Rebirth As A Human Cauldron Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

“Sir, could it be… that you’ve purchased me?”

Qin Duan abruptly opened his eyes, finding himself standing beside a bed adorned with red curtains. The air was filled with a sweet and fragrant aroma, diffusing through the ambiguous lighting.

A hazy veil was lifted by a small hand, revealing a pair of golden eyes that looked at him with a hint of fear.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

“Yyu R ypj kq kv’p usw obs cswtbv xl?” Mbl psqv hsknl ypjle sdnl ytykd, vkdtle okvb pbudlpp, hwzdlayckzkvu, yde y zkdtlakdt vswnb sq kddsnldnl.

Ckd Pwyd oyp vyjld ycynj yde vakle vs prlyj, cwv bl qlzv vbl nsadla sq bkp tyaxldv clkdt blze. Tl zsolale bkp blye yde pyo y elzknyvlzu-nyahle qynl sq rkdj fyel.

Rv oyp… bkp qkapv ldnswdvla okvb Jyk Nkdtgbk.

Twdealep sq ulyap yts, obkzl fswadlukdt yp y nwzvkhyvsa, bl pldple yd wdwpwyz yway sq elxsdkn ldlatu obld ryppkdt cu y casvblz. Wszzsokdt vbyv yway, bl yaakhle yv y xytdkqknldv ywnvksd rzyvqsax yde pyo y uswdt csu ekprzyule zkjl y nsxxsekvu kd y nytl.

At that time, Qin Duan already had the cultivation level of the Yuanying stage, and with a single glance, he could see through the boy’s true form. Combined with the missing ingredient of white snake blood in the elixirs he was refining, this young boy was born with the ability to transform, and his bloodline was undoubtedly more precious than that of an ordinary snake demon. On a whim, Qin Duan spent a considerable sum to purchase him.

White snakes were inherently Yin creatures. If bought by someone else and properly trained, they would be an excellent furnace. Yet, now they had fallen into Qin Duan’s hands, becoming nothing more than a simple medicine cauldron, which was somewhat regrettable.

As a practitioner of the Demonic path, Qin Duan was indifferent and had little desire for worldly matters. He brought the boy back to his cave, occasionally drawing a few drops of blood from him. Though he handled it gently, the boy was particularly afraid of pain. His golden eyes were brimming with tears, and his rosy lips pursed slightly, appearing pitifully adorable.

Although Qin Duan’s behavior was eccentric and domineering, his temperament remained orthodox. Despite falling into the demonic path, his true nature was unaltered. Over time, he couldn’t help but develop some pity for Bai Lingzhi. Moreover, with the two of them living alone in this vast cave, and Qin Duan engrossed in the study of alchemy, he lacked an assistant, which led him to consider taking an apprentice.

The boy’s surname was Bai, but as he had left the nest early and remained nameless, Qin Duan named him “Lingzhi,” which sounded similar to “spirit mushroom.” Initially, he intended for Lingzhi to be a mere medicine boy, but Bai Lingzhi displayed exceptional talent. With his noble bloodline, he had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage when entering the brothel. As the years passed under Qin Duan’s guidance, he eventually progressed to the Building Foundation stage.

After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, one could begin learning orthodox cultivation techniques. However, Bai Lingzhi’s physique was Yin, and his spiritual root was Fire, conflicting with the path Qin Duan practiced. Yet, when it came to absorbing medicinal supplements, he possessed innate advantages and didn’t even need to engage in intercourse to achieve the same effects.

The path of dual cultivation was originally a righteous one, but those who achieved it often became demonic cultivators because this path required forcibly absorbing others’ cultivation as a supplement. Over time, it could easily lead to karmic retribution, and when facing tribulation, there would be consequences.

So, after much contemplation, Qin Duan decided to teach Bai Lingzhi the “Yanghuo Heart Sutra.” He modified the teachings to focus on the path of dual cultivation and supplementing each other’s strengths. He softened the overbearing aspects, adding a lingering tenderness to the techniques. He instructed Bai Lingzhi to learn the art of enchantment, where they would gaze into each other’s eyes for an hour every day. If Bai Lingzhi could break Qin Duan’s focus, it would be considered a minor achievement, but if he could completely mesmerize him, it would be a great accomplishment.

Over the nearly hundred years they spent together, the two were almost inseparable. However, the tragic ending was something Qin Duan had never anticipated.

Those who cultivated the Supreme Forgetfulness Heart Sutra were not preoccupied with immediate desires. Qin Duan had lingered in the cave for too long, risking damage to his Dao heart. As a result, he decided to organize his lifetime savings and leave them for his only disciple. But during the farewell, the young boy used his enchantment to bewitch Qin Duan, imprisoning him within the cave, never to step outside.

At this point in his recollection, he closed his eyes and opened them again, finding himself in a room surrounded by golden railings. Each pillar was engraved with intricate runes. Qin Duan was seated on a red carpet in the center, his limbs restrained by special chains he had prepared for Bai Lingzhi, capable of suppressing a cultivator at the Yuanying stage.

In this room, apart from the skylight above his head, there was nothing else to see. Every day, Bai Lingzhi would bring him some delicious and unique items or tell him interesting stories. A snake demon reached adulthood at three hundred years, and Bai Lingzhi was only slightly over one hundred at that time. Qin Duan truly believed he was still a child and initially didn’t mind the situation.

However, as time passed, he couldn’t bear it anymore and went mad, yearning to get out.

Naturally, Bai Lingzhi wouldn’t agree, and he did something unforgivable in Qin Duan’s eyes…

“What is it that you want to show me? Just this?” In the midst of his past memories, Qin Duan spoke in a cold tone. “Come out, Heavenly Dao. I know this is your doing.”

“…Do you think you’ve already forgotten?” The ethereal voice of Heavenly Dao came from the depths, “In fact, you remember it very well, don’t you?”

“…So what?”

“Remembering means you care.” Heavenly Dao said, “You are not as ruthless as you imagine, otherwise, he wouldn’t be alive until now.”

Qin Duan wanted to retort, but suddenly, his mind buzzed loudly, forcing him to close his eyes. When he opened them again, he found himself lying on a bed.

The walls above him were still adorned with vivid red wallpaper, and although his body didn’t feel any fatigue, the soft touch beneath him made Qin Duan shudder instinctively. His fingers clenched into fists and then relaxed as he took a deep breath.

A rustling sound came from the corner of the bed, indicating the presence of Bai Lingzhi’s little pets. Qin Duan now felt thoroughly disgusted with snakes, and he reached out, wanting to kill them. However, this motion triggered a crisp ringing sound.

On his slightly pale right hand, Qin Duan noticed a bracelet he hadn’t seen before, adorned with a circle of silver bells, making his wrist appear even more delicate.

Qin Duan tried to evoke the demonic power within his right hand, but unsurprisingly, he failed. He took a deep breath and checked his cultivation, only to find that his dantian was full, showing signs of reaching the Core Formation stage.

…Could this be a blessing in disguise? He thought wryly to himself, not minding the white snake spitting venom nearby, as he began meditating with crossed legs.

While Bai Lingzhi was still talking to his subordinates, he looked up and noticed the sky changing slightly. Dark clouds gathered above, swirling and churning, interspersed with bursts of white light that seemed like thunder, but it had yet to strike down.

This kind of display was excessive for a small town like Qingzhou, but upon closer inspection, Bai Lingzhi noticed that the calamity cloud had not fully formed yet. It was just barely showing its embryonic shape, but the density of the lightning indicated that if it turned into a calamity, its power would be comparable to that of a cultivator in the Mahayana stage.

This was somewhat peculiar…

He became engrossed in observing the situation and completely disregarded what his subordinates were saying, which should have been about the business matters of the brothel. He responded nonchalantly with a few random remarks.

At that moment, another person came to report that the envoy from the Shiyu Hall was on the way and would arrive in Qingzhou soon.

Bai Lingzhi finally came back to his senses and sneered, “Does Wen Yushu think so little of me to send someone else to handle matters? Send a message back, tell him if he wants something, he should come to Fengyue Tower in person to see me. Otherwise, there’s nothing to discuss.”

He waved his hand dismissively, not giving the other person a chance to retort. “Also, the previous wanted order can be revoked. The person I was looking for has already been found… However, keep the one for Feng Le posted.”

“Is Your Excellency planning to deal with him?”

Bai Lingzhi smiled, revealing a killing intent in his golden eyes. “Deal with him? He dared to touch my belongings, so naturally, he must pay the price.”

As he spoke, the calamity cloud outside gradually dispersed, and sunlight shone through the sparse clouds, casting a golden brilliance over the area.

Bai Lingzhi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing for a while, then suddenly asked, “Have there been any news about the Shixue Sect recently?”

“The Blood Demon Sovereign has been in seclusion for over a hundred years and has not emerged yet.”

“…He has quite the patience,” Bai Lingzhi coldly snorted but unconsciously tightened his grip on his fingers. “But when he comes out of seclusion, he’s likely to reach the Mahayana stage, isn’t he? Truly making us envious…”

“Your Excellency, there’s no need to be modest–“

Bai Lingzhi raised his hand to stop the subordinate from speaking further. “In a few days, there will be an auction in Xianzhou, and I need to personally attend. For the matters here, I’ll leave them to you. Remember to send a message to the main building, saying that I’ll return later.”

The subordinate bowed respectfully and replied, “Yes.”

Turning his attention back to Qin Duan, he noticed that due to his previous experience of reaching Core Formation, this time, he was not bewildered by the process. He guided the demonic energy upwards, breaking through various acupoints, expanding the meridians, and finally returning to his dantian.

Initially, it took some effort due to blocked meridians and impeded qi flow. Qin Duan endured the pain caused by the collision of breaths, circled and stumbled around, but the second time was much smoother.

He repeated this process several times until a vortex of demonic energy formed in his dantian, about the size of his palm. With a focused mind, he accelerated the qi flow, gradually condensing the vortex until it transformed into a smooth and round pill, exuding a blood-red aura.

A blood light burst from the young man’s body. Thin strands of blood qi circulated through his fair flesh, intensifying as his breath quickened. The mist of blood thickened and spun faster, eventually turning into a scarlet ribbon, like a cocoon enveloping him, motionless.

The young man’s eyes remained tightly shut, his scattered hair slightly floating. Suddenly, a black flame bloomed at the center of his brow – his soul fire, which had been lurking in the depths of his soul even after his reincarnation. Only now could he barely summon a tiny spark the size of a fingertip, which vanished in an instant.

At the same time, the cocoon broke, and a blood light surged from it, a vibrant red color concealing an unknown and boundless murderous intent. It enshrouded the young man’s entire body and then slowly flowed towards his right hand through his meridians.

The silver bracelet on Qin Duan’s wrist rang loudly, and the smooth and gleaming red fingertips finally settled after some time.

After stabilizing his cultivation level for a few more hours, Qin Duan finally opened his eyes and exhaled the last trace of impure qi. Now, it felt like he had returned to the moment his five senses awakened, dispelling everything that obscured his vision and hearing. The world seemed renewed – he could see the drifting dust in the air, hear the sound of the candle flame gnawing at its wick, and even smell the faint seductive fragrance in the room.

Qin Duan covered his face with his cold right hand, concealing the uncontrollable upturn of his mouth. He then relaxed his body, lying flat on the soft bed.

He vividly felt that he was truly alive, no longer in that demonic-cultivated Asura body, nor in this Core Formation stage body.

After the Golden Core stage was the complete transformation, no longer an ordinary human.

With his eyes closed, he calmed down his excited emotions and expanded his spiritual sea, attempting to sense his surroundings. However, as his consciousness ventured out, it ran into a colossal entity. Qin Duan’s whole body trembled, immediately retracting his spiritual awareness.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the man with white hair and red clothes standing at the door. He had no idea when he appeared, but he was squinting with a pair of golden vertical pupils, scanning him from head to toe.

Qin Duan locked eyes with Bai Lingzhi, and the two of them stared at each other in a standoff for a while before Bai Lingzhi broke into a smile first. “You reached Core Formation with just one attempt, so this body of yours is probably more than just a furnace. Do you know dual cultivation techniques?”

“What if I do? What if I don’t?” Qin Duan couldn’t help but recall their previous intimate encounter, feeling embarrassed, which made his expression even darker.

Bai Lingzhi smiled without saying a word. He stepped closer, and the radiance in his vertical pupils turned golden.

In an almost instinctive reaction, Qin Duan fiercely bit his tongue, swallowing a mouthful of his own blood.

His consciousness immediately returned to his body, and he saw Bai Lingzhi had approached without him noticing. The man’s eyes were gentle, his silver scales shining on his forehead.

Bai Lingzhi lightly touched his lips, now stained with blood, and then quickly pulled away.

Resting his chin on Qin Duan’s shoulder, Bai Lingzhi chuckled softly. “Just like back then…”

He closed his eyes, and distant memories suddenly became vivid. It was the first time he had successfully captivated his master – even though it only lasted for a few breaths. He had dared to be so audacious, stealing a quick kiss from those unmoving lips…

Since then, obsession grew, and the heart demon stirred – never to be extinguished.

Qin Duan mocked, “I am not your master.”

Bai Lingzhi nuzzled against the nape of his neck. “I know, of course… If you were my master, you wouldn’t let me hold you like this.” He sounded like a child acting spoiled. “My master hates me because I did something wrong… but I don’t regret it, because no matter what, he was going to leave me…”

His words became somewhat incoherent towards the end, and Bai Lingzhi closed his mouth, falling silent.

His embrace was warm, not at all like the coldness of a reptile. Qin Duan squinted as he gazed at the scales on Bai Lingzhi’s forehead, realizing that the dragon’s blood in the young man’s body might have already surpassed the snake’s blood, explaining his craziness.

However, Bai Lingzhi had chosen this path himself; he couldn’t blame others.

In the past, he had already shown some restraint, sealing Bai Lingzhi’s memories after the offense. Now that the original owner of the body was dead, the seal was gradually losing its effect, leading to the current situation.

But even if he had to do it again, he still couldn’t bring himself to kill Bai Lingzhi.

However, this didn’t mean he would passively accept the situation. He would escape sooner or later… and he would make sure that man paid the price.

Qin Duan lowered his eyes, concealing the storm of emotions inside him. He had never been one to accept his fate, but he was gradually getting used to this new body. After all, it came with some benefits even if it was a bit embarrassing and messy. As long as he didn’t forget to feel good, he could endure some discomfort. After waking up from sleep, he would feel relieved.

He had long forgotten what hatred felt like, just as he had forgotten how love felt.

Bai Lingzhi’s appearance returned to normal after a while. He released Qin Duan from his embrace and covered him with a red robe. Adjusting the collar, Bai Lingzhi commented, “This looks more like it.”

Qin Duan used to like red robes in his previous life, and now Bai Lingzhi was imitating him, dressed from head to toe in bright red. Paired with his white hair, he looked either like an immortal or a demon.

When Qin Duan got off the bed, the movement caused the silver bell on his wrist to jingle. He lifted his right hand in front of his eyes and shook it lightly. “What is this?”

“Your right hand is too tainted with demonic energy, and it’s quite strange. It’s better to seal it off.”

“I’m just a Core Formation shrimp. Whether I live or die is not solely up to you. Is this really necessary?”

“Don’t provoke me, it won’t work.” Bai Lingzhi turned back and took Qin Duan’s hand, smiling playfully. “Besides, don’t you think it looks good?”

“…,” Qin Duan rolled his eyes and remained silent.

He followed Bai Lingzhi sluggishly as they walked outside, meandering through multiple paths until they arrived at a standalone building. Upon entering, a strong medicinal fragrance filled the air, mixed with a subtle bitterness, which invigorated people.

Bai Lingzhi led Qin Duan past the alchemy hall and finally arrived at a pool of medicinal spring water. After sending the attendants away, he bent down to feel the temperature of the water and then motioned for Qin Duan to enter.

Qin Duan raised an eyebrow, gazing at the pool’s black, lustrous appearance, resembling ink, with a surge of medicinal steam rising from it, tickling his nostrils.

He could roughly identify some of the medicinal ingredients in the water, many of which were rare spirit medicines that were hard to come by. They could enhance physical strength and improve cultivation. Currently, these precious herbs were just soaking in the water, which seemed wasteful.

Bai Lingzhi took out a towel from somewhere and draped it over Qin Duan’s head. Then, he reached out to untie the belt that Qin Duan had just tied, but Qin Duan swatted his hand away. “I’ll do it myself.”

Bai Lingzhi raised an eyebrow. “You’re taking the initiative? Aren’t you afraid that I might harm you?”

“Being more proactive is better. If you wait until you get angry and go crazy, are you going to kick me down?” Qin Duan snorted coldly and quickly undressed himself. His physical body was remade after reaching the Core Formation stage, and there was no trace left of their intimate encounter from the previous night. Bai Lingzhi looked at the fair skin of Qin Duan’s back and couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful as he clicked his tongue.

The medicinal bath was scalding hot, and Qin Duan’s delicate body turned red as soon as he entered the water. Beads of sweat gathered at his neck, and as he rolled his throat, they fell into the dark water.

He leaned against the edge of the pool, closed his eyes slightly, and allowed the demonic energy in his body to flow through his meridians. After a while, he sank into a deep meditation.

Bai Lingzhi watched by the poolside for a while, feeling his throat dry up. A violent desire surged from the depths of his heart, causing the storm in his golden eyes to take on a crimson hue.

Quickly covering his face, Bai Lingzhi hid the silver scales that appeared on his smooth skin beneath his palm.

****