Chapter 4: Heartless Pills and Ruthless Choices

The calabash bottle get Heartless Pill inside. Pastor say make I give senior brother—e no fit do am himself. Twenty high-grade spirit stones—big money.

Sword cultivators dey broke. Our life cheap, na fight we sabi. No be like herbalist or juju cultivators wey dey get steady money. For junction, herbalist dey always get customer, even if na only to cure headache. We, na only sword we dey sell.

The small reward wey church dey give no fit maintain sword cultivator sword.

Heartless Pill na treasure for me and Pastor. Senior brother dey follow Path of Ruthlessness, and Pastor dey fear say im spirit no strong. If not, Pastor no go ever dash person that kind thing.

For Naija, if elder dash you something wey cost pass your papa bicycle, better know say matter don red.

I hold the Heartless Pill, saliva dey drop. The love of fellow disciple and the temptation of twenty high-grade spirit stones dey fight inside me. I really wan keep am for myself.

WhatsApp group see as I dey struggle:

[Since na Path of Ruthlessness he dey do, abeg give am castration pill make e finish.]

[Na true purity—cut all six roots of desire.]

[Who still remember say her senior brother na main guy?]

These people dey twist everybody story, dem fit turn wedding to burial with their mouth.

My hand, as I wan swap the pill, freeze: E be like say he na child of destiny too?

WhatsApp group finally talk sense. This na tragic romance for juju world. (*Juju world: Nigerian fantasy where people dey chase power, get charms, magic, etc.)

Eziokwu Sect Saintess and sword cultivator for Path of Ruthlessness—just from their combo, you know say suffering go plenty. Man no get feelings; woman, love pass herself. After plenty wahala, dem go still end up together.

The story get plenty up and down, chest dey burn. Even my grandpapa go say, "dem fit quarrel tire, but na love go still win last last."

No more wahala for me. Senior brother choose Path of Ruthlessness, dey focus on spirit; castration pill just cut all attachment. Eziokwu Sect Saintess no go die for senior brother hand to prove spirit. And me, with tears, go collect my twenty high-grade spirit stones.

Everybody dey alright. Castration pill probably taste somehow. Senior brother dey struggle as he chop am.

"Junior sister, chew, chew, chew... this chew, chew, chew... Heartless Pill, chew, chew... where you get am? E taste somehow."

I just bone: "Cheap medicine no dey work well, so dem focus on taste. Good medicine dey always bitter. Senior brother, abeg finish am."

How I wan know how castration pill dey taste? Na only Beast Taming Clan dey use that kind thing.

Senior brother dey okay now—fit chop same pill as spirit animal. If to say na village, elders go clap for me say I get sense—sharp sharp, no delay.