Chapter 85: The Request

Liu Tian slept for a full twenty-four hours. When he awoke, he felt refreshed, his previously depleted strength restored. A rumble from his stomach reminded him it was time to go out and replenish his energy.

He got out of bed, took a fresh school uniform from the wooden rack, and, after glancing at the bare stove and empty pantry, opened the door.

Standing there was Chu Zihang, still at the threshold, and around her, several people lay scattered messily on the ground.

They were still breathing—so she hadn’t killed them.

The sharp scent of blood clung to Chu Zihang. Liu Tian frowned. “You’ve been wearing those clothes all this time?”

Speaking, Liu Tian pulled her inside, pointed to the bathroom, and tossed her a shirt and a pair of shorts. “There’s cold water in there. Go wash up first. You reek of blood—if you were outside, you’d have been taken in already.”

Chu Zihang made no protest, so docile that no one would believe she was the notorious terror of the slums, infamous for breaking the arms and legs of anyone who crossed her over the last twenty-four hours.

Without a word, she placed her knife aside, cradled the clothes, and walked into the unfamiliar bathroom. Soon, the sound of icy water echoed from within.

“The soap’s on the windowsill,” Liu Tian called with a yawn. He had no intention of peeping through the battered, drafty door.

What am I doing? When did I become so meddlesome? Is it because I poured all my murderous intent and domineering will into the Serpent persona?

Only now, after everything was done, did Liu Tian think of this.

To create a powerful persona, one needed a complete memory, intense emotion, and, most importantly, mastery of ability.

He’d dealt with the ability using the white light, and spent twelve years perfecting the memories. Only emotions were left—having practiced the Path of Heavenly Martial Slaughter in the past, Liu Tian had always been haunted by its inherent bloodlust and arrogance. Though he later reformed it into the Path of Heavenly Martial, the traces remained.

Not liking to be influenced by the emotions embedded in martial arts, Liu Tian borrowed the method from the King of the Century’s breakthrough and simply transferred those unwanted emotions into the Serpent, who needed them more.

But now, perhaps he’d poured in too much—he was becoming a busybody.

If this continues, will I turn into a little goldfish too? Is this the fate of all who practice the Path of Heavenly Martial Slaughter?

The kindly face of the Way drifted through his mind, and Liu Tian couldn’t help but think of it.

Well, if it means drinking tea, so be it. As long as I grow stronger, it doesn’t matter.

Lost in thought, he was interrupted by the sound of the door opening—a long, snowy-white leg stepped out first.

Tracing the smooth line upward, he saw it led to a very incongruous pair of black men’s shorts. Above that, a pale navel, and higher still, a delicate, freshly washed face. Her hair, wet from the shower, clung to her forehead, cascading down her back, for lack of a hairclip.

It was worth noting that, being a year older than Liu Tian, his shirt was already barely long enough; on Chu Zihang, whose figure was well-developed thanks to her mother’s genes, it barely covered anything. From the right angle, one might glimpse a most enchanting scene.

“You can’t go out like that.” Liu Tian looked her over, then pulled a pure-black military-style coat from the wooden compartment. “Put this on.”

Chu Zihang obeyed without a word, slipping on the coat, which concealed everything. She stood quietly, waiting for Liu Tian to speak.

He sighed. By nature, he was a solitary, awkward man who hated trouble, brokering every deal in the past with absolute power and calculated benefit.

But seeing that Chu Zihang had truly followed him all this way and stood at his door for a day and a night, he decided to give her a chance—a fair trade.

Of course, it helped that she was exceptionally easy on the eyes.

He had to admit, most people in this world were visual creatures. Chu Zihang had always been the most beautiful girl at Shilan Academy, and after her bloodline awakened, her looks became almost otherworldly.

That alone was enough to make the now-idle Liu Tian, who had no enemies he couldn’t overcome, open the door to negotiation.

“So, what do you want? And what are you willing to give in return?” he asked, leaning against the door. “This is your only chance. Don’t insult my intelligence with meaningless offers.”

Hearing that she was finally allowed to speak, Chu Zihang clenched her fists. Though she had long made up her mind, she felt nervous as she opened her mouth, her heart pounding faster, golden light flaring uncontrollably in her eyes. “Power. I want the power to kill Odin. I’m willing to offer the only thing I can decide—myself—as the price.”

“The power to kill Odin, is it?” Liu Tian recalled the strength Odin had displayed and frowned. “At your current level, I don’t mean to be rude. It’s not completely impossible, but you can’t afford the price.”

“There are too many beauties in this world, too many willing to give up everything. Odin, whether or not he’s unique, is at least among the strongest beings in this world.”

“You’re not worth that price.”

“You have a way?” Chu Zihang ignored everything else Liu Tian said, locking her gaze onto his, seizing the core point—it’s not completely impossible.

Which meant there was a way!

“Oh, you only caught that part?” Liu Tian replied lazily. “My main point is, you can’t afford it. You say you’ll give up everything—how far are you willing to go?”

“Not everything,” Chu Zihang suddenly retorted. “Only myself—the only thing I can decide.”

Interesting.

At last, Liu Tian was truly intrigued. “You must be the one your father risked everything to save, right? So you’re ready to give yourself to a man you don’t know or understand?”

“If he chose to save me, that was his choice,” Chu Zihang said through clenched teeth. Unconsciously, her nails had dug deep into her flesh, blood dripping to the floor. “I am the only one who can decide what I do with myself.”

“I want the power to kill Odin. If I meet him in the city, I’ll kill him there. If I meet him on the plains, I’ll bury him in the earth. If I meet him on the glacier, I’ll freeze him in the ice. Wherever I see him, I’ll kill him on the spot—no hesitation, not even for a second!”

As her emotions surged, tiny flames sparked on her body, but quickly died.

That alone wasn’t enough to move Liu Tian. He looked her up and down. “That resolve does make me take notice. But again—how far are you willing to go?”

Without a word, Chu Zihang stood there for a long time, silent as the seconds ticked by. Maybe it was quick, maybe it was slow. At last, she placed her hands on the coat she had just put on—one button, two, three—the wide coat slithered from her shoulders to the floor, followed by her shirt.

But Liu Tian stopped her. He reached out, and the demon blade by the wall seemed to leap into his hand at his call. He tossed it to Chu Zihang. “Don’t do that. In matters like this, it’s never clear who gets the worse end of the bargain. Take it—draw the blade. Cut down slowly onto your left shoulder. If you do that, I’ll seriously consider your request.”