So he cleared his throat and looked at Su Ling'er. "Don't be alarmed, Ling'er. What you're seeing is merely a pursuit of the Dao."
'Pursuing the Dao?'
'You call *this* pursuing the Dao?'
"There are thousands of paths, each different from the next. Some cultivators feed their bodies to their swords, ultimately achieving the state of Man and Sword as One. There are Buddhas who fed their flesh to eagles and achieved enlightenment on the spot. In our Guixi Sect's Alchemy Dao, we too have a concept known as 'attaining the Dao through self-sacrifice.'"
"Look at the person in the furnace. He is both the pill's soul and its Dao Foundation. He has turned his physical body into a crucible and his spiritual soul into fuel. In this state of extreme agony and annihilation, he will see through the veil of life and death, achieving nirvana and rebirth."
"The day the pill is complete will be the day he breaks from his cocoon. At that moment, man and pill will become one; the pill will be the man. Such immense perseverance and resolve are beyond the imagination of ordinary people. And I'll let you in on a little secret—the heart of Artifact Refining is much the same."
Lin Qingfeng casually mentioned the Artifact Refining Pavilion, hoping to mentally prepare her for the future Sword Refining Skill.
Su Ling'er gave her senior brother a strange look. 'Why is he bringing up Artifact Refining now? Don't tell me... they use living people for that, too?!'
Lin Qingfeng continued.
"As for your Senior Brother Lu Wu, he is burning his own mind and spirit to lend a fellow disciple a hand. This is known as 'protecting the Dao.' The camaraderie between sect members and the heart that yearns for the Dao are all embodied in this act. Do you understand, Ling'er?"
Looking at the miserable state of the person in the furnace, Su Ling'er couldn't help but feel she might be looking at her own future. A cold sweat broke out on her skin.
The person in the furnace was burned until his skin resembled charcoal, yet he was still twitching, proof that he wasn't dead.
'To be burned by such demonic fire and still be alive... he must have cultivated some kind of Body Refining Technique.'
'And this fiend actually claims this is just cultivation, dressing up such a vile act as 'attaining the Dao through self-sacrifice'?'
'The sins of this demonic sect are truly too numerous to count!'
'But I know I can't expose my identity as an undercover agent. I have to pretend to agree with this, or I might be the next one thrown into a Pill Furnace.'
So she lifted her head and forced a smile.
"Is that so? What an incredible method of cultivation! I completely understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!"
As she spoke, she made sure to imitate Lin Qingfeng's pontificating demeanor and began spouting her own nonsense.
"Using the body as a furnace and the soul as fire, refining away the seven passions, six desires, love, hate, and obsession, along with all flesh, blood, and bone."
"What remains in the end must be the pure, great Dao, stripped of all impurities. Only today have I learned the meaning of the true heartlessness of the Dao and what it means to be reborn from death. Thank you for your enlightening words, Senior Brother!"
Lin Qingfeng watched her, his brow relaxing.
'Good, this NPC isn't too bright. But is she already starting to spout the same old lines? It must be because I'm such a great teacher!'
'As long as she doesn't cause trouble, it's fine. Who knows, under my tutelage, she might actually become a guide for the sect in the future.'
Then, he put on a look of profound, world-weary compassion, like an enlightened master.
"It is good that you have such an aptitude for understanding, Junior Sister. The path of cultivation is fraught with hardships and sacrifices that ordinary people cannot comprehend."
"Take your Senior Brother Lu Wu, for example. Don't mind his crazed behavior; the pills he refines are the best in the entire sect. On the day his pills are complete, other disciples will be fighting over them. It's possible that in the future, you'll need him to start a furnace for you."
"Mhm!" The junior sister quickly adopted an expression of being overwhelmed by favor. "If I could be so fortunate as to receive a pill from Mr. Lu, it would be my honor!"
'Honor, my ass!'
'I wouldn't eat something refined from a human life even if you beat me to death! Sect Leader, I really can't hold on much longer...'
Seeing that she had accepted all of this, Lin Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, now that you have a basic understanding of our sect's Alchemy Dao, I'll take you somewhere."
"Our sect's Pill Masters often trade the pills they've refined at a market called the Hundred Elixir Workshop. If you want to purchase pills in the future, you might want to check it out."
...
As the two left the pill chamber, the clamor of the surroundings returned.
Su Ling'er followed behind Lin Qingfeng, her expression somewhat numb.
'Anywhere is better than there. I couldn't stand to stay in that alchemy room, where they use living people to refine pills, for another second. What if the senior brother inside had suddenly decided to grab me and refine me into a pill, too?'
'As for what kind of twisted new horror this Hundred Elixir Workshop might hold, she couldn't even be bothered to think about it anymore.'
Only one thought kept her going now.
'I have to see this through, witness every last piece of evidence of this demonic den's crimes, and report it all back to Qingxu Temple!'
...
They arrived at the "Hundred Elixir Workshop." Though called a workshop, it was really just a long street that the sect disciples had spontaneously formed.
The street was lined with stalls on both sides, filled with the endless sounds of hawking and haggling. It truly had the lively atmosphere of the mortal world. If she hadn't personally witnessed the sect's various horrors, Su Ling'er would have mistaken this for an ordinary Cultivation Market.
'But she knew that was impossible.'
Soon, she noticed something was off.
One stall was surrounded by a thick crowd, several layers deep.
All sorts of pills were messily arranged on the stall. A nearby wooden sign had several large, eye-catching characters written on it: "Surprise Blind Box Pills! Ten Spirit Stones each. What you get is all up to luck!"
The stall owner was shouting loudly.
"Step right up, take a chance! A little risk for a big reward! A single pull for the truly blessed! If you draw a good pill, you might be able to disguise yourself and prank people at the 'Golden Autumn Harvest Festival' in a few days!"
"And if you win a truly precious pill, you might even snag a spot in the upcoming Demon Suppression Ceremony! What is life if not a high-stakes gamble?"