10: Luo Yan was surprised

By the time Yao Delong opened his eyes again, it was already evening.

The crimson glow of the setting sun cast long shadows of the furniture across the room.

"Spirit Stones... cultivation... I must fight for them all!" He gritted his teeth. In the Qi Refinement Stage, his Lifespan was less than a hundred years.

He was already eighty-seven years old; if he didn't achieve a Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment soon, he would truly become a handful of yellow soil.

The urgency of being on the verge of death was like a maggot in his bones, constantly eroding his will.

He didn't dare to be the least bit slack. Foundation Establishment! Only Foundation Establishment could increase his Lifespan!

He had already reached Qi Refining Perfection; what he needed now was a foundation establishment pill, but that required a vast amount of Spirit Stones!

He hurriedly swept the Medicinal Pills into his Storage Ring, not even having time to brush the dust off his clothes.

He gulped down the remaining half-pot of cold water to soothe his parched, burning throat.

He impatiently pushed open the door of the thatched hut and charged back into the deepening twilight.

When the lights of the market town finally flickered to life in a winding trail below, night had completely fallen.

In front of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, a shop assistant was standing on his tiptoes, preparing to take down the lanterns and close the door panels.

"Wait... wait!" Yao Delong's hoarse voice rang out from the quiet street corner. He leaned against the doorframe, gasping for breath.

His cheeks, which already lacked color, appeared even paler now.

The shop assistant, who was about to close up, was startled. Upon seeing it was him, his face showed undisguised disdain.

"You again? The shop is closed! Come back early tomorrow..."

"Let him in!" A mature female voice, filled with surprise and urgency, came from inside the shop.

The shop assistant froze for a moment and then quickly stepped aside.

Yao Delong walked into the shop unsteadily. He saw the curtain of the inner hall lift as Luo Yan stepped out to greet him.

She was clearly preparing to rest or settle the accounts, wearing only a soft, thin, goose-yellow casual dress.

It added a touch of domestic laziness and mature charm.

The dress was tailored to fit perfectly, outlining her lush and full curves in a breathtaking manner—her rounded, high peaks stretched the front of the dress tight.

As she walked briskly, they swayed unsteadily, creating alluring waves.

Beneath her slender waist, the full line of her hips was like a ripe peach, stretching the soft fabric into a thrilling curve.

As Luo Yan approached, a unique scent—a mix of medicinal herbs and a mature woman's body fragrance—reached Yao Delong's nose.

"Brother Yao! Why have you come at this hour?" Luo Yan's voice was sweet and soft.

With surprise and a trace of undetectable urgency, she stepped forward and actually supported Yao Delong's swaying arm herself.

The sensation of her warm, soft, and smooth arm, combined with the fragrance that wafted over him, caused Yao Delong's already exhausted body to stiffen slightly.

She helped Yao Delong sit in a chair by the counter and instructed the dumbfounded shop assistant.

"What are you still standing there for? Go to the back and get my jar of 'Snow Mist Spirit Bud'! Brew some for Brother Yao to calm his nerves!"

The shop assistant snapped out of it and hurried to brew the tea!

Luo Yan took the opportunity to sit in another chair next to Yao Delong, leaning forward slightly. Her goose-yellow neckline inadvertently dipped,

revealing a patch of delicate, fair skin and a deep, shadowed cleavage.

She looked at Yao Delong with concern, her eyes flirtatious and her voice soft and charming like ripples on water.

"Oh, Brother Yao... look at your face, it's so pale. You must be exhausted from Alchemy, aren't you?

This Servant thought you wouldn't finish refining the five sets of ingredients until tomorrow! My heart truly aches for you."

The shop assistant soon brought a cup of fragrant tea shrouded in Spiritual Qi. Yao Delong didn't care if it was hot; he picked it up and gulped down more than half the cup.

A gentle, warm current flowed into his stomach, finally dispelling some of the coldness and fatigue from his body.

He knew exactly what Luo Yan really wanted!

Putting down the teacup, he swept his hand, which wore the Storage Ring, across the wooden table, and a bottle of Medicinal Pills appeared before them.

Yao Delong then uncorked the bottle. A surge of spiritual energy, far more pure and violent than a regular violent spirit pill,

carrying a hint of profound mystery, erupted from the bottle's mouth like a suppressed volcano!

The air was instantly filled with a heart-palpitating aura of energy!

The laziness and flirtatious smile on Luo Yan's face froze instantly!

Her charming almond eyes widened suddenly, staring fixedly at the crimson Medicinal Pill lying quietly at the bottom of the bottle!

The Medicinal Pill was a third smaller than a normal violent spirit pill, perfectly round and flawless, with a color as deep as solidified crimson clouds.

Its surface was covered with incredibly profound golden pill patterns;

they flowed slightly like living things, as if a dormant, violent beast were hidden within!

Just the escaping aura caused a slight tremor in the spiritual power within Luo Yan, a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator!

"This... this...!" Luo Hongyan's voice trembled violently. Ignoring her decorum, she grabbed the medicine bottle,

carefully poured the Medicinal Pill into her palm, feeling the terrifying energy contained within, and the shock on her face deepened!

"This... this is definitely no ordinary violent spirit pill! Its medicinal power... its power is at least three times stronger! And it seems... it seems more restrained and stable? Brother Yao! This... what exactly is going on?"

Luo Yan looked up abruptly, her burning gaze fixed on Yao Delong as if she wanted to see right through him.

Seeing Luo Yan's shocked and undignified state, a trace of undisguisable pride appeared on Yao Delong's face.

He gave a dry cough and stroked his non-existent beard with an air of profound mystery.

"Manager Luo has a good eye. Indeed, while refining this pill last night, I had an epiphany and made some... slight modifications to the Pill Formula."

"Mod... modified the Pill Formula?!"

Luo Yan sucked in a cold breath! A Pill Formula was the crystallization of the wisdom and experience of countless predecessors.

Even for the lowest-tier Rank One Pill Formula, making modifications was no easy task!

Let alone for something as complex as the violent spirit pill, which was already at the peak of Rank One!

After the modification, the medicinal effect could actually increase by this much?! This simply subverted her understanding!

"Exactly!" Yao Delong nodded slightly, enjoying Luo Yan's horrified yet admiring gaze.

"This improved version of the violent spirit pill, I call it the 'Pseudo-Rank Two'!"

"Its effect is that for any Cultivator below the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, it can forcibly raise their level by one minor Realm!"

"For those in the Qi Refinement Stage... it can raise them by two minor Realms! The duration is longer, and the side effects... have also been relatively weakened."

Luo Yan's heart pounded like a drum! Her hand holding the Medicinal Pill was trembling slightly!

This was no Pseudo-Rank Two; its effects were stronger than some Rank Two Medicinal Pills!

For Cultivators below the Golden Core, such a medicinal effect meant that this tiny pill,

was enough to reverse life and death in certain critical moments! Its value... would far exceed her imagination!

A wave of immense joy instantly overwhelmed her!

The way she looked at Yao Delong was filled with incomparable heat, as if she were looking at a walking treasure vault!

She took a deep breath, her face once again piling on a flirtatious smile that could melt ice.

Her voice became so sweet it could drip honey.

"Oh! My dear brother! You are truly... truly miraculous!"

"This Servant knew that Brother was definitely no ordinary person! It's just..."

She changed the subject, leaning her body a few inches closer until she was almost pressed against Yao Delong.

Her warm, fragrant breath blew directly onto Yao Delong's ear.

"Brother... since this improved Divine Pill is so extraordinary,

I'm afraid the price we agreed on yesterday... wouldn't be worthy of its status, would it?"

Yao Delong felt the incredible elasticity and warmth coming from his arm, and his nose was filled with that intoxicating body fragrance.