bdsm-fiction Chapter 25: What price do I need to pay?
Chapter 25: What price do I need to pay?
……
Zhu Zhuqing took another careful look.
I see,
At this moment, Cao Kun was wearing a loose and comfortable plain white casual home outfit, with his sleeves rolled up, and holding long chopsticks in one hand, swishing meat slices in the pot.
He held a crystal-clear jade cup in one hand.
The amber liquid in the glass rippled slightly, the aroma of the wine mingling with the spiciness of the hot pot, filling the entire room.
He looked relaxed and at ease.
She was completely different from the sharp-tongued, commanding figure she was during the day.
He looked more like a wealthy young master enjoying a delicious meal.
Hearing footsteps, Cao Kun looked up, his gaze falling on Zhu Zhuqing at the door. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"You've arrived."
Cao Kun put down his chopsticks, picked up the cloth next to him and wiped his hands, speaking as naturally as if he were greeting a familiar friend.
"It seems you've already made up your mind."
Zhu Zhuqing stood at the door, unsure how to respond.
The scene before her was completely different from the serious, mysterious, and potentially dangerous meeting she had envisioned.
This surprised her, even though she was already under a lot of tension.
Cao Kun seemed to notice her discomfort and pointed to the seat across the table: "Don't stand, come in and sit down. Yan'er, bring another set of chopsticks and a bowl."
"Yes, young master."
Dugu Yan responded and quickly brought a clean set of white jade bowls and chopsticks, placing them opposite Cao Kun, and then poured a cup of tea for Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, but eventually went in and sat down opposite Cao Kun.
She didn't touch the bowl or chopsticks, nor did she drink the tea. She simply straightened her back, her cool eyes staring directly at Cao Kun, her voice carrying a barely perceptible tension:
"Cao Kun... Senior Brother. You say you can change my fate?"
Instead of answering Cao Kun's question, she raised her own core question.
She needed to confirm that this was not a joke or a trap.
Cao Kun did not answer immediately. He picked up a slice of perfectly cooked, paper-thin snowflake beef, rolled it in the special dipping sauce in front of him, put it in his mouth, chewed it slowly, and a satisfied look appeared on his face.
It seemed that the topic that could change their fate was less important than this piece of beef.
This nonchalant attitude made Zhu Zhuqing even more on edge, and even a hint of anger at being slighted arose in her heart.
Only after swallowing the beef and taking a sip of wine did Cao Kun look up at Zhu Zhuqing, his eyes regaining the penetrating depth he had during the day.
"destiny?"
He chuckled softly, his tone carrying an indescribable certainty and...indifference.
"For most people, fate is like shackles, difficult to break free from, leaving them only able to drift along with the tide."
"But for beings who can glimpse the rules and wield power..."
Cao Kun paused, then continued, "Changing one's fate is a trivial matter!"
Next second,
Cao Kun's gaze swept over Dugu Yan, who stood respectfully to the side.
"Yan'er, tell her your current soul power level and age."
Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan took half a step forward, smiled slightly at Zhu Zhuqing, and did not release any soul power pressure, but only a faint light flashed beneath her feet.
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black!
Five spirit rings, like five wheels of light, appeared one after another beneath her feet and slowly rotated!
Especially starting with the third spirit ring, the color has become a deep purple, and the fourth and fifth ones are even more chilling black!
This spirit ring configuration far surpasses that of an ordinary spirit king!
"Five... Soul Kings?!"
Zhu Zhuqing's pupils contracted sharply, and she gasped in shock.
During the day, she guessed that Dugu Yan might be around level 30 or 40, but she never expected that he would actually be a Soul King!
Moreover, judging from the color of that spirit ring, it's definitely not a newly entered Soul King; it's at least level 55 or higher!
"Yan'er is 18 years old this year."
Cao Kun added in a calm tone: "Three years ago, when she first met me, she had just turned fifteen and her soul power was... level twenty-one. Her martial soul was the Azure Phosphorous Serpent. Although she had talent, she was trapped by the inherent flaws and backlash of her martial soul, causing her cultivation to stagnate and her future to be bleak."
Eighteen years old, a five-ring Soul King?! Three years ago he was only level twenty-one?!
A storm raged in Zhu Zhuqing's heart!
This cultivation speed is simply unbelievable!
She is twelve years old, in the 27th grade, and considers herself one of the best among her peers, but compared to Dugu Yan...
She followed me for three years.
Cao Kun continued, as if recounting a trivial matter: "I taught her cultivation techniques, helped her resolve the backlash of her martial soul, provided resources, and guided her martial soul... for a second evolution."
"Now, her martial spirit is no longer the Azure Phosphorous Serpent, but a demigod-level three-headed poisonous dragon."
"With her level 53 cultivation, combined with her evolved martial soul and the combat techniques I taught her, she is more than capable of rivaling a Soul Emperor."
Martial Soul Second Evolution!
Demigod level!
A match for the Soul Emperor!
Every word was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Zhu Zhuqing's heart!
This was completely beyond her comprehension!
In her world, a martial soul is set once awakened, and its quality is almost impossible to change later on!
Not to mention evolving to the demigod level, which allows you to challenge opponents of higher levels!
If... if all of this is true... then Cao Kun's words about "changing one's destiny" are definitely not empty talk!
The look in her eyes as she gazed at Dugu Yan was instantly filled with disbelief and shock, and a hint of... a longing that she herself was unaware of.
Dugu Yan felt her gaze, but simply returned a gentle smile, put away her soul ring, and stepped back to the side, as if the shocking scene from just now had never happened.
"Now, what do you think?"
Cao Kun picked up his wine glass, gently swirling the amber liquid, his gaze returning to Zhu Zhuqing: "Is it so difficult to change the fate of a Soul Master?"
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in her heart, her clear voice trembling slightly: "What...price do I need to pay?"
There is no free lunch in the world.
Such an incredible opportunity must come with an unimaginable price.
She was mentally prepared, even if... it meant selling her soul, or worse...
however,
Cao Kun's answer surprised her.
He looked Zhu Zhuqing up and down, his gaze calm and unwavering, yet Zhu Zhuqing felt as if he had been completely seen through, with no secrets left to her.
Then, Cao Kun shook his head, and that meaningful smile reappeared on his lips.
"The price? You're too weak, too insignificant right now..."
They don't even have the right to talk about the 'cost'.
His words were so blunt they were almost cruel.
"What you can offer is insignificant in my eyes."
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned pale, and her fingers tightened suddenly.
She was both ashamed and annoyed at being so disrespected, yet also secretly relieved, and even more puzzled.
"Then...why did you come to me?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Because it's interesting."
Cao Kun's answer remained enigmatic: "The Netherworld Cat, an assassin in the shadows, should be a sharp blade walking on the edge of life and death."
"Yet it is bound by so-called 'fate' and turns into a fearful kitten that can only rely on its cold shell to protect itself."
"I think...it's a bit of a pity."
He paused, put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and focused his gaze, as if examining a rough gem worthy of being carved.
"I can give you a chance."
"An opportunity to break free from the existing trajectory of fate and truly take control of one's future."
……