Chapter 1217 - 878: Bloodfeeding_3

Chapter 1217: Chapter 878: Bloodfeeding_3

Hu Yun said unhappily, "Didn’t sleep well last night? Next month envoys from all nations are coming for the merchants’ assembly, pull yourself together, don’t let some vermin slip in."

The Wolf Beast looked as if he had just woken up, yawned, and said carelessly, "The country is prosperous and the people at peace, the four seas are tranquil, the world’s as peaceful as it gets, how could there be so much trouble."

"No matter what, we can’t slack off. If something happens, none of us can afford it."

A Beastman beside them laughed and said, "Captain, aren’t you getting real cozy with that Tiger Clan girl? You just abandoned your post to walk off with her—your soul’s probably been hooked away already."

Hu Yun kicked him and scolded, "Don’t gossip about other girls behind their backs. I just saw how hard she was working and wanted to lend a hand."

Someone laughed and said, "Yet that girl keeps bringing you flowers every day. Don’t hide it from your brothers~ when the good news finally comes, remember to treat us to a few drinks!"

"To hell with you, worry about the things you’re supposed to." Hu Yun cursed with a smile.

The Beastmen all dispersed—those on patrol went to patrol, those on inspection went to inspect.

No one noticed a wisp of black light emerging from within that Wolf Beast, swiftly slipping into Hu Yun’s body and vanishing without a trace.

Hu Yun only felt as if some bug had bitten him; he rubbed his neck, didn’t think much of it, and walked away.

Shen Tang, weaving through the marketplace, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She seemed to have sensed a wisp of Dark Power, but when she probed again with her spiritual power it disappeared without a trace. Was it just her imagination?

"Go check it out." Shen Tang flipped her wrist and a variegated butterfly flew out, tethered to her fingertip by an invisible thread of spiritual power, slipping silently into the crowd.

...

Yiyuan Empire, Imperial Palace.

After Shen Li learned that Shen Tang was pregnant, he too went through a surge from great joy to great sorrow.

He hadn’t expected that after all his efforts, someone else would beat him to it!

This proud and noble Fox Emperor even began to suspect—had he really taken too much medicine those years and damaged his body?

Was the prophecy really unbreakable?

"Li, you’re not the kind of person who panics and grabs at any cure. The child and the prophecy don’t have that much to do with each other—you’re just too anxious." Shen Tang hugged his arm, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness. "If you really want a Little Fox, there’s still a chance next year. I’ll definitely give you a Little Fox."

"Fool." Shen Li pressed his palm to the small of her back and pulled her into his arms, sighing, "You know that’s not what I want most."

"Then what can I do? It’s not like I can do anything else. Ever since the prophecy came out, you’ve been all on edge, you’re not even like yourself anymore. You don’t know how worried I’ve been." Shen Tang guided his hand to her chest; her lowered brows and eyes were full of sorrow. "Watching you lose sleep and appetite every day because of me, sunk in gloom, it really hurts me."

Shen Li fell silent and let out a soft sigh, pulling Shen Tang into his embrace, burying his face in the hollow of her neck to breathe her in deeply before his mood finally eased. "Alright, let’s not talk about that. Taking care of your body is what matters most."

Shen Li took her hand, then suddenly started. "Why are your hands so cold?"

Shen Tang hurriedly pulled her hand back, clearly trying to cover it up.

Staring at her somewhat thinner, paler cheeks, Shen Li frowned. "Why have you lost so much weight?"

In Shen Li’s gorgeous, Charm-laden fox eyes there was deep pain and self-reproach—he’d noticed it this late. "Xiao Tang’er, your body’s taken a serious hit, your vital blood is severely depleted."

Shen Tang couldn’t refute him.

She stroked her belly, worry clouding her face as well. She’d been pregnant with this child for over half a month now. But in these last few days, she’d felt as if an invisible vortex had suddenly appeared in her body, swallowing up all her power.

Her body had rapidly grown much thinner.

Lu Xiao and Xiao Jin had prepared a lot of tonics and nutrients for her, yet they were like drops in the ocean, all swallowed clean by that vortex.

Shen Tang explained, "The System warned me in advance too—this child needs a lot of energy. I was prepared. I’ll be fine."

Shen Li knew that carrying a fetus with a special bloodline would consume significantly more energy. But what was strange was that Shen Tang’s power was being absorbed rapidly, while her belly showed little change—meaning the energy required by the fetus was still not being met.

This was also the first time Shen Li had encountered such a situation—what on earth was she carrying this time? It was anything but ordinary.

"It’s not that simple. At this rate, there’s a good chance only one of you—either you or this child—can live."

Shen Li condensed a sharp blade and slit his palm, then clenched both fists, letting the bright red blood flow through his fingers.

Expressionless, he brought the blood to her lips. "Drink my blood."

"No..." Shen Tang’s eyes widened. The smell of blood made her want to retch. Just as she was about to push him away, Shen Li pinched her chin with his other hand, prying her mouth open and forcing it down her throat.

"Mmph..."

Warm, metallic, faintly sweet.

Blood.

Shen Tang was forced to swallow several mouthfuls and almost choked. She quickly pushed Shen Li away, wiped the blood at the corner of her lips, and shouted in a trembling voice, "What—what are you doing?"

Shen Li snapped anxiously, "Hurry up and drink it, don’t waste it! My blood carries a trace of Blood Clan power, but instead of their chilling cold it’s hotter, and suits you better. It can make up the strength this child needs."

"No, how could I drink your blood? It’ll damage your body too much! Give me your hand, let me heal your wound."

Whatever she said, Shen Tang refused to drink his blood.

Shen Li could only extend his right hand, letting Shen Tang tend to his injury.

But the instant she leaned in, Shen Li quickly pulled Shen Tang into his arms and pressed his lips to hers.

The sudden, fierce deep kiss shattered Shen Tang’s composure, making her forget to resist. Seizing the chance, Shen Li swiftly condensed his Essence Blood on the tip of his tongue, bit down hard, and fed all the blood into Shen Tang.

"Li!"

Shen Tang tried to struggle, only to find his blood transforming midair into countless blood-red threads, coiling tightly around her limbs and body.

Unable to break free, Shen Tang could only be forced to swallow his blood.

There seemed to be a faint, intoxicating fragrance mixed into Shen Li’s blood, clouding one’s mind.

Shen Tang’s thoughts gradually blurred; she even forgot to resist, closing her eyes and letting him feed her every last drop.

The weak, chilled body that had felt like ice seemed to kindle a fire-like warmth, becoming much more comfortable.

"There." Shen Li slowly released Shen Tang. Seeing her complexion improve, the corners of his lips lifted in a satisfied smile, while his own face had gone much paler.

Shen Tang was so angry she could almost cry, but looking at Shen Li’s weakened state, she couldn’t even bring herself to scold him. "You’re not allowed to do that again. I don’t want to talk about that anymore."

"I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I need to go into seclusion for a while as it is. This amount of blood should be enough." Shen Li covered his lips and gave a couple of light coughs; the bright red strands of his hair fell over his chest, making his pale, handsome face look like that of some gorgeous ghost, lending him a soul-stealing, sickly and morbid allure.

He half narrowed his fox eyes, watching her curiously. "What did you want to tell me? Don’t you dare hide it from me."

"I..." Shen Tang had actually wanted to tell Shen Li about that nightmare she’d had last time.

But seeing how mad he’d just acted, and remembering that this fox might look gentle yet was actually insane, she didn’t want to worry him even more, and in the end she held it in.

Maybe it was just a coincidence, just an ordinary nightmare.

Shen Tang changed the subject and told Shen Li about what had happened in the Sea Country Secret Realm, and about the Abyss.

"The Abyss." Shen Li lowered his head in thought, murmuring, "Back then, on the top floor of the Book Collection Pavilion of the Divine Fox Clan—only accessible to the Clan Leader of each generation—I seem to remember coming across a record about the Abyss."

"Legend has it, the Abyss is where the Fallen God returns."

"The God Race that fell and offered their souls to the Abyss were sealed there forever, until their souls were annihilated, their deaths the only release."