Gu Refining Peak

"When processing this Tiger-Striped Green Snake, you must nail its head down."

"Then, make a light incision at the throat with a small knife, and you can remove the internal organs completely."

"Remember, the snake gall must remain intact!"

"The skin must not be damaged too severely either."

"If anyone still can't remember, the men will be sent to herd the mountains, and the women will be sent to serve as human cauldrons!"

"Do you understand!"

"Understood!"

"Come, shout our slogan!"

"To cultivate immortality, first go mad!"

"Today a servant, tomorrow a direct disciple!"

"Work hard, work hard, work hard!"

"Very good, get to work!"

Heavenly Demon Sect.

Bai Yu stood beside his workbench, casually grabbing a Tiger-Striped Green Snake. With practiced ease, he pinned it to the cutting board, gutted it, and placed the snake gall into a large basin.

With a light twist of his right hand, a perfect snake skin was peeled away.

Having killed Tiger-Striped Green Snakes here for three months, he had long since become familiar with the process.

He glanced casually at the newly arrived servant disciples; three months ago, the people who arrived here with him were just like them.

But by now, there were hardly any left from his own batch.

In the demonic sect, dying was as simple as eating or drinking, and no one cared at all, especially for servant disciples like them, who were treated as little more than expendable materials.

When Bai Yu woke up, he found himself already inside a sack; once the sack was opened, he was forced to join the Heavenly Demon Sect.

As for whether the original owner had been scared to death during transport or had suddenly fallen ill and died along the way, no one knew anymore. He had inherited nothing but this handsome exterior.

In his three months here, he had learned quite a bit of information.

The Eternal Continent was a place where one could cultivate immortality.

And the Heavenly Demon Sect was one of the most powerful sects in the downstream region of the Heaven-Piercing River.

Before transmigrating, Bai Yu had been nothing more than an ordinary person, so when he first arrived, he had been somewhat afraid.

Especially when he was assigned to the Gu Refining Peak to handle these poisonous insects, he had been filled with confusion about his future.

But now, his mindset had long since calmed down.

After all, while the attrition rate for servant disciples on the Gu Refining Peak was relatively high, those ordinary disciples obsessed with Gu refining were basically just tech nerds.

Unlike the neighboring Joyous Union Peak, there was no risk of being drained dry.

Gu Refining Peak, Medicine Refining Peak, Artifact Refining Peak, Blood Corpse Peak, Joyous Union Peak, Ghost Refining Peak, and a variety of other peaks made up the vast sect that was the Heavenly Demon Sect.

It was like a small society; aside from the expendable materials, the status of a servant disciple was the lowest.

But this did not hinder Bai Yu from developing in the shadows.

For instance, right now, after he finished processing a Tiger-Striped Green Snake, a few lines of small text appeared before his eyes.

[Cultivation Method: Qi Drawing Art (Minor Achievement) 800/3500]

[Skill: Cutting (Entry)]

[Progress: (623/1000)]

[Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Gu (Life-Bound Gu) (Unformed)]

[Dragon Qi Progress: 23/500]

[Yin-Yang Qi: 50/500]

Yes, the Bai Yu who had transmigrated possessed a cheat; simply put, it was grinding!

As long as he diligently repeated a task, he could accumulate progress, and he might even extract things from the work he did, merging them to create new item forms.

For example, that Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Gu had been formed from a faint trace of dragon qi he extracted while cutting the Tiger-Striped Green Snake, combined with the yin-yang qi generated when the fat supervisor took them out to enjoy themselves as a reward for being excellent servants.

As long as he filled both progress bars, this Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Gu would naturally be born. Once he had a life-bound Gu, he could activate his own spiritual roots and have the hope of becoming an official disciple.

Thinking of this, Bai Yu's heart was suddenly filled with hope. After all, the path to immortality was inherently tempting to any ordinary person.

What did it matter if it was a demonic sect? As long as he could attain immortality, it didn't matter what path he cultivated.

After all, having lived a second life, he was determined to see just how magnificent this world could be!

Thinking of this, Bai Yu's movements became even more nimble. And the progress bar before his eyes began to climb slowly.

[Cutting +1]

[Dragon Qi +0.01]

[Cutting +1]

[Dragon Qi +0.02]

"Aaaaaah!"

A miserable shriek echoed throughout the Cutting Room. A newly arrived chore disciple had been bitten on the finger by a Tiger-Striped Green Snake. His entire body turned pitch-black at a speed visible to the naked eye, and within a few breaths, he had breathed his last.

This scream made all the other newcomers tremble with fear. Some of the timid ones wanted to run, but lacking the courage to do so, they could only stand in place and shiver.

"Damn it, what rotten luck!"

The fat supervisor hurried forward with a few men, cursing loudly as he looked at the dead disciple.

"Carry his corpse out. Send it to Blood Corpse Peak tonight to trade for some grain!"

"Another loss, what a nuisance!"

The fat supervisor waved his hand, his expression full of disgust.

Such things happened in the Cutting Room every single day. Although the Tiger-Striped Green Snake was only a non-ranked demonic beast, its terrifying venom was not something these people could withstand.

Bai Yu felt no emotion toward this, continuing to process the items in his hands with practiced efficiency.

Soon, the sky had turned dark.

[Cultivation Method: Qi Drawing Art (Minor Achievement) 800/3500]

[Skill: Cutting (Entry)]

[Progress: 699/1000]

[Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Gu (Life-Bound Gu) (Unformed)]

[Dragon Qi Progress: 26/500]

[Yin-Yang Qi: 50/500]

Looking at the panel before him, Bai Yu smiled faintly, then took his token and went to the supervisor to collect his daily pay.

"Bai Yu, two hundred and thirty-seven Tiger-Striped Green Snakes processed. You get 23.7 contribution points today!"

Looking at the dense pile of snake gallbladders and snake skins, the fat supervisor smiled with satisfaction and spoke immediately.

"What do you want to exchange for today?"

"The usual?"

"One Body Forging Pill and one Flower Stone from Joyous Union Peak?"

He was quite familiar with Bai Yu; not only was he quick and efficient, but he was also a hedonist. While others saved their contribution points to exchange for Body Forging Pills or cultivation materials, Bai Yu was different. He insisted on exchanging for a Flower Stone from Joyous Union Peak every time, heading there to enjoy himself after finishing his work.

Because of this, the fat supervisor had a deep impression of him.

"Yes, the usual. Exchange the remaining 3.7 for Tiger-Striped Green Snake venom."

"Good, I'll give you a bit extra. With you around, I don't have to worry about failing to meet the Cutting Room's quotas!"

"Heh heh heh!"

Handing over his jade token and completing the registration, Bai Yu received his reward.

The disciples' cultivation pavilion at the base of Joyous Union Peak.

The lights were bright. Compared to the mostly taciturn disciples of Gu Refining Peak, the disciples of Joyous Union Peak appeared exceptionally enthusiastic.

He was lucky tonight, encountering a pure senior sister who had lowered her standards.

Indulging in pleasure...

[Yin-Yang Qi +2]

Bai Yu realized his small frame simply couldn't handle such tossing and turning...

It was not until the third watch that Bai Yu slowly returned to Gu Refining Peak. Passing through the dense forest at the foot of the mountain, he reached the living quarters of the chore disciples. Through the moonlight, one could see stone chambers built neatly on an open space, looking just like rows of grave mounds.

Anyone unaware might have mistaken this place for a graveyard.

Many chore disciples shuttled between the stone chambers from time to time, appearing exceptionally busy.

Bai Yu had no intention of making conversation. He took out his token and tapped it against his stone chamber; after his identity was verified, the door opened.

The stone chamber was not large. Two beds, a table, four chairs, and some daily necessities occupied the entire space.

Ever since his roommate died last week, Bai Yu had been living here alone for a week.

But tonight, it seemed a newcomer had moved in.

The token hanging by the bedside displayed her identity.

[Gu Refining Peak, Chore Disciple, Yu Linglong, Number 10086.]

Yu Linglong seemed to have been frightened; not only was her face pale, but her expression held the relief of one who had narrowly escaped death.

The pungent smell of medicine in the room and the black substance on the head of the bed opposite his made Bai Yu frown.