Chapter 62: A Longevity Talisman for Yang Fire, The Prince Takes No Loss

Fu Heng looked at Chu Li with a guarded expression.

"You only borrowed it recently. Can this thing be borrowed so often?"

Chu Li stared at him with bright eyes, and the flickering light in the depths of those eyes looked to Fu Heng like unvarnished greed!

"His Highness is protected by the imperial dragon aura, so it wouldn't hurt even if it's borrowed every day."

Chu Li smiled brightly, but her disguised face was extremely pale. Such a smile only added a touch of eeriness, making Fu Heng's shoulders sink involuntarily as he silently took three steps back.

Chu Li: ...

She had exercised great restraint last time and hadn't borrowed much. Logically speaking, this man shouldn't feel any discomfort at all. Furthermore, she found that this man replenished his vital yang energy very quickly; his body was like a moving sun, ready to reach full status at any moment. The tiny bit of yang fire she borrowed was nothing at all.

Fu Heng didn't believe her, a hint of displeasure entering his gaze.

"This Prince remembers you saying last time that borrowing fire is like borrowing life. This Prince is only a mortal. If you keep draining me like this, what if it shortens my lifespan?"

This fellow really cherished his life. Chu Li secretly clenched her teeth and reluctantly pulled a talisman from her bosom.

"Here, take this talisman as compensation. Can I borrow it now?"

Fu Heng swiftly accepted the talisman, tucked it into his robe, and then asked,

"What kind of talisman is this? Ordinary talismans cannot buy this Prince's yang fire."

Chu Li wished she could unleash a deity to pee on him!

"You should be counting your blessings just to receive it. This is my signature talisman, called the Longevity-Extending Talisman. Depending on one's condition, it can increase one's lifespan by at least three years."

Fu Heng's pupils suddenly shrank, and his heartbeat skipped a beat.

Being able to live a few more years was an absolute and massive temptation for any human, and Fu Heng was no exception!

In the years when sorcerers were prevalent, how many powerful and noble people sought longevity? Yet he had never heard of any talisman that could increase one's lifespan. That was practically equivalent to an immortal pill. If word got out, there was no telling how much bloodshed and chaos it would cause.

Fu Heng's expression suddenly turned solemn.

"Do not sell this kind of talisman casually to others in the future. The greed of human nature may be far more terrifying than you think."

This warning made Chu Li pause in surprise, her gaze fixed on Fu Heng.

He was actually quite kind-hearted, not forgetting to remind her even after getting a bargain.

However, Fu Heng clearly underestimated her. She understood human nature better than anyone else. As a talisman that brought auspicious blessings, the Longevity-Extending Talisman certainly couldn't be sold just for money; she was very selective.

In her past life, the total number of Longevity-Extending Talismans that left her hands didn't even reach a hundred. And in this life, apart from the one she just gave to Fu Heng, she had only given one to that Daoist priest Wang in Luohe Town.

Although that old man had very shallow cultivation and could hardly even be called a sorcerer, he possessed a great deal of merit and had spent his entire life doing good deeds.

Discovering that his lifespan was coming to an end, Chu Li had felt a surge of benevolence. While drawing a purification talisman, she had drawn a Longevity-Extending Talisman for him and quietly presented it to him.

"That won't require Your Highness's concern. Do I look like a fool to you?"

Fu Heng: "..."

"Right, can you sell a few more of these Longevity-Extending Talismans to me? Just name your price for however many you have."

Chu Li was full of question marks. "No, His Highness just said not to sell them casually, so why are you looking to buy them now, and several at that?"

Fu Heng did not hide his thoughts and stated bluntly,

"I want to buy a few more to give to my Princess consort. She deserves the best."

This was the first time Fu Heng had displayed such an affectionate demeanor in front of Chu Li, who was disguised as Chu Meng. Chu Li froze in place for a moment, a surge of indescribable and complex emotions welling up in her heart.

Chu Li gazed at him for a long time. That affectionate look did not seem like act, making the heart that Chu Li wanted to freeze over grow warm and eager once more.

Yet soon, rationality replaced emotion. The spoiler of a red sedan chair flashed across her mind, instantly extinguishing the fire that had ignited within Chu Li.

"Not for sale. Not for any price. Your Highness must not think that this humble commoner finds drawing talismans simple and effortless. Drawing a Longevity-Extending Talisman like this depletes a great deal of my vitality and blood; it is not easily obtained."

"Furthermore, those who are greedy are destined to lack blessings. Not everything is better in greater quantities. One Longevity-Extending Talisman per person is the limit; using any more is simply a waste."

With that, Chu Li turned cold and ignored Fu Heng, setting to work on performing the rite of passage for the two white ferrets.

Fu Heng hadn't expected her reaction to be so intense. Recalling what Chu Li had said, he couldn't help falling into deep thought.

Looking at her pale face, Fu Heng knew his demand had been too excessive. He should have realized that a talisman defying the heavens like this could not possibly be acquired easily. He had simply been too naive.

"My apologies. This Prince did not think things through. I apologize to you."

Chu Li sneered inwardly. When he needed something, it was "I", and when he didn't, it was "This Prince". This man was truly terrifyingly pragmatic.

Whether he really intended to give the Longevity-Extending Talisman to her was still up for debate. In any case, she had no intention of selling too many talismans to Fu Heng, lest this man think drawing them was easy. She had to let him know how hard it was for her.

Seeing that Chu Li was ignoring him, Fu Heng said no more. He touched the Longevity-Extending Talisman in his robe, nursing his own thoughts.

During this exchange, Chu Li had already arranged the ritual array for the transcendence of souls.

Red candles inscribed with talisman scripts were placed at the four cardinal positions. With a flick of her hand, she conjured a flame to light all four candles, their warm orange-yellow glow standing out remarkably against the pitch-black night.

Having reined in his thoughts, Fu Heng paid attention to Chu Li's movements. Seeing that she seemed about to perform some special ritual, he took a proactive step forward and asked,

"Do you still need to borrow fire?"

Chu Li's movements paused. Without hesitation, she grabbed Fu Heng's shoulder, and a ball of flame instantly materialized in her palm.

Since he offered it himself, it would be foolish not to use it.

Fu Heng carefully sensed the sensation, finding that indeed there was no discomfort. Looking at the leaping flame in Chu Li's palm and knowing it was his own yang fire, his feelings were immensely complex.

Just when he thought this ball of yang fire was going to be used for some grand purpose, Chu Li suddenly opened her mouth and, right in front of Fu Heng, swallowed the fire in one gulp.

"You swallowed it again?"

When his yang fire was swallowed last time, Fu Heng had already been shocked. At that time, he had even asked if the yang fire couldn't be retrieved. Chu Li had told him that once the yang fire left the body, it could not return, leaving him with no choice but to accept his fate. Being consumed by her, he could only comfort himself by telling himself not to waste it.

Yet this time, his precious yang fire hadn't even served its purpose yet, and this woman had swallowed it straight away. How was he supposed to explain this?

Explain? Chu Li didn't even spare Fu Heng a glance, merely stating chillingly,

"The process of liberating souls consumes an immense amount of magical power. His Highness's yang fire can help me make up for a fraction of that loss."

Fu Heng's eyes widened. Was she not even going to pretend anymore? Wasn't this what they commonly called absorbing a man's yang energy? He understood this concept!

"You... Very well. It's just a small ball of yang fire. This Prince can afford to give it!"

Chu Li sneered inwardly, thinking to herself that of course he could afford it. If her Longevity-Extending Talisman were calculated in hard currency, it would easily be worth several hundred liang of gold!

Man, you're not getting the short end of the stick~