Grown Up and Changed

The Great Yan Dynasty had five princesses and two imperial princes.

Second Princess Ye Qingxuan possessed extraordinary cultivation talent, while Third Princess Ye Qingwan's alchemy skill was even more remarkable. In her early years, she had caught the eye of Cangyun, the foremost alchemist of Azure Prefecture, who took her as his disciple and taught her the art of pill refinement. Since then, she had been traveling across Azure Prefecture with him.

By comparison, Ye Qingxuan's cultivation talent might make her the pillar of the Great Yan Dynasty, but Ye Qingwan, with Cangyun as her master, was undoubtedly the greater asset.

"Master said he wanted to rest for a while, and since he also wished to see Imperial Brother again, we came along," Ye Qingwan said with a smile.

Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan's eyes lit up, barely containing her excitement as she asked, "Xiao Xuan? Could it be that Cangyun Alchemist intends to take Xiao Xuan as his disciple?"

Ye Qingwan shook her head with a laugh. "Master has no plans to take Xiao Xuan as his disciple. He said that with Imperial Brother's talent, he is unworthy to be his master—it would only lead him astray."

"Cangyun Alchemist holds Xiao Xuan in such high regard?!" Ye Qingxuan gasped sharply.

Who was Cangyun? The foremost alchemist of Azure Prefecture, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. If even he judged Ye Xuan so highly, just how far could Ye Xuan's future achievements reach?

Seventh-Rank? Or even higher?

Would the Great Yan Dynasty one day have its very own Seventh-Rank Alchemist?!

"By the way, what about that waste?" Ye Qingwan asked. She had returned home for a few days half a year ago, so she naturally knew that Ye Yu had come back—and that his spiritual root had been crippled.

At the mention of Ye Yu, Ye Qingxuan's expression turned icy. She then recounted everything that had happened over the past two days.

Ye Qingwan's face darkened as she listened. "That waste dares to act like this? He's already useless, and we still feed him and house him. Yet he has the audacity to covet the position of Heir Apparent? Has he no sense of what he deserves?"

"Exactly. Who knows where that dog gets all his vile ideas," Ye Qingxuan said coldly.

"I suspect this is his true nature. When he was young, he used some unknown trick to win Imperial Grandfather's favor and snatched the cultivation resources that rightfully belonged to Xiao Xuan. Now that he's crippled, he still dreams of the Heir Apparency," Ye Qingwan said, her eyes turning icy.

"Enough. Don't mention that waste anymore. Just thinking about him makes me sick. Where is Cangyun Master? I want to hold a banquet in his honor," Ye Qingxuan asked.

"Master should be with Xiao Xuan right now. Let's wait a bit before going over," Ye Qingwan replied.

At that moment, in Ye Xuan's palace, Ye Xuan sat nervously before Cangyun. Facing this renowned foremost alchemist of Azure Prefecture, he felt a deep unease.

After all, he had been in close contact with members of the Blood Demon Race, and his aura was inevitably tainted. Alchemists were the most sensitive to such auras.

Cangyun frowned as he studied the young man before him. He found it strange—how had this boy changed so much in just a few years? And why was his cultivation only at the Foundation Establishment Realm?

But Ye Qingwan had clearly said this was her imperial brother.

"Cangyun... Master, it's been a while. How have you been?" Ye Xuan stammered.

Years ago, when Cangyun had come to the palace to accept Ye Qingwan as his disciple, Ye Xuan had attended the apprenticeship banquet, so they had met before.

"You, boy—why are you so stiff? You weren't like this a few years ago!" Cangyun said with a chuckle.

Back then, while traveling, he had passed through the Great Yan Imperial City. With a single glance, he had recognized Ye Yu's extraordinary potential. Shamelessly, he had followed him into the palace, hoping to take him as a disciple.

But Ye Yu's talent far exceeded his expectations, which had made him abandon that plan. Every alchemist walked their own path. As a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, he could only teach the basics. The future was something Ye Yu would have to forge on his own.

Since he had entered the palace under the pretense of taking a disciple, he had settled for Ye Qingwan, whose talent was merely average.

He never imagined that, years later, Ye Yu would have become like this—not only weak in cultivation but also exuding a faint aura that disgusted him.

"Enough, let's not dwell on that. Come, refine a pill. Let me see if your alchemy has regressed!" Cangyun waved his hand, and a jade-green cauldron appeared in the center of the hall.

Ye Xuan's expression flickered with panic, but inwardly he was ecstatic. Was Cangyun planning to teach him alchemy? Why else would he ask him to refine a pill?

He knew a thing or two about alchemy and could even refine Second-Rank Pills. With a smile, he sent someone to fetch the Spiritual Medicines.

Soon, stalks of Spiritual Medicine were brought in. Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingwan also entered the hall at that moment. Seeing the scene before them, they exchanged a glance, both reading the surprise in each other's eyes.

Cangyun, however, swept his gaze over the delivered medicines and twitched his mouth. "You plan to refine a Second-Rank Pill?"

"Yes, Cangyun Master," Ye Xuan replied, confused and nodding blankly.

"Is this truly your imperial brother? The Crown Prince of Great Yan?" Cangyun turned to Ye Qingwan and asked.

Ye Qingwan was taken aback. Though she didn't know why he asked, she nodded. "Yes, Master."

As she spoke, she cast a deeply affectionate glance at Ye Xuan.

Hearing this, Cangyun could barely hide his disappointment. A wasted prodigy! What a shame, that heaven-defying talent!

"Forget it. From now on, just focus on being a good Crown Prince." Cangyun sighed, stepped forward, and vanished from the hall.

The remaining people looked at each other in bewilderment, unsure what had just happened.

Elsewhere, in an inn, Situ Guang stared at Ye Yu with utter disbelief. What had he just heard? Ye Yu could refine a Seventh-Rank Life Profound Origin Pill?! Not only was this kid a terrifying fighter, but he was also a Seventh-Rank Alchemist?!

"You're not joking with me, are you?" Situ Guang blurted out.

He didn't know about the other prefectures, but in Azure Prefecture, there was absolutely no one who excelled in both pill refinement and martial arts. Even Cangyun, despite reaching the Sixth-Rank in alchemy, was only at the peak Golden Core Stage in cultivation.

It was nearly impossible for anyone to master two such demanding paths.

Ye Yu glanced at Situ Guang and smiled. "You're Ruoxian's guard. I wouldn't lie to you of all people."

Back in the Nine Nether Blood Spring, Ye Yu had fought the demon race alone, sustaining no fewer than a hundred injuries each day. It was precisely his heaven-defying alchemy that had kept him alive through it all.

Situ Guang gave Ye Yu a long, hard look before finally gritting his teeth and handing over his Ring of Holding.

Ye Yu was startled. He took it casually, then shot Situ Guang a surprised glance. Inside were precisely the Spiritual Medicines needed for the Life Profound Origin Pill—he had already prepared them.

"C-can you do it?" Situ Guang swallowed nervously.

Ye Yu smiled. "Of course. The years are a bit off, but it's not a big problem."

With that, he took out a Five-Colored Flower that was short of the required age. The next moment, his expression shifted dramatically.