A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

night, deep.

The Hall of Affairs, Ji Kun's residence.

The candlelight illuminated his pale, paper-white face.

He lay on the bed, his chest wrapped in thick bandages, with faint traces of blood seeping out.

Since Danfeng's defeat that night, he was not only injured by the formation set up by Liu Linglong.

While fleeing, he was inexplicably attacked and nearly lost his life.

If his master Gao Yi hadn't arrived in time and used his true energy to prolong his life, he would already be a corpse.

"Cough, cough..."

Ji Kun coughed a few times, which aggravated his healing wounds, causing him to grimace in pain.

A hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.

Luo Fan!

It's all because of that good-for-nothing!

If it weren't for him, how could I have ended up in this state?

At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the door.

Calm and composed, yet powerful.

Ji Kun's heart tightened, and he hurriedly struggled to get up.

The door was pushed open, and the burly figure walked in.

"Master!"

Ji Kun wanted to get out of bed to pay his respects, but Gao Yi stopped him by raising his hand.

"Lie down."

Gao Yi walked to the bedside, his gaze falling on the bandage on Ji Kun's chest, his brows furrowing slightly.

"How are your injuries?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I am much better now."

Ji Kun bowed his head and said, "Thank you, Master, for expending your power to heal me. I have no way to repay you."

As he spoke, his eyes reddened slightly.

It was truly touching.

These days, he lies in his hospital bed, listening to the rumors and gossip outside.

They said that Ji Kun was petty and narrow-minded, and that he was a disgrace.

Only his master came to see him and healed his wounds.

Gao Yi remained silent for a moment, then sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You are my disciple, and even if you make a mistake, I will protect you."

The voice was calm, yet it warmed Ji Kun's heart.

"Master..."

"But this time, you've disappointed me greatly."

Gao Yi abruptly changed the subject, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp.

Ji Kun's heart trembled, and he quickly lowered his head, "This disciple knows his mistake!"

"Do you admit your mistake?"

Gao Yi snorted coldly, "Where did you go wrong?"

"Disciple...disciple should not have trespassed on Dan Peak, and even more so, should not have harbored murderous intent toward Luo Fan."

Ji Kun gritted his teeth and said.

"No."

Gao Yi shook his head, staring into Ji Kun's eyes.

"Your mistake was not killing him."

Ji Kun looked up abruptly, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

Gao Yi stood up, his back to him, his voice low.

"In the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak. If you truly have the ability to kill him, that is his fate."

"But not only did you fail to kill him, you also ruined yourself like this, making a complete disgrace!"

"My disciples, though righteous, can be ruthless and vicious, but they must never be useless."

The last two words pierced Ji Kun's heart.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh.

"Disciple...understands."

"Good that you understand."

Gao Yi turned around and looked at him.

"The Sword Tomb Secret Realm will open in three days, and all inner disciples will be allowed to enter."

Ji Kun's eyes suddenly lit up.

Sword Tomb!

That's a forbidden area of ​​the sect, where countless inheritances are hidden!

"Master, is Luo Fan among them?"

Ji Kun asked.

He thought of Gao Yi's words: all direct disciples are welcome to enter.

"good."

Gao Yi nodded.

Ji Kun's breathing suddenly became rapid.

opportunity!

This is a tremendous opportunity!

Within this secret realm, life and death are preordained. If Luo Fan were to die unexpectedly inside…

Who can say anything?

Gao Yi knew exactly what his disciple was thinking, and his tone suddenly turned cold.

"What you need to do when you enter this secret realm is to seize the inheritance and improve your strength. Romantic feelings should not become your inner demons."

"Neither Bai Jie nor Luo Fan are worth your time and effort."

"Your path lies ahead, not in these trivial matters."

Gao Yi gathered a point of spiritual energy at his fingertips and placed it on Ji Kun's forehead.

In an instant, Ji Kun's mind became clear.

The resentment and unwillingness from before were forcibly suppressed by this spiritual power.

He took a deep breath and nodded emphatically, "Disciple will remember Master's teachings!"

Gao Yi withdrew his finger, gave a soft "hmm," and seemed somewhat satisfied.

But the next moment, his face darkened again.

"However, you have trespassed on Danfeng Peak and assassinated a fellow disciple, violating the sect rules. You may be spared the death penalty, but you will not escape punishment."

"As your teacher, I also need to give an explanation to the sect leader and the sect."

Ji Kun's heart tightened, waiting for the next part to follow.

Gao Yi's voice was calm, yet undeniable: "Go to the Hall of Law Enforcement and Discipline, and receive a thousand Spirit-Severing Whips."

boom!

Ji Kun's mind exploded again.

Soul-Severing Whip!

It's one of the cruelest punishments ever!

The lashes, though not damaging the skin and flesh, strike the very soul; each strike feels like being cut into a thousand pieces.

He had just emerged from the shadow of the thousand lashes he had suffered last time, and now he was about to be reminded of it once again.

Ji Kun's face was filled with utter despair.

He froze, speechless, just standing there, stunned.

"What, scared?"

Gao Yi's eyes remained completely unmoved.

Ji Kun opened his mouth, as if to beg for mercy.

But when he met Gao Yi's cold eyes, all the words stuck in his throat.

He saw the disappointment in his master's eyes.

It was something that terrified him even more than the Soul-Severing Whip.

"Disciple... obeys."

Ji Kun lowered his head, his voice hoarse.

Gao Yi turned away and stopped looking at him.

"After you've received your punishment, prepare well. In three days, I'll see you transformed."

Before leaving, he tossed Ji Kun a healing pill to help him consolidate his vital energy.

Ji Kun looked at the pill in his hand with a complicated expression, and finally swallowed it.

……

The Hall of Enforcement, the Hall of Discipline.

Night had fallen, but the palace was brightly lit.

The air was filled with the stench of blood, mixed with the aroma of some kind of herb, making one want to vomit.

Two disciples stood in the hall, their faces expressionless.

Ji Kun was brought in.

He was shirtless, his body wrapped in bandages, and his calves trembled with every step he took.

This is where his nightmare began.

"Senior Brother Ji, please forgive me."

As one of the enforcement disciples spoke, they stepped forward and led Ji Kun to the center of the hall.

There stood two pitch-black iron pillars, with chains as thick as a baby's arm wrapped around them.

The chains were removed and wrapped around Ji Kun's wrists; the cold touch sent a shiver down his spine.

It's that familiar feeling of fear!

Ji Kun cursed inwardly; this was his second time entering the palace.

Every time, it's because of that good-for-nothing Luo Fan.

He, the senior disciple of the Hall of Deacons, had never suffered such humiliation.

Click!

The chains tightened, straightening his arms and leaving him hanging in a spread-eagle position.

Fear overwhelmed Ji Kun like a tidal wave, and he forced a smirk.

"Wait a minute."

He looked at the two of them, his smile growing even brighter. "Junior brothers, could you perhaps go easy on me?"

"Please forgive me, Senior Brother Ji, we can't spare a single bit."

Another disciple walked to the side and took a long whip from the wall.

The whip is jet black with a metallic sheen, and its forked tip resembles the forked tongue of a venomous snake.

The Soul-Severing Whip.

It is coming!

They walked towards him once again!

Ji Kun's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Execute."

Without saying a word, the disciple raised his hand and lashed out with his whip.

Snapped!

The first lash struck his back.

"Awooo!!!"

Ji Kun looked up and let out a piercing scream.

He felt as if his soul was being torn apart, and his mind went blank with dizziness!

Snapped!

The second lash.

Ji Kun's whole body convulsed, and his eyes bulged out.

He could clearly feel his soul trembling and wailing.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!

The crispness of that voice was exactly what he loved to hear from women.

But at this moment, every blow felt like a demon's roar to him.

The sound of whips cracking was incessant.

His screams, which started out piercing, gradually became hoarse, and finally turned into nothing but sobs.

He was drenched in cold sweat, which dripped down his body and onto the ground.

Consciousness gradually faded.

In a daze, he seemed to have arrived at Danfeng and saw Luo Fan's calm face.

I saw Bai Jie looking at Luo Fan with such gentle eyes.

On what grounds...?

Why should that good-for-nothing have all of this?

Why should Ji Kun have to suffer like this here!

"Luo Fan... Luo Fan...! I want you dead! I absolutely must kill you!!!"

The cracking of the whip continued.

I don't know how much time passed.

After a thousand lashes, the two enforcement disciples finally put away their whips.

They glanced at the unconscious Ji Kun, then walked out expressionlessly.

Inside the hall, only Ji Kun remained.

A wisp of black smoke drifted in from outside the hall, almost invisible in the dim light.

It floated to Ji Kun's side, hovered for a moment, and then, as if it had found its prey, burrowed into his brow.

Ji Kun's body twitched twice, and then he suddenly opened his eyes.

A dense wisp of black energy flashed and disappeared deep within those pupils.

"Luo Fan!"

A smile spread across his face.

His laughter was ferocious and twisted.

boom!

With a loud bang, the chains that were strong enough to restrain a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator were snapped!

Ji Kun stretched his neck and looked down at his chest.

All the wounds are healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In just a few breaths, the scars were no longer visible.

"This body is not bad..."

He clenched his fist, and the darkness in his eyes intensified.

"Luo Fan, so it was you. Then the Sword Tomb will be your burial ground!"

He swayed, transformed into a black shadow, and disappeared from the hall.

The candlelight inside the hall still flickered, and only a few broken iron chains remained on the ground.