"One more dead! That makes two slaves who've died from the dicinal trials in just six days!"
"I saw it happen! That guy was already on the verge of collapse. It was terrible... absolutely grueso."
"It's better to kill ourselves than to die like that! That's the fate waiting for us all. There's no hope left!"
"No, don't even think about suicide! If we take our own lives, our families won't receive a single coin! Damn it... we have to endure this. If we survive for half a year, we'll be free. We'll even get so money. We have to hold on—for our wives and kids!"
At those words, the group of dicine slaves fell silent. Slowly, they made up their minds—no matter how harsh the days ahead, they would endure.
Yang Kai opened his eyes, staring at the dicine slaves in the distance.Most of them ca from poor families. In order to survive, they had no choice but to sign a contract with Mo Yanyu, selling themselves into slavery. If they were fortunate enough to survive the first six months, not only would they regain their freedom, but they'd also receive a paynt of 200 silver coins. If they died during the trials, their families would receive the money instead.
However, when they signed, none of them truly understood what it ant to undergo dicinal trials. They hadn't expected such cruelty, such tornt. Every few days, another one of them dropped dead in the most grueso way imaginable. Fear spread like a plague, and they began making secret plans for survival.
But a contract was a contract. Once signed, there was no turning back. For six months, their lives belonged to the Mo family. Any disobedience or attempt to escape was tantamount to a death sentence.There was no such thing as a free lunch.By the ti they realized the danger, it was far too late. All they could do now was grit their teeth and accept the pain—and their miserable fate.
Yang Kai watched them silently, expression unreadable. He knew that none of them would survive. Whether tomorrow or a week later, they were all dood. And he was powerless to change anything. So, he chose to avoid forming bonds, to stay emotionally distant. That way, when they eventually perished, it wouldn't hurt.
His gaze briefly flicked to Master Karu, seated motionless in the sedan chair atop the ground dragon. Yang Kai quickly averted his eyes, trying not to draw attention.
"Let's move!" ca Mo Yanyu's voice from a distance.The warriors sprang to their feet, preparing for the next leg of the march. The dicine slaves scrambled up as well, terrified of being left behind.
Yang Kai rose quietly, gaze sweeping over the proud figure of Mo Yanyu—a woman who looked like an angel but had the temper of a vengeful spirit. Still, he had no choice but to follow the group.
By nightfall, the moon hung high like a silver plate in the sky, surrounded by scattered stars.The caravan had stopped by a riverside to rest. The ground dragon lay sprawled out, breathing heavily, while the warriors indulged themselves in dried at and crude jokes. They roared with laughter, swapping tales about infamous brothels in the rchant Union.
Whenever Mo Yanyu wasn't looking, a few of the bolder n stole glances at her figure, desire glinting in their eyes. They knew a woman like her was far beyond their reach—but that didn't stop their fantasies.
Yang Kai, anwhile, tensed up. He noticed Mo Yanyu and Master Karu approaching from the front of the camp."Shit," he muttered under his breath. A heavy sense of dread washed over him.
"The Gut-Cutting Poison is too strong for regular folks," Master Karu muttered, holding a bowl of thick black liquid. "Six slaves in just two days. Only warriors seem capable of enduring its effects... That boy—he looks better than before. He'll do."
Mo Yanyu gave a tight nod. "Well then, Master Karu, go ahead. He's all yours." Her voice was cold. "Just don't kill him. I want him to suffer. He humiliated —he deserves it."
Karu gave her a wicked grin. "Of course, Miss Mo. I promise, he won't die . The stronger the body, the longer the pain. "
Mo Yanyu didn't respond right away. Her gaze landed on Yang Kai, and for a second, sothing flickered in her eyes
"That'll do," she said with a faint smile.
Master Karu chuckled, stepping in front of Yang Kai. Without further explanation, he shoved the bowl into his hands.
"You," he said coldly, "drink it. All of it."
"Woo-hoo!" Johnson sneered from behind. "Boy! If you ever dare to resist, you know exactly what's gonna happen to you, right?"
Master Karu couldn't contain his glee. Clapping his hands, he shouted, "Hey boy, the Gut-Cutting dicine is loads of fun. You're going to rot from the inside out, little by little..."
All the while, Mo Yanyu stared at Yang Kai with a frosty expression. She was certain he'd refuse. In fact, that was her plan—just one sign of defiance, and she'd personally beat the arrogance out of him to remind him who was in charge.
For days now, every ti she recalled the humiliation he'd dealt her, it sparked a fury deep within.
"Sure. I'll do it," Yang Kai said flatly, grabbing the bowl of foul-slling dicine. Without hesitation, he downed it in one go.
As the Gut-Cutting poison slid into his stomach, Yang Kai felt a dull ache begin to spread through his insides.
"This poison is potent," Karu muttered, narrowing his eyes. "It doesn't kill right away—it seeps in slowly, bit by bit. A normal person would be eaten alive from the inside within two or three days, their body rotting before death."
"No rush," he added coldly. "Let's check on him tomorrow."
"Good. Sa ti tomorrow night," Mo Yanyu nodded, giving Yang Kai a satisfied glance before leaving with Karu, looking quite pleased with herself.
"Heh... Fellow, your good days are over!" Johnson cackled, baring his teeth. The mont he thought Yang Kai would die soon, a weight lifted off his chest and he laughed freely.
Yang Kai lowered his head, an icy glint flashing in his eyes.
Though the poison wasn't imdiately life-threatening, the agony it brought was real. But Yang Kai endured it—morizing every face, every voice. The pain? He would return it tenfold.
The Gut-Cutting poison began to take effect, gnawing at Yang Kai's insides. He could feel it clearly—like tens of millions of ants fighting to claim territory in his stomach and gut, tearing through tissue with relentless precision.
Yet, deep within him, sothing stirred.
A faint energy sparked to life. Cells began to regenerate. A weak, healing power quietly threaded its way through the corroded flesh, as though an invisible hand were stitching his wounds shut.
But Yang Kai imdiately stopped it.
He couldn't let the golden skeleton's mysterious power reveal itself. If the poison healed too quickly, Master Karu would notice—and suspicion was the last thing he needed right now.
Ti crept by, and the moon slowly rose, casting silver light across the land. After a long day of marching, even the warriors had grown quiet. They each settled in, ditating and cultivating their Yuan Qi, striving to push past their physical limits and reach greater power.
The dicine slaves, however, stared up at the starless sky. In the stillness of night, hosickness and fear crept into their hearts. Every trial was a gamble with death, and any one of them might not live to see the next sunrise.
Under the pale moonlight, Yang Kai sat cross-legged, his expression calm yet resolute. His gaze, sharp and cold, drifted toward a familiar figure perched high in a nearby tree.
Mo Yanyu sat gracefully on a thick branch, her posture elegant, her face expressionless. The moonlight kissed her skin, pale and flawless like carved jade, while her hair danced in the night breeze. A spirit in the darkness. She was lost in her cultivation, unaware of the cold stare directed at her from below.
At the rear of the group, Master Karu leaned against the trunk of an ancient tree, a thick book on poisons in one hand, the other tucked casually into his sleeve. Every so often, he glanced at Yang Kai with a smirk that barely touched his lips—a predator waiting for his prey to twitch the wrong way.
Yang Kai remained motionless. He could purge the poison easily—his Golden Skeleton and other inner powers made that a trivial task. But not yet. If he acted too soon, Karu would grow suspicious.
He needed an opportunity.
One mistake. One slip. One perfect mont... and the tables would turn.
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