Angel Investor

"What is this?"

Looking at the barely visible pale yellow speck of dust before her, Yaoye felt that her knowledge was no longer enough.

She had read many ancient texts, yet not one had mentioned this kind of fairy-like dust.

"Spirit Nourishing Dust. It is very beneficial for strengthening the soul and enhancing spiritual awareness. With it, the chances of entering a state of enlightenment while cultivating increase. I spent the past year learning Puppet Mastery, yet my cultivation did not fall behind. This was the main reason."

"It's a good thing, but wouldn't using it on me be a bit wasteful? Yue'er likes pill refining, so it should suit her better." Yaoye praised it.

Anything related to the soul was no ordinary object.

Did one not know that the Old Master of the Nalan Family had been afflicted with Scorching Poison because of a stalk of Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva that had miraculous effects on the soul? He hid it away like treasure, terrified that others might discover it.

Yet those little thoughts of his could only fool ordinary people. The major families of the Imperial Capital, including the royal family and the Misty Cloud Sect, all knew perfectly well.

"No matter how good something is, it only has value if it serves a purpose. Sister Yaoye, just use it. I already prepared one for that girl, and I prepared one for Elder Jia too."

Chen Guan had already considered the Distribution Plan while they were beneath the lake.

He and the royal family were already inseparable. He would not begrudge giving something back to them. Besides, in a sense, this was also strengthening himself.

Yaoye and the others were not especially outstanding in talent. Since Spirit Nourishing Dust could strengthen the soul, it could also be considered to have some effect in raising one's talent.

After all, once the soul became stronger, everything became easier.

He Deeply Understood this. Reaching Fourth Tier Puppeteer in a year was irrefutable proof.

Thus, this item was not only useful to alchemists.

It was simply that alchemists could make greater use of the benefits brought by a powerful soul.

Yaoyue was already a little pill-refining genius. The benefits of arranging one for her went without saying. Perhaps at the next Pill Refining Convention, she might even be able to contend with Xiao Yan.

After all, that girl had begun learning pill refining several years before him. Xiao Huohuo was still at the third stage of Dou Qi, battling the heavens every day, while Yaoyue was already striving toward becoming a Second Grade Alchemist.

With the support of Spirit Nourishing Dust, Little Pufferfish had a promising future ahead.

As for Jia Xingtian, the reasoning was similar to Yaoye's. Strengthening Jia Xingtian's Soul Strength would give him a slightly greater chance of breaking through to Dou Zong.

"That's good. Giving away something this precious really would have pained me."

Yaoye did not decline again. Everyone around her had one, and Chen Guan had already used it himself. There was no need for false modesty.

A certain emperor with absolutely no presence asked, "How do I use it?"

"It's very simple."

Chen Guan supported the Spirit Nourishing Dust on his fingertip and gently tapped it against Yaoye's forehead. Like a snowflake landing on the ground, it immediately melted into her body.

Yaoye had not expected it to be so effortless. She quickly closed her eyes and felt it carefully, only opening them again after a long while.

"How does it feel?"

"At first, it was like drinking a bowl of ice water when your whole body is burning hot. The chill seeped straight into my heart. Then, very quickly, it felt as comfortable as soaking in a hot spring."

Yaoye gave her answer, nearly using the wrong word and making her face flush slightly.

Chen Guan laughed rather shamelessly. He could understand that feeling well, considering he had used more than one grain.

"Sister, you can deliver Elder Jia's yourself. I'll go see Yue'er later, then visit Elder Jia another day."

Chen Guan did not mention that Spirit Nourishing Dust might increase Jia Xingtian's chances of breaking through to Dou Zong, lest greater hopes lead to greater disappointment.

In his view, even with Spirit Nourishing Dust's help, it would still be difficult for Jia Xingtian.

He was simply too old, and his talent was limited. If he could have broken through, he would have done so long ago instead of remaining stuck until now.

If he wanted to realize that dream, he could only wait until the future and try Taking Pills—perhaps get him some Breakthrough Pills.

"I'll pass it along. By the way, do you have much of this left? Don't misunderstand, Sister isn't being greedy. I merely have a suggestion. Perhaps you could meet with President Fama. He has been stuck at the peak of Fifth Grade Alchemist for many years. If you can lend him a hand, he will owe you a tremendous favor. In the future, you'll have a personal Sixth Grade Alchemist."

"Of course, aside from the benefits to you, it would also be greatly advantageous to our royal family. Sister is only making a suggestion. You can decide for yourself. Don't let what I said burden you."

Chen Guan's heart stirred. He truly had not considered this before, but after hearing Yaoye's words, it indeed seemed highly feasible.

With the information he knew, he trusted Fama's character. The friendship of a Sixth Grade Alchemist carried no small weight in the Northwestern Region.

The Misty Cloud Sect had developed so quickly in no small part because of Pill King Gu He.

If Fama advanced to the sixth grade, Gu He's standing would definitely be affected. Whether he would still have the nerve to call himself Pill King would become a question. This would indirectly weaken the Misty Cloud Sect while strengthening the royal family.

"Good idea. I originally planned to use the remaining five grains of Spirit Nourishing Dust for something else, but setting aside one grain won't be a problem."

Chen Guan approved of Yaoye's suggestion. It was an arrangement that accomplished several things at once, so there was no reason to refuse.

"Will it have much impact on your plans?"

"Not much." Chen Guan smiled and shook his head.

His original plan had been to use Spirit Nourishing Dust as a Bargaining Chip to perhaps trade for Old Yao's Flame Mantra, adding Han Feng's soul at most. He refused to believe that Old Fellow would not be tempted.

It was a transaction either way. Four grains or five made little difference.

He would never give up on the Flame Mantra!

It was a path of retreat.

Compared to when he had first arrived in the Dou Qi Continent, Chen Guan was far more confident now. He was no longer so obsessed with cultivating the Flame Mantra.

As his Foundation gradually accumulated, he had confidence that he could grow stronger. When that time came, refining that Emperor Grade Embryonic Pill would no longer be impossible.

"As long as it doesn't affect your plans. Is this puppet the one you used earlier to stop the Ninth Prince's Guard?"

Yaoye looked at the puppet Chen Guan had taken out alongside the others. Curious, she clenched her fist and lightly knocked on it a few times. It was hard as iron, like a metal plate.

"Not that one. This is a Fifth Tier Puppet. If it stays silent, it stays silent; once it acts, it will astonish the world. If it does not fly, it does not fly; once it flies, it will Soar to Great Heights. It can unleash strength comparable to a Six Star Dou King. Sister Yaoye, just send your Soul Perception into its internal core and leave behind a Soul Imprint. Then it will acknowledge you as its master. There is no Guard more reassuring than this thing."

"A Six Star Dou King?! Aren't you only a Fourth Tier Puppeteer?"

"Uh, this was left behind by my teacher. I didn't refine it myself. Sister Yaoye, just accept it. I still have several puppets on me that are no worse than this one, enough for my needs."

As he spoke, Chen Guan took out all the puppets on him except for First Divine General Iron Egg and gave her a look, proving that he truly did not lack this one.

Yaoye's expression turned complicated. What had she just seen? Seven Fifth Tier Puppets and sixteen Fourth Tier Puppets in total—equivalent to seven Dou Wangs and sixteen Dou Lings!

With such strength, aside from the royal family and the Misty Cloud Sect, they could sweep across the Jia Ma Empire.

It was too much. The shock it gave her was too great.

Only a single day had passed, yet it felt as though a lifetime had gone by.

She no longer needed to worry about other empires. Even the Misty Cloud Sect, lying so close at hand, suddenly did not seem like much anymore. Its threat was no longer what it had once been.

And all of this was because of the younger brother before her.

"Your return has brought me so many surprises that they are almost becoming scares."

Yaoye shook her head with a sigh, then smiled. "I suddenly realized that the Mite'er Family boasts of being the best at investing and making money, but compared with Sister's investment in you, they are nothing. From now on, this princess is the Empire's Foremost Investor!"

More than half the pressure on her had vanished within a day. Yaoye felt relaxed all over, and even her words carried a trace of playfulness she had never shown before.

Unfortunately, someone beside her gave her no face at all. A single sentence nearly broke her resolve.

"I remember Elder Jia was the one who brought me back back then. No way, no way... could I have remembered wrong?"

"..."