Returning to the Snake-People Race to Search for Ingredients for the Spirit Fusion Pill

When Jia Xing Tian, Yun Yun, and the others wanted to find Ning Su again and recruit him,

Ning Su had already taken Qing Lin and smoothly left Gama Holy Capital.

He ran as fast as he could, disappearing without a trace.

This was also the first time in all the Alchemist Competitions held by the Jia Ma Empire that a Champion had run away so quickly.

He had actually rejected the offers of so many factions... They simply could not understand it.

Of course, if Ning Su had accepted their recruitment and exposed his identity,

the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Snake-People Race.

"Lord Little Black, you're back."

The Royal City guards hurriedly opened the gates upon seeing Ning Su.

But when they saw Qing Lin beside him, they were somewhat surprised.

"Lord Little Black, she is...?"

Ning Su had taken human form.

But Qing Lin was a genuine human.

There was still a difference between the two.

A human appearing among their Snake-People Race was no small matter.

Ning Su glanced at the two guards. "What's wrong with her? I brought her back myself. Is there a problem?"

"N-No problem."

The two Snake-People guards hurriedly shook their heads.

That was right, so what if she was human?

Someone Ning Su had personally brought back was not someone they had the right to question.

Qing Lin was also very nervous.

Ning Su had already told her about his identity beforehand and made it clear that he was taking her back to the Snake-People Race.

Yet she still felt uneasy.

Qing Lin carried both human and Snake-People blood in her veins.

As a result, neither side accepted her.

Humans despised the Snake-People blood in her.

Snake-People also loathed the human blood in her.

This was not directed solely at Qing Lin. Any life born from the union of human and Snake-People bloodlines would be despised.

It was just that most people born with such mixed bloodlines died young.

Very few managed to grow up like Qing Lin had.

"Let's go."

Ning Su took her hand, giving her warmth and reassurance as they entered the palace.

"Little Black, you're back." Hua She'er hurried out to greet him.

When she saw Qing Lin, the first thing she noticed was that Qing Lin's lower body was not a snake tail, but a pair of human legs.

Ning Su took the initiative to introduce them. "Qing Lin, this is Hua She'er, the Queen's personal guard."

"Little Flower, this is Qing Lin. I brought her back from Stone Desert City. She has some Snake-People blood in her."

Hua She'er frowned slightly.

Human and Snake-People bloodlines made her instinctively resistant.

However, she did not say anything to Qing Lin's face. She merely nodded. "Since Little Black brought her back, let her stay."

Since Ning Su wanted Qing Lin to stay, no one in the Snake-People Race currently dared object.

Hua She'er helped arrange a place for Qing Lin to stay, right in Ning Su's courtyard, so that she could conveniently take care of Ning Su.

After settling her things, Ning Su went to Medusa's bedchamber.

Medusa was still maintaining the form of the Seven-Colored Little Snake and had yet to change back.

When it saw that he had returned, the Seven-Colored Little Snake could not help cheering as it slithered over. In the blink of an eye, it burrowed onto Ning Su's body.

Its little head kept rubbing against him.

"Little one, you missed me, didn't you?"

Ning Su chuckled as he stroked its head.

Although Medusa had yet to change back, it was already quite good that the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python was willing to remain with the Snake-People Race instead of leaving.

After playing with the little fellow for a while,

Hua She'er came to find Ning Su.

"Little Black, how did your trip to the Jia Ma Empire go?"

"I found a recipe for a Six-Grade Pill called the Spirit Fusion Pill for the Queen."

"This pill can repair imperfections in the soul. After taking it, the Queen will be able to completely fuse with the soul of the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python."

Hua She'er was delighted. "Really?!"

"Yes, but refining the Spirit Fusion Pill requires many high-grade medicinal ingredients, and I don't have a single one of them right now." Ning Su had already done his utmost just by obtaining the recipe.

As for the ingredients listed on it, he had none of them.

"What ingredients are they exactly? We can check whether the clan's Herb Repository has them. If not, we'll find a way to look for them," Hua She'er said.

In order for Medusa to recover as soon as possible, they would not hesitate even if it meant exhausting the entire Snake-People Race's resources.

"I'll ask the Great Elder. If they aren't there, we can only think of another way."

Afterward, Ning Su went to find the Great Elder.

When she learned that he had found a way to restore Medusa, the Great Elder was also very happy.

She immediately took him to the Snake-People Race's Herb Repository.

Unfortunately, the Herb Repository did not contain any of the ingredients needed to refine the Spirit Fusion Pill.

The Snake-People Race only had two third-grade alchemists and several second-grade alchemists. Their alchemy skills were far inferior to those of humans.

Moreover, the surrounding empires all imposed blockades on the Snake-People Race and would not trade with them at all.

So if they wanted ingredients, they could only go out and find them themselves.

But most of the medicinal ingredients the Snake-People Race could find were from desert regions.

Their quantity, quality, and grade were all far inferior to the Jia Ma Empire's medicinal reserves.

Not to mention high-grade ingredients, which were practically nonexistent.

"Looks like I'll have to look elsewhere for the ingredients." Ning Su was somewhat disappointed.

Even one stalk would have been good.

Now he did not even have a single leaf. This was troublesome!

"Little Black, don't be so discouraged. At least you obtained the recipe. That's already a major step forward."

"I'll have people investigate the nearby countries and see if they can find the ingredients," the Great Elder said.

For Medusa and for the Snake-People Race, they were still very willing to contribute their efforts.

"Mm, then I'll trouble you, Great Elder."

Ning Su had already made a list of all the ingredients needed to refine the Spirit Fusion Pill.

Mobilizing the entire Snake-People Race to search was better than looking alone.

"By the way, Little Black, is that little girl named Qing Lin whom you brought back born from the union of a human and a Snake-Peple?" the Great Elder suddenly asked.

"Yes."

"Little Black, you haven't been with our Snake-People Race for long, so perhaps you don't understand the deep-seated blood feud between us and humans."

"We do not accept pure humans, nor do we accept those with half-human blood."

The Great Elder's meaning was already very clear.

She would not accept Qing Lin!

"If the Great Elder cannot accept Qing Lin, then I'll take her and leave the Snake-People Race," Ning Su said calmly.

"Little Black, how can you say that?!" The Great Elder was angered.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. If the Great Elder wants to drive Qing Lin away, remember to inform me. I'll leave with her."

With that, Ning Su left the Herb Repository.

The Great Elder was left standing there, fuming.

Helping Ning Su find the ingredients for the Spirit Fusion Pill was one matter, because it was for Medusa.

Qing Lin staying with the Snake-People Race was another matter altogether.

The Great Elder had wanted to assert her authority as the Great Elder.

Yet Ning Su did not care about her at all.

Qing Lin obediently stayed in the courtyard and did not go anywhere.

The looks those Snake-People outside gave her were somewhat strange.

Just like the humans in Stone Desert City had looked at her back then.

But because Ning Su had given clear orders, although these Snake-People looked at her strangely, they did not dare do anything to her.

Only when Ning Su finally returned did delight appear on her face.

"Young master, you're back!"