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

Like the wind, I walked across the long bridge. In the distance, there were magnificent palaces and pavilions, and all around me was the blue sea and sky.

The wind whistled in her ears, and strands of hair on her forehead and temples, as well as the hem and ribbons of her purple and blue dress, fluttered in the breeze. Ahead of the long bridge stood a graceful figure in white, her clothes as white as snow.

Although they had traveled for a long time, the Emerald Star Pavilion was still far away, towering in the clouds like a mirage.

Qin Rufeng was completely chilled by the wind. But she didn't feel cold; she only felt like she was about to be blown away, as if she were about to turn into a wisp of wind and melt into the world.

She knew that every step she took was taking her further away from the familiar life she had once known.

The vast land stretched out before her, the world desolate and silent… Ru Feng had never felt so insignificant. A profound sense of loneliness and fear and unease about the unknown welled up within her, causing her to stand frozen in place, unable to move forward.

Just then, Liu Bailian also stopped. She turned around and looked at Rufeng, a smile on her face, "What, are you scared just from walking on the long bridge?"

Qin Rufeng was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up straight and said in a casual tone, "Of course not."

Liu Bailian: "Then why are you walking so slowly? Come on up."

Qin Rufeng took a deep breath and slowly exhaled... then quickly walked forward and followed closely behind Liu Bailian.

Chapter 9 The Art of Refining Living Weapons

Upon entering the Emerald Star Pavilion, one is greeted by magnificent buildings with carved beams and painted rafters. It certainly looks like a perfect place for cultivating immortality.

Unfortunately... Qin Rufeng is not allowed to live here.

According to Liu Bailian, her practice sometimes created a freezing atmosphere, which was too dangerous for Qin Rufeng, who had almost no cultivation at this stage.

So they arranged for her to stay in the former herb garden in the southeast corner of Xuanwu Land. There was a thatched hut there where she could live.

Ru Feng felt that this explanation didn't seem like a perfunctory one. She had witnessed Liu Bailian's freezing aura firsthand, and it was no joke.

Liu Bailian also gave Rufeng a jade bracelet. Its purpose was to "summon her at will," allowing her to be quickly summoned to the Emerald Star Pavilion at any time.

The "disappear at a moment's notice" function meant Qin Rufeng had to walk there herself... Fairy Liu couldn't personally escort her; she only pointed out the location of the herb garden hut.

Qin Rufeng finally arrived at the herb garden in the southeast corner after a difficult journey.

When I looked at this thatched hut... it really was a thatched hut.

Mossy steps are green, and grassy hues filter through the curtains. Half the roof has collapsed. The so-called medicinal garden, or what was once a medicinal garden, is now overgrown with weeds and shrubs.

So, even after arriving in a world of cultivation, one still has to survive in the wilderness...

However, one thing is certain: this place has been deserted for many years. Liu Bailian probably hasn't taken on any disciples or maids for a long time. This avoids the infighting among her fellow disciples, allowing her to focus solely on cultivating her fairy.

Qin Rufeng tidied up a bit and finally managed to settle down. She gathered some dry branches and leaves to start a campfire, and then she couldn't wait to open the storage bag she had snatched from Han Ying to check it out.

This thing is a small brocade pouch, but it's clearly not made of ordinary fabric. It's small in size but has a lot inside, and it even seems to have a faint milky scent.

Open it up...

There were quite a few spirit stones, some pills whose effects were unknown, and some strange and unusual materials.

Some were processed herbs with a pungent smell. Others had vibrant, eye-catching flowers that still seemed fresh. There were also large plants cultivated in purple-gold jars.

There were...insects? in a brocade box. There were also hollow, date-shaped pieces of dried meat, I don't know what they were.

Besides these, there were two cultivation manuals. However, the magical treasures that Qin Rufeng desired most were nowhere to be found.

Damn it, where's that Golden Bell? And that Great Strange Bell Umbrella, Hayashizaki Temple Thunder Ring Blade?

Before opening the storage bag, Qin Rufeng tried hard to find an excuse... no, a reason. That is, the cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world, and any means necessary to achieve one's goals should be used without any reservations. This is called "borrowing what is useful."

With this mental preparation, he also decided to use the magical artifacts crafted by living people that Han Ying had created for his own purposes.

But they didn't find any magic weapons at all...

The effects of those elixirs and materials can only be studied gradually. Let's take a look at the two secret manuals first.

However, neither of these are cultivation techniques. Strictly speaking, they are items for crafting props. This is for the best, because cultivating techniques probably requires various hurdles and is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

The barrier to entry for using props and magical artifacts is much lower. The Spirit Appraisal Platform was able to escape death in front of Han Ying entirely because it correctly used two props... it was a lucky accident.

The two crafting manuals found in the storage bag should be considered part of a series. One is called "The Art of Weapon Making: Chapter of Metal," and the other is called "The Art of Weapon Making: Chapter of Wood."

Qin Rufeng took a look. The "Chapter of Wood" was an evil book introducing how to cultivate various wood-attribute puppets using living people. The "Chapter of Metal," on the other hand, recorded various methods for crafting weapons and magical artifacts using living people.

One can only say that he truly lives up to his reputation as a demonic cultivator.

The opening prologue of "The Chapter of Gold" states...

Those who cultivate the Great Way will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

Those who harbor false benevolence and hypocrisy should not read this article.

Artifacts are rare and precious treasures. The universe is vast and diverse, filled with myriad phenomena, and fraught with perilous lands of water, fire, and monsters, making them extremely difficult to obtain.

Natural treasures gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and so do cultivators.

Therefore, what does it mean to abandon what is near and seek what is far, or to abandon what is easy and seek what is difficult?

This is called benevolence, righteousness, and morality.

Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs. Those who cultivate the Great Way look up and down at heaven and earth, without any taboos.

Furthermore, I have never heard of hypocrites who feign benevolence and righteousness refraining from killing their fellow practitioners or seizing elixirs and magical treasures. What difference is there between them and others?

Therefore, all these methods are based on the idea that people are living beings. Those who do not share the same principles should refrain from reading them.

……

The meaning of the prologue is clear. It means that cultivators gather spiritual energy themselves, so there's no need to search for rare and precious materials as raw materials; using living cultivators to refine magical artifacts is the most suitable approach. Those who walk different paths cannot work together; if you don't want to read this, then don't.

Qin Rufeng opened the book without hesitation... Although he was mentally prepared, he was still somewhat shocked.

This book is written in great detail.

The most common phrase in it is "first select a living vessel." This "living vessel" refers to a person, a person with cultivation.

Different "vessels" have different attributes; those with particularly good attributes are called "famous vessels".

Then there are methods for preparing "living organs"... This involves a lot of human anatomy.

Qin Rufeng was surprised that such a cultivation world could depict the human body in such a...scientific way.

But he wasn't a medical student, and looking at those methods for preparing famous artifacts, he couldn't help but frown and grimace.

Although he didn't want to comment on the "Tao" mentioned in the opening preface and didn't want to be a saint, he wasn't heartless.

After reading about the refining methods of living artifacts in "The Chapter of Gold," it's impossible to remain calm and unmoved...

Putting aside moral issues, where can you find a "famous instrument" these days?

"Living weapons" also require "metallic weapons" with metallic properties, such as swords, spears, and halberds. Han Ying's Golden Bell and Great Thunder Ring Blade are combinations of "living weapons" and "metallic weapons." Hence the title "The Art of Living Weapon Forging: The Chapter of Metal."

That golden bell is called "Jade Embryo Golden Armor", and the ring blade is called "Tiger Biting Golden Wheel".

In any case, without any tools, this "Golden Chapter" is definitely not going to be used for the time being.

Looking at "The Chapter of Wood," it's largely the same. It still uses "living vessels," but instead of these, it uses wood-attribute items.

Qin Rufeng, of course, didn't have any materials either. However, Han Ying seemed to have some in her storage pouch...

In the Wood Chapter, there is something called "Ginseng Slave." It seems to be a puppet beast cultivated using living artifacts.

The basis of the "ginseng slave" making method is to use a living tool to make "ginseng mother".

Qin Rufeng found a tree in Han Ying's storage bag... According to the description in the Wood Chapter, this should be the Ginseng Mother.

The tree was planted in a purple-gold jar. Its branches were twisted and bizarre, with a few sparse, serrated, opposite leaves, resembling the traps of a Venus flytrap. The jar was sealed, leaving only the trunk exposed.

The Ginseng Mother is likely the host, created by implanting the Ginseng Slave Seed into a living organism and parasitizing it. According to the Wood Chapter, the higher the cultivation level of the living organism, the better, and it also needs to be nourished with "Soul Liquid" to enhance the Ginseng Mother's spiritual power and quality.

Chapter 10 Opening the Cauldron Method

According to the records in the Wood Chapter, the living organ that has been made into a ginseng mother can never be restored.

Although this thing was quite sinful... it was irreversible after all. Qin Rufeng didn't think he was any more pedantic than Tang Sanzang, who refused to eat ginseng fruit.

Tang Sanzang was the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, with incredibly powerful disciples and divine protection. He was destined for enlightenment upon completing his pilgrimage. Ultimately, he had the right to disregard the ginseng fruit. Qin Rufeng, on the other hand, was a mere transmigrator with nothing.

Therefore, there is no need to hesitate; take advantage of everything that is beneficial to you.

In this ginseng slave system, the ginseng mother is only the main body. In addition, there is a series of "components", such as the "soul-devouring silkworm" and the "soul-scattering pill".

The eggs of the "Soul-Devouring Silkworm" are similar to elixirs, ingested by a living being. The Soul-Devouring Silkworm that hatches inside the living being will devour the host's spiritual energy and soul completely, and then be expelled.

The "Soul-Devouring Silkworm" was reduced to a mere empty shell of a living puppet.

The "Soul-Scattering Pill" is similar to the "Soul-Devouring Silkworm" in that it is swallowed, but instead of insect eggs, it is made from grass fruit. It is highly poisonous, and after the poison takes effect, the ingestor will liquefy their soul and spiritual power and draw them out of their body... This is the Soul Liquid.

"Soul Liquid" is the essence of life containing soul and spiritual energy. Its uses are extremely wide-ranging. For the Ginseng Mother system, it is primarily used to nourish the Soul-Devouring Silkworm or irrigate the developing Ginseng Mother.

Whether it's the Chapter of Metal or the Chapter of Wood, it's necessary to firmly control the living vessel. For those with powerful cultivation, it's even necessary to seal their spiritual energy and block the flow of energy through their meridians.

Soul-Dispersing Pills and Soul-Devouring Silkworms also come in different qualities. Those of very low quality are ineffective against those with high cultivation levels.

Compared to the Chapter of Metal, the Chapter of Wood doesn't involve as much "human anatomy." Most importantly, the chosen living creature doesn't necessarily have to be human; spirit beasts and demon beasts are both acceptable. Basically, any living being capable of gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will do.

Although Qin Rufeng did not have any demonic beasts, Han Ying's storage pouch still contained a Soul-Devouring Silkworm that had devoured souls and spiritual energy.

This thing looks similar to a silkworm, except it has a golden shell all over, which makes it quite pretty.

According to the account in the Wood Chapter, Qin Rufeng carefully picked up the Soul-Devouring Golden Silkworm and placed it on the Ginseng Mother's trap-like leaf.

Just like a Venus flytrap, the trap snapped shut as soon as it sensed its prey, trapping the golden silkworm inside the leaf.

Then you have to wait for the Soul-Devouring Silkworm to be digested by the Ginseng Mother and to bear "fruit".

The mother ginseng can develop and grow in a storage space. However, once it bears fruit, it needs to be planted in soil for further cultivation.

As for what it will produce, we don't know yet... We can only wait and see the results, but fortunately it won't be long.

There's nothing left for Qin Rufeng to use in the two "Art of Refining Living Weapons" manuals for now. So, it's time to take a good look at the "Jade Cauldron of Union."

Even with just a cursory glance, Ru Feng was deeply impressed by the sheer breadth and depth of the content covered in this cultivation method.

There were so many fancy moves and techniques that it was simply breathtaking and made me blush...

However, after looking at a lot of cultivation methods, most of them had thresholds or conditions. Moreover, many methods that could make one's cultivation advance by leaps and bounds could not be practiced alone; one needed someone to "help" cultivate.

And the only person Qin Rufeng could find who could help was Liu Bailian.

Isn't that ridiculous?

But it doesn't seem entirely far-fetched... Qin Rufeng isn't stupid; she knows to some extent why Liu Bailian chose her as a maid.

So, the opportunity isn't nonexistent...

In particular, the cultivation method does indeed include the technique of "absorbing yin to replenish yin." Once this technique is learned, even women can practice the entire cultivation method in the "Hehuan Yuding Jue".

But, II揪零五氵三... Do I have to entice Liu Bai to practice in order to cultivate?

No, no, no! Seduction is too undignified; I must conquer and win her over! The balance of power must not be disrupted.

……

Forget about those issues for now. Liu Bailian isn't stupid. If she finds out he's practicing this kind of evil technique, the consequences would be unimaginable.

So you have to reach a 100% success rate in either conquering her or seducing her before you can try to get her to accept the cultivation method in the Jade Cauldron of Joyful Union.

At least the games Qin Rufeng played on Earth before his transmigration followed this pattern...

While she wouldn't mistake virtual things for reality, virtual imagination does stem from reality and isn't entirely without merit.

Whether in the past or present, gaining advantages through close relationships with the powerful is a shortcut. That's why it's called "clinging to someone's coattails."

The dual cultivation methods of the Jade Cauldron of Union can be ignored for the time being.

Fortunately, there are also techniques suitable for beginners, such as a method called "Opening the Cauldron Method".

It basically means that you don't need to communicate directly; you just need to get close enough to absorb the primordial yin energy.

That's great! Qin Rufeng will never lack opportunities to get close to Liu Bailian.

However, the method of opening the cauldron also carries dangers. This is because the object of the opening also includes oneself. In other words, one's own primordial yin energy can be absorbed by others within a certain distance.

Fortunately, one must know the Hehuan type of cultivation technique to absorb primordial yin, which serves as a safety net.

The best scenario in cultivating the Opening Cauldron Technique is that you absorb the energy of others, but they don't absorb it, thus gaining a pure advantage.

Alternatively, they could cultivate together remotely, which depends on the cultivation levels of both parties. If their cultivation levels are similar, it would be mutually beneficial, with both parties experiencing rapid advancements in their cultivation.

If the difference in cultivation level is too great, the one with lower cultivation level will simply become a furnace or cauldron. This is the worst possible outcome, as they will be unable to absorb the opponent's energy and will instead be sacrificed.

Ru Feng knew very well that if he were to engage in a life-absorbing contest with Liu Bai, he would be completely doomed, even risking his life.

However, as the Xuanwu Saintess of the Jade Maiden Sect, Liu Bailian would certainly not use such a heretical and evil technique as extracting the primordial yin of female cultivators... right?