Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 206: Alchemy

Fang Hao recognized the person on the stone platform immediately; it was Princess Mu Yijing.

However, the Grand Princess before him was completely different from the noble, cold, and imposing Nascent Soul Great Expert he remembered!

She wore a simple white dress, her hair was casually pinned up with a wooden hairpin, her face was deathly pale without a trace of blood, her lips were slightly blue, and her forehead was covered in fine, cold sweat that trickled down her cheeks.

She sat cross-legged on the stone platform, her hands forming seals, but her body was trembling uncontrollably.

The aura radiating from her was extremely unstable, fluctuating high and low—at times sharp like a drawn sword, and at other times weak like a flickering candle flame.

It was chaotic, violent, and mixed with an indescribable... cold Evil Qi.

Even more striking were the wisps of pitch-black energy writhing around her like living things, exuding an ominous aura.

This energy was trying to burrow into her glabella, but was firmly blocked by a powerful, star-glimmering spiritual energy within her body.

The two forces were clashing fiercely inside her, causing her immense pain; her brows were tightly locked, and her beautiful face wore an expression of suppressed agony.

"She... is she injured? Or did something go wrong with her Cultivate?"

Fang Hao’s heart sank, and he stopped in his tracks, not daring to get too close.

If a Nascent Soul Great Expert had a problem, it was no joke.

If she lost control and her power went berserk, a small fry like him would be dead if he were too close.

"You’ve come."

A hoarse, exhausted voice came from Princess Mu Yijing.

She seemed to have used a great deal of effort to open her eyes, her gaze somewhat unfocused, but when it fell upon Fang Hao, she forcibly gathered a glimmer of spirit.

"Come here, closer."

Her voice was very soft, carrying suppressed pain.

Fang Hao’s heart pounded, but looking at her state, it didn’t seem like she wanted to attack.

He braced himself, carefully moved a few steps forward, stopped three zhang away from the stone platform, and bowed: "This Junior greets the Grand Princess. Your Highness, this is..."

Princess Mu Yijing did not answer immediately, but took a deep breath, seemingly struggling to suppress the churning power within her.

After a long while, she spoke in an even weaker voice: "This Princess... has been ambushed. My Nascent Soul is unstable, Nine Nether Profound Evil Qi has invaded my Purple Mansion, and my Dao foundation has been damaged. If not for the protection of Star Power, I would have already... perished and my Dao would have dissipated."

Every few words she spoke, she had to pause to catch her breath, and the cold sweat on her forehead increased.

The Nine Nether Profound Evil Qi seemed to sense her weakness and intensified slightly.

Her body swayed, and a wisp of dark red blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

"Nine Nether Profound Evil Qi? Dao foundation damaged?"

Fang Hao’s heart skipped a beat.

He had heard of this stuff; it was the most yin and evil filthy energy that could only be conceived in places of dark evil, specifically designed to corrupt a Cultivator’s Nascent Soul and Divine Soul; it was extremely vicious!

Even a Nascent Soul Great Expert would find it incredibly troublesome to deal with, let alone having it invade the Purple Mansion and damage the Dao foundation!

This was a grave injury that shook the very foundation!

No wonder she looked so miserable!

"Using the Star Secret Art, I borrowed the’Star-Drawing Platform’ here to gather Star Power to barely suppress the Evil Qi.

But this method can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.

If the Evil Qi is not removed, the injury to my Dao foundation will be hard to heal, and my cultivation... is in danger of dropping."

Princess Mu Yijing’s voice grew lower and lower, and by the end, it was almost inaudible; she was clearly at the end of her rope.

Fang Hao was terrified.

Nascent Soul dropping?

Wouldn’t that mean she was crippled?

For a Nascent Soul Great Expert, that must be worse than death, right?

No wonder her aura was a bit off that day at the Listening to Rain Pavilion; it turned out she was heavily injured and forcibly suppressing it.

"What... can this Junior do for Your Highness?"

Fang Hao asked cautiously.

Calling him here definitely wasn’t for him to watch a show.

Princess Mu Yijing glanced at him, her eyes complex, filled with pain and struggle, and seemingly mixed with a hint of unspeakable embarrassment.

She remained silent for a long time, until the Evil Qi in her body surged again, causing her to groan, before she gritted her teeth and said in an almost inaudible voice: "This Princess... needs you to... refine a batch of Medicinal Pill."

"Alchemy?"

Fang Hao was stunned.

Just this?

He thought she wanted him to steal some Heaven-Defying treasure or break into some dragon’s den!

Given the Grand Princess’s status, was she lacking an Alchemist?

There must be at least eighty or a hundred Alchemy Great Masters serving in the palace, right?

"This Medicinal Pill... is called the ’yin yang harmony pill’..."

When Princess Mu Yijing said the name, a very faint blush seemed to flit across her pale face, but it vanished in an instant, covered by pain and Evil Qi.

"yin yang harmony pill?"

Fang Hao’s mind searched rapidly.

He seemed to have seen this pill name in some ancient book or miscellaneous notes; it seemed to be... a top-grade Grade 4, or was it a Grade 5 Medicinal Pill?

He couldn’t remember the specific effects, but it seemed related to harmonizing Yin and Yang and mending the Origin?

He wasn’t sure.

"Correct," Princess Mu Yijing closed her eyes, seemingly gathering strength.

"This Medicinal Pill requires the power of Yang fire—which is extremely Yang, extremely pure, and contains vitality—as a guide, supplemented by various rare Spirit Medicine that harmonize Yin and Yang to be refined.

It can help me... harmonize the Yin and Yang in my body, stabilize my Nascent Soul, expel the Evil Qi, and repair the damage to my Dao foundation."

"Then... what can this Junior do?"

Fang Hao still didn’t understand.

This Medicinal Pill sounded very difficult to refine; as a Grade 4 Alchemist, what could he do?

Princess Mu Yijing opened her eyes again, staring straight at him with a kind of desperate determination: "The hardest part of refining this Medicinal Pill lies in the ’guiding’!

It requires an Alchemist who... Cultivates a flame that is extremely Yang, extremely pure, and contains vitality to use their natal flame to guide the Yin and Yang inside and outside the Pill Furnace before it can be formed!

Ordinary earth fire, beast fire, and even some heaven fire are either tainted with Evil Qi or too violent to take on this task.

And your... Earth Core Flame Fire..."

Fang Hao was shaken to the core, and he understood instantly!

Earth Core Flame Fire!

His Earth Core Flame Fire was conceived by absorbing the pure Yang vitality from deep within the earth; it was extremely Yang and pure, gentle and mellow, and contained boundless vitality.

Using it to refine a Medicinal Pill for such extremely yin and evil conditions, or to harmonize Yin and Yang, was the most suitable "guide"!

Moreover, it had to be the "natal flame" (even if it was a pseudo-natal one) that he activated with his own spiritual energy and connected with his heart and mind, in order to perfectly fit the Alchemist’s Divine Sense and guide the medicinal power!

No wonder Princess Mu Yijing wanted to find him!

So that was the crux of the matter!

"How... did you know I have Earth Core Flame Fire?"

Fang Hao couldn’t help but ask.

This was one of his trump card secrets.

A very faint, self-deprecating curve appeared at the corner of Princess Mu Yijing’s mouth: "When you perform Alchemy, although you try your best to restrain it, my perception of flame power is far beyond that of ordinary people.

Back at the Hundred Flowers Valley, when you... were dispelling the poison of the Lecherous Dragon for me, I sensed that power of extreme Yang vitality.

A few days ago at the Listening to Rain Pavilion, the residual flame aura on you was exactly the same as in my memory.

Besides Earth Core Flame Fire, there is nothing else."

Fang Hao suddenly realized; it was that time at the Hundred Flowers Valley that exposed him!

No wonder!

At that time, in order to save someone, he had fully activated the Chaos Derivation Art, and the aura of the Earth Core Flame Fire naturally leaked out.

This woman’s mind was too meticulous!

"Refining this Medicinal Pill carries great risk," Princess Mu Yijing continued, panting, as if every word exhausted all her strength.

"It requires you to use your flame as a guide, merge it into the Pill Furnace, and lead the Yin and Yang of the medicinal power to merge.

During the process, you will need to endure the backlash of some of the ’Nine Nether Profound Evil Qi’, and the consumption of your Divine Sense will be immense.

If there is the slightest mistake, not only will the Medicinal Pill be destroyed, but you yourself... could also be eroded by the Evil Qi, your Divine Soul damaged, or even... suffer from flame backlash, and your cultivation completely ruined!"

Fang Hao turned pale as he listened.

Damn!

So dangerous?

This wasn’t Alchemy; this was risking his life!

"This Princess knows this is asking too much and the risk is huge," Princess Mu Yijing looked at him, a rare plea appearing in her eyes, "but... I have no other choice.

The physicians and experts in the palace, the flames they Cultivate are all unsuitable.

Only your Earth Core Flame Fire has a glimmer of hope.

If you agree, I... can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao.

Once it is done, the past incident at the Hundred Flowers Valley will be wiped clean, and I will never pursue it.

I owe you a massive favor.

If you have any requests in the future, as long as it does not violate Dao morality and does not harm the foundation of the country, I will do my best and will not refuse!

Moreover... all the Materials needed for the refinement have been prepared by me.

Regardless of success or failure, there will be a heavy reward afterwards!"

She finished speaking in one breath, coughed violently, and coughed up a few more mouthfuls of blood mixed with black energy.

Her aura was even more withered; she was clearly at her limit.

Fang Hao fell silent.

He looked at the Grand Princess, the Nascent Soul expert who was once high and mighty and arrogant, now so fragile like a candle in the wind, putting down her status to almost beg him in order to survive.

He couldn’t describe how he felt.

The risk was indeed terrifying.

But the reward was equally shocking!

A massive favor from a Nascent Soul Great Expert, plus massive resources, and the ability to completely resolve the hidden danger of the Hundred Flowers Valley... Should he take this gamble?

He recalled Princess Mu Yijing’s previous actions; although she was cold and arrogant, she didn’t seem like an unreasonable or ruthless person.

Moreover, judging by the fact that she gave him the black tortoise spirit shield and the minor teleportation talisman, she at least truly wanted him to live to refine the pill.

"Damn it! Do it!"

Fang Hao gritted his teeth, his heart hardening.

Wealth is found in danger!

If he missed this time, it would be hard to hug the thigh of a Nascent Soul Great Expert again!

Besides, if this woman really died, who knows if someone else would dig up the Hundred Flowers Valley incident?

Hard to say!

Helping her was also helping himself!

"Fine! This Junior is willing to try my best!"

Fang Hao looked up, his gaze firm as he looked at Princess Mu Yijing.

A look of relief flashed in Princess Mu Yijing’s eyes, and she nodded slightly: "Thank you.

The Materials and the Pill Furnace are here.

You... first meditate and restore yourself to your best state.

In one hour, we... will begin."

She lifted her hand with difficulty and pointed to the side of the stone platform.

There, a simple and ancient bronze Pill Furnace was placed, along with a large pile of jade boxes emitting a rich medicinal fragrance.