Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill

Hai Bo Dong froze.

Su Zhao continued, "The map can only count as payment for gathering the Sand Mandala; it cannot count as payment for refining the Break-Evil Pill. Pill refining is pill refining, herb gathering is herb gathering. The two cannot be lumped together. How about this? After refining the Break-Evil Pill, I want you to follow me for two years, Senior."

Hai Bo Dong's expression darkened.

As though he had not seen the look on his face, Su Zhao continued, "Of course, I will not have you follow me for nothing during those two years. When the time comes, I can refine another Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill for you. Its effect is to completely restore the cultivation lost over the years due to the seal, sparing you the long recovery period. Your cultivation has been sealed for many years. Even if you take the Break-Evil Pill and have the seal removed, your cultivation can at most recover to the early Dou Emperor stage, far from your peak. But with this Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill, you can directly recover your former peak cultivation. Surely this pill is worth following me for two years?"

Hai Bo Dong fell silent.

A Spirit-Restoring Purple Pill!

There was actually such a pill. If it could truly restore him to his peak cultivation, then following Su Zhao for two years was not entirely unacceptable.

He vaguely felt that he had been thoroughly controlled by this young man from the very beginning. Every step Su Zhao took struck at his weak point, and every word precisely hit upon what he needed most urgently.

Yet he had to admit that the temptation was simply too great.

He had been trapped at the Dou Spirit realm for so many years. He dreamed every day of one day regaining his former cultivation and glory.

After a long silence, Hai Bo Dong finally nodded. "Fine. But all of this must come after you refine the Break-Evil Pill for me. You must finish refining it before I hand over that fragment of the map."

Su Zhao nodded decisively. "Fine. But you must give me this map of the Heavenly Flame first."

Hai Bo Dong did not hesitate either. He directly reached out and pushed the beast-hide map before Su Zhao.

Though the map of the Heavenly Flame was precious, it was nothing but a scrap of waste paper to him now. If it could be exchanged for hope of recovering his cultivation, then it was worthwhile no matter how he looked at it.

Su Zhao took the map and lowered his head to glance at the terrain and directions marked by dense lines. Understanding dawned on him. Without any hesitation, he put away the map, turned, and left. "Then wait here for good news, Senior."

Seeing this, Little Doctor hurriedly set down the map in her hands and followed him.

Su You silently followed close behind. The three figures soon vanished into the night outside the shop.

Inside the map shop, Hai Bo Dong stared at the wooden door as it swayed in the night wind and slowly shut again. He let out a long breath.

Only now did he completely relax his tense body. Leaning back in his chair, he found that a layer of fine cold sweat had already formed on his forehead.

The pressure that Dou Emperor had brought him just now had been overwhelming, not even weaker than the Medusa Queen from his memories.

That strength had likely reached the peak of the Dou Emperor realm, perhaps only one step away from the Dou Ancestor realm.

Just who was this kid? He had a peak Dou Emperor guard at his side and possessed a Heavenly Flame. Could he truly be from some great power beyond the Jia Ma Empire?

Hai Bo Dong shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

He lowered his head to look at the drawing pen broken into two pieces on the table. After a moment of silence, an almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of his lips. After being sealed for so many years, he had finally seen a glimmer of dawn.

After bidding farewell to Hai Bo Dong, Su Zhao and the others found an unused courtyard in the city and bought it as a temporary place to stay.

The courtyard was not large, but it was quiet and neat. Several earthen houses surrounded a small patio, and an unknown tree had been planted in one corner, its leaves rustling in the night wind.

Little Doctor could finally no longer hold herself back. She moved close to Su Zhao and asked softly, "That old man just now—you called him one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten strongest experts? Is he really that powerful?"

As Su Zhao pushed open the door to the main house, he turned back with a smile. "Don't underestimate him. Hai Bo Dong used to be a genuine Dou Emperor expert, someone who could rank among the top five in the entire Jia Ma Empire. It was only because the Medusa Queen sealed his cultivation that he was trapped here in Desert City for so many years."

Little Doctor covered her small mouth, her eyes full of surprise. "That powerful..."

Seeing her expression, Su Zhao could not help shaking his head. He reached out and gently patted the top of her head. "You, with your cultivation speed, you might be a Dou Emperor in another year or two, and a Dou Ancestor in three to five years. By then, you will not think he is strong anymore."

Little Doctor stuck out her tongue, a little embarrassed. "How could it be that fast... I'm still just a little Dou Practitioner."

"Hahahaha!"

Su Zhao laughed heartily.

"Don't worry. The speed will exceed your imagination. But there is no need to worry—the materials for the Poison Pill Method, we have already gathered quite a few of them."

As if showing off, he waved the Heavenly Flame map Hai Bo Dong had given him. "This place marks the location of the third flame. With this one, we will have all three Heavenly Flames. Once we gather the Bodhisattva Transformation Saliva and the magic core of the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast, your Calamity Poison Body will no longer be a hidden danger."

Little Doctor fell silent for two seconds, then revealed an incomparably beautiful smile and softly said two words. "Thank you."

Su Zhao looked at her and froze for a moment.

Moonlight slanted through the window lattice, falling upon her pale purple hair and casting a soft halo around it. She was quiet, like a flower silently blooming in the night.

When Little Doctor saw that he had not reacted for so long, she raised her head and waved her slender hand before his eyes. "What is it? Stunned silly?"

Su Zhao grabbed her little hand and grinned. "Hehe, our Xian'er looks really pretty when she smiles."

Little Doctor's face instantly turned red. She forcefully pulled back her hand and turned her head away. "Hmph! Silver tongue!"

Su Zhao was not offended. Smiling, he carefully put away the Heavenly Flame map and turned to walk into the room. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Get some rest early. We have important things to do tomorrow."

Little Doctor stood at the doorway, watching his figure disappear behind the door. She touched her slightly burning cheeks and let out a soft "Hmph," but the corners of her lips could not help lifting.

The night passed without incident.

That night, Su Zhao once again spent his time cultivating.

He had long grown accustomed to replacing sleep with cultivation. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he slowly circulated the Scarlet Origin Heaven-Burning Art. After an entire night, his spirit was even more refreshed than it would have been after sleeping.

Early the next morning, Su Zhao took Little Doctor out.

Desert City's morning carried the dryness and chill unique to the desert. Sunlight slanted across the earthen-yellow streets, coating the entire city in a warm golden hue.

Shops on both sides of the street gradually opened for business. The scent of baked flatbread and spices filled the air, while several camel beasts occasionally strolled leisurely past, their bells jingling.

"This city in the desert really has a different flavor from other places."