"Young Master."
Qinglin's voice was clear and soft, carrying a gentle sweetness to it that was quite pleasant to hear.
Compared to when she first met Lin Ran—timid and shy—after these past few days together, Qinglin had grown much bolder. Her personality had become more open, and she now displayed the vibrant charm a girl her age should have.
"Because of your Three-Colored Pupil, your cultivation speed will be astonishing. Ordinary techniques won't be of much help to you. Luyi knows this as well, which is why she didn't pass on the Heaven Snake Mansion's techniques, but only taught you Dou Techniques."
"Indeed," Luyi nodded, her tone serious. "What Lord Lin Ran says is true. The Three-Colored Pupil passively absorbs and devours the power of serpent-type magical beasts and directly feeds it back to the user. For others, cultivation methods are important resources, but for the Three-Colored Pupil, they're more like restrictions. If the method is incompatible or not strong enough, it could even hinder the pupil's potential."
Qinglin nodded slightly, though somewhat confused. She didn't understand much about such things—she only knew one thing: that Lin Ran and Luyi would never harm her.
As long as she followed their guidance, she wouldn't go wrong!
"I don't yet have a truly suitable cultivation method for you. But in terms of Dou Techniques, I do have something perfect."
Lin Ran handed over a jade slip to Qinglin. Curiously, she took it and injected her Dou Qi into it.
The jade slip dimmed. The next moment, a massive stream of information surged into her mind.
"The Three-Colored Pupil is naturally inclined toward illusion and spirit-type abilities. This Dou Technique is called the Myriad Flower Nether Pupil. It's a high-rank Earth-tier technique. When paired with your Three-Colored Pupil, its power can rival even Heaven-tier techniques."
Lin Ran's voice echoed within her consciousness, making Qinglin slightly dazed. Along with this torrent of information, another smaller stream entered her soul—a mysterious and ancient cultivation method.
"This method is called the Soul-Nurturing Technique. Though it's only a high-rank Xuan-tier art, it originates from ancient times and focuses on soul refinement. It draws in heaven and earth energy to nourish the spirit. For you, it will be extremely beneficial."
As Lin Ran's voice faded, Qinglin became completely immersed in the mysterious practice. She began meditating on the technique almost instinctively.
To Qinglin, who had never touched soul cultivation or spirit-type Dou Techniques before, this was entirely new—and deeply fascinating. With a single glance, she was captivated.
As she continued her research into the Soul-Nurturing Technique, her previously frail soul energy actually began to spin on its own.
A tingling sensation spread from the center of her forehead. Soon, Qinglin realized something strange—her brow seemed to exude a subtle suction force. The surrounding space shimmered faintly as strands of soul energy slowly converged and flowed into her forehead.
Watching the two girls enter their cultivation state, Luyi's eyes showed a trace of envy. She didn't know exactly what Lin Ran had given Qinglin, but judging by her condition, it was clearly something extraordinary.
'It must be some high-level Earth-tier technique again!'
Just as Luyi was feeling overwhelmed by envy, two jade boxes flew toward her. Startled, she scrambled to catch them.
Even unopened, the rich medicinal aroma made it obvious how precious their contents were.
"My lord, these are…?"
"Royal Polar Pills."
Lin Ran's tone was flat, but Luyi's eyes shot wide open in shock. She stared at him, wild joy flashing in her gaze.
The Royal Polar Pill—known as a peak-grade sixth-tier pill—had a straightforward but astonishing effect. It could raise the power of a Dou Huang expert by one to two stars within a short time. More importantly, it had a secondary function—refining the body and strengthening the bones and meridians, further boosting the user's raw combat ability.
Simply put, its effects were similar to the Dou Ling Pill, which was meant for Dou Wang powerhouses. But the Royal Polar Pill worked for Dou Huang experts instead—and it also enhanced the body!
Among sixth-tier pills, it was one of the most sought-after by Dou Huang powerhouses. The allure of gaining a full level of power—or even two—was simply too great.
At the Dou Huang level, even taking years to gain a single star wasn't unusual. So a pill that could guarantee progress in mere days? That was invaluable.
"You've just stepped into the Dou Huang realm and are still at one star. This Royal Polar Pill will help you stabilize your foundation while pushing your cultivation further."
Lin Ran added calmly, "There are two pills. One is for you, the other for Bai Ya."
"T-This… thank you, my lord!"
Luyi bowed deeply, unable to contain the excitement on her face.
It had only been a few days since she had pledged loyalty to Lin Ran, and already she was being given a sixth-tier pinnacle pill? A Royal Polar Pill at that? This kind of treatment was unbelievable!
Lin Ran waved it off indifferently. Without hesitation, Luyi glanced at the meditating Xiao Yixian and Qinglin, then sat cross-legged, opened the jade box, and swallowed the pill inside.
Her Dou Qi surged as she began to cultivate.
Unlike the other two, Luyi was already a Dou Huang. When she began cultivating, the energy fluctuations were immense. Within moments, the entire courtyard was shaking from the sheer intensity.
Lin Ran opened his eyes slightly. With a flick of his hand, a strange ripple pulsed through the space. The chaotic waves of energy immediately calmed, becoming smooth and steady once more.
…
Meanwhile, in Mo City.
A figure clad in black moved slowly through the streets. A massive black ruler, equal to the man's own height, hung diagonally across his back. It made for a strange sight, drawing curious glances from every passerby.
"Teacher, that was really close. If not for you, that Sand Mandala mission would've killed me."
Xiao Yan strolled casually through Mo City, voice low and tinged with lingering fear.
He had recently ventured deep into the Tagore Desert to train and had successfully snuck into the Serpent Tribe's sacred city to retrieve the Sand Mandala. Unfortunately, he had been discovered by the tribe's experts on his way out—and was chased all the way back.
If not for Yao Lao's strength and timely escape, he would have become desert fertilizer by now.
"It was close, indeed. But you've got guts, kid. All that for a mere favor from a Dou Huang? You dared to sneak into the Serpent Tribe's holy city?"
"Hey, fortune favors the bold. Big risks, big rewards."
Xiao Yan grinned and headed toward the city's map shop. "Who knew the Serpent Tribe had so many Dou Huang guarding the place. But, Teacher, we made quite a ruckus—why didn't Queen Medusa show up?"
"Not sure," Yao Lao muttered. "But while in the sacred city, I did sense a particularly fiery aura..."
"Anyway, enough of that. Let's focus on making that pill for our 'client'. We can't miss out on that map fragment."
"Is that Fallen Lotus Flame really that amazing?"
"It's the third-ranked Heavenly Flame. If you can get it, you'll be unstoppable across the continent."
"Fine, fine. I just worry that old guy might cause trouble once he gets his strength back... he doesn't seem like a very peaceful fellow."
"So what if he does? Even if he recovers, he'll only be a Dou Huang. What can he possibly do to us?"
Yao Lao laughed lightly. "Still, we should be cautious. I've said before—when refining his pill, we'll slip in a little something. If he behaves, fine. If he tries anything funny, we'll deal with it our way."
"Heh, I'll follow Teacher's lead on everything."
(End of Chapter)