Chapter 94: Blood

Chapter 94: Blood

"Wen Ying? Wen Ying?"

Wen Ying came back to his senses in Muershi's repeated calling, "Huh?"

"What were you thinking about? You seem distant."

With his right hand pressing against his left, both palms resting on the table, Wen Ying mumbled vaguely, "I was thinking about how I offended Beros this weekend. He'll probably find an opportunity to retaliate during Feng Luo's practical class this afternoon."

Muershi scoffed, "Are you still afraid of that?" He didn't pursue the topic further, but his gaze darkened slightly as he turned his head away, his eyes filled with contemplation.

Just now, he had felt a chill on his neck. He raised his right hand to touch it, rubbing it casually.

Wen Ying pressed his hands against his forehead, startled and uncertain. What was this inexplicable desire to attack Muershi? It was more irresistible than the urge to rush for limited edition merchandise.

He lifted his head, and his eyes subconsciously fixated on Li Jie's neck sitting in front of him. Li Jie was much weaker than Muershi. As a newly planted Blood Tree cultivator who hadn't fought yet, he would be more inclined towards vulnerable prey.

The vibrant magic contained within that blood, the beautiful red color, and the delightful sensation...

"Slap!"

Wen Ying raised his hand to cover his forehead, blocking his eyes. His heart was shattered. As expected, nothing that Aluda gave him was ordinary. Last night, when she said "couldn't control it," this must be what she meant.

Scarlet, who was behind him, asked, "What's wrong?"

Essence smiled and placed his hands on Wen Ying's shoulders from behind, whispering provocatively, "Did something happen between you and Perseus over the weekend?"

"I think," Wen Ying turned his head and whispered in Essence's ear, "what I've just discovered is worse than doing anything with Perseus."

Essence blinked, his pink eyes revealing his confusion.

Wen Ying turned back, having leaned too close to Essence just now. He almost couldn't resist giving Essence a hit with his hand.

"No wonder it's called the Blood Tree…" Wen Ying mumbled under his breath, a myriad of curses running through his mind. The thing Aluda gave him was the darkest of dark magic! He should have realized it earlier – how could there be any legitimate magic in this world that allows unlimited resurrection?

Muershi suddenly leaned in. "What did you say?"

Wen Ying nearly lashed out, but he held back and said irritably, "Don't get too close to me today."

Muershi slumped back lazily. "What new experiment is Aruda trying on you?"

"You're overthinking it."

Their first teacher arrived promptly, effectively silencing Muershi before he could probe further.

Wen Ying couldn't focus during class. Gazing at the unsuspecting demons in front of him, they seemed like tender, succulent pieces of roasted meat. It took great self-restraint for Wen Ying to resist the urge to pounce.

After class, Wen Ying sought out Wu Fei and dragged him outside the classroom.

"What do you need to talk about in private?" Wu Fei wondered, surprised that they had to come to such an isolated spot.

Wen Ying's smile was bright, but it made Wu Fei feel uneasy. "I went to the Human Realm over the weekend and scared Boss Wang for you. He passed out with a white face at the end."

Wu Fei's eyes crinkled into a delighted grin. "Thank you so much!" At last, at last, he had taken revenge!

Wait a minute, there was no need to come to such a secluded corner to discuss this. Wu Fei wasn't a naive newcomer anymore. Demons from Lan Jiaying's faction often caused trouble, either openly or discreetly. It was impossible not to become more cunning in response.

Seeing Wu Fei's questioning look, Wen Ying raised his hand, palm up. His tail swished across his palm, conjuring a syringe – the one Aruda had given him for blood extraction, which he hadn't used.

"Indeed, there is something," Wen Ying stepped closer. "My great-grandmother needs some blood for an experiment, and I forgot about it when I went to the Human Realm over the weekend."

Wu Fei promptly offered, "It's fine, I'll give you mine."

He was still rather gullible, Wen Ying thought.

Before he could figure out how to draw the blood, Wu Fei, with slightly unskilled hands, drew a vial of his own blood, asking Wen Ying to hold the syringe steady for him. After that, Wen Ying let him return to the classroom, while he himself retreated to a toilet stall. Holding the blood in his hand, he felt an urge he couldn't quite place.

He had the blood, but how was he supposed to use it? Wen Ying wondered. His instinct hadn't specified. Was he supposed to drink it?

...That was too morbid. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

After trying for a while, as the class was about to start, his instinct finally gave him an answer. A different kind of magic flowed through his hand, converging on his right hand holding the syringe, which began to emit a faint glow.

The blood in the syringe trembled, and a visible mist rose from within it, absorbed by Wen Ying's right hand.

Within seconds, the color of the blood in the syringe visibly darkened, appearing lifeless.

Wen Ying could sense the blood mist being absorbed. After following Aruda's ancient scroll and absorbing the blood mist, he felt a slight increase in his strength. The vitality he'd lost from staying up late the previous night also returned to him.

"Certainly lives up to the name of dark magic," Wen Ying remarked as he experienced the novel transformation. He stretched his hands, now housing two types of magical power within him – one entirely his own, and the other integrated with the Blood Tree seed. The second force was weaker, yet it persistently eroded his original magic.

As time passed, the magic within him would eventually transform entirely into that fused with the Blood Tree.

Part of the absorbed blood mist migrated towards the Blood Tree seed, which instinctively conveyed its need for more 'nourishment' – in essence, a child's cry, Mother, I'm hungry.