Chapitre 66: Chapter 66 Budding Affections
"Are you two alright?".
Xuanyuan's voice cut through the the silence in the bamboo grove, causing Li Xiao Er to flinch, and for Jia Yufei to nod, still clutching at her chest, trying to cover her modesty. Xuanyuan and Long Xi both noticed this, and took out clothing and robes from their shadows, wrapping it around their shoulders.
Xuanyuan was about to pull his hand back, but Jia Yufei clutched it tightly, not wanting to let go. She didn't say anything, but after sending Yu Zhong Er a look, the Light Path Gu Master just shook her head, understanding Xuanyuan's meaning.
Li Xiao Er and Jia Yufei were almost assaulted by these demonic Gu Masters. They were both still barely sixteen years old, and never had a man not related to them seen them naked, let alone torn of their clothes and attempted to violate them.
They were lucky that Xuanyuan and the others got there in time. If they had gotten there a few minutes later, then who knows what could have happened to them.
Everyone knew the answer of course, but none were willing to say it out loud. Jia Yufei and Li Xiao Er had the control over their bodies taken from them, letting them cling onto Long Xi and Xuanyuan allowed them to slowly regain what control they felt they had over the world.
Long Xi pulled Li Xiao Er into her bosom, causing the latter to start sobbing, somewhat muffled as she clutched at the hem of Long Xi's clothing. Eventually the tears couldn't be held back any longer, and Long Xi unconsciously wrapped her arms around her, patting her on the head softly whispering to her.
"Everything will be just fine... You're safe. As long as we are all together, nothing bad will ever happen again".
Xuanyuan felt Jia Yufei's face press against his chest, and he paused, letting out a silent sigh before wrapping one arm around her. Doing the same as Long Xi, Xuanyuan whispered into her ear, hearing muffled sobs coming from Jia Yufei.
"... As long as I'm here Yufei, I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise".
The girl couldn't hold it in any longer and cried deeply into Xuanyuan's chest. The girl was emotionally vulnerable, and he chose with words carefully, knowing the underlying meaning behind them. He might not be as adept as social manipulation as Fang Yuan was, but he wasn't so stupid as to not realize the situation they were in.
Hero saves the beauty. A common troupe in every genre, regardless of the targeted audience or the setting of a novel. This wasn't a book, not anymore at least, but even still, or perhaps more so, emotions were a powerful concept which in some instances, could transcend Ranks.
Making people fall in love with him wasn't a good thing or a bad thing in Xuanyuan's mind. He wasn't sure if he could reciprocate the feeling, but understood that some people would do anything for the ones they loved.
Love was sometimes more powerful than friendship or loyalty. More powerful than anger or hatred.
Xuanyuan had experienced much in his past life, and perhaps even more in this current one. But he was always a logical person at heart, in his previous life, love didn't contain any supernatural power or otherworldly force behind it. It was filled with platitudes and sweetness that warmed the mind, body and soul.
But in this world... Love could do almost anything.
The possibilities were... interesting, to say the least.
Xuanyuan gestured for Yu Zhong Er to put the two girls to sleep before telling Yu Xiaolong and Lu Guo to carry them back to camp. Long Xi and Yu Zhong Er were to collect all of the Gu worms that the corpses still had on them and bring them back to camp as well.
Xuanyuan would dispose of the bodies himself, using Return To Ash Gu to burn all of the corpses, leaving no trace of their existence.
"But what do we do with them?".
Yu Xiaolong pointed to the two remaining Gu Masters. Neither himself nor Lu Guo had ever killed someone before, and even with rage and hatred in their hearts, neither could bring themself to take the life of another human.
They were still only sixteen. Yu Zhong Er and Long Xi had killed lone demonic Gu Masters harboring bad intentions for the two of them, and long since gotten used to the scent of blood. Neither one seemed phased by the bloody sight that Xuanyuan had left behind either.
Xuanyuan shook his head, narrowing his eyes at the two Rank 1 Gu Masters. Both were probably around 20 years of age, and yet they were still at the Peak of Rank 1, signifying their lack of talent.
"Earlier that one said that you wait around Wind Blade Mountain, waiting for people to come to you. It means that your base is hidden somewhere on the mountain. The first one to tell me where it is, gets to live".
Xuanyuan wiped his face of blood as he spoke, but faint splotches could be seen on his neck and collar. He gestured to the Rank 3 Gu Master, eyes wide with an expression of shock marring his lifeless corpse.
The two looked at each other before the man spoke up first.
"It is hidden beneath the roots of an enormous Blade Essence Oak Tree! The boss had tried to refine it into a Gu, but failed killing the tree itself! All of our supplies and materials are hidden there!".
The female Rank 1 Gu Master froze, before gritting her teeth, lunging towards the other Gu Master.
"Tang you traitor! When I get my hands on you I'll-".
A black flash cut through her neck, severing her head from her body. The twenty year old Rank 1 Gu Master felt something warm fall into his lap, before screaming seeing that it was the head of Li who he had just spoken with moments before.
Xuanyuan just pulled the man by the hair, using his free hand to grip his mouth shut. The otherworldly demon just stared into the man's eyes, before asking another question.
"Your boss... he was a Rank 3 Gu Master. Even if he was talented, reaching such a stage without any guidance is extraordinarily difficult. Give me something valuable and I'll consider letting you go".
The twenty year old Gu Master just nodded pointing in a somewhat westward direction. His expression fearful, seeing Xuanyuan's mouth inch closer and closer towards his neck.
"About three kilometers west, there is a waterfall which falls into a large basin. There are Golden Scaled Carp, and even a Golden Scaled Carp Hundred Beast King which live there!".
Xuanyuan scoffed before gripping his neck, causing the Gu Master to squirm. The man tried to grasp at Xuanyuan's arm, but found his strength insufficient in comparison. He opened his mouth trying to speak, telling Xuanyuan he wasn't quite done yet.
"There is an underwater tunnel at the bottom of the basin leading further into Wind Blade Mountain! The boss is the only one with a cultivation high enough to explore the basin, but he told us that when another of us reaches Rank 3, we can defeat the beast king and obtain ourselves our very own Spirit Spring!".
Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow pausing for a moment.
'A Spirit Spring? Even if it is just a small scale Spirit Spring, it should be able to produce a few tens of millions of primeval essence stones over its entire lifetime. It is guarded by a Golden Scale Carp Beast King, one that probably has more than a few Gu within its body...'.
Nodding, he let go of the Rank 1 Gu Master's hair, waving him off.
A spark of hope appeared within the man's heart, and he immediately started to run away, only to feel a spear of light pierce through his chest. His eyes widened, and he unconsciously turned around, only to see Yu Zhong Er staring at him with an expression of disgust on her face.
Blood dripped from his lips, falling to his knees and reaching out for Xuanyuan.
"B-... But you said-".
Xuanyuan just shook his head, letting out a small sigh. Seeing him turn his back to him, he could only helplessly claw at the spear in his chest, feeling the corners of his vision darken, before eventually, his entire world faded to black.
A faint voice lingering in the back of his mind.
"Even if Xuanyuan wanted to let you go, the rest of us will never forgive you for your actions! We would hunt you down to the very ends of the Five Regions, expunging every last trace of you from this World!".
Yu Zhong Er's voice, normally reserved and calm, was full of disgust and vile as she glared at the dying Rank 1 Gu Master. The young man could only show an expression of regret as he closed his eyes, eventually feeling the last remnants of his mind vanish, leaving his body nothing but a lifeless corpse.
Yu Xiaolong and Lu Guo had never seen Yu Zhong Er angry before. The beautiful girl just glared at the corpse in front of her, clenching her fist tightly, her heart and emotions still not calming down, even after killing the demonic Gu Master.
Xuanyuan saw Yu Zhong Er's clenched fist and angered expression, and walked over to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder. The girl lifted her head and stared at Xuanyuan for a moment, but froze when she saw the expression on his face.
His expression before was aloof, if slightly maniacal. It scared her seeing the Gu Master use the Focus Scattering Flower on Xuanyuan, but was even more shocked when he chomped down on the Rank 3 Gu Master's neck.
Yu Zhong Er kept her emotions close to her chest, and never felt anything more than respect to her fellow disciples in the Ancient Soul Sect. Her sense of familial bonds died long ago, and now, she only had Long Xi as the sister she had chosen, not the sister she was born with.
She respected Xuanyuan's talent. Respected his goals. Respected his demeanor and friendliness. Even respected his abilities as a leader, not being too distant or too aloof like many other geniuses in the Sect.
She didn't want to admit it. At least, to anyone else other than Long Xi, but she trusted Xuanyuan. Trusted him more than just to lead her.
Feeling the warmth of the hand on her shoulder, Yu Zhong Er felt her cheeks flush somewhat but didn't step away from Xuanyuan. The girl, shorter than the younger man standing beside her, enjoyed seeing the expression of concern and worry on his face.
Especially when the subject of his concern was on her, and not other girls.
"Zhong Er, head back to camp. When I return we'll gather and send Song Pei to scout these two locations".
The Light Path Gu Master nodded slightly, walking over towards Long Xi who was still collecting Gu from the corpses. Lu Guo and Yu Xiaolong carried Li Xiao Er and Jia Yufei on their backs and waited for the other two to finish before heading back to camp.
Xuanyuan watched as their figures retreated back towards the bamboo forest, before smiling, looking down at the fifteen corpses in front of him.
There were only four women and eleven men, so he was still a couple of ingredients short, but still smiled, pulling out a knife from his shadow before carving up the abdomens of the female Gu Masters. After retrieving the organs that he needed, Xuanyuan took off all of his clothes, returning them, and all of the corpses to ash, letting it be carried off by the wind.
The scent of blood was still quite strong, but Xuanyuan swiftly left the area, not leaving any traces of the battle that once took place there.
'I used Shadow As Thoughts Gu to counteract the effects of Focus Scattering Flower. Shadow Thoughts are the reflection of my own thoughts, and are useful in both deductions and concealment. If I didn't have in my possession such a Gu, then things would have gone very differently...'.
Little Shadow cooed from within his shadow, playing with all of the clothes, that he had stored within himself. Xuanyuan just smiled, seeing the Rank 5 Gu playfully bury itself within his clothes, like a child playing with their blankets and covers.
He knew the effects that his words would have on Jia Yufei. A budding seed of affection that was planted within her heart. That was the result of his own decision and machinations.
However, what he didn't know was that he had already planted seed in one other, Yu Zhong Er's gaze lingering on his figure as he returned to camp. She tried to distance herself from him, but always felt herself gazing at him from across the camp.
Love was uncontrollable and unfathomable.
Perhaps that was why it could resist the power of Fate?
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone