Chapter 41

Master-servant contract?

When Fu Yan heard those four words, her steps as she was turning away could not help pausing slightly.

Fu Yan still understood a little about so-called master-servant contracts. On the vast Tongxuan Continent, there were usually people who, for the sake of an opportunity or in order to survive, were willing to sign a master-servant contract with someone else. In other words, they would lower themselves beneath another person as a servant, allowing their master to command them.

However, the most common signing method was through a blood contract. After a servant signed a master-servant contract, they could not resist or feel dissatisfaction toward their master in any way. Otherwise, they would suffer the backlash of the contract. At best, they would suffer unbearable pain. At worst, they would endure heart-devouring agony every day.

Moreover, ordinary blood contract signing methods could be dissolved. As long as the master was willing, the contractual relationship between the two could be dissolved at any time, without any other consequences.

There was another signing method, and that was what Shui Liuqing had just mentioned: signing with one’s own soul.

This method of signing could be said to be extremely drastic. Once the soul was stamped with the seal, this contract could never again be dissolved for one’s entire life. Even more terrifying was that the master who signed the master-servant contract could freely probe the servant’s spiritual consciousness. As long as the other party had even the slightest thought of resistance, the master would know.

It was as if the master held the servant’s soul in their hand. As long as they moved a finger, they could easily destroy the other party completely.

In fact, for a servant who signed a master-servant contract in this way, as long as there was the slightest unwillingness in their heart, they would suffer a backlash from their own soul. At best, their soul would be heavily injured. At worst, their soul would directly scatter into ashes and smoke.

Precisely because of this, those who generally chose to sign a master-servant contract in pursuit of protection or opportunity would choose the ordinary blood contract method. As for the extreme method of signing with the soul, people generally would not be willing to do it.

After all, in this world, every cultivator had some pride of their own. It was like being willing to work for someone wholeheartedly, but not being willing [stolen content]to completely hand one’s soul over to another person.

For cultivators, they could die physically, but their souls could not be destroyed. Once the soul was gone, then it was completely gone, never to exist again.

So when she heard that Shui Liuqing was willing to sign a master-servant contract with her using her soul, Fu Yan had to say that she was still very surprised. She had not expected that this person was not only ruthless toward others, but even more ruthless toward herself.

Shui Liuqing understood that if what she proposed was an ordinary blood contract, Fu Yan absolutely would still not agree. After all, how could someone as clever as Fu Yan possibly bring a ticking bomb that could explode at any moment to her side?

So if she wanted to survive, only this final method remained. As long as she signed a master-servant contract using her soul, Fu Yan could completely control her without having to worry at all that Shui Liuqing would harbor malicious intentions.

Shui Liuqing had also been thoroughly pushed into desperation. In the current situation, she had long since lost any path of survival. Although she was somewhat unwilling to become Fu Yan’s servant, there was already no other way. She only wanted to continue living. Even if from now on, she could only be Fu Yan’s running dog, that was fine. She could not just die like this.

She had to survive. This was Shui Liuqing’s firmest belief.

So after shouting that final sentence, Shui Liuqing stared tightly at the white fog before her. She knew Fu Yan had heard it. Even though she had already lowered herself this much, she discovered that she still had no confidence that the other party would agree.

Thinking of this, Shui Liuqing suddenly felt somewhat laughable. Was she really going to die just like this?

As time slowly passed, Shui Liuqing felt that the true essence inside her body truly could not hold out anymore. Yet inside the illusion array, there was still no sound at all. Aside from the Corrosion Bees surrounding her, she could not hear anything else. The illusion array was terrifyingly quiet.

Shui Liuqing looked at her protective true essence, which was already about to thin away. She bit her lower lip tightly, and her almond eyes were filled with dead water. Enormous despair wrapped tightly around her, as if she had been submerged in the ocean, even breathing becoming especially heavy.

But… Fu Yan’s voice still did not come from the surroundings.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz.”

Those Corrosion Bees seemed to have long since grown impatient and kept buzzing beside her ears. Shui Liuqing watched as the last of her true essence was finally exhausted. In the next moment, the protective true essence before her completely shattered. She watched all the Corrosion Bees swiftly break through.

Shui Liuqing finally… closed her eyes in despair.

However, at this final moment, the surroundings suddenly spun. Shui Liuqing only felt as if someone had suddenly thrown her out through the air. In the next moment, she landed heavily in a pile of sand.

Shui Liuqing had guessed correctly. If she had proposed the ordinary method of signing a master-servant contract, Fu Yan would not have agreed. However, signing with the soul was different. It could be said that she no longer had the slightest worry for the future. Instead, she would gain a late Illumination-stage fighter for no reason.

No matter how one looked at this deal, Fu Yan would profit without losing. Moreover, there was no risk at all. Naturally, she was somewhat tempted.

So after thinking for a long while, Fu Yan made her decision. She agreed to Shui Liuqing’s request and would sign this master-servant contract with her. And so, at the final moment, she pulled Shui Liuqing out of the Xuyou Jade Seal.

“Huff, huff.”

At this moment, Shui Liuqing seemed as if she had been fished out of water. She swiftly took in large gulps of fresh air. However, because her true essence had been exhausted, she could not bring up even the slightest bit of strength.

She spent all the strength in her body before she could slowly sit up from the sand. The moment she raised her eyes, she saw Fu Yan standing beside her.

“Then sign it.” She heard Fu Yan’s voice sound beside her ear. That faint tone made it seem as if Fu Yan did not care at all, as if Shui Liuqing herself had gained some enormous bargain.

Shui Liuqing: “…”

Although her belly was full of grievances, Shui Liuqing also knew that if she dared to speak rudely again, Fu Yan would definitely throw her straight back into the illusion array.

So after slightly calming herself, Shui Liuqing took one last look at Fu Yan before her. Her feelings were somewhat complicated. But she still calmly closed her eyes, then completely opened her spiritual consciousness.

“Come,” she said, trying her best to sound calm.

Fu Yan had not expected Shui Liuqing to be this straightforward. After all, once the master-servant contract was signed with her soul, she would no longer have freedom and would forever and ever only be able to obey Fu Yan’s commands.

Looking at Shui Liuqing half-sitting on the sand before her, Fu Yan had to sigh again: this person really was ruthless enough to harden her heart, whether toward others or herself.

This kind of ruthlessness was indeed the mindset of someone capable of accomplishing great things.

However, Fu Yan did not think too much about it either. After all, her current strength was truly too weak. Having a free fighter by her side could save her quite a bit of trouble.

At critical moments, she would also have one more scapegoat.

After thinking this through, Fu Yan no longer hesitated at all. She swiftly raised her hand and placed her entire palm flat on Shui Liuqing’s head. Her consciousness instantly entered Shui Liuqing’s spiritual consciousness.

Then, smoothly, she left her own brand within Shui Liuqing’s ​Read on BaiLianTales​soul. The master-servant contract signed with the soul was officially completed.

At that moment, Shui Liuqing only felt her entire soul tremble slightly. Although her own consciousness had not undergone any change, for no reason, a feeling of reverence was born in the depths of her heart.

When she opened her eyes again, she raised them to look at Fu Yan beside her. In an instant, there was no longer any unwillingness or dissatisfaction at all. She only felt that the person before her was someone she could only look up to.

This was also Fu Yan’s first time signing this kind of contract with someone. When she withdrew her hand, she stared at Shui Liuqing somewhat curiously. Only after a long while did she ask, “How does it feel?”

“Shui Liuqing greets Master.” Shui Liuqing looked at Fu Yan, her expression very respectful. Only then did she continue, “There is no discomfort.”

This soul-signed master-servant contract was unexpectedly miraculous. Looking at Shui Liuqing’s respectful manner toward her, Fu Yan could clearly sense that there was not the slightest falseness in Shui Liuqing’s expression. She was indeed sincerely reverent toward Fu Yan.

It seemed the contract had been signed smoothly, and no accident had occurred.

Since this matter could be considered temporarily concluded, Fu Yan could not help breathing a sigh of relief. She put away her Xuyou Jade Seal again, then looked from afar at the endless Flowing Sand Gobi before her.

“All right. Hurry and recover your breath. We’ve been away from the team for too long. At this time, Wang Qingyang and the others should have already reunited with Senior Sister and the others. We shouldn’t delay any longer.” After withdrawing her gaze, Fu Yan looked again at Shui Liuqing on the sand and instructed her on her own.

“Yes, Master,” Shui Liuqing answered.

After saying this, Shui Liuqing quickly meditated on the spot, took out a few true qi pills and swallowed them, then began recovering and regulating her breath. Not long after, she finally recovered a small portion of her true essence.

“Right.” Fu Yan suddenly remembered the black qi inside her qi stolen contentsea. Her gaze could not help landing on Shui Liuqing again as she asked aloud, “What exactly is this black qi inside my qi sea? Hurry and help me dissolve it.”

With this black qi remaining in her qi sea for even one more day, Fu Yan felt there would be one more hidden danger. It was better to resolve it as soon as possible.

Shui Liuqing had just stood up. Hearing Fu Yan’s words, she immediately paused slightly. In the end, she could only brace herself and tell the truth. “Actually… I’m not very clear on what this strand of black qi is either.”

As soon as the words fell, Fu Yan looked at her with surprise.

Shui Liuqing was also very helpless. She feared that if Fu Yan grew angry, she would directly destroy her soul. But she also could not deceive the other party. In the end, she could only slowly explain, “I believe Master has also noticed that this black qi is not any kind of poison. I obtained it by chance. Once before, when I went down the mountain to train, I accidentally entered a tomb. There was a corpse inside. This kind of black qi was in that corpse’s storage spirit ring.”

Listening to Shui Liuqing slowly explain her own opportunity, Fu Yan paused slightly. Could that corpse have died because of this black qi?

Seeming to understand what Fu Yan was thinking, Shui Liuqing was also extremely nervous. After all, the black qi in Fu Yan’s qi sea had been put there by her. She could only speak again. “It isn’t as Master thinks. That person’s cause of death was very strange. They probably didn’t die because of the black qi.”

“I obtained three strands of this black qi from that person in total. I used the first strand during my experiments. Only then did I discover that this black qi could block the contact between the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the qi sea. Aside from that, however, it caused no other harm. And outsiders are completely unable to detect it.”

As she spoke, Shui Liuqing quickly took out a bottle from her storage spirit ring again. “The second strand was used on Master. This is the final strand. But I also developed a kind of medicine that can make the black qi stop blocking the entry of spiritual energy of heaven and earth. However, if you want to completely dissolve it, I have no method.”

As soon as the words fell, Shui Liuqing quickly took out another pill and handed it to Fu Yan.

After hearing Shui Liuqing’s words, Fu Yan could not help furrowing her brows. It actually could not completely dissolve this black qi. That was somewhat troublesome. After all, having an unknown hidden danger inside one’s qi sea was not something anyone could easily remain calm about.

Of course, Fu Yan naturally understood that what Shui Liuqing said did not contain half a falsehood. After all, the master-servant contract now existed between the two of them. If Shui Liuqing had any intention unauthorized copy of deceiving her, not only would Shui Liuqing herself suffer backlash, Fu Yan would also be able to sense it instantly.

Seeing Fu Yan’s complicated expression, Shui Liuqing’s heart immediately lifted as well. She now feared that if Fu Yan was unhappy, she would directly crush her soul.

Who told her that she had been the one to do this before?

“Are you certain there is no other method to completely dissolve it?” Fu Yan seemed to only come back to herself after who knew how long. She stared tightly at Shui Liuqing and asked again.

Shui Liuqing felt that she might be finished again. But she could only endure the enormous pressure and nod, softly giving an “Mm.”

Fu Yan felt that her mood was simply like a roller coaster. She had originally thought that after signing a master-servant contract with Shui Liuqing, the black qi inside her qi sea could be removed. Yet the answer she received now was that even Shui Liuqing could do nothing about it.

Truly… she had the urge to kill someone.

Of course, Fu Yan would not really immediately kill Shui Liuqing before her. Otherwise, would this master-servant contract not have been signed for nothing? This free fighter still needed to be kept and used properly. Moreover, Shui Liuqing had said that there was a pill that could stop the black qi’s effect.

Thinking of this, Fu Yan made herself calm down as much as possible. Only then did she reach out and take the pill Shui Liuqing handed her, then swallow it in one bite. After two breaths, she once again tried to guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into her body.

Sure enough, this time, that black qi did not obstruct her in the middle. Instead, it quietly floated above her qi sea.

Although it could not be completely dissolved, at least it would not have any effect now. That could also be considered a good thing.

“All right. Keep that final strand of black qi properly yourself. I’m not interested in your opportunities.” Fu Yan did not even look at Shui Liuqing and directly waved her hand casually.

Hearing this, Shui Liuqing truly looked surprised. She had thought Fu Yan would take away all her resources. Her storage spirit ring had already been prepared to be handed over to Fu Yan. She had not expected that the other party would not be interested in it at all.

For a moment, Shui Liuqing did not know whether she should be happy or worried.

Fu Yan was not being especially kind. After all, her own opportunities were already very great, so she truly had no interest in Shui Liuqing’s resources. Moreover, she had already treated Shui Liuqing as a free fighter. Naturally, the stronger this fighter was, the more beneficial it would be to Fu Yan.

That was why Fu Yan did not think of stripping Shui Liuqing of her storage spirit ring.

“Thank you, Master,” Shui Liuqing could only say somewhat fearfully.

Since she could already use true essence now, Fu Yan temporarily had no worries for the future. She directly dropped one sentence: “After we go back, continue maintaining our original relationship. We cannot let anyone know what happened today.”

After saying this, Fu Yan was the first to use Wind Shadow Steps and flew directly back toward the Liuli ore convoy.

Signing a master-servant contract with someone was naturally not something Shui Liuqing would mention to anyone. She was already a cautious and clever person, so she naturally knew what should and should not be done.

Without saying much else, Shui Liuqing swiftly followed.

Very soon, the vast Flowing Sand Gobi once again returned to quiet.

The method Han Shangzhi proposed—feinting in one direction while attacking in another—went very ​read the original at bailiantales.com​smoothly. He and Wang Qingyang had led a fake convoy, successfully attracting the attention of all the horse bandits.

Bai Yueli and Han Shangde also took the opportunity to lead everyone and the cargo through this stretch of Flowing Sand Gobi very safely and smoothly.

Everyone had also agreed to gather by a small river outside Chaoyang City. After Bai Yueli and the others came out, they arrived here to wait for Wang Qingyang and the others to return.

Very soon, Wang Qingyang and Han Shangzhi’s figures were the first to appear in sight. The two of them had safely returned here.

Not long after, everyone returned one after another from all directions. Only Fu Yan and Shui Liuqing were missing.

“The scene at the time was a little chaotic. I seem to have seen the third boss among that group of horse bandits chase directly after the two fellow Daoists from the Shuiling Sect.” A Fengling Sect disciple carefully recalled the situation at the time before slowly speaking to Bai Yueli.

Hearing this, Bai Yueli could not help furrowing her brows slightly.

This plan had been proposed by Han Shangzhi. Looking at Bai Yueli’s expression, he could only smile and walk over, opening his mouth to comfort her. “Fairy Bai, please don’t worry too much. The two fellow Daoists from the Shuiling Sect have extraordinary strength. I believe there shouldn’t be any danger.”

The words were spoken that way, but who could know what the truth was?

After who knew how much time passed, Fu Yan and Shui Liuqing’s figures still had not appeared. As the eldest senior sister of the Shuiling Sect, Bai Yueli naturally could not sit by and do nothing. After pausing, she directly picked up her Yueyao Sword and stood, seeming ready to go search.

Seeing this, Han Shangzhi at the side was just about to say something when Wang Qingyang spoke first. “That horse bandit’s third boss is only at late Illumination stage. Even if the two fellow Daoists can’t beat him, they can completely run away. They probably only need some time to shake him off. Junior Sister Bai, there is no need to worry so much.”

In truth, Bai Yueli understood this reasoning as well. Moreover, she also knew ​Read on BaiLianTales​Fu Yan had a magic treasure on her, and Shui Liuqing had always been cautious. Neither of them should be in danger. However, she really could not sit still. She kept feeling that she was not at ease.

At this moment, a guard at the side shouted, “Look, someone’s back!”

Bai Yueli followed the voice and raised her eyes. She saw a familiar figure enter her sight. That person was swiftly rushing over from one side. For some reason, the moment she saw that figure, she suddenly felt somewhat at ease.

As soon as Fu Yan landed, she saw Bai Yueli walking over. She froze slightly, then smiled and called out.

“Senior Sister!”

The person before her had a brilliant smile all over her face. A breeze blew past, stirring a strand of hair at her temples. In that instant, Bai Yueli did not notice that the corners of her own lips had also suddenly lifted into an almost imperceptible curve.

That person was walking toward her step by step, against the light.