"In the South River, many practice the blended arts of foreign houses, fond of integrating blood and Qi into elixirs—hence these traces and patterns; perhaps, indeed, these pills are forged from the essence of others…"
Wang Xun spoke ambiguously, but his eyes and intent made everything manifestly clear: this so-called 'essence pill'—to put it bluntly—was a Human Pill! Refined from the vital blood and Qi harvested from yearly slaughter!
He wandered dazed into the main hall, where Li Yuanping gazed anxiously at his elder brother, calling out repeatedly. Snapping from his trance as if waking from a dream, Li Yuanjiao hurriedly took the storage bag from his waist.
Li Yuanjiao's gaze grew grave, his complexion ugly. With a light pat to the storage bag, he withdrew several jade bottles, letting them clatter onto the table. Without care, he seized one, poured its contents onto his palm:
