Obtaining the Herb, Cold Crystal Lunar Essence

"A marriage wager?"

Scarlet Flame Madam showed surprise. At first, she did not understand those four words, but when she saw the bright, unyielding eyes beneath Lu Xuan's lowered head, a faint guess rose in her heart.

Yet she did not voice her guess, merely asking, "What do you mean by this?"

Lu Xuan bowed again and frankly said to Scarlet Flame Madam, "In reply to you, Madam, Lu Xuan truly does not wish to fail like this and turn instead to cultivating the Golden Armor Jade Body. Thus, I wish to use this mortal shell of mine to make a wager with you."

"I will exchange this body for one stalk of [Four-Aspect Divination Herb], to reopen the Qi-Refining Grand Rite."

"No Second Heavenly Grace. If I fail this time, calamity will surely descend. My cultivation will disperse, and this body will have no further possibility of cultivation. Yet Qi Refining is, after all, the first Grand Rite of cultivation. My life should be preserved, and my flesh will remain unharmed."

"If I fail, I am willing to enter the Fox Clan as a son-in-law in this ruined body, until the end of my lifespan."

"If I succeed, I will repay this favor with a generous reward."

Lu Xuan's voice rang with force. Clearly, he had long made his plans and already set his resolve.

With a crippled body, he still wanted to become the Fox Clan's son-in-law, and even sought a stalk of Four-Aspect Divination Herb in advance?

Had it been anyone else, Scarlet Flame Madam would have thrown him out long ago. But as she watched the youth rise before her, standing like a jade tree amid fragrant orchids, she merely sighed and urged, "Why go so far?"

"The Immortal Cult's method of Qi Absorption gathers the true qi of heaven and earth, containing intent within qi itself. Those without wondrous Qi Sensitivity cannot gather it..."

"The Golden Armor Jade Body Method can likewise grant two hundred and sixty years of lifespan and allow you to enter the gates of the Immortal Cult. With my daughter at your side, you would be an immortal couple—would that not be joyous?"

"Why take such a perilous path?"

Her lifespan was somewhat longer, so her understanding of the Immortal Cult ran deeper.

The reason [Four-Aspect Divination Herb] had become a controlled spiritual material was, firstly, that it was essential for the Immortal Cult's Qi-Absorption Grand Rite. It was inconvenient for it to circulate outside, lest others make use of it.

But Qi Refining was only the second realm of cultivation, after all, so it was not regulated too strictly. The reason ordinary disciples could not purchase it was that once a Qi-Refining Grand Rite failed, the odds of succeeding a second time were infinitesimal. If it were allowed to circulate freely, many more people would likely risk everything each year, only to become mortals. That did not accord with the Immortal Cult's Life-Valuing Principle.

She truly liked Lu Xuan and wished to take him as her son-in-law. She did not want to see him stray down the wrong path.

Once he failed, he would be nothing more than an ordinary mortal, perhaps unable even to reach eighty years of life.

She did not wish for her daughter to undergo the changes of life and death.

"A person living in this world must have something they seek."

"Immortality cannot be spoken of lightly, but if even Qi Refining is beyond my grasp, would that not be a life wasted?"

Lu Xuan cupped his hands and bowed again, his tone resolute.

"Do not be hasty. Why not first look at the dowry I have prepared for my youngest daughter..."

Scarlet Flame Madam did not try to persuade him further. She merely swept her cloudlike sleeve, and clouds of qi immediately transformed into seal-script characters, appearing before Lu Xuan's eyes.

Goldbranch Herb, Jade Orchid Flower, Iron-Armored Cloudwood, Little Vermilion Fruit, Divine General Pill...

Rows upon rows of spiritual treasures appeared. Most crucially, every one of them offered immense benefit to the cultivation of the Golden Armor Jade Body, allowing one's cultivation to advance swiftly.

Yet Lu Xuan only flicked his sleeve and bowed once more. "Today, Lu Xuan wishes only to make [Four-Aspect Divination Herb] the stake of this wager. I hope Madam will grant my request!"

Without [Four-Aspect Divination Herb], he would never enter the Fox Clan as a son-in-law.

If spiritual pills and wondrous medicines could not help him achieve Qi Refining, what use were they?

Scarlet Flame Madam was not angered by this. The reason she had taken a liking to Lu Xuan that day was partly because of this very temperament.

She simply had not expected that, even after already failing the Grand Rite, Lu Xuan would remain so stubborn.

That truly put her in a difficult position.

If she did not lend him the herb, she feared she would lose such an excellent son-in-law. But if she lent it to him, she feared she would gain only a mortal son-in-law.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

Just as Scarlet Flame Madam was nursing a headache, clear fox cries suddenly sounded from deep within the stone cavern.

Lu Xuan did not understand fox speech, but Scarlet Flame Madam listened intently. Then she gave a faint sigh and looked at Lu Xuan. "No wonder you came today. So you had already counted on my foolish child..."

Lu Xuan had also formed a guess as to the source of those fox cries. That was one reason he had come today, but it was not something he could state openly. He merely bowed again. "I respectfully ask Madam to lend me the herb!"

"So be it, so be it. Since your heart is as hard as iron, I shall grant your wish this once!"

Scarlet Flame Madam shook her head. At last, she let out a long sigh and swept her sleeve. A jade box inscribed with the words [Four Aspects] floated before Lu Xuan.

Lu Xuan knew that what he had sought today lay within.

Yet he did not immediately reach out to take it. Instead, he raised his head and solemnly said to Scarlet Flame Madam, "If I fail, I shall naturally become the Fox Clan's son-in-law, without regret for the rest of my life."

"But if I succeed, I will not forget the grace of being allowed onto the path. I am willing to repay it with a precious treasure. Does Madam have anything she wishes to obtain?"

Scarlet Flame Madam smiled. "Though my Red-Tailed Fox Clan is no immortal spiritual breed, after several generations of accumulation, we possess a fair amount of wealth. Even if you achieve Qi Refining and enter the inner sect, what generous reward could you possibly offer?"

"Let it simply be a bond of good fortune."

Scarlet Flame Madam was not being arrogant. She herself possessed cultivation at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, only one step from Foundation Establishment. Even if Lu Xuan succeeded in Qi Refining and entered the inner sect, how long would it take him to reach her realm, acquire her wealth, and obtain some precious treasure she desired?

"What I want is simply for you to become my son-in-law. But if you succeed in Qi Refining, I fear you will be even less willing..."

"What is to be done? What is to be done?"

Scarlet Flame Madam sighed.

Had her youngest daughter not spoken up, she still had methods to try and force Lu Xuan to lower his head. But within the cave dwelling, her youngest daughter had spoken first, pleading on behalf of the man before her.

As a mother, she could only submit to her daughter's "arrangements."

But Lu Xuan spoke again. "Madam's cultivation is profound, and I naturally cannot compare. But if any junior of your clan seeks something, I will certainly do all in my power."

He was somewhat certain that he could succeed this time. Therefore, it would be best to settle the "gift of repayment" in advance and dissolve the karmic ties.

Of course, obtaining the herb this time already meant he had accepted a favor. Even if he repaid it with a precious treasure, the karmic ties would not vanish outright. But it was still better than some vague phrase like "a bond of good fortune," which might restrain his actions in the future.

After all... the vast Red Pine Fief did not have only one place where the herb could be obtained.

His face was exceedingly beautiful; it was not the Fox Clan alone that favored such looks.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

At that moment, more fox cries sounded from deep within the cave dwelling, seemingly tinged with urgency and prompting.

Scarlet Flame Madam listened briefly, then shook her head and smiled helplessly. "Foolish child, foolish child. To love deeply without seeking repayment may seem kind and good to you, but to some who aspire to the Great Dao, it is a burden!"

After saying this, Scarlet Flame Madam swept her sleeve, cutting off the fox cries from deep within the cave dwelling. Fixing her gaze on Lu Xuan, she said, "Since you are pawning your flesh and blood for a chance to enter the path, I shall comply and make this agreement with you. If you fail, there is no need for me to say more. If you succeed by some stroke of luck, then when the chance comes, bring me a wisp of [Cold Crystal Lunar Essence]..."

Cold Crystal Lunar Essence was a treasure of the lunar yin attribute. It could cleanse the body and soul, erase beastly nature, and enhance spiritual intelligence. For the Demon Race, it was a wondrous item that could solidify one's foundation and open a special [Minor Offering Ritual].

Yet this item was not easy to obtain.

For it was a controlled spiritual treasure of the Lunar Yin Sect. Other than that sect, it did not circulate outside.

Precisely because it was difficult to obtain, it would serve well to let Lu Xuan repay this favor.

"Then [Cold Crystal Lunar Essence] shall be the stake!"

Lu Xuan agreed. No longer hesitating, he accepted the jade box and tucked it into his robes.

But before taking his leave, he looked toward the depths of the cave dwelling and asked Scarlet Flame Madam, "May I ask the young fox lady's name?"

"How can the word 'lady' be used so carelessly?"

"My daughter shares my surname, Chi. She has only a simple name: Yuechan."

Chi Yuechan. Lu Xuan remembered the name, and it matched the young red-tailed, white-browed fox from his memories.