Soul Slave Contract Book

Although he had no idea why the system had suddenly triggered this task.

Su Tian nevertheless accepted it without hesitation, sticking to the principle that only a bastard would pass up a free benefit.

The rewards the system had given him before were quite tempting.

"Hehe, you little fellow, why are you still being so polite with me? I count as at least half your guide into alchemy. Now that you've suffered such injuries, how could I stand by with my hands tucked in my sleeves?"

Naturally, Qing Mu knew nothing of Su Tian's thoughts. He smiled faintly, gently stroked his white beard, and looked at Su Tian.

"Besides, the sooner you recover, the sooner you can continue studying alchemy. That will also let you help me escape my predicament sooner."

As he spoke, an almost imperceptible, peculiar gleam flashed deep within Qing Mu's eyes as he looked at Su Tian.

It seemed... to carry a hint of greed.

Huh? What's going on?

At that very instant, Su Tian inexplicably felt an icy chill rise from the soles of his feet, and his heart gave a violent jolt.

It felt as though someone had set their sights on him.

At the thought, Su Tian hurriedly raised his head and scanned his surroundings, his gaze finally settling on Qing Mu.

"What's wrong?"

Qing Mu was momentarily taken aback by Su Tian's sudden behavior and asked.

"Uh... nothing, nothing. Maybe I was too tense earlier and wore myself out."

Coming back to his senses, Su Tian saw the concern covering Qing Mu's aged face. He scratched his head and grinned.

Although Qing Mu had already concealed the greed in his eyes and betrayed not the slightest flaw.

Su Tian instinctively grew more wary. That chill just now... could it have been him?

"Ah, this truly was hard on you. After all, even I am no match for Mo Bass. For you to withstand his attack with the strength of a One-Star Great Dou Master was no small feat. If word got out, I'm afraid no one would dare believe it."

Qing Mu merely nodded at Su Tian's explanation, seemingly without suspicion.

"But you paid a considerable price as well. It seems your excessive expenditure of soul power has already begun causing hallucinations. If this continues, it may damage your foundation. We mustn't delay. Come back with me at once so we can treat your internal injuries!"

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Qing Mu!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qing Mu's shoulders trembled slightly. Pale green Dou Qi Wings sprang out, and with a sweep of his hand, a surge of powerful Dou Qi lifted Su Tian into the air.

In an instant, Qing Mu carried Su Tian out of the courtyard.

Although he had noticed nothing unusual about Qing Mu, Su Tian still felt an intense wariness toward him.

Su Tian couldn't explain why.

It seemed to be an instinctive reaction, especially when he recalled what Qing Mu had just said.

Why is he so worried about my internal injuries damaging my foundation? And why is he in such a hurry to take me away?

Feeling Qing Mu's unusually eager concern, Su Tian couldn't shake the sense that something was wrong.

As far as Su Tian was concerned, their friendship wasn't deep enough for Qing Mu to care so much about him.

Yet that was precisely how Qing Mu was behaving.

Moreover, his behavior gave the impression that he could hardly wait, as though he were running out of time.

As one question after another surfaced in Su Tian's mind, his wariness toward Qing Mu grew stronger.

Could he have harbored ill intentions from the very beginning?

Su Tian's gaze abruptly flickered. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he stole an unobtrusive glance at Qing Mu beside him and thought grimly, Is this old fellow finally unable to resist making a move on me?

Once that thought appeared, it refused to leave Su Tian's mind, and he grew increasingly certain of his guess.

So that's why this old fellow offered to teach me alchemy right from the start, claiming he wanted me to help him refine an antidote.

Recalling Qing Mu's earlier explanation, Su Tian inwardly scoffed.

Pah! A weasel paying New Year's respects to a chicken-he really was up to no good. Refining an antidote might just be an excuse. What he truly wants is probably me.

Another chill shot up from the soles of his feet.

At this point, Su Tian no longer cared about anything else. He couldn't afford to let his guard down around others, especially when his life was at stake.

Qing Mu knew nothing of the intense wariness that had suddenly risen within Su Tian.

Whoosh...

While thoughts flashed through Su Tian's mind, Qing Mu had already brought him to his courtyard.

"We're here. This is where I live. Wait here a moment while I make some preparations. We must see to it that your injuries heal completely!"

Qing Mu swept his hand, setting Su Tian steadily on the ground, then smiled faintly and gave his instructions in a kindly tone.

Despite the thoughts racing through his mind, Su Tian betrayed nothing unusual. He promptly nodded obediently, looking thoroughly respectful.

"I'll wait here. Sorry for the trouble, Senior Qing Mu!"

Qing Mu nodded with a faint smile, then turned and headed toward the house, leaving Su Tian alone in the courtyard.

Only after Qing Mu left did Su Tian look around the courtyard, unable to hold back an exclamation of amazement.

This old fellow's place is obviously far more luxurious than mine. Compared to this, my place is practically a pigsty!

Su Tian curled his lips, his face full of indignation.

He could hardly be blamed for complaining. Artificial hills stood in Qing Mu's courtyard, with gently trickling streams winding around them. An exquisite pavilion had even been built in its center, furnished with a stone table and two stone chairs.

On the ground beside the stone table lay two thick meditation cushions. Their centers were slightly sunken, as though people frequently sat cross-legged on them.

"Holy shit! Am I seeing things? Is that... a big black rat?"

Su Tian suddenly cried out, staring wide-eyed at a corner beside the pavilion.

A black rat roughly the size of a cat suddenly darted out from there. Crouching beside the stream, the rat thrust its head forward and caught a plump carp in its mouth.

The big black rat turned to glance at Su Tian, then swaggered onto the grass with the carp in its mouth and began feasting.

"Damn it, did a big black rat just look down on me?"

Su Tian's expression darkened. Fury surged within him, and as he clenched his right hand, a ball of scorching flame instantly formed.

Boom!

The next moment, Su Tian hurled it at the big black rat, and searing heat spread through the air.

Seeing Su Tian attack, the big black rat clearly panicked, abandoning even the half-eaten carp.

Squeak, squeak, squeak...

The big black rat let out a series of terrified squeaks and bolted toward the house where Qing Mu had gone.

Just as the ball of flame was about to strike the big black rat, a helpless chuckle rang out, followed by a sweep of powerful soul power.

"Extinguish."

Qing Mu slowly emerged from the house and softly uttered a single word. His invisible soul power instantly snuffed out the scorching flames.

Seizing the opportunity, the big black rat ran to Qing Mu's feet and rubbed against them repeatedly, raising its head and squeaking as though complaining to him about what Su Tian had done.

"Hehe, have you caused trouble for me again?"

Watching the big black rat, Qing Mu smiled faintly and shook his head helplessly, seemingly long accustomed to this behavior.

"Senior Qing Mu, what is that...?"

The big black rat had actually tattled right in front of Su Tian, leaving him utterly speechless. He couldn't help asking.

Qing Mu glanced at the big black rat beside his feet and smiled. "This is a Spirit-Seeking Mouse. These mice possess an extremely keen ability to sense medicinal ingredients containing spiritual energy. I happened upon this one during my travels in my younger years and have kept it ever since."

"I see. I never imagined this big black ra... uh, this Spirit-Seeking Mouse would have such an extraordinary ability."

After hearing Qing Mu's explanation, understanding appeared on Su Tian's face, and the words slipped out.

Qing Mu nodded and shooed the Spirit-Seeking Mouse aside, then continued, "Strictly speaking, this Spirit-Seeking Mouse only has the strength of a Dou Zhe. Its unusual ability makes its kind rare, though it certainly hasn't spared me any trouble over the years."

Su Tian nodded and gave the departing Spirit-Seeking Mouse another curious look before turning his gaze to Qing Mu.

"Senior Qing Mu, are you ready?"

"Yes, all the necessary medicinal ingredients have been prepared. We can now begin treating your injuries."

A sharp gleam flashed in Qing Mu's eyes at the question. He nodded slightly and spoke in a low voice.

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior Qing Mu!"

Hearing Qing Mu's words, Su Tian took a deep breath and replied respectfully. Inwardly, however, he heightened his vigilance, ready to retreat at any sign of trouble.

Just then, the system's voice suddenly sounded in Su Tian's mind.

Ding!

Check-In Task completed. Check-In Reward available!

Reward: Soul Slave Contract Book!

Su Tian froze for a moment, then hurriedly checked the reward's description.

Soul Slave Contract Book: Grade: low (divided into high, middle, and low grades). Can forcibly establish a contract with a soul entity at or below the Dou Wang level (including Dou Wang), making it the host's soul slave. Its life and death will rest upon a single thought from the host. If the host dies, the soul slave will perish; if the soul slave dies, the host will remain unaffected!

After reading the description, Su Tian's heart remained unsettled for a long time.

This Soul Slave Contract Book was actually so domineering that it could forcibly turn even the soul of a Dou Wang expert into his slave.

And the one Su Tian had obtained was merely low-grade.

Wouldn't a high-grade soul contract book be even more domineering and heaven-defying?

The thought that he might acquire a Dou Wang-level soul slave set Su Tian's blood boiling. That would be the soul of a Dou Wang expert, someone who had ruled over an entire region while alive.

The system truly never lets me down. It gives me good stuff every time!

Su Tian couldn't help licking his lips, his heart burning with excitement. He had even begun planning how to find the soul of a Dou Wang expert.

"Su Tian, Su Tian?"

Just then, Qing Mu's voice suddenly sounded beside Su Tian's ear, pulling his attention back.

"Uh... what is it, Senior Qing Mu?"

"Are you all right? You seemed a little dazed just now. Could your internal injuries be flaring up and damaging the foundation of your soul power?"

Qing Mu frowned slightly and looked Su Tian over, his aged face growing solemn as he spoke in a low voice.

"No, no. I just remembered something from the past and got distracted. Sorry for worrying you, Senior Qing Mu."

Hearing this, Su Tian hurriedly shook his head and chuckled, casually making up an excuse to brush the matter aside.

Qing Mu narrowed his eyes slightly and gave Su Tian a penetrating look before nodding. He asked no further questions, though his face gave no indication of whether he believed the explanation.

"As long as you're all right. Let's begin. Sit cross-legged on that meditation cushion. I'll first refine a few pills to stabilize your injuries and gently nourish your soul."

Qing Mu pointed toward the two meditation cushions in the pavilion, indicating that Su Tian should sit on one. Then, with a movement of his right hand, an ancient-looking, purple-black Medicine Cauldron flew out of his Storage Ring.

The Medicine Cauldron had a peculiar, somewhat rounded shape. The heads of myriad beasts were carved into its surface, and a faint aura of savage, murderous menace seemed to seep from it.

Anyone lacking firm resolve would likely be unable to withstand that murderous aura before this myriad-beast Medicine Cauldron, trembling uncontrollably from head to toe.

"This is the Myriad-Beast Heaven-Earth Cauldron. Its name draws on the notion of a round heaven and square earth, and it was cast using the condensed blood essence of myriad beasts. During refinement, it can suppress medicinal ingredients to a certain degree, reducing the likelihood of cauldron explosions caused by overly fierce medicinal properties."

Seeing Su Tian's curious gaze, Qing Mu smiled faintly and quietly introduced it, a trace of pride evident in his voice.

Clearly, Qing Mu must have paid a considerable price to obtain this Myriad-Beast Heaven-Earth Cauldron.

Whoosh...

Under Su Tian's gaze, Qing Mu swept his hand. Precious medicinal ingredients poured from his Storage Ring like a flowing river, finally hovering before him.

"Spirit-Gathering Fruit!"

With Qing Mu's low cry, a translucent fruit shot forward. The cauldron's lid lifted, and the Spirit-Gathering Fruit instantly flew inside.

Immediately, a ball of scorching flame surged up. The instant the Spirit-Gathering Fruit entered the Medicine Cauldron, the flames rushed over and engulfed it completely, roasting it continuously as the temperature climbed.