Chapter 275: Chapter 219: Power and Influence

He can’t watch me go to my death?

After returning, Pharmacist’s Wish kept replaying this sentence in her mind. When she passed by the training dummy in the courtyard, she suddenly punched through the wrought iron, stopping only when the defensive barrier was completely shattered, paying little mind even to the founding announcement of the Catastrophe Organization.

How dare she say that... how dare he think that!

Pharmacist’s Wish felt she had been fooled, by that couple Red Snake and Yellow Dog. Clearly it was Yellow Dog refusing to use the Return Order to save people, not wanting to save the Rabbit Heroine, being weak and heartless, yet hypocritically saying it’s to prevent me from going to my death? At this point, is he trying to use such an excuse to curry favor with me?

Although she wanted to drag Yellow Dog out for a beating, there were only three days left until the mission started, and only one and a half days until the next meeting. Pharmacist’s Wish certainly wouldn’t heed Yellow Dog’s threats, but time was indeed short, and she had to hurry to prepare for the rescue.

So she went directly to the Chang’an Military Mansion.

"Duke Jin arrives, all idle persons clear out!"

Drums and gongs paved the way, officers accompanied. Nowadays, Pharmacist’s Wish was not the little insignificant figure of Chang’an she once was; she was a legitimate Duke Jin of the Six Pillars of the Nation, personally chosen as a Foundation Establishment seed by True Man of Locking Dragon. Even the Emperor needed to leave the city to welcome her. Her visit to Chang’an Military Mansion was not a mere tour, but a leadership inspection!

Chang’an Military Mansion dispatched a senior general with Third Transition Cultivation as a guide for Pharmacist’s Wish. It is said he’s been teaching at the mansion for twenty years and accompanying him was a group of Second-Turn young officers, each young, handsome, tall, and imposing, their gazes filled with awe as they looked at Pharmacist’s Wish.

"So young and able to transition three times, truly the bloodline of the Yao Family!"

"Is there perhaps a secret realm particularly suited for honing skills?"

"I heard Duke Jin is also a Third Transition in spear technique, if only I could receive some guidance from her!"

Having specialized in Qi Blood with the Third Transition, and absorbed Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends at Shu Dao Mountain, Pharmacist’s Wish’s Qi Blood had reached the peak of the mundane world. Any ordinary person would feel physiological fear upon seeing her, like small animals encountering an unstoppable predator. But in the eyes of messengers, Pharmacist’s Wish was akin to the sun traversing the earth. Even if her figure didn’t show muscular prominence, approaching within five steps would make one feel her surging Qi Blood, causing even heartbeats to synchronize. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Like a fighting game player meeting a fighting game champion, minor success at the gym encountering a fitness icon, combined with Pharmacist’s Wish’s inspection visit, these Second-Turn officers couldn’t suppress their excitement to ask for advice.

This was exactly what satisfied Pharmacist’s Wish; she wasn’t the kind to enjoy teaching, but these officers were such promising talents, a casual pointer yielded immediate results, giving her a deep sense of public triumph.

Upon reaching the Hundred Refinements Institute at the mansion’s center, she had a good understanding of these Second-Turn officers, the senior general leading the way nodded discreetly.

When word came that Duke Jin would visit the mansion in the afternoon, everyone was at a loss on how to receive her, fearing they might offend this Foundation Establishment seed. It was the palace attendants who advised them to gather a group of young aspiring martial artists.

When Pharmacist’s Wish was a fugitive, the Court already thoroughly investigated her background, including her secret recruitment from Mansion Soldiers’ families to form her underground organization, the Brocade Guard. As the Duke’s daughter, secretly training to a Third Transition Cultivation, combined with Yao Shi Moke’s invitation to many young talents for her to choose a husband which she found none of interest, never attending family gatherings and other deeds, the Court broadly understood Pharmacist’s Wish’s interests: passionate about the Martial Dao, admiring young talent, disdainful of arts, weary of flamboyance, proud and self-reliant.

These were initially meant to conspire against her, but even after Pharmacist’s Wish returned with honor, they held significant importance—for currying her favor.

True Man of Locking Dragon had never designated a Foundation Establishment seed, Pharmacist’s Wish was the only one in a hundred years.

Though being favored by True Man of Locking Dragon doesn’t guarantee success, what if it does?

As everyone knows, aside from the oddity Qi Kingdom’s Ying Le, Foundation Establishment Zhenren mostly hide in Fourth-Turn Secret Realms. Even the Emperor finds it incredibly difficult to meet one Foundation Establishment Zhenren. This means the only time to curry favor with Pharmacist’s Wish is during her Third Transition period.

No investment more worthy than this; this relationship could become many people’s foundation once Pharmacist’s Wish establishes her Foundation.

Pharmacist’s Wish subtly realized this, for when she arrived at the Hundred Refinements Institute, she expressed her need for a fitted full-body Vajra Armor, issuing the following directives: the defense must be thick yet lightweight; it must be fully enclosed yet allow ease of movement; intricately crafted but must be completed quickly.

Such incredibly demanding requests, yet the Craftsman Master of the Hundred Refinements Institute still patted his chest guaranteed task completion, requiring only two hours, and all hundred craftsmen halted other work, prioritizing services for Pharmacist’s Wish’s Vajra Armor.

To know that purchasing a standardized upper body Vajra Armor back then made her wait two months before her turn! This was still owing to her status as a Duke’s daughter, an ordinary Second-Turn Messenger wishing to buy Vajra Armor waited at least a year!

During the inspection at the mansion, Pharmacist’s Wish asked if Commander Li Long was in. The senior general regretfully shook his head, saying General Li only returns at night, as he usually goes out during the day. But Vice-Commander ’Hundred-Slit Saber’ Yu Xun is on duty, also a competent Third-Turn Messenger, if Pharmacist’s Wish wants to meet, he could notify him.

Pharmacist’s Wish only then learned the mansion had both chief and deputy commanders, ensuring at least one person is always on duty.

As for the secret realm beside Li Long’s chamber, Pharmacist’s Wish didn’t ask, nor was there any need to ask.

The two Third-Turn Messengers preferred to guard day and night themselves rather than entrusting the secret realm entrance security to others, showing the dungeon secret realm’s importance and confidentiality, possibly even True Man of Locking Dragon’s direct orders. Asking could only alert the enemy.

Besides, what’s there to ask? Once inside, it’s not about treasure acquisition but saving people—no room for maneuvering; one can only grip weapons tightly and fight all the way down.

When Pharmacist’s Wish returned to her mansion with her newly forged full-bodied Vajra Armor, a team of palace attendants were already waiting in the front hall.

They brought three pieces of Three Transformation Curiosities along with a token list, stating Pharmacist’s Wish could select any piece, but only these three were currently available to take; other rare treasure tokens would require a short wait.

Pharmacist’s Wish took the token list and saw it contained all Rare Treasure Tokens, only very few Third-Turn Rare Tokens listed at the end.

She half-read the list before noticing an issue: "If I remember correctly, the Murderous Intent Gloves belong to Commander Li Long, right? Does the Court have another pair of Murderous Intent Gloves?"

The palace attendant shook his head: "No, the Murderous Intent Gloves on the list are indeed Commander Li Long’s. But if Duke Jin desires them, the Court can assist in exchanging them back."

"But how could Commander Li Long possibly agree to exchange?" Pharmacist’s Wish asked curiously: "Even I know the story of him elevating ordinary First-Turn gloves to Three-Turn Curiosities. Murderous Intent Gloves accompanied him for over thirty years, representing a token more intimate than family to him... What terms could the Court offer to exchange his Murderous Intent Gloves?"

Pharmacist’s Wish knew this so well because Li Long was her childhood hero.

Coming from a noble family, dedicated to the Martial Dao, enduring hardships, elevating tokens just narrowly losing to Ying Le, making a comeback... Pharmacist’s Wish grew up listening to Li Long’s stories, for her, Li Long was the contemporary legendary messenger of the Zhou Kingdom, even influenced by Li Long to spend so much time and effort elevating her own Bright King Armor.

She had long decided, even if she obtained more suitable counter-attack tokens in the future, her Bright King Armor would be kept in reserve; selling it was out of the question, she might not even want to pass it on to her children.

Just a Second-Turn Rare Bright King Armor held such importance to Pharmacist’s Wish, a Three-Turn Rare Murderous Intent Gloves, merely slightly damaged, could surely cause Li Long much heartache.

"The Duke jests." The palace attendant smiled obsequiously and said, bowing his hands: "This is a promise personally made by Bodhisattva; since you find the Murderous Intent Gloves appealing, it’s Commander Li Long’s honor—how could he possibly refuse?"