The Ginseng of the Human Dao

The atmosphere in the courtyard changed at once with Liu Chengyuan's words.

Ahu stood beneath the corridor, his heart leaping into his throat.

Spirit stones, pills, and even a beautiful Dao companion—such a good deal existed only in the tales of storytellers.

He secretly looked at his immortal master's expression. Shen Qingzhou remained calm, as though he had heard nothing remarkable.

Shen Qingzhou did not look at the three wooden boxes. His gaze rested on Liu Chengyuan's face, and the longer he looked, the more Liu Chengyuan resembled a smiling tiger.

"Steward Liu's kindness is appreciated."

Shen Qingzhou spoke without much inflection. "But on the path of cultivation, karmic ties are ordained by heaven and cannot be forced. It is too early to speak of Dao companions. As for the Liu Family's wager, what does Shen have to give in return for these stakes?"

"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Shen truly is a straightforward man!"

Liu Chengyuan laughed even louder and waved for the two disciples behind him to withdraw outside the courtyard.

"Fellow Daoist Shen possesses peerless talent. At the Hall of Listening Winds, even a prodigy like Lu Chen was overshadowed by you. Naturally, my Liu Family would not ask you to do anything wicked or harmful." Liu Chengyuan's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.

"My Liu Family possesses an ancient secret art passed down from antiquity, called Homologous Dual Cultivation."

He took a few steps, seemingly considering how to explain it. "This method requires two cultivators of water-element Dao lineages. From the Qi Refining stage onward, they use a secret technique to guide each other's qi. When one of them reaches the peak of late Qi Refining, the other may use them as a furnace cauldron and, with the homologous Dao resonance accumulated by both over many years, break through the Foundation Establishment barrier in one stroke."

Shen Qingzhou listened quietly without speaking.

Seeing that he did not immediately object, Liu Chengyuan thought there was hope and continued, "That girl Yinghan is the most gifted descendant my Liu Family has seen in nearly a century. She has hopes of attempting Foundation Establishment before the age of thirty. If she succeeds, my Liu Family's position on Blackwater Peak will rise another level. And Fellow Daoist Shen, your talent surpasses even Yinghan's. If you perform this secret art with her, her chances of Foundation Establishment will increase by at least thirty percent!"

"From today onward, every resource Fellow Daoist requires for cultivation—pills, spirit stones, magical artifacts, even connections to smooth the way within the sect in the future—will be handled entirely by my Liu Family! We guarantee that Fellow Daoist can cultivate steadily to the ninth level of Qi Refining within ten years. At that time, Fellow Daoist need only lend Yinghan a hand."

"Furthermore, Fellow Daoist will become a guest elder of my Liu Family, marry into the Liu Family, and form a Dao companionship with that young girl from the branch family. You will enjoy the Lineage's offerings, with wealth and honor for life and no worries to speak of. This is good for my Liu Family and good for Fellow Daoist alike."

Shen Qingzhou finally spoke, his voice betraying neither joy nor anger. "Use me as a furnace cauldron? And after helping her establish her foundation?"

Liu Chengyuan fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, "After the secret art is activated, all of Fellow Daoist's pure spiritual power and Dao resonance will become Yinghan's foundation. Your cultivation... will fall back to the middle stage of Qi Refining."

Only the rustling of wind through bamboo leaves remained in the courtyard.

Listening from afar, Ahu felt his limbs grow cold and clapped a hand tightly over his mouth.

He finally understood. What dual cultivation secret art was this? They clearly intended to treat his immortal master as a living medicinal ingredient, squeeze him dry, and use him to fulfill someone else!

Perhaps Liu Chengyuan also felt that he had spoken too plainly, and hurriedly tried to remedy it. "Little Friend Shen, do not rush to refuse. Think carefully—you chose the Kan Water Lineage!"

His voice grew heavier as he earnestly tried to persuade him. "The heavenly river has run dry, and the Dao lineage is crippled! This is a fact known to everyone in the Profound Heaven Sect!

It is far too difficult for cultivators of the Ginseng Water Dao Lineage to establish their foundations!

In the past three hundred years, other than Cloudveil True Person, has anyone succeeded in Foundation Establishment?

Even Cloudveil True Person, with such talent, remains trapped at Foundation Establishment!

"Rather than exhaust your life's blood on a dead road destined to lead nowhere, why not adapt a little?"

"A guest elder, lovely wives and concubines, inexhaustible glory and wealth! This is already the destination that ordinary Rogue Cultivators, and even many disciples, can never reach in their entire lives.

Fellow Daoist Shen, you are still young. Do not let a momentary surge of spirit blind your eyes."

Shen Qingzhou listened expressionlessly, while his gaze gradually turned cold.

Dao ginseng? A human-shaped great medicine?

Truly... what a shrewd set of calculations.

Ridiculous.

Without the profession panel, those words might truly have moved him.

But now... they only sounded grating.

"Steward Liu's kind intentions are appreciated."

Shen Qingzhou pretended to ponder, then raised his head with a smile. "This matter is of great consequence and cannot be decided in a moment. Allow me a few days to consider it, then I will give Steward Liu an answer. How does that sound?"

Liu Chengyuan's heart skipped a beat as he looked at Shen Qingzhou's smile.

He could tell that this so-called consideration was a rejection.

The other man was too calm. It only made Liu Chengyuan himself seem like a clown.

"Good, good. Liu was presumptuous."

The smile on Liu Chengyuan's face did not change as he cupped his hands. "Then Liu will wait quietly on Blackwater Peak for Fellow Daoist Shen's good news. These few boxes of humble gifts are a small token from the Liu Family. They have nothing to do with any transaction, so Fellow Daoist must accept them."

After saying that, he did not linger any longer. He turned and led his people away decisively.

Shen Qingzhou watched their figures disappear, and the smile on his face faded as well. A chill flashed through his eyes.

Elsewhere, the moment Liu Chengyuan stepped out of the courtyard, his face darkened.

"Seventh Uncle, that brat truly does not know what is good for him!" a disciple behind him said quietly.

"Hmph. He is nothing but a self-important fool."

Liu Chengyuan snorted. "Does he really think he is Heaven's chosen one? Forget it. There are plenty of people in this world who want to take shortcuts. One less of him makes no difference."

He stopped, thought for a moment, and instructed the disciple, "Go find out where that Fang Wuji from Cinnabar Glow Peak is now."

"Reporting to Seventh Uncle, Fang Wuji has just left the public pill-refining chamber of Cinnabar Glow Peak and is heading back to his residence."

"Lead the way."

Since a good one had slipped away, he would find one of lesser quality, but easier to win over.

Fang Wuji's residence was even more dilapidated than Shen Qingzhou's courtyard.

When Liu Chengyuan found him, this pill-dao genius was frowning over a furnace full of dregs from failed pills, reeking of burnt paste.

"Are you the outstanding disciple of Cinnabar Glow Peak, Fellow Daoist Fang Wuji?" Liu Chengyuan once again wore that amiable smile.

After exchanging pleasantries and thanks, Liu Chengyuan again had his subordinates step away, then explained the Homologous Dual Cultivation plan to Fang Wuji in different terms.

This time, he called it a pill-dao secret art known as Human-Alchemical Refinement, saying that Fang Wuji could personally experience the process of using a human as medicine to temper a Dao foundation, bringing immense benefits to his pill refinement.

Fang Wuji came from a poor background and had a difficult life in the sect. Not long ago, he had even failed a mission and fallen into debt for contribution points.

The spirit stones, spirit herbs, and dedicated pill-refining room Liu Chengyuan promised were each things he needed most right now.

Thinking of this, his breathing grew heavier.

Seeing the look in Fang Wuji's eyes, Liu Chengyuan suddenly sighed.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, to be honest. Before coming to find you, Liu first went to Sword-Coming Peak to visit Fellow Daoist Shen Qingzhou."

At the words "Shen Qingzhou," Fang Wuji's body stiffened.

That was the man who had saved his life.

"What happened to him?"

"Alas." Liu Chengyuan shook his head with feigned regret. "After that girl Yinghan returned from Blackwind Market, she had always paid Fellow Daoist Shen... a little extra attention. A hero saving a beauty is only human nature. I had thought Fellow Daoist Shen would be the best candidate for this matter."

"This..."

Fang Wuji's face turned slightly pale. He thought of Liu Yinghan, and his heart felt as though it had been pricked by a needle.

"Unfortunately, Fellow Daoist Shen is proud and lofty, with ambitions far beyond this. He seems to look down on it, and is even less willing to be bound by romantic entanglements. He refused on the spot."

He turned to look at Fang Wuji.

"Fellow Daoist Shen is a heaven-favored talent. Though his Dao lineage is ordinary and his resources are scarce, he still surpassed Lu Chen in Dao arts. He is indeed an extraordinary figure.

He has his broad sunlit road. We ordinary people should have our own single-plank bridges as well."

"Fellow Daoist Fang, your talent in pill refinement is plain for all to see among the new disciples. With my Liu Family's support, your future achievements may not fall beneath Fellow Daoist Shen's."

Fang Wuji could not help clenching his fists.

He did not dare forget the debt of saving his life.

But his feelings for Liu Yinghan made his chest feel stifled.

Liu Chengyuan's words—"Fellow Daoist Shen looks down on it and refused"—made him feel like the one left over after being picked through, dealing a tremendous blow to his pride...

And that final sentence—"your achievements may not fall beneath Fellow Daoist Shen's"—ignited the ambition in his heart.

Why?

Why could Shen Qingzhou remain so light and indifferent, even refusing the benefits the Liu Family had delivered right to his doorstep?

Why could he win Liu Yinghan's favor?

Just because he had saved them once?

Just because he had made a show of himself at the Hall of Listening Winds?

I, Fang Wuji, can do it too!