Chapter 543: Chapter 343: A Trace of Longing
...
Looking at the wolf, a hint of longing could be seen, and when it spoke, its killing intent surged. Even Yan Xiaobao felt a shiver run through him, for he understood what the beast was saying.
When battling beasts or human cultivators far superior to himself, he found life to be at its most exciting and intense. He also deeply craved the fights that forced him to give his all, the battles that made his blood boil and his adrenaline rush.
Seeing Yan Xiaobao comprehend his true feelings, the wolf’s face showed a slight smile.
Just as Yan Xiaobao was about to ask the wolf another question, the void suddenly disappeared. He found himself in another state of darkness, a familiar darkness akin to when he used to close his eyes.
Opening his eyes, he realized he was in his own small room, sitting on his stone bed, utterly bewildered by how he had arrived there.
Qingyue quietly observed his surroundings as his gaze fell on a letter written by Wan Qiao. But before heading toward her room, Yan Xiaobao sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes as he descended into his Dantian Cave.
Upon reaching his Dantian, Yan Xiaobao was shocked to see that Lan Feng was no longer alone. Beside him was a man resembling a red wolf, sitting near the bird. The two of them were chatting with each other.
Seeing Yan Xiaobao arrive, both greeted him. The foolish young white-haired man walked toward the two beasts dwelling within his Dantian Cave.
"Since I used up all my energy, I am now incredibly weakened," the wolf said with a sigh to Yan Xiaobao. "But releasing all that energy freed my soul from the beast core within your Dantian Cave."
Yan Xiaobao sat beside the two spirits and rubbed his temples. These two beasts seemed to be getting along well, as they were bantering about various topics.
"Hey Yan Xiaobao," Lan Feng said upon noticing the young man with white hair, "did you know that the blue cloud is actually a monk?" Yan Xiaobao had many questions he wanted to ask, but at that moment, he noticed another spirit currently residing within his body. His mind went blank when he heard what the Phoenix had said.
Shaking his head, he couldn’t help but ask, "A monk? Why on earth would the blue cloud be important?" To Yan Xiaobao’s confusion, there was now an additional soul present in his Dantian Cave. It was one thing to manipulate the fog energy, but now it had condensed into a being—a beast’s soul.
The soul had a long tether, connected to the black beast core placed within the cave, but beyond that, it resembled Lan Feng—a Spirit sharing his body and emotions.
"That guy over there," the man resembling the red wolf pointed to the cave containing the blue mist, "keeps chanting spells to stop me from killing. I can’t wait for him to become a spirit like me. Then, I’ll deal with him personally."
"No!" Yan Xiaobao screamed instantly. "It’s already crowded—I don’t have space for more souls hiding within me! If that happens, I’ll absolutely lose all sanity."
He had already suspected that the more energy he used, the denser the phenomenon of souls forming would become, like the werewolf’s case.
Thinking this through, Yan Xiaobao concluded that he could no longer rely on the phenomenon within his body. He truly had no desire to host so many beings within him. Moreover, he knew that while uncomfortable, it still offered him protection. With the werewolf’s presence within him, Yan Xiaobao could now fully control the red fog.
Suddenly, a thought rose in his heart. "I don’t intend to form a soul contract with you," he said firmly. He recalled how Lan Feng had explained that without a soul contract, it would become a master-servant relationship. Although this red wolf was Yan Xiaobao’s former incarnation, it was filled with cold-blooded killing intent, and that was something Yan Xiaobao couldn’t trust. Hence, he concluded that a master-servant relationship would benefit him more.
Hearing this, the wolf was slightly taken aback but quickly nodded. The wolf had never expected to form a soul contract with the young man anyway but still felt a bit disappointed. Though disappointed, it fully understood the reasoning.
Yan Xiaobao breathed deeply, leaning against the wall. Closing his eyes for a moment, he forced himself to rise and stand upright. Within him, Lan Feng and the red wolf were talking about the lives of eight other people. Yan Xiaobao listened curiously but couldn’t forget the letter Wan Qiao left behind. Wan Qiao was not someone who enjoyed waiting, and if angered, Yan Xiaobao wouldn’t escape even a tiny punishment. Resolutely, he got up and began walking toward Wan Qiao’s room.
As Yan Xiaobao walked through the hallway, he watched the sun setting in the sky. The palace was bustling with guards and cultivators. Some headed to their rooms while others moved toward the dining hall to fetch food.
"Stop!" Suddenly, as Yan Xiaobao turned and approached Wan Qiao’s room, a voice shouted loudly from behind, stopping the young man and causing him to turn around. He faced the guard who had called out to him. Yan Xiaobao was caught completely off guard as to what he should do.
"You have no right to pass through here! This is Lady Wan Qiao’s sanctuary," the guard said, his eyes filled with anger. "You have no right to enter here without bringing back this instance!"
"Um, I’m sorry, but I was informed to come here," Yan Xiaobao said, scratching the back of his head, bewildered as to how the guard had completely messed up handling this situation.