130: Chapter 130

"I have to help my older brother out."

"...Detestable! Truly detestable!"

The black shadow kicked out in vain, its roar filled with frustration.

The fierce soul, which had slept for far too long, felt like a young beast grabbed by the scruff of its neck, tasting once again the bitterness of being schemed against.

"Well done."

Xu Rufeng used his manifested crimson little hand to press lightly toward the source of the sound, as a gesture of approval.

His gaze did not shift, remaining fixed in front of him—where a flag about a zhang high floated silently.

An imperceptible current of air brushed past, and the surface of the flag slowly unfurled.

On the dark red background, intricate patterns were etched.

At this moment, those patterns were being covered inch by inch by extremely fine, living-like scarlet threads, winding and seeping along the established grooves like countless newly awakened streams.

If one looked closely, one could discern the traces of the old replacing the new: fresh, dripping blood was greedily devouring the outline of every rune, while the original colors, which shimmered with a hint of gold, were forced to retreat step by step, gathering toward the narrow link where the flag met the pole, eventually flowing upstream and surging toward the top of the flag pole.

There, the blood threads from the flag surface and the pole tangled and squeezed frantically, rapidly condensing into a bead.

It was not dazzling, even somewhat dim, yet it emitted a heavy, suffocating ripple that made one's breath hitch.

Xu Rufeng was not unfamiliar with this ripple—it was vaguely similar to the pressure exuded by the illusion formations on the outskirts of the Sin Prison.

It was a drop of dark-colored blood, about the size of a heart.

Its texture was crystalline, yet it lacked any sense of transparency; instead, it condensed a majesty that flowed naturally without needing to be displayed, as if it originated from some supreme existence.

It hung at the highest point of the flag, not like a star, but rather like a meteorite core about to leave its orbit, sealing within it the embers of some near-eternal power.

"It is a pity that the one who left this drop of blood no longer exists in this world."

Therefore, it would eventually fall.

Xu Rufeng did not wait any longer.

His body twisted suddenly, his snake mouth snapped open, and he bit toward that hanging drop of the Yao Emperor's blood.

Since it was fated to fall.

It might as well fall into his belly.

"How dare you!"

"Stop!"

A shrill wail and a furious roar exploded simultaneously.

The suspended fierce creature suddenly snapped its restraints, turning into a bolt of black lightning and lunging forward.

But it was ultimately a moment too late.

Along with itself, it was swallowed by the suddenly enlarged snake mouth.

Immediately afterward, a clear sound was heard:

"Pah!"

A furry black object was spat out, tracing a pathetic arc in the air.

Splash.

Water splashed as the object sank into the ink-blue seawater, leaving only ripples spreading out.

The sea breeze swept by, and the flag pole swayed slightly.

Above the sea surface, thick fog churned endlessly.

The wind tore at the water vapor, molding countless twisted silhouettes, like silent screams or suffocating struggles.

The sight made one's heart feel stifled.

Thunder rolled across the horizon, muffled and heavy as if pressing on one's chest.

Lightning suddenly split the darkness, illuminating everything in a ghastly white, only to be swallowed again by a deeper ink-black.

Between the light and dark, there was no peace.

However, it was humans who needed peace.

Snakes did not.

Especially that snake with mottled patterns, who was currently deep in slumber, completely unaware of his surroundings.

On his coiled body sat a Black Sheep, which seemed to have expended much breath earlier and was now catching its breath, no longer making a sound.

A little further away, Ling Yunzi had already set up the two Pill Furnaces properly.

One was gifted by Marquis Bishui, and the other was his usual black gold furnace.

"I will watch the furnace fire."

Ling Xiao's voice sounded, without much fluctuation, "You go and set up the formation."

Ling Yunzi responded and rose to act.

Setting up a small defensive formation was not troublesome; the Formation Plate and formation bases were ready-made, so he just had to arrange them according to the positions and activate them one by one.

While placing the jade formation bases, he said casually, "Should we ask that one over there to come over too?"

"Forget it."

Ling Xiao's mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile but couldn't, "I have no interest in listening to that one curse."

"That patterned fellow really has good patience."

—To be scolded like that, pointing at his nose, and yet have no reaction.

Perhaps he really didn't hear it.

After all, he needed to concentrate fully on refining that drop of Yao Emperor's blood.

"Come to think of it, he risked consuming so much Blood Qi to forcefully seize that red blood array flag; it wasn't a loss."

Ling Yunzi walked back to the furnace and placed the main Formation Plate by his side, "Just this one drop of blood makes it worth it."

Even after ten thousand years of erosion, with less than one-tenth of its power remaining, it was, after all, the essence blood of the first generation Yao Emperor at his peak.

For Xu Rufeng, it was undoubtedly a rare Opportunity.

Of course, then again, if it were someone else, they probably wouldn't have the ability to refine this blood bead into their body.

"He actually knew that one needs to use Origin essence blood as a contract to truly control the earliest red blood array flag."

Ling Xiao spoke again, his tone carrying a faint, almost imperceptible strangeness, "...It is truly unexpected."

To prevent the Black Sheep from seeing through their Foundations, they were always cautious in their speech.

Some things were ultimately safer communicated via Divine Sense.

Thus, the next moment, their conversation turned into silent transmission of thoughts.

"I have never even heard of this matter."

Ling Xiao's transmission fell directly into Ling Yunzi's Sea of Consciousness.

"I don't know either."

Ling Yunzi replied, "I only know that the batch of red blood array flags forged by the Yao Emperor has always been under his personal control."

It seems the method of forming a contract with Origin essence blood is a top secret within the Yao Race.

How did that old ghost know about it?

"Could he really be... an ancient old ghost?"

Ling Yunzi speculated.

"No, it doesn't feel right."

Ling Xiao's intuition rejected this guess.

But this matter was indeed suspicious.

They exchanged a few more thoughts and then fell silent.

Only the faint crackle of the furnace fire remained, mixed with the ceaseless roar of the sea in the distance.

Still unable to figure out the Flower Snake's background.

He withdrew his thoughts and turned his attention to Artifact Refining.

On the other side, Xu Rufeng's consciousness floated between drowsiness and wakefulness.

Five days later.

Xu Rufeng opened his eyes, and a loud "Pah!" exploded in his ears first.

"What are you doing?"

He looked at the Black Sheep that was standing with its front hooves crossed, spitting saliva at him.

"Returning it to you! You spat on my face last time!"

The Black Sheep shouted at the top of its lungs, "Also, you stole my flag!"

"Stop slandering people."

Xu Rufeng lazily curled his lips, "I didn't drive you away, Little Black."

"Who allowed you to call me that?"

The Taotie's eyes widened.

"Then should I call you Big Black? Maomao? Black Treasure? Wangcai? Or Little Black Sheep?"

The Taotie was momentarily choked for words.

These names were uglier than the last.

"Alright, Big Black."

"The flag is still yours to live in; it's clearly me who is at a loss."

Xu Rufeng decided on his own and set the name "Big Black."

He knew this Taotie originally had no name, and from the string of names just now, he sensed that it didn't dislike the character "Black."

The Taotie's true form was not pitch black, yet it insisted on appearing in this guise; perhaps there was some old story hidden within.

It did not resist "Black," and even seemed to care about it faintly.

He could sense the subtle fluctuations of the Taotie's mood—this was the benefit of forming a contract with a Magic Treasure using Origin essence blood and fully controlling the red blood array flag.

The artifact spirit was connected to his mind; from now on, activating it would only require a single thought, with no extra actions needed.

So, although he said he was at a loss, Xu Rufeng knew clearly in his heart that he had gained an advantage this time.

He simply blocked out the exasperated shouting of Big Black beside him and secretly felt satisfied.

"However, the cost was also painful."

Let alone the thirty-plus million Blood Qi consumed when seizing the flag, some of which was spent to enter the Azure Dragon Secret Realm.

It couldn't all be counted against the red blood array flag.

Then... let's halve it.

Next was the blood-dripping recognition of ownership.

Ten thousand wisps of Blood Qi were needed to refine one wisp of pure Blood Qi; ten wisps of pure Blood Qi could condense into one wisp of essence Blood Qi; and one hundred wisps of essence Blood Qi could converge into one drop of Origin essence blood.

"If calculated roughly by numbers, ten million Blood Qi could be exchanged for one drop of Origin essence blood; it seems like a profit."

Xu Rufeng shook his head in his heart, "But accounts are never calculated that way."

If it were really that easy, he would probably wake up laughing in his dreams.

Ten million Blood Qi sounded terrifying, but if he closed his eyes and slept for four months, he could always save enough.

It would be like a free deal, steady and risk-free.

Unlike farming, where one works to death and still has to depend on the weather.

However, was that really the case?

Xu Rufeng stared at the energy circulating within his body.

The initial layer of thin red mist needed to be repeatedly purified to be converted into more condensed liquid essence—this was the first threshold lying before him.

If left to operate naturally, how much would accumulate in thirty days and nights?

"Fifteen."

This number was like red-hot iron, branding an indelible mark in his memory.

External force was indispensable.

The most effective aid right now came from Yao Beast Inner Cores and refined pills.

"If there is enough spirit replenishing pill support, I can accumulate about one hundred and thirty portions of refined Blood Qi each month."

He calculated silently in his heart.

Then he deduced in the most direct way: at this speed, the amount accumulated in about a year might barely condense into one drop of the most basic Origin essence blood.

But reality was cold.

Impossible.

Far from enough.

The problem wasn't how to achieve it, but that with his current Realm, he simply lacked the power to control that level of condensation.

In other words, he had to first improve himself and reach the threshold capable of withstanding the condensation process before he could qualify to consider the rest.

"Essence Blood..."

He recalled this concept that the System had once mentioned.

It concerned immortality.

Obtaining great power and then transcending life and death—this was almost the deepest desire hidden in the hearts of all cultivators.

But he knew nothing about the other prerequisites needed to condense Essence Blood.

"Hmm..."

This time, the System actively intervened to help him forcibly separate one drop of Essence Blood to establish a contract with that red Formation Flag.

The process was so brief it was almost dizzying.

Perhaps because his strength was insufficient, Xu Rufeng felt only a vague sense of detachment throughout the process, but after it ended, he felt as if he had been hollowed out.

Both his physical body and Divine Soul felt a floating, dull pain, the exact opposite of the fullness when his power was abundant.

It was dozens of times more intense than the loss felt when consuming massive amounts of Blood Qi to resist heavenly lightning, or when mobilizing millions of levels of Blood Qi to wash the Formation Flag all at once.

It felt as if one-third of his entire Foundation had been shaved away.

An uncontrollable lingering fear crept up his spine.

Fortunately, the reward gained for the price was equally heavy.

At this moment, after that drop of Origin essence blood seeped into the red Formation Flag, the silent banner was slowly awakening.

A clear bond of sensing had been established between him and the flag.

Thus, he realized that this Formation Flag was using the Blood Qi previously infused into it to perform some kind of self-repair...

"Your flag is using my Blood Qi to repair itself."

Xu Rufeng raised his eyes, finally finding another piece of evidence to argue with that Taotie.

"What do you mean 'your' Blood Qi?"

The Taotie, called Big Black, immediately bristled, "That was something you voluntarily offered before you obtained this Venerable One! Since you gave it, it is no longer yours!"

"Mere Blood Qi, and it's worth being so petty about!"

"You have even obtained this Venerable One, yet you are still thinking about that bit of Blood Qi; how stingy!"

It jumped onto the Flower Snake's head and stomped, then turned its head and shouted, "Besides, haven't you already obtained that drop of essence blood from the Qingyang Yao Emperor?"

"...Don't say it in a way that is so easily misunderstood."

Xu Rufeng leaned lazily against the stone wall, his voice revealing fatigue, "The Yao Emperor's blood, in the end, was something I exchanged for with my Origin essence blood."

Xu Rufeng did not pursue the meaning of that remark regarding the Black Qingyang Yao Emperor.

He just silently kept this sentence in his heart, planning to find an Opportunity later to ask Ling Xiao and Ling Yunzi for advice.

Having these two by his side always made him feel an inexplicable sense of stability.

"Who? Where did people come from here?"

Big Black's voice was filled with confusion, "Besides you three snakes, isn't there only this Venerable One here?"

It paused, adding a hint of disdain to its tone: "Besides, is that bit of Origin essence blood of yours worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Yao Emperor's blood?"

"Tsk, it really can't compare."

Xu Rufeng responded vaguely.

That so-called Yao Emperor's blood was not Origin essence blood, just ordinary heart blood.

But for him, it was already enough.