Lu Yuan

The red-haired kid readily agreed.

Xu Xian asked again, "Are you sure you don't want to think about it more?"

The red-haired kid lowered the corners of his bitter mouth and said gloomily, "Do I even have a choice?"

"At least you're sensible."

"Heh..."

Xu Xian didn't waste any time, stretching his fingers. "Then let's begin."

The red-haired kid moved his position with great reluctance, leaning closer to the youth and sitting up a bit straighter.

This was a trade.

Xu Xian wanted his loyalty.

In exchange, he would get to live.

Both were willing participants.

There was no need for further words.

The autumn wind whistled, and a chill rolled back through the thousands of mountains. The sunlight overhead seemed like a hollow facade, devoid of warmth.

Xu Xian formed a hand seal and silently recited an ancient incantation.

", , ..."

Spiritual energy surged around him, and ripples appeared in space. On both Xu Xian and the red-haired kid, spiritual energy transformed into golden threads, weaving together in an intricate pattern.

Before long, they condensed into an ancient formation.

The two sat upon it, glowing brilliantly.

Xu Xian finished the hand seal, the incantation ceased, and he slowly raised his eyes.

Within his pupils, five-colored light swam about. He calmly gazed at the red-haired kid before him and spoke.

"I ask you: are you willing to follow me from this day forth, to share in my glory and my shame, to live when I live, and to die when I die?"

The red-haired kid looked up, meeting the youth's gaze. Fresh red blood seeped from his tightly closed lips as he slowly raised his right hand.

He stained his index finger and thumb with essence blood from the tip of his tongue, then pressed them together like a sword, drawing a line from his forehead down to the bridge of his nose.

It looked as if a bloody eye had opened between his brows.

He said hoarsely, "If you do not abandon me, this pact shall have no end."

Xu Xian reached out and pressed his palm against the kid's forehead. The dense golden threads on his palm, looking like runes, all sank into the red-haired kid's glabella.

The blood on the red-haired kid's brow also dispersed into a thin mist, all of it drilling into the youth's palm.

Golden radiance.

Bloody mist.

Lamenting wind.

Surging spirit.

The entire process of forming the contract lasted for the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

When the luster in Xu Xian's eyes returned to normal and the spiritual wind atop the mountain dissipated, he withdrew his hand.

At the center of the red-haired kid's brow, the self-smeared blood had vanished. In its place was a pale golden beast seal, flickering in and out of existence, shifting from solid to ethereal before finally hiding itself from view.

It was visible to the Pupil of Insight, but difficult for ordinary eyes to detect.

However, an invisible bond had been established between the two.

Xu Xian's sensation wasn't particularly strong, but the red-haired kid looked pained.

He clearly sensed that from this moment on, his fate was tied to the youth before him.

If the youth died, he would perish as well.

Xu Xian exhaled a breath of turbid air. "Phew—"

He felt somewhat fortunate that it had gone so smoothly.

He didn't release the blood deer immediately. Instead, under the guidance of the Little Book Spirit, he tried to control the beast seal. With just a thought, he could cause the other's instantaneous death.

The Myriad Beast Seal.

A master-servant pact.

A life-and-death contract.

It could be triggered passively or actively by the master.

"Done!"

He stood up and approached the red-haired kid. For some reason—perhaps because he hadn't adapted yet or hadn't fully come to his senses—the kid actually shrank back in terror.

Like a startled fawn.

Well... theoretically speaking, he really was a small deer.

Xu Xian frowned. "What are you afraid of?"

The red-haired kid snapped out of it and said stubbornly, "I'm not afraid."

Xu Xian didn't bother pressing him. He crouched down and removed the three iron chains that had locked the kid's dantian, qi manor, and sea of consciousness.

During the process, the red-haired kid gritted his teeth fiercely, his fists clenched, and his entire body trembled as he let out low growls.

It was agonizing.

He was restraining himself.

"Bear with it."

"Hiss—roar—ah..."

"It's done."

With a wave of his hand, Xu Xian took back the blood-stained Cold Iron Chains.

These things might look unimpressive, but they were genuine treasures. Their quality was definitely above immortal gold. They might even have been forged from divine ore.

In the future, when he reached the level of immortal forging, he might be able to use these chains to forge a batch of immortal artifacts.

There seemed to be quite a bit of it.

On the ground, the blood deer, now free from the chains' restraint, slumped weakly against a protruding rock.

With the restrictions on his cultivation lifted, the wounds on his body were healing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Even the blood that had splattered on the ground when the chains were pulled out miraculously turned into a fine bloody mist and returned to his body.

His face, which had turned pale from pain, returned to normal in an instant.

Seeing this, even Xu Xian couldn't help but be secretly amazed.

His life recovery ability was probably even higher than Xu Xian's, who possessed a sword body.

With his cultivation restored and his breath steady, the youth's blood-red eyes were once again filled with luster and spirit.

However, the faint killing intent from before had vanished instantly.

Killing Xu Xian was suicide.

Xu Xian wiped the blood from his hands and sat down against the other end of the rock. He took the strong liquor from his waist, took a small sip, and then shook it toward the kid. "Want a drink?"

The red-haired kid glanced out of the corner of his eye and said flatly, "I don't know how."

Xu Xian chuckled and took another sip, saying meaningfully, "I didn't know how at first either. After a long time, you'll learn. And you'll get addicted."

The red-haired kid remained silent, but a barely perceptible sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.

After a long time?

How long is long?

Ten thousand years? A hundred thousand years? Or a million years...

Some things, if you don't know them, you just don't. Just as there are some things in this world that can never be changed.

"Do you have a name?" Xu Xian asked again.

The red-haired kid thought for a moment and replied, "Yuan..."

"No surname?"

The red-haired kid spoke again, "Lu Yuan."

Hearing this, Xu Xian smiled. "Lu Yuan. It seems you really are a deer. But the name isn't bad; it sounds quite grand."

Lu Yuan smiled but said nothing.

Xu Xian drank a few more mouthfuls of wine, put away the flask, and took out a set of sword robes, tossing them to Lu Yuan.

"What for?"

Xu Xian spoke leisurely, "Since you're following me, you should mind your image. Don't go around looking like a beggar. I value my reputation; I can't afford to lose face like that."

Lu Yuan didn't say anything.

He silently rolled up the clothes, stood up, and went into the woods out of Xu Xian's sight to change.

Xu Xian was slightly speechless and grumbled to himself.

"We're both men, what's the point of this?"

A moment later, Lu Yuan walked out of the woods. He was a young boy, just under seven feet tall. The green robes were the right length but looked a bit loose, and the belt was tied in a dead knot.

It was a bit ugly.

But it fit well enough.

His feet were bare, and his red hair fluttered in the wind.

Pointed ears, a thin face, blood-red eyes, a high bridge of the nose, and thin lips like blades. He had a bit of a rogue air, mixed with a touch of ruthlessness and feminine grace.

He walked up to Xu Xian and stood still, appearing somewhat constrained.

Xu Xian stroked his chin, sized him up, and commented, "You look decent enough, but you're a bit flashy. We need to tidy up your appearance."

Lu Yuan was dazed...

Xu Xian stood up and waved his hand. His heavy sword appeared with a flash of light. He beckoned to Lu Yuan and smiled. "Come here, I'll cut a head for you."

Lu Yuan's pupils shrank. "Cut my head??"

Xu Xian narrowed his eyes. "That's right, cut your head!"

Lu Yuan: "...."