Chapter 1187, A Subtle Change

Translator: Silavin

 

Yu Ying chewed carefully, looking a little worried. Then she found the taste wasn’t strange at all, and the tension in her brow gradually eased.

 

She chewed for a good while before speaking. “Mine is a little bit sweet. Not that sweet, but a little.”

 

Yu Ying let out a quiet breath of relief. She had been worried it might taste odd.

 

“Yours is sweet? So they really do taste different.” Su Bai nodded thoughtfully.

 

He had not anticipated that all three pills would taste different. He was curious what exactly made them distinct from one another.

 

If they were the same pill, the taste ought to be the same. The fact that it wasn’t meant the effects were probably different as well.

 

“Not that sweet. It’s like eating fruit.” Yu Ying touched a fingertip to her pink lips.

 

“That’s not fair. Both of yours seem decent. Why did mine have no taste at all?” Yan Hua muttered, lips pressed together.

 

The whole experience had been like eating air. Completely, utterly tasteless.

 

“I’d rather have yours with no taste at all. Mine was sour enough to shake my teeth loose.” Sha Lan still felt them trembling faintly.

 

“All right, all right. Take a moment and see what changes the pills bring. Each one probably does something different.” Su Bai smiled and raised a hand to settle them down.

 

He felt rather sorry for Yan Hua and Sha Lan. Neither of them had gotten a pleasant taste out of it.

 

“I don’t feel any particular change. Everything seems the same as before.” Yan Hua stretched out her hand and looked at it. Nothing.

 

“Same here. The only thing I’m aware of is that my teeth are still aching from the sourness. Nothing else.” Sha Lan shook her head blankly.

 

“Same for me. No difference. But I will say the pill tastes quite nice.” Yu Ying laughed, a little embarrassed.

 

“It might need time. Probably won’t show until it’s been digested.” Su Bai said, turning it over in his mind.

 

It seemed reasonable enough. He had half expected an immediate and dramatic change, but nothing straightaway was not unusual either.

 

These pills were only meant to strengthen one’s Physique. Nothing more than that.

 

Not like something one swallowed and then started breathing fire or burrowing through the earth. They simply made the body stronger.

 

“Shaman, why did I have to eat one too? You could have given it to Ye Jiu.” Yu Ying shook her fox tail, puzzled.

 

Yu Ying was not a Totem Warrior. She was not involved in combat. Eating something meant to strengthen her Physique seemed wasteful. Even with it, she would not be much help.

 

Ye Jiu was nearby at that moment, keeping watch to make sure no one wandered too close.

 

“I want you to get stronger. Whatever happens later on, you’ll at least have the ability to protect yourself. That’s what matters most.” Su Bai explained simply.

 

He felt confident about keeping the whole Tribe safe right now. But the future was a different matter. Sometimes even the best plans meet with the unexpected. A little preparation was never wasted.

 

Among all the girls, Yu Ying was by far the weakest. Yan Hua and Sha Lan need not be worried about. That was why it had come to this.

 

“Thank you, Shaman. For always thinking of me.” Yu Ying was startled for a moment, then felt something warm settle over her.

 

Something as good as this would usually go to a Totem Warrior first. An ordinary person would never be in line for it.

 

And a girl at that. Physically, she was at a disadvantage compared to the men. In the old days, she would never have seen it.

 

“Shaman, if it was only to eat the pills, why did we have to come all this way?” Sha Lan asked, genuinely puzzled.

 

She had thought something important was happening. It turned out to be three pills that strengthened the Physique.

 

“I was worried there might be some very large reaction after eating them. So I wanted to find somewhere with no one around.” Su Bai laughed, a little awkward.

 

He thought privately that he had been reading too many comics. The sort where swallowing a power-boosting pill sent someone bursting through walls.

 

Or perhaps some tremendous wave of energy, like the transformation sequences in magical girl stories.

 

He recognised now that he had let his imagination run away with him, which was precisely why he felt so embarrassed.

 

“I see. No particularly large change. But I do feel a bit warm.” Yan Hua stretched out her hand and looked again.

 

“Do you feel anything different now?” Su Bai’s eyes went wide.

 

The pills had probably begun to take effect. He wanted to see what kind of change would actually come.

 

Looking at the three of them now, there was nothing obvious. Yan Hua and Sha Lan seemed the same as always.

 

Yu Ying showed even less change than the others. Her Physique was as slight as it had ever been.

 

“Not yet.” Sha Lan felt warm too, but nothing beyond that.

 

“This feeling seems normal enough. Though it is quite comfortable.” Yu Ying smiled happily.

 

It was the snow season, after all. Snow everywhere one looked. A warm feeling inside was great against the cold outside.

 

“All right. If there’s nothing significant yet, let’s head back for now. I think I may have overthought this.” Su Bai shrugged.

 

*Step step step.*

 

They mounted the Six Eyed Red Birds and set off back toward the Tribe. They had ridden out on the birds to begin with.

 

It was just as the girls returned to the Yong’an Building that all three of them felt something shift.

 

“Shaman, my eyes have suddenly become very clear. And I think my hearing has improved as well.” Yan Hua blinked, her delicate eyes wide.

 

She ran straight to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out, beyond the Tribe. Everything was exceptionally sharp.

 

“I can see it. I can see it. There’s a snow-white fox running across the snow right now. I’ve never been able to see something that far away so clearly before.” Yan Hua’s voice was full of excitement.

 

She felt as though she were looking through a telescope.

 

“Any other changes?” Su Bai asked, pleasantly surprised.

 

“Nothing else. Just that my vision and hearing greatly improved.” Yan Hua shook her head.

 

“Something like far-sight and sharp hearing. I didn’t expect that sort of Physique enhancement. But for you, it should be quite useful.” Su Bai said quietly.

 

“I like it.” Yan Hua grinned.

 

She felt she would never need to bring a telescope outdoors again. Her own eyes would do.