……

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Yuwen Nianjing learned that Dongfang Yuxi had been dispatched by the Alchemy Directorate to Xuandan Island to handle the harvesting and processing of spiritual herbs. She immediately said, "Brother Yuxi's knowledge of pharmacology is quite solid. I believe your arrival will significantly speed up the progress."

"Nianjing, you're too kind," Dongfang Yuxi hurriedly replied modestly. "In the past, I had a narrow perspective and was complacent. It was only after joining the Alchemy Directorate that I realized there are always people better than you. There are countless talents out there, especially you and your peers, whose current strength I can only look up to."

"Brother Yuxi, don't say that. As a Celestial Realm cultivator, you're still young and have many opportunities ahead," Yuwen Nianjing said with a smile, then turned her attention to Dongfang Mingxu and Dongfang Lingrou, saying, "These two children must be Mingxu and Lingrou? I've heard Young Master Shouye mention them; they're both outstanding kids."

Dongfang Yuxi quickly had the two children come forward to pay their respects and introduced them, "I plan to keep Mingxu by my side for proper guidance so that he can support the Dongfang Clan in Jingang in the future. Lingrou, on the other hand, has better aptitude and is clever. I intend to have her further her studies at the Changning County Academy, following the academy route, and serve the country after completing her studies."

"That's all very good," Yuwen Nianjing nodded approvingly and took out some pills and Top Gold notes as gifts for the two children. "Don't refuse, work hard on your cultivation and alchemy skills, and contribute to the Great Qian and the human race in the future."

The two children looked a bit embarrassed and glanced at their Ancestor.

Dongfang Yuxi, now with a thicker skin, nodded to signal the children to accept the gifts, "Don't let Ancestor Nianjing's trust down, and remember her kindness."

"Thank you, Ancestor Nianjing, for your generosity," Mingxu and Lingrou gratefully accepted the gifts.

Afterward, the three of them were led by the staff to the designated location for registration and accommodation arrangements.

Currently, all affairs on Xuandan Island are managed by Wang Zongwen, the eleventh in the "Zong" generation ranking.

He is the eldest legitimate son of Wang Shouye. Thanks to his father, the Wang Clan's top alchemist, he never lacked pills growing up, and his resource allocation in the Wang Clan's direct line was also among the top. Blood refining pills, Xisui Dan, Marrying Blood Gu... he used all sorts of resources to enhance his aptitude, and now his aptitude has reached the level of a great prodigy, ranking him in the fourth tier within the Wang Clan.

At just over a hundred and sixty or seventy years old, his cultivation has reached the seventh level of the Celestial Realm. Such strength is not particularly remarkable within the Wang Clan, but outside, he is undoubtedly a young talent.

However, he is not particularly skilled in alchemy and mainly follows the management route.

Under his management, Xuandan Island has been operating smoothly, with the harvesting, processing, and storage of spiritual herbs, as well as the planning and replanting of new spiritual herbs, all requiring meticulous calculation and planning for millennia.

However, Lanxin King from the Immortal Dynasty, while helping with a group of girls, showed great interest in the "Jade Stone Lotus" in the spiritual herb garden on Xuandan Island.

Once the Jade Stone Lotus reaches over ten thousand years, it becomes the "Millennium Jade Stone Lotus," which is one of the main ingredients for refining the Rebirth Immortal Pill.

Of course, the Hundred Herb Garden of the Immortal Dynasty also has Jade Stone Lotus, with several plants already reaching the required age and stored after processing.

However, due to historical reasons, the medicinal efficacy of the Jade Stone Lotus in the Hundred Herb Garden has weakened and is significantly inferior to the "Millennium Jade Stone Lotus" on Xuandan Island.

The difference in medicinal efficacy affects the pill formation rate.

The Rebirth Immortal Pill is an eighth-grade Immortal Pill, with a single batch costing about ten million Immortal crystals. Producing four pills barely breaks even, and only with five pills does it become profitable.

In reality, there are only a few alchemists in the Immortal Dynasty capable of refining the Rebirth Immortal Pill. Due to the scarcity of raw materials, practice opportunities are rare, and the pill formation rate is not high, barely breaking even.

The Immortal Dynasty continues to refine the Rebirth Immortal Pill solely to cultivate talent.

The Immortal Emperor has long decreed that even at a loss, the Rebirth Immortal Pill must be refined.

After all, a single Rebirth Immortal Pill, if used well, could potentially cultivate a Peerless Prodigy qualified to advance to the Void Realm. Of course, this is for those who have inherited the complete treasure tome and reached peerless aptitude.

Even if they don't reach the Void Realm, cultivating a few great prodigies capable of reaching the mid to late stages of the Divine Realm is beneficial.

The number of high-level cultivators is crucial to the Immortal Dynasty.

If the medicinal efficacy of the "Millennium Jade Stone Lotus" used as the main ingredient is stronger, the pill formation rate will naturally increase, with a greater chance of producing five, six, or even seven pills, and the quality of the pills will be better.

The benefits to the Immortal Dynasty are self-evident.

This is why Lanxin King wants to transplant from Xuandan Island.

There are quite a few Jade Stone Lotus on Xuandan Island, with three to five plants over several thousand years old and many more under a thousand years old, making the number of plants quite abundant. With her abilities, breeding is not difficult.

Since Xuandan Island is an asset under the Wang Clan's Alchemy Directorate, Lanxin King needs the Alchemy Directorate's consent to transplant.

Thus, negotiations naturally ensued.

Because she is not adept at negotiations, Lanxin King even wrote back to the Immortal Dynasty, bringing in a negotiation team to discuss the details.

One side had a rare commodity and wanted to raise the price, while the other wanted to lower it.

The negotiations lasted several months.

Finally, both parties reached three consensus conditions regarding the transplantation of the Jade Stone Lotus.

First, the Immortal Dynasty would exchange three eighth-grade Rebirth Immortal Pills and ten seventh-grade Heavenly Vein Holy Pills for the right to transplant ten Jade Stone Lotus plants under a thousand years old from Xuandan Island.

Second, Lanxin King would also teach the Wang Clan the planting and breeding techniques of the Jade Stone Lotus.

Third, for every five batches of Rebirth Immortal Pills refined by the Immortal Dynasty, regardless of the number of pills produced, the Wang Clan would have the right to purchase one.

This was undoubtedly a huge gain for the Wang Clan.

Although the Rebirth Immortal Pill is "not expensive," costing "only" a few million Immortal crystals, due to the long cultivation cycle of raw materials and other restrictions, it has always been a strategic resource.

The quantity of Rebirth Immortal Pills available for external sale has always been very limited. Even a first-grade family like the Great Qian royal family has to pull strings and owe favors to buy one, not something that can be casually purchased with money.

Although the Wang Clan currently has abundant financial resources, buying a Rebirth Immortal Pill is still difficult. After all, every family needs it, and the competition is fierce.

Currently, only the Immortal Dynasty's royal family and the Immortal Palace have a certain stock of Rebirth Immortal Pills. This time, to obtain the original Jade Stone Lotus, the Immortal Dynasty has indeed made a significant investment.

……

While Xuandan Island was celebrating the acquisition of Immortal Pills.

On the Muzhen Continent, in the Northern Zhou Kingdom.

In the capital, Muxian City.

At the Northern Zhou Imperial Palace.

Today was the day of the bi-weekly minor court assembly, and the square outside the main south gate of the palace was filled with carriages. These belonged to the court officials attending the assembly, and they would need them to return home after it ended.

As the hour of Si approached, the minor court assembly finally concluded.

The palace gates opened, and the officials swarmed out of the palace like a floodgate opening, filling the square in the blink of an eye.

Many officials gathered in small groups, discussing the matters from the assembly, creating a lively scene.

At this moment, a woman wearing a golden crown and court attire emerged from the palace gates.

Her court attire was primarily black, embroidered with intricate gold and silver patterns, making it look luxurious and solemn, enhancing her noble and dignified aura.

On her forehead was a red mark.

Against her fair skin, this bright red mark resembled a burning flame, with a hint of golden light, making it particularly striking.

Upon seeing her, the officials immediately adopted a respectful demeanor.

"Greetings to Princess Luojia."

This woman was the current Princess of the Northern Zhou Kingdom, formerly known as Princess Luojia, Ji Lingxiao.

Over a year ago, she had been officially bestowed the title of "Princess," retaining the original title of "Luojia," making her official title "Princess Luojia."

In terms of status, she was on par with Prince An of the Great Qian, though her reputation in the Northern Zhou was not yet as established as Prince An's due to her recent elevation.

However, given her abilities, she was sure to become a future emperor praised by posterity.

After officially being titled "Princess," she inherited a treasure tome.

However, she did not inherit the Northern Zhou royal family's "Mysterious Water Treasure Tome," but rather the "Six Yang Treasure Tome" from the King of Wei's Mansion.

Her bloodline was of fire, making the Mysterious Water Treasure Tome unsuitable for her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have targeted the Mysterious Pill Treasure Tome initially.

Fortunately, the former King of Wei had not passed the "Six Yang Treasure Tome" to Wei Donglai, allowing Luojia to benefit.

Thanks to the essence of heaven and earth gathered in the treasure tome, her aptitude had improved to the peerless third rank. In about one hundred and fifty years, she would likely break through to the Divine Realm and officially succeed as the emperor.

Amidst the respectful farewells of the officials outside the palace gates, Princess Luojia quickly made her way through the crowd and boarded her exclusive flying carriage.

Soon, the carriage ascended into the sky, heading towards the Luojia Princess's Mansion.

After becoming a princess, Luojia was supposed to reside in the Eastern Palace within the imperial palace. The Eastern Palace had always been the residence of the heir to the throne, symbolizing status and providing convenience for learning governance from the previous emperor.

However, due to her recent elevation and the ongoing renovations of the Eastern Palace, coupled with some unspeakable reasons, she still resided in her original Luojia Princess's Mansion.

To facilitate her commute, the Yuanping Emperor specifically provided her with a princess's carriage, allowing her to fly over Muxian City, a privilege of her status.

Upon returning to the princess's mansion, Princess Luojia was about to change her clothes when a maid reported, "Your Highness, Young Master Shouye has come out of the alchemy room and is waiting for you in the pavilion. He's been there for almost half an hour."

"Young Master Shouye is looking for me?" Princess Luojia was initially surprised, then her expression turned cold as she reprimanded the maid, "Young Master Shouye is a distinguished guest. How could you let him wait in the pavilion? Why didn't you invite him to the warm pavilion?"

The maid was startled and quickly explained, "Your Highness, you instructed us to treat Young Master Shouye as the master. How dare we neglect him? It was Young Master Shouye who said the air in the pavilion was good, and he could enjoy tea and read while waiting for you. So, I had tea brewed and the best pastries served for him."

Princess Luojia's expression softened, and she did not punish the maid. Instead, she changed into casual attire and went to the pavilion to meet Wang Shouye.

The garden in the princess's mansion was maintained by a dedicated spiritual plant cultivator, ensuring that flowers bloomed in every season, creating an elegant and tasteful atmosphere amidst the greenery.

In the pavilion.

Wang Shouye was sipping tea while leisurely reading an alchemy journal.

This was his habit. When not engaged in alchemy, he preferred finding a quiet place to sit, enjoy the scenery, and reflect on alchemical insights and others' failures.

Such days were the best relaxation for him.

In contrast, socializing outside often left him feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

As noon approached, the sunlight was just right.

Dressed in a blue robe, he sat alone in the pavilion, looking serene and composed. The dappled light and shadow enveloped him, giving him an ethereal and detached aura, like a figure from a painting.

On the path outside the pavilion, Princess Luojia paused, feeling an inexplicable sense of melancholy.

However, she quickly dismissed the emotion and walked briskly into the pavilion.

"Young Master Shouye."

Wang Shouye had already sensed Luojia's approach. Before she even entered the pavilion, he put down his book, stood up, and greeted her with a salute, "Shouye greets Princess Luojia."

"Young Master Shouye, we've known each other for many years. There's no need for such formalities," Princess Luojia said with some helplessness, sitting across from him. "If it's a routine matter, the maids could handle it. You specifically waited for me; is there something important?"

Wang Shouye sat back down, poured tea for Luojia, and sighed, "Unknowingly, I've been in the Northern Zhou for five years. Now that trade between the Great Qian and Northern Zhou is on track, it's time for me to return."

Luojia's hand paused, and she looked up sharply, "Did your family send a letter urging you to return?"

"Not exactly," Wang Shouye explained after some thought. "The basic construction of Xuandan Island is nearly complete, and the family is preparing to officially open the island. As the strongest alchemist in the family, I must return to oversee it."

Luojia remained silent for a while.

She had long known that Young Master Shouye would eventually return.

And she, as the Northern Zhou Princess, destined to become the next emperor, must remain in the Northern Zhou.

Their parting was inevitable from the start. She knew this better than anyone but had been avoiding the issue.

Previously, she used the excuse of the initial trade between the two countries requiring a Wang Clan representative to oversee it to keep him here, driven by her selfish desire to delay the inevitable.

Now, the day had finally come.

She sighed inwardly but smiled outwardly, raising her teacup, "In that case, Luojia wishes you a safe journey with this tea instead of wine."

With that, she drank the tea in one go.

"Thank you," Wang Shouye was momentarily taken aback, then also raised his cup and drank.

They didn't say much more, only confirming Wang Shouye's departure date before parting.

Three days later, Wang Shouye left the Northern Zhou on a Wang Clan ocean-going ship.

On the day of his departure, Luojia personally went to the port to see him off but remained in her flying carriage, watching the Wang Clan's ironclad ship sail away from a distance.

Only when the ship became a mere speck and disappeared into the horizon did she lower the curtain and return to her mansion.

This farewell might last for years, or even ages, and who knew when they would meet again.

But for now, she had more important matters to attend to.

Yuanping Ancestor was indecisive and easily swayed, often unable to make decisions. As the Northern Zhou Princess, Luojia bore a heavy burden.

In recent years, the pressure from the outer region battlefield had been increasing, and the Northern Zhou needed to grow stronger quickly!

……

Time flew by.

Unknowingly, several months had passed since the "meeting" between Wang Shouzhe and the Immortal Emperor.

On this day.

A Yun Yao flying boat glided across the azure sky, landing steadily at the newly built airport on Green Immortal Island.

Soon, the rear hatch of the flying boat opened, and several hundred people disembarked in an orderly manner.

These people were the human captives rescued by Wang Yingxuan and Princess Suiyun. After a brief rest at the Immortal No. 3 defense zone base, they were sent back to the human race.

According to the agreement between the Immortal Emperor and Wang Shouzhe, these captives were sent to Green Immortal Island for "rehabilitation."

Accompanying them were True Lord Yunhe from the Immortal Palace and his disciples, officially for protection but in reality for covert escort.

This was a common practice in the Immortal Dynasty, allowing captives to "rehabilitate" for a period after being rescued, providing a buffer time.

The benefits of this approach were evident.

On one hand, after enduring the torment of outer region demons and witnessing the deaths of comrades, most captives would have psychological issues, needing time to resolve their inner conflicts and adjust their mindset.

On the other hand, it was a precaution against spies. The outer region demons were cunning, and who could guarantee that none of the captives had been tampered with?

Wang Shouzhe, well-prepared, had already ordered the Wang Clan's engineering team to build a rehabilitation center.

This professional engineering team, composed entirely of Basalt cultivators and aided by alchemical puppet machinery, always worked at a rapid pace. In just a few months, the project was completed.

Now, by the vast sea, a row of vacation villas stood proudly in the sea breeze.

The Wang Clan's reception team was of high standard, with Wang Shouzhe personally leading the elite clan members and hospitality experts to welcome the rehabilitators.

After all, these rehabilitators were human elites, captured while fighting to protect the human race. Wang Shouzhe would not treat them poorly and did not want anyone to suffer unjustly.

Everything, from food to clothing, was of the highest quality.

Under the Wang Clan's reception, everyone was settled on Green Immortal Island.

They understood that "rehabilitation" was essentially temporary isolation.

Initially, many felt uneasy.

However, upon learning that the Wang Clan responsible for their reception was the family of their rescuers, Wang Yingxuan and Wang Lici, they had no complaints and cooperated fully.

"True Lord Yunhe, come, try the spiritual wine brewed by Shouzhe himself." Wang Shouzhe personally hosted True Lord Yunhe and his party, serving fine wine and food, showing the utmost hospitality.

True Lord Yunhe, with a carefree and unrestrained personality, tasted the wine and food while chatting with Wang Shouzhe, "I've long heard of Master Shouzhe's reputation. It's an honor to be personally received by you today."

True Lord Yunhe was the master of the Yunmiao Holy Land in the Immortal Palace, currently on duty at the Immortal No. 3 defense zone, and had assisted in the rescue operation led by Wang Yingxuan and Wang Lici.

The Giant Strength Demon King Fortress was captured with his cooperation with Wang Yingxuan, indirectly earning him great merit.

Because of Wang Yingxuan and Wang Lici, True Lord Yunhe was naturally curious about Wang Shouzhe.

He had heard that those two girls feared nothing, not even Princess Suiyun, yet they were afraid of Wang Shouzhe...

Tsk tsk~ Master Shouzhe must be formidable.

After exchanging pleasantries and drinking a few cups of fine wine, True Lord Yunhe took out a jade box from his storage ring, "Master Shouzhe, this is the Netherworld Demon Fungus that Lici asked me to bring to you. It's a rare treasure, even in the outer region demon world."

Wang Yingxuan and Wang Lici had seized many items from the outer region demons, some of which were useful to the family. Naturally, they didn't hold back, sending a significant portion back to the family, with the rest exchanged for merit points.

The box of Netherworld Demon Fungus brought back by True Lord Yunhe was the most precious among them.

"Thank you, True Lord." Wang Shouzhe accepted the jade box, opened it, and saw a small piece of meat fungus root, even with some humus on it, causing his mouth to twitch, "Just this little bit? Did she eat it all?"

"Haha, Master Shouzhe knows Lici well. She said the meat fungus was delicious and so energy-rich it almost burst her. She asked you to cultivate it and see if it could be mass-produced."

True Lord Yunhe laughed heartily, calling Lici "girl" with familiarity.

"Tsk tsk, your girl is something else. I wouldn't dare eat this Netherworld Demon Fungus raw, fearing its Netherworld energy would burst me. Yet she ate it without issue. Tsk tsk tsk~ Her devouring bloodline is truly advantageous in the outer regions."

As far as he knew, most of the Netherworld Demon Fungus was eaten by Wang Lici, with a small portion given to the big fat rat and Lan Wan'er.

"Alright, I'll see if I can grow it." Wang Shouzhe put away the jade box, not thinking too much about it for now, as it was a Netherworld attribute item, not easy to cultivate.

The banquet continued with toasts and laughter.

After three rounds of drinks.

A Wang Clan member named Wang Ningnian hurriedly reported, "Ancestor Grandfather, a girl named 'Wu Mingyan' among the rehabilitators suddenly fell ill. Please come and take a look."

"True Lord, you and your party must be tired from the journey. Please continue to enjoy the meal and rest. I'll go check the situation, and if there's any emergency, I'll send someone to inform you."

Wang Shouzhe instructed his clan members to continue hosting True Lord Yunhe and his party, then excused himself and followed Wang Ningnian to the secluded seaside villa where Wu Mingyan was staying.

At this moment, Wu Mingyan lay on the bed, her consciousness hazy, eyes unfocused, as if engulfed in a feverish and chaotic emotion, her clothes torn into strips, revealing glimpses of her graceful figure through the gaps.

She muttered incoherently in her sleep.

Wang Shouzhe frowned slightly, gesturing for everyone to leave, then removed his outer robe to cover her, gently pulling her wrist from under her clothes and placing his hand on her pulse.

Pure life essence energy flowed continuously into her body.

Wang Shouzhe!

Haha, this is Wang Shouzhe~~ truly effortless!

Feeling the power surging into her body, a gleam flashed in Wu Mingyan's eyes, filled with smugness.

Her current state was, of course, feigned.

As a wisp of the Yincha Demon God's soul, her most important task upon possessing this body puppet was to infiltrate the human world, ascertain the Great Demon Lord's situation, and assist the Yincha Demon God in welcoming back the Great Demon Lord.

Crossing the Boundary Rift would sever the connection between her main body and "Wu Mingyan."

To ensure her mission's success, the Yincha Demon God had paid a great price, even consuming a large amount of demonic essence to seal a "Great Enchantment Curse" in her spiritual platform!

This high-level spell, involving heavenly laws, would allow her to enchant a Void Realm human, making them her "slave" for a certain period.

This was her greatest asset in executing her mission in the human world.

The opportunity was singular.

Initially, she intended to use it on True Lord Yunhe.

However, during the journey, she heard the Yao's Air Transport people praising the Wang Clan and Wang Shouzhe.

Curious, she investigated and discovered the Wang Clan's rapid rise, significant influence in the Immortal Dynasty, and abundance of talent, despite being a fourth-grade family.

Most importantly, Wang Shouzhe was Wang Yingxuan's grandfather!

Controlling Wang Shouzhe, making him her slave, would greatly aid in welcoming back the Great Demon Lord and provide an opportunity to retaliate against Wang Yingxuan, Wang Lici, and others whom her main body despised.

Wouldn't this be killing two birds with one stone?!

"Wang Yingxuan, watch me turn your grandfather into a slave, then take revenge in front of you... hahaha~~" Wu Mingyan grew more delighted at the thought.

Seizing the moment of solitude.

She decisively activated the "Great Enchantment Curse" sealed in her spiritual platform.

"Buzz!"

An invisible heavenly law ripple resounded.

The power of the Great Enchantment Curse enveloped Wang Shouzhe, surging towards his spiritual platform.

"Hmm?"

Wang Shouzhe, highly perceptive, immediately sensed something amiss.

He felt a momentary heaviness in his head, his consciousness briefly blurred, as the shadow of the Yincha Demon God appeared before his spiritual platform, seductive and enchanting.

"Wang Shouzhe, obediently become a slave of the Yincha Demon God~"

The shadow's voice was alluring and captivating, exuding a sense of inevitability, as if everything was under control.

However.

Just as the shadow uttered these words.

Suddenly.

A sacred golden light erupted in Wang Shouzhe's spiritual platform, like spring thunder.

Dazzling golden light radiated in all directions.

Simultaneously.

Wang Shouzhe's Dharma Aspect was automatically activated by his bloodline, and a majestic humanoid figure appeared behind him.

The figure, with flowing sleeves, resembled an immortal or a saint.

Though its face was indistinct, it exuded a sacred and towering presence, inspiring awe and reverence.

With its appearance, mysterious patterns emerged in the light behind it, emitting an enigmatic aura.

Under the illumination, a vast pressure swept through the space like a storm, instantly subduing the entire area.Under the sacred golden light, the shadow of the Yincha Demon God melted away like winter snow under the blazing sun, accompanied by a piercing scream.

"No!!!"

Feeling the overwhelming pressure brought by the Dharma Aspect's majestic aura, Wu Mingyan's once smug expression turned pale and rigid.

Her voice suddenly became sharp, filled with disbelief.

"This, this is impossible!"