Most of these people had entered into agreements with Mo Yanyu because of their impoverished backgrounds, becoming medicine slaves. If they could endure for half a year, they would not only gain their freedom but also receive two hundred Purple Crystal Coins. Of course, if they died from testing the medicine, their families would also receive this sum.

On the Divine Grace Continent, one Black Crystal Coin was equal to one hundred Purple Crystal Coins, which equaled ten thousand Blue Crystal Coins. The annual income for an ordinary commoner was only five or six Purple Crystal Coins. Two hundred Purple Crystal Coins were what a medicine slave would need forty years to earn.

The day the agreement was signed, their relatives received fifty Purple Crystal Coins, and the remainder would be given to them after six months. If they unfortunately died, those Purple Crystal Coins would go to their kin. Two hundred Purple Crystal Coins—perhaps something these people couldn't earn in a lifetime of effort—was the reason they dared to take this desperate risk.

However, when they first signed the agreement, they never imagined how cruel the drug trials would be. Almost every few days, one of them would die from testing the medicine, and their deaths were always agonizingly miserable. This left them perpetually terrified and bred all sorts of wicked ideas.

It was a pity that the agreement was clearly spelled out in black and white: once signed, there was no withdrawing midway. This meant that for these six months, they had entrusted their very lives to the Mo Family. If they dared to disobey the contract or attempt to flee, the Mo Family had the right to kill them.

No such thing as a free lunch existed. By the time they realized the brutality of the drug trials, it was already too late; they could only brace themselves and push forward.

Shi Yan understood clearly that none of these people would last until the agreed-upon day. He knew these medicine slaves would die sooner or later; perhaps someone would die from testing tomorrow. He was aware of his limited ability to change any of this, so he avoided any deep contact with them, cultivating no friendship whatsoever, so that when they died, he would feel no grief.

Shi Yan frowned, secretly glancing at Alchemist Kalu, who sat high up in the Earth Dragon carriage, then quickly pulled his gaze back.

From the five white medicine bottles embroidered on Kalu’s chest, he knew this man was a Mortal Rank Five Alchemist. Alchemists were a special group even rarer than Martial Artists in this world.

Nearly every alchemist was also a martial artist; the pills they refined could boost a martial artist’s cultivation. A very small number of powerful alchemists refined special pills that could even enhance the capabilities of a “Martial Soul.”

Unlike the division of the ten great realms for martial artists, alchemists were classified into five ranks on the Divine Grace Continent based on the strength of their mastery over elixirs: Mortal, Profound, Spirit, Saint, and Divine. Each rank was further divided into seven grades.

Each tier of alchemist possessed a distinct insignia: Mortal Rank Alchemists wore white medicine bottles embroidered on their chests; Profound Rank wore fiery emblems; Spirit Rank wore medicinal herbs; Saint Rank wore elixirs; and Divine Rank wore medicine cauldrons. Kalu’s chest bore five white medicine bottles, signifying his cultivation as a Mortal Rank Five—instantly clear.

Because alchemists' pills could alter martial artists, allowing for the enhancement of their vital essence, alchemists held an extremely high status among martial artists. Furthermore, the scarcity of alchemists meant that nearly every one became an object of contention for major powers, causing their status to rise ever higher.

Kalu, this Mortal Rank Five Alchemist, had been invited by Mo Yanyu to serve the Mo Family, brought from the Medicine King Valley in the Divine Protection Empire. The Mo Family, like the Shi Family, was one of the five great noble families of the Merchant Alliance. The Mo Family also possessed a “Martial Soul”—the Power of Lightning—and many Mo Family members were born with the “Lightning Martial Soul,” which grew stronger as their realm increased.

And Mo Yanyu was a top young expert among the Mo Family’s direct descendants, possessing the “Lightning Martial Soul.”

The Mo Family, which dealt in medicinal materials within the Merchant Alliance, had always tried to recruit alchemists from various regions to refine medicine for them. However, alchemists were generally eccentric and held themselves in excessively high regard, rarely willing to be constrained by noble families. Thus, the Mo Family had never achieved their goal.

Although Kalu was only a Mortal Rank Five Alchemist, persuading him was no easy feat for the Mo Family. It was unclear by what means Mo Yanyu convinced Kalu on this trip to leave the Medicine King Valley and agree to refine medicine for the Mo Family.

But Kalu seemed to walk an unrighteous path. He was intensely interested in poisons, which alchemists often considered a heretical sideline. To refine poisons with precision and subtlety, testing on demonic beasts was insufficient; live humans were necessary—hence the existence of those medicine slaves.

“Move out!” Mo Yanyu’s sharp command echoed from a distance. The resting martial artists quickly got up, packing their gear to resume the journey. The medicine slaves squatting nearby swiftly rose, afraid of being beaten if they lagged behind.

Shi Yan quietly stood up, his cold gaze sweeping toward the gracefully poised yet venomous silhouette at the very front of the procession. He let out a near-inaudible cold snort before obediently following the group ahead.

In the Merchant Alliance, the relationship between the Mo Family and the Shi Family was inherently poor. Mo Yanyu’s fifth uncle had been killed by Shi Dang of the Shi Family three years ago while they were fighting over a mine. Afterward, the Mo Family retaliated fiercely, killing many of the Shi Family’s guards. Because of this incident, the two families had frequently engaged in covert strife.

Shi Yan knew that if he exposed the identity of the body’s original owner, not only would he not be set free, but he might die even faster.

Fortunately, the original owner of this body lacked a “Martial Soul” and naturally disliked martial pursuits, never participating in many of the Merchant Alliance’s martial events. Because of this, Mo Yanyu didn't recognize him at all; otherwise, his current predicament might be even worse.

Night fell, the moon like a silver plate studded with sparse stars.

The Mo Family convoy made camp by a small river. The Earth Dragons let out soft hissing sounds, resting quietly by the bank. The Mo Family martial artists ate dried meat, chatting and laughing crudely about famous courtesans in the Merchant Alliance’s brothels.

A few audacious martial artists, when Mo Yanyu’s back was turned, would steal glances at her exquisitely shaped figure, secretly swallowing their saliva. Yet, they knew a woman of her caliber and status was far beyond their reach; they could only indulge in visual fantasy.

Shi Yan sat down quietly, about to resume circulating the vital essence within his body, when he suddenly noticed Mo Yanyu and Kalu walking together directly toward him from the front of the formation.

A chill ran down Shi Yan’s spine; he knew trouble was brewing, and his expression gradually darkened.

“The efficacy of the Heartbreak Powder is too strong; ordinary civilians can’t withstand it. Two died in just six days. It seems only martial artists can bear it. That boy has been nurtured for so long; I think he’s recovered quite a bit recently. It’s time he was put to use…” Kalu chuckled sinisterly, holding a bowl of black, viscous potion in his left hand.

“Master, please, feel free to experiment with this person however you wish, but don't let him die too easily,” Mo Yanyu said with a light laugh.

“Heh, Miss Mo, rest assured on that point. Since he has fallen into my hands, there’s no way he will die comfortably. You saw the effects of the Heartbreak Powder before; those commoners all rotted away slowly before dying. The stronger this boy’s body is, the slower the decomposition will be, and thus, the greater the agony. Just watch carefully,” Kalu roared with laughter, completely disregarding Shi Yan’s presence nearby.

“That would be best,” Mo Yanyu nodded, cold light flashing in her beautiful eyes, clearly hating Shi Yan to the bone.

The two chatted happily and soon arrived beside Shi Yan. Kalu wasted no words, thrusting the bowl of black Heartbreak Powder in front of Shi Yan, stating coldly, “Boy, drink this for me.”

Mo Yanyu extended her snow-white left hand. Dazzling electric sparks danced across her five fingers, starting from the pinky and coiling toward the thumb, like a nimble, living electric snake. The “Lightning Martial Soul” combined with vital essence, and thin strands of energy fluctuation caused the air to snap with sharp pops.

“Heh heh!” A cold laugh from Qiangsen sounded behind Shi Yan. “Boy, if you dare not drink it, you know what the consequences will be.”

Kalu’s eyes were full of excitement, and he couldn't help but rub his hands together, urging, “Boy, the Heartbreak Powder is quite interesting. It will make you rot away starting from your intestines…”

Mo Yanyu stared fixedly at Shi Yan, unwavering, waiting for him to resist. The moment Shi Yan showed the slightest non-cooperation, she would strike with thunderous force, prepared to vent her fury thoroughly upon him.

These past few days, the mere thought of Shi Yan’s wanton violation of her had filled her with rage. That sacred place, which not even her fiancé had yet touched, had been sampled first by Shi Yan—a fact that left her frustrated and ashamed to the point of near vomiting.

“I’ll drink it,” Shi Yan replied faintly, steadily taking the bowl of Heartbreak Powder and downing it in one gulp.

…