Lightning Martial Soul

Shi Yan opened his eyes and stared blankly at the Medicine Slaves not far away.

Most of these people had entered into an agreement with Mo Yan Yu to become Medicine Slaves due to their impoverished backgrounds. If they could endure for half a year, they would not only gain their freedom but also receive two hundred Purple Crystal Coins. Of course, if they died from testing the medicine, their families would also receive this sum.

On the Divine Grace Continent, one Black Crystal Coin was equal to one hundred Purple Crystal Coins, which was equal to ten thousand Blue Crystal Coins. The annual income of an ordinary citizen was only about five or six Purple Crystal Coins. Two hundred Purple Crystal Coins was an amount that a Medicine Slave would have to work for forty years to earn.

On the day the agreement was signed, their families received fifty Purple Crystal Coins. The remainder would be given to them after half a year. If they unfortunately died, those Purple Crystal Coins would go to their families. Two hundred Purple Crystal Coins was perhaps an amount they could never earn in their lifetimes, which was why they dared to take such a risk.

However, when they first signed the agreement, they had no idea that testing the medicine would be so cruel. Almost every few days, one of them would die from testing the medicine, and their deaths were extremely gruesome. This filled them with endless fear, which in turn bred many thoughts.

Unfortunately, the agreement was clearly written on paper. Once signed, there was no turning back. This meant that for these six months, they had handed their lives over to the Mo Family. If they dared to disobey the agreement and try to escape, the Mo Family had the right to kill them.

Pies don't fall from the sky. By the time they realized the cruelty of testing medicine, it was already too late, and they could only grit their teeth and endure.

Shi Yan understood that none of these people would survive until that day. He knew that these Medicine Slaves would die sooner or later, perhaps tomorrow someone would lose their life from testing the medicine. He knew his own abilities were limited and he was powerless to change any of this, so he avoided interacting with them too much. If there was no connection, he wouldn't feel sad when they died.

Shi Yan frowned, secretly glanced at the Alchemist Kalu, who was sitting high in his Earth Dragon sedan chair, and quickly averted his gaze.

From the five white medicine bottles embroidered on Kalu's chest, he knew he was a Mortal Grade Rank Five Alchemist. Alchemists were a special group even rarer than Martial Artists in this world.

Every Alchemist was almost a Martial Artist. The pills they refined could enhance a Martial Artist's cultivation. A very small number of powerful Alchemists could even refine special pills that could enhance the abilities of a "Martial Soul."

Unlike the ten realms of Martial Artists, Alchemists were divided into five grades based on their proficiency in refining pills on the Divine Grace Continent: Mortal Grade, Mysterious Grade, Spirit Grade, Saint Grade, and God Grade. Each grade was further divided into seven ranks.

Each grade of Alchemist had a special emblem. Mortal Grade Alchemists had white medicine bottles embroidered on their chests, Mysterious Grade Alchemists had flames, Spirit Grade Alchemists had herbs, Saint Grade Alchemists had pills, and God Grade Alchemists had medicine cauldrons. Kalu's chest, embroidered with five white medicine bottles, indicated his cultivation as Mortal Grade Rank Five, clear at a glance.

Because Alchemists' pills could change Martial Artists and enhance their Essence, Alchemists held a very high status among Martial Artists. Furthermore, due to their rarity, almost every Alchemist became a target of contention for major powers, further elevating their status.

Kalu, this Mortal Grade Rank Five Alchemist, was invited by Mo Yan Yu from the Medicine King Valley of the Divine Grace Empire for the Mo Family. The Mo Family, like the Shi Family, was one of the five great families of the Merchant Alliance. The Mo Family also possessed a "Martial Soul," the Lightning Power. Many people in the Mo Family were born with the "Lightning Martial Soul," which gradually grew stronger as their cultivation increased.

And Mo Yan Yu was a young master of the Mo Family's direct lineage, possessing the "Lightning Martial Soul."

The Mo Family operated the medicinal herb business in the Merchant Alliance and had always been trying to recruit Alchemists from various regions to refine medicine for them. However, Alchemists were often eccentric and arrogant, rarely willing to be constrained by aristocratic families, so the Mo Family had never succeeded.

Although Kalu was only a Mortal Grade Rank Five Alchemist, it was not easy for the Mo Family to persuade him. Mo Yan Yu had managed to convince Kalu through some unknown means to leave the Medicine King Valley and agree to refine medicine for the Mo Family.

But Kalu seemed to be taking a crooked path. He was extremely interested in poisons, which Alchemists considered a deviant art. To refine poisons with precision, even testing on demonic beasts was insufficient; it required living humans, hence the existence of those Medicine Slaves.

"Move out!" Mo Yan Yu's crisp command echoed from a distance. The resting Martial Artists immediately got up, tidied themselves, and prepared to set off. The Medicine Slaves, who were squatting on the ground, quickly stood up, fearing they would be beaten if they were a step slower.

Shi Yan silently stood up, cast a cold glance at the slender yet venomous figure at the very front of the group, let out a barely audible cold snort, and then obediently followed the procession ahead.

In the Merchant Alliance, the Mo Family and the Shi Family had a poor relationship to begin with. Mo Yan Yu's fifth uncle was killed by Shi Dang of the Shi Family three years ago while competing for a mine. Afterward, the Mo Family retaliated fiercely, killing many of the Shi Family's guards. Because of this incident, the two families had engaged in numerous secret feuds.

Shi Yan knew that if his identity as the original owner of this body were exposed, he would not only fail to be released but would likely die even faster.

Fortunately, the original owner of this body did not possess a "Martial Soul" and disliked martial arts by nature. He never participated in many of the Merchant Alliance's martial arts activities, so Mo Yan Yu didn't recognize him at all. Otherwise, his current predicament might be even worse.

The night was deep, the moon like a silver plate, dotted with stars.

The Mo Family's caravan had set up camp by a small river. The Earth Dragons let out "huffing and puffing" sounds as they rested quietly by the water. The Mo Family's Martial Artists ate dried meat, chuckling and talking about the famous prostitutes from the Merchant Alliance's brothels.

A few daring Martial Artists, when Mo Yan Yu had her back to them, would steal glances at her shapely figure, secretly swallowing their saliva. They knew, however, that a woman of Mo Yan Yu's caliber and status was beyond their reach, and they could only feast their eyes.

Shi Yan sat down silently, preparing to circulate the Essence within his body. Suddenly, he noticed Mo Yan Yu and Kalu walking towards him from the front of the caravan.

Shi Yan's heart chilled, sensing impending trouble. His expression gradually darkened.

"The Gut-Severing Powder is too potent. Ordinary civilians can't withstand it. Two have already died in just six days. It seems only Martial Artists can endure it. That brat has been recovering for so long; I think he's finally ready to be put to use..." Kalu said with a sinister laugh, holding a bowl of dark liquid in his left hand.

"Master, please don't hold back. You can do whatever you please with this person. Just don't let him die too easily," Mo Yan Yu said with a light laugh.

"Heh heh, Miss Mo, you can rest assured. Since he's fallen into my hands, there's no way he'll die quickly. You've seen the effects of the Gut-Severing Powder before. Those civilians rotted away slowly before they died. The stronger this brat's body, the slower the decay will be, and the greater his suffering will naturally become. Just watch," Kalu roared with laughter, completely disregarding Shi Yan's presence nearby.

"That would be for the best," Mo Yan Yu nodded, her beautiful eyes flashing with cold light. It was clear she hated Shi Yan to the bone.

The two chatted and laughed, arriving beside Shi Yan in no time. Kalu cut to the chase, thrusting the bowl of dark Gut-Severing Powder in front of Shi Yan and saying coldly, "Brat, drink this."

Mo Yan Yu extended her fair left hand. Dazzling electric arcs danced on her five fingers, coiling from her little finger towards her thumb like an agile, living electric snake. Her Lightning Martial Soul combined with Essence, its wisps of energy causing the air to crackle with "pa pa" sounds.

"Heh heh!" Qiang Sen's cold laugh came from behind Shi Yan. "Brat, if you dare refuse to drink it, you know what your fate will be."

Kalu's eyes were filled with excitement. He couldn't help but rub his hands together and exclaim, "Brat, the Gut-Severing Powder is very interesting. It will make your intestines rot bit by bit..."

Mo Yan Yu stared coldly at Shi Yan, unblinking, waiting for him to resist. As long as Shi Yan showed the slightest sign of non-compliance, she would immediately strike with lightning speed, ready to vent her frustrations on him.

These past few days, the mere thought of Shi Yan's presumptuous violation had filled her with rage. That forbidden place, which even her fiancé had yet to touch, had been sampled by Shi Yan first. This had made her so depressed and ashamed that she felt like spitting blood.

"I'll drink it," Shi Yan replied calmly, steadily taking the bowl of Gut-Severing Powder and downing it in one gulp.