The Romantic Cultivator

Ji Yuan had entered the cave of ‘life’ alone.

He had actually hesitated for a while before he fully stepped into the cave. No longer had he entered the cave, he was pulled into a portal and through a spatial space.

The cave was only an illusion.

When he had opened his eyes again, he saw that he was in a beautiful plain that was facing a lake and there were thousands of desolate beasts all around the plain.

His first thought was. “Crap! I have been lured into a trap!”

But he soon calmed down when he saw that he was standing on top of a small platform and that there were no desolate beasts that were within five miles around him.

“Where am I?”

All of a sudden an old man with a long white beard had appeared in front of him and he was roaring with laughter; he had that distinctly deep voice that Ji Yuan had heard earlier.

Ji Yuan immediately frowned when he saw him. “So you are that immortal spirit that is talking to us earlier?”

The old man grinned as he stroked his white beard. “This is the cave of life and I am here to give you your reward…”

“Wait!” Ji Yuan interrupted him with a suspicious look. “There are no other trials so why are you giving me a reward?”

As the old man tried to explain, he was interrupted swiftly by Ji Yuan again as he said sternly. “Let us get this straight first. Even though my knowledge of cultivation isn’t as profound as the others but I don’t want you as the reward at all. I’m not going to let you live in my soul sea just because my soul sea is pure. Got it?”

It was because Ji Yuan knows that spirit entities inhabited the soul seas of the cultivators. This was a no brainer knowledge that all the cultivators know.

“Moreover I already have a spirit entity.” Ji Yuan pointed out. “So I don’t need you at all.”

Xiang Li was also shouting loudly in Ji Yuan’s soul sea. “Yea! We don’t need an ugly old man like you! Go away!”

The old man: …

“I didn’t say anything about being your spirit entity.”

“Oh?” Ji Yuan laughed weakly when he had heard him. “Haha. Better be safe than sorry. I am just laying my cards in front of you first. So what is my reward then?”

The old man looked coolly at Ji Yuan as he stroked his long white beard. “Do you know that there are ten immortal spirits in this tomb and I’m the hardest to pass?”

Ji Yuan returned a bitter smile. “I can see that. Failure to pass your trial will mean instant death. Who will be crazy enough to take your trial?”

The old man laughed. “But you did.”

“But will you kill us if we all fail to pass the trial?” Ji Yuan asked curiously.

“And will you kill me if you fail your trial?” The old man asked.

Ji Yuan frankly replied. “I will definitely try because I can’t allow my companions to die in your hands. Even if you are an immortal spirit but I will try to destroy this tomb so that you will not harm them the least.”

The old man laughed. “I really like your answer.”

“So will you kill them?” Ji Yuan asked.

The old man smirked. “What do you think?”

Ji Yuan rubbed his chin. “I think you will try to carry your threats but there is a little flaw with your trial.”

“Which is?” The old man asked.

Ji Yuan frowned. “No one will be stupid enough to enter that cave of death. All they need to do is to wait at the same spot. When the six months are up, they are allowed to go anyway. So why enter the cave of death anyway? It is like you’re inviting them to their dooms but none of them will be stupid enough to enter the cave of death.”

The old man stroked his long white beard as he looked at Ji Yuan intently. “You are actually not wrong. What if you have failed in your trials, what will you do? Kill me?”

Ji Yuan answered. “I will enter the cave of death.”

Xiang Li: …

“Big Brother, no! You will die! Xiang Li don’t want you to die…” She immediately cried out inside Ji Yuan’s soul sea.

“Why?” The old man asked.

“I didn’t sense any danger from you and I don’t think that is really the cave of death.” Ji Yuan explained.

“You just say that no one is stupid enough to enter the cave of death and yet you are offering yourself to enter the cave?” The old man asked.

Ji Yuan said. “Because this is a trial and it isn’t a trap. Therefore the only way out of this trial must be the cave of death.”

The old man roared with laughter. “You know. You are the only smart person that has successfully deducted this. Although the others are all claiming themselves as the smart ones but they will not enter the cave of death. Because the smarter they are, the more they will value their own lives and will not take the risk.”

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes, “Are you saying that I am the stupid one?”𝑜𝐯𝑳xt.𝗰𝒪𝓜

“Didn’t I just say you are the smart one?” The old man smiled.

“How do I know if you are reversing talking to me?” Ji Yuan demanded to know.

The old man: …

“Alright. I am going to give you a reward but can you ask your spirit entity to step out of your soul sea first?”

“What do you want with Xiang Li?” Ji Yuan frowned immediately. “Surely you’re not any lecherous old man, are you?”

The old man roared with laughter. “That is because I am going to give her a reward too because her spirit and soul are purer than you.”

Ji Yuan: …

Ji Yuan: …

Ji Yuan: …

“Xiang Li, will you come out but pleased be clothed properly because there is a lecherous old man here.” Ji Yuan muttered.

Xiang Li had immediately stepped out with a special dress that was made by the special material that Ling Feiyue had given her.

Even though she was clothed modesty but the old man was staring lecherously at her. “Beautiful. Beautiful…”

“Hey, old man! Watch your eyes!” Ji Yuan cursed loudly.

“I’m talking about her pureness of spirit and soul. What are you thinking?” The old man asked.

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes to Xiang Li. “She is obviously a lolita now.”

The old man: …

“Why is that I feel that you are the lecherous one? And you even have four maidens accompanying you?”

“They are my women. What is lecherous about that?” Ji Yuan protested immediately. “So what are our rewards? Don’t lie to me. You’re supposed to give us two rewards!”

Xiang Li raised her fists too. “Yea! What’re our rewards? Don’t lie to us! Or we’ll destroy your tomb!”

The old man raised his fingers as he pointed at Ji Yuan. “This is your reward…”

All of a sudden Ji Yuan felt that his spiritual sea was solidifying rapidly now and that the Ambrosia Divine Profound Pill that he had consumed a few days ago were now expanding his spiritual sea to the peak; in a blink of an eye he is now a peaked great saint!

Ji Yuan was shocked as he muttered. “I have reached the pinnacle of cultivation…”

The old man chuckled. “Cultivation has no limits. There are still realms above the peaked seventh realm. Whether you can ascend it, is another story.”

Xiang Li was delighted for Ji Yuan as she chuckled. “Wow my big brother is so great now! What about me? What is my reward? It has better be good!”

Now that Ji Yuan had taken the sweet bribe from the old man, he was naturally siding with the old man now so he rebuked Xiang Li lightly. “You ought to be more polite to him. After all, he is a nice old man.”

The old man rolled his eyes. This cultivator sure changed his face fast.

But he was soon laughing as he pointed his finger at Xiang Li. “Since your spiritual sea is in excess now, I shall do you the favor of transferring your excess spiritual force to your spirit entity.”

All of a sudden Ji Yuan’s eyes dropped as Xiang Li began to mature to the usual form that he had been used to for a long time, that of a young maiden.

“Xiang Li! You’re back now!” Ji Yuan was roaring with laughter as he tried to hug her but his arms had passed through to her.

Xiang Li: ???

“Come Xiang Li, materialize to your physical body and let me hug you! Haha.” Ji Yuan laughed aloud. “It is so good to have you back again!”

Xiang Li: ???

“I am always here. Why am I back?!”

The old man laughed as he pointed at Ji Yuan. “Why is that I think you are the lecherous one?”

“Rubbish! Never!” Ji Yuan laughed. “Well, thank you old man for bringing back my Xiang Li. Haha.”

“But big brother, I am always here? What do you mean?” Xiang Li was perplexed.

“Xiang Li, you are too dumb. Haha. All you need to know is, welcome back!” Ji Yuan was really extremely happy. The more mature Xiang Li, the more secure that he is. It is because he really did not want to lose Xiang Li who has always been his confidant.

The old man pointed to a portal that had appeared. “You may go now. You have passed the trial.”

“Haha. Farewell old man!” Ji Yuan waved him good bye as he entered through the portal.

As he entered the portal, the old man muttered. “Farewell to you, the Great Beyond Goddess. You really have a nice master. I wish you all the best…”