Chapter 78
Seventh Elder handed the pills to the Emperor, a hint of pride on his face. While refining the pills, he had noticed a few bad habits from the past and corrected them on the spot. Unexpectedly, the results were surprisingly good, allowing him to refine two such high-quality pills in one go.
This added a touch of brilliance to what was already a competition with a foregone conclusion.
As for Seventh Elder and the Emperor’s thoughts, Ye Ruoshui was completely unaware. Her full attention was focused on pill refining.
She was using a subpar pill furnace, so her efficiency was much lower than Seventh Elder’s. However, after such a long time, it was finally ready.
Ye Ruoshui’s hands moved rapidly, combining various colored medicinal herbs into a vibrant, multicolored liquid.
With a lift of her right hand, the multicolored liquid immediately rose into the air.
The flames inside the alchemy furnace roared fiercely, accompanied by a deafening sound, and a rich medicinal aroma wafted out from the furnace.
Ye Ruoshui’s eyes were fixed on the furnace as her right hand swiftly formed intricate seals.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~~~
Clusters of crimson flames surged upward from the furnace, each taking on vivid and lifelike shapes, dancing and twisting in mid-air.
With a forceful slap to the bottom of the furnace, Ye Ruoshui’s right hand triggered a thunderous boom.
The entire furnace trembled violently, and a pill, entirely cyan in color with fine, intricate patterns etched on its surface, shot out, suspended in mid-air, exuding a refreshing fragrance.
“This is…”
Seeing this, Seventh Elder’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
“Spirit Nurturing Pill!”
The words escaped Seventh Elder’s lips involuntarily.
Even Emperor Xia and the others were visibly astonished.
It was well known that the Spirit Nurturing Pill was a top-grade Yellow-tier elixir, far surpassing the Ascension Pill, which was merely a high-grade Yellow-tier elixir. The difficulty in refining the two was not even comparable.
Seventh Elder could refine over a hundred Ascension Pills each year, but only a dozen or so Spirit Nurturing Pills, highlighting the immense challenge in their creation.
“And that… is a Pill Vein?!”
Emperor Xia’s eyes were filled with shock.
Once a pill developed a Pill Vein, its medicinal efficacy would undergo a qualitative leap, and it would remain unspoiled for thousands of years, far surpassing ordinary pills in quality.
If one were to compare a common low-grade Profound-tier pill with a top-grade Yellow-tier pill bearing a Pill Vein, anyone would choose the latter without hesitation.
Such was the power of a Pill Vein!
Seventh Elder, who had immersed himself in the art of alchemy for over a century, had never once succeeded in refining a pill with a Pill Vein.
Yet now, Ye Ruoshui, a mere girl of twelve or thirteen, had accomplished this feat. How could those present not be utterly astounded?
When Seventh Elder saw the Spirit Nurturing Pill with its Pill Vein, he lowered his proud head, knowing he had been defeated.
Defeated thoroughly, by a young girl still wet behind the ears.
Emperor Xia was overwhelmed with excitement and joy, realizing that Great Xia had produced such a prodigious talent.
“First, a Heaven-tier Five Element Spirit Root, and now a genius in alchemy capable of refining pills with Pill Veins. Truly, the heavens favor Great Xia!”
Emperor Xia was beside himself with elation.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty! Great Xia is blessed with both the Ninth Princess and Ye Ruoshui. This is a blessing for Your Majesty and for Great Xia. We, your humble servants, are fortunate to live in such a prosperous era!”
“Your Majesty’s wisdom and might ensure that Great Xia will remain eternally flourishing!”
“…”
Hearing Wang Jin’s words, Xiao Minghuang was momentarily speechless. Eunuch Wang was indeed a master of flattery.
But then again, if he weren’t skilled in such arts, he wouldn’t have gained Emperor Xia’s favor, nor would he have risen to his current position.
After refining the pill, Ye Ruoshui didn’t hand it over to Emperor Xia as Seventh Elder had done. Instead, she presented it directly to Xiao Minghuang.
Seeing the pill, which resembled a piece of green jade, Xiao Minghuang smiled gently and said, “Ruoshui, take this pill and give it to His Majesty. There’s no need to give it to me.”
“Yes!”
Though Ye Ruoshui didn’t understand why the princess wanted to give the pill away, she knew that whatever the princess did, it must have a deeper meaning. Her role was simply to follow orders faithfully.
Seeing Xiao Minghuang’s words and actions, the Emperor nodded in approval. His youngest daughter was thoughtful and exceptionally talented, with almost no flaws to be found. It seemed there was no need for a competition this time.
He even considered appointing Xiao Minghuang as the crown princess in advance, but since the imperial decree had already been issued and could not be revoked, he could only encourage her further.
When Ye Ruoshui handed over the pill, Wang Jin quickly accepted it.
The Emperor stroked his beard, his gaze falling on the respectful Ye Ruoshui, and he asked kindly:
“Young lady, your talent is remarkable. It’s a pity for you to remain just a maid. Do you have any wishes? As long as it’s within my power, I will grant them!”
Such a prodigious talent in alchemy should not fall into the hands of other factions. She must be nurtured with care.
Hearing this, Ye Ruoshui shook her head slightly and turned to look at Xiao Minghuang, her eyes filled with determination.
“Your Majesty, this servant only wishes to remain by Her Highness’s side as her maid. I have no other desires.”
“Oh?”
The Emperor was taken aback, not expecting such loyalty from the Ninth Princess’s maid.
“With your talent, you should not be overlooked. I intend to bestow upon you a noble status, power, wealth, and endless cultivation resources. Are you not tempted?”
Ye Ruoshui still shook her head, replying without hesitation:
“Your Majesty, this servant only wishes to serve Her Highness, and I will never leave her side in this lifetime!”
The Emperor chuckled:
“Little girl, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not asking you to leave the Ninth Princess. Even if you accept these rewards, you can still stay by her side, just as you are now.”
At this, a hint of hesitation appeared in Ye Ruoshui’s eyes, and after a moment, she asked:
“Your Majesty, may I discuss this with Her Highness?”
The Emperor smiled:
“Go ahead, take as much time as you need.”
With that, the Emperor walked over to the disheartened Seventh Elder and sighed softly.
“Victory and defeat are determined by fate. Since ancient times, heroes have emerged from the young!”
Ye Ruoshui lifted her slender legs, skipping excitedly. For the first time, she experienced the thrill of victory and being noticed, eager to share her joy with her beloved princess.
“Your Highness, Your Highness…”
Ye Ruoshui ran up to Xiao Minghuang and nestled into her arms like a young swallow, nuzzling her chest and calling out affectionately.
Xiao Minghuang held Ye Ruoshui’s soft and slender waist, gently stroking her little head, and smiled softly:
“Ruoshui, you’re a grown girl now. You shouldn’t act so spoiled in the future!”
Ye Ruoshui raised her little face, beaming like a flower, and said sweetly:
“In front of Your Highness, Ruoshui will always be a little girl who never grows up!”
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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