Yue Er

Unable to think of a reason, Jia Xingtian could only shake his head with a bitter smile. "Now that the Pill King has resolved the knot in his heart, he will likely enter a period of rapid growth in both cultivation and alchemy. Such a state of mind is perfect for improving cultivation and refining skills!"

"Mm, I had the same plan. Once I finish gathering everyone's medicinal ingredients, I will return to the Monster Mountain Range to enter seclusion for a while. Your pills will likely be delayed for some time."

"No rush. Such a state is rare even over several decades. Making the most of the time is what matters." Jia Xingtian smiled unconcernedly. Whether he truly did not mind or not, his words were certainly pleasant to hear. As expected of an old monster who had remained in the royal family for a century.

Jia Xingtian had probably interpreted this change as an insight gained during cultivation or an unusual state entered during alchemy. Without understanding Spiritual Energy, it was already remarkable that he could think of such possibilities. In those two states, under special circumstances and moods, the soul suddenly developed a magnetic attraction toward the Spiritual Energy of the outside world and unconsciously absorbed it, causing a tremendous increase in soul power. That matched the changes in Gu He's outward aura.

After thanking Jia Xingtian for his understanding, Gu He, Teng Shan, and Jia Xingtian took their seats. The Two Princesses stood behind Jia Xingtian.

Once all three had sat down, Jia Xingtian began introducing the two princesses. "This is Yao Ye. Do not be fooled by her age; she has already spent four years in the army. She is currently responsible for security around the eastern gate and its surrounding streets. When the Pill King rode an eagle back into the Imperial Capital, the report ended up on her desk."

Gu He smiled awkwardly. "I hope Elder Jia will forgive me. My disciple's cultivation is not high enough to endure the pressure and discomfort of flight, so we rode a magical beast back. That magical beast is my disciple's friend, and it would not have been appropriate to release it so far from the Monster Mountain Range. We could only fly into the Imperial Capital."

Yao Ye bowed. "Greetings, Pill King. Greetings, Great Elder Teng Shan."

At this time, Yao Ye was still somewhat youthful. She did not yet possess the imposing presence she would have five years later, when she could effortlessly command fifty thousand troops. Before Gu He, the Jia Ma Empire's First Alchemist, she simply offered a proper and reserved greeting.

Gu He and Teng Shan nodded in response. Since it was their first meeting, Gu He saw that Yao Ye had already reached the Dou Master level and gave her an ordinary Three-pattern Green Spirit Pill as a meeting gift.

Jia Xingtian continued, "This is Yue Er. She is currently studying alchemy under Master Mitchell. I hope the Pill King can offer her some guidance when he has the time."

The Little Princess nervously clutched the corner of her clothes and bowed. "G-Greetings, Pill King. Greetings, Great Elder Teng Shan."

After all, she was only a girl of twelve or thirteen. She had not yet revealed the mischievous nature she would possess in the future, and was rather shy and nervous.

Gu He smiled. "There is no need to be nervous. Yue Er, you are still studying herbal knowledge, correct? This sort of knowledge mainly depends on memorization. At your age, your memory is at its best. Read more books related to herbs; it will greatly help you accumulate knowledge in the future." As he spoke, he took a thick book from his Ring. On its cover were the words, "Encyclopedia of Medicine."

"This is our first meeting, and I have nothing else to give you. I compiled this book based on the Collection of Minerals and Medicines, Collection of Herbs, and Collection of a Hundred Herbs, along with my own practical experience. I believe that once you have memorized it, there will be very few herbs in this world that seem unfamiliar to you."

Yue Er was first startled when Gu He suddenly took out a book half her height. Upon hearing that he intended to give it to her, she thought of her great-grandfather's temperament. After hearing Gu He's explanation, he would most likely make her memorize the whole thing. All at once, she felt as though life had lost its motivation. With a gloomy expression, the Little Princess struggled to lift the book in both arms. After thanking Gu He, she carried it behind Jia Xingtian.

Jia Xingtian used his Ring to help Yue Er put away the book, then said to Gu He, "The Pill King has given Yue Er his own work on medicines. This gift is truly too valuable. Our royal family once obtained a Seventh-grade pill recipe, but it has suffered many losses due to its age. Less than half of the complete recipe remains. We will offer this as a gift of thanks."

Gu He knew that Jia Xingtian would likely use this opportunity to give him some benefits. He had expected, at most, materials for refining Sixth-grade pills, since that was his main purpose in coming to the Imperial Capital. Those who had long navigated the political scene of the Imperial Capital could easily infer that with a little thought. Yet he had never expected to receive a damaged Seventh-grade pill recipe. No alchemist could refuse such a gift, especially someone like Gu He, who had just advanced to Sixth-grade Alchemist and lacked Seventh-grade recipes. Therefore, even though he knew that accepting the recipe would amount to forming a half teacher-student relationship with the Little Princess, making it difficult to refuse the royal family's requests in the future, Gu He still accepted it.

One had to know that every Seventh-grade pill recipe contained the painstaking efforts of at least one Seventh-grade, or even Eighth-grade Alchemist. Even an incomplete recipe possessed immense value for reference. This was especially true for an ancient recipe like this. Even recipes for the same pill held different value depending on their era, because even if the refining methods were identical, the techniques of flame control could vary enormously. Under such circumstances, if he could learn even a little of that era's fire-control techniques, any price paid would be entirely worthwhile.

Gu He accepted the recipe and said to Jia Xingtian with a bitter smile, "You have given me a return gift I cannot refuse."

He glanced at the recipe and saw the words Yin Yang Life Soul Pill written on it. His pupils contracted. This was a mid-grade Seventh-grade recipe, and its effects were similar to those of the Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melding Pill. The Bone-Regenerating Blood-Melding Pill was a top-grade Seventh-grade pill, reputedly capable of saving someone as long as they still had a breath left. It was one of the rare high-grade pills capable of healing humans.

"That is more like it! In the future, if Yue Er encounters anything she does not understand, she can ask you for guidance." Jia Xingtian smiled. He knew that this had established a connection between Yue Er and Gu He. If Gu He ever wished to join a faction in the future, he would at least consider the Jia Ma Royal Family. Even if he did not join, his attitude toward the Jia Ma Royal Family would lean slightly more favorably.

Gu He had already recovered from the shock brought by the Yin Yang Life Soul Pill. He put away the recipe, intending to study it properly after returning. Hearing this, he pondered for a moment before saying, "I will probably be very busy for a while. How about this? Once Yue Er reaches Fourth-grade Alchemist, I will personally instruct her for a period of time."

Advancing beyond Fourth-grade Alchemist was no longer merely a test of alchemy. It also required cultivation, soul power, and breadth of knowledge. The help a Fifth-grade Alchemist like Master Mitchell could provide in those areas would be limited. At that time, Gu He would give her a hand and see how far she could ultimately go. It would also count as repaying the favor of this pill recipe.

Upon hearing this, Jia Xingtian glanced at Yue Er. He planned to return and properly urge her to study hard, while also using some of the royal family's precious resources on her so she could reach the Dou Zhe level as soon as possible and begin practical alchemy. After that, with the royal family's vast supply of medicinal ingredients, Yue Er would surely soon reach the level of Fourth-grade Alchemist.