All Things Are Contracts

Chapter 53

“Since I’ve already agreed to help you, how could I give up halfway? You said there’s a mark planted in your spirit veins, and they can sense any spiritual power fluctuations nearby?” Zhanyue asked.

The black-robed person, still in their black robe attire, nodded.

“Then see if this Vein Sealing Pill would help you,” Zhanyue handed the third-grade Vein Sealing Pill he had refined to the black-robed person.

“Vein… Sealing Pill?” The black-robed person’s eyes showed some shock. “Wasn’t this pill formula lost? Where did you find it?” The Vein Sealing Pill could seal spirit veins, effective on those below the Profound Realm. Originally a method to restrict people, it could now help the black-robed person. As long as they took this pill, they would be no different from ordinary people, and those people wouldn’t be able to track them.

Looking at this bottle of Vein Sealing Pills, they were somewhat conflicted. If they took it, the spiritual power fluctuations would indeed disappear, but they would also truly have no means of self-protection. If the person in front of them wanted to do something, they would be completely unable to resist.

After thinking for a moment, the black-robed person took the Vein Sealing Pill and then took a black pill.

“What’s that?” Zhanyue asked with a frown. That black pill gave a very ominous feeling.

“Fourth-grade Black Water Pill, extremely poisonous,” the black-robed person said. “Without activation, it will slowly be digested by the body, harmless. But when activated, it turns into a deadly poison, causing instant death. Even if I’ve taken the Vein Sealing Pill, I can still forcibly activate it without problem.”

Zhanyue looked at the black-robed person speechlessly. “I’ve never seen anyone feed themselves poison. Do you distrust me that much?” Zhanyue naturally understood the black-robed person’s thoughts. Now that Zhanyue knew they were female, if Zhanyue had any intentions towards her, she would activate the poison pill inside her body to commit suicide and preserve her chastity.

“Fine, you’re really a ruthless person,” Zhanyue sighed helplessly. After all, they hadn’t known each other for long, so it was understandable that she couldn’t fully trust him.

“I’m curious, how beautiful are you that you think I might have designs on you if I see your appearance?” Zhanyue said unhappily. Did he really look like a lecher? Was it necessary to guard against him so much?

The black-robed person didn’t answer this question, only saying, “I’m sorry. But now I’m completely an ordinary person. My safety will entirely depend on you from now on.”

After taking the Vein Sealing Pill, the black-robed person was no different from ordinary people. Even standing in front of those two Profound Beings, they wouldn’t sense any fluctuations, so she could move freely.

“Fine, after all, we’re in a fair transaction. Just give me the promised reward when the time comes. By the way, I should at least know your name, right? I can’t keep calling you ‘senior’. What if you’re even younger than me?” Zhanyue said.

The black-robed person thought for a moment, then said, “My name is Baizhi. As for age, I should be younger than you. But it’s better if you don’t call my name outside. It wouldn’t be good if they heard it.”

“Baizhi? I’ve heard that the Thousand Charms Empire has four great alchemy families: Bai, Huang, Zhu, and Lan. Are you from the Bai family?” Zhanyue immediately thought, after all, this girl’s insights into alchemy were truly extraordinary.

The black-robed person didn’t respond, nor did she deny it. At this moment, the two had only changed to two different rooms, still in the same inn. After all, the most dangerous place is often the safest place. Those two Profound Beings probably wouldn’t think that Baizhi hadn’t run away, and with the Vein Sealing Pill’s protection, they wouldn’t be able to sense any aura.

As night fell, the black-robed person knocked on Zhanyue’s door, hugging a pillow and blanket.

“What’s this?” Zhanyue looked suspiciously at the black-robed person standing at the door.

“Can I sleep in your room? I’ll sleep on the floor,” the black-robed person asked.

Zhanyue thought for a moment, then nodded and invited the black-robed person in. “After what happened today, could this girl be scared? But also, her spirit veins are sealed now, she’s just an ordinary person.”

Zhanyue curiously looked at the black-robed person, making her feel uneasy. “You gave yourself a poison pill, and now you’re running into my room in the middle of the night. Do you trust me or not?”

“I… I don’t know either,” Baizhi was conflicted in her heart, but now it seemed she could only rely on this person she hadn’t known for long.

“You’re not running away from an arranged marriage, are you?” Zhanyue gossiped. This kind of plot was too common in novels.

“Huh?” Baizhi was slightly stunned, then said, “Yes… and no. Anyway, things are very complicated. It’s better if you don’t know too much. It’s not good for you.”

“Alright, you rest well,” Zhanyue didn’t say more, but turned off the lights and closed his eyes to rest. He didn’t dare sleep too deeply. In the deep of night, Zhanyue actually heard faint sobbing. “This girl, is she crying?” For a moment, Zhanyue felt somewhat heartbroken, as if she truly had no one to rely on.

“Hey, stop crying. You’re making me irritated, as if I’ve bullied you,” Zhanyue persuaded.

“No… I’m not crying,” Baizhi covered her head, her inner sorrow intensifying. As the most outstanding young member of the Bai family, although she lost her mother at a young age, she had grown up in luxury and never suffered any grievances. But since her grandfather and father disappeared, everything changed. In the world, it seemed there was no one to rely on.

Her voice now was unlike the hoarse one before, but a clear female voice. She had forgotten to disguise it.

“Sigh,” Zhanyue sat up, not knowing how to comfort this person.

“You’re already a fourth-grade alchemist at such a young age, and your understanding of alchemy is exceptionally profound. Isn’t your talent good enough? Why are you being forced to flee in hiding?” Zhanyue couldn’t understand. Such a prodigy would be a treasured pearl in any family, cherished and never allowed to suffer any grievances.

“What’s so great about being a fourth-grade alchemist? What’s so great about talent? My value is nothing more than a pill formula,” Baizhi said somewhat aggrieved. “Don’t ask anymore. I don’t want to talk about them.”

Zhanyue knew that he probably hadn’t gained this girl’s trust yet, and she was still unwilling to tell him many things. He couldn’t force it.

Without touring the prosperous Pearl City, the two silently waited in the room until the day of the auction.

Baizhi led Zhanyue into the auction venue, which was already packed with people. Below were rows of seats, while the second floor had independent VIP rooms. Somehow Baizhi had obtained VIP cards, so the two sat in a VIP room.

“It’s those two Profound Beings!” Zhanyue actually discovered the two from that day in the seats below. They had come too. Perhaps due to hasty preparation, the two hadn’t obtained VIP cards and, as Profound Beings, were sitting in the ordinary seats. But they didn’t seem to mind.

Baizhi’s breathing became somewhat rapid. She thought it was fortunate that Zhanyue had given her the Vein Sealing Pill, otherwise she might have been discovered by the two at the auction, and everything would have been ruined. Luckily, she was now in a VIP room, very safe.

“Nothing? Completely no trace of her aura,” the two Profound Beings discussed below.

“How can there be nothing? According to our investigation along the way, she seemed very interested in this auction, although we don’t know what item she wants,” the other asked.

“Could it be that our actions a few days ago scared her, making her give up on this auction?”

“Possible. It’s really damned. If we hadn’t been so impulsive that day, it would have been better. We clearly sensed she was in that building.”

“We checked all the rooms in that building, no one. Thinking about it, the only place that could hide a person was in that man’s bathtub, but how could that be possible? The young miss couldn’t bear such humiliation, hiding in a man’s bathtub. It would probably be worse than killing her.”

“Better to kill wrongly than let someone escape. Why didn’t you say so at the time? What if she really was hiding in there?” the other said unwillingly.

“It’s fine. I’ve memorized that man’s appearance. I can recognize him at a glance next time we see him. Then we can thoroughly interrogate him.”

“Alright, let’s just watch the auction. I heard there’s an eighth-grade pill as the finale this time.”

“An eighth-grade pill, ah. It’s a pity our Bai family doesn’t have an eighth-grade alchemist. So we must find the young miss and bring her back. This time she has no choice. It’s about whether our Bai family can produce an eighth-grade alchemist and completely surpass the other three families. She’s too willful,” the other said. Eighth-grade alchemists were already the ceiling for alchemists in this world. There were only four known eighth-grade alchemists in the whole world. Even the patriarchs and elders of the four great alchemy families were only sixth or seventh-grade alchemists.

Soon, the noisy voices quieted down. A middle-aged man with exceptional temperament walked onto the auction stage. His appearance meant the auction was officially beginning.