Dan Yangzi stood before his trembling disciples, his voice sharp and commanding.
"From now on, anyone with even the slightest thought of betrayal, remember what you've seen here today!"
His words sent a fresh wave of fear through the crowd, their expressions pale with terror.
With his hands behind his back, Dan Yangzi paced, his eagle-like eyes scanning each disciple's face.
"Helping me ascend to immortality is an act of supreme merit. If I succeed, I won't forget your contributions. But if anyone dares to ruin my plans—hmph!"
Stopping in front of Li Huowang, Dan Yangzi stared at him, his gaze piercing. Unlike the other disciples, Li's demeanor was calm and unshaken.
"You think I'm scared of you, an illusion from my mind?" Li thought, his steady eyes meeting Dan Yangzi's.
Raising his mud-streaked hand, Dan Yangzi caused the cave's oppressive atmosphere to thicken, all eyes turning to Li in anticipation of what would happen next.
But instead of striking, Dan Yangzi's hand came down gently on Li's head, patting him lightly. The tension evaporated.
"Last night, the traitors invited you to join their escape. Why didn't you go with them?" Dan Yangzi's question was both a test and an acknowledgment.
Before Li could respond, Dan Yangzi raised his hand, silencing him. "No need for hollow excuses. While you didn't alert me, your decision to stay shows you're different from those ungrateful fools."
His tone softened. "You show promise. From now on, you're no longer an errand boy. You're one of my disciples, a name to uphold."
The announcement left Li momentarily stunned. But understanding quickly followed. "He's just desperate for more lackeys after losing so many followers," Li thought.
"Your Daoist name shall be Xuanyang," Dan Yangzi continued.
Hearing the name, Li's mind flashed to the previous Xuanyang and his gruesome fate. "Great. A cursed name," he thought sarcastically.
While the new status meant little to Li, it caused envy to flare among the other errand boys. Becoming Dan Yangzi's disciple was their ticket to survival.
Dan Yangzi, sensing the need for reinforcement, added, "Xuanyang, as my new disciple, you deserve a token of my favor."
Li stepped forward cautiously as Dan Yangzi retrieved five black pills from his gourd, placing them in Li's palm.
"These are divine elixirs I've refined myself. Consuming one will grant you ten extra years of life and temporary godlike strength."
Li examined the pills skeptically. "Were these made from people, too?"
As he stared, one of the pills seemed to twitch, rolling from its round shape into an oval. It was as if something inside was trying to escape.
Blinking, Li looked again. The pill was unchanged.
"Am I losing it? Why do I care about hallucinated pills?" Frustrated, he smacked his own forehead.
Unbothered by Li's reaction, Dan Yangzi turned to address the group. "Remember this—those who oppose me meet death. But those who aid me will be richly rewarded!"
His words hung in the air as the disciples exchanged furtive glances, their minds racing.
Satisfied that his message had sunk in, Dan Yangzi dismissed them to their tasks.
As the others left, Li found himself alone in his newly assigned chamber, previously belonging to the ill-fated Xuanyang. It came with a better robe, a private cave, and elevated status, but none of that mattered to him.
Instead, his focus was on the items now resting on the pristine white hospital bed back in reality—a jade pendant and the black elixirs.
"They really made it back with me," Li marveled, holding the items in disbelief.
But his amazement quickly turned to frustration. The appearance of these objects forced him to confront an old question: Was the other world truly a hallucination?
"If these pills actually work, then what does that mean about the cave? About everything?"
The horrifying memories of the other world flooded his mind—the madwoman turned into an elixir, Xuanyang devoured by the black cauldron's monstrosity. His breathing quickened as anxiety clawed at him.
"Enough! This is driving me crazy!" Li cried, clutching his head.
After calming himself, he resolved to stay cautious.
Whether the other world was real or not, he decided to act as though it were. If it was real, survival depended on his cooperation. If it wasn't, no harm done.
With a plan forming, Li picked up one of the elixirs, inspecting it closely.
"No way I'm testing this on myself," he muttered, glancing out the window at the patients in the garden below.
But his fleeting thought of using one of them quickly faded. "They're just as miserable as I am. I can't do that to them."
Setting the pills aside, Li turned to the jade pendant. Its value seemed far more practical—and safe to test.
Moments later, Yang Na arrived at his request, fists on her hips.
"Whatever it is, it better be important! I had to sneak out to get here," she huffed.
"Come on, Sis. You know I can't leave this place. I really need your help," Li said, locking the door and pulling the curtains closed.