Murong Feng smiled and shook his head.
"Enough. I understand what you're thinking. I, too, cultivated my way up from a low-level cultivator, so there's no need to probe me. If I wanted your companion's bloodline origin essence, neither of you would have any chance of resisting."
Without waiting for Chen Lin to respond, he continued, "You know little about the Immortal Stele, so your worries are only natural. But its activation does not work the way you imagine. Extracting bloodline origin essence is useless, because the Immortal Stele chooses people, not the other way around."
Chen Lin froze at those words, unable to understand what he meant.
Murong Feng offered no further explanation. He waved a hand and said, "All right, you may leave. The Immortal Stele Fragment that appeared this time is indeed rather unusual, and plenty of people want a slice of the pie. If your companion is chosen, it will be a tremendous opportunity, but also a tribulation. Whether she survives will depend on her alone. If she lives and is willing to offer her inheritance to the Murong Lineage, you can come find me then. The benefits will certainly satisfy you."
After a pause, he added a reminder. "It isn't that I refuse to let you leave. Once the Immortal Stele has sensed you, leaving or staying makes no difference. Wherever the chosen ones go, they cannot escape."
Chen Lin left Murong Feng's residence utterly bewildered.
The man had said quite a lot, yet Chen Lin was still at sea. Since Murong Feng was unwilling to explain in detail, he could not force the issue.
He flew down the mountain with his brows tightly furrowed. Suddenly, he spotted the elderly steward still there. His expression shifted, and he immediately approached.
"Greetings, Lord Steward!"
After first