81. In the warehouse, Yubao Si was finally seen.

Rumbling thunder echoed as the great doors slammed shut. At that moment, Xie Wujie emerged from the shadows, surveying the cages that surrounded him with deep confusion. What could so many children be needed for? Could a blood sacrifice truly demand living victims?

He circled the perimeter, when suddenly, a faint rustling came from above, from the rafters. Quickly, Xie Wujie concealed himself in a nearby corner, but before he realized it, a sword was already pressed to his throat.

“Brother, if you wish to blame anyone for these monstrous deeds, blame the Hall Master. I never wished to slay my own comrades, but the Yama Hall has long since strayed from our founder’s intentions.” The voice behind him was hoarse.

Xie Wujie slowly raised his hands. Suddenly, taking advantage of the other’s momentary distraction, he seized the sword blade. His hand was impervious to blade or spear—his Unyielding Grip rivaled the strength of spiritual weapons.

His opponent hastily tried to withdraw the sword, voice cold and wary. “Who are you?”

“And who are you?” Xie Wujie retorted.

The man sheathed his sword. “If you don’t know me, you can’t be my enemy. But why are you here?”

“You already know the answer,” Xie Wujie replied, turning to face him. He saw a one-eyed man.

The man appeared to be just past thirty, still young, his face marked with many scars. His cultivation, Xie judged, had just reached the early Golden Core stage.

“Are you here to rescue these children?”

“You could say that,” Xie Wujie answered.

The man clasped his fists in greeting. “I am Yu Baosi, second disciple of Yama Hall. Since you’ve come to save lives, you’re a friend.”

“What is this place?” Xie Wujie asked.

“It’s a long story…” Yu Baosi sighed. “This is not the place to speak. Come with me.”

With that, Yu Baosi leapt onto a beam, and, leading Xie Wujie through a vent above, brought him into a stone chamber. There, Yu Baosi removed his hood and poured a pot of tea.

Xie Wujie looked around. The stone chamber was simple, almost austere.

“As you’ve witnessed, today is the day of the blood sacrifice again.” Yu Baosi glanced at Xie Wujie, shaking his head in resignation.

“A blood sacrifice—does it mean killing people?”

“Yes. The blood sacrifice uses the hearts and livers of over a hundred children to forge a pill—the Blood Pill. Consuming it greatly accelerates cultivation, but it is addictive.” Yu Baosi slammed a fist on his stool, voice burning with anger. “The Yama Hall is doomed, all because of the Hall Master’s greed…”

The Yama Hall had once been an independent sect. Yet, as chaos engulfed the world, they too sought dominance and attempted to ally with the Myriad Demons Hall.

Their master, Yan Kai, obtained a pill recipe from Myriad Demons Hall—a pill that rapidly advanced cultivation. That recipe was for the Blood Pill. Once the disciples began taking them, progress in their training soared.

But a small group, Yu Baosi among them, were deeply opposed to the pills from Myriad Demons Hall, a sect notorious for its evil and secrecy—even the imperial court could find no proof against them.

Once the entire Yama Hall was addicted, the Myriad Demons Hall revealed their true purpose: they forced Yama Hall to hunt for children, for the Blood Pill required the hearts and livers of the young.

Now enslaved to their addiction, the Yama Hall had no choice but to obey, abducting children from all around. Within a few years, the once righteous sect had become something neither good nor evil.

Originally, the Yama Hall had sworn to punish corrupt officials and local tyrants. But now, in desperate need of money to ease their Blood Pill cravings, they slaughtered anyone—rich or poor, villain or noble.

Right and wrong had become meaningless; good and evil, irrelevant.

Yu Baosi’s face twisted with hatred as he spoke. “Now Yama Hall is little more than a tool for Myriad Demons Hall. They force us to do their dirty work, and though everyone knows their intentions are wicked, no one dares resist—everyone is addicted to their pills…”

“So, before dawn’s blood sacrifice, they plan to slaughter all those innocent children?” Xie Wujie stared at Yu Baosi.

Yu Baosi nodded grimly. “Exactly. Those of us who refused the Blood Pill abhor their deeds, but our cultivation lags behind. The Blood Pill is vile, but it grants immense power. We cannot openly oppose them—not with the Hall Master’s support.”

“I am Xie Wujie from the Danxia Sect,” Xie Wujie declared, bowing formally.

At the mention of Danxia Sect, Yu Baosi’s face turned ashen. He dropped to one knee. “I never expected to meet a brother from Danxia Sect. Please forgive my lack of courtesy!”

“No need for that. Since you’ve confided so much, I can’t make things difficult for you. But you should know, Yama Hall has already sent assassins after Danxia Sect. Are you aware of this?”

“I suspect it’s Ding Xuanming. He’s close to my Hall Master and often looks after our business. He’s met with my master in secret several times recently,” Yu Baosi replied.

So, it was as Xie Wujie suspected. The elders, tired of endless infighting, were making their move. Elder Ding was the son of the previous master, but the current master, Dongmen Yong, held greater authority.

Xie Wujie wondered if Dongmen the Swordmaster and the others had found the entrance yet. But he could wait no longer—the sun would rise soon, and the children would be lost.

Yu Baosi read his expression. “Brother Xie, every month Yama Hall conducts a blood sacrifice, refining a thousand Blood Pills each time. I tried to stop it before, but lost two comrades. With your help, perhaps this time we can succeed.”

“But if you tried before, won’t they be on high alert now? Rescuing the children won’t be easy,” Xie Wujie said.

Yu Baosi sighed, his eye full of sorrow. “Even so, we must try!”

Many of these children had been deceived into coming to Yama Hall. Their parents sent them, hoping they’d learn martial arts, never suspecting the truth. The monthly intake of disciples was just a ruse to gather enough children.

Over the past ten years, tens of thousands had perished, while their parents believed their children were training at the Hall.

Some had been outright bought—many families, too poor to survive, sold their sons and daughters.

Yu Baosi whistled. Outside the stone chamber, more than twenty people entered. “Brother Xie, these are the only disciples left in Yama Hall with a conscience. Will you help us?”

“I will.” Xie Wujie clenched his fist. The Blood Pill had crossed his final line; he would not allow such evil, not even in another world.

He despised human traffickers—how many families had been destroyed by them in his own world? Yet here, Yama Hall used children as ingredients for alchemy—a crime beyond forgiveness.

The group made their preparations, gathering weapons. The gunpowder of this era was primitive black powder, packed into bamboo tubes strapped to their bodies.

Yu Baosi said, “Brothers, even if we die today, we cannot let this Yama Hall continue to exist. If we fall, we can answer to our ancestors, having done all we could. If we succeed and save the children, we’ll have time to seek help from the masters of Danxia Sect. This is Senior Brother Xie Wujie of Danxia Sect. Assist him and protect him at all costs. No matter the outcome, let Danxia Sect see there is still hope for Yama Hall!”

“Yes!” The disciples responded in unison, their fighting spirit surging. On every face was the resolve to face death unflinching, each one poised and ready for the coming battle.