Seeing their anxious and unsettled expressions, Sect Leader Yi chuckled softly and said, "Don’t be afraid. There will indeed be dangers, but it’s not a life-or-death situation. It’s merely a matter of attending an immortal sect’s ascension conference."


    Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned, thinking they had misheard.


    Qin Sang had heard of the ascension conference before.


    Not every immortal sect remained insr; some recruited rogue cultivators through various selection processes to bring in fresh blood.


    This was one of the few opportunities for rogue cultivators to join an immortal sect.


    Each sect had its own way of selecting disciples, but collectively, these events were referred to as the ascension conference. In a sense, the Kuiyin Sect’s use of the Divine Artifact Pavilion to issue a jade disk and recruit rogue cultivators could also be considered an ascension conference.


    However, those who passed the ascension conference were either exceptionally powerful or gifted, making the process quite difficult.


    They were already disciples of the Kuiyin Sect, and now Sect Leader Yi was asking them to participate in another sect’s ascension conference. Even someone as na?ve as a fool could sense the strong undercurrents of conspiracy, and fear surged even more.


    With their current level of cultivation, getting entangled in the schemes of a Golden Core master and two immortal sects could easily result in their demise.Moreover, immortal sects despised traitors and spies the most. Once discovered, the punishments were always severe, meant to serve as a deterrent.


    In the world of immortal cultivation, there were countless methods of torture; even wishing for death was a luxury.


    Despite the disciples’ terror and the turmoil in their hearts, Sect Leader Yi continued, "I understand your concerns. The sect will never assign tasks beyond your capabilities. As long as you are cautious, you willplete the task with ease. Of course, it’s too early to discuss this now; you must first pass the ascension conference. To this end, I have prepared a Qi-Gathering Pill for you in advance…"


    Sect Leader Yi produced a jade vial from which emerged a series of azure pills, resembling translucent ss. The vial was uncorked, releasing a fragrant aroma that immediately drew everyone''s attention.


    In the world of Immortal Cultivation, alchemists were rare, and the spiritual herbs required for crafting spiritual pills were even rarer. Powerful pills required not only rare herbs but also specific ages of those herbs.


    Common cultivators often encountered herbs that were either too young or guarded by formidable demonic beasts.


    True immortal and divine herbs grew in perilous and obscure ces, fraught with countless dangers and potentially ancient barriers. Without sufficient strength, even entering these ces was almost a death sentence.


    Elixirs made from mundane herbs, like those for strengthening the body or detoxification, were useful to lower-level cultivators and were the mostmonly encountered by rogue cultivators.


    However, those who could craft such elixirs were considered neophytes in the field of alchemy and were not yet worthy of the title of alchemist.


    The Qi-Gathering Pill was an elixir capable of directly enhancing one’s cultivation, effective even for Foundation Building cultivators, and was truly an immortal pill!


    "There is a saying, ''The emperor does notck hungry soldiers.'' As long as you agree to attend the ascension conference, this Qi-Gathering Pill is yours. Furthermore, if you achieve notable sess, there will be even greater rewards. If you make enough contributions, bing my direct disciple is not out of the question."


    Sect Leader Yi’s words were as tempting as a devil’s whisper.


    "Is there anyone who does not wish to attend the ascension conference? You may speak now."


    "We are all willing to go!"


    Without hesitation, Qin Sang knelt and responded loudly.


    Even if ten Qi-Gathering Pills were ced before him, Qin Sang would still have refused to attend.


    But once Sect Leader Yi had spoken, there was no room for choice. Qin Sang had no desire to know the consequences of refusal.


    Among the seventeen, none were fools.


    Sect Leader Yi was very pleased. With a wave of his hand, the Qi-Gathering Pills flew out of the vial and into the hands of each person.


    "You should take the Qi-Gathering Pills now. Yue Wu and I will act as your protectors."


    Holding the Qi-Gathering Pill, Qin Sang’s gaze wavered. He had seen through his sect and doubted that the pill was without its tricks. However, with a Golden Core master watching, he dared not make any small moves.


    Seeing a few senior brothers and sisters happily swallowing their pills without suspicion, Qin Sang felt a pang of sadness and quickly swallowed his own pill.


    The Qi-Gathering Pill turned into a cool medicinal energy that flowed down his throat into his abdomen, then spread through his meridians, causing his internal spiritual power to surge chaotically, like a turbulent sea.


    Qin Sang hurriedly activated his cultivation technique to stabilize the restless spiritual power. When he assessed his cultivation level, he found it had significantly improved from before.


    After digesting the medicinal energy of the Qi-Gathering Pill, his cultivation level had at least risen to thete sixth stage of the Qi Refining Realm, achieving what would have otherwise required a year of arduous training with just one pill.


    "If I can survive this task, it might turn out to be an opportunity. Perhaps I won’t have to worry about Foundation Building Pills…"


    Just as Qin Sang wasforting himself, he suddenly felt an unusual sensation in his primordial spirit. He quickly used his inner vision and was horrified to see a ck dot on his primordial spirit. Upon closer inspection, it was a worm!


    Specifically, the worm was on the surface of the Jade Buddha’s golden light on his primordial spirit, resembling a wriggling worm with two fangs at its mouth, fiercely gnawing at the golden light.


    Qin Sang was appalled. He was certain that there had been no worm on his primordial spirit before; the only possibility was that the worm hade from the Qi-Gathering Pill.


    Suddenly, he heard a scream and jolted. Opening his eyes, he saw his fellow disciples writhing on the ground, clutching their heads in agony, their faces contorted in pain, their cries of distress making Qin Sang’s hair stand on end.


    <em>This is bad!</em>


    Qin Sang realized with a shock that the worm was causing this suffering by gnawing at their primordial spirits.


    Thanks to the Jade Buddha’s protection, the worm was kept outside his primordial spirit, so he hadn’t felt the pain and seemed out of ce in the hall.


    He sensed Sect Leader Yi and Senior Uncle Yue’s gaze on him.


    In his desperation, Qin Sang made a decisive move, immediately directing his spiritual consciousness into a sharp spear to stab at his own primordial spirit.


    The pain in his primordial spirit was unimaginable, a soul-wrenching agony. At that moment, Qin Sang felt as if he were being torn apart, his face turning ashen. He screamed loudly, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted, copsing to the ground with a thud.


    Seeing this, Sect Leader Yi expressed his displeasure, "How can someone who has broken through to the sixth stage of the Qi Refining Realm at such a young age have such a fragile primordial spirit?"


    Yue Wu was also surprised and after a moment of thought, replied, "Reporting to the master, his name is Qin Sang. I remember he has a five-elemental spiritual root and took a spiritual fruit in his youth to broaden his meridians. Although his cultivation speed is not slow, his talent is somewhatckingpared to others."


    "A five-elemental spiritual root?"


    Sect Leader Yi nced at the unconscious Qin Sang and remarked indifferently, "What a waste of a Qi-Gathering Pill."