Chapter 76: A Bond Sealed in Blood (Patreon)

Lu Feng gently wrapped his arms around Liu Erlong's slender waist. Her figure was firm and toned—there wasn't a hint of extra weight on her.

He remembered the last time he held her like this. Back then, she'd been wearing a thick leather skirt. The feeling was completely different now. That leather had felt rough and stiff beneath his hands. But tonight, the barely-there nightgown she wore clung to her body like a whisper, thin as a cicada's wing. Every curve, every breath of her skin pressed against him—it sent a completely different kind of heat through him.

But this time, Liu Erlong was ready. She wasn't flustered, wasn't panicking. Her mind was clear, and her expression stayed calm.

Lu Feng could tell—there was still one part of her heart that hadn't fully let go. Somewhere deep inside, Yu Xiaogang's presence still clung like a shadow.

But he wasn't worried.

The fire isn't quite hot enough yet, he thought, lips curling into a subtle smile. No need to rush the roast. Let it cook slowly.

After a few seconds, Liu Erlong gently pushed him away, then closed her eyes. Her energy shifted—she was focusing inward, carefully inspecting the changes in her martial soul.

Lu Feng ran a thumb across his lips and looked at her with playful curiosity. "Not going to bite me this time?"

"I thought about it," she said with a smile that was as lethal as it was beautiful, "but I couldn't do it."

Her eyes glinted with amusement. "Now we know for sure—it wasn't your saliva that caused the enhancement last time."

Lu Feng's expression shifted. Realization dawned.

She was testing things, step by step. Trying to figure out exactly what had triggered the change.

It made sense. The last time they kissed, there had been both blood and saliva involved. If her soul power had strengthened because of that, then figuring out the source meant isolating one element at a time.

"So," he said, "want to try just my blood this time?"

She nodded slightly. "One drop from your finger should be enough."

For a soul master, a small wound like that was nothing. Blood replenished fast. Without hesitation, Lu Feng pricked the tip of his finger, and a drop of crimson welled up.

"Come closer," he said softly, his voice quieter than before. "Stick out your tongue and lick it."

"Mm."

What surprised him was how gentle Liu Erlong had become. Her red lips parted just slightly, and she extended her delicate pink tongue. Slowly, she leaned forward, her eyes focused only on the drop of blood.

Her tongue touched his fingertip—warm and soft. She licked the blood away slowly, her eyes closing as she savored it. Then, she settled into meditation again, letting her soul energy feel out every reaction in her body.

Lu Feng stood there quietly, watching her. A few minutes passed.

Then her eyes suddenly snapped open.

She shook her head gently. "It's not enough. I think… there's something else on you. Something more."

Lu Feng blinked. "Yeah, there is."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, there's sweat too. But you didn't taste any of that last time. Maybe the drop wasn't enough?"

Her eyes sharpened. "Then we'll need suction."

Without waiting for his reply, she reached out, grabbed his hand, and brought his bleeding finger back to her lips.

This time, her tongue swirled around the fingertip, cleaning it slowly before her lips closed tightly around it. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked—firm, purposeful, as if trying to draw every last drop from him.

Her breath came through her nose in a quiet rush, steady and focused.

Lu Feng kept still, watching her. He could feel the soft warmth of her lips moving against him, the slight vibration of her throat as she swallowed his blood without hesitation.

She stayed like that for a few moments, then released his finger. Her lips were still slightly red, not from lipstick but from the iron taste of blood that lingered.

Without a word, she dropped into a meditative pose again.

This time, her focus was deeper. Minutes passed—ten, maybe more.

When her eyes finally opened, there was something in her gaze that hadn't been there before. Her expression had changed—less scholar, more predator. The confidence in her smirk made Lu Feng's skin tingle.

"Well?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.

"It's confirmed," she said simply. "Your blood is the trigger. But the effect doesn't repeat—taking more won't help now."

She leaned in close. He could smell the faint metallic trace of blood still on her breath.

"But beyond the martial soul changes," she continued, "my soul power has surged. You've shortened my path to the eightieth rank by half. At minimum."

Her voice trembled—not with fear, but with emotion. Tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes. Not the fierce, frustrated tears he knew from her before. These were different. Softer. Warmer.

"Thank you… my dear Alliance Leader."

Lu Feng grinned. "Lucky for me it only works once. Otherwise you'd be sucking me dry every morning."

Liu Erlong dropped to one knee. Her fist pressed solemnly to her palm in a formal martial salute. "Alliance Leader above all, this subordinate dares not act without honor. You've become my greatest benefactor. From this day forth, I exist only to repay and protect you. Never to harm."

Lu Feng quickly reached out and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, don't be so dramatic. I already banned kneeling rituals, remember?"

He preferred their usual teasing back-and-forth. This whole serious mood was way too heavy.

As someone from modern Earth, Lu Feng had never liked these old traditions. He'd already outlawed formal kneeling in the Merchant Alliance, but clearly, habits from this world didn't disappear so easily.

By the window, the plant spirit Ah Yin rustled her leaves, as if reacting to the moment.

Liu Erlong took a breath and smiled. "You did well just now—cutting down that big tree with a single leaf. Honestly, you're starting to surpass your teacher. I'm proud of you."

In a heartbeat, her entire mood shifted.

The woman who had just pledged herself to him with teary eyes now stood tall, that same smirk of a proud instructor back on her face.

Lu Feng blinked. Emotional whiplash hit him like a soul shock. She's too fast. Too smooth.

Touché, acting queen. You win this round.

"I sensed killing intent within that leaf strike," she continued, all business again. "But there was something else… something stronger, deeper. Like it wasn't just killing intent."

"It wasn't your imagination," he admitted. "That was blade intent."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Blade intent? No wonder. It carried so much force—even though it was silent, the impact was devastating."

She stared at him like he was something rare and precious.

"To merge two types of intent in a single leaf strike... Calling you a genius doesn't do it justice. You're a freak. The kind that only shows up once in a generation."

"Genius or freak," he murmured, stepping closer, "doesn't matter… so long as I'm yours."

"Fufufu—!" Her laugh burst out, rich and musical. "You've got it backwards. I'm yours—wait, no, I meant… we're—mmph!"

Lu Feng didn't let her finish.

He closed the distance and kissed her—hard.

No more teasing. No more subtle hints.

His arms pulled her into him again, firmer this time, leaving no room for doubt.

'Let me make this clear, President Liu…'

'This Alliance Leader wants you. Entirely.'

[Ding! Liu Erlong Captured. Reward: 5,000 Energy Points.]

The system message echoed in Lu Feng's mind. His body paused just for a moment—then his kiss deepened, more passionate, more possessive.

That was faster than expected.

He thought they'd have to erase every trace of Yu Xiaogang in her heart before reaching this point.

But maybe these past two days had done more than he realized. Quiet walks. Shared laughter. The way they looked at each other when no one else was around.

Little by little, those old scars had faded.

And Lu Feng wasn't wrong.

Though it had only been 48 hours since they reunited, Liu Erlong had already tasted something entirely new.

Real happiness.

Not the desperate kind she once clung to—not the pain-laced memories of Yu Xiaogang. This was gentle. Warm. Like sunlight seeping through old cracks.

She'd seen Lu Feng's care, his patience. She'd felt the weight behind his playful jabs and teasing tone.

This, finally, was what love should be.

Not just giving. But receiving. Not just surviving. But living.

She had once mistaken thorns for flowers. But now, she knew better.

Lu Feng's heartbeat pounded, matching the rush in his veins.

'Her heart belongs to me now.'

Which meant—

Tonight…