A half-foot-long crimson hatchling snake had been stepped on. Qian Jin urgently cried out, "Watch out, Oulala! Though this crimson snake isn't mentioned in any texts I've seen, the fierce glint in its eyes and the deathly blue on its fangs clearly mark it as an extremely aggressive venomous serpent! Step on one, and you risk being bitten back and sent back to the stars."

Wow.

The fiercely aggressive crimson serpent, pinned under Oulala's foot, showed nothing but fear and grievance in its eyes. Its mouth opened, not to bite Oulala, but to emit a sound like an infant's cry.

As Oulala walked forward, every scene she passed was bizarre beyond Qian Jin's wildest imagination. Even facing the Moon Demon Flower Spider in the mountains, he had remained perfectly calm, but now, for the first time, his body was covered in goosebumps, and chills raced up his spine into his brain.

"What in the world is all this?" Qian Jin looked around frantically. Despite having read vast amounts of the Qian family's collection, only one or two of the creatures here vaguely reminded him of something he'd seen in a book; the vast majority were utterly unprecedented and unheard of!

Oulala suddenly stopped, kicking a large, three-person-head-sized yellow pumpkin beside her foot.

Bang!

The pumpkin made a dull thud upon impact. The top of the massive gourd popped open, spitting out a stream of [REDACTED CONTENT], launching the round lid into the air. Oulala reached in, pulled out a test tube glowing with a faint yellow light, and carefully replaced the pumpkin lid. The pumpkin showed no visible damage whatsoever.

Pfft!

Oulala uncorked the test tube and handed it directly to Qian Jin. "Drink this."

"Drink?" Qian Jin took the test tube, hesitating. This was a mysterious potion from a mysterious Apothecary. Who knew what the consequences of drinking it would be? History was littered with tales of those who volunteered to test the mysterious Apothecaries' concoctions, only to end up returning to the embrace of the stars.

A faint, sweet fragrance drifted up from the test tube. Qian Jin's Adam's apple bobbed several times. The scent was genuinely appetizing to the nose.

Faced with the small test tube, Qian Jin would rather now take up his Zhanmadao and engage in a fierce duel with the Moon Demon Flower Spider than risk drinking this mysterious elixir.

A warrior does not fear death; that means they dare to fight even the most powerful Demonic Martial Masters to protect all humanity within the Zhence Dynasty.

To die in battle is to be a hero!

To drink a mysterious potion and return to the stars? Qian Jin frowned; such an end would only leave behind a laughingstock. Even the strongest Ultimate Bloodline Warriors who achieved ultimate awakening throughout history were clearly recorded as politely refusing the test of so-called god-making elixirs offered by mysterious Apothecaries.

"You dare not?" Oulala flicked her eyelids, staring at Qian Jin, a hint of contempt coloring her eyes. "Someone without guts is not qualified to become a mysterious Apothecary."

Qian Jin twitched his mouth. I never intended to become a mysterious Apothecary in the first place, but your gaze reminds me of someone I deeply dislike—Qian Wushuang! The descendant of the main Qian lineage, the one most likely to become the Elven King's Ultimate Bloodline Warrior. He looked at people with that exact expression! Even when my father, who was related to him by blood, squatted down to allow him to step on his back to mount a horse, he still held that same look!

"Drink! Why shouldn't I drink!" Qian Jin took a deep breath. Last time in the Endless World, he was bitten to death by a wolf, and his neck only gained a few fang marks. He refused to believe this potion could truly kill him!

The sweet and delicious potion quickly slid down his throat before Qian Jin could even savor its taste. A sudden, agonizing pain shot through his shoulder! It felt as if an awl was trying to pierce through his muscle, erupting from beneath his skin!

The pain originated from deep within his body...

Qian Jin instinctively reached for his shoulder, only for his calf to suddenly erupt with the exact same searing agony. His knees buckled, threatening to send him crashing to the ground.

"What is this...?" Qian Jin gasped, feeling as if hundreds of needles were striking out from every direction inside his body.

Cold sweat instantly drenched Qian Jin's entire body.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump...

The violent impact surged erratically inside Qian Jin's body. The skin covering his muscles visibly seemed to writhe, as if something was trying to burst through from within. "Hahaha. It worked indeed." Oulala watched Qian Jin forcefully stand his ground, a mixture of joy and surprise on her face. "How can you endure it? Doesn't it hurt?"

"You try drinking one," Qian Jin managed to reply, feeling that even his tongue wasn't his own anymore, lacking the strength even to curse her.

Oulala circled Qian Jin several times, nodding thoughtfully. "It certainly looks painful, but your tolerance surpasses that of ordinary people; your willpower is nearly made of iron. Even under normal circumstances during the Three Battles Against Demons, one would pass out from the pain, yet you haven't fainted, and you're actually forcing yourself to stand. Interesting, very interesting."

Qian Jin desperately wanted to retort, "Interesting your mother!" The impact, which seemed to strike every part of his body, prevented him from even opening his mouth. If it weren't for the month-long torment and tempering he endured in the Blazing Flame Lake, even if he hadn't passed out, he would be convulsing on the ground in agony.

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to harm you." Oulala waved a hand, observing Qian Jin’s fierce eyes. "As a mysterious Apothecary, one needs not only sufficient courage but also a strong sto... You should know that experimenting with great and noble mysterious potions carries the risk of sudden explosions and other incidents. Mysterious Apothecaries must also gain a little capital for self-preservation. We are mysterious Apothecaries who love the truth, and we can sacrifice our lives for the truth, but wouldn't it be better if we didn't have to? So, if you drink the Volcano Potion and survive, you pass."

Volcano Potion? Qian Jin used all his strength to manage a slight nod, confirming the name of the potion. The name truly suited the effect! After swallowing it, every part of his body felt like a volcanic eruption.

"Of course, if you survive, there are benefits. After being hammered and tempered by the Volcano Potion's impact, your body will become stronger. Not only will your resistance to damage surpass warriors of the same level, but your physical explosive power will also be significantly enhanced."

Oulala walked towards the counter of her shop, continuously explaining.

"Oh, right," Oulala turned back as she reached the shop entrance, speaking with apparent sincerity. "Among all mysterious Apothecaries, only I recruit apprentices using this method. This Volcano Potion is also my unique formula. I once captured an Ironback Bear in the mountains to test it, but unfortunately, it died."

Oulala shook her head with an expression of regret, sighing mournfully. She turned and walked into the shop, muttering to herself, "I hope you make it through. I really like your luck."

"Damn it!" Qian Jin could no longer restrain himself and cursed loudly. The Ironback Bear's physique was far more robust than a Green-Skinned Three-Armed Ape! Even that creature couldn't withstand it? You dare give this to a human? Mysterious Apothecaries are all lunatics! Lunatics!

"Oh, right."

Oulala's sharp voice echoed again from inside the shop. The 'Oh, right' additions were what Qian Jin dreaded hearing most from this Apothecary now; every time he heard her follow-up, a murderous impulse surged within him.

"The first ten minutes are the mild eruption phase of the Volcano Potion. After ten minutes, it enters the ascension phase. One hour later, it enters the full-power eruption phase."

This is the mild eruption phase now? Qian Jin felt the walls of the building spinning before his eyes, as if the entire world was revolving.

"The full-power eruption phase lasts for two hours, and this Volcano Potion has no decay phase. The total duration is three hours."

Qian Jin no longer had the time or energy to argue with Oulala. He forcefully suppressed the small amount of Dou Qi he had left, refusing to use it to fight the Volcano Potion. He needed to save it for the full-power eruption phase, fearing that he truly might die from this lunatic's potion otherwise.

Three hours! Qian Jin felt this was the most painful, longest three hours of his life. A mere three hours felt as long as three years. If not for the experience gained from the Blazing Flame Lake, whether he could survive these three hours would have required appealing to the gods who supposedly lived among the stars.

During these three hours, the sweat pouring from Qian Jin’s body made him feel as if he were submerged in the waters of the Blazing Flame Lake.

The tsunami-like impact suddenly vanished, and Qian Jin's body instantly collapsed. The muscle tissues inside him were rapidly mobilizing, attracting, combining, and intertwining with each other...

Oulala was right; after being ravaged by the Volcano Potion, his body was beginning to grow! They were sprouting like bamboo shoots after the rain, growing at a rate Qian Jin could physically sense.

"Time seems to be up." Oulala's red apron appeared before Qian Jin's eyes, along with a bottle of red potion. "You should go learn from that shabby Apothecary, Adams."

"Come on, be good. Drink this."

Qian Jin shivered upon seeing the red potion in Oulala's hand. Having just survived the Volcano Potion, he truly lacked the courage to ingest another concoction created by this mad mysterious Apothecary. He used the last vestiges of his strength to clamp his teeth shut.

"Be good, sweet child, listen to me and drink it."

Oulala's voice was gentle, as if coaxing a child, but her actions were incredibly rough. Taking advantage of Qian Jin's complete lack of strength, she used her hand to forcibly pry open his jaws and poured the liquid down his throat.

"Cough—uh," Cough, cough.

Qian Jin coughed several times, trying to spit the liquid out, but he couldn't stop the potion from entering his system. What was this one? Qian Jin looked weakly at Oulala, silently praying it wasn't another Volcano Potion. Although that one had promotional effects on the body, given his current condition, another dose would only act as poison; drinking it would certainly mean death.

Chapter Two has arrived, and now it’s time for everyone's fun time. Come on! The last month of the year 20[XX], let's work together and see how much fun we can have?

If we maintain yesterday's momentum, we might actually be able to go and pester Dongzi's 'Covering the Sky' around the 20th! Let’s go! Let’s have a blast together!