The grand office of the Jade Spring Hall fell into a breathless silence as Mei Yilan slid open a polished drawer. She retrieved a slender, silver alchemical knife and carefully scraped a microscopic fraction of powder from the first pill.
She placed the shimmering dust onto her tongue and closed her eyes to analyze the medicinal properties. A moment later, she repeated the exact same process with the second pill.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. And then, her eyes snapped open, blazing with absolute, unadulterated shock.
"Heavens..." Mei Yilan gasped, her voice trembling as she stared at the two jade bottles as if they held mythical, heaven-defying artifacts. The moment the powder had dissolved, the spiritual energy hadn't just settled; it had surged into her meridians with a terrifying, flawless purity.
