Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Magical Blood

  "Hmm!" A familiar voice echoed in Xiao Chen's ears.

  "Liu Lan, Liu Lan. Is that you? Nothing's wrong with you? That's great!" The familiar voice made Xiao Chen's body tremble violently, and he turned his head around in astonishment. After seeing everything clearly before him, he was overjoyed.

  "It's great, Liu Lan, you're fine, it's really great!" Xiao Chen tightly hugged Liu Lan in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

  "Xiao Chen, gently, gently, it hurts!"

  "Alright, I'll let go!"

  "What's going on here?" Lan Zhiyuan, Lan Yun and Ling Yun were all stunned by what they saw. Xiao Chen had come into contact with someone who had been poisoned by the Huayang Sect's deadly poison, yet he was unscathed - this was shocking enough. But the person who had been poisoned by the Huayang Sect's deadly poison could also recover... This was simply unbelievable!

  Xiao Chen and Liu Lan didn't have time to think about what they were thinking. At this moment, they were entwined in each other's arms. Until now, they finally understood how important they were to each other!

  After a long and lingering embrace, the two finally parted reluctantly. From great sorrow to great joy, everything happened so quickly that it took some time for both of them to react. "Right, Xiao Chen, shouldn't we also go back and see those sisters?" After calming down slightly, Liu Lan finally remembered the poor sisters who were still anxiously waiting.

  "Right! Right!" Xiao Chen lightly slapped his own forehead. Damn it, how could he have forgotten this?!

  "Huh? Xiao Chen, look at this, what is this thing?" As she passed by Huang Shan's side, Liu Lan caught sight of the round bead on the ground with a single glance.

  "I really don't recognize this, let's just put it away for now and talk about it later!" Xiao Chen bent down to pick up the orb on the ground, and after carefully examining it for a while, he honestly said.

  Compared to the carefree Xiao Chen and Liu Lan, Lan Zhiyuan, Lan Yun, and Ling Yun's hearts were filled with shock and great fear. The Daoist priest was actually killed? Someone from Huayang Sect was actually killed? This... this...

  "Xiao Chen, you actually dare to kill the people of Huayang Sect? You've made a big mistake!" After some hesitation, the most mature Lan Zhiyuan still stepped forward.

  "Grandpa, Xiao Chen killed this guy to save us!" Lan Yun said indignantly, supporting Lingyun.

  "Yes, Village Chief Grandfather, you can't say that!" Lingyun also started to help.

  "Shut up!" Lan Zhiyuan shouted loudly, interrupting Lingyun's words. "Would all this have happened if it weren't for you?"

  Lingyun lowered his head in shame.

  "Two of you, please stay. Can I have a word with you?" Blue Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and stretched out his arms to block the way in front of Xiao Chen and Liu Lan.

  "Village head, what are you trying to do?" A hint of displeasure appeared on Liu Lan's face. Looking at the other party's attitude, it was clear that nothing good would come out of this.

  "Sorry, Liu girl, although Xiao Chen's little brother killed Huang Shan to save people. But you have to know that Huang Shan is a person from Huayang Sect after all. And the people of Huayang Sect are famous for their loyalty. Once they find out about this matter, I'm afraid..." Blue Zhīyuàn really didn't have the courage to continue speaking in front of Liu Lan.

  Once the news of the murder of a Huayang Sect member in Pingquan Village spreads to the Huayang Sect, not only will Xiao Chen not have a good ending, but also the entire village of Pingquan may be implicated and may suffer from the crazy revenge of the Huayang Sect members.

  "Is the village chief planning to hand Xiao Chen over to the Huayang Sect?" Lan Zhiyuan's words made Liu Lian coldly laugh.

  "No, Liu Niang, I didn't mean that!" Lan Zhiyuan hastily waved his hand. "Huang Shan died in Pingquan Village, and I believe the people of Huayang Sect will find out soon. I'm afraid once they come looking..."

  "Village head, what exactly do you want to say?" Luolan's voice rose a few pitches. Although she was as kind as Xiao Chen, she also had times when she got angry.

  "Alright, Lü Lan, don't say any more!" Xiao Chen also understood at this moment. He waved his hand to stop Lü Lan.

  "Village head, there's no need to say more. I understand what you mean. I and Liu Lan will leave immediately. But before we go, please let us first go and bid farewell to Yuexian and Xiujuan sisters."

  "Lan Yun and Ling Yun were anxious, for the man in front of them had saved their lives several times. Now was the time he needed rest to recover from his serious injuries. If they were to drive away their benefactor due to fear of being implicated, would they still be considered human? However... Lan Zhiyuan's icy eyes swept coldly towards the two, and they shrank back, silently making way."

  "A whole bunch of ungrateful wretches!" Lü Lan said bitterly.

  "Liu Lan, don't blame them. People are all selfish. Do you still remember when we first met? You ran to me for help, but to be honest, at that time I was very angry with you and hated that you got me into such big trouble!" Xiao Chen looked up at the sky, sighing in frustration.

  Everyone is used to standing on the moral high ground to condemn others' selfishness and weakness, but how many people can put themselves in others' shoes to think about the problem?

  "But in the end, you still stood up!" Liu Lan was stunned for a moment, then slowly lowered her head. "Xiao Chen, I also want to tell you something. Actually, when you were knocked down by the tiger, my first thought wasn't to save you, but to run away!"

  "But you still rushed over with a stone in the end?" Xiao Chen stared tightly at Liu Lan's eyes. The two of them gazed at each other silently, then burst out laughing simultaneously. Their mutual candor made their emotions heat up rapidly between them.

  "By the way, Xiao Chen, I have a question. Why is it that every time you're so heavily injured, you can... recover so quickly?" Just then, Liu Lan finally asked the question that had been puzzling her all along. According to her understanding, if someone were to suffer injuries as severe as Xiao Chen's, they would have long since breathed their last. But the man in front of her completely overturned her common sense. Xiao Chen had many times encountered extremely formidable opponents, and many times his life had hung by a thread, barely clinging to life.

  Every time Xiao Chen was able to miraculously defeat his opponents, he could also miraculously recover. Such an unbelievable thing had already exceeded the range that Liu Lan's brain could understand.

  "This... this... I don't know either!" After thinking for a while, Xiao Chen said honestly, the Meng Po tea given by Judge Cui of the Yidi Prefecture had partially sealed his memories. Xiao Chen really didn't want to hide anything from Liu Lan, but the problem was that he really didn't know.

  "Xiao Chen, I believe in you!" But Xiao Chen was extremely fortunate that the girl by his side trusted him unconditionally. Liu Lan leaned intimately on Xiao Chen's arm, and the two slowly headed towards the village. Meanwhile, as the village chief of Pingquan Village, Lan Zhiyuan followed closely behind with a humiliated expression.

  Lan Yun and Ningyun exchanged a glance, both seeing the deep shame in each other's eyes. They simultaneously let out a sigh, then steeled themselves and followed.

  When Xiao Chen and Liu Lan's figures slowly appeared, the little girl Xiuyuan who was looking up with her head raised was overjoyed. "Sister, Brother Xiao Chen and Sister Liu Lan are back!"

  "Really?" Although Yu Xuan and her sister saw Xiao Chen's figure at the same time, the smile on her face slowly solidified. Because of Xiao Chen's dejected appearance in front of the two sisters, Liu Lan's face was also filled with resentment.

  Yuè Chán's heart sank suddenly, and everything that followed proved her conjecture.

  "Sorry, Yu Chan! I've let you down!" Xiao Chen said in a low voice after saying this sentence, and then he sat on the chair dejectedly. Suddenly, the faces of these two sisters turned pale.

  "Let me tell you instead!" With a long sigh, Liu Lan glanced at Xiao Chen and walked towards the stunned Yue Chuan and Xi Yu, recounting what had just happened.

  "You guys are really infuriating! This group of ungrateful bastards!"

  "It turned out that everything was caused by that guy named Lingyun." Upon learning the truth, Xiao Yatou became even more furious, "I'm going to find him and settle the score!"

  "Don't be ridiculous, Xiang Yu." Moon Chan rebuked clearly, "The reason I ended up like this is largely because I didn't listen to their advice and insisted on entering this room. Don't shift all the blame onto others!"

  "But sister..." Xiangyu hurriedly said.

  "Aren't you going to listen to your sister?" A hint of anger crept into Yuexian's voice.

  "I understand!" Xiangyu finally lowered her head. Although this little girl was exceptionally mischievous, in front of her most revered sister, she didn't dare to be the slightest bit presumptuous.

  "Yuecui, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you, and I'm deeply sorry!" Xiao Chen said in a low voice, exhausted.

  "It's nothing. Master, you've done your best. And all of this is enough for me!" Yu Ru smiled faintly, but her smile was tinged with unbearable sadness. Because it meant that she would never see her sister again.

  "Sister! I don't want you to leave!" The clever Xiuyuan burst into loud sobs.

  "Xīu Yuè, I know you're suffering. If you'd like, let me take care of you!" Seeing the heartbroken Xīu Yuè, Xiāo Chén's heart also felt a pang of sorrow.

  "You idiot, can't even handle this small matter, I trusted you for nothing. You're an idiot, a useless thing! Get out of my way. I don't need your pity, I want my sister!" Xiangyu angrily pushed Xiao Chen away, and Xiao Chen's already exhausted body stumbled backward without any defense. It seemed like something had fallen out of his pocket. This was the round ball that Xiao Chen had just picked up from the ground, which he had obtained from the deceased Huang Shan and seemed to have a spiritual aura."

  "Xīu Yuè, how can you treat our benefactor like this?" Compared to the grief-stricken Xīu Yuè, as a sister, Yuè Chán seemed much more mature.

  "It doesn't matter!" Xiao Chen smiled indifferently and bent down to pick up the marble again.

  "Wait a minute. Master Xiao Chen!" Seeing that strange orb, Yuexiang's eyes suddenly lit up.

  "Is there anything?" Xiao Chen asked gently. Looking at the orb, it seemed to be flowing with a beautiful mist, and even Xiao Chen could feel the enormous energy contained within it.

  "Yes, master!" Yuet Yin finally said after hesitating for a moment. The living must possess both body and soul at the same time. The body is not only a dwelling place for the soul but also provides energy to it. Once a person's physical body perishes, they will become a ghostly existence. A soul without a physical body is like a tree without roots or water without a source; its life energy will slowly deplete with the passage of time. If it does not return to the underworld within a certain period, it will scatter and disappear.

  What if the deceased does not want to return to the underworld, nor does he want his soul to disperse? That's not impossible either. Seizing a body and rebirth is one of the options. However, this method has two drawbacks: first, it harms the harmony of heaven; second, to seize a body, one's own soul power must far surpass that of the seized body's soul power. Thus, the probability of seizing a body and rebirth occurring is extremely low.

  Apart from seizing a new body and rebirth, there is another method. In this world, there exist some strange objects. They themselves contain a large amount of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, which can nourish and repair the spiritual energy of the soul. And once an object has housed a soul, it gets a new name - spirit object. The soul residing inside also gets a new name - vessel spirit.

  The bead in front of him was clearly a spiritual object containing abundant spiritual energy. If Xiao Chen could allow himself to live inside, with the nourishment of spiritual energy, he wouldn't have to worry about his soul scattering. However, since it was a spiritual object, the large amount of spiritual energy gathered inside would also have a magical effect on one's cultivation. Would Xiao Chen be willing to give it up?

  The cicada secretly looked at Xiao Chen, and his eyes were full of anxiety.