Meanwhile, in the Capital 2

Ning Muqin was formally dressed, her legs crossed as she sat on a wooden chair.

On the other side of the desk was Xie Dali, his arms crossed. He wore his reading glasses as he sorted through the documents on his table.

"So... Ning Muqin. What brings you here, to my office?" He hadn't any expression as he talked, his gaze not turning away from the papers.

"I am here to commission a pill."

Xie Dali sighed. "You don't need to come to me directly if that's all you need."

"But, the thing is... I need it urgently."

"Urgently?" Xie Dali raised his eyebrow. "How urgent can it be? Refining a pill only takes a month at most."

"See, that's the problem. I need it within four days." Ning Muqin frowned.

"Four days... that could be doable, as long as the pill is middle tier or below. But seeing as you're here, that isn't the case, is it?"

"Ahem." Ning Muqin took a deep breath. "I need the Body Reconstruction Pill."

Xie Dali froze. He put down the documents and finally looked at Ning Muqin. "The Body Reconstruction Pill?"

"The Body Reconstruction Pill."

"Within four days?"

Xie Dali's reaction to her request disheartened Ning Muqin. She almost clicked her tongue.

"What do you need a supreme tier pill for? And within four days at that?"

Ning Muqin suppressed the news of her son getting beaten up and as such, it didn't spread out. There were rumors, though they weren't substantial.

"My son, Luoxue... he got himself into trouble and is now in a critical state." Talking about it made Ning Muqin's mood worsen.

It was the worst case scenario, after all. Her son got beaten up, then his chance of recovery—a pill—mysteriously disappeared along with everything else in the storage room.

"Your son? He has a cultivation of Elemental Mastery, doesn't he? Who beat him up, was it someone from the other major families?"

"It was a random passerby who beat him up."

"To the brink of death?" Xie Dali shivered. Hidden experts were everywhere in the capital... At this moment, he felt fear strike deep into his bones. He wouldn't be able to defend himself against Ning Luoxue, much less someone who could beat the latter up!

"Have you considered... the possibility that someone might have sent the expert to beat your son up?"

"Hm?" Ning Muqin paid attention. Truthfully, it didn't cross her mind before this. Her head was too clouded with desperation. "I'll handle that matter later. For now, saving my son comes first."

"Hai... You know that refining even the lowest level supreme tier pill within four days is a near impossible task. My ancestors might have had the capability to do it, but I'm sure nobody can do it now."

Ning Muqin bit her lip. "How about Xie Wan, the prodigy. Or Xie Jian, shouldn't they be able to do it?"

Xie Dali snickered. "No matter how talented someone might be, both of them are just mere hatchlings at this point. Best case scenario, Wan'er will take a week, and don't even mention my daughter. She's not nearly as talented as him."

Suddenly, the door opened. It was Xie Wan.

"Uncle, I'll do it." He was both dissatisfied and eager.

"Ha? Wan'er, what're you doing here?"

"I overheard your conversation with Ms. Ning. I can do it, I can make the pill!"

Xie Wan, a 20 year old pill nerd. He stood outside the door since long ago, clenching his fist when he heard his uncle underestimate his abilities.

"Everyone from our family can make the pill! But within four days? Don't make me laugh!" Xie Dali smacked the desk and stood up. His nephew was eavesdropping, it got on his nerves!

Xie Wan involuntarily shook. Even though his cultivation level was higher than that of his uncle, he still feared the latter.

In the end, he stood his ground. "Let me prove myself, uncle."

Xie Dali was unmoved. "You just want to be engaged with that little girl from the Ye family, don't you?"

Caught in the act, Xie Wan turned his head away.

Before Xie Dali could continue scolding his nephew, Ning Muqin interrupted their conversation.

"Wait! Xie Dali, let him do it."

"Huh?" "What?"

"Let him refine the pill."

"But, why? Within four days, the most he can make will be a pile of mush. You'd have wasted your money on the ingredients then."

As a long time friend of Ning Muqin, he warned her about the possible consequences.

"I don't lack money." Seeing the little prodigy, Xie Wan, gave her hope. She would obviously cling herself onto that ray of light.

Xie Wan's eyes sparkled. "Uncle! Remember to reward me once I finish!"

"You're talking as if this is a done deal." Xie Dali shook his head. "Fine, I'll get in contact with the Ye family. There are benefits, anyway..."

Xie Wan walked away, full of determination.

When she heard the conversation, Ning Muqin remembered that she had offered to Xie Dali for her son and his daughter to get engaged. However, she knew that it was a really bad time to bring it up now as the potential groom's life was up in the air.

"Ah, Xie Dali, can I borrow the recipe for the pill for a bit?"

"Hm? Why?"

"...Well, I don't want your nephew to be my only reassurance. I'll find some other pill refiners in the city to refine it as fast as they can."

"Hai... sure."

If it was anyone else other than Ning Muqin, Xie Dali wouldn't have lent the pill recipe.

Ning Muqin exited his office and headed to the hospital to visit her son. Maybe, there was a sudden windfall and her son woke up.

Alas, that was just her wishful thinking.

.....

While all of this was going on, Lan Xiang was sleeping peacefully with Xie Jian beside him. He had forgotten to train today, no thanks to Xie Jian's charms...

Status effects:

Penalized

Barred from upgrading techniques or accessing Technique Synthesis.

6;09:31:42 left.