Chapter 19

In the inner courtyard of the imperial palace, in a secluded hall, a man in his twenties, wearing a yellow robe and with a face as handsome as a jade crown, was quietly listening to the report of the Marquis of the Wilderness.

"This matter came up suddenly, and I did not dare to make a decision on my own, so I came to see the Fourth Prince at this late hour. Please forgive me, Fourth Prince," the Marquis of the Wilderness said.

The handsome man was none other than the Fourth Prince, Chu Xia. Unlike the other princes, he was born to a concubine.

Although he was a prince, his status was much lower than the others. However, the Fourth Prince was always low-key and did not provoke jealousy, and among all the princes, he had the best relationships.

Almost all the imperial nobles believed that the Fourth Prince was the most qualified to inherit the throne, but unfortunately, he was not born to the Empress.

The Fourth Prince Chu Xia nodded and said, "You did the right thing, but I was surprised to hear that Long Chen suddenly became an alchemist."

"Yes, when I saw that emblem, I couldn't believe my eyes. This waste of a man has transformed into an alchemist, which is truly unbelievable," the Marquis of the Wilderness also shook his head, still finding it hard to believe.

"This is interesting. After being severely injured by your son, Long Chen seems to have changed completely, becoming much stronger. He even managed to kill a half-step Blood Condensation Realm expert. There must be more to this story," the Fourth Prince stood up and walked back and forth, saying:

"Go back and carefully monitor the movements of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's residence. Look for any suspicious people coming and going, and remember not to alert them."

"Yes, I will do as you say, but what about Long Chen..." the Marquis of the Wilderness hesitated.

"For now, don't worry about him. He is just a pawn. As long as he doesn't step out of the game, even if he has a protector, he will still be a pawn. However, his current status is somewhat sensitive. Tell your son to be more restrained for now. By the way, how is Yaoyang's condition?" the Fourth Prince asked.

"Thank you for your concern, Fourth Prince. My son has been treated and is no longer in danger," the Marquis of the Wilderness hurriedly replied.

However, when Zhou Yaoyang was carried back, he was so badly injured that he was almost unrecognizable. Fortunately, the injuries, though severe, did not cause significant internal damage. This was because Long Chen had given him a pill, which saved his life.

After a period of treatment, which cost a large sum of gold, Zhou Yaoyang was able to walk yesterday, though he still couldn't engage in combat.

"Good, that's good. You can go now, but remember to keep an eye on the situation there. If there are any changes, report to me immediately."

"Yes, I will take my leave."

After the Marquis of the Wilderness left, the Fourth Prince went to the window and looked out at the dark sky, a smile appearing on his lips.

"The darkness cannot last forever. Dawn will come soon, Marquis of Zhenyuan. I wonder how long you can resist."

...

The next morning, when the people of the Marquis of Zhenyuan's residence opened the main gate, they found the ground in front of the gate covered with new tiles, which left them quite surprised.

What they didn't know was that the people from the Marquis of the Wilderness's residence had cleaned the ground, digging up all the bloodstained areas.

Seeing the uneven ground left behind, the person left to handle the aftermath, remembering the Marquis of the Wilderness's angry scolding, decided to have his subordinates completely renew the ground before leaving.

Long Chen couldn't help but show a hint of mockery. The bullies, who were afraid of the strong and bullied the weak, would now have to be more cautious for a while!

After getting up, Long Chen first went to greet his mother. Lady Long had returned the previous day, and it seemed as if she had just woken up when it was already morning. The events of the previous day felt like a dream.

"Chen, what exactly happened yesterday?" Although she saw that Long Chen was safe, Lady Long was still somewhat shaken.

"Mother, I have grown up and have become a true man, just like Father. I can also protect our family from the wind and rain," Long Chen held his mother's hand and said solemnly.

He didn't want his mother to know too much. She was just an ordinary person, and Long Chen had already checked her body. She had a congenital deficiency, not a weak spiritual root, but no spiritual root at all.

Moreover, she was nearly forty and could not cultivate, especially not the highly yang cultivation methods, which women could not practice.

Even if Long Chen were to defy the heavens, he still couldn't change his mother's constitution. All he could do was to make her worry less.

Seeing her son grow up overnight, Lady Long felt a surge of emotion, as if she saw her husband's resolute figure. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Good child, I won't ask anymore. I believe you."

Long Chen quickly wiped away her tears and said with a smile, "Mother, I have grown up, and you should be happy. Today, I have a gift for you."

After saying this, Long Chen touched his ring, and a jade bottle appeared in his hand. Before he could speak, Lady Long exclaimed, "This is a spatial ring. Where did you get it?"

Long Chen couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Her expression made him feel as if he had stolen something.

Long Chen knew that hiding things from his mother wasn't a good idea. To save her from worry, he revealed to her that he was an alchemist.

Since everyone would eventually know, there was no need to hide it. However, he lied, saying that after being beaten, he had a stroke of luck and managed to unblock his meridians, allowing him to cultivate.

Moreover, he had cultivated the alchemical fire, which gave him the potential to become an alchemist. He then went to the Alchemist Guild and, hugging Master Yun Qi's legs, cried and complained.

Finally, under the assault of Long Chen's tears and snot, the iron-hearted Master Yun Qi was moved and promoted him to an alchemist.

Lady Long was confused but believed Long Chen when he showed her the emblem.

Although Lady Long was not a cultivator, she knew that alchemists were extremely noble. For Long Chen to become an alchemist was a blessing from several lifetimes.

"Mother, don't move. I'll apply it for you."

Long Chen poured a few drops of the liquid from the bottle into his palm and gently applied it. A fragrant aroma instantly filled the room, refreshing the mind and making the whole body feel light.

Lady Long, seeing Long Chen's serious expression, didn't move. Long Chen gently applied the liquid to her cheeks.

A cool and refreshing sensation permeated her, making her feel very comfortable.

"Chen, what is this? It feels so good," Lady Long closed her eyes and said softly.

"Hehe, this is a treasure I have for you. Just stay still," Long Chen said with a smile.

"Naughty boy, you rascal," Lady Long laughed and scolded, but her heart was warm.

She had raised Long Chen with great effort, and now that he had grown up and knew how to be filial, she was happier than ever.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now," Long Chen said.

Lady Long slowly opened her eyes and saw a large bronze mirror, her own dressing mirror, which Long Chen was holding in front of her.

"Ah..."

Lady Long looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but exclaim. She looked around and confirmed it was indeed her, but she looked much younger.

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were significantly reduced, and her dry skin had become smooth and hydrated, making her look about ten years younger.

"Chen, am I dreaming?" Lady Long looked at herself in the mirror for a long time, unable to believe it.

"Whether it's a dream or not, I don't know, but if you keep looking, we'll have to have lunch soon," Long Chen said with a grin.

Lady Long blushed and lightly hit Long Chen, "Rascal, you even dare to tease your mother. It hasn't even been half an hour."

Long Chen laughed, "Mother, this is a youth-preserving elixir I specially prepared for you. Although the ingredients are ordinary, it can make you look around thirty."

The youth-preserving elixir usually required a main ingredient called the youth-preserving fruit, which was extremely rare and hard to find.

He used a youth-preserving herb as a substitute, which, although less effective, could still make one look a few years younger.

"Really?" Lady Long was delighted. As a woman, who doesn't care about her appearance?

However, Lady Long had been separated from her husband, and Long Chen's congenital deficiency had caused her to age quickly.

Seeing her mother so happy, Long Chen felt a deep sense of guilt. His mother had sacrificed so much for the family.

"Mother, keep this bottle of medicine. I'll also give you a few pills. After you take them, I guarantee that within a month, when we stand together, no one will believe you are my mother; they'll think you are my sister," Long Chen said with a smile, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Rascal, stop being a smart mouth. You've gained a lot of skills, but I must remind you. Meng Qi must be brought back as my daughter-in-law. I don't care how you do it, but you must bring her back," although she was happy, Lady Long still remembered this matter.

When Long Chen proposed breaking up with Meng Qi, she had a rough idea of what was going on. Meng Qi was a celestial beauty, and any man would not give her up.

But Long Chen had done it, and she felt a sharp pain in her heart, knowing it was her own inability that had caused her son to suffer.

Long Chen never mentioned this matter, which made her even more sad. Seeing his skills today, she immediately thought of this.

Before, Long Chen was not good enough for Meng Qi, but now that he was an alchemist, his status was much higher, and there should be a chance, so she urged him.

"Mother, don't worry. Do you not know my character? Who dares to take what is mine? When I was young, my cousin took my toys, and I bit him until he cried," Long Chen said with a smile.

However, as he smiled, he saw a hint of sadness in his mother's eyes, and his smile faded.

Since his father had been stationed at the border, his mother had not communicated with her family. No matter how hard their life was, she never sought help from her family.

Long Chen held his mother's hand and said, "Mother, now that I am an alchemist, our hard times are over. Don't think about unpleasant things anymore."

After talking with his mother for a while and seeing her mood improve, Long Chen had breakfast and headed straight for the Alchemist Guild.