The pill bottle Alex took out from his storage ring contained a mid-grade fourth-tier healing pill.
A treasure that could only be refined by at least a high-grade fourth-rank alchemist.
It was extremely precious.
In fact, it was the highest-grade pill in Alex's entire collection.
Yet even a pill of this level couldn't purge the poison spreading through his body.
The Five Serpent Poison.
A toxin so vile it not only corroded flesh and meridians, but also inflicted damage to the soul—a rare and terrifying property.
This was what Alex had been afflicted with.
It wasn't until the poison's effects grew unbearable that he finally recognized it.
The incident had happened just a few days ago, when a secret realm opened near the territory of the Demonic Dragon Sect.
But it wasn't only close to them—other major forces also had their eyes on it.
Alex had been one of the elite chosen to enter and secure resources on behalf of the sect.
But instead of opportunities, he walked into an ambush.
A rival demonic sect, long at odds with theirs, had set a trap—one that targeted him specifically.
When the trap reached its climax, his fellow elders—unwilling to risk injury when treasures were within reach—abandoned him without hesitation.
Left behind, Alex was forced to fight for his life.
The original Alex had somehow survived…
But not unscathed.
'If I survive this, I swear I'll repay this debt in blood.'
Alex clenched his teeth, the thought burning in his mind.
But he didn't let it distract him—there were more urgent things to handle.
"Take this."
He handed the pill bottle to the slave girl—his first disciple, though he hadn't even had the chance to ask her name.
She took it with trembling hands.
The moment she touched it, a panel appeared before Alex's eyes.
[You have obtained a disciple]
[As this is your first, the requirements have been lowered]
[No reward will be given]
Alex blinked, stunned.
He hadn't had the luxury to explore the system fully—not with his injuries.
It had only revealed its core function to him so far.
Everything else was unfamiliar.
Luckily, the notification he'd been waiting for came next.
---
[Your disciple has received: Verdant Soul Restoration Pill.]
[Disciple Cashback System Activated — First-Time Transaction Multiplier: x1000]
[Choose Cashback Type: Quantity or Quality?]
A screen hovered before Alex's eyes.
'Quantity or Quality?'
This function—the power to choose between quantity or quality—was one thing that made the system so terrifyingly valuable.
If he chose quantity, the Verdant Soul Restoration Pill would multiply a thousandfold.
One pill would become a thousand.
Even without the first-time reward, One pill would become a hundred.
That was no small thing.
The Verdant Soul Restoration Pill was already considered an incredibly rare fourth-rank item.
Having a hundred of them would be a significant fortune for any cultivator or force.
But Alex didn't hesitate.
The pill had its limits.
It could rapidly heal internal injuries, stabilize the soul, and bolster vitality—but it couldn't purge the Five Serpent Poison that gnawed at his very soul.
At most, it bought him time.
In truth, he had already consumed one of the two pills he possessed just yesterday.
It kept him alive—barely.
The second, he'd given to his disciple, and that very act triggered the system.
Now, quantity meant nothing. He needed a miracle. Something greater.
Alex chose.
[Cashback Selected: x1000 in Quality.]
[You have received: Empyrean Serpent-Purging Pill (Perfect Grade Sixth-Rank).]
Alex's body trembled.
A sixth-rank pill...!
In this part of the world, such an item wasn't just rare—it was a treasure beyond measure.
Pills, like most crafted items, were divided into nine ranks.
Rank 1 was the lowest, while Rank 9 stood at the peak—at least, as far as he currently knew.
Whether there were ranks beyond that, Alex could not say for certain.
Even the existence of the higher ranks was confirmed only through fragments in ancient texts.
Alchemists themselves were ranked from one to nine, and typically, only an alchemist of the same rank could concoct a pill of that level.
Of course, rare exceptions existed, but the higher the rank, the harder it became to defy that rule.
To produce a sixth-rank pill, one would usually need to be at least a Rank 6 Alchemist—and more importantly, a Soul Transformation cultivator.
And this wasn't just any sixth-rank pill—it was perfect grade.
That likely meant the alchemist was even more powerful. Perhaps a cultivator in the Dao realm… or beyond.
Alex was only at the early stage of Nascent Soul.
Compared to such beings, he was no different from an ant. If one of them wanted his life, he wouldn't even see it coming.
But right now, Alex only felt a rush of excitement.
A perfect-grade sixth-rank pill had landed in his hands.
His breathing grew shallow as he stared at the pill floating in his system space.
Every instinct in him screamed to swallow it on the spot.
But first—
He turned to his first disciple, who still stood frozen, caught between awe and confusion.
With a casual flick of his sleeve, a green token shot toward her.
"Your master will be entering seclusion for a while," he said calmly. "I'm not to be disturbed—no matter who it is. Chase them away. Once I'm out, we'll begin training."
"Y-Yes, Master!" she responded quickly.
Before she could say another word, Alex vanished from sight, leaving behind nothing but a whisper of wind.
The slave disciple stood in stunned silence, eyes wide.
A mixture of admiration and anxiety welled up in her chest.
Her new master was... terrifyingly strong.
She glanced down at the token and nodded to herself.
"I can do this. No one ever comes to this place on weekends anyway… This should be easy."
Unaware of her thoughts, Alex had already arrived inside his secluded cave.
The walls pulsed faintly with defensive inscriptions.
In his hand, the Empyrean Serpent-Purging Pill shimmered with a light that danced like stars.