My Feral, Blood-Drinking Father

Holding her like this, Qin Muye felt conflicted. To him, beautiful women fell into only three categories.

One was the type that sparked immediate desire, which depended on the figure.

One was the type that made him want to fall in love, which depended on the face and temperament.

And the last was the type that made him want to marry and have children, though that was hard to define—it was all rather metaphysical.

Bai Yuji, however, occupied at least the first two categories. Holding such a stunner, it was impossible for him not to feel a stir of desire.

If not for the fact that the Qin Family was his greatest backing, and that he was unsure of his fate once he had been fully utilized, he would have long since dumped his attribute points into Physique and helped Bai Yuji take her revenge repeatedly.

"Qin Muye?"

"What is it?"

"If you've recovered, hurry up and let go!"

"What makes you say I've recovered?"

"You're already in the mood to touch my waist, and you say you haven't recovered? I'm counting to three; if you don't let go, don't blame me for being impolite."

"..."

Qin Muye sheepishly released his grip, though his tone remained incredibly sincere: "Thank you! I really like this birthday gift."

Bai Yuji rolled her eyes at him, but she didn't retort.

She had originally thought she would feel the same disgust toward physical contact with him as she always had.

But today, unexpectedly, she didn't—at least not until he touched her waist.

Perhaps it was because he had lost quite a bit of weight over the past few days and looked better?

Or perhaps she just pitied him?

She chuckled softly: "I had prepared something else for you, but since you're satisfied with this birthday gift, I'll just keep it for myself."

"Don't!"

Qin Muye's interest was piqued: "Bring it out, I want both."

"Then wait!"

Bai Yuji smiled as she stood up and walked straight out of the bedroom.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she returned carrying a bowl.

Before he even took the bowl, Qin Muye caught a rich, savory aroma.

"What is this?"

"Deep-fried insects."

"..."

Qin Muye took the bowl and saw the various insects fried to a golden crisp; his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Bai Yuji arched a delicate brow: "Do you dare to eat them?"

"What is there to fear?"

Qin Muye closed his eyes, picked one up, and shoved it into his mouth.

The moment it hit his tongue, his eyes snapped open. The sensation of meat and fat exploding across his taste buds made him feel as if he had returned to that summer in his childhood when he first ate deep-fried cicada nymphs.

After growing up, he had encountered them at street stalls, but they were exorbitantly expensive, and even when he steeled himself to buy a skewer, he never found that stunning flavor again.

He hadn't expected to find that exquisite taste here of all places.

He didn't stop for a second, devouring the entire bowl of deep-fried insects in no time.

"Is it good?"

"Delicious!"

"Is it enough to trade for a folk song from you?"

"Of course it is!"

Qin Muye nodded repeatedly: "I didn't know you had this skill; where did you learn it?"

The smile on Bai Yuji's face faltered. She was silent for a moment before saying: "During the time when Nanzhao was just destroyed, we hid in the mountains and forests. There were many great demons and fierce beasts there, so we had no choice but to raise insects as our staple food."

Qin Muye: "..."

The atmosphere turned silent in an instant.

A long time passed.

Bai Yuji finally stood up with the empty bowl. As she reached the doorway, she said: "The ten thousand taels you promised me—give it to me as soon as possible!"

With that, she turned and left.

Closing the door, she stood in the courtyard for a long time.

Today's performance was a success; she even felt that Qin Muye had been moved.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to smile.

Because she had just realized that she actually hated acting, for it was truly painful to wake up from the play.

Inside the room.

Qin Muye leaned against the headboard with his hands behind his head, smacked his lips at the lingering scent of meat, and cursed, "Damn it! Acting isn't fun at all."

He shook his head and opened his system panel.

[Name]: Qin Muye
[Physique]: Rank 8 (-79/40)
[Soul]: Rank 7 (22.7/80)
[Fate Skill]: Thread-Crafter
[Available Attribute Points]: 23.63

Bai Yuji certainly had some tricks up her sleeve; he hadn't added a single attribute point to his Physique, relying entirely on her new treatment regimen to recover.

However, he was still far from a full recovery.

The first day of treatment restored 10 points, the second day 5, the third day 3, and after that, it dropped to 1 point a day, sometimes even taking several days for a single point. Looking at this trend, the hope for a full recovery was slim.

He wondered what Bai Yuji's reaction would be if she found out about this outcome.

Whatever.

Time for a nap.

Feeling a bit sleepy after eating.

Inner river.

On the flower boat.

Wang Li's voice was filled with agitation: "Cousin! We cannot let this matter slide!"

"Of course we can't!"

Shen Jin said in a deep voice: "Cousin Wang Xuan was humiliated today, which is a slap to my face as well. We will surely return this tenfold in the future. However, the wind is blowing hard right now; we must wait until the true culprit who robbed that piece of trash is caught."

Although Wang Li was unwilling, he could only nod.

There were many frictions among the noble youths in the capital, but they were all people who cared about face and would never make things too ugly. Besides, with Shen Jin as their backer, the worst losses they had suffered in the past were nothing more than a few bruises on their faces.

Yet today, Wang Xuan had been grabbed by the hair, slapped across the face, and had her clothes torn to shreds.

What kind of rustic, village-woman tactic was that?

Having suffered such a humiliating disgrace, how could his sister show her face in public again?

When he had threatened them, he had invoked the Langya Wang Clan, but there were too many people in the Langya Wang Clan, and his family was merely an unremarkable branch. Who would have the spare time to stand up for Wang Xuan?

He could only rely on Shen Jin.

"Second Wang, don't be so anxious!"

A burly youth beside them panted heavily: "At least Qin Muye vented his anger today. If he brings the Brocade Guard to surround your house again, he will be in the wrong, and you will have grounds to make a scene. Unlike me, I lost a top-tier monster core that I intended to use to break through to Rank 6!"

Shen Jin chuckled: "Yu Shanjun, stop acting coy after getting the upper hand. Aren't you currently breaking through to Rank 6?"

Yu Shanjun looked down; the woman's eyes were hazy and her face flushed as she moved in rhythm with him.

His cultivation was indeed at Rank 6.

He burst into laughter, and while continuing his breakthrough, he asked: "Is the tiger whip effective? I'm asking you, is it effective!"

A long while later.

The sounds of the breakthrough finally ceased.

The woman put on her clothes, wanting to continue interacting with Yu Shanjun.

But Yu Shanjun waved her away with a look of utter boredom.

He sighed, returning to his previous state of emptiness: "Brother Shen, can you help me get a good core?"

Shen Jin couldn't help but curse: "My boat is filled with such luxuries; which one isn't more fun than cultivation? Why are you so obsessed with that pathetic cultivation of yours? What kind of future does that have?"

He was truly baffled.

This flower boat offered the most top-tier pleasures in all of Great Gan.

Even the female martial artists admired by common experts were treated as nothing more than playthings on this boat.

Except for the few times Qin Muye came aboard and kept things plain.

At all other times, this boat was a paradise on earth.

Yet these guys were still unsatisfied, still obsessed with cultivation!

Yu Shanjun made a bitter face. "You think I want to cultivate? It's just that the Ten Thousand Races Imperial Examination is at the end of the year, and my father, who still eats raw meat and drinks blood, is coming. If he sees I haven't broken through to the Sixth Rank, he'll beat my tiger backside until it's shredded!"

Shen Jin rubbed his temples. "Fair point! It just so happens there's an auction today. The others seem to have spent a fortune, so we should all try to recoup some losses today. My old man gave me over a thousand spirit stones yesterday, so today's expenses are on me. But don't get your hopes up too high; a Leopard Demon core of that quality is truly rare."

"Brother Shen is generous!"

"Help me introduce a few more Demon Race geniuses in a few days. Our ship hasn't had any new members in a long time."

"No problem, leave it to me!"

Night fell.

In a private room at the auction house.

A group of people ate and drank while waiting for their items.

Finally.

"The seventh auction item: a Sixth Rank Leopard Demon core. The demon power remains undissipated, full of vitality, and appraised as top-tier. The starting bid is one hundred spirit stones, with a minimum increment of ten spirit stones."

"Hey!"

Yu Shanjun suddenly perked up. "Isn't this a coincidence? It's exactly what I needed. The type of demon core is the same as mine, the rank is the same, the quality is the same, and it even looks..."

He suddenly felt something was off. He stared intently for a long while before cursing, "Damn his mother, this is my core! Brother Shen, that trash Qin Muye is here too!"

Shen Jin: "..."

This was just too shameless.

He had just received the gift at noon, and by night, he was already auctioning it off.

Who was he trying to disgust?

In another private room.

Li Xingluo had been watching the auction quietly, but she suddenly let out a sound of surprise.

"Hmm?"

The beautiful woman beside her leaned against a soft couch, smiling lazily. "Xingluo, what is it?"

Li Xingluo pointed outside the window, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. "Aunt, the gift Qin Muye received at noon has already been put up for auction tonight."

"Qin Muye..."

The smile on the beautiful woman's face did not fade, but her eyes turned icy cold.