Seeing their uneasy expressions, Sect Master Yi gave a light laugh. "Do not fear. Danger is indeed present, but it is hardly a narrow brush with death. It is merely having you participate in an Ascension Assembly held by another immortal cultivation sect."
Hearing these words, everyone was stunned, thinking their ears had deceived them.
Ascension Assembly—Qin Sang had heard of it before.
Not every immortal cultivation sect secluded itself behind closed doors. Some sects recruited rogue cultivators into their ranks through various selection methods to bring in fresh blood.
This was one of the few opportunities rogue cultivators had to join an immortal cultivation sect.
The method of selecting disciples varied from sect to sect, but by common convention, they were collectively known as Ascension Assemblies. In a sense, the Kuiyin Sect distributing jade plates under the name of Shenqi Pavilion to recruit rogue cultivators could also be considered an Ascension Assembly.
However, rogue cultivators capable of passing an Ascension Assembly were either exceptionally strong or brilliantly gifted. The difficulty was not low in the slightest.
They were already disciples of the Kuiyin Sect, yet now Sect Master Yi wanted them to take part in another cultivation sect's Ascension Assembly. Even the dimmest fool could smell the thick scent of conspiracy, which only deepened their dread.
With their meager cultivation, getting caught up in a conspiracy between Golden Core Masters and two immortal cultivation sects meant they could be turned to ash with the slightest misstep.
Worse yet, cultivation sects detested nothing more than traitors and moles. Once uncovered, they would surely inflict the most terrifying punishments as a warning to others.
In the cultivation world, the methods of torture were far too varied; wishing for death would be a luxury.
Regardless of how terrified the disciples below were or how violently their thoughts churned, Sect Master Yi continued on his own: "I know what you are worried about. The sect will certainly not assign tasks beyond your abilities. As long as you are cautious enough, completing them will be effortless. Of course, it is still too early to speak of such things. First, you must pass the Ascension Assembly. To that end, the sect has prepared a Qi Gathering Pill for each of you in advance..."
Sect Master Yi retrieved a jade bottle. Inside rested azure pills resembling colored glaze. When the stopper was removed, an exotic fragrance filled the room, instantly drawing everyone's gaze.
Alchemists were rare to begin with in the cultivation world, and the spirit herbs required for spirit pills were rarer still. Potent spirit pills not only called for a variety of rare herbs, but also had strict requirements regarding their age.
The herbs ordinary cultivators could find were either too young or guarded by powerful demon beasts.
True immortal and divine herbs grew without exception in secluded, treacherous realms rife with countless perils and perhaps sealed off by ancient restrictions. Without sufficient strength, entering meant certain death.
Pills concocted from mortal medicinal ingredients to fortify foundations, replenish vitality, purge poison, or heal wounds could still benefit low-level cultivators, and were the type of medicine rogue cultivators encountered most frequently.
Yet those who concocted such pills had not even stepped across the threshold of the alchemical dao and were unqualified to be called alchemists.
The Qi Gathering Pill was a spirit pill that directly enhanced one's cultivation. It was effective even for Foundation Establishment cultivators—a true pill of the immortals!
"There is a worldly saying: 'Even the emperor does not send starving soldiers to battle.' As long as you agree to take part in the Ascension Assembly, this Qi Gathering Pill is yours. Furthermore, once you accomplish the task, there will be even richer rewards. If you perform meritorious service, it is not out of the question for you to become my direct disciple."
Sect Master Yi coaxed gently, like a demon whispering in their ears.
"Is there anyone unwilling to take part in the Ascension Assembly? You may speak up now."
"We are willing to go!"
Qin Sang knelt without hesitation and called out his agreement loudly.
If he could choose not to go, Qin Sang wouldn't go even if ten Qi Gathering Pills were placed before him.
Yet from the moment Sect Master Yi spoke those words, he had left them no choice. What the consequences of refusing might be, Qin Sang had no desire to find out.
Among the seventeen, not a single one was a fool.
Sect Master Yi was extremely pleased. With a wave of his hand, Qi Gathering Pills flew out from the bottle, landing one per person in their hands.
"Consume the Qi Gathering Pills right now. Yue Wu and I will protect you while you absorb them."
Clutching the Qi Gathering Pill, Qin Sang's eyes flickered with uncertainty. He had already seen through his sect and did not believe for a second that there were no tricks hidden within this pill. Yet with a Golden Core Master watching from above, he dared not make any covert moves.
Seeing several senior martial brothers and sisters beam with delight and swallow the Qi Gathering Pills without the slightest suspicion, Qin Sang felt a pang of sorrow. He threw his head back and swallowed the pill.
The Qi Gathering Pill dissolved into a cool stream of medicinal power that slipped down his throat into his belly before dispersing into his meridians. The spiritual power inside his body suddenly surged into chaos, churning like an overturned sea.
Qin Sang hurriedly circulated his cultivation method, barely soothing the agitated spiritual power. Checking his cultivation, he found it significantly deeper than before.
Once he fully digested the medicinal potency of the Qi Gathering Pill, his cultivation would advance to at least the late stage of the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement stage. A single spirit pill was equivalent to an entire year of bitter cultivation.
'If I can survive this mission, it might turn out to be an opportunity. Perhaps I won't even need to worry about a Foundation Establishment Pill...'
Just as Qin Sang consoled himself with this thought, he suddenly sensed something amiss with his origin soul. Hurriedly using inner vision to inspect it, he went pale with shock. At some unknown moment, a black speck had appeared on his origin soul—and looking closely, it was actually a worm!
To be precise, the creature clung to the inconspicuous golden light of the jade Buddha covering the surface of his origin soul. It looked like a grub, with two fangs protruding from its mouthparts, savagely gnawing at the golden light.
Qin Sang's hair stood on end. He was certain that before this, there had never been any worm on his origin soul. There was only one possibility: the worm had come from the Qi Gathering Pill.
A sudden shriek rang out beside his ears. Qin Sang gave a start and opened his eyes. Around him, his martial brothers and sisters were rolling on the ground like squashes, clutching their heads in agony. Their shrill screams sent chills down his spine.
Not good!
Qin Sang suddenly realized this was undoubtedly caused by those worms gnawing away at their origin souls.
Because of the jade Buddha's protection, the worm had been barred from reaching his origin soul. Having felt no pain, he stood out jarringly in the hall.
He already felt the gazes of the sect master and Martial Uncle Yue landing on him.
In desperation, Qin Sang steeled his heart and instantly condensed his spiritual sense into a sharp awl, stabbing it back against his own origin soul.
An unimaginable agony tore through his origin soul—a rending pain surging from the depths of his soul. In that instant, Qin Sang felt as though his entire being were being torn to shreds. His face drained of all color, turning pale as paper. With a cry, his eyes rolled back and he fainted dead away, crashing to the ground with a thud.
Seeing this, Sect Master Yi remarked in dissatisfaction, "He broke through to the sixth layer of Qi Refinement at such a young age, yet his origin soul is so fragile?"
Yue Wu was also very surprised. After pondering a moment, he said, "Reporting to Master, his name is Qin Sang. This disciple remembers that he possesses a five-element spiritual root. Because he consumed a spirit fruit in his youth that widened his meridians, his cultivation speed was not slow, but it is only natural that his innate aptitude is inferior to the others."
"A five-element spiritual root?"
Sect Master Yi glanced at the unconscious Qin Sang and said indifferently, "What a waste of a Qi Gathering Pill."
Chapter 67