The City Guardian General Su Mu of Dan City was full of dissatisfaction, yet considering the Imperial Decree, he refrained from saying too much.

"Since Princess Ye has arrived, please report to the Alchemist Mansion."

Upon hearing this, Ye Lingyue furrowed her brows.

She was intelligent and could clearly discern the underlying meaning in the other's words.

What General Su said referred to her as "Princess Ye"… not as Cauldron Master Ye.

Although she was personally appointed by the court as a Master Alchemist, this City Guardian General did not mention anything about her position as a Master Alchemist, nor did he provide her with the symbol of the Master Alchemist. His words lacked any sign of respect, surely there was something suspicious.

Meanwhile, General Su was discreetly observing Ye Lingyue's reaction, thinking she would erupt on the spot, only to see her frown briefly before her expression quickly returned to normal.

"Thank you for the reminder, General. I will go to the Alchemist Mansion to report," Ye Lingyue courteously departed from the General Mansion.

"Send someone to notify the Alchemist Mansion, tell them the court-appointed Master Alchemist has arrived." After Ye Lingyue left, the General waved his hand and one of his staff quickly stepped forward.

"But General, hasn't a new Master Alchemist already been selected within the Alchemist Mansion?" The staff member was confused about General Su's intentions.

Dan City couldn't go a day without a Master Alchemist, so after the previous Master Alchemist passed away, the Alchemist Mansion in Dan City temporarily appointed an alchemist for the role.

But now, at this crucial moment, the court had sent another Master Alchemist.

"One mountain cannot house two tigers; it's a good opportunity for this General to test what abilities this Princess Ye from Xia Capital possesses," General Su said with profound meanings.

In General Su's hands, there was also a document that had been sent from Xia Capital.

He dared not underestimate this Princess Ye, for it was said that she almost turned Xia Capital upside down in just over a year.

There were also rumors in Xia Capital that the demotion of the Crown Prince was related to this Ye Lingyue.

Relying on the favor of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, her evil reputation was quite notorious in Xia Capital.

However, if this favored princess thought she could be lawless in Dan City as she was in Xia Capital, she was grossly mistaken.

Dan City was not Xia Capital.

Immediately, the staff took a secret path and hurried to the Alchemist Mansion.

The Alchemist Mansion in Dan City was the largest mansion in the entire city, even larger than the General Mansion.

The Alchemist Mansion was luxuriously decorated, with top-grade spiritual beast skin carpeting the floor, and walls adorned with fist-sized Luminous Pearls, indicating the prosperous days of the alchemists of Dan City.

According to the information Ye Lingyue had previously gathered, nearly a hundred alchemists resided in the Alchemist Mansion in Dan City, ranging from Eighth to Fifth Rank in their cultivation, and of various ages from teenagers to those in their seventies and eighties, including both men and women.

She expected that upon entering the Alchemist Mansion with Lan Cai'er, they would find a bustling scene of Alchemy, but instead, they were greeted by an empty mansion.

Not a single alchemist was seen, even the Alchemy Room was desolate.

"Why is there not even a ghost's shadow?" Lan Cai'er looked around and didn't see any alchemists.

"Reporting to Alchemist Ye, all the alchemists in the mansion have fallen ill," a child from the Alchemist Mansion said, nervously under Lan Cai'er's glaring eyes.

"Sick? Over a hundred people got sick all at once?" Ye Lingyue asked indifferently.

"If you don't start telling the truth, do you believe I can make you 'sick' too?" Lan Cai'er grabbed the child's hand, posing as if she was about to break his bones.

Frightened by this gesture, he immediately spilled everything like beans in a bamboo tube.

Upon investigating, Ye Lingyue and Lan Cai'er learned that upon hearing about a new Master Alchemist appointed by the court, who was only in his teens and a Sixth-rank Alchemist, everyone in the Alchemist Mansion became discontent.

Under the leadership of Wang Zhangding, the acting Master Alchemist, they all went on strike, and for three days now, no elixirs had been forged in the alchemy furnaces.

"Is this a collective rebellion?" Ye Lingyue, after hearing this, not only didn't get angry but actually smiled, surprised that she would encounter such difficulties on her first day in office.

"This really is troublesome. Ling Yue, you should report this to the court, let them deal with these ignorant alchemists." Lan Cai'er became fiery-tempered.

"No, to deal with these alchemists, we need to make them convinced in both their hearts and their mouths." Ye Lingyue said calmly, her eyes twirling around, a plan forming in her mind.

As soon as Ye Lingyue stepped into the Alchemist Mansion, the alchemists there, especially Wang Alchemist who was temporarily acting as the Master Alchemist instead of Ye Lingyue, were already informed.

He was an old alchemist in Dan City, enduring for twenty years, finally getting a chance to act as Master Alchemist, thinking it would naturally lead to his official promotion after a few months, but unexpectedly, the court sent a new Master Alchemist.

If it were Master Long Yu or an old, Advanced Alchemist like Chou Alchemist, then Wang Zhangding would have endured it.

However, the newcomer was merely a disciple of Master Long Yu, reportedly only fourteen years old.

That night, Wang Zhangding heard the news and got so frustrated that he couldn't sleep.

Knowing that the newcomer was about to assume office, he deliberately incited other alchemists in the Mansion to resist Ye Lingyue.

"From the Xia Capital, what does it matter if appointed by the Emperor himself? With no one under your command, I really want to see how you will manage Dan City." Wang Alchemist lay on his luxurious bed, swinging his legs, indescribably complacent.

But just then, a loud clanging noise was heard.

It seemed like the roof of the Alchemist Mansion was about to be flipped over.

It was the sound of a gong, with people shouting along with the beats.

"There's a leak, there's a fire."

Fire!

In the Alchemist Mansion, with so many alchemy furnaces, fire hazards were indeed a real concern.

Wang Zhangding immediately jumped from his bed, not even bothering to put on his boots, and hurriedly ran out.

Along with him, other alchemists also ran out, following the sound of the gongs and drums towards the exterior of the Alchemist Mansion.

Who would have guessed that once they reached the entrance, they saw a table and chairs set up, where a teenage girl casually sat.

In her hands, she held a cup of hot tea, the aroma wafting out.

"You!"

Seeing Ye Lingyue, Wang Zhangding and the others realized they had been tricked.

"Good day, gentlemen, I heard you were sick. Over a hundred people, all sick together—seems like Alchemist Mansion has contracted some deadly contagious disease. As the finest alchemists of the court, if you can't even take care of your own health, how can you go about healing the world? I think you might as well retire and go back home to farm." Ye Lingyue looked at these barefoot, disheveled alchemists, her expression full of scorn.