"Huh?!"
Lü Luo stared blankly at the strikingly handsome young man in the bathtub, her heart racing uncontrollably.
Is this the old man?!
"Could it be that his previous appearance was a disguise, and this is his true form?"
No matter how skilled an illusion technique was, it might fool her, but it couldn't deceive Chu Zixue. Yet, aside from this possibility, she couldn't think of any other explanation.
"Such beauty… and a Yang Spirit Root, with a supreme-grade foundation…"
Her initial plan—to simply escape Ye Bufan's grasp—quietly shifted at this moment.
Ye Bufan paid no attention to the outside world.
Fully immersed in the Demon Ape Great Method, as the medicinal liquid was absorbed, a crystalline purple glow shimmered across his skin. His physique grew increasingly robust.
"Hah!"
By dawn the next day, Ye Bufan exhaled deeply, sensing a surge of power within him.
"My current physical strength is now comparable to that of a fourth-level Qi Refining demonic beast."
He was quite satisfied.
Body refinement was far more arduous than Qi refinement. Reaching this level in just one night was something ordinary body-refining cultivators could never achieve.
This was all thanks to the might of his cultivation technique.
At the same time, due to its side effects, his spiritual energy had become even more refined than before!
Beside him, Lü Luo, who had been keeping watch all night, gazed at him with astonishment in her eyes.
Ye Bufan showed no signs of mental confusion upon waking—instead, he was perfectly lucid. This was completely contrary to the experiences of past cultivators who had practiced the Demon Ape Great Method.
Unless… his willpower is unimaginably strong.
Lü Luo mused silently, her eyes gleaming with a peculiar light as she studied Ye Bufan.
"Master, allow this servant to bathe you…"
Lü Luo adopted a coy demeanor, her delicate hands gliding over Ye Bufan's back as she wiped away the impurities expelled during his cultivation.
Her lovely face drew close, her breath warm and fragrant.
This was a stark contrast to her previous attitude.
If Ye Bufan wished, he could probably engage in a game of cards with her right then and there.
My Primordial Yang body, if utilized properly, could be of great benefit to me.
A thought flashed through Ye Bufan's mind—since he could reverse the side effects, what if he, as a cauldron, shared a night of passion with Chu Zixue…
Other cauldrons grew weaker, their cultivation drained dry.
But I, as a cauldron, grow stronger, my cultivation skyrocketing!
No, that woman's strength is too overwhelming. The risk is too great.
By noon, a knock sounded at the courtyard gate.
"Patrol inspection!"
Ye Bufan, now restored to his elderly appearance, narrowed his eyes at the somewhat familiar voice outside.
Before he could open the door—
BANG!
The gate was violently kicked open.
Three gray-robed young men barged in, their eyes sweeping across the courtyard.
The leader, a horse-faced youth, was someone Ye Bufan didn't recognize but had heard before—Zhou Wangchen, Lü Luo's persistent admirer.
"Junior Sister, as part of my patrol duties, I've been tasked with searching for that genius with the supreme-grade foundation. I was wondering… Huh? Why is there an old man here?"
Zhou Wangchen frowned at the sight of Ye Bufan.
He had spent a considerable amount of spirit stones to secure this patrol assignment—his goal was to uncover the identity of the young man Lü Luo was rumored to be keeping.
And, of course, to lay the groundwork for refining a corpse puppet.
The higher-ups spoke of a "supreme-grade foundation," but he knew the truth—it was a Heavenly Dao Foundation!
The mere thought of refining a Heavenly Dao Foundation cultivator into a corpse puppet sent a surge of excitement through him.
"There's no one here you're looking for."
Lü Luo's face darkened. Zhou Wangchen's brazen intrusion displeased her greatly.
In the past, he wouldn't have dared to knock without her permission, let alone barge in like this.
"Junior Sister, I'm only following Elder Xu's orders to search for that genius. Please don't take offense."
Zhou Wangchen hurriedly apologized, though his gaze lingered on Lü Luo's curvaceous figure.
Then, without waiting for permission, he began inspecting every corner of the courtyard.
As for Ye Bufan?
He couldn't be bothered to spare him a second glance.
A Heavenly Dao Foundation cultivator couldn't possibly be an old man.
After a while, one of the gray-robed youths spoke up:
"Senior Brother Zhou, it seems that mysterious fellow disciple isn't here."
He wasn't surprised.
The four elders of the Demon Sword Peak had dispatched multiple patrols to search, yet none had found any trace of the genius so far.
Finally, Zhou Wangchen's attention returned to Ye Bufan.
"Junior Sister, who is this old man? A mere Qi Refining cultivator has no right to reside in an elite disciple's quarters."
He stared at Ye Bufan, his brow furrowed.
Ever since discovering that someone in Lü Luo's courtyard had achieved a Heavenly Dao Foundation, he had been monitoring the place with puppets. He was certain no one had left.
So where had that genius gone?
"My cauldron."
Lü Luo replied dismissively.
"A cauldron?! An old man as a cauldron?!"
The three patrol disciples were stunned. They looked back and forth between Lü Luo and the elderly Ye Bufan, their faces filled with disbelief.
It wasn't uncommon for female cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Sect to capture others as cauldrons for dual cultivation.
But Lü Luo was known for her beauty and pride—she had always disdained such practices.
And to choose an old man as her cauldron?!
If word got out, countless admirers would be heartbroken.
"Who would've thought Junior Sister had such… unconventional tastes in private… and so… particular..."
The two patrol disciples glanced at Zhou Wangchen with pity.
Lü Luo would rather play with an old man than spare a thought for Senior Brother Zhou, her most devoted follower.
"A cauldron…"
Zhou Wangchen's face flushed crimson. He felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation, as if a verdant pasture had sprouted atop his head.
Impossible! There's no way Junior Sister would settle for an old man. Something's off here.
Gritting his teeth, Zhou Wangchen stepped forward and seized Ye Bufan's wrist.
The latter frowned slightly but didn't resist, circulating his Divine Concealment Art to its limits, suppressing the restless fluctuations of his Foundation Establishment platform.
"A low-grade Yang Spirit Root?"
Zhou Wangchen's eyes lit up with realization. Now he understood—it wasn't about Lü Luo's preferences.
With an ingratiating smile, he said, "Junior Sister, if you've hit a bottleneck in your cultivation, just tell Senior Brother. I'll find a way to get you a Breakthrough Pill."
"There's no need to demean yourself with a worthless old man as a cauldron. It's beneath you."
If not for fear of provoking Lü Luo's wrath, he would've already slapped the old man to death.
"A Breakthrough Pill? Where would you even find such a rare medicine?"
Lü Luo waved him off impatiently. "Are you done with your inspection? Then get out!"
With that, she shoved the three out of the courtyard and slammed the gate shut behind them.
"Ah, so it's a Yang Spirit Root. That explains it."
The two patrol disciples nodded in understanding, though they still shook their heads.
While a Yang Spirit Root was indeed the best type of cauldron, the fact that it belonged to an old man was still hard to swallow.
As for Zhou Wangchen, his face was livid.
"I probed him just now—that old man isn't the Heavenly Dao Foundation cultivator. Then who is?"
"No… that genius must still be hiding inside. I just didn't find them. I'll come back tonight for a more thorough search!"
His eyes glinted with malice as he peered through the gate's cracks, locking onto Ye Bufan with killing intent.
Whether it was the mysterious Heavenly Dao Foundation cultivator or this old man serving as a cauldron—
They both have to die.
"At least Junior Sister's purity remains intact. Tonight, I'll make her mine!"
Having seen the cauldron, Zhou Wangchen abandoned all pretense of courtship. He would take her by force!
"Let's go! We'll report back to Elder Xu."
With a cold expression, Zhou Wangchen led the way toward a grand hall at the mountain's summit—Elder Xu's residence.
Currently, the elders of the Demon Sword Peak were eagerly hunting for the rumored supreme-grade Foundation Establishment cultivator.
That was a seed of Nascent Soul potential!
Even if they couldn't take them as a disciple, they at least wanted to establish friendly ties.
Back in the courtyard—
Lü Luo let out a long sigh of relief and turned to Ye Bufan, her voice soft and tender.
"Master, now that the patrol is over, once the Demon Sword Peak's lockdown is lifted, you'll be able to leave the Heavenly Demon Sect."
Under normal circumstances, the sect didn't impose strict restrictions on its disciples.
"It might not be that simple."
Ye Bufan tapped his fingernails thoughtfully.
That Zhou Wangchen's gaze had been far from harmless.
"I hope he behaves himself and lets me leave this place safely."