Lord Shenxiu
Chapter 417: Seizing the Cauldron (Please Subscribe)

Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Seizing the Cauldron (Please Subscribe)

This sigh seemed to carry an unfathomable depth of loneliness, resentment, and unwillingness...

Zhong Shenxiu looked up and saw a middle-aged Cultivator in a grey robe with a yellow complexion.

His face bore the marks of hardship, and embroidered on his chest was the insignia of the Heavenly Ding Sect, indicating that he might be an outer sect disciple of the sect. However, the wares at his stall were quite meager.

The Heavenly Ding Sect was skilled in concocting Elixir Pills, yet what he had for sale were only some basic Spirit Flowers and Spirit Grasses.

After letting out a sigh, he began silently packing up his stall and leaving the noisy marketplace, his departing figure carrying a hint of desolation.

"This man... he too is wrapped in a twist of fate, seeming to have an even greater burden than Zhu Long’er..."

Shenxiu watched his retreating figure; with a flicker of his spiritual vision, he decided to follow him.

The middle-aged Cultivator’s cultivation level didn’t seem particularly remarkable, hovering around the Qi Refining Seventh or Eighth Level as he ambled about.

Nonetheless, the most convenient aspect of this realm lay in its various Magic Artifacts. Firstly, the man entered a tavern and purchased a jug of wine—not Spiritual Wine or medicated wine, but the most common strong liquor of the mortal world. Right after, he summoned a Magic Artifact shaped like a green leaf and unsteadily flew out of the market.

Despite potential thieving cultivators outside the marketplace, surprisingly, no one tried to rob him.

It was likely that they knew his circumstances well—an utter pauper who could not even afford a jug of Spiritual Wine, yet he cloaked himself in the intimidating influence of the Heavenly Ding Sect.

Shenxiu leisurely observed the man as he flew away, eventually descending near Tian Ding Mountain.

There were several small towns near Tian Ding Mountain, established by the Heavenly Ding Sect to house the families of its Cultivators. These towns were outside the jurisdiction of royal law; they did not pay taxes and were exempt from corvée and labor services, resembling a utopia.

At this moment, the middle-aged Cultivator landed in a small courtyard within Xu Family Town.

A mortal girl, who was washing clothes, lit up and called out, "Dad..."

Her gaze then fell upon the jug of wine, and her spirits dimmed, "You’ve been drinking again."

While hanging the clothes on a bamboo pole, she prattled, "Today, the clan sent word... Elder Xu Yuan has achieved the Golden Core, it’s a celebration for everyone, and we even received a little reward..."

"Get lost!"

The middle-aged Cultivator took a swig of wine, his temper suddenly flaring. Especially after seeing the gift boxes in the main hall, his rage burst forth, and he kicked over the boxes with a furious swing.

"You..."

The girl, overcome with frustration, ran out crying.

Only then did the man close the door, sip after sip, drowning himself in the strong liquor, deliberately abstaining from using his Mana to sober up. It was a case of the wine not inebriating the man, but the man getting himself drunk.

After a long while, he let out a deep sigh, "Xu Yuan, Xu Yuan... heh... It was I, Xu Guo, who was truly gifted. An extraordinary phenomenon marred my birth, and upon having my fortune told, they claimed I possessed the Seven-star Immortal Root and the Linglong Dao Body, with limitless potential... Yet darkness lurked within our clan. That Xu Yuan, riding on the coattails of his father, the Clan Leader, brazenly wielded the ’Seizing the Cauldron’ to snatch away my talent and roots..."

"But I... have nowhere to voice my injustice!"

Xu Guo, his eyes brimming with hot tears, lamented, "If not for the flaws in the Seizing the Cauldron technique, which required me to stay alive lest the stolen talent dissipate, by now I might have been long dead... And yet, even so, Xu Yuan only allows me to live like a dog. I endured it, first for my parents, now for my daughter... But with that man achieving Core Formation, enabling him to refine his talent anew, I fear... my time has come."

The Seizing the Cauldron was one of the Heavenly Ding Sect’s Secret Techniques, used to steal a better cultivation aptitude.

But the technique had its drawbacks, necessitating that the one robbed of their roots remained alive.

Xu Guo had thus lived on, constantly under surveillance, and not granted the privilege to thrive, doomed to wallow in the mire for a lifetime.

Now, even the hope of continuing to live was nothing but a luxury.

"Indeed, Xu Guo, you are quite astute."

As the words fell, another Cultivator appeared in the room, bearing a vague resemblance to Xu Guo.

"Indeed... you have never ceased your surveillance of me, I’ve always been a prisoner." Xu Guo gave a bitter laugh, "Now that my death draws near, please spare my daughter; she knows nothing."

"We’re of the same clan, and sparing your daughter’s life wouldn’t have been unacceptable," the black-robed cultivator sighed, "but the elder has spoken, ’To chop the weeds without removing the roots, the spring breeze will blow and bring them to life again...’"

"At this point, there’s no need to hide it from you—your parents didn’t die in an accident. They were killed by us because they wanted to expose the truth."

"Well played, Xu Yuan, well played, Xu Family!"

Xu Guo’s eyes were about to burst with fury, almost spilling blood: "Even if I die, I shall become a vengeful ghost to claim your lives!"

"Don’t be naive; if I kill you, you will be utterly annihilated, unable to even become a ghost. Moreover... even if you did become a vengeful ghost, could you really contend with a Core Formation Ancestor?"

The black-robed cultivator sneered: "Your journey to the Yellow Spring won’t be lonely; your daughter will soon join you."

Clap clap!

Just at that moment, within the quiet room, another round of applause rang out.

Zhong Shenxiu stepped forward at a leisurely pace, laughing: "I’ve seen my fair share of shameless individuals, but to be shameless to such an extent, you might well be considered talented."

Xu Guo could only offer a bitter smile.

He had long known he lived under surveillance, but his humble home had become as bustling as a marketplace today.

Yet another arrival at this point was an unpredictable factor.

Filled with both shock and anticipation, he wondered who it could be.

"Who are you, daring to meddle in the affairs of the Heavenly Ding Sect?" the black-robed cultivator called out.

Zhong Shenxiu laughed heartily: "Do you know my surname, my given name, or where my sect is?"

"I do not." The black-robed cultivator stood solemnly, pondering whether this person was from a renowned sect.

"See, if you did know, I wouldn’t have lifted a finger," Zhong Shenxiu laughed again: "It’s precisely because you don’t know that it’s wonderful. If I make a move, who will you seek revenge from?"

Only then did the black-robed cultivator realize he had been toyed with, his face turning green.

But before he could take action, a green sparrow on Zhong Shenxiu’s shoulder lightly took flight, its beak gently pecking.

Pop!

A bloody hole appeared on the forehead of the black-robed cultivator, his face still wearing an expression of disbelief as he slumped to the ground.

"Xu Guo thanks the senior for saving my life. I still have a daughter..."

Having narrowly escaped death, Xu Guo quickly knelt down, his head knocking the ground with a thumping sound.

"That’s enough... If I’m going to save someone, might as well do it to the end. Take this bird, hurry and find your daughter, then flee far away..."

Zhong Shenxiu waved his hand dismissively.

He wasn’t actually such a good-natured person. He just happened to come across this scene and acted on a whim.

Besides, Xu Guo had a strong aura of calamity about him, similar to that Zhu Long’er, which could be of some assistance in his own cultivation.

Xu Guo made a deep bow and left with the green sparrow.

Had he been the sort of person who was blinded by greed, he would have clung to Zhong Shenxiu’s leg, begging to seek revenge on Xu Yuan.

But having been through so much, he knew well that the assistance offered was a favor, not an obligation.

Greedy and insatiable, he risked angering the noble senior, and with that, his sole chance of survival would vanish...