Record of a Demon's Cultivation Chapter 1528: Dragon-Yang Preference

After eliminating the two minor characters, Song Wen soared into the sky and headed toward the agreed-upon meeting place with Rong Shao.

When he arrived, Rong Shao was already waiting atop a mountain peak.

"Fellow Daoist Rong Shao, what did Lin Feng say?" Song Wen asked directly.

"He didn't agree. In fact, I didn't even meet him in person. We only exchanged a few words through a Communication Jade Slip. I offered a million high-grade spirit stones for a single Purifying Fire Talisman, and requested four, but Lin Feng refused to sell even one," Rong Shao said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Song Wen thought to himself, Just as I suspected.

The Lin Clan would not allow the Purifying Fire Talismans to fall into outside hands.

However, this wasn't something Lin Feng, as the clan head, could decide alone. After all, he was only a Body Integration Stage cultivator and had no say in matters that affected the Lin Clan's fundamental interests. The true decision-makers were likely the three Great Ascension Stage Ancestors of the Lin Clan.

Lin Feng might privately wish to sell the Purifying Fire Talismans, but he lacked the courage and the opportunity.

The Purifying Fire Talisman was not in his possession at all.

As for Rong Shao's desire to purchase four talismans, it was clear he had accounted for Song Wen's share. Each of them would need one when entering and exiting the Fallen Demon Valley.

"Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, what do you think we should do?" Rong Shao asked.

With a flip of his hand, Song Wen produced a jade slip and tossed it to Rong Shao. The slip contained all the intelligence he had compiled from Lin Mu.

After carefully examining the jade slip, Rong Shao asked with a puzzled expression, "Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, are you suggesting we try to buy the Purifying Fire Talismans from Kong Ling, the Hall Master of the Talisman Hall, and Lin Haocang, the Manager of the Treasure Vault? But even Lin Feng, the clan head, wouldn't dare sell them privately. Would they have the courage?"

The muscles in Song Wen's face twitched almost imperceptibly. He rubbed his forehead with a hint of helplessness in his voice. "Fellow Daoist Rong Shao, why must you insist on buying talismans? Can't we use other methods? Besides, four million high-grade spirit stones is not a trivial sum."

Rong Shao was taken aback. After a moment of contemplation, he hesitantly replied,

"Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, are you suggesting we... forcibly seize the talismans? But Kong Ling and Lin Haocang are both Body Integration Stage cultivators, and we don't even know their whereabouts. How would we even approach them? Moreover, it's highly unlikely they carry four Purifying Fire Talismans with them at all times; they probably don't have even one. Even if we attacked them, it would be futile. The only way would be to capture them and threaten their lives to force them to steal the talismans from the Lin Clan. But the Lin Clan has a Great Ascension Stage cultivator guarding it. This plan is extremely risky. A single misstep could backfire and trap us."

The helplessness on Song Wen's face grew heavier.

"Did the detailed information about their close associates in the jade slip not catch your attention at all, Fellow Daoist?"

Rong Shao's brow suddenly furrowed.

"Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, you're suggesting we target their close associates? This approach..."

A faint smile curled the corners of Song Wen's lips.

"What? Do you find this approach despicable?"

"Alas." Rong Shao sighed softly. "We have no better options at the moment. However, we must choose our targets carefully, ensuring we exploit their weaknesses to force their compliance."

As he spoke, he once again extended his divine sense into the jade slip.

While reviewing the information within, Rong Shao continued, "Kong Ling devoted his entire life to the talismans dao. He has no dao companion or children, nor any close blood relatives, making him difficult to target. Lin Haocang, on the other hand, not only has a wife but also keeps multiple secret lovers and concubines. The most favored among them is a woman named Ji Qiu, who has borne him a son still in swaddling. What if we start with Ji Qiu, Fellow Daoist?"

Song Wen shook his head slightly. "Although Lin Haocang's wife has failed to bear him any heirs, his concubines have given him at least ten children. A single Ji Qiu and her illegitimate child won't be enough to force his compliance. Moreover, someone like Lin Haocang wouldn't have genuine affection. He keeps these concubines merely for amusement. Even if we captured all his concubines and bastards, he might still refuse to yield."

Seeing his suggestion rejected again, Rong Shao was momentarily baffled, his face filled with astonishment and confusion.

"Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, didn't you say we should start with those close to the two of them? Why are you now..."

"What about Kong Ling?" Song Wen replied.

"But Kong Ling has no blood relatives, not even close friends. How can we force him to trade with us?" Rong Shao asked.

"According to the information Lin Mu gave us, Kong Ling had a childhood sweetheart named Jiang Ling'er, his neighbor from when they were young," Song Wen explained. "They were deeply in love, a match made in heaven."

"But Jiang Ling'er's parents looked down on Kong Ling, a common rogue cultivator, and refused to approve their marriage. Instead, when the Myriad Sun Sect leader publicly took a concubine, they offered their daughter to him as one. After that, Kong Ling became withdrawn and silent, dedicating himself entirely to the talismans dao and cultivation, no longer caring about anything in the outside world."

"Fellow Daoist Rong Shao, don't you think Jiang Ling'er would be a better bargaining chip? In my opinion, his years of arduous cultivation and research into talismans are all aimed at increasing his strength, so that one day he can reclaim Jiang Ling'er."

Rong Shao clearly disagreed with Song Wen's proposal, his brow furrowing further.

Song Wen mentioned the Myriad Sun Sect, which he was familiar with.

The Myriad Sun Sect was a subordinate force of the Lin Clan. Their strongest member was their sect leader, Old Jian, a cultivator at the Late Body Integration Stage.

"But... Jiang Ling and Kong Ling haven't seen each other in nearly a thousand years. Even if Kong Ling was deeply devoted, a millennium would surely have eroded their bond."

Song Wen continued, "Fellow Daoist, have you considered why Kong Ling has never taken a woman? He's the Hall Master of the Lin Clan's Talisman Hall, a great cultivator at the Early Body Integration Stage. He has no wife or concubines, not even a personal maid, and never visits places of ill repute. Such a pure and ascetic lifestyle is beyond the reach of ordinary men."

"Perhaps... his cultivation went awry, damaging his physical body and rendering him impotent? Or maybe after Jiang Ling married, his temperament changed completely. He lost interest in women and turned to men instead..." Rong Shao suggested.

Song Wen pressed his forehead, unsure how to respond.

Upon reflection, Rong Shao's theory wasn't entirely impossible.

Among high-tier cultivators, those who had lost their ability to perform the act of love were not unheard of, especially demonic cultivators. The corrupting energies they cultivated often damaged their kidney essence, leading to such a condition.

As for the love between men (dragon-yang preference), it was not uncommon in the Immortal Cultivation World.