CHAPTER 904: THE BLOOD CONTRACT [SHENLIAN SHESHAN’S ETHEREAL MEMORY]

"Or perhaps we should find several beautiful wives for my uncle?" She blinked mischievously at him, envisioning her perfect uncle surrounded by stunning women vying for his affection. The scene played vividly in her mind, a real-life palace drama unfolding before her eyes. She relished the thought of witnessing such intrigue.

Shenlian Sheshan’s face darkened noticeably.

In this world, the concept of harems was commonplace. For powerful beings, choosing a single partner for life or having multiple companions was a personal choice. Whether having many partners benefited their cultivation path or stemmed from genuine feelings, each story was unique. After all, with cultivators’ extended lifespans, emotions naturally evolved through life’s myriad experiences. Consequently, it was rare to find someone with only one partner throughout their lifetime in the cultivation world.

Mortals, on the other hand, typically lived less than a hundred years. Few surpassed that, and even then, only marginally.

Bound by time, mortals often found their affections restless. Some loved many within their brief existence, chasing the thrill of new romances or fleeing the slow decay of old flames. Others clung to a single beloved, hoping that defying impermanence could render their love eternal. Yet, even those who stayed together discovered that love wasn’t a fixed entity, it shifted, evolved, and sometimes withered.

Just as mortals’ feelings changed over time, so did those of cultivators. Love, for both mortals and immortals, was never static. The intense passion of youth often mellowed into a gentle companionship or soured into resentment, with two souls growing weary of each other’s presence. Some loves deepened over time, weathered by storms yet unbroken. Others faded like ink left in the sun, leaving behind only the ghost of past passions.

"What nonsense are you thinking about?" Shenlian Sheshan lightly tapped her head.

"Ouch, that hurt! Uncle Shan, am I wrong, or do you have someone you love?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Shenlian Sheshan met her gaze without hesitation. His eyes held the answer she sought.

She was taken aback. It turned out her maternal uncle truly had someone he loved. She laughed, patting his shoulder. "Uncle Shan, who is she?"

"She is beyond reach," he replied softly. His tone was akin to a whispered secret meant for no one else. Yet, as he considered his current strength, his eyes dimmed.

"Beyond reach doesn’t mean unreachable. Uncle Shan, what kind of person is she?" Shenlian Yingyue’s eyes sparkled with determination. She resolved to help her uncle find his future wife.

"She’s kind and very gentle. Although she isn’t the most perfect person I’ve ever seen, she’s perfect for me." Shenlian Sheshan’s eyes softened as he thought of her. Lost in his beautiful memory, his smile was as serene as the moment between sleep and waking, when dreams still linger.

Shenlian Yingyue tilted her head, her resolve strengthening. But life was full of unexpected surprises; neither she nor Shenlian Sheshan knew what fate awaited them.

"Uncle Shan, what’s her name? What’s her identity? Where is she? Do you have her portrait?" Wang Pei Zhi’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. He bombarded Shenlian Sheshan with questions, shattering his ethereal reverie.

"Stop asking. Come with me! I heard you want to find a Legendary Beast to form a contract with. There are countless beasts here." Shenlian Sheshan’s face returned to calm. Except for the darkness in his eyes when he turned away from his niece, his demeanor remained gentle.

"Uh, Uncle Shan, I didn’t mean to interrupt your dream. But we need to explore the treasures," Wang Pei Zhi swallowed nervously, a shiver running down his spine. He wished to seek help from his best friend, realizing he’d offended this seemingly kind uncle, who harbored unknown dangers behind his warm facade.

Though contracting a Legendary Beast sounded enticing, a foreboding feeling made him want to cling to his best friend, the most normal person among them.

"Yes, we need to explore the ’treasures’." Shenlian Sheshan turned to his niece, his tone warm. "Xiao Yue’er, regarding my love affairs, there’s no need to worry. I know how to handle it."

Despite his words, she sensed the desolation in his soul. Her determination to help him only grew stronger.

"Let’s go," Shenlian Sheshan said. His warm smile vanished as he turned to Wang Pei Zhi.

Wang Pei Zhi considered hugging Shenlian Yingyue’s leg for protection, but before he could act, Shenlian Sheshan grabbed his collar and dragged him away with such speed that Shenlian Yingyue was left flabbergasted.

Was it her imagination, or was her uncle angry about something?

Regardless, she felt a headache coming on. Her uncle had formed a blood contract with her previously to free himself from the restrictions of the Immortal Congzhu’s secret realm, Chapter 226.

At that time, Uncle Shan was in a soul state but managed to create the blood contract. After forming the contract, she realized that a soul could initiate a blood contract using soul essence instead of physical blood.

The human offered their blood, while the soul infused the pact with soul energy or spiritual will, creating a metaphysical seal.

This meant he now shared his life, thoughts, and everything with her. Before he reunited with his beloved, she needed to find a way to terminate this contract.

In the cultivation world, a blood contract bound two beings beyond mere physical proximity. It intertwined their fates intimately, often irreversibly. Their spiritual pathways resonated, creating a constant hum of awareness. Even at great distances, they could sense each other’s emotional spikes, rage, pain, or fleeting joy.

The contract rewired their instincts. They moved to shield each other before conscious thought took over, as if their bodies were no longer entirely their own.

For instance, in battle, one might take a sword strike meant for the other, their muscles moving on the contract’s demand rather than their will. Because of this, she didn’t want her uncle to leave the Ethereal Small World at all.

What if, in the face of danger, his body moved to protect her against his will? She would blame herself. In this way, she was glad she had obtained the Ethereal Small World, allowing her to prevent such occurrences. She could seal this special function of the blood contract.

As long as the two people who formed the blood contract weren’t close to each other, they would be fine. The space of the small world and the outside world were completely different. The Ethereal Small World was independent, like its own universe, unbound by the rules of heaven and earth.

If she died, he wouldn’t weep. The contract had hollowed him so thoroughly that her absence felt like losing a limb he’d never had.

Even if it cost her half of her cultivation or life, she wouldn’t hesitate to terminate the blood contract with him.

At that time, she had done it to save him, unaware of the consequences. Now that she knew, even if her uncle refused, she would find a way to terminate it. She also believed that her uncle wouldn’t refuse.

After all, no matter how vast and kind a woman’s heart was, she could never tolerate her beloved man having intimate relationships with others or sacrificing his own life and soul for another woman.