Chapter 162

Chapter 162: Special Physiques

Yun Xi still didn’t know that Wei Yun Qing was stranded in Treasure Blossom Range. Had she known, she would have sighed deeply, for this was clearly the heavens forcing a training opportunity onto Wei Yun Qing. It was the Dao’s way of pushing her to grow stronger, and it would likely gift her some rare treasures as well.

If Yun Xi had been nearby, she would have rushed over immediately and followed stealthily behind Wei Yun Qing, ready to snatch away her destined opportunities. Unfortunately, Yun Xi was still traveling through the mortal realm. Though their journey was now mostly behind them, it wouldn’t be long before they returned to the cultivation world.

While Wei Yun Qing began her arduous trials, Yun Xi and her friends rested two days in Jinyun City, preparing to continue their journey.

Before they left, however, the innkeeper offered a friendly suggestion: “Honored guests, Jinyun City is hosting a Courtesan Contest soon. If you are not in a rush, perhaps stay a little longer and enjoy the festivities.”

“A Courtesan Contest? Is it a beauty pageant?” Yun Xi quickly asked, intrigued.

“Indeed. Participants are courtesans from Jinyun City’s entertainment houses, and there are champions selected from nearby towns as well. Both men and women take part, all of impeccable background. After competing, each winner’s reputation grows tremendously. The greatest champion even gets a chance to go to the capital and perform before the emperor himself. Thus, anyone ambitious enough seeks eagerly to join.”

Liu Hao Tian and Yu Qing Cheng showed little interest after hearing this. Hundred Flowers Pavilion already selected disciples based purely on appearance, and any of them could easily surpass mortal beauties. Naturally, they weren’t particularly inclined to stay.

But Xia You had never been to the mortal world before, and the bustling event sparked her interest immediately. Yun Xi was similarly curious about this ancient beauty contest, so she smiled and asked the innkeeper, “When is the contest held?”

“You’ve arrived just in time. Today, all the contestants will parade through the streets, officially introducing themselves.”

“Since that’s the case, we’ll join the crowd for a bit of excitement,” Yun Xi decided.

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper quickly asked, “Should I hold onto your rooms, honored guests? If you check out now, your rooms might be gone by the time you return.”

Yun Xi smiled knowingly. She realized now why he was so eager and said generously, “Keep our rooms. We’ll return after the festivities.”

“Excellent! I wish the honored guests a delightful time.” The innkeeper cheerfully sent them off, pleased to host generous customers who caused little trouble.

Liu Hao Tian and Yu Qing Cheng both thought Yun Xi simply wanted some innocent fun, so they didn’t object. Soon after joining the bustling main street, they found themselves surrounded by an excited crowd.

No matter how dense the crowd became, the four of them remained close, never drifting apart.

Beautifully decorated carriages carrying the courtesans slowly moved along the street, each contestant meticulously dressed to present their very best. Both men and women were strikingly attractive, creating an overwhelming sense of dazzling beauty.

Each carriage had people scattering copper coins and embroidered pouches into the crowd to generate excitement, loudly praising the charm of their courtesan, hoping to gather more supporters.

Commoners flocked to see the parade up close, while the city’s wealthy had booked the restaurants and teahouses lining the street, watching comfortably from above and occasionally offering commentary.

Yun Xi enjoyed the lively atmosphere, finding this unique experience rather fun. Yet Liu Hao Tian and Yu Qing Cheng’s expressions grew increasingly strange as they observed, even catching Xia You’s notice. Xia You quietly sent a voice transmission, “Fellow Daoist Yu, is something wrong?”

Yu Qing Cheng’s eyes flickered subtly, replying, “Let’s talk about it once we return.”

The parade ended at sunset, with the second event—the talent performance—to be held separately, allowing people to individually view the contestants’ skills. Yun Xi’s group thus returned to their inn.

Once inside, Liu Hao Tian immediately called Yun Xi over and revealed their findings from earlier.

Listening carefully, Yun Xi quickly pieced things together. Speaking thoughtfully, she said, “Fellow Daoist Liu, you’re suggesting these courtesans aren’t simply pretty faces—most have special physiques, with women possessing Pure Yin bodies and men Pure Yang bodies. If I recall correctly, such physiques are perfect for cultivation and highly prized as human cauldrons once they cultivate successfully.”

Yu Qing Cheng nodded decisively, “Daoist Master Wei is correct.”

“How did you notice that?” Yun Xi asked curiously. After all, she was already a Golden Core Daoist Master whose spiritual sense reached the early Nascent Soul stage when unrestrained. Yet she hadn’t noticed anything unusual herself.

Yu Qing Cheng winked playfully and explained, “Our Hundred Flowers Pavilion has cultivators of both righteous and demonic paths. Some specifically practice dual-cultivation techniques, which have strict requirements for physiques. I traded with a demonic fellow disciple for one such dual-cultivation manual, which included a small technique for detecting special physiques. Today, Senior Brother Liu first pointed out that these courtesans had ill-fated signs, prompting me to check with that technique. Indeed, many contestants possess unique constitutions. If it were just one or two, that might be coincidence. But half of ten contestants? Such a thing can’t be dismissed as mere chance. As cultivators, we never believe in coincidence.”

Finally understanding, Yun Xi and Xia You exchanged astonished glances. They really had come purely for fun, yet Fellow Daoist Yu had uncovered a grave secret.

Yu Qing Cheng laughed gently, “You two are still young; missing it is normal. If you’re interested, I can teach you this small technique.”

“Hehe, gladly accepted! I certainly won’t refuse!” Yun Xi shamelessly replied. One shouldn’t underestimate minor techniques—they often proved crucial at the right moment.

Having shared their unusual discovery, they returned to the main issue.

Drawing from the novels she’d read before, Yun Xi offered a theory, “Fellow Daoist Liu, now that you’ve noticed this oddity, could it be the work of demonic cultivators? Perhaps they are secretly selecting mortals with special physiques in the mundane world, then sending them to the cultivation world as potential cauldrons. They’re likely training them from childhood, specifically because these mortals have clean backgrounds, unrelated to powerful families. Once fully trained, they could then deliver these human cauldrons to aging cultivators desperate to break through bottlenecks. This would not only create a debt of gratitude but also infiltrate powerful sects and clans. Moreover, these spies could gather intelligence, giving the demonic cultivators an advantage against us.”

Yu Qing Cheng, Liu Hao Tian, and Xia You grew increasingly horrified as they listened. The demonic cultivators’ scheme was indeed terrifyingly deep. If successful, it posed a severe threat to the entire Majestic Cosmos Realm.

In truth, Yun Xi’s speculation was already close to the reality. It all started from when Yun Xi and her group disrupted the demonic cultivators’ earlier kidnapping schemes.

The Rosy Cloud Valley incident was one such case, and the demonic cultivators had recklessly targeted the Personal Disciple of True Lord Jiu Yue of the Immortal Devil Sect, causing all factions to become vigilant. Nobody wanted their carefully nurtured seedlings destroyed. Angered by the audacity of these demonic cultivators, major sects and clans significantly strengthened protection for their disciples, actively investigating and cooperating behind the scenes. This quiet alliance conducted a sweeping purge, forcing these demonic cultivators into hiding once more.