Chapter 23

“Blood Servant Technique?”

Chun Chou voiced his surprise, instinctively feeling that the name of the technique didn’t sound particularly righteous.

Ling Wuji nodded and carefully took the worn book Liu Ting’er had given him out of his storage ring, handing it over to Chun Chou.

“This Blood Servant Technique is likely incomplete. Liu Ting’er didn’t tell the whole truth. But everything in this world has a price. When I go out with them this time, I’ll find out what Liu Ting’er wants—and I’ll get the remaining portion of the technique from her.”

Chun Chou held the book in his hands, glanced at the cover, and said casually, “And what if she refuses to give it?”

Ling Wuji said slowly, “There will always be a way.” No matter what, since the Blood Servant Technique suited Chun Chou, he would definitely retrieve the remaining portion.

Chun Chou had no idea that the “way” Ling Wuji was thinking of at this moment was not necessarily an upright one.

At last, Chun Chou opened the cover and began reading seriously.

Ling Wuji did not disturb him and instead sat to cultivate.

—According to Qiao Linglong and Liu Ting’er, at least one of the two men hunting them would likely soon advance to the tenth layer of Qi Refining, while the other was already at the ninth. Qiao Linglong and Liu Ting’er were at the seventh and eighth layers respectively. In battle, they might manage to hold one opponent two-on-one, but the other would have to be stalled by Ling Wuji alone.

And though the women had seen only two enemies, there might well be accomplices. If so, it would be even more dangerous.

If he could break through to the tenth layer before then, their chances would improve.

Meanwhile, Chun Chou was fully absorbed in the Blood Servant Technique.

Though the title sounded ominous, it merely taught wood-element cultivators how to use their own blood to contract and nurture spiritual plant seeds, raising them so they could be summoned and commanded at any time—like the most loyal servants.

After finishing the book, Chun Chou roughly understood what to do. The only trouble was that his blood was tied to his “golden finger.” If he used it to nurture seeds, he had no idea what strange effects might occur.

Still, this was the most powerful wood-element technique he had access to so far. He had to try.

As for its incompleteness—he had noticed, but didn’t care for now. If fate allowed, he’d obtain the full version one day. If not, then so be it.

Ling Wuji paused his cultivation and told him about the agreement with Liu Ting’er.

The more Chun Chou listened, the deeper his frown grew. He suddenly shot to his feet.

“No. Those two are clearly older and far more experienced. They’ve been in the cultivation world for years—who knows how many tricks they have? In cultivation you’re inferior; in connections, if Liu Ting’er could think of teaming up with you, they could do the same with others. This is too risky. You’re not going.”

Ling Wuji had anticipated this reaction. But he was determined to secure the Blood Servant Technique. When negotiating with Liu Ting’er, the three of them had sworn an oath: seven days later they would depart, form no alliances with others, and betray none of each other.

Chun Chou glared at him. “You did that on purpose! You knew if you told me afterward I’d never agree, so you swore the oath first—so even if I objected, it wouldn’t matter!”

His eyes were wide with anger, cheeks puffed out.

Ling Wuji felt both delight and guilt. “I only want to bring the Blood Servant Technique back to you. Chun Chou, I don’t want you to worry.”

If possible, he would stay by Chun Chou’s side always. But Chun Chou was doing well in the Hundred Herbs Garden at the City Lord’s residence, and Ling Wuji was confident in his own methods. That was why he made the decision.

Chun Chou’s expression shifted repeatedly. In the end, he said, “Then you must reach the tenth layer of Qi Refining before you go.”

Seeing Ling Wuji hesitate, he added, “I’ll set up the Spirit Gathering Array for you. Mine are the best.”

Ling Wuji sighed inwardly. He knew this was Chun Chou’s bottom line. He handed over all his spirit stones and pills, watching as Chun Chou arranged the array.

It cost roughly two thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Ling Wuji still had three bottles of Spirit Condensing Pills and one bottle of Fasting Pills.

He understood then—Chun Chou was serious. No proper meals for him now; only fasting pills.

So he obediently cultivated within the array.

A Spirit Gathering Array concentrated ambient spiritual energy, increasing cultivation speed somewhat. But when spirit stones were embedded into the formation, it could draw directly from them, multiplying the speed several times over.

Spirit Condensing Pills further accelerated cultivation.

Even so, advancing from the ninth to the tenth layer in a short time was difficult.

Chun Chou simply set a goal—cultivate as far as possible—and meanwhile sought to give Ling Wuji more protection.

That night, Chun Chou didn’t sleep. He researched ice-element artifacts. Though Ling Wuji had the “Storm Pear Blossom Needles” for hidden attacks, they were insufficient as a main weapon.

Ling Wuji had once said he could pre-condense ice needles and even several ice swords, storing them in his storage ring. Chun Chou himself carried several such ice swords. Still, he felt something was lacking.

The next evening, after work, Chun Chou went to the marketplace—specifically to the City Lord’s shops—and spent eight hundred low-grade spirit stones on a defensive robe capable of withstanding three consecutive attacks from a mid–Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The shopkeeper was astonished. “It’s a fine robe, strong defense—but cultivators usually have other defensive means. Eight hundred spirit stones could be spent elsewhere.”

Chun Chou knew. But Ling Wuji had a weakness—he couldn’t walk well. Though his spiritual sense was powerful and his wheelchair a weapon in itself, as his boyfriend, Chun Chou felt he had to consider more.

That night, he tossed the robe casually outside the array and returned to his room.

When Ling Wuji awoke from cultivation and saw the robe, he scanned it with his spiritual sense and understood its defensive power. He felt both joy and helplessness.

He had been confident—if they failed, the forested Ten Thousand Demon Woods favored him; wood generates water. Escape would not be a problem.

Moreover, Liu Ting’er had mentioned a poisonous spirit seed in the forest—ideal as the first seed for the Blood Servant Technique. He wanted it.

But he could not tell Chun Chou about that now. Nor about his water-escape technique.

It wasn’t that he feared Chun Chou exploiting him. He feared that if Chun Chou knew the truth, he might stop liking him altogether.

That was unbearable.

Lowering his gaze, Ling Wuji calculated: when they consummated their relationship, he would turn dual cultivation into supplementation, greatly increasing Chun Chou’s cultivation. Then he would reveal the truth. Chun Chou would feel indebted—and wouldn’t leave.

He really wasn’t a good person.

With a faint self-mocking smile, he changed into the robe and placed unused artifacts and talismans outside the array to sell—especially space talismans. There were one hundred of them.

The next morning, Chun Chou saw Ling Wuji obediently cultivating in the array, wearing the robe.

Outside lay unused artifacts and talismans—especially the hundred space talismans.

Chun Chou: “…”

This guy must not have been cultivating properly before! With such top-grade ice spiritual roots, how could his speed only be slightly better than Chun Chou’s mixed roots? That made no sense!

Grumbling, he collected the items—and found two slips of paper beneath the stack of space talismans.

One read: “Sorry.”

The other read: “Miss you.”

Even under the same roof, not seeing you, not speaking to you—I miss you.

Chun Chou: …

Chun Chou: !!! This is a trap! A ploy! I must not believe it!

Yet as he turned to leave, the corners of his lips lifted despite himself.

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