Crimson Blood Essence

"Move! Out of the way!"

"Watch out, miss!"

A slender figure stumbled into Blood Alley, apparently tripping over something, and pitched straight toward Xiao Tianhao!

Two guards in standard leather armor followed behind her, their auras formidable and their faces anxious.

Xiao Tianhao instinctively reached out to steady her.

Soft, silky fabric met his hand, carrying a delicate, cool fragrance.

The girl regained her footing and raised her head, revealing a slightly pale yet exquisitely lovely face. A lingering trace of frailty and exhaustion lay between her brows. It was Xiao Ning'er!

Suddenly finding herself supported by a man, she flushed almost imperceptibly, quickly withdrew her hand, and murmured, "Thank you."

"Miss! Are you all right?"

The two guards hurried over, warily scanning Xiao Tianhao and their surroundings.

When one guard's gaze fell on the Crimson Blood Fox blood at the one-eyed man's stall, he frowned slightly and said softly to Xiao Ning'er:

"Miss, Crimson Blood Fox blood is fiercely hot by nature. For your cold affliction... I'm afraid it would do more harm than good." His tone urged her to reconsider.

Xiao Ning'er pressed her pale lips together, a flicker of stubbornness and helplessness passing through her eyes.

"Uncle Zhang, I know. But... I have to try something else." Her voice was soft, with a fragility that tugged at the heart.

Clearly, the cold affliction had plagued her for a long time. Even her family was helpless against it, leaving her to grasp at remedies like a desperate patient seeking any doctor.

Something stirred in Xiao Tianhao's mind.

A cold affliction?

It must be the extreme cold affliction mentioned in the original story.

She needs fire elemental energy? Crimson Blood Fox blood is hot by nature, but it contains too many impurities and too much violent energy. It really isn't suitable.

But what if it were... blood essence refined through the Profound Space Pearl?

A plan took shape in his mind in an instant.

He drew a deep breath and looked at Xiao Ning'er, his tone sincere. "Miss, Crimson Blood Fox blood is indeed too fiercely hot. Using it directly could harm your body."

"However... my ancestors passed down a special method of purification and neutralization. It can remove most of its toxic heat, preserving only its gentle, warming essence.

"If you trust me, I can process this barrel of blood for you and extract only the truly useful portion. You would only need to pay... half the price." He pointed at the one-eyed man's barrel of blood.

He genuinely liked Xiao Ning'er. If he could truly help a girl who fought her fate with such strength and courage, Xiao Tianhao would not withhold his assistance.

His words stunned not only Xiao Ning'er and her guards; even the one-eyed man, who had been pricking up his ears to enjoy the spectacle, snorted with laughter:

"Ha! Kid, aren't you afraid all that bragging will sprain your tongue?"

"Purify and neutralize Crimson Blood Fox blood? You? Do you even know what level of apothecary that takes? You're not planning to swindle Miss Xiao and run off with her money, are you?" His face was full of contempt. Clearly, he recognized Xiao Ning'er.

Xiao Ning'er's guard, Uncle Zhang, also fixed Xiao Tianhao with a sharp, distrustful stare:

"Boy, you'd better explain yourself! If you dare deceive our young miss, you won't be able to bear the consequences!"

Faced with suspicion and threats, Xiao Tianhao's expression remained unchanged.

He merely looked calmly at Xiao Ning'er. "The method is unusual. I can't demonstrate it in public."

"If you don't trust me, Miss Xiao, you can leave for now. Once I've finished, you can test its effects before paying. If it doesn't work, I won't take a single coin."

"I'll settle the cost of this barrel with the stall owner myself."

He paused, then added, "It's just that this method requires all the Crimson Blood Fox's... heart's blood essence. It can't be divided."

He deliberately made it clear that he needed the entire barrel, cutting off any thought the one-eyed man might have of selling it in portions.

Xiao Ning'er looked into Xiao Tianhao's eyes, which seemed especially calm in the dim light. There was no grasping greed in them, nor the usual flattery or fear, only a strange... certainty?

She remembered the steady, powerful arm that had supported her, as well as the scar at his temple, already healed until it was almost invisible.

There always seemed to be something odd about this person.

"All right," Xiao Ning'er suddenly said. Her voice was quiet, but her decision brooked no argument.

She turned to the astonished one-eyed man. "I'll buy this barrel of blood." She gestured to her guard.

Though Uncle Zhang was full of doubts, he still stepped forward and slapped a stack of Demon Spirit Coins onto the one-eyed man's stall. "Take it. Our young miss wants this barrel of blood."

The one-eyed man looked between Xiao Ning'er and Xiao Tianhao, his expression shifting. Finally, he snatched up the Demon Spirit Coins and chuckled. "A pleasure doing business with you, Miss Xiao! The blood is yours!"

He no longer looked at Xiao Tianhao, as though the boy were already dead. Playing tricks in front of the Xiao Family's young miss? That was simply courting death!

"Where should we deliver the blood?" Uncle Zhang looked at Xiao Tianhao, his tone still icy.

"To my place. It's not far." Xiao Tianhao gave him the address of the stone house he rented.

The guards set the heavy wooden barrel on the stone house's cold floor, and the thick stench of blood immediately filled the room.

Uncle Zhang stood watch outside like a guardian deity at the gate, his piercing gaze seemingly capable of penetrating the wooden door.

Inside, only Xiao Tianhao and the barrel of Crimson Blood Fox blood remained.

The pressure weighed on him like a mountain! Xiao Ning'er and her guards were right outside. The Profound Space Pearl's secret absolutely could not be exposed!

Xiao Tianhao drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He approached the barrel, extended his palm, and gently pressed it against the surface of the viscous blood.

He focused all his will, reaching out to the Profound Space Pearl against his body!

"Absorb!"

This time, he distinctly felt the Profound Space Pearl "sucking"!

An invisible vortex formed in his palm. The thick, dark-red blood in the barrel rapidly dwindled, as though being drawn through an unseen pipe!

At the same time, a large mass of Crimson Blood Fox blood appeared out of nowhere in the chaotic, starlit void in his mind. A web of purifying light instantly flared to life and enveloped it!

The dark, filthy blood churned violently beneath the purifying light!

Gray-black impurities, the violent aura of scorching heat, and even the floating oily foam and tissue were forcibly stripped away and annihilated!

The blood rapidly shrank in volume, its color growing ever brighter. Finally, it became three drops of liquid, clear as rubies and radiating pure, gentle fluctuations of fire elemental energy-the Crimson Blood Fox's refined blood essence!

The purity of the energy they contained far surpassed that of the earlier drop from the Scorpion-Tailed Tiger!

It worked!

With a thought, Xiao Tianhao withdrew just one drop of refined blood essence and placed it in a rough earthenware bowl he had washed and prepared beforehand.

He carefully stored the other two drops deep within the Profound Space Pearl's space using his mind.

Once everything was done, he quickly poured away the traces of bloody residue and dirty water remaining in the barrel and rinsed it clean. Then he picked up the earthenware bowl holding the crimson drop and opened the door.

Outside, Xiao Ning'er and Uncle Zhang both watched him with scrutinizing eyes.

"Miss Xiao, this is the purified essence." Xiao Tianhao handed over the bowl.

The bowl held only a single drop of liquid, yet it was crimson as molten lava and crystal clear, radiating a comforting warmth and pure energy fluctuations. Not the slightest trace of bloody stench or harsh heat remained.

As Xiao Ning'er drew close to the drop of blood, she felt the chill in her body, which clung to her like maggots to bone, become faintly suppressed. Her body instinctively stirred with longing!

An incredulous gleam also burst into Uncle Zhang's eyes!

With his experience, he could naturally sense the pure fire elemental energy and gentle nature within that drop of blood! This was certainly beyond the abilities of an ordinary apothecary!

His gaze toward Xiao Tianhao instantly filled with astonishment, suspicion, and scrutiny.

Xiao Ning'er extended a slender, jade-white finger, carefully dipped it into the crimson liquid, and placed it in her mouth.

A gentle, pure current of warmth instantly spread, sliding down her throat into her stomach!

It was like drinking a mouthful of warm nectar on a winter's day! The warm current was not violent. Instead, it spread with extraordinary gentleness through her limbs and every part of her body. Wherever it passed, the stubborn chill seemed to meet its nemesis, retreating like melting ice and snow!

Although the effect was nowhere near enough to cure her cold affliction, that long-lost feeling of warmth and comfort, dispelling some of the cold, brought a faint, healthy flush to her pale cheeks!

"It works! It really works!" Xiao Ning'er raised her head in delighted surprise, her beautiful eyes shining as she looked at Xiao Tianhao with wonder and gratitude.

"Thank you! Young master?" For a moment, she did not know how to address this mysterious person.

"Just call me Xiao Tianhao." Xiao Tianhao inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as well.

"My name is Xiao Ning'er. You can just call me Ning'er."

Xiao Ning'er immediately gestured to her guard. Though Uncle Zhang remained deeply suspicious of Xiao Tianhao's methods, his young miss's reaction could not be faked.

He took out 200 Demon Spirit Coins and handed them to Xiao Tianhao. "This is the payment we promised you-the other half."

Xiao Tianhao accepted the Demon Spirit Coins without standing on ceremony.

"Xiao Tianhao," Xiao Ning'er said sincerely as she looked at him, "is there any more of this blood essence? Or could you..." She felt a little embarrassed to ask.

Xiao Tianhao shook his head, looking regretful. "This method is extremely taxing on the mind, and it requires special materials.

"This one drop is all I can manage today. Besides, it can only suppress the cold temporarily. It cannot cure your cold affliction, miss." He had to leave himself some room to maneuver.

Disappointment flickered through Xiao Ning'er's eyes, but hope soon rekindled. "No matter what, thank you for today! If you can refine more of it in the future, I'll gladly buy it at market price!"

She took out a small white jade token carved with a winged dragon pattern and handed it to Xiao Tianhao. "This is my personal token. If you need anything, you can bring it to the Winged Dragon Family's secondary residence and ask for me."

A token of the Winged Dragon Family!

It represented Xiao Ning'er's trust-and a potential connection!

Xiao Tianhao solemnly accepted the jade token. "Thank you, Miss Ning'er."

After seeing off the visibly heartened Xiao Ning'er and her guards, Xiao Tianhao closed the wooden door, leaned against it, and let out a long breath.

He held the smooth, warm jade token in his palm, while those two drops of pure Crimson Blood Fox blood essence remained in the space within his mind.

Perhaps he could rely on Xiao Ning'er to help him collect some Demon Beast blood essence in the future.

He now had the resources to grow stronger.

Next comes the Sacred Orchid Institute!

A sharp light flashed in Xiao Tianhao's eyes.

He had made thorough inquiries. The Sacred Orchid Institute was Glory City's foremost sanctuary for training Demon Spirit Masters. Less than two months remained before its entrance assessment, which was open to all youths of the appropriate age and primarily tested Soul Force talent and basic physical aptitude.

He now possessed a faint seed of Soul Force, and the blood essence had tempered his body, leaving his physique far beyond that of an ordinary person. He did have a chance!

Nie Li, we'll be meeting very soon.