Su Meier led Qin Yi forward until they reached an area heavy with the faint scent of blood.
Looking around, Qin Yi saw that most of the wooden plaques here described techniques that burned away one's life force or consumed others to replenish oneself. Even their names alone exuded an air of cruelty and violence.
Without question, this was the section belonging to the Blood-Feast Valley.
Suddenly, Su Meier stopped. With her slender fingers, she plucked a plaque from the many on display and handed it to Qin Yi.
"Here. This is the one."
The plaque was cool to the touch. Carved upon it in cinnabar ink were five bold, flowing characters:
Blood Ghost Body-Slaying Art.
Scanning further down, Qin Yi quickly understood what it entailed.
This was indeed an extremely sinister secret art, one with terrifying side effects. Once activated, it devoured the user's flesh and blood in an instant, transforming their entire body into a fearless "Blood Ghost" under their command.
"This art," Su Meier's soft voice echoed beside him, "is among the fiercest offensive secret arts of the Blood-Feast lineage for the Qi Refining stage.
The Blood Ghost, formed from your very essence and blood, has no life, knows no pain, and is entirely immune to spiritual assaults. Every strike it delivers carries the force of one at the very peak of Qi Refining."
"For opponents of the same realm, the Blood Ghost is virtually invincible."
"Of course, the side effects are equally grave. For anyone outside Blood-Feast Valley, once this art is used, their life will be tied wholly to the Blood Ghost. When its duration ends and the ghost dissipates, the caster will die on the spot—without exception."
She gave him a sidelong glance. "But disciples of your valley are different. With bodies far tougher than ordinary cultivators, even when the Blood Ghost vanishes, you can still cling to life for a short while. If, during that time, you have enough blood to consume, you can recover."
"However…" Her tone shifted, silk to steel. "After invoking this art, you will suffer an entire hour of absolute weakness. You won't be able to lift a finger, let alone feed yourself. Which means that even disciples of Blood-Feast Valley must have someone trustworthy nearby to guard them."
Qin Yi frowned slightly. "But if I can control the Blood Ghost, couldn't I simply have it feed me during that time?"
"Fufu~" Su Meier laughed lightly behind her hand, as if he had just told a joke. "Junior brother, you think far too simply. The Blood Ghost is the embodiment of your killing intent. It only understands slaughter. You can command it to strike at enemies—but to feed you? Absolutely impossible."
"Besides, while the ghost exists, any blood or energy you consume will be siphoned into it entirely to sustain its form. You will not recover a shred of strength until the secret art ends. Only the instant the ghost dissipates must you begin feeding yourself, or you'll never escape that weakened state."
Qin Yi nodded silently.
Su Meier's knowledge went far deeper than he had expected. Much of what she told him was nowhere to be found on the plaques. Without her guidance, he might have had to pay for such lessons with blood.
A thought stirred in his heart. Casually, he shifted his gaze to the side shelves and reached for another plaque.
"Blood Heir Substitution Art?" He read aloud with feigned curiosity. "This one looks rather interesting. Senior sister, do you know if it carries any hidden dangers?"
Su Meier barely glanced at it before shaking her head with disinterest. "Don't choose that. The conditions are absurdly strict. Unless you can find a group of utterly loyal subordinates, willing to die for you without hesitation, you'll never cultivate it."
From that alone, Qin Yi could tell—she was intimately familiar with even this art.
Pressing further, he asked, "Aside from that? Any other risks?"
She looked at him strangely. "What more is there? It's already next to impossible to practice. I know what you're worried about—you fear these techniques may have traps hidden in them."
Her phoenix eyes curved into a teasing smile. "But think about it. If someone truly wanted to ensnare others with a technique, they would make it exceedingly easy to learn, so as many people as possible would fall into the trap."
"That's how it is with the core arts of the four sects."
"But every manual here in the Scripture Pavilion has been vetted by the sect's upper echelon. No hidden backdoors. Unless…" Her eyes lingered on him. "Unless you're valuable enough for an elder to set a trap for you personally."
Qin Yi scratched his head. Of course, he didn't fully believe her.
But since she had already said so much, he had to at least pretend to accept her words.
He nodded. "I understand."
With that, he lifted the plaque for the Blood Ghost Body-Slaying Art and gave it a shake. "Then I'll choose this one. Senior sister, is there anything else I should know?"
Instead of answering, Su Meier simply gazed at him with those enchanting phoenix eyes.
"You really won't come to my cave-dwelling, will you?"
Qin Yi gave a bitter smile. "Senior sister jests. In two days, I must follow Senior Brother Zhou into the Six-Intersection Mountain secret realm. I truly have no time."
"What?" A flicker of surprise crossed her face. "Don't tell me—you're that Blood-Feast Valley novice from the last entrance trial? The one who reached mid-stage Qi Refining right after joining? You're Qin Yi?"
When he nodded, realization flashed across her eyes. With a soft sigh, she murmured, "So that's how it is. Since Senior Brother Zhou named you himself, you cannot refuse. Very well then… but promise me this—you will come back alive. I believe you will."
Even now, Qin Yi had no idea why Su Meier showed such unusual warmth toward him.
But to her words, he could only nod in return.
Clutching the plaque, he was about to pour his spiritual energy into it to claim the manual—when a sudden waft of fragrance brushed his cheek.
Unnoticed, Su Meier had drawn close. Her soft lips nearly brushed his ear, her warm breath tickling his skin with a maddening, itchy numbness.
A question, dripping with mystery and seduction, whispered into his ear:
"Junior brother… do you prefer spirit foxes, or spirit hounds?"
Qin Yi stiffened, forcing down the strange heat rising in him. He cleared his throat. "Actually… I prefer cats."
The words had barely fallen when he felt the lightest, softest touch against his earlobe.
Su Meier had leaned in again—this time letting out a tiny, delicate sound, just like a kitten's mewl.
"Meow~"
"Then you must come back, won't you? This little kitten will be waiting for you… in my cave."