47: Chapter 47 Become my Daoist partner, and I'll help you take revenge!

"Jieju!"

Duan Gujin's voice was calm, yet it made Li Jieju's heart race.

"Se... Senior Brother?" She tried her best to suppress her excitement, but her eyes betrayed her longing.

Her sister had the demon suppressing mirror; she couldn't fall behind!

Duan Gujin moved his palm, and a black stone tablet appeared out of thin air.

The tablet was three feet tall, pitch black all over, with a faint dark-gold luster on the surface.

The face of the tablet was divided into nine squares, carved with flowing sealing runes.

It emitted a heavy, stable aura, carrying an overbearing power of imprisonment, unlike the pure holiness of the demon suppressing mirror.

Duan Gujin pointed at the stone tablet and said solemnly, "This is the nine palaces demon-suppressing tablet. By placing it at the core of the imperial palace and invoking the power of the Nine Palaces Seal, an eternal protective array can be formed."

"It will isolate external evils and forever ensure the peace of the palace city!"

Li Jieju's eyes lit up, and her breathing became rapid.

The power of this stone tablet was so grand that it could actually protect an entire imperial city!

"Thank you, Senior Brother! Jieju will certainly not fail your trust!" She immediately stepped forward and respectfully extended both hands.

Duan Gujin placed the heavy stone tablet into her hands.

The stone tablet was ice-cold, and the dark-gold runes seemed to be flowing, bringing a sense of controlling power.

"There's no time to lose," Duan Gujin's gaze swept over Li Jieju and her sister. "The two of you go now to select the array core and set it up."

Having said that, he turned around with his hands behind his back and spoke no more, clearly having entrusted the entire matter of setting up the array to them.

Li Jieju and her sister exchanged a look, feeling the heavy responsibility on their shoulders. They immediately composed themselves and began their respective preparations.

[Hundredfold Rebate triggered!]

[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Shadow-Binding Dragon-Prison Rope (Core Formation Stage Ancient Treasure)! The reward has been issued to the System Space!]

Shadow-Binding Dragon-Prison Rope: An ancient demonic treasure refined from Abyss Demonic Dragon sinew and Void Shadow Gold (it has been purified and modified by the System, allowing the Host full control).

This cord is formless and substanceless, existing between the virtual and the real. It activates as fast as light and shadow, specifically countering demonic souls and demonic bodies.

Once entangled, it can lock down the Physical Body and Demonic Essence, and even directly imprison the Divine Soul, making the target feel like they've fallen into a quagmire, where even their thoughts slow down.

It is extremely effective against members of the Demon Race with shadow-fleeing or etherealization abilities, making it a top-tier Sharp Weapon for capturing and imprisoning Demon Race powerhouses!

A flicker of satisfaction passed through Duan Gujin's eyes.

The Shadow-Binding Dragon-Prison Rope—its name and effects were truly a pleasant surprise.

Combined with his methods, this invisible cord would be a powerful trump card for dealing with Demonic Lord Mo Xiao or capturing other strong enemies in the future.

He glanced at the Li sisters, who were excitedly looking at their new treasures, before his gaze finally landed on Erica in his arms.

She was still trembling, her eyes vacant and hollow.

Duan Gujin frowned slightly.

The method he used just now to test her endurance limit was indeed a bit heavy-handed.

"Erica." He lowered his voice, condensing a wisp of gentle Spiritual Qi on his fingertip and tapping it on her brow.

Erica's hollow eyes finally found focus.

Recognizing it was Duan Gujin, fear made her shrink back abruptly, but she was held firmly by him.

"Immortal!" her voice was broken.

"Tell me, what do you want most?" Duan Gujin asked.

He wanted to complete today's hundredfold rebate task through Erica.

Erica began to tremble violently, not from desire, but from immense fear.

She suddenly looked up, tears pouring out, as she pleaded hoarsely, "I beg you, Immortal, I beg you never to torture me like this again! I beg you!"

This desperate cry caused the excited Li sisters, who were holding the nine palaces demon-suppressing tablet, to freeze in their tracks.

Duan Gujin looked at the weeping Erica and forcefully lifted her chin, forcing her to look him directly in the eyes.

"Fine." Duan Gujin's voice was unusually calm.

"Rest assured, I won't torture you like that again."

Hearing these words, Erica's tense body instantly went limp, and she leaned weakly against his chest, her cries turning into silent sobs.

Duan Gujin turned his gaze to the Li sisters, his authority brook no question: "Go at once to select the array core and set up the nine palaces demon-suppressing tablet. Do not fail."

"Yes! Senior Brother!" the sisters responded solemnly, not daring to delay.

Supporting the stone tablet and sensing the Leyline Spiritual Qi, they quickly flew towards the center of the imperial palace.

Seeing the Li sisters disappear into the depths of the palace, Duan Gujin finally withdrew his gaze.

He looked at Erica, who was still trembling in his arms.

Her silent weeping caused a rare trace of guilt to rise in his heart.

But that trace of guilt vanished without a trace.

"Erica," he called out softly.

He immediately communicated with the exchange mall in his mind, quickly browsing through Magic Treasures, Medicinal Pills, and Cultivation Techniques.

But after looking through them once, he found very few things that were useful, and the descriptions of their effects seemed mediocre.

He couldn't help but frown slightly.

He looked at Erica's pale face, which was incredibly fragile.

"Erica," he spoke again, his tone serious, as he clumsily wiped away the tears from the corner of her eye.

"Tell me, what do you want most? Not the plea from just now, but the thing you desire most in the depths of your heart? Anything."

Erica's body stiffened for a moment.

The crying seemed to have exhausted her strength, leaving only a numb trembling.

Her vacant eyes struggled to focus on Duan Gujin's face, and she remained silent for a long time.

Finally, Erica squeezed out a few words:

"If, if it's possible... I want my enemy's head!"

Duan Gujin's eyes narrowed, showing no surprise, only a hint of understanding.

He looked at the fire driven by hatred that was reignited in Erica's eyes; it was much more full of Life Qi than the previous emptiness.

"The enemy's head... you mean Mo Xiao?"

Erica nodded vigorously: "Yes!"

Those desperate memories flooded back, twisting her far earlier and more deeply than Duan Gujin's tests ever could.

"Fine." Duan Gujin's answer was crisp and decisive, without any hesitation.

"You want your enemy's head; you can have it."

"I can help you get revenge!"

"However, it is extremely difficult for a Cultivator of the Human Race to enter the core heartlands of the Demon Realm and slay Mo Xiao."

"But, as long as I can enter the Demon Realm, whether by sneaking in or when my cultivation is sufficient to level that place in the future!"

"I, Duan Gujin, will surely behead that enemy with my own hands and bring his head to you!"

These words exploded in Erica's deathly silent heart like a clap of thunder!

Erica looked up abruptly, the fear in her eyes replaced by unbelievable ecstasy.

She looked at Duan Gujin's unquestionable face, her body trembling violently, but this time it wasn't from fear.

"Im... Immortal... Are... are you telling the truth?" Her voice shook terribly, filled with urgency.

"I, Duan Gujin, am as good as my word." The answer was only a few words, but they carried immense weight.

Duan Gujin's categorical statement made the desperate Erica's heart ignite with the ecstasy of hope.

But the contrast between his previous torture and his current promise was too great, leaving her confused and uneasy.

"Immortal..." Erica's voice trembled as she asked urgently, "Why are you helping me?"

Duan Gujin looked at her and didn't answer immediately.

After a moment, he said clearly:

"I want to become Dual Cultivation Dao Companions with you."

Erica's mind went blank, her entire body stiffening from shock, and she instinctively tried to break free from his embrace.

Damn! After all that, in the end, he's just after her body!!!

The previous cold-blooded tests and torture, and that categorical oath of revenge—was it all just a setup for this?

The mind of this Immortal was truly harder to fathom than the deepest Blood Abyss in the Demon Realm!

He went in such a big circle, promising to help her get revenge, and his ultimate goal was actually this?

A surge of humiliated anger and a sense of absurdity instantly diluted the fire of hope that had just been lit.

Duan Gujin held her steadily.

"Rest assured," he said frankly, "until I have helped you kill Mo Xiao and achieve your revenge, I will not do anything to you."

He continued, "I will help you increase your cultivation! Helping you is also helping myself! Demonic Lord Mo Xiao is not only your enemy but also a great enemy of the Human Race!"

"In the matter of killing Mo Xiao, we share a common goal!"

"A common goal..." Erica's chaotic thoughts were somewhat straightened out by these words.

Duan Gujin looked at her gradually understanding eyes. "Erica, you have potential, but without protection here, you won't be able to move an inch, let alone get revenge."

"I need to understand the Demon Realm; I need a dagger that can be thrust into Mo Xiao."

"Becoming Dao Companions with me is a contract, an alliance."

"I will pour all my resources into helping you become stronger, allowing you to kill your enemy with your own hands or watch him die with your own eyes."

"This is not charity; it is mutual benefit."

He leaned closer to her and whispered, "I swear upon my Dao Heart that before your revenge is complete, we will never engage in the actual acts of Dao Companions."

"Once you are strong enough, you can choose to abandon our cooperation."

"But for now, accepting this alliance is the only path to revenge you can grasp."

Erica trembled violently, her heart in intense conflict.

Revenge was her only desire, and this powerful and frank Immortal before her was the only hope in her despair.

He promised not to touch her, to help her become strong, and to kill Mo Xiao.

The price was the title of 'Dao Companion,' a title that could give her protection and status, binding their interests together.

After a long time, Erica took a deep breath, looked up, and said solemnly:

"Fine. I promise you. To be Dao Companions... an alliance... a common goal... to slay Mo Xiao!"

This was not because of affection, but a contract made with a devil for the sake of revenge.

Duan Gujin nodded slightly. "Very well. Remember your words today. From now on, you are my Dao Companion."

His tone returned to its authoritative state. "The first thing is to let you recover, and then make you stronger."