C121 Sixth Rank Demonic Beast: Dragon Seeking Mouse

Wu Maji spoke with a detached coolness, "Consider this a friendly reminder."

"Since when can't I use the gifts from our father as stakes? Has the White Tiger Empire ever set such a precedent?" retorted the Third Princess with a mocking sneer.

She wasn't wrong; there was no official rule against it in the White Tiger Empire. Yet, it was almost unheard of for anyone to gamble with items gifted by the Emperor.

Members of the royal family, however, were less intimidated by such conventions, particularly the Third and Ninth Princesses, who were the Emperor's favorites.

Wu Maji addressed the Ninth Princess, "Your Highness, do not let others lead you astray."

But the Ninth Princess was beyond heeding advice. Every time she recalled the Third Princess's provocations over the years, rage consumed her.

"Wu Maji, save your breath. If Third Sister is so eager to wager, how could I refuse without becoming the laughingstock of our siblings? I am set on this bet. However, I reject the stake," the Ninth Princess declared with a cold laugh.

Wu Maji, seeing this, stepped back silently, her face a mask of indifference. Ning Qi caught a fleeting glance from her, but when he looked back, she appeared serene, making him question if he had imagined it.

"Then, Ninth Sister, I'll raise the stakes with a 'Skyhowl White Tiger.' Surely that will satisfy you?" the Third Princess proposed with a smile.

"A Skyhowl White Tiger? That's akin to two Sixth Rank Demonic Beasts. I wonder if it's fully grown," Ning Qi mused internally.

His recent days had deepened his knowledge of the White Tiger Empire. He learned of the four sacred beasts, descendants of the Demonic Beasts once nurtured by the empire's founding Emperor.

The Fifth Rank Demon Beast, the 'Ice Crystal White Tiger,' was the breed that pulled the Ninth Princess's carriage.

Sixth Rank Demonic Beast: 'Skyhowl White Tiger.'

Seventh Rank Demonic Beast: 'Profound Spirit White Tiger.'

Eighth Rank Demonic Beast: 'Holy Fire White Tiger.'

The Ice Crystal White Tiger is an essential Demonic Beast for members of the imperial family, with each prince and princess owning a dozen or more as a mark of their royal status. To outsiders, the presence of these majestic creatures signals the passage of royalty, prompting them to respectfully make way.

The Tier 6 Skyhowl White Tiger is a prestigious gift from the Emperor, bestowed upon princesses upon leaving the pavilion, or princes upon their marriage and coming of age.

The Seventh Rank Profound Spirit White Tiger is reserved for those who have achieved great deeds, with even the Imperial Palace housing only a few adults of this rare breed.

Among the four varieties, the Holy Fire White Tiger reigns supreme, serving as the exclusive Demonic Beast for the Emperor of the White Tiger Empire. An adult Holy Fire White Tiger rivals a high-grade Tier 8 Demonic Beast in power!

Possessing the 'Nine Heavens Sacred Flame', an Alien Flame ranked within the top thirty, it can incinerate even a seasoned Battle Sovereign upon contact, representing the pinnacle of the White Tiger Empire's military might.

In truth, the Ice Crystal White Tiger and the Holy Fire White Tiger share a common lineage. Millennia of breeding and certain historical interventions have led to the emergence of four distinct types of white tigers. In theory, an Ice Crystal White Tiger could evolve into a Holy Fire White Tiger, but the odds are exceedingly slim. The White Tiger Empire has yet to witness such a transformation. The closest attempt involved an exorbitant cost to elevate an Ice Crystal White Tiger to the Profound Spirit level—a price equal to a decade of the empire's treasury earnings, a venture that proved to be a disastrous investment.

Since then, no further attempts have been made to induce such an evolution.

"If I win, I'll parade the Skyhowl White Tiger around the Imperial Palace. Once everyone knows that Third Sister has been bested by me, we'll see if she still dares to cross me," mused the Ninth Princess with a chuckle. "Agreed, that's the deal," she declared.

"Then let's draft the contract," the Third Princess proposed with a smile.

After the contract was signed, the Ninth Princess suggested, "Let's wager on the crafting of a Yellow Rank Medium-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill." As she spoke, a cunning glint flickered in her eyes.

Sima Ci let out a derisive snort. "An Alchemist Grandmaster competing to refine a Yellow Rank Medium-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill? That's utterly ridiculous."

The Third Princess chimed in with a laugh, "Indeed, you must be jesting."

Ninth Princess furrowed her brow and challenged, "Then what pill do you propose we refine? If my people aren't familiar with the formula, how can there be a competition?"

"Let him set the terms of the contest!"

The Third Princess turned her gaze to Ning Qi.

Ning Qi, however, directed a sycophantic grin at the Ninth Princess. "Your Highness, you mentioned that if I win, you'd bestow upon me a Dragon Seeking Mouse."

Deng San's lips curled into a faint smile. His eyes held a hint of ridicule as they settled on Ning Qi. Throughout their journey, Ning Qi had been obsequiously sweet-talking them, yet he exuded an innate defiance. Deng San had let it slide since Ning Qi had managed not to offend the princess. It wasn't unusual for an Alchemist Grandmaster to carry a touch of arrogance.

But upon hearing about the reward of a Dragon Seeking Mouse, Ning Qi's demeanor shifted to one of blatant opportunism.

The Ninth Princess replied with a hint of impatience, "Of course. Do you take me for a jester? Tell them which pill befitting of an Alchemist Grandmaster's status you intend to craft. Win this contest, and the reward is yours, guaranteed!"

"Please bear with me for a moment," Ning Qi said, feigning deep contemplation as he closed his eyes. In reality, he had accessed the Dragon Slaying Shop in search of the right formula.

With Chief Qiao summoned, Ning Qi had a balance of 45,700 Dragon Slaying Coins—ample for acquiring a Third Rank pill formula. He had come to a realization over the past few days: rather than hoarding coins for the Moonlight Blade, it was wiser to enhance his own capabilities, especially given the grueling tasks he faced serving under the capricious Princess Diaoman.

"Such an act of false profundity," Sima Ci scoffed with contempt.

He couldn't fathom that a third-rate Alchemist Grandmaster from the Qintang Empire would be privy to an array of pill formulas. To him, Ning Qi's display was nothing more than a tactic to exert pressure.

"I'm not falling for it," he thought, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

The Third Princess wore a serene smile, yet a flicker of doubt passed through her eyes, nearly imperceptible to the onlookers.

"Can he really be familiar with so many pill formulas? Does he need this much time to ponder?"

The Ninth Princess was initially taken aback, but her surprise quickly turned to delight. The longer Ning Qi deliberated, the more her confidence in him grew.

Wu Maji gave Ning Qi a detached glance, her thoughts inscrutable.

"First Rank pill formulas include the Yellow Rank Low-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill and the Low-grade Yellow Rank Qi Gathering Pill."

"Second Rank pill formulas comprise the Yellow Rank Medium-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill, the High-grade Yellow Rank Revival Pill, and the Supreme Yellow Rank Detoxification Pill."

"Third Rank pill formulas feature the Mid-grade Yellow Rank Unique Battle Pill and the Mid-grade Yellow Rank Cocoon Breaking Pill."

Ning Qi's mind raced through the familiar pill formulas. The rank of a pill formula didn't necessarily correlate with the rank of the resulting pill. Some First Rank formulas could yield pills of Supreme Yellow Rank, while certain Third Rank formulas might only produce pills of Low or Medium Yellow Rank.

The rank of a pill formula was tied to the scarcity and complexity of the pill it produced. Once mastered, the caliber of the pills he could craft hinged solely on his prowess as an alchemist. Naturally, even the quality of the pills had its limits.