10: Dark God Pill, memory devouring.

As soon as Li Yan stepped into the courtyard of the Jingxu Sect, he saw Old Daoist Xuan Wang arriving with a group of Disciples.

Seeing his Master come personally to receive him, Li Yan cupped his hands and said, "Disciple Li Yan greets Master!"

Old Daoist Xuan Wang did not say much, but directly raised his palm.

Accompanied by a suction force, the Bone Blood Crystal that Li Yan had hidden in his sleeve flew directly into Old Daoist Xuan Wang's hand.

Looking at the crystal-clear treasure in his hand, which contained the essence of blood, Old Daoist Xuan Wang revealed a satisfied smile.

"Well done, Li Yan."

"From this day on, you are promoted from a Utility Disciple to an Outer Sect Disciple, and you may receive five Medicinal Stones every month."

"The side room in the Outer Sect of the Stone Workshop belongs to you, and you will continue to be in charge of the Stone Workshop."

Seeing this, Li Yan secretly rejoiced that he had hidden those crystals outside in advance; otherwise, this old Daoist would have taken them all away.

Li Yan tactfully cupped his hands in thanks, "Thank you for your cultivation, Master!"

"Hmm, Li Yan, come with me."

"Yes!"

Li Yan arrived behind Old Daoist Xuan Wang and followed him into the inner courtyard, arriving outside the Pill Refining Room.

"Disciple, wait here. I must refine this treasure."

Leaving Li Yan to wait outside the door, the old Daoist took the Bone Blood Crystal and went inside.

If his memory served him right, the Soul of Senior Brother Mingzhe was inside that Blood Crystal...

Through the crack in the window, Li Yan could see the deranged Old Daoist Xuan Wang placing the crystal into the Pill Furnace.

Old Daoist Xuan Wang pinched a seal with two fingers, summoned a cluster of eerie cyan strange fire, and ignited the Pill Furnace.

Before long, the wails of Mingzhe came from within the Pill Furnace.

His Soul gradually lost its voice under the scorching heat of the strange fire in the Pill Furnace.

About half an hour later, a Medicinal Pill rolled out from the furnace.

Old Daoist Xuan Wang picked up the white-red Medicinal Pill, his wrinkles gathering together to squeeze a bone-chilling smile onto his aged face.

Holding this Medicinal Pill, Old Daoist Xuan Wang pushed open the door and came before Li Yan.

"Disciple, eat this; it will be good for you."

Old Daoist Xuan Wang presented the Medicinal Pill to Li Yan, leaving no room for negotiation.

However, so what if this medicine had side effects? The stronger the side effects, the more he liked it.

"Thank you, Master!"

Without another word, he swallowed the Medicinal Pill directly.

The moment it entered his mouth, Li Yan could feel a powerful resentment.

That was the intense curse and resentment that erupted before Senior Brother Mingzhe died; he could almost hear his hateful cursing.

But so what?

Mingzhe had tried to harm others many times; such a scourge dying at his own hands could be considered a deed of boundless Karma.

[Detected that the host has swallowed a [Nether Divine Pill] with strong side effects.]

[Side effect: Intense evil thoughts will cause the host's mind to be restless, planting a Heart Demon within the Dao Heart.]

[Converted side effect: Host's Spiritual Vision +1. The higher the Spiritual Vision Rank, the easier it is to see through the essence of weirdness via the Minds Eye.]

[This Medicinal Pill also has positive effects: it can increase Blood Qi and inherit a portion of the departed Soul's memories.]

In an instant.

Countless memories flooded into Li Yan's mind.

A chaotic world of demons and weirdness, natural disasters and man-made calamities, soldiers and bandits running rampant.

Senior Brother Mingzhe was originally from outside the mountains. He was conscripted at fourteen, and by twenty-one, he had become a seasoned veteran, killing countless enemies, but also killing innocents to claim merit, often using the heads of fellow villagers to pad his military achievements.

Until one day, when he went to collect his reward money as usual and visited the brothel run by his superior, he took a fancy to a newly arrived military prostitute.

After some teasing, Mingzhe discovered that this woman was actually from his hometown. Upon further questioning, he desperately discovered that this woman was his younger sister who had been lost for six years.

To save his sister, Mingzhe hardened his heart and took her to escape the military camp. Under the pursuit of countless soldiers, he was seriously injured and hid in Bugui Mountain.

When Mingzhe woke up, he was taken by his sister to an abandoned hut in the mountains, and the siblings began a life of seclusion deep in the mountains.

Mingzhe hunted in the mountains, and his sister was responsible for picking wild herbs. Life seemed to get better, and the relationship between the two gradually became unusual.

Until one day, when he returned home from hunting.

He discovered an old Daoist claiming to be Xuanwang, holding his sister's severed head, waiting for him in the courtyard.

The old Daoist told him that this was not his sister, but a weird Painted Skin wearing his sister.

Looking at his sister's decapitated corpse, a rush of blood went to his head. He wanted to kill this demon Daoist to avenge his sister, but he was subdued by Old Daoist Xuan Wang in a single encounter, and a Blood Ovum Pill was forcibly fed into his mouth.

The demon Daoist also said his talent was good, that he could withstand the medicinal power of the Blood Ovum Pill, and wanted to take him as a Disciple.

Hindered by the demon Daoist's strength, Mingzhe had no choice but to join the Jingxu Sect, enduring in secret, thinking of revenge every moment.

Even though he had actually understood long ago that his sister had already been shot with many arrows and died during the encirclement by the pursuing troops.

One day, Mingzhe heard that a new Disciple named Li Yan had arrived at the Jingxu Sect, and the Master seemed to value this Disciple highly.

He volunteered to take the Junior Brother named Li Yan to familiarize himself with the situation in the sect, leading the Junior Brother to that forbidden library on the fourth floor.

As Li Yan digested these memories, he instantly knew many things, including the work within the sect and the taboos of the sect.

Even his cultivation improved by one level.

At this moment, Li Yan also had a preliminary understanding of the Ranks of Cultivators.

Blood Condensation Realm, Ban Xue Realm, Blood Core Realm, Blood Cocoon Realm, Feather Transformation Realm...

In the Jingxu Sect, there were often Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who disappeared inexplicably; everyone tacitly understood that they had been taken by the old Daoist for Alchemy.

After digesting the memories of Senior Brother Mingzhe, Li Yan's expression gradually became grave.

He did not feel sad for this story; he realized that the old man Xuanwang seemed to have already set his sights on him.

Looking back, Old Daoist Xuan Wang stroked his long beard, the wrinkles on that old face bunched together, and his eyes held greed.

"Disciple, your growth speed is truly fast, far exceeding all your Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters."

"Not bad... not bad."

Old Daoist Xuan Wang reached out and patted Li Yan's shoulder; the old man seemed to be suppressing his own greed.

It seemed he intended to cultivate Li Yan as a Heaven And Earth Treasure, until he was fattened up before slaughtering him.

The Disciples in the entire Jingxu Sect were actually nothing more than domestic pigs raised by Old Daoist Xuan Wang.

While working for him, they also had to become Old Daoist Xuan Wang's consumables for Alchemy.

Although he had long been mentally prepared, his rapid increase in strength had already attracted Old Daoist Xuan Wang's covetous gaze.

This old man wanted to cultivate him, then slaughter him after fattening him up!

Li Yan secretly clenched his fists, but he knew the timing was not yet right.

Old Daoist Xuan Wang was a Ban Xue Realm Cultivator; his strength was enough to kill him instantly.

The old Daoist could withstand his Lamp Lighting Technique and forcibly kill Li Yan.

Just as he was thinking, Old Daoist Xuan Wang turned around and took an Ebony Sword from the cabinet beside him.

"Disciple, I want to give you a Magical Artifact; take it."

The moment Li Yan indifferently accepted the Ebony Sword, his eyes lit up.