Danwu Refining Spirit

Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Pain of Seclusion

Who is Ding Ling? He's a cunning old thief! How could I let you use my most precious possession for free?

Therefore, after only a few days of carefree living, Xiao Chong fell back into painful cultivation, and this pain was far greater than the pain that Xiao the Devil had brought him before.

The spirit of the cauldron said, "A life for a life, a debt for a debt—this is a matter of course. Since you borrowed the power of the Crown Prince's divine consciousness, you must return it with interest, and there is no room for negotiation."

Despite his reluctance, Xiao Chong had no choice but to accept it. This doesn't mean Xiao Chong suddenly became someone who could reason with the cauldron spirit, but rather that the cauldron spirit had indeed come up with a trump card this time.

"Fine, you're not going to pay your debts, huh? I won't throw paint in front of your house, but there's one thing: I'm so weak right now, I could disappear at any moment. You'd better not cry yourself to death then!"

"Without my help, you're just a lowly mortal with a pitiful cultivation level of only Martial Apprentice. It would be a matter of minutes for someone to kill you."

"Although I can't use magic, I've still lived in the immortal realm. Any skill I throw out here is a treasure. Are you sure you're not tempted?"

These were all the Dingling's exact words, each one leaving Xiao Chong powerless to refuse. Because of this, the Dingling was quite arrogant for a while, even changing its self-reference to "I, Laozi" (老子).

Despite the cauldron spirit's threats and inducements, Xiao Chong was filled with rage, almost grinding his teeth to powder, yet he could only cultivate frantically every day. As for the Yuan energy and spiritual power he cultivated, ninety-nine percent of it was absorbed by the cauldron spirit.

"Let you be smug for a few days, and once I find your weakness, I'll make you regret not disappearing sooner!" This was Xiao Chong's plan.

After each cultivation session, Xiao Chong would first feel his Yuan energy abundant and his spirit full, and then be instantly drained of every last drop, leaving him dizzy and lightheaded. He would silently repeat this thought to himself several times.

The miserable days will eventually pass. A month later, Xiao Chong finished his seclusion and had lost a lot of weight.

Although he hated Dingling to the core, Xiao Chong discovered that the torment it inflicted on him also brought him some benefits.

Needless to say, the tempering of one's character is remarkable. The most obvious result is that after this period of repeated cultivation and extraction, the meridians in the body have been widened considerably, and the speed at which absorbing primordial energy and converting it into primordial power and spiritual power has greatly increased. Even the Yongquan acupoint on the left foot, which had been slow to open, has shown signs of loosening.

After sensing the changes in his body, Xiao Chong's hatred for the cauldron spirit unconsciously faded a bit.

There's no way around it, I'm just born with a forgiving heart, always as warm as spring to my friends. Although, in terms of age, Dingling is already too old to be considered a friend anymore.

After giving himself a very positive evaluation, Xiao Chong remembered the promise that the clan leader Xiao Kaixin had made to him regarding the "Seven Transformations of the Stars" technique and weapon, and decided to make him fulfill his promise immediately.

This was necessary. When he first merged with his past life's memories, all he wanted was to reclaim the ancestral property left by his father, free himself from his fate of being bullied, and incidentally, give the little girl a comfortable and happy life.

However, after undergoing the tempering test, fighting Xiao Tianhu, and even having a life-or-death struggle with Tie Changqing, Xiao Chong's thoughts have changed.

You can't do anything without money, but money isn't everything either. Although I have several million in assets, and with my family's inheritance, I might be in the tens of millions, it's still not enough to meet the standards of a "tall, rich, and handsome" man.

He's definitely handsome, maybe even more so. As for wealth, that's debatable. He'd be fine for a modest life, but compared to the truly wealthy, he'd be nothing. And height? He's miles away, possibly even further.

I know my own limitations. "High" refers to high position and power, not physical stature. Without being "tall" as a guarantee, being handsome and rich would easily disappear, wouldn't it?

Of course, I'm not the kind of person who craves power; I don't have the time or the interest. But I need a different kind of "high," which is high combat prowess, and it has to be absolutely high.

If just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could step on me, what's the point of living? God gave me a second chance at life, so I can't let down His kindness, right? Besides, the world is so big, I still want to see it.

Therefore, martial prowess is very important, as it relates to whether a promising young man can successfully realize his ideals. Even if becoming a legendary figure like a Martial God in the Tianyun Continent is difficult, he should at least become a Martial Saint.

You have to understand that a Martial Saint is also very powerful. At least the Xiao family has been in Feiyue City for a thousand years, but they have never produced a Martial Saint.

That's a bit of a tangent, let's not think about it too much. Let's get things done with Xiao Kaixin first. Early in the morning, Xiao rushed out of the courtyard, full of vigor and high spirits, and went straight to the gate of the Xiao residence.

At the entrance of the Xiao residence, the old steward was directing the servants to sweep the courtyard and wipe the two white jade lions in front of the gate.

"Good morning, Uncle Sun, is the clan leader in the manor?" After the old steward had made the arrangements, Xiao Chong asked him with a smile.

Respecting elders is a traditional virtue, and it is even more commendable that a popular young person in the family can still uphold this virtue.

The old steward was pleased with Xiao Chong's politeness and nodded, saying with a smile, "So it's Young Master Chong. You've come at a bad time. The master went to Qianlong Mountain early this morning to inspect the clan's properties. He's probably chatting with the elders at Wuyun Pavilion right now."

I came here to collect a debt, but the person in charge isn't here. What am I supposed to do? Did I forget to check the almanac before leaving?

Xiao Chong's smile remained unchanged, but he was a little uneasy inside. He asked again, "Does Uncle Sun know when the clan leader will return?"

"That's hard to say," the old butler thought for a moment. "Based on past experience, it could take anywhere from a day to several days; there's no fixed timeframe."

"Qianlong Mountain is so far from the Xiao residence. Wouldn't it take until dark to walk there? The almanac must say it's not auspicious to travel today." Xiao Chong sighed inwardly, his smile instantly becoming somewhat stiff.

Noticing the change in Xiao Chong's expression, the old steward asked, "Young Master Chong, is there something urgent that you need to see the clan leader?"

"Hehe, it's not too urgent." Xiao Chong chuckled.

The old steward had worked in the Xiao household for many years and was very experienced. Seeing Xiao Chong's behavior, he understood perfectly well what was going on.

He then smiled and said, "How about this, if Young Master Chong isn't in too much of a hurry, you can wait a moment. There happens to be a small cloud boat in the manor. We're going to Qianlong Mountain to collect some pills later, and we can give you a ride."

"That's wonderful! Thank you for your kind reminder, Uncle Sun. I thank you in advance." Relieved of the hardship of a long journey, Xiao Chong finally felt at ease. After thanking the old steward, he sat down to wait.

After a while, a cloud boat flew to the gate of the Xiao residence. Xiao Chong greeted the old steward again and then stepped onto it.