Chapter 6: The Calculated Alliance

Xiao Ning'er was not a fool, nor was she weak-willed. Ao Yetian's immediate, accurate diagnosis of her crippling technique was undeniable—he had offered the key to her freedom and her life. 


But his threat—the knowledge of the impending Demon Beast horde—was terrifyingly unbelievable.

 

She slowly lowered her defensive stance, the Soul Force retreating back into her core. She looked past the mysterious, foreign card and focused intently on the orphan's unnervingly calm eyes.


"You know things you shouldn't," 


She stated, her voice regaining its cold, aristocratic composure. 


"The flaw in my Dragon Blaze technique is a secret even my family does not suspect. You are a threat, and you are salvation. I accept your trade for my cultivation, but I do not believe your prophecy."


Ao Yetian gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. He had anticipated this. 


Fear was cheap; conviction was priceless.


"The Horde is scheduled to arrive in less than six months," 


He said, his voice dropping to a low, certain tone. 


"If you want certainty, I'll give you something verifiable. The Sacred Family is currently preparing to move their primary vault of Soul Stones from the East Hall to the newly constructed underground archive. They plan to do this next Tuesday at midnight. It's an internal secret, known only to their Patriarch and three Elders. Check it out. If I am right about their internal security, I am right about the city's timeline."


Ning'er’s gaze sharpened, her skepticism giving way to a dreadful flicker of belief. That level of detail, concerning a rival family’s movements, was impossible for an outsider to know.


"If you are lying about this simple fact, you will die here," 


She promised, her voice laced with sudden, cold steel.


"Agreed," 


Ao Yetian confirmed. 


"Now, state your terms. This is a pact, not a surrender."


Ao Yetian raised an eyebrow, a flicker of professional amusement in his eyes. He respected the sharp calculation behind her caution.


"My terms are absolute," 


Ning'er stated, her voice hardening.


"You will give me the entire, correct cultivation method—the complete, detailed solution, not just a hint—before you ever attempt to anchor your artifact to my energy. I must be able to verify your knowledge is genuine."


"You promised a 'painless, temporary drain.' I demand you tell me exactly how long the connection will last and precisely how much energy you intend to take. If I feel any excessive depletion or discomfort, the contract is void, and I will alert the City Lord's Mansion."


"My energy, my bloodline, and this artifact are a secret. You will never speak of this to anyone, especially not the Sacred Family. If you betray my trust, I will make you the target of the Heavenly Marks Family."


Ao Yetian found the terms entirely reasonable. They were exactly what a smart, cautious cultivator would demand. He smiled—a rare, brief expression that was all business.


"Agreed," 


Ao Yetian confirmed. 


"I will give you the full technique now. The connection will only last for one day—a test. It will siphon only enough pure energy to stabilize the artifact for three days of my use. You will feel a slight cooling, a fraction of a Soul Stone's draw, nothing more."


Without hesitation, Ao Yetian launched into a precise, detailed explanation of the revised Dragon Blaze circulation. 


He didn't just speak the words; he used a delicate strand of his Profound Energy to sketch the required meridian pathways directly into the air between them. 


The glowing diagrams illustrated the fluid, harmonious movements needed to harness her Dragon Bloodline instead of fighting it.


Ning'er watched, mesmerized. What she saw was revolutionary—a path to immense, effortless power she had only dreamed of.


As soon as he finished, she closed her eyes, quickly verifying his words with a minor cycle of her own Soul Force. Her eyes snapped open, blazing with excitement and conviction. His knowledge was genuine; the prophecy might be, too.


"Now," 


She said, holding out her hand, her resolve firm. 


"Show me this artifact."


Ao Yetian placed the sleek, black CEO card directly into her outstretched palm.


The moment the card touched her skin, the deep purple light that had flickered on his desk flared brightly once and vanished. 


Unlike Ao Yetian's chaotic experience, there was no tear or profound energy rush. Instead, the card simply went silent.


A faint, cool stream of energy—pure, unique, and distinctly separate from his own Profound Core—began to flow from Ning'er's core and into the card.


Ao Yetian felt the drain on his own core stop instantly. The siphon had moved. 


The card had accepted the cleaner, more compatible Dragon Bloodline energy as its temporary anchor.


A genuine wave of relief washed over Ao Yetian, quickly replaced by his cold resolve. 


He now had at least three days to focus entirely on his money scheme.


He looked at Xiao Ning'er, who stood calmly, already cycling the new technique while holding the card. 


Her features, once tense with the pain of her flawed path, were now serene and focused. 


The girl who had been destined to die a talented martyr was now a rapidly advancing, powerful, and suspicious ally.


"You have kept your end," 


Ning'er stated, opening her eyes. 


"I will keep mine. Now go. We do not meet again unless I summon you, or unless the horde is upon us."


"Deal," 


Ao Yetian replied, retrieving the card from her hand. It felt light and inert once more.


He vaulted onto the nearest rooftop, his shadow swallowed by the night. 


He was richer, safer, and had a powerful, albeit cautious, ally. 


But he was no longer just preparing for the future; he was actively changing it. 


The Original Timeline of Glory City was officially broken.