"Master, can you try the pill's abilities?"
Ryan silently pulled out the Grand Pill Compendium and suggested.
He would carefully record the effects of the pills, including the specific effects after consumption.
"Very well, This Immortal shall try it for now."
Cloud Retainer pushed her spectacles, then attempted to use the additional abilities granted by the pill.
After swallowing the pill, she vaguely felt that she could control her hair to change color, and at the same time, there was another sensation she could control.
She tried it briefly, and soon her body rapidly shrank... Before long, a "Hu Tao" wearing red-rimmed glasses appeared before Ryan.
However, there were some differences from the real Hu Tao; for instance, Cloud Retainer's eye color remained unchanged, still a greenish-blue hue, and her hairstyle also differed from Hu Tao's twin Horsetails.
Furthermore, the clothes on Cloud Retainer's body were transformed by her adeptal art, similar to feathers, and when her body shrank, her clothes also became much smaller, so they weren't loose and baggy, especially around the chest area.
"Oh, so it really does transform into the appearance of the person who provided the hair..."
Ryan nodded in understanding, noting this down.
Cloud Retainer looked at her shrunken body but didn't pay much attention to it.
"Master, you look quite cute like this, and this ability should allow you to communicate with spirits."
While recording, Ryan explained to Cloud Retainer.
"Cute...?"
"Ryan, don't move."
After hearing Ryan's explanation, Cloud Retainer tilted her head slightly, though her expression suddenly changed, and she immediately warned him.
"W-what's wrong?"
Ryan was startled and quickly stood still.
"On your shoulder there's..."
Cloud Retainer looked at Ryan's shoulder, cautiously leaning closer.
"T-there's what...?"
Cloud Retainer's current ability was to communicate with spirits, and her sudden words startled Ryan.
Ryan looked left and right at his seemingly empty shoulders, suddenly feeling a chill down his spine.
"..."
"There's dust."
Cloud Retainer moved closer and reached out to brush the dust off Ryan's shoulder.
Then, Cloud Retainer canceled the ability provided by the Hair Dye Pill, and her body quickly returned to its original state.
"These abilities are useless to This Immortal. Just record the elixir recipe; This Immortal probably won't use them."
"..."
While Ryan was speechless, Cloud Retainer explained.
"Understood, Master."
Ryan nodded. The pill's abilities also had little effect on him; Ryan basically knew all the abilities it granted.
Unless Ryan wanted to turn himself into a girl... "Hmm?"
Thinking of this, Ryan felt as if he had forgotten something important.
Never mind, since he forgot it, it probably wasn't important... Ryan thought to himself, then put away the bowls and chopsticks before bidding farewell to Cloud Retainer.
"Then, Ryan, take care. Once This Immortal finishes the dialogue device, This Immortal will call you to come and play again."
Cloud Retainer reluctantly saw Ryan off Aozang Mountain.
"Hmm, that voice is still a bit unsuitable. I'll go invite that little one next to the Traveler later; simulating her voice should be very fitting."
"And Ryan likes that little white one so much. If I give him this dialogue device, he should be very happy, right...?"
Watching Ryan's receding figure, Cloud Retainer mumbled softly... After descending Aozang Mountain, Ryan made his way to the Huaguang Stone Forest.
On the way, he also saw the place where he had found Lime last time.
However, that ant kingdom seemed to be gone, and the fox statue made of stacked stones had also been toppled.
But the grave of Lime's sister, the large yellow Slime that died shielding Ryan from a tribulation lightning, was still intact.
After a brief glance, Ryan continued forward and soon saw another familiar place.
"Hmm, I'll give the Sweet Sweet Pill to Qiqi when I get back..."
Ryan secretly nodded, looking at the spot where Qiqi couldn't climb up before due to the decree.
Continuing forward, Ryan soon exited the Huaguang Stone Forest and arrived at the foot of Hulao Mountain near Nantianmen.
"Martial Grand-Aunt, I've come to see you again~"
Ryan quickly ran to the Fulong Tree.
He looked left and right, confirming that the little girl impersonating his Martial Grand-Aunt wasn't there, and only then did he confidently start climbing up the Fulong Tree.
Whenever that blue-haired little girl was there, she would always get furious and shout when she saw Ryan climbing up to cut the Fulong Tree, but she couldn't do anything about Ryan.
Last time, when he came to cut volt locust wood to refine the Three Heads Six Arms Pill to deal with the Liyue Harbor crisis, she happened to be absent, which was how Ryan managed to cut off a large section.
However, it had all been used up long ago.
"...Hmm? What's that sound?"
Just as Ryan took out his golden jiao scissors, wanting to cut off some volt locust wood, the fox ears on his head suddenly twitched, keenly catching a strange sound.
The rhythm sounded like something was being struck... Ryan listened carefully, quickly identifying the location of the tapping sound, and driven by curiosity, he jumped down from the Fulong Tree.
Approaching the source of the sound, Ryan discovered a tunnel below the side of the Fulong Tree.
Judging by the marks, this tunnel seemed to have been newly dug, with a considerable amount of soil piled up around it.
"Is it the Treasure Hoarders again? Disturbing my Martial Grand-Aunt like this is unacceptable..."
Ryan recalled the Treasure Hoarders he had encountered when descending the mountain earlier, immediately frowning and muttering in a low voice.
However, his Three Heads Six Arms Pill waste had already been secretly eaten by Lime, so even if they were Treasure Hoarders, Ryan had no good ideas for punishing them.
If all else failed, he could only beat them up... Thinking this, Ryan walked into the dug-out tunnel.
The situation inside was indeed as Ryan had guessed: a group of people were frantically digging with tools.
However, unlike the Treasure Hoarders Ryan had imagined, these people's clothes were clearly the attire of Liyue miners.
But why would miners be here? And why had they dug all the way under the Fulong Tree? The roots of the Fulong Tree were visible all around...
"Hmm?"
Ryan's arrival seemed to attract their attention, and these miners all turned to look at Ryan.
Ryan could clearly see at this moment that these people were emitting black aura, vaguely carrying a delicious scent.
Then, these miners went mad, grabbing their hoes and shovels and charging towards Ryan.
"Are they being controlled...?"
Ryan immediately thought of this possibility, then flipped his hand and took out the measuring heaven ruler.
They were just a group of mortals; he didn't need to use Spirit Invocation.
Just like that, Ryan knocked out these miners one by one.
After incapacitating the miners, Ryan looked towards the depths of the tunnel.
There was a golden glowing door with an ancient golden seal on it.
"Could this be Martial Grand-Aunt's seal...?"
Ryan whispered.
"You guess, my dear disciple-grandson."
Just as Ryan was whispering, a girl's voice suddenly sounded from behind Ryan...