Two figures were making their way along the mountain path towards the sect above.
One of them, with a face as fine as jade, was dressed in a luxurious long robe, his head crowned with a gem-encrusted hairpin, and in his hand he fluttered a folding fan, shaking his head and wagging his tail as he said with a smile to the person beside him:
"Brother Yuan, once we reach the sect, I'll treat you to hearts, livers, stomachs, and skins of humans. If you're not fond of raw food, I have a third disciple whose culinary skills are excellent. In any case, you won't be let down in my company."
His companion, a man of burly stature dressed in beast hide, with hair disheveled and face the color of iron, was barefoot. His feet were black and blue, his toenails long and sharp, crushing soil and pebbles underfoot.
Hearing the other's words, this wild-looking strong man let out a sinister smile, his dark purple lips revealing a few pointed teeth, his voice hoarse:
"I've heard that your Jinxian Sect's way of eating humans is quite troublesome, luring mortals from the mountain with great effort, and yet not getting a real taste of the flesh, hardly satisfying."
The young man with the folding fan smiled slightly, "The cultivation methods of Hunyuan Faction and Infinite Faction are inherently different."
"Cut the nonsense. I'll help you kill your Big Senior Brother, and you give me a hundred mortals' blood to feed on!" The wild man licked his lips, showing a bloodthirsty intent.
"Agreed. With Zhao Yuanhua out of the way, I'll be the top disciple in the sect, and then, not to mention one hundred, even two hundred more would not be an issue," the young man with the folding fan said with a smile, though his eyes revealed a hint of disdain.
His name was Zhang Fei Xuan, the second disciple of Jinxian Sect. This time he had descended the mountain without finding the Human Elixir, but instead encountered members of Armored Sect searching for blood food at the foot of the mountain.
If it weren't for his quick wits, he might have been torn apart alive by this savage.
However, as both came from the Demonic Path, the methods of Jinxian Sect were elegantly refined, emphasizing the mortal state of mind to refine a Good Elixir.
As for Armored Sect, known within the Xumi Vein, he had heard of them; their members enjoyed tearing flesh and drinking fresh blood alive, and even if they didn't necessarily savor the taste, they relished the sight of blood.
But their combat power was commendable; every one of the Members of Armored Sect was an exceptionally valiant lunatic.
If the Armored Sect man could defeat Zhao Yuanhua, it would not be a loss to him. Once Zhao Yuanhua was dead, he would become the Senior Disciple, and without his assistant, his master would surely pass on the Human Elixir Technique to him.
If he lost, he would still have a chance to escape.
No matter how it played out, he, Zhang Fei Xuan, would not be at a disadvantage!
The two quickly reached the mountain gate, where Zhang Fei Xuan pointed toward the gate with a chuckle and said to the wild man beside him, "Here we are, this is our sect's gate."
Inside the gate at that moment, more than a dozen disciples were gathered in the plaza, their expressions odd.
"What's going on?"
Zhang Fei Xuan approached, brows furrowed, "Why is it that no one has come to greet me on my arrival?"
When the disciples turned and saw who it was, they quickly bowed and said, "Secon—Second Senior Brother!"
"Hmph!"
Zhang Fei Xuan snorted coldly, glancing over them, "Why aren't you looking for the Human Elixir, instead of gathering here?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his gaze moved to the center where the disciples were clustered, to the pit there.
"Zhao, Zhao Yuanhua?!"
Zhang Fei Xuan's voice changed, his face filled with shock.
The person in the pit was ragged, but his face and clothes were still recognizable; it was no one else but Zhao Yuanhua!
But now, where was there any sign of life in him? His face bore a dent, and his chest had an even larger indentation, as if struck by a heavy hammer.
"Who did this?" Zhang Fei Xuan asked.
"It, it was the Human Elixir."
"What?"
Zhang Fei Xuan was somewhat puzzled, "Human Elixir?"
What Human Elixir?
The Human Elixir was able to kill Zhao Yuanhua?
Before Zhang Fei Xuan could ponder further, his face changed as he looked towards the main hall, "Such a strong medicinal scent! Is Master refining pills? So intense... what precious elixir is it?"
"Blood Qi!"
The man from Armored Sect revealed his fangs even further, drooling, "Top-quality blood feed!"
Bang!
His dark purple legs tensed with force, kicking up a cloud of dust, and he charged straight towards the main hall.
"You bastard!"
Zhang Fei Xuan became frantic and hurriedly chased after.
With Zhao Yuanhua dead, this Member of Armored Sect was no longer needed, but if he offended Master, and Master got annoyed, not to mention whether he would pass on the Human Elixir Technique not, he feared that even his life might be lost.
The two, one after the other, quickly entered the main hall where the savage, with eyes red as blood, crashed through the door of the Elixir Room.
Zhang Fei Xuan, seeing he was too late, hastily bowed with hands clasped and loudly said, "Master! This has nothing to do with your disciple..."
He hadn't finished speaking when he was stunned in place.
Their Jinxian Sect might not claim to be the number one great Sect of the Xumi Vein, but it had some renown.
Daoist Jin Guang, their master, was the top cunning trickster, famous for his proficiency in the Human Elixir Technique and his Half-Step Zhuji Oppression of the Xumi Vein.
But now...
His master, who could oppress the Xumi Vein, was right now weakly cowering in a corner, wearing only undergarments, looking extremely frail, pitiful... and helpless.
Whereas, a naked man sat cross-legged in the position of the central Pill Furnace, holding a book, perusing it intently.
"Master, this 'managing nutrients and astonishing ephiphanies, concentrating the spirit in the elixir body,' is it talking about using the Great Medicine Pill to nourish the body?" Song Yin asked softly.
"Ah...yes, that's right!" Jin Guang from the corner was like an automatically responding puppet, periodically chiming in.
Zhang Fei Xuan's sharp eyes caught sight of the book—it was the "Great Golden Immortal Elixir Decree" he had long coveted.
The sudden noise also made both of them look up towards the doorway.
"Hmm?"
Song Yin's eyebrows furrowed, gazing at this strange savage.
"Blood tribute!"
The savage, with blood-red eyes, surveyed the Elixir Room, and his gaze settled on Song Yin, revealing a greedy lust, "Mine! It is mine! I only need this one! Sacrifice him, with his Blood Qi worship my supreme method! With blood worship Wu Liang!!"
As he spoke, Blood Qi burst forth from his body, swirling around his frame, making his face even more ferocious.
Indistinctly, one could see a pair of horns starting to grow on his head, and his tongue, full of sharp teeth, stretched unnaturally long.
"Demonic Path!"
Song Yin stood up abruptly, slammed the book shut, and said to Jin Guang, "Master, no need for you to act, this is a good opportunity for me to test this newly refined qi!"
Upon standing, he reached out and White Qi surged out around him, coalescing into a Daoist robe that fit his body perfectly.
"Qi reined in within, clarity through the body?!"
This scene left Jin Guang dumbfounded, "Third Stage Fighting Strength?!"
He watched a bit of the scripture, asked a few questions, and just like that, he skipped past Guarding Simplicity Solidifying Essence and went straight to Fighting Strength?
And besides... forget about Fighting Strength for a moment.
This ability to conjure clothes out of thin air, he didn't know that!
What was this now?!
"Blood!!"
Thud!
The savage bared his teeth and let out a weird cry, lunging straight towards Song Yin.
As the figure rushed at him, Song Yin could smell the putrid breath, but he didn't dodge, instead he let out a cold laugh, "I belong to the Righteous Path of a prestigious Sect, I cultivate the mysterious Danfa; you Demonic Path creatures are like first snow meeting the blazing sun when you face me. For you, Demonic creature, to dare flaunt your power before me, I command you... kneel down!"
Boom!
White Qi burst forth from his body and pressed directly onto the savage beast, forcing him down onto the ground in genuflection, the heavy force crushing the blue stone floor tiles beneath, smashing a crater into the ground.
Zhang Fei Xuan swallowed hard...
This Member of Armored Sect was more powerful than himself, just like Zhao Yuanhua with his 'Communicating with Ghosts' ability!
Just like that... he knelt down?!