Chapter 38:
Headache
“DID YOU FIND OUT who bought the Meteorfall Stone?” a nascent soul cultivator wearing the Liuyun Sect’s wide-sleeved cultivator robe in a room on the third floor asked the person beside him.
“It’s a guest from the fourth floor,” the person replied with a troubled expression. “Sir, the only ones who can access the fourth floor are great masters at the soul transformation stage. We can’t afford to offend them.”
The nascent soul cultivator clenched his fists. He’d stumbled upon this auction house by chance today, so he hadn’t brought enough spiritual stones with him. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined he would come across a Meteorfall Stone here today. “No. The grand match is just around the corner. I must get my hands on that Meteorfall Stone. Otherwise, that bastard brother of mine will win.”
This nascent soul cultivator had the surname Ding. He was the lawful son of an elder from the Liuyun Sect who specialized in artifact forging. He had excellent aptitude, but he’d been overshadowed by a common-born half brother whose gift for artifact forging far surpassed his own. He’d previously schemed to send that bastard to infiltrate the unorthodox path, but by a stroke of luck, the guy had received some pointers from Lord Duantian and returned to be held in esteem by their sect.
“The guest on the fourth floor has left.” The Six Harmonies Auction House was jointly managed by the three major sects, so there were people affiliated with each sect inside. The Ding family naturally had their own methods of gathering information if they so wished.
The cultivator stood up. “Please thank the assistant manager for me.”
“You’re welcome. We have you to thank for providing us with the Spirit-Disciplining Horn.” The auction house employee grinned as he glanced at the frenzied bidding on the white fox below.
An ordinary Spirit-Disciplining Horn could only discipline a soul beast who had signed a blood pact with the user. A horn like the one they’d used today, that could tame spirit beasts, was extremely rare, and only a few master artificers could craft such an item.
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“URGH...” Qingtong leaned against Mo Tianliao’s chest. The pain in his head was killing him. He involuntarily gripped the front of Mo Tianliao’s clothes.
Not daring to linger, Mo Tianliao flew as far as he possibly could until they were out of the Spirit-Disciplining Horn’s range. Only then did he slow down.
Menghu caught up in the flying ship. “Come on up.”
Carrying his master, Mo Tianliao jumped onto the flying ship and took over control with one hand, allowing Menghu, who wasn’t feeling great himself, to take a breather. Menghu swallowed a soul-stabilizing pill, then took back control of the ship, indicating to Mo Tianliao that he was fine and he should look after their master instead.
Mo Tianliao didn’t stand on ceremony. He carried Qingtong to the center of the ship and forced a soul-condensing pill through those bloodstained lips.
“Where are we heading?” Menghu rubbed his temple and glanced at his master, who didn’t look too good. He wondered which unethical old bastard had made that Spirit-Disciplining Horn with such terrifying power.
“Let’s go back to the sect first,” Mo Tianliao told him just as the flying ship braked to a stop, causing them to lurch forward. Reacting quickly, Mo Tianliao grabbed his master in his arms and rolled on the ground to defuse the momentum.
“Who goes there?” Menghu climbed to his feet angrily; someone had forcibly stopped the flying ship with a magical artifact.
The man opposite them froze in shock, clearly not having expected the magical artifact to produce such an effect. “I am Ding Zijin, the son of Elder Ding Hu of Liuyun Sect. I meant no offense to you—oh, it’s Meng-shidi.”
Menghu frowned. The three great sects often interacted with one another, so he recognized this Ding Zijin—not because they had any sort of friendship, but because this person always seemed eager to acquaint himself with the direct line of disciples from the various sects. The man had even given him some small magical artifacts.
The flying ship had a light shield around it, so unless the people riding it stood up, no one outside would be able to see them. Ding Zijin didn’t know who was in the flying ship. But since Menghu was here, the soul transformation cultivator had to be a sanctum-master or a guardian elder from Woyun Sect.
“It’s like this.” Ding Zijin chose his words carefully. “The Liuyun Sect’s grand match is fast approaching, and I need the Meteorfall Stone. I wonder if…”
Menghu’s face darkened. How did this person know they’d bought a Meteorfall Stone? The Six Harmonies Auction House must have leaked the information. That vile bunch! “You have already broken the Six Harmonies Bazaar’s rules by doing this. I think you should leave now.” His meaning was clear: The elder on board the ship can’t be bothered with you right now. If you keep pestering him, it’ll only be a matter of time before he puts you in your place!
“I truly mean no offense. I have with me a superior-grade spiritual artifact and a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb to trade for the Meteorfall Stone.” Ding Zijin cast a sidelong glance at the flying ship as he spoke. His father, Ding Hu, was the best artificer among the three great sects. Even the sect leader of Woyun Sect had to show him due respect. He actually didn’t need to obtain the Meteorfall Stone today; all he needed was to see who was in the ship and pay a visit in his father’s name to request an exchange.
Qingtong frowned from where he lay in Mo Tianliao’s arms. This was truly annoying. He started to stand up, intending to teach this presumptuous junior a lesson, but he’d only just sat up when he was assaulted by an intense pain. He involuntarily bit his lower lip. The man outside was a nascent soul cultivator. If he were to find out this soul transformation master was seriously injured, he might just try to snatch it by force.
Mo Tianliao quickly took him back into his arms and gripped Qingtong’s jaw. “Open your mouth.” Round drops of blood seeped from Qingtong’s lower lip, sliding down his fair chin and dripping onto his snow-white robe. Mo Tianliao’s heart ached at the sight. He forcibly pried open the tightly shut lower lip and stifled the escaping groan with his own lips.
Cold eyes widened in shock as Qingtong stared fixedly at the handsome face in front of him. This insolent disciple! What’s he doing?!
The sensation against Mo Tianliao’s cool lips was as soft as glutinous osmanthus cake and tasted incredibly sweet. He briefly lost himself in the intoxicating sensation when it suddenly hit him what he had done on impulse. He’d kissed his master! A chill ran down his spine. He was a goner. His Feline Lordship was sure to claw him to shreds.
The slender fingers resting on Mo Tianliao’s back instantly transformed into sharp claws, gleaming coldly in the sunlight. This damned insolent disciple! Ah… His raised claws went limp. A warm stream of energy slowly passed between them at the point of contact, smelling faintly of grass and trees, alleviating the intense pain.
The soul-condensing pill could only temporarily stabilize the divine soul, and did nothing to ease his pain, but this stream of energy was like clear spring water irrigating parched earth. Experiencing this comfortable feeling that he hadn’t felt in a long time, Qingtong closed his eyes despite himself.
Mo Tianliao now realized he’d done something stupid, but he didn’t dare to make any sudden movements for fear of hurting his master. He pulled away gradually and stiffly, prepared for a pummeling. But to his surprise, when he was only a finger’s width away, those sweet, thin lips chased after his own and kissed him again.
Dumbstruck, Mo Tianliao stared dazedly at the handsome face so close to his. Those cold eyes were concealed behind lowered eyelids, their long, slender eyelashes fluttering ever so slightly, tickling his face and creating an itch that reached his heart.
Follow your heart, for that is to follow the course of nature and thus the way of the Dao.
As a demonic cultivator, Mo Tianliao would never deny himself what his heart wanted. Since his master didn’t seem to intend to kill him yet—and also because he wanted to continue the kiss—he tightened his arms around the beautiful man and deepened the kiss.