C120 Battle Pill

"The Ninth Princess has returned to the residence!"

The servants at the Princess Residence greeted her with jubilant cheers. Ning Qi hadn't expected the tempestuous Ninth Princess to be so adored. She certainly had a way with people, much like himself.

Stepping out of the carriage, the Ninth Princess beamed, "Deng San, take note of those who came out to welcome us. Reward each with 500 taels of silver."

The servants' cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as they shouted with gratitude, "Thank you, Ninth Princess!"

Ning Qi couldn't help but roll his eyes. "So that's the secret."

Deng San, unfazed by the spectacle, signaled his men. They promptly distributed silver notes to the elated servants.

Meanwhile, a group of maidservants, late to receive the news, rushed to the entrance. Seeing the silver already handed out, they beat their chests and stamped their feet in dismay.

"My estate is impressive, isn't it? Does the Qintang Empire boast such a grand residence?" The Ninth Princess glanced sideways at Ning Qi.

Surveying the sprawling estate, Ning Qi could see the outer walls stretching for miles, hinting at the grandeur within. "Ninth Princess, your mansion is truly magnificent. By comparison, the Divine Martial Duke's Mansion of the Qintang Empire seems no grander than a latrine."

"You have a way with words," the Ninth Princess said, a smug smile playing on her lips. She proceeded through the gates, the coldly beautiful servant girl at her side, surrounded by a throng of attendants.

Deng San offered Ning Qi a welcoming smile. "Master Ning, please, come inside."

Ning Qi cast a glance at Qiu Wanli before addressing Deng San, "Brother Deng, what's to be done with this old scoundrel?"

"Throw him in jail," Deng San replied with a grin. "Rest assured, he won't be escaping for at least a decade."

Ning Qi looked at Qiu Wanli with a hint of schadenfreude. "Mr. Qiu, settle into your cell and make yourself comfortable. I'll drop by during the festivals. If there's anything specific you'd like to eat, just let me know."

Qiu Wanli returned Ning Qi's gaze with an icy stare but remained silent. With a dismissive wave from Deng San, four subordinates took Qiu Wanli away.

Deng San led Ning Qi in tow as they followed the Ninth Princess through the grand entrance.

"Ninth Sister, why didn't you let me know you had returned?"

A regal woman in courtly attire, flanked by knights clad similarly to Deng San, strode into the room. The Ninth Princess's face tensed at the sound of her voice.

"She's up to no good, isn't she?"

Ning Qi stepped back, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, ready to enjoy the drama unfolding.

The Ninth Princess gave the woman a cold, mocking smile. "Third Sister, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Her gaze lingered on the entourage behind the Third Princess, pausing on a handsome man in his thirties who smiled back at her. She had already guessed the Third Princess's intentions. A glance at Ning Qi sent a ripple of foreboding through him.

As expected, the Third Princess said with a smile, "We had an agreement to have our alchemists face off. Have you forgotten? If I win, you'll hand over Little Grey to me."

Ninth Princess clutched Little Grey closer and eyed the Third Princess warily. "Little Grey is a gift from our father, and you won't lay a finger on him!"

Third Princess chuckled. "Afraid to take the bet?"

"I never said I was afraid!"

The Ninth Princess's anger flared instantly. Like a mother hen protecting her chick, she radiated a combative energy. She fixed the Third Princess with a fierce look. "Fine, we'll bet! You're only doing this because you have Sima Ci and think I lack an Alchemist Grandmaster. Ning Qi, step forward!"

Deng San caught Ning Qi's eye and signaled him.

With a reluctant smile, Ning Qi approached. "Ninth Princess, what are your commands?"

"I'm sending you to challenge Sima Ci in an alchemy duel. Win, and I'll reward you with a Dragon Seeking Mouse cub!"

A Dragon Seeking Mouse? Ning Qi was taken aback. He had encountered this creature in the Dragon Slaying Shop; a Sixth Grade Boss level Demonic Beast with a penchant for dragon droppings and a natural gift for locating dragons. But most impressive was the adult Dragon Seeking Mouse's fearlessness towards ordinary dragons, its razor-sharp fangs capable of piercing the scale-covered throats of its same-tier counterparts.

Therefore, this was a rather unique Demonic Beast. In the Dragon Slaying Shop, a juvenile Dragon Seeking Mouse could fetch a price of 50,000 Dragon Slaying Coins!

With this thought, Ning Qi suddenly found Ninth Princess's expression endearing.

"A Dragon Seeking Mouse? Ninth Sister, you're quite the philanthropist."

A flicker of envy and resentment crossed Third Princess's face before she turned to Ning Qi with a beaming smile. "I've never met him before. Is he the reinforcement you've brought in from the Sky Region Sect?"

Ninth Princess quickly retorted, "He's not one of my grandfather's men."

Ning Qi introduced himself, "I am the Dragon Slaying Marquis from the Qintang Empire. Pleasure to meet you, Third Princess."

"The Qintang Empire is a minor nation. I've heard Jing City boasts three Alchemist Grandmasters. Which one's disciple are you?" inquired Third Princess with a smile.

Sima Ci, who stood a half-step behind her, scrutinized Ning Qi with a piercing gaze, his face betraying an undisguised scorn.

The Qintang Empire was a vassal state of the Hundred Herb Sect. This man could at best be a disciple of the Hundred Herb Sect, and his standing was beneath Sima Ci's.

Ning Qi chuckled, "I consider myself their peer."

"An Alchemist Grandmaster as well?" Third Princess's eyes widened in surprise. She had yet to encounter such a youthful Alchemist Grandmaster. Could a small nation like the Qintang Empire really cultivate such exceptional talent?

Sima Ci let out a derisive laugh, "Alchemist Grandmaster? That's quite an overstatement."

Ninth Princess shot him a frosty look, "Sima Ci, just because Third Sister favors you doesn't mean you can criticize my people."

Sima Ci's face paled, and he promptly fell silent.

Ning Qi was at a loss for words. Since when had he been Ninth Princess's underling?

Third Princess continued with a smile, "Well then, I'm curious to see what this young Alchemist Grandmaster can do. Ninth Sister, how about we wager? Let's bet your Tyrant Sky Ape. If I lose, I'll gift you the mature Golden Cicada from my residence. Does that sound fair?"

"The Golden Cicada is merely a Sixth Rank Demonic Beast. It's no match for my Little Grey!" Ninth Princess replied with a sneer.

The Third Princess wasn't the least bit upset. She simply smiled and said, "For a Seventh Rank Demonic Beast to reach maturity, it would need hundreds of thousands of Mid-grade Yellow Rank Spiritual Nourishment Pills, otherwise, you're looking at a wait of thirty to forty years. My Golden Cicada, on the other hand, has been mature for quite some time. Its value is comparable to that of your young Tyrant Sky Ape."

Just then, a maidservant by the Ninth Princess's side spoke up, "Third Princess, the Emperor himself gifted the Tyrant Sky Ape to the Ninth Princess. To gamble with it would be an act of disrespect towards the Emperor. I urge you to consider an alternative wager."

The Third Princess's expression turned frosty as she fixed her gaze on the maidservant, "Wu Maji, you may have once served our Imperial Father, but that doesn't give you the right to interject while Ninth Sister and I are conversing."