Five Soulforging Cauldrons

A Five Cauldrons Soul Forging Martial Apprentice was indeed extraordinary. As Cauldron Qi erupted, sand flew and mist rose from the riverbank. The shattered grains had long since been pulverized into dust, whirling chaotically around Liu Ji and forming a savage wave of Cauldron Qi that swept toward Little White Fox.

Little White Fox's crystal eyes abruptly turned icy, like a frigid pool. With a twist of her body, she curled her fluffy tail around one paw of the Golden Lion, which had lost its fighting strength, and smashed it fiercely into the descending palm blade.

"Crack!"

"Roar!"

"Boom!"

The thunderous blasts erupted almost simultaneously. Liu Ji's palm blade came down, and the Golden Lion crashed into the riverbank, blasting out a huge crater. Sand and mist surged into the sky and blanketed the earth, like colossal waves soaring aloft.

That mighty Golden Lion had its skull shattered, its brains splattering all over Liu Ji's hand. It was dead beyond doubt.

Everyone's jaws dropped to the ground. It was utterly unbelievable that such a reversal had occurred.

Seizing the chance, Liu Ding broke free from the hands that had forgotten to hold him in their shock. He rushed forward, gathered Little White Fox into his arms, and continuously stroked her head and back. "Xiao Zhi, are you all right? Are you all right?"

"No!" Liu Ji stared at his hand, covered in blood and pulp, and let out a shrill howl. Cauldron Qi burst forth, the Qilin stirred, and he shot into the air once more. He wanted to destroy Liu Ding and the white fox.

Mighty Qilin Cauldron Qi shrouded the sky, and five ripples of distorted air were faintly visible—the terrifying Qi of Five Soulforging Cauldrons. Liu Ji had already reached the peak of the Five Dings Martial Apprentice. As his Cauldron Qi pressed down, river sand crumbled into powder and rose into the air, merging with those five distorted currents like five towering waves that stirred heaven and earth into a roar.

"Ah!" Many people cried out. Liu Ding and his beast pet would surely be reduced to ashes. It was terrifying.

Yet at that very moment, a foot suddenly appeared in midair and stomped down from above. Liu Ji, raging like a wild beast, was smashed viciously onto the ground and rolled over and over across the riverbank.

"Liu Yandong, how dare you bully the young with your seniority!" Nie Zhengxu had sharp eyes and recognized that kick as Liu Yandong's. He shouted in fury.

Liu Yandong drifted down leisurely and swept a cold glance over him. "Since it was a duel between beast pets, there should have been the resolve to accept defeat. With such narrow-minded and vicious intentions, do you think he is qualified to inherit the position of clan head?"

"You—" Nie Zhengxu choked. Seeing many clansmen pointing and whispering, he knew Liu Ji was in the wrong. He could not let Liu Yandong seize another handle against him, so he barked resentfully at Liu Ji, "Ji, apologize! Apologize to me!"

"I..." Liu Ji bared his teeth in pain, but he had been crafty since childhood and knew he could not provoke public outrage now. With a thud, he dropped to his knees and repeatedly kowtowed. "Clan Head, I was wrong. I should not have acted in anger, but I only wanted to teach them a lesson. I had no malicious intent."

No malicious intent? Liu Yandong sneered. Had he arrived half a step later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

However, this earthshaking battle had already drawn many clansmen over, and some began pleading for Liu Ji.

"Clan Head Yandong, young people are hot-blooded. It is only natural for them to be muddleheaded for a moment."

"Liu Ji has already admitted his mistake. That shows he is a talent worth cultivating. You cannot use public office to avenge private grudges. He is a family genius, after all!"

Liu Yandong curled his lip. You fence-sitters, do not think I do not understand your schemes. Among the clansmen under eighteen, although several had also reached the Five Cauldrons Soul Forging Martial Apprentice Realm, compared to Liu Ji, they lacked staying power. Even if they luckily seized the position of clan head for a time, they would never be able to hold it for long.

Thus, many had already regarded Liu Ji as the family's next clan head. Human feelings were cold and fickle, Liu Yandong sighed inwardly.

"Do not let it happen again." Liu Yandong coldly tossed out those words. His chest felt so stifled it hurt. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Ding, let us go."

After returning to their private residence, Liu Yandong said in a low voice, "Ding, quickly, close the door."

The moment Liu Ding shut the door, he heard Liu Yandong cough out a mouthful. Turning around, he saw Liu Yandong violently spew blood. He was terrified and hurried forward to support him. "Grandfather, what is wrong?"

"It is nothing. I used too much force just now." Liu Yandong found a chair and sat down. Looking at Liu Ding, who stood helplessly at the side, another wave of pain filled his heart. This foolish child did not even understand that all these years, using his Cauldron Qi to aid his cultivation had been no different from slow suicide.

Ever since

he had seen Liu Ding rely on the strength of his fleshly body to remain undefeated among the family's youths, hope had risen in him once more. Almost every day, he used the power of his own realm to assist Liu Ding.

"It seems even the Five Cauldrons Realm can barely suppress it now." Liu Yandong secretly shook his head. That was why he could not cough up blood before everyone earlier, nor could he remain entangled with them for too long. He touched Liu Ding's head and said, "Ding, you must never tell anyone that Grandfather vomited blood."

"Mm, do not worry, Grandfather. Maybe I will forget it tomorrow." Liu Ding nodded obediently. He forgot many things the next day; he was used to it.

Liu Yandong's heart ached again. Thinking of Fang Xi's assessment, this foolish child was still a foolish child. Do not cling too tightly; let nature take its course. He waved his hand. "Ding, withdraw. I need to rest."

"All right, Grandfather. You must properly heal your injuries." Liu Ding carried Little White Fox away, still utterly guileless.

Over there, Nie Zhengxu roared like thunder. "How many times have I told you? You need to hide your strength!"

"But the Golden Lion died. I could not hold back..." Liu Ji kept wiping his face, tears and snot covering it as grief tore through him.

"Do you not understand that indulging in trifles saps one's ambition? This Golden Lion was merely a savage beast. Its death is just what you needed to wake up. That is why I did not stop you when you attacked that little white fox. Did you think that if you killed the white fox, your Golden Lion could still have lived? Without an explanation, would Liu Yandong have let you off?"

Hearing Nie Zhengxu's cold-blooded words, Liu Ji was momentarily stunned.

"A man without poison is no true man; if you cannot bear to sacrifice the chariot and knight, how will you capture the general and marshal?" Nie Zhengxu said icily. "On the road to your growth, every chess piece is a stepping stone beneath your feet. You must pay any price. Do you understand?"

"I understand." Liu Ji wiped away his tears, his gaze turning cold.

"Good. Today, you revealed the strength of a peak Five Cauldrons Realm. Those in the family who have reached the Five Cauldrons Soul Forging Martial Apprentice Realm will redouble their efforts to break through into the Six Cauldrons Soul Forging Martial Apprentice Realm. Even if they fail to break through, they may adopt another strategy. You lack practical combat experience, while many of them have survived vicious battles in the wilderness. One misstep, and all previous efforts will go down the drain."

"Then I will go train as well," Liu Ji ventured.

"No. The outside world is perilous. We must guard against plots against you." Nie Zhengxu judged others by his own petty heart and haggled over every detail. "You have been stuck at Five Soulforging Cauldrons for nearly a year, and no miracle has happened in the end. But the contest for clan head cannot wait until you are sixteen."

Liu Ji understood. Since ancient times, in the cultivation of Soul Forging Cauldrons, every clansman had at least needed to reach adulthood at sixteen before having a chance to break through into the Six Cauldrons Realm. His expression darkened. "I am only fourteen this year."

"You need not worry about that. I have deduced that the reason Liu Clan members cannot break through the shackles of the Soul Forging Realm most likely lies in this very matter. Therefore, I have decided to find another path for you." Nie Zhengxu gave a sinister smile and spread his hand. In his palm lay a golden pellet, radiating a formidable aura, resting atop a sheet containing a cultivation mantra.

Seeing the cultivation mantra on that sheet, Liu Ji could not help but be moved. "This is not our family's Phoenix Soul Forging Pill. This is the Murong Family's Suanni Soul Pill, a Six Cauldrons-grade pill. Father, when did you obtain it? The Murong Family is not on friendly terms with us."

"That is right. This is the Murong Family's Suanni Soulforging Pill. I have already signed an agreement with them. Once you seize the position of clan head of the Liu Clan, you will cede the eight hundred li of territory encompassing three eastern villages as payment." Nie Zhengxu said coldly. "This is what I meant when I said to pay any price. Do you understand my painstaking intentions?"

"Your grandson understands." Liu Ji's eyes also gleamed with cold light as he took the sheet containing the cultivation mantra. "Tonight, I will refine the Suanni Soulforging Pill."

"Very good. Even if your Golden Lion had not died, I would have drained its blood. It is a subspecies descended from the Suanni line, and it will make your realm cultivation twice as effective with half the effort." Nie Zhengxu smiled grimly and brought out a basin overflowing with a scarlet aura. It was precisely the Golden Lion's beast blood.

Liu Ji's hands trembled as he took the basin of blood. Together with the Suanni Soulforging Pill, he tipped it back and drank it all in one gulp. Then he sat cross-legged and began refining the Suanni Soulforging Pill.

"After this advancement, you will no longer need to hide your strength. Crush their confidence with your realm. There is still more than a year before the battle for clan head. Grandfather will think of every possible way to let you enter the Seven Cauldrons Martial Apprentice Realm." Nie Zhengxu watched Liu Ji enter cultivation, his eyes filled with madness.

"Yes, Grandfather." Liu Ji was ecstatic. This was the true mindset of a youth—to flaunt his might before others and bask in boundless glory.