Chapter 22: Final Preparations
When working on something, Xu Yuan always preferred to be methodical and prepared for contingencies.
Knowing the high mortality rate of cultivating the Blood Origin Heart Extinction Technique, Xu Yuan naturally placed even greater emphasis on the preparations before cultivation.
As he delved deeper into cultivation with Ran Qingmo, Xu Yuan gradually broke down the preparations for cultivating the Blood Origin Heart Extinction Technique into five steps in his mind.
The first step was to learn the basic knowledge of this world and have Ran Qingmo teach him a simple cultivation technique to practice and familiarize himself with the circulation of a technique.
The second step was to begin attempting to circulate Yuan Qi along the circulation path of the Blood Origin Heart Extinction Technique while in a conscious state.
The third step was to adapt to the near-death state with Ran Qingmo's help while staying conscious.
The fourth step was to begin circulating the Blood Origin Heart Extinction Technique's circulation path in a near-death state with Ran Qingmo's help.
And the fifth step was to officially begin cultivation.
After a month, Xu Yuan had already completed the first two preparatory steps.
If he had another month, Xu Yuan was confident he could perfectly complete the plan he had set in his mind. But the five-day countdown to death was not enough for him to carry out the remaining three steps methodically according to his plan.
With no way out, Xu Yuan's decision came without any hesitation.
There was no time left for him to adapt gradually.
He had to take the risk.
The cramped cave dwelling fell silent for a moment.
Ran Qingmo looked at Xu Yuan's calm and serious gaze and slowly nodded.
"Okay."
After a pause, her voice became slightly hesitant, "But why?"
Xu Yuan raised his gaze toward the dim cave ceiling, remained silent for a long while, then said, "To save both your life and mine."
A flash of confusion crossed Ran Qingmo's eyes.
"But my injuries have healed."
Because her injuries had healed, she believed she could take him away safely.
This was her confidence.
Xu Yuan turned his eyes toward her and said softly, "I know your injuries have healed, but have you ever met Xu Changge?"
Ran Qingmo's beautiful eyes flickered for a moment before she shook her head.
"He has always been in the Imperial Capital. I've never seen him. Are you saying he's here too?"
Her master had said that the eldest son of the Grand Chancellor's Manor was an even more talented person than she was.
Like her, Xu Changge had become a Grandmaster at the age of sixteen. But unfortunately, there had been no further progress since then. Xu Changge had been stuck in that realm for more than fourteen years now.
With fourteen years of accumulation, Xu Changge should be very strong, but she believed she could still handle him or, in the worst-case scenario, escape from the battle.
Xu Yuan's meridians could now withstand her Qi, albeit barely. By channeling Qi into his meridians, she could temporarily protect him from the damage caused by the pressure of rapid flight.
So, she believed she could help Xu Yuan escape even if surrounded and attacked by a group of enemies.
Moreover, thanks to the Nine Revolutions Pill and a month of cultivation in this place, her cultivation had significantly improved compared to a month ago.
"Yes, he has indeed come."
Xu Yuan gave her a somewhat helpless look.
"But, do you know?"
"Know what?" asked Ran Qingmo.
"Ten years ago, Xu Changge had already reached the Origin Realm.'"
As his words fell, the cave instantly became deathly silent.
"..."
Ran Qingmo's clear eyes drooped slightly.
Xu Yuan observed her expression and then smiled wryly while sighing. “Actually, Heroine Ran, your plan to use Xu Changtian’s life to threaten that person is feasible to some extent."
"He does value his family very much; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent Xu Changge here."
After a pause, Xu Yuan gazed intently into Ran Qingmo's eyes.
"Heroine Ran, do you still believe you can escape now even if you use my body as a hostage to threaten them?"
"..." Ran Qingmo didn't respond.
Xu Yuan slowly closed his eyes and also fell silent.
An atmosphere of despair permeated the small cave dwelling.
Back in Ancient Origin, the BOSS that required players to use cheats to defeat was none other than the Grand Chancellor's eldest son, Xu Changge!
Driven by the Grand Chancellor's immense fury, this eldest son pursued Ran Qingmo relentlessly and finally blocked her near the ruins of a mysterious small village called the Burial Village at the borders of the Great Yan.
The battle ended quickly.
With the first punch, the three-foot black sword in her hand was knocked away.
With the second punch, Ran Qingmo was sent flying backward, lying on the ground with her life hanging by a thread.
Two moves, and the battle was over.
Without any chance to fight back, Ran Qingmo didn't even have a chance to draw her sword before being severely injured by this body’s eldest brother.
The difference in strength was suffocating.
This deathly silence continued in the cave dwelling for who knows how long.
Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes. "Heroine Ran, let's begin."
His voice was soft but resolute.
Because only by cultivating that technique could he survive.
"..."
Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered, her red lips moved slightly as if wanting to speak but hesitating. In the end, she nodded slightly. "Thank you."
Xu Yuan shook his head. "I told you before, don't say thank you. That word is useless."
Ran Qingmo stared at him very seriously, and after two seconds of silence.
"Then... then I'll owe you another favor."
Xu Yuan smiled slightly when he heard this. "Heroine Ran, once people owe too many favors and can't repay them, they often end up offering themselves. You've helped me too, and my choice to take this risk is also for my own life, so I don't need your favor."
Ran Qingmo's eyes flickered for a moment, but she insisted.
"No, I will owe it."
Silence as they gazed at each other.
Xu Yuan exhaled.
"As you wish. Time is short, can we start now?"
Ran Qingmo nodded, slowly raising a delicate jade-like hand to grasp Xu Yuan's wrist.
The cool touch of her hand immediately transmitted through his skin.
Xu Yuan glanced at it and calmly asked, "What method are you planning to use?"
Ran Qingmo explained in a low voice, "I will use my Qi to create ice to cover you and then help you heal your injuries and transfer energy afterward."
Xu Yuan pondered briefly.
Now that he had Qi in his body, the two of them could use the means of circulating energy to heal injuries.
Stopping his thoughts, Xu Yuan nodded to indicate that she could begin.
Without any words, a sinister chill instantly appeared in this cramped cave dwelling. The spreading icy mist even caused a thin layer of frost to appear on the surface of the spirit spring in the cave.
Xu Yuan felt a bone-chilling cold rapidly spreading from his wrist.
From his wrist to his arm, then to the right side of his torso, until his entire body felt as if it had fallen into ice that had been frozen for ten thousand years.
As this cold permeated him, Xu Yuan noticed his consciousness becoming visibly sluggish, and the aura of death clung to his heart like a maggot attached to bone.
Time passed second by second, and everything before his eyes gradually sank into darkness.
At some point, Xu Yuan awoke again, staring at the dim cave ceiling, speechless for a long while.
He thought that the hypothermia-induced coma he had experienced in the cave before was already a near-death experience, but when the true sense of near-death descended, Xu Yuan realized that that hypothermia coma was nothing.
He had only endured for a few minutes before his consciousness succumbed to darkness.
A slightly dry voice sounded softly in the silent cave dwelling.
"How...how long was I unconscious?"
"Two hours." Ran Qingmo's calm voice came from beside him.
Xu Yuan placed his hand on his brow and rubbed hard.
Two hours.
With only about five days left, he needed to reserve at least two days to formally cultivate the Blood Origin Heart Extinction Technique.
Two hours per session meant he had, at most, about twenty more chances to adapt.
Slowly sitting up, Xu Yuan looked at her without saying much, "Continue."
"If possible, wake me up immediately after healing me. I don't need to rest."
"..."
Ran Qingmo looked at his weak but determined eyes, gently pursed her lips, and silently grabbed his wrist again.