Chapter 77: The Crimson Chains

"It's a type of vow and restraint within the cultivation system. Violating it results in the loss of power, the end of life, and the annihilation of the soul. It has a very high priority trigger and cannot be taken back afterward."The young man did his best to explain what a Dao Heart Oath was in terms Loren could understand.

Loren's left hand tossed that Federation coin into the air again.

Heads, truth!

An even more playful expression appeared on Loren's face. He softly uttered two words from the corner of his mouth:

"Swear it."

The young man was momentarily stunned, a flash of disbelief crossing his eyes.

After hearing Loren's words, his expression grew even more sorrowful.

"What?! I've gone this far, and you still don't intend to let me go?!"

"Oh? How do you know I don't intend to let you go?" Loren asked with curiosity in his eyes.

"The cultivation technique I practice allows me to sense danger to myself for a period into the future. And in the future I'm sensing right now, the outcome is still death."

The young man's face was full of sorrow, his heart filled with deep regret.

He was just trying to do business normally, how did he end up provoking such a bizarrely powerful lunatic for no reason...

Other cultivators selling spatial storage devices were making profits of a hundred times or more, so why did things go so wrong for him?

After learning about the young man's ability, Loren gave a satisfied nod in his heart.

Danger sense? A useful ability. You have value in staying alive.

"Try sensing it now. Is there still a life-or-death crisis?" Loren asked.

The young man focused his senses again, and his expression finally lost some of its sorrow, replaced by a look of relief as he said:

"Not anymore now."

"Good, a useful ability. Now swear it, that oath of yours."

Loren praised him, but the muzzle of his gun remained pointed squarely at the other man's head, not lowering even a fraction.

The young man looked at that dark, ominous gun muzzle and sighed silently in his heart.

Then, having arduously found a sliver of hope for survival, he raised his right hand, bit his index finger with his mouth, and broke the skin.

A drop of bright red blood welled up on the pad of his index finger.

Next, the young man formed a series of complex hand seals.

Under his control, this drop of bright red blood formed a crimson talisman.

And three ethereal, blood-red chains were entwined around the talisman.

The young man sighed at Loren, then began to recite solemnly:

"I, Wang Linfu, hereby swear this blood oath. I will never reveal today's events, never reveal any information about you, and will absolutely never seek revenge in any form! Furthermore, you shall become my eternal friend, and I shall never betray you! Violator shall have their soul scattered and annihilated!!"

After finishing the recitation, he formed another set of complex hand seals.

The crimson talisman immediately emitted a scarlet glow and flew at incredible speed towards the young man's forehead, merging into the spiritual platform at the center of his brow.

The ethereal crimson chains flashed around his entire body, as if tightly binding and dragging his soul with crimson chains.

After completing all this, the young man seemed somewhat drained of energy, collapsing weakly onto the floor of the room, panting heavily.

A blood oath of this level wasn't something that could be performed lightly, especially when used on oneself.

But according to his danger sense, this was his only path to survival. Only by doing this could he live.

Any other method of dealing with the situation would result in his death, as if locked onto by death itself. It was extremely bizarre.

After resting briefly on the floor for a few seconds, his condition recovered somewhat. He struggled to his feet and asked Loren weakly:

"Can you be at ease now?"

There was no sign of Loren lowering the revolver in his hand. His left hand tossed the coin once more as he silently recited in his heart:

"Will this person cause me any trouble in the future? If yes, heads."

Tails, no!

Then, Loren tossed the coin into the air again, silently reciting simultaneously in his heart:

"Will this person betray me in any form in the future? If yes, heads."

Tails, no!

The coin was tossed up once more. Loren silently recited another phrase:

"Is this person being alive a good thing for me? If yes, heads."

The coin fell from the air into Loren's hand. He quietly felt it with his fingertips.

Heads, it is a good thing!

Finally, after repeated confirmations.

The revolver in Loren's hand, which had been aimed at the other man's head the entire time, shimmered with light and transformed into an ordinary-looking black feather. Loren tucked it into his coat, smiling as he said:

"Congratulations, my newly-met friend. You've survived."

The coin in his left palm was also quietly tucked away into his coat by Loren.

Seeing Loren finally put away his weapon, the young man also let out a long sigh of relief:

"You really are cautious, my friend. May I ask, how should I address you?"

After putting away the coin, Loren introduced himself to his newly-met friend, with whom he'd had a somewhat unpleasant first encounter:

"Loren. Las Loren. An interstellar hunter."

After introducing himself, Loren walked over to the table holding the three spatial storage devices. He reached out, picked up the "Crimson Tear," and began examining it.

What a beautiful piece of art... Loren marveled in his heart.

Just as Loren was immersed in appreciating the design of this exquisite necklace, the young man's voice drifted over from the side:

"Don't bother looking. That's a counterfeit. It can't withstand an attack from a Legendary-tier superhuman. It just has a larger space."

Hearing this, Loren turned his head and looked at the other man with a resentful gaze: "..."

??! You didn't even bring out the real one at a time like that?

And in Loren's mind, the Raven's mocking voice chimed in right on cue.

"He's playing you, Master! Hahahaha..."

"...Shut up, stupid bird!"

Seeing the somewhat resentful look in Loren's eyes, the young man coughed dryly, attempting to justify himself:

"I'm a merchant. That's how business is done. You never give up your final trump card until the very last moment."

As he spoke, he walked over to the wooden shelf in the room, raised his hand, and rhythmically knocked on the wall behind the shelf nine times.

A small compartment opened in the wall.

The young man retrieved an exquisite jade box, cradled it, turned, and came before Loren. He spoke proudly:

"This is the genuine article. The 'Crimson Tear.' Legendary-grade craftsmanship. Internal area of 500 square meters, internal height of 10 meters. My true treasure of the shop."

"Open it and take a look. You'll like it, my friend. This will be the first testament to our friendship."

With a dark expression, Loren reached out, took the jade box, and opened it.

A breathtakingly beautiful necklace inlaid with a red gemstone lay within the jade box.

Loren glanced at the genuine "Crimson Tear" in his hand, then turned to look at the counterfeit "Crimson Tear" on the table.

They were actually identical. Not even a visible difference to the naked eye...

With a sigh of admiration, Loren quietly took the red necklace from the box and wrapped his mental energy around it.