Silver moonlight poured in through the window, flowing like a river on the wooden floor.
The Cao Family demoness leaned back in a pearwood chair, her black dress cascading like a waterfall. The flickering candlelight on the desk occasionally danced, casting shifting light and shadow on the side of her face. But whether it was the warm glow of the candlelight or the moonlight spilling in from outside, when it fell upon that exquisite face, it shone brilliantly.
Seeing how seriously she was reading, Chen Xiao slowed his steps slightly.
But even so, Cao Ying quickly noticed and looked up.
"Where is the City Lord going so late?"
In the past twenty-odd days, although Cao Ying and Chen Xiao called each other by name, there was rarely such teasing.
In Chen Xiao's impression, she seemed to be uninterested in anything other than alchemy.
Even on the journey to the Black-Corner Region, as long as Zi Yan didn't go over to bother her, every time Chen Xiao's gaze swept over Cao Ying, she was reading alchemy handbooks. After so many days, Chen Xiao hadn't seen her cultivate for even a minute.
"I just finished inventorying my gains and noticed you were reading alone here, so I thought I'd come and chat with you."
Hearing this, Cao Ying nodded gently, placed the handbook on the adjacent desk, and stood up.
"That's perfect, I also have something I want to ask about."
"The Fourth Elder's whereabouts?"
"No, Fourth Uncle is definitely still in Maple City, no need to worry about him. Let's talk outside."
Cao Ying glanced at the bright moonlight outside the window and said.
Chen Xiao readily agreed.
Stepping out of the bamboo building side by side, walking along the small path through the bamboo forest, Chen Xiao was choosing his words, and Cao Ying seemed to be doing the same.
After a while, Chen Xiao finally took out three jade bottles and handed them all to Cao Ying.
"In Han Feng's Storage Ring, I found three Sixth Grade Pills that I couldn't identify. You're an expert in this area, help me take a look."
In the path of alchemy, Cao Ying was very confident. Hearing Chen Xiao's words, she didn't decline immediately.
Taking the three jade bottles, she first opened one and poured out a scarlet-colored pill with a rather pungent smell. She picked it up with two fingers and carefully examined it under the moonlight.
"This is a Demon Transformation Pill. Its medicinal effect is similar to the Transformation Pill, but it can only allow a Magical Beast to partially transform into a human form. This kind of pill is quite sought after by some Magical Beast families in the Beast Region. Four years ago, the Cao Family helped refine a batch. It's a bit strange that Han Feng has this pill."
"Perhaps a strong individual in the Black-Corner Region asked him to help refine it."
Taking the pill that Cao Ying handed back, Chen Xiao put it back into the jade bottle and put it away.
Cao Ying nodded gently, opened the second jade bottle, observed its color, and smelled its scent.
"Azure Underworld Longevity Pill, this is a good thing. It can increase a person's lifespan by nearly ten years. A person can only take one in their lifetime. Han Feng is so young, he doesn't have lifespan worries, so he most likely refined it for someone else."
Chen Xiao's heart stirred. He had gone through Han Feng's Storage Ring and roughly scanned the pill formulas. Among the medicinal ingredients Han Feng collected, there seemed to be a few sets of materials for the Azure Underworld Longevity Pill.
Just as he was thinking, Cao Ying was already appraising the last pill.
"This one is also good. It should be the Starfall Soul-Suppressing Pill. Even Dou Zhe level can take it. This pill can suppress the soul and calm the mind, and can have wonderful effects at certain times, such as when breaking through a crucial realm. After the medicinal effect of this pill passes, it can enhance soul power. However, refining it is very troublesome and not cost-effective, so few people are willing to refine it. After all, the Seventh Grade intermediate Pure Heart Pill has a better effect than it."
A Fifth Grade Alchemist appraising a Sixth Grade Pill could actually speak so eloquently.
This was the foundation of an alchemy family!
Chen Xiao nodded and made a note. This pill was somewhat useful to him.
"Are there any other pills?" Cao Ying asked.
As alchemists, being able to personally examine higher-grade pills was something they were extremely happy to do.
Especially in front of people who didn't understand pills, that light and airy feeling was very enjoyable.
"I can recognize other pills, but you can help me take a look at this one. Is there anything wrong with it? I heard some alchemists add ingredients to their pills."
Without much hesitation, Chen Xiao took out the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill and handed it to Cao Ying.
When Cao Ying opened the jade bottle and saw the golden light shooting out, her eyes widened slightly.
"Good pill!"
"A Seventh Grade Pill! As expected of Medicine Venerable's direct disciple, this Han Feng really has some skill!"
"According to my perception, this pill is fine and can be taken with confidence. I can't deny that some alchemists do add ingredients to their pills to achieve despicable goals, but most alchemists are quite wary of such methods. After all, once discovered, their reputation would be ruined."
After holding the pill and examining it repeatedly, Cao Ying returned it to Chen Xiao.
With the appraisal of a Fifth Grade Alchemist, and knowing that Xiao Yan had taken this pill in his memory without any problems, Chen Xiao finally felt relieved.
After taking it back, under Cao Ying's astonished gaze, he threw it into his mouth without hesitation.
Before Chen Xiao could chew, the golden pill turned into a hot current, flowing down his throat and into his body.
The surging hot current erupted throughout his body like a flood, overwhelming everything.
However, just as Chen Xiao was about to circulate his Dou Qi to suppress it, the hot current slowly settled like water entering a sponge, until it completely disappeared, leaving no feeling at all.
"What kind of pill is this?"
Seeing that Chen Xiao had no changes after taking it, as if he had just drunk a mouthful of hot water, Cao Ying's face showed surprise, and her curiosity was piqued.
"The Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill. It has the effect of breaking and then establishing. Its effect can only be seen when severely injured or on the verge of death. This pill was also created by that Medicine Venerable, and there is a pill formula in Han Feng's Storage Ring."
Noticing Cao Ying's expression, Chen Xiao smiled slightly.
To hold this talented alchemist in his hand, he needed to have enough things to attract her.
Coincidentally, after harvesting Han Feng, Chen Xiao now had a large number of such things!
"Doesn't that mean you can say you have two lives?"
"You could say that, unless the enemy you encounter is too powerful and can instantly turn me to dust with one move."
Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, Three Thousand Lightning Movement, plus the backup hidden energy Ice Soul Talisman...
Unknowingly, Chen Xiao already had quite a few life-saving methods. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was difficult for him to die.
"As expected of Medicine Venerable, to be able to create such a miraculous pill. However, in my opinion, this Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill should have a limit. At the lowest, it's effective for Dou Zong, and at the highest, for Dou Zun. Beyond this strength, it might not have such a good effect. I think this might also be the reason why it is only a Seventh Grade pill!"
Cao Ying praised, also having some of her own thoughts.
Although Chen Xiao was not sure about this, he agreed with it.
This analysis was reasonable and logical.
Ignoring the limit of the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, Chen Xiao slowly got to the point.
"I'm not an Alchemist, the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill formula is useless to me. If you're interested, I can give it to you."
Hearing this, Cao Ying's eyes lifted slightly.
She was indeed very interested and knew how much help this formula could be to the Cao Family if she could obtain it.
However, she also knew that nothing falls from the sky for free. If something did fall one day...
There was only one truth: it was bait cast by someone else!
Seeing through Chen Xiao's temptation, Cao Ying smiled slyly and didn't continue the topic.
"Earlier, while you were sorting through Han Feng's Storage Ring, I went downstairs with Her Majesty the Queen. Along the way, she asked me if there was a Cao Family demoness in the Central State who condensed a Dou Qi Cyclone at the age of seven and became an Alchemist."
When Cao Ying said this, her pace was slow, a teasing smile on her face. She stared intently at Chen Xiao's gradually stiffening expression, and her smile became more and more unconcealed.
"At the time, I felt that the person Her Majesty was asking about seemed very familiar, so I didn't rush to answer. I asked her why she was asking about this person."
"Then, Her Majesty told me that she was just curious because you had told her that you had a marriage contract with that demoness, were visited for a annulment, and even made a three-year..."
"Stop, stop, stop! That's enough! Let's stop here!"
His fabricated story was exposed on the spot by the person involved. Even with Chen Xiao's self-proclaimed not-so-thin skin, he felt his face burning.
This matter was too awkward!
Especially Cao Ying's teasing expression of 'How come I didn't know I had a marriage contract?' made it difficult for Chen Xiao to look her in the eye.
Seeing Chen Xiao's flushed appearance, Cao Ying smiled with satisfaction.
With her intelligence, she could naturally guess that Chen Xiao was deliberately tricking the Medusa Queen. The Cao Family couldn't have arranged a marriage contract for her without her knowledge.
Therefore, the annulment, the three-year agreement, it was all lies!
Her deliberate mention of it now was to break Chen Xiao's confident demeanor. This way, if they were to cooperate again, she would be in a better position to negotiate terms.
From the current situation, the effect was even better than she had anticipated!
Chen Xiao's appearance at this moment even made her forget that he was a nine-star Dou Wang expert. She truly felt like she was dealing with a peer, and that long-lost confidence of having the upper hand returned!
"Does the Medusa Queen know the truth?"
Chen Xiao silently circulated his Dou Qi to cool down, completely puzzled by the Medusa Queen's actions.
This woman didn't seem like the type who enjoyed gossiping.
Cao Ying shook her head with a smile, "Alchemist families are engrossed in alchemy, they don't concern themselves with worldly affairs or pay attention to outside anecdotes and interesting stories. Isn't this explanation reasonable?"
It was acceptable, barely plausible.
Chen Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.
He wasn't afraid of the Medusa Queen now, but it was best to keep such an embarrassing matter buried forever, the fewer people who knew, the better.
"Alright, my fiancé, now we can continue our previous topic. I am indeed very interested in the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill. Tell me your conditions."
Pressing down on a bamboo pole as thick as an arm, a rudimentary chair was formed. Cao Ying sat on it, looking up at Chen Xiao.
When Cao Xi was by her side, she didn't need to consider anything. The Fourth Elder would make the appropriate decisions on behalf of the Cao Family.
But now that Cao Xi had 'mysteriously disappeared', Cao Ying had to step up.
Even though she was slightly younger than Chen Xiao, she was already capable of handling things on her own.
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