Holy Son, Run! The Demon Empress Wants You as Her Consort! - Chapter 26:

Chapter 26: Aunt, I Want to Learn Alchemy

The pleasure lasted all the way till noon.

Lin Ze lay on the bed, completely drained, eyes full of despair. Looking at the chaotic state of the bed, his heart ached—how was he supposed to clean this up?

How the hell was he supposed to clean this up!?

If You Yiran came back and saw this mess, with her explosive temper, he might not survive the day.

Just then, the door creaked open.

You Yiran stepped in, and sure enough, the moment she entered the bedchamber, she stopped at the threshold.

Her eyes, hidden behind the black veil, scanned the scene, flashing with confusion. She looked at Lin Ze sprawled across the bed and scolded, “What have you been doing all morning?”

“My bed…!”

Lin Ze looked embarrassed, then pointed at the bouncing little fat bird on the floor and insisted, “It did it! It was all its doing!!”

“You wicked little bird, today I’m plucking every last feather off your body!”

“Chirp?”

The little fat bird, who was happily playing, tilted its head and looked at Lin Ze as if saying, Are you blind or just heartless? How can you pin this on me?

“Get up and clean it!” You Yiran said coldly.

Lin Ze hesitated. “I wanted to sleep a bit more…”

That made You Yiran even angrier.

“With that attitude, and you still think you can refine a divine-grade Beautifying Pill within ten days? I… I…”

She had actually placed some hope in Lin Ze. She had even decided that even if he failed, as long as he showed effort, she would accompany him back to Azure Spirit Holy Land.

But this? Sleeping till noon on the very first day—and still wanting more sleep?

She had never seen someone this lazy!

“I’m done with you.” Clearly sulking, You Yiran coldly dropped those words, then grabbed the little fat bird and vanished once again.

Lin Ze was devastated. Looking at the messy bed, he sighed, stood up, and started tidying while grumbling under his breath.

“Prince Consort, let me help you~”

Just then, a small head peeked in from the door—Ji Yuner curiously scanned the interior of the chamber.

The messy bed, disheveled sheets, and the clearly worn-out prince consort… Ji Yuner’s cheeks flushed red in an instant. She immediately understood what had happened last night.

Lin Ze also noticed the hesitant Ji Yuner at the door and waved her over.

“Yuner, come in. I need your help with something.”

Ji Yuner ran in joyfully and stopped in front of Lin Ze, blinking her sparkly eyes. “Please tell me, Prince Consort! What do you want me to do? I’m so happy to be able to help!”

Lin Ze waved his hand. “It’s nothing major. I want you to ru—”

Ji Yuner: ???

“Roll up your sleeves and clean this place up.” Lin Ze let out a hiccup.

Ji Yuner looked disappointed, her lips pouting as she gave a soft “Oh.”

Lin Ze encouraged her, “Take your time, Yuner. I’m going to find aunt to learn alchemy.”

Ji Yuner nodded with a serious face. “Don’t worry, Prince Consort. I’ll complete the mission!”

…

[Ding! Last night the host played a teasing mini-game with the binding partner. Points +2,000!]

On his way there, a system notification rang out in Lin Ze’s mind.

He opened his personal panel.

[Host: Lin Ze]
[Realm: 9th stage Martial Master]
[Martial Technique: Wildblade Sword Scripture]
[Spirit Pet: Fire Phoenix]
[Treasure: Massage Wand]
[Points: 2,310]

Out of curiosity, Lin Ze opened the system store. Everything in there cost at least 10,000 points to redeem.

But the first item already stirred his desire!

[Imprisonment Card: Can immobilize the opponent for one hour (ignores cultivation level)]

If I’d had this earlier, would I have still been pressed down and humiliated by that witch?

Lin Ze clenched his fist.

Points. I need more points! With points, I can have anything!

He found Shangguan Yi. “Aunt, I want to refine a Beautifying Pill.”

“For Yiran, right?” Shangguan Yi put down her teacup and smiled faintly.

Lin Ze nodded.

Shangguan Yi immediately straightened her back and assumed the posture of a proper instructor, sitting up formally.

“Lin Ze, you must know that pills are divided into nine grades. The higher the grade, the harder to refine. Pill quality is also divided into four tiers: low, mid, high, and divine.”

“Usually, if someone can consistently refine three successful batches of a mid-tier pill of any grade, they’re certified as that grade of alchemist.”

“For example, during my certification, I refined a high-tier Grade Two Bloodburst Pill, so the Alchemist Association granted me a Grade Two Alchemist license.”

“Aunt, what about me? I refined a divine-grade pill. What rank would that make me?”

“Uhh… probably Grade Nine… because what you made was a basic Qi Recovery Pill.”

“But also not really, because even top Grade One alchemists can’t refine divine-grade pills.”

As she spoke, Shangguan Yi confused herself.

After all, Lin Ze’s situation was unheard of across the entire history of the Nine Provinces Continent—completely unique.

His first time refining a pill, and it turned out to be a legendary divine-grade one. If Shangguan Yi hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she’d never believe it.

After thinking for a while, she said, “How about this, I’ll refine one Beautifying Pill first. See what you can comprehend from it.”

Lin Ze nodded. “Sure.”

Shangguan Yi walked out into the garden. With a graceful lift of her hand, a golden cauldron—glowing with brilliant light—slowly floated into the air.

Lin Ze’s heart skipped a beat. Damn, that cauldron is a Heaven-grade treasure! Aunt really is a rich woman.

“Watch closely, Lin Ze.”

As her words landed, Shangguan Yi formed a hand seal and sent a ball of crimson flame toward the cauldron. At the same time, she released a powerful soul sense that enveloped the entire cauldron.

Soul sense was something every alchemist must cultivate. Its strength directly determined what grade of pill they could produce.

Very soon, beads of sweat formed on Shangguan Yi’s forehead.

Even as a Grade Two Master Alchemist, refining the Beautifying Pill was incredibly taxing for her.

She gritted her teeth and split off a thread of soul sense to control the medicinal ingredients, placing them into the cauldron.

By stimulating the medicinal properties with her soul sense and following the pill recipe, she began blending the attributes together in the proper ratios.

Lin Ze watched quietly.

[Ding! Host is observing alchemy. Alchemy Comprehension +10 +10 +10 +10 +10…]

[Ding! Host has successfully mastered it!]

Previously, Lin Ze had used the [Comprehension Card] on alchemy. Since then, anything related to it, he could instantly comprehend and master.

Anything produced by the system was top-tier!

“Phew… finally done.” Shangguan Yi sighed in exhaustion. Her face had gone pale from overusing her soul sense.

She opened the lid and looked inside, her expression full of disappointment. “Sigh! Still just a high-tier Beautifying Pill.”

“I’ve studied this for three years. Why can’t I ever go further and refine a divine-grade version?”

“Aunt, let me try!”

Shangguan Yi looked at Lin Ze and shook her head. “Don’t force it. Beautifying Pill is a Grade Two pill. I’m not trying to discourage you, but you’re just not capable.”

“If you could refine it after watching just once, wouldn’t that mean all my years of effort were for nothing?”

Lin Ze smiled indifferently.

“Aunt, I just want to give it a try. Whether I succeed or not, let fate decide.”