Chapter 44: The Shadow Pill

Months passed in the Undercity, and Asher Damien thrived in the darkness.

His cultivation was growing stronger, his techniques sharper, and his influence spreading.

But power alone wasn't enough.

He needed resources.

He needed money.

He needed to provide for himself and Kaede.

And in the Undercity, there was only one real way to make a fortune.

Alchemy.

A Market of Greed and Power

The Undercity's Black Market was a chaotic, dangerous place.

Cultivators, criminals, and rogue merchants gathered in the hidden tunnels, trading in forbidden techniques, spirit herbs, and rare treasures.

If you wanted something illegal, this was where you got it.

And Asher?

He was about to change the entire market.

The Birth of the Shadow Pill

Alchemy was a delicate art. Most pill refiners spent decades perfecting their craft.

Asher didn't have decades.

So he did what he did best—he broke the rules.

Using his Abyssal Devouring Array, he studied every pill formula he could find. He memorized recipes, Qi reactions, and herbal combinations.

And then, he did the unthinkable.

He combined them.

The result?

The Shadow Pill.

A pill that didn't just restore Qi.

It expanded it. Refined it. Corrupted it.

By fusing traditional Qi-enhancing herbs with Shadow Lotus and Abyssal Nightgrass, he created something never seen before.

A pill that merged with the user's Qi, evolving it into something stronger.

For normal cultivators, it was a shortcut to power.

For abyssal cultivators like him? A revolution.

Testing the Shadow Pill

Kaede sat across from Asher in their hidden lair, watching as he crushed the ingredients.

"You're actually going to eat that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Asher smirked. "Only way to test it."

He placed the dark, swirling pill on his palm. The air around it distorted slightly, as if the abyss itself was whispering from within.

He swallowed it.

BOOM!

Qi exploded inside his body.

For a moment, everything went black.

Then—clarity.

His Qi pathways expanded, his abyssal energy surged, and the familiar pain of transformation spread through his body.

It worked.

Not only did it work—it was perfect.

Kaede watched him carefully. "You're still alive?"

He exhaled, smirking. "Better than ever."

Selling the Impossible

A week later, Asher introduced the Shadow Pill to the Black Market.

At first, no one believed in it. A random rogue cultivator selling a new pill? It sounded like a scam.

Until a Foundation Establishment cultivator tried it.

And broke through on the spot.

The market erupted.

Everyone wanted the pill.

Merchants offered mountains of gold.

Sect spies tried to steal the formula.

Alchemy guilds demanded to know the secret.

But Asher?

He kept the true recipe hidden.

Only he could refine the Shadow Pill.

And just like that—he became the most sought-after alchemist in the Undercity.

But power came with danger.

And soon… people started asking questions.

Suspicion and Danger

The Shadow Pill was too perfect.

Its effects were too unnatural.

It didn't just enhance Qi. It changed it.

And that made people suspicious.

Rumors spread through the market.

"This pill… it feels like demonic cultivation."

"Who is this alchemist?"

"No one knows his past. No one knows his sect."

"Could he be… something else?"

Asher felt the pressure growing.

He was getting too much attention.

If he wasn't careful, the sects would find him.

He needed to move carefully.

But there was one thing he needed to do first.

A Moment of Truth – A Confession

For months, Kaede had stood by his side.

She had fought with him, escaped with him, risked her life to stay beside him.

And Asher wasn't blind.

He saw the way she looked at him.

The way she worried about him.

The way she cared.

And he knew.

It was time to stop pretending.

That night, in their hidden lair, Asher sat across from Kaede, watching the flickering light of a spirit lantern.

She noticed his expression. "…What?"

He exhaled. "I have something to say."

She frowned. "You're being weird."

He smirked. "You're always telling me I'm weird."

She rolled her eyes. "So? What is it?"

He was silent for a moment.

Then, quietly, he said—

"I love you."

Kaede froze.

Her eyes widened slightly, but her expression was unreadable. "Say that again."

He leaned closer, looking directly into her eyes.

"I love you, Kaede."

She blinked. Once. Twice.

Then, she punched his shoulder.

"Idiot."

He laughed, rubbing his arm. "I expected a different reaction."

She crossed her arms, glaring at him. "…Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that?"

He tilted his head. "You could've said it first."

She huffed. "Like hell I would. You're the reckless idiot who runs into battle every other day. You're supposed to figure it out first."

He smirked. "So you love me too?"

She punched him again.

But this time, her face was red. "Shut up."

Asher chuckled, then—without warning—he pulled her closer.

She gasped softly as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"…I mean it," he murmured.

Kaede's breath hitched. "I know."

Then, finally—she kissed him.

And for the first time in a long time, Asher felt at peace.

A New Chapter Begins

The next morning, the world was still dangerous.

The sects were still hunting him. The market was still suspicious of him. And the Undercity was still a lawless den of killers.

But now?

Asher had something to fight for.

Not just survival.

Not just revenge.

But a future.

And no matter what happened next…

He would carve that future into reality.

With his own two hands.

With his own abyssal power.

And with Kaede by his side.

The world wasn't ready.

But he was.