“Isn't this akin to being an adopted son-in-law, a kept man?”

Yuan Duxiu's expression was subtle, his eyes slightly dazed.

In the secular world, any man who became an adopted son-in-law, a kept man, was bound to be despised, to be scorned, looked down upon by men, women, and children alike.

In secular dynasties, such men were not allowed to study, were not allowed to become officials, and even if they joined the army, it was only in suicide squads!

He was not very willing to be such a person.

“Of course not.”

In the next instant, in his heart, in his ears, in his mind, echoed Mu Longcheng's deafening voice:

“Heaven and earth are impartial, treating all things as straw dogs. Whether demons, humans, dragons, phoenixes, or archaic remnants, there is no inherent hierarchy in heaven and earth..."

“...Emperors, generals, righteous or evil giants, even the ancient Sage Emperors, Celestial Venerables, and Supreme Ones, are all the same.”

“All notions of high and low, noble and base, are nothing but dregs proposed by one group of people to rule another!”

Mu Longcheng's voice was neither loud nor soft, but Yuan Duxiu could not help but listen.

Yuan Duxiu nodded repeatedly as he listened, feeling that it was indeed so.

Heaven and earth do not differentiate between high and low, all distinctions are merely the thoughts of living beings. Supreme Ones are considered higher than lords and princes, mortals are considered lower than cultivators.

“...Heaven and earth are like this, all things are like this, Sage Emperors and Supreme Ones are like this. What does gender, age, or cultivation level matter?”

Mu Longcheng changed his tone abruptly: “You possess the Great Sun True Form, and with my guidance, you may become even stronger than that Miao Meng in the future!

Letting you become Dao companions is only for mutual support on the path of cultivation, why should you care so much?”

Speaking, Mu Longcheng asked: “Do you need her to avenge you?”

Yuan Duxiu, who had been listening in a daze, shook his head upon hearing this: “The revenge for my Yuan family can only be taken by me and my younger brother, and we will not rely on others.”

“Then…”

Mu Longcheng asked again: “Then, do you need her elixirs, secret techniques, divine powers, or magical treasures?”

Yuan Duxiu shook his head again: “We cultivators take what we need with our own hands, why should we accept charity from women?”

“Then, if you and she are Dao companions, receiving her protection for a time, and you achieve something in the future, would you turn around to help her?”

Mu Longcheng asked for the last time.

“Of course.”

This time, Yuan Duxiu nodded without hesitation.

“In that case, you owe her nothing…”

Mu Longcheng nodded in his heart: “What is there to be wary of?”

“It seems so…”

Yuan Duxiu nodded at first, but then felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Although he had cultivated for more than twenty years, this was the first time he had come into contact with such a completely unfamiliar field.

For a moment, he didn't know what was wrong.

Mu Longcheng stopped talking, waiting for Yuan Duxiu to digest it himself.

He rarely spoke so much, and if it weren't to test that An Qisheng, he would never have done such a troublesome thing.

Nothing can be accomplished overnight, everything must be done slowly. Everyone has a bottom line in their heart, but this bottom line has infinite room for decline.

Take a step back, take a step back, and then take another step back...

By the time you wake up, you are already in the abyss.

.......

The myriad peaks of Wanfa Qunshan stretched for hundreds of thousands of miles, with perilous peaks and picturesque scenery everywhere.

The location of Wanfa Longlou (Myriad Laws Dragon Tower) spread layer upon layer, with all the mountains belonging to the Wanfa Tower.

However, only true disciples could choose a mountain to reside in. The mountains were full of restrictions, with spirit fields, beast pens, mountains for refining medicine, and places for refining weapons.

Centered on the Wanfa Dragon Tower, three thousand eight hundred miles to the east, there was a beautiful mountain peak. This mountain peak was surrounded by thousands of perilous peaks, with waterfalls cascading down its sides.

Immortal cranes and spiritual birds circled in the air, ancient trees and long-lived pines stood tall like canopies on the mountain. At the foot of the mountain was a spiritual lake of unknown origin, where fish leaped and played.

This mountain was called 'Miao Mountain'.

It was the residence of Miao Meng, the number one true disciple of the Wanfa Tower nine hundred years ago. Because she disliked outsiders, few people came to disturb her, and only she and her many female disciples lived here.

Whoosh~

The morning sun, like a sword, sliced through the sky, piercing through the thin mist above Miao Mountain.

A streak of purple Qi came from the far east, plunging into the peak of Miao Mountain, onto an open-air platform.

Between the faint clouds and mist and the swirling purple Qi, a woman in red sat cross-legged, surrounded by purple Qi, with spiritual energy rising and falling. The fragrance of flowers filled the platform.

The woman within was like an immortal among ten thousand flowers.

"Hoo~"

The moment the purple Qi disappeared, the woman in red slowly opened her eyes, a hint of purple in her bright, star-like eyes: "Relying solely on the morning sun's purple Qi, it may take a long time to reach the realm of yin and yang harmony..."

The Dongtian (Grotto Heaven) realm was the longest of all realms.

Because even those who were enfeoffed as marquises and kings, in a sense, still retained their grotto heavens, and would not or could not abandon them.

However, the tribulations of the grotto heaven had no regularity. Sometimes it was three hundred years, sometimes a hundred years, and sometimes even several times a century. Under the repeated tribulations, it was difficult for great powers to safely pass through them.

Therefore, for great powers in the grotto heaven realm, stagnation in cultivation meant that death and the dissipation of their Dao were not far away.

At this time, her progress had slowed down. If she did not seek other methods, perhaps a thousand years of cultivation would stop at the grotto heaven realm. Forcibly shattering it would likely lead to death and the dissipation of her Dao.

Having come all this way, just one step away from taking control of the Wanfa Tower, how could she be willing to accept this?

“Grandmaster, Grandmaster!”

A flock of young girls, twittering like swallows, came riding on immortal cranes, landed, and surrounded her, offering their respects.

“Why aren’t you cultivating?”

Miao Meng frowned slightly.

She had nineteen disciples, the oldest of whom had died of old age a hundred years ago, and the youngest of whom was five hundred years old. She had stopped accepting disciples a long time ago.

However, her disciples were particularly fond of accepting disciples.

Generation after generation, she didn't even know how many generations of grand-disciples she had.

Miao Meng frowned slightly, but sighed inwardly. In the blink of an eye, she was almost a thousand years old. Although her appearance remained the same and her heart was untainted by the secular world, she lacked the vigor of these young people.

“In a few years, it will be Grandmaster's thousandth birthday. Our masters have already gone to prepare birthday gifts for you! It is said that Martial Aunt Lin went to Nanli Volcano to gather the essence of Li fire for you..."

“Master heard that there are three-tailed spirit fish in the Coming Dragon River. Although they are water-based, they belong to the fire element..."

The young girls were somewhat afraid of her, and a middle-aged Daoist nun at the head respectfully responded.

“That girl Lin Miao'er is just fooling around.”

Miao Meng said with a straight face, but was satisfied with her disciple's filial piety in her heart.

She had accepted nineteen disciples. Those who were the oldest and had not condensed their grotto heavens had already died of old age. Counting those who had suffered tribulations, there were only six disciples left. Among them, Lin Miao'er had the best talent.

She had the best chance of condensing a grotto heaven.

“Martial Aunt Lin is very filial, Grandmaster, please don't blame her.”

The middle-aged Daoist nun hurriedly said.

“What are you all doing crowding around? Ling Gu, you stay, and the rest of you can leave.”

Miao Meng glanced at her disciples and grand-disciples. The group of young girls immediately scattered like startled rabbits, bowed, and hurriedly retreated.

Then, the middle-aged Daoist nun known as Ling Gu stepped forward and bowed slightly:

“Grandmaster, the person you have been paying attention to has been found out. His name is Yuan Duxiu. He joined the sect a few days ago. Because he condensed the 'Fire Dragon' True Form and his talent is not too high, he has been assigned to the ranks of miscellaneous disciples...”

“Yuan Duxiu…”

Miao Meng's eyes flickered slightly, and then she said faintly: “Go and bring him over, and say that I need him as a cauldron.”

“Yes…”

The Daoist nun responded first, and then raised her head in shock: “A caul-, a cauldron?”

Cauldron.

No cultivator was unfamiliar with this term. There were quite a few people in the Wanfa Tower who practiced this method. However, it was different from the blood-harvesting of evil cultivators. The cauldron method of the Wanfa Tower was only to use the cauldron to refine blood Qi, magic power, and great elixirs, and to eliminate the violent intent of different forces with the body of the cauldron, making it more suitable for absorption.

For example, if Miao Meng practiced 'Taiyin Yuegui' (Lunar Cassia Tree), and wanted to harmonize yin and yang, the best thing she needed was a cultivator like 'Great Sun Golden Crow' as a cauldron.

Neutralizing the extreme yang, to transform pure yang, and then harmonize yin and yang.

But, but Grandmaster was naturally clean and would never touch things that others had touched, let alone a cauldron. Why today…

The middle-aged Daoist nun hesitated.

If Martial Aunt Lin and the masters knew that she had found a cauldron for Grandmaster, they would kill her…

“Hmm?”

Seeing the Daoist nun hesitate, Miao Meng hummed softly.

“…Yes.”

The middle-aged Daoist nun, who had wanted to refuse, shuddered at this cold hum, and her courage melted away like ice.

After agreeing, she disappeared into the air and went straight into the sect.

Bang!

Yuan Duxiu was still hesitating in his heart when he suddenly heard a loud noise, and the door was kicked open.

A tall middle-aged man looked at him with a strange expression, seemingly envious, and seemingly with a hint of pity, causing Yuan Duxiu to frown.

But he ignored Yuan Duxiu, and then turned around and bowed: “Senior Sister Ling, this is Yuan Duxiu who condensed the 'Fire Dragon' True Form…”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged Daoist nun's face was ashen, she didn't say much, and with a wave of her hand, an invisible force had already bound Yuan Duxiu.

Yuan Duxiu was about to struggle when he heard Mu Longcheng's words in his heart.

After a slight hesitation, he had already been lifted into the air by her.

The air roared, and sonic booms spread layer by layer. In an instant, they had flown thousands of miles and returned to Miao Mountain.

The speed was so fast that Yuan Duxiu's eyelids twitched wildly. The Daoist nun's cultivation was probably far beyond the Spirit Manifestation realm, and even beyond the scope of the Divine Body.

Whoosh~

Startled in his heart, he had already landed. When he looked up, the middle-aged Daoist nun had already bowed down in front of a red-clothed figure sitting with her back to them.

“Grandmaster…”

The middle-aged Daoist nun wanted to say something, but Miao Meng waved her hand, and a gust of wind suddenly rose, sweeping her away and blowing her off the mountain peak.

Yuan Duxiu felt that the wind was so strong that he couldn't even open his eyes. Shocked, he heard the red-clothed woman speak faintly, seemingly with a hint of appreciation:

“Truly a top-grade cauldron.”

Miao Meng expressed her satisfaction.

Although she had decided to find a cauldron, she would still find a top-grade one.

This Yuan Duxiu had a handsome appearance, pure aura, and was full of vigor. His appearance and potential were both excellent, so he was naturally extremely good.

“Senior Sister Miao…”

Yuan Duxiu's heart sank, and he was both surprised and uncertain.

He never expected that he was still hesitating about whether to do it, but this woman had already come to his door.

“A few months ago, in the Heavenly Cauldron Kingdom, Dingtian Prefecture, in Blue Water City, there was a suspected appearance of the Great Sun True Form, but later it disappeared. I couldn't find it, but I didn't expect you to come to Wanfa Mountain.”

Miao Meng turned around, and a pair of bright eyes stared at Yuan Duxiu.

Although she wanted to find a cauldron, she didn't just choose one casually. The Fire Dragon was certainly masculine, but how could it compare to the Great Sun True Form?

To some extent, the Great Sun True Form was a higher True Form than the 'Taiyin Yuegui', and it could be called the pinnacle of the extreme Yang True Forms.

“You?!”

Yuan Duxiu was taken aback, and then became alert. This must be the work of 'Senior Left Hand'.

In fact, this was naturally Mu Longcheng's method. Whether Yuan Duxiu agreed or not, he would still be discovered.

“The cauldron method does not harm life or potential, it is just a little hardship.”

Miao Meng's voice was calm but contained irresistible power:

“You don't have to go back to the sect. Stay at Miao Mountain for now and help me cultivate for a few months!”

She casually explained, without saying much, and with a flick of her hand, a bottle of pills had already landed in front of Yuan Duxiu.

Clatter~

To Miao Meng's surprise.

Yuan Duxiu raised his hand and directly knocked the pills to the ground.

The pill bottle shattered, and the pill Qi floated out, but it condensed and did not dissipate, obviously a good pill.

“Hmm?”

Miao Meng, who had already closed her eyes, opened them again at this time, and her eyes, without any emotion, fell on Yuan Duxiu:

“Too little?”

Following her voice, a boundless pressure, like the sudden descent of heaven and earth, fell. Yuan Duxiu instantly felt a darkness in front of his eyes and almost fell to the ground.

What Great Sun True Form, Great Sun Spirit Manifestation, could not resist it at all.

In an instant, Yuan Duxiu felt that he was dead, that his brain, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys had all been taken out. Amidst the bursts of palpitation, he seemed unable to even speak.

The whole person was like an insect in amber, unable to move.

It was still a warm current that surged from his left hand, rising along his arm and plunging into his throat, that made his lips twitch slightly.

“So it's not just the Great Sun True Form, the Spirit Manifestation seems to have taken shape as well. Not bad, not bad.”

Miao Meng restrained her aura, and a hint of appreciation appeared in her eyes.

Yuan Duxiu felt a chill in his heart. This kind of look was like that of a secular person seeing a fat and strong mule in the livestock market…

Feeling the contempt of the person in front of him, Yuan Duxiu was not angry, because such a great power was qualified to despise him, but he still opened his mouth:

“I can help you cultivate!”

Before opening his mouth, he still had some fear and apprehension in his heart, but as soon as he opened his mouth, all the fear and apprehension disappeared.

“So?”

Miao Meng did not care.

“But I will not be a cauldron!”

Yuan Duxiu gritted his teeth slightly: “I want to be your Dao companion!”

Silence!

Silence!

Silence!

The mountain peak was silent for a time. All the strange flowers on the mountain seemed to be startled by this sentence. The middle-aged Daoist nun, who had just rushed back to the mountain peak, staggered when she heard these shocking words and almost fell to the ground.

She almost doubted her ears, doubted her senses, and thought she was dreaming!

A mere Spirit Manifestation cultivator dared to say such words to a Grotto Heaven power?!

“Hmm?”

Even Miao Meng seemed to not have expected this little thing to be so bold.

But the difference between them was too great, and she didn't even feel the slightest anger at such words. It was like a secular woman hearing a child's babbling, and she asked faintly:

“You want to be my Dao companion?”

“We cultivators stand tall and upright, and would rather die than be a cauldron!”

Yuan Duxiu hardened his heart, his blood Qi surged, like the burning of the Great Sun, and a surging heat wave spread out: “The Great Sun is brilliant, the Great Sun is masculine, if you want to humiliate me, I would rather die!”

In the countless chases and counter-kills over the past few months, Yuan Duxiu's will had changed.

He was not afraid of death before, but now, he was even less afraid of death!

As soon as he spoke, he felt that the blood Qi all over his body became hotter and more intense. His limbs, bones, organs, and even more subtle places were all connected. The Great Sun True Form had actually made progress again.

Moreover, the Great Sun True Intent, which he had always felt was somewhat illusory, had become clearer, and vaguely, it seemed that he was not far from completely condensing his Spirit Manifestation!

The Great Sun was fierce and resolute, its light was brilliant, and it had a heart of fearlessness.

Even if he was forced to eat this meal.

He would eat this meal standing up, and he would eat it hard!