Chapter 149 - 148: Lascivious God Curse

'This thing… is a sect-defining treasure?'

After reading the description of the verdant little sword, Fang Can couldn't help but ask, "So what's the deal with this Asura? Does this little sword have some special function? Like, for giving to your enemies?"

As he spoke, Fang Can subconsciously took two steps back, disgusted by its mere proximity.

"It has no other effects. It's exactly as it sounds—this little sword was created for the purpose of making one's loved ones and friends unfaithful," Fang Yanbei said seriously.

Seeing the twitch on Fang Can's face, Yanbei explained, "The Asura sect primarily cultivates the body. Theirs is known as a cursed bloodline, and they require the most extreme emotional stimulation to successfully advance their cultivation."

"They need stimulation to break through to the First Turn, and they need it to enter the Second and Third Turns as well. But normally, no one has the time to go looking for trouble with them, so they have to create it for themselves."

"This little sword is a Sacrificial Artifact they carry with them, precisely for the purpose of pushing their minds to an extreme state to achieve a breakthrough."

"After stepping onto the Heaven-Ascending Road, the power of one's spirit is even more important than physical strength. You let the human heart replace the will of heaven; the greater your ambition, the greater your power."

"And once a member of the Asura lineage breaks through, they rely on their extreme madness to become nearly unrivaled within their Realm. They were a dominant power for a time."

"And then?"

"Then they were destroyed. One of them successfully made a Fourth Turn master his Victim. He was only at the Second Turn and went to stir up trouble, but he was crushed to death with a single finger. Only after that was the secret of the Asura discovered."

"Before, we all wondered why every generation of Asura Disciples was so full of deep-seated bitterness and hatred, like walking incarnations of misfortune. It wasn't until later that we understood the truth."

Fang Can was speechless. 'How could they not be filled with bitter hatred? That drive to cuckold themselves is just wild.'

As he strolled through the treasure pavilion, taking in the thousand-year heritage of the Fang family, Fang Can saw there were indeed some items he quite liked.

Seeing Fang Can looking this way and that, Fang Yanbei smiled. "Young Hero Fang, if any of these catch your eye, you may choose any of the treasures in this room. You can even take a few."

"In that case, my thanks to you, Minister Fang. One will be enough."

Fang Can didn't hesitate, thanking him outright as his gaze roamed over the treasures.

"Young Hero Fang, I recommend you choose a Sacrificial Artifact. After all, the cultivation requirements for those powerful Cultivation Techniques are far too demanding, whereas a good Sacrificial Artifact will be of greater help to you."

"I know."

As Fang Can spoke, he plucked a single silver-white strand of his hair and blew on it gently.

Watching the strand of hair drift through the air, Fang Can closed his eyes and let it fall freely in the breeze, making no attempt to control it.

He trusted his luck to make the right choice. There was no need for thought; he just had to surrender his heart to fate.

Under Fang Yanbei's puzzled gaze, the descending strand of hair landed on a book three meters away.

Opening his eyes, Fang Can strode over to the display stand where the hair had landed. He tucked the strand back into his hair, then looked at the item with anticipation.

Taking the ancient tome, Fang Can stowed it away, his expression a little hard to read.

'All things considered, I really have unlocked the 'hundred-man slayer' achievement. If the 'body of Pure Yang' condition is also met, then this is actually a perfect fit for me.'

With their tour of the treasure pavilion at an end, the two of them exited the stone-tablet passageway.

It was now noon, and Fang Yanbei invited him to stay. "Why not stay for lunch at my residence before you depart, Young Hero Fang?"

Having just accepted such a generous gift, Fang Can immediately nodded in agreement and followed him to the main hall.

In the main hall, a woman with a gentle smile, three men, and two women were already seated and waiting at a large, square Eight Immortals table.

The table was laden with all sorts of delicacies, and several servants stood by, ready to attend to their needs.

As the two approached, all eyes turned to Fang Can, filled with curiosity.

After all, word had already reached them that Fang Yanbei had taken Fang Can directly to the treasure pavilion.

Furthermore, the arrival of the man ranked first on the Soaring Dragon Leaderboard had been the talk of the Capital City lately. They had all heard the news, but they never expected him to show up at the Fang Mansion the very next day.

'So, could he really be the master's illegitimate son?'

"Young Hero Fang, allow me to make some introductions. This is my unworthy grandson, Fang Shaobei."

The Minister pointed to a tall, sturdy man. "He's over thirty and only at the Profound Gate Seventh Layer. His aptitude is poor, and a breakthrough to the First Turn is nowhere in sight."

"A pleasure to meet you, Young Hero Fang..." Fang Shaobei said, rising and clasping his hands in salute.

"Next, this is my grandson's wife, Wang Yating. She is at the Profound Gate Third Layer..."

As Fang Yanbei continued his introductions, Fang Can committed everyone's identity to memory.

Because the Third Turn granted a five-hundred-year lifespan, Fang Yanbei was still in his prime despite being over a hundred years old.

The man who looked like his brother was in fact his grandson, and the woman who could have been his wife was actually his grandson's wife.

The remaining two men and two women were his great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, all at the Profound Gate Fourth Layer Realm.

This brought a realization to Fang Can: cultivating martial arts was truly a difficult path.

These people had cultivated for so many years, yet none had even reached the Eighth Layer.

And yet, in the greater martial world, their cultivation levels would be considered a mark of exceptional talent.

He had only ever dealt with Martial Artists from the Hidden Dragon Leaderboard, every last one a Great Derivation talent chosen from tens of millions, a prodigy all but guaranteed to reach the First Turn. As a result, he had a skewed perception of the average cultivator's strength.

It was precisely because their strength so far exceeded that of ordinary people that the Martial Artists of the Hidden Dragon Leaderboard could attract followers willing to worship them as deities. He realized now that he had been suffering from survivorship bias.

As for Fang Yanbei's wife, her aptitude had been too poor, and she had passed away from old age more than a decade ago. His son, however, had proven his worth, cultivating to the First Turn and now standing guard at the border.

After the brief introductions concluded and they were seated, Fang Can began to savor the delicacies before him, making small talk with Yanbei from time to time.

Meanwhile, in a basement within the Lieyan Martial Arts Hall, deep in the territory of the Tiger Slaughter Sect, a young man bound in iron chains snapped his eyes open.

Just a moment ago, he, Yuan Dang... had apparently been reborn. Again.