Chapter 14: Soul-Locking Soup

A figure in black robes, leaning on a cane made of withered wood, stood not far in front of Lu Xiaotian, his face deathly pale. Sensing someone behind him, the black-robed man turned around first.

The black-robed elder! Lu Xiaotian’s limbs instantly went cold. However, the man appeared to be seriously injured; his complexion was even worse than before, and he had lost a leg. The only difference from when he left a few months ago was that several black pouches were now hanging from his waist.

"You are still in the valley? Good, very good... *cough, cough*."

When the black-robed elder saw Lu Xiaotian, his eyes lit up. The movement triggered his injuries, causing him to cough violently, with faint traces of blood seeping from his abdomen.

"Geng... Elder Geng!"

Lu Xiaotian cried out inwardly that he was finished. If the elder discovered that the little green insects in the cave dwelling had been cannibalizing each other until only a few remained, there was no telling how furious he would become. However, seeing that the elder had lost a leg, Lu Xiaotian couldn't help but take two steps back, feeling an impulse to flee.

"Come back!" The black-robed elder possessed piercing eyes; he saw through Lu Xiaotian's intention to escape at a glance and reached out a hand in a beckoning gesture.

*What... what is happening?* Terror gripped Lu Xiaotian's heart as his body was restrained by a massive force, pulling him uncontrollably toward the black-robed elder.

The black-robed elder pulled Lu Xiaotian close and asked, "Why did you try to run when you saw me? Am I that terrifying?"

"I... I..." Lu Xiaotian stammered, not daring to tell the truth.

"Forget it. You want to learn magic, don't you? Before, I had no desire to take a disciple. But now, I am heavily injured and likely won't last much longer. I must find someone to inherit my legacy. Are you willing to be my disciple?" A strange light flashed across the elder's face as he gripped Lu Xiaotian's wrist, speaking in a pleasant tone.

"Take me as a disciple?"

Lu Xiaotian looked bewildered. Previously, the black-robed elder wouldn't even spare a word for him unless it was to assign chores; now, he was suddenly offering discipleship. While he felt joy, a sliver of doubt also stirred in his heart.

"Indeed. I don't have long to live. If I don't take a disciple now, am I supposed to take all my skills to the grave with me?"

The black-robed elder coughed up more blood. That fourth-tier spiritual talisman was truly formidable; even though he had used every ounce of his strength to endure most of the attack, he had still been struck by two arrows. Losing a leg was not fatal, but the arrow to his abdomen had damaged his internal organs, which was what truly made his situation untenable. Forget a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement—even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would find it fatal without high-grade healing pills.

"Yes, Master! This disciple greets Master!" Lu Xiaotian was inexplicably excited. He hadn't expected the elder to be willing to take him as a disciple at a time like this. He leaned down to perform a formal bow.

"Enough, enough. Skip the formalities. Quickly, lead your Master back to the cave dwelling. I don't have much time left; if we don't hurry, I fear I won't have time to teach you anything." The black-robed elder gripped Lu Xiaotian's wrist, preventing him from bowing.

"Yes, Master—no, but I haven't been back for nearly two days. Those shadow ants might..." Originally, Lu Xiaotian had intended to leave immediately, but since the elder was willing to take him as a disciple, he decided not to hide it anymore and confessed his mistake directly.

"A few shadow ants are nothing. If they die, we can just breed another batch. Let's go back first."

The black-robed elder shook his head. Lu Xiaotian was slightly surprised; his Master's attitude had shifted drastically.

"Then this disciple will carry you back." Although surprised, Lu Xiaotian felt a sense of relief, thinking that as a disciple, his life would surely be different from that of a mere laborer.

"No need. Just follow me." The black-robed elder shook his head.

Before he had even finished speaking, Lu Xiaotian felt a gentle breeze pushing him from behind. The elder tapped his cane on the ground, and they drifted several yards away with incredibly light movements.

Lu Xiaotian was secretly astonished. His Master was indeed powerful. Even when Lu Xiaotian exerted his full spiritual power, he could only step about half a yard at a time, yet his Master, despite being heavily injured and missing a leg, was carrying him across distances of about three yards per step. Having become his disciple, he felt their relationship was much closer than before, so he asked aloud

"Master, what magic are you using? It's amazing! Can I learn it too in the future?"

"You will learn it in the future, and you will be even more powerful than me. I am injured; do not speak," the black-robed elder said with heavy breaths.

Hearing the heaviness in his Master's voice, Lu Xiaotian quickly clamped his mouth shut and remained silent.

A distance of five or six miles was not much at such a pace. A moment later, the cave dwelling, which had been blocked by stones, appeared before them.

With a wave of the black-robed elder's hand, a whirlwind swept past, blowing away the stones blocking the entrance. Lu Xiaotian watched in awe, but remembering his Master's instructions, he swallowed his words.

"Go quickly. Boil a bucket of water. Once it is hot, pour this bottle of medicine into it." The black-robed elder handed Lu Xiaotian a small medicine bottle and spat out a mouthful of blood. The rapid travel had exhausted much of his strength, and his injuries had worsened.

Seeing that the elder's injuries were so severe, Lu Xiaotian nodded quickly and did as he was told. There was water prepared in the cave dwelling. Soon, he had boiled a bucket of water and, as instructed, re-blocked the entrance with stones.

"Heaven has not abandoned me; I've finally made it in time. If I hadn't run into this boy, I might truly have perished in this canyon," the black-robed elder muttered to himself, sounding relieved.

"Master, the cave dwelling has been re-sealed," Lu Xiaotian said, dusting off his hands.

"Mhm. Get into the tub," the black-robed elder said with a kind expression.

Under the lamplight, Lu Xiaotian hesitated. He felt the elder's gaze was somewhat strange, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"Get in, now," the elder urged.

*He's already taken me as a disciple, so nothing bad should happen. If I fail to do things right, I'll just get another whipping,* Lu Xiaotian thought to himself as he sat in the tub as ordered. As soon as the medicinal water touched his skin, he felt a surge of suspicion; it felt as if his pores were being sealed shut. Immediately after, his entire body felt as if it were being pierced by countless steel needles, causing excruciating pain. He let out a scream and instinctively tried to stand up to escape the tub.

At that moment, the black-robed elder's withered fingers pressed against his forehead, rendering him unable to move. Simultaneously, a sinister, eerie laughter erupted from the man's throat. With a dark and menacing expression, he shrieked, "My dear disciple, how does the taste of my Soul-Locking Soup feel?"

"What... what are you going to do to me?" Lu Xiaotian did not understand what Soul-Locking Soup was, but seeing the black-robed elder's face transform into a terrifying, sinister mask, he asked with growing dread. He realized now that the elder's decision to take him as a disciple was likely a sinister plot, though he had no idea what the man's true intentions were.