After saying that, Qin Chen closed his eyes. Vast soul power surged from between his brows like a tidal wave, bearing an overwhelming force as it pressed down upon the eight leaders below the platform.
That invisible pressure seemed almost tangible. The leaders, who had still held some contempt, saw their expressions change drastically and hurriedly circulated their Dou Qi to resist it.
Yet even so, their bodies still trembled slightly beneath that terrifying soul pressure, leaving them unable to move.
Only now did they understand that this young Tier 6 Alchemist truly lived up to his reputation. No wonder Her Majesty the Queen valued him so highly.
Qin Chen slowly opened his eyes, withdrawing his soul power as easily as moving an arm. He spoke calmly, "Well? Do you still have any questions?"
The eight leaders looked at one another. The suspicion on their faces had long since been replaced by deep reverence, and their previous disdain had vanished without a trace.
A voluptuous, seductive snake-woman was the first to react. She clasped her fists and bowed. "We failed to recognize your greatness and offended you earlier. We hope Mr. Qin Chen will forgive us!"
"Yes, yes, yes. We hope Mr. Qin Chen will not hold it against us."
"We were rude. Please do not take it to heart, sir."
The other seven leaders also echoed her words, their attitudes incomparably respectful. None of them dared harbor the slightest doubt any longer.
Medusa took in the entire scene, the corner of her lips curling into an almost imperceptible smile as a trace of approval flashed through her eyes.
Qing Lin, meanwhile, wore a thoughtful expression, though no one knew what she was thinking.
Over the following days, Qin Chen settled down in the Snake-People Holy City. Other than guiding Qing Lin's cultivation, he used the medicinal ingredients provided by the Snake-People Tribe to refine pills.
Refining pills for the Snake-People Tribe was exceedingly simple for Qin Chen. After all, the pills commonly used by the tribe were generally not of high grade, and there were only a handful of Sixth-Grade Pills among them.
During this time, the entire courtyard was permeated by rich medicinal fragrance, drawing many low-ranking snake people from the city to stop and watch from afar, though none dared approach.
With the Earth Core Pearl supplying him with energy, Qin Chen no longer needed to worry about Dou Qi consumption while refining pills. His alchemy efficiency increased severalfold, while his alchemy skills quietly improved through each round of refinement.
The process of refining pills was, in essence, also a form of cultivation. Every purification of medicinal ingredients and fusion of medicinal liquids was the ultimate tempering of soul power and a precise exercise in controlling Dou Qi.
Combined with the endless supply of pure energy from the Earth Core Pearl, Qin Chen broke through the barrier of Seven-Star Dou Wang in just two months and successfully advanced to Eight-Star Dou Wang.
As for that so-called Commander-in-Chief, Qin Chen had not seen him. He heard that the man was in seclusion deep within the desert.
Several days later, inside the courtyard where Qin Chen resided.
Unlike before, the courtyard no longer contained only Qin Chen and Qing Lin. Five additional figures with formidable auras had arrived.
One of them was the naturally seductive Queen Medusa. As for the other four, they were all elderly elders of the Snake-People Tribe—the tribe's hidden trump cards, four elders at the Peak Dou Emperor realm.
At this moment, their usual majesty and composure were gone, replaced by solemnity and anticipation. They stared unblinkingly at the young figure seated cross-legged in the center of the courtyard.
Before Qin Chen, a crimson medicine cauldron floated in the air and slowly spun, releasing a faint pill fragrance. Green flames roiled violently within it, while tiny ripples of energy continuously surged from the cauldron and spread in all directions.
"Condense!"
Following Qin Chen's low shout, the tiny holes on the embryonic pill completely disappeared. Its surface became smooth and full, and a pill fragrance several times richer than before spread out almost tangibly, filling the entire courtyard.
Boom!
The medicine cauldron suddenly let out a muffled roar, and a pillar of light two zhang thick shot into the sky, piercing the clouds.
Qin Chen raised a hand and pulled the pill from the pillar of light. Without energy to sustain it, the soaring beam swiftly faded away.
After placing the pill into a jade bottle he had prepared beforehand, Qin Chen revealed a satisfied smile. He was truly delighted. The appearance of this pill signified that he had officially entered the ranks of Advanced Sixth-Grade Alchemists.
Seeing Qin Chen succeed, the solemnity on Queen Medusa and the four elders' faces was instantly replaced by joy.
"This is the Snake Marrow Bone-Transforming Pill?"
Queen Medusa was the first to step forward, and her words seemed to carry a hint of relief.
The four elders also gathered around, fervent light shining in their clouded eyes. The First Elder, who led them, praised, "This is indeed the Snake Marrow Bone-Transforming Pill. Not only that, this pill has a full color and rich fragrance. Its quality surpasses the one used by Her Majesty the Queen back then by several levels."
The Second Elder beside her nodded as well, her withered fingers trembling slightly. "Young friend Qin Chen's alchemy is so exquisite that this old woman has never seen its equal in her life."
"Now that the Snake Marrow Bone-Transforming Pill is ready, Her Majesty can undergo her evolution without worry."
The four great elders of the Snake-People Tribe had specifically come to visit Qin Chen, even bringing medicinal ingredients they had treasured for many years, all because they wanted him to refine the Snake Marrow Bone-Transforming Pill.
From their perspective, they had no idea how long Qin Chen would remain here. If they wanted to invite a Tier 6 Alchemist to refine pills again in the future, it would be difficult indeed.
Thus, it was necessary to prepare the pill required for the intermediate secret technique in advance. Besides, if Medusa encountered an accident during her evolution, they could at least promptly cultivate a successor.
They could not change their queen's decision, so they could only make every possible preparation beforehand.
Several days later, inside a quiet room.
Qin Chen held a scroll in his hand, reviewing and summarizing the day's pill refinement.
Creak.
The door was gently pushed open, and Qing Lin slowly walked inside. Unlike her usual lively and adorable self, she wore a sorrowful expression now, and the light in her large eyes was much dimmer than before.
After a long while, Qing Lin slowly spoke. "Young Master, I..."
Qin Chen already understood. He then smiled gently and said, "Have you made your decision?"
"Mm." Qing Lin nodded, forcefully suppressing the sorrow in her heart.
Through this period of cultivation and battle, Qin Chen discovered that while Qing Lin had progressed rapidly, that was only in comparison to ordinary people. Without a systematic inheritance of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, her cultivation was twice the effort for half the result.
Thus, three days earlier, Qin Chen had told Qing Lin about Heavenly Snake Mansion.
When she heard that her young master intended to send her to Heavenly Snake Mansion, Qing Lin was naturally unwilling in every way.
During this time, Qin Chen had not only protected her but also guided her cultivation. The little girl had no great wishes; she only hoped to remain by her young master's side for the rest of her life.
However, when Qin Chen told her that only by cultivating at Heavenly Snake Mansion could she become stronger in the future and help him better, Qing Lin hesitated.
Qin Chen had not urged Qing Lin at the time. Instead, he gave her three days to consider it slowly, and today happened to be the third day.
Heavenly Snake Mansion Sends Someone
Qing Lin lowered her head, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes. Her voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremble. "Young Master, I've thought it through. I want to go to Heavenly Snake Mansion. I want to become stronger."
Qin Chen looked at her and felt warmth fill his heart. He reached out and gently rubbed her hair, saying softly, "Good. Since you have thought it through, I'll remove the seal on your body now. Once the people of Heavenly Snake Mansion sense your aura, they will send experts to pick you up."
Then, a gentle strand of Dou Qi condensed at Qin Chen's fingertip. He lightly pressed it against Qing Lin's brow, and a warm energy slowly flowed in, causing the seal within her body to gradually collapse.
The instant the seal was removed, a faint yet pure energy overflowed from Qing Lin's body, carrying a strange fluctuation as it swept into the distance.
The moment the seal on her body was undone, Qing Lin could no longer hold back the sorrow in her heart. She threw herself into Qin Chen's arms, and tears instantly burst from her eyes, soaking the clothes on his chest.
Wiping the tears from the little girl's face, Qin Chen said solemnly, "Qing Lin, believe me. Within ten years, I will definitely go to Heavenly Snake Mansion and bring you back."
"Qing Lin believes in Young Master." Qing Lin sniffled, burying her head against Qin Chen's chest, her voice thick with tears.
The two remained silent for a while. Qin Chen knew that ordinary methods would make it difficult for Qing Lin to let go of her reluctance. Then an idea came to him, and he looked at her with a smile. "Qing Lin, how about I give you a gift?"
"A gift?" Qing Lin raised her reddened eyes, a trace of curiosity flashing through them. The corners of her tightly pressed lips relaxed slightly.
"Hehe..." Qin Chen wore a sly expression and said with a mischievous grin, "Close your eyes first."
Hearing that, Qing Lin obediently closed her eyes.
Mwah~
Unexpectedly, Qin Chen planted a kiss on Qing Lin's cheek.
"Young Master, you... you..."
Qing Lin's eyelids flew open, her eyes widening round. Her cheeks turned so red they seemed ready to bleed, and even the tips of her ears were dyed crimson.
She tried to open her mouth, only to find that her throat seemed blocked by something. Her cherry lips, usually so fluent in speech, could not utter a single word now. She could only let the tide of embarrassment spread wildly through her heart.
"Ah!!!"
Qing Lin abruptly broke free from Qin Chen's embrace, covered her burning cheeks with both hands, and rushed out through the door like a startled rabbit.
Seeing her like this, Qin Chen could not help bursting into laughter. The heavy atmosphere of parting was also greatly diluted by this sudden little incident.
Outside the room, Qing Lin lightly stomped her foot. Her pretty face was so red it seemed about to steam, and she muttered in a voice as soft as a mosquito's, "Young Master is so mean..."
Though she said that, there was not the slightest anger in her eyes. Instead, they seemed like water mixed with honey—sweet, carrying a young girl's shyness and helplessness. The melancholy brought on by their impending parting was also soothed considerably by that sudden intimacy.
At the edge of the Tagore Desert.
A huge black shadow sped through the sky, the gale it stirred up sweeping yellow sand across the heavens and carving a long trail across the ground.
Looking closely, the enormous black shadow was actually a jet-black giant snake. Strange patterns covered its body, and four pairs of black wings tinged with purple grew from either side of it.
The Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor, the evolved form of the third-rank magical beast, the Two-Winged Black Snake!
"White Fang, are you sure you didn't sense it wrong?" asked a woman in green atop the snake's back. Her tone was calm, but it carried a faint tremor that was hard to detect.
"Although I have never seen the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, the fluctuations of that aura perfectly match the characteristics recorded in ancient texts. Moreover, I sensed within that aura a trace of pressure from a superior toward an inferior." The Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor, White Fang, spoke with absolute certainty.
"Who knows whether you're just using this as an excuse to see Medusa?" The woman in green rolled her eyes, her beautiful face full of disdain.
"Green Man, how can you slander me out of thin air? I'm not so shameless as to use something like this as an excuse." Seeing that his longtime partner did not believe him, displeasure flashed through the giant snake's human-like eyes, and his voice unconsciously rose several degrees.
"Hmph." Green Man snorted.
She knew this stinking snake's nature far too well. Whenever he had free time, he always liked going to find Medusa.
He claimed it was for sparring, but every time he was the one who ended up bruised and battered. If he had not said he sensed the aura of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, Green Man would never have accompanied this stinking snake here.
Seeing the woman on his back acting like this, White Fang could not be bothered to argue. His massive tail swung fiercely again as he said eagerly, "Still, since the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils have appeared on Queen Medusa's territory, I can take this chance to spar with her."
"Hehe, such a perfect woman practically exists just for this emperor!"
"Hahahaha..."
Today, he could not only see Medusa, but also find the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. It truly was a double blessing.
Elsewhere, in a broad plaza in the eastern part of the Snake-People Holy City.
Three-Star Dou Zhe Qing Lin was fighting a Four-Star Dou Zhe snake person. Though the little girl's face still retained some childishness, her gaze was exceptionally determined. Clearly, her practical combat experience had become increasingly refined through this period of battle.
Sigh...
On a rooftop not far away, Qin Chen watched the petite figure sparring with the snake person and let out a soft sigh.
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