A storm was brewing on both sides of the Spirit River, along the Immortal-Spirit Boundary. Between the two cities and the single Hunting Ground, the wind was already howling through the towers...
Yet, far beyond this province, amidst the freezing and bleak mountains,
Xu Xian and his companions were unaware of this. After a brief respite, they did not set out immediately; instead, they were deliberating on their final plan.
On the eve of the final battle, the mountain sky was a uniform, murky grey.
Xu Xian called everyone over and took out the golden Emperor's Blood contained within the white jade cup.
He sat cross-legged with the Emperor's Blood placed before him, his gaze slowly sweeping across the group.
Lu Yuan frowned.
The Sovereign wore a smug smile.
Tu Sisi, Jin Qing, Jin Yu, Chi Ming, and Bai Ze all looked on with suspicion, unable to guess the youth's intentions.
However, they could tell that the golden liquid in the cup was extraordinary.
Xu Xian said, "The final province we must cross is a place of certain death. The elite of the elite from the darkness legions across the three thousand provinces of this ancient land are gathered there. There is no need to elaborate on the danger; you all know it as well as I do..."
As he spoke, Xu Xian glanced inadvertently at the Sovereign before continuing, "This is Emperor's Blood. Drink it, and you shall have eternal life."
Upon hearing the words "eternal life," the expressions of the group shifted rapidly, their eyes flickering with uncertainty.
What was Emperor's Blood?
What was eternal life?
Xu Xian confirmed their inner suspicions. "The so-called eternal life means an indestructible body and an undying soul."
Jin Yu asked, "Is it like those dark creatures?"
This was the question in everyone's heart.
Xu Xian shook his head. "No. If you drink it, you are still yourself, flesh and blood."
Tu Sisi glanced at the Sovereign and asked pointedly, "And the price?"
Xu Xian stared at the smug Sovereign and spoke plainly. "The price is that whoever drinks it will exist in symbiosis with Him."
Whoosh—
Everyone's gaze fell collectively on the Sovereign.
The Sovereign leaned against the stone wall, narrowing his eyes and nodding at everyone as if to say,
That's right,
That's my blood. Pretty impressive, isn't it?
Xu Xian didn't waste words. He reached out and pushed the cup of Emperor's Blood forward, getting straight to the point.
"Discuss it amongst yourselves. See who is willing and who is not. If no one wants it, so be it. If there are volunteers, we'll draw lots."
The group fell silent, their gazes shifting between the Emperor's Blood, the Sovereign, and Xu Xian.
A cup of Emperor's Blood for symbiosis with a Sovereign.
The price and the benefits were laid out clearly.
Drinking it meant immortality and the power of the Emperor's Blood, allowing one to walk out of this darkness alive and welcome the dawn.
However,
One would become the Sovereign's servant—in name and in fact.
Everyone present had once been the head of a race, ruling over vast lands and standing above tens of thousands. Naturally, none of them wanted to be a mere fish in a pond, let alone subservient to another.
But this time was different.
If they drank this, they would have a foundation to survive Above the Heavens.
If one's life was gone,
What use was dignity?
Furthermore, after two years of fleeing together, they had spent enough time with this man called the Sovereign. Although he was fickle, debauched, arrogant, and talked far too much, he wasn't malicious. At least, they felt he was alright...
Therefore,
To varying degrees, they were all tempted.
They looked at one another, yet no one responded.
Perhaps it was because they were too embarrassed to speak up, or perhaps they felt it was improper to fight over it.
It had been two years.
For two whole years, they had faced life and death together, traveling millions of miles. Their bonds had become a matter of habit.
Xu Xian was extremely patient. "No rush. Think it over carefully."
As they hesitated and looked away from each other, Lu Yuan was the first to speak, saying cheerfully, "I won't drink this. As the old saying goes, a loyal minister does not serve two masters. I've already signed a beast-taming contract with you; it wouldn't be right to drink this."
It was an excuse, but undeniably a very good one.
Lu Yuan had once been a king too.
When he initially contracted with Xu Xian, he did so because he had no choice, and because he felt Xu Xian was decent. He had taken a gamble, and he had indeed won.
Xu Xian had nothing but good things to say to him.
After entering the Wendao Sect,
Xu Xian not only protected him but never commanded him, allowing him to remain free...
Now,
The situation was different. First, no one was forcing him. Second, he had heard stories about the Sovereign and understood him better than the others—which also meant he feared him more.
Traveling with the Sovereign would likely be a thousand times more troublesome than traveling with Xu Xian.
After Lu Yuan withdrew, Tu Sisi followed. "I'll pass as well. I have nine lives; I don't need this."
Nine lives?
That was also just a manner of speaking. She was equally unwilling to be controlled by another, and she had never feared death. If she had been afraid, she wouldn't have ascended to the Heavens in the first place.
After all, Xu Xian had said she didn't have to come.
The third to state his position was Bai Ze. He sensibly shrank to the side and remained silent, yet his silence said everything.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to drink it, but rather that he had self-awareness and didn't want to compete with them.
Among those who had survived, all had deep ties with Xu Xian and had never kicked him while he was down.
He was different. He had indirectly caused Yun Zheng's death. When the world crusaded against the Wendao Sect, the East Desolation had come out in full force, and his hands were stained with too much of the sect's blood.
The fact that Xu Xian hadn't killed him, had let him follow, and finally even treated him as an equal by letting him stand here and participate in the choice was already an act of great benevolence.
If he tried to compete for it now, he would truly be lacking in sense.
With the three of them out, only three remained. Coincidentally, all three were from the Demon Abyss and belonged to the same clan.
Of course,
The three of them were also the weakest among the group. Especially Jin Yu; like Lu Yuan, she was one of the only two who were not saints. But it was different—Lu Yuan was only weak now but had once been strong, whereas she had been weak from the very beginning.
Faced with this situation and choice, the three of them smiled bitterly, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
Chi Ming sighed. "Sigh. By my count, I am the elder to you two. If I were to compete with you, wouldn't I be a laughingstock? I withdraw as well."
The decisiveness of his choice, which was beyond expectation, startled Xu Xian slightly.
He had thought Chi Ming would be modest, but he hadn't expected him to be so resolute.
Once his choice was made, the matter was essentially settled.
Between the two sisters,
It was more than obvious who would drink it.
A mother’s strength, a mother's mercy—where in the world would a mother fight her own child for food?
Moreover, Jin Qing loved this child dearly.
Jin Yu spoke up immediately, preparing to persuade Jin Qing to drink it. "Sister..."
But before she could speak, Jin Qing cut her off with a wave of her hand.
She proactively took the cup of Emperor's Blood and handed it to Jin Yu, smiling. "Uncle Ming is right. How can an elder compete with a junior? It would be a joke. So, you drink this Emperor's Blood. Survive first; we can talk about everything else later..."
The others thought to themselves that it was exactly as they had guessed.
Jin Yu, of course, refused.
If only one person could live, she wanted it to be her sister.
"I don't want it..."
"Be good!"
Jin Yu said righteously, "Sister, I'm not a child anymore."
Jin Qing said solemnly, "Regardless, you will always be my sister. You must listen to me..."
The two argued back and forth until finally, with the help of the others and under Jin Qing's forceful pressure, Jin Yu reluctantly compromised.
Before everyone, she drank the cup of Emperor's Blood with a pained expression.
The Sovereign, witnessing this, was quite displeased. "What's with that look? I don't even mind that you're trash, yet you're acting like you're the one being shortchanged?"
Jin Yu said nothing.
The matter was finished.
Xu Xian stood up, brushed the dust off his seat, and said:
"Alright,"
"Since this is settled, let's head out..."
Everyone rose together and replied, "Yes!"
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