Chapter 276: Blood Pills Made from You Are Especially Nourishing
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“No way.”
Bai Mei rejected the idea without hesitation.
Ghost Hag’s voice turned icy. “Then there’s nothing to discuss.”
Hua Tu panted heavily, his third eye in the center of his forehead itching to act.
Before he could make a move, a warm, fluffy weight settled on his back.
Ah Chun clumsily gripped the leopard fur Yu Zhao had handed over, her expression full of amazement.
She was sitting on Hua Tu’s back! Just wait until she told her friends back home—they’d be so jealous!
Hua Tu squirmed uncomfortably, trying to shake her off, but restrained himself when Yu Zhao smacked him. He barely resisted the urge to fling the little fox away.
Yu Zhao turned to Ghost Hag. “I’ll exchange with you.”
“Yu Zhao!” Bai Mei’s face was full of disapproval.
Yu Zhao shook her head, signaling she had a plan.
Ghost Hag sneered mockingly. “You’re quite agreeable. Someone might think you’re one of their kind.”
Yu Zhao, having endured much worse ridicule, wasn’t fazed.
“I’ll come over. You hand the Spirit Beast Pouch to Bai Mei.”
“Fine.”
Yu Zhao began walking step by step toward Ghost Hag.
Hua Tu clicked his tongue as he watched her retreating figure, an unexplainable discomfort welling up inside. The spot where Yu Zhao had slapped him started to itch and spread. He turned to see Ah Chun taking advantage of the moment to pluck his fur, nearly driving him to laughter from the absurdity of it all.
By now, Yu Zhao was less than ten paces from Ghost Hag. She could clearly see the malicious intent in Ghost Hag’s eyes.
Ghost Hag extended a withered hand, a powerful suction pulling Yu Zhao closer.
Yu Zhao didn’t resist. As she neared, she used her spiritual energy to seize the Spirit Beast Pouch from Ghost Hag’s grasp.
At the same time Ghost Hag’s hand gripped Yu Zhao’s throat, the Spirit Beast Pouch landed securely in Bai Mei’s hands.
“You’re really not afraid of death, are you?”
Yu Zhao’s eyelids lowered slightly.
Bai Mei opened the pouch and confirmed that the cubs inside were safe. She raised her left hand, and a barrier of light vanished instantly.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Dozens of figures shot into the air and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Only Ghost Hag, Yu Zhao, Hua Tu, Bai Mei, and the naive Ah Chun remained.
Bai Mei addressed Ghost Hag. “I’ve fulfilled my end of the bargain. Let her go.”
Ghost Hag let out a sinister laugh. “She ruined my plans. You think she gets to leave alive?”
As she spoke, thick black smoke billowed out, enveloping both Yu Zhao and Ghost Hag. A foul stench filled the air.
Bai Mei covered her nose and mouth. At some point, a beautiful whip appeared in her right hand.
Snap!
The whip cracked through the air, causing ripples in the space it struck. However, as soon as it touched the smoke, it became mired as if stuck in a thick swamp, impossible to pull free.
Bai Mei frowned and pulled a feather-shaped hairpin from her hair, tossing it into the air.
The feather ignited without any external flame and dove into the black smoke. A sizzling sound echoed like water droplets falling on a hot pan, dispersing much of the smoke.
But when Bai Mei looked closer, both Yu Zhao and Ghost Hag had vanished.
…
“Hehehe, Yu Zhao, you never expected to end up in my hands, did you?”
Yu Zhao’s hands were bound by ropes of spiritual energy, her ankles shackled by thick chains.
She ignored Ghost Hag’s taunts and calmly surveyed her surroundings.
It was a dark, lightless cave. At its center stood a massive Pill Refining Furnace, its surface stained with blood and exuding an ominous, chilling aura. Just a glance at it was enough to make one’s skin crawl.
Scattered on the ground were bloodied fur, fragmented bones, and flesh-stripped fingernails, leaving no doubt this was Ghost Hag’s lair for cultivation.
“Facing death, and you’re still so composed. Truly the demeanor of a disciple from the Five Elements Dao Sect.”
Ghost Hag grew more irritated at Yu Zhao’s unflinching demeanor, her voice dripping with mockery.
Yu Zhao asked, “Aren’t you afraid the Five Elements Dao Sect will avenge me for capturing me?”
Ghost Hag sneered. “The Five Elements Dao Sect? Hah! If I worried about consequences, I’d have died long ago.”
Ghost Hag expected Yu Zhao to respond with threats or pleas, but she remained silent after her question, which only angered Ghost Hag further.
“You’ve ruined my plans, and you’ll pay the price. See that furnace? Soon, I’ll throw you inside and refine you for eighty-one days. With your Nascent Soul intact, the Blood Pill I make will be especially nourishing.”
“You kidnapped the cubs for pill refining too?”
“Of course.”
“Why would other Nascent Soul cultivators help you?”
“The Blood Pills I refine are renowned. They help because they want their share.”
Yu Zhao nodded in understanding. She had wondered why those Nascent Soul cultivators followed Ghost Hag’s orders. It all made sense now.
Blood Pills, known for rapidly increasing cultivation, were highly sought after by those who cared little for morality. Although they carried side effects, these were negligible compared to their benefits, making them popular among evil cultivators.
The gruesome process of their creation claimed countless lives, both of cultivators and beasts, in Ghost Hag’s furnace.
Satisfied with her explanation, Ghost Hag grinned wickedly. Watching Yu Zhao—young, beautiful, and full of potential—fall into her hands filled her with twisted glee.
Hating all things vibrant and alive, Ghost Hag had developed an obsession with refining pills from the young and fresh. It gave her a fleeting illusion of youth.
Years ago, she learned of the Dragon Pool Mountain Range from a beast cub. Since then, she had plotted to raid it, offering Blood Pills as bribes to enlist other Nascent Soul cultivators.
Her plan had gone smoothly—until Yu Zhao intervened. That interference had derailed everything, leaving Ghost Hag consumed with hatred.
She decided Yu Zhao had to die.
No matter the cost, no matter the risk of retaliation, Yu Zhao’s death was non-negotiable.
With a cruel laugh, Ghost Hag lit the furnace, tossing in various alchemical ingredients. Watching closely, Yu Zhao remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Among the ingredients were over a hundred kinds of spiritual herbs, some so rare even Yu Zhao hadn’t seen them before.
Soon, the pungent aroma of concentrated medicinal energy filled the enclosed space.