I Can Devour Spirits

Pan Yong stood at the mouth of the cave, watching as Yin Cong and Duan Rong disappeared around the corner of the dark cliff.

The eyes on his stern face moved slightly as he tucked away the Star Disc, picked up two bags by his feet, and walked towards the place owned by Shang Xiangyu.

Pan Yong crossed the fence and saw a candle lit on a stone wall at the corner of the platform. Tang Zhu was half-squatting there, holding a bowl and feeding Xin’Er.

Xin’Er was eating, but for some reason, began to hum and sing.

Tang Zhu patiently waited for Xin’Er to finish singing before giving another spoonful.

Tang Zhu heard the rustle of footsteps nearby and turned his head to see Pan Yong.

Their eyes met, and neither showed any intention of speaking.

Pan Yong walked over silently.

Xin’Er occasionally tried to call Shang Xiangyu ”father,” although his words were unclear. Yet, this was the most human-like sound Xin’Er could make.

Most people thought Shang Xin was Shang Xiangyu’s son.

But only Pan Yong knew that Shang Xin was actually Shang Xiangyu’s younger brother.

Shang Xin was born intellectually disabled and suffered from childhood polio, so he couldn’t distinguish between ”father” and ”brother” in his mind...

Pan Yong entered the cave and immediately noticed dim yellow candlelight projecting from the side room of the stone chamber. As he turned his hand, he had already grasped the Star Disc, and his originally cold and stiff expression instantly became compliant.

Pan Yong quickly stepped into the side room.

Shang Xiangyu was sitting at the desk, locked in deep thought.

Pan Yong stood by the cave entrance, slightly hunched, looking down at the ground. He said, ”Master Shang, last night I prepared the list according to your formula. Yin Cong and Duan Rong went to the Medicine Pavilion this morning, and the medicines have now all been exchanged back.”

As Pan Yong spoke, he placed the two bags beside the desk on the ground, standing not far from the desk, extending the Star Disc towards Shang Xiangyu.

Shang Xiangyu glanced at the two bags of medicine, reached out to grab the Star Disc, and after a quick look at the surface, tucked it away.

The matter that Duan Rong and Yin Cong spent ten extra Contribution Points was not reported to Shang Xiangyu by Pan Yong.

He weighed the importance and decided not to bother Shang Xiangyu with such trivial matters. This was why Shang Xiangyu relied on him.

Such matters, he usually handled himself at a lower level.

Shang Xiangyu said, ”This alchemy is different from before. Tomorrow, I will personally guide you in the medicine preparation.”

Pan Yong’s expression shifted, and he said, ”Yes, Master Shang.”

Last night while listing the medicines, he already felt that this exchange’s medicines were noticeably diverse, and the total amount exceeded the usual by quite a bit.

Unexpectedly, Shang Xiangyu would personally guide their herb processing, something he hadn’t done in all the years since Pan Yong arrived.

Suddenly, Shang Xiangyu said grimly, ”Tell them that starting tomorrow, they will have a tough few days! Have them set aside other tasks and join me in alchemy.”

”Rest assured, Master Shang!” Pan Yong clasped his fist and said.

Shang Xiangyu nodded, saying, ”You may leave.”

Pan Yong slowly withdrew from the stone chamber.

Just as Pan Yong left the stone chamber, Shang Xiangyu deeply gazed at the large stone pot on the desk.

He raised his hand to open the lid of the stone pot. In the dim candlelight, a red, blurry glow at the bottom flashed like a beating heart.

Within the murky red glow, black vapor occasionally rolled past.

Inside the large stone pot was the fruit of the Black Blood Vine, which had just matured yesterday afternoon.

Shang Xiangyu stared at the fruit glowing red at the bottom of the pot, his gaze revealing a trace of ferocity, and the skin on his tightly drawn face twisted.

”Rejuvenation Pill... I must refine it...”

As he spoke, Shang Xiangyu drew up his sleeve, revealing his arm covered in shriveled skin, resembling the dry arm of an elderly person...

Looking at that skeletal arm, his eyes surged with intense pain and disgust.

He wished to peel off the layers of wrinkled skin...

But he knew that it was useless.

The vitality within him was gradually being devoured.

Shang Xiangyu loathed this feeling, this feeling of being consumed by aging...

He didn’t know how many times he had awakened from nightmares, where an elderly man with a face full of wrinkles was gnawing at his body...

That was himself...

Since cultivating the Nine Nether Great Treasure Technique, Shang Xiangyu noticed his white hair growing gradually.

Although suspicion arose in his heart, he didn’t overthink it, as the skin on his face remained tight and delicate.

Until he achieved the first layer of the Nine Nether Great Treasure Technique, he suddenly grew white hair overnight.

The skin on his hands and feet began to crack, peel, and age, becoming wrinkled after a few hours...

Shang Xiangyu immediately realized he was caught in a trap.

Upon realizing that aging was spreading within him, he devised the Five Poison Blood Transformation method to suppress the spread of aging.

Using this time, he searched for ancient formulas and studied meticulously, finally improving the ancient formula for the Rejuvenation Pill.

Exhausting his mind, he replaced several ingredients that were extinct in this world.

After repeated deductions, he believed the improved formula still had a high probability of being successful.

Currently, as the Five Poison Blood Transformation method has almost become ineffective, the Rejuvenation Pill has become his last fragile hope...

He no longer has the right to fail.

Yin Cong left Pan Yong’s cave feeling vexed and walked along the cliff, almost reaching the entrance of his own cave.

Suddenly Duan Rong said, ”Senior Brother, we’ve been busy all day. How about I go into the forest and hunt some game so we can have a good meal?”