Putting the Dog on a Leash

“I’ll buy it!”

“I’ll buy everything!”

“The Blood River Sect’s centuries of accumulated wealth, its spirit stone mines, its cultivation manuals… from this day forward, they all belong to you, Holy Envoy!”

“This junior is willing to become your most loyal old dog!”

“I’ll brave fire and water without hesitation!”

The moment Qin Lin mentioned buying his life, the Blood River Sect Master felt as though he had been granted a pardon.

In the cultivation world, powerful experts demanding wealth wasn’t frightening.

What was truly terrifying was when they didn’t even care about wealth and simply searched your soul instead.

Since the other party was willing to accept the sect’s worldly assets…

…that meant his life was most likely safe.

He slammed his forehead repeatedly against the bluestone floor covered in rubble, terrified Qin Lin might change his mind.

Gone was every trace of the dignified Foundation Establishment ancestor who had descended with overwhelming might only moments ago.

Watching the old monster kneeling before him, Qin Lin’s expression remained unreadable.

Inside, however, his mind was racing.

‘This old fossil managed to cultivate all the way to peak Foundation Establishment.’

‘The blood on his hands probably outweighs all the water I’ve ever drunk.’

‘He’s definitely a cunning old fox who’ll switch sides the instant it benefits him.’

‘Right now he’s only scared because of Empress’s Majesty.’

‘The moment I stop projecting that effect… or if he ever realizes I don’t know a single spell…’

‘This old dog will bite me without hesitation.’

‘I’ve got to put an eternal leash on him.’

Thinking of this, Qin Lin casually shifted into a more comfortable position.

His hands rested upon the filthy wooden armrests of the Grand Master’s chair.

The prison had never seen daylight.

A thick layer of black grime coated the chair.

Using the astonishing sleight of hand he had mastered in his previous life among the Thousand Arts, Qin Lin silently rolled a tiny pellet of dirt no larger than a soybean.

Then, within his sea of consciousness, he carefully extracted a thread of the incomparably pure true essence he had accumulated through the system.

Compressing it to its absolute limit, he sealed it tightly inside the tiny black pellet.

“Words alone prove nothing.”

“The vows of demonic cultivators…”

“…carry even less weight than the breeze blowing through this prison.”

With a cold snort, Qin Lin flicked his finger casually.

Whoosh!

The dirt pellet shot through the air like a streak of light.

It flew directly into the Blood River Sect Master’s open mouth while he was still begging for mercy.

The pellet slid straight down his throat.

Gulp.

The old monster swallowed instinctively.

His face changed dramatically.

“S-Senior…”

“W-What did you make this junior swallow?”

“This is the Nine Revolutions Immortal-Falling Pill, a secret medicine passed down within the Holy Hall of Central Province.”

“It is refined using the ashes of the Nine Heavens Mystic Thunder Tribulation as its catalyst, together with supreme Pure Yang immortal qi.”

“If you remain obedient, not only is it harmless…”

“…it will even nourish your meridians.”

“But should you dare harbor even the slightest thought of betrayal…”

“…or attempt to dissolve it using that filthy demonic qi of yours…”

Qin Lin deliberately left the sentence unfinished.

A faint smile spread across his face.

The Blood River Sect Master maintained an expression of terrified obedience.

Inside, however, he sneered.

‘What Nine Revolutions Immortal-Falling Pill?’

‘What utter nonsense.’

‘The cultivation art I practice is the Blood Refining Spirit Devouring Art.’

‘Every poison in this world becomes nourishment the moment it enters my stomach.’

‘Does this brat really think a mere poison pill can control someone at peak Foundation Establishment?’

‘Ridiculous.’

Secretly circulating the sinister demonic qi within his dantian, the old monster sent it rushing toward the dirt pellet inside his stomach like a pack of ravenous wolves.

He intended to refine it without anyone noticing.

The instant his demonic qi touched the pellet—

Boom!

The strand of vast, incomparably pure true essence Qin Lin had sealed inside it exploded violently upon contact.

The purest spiritual energy…

…meeting the foulest demonic corruption…

Produced the most terrifying cleansing flame imaginable.

“AAAAAAAHHHH!”

One moment, the Blood River Sect Master had been secretly gloating.

The next…

He let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Pungent white smoke erupted from his body.

His shriveled face twisted grotesquely.

“It hurts!”

“It hurts!”

“My meridians!”

“My dantian is burning!”

“Save me!”

“Holy Envoy, save me!”

Like a maggot flung onto dry land, the old monster rolled frantically across the rubble, clawing desperately at himself.

To his horror, the Foundation Establishment demonic qi he had always taken pride in was as fragile as paper before that burst of Pure Yang power.

It was being forcibly purified…

…evaporated…

…erased.

The agony of watching his demonic cultivation be cleansed was no less excruciating than being flayed alive and carved into a thousand pieces.

Watching the old monster writhe so violently that his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, Yu Ruyan involuntarily sucked in a cold breath.

She instinctively rubbed her own neck.

Luo Youmeng silently looked toward Qin Lin.

‘Master’s methods are truly ruthless…’

‘Such an overbearing immortal pill…’

‘A single pellet was enough to reduce a Foundation Establishment ancestor to a fate worse than death.’

Meanwhile, Qin Lin still sat leisurely upon the Grand Master’s chair.

He even crossed one leg over the other.

Looking down at the old monster writhing across the floor, he let out a contemptuous snort.

“Fool.”

“I warned you not to touch the immortal pill with your filthy demonic qi.”

“You insisted on bringing this suffering upon yourself.”

“So…”

“How does the Pure Yang immortal power taste?”

“I know my mistake!”

“I’ll never dare again!”

“Please, Senior!”

“Grant me the antidote!”

“Withdraw this immortal art!”

“This junior is willing to offer my life soul!”

“I’ll serve you as your s*ave for all eternity!”

At this point, the Blood River Sect Master’s Dao Heart had completely collapsed.

He could feel it clearly.

This wasn’t some mortal poison.

It was genuine immortal power.

Such methods…

…were truly tyrannical.

Qin Lin judged that the timing was about right.

Most of the old monster’s baleful qi had already been burned away.

If it continued much longer, he might accidentally ruin his free bodyguard.

Casually raising one hand, Qin Lin snapped his fingers.

In truth, he wasn’t using any technique at all.

He had simply estimated the amount of true essence perfectly.

By now, it had naturally run out.

Snap.

The instant the sound echoed through the prison, the unbearable burning sensation inside the old monster vanished like the receding tide.

The Blood River Sect Master lay drenched in cold sweat.

He gasped desperately for breath.

“Thank you, Senior…”

“Thank you for sparing my life…”

Struggling to his feet, the old monster no longer hesitated.

He immediately forced out a drop of his Natal Soul Blood, shimmering faintly with golden light.

Holding it respectfully above his head with both hands, he presented it to Qin Lin.

Without the slightest courtesy, Qin Lin crushed the drop of Soul Blood between his fingers.

With that, the Blood River Sect Master’s life and death were completely under his control.

“Stand up.”

“I don’t like looking up at people while I speak.”

Dusting off the hem of his robes, Qin Lin finally rose from the Grand Master’s chair.

He glanced at the trembling demoness still curled at his feet.

Then he looked toward the shattered ceiling overhead, beyond which the blood-colored formation continued to glow.

“Little Blood.”

As naturally as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world, Qin Lin bestowed a new nickname upon the demonic ancestor who had lived for more than a century.

“Y-Yes, Master!”

The Blood River Sect Master responded immediately, bowing so deeply that he didn’t even dare straighten his back.

“Out in the square…”

“Your blind disciples still seem to be using the ordinary townsfolk I’ve taken a liking to as sacrifices for the formation.”

“T-This old servant deserves death!”

“I’ll go up immediately!”

“I’ll slaughter every one of those blind idiots and offer their heads to you as an apology!”

A murderous gleam flashed through the old monster’s eyes.

If killing his own disciples earned him favor with his new master, he would do it without blinking.

“Hold it.”

Qin Lin frowned in obvious displeasure.

With a sweep of his sleeve, he reprimanded him.

“Always talking about killing.”

“Have you no manners?”

“My Wentian Sect is a righteous and honorable sect.”

“We believe in convincing others through virtue.”

“Go dismantle the formation.”

“Then line every one of your disciples up.”

“Have them kneel before the townspeople one by one…”

“…apologize…”

“…and compensate them for emotional distress.”

“…Huh?”

The Blood River Sect Master was completely stunned.

Demonic cultivators…

…kneeling before mortals?

…Paying them compensation?

“What?”

“Are my words no longer effective?”

Qin Lin narrowed his eyes slightly.

“They are!”

“They are!”

“This old servant will do it immediately!”

“I’ll make every last one of them kowtow!”

The old monster shuddered in fear.

Without another word, he scrambled toward the shattered ceiling and rushed back to the square above.

Watching him disappear, Qin Lin quietly wiped the cold sweat from his palms.

‘Done.’

‘Now… it’s finally time to get down to business.’