97: The unreasonable empress

Chapter 97: The Unreasonable Empress

"This subject is not looking down, but merely a little worried…"

Li Yunshu's excuse seemed pale and powerless.

Meanwhile, Pei Xuanji remained silent, choosing to use her actions to slap this guy's face.

"Go wait on the side."

"Yes."

Hearing this, Li Yunshu dared not say anything more and immediately retreated to the side.

After the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn.

Bang!

As a puff of black smoke emerged, Li Yunshu immediately held his breath.

He now regretted it a bit; he should have just left the Pill Refining Room earlier.

However, he was too concerned about the success or failure of the Medicinal Pill, so he wanted to watch.

Yet, now he felt that even his breathing was wrong while standing in this room.

Sure enough—it was just as he expected.

The Empress suddenly turned her head, glaring at him.

"Tsk! I told you not to disturb me!"

Li Yunshu didn't even dare to breathe heavily. He was already standing by the door and had remained silent the whole time. Could this blame still be thrown at him?

If the first failure was because he disturbed the Empress's concentration, he would admit it.

But the second failure, that could only be a technical issue, right?

"This subject is guilty, this subject takes his leave."

Saying so, he bowed and exited the Pill Refining Room.

The Empress was also a woman; she was, after all, unreasonable.

After leaving the Pill Refining Room, Li Yunshu did not depart but instead pricked up his ears, listening to every movement inside the room.

Inside the room.

Pei Xuanji looked at the lingering black smoke. Although her mind was somewhat fatigued, a surge of determination swelled within her; she absolutely had to refine this Azure Illusion Pill.

Two sticks of incense later, Li Yunshu stood outside the room and faintly smelled a Medicinal Pill aroma.

Joy surged in his heart, and he lifted his foot, about to rush into the Pill Refining Room.

However, he had just lifted his foot when he restrained himself.

Steady.

He still didn't know if the Medicinal Pill had been refined. If he rushed in at the last critical moment, he would be blamed again.

At that time, not only would he not get his Azure Illusion Pill.

The Empress would also never admit that her Alchemy skill was lacking; she would only blame him for it.

A moment later, the Empress's voice came from inside the room.

"Still not getting in here."

"Yes."

Hearing the Empress's tsundere tone, Li Yunshu knew his Azure Illusion Pill was complete.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw the Empress's back, drenched with sweat.

A strange tightness gripped his heart, and his steps faltered.

Seeing no movement, Pei Xuanji turned her head slightly, somewhat puzzled, to look at Li Yunshu, who was standing dumbfounded at the door.

After realizing, Pei Xuanji immediately took out a handkerchief and wiped her face.

"Is there dirt on my face?"

With the two previous Pill Furnace explosions, she hadn't noticed if she had been stained by smoke.

Noticing that the Empress's hair at her temples was already damp with sweat, Li Yunshu stepped forward, one step at a time.

"Thank you."

These two simple words contained no deference or flattery of a subject, only heartfelt sincerity.

"You—"

Seeing Li Yunshu like this for the first time, Pei Xuanji's heart trembled.

However, the next moment, Li Yunshu broke character and complimented her with a fawning expression.

"Your Majesty's Alchemy skill is such that even if Sun Shichang were alive, he would feel inferior."

"…"

Pei Xuanji waved her large sleeve, and all the sweat on her body evaporated. Then, she slightly raised her chin, calmly accepting the flattery from this guy.

She put the Medicinal Pill into Li Yunshu's hand and then spoke.

"You can Cultivate this Medicinal Pill right here; I am tired."

"As Your Majesty commands, respectfully seeing Your Majesty off."

Watching Pei Xuanji's retreating figure until she disappeared from sight, Li Yunshu then turned his gaze to the Medicinal Pill in his hand.

He would know if this was Master's guidance, turning falsehood into truth, after taking the Medicinal Pill.

He sat cross-legged by the Pill Furnace, opened his mouth, and swallowed the Medicinal Pill.

As the Medicinal Pill entered his abdomen, its medicinal power quickly spread throughout his limbs and bones.

At the same time, he felt his mind become exceptionally clear, and the contents of the Illusory God Technique flipped through his mind page by page.

This profound feeling enlightened him on points he had previously not understood, elevating his comprehension of the Illusory God Technique to a new level.

As his eyelashes trembled slightly, he seemed to see Master sitting in a quiet room, writing the three characters of Illusory God Technique stroke by stroke.

Whoosh—

As the three characters of Illusory God Technique were completed, he suddenly opened his eyes.

At the same time, that profound feeling also vanished without a trace.

Even if he closed his eyes again, he could not recapture that feeling.

Looking at the Pill Furnace before him, he slowly closed his eyes and then extended his palm.

As his Divine Sense was released, the Pill Furnace emitted a slight tremor.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, breathing heavily.

Looking at the still-present Pill Furnace, he couldn't help but shake his head to himself.

Although he had taken another step closer to turning truth into falsehood, he had not yet succeeded.

However, one thing was certain: the Azure Illusion Pill was indeed very effective in enhancing his illusion techniques.

He couldn't help but look at the sky outside the room, murmuring.

"Master, is that you?"

...Late at night, Yuanlai Inn, second floor.

Li Yunshu stood by the window, opening a crack, and then carefully watched outside.

Inside the room, the Empress sat at the table and poured herself a cup of tea.

As the tea touched her lips, she let out a soft "Oh?"

"This tea—"

Li Yunshu glanced at the Empress behind him from the corner of his eye, then explained.

"This is the tea Your Majesty often drinks in the palace."

Pei Xuanji's lips curved slightly into an arc; this fellow was quite thoughtful.

"If you put all this thought into Cultivation, you would have already entered the Nascent Soul stage."

"…"

"No need to keep watching. Even if that person comes, with your eyesight, you probably wouldn't see him."

"That's not necessarily true… He's here!"

No sooner had Li Yunshu's words fallen than a figure flashed past the second floor of the Yue Lai Teahouse.

At this moment, the Empress had already teleported to his side.

Since the window was only open a crack, their bodies were very close.

After clearly seeing the person's back, she stood silently by the window for a long time.

Li Yunshu also tactfully retreated to the side, observing the Empress's reaction from the corner of his eye.

It seemed the Empress was unaware of who the Heavenly Demon Sect Master was.

However, that person was the closest to the Empress—Shangguan Shuangyue.

Her most trusted subordinate was actually the Heavenly Demon Sect Master, stirring up trouble in Great Chu.

The Empress's trust had undoubtedly been trampled upon by Shangguan Shuangyue.

Buzz!

Pei Xuanji's figure flashed and disappeared. Li Yunshu's eyelids twitched, and he immediately chased after her.

Yue Lai Teahouse, second floor.

Shangguan Shuangyue looked at Gao Gong, who was sitting in the room, and felt something was amiss in her heart.

"What is it that you absolutely had to see me in person for?"

Gao Gong immediately stood up, his tone respectful.

"It's not that I wanted to see you, but someone wants to see you."

"Someone wants to see me?"

Hearing this, Shangguan Shuangyue immediately realized something was wrong. Her figure flashed, and she instantly teleported out the window.

However, as soon as her figure emerged from the second-floor window, the surrounding space suddenly solidified, and a jade hand pressed against her chest.