Chapter 74: Soul Mark
Thank you, Daoist_Culture for Magic Castle! This adds +10 chapters, which I will distribute over ten days, meaning after I complete the quota for rewards for PS, I will release two chapters a day.
Thank you for your support!
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"Have you restricted your cultivation? Oh, indeed, I don't sense any Qi from you," muttered Xie Qingg then looked at Zhang Mei and said, "Sect Leader Zhang, I'm not sure what effect this will have on those who don't have Qi. I think it's dangerous."
"I'm fine," Zhang Mei replied, brushing her hair back. She confidently said, "Although I have restricted my cultivation, I still have a strong body and mind. It won't harm me, it will just allow me to experience the effect for longer."
"Oh, alright, then I won't waste any more breath," Xie Qingg nodded with smile.
He rested for a bit and gathered his Qi, then directed it towards his eye, activating the technique. This time, there were no problems, and Zhang Mei quickly fell under the influence of the technique.
"Hm, how interesting. Darkness is enshrouding my vision, and a yellow dragon eye is gradually forming," she muttered, her eyes becoming empty. After a few seconds, she fell silent.
***
"Interesting. The technique affects the mind, rather than the body. So, everything I see is an illusion. However, it's unusual that there's a certain feeling and a special rule that could turn this into reality," Zhang Mei thought, looking around calmly. "But it's dark here."
Although the technique might work on ordinary cultivators, inducing despair and fear, Zhang Mei's mind had been strengthened by many techniques, and her soul was also very strong. Xie Qingg simply couldn't harm her. However, this might change if he becomes stronger.
"Amazing... what an incredible technique! And most importantly, it can be turned into a Dao technique that can be used without the need for a bloodline," Zhang Mei thought, feeling the thin streams of Qi trying to touch her soul to induce despair. "I feel a slight fear stimulated by this technique. This is very interesting!"
A satisfied smile appeared on her face, which surprisingly looked very bright and innocent. It was as if a young girl had revealed her beauty to the world, and she was as beautiful as a fairy.
However, she soon returned to her usual expression when she realized it was a bit difficult to dispel the technique.
"The technique isn't strong enough to harm me, but it's good enough to hold me, right?" Zhang Mei thought and shook her head. "What a terrible technique. Should I ask Xie Qing to let me take a look at it? But it will cost me more than a million spiritual stones..."
Although the amount might seem large, it was still not enough for a technique of this kind. Therefore, Zhang Mei was doubtful whether she could afford it.
"Even if I sell all my assets, buying it will be expensive... the market price for such techniques starts at a hundred million. Even the richest person cannot afford to pay such an amount," Zhang Mei thought, her eyes narrowing as she bit her lower lip. "What a pity. I should try to negotiate for the purchase, but what can I offer him?"
Zhang Mei was in a state of prostration for a few seconds before shaking her head. She removed the seal on her cultivation, and soon her Qi shattered the technique.
The darkness began to dissipate, and when Zhang Mei saw Xie Qing, she discovered something surprising.
"Hmm?! Soul mark?!"
Xie Qing was also surprised when he realized that a thin, semi-transparent thread had emerged from his forehead and entered Zhang Mei's forehead.
As he was about to ask about it, he heard a surprised shout in his head with a bathroom-like effect.
"Eh?"
"Sect Leader Zhang?" Xie Qing was surprised and found that he was speaking without opening his mouth, and the semi-transparent thread between their foreheads was glowing brightly. "What happened?"
"Wait, I'm trying to make sense of it all..." Zhang Mei's neutral voice sounded with notes of shock.
Xie Qing raised his eyebrows in bewilderment, not quite understanding what was happening. However, from Zhang Mei's expression, he could tell that it was something serious.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long, and Zhang Mei soon came to her senses and explained it to him.
"Soul Mark. Your Dao technique was able to leave this mark on my soul, which is difficult to erase without harming the souls of both beings," Zhang Mei said, frowning and looking unhappy. "The mark allows you to know the location of the two connected souls, and at any time, they can exchange information as long as the distance does not exceed a thousand miles."
"Sounds... like a good thing!"
"Maybe for you, but not for me. Since you established the connection, the control of the mark is mainly on you. So, please remove it," Zhang Mei said, furrowing her brow.
"Alright."
Xie Qing didn't object and tried to break the mark's effect, but no matter how hard he tried, there was no result. His face became a little strange as he said, "I can't."
"What do you mean? You just need to direct your Qi to your soul, and then... Ugh, right. Your soul is not even formed" Zhang Mei sighed in frustration, slapping herself on the forehead. She had completely forgotten that the young man in front of her hadn't even formed his soul yet. Now everything had become much worse.
"Alright, listen. Let's agree on some things. You must not activate this mark without good reason. You must not connect this link during your 'sessions' with Xu Mei..." Zhang Mei said in a strange voice and looked at Xie Qing, her cheeks flushing slightly, but it wasn't noticeable. "Do you understand?"
"Of course! So, I should activate this link during my sessions with the Master, right?" Xie Qing asked with a smile.
"No! Have you reflected on everything I said?!"
"Heh, I just don't understand what sessions you're talking about," the young man genuinely wondered, looking at Zhang Mei and smiling awkwardly. "Please explain"
"Y-you..."
Even the eternally cold Zhang Mei couldn't help but lose her composure at Xie Qing's shamelessness. He had obviously understood what she meant but pretended to be stupid to tease her.
"Perv! Just like his Master! Two peas in a pod!" Zhang Mei was indignant in her thoughts, then shook her head and snorted, thinking, "Of course, I'm talking about your sex. I'm sure you're fucking like rabbits every day! Given the age of that fool, she's a horny bitch!"
She didn't say these words out loud. Even though her face was thick enough as a sect leader, she was not shameless enough to speak so directly about it.
Xie Qing walked out of Zhang Mei's office, shaking his head. He had wanted to tease her, but the ice on the woman's face was too thick and couldn't be melted by his words.
"Elder Brother?"
"Hm?"
Beside him, he heard Xie Yu's voice, who looked sleepy. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes and then opened her arms and threw herself at Xie Qing.
"Are you done?" she asked with a smile, hanging on his neck.
"...Yes. And you'll be eighteen years old soon, Xie Yu. Stop acting like a little girl," Xie Qing said, shaking his head.
"Bu-bu-bu. I'm only like this with my elder brother," the girl replied, sticking out her tongue.
Xie Qing rolled his eyes, not wanting to continue the discussion. Although he liked it when people treated him with such proprietary behavior, Xie Yu's clinginess was too much.
"Get off me. Where is Miss Li?"
"Hmph!" Xie Yu let go of Xie Qing's neck and looked unhappy. "You must have become quite close to her, huh? Sigh! Elder Sister was called away by the Li family for some matters, so she can't accompany you."
"That's too bad, it was fun with her," Xie Qing muttered, sighing.
"Do you want to hook up with her, brother?" Xie Yu asked.
"...do you think I'll hit on every girl I meet?"
"I don't think so," Xie Yu said with a smile and then nodded. "I'm sure of it."
"Eeh..."
Xie Qing could only shake his head in amazement, not understanding how someone with such a clean reputation could be mistaken for a playboy.
After chatting for a while, Xie Yu offered to show him his temporary living quarters. And it was suspiciously located...
"Are you saying that I have to live in the same room as you?" Xie Qing asked in a neutral tone, glancing at Xie Yu, who had enough shame to look away.
"W-why not? We haven't seen each other for a long time, and I'm used to sleeping alone..." she muttered, then grabbed the sleeve of Xie Qing's robe with her fingers and looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Can't you sleep with me?"
"I can, that's not a problem," Xie Qing replied with a smile, and then...
"Nya-a-a!"
"But you probably can't."
He smiled at Xie Yu, who blushed because of young master grabbed her butt. Xie Qing decided to tease her a little.
Xie Yu blushed and turned her head away, but her eyes gleamed with a strange light - Xie Qing didn't notice.
After changing into lighter clothing, which consisted of an ordinary robe that revealed his chest and reached down to his knees, he returned to the room and saw Xie Yu wiping away two streaks of blood that had flowed from her nose.
"You're back," she said in a strange voice.
"Yep."
Without thinking too much, Xie Qing lay down on the bed, which was large enough to accommodate two people, and patted the space next to him.
"Come on, lie down next to me."
"Gulp... Heavens, has my soul left the mortal world and gone to the immortals?" Xie Yu suddenly said out of nowhere, and drool was flowing from the corners of her mouth, her eyes fixed on Xie Qing's bare chest.
"You're even more of a pervert than I am," the young man commented.
"I'm not a pervert, I'm a woman of culture!" Xie Yu said in a stern voice.
Shrugging, Xie Qing just smiled. When Xie Yu finally lay down, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"Uuuh..."
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What are you mumbling about?" but then he felt a strange wetness on his knees. "...seriously?"
Xie Yu also noticed the small leak and wiped away the traces of her Qi, drying her clothes. She pretended that nothing had happened and used Xie Qing's arm as a pillow, sighing contentedly.
"Eeh! I've missed you so much, Brother Xie Qing..." she murmured sleepily.
"...I've missed you too."
Xie Qing gently stroked her hair, and Xie Yu closed her eyes in pleasure. Although her character was a bit strange, she was a good girl who had always supported him.
Despite Xie Yu being clingy, clingy, and clingy, as well as clingy, Xie Qing loved his younger sister.
"Although she's clingy," Xie Qing thought.
Xie Yu fell asleep very quickly, which surprised Xie Qing. Judging by her active behavior, she should have been bothering him until late at night, but it seemed she had relaxed too much.
"This girl... hahaha."
Xie Qing smiled and chuckled at her cute behavior. He remembered their childhood, when Xie Yu was afraid of the dark and would come to him, then hug him like a koala and fall asleep, every night.
Although he was now sure that she was doing it intentionally, Xie Qing couldn't help but smile. It seemed that after so many years, his cousin was still the same.
"Although we're not blood relatives, she's the closest person to me after my mother," he thought and sighed. "I don't know how she'll react when the struggle for inheritance affects her family. Many people will definitely die."
Although Xie Qing didn't want to make her sad, his path to power and revenge was already set in blood. Everything was planned, and nothing could stop it.
"Xie Hai, Xie Hui, and the others... you only face death. Despair, pain. I'll let you experience the same pain as my mother," Xie Qing thought, his eyes gleaming in the darkness. "The oath has been made, and the Heavens have placed a double-edged sword in my hands. My task is to ignore my wounds to defeat the group of jackals."
Step by step, blood for blood. To build a good life and transcend the shackles of mortality, Xie Qing was willing to make such sacrifices.
And at this moment...
[Mission: Seize the Xie Family]
[Description: The evil deeds of Xie Hai and Xie Hui led to Xie Meiling nearly dying. Why not stick the blade in the asses of these bastards and then take control of the family? Raise your ass, cultivator, it's time for a bloody party]
[Reward: Any item in the store up to 10,000 Spirit Stones, Taboo Dragon Token]
The young man's face became strange as he read through the entire text and came across one peculiar item. "Taboo Dragon Token? What are you hinting at, system?"