At this moment, Dan was unconcerned with Ethan's thoughts; he was busy lecturing his terrified disciples.

"Remember what you've seen today if any of you ever harbors any treacherous thoughts!"

Dan's words tightened everyone's hearts, intensifying the fear in their eyes. He walked past his disciples with a measured stride, his eagle-like gaze sweeping over their faces.

"Assisting in my ascension to immortality is a great virtue. Should I become immortal, I will not forget your contributions. But anyone who dares to sabotage my efforts..." He let out a chilling laugh.

Suddenly, he stopped in front of Ethan, examining this disciple who seemed different from the others.

"You're just a figment of my imagination, why should I fear you? You're just a thought in my head!" Ethan thought, meeting the leprous head's gaze with calm eyes.

As Dan raised his mud-caked right hand, the atmosphere in the cave grew tense. All eyes were on Ethan, waiting to see how the master would deal with this bold disciple.

Surprisingly, Dan's expression softened, and he gently patted Ethan's head with his raised hand, dissipating the heavy atmosphere.

"Why didn't you join those traitors last night in their escape?" he asked, his words sounding more like praise than a question.

Ethan was about to respond when Dan raised his hand again.

"Spare me your platitudes. Though you didn't report to me in time, you're still far better than those treacherous scum."

Lowering his hand, Dan continued, "I see great potential in you. You no longer need to work in the elixir room. From now on, you are my registered disciple."

Ethan was momentarily stunned by the sudden elevation in status. However, he quickly realized that with so many recent deaths in the cave, Dan must be short on assistants.

Though Ethan didn't care much about the preferential treatment, others in the elixir room looked on enviously. Being Dan's registered disciple meant a reprieve from death.

But for Dan, this wasn't enough. He knew he had to offer more incentives to truly captivate and retain loyalty. "Ethan," Dan addressed Ethan, preparing to bestow a gift on his new disciple.

Ethan promptly approached, sensing that Dan intended to give him something.

From his gourd, Dan poured out five dark pills, placing them in Ethan's palm.

"Keep them safe. These are divine pills, crafted by myself. Not only will they add ten years to your lifespan, but they will also temporarily grant you immense strength to protect yourself."

Ethan frowned slightly as he examined the pills, wondering, "Could these also be made from people?"

As he pondered, one of the pills seemed to momentarily shift shape as if something was trying to emerge, but upon closer inspection, it appeared unchanged.

"Am I going crazy? Why do I care about things in a hallucination? This is all fake, and I can't fall deeper into this illusion," Ethan thought, frustratedly tapping his head.

Dan, oblivious to Ethan's internal struggle, turned to address the remaining disciples. "See? Opposing me leads to death, but serving me brings great rewards, substantial rewards!"

The disciples' eyes flickered between Dan and the pills, each lost in their thoughts, which only they knew.

Satisfied with the impact of his gesture, Dan waved his filthy sleeve, dismissing everyone to return to their tasks.

Now relieved from elixir room duties, Ethan inherited Yang's position, and with it came all of Yang's privileges, including his status, Taoist robe, and even his private cave.

At this point, Ethan was indifferent to the happenings within the hallucination; his focus was on what he had gained. Arms crossed, he gazed at the two items on his hospital bedsheet – the jade pendant and the pills.

"My goodness, they really came out with me."

But now, Ethan faced a familiar dilemma, forcing him to confront a crucial question: "If I take these pills and they work, does it mean this place isn't a hallucination? What exactly is happening to me?"

He had been diligently following the doctor's advice, treating everything in the hallucination as unreal. But now, with these tangible items before him, his conviction wavered.

If this is all a hallucination, why and how did these objects become real, and what harm could they bring to him?

If that world was real...

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The images of the sister turned into pills by the master, Yang devoured by the black cauldron, and other terrifying scenes flashed in his mind, quickening his breath.

"Ah! It's so frustrating not having anyone to talk to." Ethan ran his hands through his hair in agitation.

After venting, Ethan had to face reality. He pondered for a long time before deciding on a course of action.

In the hallucinatory world, whether real or not, he would continue to go along with it as if it were real.

If it turned out to be real, he could keep himself safe.

If it was all fake, there would be no harm done.

For now, he would verify the authenticity and value of the items he had acquired and plan accordingly.

Taking a deep breath, Ethan picked up one of the pills between his thumb and forefinger.

"No, it's too risky to try it myself," he thought, his gaze turning to the patients sunbathing in the garden outside.

After a moment of inner struggle, he resignedly put the pill down. They were all victims like him; he couldn't subject them to testing. "I'll find a way to test it on a lab rat later," he thought.

Ethan then turned his attention to the jade pendant. Compared to the pills, this item seemed much easier to handle.

"Speak up, what's this about? I climbed over the wall to get here, so it better not be a prank!" Anna warned Ethan, clenching her small fists.

"Anna, I really need your help. You know I can't leave this place," Ethan pleaded as he shut the door and drew the curtains of his hospital room.

Anna stepped back nervously. "What are you doing? The nurses at the station can hear us."

Before she could finish, laughter from the nurses came through the speaker. "Haha, don't worry, we're not listening. Go for it, Ethan!"

"Nurses, could you focus on your work and not gossip? Pay attention to the patients in the critical ward," Ethan shouted back at the speaker before pulling Anna to a corner of the room.

He took the jade pendant from his pocket and placed it in her hand, whispering instructions into her ear. Anna's eyes widened in disbelief.

"This can't be, this is..." She was cut off as Ethan covered her mouth with his hand.

Their eyes locked, Ethan's gaze filled with a desperate plea. "Please help me, everything I said is true. Even my parents don't believe me. Everyone thinks I'm insane. You're the only one I can trust in the whole world. I'm not crazy!"

Anna looked at Ethan for a few seconds, then finally nodded, her eyes red and filled with concern for his mental state as she left.

Watching her leave, Ethan's feelings were mixed. He didn't care what others thought, but Anna's opinion mattered to him.

"Anna, just believe me this once, just once!"

Waiting was always agonizing. Ethan paced restlessly, his heart in turmoil.

He experienced another hallucination during this time but quickly snapped back, fearing he might miss Anna's return. According to the doctor, this wasn't a good sign, but he couldn't risk missing her.

Days passed, one after another, and Ethan's anxiety and insecurity grew.

Hearing the nurse's announcement that his girlfriend had come, Ethan leapt out of bed and rushed to the hospital's entrance.

In the garden, he and Anna met and embraced each other excitedly.

Anna whispered in his ear, trying to keep her voice down, "Ethan, it's true, the jade pendant is real!"

"I'm not sick! Haha, I'm not sick!" Ethan exclaimed in delight, twirling Anna around in his arms.

After their initial excitement subsided, they calmed down.

"Did I cause any trouble with your life or studies by asking for your help?" Ethan asked, concerned, as they sat beside a flowerbed.

Instead of answering directly, Anna changed the subject, extending four slender fingers. "Do you know how much that pendant is worth? This much!"

"Forty thousand?"

"Four hundred thousand! And I think he undervalued it. If we ask around more, it could be worth even more."

"Four hundred thousand!" Ethan repeated, beaming with joy. The amount was enough to cover his medical expenses and more. This was just the beginning.

"Anna, ready to be a little rich girl?"

Ethan's teasing brought a blush to Anna's cheeks. "Stop joking around. Isn't this too strange? It won't harm you, right?"

"No worries, I'm fine. If it's like this, I might have to delay my treatment. This is a treasure; I can't be cured too quickly."

Anna's expression turned anxious. "Ethan, these are two different things. I don't care about the money. You can't stop your treatment or your medication. Promise me, or I won't help you anymore."

Ethan thought of many reasons to argue, but looking into her concerned eyes, he felt a warm surge in his heart. "Okay, I promise."

Anna smiled and gently patted his head. "That's more like it, silly man."

As Ethan and Anna discussed how to cash in the jade pendant, several burly middle-aged men, wielding batons, hurried past them.

"What's going on? Is there a problem?" Ethan asked one of the familiar faces in confusion.

"Don't ask too much, Ethan. Just get back to your room. And if you see Hans, report it immediately. He's probably spit out his medication again," the man hurriedly said before rushing towards the staircase.

"Isn't the critical ward surrounded by double-layered iron bars? How could Hans, with his small stature, escape?" Ethan wondered, glancing in that direction. His previous stay there was a rather unpleasant memory.

Seeing other patients being escorted back to their rooms, Ethan told Anna, "It's getting chaotic here; you better leave. Call me tonight, and we'll talk over the phone."

"Okay, just remember what you promised me," Anna said before walking towards the hospital entrance.

As Ethan headed back to his room, contemplating the pendant's worth, he felt a surge of new ideas. "Four hundred thousand..." he mused. Regardless of whether it was a hallucination or reality, the pendant's value was undeniable.

Just then, a familiar scream from behind made him turn. A scrawny, bald old man had pinned Anna to the ground.

Seething with rage, Ethan charged towards them, yelling, "Hans! Let go of her, she's my girlfriend!"

Suddenly, a hexagonal floor tile flew through the air, striking Ethan on the head. Dazed, he fell to the ground, his vision turning red as blood trickled from his head.

Through the reddening haze, he saw bloated feet in patient slippers step past him, heading towards Anna, who was struggling and screaming.

As the heavy footsteps approached Anna, Ethan's mind buzzed with one thought: he mustn't let them harm her!

Trembling, he pulled out one of the pills his master had given him and swallowed it, mingling with his own blood.

Instantly, a searing warmth spread from his stomach to his limbs, filling him with strength, his groggy mind suddenly clear.

With a powerful punch, he hit the fatty's jaw, sending teeth flying. Without a second glance at the fallen man, Ethan strode towards Hans, planting a foot on his frail chest.

Bones cracked under his foot as Hans's body flew like a limp noodle.

Ethan's teeth clenched so tightly that his gums bled as he stared down at the two fallen men. With a stomp, he lunged towards them like a cheetah.

"Ethan! Stop! What are you doing!"