Great Yan Dynasty: five princesses, two imperial princes.
Second Princess Ye Qingxuan possessed exceptional cultivation talent, while Third Princess Ye Qingshuang's talent for alchemy was even more remarkable.
Years ago, she had caught the eye of Cangyun, Azure Prefecture's foremost alchemist, who taught her alchemy. During this time, she had been traveling throughout Azure Prefecture with Cangyun.
By comparison, Ye Qingxuan's cultivation talent might allow her to become a pillar of the Great Yan Dynasty, but Ye Qingshuang, with Cangyun as her master, would undoubtedly be even more valuable.
"Master said he wanted to rest for a while. He also happened to want to see my imperial brother again, so he came," Ye Qingshuang said with a smile.
At those words, Ye Qingwan's eyes lit up even brighter. Unable to hide her delight, she said, "Xiao Xuan? Could it be that Alchemist Cangyun wants to take Xiao Xuan as his disciple?"
Yet Ye Qingshuang smiled and shook her head. "Master has no plans to take Xiao Xuan as his disciple. Master said that with my imperial brother's talent, he isn't qualified to be his master. That would be leading a child astray."
"Alchemist Cangyun thinks so highly of Xiao Xuan?!" Ye Qingwan sucked in a breath of cold air.
Who was Cangyun? He was Azure Prefecture's foremost alchemist, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. If even he evaluated Ye Xuan so highly, just how great could Ye Xuan's future achievements become?
Seventh rank, or even higher?
Would the Great Yan Dynasty have a Seventh-Rank Alchemist of its own in the future?!
"By the way, where is that good-for-nothing?" Ye Qingshuang asked. She had returned for several days half a year ago, so she naturally knew that Ye Yu had returned and that his spiritual roots had been crippled.
When Ye Qingshuang mentioned Ye Yu, Ye Qingwan's face immediately turned cold. She then told Ye Qingshuang about everything that had happened over the past two days.
Ye Qingshuang's expression darkened as she listened. She said coldly, "How dare that good-for-nothing behave like this? He has already become trash, yet we feed and house him, and he still dares covet the position of Heir Apparent. Why doesn't he think about whether a piece of trash like him is worthy?!"
"Exactly. I really don't know where that dog bastard got so many vicious thoughts," Ye Qingwan said.
"That good-for-nothing's nature is probably just like this. When he was little, he used some unknown method to win Imperial Grandfather's favor and snatch cultivation resources that originally belonged to Xiao Xuan. Now that he is crippled, he still wants to fight for the position of Heir Apparent," Ye Qingshuang said, her gaze icy.
"Enough, don't mention that good-for-nothing anymore. Just thinking about him disgusts me. Where is Master Cangyun? I want to hold a banquet to receive him," Ye Qingwan asked.
"Master should be with Xiao Xuan right now. Let's wait a little before going over," Ye Qingshuang said.
At this moment, within Ye Xuan's palace, Ye Xuan sat somewhat uneasily before Cangyun. Facing Azure Prefecture's famed foremost alchemist, he was rather frightened.
After all, he associated closely with members of the Blood Demon Race, so his aura would inevitably be affected by them. Alchemists were the most sensitive to auras.
Cangyun, meanwhile, frowned as he looked at Ye Xuan before him. He found it strange. How had this kid changed so much in just a few years? And why was his cultivation only at the Foundation Establishment Realm?
But Ye Qingshuang had clearly said this was her imperial brother?
"Alchemist Cangyun... M-Master, it has been a long time. Have you been well?" Ye Xuan stammered.
When Cangyun had come to the palace to take Ye Qingshuang as his disciple several years ago, Ye Xuan had attended the apprenticeship banquet, so he had met Cangyun before.
"You brat, how did you become so restrained? You weren't like this a few years ago!" Cangyun said with a hearty laugh.
Back then, while traveling, he had passed through Great Yan Imperial City. At a single glance, he had seen Ye Yu's extraordinary nature, and he had shamelessly followed him into the palace, intending to take Ye Yu as his disciple.
But Ye Yu's talent had truly exceeded his imagination. This made him abandon the thought of taking him as a disciple. Every alchemist walked a different path. As a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, he could only teach some fundamentals; as for the future, Ye Yu would have to feel his way forward himself.
And since he had entered the imperial palace under the banner of accepting a disciple, he could only settle for the next best thing and take the ordinarily talented Ye Qingshuang as his disciple.
He simply had not expected that, after so many years, Ye Yu would become like this. Never mind his low cultivation; he also faintly gave off an aura that Cangyun found repulsive.
"Enough, let's not talk about that. Come, refine a pill and let me see whether your alchemy has regressed!" With a sweep of Cangyun's hand, a jade-green Alchemy Furnace appeared in the center of the hall.
Ye Xuan's expression shifted slightly, and he grew somewhat flustered, but inwardly he was overjoyed. Did Cangyun intend to teach him alchemy? Otherwise, why would he have him refine pills?
Ye Xuan knew a thing or two about alchemy and could even refine Second-Rank Pills. He immediately smiled and sent someone to fetch the Spiritual Medicine.
Before long, stalk after stalk of Spiritual Medicine was delivered. Ye Qingwan and Ye Qingshuang entered the hall at that moment as well. Seeing the scene before them, they exchanged a glance, both spotting the delight in the other's eyes.
Cangyun merely swept a glance over the delivered Spiritual Medicine, the corner of his mouth twitching. "You intend to refine a Second-Rank Pill?"
"Yes, Master Cangyun." Ye Xuan nodded blankly, not understanding why.
"Is this truly your imperial brother? The Crown Prince of Great Yan?" Cangyun looked toward Ye Qingshuang and asked.
Ye Qingshuang was taken aback. Though she did not know why Cangyun was asking, she still nodded. "Yes, Master."
After saying that, Ye Qingshuang gave Ye Xuan an exceedingly doting look.
But upon hearing this, Cangyun could not hide the disappointment on his face. A prodigy ruined by growing up! What a pity for that heaven-defying talent!
"Forget it. From now on, just be a proper Crown Prince." Cangyun sighed, took a step forward, and vanished from the great hall.
Only the others remained, staring at one another in confusion, unable to understand what Cangyun was playing at.
Elsewhere, within the inn, Situ Guang stared at Ye Yu in utter disbelief. What had he just heard? Ye Yu could actually refine the Seventh-Rank Life Profound Origin Pill?! Not only was this kid's combat strength so formidable, he was also a Seventh-Rank Alchemist?!
"You aren't joking with me, are you?" Situ Guang blurted out instinctively.
Situ Guang did not know about the other prefectures, but in Azure Prefecture, there was absolutely no one who excelled in both pills and martial arts. Even Cangyun, though his attainments in alchemy had reached the sixth rank, possessed only peak Golden Core Stage cultivation.
It was difficult for anyone to focus on two things at once.
Ye Yu glanced at Situ Guang and smiled. "You're Ruoxian's guard. I might deceive anyone, but I would never deceive you."
Back at the Nine Nether Blood Spring, Ye Yu had fought the Devil Race alone. He suffered no fewer than a hundred injuries each day, and it was precisely by relying on that heaven-defying alchemy that he had endured for so long.
Situ Guang looked deeply at Ye Yu. In the end, he gritted his teeth and handed the Ring of Holding in his hand to Ye Yu.
Ye Yu froze for a moment. After casually taking it, he gave Situ Guang a surprised look. Inside was the Spiritual Medicine needed for the Life Profound Origin Pill. Situ Guang had actually prepared it long ago.
"C-Can you do it?" Situ Guang swallowed hard and asked nervously.
Ye Yu smiled. "Of course. The only issue is that their age is a little lacking, but it's not a big problem."
After saying that, Ye Yu took out one Five-Colored Flower that had not reached the required age. In the next instant, his expression changed drastically.
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