Chapter 200: Let Me See What the Cultivation Furnace Looks Like!

Ma Xianhong's gaze lingered on Feng Baobao for a moment, a flash of curiosity crossing his eyes, before he withdrew his line of sight.

"Ma Cunzhang," Zhang Chulan said straightforwardly, "you surely know the purpose of our visit. I'll get straight to the point: are you really going to set yourself against the Company? Nothing good will come of this."

Ma Xianhong took a light sip of tea, his face maintaining a calm smile: "Everyone has their own path to walk." He set down his teacup and continued in a peaceful tone, "What you believe is right is not necessarily right; what you feel is wrong is not necessarily wrong. There is no absolute right or wrong in the world, only different choices."

"The path I have chosen may seem wrong in your eyes. But for those ordinary people who yearn to change their fate, this might be their only hope." Ma Xianhong's tone carried a hint of firmness, "Everyone should have the right to pursue power, shouldn't they?"

"Some people are born ordinary," Ma Xianhong continued, his voice tinged with emotion, "I am merely giving them a chance to choose, giving them the possibility to change their fate. Is there something wrong with that?"

Zhang Chulan listened quietly, then said slowly: "Ma Cunzhang makes a valid point. But have you considered that doing this will cause a loss of balance between Outsiders and ordinary people? This imbalance of power could lead to even greater chaos."

Upon hearing this, Ma Xianhong suddenly laughed: "If everyone in the world were an Outsider, wouldn't this imbalance cease to exist?" A flash of fanaticism crossed his eyes, "Why maintain this unequal status quo? Why should some people be born to accept an ordinary fate?"

Feng Baobao listened to the two men's conversation; although her expression remained vacant, a flicker of something unusual crossed her eyes. The ideals and madness contained within Ma Xianhong's words caused the atmosphere in the entire room to grow heavy.

The atmosphere remained silent for a moment before Zhang Chulan broke the silence first.

"You're crazy!" Zhang Chulan's expression was grave, "Do you know what kind of consequences this will bring?"

Ma Xianhong took a sip of tea in a leisurely manner, a wry smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "No, I am not crazy." He pointed to his own head, "I am sick."

He set down his teacup, his gaze falling on Zhang Chulan: "By seniority, you and I are actually related."

"It is precisely because of this connection that I have come to persuade you." Zhang Chulan's tone was sincere, "Old Ma, Old Ma! It is not too late to stop now."

"Not necessary." Ma Xianhong waved his hand dismissively, his voice carrying a sense of finality, "I do not need anyone's persuasion. Everyone has their own choices, and I have already chosen my path."

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly turned cold. This close relationship, rather than making the conversation easier, added a layer of heaviness.

"Pour tea," Feng Baobao said blankly as she set down her empty cup.

Ma Xianhong maintained a polite smile and poured her a cup of tea. Beneath this calm facade, however, lay a tension ready to erupt at any moment.

"It seems we cannot reach an agreement." Zhang Chulan sighed.

"You don't need to waste your efforts on me," Ma Xianhong said nonchalantly, "Rest assured, I will not make a move against you." He paused, adding meaningfully, "Of course, provided you don't do anything out of line."

Zhang Chulan read the threat hidden within this smile that concealed a knife. He shook his head helplessly and asked again: "Then why target Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye?"

"That," a look of reminiscence appeared on Ma Xianhong's face, "I have the All-Heaven Grand Ritual to thank for that."

"I went to the All-Heaven Grand Ritual initially to see your performance." Ma Xianhong said unhurriedly, "As it turned out..." He gave Zhang Chulan a meaningful look, "As you know, your performance was truly a disappointment to me."

These words left Zhang Chulan both annoyed and embarrassed; thinking of his performance at the All-Heaven Grand Ritual, he couldn't help but clench his fists.

"I originally intended to leave directly," Ma Xianhong continued, a flash of excitement in his eyes, "but then I saw Wang Ye's methods. That kind of ability..." He shook his head, "It immediately piqued my interest. I want to learn it."

"Wang Ye will never teach it to you." Zhang Chulan stated flatly.

"That is not something you need to worry about." Ma Xianhong waved his hand lightly, a mysterious smile on his face.

Feng Baobao watched the two men's conversation blankly from the side, her teacup never leaving her hand, as if she were completely unaware of the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere.

"Wang Ye's matter is explained," Zhang Chulan continued to press, "but what about Zhuge Qing? What is going on with him?"

Ma Xianhong smiled lightly: "Zhuge Qing's strength is good; the Cultivation Furnace needs him. Besides, my Biyou Village is short on Root Vessels, so naturally, I took a liking to him."

Zhang Chulan pondered for a moment, then suddenly said: "I want to see what the Cultivation Furnace actually looks like." As he said this, he was prepared to be refused.

To his surprise, Ma Xianhong was unexpectedly generous: "Sure."

"What?" Zhang Chulan didn't react for a moment.

"Follow me." Ma Xianhong stood up, a mysterious smile on his face, "It's a good time for you to see it for yourself."

Feng Baobao also stood up, and the three of them walked in a line toward a special room in the village. Along the way, Zhang Chulan's vigilance did not diminish; Ma Xianhong's prompt agreement only made him more guarded.

Not long after, a quaint pavilion appeared before them. In front of the pavilion, Harichagai and Zhong Xiaolong were on guard duty. Seeing Ma Xianhong bring people over, the two immediately stood at attention.

Ma Xianhong nodded to them and stepped aside. Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao followed him into the pavilion, while Harichagai watched their backs with a hint of contempt in his eyes.

"These are the outsiders?" Harichagai curled his lip, "They don't look all that strong."

Zhong Xiaolong rubbed his chin, looking confident: "If there's a chance, I must spar with them and let them see our prowess." His tone was full of arrogance, clearly very confident in his own strength.

"Xiaolong, it's better to be careful."

Harichagai said in a cautious tone.

Inside the pavilion, Ma Xianhong brought the two in front of the Cultivation Furnace. The massive furnace stood in the center of the pavilion, emitting a quaint and mysterious aura.

"The exterior looks similar to an alchemy furnace." Zhang Chulan walked around the Cultivation Furnace, asking curiously, "How does it work?"

Ma Xianhong smiled slightly: "It's hard to explain in a short time. You just need to know that this is an instrument capable of turning ordinary people into Outsiders."

Zhang Chulan scrutinized every detail of the Cultivation Furnace, wanting to discover something special, but on the surface, it looked like an ordinary large furnace.

Just then, Feng Baobao suddenly developed a keen interest in the Cultivation Furnace. She leaned in like a curious child and actually gnawed on the furnace body a few times, making a "Crack! Crack!" sound.

"Sister Bao'er!" Zhang Chulan was speechless.

Ma Xianhong was also caught between laughter and tears, but he noticed that Feng Baobao's teeth had actually left shallow marks on the hard furnace body, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.