16: Chapter 0016 Blood Spirit Technique

"They should all be dead, right!"

Gu Huan ordered the Purple Flood Dragon to continue tormenting the Pockmarked Man, Sister Liu, and her subordinates. Only after confirming there was no movement did he emerge from the bushes and quickly clean up the battlefield.

In total, he gained three Storage Pouches, two High Grade Magical Artifacts, and a bronze box.

Boom!

The Demonic Flame Art flared up, accurately hitting the three corpses.

Soon, a raging fire ignited, burning the corpses and bones until nothing remained.

Liu Zhu was still unconscious. Gu Huan could not ignore her, so he hoisted her onto his shoulder and fled.

He did not return to the Hehuan Sect immediately.

Instead, he sought out a secluded cave.

After placing Liu Zhu down, he tied her up securely. If today's matter could not be resolved properly, he could not easily let her go.

He prioritized searching Sister Liu's Storage Pouch.

The harvest was the greatest.

As expected of a profiteer from the underground black market, there were over a thousand Spirit Stones alone, along with two brand-new High Grade Magical Artifacts, a small amount of Medicinal Pills and herbs, and other items of negligible value.

Besides that.

Gu Huan found a bottle of antidote among the Medicinal Pills and immediately fed it to Liu Zhu. Seeing that she still showed no signs of waking up, he chose to continue counting the supplies.

The Storage Pouch belonging to Sister Liu's subordinate had fewer valuable items.

There were only a few Medicinal Pills and three hundred Spirit Stones, with no High Grade Magical Artifacts at all.

Finally, there was the Pockmarked Man; the harvest was unexpectedly astonishing.

It contained a massive sum of three thousand Spirit Stones and a small amount of Medicinal Pills.

"This is the price for purchasing the bronze box. Is the Legacy Cultivation Technique of the Blood Spirit Sect only worth three thousand Spirit Stones?"

That is impossible.

It must be that Qin Yao and Liu Zhu were desperate to escape.

They traded at an extremely low price, and it just happened to be spotted by the Pockmarked Man.

Immediately after.

Gu Huan opened the bronze box, picked up the folded parchment, and carefully unfolded it.

"The Blood Spirit Sect's Sect-guarding secret technique. It may not be cultivated by anyone other than a Genius Disciple who is loyal to the Sect for life. If there is any heart of betrayal, the Blood Demon will surely awaken and occupy the flesh and remnant body."

[Analyzing...]

[Blood Spirit Great Method: Currently only a fragment of the Qi Refining volume. Use blood to refine, swear with the Dao Heart, receive the Blood Demon's blessing, and Cultivate the supreme blood technique. Side effect 1: To Cultivate, one must first sacrifice the Dao Heart and never betray the Great Blood Demon for life. Side effect 2: Casting blood techniques reduces blood energy and lowers vitality.]

[Reversal: Positive effect 1: Cultivate as one pleases, ignoring the Blood Demon's suppression. Positive effect 2: Cast blood techniques without loss, and vitality flourishes.]

[Analysis complete, please Cultivate with peace of mind, Host.]

"Another Qi Refining fragment?"

"I fear this is no coincidence!"

Gu Huan vaguely realized the truth.

Whether it was the Supreme Heavenly Demon Art or the Blood Spirit Great Method, both were taught to Disciples in volumes. The purpose was to prevent the complete Cultivation Technique from falling into the hands of enemies, thereby minimizing losses.

Take the Qi Refining fragment, for example.

It Cultivates up to the end of Foundation Establishment.

Subsequent techniques can only be obtained from within the Sect.

Even if the fragment falls into outside hands, it can at most allow the enemy to Cultivate to a certain level; obtaining the subsequent techniques is not that easy.

"The powerful Cultivators behind these Cultivation Techniques are truly cunning; the designs are exquisite, each link interlocking with the next."

Additionally.

Cultivating the Blood Spirit Great Method actually requires sacrificing the Dao Heart, which made Gu Huan break out in a cold sweat.

What is the Blood Demon?

He did not know, nor had he ever encountered one.

But since it requires sacrificing the Dao Heart to pledge loyalty for life, presumably the Blood Demon must exist in some corner of the world!

"Tsk tsk!"

"The ancient, undying powerful Cultivators are scary enough, but those Great Demon Gods that only appear in legends—what kind of heaven-defying existences must they be?"

These powerful figures were still far from Gu Huan.

Thinking too much was useless.

Finally, there was blood energy and vitality.

Casting blood techniques consumes the body's blood energy, which is why Cultivators of the Blood Spirit Sect are often pale-faced with exhausted blood energy.

Vitality is not equivalent to Lifespan; it is the standard for a Cultivator to maintain their Peak state.

The stronger the vitality, the more vigorous the blood energy, appearing younger and stronger.

Casting blood techniques actually flourishes vitality instead!

I fear even the Great Blood Demon cannot achieve such a feat!

Therefore, to Gu Huan, the Blood Spirit Great Method was another marvelous technique with infinite potential.

Besides that.

There were also the Blood Escape Technique, Blood Arrow Technique, and Blood Nourishing Technique available to Cultivate.

They would greatly enhance Gu Huan's combat ability and escape capability.

...

"Ugh!"

"It was you who saved me. Huh! Why are you tying me up?"

Liu Zhu gradually woke up. Looking around the cave and seeing only Gu Huan, she couldn't help but be shocked.

By this time, Gu Huan had already finished sorting the spoils of war. Hearing the movement, he calmly walked over to her and sat on a smooth stone nearby.

"Is it really you?"

"Why are you here?"

"And why am I here?"

"Right! They..."

Liu Zhu had many questions, making Gu Huan's head buzz, so he had to interrupt her.

"I know you have many questions now, but don't be anxious; I will tell you carefully."

"The prerequisite is that you must eat this thing, otherwise I will kill you."

Hearing this.

Liu Zhu's delicate body trembled. She looked at Gu Huan in horror. Seeing his serious expression and knowing he was not joking, a chill ran down her spine.

She lowered her gaze.

She recognized what he was holding at a glance; she didn't find it terrifying, just familiar.

"Heart-Erosion Gu?"

"How could a Cauldron like you possess such a thing?"

Gu Huan was not unfamiliar with this Gu.

When he first became a Cauldron, Qin Yao forced him to swallow one.

After the Heart-Erosion Gu is refined by its master, it possesses the magical power to decide another's life or death in a single thought and can forcibly enslave a servant.

This was the method Gu Huan used to control Liu Zhu.

If she dared to betray him or harbor disloyal thoughts, he could take her life at any moment.

"It is not yours; this is my Heart-Erosion Gu."

Suddenly.

Liu Zhu suddenly realized, her voice shrill as she cried out.

The Heart-Erosion Gu is not easily obtained; it can only be redeemed through contribution points.

"You guessed right, but unfortunately, there is no reward."

"Whether to eat it or not is up to you; whether you live or die is also up to you."

Liu Zhu was a Hehuan Sect Disciple.

And she was Qin Yao's friend.

Unless forced, Gu Huan would not take her life. Controlling her with the Heart-Erosion Gu could just spare her life; perhaps this was fate!

"Why treat me like this? I never harmed you."

What eating the Heart-Erosion Gu meant.

Liu Zhu knew better than anyone.

It meant that from now on, she would have to follow the man before her and obey his every command.

"You did not harm me, but I saved you. I am just afraid of trouble."

"Did you really save me?"

Recalling the bits and pieces before losing consciousness, Liu Zhu couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

In that situation where others were the knife and she was the fish, even if she had survived by luck, the end would have been torture worse than death. As a Hehuan Enchantress, she knew too well the fate of women who were imprisoned.

"Qi Refining Level 8?"

"Hiding so deep? No wonder..."

Sensing the cultivation aura Gu Huan had deliberately revealed, Liu Zhu understood everything.

This man was definitely not spouting nonsense. The fact that she could be here safe and sound meant he must have arrived in time to save the situation.

"Fine! I will eat it."

"A life-saving grace should be repaid with a gushing spring."

Liu Zhu had delicate features and a gentle personality; this was something Gu Huan had seen with his own eyes.

However, she also had moments of passion and liveliness, which she only showed to those she cherished and cared about. Just like how Qin Yao had also been a benefactor to her, and every time they met, she was exceptionally affectionate.

Gulp!

Liu Zhu swallowed the Heart-Erosion Gu in one gulp.

From now on, she and Gu Huan would have an inseparable connection.

"Now you can untie me, right!"

"My hands and feet are a bit sore."

Gu Huan nodded. Inside his Sea of Consciousness existed a red spiritual energy thread. With just a thought to snap this thread, Liu Zhu would perish.

As the saying goes.

Life hangs by a thread with the Heart-Erosion Gu.

Life and death are decided in a single thought.

"Wait, call me Master first, let me hear it."