Bab 199: A Solution - A New Companion.
"I… I've just progressed in a technique that transforms my body, that's most likely the reason for the change" Shu He admitted as he laid back in the chair, he didn't mind saying a little since, at the very least, he trusted the two here enough to not tell others.
"That would explain it, just from the scent of the blood I could tell that any animal would find it enticing, it's entirely different from the scent of the world that covered you before" said Elder Bai "It's unfortunate but that's what triggered Na Xue's reaction… a starved beast with a lump of juicy meat in front of them wouldn't be able to hold back".
"You don't have to put it that way…" Na Xue complained while sending a spiteful glare towards the elder before sighing "What am I going to do now…?" she began to murmur to herself.
"…Is there something else to be worried about?" Shu He still felt her reaction was unusual, it would be normal to be embarrassed, but his Senior Sister seemed to be worried about something much bigger.
Elder Bai sighed "You haven't realised it yet? You've just been told that the Chimera Blood only receive blood directly from those they intend to mate with, it's both a natural instinct and a tradition kept to the modern day, what would her family think if they realised their daughter not only ignored the order she was given, but went ahead and took blood from a human cultivator".
"…Would they be able to tell?" Shu He replied doubtfully.
"Of course, a Chimera is selective with the bloodlines they absorb, thus they are also sensitive to them, by taking in yours like she did, Na Xue added a trace of your bloodline to hers, her family would immediately be able to tell".
"He's telling the truth" Na Xue admitted, her face a shade of pale white "I didn't intend to act on the orders I was given, I wanted to enjoy my time free of my family… I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this a secret since I get visits regularly…" she bit her lip in frustration.
Shu He felt guilty, he may have gone along with it because of Elder Bai but he was still the one that caused the situation "Is there anything I can do to help?".
Na Xue slowly shook her head "I'll just have to deal with it when it comes…" she spoke with a depressed tone.
"You could just become strong, Shu He" Elder Bai chuckled causing the two to glance at him. "You can't hide it, you've remained quite low key in the sect apart from the beginners tournament, so most of the other disciples don't even know who you are, but I do; So does the sect master, but probably even less than me" Elder Bai's pale yellow eyes pierced Shu He's figure as if he was appraising an invisible force behind him.
"You understand, right? Your potential just keeps increasing, yet you remain passive, that needs to change." He warned Shu He "While it's true the nail that sticks out most is hammered flat first, if a rare plant doesn't receive the nutrients it needs it'll wilt and turn to dust". He then turned to Na Xue "The same for you, you have such a rare bloodline yet it's shackled by formalities and tradition, you should throw that all away and do what you want, in fact a perfect chance is right in front of you".
"What are you talking about?" Na Xue glanced at Shu He before staring at Elder Bai "Shu He?" she frowned.
"I'm not just talking about Shu He, there's his little friend as well, both of them would be beneficial to you, no? And that's not the end of it" Elder Bai got up and picked up a few scrolls that were in the corner of the room before laying them out on the table, overlapping them in the middle.
Shu He watched in silence with a frown, he recognised the patterns clearly.
"He'll be getting even more 'companions' in the future, you know what this is right?" he asked.
Na Xue looked towards the scroll and then at Shu He, it seemed like the thoughts in her head were spinning as her eyes darted around the inscription on the scroll.
"Even… even if I want to… I would be imposing on Junior- no, Shu He" She said with worry, glancing at Shu He who rubbed his temples as he tried to chase away the headache that was building.
Her hands that there on the table quivered lightly as she waited for him to speak.
"If you need help solving this problem, Senior Sister, I'll do what I can" He said clearly.
Her hands relaxed as she slowly stood up and turned around "I… need some air" before walking off and exiting the room leaving the other two in silence for a minute, eventually Shu He turned to face Elder Bai, his gaze piercing the white haired elder.
"Did you plan this?" He asked, his tone low.
"Of course, not" Elder Bai shook his head with the usual gentle smile "But, to say I never thought of it before would be wrong… I just never thought it could happen, like I said; You surprised me". He then rolled up the scrolls that were laid across the table and rolled them towards Shu He who picked them up. "Here, the formation is in there, overlay them like I did just now to use them" he explained.
That's right, these three scrolls were what Shu He had requested from him, they contained a very specific formation –
The <<Heart Contract>> formation.
It was the very same formation he had used to form the contract with Little Xue, now calling herself Shu He; It took a long time to make and because of its portable form it is only usable once, but Shu He requested it so he could be prepared.
The Keystone Pilgrimage was going to take a long time after all, he wouldn't be returning to the sect for at the very least a year or two.
"I never said I was going to use it, did I? Aren't you misleading her?".
"I'm sure you will, I don't know where or how, but you're that type of person" Elder Bai said with complete confidence, causing Shu He to look at him oddly.
"…But, is she really okay with this? I don't want to take advantage of her…" He mumbled to himself, still doubtful of the situation.
The white haired elder merely chuckled "Did she ever complain about you? It was only about her family, right?".
Shu He glanced at him as a drop of sweat fell from his brow, his head spun with various thoughts but he soon shook them away.
'I'll think about those things when I need to' he said to himself as he went to stand up, he had gotten what he needed so he wanted to leave, yet just as he was-
"Just one minute, I've got something else to give you" Elde Bai called out, causing him to turn around.
"What is-" before he could finish his sentence, he caught an object that was sent flying his way in his hands, he opened up his palms and took a look, it was a simple necklace made from gold, yet it was adorned with a blue teardrop shape gemstone that faintly glowed.
Shu He could feel that a large amount of Qi was packed inside, he stared doubtfully at the Elder "What's this?".
"Wear it; When you enter the Water Region, it may come in use" was the explanation he was given.
Shu He held the necklace up and habitually scanned it, there were no hidden formations, it was just a stone on a metal chain, he hung it around his neck. "Thanks… then, I'll be going".
Elder Bai nodded "Good luck out there, I'm expecting great things".
With an award nod in return, Shu He left the room, Elder Bai sighed deeply as he looked up at the pale wood roof "I wonder how many are left…".
…
As Shu He left the sanctuary building Jian He called him over, they had finished feeding the animals so the others had dispersed, it was just Jian He and Yingzi peacefully resting in a wooden gazebo.
"What happened with Na Xue? She looked… weird" he asked Shu He, clearly having seen her dash out of the building.
"Isn't she always weird?" Shu He responded jokingly in an attempt to brush him off, yet he received an annoyed glance from her Senior Brother that told him it wasn't going to fly.
"…It's hard to explain" He admitted.
"It's about her family, I'm guessing?" Jian He said.
"You know about it?" Shu He asked with surprise, he hadn't known a single thing.
"A little, I've seen her technique quite a few times already, so it wasn't hard to work it out… I just kept my distance, it seemed like she didn't want to talk about it either" He admitted, a self-mocking grin hung on his face.
He then sighed "Well, I don't know what exactly happened, but whatever you did I thank you for it; It's been like watching a caged canary all these years".
Shu He looked at him strangely "Senior Brother, just what DID Senior Sister look like when she left?" he felt there was a serious context mismatching going on right now.
"Huh? She was smiling as she ran off into the forest".
"…" Shu He's head turned to the forest like a rusty joint.
'Was she just nervous?!' he yelled inside his head before sighed deeply.
"Good to hear she's just fine then" he wanted to slap himself for worrying.
[Shu He! Shu He!] A voice appeared in his mind, it was Shu Xue of course calling him, he felt her position and it was closing in on his location fast.
'What's she worked up for?' he glanced towards the direction of the voice, finding it oddly familiar.
'Don't tell me…'
Just as the sense of foreboding hit him, Shu Xue burst out of the bushes dragging Na Xue behind her.
"Don't pull her around! She's still weak!" He panicked as he ran over, he could see his Senior Sister go pale in the face as she struggled to keep up, eventually he reached them causing the two to skid to a stop, Shu Xue's rubellite eyes sparkling "Shu He! Shu He!" she shouted.
"Yes, yes, what?" he said as he bent down to support Na Xue who had collapsed.
"Is big sis coming with us? Is she?!" Shu Xue spoke like a machine gun.
"What are you talking about?"
"The Pilgl- whatever, is big sis coming too?!" She said with a smile.
Shu He gently lifted the pale Na Xue who returned a weak smile "Are you?" He asked her, she nodded lightly "Is that fine?".
Shu He sighed "It's fine, a bit of company wouldn't hurt".
"Yes! Yeah! Yay!" Shu Xue celebrated, jumping around pumping her arms up in human form.
"Am I that boring to travel with?" He couldn't help but murmur causing Shu Xue to pause in shock.
"No! Not that! Uh… Uhm…" She tried to explain herself but couldn't find the words causing him to chuckle "I was just joking; I know you get a bit lonely when I'm cultivating".
"Sorry…" She apologised.
"It's nothing to be sorry about, you're still a child after all, it's normal".
"Shu He…" he heard Na Xue's voice come from besides him as he supported her.
"What is it?" She sounded weak so he was a little worried still, yet as her head rose and he was met with those deep red eyes he felt another sense of foreboding.
"Can i… have some blood please?".
'This isn't going to be a regular occurrence, is it?!'
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone