The Heavenly Cauldron Stirs

When the Heavenly Cauldron within Meng Haoran's Dantian trembled once more, his gaze happened to fall upon a frail, tiny spirit beast.

It's this one!

Meng Haoran turned to look at the charming female cultivator and asked with a cupped-fist salute, "Excuse me, how much for this spirit beast?"

The female cultivator had been shouting for quite a while, but the onlookers were only there for her graceful figure; almost no one had actually bought a spirit beast. Now that a young man had finally stepped up, how could she let this delivered business go to waste?

With a waft of intoxicating fragrance, the female cultivator arrived at Meng Haoran's side in a few steps and asked with a beaming smile, "Young Brother, which spirit beast has caught your eye? Tell Sister, and I'll pick one out for you."

Looking at the female cultivator's jade-white skin, the inexperienced Meng Haoran swallowed hard, reached out, and pointed, "It's that spirit beast."

The female cultivator followed the direction of his arm, turned her head, and frowned, "It's actually this one!"

Meng Bohai, standing to the side, also furrowed his brows and hurriedly said, "Haoran, don't make a mistake. Although this spirit beast is called a Thunderfire Tiger, look at how frail it is—it must have some hidden ailment!"

The female cultivator was not pleased to hear this.

This old woman has been putting on a show here for ages, waiting and waiting, and finally, a customer shows up. How could I let him walk away?

Thinking this, the female cultivator waved her hand and laughed, "Customer, you really shouldn't say that. You know this spirit beast is called a Thunderfire Tiger, so you should know that tiger-type spirit beasts are among the most physically formidable existences in the Spirit Beast World. The reason it looks so frail is simply because it has been traveling with me these past few days. Please don't mislead other customers."

The female cultivator looked at Meng Haoran again and smiled, "Young Brother, you have an excellent eye. Tiger-type spirit beasts are not only physically robust, but once they grow up, they can guard your home and accompany you in conquering the world. They are truly the must-have beasts on the path of cultivation!"

After hearing the female cultivator's introduction, Meng Haoran recalled the information he had seen in his lineage's library regarding spirit beasts.

Spirit beasts, like cultivators, were divided by strength and realm.

Generally, based on their current level of growth, they were divided into nine tiers from low to high.

Even the lowest-tier spirit beast was usually physically stronger than a cultivator in the Qi Refining Realm.

Every spirit beast contained a strand of Ancient Bloodline Power within its body.

Some spirit beasts might exhaust their entire lives without ever being able to awaken that strand of Ancient Bloodline Power, while others might awaken it the moment they were born, thus becoming powerful spirit beasts that dominated their regions.

Meng Bohai chuckled softly, "Fellow Daoist, you are correct that tiger-type spirit beasts are indeed among the most physically powerful in the Spirit Beast World, but you have overlooked one point."

The female cultivator looked up and asked, "Which point?"

Meng Bohai replied, "You previously said this Thunderfire Tiger is exhausted from the long journey, yet the other spirit beasts you have here are full of vigor. How do you explain that?"

Hearing this, the female cultivator was momentarily at a loss for words.

Meng Bohai continued, "Furthermore, the growth potential of a Thunderfire Tiger is limited. Generally, once it reaches the third tier, its internal bloodline power dries up, leading to its natural decline and death. Most importantly, the cultivation resources required for a Thunderfire Tiger to grow are no less than those for a cultivator of the same tier. If it grows up and we cannot control it, allowing it to hurt people or run away, wouldn't we lose both the beast and our wealth?"

Because of the Heavenly Cauldron within him, Meng Haoran was determined to buy this Thunderfire Tiger.

With a turn of thought, Meng Haoran suddenly asked, "How many more Thunderfire Tigers do you have here?"

The female cultivator perked up and hurriedly replied, "Two! There are only two left. Other customers saw the merits of the Thunderfire Tigers and bought them quite readily!"

"Only two left?"

Meng Haoran did not want this female cultivator to realize how badly he wanted to buy that frail Thunderfire Tiger and secretly raise the price.

"Then bring out the other Thunderfire Tiger and let me see it," Meng Haoran asked.

There's a chance!

The female cultivator felt a flicker of joy. She turned, pulled a Thunderfire Tiger cub from a cage, placed it before Meng Haoran, and said, "How about this one?"

As soon as she finished speaking, this Thunderfire Tiger suddenly let out a low growl.

Meng Haoran smiled, "This Thunderfire Tiger is not bad. Although the roar is slightly immature, it has a strong after-force."

The female cultivator said softly with a smile, "Young Brother has a sharp eye! If you are sincere about buying, I'll give you a discounted price!"

Meng Haoran nodded and asked, "How many Spirit Stones?"

"A straightforward person!"

The female cultivator praised, "Five hundred Spirit Stones! Just five hundred Spirit Stones, and you can take this Thunderfire Tiger away."

Meng Haoran shook his head and said, "Four hundred Spirit Stones, and I'll take both Thunderfire Tigers!"

"Four hundred Spirit Stones for both of my Thunderfire Tigers? Young Brother, don't think that just because you're handsome, you can do whatever you want!"

The female cultivator said with some surprise, "At four hundred Spirit Stones, I wouldn't even break even!"

Meng Haoran laughed, "For one Thunderfire Tiger, you have to spend quite a few Spirit Stones every day to nurture it. Adding in this one with a hidden ailment, the cost is at least triple. If I buy them both today, I'm saving you Spirit Stones!"

The female cultivator was about to speak, but Meng Haoran interrupted her, "Besides, if this Thunderfire Tiger dies unexpectedly because of its hidden ailment, you'll truly end up with nothing."

Hearing this, the female cultivator began to ponder in secret.

Meng Haoran waited quietly to the side, in no rush.

Meng Bohai also waited alongside him.

Ever since Meng Haoran had stepped onto the path of cultivation, he had not only shown progress in tending to spirit plants but also possessed exceptional talent in nurturing spirit beasts, so he did not stop Meng Haoran from buying these two Thunderfire Tigers.

After a while, the female cultivator smiled, "Young Brother, why don't you add a few more Spirit Stones? I'm running a small business, and I'm just a frail woman. Do you have the heart?"

Meng Haoran did not fall for it at all and sneered, "In the cultivation world, there is no distinction between men and women, only between friend and foe!"

The female cultivator never expected Meng Haoran to say such a thing out of the blue, so she could only helplessly hand the two Thunderfire Tigers over to him.

Now that the Spirit Plant Soil most needed by the Meng Family had been purchased, and because of the Heavenly Cauldron, the Thunderfire Tigers had also been bought by Meng Haoran.

To avoid complications and prevent anyone with ill intentions from killing them for their goods outside the Black Market, Meng Bohai and Meng Haoran headed straight back toward Xinghua Village.

In the early hours of the next day, Meng Bohai and Meng Haoran took advantage of the morning mist to quietly enter the Meng Family courtyard.

Before the same Spirit Spring that emitted a faint aura of heaven and earth, Meng Jingshan wore a peaceful smile as he looked at the five Storage Bags laid out on the ground before him, saying appreciatively, "Bohai, Haoran, you two have worked hard these past few days."

Meng Bohai and Meng Haoran replied in unison, "It was no trouble; everything is for the Meng Family."

Meng Jingshan continued, "Since we have purchased enough Spirit Plant Soil to plant the second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat, we need to make preparations on two fronts."

Looking at Meng Bohai, Meng Jingshan instructed, "Bohai, after you rest today, sell off a batch of the spirit beasts in the backyard, then spread the Yellow-Tier Spirit Plant Soil to prepare for planting the second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat."

Meng Bohai cupped his fists and replied, "Understood, I will handle this shortly."

He then looked at Meng Haoran, and Meng Jingshan said sternly, "Haoran, the maturation and harvest of this batch of second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat is especially important to our Meng Family. You must remember two things: first, never let outsiders know that second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat has been produced in our spirit plant fields; second, you must tend to this batch of second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat with the utmost care until they are harvested!"

Meng Haoran nodded, "Haoran will remember!"

Hearing this, Meng Bohai asked, "Clan Leader, once I have finished preparing the spirit plant fields in the backyard, who will be responsible for planting this second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat?"

Meng Jingshan extended a withered finger and smiled at Meng Haoran, "I already have a candidate, and that person is Meng Haoran."

Meng Bohai was slightly startled.

Meng Haoran was also somewhat incredulous, saying, "Clan Leader, I usually only tend to first-tier spirit plants and spirit beasts. I have never tended to anything above the second tier. I worry that after I apply my Daoist Magic, I might damage the foundations of these second-tier spirit plants, thereby affecting the future rise of our Meng Family!"

"No matter!"

Meng Jingshan waved his hand slowly and replied, "I have seen your performance in Xinghua Village. The fact that second-tier Six-Pattern Wheat can be produced in the Meng Family's spirit plant fields is certainly due in part to your efforts. Therefore, I believe that whether it is a first-tier or second-tier spirit plant, as long as it is in your hands, it will surely be nurtured well!"

Having received praise from his own Clan Leader, Meng Haoran could not help but feel a surge of excitement. He cupped his fists and said, "Thank you for your praise, Clan Leader. Haoran will certainly not fail your expectations or the trust of the Meng Family!"

As his voice faded, Meng Jingshan broke into another fit of coughing.

Seeing this, Meng Bohai turned around and said, "Haoran, you should rest in the village for a while before heading to Qingyang County."

Meng Haoran nodded, accepted the order, and left for his room.

He placed the two Thunderfire Tigers he had bought from the female cultivator in the Black Market on the floor, crouched down, and observed them closely.

Looking at these two Thunderfire Tigers with such vastly different spirits, Meng Haoran smiled, "I want to see exactly what it is about you that is worth the attention of the Heavenly Cauldron."

As he spoke, the mysterious Heavenly Cauldron suddenly appeared in the palm of Meng Haoran's hand.