In a lavish room, Chu Yi was sitting cross-legged on a grand bed. In front of him lay a small pill bottle.
When he had just left the residential complex where Lin Yunhan lived, Chu Yi dispersed his subordinates, instructing them to return to the villa where Chu Jianguo resided. After all, it had been far too ostentatious—the procession of people, all in luxury cars and matching attire.
However, Da Niu, stubborn and relentless, stayed behind, claiming he had his own reasons for doing so. He said it was Chu Jianguo's order to protect him.
Chu Yi couldn't tell if Da Niu's words were true or not, but having someone running errands for him wasn't a bad idea. Besides, Da Niu was also loyal to him, so he decided to let him stay, giving him another room to occupy.
"This must be the ancient medicinal pill," Chu Yi thought to himself.
After some contemplation, he picked up the small pill bottle and rolled it in his palm. As he did, he could distinctly feel its weight, knowing that it contained something.
With his heart filled with excitement, he opened the cap.
A few seconds after the bottle was opened, a peculiar medicinal fragrance wafted out, filling the entire room. Without realizing it, Chu Yi inhaled the scent.
Suddenly, he felt a slight increase in his physical constitution.
It was a rare occurrence for one's physical constitution to improve so rapidly, and even a small increase was extraordinary. To his surprise, Chu Yi also noticed that an orchid plant by the window was visibly growing, blooming before his eyes due to the medicinal aura in the air.
Clearly, it was the fragrance of the pill that was responsible for this phenomenon.
This made Chu Yi realize just how terrifying this ancient medicinal pill truly was. The fact that it had such immediate effects gave him a sense of respect and caution for the Medicine Saint who had been dead for thousands of years.
He understood well that this Medicine Saint had not perished, but rather, his lingering soul was embedded in the pill. As soon as someone consumed the pill, the soul would awaken within their mind.
Although he knew this secret, Chu Yi still decided to consume the pill. After all, the powers awakened by the pill were irresistibly enticing. In the early stages, they granted near invincibility.
Thus, despite the dangers, Chu Yi was willing to take a bit of risk for the potential of awakening extraordinary powers.
With a determined breath, he flipped the bottle over.
In a few seconds, three golden pills rolled into his palm, accompanied by a small, folded piece of yellowed paper.
Curious, Chu Yi immediately unfolded the note. It was written in an ancient script, which appeared in his mind instantly.
"I am an ancient Medicine Saint," the note began.
"After using countless immortal medicines, when I realized I could no longer break through, I used the remaining fragments of these immortals to refine three pills and left them for future generations."
"The first pill, smaller in size, is the Open Vision Pill. Taking it will enlighten the vision, allowing one to see through illusion."
"The second pill, of medium size, is the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Taking it will protect one from harm, purifying the marrow and achieving a flawless body."
"The third pill, the largest, is the Pill of Enlightenment. Consuming it will allow one to inherit my medicinal knowledge and techniques, as well as the art of healing."
"Note: These pills should not be consumed together. Doing so will cause the body to explode."
The words instantly imprinted themselves in Chu Yi's mind.
He was well aware of the danger of consuming all three pills, resulting in a deadly explosion. Furthermore, the Medicine Saint's lingering soul was awakened in the Pill of Enlightenment.
Now, Chu Yi faced two difficult choices.
"System, if the Medicine Saint's soul is in my mind, is there any way to handle this?"
After thinking for a moment, Chu Yi asked the system.
He was eager to consume the Pill of Enlightenment, as it contained invaluable knowledge from the ancient Medicine Saint. But swallowing it meant the Medicine Saint's soul would awaken in his mind, and that was a terrifying prospect.
What if the Medicine Saint didn't like him? What if he decided to eliminate him?
After all, this wasn't a novel where everything went according to the author's script. In this world, characters had their own thoughts and free will.
So, Chu Yi was extremely cautious. His life was on the line.
The system remained silent for a moment before responding.
"Don't worry, host. In your mind, the system is an invincible force. If necessary, the system can suppress any foreign consciousness."
"Okay, but what if I take all three pills at once?" Chu Yi asked again.
"That's possible. However, you will need a rare ingredient to merge the three pills: the Century-Old Snow Lotus."
"This material is nearly extinct."
"I recommend purchasing it from the system's shop and consuming it then."
The system patiently explained.
"I see. I understand now," Chu Yi nodded.
He opened the panel.
"Panel is now open."
Host: Chu Yi
Fortune: 72 (Level 3 Villain)
Villain Points: 5200
Strength: 51 (Normal human is 10)
Intelligence: 21
Charm: 15
Constitution: 27
Items: Baby Set, Corpse Powder, Eight Free Attribute Points
Skills: Master-Level Eight Extremes Fist, Overwhelming Aura.
System Shop: Open
In the bottom left corner of the screen, a small system shop window appeared.
Chu Yi, thinking for a moment, clicked into the shop.
To his surprise, the Century-Old Snow Lotus was available.
Century-Old Snow Lotus: 2500 Villain Points.
"Damn, it's expensive," Chu Yi muttered.
It took almost half of his accumulated villain points.
Despite being a wealthy and handsome man, Chu Yi couldn't help but wince at the cost. But there was no choice. He had to buy it.
Without it, if he consumed the three pills, he would not succeed as Yefan did. Instead, his body would explode in a fiery demise.
With a sigh, he made the purchase.
"Boom!"
A snow-white, elegant Century-Old Snow Lotus appeared in his hand, radiant and proud.
With a firm decision, Chu Yi consumed the lotus and the pills.
"Aah!"
As soon as the pills entered his body, three surges of violent energy appeared in his dantian, traveling through his meridians.
One surge moved toward his eyes, swirling around them. Another surged to his brain, occupying his central nervous system, gradually collecting there.
The third energy coursed through his body, expelling impurities.
Chu Yi groaned in agony as he felt his eyes burn, his brain foggy, and his body wracked with pain and itching, as if ants were crawling all over him.
"Ah!"
Finally, the three energies, after transforming Chu Yi's body, returned to his dantian, blending together.
"You are now more powerful than before."
The system's voice echoed in his mind.
"Congratulations, host. You have completed the task: Stealing the Pills."
"You have greatly altered the course of events. Reward: A two-tiered lottery draw and 30 Fortune Points."
Just as Chu Yi smiled with satisfaction, a voice suddenly exploded in his mind.
"Three thousand years... I have finally awakened."
The ancient voice of the Medicine Saint resounded, filled with both age and authority.
As Chu Yi listened to the voice in his mind, he knew that the ancient Medicine Saint had awakened inside him.
A strange, ethereal space appeared before Chu Yi's eyes. In front of him stood a man dressed in ancient robes, his face gentle, appearing to be in his fifties.
"Not bad. You have successfully merged the three pills. You must be the successor I have been waiting for."
The Medicine Saint spoke with his eyes closed, as if talking to the air.
However, upon scanning Chu Yi with his consciousness, the Medicine Saint furrowed his brow.
"This is not the one I seek."
Chu Yi did not possess the bloodline of the one the Medicine Saint had hoped for.
The Medicine Saint's face grew darker as he realized that his long-laid plans had been thwarted.
"How did you find my pills?" he muttered.
Enraged, the Medicine Saint turned to face Chu Yi with fierce contempt. He had to kill him—this man had ruined everything.
The battle that followed was a clash of immense power.