Chapter 222: You’ve Learned to Be Perfunctory With Me, Too

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: You’ve Learned to Be Perfunctory With Me, Too

"Brother, can I talk to you about something?"

After finishing her taste, Mo Jinyu looked over at her brother, who was about to start his meal. ’With talent like this, what’s the point of some trial?’ she thought. ’He should just go back to the Mo Family. Even if he couldn’t hold a position of power, who would dare to offend such a young Spirit Chef?’

"Don’t even think about it."

Mo Xuan shot her down before she could even say a word. He was grooming Liu Chen to one day become a Grand Elder. If Liu Chen returned to the Mo Family now without completing his trial, the highest he could ever rank would be an ordinary Elder. He’d never be able to become the Grand Elder.

"Sister-in-law, look at him! I didn’t even say what I was going to ask."

Mo Jinyu shot Bai Qiulan a pleading look. She had long known that her brother valued his wife’s opinion.

"Let’s just eat."

Bai Qiulan didn’t rise to the bait. The matter of Liu Chen’s trial had been decided long ago, and she refused to influence Mo Xuan’s decisions on such matters.

Having been tactfully rebuffed, Mo Jinyu could only channel her indignation into her appetite. She proceeded to polish off nearly two entire dishes by herself, causing Bai Qiulan to eye her with astonishment. Her young sister-in-law had never had such a large appetite on her previous visits.

"You get used to it."

Mo Xuan sighed and put down his bowl and chopsticks. He’d already had a taste. If he wanted to actually fill his stomach, he’d have to stick to plain rice. Third Grade Spiritual Cuisine had no effect on those in the Bright Aperture Realm. Cultivators at his level needed Fifth Grade Spiritual Cuisine.

"Oh, right. Did you bring what I asked for?"

After dinner, Mo Xuan glanced at his sister, who was sprawled out on what was usually his lounge chair. She had been here for a day already, but with Liu Chen still out, they couldn’t get down to business.

This was especially true when it came to Refining Spirit Ghosts. He’d already witnessed Liu Chen’s talent with the Flood Dragon Spirit Ghost last time. Because of that, he had naturally pulled some strings with the Mo Family to acquire semi-finished Spirit Ghosts for Liu Chen to complete.

Having Liu Chen try to refine a Spirit Ghost suitable for the Bright Aperture Realm from scratch would likely take years.

"I brought them. Most Mo Family members won’t form a Soul Contract unless they find a Top Grade Spirit Ghost. In our generation, I’m the only one who’s done so. I know your Cultivation has slowed down out here, but you don’t need to get desperate and pin your hopes on a Spirit Ghost.

You can be reckless with your own life, but if you drag Sister-in-law into this, the old man will probably skin you alive."

Mo Jinyu placed three rings on the table. The first two were Soul Rings, each containing an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost that the Mo Family had cultivated from a Demon Beast. Both were at the Peak of the Bright Aperture Realm.

Normally, a Demon Beast will transform and join the Demon Race after reaching the Fourth Grade. However, if they are raised in captivity, they can never make that transformation. This isn’t due to the will of the beast itself, but because the Cultivators who control them won’t allow it to happen.

Mo Xuan was touched by the first half of his sister’s speech, but the second half left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Don’t tell anyone what you’re about to see."

Mo Xuan picked up the three rings and headed straight for Liu Chen’s Bamboo Garden.

The matter of the Spirit Ghosts was pressing, and its outcome would affect all three of them.

"What is it?"

Mo Jinyu sat up. Her brother hadn’t sounded overly grave, but having been raised by him, she could tell this was serious.

"You’ll know when he gets back."

Bai Qiulan remained silent. She understood the value of a Top Grade Spirit Ghost, but she was ignorant of the inner workings of the Mo Family. Mo Jinyu seemed to be on good terms with Mo Xuan and was always respectful to her, but if word of a Top Grade Spirit Ghost got out, Liu Chen’s life would be in danger.

Therefore, she wouldn’t be the one to reveal a secret that Mo Xuan himself had chosen not to share.

"You’ve changed, Sister-in-law. Now you’re learning to brush me off too."

Mo Jinyu gave Bai Qiulan a helpless look and settled back into her reclined position. Since neither of them was willing to talk, she figured she’d find out what was going on once her brother returned.

Bai Qiulan didn’t reply. She simply lifted her Spirit Tea and quietly took a sip.

"These are two Upper Grade Spirit Ghosts. Can you refine them into Top Grade?"

Mo Xuan sat on a chair in Liu Chen’s Bamboo Garden, his eyes filled with anticipation. While he had been happy during his years on Purple Bamboo Peak, it was a fact that his Cultivation had fallen behind.

His peers from the Mo Family were already preparing to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm, yet he was still only at the Bright Acupoint Middle Stage. It would be difficult to catch up under these circumstances.

With the help of a Top Grade Spirit Ghost, he could not only reclaim his position as the leader of his generation upon returning to the Mo Family, but his future Cultivation path would also be much smoother.

And as luck would have it, Liu Chen possessed the ability to refine Top Grade Spirit Ghosts—ones that seemed even purer than those the Mo Family had chanced upon.

’But compared to the Spirit Ghosts Liu Chen refined, the one the Mo Family considered its purest looked like a flawed product. Before he left, he had to get Liu Chen to re-refine his sister’s Top Grade Spirit Ghost. That was the only way to minimize its hidden dangers.’

But first, the main question was whether Liu Chen could actually refine an Upper Grade Spirit Ghost and elevate it to Top Grade.

"I can."

Liu Chen took the Soul Ring and gave it a quick look. He nodded after confirming that the two Spirit Ghosts inside showed no signs of aggression. If they were aggressive Soul Slaves, trying to refine them at his current Cultivation level would mean instant death.

But Spirit Ghosts were different; they had no self-awareness. If there were a way to seal a Spirit Ghost’s constant cycling of Spiritual Power, even a Cultivator in the Body Tempering Realm could form a Soul Contract with a Spirit Ghost from the Bright Acupoint Realm or even higher.

However, cycling Spiritual Power was a Spirit Ghost’s instinct. Usually, two major Realms above one’s own was the absolute limit. Any higher, and the Spiritual Power the Cultivator needed for their daily practice would be dwarfed by the amount the Spirit Ghost naturally cycled. At some point, the Cultivator would likely just explode.

Without any unnecessary words, Liu Chen began the Refining process. The first thing to manifest in the Bamboo Garden was a black dragon. This wasn’t a Flood Dragon with some Dragon Race bloodline like Liu Chen’s own, but a True Dragon.

He worked for two full hours. Liu Chen completely exhausted and recovered his Spiritual Power three times over before he finally finished Refining the Spirit Ghost.

As the final Dharma Seal settled, a shadowy black dragon emerged from the Spirit Ghost and slowly dissipated.

Mo Xuan, who had watched the entire process, shot to his feet. He walked over to carefully inspect the Spirit Ghost. It was just as pure as the previous Top Grade Spirit Ghost Liu Chen had refined—utterly flawless.

"Thank you for your hard work. Inside that other Storage Ring are the resources I prepared for your trial."

Mo Xuan turned to look at Liu Chen, who was now sitting to the side, panting heavily. A pang of guilt hit him. After all, the idea of a master having his disciple refine a Spirit Ghost for him sounded absurd.

But alas, Liu Chen was simply too exceptional.