93: Chapter 93 Scalper Auction

To her surprise...

Xu Changsheng still didn't move, his face only wearing a somewhat strange expression.

"Master?"

Chu Linger asked tentatively.

She found Xu Changsheng smiling faintly as he replied, "When did I ever say I wanted your Primordial Yin?"

Hearing these words...

Chu Linger breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her chest.

She presented the Storage Pouch once again.

"This Servant Girl is incompetent and failed to find the true culprit who plotted against Master. I beg for Master's forgiveness."

"Didn't I say I already knew?"

Xu Changsheng looked helpless and pushed the Storage Pouch back again.

"A few days ago, I only gave you a small lesson because you were intentionally neglectful."

"But when did I say I wanted your belongings? Let alone your Primordial Yin. I am not an Evil Cultivator; I do not practice arts that Harvest Yin to Supplement Yang."

"Then what does Master want?"

Chu Linger's eyes grew red; she had nothing else to offer.

"I want nothing."

"Ah?"

Chu Linger's pretty face showed an expression of disbelief. She had been prepared to sacrifice everything, never expecting this answer.

"You and I are merely in a Master-servant relationship. This Xu will not treat you as a slave. As long as you do your work for me, I will not touch a hair on your head."

"I see..."

Chu Linger nodded.

A trace of gratitude actually welled up in her heart.

She had originally expected to be stripped and humiliated, but unexpectedly, the other party appeared somewhat like an honorable Immortal Master.

Xu Changsheng continued to reassure her, "Furthermore, our Master-servant relationship is not permanent. After a hundred years, or once I reach the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, I will dissolve the contract and return your freedom."

Hearing this...

Chu Linger's originally dim eyes suddenly lit up: "Truly?"

"Naturally. While This Xu is no saint, I will certainly do what I have said."

Seeing the hope of regaining her freedom, Chu Linger's gloomy mood instantly brightened.

Although the conditions of a hundred years or the Foundation Establishment Late Stage were harsh, it was better than nothing.

Previously, the thought of being a servant for the rest of her life had left her with no motivation even to Cultivate.

Now...

She was full of energy!

Hanging the Storage Pouch back on her waist, she raised a fist: "Rest assured, Master, I will continue to search for the true culprit who instructed Kong Qiang."

"There is no need to rush that for now."

"Master's meaning is?"

"The foundation establishment pill—do you have any news of it?"

Chu Linger shook her head.

"I have already asked Master about this, but he doesn't have any spare foundation establishment pills on hand."

Xu Changsheng looked skeptical: "A dignified Golden Core True Person actually cannot produce a single foundation establishment pill?"

"He likely has some, but This Servant Girl is useless and couldn't coax the information out of Master."

Xu Changsheng fell into thought.

"I suspect Yellow Ox might feel that Fellow Daoist Chu has no Disciples, so he is unwilling? Afraid you might take it to sell for Spirit Stones?"

Chu Linger seemed to understand the implication: "Master means?"

Xu Changsheng nodded: "In other words, if Fellow Daoist Chu were to take in one or two Qi Refining Disciples, perhaps you could obtain a foundation establishment pill from Yellow Ox?"

"Right!"

Chu Linger agreed with this view.

Since learning the conditions for dissolving the contract, her willingness to find a foundation establishment pill for Xu Changsheng had increased significantly.

Her willow-like brows furrowed: "However, Master has very high requirements for grand-Disciples. This Servant Girl only has one candidate available; I wonder if Master is willing?"

Xu Changsheng chuckled: "You taking a Disciple—what does that have to do with me? Go ahead and take one."

He then saw that Chu Linger seemed to have something difficult to say.

"What? Is that person an Evil Cultivator? If so, that really won't do."

"He is not a Robber Cultivator."

"Then who is it?"

Chu Linger bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"He is This Servant Girl's childhood friend. Like Master, he cannot buy a foundation establishment pill and is stuck at the Qi Refinement Stage."

"Because of this relationship, I was afraid Master would not allow it."

"Why not?"

Hearing this strange news, Xu Changsheng did not object.

"How does he treat you?"

Chu Linger pursed her lips: "He treats me very well; even the foundation establishment pill for This Servant Girl's advancement was gifted by him."

Xu Changsheng was stunned.

Wasn't this plot exactly the same as the story between the original host and Su Xiaojing before his Transmigration?

"It's even a 'plus' version. To even gift a foundation establishment pill, he's reached a certain Realm of being a simp."

Seeing his changing expression, Chu Linger explained: "Master, please calm your anger. This Servant Girl is only childhood friends with him, and he has a marriage contract with someone else."

"Now, my relationship with him is just that of ordinary friends."

Hearing this, he sensed there might be hidden details.

Xu Changsheng's expression turned cold: "Ordinary friends? Then how can you guarantee he won't expose our relationship?"

"Or rather, do you have ulterior motives?"

"I'm warning you, don't think that because I gave you a bit of sweetness just now, you can start having crooked thoughts!"

At the same time...

The golden ring in Chu Linger's Sea of Consciousness radiated intense golden light, burning the black Qi at the edges of her Sea of Consciousness, bringing waves of tearing pain.

Immediately, her soul felt as if it were about to depart in terror.

She knelt on the ground, crawling forward until her head was buried by Xu Changsheng's boots, her whole body beginning to tremble.

"I wouldn't dare!"

"Please, Master, spare This Servant Girl."

"Although he and I are only ordinary friends now, the request to become This Servant Girl's Disciple was made by him to me."

"Oh?"

Hearing this...

Xu Changsheng stopped activating the Heart-Yang True Fire.

"He said he needs the identity of a Yellow Ox Immortal City Disciple to do some things."

Xu Changsheng leaned against the headboard, resting his chin on his fist.

He thought to himself: "Each taking what they need; that is somewhat interesting."

After a long while...

"Fine, I understand. You may take him as your Disciple."

Cold sweat had already soaked Chu Linger's back.

Only after seeing that Xu Changsheng had no other instructions did she dare to answer.

"Yes."

She didn't know why the Master, who had been amiable just a moment ago, suddenly had a drastic change in temperament.

She was bewildered.

At this time...

Xu Changsheng spoke words of dismissal: "Go back for now; I am a bit tired."

His mind was as clear as a mirror.

His actions just now were to trigger Chu Linger's deepest fears.

This behavior of giving a date then a slap could effectively consolidate his 'Master' status in this woman's heart.

To fundamentally overturn her rebellious pride as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator being enslaved by him, a Qi Refining Cultivator, he would have to use this trick more often in the future.

Chu Linger lowered her head, her eyes showing submissiveness.

"Yes."

She answered.

She stood up and walked out.

Just as she reached the door, she suddenly thought of something and turned back to report.

"Right, This Servant Girl heard that next month's quinquennial Yellow Ox Auction is about to begin. There is a high probability that foundation establishment pills will be auctioned. If there are, This Servant Girl will certainly bid for them on Master's behalf!"

"Fellow Daoist Chu is thoughtful."

Xu Changsheng did not refuse. Although he had many Spirit Stones, he couldn't use them to buy foundation establishment pills yet.

He had long heard of the Yellow Ox Auction.

"Second-tier Body Refining Spiritual Materials and Second-tier Spirit-Nurturing Items should appear."

His Spiritual Root Aptitude was too low; he couldn't rush the advancement to Foundation Establishment.

It would be better to first raise his Body Refining Realm and Ink Shadow's strength to the second-tier level.