9: 100,000 experience points?

Returning to the familiar secluded courtyard, Ye Feiyan's steps were somewhat hurried.

She casually placed Mysterious Ink, who was on her arm, onto the stone table in the courtyard, only having time to say, "Stay here," before turning and rushing into the room, tightly closing the door.

With the two core Spirit Medicine, the earth-suppressing root and Vermillion Fruit, now in hand, she intended to refine them as quickly as possible into the supreme treasure liquid capable of repairing Spiritual Roots!

This matter concerned her path to returning to her Peak, and she could not delay for a moment!

Mysterious Ink was already accustomed to Ye Feiyan's "use and discard" attitude and didn't mind it at all. He leisurely coiled his body, immersing his mind completely in the System panel in his thoughts.

host: Mysterious Ink

Race: Black Mysterious Snake (Mortal Grade)

Realm: First Rank Peak (Cannot Breakthrough)

Cultivation Technique: Heaven Mending Method (Incomplete)

Skills: None.

Experience Points: 32540 / 100000

Hint: The host's current Bloodline has reached its limit and cannot carry higher Rank energy. Please evolve your Bloodline first to Breakthrough to Second Rank.

Experience Points required for the next Bloodline Evolution: 100000

“So that’s it, it’s a Bloodline Rank restriction…” Mysterious Ink understood in his heart.

To evolve from a Mortal Grade Bloodline Black Mysterious Snake to a higher level required a full one hundred thousand experience points.

This was reasonable, after all.

After all, from First Rank to Second Rank was a huge leap in life level for a Yao Beast, and the accumulation required was naturally enormous.

One hundred thousand experience points, at a rate of one point per second, would take approximately twenty-seven hours.

"No rush, just wait patiently."

For Mysterious Ink, who had infinite time, this bit of waiting was nothing at all.

He comfortably stretched his body, preparing to begin a new round of "AFK sunbathing" cultivation.

Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open, and Ye Feiyan's parents walked in, their faces beaming.

Upon seeing the solitary Mysterious Ink on the stone table and the tightly closed room door, Mother Ye's eyebrows immediately shot up, and with hands on her hips, she began a new round of "criticism session" directed at the air.

"This brat! She left our Xiao Xuanmo outside again! She's getting more and more out of line!"

"Exactly! Xiao Xuanmo is our family's great hero, but she, on the other hand, only knows how to busy herself all day, not caring about her companion at all!" Father Ye echoed from the side, his face full of "righteous indignation."

The couple took turns scolding their daughter for a long time before happily walking over to Mysterious Ink.

Mother Ye extended a warm palm, gently lifted Mysterious Ink, and said with a pained heart, "Xiao Xuanmo, ignore that girl. If she doesn't want you, we do! Come, the weather is nice today, your uncle and I will take you for a stroll in the spiritual field to get some fresh air!"

"That's right, that's right. Ever since that field got the earth-suppressing root, it's been growing better and better, and the Spirit Rat in the field are getting fatter and fatter. Let's catch a few more today to give you a good meal!" Father Ye laughed.

Hearing the invitation from The Two Elders, a warm current flowed through Mysterious Ink's heart.

He knew that because of the earth-suppressing root, the Spiritual Qi in this spiritual field was becoming increasingly dense, which inevitably attracted some short-sighted Yao Beasts to covet it.

And Ye Feiyan's parents were just Mortals without cultivation, so if they encountered danger, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Thinking of this, Mysterious Ink nodded without hesitation, agreeing to their request.

Rather than letting The Two Elders go alone, it was better for him to follow along, just to provide protection... Half an hour later, in the spiritual field.

On the ridges, Father Ye and Mother Ye were diligently working, and while they worked, they would occasionally turn back and say a few words to Mysterious Ink, who was basking in the sun by the field, their tone gentle and kind, treating him completely like their own child.

"Xiao Xuanmo, look how well this grain is growing. When it's harvested in autumn, I'll cook you the most fragrant spiritual rice porridge."

"Watch carefully later. If any Spirit Rat scurry out, you tell uncle, and uncle will catch them for you!"

Listening to The Two Elders' rambling care, Mysterious Ink's heart was peaceful. This long-lost, simple warmth gradually melted his heart, which had become cold due to Transmigration.

He closed his eyes, quietly enjoying the sunlight, feeling the experience points steadily increasing within him every minute and second.

However, this moment of peace was suddenly shattered by a sharp screech!

"Squeak—!"

A gray shadow, as fast as lightning, suddenly darted out from a hole beneath the field ridge!

It was a giant rat, several times larger than an ordinary field mouse, with blood-red eyes, exposed fangs, and exuding the Aura of a First Rank Early Stage Yao Beast!

Rat King!

This was clearly a Rat King comparable to a Qi Refining Second Layer Cultivator!

This Rat King was obviously attracted by the dense Spiritual Qi of the spiritual field. Seeing Father Ye and Mother Ye working, its eyes gleamed fiercely, and it actually regarded them as enemies invading its territory.

With a fierce kick of its hind legs, the Rat King transformed into a gray arrow, opening its bloody maw, and viciously bit towards Father Ye, who was closest!

"Ah! Old man, be careful!" Mother Ye screamed in terror, her face pale.

Father Ye was also greatly alarmed. He was just a Mortal; where had he ever seen such a ferocious Yao Beast? Facing the Rat King's deadly pounce, he was so terrified by its fierce Aura that his legs went soft, and he even forgot to dodge!

A tragedy was about to occur!

At this critical moment!

A black lightning bolt, faster and more ferocious than the Rat King, suddenly streaked across the sky!

Whoosh!

Mysterious Ink's figure arrived from behind, instantly appearing in front of Father Ye.

Facing the pouncing Rat King, he didn't even bother to glance at it. His snake tail, gleaming with metallic luster, swept out simply and directly, like a Dragon swinging its tail, accompanied by a sonic boom that tore through the air!

Bang!!!

A dull, heavy thud!

The aggressive Rat King couldn't even touch Mysterious Ink's body before it was solidly struck in mid-air by the snake tail, which contained terrifying power.

With a crisp sound of bones shattering, the Rat King's body flew backward like a broken sack, smashing heavily onto the distant field ridge. After twitching twice, it completely ceased to breathe.

Another instant kill!

From the moment the Rat King darted out to its demise by Mysterious Ink, the entire process took but a blink of an eye!

Only then did Father Ye and Mother Ye, who had been scared Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, recover their senses.

They looked at the Rat King's corpse, which was completely dead on the ground, and then at Mysterious Ink, who had coiled back in his original spot as if nothing had happened, their faces filled with lingering fear and endless gratitude.

"My heavens... Thank goodness for Xiao Xuanmo!" Mother Ye patted her chest, still shaken.

"That's right! Xiao Xuanmo, you saved us again!" Father Ye was also so emotional that old tears streamed down his face.

He quickly walked to Mysterious Ink, carefully picked him up, and sincerely praised, "You're not a little snake at all; you're clearly a treasure bestowed upon our family by the heavens! A great lucky star!"

...In the evening, when The Two Elders returned home with Mysterious Ink and the Rat King's corpse as a trophy, they happened to encounter Ye Feiyan, who looked weary but couldn't hide her excitement.

She succeeded!

After an afternoon of effort, she finally perfectly refined all the Spirit Medicine into a bottle of "nine revolutions origin returning liquid" capable of Heaven-Defying fate alteration!

However, before she could share her joy, she was met with a barrage of "combined attacks" from her parents.

"You brat, you still know how to come out?! You left Xiao Xuanmo alone at home again today. Look at you, is that how a master should be?"

"Exactly! You have the nerve to say that! It was thanks to Xiao Xuanmo today, otherwise, my old life, your father's, would have been lost in the field!"

Ye Feiyan was stunned by the scolding.

Immediately after, Father Ye and Mother Ye, with added embellishments, vividly recounted the thrilling scene that had occurred in the spiritual field that day.

When she heard that Mysterious Ink had killed a First Rank Early Stage Rat King with a single tail whip to protect them, a fierce ripple appeared for the first time in Ye Feiyan's beautiful, placid eyes.

She stared blankly at Mysterious Ink, who was held in her mother's arms, looking innocent, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Shock, gratitude, and a hint of deep guilt.

She had always thought she was protecting Mysterious Ink. Yet, she never expected that without her knowing, this "weak" Spirit Beast in her eyes had, in turn, silently guarded her most important relatives.

"Mysterious Ink..."

Ye Feiyan took a deep breath, walked up to Mysterious Ink, and bowed solemnly and sincerely.

"Thank you."

These three words carried none of her usual coolness; only the purest, most sincere gratitude... Night, deep as water.

Inside the room, Ye Feiyan gently placed a crystal-clear jade bottle in front of Mysterious Ink.

Inside the jade bottle was half a bottle of golden liquid, as brilliant as melted stars, emanating a refreshing and majestic vitality.

It was precisely the "nine revolutions origin returning liquid" that she had successfully refined after countless efforts.

"This is the spiritual liquid I refined; it can cleanse the marrow and purify the veins, reshaping the Foundation."

Ye Feiyan gazed at Mysterious Ink, her clear voice carrying a hint of unprecedented gentleness: "I don't know if it's useful for Yao Beasts, but the Origin of life contained within it is extremely rich.

Perhaps... it can try to repair your Innate deficiency."

She pushed the jade bottle towards Mysterious Ink and softly said, "This is a small token of my appreciation; I have no other way to repay your life-saving kindness."

Mysterious Ink quietly looked at the jade bottle before him.

Of course, he knew that his so-called "Innate deficiency" had long ceased to exist under the System's influence.

But he understood even more what this half bottle of spiritual liquid represented.

This meant that this reborn Empress truly regarded him as a companion she could trust with her back, and no longer a mere tool to be used and discarded.

Without being sentimental or hesitant, he opened his mouth in front of Ye Feiyan and gently sucked at the jade bottle.

"Gulp."

Half a bottle of supreme treasure liquid, which would have caused countless Cultivators in the outside world to madly scramble for it, was thus gulped down by him, not a single drop remaining.

A majestic and warm energy instantly erupted throughout his limbs and bones.