"Elixir! It truly is an elixir!"
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom was ecstatic, her eyes filled with longing as she scrutinized the old wet nurse.
Her skin had become younger, her hair had turned from white to black, her eyes were no longer cloudy, and her spirit seemed much improved.
Could there be anything more convincing than this? No! It was undoubtedly an elixir!
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom even reached out to touch the old wet nurse's skin and face, and used her spiritual energy to probe deep within her body.
The result was that the old wet nurse's internal organs and cells had become younger!
From the inside out, personally examined, this was definitely not some trick used by charlatans in the martial world, but a genuine rejuvenation, or rather, an extension of lifespan!
"This, this..."
Prime Minister Mu Junyuan and the others were dumbfounded, finding it hard to believe what they were seeing.
After her examination, the Empress of the Chen Kingdom's gaze, burning with desire, fell upon Zhu Wushi. She stared intently at the elixir bottle in his hand: "Imperial Preceptor, how many more elixirs are there in this porcelain bottle?"
"Elixir? No, no, no, this can hardly be called an elixir. At most, it can extend the lifespan of ordinary people by three years or more. But for those like Your Majesty and myself, who possess martial cultivation, its effect will only be diluted, not enhanced."
Zhu Wushi finished speaking, glanced down at the porcelain bottle, and said, "There are two pills left in this bottle. If Your Majesty does not find my alchemy skills lacking, please accept them."
With that, he handed the porcelain bottle over.
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom eagerly took it, threw her head back and laughed heartily. Then, she pried open the stopper, directly poured out a pill, and swallowed it whole, without even chewing.
"Your Majesty!"
Prime Minister Mu Junyuan cried out in alarm. What if the pill was poisoned?
But the Empress of the Chen Kingdom paid them no mind. Instead, she closed her eyes slightly, quietly awaiting the effects of the medicine.
Under her internal vision, she actively stimulated her spiritual energy to help her stomach secrete gastric acid, accelerating the digestion process.
Soon, through her internal vision, the Empress of the Chen Kingdom saw a large amount of essence overflowing from the pill, which then dissolved further in the gastric acid before being absorbed into the intestines and then into the bloodstream.
Subsequently, it was transported by the blood to various cells, activating their vitality, both maintaining their own activities and expelling impurities.
After the impurities were expelled, a subtle spiritual energy was born from the cells and then circulated throughout the body along the meridians.
Finally, the telomeres of all cells increased significantly, and old cells began to divide, undergoing renewal.
To the observers outside, in just the time it took to brew a cup of tea, the Empress of the Chen Kingdom underwent visible changes, just like the old wet nurse.
The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were slightly reduced, her skin became more resilient and regained some of its smoothness, her complexion improved, and even some of the white hairs in her hair vanished without a trace.
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom opened her eyes, waved her hand, and conjured a water mirror with a surge of spiritual energy, looking at her reflection.
She smiled with great satisfaction: "Although the effect is not as good as that of the old wet nurse, I have still become somewhat younger. If I can take it long-term, won't I achieve immortality? Hahahaha!"
At this, Prime Minister Mu Junyuan and the other ministers fell silent.
This Imperial Preceptor could truly refine such life-extending elixirs; it was beyond their expectations.
They could even imagine the shock such news would cause if it were to spread.
Even they no longer had any objections, and instead felt a craving for this elixir.
No one wanted to die of old age. The more powerful one was, the more they feared death. They feared they might die before they had lived long enough, before they had fully enjoyed the power and wealth they held!
With such an effect from just one pill, the Empress of the Chen Kingdom looked at the porcelain bottle in her hand with burning desire. Just as she was about to take another pill, Imperial Preceptor Zhu Wushi spoke to stop her: "Your Majesty! You absolutely must not take another one!"
"Oh? And why is that?"
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom felt displeased, but did not show it. Instead, she asked in confusion.
"Although this elixir is good, you cannot take multiple pills in a short period. Otherwise, your body will not be able to withstand the medicinal power. You must wait at least a month before taking another pill."
Zhu Wushi explained to her.
In reality, one pill every three days would suffice, but Zhu Wushi did not tell the whole truth, instead extending the interval.
"I see. Are there any other matters that require attention?"
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom nodded. It was quite normal for such an elixir to have restrictions, and only a month's interval. One pill could extend life by three years, which was worry-free.
"Besides that, it is best not to take it with other elixirs on the same day."
"This is excellent!" The Empress of the Chen Kingdom looked at the porcelain bottle in her hand with great joy, though there was one slight dissatisfaction: the quantity of the elixir was too small.
Thinking of this, the Empress of the Chen Kingdom asked, "Imperial Preceptor, if I disregard the cost and invest heavily, how many such elixirs can be produced?"
"Let me calculate." Zhu Wushi said, lowering his head to ponder.
"The goal my lord set for me has been preliminarily achieved. With this life-extending elixir, I am sufficient to interfere in the affairs of the Chen Kingdom's court. Even if not, it can serve to destabilize the Chen Kingdom's finances."
"If that is the case, then I shall exaggerate the cost and use the life-extending elixir to exchange for sufficient resources for my lord: grain, weapons, silver. However, this requires me to inquire with my lord if he has more substantial storage methods."
"Replying to Your Majesty, the refining of elixirs is complicated and the cost is high. For these three pills alone, I have consumed spiritual materials worth three million one hundred and fifty thousand taels. Therefore, this..."
Zhu Wushi did not answer about the output, but instead stammered about the cost.
"Hiss~!"
Prime Minister Mu Junyuan and the other ministers gasped. Three elixirs costing three million one hundred and fifty thousand taels? One pill costing one million fifty thousand taels? This, this cost is too outrageous, too expensive!
Such a terrifying cost, even the Chen Kingdom's Empress, who had just been so generous, could not help but frown.
The Chen Kingdom had a population of fifty-five million. Its annual tax revenue was as high as twenty million taels, ten times that of the Yunyue Kingdom, and it was in a period of peak national strength. However, it could not withstand such an exorbitant cost.
At this moment, Zhu Wushi suddenly said, "Your Majesty, the three pills I refined are of a higher grade. I can refine some lower-grade elixirs, but their effects will only work on those below the Body Refining realm."
"Below the Body Refining realm? What is the cost?"
"Thirty-five thousand taels per pill."
"...Very well. In that case, you may refine them boldly. I will provide you with the necessary silver!"
The Empress of the Chen Kingdom had made up her mind and said with resolve.
"Your Majesty, absolutely not!"