"A…a pill?" Cai Lin's eyes widened, looking incredibly incredulous.
The strongest being on the Dou Qi Continent was actually a pill? If such news were to spread, probably few would believe it.
However, Cai Lin had just witnessed the power of the Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill, so she accepted this fact relatively easily.
"Who can refine such a pill?" She couldn't help but ask.
"Not clear, maybe Tuo She Ancient Emperor…" When it came to more specific details, the Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill became vague.
Cai Lin didn't delve deeper; such an existence was beyond her reach.
"What are your plans after this?" Cai Lin asked.
"We'll see. We'll talk after I get that Eight-Rank pill. If at that time, that pill isn't enough to carry my intelligence, causing my intellect to decline to a certain extent, I hope to temporarily reside in your body for a period of time," the Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill said.
"That wasn't part of our deal, was it?" Cai Lin seemed quite unwilling.
"Then we can just make another deal. Besides myself, the knowledge in my mind is also quite useful. After all, my predecessor was a clone of Amon," the Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill said.
Cai Lin was silent for a moment, not refusing. She asked, "How should I address you in the future? It's not very appropriate to keep calling you Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill."
"Jiu Bao, call me Jiu Bao," Jiu Bao happily named itself.
…
Seven days later, in the main hall of the White Snake Tribe's Holy City Temple, a powerful energy fluctuation spread out.
Cai Lin, Bai Qing, and the other Snake-People leaders were all alarmed and gathered around.
They didn't dare to get too close; the powerful energy made them feel terrified, as if the overflowing power could tear them apart.
"What's going on?" Yan Mu asked. He felt like someone was refining pills, but he had never seen anyone refining pills cause such a phenomenon.
The sky was already covered with dark clouds, and streaks of silvery-white electric snakes moved through them. Rumbling thunder occasionally sounded, and a dense pressure came from the sky. The air was so heavy it was suffocating.
As time passed, the thunderclouds in the sky changed, splitting into nine distinct, yet still overall unified, cloud formations.
"Hoh, an Eight-Rank pill with Nine-Color Pill Lightning, not bad," Jiu Bao's voice sounded in Cai Lin's mind.
Cai Lin sighed softly, "He certainly doesn't hesitate to invest resources in me."
Jiu Bao chuckled, "He probably doesn't have that many top-grade medicinal ingredients. This is likely another clone he invested in, for Spirit Ascension."
Cai Lin asked with some curiosity, "I've heard you talk about Amon's avatars before. How many avatars does he actually have, and is cultivating avatars that easy? He seems to use them without any hesitation."
Jiu Bao responded, "It's easy in some ways, and difficult in others… His avatars have certain limitations. I can't remember the specifics, but it's not as profound as you imagine. There seem to be quite a few weaknesses."
Inside the main hall, the fiery cauldron gradually dissipated.
A white snake suddenly shot out from the half-remaining, lidless cauldron, soaring towards the sky.
Deafening thunder sounded, and a bolt of lightning suddenly fell from the sky, striking towards the white snake.
Just then, silvery-white flames surged out, meeting the lightning before the white snake. The flames rushed upwards, instantly engulfing the sky and spreading out, sweeping away the thick cloud layer.
The dark clouds dispersed, and sunlight once again shone down, illuminating White Snake City.
In just an instant, the white snake had flown very far away; at least Cai Lin could no longer sense its aura.
A phantom hand, hundreds of feet in size, suddenly reached out from within the palace. Although this hand was somewhat transparent, it appeared very clear, even showing the lines on its palm.
The hand suddenly clenched, forming a fist.
Cai Lin looked closely and saw a small white snake struggling in the center of the phantom, transparent fist.
The slightly dim starlight of the day brightened, and the small white snake, like an insect swallowed by resin, stopped moving.
Subsequently, the starlight enveloping it disappeared, and it transformed into a pure white pill, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance.
Yan Mu's eyes widened, looking at the pill with fervent adoration, muttering:
"Nine-Color Pill Lightning, Pill Beast… This is a top-grade Eight-Rank pill!"
Everyone present looked at the pill, their eyes filled with undisguised longing, but no one was blinded by greed; no one made a move for it.
Not to mention Huang Tao's unfathomably terrifying strength, the power the pill displayed in its white snake form alone made them feel a fatal threat.
"Another pill I can't defeat…" Cai Lin silently said to herself.
Carried by a gentle Dou Qi, the pill slowly drifted towards Cai Lin.
She reached out, took the pill, and very naturally placed it into a jade bottle.
Bai Qing's eyes showed envy and jealousy… She had seen with her own eyes how many resources Cai Lin, this outsider Snake-Person, had received.
She occasionally felt an urge to try evolving regardless of the consequences. The preferential treatment Cai Lin received was too enviable!
However, Bai Lin's parting instructions, her responsibility to the tribe, and the immense danger of evolution kept her rational, preventing her from being blinded by profit.
Huang Tao's voice suddenly sounded in Cai Lin's ear: "If you have any needs, you can directly ask. As long as it's reasonable, I will do my best to fulfill them."
Cai Lin's lips moved slightly: "Thank you."
She left the main hall with the pill and returned to her room, located in a slightly secluded area on the west side of the temple.
Cai Lin sent out a wave of Dou Qi to envelop the room and softly asked, "What should I do next? How do I help you transfer your consciousness?"
A faint, misty glow emitted from her chest, enveloping the Eight-Rank pill in the jade bottle, and Jiu Bao's voice sounded:
"I've checked. Transferring my intelligence and using it as a vessel will have some impact on me, but it's not too significant."
"As for when to transfer… let's wait a bit… The seal I placed on my own body is a bit crude, and I need to constantly maintain and adjust it. Let's wait a few more days."
"During this time, I will improve the seal to reduce the rate of energy overflow, so you won't be so uncomfortable."
Cai Lin nodded. Currently, the speed at which the medicinal power was surging out subtly exceeded her absorption capacity, making her feel bloated and slightly stinging.
Refining the vast medicinal power of the Ninth-Rank Treasure Pill was not something that could be done in a short time. If it could be more comfortable, she naturally didn't want to endure the pain for one or two months.
…
In the Black-Corner Region, three figures shrouded in black robes hovered in the air, conversing in low voices.
"Protector Xiao, the location of the Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy has been locked down," a slightly deep male voice sounded.
"Very good, let's go… Hehehehe," amidst swirling black clouds, Hun Xiao flew towards the depths of the mountains.