It was quite late in the morning of the following day when Luo Xiao woke up. With slightly swollen cheeks and a stiff, cold body, it took him a moment to remember where he was.
His village had been devastated, and an unfamiliar man had taken him halfway across the country to a city he didn't know. On top of everything, his father was gone as well. The mere thought of that pile of corpses, all his dead friends, and the evil corpse puppet that was responsible for it all caused a quiet whimper to escape his lips as he hugged himself.
He looked down and saw that his simple linen clothes were stiff from all the coagulated blood which had turned completely black. He felt disgusting as this was all the corpse puppet’s blood.
Although Luo Xiao was not aware of what exactly happened, he had no doubt that the corpse puppet was dead and that its blood had sprayed everywhere drenching himself in the process. This was because there had been nothing left of the puppet when he came to.
A shiver ran through his body, and he was starting to feel sick again. He felt like thousands of insects were crawling on his body, digging into his skin, and eating away at his flesh.
The immortal looked at him with curiosity. He had listened to him cry all night, and now he saw Luo Xiao’s expression change from despair to disgust and fear.
He frowned and left the room then returned shortly afterwards with a servant that brought a large barrel. The barrel was placed in the middle of the room and was soon filled with steaming hot water.
Looking at the child, he saw that he was still stuck staring at himself. The immortal couldn’t help but sigh before heading over to him.
“You there,” he said, finally dragging the child from his deep thoughts. Luo Xiao jolted when he heard his voice, and his eyes darted from side to side like a small rabbit looking for a way to escape.
Seeing his reaction, the immortal chuckled. “Go take a bath,” he said with a sigh. “You’re dirty.”
After those few words, he left the room. He closed the door behind him, and Luo Xiao's eyes widened in surprise. Had he finally been left alone? This was his time to escape! Yet, when he looked at the warm water in the middle of the room, he hesitated.
He felt disgusting right now and was aware that if he left the room, he would easily be spotted or more likely smelled.
“I will wash, and then I can run away,” Luo Xiao whispered to himself, half convincing himself that he had a chance to leave even if he took a bath first.
He stripped off his clothes that were so stiff from the dried up blood that they could almost stand on their own and then he sank into the warm water. His frail body quickly slumped against the tub, and he felt the warm water wash away the blood and dirt on his body, but even after rubbing the rest of the blood off, he still felt disgusting and dirty inside.
He had no urge to soak in the water as it was no longer clean, and he quickly stepped out. Next to the barrel was a chair with a towel that he used to dry himself and not far away from the chair was a mirror.
Accidentally glancing at himself in the mirror, Luo Xiao was shocked. Although he looked as frail and weak as ever, his skin, which was previously almost wax-like, now had a much healthier color. In fact, it had a pink hue due to the warm water.
He also felt that he was no longer as weak as he had been before. Although still not strong, he didn't feel the constant exhaustion he used to feel back in his village.
“I guess it’s due to the all the things that have happened to me,” Luo Xiao shook his head and looked at the clothes in front of him. He was not willing to wear them again, but he had nothing else, so he didn't know what to do.
With a towel wrapped around his body, he looked at the clothes with narrowed eyes debating what to do. At that moment though, the door opened, and the immortal stepped in.
He sent one glance at Luo Xiao before he looked away. He then dropped a bundle onto the bed. “Change into this,” he said and left the room again.
Stunned, Luo Xiao turned around and looked at the bundle. It was a set of clothes, with inner robes and everything.
Luo Xiao was not used to wearing robes. Back in his village, he wore pants and shirts, but it was clear that this robe was of a much higher quality than his usual clothes. Even so, these clothes were not on the same level as the clothes the immortal was using.
Changing into the robe, Luo Xiao looked at it and found that it was a white robe with a silver lining. It had no embroideries and was very simple. It was clean and made Luo Xiao much more attractive than he had been before.
Although he was handsome, he didn’t know how to dress. Just the addition of these clothes alone, coupled with the fact that he gained a bit of color to his skin, meant that he no longer looked like a wax figurine; he was much more beautiful than before. Even women would be jealous of his appearance were they to see him now.
Just as he finished fastening the belt, the door opened once more. This made him wonder if the immortal had been waiting for this moment intentionally, but he quickly dismissed such thoughts. This immortal didn’t seem to be the considerate type, staying outside for the sake of his privacy didn't seem to be his style.
When he entered, he was followed in by a servant who brought plates of food that he placed on the table opposite the bed. He then summoned three other servants who carried away the barrel with the dirty water.
“Come eat,” the immortal ordered Luo Xiao, and although the young man had no appetite, he could feel that the voice wouldn’t accept no for an answer.
He slowly inched towards the table and sat down. His head was lowered, and he didn't dare look at the incredibly handsome man sitting opposite to him. He knew that this man had some sort of interest in him, but knew himself to be utterly useless. He was so useless that his body was too weak to even cultivate.
The immortal didn't touch the food. Instead, he rested his head on his hands with his elbows on the table. He was not interested in the food; he was interested in the mysterious boy in front of him.
“Tell me your age,” he asked, his voice soft like velvet and gentle like the spring breeze, but at the same time, filled with such a power that no one dared go against his wishes.
“Fifteen,” Luo Xiao answered almost instantly with fear in his voice. Perhaps he would be able to leave if the immortal realized how useless he really was.
“Fifteen? That’s quite young,” the immortal's smile widened. “So you are fifteen years old and already capable of killing a corpse puppet with the strength of a Heaven Rank cultivator.”
“How long have you been cultivating?” he asked again, but this time Luo Xiao lifted his head in confusion and looked at him with puzzlement.
“I have never cultivated,” he said while cocking his head to the side, “I’m weak and useless. I’ve spent my life stuck in bed because of how useless my physical body is, and for this reason, I haven’t been able to cultivate.”
Hearing this, the face of the immortal turned slightly stern as if he didn't believe the child and the atmosphere turned chilly.
“My Lord Immortal, I truly have never cultivated before,” Luo Xiao said somewhat panicked, and his eyes widened when he felt the threatening atmosphere.
The immortal was quiet for quite some time. His face was no longer filled with a gentle smile, but looked somewhat menacing as if things had gone out of hand, but then his smile returned. He leaned forward causing Luo Xiao to back up.
“What is the rank of your soul then?” He asked as if he had suddenly found something interesting.
“Rank of my soul?” Luo Xiao was puzzled, “I don't know? What about my soul?”
Was this man thinking of stealing his soul? Suddenly something appeared in his mind. When he was a child, he had heard about the demons. Demons lived on the same continent as the humans, but they generally occupied the center of the continent, not bothering to visit the outskirts.
Demons were the most beautiful creatures alive, but they were cruel and callous. They would take the soul of others and refine it into their own strength. Was this dazzling man perhaps a demon?
When this thought struck him, he couldn’t get it out of his head, and the expression on his face turned to one of utter fear. Was this man going to kill him and pull out his soul, refine it, and consume it?
Seeing Luo Xiao's reaction, the immortal could not help but chuckle, “Stay here and eat the food!” he ordered while laughing as he vanished again from the room.
Luo Xiao hesitated for a moment before he tiptoed towards the door. He pressed his ear against the door to hear if there was anyone outside, but he only heard the bustling sounds that came from the restaurant on the first floor.
He then opened the door and looked around with hesitation before he nimbly snuck down the stairs and into the restaurant.
The restaurant was packed. It was one of the most upscale restaurants in town, so it was always busy, and it was during this busy period that Luo Xiao snuck out.
When he was outside, he heaved a massive sigh of relief and started running away. Yet, not long after, he accidentally ran into a large burly man causing him to fall to the ground.
When he fell to the ground, a small yelp escaped his lips, and he felt a bit of pain on his rear from falling.
“You disgusting bottomfeeder, did you just try to rob me of my gold coins?!” the man yelled out loud when he saw that someone ran into him, and his loud words caused Luo Xiao to flinch back from fear.
“No, sir! Sorry, I was just inattentive and ran into you; I am very sorry,” he apologized while standing up.
His soft voice and his beautiful appearance caused the upset man to hesitate for a moment, but then greed appeared in his eyes. Such a lovely little boy could be sold for a lot of money to a noblewoman or even a demon as a boy toy.
“Little boy, you have injured me and tried to rob me! If you cannot compensate me, then don't blame me for making you pay by selling you as a slave!”
Luo Xiao was petrified. He had no money to pay with, and he was unaware of what he should do. He had only bumped into the man, but now it was causing such a big disturbance so much so that he even started to regret leaving the inn.
Luo Xiao lowered his head as he didn't know what to do or say. His family was gone, his friends were dead, the life he had known would never be the same again, and now, he was caught in one disaster after another.
Tears welled up in his eyes, and his nose felt stuffy, but he forced the tears back.
Just as the burly man took a step forward to grab him and claim his slave, a ray of light shone out. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream was heard.
The burly man who had reached out for Luo Xiao shot backward as fast as lightning, and then he saw his hand was missing; it had been cleanly sliced off.
“Who dares?!” he exclaimed with a roar, but then his eyes landed on a man who seemed like a god who had descended to the mundane world. This man was leisurely walking forward, and his eyes were dark and unfathomable.
“I told you to stay at the inn, didn't I?” he asked with a soft, gentle voice, yet every word caused Luo Xiao's hairs to stand on end. This man was obviously upset with him.
“My lord, do you know this kid?” the man who had lost his hand was unwilling to let it go just like this, but he also knew that if he were not careful, then he could lose more than his hand.
“He belongs to me, do you have a problem?” the immortal replied, raising an eyebrow while he looked at the handless man.
“No! No problem at all,” the one-handed man said as he retreated even further.
Without paying any attention to them, the immortal hoisted up the young boy and draped him over his shoulder before he returned to the inn. All along the way, he said nothing, making Luo Xiao feel even more uneasy than before.
As soon as they got back to the room, the immortal dropped Luo Xiao onto a chair, and his dark eyes flashed dangerously.
“I told you not to leave!” he said while his smile turned into a frown. The man's beautiful face now radiated coldness, “Why can't you listen?”
His stern tone made Luo Xiao shiver. His arms instinctively closed around himself to fend off any harm that might come. The man in front of him was scary, and he couldn't help but try to run away, even if he had just seen how dangerous this world was to those without any strength.
“I won’t escape again, immortal,” he whispered weakly.
By now he had figured out that the man in front of him was a cultivator and a very strong one at that. The effortless fight and how easily he had cut off someone's arm both spoke to this fact. As for what Heaven Rank meant, Luo Xiao had no idea.
Sighing, the handsome man straightened up. His hand went into his inner robe and took out a small crystal from a simple looking pouch.
“Take this,” he said while placing it into Luo Xiao's palm. “Focus your spiritual energy and push it into this crystal.”
Luo Xiao's fingers closed around the cold surface of the crystal before looking down at it. It had a milky shine to it and was almost too cold to hold. Listening to the immortal's directions, Luo Xiao frowned.
What did the man mean by focus his spiritual energy and push it? He had never cultivated, after all, so he didn't know even the most basic things even though he had read many books.
“You don't even know how to do that?” the immortal's smile had returned as he noticed that Luo Xiao was confused about what was required of him.
“I don't know how to focus spiritual energy, Sir Immortal,” Luo Xiao whispered, holding the crystal carefully.
The handsome man's smile waned a bit as he looked at Luo Xiao for a few long, tedious seconds.
“My name is Jiang Yao, not Sir Immortal,” he said with some annoyance in his voice, “and this is a soul-testing stone.”
“The soul-testing stone checks the quality of your soul. Ninety-nine percent of all humans have a Mortal Soul, but there are a few with Spiritual Souls or even Heavenly Souls.”
“You were able to kill that corpse puppet, even if you deny it, and therefore, your soul has to be special. You just might be of use to me after all.” His dashing smile had returned, and his eyes seemed to have pinned Luo Xiao down making it impossible for him to move an inch or even speak.
“Now close your eyes and focus on your inner self. There you will find your soul power, also known as spiritual energy. This spiritual energy can be used with but a thought, though it requires some training.”
Luo Xiao dared not hesitate and closed his eyes as he searched within. When he closed his eyes, everything was dark, but slowly, he found a bright, golden light source that shone brightly.
It was a small orb of light between his eyebrows, deep within his mind. This had to be the special spiritual energy that Jiang Yao was talking about.
Luo Xiao hesitated for a moment, not sure how to use this light orb. But after some consideration, he remembered that Jiang Yao said that it was moved with his will.
He then willed a strand of energy to leave his mind and enter the stone in his hand. He tried to make it leave his mind through his head and enter the stone, but found that it was incapable of leaving his head. It seemed this light strand was only capable of moving through his body.
Frowning, the young man didn’t panic, but instead, started guiding it through his body and into his palm. From there it was sucked towards the stone.
When he opened his eyes, he was instantly blinded by a bright golden light. The light was so strong that he was incapable of keeping his eyes open and tears got caught in his long eyelashes as he quickly turned his head away.
Lou Xiao was stumped, and Jiang Yao was also surprised. His usually controlled expressions displayed an instant of complete shock then joy. Afterwards, a sly smile formed as he lifted his hand and gently rubbed his chin.
Luo Xiao was blinded for a few moments. He also felt weak after losing that strand of energy, but at the same time, he felt that his mind was much clearer than ever before.
The stone in his hand had cracked. When Luo Xiao noticed this, his eyes widened in horror, and he glanced at Jiang Yao with fear.
“Sir... Mister Jiang, I’m afraid I did something wrong,” he said with a trembling voice. “The stone... the stone cracked!”
His voice was filled with horror. He didn’t have many positive impressions of the handsome man by his side. Although he had saved him from slavery, the young man was still unsure whether or not he was going to have his soul refined and eaten by this assumed to be immortal demon.
“Throw it away, it's useless,” Jiang Yao said. He had completely disregarded the now useless stone as he watched Luo Xiao with his calculating, sinister gaze.
“But, Mister Jiang!” Luo Xiao barely managed to gasp. His hand tightened around the broken crystal as he almost trembled with terror.
“I said to throw it away. Did you not hear me?” Jiang Yao asked impatiently with a frown. He was clearly displeased with Luo Xiao who quickly nodded his head like a chicken pecking grains.
Seeing this spineless behavior, Jiang Yao felt a bit better. At least this child listened to him, even though he was deathly afraid of him.
“What’s your name, kid?” He suddenly asked. So far he had just called him kid within his mind, but seeing that he had some value, he decided to learn his name.
“Luo Xiao,” Luo Xiao answered timidly while looking at the cracked soul-testing stone in his hand. He felt it was such a pity to throw out such a treasure. It had displayed such a magnificent golden light before, and now, he wanted to see it once more.
“Well then Xiaoxiao, you are going to follow me in the future,” Jiang Yao said with a grin on his face, but although he seemed to be in a great mood, Luo Xiao knew better than to trust his deceiving smile. He knew that Jiang Yao was almost always smiling even when he was in a bad mood. Luo Xiao didn’t even notice his name had been changed to Xiaoxiao.
He kept his mouth shut, but he refused to nod his head. Although he was spineless and scared of this person in front of him, he was not going to just forfeit his life.
Seemingly understanding what was happening in the mind of the child, Jiang Yao snickered. He usually hated spineless, easily scared people, but for some reason, this child amused him and caused him to feel a breath of fresh air.
“I need you to do something for me,” the handsome man said with a smile on his face as if it was everyone's honor to do something for him. Though hearing this, Luo Xiao's expression clearly showed that it wasn’t his honor, he did not want this task.
Sighing, Jiang Yao realized that he had to do things differently, if he wished to motivate this child.
“Did you lose someone dear to you in the attack of that corpse puppet?” he asked and felt a pang in his heart the moment tears welled up in Luo Xiao's eyes. The young boy nodded his head and wiped away his tears.
He said nothing, but it was clear that he had lost someone important. When Jiang Yao arrived at the village, he saw that there were no survivors other than Luo Xiao. For this reason, he could guess that this child had lost everyone he had ever depended on.
“Don't you want revenge?” he asked. Hearing this, Luo Xiao's head jerked up, and he looked at Jiang Yao with big eyes filled with slight hope but also grief.
Knowing that he had hooked the young man's attention, Jiang Yao smirked, satisfied with himself.
“Well, I guess you would want revenge. Listen up, souls are ranked from Mortal, Spiritual, and Heavenly all the way to the peak of Astral, the highest rank of a soul.
“Just like how we cultivate Qi, our inner energies, others cultivate their soul or their spiritual energy.”
“Your soul is an Astral Soul. I have been looking for such a person for some years now, but people with such souls are very hard to come by, and those that I had found were already claimed by others,” Jiang Yao said.
Once again, Luo Xiao stiffened. Was it really true that his soul was to be refined and consumed now that he had an Astral Soul? He feared the worst.
Jiang Yao chuckled at the boy’s expression. He could easily guess the thoughts of this young boy. In fact, the boy was so bad at hiding his feelings, that they might as well be written on his forehead.
“What I need is for you to do something for me when you reach a specific rank,” Jiang Yao explained, “I am going to do everything in my power to assist you in reaching said rank as soon as possible, but in return, you will become mine.”
Luo Xiao's heart beat rapidly at those words. Although he knew that Jiang Yao meant that his life would become his, he had never heard anyone say such suggestive things to him before, and his face flushed red.
Noticing his strange reaction, Jiang Yao's eyebrows rose, and he felt a strange joy within. Teasing this little soul cultivator seemed to be rather entertaining.
“How do you know that you can trust me?” Luo Xiao asked tentatively, but a bright smile appeared on Jiang Yao's face. “I will place a soul seal on you so as long as you don’t betray me, nothing will happen, but should you betray me, then you will have your soul destroyed by the heavens,” he said with a laugh.
Luo Xiao's eyes widened in surprise and fear. Have his soul destroyed? This was not something he wanted to experience.
“Don't worry, when you have done the things I need you to do for me, then I will release you,” he said. Luo Xiao understood that, at least for now, he had no other option than to accept his offer. He knew that should he decline then he would be dead in seconds.
“In return for your support, I will help you gain vengeance against the person who created the corpse puppet that killed your village.”
Gritting his teeth, Luo Xiao nodded his head and accepted his fate. It seemed like he was attached to this handsome, strong immortal cultivator, but since he had promised to help him take revenge, it was not all that bad.
Luo Xiao hung his head dejectedly, and seeing that he accepted his fate, the smile on Jiang Yao's face grew larger.
“Come here,” he called out, and Luo Xiao hesitated for a moment before he slowly walked towards the handsome man.
He stopped three meters away from Jiang Yao, but it seemed like it was not close enough as Jiang Yao lifted a hand and beckoned him even closer.
He moved another meter closer, then another after Jiang Yao told him to keep coming closer, until he finally stood in front of him. Luo Xiao was slightly nervous as Jiang Yao had been carefully and curiously observing him the whole time.
“Close your eyes,” he ordered, and Luo Xiao did that again, hesitatingly. When he did, Jiang Yao realized that this boy had eyelashes longer than most women and that his face was simply charming when it was held high with closed eyes as it was now.
Jiang Yao felt odd. He had seen many beauties in his time, been with many of them before as they threw themselves at his feet, but right now he felt that he had never before seen a creature as beautiful as this human boy.
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