Chapter 326: A Deal is Struck, The Changes of the Flaming Cauldron

Chapter 326: A Deal is Struck, The Changes of the Flaming Cauldron

2024-08-30

"The giant cauldron?" Wei Shanhai was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "How did Young Master Lu know that the large cauldron in my mansion has grown even bigger?"

"So it's true, then," Lu Qing said without surprise.

Ever since he returned to Cangzhou, he had noticed that the spiritual energy here was much denser than in Zhongzhou, although it was still far from comparable.

It was at least ten times denser than when they had left.

He believed that it wouldn't be long before it could rival the Zhongzhou of the present.

"I believe Senior can also sense that the changes in the heavens and earth, and the rate at which spiritual energy is reviving, are gradually speeding up, right?" Lu Qing asked.

"Spiritual energy?" Wei Shanhai nodded. "Yes, ever since you left, that strange energy in the heavens and earth has been constantly growing stronger, even affecting the Ten Thousand Great Mountains beyond Jiuli Village, causing some strange changes."

"If there are changes in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, then what about Jiuli Village..."

Lu Qing's words made the old doctor's face fill with concern.

"You don't have to worry about the village, young master. Everything is fine. After I sensed the changes in the mountains, I've been cultivating there just in case something unexpected happens," Wei Shanahi reassured him.

Lu Qing breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Senior, for your hard work. I'm here on behalf of everyone in the village to express our gratitude for your protection."

"You're too kind, young master. Your kindness to our Wei family, along with Doctor Chen's, far outweighs this small matter," Wei Shanahi said, shaking his head.

"Right, young master, you mentioned spiritual energy before..."

"Senior is correct," Lu Qing affirmed. "The so-called spiritual energy is indeed the strange energy you spoke of. It only appeared after the changes in the heavens and earth, and its origin is quite extraordinary..."

Lu Qing then briefly explained the information about spiritual energy and the ancient cultivation era.

Wei Shanahi listened with his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"The revival of spiritual energy and the reemergence of the path of cultivation... So, there really is a path of cultivation in this world?"

After a long while, Wei Shanahi murmured in awe.

No wonder he had been trying to refine the strange energy that had appeared in the heavens and earth these past few days, but had been unable to make any progress.

It turned out that this energy was the same as the spiritual energy that cultivators from ancient times could refine.

"Indeed, Senior. The mysterious small cauldron you obtained back then should actually be a treasure left over from the previous cultivation era.

It was damaged, which is why it appeared plain and unremarkable at first.

The reason it has been slowly growing larger, and especially so recently, is because the revival of spiritual energy is nourishing it, causing it to gradually recover."

Lu Qing explained.

"I see," Wei Shanahi said, finally understanding. It made sense that only a legendary treasure from the immortal cultivators would possess such divine abilities.

"However, Senior, the restoration of the cauldron may not necessarily be a good thing for your Wei family," Lu Qing continued.

"Oh? Why is that?" Wei Shanahi asked, puzzled.

"Because treasures have spirits, and that cauldron is extraordinary. Its ability to change size at will suggests that it was a rare and powerful artifact even in the cultivation era.

It contains a treasure spirit that can control its power.

Now that the treasure spirit has not fully recovered, when its power is eventually restored, it may not be willing to remain bound.

At that time, with the power of that artifact, not only your Wei mansion but even the entire county may be in danger."

Lu Qing's words were not exaggerated.

Ancient artifacts were extremely proud and arrogant and would not easily submit to anyone.

Even in the previous cultivation era, those who could gain the recognition of such artifacts were extremely rare.

He was certain that if the treasure spirit within the Flaming Cauldron were to revive, it would definitely find a way to leave.

When that happened, even a casual display of its power could bring disaster to the Wei mansion and even the entire Cang County.

This was a problem Lu Qing had only become aware of when he encountered the Plague Gourd.

The Flaming Cauldron might not be an evil artifact, but given its existence for countless years, it might not view ordinary people as worth considering.

"Is it that serious? What should we do?"

Wei Shanahi was alarmed and hurriedly asked.

He didn't think that Lu Qing would deceive him; there was no need for that.

"To avoid such a situation, there are two ways.

The first is to move the cauldron out of the underground chamber."

"I'm afraid that's impossible," Wei Shanahi said with a bitter smile. "Young Master may not know, but with the growth of spiritual energy these days, the size of the cauldron has increased several times over.

It's now much larger than the passageway in the underground chamber.

"I can't even move it anymore; it's too heavy even for an old man like me. Even if we work together to lift it, we won't be able to bring it out."

"Then we're left with the second option." Lu Qing nodded, unsurprised. "Refine and tame it. As long as the cauldron recognizes its master, it won't rebel anymore."

"Refine it?" Wei Shanhai asked, concerned. "Being an ancient artifact, it should be extremely difficult to refine, right?"

Over the years that he had obtained the cauldron, Wei Shanhai had tried countless ways to explore its secrets. Yet, in the end, he had gained almost nothing.

Moreover, ever since the cauldron absorbed the fire-attributed primal energy from the underground chamber and underwent a transformation, his spiritual soul had been unable to enter the cauldron.

Recently, with the revival of spiritual energy causing the cauldron to expand again, he didn't even dare bring his spiritual soul close to the cauldron. Otherwise, if he wasn't careful, his spiritual soul would be burned, causing severe damage to his mental state.

"Indeed," Lu Qing said slowly. "The cauldron has now regained some of its power, and refining it is no easy task. One must possess an extremely strong spiritual soul and understand the method of refinement, taking a slow and steady approach to tame it."

Wei Shanhai's scalp tingled as he listened.

Not long ago, he had received a message from his mansion, informing him of the changes in the cauldron, which prompted him to return home.

During that visit, his spiritual soul had barely made contact with the cauldron when it was burned, causing damage to his mental state. It took him several days of recuperation to recover.

Now, upon hearing Lu Qing mention refining the cauldron with one's spiritual soul, Wei Shanhai immediately knew that he didn't have the capability to do so.

Based on his previous experience, he estimated that if he attempted to force the refinement, it probably wouldn't take even a quarter of an hour for his spiritual soul to be completely burned away, resulting in his death.

Therefore, Wei Shanhai shook his head and said, "Young Master Lu, I'm afraid I'm powerless when it comes to refining the cauldron."

"That's what I wanted to discuss with you, Senior Wei," Lu Qing said, getting straight to the point after explaining the pros and cons. "I want to make a deal with you."

"Is it about the cauldron?" Wei Shanhai's eyes widened as he realized what Lu Qing was getting at.

"Indeed," Lu Qing acknowledged without hiding the truth. "I want to try to refine the cauldron. Of course, as part of the deal, I will also offer a certain reward. If you're willing, Senior Wei..."

Lu Qing reached into his pocket and pulled out a jade bottle and a jade slip.

"Senior Wei, these two items are what I obtained during my recent trip to Zhongzhou. This jade bottle contains a strand of World Origin Energy. It descended from the heavenly phenomenon above the Sacred Mountain during the recent 'Nine Rings of the Dao', when the rules of the world were evolving and stabilizing. This Origin Energy can seize the creation and destruction of the world, reshaping it. Even someone with ordinary talent can transform into an extraordinary genius if they merge this with their body. As for this jade slip, it contains a complete set of cultivation techniques for immortality. Cultivating it to the highest level will allow one to form a Golden Core and enter the Yuanshen Realm. I want to exchange these two items for your cauldron, Senior Wei."

"World Origin Energy... cultivation techniques for immortality..." Wei Shanhai was stunned as he listened to Lu Qing's introduction of the items in his hands.

Either one of these items was an unimaginable treasure to him.

The World Origin Energy was extraordinary, as its name suggested, but the cultivation techniques for immortality truly excited Wei Shanhai.

After all, according to Lu Qing's earlier explanation, with the changes in the world and the revival of spiritual energy, the path to immortality would reappear in the near future.

If he could obtain these cultivation techniques and embark on the path of immortality, he might not be able to achieve the status of an immortal, but he could at least extend his lifespan and live freely for hundreds of years.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Wei Shanhai's breath quickened.

He stared at the items in Lu Qing's hands, his expression filled with wonder. It took a while before he could calm himself and manage a bitter smile.

"Young Master Lu, you're offering me a temptation that's hard to refuse."

"So, are you willing to make the trade, Senior Wei?" Lu Qing asked with a smile.

"Willing? Of course, I am!" Wei Shanhai nodded without hesitation. "I've had that cauldron for almost a hundred years, and I've never been able to fathom its mysteries. Over the years, aside from the strange and unique implications on the cauldron that have somewhat benefited our cultivation, there haven't been any other significant gains. Since that's the case, it's definitely a wonderful opportunity to exchange it for two such momentous opportunities.

More importantly, ever since my spiritual soul was burned by the cauldron last time..."

Wei Shanhai felt a hidden sense of danger emanating from the giant cauldron. It had absorbed an excessive amount of earth's primal energy, and he could only imagine the terrifying consequences if it were to erupt.

It was certain that their Wei family mansion, and perhaps even Cang County, would not escape unscathed.

So if Lu Qing could resolve this issue, it would be a good thing for the Wei family.

"Then, Senior Wei, these two items are yours."

Lu Qing smiled and handed over the items in his hand to Wei Shanhai.

Wei Shanhai took the items without inspecting them and put them away before saying, "Then, Young Master Lu, please follow me. To be honest, the power emanating from that cauldron in the underground chamber is so formidable that even I am alarmed. It would be a relief to resolve this hidden danger as soon as possible."

"Senior, aren't you going to check the items first?" Lu Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Haha, Young Master, you're joking. Our Wei family and I owe our lives to Doctor Chen and you. To be frank, even if you took the cauldron directly, it would be well-deserved. I'm already being greedy and shameless by accepting these two items." Wei Shanhai said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"That's not the case, Senior. Ancient treasures are hard to come by, and I would feel uneasy if I took the cauldron without giving something in return." Lu Qing shook his head.

Only he knew how precious the Flaming Cauldron truly was.

Not only was it a spiritual artifact with an extremely high upper limit, but it also contained most of the legacy of the ancient Li Huo Zong.

To be blunt, half of his achievements today could be attributed to the legacy he obtained from the Flaming Cauldron.

So, both emotionally and logically, Lu Qing felt that he should compensate the Wei family in some way.

Half an hour later, Lu Qing and the old doctor followed Wei Shanhai to the underground chamber beneath the Wei mansion.

Upon returning to the underground chamber, Lu Qing and the old doctor noticed significant changes.

Not only had the temperature increased severalfold since their last visit, but the fire-attributed primal energy within had also become extremely dense.

Especially the Flaming Cauldron, which had grown to seven or eight times its original size, almost touching the top of the chamber.

"Young Master Lu, Doctor Chen, you can see that the changes in this cauldron are too drastic. If you hadn't returned, I'm afraid we would have been in serious trouble." Wei Shanhai felt a sense of awe as he sensed the power emanating from the cauldron.

The cauldron had grown significantly since the last time he saw it, and its aura had become even more terrifying.

"It's fine. Let me try to refine it."

Lu Qing was also surprised by the changes in the Flaming Cauldron.

It seemed that the rate of recovery for the cauldron in this fire-attributed chamber was much faster than he had anticipated.

He immediately sat down cross-legged, calmed his mind, and in the next moment, his spiritual soul force surged out from his glabella and toward the Flaming Cauldron.

When Wei Shanhai sensed the spiritual soul force emanating from Lu Qing, he was astonished.

Lu Qing's spiritual soul force was incredibly powerful.

In comparison, his own cultivated spiritual soul force was like a small water tank next to a lake—completely incomparable.

"No wonder Young Master Lu is confident in refining the cauldron. His spiritual soul force is so formidable. Is he really just at the Initial Heaven Stage?" Wei Shanhai's heart was filled with amazement.

He also had much more confidence in Lu Qing's ability to refine the cauldron.

If even someone as powerful as Lu Qing couldn't refine the cauldron, he really couldn't imagine who else could subdue it.

However, what Wei Shanhai didn't expect was that Lu Qing, in whom he had placed so much hope, was now facing some difficulties.

As Lu Qing's spiritual soul force surged out from his glabella, he felt a scorching sensation in his mind.

The dense fire-attributed energy in the chamber seemed to want to burn his spiritual soul force.

Especially the fiery power emanating from the Flaming Cauldron, which seemed intent on incinerating his spiritual soul force entirely.

Fortunately, Lu Qing's spiritual soul had undergone a qualitative change from Yin to Yang during his tribulation, reaching the Yang Fu state.

This amount of heat couldn't cause any substantial harm to his spiritual soul force.

As he turned his thoughts, he began to circulate the unique method of refining artifacts inherited from the Li Huo Zong.

The Flaming Cauldron, which had initially resisted him, suddenly became amenable, allowing his spiritual soul force to penetrate easily.

However, before Lu Qing could even feel relieved, his mind's eye transmitted a stern and majestic shout.

"How dare you, insignificant being, trespass upon this vessel!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end