Final Preparations

Xu Yuan always liked to be methodical and well-prepared whenever he set out to do something.

Therefore, knowing full well that the mortality rate of practicing the Blood Origin Heart-Meteor Art was so high, Xu Yuan naturally placed even greater importance on his preparations before cultivation.

As his training with Ran Qingmo deepened, Xu Yuan gradually subdivided the preparations for practicing the Blood Origin Heart-Meteor Art into five steps in his mind.

The first step was to learn the basic knowledge of this world and have Ran Qingmo teach him a rudimentary cultivation technique to get familiar with how energy circulated.

The second step was to begin attempting to mobilize Origin Qi along the circulation path of the Blood Origin Heart-Meteor Art while in a conscious state.

The third step, with Ran Qingmo's help, was to adapt to a near-death state while remaining conscious.

The fourth step, with Ran Qingmo's help, was to begin circulating the Blood Origin Heart-Meteor Art along its path while in that near-death state.

And the fifth step was to officially begin the cultivation.

After one month, Xu Yuan had already completed the first two steps of his preparation.

If he were given another month, Xu Yuan was confident he could perfectly execute the plan he had set for himself, but the remaining five-day countdown to his death was no longer enough for him to proceed with the remaining three steps in an orderly fashion.

With no way out, there was no hesitation in Xu Yuan's choice.

There was no time left for him to adapt bit by bit.

He had to take the risk.

The cramped cave dwelling fell silent for a moment.

Ran Qingmo looked at Xu Yuan's calm and earnest eyes and slowly nodded:

"Very well."

After a pause, her voice sounded slightly hesitant:

"But why?"

Xu Yuan raised his eyes to look at the dim ceiling of the cave, remained silent for a long time, and said:

"To save both your life and mine."

A flicker of confusion crossed Ran Qingmo's eyes:

"But, my injuries have already healed."

Because her injuries were healed, she could take him out.

This was her own brand of confidence.

Xu Yuan turned his gaze to the side and said softly:

"I know your injuries are healed, but have you ever met Xu Changge?"

Ran Qingmo's beautiful eyes flickered for a moment, and she shook her head:

"He has always been in the Imperial Capital; I have never met him. Are you saying he has come here too?"

Her master had once said that the eldest young master of the Prime Minister's Estate was a person even more gifted than she was.

Like her, Xu Changge had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at the age of sixteen.

However, it was a pity that he had made no further progress since then; Xu Changge had been stuck at the Grandmaster Realm for over fourteen years now.

With fourteen years of accumulation, Xu Changge should be very strong, but she could still barely handle him, or at the very least, she could escape.

Xu Yuan's meridians could now barely withstand her Qi; by using her Qi to enter his meridians, she could temporarily protect him from the "air pressure" caused by high-speed travel.

Therefore, she could take Xu Yuan and escape from a group of people surrounding them.

Moreover, because of that Nine Return Pill and the month of cultivation here, her current cultivation level had improved significantly compared to a month ago.

"Yes, he has indeed come."

Xu Yuan looked at her with a hint of helplessness, his voice gentle:

"But do you know something?"

"Know what?" Ran Qingmo asked.

"As early as ten years ago, Xu Changge had already reached the Origin Beginning of Qi."

As these words fell, the cave became deathly silent.

"..."

Ran Qingmo's clear, tranquil eyes lowered slightly.

Xu Yuan watched her expression and smiled faintly, saying as if with a sigh:

"Actually, Master Ran, your idea of using Xu Changtian's life to threaten that man would, to a certain extent, be feasible."

"He does indeed value his family; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent Xu Changge over."

He paused, and Xu Yuan stared into Ran Qingmo's eyes:

"Master Ran, are you still confident you can escape now? Even if it means using my body as a hostage to threaten them?"

"..." Ran Qingmo did not reply.

Xu Yuan slowly closed his eyes and fell into silence.

An aura of despair permeated the cramped cave dwelling.

Back in Cangyuan, the boss that required players to use cheats to defeat was none other than the Prime Minister's eldest son, Xu Changge!

Under the Prime Minister's monstrous fury, this eldest young master had hunted Ran Qingmo all the way, finally cornering her near the ruins of a mysterious little village called Burial Village on the border of Great Yan.

The battle was over quickly.

With the first punch, the three-foot black sword in her hand was sent flying.

With the second punch, Ran Qingmo was sent hurtling backward, lying on the ground with her breath hanging by a thread.

Two moves, and the battle was over.

Without the slightest chance to fight back—without even the opportunity to draw her sword—Ran Qingmo had been gravely wounded at the hands of this eldest young master.

The gap in their strength was suffocating.

This deathly silence lingered in the cave for who knows how long.

Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes:

"Miss Ran, let us begin."

His voice was soft, yet resolute.

Because only by cultivating that technique could he survive.

"."

Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered, her red lips parting as if she had more to say, but in the end, she simply gave a slight nod and whispered:

"Thank you."

Xu Yuan shook his head:

"I said it before: don't say thank you. That word is useless."

Ran Qingmo stared at him earnestly, silent for two seconds:

"Then... then I owe you another favor."

Xu Yuan smiled at the words and whispered:

"Miss Ran, once you owe too many favors and cannot repay them, you often end up having to offer yourself instead. You have helped me with this matter, and I chose to take this risk for my own life, so there is no need for you to owe me."

Ran Qingmo's eyes shimmered for a moment, and she insisted:

"No, I must owe it."

Silence. They stared at each other.

Xu Yuan let out a breath:

"As you wish.

"Time is short; can we begin now?"

Ran Qingmo nodded and slowly raised a slender, jade-like hand to grasp Xu Yuan's wrist.

The icy sensation of her hand immediately traveled across his skin.

Xu Yuan glanced at it and asked calmly:

"What method do you intend to use?"

Ran Qingmo explained in a low voice:

"I will use my Qi to create Profound Ice to cover you, and afterward, I will channel my energy to heal your wounds."

Xu Yuan pondered briefly.

At this point, with Qi already present within his body, the two of them could utilize the method of channeling energy to heal.

Stopping his train of thought, Xu Yuan gave a slight nod to signal that they could begin.

Without another word, a sinister, frigid chill instantly appeared within the cramped cave, the spreading mist of cold even freezing a thin layer of frost over the surface of the spirit spring inside.

Xu Yuan felt a chill that froze him to the marrow rapidly spreading from his wrist.

From his wrist to his arm, then to his entire right torso, until his whole body felt as if it had fallen into ten-thousand-year-old ice.

Amidst this permeating cold, Xu Yuan sensed his consciousness slowing down at a visible rate, the aura of death clinging to his heart like a maggot to a bone.

Time ticked by, second by second, and everything before his eyes gradually plunged into darkness.

He did not know how much time had passed when Xu Yuan slowly drifted back to consciousness, staring at the dim ceiling of the cave, speechless for a long while.

He had thought that the coma caused by hypothermia in that cave was already a brush with death, but when the true sensation of dying descended, Xu Yuan realized that the hypothermic coma was nothing at all.

He had only lasted a few minutes before his consciousness had plunged into darkness.

A slightly dry voice rang out softly in the silent cave:

"How... how long was I unconscious?"

"Two hours," Ran Qingmo's clear, indifferent voice came from beside him.

Xu Yuan placed his hand against his brow and rubbed it forcefully.

Two hours.

With about five days in total, he had to reserve at least two days for the formal cultivation of the Blood Origin Heart-Meteor Art.

Once every two hours meant he had, at most, around twenty opportunities left to adapt.

Slowly sitting up, Xu Yuan looked at her and spoke without unnecessary words:

"Continue."

"If possible, wake me up as soon as the healing is done; there is no need for rest."

"."

Ran Qingmo looked at his weak yet resolute gaze, gently pressed her lips together, and silently took hold of his wrist once more.