As Patriarch Huo finished speaking, Huo Jinchuan's eyes darkened slightly.
"This old bastard hasn't given up yet..."
Huo Jinchuan's inner voice echoed in his sea of consciousness.
"Let him enjoy his moment of pride. Soon, the entire Huo family will be in my hands."
Ambition surged to its peak inside him.
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Patriarch Huo's oppressive gaze fell on the three. The pressure from his Unity stage cultivation forced them to lower their heads, their bones trembling all over. If they refused, they would perish immediately.
"We understand."
Song Wanníng feigned obedience, her eyes shrinking with hesitation before she timidly raised her head and asked, "Senior, if we refine the Resurrection Pill, would you allow us to join the Huo family? Joining the Dan Sect is fine too!"
Hope flickered in her eyes, as if she truly wanted to stay.
Patriarch Huo was not surprised. Everyone from the Four Regions fought tooth and nail to enter the Central Region; it was normal for them not to want to leave.
But...
He curled his lips slightly, his words loaded with meaning.
"As long as you can refine it, you can stay in the Central Region forever."
Life or death— that was no longer up to them.
"All right, it's a deal!"
Song Wanníng agreed eagerly, then immediately picked up the pill formula to study it, clearly very anxious.
Xiao Heyun watched her sudden change in expression with wide eyes but knew she was only acting.
"I leave them to you. When you finish refining the pill, bring them to me."
Patriarch Huo gave Song Wanníng a deep, meaningful look before striding away.
Huo Jinchuan followed, and the heavy door closed behind them.
Once the two left, Song Wanníng's face immediately darkened.
Patriarch Huo's gaze had sent a chill down her spine; she had no idea what he was scheming.
"What do we do now? Are we really going to study the Resurrection Pill?"
Xiao Heyun had to set aside his old grudges and asked quietly. They needed to cooperate for now. Everything else could wait until they got out.
"If we don't refine it, they won't let us leave."
Baili Shang's cold eyes flickered with killing intent. The Huo father and son each had different plans, but neither intended for them to live.
"Then what do we do? The Resurrection Pill formula has long been lost. How can we refine it?"
His face grew pale. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
They came to conquer their target, but before even seeing anyone, they got trapped.
"Let's take it step by step. If things get really bad, we can try to attack Huo Jinchuan the next time he comes."
Baili Shang said this and resumed refining pills.
The two's calm attitude frustrated Xiao Heyun. At a time like this, they still looked so relaxed. He wondered if they were simply too stupid or too capable...
With no other choice, he muttered to the system again.
Song Wanníng grew annoyed as she listened and furrowed her brows.
Right now, the person she wanted to kill the most was Xiao Heyun because he talked too much nonsense.
...
In the following days, the three used refining the Resurrection Pill as an excuse to use up all the medicinal herbs.
When Huo Jinchuan noticed, he said nothing. Instead, he sent over another batch of precious herbs.
"Refine the Resurrection Pill as soon as possible. The sooner you succeed, the sooner you can leave. I hope you do not disappoint me."
There was a strange gleam in his eyes.
"These three have amazing Luck. Repairing the formula might actually be possible...
I hope they do not let me down after I traveled so far to find them...
In the end, the pills they refine will still be in my hands."
He chuckled darkly.
Huo Jinchuan looked at them once more before leaving.
Song Wanníng watched his retreating figure, a faint light glimmering in her eyes. No wonder Huo Jinchuan went to the Four Regions to find pill refiners. He actually wanted to use their Luck to repair the formula.
Though the method sounded absurd, it was true—he had guessed right.
Senior Dao Qing's inheritance actually contained a formula for the Resurrection Pill.
Although it differed slightly from this formula, the effects were the same.
But should they really refine the pill?
Conflicted emotions flickered in her eyes.
They still did not know exactly what the Huo father and son intended, so she dared not make a rash decision.
Better to watch and wait.
So, in the following days, she continued refining life-saving pills as usual.
Baili Shang did the same, acting relaxed.
Only Xiao Heyun was restless, unable to focus on refining.
The longer it dragged on, the more uneasy he felt. He even asked the system for points credit again. This time, however, the system refused under all his flattery and threats. Eventually, Xiao Heyun resigned himself and quietly studied the formula, hoping to get out soon.
Half a month passed during this delay.
Batches of herbs were sent one after another, but no progress on the formula.
Patriarch Huo summoned Huo Jinchuan and gave him a scolding full of venom.
"You useless bastard! You were supposed to find capable people, but you brought these three and still haven't gotten any results! If you don't refine the pill soon, kill them and keep searching!
I don't believe the Four Regions are so vast that we can't find a few who can refine the Resurrection Pill!" He showed no mercy in front of others. Without warning, he slapped Huo Jinchuan hard.
Half his face swelled rapidly, but Huo Jinchuan bowed his head silently and endured it.
He had long been used to this.
In front of outsiders, Patriarch Huo doted on him. Everyone knew he was the heir to the Huo family.
But in reality?
Huo Jinchuan's eyes flashed with mockery. His dark pupils sank like whirlpools.
"Still not gone yet?!"
Patriarch Huo shouted and slapped him away with a wave of his hand.
Bang.
Huo Jinchuan crashed heavily at the door.
The huge door slammed shut with a deafening boom, making his eardrums ache. Several loyal followers of Patriarch Huo glanced over, then turned away as if nothing happened.
Huo Jinchuan lay on the ground for a long time before getting up. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and swallowed a pill.
Once his injuries recovered, he left as if nothing had happened. When he returned to the secret chamber, his cold demeanor had already returned.
His dark eyes swept over Song Wanníng and the others as he said grimly, "Three days left. If you cannot make progress, this place will be your grave!"
"What kind of joke is that? Three days? How could we possibly do it?"
Xiao Heyun's expression changed instantly.