Male Cultivators Are Also Yours to Choose

"Open furnace!"

With Lin Chang'an's loud shout, he flicked his Sword Finger. As the Object Manipulation Technique circulated, the pill furnace's lid flew open, and a wave of heat instantly billowed out.

The cultivators around them all felt the heat, yet they were even more shocked as, after the flames gradually died away, several pills glittering with Spiritual Charm emerged within the pill furnace.

Of the original ten, only five now floated there, radiating spiritual light. Everyone who saw this was filled with shock.

Even Elder Lu's eyes flashed with a sharp gleam.

Yet Lin Chang'an stared wide-eyed at the completed pills. Then, feigning furious frustration, he said, "The materials for these pellets were far too poor. If I had handled them from start to finish, I could have produced at least six."

"This..." The Great Sword Sect cultivators around him exchanged glances. Looking at Lin Chang'an's expression, the corners of their mouths twitched. They truly felt the urge to slap this thing.

With a wave of his hand, the five fragrant Bigu Pills drifted toward Elder Lu, while Lin Chang'an shook his head and sighed as though it were a great pity.

"If I had refined these pills from beginning to end, I would have had a sixty to seventy percent chance."

Yet everyone could see Lin Chang'an's smug, proud expression. At his cultivation level, possessing such skill at his age made him an exceptionally rare talent among Rogue Cultivators.

Bigu Pills: Low grade ones resembled mud pellets and tasted like dirt, but could stave off hunger for seven days. Medium grade ones looked somewhat better and tasted like chewing wax, but could stave off hunger for half a month. High grade ones resembled Jade Pearls, carried a faint fragrance, and could stave off hunger for one month.

"High grade Bigu Pills." Elder Lu looked at the five fragrant Bigu Pills in his palm, and a smile could not help appearing on his face.

"Little Friend, your skill is truly extraordinary. Would you be willing to refine pills for the sect?"

Elder Lu's face was full of smiles, as though he had never feared that the other party would refuse.

Lin Chang'an gave a self-mocking laugh, glanced around, and let out a faint sigh. "Do I still have a choice?"

"Hahaha, this old man likes clever people like you."

Elder Lu laughed heartily as he stroked his short beard and narrowed his eyes. This brat was absolutely a genius in alchemy. He had to be brought under their wing.

"Brat, don't pull such a long face. With your aptitude, you do indeed qualify to join a great sect, but don't forget your own age."

As he spoke, Elder Lu seemed to deliberately sweep his gaze over all the youths. "Great sects will not waste resources nurturing talented people like you, whose hearts already have somewhere they belong—unless you possess a Heavenly Spiritual Root or an Earthly Spiritual Root."

"Great sects have no shortage of resources. What they value even more is a sense of belonging. Cultivators raised by them from childhood see the sect as their home. But what about you?"

Steward Lu curled his lips into a mocking smile. "Most of you can only become outer sect disciples. But this place is different. So long as you can prove your value, all the various inheritances and cultivation techniques possessed by great sects can be found here..."

Lin Chang'an listened from the side, speechless inside. If anyone had a choice, who would come to this godforsaken place?

Why didn't he mention that the Seven Great Sects held the ox ear in the Cultivation World, with legendary Nascent Soul True Lords presiding over them, Golden Core Real Persons beneath them, and countless Foundation Establishment Great Experts?

The youths below stirred restlessly as they listened. Some youths from Rogue Cultivator backgrounds had already sighed and resigned themselves to their fate, but others were unwilling to remain cooped up in this tiny place.

"Elder Lu, if my Lineage is willing to pay a ransom, would you truly be willing to let me leave?"

A youth asked unwillingly. Elder Lu narrowed his eyes and laughed. "Naturally. The Great Sword Sect has a reputation in Miaowa Kingdom. We are not one of those sects that have ruined their own name."

Yet quite a few people in the crowd shook their heads in despair.

"Don't hope for it. What kind of place is this? Even if they truly let you go, once you step outside, someone else will capture you for the Great Sword Sect."

"Sigh, at least your parents are willing to save you. But mine..." A young cultivator shook his head despairingly. "My parents probably would not waste such resources on me."

"I... I want to go home."

What kind of place was Miaowa Kingdom? How could they not know? It was filled with darkness—a place where countless Magic Artifacts and spirit pets that could not see the light of day were traded, and even cultivators themselves could be bought and sold.

The young cultivators who had been abducted and deceived into coming here were steeped in despair. Yet Elder Lu showed not the slightest pity; instead, he smiled.

"Lin Chang'an, this Low-grade Magic Artifact Alchemy Furnace is bestowed upon you."

As he spoke, Elder Lu narrowed his eyes and pointed at everyone. "Among the female cultivators here who are unwilling to join the Great Sword Sect, you may choose as you please."

He looked casual and indifferent, yet the ones he pointed at were the young female cultivators who had come here alongside them.

That casual gesture brutally tore open the cruel reality of this place. Lin Chang'an could not help swallowing nervously, repeatedly warning himself that this was no good place. This was a living hell.

"Female cultivators!"

Lin Chang'an glanced at the group of girls, and a look of disgust rose in his eyes. Naturally, that sight did not escape Elder Lu's notice.

Elder Lu immediately laughed as he stroked his short beard. "Of course, male cultivators are also yours to choose."

Good heavens—those words instantly made the young male cultivators below who possessed no particular skill turn pale. In terror, they covered their buttocks with both hands as though they had been badly startled.

Driven by instinct, countless youths clenched their buttocks and shrank backward. Their faces were deathly pale, and their eyes were filled with panic.

Lin Chang'an stared wide-eyed at the youths, each one avoiding his gaze. Even Li Han, hiding amid the crowd, nervously covered his buttocks with both hands and ducked away.

"Our sect also possesses the Alchemy Notes of Foundation Establishment cultivators and countless Advanced Pill Formulas."

At Elder Lu's temptation, Lin Chang'an revealed a trace of greed. Though he concealed it well, it did not escape the other man's eyes.

Elder Lu smiled in satisfaction. He was not afraid of greed; he was only afraid that one had no greed at all.

"Of course, so long as Friend Lin is willing to join, this old man guarantees that your cultivation resources will absolutely not be fewer than what you would receive in a great sect."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'an's face flushed. There was not the slightest pretense in that reaction. Since he had already entered a den of thieves and could not escape, was this not the best choice before him?

"I, Lin Chang'an, am willing to join."

Lin Chang'an wore a resolute expression, but Elder Lu merely gave him a meaningful look.

At that moment, his heart was filled with unease. How could this godforsaken place let someone join so casually? That old fellow's earlier words—"so long as you are willing to join"—were suspicious.

It was nothing more than using various methods to cut off their retreat, or seize control of their lives and deaths, forcing them to give up all hope completely.

Otherwise, how could they possibly let someone join so easily?

"Sigh, after entering this den of thieves, I can only leave things to fate." Lin Chang'an secretly cried bitterly. He knew he still needed to offer a token of allegiance.

Lin Chang'an had been granted a Low-grade Magic Artifact Alchemy Furnace. Such a generous reward made many people green with envy.

A Low-grade Magic Artifact was worth fifty to one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones.

Rogue Cultivators in early and middle Qi Condensation earned only three to five Spirit Stones a month from completing tasks. In a decent year, they might have an income of fifty Spirit Stones. That was income, mind you!

Late Qi Condensation cultivators were somewhat better off. They could reliably earn five Spirit Stones a month, while many capable ones could earn seven or eight.

Thus, for a group of youths just entering the path of cultivation, a Low-grade Magic Artifact was immensely valuable. Even possessing an inferior Magic Artifact meant one came from a fairly decent background.

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