Chapter 82: The Divine Pattern of the Ninefold Sacred Embryo

“My apologies, gentlemen,” Purple Camel Peak said courteously, then drew two blood-red jade slips from within his robes.

“Blood Jade Soul Contract!” Master Feng exclaimed in shock.

At his words, Master Tu’s pupils contracted as well.

The Blood Jade Soul Contract was the most stringent of all soul contracts he knew of. It was said that even a Lord of the Sect could not break such a pact; the slightest breach would reduce one to a pool of pus and blood. The moment he saw the Thunder Stone, he knew Purple Camel Peak would resort to drastic measures, but he hadn’t expected the Blood Jade Soul Contract, whose very jade slips were as valuable as magical treasures.

The instant the Blood Jade Soul Contract appeared, Master Feng’s expression darkened. This was the legendary pact used to bind Nascent Soul servants!

“Master Feng, Master Tu, I hope you both understand. Master Zhao swore a soul contract several days ago. Its only demand is that you reveal nothing of what transpires here. Once I succeed, the contract will be lifted—on this, you have my word!” said Purple Camel Peak.

“No need for more words, Young Master Purple,” Master Tu replied after a flicker of hesitation, suddenly smiling. “A soul contract means little to me. If I have no intention of breaking it, what harm in swearing it?”

Master Feng’s expression shifted several times before he finally gritted his teeth and said, “Very well! Since Master Tu has no qualms, I shall accompany you to the end.”

At last, Purple Camel Peak smiled and bowed. “Thank you both for your understanding. Once our task is done, no matter what you desire, as long as it is within my power, I shall grant it!”

Only then did Master Feng’s face regain some color.

Under Purple Camel Peak’s watchful gaze, the two completed the soul contract. The moment their essence blood touched the blood-red jade slips, a crimson light flashed across them. Master Tu’s face paled as he felt his soul tugged, suddenly heavy. Yet no matter how he examined his spirit, he could detect no anomaly.

“Gentlemen, the Divine Fetus is too precious for internal refinement. I hope you understand,” Purple Camel Peak said, bowing again.

Master Zhao nodded. “Internal refinement does have a higher success rate, but it risks damaging the artifact itself. External refinement is more complex but safer for items inscribed with runes. Understandable.”

“That is wonderful,” Purple Camel Peak laughed, retrieving three scrolls from his storage ring and handing one to each man. “Master Zhao, this is the intermediate rune you have long wanted to see—the Ninefold Sacred Fetus Script. Please study it at your leisure.”

“At last!” Master Zhao exhaled deeply, eagerly unrolling the scroll.

Master Tu and Master Feng exchanged a glance, bid farewell to Purple Camel Peak, and returned to their chamber.

Once inside, Master Tu immediately released his Millennium Root clone. Only then did he truly relax.

“So it is as I suspected!” With his clone released, he felt much lighter.

The Blood Jade Soul Contract could not be unraveled, but there were ways to circumvent it. Without that, even the Wu clan sigil would not have convinced him to agree to the contract. Even so, he had underestimated its severity.

Though he had used his clone’s essence blood for the contract and severed the soul link between body and clone before sealing the pact—so, in truth, it was not he himself who had sworn it—still, he could not entirely escape the contract’s effects. The curse of the pact seeped through his soul’s origin, reaching his true self. Fortunately, it was but a thread—enough that he would not suffer the full backlash. Should he break the contract, so long as he sacrificed his clone, most of the curse would be warded off. The remaining backlash was not unsolvable, though further preparations would be needed.

He shook his head and turned his attention to the Ninefold Sacred Fetus Script. As he studied the rune, his expression gradually grew grave.

“What a marvelous rune! No wonder they chose such a method of selection. An intermediate rune formed from eighty-one basic runes, and the Ninefold Sacred Fetus Script itself requires a combination of eighteen intermediate runes.”

“Eighteen runes may seem few. At first glance, this script stands at the lower end of intermediate runes. But considering each component is made of eighty-one basic runes, the difficulty is immense—far beyond even the Nine Dragon Script!”

“Ordinarily, runes—whether basic, intermediate, advanced, or even legendary—are composed of up to nine basic runes apiece, the complexity lying in the sheer number of runes. But this—each rune of the Ninefold Sacred Fetus Script is composed of eighty-one…”

“Could this be an ancient rune?”

After perusing the script, Master Tu hesitated, then put it away. Whatever its origin, an intermediate rune requiring eighty-one basic runes and refined through external means would be a formidable challenge for him.

At that moment, a terrified shout suddenly came from the next room!