At some point, other cultivators had also taken notice of the commotion here.

“I, too, am an alchemist. Allow me to give it a try,” said a refined-looking man, stepping forward.

His face was pale from overusing his spiritual energy, but his eyes, upon seeing the bronze cauldron, betrayed an undeniable fervor.

Indeed, as Chu Guiyi had stated, no alchemist could ever resist the allure of the bronze cauldron.

Hesitating, Helian Zhu and the others instinctively turned their gazes to Chu Guiyi.

Chu Guiyi, seemingly accustomed to being sought for guidance, pondered for a moment before nodding.

When concocting elixirs, an alchemist must set aside personal distractions. A seasoned alchemist indeed would be better suited to wield the bronze cauldron than most.

Thus, Helian Zhu stepped forward and placed the bronze cauldron into the alchemist’s palm.

Xie Shuci straightened up, watching the alchemist with intense curiosity.

Xie An lightly tapped Xie Shuci’s neck with his fingertip, prompting the latter to look up. “It’s not complicated,” Xie An said, “just pay close attention.”

Realizing the implication of his words, Xie Shuci nodded, tensing his back, his eyes unblinkingly tracking every move of the alchemist.

Holding the bronze cauldron in his hand, the alchemist’s breathing grew rapid with excitement. His eyes glinted red; for many ordinary cultivators from the ordinary immortal sects, encountering such a cauldron was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and yet now he was granted this chance!

However, a turbulent heart is a grave taboo in alchemy. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he sat cross-legged on the ground and set the cauldron before him.

Xie Shuci watched intently, unconsciously channeling a trickle of his spiritual energy, which wrapped around the alchemist.

Xie Shuci’s spiritual energy was gentle and pure, enveloping the alchemist, providing him with some nourishment, and giving some color back to the alchemist’s pale lips.

Surprised, the alchemist glanced at Xie Shuci and found him deeply focused. Apparently understanding his intention, the alchemist didn’t resist and instead gently released his own spiritual energy, gratefully accepting Xie Shuci’s spiritual energy and sharing his current senses with him.

Xie Shuci was momentarily taken aback. An unfamiliar sensation filled his chest as if he had been split in two, simultaneously possessing the senses of two individuals.

Beside him, Xie An’s brows furrowed, a flash of displeasure crossing his face.

Merging of spiritual consciousness is quite common among alchemists. Many novices in the practice often use this method to be guided in the art of alchemy.

It’s an extremely straightforward and convenient technique, widely accepted in the alchemist community.

However, for other cultivators, such a merger of consciousness is considered a deeply intimate act. Only fellow sect members or Dao companions who deeply trust each other would engage in such a connection.

For those on the path of slaughter, this would be an unthinkable act, an absolute taboo. They would never share their spiritual consciousness with anyone under any circumstance. Even the approach of another’s spiritual energy would feel like an affront.

Xie Shuci paid no heed to Xie An’s suddenly cold demeanor. As the alchemist closed his eyes, Xie Shuci cleared all distractions from his mind. Following the alchemist’s lead, he sat up straight, closed his eyes, and emptied his thoughts. All around him, the world was silent. He was unaware of his surroundings or who might be by his side, focusing all his attention solely on his body.

At that moment, his awareness of his own body was incredibly sharp.

He could feel the gentle thudding of his heart within his chest, sense the blood coursing through his veins, and detect the pure and potent spiritual energy swirling within him. He also perceived the Golden Core within his dantian, silently radiating its light.

At the same time, Xie Shuci noticed the alchemist channeling his own spiritual energy. He too attempted to control that white, misty aura. Under his will, the mist circulated faster within him. The spiritual energy was him and he was the spiritual energy; he could control it at will.

Suddenly inspired, Xie Shuci directed the spiritual energy to swirl in the air. Eventually, the luminescent white aura gathered and materialized into a small fan.

In the martial arts films he’d watched before, his favorite weapon had always been the fan. Dressed in white robes, wielding a folding fan – it exuded a dashing elegance, the very essence of a transcendent master.

“He…” Chu Wenfeng, upon seeing the transparent fan of spiritual energy in front of Xie Shuci, voiced his astonishment in disbelief.

Xie An walked past Xie Shuci and pressed heavily on Chu Wenfeng’s shoulder. The sharp pain caused Chu Wenfeng to wince, and he hurriedly silenced himself.

Chu Guiyi also shook his head at him, signaling him to stay quiet.

Chu Wenfeng obediently nodded. He was well aware that disturbing someone in such a state could lead a less mentally stable cultivator to inadvertently destroy their Golden Core. He was just too taken aback. Xie Shuci clearly had no prior experience with spiritual energy, yet how was it that in just two days, he could control it so freely?

Even for a cultivator with exceptional aptitude, mastering one’s spiritual energy to this extent requires time.

The alchemist gently layered his spiritual energy onto the bronze cauldron. Its cyan glow shimmered momentarily, showing no signs of rejection. Everyone watching heaved a sigh of relief.

However, while the bronze cauldron didn’t reject his spiritual energy, it didn’t accept it either. Regardless of how much energy he channeled, he couldn’t get it inside the cauldron to unseal it.

After a moment, the alchemist, having expended his spiritual energy, ceased his efforts, gasping for breath while clutching his chest.

At the same moment, Xie Shuci pulled back from the shared consciousness, his bodily senses returning.

The alchemist’s forehead was slick with cold sweat, his face pale. He shook his head, “It’s no use. There’s a high-level array seal inside. I’m afraid only the spiritual energy of Fellow Daoist can break it.”

Chu Guiyi frowned upon hearing this, “An array?”

“Yes, a high-level one.”

This was the first time Xie Shuci freely controlled spiritual energy. When his senses fully returned, he felt incredibly light, as if he could soar with the slightest movement.

“Um, how about letting me give it a try?” Xie Shuci raised his right hand and sheepishly suggested to the group.

He felt this shouldn’t be too hard. Wasn’t it just about channeling spiritual energy into the bronze cauldron? How hard it could be? He’d seen the alchemist do it, and it looked pretty straightforward.

All eyes converged on Xie Shuci once again. Everyone seemed hesitant, none of them rushing to speak first.

After pondering for a moment, Chu Guiyi spoke with a grave expression, “Shuci, do you understand the consequences of a backlash?”

Xie Shuci shook his head honestly, “No, I don’t know.”

Chu Guiyi appeared unsurprised, warning gravely, “The bronze cauldron isn’t like other cauldrons. It’s unforgiving of even the slightest mistake. A minor oversight can lead to cultivation madness. The outcome would be similar to what happened to me and young master Xie.”

Xie Shuci glanced at Xie An, then back at Chu Guiyi, a wave of uncertainty washing over him.

He hung his head, lost in thought, while everyone intently awaited his response.

After a while, Xie Shuci looked up at Chu Guiyi, stating earnestly, “Can I negotiate terms? If… things go south, just destroy my Golden Core and spiritual meridians, but please don’t let me go blind. If I also go blind, how would Xie An and I manage?”

Everyone, “…”

Seeing his sincere demeanor, a few couldn’t help but suppress their laugh.

Chu Wenfeng kicked him from the side, “Are you an idiot? Who are you planning to negotiate with? The Heavens? If it could find out about this, it’d definitely let the divine thunder strike you to death”

Not to be outdone, Xie Shuci shot back with a kick of his own, “If anyone’s getting struck first, it’d be you!”

At that moment, the alchemist adjusted his composure, suggesting solemnly to everyone, “Perhaps we should let the Fellow Daoist give it a try.”

Chu Guiyi shot him a questioning look, but the alchemist continued, “Earlier, when our consciousnesses merged, I found that his comprehension speed is extraordinary. Moreover, his spiritual consciousness is pure and untainted, making him an ideal candidate for alchemy.”

Xie Shuci felt a surge of pride from the compliment and shot Chu Wenfeng a smug raised eyebrow.

“So… should I give it a try?” Xie Shuci glanced at the blind boy. The latter, leaning against the rocky wall, wore a cold and distant expression, offering no response.

Seeing Chu Guiyi’s hesitance, Xie Shuci boldly stepped forward and grabbed the bronze cauldron, “Come on, a bit of trust, maybe? If we can’t get out of here, we’re all going to die together anyway. If I’m going to face death, I’d rather give it a shot. That way, even if I die, I’ll have no regrets.”

Chu Guiyi looked helpless. He scanned the faces of everyone present, finally giving a reluctant nod, “Alright then. I’d ask everyone to hold their breaths and remain silent. Let’s not disturb Shuci.”

After all, they were all in the same boat. If anything went wrong with Xie Shuci, they’d either die from depleted spiritual energy or be killed by the frenzied Helain Zhu. Their fate was sealed either way, and Xie Shuci was their only hope.

With no objections from the crowd, everyone found a spot to sit and recuperate. Deng Fengming sat mingled among the cultivators, his gaze fixed on Xie Shuci, eyes shadowed with a dark intensity.

Given that he couldn’t kill Xiao Xun openly without arousing suspicion, and considering his dwindling spiritual energy, he might as well be trapped beneath the Subduing Dragon Artifact with the others, ensuring that he and Xiao Xun meet the same fate. This way, he could not only eliminate Xiao Xun but also uphold the reputation of the Xiaoyao Sect even after his death.

At this thought, a chilling glint of murderous intent flashed in Deng Fengming’s eyes.

He couldn’t let Xie Shuci refine the Subduing Dragon Artifact!

If Xie Shuci proved incapable and suffered a backlash from the bronze cauldron, so be it. However, should Xie Shuci genuinely succeed, he would spare no effort to slay him!

Xie Shuci returned to Xiao An’s side with the bronze cauldron in hand. Maybe because he always felt safest by Little Blind, especially during times of fear.

Xiao An’s expression was grim. He didn’t react as Xie Shuci took a seat beside him.

Taking a deep breath, Xie Shuci placed the bronze cauldron on the ground and sat cross-legged. He recalled the sensation from earlier, emptying his mind and body of all thoughts, focusing solely on directing his spiritual power over the cauldron.

Everyone held their breath, eyes riveted on the bronze cauldron. As it came into contact with Xie Shuci’s spiritual power, ripples of light emanated from it. The cauldron’s verdant brilliance merged with Xie Shuci’s spiritual power, casting a cyan light array that hovered in mid-air. As his spiritual power drew nearer, the glow intensified, gradually overshadowing the luster of the spirit beads and filling the entire sky.

This cyan luminescence reflected on everyone’s faces, each of them wearing an expression of grave concern, daring not to move.

Xie Shuci felt his spiritual energy flowing rapidly, almost beyond his control. His body was also affected, rendering him immobile.

A resonating hum filled the air.

His brows knitted tightly, a cold sweat trickling down his temple, as an ancient and mysterious chime echoed in his ears.

The seal had been broken!

Joy surged within Xie Shuci. It was as if he had established a connection with the bronze cauldron. He could feel its presence distinctly.

The palm-sized bronze cauldron started expanding, growing until it was half a person’s height. The intricate patterns carved onto it seemed so foreign, as though they hailed from another world. Despite the spots of rust marring the cauldron’s surface, its mere presence was akin to a majestic mountain, naturally invoking a sense of awe in those who beheld it.

Xie Shuci couldn’t help but find the situation bewildering. Chu Guiyi and the others had painted such a terrifying picture of the ordeal. 

He had braced himself for grave injuries, if not death. But aside from the immense drain on his spiritual power and his temporary immobility, he didn’t feel any discomfort. On the contrary, there was an indescribable sense of familiarity with the bronze cauldron, akin to the warmth of reuniting with an old friend after many years. It was bizarre to feel such emotions from an inanimate bronze object.

“He’s succeeded!”

“The bronze cauldron has long been chosen him as its master!”

“It’s unbelievable! That wasn’t a seal. It’s a prohibition set after the cauldron chose its owner. No one but its master can approach it.”

“A pact with the bronze cauldron? How… how is that possible? I thought such a spell was long lost to history?”

The heavens above were abuzz with whispers, even Xie An was momentarily stunned.

Chu Guiyi, with a complex expression, shook his head and remarked, “It hasn’t been lost. As far as I know, within the Floating Tower realm, there are disciples who form pacts with their swords.”

“Could this gentleman… be from the Floating Tower realm?”