26: Chapter 26 Trading

In the Secret Realm underground, three days had passed. For Su Qianxue, these three days were a rare peace she had not experienced in a hundred years.

Nourished by that wisp of Yin and Yang Qi from Ye Fan, the frozen Mystic Yin Spiritual Power within her body began to circulate slowly. Although the "Nine Nether Cold Evil" was still deep within her Origin, it had been suppressed and was no longer raging wildly.

Her complexion had visibly improved, with color returning to her cheeks, and her eyes regained their cold, clear luster, though the vicissitudes and hatred deep within could not be erased.

Ye Fan used these three days to adjust his state, carefully deducing several detoxification schemes, and also refined several "Yin-Yang Meridian Protection Talismans" for backup.

On the third day, Su Qianxue woke from her meditation. Her internal Spiritual Qi was full, and she faintly touched the Bottleneck of the Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage. She looked at Ye Fan, her eyes full of gratitude and conviction.

"How do you feel?" Ye Fan asked.

"Better than ever!" Su Qianxue's voice was still cold, but it carried a hint of vitality. "We can begin."

Ye Fan nodded, walked to an open space by the dark river, placed several glowing crystals, and activated a few low-grade Talismans to form a simple array.

"Detoxification involves three steps—" Ye Fan gestured for her to sit down. "First, I will use the Yin-Yang Two Qi to separate your Mystic Yin Origin from the Nine Nether Cold Evil. This step will be the most painful; you must keep your mind focused and not resist."

"Understood!" Su Qianxue sat cross-legged and closed her eyes to prepare.

Ye Fan did not act immediately but looked at her. "Before we start, there is one thing that must be clarified."

Su Qianxue opened her eyes.

"I help you detoxify, and you act as my Protector for three years; this is the transaction," Ye Fan said in a calm tone. "But helping you achieve a Breakthrough to the Golden Core is not included."

Su Qianxue's body trembled.

"After the cold poison is removed, with the Aptitude of your Mystic Yin Body, you would normally have a sixty or seventy percent chance of reaching the Golden Core. If I also regulate and act as your Protector, I can raise that to over ninety percent, and perhaps even condense a Medium Grade or High Grade Golden Core."

Su Qianxue's breathing quickened. A ninety percent chance, a High Grade Golden Core—this was something she dared not even dream of.

"However," Ye Fan changed the subject, "helping you with all my might will consume my Divine Sense and Origin, delay my own cultivation, and might even expose my whereabouts. Therefore, I need a more solid commitment. Three years of protection is the return for the detoxification. To help you break through to the Golden Core, I need you to serve me for another twenty years. Not just as a simple Protector, but as a true follower, obeying my commands. Of course, I will not treat you as a slave, but as a companion. After twenty years, you are free to stay or leave."

Twenty years—

Su Qianxue was shaken. Twenty years was not short for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but compared to the five hundred years of Lifespan of a Golden Core, it seemed acceptable. Moreover, Ye Fan promised to provide resources and guidance—as the head of the golden list and a possessor of the Yin-Yang Dao Body, how could his insight be compared to that of an ordinary Cultivator?

But this also meant that she would have to tie her freedom for the next twenty years completely to this man she had only known for a few days.

Su Qianxue fell silent.

Years of fleeing and struggling had long made her distrust human nature, but the person in front of her was her only hope. He did not take advantage of her predicament, did not deceive her with empty words, but simply laid out the pros and cons before her.

The look in her father's eyes before he died flashed through her mind, as did the sneers of Su Qingshuang and Old Demon Hansha, and the hardships of her years of fleeing...

Compared to these, what were twenty years? If she could not break through to the Golden Core to take revenge, what was the point of merely surviving?

She raised her eyes and looked into Ye Fan's eyes—calm, deep, without greed or evil thoughts, only openness and control. She inexplicably felt that perhaps trusting him was worth it.

Time passed. Ye Fan did not urge her, only waited. Finally, Su Qianxue raised her head, the hesitation in her eyes completely gone, replaced by determination.

"I agree!" Her voice was firm and resolute. "If you can help me remove the cold poison, break through to the Golden Core, and condense a High Grade Golden Core, I, Su Qianxue, swear by my Heart Demon and Mystic Yin Origin to follow you, Ye Fan, for twenty years, obey your commands, and never betray you. If I break this oath, may my Mystic Yin dissipate, my Soul be devoured by my Heart Demon, and may I never be reincarnated!"

As she finished speaking, she traced a line across her brow with her fingers, and a drop of blood essence containing Mystic Yin aura and Soul light seeped out. She formed a seal with her hands, condensing the blood essence and the oath into a pale blue rune that hovered between them.

A Heart Demon Blood Contract, an oath of the Mystic Yin Origin—the most solemn oath in the Cultivation World, using one's Dao foundation and Soul as collateral. Those who violate it will see their Dao foundation collapse, a fate worse than death.

A flash of surprise appeared in Ye Fan's eyes, which then turned into appreciation. He had not expected Su Qianxue to be so decisive.

He also drew a drop of blood essence containing black and white Dao rhyme from his brow, used the Yin-Yang Two Qi to outline a Yin-Yang rune, and pointed it toward the ice-blue contract.

Hum—

The two runes merged, transforming into a brand-new rune that was half ice-blue and half black and white. It split into two and sank into their brows.

The contract was formed!

An invisible connection was established. Ye Fan could vaguely sense Su Qianxue's state, while Su Qianxue felt a brand appear deep in her Soul—along with a gentle, vast, and awe-inspiring aura, which was Ye Fan's Origin.

"The contract is complete!" Ye Fan said solemnly. "From this day on, you are my first follower in this world. I will fulfill the things I have promised."

Feeling the brand on her brow and the Spiritual Qi resonating with Ye Fan's aura within her, the last trace of her anxiety dissipated.

"Su Qianxue, pays respects to the Master!" She stood up and bowed gracefully.

"No need for such formalities; just call me Young Master." Ye Fan gestured for her to rise. "Now, calm your heart and prepare for the detoxification."

"Yes, Young Master."

Su Qianxue sat down again, closed her eyes, and opened her body and mind completely.

Ye Fan focused his mind and raised his hands. Two condensed streams of black and white Yin-Yang Two Qi surged from his palms, intertwining in front of his chest to form a slowly rotating phantom of a Taiji Diagram. The Dao rhyme enveloped the array, attracting and harmonizing the Spiritual Qi, making it increasingly brilliant.

"Open your mind and guide the Yin-Yang Qi into your body." Ye Fan commanded in a low voice, pushing his hands forward.

The Taiji Diagram transformed into two condensed streams of light, one black and one white, which instantly sank into Su Qianxue's brow and Dantian!

"Urgh—"

Su Qianxue's delicate body trembled violently, and she let out a muffled groan. The Yin-Yang Two Qi entering her body did not bring destruction; instead, like a skillful craftsman, it instantly spread to her limbs and bones, and every acupuncture point. A strange sensation of ice and fire intertwining swept through her entire body.

Wherever the Yin-Yang Two Qi passed, the Mystic Yin Spiritual Power was awakened, organized, and transformed by the Yang-attribute airflow; meanwhile, the "Nine Nether Cold Evil" entrenched in her Origin was attracted, wrapped, and peeled away by the Yin-attribute airflow.

It was incomparably painful! It was like tearing apart flesh that had grown together, and like ice needles piercing through her bone marrow. Sweat beaded on Su Qianxue's forehead, her face turned pale, and her body trembled violently, yet she gritted her teeth and did not let out a single cry of pain, instead trying her best to cooperate.

Ye Fan was fully focused, sweat appearing on his forehead. He had to precisely peel away the cold poison and nourish the Mystic Yin, while also constantly sensing Su Qianxue's state and adjusting the ratio and intensity of the Yin-Yang Two Qi. His consumption of Divine Sense was immense.

Time passed in pain and concentration.

Outside the array, the dark river flowed silently. In the deep, dark fork leading to the "Well of Guixu," a trace of emerald green, filled with resentment and greed, crept like a viper to the edge of the array, silently peering at this detoxification ritual that would determine the fate of both of them.

Further away, Poison Elder, the assassins of the Shadow Kill Pavilion, and Lin Feng, who was using the "Dragon Fall Abyss Compass" to track Ye Fan's trail, all faintly sensed that obscure but highly essential energy fluctuation deep underground.