Silver needles and crimson runes intertwined in the air, forming a net that gradually forced the frantically fleeing bulge toward the Third Prince's heart.

The candlelight inside the hall moved on its own without any wind, casting shimmering light on Bai Ying's white sleeves, making her appear like a banished immortal descending to earth.

"Certainly!"

Bai Ying shouted, and the silver needle in her hand suddenly turned into a stream of light and entered the Third Prince's body.

At the same time, she made a hand seal with her left hand, and with her right hand, her fingers were joined together like a sword, and a point of dazzling golden light gathered at the fingertip, which she precisely placed in the center of the violently throbbing bulge.

"ah--!"

The third prince suddenly arched his body and let out a heart-wrenching scream.

The sound was completely unlike a human voice; it was more like the dying howl of some wild beast. His whole body convulsed, his ten fingers digging deeply into the brocade quilt, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the excessive force.

The imperial concubine gripped the handkerchief tightly, oblivious to the fact that her fingernails were piercing her palms.

Seeing her son's pained expression, tears blurred her vision, but she forced herself not to make a sound to disturb him.

Suddenly, the Third Prince coughed up a mouthful of blood as black as ink. Within the blood, a tiny creature, about the size of a grain of rice, could be vaguely seen writhing wildly. Even more bizarrely, wisps of black energy swirled around the creature, making it seem as if it were alive, dancing in the air.

Bai Ying's eyes narrowed, and she swiftly flicked a cinnabar talisman from her sleeve. The talisman moved automatically in the air without wind, precisely enveloping the eerie insect. What was chilling was that the insect continued to struggle violently after being encased in the talisman, even emitting sharp, piercing "squeaks" that sent shivers down one's spine.

"This is..." Immortal Wei Ji gasped, his face instantly turning deathly pale, "An insect?"

Bai Ying did not answer, but simply tapped the talisman paper with her fingertips, folding it into an exquisite triangular talisman pouch.

She glanced thoughtfully at the still-wriggling traces in the talisman pouch, then tucked it into her sleeve.

"Miss Xia..." The Imperial Concubine's trembling voice carried a cautious hope, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the brocade quilt. Her gaze never left her son on the bed, afraid of missing any subtle change.

Bai Ying slowly turned around, her white sleeves tracing an elegant arc in the candlelight. "It's ready." Her voice was clear and cold, yet carried an undeniable certainty.

The imperial concubine trembled, and the handkerchief in her hand slipped silently from her grasp.

She stared at Bai Ying in disbelief, her lips parting slightly before closing again, momentarily speechless.

For three months, she searched the world for renowned doctors and consulted countless spiritual masters, exhausting countless treasures, only to receive one despairing diagnosis after another. And this young woman before her, in just a short time, said... she was cured?

"Is...is this all it takes?" The Imperial Concubine's voice trembled, her fingertips unconsciously stroking her son's increasingly rosy cheeks.

For some reason, a strange sense of trust welled up in her heart—this Miss Xia might really be able to create a miracle.

"Your Highness! The Third Prince..." the head maid suddenly exclaimed. The Third Prince's tightly closed eyelashes trembled slightly, and his breathing became even and strong.

This subtle change caused the imperial concubine to burst into tears instantly.

"My son... my son..." she choked back tears, suddenly about to kneel before Bai Ying. "Thank you so much, Miss Xia! I can never repay your immense kindness. Just say the word, and I'll grant you whatever you ask for..."

Bai Ying reached out a hand to gently support the kneeling concubine. "There's no need for that," she said, her gaze falling on the Third Prince's pillow. "I do have a request; I need a Soul-Nourishing Stone."

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Concubine's tense nerves immediately relaxed a bit. If it were any other rare treasure, she might have had to go through some trouble, but this Soul-Nourishing Stone was right under her son's pillow. "Alright, I'll go now..." She turned around to retrieve the stone, but at this critical moment, the palace doors suddenly burst open.

"Bang--!"

The palace door was kicked open with brute force, and the heavy nanmu wood door panel slammed against the wall with a deafening roar.

Song Wenyu, who had just been driven away, returned and led a large group of people in single file. The old man in purple robes at the head of the group was none other than the current Prime Minister, Grand Secretary Qi.

With each step he took, the dragon-headed staff he held struck the ground heavily, echoing with a chilling sound in the silent hall.

"Father?!" The Imperial Concubine was so shocked that she took a half step back, her fingertips still hovering above the Soul-Nourishing Stone.

Her gaze swept across the crowd, and she was surprised to see Xia Qingdai's father, Xia Mingde, and her younger sister, Xia Yuwei, also there. Xia Mingde's face was full of anger, while Xia Yuwei behind him looked pitiful.

Song Wenyu stood beside his grandfather, a smug smirk on his face.

After he was driven out of the palace, he immediately sent his trusted confidants on horseback to the Prime Minister's residence, making a special detour to the Xia residence, all for this moment.

He thought to himself: This ignorant and incompetent Xia Qingdai dared to deceive his aunt, and now she even dares to covet such a treasure as the Soul-Nourishing Stone. Today, I will make sure she dies without a burial place!

"Absurd!" Old Master Qi slammed his dragon-headed cane heavily on the ground, the sandalwood cane striking the gold brick with a crisp clanging sound.

"Qi'er, you actually let a mere young girl use magic on the prince? If anything goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?!" The old man's voice was loud and clear, making the candlelight in the hall tremble.

Upon seeing this, Xia Mingde rushed forward, and when he saw Bai Ying standing in front of the bed, he was immediately enraged.

This rebellious daughter just now boasted in front of everyone that she was their biological daughter, and now she's causing trouble in the Third Prince's palace. This is a capital offense!

"Xia Qingdai!" Xia Mingde shouted sternly, his voice trembling slightly with anger. "What nonsense are you spouting now? Come back with me at once!" He immediately changed his expression to respectful as he turned to the Imperial Concubine, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. My daughter is unruly. I will take her back immediately and discipline her properly."

As he spoke, Xia Mingde rushed to Bai Ying in three quick steps, grabbed her wrist, and tried to drag her away.

He secretly cursed: This Soul-Nourishing Stone is a royal treasure. If she had really tricked him into giving it away, the entire Xia family would have been doomed! Fortunately, Yuwei was alert and informed him in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Xia Yuwei, who was hiding behind her father, timidly peeked out, her eyes flashing with malice.

Her voice was soft, yet every word pierced the heart: "Sister, how...how could you joke with the Third Prince's life..." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, "Last time you showed off your sword-wielding skills, causing the whole family to be ridiculed for a long time, how dare you now..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xia Yuwei suddenly knelt down before Consort Qi, touching her forehead to the ground, her voice choked with sobs:

"Your Highness, please forgive my sister's unintentional mistake..." She raised her tear-filled face, looking heartbroken, "Ever since my sister fell off the cliff, she's been talking nonsense..."

The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the Imperial Concubine's reaction.

As the candlelight flickered, Bai Ying remained calm and composed, as if this farce had nothing to do with her.

"Your Highness, please forgive my sister's mistake."

Her slender shoulders trembled slightly, and her voice choked with just the right amount of emotion: "Your Highness, please understand, my sister... she was just confused for a moment..."