Blood Pill

"You all may leave." Xing Zhicheng nodded, his brow slightly furrowed and his expression fraught with irritation. "Father, how about I keep watch directly at the city gate and look for a chance to capture that brat and interrogate him?" Xing Penghai suggested. They had done that before. However, back then Lin Zheyu had been seeing off his senior brother at the city gate and stayed for quite a while, which was why Xing Penghai and Xing Jinglong had been able to rush over in time. "Capture him how?" "Every time he comes and goes, he uses a different city gate, and his timing isn't fixed. We only have so much manpower; we can't just abandon everything else to stake out all four city gates," Xing Zhicheng said with a frown. Though the Xing clan was powerful, they were merely a branch family. The manpower and soldiers they could mobilize were limited. In fact, because ten elite soldiers and two Viscera Tempering experts had died last time, much of their authority had been stripped away. "Bu-but are we just going to let Uncle Zhiyuan's matter drop?" "The clan leader and the other clan uncles are truly heartless! Uncle Zhiyuan and his son are dead, yet all they said in reply was that they'd find someone to investigate and told us to wait for the results!" Xing Penghai said, indignation coloring his voice. Life in a great clan was far from the idyll ordinary people imagined. In many clans, infighting and power struggles were rampant. No sooner had Xing Zhiyuan and his son Xing Jing'an died than the elders of the clan thought not of tracking down the killer to avenge them, but of seizing resources and carving up the authority Xing Zhiyuan had held, arguing until they were red in the face. This chilled Xing Penghai to the bone. "You don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it." "News came yesterday that Lin Zheyu broke through to the peak of the Bone Tempering Realm and defeated numerous peak Bone Tempering fighters in the Feihong Gang." "Reaching the peak Bone Tempering Realm in less than half a year—I don't believe the clan leader and elders won't be tempted," Xing Zhicheng said coldly. With such astonishing talent, once nurtured with secret medicines, he could be forged into a First Blood Transformation powerhouse in short order. With any luck, even the Second Blood Transformation might be possible. Such experts were considered top-tier strength even within the Xing clan. Though Lin Zheyu was unwilling to submit to the Xing clan, that was hardly an issue. There were plenty of medicines that could directly damage parts of a person's brain, reducing them to madness. And madmen were far easier to train and tame. Some of the death warriors in the clan had been conditioned in exactly that manner. "Father, you mean..." Xing Penghai said, catching his drift. "Yes. I will report this to the Fifth Elder. They will surely be tempted and take action in person to capture him," Xing Zhicheng said impassively. If the Fifth Elder intervened, capturing Lin Zheyu would be a certainty. When the time came, Xing Zhicheng could find an opportunity to interrogate him and uncover clues regarding Xing Zhiyuan's death. *** In a patch of woods eight hundred meters from where Senior Brother Han Mo was stationed, Lin Zheyu found a spot with an expansive view and settled in. His main daily task was keeping an eye on the troops' movements. When idle, he would pull out the Poison Canon to read or practice the Six Harmonies Saber technique. Large caravans did not travel along the official road every day. Nor was every passing caravan raided by bandits. These bandits were shrewd, knowing which caravans could be robbed and which were off-limits. Lin Zheyu staked out the place for four full days before Han Mo and his men finally mobilized. "Hyah! Hyah!" *Clatter, clatter, clatter.* Two squads, each composed of thirty elite soldiers, rode out from the military encampment. Every soldier was clad in armor, fully armed and equipped. Dividing their forces, the two squads headed toward two different locations to reinforce travelers and suppress bandits. "This one, then!" Lin Zheyu's expression shifted, and he followed one of the squads. He moved exceptionally fast, his inner blood qi surging. Sprinting at full tilt, his speed was not the least bit inferior to the military's fine steeds. In less than ten minutes, Lin Zheyu arrived ahead of the soldiers at the ambush site. A pungent haze drifted through the air, bearing the scent of knockout powder and various poisons. *Clang! Clang! Clang!* *Swoosh— swoosh—* The fighting was fierce. The bandits' division of labor was clearly defined. Some hid in the shadows, constantly firing crossbow bolts to harass the caravan's Qi and Blood Realm powerhouse. That powerhouse had not yet attained the Qi and Blood Gossamer level, leaving him somewhat constrained under the crossbow barrage. Other bandits charged headlong into the fray, covering their comrades as they looted cargo. Time was pressing for the bandits; they had to end the fight before the fully armed elite soldiers arrived, or once the City Guard caught up, they would have no choice but to flee for their lives. Though the well-trained, armored, and fully equipped elite troops numbered only thirty, combined with their battle array, they were not something mere bandits could rival. Facing the bandits' assault, the caravan guards showed no panic. They covered their noses with damp cloths soaked in special medicinal liquid and swallowed Antidote Pills to prevent poisoning. "The City Guard is coming! Retreat!" Before long, a bandit lookout shouted at the top of his lungs. "Fuck, how are they so fast?!" "Dammit, just a little longer! We've almost got it!" "Fuck it, retreat! Everyone fall back!" the lead man barked. *Boom!* With a momentary lapse, he was blasted backward by the caravan's Qi and Blood Realm warrior. At the same time, over a dozen crossbow bolts shot toward the Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, forcing him back. Seeing this, the other bandits abandoned everything and began to pull back in disarray. If they didn't leave now, it really would be too late! As the battle drew to a close, Lin Zheyu quietly trailed after them. *Rustle, rustle.* Through the mountain forest, fifty-eight burly men moved rapidly. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain, they advanced swiftly, as if traversing flat ground. "Pick up the pace! Take the path on the right," the lead man ordered. That trail was rugged and treacherous; horses couldn't enter, so the City Guard would back off when faced with the difficulty. Only after traversing the rugged path did the men's hearts relax slightly. *Whoosh!* *Thwack!* Suddenly, a flash of cold light gleamed. A throwing knife shot out from the dense woods, sinking straight into the forehead between the lead man's brows. His eyes went wide, filled with shock and bitter reluctance. "Who's there?!" The bandits roared. Those holding crossbows fired toward the origin of the knife, yet caught no glimpse of the enemy. Crossbows were exceptionally lethal in an ambush, but when ambushed in dense forest, they were of little help. "Leave the goods and I will spare your lives!" Lin Zheyu's icy voice rang out, echoing through the wooded mountains. With grim expressions, the bandits turned their gazes toward another man. Now that their leader was dead, only he could call the shots. *This person is an expert!* The man's heart tightened. Qiu Wei had been at the peak of the Viscera Tempering Realm. To kill him so easily with a throwing knife could only be accomplished by a martial artist of the Qi and Blood Realm—and no ordinary one at that. *Damn it, does this Qi and Blood Realm powerhouse have nothing better to do than ambush small fry like us?!* the man cursed inwardly. Against such a powerhouse, if they fought face-to-face, relying on their numbers and crossbows, their odds wouldn't be bad. Yet in the middle of a forest, with the enemy lurking in the dark and striking from the shadows, they stood no chance if a fight broke out. Taking a deep breath to suppress his agitation, the man said in a heavy voice, "Put the goods down. We're leaving!" The bandits glanced at one another, resentment written on their faces. Several of their brothers had died just to secure this haul. Gritting their teeth, they set the goods on the ground, hoisted their boss's corpse, and vanished into the mountain woods. Lin Zheyu slowly emerged from the trees and picked up the abandoned items. He took inventory of his spoils. There wasn't a massive quantity, mostly goldware, silverware, and jewelry. The bandits had taken only the valuables. Lin Zheyu gave a rough estimate; it should fetch eighty to a hundred taels of silver. "These bandits don't have it easy either. Risking their lives to snatch a hundred taels' worth of goods, only for me to rob them in turn," Lin Zheyu muttered. He felt no guilt, merely a passing musing. Usually, these bandits made a living by hunting and gathering herbs. They had dedicated lookouts watching for caravans; when an opportunity arose, they gathered and pulled off a heist. If they hit a big target, a single job was enough to let them live comfortably for years. Time drifted by. In the blink of an eye, another seven days passed. Lin Zheyu stored his looted goods in a concealed spot. Fencing these items wasn't easy; he could only sell them at the black market on the first and fifteenth of each month. Over those seven days, he came across another bandit raid. However, that gang had been too greedy, failing to retreat in time. The City Guard caught up with them and wiped out most of their numbers. The loot they had snatched was confiscated by the City Guard, which left Lin Zheyu feeling a touch regretful. After the New Year, the weather turned warmer. War seemed to have broken out once more in distant regions. Lin Zheyu often saw military detachments redeployed from afar, marching toward the front lines to reinforce the troops. He also spotted many refugees passing by. Up on the mountain. As usual, Lin Zheyu practiced the Six Harmonies Saber in an open vantage point while keeping an eye on the military camp. At that moment, he noticed several dozen gaunt refugees passing by, heading toward Songyi City. Halfway through, a gang of burly men charged out from the woods. After they said something to the group, the refugees followed them. *Strange. Aren't those guys the bandits hiding in the mountains? Why would they be kind enough to take in refugees?* Lin Zheyu felt suspicious. He had seen this happen several times: whenever refugees passed through, people from the mountains would emerge to take them away. As though recalling something, Lin Zheyu's expression turned grim. *Let's follow and take a look!* Lin Zheyu thought. With the strength of those bandits, they could easily survive on hunting alone; surely they wouldn't resort to cannibalism, would they? Lin Zheyu furrowed his brows, thinking it unlikely. He simply couldn't fathom what these men intended to do with the refugees. *** Outside Lion Valley, a thin mist hung in the air. This mist was a blend of poisonous vapors and foul miasma. Without prior preparation, lingering inside for too long would cause severe illness, or even claim one's life if careless. "Hurry up! There's food once we're inside," a burly man shouted, urging the refugees forward as he led them toward Lion Valley. "Big Brother, once we bring these refugees over, we'll earn thirty-eight contribution points. I hear fighting has flared up again, and more and more refugees are coming." "It won't be long before we save up a hundred contribution points to exchange for a Blood Pill," the man beside him said with a grin. "Heh, once I swallow that Blood Pill, I'll be a Qi and Blood Realm powerhouse. When that time comes, I can rob whoever the hell I want!" the burly man chuckled smugly. The Blood Pill was an elixir promised by the man claiming to be a priest of the Nine Nether Cult; once ingested, one could directly break through to the Qi and Blood Realm. Not just Blood Pills—the exchange list provided by the priest included all sorts of treasures, even pills that could extend life by a whole decade. "Big Brother, when we have enough contribution points, trade one for me too. I'll save it until I reach the peak of the Viscera Tempering Realm," the man said wistfully. "No rush, everyone gets a share." "Work hard, boys, and aim for more contribution points! In the future, whoever reaches the peak Viscera Tempering Realm can trade their points for a Blood Pill and break through to the Qi and Blood Realm!" The burly man announced loudly, drawing a round of cheers from his lackeys. Hearing this, terror crept across the refugees' faces. They wanted to leave, but facing this ferocious bunch, none dared utter a word. "M-milord, you said there'd be food once we got there... you aren't... tricking us, are you?" one of them mustered the courage to ask timidly. "Why would I trick you? There are already plenty of people there." "Once you arrive, you can keep tilling the land and farming. Become part of the Nine Nether Cult, and the Demon God will look favorably upon you!" The burly man mimicked the priest's tone to soothe them. "Thank you, milord! Thank you, milord!" the refugees exclaimed with deep gratitude. No matter what, as long as they could stay alive, it was enough. Walking along the road, watching their companions die one after another, their hearts had long been filled with despair. Many cities no longer accepted refugees. Even if kind souls set up congee stalls outside the city walls, such meager rations could only feed so few. *Rustle, rustle.* A gentle breeze swept through the mountain forest, setting the trees swaying. Lin Zheyu circulated the Turtle Breathing Art with all his might, lowering his presence to the absolute minimum as he trailed behind the group. He had overheard everything the burly man just said. *Blood Pill?* *Contribution points?* Lin Zheyu felt intensely curious. *What kind of elixir is a Blood Pill that it can let someone directly break through to the Qi and Blood Realm?!* For a martial artist to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm, their spirit had to be sufficiently strong. Only when one's spirit was powerful enough could they sense blood qi, and under the cohesive force of their spirit, fuse blood qi with the body's vital essence to form qi and blood power. If this Blood Pill could directly enable someone to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm, could it possess the power to elevate the spirit as well? *In all the time I've spent in Songyi City, I've never seen actual pills—everything used is medicinal soup boiled from herbs. Even young masters of prominent families like Xu Qinyi and Ren Qingfeng only take medicinal soups.* *Interesting. There seems to be quite a secret hidden inside Lion Valley!* A flicker of intrigue crossed Lin Zheyu's face.