Chapter 81: Life Steal

Qi Hong guided Xu Miao to the B1 floor. But this time, they entered the floor via the stairs.

The underground levels were not decorated since Xu Xiuying designed it to be a prison and torture chambers. White neon lights illuminated the maze-like passages, which hid many checkpoints and dummy zones, designed to trap escapees and prisoners.

Many wicked customers and criminals were locked there. 80% of them were members of the silver phoenix sect's enemies, such spies from the southern district, agents from the imperial family, or high-profiled cultivators. The rest was either Xu Xiuying's toys or Long Meifang's private collection.

When they got there, Xu Miao found many familiar faces, gathering at the front reception.

The reception office was the first checkpoint that all visitors had to go through. Beyond there, there were other passages to the lower floors, and they led to other departments.

Yao Lan, one of the five elders of Virgin Yin School, was in charge of the B1 floor. While she was monitoring the reception area, she was also teaching a few inner disciples and promising outer disciples.

Xu Miao and Qi Hong ran into Yao Lan, Zhu Yanyu, and a dozen of VY disciples who were into bikini armor fashion. Zhu Qiao was also there, but she didn't wear skimpy clothes like the others. On the contrary, she wore tidied pink robes as if she was a noble girl with proper upbringings.

"Elder Qi? What can I do for you today?" Yao Lan, the amazon elder, welcomed her colleague.

"I'm here to test this brat's skill. Do you have any dead row prisoner that we can kill?"

Yao Lan picked up her J-Phone and swiped the screen a few times and typed something on it. A minute later, she had the list.

"I have two crippled thugs. Their four limbs have been cut off, so you can use them."

"Good, can you transfer them to the experimental room?"

"Sure."

The two elders didn't flinch as they treated the lives of their prisoners like animals. Zhu Yanyu, Zhu Qiao, and all disciples also didn't look surprised after hearing their conversation.

Prisoners in the underground dungeon were nothing but expendable practice targets. All of them usually used these prisoners to test their new destructive skills, so the request wasn't uncommon.

Xu Miao was a bit taken aback at first. But after he recalled that a succubus ran this sect, he shrugged it off as if it was none of his business. Xu Miao, too, killed many people in the modern world and this world. He was no different than ordinary cultivators here.

"Young master Xu! Young master Xu Miao!"

The cheerful pink-haired girl, Zhu Qiao, aka E888, called for Xu Miao. Despite getting bullied or teased by him in the past, she still had the guts to approach him.

"What?"

"Are you here to test your new skill?"

"Yeah, probably. It's my first time here."

"Can I go with you? I also want to see your skill!"

"Huh?"

Xu Miao turned to Qi Hong, asking for permission. The elder rolled her eyes, "Suit yourself."

Xu Miao turned back to Zhu Qiao, "You heard her."

"YAY!! Then, can I bring my sister, too?"

"Well, if you insist."

"YAY!!"

As such, Zhu Qiao and Zhu Yanyu tagged along with Xu Miao and Qi Hong to the lower floor, B5.

B5 was an experiment ground where all disciples could use this place to practice deadly skills. They could pay CP to buy dead row prisoners and use them as practice targets.

Metal walls and magic arrays separated this B5 space into a hundred rooms. Each room only had one entrance, and no sound could escape from the inside. Nobody could see what the disciples or elders do inside the rooms either.

Dimmed light, enclosed space, small prisoner cells, large soundproof rooms, bloodstain walkways, and iron-like smell resemble a set in a film. Xu Miao looked around with wide eyes. Had he not come here with Qi Hong, he would have thought that he was in one of the SAW movies.

After waiting for 30 minutes, Yao Lan's subordinates entered the floor via a staff elevator. Two tall burly women pushed two-wheeled beds, carrying two crippled men with no limb. All prisoners were gagged and blindfolded. Their naked body had several dried wounds.

The staff brought the two men to Qi Hong and Xu Miao, "They're your practice targets. Do you want to know their names and backgrounds?"

Qi Hong waved her hand, chasing the employees away. The two muscular amazons cupped their fists and withdrew without saying anything.

Qi Hong pushed the wheeled bed into one of the brightest rooms.

Xu Miao followed her inside. When he got in, he found himself in a blank room with a bright sport light LED shining from the ceiling. The walls of this room were also protected by mysterious orange arrays. Xu Miao guessed that they were protective formations that prevented disciples and elders from destroying the floor.

"Alright, Xu Miao. Use [Life Steal] on one of them. I've checked their dantians just now. Both of them still have about 2,000 yang qi left. Drain them until they die."

Zhu Qiao and Zhu Yanyu were nearby since they were following Xu Miao around. When Zhu Qiao heard that Qi Hong wanted to test Xu Miao's [Life Steal], she jumped around and clung on his right arm.

"Wow! Young master, you have practiced Vampiric Touch chapter two already!? You've already been here for a month, but you can already use it!? You're really a genius! It took me three months before I can use it!"

"Ahem!"

Zhu Qiao was blabbering non-stop. Her sister had to cough and drag her to the sideline so that Xu Miao and Qi Hong could finish their businesses.

Meanwhile, Xu Miao's face twitched when he heard that this annoying girl could use the evil technique as well. When he recalled the duel when he fought Zhu Qiao, he felt that something wasn't right about her.

'She is not normal for sure. Her fighting sense is definitely better than Kang Yan, but why is her codename still E888? If she can even use a core skill with her current strength, she should be able to defeat all outer disciples with ease!'

Zhu Qiao's pupils were bright red, which proved that she didn't lie. Xu Miao suspected that Zhu Qiao might be hiding her true strength, but she wasn't good at keeping her secret. Or, she could be a cunning fox that intentionally leaked information about herself to get his attention.

Moreover, Zhu Qiao was only a 2nd stage rookie. If she could use a core skill, her foundation and potential might be even on the same level as Xie Tian.

'Is she a heroine? Can she also be a main character like Xie Tian?'

[[Ding]]

[[Insufficient authority and information.]]

Again, the system was useless.

Since Xu Miao couldn't confirm his theory, he marked the Zhu sisters as dangerous individuals for now.

"What are you doing? Get it done!"

Qi Hong scolded Xu Miao, so he could stop daydreaming.

Being reminded of his task, Xu Miao sighed and walked toward one of the crippled prisoners. He touched the latter's forehead and activated his skill.

Xu Miao's left hand turned cold as 1,000 strands of yin qi condensed within the palm. When [Life Steal] activated, blood and qi of the prisoner rushed into his hand.

Blood pressure surged as the prisoner's blood melted into atoms that naked eyes couldn't see. They entered Xu Miao's pores and was absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of harming him, the absorbed blood nourished Xu Miao's qi and blood. His blood cells' longevity expanded, and the number of qi strands they can carry increased. Then, they spread through his body, strengthening his muscle, skeleton, respiratory, circulation, and nervous system.

Xu Miao's pale skin gained color while his long white hair blackened and got shorter. His facial outline restored to his former appearance.

The form that Xu Xiuying gave him reverted back to Mao Miaomiao. Still, he retained his trained physique and power. Only his face transformed.

The last drop of the prisoner's blood entered Xu Miao's bloodstream. The victim died in peace.

[[Ding]]

[[You have stolen 2,109 strands of yang qi.]]

Seeing the feedback from the system, Xu Miao nodded in satisfaction. He found more ways to get stronger.

*BADUM*

Suddenly, Xu Miao's heart shook. Something was wrong with the qi and blood that he had absorbed.

[[Ding]]

[[Warning, Life Steal Art has fatal side-effects. Absorbing too many lives will corrupt your mind and meridians, which will hinder your growth after the 4th stage.]]

The technique came with a serious side effect that the scroll didn't clarify. The murky feeling lingered in his innards and bloodstreams, which was uncomfortable.

Xu Miao didn't realize that he transformed back to Mao Miaomiao. He turned to Qi Hong, who stared at the former in shock, wanting to question her about the side-effects.

However, his words couldn't come out. The newly acquired blood made his throat dry, and he lost the power to generate voice. Xu Miao had to stop using the turtle breathing technique to gasp for air.

"You really can use it..."

While Xu Miao was struggling for air, Qi Hong didn't notice the anomaly. She only nodded in admiration that the young master didn't lie.

The transformation wasn't new to Qi Hong. The process and the effect of the second chapter were also obvious. She couldn't find fault in Xu Miao's words that he could get stronger and learn skills through sex.

Meanwhile, Zhu Qiao and Zhu Yanyu were surprised by Xu Miao's new appearance. He no longer resembled his mother anymore.

"Odd," Zhu Yanyu muttered to herself.

On the other hand, Zhu Qiao's face was solemn. She grabbed his right wrist and felt his pulse. Then, she widened her eyes.

"Wow!"

Xu Miao pulled his right wrist away from Zhu Qiao by reflex. He glared at her and managed to squeeze his lung to produce his voice, "What are you doing?"

"You've changed a lot. I just tested you if you were really the same person that I knew."

"Am I?"

Zhu Qiao didn't answer. She only gave him a meaningful look before she turned around to leave, "Let's go back, Yanyu!"

Zhu Yanyu nodded and followed after her little sister. However, from Xu Miao's perspective, Zhu Yanyu looked like a servant following her master.

'This sister pair is too suspicious! I guess I have to mark them as my potential enemies.'

Xu Miao didn't say anything. He walked toward the other prisoner and used the same technique.

More blood and qi became Xu Miao's food and boosted his vitality. The suction sensation was addictive that he wanted to use this technique some more.

"That's enough, young master Xu. This is a technique that our sect stole from an evil sect. You shouldn't use it too often, or it will ruin your future cultivation."

"I was just about to ask you. So you knew?"

"Yes. It's a dangerous skill for low-level cultivators. If you don't want to become a vampire, don't use this skill anymore."

"..."

"That's all that you need to know. You can go back to your room. Oh, don't forget to undo your transformation."

"What transformation?"