Chapter Ninety-Nine: A Conversation

"Who says it is impossible?"

After a brief pause, Nangong Hao, seated at the head table in the council hall, recognized the voice. At once, joy lit his face as he murmured, "That little Snow has returned."

The three stewards beside Nangong Hao were momentarily stunned as well, and then faint smiles spread across their faces.

"Miss Snow?"

"The young lady is back."

The several commanders below exchanged glances, then all turned to look toward the great doors of the council hall. Even the pill master An shifted his gaze with the others, a trace of confusion in his heart. After all, he was not of the Nangong main family and had no idea whose voice that was.

Creak.

The purple sandalwood doors of the council hall slowly opened, and a slender female figure stepped in through the widening gap. It was Nangong Xue. Behind her followed the third commander, Wang Yang, along with Elder Wu, who entered while speaking with Ye Cheng.

"Young lady, you've finally returned." The great commander seated at the leftmost seat rose at once, grinning broadly. "Fortunately, there are still a few days until the contest. With you here, our Nangong family's chances have risen considerably."

Nangong Xue nodded to everyone, then looked toward Nangong Hao. With graceful steps, she crossed to the center of the council hall and said, "Grandfather Hao, I have already obtained the soul herb. Let us hurry and treat my father."

Her steps were calm, yet her voice carried a slight urgency, revealing that her heart was far from as composed as her movements.

"Soul herb?"

"The young lady brought back a soul herb?"

The many commanders and the four stewards in the hall all visibly shook with surprise, then looked at Nangong Xue with skeptical expressions. They had only been discussing just now how to obtain such a precious medicinal herb, one not seen for decades. Even those present would not dare claim they could secure such a treasure.

Yet their young lady, merely at the Blood Qi Realm, was saying she had already obtained one. Anyone hearing this would naturally be doubtful.

"Little Xue, you truly obtained the soul herb?" Nangong Hao asked hurriedly.

"Miss Nangong, a medicinal herb like the soul herb has not appeared in our Everpeace City for decades. Even I only saw one more than twenty years ago," said Pill Master An with hesitation, though hope still lingered in his expression. As a physician who had devoted decades to the study of herbs, he placed great value on rare medicinal plants. If he could come into contact with some scarce specimens, it would also benefit his own path in pharmacy.

"Pill Master An, the soul herb is indeed difficult to find. I found it in an ancient cave left behind by a top-tier pharmacist."

Looking at the man before her, Nangong Xue naturally knew who he was, and her tone carried respect. A sixth-rank senior pharmacist, hailed as a divine physician, he was naturally a figure of considerable renown in Everpeace City. A sixth-rank pharmacist would be treated with deference even by strong experts at the Ancient Pill Realm.

As she spoke, Nangong Xue flipped her jade-white hand, and a demonic crimson herb appeared in her palm.

"I believe this should be the soul herb. Please take a look, Pill Master An, and see whether this herb can heal my father's injuries."

The demonic crimson herb in her hand naturally drew everyone's attention, but none of them knew whether it truly was the soul herb they sought. After all, this kind of thing had not appeared for many decades, and with their limited understanding of pharmacology, they could not judge it themselves. So they could only shift their gazes to Pill Master An, watching as he took the herb from Nangong Xue.

Under the expectant eyes of the crowd, Pill Master An brought the herb to his nose and inhaled several times. A flush of excitement slowly crept over his deeply wrinkled old face.

"It's truly a soul herb." Nangong Hao and the others all lit up with joy the moment they saw the smile on Pill Master An's face.

"Yes, this herb Miss Nangong brought is indeed that precious soul herb," Pill Master An said excitedly, his aged face trembling. "I never thought that after more than twenty years, I would see such a medicinal treasure again."

Clearly, he was also extremely thrilled. Forcing down his excitement, he looked at Nangong Xue and asked, "Might I ask how Miss Nangong obtained this soul herb? As you know, it is exceedingly difficult to cultivate. I have tried many times, yet never once succeeded in growing even a single plant. I wonder if Miss Nangong would be willing to tell me."

"That's right, little Xue. How did you get this herb? The few of us old men have been tearing our hair out over it," Nangong Hao said with a smile. Now that it had been confirmed to be the soul herb, his heart finally relaxed.

"Grandfather Hao, Pill Master An, I already said it: I obtained it from an ancient cave. I will tell you the details when there is more time. Right now, the important thing is using the soul herb to treat my father," Nangong Xue said with a slight furrow in her brows. She had left home to search for this herb precisely so that her father, Nangong Xiong, could awaken sooner.

Hearing this, everyone nodded as well. They understood the current situation very clearly. The Nangong family's crisis stemmed mainly from their family head's severe injuries and inability to wake. As long as he could be brought back to consciousness, the immediate problem would be resolved.

"Pill Master An, I must trouble you with the rest. Please do everything possible to restore our Nangong family head." Nangong Hao cupped his fists solemnly toward Pill Master An. Only after the latter nodded did he shift his gaze and look at Nangong Xue with a smile. "Little Xue, you should go with Pill Master An as well."

"Yes, all right." Nangong Xue nodded. Then, as though remembering something, she stepped aside, causing Ye Cheng, who had been standing behind her and speaking with Elder Wu, to be revealed before everyone.

"There is one more matter. Among the younger generation of my Nangong family, aside from myself, there is no second person at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm. Therefore, I took the liberty of inviting a young master at the peak of the Blood Qi Realm, named Ye Cheng, to fill one of the slots for the contest four days from now," Nangong Xue said.

After speaking, Nangong Xue did not wait for a reply. She simply said a few soft words to Elder Wu behind her, asking him to make arrangements for Ye Cheng, then hurried off with Pill Master An to treat the Nangong family head.

Once Nangong Xue and Pill Master An had departed, Ye Cheng felt the gaze of the entire hall fall upon him. Raising his head, he met Nangong Hao's eyes from across the hall, and felt as though he were being examined from within, a sensation that was intensely oppressive. Yet he forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart, averted his gaze, and looked around.

"Indeed, the young are formidable," Nangong Hao said softly as he regarded Ye Cheng, his words full of approval. "Young man, you are quite accomplished for one so young. May I ask which family you come from?"