9: Chapter 0009 Forgetful Peak

In Hall Master Su Hongyun's view...

For Gu Huan to rid himself of his status as a Cauldron was not only a way to avoid death but also a golden opportunity to reach Foundation Establishment and Core Formation. It would help him defy the heavens and change his fate, allowing him to better serve them.

But in reality...

Gu Huan had no need to take risks by participating in the Hehuan Sect's internal power struggles.

He only needed to quietly play his role as a Cauldron to reach Foundation Establishment and Core Formation without anyone being the wiser.

There was no need for him to bite the bait she was dangling.

It offered no real substance and carried the risk of losing his life.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, Hall Master Su, but my abilities are limited and I fear I am not up to the task."

Su Hongyun said in surprise, "You're refusing me? You're content with the status quo, willing to be used as a cultivation vessel by other female Cultivators?"

Gu Huan nodded.

Su Hongyun's face flushed as she slapped the table and stood up, clearly unable to accept this answer.

"You are wallowing in self-degradation."

She couldn't understand it.

Why would someone be willing to serve as a Cauldron, bent on seeking death!

Gu Huan looked directly at her and said with a chuckle, "Wasn't that exactly your purpose when you abducted me to the Hehuan Sect? How is it suddenly self-degradation?"

Upon hearing this...

Su Hongyun felt extremely embarrassed. When she had first abducted Gu Huan, it was indeed to treat him as a Cauldron.

"The situation is different now. You are a Genius of the Demonic Path with limitless prospects. How can you be willing to be a Cauldron, pressed beneath women?"

"If you agree, I guarantee you will become the Revered Master of your own fate. At that time, countless beauties will line up for you to choose from. You can bully them however you wish. If any of them dare say no, their life or death would be decided by a single word from you."

To hold the power of the world in one's hand while sober, and to lie in the lap of beauties while drunk.

This was the vision in the hearts of countless men.

But this was the Immortal Realm. Without strong power to back it up, a beautiful blueprint is ultimately just a scrap of paper.

Therefore...

No matter how pleasant Su Hongyun's words sounded...

Without actual benefits, Gu Huan would not sacrifice himself to take such risks.

"Hall Master Su makes a valid point, but I have promised my Revered Master that I will be her Cauldron for a lifetime. If I betray her, may I be struck by five-layered lightning. I hope Senior will not force me."

Su Hongyun lacked sincerity.

Participating in the Sect's internal strife was exceptionally dangerous.

Instead of standing in the open and risking danger, it was better to quietly remain a Cauldron.

Given time, it was still unknown who would truly hold power within the Hehuan Sect!

"You..."

"Utterly incorrigible!"

Su Hongyun was exasperated. How could she not tell that Gu Huan was intentionally refusing her, even going so far as to tell such a blatant lie.

Who would believe that a Cauldron would be loyal to a Revered Master who endlessly harvested him.

After thinking for a moment, she decided not to pressure him for the time being.

"Fine!"

"Come find me whenever you change your mind. But remember, if you have no potential to speak of by then, even if you kneel and beg me, you won't get a single glance of pity."

Rumble!

Su Hongyun opened the stone door.

She soon disappeared from Gu Huan's sight.

"The Hehuan Sect, one of the prestigious great Sects of the Demonic Path, seems calm on the surface, but I didn't expect such undercurrents beneath. As expected, wherever there are people, there is Jianghu."

"With my cultivation level, getting involved would make me nothing more than a pawn to be sacrificed at any time."

"You guys fight your battles; I just want to quietly be a Cauldron."

Thinking of Qin Yao...

Gu Huan couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.

It wasn't a complex emotion, just regret over the subsequent parts of the Supreme Heavenly Demon Art.

As for her, it would be too heartless to say he wasn't worried at all. The two had, after all, shared intimate moments. Although it was done through harvesting, Gu Huan had benefited greatly during that process, so he didn't harbor much resentment.

However...

Whether Qin Yao could ultimately return alive would depend on her own luck.

Gu Huan steadied his mind, stopped overthinking, and soon threw himself back into cultivation.

...

On the other side.

After leaving Hehuan Peak, Su Hongyun secretly rushed to Wangqing Peak.

"Disciple pays respects to Revered Master." The visitor knelt on both knees and kowtowed devoutly, no longer possessing her usual arrogance.

"So Yun'er has come. What is the matter?" A heavenly voice drifted from afar. The speaker was not seen, only heard, sounding flat and indifferent like a cold wind from an iceberg.

Su Hongyun knelt outside the peak.

She slowly recounted her recent observations.

When mentioning Gu Huan, she showed a high degree of recognition and specifically brought him up to seek her Revered Master's guidance.

"To rise from the fourth level of Qi Refining to the seventh level in just two months of contact with Demonic Techniques is undoubtedly considered a Genius, but that shouldn't be enough to alarm you, right?"

The ethereal voice revealed a hint of confusion.

The Hehuan Sect had a history of several thousand years. What kind of Genius had it not seen? Was there a need for such a fuss?

Hearing this...

Su Hongyun remained neither humble nor arrogant.

"Reporting to Revered Master, based on that alone, he would naturally not be worthy of being mentioned before you. But what if this person has also secretly mastered the Demon Form Secret Art? How should he be viewed then?"

As soon as these words were spoken...

The Revered Master of Wangqing Peak instantly lost her composure.

The calm and indifferent female voice finally rippled, sounding crisp, pleasant, and lingering.

"Are these words true? This person is only in the Qi Refining realm, yet he has mastered the Demon Form Secret Art?"

"Reporting to Revered Master, your disciple speaks no lies. In that critical moment, I keenly captured the aura of the Demon Form in his hand. Although he hid it deliberately and quickly, it still did not escape my perception."

"Meticulous in thought, hiding his edge—he is a great talent and should naturally be used by me. Why not bring him here to meet this seat?"

Speaking of this...

Su Hongyun's anger flared up.

She immediately complained about Gu Huan's foolish idea of wallowing in self-degradation.

However, after the Revered Master of Wangqing Peak finished listening, she actually laughed instead of getting angry.

"Wrong! This person is by no means foolish; his intelligence is superior to yours."

"How is that possible!"

Su Hongyun's face flushed as she questioned, "I promised him he could join Revered Master's tutelage to help him become his own Revered Master, yet he would rather be a Cauldron than agree. What intelligence can such a short-sighted person have?"

"Then watch closely! Sooner or later, he will open your eyes."

"Go and tell Chan'er that she must make this person fall in love with her."

Su Hongyun felt as if she had been struck by lightning.

She froze on the spot.

Such an order was simply inconceivable!

She raised her head to face Wangqing Peak, her face full of shock and incomprehension.

"Junior Sister is your only designated successor. Like you, she Cultivates the Path of Forgetfulness. How could she, because of a single word from you, fall in love with a man she's never met—and someone else's Cauldron at that? She will break down and then kill him in a rage."

"Just tell her that this is her Revered Master's order and must not be disobeyed."

She did not explain the hidden reasons.

Because she deeply realized that the Path of Forgetfulness was flawed and would ultimately fail to reach fruition.

"Yes, disciple takes her leave."

Su Hongyun bit her red lips, her heart full of struggle and resentment.

She was clearly complaining about Gu Huan not knowing what was good for him and choosing to be a Cauldron, yet her Revered Master had also gone crazy, saying mysterious things and even involving her Little Junior Sister.

As the Senior Sister, she was naturally unwilling to watch her beloved Junior Sister jump into a fire pit.

But this was Revered Master's order; who dared to disobey?

"If I had known!"

"I shouldn't have mentioned that fellow to Revered Master. It's all Senior Sister's fault. Senior Sister has harmed you, my poor Little Junior Sister!"

Su Hongyun felt guilty as she hurriedly left Wangqing Peak.

Time flew by.

One month later.

A sigh came from Qin Yao's Immortal Cave.

"It's been two months since she disappeared. Qin Yao still hasn't shown up; she's likely met with misfortune!"

"And you, you've consumed another month's worth of my Essence Blood. Why hasn't there been any change?"

Gu Huan complained.

Whether it was Qin Yao or the Purple Flood Dragon, another month had passed without any good news.

The only thing worth being happy about was probably that both his and the Purple Flood Dragon's cultivation had uniformly risen to the eighth level of Qi Refining. Even facing a ninth-level Qi Refining Cultivator, they could kill them with ease.

"Forget about Qin Yao; worrying is useless."

"The Purple Flood Dragon is a bottomless pit. No matter how much Essence Blood I feed it, nothing comes back. It seems I can only stop for now and prioritize cultivating a second Demon Form."

He looked at his dry rations.

They were completely gone.

It was time to restock.

Without hesitation, Gu Huan went to the canteen and found it several times more crowded than usual.