Chapter 55: No Regrets in Life or Death

Just as one disciple finished explaining, a slightly chubby new disciple, also wanting to show off in front of Xu Yu, jumped in. “Senior Brother Qin, what he said isn’t the whole story. Alchemy doesn’t just require grains; it requires spirit beasts too. That’s why your corn was in such high demand. It’s because they want to raise their spirit beasts to be stronger, so they can refine more powerful pills in the future. I wonder if you heard Elder Chu talk about this?”

Qin Haoxuan just shook his head with a wry smile. He had no time to listen to lectures.

“Then let me explain it to you,” the chubby disciple said, his spirits high. Without waiting for permission, he began to speak animatedly. “You probably think spirit beasts are just for fun, to fight alongside their masters in a crisis, right?”

Seeing him wave his hands excitedly, Xu Yu just smiled. Qin Haoxuan, however, nodded seriously, showing the young “teacher” his full respect.

“Besides fighting, spirit beasts have another special use. Their flesh, blood, and fur are all materials for alchemy. Some high-level spirit beasts, after a certain number of years, will even form an inner core, which is a supreme ingredient for pill refining!”

Hearing this, Qin Haoxuan was a bit stunned. It seemed incredibly cruel to kill a spirit beast one had raised for a long time just to refine a pill.

Seeing that he had captured his attention, the chubby disciple grew even more excited. “Generally, when a cultivator in the Spirit Sprout Realm is trying to break through to major bottlenecks, like the first leaf, or the forty-fifth to the forty-ninth leaves, they need pills refined from the flesh and blood of spirit beasts. And the stronger the spirit beast, the more potent the pill.”

Seeing Qin Haoxuan frown in thought, he added loudly, “There’s one more use. If a cultivator’s lifespan is about to run out, they can kill a spirit beast and refine it into a Life-Extending Pill. However, this pill only works the first time. The stronger the spirit beast used, the better the effect. A Life-Extending Pill can give a cultivator a second chance. If they can break through to a new major realm within that extended lifespan, they will gain a new lease on life, increasing their hope of attaining immortality.”

“Thank you, Junior Brother, for the explanation,” Qin Haoxuan said, bowing slightly to both disciples who had spoken.

He sighed. So that was why his Grade-1 corn was so popular. It was all to raise better spirit beasts, which could not only fight alongside their masters but could also be killed at a critical moment to extend their lives.

You would develop a deep affection for a common dog after raising it for a few years. The path to immortality is truly a cold one, to be willing to kill a spirit beast that has been your constant companion, one that could even take human form, just to increase your own strength. It is cruel and heartless to the extreme.

“A spirit beast is a life too,” he mused out loud. “How can you kill a lifelong companion for your own selfish ends?”

The moment he spoke, the disciples from Xu Yu’s faction who were nearby grew incredibly nervous, looking around to make sure no one else had heard.

“Senior Brother Qin, you must never say such things again!”

Seeing that even Xu Yu’s face had tensed up, he asked, “Why not?”

“I don’t know the exact taboo, but that’s what Elder Chu told us. An elder of the sect was once imprisoned just for saying what you just said. While you were in confinement, every new disciple had to go to Jie Prison, where the serious criminals are held, to deliver food. It was a warning to us not to speak carelessly and break the sect’s rules, or we’d end up there too.”

“That’s right,” another added. “Jie Prison is terrifying. I’d die if I had to spend a single day in there.”

Qin Haoxuan looked at Xu Yu, who nodded. “I went once. It’s much more frightening than Confinement Mountain. The Lava Cellar and the Nine Yin Ice Cavern combined are not as scary.”

If not for the serious expressions on their faces, he would have thought they were joking.

One of the disciples began counting on his fingers. After a moment, he said, “Senior Brother Qin, you really can’t talk like that. I just calculated the rotation. Tomorrow, it’s your turn to deliver food to a prisoner in a cell called the Ethics Cell. You’ll see for yourself then.”

Qin Haoxuan was grateful for their earnest warnings and gave them a thankful look.

One of them leaned in closer. “In Jie Prison, there’s a special cell for those who have committed the great taboo of human-beast romance. Many years ago, a senior sister was imprisoned there. When she first entered, she had a Brown Seed, which is even stronger than a Gray Seed. She was a renowned genius. But a few years after joining the sect, when she reached the Thirtieth-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm, she fell in love with her spirit beast, which could take human form. The Sect Master, Perfected Man Huanglong, was furious, and the great elders all demanded she be severely punished. So, she was locked away, to serve as a cautionary tale for every new batch of disciples.”

“What about the spirit beast?” Qin Haoxuan asked softly.

“It ran away, I heard. Spirit beasts are heartless creatures. But that senior sister still believes it will come back to save her. Ai…”

They had unknowingly arrived at the dormitory area. That night passed without incident.

The next day, just as Qin Haoxuan was about to head to the lecture hall after a quick breakfast, a menial disciple stopped him. “Junior Brother Qin, today is your turn to deliver food to Jie Prison.”

He wasn’t surprised. He took the food box and, after getting directions, headed off.

Jie Prison was a considerable distance from the Spirit Field Valley. After an hour’s walk through increasingly treacherous terrain, he arrived at a small mountain peak. The prison was located within its belly.

He walked through a long, dark, narrow tunnel. After about the time it takes for a cup of tea to cool, he saw a light ahead. As he got closer, the temperature began to fluctuate wildly, from extreme cold to extreme heat. If not for the One-Leaf Golden Lotus’s power balancing the effects within him, he would have found it unbearable. But for him, it was strangely comfortable.

He walked past a series of cells with blood-red names written above them, finally finding the one named the “Ethics Cell.” He placed the food by the cell door.

According to the rules, he had to ask the prisoner if she knew her crime. Although he was moved by her courage to pursue love, he knew there might be unseen eyes watching him. So, he asked in a formal tone, “Senior Sister, your spirit beast lover abandoned you here to suffer alone. Was it worth it?”

The female disciple inside gave a cold laugh. Her face was pale, likely from years without sunlight, but her features were elegant.

“He will come for me,” she said, her voice calm. She sounded more like a noble lady waiting for a secret rendezvous than a prisoner. “He will definitely come for me. You just wait and see.” Her eyes, though she was in a dark, torturous prison, were filled with a brilliant light of hope.

After completing the ritual, Qin Haoxuan glanced at the various torture instruments hanging on the wall, still stained with blood. He couldn’t help but shiver. Unless one had an incredibly strong will, anyone would be broken by such tools.