To be bound to this woman, what did it truly mean? Zhao Yichen wondered. She said that he was only alive because he was bound to her.
Seeing the confused expression on his face, Shen Minyao arched a brow. This man had a handsome face, but it wasn't the first time she had seen one anyway. She had seen a good share of men in her past life.
However, what made this man different from the others she had seen and met in the past was the fact that he didn't have a corrupt soul. In fact, he was one of the rare humans who were able to keep his human soul intact and unblemished by worldly sins.
The only reason this man was able to enter a contract with her was his despair to live not only for himself but also for the loved ones he needed to protect. If it was another man who was as corrupted as those four men she devoured earlier, no matter how much blood they bleed tonight, it wouldn't be enough to break the seal that had trapped her for ages.
Perhaps it was the fox spirit's luck that she was able to get her freedom because of this man's misfortune. Even the taste of his blood let her know that he was untouched, which was surprising since she didn't think any man would be able to keep their innocence for so long.
"What?" Zhao Yichen raised a brow at her once he noticed her staring at him.
The fox woman shrugged and placed a hand on her hip as she held her hair up, frowning as she noticed how unmanageable Shen Minyao's wet hair was. Back in her days, women took so much time and attention to keep up with their appearances. Was it because people nowadays preferred convenience? Perhaps, she had been sealed for too long that many things have changed during her slumber. It would take some time for her to get used to her new life as Shen Minyao.
"What do you mean that I am bound to your soul?" Zhao Yichen held his aching side, hissing in pain as he wondered how to free himself from the contract he made with this devious creature. Just by looking at the dead body behind her was enough to raise red flags about her. There was no doubt that this nine-tailed fox was up to no good. Or so he thought.
"Oh, about that." Shen Minyao looked down at him. "It only means that your soul endured and stayed in your body in spite of how bad your condition is. I didn't need to say this, do I, human? The amount of damage those people inflicted on your body is enough to kill you."
Zhao Yichen pressed his lips into a thin line, knowing what she said was right. He was good as dead.
"And this contract would last until when?" He asked in a soft voice but was still loud enough for Shen Minyao to hear, given her heightened senses.
Shen Minyao stared at his conflicted expression. Did he really abhor the idea of being indebted to her? Well, she couldn't really blame him. It wasn't the first time that people looked at her this way. The moment they found out she wasn't a human, they either wanted to flee for their life or kill her to consume her flesh that was believed to give any human who devoured it a long life.
Humans. Still stupid and inferior no matter how many years have passed. In the end, they were only concerned about themselves and would forsake everything just to protect their own interests. The fox spirit had enough experiences to know better than believing or getting attached to any human, for they would only bring her troubles.
"I see you couldn't wait to get rid of me, huh, human? Too bad, this contract is a lifelong one and would only end either if I took back my energy core that's keeping you alive or if I ended up dead. So, human, if you really want to get rid of me, start thinking of a way to kill me."
There was something about her smile that brought shivers down Zhao Yichen's spine. A lifelong contract? Did this mean that he was bound to her as long as he lived? As for her energy core, why did she give up such an important thing to save him?
"Now, Contractor. Should we get going? We need to meet someone before we could return to our lives," Shen Minyao said before turning around, walking leisurely towards the eastern direction of Qingqiu Mountain.
Zhao Yichen forced himself to stand up, his knees trembling as he hissed for the pain that shot through his body. Clutching his chest, he found the gunshot wound—that should be there—was gone without a trace. How amazing this woman's energy was!
"Why couldn't you heal my internal injuries?" He asked her as they walked into a trail that was obviously not used for a long time.
Shen Minyao waved her hand in front of them, a gust of wind clearing their path as small branches fell on the ground.
"Obviously, because this one isn't strong enough." She was talking about the body she had now. Her powers were almost depleted to the limit when she possessed this dead body of Shen Minyao. Even though she had eaten four human livers tonight, it wasn't enough to heal this host's injuries as well as her human contractor.
"So where are we going?" Zhao Yichen looked around, amazed that even though it was dark, he was able to see clearly in front of him. Was this also an effect of the fox's energy core?
"You talk too much, human. Just do what I say." The fox woman said before lifting her gaze once she found what she was looking for.
Zhao Yichen followed her gaze and saw an abandoned shrine, but what did she want from here?