Since then, Zhao Shuning had been avoiding the group led by Viper.
She was afraid that if she wasn't careful, she might really poison Viper to death. What if they came to settle the score with her then?
Almost half a month later, as Zhao Shuning listened to Kong Shishuang beside her casually talking about the strange things she had encountered after going out with Xiaoli, at first, she just smiled it off. But later, Shishuang lowered her eyes and gently said, "I not only saw Viper, but I also heard that he seemed to have suddenly reached the third rank. I don't know if it's true."
Zhao Shuning was shocked. The fruit in her hand dropped to the ground with a thud.
"Shishuang, what did you just say?"
This question was not asked by Zhao Shuning, but by the cute Shuang'er with a baby face.
"Viper didn't die?"
This sentence was indeed asked by Zhao Shuning.
"Why should Viper die?" Shishuang was a bit confused and then said, "It seems that he has advanced to the third rank. This matter has caused quite a stir among the second - level students. Now Viper's ability can even rival that of the young master of Tianyuanque."
How could this be possible! Jumping directly over the late stage of the second rank and reaching the third rank! Seeing Zhao Shuning's incredulous expression, Shishuang explained again, "It is said that he was helped by a mysterious person."
Zhao Shuning swallowed hard.
The mysterious person must be referring to herself, right?
The last time she sent them all away, Shishuang had gone back to the room to look for the pill several times but couldn't find it.
Finally, Zhao Shuning scratched her head and said that maybe the owner had come back and taken it.
It should be referring to the time when she saved them. Wasn't she the mysterious person then? But what did Viper's breakthrough to the third rank have to do with her?
"I heard that it was the effect of a pill."
When Zhao Shuning heard this, she felt extremely bitter. She felt that she was on the verge of a breakdown. She had practiced so hard for so long, but the progress in her combat strength was far from satisfactory.
Why? Why did she give that pill to Viper?
Her combat strength had been stuck at the early stage of the second rank for a long time. She had missed such a good opportunity, but instead, she had let Viper get a huge windfall.
"Leader, what's wrong with you? Why do you look so heart - broken?"
"I - I'm heart - broken."
"Ah?"
"I'm fine. You guys should first take a look at the surrounding environment. The second altitude is different from what we've experienced before. Xiaoli won't be of much use at this level. Also, it seems that Zhang Tianyuan has already reached the third altitude and may very well be attacking the fourth altitude. We wasted too much time before. Now almost three months have passed. From now on, you guys have to be careful."
"Got it, Leader."
"Leader Zhao, should we find a place to build a simple house?"
A Shui and A Yue were eager to have a go. Every time they reached a new altitude, the leader would ask them to set up camp and build a house. They were used to it.
"This time it won't work. Most of the spirit beasts at the second altitude have the intention to attack. We all have to be careful. We may even have to change places at midnight."
The others also looked solemn.
"Remember, you guys mustn't act separately this time. No matter when, you have to stick together. Most spirit beasts attack lone spirit pharmacists. Although your abilities have improved, it's still been a short time and you don't have much practical experience. You're no match for those spirit beasts."
"Got it."
After Zhao Shuning had arranged everything for them, she began to focus on researching the bottleneck of her combat strength.
At night, she sat alone on a tall and dense tree and let out a long sigh.
Her current situation could be described as extremely miserable. Without her master by her side and unable to get access to those rare pills, every step she took relied on her own efforts.
"Zhao Shuning, you're really a fool."
She secretly stretched and slowly stood up.
Of course, saying she regretted it was actually not really accurate. It was just that she was different from ordinary people. Her ambitions were too great.
When she gave the pill to Viper at that time, she had actually held an uncertain attitude. Now, it was a good thing. She was still just a spirit pharmacist at the early stage of the second rank, while Viper had already become a third - rank spirit pharmacist.
"I hope that guy Xiao An will remember what I told him in the future and won't use his abilities to do evil."
When she was Ye Ling, she had saved several children. Those children were probably all powerful figures in the Eastern Wilderness by now.
Song Zhiyi was omniscient and extraordinary. He should be the best strategist in Qingyun Country by now.
Ji Qinglin and Xia Wanning didn't need to be mentioned. It was only when she had a duel with her second uncle some time ago that she found out that those two children had already become eighth - rank alchemists. Eighth rank! What a lofty existence. For Zhao Shuning now, it was only something she could look up to but not touch.
There were also Gu Zhiruo and Dongfang Yuxi. She didn't know how those children were doing now.
At that time, Ye Ling had never relaxed in her education of them. All the excellent pills had been given to them.
But now was different from then. At that time, she had everything she wanted. Now, she was just a tiny ant. She had to exhaust all her strength and work even harder than in her previous life to reach the peak.
Zhao Shuning naturally didn't expect that the man codenamed Viper had been deeply attracted to her when he first saw her.
The kindness of the pill gift later made him even more infatuated with that mysterious woman.
Moreover, the magic of that pill was not just that.
Viper was a cruel and ruthless person, but once he recognized someone and had a belief in his heart, that person would become the one he would always protect.
Even if the mountains and rivers changed and the sun and moon lost their light, Viper would never forget that on that night, with the bright moon hanging high and the gentle breeze blowing, that young girl smiled sweetly at him and said, "From now on, I'll call you Xiao An, okay?"
Xiao An, Xiao An. It was a warm name and a gentle time.
The words that the young girl said in the gentlest tone Viper had ever heard under the moonlight would be a memory he would never forget in his life.