Demonic Cultivator: Immune To Common Side Effects - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ungrateful Disciple! How Dare You Mock Your Master!

Li Yan swallowed the Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill without hesitation, frustrating Senior Brother Ming Che, who had been planning to humiliate him.

Ming Che had intended to use his authority to torment Li Yan and Junior Sister Xin Zhi, but the brat had unexpectedly eaten the pill so quickly.

With no excuse to cause trouble, Senior Brother Ming Che snorted coldly, resentment burning in his eyes. “I’ll get you sooner or later.”

He glared at Li Yan, spat out the threat, and stormed away.

Only after he was gone did the girl in the corner whisper a warning: “See those diners over there? Anyone who eats the Medicine Pill gets snatched up by the Old Daoist for alchemy.”

“Find a way to spit it out.”

Li Yan followed her gaze. In the biting winter cold, the girl wore only a thin, coarse cloth and stood barefoot.

He ignored her warning and made no reply.

The diners here were all alchemical fodder for the Old Daoist. The kind girl who had warned him might one day become a pill in his furnace herself.

Li Yan wanted nothing to do with anyone in this place.

Li Yan closed his eyes, feeling the Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill enter his Dantian and begin to be absorbed.

– Initiating side effect immunity… Parasites eliminated. Commencing side effect conversion…

– Host has acquired a new ability: Blood Qi Theft – Level 2 (Increased theft range: 20 steps).

Sensing the upgrade to his Blood Qi Theft, Li Yan conceived a bold plan.

He glanced at the group of diners.

Already infected by the Lower Grade Blood Egg Pill, their eyes were glazed over, saliva dripped from the corners of their mouths, and all semblance of rational thought had vanished.

They’re as good as dead anyway, Li Yan thought, a scheme forming in his mind. With no one else around, he seized the opportunity and began to steal their Blood Qi.

Finding a stone step to sit on, Li Yan focused on absorbing the diners’ Blood Qi.

Countless crimson threads streamed from their bodies, flowing toward him.

Such a miraculous scene remained imperceptible to those with weak cultivation.

As long as their cultivation was no more than one major Realm above his own, Li Yan could pilfer their Blood Qi without them even noticing.

Li Yan spared Xin Zhi, the kind-hearted girl who had warned him.

The Blood Qi of dozens of other diners converged upon him, flowing into his body.

The sensation was utterly blissful.

The Blood Qi surged into Li Yan’s nostrils, flowing with each breath into his Dantian, where it slowly coalesced.

Before even the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Li Yan felt a slight throbbing in his abdomen. His Dantian was undergoing a transformation.

Inside, a nascent crimson sea of Qi had begun to form, its surface churning with blood-red energy.

This must be the first layer of the Blood Condensation Realm the System mentioned, Li Yan thought.

He could sense the changes within his body. The Blood Qi in his Dantian began circulating through his meridians, steadily enhancing his physical capabilities.

The first layer of the Blood Condensation Realm—achieved!

Before Li Yan could even celebrate, Senior Brother Ming Che’s distinctive, raspy voice echoed from outside the courtyard:

“Master has arrived!”

Master?!

Li Yan immediately halted his Blood Qi Theft to avoid being discovered by the Old Daoist.

While others might remain oblivious to his clandestine activities, the Old Daoist’s perception was far sharper.

The moment the Old Daoist’s arrival was announced, the other diners remained frozen in place, but the young girl named Xin Zhi swiftly retreated to a shadowy corner. Her eyes darted to Li Yan, silently urging him to hide as well.

Clearly, the girl had her own survival instincts. Li Yan quietly withdrew to the back of the crowd and took shelter under the eaves.

A moment later, the doors of Stone Workshop Hall swung open. The one-eyed Old Daoist strode into the courtyard, followed by his disciples.

The Old Daoist extended a gaunt, long-fingered hand and pinched the cheek of a diner, as if selecting ingredients for an alchemical brew. But as he observed the diners’ pallid complexions, his expression grew increasingly grim. He turned sharply to Ming Che.

“Ming Che! Why is the diners’ Blood Qi so deficient? Have you been pilfering the Medicine Pills?”

Ming Che, who had been putting on a respectable front for Li Yan and Xin Zhi earlier, immediately knelt at the Old Daoist’s feet under his master’s rebuke.

“Master, this disciple knows nothing of it!” he pleaded. “I followed your instructions to the letter, feeding all the pills to the diners. Not a word of this is a lie!”

Ignoring Ming Che’s desperate pleas, the Old Daoist continued to examine the diners’ complexions. With each inspection, his expression darkened further.

The one-eyed Old Daoist whirled around, his gaze dark and sinister.

“Then why are all these people so sickly and feeble?”

Only then did Li Yan, hiding in the corner, gradually realize what was happening.

It’s because I’ve been draining the diners’ Blood Qi, he thought, leaving the Old Daoist without suitable materials for his Alchemy.

The atmosphere grew heavy. Cold sweat trickled down Ming Che’s forehead. “M-Master,” he stammered, “if it’s truly impossible, let’s just take these two diners away.”

With trembling fingers, Ming Che pointed at Li Yan and Xin Zhi.

This bastard… Li Yan clenched his fists. As a mere first-level Blood Condensation Realm cultivator, he stood no chance against the Old Daoist. If the old man decided to capture and refine him, his life would surely end here.

The Old Daoist scoffed coldly. “Those two newcomers aren’t ripe yet.”

“My Alchemy plan cannot be delayed a moment longer. Hmm…”

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Ming Che.

Ming Che trembled violently, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously as cold sweat poured down his face.

The Old Daoist grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth, and patted Senior Brother Ming Che’s shoulder with his bony hand.

“This humble master has other matters to attend to. It’s getting late; you should return.”

With these cryptic words, he flicked his horsetail whisk and turned to leave, leaving Senior Brother Ming Che kneeling on the ground, slumped and defeated.

This is bad…

The diners’ Blood Qi wasn’t enough, and now he was the substitute.

He had to find a way out…

With a surge of resolve, Ming Che reached into his sleeve and pulled out a Blood Qi Pill he had secretly saved.

This single pill represented years of frugality and clandestine savings.

Now, to save his life, he had no choice but to use it!

“Come! Everyone, gather for the Pill Water!”

With a sharp slap, Ming Che crushed the precious Blood Qi Pill in his palm and scattered it into the water vat of the Stone Workshop Hall.

Instantly, the frenzied diners swarmed forward, jostling and scrambling for the water like pigs at a trough.

Li Yan watched from the shadows, eager to see how the once-arrogant Senior Brother Ming Che would handle this mess.

Senior Brother Ming Che watched the diners clamoring for the Pill Water and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If I can just get them to drink this Pill Water and temporarily activate their Blood Qi, I should be able to fool them for now.

If I can buy myself some time, I can survive a few more days!

Having done all he could, Ming Che turned and fled from the Stone Workshop Hall.

Unbeknownst to him, Li Yan had witnessed everything.

Li Yan watched the diners, their Blood Qi temporarily surging from the Pill Water, and a smirk played on his lips. Slowly, he raised his palm and began to steal their Blood Qi.

The stolen Blood Qi flowed silently and invisibly into Li Yan’s Dantian.

By the time Li Yan had drained all the diners’ Blood Qi, Ming Che had just returned with his Master. He strode through the entrance of the Stone Workshop Hall, pointing at the group.

“Master! The medicine probably just hadn’t fully taken effect yet. Please take another look!”

Ming Che had brought back the Old Daoist, confident he could maintain the charade, at least for a while.

But the Old Daoist merely glanced at the scene before seizing Ming Che by the throat and lifting him into the air with a single hand.

“You treacherous disciple! How dare you mock your Master?!”