Chapter 86: The Reason and the Lord of Ten Thousand Serpents

That soul-nurturing technique would suffice for now to satisfy his need for secrets of the soul. After all, cultivators could only formally train their souls upon reaching the Violet Mansion realm; techniques for soul cultivation below that stage were exceedingly rare.

There was no urgent matter at hand, so why not indulge in a bit of heartfelt conversation? If one accused him of coveting others' bodies, letting his moral compass follow his desires, well, that would not be far from the truth. Provided his counterpart was not heinously evil or harbored murderous intent toward him, he was quite willing to engage in deeper exchanges.

Possessing the skill to slay dragons, how could one resist putting it to the test?

Seeing Cao Chengyu pause, he summoned the drifting yellow cloud once more, laid out a table, a platter of grapes, a dish of nuts, two cups, and a jug of strong spirits. The scene, set for a long tale and leisurely conversation, was truly infuriating.

Wan Linghe managed a forced smile, finally realizing this fellow’s true intentions. Deciding not to care, she dusted off her clothes and sat down.

“This matter dates back three months,” she began. “I have a grandfather, a cultivator of the Violet Mansion realm, but his lifespan is nearly exhausted—he’s reached the point of decay and has at most half a year left to live.”

“So you want to extend his life?” Cao Chengyu asked.

“Exactly.” Wan Linghe poured Cao Chengyu a cup of fine wine and continued, “At that time, this ancient ruin had yet to manifest. My grandfather wanted to find me a husband before passing, someone who could serve as my protector. In our branch, it’s just the two of us; the rest of the kin are too distant, and we rarely communicate.”

“During that period, he chose the second son of the Wan Clan patriarch and personally went to propose the match.”

“You agreed to it?” Cao Chengyu cracked open a seed, spat out the husk, and asked curiously.

“Yes, I agreed.” Wan Linghe gave a bitter smile. “Obeying my elders, and considering it was for my own good—what reason did I have to refuse?”

“But after meeting Wan Wenshan, I discovered his talent was mediocre. He had always relied on cultivation techniques that siphon others’ vitality to rapidly advance.”

“He forged his reputation as a genius by draining three to five female cultivators every month.”

“He kept over twenty female cultivators with special physiques, raising them for repeated siphoning until they were reduced to mere husks. It was utterly abhorrent.”

---

“This…” Cao Chengyu murmured.

“Doesn’t the Five Elements Sect intervene? After all, Wu Nation is their domain. So many female cultivators disappearing over the years, and no one notices?”

Wan Linghe sighed, taking a sip of wine. “Those captured female cultivators—some had killed Wan clan members, some were forced into slave contracts, others were raised from childhood as living cauldrons.”

“The Five Elements Sect has no grounds to interfere. Not only Wan Wenshan, but even their ancestor cultivates such techniques. My grandfather was unaware that Wan Wenshan’s reputation was a sham.”

“After all, these draining techniques severely affect one’s foundation and make it difficult to break through higher realms over time. Wan Wenshan’s supposed genius status was maintained only by such methods.”

“By the time I discovered the truth, the marriage contract was set and hard to revoke. This time, I accompanied them to seek longevity elixirs for my grandfather.”

“If all goes well, my grandfather can protect me for a few more years.”

Cao Chengyu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed—he had nearly ruined her life.

No wonder the Wan clan’s ancestor was stuck at the early Gold Core stage for so long. If his foundation lay in such draining practices, he must have encountered many fortuitous opportunities to even break through. To advance further, apart from draining female cultivators of even higher realms, he had no other means.

Such was the world—always something new to learn.

Listening to Wan Linghe’s story, Cao Chengyu did not ask why she didn’t flee the Wan clan. As a lone female cultivator, with a grandfather on the brink of death, even escaping Wu Nation would be a challenge.

With this longevity peach and the protection of a Violet Mansion cultivator, if she truly wished to avoid marrying Wan Wenshan, there should be many options. At worst, leaving the Wan clan now would likely be feasible.

Their conversation lasted long, but Wan Linghe needed to return immediately, seizing the opportunity to deliver the longevity peach to her grandfather.

As they parted, Cao Chengyu’s gaze lingered on her for a long time, but ultimately he gave up. If Wan Linghe could make it onto the rankings, perhaps he would have reason to help her. If it was merely desire, then it was not worth offending the Wan clan.

To climb the rankings, one’s age had to be at least double Cao Chengyu’s. Married women ranked higher than unmarried, widows ranked slightly lower, and the interplay between status, position, and cultivation was still unclear.

These patterns were ones he had gradually discovered over the years. Most local rankings followed these rules.

They perfectly matched the persona of Ancestor Cao. Sometimes Cao Chengyu genuinely suspected the mysterious rankings were an instinct rooted in his ancestral bloodline.

Perhaps they had even tainted his golden finger.

---

Young beauties were not his preference.

Shaking his head, holding the “Detailed Guide to Making Stockings,” Cao Chengyu drifted slowly onward.

Around a hundred years old, apart from the rare prodigies like Luo Yuzhu in the Violet Mansion realm, he could easily sweep through most cultivators.

No need to rush.

As he continued his leisurely search for the palace of inheritance, not far away—

Twenty-four people stood on a plaza, the leader a formidable Violet Mansion cultivator, wearing a green-patterned black mask.

“Commander Hai, all colleagues from the shadow pavilions nearby have been assembled: four peak physique cultivators, seven late-stage, thirteen mid-stage.”

“Good,” Commander Hai nodded, issuing orders. “Today’s mission targets the mansion of True Lord Wan Serpent. Distribute the antidote pills and snake-repelling powder. We set out in a quarter hour. No one is permitted to use transmission spells.”

“For this operation, each person is guaranteed fifteen hundred spirit stones, a high-grade technique, five thousand contribution points from the Shadow Pavilion, and if anyone falls, their family will have a physique cultivator trained on their behalf. I expect no one to flee.”

“Understood!”

Receiving their orders, the group distributed supplies and relayed the message. With such promises, even knowing the target was a True Lord’s residence, none showed fear; all were eager, ready for action.

A quarter hour later, this neatly dressed, well-organized group melted into the shadows of the streets, like drops of water merging into a river, stirring not a ripple.

This was the Shadow Escape technique, the Shadow Pavilion’s exclusive “divine skill” for concealment.

Half an hour later, Cao Chengyu drifted leisurely to this area. The Spirit-Scent Cat at his chest suddenly let out a meow.

Its little head poked out, paw pointing in a direction and meowing incessantly.

Cao Chengyu’s eyes lit up.

He had told the little creature before: no need to search for third-grade spiritual herbs, only alert him to the rarest treasures.

This must be a Gold Core-level treasure.

“Let’s go!”