Bai Yuqing's expression changed. He quickly set down the medicine bowl and looked outside. "What day of the lunar month is it?"
Outside the window, the moon hung above the willow branches.
It was a full moon.
"The fifteenth, as it happens. What's wrong?" Ouyang Susu asked, bewildered.
Bai Yuqing rose at once. "Go outside."
Before Ouyang Susu could react, he had shut her out.
When he returned to the bedside, he found Xiao Qinghe curled into a ball. All color had drained from his face, his lips were white, and his breath emerged as pale mist. He looked utterly miserable.
The Ghost King Spirit Pill was acting up.
On every full-moon night, the Ghost King of the Human-Faced Ghost race summoned Ghost Slaves to drain their vital essence and drink their blood, advancing his cultivation.
It was through this twisted cultivation method that the Ghost King had risen to become an S-Rank Great Monster.
Xiao Qinghe was only flesh and blood. Having swallowed the Ghost King Spirit Pill, he could hardly escape its effects.
Without Ghost Slave nourishment, the Ghost King Spirit Pill would turn on him, and his life could be snuffed out in moments.
The problem was, where would he find Ghost Slaves to feed on within the Demon-Slaying Sect?
Just then, a trace of blood suddenly scented the air.
Without a change in expression, Bai Yuqing drew a dagger and cut his palm, then held his hand out before Xiao Qinghe.
Xiao Qinghe shuddered. "Master, you mustn't!"
His Master hated the Demon Clan to the core. Seeing him reduced by the Ghost King Spirit Pill to something neither human nor demon, his Master had already shown the utmost mercy by not cutting him down.
Yet he had brought him back to the Sect, tended to him personally, and even wounded himself to offer him blood?
Hey, this was seriously out of character!
Bai Yuqing's gaze sharpened. "The Ghost King Spirit Pill is causing this. Drinking blood will suppress it. Even if the blood doesn't come from a Ghost Slave, it can still provide some relief."
That wasn't the point! You're my Master. Why would you go this far?
"How could I drink my Master's blood? That-that would be an unforgivable offense!"
"If you don't drink it, it will only go to waste." Looking displeased, Bai Yuqing held his hand to Xiao Qinghe's mouth. His voice was icy, with a hint of killing intent. "Or must it be that demon's blood? Is mine not good enough?"
That demon was, of course, Xie Jun.
Xiao Qinghe was certain that if he dared nod, his Master would kill him on the spot.
He stole a cautious glance at him. Bai Yuqing's face remained expressionless, and those eyes he had never been able to read were now dark and fathomless, as inscrutable as ever.
He truly had no idea what his Master was thinking anymore.
"Forgive my offense, Master." Xiao Qinghe leaned closer apprehensively and finally opened his mouth.
Among his neat teeth were two sharp fangs, one on either side.
They were a symptom of his body's thirst for blood, brought on by the Ghost King Spirit Pill.
They were not something a member of the Human Clan should possess.
Bai Yuqing's gaze turned fierce, killing intent spreading around him. The next moment, Xiao Qinghe pressed his lips to his palm, hiding the fangs. All he could see now was Xiao Qinghe's frightened face.
Bai Yuqing abruptly came to his senses and turned his face away. In the end, he suppressed that surging urge to kill.
The room was silent.
Only the faint sounds of sucking blood and swallowing could be heard.
The chill within Xiao Qinghe was finally suppressed. Yet the fresh human blood seemed to carry some seductive power, sending the Ghost King Spirit Pill inside him into a frenzy. It clamored to drain every drop, as though determined to turn Xiao Qinghe into a demon completely.
[Warning: host undergoing demonization! Warning: host undergoing demonization!]
The system suddenly issued a shrill alarm.
Xiao Qinghe snapped out of it and immediately released Bai Yuqing's hand. Only then did he notice that the elegantly jointed hand was smeared with blood, with two deep, bloody fang marks left in it.
I bit him?
The system did not answer. It only reminded him:
[The host's demonization will cause a breakdown in characterization. Please correct this immediately! If this results in negative reader reviews, the host must bear the consequences!]
Excuse me, when had this system's readers ever cared about consistent characterization?
The main cast's characterization and the main plot had already collapsed completely, okay!
Xiao Qinghe was too exhausted even to complain. Forcing down the restless Ghost King Spirit Pill within him, he took out the Jade Salve and applied it to Bai Yuqing's hand. "Master, you really needn't go this far for me."
Bai Yuqing raised his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. After a long silence, he finally said quietly, "I should never have let you attend the Heroes' Conference in the first place."
Was his Master blaming himself?
Or was this a roundabout apology?
When had the aloof, proud Immortal Venerable Bai ever bowed his head to anyone, much less apologized?
Xiao Qinghe was so overwhelmed by the favor that he was a little frightened. "Please don't say that, Master. I overestimated myself and insisted on taking part."
As he spoke urgently, his lips opened and closed, offering faint glimpses of the sharp fangs at the corners of his mouth.
Bai Yuqing saw them and clenched his hand into a fist. The palm that had just been treated with the salve began bleeding again, but he seemed not to notice. He only said, "If I had come to rescue you sooner, how would you ever have ended up like this?"
His Master really was apologizing!
Even if he was doing it indirectly!
Xiao Qinghe was stunned. He was only a cannon-fodder supporting character, while his Master was the esteemed Chief Seat of the Demon-Slaying Sect, the wildly popular second male lead and the only person in the original novel who could rival the Demon King, Xie Jun. What had he ever done to deserve such concessions from his Master?
Did this mean his three years of bootlicking and eager attentions had finally paid off? When the plot reached the point where his Master killed his own disciple for the greater good, would his Master show mercy and spare his life?
Xiao Qinghe grew even more obsequious, cradling his Master's hand as he gently bandaged it.
"Please don't make me feel so unworthy, Master. I acted on my own. Besides, you arrived in time and dealt the Human-Faced Ghost King a fatal blow, saving my life! I can never repay that debt. In the future, I will gladly lay down my life and serve you with all my heart!"
Bai Yuqing was silent for a long while before finally letting out a deep sigh. "You're always like this. Sweet words on your lips, but no sincerity to be found."
Xiao Qinghe said, "..."
Why did that sound like an accusation against a lousy boyfriend?
Bai Yuqing added, "If you truly mean it, then heed my advice. Do not see that demon again."
That was out of the question.
Xie Jun was still a powerful backer he needed to cling to.
Besides, now that he had swallowed the Ghost King Spirit Pill, it would act up on every full-moon night, more punctual than a period. Surely he couldn't rely on his Master's blood to recover every time?
As time passed, the Ghost King Spirit Pill would no longer be satisfied with human blood. It would crave Ghost Slave nourishment more and more, until one day, even draining his Master dry would not be enough to appease it.
Why was the Ghost King Spirit Pill written to be so bizarre and twisted? And why was it a picky eater, too?
When Xiao Qinghe failed to answer for a long time, Bai Yuqing's face darkened. "If you still acknowledge me as your Master, then sever all ties with that demon and never see her again!"
He really couldn't do that.
Xiao Qinghe lowered his head. "Master, forgive your unfilial disciple. I cannot agree."
"You!" Bai Yuqing choked with anger and swept out.
For the next three days, he turned everyone away under the pretext of secluded cultivation, including Xiao Qinghe.
Xiao Qinghe prepared his favorite Peach Blossom Pastry and Osmanthus Wine and left them outside his door.
Three days later, they were still in the same place, untouched.
This was the first time he had rejected Xiao Qinghe so completely. Clearly, he was furious.
Xiao Qinghe crouched by the door and silently replaced them with a fresh serving.
A quiet harrumph came from inside.
Still angry, then.
Xiao Qinghe's head ached. Just then, the system began repeatedly urging him to repay his debt again.
On the enormous display, the words [-9,800 points] were huge and bright red, as though it feared Xiao Qinghe might miss them.
Xiao Qinghe tried to negotiate. "The Heroes' Conference plot fell apart, the Human-Faced Ghost King appeared ahead of schedule, and he nearly killed me. That counts as a system bug, right? As the victim, shouldn't I get some compensation?"
Even a small reduction in his point debt would do!
Points depended entirely on the readers' moods. Who knew when they would be happy enough to leave a tip?
The system remained stern and impartial.
[The system bug was purely accidental. No compensation will be provided. Point debts may be repaid in installments, but payments must not be overdue. Overdue payments will incur corresponding penalties.]
Was there no justice left in the world?
Xiao Qinghe practically coughed up buckets of blood.
Before you continue