Bing Qin Yang's eyes widened, he fell into a trance.

The sudden space turbulence, as well as the air displacement, made him lose his sense of equilibrium, he was completely dazed.

A normal person would fall, however his augmented soul was not for naught, his enhanced speed of reaction allowed him to stop his fall with his left hand on the last second.

Then, by using a bit of his force, he pushed his body up.

"What the?" Bing Qin Yang asked, turning his head towards an strange man in front of him.

The man had dark blue eyes, with a strange smile on his face.

His hair was white and nebulous like an agglomeration of clouds, that were moving constantly, each at their own direction.

Whilst around his face there was a thin gray mist, the mist did not stop others from taking a glimpse at him, however it did stop them from prying deeper.

Those who attempted to discern details from his face would feel a mild headache.

"I have heard a lot about you, Bing Qin Yang." This man said.

Bing Qin Yang gulped nervously.

"Where am I?"

That man laughed heartily, he shrugged.

"Where do you think?"

Bing Qin Yang looked at his surrounds.

Around the area there was an scattered fog, that went from all shades of blue, with various grey particles.

There was a chilling feeling spreading through the air.

He moved his head slowly, and managed to discern more things within this strange place.

Across the area there were many murals that described certain rare twisted entities, the most outstanding of all was an strange red entity whose body seemed to be made of veins.

Another thing he saw were many strange mirrors that bended the light, creating various bizarre scenarios, he could see reflections of himself, not only of the present but also of the past.

Soon, he began to recall various vague memories, though it's contents were too messy, too chaotic to be discerned.

In a matter of seconds, he began to hear a few whispers across his head, each of those whispers was of a different voice, with a very different tone ,and intention.

Bing Qin Yang was unable to decipher what those voices were saying.

"Wait...Everything around me...It's too unnecessarily complicated.

Filled with background noise, fogs that cover everything, bending lights, among other things.

Even the person I saw just a few moments earlier, was concealing his real face.

I get it.

I have been kidnapped."

After this 'realization', he turned his head towards that man.

He lowered his gaze and closed his eyes.

"Look, I do not know who you are, nor I know where we are.

However, I can make a few guesses.

You must be a demonic Cultivator asking for a ransom, right?

Well, we can come to an agreement.

Now that I have closed my eyes, there will be very little clues to find your identity, if you want to I can also use other techniques to suppress my other senses.

In exchange, I want a few things.

First to be treated with some basic level of decency, and human dignity.

That benefit us both, because if you end up harming me, the reatilation of the Clan will be far greater, and likely they will hunt you down, until you get murdered.

If you do not end up harming me, nothing will come to pass, and you can even acquire more resources..."

Bing Qin Yang spoke in the most submissive tone he could muster.

After all, he was on a hostile environment with a demonic Cultivator, and such people did not tend to be mentally stable.

However, it was also because demonic Cultivators that they were unstable, that he knew, he could not be completely passive either.

He schemed internally.

"Soul Path is very rare on this world, most people are unable to see souls, even advanced more powerful Cultivators require the direct use of techniques to see through them.

Even though Demonic Cultivators are far more likely to study Soul Path, the proportion of them is still very low.

Which is why, I can try this.

I will use 'Soul Perception' to see at my surrounds without them ever realizing.

If I discover a way to get out of here, and I see that he will attempt something, I will try to use Soul Shock on them.

Yes, I will not be able kill or even wound them with my meager Cultivation Base, but is something.

As long as I can stun them for a few seconds I can flee and-"

The man laughed heartily.

"Do something like this." He raised his palm.

A dark ethereal force was spread through the air, as he used his Soul to attack.

Bing Qin Yang fell to his knees, cold sweat could be seen on his forehead.

"You have a great sense of humor, to scheme against an examiner.

But, I actually do like your attitude, keep it up." He grinned lightly.

"WHAT?" A funny expression appeared on Bing Qin Yang's face after hearing those words.

"WAIT. EXAMINER IS HE FROM THE RED GHOST ASSOCIATION? ALSO, HE CAN ACTUALLY READ MY FUCKING MIND?

HOLY SHIT WHAT IF HE FIGURES OUT THAT I AM-

NO NO NO NO NO, I WAS NOT THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING ANYTHING.

THERE IS NOTHING IN MY HEAD STOP LOOKING AT IT STOP LOOKING AT IT STOP LOOKING AT IT."

The way he tried to disguise his thoughts, looked quite adorable for the examiner, who could not help but smile lightly at him.

"Ah, the typical sensory overload trick, huh?

Unfortunately, you cannot overload a person who can think many times faster than you, that is a shame, really." He grinned.

Even after hearing this, Bing Qin Yang did not give up on trying to conceal his thoughts, even if he could not overload him, he could at least distract himself for some time.

Until suddenly, Bing Qin Yang exclaimed, noticing something on that man's robes.

Now that he took a better look at those robes, they seemed to be made of the sewed skin of the faces of various creatures, including of course humans.

Forming various odd shapes and faces, each which were looking at him with a smile.

The amount of smiles varied, some were mocking smiles, others were happy smiles, others were concerned smiles.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

That would normally be already quite horrifying if they were made purely out of human skin, but because they were made of various species that could not even 'smile', they looked even more threatening and uncanny.

Those smiles seemed to look through him.

"You know, when I said that earlier, I was not lying, you really do need a resourceful mind to engage in our business.

Resourceful, heh.

That word seems to describe both your father and you.

Your father's research in unifying various unorthodox roads like Gu Cultivation, Artifact Cultivation among others, together with the orthodox Cultivation to unify them on one, has been truly inspiring for many Cultivators.

And your...Peculiar research.

I, and many more people have noticed that you have a certain eccentricity, on researching.

You seem to be very interested on creating special materials and objects, which do not rely on Qi or spiritual means.

A very fascinating pursuit, but also quite confusing.

Where did you found the inspiration to delve so far in such an untraveled road?" He looked at Bing Qin Yang who was sweating bullets.

Normally, he could bullshit his way out of the situation, but this time he was in front of someone able to read minds!

The man shrugged.

"Is fine, is fine, you do not really have to answer, if you do not feel comfortable.

Besides, I suppose that this infringes within the privacy and interests, of your Clan, right?

Having said this, from man to man, I do admire you, I really do."

Despite his words, he did not actually all that flattering, his words felt like sarcasm.

He raised his thumb towards him and then added.

"Indeed, have you not heard about me, Ezoju Ling.

I am a Soul Path Cultivator, who was a very strange ability, due to my innate physique, I have a facility, in dealing with ghosts, as I am able to touch them with my bare hands.

Of course, that was on the past.

Currently, I am more of a researcher, who also engages in various unique pursuits.

Like alchemy, for example."

His smile widened even further, there was a flicker of light across his eyes, he asked.

"Are you not interested in seeing one of my unique accomplishments?"

...

Bing Qin Yang tilted his head lightly, he was about to ask, before he felt a sharp pain on his stomach.

His breathing turned rough abruptly, he felt that his body had inflated all of a sudden.

The diaphragm was pushed towards the ribcage, giving him very little room to breathe, he grabbed his stomach with his two hands.

He lowered his gaze to discover something in horror.

Many protuberances had appeared on his stomach.

"Another tumor?

Are you kidding me?" He could not help but mutter with frustration.

On every instant the pain became sharper, he began to feel dizzy, and when he was unable to hold up he threw out everything he had.

He vomited for a long time.

Of course, calling it vomit would actually be inaccurate, it was quite different.

There were thousands of tiny little capsules on the shape of tiny spheres, scattered through the ground.

"Pills? Cultivation Pills?

WHAT DID YOU DO?" Bing Qin Yang said on a mix of rage, puzzlement, bewilderment and anxiety.

Ezoju Ling tilted his head.

"Oh, a very fancy trick.

You see, Alchemists are often very underestimated, most people believe that we serve no purpose on the battlefield, that we are mere dorks who spend all their time on their little Alchemy grounds.

However, that could be no further from the truth, whilst good resources, and suitable environments are helpful, a true alchemist has moved beyond the point of requiring a cauldron to prepare their recipes.

Any great alchemist can create pills by messing with their surrounds, by using the air and ground, mixed with a doze of Qi we are able to create various pills for all kinds of purposes.

In my case, I took this a step further.

If I can use the air to create pills, why I cannot do the same with the bodies of any living creature?

Of course, there are things like the immune system on the body, that prevents things from approaching, however they're not perfect by any means.

By camouflaging a bit of my own Qi with the one of my opponent, I am able to redirect it, to wherever I want, then, when the time is right, I can pull the trigger.

I could turn your organs into pills, I could turn your brain into a smoothie, anything.

The options are endless..." Even tone his tone was quite casual, it actually felt quite omminious for Bing Qin Yang who begun to imagine the implications behind his words.

But the worriedness he felt, was nothing in comparison to the feeling that rose through his body, after he heard the following words.

"Do not worry, this time, I actually did nothing to harm you.

Actually, I was making you a favor.

Because the pills I created, using the food in your body as materials, carries many useful properties, which can allow you to Cultivate faster, develop a stronger body, among other things.

Unfortunately, you actually threw it up.

But wait, there is still hope.

The properties of my pills have not been lost yet, hurry up and eat them before is too late!"

Bing Qin Yang turned his head towards Ezoju Ling.

"What. Did. You. Say?

You really think I am going to follow your whims?"

Ezoju Ling laughed heartily.

"Have you forgotten already?

I am your examiner, my words are law, if I say that you have to eat your vomit, do it.

That is....If you want to pass." Then, he created a vortex of energy with his right hand, pulling Bing Qin Yang towards himself.

Before grabbing by him, by the hairs of his head.

"Tell me, do you feel humiliated?

Do you feel that I am asking too much of you?

Do you feel that this is too hard?

Good, you should get used to this feeling.

Or what do you really thinking joining the Red Ghost Association is that easy?

Tell me, brat, have you ever heard about this phrase.

When you play with minds, your mind plays with you.

Soul and Cognition Path are very dangerous by themselves, the study of the man always carries a very huge risk.

Principally Soul Path, after all, every time we make an experiment we subject ourselves to the very real possibility of corrupting ourselves.

And that is even if we do everything right, if we follow the guidelines, and work on the safest environments.

Our association is not one of those places.

Why?

Ghosts.

A Ghost is the crystallization of a thought, a thought so persistent, so dense that it actually creates a mark on the soul, a thought, a feeling so obsessive, that it persists after death.

When the obsession is great enough, it can even acquire a 'will', and a mind of it's own.

This newly created being is basically a living obsession, that will do whatever it takes to achieve their goal.

By their very spiritual and obsessive nature, Ghosts corrupt every creature around them, twisting them to become their image.

And thus, every time we confront a Ghost we risk a very huge possibility of mental erosion.

There are many ways to resist this, you can use Spiritual techniques, your soul foundation, cleansing tricks, among other things, however without the right amount of willpower, you may crack regardless.

And that is not all, with every encounter you have, you will experience a very different breed of ghost, born out of a different feeling.

If those Ghosts happen to target a mental weakness you have, you are basically dead.

So, on our group we do not allow people who have any type of deeply ingrained phobias.

We do not accept those who fear the darkness, we do not accept those who feel insects, we do not accept those who even now suffer from trauma, we do not accept those who are too whiny.

Because they're mere liabilities on a real confrontation.

You may believe I am exaggerating, that ghosts are just those little murder-silly creatures.

Heh.

Do you remember what I said earlier?

Ghosts are born out of obsession, any obsession.

Tell me, what kind of Ghost would come out of a person who was desperate to have a lover?

Heh, let's just say, that they become a bit more 'pushy' after their deaths.

And what about another one who died on the cold, or died of hunger?

Tell me, what will they attempt to do others?

They will bring the same misery they suffered, or will they satiate any wish they have, no matter how.

Of course, there may be other wishes, for example I once meet the Ghost of a poor mother, that just wanted to protect her son.

That sounds noble, grand, righteous, right?

However, her son happened to be a serial murderer.

And thus, the mother protected her son, she covered his tracks, helped him to escape, protected him against various authorities, and even helped him to kill some of the victims.

So do tell me, what do you think now?

Do you still believe that eating your own vomit is too hard?"

There was a long pause, Bing Qin Yang was not sure what to say.

Ezoju Ling smiled lightly.

"If you really want to, just leave now.

Go ahead, just beg me to let you leave, and everything will be over.

You can go back to sleep, you can go back to your bedroom, you can forgot all of this, as if it was a bad dream.

Yes, on the future, people will mock you, for failing to pass the test, but they will eventually forget.

In the meanwhile, you can go ahead go back to your mother's embrace, and cry to her.

Oh, wait...

Now that I think about it, what was her name again?

Concubine Number 35?

I guess it hardly matters.

Because you will never know her anyway."

Ezoju Ling said with a mocking tone, whilst at the same time, examining at the soul fluctuations to perceive the feelings of the youth.

He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, I really did not expect this.

Considering the fact that he has a terrible father figure, and no mother figure, I really thought that he would get a bit more aggressive, after hearing my words, but it seems he really does not care about this."

Bing Qin Yang was closing his eyes, while gritting his teeth, recalling everything that had passed in just so little time.

"That bastard, he woke me up, before I could rest properly, he dragged me into an unknown location, he shocked me, he began to read my mind, then he made me vomit, and wants to eat me that vomit.

Now, he is even resorting to trash talking.

Ugh.

In all kinds of ways, he has been trying to get into my head.

And this is not just about the test itself, I can feel his soul fluctuations and I can feel he's enjoying this."

Ezoju Ling patted Bing Qin Yang's head.

"Great job! You really are amazing!

How could you ever figure that out?

What gave me away?"

He said in his sarcastic tone.

However, he pondered internally.

"Oh, so he is able to pick on, into Soul Fluctuations at his age?

Quite perceptive.

But that will not change a thing."

...

But contrary to his expectations, Bing Qin Yang did not break.

He gritted his teeth.

"Fuck you, I will not give you the joy of seeing me fail!"

Before he had the time second-guess himself, he moved towards the vomit and he took his first bite.

It was horrible.

After all, what was his vomit made of again?

The food he had been eating, including of course, the spider's soup.

The already disgusting food became even worse after being integrated into a pill, and was mixed with gastric juices.

The combination of so many things, create a very unique 'flavor.'

Ezoju Ling frowned, he began to activate various Soul Path tricks to try to affect him psychologically, but Bing Qin Yang remained firm.

He took the second bite.

And the third one.

Half an hour later, Bing Qin Yang had eaten all his vomit.

To the surprise of the examiner.

Bing Qin Yang had an expression of disgust, and he felt that he was on the verge of vomiting again.

However, above all there was a triumphant smile on his face as he looked at the examiner.

Who simply smiled back at him.

"Congratulations, you passed the first test.

I wonder, how well you will do the others."