The tracking spell

The damage control finally started with the full swing and Xiao Lan wanted to head it himself. However, there were more complications than just attempting to take charge in this situation for him.

And the biggest one was the huge deadline that was looming over all their heads and the fiery presence that was haunting their nation. So the first order of things to arrange was to deal with Hinoe uma and then the rest of the things in order.

As such, Xiao Lan and Fu Hua made their way back inside the burned-out complex followed by detective Song. The only one not here was Commander Song who had chosen to go with the damage control squad to help everyone else out with the fire.

"We already searched this place and even found some documents we were unable to look through. There should be some of your blood stored in here for emergencies but we never found any" detective Song took it upon himself to narrate the happenings to Fu Hua who only paid half attention till the last part.

"Ah, I don't think this place had any of my blood left. The recent ones I gave out are at the capital and the ones here should have dried out by now" Xiao Lan found himself curious at the other's words.

By now his hands were filled with books Fu Hua found interesting but not necessarily secret. The real ones were given to detective Song and there was a considerable size difference between the two piles.

"Why capital? What would they do with your blood when our own blood has spelling power?" Xiao Lan found himself curious and as another book was placed in his arms - irritated as well.

He was a royal prince, not a book carrying the personal servant of someone who was already a servant. He refused to do this for the other and he would never acknowledge that he had done this either.

"Well, my blood is precious and it's not like they can just make you bleed again and again. Besides, your blood magic comes from your mother's side which is full of foreign essence while mine is bound to the land of Hua itself" when Fu Hua put it like this then it was clear to see why they preferred his blood.

Still, Xiao Lan could not think of any solid reason to keep others' blood secure, especially in the capital where these texts did not even exist. It seemed weird to have to think about all this.

"This is not the real reason they have your blood, is it? I have heard the rumours, the ones the higher mages do not want us to be aware of" detective Song leaned on Fu Hua as he whispered those words.

Too bad for him, his whispering skills were never that great and everyone could hear his words clearly. Personally, Xiao Lan thought he should work on it more if he wanted to pull off the mysterious tone.

"What are you talking about? Can someone explain this to me as well?" Fu Hua tried to act confused but Xiao Lan knew him better than that. Fu Hua knew that as well because not even a few seconds in and he gave up on pretending as if he did not know.

"They say there is an array laid down throughout the land of Hua, powerful enough to even wipe out an entire civilisation of gods and to rewrite the time itself. The way to activate it is to fill the central hole with the blood that carried the spark. Of course, it's all a rumour without any basis to it" Fu Hua dismissed the questioning look Xiao Lan still had.

Why had Xiao Lan never heard about this array before? Not even in the academy or in the scholarly meet? He should have been aware of it at least.

"So, do you think it actually exists?" Xiao Lan turned to Fu Hua when he asked this since it was only him who could answer the question. It was not difficult to guess who the owner of the 'sparked blood' was in this context.

"I don't know but it is mentioned in one of these books. Let me see which one" Fu Hua pulled a book out of the small pile in detective Song's arms which caused the rest of the books to wobble along with the motion.

Thankfully, the detective somehow managed to stop the actual tower from collapsing in his arms right as Fu Hua cut his hand open to allow a few drops of blood to fall down onto the book in his hand.

The surface absorbed the blood till no drop was left and then it clicked open. Fu Hua turned a few pages, his hand still bleeding due to the lack of healing magic and the book greedily sucked the blood.

"Y-your hand. You should treat it before you damage the book" even when the detective could see that the book was not being affected, he still pointed it out to the other to consider.

Fu Hua looked at his hand for a few seconds before he started to turn the pages once again. It was like he had never heard what the detective had said at all and was busy doing his own thing.

This behaviour was not something Xiao Lan was going to stand for so he put the books in his hand down and grasped the other's bleeding wrist in his own hand. The red was spreading fast, even on Xiao Lan's own hand and he had to look up at the other to convey his displeasure.

"Your body belongs to me right now and I won't tolerate you damaging it. If you are not going to heal this wound then I will" his magic moved, covering the wound till it was no longer visible on the skin.

Fu Hua kept quiet throughout the exchange, his eyes trained on Xiao Lan for a lot longer than what was necessary till he pulled his hand back toward himself. Xiao Lan blinked when the other did that, his head getting out of the fog it had been in.

He had not even realised that he had lost control of his emotions and allowed himself to do things he should not have. Thankfully, no one realised this fact for now which still left him with time to get himself under control.

"Thank you, although there was no need to. It hardly hurt and would have healed itself over eventually" 'did not hurt?' it was a deep cut from what he felt and would have bled for a long time. Not something that would cause permanent damage for sure but still, why take the risk?

Xiao Lan was worried now, not for the other but for the invention the other had on. Was there a defect in it that cut off emotions too? Or dulled them along with magic? They should have considered it in the prototype when they had been planning this but it had somehow slipped their minds completely.

"Keep your magic for your own emergencies. You might need this in future yourself" it might be the blood loss talking now since Fu Hua was feeling dizzy but the next couple of words blew it all away.

"Oh, this seems interesting too, a tracking spell. Do you think we can use it as well?" while Xiao Lan and Fu Hua had been out there flirting, detective Song had taken it upon himself to go through the texts.

There were some interesting things inside there, especially the ones regarding death and resurrection which he made sure to remember the page number of to see later. He also knew not to close the notebook if he wanted to view it later.

While going through it all, he also found a tracking spell that seemed, unlike any trekking spell he had ever seen. He only knew what it was because it said so at the top and anything written inside was going over his head.

Thankfully, they had at least one scholar who could tell them what this meant and even provide enough ingredients for them to work through this without any problem. He wondered if he could get Fu Hua to use it for him at a later date.

"There is? Let me see it for a second" Fu Hua took the notebook from detective Song's hands and the other allowed that to happen. He would get his chance later but for now, he had to stay behind his mask of weirdness and not useful.

"Xiao Lan, I think we have a solution to our problem now" detective Song looked on in confusion as the two shared a small smile among them. He had done something good accidentally and it seemed like it would work in his favour.

Not that he minded, he did want to help after all. Detective Song was a cowardly but useful person, one people needed but not particularly want.