Chapter 129: The Sanctimonious Cao Xuan?

"Heh, the Great Dao, the Demonic Path—what does it matter!"

Hearing Chen Ru's angry shout, Liu Ruyan swung her legs with an air of indifference. She could trade barbs with other holy lands, but with the bookworms of the Qianyuan Academy, there was simply no common ground. Whether she could win an argument was one thing, but even if she did, they were stubborn to the core, clinging to their rigid principles. That was why she couldn't care less about Chen Ru’s lecturing; she had already laid out her terms.

"Look for yourself, kid. Those are the terms. If you have the mettle to become the Seed-Dao Saint Son, I’ll gladly accompany you in the Dao-seeding process every single day!"

Watching Liu Ruyan’s uninhibited display, Cao Xuan shook his head. He had to admit, the offer was tempting—it supposedly guaranteed resources up to the Void Refinement stage. But as Chen Ru pointed out, it was also fraught with peril. Cao Xuan was not the type to let his lower half dictate his intellect. While it was true that wealth and the Great Dao were often found in the midst of danger, he possessed a system. To him, it mattered little which holy land he chose—well, except for the Sacred Dragon Temple, perhaps, as there might be no female cultivators there.

In Cao Xuan’s eyes, a holy land was merely a springboard. It would allow him to encounter high-multiplier female cultivators, and through his gifting and rebate system, he could steadily ascend. He understood well that with his innate spiritual roots, cultivation would become increasingly difficult as he progressed. But as long as he had resources, he could brute-force his way up, thanks to the system’s rebates. Therefore, rather than joining a sect full of beautiful women that was rife with danger—where he could be "drained dry" by a demoness at any moment—it was better to choose a righteous holy land and take it slow.

Honestly, joining the Xuanhua Dao Sect would be perfectly fine. As long as the junior ancestor Xian Xiangqiu was there, that 3,000x multiplier was secure. Moreover, unlike those unfamiliar women, he already had a connection with her. He could occasionally drop by to offer gifts, and she wouldn't refuse. Once his strength increased, who knows? He might even be able to turn the tables.

To Cao Xuan, immortal cultivation was one thing, and female immortals were a pleasant bonus. Since he was giving gifts, if they accepted, he would naturally welcome them into his harem. He imagined that one day, when he stood undefeated in the cultivation world, he could gather all the female cultivators who had helped him grow through his gifting system and enjoy a life of domestic bliss together. He had already experienced the tenderness of such immortals through Yu Wan, Li Yao, and Lin Miaoxuan. So, although he was intrigued by Liu Ruyan, he didn't let it cloud his judgment.

He knew the meaning of "acting according to one's ability." Don't be fooled by Liu Ruyan’s lack of "defenses"; he saw it as a manifestation of absolute confidence. In the words of his past life, she stood there with an aura so powerful it was terrifying. Even if he were to accept the Dao-seeding, he would likely be drained dry the moment he lay down. Unless his strength reached a point where he could protect himself, it was better to play it safe.

Seeing Cao Xuan shake his head, combined with his aura of sword intent, the other five sects saw it as the mark of a man with righteous integrity.

"As expected, a sword cultivator is devoted only to his blade; how could he be swayed by mere beauty?"
"Women only serve to slow down a sword cultivator's draw!"

The representatives of the five holy lands thought to themselves. Only Liu Ruyan pouted and transmitted her voice: "Kid, stop pretending. You haven't done little 'Dao-seeding' within your own sect, have you? No, wait, you haven't cultivated the *Imperial Maiden Dao Scripture*, so that doesn't count as true Dao-seeding!" She ran a finger across her red lips, looking languid. "What you've done is simple hedonism. Tsk, just like the Hehuan Sect!"

Liu Ruyan held a trace of disdain. The reason the Jade Maiden Sect was a holy land while the Hehuan Sect was a lesser sect lay in a fundamental difference. The Jade Maiden Sect was, in essence, a meritocracy where strength reigned supreme. Some of their saints could remain unmoved while consorting with countless men—a feat that even Cao Xuan would acknowledge as legendary. Their Dao hearts remained firm, focused solely on ascending the Great Dao.

The Hehuan Sect was different. Although their techniques originated from the Jade Maiden Sect, they truly became obsessed with the act itself during their cultivation. They even had women who would fall for mortal scholars, willing to sacrifice their own cultivation to help the men practice—an act considered utterly heretical. Liu Ruyan could accept Dao-seeding for mutual gain, but she preferred to climb the peaks of cultivation together, not to degrade oneself for another’s benefit.

It was precisely because the Hehuan Sect had such women, entangled by emotion, that they were able to ensnare a saint from the Qianyuan Academy six thousand years ago. The two had been truly in love, but the woman, having forgotten her Hehuan origins due to a powerful seal, had developed pure, genuine feelings for the saint. Even when their physical intimacy didn't align, it didn't affect their bond. But once the saint tasted the forbidden fruit, and the woman began to feel unfulfilled, the tragedy unfolded. A collapse of the Dao heart happens in a single thought.

Liu Ruyan felt that if Cao Xuan had admitted it frankly, she would have held him in higher regard. She might even have protected him in secret, helping him grow into a Transformation-level sword cultivator. By then, he would have a foothold in the Jade Maiden Sect, and if they practiced Dao-seeding once a year, so be it. She wouldn't lose out, and what Cao Xuan gained would depend on his own fortune. But Cao Xuan chose to shake his head with icy detachment, making him no different from those "righteous" hypocrites who secretly frequented the Hehuan Sect.

As soon as he shook his head, Liu Ruyan put away the jade statue and returned to her bored, foot-swinging posture. Seeing this, the other holy lands realized she had likely given up. Consequently, the remaining sects spoke up, even sweetening their offers. After all, such a righteous sword cultivator surely had an excellent character.

Even Qing Xuzi of the Xuanhua Dao Sect, who had already recruited Xian Xiangqiu and had been making concessions, spoke up: "You are a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, which is a subordinate sect of our Xuanhua Dao Sect. Come join us, and in addition to the standard inner disciple treatment, I can privately guarantee that the moment you reach the Nascent Soul stage, you will be promoted to a direct disciple! Plus, your elder Xian Xiangqiu is already in the sect; you will have someone to look after you."

It was an appeal to emotion and reason, with a conditional offer—a betting contract of sorts. At the same time, he played the family card. Even the Qingyin Sword Immortal, who had finally set her heart at ease, felt a tremor in her chest. She was caught in a dilemma: the secret of the Sword Spirit Root in the Sword Washing Pool could only be revealed once Cao Xuan joined the Ziyang Holy Land. The Ziyang Holy Land had kept it hidden for so many years for a reason. Many within the Ziyang Sword Sect didn't even know the true purpose of the pool, believing it to be a place for forging, tempering, or selecting swords.

Even though she recognized Cao Xuan's talent, she couldn't be like Liu Ruyan, who could just whip out a Dao-seeding token. If Cao Xuan were to choose the Xuanhua Dao Sect, would the secret of the Sword Washing Pool just be exposed like that?