Qing Yan stood in the center of the slave basement.

He slowly walked toward one of the cages. Inside, a man sat slumped, unresponsive.

Qing Yan:
“Hey?” No reply. “Hey????” Still nothing.

He frowned, then stepped back slightly, his expression serious.

Qing Yan (thinking):
This isn’t a normal drug. It’s something more lethal. To make even a peak Void-Step Realm cultivator this senseless… that’s no joke. And the quantity—it’s not just some small, hidden operation. By just looking at all these people, you can tell this has been happening for a long time... in large numbers.

He joined his hands, closed his eyes, then suddenly opened them with a sharp breath.

A burst of divine Qi erupted from his body like a shockwave.

Qing Yan:
“Hmph!”

All around him, the slaves stirred. Their eyes began to regain focus. Their bodies twitched and moved. One by one, they started to look... alive again. Not entirely healthy, but something like “normal.”

They looked around, confused and scared, murmuring to each other in disoriented tones.

An old man, sitting close to the bars, rubbed his forehead.

Old Man:
Confused “W-Where is this...?” He looked up at Qing Yan. “Who are you? Why are we—?”

Before he could finish, Qing Yan clapped once, loudly.

Qing Yan:
“Okay, okay! Now that you’re all back to your senses, listen to me.”

Everyone turned their attention to him, still dazed but listening.

Qing Yan (calmly):
“I don’t know much about your individual stories, but I can tell that you were all captured and enslaved here. I don’t know how long you’ve been down here... or what brought you to this state. But right now—you’re safe. And you’re free to do whatever you want.”

With a flick of his finger, all the chains around the cages shattered. Metal rang across the stone floor.

Then he turned and began walking away.

Old Man:
“W-Wait! Young man! I don’t have any memory of my past... I don’t even know what to do after this. I know it’s a bit too much to ask, but... can I accompany you?”

Another Man:
“Y-Yeah, sir. Me too.”

One by one, more voices chimed in.

Man after man, woman after woman—all saying the same thing.

Qing Yan stopped in his tracks. He looked back at them with calm, almost innocent eyes.

Qing Yan:
“But…”

Everyone (in unison):
“Please!”

He blinked.

Qing Yan:
Soft tone “O-Okay. I was thinking of starting a clan, anyway. You all seem talented—and some of you have already begun to blossom with power. Will you all join me?”

Everyone (excited):
“Yes, sir!”

Qing Yan (smiling):
“Good. You’ve all recovered some of your strength already. Now, try to break your cages. Even in your weakened state, it should be easy. Take it as a warm-up.”

The old man slowly stood, then dropped to one knee.

Old Man:
“I pledge my loyalty to the young master and swear to follow you till the very end—even if it costs me my life.”

Following his lead, one by one, all of them knelt.

All (unified):
“We pledge our loyalty!”

Qing Yan looked at them, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He smiled comfortably.

But the moment he turned his face away, his expression shifted—dark, cunning. A wicked grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Qing Yan (thinking):
Got them.

He turned back to them.

Qing Yan:
“Okay, so everyone—let’s get moving. I’ll open a portal from here to an inn in the city. Take this gold coin with you.” He tossed a small pouch to the old man. “Use it to book a large hall. I’ll meet you there soon.”

Old Man:
“Yes, sir!”

With just a few casual flicks of his fingers, Qing Yan opened a portal. It shimmered white, but streaks of dark energy twisted through its center like smoke.

Old Man (thinking):
A portal... with that much ease? He must be from a terrifying realm!

Without hesitation, all of them stepped through. The old man was the last to enter.

Qing Yan stood still, watching the portal until the last figure disappeared.

Qing Yan (thinking):
Looks like they all went in. Good.

He turned his body toward the back of the room.

Qing Yan (alarmed):
“Wh—?!”

Author’s Note:
Chapter 16 brings a major shift—Qing Yan gains not just followers, but pawns. The game he’s playing is deeper than it seems, and his ambition darker than most would guess, and I would like to tell y'll that I've changed the writing format from 17 chap :) looking forward to your reviews—thank you for reading