Chapter 141 - The Spirit Heart Furnace
"This... this treasure. Do you truly have no use for it yourself?" Li Xue stammered, her mind racing to find the right words. She was caught in a classic cultivator’s dilemma: to accept was to owe a heavy favor to Divine Lord Fengchi, further entangling her fate with a man whose intentions were far from transparent. Yet, to refuse such a magnificent tool felt like a physical ache in her chest.
Fengchi offered a thin, elegant smile, his eyes never leaving hers. "I am no alchemist," he said simply. "In my hands, it is a mere ornament. In yours, it fulfills its purpose. Consider it a gift."
Li Xue suppressed the surging desire to snatch the cauldron immediately. She forced a note of resolve into her voice. "I cannot accept it. I will not take something of such value for nothing."
Seeing the conflict written across her face—the blatant longing warring with her cautious principles—the corners of Fengchi’s mouth curled upward. "I am not giving it to you for free," he countered smoothly. "I intend to commission you for alchemy in the future."
Li Xue narrowed her eyes, her suspicion deepening. He was a powerhouse at the Deity Transformation stage; surely any of the Great Sects would leap at the chance to refine pills for him just to earn his favor. Why seek out a mid-tier cultivator like her? The more she thought about it, the more suspicious his 'generosity' became.
Fengchi sighed inwardly, a trace of helplessness flickering in his gaze. It seemed his image in this little woman’s heart was quite dismal indeed. He chose to ignore the fact that his past actions—the kidnapping and the overbearing pressure—were exactly why she viewed him with such wariness.
"I am well aware that both you and Li Lin are alchemical talents rarely seen in ten thousand years," Fengchi said, his voice dropping into a soft, melodic cadence. "I would only feel at ease entrusting my precious materials to you. This Spirit Heart Furnace is merely an advance payment. You may accept it without worry."
As he spoke, a subtle ripple of spiritual energy accompanied his words—the Charm Voice Technique. It was a honeyed pull on the senses, designed to erode resistance and inspire trust.
"What exactly do you want refined?" Li Xue asked, remaining guarded. "If it is a Tribulation Crossing Pill, I am currently incapable of producing one."
"Rest assured, I do not require it immediately," Fengchi replied, the spiritual lure in his voice intensifying. "It can wait until you reach the Nascent Soul stage. There is no rush."
Li Xue felt a nagging sense of unease, though she couldn't quite put her finger on the source. Agreeing to refine pills for him was reasonable, and using the commission fee to 'buy' the cauldron was a fair trade on paper. Her and Li Lin’s pill yield and quality were indeed superior to standard alchemists—a unique trait that even high-level masters like Bai Fenghua couldn't replicate.
"Once we reach the Nascent Soul stage, we may be wandering through distant star domains," Li Lin interjected, appearing suddenly at his mother's side. He looked at Fengchi with a cool, level gaze. "At that time, Senior Fengchi, we might not be available to assist."
Fengchi had sensed Li Lin’s approach long ago. He merely chuckled. "If that is the case, you can simply introduce me to another high-level alchemist of your caliber."
"We could introduce you to one right now," Li Xue pointed out, finally catching on to his game.
"There is no hurry. I haven't even finished gathering the materials," Fengchi said, sounding genuinely exasperated. "If you are available then, you shall do it. If not, I will ask the Bai family for help. Is that settled?" He felt a headache brewing. It was truly difficult to give a treasure away these days. If it were anyone else, he would have swatted them into a far corner of the galaxy for such insolence. But because he was infatuated with the woman before him, he had to lower his voice and plead.
"Girl, why are you dawdling?" the Wanderer of No Return grumbled from the sidelines, unable to watch the back-and-forth any longer. "If the treasure is useful, take it! Just exchange some spirit herbs with him later to settle the debt."
"That's right," Li Xue said quickly, seizing the opening. "Senior, what herbs are you lacking? If it's an auxiliary ingredient, I might have one in my collection."
"I have enough auxiliary herbs," Fengchi said, his patience wearing thin. "As I said, we will settle it through the alchemy fees. Is that acceptable?"
The Wanderer of No Return shook his head. Fengchi’s behavior was truly 'unorthodox.' For a Divine Lord to act so submissively was a sight he never thought he'd see.
"Fine. It's a deal," Li Xue said, finally relenting. She couldn't bear to see a Deity Transformation cultivator acting so humble any longer. She knew Fengchi’s ultimate goal was to maintain a connection with her, to keep their fates intertwined. Even if she refused now, he would simply find another way. It was better to accept the cauldron she so desperately needed and deal with the consequences later.
Fengchi smiled. He took pleasure in giving the best things to those he favored; it was his way of showing affection—to spoil them and give them everything they desired. It was this very trait that had ruined so many women in his past, turning them into entitled creatures he eventually grew to loathe and discard.
To Li Xue, he was a total deviant. However, her philosophy was simple: if you encounter a deviant you cannot escape, you must guard your original heart. Let the deviant play his games while you focus on your own path.
As Fengchi’s gaze grew increasingly tender, Li Xue remained unmoved. Had her soul not been tempered by her experiences and her Divine Sense not been exceptionally powerful, she might have fallen for his predatory grace and ended up in his embrace. But she was Li Xue, and they were destined to be nothing more than acquaintances.
She treated him with the same calm indifference she showed Dongfang Jing. She had long since become immune to Dongfang Jing’s lingering looks; Fengchi was simply a more powerful version of the same problem.
Li Lin narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He wasn't afraid of his mother being kidnapped again. The secret techniques of the Cloud Crane Clan were not easily broken. Until Fengchi found a way to bypass them, any 'Li Xue' he tried to snatch would turn into a piece of wood. He thought of Ling Xiaoyin asking why the 'strange uncle' was gnawing on a log, and a faint, amused smile touched his lips.
Li Xue noticed her son's sudden change in expression and was about to ask what was so funny when a loud commotion at the courtyard gate interrupted her.
Adept Yuhong and Bai Ruihua had returned. Li Xue hurried to meet them. "Master, how did it go?"
"We are still on the rankings, of course!" Yuhong announced, his face beaming with pride.
The Grand Spell Competition had been underway for three months now. Only ten combat arenas remained in Yuanshi City. The cultivators left on the boards were the elite disciples of the Great Sects. Regardless of the final outcome, they had already secured significant rewards. In this millennial assembly of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, the chance to duel with such masters was a rare treasure in itself.
"Jing'er, look who's here!" Bai Ruihua called out to Dongfang Jing.
Everyone turned toward the entrance. A middle-aged cultivator dressed in purple robes strode into the courtyard. Li Xue’s eyes widened. It was Daoist Mingyuan! It made sense; a man of his boisterous temperament would never miss such a grand event.
"Great-Grandpa!" Dongfang Jing cried out, lunging forward and throwing his arms around the older man.
"My dear grandson! Oho, you've already reached the mid-stage of Core Formation? Well done, well done!" Mingyuan was overjoyed. Seeing his favorite junior progress so far left him with no lingering regrets.
Dongfang Jing sniffled, his eyes reddening. The onlookers smiled at the scene. Though his behavior was a bit childish, it was a display of his true, unrestrained nature.
With Daoist Mingyuan’s arrival, the guest courtyard became significantly noisier. With his sonorous voice, it was impossible for anyone to ignore him. This competition was perfectly suited to his tastes. He had spent his time indulging his love for combat, challenging anyone with a similar cultivation level, and had only now come looking for his acquaintances.
"Little girl," Mingyuan said, looking at Li Xue with a sudden, solemn intensity. "You must be good to my grandson. Pamper him a little more in the future."
