Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Ok.” nodded Dongfang Que. Everything would be easier if Imperial Consort Xi didn't make any more trouble about returning to the palace.

“Imperial Consort, since you are going back to the Emperor Temple, it's better to let Eldest Miss Ye retake your pulse,” Elderly Lady Zhou took the opportunity to say.

“I'll have to trouble you, Jiuge.” Imperial Consort Xi apologetically looked at Ye Jiuge. She wasn't set on making trouble, but the hatred in her heart didn't allow her to care about anything else.

“You are too courteous, Imperial Consort,” said Ye Jiuge as she accompanied Imperial Consort Xi back to the bedroom and began taking her pulse.

Imperial Consort Xi's pulse was feeble, and her internal organs had not yet adjusted, so she needed more time to recover.

“The Imperial Consort didn't sleep well last night,” Elderly Lady Zhou said quietly.

After remembering her pregnancy symptoms, Imperial Consort Xi had woken up in the middle of the night crying and scolding herself for her carelessness. When she'd finished crying, she'd freshened up and said that she wanted to return to the palace. She hadn't slept through a single night.

“Don't worry, Imperial Consort, you just need to take care of your body carefully,” said Ye Jiuge as she looked at Imperial Consort Xi. If things went on like this, Imperial Consort Xi's body wouldn't last.

“Jiuge, don't listen to Elderly Lady Zhou's nonsense. I know my body. It's no big deal!” said Imperial Consort Xi as she retracted her hand. Compared to all the things that she had suffered in the past, staying up all night meant nothing.

“Anyway, you'll need to recuperate first,” said Ye Jiuge.

She knew it was impossible to make Imperial Consort Xi rest, so she took up a pen and wrote a prescription to relieve her mind. Then, she said seriously, “Imperial Consort, don't blame me for being vulgar, but the desire for s.e.x and food is in our human nature, and when you return to the palace, you'll have to rely on your face to entice the Emperor. However, it's very easy to become old and ugly if you don't sleep well.”

Hearing this, the Imperial Consort Xi touched her face and nodded. “I know, I'll take care of myself.” She was still waiting to see the Empress' remorseful face after meeting her again.

“Don't worry, Eldest Miss Ye, I will make sure that the Imperial Consort takes her medicine on time,” said Elderly Lady Zhou as she took the prescription. She decided to prepare it for the Imperial Consort as soon as she returned to the Emperor Temple.

As Imperial Consort Xi wanted to return to the Emperor Temple, Ye Jiuge didn't say much more and quickly left. Outside the courtyard, Dongfang Que was still waiting, and when he saw the furtive glance from Ye Jiuge, he led her into a study room and asked, “Eldest Miss Ye, how do you plan to help the Imperial Consort test the poison? Also, if it's not too troublesome to return, can I also get one?”

Dongfang Que was utterly terrified of the Empress' strange poisons, and it would be for the best if he had some methods to prevent them.

“I have to return and carefully think about it.” Ye Jiuge had only come up with this idea to appease Imperial Consort Xi, but she didn't know a thing about refining weapons. She needed to ask Zi Shang.

“Eldest Miss, if you need anything, just tell me,” Dongfang Que said sincerely.

Ye Jiuge had saved Imperial Consort Xi, so he wanted to repay her. However, giving her money was too rude, and gifting her other things wasn't doable either since she could dislike them.

“Actually, right now, I need a spiritual fruit called Sacred Vitality Fruit. I wonder if Your Highness can help me get it.” In fact, she really needed the Sacred Vitality Fruit for Zi Shang.

“Eldest Miss Ye, please wait a moment while I check to see if there are any in the warehouse.”

Dongfang Que summoned Elder He. After carefully examining the warehouse, they found the Sacred Vitality Fruit that Ye Jiuge wanted.

“Thank you!”

After taking the spiritual fruit, Ye Jiuge returned to the Zilin Residence and summoned Zi Shang, who coiled around Ye Jiuge as usual and rested his chin on her head before lazily asking: “Why did you call me?”

Ye Jiuge went numb from the coiling. She asked without moving, “Can you make a spiritual weapon that lets Imperial Consort Xi identify the Empress' poison?”

“What are the benefits?” Zi Shang asked back.

“Stop wanting benefits all the time. Don't you understand that talking about money hurts people's feelings?” Ye Jiuge rolled her eyes.

“I only know that talking about feelings hurts the money,” said Zi Shang as he nibbled Ye Jiuge's little face. This chick was still too young to provoke him.

“Fine. Take your benefits.”

Ye Jiuge wiped her face and took out the box with the Sacred Vitality Fruit. This Sacred Vitality Fruit had been obtained by Dongfang Que after he and the Bai family had gone to battle against the demon race. Because he didn't know its use, Dongfang Que had kept them inside the warehouse. Zi Shang looked down and saw that there were five Sacred Vitality Fruits as big as a human thumb in the wooden box, and they were giving off a light fragrance.

Although this gift wasn't as big as the Black Fat Rat, it was indeed a rarity. However, the rarest thing was still Ye Jiuge's heart. He had only consumed the fruit once, yet she'd remembered that it was beneficial to him. Seeing no reaction from Zi Shang, Ye Jiuge thought that he no longer needed the Sacred Vitality Fruit.

She said, disappointed, “Other than Sacred Vitality Fruit, tell me what else can help you restore your original demonic force. I'll help you look for them in the future.” Rather than sacrificing herself for Zi Shang's benefits, she would rather do her best to collect all the things he needed.

“There's no need; this is enough,” said Zi Shang as he took the fruits and threw them into his mouth. The things that he wanted couldn't be obtained with Ye Jiuge's current power. The fruits would do for now.

“How can I make a spiritual weapon for identifying poison?” You should answer me after eating the fruits, thought Ye Jiuge.

“Refining weapons requires a foundation. If you think you can do it after a couple of days of learning, you're in for a surprise.” Zi Shang gave her a look.

He wasn't looking down on Ye Jiuge, but she hadn't studied enough. Her ability just wasn't sufficient.

“Are there other methods besides refining weapons?” Ye Jiuge didn't want to refine a weapon either since she was busy with alchemy and had no time for refining.

“I have a way that will allow your Imperial Consort Xi to learn to identify poisons quickly.”

Since Ye Jiuge had gifted him the Sacred Vitality Fruit, he gave her an idea. “In this world, there's an insect called Poison Earthworm, and it's very sensitive to poison. It will run away in fear as soon as it sees poison. You can try this.”

“I'll look for it now!”

Ye Jiuge had heard of Poison Earthworms. In alchemy, the Poison Earthworm was rarely seen alive since they were frequently used after being dried up and crushed into dust. However, some places still raised them live, so Ye Jiuge quickly went out and returned with a few. The Poison Earthworms looked very much like newly hatched bee larvae. White and fat, they lay motionless inside the wooden can.

Ye Jiuge poured one on the table, then took a piece of leper gra.s.s that looked like wheat straw and put it in front of the worm for testing. The leper gra.s.s wasn't very poisonous, and it was colorless and tasteless. However, after eating it, a person became paralyzed. It was also a commonly used ingredient in alchemy.

The Poison Earthworm lifted its head and looked at the leper gra.s.s then slowly wriggled in the same place before turning motionless. Black lines immediately covered Ye Jiuge's forehead. One needed to keep a close eye on this worm if one wanted to identify poisons with it. Wasn't that funny?

“Is this the thing that you said runs away in fear when it sees poison?”

Ye Jiuge threw the leper gra.s.s on the table and wondered if Zi Shang misunderstood the meaning of the word “run.”