[Advanced to 5th stage Qi Refining Realm. Bound target limit increased. Current limit: 1/5.]
Seeing the text appear before his eyes, Lin Yuan felt a surge of excitement. One sheep can’t be sheared forever. The limit had increased by four—cultivating would now be even more satisfying.
But…
Feeling the spiritual power surging through his body, Lin Yuan frowned deeply. He had thought he’d complete the breakthrough in just an hour, but it ended up taking three.
“My root bone and aptitude are too poor. It’s a shame that pills that can improve them are still out of my reach. Otherwise, even if it were failed pills, I’d eat a few just to try.”
Noticing the light in the cave dimming, Lin Yuan didn’t delay any longer and stood up to leave.
The Ice Cave was great, but one couldn’t stay overnight, and the cleaning duty rotated. It was impossible to cultivate here all the time. Only Foundation Establishment Realm and above cultivators weren’t restricted.
“I still need strength. If I were at Foundation Establishment Realm, I wouldn’t have to deal with so many limitations!”
The sect master of the Immortal Gate Sect was at the late Golden Core Realm, so those at Foundation Establishment Realm were considered core strength—far superior in status to any servant disciple.
As Lin Yuan’s figure faded into the darkness, the disciple guarding the cave rubbed his eyes, a little doubtful. He nudged his companion and mumbled, “I remember that guy came at midday. Has he been inside this whole time?”
The other yawned and leaned lazily against the stone wall, “Impossible. I’m at the 8th stage Qi Refining Realm and wouldn’t dare stay inside longer than fifteen minutes. He’s at best 3rd or 4th stage. You must be mistaken.”
Scratching his head, the guard muttered to himself, “Did I really remember wrong? Makes sense. A Qi Refining Realm disciple couldn’t possibly linger in the Ice Cave for that long. If he did, that’d be absurd.”
Shaking his head, he dropped the thought.
At the same time, in the dense forest behind the mountain, He Peng, whose face was covered in frostbite and lips pale, finally felt some warmth.
“I… I’m warming up…”
His face looked better now. But the expressions of the other two turned grim.
On one hand, they’d spent the entire day chopping spiritual wood just to keep a fire burning for He Peng—completely wasted effort. On the other hand, they had a much deeper worry.
“He Peng, do you think the Bloodburn Technique the sect gave us has any hidden risks?”
“Exactly. This cultivation technique is supposed to be a rare art only Golden Core Elders can cultivate. Why would the sect generously give it to us?”
The two leaned in closer, lowering their voices.
Without the promise of benefits, they would’ve never left the Blood Demon Sect to become undercover agents in the Immortal Gate Sect.
The reward wasn’t anything else, but a 3rd-grade low-rank demonic technique—the Bloodburn Technique.
The Bloodburn Technique was a true demonic cultivation technique. It allowed one to burn their own blood essence in exchange for a rapid cultivation speed.
It was said that a peerless genius once emerged in the Blood Demon Sect. He reached Qi Refining in a month, Foundation Establishment in six months, and formed a Golden Core in five years, becoming an elder of the sect.
His success relied entirely on the Bloodburn Technique.
“It shouldn’t be fake. We’re serving the sect, after all. The elders wouldn’t deceive us with something like this,” He Peng replied after a moment of thought.
There were many undercover agents in the Immortal Gate Sect. Although all of them had sworn Dao oaths not to reveal anything, if the sect had truly lied to them, others would’ve found a way to leak it.
If the higher-ups of the Immortal Gate Sect found out, whatever plans the Blood Demon Sect had would fall apart.
So the technique must be real.
“Then why were you acting so weird today?”
The two kept pressing him.
“I don’t know. My whole body felt like I was back in the Ice Cave. Last time I went in, I had to rest for over half a month to recover. That sensation is unforgettable.”
Even now, thinking of that experience made He Peng shiver.
“Could it be that kid’s doing?”
One of them, Liu Songde, suddenly thought of Lin Yuan. No servant disciple could possibly be unaware of the terror of the Ice Cave. That guy had agreed too easily—he must’ve had something else in mind.
“I know that Lin Yuan. Been in the sect for three years and only at 2nd stage Qi Refining Realm—completely useless. If a guy like that managed to pull one over on me without making a sound, I might as well be dead already.” He Peng immediately refuted.
“Regardless, we should still investigate. Better safe than sorry.” Liu Songde stuck to his intuition.
“Then go by yourself. He Peng and I still have spiritual wood to chop. If we don’t finish the mission, we’ll be punished.” The other companion also spoke up.
“Fine, I’ll go alone!”
Liu Songde got annoyed and made up his mind. He was going to investigate Lin Yuan thoroughly. His gut told him Lin Yuan was hiding something huge.
…
Elsewhere, Lin Yuan had left the Ice Cave and was heading back to the Servant Quarters to grab some dry rations before returning to the back mountain cave dwelling.
With He Peng and the others taking over the spiritual wood chopping mission, it effectively saved him a whole month of time.
Now he could focus on cultivation without being distracted by servant duties.
The Ice Cave was far from the Servant Quarters, and by the time he returned, it was already late at night.
Passing by Lai Ren’s courtyard, Lin Yuan paused and glanced curiously inside.
“I heard Lai Ren went crazy this morning for no reason and jumped into the courtyard pond.”
“Yesterday, I practiced the Seven-Slaughter Demon Blade, and one of its side effects was nightmares. Maybe that’s what caused it.”
“I wonder what he dreamed of to end up that scared.”
As he was thinking, a faint voice came from inside. It was Lai Ren speaking.
“Fragrant Pill Pavilion needs people? Don’t the servant disciples often go there to clean?”
“They want pill slaves? That’s a death sentence of a job.”
“I’ll think about it…”
Fragrant Pill Pavilion? Pill slaves?
Lin Yuan’s heart trembled, and he quietly left.
Back in his room, he sat in silence, deep in thought.
The Immortal Gate Sect had seven peaks and eight courtyards. These eight were divided into upper and lower ranks, and Fragrant Pill Pavilion was one of the upper four.
Besides daily pill refinement, the alchemists there also developed new pill recipes.
But refining pills wasn’t easy. The hardest part was testing them.
That’s how pill slaves came to be.
Even the lowest servant disciples had their freedom. If they didn’t want to stay in the Immortal Gate Sect, they could leave.
But pill slaves were different. That single word “slave” marked their fate forever.
Each year, countless pill slaves died from testing failed pills.
Now, Fragrant Pill Pavilion seemed short on pill slaves and was preparing to recruit from the servant disciples.
“If they really start selecting servant disciples as pill slaves, how many will survive?”
“But… this might be an opportunity!”
Pill slaves didn’t have to do menial chores and were given good food and drink daily.
If not for the constant pill testing, their lives would be better than outer sect disciples.
If he could become a pill slave, that would be perfect!
Though excited, Lin Yuan wasn’t foolish enough to rush to Lai Ren and volunteer.
Acting too eager would definitely attract suspicion. If someone uncovered his secret, the cost would be too high.
Grabbing a few pieces of dry biscuit, Lin Yuan headed straight to his cave dwelling in the back mountain.
Not long after he left, a shadow silently slipped into his room.
“Nobody? Where did that brat go?”