In the dense forest.

Whoosh!

Situ Yun’s eyes were bloodshot, glowing with a manic crimson light. He frantically burned his own Life Essence to fuel the True Demon Blood-Burning Art, pushing his speed to the absolute limit as he tore through the underbrush.

But despair clawed at his heart. No matter what forbidden techniques he used, he couldn’t shake the pursuers on his tail.

“Demon scum! Stop running!”

“You can’t escape!”

Judging by the wind whistling behind him, the distance between him and the Exquisite Sanctuary disciples wasn’t growing. It was shrinking.

If this continued, he would be captured again within minutes.

“What do I do? Is this where I, Situ Yun, meet my end?”

He could feel his blood essence drying up. His tank was empty. Situ Yun gritted his teeth, a flash of ruthless determination sparking in his eyes.

“No! Even if I die, I won’t let those hypocrites take me alive! I’ll self-destruct my Nascent Soul and take them with me!”

Just as he began to reverse his meridian flow to trigger the explosion, a figure popped out from behind a tree ahead of him, waving frantically.

“Elder! Elder! Over here! I’m here to save you!”

“Who?”

Situ Yun instinctively looked toward the voice. He saw a man pointing to a small, concealed hole beneath a thicket of bushes.

Wisps of heavy, gray energy drifted from the opening—Earthly Fiend Qi. It was a natural vent for a minor underground ley line. The turbulent energy would perfectly mask a cultivator’s aura, making them invisible to spiritual senses.

“Whoever he is, I don’t have a choice!”

Situ Yun didn’t have the luxury of hesitation. He canceled his self-destruct sequence and dove into the hole like a desperate rat.

The moment he landed, the earth above rustled and shifted, sealing the entrance completely.

Darkness enveloped him. Realizing the stranger was actually helping, Situ Yun let out a long, shuddering breath. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the damp dirt, his face pale as a sheet.

He had forcibly broken his seal, burned his blood, and sprinted for miles. He was a crossbow at the end of its tension—completely spent. A Qi Refining novice could probably kill him right now.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Before he could even regulate his breathing, heavy footsteps landed on the ground directly above his head.

A clear, sharp female voice penetrated the soil:

“Hey, you! Little brother, did you see a man in black robes fly past here?”

Situ Yun stopped breathing. His heart hammered against his ribs like a war drum, and he trembled uncontrollably.

Then, a warm, honest-sounding male voice replied from outside:

“I did! That guy was flying super fast—he went south! If you hurry, you might still catch him!”

The female voice rang out again:

“Thanks for the tip! Sisters, south!”

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of breaking wind faded into the distance. The Exquisite Sanctuary disciples had bought the lie.

Sensing the formidable auras vanishing, Situ Yun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He tried to stand, but his knees were jelly.

He was in a sorry state. His storage ring had been confiscated upon capture, so he had no healing pills. If he didn’t return to the Sect soon to stabilize his injuries, his cultivation base would permanently drop, damaging his Dao Foundation forever.

Crrrk.

The soil covering the entrance cracked open. A tall, upright young man crawled in, dusting off his hands.

Situ Yun squinted in the dim light.

“You… you’re a laborer from the mine?”

Situ Yun’s heart skipped a beat.

Shit.

As the Steward Elder, he knew exactly how he treated his workforce. They were cattle. Slaves. He worked them to death without a second thought. There wasn’t a single laborer in that mine who didn’t want to peel his skin off.

He had just escaped the tiger’s mouth only to fall into the wolf’s den.

Why would a slave save me?

Does he want the pleasure of killing me himself?

Panic flared in Situ Yun’s chest.

Normally, a Foundation Building ant like this wouldn’t be worth a glance. He could kill a hundred of them with a sneeze. But right now? He was powerless. If this kid wanted revenge, Situ Yun couldn’t even lift a finger to stop him.

An awkward silence stretched between them in the dark hole.

Situ Yun swallowed hard, forcing a stiff smile onto his face. He decided to try the diplomatic approach. As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face.

“Fellow Daoist… thank you for saving my life. I, Situ Yun, am immensely grateful. If you help me return to the sect, I will reward you heavily!”

He watched the laborer carefully, ready to beg if necessary.

Qi Yuan, of course, saw right through the villain’s fear. He put on his best ‘simple, loyal idiot’ face, smiled broadly, and cupped his hands.

“Elder, you are too polite! I am Qi Da, a humble Rogue Cultivator. I have always admired the illustrious reputation of the Saint Sect! My dream is to serve the Sect, but I never had a way in.”

“Half a month ago, I was lucky enough to be ‘recruited’ by a Saint Sect disciple and brought to the mine.”

“Today, seeing you being chased by those hypocritical righteous dogs, I couldn’t stand by and watch!”

This kid… is a Saint Sect fanboy?

Situ Yun blinked, stunned. Then, a wave of relief washed over him.

“You… you mean you aren’t angry about being a laborer?”

“Angry?” Qi Yuan looked offended. “Elder, how could I be angry? Working for the Saint Sect is my honor! To me, mining isn’t labor—it’s contributing bricks and tiles to the Sect’s glorious future! I am full of motivation every day!”

“In fact, I’ve been working extra hard lately. I mine twenty jin of Crimson Gold Ore every single day, just hoping that someone like you would notice my dedication and let me join the Sect!”

Situ Yun’s jaw dropped.

“Wait… the guy who mines twenty jin a day? That’s you?”

Situ Yun remembered the report. A few days ago, a supervisor had mentioned a freak of nature who mined ore like a machine. Situ Yun had laughed and called him a “natural-born mining mule,” praising the purchase as a steal at 500 spirit stones.

It was true. The details matched perfectly.

This kid really was a fanatic!

Situ Yun looked at Qi Yuan with new eyes. This wasn’t just a savior; this was a brainwashed loyalist. A useful tool.

“Good! Very good!” Situ Yun’s smile became genuine—or at least, as genuine as a demon could manage. “Little brother, your loyalty is rare. Truly rare.”

“Those righteous hypocrites love to brainwash people. In this cultivation world, finding someone who truly understands the Saint Sect’s philosophy is harder than finding a phoenix feather.”

Situ Yun patted Qi Yuan’s shoulder (feebly).

“Don’t worry. Once we return to the Sect, this Elder will personally vouch for you. I will ensure you get an official disciple status. A talent like you shouldn’t be left to rot in a mine!”

Qi Yuan’s face lit up with an expression of ecstatic, overwhelming joy. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling with “gratitude.”

“Thank you, Elder! Thank you for your nurturing kindness! I, Qi Da, will follow you to the death!”

Internally, however, Qi Yuan let out a long sigh of relief.

Finally. The setup is complete. Hook, line, and sinker.