Maria sat on the couch, resting her shoulders against one end. A dainty light flickered across her eyes as her cheeks flexed, lips parting ever so slightly.
"You seem to be in a hurry. You've been playing a lot lately. What are you up to?" she asked with a derisive smile.
"Since I have nothing to do with the fiat placed except cultivate, I've been using my free time for other things. It just occurred to me that I'll need more crystals to continue." Blood replied with a faint smile, leaning back weakly before adding,
"Mum, I need some crystals and thought I could use some hel—"
"Hmm. And what do you need the crystals for?" Maria cut him off, refusing to let him finish.
Blood gulped. Exchanging the beast carcass might not be as simple as he had thought—let alone asking for crystals outright.
"As you know, Mum, I've been concerned with finding and unlocking passageways for years now. But I couldn't continue the t-task effectively since I've been locked up. I could only resort to this to pass the time." Blood replied, his gaze unwavering.
The matter concerning the Blood Book loomed over him—it was urgent, and if neglected, he might regret it.
"So, all these efforts were just you passing the time, huh? Hell, I believe you're building an escape route." said Maria, her tone edged with suspicion. "I'll check it out at my leisure."
"I dare not." Blood blurted, his earnest expression so convincing it could make a rat battle a heinous cat. "It's simply what we find pleasing while enduring the lock-up." He emphasized the word 'lock-up', almost forcing it down his mother's throat.
He hadn't expected her to connect his digging to escape. That was something he had abandoned long ago. And he certainly didn't want her anywhere near that place—it would complicate everything.
"If it's so vivid, why didn't you ask the servants for help? Digging a hole for so long is surely an arduous task to do by yourself." Maria complained.
Blood froze at her words.
He wasn't alone. He was obviously with Ballock.
Blood sighed, pressing the issue that had brought him here.
"I want to trade an Iron Realm stage-six beast crystal and carcass for some energy crystal. I hope Mother can help me with this." he said quickly, laying bare the reason for his visit.
Maria was not surprised. As expected, she showed no reaction to his change of subject. Her expression turned lucid as she spoke, "Didn't know your 'task' was this small. What could the carcass of a single beast do for you? I bet you'll come running back later when you use them up." She chuckled.
Blood's complexion darkened immediately, like a child robbed of its sweets.
Was a sixth-stage beast truly worth so little? It was generally known that beasts of the same stage as humans possessed greater strength, flexibility, and excelled in other areas. He could have sold it at the Hunter Union branch or at some stores if only he weren't being confined.
Blood realized his mother only knew how to make fun of him, and it seemed he was always the one bringing up something to be laughed at.
Beast crystals were generally beneficial to all, but those from stage-one Iron Realm beasts were the most common. Finding unique properties in them was rare, and their worth in energy crystals was hardly worth mentioning—unless they were gathered in huge numbers.
But Maria had heard him wrong.
He wasn't trading just 'any' crystal. He was offering the crystal of a beast in the sixth stage…
At that moment, Ivory descended the stairs. She had been present from the very beginning, quietly following the conversation. What distressed her most was her mother's abrupt laughter.
Wasn't her brother trading a beast crystal and carcass of the sixth stage?
That alone could suffice her for some time.
Her footsteps echoed softly as she descended the stairs, drawing closer to the floor.
Maria's laughter receded as her eyes turned toward Ivory, who was now only two meters away.
Without hesitation, Ivory sat beside Blood, crossed her arms around his neck, and rested her head gently on his shoulder.
Blood's eyes widened in incredulity.
It was now two against one. Most intriguing was that Ivory was not restrained as he was.
With her joining hands, he felt a chance. Sitting upright, he drew on newfound energy and planted a kiss upon her forehead.
"__"
Maria gulped.
Don't tell me you're here to help him out again.
"Hmm, your helpline arrived early today. I was expecting you, little one." Maria chuckled loudly.
"Who said anything about a stage-one beast?" she began. "I clearly heard from the stairs that it was a sixth-stage beast carcass and crystal. Isn't that right, brother?" she asked with a dainty smile.
"Yes, that's true." Blood hurriedly confirmed. Fearing his mother's disbelief, he instantly revealed the beast carcass.
A cobra appeared before them, its body marred with claw marks and deep cuts, its forked tongue protruding lifelessly. The stabs and slashes had nearly rendered it unrecognizable.
If not for the fact that it was a common beast in the Sand-Scale Forest, they might have struggled to identify it at all.
The wounds spoke of the agony it had endured before death. The pain must have been excruciating, even after its final breath.
Both mother and daughter wore pathetic expressions.
Although Maria was surprised to see it was a mid-stage beast of the Iron Realm, her expression remained composed.
"You killed a mid-stage beast of the Iron Realm? I didn't expect this. I see no way for you to have managed it." she said, her smile widening. "Your father will surely be proud. He'll want to test your strength firsthand when he returns. It's surprising you could finish a beast of this level with your current prowess."
Maria's surprise was mild—she had already seen Blood harness the energy of someone three stages above his own before. Though it was surprising for Blood to have managed that, nonetheless.
But only Blood knew the truth. It had been possible solely because of the wolf's assistance. Without that fierce strike, defeating the beast would have been nearly impossible.
Ivory sneered secretly as she walked closer to the beast and crouched down.
"Be careful with the beast. Just because it's dead doesn't mean it isn't noxious. The toxins might not have worn off." Maria warned, still seated as if unconcerned.
Ivory reached out her hand, sweeping it across the cobra's scales, but Blood caught her wrist before she could touch.
She was still a child who loved to explore the unexplorable.
"You should listen sometimes, hum." he said, helping her back to her feet.
"Tch… tch," she clicked her tongue, rolling her eyes before retreating to her seat.
A glowing crystal suddenly appeared in Blood's palm. Thin spikes jutted from its surface, sharp and obvious, while certain smooth patches remained untouched—precisely where he held it.
It was the beast crystal he had harvested earlier from the Earth-Spill Cobra.