The chilly night began to drift with a layer of hazy mist, making even the moonlight appear mottled.
“Ye Xi, get ready to run in a bit. Liu Yao is coming.”
“Liu Yao?”
“The person from The Official who contacted me.”
Ye Xi’s expression darkened slightly.
“Aren’t you afraid she’ll bring people to ambush you?”
“I told her we were at West Corner Alley. we can observe for a while from here before deciding whether to slip away.”
Seeing that Ye Xi still looked grim, Shen Ji offered some comfort.
“Alright, if the cooperation goes well, we might be able to get a lot of benefits from The Official.”
“Take off your clothes. I need another taste of your blood.”
Shen Ji froze.
Another taste?
‘When did you even drink my blood?’
Ye Xi walked straight toward Shen Ji, carelessly pulling aside the fabric on his shoulder to reveal two prominent little red dots on his collarbone.
“You drank it back at the bar?”
Ye Xi bit down, her voice muffled as she spoke.
“What else did you think? How else do you think that scum died?”
“What does that have to do with my blood?”
“My Talent is **[Blood Mist]**. It can kill people invisibly, but I had consumed too much energy before and couldn’t use it. It was an emergency, so I had no choice but to take a sip of your blood. You know what happened after that…”
“My King, your blood is truly terrifying.”
Shen Ji pursed his lips.
He knew, of course, that it had nothing to do with him; it was all because Ye Xi had played the key role.
“I say, Shen Ji, is there something wrong with your blood?”
“Ah? What… what’s wrong?”
A flash of panic crossed Shen Ji’s eyes.
In essence, he was still a Human.
The so-called Blood Tribe Form was merely a product of the System.
“The energy is a bit too abundant. Rumor has it that human blood is like this…”
Shen Ji swallowed hard, trying his best to remain calm.
“Are you kidding? I’m a pure-blooded member of the Blood Race, and a King Seed at that!”
Ye Xi pulled her head away and licked her crimson lips.
Then, as if thinking of something, she muttered to herself, ‘It’s a pity not to use a King Seed as a blood bag.’
Shen Ji’s mouth twitched, and he quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, what exactly is a Talent?”
“A Talent is a special ability we awaken during the Third Evolution. Everyone’s is different, and as the number of evolutions increases, the corresponding ability grows stronger.”
Just as Shen Ji was wondering what Liu Yao’s Talent would be, since she had also reached the Third Evolution, the mechanical voice rang out in his mind once more.
**[Ding — Blood Race member detected: Liu Yao]**
Ye Xi’s eyes swirled with scarlet as she stared fixedly at the figure appearing at the alley entrance.
“Shen Ji, there’s no need for these little tricks like giving me the wrong location next time.”
Shen Ji scratched his head and smiled.
“Sorry about that, Sister Liu. I must have misread the signs.”
Liu Yao didn’t care about Shen Ji’s interruption.
She walked straight out of the darkness and stopped in front of Ye Xi.
She could clearly perceive that among the three people present, only Ye Xi posed the greatest threat to her.
Ye Xi crossed her arms and sized up Liu Yao.
A sharp ponytail paired with efficient workwear — she definitely looked the part of someone from The Official.
“And who are these people?”
Before Shen Ji could speak, Ye Xi cut in.
“I am Ye Xi. Shen Ji is my man. As for that little brat over there, she’s just here to cause trouble.”
Liu Yao glanced at Shen Ji suspiciously.
He had found such a domineering girlfriend at such a young age, and her strength seemed quite extraordinary as well.
From what she knew, Shen Ji didn’t seem like the type to live off a woman.
“Shen Ji, I want to talk to you alone.”
Ye Xi’s aura suddenly surged.
She stepped in front of Shen Ji and said in an unquestionable tone, “I can represent him. Just talk to me.”
Originally, Liu Yao had only come here to confirm whether Shen Ji’s identity as a King Seed was true.
She hadn’t expected the woman in front of her to be so unyielding — even overbearing to a fault.
A spark of anger rose within her.
“Move.”
Liu Yao made no effort to hide the fury burning in her eyes.
The pressure of the Third Evolution fully expanded as she glared at the woman who was also at the Third Evolution.
Among peers of the Third Evolution, physical statistics were usually similar.
What truly decided victory or defeat was the quality of one’s Talent.
And she just happened to have awakened **[Strength]**.
In a direct confrontation, she was confident that based on pure physical power alone, she could hold her own even against those of the 5th Evolution.
“And if I say no?”
Liu Yao didn’t hesitate for a second.
She pivoted her hips, twisted her waist, and raised her leg, her leather boot descending straight toward Ye Xi.
*Boom!*
Dust kicked up, and Shen Ji could only vaguely see two red afterimages colliding violently.
“My King, aren’t you going to stop them?”
Yun Xiaotao looked at the two women fighting and then at the composed Shen Ji.
“No rush. It looks like they’re fighting, but in reality, we are demonstrating our strength to the other side. Otherwise, relying solely on my status as a King Seed won’t guarantee an equal relationship in our future cooperation.”
Small stars seemed to drift from Yun Xiaotao’s eyes.
She obediently leaned closer to Shen Ji.
He was truly her King; no matter how big the trouble, she felt so safe just being by his side.
Shen Ji said those words, but in his heart, he was thinking, ‘Stop a fight between two Blood Race members of the Third Evolution? I’d rather just play dead.’
The dust gradually settled, and a red afterimage flew out from within.
Shen Ji’s eyes narrowed as he realized it was Ye Xi.
He quickly caught her from behind to prevent her from hitting the wall.
“Cough, cough…”
Though Ye Xi’s face was pale, there wasn’t the slightest hint of defeat on her expression.
She looked back at Shen Ji’s anxious eyes, her lips curling slightly.
“Don’t worry, Xiao Jizi. Big Sister will protect you.”
Shen Ji’s expression was grave.
He pulled open his clothes to reveal half of his collarbone while whispering, “Want a bite first?”
Ye Xi smiled but didn’t speak, her gaze returning to Liu Yao’s direction.
“Little girl, I admit you’re strong. But my Talent is **[Strength]**.
Among those of the Third Evolution, no one can beat me in a direct contest of power!”
Though Liu Yao’s clothes were covered in dust, her eyes remained piercingly red.
Ye Xi wiped the residual blood from the corner of her mouth and said contemptuously, “Old lady, you can’t win against me with just brute force.”
With that, a strange red light flashed in Ye Xi’s eyes.
Crimson mist began to drift off Liu Yao’s body.
As the mist dispersed, Liu Yao’s figure began to sway uncontrollably.
Liu Yao huffed and pushed her Talent to the limit, forcing her body to stop shaking, but she absolutely could not stop the loss of power from within.
“Alright, Ye Xi, retract your Talent. I think Sister Liu already considers you qualified to talk with us.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Xi hesitated slightly, looking at Liu Yao with wariness.
“What? Is my word not good enough?”
Shen Ji’s night-blue eyes suddenly lit up, though none of the pressure fell upon Ye Xi.
She understood immediately.
She quickly retracted her Blood Tribe Form and looked at Shen Ji with a doting expression, sighing in her heart, ‘If only he could be this overbearing all the time.’
Shen Ji felt his skin crawl under her gaze.
He had originally just wanted Ye Xi to show him some respect, but the way she was looking at him now made him feel like something was very wrong.