To eat or not to eat?

This was the question that Xiao Chen pondered on as he studied the dark-green "Immortal Pill" in his hand; his mind seemed to be in disarray. When he purchased the Compendium of Cultivation on Taobao, the seller had included this for free.

That Taobao shop seemed to be a little dumb. After he bought the Compendium of Cultivation for 250 RMB, they had actually given him an Immortal Pill that was said to allow one to ascend to a higher plane.

Xiao Chen was usually very interested in immortal cultivation and the legends attached to it; thus, without having to consider it too much, he made the purchase.

For three years, Xiao Chen cultivated according to the methods outlined in the Compendium of Cultivation. He had cultivated for a whole three years, but there had not been a shred of improvement. Aside from remembering the methods of refining pills, making talismans, formations, and refining weapons, he was not able to make sense of the rest.

However, Xiao Chen did not give up; he placed his hopes on that Immortal Pill, despite it seeming strange beyond compare.

He once tried to use a steel hammer to smash it. When the steel hammer approached the Immortal Pill, it seemed to have a force field around it. No matter how much strength he used, the steel hammer was not able to get near it.

The mystical immortal destiny of legend could be hidden within this Immortal Pill. Xiao Chen hesitated, as this Immortal Pill seemed very strange. It would be fine if he ate it and nothing happened, but what if something happened and he turned into a monster - what would he do then?

This was why he did not dare to eat the Immortal Pill until now.

Eat? Or not to eat?

Eat!

Xiao Chen steeled his heart and made his decision; he decided to eat this Immortal Pill, for it was either make or break. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. It was not possible to have any rewards without risk.

Xiao Chen pinched his nose, shut his eyes, placed the Immortal Pill in his mouth, and swallowed it. Xiao Chen could obviously feel that the Immortal Pill sank down till it arrived in the area where the Dantian was located. The Dantian suffused its surroundings with warmth, and the Qi and blood in his body seemed to converge into his soul.

Xiao Chen could only feel that his mouth was dry and his head was dizzy, as though his soul was forcibly syphoned out. His consciousness clouded up, and slowly… he became unaware.

[Notes: Taobao is like ebay but chinese version]