Chapter 76. Why does Jiang Hu seem so mature?

But Hua Yun has no way of knowing Hou Gong's thoughts.

'Misunderstanding?'

She felt a growing unease.

It seemed as if everything might be erased, and the Cha Jin Xian Chen Zhen would vanish right before her eyes.

"Th, that... what do you mean...?"

Hou Gong chuckled.

"Branch Master, in this world, there's no such thing as someone doing good for no reason, unless they are family."

"Ahh..."

Hua Yun let out a gasp.

She wasn't disappointed.

She was already overflowing with gratitude.

Honestly, she felt relieved.

The mere possibility of a deal being made satisfied her, and she thought she understood what he wanted.

"Prince, you want the Jin Gong Dan, don't you?"

The Du Yang Chong must be given.

And the Cha Jin Xian Chen Zhen must be considered separately.

Only the Jin Gong Dan could match its utility and value. This was a matter concerning her father's recovery and the entire fate of the Medicine King Sect, leaving no room for choice.

But her prediction was off.

"Haha, what an amusing statement. Does the Inner Sect even have the Jin Gong Dan?"

"......?"

Hua Yun was confused.

'The Inner Sect doesn't have the Jin Gong Dan?'

Her doubt was quickly resolved.

"Most of the Jin Gong Dan has been used by the Medicine King Sect Master. Even if there are any left, it would be a very small amount. Shouldn't we keep that much for unforeseen circumstances?"

"......"

Hua Yun was dumbfounded.

In reality, nine Jin Gong Dan had been administered to her father, leaving only two. The refinement period for the Jin Gong Dan is twenty years, and finding the materials is not easy, with a low success rate.

She was amazed that the Prince was providing the very excuse she would have given.

'This... isn't a misunderstanding, is it?'

The Prince seemed genuinely concerned about the Medicine King Sect.

She had been willing to give all the remaining Jin Gong Dan to obtain the Cha Jin Xian Chen Zhen, yet the Prince was thinking about the future, which was truly astonishing.

After saying that no one does good for no reason, he was doing just that.

Hua Yun began to see the Prince differently.

He was clearly a young scholar in appearance,

but it felt like facing a senior in the Jiang Hu.

She felt enveloped and comforted, as if he was saying, "Hang in there."

This is why the Tian Gong Dan stays by the Prince's side. Perhaps it's not because of coercion, but because they enjoy being together.

Hua Yun felt her eyes well up.

'Tsk tsk...'

Seeing this, Hou Gong inwardly clicked his tongue.

Hua Yun was on the verge of breaking down. While he had shown consideration, he didn't want to see her cry.

"Branch Master, why are your eyes red?"

"......"

"There's no need to be formal. If you want to yawn, just do it."

"......"

Hua Yun was taken aback.

Yawn?...

She felt embarrassed and a bit hurt, tears welling up. Her voice came out curtly.

"That's not it."

"Then it's fine. You have quite a temper."

"......"

Hua Yun composed herself and spoke.

"Then what does the Prince want?"

"Yuan Shen Dan."

"Huh? Yuan... Yuan Shen Dan? Why?"

Just as she had calmed down, Hua Yun's eyes widened again.

She was almost exhausted from being surprised.

The Yuan Shen Dan had nothing to do with increasing inner strength or healing.

"Branch Master, is there a problem?"

"It's not that... are you going to war or something?"

It was surprising that the Prince knew about the Yuan Shen Dan, but more so was its purpose. The Yuan Shen Dan is used in life-or-death battles.

When facing a stronger opponent or being outnumbered, one might need to push their inner strength to the limit or even activate latent power.

In such cases, even if victory is achieved, the damage to one's vital energy is inevitable, leading to becoming a cripple. Even if one survives, it's not a life worth living.

However, the Yuan Shen Dan can protect one's vital energy, making it a crucial move in explosive attacks during life-or-death battles. Thus, it seemed he was either going to war or seeking revenge.

Hou Gong just stared.

'What's wrong with this guy's head?'

While the Jin Gong Dan would be nice to have, it's impractical for the Medicine King Sect Master.

So, the only option left was the Yuan Shen Dan.

Other spirit pills were meaningless to him, as he was on the verge of achieving the Three Evils. Once one's martial arts or inner strength reaches a certain level, ordinary spirit medicines have minimal effect, akin to a meal.

Even a hundred-year-old ginseng is only useful for filling one's stomach.

In this context, the Tian Gong Dan's level was beyond just increasing inner strength. Even the young disciples of the open sects have consumed many, and Miao Bing Bing, despite her peculiar mental state, is not lacking in inner strength. Spirit pills have their limits, and beyond a certain point, enlightenment is key.

From this perspective, the Yuan Shen Dan was the most useful. In some aspects, it might even be better than the Jin Gong Dan.

The Jin Gong Dan is for healing after severe injuries.

The Yuan Shen Dan, however, can prevent such situations by allowing one to unleash explosive power before sustaining severe injuries.

But what was Hua Yun thinking? The idea that he would use the Yuan Shen Dan to kill someone immediately was absurd. Hou Gong was curious about Hua Yun's brain.

"Just as a backup."

"......Yes."

Hua Yun responded softly, realizing she had overreacted.

But,

"Thirty would be good."

"Thirty? That's enough for a war..."

"Backup."

"......Yes."

Hua Yun took a deep breath.

She felt her mind was about to snap as the conversation continued.

She began to understand why the younger brother who had been in charge of the Prince looked so flustered. How could the Prince's tone, which occasionally shortened, not create any sense of discomfort?

"Prince, I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"What do you plan to use the Du Yang Chong for?"

"To achieve the Three Evils."

"......"

Hua Yun was puzzled.

Was she hearing things?

She had heard it, but her mind was so unfocused that it sounded strange. She quickly shook her head a few times and asked again.

"Excuse me, I didn't hear that. What did you say?"

"To achieve the Three Evils."

"......"

She wasn't hallucinating.

Hua Yun was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha, Prince, you have a good sense of humor. Hahahaha!"

The Prince couldn't be delusional, so this must be a joke.

Hou Gong just stared.

Hua Yun was laughing and even making gestures, as if they were close friends.

'Look at this guy.'

Aside from his lack of manners, it was common sense that anyone who wanted the Du Yang Chong had already achieved the First Evil. How much effort had he put into it...

"When will you stop laughing?"

"Hahaha... Ah...?"

Hua Yun's laughter gradually faded.

She then looked bewildered and stammered.

"S, so... the Three Evils... really?"

"Branch Master, are you feeling unwell?"

"......"

Hua Yun couldn't even blink, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She was standing in front of someone who was challenging the Three Evils. If he succeeded, it would mean he had achieved the First Evil.

Was this even possible?

Could a human achieve this?

Her shock was answered.

"Fortunately, I have obtained the Liujiao Wang and the Ling E Cao and completed the consumption. I've suffered quite a bit, so I plan to absorb the Du Yang Chong and finish it."

"......"

Hua Yun's cold sweat increased.

Suffering quite a bit? The Liujiao Wang and the Ling E Cao were not just difficult to obtain; they were nearly impossible. But the Prince's tone was as if he had just taken some bitter medicine.

***

Hua Yun led the Prince to the underground stone chamber.

Creak...

As the stone door opened, a spacious stone chamber was revealed under the light of the night pearl.

Hua Yun handed the wooden box to the Prince.

"Here is the Du Yang Chong."

"It will take about two to four days."

"I wish you success. If anything happens, please take the measures we discussed."

He had already explained that pushing the red brick on the left side of the stone chamber would unlock the stone door.

Seeing the Prince nod in response, Hua Yun turned and left.

When she reached the entrance above, she didn't leave.

Hua Qing, who had been waiting, asked.

"What do you think?"

"Half an hour."

Hua Yun answered briefly.

Two to four days? Impossible.

Two to three days was the time needed for the Du Yang Chong's inner core to stabilize in the body. But this was just theoretical.

Honestly, even half an hour was a generous estimate.

Hua Yun didn't believe it.

Achieving the First Evil,

reaching the Three Evils through the Du Yang Chong.

A human couldn't do it. No, it shouldn't be possible.

"Half an hour, you say?"

Hua Qing was puzzled.

"That's the maximum."

Both knew the extreme toxicity of the Du Yang Chong. Even the smell from its outer skin was inhuman.

"He'll burst out soon."

"Haha, of course. With terrible screams. I wonder why he brought a sword..."

He'll come out soon.

Both smiled faintly.

It wasn't out of disrespect. The Prince was a benefactor, after all. But a human should burst out.

An hour later.

Hua Yun and Hua Qing's eyes lost focus.

Half an hour had passed. It should have been over by now, but two hours had gone by.

This was unbelievable. There should have been screams