Journey of true Cultivation

Betrayal.

A person you once trusted turning their back on you.

A knife in the back, whether metaphorically or literally.

That is the meaning of betrayal.

Basilisk had been betrayed countless times, just as he himself had betrayed others just as often.

A normal, sad reality in the world of cultivation.

Why do people betray?

There are countless reasons.

Survival.

When faced with certain death, one may sacrifice another to escape,using them as bait to ensure their own survival.

Benefits.

As long as you are useful, people will smile at you, laugh with you, and act as your closest allies.But the moment you lose your value, they will betray you without hesitation,or worse, kill you to silence you.

These two reasons were the core of all betrayals.

And for Basilisk, they were the reasons both he and others had betrayed countless times.

An endless cycle of survival and self-interest.

Although Yuan already understood this cruel reality, experiencing it firsthand once again was still heartbreaking.

This was the second time in his life that he had witnessed betrayal with his own eyes.

The Azure Ghost, Basilisk, had betrayed him for survival.

It was a twisted but logical act.

He had schemed to escape, desperate to free himself from his prison.

That, at least, was reasonable.

But this betrayal,the one by Elder Viktor and his granddaughter,was not.

They had not betrayed him out of fear.

They had not betrayed him to escape.

No, certainly not.

Because when Yuan looked into Elder Viktor's eyes, he saw no panic, no fear, no desperation.

The elder was calm. Collected.

That fact alone told him everything.

Now that the food was poisoned, Yuan could only guess what kind of poison it was.

With Basilisk's knowledge, he quickly identified it.

A poison used not to kill, but to enslave.

The Colorless Mind Demon Binding Poison.

A subtle yet terrifying toxin, one that infuses a person's mind and qi with the essence of another, forging an unbreakable bond between master and servant.

A poison not meant to end a life,but to take control of it completely.

The Colorless Mind Demon Binding Poison was infamous for its effectiveness and utility.

Many evil cultivators used this poison to enslave others, binding them in absolute servitude.

However, it had one major weakness,it was only effective on cultivators below the Marrow Essence Stage.

Any cultivator who had surpassed this level would be immune to its effects.

Even though higher grade versions of this poison existed, they were still useless against high-ranking cultivators, let alone someone at the Soul Fusion Stage like Basilisk.

To bind a being of such power was simply impossible.

Despite its fearsome reputation, the Colorless Mind Demon Binding Poison was not without cures.

Some famous alchemists and Divine Doctors had discovered various methods to counteract its effects.

Among them, theire were well known methods

Killing the Master

The simplest method is Kill the person who administered the poison.However, due to the nature of the poison, the afflicted cannot go against their master's will, making this option nearly impossible.

Purification Herbs

Certain rare herbs were capable of cleansing the spirit of impurities.As a side effect, they could also eliminate all poisons from the body.However, such herbs were extremely rare and prohibitively expensive, making them unattainable for low and mid rank cultivators.

The Flame Poison Cleansing Demonic Beast Technique

Among the nine known cures, this was the most suitable for Yuan's current situation.A technique designed for cultivators with flame-based abilities, allowing them to burn away poison from within.This method was perfect for Yuan, as he possessed the Azure Basilisk Flame.

With the solution already determined, Yuan's initial concern faded.

Now, he could think clearly,with cold, indifferent rationality.

The poison was no longer a threat.

Now, it was time to focus on the true problem.

Without any hesitation, Yuan ate the food served by Elder Viktor, his expression calm and unbothered.

He even praised the meal, saying

"Today's food is excellent. I wouldn't mind eating this again sometime."

Hearing this, Elder Viktor chuckled, seemingly amused by the compliment.

Slowly, the Colorless Mind Demon Binding Poison began to activate within his spirit.

A formless qi started to materialize, coiling around his still-mortal spirit like an invisible serpent.

Then, the formless qi began to take shape, transforming into white chains that started binding his very soul.

He could feel the connection forming, an invisible link between him and his captor.

It was happening.

Barely ten minutes after they finished eating, Yuan's body felt heavier.

It was as if the very gravity around him had increased, pressing down on him with unbearable force.

His limbs grew weak.

His breath became ragged.

His vision blurred as he collapsed onto the ground, powerless to move.

His body was failing him.

His breathing turned rough,heavy pants escaping his lips.

As he lay helpless, he heard footsteps approaching.

Even without seeing them, he already knew who it was.

The Scheming Elder, Viktor.

And the spoiled brat, Emilia.

His gaze slowly lifted, and he forced himself to look at their faces.

Elder Viktor's cold, indifferent eyes stared down at him, void of emotion or hesitation.

Then, his eyes shifted to Emilia.

Her gaze wasn't indifferent like her grandfather's.

No,her expression was different.

There was hesitation in her eyes.

A look of unease, dissatisfaction.

As if she didn't truly want this to happen.

But Yuan could no longer focus on the expressions of the elder and the girl.

The pain was too much.

With a hoarse, pleading voice, he forced out the words:

"Elder… please… it hurts… this pain is unbearable… Please… help me!"

His voice was ugly, broken, filled with desperate cries and sobs.

A pathetic display.

But the elder did nothing.

He didn't answer.

He didn't react.

He only stood there, coldly watching Yuan's suffering.

Unlike the elder, Emilia's expression wavered.

There was hesitation in her eyes,a flicker of humanity.

She turned to her grandfather, speaking with a hint of frustration:

"Grandfather, why don't we just speed up the process? Why make him suffer unnecessarily?We already have him under control.I can feel it.His spirit… the spiritual connection… the poison has already taken hold."

Elder Viktor shook his head.

"That isn't possible."

His voice was calm, measured,completely indifferent.

"If we stop now, he may start thinking he has a chance to resist.A chance to escape.Or worse,a chance to betray you later.But if we let him experience true suffering, if we carve it deep into his soul… he will learn.He will understand that disobedience brings only pain. So much pain that he would rather choose death than defiance.That is how you ensure absolute control."

Oh, how true those words were.

Even Yuan had to admit it.

Had their positions been reversed, he would have done the same.

But that didn't mean he could forgive it.

The pain was real.

Excruciating.

And even though he knew of the cure, even though he understood that he would survive this…

That didn't make it hurt any less.

Neither Yuan nor Basilisk were people who enjoyed pain.

And right now, there was nothing he could do except endure it.

Emilia looked down at Yuan's agonized face.

She saw his pain, his pleas, his suffering.

For a moment, she hesitated again.

But then, she let out a sigh and nodded.

Elder Viktor, seeing her acceptance, gave a satisfied nod in return.

"Good. You are learning."

And so, the torture continued.

Yuan endured.

And endured.

And endured.

He had lost count of how many times he cursed the elder and the girl, swearing that he would one day repay them with the most excruciating torments he knew.

Even his rationality began to slip, the overwhelming pain threatening to consume his mind.

But he clung to his will.

He refused to break.

Elder Viktor watched carefully.

He was experienced in such matters.

And he knew that if they went too far, Yuan would lose his sanity,or worse, become permanently disabled.

That was not their goal.

This poison was expensive, and its purpose was to subjugate, not destroy.

So, when the time was right, he finally called an end to it.

The pain finally ended.

Yuan felt true relief as the hellish torture came to a stop.

With the agony gone, he simply lay on the grass, gasping for breath, his body drenched in sweat.

His lungs burned, his heart pounded, and for once, he wasn't playing the role of an exhausted boy.

He was exhausted.

This time, he wasn't acting.

But who allowed him to relax?

The elder's cold voice shattered the momentary peace

"Brat, from today onward, you are Emilia's servant.If you disobey her, you will experience the same pain again.And again.And again.Just as you did today.And don't even think about escaping.The poison I used on you allows me to track your location, no matter where you go,now or in the future.So be a good servant and serve Emilia with everything you have."

More pain?

For a brief moment, true fear gripped Yuan's heart.

But then, he simply nodded.

He didn't protest.

He didn't resist.

He only continued gasping for breath, focusing on recovering.

Seeing Yuan's obedient nod, the elder smirked in satisfaction.

"Good. You know your place, brat.Tomorrow, we enter the capital and head to the Howling Wind branch Sect.You will join Emilia as an outer disciple.So rest now and prepare to be a good servant."

With that, the scheming elder turned away, heading toward his tent.

Emilia followed behind him but, before leaving, she stole one last glance at Yuan.

Then, without a word, she turned away and disappeared into the night.

For half an hour, Yuan simply lay there, staring at the starry sky.

The endless stars shimmered above him, their light soft yet powerful.

He smiled.

The stars looked beautiful tonight.

And as he gazed upon them, his eyes flickered a deep, glowing azure light illuminating his irises.

Then, with calm precision, he began.

Yuan activated the Flame Poison Cleansing Demonic Beast Technique.

A rare anti poison technique specifically designed by demonic beasts.

Though not widely known, it was not unheard of among high ranking sects and clans of demonic beast.

It was even used by some demonic beast cultivators as a method to develop their own beast flames.

Not the best method, but still superior to many others.

As Yuan channeled his technique, the Azure Basilisk Flames surged within him, adapting to the purification process.

Following the technique's instructions, he purified his body and spirit, allowing the flames to refine him completely.

And once his body and spirit were cleansed…

The white chain qi would weaken.

And then, with just a bit more effort…

He would break free from Emilia's control.