When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Bai Susu enter, a dark glint flashed in his eyes. On the surface, he warmly introduced the two parties, but in his mind, he had already begun to analyze the situation.
Not long after the Taoist sect entered the palace, Liu Xian's disciples arrived in a hurry. To say that there was no connection between them would be a fool to believe.
That makes sense. Taoist priests and demons aren't like those poor, pedantic novels sold in the market, where it's supposed to be a life-or-death struggle.
Given this, could he profit from it?
As a thoroughly political individual, Old Zhu smiled inwardly. Wouldn't it be crazy not to take advantage of such a bargain?
Master Zhang bowed to Bai Susu with a Taoist salute, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a kind and benevolent expression:
"Blessed benefactor. This is our first meeting, young friend, and I have not prepared a gift. My apologies."
The other Taoist priests who followed him bowed to Bai Susu in unison, their voices authoritative yet gentle, exuding a Taoist charm that made the imperial palace resemble a Taoist temple.
The system was furious: Based on its years of experience navigating palace intrigue, domestic power struggles, and various other worlds, this must be a show of force!
Bai Susu had obviously never seen this scene before. She was stunned for a moment, but her reaction afterward was unexpected.
She seemed not to see the Taoist priests bowing, and walked expressionlessly into the inner room to check on Empress Ma's condition.
The Taoist priests were immediately in an uproar, their faces showing dissatisfaction. They all felt that this woman was ungrateful and that it was wrong for them to suppress her. They told her to endure it and that they would naturally accept her afterward.
A mere demon disciple dares to show disrespect to the righteous Taoist sect!
The emperor, in a teasy tone, said, "Master Zhang, please don't be offended. This disciple of Liu Xian is young and a bit shy; she certainly didn't mean to not return the greeting."
Master Zhang's smile was almost impossible to keep up. "Listen to this, is he even speaking human language?"
Old Zhu invited them to visit the Empress, but he had his own agenda.
When the two families finally fight it out, the benefits will be even greater, and perhaps the Empress will be able to fully recover.
Out of habit, Zhu Yuanzhang subconsciously believed that Taoism also had its hidden benefits, which it just hadn't revealed before.
…………
Empress Ma was rarely awake each day, and was in a daze at the moment. Hearing a commotion outside, she barely opened her eyes.
Through the haze, I could see a person in a Taoist robe speaking loudly to the side:
"...This elixir gathers the essence of heaven and earth, and the cauldron used to refine it is a spiritual cauldron passed down for thousands of years. The formula, medicinal materials, and minerals are all of the highest quality, far more orthodox than the methods of some wild mountain monsters."
The Taoist priest offered her elixirs and even rebuked Liu Xian as a mountain monster.
With a bang, Empress Ma felt as if she had been hit by a boulder, and her mind quickly cleared.
No one understood better than her that, although she had been in a daze during this period, there was always a breath inside her body keeping her alive.
She had a premonition that she wouldn't die until her life force was completely depleted.
The living evidence is right here: the methods of the "mountain monsters" are incredibly effective, while the elixirs the Taoist priests talked about... well, who knows how many emperors they've ruined?
"His Majesty"
Empress Ma's weak voice rang out, and Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been standing to the side with his hands in his sleeves, watching the two sides argue with great interest, walked over with delight:
"Old Ma, why are you awake so early today?" After saying this, Old Zhu summoned the Taoist priest, took the elixir, and showed it to Empress Ma with one hand:
"Look, this elixir is said to have the effects of prolonging life and strengthening the body's foundation. Old Ma, if you take it, your illness will get better."
Empress Ma, seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's earnest gaze, was certain that he wasn't joking and genuinely wanted her to eat.
To be honest, I was touched, but I'll pass on the food...
On the Taoist side, Master Zhang lowered his eyes to hide a hint of worry. After all, alchemy was their original profession.
This elixir even used a rare, preserved herb from a previous generation, but its effectiveness is not guaranteed.
Unable to discern the reluctance and refusal beneath Empress Ma's smile, they were convinced she was about to take the elixir, and were terrified.
In his view, these Taoist priests were all just chanting scriptures and putting on airs; they had absolutely no real magical power, and the elixirs they refined—
One is full of energy, two are paralyzed in bed, and three are playing mahjong with the King of Hell.
"Aaaaaah, host, wake up! Your script is about to fall apart again!"
Empress Ma is dead, so how will this drama of a demon repaying a debt of gratitude continue?
Amidst the vibrant blooms of flowers in the portable space, beneath the fragrant blossoms, a small white snake, its body sculpted like jade, slowly raised its head, its sharp fangs gleaming with a terrifyingly cold light.
Just as Empress Ma was about to politely decline the emperor's offer, she suddenly felt something cold and slippery touch her skin.
At the same time, I heard warm, moist breath beside my ear, accompanied by a seductive voice:
"My good sir, you're so lucky! I woke up just in time, and now I'm going to save your life again."
Empress Ma's pupils dilated, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the undisguised horror on the Emperor's face.
Her heart sank immediately. She didn't even have time to think about these ambiguous words, because Empress Ma knew the emperor better than anyone else and knew he was not someone who would be easily startled.
What exactly happened?
Empress Ma turned her head to the side, and in her eyes was a vivid and beautiful picture of a woman.
The "beauty" had skin as white as snow on a high mountain, and beneath her long eyelashes like butterfly wings, her beautiful yet eerie red eyes were breathtaking, and her long white hair cascaded down in a winding path.
Most incredibly, the long tail that seemed to be idly patting the bed in front of everyone was connected to the upper body of the "beauty".
Snake demon!
It transformed into a half-human, half-snake!
Whether it was the supreme emperor or the majestic Taoist master, the turmoil in their hearts at this moment was indescribable.
Ling Xiao glanced casually at the Taoist priests, then calmly spoke to the system in his mind:
"You're saying these Taoist priests are going to offer me elixirs to poison my Empress Ma?"
He sensed something was off, but still nodded quickly, embellishing the story and describing his contribution as infinitely great.
"I imagine Liu Xian has gained a lot from her hibernation and recovery. Is she already able to transform into human form?" Empress Ma asked cautiously.
"Hmph," Liu Xian scoffed, staring intently at Empress Ma, her scarlet pupils suddenly narrowing like snakes, and she murmured softly:
"What's this? Half-human, half-snake, a hybrid of creatures, it's better than nothing. I'll only survive if I repay my benefactor."
The snake's tail flashed like lightning, snatching the pill from the Taoist's hand. Liu Xian gave a chilling laugh:
"So, my benefactor, you are so important to me, why are there always those blind fools who want to harm you?"
Liu Xian's tone became increasingly rapid, and those present realized that in Liu Xian's mind, this pill would kill Empress Ma.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked terrified and regretful.
Bai Susu: I'm so happy, Liu Xian has woken up...
The Taoist priests were very indignant, arguing that it was unreasonable for them to believe that elixirs were harmful.
Just as the head of the Taoist priests, Master Zhang, was about to say something, Liu Xian's expression gradually turned cold:
"Oh, I see. You must be trying to harm me, right?"
As it spoke, countless wind blades appeared out of thin air all around, threatening to kill anyone who wanted to harm it at the slightest provocation.
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