I, who was turned into a woman by the Jade Maiden Master, want to rebel against the Heavenly Gang.

As for the stone wall blocking our way... what kind of obstacle can it pose? At worst, it just means we'll make less noise and avoid attracting attention.

So Qin Rufeng inserted the steel plug from the [Earth Dragon Golden Lock] into the crevice. This plug had an expansion function; with a slight push, the entire rock wall shattered.

It was thanks to the chains holding the loose rocks in place like tree roots that the building didn't collapse all at once. Otherwise, the commotion would have been much greater.

After the rock wall was cleared, there was indeed a much more spacious passageway inside.

“Master, this rock wall…” Li Qingshi seemed to have noticed something as well.

"Just as I expected," Qin Rufeng said. "This rock wall was sealed off by man."

Li Qingshi said, "Since it was done by someone, there must be something fishy going on. This servant will continue to explore the path."

Qin Rufeng nodded. "Be careful and stay safe. If there's any danger, come out immediately."

“Yes, Master,” Li Qingshi said gratefully.

So Li Qingshi carefully entered the passage. After confirming that there was no danger, Qin Rufeng went in as well.

The narrow passage is winding and treacherous, with stagnant water and vegetation.

Qin Rufeng had read "The Art of Living Vessel Refining: The Chapter of Wood" and also learned about various flowers, herbs, and spices while serving her master as a maid. She knew that many plants in this world did not need photosynthesis.

Some plants can survive simply by absorbing spiritual energy, and they themselves become spiritual herbs and fruits by gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. But overall, the vast majority still depend on water.

Patches of fluorescent mushrooms emitted a faint blue-yellow glow from the cave ceiling. They were distributed along twisting, winding veins, which were the cracks in the cave ceiling.

Rainwater seeped through the cracks, and the mushrooms grew exceptionally lushly. This suggests that at least this type of fluorescent mushroom is an aquatic plant.

Continuing forward and turning several corners, the view suddenly opened up before us. We were in a much larger cave space, the ceiling densely covered with fluorescent mushrooms, their brightness comparable to that of lamps.

The cave is irregularly shaped, and there seems to be a passage ahead. Inside, spiritual herbs and mushrooms are abundant, and the water element is plentiful.

Qin Rufeng felt that this situation was obviously not due to rainwater seeping down, but must involve some kind of water-attribute treasure.

Just then, Li Qingshi suddenly shouted, "Master, look!"

This little maidservant has incredibly sharp eyes; she's always the one who, despite being "blind," is the quickest to spot the "key points."

However, her tone sounded tense, even fearful. Qin Rufeng rushed over to check, and he too gasped in shock…

Scattered haphazardly among the dense clusters of spiritual herbs were seven or eight corpses.

Chapter 102 The Tragedy of the Stallion

Sure enough, the stone wall we just saw was blocked off by someone...

After a cursory examination, Qin Rufeng discovered that all the corpses were women. It wasn't that Qin Rufeng could identify them from their skeletons, but rather that they were all dressed in the attire of female cultivators.

Qin Rufeng carefully examined her surroundings. She didn't actually want to search the bodies of the dead… but it depended on what they were. If they were water-attribute treasures, they would be very helpful to her cultivation.

It should be nearby, because the vegetation here is so lush that it even covers the corpses on the ground, and you can't see them unless you go closer.

Got it! !

Qin Rufeng bent down and picked up a jade-like object from among the spiritual herbs. It was hard and heavy, but its surface felt incredibly smooth and comfortable to the touch, as if it would melt in his hand.

This thing contains extremely powerful water elemental energy, even stronger than a spirit pearl. Qin Rufeng was overjoyed to have found such a treasure and quickly put it away.

As for the personal belongings found on the corpse... well, we're already here.

Qin Rufeng didn't want to do it herself, so she had Li Qingshi search the area. She then used the Earth Dragon Golden Lock to dig neat graves in the ground, and had Qingshi bury the dead.

It wasn't time to take inventory yet, so Qin Rufeng and Li Qingshi continued forward. The cave entrance narrowed ahead, turning into a narrow passage again.

Upon entering, they saw another corpse. This time it was a male cultivator. It seemed he had walked all the way from the cave, exhausted, and died leaning against the rock wall.

On the rock face above his body, there was a densely packed mass of characters carved...

"Duckweed has no roots,"

"A wanderer in exile;"

"To be together in a good relationship,"

"When the dream ends, only regret remains."

"I, Li Changfeng, am a Foundation Establishment cultivator from White Deer Valley. Unfortunately, I was trapped in this Crimson Moon Heavenly Prison. I had no hope, but by chance, I was fortunate enough to become Daoist partners with thirteen fairies..."

Wait a minute! Holy crap, what kind of harem?! Qin Rufeng couldn't help but mentally complain when he saw this.

Moreover, this place was originally called the "Crimson Moon Prison," so it turns out that everything was the work of the Crimson Moon Cult.

The bamboo slips say that one will die if they don't engage in dual cultivation, and it seems that even with this much dual cultivation, he didn't survive. However, this person claims to have thirteen Daoist partners... but there are only seven female corpses.

Never mind that for now. Qin Rufeng continued reading...

"I am of poor talent and know that I have no hope of cultivating the Great Dao. However, I wish to help my fellow Daoists cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm..."

Upon seeing this, Qin Rufeng couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Nascent Soul!!"

She was familiar with the term, but the concept of "Nascent Soul" did not exist in the cultivation levels of this world.

The cultivation levels here are not Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, Void Refining, Body Integration...

Above the Golden Core Realm is the Flowing Cloud Realm, which means a cultivation level that can ignore the positive and negative cycles of the Heavenly Dao and freely traverse the Flowing Cloud Realm.

Above the "Flowing Cloud Realm" is the "Crystal Cloud Realm," and above that is the "Void Cloud Realm." The latter two realms also refer to the level of cultivation where one can freely travel between the "Crystal Cloud Realm" and the "Void Cloud Realm."

The Flowing Cloud Realm, the Crystal Cloud Realm, and the Void Cloud Realm are known as the "Upper Three Realms." This is a worldview formed based on the fragmented environment of this world.

So how did the term "Nascent Soul" come about here?

Li Qingshi looked at Qin Rufeng in confusion and asked, "Master, what's wrong?"

Qin Rufeng said, "Nascent Soul... Have you ever heard of the term Nascent Soul?"

Li Qingshi shook her head. "This servant has never heard of it."

Qin Rufeng remained silent and continued reading...

"The Nascent Soul is the orthodox method of cultivation in ancient times. It breaks through the void and emerges from the alchemy chamber, where the primordial Qi is originally clear in the mind. It seeks its true nature and refines its primordial spirit. The pure Qi rushes upward to the Niwan Palace, filling the room with rosy light and turning the whole body white. Then it returns to the Dantian, becoming the Nascent Soul."

"But nowadays, those who cultivate the Great Dao neither break through the Golden Core nor cultivate the Nascent Soul stage. I don't know why..."

"We fortuitously obtained an opportunity in the Crimson Moon Heavenly Prison to cultivate the Nascent Soul without refining the Golden Core. This is called the [Mysterious Infant Technique], which can only be cultivated by women, but requires the assistance of dual cultivation of primordial yang."

"Unexpectedly, this method is extremely dangerous. Sisters and Daoist partners kill each other, disemboweling and eating their own babies. Humanity has been lost, and their minds have been completely devastated."

"I regret it too late, and I can only kill him. After fighting my Daoist partner Xu Jinglan, I am exhausted. Knowing that my days are numbered, I leave this message on the stone wall for those who come after me."

"Remember, the Mysterious Infant Technique must never be practiced."

"Five people, unwilling to kill each other, abstained from meat and ate only vegetables. They replenished their spiritual energy with spiritual herbs and mushrooms, and later, for some unknown reason, disappeared without a trace."

"If those who come after can leave this place..."

The message on the stone wall ended abruptly there. The last few words were almost illegible, it seems that this philanderer... oh no, Senior Li Changfeng was exhausted and could write no more.

This seems like a tragic story.

First, we can learn that this place is called the "Red Moon Prison" and has imprisoned more than one group of people.

Senior Li Changfeng and his thirteen Daoist partners should be considered Qin Rufeng's schoolmates... oh no, his fellow inmates.

This senior Li, I don't know what tricks he used, tricked thirteen girls into sneaking into this cave and living a quiet life together.

Qin Rufeng speculated that they had even survived for more than one graduating class.

Senior Li and her Daoist companions obtained the Nascent Soul cultivation method... perhaps a modified version of the [Mysterious Infant Technique]. It's said that one can cultivate the Nascent Soul without reaching the Golden Core stage.

As for how to cultivate, it wasn't clearly written. It must have been Senior Li's powerful philandering that caused him to implant Xuan Ying (mysterious infants) in his thirteen Daoist partners.

Up to this point, it was a satisfying and enjoyable story. Unfortunately, things took a tragic turn later…

Thirteen girls killing each other, disemboweling and eating their own babies... Just thinking about this scene sends chills down your spine. You can also understand the heartbreak and indignation felt by the veteran harem writer, Li Zhongma.

This method is extremely dangerous, and it also mentions that "human reason has been lost and the mind has been completely depleted."

So why does the Xuan Ying method require "consuming Xuan Ying"? Senior Li believes that this cultivation method is rather "lossy".

Or was it the cultivation of the Profound Infant Technique that caused these female cultivators to lose all their reason, resulting in the tragic scene of them killing each other, disemboweling and eating their own babies?

Regardless of what it was, Senior Li used his last strength to instruct future generations not to cultivate the Mysterious Infant Technique.

Qin Rufeng immediately thought of the contents of the third bamboo slip, but it wasn't the "You'll die if you don't practice dual cultivation" on her bamboo slip, but rather the "Dual cultivation is like raising a tiger, dual cultivation is like refining a Gu" on Li Qingshi's bamboo slip.

Doesn't this match up perfectly?

The core of the Mystic Infant Technique lies in dual cultivation. If this method truly requires cultivators to kill each other, consuming the other's Mystic Infant to enhance their own power... wouldn't that be similar to refining poisonous insects?

Like Senior Li, isn't it just raising a tiger to cause trouble when it seems like he's building a harem?

He obtained the Mysterious Infant Technique by chance... Where did he get such a chance while he was in the Crimson Moon Prison? Wasn't it something the Crimson Moon Sect intentionally or unintentionally revealed?

And think back to that Crimson Moon Sect member who looked like she was six months pregnant? Was she cultivating the Nascent Soul stage? Is the Crimson Moon Sect a sect that cultivates the Nascent Soul stage?

This is truly terrifying to think about!

Chapter 103 Fair and Tender Spirit Herb

But what was the meaning behind the unfinished words of this senior Li?

"If those who come after can leave this place..."

We should be able to leave this place, right? But what good would leaving do?

It doesn't seem that important anymore...

Qin Rufeng lowered his head and noticed a jade pendant next to Senior Li Zhongma.

I picked it up and examined it closely. It seemed to contain some spiritual energy, but I didn't find any magic attached to it.

Qin Rufeng put the jade pendant away. He then buried Senior Li Changfeng and her seven Daoist partners together.

However, the two continued forward and entered another cave.

This is actually connected to the cave where the remains were found earlier. The overall shape is gourd-like, and the location of Senior Li Changfeng's remains should be at the waist of the gourd.

The previous cave was small and round at the top of a gourd, but this cave is large and round at the bottom.

The cave walls were also covered with mushrooms and small spiritual herbs, but there were no weeds on the ground, only a few large spiritual herbs.

These medicinal herbs should belong to the same species, all with large leaves resembling radish greens. The leaves are as tall as a person, and their fresh, vibrant appearance clearly indicates their extraordinary nature.

Qin Rufeng was all too familiar with this situation. When he planted the Fiery Ginseng and the Living Herb Pill, all the weeds in one section of the herb garden died out. Only a few spiritual herbs remained. This was because they were too dominant, stealing nutrients and spiritual energy from the other plants.

Li Qingshi, who was walking in front, carefully approached the spiritual herbs, and Qin Rufeng followed slowly.

She observed carefully and discovered that part of the root of this magical herb was exposed above the ground. It was white and tender, round and upturned, and very plump. It looked like a pumpkin or a large peach, but it was divided in half.

Qin Rufeng, controlling the Earth Dragon Golden Lock, cautiously probed the root of the spirit herb. He found it very elastic, like jelly. This was unlike a radish root.

Li Qingshi curiously approached the spirit herb. Suddenly, the "radish leaves" opened up and wrapped around Li Qingshi like tentacles.

Compared to tentacles, these leaves were much wider, so they easily wrapped Li Qingshi up like a rice dumpling.

It was wrapped up and kept shrinking. Li Qingshi's mouth was gagged and she couldn't shout. Only Yi Erling*Euling Qisi's hand was left outside, trembling as he pleaded for his master's help.

Qin Rufeng first drew her Hidden Dragon Sword, but seeing that the thing was about to burrow into the ground, she was afraid of accidentally hurting the little maid, so she put away her sword and used the Earth Dragon Golden Lock to wrap the radish leaves... and then pulled it out with force.

The lock was made of metal, and the spirit herb was made of wood, so they could not break free. A white, tender, tentacle-like thing was slowly pulled out from the peach-shaped radish root.

Feeling that the white root was still struggling, Qin Rufeng continued to exert force... In the end, the "radish" was no match for the golden lock "tassel" and was pulled out with a "plop".

It was a snow-white, wriggling tentacle, like an eel emerging from the water. But it deformed rapidly, like soft mud. After a series of wriggles, it transformed into the shape of a woman!

This little guy isn't big, only about the size of a thermos, you can grab him in one hand. But the "radish greens" on his head, which look like long hair, are a huge clump.

Qin Rufeng could sense that this thing contained powerful spiritual energy, just like the ginseng doll and the Polygonum multiflorum essence.

If she hadn't been tightly bound with metallic chains, she probably wouldn't have been able to be controlled.

There were four more of these spiritual herbs. Qin Rufeng poured more earth spiritual energy into the Earth Dragon Golden Lock, which created a tight lock that pulled out the other four "spiritual herb figures".

One of them made a slight mistake and was able to break free.

This thing didn't burrow underground to escape; instead, it rapidly grew to become almost indistinguishable from a real person. It was soft and boneless, like glue, with firm breasts and a pert bottom.

It released crimson thorns, attempting to entangle and strangle Qin Rufeng. However, Rufeng's Azure Moon Hidden Dragon Sword easily shattered the thorns, and then the Earth Dragon Golden Lock firmly bound them.

The "spirit herb" that was bound hand and foot quickly transformed back into its small human form and stopped struggling.

Qin Rufeng used the Earth Dragon Golden Lock as a cage and lock to firmly bind the five spirit herbs before storing them in his storage space.

There are no other exits from this cave, and there is nothing inside except these five spirit herbs.

Just as they were about to leave, Li Qingshi suddenly said, "Are these five spiritual herbs Senior Li's five Daoist partners?"