Chapter 86: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (II)

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Chapter 86: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (II)

Hè Liancheng stood silently in the cramped little room, lingering there for a long while. He had stayed here for decades, all because of the child inside. He let out a quiet sigh. Was it true that every member of that bloodline was destined for a miserable fate? Having lost the most important part of their bloodline, they had become so fragile that they could barely withstand the world.

∇ Side Mission: Capture the Spirit Clan ‘s Hè Liancheng (Favorability 100%).

∇ Rewards will be granted based on mission completion.

∇ Capture Target Hè Liancheng Favorability: 10.

Once a bloodline renowned throughout the cultivation world, it could now only struggle to survive in a tiny room like this. Even so, he had never given up. He firmly believed that although their bloodline was no longer pure, its descendants would one day soar above the nine heavens.

A sharp glint flashed through Hè Liancheng’s eyes, his pupils briefly narrowing into vertical slits before quickly returning to their ordinary black color. Every trace of emotion vanished, making him seem like a machine programmed to operate according to a fixed set of commands. The dangerous aura from moments before also faded into the air, leaving his presence so faint it was almost nonexistent.

Pushing open the door, the rigid expression on his usually emotionless face gradually cracked, revealing excitement before he quickly suppressed it. The boy who should have been lying weakly in bed was now leaning against the rather shabby bed instead. Clad in red, although the clothing was made in a woman’s style, there was not the slightest trace of femininity about him. Even the slight curve of Miao Lichen’s lips carried an unmistakable air of restraint.

Was this still the same Miao Lichen from yesterday? The child who had done nothing but lean against him to complain or cry. Although he had never completely lost the will to live, the familiar bearing carried in his bloodline had long since disappeared. All that remained was the meekness of someone who had spent his entire life at the bottom, deepening the gloom already buried within Hè Liancheng’s heart and making him consider giving up more than once. How ridiculous. The one with the purest bloodline had ended up living such a life. That was why he had stood outside the door for so long, because he did not know whether, after seeing Miao Lichen like this, he would simply walk away.

“Hè Liancheng.” Miao Lichen casually flipped through the pages of the book in his hands. Anyone who could make out the words would be utterly shocked. It was the supreme cultivation manual of the Yellow Springs Sect, one of the three greatest Demonic Sects in the world. As long as something existed in this world, there was a chance it could appear within the Beauty Album, so Miao Lichen was never lacking in cultivation techniques. However, he would never actually cultivate according to them. What interested him were each sect’s cultivation methods and combat arts. Only by knowing both himself and his enemies could he remain undefeated.

Hè Liancheng instinctively lowered his head, only then realizing that he had treated an ordinary mortal with no cultivation so respectfully. He set down the simple, almost crude meal in his hands on the table, concealing his awkwardness.

Miao Lichen looked at the food before him. For the frail child who had once lived here, this meal would already have been satisfying. Half a steamed bun, insufficient to fill his stomach but enough to stave off hunger. A little pickled vegetable, something his elder brother had never even seen on the dining table, yet a luxury for him. If such food could somehow raise a healthy, chubby child, he would have found that far stranger.

Without the slightest complaint, he ate the meal. Though he said nothing, every movement carried an effortless elegance. After swallowing the last bite of the coarse steamed bun, Miao Lichen casually drew out a white handkerchief and wiped his lips. He had to admit he had never eaten anything this rough before, but trying it once in a while had its own unique charm.

He raised his head and looked at Hè Liancheng. After holding his gaze for a long moment, he finally spoke. “Your injuries are becoming more serious. It’s time you returned where you belong. Otherwise, not only will you be unable to protect me, but your own life will also be in danger.”

“…” The confusion in Hè Liancheng’s eyes finally disappeared, replaced by the joy of seeing a long-cherished wish fulfilled. A faint flush spread across his face, instantly melting away his cold demeanor and making him seem unexpectedly innocent. Beneath that perpetually expressionless face was, in fact, a baby-faced young man so adorable that any expression only made him seem cuter. There was clearly a reason he had become so stoic. “You…”

“Only through death comes rebirth. That is Nirvana.” Miao Lichen idly toyed with the only valuable possession he had, the jade pendant. What had once been an ordinary piece of jade had now taken on a vivid red hue, with a distinct golden flame burning at its center. “Although I don’t possess much ability at the moment, I’m certainly not going to starve to death here. You may return now. Come back to my side once you’re able to wield your true strength.”

“Yes, my lord.” Hè Liancheng bowed respectfully. The Scarlet Serpent Tribe acknowledged only the Master recognized by the jade pendant. The king they had waited centuries for had finally returned to the place that had always belonged to him. Once the Spirit Clan had a king, the cultivation world would no longer belong solely to righteous cultivators and demonic cultivators.

∇ Capture Target Hè Liancheng Favorability: 50.

Watching a streak of red light disappear into the distance, Miao Lichen knew Hè Liancheng had already departed. Hè Liancheng was a spirit, and most likely one of the higher-ranking spirits. Compared to humans, spirits possessed far more terrifying innate abilities. Yet in recent years, the Spirit Clan had only grown weaker. Part of the reason was the united suppression by righteous and demonic cultivators alike, but the greater cause was the endless infighting within the Spirit Clan itself. Dragons and phoenixes had traditionally ruled the spirits. Once neither remained, no tribe was willing to submit to another.

The body Miao Lichen now occupied belonged to a descendant of the Phoenix Tribe, which had vanished from the Spirit Clan long ago. More accurately, the entire Feng Family carried the bloodline of the phoenix. Who would have guessed that the chieftain’s jade pendant, lost for a thousand years, would end up in the hands of a maid before eventually finding its way back to the Feng Family?

Although most people had long forgotten that the Feng Family carried phoenix blood, their cultivation talent still far surpassed that of ordinary people. They were especially gifted in fire-element techniques, making them exceptionally formidable. Even in the mortal world, the Feng Family enjoyed a modest reputation. Yet that was all it was. A supreme spirit bloodline had fallen so far as to become nothing more than one of the many mortal families affiliated with a mid-tier sect like the Heavenly Sword Sect . It was undeniably tragic.

After a long while, he tucked the jade pendant away. The clothes he wore were still the same tattered red garment, worn enough to belong in a rubbish heap. Without the pair of bright, intelligent eyes on his gaunt face, he would have looked like nothing more than a walking skeleton.

“The Heavenly Sword Sect is recruiting disciples. Father wants everyone with Feng blood to try their luck. He may not even remember that you exist, but as your elder brother, I naturally can’t let you miss such a wonderful opportunity.” Feng Yingruo pushed open the door without ceremony and looked at Miao Lichen, who was curled up on the bed. His rouge-colored lips curved into a flawless smile, while his narrow eyes narrowed slightly, making him even more alluring.

Although he was a man, Feng Yingruo possessed a face so beautiful it was impossible to tell whether he was male or female. Even his voice, when deliberately lowered, sounded remarkably feminine. As a result, most people outside the family knew only that the Feng Family had a young Master. Few had ever associated him with his fondness for dressing as a woman.

Miao Lichen leisurely followed behind him. This time, the chief person in charge of recruiting disciples for the Heavenly Sword Sect was none other than the novel’s protagonist, Jiang Lingwen. Recruiting disciples was certainly an important matter for any sect, but it would never normally be entrusted to an elder. The only reason Jiang Lingwen had been assigned the task was because his reputation as someone weak and easily bullied had become deeply ingrained. The other elders believed he would never dare show favoritism by recruiting talented disciples for himself, so they happily handed this “desirable assignment” to him. Meanwhile, the newly transmigrated Jiang Lingwen had no trusted subordinates, leaving him no choice but to handle everything personally.

Although Jiang Lingwen was the nominal leader of the recruitment, the other elders had no intention of giving up the opportunity to secure promising disciples for themselves. Those accompanying him all had influential backers and were well acquainted with one another. The only difference was that their open rivalry had become covert. In essence, nothing had changed.

By the time they arrived at the Feng Family’s training grounds, the “immortals” from the Heavenly Sword Sect had already taken their seats. As cultivators, each of them wore an unmistakable air of pride. Their attention remained fixed on a transparent crystal sphere. Whenever it lit up with color, they immediately sat up straighter. Yet despite the Feng Family’s considerable reputation in the mortal world, after an entire morning of testing, only a little over a dozen people possessed spiritual roots, and the best among them had merely dual spiritual roots. It was clear that the cultivation world was not in particularly good shape these days.

Feng Yingruo stepped onto the platform and placed his pale hand on the crystal sphere. A brilliant red light immediately burst forth. Feng Yingruo possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root, a genius who appeared only once in a century. Miao Lichen also knew that, after a fortunate encounter later in the story, Feng Yingruo’s root would evolve into a mutated fire-attributed Heavenly Spiritual Root capable of wielding the Phoenix Flame that could burn all things. Of course, that depended on the jade pendant mentioned in the novel eventually falling into Feng Yingruo’s hands, rather than remaining in Miao Lichen’s possession.

Miao Lichen lifted his gaze, seemingly by chance looking toward Jiang Lingwen. Seeing the unmistakable interest in Jiang Lingwen’s eyes as he watched Feng Yingruo, Miao Lichen lightly tapped his fingers against the table before him. The slight narrowing of Jiang Lingwen’s eyes lent him a subtle air of sensuality. The timid-looking man now resembled a lion resting at ease. Miao Lichen had long understood that even the same body could exude an entirely different presence once inhabited by a different soul.

Watching the excitement among the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Miao Lichen stepped onto the platform and placed his hand against the crystal sphere. Red light appeared, but it was faint, mixed with traces of green, blue, gold, and brown. Though each was weaker than the red, together they appeared hopelessly chaotic. Compared with Feng Yingruo’s talent, the difference was like heaven and earth. The Heavenly Sword Sect members barely spared him a glance, their attention still fixed on Feng Yingruo. One of them merely waved him toward the group of disciples who possessed spiritual roots.

Miao Lichen’s eyes revealed a trace of understanding. He was indeed a Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator, but not an ordinary one. His was a Hidden Heavenly Spiritual Root. That single word, “Hidden,” made all the difference. Much like a naturally concealed aura, unless one employed a special secret technique, very few people could discern his true cultivation level. That suited him perfectly. He had never intended to attract Jiang Lingwen’s attention from the very beginning. When dealing with a monstrously gifted playboy, a single moment of amazement would only make his own situation more miserable.

Besides, only with comparison could there be superiority and inferiority, couldn’t there? Feng Yingruo was the perfect point of comparison. Beautiful, yet hopelessly foolish… A child so arrogant he had no idea where he truly stood. Without someone to protect him, his fate would be as fleeting as an epiphyllum in bloom.

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