Chapter 26: Heading Toward Depression — Who Could Possibly Afford to Feed This Thing?

Inside a private chamber on Azure Brush Peak.

Lin Xiao had been sitting motionless for three full days.

Throughout the entire time, aside from the occasional act of swallowing a pill, he had not moved a single muscle.

Then, in the next moment—

A faint demonic seal materialized behind Lin Xiao.

His eyes snapped open in an instant, a flash of deep orange divine light flickering through them.

A faint halo of light shimmered briefly across the surface of his body.

"This is absolutely ridiculous — I've only reached the second layer?! Are you kidding me?!" Lin Xiao's face was etched with bitter frustration, his mood utterly crushed.

Over those three days, he had exhausted every single pill he possessed.

A single high-grade Origin Restoration Pill could sustain him for only a few minutes.

A supreme-grade Ascending Origin Pill could last him about an hour.

And the Qi-Mist Ascending Origin Pills were the most effective, holding out for roughly half a day.

This terrifying rate of consumption had drained Lin Xiao of every last pill by the end of the first day.

And after all that, the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal had only reached the late stage of the first layer.

That result left Lin Xiao completely dumbfounded and in utter disbelief.

What a revolting technique — just the first layer alone had such an enormous "appetite."

What on earth was he supposed to do when he reached the second layer, the third layer, and everything beyond?

With his pills gone, Lin Xiao was unwilling to simply end his cultivation session there.

Then, in that moment—

A flash of inspiration struck him, and he thought of a solution.

Gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve, Lin Xiao made a drastic decision.

He directly dissolved the Mountain Embrace Seal, which he had cultivated all the way to the sixth layer.

The instant the technique dispersed, he activated the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal at full force.

He wanted to test whether the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal could absorb the essence released from dissolving the Mountain Embrace Seal.

The answer was a resounding yes.

After all, the Mountain Embrace Seal had originated from the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal.

The two were different paths leading to the same destination.

Once the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal began operating, every last trace of the Mountain Embrace Seal's essence was absorbed without the slightest resistance.

Not a single drop was lost.

The absorption was far more efficient than Lin Xiao had ever imagined.

However—

Lin Xiao had assumed that after the Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal absorbed the Mountain Embrace Seal, it would surely break through multiple layers in succession.

Perhaps reaching the third or even the fourth layer.

After all, he had spent several months cultivating the Mountain Embrace Seal.

Surely that deserved some recognition.

But reality slapped him hard across the face once again.

After fully absorbing and refining the essence of the Mountain Embrace Seal—

The Nine Abyssal Demon-Suppressing Seal did indeed break through.

But it only advanced from the first layer to the mid-stage of the second layer.

And then — nothing more.

Holy shit!!

What kind of bottomless pit was this thing?!

Give me back my Mountain Embrace Seal!!

Lin Xiao had cried out the moment it happened.

No wonder Elder Mu always looked so haggard and impoverished — with an appetite like this, who in the world could afford to feed it?

Lin Xiao shook his head helplessly, clearing the stray thoughts from his mind.

Since he had already started cultivating it, he had no intention of giving up.

So what if it ate a lot?

Then he would just find every possible way to feed it!!

Crack, crack, crack!

Lin Xiao stood up, and every bone in his body let out a loud series of pops and snaps.

This left Lin Xiao staring in bewilderment.

Wasn't that a bit much?

He had only been sitting still for three days — it wasn't like he'd fallen apart. Why all the noise?

But very quickly, Lin Xiao noticed that his physical strength seemed to have surged dramatically.

There was a sensation of his tendons and bones being full to bursting, his blood and qi crackling with explosive energy.

Looking at the wall of the private chamber before him, he even felt a sudden urge to drive his fist straight through it.

This feeling…

It was truly strange.

He had never experienced anything like this while cultivating the Mountain Embrace Seal.

He pushed open the door of the private chamber.

Lu Mingyue and Elder Qiao had already been waiting for quite some time.

"You little brat, you've finally come out. If you'd stayed in any longer, I was about to barge in and check whether something had gone wrong." Elder Qiao made a light-hearted joke.

With his Revolving Pill Realm cultivation, a single sweep of his spiritual sense could tell whether the person inside was alive or dead — there was no need to enter at all.

That was a skill possessed by all Revolving Pill Realm cultivators.

"I apologize for causing Elder Qiao to worry," Lin Xiao said politely.

"Lin Xiao, Junior Brother — did you break through??" Lu Mingyue looked at Lin Xiao with a puzzled expression.

The fluctuations of Spiritual Energy around Junior Brother Lin Xiao hadn't changed at all.

Yet she had the distinct impression that he seemed to have undergone a complete transformation — as though reborn from the inside out.

"Hmm?!" Elder Qiao finally turned his full attention to the young man.

This feeling…?!

Why did it seem so familiar?

It was… it was just like that fellow Old Mu.

Wait…

Surely not…!

"Lin Xiao, lad — don't tell me you've been cultivating the Nine Abys— ahem, the technique that Old Mu passed on to you??"

Elder Qiao caught himself mid-sentence, realizing it was inappropriate, and quickly changed his wording.

"Elder Qiao has sharp eyes. I have indeed been cultivating that technique," Lin Xiao replied.

Since the other party had chosen not to name the technique, there were clearly reasons for caution — so he would follow suit and leave it unnamed.

"Damn it all!! That dead ghost Mu isn't just suffering himself — how could he drag a genius Alchemist like you into this mess?! That's absolutely outrageous!!"

"Lin Xiao, lad, I strongly advise you to abandon it as soon as possible."

Elder Qiao was visibly furious.

Lu Mingyue stood to the side, completely lost as to what was going on.

What were her master and Junior Brother Lin Xiao talking about?

There were only the three of them here, yet her master was being so cryptic — it clearly involved some sensitive secret.

Realizing this, even though her curiosity was burning fiercely, Lu Mingyue kept her mouth shut.

The wisest thing to do right now was to play dumb.

"Thank you for your concern, Elder Qiao. I understand," Lin Xiao replied perfunctorily.

"You understand nothing — oh, forget it. I'll go find that Old Mu myself next time!"

"Come on, come on — let's go do some Alchemy first, we can talk about the rest later."

Elder Qiao grabbed Lin Xiao by the arm and headed straight for the alchemy chamber.

After watching Lin Xiao's Alchemy session last time, he had been deeply inspired and had developed many new ideas about the craft.

This time, he intended to watch to his heart's content.

If he could glean some insight that led to a breakthrough, then this young man would truly be his benefactor.

The old man and the young man entered the alchemy chamber together, both in high spirits.

Lu Mingyue, however, was shooed out.

"Silly girl, what are you coming in here for? The way Lin Xiao practices Alchemy isn't suitable for you to watch — seeing too much of it will lead you astray."

"Go refine your fourth-grade Purification Pill a few more times. I'll be checking your work when we come out!"

Elder Qiao gave Lu Mingyue a brief scolding, assigned her a task, and then shut the door.

Lu Mingyue: "……"

Why did she feel like she'd just been abandoned? Was this what it felt like to be cast aside for someone new?!

Two days ago it was "good disciple, good disciple" — and now she was a "silly girl"?!

Wuu…!

This hurt!!

Fine, if it's Alchemy you want—

Then she'd refine!!

Lu Mingyue turned and walked away.

* * *

And so, half a month passed.

During those two weeks, aside from Elder Qiao emerging a few times with a peculiar expression on his face before rushing back in again, there was no sign of Lin Xiao whatsoever.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of the sect.

Inside the Technique Depository of Sword Demon Sect, a white-haired old man sat with a face as dark as stormclouds.

Wave after wave of terrifying aura rolled off him.

"That damned old fellow — we agreed to each teach the disciple for half a month, and it's already been nearly twenty days! Where is his precious student?! Where is he?!"

"I knew it — that shameless old coot never plays by the rules! Hmph!!"

The white-haired old man let out a cold snort.

His figure flickered, and in an instant he vanished from the entrance of the Technique Depository.

His speed was so extraordinary that no one could even catch a glimpse of his silhouette.