409: Main drug

Shancheng headquarters of the Tianhong Group.

This building, standing like a giant beast in the night, faced the street corner where Shen Miao was hiding.

She had just received a message from Han Li in the Kunlun Academy internal group chat.

[Talisman Department - Han Li: @Talisman Department - Shen Miao, don't be impulsive! The situation might be much more complicated than you imagine!]

[Talisman Department - Han Li: Chen Cong is just a Puppet pushed to the front. The waters behind the Tianhong Group are very deep. Once I finish handling my family matters, I'll head over immediately!]

Seeing Han Li's message, Shen Miao stopped her steps as she was originally prepared to break directly into the building.

She wasn't a reckless person.

Han Li's intelligence network and analytical skills were recognized as top-tier within the academy.

Since he said the waters were deep, there must be key information she hadn't yet grasped.

Forcing her way in would likely alert the enemy and allow the true mastermind to escape.

In that case, she would change her approach.

The Tianhong Group was the mastermind, but that "Kunlun Immortal Fate Consulting Center" was the claw they reached out with, the very front of the entire chain of evil.

Starting from there might unearth more unexpected truths.

Shen Miao's figure blended into the shadows once more, sneaking toward that training center with the cheap signboard... The night grew deep.

The "Kunlun Immortal Fate Consulting Center" was still brightly lit.

Through the tightly closed windows, one could faintly hear bursts of fanatical slogans coming from inside.

Shen Miao's figure appeared silently in the alley behind the building. She looked up at the lit classroom window on the second floor and the external pipe leading to the roof next to it.

She pulled two talismans from her bosom.

One was a "Breath Concealing Talisman" sponsored by Han Li, which could perfectly suppress one's aura; even a Golden Core Stage Cultivator would find it hard to detect without careful investigation.

The other was a "Thousand Illusions Talisman" she had drawn herself.

As spiritual power was injected, the Thousand Illusions Talisman silently self-combusted, and a faint light enveloped Shen Miao's entire body.

Her figure and appearance began to undergo subtle changes.

Her originally elegant and refined features became plain and ordinary, carrying a hint of timidity and rusticness.

The Kunlun Academy uniform she was wearing also turned into a set of faded old sportswear.

Now, she looked like an ordinary young girl from a remote small town who had come to the big city, feeling uneasy and curious about everything.

She gave this new identity a name, Lin Lin.

Having finished all this, Shen Miao used both hands and feet, climbing silently up the pipe to the second floor like a nimble cat.

She did not choose to break in through the window; instead, she found the ventilation duct opening above the classroom.

She unscrewed the bolts and slipped inside.

The ventilation duct was full of dust, but it was nothing to Shen Miao.

She crawled forward and soon found the air vent directly above the classroom.

Through the grate, everything in the classroom below was clearly visible.

A large classroom that could hold a hundred people was now filled with people, most of whom were young people around the same age as her disguise.

Each of their faces was somewhat unnaturally pale, yet their eyes were exceptionally fanatical.

On the podium was the thin man who had called himself "Teacher Wang" during the day.

"Students! As long as you diligently Cultivate the 'Qi Guiding Origin Mantra' I've taught you, combined with our center's specially made 'heart calming pills,' I guarantee your chances of passing the Kunlun Academy's preliminary exam will increase by at least fifty percent!"

Teacher Wang's voice was full of provocation.

"Now, please take your 'heart calming pills' and let us begin today's meditation practice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the students impatiently pulled out small porcelain bottles from their pockets, poured out a black pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.

Shen Miao's gaze turned cold.

Within her spiritual sense, that so-called "heart calming pill" was filled with filthy evil energy.

And that "Qi Guiding Origin Mantra" was an out-and-out evil technique.

It wasn't guiding the students to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi at all; instead, it was burning their own life Origin and converting it through an evil technique into "nourishment" that evil cultivators could easily devour.

These poor young people had no idea they were being devoured bit by bit, thinking they were on the broad road to the immortal gate.

She couldn't wait any longer.

Shen Miao no longer hesitated and pressed down hard with her hand.

With a "bang."

The grate of the ventilation duct was pushed open directly by her, and she dropped from the ceiling, landing steadily in the open space at the back of the classroom.

This sudden turn of events startled everyone.

Teacher Wang on the podium's expression changed, and he shouted sharply, "Who is there!"

Following her pre-set identity, Shen Miao's face showed a panicked expression, and her body trembled slightly.

"I... my name is Lin Lin. I came... to sign up, but there was no one downstairs, so I found my way up myself... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

She timidly lowered her head, like a startled fawn.

Teacher Wang looked her up and down suspiciously.

When his gaze swept over Shen Miao's ordinary face and the vigorous yet unrefined life aura on her body, the wariness in his eyes was instantly replaced by a flash of greed.

Good seedling!

This was simply top-grade medicinal material delivered right to the door!

The harsh expression on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a kind smile.

"Oh, so it's a new student. Don't be afraid, come and sit down."

As he spoke, he took out a "heart calming pill" from his pocket and handed it over.

"Here, Student Lin Lin, this is a 'heart calming pill' our center gives for free to new students. It can help you calm your mind and better sense the immortal aura."

This was a test.

Shen Miao knew this well.

She pretended to be overwhelmed by the favor as she took the pill. The moment the pill touched her palm, a nearly invisible purification rune was already operating in her hand, completely dissolving the evil energy within the pill.

Then, under Teacher Wang's satisfied gaze, she swallowed the pill in "one gulp."

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Seeing Shen Miao was so "cooperative," Teacher Wang completely relaxed.

However, just then, the classroom door was pushed open.

A young man dressed in designer brands with a defiant aura walked in, followed by two bodyguards.

It was the young master of the Tianhong Group, Chen Cong.

"Teacher Wang, how is the quality of today's 'medicinal materials'?"

Chen Cong's tone was full of flippancy as he looked around at the students in the classroom, like he was inspecting his own ranch.

Teacher Wang immediately went up to greet him with bows and scrapes.

"Young Master Chen, please rest assured. This batch of seedlings is very good; their life Origins are very vigorous!"

Chen Cong's gaze swept across the classroom and quickly fixed on Shen Miao, who had just sat down.

His eyes suddenly lit up.

The life Origins of the others looked like ordinary weeds in his eyes, but the vigorous life force under Shen Miao's disguise was like a firefly in the dark—no, like a bright moon!

"This one, is she new?"

Chen Cong pointed at Shen Miao, an expression of extreme excitement appearing on his face.

"Not bad, not bad! Simply top-grade! Better than all the previous goods combined! This one needs special 'cultivation'; she will be the 'main ingredient' for my 'Blood God Pill' refinement!"

As he spoke, he walked straight toward Shen Miao and reached out, wanting to pinch her cheek as if admiring a treasure of his own.

"Although she looks a bit ordinary, this life Origin is truly mesmerizing..."

Just as Chen Cong's hand was about to touch her cheek, Shen Miao shrank back sharply as if in fear, perfectly avoiding his groping hand.

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

She lowered her head, her voice trembling.

In the moment she lowered her head to avoid him, a nearly imperceptible wisp of spiritual power fluctuation from her fingertip silently attached itself to Chen Cong's collar.

It was a tracking mark.

Chen Cong didn't notice this detail; he just curled his lip disdainfully, thinking this "main ingredient" was too cowardly.

He turned and instructed Teacher Wang, "Keep an eye on her, don't let her run away. If anything goes wrong, I'll hold you responsible!"

Teacher Wang nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Chen Cong inspected the area once more with satisfaction, then left with his bodyguards.

Watching Chen Cong's departing back, a cold, dark light flashed in Shen Miao's lowered eyes.

Main ingredient?

Very well.

Very soon, you will know just how poisonous this "main ingredient" you've chosen really is.