Lishui Imperial Palace.
On the island in the middle of the lake, golden sunlight poured down from overhead, filtering through the gaps between the leaves and casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Beneath a great tree.
Jiang Ning sat leaning against the tree trunk.
His gaze rested calmly on the distant scenery.
A breeze stirred across the lake, lifting the long hair that fell beside his temples.
"Since you're awake, stop pretending." Jiang Ning spoke, his voice ringing out.
His words fell.
The porcelain-white corpse of the woman before him stirred.
Then Miaoguan slowly opened her eyes and looked calmly at Jiang Ning.
"Prince, what do you intend to do with me now?"
"Didn't I already say? If the people behind you produce an Immortal Pill, I'll let you leave." Jiang Ning glanced at Miaoguan and spoke.
At that moment, the cracks across Miaoguan's jade-porcelain-like body had healed considerably compared to before.
But several shards on her face still hung precariously, drawing the eye.
Noticing Jiang Ning's gaze, she reached up and pulled the shards from her face.
"Prince, you're curious, aren't you?" Miaoguan asked.
"A little." Jiang Ning looked at Miaoguan, now broken like a white jade porcelain vessel, and nodded.
Then he added, "I imagine a true Immortal wouldn't be as weak as you."
"Weak?" Miaoguan murmured, a self-mocking smile playing at her lips.
"So, in your eyes, someone with strength like mine can only be described as weak?" Miaoguan said.
"I know a saying: Beneath the Immortals, all are ants! The divide between Immortal and mortal is like the difference between clouds and mud." Jiang Ning said.
"Those are two sayings!" Miaoguan replied earnestly.
"That doesn't matter!" Jiang Ning's mouth twitched.
At that, Miaoguan fell silent for a moment.
Then she nodded.
"What the Prince says is