"Yes, it's the Vermilion Fruit."
Yan Yue smiled and nodded, her beautiful eyes glancing at Zhou Shu. "Are you feeling a bit regretful now?"
Zhou Shu smiled calmly. "There's nothing to regret. No matter how good the item is, I don't want it if it's useless to me now. The Demon Pill is better. Please, Senior Sister, help me get it."
"Okay."
Yan Yue put away the Vermilion Fruit, but then looked at the python corpse on the ground and was stunned again.
Her Flying Water Sword was still stuck in the python's anus, which made her speechless. After a long while, she wrinkled her nose and pulled out the flying sword. Then she washed it several times with the Cleansing Technique before daring to pick it up.
With a flash of white light, the python's head on the ground suddenly split open, revealing the pale golden Demon Pill in full, mingling with the dark red flesh and blood, a dazzling sight. The
fresh and complete Demon Pill, the size of a thumb, was smooth and irregular, with a faint golden sheen, like a precious treasure, and a faint spiritual power was hidden.
Yan Yue swung her sword, and the Demon Pill soared into the air, landing in a jade bottle that had been prepared long ago.
"Junior Brother Zhou, this is for you."
"Thank you, Senior Sister."
Zhou Shu took the jade bottle and placed it in his arms, overjoyed. This demon pill would be very useful to him, even if it meant some injuries.
The scroll in the senior's hand contained detailed information about the Golden Ringed Viper Python's demon pill, including a special method of use that suited Zhou Shu's current situation.
Yan Yue said sincerely, "You deserve it. I'll have another reward for you when we return."
"Thank you, Senior Sister,"
Zhou Shu said, gazing at Yan Yue, who was as beautiful as the autumn moon, and smiled gently. In every way, Yan Yue was a very good female cultivator.
Feeling a little uneasy at being looked at, Yan Yue turned her head and asked, "Junior Brother, how long will your injury take to heal?"
"After using the Muscle Regeneration Pill, I'll be able to move in a day, but full recovery may take two or three days."
Yan Yue sighed softly. "Ah, if only I had the hydrotherapy talisman."
"Spatherapy talisman?" Zhou Shu asked suspiciously.
"Yes, it's a unique talisman of my clan, very beneficial for healing injuries. Unfortunately, we haven't had a talisman master in decades, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't."
Yan Yue explained. "There were a few left, but they've all been used up by the clan. An injury like yours should heal in half a day at most."
Zhou Shu nodded in praise. "No wonder I've never heard of it. A talisman that can heal wounds is quite remarkable. It seems Senior Sister Yan's family is quite remarkable."
Yan Yue smiled wryly, her eyes drifting off into the distance, a hint of melancholy.
She said calmly, "It's actually just a very small family, nothing to be reckoned with. These days, there aren't even a few cultivators left, let alone anything else."
Her eyes held a hint of sadness, as if touched by a heartbreak, and she fell silent for a moment.
She came from the Luoshui Yan family, a small family near the Qingyuan Mountains. They had once produced a few talented individuals, both talisman masters and alchemists, and enjoyed a certain reputation, but now their talent has dwindled, and they have become unsightly.
Although Yan Yue was a woman, she had high aspirations. She wanted to change this situation and rebuild her family. However, unless a rare genius emerged from such a small family, it would be difficult to change the status quo.
She could only be considered excellent, far from a genius. Despite her utmost efforts, there was nothing she could do. Now she only hoped to soon become an inner disciple of the Heyin Sect, so that she could contribute more to the family.
"Thank you so much, Junior Brother Zhou."
After a moment's silence, Yan Yue regained her composure.
Zhou Shu touched his nose, a little embarrassed, and said, "Senior Sister Yan, don't be so polite. I thank you so much."
"Oh, it's not much. If it weren't for Junior Brother... I would be very unwilling."
Yan Yue smiled, slowly stood up, and walked towards the python corpse.
The Golden Ring Kui Python is extremely rare, and not only its demon core and scales, but other parts of its body are also valuable for collection.
Her movements were skillful, clearly a testament to her extensive experience. In a short while, the python corpse was disintegrated into various materials.
She pointed, "Junior Brother Zhou, these are all yours."
"You won't need so much," Zhou Shu shook his head. With the demon pill, his goal was essentially achieved. Taking it all by himself would be unreasonable and likely to offend.
The two of them traded for a while, and finally Zhou Shu took the python marrow and eyes, while Yan Yue took the tailbone and venom glands.
Python marrow, the essence extracted from the spine of a giant python, is rare and is said to be useful for making excellent talisman ink. The eyes have a slight eye-improving effect and can be consumed directly or used in alchemy.
The tailbone can be used for refining weapons and is considered a good second-tier material. The venom glands can be used to extract venom, but the process is complex. Yan Yue knows how to do it, but Zhou Shu doesn't.
Yang Mei ran over with a pile of python scales, mumbling, "There's more! Brothers and sisters, take them and share!"
Yan Yue and Zhou Shu smiled and said almost in unison, "These are for you."
Zhou Shu had a fondness for this little girl. She was innocent and adorable, and even more remarkable was that, at such a young age, she valued righteousness over profit, was kind and trustworthy—a rare quality in the world of immortal cultivation.
Many cultivators younger than her prioritize profit as soon as they embark on the path of immortal cultivation, resorting to any means necessary to achieve it. While this might be understandable, Zhou Shu disagreed.
Becoming a winner isn't achieved by resorting to any means necessary.
Yang Mei froze for a moment, clutching the python scales, unsure what to do. She blinked a few times, "What can I do with these?"
In reality, these python scales were arguably the most valuable part of the beast, aside from the demon elixir. They were incredibly durable and perfect for refining weapons. She had at least a few hundred, enough for a skilled weaponsmith to craft a decent second-tier inner armor.
If she didn't refine them into weapons, she could sell them for a few low-grade spirit stones each. This pile held nearly ten mid-grade spirit stones.
Yan Yue smiled and walked over to help her pack them up. "You can save them for sale or learn to refine weapons later."
"Oh," Yang Mei wrinkled her nose, not quite understanding.
The remaining python meat and blood couldn't be taken away, but they wouldn't go to waste either. That night, they feasted heartily. Even
when their bellies were full, they were still reluctant to leave.
No wonder, this flesh and blood was not only delicious but also rich in spiritual energy, possessing even greater benefits than common spiritual foods.
The next morning, the group returned the same way they had come.
Compared to their arrival, their relationship had grown closer, and they chatted more.
They found much in common. Zhou Shu had admired Yan Yue, a strong and independent woman, in his previous life, and now, meeting her for the first time in this world, he was even more impressed.
In Yan Yue's eyes, Zhou Shu, though only sixteen, spoke and acted with remarkable maturity, a quality she couldn't help but admire.
The two felt a rare and precious friendship, a meeting too late.
Yang Mei, with her innocent and lively nature, interjected with occasional conversation, which was quite entertaining.
"After passing through that bamboo forest, we'll be back to the market. So soon,"
Yang Mei pointed ahead, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. "Brother Zhou, why don't you come back to the Heyin Sect with us?"
Zhou Shu spread his hands. "My current cultivation level isn't enough. We'll talk later."
Yang Mei curled her lips in dissatisfaction.
The speaker may not mean it, but the listener may take it seriously. Yan Yue, who was standing beside him, said slowly, "Junior Brother Zhou, being a free cultivator is not a long-term solution after all. What Junior Sister Yang said makes sense. Although the Heyin Sect is not recruiting new members now, it will be recruiting at the beginning of next year. If you are interested, you may as well give it a try. I can help you then."
She knew very well that she would definitely be able to become an inner disciple next year, so recommending a new member should not be a problem.
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister and Junior Sister. We'll see when the time comes. I also hope that such a day will come."
Zhou Shu nodded lightly. "By the way, please don't leak what happened today."
His tone suddenly became heavier.
"Of course, Junior Sister and I will never tell anyone."
Yan Yue nodded repeatedly, not intending to disobey Zhou Shu's words. In his heart, he thought, if he completed the task in this way, I'm afraid no one would believe it if they told others.