"Didn't you say you'd grant me one condition?" Qi Yu insisted. "I don't want to fight you. I want to choose another condition, and have you help me collect blood."
Si Qing wiped his face again.
What was all this about?
"Does it feel a bit unreasonable to ask this of you? But there's no other way, you promised me, so you have to do it." Qi Yu began to act spoiled.
Si Qing took a deep breath. With no other options, he nodded in agreement.
He walked out of the room with a look of tragic determination. Seeing everyone else waiting outside, he couldn't help but smile. He then produced a glazed cup.
"Sister seems to be no longer angry, but also perhaps still angry. So I hope everyone can be generous and bestow upon me a drop of blood each."
Yue Zhiyin pondered, "What do you want each of our drops of blood for? You're not planning to get revenge with some curse, are you?"
Qi Nian's face also showed suspicion.
Sui You sized him up.
Chi Ming, however, was unconcerned. He raised his hand and offered a drop of blood. Before Si Qing could speak, he added with a smile, "It's fine. Whether it's a curse or bone, feel free to use it. My blood isn't easily cursed."
Qi Yan and Ming Lou also cooperated by dripping a drop of blood.
Si Qing looked at Yue Zhiyin. "Senior Brother, do I look like that kind of person? No, should I say, do I look like that kind of dragon? Revenge... Why would I bother retaliating against a Heavenly Emperor? Sister asked me to do this. Sister said she wants to cultivate a new type of Gu worm, but it requires a drop of blood from each of you."
Upon hearing this, Yue Zhiyin put aside his doubts and dripped a drop of blood. The others followed suit.
In just a short while, Si Qing had collected everyone's blood.
An Nuo stood on tiptoe. "How is Qi Yu going to make the Gu worm? I want to go in and see."
As she spoke, she peeked towards the room.
Shao Feng was also very curious and kept looking around, though he didn't show it.
Si Qing rolled his eyes with disdain.
Finally, Shao Feng kicked him into the room.
Qi Yu knew he would succeed in getting the blood, so she wasn't surprised to see Si Qing being kicked inside.
She directly raised her hand, took the glazed cup from Si Qing, placed it on her table, and waved him away without looking back.
This indicated that Si Qing's mission was complete and he could leave.
To show that she was no longer angry, she also opened the door.
Seeing this, those who had been waiting outside immediately filed in. They curiously surrounded Qi Yu, forming a circle behind her, eager to see how the Gu worm was raised and refined.
As for Si Qing, the greatest contributor to appeasing Qi Yu, he was pushed to the very edge by everyone.
Si Qing felt wronged. He forced his way back in. "You're all going too far! Why are you pushing the greatest contributor to the outside? Isn't it because of me that you can all enter this room?"
No one paid him any mind. They were all intently watching Qi Yu refine the Gu.
Si Qing snorted. While thinking about settling the score later, he poked his head forward to watch.
He saw Qi Yu pick up the glazed cup containing everyone's blood, pour some into a pure silver tray before her, and then take out something green from the table that resembled a butterfly pupa. She gently cut it open, took out a white fleshy worm, and placed it into the silver tray.
The white fleshy worm was plump and soft, not particularly large, only about the size of a thumb.
After rolling around in the silver tray, it quickly absorbed all the blood.
Qi Yu watched, resting her chin on her hand. Then, she cupped her hands, closed her eyes, and began to chant something.
As Qi Yu's incantation continued, the plump white worm seemed to become even cuter, gradually transforming from a plump worm into a plump round ball, soft to the touch.
Qi Yu placed the round ball inside the glazed cup. She pricked her fingertip and, in addition to the others' blood, added her own, completely immersing the plump white ball within.
Then, she used the Huiguang Mirror and Yanzhen Mirror to shine upon it.
Si Qing watched from beginning to end, and finally asked with some confusion, "What kind of Gu refining method is this? Sister?"
"Yes, I also thought you were going to do something incredibly extraordinary. Turns out it's just this simple. What kind of Gu worm is this?" Yu Yuan also touched his chin curiously.
"I don't know yet if this can be successfully cultivated. I'll tell you after it's successful. This thing needs to be illuminated here for a while. I've used the mirror's clone, so it won't affect me doing other things. Let's go out," Qi Yu said, setting up a barrier, preparing to leave.
Si Qing let out an "Oh" and trotted along behind her.
Just then, a report suddenly came from outside from shrimp soldiers and crab generals:
"Report! There are divine generals from the Thirteenth Heaven outside bearing an imperial decree. They specifically request an audience with Princess Qi Yu and Lord Chen Xi."
——
More to come later.