Today was the second day of the Velora Festival.
Even in the morning, the streets were already packed. People from every corner of the planet kept arriving, filling the air with noise and excitement.
I left my inn, thinking I should find a group to join — if I went alone, I might not have enough time to finish everything in the inheritance trial.
As I was walking, a voice came from behind.
When I turned, I saw a girl waving at me. I looked around, but there was no one else nearby. That meant she was waving at me.
"Yes?" I asked.
She came closer and said, "My name is Feng Xinyi. I'm looking for a partner who can join me in the inheritance."
I was wary right away. The cultivator in front of me was in the great circle of Core Formation — someone much stronger than me.
Why would she want to team up with a Foundation Establishment cultivator?
"I'm not looking for a partner right now, so I'll have to decline," I said.
"Please," she said, her tone softening, her eyes pleading.
I sighed. It was clear she wouldn't give up easily. "Okay," I agreed, mostly so she would stop begging.
We went back to my inn. As soon as we entered, I asked directly, "What's your game?"
"I want you to purchase me," she said.
"…What?"
"Let me explain," she continued. "I'm an illegitimate child of the Feng Clan. To free myself, I need five million Qi stones."
"Why do you think I'd save you?" I asked.
"Because you saved Gu Xue," she said immediately.
That surprised me. "How do you know that?"
She smiled faintly. "Even though I'm an illegitimate child, I still have access to the clan's intelligence group. It's not hard for me to find information like that."
"I see," I said slowly. "But even then, I only paid around a hundred thousand Qi stones to help Gu Xue. You're asking for five million."
She looked amused. "Now that's a lie. Even a child could tell there were more than four hundred thousand Qi stones worth of beast cores involved."
I stayed quiet for a moment before saying, "Let's say I somehow have that much money. Why would I spend it on someone I just met?"
She looked straight into my eyes. "Didn't you do the same for Gu Xue? You two met barely a month ago, yet you spent so much. That's why I thought you'd help me too."
I frowned. "You even know how long we've been together?"
"Don't think too much about it," she said. "When someone enters this planet, their flying device is scanned. From that, we saw the date it activated — one month ago. We guessed that's when you two met."
So it was just an estimate based on data. That made sense.
"I think you've misunderstood," I said. "I didn't help Gu Xue because I wanted to. I helped her because I had to."
Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"I'm her bodyguard. I have to protect her — that's all."
Her expression darkened. "So I have no chance, huh…" she muttered. "I've been searching for someone kind enough to save me for five years. I thought I finally found one, but I guess I was wrong."
Her voice trembled as she spoke, each word getting softer until tears started falling.
"Can't you find someone else?" I asked awkwardly. I wasn't used to comforting people.
She shook her head. "No. The clan leader has hundreds of illegitimate children. Every time one of us turns twenty, we're sold — either to another family or to whoever is willing to pay. I'm nineteen now. Next month is my birthday. There's no time left."
From her story, I got a clear picture of the Feng Clan. They were one of the top five clans on Planet 446, led by a Nascent Soul cultivator. But I was sure there was someone even stronger behind the scenes — maybe an ancestor or a guardian.
"So why not just accept your fate?" I said quietly. "Maybe you'll find a good husband."
She looked at me like I'd said something stupid. "Are you a mortal? In cultivation, there's no such thing as a good husband or wife. Even if cultivators have desires, they're not ruled by them. I won't be married — I'll be used as a cultivation furnace."
A cultivation furnace — a person used to absorb Qi through forced dual cultivation.
Unlike real dual cultivation, only one side gained anything. The furnace would just be drained until all their Qi was gone. It was a slow, painful death.
If she was telling the truth, her future would be nothing but suffering.
Should I help her? The price was too high… but then an old memory flashed in my mind.
After a long silence, I said, "I'll help you — but only if you prove your worth."
"In the end, you'll use me too, huh?" she said bitterly. "Maybe that's all I was ever meant for — being used by others."
"You're misunderstanding me," I said calmly. "I have no interest in using you as a furnace. Even if it could increase my cultivation, it would still harm my foundation. I'm not risking my future for a shortcut."
"Then what do you mean?" she asked.
"You'll be my servant. Before we finalize anything, I want to see your skills during the inheritance. If you're useful, I won't mind paying five million."
She blinked. "What kind of servant?"
"Nothing special. Just simple tasks — chores, protection, or cultivation support. Honestly, I don't even know what to expect. I've never had a cultivator as a servant."
"That's… normal enough," she said quietly.
"Maybe," I replied. "But if we do this, you'll have to leave this planet."
"I'm fine with that," she said immediately.
"Good. Then let's go. I want to test how useful you are."
She nodded. "Yes. What should I call you? Master? Young master?"
"Just call me Brother Gu," I said.
"Yes, Brother Gu."
We left the inn together. For the first time, I had someone who might actually be useful in the inheritance. Now, it was just a matter of waiting.
Since there was only one room, she tried to sleep on the floor. I told her to take the bed, but she refused.
After I said I'd be cultivating through the night, she finally agreed. She clearly didn't want to sleep beside me, and I didn't force her.
I looked at her face as she slept. She looked calm — peaceful, even.
So she was this worried about her future, huh…
I wondered how many people out there had no choice, no way out.
"There may be kind mortals," she had said, "but never a kind cultivator."
I gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Kind, huh…"
No. I wasn't kind.
The only reason I was helping her… was because of a promise.