From Cold Palace Princess to Celestial Empress Ch. 172
Spirit Sword Sect.
A hidden peak.
At the mountainside, within a secluded courtyard, a scorching heat suddenly rose, causing the surrounding trees to burst into roaring flames.
“Pill formation complete!”
Inside the room, Ye Ruoshui focused her mind, and the intense flames abruptly extinguished.
Before her, within the pill furnace, lay a crimson pill, its surface flickering with golden flames.
“Molten Fire Pill, Earth Grade Low Tier, capable of resisting the heat of innate fire for two hours!”
Ye Ruoshui stored the pill in her storage pouch. Despite successfully refining an Earth Grade pill for the first time, there was no joy in her expression.
“Only one pill. It probably won’t be of much use.”
The Molten Fire Pill was an enhanced version of the Fire Dragon Fruit, doubling its original effect. However, for cultivators without special talents, whether it was one hour or two, it was impossible to fuse with innate fire.
“Her Highness must have another method…”
In the past, the pills she refined would multiply many times over in the Princess’s hands. She knew that Her Highness must possess some special treasure.
But that was the Princess’s secret, and she wouldn’t pry into it.
“I hope this pill can be of help to Her Highness.”
A smile appeared on Ye Ruoshui’s face.
It was around this time.
A fierce and powerful aura emanated from the outside world.
Sensing this aura, Ye Ruoshui’s expression initially showed surprise, but it quickly turned to joy.
“It’s Senior Medicine King! He has broken through!”
After breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm, the Medicine King hurried back to the small courtyard.
Since he was within the territory of the Spirit Sword Sect, he did not make a big fuss. As a result, everyone knew that someone had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, but no one knew who it was.
Only after quietly returning to the courtyard did the Medicine King release a trace of his aura.
“Congratulations, Senior Medicine King, on your breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm!”
Ye Ruoshui bowed slightly, genuinely happy for the Medicine King.
The Medicine King was a kind and honest senior whose guidance had greatly benefited her.
Without him, her progress in the Dao of Alchemy would have long since stagnated.
“Hehe… this is all thanks to the Princess’s gift of medicine.”
Hearing the Medicine King express his gratitude to Xiao Minghuang, Ye Ruoshui couldn’t help but stop what she was doing, her face filled with pride.
“Ruoshui, have you successfully refined the Molten Fire Pill?” the Medicine King asked.
“Yes, but only one pill,” Ye Ruoshui replied, her enthusiasm somewhat diminished.
“As expected, I was not wrong about you!”
The Medicine King stroked his beard and smiled. Ye Ruoshui’s talent in the Dao of Alchemy was exceptional, and with the fusion of her innate fire and his guidance, refining an Earth-grade pill was practically a sure thing.
“Although there’s only one pill, with enough materials, you will undoubtedly be able to refine more Earth-grade pills.”
Ye Ruoshui nodded, confident in her alchemical abilities.
“How about we make a trip to the Fire Dragon Kingdom? Perhaps we can find some more Fire Dragon Fruits,” the Medicine King suggested.
Previously, in the Fire Dragon Kingdom, Ye Ruoshui had stumbled upon a Fire Dragon Fruit in a market.
However, that was merely a lost fruit from the ancestral lands of the Fire Dragon Kingdom, and its quality was not high.
Now that his cultivation had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, entering the ancestral lands of the Fire Dragon Kingdom would be a breeze. It would be better to quietly pick a few more fruits so that Ye Ruoshui could fully integrate her innate fire more quickly.
Ye Ruoshui had no doubts and nodded in agreement.
“Let’s go.”
The two left the Spirit Sword Sect and headed for the Fire Dragon Kingdom.
Due to the instructions of the Hanging Sword Elder, Ye Ruoshui encountered no obstacles along the way. The sect even considered sending an elder to escort her, but Ye Ruoshui politely declined.
With the Medicine King, a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse, by her side, what need did she have for an escort from the Spirit Sword Sect?
…
The Fire Dragon Kingdom, adjacent to the Great Xia, ranked in the upper-middle tier among the thirty-six kingdoms, with a large population and prosperous commerce.
However, the ancestral lands of the Fire Dragon Kingdom were located in a moderately sized desert.
The outskirts of the desert were heavily guarded by the Fire Dragon Kingdom, with a late-stage Spirit Seed Realm expert stationed there.
The last time Ye Ruoshui had merely passed through the area, she had been detected and forcibly driven away.
This time, with the Medicine King concealing their auras, the two flew directly to the core area of the ancestral lands.
The core area of the ancestral lands was covered in yellow sand, desolate and uninhabited.
“Senior, can you sense where the Fire Dragon Fruits are?” Ye Ruoshui asked.
The Medicine King pointed to the endless desert and said, “They’re beneath us!”
With that, he waved his arm, and a surge of scorching air enveloped both him and Ye Ruoshui. The two of them then plunged into the yellow sand.
In an instant.
It was a massive valley, with the most striking feature being the towering tree standing at its center.
The tree stood hundreds of zhang tall, its canopy lush with crimson leaves, and petals fluttered down like a gentle rain.
Her beautiful eyes widened, filled with astonishment.
The Medicine King also showed a look of surprise. At this moment, the Dragon Fruit Tree exceeded his imagination.
“To hide the true ancestral land beneath the yellow sand—what a clever move!”
The Medicine King sighed inwardly, then walked toward the great tree.
“If I recall correctly, you should be called the Innate Pure Yang Dragon Fruit Tree. The ordinary dragon fruits that spread to the outside world were probably just a decoy, right?”
The Medicine King stood before the tree and spoke calmly.
“Human, your discernment is not bad.”
The crimson tree suddenly spoke, its voice deep and resonant.
“My demands are modest. Give me ten Pure Yang Dragon Fruits, and I will leave.”
The Medicine King’s tone remained composed.
“And if I refuse?”
The crimson tree’s voice continued.
Ye Ruoshui’s expression grew tense.
A tree that could speak human language seemed formidable. The Medicine King had just broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm and might not be a match for this tree.
“Then I will spread the news that you have completed your Innate Transformation. I’m sure many Half-Step Kings or False Sages trapped at the Gate of Life and Death would be very interested in you.”
Hearing this, the crimson tree’s expression changed, as if it were truly afraid.
“Swear a Heavenly Oath that you will never reveal the location of this place, or I would rather perish together with you!”
“Agreed.”
The Medicine King did not hesitate. He had dealt with many Innate Beings and knew that most of them, especially those who had recently awakened their intelligence, were simple and straightforward, incapable of deceit. They meant what they said.
The Medicine King raised his hand to the sky and made the oath.
The aura emanating from the crimson tree gradually softened. After a slight tremble, ten golden-red fruits fell from the sky.
With a wave of his sleeve, the Medicine King collected them all.
“Thank you, fellow Daoist, for the fruits. May you soon attain immortality!”
The Medicine King clasped his hands and smiled.
The crimson tree remained silent.
Unperturbed, the Medicine King turned and left with Ye Ruoshui.
After returning to the surface, Ye Ruoshui was still confused. She didn’t understand much of what the Medicine King had said earlier and couldn’t help but ask:
“Senior, what did you mean by all those things you said earlier?”
“Which part?”
The Medicine King had said a lot, and he wasn’t sure what Ye Ruoshui found puzzling.
Ye Ruoshui explained:
“The Innate Pure Yang Dragon Fruit Tree, Innate Beings, the Gate of Life and Death, Half-Step Kings, and attaining immortality. It’s a tree—shouldn’t it already be immortal?”
The Medicine King chuckled and said:
“You have so many questions. Where should I start?”
Ye Ruoshui smiled sheepishly and apologized:
“I was too hasty. Senior, please proceed as you see fit.”
“No,” the Medicine King shook his head. “You’ll need to know these things sooner or later. When you reach the Sage Academy, there will naturally be teachers to explain them to you. It’s no harm for me to tell you now.”
Ye Ruoshui straightened her back, ready to listen attentively.
“The Innate Pure Yang Dragon Fruit Tree was originally just a Dragon Fruit Tree, an ordinary spiritual herb. But perhaps it encountered some opportunity or endured the trials of time, and successfully developed intelligence. This transformation is called Innate Transformation. Its current race is that of an Innate Being.”
“The Half-Step King Realm refers to cultivators at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. They need to perfect their essence, energy, and spirit before they can step into the King Realm. To perfect their essence, energy, and spirit, they require a large amount of innate divine treasures.”
“The Life and Death Barrier is the final step for a King Realm cultivator to achieve immortality. Once this barrier is overcome, one can attain eternal life. As for what the Life and Death Barrier looks like and how to overcome it, you will naturally understand when you reach that stage.”
“Of the two mentioned above, the former requires innate divine treasures to perfect one’s essence, energy, and spirit, while the latter requires meditating on the divine treasures of heaven and earth to refine one’s own Dao and laws. If they knew there was an innate Pure Yang Fire Dragon Fruit Tree here, they would surely swarm in, and he would have no chance of survival. That is why he chose to endure humiliation and seek survival.”
“Finally, the immortality I speak of is not the immortality you imagine, but the Immortal Realm in the path of cultivation. Upon entering this realm, one gains an extremely long lifespan, comparable to eternal life.”
“Eternal life…”
Ye Ruoshui’s heart raced, and her breathing quickened.
If… she and Her Highness could reach such a realm, they could… stay together forever.
“Senior, how long is eternal life… exactly?”
Hearing this, the Medicine King pondered for a moment and said:
“At my peak, I was at the ninth level of the King Realm, and I felt I could live for five thousand years. I imagine even the weakest in the Immortal Realm could live for ten thousand years without issue.”
“Ten thousand years!”
Ye Ruoshui murmured to herself.
“I don’t know how long ten thousand years is, but I have already lived for three thousand years. It feels like an eternity, and my old friends from the past are long gone.”
The Medicine King sighed. Most of his peers from back then had already passed away, leaving only a few geniuses who were now in seclusion, detached from worldly affairs.
The Medicine King glanced at Ye Ruoshui and noticed her distracted state, realizing she was overwhelmed by her thoughts.
“Calm your mind!”
A light reprimand, like a sudden wake-up call, snapped Ye Ruoshui out of her reverie.
“Thank you for the reminder, Senior!”
Ye Ruoshui bowed in gratitude. If not for the Medicine King, she might not have come to her senses for a while.
“No problem. Shall we return to Xia Capital now?”
The Medicine King asked.
“Yes!”
Ye Ruoshui nodded.
After confirming, the Medicine King enveloped Ye Ruoshui and instantly vanished into the void, heading straight for Xia Capital.
After breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, the Medicine King’s speed had greatly increased. In just half a day, they arrived at Xia Capital.
Ye Ruoshui immediately rushed to the Princess’s residence.
However.
She could not sense Her Highness’s presence, nor could she see Lin Wanqiu.
Instead, there was a restrained sword intent hidden in a corner of the residence.
“Senior Medicine King, did you sense that sword intent?”
The Medicine King also wore a serious expression.
“This sword intent is very strong, not inferior to mine!”
If the Medicine King had followed Xiao Minghuang to the Tianfu Secret Realm, he would have recognized that the owner of this sword intent was none other than Sheng Bailan.
At this moment, a servant approached.
“Reporting to Miss Ye, the Princess and Miss Lin have gone to the palace. She left a message for you, saying that if you return, you can go to the palace to find her.”
“Understood.”
Ye Ruoshui nodded, then headed straight to the palace with the Medicine King.
However, in the palace, she did not see the Princess.
But she did encounter Lin Wanqiu.
When Lin Wanqiu saw Ye Ruoshui and the Medicine King by her side, a hint of joy appeared on her face.
Since the Princess went into seclusion, although only three days had passed, she had been on pins and needles.
With Sheng Bailan, a scheming Nascent Soul Realm expert, in the Princess’s residence, she had been anxious and restless all day.
Although the palace was also guarded by the Old Ancestor, the Old Ancestor had just recently broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm and might not be a match for Sheng Bailan.
If Sheng Bailan truly intended to do something, they would have no way to stop her.
“Ruoshui, Medicine King, you’ve finally returned!”
A few days ago, she had also seen the red light pillar from the northwest and guessed that it was the Medicine King’s breakthrough. Now, seeing it in person, her guess was confirmed.
Previously, she could vaguely sense the Medicine King’s realm, but now she could no longer discern it, which meant that the Medicine King had most likely broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm.
Noticing the strange expression on Lin Wanqiu’s face, Ye Ruoshui asked:
“Big Sister Lin, has something happened in the capital recently? Is the Princess alright?”
This question made Lin Wanqiu feel uneasy.
She couldn’t fully disclose what had happened to the Princess to Ye Ruoshui.
How could she tell Ye Ruoshui that the Princess had been subjected to some secret technique by Sheng Bailan and had been violated in her sleep?
Given Ye Ruoshui’s temperament, she would probably rush to confront Sheng Bailan immediately.
If that happened, the entire Xia Capital might be destroyed in the battle between Nascent Soul Realm experts.
“The Princess is fine, she’s just in seclusion for cultivation…”
She didn’t avoid the Medicine King and spoke directly:
“The master of the Spirit Sword Sect is currently in the Princess’s residence. The Princess and I suspect that she has ulterior motives and might be plotting something evil in secret.”
Lin Wanqiu looked at the Medicine King, cupped her hands, and said:
“Medicine King, if you have the time, could you help keep an eye on Sheng Bailan?”
The Medicine King didn’t immediately agree but asked with suspicion:
“The master of the Spirit Sword Sect… is she really planning to harm the Princess?”
Lin Wanqiu knew this was just her speculation, with no concrete evidence, so she said:
“This is the Princess’s and my guess, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. As long as we wait for the Princess to break through to the Spirit Seed Realm, even if Sheng Bailan truly has ill intentions, she won’t be able to harm the Princess.”
“During the Princess’s seclusion, please don’t leave the capital.”
“No problem.”
The Medicine King nodded and said:
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go and cultivate. I’ve just broken through recently and still need to stabilize my realm.”
“Please go ahead.”
After the Medicine King left.
Ye Ruoshui still looked somewhat confused.
She had been at the Spirit Sword Sect before and had even met the master of the Spirit Sword Sect once.
How could it be that suddenly, the master of the Spirit Sword Sect was planning to harm the Princess?
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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