Chapter 6

"Junior Brother Yang?"

Zhang Dashan clutched another dagger and limped into the cave from outside.

His clothes were in tatters, his hair hung loose, and his face was bruised and swollen. He looked utterly bedraggled.

Yet his eyes, flashing with cold light, were filled with viciousness and brutality.

He stopped cautiously at the cave entrance, his gaze warily sweeping the interior. For the moment, he did not dare enter rashly.

When he saw Yang Ming lying on the ground, he froze for a moment before pouncing on him with a savage expression. Just as he raised the dagger in his hand to stab down, he abruptly noticed that Yang Ming's eyes were wide open and that he seemed to have stopped moving.

"Dead... dead?"

His face was full of shock. After staring blankly for a moment, he could not help reaching out with his other hand, trembling as he gripped the dagger lodged in the man's chest. A look of confusion gradually appeared on his face.

"I killed him?"

He shook his dizzy head. His vision swayed, his thoughts were muddled, and he suddenly could not clearly remember the fight that had just taken place outside.

As he stood there in a daze, a figure emerged soundlessly from the darkness within the cave like a ghost. The figure looked at him and the corpse on the ground, then frowned slightly. "You killed him?"

Zhang Dashan jolted awake and hurriedly dropped to his knees, kowtowing. With a tearful tremor in his voice, he said, "Master, please forgive me. Junior Brother Yang attacked first. He wanted my life! Your disciple had no choice but to fight back!"

Tian Feng stared at him expressionlessly for a while without saying much. He merely said flatly, "Since he is already dead, drag him inside and skin him. Do not waste the blood either."

After saying that, he turned and walked deeper into the cave.

To him, the death of one Blood Medicine was no more significant than the death of an ant.

Of course, the blood and corpse could not be wasted.

Zhang Dashan immediately let out a breath of relief. After panting a few times, he hurriedly rose, dragged Yang Ming's corpse behind him, and limped inside.

Silence returned to the cave entrance.

Only the thick stench of blood lingering in the air silently told of the brutal events that had just taken place here.

In the corner, Luo Qingchen slowly opened his eyes in the darkness.

Within his body, another line of text had appeared behind the second reserve blood bar.

[Gilded Blood: 1000%]

Yet his second reserve blood bar currently held only 120%.

In other words, he still needed to absorb another 880% of blood before he could advance from ordinary blood to Gilded Blood.

"Other than having ten times as much blood, does Gilded Blood have any other uses?"

He silently speculated to himself.

Tonight's crisis should have been resolved. With Yang Ming's corpse and blood, that "master" should not need him for the time being.

But he absolutely could not let down his guard.

His master's demands would never stop there. Perhaps in a few days, he would need Luo Qingchen's flesh and blood again.

So he had to begin cultivating as soon as possible.

Every Blood Medicine of the Demon Controlling Sect had the right to cultivate. That was a sect rule.

Even if a Blood Medicine ultimately could not break through and become a disciple, cultivation could still strengthen their body and enhance their flesh, making them more valuable. The disciples could then draw more blood from them and cut better meat from them.

Thus, every Blood Medicine could receive the sect's most basic cultivation technique.

Senior Brother Zhang Dashan had already begun cultivating long ago.

Luo Qingchen, however, had only arrived here a few days ago, so he had not yet received a cultivation technique.

Tomorrow, he would have to take the initiative and ask for one.

With the extra reserve blood bars inside his body, he believed that his cultivation speed would certainly surpass everyone else's.

At the very least, here, he had to be faster than Zhang Dashan.

Otherwise, Zhang Dashan might kill him one day.

Tonight's fratricidal slaughter between fellow disciples was clearly only the beginning.

He could not keep using poisonous mushrooms forever.

After what happened tonight, Zhang Dashan would likely be on guard from now on. He would no longer casually give Luo Qingchen food, much less easily accept any food from him.

Thus, the only thing he could truly rely on in the future was his own strength.

After thinking for a while, he closed his eyes and prepared to get a good night's rest before asking for a cultivation technique tomorrow.

Although this was his first time killing someone and he was too exhilarated to sleep, outwardly he was a dying Blood Medicine who had lost too much blood, was weak beyond measure, and might not survive until tomorrow. Therefore, he had to continue pretending to sleep.

Outside the cave, the night deepened.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Dashan's figure silently emerged from the darkness.

Blood dripped from both his hands. He held a blood-soaked animal hide, his cold and suspicious gaze fixed on the figure lying in the corner.

The next day.

When Luo Qingchen woke, the sun was already high in the sky.

Looking up, he saw that another fresh, bloodstained hide had appeared on the wall by the cave entrance. It swayed gently alongside the other three hides in the faintly cool morning breeze, as though it had already become one of them.

"Junior Brother Luo, you're awake?"

Zhang Dashan entered from outside carrying a bundle of firewood, a faint smile on his face as he looked at him.

Luo Qingchen slowly sat up, clutching his head. He still looked exceedingly weak. "Senior Brother, why is there another hide?"

A sorrowful expression immediately appeared on Zhang Dashan's face. He sighed but said nothing, merely watching the expression on Luo Qingchen's face.

Luo Qingchen looked utterly puzzled.

Zhang Dashan gave a cold smile and said meaningfully, "This is how it is here. Either you die, or I perish. Junior Brother Luo, you are very lucky. I thought you would not wake up today."

With that, he carried the firewood deeper into the cave.

The warmth he had shown in the past seemed to have vanished.

Luo Qingchen looked once more at the animal hide above him. His heart clenched, but he hesitated no longer. Taking a deep breath, he rose from the corner and headed deeper into the cave as well.

He had to ask for a cultivation technique.

Deep within the cave, the fire was still burning.

Zhang Dashan bent over in a corner, sorting through the firewood.

Tian Feng sat before the fire with his eyes closed, perhaps cultivating, perhaps pondering something.

Luo Qingchen stepped forward with his head lowered and said directly, "Master, this disciple wishes to cultivate."

The moment he said this, Zhang Dashan turned to look at him. His entire body stood in the shadows of the corner, making his expression impossible to see.

Tian Feng kept his eyes closed as he asked, "Why do you wish to cultivate?"

Luo Qingchen respectfully replied, "This disciple's body is too weak. I fear I cannot provide Master with much blood, so I wish to cultivate and strengthen myself. Then I can provide more blood for Master's use in the future."

Tian Feng slowly opened his eyes and scrutinized him for several moments. Without further comment, he took a book from a nearby chest and tossed it before him. "It contains this sect's most basic introductory cultivation technique, along with detailed explanations and instructions for medicinal baths. If there is anything you do not understand, ask your senior brother first."

"Thank you, Master!"

Luo Qingchen bent down to pick up the book and hurriedly thanked him. As he straightened, he staggered and nearly failed to keep his footing.

He looked extremely weak.

Tian Feng said nothing more and closed his eyes again.

Zhang Dashan withdrew his gaze as well and continued sorting the firewood in the corner, his expression still impossible to see.

Luo Qingchen took his leave.

Once outside, he eagerly opened the book and began reading beneath the morning sunlight.

After reading several pages, he pondered silently. So the first step in cultivation is Body Tempering. Body Tempering is divided into Flesh Refinement, Bone Fortification, and Blood Exchange... Only by cultivating to the realm of Blood Exchange can one officially become an outer disciple of the Demon Controlling Sect and completely cast off the identity of a Blood Medicine...

He continued reading.

A short while later, he finally understood the detailed use of blood.

"Body Tempering requires medicinal baths. Demon Stones and blood are the main ingredients, with other medicines as supplements. They are boiled into medicinal liquid for soaking the body. At the beginning of Body Tempering, one needs a minor bath every three days and a major bath every five days..."

"When Demon Stones merge with blood, they become a great tonic that tempers the flesh and bones, rapidly transforming and strengthening them..."

"What are Demon Stones?"

He silently wondered as he continued turning the pages.

"Rock Stance, Mountain Embracing Fist..."

Simple illustrations began to appear on the following pages, along with detailed explanations of these two cultivation techniques.

The movements of these two techniques did not seem difficult.

Rock Stance in particular did not look very different from an ordinary horse stance, while Mountain Embracing Fist had only twelve moves in total.

The two techniques worked together for entry-level cultivation and Flesh Refinement.

As for the Bone Fortification that came later, it likely required another cultivation technique.

Luo Qingchen carefully read through everything once more. His heart burned with anticipation, and he immediately left the cave for a rocky hollow not far to the left, intending to give it a try.

He knew that Zhang Dashan always cultivated in a rocky hollow on the right.

For most of the daytime, that master cultivated alone, so they were generally free to attend to their own affairs during the day.

"Rock Stance..."

Upon arriving at the rocky hollow, he immediately followed the book's illustrations and explanations. He bent his legs, rounded his arms, and began practicing the simplest Rock Stance.

Yet while it looked simple, it was not easy to perform.

He adjusted his posture several times before it finally matched the illustration in the book.

In less than a minute, he felt his legs begin to tremble. Then his arms began to shake as well.

After holding on for another minute, his legs and arms began to heat up, and his muscles started twitching.

This body's constitution was truly terrible.

At that moment, he suddenly heard a faint sound outside the cave, like a foot stepping on stone chips.

"Whoosh..."

When Zhang Dashan appeared at the entrance, Luo Qingchen was already slumped on the ground, gasping heavily. He stared at the book in his hands with a face full of confusion.

"Junior Brother Luo, are you cultivating?"

Zhang Dashan stood at the entrance with a faint, ambiguous smile on his face.

Only then did Luo Qingchen raise his head to look at him. With a bitter smile, he said, "Senior Brother, this introductory technique feels so difficult. I cannot even hold the stance. How did you cultivate it?"

Zhang Dashan glanced at the book in his hands and smiled faintly. "For someone who has just begun cultivating, it is indeed somewhat difficult. Besides, you have lost too much blood these past few days and your body is too weak. Naturally, you cannot cultivate immediately."

Luo Qingchen asked, "Then when can I cultivate?"

Zhang Dashan seemed to think for a moment. "You need at least a month of recuperation, until your body has completely recovered. Otherwise, if you injure yourself and leave behind a chronic ailment, you may never be able to cultivate again."

Luo Qingchen's expression changed. "It is that serious?"

Zhang Dashan said, "If you do not believe me, you can ask Master."

Luo Qingchen sighed. "Of course I believe Senior Brother."

Then he asked, "By the way, Senior Brother, what are the Demon Stones mentioned in this book?"

Zhang Dashan paused, studying him once again before explaining, "Demon Stones are stones that contain demonic power. Only our Demon Controlling Sect has them. These stones can merge with blood and produce a great tonic. The disciples of our Demon Controlling Sect cultivate by relying on this great tonic."

"Then..."

Just as Luo Qingchen wanted to ask more, Zhang Dashan smiled. "All right, I am going to cultivate. Do not rush. Wait until your body has recovered. As for questions about cultivation, I will naturally tell you when the time comes."

After saying that, he waved his hand, turned, and left.

After walking some distance away, the smile on his face vanished, and a mocking curl appeared at the corner of his mouth. You still want to cultivate? I fear you will not live to see that day.

Inside the rocky hollow, Luo Qingchen remained seated on the ground for a while longer.

Once it became completely quiet outside, he stood up again and continued practicing Rock Stance.

He would not wait for a month.

If he truly listened to Zhang Dashan and foolishly waited a month before cultivating, then before that month was even up, he would likely become the fifth hide hanging beside Yang Ming.

The blood he had lost had now been replenished. This was precisely the best time to cultivate!