Chapter Forty-Three: Acquiring the Cauldron!

Inside the woodshed.

Ye Wushang sat atop a pile of firewood, cradling the box as if it were a priceless treasure.

On the outside, it looked pitch-black and ancient, unremarkable in every way. Its sides were sealed tightly, with not a single latch to be found.

“My sister said before that only I could open this box.”

“But there’s not even a lock. How am I supposed to open it?” Ye Wushang wore an expression of distress.

He had tried smashing it. He had tried battering it. He had even tried burning it, but all to no avail.

Just as he was at his wit’s end, his palm unconsciously brushed the surface of the box. To his surprise, he felt a faint resonance.

He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but on instinct, he channeled his inner strength into the box. Instantly, the once-black box began to glow with a radiant light.

A sharp click sounded.

Before long, with a soft snap, the tightly sealed box suddenly separated and opened of its own accord.

The moment it opened, a surge of grand, ancient energy rushed out, so overwhelming that even with his cultivation, Ye Wushang struggled to withstand it.

He looked up and saw a faint purple aura swirling around the box.

Inside, there were only two items: a blade of grass long since withered, and a letter covered in dust.

Unable to wait, he tore open the letter and began to read carefully.

The content was brief, yet Ye Wushang read it for a long time, scrutinizing each word and phrase with utmost care.

After half an hour, he had grasped the essence of the message.

It stated that if Ye Wushang was reading this letter, it meant the writer had disappeared.

But this was not the doing of the Mo family; rather, he had deliberately gone into hiding to avoid disaster and cautioned Ye Wushang not to seek him out unnecessarily.

When his birth mother was finally rescued, he would reappear on his own.

As for the reason behind his actions and the details of his father’s past, not a word was mentioned.

At the end, there was a special note:

“Wushang, you are a good child. The weight of our family now rests upon your shoulders.”

“I have three requests of you.”

“First, take good care of your sister. When the time comes to rescue your mother, she will play a vital role.”

“Second, you must devote yourself to cultivation. Do not go to the capital, nor attempt to find your mother, until you have reached the Qi Refining stage.”

“Third, due to the secret machinations of the Mo family, you have been poisoned by the Nightshade Toxin. You must bathe in Water of Heavenly Fire, and only in the courtyard of the workshop can you achieve the greatest effect.”

“Remember this well. Remember it.”

Ye Wushang was stunned.

He had to reach the Qi Refining stage before he could go to the capital?

All of his current abilities stemmed from the “Heaven and Earth Tyrant Energy Technique” taught to him by his father in his early years.

The first realm in martial cultivation, from lowest to highest, was divided into Qi Gathering, Qi Expansion, Qi Tempering, Qi Refining, and Qi Transformation.

Each realm was further divided into nine levels.

What came after these realms, he did not know.

Currently, he was only at the first level of Qi Expansion. To reach Qi Refining—who knew how long that would take?

He sighed deeply.

With so many masters in the Mo family, rescuing his mother would require him to grow far stronger.

Otherwise, going forth rashly without sufficient strength would be like striking a stone with an egg—utterly futile.

“But the Water of Heavenly Fire Father mentioned must be the medicine Grandfather gave me before.”

“I always thought I was born with a defect—never imagined it was the Mo family’s doing.”

“And I must bathe in the workshop’s courtyard to achieve the best effect.”

“So, it seems I’ll have to revive this workshop. Only with the bustle of life will there be water in the courtyard.”

At this thought, his resolve firmed. He would inherit his mother’s legacy and reopen the workshop as a noodle shop.

In earlier years, his foster mother had raised him and his sister by running a noodle shop.

He still remembered the flavors from his childhood, and felt confident he could recreate noodles of the same quality.

But as for the purpose of that withered blade of grass, his father’s letter said nothing.

Perhaps there was a reason behind it. Since he couldn’t fathom its use, he could only set it aside for now—perhaps it would come in handy in the future.

A creak sounded outside.

“Easy! Don’t damage the goods.”

“And make sure nothing in the workshop is harmed—Director Lan was clear: every brick, every tile must be preserved.”

Lost in thought, Ye Wushang was startled by commotion outside.

He hastily tidied up and ran out the door.

He saw at once that the group of men he had previously driven off were now rummaging through boxes and cabinets once more.

“Stop!” Ye Wushang shouted, rushing forward to halt them. “Who gave you permission to come in?”

“Put everything down—if anyone dares touch my family’s belongings again, I won’t let you off—”

“Wushang.”

Before he could finish, An Lan suddenly entered.

Behind her stood Lan Ruoxue and her sister, as well as Xu Wei.

“They’re not here to tear down the workshop,” An Lan said gently, “They’re just moving out the goods they had stored here before.”

“Once everything’s removed, the place will be yours.”

Though she disliked Lan Ruoxue, business was business.

Since the other party had come to return the workshop, she had no reason to interfere.

In her view, even if she was to surpass Lan Ruoxue, it had to be done openly and fairly.

Scheming behind someone’s back was not her style.

“They’re not here to demolish the workshop?”

Ye Wushang looked at Lan Ruoxue in surprise.

“Ruoshang, return the property deed to Wushang,” Lan Ruoxue instructed.

Unwillingly, Lan Ruoshang stepped forward and handed Ye Wushang the deed. “Here, take it, you loser.”

“As if anyone would want your rundown workshop. You won’t give it to me? I don’t want it anyway.”

“Compared to marrying Brother Long, your broken workshop isn’t worth a fart!”

Ye Wushang was stunned.

Staring at his name on the deed, a strange ripple stirred in his heart.

He hadn’t expected Lan Ruoxue to come to return the workshop, not destroy it.

They had cleared out their goods and even changed the name on the deed.

So he had misunderstood her?

“Lan Ruoxue…”

“Wushang, the inventory’s cleared. The workshop is officially returned to you,” Lan Ruoxue said coolly, looking at him with calm indifference. “Don’t worry. Ruoshang won’t trouble you again.”

“We were husband and wife, after all. I hope you live well in the future.”

“I’ll say it once more: know yourself, remember your place. Don’t wait until you fall flat on your face to regret it.”

“You and Chuan Zhi are not in the same league.”

With that, she turned and left.

Lan Ruoshang spat viciously. “Loser, never let me see you again, or I’ll beat you every time!”

“Director Lan and Miss Ruoshang will soon be marrying the Sun brothers. You’d best not cause any trouble,” Xu Wei cursed as she hurried after them.

Recalling Lan Ruoxue’s words, Ye Wushang asked, almost without thinking, “Lanlan, what did you two talk about outside just now?”

“Nothing much, just some idle chatter,” An Lan replied with a smile, deftly changing the subject. “By the way, did you find what you were looking for? Need any help?”

“I found it,” Ye Wushang took a deep breath, his mind on his suffering mother and missing father.

The responsibilities of the family now rested on his shoulders alone.

He needed to focus on cultivation, to work hard and reach the Qi Refining stage as soon as possible.

But the path of cultivation depended on two crucial factors.

One was abundant spiritual energy—and the location of this small workshop happened to be ideal.

The other was medicinal pills, but without a superior cauldron, even the best herbs could not be refined into the finest pills.

“Actually, there’s something I’d like your help with,” he admitted.

An Lan’s eyes brightened with delight. “There’s no need for formality between us—just tell me what you need.”

“If I can help, I will. Even if I can’t, I’ll find a way.”

As she spoke, she reached to take his arm again.

Ye Wushang instinctively stepped aside, solemnly saying, “Lanlan, before, I only acted with you to keep my sister from worrying.”

“But now that we’re alone, I think it’s better we keep some distance.”

An Lan’s expression dimmed.

She had thought their relationship had grown closer, but he still acted as if burned by past wounds.

Truth be told, her heart ached a little.

But she did not lose hope.

She knew Ye Wushang’s potential, and she knew her own feelings for him.

A block of ice does not freeze overnight.

She refused to believe her sincerity could not melt his cold heart.

“Just joking—look how serious you are.”

She smiled lightly. “So, what do you need?”

“I need a cauldron for refining medicine.”

“It’s quite particular: the age, the material, and the origin all matter.”

“In your opinion, where could I buy such a cauldron?”

An Lan was taken aback.

She had never dealt with cauldrons before.

But since he was asking, it must be important.

After a moment’s thought, she smiled. “There are plenty of places you can buy one, but finding the perfect one for you might take some searching.”

“Here’s what—I’ll go make some inquiries, and tomorrow morning I’ll call you. Then I’ll take you there myself.”

Ye Wushang nodded. “I’ll wait for your call. But just the address will be fine—there’s no need for you to come along…”

“Of course there is,” An Lan said seriously. “You don’t know this place well. What if someone tries to cheat you?”

“If this cauldron is so important to you, it’s just as important to me.”

“If you won’t let me come, then I can’t help you with this.”

Ye Wushang could only smile wryly.

He thought he was stubborn, but she was even more so.

…