Chu Xuan's expression was also somewhat tense. After Min Immortal finished speaking, he asked, "How is it? My aptitude is okay, right?"
"More than okay, you're a genius! A super genius that only appears once in several hundred years." Min Immortal's face flushed with excitement, she almost wanted to hug the young man in front of her and kiss him.
"That old man Yuan is a waste, what could he see? He could only tell that you have the aptitude for cultivation, probably concluding that you have 'decent bones,' and might even be plotting to scam me."
"If he had discovered your worth, he wouldn't be fixated on a demon beast cub; he would have grabbed you and run away, selling you to the highest bidder."
Min Immortal tightly grasped Chu Xuan's hand, "Your body, limbs, bones, meridians, and all your veins are perfectly suited for cultivation, as if made by heaven's own hand, flawless."
"Moreover, you seem to have a natural affinity with the Dao. I suspect this is a legendary special constitution known as the Innate Dao Body. Of course, I can't confirm it. We'll need to take you back to the sect to find out."
Chu Xuan felt his heart race, was he truly this lucky??
Honestly, maybe it was because he'd read too many novels in his past life; he always worried that he had a useless physique that couldn't cultivate.
Although Chu Xuan always believed he had some sort of transmigrator's cheat, like a cultivation system or ascension simulator, it just hadn't been delivered yet.
But until that happened, it was just a hopeful wish. If he couldn't cultivate and had no cheat, his life would be over.
Now, Min Immortal's words acted like a strong stimulant for Chu Xuan. In a way, wasn't this a kind of "cheat"?
After confirming his aptitude, Min Immortal's gaze at Chu Xuan heated up. This superb cultivation talent would be a waste to use as a mere dual cultivation furnace.
If she could cultivate him into her Dao Companion and make him utterly devoted to her, never leaving her side, then she would have a powerful protector.
At worst, she should still make him her highest-grade furnace, kept well-maintained, so he could continuously provide her with the finest Primordial Yang.
Of course, such outstanding talents and jade-like qualities might not remain with her once she returned him to the sect; she might have to exchange him for sect contributions, but dreams are to be had...
Thus, Min Immortal became even more cordial towards Chu Xuan, no longer with the condescending, playful attitude.
"What's your name?"
"Chu Xuan, pronounced Che-Xuan."
Min Immortal nodded with a smile, "My name is Min Xinlan, remember it well. You should still call me sister in the future, or Sister Min is also fine."
"Yes, Sister Min." Chu Xuan put on an innocent face, but internally he was already planning his escape.
This kind of sect, where people are abducted as dual cultivation furnaces all around, isn't a good place. Even if he had superior talent, entering such a tiger's den would be like lamb to slaughter.
Min Xinlan picked up the binded white mink from the ground while retrieving her white silk Magical Artifact, and asked Chu Xuan about the beast's origin.
Chu Xuan naturally told the truth since he knew nothing; he had just stumbled upon it.
Min Xinlan thought for a moment, then gently said to Chu Xuan, "I'll temporarily return it to you, but you have to be obedient, understand?"
This was a way to win his heart. Look at this precious thing that old ghost Yuan cherished so much; I'm willing to give it to you. Doesn't that show how much I value you?
Chu Xuan repeatedly nodded, pretending to be very grateful.
But Min Xinlan wasn't a fool. Even if the snow mink was listless now, she still forcibly fed it some unknown powder before giving it back to Chu Xuan.
Chu Xuan guessed it was likely some sort of restraint method in case the snow mink suddenly breathed its Extreme Ice Cold Qi on her halfway through the journey, which she couldn't withstand.
...
Next, naturally, was the journey back to the sect.
Fortunately, Min Xinlan was worried about unexpected events, so she hurried day and night, focused on taking Chu Xuan back, allowing him to temporarily retain his "purity".
Even though Chu Xuan was young, he had no doubt that such evil female cultivators would do anything, and refining copper was just a trivial matter for them.
During the journey, although Chu Xuan thought of making trouble, Min Xinlan was too vigilant, and she fed the snow mink its medicine once a day without fail, keeping it drowsy in his arms with no energy to cause trouble.
So, six days later, Chu Xuan was still led back to the sect by Min Immortal, standing in front of the gate of the Hehuan Sect.
"Hehuan Sect."
After reading the three ancient seal characters on the gate, Chu Xuan's expression was somewhat complicated.
He really wanted to complain: How could there be a Hehuan Sect here too? A super sect that exists across all heavens and realms?
Min Xinlan, upon reaching this point, took a deep breath of relief, turned to Chu Xuan with a smile, and said, "Come on, once you enter this gate, you're mine."
Chu Xuan felt a bit of despair. It seemed his fate of joining the Hehuan Sect could not be changed, and from now on, he could only take it one step at a time, "After Being Sold to the Hehuan Sect, I Turned the Tables and Conquered the Beauties, Finally Becoming the Sect Leader," a grand serialized story!
But just as Min Xinlan was about to lead Chu Xuan through the gate, a clear, melodious female voice suddenly sounded from the sky:
"You, you really made me search high and low for you."
The two of them were shocked, quickly looking up, and then simultaneously holding their breath.
Riding atop a cloud was a beauty as ethereal as a fairy maiden on ice.
Her breathtaking appearance was shrouded in clouds, her demeanor distant and aloof, her skin like snow, her wraith-like grace, draped in white robes, with cloud-like hair accessories, waist adorned with jade, feet in ornate shoes, and a trailing mist-like skirt.
Her overall appearance was exquisite and translucent, so beautiful she seemed not of this world, like she descended from heaven to earth.
Seeing her, the only thoughts rolling through Chu Xuan's mind were, "Subsisting on wind and dew, not dining on five grains, with a heart like a deep spring, in form like a virgin," or "I am in the sun of Mount Wu, on the high hills' obstacle, as a morning cloud and evening rain, morning and night, under the terrace."
This surprise encounter perfectly matched all his fantasies about the phrase "Divine Maiden."
Min Xinlan, unlike the entranced Chu Xuan, was overwhelmed with terror. Who was this person?!
Although the visitor did not deliberately display coercion or aura, a mere sensing could reveal a terrifying presence as vast as an abyss or ocean.
Not to mention, just standing calmly on the clouds, she exuded an air of Unity of Heaven and Man, a realm only highly cultivated individuals could achieve.
Moreover, her earlier words seemed directed at Chu Xuan, and her gaze also shifted towards the boy... no, accurately speaking, towards the snow mink in the boy's arms.
Chu Xuan quickly realized, feeling a bit embarrassed. So he was imagining things; she wasn't here for him at all.
Upon seeing the ice-beauty, the previously drowsy snow mink immediately let out cheerful "ya-ya" cries. With a wave of the mysterious woman's hand, the little mink flew straight back into her arms.
During this process, a faint white smoke emanated from the snow mink as if some medicinal effect was being expelled from its body.
With that, the truth came to light. The Ice Spirit Snow Mink that Chu Xuan found shouldn't have been in the Cloud Mountain area at all; it actually belonged to the mysterious woman's lost pet.