2: It's time to take medicine, Junior Sister

Li Yan pondered for a moment, looking at the other party so brazenly demanding money. If he gave it today, what about tomorrow?

Moreover, the other party seemed afraid to openly rob him; Senior Brother Ming Che seemed to have some reservations.

Since he would have to eat bug rice sooner or later, he might as well not give in.

"No need for Senior Brother to worry, I'll just eat this bowl."

Li Yan's reply caused Senior Brother Ming Che's expression to change drastically.

He put away his hypocritical smile, took away the bowl of white rice, and snorted coldly.

"Heh, eat it! The more you eat, the faster you'll die."

"You'll be caught by that old man and used for Alchemy sooner or later."

After viciously throwing down these words, Senior Brother Ming Che turned and left.

Seeing him about to walk out of the room, Li Yan mustered his courage and aimed his palm at his back.

Activating the skill—Blood Qi Theft!

Just like peeling silk from a cocoon, subtle wisps of Blood Qi flowed from Senior Brother Ming Che's back and poured into Li Yan's palm.

A surge of Blood Qi began to fill Li Yan's Dantian through his Meridians.

Throughout the entire process, Senior Brother Ming Che did not notice anything and left the room on his own.

It wasn't until he had walked ten steps away that the threads of blood on Li Yan's hand broke, and the Blood Qi Theft stopped.

"This feeling... it's quite exhilarating."

Watching the blood-red threads wrapped around his hand slowly disappear, a storm raged in Li Yan's heart.

There was the thrill of a guilty conscience, and he genuinely felt a subtle change within his Physical Body.

He could feel the Blood Qi flowing and could even begin to control this small amount of Blood Qi.

He could vaguely touch the threshold of the Blood Condensation Realm!

"Can this Blood Qi Theft truly steal other people's Blood Qi without anyone knowing?"

Looking at the blood threads absorbed into his palm, Li Yan slowly clenched his fist.

Doesn't this mean that the more people there are around, the greater the amount of Blood Qi he can steal?

If he gets the chance, he should blend into a crowd!

Grrr...

The rumbling in his stomach brought Li Yan back to reality from his thoughts.

He was hungry.

Currently, on his table, there was only a bowl of bug rice.

He lowered his head and looked closely; the grains of rice in the bowl were wiggling and crawling, seemingly looking quite appetizing.

"What's wrong with me? I actually think this thing looks delicious?"

The continuous rumbling from his stomach made Li Yan make a decision that went against his ancestors: eat!

Since he was immune to the side effects, what was there to fear!

He suppressed his discomfort, opened his mouth, and put the bug rice in.

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

Perhaps he had been unconscious for too long and was too hungry, Li Yan couldn't taste anything. He shoveled down the rice in large mouthfuls, swallowing the large bowl of bug rice like gobbling down a date.

"[Detected that the host has consumed bug rice with side effects.]"

"[Bug Rice: Bug rice most favored by Low Grade Cultivators.]"

"[Side effect: Large consumption will lead to bug rice parasitism, integrating with the Cultivator.]"

"[Immunizing side effects for you, parasitic worms have been cleared for you, beginning to convert side effects... ]"

"[Host has gained a new ability—Blood Qi Fermentation Level 1.]"

"[Blood Qi Fermentation: Can burn Blood Qi to gain Physical Body enhancement in a short period.]"

Listening to the mechanical voice echoing in his mind, Li Yan's sweat dripped.

If not for the immunity, he would probably have already been eliminated.

Such a bizarre Jingxu Sect, with surprises waiting for him everywhere.

Coupled with what Senior Brother Ming Che said, that he would eventually be taken by the old Daoist for Alchemy, Li Yan, now full, began to have his mind stirred.

He needed to find a way to leave Jingxu Sect as soon as possible; this place was not suitable for long stays!

Diners could only move within the Stone Workshop. Li Yan decided to get up and look around the courtyard.

As he stepped out of the room, a beam of sunlight hit him, but he felt no warmth at all.

It was as if the sun in this world seemed so full of Death Qi.

Even when looking directly at the sun, Li Yan didn't feel any glare.

He looked up at the sky and murmured, "The sun is so dim? Isn't this what Daoism calls insufficient Yang Qi?"

Just then, a hoarse voice interrupted Li Yan's thoughts.

Senior Brother Ming Che, holding a Medicinal Gourd, came to the front of the Stone Workshop diners' rooms and shouted.

"Time to collect your Medicinal Pills!"

As soon as these words were spoken, pairs of eyes lit up in the dim living quarters.

Countless diners scrambled, crawling like beggars, kneeling on the ground to beg for Spirit Pills.

"Senior Brother Ming Che, give me two, please."

"One is too little, hiss~ hiss, Senior Brother Ming Che, give me two Medicinal Pills, I'll do anything."

"Heh... hehehe, I'm about to Breakthrough to the Blood Condensation Realm, I'm about to achieve Immortal Ascension! This young Master is almost there!"

Watching this group of diners go crazy, kneeling before Ming Che, begging for Medicinal Pills.

Their faces were pale, veins protruded, and something long and thin seemed to be flowing under their skin.

Li Yan knew at a glance that all these diners had been parasitized by Lower Grade Blood Ovum Pills and bug rice, becoming a group of Cultivators who craved power and were mentally abnormal.

Senior Brother Ming Che was like feeding pigs, a playful smile on his lips, as he distributed the Medicinal Pills to these diners.

Among these frenzied diners, only one person, curled up in a corner, caught Li Yan's attention.

A ragged, long-haired girl was sitting in the shadows, hugging her knees, not going forward to receive the Lower Grade Blood Ovum Pill like the others.

She was different from the others; her skin tone was relatively normal, and her eyes held a calm expression, not looking as sickly as the other diners.

Senior Brother Ming Che, holding the Medicinal Gourd, came before the girl.

He poured out an Lower Grade Blood Ovum Pill and placed it in front of the girl.

"Junior Sister Heart Zhi, it's time for your medicine."

After saying that, Ming Che leaned down and said in a commanding tone, "There's only this one Medicinal Pill left. If you don't eat it, Master, he will be angry if he finds out."

The girl named Heart Zhi trembled all over and replied in a low voice, "They want to eat it; it's fine to give this Medicinal Pill to someone else."

Looking at the trembling girl, Senior Brother Ming Che enjoyed this feeling of controlling others' lives.

The Senior Brother's gaze lingered on the girl, revealing a malicious smirk: "If you don't eat it, then someone else will have to eat it for you, heh."

The girl buried her face in her thighs, her eyes sweeping over the other diners present. Those people were heavily dependent on Medicinal Pills; it was fine to let them eat it.

She wasn't stupid; she would never touch this Lower Grade Blood Ovum Pill!

But Senior Brother Ming Che toyed with the pulsating red Medicinal Pill in his hand, his gaze turning to Li Yan, who had just walked out the door.

"Since you won't eat it, there's just the right person to take your place, hey."

"Li Yan, there's an extra Medicinal Pill here, it's for you."

Senior Brother Ming Che flicked the Medicinal Pill, throwing it into Li Yan's hand.

When the girl named Heart Zhi's eyes met Li Yan's, she trembled slightly, continuously using her eyes to hint at Li Yan.

Absolutely do not eat it!

And Senior Brother Ming Che, with a malicious smile, said, "In short, one of you two must..."

Before Senior Brother Ming Che could finish his sentence, Li Yan, under the astonished gazes of Ming Che and the girl, swallowed the Lower Grade Blood Ovum Pill without hesitation.