11. To Feed or Not To Feed (1)
A few days had passed since the assessment. The small Jiu family compound was quiet in the late afternoon. Jiu Yin sat in the shaded corner of the courtyard, eyes closed as he finished circulating the last traces of the dire bear essence. The wild energy that had once felt so potent now trickled through his meridians like dying embers. It was almost gone.
The rate of his growth had slowed to a crawl. As the blood essence had dried up and the crimson thirst returned with it. Soon he would have no choice, but to take drastic measures. The potency of the sunlight became increasingly unbearable as the blood essence became less and less.
At first it was only a faint pressure at the back of his mind. Then it sharpened into something far worse. It felt like a searing hot needle slowly pushing into his skull, twisting and turning with every heartbeat.
Jiu Yin watched as Qiu Yu daintily worked on the various areas of the courtyard. Watering plants and carrying loads of laundry to hang and dry. Getting a closer look at her he couldn’t help, but let his mind drift. A small almost imperceptible voice began to itch the back of his mind as he watched the rather pretty girl with flushed…cheeks filled with warm sweet scent of blood.
The sensation grew stronger, accompanied by a low, crazed voice that whispered at the edges of his thoughts. Rip her throat out. The servant girl Qiu is close. So soft. So warm. Just one bite. The voice lingered on his sister next. Or the girl with green eyes. She watches you constantly. Drain her. End the suspicion.
Jiu Yin clenched his jaw and forced the voice down through sheer willpower. The new feelings inherited from this host body only made the conflict worse. The boy had loved his mother and sister with a quiet, fierce devotion. That emotion now tangled with his Sanguinari instincts, creating a storm inside him. He could not allow himself to harm them. Not now. Not ever. Yet the thirst did not care about sentiment. It only demanded to be fed.
Clenching his fist he had to think of a way to satiate the crimson thirst.
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His sister’s watchful eyes had made hunting outside the city impossible these past days. She found excuses to stay near him constantly. Because of that, he had been forced to consider feeding inside the city itself. That was immensely risky. Snow Wind City was crowded with cultivators. One wrong move, one drop of blood in the wrong place, and he could be discovered.
Still, he had made progress in other areas. Through relentless physical training and careful Qi circulation during the night hours, he had advanced to the third rank of Iron Warrior. It was steady but unspectacular. His sister, meanwhile, had reached the sixth rank of ten. Her talent was genuinely impressive. He had to admit that. She practiced daily with the thin blade their mother had given her, her movements graceful and precise like moonlight on water. The Moonlight trait suited her well.
Jiu Yin opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. The sun was still relatively high. Its light pressed against him even through the shade, a constant reminder of one of his greatest weaknesses in this world. The upcoming tournament weighed heavily on his mind. He silently hoped the day would be overcast. Bright sunlight could cripple his performance at the worst possible moment.
After some thought, he came up with a plan to create a distraction. He rose and found Qiu, the young and cheerful servant who had served their family faithfully for years. Things had improved slightly for the small Jiu branch since they demonstrated their usefulness to the clan, but it was only slight. Resources were still limited.
“Qiu,” he said calmly, “crime has gotten worse in the marketplace lately. Mother requested that you and my sister go stock up on some supplies for our cultivation. Take Lan’er with you to protect you. She is strong enough now.”
Qiu bowed politely, her face brightening at the chance to be useful. “Of course, Young Master Yin. I will ask Miss Lan right away.”
Jiu Lan was reluctant when Qiu found her. She shot her brother a suspicious look, clearly sensing something was off. But their mother had indeed mentioned needing more supplies, and she could not refuse without raising questions. With a final sharp glance at Jiu Yin, she agreed and left with Qiu toward the market.
The moment they were gone, Jiu Yin slipped out through the back of the compound. A cold smirk touched his lips as he moved through the alleys. The crazed voice in his head grew louder, more insistent. Yes. Go. Feed. The alleys. The weak ones. Take them.
He headed toward a known part of the city where a few gangs patrolled the back alleys. The sun was lower now, but its lingering rays still drained him. He would have to be quick.