Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Time for Your Medicine, Junior Sister

Seeing Senior Brother Ming Che so brazenly demanding money, Li Yan pondered for a moment. If I give him money today, what about tomorrow?

Besides, Ming Che seemed hesitant to resort to outright theft, as if he had some reservations.

Since I’ll have to eat Insect Rice sooner or later, I might as well refuse.

“No need for you to worry, Senior Brother. I’ll just eat this bowl.”

Li Yan’s reply caused Ming Che’s expression to twist. He abandoned his pretense of kindness, snatched the bowl of plain rice away, and snorted coldly.

“Heh, go ahead and eat it! It’ll only hasten your death.”

“That old bastard will be dragging you off for alchemy before long.”

With this venomous remark, Ming Che turned and stalked away.

As he neared the door, Li Yan mustered his courage, aimed his palm at Ming Che’s retreating back, and activated his Skill—Blood Qi Theft!

As if unraveling a silken thread, faint wisps of blood qi flowed from Ming Che’s back into Li Yan’s palm. The stolen blood qi surged through his meridians, gradually replenishing his dantian.

Throughout this process, Ming Che remained completely oblivious, striding out of the room without a backward glance.

Only when he had taken ten steps did the crimson threads connecting Li Yan’s palm to Ming Che sever, ending the blood qi theft.

“This feeling… it’s quite invigorating.”

As the crimson threads of blood qi coiling around his hand slowly dissipated, a tempest of emotions raged within Li Yan.

He felt the guilty thrill of a thief caught in the act, mingled with the undeniable sensation of subtle changes within his body.

He could now sense the flow of his blood qi and even exert a measure of control over this nascent power.

He seemed to be hovering on the threshold of the Blood Condensation Realm!

Could this Blood Qi Theft technique truly allow him to steal another’s blood qi without them noticing?

Gazing at the crimson threads being absorbed into his palm, Li Yan slowly clenched his fist.

Does this mean that the more people nearby, the greater the quantity of blood qi I can steal?

If the opportunity arises, I’ll blend into a crowd!

Grumble… grumble… grumble…

The rumbling of his stomach dragged Li Yan back to reality.

He was starving.

On the table before him sat only a bowl of Insect Rice.

He lowered his head for a closer look. The grains of rice were wriggling and crawling in the bowl, appearing disturbingly appetizing.

What’s wrong with me? Why does this thing suddenly look delicious?

The insistent growling in his belly forced Li Yan to make a decision that would violate his ancestors’ teachings: he would eat it!

After all, he was immune to the side effects of absorption. What was there to fear?

Suppressing his unease, he opened his mouth and shoveled the Insect Rice inside.

After chewing a few times, he swallowed it with difficulty.

Perhaps it was because he had been unconscious for too long and was ravenous, Li Yan couldn’t taste anything. He shovelled the Insect Rice into his mouth, swallowing it whole in large gulps.

Host has consumed Insect Rice with side effects.

Insect Rice: A staple food for low-ranking Cultivators.

Side Effect: Excessive consumption may lead to parasitic infestation, causing the rice to fuse with the Cultivator’s body.

Immunizing against side effects. Parasites have been eliminated. Converting side effects…

Host has acquired new ability: Blood Qi Boiling Level 1.

Blood Qi Boiling: Allows the combustion of Blood Qi for short-term physical enhancement.

Hearing the mechanical voice echoing in his mind, beads of sweat rolled down Li Yan’s forehead. If not for his immunity, he would likely have ended up as a pile of ashes.

This bizarre Tranquil Void Temple was full of unexpected surprises at every turn. Coupled with Senior Brother Ming Che’s warning that the Old Daoist would eventually take him for Alchemy, Li Yan’s mind began to race even as his stomach filled.

I need to find a way out of Tranquil Void Temple as soon as possible. This place is too dangerous to stay any longer!

Since diners were confined to the Stone Workshop Hall, Li Yan decided to venture into the courtyard for a look around.

As he stepped out of his room, a beam of sunlight fell upon him, yet he felt no warmth at all. It was as if even the sun in this world had lost its vitality, its light as cold as death.

Even when staring directly at the sun, Li Yan felt no glare.

Looking up at the sky, he muttered to himself, “Is the sun really this dim? Isn’t this what the Daoists call a deficiency of Yang Qi?”

Just then, a raspy, duck-like voice interrupted his thoughts.

Senior Brother Ming Che stood before the diners’ rooms at Stone Workshop Hall, holding a medicine gourd and shouting, “Medicine Pills! Come and get your Medicine Pills!”

The dim quarters lit up with pairs of eyes.

The diners scrambled forward on their hands and knees, kneeling like beggars to plead for Spirit Pills.

“Senior Brother Ming Che, please, just two pills?”

“One’s not enough… hiss… hiss… Senior Brother, I’ll do anything for two!”

“Heh… hehehe… I’m about to break through to the Blood Condensation Realm! I’ll become an immortal! This young master’s almost there!”

Li Yan watched in horror as the frenzied diners knelt before Ming Che, begging for pills.

Their faces were pale, veins bulging, and something thin and worm-like seemed to writhe beneath their skin.

Li Yan instantly recognized that the diners had all been parasitized by the Lower Grade Blood Egg Pills and Insect Rice, transforming them into a group of power-hungry, mentally deranged cultivators.

Senior Brother Ming Che, a mocking grin plastered on his face, distributed the pills to the diners like he was feeding pigs.

Amidst the frenzied crowd, Li Yan’s attention was drawn to a lone figure huddled in a corner.

A disheveled young woman with long hair sat in the shadows, hugging her knees, unlike the others who eagerly pressed forward for their Lower Grade Blood Egg Pills.

She was different. Her complexion appeared relatively normal, and her eyes held a calmness that contrasted sharply with the diners’ feverish gazes.

Senior Brother Ming Che approached the girl, medicine gourd in hand. He poured out a Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill and placed it before her.

“Junior Sister Xin Zhi, it’s time for your medicine.”

Leaning closer, Ming Che spoke in a commanding tone: “This is the last pill. If you don’t take it, Master will be furious when he finds out.”

The girl, Xin Zhi, trembled violently as she whispered, “They want it… it’s fine if someone else takes it.”

Senior Brother Ming Che watched the trembling girl, relishing the feeling of holding her life in his hands.

His gaze lingered on her, a sinister grin spreading across his face. “If you won’t eat it, someone else will have to.”

The girl buried her face in her knees, her eyes darting to the other diners. They were all heavily reliant on Medicine Pills—they’d swallow anything.

She wasn’t a fool; she would never touch that Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill!

Senior Brother Ming Che twirled the pulsating red pill in his fingers, his gaze shifting to Li Yan, who had just stepped outside.

“Since you refuse, Li Yan can take your place. Heh.”

“Li Yan, here’s an extra pill. It’s yours.”

Ming Che flicked the pill, sending it arcing into Li Yan’s palm.

When Xin Zhi’s eyes met Li Yan’s, she flinched, desperately signaling him with her gaze.

Don’t eat it!

Ming Che, a cruel smirk playing on his lips, drawled, “In any case, one of you two must…”

Before he could finish, Li Yan, to the astonishment of both Ming Che and Xin Zhi, unhesitatingly swallowed the Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill.