Heavenly Medicine Mountain, Immortal Master Draws a Pie

Halfway up Heavenly Medicine Mountain stood a grand estate comparable to a royal prince's residence, spanning more than ten mu.

Su Hao and the other thirty followed the Daoist to the front courtyard.

At the back of the group, he secretly observed the Daoist.

Name: Lin Zhi Shan

Realm: Qi Refining Level 7

Talents: Wood Affinity (White), Alchemist (Blue), Hundred Profound Gang Body (Incomplete, Blue)

Wood Affinity (White): A low-grade wood-element talent, granting the most basic affinity with wood Spiritual Energy.

Alchemist (Blue): Possesses a certain talent and efficiency in identifying medicinal ingredients and refining pills.

Hundred Profound Gang Body (Incomplete, Blue): An intermediate wood-element talent with unique effects on plants. Spiritual power can nourish a hundred herbs, elevate pills, and greatly enhance the power of Wood Element Sorcery. Note: This talent is incomplete due to insufficient aptitude. Incomplete talents cannot take effect!

"Qi Refining Level 7..."

Su Hao frowned in thought. In terms of cultivation, Lin Zhi Shan could only be considered middle-ranked among those black-clothed disciples. Yet he held a position of considerable status. Was it because of his skill in pill refinement?

"I am Lin Zhi Shan, an alchemist. Most of the pills used by the Golden Light Sect's outer sect come from my hands!"

Lin Zhi Shan swept his gaze across the crowd. After pausing for a breath, he abruptly changed the subject. "You people were originally headed for a dead end.

Those sent to Joy Peak would be subjected to Essence Absorption by those wretches day and night, until their essence ran dry and they died.

Those sent to Death Peak would be toyed with like rats by the vicious beasts, then slowly devoured!

And those sent to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall would fare no better. They would have endless work every day. Most would die of sudden exhaustion within a month, and even their corpses would be taken to feed the vicious beasts!"

With a half-smile, he described the fates they had originally been destined for.

Before he had even finished speaking, the entire courtyard erupted in an uproar.

What sort of place was this? It treated human lives as mere materials to be used.

The fear Su Hao had only just suppressed surged up again.

Among the thirty, Su Hao was already handling it better than most.

Seeing their terrified expressions, the smile on Lin Zhi Shan's face took on an even more malicious edge. "But things are different if you follow me. This will be your residence. There are many separate courtyards in the western wing, one for each of you. Pick whichever you like. Your clothing, food, lodging, and travel will all be attended to by dedicated servants.

You will wear silk and satin, eat rare delicacies, and drink fine wine and morning dew.

If you want women, that is fine too. I will periodically have beautiful women sent here to serve you."

"..."

Su Hao could not feel happy at all.

The others were equally uneasy. He had just said they would be used as scrap, yet now they were being treated like honored guests?

With a wave of Lin Zhi Shan's hand, the servants who had long been waiting nearby began distributing silk bags.

"There is a bottle of Heart Nourishing Pills in each bag, twenty pills per bottle. Take one every day. This medicine is good stuff—it replenishes the blood, nourishes the heart, and strengthens the five viscera. If mortals take it, they can prolong their lives and remain vigorous. Sometimes even imperial relatives from the dynasties come seeking this precious pill."

"Besides the Heart Nourishing Pills, there is also a small booklet containing the cultivation method, 'Hundred Profound Medicine Veins.' This is good stuff as well—one of our Golden Light Sect's superior wood cultivation methods!

Given your status, under normal circumstances, you would not even be qualified to touch a cultivation method.

If any among you can bring 'Hundred Profound Medicine Veins' to the beginner stage, I will accept him as a registered disciple. In other words, you will be able to join the Golden Light Sect and become true cultivators.

It does not matter if you cannot read or do not understand it. I will have someone regularly explain the cultivation methods within to you."

He spoke at length, placing particular emphasis on the origins of the small booklet.

That thin booklet of merely five pages was actually a cultivation method?

Su Hao could not help opening it and flipping through it, but he could not make sense of its cultivation contents for the moment.

"We can cultivate?"

Someone asked again, unable to believe it.

"Of course! Man is the spirit of all things. Even the dullest person has a chance to become a cultivator.

But even a third-rate sect has certain aptitude and talent requirements for entry. The better the talent, the greater the potential, the faster one cultivates, and the less likely one is to encounter bottlenecks.

Under normal circumstances, without even a bit of talent, you would not have the chance to become Outer Sect Disciples!

The opportunity is right before you. Cherish it well." Lin Zhi Shan glanced at the speaker.

"But why would you..." The man could not help pressing further.

"Why would I show you such special consideration?" Lin Zhi Shan continued for him. His eyes flickered as he said gently, "Naturally, because Medicine Slaves also have requirements. Only those who qualify can become Medicine Slaves and help me. Helping you is helping myself!"

"As long as you do your best and let me see your sincerity, then even if you cannot become Medicine Slaves, I will have someone send you down the mountain so that you may leave safely."

"So that's how it is." Seeing Lin Zhi Shan's spring-breeze smile, the young man and several others unconsciously lowered their guard.

They had truly struck it lucky this time, encountering a kind old immortal.

"Now, take a Heart Nourishing Pill first. Experience the miraculous effects of this precious pill. Only with its help will you have a chance to cultivate Hundred Profound Medicine Veins."

Lin Zhi Shan's smile vanished.

Su Hao tipped out a Heart Nourishing Pill.

This pill gave off a fragrant aroma mingled with the scents of countless flowers, completely masking any medicinal smell.

Some people poured out the pills, examined them for a few moments, then swallowed them.

Others, like Su Hao, kept looking around, still hesitating.

Lin Zhi Shan said nothing, but his gaze gradually turned severe as he watched the crowd.

An overwhelming, powerful presence pressed down upon the entire courtyard.

Su Hao shuddered all over and dared not hesitate any longer. Even if it was poison, he had to swallow it...

Not long after taking the Heart Nourishing Pill, warmth spread through his body and his blood flowed smoothly. Even the exhaustion and shock left behind by his terror greatly improved.

This medicine seemed capable of curing every ailment!

"Alright. Pick your own courtyards and get some proper rest. But remember—these pills are exceedingly precious. If you waste them or pay lip service while acting otherwise, don't blame me for turning ruthless!"

After confirming that everyone had taken the Heart Nourishing Pills, Lin Zhi Shan left after tossing out that cold warning.

"Excuse me, what exactly is a Medicine Slave?"

After choosing a small courtyard, Su Hao stopped a servant.

The servant remained expressionless as he replied coldly, "Naturally, they are servants who assist Daoist Lin in refining pills. That is why they are called Medicine Slaves; they may also be called Medicine Servants. This is an opportunity envied by countless people, sir. You should cherish it!"

"..."

Su Hao asked more than a dozen servants, and all gave roughly the same answer.

Something felt wrong, but there was nothing he could do. Asking further questions would only draw attention.

Helpless, he returned to his room and began studying the thin booklet, "Hundred Profound Medicine Veins."

"If one would refine the form into qi, one must draw upon the vital pivot of the 'Inner Canon': the reversal of zi and wu is called stealing the mechanism; returning the breath to its root is called guarding simplicity..."

"Cultivation method 'Hundred Profound Medicine Veins—Medicine Slave Chapter' has been read. Comprehend it?"

The cultivation method's contents were abstruse and profound. With Su Hao's original store of knowledge, he could not understand it at all.

But then, a sudden "ding" rang out.

Su Hao's eyes lit up. That mysterious ability was not as useless as he had thought!

"Comprehend."

With a thought from Su Hao, those obscure ancient passages automatically transformed into far more straightforward and simple explanations.

In barely more than ten breaths, he understood how to cultivate this method.

Understanding was one thing, but under normal circumstances, the effectiveness of cultivation depended on one's talent and aptitude.

Yet this cultivation method was rather special. It was simple and easy to learn, while the medicinal power of the Heart Nurturing Pill could play a crucial role.

After fumbling through it for an entire night, Su Hao had already absorbed part of the Heart Nurturing Pill's medicinal power. As long as he ate a few more Heart Nurturing Pills, he would be able to grasp the circulation of qi through the method and truly get started!

There was something fishy about this cultivation method!

Its contents were incomplete, and its circulation routes were pitifully few.

"A heretical sect that kills people at the drop of a hat—would it suddenly produce such a great benefactor, feed and house us well, and even give us a cultivation method?

Let someone else be the guinea pig!"

After thinking it over, Su Hao stopped cultivating, even though he was on the verge of getting started and circulating spiritual energy.

In the blink of an eye, five days passed.

In terms of food, clothing, lodging, and travel, they were treated even better than royal princes and noble heirs.

But they were not allowed to leave Heavenly Medicine Mountain or go to its summit. They could move about freely everywhere else.

As for the Heart Nourishing Pills, they received one each day, and they had to take them. Dedicated people watched over them, and several people had already been beaten viciously.

Special cultivators came to explain the Hundred Profound Medicine Veins, but no one forced them to cultivate it.

When Su Hao woke up that day, he abruptly discovered that besides the Fire Elemental Sword Physique, he had somehow gained another talent!

Name: Su Hao

Realm: None

Talents: Fire Elemental Sword Physique (Blue), Medicine Person (Gray)

Medicine Person: A special talent formed through the accumulation and transformation of the medicinal power of Heart Nurturing Pills. Effect: Upon consuming pills, their active ingredients can be purified, concentrating all medicinal essence within the heart. Once complete, the heart can become nourishment for a specific talent!

"?"

Su Hao was dumbfounded. He had thought himself cautious enough—he had not cultivated that method, yet he had still fallen for it!

Was the problem with the pills?

And this talent would turn him into a vessel for extracting and purifying pills, nourishment for some kind of talent!

"I did it! I've gotten started with the Hundred Profound Medicine Veins! I cultivated a sense of qi and drew qi into my body!

I can become Immortal Master Lin's registered disciple and join the Golden Light Sect! Hahaha! I'm a genius!"

Wild laughter drifted over from far outside the room.