Chapter 64

**Boom**

The alchemy furnace shook violently, terrifying energy surging as if a wildly struggling beast was sealed within.

**Seal**

Long Chen shouted, pressing his palm firmly on the furnace lid, but the essence of the alchemy pill was not something that could be sealed by mere physical strength.

**Whoosh**

As his palm covered the lid, powerful soul force surged like a tide, forming layers of seals around the alchemy furnace, tightly locking its edges.

After a full half an hour of intense struggle, the alchemy furnace finally began to slowly calm down, eventually becoming completely still.

Slowly opening the lid, the dark room immediately brightened, revealing a pill that glowed softly like a night pearl.

"Hehe, finally succeeded."

Long Chen let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead. A wave of intense fatigue washed over him, and he felt as if he was about to faint.

This was the third batch of pills he had refined. The first batch was the Star Melting Pill for Chu Yao, which, in comparison, was the easiest to refine.

The second was the Soul Devouring Heart-Corrupting Pill, a poisonous pill made from the Heart-Corrupting Grass, used for self-defense.

The last one, the most difficult to refine, was the Soul Nourishing Pill, made from the Night Demon skull he obtained from the Huayun Pavilion.

The Night Demon resembled a bat, with an adult body reaching up to three zhang in length, extremely fierce and bloodthirsty. Most terrifyingly, the Night Demon possessed the ability to attack souls.

This was an extremely terrifying attack, directly targeting a person's soul, making it impossible to guard against.

Long Chen used the crystal core from the skull of this second-stage demon beast as the main ingredient, successfully refining a Soul Nourishing Pill.

The Soul Nourishing Pill was a very special type of pill, almost extinct in the modern world. In Long Chen's memory as a Pill Emperor, there were only three such soul-nourishing formulas.

The Soul Nourishing Pill could nourish a person's soul, especially for soul cultivators. In the early stages of cultivation, consuming such a pill would ensure a significant lead over others from the start.

This was one of the few pills without any side effects, and it was very precious to Long Chen, as alchemists also needed powerful soul force.

However, looking at the Soul Nourishing Pill that glowed like a night pearl, the first thing that came to Long Chen's mind was Meng Qi's flawless face.

Meng Qi was a beast tamer, a true soul cultivator. Giving it to her would not be a waste.

However, Meng Qi was currently in the Fenghun Pavilion, and he had no idea where it was. He had no news and no way to deliver the pill to her.

Sighing, he put the Soul Nourishing Pill away. If he didn't see Meng Qi within half a year, he would have to consume it himself.

After all, the Soul Nourishing Pill was different from other pills. After half a year, the soul force inside would begin to dissipate.

After putting away the pill, Long Chen could no longer hold on. Waves of fatigue washed over him, and he fell asleep. When he opened his eyes again, it was already noon the next day.

After getting up and washing up, he greeted his mother, had lunch, and then went out to meet Chu Feng.

He had agreed to meet Chu Feng at a teahouse. When Long Chen arrived, Chu Feng was already waiting.

Beside Chu Feng was a middle-aged man. The moment the man saw Long Chen, he suddenly blacked out and fainted.

After knocking out the guard with a palm, Long Chen immediately applied a disguise solution to his face. Within a short time, he had changed into the guard's uniform and followed Chu Feng toward the palace.

Everything went according to plan. Recently, Chu Feng had been following Long Chen's instructions, always bringing a guard with him to avoid suspicion.

Now, with Long Chen by his side, they wouldn't stand out as much. Indeed, they entered the inner courtyard of the palace very easily.

It was Long Chen's first time entering the palace. The winding paths inside made him dizzy, and if not for his powerful soul force, anyone else would have been lost long ago.

"Brother Long, my sister is under house arrest in her own Yurao Palace. There are guards outside, but they have never stopped me when I visit her. However, I have no confidence in bringing you in this time," Chu Feng said with some worry.

"It's fine. We'll take our chances and adapt as we go. If it doesn't work, I won't force it," Long Chen nodded.

One reason Long Chen came was to deliver the pill to Chu Yao to resolve the foreign true qi in her body.

After all, there was only one Star Melting Pill, and refining the pill required certain skills. If Long Chen was there to protect her, any unexpected issues could be addressed.

Additionally, since the Lantern Festival, Long Chen had been thinking about the beautiful Chu Yao. He wanted to give her more confidence, to let her know that no matter how hard the times, he would be by her side.

He hoped to share some of her inner pain and not let her suffer alone, so he came.

Finally, they arrived at a palace, the Yurao Palace, where Princess Chu Yao was confined. Eight guards in brocade uniforms stood at the entrance.

Around the Yurao Palace, dozens of soldiers patrolled, making Long Chen's blood boil.

This was the palace, Chu Yao's home, but she was guarded by so many people. What was the difference from being in prison? Long Chen's resentment toward the royal family grew.

"The Empress Dowager has ordered that no outsiders may enter the Yurao Palace."

Sure enough, as soon as Chu Feng and Long Chen reached the entrance, they were stopped by the guards.

"Ridiculous! I'm here to see my sister. Why can't I enter?" Chu Feng's face turned angry, and he shouted.

"Seventh Prince, I apologize, but you can enter, while your guard cannot," the guard said respectfully.

"Ridiculous! He is my personal guard, the one I trust the most. Do you think I can't have you beheaded with a word?" Chu Feng shouted fiercely.

The guard shook his head and said calmly, "I apologize, but this is the Empress Dowager's order, and no one can change it."

While Chu Feng and the guard were arguing, Long Chen had already spread his divine sense. He saw a figure sitting by the window, and his heart ached.

Chu Yao was still beautiful, but she had lost weight and looked very haggard. Clearly, the days of confinement had been very hard on her.

Long Chen wanted to punch the guard who was blocking them, but he dared not. This was the palace, and he couldn't act rashly.

"What's going on here, making such a commotion?"

Suddenly, an unhappy voice rang out, and a figure appeared before them.

"Your Highness, Fourth Prince."

The person was none other than the Fourth Prince, Chu Xia. It seemed he had just passed by and heard the commotion.

Seeing the Fourth Prince, Long Chen frowned slightly. Chu Xia was looking at him with surprise.

Long Chen was startled. Although he didn't know where he had slipped up, his intuition told him that Chu Xia had recognized him.

"What's going on?" Chu Xia glanced at Long Chen and then looked at the guards with displeasure.

"Your Highness, the Seventh Prince wants to bring this guard into the Yurao Palace, but..."

"Ridiculous! You insolent servant, are you questioning my brother? Would he harm his own sister?" the Fourth Prince suddenly shouted.

"I dare not," the guard was startled and quickly knelt down, clearly more afraid of the Fourth Prince than the Seventh Prince.

"Let them in," the Fourth Prince said coldly.

"But..."

"If the Empress Dowager blames us, I will take the responsibility. Do you not trust me?" the Fourth Prince shouted.

"I dare not," the guard, seeing this, no longer dared to speak.

"Go in," the Fourth Prince patted Chu Feng's shoulder, but his eyes looked at Long Chen with deep meaning.

Long Chen nodded. Although he didn't know why the Fourth Prince was helping him, now was not the time to think about it.

Seeing Long Chen and the Seventh Prince enter the Yurao Palace, the Fourth Prince smiled, thought for a moment, and then disappeared.

Entering the Yurao Palace, they passed through the front gate and arrived at the courtyard. Chu Yao, who had been leaning by the window, looking at the fish in the pond below, suddenly turned around and looked at the two of them.

When she saw Long Chen, she was first stunned, then her beautiful eyes filled with joy, and she covered her mouth with her hand as tears streamed down her face.

Clearly, she recognized Long Chen. Long Chen slowly walked to Chu Yao and said apologetically, "Sorry, I'm late."

"Sniff, sniff."

Chu Yao couldn't hold back any longer and threw herself into Long Chen's arms, sobbing uncontrollably, as if trying to cry out all her grievances.

During this time, she had been under house arrest. When she heard that the Empress Dowager had decided to marry her to Xia Changfeng, she felt like she was about to collapse.

If it weren't for Chu Feng secretly bringing her Long Chen's promise, she might have already given up and left this gray world.

These days, Chu Yao watched the sun rise and set, waiting bitterly. Each day felt longer than a year, and only she knew the pain.

For a moment, the fragrant scent of Chu Yao filled Long Chen's senses. He gently stroked her long hair, letting her vent.

At the same time, Long Chen secretly vowed that no matter what the cost, he would protect Chu Yao, even if it meant his own death.

Sometimes he felt that Chu Yao was even more pitiful than himself. No matter what, Long Chen had loving parents, while Chu Yao lived in a palace with no warmth, with no one to trust or rely on. For a weak woman, it was truly too hard.

While he was lost in thought, Long Chen noticed that Chu Feng was standing there, unsure of what to do, neither leaving nor staying.

"Cough," Long Chen coughed lightly, and Chu Yao finally reacted, quickly stepping out of Long Chen's arms, her face as red as blood, too embarrassed to look at anyone.

"Should I leave for a while?" Chu Feng asked tentatively.

"No, just keep watch for me. I have some secret matters to discuss with your sister," Long Chen waved his hand.

But seeing Chu Feng's stunned expression, he knew the boy had misunderstood and quickly added, "It's not what you think."

Not explaining would have been better. The more he explained, the more obvious it became. Chu Yao's face turned even redder, like a ripe apple, too embarrassed to show her face.

Long Chen decided not to explain further, pulled Chu Yao, and headed straight upstairs, leaving Chu Feng standing there, dumbfounded.