Chapter 77: The Human Refining Furnace

To speak of Xue Song is to acknowledge someone far from ordinary, far stronger than the recently eliminated Sheng Lin. Now over a hundred years old, it’s said he broke through to the Dao Realm two decades ago. According to Qin Yue’s information, this old man began practicing demonic arts only after reaching the Dao Realm.

Fifteen years ago, he abruptly announced he would no longer accept disciples and entered seclusion. Many speculated he was attempting to break through to the Light Reversal, striving to become an Immortal before his lifespan ran dry.

Among cultivators, becoming an Immortal does not guarantee entry to the Immortal Gate. To possess the ability to "knock upon the gate" alone, one must either survive the Heavenly Tribulation and become a Third Realm Celestial, able to tear open the portal and join the Immortal ranks, or—at the pinnacle of the Human Immortal stage—make a desperate attempt, typically when lifespan is nearly exhausted and further breakthroughs seem hopeless. The outcome of such attempts needs no elaboration; they are usually tragic.

Celestials are as rare as phoenix feathers; decades may pass without a single one ascending through tribulation. Yet becoming a Human Immortal remains the ultimate goal for cultivators, for it grants a lifespan of at least three hundred years. Even reaching this stage at a hundred years old, one could live on for another two centuries. If one’s Dao Heart is resolute, unbound by mundane concerns, one might even reach four or five hundred years.

Even if the Third Realm remains out of reach, such longevity might offer a chance—should the Immortal Gate open from the other side—to be taken in. For ordinary wanderers and small sects, such hope is faint, but for powerful factions like Zhaoyang Sect, the opportunity is much more tangible.

This time, with celestial phenomena manifesting and the Immortal Gate opening, Immortals descended from the heavens. Both Sect Leader Ling Jinsong and Vice Leader Yue Mingxi sought this opportunity to become Human Immortals and enter the Immortal Realm.

To Qin Yue, the structure of Zhaoyang Sect resembled a corporate group he was familiar with. The Sect Leader acted as the chairman, and the elders as directors. The Sect Leader wielded the greatest power but was constrained by the Elder Council, unable to act unilaterally. Instead, the elders enjoyed a leisurely life, courted by both the Sect Leader and Vice Leader.

Every elder managed numerous enterprises, their mundane businesses thriving everywhere outside. Their cave mansions were merely their "core residences." The Xue family was such a perennial "elder clan," with someone from every generation serving as an inner elder, at worst an outer elder. At its peak, six elders from the same generation—two inner, four outer—sat together, a sight to behold.

Thus, within the sect, there was the saying, "Sect Leaders come and go, but the Elder Council remains steadfast." In the mortal world, the Xue family would be a top-tier, millennia-old noble house, a true aristocracy.

When Qin Yue first understood the Xue family and Xue Song’s situation, he couldn’t help but reflect. In the mundane world, there’s the saying, "All trades are inferior, only reading is noble." Applied to the cultivation world, it becomes: "Of a thousand Daos and myriad arts, which grants immortality?" If so, even the most treacherous path is worth pursuing, even at the risk of death, with no regret.

According to sect reputation, Xue Song—a genuine aristocratic scion—was remarkably low-key. Even Ling Chen, the young master beside Qin Yue, who dared say anything and cared for no one, had never heard of any misdeeds attributed to Xue Song.

He even suspected the elder who acted as the original “contact” might hold a grudge against Xue Song, seeking revenge by killing two birds with one stone.

Even when Elder Xue Feng recently wanted to take away two Bingyuan people, Qin Yue had considered this carefully. The term "mongrel" wasn’t merely an insult—it meant impurities mixed into the "pureblood." As for Elder Sheng Lin, whom Qin Yue had just assassinated, he didn’t strike without warning but waited until Sheng Lin released the poison mist unique to demon cultivators, wishing to be certain.

The night was thick, the new moon just risen, and within the sealed pocket world, not even a hand could be seen in front of one’s face.

Qin Yue quietly approached Xue Song’s estate.

If one’s status or scale was insufficient, the norm was to carve out vast spaces deep within the mountains, dividing them into functional zones—a cave mansion with constant environment. But for a figure like Xue Song, his residence was more like a royal palace, dominating immense territory, with independent departments for scripture storage, alchemy, artifact forging, and garment crafting.

Its heritage and scale rivaled those of many large sects among the Ten Sacred Lands. The entire mountain region resembled an independent kingdom.

Such was a Daoist estate.

Even deep into the night, the place remained bustling.

Qin Yue did not rush to seek Xue Song, but employed his Netherworld Escape technique to roam about.

Inside the garment workshop, several experienced embroiderers were meticulously sewing robes engraved with miniature formations and inscriptions by master artisans. These embroiderers were once outer disciples, retained for their expertise.

From their demeanor, there was no sign the master here was a demonic cultivator.

In the alchemy room, an elderly master was berating several young disciples.

"Watch the flames, watch the flames! How many times have I told you—sleep well by day, so you don’t nod off at night? But you, as soon as daylight comes, you’re all spirited, strutting before the girls..."

Behind his black mask, even Qin Yue’s stern visage betrayed a faint smile. There were indeed villains, but far more ordinary people.

He was about to leave when the master’s next words rooted him in place.

"Human pills are the hardest to refine. One careless moment, and all you have is ash—everything wasted! Ah, things aren’t like they used to be. Bingyuan people are growing scarce, and now this inexplicable Elder Qin has appeared. Sect Leader and Vice Leader must have been bewitched, both shielding him, while he protects those Bingyuan people as if he were one himself..."

The elderly alchemist, seemingly in his seventies, rambled on, "Only our elder is formidable, keeping those Bingyuan people for himself. Whether Sect Leader or Vice Leader, they must give the Xue family face... but these are the last ones!"

A handsome, thick-browed young disciple whispered, "Master, I heard that any more Bingyuan people will only be sent to Elder Qin?"

The old alchemist nodded, but sneered, "That foolish child, arrogant just because he’s capable, spoiled by favor. Like a palace eunuch beside a mortal emperor—how long can such arrogance last? And he’s fence-sitting, trying to please both Sect Leader and Vice Leader. If I’m not mistaken..."

He paused to fuel the flames with spiritual energy, intensifying the fire.

He continued, "Sect Leader and Vice Leader both have precious medicines, hoping to enter the Light Reversal domain when the Immortal Gate opens, to become Human Immortals and enter the Immortal Realm! They value him only for his luck—a beneficiary of the right time. If they succeed and enter the Immortal Realm, he’ll be left with nothing; if they fail, what do you think will happen?"

Someone replied, "It’ll be even worse!"

Another sneered, "If nothing else, Elder Xue Feng will want his life!"

"But aren’t the saintesses protecting him?" someone offered.

The old alchemist scoffed, "Saintess? She’ll likely be taken away this time. Even if she stays, what can a little girl with only talent and nothing else accomplish?"

Someone chimed in, "Master is right. Don’t be fooled by Tang Qingxuan’s current glory; she’ll only be an outer elder in the future. Shu Wanqing is just a girl with no foundation—how can she compete with us? That Qin fellow is doomed!"

The alchemist laughed, "Seems my teaching hasn’t been wasted—you’re finally alert. Keep watch over those three Bingyuan people. Their bloodline is indeed unique; human pills refined from them are truly extraordinary. Our elder may well succeed in becoming a Human Immortal this time..."

Someone dreamed aloud, "If our elder enters the Immortal Realm, will he bring us along?"

At that moment, Qin Yue stood within the alchemy room, shrouded in shadow, hidden by the Netherworld Escape technique. None could see or sense him.

He gazed at the massive alchemy furnace before him, exquisite in shape, radiating an ancient aura, its body etched with countless mysterious inscriptions.

This furnace, meant to refine all manner of pills for cultivators, had become a vessel for refining people.

The kindly-faced master and the relaxed, unsuspecting young disciples spoke casually of "human pill refinement," a subject that sent chills down one’s spine.

"It was my mistake," Qin Yue thought, his heart cold.

They acted with such ease—clearly this was neither their first nor second time; they had long since grown accustomed.

He switched off the recording function of his image stone, manifested himself, and walked over to them.

A young disciple, seeing a living person suddenly appear, was stunned, unable to react.

The others noticed Qin Yue’s appearance as well; the old alchemist’s eyes widened in horror, "Liu... Liu Tong?"

He tried to activate his transmission stone with spiritual power, but instantly felt a stabbing pain in his brain and collapsed.

The young disciples also fell, their bodies limp and powerless.

Unconsciously, before a cultivator of the Nascent Qi and Void Vision levels, Qin Yue was like a deity.

He enveloped the alchemy furnace with spiritual power, his heart aching.

The three faces, shrunk to infant size, remained twisted and grotesque, still shrinking before his eyes.

He had read demonic texts and knew of "human pills"—living people bred by secret methods, thrown alive into a furnace marked by special formations, slowly baked and refined into pills the size of a fingernail.

Refinement was merely the final and most cruel step; the preceding secret method breeding was equally agonizing.

Many rare spiritual herbs and treasures were consumed in the process, which was exceedingly complex.

Compared to this, using living people as drug testers was child’s play—akin to the most horrific tortures known to man.

Yet the efficacy was immense—a single top-grade human pill could vastly increase one’s cultivation.

By comparison, Liu Tong’s method of killing to absorb essence in Cuyun County in the north of Jin Kingdom was trivial.

Only a top-tier clan within the world’s greatest sect, a millennia-old aristocracy like the Xue family, could possess such "capabilities."

Qin Yue was not adept at formations, nor inclined to use spiritual resonance to dismantle them.

He violently hurled a ball of purple flame into the furnace, causing the temperature to soar.

Even with the formation’s protection, the three bodies above were swiftly carbonized, reduced to ashes.

All the while, the old alchemist and his disciples could only watch in terror, unable to comprehend why Liu Tong, formerly an outer elder, had become so fearsome, or why he had betrayed them.

But when Qin Yue lifted the heavy lid of the alchemy furnace and tossed a young disciple inside, their terror instantly turned to despair.