The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Chen Dong's brow furrowed. "Metamorphosis? What does that mean? And why me?"

"Secretly cultivating an Immortal Technique is an act of betrayal against my sect. I can no longer trust my sect-mates or family. I had originally chosen Feng Wei of the Qixia Sect, but after I found you, I realized you were a better fit."

A faint smile played on Chen Dong's lips. "Aren't you afraid I'll turn you in for the reward?"

Mu Qingzhu's voice transmission was filled with confidence. "When I use your body for my metamorphosis, you will also gain immense benefits. Breaking through to the Twelfth-Layer of Qi Cultivation will be a simple matter. Will you still turn me in then?"

'No wonder,' Chen Dong thought, his confusion vanishing in an instant.

This involved one of the three great Immortal Techniques of the Wangyou Sect. She couldn't trust her sect-mates, her relatives, or anyone else in the entire Human Race of the Wangyou Realm. But Chen Dong was different. He had reached the Extreme Realm, which meant he couldn't change his cultivation path or break through to the next stage. By becoming the vessel for her metamorphosis, he would gain the opportunity to break through to the Twelfth-Layer of Qi Cultivation. He was, quite simply, the most reliable person she could find. This was why Mu Qingzhu had been so forthcoming, holding nothing back.

"I'll do it," Chen Dong said.

"I knew you would," Mu Qingzhu replied, full of confidence.

Several hours later, Chen Dong followed Mu Qingzhu not to Qishuang City, but to a simple cave residence nestled in the mountain forest.

Chen Dong asked in surprise, "What is this place?"

Mu Qingzhu replied, "I received a message that the Daoist Li Zhixuan has come out of seclusion. I carry the Yuqing Immortal Technique, and he would be able to sense it if he got close to me. So, it has to be here."

Chen Dong had no objection.

「Two days later.」

Chen Dong walked out of the temporary cave residence alone, a new White Jade Bracelet on his wrist. He touched his lower abdomen, a strange sensation washing over him. 'It feels like I'm pregnant.'

He now understood what "metamorphosis" meant. Mu Qingzhu had transformed her entire being into a Jade Embryo, which now resided within his Dantian.

The Primordial Embryo, a total rebirth.

This Jade Embryo couldn't inhabit an ordinary person; they would be drained to death by it in minutes.

Chen Dong stretched. 'Another day, another time being used as a tool.'

With a flash of light from the bracelet, the White Feather Flying Sword shot out. Chen Dong stepped onto it and flew toward Xiayun River.

Having transformed into a Jade Embryo, Mu Qingzhu couldn't bring anything with her. That, of course, included the Storage Bracelet, which she had to entrust to Chen Dong.

After claiming ownership of the bracelet, Chen Dong had to admire Mu Qingzhu's wealth. Inside were a dozen or so treasured artifacts covering both attack and defense—everything one could possibly need. There were hundreds of Middle-Grade Spirit Stones and tens of thousands of common ones. Considering one Middle-Grade Spirit Stone was worth a hundred common ones, Mu Qingzhu possessed over one hundred ten thousand Spirit Stones in total. Beyond that, there were various medicinal pills, Talismans, a few cultivation manuals, and finally, a large pile of women's Flowing Skirt Magic Robes, along with quite a lot of her personal undergarments. Mu Qingzhu had clearly been preparing for this metamorphosis for a long time; the bracelet held her entire fortune.

The White Jade Bracelet was a bit too feminine, so Chen Dong circulated his True Qi. The bracelet slowly shrank, transforming into a White Jade Ring. He slipped it onto his index finger and once again touched his lower abdomen.

His Dantian didn't just contain Mu Qingzhu in her Jade Embryo form; it also held a Jade Talisman, which was the Yuqing Immortal Technique itself.

'Mundane objects cannot contain the Dao.' This Yuqing Immortal Technique was the only one of its kind in the entire Wangyou Realm. He had no idea how Mu Qingzhu had managed to obtain it.

According to Mu Qingzhu's original plan, Chen Dong was supposed to go into seclusion and cultivate until her metamorphosis was complete. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that if the counterfeit Drunken Immortal Brew was left unchecked, it would lead to disaster sooner or later. So, on the second day of his supposed seclusion, he slipped away.

After two days of travel by Sword Control, Chen Dong was back at Xiayun River. He planned to find the 'Eight Immortals' and tell them to stop selling the Drunken Immortal Brew. A brew like this was revolutionary enough to upend the entire market for low-level cultivation pills. Neither the 'Eight Immortals' nor he himself had the power to manage the fallout.

In a classic case of 'what could go wrong, did go wrong'...

Chen Dong had only just arrived at the Xiayun River marketplace to find that the alchemy shops had practically turned into liquor stores. Even the street-side stalls were selling Drunken Immortal Brew.

Chen Dong knew something had gone wrong. He stealthily made his way to the 'Eight Immortals' lair, only to find it completely empty. Not a soul was left, not even the ordinary servants of the estate.

Seeing this, Chen Dong immediately took to his sword and fled. His only hope now was that the 'Eight Immortals' hadn't ratted him out.

But reality was often cruel. The instant Chen Dong fled, four Foundation Establishment Cultivators took off in hot pursuit. The one in the lead was the Red-clothed Fatty, the 'Fiery Fire Immortal' Xin Ranming. Chen Dong didn't recognize the other three.

Chen Dong's flying sword was faster than his four pursuers. Seeing they couldn't catch up, one of them pulled out a Talisman and hurled it into the sky, where it exploded into a massive signal flare.

Immediately after the signal, three more Foundation Establishment Cultivators appeared in front of Chen Dong, blocking his path. Their leader was none other than Zhou Zeyuan.

They were now a good distance from Xiayun River. The seven cultivators didn't attack immediately, instead forming a wary circle around Chen Dong.

Zhou Zeyuan adopted a sincere expression. "Master Chen, my master, Master Gu Zhen, has sincerely invited you to join us at Xiayun River."

'Joining' was a pleasant way of putting it. 'Once I join, my life and death will no longer be my own.'

Chen Dong's brow tightened. "Master? I'm no master. I appreciate the kind offer, but I'm used to being a Loose Cultivator. I won't be joining."

Xin Ranming gave a treacherous smirk. "Ninth Brother, I never imagined you were so capable. If Pavilion Master Zhou hadn't enlightened me, I would have never known the true value of the Drunken Immortal Brew you replicated."

Zhou Zeyuan continued, "With Brother Xin here, there's no need to pretend, Master Chen. Your understanding of pharmacology is astounding; I am truly in awe. Even Golden Core Alchemy Masters don't have half your skill. You may not understand your own value, but the two brews you replicated can generate a terrifying amount of Spirit Stone revenue in a single day."

Chen Dong didn't answer, asking instead, "Where are Zhuang Zheng and the others?"

Zhou Zeyuan smiled. "Brother Zhuang and his companions were a bit... uncooperative. They're still in the dungeons."