163: Chapter 163 Guards

"A transaction?" Chen Zilong lifted his heavy eyelids.

"Yes. You will be my personal Guard for a period of ten years."

The woman's voice came through clearly, "For these ten years, you will ensure my safety, especially while traversing the Wailing Ghost Ridge and any troubles we may encounter later in Black Rock City."

"When the ten years are up, you may choose to stay with the Zhou Family if you wish; if not, you are free to leave."

"As compensation, the Zhou Family will ensure you want for nothing in food and clothing, enjoying all the wealth and luxury a Mortal can imagine."

"After ten years, we will also gift you a sum of gold sufficient to live out the rest of your days in comfort."

Personal Guard?

Ten years?

Chen Zilong was stunned.

These terms...

For a "Mortal," they were exceedingly generous, even overly so.

Merely because of his robust physique?

But the other party is a Golden Core Cultivator, and her family has a Nascent Soul Cultivator overseeing it. Could they possibly lack for Guards?

Moreover, she used the word "transaction" rather than "coercion." Though her tone was cold, it left room for negotiation.

His mind raced.

This Miss Zhou had clearly misjudged his situation, taking him for nothing more than a Mortal martial artist who had fortuitously achieved some success in body refinement.

What she valued was likely this body of his, capable of withstanding blows from a Great Demon Beast of the Nascent Soul stage, which could serve as an excellent meat shield or unexpected asset when traversing dangerous terrain.

And for himself?

Recovering his cultivation base would not be a matter of days. The Pill Mansion was distant, and the path ahead was uncertain.

This Zhou Family sounded like a local power, perhaps able to provide temporary shelter and resources, aiding his covert recovery.

More importantly, she had saved him. This karmic debt needed to be settled.

Repaying it by serving as a Guard for ten years seemed...

...like a good choice.

It offered a place to stay, an opportunity to learn about the Central Region, a chance to search for clues about the Pill Mansion, and time to slowly heal and recover.

As for freedom...

Ten years, for someone who had once possessed Nascent Soul cultivation and a long lifespan, was not unacceptable.

Once he recovered even a portion of his cultivation, many things could be planned for with ease.

In the span of a few breaths, Chen Zilong had already weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

He was a tiger fallen to the plains. This might be the most pragmatic choice available to him now.

"Alright."

He raised his head. Though his face was deathly pale, his eyes had calmed. "I accept this transaction."

"Straightforward."

The woman in the carriage seemed unsurprised by his choice. "In that case, let us establish a contract."

As soon as the words fell, the carriage curtain stirred slightly. A scroll flew out through the air, landing gently before Chen Zilong and unfurling automatically.

Upon it was neat handwriting.

It listed the Guard's duties, the ten-year term, the compensation, and the obligations of both parties.

There were no hidden traps or harsh clauses. It even stipulated that if Chen Zilong met with misfortune, the Zhou Family would provide for his family.

It was indeed a very "fair" indenture contract.

Chen Zilong examined it carefully, confirming there were no issues.

Currently unable to use essence blood or spiritual sense to leave a mark, he bit the tip of his not-yet-fully-healed finger and, using the bead of blood that seeped out, pressed his fingerprint onto the end of the scroll.

The moment the bloody print was pressed, the scroll glowed with a faint, almost imperceptible spiritual light, then dimmed. It rolled up by itself and flew back into the carriage.

"The contract is sealed."

The woman's voice seemed to soften by an infinitesimal degree. "For the next few days, you need not perform any duties. Focus on recuperating."

As she spoke, another small white jade vial flew from the carriage, landing in Chen Zilong's hand. "Inside is a 'minor restoration pill.' It has remarkable efficacy for internal and external injuries. Take it, and your wounds should be mostly healed."

"Thank you, Miss." Chen Zilong gripped the jade vial tightly.

"Mmm."

The woman acknowledged, then paused as if remembering something. She added, "By the way, my surname is Zhou, and my given name is a single character, 'Xiao.' Now that you are under my command, you must remember it clearly."

Zhou... Xiao?

Chen Zilong shuddered violently, his head jerking up to look at the tightly closed carriage curtain, his pupils abruptly contracting.

Xiao?

Which 'Xiao'?

Was it...

The 'Xiao' from 'Xiaoxiao'?

His mind went blank for an instant, followed by a chaotic surge of countless thoughts and fragments of that heart-wrenching dream.

How could it be such a coincidence?

The person who saved him also had the character "Xiao" in her name?

Was it coincidence, or...?

His loss of composure was too obvious. Even Zhou Ao, who was supporting him, sensed it.

The few men nearby who were working but had their ears perked up couldn't hold back. Scattered low chuckles and snickers—"pfft," "heh heh"—rang out, especially clear in the silent desert night.

Clearly, they had all made the connection to the name Chen Zilong had repeatedly called out while unconscious.

Chen Zilong also realized his lapse. He quickly lowered his head, masking the turbulent emotions in his eyes, and said hoarsely:

"Yes, Chen Zilong has noted it. Miss... Miss Zhou."

Zhou Xiao inside the carriage seemed not to mind his loss of composure, or perhaps simply didn't care. She said indifferently:

"Go and rest now."

Zhou Ao supported Chen Zilong as they slowly walked back to the simple carriage he had been in before.

Along the way, Chen Zilong remained silent, his heart in turmoil.

Zhou Ao didn't ask further questions, merely settled him in and patted his shoulder:

"Kid, don't overthink it. The young lady's name was given by the master. It probably has nothing to do with the one you were calling out in your dream. Rest well and recover. Follow the young lady properly from now on, and you won't be treated poorly."

Chen Zilong forced a weak smile and nodded.

Back in the carriage, shielded from outside sights and sounds, Chen Zilong finally let out a slow, heavy breath.

He opened his palm and looked at the small white jade vial.

Pulling out the stopper, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted out.

He poured out a pill the size of a longan, its color a warm, light yellow.

A second-grade pill, the minor restoration pill.

To Chen Zilong, a former Nascent Soul Cultivator, a pill of this grade was too lowly even to be considered candy.

But for him now, bereft of cultivation and grievously wounded on the brink of death, it was timely aid.

It could accelerate the healing of flesh and blood, stabilize his vital energy, and most importantly,

help him reform a trace of meager magic power!

With magic power, even if only at the first or second layer of Qi Refining, he could open his own Storage Ring!

Inside it were the vast resources, top-grade pills, magical treasures, and ancient texts he had accumulated during his time dominating the Heavenly Domain!

Recovering from his injuries would no longer be a distant hope!

Without hesitation, Chen Zilong placed the minor restoration pill into his mouth.

The pill dissolved upon entry. A gentle medicinal potency rapidly spread, flowing to his limbs and bones, nourishing his parched meridians and damaged internal organs.

The pain noticeably lessened. A long-absent, feeble warm current began to slowly generate in the location of his Dantian Qi Sea.

He immediately sat cross-legged and, following the most basic Qi-induction method of the Nine Heavens Thunder Control True Canon, carefully guided this newly-born, pitifully weak strand of magic power through his shattered meridians with great difficulty.

One cycle, two cycles...

The medicinal potency continuously transformed. That strand of magic power, like a thin trickle seeping into a dried-up riverbed, weak but unwavering, gathered and strengthened.

Night deepened.

The desert's cold seeped into the carriage. But warmth gradually returned to Chen Zilong's body.

After an unknown length of time, his eyes snapped open, a faint yet genuine glint of sharp light flashing within.

Qi Refining, third layer!

Though insignificant, it was enough!

This strand of magic power was like the first flicker of flame in the darkness, reigniting his dormant Dantian!

Trembling, he sank his spiritual sense into the seemingly ordinary, yet profoundly extraordinary, storage ring on the thumb of his right hand.

The barrier of the ring, which had previously been like an impenetrable wall, now quietly parted, opening a crack under the touch of this wisp of weak magic power.

Success!

Elation surged in Chen Zilong's heart.

But he forcibly suppressed it. Carefully, from deep within the storage ring, he retrieved a small vial carved from purple jade.

The vial was cool to the touch, yet brought warmth upon contact.

The moment he pulled out the stopper, an intensely rich fragrance of vegetation and herbs, mixed with a certain aura of heaven and earth, diffused, invigorating his spirit.

Inside the vial lay quietly a pill the size of a longan, entirely crystalline and translucent. Within it, purple clouds and mist seemed to flow—a fifth-grade pill, the Heavenly Human Pill!

This pill contained vast vitality and pure spiritual power. It was a supreme healing treasure, sufficient to allow a severely wounded Nascent Soul Cultivator to recover most of their strength in a short time.

For his current Qi Refining third-layer body and damaged primordial spirit, its medicinal potency was positively violent. He had to use it with extreme caution.

But Chen Zilong had no choice.

He needed to regain mobility and some ability for self-preservation as soon as possible.

In this unfamiliar desert, following a Miss Zhou of unclear motives, with an uncertain future ahead, strength was the foundation.

He took a deep breath and swallowed the Heavenly Human Pill.

The pill entered his stomach but did not immediately dissolve.

Instead, like a miniature purple sun, it settled in the location of his Dantian, slowly releasing a gentle yet immensely vast medicinal potency.

Chen Zilong carefully guided this potency, prioritizing the repair of his most fatal organ damage and main meridians, while simultaneously nourishing his dim, cracked primordial spirit.

The excess medicinal potency dispersed into his limbs and bones, strengthening his already robust physical body.

The process was slow and painful, like picking up pieces of shattered porcelain and meticulously gluing them back together with the finest adhesive.

But Chen Zilong could clearly feel power gradually returning to his broken body.

His fractured bones emitted faint, itchy tingles—a sign of healing.

His parched meridians regained their flexibility, beginning to greedily absorb the pitifully sparse spiritual energy in the air, along with the pure energy released by the pill.

He closed his eyes, sinking all his concentration into his body, guiding this crucial restoration.

Outside the carriage was the desert's endless cold night and howling wind.

Inside the carriage, a fallen genius was igniting the first spark of rebirth amidst the ruins.