C23 I will Not Let You Down!

What on earth was going through Elder Yan's mind?

Qin Xiao rolled his eyes without a word.

"Otherwise, where would you get so many medicinal herbs? You couldn't possibly afford them, could you?" Elder Yan inquired.

Considering the total cost of these herbs was at least a couple thousand Profound Crystals, and given Qin Xiao's status as an unwelcome Outer Sect disciple of the Blood Soul Sect, where could he have possibly acquired such wealth?

"Don't fret, it's all above board," Qin Xiao reassured him. "Elder Yan, I'll handle the water boiling for the medicinal bath. The concoction, though, is in your hands."

"Agreed."

Elder Yan took on a serious demeanor when it came to important matters. He didn't concern himself with how Qin Xiao obtained the herbs; as long as there were no repercussions or trouble, it was a testament to his own resourcefulness.

As they were about to get started, Qing eagerly offered, "Young Master, please allow me to boil the water!"

Qin Xiao glanced at Qing's slight frame and chuckled, "You've just arrived. Take some time to rest."

Boiling water was no simple chore; it required considerable effort to lug steaming buckets into the large tub.

Embarrassed, Qing looked down at his slender arms, resolving to train harder and build his strength so he could be of assistance to Qin Xiao in the future.

With some effort, everything was prepared.

"Feng Ying Grass, Star Moon Rock, Wu Wangyou, Profound River Sand..." As the last Jade Immortal Flower was submerged, Elder Yan directed Qin Xiao into the bath.

The water was nearly sixty degrees, yet Qin Xiao felt no scalding heat. Instead, a weight seemed to lift from his muscles, organs, and skin, leaving him feeling wonderfully light.

"Circulate your vital energy and maintain mental focus. An hour should suffice," Elder Yan instructed.

Qin Xiao nodded, though his mind was already journeying through the Immortal Path World. Rather than idle away the hour, he chose to further his cultivation.

But as soon as he accessed the game interface, a new line caught his eye on his character panel.

[Bloodline: Devil God, not yet activated]

[Note: Activation requires a Profound Soul (1000 Profound Souls), or a significant emotional shock.]

[Note: Insufficient Profound Souls? Recharge available.]

Devil God's Bloodline?

Qin Xiao's brow furrowed. In this world, there existed creatures known as Heavenly Demons, sworn enemies of warriors, locked in a battle to the death.

Anything associated with demons was deemed inauspicious.

Moreover...

Recalling the moment Mo Le tried to kill him, he felt no fear, only a surge of excitement and bloodlust. It was as though a dark beast lay dormant behind an ancient gate, ready to burst forth if Ling Xiao hadn't intervened in time to stop Mo Le.

But once he snapped out of that state, the chilling power eluded him.

Could that power have been the Devil God's Bloodline?

After some deliberation, Qin Xiao decided against activating the Devil God's Bloodline.

First, his knowledge of the Heavenly Demons of this world was scant; activating it could lead to being branded as demon-touched. With his current strength, he risked being seized and incinerated.

Second, he was flat broke, without a single Profound Soul to his name!

The struggle was real.

Qin Xiao lamented that Profound Souls were exceedingly scarce, obtainable either by leveling up or earning titles, with the game system awarding them as rewards.

Now, it seemed, there was also the option to buy them.

He tapped into the recharge page with a thought, and lines of text appeared.

[Crafting a game with passion, but if you're broke, don't bother!]

[Money is the key to growing stronger!]

[A moment of splurging brings a moment of joy; continual splurging brings endless delight!]

...

Qin Xiao was eager to meet this game's creator, to have a heart-to-heart and, perhaps, give them a piece of his mind for their brazen, unabashed cash grab.

The creator's shameless greed was practically leaping off the screen!

Despite his complaints, he knew he had to pay up. Especially when the dazzling "First Recharge Gift Pack" caught his eye, its luster captivating his heart.

But upon seeing the recharge rates, Qin Xiao cursed the game's creator a thousand times over!

A hundred Profound Crystals for just one Profound Soul!

Qin Xiao had roughly six thousand Profound Crystals to his name, which equated to a mere 600 Profound Souls at best.

He couldn't even awaken his bloodline. It felt like daylight robbery!

Frustrated, Qin Xiao recharged with 100 Profound Crystals.

[Congratulations, you have recharged with 100 Profound Crystals and obtained one Profound Soul. Your current count of Profound Souls is 18.]

[Congratulations, you have received the First Recharge Gift Pack. Would you like to open it?]

Of course, he would open it!

Qin Xiao was curious to see what kind of pathetic rewards this shoddy game offered for a first recharge.

[Congratulations, you have obtained a piece of the Violet Thunder Immortal Garment Set, the Violet Thunder Bracers! (1/7)]

[Congratulations, you have obtained the Green Beast Mask!]

[Congratulations, you have received a bottle of Marrow Cleansing Liquid!]

The rewards made Qin Xiao so angry he was practically gnashing his teeth.

Other games handed out a complete outfit for a first charge, but this miserly game gave only one-seventh of a set, leaving players to scrounge up the rest to tap into its full potential.

There's no limit to stinginess!

After stewing in his irritation for a while, Qin Xiao finally examined the Violet Thunder Bracers' capabilities. They could unleash a streak of purple lightning, packing a decent punch.

However, they were limited to three uses per day, requiring time to recharge afterward.

The Green Beast Mask had the ability to alter one's appearance, concealing their true identity from others.

As for the Marrow Cleansing Liquid...

Qin Xiao paused, taken aback. The Marrow Cleansing Liquid offered a staggering ninety percent chance of awakening one's martial soul. Had the original owner possessed it earlier, Qin Huan wouldn't have needed to brave the dangers of the Haunted Forest in search of the fabled Pill Heart Fruit.

But the world is devoid of 'what ifs.'

Shaking off these complex emotions, Qin Xiao decided he had no use for the Marrow Cleansing Liquid. It would be better off with Qing.

If it helped awaken Qing's martial soul, he could remain in the Blood Soul Sect.

Having sorted through these minor issues, Qin Xiao shifted his attention to the right side of the game interface.

There lay an icon depicting a golden river, marked by a red exclamation point. Beneath the icon was a line of standard Song-typeface characters.

[Instance Dungeon – Lone Island]

[Activation Requirements: Not Fulfilled]

[Insufficient Number of Players. Player Level Too Low. Model in Creation.]

It's common knowledge that games feature dungeons, rich in experience and brimming with countless treasures and rare materials!

Yet, despite his many missions, Qin Xiao had never stumbled upon an instance dungeon.

He had assumed his level wasn't high enough for access, but to his surprise, the Lone Island gifted to him by Ling had triggered one!

Indeed, the Immortal Path World and the real world overlapped in certain ways.

Qin Xiao wasn't rushed about accessing the dungeon. For him, cultivation was paramount.

With some time to spare, he switched to his Dragon Soul and took on a new mission, charging with vigor towards the mountain bandit stronghold.

...

The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs in the bath, visibly thinning to the naked eye.

Qin Xiao, seated within, had skin turned a startling red, his meridians swollen as if a mighty dragon thrashed within, a sight both awe-inspiring and fearsome.

Yet, Qin Xiao seemed utterly unaffected.

Such was the peculiar nature of this concoction: overwhelmingly potent, where a slight misstep could lead to a violent death, yet imperceptible to the user.

"Can humans truly not endure such domineering strength?" Elder Yan pondered aloud, gazing at the medicinal brew.

He glanced over at the jade pendant inscribed with the character "Huan" on the table, his eyes clouding with reminiscence, as if peering through the pendant to a face from his past.

Quickly snapping back to reality, Elder Yan decisively sliced his fingertip with his nail.

A single drop of vibrant blood emerged, laden with extraordinary power—his blood essence, of which he had only three precious drops in his lifetime.

Without a second thought, Elder Yan mingled his blood essence with the medicinal liquid.

Instantly, the concoction roiled as if boiling, yet the potency mellowed, and Qin Xiao's distended meridians settled back to their natural state.

His meridians expanded, his skin grew fairer, and his bones became more robust.

Upon losing that drop of blood essence, Elder Yan's normally rosy complexion drained to a stark pallor. It took a considerable effort of circulating his Yuan Qi before he could regain a hint of color.

Elder Yan watched Qin Xiao, oblivious to it all, soaking in the tub, his eyes brimming with hope.

"Little one, you must strive to excel; don't let my expectations go unmet."