The Brand-New Status Panel Was Showing Its Power

"Heh, I never thought I'd find such a fine-looking child out here in this wilderness. Sell him to Li Hen Pavilion, and he'll fetch at least thirty to fifty taels of silver—enough for me to live it up for quite a while."

After Lin Heng's consciousness grew hazy and he fell asleep, light footsteps sounded outside the dilapidated Thatched Hut.

A tall man with an incomparably ugly face entered, covering his mouth and nose as he held his breath.

Because he needed to capture Lin Heng alive and wanted to avoid any mishaps, the Ugly Man had cautiously used Sleeping Smoke for a sneak attack, even though his target was merely a child incapable of resistance.

He caught Lin Heng as his unconscious body went limp and collapsed toward the ground, then carried him away from the smoke-filled place.

"Poor child, you're nearly starved to death."

"I'm sending you to Li Hen Pavilion. You may have to serve others in the future, but at least you'll never have to worry about food or drink. You could say I'm saving your life."

Outside, the man examined Lin Heng beneath the moonlight.

His bone structure and features were both exceptional.

Though long-term malnutrition had left him skinny as a stick, and his grimy little face bore the sallow hue of hunger, with sufficient nourishment in the future, he would surely grow into a handsome young man renowned throughout the surrounding villages.

And after being reshaped by Li Hen Pavilion, it was even harder to imagine just how striking he would become.

Realizing this, the Ugly Man nodded in satisfaction.

Without minding Lin Heng's filth and stench, he fed him a Qi and Blood Replenishing Pill with Honey Water to fill his stomach.

Then he stuffed him into a cloth sack and slung it over his back.

Afterward, he strode away from the Desolate Village and headed into the distance.

After traveling through the night, by dawn the incomparably ugly man had brought Lin Heng to an estate deep within the mountains.

As a Registered Disciple of Li Hen Pavilion, the Ugly Man met a Li Hen Pavilion steward dressed in green robes and wearing a mask.

"The goods you brought this time are good. He was born with fine looks, and his body is sturdy too."

"I'll give you sixty taels of Silver Coins. If you find goods like this again, remember to bring them here first."

The steward inspected Lin Heng and nodded in satisfaction.

The upper ranks of Li Hen Pavilion were all controlled by women. These Elders most enjoyed harvesting from handsome youths. Once goods of Lin Heng's caliber had been properly trained and presented to them, he would certainly receive abundant rewards.

He handed several large silver ingots to the Ugly Man and dismissed him.

Then the steward ordered some maidservants to scrub the grime from Lin Heng's body, change his clothes, and bring him underground, deep within the estate.

A bathing pool had been built there. As the steward entered, a sluice gate opened.

A blood-red liquid with a pungent odor flowed into the bath, gradually filling the pool, which was roughly the length and width of a person.

"Strip him naked and put him inside."

The steward spoke, ordering a subordinate at his side who looked like a white-haired, expressionless old man.

The old man obeyed. He placed Lin Heng's thin, emaciated body into the Blood Pool, leaving only his mouth and nose above the water so that he could breathe freely.

The Elders of Li Hen Pavilion enjoyed harvesting from youths, but those youths varied in age. Waiting for them to grow to a usable stage could take who knew how long, and so this Blood Pool had come into being.

It had been concocted from many medicinal ingredients. To achieve its effects while keeping costs down, they had also added quite a few Tiger Wolf Medicines harmful to the Human Body.

When youths who had never cultivated were soaked within it, the Medicinal Power could stimulate their potential and rapidly mature their bodies into adulthood. At the same time, it could cleanse the body, improve their appearance, awaken their potential, increase their Comprehension, and enhance their cultivation aptitude. It could be said to have countless benefits.

Of course, with so many benefits came a price: it would drastically shorten one's lifespan.

Anyone soaked in the Blood Pool would definitely not live longer than ten years.

But for a tool whose purpose was to serve as a Cauldron and who was never meant to live long anyway, such a price was hardly a price at all. Everything remaining could be considered a benefit.

As time passed, the medicinal liquid in the Blood Pool began to take effect.

Even while unconscious, Lin Heng began to frown. A tearing pain radiated from within his body.

Yet before long, that tearing pain eased. A vigorous vitality circulated through his body, his hunger faded, and a surging strength began to flow within him, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

This was a sign that his bodily potential had been awakened, easing the pain of his Essence rapidly draining away.

Lin Heng's furrowed brow relaxed. Soaking in the Blood Pool, his expression became peaceful as he truly fell asleep.

Seeing this, the steward nodded in satisfaction.

"Stay here and watch him. After Six Hours, fish him out and send him to the Disciple Residence according to custom."

"Remember not to soak him for too long. If anything goes wrong, you'll answer for it."

After observing Lin Heng in the Blood Pool for a while and seeing no unusual reaction, the steward gave his instructions to the old man beside him.

A pool of Blood Pool medicine formulated with the lowest-cost ingredients and weakest Medicinal Power could soak someone for ten hours. This level of potency was just right for a strong adult, but it was somewhat excessive for a child.

After observing him, the steward confirmed that soaking Lin Heng for Six Hours would produce the best effect. It would maximize the stimulation of his potential without endangering his life.

Beyond that limit, his life would be in danger, which was why the steward had ordered the old man to watch over him.

Soaking in the Blood Pool was only the first step in cultivating a Cauldron. Next, they would teach Lin Heng to read and write, cultivate the Body Forging Blood Tempering Art, digest the Medicinal Power absorbed from the Blood Pool, further strengthen his physique and blood vitality, and rapidly grow his body into that of an adult.

During this process, the steward would deceive Lin Heng by telling him that Li Hen Pavilion had rescued him from a Human Trafficker. They would accept him as a disciple and urge him to cultivate diligently so that he could repay the sect one day, thereby stirring Lin Heng's motivation to cultivate.

Only then could they train him into a qualified Cauldron within a year.

"Yes."

The old man answered respectfully.

Satisfied, the steward left.

The old man watched the steward's figure disappear, dropped the respectful expression from his face, casually glanced at Lin Heng in the Blood Pool, and left as well.

It was only just dawn. Six Hours later would be the dead of night.

There was no way he would stay underground guarding a Cauldron for that long.

He planned to go gamble with some people. Once the time was nearly up, he would return and deal with this boy who was about to become medicinal dregs.

With hopes of winning big, the old man left the underground Blood Pool and headed toward his gambling companions.

But not long after leaving the underground chamber, he felt a sharp pain in the center of his back, and his body went limp as he collapsed toward the ground.

His heart had been pierced!

In no more than a few seconds, he would die.

The old man instantly judged his current situation, but there was nothing he could do to change it.