MASTER OF NONE

The Equation of Survival

Chapter 5:

The atmosphere grew suffocating, thick with a heavy, predatory silence. Man and genius stood at an absolute stalemate.

Slowly, Ye Feng’s cold face cracked into a dark, humorless laugh. "Now I understand how someone your age is already a Core Formation master. You are quite intelligent."

Mo Qingxue didn’t flinch. "So, are you going to let me leave or not?"

Ye Feng stepped closer, his footsteps deliberate. "Let me ask you a single question first."

Unable to stand, Mo Qingxue could only glare upward. "Speak."

"I know you came here because you detected the energy of my Myriad Body, desperately needing a vessel to expel your volatile Yin energy," Ye Feng said, his tone devoid of emotion. "So tell me: if our positions were reversed, and you found me while you were at the peak of your strength... would you have let me go? Or would you have forcefully shackled me into your personal cultivation vessel?"

Mo Qingxue's eyelids fluttered. He knows, she realized frantically, her mind racing. He actually possesses the Myriad Divine Body. No matter what, I cannot let him leave. I just need to stall. In a few minutes, my refined meridians will recover a fraction of spiritual energy. That tiny drop will be more than enough to capture this Star Refining brat.

Suppressing her intent, Mo Qingxue offered a strained, diplomatic smile. "You misunderstand. I merely came to see who had awakened the Myriad Divine Body. It isn't every day one encounters a fellow cultivator blessed with a legendary constitution."

Hypocrite, Ye Feng thought, his gaze completely detached. He didn't care about her lies; he only cared about the mathematics of risk and benefit. Killing a Core Formation master who was prepared to self-detonate carried a 70% chance of destroying his own newly acquired foundation. But leaving an enemy alive to track him later was equally foolish.

The only logical path was absolute subjugation through mutual benefit.

"Let’s stop wasting breath on hollow deceptions," Ye Feng stated coldly. "Here is the transaction. You will serve as my attendant for three years. In return, I will preserve your life."

Mo Qingxue spat blood onto the dirt, her pride flaring. "I would rather detonate my core than live as a slave."

Yet you would have made me one without a second thought, Ye Feng noted inwardly. Aloud, his voice remained completely flat. "I did not say slave. I said an attendant. For three years, you will protect me and execute my commands to the absolute fullest. In exchange, I will teach you how to fully master and control your Yin energy, rather than wastefully expelling it."

Mo Qingxue froze. Control it? Her heart hammered against her ribs. Ages ago, during the golden era, those with the Yin Constitution were destined to rival immortals. But since that era fell, the control techniques were permanently lost. Now, because of the relentless internal backlash, no one with the Heavenly Yin Constitution survives past twenty. If it weren't for the legends claiming the Myriad Divine Body could purge the lethal frost, I wouldn't have been so desperate...

She looked at him, a desperate speck of hope piercing her cold exterior. "Is it true? You possess a method to control the Heavenly Yin Constitution?"

"I do," Ye Feng replied.

Behind his back, his hand gripped the hilt of the Pulsar Sword, slowly releasing its edge from his skin. I saw the control manual in the System Mall, Ye Feng calculated smoothly. The price is astronomical—ten thousand points. I didn't understand why a mere manual cost so much, but seeing her state after fighting Bai Zhan makes it clear. If a premier imperial clan doesn't possess the methodology, it is effectively extinct in this world. This is my ultimate leverage. But if she rejects the deal, I will strike instantly and execute her, even if her self-detonation cripples me. I do not leave uncontrolled variables alive.

Mo Qingxue stared into his stark, white eyes, searching for a lie, but found only a terrifying, calculated abyss. What if he's bluffing? she debated. But even if I try to flee in this broken state, the corrosive frost will claim my life within two years anyway. I have no cards left to play.

She closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping. "Fine. I will protect and serve you for three years. But the moment the term ends, you will hand over the technique."

"A deal," Ye Feng said. "Hand over your life blood."

With her life blood in my possession, her soul is bound to mine. A single thought will dictate her life or death.

Mo Qingxue bit her lip, circulating her remaining energy to her forehead. With a sharp gasp, she extracted a single, glowing crimson droplet of essence from her skull. The tiny sphere floated across the space between them.

Ye Feng caught the droplet, seamlessly absorbing it into his consciousness.

The bond snapped into place. Mo Qingxue lowered her head, leaning her weight into a deep, submissive bow. "Greetings, Master."

Ye Feng looked down at the kneeling genius, his hand tightly clenching into a fist. Back in the Ye Clan, only the ancient Ancestor had reached the Core Formation stage. Now, I have a Core Formation master bowing before me. The day I no longer need to leverage others for survival... is the day the Ye Clan ceases to exist.

"Rest," Ye Feng commanded, tossing a high-grade healing pill from his backpack to her feet. "We leave this forest in two days."

Two days later, inside a secluded cave deep within the territory.

Ye Feng sat cross-legged, his breathing rhythmic. Suddenly, a violent vortex of starlight rushed into his chest, erupting outward in an immense, visible shockwave of spiritual energy that cracked the stone walls of the cavern.

He had successfully broken through to the Seventh Stage of Qi Refining.

Standing guard outside the cave, Mo Qingxue felt the heavy pressure wash over her skin. What an absurdly dense spiritual aura, she thought, her eyes widening in astonishment. If I didn't know his true realm, the sheer volume of that energy wave would have made me believe a cultivator was breaking through into the Foundation Establishment stage.

Inside, the turbulent energy subsided. Ye Feng opened his eyes and inspected the glowing contract crest on the back of his hand.

Over the last two days, I tried to fully summon and subdue Bai Zhan, Ye Feng noted, a slight frown crossing his face. But his high-grade beast bloodline is violently resisting my current spiritual strength. It seems I must reach the Foundation Establishment stage myself before I can fully command a Level 5 beast.

Walking out of the cave, he surveyed the dead, quiet wilderness. Furthermore, since Bai Zhan was sealed, the surrounding high-level monsters have fled the territory entirely. Remaining here is an inefficient use of time.

Mo Qingxue immediately dropped to her knee as he emerged. "Where to, Master?"

Ye Feng looked toward the horizon, his expression cold and resolute. "To the Alchemist Association."

Mo Qingxue raised her eyes, slightly puzzled. "For what purpose?"

"To secure a backer," Ye Feng replied calmly, stepping forward into the light. "One large enough to crush the clan before they even realize I am coming."