brain-consuming parasite pill

Xin Long glanced at the four young men beside him. He could sense a certain arrogance emanating from them—an air of confidence often seen in victors. Perhaps it was because he himself felt the same way.

His gaze shifted toward the people standing ahead: Sect Leader Murong Jing, the Deputy Leader, the Assistant Leader, and four senior members. Aside from Bai Luo, the others were all looking at the five of them with eyes filled with recognition. This was nothing more than a formal ceremony—an acknowledgment of their status as young members who had proven themselves in the final trials and earned the right to leave the sect's confines and step into the outside world.

Xin Long stood still, waiting for the words that would come from the sect leader. But what Murong Jing said next was entirely unexpected.

"Starting from this moment, the five of you are officially permitted to take on external assignments… However, before you leave, each of you must step forward and take a brain-consuming parasite pill… Right here, in this very room, you will swear your loyalty to the sect by consuming it…"

Xin Long stared at Murong Jing in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock. Before he could fully process the situation, one of the young men beside him stepped forward, took the pill from Murong Jing's hand, and swallowed it without hesitation.

There was no option to refuse. If they did, their only fate would be death—right here, right now.

Xin Long took a deep breath. The brain-consuming parasite pill. He knew exactly what it was, just as his father, the divine physician, did. If the antidote wasn't taken within a year, the parasite would mature and begin devouring the host's brain little by little, leading to an agonizing death.

His mind raced as he studied Murong Jing. Not only did the sect enforce obedience with mind-controlling drugs, but they also used a parasite pill to exert complete control. It was a system designed so that no one would dare rebel. In a way, Xin Long found it admirable. If he were in their position, he might have simply used some kind of lethal poison instead.

But unlike the others, he was different. Just as he had resisted the mind-controlling drugs, he could counteract the parasite pill as well. To him, this was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

He already knew that he would soon be taken outside as an assistant to the illusionist Wei Wei. Once he was out, obtaining the antidote would be simple—any decent apothecary could provide the necessary ingredients.

With that in mind, Xin Long smiled faintly at Murong Jing and stepped forward. Without hesitation, he took the pill, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed it on the spot.

Murong Jing's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Xin Long could also sense the unspoken approval in the gazes around him. More importantly, he noticed the subtle expressions exchanged between Murong Jing and Wei Wei—an indication that they had already discussed him behind his back.

He turned toward Wei Wei, who was seated at the far end of the room, and met her gaze.

Her expression was a mix of amusement and unease.

He understood why.

She was proud of his success, yet at the same time, she was also uneasy—because she, too, had once swallowed this very pill.

Xin Long held her gaze, letting her see exactly what he wanted her to see. He wanted Murong Jing to believe that he had already fallen into Wei Wei's illusions and charms.

And that was exactly what he let them think.

As he glanced in that direction, his gaze landed on Murong Jing, the sect leader, whose expression remained cold. He quickly clasped his hands together in a respectful gesture before returning to where he had been standing.

While he was making his way back, the voice of Kong Sunmu, the vice-sect leader, rang out.

"Wei Han, Tan Li, Chu Wei, Yi Min—you four will be personally trained by the senior masters to advance your martial arts skills. Train diligently. Xin Long, you will be learning under me."

Upon hearing Kong Sunmu's words, his heart swelled with joy. After all, Kong Sunmu was the most skilled martial artist in the sect after the sect leader. The opportunity to learn from such a figure was nothing short of a blessing for him.

The moment he returned to his previous position, he turned and respectfully saluted alongside Wei Han and the others, paying their respects to the sect leader and the senior masters.

Murong Jing's gaze lingered on Xin Long, who was bowing alongside the others. At that moment, he couldn't help but recall the words spoken to him by the Illusion Master, Wei Wei.

"As per your orders, Sect Leader, I did my best to persuade him. Right now, Xin Long is completely immersed in my illusions. Last night, he spoke in a defeated tone—he doubted his martial skills, lamented his lack of worldly knowledge, and feared he would never achieve success. But this just means he longs to stay by my side and train under me. I'm sure the sect leader has realized this. I even heard him sincerely expressing his wish to bring success and honor to the sect.

That's why, if you elevate his martial training and allow him to gain more knowledge, perhaps by letting him accompany me on external missions, Xin Long will grow into a young man the sect leader can rely on."

As these words echoed in Murong Jing's mind, he realized that Kong Sunmu's decision to train Xin Long had been influenced by Wei Wei's persuasion. With just one glance at Xin Long's eyes, he could tell—the young man was already drowning in Wei Wei's illusions.

A satisfied smile crossed Murong Jing's lips. He turned to the sect members and spoke cheerfully.

"Come, come! Eat and drink! Let's all enjoy ourselves today!"

…

Zhen Yi sat quietly, lost in thought, as he glanced at Wei Li, one of the four senior members of their group, who was steadily driving the carriage beside him.

The mist-shrouded forest ahead seemed endless, concealing what lay beyond. But for the four senior members, including Zhen Yi, this forest, these mountains, and these roads were as familiar as the back of their hands. Even with their eyes closed, they could navigate these paths without fear of danger. Zhen Yi had come to this place years ago, invited personally by Murong Jing, the sect leader, during the founding of the Shadowmoon Reaper Sect.

Their duties were simple yet demanding: escort sect members to rendezvous points without revealing the sect's headquarters, train some members in martial arts, and occasionally clean up troublesome tasks that others couldn't handle. Unlike most other members, the four of them had never been subjected to any kind of forced drugging or manipulation.

As Zhen Yi's mind drifted to thoughts of how he first joined the sect, he instinctively glanced back at the carriage behind them.

They were currently escorting seductress Wei Wei and Xin Long, both blindfolded, to a meeting point. Zhen Yi vividly recalled the day Xin Long first joined the sect. Back then, it had been Murong Jing himself who brought Xin Long into their fold—something that had shocked even Zhen Yi. He knew that Murong Jing had never personally recruited anyone before. That responsibility always fell to the vice-leader, the deputy leader, and the four senior members, not the sect leader himself.

As Zhen Yi reminisced, he recalled Murong Jing's words from the previous day.

"Tomorrow, when you escort Wei Wei for the job, take Xin Long along with you, Zhen Yi… I want him to gain some insight and experience… Just keep that in mind. And one more thing—stay behind them, watch them carefully, and never let them out of your sight..."

The memory of Murong Jing's instructions lingered in Zhen Yi's mind as the sunlight broke through the forest canopy, casting warm beams across his face. He realized they were nearing the edge of the woods.

His gaze sharpened as he looked straight ahead. As they passed the forest, rolling hills and undulating mountain ranges stretched out before him. Taking a deep breath, Zhen Yi turned slightly, glancing at Wei Li and spoke.

"Alright, Brother Wei Li, let the horses run free now..."

Though Wei Li said nothing in response, the carriage suddenly picked up speed, charging across the flatland toward the distant mountains. Seeing this, a satisfied smile crept across Zhen Yi's face.

…

As Xin Long and Wei Wei traveled beyond the confines of the sect on their assigned mission, Bai Luo, left behind alone, found himself restless and uneasy.

His mind couldn't stop questioning why the sect leader, Murong Jing, had decided to pair Xin Long with Wei Wei for this task. What exactly did Murong Jing expect from Xin Long? None of them, even at Xin Long's age, had ever been allowed to venture into the outside world on such errands. Who exactly was Xin Long? How was he connected to the sect leader? What secrets did Xin Long hold that the rest of the sect remained unaware of?

The more Bai Luo thought about it, the more restless he became, his thoughts spiraling endlessly. Unable to find answers, he made a sudden decision — he would seek permission from Murong Jing to follow after them. Once this resolution solidified in his mind, his feet were already carrying him toward the sect leader's quarters.

End - 7