"By the time I learned this thing existed, I had long since been excluded from the Qin Lineage's inner circle."
She sighed repeatedly. "So even now, I still don't know the details of this pill."
"But I suspect this pill has ties to the demonic path."
"The demonic path?"
"That's right." Qin Xijun nodded. "Over the past few years, young children with poor aptitude have often disappeared inexplicably or died young."
"Last year, a branch family had five children with Spiritual Roots. By the beginning of spring this year, only three remained."
"The clan elders said the other two had died of illness."
"I wanted to find out why, but someone always interfered under all sorts of pretexts, stopping me from investigating."
"I suspect it may be connected to that pill."
After listening to Qin Xijun, Song Yan's brows knitted tightly.
He was no longer the reckless novice he had once been.
Assuming the worst, if the situation really matched Qin Xijun's suspicions, refining a pill that could improve cultivation aptitude required "sacrificing" other people's lives.
Then both the pill's effects and the conditions it required were similar to those of the Spirit-Transforming Blood Pill.
Perhaps it was some higher-grade pill with medicinal properties along the same lines as the Spirit-Transforming Blood Pill.
"Colluding with the demonic path?"
This was no small matter.
"Can't you report it to the sect?"
"The problem now is that there isn't enough evidence. And..."
"The elder currently responsible for investigating such incidents in the Dongyuan Sect is Yang Wenxuan."
"..."
So that was it...
Song Yan drew a deep breath.
The Qin Lineage was a mire.
He could hardly imagine the pressure and torment Qin Xijun had endured while maneuvering among those former "kinsfolk."
"This matter has far-reaching implications. It isn't something the two