After five hours of intense effort, Zi Lin Ling had completely mastered all the components of the Po Suo Dance.
Next, it was time to concoct corresponding medicinal herbs for these components.
Meanwhile, the number of infected villagers had increased to five-ninths of the total population.
As time progressed, the infected would only grow in number, and the speed of transmission would accelerate.
Naturally, Zi Lin Ling's task of finding a cure became increasingly difficult.
She retrieved a handful of pills from her Nine Spirit Ring.
Pills like the Restoration Pill, Soul Nourishing Pill, and Spirit Replenishing Pill were all stuffed into her mouth, swallowed whole without chewing.
Moreover, she didn't even have time to fully refine them before plunging back into her tense experiments.
Although the types of medicinal ingredients required for the antidote had been calculated, the precise ratio between these ingredients and their order of addition still needed further computation.
Therefore, Zi Lin Ling dared not delay for a moment. She took out the Nine Extremes Qian Kun Cauldron and began refining pills repeatedly, correcting any errors along the way.
Alchemy was an extremely demanding process, taxing both one's mind and soul force. Even with Zi Lin Ling's transcendent soul, she was beginning to feel the strain.
Were it not for the constant consumption of soul-nourishing pills, she would have fallen into a deep slumber due to the depletion of her soul force.
One hour!
Two hours!
Three hours!
...
Six hours later, Zi Lin Ling finally succeeded in refining the first antidote.
Before the spiritual energy display screen, everyone present stood up in astonishment.
"How is this possible? Isn't the ancient poisonous curse considered incurable? How could she have concocted an antidote in just eleven hours?"
"Could this antidote be fake? Perhaps she deliberately produced a useless pill to deceive us?"
"Deceive us? To pass off a fake? Setting aside whether the pill is effective, why would she try to deceive us when she had no idea we were watching?"
"I agree with this friend. As for whether the pill is fake, won't we know by seeing its effects?"
"..."
By developing the antidote for the Po Suo Dance, Zi Lin Ling successfully divided those who had initially doubted her into two camps.
One camp remained unconvinced, which could be temporarily termed the Stubborn Faction.
The other camp, clearly won over by Zi Lin Ling's feat, began to defend her, becoming her devoted supporters.
Within moments, the Stubborn Faction and Zi's supporters were engaged in a heated argument.
As a representative of the Stubborn Faction, Feng Ru Yi, the Grand Master of the Alchemist Guild, slammed the table in shock, exclaiming repeatedly, "Impossible! How is this possible? Absolutely impossible! The ancient poisonous curse is incurable; that is an ironclad rule!"
Elder Nangong beside him was so stunned his jaw nearly dislocated, and he echoed in disbelief, "This is the most incredible thing I have ever encountered in my life."
Hearing their near-roaring murmurs, Rong Guang, a devoted supporter of Zi, said with a grim expression, "Just because you cannot do it does not mean Miss Zi cannot!"
Shangguan Yu Lin also sneered, "Those who cannot bear to see others excel are precisely you stubborn old fogies, aren't they?"
Rong Guang seamlessly added, "It is no exaggeration to say that situations like this, mere trifles, are simply incapable of troubling Miss Zi!"
"Exactly, exactly! The realm of Miss Zi is not something you common folk can comprehend!" Shangguan Yu Lin chimed in.
Feng Ru Yi, losing his composure, coldly snorted, "Hmph! Anyone can boast. Whether that pill has any effect, we shall all wait and see!"
"Boasting?"
Rong Guang chuckled sarcastically, "Since you believe we are merely boasting, do you dare to bet with us?"
"Yes, yes! Do you dare to place a bet?" Shangguan Yu Lin quickly echoed.
"A bet is a bet, who fears whom? How do you wish to bet?" Feng Ru Yi's face was a picture of displeasure.
Without a second thought, Rong Guang produced the会长 (President) token of the Qingcheng Poison Master Association and placed it on the table in front of Feng Ru Yi. "I bet Miss Zi can successfully complete the hidden mission! If I lose, the Qingcheng Poison Master Association will henceforth follow the lead of the Alchemist Guild!"
This token of the Qingcheng Poison Master Association had been given to him by Zi Lin Ling before she left Qingcheng, with instructions to try and win over more poison masters.
Shangguan Yu Lin was equally forthright, producing the Shangguan family's Patriarch token. "Like Brother Rong, I bet Miss Zi can successfully complete the hidden mission. If I lose, the Shangguan family of Xihe City will henceforth obey the dispatch of the Alchemist Guild!"
This Patriarch token had been personally handed to him by his father, Shangguan Lin Cang, when he left the Shangguan family, enabling him to mobilize the Shangguan family's influence in the Central City for Zi Lin Ling's use.
By giving the Patriarch token to Shangguan Yu Lin, Shangguan Lin Cang had, in essence, passed on the position of Patriarch to Shangguan Yu Lin, which was Shangguan Yu Lin's basis for confidence.
Feng Ru Yi was greatly alarmed.
He had not expected these two young men to have such formidable backgrounds.
One, the President of the Qingcheng Poison Master Association, and the other, the Patriarch of the Shangguan family in Xihe City.
Looking at the President token of the Qingcheng Poison Master Association and the Patriarch token of the Shangguan family in Xihe City before him, Feng Ru Yi's mind began to race.
The Qingcheng Poison Master Association was, of course, a sworn enemy of the Alchemist Guild. If he could subdue them, it would undoubtedly elevate the Alchemist Guild's reputation above that of the Poison Master Association.
And the Shangguan family of Xihe City was a notoriously reclusive clan. With their assistance, the Alchemist Guild would undoubtedly soar to unprecedented heights.
To bet? Or not to bet?
Feng Ru Yi hesitated.
If he refused to bet, such an opportunity would slip away in vain. As the saying goes, opportunities lost are never regained.
But if he were to bet, he would have to wager something of equal value to the opposition – the Alchemist Guild of Central City.
Truth be told, Feng Ru Yi was greatly tempted, yet he also feared the worst...
"Guild Master, do not bet with them!" Elder Nangong advised. He had already discerned Feng Ru Yi's intentions.
"What? Scared?"
Rong Guang taunted, "You are the Grand Master of the Alchemist Guild, yet you have so little courage?"
Shangguan Yu Lin followed up, "Perhaps we can compromise! If you lose, you don't need to follow our dispatch. You only need to yield your position as the Grand Master of the Alchemist Guild, how about that?"
At this point, Feng Ru Yi was thoroughly swayed.
The Alchemist Guild was filled with his loyalists; even if he were no longer the Guild Master, he could still maintain control of the Alchemist Guild.
"Guild Master, no!" Elder Nangong pleaded again. Su Dan Novel Network.
Just then, another token appeared on the table.
The token was as black as ink, with only a single golden character shining brilliantly.
That character was none other than "冥" (Ming).
This is... the Ming Xuan Token?
Feng Ru Yi, Rong Guang, and Shangguan Yu Lin's expressions changed simultaneously.