Xiao Chen's Needs, A Small Favor!

Little Doctor Fairy blinked upon hearing this, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution as she gently unlatched the jade box.

As the lid slowly creaked open, a soft, verdant radiance surged from within, and the fresh, mellow fragrance of medicinal herbs instantly permeated the air.

When the glow faded, Xiao Chen saw what lay inside: a perfectly round, emerald-green bead resting quietly in the center of the jade box.

Fama, standing to the side, felt his heart skip a beat as he gazed at the bead. He marveled inwardly at Yaoye's extravagance; to win someone over, she had actually given away such a treasure.

Although Little Doctor Fairy did not know what the bead was, the radiance it had emitted and the reactions of those around her were enough to tell her it was a rare and precious item.

"I accept this gift. Should the Gama Empire royal family ever face a crisis, I shall intervene once!"

Xiao Chen closed the jade box and flipped his palm, revealing a jade vial. "This is a Dou Ling Pill I refined recently. Once I step into the sixth rank, I will open the furnace for the Princess once."

A Dou Ling Pill, a promise of a sixth-rank pill, and a personal favor—this was the price Xiao Chen set to exchange for the gift.

Yaoye pursed her lips upon hearing this, realizing that Xiao Chen refused to be recruited and had instead chosen a transactional exchange.

However, she had never expected to succeed in recruiting him from the start. Building a connection was already a success in her eyes. With this thought, Yaoye offered a charming smile and said, "You jest, Young Master. I merely found Little Doctor Fairy truly adorable and wished to give her a small gift. There is no need for such formalities!"

"As the saying goes, courtesy demands reciprocity. I like this gift very much, so I intend to give the Princess a gift in return. Surely the Princess will not refuse?"

If it were truly a small gift, Xiao Chen would not have acted this way, but the item was a Bodhi Seed. To accept it without giving anything back would be to owe a massive favor.

Seeing Xiao Chen's insistence, Yaoye could only nod and agree. In truth, she did not even know what the object was, only that it had been passed down by her ancestors.

Even if she had known, it would have been of little use; a Bodhi Seed was only useful for refining the eighth-rank Bodhi Pill.

Throughout the entire Gama Empire, there was not a single eighth-rank Alchemist. In the royal treasury, the item was nothing more than a decoration.

Though Fama recognized it, he kept silent. He had no use for it, and revealing its value would only offend Xiao Chen, which would benefit him in no way.

Thus, all three parties felt they had gained something. Yaoye got what she wanted, and Xiao Chen got what he wanted.

While Fama gained nothing tangible, he at least did not lower his standing in Xiao Chen's eyes, nor did he let the royal family snatch him away, which was the best possible outcome for him.

"Hahaha, Princess, young friend, please. Today, this old man is the host; let us gather at the Moon-Gazing Pavilion!"

As they spoke, the carriage from the Moon-Gazing Pavilion arrived to collect them. Fama's attitude shifted entirely as he invited them to board.

Yaoye did not know why Fama's attitude had done a complete one-eighty, but she followed him into the carriage nonetheless.

Moon-Gazing Pavilion, top-floor private room...

The group toasted and chatted, with Fama and Yaoye offering occasional compliments until night fell and the banquet finally concluded.

"Brother Fama, I will be staying in the Imperial Capital for some time. I may need your help with a few matters!"

Though Xiao Chen had consumed quite a bit of wine, he had not forgotten his primary goal: refining poison pills to boost Little Doctor Fairy's strength was an urgent priority.

This required a vast quantity of highly toxic medicinal herbs. Regarding such herbs, no one had more authority than Fama. If he wanted to collect them quickly, he needed Fama's assistance.

Fama patted his chest with a resounding thud and guaranteed, "Don't you worry, little brother! In this Imperial Capital, there is no problem that your brother cannot solve!"

Though he did not know what Xiao Chen needed, as long as he could make Xiao Chen owe him a favor, he was willing to try anything.

Seeing this, Yaoye quickly chimed in, "Brother Xiao Chen, don't forget me. If you have any needs, just say the word. As long as the royal family possesses it, I will do my best to secure it for you!"

Yaoye could not guarantee she could provide everything, as she had not yet taken full control of the royal family, with the ancestor Jia Xingtian still above her.

However, she suspected that if Jia Xingtian knew of Xiao Chen's existence, he would likely approve of her actions, so she felt confident enough to make the promise.

"Then I thank you both. I wish to acquire some highly toxic medicinal herbs—the more potent, the better!"

Xiao Chen stated his needs directly. With these two around, wouldn't it be much faster than scouring the markets himself?

As for the favors, he could simply refine a few more Dou Ling Pills. His needs were a mere trifle to them; giving them a pill would be more than enough to settle the debt.

Fama was stunned for a moment before he reacted. "Is that all? I thought it was something major! Little brother, just wait. I will have someone deliver them to you tomorrow, and I guarantee they will be potent enough!"

"My royal treasury also has some highly toxic herbs. If Brother Xiao Chen needs them, I will have them sent to you first thing tomorrow morning!"

Yaoye had not expected Xiao Chen's request to be so simple. This was a matter she could decide on her own without even needing to consult Jia Xingtian.

With their assurances, Xiao Chen felt at ease. After bidding them farewell, he took Little Doctor Fairy into the Moon-Gazing Pavilion.

Upon arriving in the Imperial Capital, the two had gone straight to the Alchemist Guild and had not left for three days. When they emerged, they went to the Moon-Gazing Pavilion. They had not yet chosen a place to stay, but Yaoye had been thoughtful enough to arrange accommodations for them, which was, naturally, the Moon-Gazing Pavilion itself.

The night passed in silence. The next morning, a knock sounded at the door. Xiao Chen climbed out of bed, glanced at the groggy Little Doctor Fairy, and reached out to ruffle her hair. "It must be the people delivering the herbs. If you're still tired, Xian'er, go back to sleep."

"Mm! I stayed up too late last night, I'm so sleepy!"

Little Doctor Fairy yawned, rubbed her eyes, and burrowed back under the covers. Xiao Chen had been far too energetic last night, leaving her exhausted and weak.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen did not disturb her further. He threw off the quilt, got out of bed, and pushed open the door, only to be startled by the scene outside. The entire hallway was packed full; all sorts of exotic flowers and grasses were competing for attention, and the air was thick with a sweet, cloying scent.

However, this sweetness was not due to the spiritual energy of the herbs, but rather the miasma of various potent poisons mixed together.

"With these things just sitting here, aren't you afraid of poisoning the passersby?"

Xiao Chen regretted the words as soon as he said them. He had forgotten that only high-ranking figures could access the top floor of the Moon-Gazing Pavilion, and those individuals were at least Dou Wangs—how could they be felled by a little poison gas?