Mortal: I am the young sect master of the Thousand Illusions Sect

Chapter 77 Taking in Servants as a Sideline

Su Mixin listened quietly to the whole story, her eyes calm and still, and remained silent for a long time, pondering and weighing the options in her heart.

He lived alone in a cave dwelling on the forty-eighth floor. The courtyard was spacious and the houses were complete, but the huge residence was empty, cold and desolate.

In the past, as the young master of the sect, he was surrounded by servants and maids, and he never had to do anything himself. He had long been accustomed to the comfortable life where everything was taken care of by others.

Now that he has come to the Chaotic Star Sea alone, he is preoccupied with various trivial matters such as cleaning his cave, tending his garden, and tidying up his belongings in his spare time. The desolate courtyard and mundane affairs are really inconvenient and greatly affect his state of mind for cultivation.

He had already planned to find a few reliable servants in Tianxing City to manage the daily life of his cave dwelling, take care of his residence and garden, and be free from worldly troubles so that he could focus on his important matters.

The Qin siblings before me have no sect affiliation, no noble family background, and are wandering alone in Tianxing City. They have clean roots and no ties, so I feel completely at ease using them.

Moreover, during these seven days together, Qin Zhou proved to be diligent, down-to-earth, efficient, insightful, perceptive, and extremely tactful. He was by no means an opportunist, cunning, or treacherous person.

Although he had never met his sister Qin Lian, with a brother like that, her character must not be too bad.

As for the only trouble the siblings had, the old Foundation Establishment cultivator who specialized in the evil art of absorbing the essence of the enemy was a ferocious demon that ordinary low-level cultivators would avoid at all costs. However, in the eyes of Su Mixin, who had reached the Core Formation stage, he was not worth mentioning at all. She could kill him with a flick of her wrist, and he was not troublesome at all.

With this thought in mind, Su Mi had already made up her mind.

He looked down at Qin Zhou, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with fear and hope. His voice was indifferent and cold, without a trace of warmth, and he bluntly stated his bottom line: "Listen carefully, I am not a kind-hearted person, and I never do acts of charity without expecting anything in return."

"If I save your sister and avert this deadly calamity for you, I must repay you in kind."

"My cave is spacious and I'm short of servants to manage the chores. If you two siblings want me to save you, from this day forward, your lives, your entire destiny, will be in my hands."

His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority: "I will implant a master-servant restriction within you. Once the contract is signed, your lives, honors, disgraces, advancements, and actions will all be determined by me, leaving you with no autonomy. Those who disobey will have the restriction immediately detonate, resulting in the annihilation of their soul and spirit."

"This is not a favor obtained through pleading; it's a transaction."

"Go back today and think it over carefully. Don't act impulsively and regret it later. If you and your sister are willing to submit, bring your sister to the forty-eighth level cave to find me tomorrow. If you hesitate and change your mind, then this matter is over."

After speaking, Su Mixin flicked her finger, and the storage bag containing the seven days' wages gently landed back on the ground in front of Qin Zhou. The bag closed slightly and settled steadily.

"Take this payment, and let's keep things separate."

After saying that, he didn't look at Qin Zhou, who was still trembling and stunned on the ground, again. He raised his hand to remove the soundproof barrier between the private rooms, turned around, and stepped straight out of the restaurant, his back view calm and composed.

Inside the private room, only Qin Zhou remained, kneeling stiffly in place.

The biting despair vanished, replaced by extreme ecstasy and relief.

The master-servant restriction, where life and death are in the hands of others, sounds cold and cruel, but it is his and his dying sister's only chance of survival!

If he stays at the bottom and struggles, his sister will surely die, and he will eventually live a life of endless poverty and oppression, never making any progress in his cultivation.

However, if they follow this Core Formation senior, not only will the sister survive, but the two siblings can also completely escape the quagmire of the lower class and break free from their fate of being at the mercy of others.

Compared to life and death, freedom and autonomy are no longer worth mentioning.

Qin Zhou kowtowed heavily, gazing in the direction Su Mixin had left, tears streaming down his face again, this time moved by the relief of being saved from a desperate situation.

"This junior will definitely be there on time tomorrow!"

After a long period of turmoil, Qin Zhou finally managed to steady his trembling body and scramble to his feet.

He dared not delay for even a moment, eager to rush back to his residence and tell his seriously ill sister, Qin Lian, the joyous news of their miraculous escape from danger.

As he was about to leave, his gaze swept over the untouched spiritual dishes and fruits on the table and a perfectly sealed pot of spiritual wine. He suddenly remembered that Su Mixin had already paid for the wine when she sat down.

He had glanced at the table out of the corner of his eye earlier and noticed that the cost of just this one private room was a full seven or eight low-grade spirit stones.

In the past, this amount would have been the income he had toiled for months, braving wind and rain, to save up for delivering large quantities of goods. For the impoverished siblings now, it was an incredibly extravagant expense.

Qin Zhou dared not waste a single spiritual item. He took out a simple jade box from his storage bag and carefully packed and sealed all the spiritual dishes and fruits on the table. He even carefully put away the pot of spiritual wine.

These foods, imbued with a faint spiritual energy, are of little use to high-level cultivators, but they can slowly nourish the body and replenish qi and blood, which is of great benefit to my sister who is depleted of essence and blood and whose body is declining.

After packing up, he tightly gripped the storage bag in front of him containing the spirit stones that Su Mixin had paid as a reward and these jade boxes. He hurriedly walked out of the restaurant and rushed towards the low-lying streets where cultivators and mortals lived together, eager to return home.

As dawn broke, the clear light bathed the layers of cave dwellings and buildings in Tianxing City, making the clouds and mist forty-eight stories above translucent and slightly cool.

As dawn broke, Qin Zhou and his sister Qin Lian were already waiting at the foot of the cloud steps of the forty-eighth level of the cave.

He stayed up all night, guarding his sister's simple bedside, telling her every word of Su Mixin's deal.

At first, Qin Lian was understandably apprehensive when he heard Su Mixin's demand for "a master-servant restraint, with life and death controlled by others," but then he thought of Bu—

The relentless pursuit of the evil cultivators, their own declining health, and the desperate situation that left the siblings with nowhere to turn—all their pride and principles ultimately couldn't withstand the vibrant life force.

Rather than sitting in the mire of the lowest rungs of society waiting to die and being bullied by others, it's better to gamble on your future.

Even living under someone else's roof and being controlled by others is better than losing one's soul and being separated from one's siblings.

At this moment, Qin Lian was dressed in a plain, faded white cloth dress, her figure so thin that she looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

She had already lost most of her essence and blood due to the consumption of her vital energy, resulting in a deficiency of qi and blood. Her complexion was persistently pale, her lips were light in color, and her eyes and brows showed signs of fatigue from a long illness, yet she could not hide her elegant and gentle nature.

The marks of years of struggling and suffering at the bottom of society are hidden deep in her eyes, yet there is no trace of baseness, cowardice, or meanness; instead, she exudes a calm and gentle character.

Yesterday, Qin Zhou brought back twenty low-grade spirit stones, as well as a lot of spirit dishes, spirit fruits, and spirit wine. He immediately used the spirit stones to buy pills to replenish his essence and blood.

After being nourished by the elixir, her decaying body stabilized somewhat, and she was able to get up and walk with difficulty. However, her steps were still slow and weak, and she leaned gently on her younger brother Qin Zhou's arm the whole time.

Qin Zhou's expression was solemn, no longer showing the anxiety and fear of the past; his eyes were filled with only determination and respect.

The forty-eighth floor is deserted and quiet, with the surrounding caves silent. Most high-level cultivators are in seclusion, and there is no noise or bustle like in the streets and alleys below.

The two stood quietly and waited, not daring to make a sound or rush forward to knock on the door.

Until the sun was high in the sky, the morning light pierced through the thin mist.

Qin Zhou took a deep breath and raised his hand to use his magic to break through the restrictions at the entrance of the cave.

A moment later, Su Mixin's voice came: "Come in."

As soon as the words fell, the transparent barrier that had separated the inside from the outside slowly opened up, wide enough for a person to pass through. Amidst the swirling spiritual mist, the scenery inside the courtyard was revealed.

Qin Zhou's heart skipped a beat. He immediately helped Qin Lian up, bowed slightly, and stepped into the courtyard of the cave dwelling with the utmost respect.

In the center of the courtyard, Su Mixin, dressed in a gilded cloud-silk robe, sat quietly beside a blue stone table.

He didn't speak first, but lowered his eyes and glanced over Qin Zhou, who was standing bowing, before finally landing on the frail Qin Lian beside him.

This was the first time he had met Qin Lian.

The girl was slender and frail, with a pale and haggard face, clearly showing signs of blood and qi deficiency. Her eyebrows and eyes were gentle and calm, and her shoulders and back were slightly hunched when she lowered her head.

Even when faced with dire straits, or in a situation as insignificant as an ant, their eyes remain clear and pure, devoid of hostility or resentment.

With just one glance, Su Mi knew in her heart that what Qin Zhou said was true.

The Qin siblings are of good character and have a calm temperament; they are indeed capable people.

Qin Lian felt a slight tightness in her heart as Su Mixin's gaze swept over her. She raised her eyes slightly, then immediately looked away and bowed deeply with her younger brother beside her: "Junior Qin Lian greets Senior Su."

Su Mixin slowly spoke: "Have you thought this through? Once the restriction is placed, you will no longer be in control of your own lives. Your life, death, honor, and disgrace will all be tied to my single thought."

"If you back out today, you can still walk away unscathed. But once the contract is signed, there is no turning back."

Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Zhou nodded heavily, his tone resolute: "We, your younger siblings, have thought it through. We are willing to follow you for the rest of our lives, at your beck and call, until death do us no dissatisfaction."

Qin Lianyi slowly raised her eyes, without saying a word, but her expression was very firm.

With a chance to turn their lives around right in front of them, they had no way out.

Freedom is precious, but compared to the survival of one's life, compared to escaping the endless oppression and struggle of the lower class, temporary restraint is the best salvation.

Seeing that the two were resolute and unwavering, a faint hint of satisfaction flashed across Su Mi's eyes, disappearing in an instant.

Su Mixin raised her finger and condensed a ray of dazzling golden spiritual light. "Concentrate and open your mind. Do not resist."

Qin Zhou and Qin Lian completely calmed their minds, closed their eyes, relaxed their consciousness, and submitted entirely.

Two exquisite golden rune lights flew from his fingertips, landing precisely between the two people's eyebrows, instantly taking root in their sea of ​​consciousness and binding their souls.

The siblings immediately sensed that their life, death, honor, disgrace, and the survival of their souls were now entirely under Su Mixin's control; to disobey her would mean the destruction of their souls.

The two opened their eyes and bowed in unison: "Your subordinates will obey your orders, and will never betray you."

After being empowered by Su Mixin's external avatar, her cultivation level was comparable to the mid-stage of Core Formation. After being tempered and empowered by the Sword Essence Scripture and the Gourd Sword Technique, her strength was absolutely comparable to the late-stage Core Formation mana. Furthermore, after cultivating the Maha Boundless Great Freedom Visualization Method, her divine sense was comparable to the late-stage Core Formation.

Even if a cultivator in the late stage of Core Formation knew how to break these two soul-binding restrictions, they would be absolutely powerless against them.

Su Mixin nodded, glanced at the two bowing figures, and said calmly, "From now on, call me Young Master."

"Yes, sir!"

Su Mixin didn't make any further arrangements, her gaze falling directly on Qin Lian, who was weak and pale.

The secret techniques used by the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators on her body were considered incurable diseases by lower-level cultivators, but Su Mixin, who had read extensively in the Thousand Illusions Sect's library, saw them as mere crude and inferior side tricks that were extremely easy to eradicate.

A Foundation Strengthening and Blood Nourishing Pill appeared in his palm. This elixir was very effective for replenishing the essence and blood of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Su Mixin said calmly, "Open your mouth."

Qin Lian obeyed obediently. The elixir melted instantly upon entering her mouth, and a rich, warm current flowed through her limbs and bones, slowly nourishing and repairing her essence and blood that had been depleted by the evil magic.

"Rest peacefully for three days. Once your essence and blood have recovered somewhat, I will help you remove the evil magic and secret techniques."

The siblings were filled with gratitude and bowed deeply in thanks.

Over the course of three days, Qin Lian calmed his mind and regulated his breathing, relying on spiritual pills to nourish his body and stabilize his qi and blood, and his deteriorating physical condition gradually improved.

On the third night, Su Mixin made her move, sending a wisp of gentle and pure sword energy into Qin Lian's meridians from a distance, instantly sweeping away and eradicating the demonic evil power and secret techniques that had taken root in her body, leaving nothing behind.

After a night of rest, Qin Lian's cold and sluggish feeling completely disappeared, her meridians became clear, her blood and qi were abundant, and the fatal ailment that had plagued her for so long was completely eradicated.

In the spacious and quiet courtyard of the cave, a gentle breeze was blowing.

Su Mixin sat peacefully at the bluestone table. He had just bought a special spiritual tea from the Chaotic Star Sea in the Tianxing City market. At this moment, he was fiddling with the teacup and quietly savoring the tea.

The Qin siblings stood quietly to the side with their heads bowed, awaiting Su Mixin's instructions.

Su Mixin slowly sipped her spiritual tea, put down the teacup, and glanced indifferently at the two of them.

He tossed a storage bag through the air, and it landed steadily in front of Qin Lian.

"There is a sum of spirit stones here, which I entrust to you to manage." Su Mixin instructed in a clear and calm tone, "Go to Tianxing City immediately and find four or five maids. They must be people with proper indentures and no master or entanglements."

"The candidate should have a neat and clean appearance, a calm and steady temperament, preferably a low-level Qi Refining cultivator, and it would be even better if they knew some basic knowledge of spiritual plant care."

"From now on, they will be under your control and will help you manage this cave."

"The courtyard has been neglected for a long time, especially the garden area. You should focus on its planning and procure various spiritual trees suitable for the local spiritual energy."

The transplanting and cultivation of spiritual flowers and herbs brought order to the entire courtyard, transforming it from a desolate and lonely place.

Qin Lian stepped forward with both hands, respectfully accepted the storage bag, bowed his head and replied in a deep voice, "This subordinate will remember the young master's instructions and will certainly select the right people to live up to the young master's expectations."

Su Mixin nodded slightly.

He slightly raised his head, as if suddenly remembering something, and slowly instructed, "By the way, when you travel in the future, you can directly give my name."

"If you encounter that Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator who specializes in the evil art of 'draining the body' again, there's no need to hide or avoid him; just report it to me directly."

"Although I'm too lazy to deal with such insignificant ants, if he's still so ignorant as to provoke me, I wouldn't mind taking action and sending him to his grave to put an end to this old problem."

His voice was soft, yet it carried the absolute confidence and overwhelming attitude unique to Core Formation cultivators.

Upon hearing this, Qin Lian felt a sudden sense of relief. The fear and gloom that had been building up for so long vanished instantly, and a look of joy appeared on her face.