Cultivating Immortality: What kind of cheat can you use if you don't have money?

Chapter 108 He's still shining brightly.

[Zhao Wuyi's decision was finalized, and no one dared to object. However, a new scrutiny crept into their eyes as they looked at you.]

You were offered a seat by Zhao Wuyi and sat down with Zhao Mengxi. Her beautiful eyes darted around, as if she wanted to expose everything about you.

You sat there listlessly, ignoring Zhao Mengxi. Suddenly, you keenly sensed a gaze upon you. Following the gaze, you saw it was Crown Prince Li Xuance.

Unlike the previous two simulations, his gaze, though still cold, lacked the murderous intent that emanated from him.

[A doubt immediately arose in your mind. Appearing before him three times with the same face, and this time even directly 'stealing' his wife, the hatred should have deepened. Why then has the murderous intent vanished?]

[A thought flashed through your mind—'Fake human skin'! That's right, in the first two simulations, you used disguise to change your appearance. This time, you're wearing fake human skin.]

But a new question arose in my mind: His appearance remained unchanged, so why did donning the fake human skin cause Li Xuance to treat him so drastically?

The Zhao family gathering ended in a subtle atmosphere. You had just stood up when Zhao Mengxi pulled you aside and asked what your true identity was that could influence the patriarch to make such a decision.

You ignored her. At this moment, you wanted to find a quiet place to sort out this chaotic situation, think about the betrothal gift problem three days from now, and also find Ling'er to ask what happened that day.

You turn to leave, but suddenly remember—you seem to have nowhere to stay at the Zhao family's house; your previous room was actually a dungeon.

With nowhere else to go, you have no choice but to return to the banquet venue. However, Zhao Mengxi is like a persistent shadow that you can't shake off.

Left with no other choice, you found a seat and waited for the dinner to begin.

The original intention to find Ling'er, learn about her current situation, and try to uncover the truth behind the attack that day had to be temporarily suppressed.

You know full well that this is a test from Zhao Wuyi. He is testing how deep and significant your connection is with the mysterious "Master of Listening to the Rain Pavilion".

As the "personal disciple" of the Listening Rain Pavilion Master, if he couldn't even afford a decent betrothal gift to marry the legitimate daughter of the Purple Mansion Immortal Clan, what would he do?

Or if the "master" behind you makes no indication, then your identity as a "true disciple" is highly questionable.

The banquet proceeded as scheduled. During the banquet, Zhao Mengxi kept clinging to you, trying to uncover your secrets, but you weren't really in the mood to pay attention to her.

You have very few things you can offer. The Resentment Crystal and the Netherworld God-Slaying Talisman are your trump cards for survival.

Other items such as the Soul-Devouring Banner, the "True Explanation of Sword Dao," and the talismans he drew himself were probably no different from junk in Zhao Wuyi's eyes.

Just when you were at your wit's end, you suddenly remembered—didn't you still have two Purple Mansion cultivator secret techniques in your storage ring, created with the culmination of a lifetime's work?

[The finished product and the failed product of the "Nine Netherworld Supreme Corpse Refining Method". A sudden thought struck you, and you decided to use the failed product as a betrothal gift.]

Although it was a failed attempt, and the refining method recorded on it was riddled with problems, it was ultimately the culmination of a Purple Mansion True Person's lifelong research, and still held immense reference value for cultivators of the same level.

For a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan like the Zhao family, a genuine Purple Mansion-level secret technique, even if it's a failed attempt, would likely have a far greater significance and value than ten or eight ordinary magic treasures.

And they might not even be able to tell that it's a failed product.

"You can rest assured now. After all, this is a genuine Purple Mansion Secret Technique. Using it as a betrothal gift will be respectable and befitting your current status."

As for whether it can be refined... that's a question the Zhao family needs to research themselves.

You felt utterly helpless; things had inexplicably turned out this way. Just as you were feeling frustrated, Li Xuance walked up to you, his tone cold:

"In all these years, you are the first person to take something from me."

You already had no liking for Li Xuance, so you retorted, "A defeated opponent, nothing special."

The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere became incredibly awkward, and everyone turned their attention to you.

Li Xuance, provoked by you, remained silent and left directly. He could tell you were extraordinary from Zhao Wuyi's attitude.

He can't act rashly before he understands your situation.

[After the banquet, Zhao Mengxi left on business, and you felt a little better. Your relationship with Zhao Mengxi has become known throughout the Zhao family; everyone treats you with great respect, and servants escorted you to a top-tier guest room.]

However, as soon as you stepped into the courtyard, you saw Zhao Zhouhui standing with his hands behind his back, clearly having been waiting for a long time.

The Zhao family patriarch's expression was still not very pleasant, but his attitude was much better than before. He had come to investigate your background, of course.

After half an hour of verbal sparring, he returned empty-handed thanks to your vigilance. Just when you thought you could finally rest, the Second Prince, Li Xuanwei, came looking for you again.

After some pleasantries, Li Xuanwei quickly got to the point. He frankly stated that Crown Prince Li Xuance's autocratic rule and suppression of his brothers had already aroused dissatisfaction among many princes.

He had already secretly joined forces with the other princes, hoping to use you to bring down the crown prince.

He promised numerous benefits, including future power and resources, and even hinted that he could help you resolve the "trouble" on the Zhao family's side.

You sighed inwardly, for the struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this.

You declined their offer; you already have enough troubles on your hands and don't want to get involved in royal infighting, so they had no choice but to leave disappointed.

The moon is bright and the stars are few; you sit alone in the house.

So you decided...

1. Go find Ling'er.

2. Lie down and rest.

"I've really been screwed over by this crazy woman..." Li Qingyi complained.

In this situation, how could he possibly be in the mood to sleep?

With a thought, he took out two copies of "The Supreme Corpse Refining Method of the Nine Netherworlds" from his storage ring and placed them on the table in front of him.

When I was in the middle stage of Qi Refining, I thought these two books were no different from ordinary classics.

But now he has advanced to the late stage of Qi Refining, and spirituality has been born in his body, making his senses much sharper.

Looking at them again now, I immediately sensed a difference.

Li Qingyi felt that there was an indescribable charm remaining in these two secret manuals.

Li Qingyi picked up the failed work written by Master You and carefully examined it.

Compared to the concise and clear finished product with its well-defined steps, the content of this manuscript is quite complex and chaotic.

It not only records the more complex and cumbersome refining methods that consume an astonishing amount of materials.

It also contained a large number of rune deductions, array pattern sketches, and a bunch of incomprehensible words that Li Qingyi couldn't understand at all.

Most importantly, there are limitations:

This method goes against the will of Heaven and is not suitable for those at the Purple Mansion Realm who have attained profound spiritual power; it should not be attempted lightly.

Li Qingyi stroked her chin, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes.

"This thing... its theoretical value might be even higher than that finished product? At least for cultivators of the Purple Mansion realm."

It should be quite substantial enough to be used as a betrothal gift.

Moreover, the hidden dangers are clear. Even if Zhao Wuyi realizes it's useless, he can't openly criticize it, since the title of "Purple Mansion Secret Technique" is genuine.

With her mind at ease, Li Qingyi made a decision:

"We still need to find Ling'er. In this simulation, we must find out what Ling'er's death calamity is."

"I choose one."

You are preoccupied with Ling'er and cannot sleep. You begin to inquire about the location of Ling'er's residence at the Zhao family's residence.

The servants of the Zhao family treated you with great respect, and soon someone pointed out the way for you.

Before long, you found a charming little courtyard located in a secluded part of the Zhao family's inner residence.

The gate to the courtyard was ajar and not locked.

You gently push the door open and see Ling'er sitting alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, her hands wrapped around her knees, her chin resting on her knees, her eyes staring blankly at the ground.

She didn't even notice you came. You used your status as Li Qingyi's friend to inquire about what happened that day.

Hearing your voice, she snapped out of her reverie, looked at you calmly, and remained silent. The two of you remained in this stalemate for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Finally, you said you wanted to avenge Li Qingyi, and Ling'er slowly spoke.

That day, she was meditating in her room when she suddenly felt a surge of powerful fire energy.

When she came to her senses, she had already been teleported a hundred miles away by the life-saving talisman on her body. When she returned to the small courtyard in the south of the city, Li Qingyi was already dead.

You were somewhat disappointed that you hadn't gotten any useful information.

You told Ling'er that she could tell you if she had any difficulties, but unfortunately, Ling'er didn't look at you; she just stared blankly at the night sky.

You had no choice but to return to your residence.

You discover that many shrewd elders in your clan have come to probe your background, but you have managed to deceive them all.

Three days passed in a flash. You didn't see Zhao Mengxi during this time, and you were a little angry. She had tricked you like this and then just washed her hands of the matter.

You vowed in your heart that on your wedding day, in the bridal chamber, you would definitely show her what you were capable of!

[At this point, you can only continue the charade with tears in your eyes. After all, the title of "Master of Tingyu Pavilion" is just a facade; you dare not truly break ties with the Zhao family.]

Upon arriving at the main hall, everyone was very curious about your betrothal gifts, especially Zhao Mengxi.

You take out the "Nine Netherworld Supreme Corpse Refining Technique" from your ring and throw it towards Zhao Wuyi.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. "It's actually a secret technique of the Purple Mansion."

[Upon hearing this, everyone in the room was shocked! The Purple Mansion Secret Technique is one of the most core foundations of a celestial race's heritage. This seemingly ordinary young man actually casually produced one as a betrothal gift?]

This gesture...this background...instantly, the way everyone looked at you changed completely.

Zhao Wuyi browsed through the contents with delight, but his expression grew increasingly strange with each page he read.

He could tell that this was indeed a secret technique written by a cultivator at the Purple Mansion Realm, with profound theories and bold ideas.

Some of the ideas about puppet making and the use of divine souls even inspired him. But... who would dare to attempt it by suicide?

He knew he'd been tricked; the secret technique was indeed a Purple Mansion secret technique, and it was indeed unusable.

Zhao Wuyi cursed inwardly, but he couldn't show it on his face. The fact that you could casually produce a Purple Mansion level item already proved a lot.

You may very well have a deep connection with the mysterious Master of Tingyu Pavilion. This "betrothal gift," in a way, is also a subtle form of defiance.

Left with no other choice, Zhao Wuyi could only swallow his pride and put away the jade slip with a warm smile on his face.

He said in a loud voice:

"Master Fang is indeed very sincere! I will accept this betrothal gift."

Zhou Hui immediately began preparing Mengxi's dowry and selected an auspicious day to hold their wedding.

"When my Zhao family marries off our daughter, it must be a grand and glorious affair!"

You breathed a sigh of relief and felt grateful to Master You. Even though he had been dead for a long time, he continued to shine brightly for you.