Aeth crystals were very valuable and contained extremely tremendous and pure spirit qi. They had always been regarded as important strategic materials in the empire.
An ordinary palm-sized aeth crystal was worth ten silver coins!
The aeth crystal that Old Mo brought out was different from an ordinary aeth crystal. It was a high-grade aeth crystal. It was as clear as a diamond and it had a pale blue luster. Generally, it was used as an aeth power source for battleships.
High-grade aeth crystals were more terrifying in that even one was worth five gold coins.
In other words, high-grade aeth crystals were worth fifty times more than ordinary aeth crystals!
However, the little thing swallowed such an expensive high-grade aeth crystal in the blink of an eye. Old Mo couldn’t help but howl like mad.
He sped forward to try to take it back, but Jiujiu dodged to one side and rushed into Lin Xun’s arms.
It immediately looked at Old Mo with an innocent face.
Old Mo threw into a rage and roared, “Lin Xun, tell that little thing to spit out my aeth crystal. It’s very precious. Don’t let that little thing ruin it!”
Lin Xun shrugged helplessly. “It can spew flames. Why don’t you try to tell it to spit it out yourself?”Old Mo was taken aback. He glanced at the hole blasted into the ground and frantically shook his head. Don’t joke around. It’s too dangerous.
“Alright, Old Mo, you gave it to Jiujiu. Don’t tell me you regret it?” Xiaoke said with a frown.
“No, yes...that...ahh…” Old Mo felt like weeping but no tears came forth. He couldn’t even speak properly. It was too late to regret it.
Lin Xun felt a little bad for him. He watched as Jiujiu lay lazily in his arms and gave a loud burp like it was full. It closed its eyes comfortably and fell asleep, blowing little bubbles in the corner of its mouth.
“It seems like there’s nothing I can do now,” said Lin Xun helplessly.
Old Mo was completely dumbstruck. That little thing has such good digestion. How can it digest a high-grade aeth crystal in the blink of an eye?
“Seems like it feeds on aeth crystals,” Xiaoke said thoughtfully.
Lin Xun looked surprised but then a bad feeling surged up in his heart. If this little things feeds on aeth crystals, I can’t afford to raise it even if I kill myself!
“Instructor Xiaoke, why don’t—I give you Jiujiu?” Lin Xun asked hesitantly.
Xiaoke was at first taken aback but then she frowned deeply. “Jiujiu clearly likes you a lot. It already treats you like family. How can you cruelly abandon it?
Lin Xun smiled wryly.
Old Mo finally felt much better. He was no longer gloomy and going crazy. He grinned, “I can’t wait to see how many aeth crystals you have to feed it every day”
Lin Xun felt a headache coming on.
Xiaoke said, “Alright, how about this? I will make some time to come see Jiujiu. If I find out that you and Old Mo don’t take good care of it...”
Her gaze grew sharp and an oppressive force made Lin Xun’s and Old Mo’s countenances uncontrollably change.
“Remember it,” Xiaoke said, turned around, and left.
Lin Xun and Old Mo exchanged a glance, pitying each other.
……
For the following few days, Lin Xun did what he usually did with one slight difference: Jiujiu was always around him.
The little guy was silly and simple-minded. It saw Lin Xun as its family and always stuck close to Lin Xun when he returned to Old Mo’s warehouse after training. It would joyfully roll around in Lin Xun’s arms.
At first, Lin Xun found it slightly uncomfortable but he soon got used to it. But what gave him a headache was that Jiujiu indeed lived on aeth crystals
Every three days, it had to consume a high-grade aeth crystal. Its speed of spending was almost catching up to Lin Xun’s.
Fortunately, Lin Xun had Xiaoke’s help in Blood Kill Camp so he didn’t have to worry too much about this matter.
However, Lin Xun found it strange that he had never seen Xiaoman ever since the quarterly assessment. It was as though she had vanished.
He had asked Old Mo but the old man also didn’t know where she had gone.
Time flew by and only five days remained until the students had to travel to the Demon Cloud Ridge to participate in the battlefield assessment.
On that day, just as Lin Xun had completed his daily training, he heard a peal of familiar, charming laughter on his way to Old Mo’s warehouse.
Lin Xun lit up with joy. Xiaoman is back!
As he thought, as he stepped into the warehouse, he saw Xiaoman hugging Jiujiu and giggling. She constantly kneaded Jiujiu’s soft and round body like it was the most fun toy in the world. She was having so much fun that even her eyes seemed to be smiling.
“Big Sister, you’re back.” Lin Xun walked over with a smile.
Xiaoman acknowledged him with a nod and didn’t even glance at him. She was still playing with and teasing Jiujiu.
Lin Xun was speechless. Why is Instructor Xiaoke like this, and now Xiaoman is the same? What is so good about Jiujiu? Why does everyone like it so much?
“Are you jealous of its treatment?” Old Mo came over with an envious expression. His eyes were intently staring at Jiujiu buried in Xiaoman’s full chest. He hated the fact that he wasn’t there instead.
“Old Mo, do you think I would be jealous of a little beast?”
Only then did Jiujiu notice Lin Xun and break away from Xiaoman's chest with a swoosh. It pounced into Lin Xun’s arms and chirped joyfully.
Lin Xun suddenly smiled and said to Old Mo, “Look, this little guy is better than you. At least, it doesn’t lust for beauty!”
“The little guy is hundreds of times better than both of you,” exclaimed Xiaoman, her bright eyes sparkling.
Bang!
Suddenly, a tremendous force suddenly pushed the huge warehouse door open. A gust of wind swept in and a chilling air filled the warehouse.
“Xu Sanqi, I didn’t come to fight with you. I’m just here to take two people away. Why do you have to be so unwelcoming?”
A deep voice resounded. The voice contained an indescribable demonic power that could reach the depths of one’s soul and send a chill down one’s spine.
Following the voice, a slender figure walked in huge strides. It was a graceful middle-aged man dressed in a tall hat and an ancient wide-sleeved robe.
He was handsome but his eyes flashed a cold glint as they opened and closed. They seemed capable of stealing one’s soul. The atmosphere instantly turned deathly still and silent upon his arrival. Even the wind subsided as though it was afraid.
Xu Sanqi’s slender spear-like figure was standing beside the man. Unlike his usual stony demeanor, his brows were deeply furrowed and his rock-hard face was overcast.
Lin Xun, Xiaoman, and Old Mo felt a chill in their hearts when they saw the two. Even Jiujiu had buried itself inside Lin Xun’s clothes like it had sensed danger.
“Well, this must be Master Mo.”
The graceful man’s entrance was like a sovereign descending upon the world. He exuded a contemptuous bearing like he controlled the mountains and rivers. Immediately, he fixed his lightning-like gaze on Old Mo.
Old Mo’s expression dramatically changed and his body trembled uncontrollably like he was fighting some sort of fear.
Lin Xun and Xiaoman didn’t dare to move an inch. The two were of a different cultivation level but they both felt an incomparably terrifying oppressive force. It was as though they had fallen into a vast ocean and were in danger of drowning.
It was too terrifying!
It was an invisible imposing bearing, but the fact that it had such a terrifying impact on them demonstrated how powerful the graceful man was.
It was then that Xu Sanqi suddenly stepped forward and stood in front of everyone else. He lifted his head and faced the graceful man. “Xin Rutie, this is Blood Kill Camp. It isn’t a place for you to behave wildly.”
Only then did Lin Xun and the others felt their bodies lighten and the oppressive force faded like the tide. But fear once again filled their eyes when they made eye contact with the graceful man.
The graceful man known as Xin Rutie smiled faintly, showing his pearly white teeth. “Thirteen years ago, you were no match for me. But now…your Wolf Fang Moon is already damaged. Do you think you can win against me?”
“You want to try?”
Xu Sanqi’s eyes flashed coldly like a blade and his bearing suddenly changed. A chilling murderous intent surged around him, forcing the surrounding air to whimper and wail.
Xin Rutie was silent for a moment, then he suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly. “Old man, I haven’t seen you in years but your temper is still as bad. If I didn’t have an important matter to deal with, I really would want to test my strength against yours. I want to see whether your Wolf Fang Moon is more powerful or my Treasure Bottle Seal!”
Treasure Bottle Seal!
Xu Sanqi narrowed his eyes. “No wonder you’re so fearless today. Did the old man from the Divine Workshop help you make it?”
Xin Rutie smiled. “It’s a secret.”
Then, he scrunched his brows and said, “Move aside. I am ordered to only take away Master Mo and a youngster called Lin Xun. I’m not here to fight with you.”
Lin Xun’s heart trembled violently. He had never thought he would be involved in this matter!
Even Xiaoman looked surprised. But then, her pretty face grew overcast as though she had guessed something.
“Give me a reason.” Xu Sanqi said, his voice coldly and unyielding.
Xin Rutie said ruminatively, “The Empire’s Divine Workshop needs talents like them.”
Xu Sanqi’s eyes suddenly shot out a cold glint. “You already know?”
Xin Rutie chuckled. “Xu Sanqi, you know that Blood Kill Camp works for the empire. It is not your private territory. You think you can hide what happens here?”
Xu Sanqi’s face was overcast with a fierce frown as he said in a loud resolute voice, “Regardless, I can’t agree to your request.”
As though that predicted Xu Sanqi would respond in such a way, Xin Rutie brought out a mysterious violet token. “You should understand what this token means. Are you really going to disobey an order?”
Xu Sanqi finally couldn’t keep his composure when he saw the token. His expression changed indefinitely and he fell silent.
The atmosphere became tense and stifling.
Lin Xun looked confused. He vaguely guessed something, but he wasn’t entirely sure.
On the other hand, Xiaoman’s and Old Mo’s faces grew grave. They had understood Xin Rutie’s purpose in coming.
“Old man, the interests of the empire are above everything else. You should know this already. Now, please step aside!”
Xin Rutie put away the token and drew a deep breath. His expression turned solemn, imposing, and extremely threatening.