Chapter 28: Walking Alone

"Damn it, I've spent all my time drinking with you lot. Enough talk, I need to get ready for the Origin Vein scramble in ten days." To the astonishment of the other three, the young man in white rushed down the stairs in a hurry.

The news of a low-grade Origin Vein appearing on the east side of Liuyue City spread like a wildfire, becoming common knowledge throughout the city. Close on its heels, the public notice just issued by Ji Kun struck the people's hearts like a bolt of lightning.

Ji Kun’s act was effectively a move to benefit the entire populace; for a time, his name was hailed by the masses as the sage of the age!

...

In the City Lord’s mansion, Ji Kun listened to the constant reports from his subordinates, now fully aware of everything unfolding in Liuyue City.

He shook his head with a bitter smile, muttering to himself, "Who would have thought that I would inadvertently become a sage in the eyes of the people, the greatest City Lord in history."

"What, you don't want to be? You’ve been this way for the past three years!" A cold voice came from outside the room.

Xuan Ningyue, dressed in white with a cold expression, walked inside.

Ji Kun’s face changed drastically; he rose quickly and said respectfully, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Xuan Ningyue turned to look at the bright moon and said indifferently, "Do you harbor resentment toward me for forcing you to hand over this Origin Vein?"

"This humble official would not dare. Jiu'er has already been admitted to the Shengyuan Immortal Palace and has a better future. As for me, I have fulfilled my long-held dream. Even if I had kept the Origin Vein, I would eventually have mined the origin crystals to bestow upon the people of Liuyue City," Ji Kun said respectfully, watching Xuan Ningyue’s back.

Xuan Ningyue turned slowly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Ji Kun’s. After a minute, she said softly, "You have a magnanimous heart. A cultivator’s life is spent contending with heaven and earth, yet you willingly abandon such a peerless opportunity. You are quite out of place compared to the thousands of other City Lords."

Ji Kun fell into memories, and after a moment, he said with a heavy tone, "My dream since childhood was simply to be the City Lord of Liuyue City."

Xuan Ningyue did not speak. She gave him one long, deep look before turning and leaving.

...

After a night, Bai Ling slowly rose, his injuries already healed.

His eyes darkened as he pondered the benefits that drop of blood had brought him.

It was simply heaven-defying!

No matter how severe the injury, it recovered as if new within a single night. While it brought him terrifying strength, it also granted him astonishing regenerative powers.

Who did that mysterious crimson drop of blood belong to?

And what of Yaoyao, the eerily beautiful girl in the purple dress within the pendant's mysterious space? What was her true identity?

What was the connection between that drop of blood and her?

He had merged with the blood, and now that the mysterious liquid was gone, Yaoyao had awakened, yet she seemed extremely fond of his own blood.

And she, it seemed, had not yet recovered her memories...

On an autumn morning, the temperature gradually dropped.

Bai Ling sneezed violently, pulled out a tissue, and gently wiped his nose.

Suddenly, his vision blurred. When Bai Ling opened his eyes again, he found himself back in that mysterious space.

Yaoyao’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, and a happy smile appeared on her face.

Bai Ling was instantly captivated by her violet pupils, matched with her porcelain-doll-like snowy complexion and waist-length purple hair. He stood frozen, wanting to take a deep breath to look away, but it felt as if his feet were nailed to the ground.

Yaoyao looked at him, her expression puzzled for a moment before she vanished from where she stood.

Bai Ling took a sharp step back, but his right hand was already caught in Yaoyao’s mouth. Then, to his horror, she bit into his flesh, broke his skin, and began to suck his blood.

"Hisss..."

"Are you a demon!"

Yaoyao seemed not to hear him, her tongue gently swirling, touching Bai Ling's nerves.

After sucking for half an incense stick of time, Yaoyao looked satisfied. She gently opened the seven-colored glazed coffin, lay inside, and soon, the sound of steady breathing emerged from her nose.

Bai Ling was pale, his body weak, his steps unsteady; he nearly fell with every move.

This is ridiculous!

At this moment, Bai Ling wanted to curse. The mysterious blood had merged into his body, bringing him extraordinary power, but at the same time, this eerily beautiful girl named Yaoyao was uniquely obsessed with his blood!

This time, he had been actively summoned into this mysterious space just to have his blood drained!

Damn it!

I’m not your father!

And I’m certainly not your husband!

If she keeps draining his blood like this in the future, the thought alone was terrifying to Bai Ling!

What if she summoned him in like this at a critical moment when he was dueling someone?

Then I’d have to thank your ancestors for eighteen generations!

...

Bai Ling turned slowly, looking at the seven-colored glazed coffin, and pondered for a moment.

His vision blurred, and he vanished from the pendant’s space.

Immediately after, Bai Zhentian and Xuan Ningyue pushed the door open.

Just then, the two froze in the room, staring at Bai Ling, who had been rosy-cheeked the night before but was now deathly pale.

Their gazes then shifted to the tissue on the corner of Bai Ling’s table, which was stained with a somewhat viscous white liquid and crumpled together.

When Xuan Ningyue first saw Bai Ling, a radiant smile had been on her face, but upon seeing the tissue on the table, her beautiful eyes widened. She froze for three seconds, then immediately covered her eyes with both hands, her face turning as red as a ripe apple.

"Ah... Ling-ge, you, you..." Covering her eyes, Xuan Ningyue stammered a few words before turning around and running out.

Bai Ling followed their gazes and also froze. When the sound of Xuan Ningyue’s shy, stammering voice reached his ears, three lines of frustration appeared on his forehead.

"Uh... Yueyue, this is..." Bai Ling started to explain, but before he could finish, his voice was cut off by Bai Zhentian.

Bai Zhentian’s face was wearing a very colorful expression as he smiled and said, "Ling-er, you are a grown man now, but you really need to exercise some restraint regarding certain matters. Look at your complexion; it’s white as a sheet. You must have moderation in all things, otherwise, at such a young age, you shouldn't exhaust your essence to death!" Every word he spoke sounded as if he were an expert on men, lecturing Bai Ling.

"I..." Listening to him, Bai Ling instantly understood what he was referring to!

His heart was in a state of chaos. He wanted to start explaining, but then he looked back at that ball of tissue!

It really did look like it!

"Xiao Li is dead. Here are the fifteen pieces of lightning-struck profound iron." Bai Zhentian placed them in Bai Ling’s hand.

The heavy weight in his hand told Bai Ling exactly what Bai Zhentian intended: to let him consolidate his cultivation and train well in the coming days to be fully prepared for the Origin Vein struggle in ten days.

Bai Ling nodded and cast a look of gratitude.

"Ling-er, for this Origin Vein struggle, Yueyue will accompany you," Bai Zhentian said with a nod and a smile.

Bai Zhentian gave Bai Ling a deep look and continued, "Although Liuyue City is relatively safe due to Ji Kun’s 'No-Killing Decree,' in the mountains, this decree might just become a scrap of paper. By then, there will surely be brutal fighting and even deaths over the resources!"

Bai Ling said, "Men die for wealth just as birds die for food; this has remained unchanged since ancient times. This Origin Vein will surely be filled with endless dangers. I have already prepared myself, but I would still prefer to go alone!"

"Why?" Bai Zhentian asked, his gaze questioning. In his understanding, the combat power Bai Ling displayed in the battle against Ji Jiu'er was enough to rival an eighth-level Chuyuan Realm cultivator, and now, he might even be able to contend with a tenth-level Chuyuan Realm cultivator.