A forbidden cultivation art that absorbs another cultivator’s essence and power for rapid advancement. The original version permanently locks the user at Foundation Establishment; the later “soul sacrifice” version is safer but kept secret.
Definition
A forbidden cultivation art that absorbs another cultivator’s essence and power for rapid advancement. The original version permanently locks the user at Foundation Establishment; the later “soul sacrifice” version is safer but kept secret.
Two masked men—clearly the puppet master and his hot-headed field agent—debrief in private after wiping out Old Daoist Wu. The younger one admits to a mana backlash that forced him to drain the Daoist prematurely; the older one calmly dissects the tactical implications. Their target assessment process is a chilling model of operational pragmatism: they identify Han Li as a Foundation Establishment cultivator not through any flashy deduction but by coldly process-of-eliminating lower-tier hypotheses. Far from retreating, the older man sees this as a golden recruitment—the Sect Leader *needs* live Foundation Establishment subjects for a blood sacrifice, and a lone target is a rare logistical windfall. Meanwhile, Han Li lands his Divine Wind Boat in a desolate area, strips the four captives of their masks, confirms they are indeed the Mengshan Five, and sinks into a grim cost-benefit analysis: flee the city and abandon his Qin family protection duty, or stay and play a game he never intended to enter.
This chapter is a masterclass in Mortal Stream pacing—not a single sword wave, but the tension builds through information asymmetry and cold institutional decision-making. Notice that both factions (the masked sect and Han Li) are running the exact same calculation: *what do we know about the enemy, and what assets can we commit?* The masked men decide to escalate by requisitioning Blood Attendants; Han Li’s answer is, conspicuously, withheld. The omission is deliberate—the narrator wants you to feel the weight of his indecision. Also note the structural irony: Han Li blames himself for “excessive caution” in sending Old Daoist Wu, but every step of his logic was sound—he simply didn’t account for a freak mana backlash. In the Mortal Stream, even correct risk assessment can fail you if the dice roll against you. Finally, keep a mental bookmark on the Four Blood Attendants (四大血侍)—this is the first mention of a Foundation Establishment–tier strike force in the sect, a detail that will matter the moment the hunt begins.
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