257: Cao Xiaochuan

His tone carried self-mockery, yet also a hint of passion for cooking.

"The Cao Family? The Cao Family of Qinglan City?" Although Yuan Tian lived in the Boundless Green Sea for many years, he occasionally came out to feast, and had some impression of the aristocratic families in Beilu Prefecture. The Cao Family was a local Family, neither big nor small, affiliated with the Soul Refining Sect, doing business in spiritual materials and catering. "He's no good at Cultivating, but his tongue and mind are sharp."

Yuan Tian waved his hand dismissively, "There are thousands of Great Daos; being able to eat and cook is also a skill! It's much better than those fools who only know how to fight and kill."

A flicker of warmth passed through Cao Xiaochuan's eyes upon hearing this.

His reputation as a Trash was well-known throughout his Family and even the city, and rarely did anyone affirm the things he liked.

In the following days, Yuan Tian almost became a regular at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant.

He concealed his terrifying aura as an Undergoing Tribulation Demon King, restraining all his pressure. On the outside, he simply looked like a boisterous customer with a huge appetite and a loud voice.

Cao Xiaochuan always eagerly introduced new dishes to him, and Yuan Tian was happy to offer a few pointers on his unique insights into spiritual material pairings and heat control—mostly based on his long life and extensive eating experience.

One enjoyed eating heartily, and the other chatted happily; they actually became quite familiar.

Yuan Tian felt that this youngster had a pure mind. Although he was a Cultivating Trash, his persistence and spiritual insight into the Dao (the Dao of culinary arts also counts as a Dao) were quite good.

Recalling Xiao Zhuo's instructions before his departure, that the search for a Soul Dao Genius required a clean background, this Cao Xiaochuan came from a prominent local Family, had a clean background, was a Cultivating Trash, but his character was still acceptable.

His heart stirred, and he remembered the True Explanation of Soul Refining in his embrace.

This thing was useless to him, a Demon King, but it was a good item for Human Race Cultivators. Moreover, Soul Dao Cultivation was different from other Cultivation methods; it didn't look at Spiritual Roots. Only by Cultivating Soul Dao Cultivation Techniques could one discern its Aptitude.

One day, after a satisfying meal, Yuan Tian picked his teeth, watching Cao Xiaochuan bustling about cleaning up, and suddenly pulled out a dusty Jade Slip and tossed it over.

"Hey kid, catch!"

Cao Xiaochuan fumbled to catch it, looking at Yuan Tian in confusion: "Senior, this is...?"

"Just a little trinket, have fun with it." Yuan Tian said nonchalantly, "A Cultivation Technique I got earlier. I heard it helps with calming the mind and concentrating. Don't you like to ponder things? When you're idle, just try following it to see if it can make your hands steadier when cutting vegetables, and your nose sharper when smelling flavors."

He simply found the youngster pleasing to the eye and casually gave him a small favor, and by the way... what if a blind cat stumbled upon a dead mouse? Anyway, this Cultivation Technique was given to him by the Saint to test Soul Dao Aptitude, so he just gave it away.

Cao Xiaochuan held the Jade Slip, feeling its cool touch, and his heart was filled with gratitude.

Although this forthright Senior spoke roughly, he had never belittled him and even gave him something. "Thank you, Senior!"

He bowed respectfully.

A few more days passed, and Yuan Tian still hadn't found any decent Genius in the city.

On the third night after Yuan Tian gifted the Jade Slip, a violent spiritual energy fluctuation and sounds of shouting and fighting suddenly erupted from the direction of the Cao Family ancestral home in Qinglan City, shattering the silence of the night.

Yuan Tian was lying on his bed in the inn, savoring the Hundred Flavors Precious Stew from earlier in the day, when the commotion made him frown.

His Divine Sense spread out silently like an invisible tide.

Inside the Cao Family's main hall, the lights were bright, and the atmosphere was tense.

The Family Head, Cao Zhen, was pale, with blood at the corner of his mouth, restrained by two powerful-looking Elders.

Seated at the head of the table was a sinister-looking old man, none other than the Cao Family's Grand Elder, Cao Yuanshan. Behind him stood several smug young disciples, whose Cultivation was far stronger than Cao Xiaochuan's.

"Cao Zhen! Your son, Cao Xiaochuan, as a direct descendant, is an untalented Trash! Not to mention his pseudo-Spiritual Root, at sixteen, he hasn't even touched the threshold of the Mortal Transformation Realm! He's simply wasting Family resources!" Cao Yuanshan's voice was cold, "Now he's even associating with rude people of unknown origin, indulging in the lowly profession of cooking, and ruining my Cao Family's reputation! What face do you have to remain in your position as Family Head? Today, you shall yield your position to the worthy; I shall temporarily act as Family Head until a suitable successor is chosen!"

"Cao Yuanshan! Don't you dare slander him!" Cao Zhen struggled and roared furiously, "Xiaochuan, he's just... just a bit slow in Cultivating! He has a kind heart! You, colluding with outside Elders and coveting the Family Head position, are the truly ambitious one!"

"Hmph! Stubborn fool!" A cold light flashed in Cao Yuanshan's eyes, and he waved his hand, signaling, "Take him down! Cripple his Cultivation and throw him into the dungeon!"

The two Elders restraining Cao Zhen grinned menacingly and were about to act.

"Stop!" A sharp cry, tinged with tears and anger, rang out.

Cao Xiaochuan had rushed into the hall at some point. His face was ashen, his body trembling slightly from anger and fear, yet he stubbornly stood in front of his father. "Don't hurt my father!"

"Xiaochuan! Quick, leave!" Cao Zhen's eyes were bloodshot.

"Haha! Little Trash, you dare to come and die too?" A young man behind Cao Yuanshan sneered. It was Cao Yuanshan's grandson, Cao Hao, whose Cultivation was at the Late Stage of the Mortal Transformation Realm, considered good among the younger generation of the Cao Family.

He stepped forward, unleashing the full pressure of his Mortal Transformation Realm Cultivation onto Cao Xiaochuan, while simultaneously striking at his chest with a palm that carried the sound of wind, clearly intending to cripple this annoying cousin with one blow.

"Get lost!"

Cao Xiaochuan felt a tremendous force assault him, his chest suffocating, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped him.

He closed his eyes in despair, and in his mind, a passage from the calming incantation within that Jade Slip subconsciously flashed—the opening of the True Explanation of Soul Refining, which he had found novel and had been trying to read for fun these past two days.

Just as Cao Hao's palm was about to strike Cao Xiaochuan's chest!

A surge of intent shot out from Cao Xiaochuan's glabella, entering the young man's glabella. The young man's mind reeled, and he stumbled, falling directly to the ground.

For a moment, everyone in the hall had strange expressions.

Cao Yuanshan was furious at the sight and personally struck at Cao Xiaochuan's head with a palm: "You wicked beast, how dare you harm your kin with evil methods!"

Before anyone could react.

An indescribably terrifying pressure, like an ancient divine mountain, descended with a crash!

The air in the entire main hall instantly solidified, all circulating spiritual power was forcibly frozen, Cao Yuanshan's outstretched palm remained eerily suspended in mid-air, and the smug, sinister grin on his face turned into extreme terror.

Everyone else in the hall felt as if an invisible giant hand had gripped their throats, their faces turning purplish-red, their bones creaking, unable to move even a single finger!

A figure as tall as an iron tower appeared like a ghost in the center of the hall; it was Yuan Tian. His face was so dark it could drip water, and his bell-like eyes swept across the entire room. Everyone caught by his gaze felt their Divine Soul tremble violently, as if falling into an ice cellar.

"Damn it! Can't even get a peaceful sleep!" Yuan Tian cursed under his breath. His voice wasn't loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

He didn't even look at the Elders who were frozen in place, his gaze fixed on Cao Xiaochuan, who had his eyes tightly shut and was still trembling slightly.

Yuan Tian was initially just annoyed that someone had disturbed his rest and planned to casually swat a few noisy flies to death.

However, just as his Divine Sense enveloped Cao Xiaochuan, preparing to lift him out of the way, his Divine Sense perceived an extremely subtle, yet heart-stopping fluctuation!

Under the immense fear and attack, Cao Xiaochuan subconsciously activated the True Explanation of Soul Refining, and within his completely unCultivated body, it actually drew forth a faint but exceptionally pure trace of Soul Power!

This Soul Power was extremely subtle; had Yuan Tian not been of a profound Realm and extremely close, it would have been almost imperceptible.

What made Yuan Tian's pupils constrict even more was that in that instant, beneath Cao Xiaochuan's tightly closed eyelids, an extremely faint, fleeting golden glow seemed to flash!

"This kid succeeded? It's only been a few days?" A tempest raged in Yuan Tian's heart! As an Undergoing Tribulation Demon King, his knowledge was extraordinary, and he instantly recognized the meaning behind this phenomenon!

For ordinary Soul Dao Aptitude, it would take at least several months to get started with the True Explanation of Soul Refining, and even those with excellent Aptitude would need ten days to half a month.

But this kid, he only got the Jade Slip three days ago! And he's already condensed Soul Power? And it's extremely pure?!

Where in the world was this a Trash? This was clearly a peerless treasure covered in dust! A Prodigy born to Cultivate the Soul Dao!

The successor his master was looking for, wasn't he right in front of him?!

Yuan Tian's gaze towards Cao Xiaochuan instantly changed from looking at a pleasant little cook to looking at a rare unpolished gem!

He was overjoyed, almost bursting into laughter.

This mission was handled too perfectly! And it was unexpectedly smooth!

"Sen... Senior?" Cao Xiaochuan felt the terrifying pressure disappear and opened his eyes in a daze, seeing the mountain-like back blocking him—it was the forthright Senior patron.

Yuan Tian turned around, the gloom on his face instantly vanishing. He grinned widely, revealing a smile that Cao Xiaochuan found somewhat ferocious (but Yuan Tian himself thought was incredibly amiable). His large, fan-like hand clapped heavily on Cao Xiaochuan's thin shoulder, making him stumble.

"Good kid! I didn't see that coming!" Yuan Tian's voice boomed like a bell, making the hall hum. "Come with me! This precious gem of yours is too wasted staying in this rotten place feeding maggots! I'll take you to meet a distinguished person, and I guarantee you a boundless future!"

He didn't even look at Cao Yuanshan and the others, who were ashen-faced and slumped on the ground, as if they were just a pile of Trash.

He grabbed the still-dazed Cao Xiaochuan, holding him under his arm like a chick, and grinned at the equally stunned and relieved Cao Zhen: "You're the Cao Family Head, right? I'm taking your son! Don't worry, with me, he'll eat well and live well, a thousand times better than in this rundown place!"

Before his words faded, Yuan Tian took a step, the space slightly distorted, and their figures instantly vanished from the main hall, leaving behind only chaos and a room full of people plunged into immense fear and bewilderment.

Cao Zhen looked in the direction his son had disappeared, then at Cao Yuanshan and the others, who were slumped on the ground like mud, their Cultivation having been sealed at some unknown point. For a moment, he was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, unsure how to react.

Meanwhile, Cao Xiaochuan only felt the whistling wind in his ears and the scenery rapidly receding before his eyes. Yuan Tian's words about "precious gem" and "boundless future" still echoed in his mind, and he felt completely dazed, as if in a bizarre dream.