“Alchemy, alchemy!”

After finishing two cups of tea, Li Meng stood up and walked toward the door of his residence.

“Senior Brother! Is Senior Brother there?”

Just as Li Meng pushed open the door to his alchemy room, before he could even step inside, a pleasant and ethereal voice rang out from outside. Still standing in the doorway, he had no choice but to turn back. With a soft click, Li Meng opened the main door and stepped into the courtyard.

A graceful figure was waiting there.

“It’s Junior Sister Shui’er. Is something the matter?” Li Meng chuckled, sitting down beside the tea table and gesturing for her to join him.

Sheng Shui’er sat down calmly on the cushion opposite him. Li Meng’s gaze swept over her curvaceous figure. “Junior Sister Shui’er, has something happened to your family in the mortal world?” he asked.

Junior Sister Shui’er’s Luck had plummeted to 2000. In just over three months, she had lost more than half of it. While fluctuations in Luck were normal—fortune is a fickle thing, after all—such a drastic drop was concerning. Today one might be unlucky, but tomorrow could bring profound blessings; however, this trend was purely negative.

A flicker of surprise passed through Sheng Shui’er’s eyes. “How did Senior Brother know?” She looked at him with a hint of suspicion. Had he been keeping a secret watch on her?

Li Meng chuckled softly, stroking his beard. “This Senior Brother knows a bit of the art of divination.”

Divination? Sheng Shui’er’s expression turned strange. The art of divination was profound and mysterious, not something a common cultivator could master. Yet, she couldn’t find any reason for Senior Brother Li to deceive her.

With a worried nod, Sheng Shui’er confirmed, “The Human Emperor of the State of Zhao has suddenly passed away. The royal family is now embroiled in a power struggle. Although my father has no desire to participate in the contest for the throne, as a prince of Zhao, how can he remain aloof? My sister and I are powerless to help him with matters of the mortal world. We can only stay within the sect so he has no worries about us.”

Li Meng nodded in understanding. So that was it. The power struggles of mortal dynasties naturally affected the Luck of their bloodline. In severe cases, it could even lead to the collapse of a dynasty’s providence.

He smiled warmly at her. “Might I ask why Junior Sister Shui’er has come today?”

If she were just here to buy common pills, she wouldn’t have sat down for such serious talk.

Sheng Shui’er’s expression became troubled. Her hesitant look made Li Meng’s heart tighten slightly. He had already decided that no matter what the request was, he would likely refuse to get involved in royal politics.

Taking a deep breath, Sheng Shui’er fixed her beautiful eyes on him. “Senior Brother Li, this Junior Sister has come to seek a Soul Return Pill for my mother in the mortal world!”

“A Soul Return Pill?” Li Meng’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stroked his long beard. The Soul Return Pill was a third-grade pill capable of repairing damaged souls. It seemed her mother had suffered a severe spiritual trauma.

Li Meng shook his head. “Junior Sister, the Soul Return Pill is a third-grade pill. While this Senior Brother can barely manage its refinement, the spirit plants required for its creation are not easily found.”

Refining a third-grade pill required spirit plants over a thousand years old. The ingredients for the Soul Return Pill were especially rare. Within the entire State of Zhao, the necessary plants could essentially only be found within the Scarlet Forbidden Ground.

“Senior Brother Li can refine third-grade pills?” Sheng Shui’er’s eyes lit up with eager anticipation. “Senior Brother, if I can prepare all the spirit plants needed, what are your chances of refining a high-grade… no, even a mid-grade pill?”

Chances? Li Meng appraised her once more. In a few days, he would officially become a third-grade Alchemist. By then, not just mid-grade pills, but even Flawless ones would be within his reach.

“Junior Sister,” he began slowly, “are you planning to purchase these spirit plants at the Auction House in the Market City?”

Sheng Shui’er nodded. “Yes, that was our intention.”

Li Meng shook his head again. “Then I’m afraid you will be disappointed. Two of the key ingredients for the Soul Return Pill are also primary materials for refining Dustfall Pills. In all five major sect Market Cities of Zhao, they are non-trade items reserved for internal use. As for the Seven Star Grass required, it is an exceedingly rare spirit plant. Forget thousand-year-old Seven Star Grass; even hundred-year-old specimens are hard to find. Even if you saw Seven Star Grass at an auction, the price would likely be far beyond your means.”

Junior Sister Shui’er was merely a prince’s daughter. A mortal prince had limited access to true cultivation resources. Mortal gold and silver held little value in the world of immortals. Aside from her royal status, she probably possessed fewer resources than an Outer Disciple from a minor cultivation clan.

A bitter smile touched Sheng Shui’er’s lips. She knew nothing of alchemy and had no idea how difficult the ingredients were to obtain. She had come today simply to seek information. Although the sect’s Treasure Pavilion stocked Soul Return Pills, her mother was a mortal; she could not withstand the Pill Poison inherent in Inferior-grade pills.

“My apologies, Senior Brother,” she said softly, her voice laced with disappointment. “I thought things were simpler than they are.”

She realized the pill was beyond her reach. She had the heart to save her mother but lacked the means. Her eyes dimmed with resignation as she bowed respectfully. “Senior Brother, I have disturbed you. This Junior Sister will take her leave.”

Li Meng chuckled again, stroking his beard. “Don’t be so hasty, Junior Sister. This Senior Brother has an idea. Why not listen to it first?”

Sheng Shui’er’s eyes brightened instantly. She looked at the white-haired Senior Brother with renewed hope. “Senior Brother, what method is it?” she asked urgently.

Her mother didn’t have much time. She needed to get the Soul Return Pill to her father as soon as possible. Facing her anxious expression, Li Meng waved his hand lightly. Two cups of tea appeared on the table.

“Junior Sister, no matter how urgent it is, it can wait for this moment. Have some tea and calm your spirit.”

Li Meng picked up his cup and took a small sip. Sheng Shui’er grabbed hers and drained it in one go. She was too restless to savor it. Under her insistent, urgent gaze, Li Meng could only offer a helpless smile and set down his own cup.