Pill, on the other hand, is something a Foundation Establishment Cultivator does when they can no longer advance but lack the confidence to attempt Core Formation. They use a Demon Core as a foundation to create a Fake Pill.
They would become a Fake Pill Cultivator.
A Fake Pill Cultivator lacks the long lifespan of a Core Formation Ancestor and isn’t as powerful in combat, but they can still utterly dominate any Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
This is the choice for many Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivators who lack the aptitude for Core Formation—provided they can obtain a rare and precious Demon Core.
In the legendary greater Cultivation Realm, a Demon Core might not be hard to acquire.
But in this Land of the Dead Spirit, where the Demon Race is extinct, obtaining a Demon Core is arguably more difficult than achieving Core Formation on one’s own.
Feng Xiaoyi nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Du Youqian’s plan, and averted her gaze.
"The Four Spirits Heaven-Repairing Pill? A fine idea. Do you have the Pill Formula?"
"Not yet."
"I will look for the Pill Formula for you. When you find a reliable Tier Three Alchemy Master, let me know."
"Thank you, Master!" Du Youqian bowed with sincere gratitude.
The fact that he possessed a Demon Core had not yet been leaked.
There were many Foundation Establishment Late Stage and Perfection Cultivators in the Sect.
If word got out, a great many of them would undoubtedly covet his Demon Core.
When that happened, even if he had three heads and six arms, he would be completely overwhelmed.
The Inner Disciple who knew he had a Demon Core had, after returning from the Evil Pool, suddenly died during cultivation. His heart meridians shattered from a cultivation deviation.
’Was it an accident, or was it arranged?’
Du Youqian had never discussed this matter with Feng Xiaoyi.
’But in his heart, he believed Feng Xiaoyi had secretly eliminated the loose end for him.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Du Youqian left the Holy Blood Sect and headed once more for the Wu Kingdom.
That night, Meng Xiao knelt outside Feng Xiaoyi’s immortal cave, his face a mask of sorrow.
He knelt the entire night. Only when dawn broke was he granted an audience with Feng Xiaoyi.
"What is it?" Feng Xiaoyi’s phoenix eyes were cold.
Meng Xiao touched his forehead to the ground, remaining silent for a long time.
After a long moment, the frost in Feng Xiaoyi’s gaze thawed slightly. She sighed. "Speak."
Meng Xiao said in a grief-stricken voice, "My disciple, Xi Mengran, tried to become a Ghost Cultivator. But after all these years, her consciousness has never returned to clarity. If this goes on, her soul will soon scatter completely, and even becoming a Ghost Cultivator will be impossible. Chun Xiao Master, I beg you, show mercy and help me!"
Feng Xiaoyi contemplated for a long time before shaking her head. "It’s useless to beg me. The one who tied the bell is the one who must untie it. You should go beg *him*. If he agrees to carry Xi Mengran’s soul with him in a specific array, the stimulation will help her consciousness quickly coalesce and regain its clarity."
"But... to convince him to help a former mortal enemy, have you thought carefully about the price you’re willing to pay?"
Meng Xiao was stunned. He lowered his head and fell into deep thought.
After a long pause, a look of bitter resolve appeared on his face.
"I understand. Thank you, Chun Xiao Master, for showing this one the way. I... am eternally grateful."
