Dugu Yan gazed intently at Li Rong, her eyes filled with complicated emotions.
Everything she had seen and heard today had completely overturned her previous understanding of the world—and the source of it all was this mysterious shop owner before her.
Curiosity surged uncontrollably in her heart. If circumstances allowed, she truly wanted to ask him everything at once. Unfortunately, she knew very well that now was not the time.
Li Rong, on the other hand, felt inexplicably uncomfortable under her gaze.
He frowned inwardly. Why is she staring at me like that?
Having been single since birth, with zero practical experience in such situations, Li Rong instinctively believed that as the shop owner, he absolutely could not lose face. So he stiffened his neck and stared right back at her, refusing to retreat even half a step.
An awkward silence formed between the two.
Dugu Bo noticed this exchange but deliberately chose not to interrupt. Instead, he stood aside, observing quietly, his expression calm, as if he did not quite understand—or perhaps pretended not to understand—what was happening.
Unfortunately, Ning Fengzhi was also present.
With a soft chuckle, Ning Fengzhi stepped forward and positioned himself neatly between Li Rong and the grandfather-granddaughter pair, decisively cutting off their line of sight.
"Brother Dugu," he said warmly, "a long-cherished wish fulfilled in a single morning—this is truly something worthy of celebration."
Dugu Bo's expression instantly darkened. He shot Ning Fengzhi a cold glare.
Ning Fengzhi responded with a faint sneer, disdain flashing in his eyes. You wouldn't lend me sacrificial coins, and now you expect courtesy? Worst comes to worst, we fight. Do you think I'm afraid of you?
The invisible clash of intent made the surrounding air tense.
Dugu Yan finally sensed something was wrong. Perhaps still troubled by her earlier hesitation, she gently tugged on Dugu Bo's sleeve.
"Grandpa…"
Dugu Bo withdrew his gaze at once. His expression softened as he patted her hand reassuringly. "It's nothing. Focus on the pills."
The room fell quiet again. No one stirred further trouble as all eyes turned toward Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.
Soon, both of them began emitting pale green poisonous mist. The vapor spread through the air, faintly sizzling, as though it were capable of corroding even space itself.
Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply. He had known Dugu Bo suffered from poisoning, but he hadn't expected the accumulation to be this terrifying.
Li Rong, by contrast, watched with interest.
After a moment, he lightly tapped the counter.
Instantly, the poisonous mist dispersed, as if an invisible purification mechanism had been activated within the shop.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan opened their eyes.
Excitement flooded their expressions.
The suffocating burden that had plagued them for years—decades, even—was gone. Their bodies felt unprecedentedly light, like shedding a heavy cotton coat in the height of summer.
After briefly acclimating to the sensation, neither hesitated. They immediately took the Innate Spirit Pills.
If detoxification alone brought such relief, then repairing the very source of their Spirit defects…
Li Rong observed calmly and activated a regional acceleration.
In truth, it was localized time acceleration. Allowing two people to meditate for hours inside the shop was far from ideal.
Spirit repair was not detoxification. Three to four hours was entirely normal.
If they occupied the shop for an entire day, how would business continue?
The imperial family's desire for sacrificial coins had not yet fully ignited. There was also the Clear Sky Sect, and the Five Element Academies.
Every delay meant a loss of faith value.
Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin quickly noticed the anomaly.
The space around Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan appeared to fast-forward, while their own surroundings felt strangely stagnant—almost as if time itself had slowed.
Yet after everything they had witnessed today, this only earned a brief flicker of surprise from Ning Fengzhi before he regained his composure.
A Sacrificial Dao Lord, he reminded himself. Such feats may well be trivial to a deity.
What truly concerned him was something else.
Where had Dugu Bo obtained so many top-tier spiritual medicines?
Even killing him wouldn't make Ning Fengzhi believe these were accumulated slowly over time.
One or two plants? Perhaps.
But four—and four he had never even heard named?
Dugu Bo had only begun collecting herbs a little over a decade ago. In terms of connections, knowledge, and access, he was far inferior to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
If Dugu Bo truly obtained all four legitimately, then it could only mean one thing.
He had discovered a hidden medicinal treasure trove.
A place remote, untouched, brimming with rare herbs.
And such a treasure… Dugu Bo had no right to monopolize it.
If he refused to share, Ning Fengzhi would not hesitate to publicize the matter across the continent.
He had even roughly guessed its location.
Dugu Bo frequently traveled between his secluded residence in Sunset Forest and the Imperial Capital—this was common knowledge among the aristocracy.
Even if it wasn't within the forest, it couldn't be far.
If Dugu Bo denied it, Sword Uncle and Bone Uncle would personally lead a search.
You wouldn't lend sacrificial coins? Fine.
Then you'll pay hush money.
Ning Fengzhi's gaze grew cold.
Suddenly, powerful spirit power fluctuations erupted.
Both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan summoned their Spirits.
Rich medicinal energy surged from their bodies, rapidly absorbed by the manifested Spirits.
The originally jet-black Jade Scale Snake Spirits gradually transformed into emerald green. The gloomy, ghostly aura surrounding them faded away.
Their shapes remained largely unchanged, but their overall size expanded noticeably—by nearly thirty percent.
Then, spirit power surged violently.
They were breaking through.
Thanks to the shop's constant aura-shielding formation, not a trace leaked outside. Still, surrounding spirit power rushed toward Dugu Bo like a vortex, nearly affecting Dugu Yan as well.
Li Rong activated spatial isolation once more.
When everything settled, Dugu Bo laughed aloud.
Level ninety-two.
More importantly, with the toxins gone, the spirit power once used solely for suppression would now be fully absorbed.
Combined with complete Spirit restoration, he could clearly sense that his cultivation speed had increased by at least ten percent.
Within a year, breaking into level ninety-three was well within reach.
Dugu Yan was equally excited. "Grandpa, my Spirit feels… stronger."
Li Rong spoke evenly, seizing the moment. "That is the result of defect repair.
Your spirit power circulation is smoother. Consumption when using Spirit Abilities is reduced. Cultivation efficiency increases. Spirit possession duration extends.
Most importantly, compatibility with poison-attribute spirit rings has drastically improved."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes sharpened. "Compatibility?"
Li Rong nodded and explained patiently.
"A Spirit Master can technically absorb mismatched attribute rings, but compatibility determines success, ability quality, and absorption efficiency.
Different Spirit grades, attributes, and focuses all affect this.
The Speed Clan's Swift Spirit, for example, excels in speed but has inherently poor attack compatibility.
After your Spirits were fully repaired, poison-attribute ring compatibility exceeds ninety percent—nearly perfect.
For snake-type poison Spirit Beasts, it reaches one hundred percent."
Dugu Bo's breathing quickened.
Li Rong continued calmly, "There is no universal optimal spirit ring configuration.
True optimization depends on Spirit quality, physical condition, mental force, and control.
With sufficient understanding and preparation, thousand-year first rings, ten-thousand-year fourth rings, and even hundred-thousand-year seventh rings are achievable."
Silence fell.
Dugu Bo recovered first. "Yan Yan wants a ten-thousand-year fourth ring and a hundred-thousand-year seventh ring. How?"
Li Rong replied evenly, "A detailed plan costs one thousand sacrificial coins."
"Agreed."
The card was swiped without hesitation.
Li Rong began his assessment.
_____________________
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