412: Chapter 412 Heavenly Mandate Embryo

[In their eyes, it's absolutely impossible that you killed him—unless you are at the Soul Transformation stage.]

[But this, they dare not even imagine.]

[If you really were at the Soul Transformation stage, even if you killed Bai Sheng, the Bai Family Old Ancestor would likely pretend not to know.]

[Everyone was filled with doubt, while only Gu Jing felt both joy and fear in her heart.]

[The joy was—Bai Sheng was truly dead.]

[The fear was of you; your strength exceeded her expectations.]

[She was truly worried that you might even kill her.]

[For a moment, her mind was a chaotic mess.]

[And your gaze happened to land on her. Pointing at her, you said coldly, "It was you. You definitely killed him."]

[Being pointed at by you like that, Gu Jing was so scared her face turned pale.]

[But she quickly steadied herself and nodded repeatedly, "That's right, I was the one who killed Bai Sheng!"]

[You quickly followed up, "Everyone, listen! You must all bear witness for me!"]

[Gu Jing also stepped forward and said loudly, "Everyone, today's matter has nothing to do with you."]

[She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. "If you don't want to bring trouble upon yourselves—you know what to do."]

[The crowd looked bewildered, exchanging glances with one another.]

[Someone with a fawning expression laughed and immediately cupped their hands. "Young Miss Gu, please rest assured. This is a matter between the two of you... we'll just pretend we didn't see anything! Didn't see anything at all!"]

[Others followed suit, agreeing one after another, "Yes, yes, yes. Young Miss Gu, rest assured, we'll pretend we didn't see anything."]

[Some people were already trying to slip away as they spoke.]

["No," Gu Jing waved her hand, "It's not that you didn't see anything."]

[Everyone's footsteps froze.]

["It's that you saw it with your own eyes—I killed Bai Sheng." Gu Jing's gaze swept across the crowd.]

[The group was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly, "Understood, understood!"]

[Everyone spoke in unison, "Young Miss Gu killed him! We all saw it!"]

[As they spoke, everyone scrambled to squeeze out the door, fearing that being slow would bring trouble upon themselves.]

[You also prepared to lift your foot and leave.]

[Gu Jing, however, quickly walked up to you, bowed, and cupped her fists. "Senior, could we have a word in private?"]

[You waved your hand dismissively, "No time."]

[After saying that, you were about to leave.]

["Senior!" Gu Jing hurriedly chased after you, blocking your path. Her face flushed as she said, "This Junior was truly forced by circumstances to act this way. If Senior has any requests... this Junior will grant them all without exception."]

[You stopped and sized her up. A faint smile played at the corners of your mouth. "What could you possibly have that's worth my interest?"]

["Senior—" Gu Jing bit her lip. "This Junior possesses the Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo and is skilled in the Dao of Divination. If I achieve success in the future, I am willing to serve Senior three times. How about it?"]

[Your originally lazy gaze paused for a moment.]

[You looked at her with a serious expression. "You possess the Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo?"]

["This is no secret." Gu Jing raised her head, her eyes meeting yours. "In this Imperial Capital, one only needs to ask around to find out. Why would this Junior hide it?"]

[You nodded.]

[True.]

[Even if people knew, what could they do?]

[Steal the Heavenly Fate?]

[The drawbacks of doing that were too numerous; very few people would ever do it.]

[Except in special circumstances—like yours.]

[Three words flashed through your mind—Blood Origin Art.]

[By refining a blood spirit pill, one could steal a Pseudo Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo.]

[Others might look down on this kind of pseudo-Physique, but you were different.]

[You finally understood why this Imperial Capital was a place of 'Great Fortune.']

[When you looked at her again, there was something more in your eyes—it was like looking at a treasure.]

[Without saying a word, you fished out a jade bottle from your sleeve and handed it over:]

["Draw your blood. Fill it up."]

["Ah?" Gu Jing was stunned. Looking at the jade bottle before her, a flash of bewilderment crossed her face, followed by a blush that reached her ears.]

["What, I helped you, and you're unwilling to part with a single bottle of essence blood?" you said indifferently.]

["N-no..." Gu Jing took the jade bottle, her fingertips trembling slightly.]

[She bit her lower lip, seemingly engaged in some internal psychological struggle.]

[essence blood... if given to someone else, who knows what they would use it for?]

[Could it be that you have some special fetish?]

[She lowered her head and stared at the jade bottle for a long while. Finally, gritting her teeth, she used her fingers to make a cut on her wrist.]

[Drip, drip. The essence blood flowed inside.]

[Once the jade bottle was filled with essence blood, she handed it back to you, but she remained standing there, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.]

[You took the jade bottle and put it away, feeling quite good.]

["Anything else?" Your tone had softened considerably.]

[Gu Jing looked up, a hint of hope in her eyes. "Senior... could I trouble you with one more thing?"]

["Speak."]

["I would like to ask you... to be my personal bodyguard."]

[You raised an eyebrow.]

[This girl is quite clever.]

[And she's quite bold too.]

[Did she calculate that you wouldn't kill her?]

[She likely saw that you didn't want to make a scene, so she deliberately gave you a way out.]

[However, it's also possible that because you were the one who killed Bai Sheng, having you by her side might prove useful.]

[After a brief contemplation, you nodded.]

[You agreed to her request not for her sake, but for your own.]

[You needed an identity as a cover, a place for Alchemy, and someone to gather Materials.]

[With the Gu Family acting as a shield, it would save the Bai Family from bothering you every few days.]

[Although you didn't know what Gu Jing was plotting, you weren't afraid.]

[Furthermore—]

[You glanced at her.]

[A Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo can deduce heavenly fate; perhaps it can also shroud it.]

[You just didn't know if she had that kind of ability.]

[A moment later,]

[You followed Gu Jing into the Gu Estate.]

[She was quite straightforward, arranging for you to stay directly in her courtyard and having a side room cleared out.]

[You handed her a list detailing the spirit materials required for Alchemy.]

[She took it and glanced at it. Without asking any questions, she nodded and went out.]

[You sat down in the room, and your Divine Sense quietly spread out, probing toward the direction of the Bai Estate.]

[The entire Bai Estate was in a state of bustle.]

[The Elders of the Bai Family were also arguing incessantly over Bai Sheng's death.]

[Listening to their arguments, you laughed inwardly.]

["It seems there's a good show coming up."]

[You smiled indifferently, completely unconcerned about the Bai Family's next move.]

[A short while later,]

[Gu Jing returned, holding a Storage Pouch which she placed before you.]

[Inside the pouch were the spirit materials she had gathered according to the list, not a single one missing.]

[She still didn't ask what you wanted these for, nor did she inquire about your background.]

[She was sensible to an almost excessive degree.]

[You weren't polite either, taking the pouch and telling her to leave first.]

[For the entire following day, you locked yourself in the room, repeatedly refining every step of the blood spirit pill's creation.]

[This was your first time refining a blood spirit pill, so you couldn't afford even the slightest carelessness.]

[However, with your current Soul Transformation cultivation, understanding these things was clearly not difficult.]

[Many things you couldn't understand before could now be clearly sorted out.]

[It wasn't until evening that a crimson Medicinal Pill finally condensed within the Pill Furnace.]

[It was a success.]

[You picked up the blood spirit pill and, without a second look, popped it directly into your mouth.]

[As the Medicinal Pill entered your stomach, a warm medicinal power slowly dissolved.]

[You immediately circulated the Blood Origin Art, guiding that medicinal power to travel through your Meridians.]

[Within the medicinal power was hidden a tiny yet extremely singular strand of Origin power—it was the aura of the "Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo."]

[That strand of aura traversed through your body, flowing through your limbs and bones, gradually merging into your flesh, your Meridians, and even deeper places.]

[Who knows how much time passed.]

[In a daze, you felt something flicker slightly before your eyes.]

[It was done.]

[The Pseudo Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo.]