Chapter 30

"Haha, Brother Luo, you think too highly of me."

Chen Ju hurriedly laughed it off and gave a perfunctory reply.

"Where would I have any silver? I was just planning to go and ask for credit."

He then immediately changed the subject, chatting about the various girls in the brothel.

Luo Qingchen naturally understood the tacit agreement and did not bring it up again.

The two patrolled the perimeter of the courtyard wall once before returning inside.

"Then I won't disturb Brother Luo and Miss A-Yun from catching up."

Seeming afraid that Luo Qingchen would bring up the loan again, Chen Ju left in a hurry as soon as they returned to the building.

Luo Qingchen went up to the second floor, first patrolling outside each of the private rooms. Seeing nothing unusual, he went to the corner of the corridor and continued to close his eyes and rest.

As for A-Yun, he did not go to see her again.

In such a perilous environment, he could not afford to get too close to anyone.

The night passed without incident.

After daybreak, he greeted Chen Ju and returned to the backyard.

After finishing the breakfast that had been delivered, he continued his cultivation.

The remaining medicinal energy in his body had to be fully refined as soon as possible.

After he left, Chen Ju made another round on the first floor. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he went up to the second floor and quickly disappeared into a private room at the end of the corridor.

"That guy isn't taking the bait at all. Both seduction and threats clearly aren't working. What should we do?"

"Hmph, that kid is indeed very sharp; no wonder he's managed to survive until now. But I'm not in a hurry. He just finished his medicinal bath yesterday. I'll think of another way after a few more days."

"Then what about the promise you made to me..."

"Rest assured. Once you help me break through to the Blood Changing Realm, I will find a way to take you up there."

"Hmph, you'd better not be lying to me. If you dare to deceive me, I'll tell everyone what you've been doing to those guests!"

"Hehe, if it weren't for you, I couldn't have done it anyway. Don't worry, we're grasshoppers on the same string; if we die, we die together, and if we soar, we soar together."

The conversation in the room soon ceased.

When Chen Ju emerged from the room and his face sank into the shadows of the corridor, the fawning smile on his face gradually turned cold.

Three days later.

The medicinal energy within Luo Qingchen's body was finally fully refined.

Inside his body, the cultivation progress had increased to [150/1000]!

Although the speed did not seem slow, there was still a long way to go before breaking through to the Blood Changing Realm.

At this moment, the blood in his second reserve blood bar was down to only 15%.

He only had enough for one more medicinal bath.

For him, this was far from enough.

He needed more fresh blood to perform more medicinal baths so he could break through to the Blood Changing Realm faster.

Others could afford to wait, but he could not.

The materials used to repair the Ten-Soul Banner were the worst available, and he had no idea just how poor they were.

No one could guarantee whether it would hold up for half a year.

Therefore, he had to go up there as soon as possible to choose better materials and thoroughly repair the Ten-Soul Banner.

Otherwise, his heart would never be at ease.

Moreover, only by quickly breaking through to the Aperture Opening Realm could he see his younger sister's soul with his own eyes and truly confirm that she was by his side.

But where could he get fresh blood?

If he had money, he could buy it, but he had no money. Not only was he penniless, but he also owed many debts.

He had even mortgaged his own soul.

So, he now had only one path to take.

That was to suck blood.

"Sucking blood..."

After leaving his room, he pondered secretly while eating the steamed bun sent by a maid, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the room where Wang Long and Wang Hu stayed.

The past few days in the building had been calm.

Everyone else was busy with medicinal baths and cultivation, while Wang Long and Wang Hu were taking the time to heal and recover.

Both of them had excellent physiques, were cultivators themselves, and had access to high-quality wound medicine; by yesterday evening, they were already able to limp outside.

However, their bodies remained very weak.

It would likely take at least a month to fully recover, after all, too much blood had been taken from them that night.

"Even so, if the two of them were to fight for their lives together, they could not be underestimated..."

Luo Qingchen slowly withdrew his gaze.

It was only then that he suddenly realized with a start that he had unconsciously taken on the appearance of "Chen Ju," and had begun to covet the blood of other living people without even noticing.

In truth, this is what a normal member of the Demon Sect is like, isn't it?

He thought to himself.

"Brother Luo!"

The voice of Zhang Jiu suddenly rang out from the stone bridge not far away.

Luo Qingchen swallowed the last piece of steamed bun and suppressed the emotions in his heart. Just as he was about to greet him, Zhang Jiu shouted, "Brother Luo, hurry to the front! Senior Brother Tian has arrived and says he wants to see you."

Tian Feng?

Luo Qingchen's heart skipped a beat. Why is he here? The half-month period hasn't passed yet; surely he isn't here to...

"Senior Brother Tian must be here to draw blood again."

Zhang Jiu stopped at the bridgehead, looking at him with a sympathetic gaze.

Luo Qingchen's pupils constricted, but he did not reveal any other emotion on his face, walking over in silence.

"Sigh..."

Zhang Jiu let out a sigh and followed behind him, unable to help but whisper, "It's only been a few days, and he's back to draw blood again. He really doesn't treat us like human beings. It's fortunate that we are cultivators and our physiques are stronger than ordinary Blood Medicine; otherwise, with such frequent bloodletting, I fear we would have fallen ill and died long ago."

Luo Qingchen remained silent, saying nothing.

Zhang Jiu glanced at him and asked with concern, "Brother Luo, your body hasn't fully recovered from the last time he drew blood, has it?"

Luo Qingchen paused and nodded slightly. "I am still feeling quite weak."

"Sigh..."

Zhang Jiu sighed again, his tone filled with helplessness and sorrow.

Luo Qingchen soon arrived at the front courtyard.

Tian Feng, dressed in black robes, stood in the same spot as that day. Upon seeing him, he said directly, "Come here. This master still requires some fresh blood."

As he spoke, he produced a dagger and a blood bowl.

Luo Qingchen lowered his head and walked up to him. He paused for a breath and said respectfully, "Master, this disciple had his blood drawn just a few days ago and still feels dizzy and faint. Could... could it be delayed for a few more days?"

Zhang Jiu watched him from under the corridor not far away.

Sun Ping and two other young women in the building were also watching him from the window of the first-floor hall.

There seemed to be someone on the second floor peeking from a window as well.

The air seemed to fall silent for a moment.

Tian Feng's originally indifferent gaze suddenly turned icy, and his tone grew cold. "What does your dizziness have to do with me? I came down the mountain today to collect blood. If you are unwilling, so be it—I shall simply take your flesh and skin instead. How does that sound?"

Luo Qingchen lowered his head, extended his arm, and said respectfully, "This disciple is willing."

Tian Feng stared at him with cold eyes for a while longer, then extended the dagger in his hand and slashed across his wrist.

Bright red blood gushed out, flowing into the bowl below.

A thick, metallic scent of blood permeated the morning air.

There were many figures and many gazes all around, but at this moment, everything was deathly silent.

Luo Qingchen kept his head bowed, remaining equally silent.

The bowl was soon filled with blood.

This time, Tian Feng did not help him apply any styptic powder to the wound; he simply took the bowl and turned to leave.

As he reached the main gate, he suddenly turned his head and said, "I heard you even sold your soul? Remember, everything on your body, save for your soul, belongs to me, Tian Feng. If there is a next time for words like today's, you know the consequences."

With that, he strode away.

Luo Qingchen stood in place for a while longer before slowly pulling down his sleeve and heading toward the backyard.

His face was pale, and his steps were unsteady.

After walking a short distance, he swayed and leaned against a large tree to rest for a long while before continuing toward the backyard.

At some point, Chen Ju, Wang Long, Wang Hu, and the others had appeared not far away, watching him with cold eyes.

"Sigh, what a pity..."

Someone sighed.

But in the eyes of many others, there was only the greed of a predator seeing its prey.