An unknown amount of time passed.
After absorbing the vast medicinal power and the dense worldly energy, the Dou Crystal in Zhou Changqing's dantian had completely transformed. It was no longer an irregular, rhomboid shape.
The Dou Crystal was now a perfect oval, its surface covered with nine long, crystalline spikes. It looked like a sea urchin, though with far fewer spines.
The very instant the sea urchin-like Dou Crystal took its final form, a powerful and majestic aura erupted from within Zhou Changqing's body. It kicked up a fierce wind that sent the canvas of his tent flapping wildly!
This was the oppressive aura of a Dou Ling!
An ordinary Dou Shi caught within its range would likely be unable to withstand the pressure!
At that moment, Zhou Changqing's eyes snapped open.
He circulated his cultivation method, and the Dou Qi within the sea urchin Dou Crystal roared out, instantly surging through every meridian in his body! Furthermore, this Dou Qi was far more refined than it had been when he was at the peak of the Da Dou Shi realm, and its power was considerably greater.
Feeling the abundant strength of the Dou Qi filling his body, Zhou Changqing made a rough estimate. The current him could probably take on three of his former self.
He held out his palm and circulated his Dou Qi.
Crack! Pop!
Instantly, countless incandescent arcs of electricity drilled out from the skin of his palm, flickering and dancing in his hand.
"As I thought, my control over Dou Qi and my ability to manifest it have both taken a step forward!"
A pleased smile touched Zhou Changqing's lips. Although the gap between a Dou Ling and a Da Dou Shi wasn't a world-altering chasm, a Dou Ling was still significantly stronger.
Before, even as a nine-star Da Dou Shi, he would have been no match for a high-level Dou Ling like Lingsha. Even if he fought with his life on the line, the most he could do was cause her a little trouble.
But now, Zhou Changqing was confident that with his strength as a Dou Ling in both Dou Qi and physical body, he wouldn't necessarily lose to Lingsha!
With this in mind, the desire to leave began to stir restlessly within him. But the thought of Yue Mei, a powerful Dou Wang, forced him to helplessly dismiss the idea.
"I'll wait a bit longer. It's not safe enough yet. I only have one chance, so I have to wait until I'm at least a high-level Dou Ling before I can even try."
Shaking his head, Zhou Changqing began to take out materials to start refining. He wanted to test how much his efficiency had improved after his promotion to the Dou Ling realm.
In the central tent, Yue Mei was cultivating.
Her snake tail was coiled beneath her as she sat with her eyes tightly closed, the worldly energy around her surging and gathering. At her level as a high-level Dou Wang, advancing even a single star was extremely difficult; sometimes, one or two years could pass without any progress.
The main issue was that the Snake Spirit Yue Mei had fused with had an upper limit of a peak Tier 5. This meant that once she reached the peak of the Dou Wang realm, her potential would be essentially exhausted. If she didn't encounter some kind of fortuitous opportunity, she was destined to remain a Dou Wang for the rest of her life.
And Yue Mei was already a seven-star Dou Wang, putting her quite close to the peak. This caused her cultivation speed to be much slower than that of a human Dou Wang of the same level.
Of course, with every disadvantage came an advantage. While the Snake Spirit Secret Technique limited the upper potential of the Snake-People, not every member of their race had the potential to reach the Dou Wang realm in the first place.
Take Yue Mei herself. Her own innate talent would, at most, allow her to cultivate to the peak of the Dou Wang realm. Although there was a sliver of a chance she could break through to the Dou Huang realm, that chance was so minuscule as to be nonexistent.
The Snake Spirit, however, not only allowed her to break through to the Dou Wang realm faster but also let her transform into the beast form of her spirit, causing her strength to skyrocket!
Once Yue Mei transformed into her Snake Spirit's true form, her combat power was enough to contend with a peak eight-star Dou Wang. Even against a nine-star Dou Wang, she might not win, but her opponent would have a very hard time stopping her from leaving.
"Hm? The little one broke through to Dou Ling?"
Suddenly, Yue Mei opened her eyes and looked to the east. A moment ago, she had sensed a formidable aura emanating from not too far in that direction. The intensity of that aura had reached the Dou Ling level.
The source was in the exact direction of Zhou Changqing's tent. Considering he had taken a Spirit Ascension Pill from the tribe's treasury a few days ago, the conclusion was obvious. Yue Mei couldn't think of anyone else it could be.
Sensing that impressive Dou Ling aura, a brilliant light flowed through Yue Mei's beautiful eyes as she couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "So this is what they call a genius?"
"When he first arrived at the tribe, he was just a seven-star Da Dou Shi. It's only been a little over three months, and he's already broken through to Dou Ling..."
"If not for the fact that the little one is still two months shy of seventeen, it would be hard to believe that a sixteen-year-old Dou Ling even exists..."
"And he can probably already refine Tier 4 Magical Weapons."
Although Zhou Changqing had hidden it well, Yue Mei was no fool. From the moment he took a Tier 4 Monster Core from the treasury, she had her suspicions, though she couldn't be certain. After all, even alchemists failed when concocting pills, and a single failure would ruin the materials completely.
Zhou Changqing was naturally aware of this. But as long as Yue Mei didn't turn on him, if he said his refining arts hadn't advanced, then they hadn't.
"It seems I need to make a trip to the Divine Temple."
After a moment of thought, Yue Mei ceased her cultivation. She left her tent, spread her purple Dou Qi Wings, and transformed into a streak of light that vanished over the horizon.
Meanwhile, Zhou Changqing was still basking in the joy of his promotion, completely unaware that Yue Mei had left the Charm Snake Tribe on his account.
In the central region of the desert, a massive city lay sprawled across the yellow earth like a colossal beast. The city was ringed by a defensive wall of piled stones. Atop the walls, numerous Snake-People guards patrolled vigilantly.
This was the sacred ground of the Snake-People, the residence of their supreme leader.
The City of the Divine Temple!
Suddenly, a streak of purple light appeared on the horizon, tearing through the sky as it headed for the holy city. The guards on the city walls spotted the streak of light and immediately went on high alert.
The light didn't charge directly into the city. Instead, it gradually slowed, finally landing before the city gates and revealing its passenger.
Upon seeing the newcomer's face, the guards at the gate all bowed their heads in respectful salute.
"Greetings, Lady Yue Mei!"
Yue Mei nodded without saying much. Swaying her hips, her snake tail swishing behind her, she entered the city.
Moving swiftly through the streets and past the buildings, Yue Mei arrived at the Divine Temple of Medusa in the city's center. After announcing her arrival, she entered the temple and proceeded to the main hall.
Upon reaching the spacious and lavishly decorated hall, Yue Mei found a chair and sat down to wait.
Not long after, a woman with a graceful figure appeared in the hall. She wore a black, lace-like undergarment and a red breastplate, and her long hair was a shade of auburn. Her face was strikingly beautiful.
"Yue Mei, what brings you here?" the snake-woman asked upon seeing her.
Yue Mei's brow furrowed slightly. She was puzzled by the subtle hint of wariness in the other woman's tone but answered nonetheless, "Hua She'er, I have an important matter to report to Her Majesty the Queen. Please inform her."
Hua She'er was the captain of Medusa's Snake Guard, possessing the strength of a mid-level Dou Wang. Though her power was a step below that of the eight great chieftains, her status was in no way inferior.
Hearing Yue Mei's words, Hua She'er's brow furrowed as well. However, she didn't refuse, simply nodding before leaving the hall.
Watching the inexplicably strange Hua She'er depart, Yue Mei felt a touch of dissatisfaction, though she couldn't let it show. This was the Divine Temple, after all. And if it came to a fight, she wasn't certain she could even defeat her.
After a short while, Hua She'er returned.
"Come with me."