Jade-faced Thunder Fox

Meng Xuanji had spent all night racking his brains, yet he still could not find a suitable hundred-year soul beast for Hu Liena to absorb. In his view, those mediocre creatures were simply a waste of a soul ring slot.

But soul beasts with special abilities were mostly over ten thousand years old. Only a rare few were around a thousand years old, and they were extremely difficult to capture.

Left with no other choice, Meng Xuanji used the Mysterious Record to divine his fortune.

"Record, Record, tell me: what are the chances that Hu Liena will obtain a satisfactory soul ring with my help?"

"One hundred percent."

Those four words completely erased the doubts in Meng Xuanji's heart.

No result could have reassured Meng Xuanji more than those four words.

Even the most timid gambler ought to take a chance when the odds of winning were one hundred percent, right?

The Symbiotic Blood Lotus felt a chill run through it.

Could the Mysterious Record mean that as long as you helped her obtain a soul ring, Hu Liena would be satisfied? Even if you gave her an utterly ordinary hundred-year soul ring, she would probably still be satisfied!

The Symbiotic Blood Lotus did not dare speak, much less ask.

Meng Xuanji's reason had already been consumed by his obsession with making the prophecy come true. Trying to stop him would very likely backfire.

"Symbiotic Blood Lotus."

"Master, I'm here!"

"First soul skill, Symbiotic Contract."

Buzz.

Meng Xuanji's first soul ring glowed faintly. A blood-red radiance spread over Hu Liena's body like a thin veil, completely enveloping her.

"Hu Liena, I need a drop of your essence blood next. This process may hurt a little. If you can't bear it, cry out. Don't force yourself to endure it."

"Mm."

Trapped in darkness, Hu Liena only felt something wrapping around her. The pressure on her mind made her breathing tighten.

Gradually, it felt as though something had entered her neck and was slowly making its way toward her heart.

"Meng Xuanji."

Hu Liena gritted her teeth.

"It feels like... like something is about to burrow into my heart. Mm! My chest hurts so much!"

Hu Liena clutched her chest and crouched down in pain. Meng Xuanji hurriedly grabbed her right hand and held it tightly, giving her a little strength to endure.

"I'm here with you, Hu Liena. Don't be afraid. I won't leave you behind. This is all normal. It'll be over soon."

"Mm! But it really hurts!"

"Symbiotic Blood Lotus, what are you doing? Didn't you say you'd contracted with a whole bunch of servants before? Why are you moving so slowly?!"

Seeing Hu Liena's agonized expression, an inexplicable rage gradually rose within Meng Xuanji.

It was as though the Symbiotic Blood Lotus had deceived him!

"No, Master, I'm already doing my best. It's because this girl's cultivation is too weak. I don't dare make too large a movement, or her blood vessels could rupture. Without a healing-type soul master nearby, she'll definitely die!"

The Symbiotic Blood Lotus felt utterly wronged.

A hundred years ago, it would have casually pierced someone's chest and forcibly extracted their essence blood. When had it ever needed to peel it away with such surgical caution?

For someone accustomed to spending extravagantly, having to agonize over whether to buy one roasted sweet potato or half of one from a roadside stall was truly asking too much.

"Then hurry up. Remember, don't hurt her."

Meng Xuanji leaned forward and let Hu Liena rest against his shoulder, gently patting her back with his left hand from time to time.

"Come on, Hu Liena. You can do it. Believe in yourself. You definitely can."

"But my chest is so hot! It feels like my heart is burning! Meng Xuanji, you're such a liar! Ah-woo!"

"Hiss!"

Hu Liena bit down on Meng Xuanji's shoulder, sinking her teeth deep enough to leave a bleeding wound. The pain sent a chill through Meng Xuanji's heart.

But to help Hu Liena endure this suffering, Meng Xuanji could only force himself to bear it.

"Hold on, Hu Liena. It's almost over." Cold sweat poured down Meng Xuanji's face. The wound on his shoulder felt as if insects were tearing at it, and the pain nearly made him pass out.

"Done! The essence blood has been obtained perfectly! Master, the contract can now be signed!"

"Then sign it already! Are you waiting for me to write the terms myself?!"

"Oh, right, right, right."

The Symbiotic Blood Lotus's lotus tendrils danced swiftly through the air, and a Symbiotic Contract woven from soul power silently took shape.

"Symbiotic Contract."

"Contractor: Hu Liena."

"Contract Master: Meng Xuanji."

"Swearing upon their life souls, the two may share their cultivation, souls, and blood energy for life, jointly bearing each other's karma, pain, torment, and all happiness and sin experienced in this world."

"The contractor may not privately harm the contract master, and neither party may unilaterally tear up the contract. Violators will have their life souls destroyed and never be reborn."

"The final interpretation of this contract belongs to the contract master. At the same time, the contract master shall not be bound by the contract."

"The essence blood of both parties has been offered. The Symbiotic Contract is established!"

To strengthen the contract's binding force and sharing effect, Meng Xuanji had even contributed a drop of his own essence blood, all so he could bear more of Hu Liena's backlash when she absorbed the soul ring.

This was undoubtedly a huge gamble. If he could help Hu Liena absorb a soul ring beyond her level, then in the future, he could also contract stronger people to help himself absorb soul rings. By then, the Blue Silver Emperor's remaining hundred-thousand-year soul ring would no longer be an impossible dream.

That was the true reason behind Meng Xuanji's persistence.

At the same time, the original contract terms had been far too inhumane. Afraid that Bibi Dong would tear him apart if she found out, Meng Xuanji had specially prepared a second version for Hu Liena.

In the first version, the terms consisted of only a few short words.

"Your life belongs to the contract master."

It was that simple and brutal!

"Hu Liena, are you feeling better? It's over now."

Meng Xuanji could clearly sense that something had been added to his heart. It was as though he could see through Hu Liena's entire body, and every bit of power within her could be freely mobilized at his will. Even making the soul power inside her explode immediately was no exception!

What a terrifying ability! The Symbiotic Blood Lotus truly deserves to be one of the Eight Darkest Evil Things. No wonder Qian Daoliu crippled it and brought it back to seal it away.

"I-I don't think it hurts anymore."

Hu Liena opened her tightly shut eyes. Crystal-clear tears streamed down her pretty face, falling onto the clothes over Meng Xuanji's chest.

Meng Xuanji reached out and gently wiped away her tears.

"That's good. Don't cry anymore. It's all over. Next, we're going to hunt a soul ring, young lady."

Hu Liena looked at Meng Xuanji's bitten shoulder and lowered her head in guilt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. It was just... I really couldn't endure it at the time. I thought you were lying to me. I'm sorry."

At that moment, Hu Liena could also sense the enormous fluctuations of soul power within Meng Xuanji's body. Though she could not make it explode, she could still borrow it.

It seemed Meng Xuanji had not lied to her. He really was helping her.

"Meng Xuanji, I'll definitely find a way to make it up to you. At the very least, at the very least, I'll help you hunt a suitable soul ring."

As she spoke, Hu Liena pounced into Meng Xuanji's arms and tightly embraced his back.

A strange purple glimmer suddenly flashed through Meng Xuanji's eyes, and the corners of his lips could not help but curve upward.

"I'll remember those words, young lady. Don't worry, there will come a time when you can help me."

"Now then, let us properly welcome this guest who has been drawn here."

"Isn't that right, Jade-faced Thunder Fox?"