Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

THUD!

To Yang Xiao's utter astonishment,

upon hearing his words, Li Mubai actually knelt before him.

"Mubai was ignorant and has offended the Saint Prince. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness! Please save Xiaodie's life!"

After speaking, Li Mubai actually began to kowtow to him.

This made Yang Xiao's brows furrow deeply.

In the distance, tears streamed down Yu Xiaodie's face.

More than anyone, she knew what a proud, conceited man Li Mubai was. Yet at this moment, for her sake...

For a single sentence, not knowing if it was true or false.

For a glimmer of hope.

He knelt.

He lowered his proud head.

Begging for just one chance.

How could Yu Xiaodie's heart not be moved?

She had long adored him but had always hesitated to accept his affection because of this damned, stubborn illness. However, over so many years, Li Mubai's attentive care had already become an inseparable part of her heart.

It was the only reason she refused to simply pass away.

Now, seeing the man she loved doing this for her, how could she possibly maintain any semblance of coldness?

If her body weren't so weak,

she probably would have risen to help Li Mubai up herself.

However, since she didn't go to help Li Mubai up, someone else naturally would.

A stir of aura from within Yang Xiao's body was all it took.

Instantly, Li Mubai was frozen in place, unable to move.

"You! I was just joking with you, and you do this. It seems I'll never dare to joke with you again."

Yang Xiao sighed.

But Li Mubai was persistent, one might even say stubborn. He said, "As long as the Saint Prince can cure Xiaodie, even if you were to ask for my life, Mubai would not refuse!"

"Alright, alright. The truth is, your little partner isn't sick at all!"

Yang Xiao said helplessly.

He had no choice but to tell the truth.

But the moment he said this, Li Mubai was stunned.

His face was full of disbelief.

"How could it not be an illness? Xiaodie's vitality has been failing since birth. She can't even cultivate. Even with all the Spirit Medicines we've used, we can only sustain her for a short time. If it's not an illness, then what is it?"

Li Mubai murmured to himself.

"It's a talent,"

Yang Xiao said with a grave expression.

When he had first discovered this, he too had been shocked. He never imagined someone in this world could possess such a talent.

"Impossible! How could there be such a malicious talent? I don't believe it."

Li Mubai was clearly unconvinced.

But Yang Xiao began to explain patiently.

"From my previous investigation, she should possess a special bloodline. This bloodline is very different from our Human Race; it seems to be the bloodline of an Alien Race I've never seen before. The reason your little partner is in her current state is because her Human Race body cannot withstand the awakening of this talent."

"Is what you're saying true?"

Li Mubai was still somewhat skeptical.

But when he saw Yang Xiao nod solemnly,

he couldn't help but start to believe.

He fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Then is there a remedy?"

Yang Xiao smiled confidently. "Of course there is, and more than one. A moment ago, the reason I zoned out was because I was thinking about which method to use. It seems to have caused a misunderstanding."

Li Mubai couldn't help but blush.

And Yu Xiaodie, even more so.

Yang Xiao had repeatedly called her Li Mubai's "little partner."

As a young woman, being referred to like that...

how could she not be shy and blush?

However, Yang Xiao didn't tease them any further and laid out his plan. "The first option is to transform your little partner's body, strengthening it so it can withstand the power of this bloodline awakening. If we do that, I have no idea what she will become afterward."

"The second, safer option is to extract this bloodline power. I've examined it; this power consists of peculiar Secret Patterns imprinted within her bone marrow. As it happens, I know a few Techniques that can extract them. But if we do this, your little partner will lose this talent and become an ordinary person."

"These are the two options. Which will you choose?"

Yang Xiao asked.

'One would allow Xiaodie to awaken her talent, but the future would be unknown. The other is safe, but would cause Xiaodie to lose this talent? How should I choose?'

Li Mubai hesitated.

He knew very well that a talent capable of tormenting Xiaodie to this extent must be incredibly powerful.

He had tried all sorts of methods to cure Xiaodie's stubborn illness, including, as Yang Xiao mentioned, strengthening her body. But the results were always minimal.

This showed just how terrifying this talent was.

At the very least, his own methods were likely no match for it.

But by the same token...

the Saint Prince had also said that Xiaodie's talent might come from a Non-human Alien Race. If it truly awakened, would she become one of them?

That was also something to consider.

But was it really okay to just give it up?

"Mubai," Yu Xiaodie suddenly spoke up as Li Mubai was struggling to decide. "Honestly, I just want to be an ordinary person. As long as I can be with you and have this tormenting thing removed, I'll be very happy. If this evil power really awakens, I'm afraid I'll turn into a monster. And then... you wouldn't like me anymore. If that happened, what difference would there be between my living in this world and being dead?"

Hearing her words,

Li Mubai trembled from head to toe.

Even his hands, which had become incredibly steady from practicing and holding a sword, trembled slightly with emotion.

This showed just how intense his emotions were at that moment.

For the longest time, although Yu Xiaodie had been kind to him, she had always kept him at arm's length, never truly revealing her feelings.

But now...

she had just said that if he didn't like her, being alive would be no different from being dead.

This was clearly her way of telling him...

That she loved him.

That she cared for him.

Li Mubai felt that all his efforts, all his waiting, had been worth it.

'With those words from you, what would it matter if I, Li Mubai, were to die?'

he thought to himself.

His mind was made up.

In his view, even if Yu Xiaodie turned into some other being, into a monster, he would never abandon her.

But the path of their love had been too difficult, too bitter.

So, Li Mubai didn't dare to gamble.

He agreed with Yu Xiaodie's choice.

Because even if she were just an ordinary person, she would still be worthy of his love and protection.

"Saint Prince, we choose the second option."

He said to Yang Xiao.

Hearing this, Yang Xiao nodded. "Alright. I will now perform the procedure and extract all the Secret Patterns from your little partner's body."

As he spoke,

Yang Xiao pointed from a distance.

He used the same method he had previously used on Ao Yuhua.

This time, however, his actions were much gentler, much more meticulous.

Yu Xiaodie felt not a trace of pain.

And just like that, black Secret Patterns were drawn out one after another.