"The Truth is I am not a junior servant like the rest of you; I was sent here by the sect." Shi Jin moved his hand above the torture tools like he could not decide which one to use.

"To do what?" Shen Yuan shifted in his chair and curled his fingers around the edge of the handset.

"To control and prevent any unexpected variables from arising and to find people that can be used by the sect." Shi Jin finally picked up a knife and slowly stabbed it in his finger, drawing a drop of blood. "We do it every year with new servants. I am sure someone as smart as you understands what I am taking about."

He watched as the drop of blood slid down the sharp knife with a pleased look on his face.

"The sect, the elders, and the overseer—everything is connected." Shen Yuan thought to himself before opening his mouth. "Why did you—"

"Nuh-uh. It’s about time you answer some of my questions truthfully." Shi Jin waved the knife in the air and stepped towards Shen Yuan. "I am a generous man, aren’t I? I gave you so many answers. Now, it’s time to return the favor, don’t you think?"

Shen Yuan paused and looked at the man and then at the knife in his hands. "What do you want to know?"

Shi Jin smiled.

"That’s much better."

He casually spun the knife between his fingers before walking forward.

It was as if the conversation had already become completely relaxed.

Instead of stopping in front of Shen Yuan, he continued walking until he stood behind the chair.

Shen Yuan remained seated, his eyes fixed on the cave wall ahead.

"You don’t seem nervous."

"You are not enough to make me nervous."

Shi Jin chuckled, "is that so? I hope you can say the same by the time we are done here."

Then—

A sharp glint flashed behind Shen Yuan.

The ring on Shi Jin’s finger suddenly shifted.

A slender spike, no thicker than a sewing needle, shot from beneath the gemstone and silently lunged toward the side of Shen Yuan’s neck.

Shen Yuan’s pupils shrank as he felt the cold wind shifting behind his back. Without thinking twice, he threw himself forward and rolled on the ground, dodging the needle.

While rolling, he caught the chair before him and immediately threw it back after standing up.

But... unfortunately, Shi Jin was no longer in the same spot.

The chair crashed into the stone wall behind him and shattered into pieces.

Bang!

Shen Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

’Fast.’

Before he could search for him—

"Looking for me?" Shi Jin’s amused voice came from behind.

Shen Yuan immediately spun around and threw a punch.

Shi Jin sighed.

"You really have a bad temper." He casually caught Shen Yuan’s wrist.

The difference in strength was obvious. Despite his powerful stats, the black-haired boy could not compare to him.

Shen Yuan didn’t stop there.

He twisted his body and kicked toward Shi Jin’s side at almost the same time.

"Hm?" Shi Jin raised an eyebrow. "You’ve got decent battle instincts."

He simply shifted half a step. The kick missed him completely.

Shen Yuan immediately tried to pull away.

Unfortunately... Shi Jin still hadn’t let go of his wrist.

"You know..." Shi Jin smiled. "Despite only being at the peak of the body tempering realm, you are stronger than some of the early Qi Condensation realm experts."

"But..." Shi Jin raised his hand and curled his finger into a fist. His stance shifted while one of his hands was still preventing Shen Yuan from moving: "Mighty Fist of Monkey King."

The illusionary shadow of a demonic being seemed to cover Shi Jin’s body for a second before the attack shot forward from his wrist.

Shen Yuan immediately sensed danger.

’Not good.’

He tried to pull his hand back.

It did not move.

Shi Jin smiled.

"Too late."

The fist shot forward.

Boom!

Shen Yuan felt as though an entire mountain had slammed into him.

The strength in his body vanished in an instant.

He skidded across the cave floor, crashing into the rocky wall, as his vision shook violently.

Dust drifted through the air.

Shi Jin slowly walked towards him and crouched over his figure. He pulled out the knife he had picked up from the table and stabbed it in Shen Yuan’s shoulder.

"Ugh." Shen Yuan tried to suppress a painful groan, but Shi Jin only twisted the blade inside his body. "Argh!!!"

"This is much better." With a smile on his face, Shi Jin pulled out another needle from the ring and stabbed into Shen Yuan. "Now, unlike you, I don’t trust people who are not under my control, so... I have poisoned you with something that will make you lose consciousness within a day, and you won’t wake up unless someone gives you the antidote."

Shi Jin wiped the blood from his hands and helped Shen Yuan, who had stopped screaming in pain, to stand up and took him to the chair where he had sat previously. "So..."

"Now you will answer everything I want to know without lying, and I will give you the antidote." "Let’s start with something simple."

Shen Yuan took a slow breath and adjusted himself against the chair.

Even though nothing had changed in his body, Shen Yuan could feel a tingling sensation spreading from the wound where the needle had stabbed him.

’I have to deal with this poison myself. There is no way he will go through with his promise, and I cannot miss the deadline in four days.’ Shen Yuan started to flip through every page of the book he had purchased on Herbs and Pills.

Inside Myriad Herbs and Pills, there was a mention of poisonous herbs and pills as well. There was also mention of basic herbs that could help him detox poison from his body.

"Tell me, Shen Yuan." Shi Jin placed a hand on Shen Yuan’s shoulder and pressed it. "How did you remove the Blood Chain Gu?"

"What?" Shen Yuan looked at him with a confused expression, but in reality, he was struggling to suppress a grin that was about to surface. "Oh, how long I have been waiting for you to ask that question. ’.