Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Taking the Pill

Following Granny’s instructions, Lin Zhao raised her hand. After making Ning Wen Gui turn his back, she pressed her palm gently between his shoulder blades.

Ning Wen Gui’s body tensed as if struck.

His breathing turned heavier. Afraid of startling the person behind him, he clenched his hands under the water and forced himself to stay still while his heart pounded like it wanted to break free.

Lin Zhao did not notice. She was fully focused on circulating medicinal power through his body.

Pale green spiritual energy streamed from her palm into him, guiding the medicine in his inner organs into his meridians. It moved swiftly, searching, prying, and finally finding thin threads of Python Poison hidden deep in the tendons of his legs.

Lin Zhao began to wrap the poison.

The poison, brimming with eerie spirituality, resisted.

In the next instant, it burst out of Ning Wen Gui’s body as a purple python shadow. Cold snake eyes fixed on Lin Zhao, and the water around it seemed to dim.

As if offended, the Phoenix Fortune within Lin Zhao surged. Pale green light gathered and shaped itself into a Hong Hu. It cried softly and lunged.

The python phantom and the Hong Hu collided.

Granny watched, arms folded, expression unimpressed. “A Fourth-grade cultivation art really is a bit weak.”

The Hong Hu—formed from that last shred of Phoenix Fortune—was quickly tangled by the Nether Python poison.

Granny clicked her tongue. “Take out the Flood Dragon Poison and feed it to the Phoenix Fortune.”

Lin Zhao paused, then obeyed.

The Flood Dragon Poison had been obtained from the Tai Yi Realm Clear Lotus.

The moment it sank into the Hong Hu, the spirit beast let out a piercing cry. Its shape shifted—still a Hong Hu, but with a longer, sharper tail.

That single change flipped the fight.

The Hong Hu slashed with its wings, ripping the purple python shadow apart piece by piece.

…

Elsewhere, in an estate within the Imperial City, a silver-haired young man spat a mouthful of blood.

He wiped his lips with the back of his hand, then looked toward the maiden kneeling before him.

“The Reincarnated Python Poison has been broken,” he said calmly. “What do you plan to do?”

Lu Mei knelt with her head lowered, posture respectful to the point of reverence. “Lord, why not kill the Sixth Imperial Prince and that little bitch directly?”

The young man’s lips curved faintly. “His fate isn’t meant to end yet.”

Lu Mei’s fingers tightened. “Then what about the heir apparent position—”

The young man’s gaze turned sharp. As his face lifted into the lamplight, Lu Mei saw the familiar features of the You Lan National Preceptor.

Then, slowly, he peeled away a thin mask.

A handsome visage emerged—completely different from the plain face he usually wore.

Lu Mei’s blood ran cold.

Because the face beneath… looked frighteningly like the Sixth Imperial Prince.

“You…” Lu Mei’s voice shook.

Could it be the Sixth Imperial Prince wasn’t the Emperor Lord’s son?

The thought nearly made her knees give out.

The National Preceptor flicked her a look. “Now do you understand why I spared him? Leave.”

Lu Mei stumbled out in panic, breath ragged.

The young man stared at the Human Skin Mask in his hand. Disappointment flickered in his eyes.

“I wanted to let you die quickly,” he murmured, voice almost gentle. “I didn’t expect that even pushed to the brink… you’d still have Phoenix Fortune helping you.”

…

Back at the Crown Prince’s residence, Lin Zhao withdrew her hand.

Sweat dampened her hairline. Her arms ached with exhaustion.

Granny took control again, voice hoarse. “The poison is mostly cleared. Drink medicine for half a month, and do rehabilitation for your legs. You’ll be fine.”

She reached into her ring and took out a scroll.

“This old one doesn’t like a girl owing people favors,” Granny said. “A Seventh-grade wind technique—Cloud Roll Art. Consider it repaying a favor.”

By “repaying a favor,” she clearly meant the herbs Ning Wen Gui had offered at the You Lan auction house, as well as the convenience he had provided.

Those things were nowhere near as valuable as a Seventh-grade technique.

Ning Wen Gui stared at the scroll in his hands, conflict tightening his expression. He tried to refuse—

Granny flicked a finger.

A Restriction Seal snapped into place, and Ning Wen Gui’s voice died in his throat.

“Don’t think you’re getting the better deal,” Granny said, sensing the quiet, faint spiritual glow inside Lin Zhao. “The girl has gained plenty from you as well.”

Guiding medicinal power through Ning Wen Gui’s meridians and back again had brought traces of glazed radiance from the Purple Pupils Glazed Body into Lin Zhao.

That radiance was excellent for tempering the body.

It would not grant her the full realm of the Purple Pupils Glazed Body—eyes that pierced ten thousand obstacles, a body like flawless glaze.

But it repaired and even strengthened the meridians Lin Zhao had damaged while breaking through realms.

Her foundation now sat at the peak of late Foundation Establishment—solid enough to earn even Granny’s approval.

After refusing Steward Wang’s repeated attempts to persuade her to stay, Granny left the Crown Prince’s residence.

Only after dealing with Ning Wen Gui and Ning Wen Yue did Lin Zhao finally loosen the knot in her chest.

In her previous life, after Ning Wen Gui went missing, the relationship between You Lan and the Lin Family had soured for years, eventually turning hostile. It had dealt the Lin Family a heavy blow.

In this life, that would not happen.

Ning Wen Yue had already severed his own path to the throne. And judging by Emperor Lord You Lan’s attitude now, even if the throne did not go to Ning Wen Gui, Lin Zhao had cured him—and Ning Wen Gui would not vanish without reason. That meant You Lan would not become enemies with the Lin Family.

Once she was certain of that, Lin Zhao’s mind returned to cultivation.

The clan tournament was only a little over twenty days away. She had just entered late Foundation Establishment, still far from Great Perfection. Even with the Huang Ji Spirit Raising Pill, she felt pressed for time.

“Granny,” she asked as they traveled, “when do we start taking the Huang Ji Spirit Raising Pill?”

“As soon as we return to the Lin Family,” Granny said. “And you’ll begin special training too. To be safe, after the clan tournament—once you secure the quota—you’ll go to Yun Ding Peak, take back the Phoenix Fortune that vicious girl stole, and advance the Phoenix Pulse Art.”

Lin Zhao’s pace quickened despite herself.

When she returned to Lin Family City, she saw a beautiful woman waiting at the entrance.

“Mother?” Lin Zhao’s steps slowed. “Why are you here?”

A flicker of guilt rose in her chest.

If not for the clan’s Golden Core cultivator protecting her in secret on this trip, she might have truly suffered at Lu Mei’s hands. Even with Granny in the shadows, Lin Zhao did not want to rely on Granny’s power unless she had no other choice.

Yao Yun looked her over from head to toe, gaze cool and sharp. “You went to the You Lan Imperial Capital.”

Lin Zhao nodded. “I had some things to handle.”

Yao Yun reached out and smoothed her daughter’s slightly messy bangs. Her eyes held a storm of emotions she refused to let spill.

“You’ve grown up,” she said softly. “There were things I didn’t tell you back then because I was afraid you couldn’t bear the blow. But now…”

She paused, then sighed.

“Your father was right. Some things—no matter what I say—you’ll find out on your own.”

Her fingers lingered at Lin Zhao’s temple.

“Still,” Yao Yun said, voice firm, “I hope you understand this: no matter what happens, your father and I will always believe our daughter did nothing wrong.”

Lin Zhao’s throat tightened.

She leaned into her mother’s palm and rubbed her cheek against the warmth, like she had when she was little.

“These years…” Lin Zhao’s voice was quiet. “You’ve both worked so hard.”

After parting with Yao Yun, Lin Zhao returned to her courtyard. Following Granny’s instructions, she sat down, circulated the Phoenix Pulse Art, and swallowed the first Huang Ji Spirit Raising Pill.

The medicinal power seeped through her body like hot light. The meridians she had just stabilized stirred violently again. Glazed radiance and cyan spiritual energy tangled together, scouring her meridians and inner organs. Her body drank in spiritual energy from the world with hungry, ruthless speed, and at the same time her flesh and bones strengthened under the wash.

The last shred of Phoenix Fortune slowly took shape under the pill’s influence—then surged into Lin Zhao’s body on a wave of glazed light, fusing with her blood and marrow.

Lin Zhao could not stop the cry that tore from her.

A prickling, aching sensation rose from deep in her bones—like ten thousand ants gnawing at tender marrow.

She clenched her teeth until her jaw ached.

“Hold on!” Granny’s voice rang in her mind. “This is the Spirit Raising Pill awakening Phoenix Fortune. Phoenix Fortune is driving the glazed qi to help you begin Meridian and Marrow Cleansing!”

Lin Zhao dug her nails into her palms and swallowed the pain.

Filth began to seep from her skin, darkening her delicate complexion with streaks of impurity.