Chapter 23

There was clearly a discrepancy between Seeing Pei Ye's view of the black flood dragon and the black flood dragon's purpose for Seeing Pei Ye.

Seeing Pei Ye had held suspicion and vigilance toward it from the beginning. His principles were simple and plain, exactly the sentence he said to Lu Youcai: "Precisely because I am a poor ghost now, I have to calculate everything clearly."

Unable to repay the favor, he dared not accept the human sentiment. Some people might think that a poor boy like him had nothing worth being missed by others, so they just broke the jar, but if there was a gift, he would accept it all. If there was really a day for collection, he would talk about it then. Seeing Pei Ye felt that Grandpa Yue should be this kind of person.

But for Seeing Pei Ye himself, precisely because he couldn't think of any place where he was worth coveting, facing such rich and miraculous benefits, he was even more shrinking and vigilant. Eating people's food makes one's mouth soft, and taking people's hands makes one's hands soft. When the gain exceeded the value of his entire life, and the other party still continued to try to give, he couldn't help but be shocked at what kind of price this would be used to repay.

And what deepened his suspicion was the activation method of 【Quail Head】.

"Yes." Seeing Pei Ye admitted.

"We can communicate frankly—why?"

"Is this your purpose?" Seeing Pei Ye asked back.

"What?"

"Let that gourd enter my body."

"How could you think so? Isn't revenge your own choice? Isn't killing that person your own effort?"

"..."

"Do you think I can weave all this like playing with a doll?"

"I don't know." Seeing Pei Ye said frankly, "The way you appeared seems to have a great connection with them. I feel like I am being used by you, and the method to activate 【Quail Head】 is that hand seal."

"... I really cannot answer your last question. This is also a mystery to me, because 【Quail Head】 is not my ability either. I am just... holding it temporarily." The black flood dragon thought of a suitable expression and continued, "As for the previous two concerns, I have remained frank with you from beginning to end. 'I help you, and then you help me,' remember?"

Seeing Pei Ye nodded slowly: "I remember. You saved my life last night, and today's revenge was also thanks to the power of Quail Head. No matter what, I will pay off this favor."

"Good, then let's make a contract, how about that?"

"... What?"

"This is the way you help me."

"I don't understand."

"Things like us are born with mystery, and our cultivation only increases with age. Only by concluding a life contract with humans can we adopt mysterious energy from outside the body. To put it plainly, it's just to take advantage of you, to rub against your life pattern, so that I can control the mysterious energy of heaven and earth—what do you humans say, 'holding mystery,' isn't it? In contrast, you can also get corresponding benefits from me."

Seeing Pei Ye pondered: "Since it is mutually beneficial, how can it be considered that I am helping you?"

"Because I am in a dangerous situation now, and I need this life contract even more to strengthen myself. And this contract is called 【Life Together in Prosperity and Decay】. Once I encounter an accident, you will also suffer heavy damage."

"Do you want me to help you?"

"You can't help, just concluding a contract with me is enough."

"Then... why choose me?" Seeing Pei Ye finally asked, "Or rather, is there any particularity about the person chosen for this contract?"

"Fate."

"..." Seeing Pei Ye was clearly dissatisfied with this answer, "What is fate?"

"Since it is a life contract, naturally the life patterns must fit. Different beasts have different types of people for life contracts. This is a kind of screening in the dark. If you must have me put it into human language, then it is barely the words 'young,' 'sword,' 'clear state of mind,' and 'determined'."

"I will not be young forever." Seeing Pei Ye had a spirit of serious inquiry.

"Only represents the choice of this time and this place."

"Hmm."

"Any other questions?"

"After you get through the crisis, can this contract be dissolved?"

"Troublesome, but possible."

Seeing Pei Ye breathed a sigh of relief: "Good, you saved my life first, so I am naturally willing to take risks for you—how do I make this contract?"

"Good question." The black flood dragon's tone had no waves, "Both parties to the contract must intertwine their lives, and only by entrusting their lives to each other can it be concluded."

Seeing Pei Ye suddenly realized: "You saved my life last night, and I will find a way to save you once, can this contract be concluded?"

"You have already saved me once."

Seeing Pei Ye was startled: "When?"

The black flood dragon turned its huge head. Seeing Pei Ye witnessed the appearance of this creature for the first time—majestic, deep, gorgeous, missing those two horns, but also having a bit more exquisite lightness. Every detail was carved, and every scale was glowing with jade luster.

And in the center of this flood dragon head, a pair of clear, bright green eyes like glass were quietly looking at him.

Seeing Pei Ye was shocked and speechless: "You are that—"

"Not entirely." The black flood dragon turned its head back, "No need to apply herbal medicine to it anymore."

"Then... how to conclude this contract?"

"Very simple, you just need to recite 'Seeing Pei Ye, Quail Head' once."

"Seeing Pei Ye, Quail Head." Seeing Pei Ye tried.

"Mysterious Fire, Shi Chen." The black flood dragon replied.

Seeing Pei Ye felt something connect.

A flood dragon shadow surrounding a ghostly blue light group appeared in his dantian. He clearly felt that 【Quail Head】 was in it, and this immortal-like ability was solidified in his dantian through this flood dragon shadow.

"Is that it?" Seeing Pei Ye didn't feel any changes.

"It's done."

"If you had told me earlier that you were that cat..."

"Could a cat you've only spent two days with make you trust it?"

"Hmm, it would be a little more intimate, and I like it very much."

"You'd better not treat others as pets without authorization."

"... I'm sorry."

"Since our lives are intertwined, may I ask you a question." Seeing Pei Ye was silent for a while and said, "What is going on with my body now?"

In this dream, he could look inside himself. The good news was that the injuries to his five viscera had all healed, and the traces left by the Little Flood Dragon Heart, which was like a maggot on the tarsal bone, had all disappeared. The bad news was that his dantian seed had also disappeared, leaving only a solid ghostly blue light group.

"Simply put, you have achieved the goal that the person originally wanted to achieve." The black flood dragon pondered for a while, "But I don't know what such a body can be used for."

"Will I become a monster like that?" Seeing Pei Ye raised his forearm covered in blue patterns.

"No, but it will still transform your body to a certain extent. The result of this transformation should achieve the original purpose of the Candle World Sect, but for you, it might be between good and bad."

The black flood dragon thought for a while and said: "According to my guess, there should be a group of nutrients in your dantian for the seeds to grow."

"Seeds? Dantian seeds? But my dantian seed has been melted by it."

"Yes, ordinary dantian seeds can only serve as fertilizer." The black flood dragon thought while saying, "So I think that what can grow in this should be a more powerful and more unique seed."

"... I have never heard of the saying that dantian seeds can be replaced."

"Haven't you?" The black flood dragon was a little surprised, "Why do I feel that this should be a very common thing?"

It thought for a while and said with some irritability: "... I have lost many memories."

Seeing Pei Ye gently patted the huge body under him.

"But I should be right." The black flood dragon finally said firmly, "You need to find this seed. The Candle World Sect must know where it is."