Chapter 16: Joy
Black Crow gazed down at the man standing before the throne, his eyes filled with surprise and an unusual solemnity. This was the first and only person in history who could ignore the terrifying force field and approach the throne of the gods directly.
"What do you want?" the bird asked, its beak opening and closing in confusion. "Though I don't know how you're resisting the erosion of the evil force field, if you're here for some treasure from the Evil Dragon, I can tell you now—there's nothing here. And if you're thinking of breaking the seal of the World Tree, I'll also tell you that it's impossible with your meager spiritual pressure."
Xia Feng ignored the bird, his attention fixed on the gray-haired woman sitting motionless before him, her eyes closed. He wondered how to absorb the evil force emanating from her. Faced with a human-shaped sea of pure evil spirit liquid, he wasn't sure where to begin.
His eyes fell on the star sapphire hanging from her snow-white neck, and he considered his options. Should I just lick it? he thought, then quickly dismissed the idea as too perverse. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a faint gray mist flowing from between her red lips.
Thump—thump—thump!
His heartbeat quickened, and his pupils dilated as if sensing something. He reached out, tilting the woman's chin upward, forcing her lips to part slightly. A dark, black mist began to seep out from between them.
"Human, how dare you!" Black Crow shouted, shocked and furious. But before it could react, Xia Feng's eyes turned bloodshot. He leaned in, inhaling deeply as if intoxicated. The black mist flowed into his mouth like a tangible substance.
The scene resembled an empress on her throne being forced to yield her energy to a male fox spirit. Xia Feng reveled in the sensation. The pleasure coursed through his spine and nerves, leaving his entire body trembling. He wanted more—more! But—
"Ugh!"
He stumbled back, covering his mouth, his eyes wide. "Hiccup~~~" Despite his efforts, he couldn't hold back the burp that escaped.
Had he overdone it?
[Remaining Activity: 7 days, 5 hours, 2 minutes]
One breath had given him seven days. He needed to find a way to take a breath every day! Though seven days wasn't much, if he kept absorbing, he could drain the Evil Dragon dry and achieve immortality. Outside, others spent hours absorbing mere minutes or hours of energy—inefficient compared to the concentrated evil force within the Evil Dragon.
"Hiccup~~"
His throat bulged as he covered his mouth, but the cool, vanilla-scented breath still escaped. His heart raced, expanding and contracting rapidly. He felt a strange power surging within him, as if the demon heart was being repaired. The sensation was fleeting but left him with a newfound strength.
Xia Feng shook his head, confused but certain that accumulating enough activity would transform the demon heart, unlocking new abilities. His gaze returned to the Evil Dragon with even greater intensity.
Unfortunately, there was a limit to how much evil force he could absorb. If there were no limits, he could potentially consume all the evil energy in the world, annihilating the Evil Race and becoming invincible.
The amount of evil force he could absorb depended on his spiritual pressure. At his current level, he could only withstand seven days' worth at a time. To absorb more, he'd have to wait 24 hours—a cooldown period of sorts.
This meant he'd have to stay here, absorbing energy until he had enough, but that would waste precious time. According to textbooks, his soul could only remain outside his body for 24 hours before risking disintegration. Staying here long-term wasn't an option.
He needed a solution.
"How did you do it?" a cold female voice asked from behind him. Xia Feng turned to find the black crow staring at him with deep, star-like gray eyes.
Xia Feng smiled but remained silent. The crow's presence suggested it was either the guardian of the seal or a companion sealed alongside the Evil Dragon. Given its earlier outburst, it was likely the latter—perhaps a subordinate or even a lover.
But the crow's voice sounded like that of a woman in her thirties. Could they be of the same gender? Xia Feng pondered.
"Human, I'll ask one last time—how did you do it?!"
Xia Feng replied seriously, "Ms. Black Crow, I understand your urgency, but everyone has their secrets. This is mine, and I—"
"If you keep dodging the question, I'll kill you," the crow interrupted, its tone icy.
Xia Feng spread his hands. "It's simple—I can absorb evil energy, but there's a daily limit."
"I can see that. What I want to know is how your human body can withstand such a concentrated evil force."
"Then you'll have to kill me," Xia Feng said, raising his head defiantly.
The crow studied him for a moment, then the murderous intent faded. Its tone softened, becoming almost playful. "Very well, you've got courage. Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" Xia Feng asked, intrigued.
"Yes," the crow replied, fluttering back to its perch. "I can see you need a high concentration of evil force but can't stay here long, correct?"
Xia Feng nodded. "So?"
"Do you see that space spirit formation?" The crow gestured to a blood-red platform about a meter in diameter, engraved with intricate, sacred lines.
"This is a summoning space spirit formation made of abyssal stone, called the 'Gate to the World.' If you gather the required materials and inscribe the formation, you can open this door from anywhere and enter this forbidden area. The materials are simple: fading ink, elephant fish blood, infinite stone, Dragon God's spirit, and World Tree branch powder."
Xia Feng understood. "So, you want me to come here daily to absorb her evil energy?"
The crow nodded. "Why? Don't you want to?"
"I do," Xia Feng said, though he couldn't help but wonder about the crow's motives. "But I have a question—isn't this evil force used to seal the Evil Dragon? Are you trying to get me to break the seal?"
The crow laughed dismissively. "You overestimate yourself. Even if you spent tens of thousands of years here, you couldn't absorb enough to break the seal. However, you could awaken her."
"Awaken the Evil Dragon?" Xia Feng frowned. Given that she was sealed here, there was a good chance she wasn't benevolent. "Ms. Black Crow, you should know that the outside world doesn't have a favorable view of her. If people found out I awakened her—"
"You haven't resolved your spiritual weapon yet, have you? I can help you achieve a 100% success rate," the crow interrupted.
Xia Feng's eyes lit up. "That changes everything! Ms. Black Crow, you're truly kind. I'd be willing to risk my reputation to help you!"
The crow rolled its eyes. "Enough flattery. Here's a branch of the World Tree. Grind it into powder and use 1g each time you inscribe the formation. You'll need to find the other materials yourself—fading ink, elephant fish blood, and infinite stone. Each requires 1g as well."
"What about the Dragon God's spirit?" Xia Feng asked.
The crow gestured to the throne. "Touch her hair."
Xia Feng did as instructed, and as the crow chanted, a strand of the woman's gray hair disintegrated into spirit particles, flowing into his brow. Suddenly, the overwhelming desire to consume the Evil Dragon vanished, replaced by a strange sense of calm.
Was this what they called—post-climax clarity?
The crow landed before him again, its dark eyes locking onto his. "Little human, don't resist. This is the knowledge of the 'Gate to the World' formation. Remember it."
A sharp pain shot through Xia Feng's head as knowledge flooded his mind. It was overwhelming, unlike the pleasant sensation of synchronizing with Mu Qingtong's strength. This felt invasive and painful.
When the pain subsided, Xia Feng looked up. "Alright, Ms. Black Crow, what's the method for a 100% spiritual solution?"
The crow chuckled. "I'll tell you the next time you come back."
"What? Why not now?"
"How do I know you'll return? I hate being stood up," the crow said coldly. "Don't disappoint me."
Xia Feng nodded. The deal was already in his favor, so there was no need to rush.
"Then, Ms. Black Crow, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
The crow closed its eyes. "Go ahead."
But after a moment, Xia Feng turned back awkwardly. "Uh, how do I leave?"
The crow sighed. "I really don't know how you got in here. Come here."
Xia Feng approached, and the crow placed a feather on his forehead. "Return to the spirit!"
A dizzying sensation washed over him, and he heard the crow's voice one last time. "Little brat, if you dare to trick me, you'll regret it!"
When Xia Feng opened his eyes, he was back in the snowy forest, surrounded by fallen trees and Qi Xiao's body. He had returned to his original form.
"'Return to the spirit'—this Spirit Clothe is quite useful," he muttered. Without wasting time, he retraced his steps to the shrinking black hole. He stepped through, disappearing from the forbidden area.
Meanwhile
"How long has it been?" Wei Shutong asked Zhao Jie, his expression calm as he surveyed the blood-stained forest.
Zhao Jie checked his watch and smirked. "Eight hours and nineteen minutes. Old Wei, it seems your adopted son is quite capable. He's held his own against my apprentice for quite some time."
Wei Shutong remained silent, his gaze fixed on the blood moon above. The gap between Xia Feng and Qi Xiao was undeniable. Xia Feng was a genius, but he was still a novice compared to Qi Xiao, who had years of experience and training.
"Old Wei, why don't you transfer that one million to me now?" Zhao Jie teased. "I'll even give you a discount—just 500,000."
Wei Shutong adjusted his suit and leaned on his cane. "Let's wait for the results."
Zhao Jie chuckled, knowing Wei Shutong was just saving face. He'd have plenty of time to mock this cripple once Qi Xiao returned victorious.
(End of Chapter)