The next step was to mass-produce the antidote and distribute it to the poisoned individuals.
Just then, the Pill Dao Ascent and Descent Platform’s voice sounded again.
"Eight-ninths of the poisoned have reached critical levels. In half an hour, everyone in the village will be poisoned. Please administer the antidote to the poisoned as soon as possible, or the mission will fail in one hour."
Zi Linling frowned. "How many people are there in this village?"
She needed to know the exact number to concoct enough antidote.
The artifact spirit of the Pill Dao Ascent and Descent Platform replied, "Nine hundred and ninety-nine people!"
"Nine hundred and ninety-nine?" Zi Linling exclaimed in shock.
This meant she had to refine nine hundred and ninety-nine antidote pills within an hour!
One hour! Nine hundred and ninety-nine!
This number was truly… heart-wrenching, liver-wrenching, and body-aching!
"Jiuji! Huangyi! Get to work!"
With time pressing, Zi Linling had no more time for complaints. She directly summoned Huangyi out of her body to assist Jiuji in refining pills.
Both Jiuji and Huangyi had memories of refining antidote pills, so they could refine them independently even without Zi Linling's direct involvement.
What Zi Linling needed to do now was to gather these nine hundred and ninety-nine people while Jiuji and Huangyi were refining, to avoid wasting time and effort searching for them after the antidote was ready.
Moreover, doing so had another benefit: preventing secondary infections from the virus, which could lead to mission failure.
Under the guidance of the woman, Zi Linling divided the village into four areas: east, west, north, and south, along a central cross.
Separating these four areas was Zi Linling's fire-element spiritual skill… Blazing Wildfire.
This would prevent people from unsearched areas from entering searched areas unknowingly, becoming loopholes.
Half an hour later, Zi Linling had gathered all nine hundred and ninety-eight people to the location where Jiuji and Huangyi were refining, and used wood-element laws to immobilize them, preventing them from "escaping."
The human problem was solved, but a bigger problem arose.
Jiuji and Huangyi had exerted their full strength, but in half an hour, they had only refined three hundred and thirty-three antidote pills.
This meant that within the allotted time, they could only refine six hundred and sixty-six antidote pills, which was not enough to complete the mission.
What to do?
Zi Linling's brow furrowed tightly.
Outside the spiritual energy screen, the observers couldn't help but show expressions of pity.
The hearts of Zi Linling's fans, including Rong Guang, Shangguan Yulin, Feng Mo, Nian Youyu, Su Lie, and Xuanyuan Xun, were in their throats.
They clenched their fists, sweating for Zi Linling. Su Dan Novel Network
"Miss Zi! Keep it up!"
Someone shouted, igniting the nervous emotions of Zi Linling's fans.
"Miss Zi! Keep it up!"
"Miss Zi! Keep it up!"
"Miss Zi! Keep it up!"
"…"
At the Pill Dao Grand Assembly, the cheers of Zi Linling's fans grew louder and louder.
Even some of the stubborn factions were moved by Zi Linling's astounding performance and joined the cheers with her fans.
Of course, most of the stubborn factions maintained their original views.
"Cheering is useless! She's not a god!"
"What a pity! She developed the antidote, but the required quantity has become an insurmountable obstacle for her!"
"Exactly! Failure is already set; she's just struggling to the death!"
"…"
Feng Ruyi wore a triumphant smile.
He thought to himself, "Participant Number Seven Four Eight! Miss Zi? So what if you developed the antidote? You'll still fail!"
"As long as you fail, the Qingcheng Poison Master Association, the Shangguan family, and Mingxuan Tower will all belong to me!"
"Then, the Xuanyuan Divine Clan will grant me three promises, Huatian Commercial Bank will give me all their goods at half price, and Linxian Wine House will sell my pills for free for ten years."
"These thoughts are all so wonderful!"
Thinking of this, Feng Ruyi said to Elder Nangong behind him, "See! We have won!"
Elder Nangong nodded and smiled, "Yes, yes, yes! I was worrying too much! Congratulations, Guild Leader, for earning a fortune!"
"Congratulations? A fortune? Aren't you celebrating too early?"
Shen Liuxing appeared from somewhere, saying sarcastically, "Guild Leader Feng, there's still half an hour left. Aren't you afraid of extreme joy leading to sorrow?"
"Extreme joy leading to sorrow? Haha…"
Feng Ruyi laughed heartily, "Could it be that in the remaining half an hour, she can refine another six hundred and sixty-six antidote pills? Heh heh! Just struggling to the death!"
Shen Liuxing looked at the figure on the spiritual energy screen with affectionate eyes and smiled, "Do you know? Sister Zi… Miss Zi has created many miracles, and she herself is a miracle. So, until the very last moment, how can you be sure that a miracle won't happen?"
"A miracle? Hahaha!"
Feng Ruyi laughed again, "I never expected that the famous owner of Linxian Wine House, Mr. Shen, would also believe in such a ridiculous thing as miracles?"
Mr. Shen?
These three words, upon reaching Ye Lingyuan's ears, who had been very calm, sent a flash of inspiration through his mind.
He turned to look at Shen Liuxing, as if trying to see through Shen Liuxing's mask.
However, Ye Lingyuan ultimately found no familiar aura on Shen Liuxing, so his gaze returned to the spiritual energy screen.
But he did not forget to warn Feng Ruyi, "Guild Leader Feng, I am kindly reminding you that you will soon witness a miracle!"
"Witness a miracle? Hahaha…" Feng Ruyi said noncommittally.
However, before his laughter died down, a gasp came from not far away.
A fan of Zi Linling exclaimed, "Quick, look! What is Miss Zi doing? Is she going to destroy those three hundred-plus antidote pills?"
Everyone's gaze immediately returned to the spiritual energy screen.
Zi Linling threw the three hundred and thirty antidote pills that Jiuji and Huangyi had already refined back into the Jiuji Qiankun Cauldron. She then took out bundles and bundles of medicinal herbs and threw them all into the Jiuji Qiankun Cauldron without discrimination.
Then, she bit her fingertip, and her bright red blood continuously dripped into the Jiuji Qiankun Cauldron, instantly dyeing the entire cauldron a vibrant red.
Feng Ruyi said mockingly, "Oh! She knows she's going to fail, so she's preparing to break the pot and then die a martyr?"
"Shut up!"
"Shut up!"
Two cold shouts sounded simultaneously.
One came from Shen Liuxing, his gaze towards Feng Ruyi filled with chilling killing intent.
The other came from Ye Lingyuan. He was already heartbroken seeing Zi Linling refining pills with her blood.
Hearing Feng Ruyi's mockery now, his icy aura, under the pressure of his quasi-god king cultivation, rapidly spread out, directly pressing down on Feng Ruyi.