Chapter 53: Welfare of Demonic Sect

Chapter 53 - Welfare of Demonic Sect The cultivator appeared to be in his late twenties, but as soon as he flicked his sleeve and settled into a seated position, his voice rasped like that of an old man—dry and weathered, like the pages of ancient scrolls. After a few polite pleasantries, he cut straight to the chase. "Over the past few days, I've walked you through every step of alchemying the Bone Tempering Pill. Today, I'll iginite the flame onto Dao Furnace right here and let you witness the entire process from start to finish. During this demonstration, there will be no talking, no interruptions. Once the alchemy is complete, you'll have five free chances to ask questions." With that, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a palm-sized Dao Furnace. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed it into the air. Mid-flight, the furnace began to swell, growing rapidly until it transformed into a three-legged bronze cauldron, half the height of a man. Its dark body shimmered with flecks of silver, intricately carved with motifs of demons and ghosts. The lid, shaped like a pagoda, added an air of mystique to the already imposing artifact. The moment the cauldron landed on the platform, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop. A faint shiver crept through the air. The senior cultivator formed a hand seal with practiced ease, and a ghostly blue flame blossomed to life before him—cold, desolate, and eerily silent. It slithered beneath the furnace, licking the bronze surface with a patient, almost predatory grace. "This," he began, his voice carrying the weight of experience, "is a seventh-tier Dao Flame, a rare treasure I stumbled upon in my youth. Consider it a stroke of fate." As he spoke, he began pulling out various medicinal herbs and unknown metals from his sleeve, arranging them meticulously on the platform. "None of you have acquired a Dao Flame yet, and that's fine. But if you ever do and it's only a ninth-tier flame, don't waste your time struggling with it. Instead, rent an alchemy lab here on Alchemy Peak. The C-grade and above labs are equipped with array formations that can tap directly into the Nether Fire at the core of our mountain. It's a far superior flame for alchemy. Even the D-grade labs aren't useless—you can purchase Nether Fire sealed in Dao Fulu. Trust me, Nether Fire is among the finest ninth-tier Dao flames you'll find." Lordi Payne's eyes were locked on the scene, his mind racing to absorb every detail. He didn't understand half of what was being said, but he knew this was knowledge he couldn't afford to miss. The senior cultivator wasn't going to give him a private lecture, so all he could do was memorize everything and hope to piece it together later with the help of his fellow sect comrades. As he watched intently, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air—sharp, wretched, and utterly unnerving. Lordi Payne's head spun, and when his vision cleared, he saw the senior cultivator holding a blurry mass of flesh and blood, his expression calm and unbothered. "Well, these," the cultivator said, holding up the grotesque mass, "are Ghost Placenta. They're one of the most challenging materials to pre-process, as I mentioned earlier. Theirs wails attack your soul, and for Qi Refinement cultivators like you guys, it can easily overwhelm you in a blink of an eye. That's why you must precisely follow the steps that I've taught you." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the room. "If you find the pre-process of this type of raw material too difficult, don't fret. Head to the Alchemy Peak market and look for stalls with a flag bearing the character 'Y.' They sell pre-processed Ghost Placenta. Mention my name—Yearn Goul—and you'll get a discount." As Lecturer Yearn Goul continued his demonstration, his hands moved with practiced precision, manipulating the materials. The wailing of the Ghost Placenta gradually weakened, fading into silence as it dissolved into a puddle of blood-like gore. With a deft motion, he tossed the processed material into the alchemy Dao Furnace, where it sizzled and hissed, merging with the other ingredients. What followed was a dazzling display of alchemy that left Lordi Payne utterly mesmerized—and completely lost. The intricate hand seals, the rhythmic pulses of spiritual energy, the subtle shifts in the Dao flame's intensity—it was all beyond his current understanding. Even the whispered discussions of the disciples around him, filled with specialized terms and jargon, might as well have been a foreign language. Just as Lordi Payne began to doubt whether he had any talent for alchemy and considered slipping away to explore other mountain peaks, a familiar chime echoed in his mind. ~ Ding! ~ [AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0] > Detected external data. > Analyzing... > Pattern identified: [External Alchemy Skill] > Alchemy Skill Recording initiated... > Progress: 10%... Lordi Payne's eyes widened in surprise, and then a grin spread across his face. He hadn't expected the system to be capable of recording alchemy skills! This glitchy, braindead AwfulOS was finally showing some usefulness. As the alchemy process continued, the grand hall filled with the rich, intoxicating fragrance of elixir. Yearn Goul meticulously explained each step of the furnace-opening process, his hands weaving a series of final seals. With a flourish, the lid flew, he unveiled a fresh batch of Bone Tempering Pills. The system chimed again: ~ Ding! ~ [AllFullOS: Version 1.0.0] > Progress: 10%... 50%... 100% > New Alchemy Skill added to database: [Untitled Alchemy Skill #0001] > Recording complete. > Please rename the Skill! "Call it the Alchemy Skill: Bone Tempering Pill," Lordi Payne instructed, his mind racing with excitement. If the system could record alchemy skills, then surely it could do the same for Dao Fulu crafting, Dao Artifact forging, and even Deity Beast Taming. This was a game-changer—a jackpot! Fueled by this revelation, Lordi Payne didn't want to waste a single second. As soon as the lecture ended, he hurried out of the grand hall, his mind set on attending every free skill course the outer sect had to offer. The first place Lordi Payne headed to was Dao Fulu Peak! This mountain stood significantly taller than its neighbors, its imposing silhouette cutting into the sky like a blade. As Lordi Payne landed, he was immediately struck by the sight of the peak's surface—every inch of it was covered in intricate Fulu rune characters. Some were as small as grains of dust, while others sprawled across the rock face like pavallions, their lines dense and interwoven, forming a labyrinth of spiritual energy. The Fulu lecturer on the platform was no less striking. His exposed hands, arms, neck, and even his face were tattooed with a riot of Fulu characters, each one glowing faintly with power. He stood at the center of the lecture platform, his presence commanding and his expression stern. "There's a saying in the mortal world: Sharpen your axe before chopping the tree," the lecturer began, his voice deep and resonant. "The same principle applies to Dao Fulu crafting. To become a master, you must first learn how to make qualified Fulu paper." With a wave of his hand, five mortal death row prisoners were dragged onto the platform. The group included an old man, a young child, a burly young man, and two young women—one strikingly beautiful, the other plain in appearance. All were bound by spells, their eyes wide with terror, their bodies rigid as puppets. The lecturer surveyed them with a detached, almost clinical gaze, as if they were nothing more than raw materials. In a tone that was patient and teacherly, he asked, "Among these five mortals, whose skin do you think is most suitable for making Dao Fulu paper?" Lordi Payne swallowed hard, his throat dry as he glanced around. His fellow sect comrades were dead serious about the lesson—some even raised their hands enthusiastically, their eyes gleaming with curiosity for knowledge. "Mentor sir, I think the young boy is the most suitable!" one disciple declared with unsettling enthusiasm. "He's young and still a virgin. Although the innate Qi he was born with has faded, the spiritual power his skin can carry should still be higher than the others." "No, no, it should be the two women!" another countered, his voice brimming with conviction. "Women embody femininity, which aligns with yin energy in fengshui. Everyone knows female ghosts outclass male ones in ferocity. These two might look frail, but their skin could outshine the men's for Fulu paper!" "The burly young man is brimming with vigor," a third disciple argued. "His skin must be the best. It's sturdy and full of life force!" "What about the old man?" Someone else chimed in. "Am I the only one who thinks his skin isn't bad? It's weathered, sure, but it's got character!" "Damn, dude, you're totally just guessing!" another scoffed. "So what? A good guesser is still a winner," the first shot back, grinning. The lecturer watched the lively debate with satisfaction, his tattooed face creasing into a faint smile. Finally, he raised a hand to silence the room. "Since none of you can agree, I'll allow you to skin these five mortals here and now, in class. The one who produces the best Fulu paper will be rewarded!" The room erupted into a flurry of activity. Knives flashed, and the air was soon filled with the sounds of tearing flesh and agonized screams. The metallic tang of blood flooded the grand hall, mingling with the acrid scent of fear. The lecturer moved among the disciples, critiquing their knife work and technique with the detached precision of a chef judging a cooking competition. Lordi Payne stood frozen, his face pale and clammy with cold sweat. He wiped his brow repeatedly, his stomach churning as he tried to steady his breathing. The scene was a nightmare come to life—disciples hunched over their gruesome tasks, their hands slick with blood, their faces twisted in concentration. The lecturer's gaze eventually landed on Lordi Payne, who was visibly struggling to keep his composure. The man's tattooed brow furrowed. "You—what's your name? You seem a little... reluctant." Lordi Payne snapped to attention, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "No, Mentor sir! I'm just amazed at how slick my seniors' blade skills are. I'm worried I'll drag them down, that's all." The lecturer studied him for a moment, then chuckled. "Well, it's no big deal. If your knife work's shaky, you can always buy pre-made Fulu paper. There's a shop at the Grand Market of Dao Fulu Peak, run by a good-for-nothing junior of mine. Go there, mention my name—guaranteed quality at a steal." He paused, his smile widening. "And if you want to practice your knife skills, he's got plenty of death row prisoners in stock. Men, women, old, young, weak, sick, disabled, even pregnant—every type is available." Lordi Payne forced a grin, his stomach twisting further. "Aye, Mentor sir, I'll definitely check it out when I go back! I'll place an order for sure!" Lordi Payne felt like he was sitting on pins and needles throughout the entire class. The moment the lecture ended, he bolted out of the grand hall, not daring to look back until he was well clear of Dao Fulu Peak. "How the hell did Hugo Payne survive such a gruesome skill course?" Lordi Payne muttered to himself. He wasn't some soft-hearted fool—if his life or significant gains were on the line, he wouldn't hesitate to cut down anyone, no matter how pitiful or innocent they seemed. But skinning live people—including children—for Dao Fulu practice? That crossed a line he hadn't realized he still had. It clashed violently with the morals he'd carried over from his past life, a lingering echo of a world far removed from the brutal reality of the Abyss Pit Sect. Still, crafting Dao Fulu wasn't his only option. As much as the thought of peeling skin from living people—especially children—made his stomach churn, he couldn't afford to dwell on it. He had to keep moving, keep exploring other avenues. On his way to Artifact Forging Peak, Lordi Payne grumbled inwardly, "That clown brother of mine wasn't some innocent demonic cultivator either, and yet he let Sun Elaine play him like a fiddle? Seriously, did he never see a woman back in Deerspring?" When he arrived at Artifact Forging Peak, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the grim horrors of Dao Fulu Peak. The lecturer this time was a stunningly beautiful middle-aged woman. She was elegance personified, with a soft, sultry voice and graceful manners that exuded charm. Lordi Payne took his seat cautiously, holding his breath as he waited for the lesson to begin.