The Saintess Enters the Pool, Jade Eyes First Take Shape

The Saintess Enters the Pool, Jade Eyes First Take Shape

Led by the old palace lord, Bai Su, Han Feng and Qing Lin passed through the ancient stone hall gates and arrived at a secret realm isolated from the outside world.

This was the greatest secret of the Heavenly Serpent Palace, as well as the place where saintesses throughout the generations received their inheritances: the Serpent-Calming Pool.

The moment they entered, an almost liquid fragrance of vegetation and pure serpent-attributed spiritual energy rushed toward them.

The secret realm was not large. At its center lay an emerald pool of crystal-clear water, with a faint mist drifting above its surface and an aura that soothed the mind and calmed the heart. Many strange plants extinct in the outside world grew along the poolside. The most conspicuous was a small herb that was entirely jade-green, its leaves shaped like snake scales.

"This is the Millennial Serpent-Heart Grass." Bai Su pointed at the patch of herbs, her tone carrying a trace of pride. "And this pool water is no ordinary water. The Heavenly Serpent Palace's ancestors gathered Jade-Spirit Serpent Saliva through secret arts, supplemented it with a hundred spiritual herbs, and spent a thousand years forming this Serenity Spirit Liquid."

"Qing Lin," she said, turning to look at her gently, "from now on, you will remain here and receive the first stage of your inheritance."

Han Feng listened from the side without interrupting. He could sense that this place would greatly benefit Qing Lin's Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes.

Bai Su walked to the pool, took out a jade bowl, carefully scooped up some pool water, then picked several Serpent-Heart Grass leaves. She crushed them, mixed them with the liquid from a medicinal pill, and prepared a bowl of jade-green medicinal paste that emitted an unusual fragrance.

"Come here, girl. Every morning, soak your eyes in this medicine for a quarter of an hour. It may sting a little, but you must endure it."

"This can resolve the conflict between the human and serpent bloodlines within you and stabilize the origin of your eye technique. When you use your eye power in the future, your soul will no longer be damaged."

Qing Lin looked toward Han Feng. Only after seeing him nod encouragingly did she gather her courage and walk before Bai Su.

She closed her eyes as instructed.

The instant the cold medicine touched her eyelids, a stinging pain and a refreshing chill surged through her at once, piercing straight into her heart.

"Mm!"

Qing Lin's little face scrunched up, and her body trembled slightly from the pain. Yet she bit her lips hard and made no sound.

She only felt two forces clashing and tearing at each other within her eyes. But every collision was soothed and reconciled by the cool medicinal power.

A quarter of an hour later, Bai Su wiped away the medicine from Qing Lin's eyes.

When Qing Lin opened her eyes again, she felt as if the entire world had changed. Everything before her became exceptionally clear; she could even see the fine veins on a leaf in the distance. Her jade-green eyes had also become deeper and purer, while the three bewitching patterns in their depths seemed to have solidified somewhat.

Bai Su nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Next comes the second step: the Serpent-Calming Formation, to awaken the serpent markings."

She brought Qing Lin to the center of an ancient formation beside the pool.

"Sit cross-legged and focus your mind."

With a low shout, Bai Su poured her Dou Qi into the formation.

"Buzz—"

The entire Serpent-Calming Pool and the surrounding Serpent-Heart Grass seemed to come alive.

Pure serpent-attributed spiritual energy visible to the naked eye was forcibly drawn out by the formation, transforming into small jade-green snakes that surged eagerly toward Qing Lin at its center.

These energy snakes did not enter her body. Instead, they all flowed into her eyes, nourishing the pair of divine pupils she had been born with.

Qing Lin only felt warmth and comfort in her eyes, as though she were soaking in a hot spring. In that comfort, she nearly fell asleep.

"The final step: the imparting of the heart scripture!"

Bai Su's voice rang in Qing Lin's mind like an alarm bell.

She took out an ancient jade slip and lightly tapped Qing Lin's brow.

A vast amount of information flooded in. It was precisely the Jade-Eyed Serpent-Commanding Heart Scripture, never passed outside the Heavenly Serpent Palace.

"I will teach you the first level, the Bloodline Nourishment Chapter. Memorize it carefully and comprehend it thoroughly. Only when you master the first level of Azure-Eyed Serpent Binding and can easily control serpent-type magical beasts below the fifth tier will the foundational stage of your first inheritance be complete."

The enormous torrent of information surged into her mind, and Qing Lin's little face instantly turned pale, though she quickly returned to normal. Thanks to Han Feng's usual training, her soul was far stronger than that of others her age, so receiving this information was not too difficult.

"Alright, girl." After finishing everything, Bai Su showed a trace of exhaustion on her face. "For the next half month, cultivate diligently here. This old woman will come every day to guide your training."

Cultivation was dull yet fulfilling, and time passed quietly.

The talent Qing Lin displayed astonished even Bai Su.

On the first day, she learned how to execute the Jade-Eyed Serpent-Commanding Heart Scripture.

On the second day, under Bai Su's guidance and with the cooperation of an unfortunate first-tier Jade-Eyed Snake, she successfully performed Azure-Eyed Serpent Binding.

When jade-colored eye light shot from her eyes and formed an abstruse green flower seal branded upon the Jade-Eyed Snake's soul, a wonderful sensation rose in her heart.

She could clearly sense that a distinct master-servant soul bond had formed between her and the little snake. She could share its vision, sense its emotions, and decide its life or death with a single thought.

This absolute sense of control fascinated her.

In the days that followed, Qing Lin completely immersed herself in this wonderful cultivation.

Her opponents went from first-tier Jade-Eyed Snakes and second-tier Ironwire Snakes all the way to third-tier Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snakes...

Her eye technique grew increasingly proficient and powerful through repeated use.

Her cultivation also advanced rapidly under the Myriad Snakes Gathering Spirit Formation and the feedback from her eye technique.

Three-star Dou Practitioner...

Five-star Dou Practitioner...

Seven-star Dou Practitioner...

Half a month later.

Qing Lin opened her eyes once more, and the aura of an eight-star Dou Master flashed from her body.

Before her, a Black Jade Earth Dragon lay tamely on the ground. Over thirty feet long and entirely black, with a single horn growing from its head, it radiated the aura of a fourth-tier magical beast. It affectionately rubbed its large head against her trouser leg like a fawning puppy.

"Not bad."

Seeing this, Bai Su revealed a gratified yet bitter smile on her aged face.

In half a month, Qing Lin had risen from a one-star Dou Practitioner to an eight-star Dou Master and could even easily command a fourth-tier magical beast.

Such talent and cultivation speed could no longer be described as genius.

She was a monster!

Had the Heavenly Serpent Palace encountered such a saintess several hundred years earlier, why would it have needed to worry about unifying the Northwest Continent, or even setting its sights on the Central Plains?

What a pity, what a pity...

Han Feng appeared in the distance.

Seeing the little girl standing atop the giant snake and waving excitedly at him, a satisfied smile also appeared on his face.

"It seems the first stage of the inheritance has ended."

He walked forward at an unhurried pace and said to Bai Su, "Old Palace Lord, thank you for all your effort these past days."

"Not at all, not at all." Bai Su hurriedly returned the courtesy. "It is this old woman's honor to guide Her Highness the Saintess in her cultivation."

Looking at Qing Lin, she felt deeply reluctant to part with her.

"Young Pavilion Master, are you taking Her Highness the Saintess away?"

"Yes." Han Feng nodded. "It is time for us to return as well."