For the past two days, Long Xiao had stayed with Medusa.
He had conquered the Snake-People Tribe with his strength. The Snake-People no longer held any resentment; instead, they were filled with gratitude and admiration for this human.
Medusa had to hold morning court that day. At regular intervals, the Eight Great Tribes came to report on recent developments in the surrounding areas, and Long Xiao sat beside her.
Below them, the Eight Great Commanders reported on conditions around their territories.
After a while, however, it became clear that none of them had any major issues except Yue Mei.
"Your Majesty, last night, I discovered a young man carrying a large ruler on his back trying to sneak into our tribe. But while pursuing him, I discovered something else."
Yue Mei delivered her report respectfully.
"Oh? Let me hear it."
Medusa looked at Yue Mei with interest.
Yue Mei continued, "I chased him for hundreds of miles, but just as I was about to catch him, I spotted Gu He entering the Tagor Desert with three powerful experts. I was no match for them, so I could only retreat to the tribe."
Medusa frowned at this. Gu He had actually brought three powerful experts into the Tagor Desert. Presumably, he had heard about the Heavenly Flames. These fellows certainly got their news quickly.
But so what?
With her current strength, no one in the Jia Ma Empire could rival her. Even bringing the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire would do them no good.
Even if all ten experts came, they would not withstand a single exchange with her.
Besides, Long Xiao had already devoured the Heavenly Flames. What share was left for Gu He?
"Understood. You may all withdraw. If they wish to come, let them. With my current strength, I could easily overturn the Jia Ma Empire."
Medusa waved a hand, utterly unconcerned.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Yue Mei replied.
"Who's Gu He?" Long Xiao asked Medusa.
"The Pill King of the Jia Ma Empire. A sixth-grade alchemist," Medusa said mildly.
Long Xiao's jaw dropped when he heard that.
What the hell? Sixth-grade?
That was enough to call himself the Pill King? Then wouldn't I qualify as the Pill God?
"What's with that expression?"
Medusa suddenly noticed Long Xiao's disdainful look and could not help asking.
"Nothing. I just think this Pill King doesn't quite live up to his title. He's only sixth-grade," Long Xiao complained.
Medusa smiled at his words and said, "Don't underestimate a sixth-grade alchemist. You really won't find another in the neighboring empires, so naturally, he enjoys considerable prestige in this region."
Then something else occurred to her. Her bewitching eyes fixed on Long Xiao as though she wanted to see straight through him. "Long Xiao, don't tell me you're an alchemist too?"
She looked as though she intended to see through all his secrets.
Long Xiao nodded honestly.
Seeing that Long Xiao did not deny it, Medusa revealed a rare smile and asked, "What grade?"
"Well... anyway, I'm much, much, much better than that so-called Pill King."
Long Xiao could not be bothered to explain the specifics. He currently counted as half a ninth-grade alchemist, he supposed. Even if he said that aloud, Medusa probably would not believe him.
As for why he only counted as half, that was because he had long since mastered ninth-grade pill-refining arts, but his cultivation could not keep up. If he refined a Ninth-grade Pill, its pill lightning would rival the power of a Dou Sheng, and he could not withstand that. Although alchemists did not need to excel in combat, they could not go far without cultivation to support them. Beyond ninth grade, every grade represented a gulf as vast as heaven and earth.
Not only could he refine pills, he could also forge artifacts. He had many skills, all professionally trained.
His father had spent nearly a thousand years bored and idle, so he had taken up two side jobs.
The strongest alchemist and the strongest artifact smith in all the heavens.
Having been immersed in it since childhood, he had learned a great deal. But he could not be bothered to refine anything. His Storage Ring already contained plenty of ninth- and tenth-grade pills, so why would he make them himself? Wouldn't that make him a complete fucking idiot?
"Really?"
Medusa did not quite believe Long Xiao's claim. After all, he was only twenty. Surely he could not be so absurdly gifted in both combat and pill refining?
"Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, I'll show you."
Long Xiao rose and walked outside.
Medusa followed, her heart full of anticipation. She wanted to see whether Long Xiao really was that extraordinary.
Outside the hall, Long Xiao took out a large golden cauldron. A lifelike golden dragon was engraved on it, and the fluctuations it radiated were anything but ordinary. The moment it appeared, a vast, imposing pressure swept toward them.
Medusa was stunned. The fluctuations emanating from this pill cauldron could actually affect even a Dou Zong like her!
Seeing Medusa's expression, Long Xiao merely smiled.
This cauldron was called the Golden Light Wandering Dragon Cauldron.
It was a divine artifact, incomparably sturdy and capable of concealing most unusual manifestations. Long Xiao also often used it as a weapon to smash people.
A nice clang against someone's skull felt quite satisfying.
However, the Battle* Continent had no system for classifying equipment. In the starry expanse of the myriad worlds, magical treasures were ranked as treasure artifacts, magic artifacts, profound artifacts, spirit artifacts, sacred artifacts, divine artifacts, super-divine artifacts...
Long Xiao set the large golden cauldron on the ground and pressed his hand against it. With a hum, it slowly began to rotate. Then its lid opened, and beams of golden light shot out from within.
With a wave of his hand, Long Xiao tossed countless medicinal ingredients into the cauldron like a great mixed stew.
The lid closed again, radiating golden light that enveloped the entire pill cauldron.
Standing beside him, Medusa watched Long Xiao with doubt written all over her face. "What are you doing? I may not know how to refine pills, but I know this isn't how it's done."
"That's where your understanding falls short."
Long Xiao smiled smugly and said, "How could my skills possibly compare to those of mere mortals?"
As his words fell, the Golden Dragon Heaven-Burning Flame surged from Long Xiao's hand and swept over the Golden Light Wandering Dragon Cauldron, blazing fiercely.
Rumble!
The Golden Light Wandering Dragon Cauldron began to tremble. Wisps of golden light spread outward, accompanied by an extraordinary fragrance.
What a lovely fragrance. Is that the scent of pills? Has he finished refining them already?
Medusa marveled inwardly. This was nothing short of a miracle.
Ten seconds later, Long Xiao opened the lid. With a beckoning gesture, ten Sixth-Grade Pills appeared in his hand.
A closer look revealed pill patterns on every one of them, indicating their exceptionally high quality. They were all top-quality pills.
Medusa was shaken to her core.
Long Xiao handed the pills to Medusa. "Here, these are for you. They're Youth-Preserving Pills. Taking them will nourish your beauty, too. I'll be admiring that face of yours for a long time to come."
Medusa rolled her eyes at him, then took the pills and examined them carefully.
They really were Sixth-Grade Pills.
Ten pills refined in ten seconds!!
Such divine skill!
Medusa's heart filled with shock. This miraculous method of pill refining seemed inconceivable to her, while also giving her a profound sense of Long Xiao's power.
Rather than taking a pill immediately, she put them away and fixed her gaze on Long Xiao.
"Uh... what's wrong?"
Medusa's stare made Long Xiao's skin crawl.
Medusa's fiery red lips curved faintly. Her fleeting smile was a vision of peerless beauty.
"It seems I've found myself a treasure."
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