Jun Shaochen's thoughts caused several people to perceive things differently.
Su Zimo's eyes turned cold and piercing as she glared at the prince. If he dared to bring her sister into the spotlight, she wouldn't spare him.
Mu Yunxuan glanced at Jun Shaochen with confusion. Shaochen... who is he?
In truth, someone was overthinking, but the prince's words at this moment genuinely praised the two sisters.
His thoughts involuntarily slipped out of his mouth, and even he was surprised by his own words. However, his surprise quickly turned into joy.
How could the usually straightforward Jun Shaochen think so deeply?
He appeared graceful and pleasant, looking at Su Zinian with warmth and not avoiding the gaze of others.
The queen couldn't help but furrow her brows and asked, "Chen'er, what's going on?"
"Yes, the two sisters are indeed incredibly beautiful!" Jun Shaochen affirmed, speaking as a man. Even the Haoyue Emperor couldn't help but cast a few extra glances at Su Zimo.
"Emperor, it's time for the Alchemy Competition," reminded the attendant standing beside the emperor.
The Haoyue Emperor snapped back to reality, realizing that there was important business to attend to today.
"Xi'er, let's forget about what happened earlier! There's nothing to gain from both sides. The alchemy competition is about to begin. In previous years, Han'er won the championship. I wonder if he can achieve the same today," said the Haoyue Emperor, looking at Mu Yunhan, who was dressed in red. He had to admit that the three brothers were exceptional individuals, especially Yunxuan, who stood out even more.
"As long as the queen doesn't mind, Xi'er doesn't mind," Jun Zixi replied proudly, displaying his satisfaction. The crown prince had always treated him well.
"The concubines naturally won't hold it against you," the queen coldly remarked, lowering her eyes and saying no more.
Mu Yunhan stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Han'er did not register for the competition today."
Mu Yunhan's confident smile caused many nearby girls to secretly agree with him.
"Oh! Why is that?" the Haoyue Emperor asked, perplexed.
"Your Majesty will find out soon enough," Mu Yunhan replied, looking at Su Qi.
Su Qi blinked, wondering if his uncle was surrendering without a fight. Remembering their previous competition at Mingyue Villa, where his uncle's elixir was only one rank higher than his own, he couldn't help but feel a bit triumphant. Sitting in the prodigy's seat today, he couldn't hide his smug expression, especially when he looked at Mu Yunhan.
Mu Yunhan simply smiled in response.
"Your Highness, you have been in Haoyue Kingdom for some time. Why don't you enter the palace and take a look around?" the Haoyue Emperor asked Murong Shaofeng.
"Your Majesty, I came to Haoyue Kingdom for a private matter this time. I will definitely enter the palace to pay my respects to Your Majesty during the national ceremony celebration, as per the proper protocol," Murong Shaofeng replied.
"Very well! Let's proceed to the arena! I assume the Four Elders are already at the Ninth Rank," said the Haoyue Emperor, giving the order. The crowd slowly made their way to the arena, no one daring to act presumptuously.
"Wife, are you still angry with me?" Mu Yunxuan asked, still feeling anxious when he saw Su Zimo's gloomy expression.
Su Zimo glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
Angry? Of course, she was furious enough to want to kick him off cloud nine.
"Wife, you've already left a mark in my heart. I can't live without you for the rest of my life," Mu Yunxuan conveyed his feelings in a hushed voice. Regardless of whether she forgave him or not, he would do everything in his power to stay by her side.
When Su Zimo heard his words, a touch of warmth crossed her heart, and a hint of emotion appeared on her beautiful face.
"You'll know when you win," Su Zimo replied softly, a significant improvement from her previous attitude.
Upon hearing this, Mu Yunxuan's face lit up with joy, and his slightly raised lips revealed his delight.
As they watched the interaction between the two, Murong Shaofeng's heart ached.
During this time, someone lightly touched Su Zimo, but she didn't pay it much mind, assuming it was due to the crowded surroundings.
Within the expansive Three Kings Mansion, there was an eerie silence.
In the study, Jun Lintian, dressed in black, stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at a painting on the wall. The woman in the painting had a stunning figure and an extraordinary temperament. She wore a mask on her face and bore a striking resemblance to Su Zimo. Jun Lintian's expression grew increasingly gloomy as he stared into the deep eyes of the woman in the painting.
His personal guard, Qi Lei, stealthily entered the study like a ghost.
"My Lord, the emperor has already gone to the arena. Can we proceed?" Qi Lei whispered.
"Is everything ready?"
"My Lord, everything is prepared. All the evidence has been sent to the Su family, and the Xie family has agreed that as long as they can preserve the Xie family, the rest will be handled by you."
"Make the necessary arrangements and wait for the conclusion of the alchemy competition. We will act when the emperor is in a good mood."
"Yes, my Lord."
The servant respectfully left the room.
"Su Zimo, if you despise me, then despise me even more, so that you will never forget me," Jun Lintian's cold lips curved into a smile. "I truly wonder what expression you will have when you see me escape from the trap you set up so quickly. If it weren't for thorough investigation, I would never have discovered your scheming nature. I regret missing you..."
On the Dange arena, a raised platform capable of accommodating hundreds of people was constructed. A light yellow carpet adorned it, and in the center, four rows of medicine shelves were arranged, displaying various spiritual herbs for the competition.
Less than two hundred alchemists had signed up, indicating a scarcity of alchemists in Haoyue Country.
The contestants ranged from the oldest in their forties to the youngest, Su Qi.
When everyone saw Su Qi's small stature and short legs confidently striding through the market, they couldn't help but twitch their lips. Could such a small child really refine pills?
However, the triumphant expression on Su Qi's face, resembling a monkey in the Heavenly Palace, brimmed with confidence, igniting anticipation in everyone's hearts.
"Momo, do you think Qi Er is being too cocky?" He Yunting frowned at Su Qi's triumphant demeanor.
"Don't you know his character? It's his swagger that will later become the basis for his fame," Su Zimo replied, looking at Su Qi's figure and smiling softly. Her son would not disappoint her.
Su Zimo reminisced about the past and felt that the decision to give birth to the three siblings was the right one.
"Everyone, the old man hereby declares the commencement of this year's alchemy competition," announced Elder Liu Changqing among the four great elders.
"All alchemists can find the required spiritual herbs and medicinal materials on the shelves, as well as the list of ingredients for the Yuan Shen Soul Returning Pill, which will be the first elixir to be refined in the competition. The alchemist who produces the highest-level elixir will win. Please select your spiritual herbs and medicinal materials according to your alchemy level."
"Yes, Elder," replied the participating alchemists respectfully.
"Let the competition begin."
With Elder Liu's command, the alchemists started moving towards the shelves.
Su Qi, with his small stature and a little bamboo basket in hand, walked to the shelf in a comical manner, his cute expression capturing everyone's attention.
Ji Yu also participated in the alchemy competition. In previous years, he was overshadowed by Mu Yunhan, but with Mu Yunhan absent this year, he had a solid chance of winning first place.
Ji Yu sneered as he glanced at Su Qi's back.
"Lady, Qi'er's cultivation is quite impressive. His spiritual power surpasses that of ordinary people. Do you think our Qi'er can secure first place?" Mu Yunxuan's ears perked up as he asked Su Zimo softly.
Feeling his warm breath, Su Zimo's face flushed, and she scolded him in a low voice, "Mu Yunxuan, keep your distance from me."
Feeling her slight discomfort and the blush on her delicate face, Mu Yunxuan's spirits lifted. He couldn't resist teasing her, knowing well that she easily grew shy.
Even more so, he couldn't resist provoking her. He loved her adorable and flustered appearance.
"Madam, we are husband and wife," Mu Yunxuan replied, his face displaying a hint of grievance.
He's pretending! Mu Yunxuan is pretending to make me lose my mind.
Can't he restrain himself even in public?
His charming appearance made it hard for her to resist, and many times, Su Zimo suspected that Mu Yunxuan did it intentionally.
"Haha!" Laughter echoed all around.
Su Zimo and Mu Yunxuan turned their attention to the stage.
There, Su Qi's small figure hopped around, trying to grab the required medicinal herbs. The sight of him almost catching them, only to miss, amused everyone. His appearance was truly comical.
"Erm..."
Su Zimo felt embarrassed, realizing that the medicine shelf was several times taller than Qi Er, making it difficult for her son to reach the required herbs.
She couldn't help but suspect that her son was doing it on purpose.
Below, Su Zimo heard laughter and turned around.
In her heart, she silently thought, "Laugh all you want! Let's see how surprised you'll be when he shocks the world and becomes famous as the second son of the Su family."
She hoped that her son's success would bring glory to her as well, making those who had taunted her and her son regret their words.
"Duke Qin, please send two people to bring a ladder for the second prince so that he can reach the medicinal materials easily," the Emperor of Haoyue instructed.
The Haoyue Emperor found Su Qi's cute antics amusing, which brought a smile to his face.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will immediately arrange for it."
With the ladder, Su Qi's task of gathering the medicinal herbs became much easier. Soon, his bamboo basket was filled with the required ingredients.
Su Qi turned around, smiled at the Emperor of Haoyue, and made a cute face, causing the emperor to burst into laughter.
"Haha...! Yu Feng, with these precious grandchildren by your side, life will be enjoyable," the Emperor of Haoyue said, looking at Mu Yufeng, who was standing nearby.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. It is thanks to Su Zimo's existence that Yu Feng has such blessings," Mu Yufeng replied with pride in his eyes. He believed that Su Qi would not disappoint them today.
"Hmm! But you're the one truly blessed. Look at those sons of Xuan, they are not making any progress, and none of them have even embraced the title of 'imperial grandson'," the emperor remarked.
"Your Majesty, this matter cannot be rushed," Mu Yufeng replied.
The two of them continued their joyful conversation, while on the stage, Su Qi and the other participants began the process of refining the medicine.
Each alchemist skillfully placed the required ingredients into their respective alchemy furnaces, one by one.
In contrast, Su Qi's actions seemed even more astonishingly proficient.
The tiny, eight-legged golden alchemy furnace in front of him, no bigger than a porcelain bowl, caught everyone's attention.
His small, delicate face wore a faint smile, but the seriousness in his expression was unparalleled.
"Can such a small alchemy furnace contain the basket of medicinal herbs?" People in the audience whispered to each other, their eyes fixed on Su Qi.
They were further surprised when they saw the herbs he threw in disappear instantly!
Su Qi quickly became the center of attention.
"Madam, what kind of alchemy furnace is the one in Qi Er's hand? It looks incredible," Mu Yunxuan asked Su Zimo, still concerned about the furnace from before.
"Sister-in-law, could it be a False Alchemy Furnace?" Mu Yunhan exclaimed, shocked by the sight.
"I didn't expect you to have quite a discerning eye," Su Zimo replied with a smile. The furnace in Qi Er's hand was his most cherished possession.
She couldn't help but raise her eyebrows proudly at Mu Yunxuan, for they had a lot of treasures in their hands as a mother and son.
"It seems that Yunhan's guess was correct," Mu Yunhan thought to himself, feeling relieved that he hadn't participated in this year's alchemy competition.
Ji Yu observed Su Qi, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Su Qi's handling of the ingredients and his accuracy in controlling them surpassed his own skills. At such a young age, what level of cultivation had he reached? Ji Yu dared not underestimate Su Qi any longer and refocused on refining his pills.
The four elders on stage also closely watched Su Qi's actions, their eyes widening as they saw his proficiency. They couldn't help but be amazed and captivated by his skills.
As the herbs were added, the surrounding Xuan Qi began to surge more violently, and the aura emanating from Su Qi's body grew stronger and stronger.
Controlling the temperature of the flame was the first lesson every alchemist had to learn. When the flame turned blue, it indicated that the herbs were reaching the desired heat, resulting in the purest elixir.
Su Qi's constantly shifting flames astonished everyone, and all eyes were on him.
"Mother, Qi Er might surpass the seventh grade of the Xuan level today. Look at the light above his head. He's showing signs of a breakthrough. He has been cultivating at night, and he has read most of the medicinal formulas and medical books given to him by the master," Su Li whispered to Su Zimo.
"Li'er, keep a close eye on him. When Qi Er makes his breakthrough, be cautious to prevent the Ji family from cheating," Su Zimo warned, her gaze unwavering as she watched her son.
The alchemists on stage focused intently on controlling the flame and dared not be distracted. They understood the importance of concentration.
The four elders glanced at the radiant light above Su Qi's head, exchanging astonished glances. It was evident that his qualifications were extraordinary, and he displayed a strong potential for advancement.
"This kid is truly extraordinary, possessing exceptional qualifications and an unwavering determination in alchemy. It seems he has the potential for a breakthrough," Elder Liu, a fifth-grade alchemist, exclaimed.
"Yes, indeed... His talent can only be described as genius," the other three elders agreed, realizing that Su Qi's qualifications practically ensured his surpassing everyone present.
A few alchemists, distracted by the elders' words, coughed up blood and ended up with a furnace of wasted pills.
"If he continues to grow, he will become a terrifying force. Given enough time, he might even surpass the entire alchemy industry of Haoyue Country," the elders continued, seemingly disregarding the feelings of the other alchemists.
Su Zimo coldly observed them. These old men were cunning, nagging next to Qi Er to convey their intentions.
"Elder Liu, his qualifications are one in ten thousand," Elder Chen declared loudly.
"It's no exaggeration to call him a prodigy," Elder Liu added.
The four elders continued to nag, observing as Su Qi remained focused on controlling the flame in his hand.
The corners of the four elders' lips twitched.
"This kid is really determined," Su Qi thought, his eyes shifting. These old men who are almost on their last breath, trying to play dirty tricks on me, do they think that if they praise me, I'll be influenced by them?
I'll show them just how shocked they'll be when I surpass them.
Success is achieved through hardship, and mastery is attained through diligence. To achieve incredible mastery, one must work hard. But Su Qi had been trained by his master and would not be affected by the outside world.
Su Zimo curled her lips, her phoenix eyes filled with subtle pride.
It seemed that Qi'er's dream was about to come true.
"Look, look! Promoted, promoted! Su Qi actually achieved a promotion while refining pills!"
Someone in the audience exclaimed.
The crowd was stunned!
Could this be considered a legendary genius?
Could such an amazing thing exist?
No, they had never seen anything like it before, not in ancient times!
Everyone had different expressions, but they all wore looks of shock.
Su Zimo furrowed her brows, full of confidence in her son. These noisy voices couldn't affect him.
At the most crucial moment, a small dark weapon was launched straight towards Su Qi's back. The weapon was as thin as a needle, and no one present noticed it. However, Mu Yunxuan, who was already a peak Saint Xuan Period master, could sense the fluctuations of Xuan Qi even in a noisy environment.
In his deep eyes, the thin needle enlarged in his pupils.
Mu Yunxuan abruptly stood up, catching Su Zimo's attention.
Mu Yunxuan was already standing behind Su Qi.
With a gentle wave of his long arm, the sound of a bell rang through the medicine shelf.
Su Zimo's body trembled, her heart raced, and her eyes gradually grew sharper.
At this moment, she felt an immense gratitude towards Mu Yunxuan, who possessed strong cultivation.
Su Li's small figure jumped up and flew behind Su Qi, protecting him. His sharp eyes were filled with a murderous intent.
"Ah!"
Everyone was filled with surprise. Someone dared to attempt murder in front of the Son of Heaven.
Mu Yunxuan looked around with a gloomy expression. The murderer must be among these people.
"Li'er, protect your brother. Daddy will find the murderer soon."
Mu Yunxuan secretly conveyed his message to Su Li.
"You better find out."
Su Li coldly replied in a hushed voice.
Mu Yunxuan's lips twitched. Li'er's temperament was even colder than his own.
"Is that puppy daring to plot against my precious grandson?"
Jun Zixi roared loudly.
The Mu family's eyes were filled with fierceness.
"Yunfan, your Mu family has produced another genius," Mu Yunfan said incredulously to Murong Xingchen, who sat not far away.
"However, it seems that some people don't view the genius second son of your family favorably. That dark weapon just now, among the people present, except for Yun Xuan, I'm afraid no one noticed it."
Mu Yunfan glanced at Murong Xingchen, who appeared envious.
"Exactly! How can that be? Who... Who else could have done it?" Murong Xingchen asked, her disbelief evident in her voice, unintentionally raising her volume.
"Idiot, it's the murderer!" Mu Yunfan sneered at Murong Xingchen with disdain.
"Then can you find out who the murderer is?" Murong Xingchen asked angrily.
"Why wouldn't I be able to find out? Over there, it's in my eldest brother's hands."
Murong Xingchen looked at the stage, her eyes widening, and stammered, "They... They found them so quickly? Are they even human? Is this family even human?"
"What kind of person is my eldest brother? If someone tries to harm his son, they better have the ability to back it up. But then again, the cultivation of these two kids surpasses mine. I'm truly ashamed. We're from the same Mu family, but the difference is so vast."