Mysterious Yellow Realm, mundane world, Cangyun City.
The bluestone road beneath the city walls was soaked to dark red by essence blood, with hundreds of raggedly dressed mortals lined up in a winding queue.
At the head of the queue stood a bronze cauldron about one meter high, its mouth shrouded in scarlet mist.
Three Qi Refining Cultivators wearing gray robes of the Saint Sect held pointed jade tubes, extracting blood from each mortal in turn.
When it was the turn of a sallow, emaciated man, the jade tube pierced his neck artery, and pale golden essence blood flowed into the cauldron.
In just three breaths, the man's legs gave way, his face turning as white as paper, as he collapsed onto the ground.
"Useless! Can't even withstand a tenth of essence blood!"
The leading Qi Refining Cultivator kicked the man, smearing the bloodstains on his boot onto the man's face:
