Chapter 130: Please Grace Us With Your Presence
Chapter 130: Please Grace Us With Your Presence
There were six Golden Body Elixirs in this batch, lustrous and round, exuding an extraordinary fragrance.
A faint layer of cyan light shimmered on their surfaces, interwoven with thin white threads.
Overall, this batch of elixirs was considered a success.
The quality could not be called perfect, but it wasn’t bad either.
A normal, skilled alchemist would produce elixirs roughly like these.
But considering the amount of medicinal ingredients that were used, a skilled alchemist could probably refine ten to twelve pills, while a Grandmaster or higher could refine at least fifteen!
Their quality would also be many times better!
They certainly wouldn’t exude such a strong, peculiar fragrance. Not only did that easily cause the medicinal efficacy to dissipate, it could also attract unnecessary trouble.
But the sharp-tongued Enchantress didn’t mention any of this to Ling Yi.
When a child first learns to read, you have to give them a little red flower as encouragement. You can’t say they recognize too few words—it would crush their enthusiasm.
“What you should learn next is how to conceal the aura of the elixirs. You can’t have it like now, where the whole world knows as soon as you succeed in refining.”
The Enchantress spoke in a light, cheerful tone. “After learning to conceal the aura, you must also learn Suppression Techniques. The higher the grade of the elixir, the more easily it gains a spirit—it’s essentially a manifestation of the Dao. Before a top-grade elixir is successfully refined, it either easily attracts a Heavenly Tribulation or tries to escape on its own. So, Suppression Techniques are absolutely necessary to learn.”
Ling Yi: “…”
He had a feeling that even after learning Suppression Techniques, something new would probably pop up later.
But he felt nothing but moved by the Enchantress’s patient, gentle guidance.
His precious was just different!
Without him realizing, he had been completely led by the Enchantress onto this path of cultivation.
In just half a month, with the Enchantress’s help in refining elixirs, his realm had surged from the peak of the third level of Golden Body to the sixth level… If he didn’t admit to being a cultivator, probably everyone in the Cultivation World would feel so ashamed they’d want to kill themselves.
He had finally learned elixir refining, though only one kind. But mastering this opened the door to many others; the road ahead would be much smoother.
With the successful refinement of the Golden Body Elixirs, the place finally no longer stank horribly.
Everyone was liberated at last!
The news spread as if it had wings, quickly reaching every corner of the Imperial Palace.
The guards were almost moved to tears.
Luo Xue was the first to run over.
Walking into the room, remembering those indescribable smells, she still felt a lingering fear.
It was terrifying, just like a biochemical weapon!
Only when she saw the clean Ling Yi did she let out a sigh of relief.
Ling Yi casually handed her one. “Come, taste my newly refined Golden Body Elixir! One of these is worth ten of the old kind!”
Luo Xue: “…”
She took the lustrous, cyan-light-dancing pill with some doubt, examining it carefully. “Can this thing be eaten?”
“If you don’t want it, give it back!” Ling Yi was a bit unhappy.
Even his girlfriend didn’t believe him. What a failure.
Luo Xue chuckled and put the pill away. “You already gave it to me. I’ll eat it when I get back!”
Ling Yi looked at her solemnly. “You have to be careful when you eat it…”
Luo Xue immediately looked horrified. “It won’t upset my stomach, will it?”
Ling Yi: “…”
He glanced at Luo Xue, somewhat speechless. “No! When I said careful, I meant you must focus fully on circulating the Golden Body Method! It will push your realm to climb rapidly!”
“Oh.” Luo Xue suddenly understood, then looked at Ling Yi a bit sheepishly. “Sorry, I misunderstood. It’s just, when I think about the ruckus you caused those past days… bleh!”
Covering her mouth, she ran out.
Ling Yi: !!!
Was it that smelly?
I think it was okay, right?
Even someone as clean-loving as me could stand it, why did you react so strongly?
The Enchantress’s voice drifted faintly in his mind. “If you live long in a fish market, you don’t notice the stench. Besides, according to human nature, people usually don’t think their own excrement smells bad…”
Ling Yi: “…”
Where did all these smell-related descriptions come from?
Even when the pill refining failed before, it didn’t smell that bad, did it?
Thinking this, Ling Yi lifted his arm and sniffed. A medicinal fragrance wafted over.
See? It’s fragrant, right?
Soon after, Diwu Qianqian and the Little Fox came over one after another to offer congratulations.
Though they weren’t sure what elixir Ling Yi had refined, at least he succeeded!
And finally, the people in the palace didn’t have to suffer anymore.
For them, that was the best news.
Chu Yanyu arrived in the afternoon.
She had been extremely busy these days, doing only one thing—stabilizing the country’s situation!
General Zhao Chengfeng of the Western Route Army, while crossing Black Mountain, was reportedly attacked by demon beasts that had fled there from the earlier Beast Tide, causing countless casualties.
But he still managed to lead eighty thousand soldiers into the Chaos Zone in the end.
The Chaos Zone was now even more chaotic.
The arrival of such a massive, terrifyingly powerful army was bound to shatter the zone’s existing balance.
Additionally, two southern armies of Chu State that had declared independence had already set sail, leaving by sea. In the process, they massacred a small town and looted innumerable resources.
Chu Yanyu immediately ordered troops to pursue, but they ultimately couldn’t catch up.
Whether they really couldn’t catch up or didn’t want to was no longer the biggest issue.
The problem was the handling of the aftermath, which gave her a major headache.
Then there was the matter of the funeral arrangements for the Aged Monarch, the princes, and others, which also urgently needed handling.
But due to the suddenness of the events, the royal tomb wasn’t even ready yet.
So, during the first half-month after her low-key ascension as Monarch, Chu Yanyu hardly had a single decent night’s sleep.
As for cultivation… she had long abandoned it.
Seeing the visibly haggard Chu Yanyu, Ling Yi handed her a Golden Body Elixir and said, “Put aside what you’re doing for now. Take this, raise your realm a bit. You are not made of iron; you still need to rest.”
A faint, gratified smile appeared on Chu Yanyu’s face. She took the elixir and nodded gently to Ling Yi. “Alright.”
Being able to spare a moment to see Ling Yi was already a luxury for her.
Now, as the Monarch, she had to be mindful of appearances. So Chu Yanyu stayed only about ten minutes here, chatted for a bit, then bid farewell and left.
Ling Yi reminded her to focus completely when taking the elixir, absolutely not to let her mind wander. Otherwise, if it failed, that would be one thing, but if it caused adverse effects, that would be terrible.
Only then did Chu Yanyu take it seriously, deciding to take the elixir as soon as she returned and rest for the night.
Ling Yi had also been keeping an eye on the situation in Qin State. Now, envoys from the Four States of Han, Wei, Yan, and Zhao had entered the Capital of Great Qin.
If they couldn’t keep fighting, they had to talk, and facing the Qin State, the four nations weren’t actually scared.
They only feared the Blue Light, not the Qin State itself.
So for the four nations’ diplomatic missions visiting Qin, the best outcome was to act like this war had never happened.
Everything would go back to how it was before—the Seven Nations of the continent, united as one, standing together against the Demon Beasts.
But for the Qin State, it was just four words—screw that!
Who do you think you’re fooling?
With such shamelessness, it was practically a joke!
You declare war when you want, and call it off when you feel like it?
Without that Blue Light, do you think our soldiers would be afraid of you?
As if we were the only ones who lost people in that battle!
Regarding this, Ling Yi also instructed Gu Tong to tell Qin Hao to go ahead and boldly use the Blue Light to intimidate those bastards!
Thinking you could settle this without offering any benefits was just a dream!
As for the Chu State, because he was there, the Qin State temporarily chose not to negotiate with Chu.
This involved the ownership of Eastern Sea City and vast territories!
Even though Eastern Sea City was jointly controlled by Chu and Zhao, the actual authority had always been with the Chu State.
Zhao Country… was just a little brother following behind, getting some scraps.
Because everyone was busy, Gu Tong didn’t disturb Ling Yi too much.
The Qin State also didn’t excessively promote Ling Yi domestically.
But a lot of news still made its way back from the Chu State.
And there was a growing trend to mythologize him… and honestly, it really was quite miraculous.
So Ling Yi’s reputation among the Qin people kept growing day by day.
Actually, not much time had passed, but the people of Qin had almost forgotten that Ling Yi had publicly killed Zhao Tianping.
Even if they occasionally remembered that spineless guy who only lasted a few days as Zongwu’s headmaster, their first reaction was to spit and curse, saying he deserved it.
Now, deep underground in the subterranean fortifications—
“Chu Yanyu is aiding the enemy!”
“What does that kid amount to? He’s from Qin! Yet he sticks around in our Chu State and won’t leave?”
“What gives him the right?”
“So many top cultivation resources, just handed over to him for free?”
“That’s downright foolish!”
Deep in the underground fortifications, an old man covered in age spots trembled with agitation.
He was furious!
A middle-aged man in his forties, with a pale face and no beard, stood before him, smiling bitterly. “Chu Yanyu has managed to do this much, and that’s already no easy feat. The Aged Monarch… is already dead. Even if you’re still alive, how can you come back to life?”
“What do we do then? Just watch as the only remaining bloodline of our Chu imperial family gives herself and the entire Chu State to that kid?” the old man fumed, radiating intense killing intent.
“At least it’s better than having no hope at all before, right?” the middle-aged man muttered softly.
“What did you say?” the old man glared at him.
“Let’s go talk to him,” the middle-aged man looked at the old man. “From Chu Yanyu’s perspective, handling things to this extent is actually quite remarkable.”
The old man took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently.
After a long time, his fierce eyes showed a deep weariness. He sat back in his chair, dejected, and said, “Then I’ll trouble you, Senior Brother Xuantong.”
The middle-aged man nodded. “Leave it to me.”
…
That night, just as Ling Yi was about to continue his Medicinal Bath and Elixir routine to break through to the seventh level of Golden Body, a figure quietly arrived, appearing in his room.
Xuantongzi’s face carried a look of alarm as he stared fearfully at the faint blue glow before him, quickly explaining, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! Young Master Ling, please don’t be alarmed. I mean no harm. Please withdraw your Divine Ability quickly…”
What the hell… who exactly is this guy’s Dao Guardian?
Even a nanny isn’t this attentive!
From start to finish, not even a shadow was seen, yet it gave off an extremely overprotective vibe!
Good thing he wasn’t here to assassinate him. If he really had come to kill, he’d probably be burned to ashes before even touching the guy’s clothes.
Xuantongzi even felt a bit wronged: I did appear suddenly before you, but I just didn’t want to attract attention!
The Blue Light silently faded away.
Xuantongzi let out a sigh of relief, clasped his hands toward Ling Yi, and said, “Young Master Ling, someone wishes to meet you, but can’t come here. So might I ask you to… condescend to make a trip?”
He could have phrased it with more confidence, but now he was forcing the words out, brazen-faced.
He was even a little worried this young man might suddenly turn hostile.
Then point at his nose and scold: Who do you think you are? Trying to harm me?
Because his identity and background were completely unknown to Ling Yi.
Appearing so abruptly and making such a blunt request—if it were him, he’d probably have the urge to turn hostile too.
To his surprise, Ling Yi actually nodded and agreed right away.
“Alright, lead the way.”
Xuantongzi was a bit stunned; the other’s straightforwardness left him at a loss.
Just how big a heart, how much confidence, did it take to not ask who he was or what he wanted… and just agree like that?
But then he thought of that Blue Light that had suddenly appeared before him, and he understood.
Plus, this young man didn’t seem like someone to be trifled with!