บท 21: Borrowing Money
บรรณาธิการ: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"You're awake?"
Yun Qingshang immediately noticed Gao Xuan's minute movements.
Gao Xuan exhaled slightly but didn't open his eyes. "I'm awake."
"It's good that you're awake."
Even though Yun Qingshang had vehemently refused Xu Yin and Wei Zhenzhen's suggestion to give Gao Xuan a checkup, she'd been rather worried for Gao Xuan.
She didn't know the story behind the gold-armored giant in the underground relic, nor did she know exactly what Gao Xuan had absorbed.
If Gao Xuan hadn't looked prepared for it, she would've become anxious a long time ago.
Gao Xuan pulled out the infusion tube in his wrist and slowly sat up. He then stretched as he said, "How long have I been asleep?"
"From the beginning until now, ten days."
Yun Qingshang continued, "We're at the best hospital in Mingjing City right now. Xu Yin found the place for you."
"Xu Yin and Wei Zhenzhen both come from influential families."
Gao Xuan smiled and said, "They're both beautiful to look at too, and useful. We can depend on them for a little while."
Yun Qingshang didn't say anything. Gao Xuan was the one depending on them, not her. As for how Gao Xuan wanted to use them, she wouldn't question him.
In her eyes, everyone else was just an object. Gao Xuan could use them as he pleased. It didn't affect her.
"Are your eyes all right now?" Yun Qingshang still cared about Gao Xuan's eyes. No matter how great his spiritual perception was, not having eyes was still an inconvenience.
"My eyes were devoured by the Heavenly Dragon Eye," Gao Xuan said with a relaxed expression, "Strictly speaking, I've lost my eyes, but I've gained a pair of Heavenly Dragon Eyes."
Without waiting for Yun Qingshang to ask, Gao Xuan explained himself.
"The Heavenly Dragon Eye is a Miracle Item. It looks like a pair of eyes, but they aren't the eyes of a dragon, nor are they the eyes of a human. There is a qualitative difference between this item and the eyes of intelligent beings. The Heavenly Dragon Eye is a legacy Miracle Item that is passed down only amongst the Dragon Clan. With the Heavenly Dragon Eye, I have gained the power to tame Heavenly Dragons. Of course, I can also use it to see…"
The God Slaying Sword's rule of certain death after seeing blood also followed strict restrictions. The exception that existed between the Heavenly Dragon Eye and the God Slaying Sword had been proven during his previous life.
He'd put the procurement of the Heavenly Dragon Eye into his plan the moment he had obtained the God Slaying Sword.
As he opened his eyes and looked at Yun Qingshang, he flashed a mysterious smile and said, "Am I cool or not? Hahaha…"
His eyes were pure gold with shimmering gold pupils.
Gao Xuan's eyes had an intense non-human look. It was exceptionally authoritative, arrogant, merciless, and filled with boundless power.
Yun Qingshang felt as though she'd been electrocuted the moment she looked into Gao Xuan's eyes. Her body became numb, and she couldn't muster any power.
Compared to a few days ago, Gao Xuan's current state was much more terrifying.
"See, the Heavenly Dragon Eye is a powerful Miracle Item. It's extremely uncomfortable replacing my eyes for this, but this item is rather cool…" Gao Xuan said as he closed his eyes, and the abnormal sensation Yun Qingshang had been feeling then vanished.
He continued, "I separated the Heavenly Dragon Blood from the Heavenly Dragon Eye and gave it to you. You can use it to strengthen your body. It's very compatible with the evolutionary path you're taking.
"But…" Gao Xuan paused for a moment. "The Heavenly Dragon Blood will cause your genes to mutate once again. While your genetic sequence is being enhanced, you might become a dragon and ultimately lose your human form. Your consciousness might even be controlled by the Heavenly Dragon genes and cause you to transform into another life form.
"It's extremely dangerous," Gao Xuan emphasized. "However, it's also a path toward the heavens. There's no turning back once you activate the Heavenly Dragon Blood. You have to think it over before making a decision."
"How do you want me to choose?" Yun Qingshang asked.
"The greater the risk, the greater the reward."
Gao Xuan thought for a while before saying, "I've given the thing to you, which means I've given you the choice. It's all up to you."
He then paused for a moment before continuing. "Of course, I do hope that you'll become more powerful. The chaotic age of galaxies is about to arrive. Only the strong can wield their own destiny."
"I understand." Yun Qingshang didn't have a strong desire for power. However, since Gao Xuan wanted her to become powerful, she would try her best to do so.
"You're too weak now and cannot absorb the Heavenly Dragon Blood. When you reach a bottleneck in your cultivation, I'll search for a genetic medication that will allow you to cross over to Source Power Level Six. Only then can you absorb the Heavenly Dragon Blood."
Gao Xuan said, "There's no hurry. Our strength is sufficient for the time being."
Gao Xuan didn't know too much about the Heavenly Dragon Blood, but he had a basic understanding of the item. He would come up with a detailed plan for Yun Qingshang and try his best to minimize the level of risk.
Of course, there would always be a risk.
Just like when he had absorbed the Heavenly Dragon Eye. It was a great risk.
After all, the Heavenly Dragon Eye was a Gold Grade Miracle Item that fused completely with the human body by devouring the body's eyes.
Even the Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada wouldn't have been able to save him if his body had rejected it during the fusing process.
However, risks had to be taken if he wanted to rapidly obtain greater power.
In terms of item grade, the Heavenly Dragon Eye didn't pale in comparison to the God Slaying Sword. Gao Xuan was willing to bear the great risk for the opportunity to obtain such a powerful Miracle Item.
The Heavenly Dragon Eye had control over water, fire, wind, and lightning (different transformations created by different combinations of Source Power). It also carried the Eternal Eye of Truth and allowed him to never be fooled by illusions.
Furthermore, the Heavenly Dragon Eye was also a growth-type Miracle Item.
In Gao Xuan's hands, the current Heavenly Dragon Eye was Iron Grade. However, it granted Gao Xuan a variety of supernatural abilities.
For example, low-level abilities like Source Power Breathing, underwater travel, stealth and infiltration, and flying.
The most practical of the abilities was Source Power Breathing. He could replace the human need for oxygen by absorbing Source Power. He could also replace the need for food that way. This greatly boosted Gao Xuan's survival abilities.
For example, in the water or the vacuum of space, Gao Xuan could use Source Power Breathing to replace the need for breathing and food and obtain the energy required to sustain his body that way.
The Heavenly Dragon Eye could also control flames and lightning. It also gave him a certain level of immunity against flames and lightning and made him extremely resistant to Source Power attacks.
There was also the ability of stealth and infiltration. The item allowed him to change the form of his body to a certain extent and blend in with the environment. This ability was extremely suitable for ambushes and assassinations.
The Heavenly Dragon Eye had inherited the strength of the Heavenly Dragons. It was extremely powerful yet complicated. This required Gao Xuan to constantly train and experiment with it to better utilize it.
The Heavenly Dragon Blood that he had separated was also a good item. However, the Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada demanded a lot from the human body. There had to be unity between body and mind.
The Heavenly Dragon Blood would completely alter the state of Gao Xuan's body and cause him to slowly transform into a dragon. That was something that the Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada would never allow.
Ultimately, the Heavenly Dragon Eye was a weapon that existed in the form of a pair of eyes. The Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada could tolerate that.
The Six-Winged Heavenly Cicada was the foundation of Gao Xuan's power. He couldn't change that even if he tried, and he wouldn't act recklessly.
Yun Qingshang was the person Gao Xuan trusted the most, but he would never tell all of his secrets to her.
This wasn't just because of his cautious nature but because of the pitiful experiences and lessons he'd learned during the one hundred years of his past life.
"Let's find a place to stay for the time being," Gao Xuan said. "We'll be able to attend university when school starts. When that time comes, we'll lord over the campus. We'll bully the boys and girls. How fun would that be…"
"We only have a few hundred Credit Points left in our account," Yun Qingshang reminded Gao Xuan.
Even though she didn't know how the world worked, she did understand how important money was.
Gao Xuan couldn't help but sigh, "Not having money sure doesn't feel too good."
He had brought along twenty gold bricks and a few weapons when they had left the base. However, he had buried all of them in the mountains.
Gao Xuan thought for a moment, then said, "It can't be helped. All we can do now is borrow money."
He told Yun Qingshang, "Contact Xu Yin. I'll borrow some from her to tide us over."
Yun Qingshang was a little surprised. "I think Wei Zhenzhen has more money. It'd be easier to borrow money from her."
It was clear that Wei Zhenzhen fancied Gao Xuan, so he wouldn't have any problems borrowing a few million dollars from her if he asked.
"Wei Zhenzhen is immature. It's best to keep your distance from her."
Actually, Gao Xuan had been awake since Xu Yin had entered the room just now. He had also heard Xu Yin and Wei Zhenzhen's conversation outside the ward.
A kid like Wei Zhenzhen couldn't understand the gravity of the situation and was extremely presumptuous. Even though she wasn't a bad person, she was a little troublesome to deal with.
Gao Xuan liked beautiful women, but he didn't like kids. More so, he wasn't interested in coaxing a spoiled brat.
Xu Yin was more mature and rational. It was easier to communicate with a person like that.
Xu Yin was very surprised when she saw Gao Xuan in the video call. Even though she was wary of Gao Xuan, his impeccable looks made her feel at ease.
Furthermore, Gao Xuan could be considered a friend. It was worth being happy over a friend's recovery.
"Professor Xu, Qingshang and I just came out of the mountains and have no money on hand. If it's convenient for you, could you lend us some?"
"No problem. How much do you need?"
Xu Yin was very forthright. Gao Xuan had saved her life. Lending him money was a small matter.
"100000."
Gao Xuan had estimated the cost of living in Mingjing City. 100000 should be enough to last him and Yun Qingshang a few months.
With his abilities, it shouldn't be a problem for him to earn money over those few months, especially since he had the experience and knowledge he'd accumulated in his previous life.
"All right. I'll transfer it to you."
Xu Yin thought for a moment, then said, "I have an empty apartment at Sector Three of the North Sixth Ring. You can stay there for the time being."
"Oh, thank you very much. You've resolved my pressing issue."
Gao Xuan didn't refuse. Mingjing City was an important city of the Eastern State. The rental prices there were exorbitant, so it was great to have a free roof over their heads.
Furthermore, the Sixth Ring could be considered a central region.
Wei Zhenzhen was extremely unhappy after Xu Yin hung up. "Why didn't Gao Xuan look for me? I have an independent villa at the Fourth Ring that I could've given him."
"That's because you don't know when to stop. That's why Gao Xuan didn't look for you."
Xu Yin shook her head and sighed, "I'll tell you again. Gao Xuan is far smarter and more complicated than you. You can play with him, but don't expect to be his friend."
"Why?"
"Because you don't have the brains for it."
As she spoke, Xu Yin's mind was filled with Gao Xuan's closed eyes and smiling face.
His smile was more radiant than the sun. His closed eyes were filled with mystery. And there was always a fatal allure about him.
Anyone would be attracted to his appearance and unknowingly lose their sense of caution. They wouldn't be able to see how dangerous that young man was!
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