The inner courtyard of the City Lord’s mansion had guards posted every three steps and sentries every five steps—truly heavily guarded.

Jun Changxiao followed a burly general inside and, looking at the well-trained soldiers standing everywhere, thought to himself, “Worthy of being the imperial house—the formation is truly grand.”

City Lord Wang had notified him that the imperial house had come to visit. He was still somewhat surprised. After all, he had only been treating patients in the Crimson Prison Realm for a few days—how had word already spread to the distant imperial capital?

Could there be a patient?

Thinking about this type of wealthy man’s disease that became more likely the more Flame Stones one absorbed, Jun Changxiao immediately understood.

“Mister Jun.”

The general said while walking, “Please don’t spread word of this visit.”

“Understood.”

Jun Changxiao could tell that the martial artists in the city were living as usual, indicating the imperial house had come secretly.

“Step.”

The general stopped outside a room and clasped his hands, saying, “Young master, Mister Jun has arrived.”

“Please enter.”

A slightly weak voice came from inside.

Although Jun Changxiao didn’t understand medicine, he could still judge that the speaker definitely had an illness.

“Please.”

The general gestured.

Jun Changxiao unceremoniously pushed the door open and saw inside there was only a gracefully beautiful woman.

She sat in a grand chair, her face pale, eyes vacant, corners of her mouth forcing a difficult smile—looking pitiful.

“This is the Azure Mist Empire’s imperial house?” Jun Changxiao wondered inwardly.

“Visiting so suddenly.”

The woman said, “Please forgive me, Mister Jun.”

Although her voice was weak, her speech revealed nobility. One could see she not only had status but also very high cultural refinement.

Jun Changxiao sat in the chair obviously prepared for him and clasped his hands, saying, “How should I address the young lady?”

“Yu Feiya.”

The woman seemed to find speaking somewhat exhausting, so she simplified the formalities and very straightforwardly introduced herself, “Princess Imperial of the Azure Mist Empire.”

Princess?

This status was quite significant!

Jun Changxiao stood up and pretended to be respectful, saying, “Commoner Jun Chaoshuai pays respects to the Princess!”

On someone else’s territory, naturally he had to follow procedures.

Moreover, whether he could make big money depended on these major imperial house clients. Showing some modesty wasn’t a problem.

“Why be modest when modest!” The System roared, “Why must you call yourself Jun Chaoshuai!”

“Because I want to!”

“…”

Yu Feiya said with a bitter expression, “My Azure Mist Empire has already reached its twilight. It doesn’t deserve for an extraordinary person like Mister Jun to bow and show such respect.”

Jun Changxiao was stunned.

Although the Azure Mist Empire existed in name only, it was still nominally the controller.

Now even the Princess Imperial herself looked down on herself—this imperial house really was pathetically useless.

“Princess.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Have you come to seek treatment?”

“That’s correct.”

Yu Feiya’s speech became increasingly labored, so after saying two words she paused for a while before continuing, “I heard that Mister Jun can completely cure fire toxin terminal illness, so I’ve come specially to seek medical treatment.”

Jun Changxiao said, “The Princess doesn’t seem to have contracted fire toxin terminal illness.”

“That’s because I’ve been using a special pill to suppress it. Although it restrains the toxin from spreading, the consequence is being constantly weak and frail.” Yu Feiya said.

“I see.”

Jun Changxiao understood and immediately took out a pill.

“Saving lives is like fighting fires. Please quickly take this, Princess, and completely escape the torment of fire toxin.”

Yu Feiya had long heard of this miraculous pill. Since she had come from the imperial capital to seek treatment, she naturally wouldn’t doubt it. She immediately took it and tossed it into her mouth.

The pill merged into her body, and the Fire Soul power it released swept away the fire toxin with overwhelming force.

Yu Feiya’s spirit gradually improved, and her pupils changed from vacant to clear.

As the empire’s princess, her appearance was beyond question, but because she had been plagued by illness for years, she looked very pale and weak. Now that the fire toxin had been removed, she immediately recovered several points of beauty.

As for how beautiful, that won’t be described, because in Jun Changxiao’s eyes, women only had differences in height, weight, and build, and then… there was no other difference.

“As expected!”

Yu Feiya stood up excitedly and said, “Mister Jun’s pill can truly cure fire toxin terminal illness!”

“The pill the Princess took was refined by Jun using more medicinal ingredients, so it requires payment of two thousand First-Grade Flame Stones.” Jun Changxiao said.

“Seeing her noble status, you immediately doubled the price!” The System said, “Profiteer!”

Jun Changxiao defended himself internally, “If it were common people, I would definitely give it for free, but this is the empire’s princess—her life is so precious, is two thousand too much?”

Yu Feiya said, “I didn’t bring that many First-Grade Flame Stones, so how about…” She paused, then smiled and said, “Come with me to the imperial capital, and I’ll compensate you doubly when we arrive.”

Damn!

Why seek treatment when you have no money!

“This…” Jun Changxiao said, “It’s a small business…” He wanted to say credit wasn’t accepted, but felt that wasn’t right, so he immediately put on a righteous appearance and said, “The pill the Princess took consumed too many medicinal ingredients. If I don’t have Flame Stones, I’ll find it difficult to continue refining pills to treat and heal others.”

The meaning was very simple—payment was required.

This showed that Gou Sheng could be extremely stingy sometimes.

“The imperial palace’s medicinal storage has many ingredients. After you arrive, Mister, you can select whatever you want.” Yu Feiya said.

“This…”

“General Che.”

Yu Feiya clapped her hands.

“Creak!”

The burly general walked in and said, “Subordinate is here!”

Yu Feiya said, “Immediately escort Mister Jun to the imperial capital. On the road, you must carefully protect him—there must be no accidents.”

“Yes!”

General Che received the order and looked at Jun Changxiao, clasping his hands, saying, “Mister Jun, please!”

Jun Changxiao’s expression became interesting.

He had already seen through it—this woman didn’t intend to renege on the debt, but deliberately wanted to bring him back to the imperial capital. Could she have taken a fancy to him…

“Ptui!”

The System really couldn’t hold back anymore.

Jun Changxiao roared, “What I was thinking was, did she take a fancy to my pills and plan to imprison me in the palace’s forbidden area, then make me a tool person for refining pills!”

He actually guessed correctly.

This fire toxin terminal illness had plagued the Crimson Prison Realm for a very long time, becoming a problem the medical community had never been able to overcome. If someone could suddenly cure it, they definitely had to be controlled immediately.

For example.

If Gou Sheng returned to Earth with his cultivation prowess and revealed even a bit of his cultivation, he would immediately be imprisoned in a research facility and undergo comprehensive scientific dissection.

…

“Clip-clop clip-clop clip-clop!”

Outside the City Lord’s mansion, several carriages departed.

City Lord Wang stood at the entrance and, after watching them gradually disappear, thought to himself, “Mister Jun is about to soar to success!”

However, the person in question was currently sitting in what resembled a prison carriage, collapsing and saying, “Princess, Jun has no objection to going to the imperial capital, but there’s no need to confine me, right!”

“Afraid you’d run away…”

“No!” Yu Feiya hurriedly corrected herself, “Mister Jun, please don’t misunderstand. This is my exclusive carriage, surrounded by high-level arrays that can prevent assassination.”

“…”

Jun Changxiao was speechless.

This woman had just been acting refined and reasonable, but after recovering from her illness, she became completely unreasonable.

Actually, with Gou Sheng’s strength, he could easily break through the carriage with a wave of his hand. The reason he obediently sat inside was that he wanted to go to the imperial capital—after all, there were more imperial and royal houses there, definitely a money-making paradise.

Several days later.

Jun Changxiao jumped down from the prison carriage and looked at the imperial capital’s defensive walls with peeling paint and the muddy ground leading into the city. The corner of his mouth twitched as he said, “This is a empire’s center?”

“In the eyes of many kingdoms, that the Azure Mist Empire still has an imperial capital is already an enormous favor they’ve granted us.” Yu Feiya said.

Jun Changxiao caught that when this woman spoke, her hands were tightly clenched, and there was anger and unwillingness in her bright eyes. So he thought to himself, “This woman is not simple—she has ambitions.”

The System said, “In my opinion, it’s the host who’s not simple. The people you encounter have never been simple.”

—