Chapter 25: Pure Admiration

“As the Prison Master, with our assistance, achieving the Nascent Soul True Lord status will be as easy as turning your hand. Such a great opportunity—if you dare to leak it, aren’t you afraid that little girl will extract your soul and refine your marrow?!”

“Mother wouldn’t do that.”

Su Xiaobei’s steps were steady.

“Even if humans don’t harm tigers intentionally, you can’t be sure. Let’s say, just to be safe, if the other side causes the secret to leak, aren’t you afraid of being targeted by those great powers?”

“I trust Mother.”

The old ghosts exchanged glances:……

Damn it, where did this naïve sweetheart come from!

“Alright, alright, Su Xiaobei, tell that little girl about our situation, and then we will do our utmost to help her achieve the Heavenly Union Contract and attain the Dao.”

“When that time comes, your Mother will live long and carefree alone, remarry a suitable husband, have a few children, and in front of the rightful owner, you—the adopted son—will go back to where you came from. Don’t be a hindrance in their family.”

Su Xiaobei’s steps suddenly halted, then he shook his head fiercely: “No, no, my Mother was originally Qianxiu, it’s only because of her cultivation method that she’s like this now. There’s no way she’d look for a suitable husband.”

“Well, she could find those saintly fairy maidens, but that’s just Kuxiu pregnancy technique. Lu Lao Gui has plenty of those,” came the hoarse voice from the strange prison in the sea of consciousness, laced with a hint of intriguing mockery.

“But no matter what, you, Su Xiaobei, an ordinary adopted son with average talent and comprehension, can never hold your head high in front of that rightful owner. Oh no, you might not even live to see that day.”

“You will only be forgotten. The weak aren’t worth being remembered by the strong. That little girl will walk over your corpse and live a better life. Of course, by then, she definitely won’t have you by her side, and she might not even remember you.”

Su Xiaobei’s body stiffened, and a sharp pain stabbed at his heart.

Forgotten, living better, without you……

He wasn’t that afraid of death, but he dreaded being forgotten, just like when he was in the cellar before—hungry stomach, cold body, no one cared……

“Tsk~ the little ghost is breaking down~~”

“Long time no see a Prison Master with such a fragile Dao heart.”

“Not just long, I’ve never met such a Prison Master before. Sigh, I kinda miss the previous ones who defied their masters, severed ties, and cut off emotions.”

Voices of various old ghosts whispering in the prison of the sea of consciousness.

After a long while, Su Xiaobei looked at the foot that had already stepped out of the cave mansion, bit his teeth, and withdrew it again.

Back on his usual meditation bed, he respectfully bowed to the void, “Everyone… respected seniors, please teach me cultivation. I want to form a Golden Core.”

“Tsk~ little ghost, I liked you better when you were unruly before.”

“This kind of Prison Master really opens my eyes.”

“All right, all right, it’s time for us to explain the Soul Prison to our Prison Master.”

“Ugh! This financial deficit is way too big.”

Previously shouting that he would stop at nothing to take the sect leader’s position because the cost wasn’t his own, now as the sole Qingyang Sect Leader of the Sanyang Sect, the consequences of that cost would be carried by Su Bai, who had just assumed office.

Half of the sect’s cultivation resources were handed out, naturally causing the spirit stone fund’s cash flow to near collapse, with monthly expenses and income seriously unbalanced. At this rate, in less than ten years, Sanyang Sect would declare bankruptcy.

“No, I have to find a way to bring in funds, revive this deadlock. I’m still counting on Sanyang Sect to create value and collect cultivation resources for me in the future.”

During the Qi Refinement stage, Su Bai had four cheap senior and junior disciples generating spirit stones.

At Foundation Establishment, Su Bai had a cheap Shifu who generated spirit stones and supported cultivation with hand-drawn talismans.

But at the Golden Core stage, there was no one to generate spirit stones for her anymore. She had to earn them herself, solve the sect’s financial deficit, and collect the Yin-Yang Reversal Technique to fix her gender transformation problem.

“The world is harsh.”

With a sigh, Su Bai patted her Storage Pouch at her waist, her bright eyes flashing with a strange light.

She thought of a quick way to prepare spirit stones, though it was a bit morally questionable.

…

Daoist Heaven.

“Extra! Extra! Golden Core Inheritance Core Formation Secret Technique clearance sale!!”

“Fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators still struggling with the Core Formation Secret Technique? Still frustrated on how to break through to Golden Core?”

“One thousand spirit stones, only one thousand spirit stones, and you get one chance to draw a Golden Core Inheritance! Even if you fail, you can still gain part of the inheritance!!”

“Take a chance—turn spirit stones into inheritance, fight for Foundation Establishment to Golden Core!!”

“What are you waiting for, fellow Foundation Establishment cultivators? Our shop also offers various collateral services!!”

Su Bai advertised wildly within Daoist Heaven, yet no cultivators came to buy; instead, they avoided her as if looking at a fool.

After a long time of promotion without any response, Su Bai grew puzzled.

According to her prior inquiries, currently, no shops like hers openly selling Golden Core Inheritance Core Formation Secret Techniques existed in Xianmeng Daoist Heaven.

Major sects jealously guard theirs and forbid circulation.

This line of business should be a blue ocean.

Why was it so deserted?

“Qingyang Daoist, what are you doing?!!” Suddenly, a figure shrouded in chaotic energy appeared in front of Su Bai.

“Zhang… Zhang Daoist?” Su Bai cautiously called out.

“It’s me.”

Zhang Sanhong nodded.

“Daoist, quickly take these down. Soon, the Xianmeng Punishment Department might come knocking on your cave mansion. We’ll talk in detail after you log off.”

Though confused, Su Bai complied.

After exiting Daoist Heaven, her magical artifact received a remote projection request from Zhang Sanhong.

Upon agreeing and listening to his explanation, she quickly understood the reason.

The Xianmeng explicitly forbids circulation of Core Formation Secret Techniques among cultivators. The Core Formation Secret Technique is a controlled item within the Xianmeng.

Foundation Establishment cultivators who want to obtain the Core Formation Secret Technique must complete Xianmeng-assigned tasks, accumulate contribution points, then exchange for it.

This rule applies equally to Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul.

As for those cultivators who have exposed the Core Formation Secret Technique, if under Golden Core, they will be severely punished. For those at Golden Core or above, including Golden Core itself, Xianmeng offers two choices.

First, surrender the Core Formation Secret Technique. After surrendering, they may still use the technique but cannot privately spread the secret in their mind to any cultivator. Both parties will sign a contract evolved by the power of a Supreme Immortal Lord’s Heavenly Union Contract. Xianmeng will then give compensation several dozen times higher than market price.

Second, keep the Core Formation Secret Technique but cannot spread it widely—only among no more than three cultivators. A contract will also be signed.

Similarly, Xianmeng will provide compensation, though less than the first option.

After explaining, Zhang Sanhong quickly ended the projection, leaving only: “If you really need spirit stones, you can enter the Jindan True Lord Circle in Daoist Heaven to sell Golden Core Inheritances other than the Core Formation Secret Technique.”

Su Bai fell into deep thought after hearing this, her mind clouded with contemplation.

Meanwhile, Su Xiaobei had already finished listening to the old ghosts’ explanation about the Soul Prison in his sea of consciousness.

The Soul Prison—unknown who created it—held villains and old ghosts from various eras, their crimes too numerous to recount, their wickedness beyond human or divine forgiveness!

Why they were imprisoned there despite their souls dissipating was unknown; the only thing known was that the Soul Prison demanded they cultivate a peerless evil demon.

Su Xiaobei closed his eyes slightly; from his consciousness came a strange familiarity from that towering, bizarre Soul Prison.

“Tsk~ how about it, little ghost? Finding us is your greatest fortune.”

“Hehehe! Su Xiaobei, isn’t that little girl your Shifu? She gave you a copy of Yu Xian Jue to turn that girl into your forbidden… pet!”

“Hehehe~ don’t listen to Lu Lao Gui. What’s fun about loyal disciples? Rebellious sons are what the masses love!!”

“Tang Lao Gui is right!”

Clearly, the old ghosts imprisoned too long in the Soul Prison were in a rather unhinged state.

“That’s all nonsense,” Su Xiaobei retorted.

“I only have pure admiration for Shifu and Mother!”

The old ghosts clicked their tongues: tsk~