The Taste of Blood

A top-grade Dust-Clearing Pill was enough to secure another A-rank evaluation.

If it didn’t, well, that wasn’t Qin Ran’s problem.

Four A-ranks would at least put him in a tie for first place.

If even four A-ranks couldn’t clinch the top spot… then that really wasn’t his concern either.

He didn’t pay attention to the rest of the competition, nor did he care about the prizes. None of that mattered to him.

But… in the end, he still found out he had won first place.

Because Pang Xuan was practically losing his mind.

That very night, they boarded the ship back to Demon Island. Standing by the railing, Pang Xuan’s eyes crinkled with laughter, his grin so wide it nearly split his face. He said to Qin Ran:

"Bai Tu tried to refine a sixth-grade pill in the end, but barely managed a mid-grade one, earning him a B-rank. As for Dong Guanhai—now that’s a real heavyweight—he forced a sixth-grade refinement and failed outright. They were both affected by you..."

Yet Qin Ran couldn’t care less. He only asked, "Does your promise to me still stand?"

"Of course it does!" Pang Xuan thumped his chest emphatically. "We’ll handle some business on Demon Island first, and once that’s settled, I’ll take you to the Seven Islands."

Qin Ran let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least Pang Xuan wasn’t the type to discard someone after using them.

Pang Xuan studied Qin Ran curiously. "Why are you so set on going to another domain? What’s wrong with the Heavenly Sea Domain?"

"A man’s ambitions span the world. While I’m young, I want to travel and see more," Qin Ran replied.

"Young?" Pang Xuan raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

If counted from his birth, he was barely seven years old. But he answered, "In my thirties."

"Thir… thirties?!" Pang Xuan’s eyes widened in disbelief. After a pause, he burst into laughter. "At your age, shouldn’t you be chasing after a Holy Maiden to play with? What’s all this talk about ambitions spanning the world?!"

"Holy Maiden?" Qin Ran caught the keyword, tearing his gaze from the dark sea to look at Pang Xuan. "Play with a Holy Maiden…?"

"Hey! Don’t let their lofty status fool you. Sure, they can sway hearts with a glance, seeming untouchable.

"But in truth, Holy Maidens are just mass-produced by the headquarters. Cheap as dirt!"

Pang Xuan chuckled lewdly. "Yet every single one is a peerless beauty, the dream of any man. Tell me, who could resist the allure of a Holy Maiden? Who wouldn’t want one all to themselves?

"And this delightful arrangement? Just a small merit is enough to request one from headquarters."

Qin Ran thought of the black-robed Holy Maiden of Demon Island—those tender, soul-stirring eyes. His heart wavered, hesitation creeping in.

Deep down, he knew this was just another method the "Fate" organization used to control its members.

But then he remembered her, the Cloud Spirit Vein Pill she took, and those clear, autumn-like eyes she had when bidding him farewell before he left for Hailang Island.

"The Holy Maiden of Demon Island…" he asked. "Can I request her?"

"Demon Island’s Holy Maiden?" Pang Xuan stiffened momentarily, his gaze flickering toward the dark sea before he forced a laugh. "I know you’ve interacted with her often, been influenced by her, and can’t forget her.

"But trust me, every Holy Maiden in the organization is a stunning beauty, capable of ensnaring hearts. The others are no less captivating than her. You don’t have to fixate on just one."

Qin Ran noticed Pang Xuan’s unease. A sinking feeling settled in his chest.

He remembered the way the Holy Maiden had said goodbye…

"Ha!" He forced a dry laugh. "Just joking. My ambitions lie beyond mere beauty. How could I be swayed by something so trivial?"

"Ah…" Pang Xuan sighed, clapping Qin Ran’s shoulder. "What a shame."

Qin Ran lowered his head, watching the churning waves beneath the ship.

His heart pounded with unease.

He didn’t know what Pang Xuan meant by "shame."

The voyage from Demon Island to Hailang Island had taken three days, but the return trip only two. Yet to Qin Ran, it felt like an eternity.

With every mile closer to Demon Island, his anxiety grew.

When the coastline finally came into view, he didn’t hesitate—launching himself from the ship without a word, ignoring Pang Xuan’s shouts, and flying straight to the island.

Standing before the heavy stone gate of the "Fate" organization’s Demon Island branch, he caught the unmistakable scent of blood.

But the gate, thick and layered with sealing arrays, blocked all traces of what lay beyond.

He placed his identity token into the groove, let a drop of blood fall, and watched as the gate slowly parted.

Darkness stretched down the corridor. For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw those pure eyes again—her snow-white profile, delicate brows, and upturned lashes as she stood by the shore.

But when the gate fully opened, the dim light revealed nothing. No silhouette, no gaze.

Only the usual cold, lifeless silence, like a tomb.

He stepped forward, his footsteps echoing in the hollow passage. Behind him, the gate groaned shut, its noise deafening in the emptiness.

The corridor felt emptier than ever.

As he walked, he realized the cells lining the walls were vacant—no struggling alchemists, no cries for help, no researchers bent over pill recipes.

When he reached the altar, he froze.

His nose twitched.

"Blood."

The metallic tang hung thick in the air.

Yet no matter where he looked, there was no visible stain. The altar was pristine.

He lifted his gaze, half-expecting to see her dancing figure atop the platform.

After a moment, he turned away, heading deeper into the living quarters until he reached his own door.

He pushed it open.

No one was there.

After a pause, he turned and knocked on the Chief Elder’s door.

The old man answered, smiling weakly. "Back from the competition? How did it go?"

Qin Ran studied him, noting his injuries. "You’re hurt?"

"Ah, a rebellion broke out here a couple of weeks ago. Got a bit banged up suppressing it," the elder replied. "Rebellions happen often—alchemists who can’t produce results but still want to live sometimes resort to force. I’m used to it. They flare up every now and then."

"Rebellion…" Qin Ran’s mind roared. "They wanted to live."

He thought of the Cloud Spirit Vein Pill, how the Holy Maiden’s visits to him for the pill had grown increasingly frequent… and how, once the limit was reached, the user would rapidly age and die.

"…The Holy—" His voice caught. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

He patted the elder’s shoulder. "Rest well. Take care."

With that, he activated his token, teleporting back to the stone gate. He flung it open and flew straight to Yuanlai Teahouse.

Pang Xuan was waiting at the entrance. Qin Ran approached, his voice tight.

"Is the Holy Maiden… still alive?"

"She's been dead for a long time," Pang Xuan said. "This rebellion was started by her. Rebels don't get to live."

Qin Ran was reminded of their farewell by the sea. He had thought it an ordinary parting, never imagining it would be their last—a separation of life and death.

He stood outside Yuanlai Teahouse for a long, long time before finally turning to Pang Xuan and saying, "Let's go. Take me to the Seven Islands."