BTTH: DISCIPLE CASHBACK SYSTEM

Chapter 130: Farewell To Hai Bo Dong

"What do you mean by the bloodline left by the Snake People and humans?" Gu He's question left Queen Medusa momentarily stunned. She quickly pieced it together, and a complex expression flashed in her beautiful eyes as she fell silent.

As the Queen of the Snake People, she naturally understood the history of animosity between the Snake People and humans.

Humans liked to capture Snake People women to amuse the nobility.

Likewise, many Snake People enjoyed playing with humans, regardless of gender.

To her knowledge, the leader of her Charmserpent Tribe, Yuemei, enjoyed capturing strong human men for her own amusement.

Near the Tagore Desert, there were often incidents of human women being abused by the Snake People.

According to common sense, relationships between Snake People and humans usually didn't result in pregnancies. However, nothing is absolute, and there was an exceedingly rare chance that women who had relationships with Snake People could become pregnant and give birth to children...

Evidently, the "disciple" Gu He mentioned was the result of the bloodline left by the union of a Snake Person and a human.

The enmity between humans and the Snake People had become ingrained in their bloodlines, making them incompatible.

However, the bloodlines left by both were innocent.

Queen Medusa naturally felt some compassion for these children who also possessed the Snake People's bloodline.

After a long pause, Queen Medusa raised her head, seemingly having made a decision, and looked at Gu He. She said, "I can give you the cultivation technique, but I must meet your disciple."

Only those with the bloodline of the Snake People could practice Snake People's cultivation techniques.

Queen Medusa wasn't concerned about Gu He using the technique. However, she was curious about Gu He's disciple. After all, why would a powerhouse like Gu He take a human with the Snake People's bloodline as a disciple? Queen Medusa wanted to see for herself what made this human with the Snake People's bloodline special.

"You want to meet my disciple?" Gu He was somewhat surprised at Queen Medusa's request.

After hesitating for a moment, Gu He slowly nodded and said, "Then please prepare the Sand Mandala and the cultivation technique. Tomorrow, I will bring my disciple here."

Upon hearing this, Queen Medusa nodded slightly.

With Queen Medusa's approval, Gu He didn't hold back. He went directly to the Half-Pond Ice Spirit Cold Spring, which he had coveted for a long time, and placed half of it into his system space.

After completing all these tasks, Gu He left the Temple of Medusa without any hesitation. He rode the Scarlet Flame Magic Jiao to depart the city walls' vicinity.

About 3,000 meters away from the Temple of Medusa, in a flat desert area, Qingling sat dumbfounded on the back of the Golden-Winged Giant Condor, looking worriedly in the direction of the Temple of Medusa. She remembered that was the direction her teacher had left.

"Will my teacher be okay..."

With her emerald green eyes fixed on the distance, Qingling's gaze was filled with concern. Not long ago, she had sensed a powerful energy fluctuation coming from that direction, triggered by the energy of her own bloodline.

Gu He had left in that direction, which made Qingling worry that the powerful energy fluctuation was related to her teacher.

"Little Gold, should we go look for my teacher?"

Qingling gently stroked the golden feathers on the back of the Golden-Winged Giant Eagle and made a quiet suggestion.

Hearing this, a young voice replied, "Don't worry; Master will be fine."

Evidently, Little Gold was quite confident in her Master's strength.

"Just a bunch of Snake People, they can't hurt Master. Besides, there's the Crimson Flame Devouring Dragon with him."

Thinking about how her Master had taken the Scarlet Flame Magic Jiao and left her behind, Little Gold couldn't help but feel a bit hurt.

After all, she had arrived first.

Why should her Master take that ugly guy with him?

"Hmph! It's just a little stronger than me."

Little Gold grumbled, "Once I reach the Seventh Rank, Master will definitely like me again."

At that moment, Little Gold seemed to sense something. His golden eyes looked into the distance. There, a colossal figure was rapidly flying towards them.

…

Next day.

Gu He rode on a Golden Feather Giant Eagle and, accompanied by Qing Lin, arrived at the Temple of Medusa.

When Gu He appeared outside the city walls, a mesmerizing figure descended from the walls. It was the leader of the Charm Snake Tribe, Yuè Mèi.

Clearly, Queen Medusa had already given orders for Yuè Mèi to wait there.

Yuè Mèi's beautiful eyes looked at the Golden Feather Giant Eagle in front of her, and she immediately remembered the scene she had witnessed that day when bathing in the lake. Her heart shivered.

Another Peak 6th Rank magical beast! Yuè Mèi glanced at Gu He, who was on the back of the Golden Feather Giant Eagle, and her eyes showed a hint of fear.

This human man was truly terrifying!

Even with his pets, the entire Snake People Tribe might not be able to handle him.

Yuè Mèi suppressed her emotional fluctuations and looked at Gu He, speaking cautiously, "Sir, the queen requests your presence!"

Upon hearing this, Gu He nodded slightly.

Beside them, Qing Lin looked at the snake tail beneath Yuè Mèi, its eyes showing a complex mixture of fear and a hint of closeness.

Gu He left Little Gold waiting outside and then followed Yuè Mèi into the Temple of Medusa.

After a while, led by Yuè Mèi, Gu He and Qing Lin arrived in a spacious hall.

Gu He scanned the area and saw that Queen Medusa had been waiting in the hall.

Yuè Mèi entered the hall and respectfully addressed Queen Medusa, "Your Majesty, the person has arrived."

In response, Queen Medusa's cold voice rang out, "You may leave for now."

Yuè Mèi glanced at Gu He and then walked out of the hall.

"Is she your disciple?" 

Queen Medusa turned around slowly after Yuè Mèi left, and her beautiful eyes focused on Gu He before stopping at Qing Lin. Perhaps sensing the Snake People bloodline within Qing Lin, Queen Medusa's eyes showed a sense of closeness and compassion.

"Child, come forward," Queen Medusa's rare gentle tone addressed Qing Lin.

Having heard Yuè Mèi address her as 'Your Majesty,' Qing Lin instantly understood the woman's status.

This was none other than Queen Medusa!

Living in the human world, especially in a desert city like Stone Desert City, Qing Lin had frequently heard of Queen Medusa's reputation.

At this moment, upon hearing Queen Medusa's request, the young one hesitated. Thinking about Queen Medusa's infamous reputation, she felt a sudden fear and glanced toward Gu He for help.

"Go ahead. With me here, you have nothing to fear," Gu He reassured as he gently ruffled the young one's head.

"Okay." Encouraged by Gu He, the young one gathered her courage and approached Queen Medusa.

As the young one drew closer, Queen Medusa's expression became even more gentle.

Considering the child's background, Queen Medusa cast a compassionate and caring gaze upon Qing Lin, meeting her watery eyes.

But shortly after, Queen Medusa's expression changed. She had noticed that the young one's eyes had a slight greenish hue. And within the depths of the pupils, there seemed to be three tiny emerald dots.

Staring at Qing Lin's emerald eyes, Queen Medusa had a sudden insight, realizing something profound. Her expression changed slightly.

Even though it was just a brief glance, Queen Medusa was certain.

The young girl before her had awakened the "Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils" described in the ancient Snake People's scriptures.

As the Snake People Tribe's queen, Queen Medusa knew better than anyone what the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils represented among her people.

In her own time, she had been hailed as the Snake People Tribe's holy maiden and later became their queen because she had awakened the "Petrification Snake Eyes" described in the ancient Snake People's scriptures. Compared to the legendary "Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils," the Petrification Snake Eyes had a much lower status among the Snake People.

With a determined heart, Queen Medusa realized that if the elders of the Snake People Tribe learned that one of their own had awakened the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, they would undoubtedly go into a frenzy.

No, she must keep this child within the Snake People Tribe!

After a long silence, Queen Medusa finally made up her mind.

The "Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils," a once-in-a-millennium occurrence described in the ancient Snake People's scriptures, had appeared before her. She couldn't let this opportunity slip through her fingers.

Though Queen Medusa knew it would be difficult to take the child away from Gu He, she had faith in Qing Lin.

Faced with Queen Medusa's tempting offer, Gu He furrowed his brow and his eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.

Could it be that she had discovered Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?

Despite his internal discontent, Gu He did not interfere with Queen Medusa's actions.

Or perhaps, Gu He had full confidence in Qing Lin.

In the face of Queen Medusa's alluring conditions, the young one appeared puzzled and unprepared. Looking at Queen Medusa, she suddenly recalled some unpleasant memories.

"No!" 

"I don't want to stay with the Snake People Tribe!"

The young one shook her head decisively and then turned around, rushing into Gu He's arms. Her voice was clear but tinged with a hint of fear. "Teacher, don't abandon Qing Lin. I don't want to stay with the Snake People Tribe…"

Gu He had a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Queen Medusa with a slightly mocking gaze.

"Alright, you're so well-behaved, how could I possibly leave you?" Gu He patted the young girl's back and comforted her gently.

Once the young girl had calmed down, Gu He's gaze turned to Queen Medusa, and his tone became somewhat cold. "Your Majesty, it's time to fulfill your promise."

From the moment Qing Lin ran towards Gu He, Queen Medusa knew that her plan had completely failed.

She gazed deeply at Gu He, and although she was unwilling in her heart, she could only nod reluctantly, her voice icy. "Naturally, I will keep my word, but you must not forget the matter of the Divine Fire."

Gu He nodded and said, "As agreed, I will return to the Snake People Tribe in three months."

After a while, Gu He, accompanied by Qing Lin, left the Temple of Medusa.

...

In the blink of an eye, seven days passed swiftly.

At the border between the desert and the land, occasional green leaves adorned with a few blue leaves could be seen, though rare, much more pleasing to the eye compared to the monotonous golden sand in the desert.

As this place was close to the edge of the desert, passersby and mercenary teams returning from hunting magical beasts in the desert could occasionally be seen.

At the border where the desert met the land, two figures, one tall and one short, one white and one blue, slowly appeared.

When the scorching sun in the sky gradually dipped below the horizon of the desert, the two figures finally came to a halt. The figure in white looked at the enormous city in the distance, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Mo City, we've finally arrived..."

These two figures were Gu He and Qing Lin.

After leaving the Temple of Medusa, they had spent seven days returning to Mo City.

After a while, the two figures entered Mo City and arrived at the entrance of the simple map shop at the end of the street.

Gu He entered the shop and immediately saw Hai Bodong, who was busy inside.

"Old Hai, it's been a while."

The next moment, Gu He's hearty voice resounded in the small shop.

When Hai Bodong, who had been immersed in his work, heard Gu He's voice, his hands froze for a moment. He immediately turned to look at Gu He, slightly stunned, and then a pleasantly surprised expression appeared on his face.

"Hehe, Gu He, you've finally returned. You've kept me waiting for so long!"

Hai Bodong put down the brush in his hand and looked Gu He up and down, his eyes filled with excitement.

With a slight smile, Gu He extended his hand toward Hai Bodong and said, "Old Hai, I've brought back the things for you. As for the final piece of the map, I think it's time you gave it to me as well."

"Um..." Hearing this, Hai Bodong gave a wry smile and rubbed his hands, saying, "Gu He, we made a deal back then. As long as you help me refine the unsealing elixir, I promised to give you the last piece of the map. Besides, I'll owe you a favor."

"Very well..."

Gu He's gaze rested on Hai Bodong for a moment, and when he noticed Hai Bodong's slight discomfort, he nodded indifferently and withdrew his hand, smiling as he said, "I hope you won't come up with any other excuses after you receive the elixir."

Gu He didn't mind Hai Bodong's little schemes.

Even if Hai Bodong had fully recovered his strength, he was no match for Gu He. There was no need to fear that he would renege on his promise.

"Hehe, what are you talking about, my friend? My promise is as good as gold!"

Hai Bodong laughed and shook his head, patting his chest and vowing, "As long as you can refine the elixir I need, I absolutely won't go back on my word!"

"Hehe, that's the best." Gu He nodded with a smile, then looked at Hai Bodong and said softly, "Shall we get to work now?"

"Now?" Hai Bodong was a little surprised but quickly nodded. "Sure, please follow me!"

With that, he quickly pushed open a counter and led Gu He into the back room.

Gu He turned to Qing Lin and said gently, "Wait for me outside."

At this moment, Hai Bodong finally noticed Qing Lin and asked in surprise, "Who is this young lady?"

Gu He casually said, "This is my new disciple."

"New disciple?"

Hai Bodong was somewhat astonished and looked at Qing Lin with a hint of curiosity!

For someone to be accepted as a disciple by Dan King Gu He, this young girl must have something extraordinary about her, right?

Gu He urged, "Old Hai, let's get to alchemy."

Hai Bodong came back to his senses and said, "Of course, please follow me!"

Then the two of them entered the room, and Gu He looked at Qing Lin, saying gently, "Wait outside for me."

He asked Hai Bodong about a pill recipe and materials, then said with a smile, "Sometimes, I find you alchemists quite enviable... Ah, this elixir for unsealing is something I had to go through great lengths to obtain, and now, you're going to make me change its name."

Hearing this, Hai Bodong was taken aback for a moment, and then he reluctantly took out various alchemical materials from his spatial ring. He held a slightly yellowed, ancient sheepskin parchment in his hand.

The pain on his face was genuine. He didn't pretend it. For this recipe, he didn't know how much effort he had put in.

With a smiling face, Gu He took the aged recipe that Hai Bodong handed over. He glanced at it, and the smile on his face became even brighter.

"The 'Eradicate Calamity Pill'," three faint black characters, slightly blurred, were drawn on the ancient parchment, giving off a touch of ancient aura.

With a smile in his eyes, Gu He slowly scanned the parchment. When his gaze fell upon the recorded effects of the pill, the smile on his face became even more profound.

"It's a sixth-grade pill with the remarkable ability to break most seals. After taking it, it can also create resistance against this kind of seal within the body. In the future, if you encounter this kind of seal again, you'll have a chance to avoid it."

"Tsk tsk, this is really something."

Gu He examined the ancient parchment with great interest. The pill not only had the power to break seals but also granted resistance to previously encountered seals. This feature alone made it an outstanding pill, aside from its reputation as a sixth-grade pill.

"Of course, it's good. Back then, to get this recipe, the price I paid was something that still pains me when I think about it..." Gu He's words made the corner of his mouth twitch, and after a while, he sighed.

"Hehe, no matter the price, compared to restoring your Dou Huang strength, it's almost negligible." Gu He comforted him. Then, right in front of Hai Bodong, he casually put the ancient recipe into his storage ring.

In the world of alchemy, there were some unwritten rules. If someone wanted an alchemist to help them refine a relatively unconventional pill, they needed to provide the recipe and the ingredients. Moreover, the alchemist had the right to do whatever they pleased with the recipe, even if they wanted to keep it for themselves.

Making a recipe wasn't as simple as jotting down a few notes; alchemists used their soul's energy as ink and their soul as a guide to create a proper recipe. When using a recipe, alchemists needed to enter the recipe with their soul's energy to access the essential data, such as the required amounts of ingredients and the ideal temperature, all of which were essential for refining the pill.

These aspects were crucial in alchemy, and without them, no matter how talented the alchemist was, they would have to rely on trial and error, which could lead to the destruction of valuable ingredients. Hence, anyone who provided a recipe was also aware that it might be kept by the alchemist.

"Smiling gently as he accepted the 'Eradicate Calamity Pill' recipe, Gu He turned his gaze toward the large pile of medicinal herbs on the table. These herbs were all rare and valuable items. Some of them, if put up for auction, could fetch no less than fifty thousand gold coins. However, even with their significant worth, they were not available for sale.

After all, anyone with some knowledge would never put these rare herbs up for auction, as they might come in handy when meeting an alchemist in need of such materials. It would be a highly profitable trade.

Perhaps fearing the risk of failure, Hai Bodong had mostly prepared multiple sets of each herb, neatly arranged on the table.

After carefully inspecting all the herbs and confirming that nothing was missing, Gu He nodded slightly and looked up at Hai Bodong, who was watching him attentively. With a smile, he said, "Hai Elder, I'm sure you're aware that there's a certain degree of uncertainty in alchemical processes. Although I have confidence in refining this sixth-grade pill, I can't guarantee it 100%. Therefore, if there are any unexpected circumstances leading to a failure, the responsibility..."

Gu He said these words not because he lacked confidence. The 'Eradicate Calamity Pill' was, in fact, relatively easy for him to refine given his current alchemical skills. He just needed an excuse to take the remaining herbs for himself.

"I understand. You don't have to take responsibility. Alchemists are all like this. If you fail, how can I force you to stay?" Hai Bodong waved his hand with a wry smile.

"Hehe, Hai Elder, I appreciate your understanding. In that case, can you prepare a quiet room for me? During the time I'm inside, no one should disturb me, including yourself." Gu He gently collected the herbs into his spatial ring and asked with a smile.

"Sure."

Nodding, Hai Bodong led Gu He to a quiet room. After entering the room, Gu He inspected it and nodded with a smile.

"Gu He, is this room suitable for you?"

Hai Bodong asked with a smile. Gu He nodded and then said, "In that case, please let me refine the pill here. I'll guard the entrance, and you can be assured that I won't be disturbed."

"Alright."

Gu He responded with a smile and watched as Hai Bodong left the room. He then closed the door and released the Dragon Soul Cauldron, preparing to begin the alchemical process.

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Dear Readers,

The first three chapters of our story are now available for you to dive into. We can't wait for you to start this journey with us. And there's more to look forward to - the remaining five chapters will be posted this evening. So, get ready for a full day of adventure and discovery. Enjoy the read, and stay tuned for the rest!

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