Chapter 146: Chapter 142: Willing to be Yu Fei’s Running Dog
Du Youqian feigned surprise, making a gesture to help him up. "Fellow Daoist Meng, what is the meaning of this? Please, get up!"
But since Meng Xiao had already decided to abandon all pretense, he did not take the easy way out and rise. Instead, he touched his forehead to the ground, his posture lowered to the dust. "Fellow Daoist Yu, please help me save Ran’Er’s soul!"
Du Youqian frowned, feeling an urge to sigh. "Is it worth it, Fellow Daoist Meng?"
Before Meng Xiao could answer, Du Youqian continued on his own, "Familial love, friendship, the bond between master and disciple, or even... romantic love. They are all beautiful, intoxicating things that can make one lose their way. But a Saint should feel emotion without being encumbered by it. If you believe there is something in this world more important than your own path of the Dao, then you never should have set foot on it in the first place! Wouldn’t it be better to be a Mortal, lost for a lifetime in the throes of passion?"
Truth be told, Du Youqian didn’t actually have a bad impression of Meng Xiao.
Before preparing to deal with Xi Mengran, he had of course investigated her master.
He had discovered that Meng Xiao had no history of evil deeds.
Aside from using ruthless methods against enemies who obstructed his path to the Dao, he was otherwise an aloof and independent person—in other words, a shut-in.
He had always been dedicated to his Cultivation, content in his own world, never going out to stir up trouble.
Even when he and Feng Xiaoyi were deeply in love, he had never used her influence to throw his weight around.
Perhaps many of the so-called Cultivators of the Profound Sects Orthodox Sect were inferior to Meng Xiao in terms of character.
Meng Xiao’s only mistake... was accepting Xi Mengran as his disciple.
If he hadn’t been dragged down by this disciple, his life would certainly be much more comfortable now.
That was why Du Youqian was grilling Meng Xiao—partly out of genuine confusion, and partly out of exasperation at his wasted potential!
’You were born in the Blessed Land of the Holy Blood Sect, possessed an Upper Grade Spirit Root, and entered one of the world’s First-class Sects at eighteen.’
’In this bloody and cruel Demon Sect, you were lucky enough to be favored by a Core Formation Lord from the very beginning. Your Cultivation was smooth sailing; you reached Foundation Establishment before you were forty and achieved Foundation Establishment Perfection before you were a hundred.’
’And yet, someone like you is trapped by emotion, throwing away such a promising path to the Dao.’
’How is someone like me supposed to feel about that? I, who once had only a Lower Grade Spirit Root, who struggled until I was nearly sixty just to find a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as a master, who cultivated bitterly my whole life only to reach the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer?’
Of course, after thinking all this, Du Youqian felt he had become a bit too emotional himself.
The man was just a stranger; there was no need to project his own feelings onto him.
He quickly composed himself and resumed his indifferent, cold demeanor.
Meng Xiao remained prostrated, his voice bitter. "I never wanted this either. I, too, once believed my path to the Dao was the most important thing. But when Ran’Er told me she felt a great calamity approaching and could see no way to survive, I realized I would give up everything just to let her continue on. Even as a Ghost Cultivator."
Du Youqian couldn’t help but frown again. "Have you considered letting her reincarnate, while you cultivate diligently so you can find her reincarnation in the future and guide her onto the path of the Dao?"
Meng Xiao looked up, his eyes filled with pain. "Do you think I haven’t considered that? But to accurately find someone’s reincarnation, even a Tier Four Divination Art and a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivation aren’t quite enough. And in the past eight thousand years, has a Nascent Soul ever appeared in the Nine Countries of Momenan Desert? Even if there were one or two Nascent Soul Ancestors in history, they sneaked in from the outside world. They were never native-born."
Du Youqian’s heart stirred. ’It seems this Meng Xiao knows some information that interests me.’
But he didn’t press for details immediately. There would be plenty of opportunities later.
"Fellow Daoist Meng, your feelings run deep. Though I don’t approve, I can understand. However, if you want to save Xi Mengran, you should be seeking out elders who are proficient in Soul Secret Skills, or borrowing a Treasure that can nourish a soul from some Core Formation Ancestor. Why come to me? I’m a very petty person. Xi Mengran is my enemy. I’d love nothing more than for her to come back to life so I could kill her all over again. How could I possibly help her? You’ve come to the wrong person."
Meng Xiao sighed heavily. "Do you think I haven’t pleaded with a Core Formation Ancestor, Fellow Daoist Yu?"
He straightened up and took out a piece of jade, about the size of his palm. It was crystalline, with a warm green base and wisps of light purple.
"This is a Soul-Imbued Jade, its value comparable to a Treasure. I traded my entire fortune and exhausted all my connections to obtain it from an ancestor in the Sect. But even with Ran’Er’s soul dwelling inside, she remains in a state of chaos, unable to regain consciousness."
"I went to see Chun Xiao Master, and the Master said that you are Ran’Er’s greatest enemy. Before her death, her most profound impression was of you, Fellow Daoist Yu. Only if you carry this Soul-Imbued Jade with you is there a slight chance of stimulating Ran’Er’s consciousness to recover."
At this, Meng Xiao bowed deeply once more. "Please, Fellow Daoist Yu, I beg you to grant this wish!"
"Tsk!" Du Youqian let out a soft laugh. "As I said, I’m a very petty person. You want me to help my enemy? On what grounds? If you could pay a sufficient price, perhaps I might consider it. But as you said, your entire fortune has already been traded for this Soul-Imbued Jade. What else do you have to move me?"
With that, Du Youqian gave him no chance to negotiate, turning his head to Fang Hua. "See our guest out."
"Yes." Fang Hua stood up, holding her sword.
Her presence was like an incomparably sharp Divine Sword, thrusting forward.
"Elder Meng, please!"
But Meng Xiao remained prostrated.
’Before coming here, he had already thought about what price he would have to pay.’
But now, having to say it out loud, he felt lost in a daze.
’Is it worth it?’
He asked himself again and again.
’Is it worth it?’
Yu Fei’s words echoed in his ears, each one a dagger to the heart.
"...But a Saint should feel emotion without being encumbered by it. If you believe there is something in this world more important than your own path of the Dao, then you never should have set foot on it in the first place!"
But just as he was about to get up and leave without looking back...
...the sorrowful yet resolute face of Xi Mengran appeared before him, her eyes stubborn even in death.
’You were wrong... Ran’Er. On the path of Cultivation, you shouldn’t take shortcuts.’
’Then again, I’m not qualified to say that to you. Didn’t I also take many shortcuts back then, leading to flaws in my own heart? Is that why I fell for you at first sight, unable to pull myself away, only able to bitterly bind myself with ’rules’?’
’Worth it or not... This isn’t really a question that can be measured in terms of worth.’
’It’s that I simply cannot watch as your soul scatters and vanishes.’
Thinking this, Meng Xiao looked up at Du Youqian and pleaded, "Fellow Daoist Yu, I am willing to swear an oath to serve you as a slave for a hundred years. Can you please help Ran’Er?"
Du Youqian didn’t even raise an eyelid. "I am a petty person..."
"I understand," Meng Xiao interrupted before Du Youqian could finish his refusal. He spoke, word by deliberate word, "I, Meng Xiao, hereby swear upon my Dao Foundation. I am willing to become Yu Fei’s dog, to be at his command for one hundred years. I will never feign compliance while acting in defiance, never conspire against my master, and for my entire life, I will never be Yu Fei’s enemy or do anything to harm his interests. If I violate this oath, may my Dao Foundation be utterly destroyed!"
In the unseen world, a certain power seemed to descend, coiling around his Dao Foundation.
Although it wouldn’t affect his Cultivation, his advancement, or his ability in Magical Combat...
...if he ever broke the vow, his Dao Foundation would instantly shatter under the force of this power.
Even if he successfully reached Core Formation, he would be unable to resist this power.
Du Youqian was finally moved. He looked at this... no, perhaps the Momenan Cultivation Realm’s number one simp, and smiled. "How can I accept this, Fellow Daoist Meng, you’re really... Ai, pity the painstaking efforts of all the masters and fathers in the world. Well, hand over the jade. I just need to carry it with me, right?"
Seeing Du Youqian’s lightning-fast change of face, Meng Xiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
But the oath was made. He was now Du Youqian’s servant, so he could only adjust his mentality and reply, "Yes, you only need to carry it with you. If you could occasionally nourish it with your Magical Power, that would be even better."
"HAHA, HAHA!" Du Youqian threw his head back and laughed, feeling utterly delighted.
A Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivator willing to become his slave—for him, this was like a tiger growing wings!
Those minor feelings of exasperation at Meng Xiao’s wasted potential had long since vanished into thin air.
At the same time, Du Youqian made up his mind. Since the oath was binding, Meng Xiao would be at his beck and call, unable to slack off or feign compliance.
In that case, he could afford to be magnanimous, treat Meng Xiao with courtesy, and keep him in a good mood so he would work more effectively.
It was like those capitalists from a certain island nation who bowed to their employees—it looked heartwarming, but in essence, it was just a way to exploit them more effectively.
However... Du Youqian’s brow furrowed.
’At my command for one hundred years?’
’Only a hundred years?’
’A Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivator has a lifespan of 240 to 280 years.’
’And this Meng Xiao is only just a hundred years old.’
’He has at least another one hundred and forty years to live.’
’How is a mere century of service enough?’
Wait... Du Youqian had another thought.
’If Xi Mengran really does regain consciousness and become a Ghost Cultivator in the future...’
’...wouldn’t a newborn, fragile Ghost Cultivator be an even better tool for controlling Meng Xiao?!’
A smile returned to the corners of Du Youqian’s mouth.
’Meng Xiao, I’ve got you right where I want you. As long as I have Xi Mengran in my hands, you’ll be working for me for free for the rest of your life!’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The arrival of a Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivator at the Guardian Envoy’s Mansion was something everyone found a little strange at first.
But they soon got used to it.
Even their Cultivation speed wasn’t affected.
After all, before reaching Core Formation, a Perfect Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s Cultivation can no longer advance.
He only needed to spend a little time each day in meditation and breathing exercises to keep his Cultivation from regressing.
Meng Xiao was already known within the Holy Blood Sect for being aloof and taciturn.
Now, perhaps because he hadn’t fully adjusted his mindset, he became even more silent. He was like a walking pocket of cold air, utterly devoid of warmth.
Only when he saw the Soul-Imbued Jade hanging from Du Youqian’s waist would a fleeting trace of gentleness appear in his eyes.
For the time being, Du Youqian had no tasks to assign Meng Xiao.
In the next few years, Du Youqian’s most pressing task was to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage as quickly as possible.
After half a year, perhaps realizing that his life hadn’t actually changed that much, Meng Xiao’s attitude gradually shifted. Though still silent, he was noticeably less gloomy.
Inside the Soul-Imbued Jade, although Xi Mengran had not yet regained consciousness, her soul had clearly become much more solid, changing for the better.
On this day, Du Youqian ended his seclusion. After the prolonged stillness, he felt the urge to be active. He prepared to visit Soul-shaking Mountain again to see an old friend, and while he was at it, to meet with Fang Yuantang and Fang Simin in the guise of Fang Zhongying.
