Chapter 14, Refining the Blood Infant
Plop… plop…
Just like how an infant breathed, each drop of blood landed on the stone and disappeared the next instant. The stone started to throb and the sensation only grew stronger with each drop of blood.
Zhuo Fan smiled viciously and pushed out more blood for the jade.
If he wanted to refine the Blood Infant, he needed to bathe it in his blood until the Blood Spirit synchronized both their breathing and heartbeat.
The seconds trickled by as Zhuo Fan’s blood thinned, but the Blood Spirit was never sated, devouring everything he gave.
Zhuo Fan licked his dried lips, growing paler as his mind was clouded. He knew the loss of blood was too great, but he’d come too far now.
There was only one chance to refine the Blood Infant. If he stopped, it’d be like throwing a child away. It would think Zhuo Fan abandoned it and would never approve of him ever again.
This was why there was no going back once Zhuo Fan started the process.
After an hour, Zhuo Fan felt the world spinning. If he dared keep this up, it would endanger his life. If his life came at an end, the Blood Spirit would lose its meaning.
Just as he was considering abandoning the process, an indescribable feeling arose in his heart.
Zhuo Fan was stunned, then overjoyed. His mind and the Blood Spirit were now connected.
He held onto the bloodstone and activated the Demon Transformation Art. Black Yuan Qi enveloped the stone and strands of blood left it to enter Zhuo Fan.
Finally, the bloodstone shattered with a loud sound and a red glow shot for his body. Zhuo Fan checked in glee and saw the red palm-sized infant resting in his Dantian.
Sensing his eyes, the infant opened his eyes then went to sleep.
“T-this is the Blood Infant!”
After a moment of stupefaction, he jumped in joy. He never thought it would be so easy to refine the Blood Infant.
Even though he succeeded, he lost too much blood. When he stood up, his legs went soft and hit the ground. But even that couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
“Now that I have the Blood Infant, the next step is to settle on a martial art to learn.”
Blood Palm, a mid mortal ranked martial art. The palm would rain havoc to one’s blood and reverse its flow. Thanks to also having the Blood Infant, it was now savage enough to even damage one’s blood essence.
Despite a mere mid mortal ranked, its power was as strong as a high mortal ranked martial art. It might even surpa.s.s it…
Ten days later.
The door opened with a creak and Zhuo Fan came out grinning. Captain Pang rose to his feet and rubbed his eyes.
“Why did you take so long? Cai Manor already sent someone over.”
Seeing the dead tired Old Pang, Zhuo Fan smiled, “Old Pang, thank you for your hard work.”
“Ai, what hard work between brothers? But we cannot let young miss and young master wait for too long.”
“Hmm, you’re not curious what I’ve been doing the past ten days?”
“That is your business. You’ll tell me when you want to.” Captain Pang waved indifferently, pulling Zhuo Fan with haste towards Cai Manor.
Zhuo Fan was touched seeing this rough man. Despite not knowing each other for long, Old Pang had complete trust in him.
This never happened for all his life as Demonic Emperor.
They arrived an hour later before a majestic gate with a sign inscribed in golden letters, Cai Manor.
Just when they were about to enter, the guards stopped them.
“Stop. Who are you to dare enter Cai Manor?”
Captain Pang clasped his hand, “Ha-ha-ha, I am Luo clan’s captain of the guard, Pang Yu, and this is Luo clan’s steward, Zhuo Fan. My young miss and young master are guests in your home.”
Zhuo Fan was taken aback. Since when did he become the Luo clan’s steward?
Pang Yu knew what he was thinking and whispered, “Eight days ago, Cai clan’s men came to say you are Luo clan’s steward. Young miss must have done it. Congratulations, brother Zhuo, he-he-he…”
Shaking his head out of helplessness, Zhuo Fan let out a bitter smile.
He didn’t want to be some steward, but to entrust the safety of the siblings to the Cai clan and free himself of the heart demon. How could the grand Demonic Emperor be a puny clan’s steward?
But just as how he looked down on the Luo clan, so did the guards of the Cai Manor.
The two guards shot a glance filled with contempt, “Humph, another two showed up to cheat their way to a free meal.”
“Hey, what did you say?”
Captain Pang was p.i.s.sed and wanted to argue, but Zhuo Fan stopped him. They walked inside.
Captain Pang didn’t understand, “Why did you stop me?”
Zhuo Fan only had a grave expression. These two server’s att.i.tude was a reflection of their lords. Nothing good would come out of talking to them. The two needed to find Luo Yunchang and understand what was happening. The Cai Manor might not be such a good place to place his trust in.
After some inquiry, they arrived at the siblings’ dwelling.
Seeing the wretched place they lived in, even lower than the tavern rooms, Captain Pang cursed, “Why is the Cai clan treating young miss and young master like this? They are even less than guests.”
“Not just that, they don’t even consider them humans.” Zhuo Fan felt anger seething inside. If not because of the siblings’ injustice, then because of wasting his time and energy.
“Let’s go in.”
Zhuo Fan rushed next to Captain Pang who was in a hurry to open the door. Inside, they saw Luo Yunhai sitting on the bed crestfallen, without his usual enthusiasm.
The place was crude, with just a broken chair and a broken table.
Captain Pang’s eyes teared up, “Young master, don’t be sad…”
“Kid, where’s your sister?” Zhuo Fan was blunt, with no sympathy.
It seemed Zhuo Fan’s beating casted a shadow on his heart. The lifeless Luo Yunhai shivered and woke up.
Luo Yunhai stammered at the raging Zhuo Fan, “Sister went to look for him… hic, young master Cai, to help rebuild the Cloud Manor.”
“Asking for help in this situation is asking for humiliation. Let’s go look for your sister.” Zhuo Fan dragged Luo Yunhai off the bed, his att.i.tude worse than ever.
Captain Pang was in a panic, wanting to stop Zhuo Fan from being so rude to his master. But Zhuo Fan’s mood seemed to put him off, and all the courage left him.
As such, Luo Yunhai was shaking in fear as he led them.
Captain Pang cached up to them, thinking. [Just who is the lord here?]