Chapter 389: Red Empress

"One pill can last seven days."

After multiple trials, Lu Xun reached a conclusion.

One sixth-grade Harmony Pill can delay the love poison for seven days.

That is to say, every seven days, Lu Xun and Ran Bing must each take one.

What happens after taking it need not be said.

And after the fierce battle ended, Ran Bing's consciousness would not continue to deteriorate; indeed, it would even improve somewhat.

Using poison to counter poison is indeed effective.

"We can't keep using Harmony Pill, or we'll easily get pill toxicity... Let's refine some other similar pills."

Lu Xun thought for a moment, then refined some other similar love-inducing pills.

The pills he refined are basically Saint rank.

Pill toxicity is minimal.

Pill toxicity also depends on the type of pill.

Like those that directly raise cultivation, they basically have residual pill toxicity.

If they are merely auxiliary for cultivation, they only play a supporting role, and pill toxicity is negligible.

Such pills are like installing a turbocharger on an engine.

Harmony Pill-type pills, if taken too much, will definitely cause pill toxicity.

Lu Xun had to consider this.

He himself wasn't worried.

What does a Chaos Divine Body have to fear from pill toxicity?

So, if Lu Xun could cultivate on his own without having to worry about state of mind or inner demons, raising his cultivation by taking pills would be completely feasible.

But Ran Bing is afraid.

So Lu Xun refined some pills to clear pill toxicity.

At a frequency of once every seven days, we'd probably have to take ten or twenty love-inducing pills to hold out until Lan Xing enters the Ancient Road Node.

By then, there will be a way.

"Right, Southern Ming Separation Fire."

Lu Xun suddenly thought of another method.

Use Southern Ming Separation Fire to purify the body and soul.

However, after thinking it over, Lu Xun still gave up on this method.

He worried that Ran Bing couldn't withstand it.

If Southern Ming Separation Fire, upon entering Ran Bing's body, discovered the demon power hidden by Gu Yao and burned it up, inadvertently also burning Gu Yao.

Then Ran Bing would suffer.

She and Gu Yao are one entity.

As for Lu Xun himself, he must not rashly try it.

His body holds too much mixed power.

Demon power still exists.

Even without demon power, letting Southern Ming Separation Fire enter the body is an extraordinarily risky undertaking.

After all,

Lu Xun now only has the Fire Control Technique, which can control Southern Ming Separation Fire.

But Southern Ming Separation Fire does not wholly belong to it.

If Southern Ming Separation Fire became Lu Xun's Natal Spirit Fire, then it would be different.

Natal Spirit Fire is completely controllable.

Southern Ming Separation Fire is different; it has its own spirituality.

Even if Lu Xun can manipulate it, there ultimately remains some difference.

So, Lu Xun abandoned this method.

As for Gu Yao's side, it's even less feasible.

Gu Yao intends to undermine Ran Bing's will through love poison, causing Ran Bing and Lu Xun's consciousness to sink, thereby securing victory.

How could she possibly dispel the love poison?

Or else wait for Lan Xing to enter the Ancient Road Node, then go to Yao Xing to seek the Eighth Boundary Heavenly Demon King.

Thus, Lu Xun continued refining pills above the star while waiting for the Golden Toad and the Little Phoenix.

"Senior sister, sorry to offend you."

"Junior brother... it's not your fault... um..."

A few days later, the two once again split the qi of one Infatuation Pill in half, each consuming a portion.

Consequently, they became bewildered and enamored.

"Gua~"

Another day passed, and after the Golden Toad had spent a full three months inside the star, it finally gathered sufficient energy from within.

Of course, stellar energy alone isn't enough; Lu Xun must also inject some Dark Energy to let the Golden Toad fully unleash its Eighth Boundary combat power.

The required Dark Energy is not small; a single injection needs several thousand cubic units.

If later restored to Eighth Grade, even tens of thousands of cubic units of Dark Energy would be needed.

Eighth Boundary puppets are powerful, but ordinary people simply can't afford them.

However, compared to the combat power of an Eighth Boundary, a few thousand cubic units of Dark Energy is nothing—child's play.

Anyone capable of crafting Eight Realm puppets fundamentally lacks nothing of these several thousand units.

The wealthy and grandiose Lu Xun, in one go, filled the Golden Toad with Dark Energy.

Now, the Golden Toad is a genuine Eight Realm combat power.

Even if its attack power is slightly weaker than the Eight Realm, its defense exceeds the Eight Realm.

For Lu Xun, however, it is just right.

The Golden Toad is settled, but there is still no trace of the little phoenix.

"Where did the little phoenix go?"

Lu Xun was somewhat speechless.

Once the little phoenix flew out, it never came back home.

"Keen—"

A few days later, suddenly.

The little phoenix flew back from afar.

After not finding Lu Xun, the little phoenix became anxious, flying back and forth around the spot where Lu Xun had been.

Lu Xun heard its voice and upon looking,

Good fellow.

Someone is chasing it!

Are they treating the phoenix as ownerless?

Lu Xun moved his body and appeared outside.

"Keen—"

Upon seeing Lu Xun, the little phoenix became overjoyed, quickly flew over and landed on his hand.

Lu Xun thus held the little phoenix, gazing into the distance.

There, a figure was swiftly approaching.

As she approached, even though this was the surface of a star, the horizon suddenly turned a scarlet hue.

Immediately thereafter, as if the evening clouds were torn by claws, a figure stepped through the air.

Her speed was extreme, yet she carried a languid elegance; her red dress surged like a raging sea of blood, each step as if treading on an invisible throne's steps.

When she drew near, Lu Xun finally saw clearly—

That was a woman beautiful to the point of danger.

Her fiery red hair danced like a living thing, her lip color richer than the finest wine, the corners of her mouth slightly curled, holding a smile that looked down upon all beings.

Merely by standing there, the surrounding space warped because of her presence, even light willingly becoming her backdrop.

"Nine Realms!"

Lu Xun's heart tightened.

This Western woman... is a Nine Realms powerhouse!

She should be a Nine Realms mage, though I don't know whether she specializes in light or fire.

Only light- or fire-affinity mages like to come to the surface of a star.

"Red Queen!"

After Lu Xun's gaze swept over her fiery red lips, he suddenly recalled a famous Western powerhouse.

"Red Queen!"

Nine Realms powerhouses are rather mysterious; one cannot come into contact with them without reaching a certain level.

However, the Red Queen is quite famous; Lu Xun had heard her story even as a child.

The most famous of these is that she once single-handedly slaughtered her way to the vampires' spirit star, killing them until rivers of blood flowed.

The Red Queen's red lips curled slightly, her fingertips idly twirling a strand of flame-like hair, her voice low and deep like the tail note of a cello:

"Oh? Aclaimedlittlebird…" (Oh? A little bird that has acknowledged its master)

Her gaze swept over Lu Xun, a hint of hunter's interest flickering in her eyes:

"Tellme, boy…wouldyoupartwiththisphoenix—fortherightprice?"

(Tell me, boy…… are you willing to part with this phoenix for the right price?)

As she uttered the last word, she lightly bit it, like the breath of a poisonous snake lingering around its prey's neck.