Chapter 17: The lower-class disciples are just spare food

Li Tan's hair stood on end, and he was consumed by immense fear, even finding it difficult to breathe.

Li Yong also noticed something amiss and quickly extended his hand, gesturing towards the dazed young man before him.

He couldn't help but silently grumble to himself, "This kid is getting more and more out of line, daring to space out while talking to Grandfather!"

The sudden large hand that appeared before him jolted Li Tan out of his fear, but he still looked utterly shaken.

"I'll risk it!"

Having made up his mind, he gritted his teeth and picked up the Spiritual Root liquid Li Yong had offered.

He gulped it down.

"When soldiers come, we block them; when water comes, we cover it with earth. No matter what demonic scheme Li Yong is plotting, as long as I'm still alive, there's still a chance to turn things around."

Thinking of this, Li Tan's heart calmed down a bit, but the memory of the previous scene still left him with lingering fear.

"One breath!"

"Two breaths!"

"Three breaths!"

As time passed minute by minute, Li Tan clearly felt his body begin to heat up, accompanied by a slight sensation of pain.

Slowly, his body grew hotter and hotter, like a raging fire burning his flesh, and intense pain threatened to consume him.

Li Tan even instinctively felt he was a heinous Devil Head being judged by an envoy of justice.

Flames seared his sinful body, and incomparably sharp, cold daggers flayed his Soul!

As time passed, this sensation did not subside; instead, it grew stronger.

Li Tan's eyes bulged, and the bloodshot veins completely covered the whites of his eyes.

The inhuman pain had stripped him of his five senses; he couldn't even feel his own body.

Vaguely, the pain seemed to vanish, but Li Tan immediately dismissed this thought, perhaps his body had become completely numb.

After an unknown period, Li Tan opened his eyes, and the long-lost colors of the world reappeared in them. The sunlight was so brilliant and beautiful, and all things bathed in its light carried the hope of time.

The first thing Li Tan did upon waking was frantically examine his body.

Only after confirming that his entire body was unharmed did his taut nerves finally relax a little.

He gasped for breath, his inner relief clearly visible on his face.

"I'm still alive!"

When he drank the Spiritual Root liquid Li Yong offered, he had already prepared himself for death or a life of slavery.

He was gambling! But he had no chips; he only had one worthless life.

The outcome was clear: he had escaped this calamity! Perhaps Li Yong was toying with him, or perhaps Li Yong had other intentions.

"But as long as there's life, there's hope..."

"Si'er, Grandfather congratulates you on persevering. Your talent is now Third Rank High Grade!"

Li Yong's words were sincere and frank, truly like a benevolent Old Ancestor. Where was there any hint of conspiracy or deceit?

He was completely unfathomable. Since he couldn't figure out why, he might as well follow Li Yong's topic and continue the conversation.

Li Tan, speaking with righteous indignation and an unchanged expression, said, "Si'er thanks Grandfather for his cultivation. Si'er will never forget Grandfather's grace in cultivating him."

"The Family academy often teaches us that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring! Si'er swears here and now that he will become a powerful Cultivator in the future and will not fail Grandfather's meticulous cultivation!"

"The mouth is also a weapon, offering flowers to Buddha."

Though merely ordinary words, at this moment, they surpassed all forms of Dao.

Li Tan also named this move in his heart!

"Word Dao. Righteous Indignation."

As expected, upon hearing these words, Li Yong's face was beaming with joy, his mouth almost reaching his ears, and his heart filled with admiration for Li Tan.

With just this small gesture, Li Tan's standing in Li Yong's heart immediately rose another level.

"Grandfather, Si'er has a question. I wonder if Grandfather can answer it for Si'er?"

As Li Tan's words fell, Li Yong's interest was piqued, and he asked Li Tan with curiosity.

Seeing the old man open his mouth, Li Tan's heart also rejoiced!

He then quickly asked his question, afraid that Li Yong would regret it.

"Grandfather, Cultivators can devour Spiritual Roots to improve their talent Rank, but the demand is so great!"

"How can low-level Cultivators survive? Will there not be a monopoly?"

"And will those great Cultivators not refine low-level Cultivators for their own selfish reasons?"

"Also, aren't those Golden Core True Persons all legendary First Rank Heaven-Defying talents!"

Li Tan's mouth poured out one question after another, and Li Tan himself was also deeply worried.

What if he was refined as soon as he went out? Who would he cry to? With such a development, low-level Cultivators would completely become Cauldron!

Facing Li Tan's eager eyes, Li Yong showed no annoyance whatsoever; instead, he patiently answered each of Li Tan's questions.

"My silly child, devouring Spiritual Roots is inherently Heaven-Defying, so there are naturally drawbacks. Relying on the method of devouring Spiritual Roots, a talent of Second Rank Low Grade is the peak."

"If it were as you say, how could any of us survive? A Second Rank Spiritual Root merely gets you an entry ticket to Golden Core."

"An entry ticket is not a guarantee; it still depends on the Cultivator's own Opportunity."

The profound words from Li Yong's mouth enlightened Li Tan, and the confusion in his heart was like waking from a long dream.

"The former Li Tan was like an alligator trapped in a muddy swamp, its eyes blindfolded with a cloth. No matter how it swam and weaved, it still couldn't escape the swamp."

"Upon receiving the answer, Li Tan was like having the cloth removed from its eyes, and light reappeared in its vision."

"It could see everything around it, and it could see the direction it was heading."

"It turned out that the mud pit that had troubled it for so long was truly very, very small; it had just been turning in circles nearby."

Subsequently, the two of them chatted idly, off and on...

.......

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Li Yong's expression suddenly turned stern. He spoke solemnly, "Si'er, things are about to change in the Family! And you are the successor Old Ancestor has chosen!"

Every Elder in the Family chooses their own descendants, pouring their lifelong accumulated resources into cultivating them until they can replace them in the Elder's position.

"Undoubtedly, every Elder's chosen successor is a future high-ranking member of the Family."

They only need to join a Sect and raise their cultivation, and upon their return, they can directly inherit the Elder's position!

Li Tan before him was humble and polite, with a gentle and refined demeanor, completely devoid of any inflated or arrogant attitude.

Upon hearing that he was an Elder's chosen successor, he even patted his chest, guaranteeing that he would never tarnish Li Yong's reputation.

His words were sharp, his gaze like a torch, and his eyes were incredibly firm.

Under Li Tan's eloquent tongue, he originally thought he could appease Li Yong.

But unexpectedly, another change occurred!

Li Yong's eyes were very sharp; he seemed dissatisfied with Li Tan's plain words: "Si'er, Grandfather usually values you the most! And I won't demand that you always obey my every request in the future."

"But Grandfather has only one request! If you succeed in your cultivation in the future, return to the Li Family and take your Grandfather far away from this place, that is all."

Hearing this, Li Tan's thoughts scattered, and a storm surged in his heart. The sole wish of the high-ranking and powerful Second Elder was to escape the Li Family!

"Could it be that this entire Li Family is a scam?"

"A large-scale breeding ground? Are we all cattle and sheep?"

.....

"Since I can't figure it out, then I won't think about it. Even if I knew, what could I do...?"

Ultimately, his Rank was still not high enough. As long as he could obtain resources from Li Yong's hands.

"Even if Li Yong wanted to become the Li Family Old Ancestor, he would agree! Anyway, there's no harm in talking big."

With this thought, Li Tan once again used his eloquent tongue!

Not only did he solemnly agree, but he also boasted endlessly about the future.

......

Li Yong sat in the main seat, silent for a long time before finally uttering, "Si'er, it's not that Grandfather doesn't believe you... but people's hearts are hidden."

Below, Li Tan's expression suddenly froze. He still maintained an unchanged face, as if Li Yong had only recounted an insignificant trivial matter.

But in his heart, Li Tan incessantly cursed Li Yong's character: "Despicable and shameless, insidious and cunning, a sanctimonious hypocrite..."

But despite the curses in his heart, he still had to maintain appearances.