Chapter 271 Refining
Although the snake people were reluctant to see Queen Medusa leave, they also understood that this was for the future of the entire tribe.
Xiao Ling waved his hand gently, his tone calm and indifferent with a hint of determination: "Okay, let's leave it at that. I will go back and prepare to refine the puppet now, you wait for my good news."
After saying this, he turned around and prepared to leave, but then he remembered something, stopped, and turned his gaze to Queen Medusa. His voice was gentle and relaxed: "Medusa, do you have anything to say to the snake people? Before I come back after refining the puppet, you can use this time to have a good talk with them."
Queen Medusa nodded slightly, with a hint of gratitude in her tone: "Okay, I understand. Xiao Ling, thank you for the puppet matter."
Xiao Ling just waved his hand and said casually: "It's a small matter, no need to be polite. I won't stay here any longer."
After saying that, he turned around and walked along the same path he took yesterday, heading towards the yard where he had rested before.
Seeing this, Qinglin and Xiaoyixian also decided not to stay any longer. Their relationship with the snake people was not as close as Ziyan's, and they felt that it was inappropriate to stay here any longer. So, they said goodbye to Medusa and Ziyan briefly, and quickly followed Xiao Ling.
As Xiao Ling and the others left, Queen Medusa did not waste time. She began to explain to the elders of the snake tribe the various matters after her departure. After all, this separation might take several years, and as the leader of the tribe, she needed to ensure that everything was in order.
Queen Medusa knew that she needed some time to rest and recover. Her soul had been greatly consumed during the evolution process, and controlling her new body was a bit strenuous for her. Fortunately, there was no pressure of fighting at the moment, which gave her a chance to breathe. She was secretly glad that the little Sky-Swallowing Python had eaten its fill just now, otherwise, she might not be able to hold on for too long.
……
Xiao Ling, Qing Lin and Xiao Yixian chatted leisurely while walking slowly towards the courtyard. They passed through several ornately decorated buildings and soon arrived at their destination.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Xiao Yixian suddenly remembered that she had not had time to tidy up her room last night. If Qinglin saw the mess, it would be so embarrassing. Her heart tightened, and she quickly glanced at Xiao Ling with resentment, then quickened her pace and rushed back to the bedroom.
"You guys sit here for a while, I'll go tidy up." The voice of Little Doctor Fairy came from the bedroom, with a hint of urgency.
Xiao Ling felt a little puzzled by the sudden glare from Little Medical Fairy, but he didn't take it to heart.
He rubbed Qinglin's head and said in a relaxed tone: "I will go to refine the puppet first. After I finish refining the puppet, we have to leave the snake people. This place is not far from Shimo City. You can get there in more than ten minutes by riding Xiao Zi. You haven't been back to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group for so many years. You might as well go back and take a look. After all, that's where we met, and you once lived there for a while. We don't know when we can come back after leaving this time."
Qing Lin heard Xiao Ling's words, and a trace of nostalgia flashed in her eyes. She nodded and agreed: "Master, you are right. It's time to go back and see. I haven't seen Sister Xue Lan for a long time. I don't know how the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is developing now."
Qinglin did have a special feeling for the Motie Mercenary Group. After all, it was they who lent a helping hand to Qinglin in her most difficult time. Although she was just a maid at that time and her life was not luxurious, she was already very satisfied. More importantly, it was in that place that she met Xiao Ling, and that’s how she became who she is today.
Although Qinglin had been living a peaceful life with Xiao Ling over the years, she would occasionally think of her time in the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. She remembered that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had come back to the Xiao family several times, and she met them once. However, the person she missed the most was Xue Lan, the person who had taken great care of her when she was in the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. She hadn't seen her for many years.
Xiao Ling smiled slightly and said in a relaxed tone: "I heard Xiao Li mention it before, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is developing very smoothly now. If you go back, you might as well bring them some useful things, which can be regarded as a token of your appreciation."
After saying that, Xiao Ling shook his head slightly, as if he didn't want to continue this topic. He turned to Qing Lin and waved goodbye: "Okay, I have to go and see you later."
As the words fell, Xiao Ling waved to Qing Lin in a friendly manner, then turned around and walked briskly towards the training room. His back gradually disappeared at the corner of the corridor, while Qing Lin stood there, looking in the direction where Xiao Ling left, with a faint smile on his face.
……
Stepping into the training room, Xiao Ling first used the unique skills he learned from Yao Tianhuo to set up an exquisite formation. This formation could isolate the aura inside and outside for a long time, providing a perfect secret space for his upcoming refining work.
After setting up the formation, he walked to the center of the training room with ease, took a deep breath, and then waved his arm gently. As he moved, three bodies seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and landed lightly on the floor, ready to be refined by him.
If you look closely, you may notice that although the three bodies are generally well preserved, the two on the left seem to be slightly deteriorated and have a number of blemishes when compared to the body on the right.
The reason is actually quite simple. The reason why the two bodies on the left look a little deteriorated is because they were dug out by Xiao Ling from the tombs of the successive leaders of the Jinyan Sect.
According to the records on those tombstones, the original owners of these two bodies had the strength of an initial Dou Zong during their lifetime, so it is inevitable that some changes have occurred over the years.
However, Xiao Ling did not mind this. He believed that even the body of an initial Dou Zong could be revitalized after being refined by him.
To be honest, Xiao Ling went to the cemeteries of the three major sects a few days ago. This was the first time for him. He caused quite a stir at that time. Looking back now, the experience was really exciting.
The puppet on the far right was the puppet of Turtle Spirit Master that was obtained from the Dou Zun Ruins. Despite the years, it was a Dou Zun-level puppet, so it still maintained its original appearance without any damage. Its surface exuded a faint silver light, which looked quite strange.
Xiao Ling took out three puppets this time, planning to refine them all at once. He planned to leave two of them in the snake tribe as the tribe's guardian force.
As for the third puppet, Xiao Ling was going to use the body of Turtle Spirit Venerable to carefully refine it. Xiao Ling intended to use it as his personal guard, which would not only help him absorb the pill thunder when refining medicine, but also act as a bodyguard when necessary to ensure his safety.
Since Xiao Ling practiced the Great Evolution Art, he could easily divide his attention and do multiple things, which was no longer a difficult task for him. Therefore, refining three puppets at the same time would not slow down his progress. Of course, if he tried to refine more than three at a time, he might encounter some troubles.
He planned to refine three puppets at a time, which was just the right number. Such an arrangement would allow him to give full play to the multitasking ability of the Dayan Jue and ensure high efficiency in refining, while also avoiding the impact of excessive numbers on the refinement, thus ensuring that the quality of each puppet reached the best possible state.
Then, Xiao Ling took out the Ten Thousand Souls Banner from the system space with ease. He waved it gently, and three souls emerged from the banner, as if three wisps of light smoke condensed into shape. As soon as these souls appeared, they knelt on one knee in unison, bowed their heads, and showed respect to Xiao Ling.
Among these three souls, the most powerful one is the one that was carefully cultivated by Xiao Ling based on the soul of the Iron Guardian. It first swallowed the souls of Yan Luotian and Xie Biyan, and then absorbed the souls of several Douhuang-level masters, and its strength barely increased to the level of Douzun. Even so, Xiao Ling still let it continue to devour other souls in order to further strengthen it.
However, since the soul of the Iron Guardian has reached the Dou Zun realm, the effect of strengthening himself by devouring other souls is not so significant. Just like eating a full buffet, no matter how much you stuff yourself, you can't eat much, Xiao Ling also realized this. After this experiment, Xiao Ling realized that each soul has its own growth limit, and it is not possible to continuously enhance cultivation by endlessly devouring other souls.
"However, I am already quite satisfied to be able to cultivate a soul body that is barely comparable to Dou Zun level." Xiao Ling touched his chin and said easily. "It seems that it will not hinder the body of Gui Lingzun. Refining a Dou Zun level heavenly puppet should be a piece of cake."
The other two soul bodies were also the result of Xiao Ling's careful cultivation. They were originally Dou Huang-level warriors. Under Xiao Ling's guidance, they devoured the soul bodies of several Dou Huangs and Dou Wangs. After some efforts, their strength was finally raised to Dou Zong level. Although it was only the initial stage, it was enough to meet the minimum requirements for refining the Heavenly Demon Puppet.
Xiao Ling was planning to combine the two soul bodies with the two primary Dou Zong bodies to refine the Heavenly Demon Puppet. Although this configuration can only create the most basic Earth Demon Leader-level puppets, in remote areas such as the Northwest Continent, as long as the Snake People do not take the initiative to cause trouble, these two Dou Zong-level puppets are enough to provide sufficient protection for the tribe.
Then, Xiao Ling flicked his finger lightly and touched the ring on his finger. A soft white light flashed, and three glowing magic cores appeared silently in front of him, suspended in the air.
In front of Xiao Ling, there were two ordinary seventh-level magic cores floating quietly. He had obtained them earlier. Next to them was an eighth-level magic core, which emitted even more intense energy fluctuations. This was a treasure that Xiao Ling found in the ring worn by the Guiling Master when he was exploring the ruins. Xiao Ling had a total of three such high-level magic cores on hand. After using this one, he still had two left.
Holding the eighth-level magic core that emitted a faint golden light in his hand, Xiao Ling whispered to himself with a hint of expectation in his tone: "Don't let me down, this is an eighth-level magic core, coupled with a Dou Zun-level body and soul, this time I want to refine a Dou Zun-level puppet. I hope I can succeed in one fell swoop."
After preparing all the main materials, Xiao Ling took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. This action seemed to take away all the distracting thoughts in his mind, making his state of mind peaceful.
When he opened his eyes again, there was only a look of concentration in his pupils that were shining with azure light.
Then, Xiao Ling waved his hand gently, and the three bodies seemed to be pulled by invisible threads, slowly rising into the air and floating quietly.
Then, Xiao Ling extended his fingers, and three colorful flames appeared above the bodies. Their colors were as bright as a rainbow, and then they burned fiercely. This was Xiao Ling multitasking, mobilizing the strange fire in his body to finely refine the three bodies.
As Xiao Ling's handprints were activated, three flames jumped in the air, and the temperature they emitted rose sharply. The air in the entire training room seemed to tremble under this high temperature. The light of the flames illuminated the room, as if even time had frozen at this moment.
The two Dou Zong-level bodies shrank rapidly under the scorching flames, as if the water was evaporated in an instant. A faint sheen began to appear on their surfaces, which was the process of the bodies gradually solidifying under the high temperature and the impurities being removed.
The Dou Zun-level body also gradually shrank in the flames, but the speed of change was much slower. The luster on its surface was deeper, as if it contained a stronger power. Every inch of this body became tougher under the baptism of the flames, and a little bit of black corpse gas gradually drifted out and dissipated in the air.
As Xiao Ling began to refine the puppet, the originally subtle sounds in the training room gradually died down, leaving only the slight crackling sound of the burning flames, adding a touch of rhythm to the quiet space.
The air in the room seemed to become lively because of the dance of the flames, and every leap of the flame carried a mysterious rhythm.
In this space illuminated by the flames, time seemed to become slow and deep, every breath was synchronized with the beating of the flames, and every heartbeat echoed the rhythm of refining. Xiao Ling's figure appeared particularly focused under the light of the fire, and every movement of his was smooth and flowing, giving people a sense of ease and fluency.
At this moment, the training room turned into a mysterious realm independent of the world, with only flames, light, and Xiao Ling's firm and calm presence.
Here, the hustle and bustle of the outside world have gone away, leaving only the pure creative process of refining puppets and the endless pursuit of perfection that leaps with the flames.
……
In the pavilion of the courtyard, Xiao Yixian, Qinglin and Ziyan were sitting together, chatting leisurely.
Zi Yan was playing with a colorful little snake in her hands. Her fingers deftly stroked the snake's body, and the little snake coiled around her slender fingers obediently, occasionally spitting out its thin tongue, as if enjoying Zi Yan's touch.
The pavilion is surrounded by blooming flowers and lush green leaves, adding a bit of vitality to this leisurely afternoon. The sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves and falls on the stone table, creating mottled light and shadows. In the pond nearby, a few koi fish swim leisurely, occasionally jumping out of the water, splashing circles of ripples.
Qinglin picked up a cup of tea, blew gently to let the tea fragrance spread, then took a sip, with a satisfied look in his eyes. Xiao Yixian leaned against the pillar of the pavilion, holding an old book in his hand, flipping through it from time to time, occasionally looking up to join in the conversation between the two, with a faint smile on his face.
Zi Yan was completely immersed in the interaction with the little snake. Her laughter was clear and pleasant, bringing a touch of liveliness to this quiet courtyard. The colorful little snake seemed to feel her happiness, and the color of its body became brighter as her mood changed.
This scene is like a harmonious and warm picture. Everyone is enjoying the tranquility and pleasure, as if time has stopped at this moment and all worries have gone with the wind.
Zi Yan took out a few pills from her sleeve and gently handed them to the colorful little snake. These pills exuded a faint fragrance, and it was obvious at a glance that they were not made from ordinary medicinal materials.
As soon as the colorful snake saw the pill, its purple gemstone-like eyes immediately narrowed into a slit. It stuck out its tongue excitedly, rubbed Zi Yan's palm affectionately, and then quickly swallowed all the pills into its mouth. Its movements were agile and graceful, revealing a natural nobility.
After swallowing the pill, the little snake burped contentedly, with a contented expression on its face, as if expressing its satisfaction. Then, its body twisted gently in Zi Yan's hands, as if expressing its gratitude.
Zi Yan looked at the satisfied look of the little snake and couldn't help laughing. She gently stroked the smooth scales of the little snake, with a hint of pampering in her tone: "Do you like these pills? Do you think they are very delicious?" She continued, with a hint of mischief in her eyes, "This is specially made for me by Xiao Ling, using the precious eighth-level medicinal material Youxiang Holy Fruit. I can't bear to eat more myself. However, for the sake of Sister Medusa, I will allow you to taste it."
The little snake seemed to understand Zi Yan's words. Its eyes flashed with gratitude, and its body wrapped around Zi Yan's fingers more intimately, as if to express its gratitude.
Zi Yan's smile became even brighter, she knew that these pills would be of great benefit to the little snake's growth, and she was also very happy to see that the little Sky-Swallowing Python liked them so much.
Since Queen Medusa completed the evolution of purifying her blood, she only briefly restored her human form and had a brief talk with the elders of the snake people. After that, she returned to her sleeping state and handed over the control of her body to the little swallowing python again.
(End of this chapter)