The blade drew blood. A sharp pain shot through Gu Qingyan’s neck as blood soaked into his collar.

“You can’t kill me. If you do, you won’t have the full forty-nine people you need.”

He quickly raised his hands, putting on a fearful, obedient look. “Master, I was wrong. I was just too scared. Please spare me!”

The Left Protector narrowed his eyes. “Such a smooth talker—clearly hiding evil intent.”

Gu Qingyan began to cry. “I’m going to die anyway. Being a human sacrifice won’t end well either. Dying now or later makes no difference.”

“Then go ahead and kill me. Better to die quickly than be used as a sacrifice.”

As he spoke, he leaned his neck forward, as if ready to die heroically.

Suddenly, the Left Protector sheathed his blade and pinched Gu Qingyan’s face. “You can’t be one of the mountain bandits.”

Gu Qingyan tried to speak, but his chin was clutched too tightly—he could only let out muffled whimpers.

The Left Protector seemed to read his thoughts and sneered coldly. “Whether you are or not doesn’t matter. Obey, and you’ll at least die quickly.”

With that, he shoved Gu Qingyan roughly back into the crowd.

“Keep a close eye on him. If anything else happens, it’s on you.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gu Qingyan nearly fell flat on his face. Thankfully, the crybaby caught him just in time.

Even after being released, the icy touch on his chin lingered—like venomous snake slime. Gu Qingyan instinctively wiped his chin twice before feeling a little better.

“You’re really gutsy. What if he actually killed you?” Lu Yanchi whispered.

Gu Qingyan shrugged. “I just wanted to see what was really on that altar.”

“So what’s on the altar?” Lu Yanchi asked, full of curiosity.

Gu Qingyan rolled his eyes. “Nothing. Just an empty platform. Are these people crazy or what?”

“Crazy or not, we’re definitely going to die,” Lu Yanchi said as he started crying again. He whispered, “Brother, when exactly are the people coming to save us?”

“Soon.”

Gu Qingyan sat down on the ground, leaning against Lu Yanchi. “I’m going to rest for a bit.”

Lu Yanchi didn’t know whether to push him away or hold him. Then he looked down—Gu Qingyan had actually fallen asleep.

He stared in disbelief. This guy has nerves of steel! We’re about to get our heads chopped off, and he can still fall asleep?

Could it be that reinforcements really were on the way?

—

Up on the altar, the Left Protector was conducting the final inspection.

“Be careful. We can’t afford a single mistake this time.”

“Yes, sir.”

If Gu Qingyan could see what was happening on the platform, he’d be cursing them as a bunch of evil cultists. They were drawing eerie symbols using blood-red liquid.

The Left Protector stood coldly, eyes scanning the sacrifices below.

Soon, his gaze fell on Gu Qingyan.

About to die, and he’s sleeping? Something’s not right about this boy.

But the Left Protector quickly sneered. So what if he’s odd? The formation is already in place. No one can break in from the outside.

Once the ritual was complete and the jade seal of Prince Huai was in their hands, they would leave immediately. Any rescuers who arrived would only find the scapegoat mountain bandits.

—

Gu Qingyan ignored everything outside—his attention was on the system reward.

Ten points. The highest he’d ever received. But the skill was… weird.

---

[Host: Gu Qingyan]
[Age: 15]
[Points: 60]
[Occupation: Child Acolyte (Basic education complete)]
[Skills: Basic Medical Knowledge – 70%]
[Skill: Prince Huai Possession]

---

Gu Qingyan immediately clicked for more info.

---

[Prince Huai Possession]: This skill allows the host to invoke spiritual possession, using the abilities of the chosen entity. The entity must be someone the host has encountered—human, god, ghost, or monster.
Cost: 100 points
Duration: One incense stick (~15 mins)
Stacking more points extends the duration.
Cooldown: 3 days.

---

Gu Qingyan’s jaw dropped. What the heck? Am I a spirit medium now?

Wait—wasn’t this supposed to be a world about the imperial exam system? Since when did gods and ghosts get involved? What about Ox-Head and Horse-Face from the underworld?

Could I summon them to drag these cultists straight to hell?

---

[Ox-Head and Horse-Face are not from this dimension. This skill cannot be used on them.]

---

Tch!

Gu Qingyan nearly coughed up blood. Nothing works! Might as well give me a Gatling gun instead.

He took a deep breath. 100 points for just one incense stick’s worth of time—this skill burned through points fast.

Looking at his measly 60 points, Gu Qingyan felt like crying. Am I really going to die here today?

Unwilling to give in, he opened his medical skill and started studying, racing to earn points.

Faced with life and death, Gu Qingyan exploded with learning power.

---

[Skill: Basic Medical Knowledge – 80%]
Current Points: 70

[Skill: Basic Medical Knowledge – 90%]
Current Points: 80

---

Come on, you blockhead, study harder! I need 100 points to summon someone and fight my way out!

The pressure was immense. Gu Qingyan’s entire body trembled with tension.

Lu Yanchi felt him shaking and thought he was just scared. He cried as he tried to comfort him, “Don’t be afraid. If we die, at least we’ll be together on the road to the afterlife.”

—

“The time has come,” the Left Protector announced.

A group of cultists immediately started pushing the white-clad boys and girls toward the altar.

“Move!” Anyone who hesitated was dragged by force and pressed into place.

Each human sacrifice had a designated position. The blood-red symbols terrified them all, making them tremble like frightened quail.

Lu Yanchi cried even harder, but still held onto Gu Qingyan, struggling to carry his limp body up the steps.

“Brother, wake up! This is no time to sleep! Wake up! When are your reinforcements coming? If they don’t show up soon, we’re really going to die!”

However, Gu Qingyan remained unconscious.

Lu Yanchi had already lost all hope. He suspected Gu’s claim about reinforcements had just been to comfort himself, and he cried even harder.

“What are you two doing? Separate now and stand in your assigned positions!”

Lu Yanchi sobbed, “He’s already been beaten to death by you people. How could he possibly walk on his own? Wuwuwu… This is too cruel. I’m about to die, and I still have to follow orders? I’m done! You might as well kill me with one strike!”

As he spoke, he collapsed to the ground, clutching Gu Qingyan and bawling his eyes out.

The Left Enforcer’s face turned icy. “You want to die? I’ll grant your wish.”

With a flick of his blade, the tip stopped right in front of Lu Yanchi’s face, drawing a thin line of blood across his cheek.

Lu Yanchi screamed in fear, “Don’t kill me!”

The Left Enforcer gave a signal. A guard came over, yanked him up, and forced him back into position.

“Enforcer, this one really did faint.” One of them patted Gu Qingyan’s face, but he showed no reaction.

The Left Enforcer frowned. “As long as he’s alive, he’s still usable. Move him over.”

Two guards—one lifting his head, the other his legs—carried Gu Qingyan over to his designated spot.

Seeing this, the other struggling boys and girls stopped in their tracks. They realized that unless they were dead, they’d be dragged over whether conscious or not.

[Skill: Basic Medical Technique 99%]
Current Points: 89

Gu Qingyan was deep in his studies. Who would’ve thought he’d get stuck at 99%, unable to break through?

What was he lacking in his medical knowledge? He had memorized everything, from herbs to pulse diagnostics. It was all in his mind—only the practical part was missing.

Practical application? That’s it—practice!

Basic medical technique was entry-level, just the foundation for becoming a doctor. Mere memorization wasn’t enough—he needed to practice.

He was only one step away: actual practice.

Gu Qingyan’s eyes snapped open.

“You’re finally awake—wuwuwu—we’re really going to die!” Lu Yanchi clutched his face, weeping uncontrollably.

Gu Qingyan had no time to comfort him. “Give me your hand. I’ll treat you.”

Lu Yanchi was dumbfounded. “I’m about to die—why bother treating a little cut? Don’t waste your energy.”

He wanted to ask where the reinforcements were, but the place was crawling with guards. He didn’t dare speak out, fearing it would blow their cover.

“Stop talking nonsense! Give me your hand!”

Gu Qingyan strode over and grabbed his hand. “The pulse is taut and sunken but slippery—this is disorderly qi caused by fright, with phlegm rising upwards. The prescription should include xuan, zhe, zhi, lian, snow broth, neem, shell, gold foil, bamboo sap, and radish juice. Two doses will stop the episode, and he’ll be healed in ten days.¹”

“The rest are just superficial injuries—they’re treatable.”

Lu Yanchi bawled louder. “It’s over, it’s over—you’ve gone crazy from fear! We’re really dead this time!”

“What are you doing? Let go and return to your positions!” a guard noticed something unusual.

Gu Qingyan quickly walked back, looking perfectly obedient.

The Left Enforcer frowned. He felt something was off and signaled a guard to stand right next to Gu Qingyan.

“No funny business,” he warned.

Gu Qingyan didn’t even lift his head.

Just now, he had heard a system notification:

Congratulations to the host for understanding the principle of learning through application. Medical skill has advanced.
Skill: Intermediate Medical Technique 0%
Skill breakthrough reward: 10 points
Current Points: 100

Gu Qingyan smiled slightly—he finally had enough points.

Everyone had been locked into place. The Left Enforcer did one final inspection and nodded. “Begin.”

“Wait!”

Gu Qingyan raised his chin. “I object.”

Before he finished speaking, the guard beside him drew his sword and held it to his throat.

The Left Enforcer didn’t even take him seriously. He made a gesture.

Dong—

Dong dong—

Dong dong dong—

A frantic drumming sound rang out, echoing through the cave with a sinister, dreadful presence.

Gu Qingyan tried to speak again, but his heart clenched.

At some point, the guards had left the sacrificial altar. No one was physically restraining the human sacrifices anymore.

But Gu Qingyan couldn’t move at all—the blood-red pattern beneath his feet had come to life, like vines binding them in place.

The Left Enforcer stood below the platform, staring coldly at those atop it—as if looking at a group of corpses.

Damn it, how does this work?!

Gu Qingyan looked around. The boys and girls were all terrified, trying to struggle and escape, but their bodies were bound tight—leaving only distorted, desperate screams.

“Dad, Mom, Jade Emperor, Guanyin Bodhisattva—anyone, please save me! I don’t want to die!” Lu Yanchi cried the loudest.

Gu Qingyan felt a surge of energy rise from the altar, like chains from hell. It gripped his entire body, cold to the bone, draining all warmth from him.

The Tomb of Prince Huai—it’s too evil!

No—this must be a hallucination.

Yes, there’s no such thing as ghosts or gods. It must be some kind of magnetic field or drug-induced illusion!

Believe in science. Believe in Marx and Lenin. Believe that the proletariat can overcome everything.

A surge of righteous anger welled up in Gu Qingyan’s heart. Damn this cult! How dare they treat so many people like livestock for sacrifice!

In the system’s inventory, a jade seal trembled slightly.

His feet suddenly loosened.

It worked. The proletariat fears no gods or ghosts!

Gu Qingyan rolled once and shot out from his designated position, slamming headfirst into Lu Yanchi.

The latter let out a miserable scream and rolled out of the ritual pattern, dragging three or four other boys out with him.

With this disruption, the other boys and girls seemed to have been freed from their restraints, regaining their ability to move.

“How is this possible!”

The Left Guardian was utterly shocked, his gaze fixed intently on Gu Qingyan. “Seize him! Knock him out and throw him back!”

But the guards on either side didn’t dare to step onto the platform recklessly—they feared for their lives.

Gu Qingyan stood tall and shouted, “Reinforcements are on the way! Every follower of the evil cult deserves death! Your ghostly tricks won’t succeed!”

The cave fell silent.

A cold voice rang out from the Left Guardian. “Who are you, to break free from the sacrificial ritual?”

“I’m your grandpa.”

Gu Qingyan taunted, “Don’t be afraid! Follow me, let’s fight our way out!”

But when he looked back—good grief—all the boys and girls were cowering together like a bunch of quail in a chicken coop.

“Very well. You’ve caught my attention.”

The Left Guardian suddenly smiled—a chilling, bone-deep smile. He stepped onto the altar one foot at a time.

With no help from the “quail,” Gu Qingyan swiftly activated a skill.

[Possession Request: Lord Huai! Activate!]

Who to request? A flood of faces flashed through his mind.

[Request: Lü Bu.]
[Request: Superman.]
[Request: Jade Emperor.]
[Request: God of War.]
[Request: Champion Warrior.]

[Request Failed. Please choose a valid target.]

It had to be someone he had encountered before, and strong in combat. A figure flashed into Gu Qingyan’s mind.

He selected: [Pei Xuan, come help me!]

[Possession successful. Countdown begins!]

A surge of energy coursed through Gu Qingyan. It worked! First priority—kill the enemy leader. A dagger slipped from his palm and he lunged toward the Left Guardian.

Clang!

Blocked!

The Left Guardian reacted swiftly, dodging the fatal strike in an instant.

Gu Qingyan pursued without hesitation, praying Pei Xuan’s strength would help him slay the cult leader on the spot.

Shock filled the Left Guardian’s eyes. He had restrained many youths before—this boy’s posture, demeanor, and those delicate, fair hands didn’t belong to a martial arts expert.

Yet now, every strike from Gu Qingyan was lethal, forcing him to retreat again and again. He had to muster his full strength just to defend himself.

Dagger clashed against saber midair with a sharp clang.

The Left Guardian twisted his body, blood dripping from his neck.

One step closer, and he would have died under that dagger.

This fighting style… damn, it looked familiar.

“You evil cult lunatics, my reinforcements are right outside! They’ll storm the mountain any minute. Surrender while you still can!”

“Sacrificing humans? It’s all fake! No matter how many die, you’ll never achieve your goal!”

“Lord Huai’s been dead for over a thousand years—no human offering will open his tomb. Keep dreaming!”

Gu Qingyan shouted insults while attacking nonstop. He had no choice—he only had fifteen minutes.

When time ran out and Pei Xuan’s possession ended, he’d be finished.

The Left Guardian’s gaze darkened. “How do you know this is Lord Huai’s tomb?”

“Pah! You can know but I can’t?”

Gu Qingyan sneered. “Here’s the truth—the imperial court has long prepared for your cult’s treachery. Thousands of troops are surrounding this place. None of you are getting out.”

He turned and shouted at Lu Yanchi and the others. “What are you waiting for? Fight! If you want to live, fight your way out!”

Lu Yanchi finally snapped out of it. With a furious roar, he charged forward—only to be kicked aside by a guard.

Fortunately, the rest of the boys and girls also realized: if they didn’t run or fight now, they were dead for sure. They yelled and rushed forward.

The ritual wasn’t complete yet, so the guards dared not kill directly. That hesitation gave the youths a chance, and soon the fight became a deadlock.

Gu Qingyan focused entirely on battling the Left Guardian.

“Who the hell are you?” the Left Guardian demanded again.

Gu Qingyan barked coldly, “Ask the King of Hell when you see him.”

The Left Guardian let out a chilling smile.

A heavy pressure filled the air, like Mount Tai descending on them. Gu Qingyan’s pupils contracted, his muscles tensed. Only the ongoing possession kept him from collapsing or surrendering.

But the rest of the youths suffered terribly, their legs giving out as they collapsed to their knees.

Lu Yanchi trembled and wailed, “Black magic! He’s using black magic!”

“Bullshit black magic! These cultists are brainwashers—they’re using ghostly tricks!”

Gu Qingyan cursed loudly, but he too could feel the invisible pressure—like a shadow always ready to leap and tear him apart.

It was all psychological. Don’t fear it. Fear means defeat.

Gu Qingyan kept brainwashing himself, and sure enough, his body began to relax. Confidence surged within him.

“Die!”

The Left Guardian suddenly looked up. He didn’t block—his eyes were filled with mockery as a cold wind blew in.

“At night I sleep surrounded by a thousand swords,
In the morning I feast on minced human liver.”

A ghostly wail echoed—fiends, demons, spirits howling in agony.

Searing anguish from another world blanketed the cave in hopeless despair.

Even the cult’s own guards collapsed, clutching their heads and writhing in pain. Blood trickled from their mouths and noses.

Time in the cave seemed to freeze.

The Left Guardian’s eyes turned blood-red, exuding an abyssal chill.

Shhk—

The dagger pierced the Left Guardian’s right shoulder.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Gu Qingyan wasn’t about to waste such a golden opportunity. He had no idea why the guy had stopped mid-fight to recite poetry, but hey—perfect timing for a stab.

The dagger went clean through, rendering the Left Guardian’s right arm useless.

Next target—the carotid artery.

“Left Guardian!” The guards rushed in.

Gu Qingyan was blocked—and worse, his skill time was up!

Rolling to the side, he tumbled to a distant spot and stared intently at the Left Protector, meeting those cold, piercing eyes.

His skill was deactivated, and Pei Xuan vanished. Gu Qingyan felt his whole body aching, as if he’d been run over by a cart several times.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay upright, not daring to show the slightest weakness.

If the enemy struck now, he’d lose his head.

Luckily, Gu Qingyan’s luck was never that bad.

Noise erupted outside the cave.

The first to shout was Lu Yanchi: “Reinforcements are here! Our reinforcements are here!”

“Sir, the soldiers have arrived! And the mountain bandits—they’ve turned against them!” someone rushed in to report, bloodstains on his body.

“Retreat!” The Left Protector’s expression turned extremely grim.

He turned back to look at Gu Qingyan.

Gu Qingyan vaguely saw a smile appear on his face. “I’ll come looking for you,” he said.

Chilled to the bone, Gu Qingyan quickly raised his right hand—his sleeve arrow shot out, aiming directly at the Left Protector’s face.

The Left Protector grabbed someone nearby as a shield and swiftly fled.

“Young Master Gu, we’ve come to rescue you!” Magistrate Hong burst in with his men.

Gu Qingyan shouted, “Catch him! He’s the Left Protector of the cult!”

Magistrate Hong immediately raised his bow, but that group disappeared too quickly.

“Sir, there’s a tunnel here!”

“After them—quickly!”

Gu Qingyan’s legs gave out. He collapsed to the ground, unable to hold on any longer.

The skill of channeling Prince Huai’s spirit was powerful—but its side effects were just as intense. He and Pei Xuan had vastly different physical conditions.

If he wanted to use this skill again, he’d have to train his body first. Otherwise, once the skill time ended, he’d be completely at the mercy of others.

“Young Master, are you alright?” Cao Baozhu rushed over, deeply worried by his disheveled appearance.

Gu Qingyan shook his head with effort. “Just drained… Miss Cao, I couldn’t find your father and brother.”

Cao Baozhu seemed to understand something, her eyes reddening, but she only said, “Magistrate Hong will catch those villains.”

After entering the stronghold, Magistrate Hong had interrogated some of the captured mountain bandits and learned a few truths.

Cao Baozhu had already mentally prepared for the worst.

Suppressing her anxiety, she helped Gu Qingyan to his feet and led him away from the altar.

“Hey, bro, I really didn’t expect you to be so incredible—you were slaughtering left and right like a beast! No wonder you dared to come in alone,” Lu Yanchi pushed through, full of admiration.

Gu Qingyan waved it off. “It was nothing.”

Still, he was secretly very pleased with his performance. What a pity this world didn’t have video cameras—if it did, he’d definitely have recorded it for posterity.

Pei Xuan looked cool when he fought—so Gu Qingyan must’ve looked even cooler. He was sure of it.

“No, you’re amazing! Like a god of war reborn—you’re my idol now!” Lu Yanchi said dramatically.

“When that Left Protector used his demonic powers, we were all in pain, splitting headaches. Only you could still fight. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!”

“Bro, when we get out of here, can you teach me? I wanna learn too!”

Gu Qingyan really wanted to chat with this new fan, but his body just wasn’t up for it—he could barely speak.

Cao Baozhu pushed Lu Yanchi aside. “Young Master Gu is exhausted. Shut up and let him rest.”

Then she added, “If you’ve got energy, go check on the others. Wake up the uninjured ones, and help the wounded off to the side.”

Lu Yanchi glanced at her, then obediently did as he was told and went to help the others.

Suddenly, he let out a cry: “He’s dead! This one’s dead!”

Gu Qingyan’s heart skipped a beat. “Miss Cao, help me over to take a look.”

“But your body…” Cao Baozhu was worried. Gu Qingyan’s face was pale as a sheet, his lips ghostly white—it was truly concerning.

“I’m fine,” Gu Qingyan insisted. He knew he was just physically drained. A bit of rest and he’d recover—but right now, he couldn’t move his limbs.

Cao Baozhu had no choice but to support him as they walked over.

Lying on the ground was a boy in white, no older than fifteen.

He must’ve been a handsome youth in life, but now blood trickled from all seven orifices, his eyes wide with rage.

He’d already been rescued—yet had ended up a corpse. It was truly heartbreaking.

Gu Qingyan reached out. No breath. No pulse. No heartbeat. The body was still warm.

“He looks like he was scared to death,” Cao Baozhu said hesitantly.

Gu Qingyan furrowed his brow.

At that moment, the constables tending to the hostages started shouting:

“Another one dead over here!”

“I’ve got two here!”

Counting them up—out of the forty-nine people captured for the sacrifice, nearly half had died!

Even two of the cult’s guards had bled from their orifices and died.

Gu Qingyan suddenly sensed something was wrong. Even if some people were timid, there was no way that many people could have been scared to death at the same time.

“It’s sorcery! It has to be sorcery! That Left Protector really used some kind of dark magic!”

Lu Yanchi burst into tears again, sniffling and sobbing. “I saw it with my own eyes! He killed someone with just a look—really! He’s not human, he’s a monster!”

Gu Qingyan sighed helplessly. “What monster, what sorcery? They must’ve been drugged beforehand.”

“Those cult lunatics love using poison to control their followers. After you were captured, you ate and drank in the stronghold—there was no way to guard against it.”

“Those who’ve been held for a long time were more heavily poisoned, so they died once the effects took hold. The ones captured more recently were affected less.”

As for him, he had just arrived and hadn’t eaten anything from the cult’s stronghold, so he hadn’t been poisoned at all—which explained why he was completely unaffected earlier.

That made sense.

Lu Yanchi calmed down a bit and sniffled, asking, “So there really wasn’t any dark magic?”

“Look at them—bleeding from the seven orifices. That’s clearly poison.” Gu Qingyan spoke with certainty.

Lu Yanchi nodded, then started crying again. “Then I must be poisoned too… wuwuwu… I’m gonna die!”

“Come here, let me take a look.” Gu Qingyan beckoned.

Lu Yanchi rushed over and extended his arm.

Gu Qingyan carefully checked his pulse, frowning as he examined it.

Lu Yanchi’s voice trembled. “Big bro, am I too far gone to be saved? Am I dying? Just tell me straight—how long do I have left? Can I make it home to see my parents one last time?”

Gu Qingyan withdrew his hand, looking sheepish. “Uh… well… I’m not very skilled yet—I couldn’t tell.”

Lu Yanchi stared at him, stunned.

“What are you looking at me for? I just started studying medicine. I only know the basics. But your pulse is steady—even the panic from earlier has subsided. You should be able to live for decades.”

Gu Qingyan thought to himself, At this level, I’m basically a village quack. I can only diagnose fevers and headaches. Dealing with some high-grade cult poison? Not a chance.

Lu Yanchi sniffled and said, “Gu bro, you fight so well, it’s totally fine if your medical skills aren’t great. A person can’t be good at everything.”

Gu Qingyan gave him a side-eye. This crybaby really didn’t know how to give a compliment.

“Go check if anyone else can still be saved.”

After resting for a bit, Gu Qingyan could finally move. He got to work examining the others. Thankfully, those who survived had stable pulses. Most had fainted, but they should pull through.

In comparison, the fact that Lu Yanchi was still bouncing around was a miracle.

Lu Yanchi had been here for over ten days. If the poison was in the food and drink, how was he still fine? Did this little crybaby have some sort of special resistance? Could crying tears flush out toxins?

Gu Qingyan looked at his back thoughtfully.

The guy was wiping away tears while helping others, still startled and flustered.

“My grandma’s protective talisman broke… wuwuwu… I let Grandma down… I shouldn’t have wandered off. Now I’ve been poisoned, I’m hurt, and my talisman’s broken too…”

His crying echoed through the entire cave. Honestly, being unconscious would’ve been better—at least it would’ve been quiet.

Gu Qingyan looked away, done watching the crybaby.

More than half an hour passed before Magistrate Hong returned with his men.

His expression was dark. “They got away.”