Ten Thousand Poisons Homage

Bzzzt—!

The instant the fusion was complete, the core of the Poison Pill suddenly burst into dazzling light, as if a dormant star had been set ablaze! Its glow was no longer the pure dark gold of before. Instead, it transformed into a noble, mysterious purple-gold, radiating a soul-stirring aura like the supreme source of poison from the depths of the cosmos. A tiny but unmistakable purple-gold mark, as if carved into the depths of the soul, appeared at the very core of the Poison Pill. Like a naturally formed Dao pattern, it seemed to gather within itself the most profound laws of heaven and earth.

The mark's shape was exactly the same as one of the most unfathomable runes on the shattered core fragment of the Bronze Immortal Palace! It was as if fate had answered across time and space, tightly linking the Immortal Palace's mysterious power to the Poison Pill's origin.

Then, a vast fragment of will—far purer and more restrained than before—flowed slowly into Xiao Yi Xian's consciousness, accompanied by a flood of profound information about wielding the source of poison. The power seemed capable of commanding every poison beneath the heavens, instantly elevating her understanding of the Poison Dao to a whole new realm.

[The Woe Poison Pill has fused with the "Immortal Palace Core Mark (fragmentary)"! The source has been elevated!] The system's prompt rang in her mind like heavenly music.

[Passive acquired: Ten Thousand Poisons Homage—Your innate suppression and command over all poison-type forces, energies, and living beings have greatly increased! You can absorb and refine high-level poisons faster!] This meant Xiao Yi Xian's attainments in the Poison Dao would far surpass those of ordinary people, making her the ruler of all poisons.

[Secret art inheritance acquired: Ten Thousand Poisons Immortal Record (Volume One, incomplete)—A supreme Poison Dao technique from the Immortal Palace, containing peerless mysteries such as transforming poison into pills, forming arrays from poison, and commanding all poisons!] This manual was undoubtedly a treasure of the Poison Dao, filling Xiao Yi Xian with anticipation for the path of cultivation ahead.

[Poison Pill quality increased! Current: Peak Spirit Grade (evolvable)!] The Poison Pill's improved quality meant Xiao Yi Xian's strength would rise to another level.

[Repairing soul damage at an accelerated rate...] The system's prompt warmed Xiao Yi Xian, like rain after a long drought.

Xiao Yi Xian's delicate body trembled slightly as she slowly opened her deep purple eyes. The dark-gold glimmer in her pupils had turned a more noble purple-gold, flowing without pause and seeming to contain endless mysteries. She opened her fair palm and stirred her thoughts, as if sensing the vast, mysterious power within her.

Hiss!

A wisp of intensely concentrated purple-gold poisonous mist danced lightly on Xiao Yi Xian's slender fingertip, shifting freely like a nimble, living serpent with a will of its own. It was no longer the simple ashen gray or dark purple of destruction from before. Within it now lay an indescribable supreme Dao resonance, one that seemed able to give rise to every poison in the world and dispel all manner of poisonous miasma. Its aura was many times purer and more concentrated than before, and it carried a majesty that stood above all poisons, looking down on the world like an emperor of poison surveying all living things.

"Immortal Palace... mark..." Xiao Yi Xian murmured, her purple-gold eyes reflecting the lively wisp of poisonous mist on her fingertip. She carefully sensed the response coming from the tiny mark within her Poison Pill, which held endless mysteries. The connection was faint, yet it seemed linked in some wondrous way to other fragments in distant reaches of time and space. Waves crashed in her heart, stirring up a tempest. Just what kind of transcendent existence was this shattered Bronze Immortal Palace? And how had its mark so wondrously merged with the source of her Poison Pill?

She slowly raised her head and gazed at Xiao Zhan, still unconscious in the deep pit, then looked toward Xiao Yan halfway up the mountain, where his aura was transforming and chaotic flames leapt in his palm. Somewhere beyond sight, it was as if an unseen hand were manipulating everything. The threads of fate seemed to have bound the three of them tightly together through the Immortal Palace Fragments, setting them on a shared path to enact an epic legend.

Snake Abyss Oasis, Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda!

"Draw forth the Earth Vein Dragon Soul! Forge a sacred foundation for ten thousand generations! Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda—rise!!!" Yue Mei's solemn, fervent voice cracked like thunder, instantly resounding throughout the heart of the oasis. She and the eight Snake-People Tribe elders stood at the eight directions around the enormous octagonal tower base. Their hands formed seals at blinding speed, and their powerful Dou Qi surged like rivers, pouring without reserve into the formation points beneath their feet, carved with ancient serpentine totems.

Bzzzt—!!!!

The entire tower base erupted in a brilliant light unlike anything before, so dazzling it stung the eyes. The dragon-scale patterns covering its surface seemed to come alive, flowing with an earthy golden metallic sheen and radiating an ancient, mysterious aura. At the center of the base, the hazy Dragon Qi Vortex instantly solidified and expanded into a gigantic whirlpool, like an awakened dragon opening its enormous maw to swallow the world.

Rumble—!!!

In an instant, the entire Snake Abyss Oasis seemed to be shaken violently by an invisible giant hand! The tremors were fiercer than any before, as if an ancient dragon vein slumbering deep beneath the earth had finally awakened after countless ages, unleashing a roar that shook the universe and echoed through the heavens!

The ground at the center of the oasis surged upward once more, thrust up by a mysterious, powerful force! A pillar of Earth Vein Dragon Qi, several times thicker than before and as solid as a crystal column, blazed with brilliant earthen-gold light. Like a primordial mad dragon breaking free of every shackle, it rose roaring from the unfathomable depths below, its deafening dragon cry piercing the soul as it shot into the sky, as if to shatter the restraints of heaven and earth!

The pillar of dragon qi surged irresistibly through the clouds, scattering the lingering poisonous miasma overhead until it vanished without a trace! Vast, pure dragon qi, brimming with boundless vitality and immense power, poured down like tangible rain. It spread through every corner of the oasis, enveloping the entire place in a sacred, mighty aura!

Bathed in the vast dragon qi, every Snake-People Tribe warrior felt their spirits lift, as if infused with boundless vitality. Their wounds healed faster, and even the flow of their Dou Qi became several times smoother. Every muscle and every drop of blood seemed to leap with joy! Even the withered plants put out tender green shoots before their eyes, while springs that had long run dry began to gush forth clear water, trickling merrily away! The vitality of the entire oasis awakened and ascended in that moment, as if a whole new era had begun!

Yet this was only the beginning!

As the central pillar of dragon qi burst forth with tremendous force, the eight branch pillars around the oasis's perimeter blazed with even brighter, more dazzling light, as if answering a mysterious summons like faithful devotees! No longer isolated from one another and scattered in eight directions, the eight pillars became earthen-gold flood dragons brought to life. They roared and surged toward the central tower base, crashing into the main pillar as if joining forces to forge an undying legend!

Boom—!!!

In an instant, an energy torrent beyond the power of words erupted from the top of the tower base like a volcanic blast! The light was so blinding it seemed capable of searing through people's eyes. Every Snake-Person who looked up was plunged into darkness. When the radiance finally dimmed a little, a majestic tower a hundred zhang tall stood proudly at the center of the oasis. It was built entirely from Star Steel, with its cold metallic sheen, and Earth Vein Stone, infused with the weight of the earth. It radiated a grandeur that seemed indestructible and eternal.

The tower had nine stories! Each level featured sweeping eaves, interlocking brackets, and exquisitely carved beams, displaying an ancient and elegant beauty. Countless coiling dragons and wing-spread phoenix totems were naturally etched into its body. They looked so lifelike that they seemed ready to burst through the walls at any moment and soar into the heavens, radiating an ancient, vast, mysterious aura as if from the primordial age. Vast Earth Vein Dragon Qi flowed through the tower like countless gentle rivers, filling the air with rich spiritual energy that lifted the heart and invigorated the spirit. At the summit, an enormous earthen-gold crystal formed from pure dragon qi gleamed like a dragon's eye. It rotated slowly, radiating a mysterious majesty that suppressed the four directions and made all things bow.

The Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda! Its first story! The tower had taken shape! This was more than the rise of a building—it was a symbol of hope!

Bzzzt—!!!

An invisible yet boundless domain of dragon qi spread outward from the tower, vast as the sea! Like a majestic ruler, it soothed all chaotic energy wherever it passed, ruthlessly suppressing fluctuations in space and purifying the lingering heat and poisonous miasma from the air until they vanished without a trace. It was as if the entire oasis had been enveloped in an impregnable barrier of dragon qi, protecting every living thing on the land.

"The Holy Tower! It's the Holy Tower!"

"May the Dragon God protect us! May the Queen protect us! May Elder Xiao protect us!"

"Our Snake-People Tribe... can rise again!"

Cheers that shook the heavens mingled with devout prayers, as if seeking to break through the restraints of heaven and earth. Every Snake-Person—battle-hardened warriors and helpless women and children alike—was overcome with tears and emotion. They knelt and bowed before the towering structure. Yue Mei and the elders stared at the miraculous sight, trembling with excitement, their eyes shining with hope and longing. This was the light of hope for their people, a sacred hall reborn from the flames, and the starting point of the Snake-People Tribe's rise to a glorious future!