Chapter Fifty-five: False Blood-Draining Pill

Chapter Fifty-Five: The False Blood-Draining Pill

Upon ascending Medicine King Peak and entering Windward Court, everything proceeded as before: the first task was to pay respects to Chunyu Qian. The old man was actually on the mountain this time, and when he saw Fang Junmei arrive, he showed no surprise at all, as if he had long anticipated that Fang would come for this final trial before the grand sect competition.

Chunyu Qian gazed deeply into Fang Junmei's eyes. Only after confirming he seemed even healthier than before did he nod with satisfaction. "Come with me. I want you to meet someone first."

With those words, Chunyu Qian rose, hands clasped behind his back, and walked out. His figure was more stooped than ever, his very presence tinged with melancholy.

Fang Junmei was taken aback but asked no questions, silently following.

Not far from the entrance, they stopped before a room Fang had never seen opened. At the door, Chunyu Qian formed a series of complex hand signs before pushing it open.

The furnishings inside were sparse. On the bed lay a man—a middle-aged man Fang Junmei had never seen before. Though covered with a thin quilt, it was clear he was not tall, with a round face, long brows, a prominent nose, and skin so pale it was almost unnatural. His eyes were tightly shut, his breath faint but steady, as though he were merely sleeping. Yet even when the two entered, he made not the slightest movement.

He bore a striking resemblance to the ascetic Daoist Fang had seen before, but his aura was utterly depleted, as if he had suffered a grievous wound.

Chunyu Qian approached the bed, checking his pulse as he spoke. "This is my eldest disciple, Tao Xi."

So this was the senior disciple of Medicine King Peak.

"The reason he’s become like this," Chunyu Qian continued, his gaze growing profound as he looked at Fang Junmei, "is the very pill you are about to take."

"In fact, when Tao Xi first took the pill, his condition was far worse than this. Over the years, I’ve healed his physical injuries, but this strange malaise remains—one even I cannot cure."

"May I ask, Uncle Master, what exactly is this pill?" Fang Junmei inquired.

Chunyu Qian smiled mysteriously, finally revealing the answer to the riddle that had long plagued Fang. "Have you ever heard of the first two realms of the Sword Dao?"

Fang Junmei nodded.

"My pill is called the Blood-Draining Pill—an elixir that allows one to comprehend the second realm of the Sword Dao!" Chunyu Qian declared.

"What?!" Fang Junmei’s scalp tingled with shock.

Was there truly such a miraculous elixir in this world? With a single pill, could one catch up to Gu Xijin’s accomplishments? If it worked, it would be an unimaginable stroke of fortune.

"Not exactly…" Chunyu Qian’s brow furrowed, as if there was more to the story. After withdrawing his hand, he reminisced, "Years ago, while traveling the cultivation world, I stumbled upon the recipe for the Blood-Draining Pill by sheer chance."

His eyes burned with fervor as he suddenly fixed Fang Junmei with his gaze. "Boy, in all my life, I had never even seen the recipe for a Bone-penetrating Pill, yet I obtained the formula for the Blood-Draining Pill. Can you imagine my excitement?"

That fervor turned to madness, making Fang Junmei’s hair stand on end. He hurriedly nodded.

"To refine the Blood-Draining Pill, I spent more than a century gathering ingredients, and in the end, I managed to produce three pills!"

Chunyu Qian’s gaze shifted from madness to fanaticism, but in just a few breaths, that passion soured, his voice sinking. "Unfortunately, the recipe was incomplete. The missing portion I filled in myself, based on experience. So…"

He gestured awkwardly toward Tao Xi, a rare hint of embarrassment on his face.

At last, Fang Junmei understood. What Chunyu Qian had concocted was merely a counterfeit Blood-Draining Pill, and his own disciple had been the unfortunate test subject, resulting in severe injury and a coma from which he had yet to awaken.

This old man was truly obsessed with alchemy—bold enough to let others consume his imperfect creations.

"Uncle Master, why are you so certain Tao Xi failed because of lacking willpower, and not because the pill itself—" Fang Junmei hesitated.

"Nonsense!" Chunyu Qian snapped, instantly regaining his composure. "In my lifetime, I have refined countless pills and seen myriad recipes. I am certain the incomplete recipe wasn’t a fake, and what I supplemented should not have been far off. Besides, the recipe itself states only those with an indomitable will can withstand the pill’s effects."

Whether Fang Junmei believed him was another matter.

So, Chunyu Qian’s obsession had led him to believe Tao Xi failed due to weakness of character, not the pill itself. And so he sought a subject of even stronger will—Fang Junmei.

This old man was a true fanatic in the Dao of Alchemy.

"Uncle Master, why not simply give the pill to Gu Xijin? He has already passed your previous tests and could take it directly," Fang Junmei asked.

Chunyu Qian smiled proudly. "Whether it’s Gu Xijin, Long Jinyi, or any other sword cultivator who has already comprehended the first realm, none are suitable for a perfect test. The recipe states that if a swordsman who has not yet reached the Bone-penetrating Realm takes this pill, he can achieve both the first and second realms at once. All my life, I have pursued perfection in alchemy, and so I desire the perfect result."

Fang Junmei nodded in understanding.

"Boy, I have told you all. Come, it is time to test the pill!"

With that, Chunyu Qian strode toward the door.

Fang Junmei glanced at the living corpse that was Tao Xi, and an ominous feeling welled up within him.

"Uncle Master, may I perhaps return another day to help you test this pill?" The words slipped out before he could stop himself—a clear sign the Heartshatter Pill's influence was at play once again.

"Thinking of fleeing at the last moment?" Chunyu Qian whipped around, his gaze icy as he fixed Fang Junmei with a chilling stare. "Now that you are here and know my great secret, you must be my test subject. If you leave the sect and disappear, how will I ever find you?"

The unspoken pressure pressed down on Fang Junmei’s shoulders. He knew escape was impossible.

"Don’t be afraid, boy. If you survive, you will be the first in the history of cultivation to reach the second realm of the Sword Dao in the early Mortal Dust stage. Your future will be limitless," Chunyu Qian added, softening his tone after the threat.

But the problem was—this was a counterfeit Blood-Draining Pill.

Fang Junmei’s face darkened, as if he could already see his own tragic fate.

Without another word, he followed Chunyu Qian out of the room, through the main hall, and once more down into the secret chamber below.