Chapter 128: Die Beneath the Peonies, and Be a Romantic Ghost!

Liu Ruyan observed Cao Xuan. Up close, he was a man of striking appearance, perfectly matching the standards of the Jade Maiden Sect for a "Dao-Seeding Candidate." While strength remained the paramount virtue for the sect, physical beauty had long been a cherished tradition.

She smiled at him and said, "While our Jade Maiden Sect only recruits female disciples as direct disciples, there is one exception: the Holy Son of Dao-Seeding."

Upon hearing the term "Holy Son of Dao-Seeding," Cao Xuan clearly felt the representatives of the six great sacred lands shudder; the title clearly carried immense significance.

However, Liu Ruyan’s tone shifted. "But given your current talent, even if I wished to appoint you as a Holy Son, you would not meet the criteria. It might even make you a target for those competing for the position."

"I can, however, promise you the status of a 'Dao-Seeder' of the Jade Maiden Sect."

As one of the six great sacred lands, the Jade Maiden Sect had ancestral rules restricting recruitment to women and the singular Holy Son. Yet, the sect was not so rigid as to be foolish. If they ignored half of the talented male cultivators on the Xuanhua Continent, they would simply be handing them over to the other five sacred lands. Thus, the sect introduced the role of the "Dao-Seeder."

It was akin to the position of a guest elder, yet because it involved the practice of "Dao-Seeding" with inner-sect female disciples—a relationship that lacked the formal title of a cultivation partner but possessed the reality of one—it was far more intimate than a typical hired guardian. Some who were nurtured from a young age could even contend for the title of Holy Son. Though the Jade Maiden Sect did not formally acknowledge them as disciples, the other five sacred lands viewed Dao-Seeders as little more than male disciples or protectors.

"Of course, these Dao-Seeders are tiered. As for you..."

As Liu Ruyan spoke, a jade figurine of a fairy, wearing almost nothing save for a few strategic coverings, materialized in her palm. Seeing the figurine, Fairy Qinyin’s expression darkened. "Liu Ruyan, have you lost your mind?"

Within the Jade Maiden Sect, Dao-Seeders had become pillars of the organization over the centuries. There were four types of jade fairy figurines representing their rank, from lowest to highest: Plain Robe, Enchanting Garb, Three-Point Attire, and Flawless White Jade. True to their names, the less clothing on the figurine, the higher the status. The Flawless White Jade figurine represented the Holy Son of Dao-Seeding, and the one in Liu Ruyan’s hand was the Three-Point Attire, the tier immediately below.

Seemingly fearing that Cao Xuan might not grasp the weight of the token, Liu Ruyan said with a smile, "Little Cao Xuan, if you take this token, not only will you gain status equivalent to a direct disciple of the six great sacred lands, but you may also present me with a request for 'Dao-Seeding' once a year."

Cao Xuan’s eyes brightened, though he quickly rubbed his nose to hide his embarrassment. Seeing this, Liu Ruyan’s laughter grew more brazen. "You understood correctly—exactly as you imagined!"

She struck a seductive pose, prompting Fairy Qinyin to draw her flying sword. "Witch! Don't you dare corrupt our sword path seed!"

Liu Ruyan cast a sultry glance at Cao Xuan before turning her head, her expression instantly chilling. Though she was dressed scantily, her current demeanor radiated an inexplicable sense of oppression. "Qinyin, don't forget, I am at the mid-stage of the Void Refining realm. Are you sure you want to test your half-baked sword intent against me?"

"You!"

Fairy Qinyin was indignant. As a sword cultivator at the early stage of Void Refining, she could hold her own against even late-stage opponents. But that applied to ordinary cultivators; Liu Ruyan was a pinnacle figure of one of the six great sacred lands, having cultivated the *Jade Maiden Dao Sutra* to perfection. Her mid-stage Void Refining power was not something an average person could compare to. Qinyin was confident she could survive a confrontation, but if it came to a decisive battle, the odds were likely three to seven in Liu Ruyan's favor. This was the reason everyone deferred to Liu Ruyan at the Qingyun Dharma Assembly.

In truth, Qinyin’s frustration stemmed from the sheer generosity of the offer. If a high-level male cultivator engaged in Dao-Seeding with a lower-level female, it helped the woman improve her cultivation. But in reverse, if Cao Xuan were to engage in Dao-Seeding with the mid-stage Void Refining Liu Ruyan, beyond the carnal pleasure, the most important benefit would be gaining an early insight into the mysteries of the Void Refining realm, ultimately boosting his own true essence.

Of course, this was theoretical, and the prerequisite was surviving the process. With such a vast gap in cultivation, without a corresponding technique, Cao Xuan would likely be drained dry before he could receive any feedback. Yet, it left him with a glimmer of hope and a path forward.

If he, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, could not handle it, what about when he reached the Deity Transformation stage? Given his aptitude, reaching the Golden Core stage was difficult, and relying on resources to reach Nascent Soul was no easy feat. With his grasp of sword intent, if a sacred land poured resources into him to reach the peak of Nascent Soul, he might eventually use that intent to break the bottleneck and reach the Deity Transformation stage—which would likely be his limit. He would probably remain an early-stage Deity Transformation sword cultivator.

But if he could engage in Dao-Seeding with Liu Ruyan annually, the collision between Deity Transformation and Void Refining energy might just help him shatter the bottleneck of the Void Refining realm.

At this moment, the other four sacred lands looked at Cao Xuan with changed eyes. There was no comparison between a Deity Transformation sword cultivator and a Void Refining one. While the sacred lands possessed the resources to elevate Cao Xuan, the return on investment was poor; those same resources could cultivate a dozen ordinary Void Refining cultivators. Compared to that, the Jade Maiden Sect’s offer was merely Liu Ruyan herself, and for their sect, Dao-Seeding was part of the cultivation process itself.

However, if it were truly that simple, the Jade Maiden Sect would not be branded a demonic sect. Chen Ru, the elderly scholar from the Qianyuan Academy, spoke up: "Young friend Cao Xuan, have you ever heard the saying, 'Better to die under a peony flower than to live as a ghost'?"

"In the mundane world, that is merely a flirtatious remark, but in the Jade Maiden Sect, 'Dao-Seeding' truly carries the risk of not even being able to become a ghost under that peony."

Liu Ruyan crossed her legs, swinging one jade-like limb, and said dismissively, "Our *Jade Maiden Dao Sutra* is naturally domineering. If one’s cultivation is insufficient and they become mere fertilizer, that is due to their own lack of strength, not the fault of others."

"Besides, what part of cultivation is without risk? Our risk is just a tiny bit larger. But putting aside the 'flirtatious death,' if one manages to survive, is it not a path to ascend the Great Dao together?"