Chapter 88: Chapter 77: Blood Enchanting Bee Queen
Zhong Yi was the one who had bought Shen Xuan, purchasing him for 5,000 Federation Coins.
Zhong Yi could have easily used the Soul-Catching Gu Mother to control Shen Xuan after his Soul Base awakened and he became a Celestial Destiny Seeker.
But in the end, Zhong Yi chose not to do so.
Zhong Yi, for instance, controlled Zhao Kai using the Soul-Catching Gu Mother’s insect eggs, as Zhao Kai’s situation had once been similar to Shen Xuan’s.
In both cases, Zhong Yi had acted as a savior!
But Zhao Kai had a clear grasp of his future, while Shen Xuan was completely ignorant about what it meant to be a Celestial Destiny Seeker.
Zhong Yi didn’t want Shen Xuan to start resenting him for being controlled, especially after he came to understand the significance of his identity as a Celestial Destiny Seeker.
That way, even if Zhong Yi could control Shen Xuan, he couldn’t guarantee Shen Xuan’s loyalty.
Then again, once Shen Xuan truly awakened an Order Beast and became a Celestial Destiny Seeker, it would be inevitable that other Celestial Destiny Seekers would learn of it.
By then, even if Zhong Yi controlled Shen Xuan with the Soul-Catching Gu Mother’s insect eggs, he wouldn’t be able to destroy Shen Xuan’s Soul Base.
The other Celestial Destiny Seekers would never stand by and watch Shen Xuan be crippled!
Rather than acting as his master and directly controlling a still-clueless Shen Xuan, it would be better to let Shen Xuan make his own choice after he understood what it meant to be a Celestial Destiny Seeker.
Even if Shen Xuan didn’t want to join Zhong Yi’s team, they would at least have formed a positive connection.
Zhong Yi had approached Shen Xuan with this intention, but he never expected that upon hearing his words, Shen Xuan would immediately drop to his knees again.
"Master, I want to stay by your side forever. I beg you, please don’t abandon me."
"I want to join your team. I don’t want to leave."
"It doesn’t matter if I’m some Celestial Destiny Seeker or not. You’re the one who got me out of the Greenfield Tavern. I only ever want to belong to you."
For a moment, Zhong Yi couldn’t tell whether he should be amazed at the Greenfield Tavern’s brutally effective methods for training slaves, or if Shen Xuan was simply that desperate for security.
At that moment, Shen Xuan was clearly, abnormally dependent on him.
"From now on, don’t call me Master. Call me Young Master."
"Shen Xuan, if you want to get rid of the Slave Mark on your left cheek, you’ll need to use a knife to cut away the marked flesh."
"Once you do, I’ll help the flesh on your face grow back."
As he spoke, Zhong Yi used his Skill, All Things Exploration, to scan the surroundings.
He confirmed that there were no black crystal spiders in the immediate vicinity.
’I’m not sure if the crystal spiders have already scouted this area or just haven’t reached it yet.’
If he hadn’t confirmed the absence of the black crystal spiders, Zhong Yi would have waited for this whole affair to blow over before healing Shen Xuan.
Zhao Kai was due back at the Evolution Shop today. Zhong Yi planned to have him, a Four-finger Peak Creator, personally perform Shen Xuan’s Soul Awakening when he returned that evening.
It would still be several hours before Shen Xuan became a true Celestial Destiny Seeker.
However, Zhong Yi didn’t intend to rush Shen Xuan into a decision the moment he became a Celestial Destiny Seeker.
Once Shen Xuan awakened his Order Beast, Zhong Yi planned to take him along with Zhong Ling the next time he explored a Secret Realm.
It wouldn’t be too late to let Shen Xuan decide after they had explored the Secret Realm and another five or six days had passed.
Shen Xuan didn’t understand the significance of terms like "Celestial Destiny Seeker" or "Order Beast," but he knew that "Young Master" was a much more intimate title than "Master."
At the Greenfield Tavern, only the few powerful individuals who didn’t have a Slave Mark tattooed on their faces were worthy of calling the tavern’s owner "Young Master."
Shen Xuan was thrilled that Zhong Yi was allowing him to use such a title.
To Shen Xuan, this meant that the distance between him and Zhong Yi had closed.
He wouldn’t be abandoned so easily again.
Pain was a feeling Shen Xuan wasn’t afraid of in the slightest.
For the past two or three years, being beaten and kicked had become a daily occurrence for Shen Xuan.
If he had been afraid of pain, Shen Xuan would never have survived this long.
Taking the sharp knife from Zhong Yi, Shen Xuan brought it down without a moment’s hesitation.
With a single cut, he sliced away the piece of flesh on his left cheek bearing the Slave Mark. Dark red blood splattered across the table.
The moment he gripped the knife, a fierce resolve filled Shen Xuan, making him seem like an agile young leopard.
Shen Xuan’s actions were proof of his trust in Zhong Yi; he hadn’t doubted the truth of his words for even a second.
The very instant Shen Xuan made the cut, Zhong Yi had already summoned the Resurrection Celestial Lord and infused a Core of Resurgence into the wound on his cheek.
New flesh quickly grew, and Zhong Yi had not betrayed Shen Xuan’s trust.
Although his newly healed left cheek was free of the Greenfield Tavern’s Slave Mark, it was still covered in the same purple-black marks as his right.
Overjoyed, Shen Xuan raised a hand to touch his left cheek. He then quickly grabbed a nearby towel and began wiping the splattered blood from the table.
Zhong Yi picked up a towel as well and helped him wipe the tabletop.
"Your body is already weak, and that healing just used up some of your Life Energy."
"Tonight at dinner, I’ll have Big Bell make some extra restorative herbal dishes for you and Brother Zhao."
"You’re covered in blood. Go take a shower."
"I think white would suit you well. Remember to grab a white outfit from the wardrobe and change into it in a bit."
As Shen Xuan watched Zhong Yi diligently wipe the blood from the tabletop, a single thought consumed him.
He found himself desperately clinging to the feeling Zhong Yi gave him in that moment.
It made him realize with absolute clarity that even he could be cared for and protected in this world.
