Granting the Pill

A thousandfold...

He muttered to himself for a while. No, that multiplier still wasn't high enough. After pondering for a moment, he figured the Misty Cloud Sect's highest cultivation method was probably only High Xuan Tier. He still didn't know what his own Dou Qi attribute was, but the highest tier here was probably wind. As for the others, he'd have to wait until Ya Fei finished sorting everything out.

There was still no word from Zi Yan. Since she'd just arrived, she was probably having fun in the mountains. Zhang Nian decided not to say anything. He'd taken Zi Yan as his disciple to prepare for the future. The Tuoshe Ancient God Cave was the greatest treasure trove on the entire Dou Qi Continent, and its guardian was Zi Yan's father.

"All right, take this pill and swallow it. Oh, and don't leave it exposed for too long. Once a Ninth-Grade Pill reaches this level, it can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on its own, then develop intelligence and a spirit body. If it runs off, it'll be hard to catch." Zhang Nian said that, but the truth was, if it really escaped, there'd be no getting it back. He couldn't waste his last experience card just to retrieve a pill, could he?

Medusa nodded, deeply grateful. She accepted the pill and put it into her Storage Ring. Just as she was about to turn and leave, Zhang Nian called out to her.

"Oh, right. I remember the Jia Ma Imperial Family hasn't been very friendly toward the Snake-People Tribe, has it? I'll find time to talk to them about it. But I think that if the Jia Ma Imperial Family has any sense, they'll improve relations with your tribe on their own."

Medusa froze. She'd never expected her bargain of a master to remember even such a minor matter. A flicker of emotion stirred deep within her. Turning to look at Zhang Nian, she gazed at him with gratitude in her beautiful eyes. Her once-cold expression softened, and she bowed slightly.

"Thank you, Master."

Zhang Nian waved a hand, displaying the composure and authority befitting a Dou Sheng Expert. "It's a small matter. Don't give it another thought. You're my eldest disciple, so what concerns you concerns me."

At that moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of security. So this is what it feels like to have a master. It's actually pretty nice. Medusa thought.

"All right, go upstairs and pick a quiet room for yourself." Seeing that her favorability had stopped rising, Zhang Nian had no desire to keep trying to win her over. He figured that the successive increases had probably left Medusa with an emotional lull. Put simply, showing kindness repeatedly in quick succession could numb the recipient.

"Yes!"

At her master's instruction, she turned and left the room, flying toward the small cluster of buildings above. Ever since she'd seen that pill at Jia Nan Academy, Medusa's body had been restless. Now, all she wanted was to swallow it as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, at the former library of the Misty Cloud Sect, Ya Fei was directing everyone as they sorted and inventoried the books. It wasn't really tiring work. The people of the Misty Cloud Sect had kept things organized in their daily lives, so all the women had to do was make an inventory and classify everything.

"All right, pay attention, everyone. This is the first task the Saint has given us, so we have to do a beautiful job."

She found a stool and sat down, giving a lazy reminder. Then Ya Fei gazed at the sky outside with a dejected look. She had no idea when that man would get his clutches on her.

Though she'd accepted reality, she didn't want to give herself to him just like that. So what if he was a Dou Sheng Expert? She didn't like him. She'd rather die than be with him!

Wait!

Ya Fei suddenly remembered that Zhang Nian had another disciple. She had a pretty face and a queenly air, but was cold as ice—a Snake-Person. Since she hadn't seen Zi Yan, Ya Fei had assumed Zhang Nian had only one disciple.

Snake-People could take human form once they reached Dou Zong. If she could get the two of them together, maybe there'd be no need for her anymore!

Young Ya Fei was hatching a devious plan. She had no problem serving as the head steward, but she only wanted to be a head steward. She wasn't willing to manage his private life as well.

Better someone else than me. That's right, your sacrifice will be worth it!

She looked through the window toward the two rows of rooms above. A glint flashed in those captivating eyes.

Medusa casually picked a room, then coldly told the two maids outside, "Stay out here. Don't wander around, and don't come inside without my permission."

"Yes."

"Creak."

As the door shut, the two maids both breathed a sigh of relief. They had a feeling the Saint's eldest disciple wasn't easy to get along with.

A faint fragrance drifted from the delicate little wooden house. Medusa looked around. From the furnishings, she could tell that a girl had lived here before. That was why she'd chosen this room; at least it was clean.

She calmed her mind, and a faint light flashed from the Storage Ring on her slender finger. The Ninth-Grade Profound Pill, the Heaven-Seizing Creation Pill, appeared in her palm. In an instant, the room filled with a refreshing fragrance. A breeze carried it into the distance, where Zi Yan was playing in the woods. Her nose twitched. This smell was so familiar—and so fragrant!

"No, I have to go find Master. That pill looks so delicious~" Resting her rosy little hand against her cheek, Zi Yan thought it over for a moment, then skipped toward the living quarters.

Inside the room,

Medusa hesitated. Was her current strength really enough to swallow a Ninth-grade Pill...?

Master wouldn't lie to me...

After a moment, Medusa dispelled her last doubts. She trusted Zhang Nian without reservation. In the short time they'd spent together, she'd been able to tell that he treated her sincerely, and that was enough. The stirring she felt deep in her soul told her the pill was perfectly safe.

She raised her jade-white hand and put the pill in her mouth. In an instant, a white aura burst from her body and swirled around her, forming a thick cocoon. Above the house, the weather changed dramatically—or rather, strange phenomena appeared across the entire sky over the Jia Ma Empire beyond the barrier. The clouds formed a gigantic vortex, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a hundred miles gathered wildly toward a single point.

At the very center of the vortex, a wisp of white aura drifted slowly downward. It seemed light as a feather, yet carried an awe-inspiring force.

In an instant, countless powerful experts rose into the air to watch.

"Hiss... That direction—it's the former site of the Misty Cloud Sect? Then it's no surprise. I wonder what sort of commotion Saint Qinglian has caused this time." Jia Xingtian glanced into the distance, then turned and headed back into the palace. He was selecting the next batch of servants to send over. Miteer had already sent a gift; how could the Jia Ma Imperial Family afford to fall behind?

Meanwhile, the disciples of the Misty Cloud Sect, who had moved away from Misty Cloud Mountain, quickly chose a new mountain. Yun Shan also sought out his beloved disciple, Yun Yun, at the first opportunity.

"Cough, cough. Yun Yun, there's something I'd like to discuss with you..."

"Whoosh!"

Yun Yun immediately put away her sword and looked at him in confusion. "Master, what's wrong? If you need something, just tell me."

"Erm..." Yun Shan rubbed his hands together awkwardly...