The tricolor pastry was round with a square hole in the center, resembling an enlarged ancient coin, and was garnished with a few pieces of fresh fruit.

He cut off a piece with a jade knife. It was fragrant, sweet, soft, and chewy, leaving a delightful, lingering aftertaste.

"Excellent!"

Zhu Ju nodded.

"Yuantong, your cooking is getting better and better. If you ever went to the Mortal World, you could become wealthy just by selling these pastries."

"Hee hee..." Zhou Yuantong’s face broke into a smile.

"I’m just happy you like it."

She arranged the various pastries and fruits. The two of them sat nestled close together, savoring the delicious treats she had so carefully prepared.

Qii Yao, dressed in cyan robes with a red sash, walked in.

"I’m so jealous. You two are inseparable all day, and you never seem to get tired of it."

"This is just what a normal life is like," Zhu Ju said, his voice tinged with emotion and his expression complex.

"Actually..."

"If our days could go on like this forever, having children and then grandchildren... when I really think about it, that wouldn’t be a bad life at all."

’I’m in a foreign land, a Furnace Tripod for another person, but Zhou Yuantong’s personality, looks, and figure are all exceptional.’

’At first, the marriage could have been considered a stalling tactic.’

’But now, spending every day and night together, how could feelings not blossom? It wouldn’t be wrong to call us a loving, married couple.’

Zhou Yuantong nodded gently.

She enjoyed their current life even more than Zhu Ju did.

’Being with the man I like, listening to his colorful stories, carefully preparing meals and decorating our Cave Mansion each day... It all makes me so happy. As for the trivial matters of the outside world, let them be.’

’If things could stay like this forever, what would be so bad about that?’

Seeing this, Qii Yao pressed her lips together, a complex look flashing in her eyes.

It was a look of jealousy and envy, but also a hint of pity.

She spent her days with them as well, and without realizing it, she too had become captivated by this relaxed pace of life.

’Alas...’

But thinking of her master’s instructions, Qii Yao took a deep breath, suppressed her stray thoughts, and forced a smile as she spoke.

"That Leng Xing you two mentioned is back."

"Oh!"

Zhu Ju’s eyes lit up slightly.

"I haven’t seen him in years. I wonder how he’s doing. Yuantong, would you like to visit him with me?"

"She can’t," Qii Yao interjected.

"Master has something for her to do."

"Master?" Zhou Yuantong’s brow furrowed, a shadow falling over her heart. She sighed in resignation and said,

"Husband, Qii Yao will accompany you."

As a Furnace Tripod, Zhu Ju could not walk around Wind Moon Valley freely. He had to be accompanied by a Joyful Sect disciple.

* * *

As a Great Demonic Sect, the Joyful Sect had a strict hierarchy among its disciples, which was reflected in all aspects of life.

Take their living quarters, for example.

Core True Inheritance disciples resided in Cave Mansions set against the mountains, each protected by its own Array.

Not only were they safe, but they also had their own private space.

Outer Sect Disciples, on the other hand, were crammed together on the north side of Wind Moon Valley.

Viewed from above, all sorts of crude huts were scattered about, looking at first glance like a slum.

Not only were the living conditions poor, but their every move was also monitored by an Array, leaving them with no privacy to speak of.

"CREAK..."

As the bamboo door was pushed open, a white-haired, middle-aged man in the courtyard stopped tending to his flowers and plants, tilting his head to listen.

"Which Senior Brother has come for a visit?"

"Leng Xing." Zhu Ju stopped at the doorway, his expression shifting.

"Your eyes..."

"That voice is so familiar." Leng Xing stood up, a complex emotion showing on his wrinkled face.

"Zhu Ju?"

"It’s me," Zhu Ju nodded, his voice filled with emotion.

"It’s been eight years. I can’t believe you still remember my voice."

"Haha..." Leng Xing laughed heartily.

"Quick! Come in, come in."

"Brother Zhu, when did you join the Joyful Sect? I never imagined I would meet an old friend here."

"I didn’t join the Joyful Sect," Zhu Ju said, shaking his head.

"I was captured and brought back as a Furnace Tripod."

?

Leng Xing froze for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Have a seat."

A stone table.

Cool tea and bitter wine.

Leng Xing sat opposite him, a nostalgic look on his face.

"Do you remember my uncle?"

"Cold Pool."

"That’s him."

Leng Xing nodded.

"Back when the Jade Void Sect was still around, the Demon Sects were suppressed and ostracized by the Righteous Dao, almost completely driven out of the Dazhou Cultivation World."

"To ensure their lineages continued, the Demon Sects would spread Basic Methods throughout the Mortal World, luring the weak-willed into Cultivation."

"Cold Pool happened to get his hands on a copy of the Joyful Sect’s *Flower Appreciation Guide*, which caused his personality to change drastically."

"Later..."

He sighed.

"I, along with Wan Jing and a few others, plotted to kill him, and so the *Flower Appreciation Guide* fell into my hands."

"I couldn’t resist and tried to practice the Cultivation a little. As a result, the resonance of my aura attracted Qii Yao, who brought me to the Joyful Sect."

Zhu Ju understood.

Both Zhou Yuantong and Leng Xing had been taken from Leping County by Qii Yao, but their fates had been completely different.

One was accepted as a Core True Inheritance disciple because of her special constitution; the other became an Outer Sect Disciple and suffered endlessly.

"What happened to your eyes?"

"Sigh!" Leng Xing sighed softly.

"When I first entered the Joyful Sect, I didn’t understand anything. Unfortunately, an Inner Sect Disciple took a liking to me."

"The Joyful Sect’s Bewitching Techniques..."

"I don’t know how to describe it, but in short, to avoid being controlled by her, I had no choice but to blind myself."

"Later, a benefactor helped me, which is the only reason I wasn’t squeezed dry. But it was inevitable that I’d age a bit."

As he spoke, he touched his own wrinkled face.

He briefly recounted his experiences over the years, then turned his head to ’look’ at Zhu Ju and asked,

"What about you, Brother Zhu?"

"I..." Zhu Ju sighed.

"By a stroke of luck, I joined a Righteous Immortal Sect. Then, by a stroke of extreme bad luck, I was captured by someone from the Joyful Sect and became a Furnace Tripod."

"Don’t worry," Leng Xing said, trying to comfort him.

"Zhou Yuantong, who is also from our county, is in the Joyful Sect as well. She is a Core True Inheritance disciple and she has feelings for you, Brother Zhu. If you ask her for help, she should be able to solve your current problem."

"If a True Disciple speaks up for you, Brother Zhu, you can immediately become an Outer Sect Disciple. Then you can find a place to live nearby..."

"Which Senior Sister’s Furnace Tripod did you become?"

"Zhou Yuantong," Zhu Ju said.

Leng Xing’s expression froze.

After a long moment, he sighed in resignation.

"Brother Zhu, if you were the Furnace Tripod of an Outer Sect or Inner Sect disciple, there would be ways to deal with it. But a Core True Inheritance disciple..."

"As far as I know, not a single Furnace Tripod of a Core True Inheritance disciple has ever met a good end. Not one in all these years."

"Not a single one!"

Zhu Ju’s brow furrowed.

* * *

Ever since joining the Joyful Sect, Leng Xing had not known a single day of peace. Today, he used the visit from an old friend as an excuse to drink himself into a stupor.

Zhu Ju had been drinking with him and also reeked of alcohol.

"Ptooey, ptooey!"

Qii Yao pinched her nose and waved her hand dismissively.

"What kind of cheap wine were you drinking? The smell is so strong. Don’t make me bring you over here again."

"The living quarters of the Outer Sect Disciples..."

"It’s disgusting just to look at!"

"I recall you used to be an Outer Sect Disciple yourself," Zhu Ju said slowly.

"Hmph!" Qii Yao snorted.

"Follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"You’ll know when we get there."

The two arrived at the living quarters for Inner Sect Disciples. Qii Yao stopped in front of a Cave Mansion and turned to him.

"This is the Cave Mansion of Junior Sister Shuu, Shuu Ying. She attended your wedding with Yuantong, remember?"

"Shuu Ying?" Zhu Ju mused.

"I have some impression of her."

He remembered a young girl with a round, charmingly pretty face. When she smiled, two small dimples appeared on her cheeks.

She gave the impression of being naive and adorable.

"She has something to do today, and I brought you here to broaden your horizons."

Qii Yao pushed open the stone gate of the Cave Mansion, and a wave of decadent sounds immediately washed out from within.

"Come in."

After a brief hesitation, Zhu Ju stepped inside.

The guest area of this Cave Mansion was hung with colorful streamers, and among them, completely naked figures writhed and tumbled.

Panting and low moans were incessant.

"Senior Sister Qii."

The woman named Shuu Ying was surrounded by several men. Her beautiful eyes, hazy with desire, shifted to Zhu Ju as she licked the corner of her lips.

Her once pure and beautiful face was now filled with seductive allure.

"Why did you bring him here? Aren’t you afraid of making Senior Sister Zhou angry? I wouldn’t dare snatch something that belongs to her."

"Hmph!" Qii Yao snorted, a flash of disgust in her eyes.

"I heard you got a new batch in?"

"Yes," Shuu Ying nodded. She pointed deeper inside with a jade-white arm and giggled flirtatiously.

"They’re all just common mortals without any Innate Qi. If Senior Sister fancies any of them, feel free to take them."

"Come on out!"

Following her delicate shout, a stone door further inside slid open, and several figures in disheveled clothes rushed out.

Each of them had a fanatical look on their face. Upon seeing Shuu Ying, their eyes turned red, their breathing grew ragged, and they looked desperate to pounce on her.

Even if a glimmer of struggle appeared in someone’s eyes, it was only a moment before they could no longer suppress the agitation in their bodies, their rationality completely lost.

Zhu Ju’s expression changed slightly.

’Mind Enchantment Powder!’

It was a drug used by the Joyful Sect to control their Furnace Tripods.

Once someone consumed Mind Enchantment Powder, it was nearly impossible to suppress their inner lust, making them frantically crave carnal pleasure.

Just like these men before him.

They would become utterly obsessed with Shuu Ying’s body and scent. Even the most strong-willed would find it difficult to endure the drug’s ravages.

"Don’t be hasty!"

"Don’t be hasty!"

Shuu Ying giggled, her body moving like a Swimming Fish as she weaved through the crowd of handsome men, her hand brushing across their cheeks and chests.

"Senior Sister."

"These men are from a prominent family in a Prefecture City. Don’t be fooled by their similar ages; they actually span three generations."

"Hee hee..."

"Three generations playing together... it has a special kind of flavor."

"Give it to me, give it to me!" From the crowd, a handsome, middle-aged man threw himself at Shuu Ying’s feet.

"Master, please give it to me."

"Oh, it’s you." Shuu Ying frowned instinctively, then bent down with a flirtatious laugh.

"I remember when you were first captured and brought to Wind Moon Valley, you were so full of pride, angrily denouncing me as a Demoness."

"Hee hee..."

She giggled, seemingly casting an unintentional glance at Zhu Ju.

"How did you end up like this?"

"Master, please give it to me," the middle-aged man begged, his body trembling as he kowtowed repeatedly on the ground.

"I’m begging you, give it to me!"

"I can give it to you," Shuu Ying laughed charmingly.

"But do you love me?"

"I do, I do love you!" the middle-aged man nodded frantically.

"Master, I love you! I’ll give you anything you want. I’ve already told you all my secrets—the Sect’s secrets, my Cultivation Secret Techniques, and where the Spiritual Medicines and Spirit Stones are..."

"Not enough," Shuu Ying said, shaking her head.

"All those things you mentioned are just external objects. I don’t care for such vulgar things. I just want you to prove that you truly love me."

"Your heart is what’s most important."

"I... I can give you my heart," the middle-aged man shouted.

"My life belongs to you, Master, so my heart belongs to you too! If you don’t believe me, you can take it out and see for yourself."

"I... I can die for you!"

"Good!" As if some requirement had been met, Shuu Ying’s eyes lit up. She plunged her hand into the middle-aged man’s chest.

SQUELCH!

The man’s body went rigid.

Shuu Ying, however, wore a look of utter satisfaction. She took a deep breath, and the middle-aged man’s body began to shrivel at a visible rate.

His Essence, Qi, and Spirit were completely devoured by the Joyful Sect’s Secret Technique.

* * *

"So..."

Walking back, Zhu Ju spoke slowly.

"What was the point of showing me that?"

"I wanted you to understand what a Furnace Tripod is." Qii Yao turned around, her beautiful eyes staring straight at him.

"The Furnace Tripods of Outer and Inner Sect disciples are nothing more than consumables for Cultivation, no different from Elixirs. What you just saw is the norm in the Joyful Sect."

"The fact that you could become Yuantong’s Furnace Tripod is a blessing from the heavens. You don’t have to become a Meat Slave or a Puppet like the others."

"But you had better cherish this good fortune and diligently assist Yuantong in her Cultivation. Otherwise, I will show you no mercy."

"Remember this!"

She strode closer.

"You are a Furnace Tripod!"

"No matter how polite I am to you, it’s only out of respect for Yuantong. On your own, you are nothing."

"Heh..." Zhu Ju’s expression didn’t change.

"There are differences between Furnace Tripods, and Mind Enchantment Powder certainly can’t help Yuantong achieve a perfect state of mind."

"You’re incorrigible." Qii Yao’s eyes flashed.

"You’ll learn your lesson the hard way."