Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 212: Matters Settled

Dawn broke, and the sun lazily climbed over the mountaintop, casting golden light into Wangyue Valley and dispelling the last chill of the night. Fang Hao leaned against the stone platform, opening his eyes groggily. He felt as if he had slept for a very long time, and a sense of comfort permeated his very bones. That feeling of being on the brink of death had finally passed. He inspected his internal state and found his injuries had healed by seventy or eighty percent, and his spiritual power had largely recovered. His Divine Soul was still a bit weak and needed more time to recuperate. However, compared to the falling-apart state he was in last night, it was like night and day.

He turned his head to look at the stone platform. Princess Mu Yijing was still sitting there with her eyes closed, but her complexion had improved significantly. It was no longer that terrifying, deathly pale color, but had regained some rosiness. Her breathing was steady and deep, her chest rising and falling slightly, making her look as if she were merely asleep. The chaotic Evil Qi that had covered her was completely gone, leaving her looking refreshed and restored to her ethereal, otherworldly demeanor, though a hint of the weariness of someone recovering from a serious illness still lingered in her features.

Not daring to disturb her, Fang Hao climbed up carefully and stretched his stiff limbs. As he moved, he realized his bones were cracking and popping, as if they had rusted. The ordeal last night had truly nearly cost him his life. He walked over to the bronze Pill Furnace. It had gone completely cold, and its surface was covered in spiderweb-like cracks. The lid was tilted to one side, and it was devoid of any spiritual essence; it was completely ruined. He felt a pang of heartache looking at it; it was clearly not an ordinary item, which was a pity.

He looked at the jade boxes of medicinal herbs on the ground—some used, others unfinished. Most were empty, and the remainder had lost most of their Spiritual Qi. The cost of this Alchemy session was truly staggering.

"Huu—" A long, drawn-out breath sounded.

Fang Hao turned back and saw that Princess Mu Yijing had opened her eyes. Her gaze was clear and bright. Although she still appeared somewhat weak, that profound, insightful quality peculiar to a Nascent Soul Great Expert had returned. She looked at Fang Hao with a complex expression—gratitude, scrutiny, and what seemed to be a trace of... barely perceptible softness.

"You are awake?" Princess Mu Yijing spoke. Her voice had returned to its cold, clear tone, but it lacked the icy, standoffish edge from before. "How do you feel?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. This Junior is no longer in any serious danger and only needs a few days of rest." Fang Hao quickly cupped his hands, his attitude respectful. A Great Expert is indeed a Great Expert; she recovered so quickly.

Princess Mu Yijing nodded slightly. Her gaze swept over the ruined Pill Furnace and the mess on the ground before finally settling on Fang Hao. She remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "This time... thank you. If you hadn’t risked your life to refine the ’yin yang harmony pill’, I... would likely have had my Dao foundation destroyed, my cultivation level plummeted, or even perished."

She spoke with great solemnity. Fang Hao quickly waved his hand: "Your Highness is too serious. This Junior merely did his best. Being able to refine the Medicinal Pill was also due to Your Highness’s immense fortune. Besides, this Junior has already received the Medicinal Pill, so we are even." He specifically mentioned the Medicinal Pill to remind her that he had already received his payment, so they were square, and she shouldn’t bring up the matter of Hundred Flowers Valley again.

Princess Mu Yijing was highly intelligent and naturally caught the subtext in his words. A trace of an indescribable emotion flashed deep in her eyes, appearing like helplessness, yet also like self-mockery. She did not pick up on the topic of the Medicinal Pill, but instead asked: "Your Alchemy fire... seems somewhat unique? It was actually able to harmonize such an overbearing, filthy energy as the ’Nine Nether Profound Evil Qi’, and when the Medicinal Pill was finally formed, it seemed to contain a trace of... extremely mysterious power of creation?"

Fang Hao’s heart tightened. He knew this woman had a sharp eye and feared she had noticed the clues. He replied vaguely: "This Junior’s Alchemy fire was obtained through an Opportunity and indeed possesses some ability for harmonization. As for the power of creation... perhaps it is because Your Highness is a person of great fortune that the quality of the Medicinal Pill was extraordinary."

Princess Mu Yijing looked at him deeply but did not press further. Everyone had their own secrets, and she was not the type to get to the bottom of things. "Regardless, you have saved my life this time, and I will keep it in mind. The promise made previously shall be fulfilled. The past matter of Hundred Flowers Valley is hereby written off, never to be mentioned again. In the future, if you encounter difficulties, provided it does not violate morality or harm the foundation of the state, you may use this item to seek me out."

As she spoke, she took out a palm-sized, warm, red jade pendant carved with a phoenix pattern from her storage ring and handed it to Fang Hao. The jade pendant felt warm to the touch and emitted a faint Spiritual Pressure; it was clearly not an ordinary item.

"This is my ’phoenix pattern pendant’. Holding this pendant, you may freely enter certain areas of the Imperial City and also send a message to me once," Princess Mu Yijing explained.

Fang Hao was overjoyed. This was a good item! It was equivalent to having an extra protective talisman and a direct channel to royalty! He quickly accepted it with both hands and carefully put it away: "Thank you for your generous gift, Your Highness!"

"In addition," Princess Mu Yijing paused, seemingly weighing her words, "Your Alchemy skills are extraordinary. Would you be willing to join the Imperial Court’s Venerated Guest Hall? You can hold a nominal position, without the need to be on duty. You will receive an annual salary and will also be able to consult some of the Imperial family’s Alchemy classics and use some Advanced Pill Furnaces and Earth Core Flame Fire. It should be beneficial for your cultivation and Alchemy."

Imperial Venerated Guest? Fang Hao’s heart stirred. This was indeed a good place to go; it was good to enjoy the shade under a big tree, the resources were abundant, and he could take the Opportunity to integrate into the circles of the Heavenly Capital. However... once he carried the Imperial label, his freedom would inevitably be restricted, and it would be easy to get caught up in royal disputes. He already had enough trouble; the Sun Family was still eyeing him covetously.

"Your Highness’s kindness is appreciated, and this Junior is deeply grateful." Fang Hao thought for a moment and politely declined, "It is just that this Junior is accustomed to being free and likes to travel, seeking Opportunities. I fear I cannot bear the constraints of the Venerated Guest Hall. Furthermore, this Junior’s cultivation is still shallow, and my Alchemy skills are merely rudimentary; I am truly unworthy of such an honor."

Princess Mu Yijing did not seem surprised and nodded: "Everyone has their own aspirations, and I will not force you. Since you have this ambition, I wish you success in achieving your desires soon and a smooth path in your Dao." As she spoke, she stood up from the stone platform. Although her steps were still a bit unsteady, the bearing of a Nascent Soul Cultivator had returned to her.

"Now that this matter is concluded, I must return to the palace to rest, thoroughly purge the residual Evil Qi, and stabilize my cultivation. You should also leave early; this place is not suitable for a long stay. After returning to the Listening to Rain Pavilion, just rest at ease. As for the Sun Family, I will have someone warn them; they will not dare to trouble you again in the short term."

"Yes, thank you, Your Highness!" A heavy stone in Fang Hao’s heart fell to the ground. With these words from the Grand Princess, he could finally catch his breath in the Heavenly Capital.

Princess Mu Yijing took one last look at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she did not speak. She simply nodded slightly, and her figure swayed, turning into a faint starlight that vanished into the sky in an instant. The black-robed person who had been guarding outside the valley, Nanny Li, also disappeared without a trace.

In the valley, only Fang Hao remained, along with the mess on the ground.

"Huu—it’s finally over!" Fang Hao let out a long sigh of relief, feeling his whole body relax. He looked at the phoenix pattern pendant in his hand and touched the jade bottle in his embrace containing four units of ’yin yang harmony pill’; a smile appeared on his face.

Although the process of this life-risking task was dangerous, the result... seemed quite good? He had resolved the biggest hidden danger, obtained the precious Medicinal Pill and the token, and even made the Grand Princess owe him a favor. The threat from the Sun Family was also temporarily resolved.

It was time to return to the Heavenly Capital, properly digest the gains from this trip, and then... continue his own path of cultivation! No matter how deep the waters of the Heavenly Capital were, he now had a small boat and could try to row it.