Alchemy

After bidding farewell to everyone from the Imperial Fighting Team, Youquan went to the Crown Prince's chambers.

"Little Youquan, come quickly. I prepared lots of your favorite foods especially for you." Xue Qinghe stood at the door, smiling as he waved to Youquan.

In that instant, Youquan seemed to see the days when she was still in the Tianfu Alliance. Whenever she returned from training outside with everyone, her teacher and grandmaster would smile and wave to her as well. And back when she was in the Flame Sect, life had been hard, but every afternoon, Nanny would smile and wave to her, telling her she had prepared something delicious.

"Crown Prince Brother!" Youquan circulated her Soul Power and threw herself straight into Xue Qinghe's arms.

"Oh my, our little Youquan knows how to act spoiled now." Xue Qinghe felt somewhat gratified. Youquan was far too mature for a child, and it was rare to see such a childlike side of her.

Youquan felt a little embarrassed. After all, she was already so old. But she truly missed her family. Let her be willful just this once.

"Eat first. Don't let yourself go hungry; look how thin you are." Xue Qinghe patted Youquan's back and took her little hand, leading her toward the dining hall.

After parting with the Imperial Fighting Team today, Youquan had wandered around and discovered that while medicinal herbs here were not as expensive as those on the Dou Qi Continent—perhaps because there were no Alchemists—the variety was considerable. Still, they were not cheap, not something she could afford right now. To temporarily suppress Dugu Yan's poison-ridden body, the herbs required were not especially precious, but they were still costly.

After thinking it over, Youquan said to Xue Qinghe, "Crown Prince Brother, I want some medicinal herbs. Could I trouble you, Crown Prince Brother?"

Xue Qinghe looked at Youquan in surprise, then said happily, "Our little Youquan finally knows to ask Crown Prince Brother for help."

"What do you mean, finally?" Youquan retorted softly, a little embarrassed.

"When that trash Xue Beng bullied you at the academy, why didn't you come complain to me?" Thinking of that useless younger brother, Xue Qinghe's eyes flashed with killing intent.

Back then, he had deliberately spared that dog's life to avoid arousing suspicion. He had never expected that useless fool to bully someone under his protection.

"He couldn't bully me. If Dugu Yan and the others hadn't arrived, your useless brother would've been beaten by me badly enough to stay in bed for ten days to half a month." Youquan explained with a grin, waving her little fist.

"Hahaha, good. Then if you run into him again, Little Youquan, just hit him. Your Crown Prince Brother will clean up after you." Xue Qinghe laughed heartily.

The two sisters happily finished dinner. Afterward, all the medicinal herbs Youquan needed were delivered to her room. There was also a cauldron Xue Qinghe had specially prepared for her to boil the herbs in.

Youquan looked at the warm decorations in the room, the fully prepared medicinal herbs, and the specially made Medicine Cauldron. Tenderness flashed through her eyes. At this moment, Qian Renxue held an incomparably important place in her heart.

"Thank you, my dear sister." Youquan gazed gently at the bright moon beyond the window.

For three days straight, Youquan did not leave her room, refining pills for Dugu Yan. Since she could not freely control fire, this batch took her a long time to refine.

Youquan looked at the ten pills that had finally come out of the cauldron, then at the pile of spent herbs behind her. She scratched her head in embarrassment. If the Crown Prince were not her sister, she truly did not know when she would ever be able to gather all these medicinal herbs. And as for the failed residue... if her teacher found out, who knew how harshly she would be scolded.

"Until I find Heavenly Flames, I'd better not casually refine medicine anymore. It's too wasteful and too embarrassing." An awkward blush appeared on Youquan's face. She scratched her head uncomfortably, then quickly destroyed the evidence.

After storing the pills away, Youquan left her room. When she heard that Xue Qinghe had been summoned to the palace, she left a letter behind and returned alone to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Using her soul perception, Youquan found the advanced class where Dugu Yan and the others were. As it happened, class had just ended when she arrived.

"Well, where did this little sister come from? Who are you looking for here?" A dissolute young noble spotted Youquan and revealed a malicious smile.

Hearing his ill-intentioned teasing, Youquan's face turned cold. "Get lost!"

"Little thing, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. Do you know who I am?" The young noble straightened up, adjusted his extravagant-looking formal attire, and looked at Youquan with contempt and frivolity.

"Then do you know who I am?" Youquan gave him a sweet smile.

"Oh? Go on, tell me." The young noble grew interested and asked curiously.

In a flash, Youquan appeared at the young noble's side. She clenched her right fist and unleashed Eight Extremities Collapse directly into his chest.

"Who am I? I'm your great-aunt!"

The young noble spat blood as he flew backward. The surrounding spectators hurriedly moved away, staring at Youquan in shock.

"Ah! You little beast, I'll kill you!" The young noble forced himself upright and pointed at Youquan.

"Who do you want to kill?" A cold female voice rang out, making the young noble's hair stand on end. He turned around with a fawning smile. "Dugu Yan, Student Yu."

"Little Youquan!" Dugu Yan released Yu Tianheng and ran toward Youquan. "Little Youquan, why are you here?"

"I came to find you." Youquan said with a grin.

"Me?" Dugu Yan pointed at herself, then said, "This isn't a place to talk. Let's go somewhere else. Don't worry about this; leave it to Tianheng."

"Sorry to trouble you, Senior Yu." Youquan nodded to Yu Tianheng.

"You're welcome. Go ahead." Yu Tianheng waved his hand.

After leaving the teaching building, Youquan handed a Jade Bottle to Dugu Yan.

"What is this?" Dugu Yan accepted the Jade Bottle curiously.

"Do you trust me, Dugu Yan?" Youquan smiled mischievously.

Dugu Yan helplessly shook her head, poured a pill from the Jade Bottle, sniffed it beneath her nose, and then tossed it into her mouth.

"What is this? It tastes pretty good, like a candy."

Youquan froze for a moment, then helplessly instructed Dugu Yan, "It's a pill, not candy. Keep it safe. Take one each month, and once you run out, I'll bring you more."

"Why did you suddenly prepare pills for me? I'm perfectly healthy."

"I'm going back first. Crown Prince Brother is still waiting for me. You should go home early too." Youquan gave a mysterious smile, then ran off.

"That girl." Dugu Yan sighed. Then she felt a warm current in her lower abdomen, making her feel incredibly comfortable. "What's going on?"

Remembering Youquan's words telling her to go back early, Dugu Yan no longer hesitated. Without even telling Yu Tianheng, she headed straight home.

After meditating for an entire afternoon, Dugu Yan felt that the poison in her body was no longer corroding her meridians and body. Her Soul Power had also unknowingly risen by one rank.

Dugu Yan stared blankly at the Jade Bottle in her hand, her eyes growing moist. She had not expected that this little girl, whom she had only met once, would prepare such a great gift for her.