Chapter 872: Reminded of One's Self, False Hope?
'Hundred Death Poisoning Pill... That guy sure had a strange way of naming things.'
Izroth remembered meeting the young man who created the Eight Supreme Remedies.
At that time, Izroth questioned him about his naming sense and how others might view it as an actual poison meant to harm people.
That guy's response caught Izroth off guard back then.
'When one poisons death, aren't they basically bringing it to life? That eccentric guy went and said things like that all the time, making people think had he lost his mind. He really had an outrageous view on things.'
As Izroth had that passing thought, a slight smile formed on his face.
Despite its ominous name, the Hundred Death Poisoning Pill did not cause death but helped to prevent it by curing all types of deadly poisons.
Typically, curing poison was a huge task that first required one to discover its origins. Without knowledge of its source, it was almost impossible to accurately cure one's poison.
However, the Hundred Death Poisoning Pill solved that problem. With it, one did not need precise information on the poison used. This meant that so long as the poison possessed one of the general traits fused into the pill, it could be cured!
'The basic principle behind the Hundred Death Poisoning Pill is to fight poison with poison. The crafting process is swift and the technique is not too difficult, but getting the balance right requires that one has a flawless controlled touch. A single misstep and the Hundred Death Poisoning Pill will transform into a lethal substance. At that point, even a perfect Hundred Death Poisoning Pill may not be able to save someone who consumed it. More importantly, if one fails in their attempt, various traces of the poisons used during the crafting process become trapped within their body. I have the Heavenly Golden Body so I can resist most forms of poison, but it is not currently at its full potential. Whether or not it can completely subdue something like the potential side effects of a Hundred Death Poisoning Pill is unknown.'
"My master has taken quite the liking to you," Sychia said as she approached Izroth.
"Is that so?" Izroth replied with a carefree smile.
At the moment, Sychia could not hide her joyful expression. Compared to her time back in the Secret Realm, she appeared to be in a much better mood.
"My master does not allow just anyone to enter her private crafting room. More importantly, it has been a long time since I have seen her so energetic." Sychia commented as she looked over at Seina's cauldron.
She then continued, "Did you know that before today, I have never seen my senior sister shed a single tear? That strong senior sister of mine who has always put the Order first. That is why... I hope you know how grateful I am to you, Izroth. For curing me in the Secret Realm to allowing my senior sister to fully express herself, and—for allowing me to once again see my master stand on her own two feet, Izroth... I am truly grateful."
Izroth could hear the sincerity within Sychia's voice as she spoke, as well as the passion in her voice whenever she mentioned her master.
During his time in the Seven Realms, Izroth had many teachers; however, there was only one person he ever acknowledged as his master.
His master took him in when he was an orphan and instilled in him the values of what it truly meant to be a cultivator who walked a path beyond the heavens itself.
At the time, Izroth did not understand most of his master's words. To the young him, the majority of it seemed like senseless ramblings. However, as he progressed on his journey of cultivation, Izroth began to see just how invaluable and wise his master's words were back then.
Without his master's teachings, he would not have reached the pinnacle of the Seven Realms and become the person he was today.
Sychia's circumstances with her master reminded Izroth of himself and his own master. Perhaps that's why he had somewhat of a soft spot when it came to lending a helping hand in this matter.
Izroth closed his eyes.
'When one calls out to power, they often find that it arrives a step too late. That is why one must not seek power but understanding. Once you have that understanding, naturally, power w
ill begin to seek you.'
Izroth thought back to his master's words as he remained silent for a few moments. Not long after, he opened his eyes and displayed a new calmness.
...
A couple of hours later...
As the hours passed, Izroth spent his time leisurely reading over the books inside the Holy Maiden's crafting room.
He found that while the number of books was not as great as what was available at the Amaharpe Palace Library, in terms of rarity, it was nowhere near close.
There were several books that focused on ancient crafting techniques. Some also contained a great deal of information regarding rare herbs and materials.
However, some of the more interesting books Izroth read had to do with magic formations commonly employed in high-ranked pill crafting.
He was able to gain a deep insight into its understanding, but the number of high-quality materials required to set the majority of magic formations he discovered was immense. It was to that point that it would consume nearly a third of his Mystical Realm Palace's current funds!
The fact that Seina had several such magic formations in place was a grand luxury provided by her status as a peak legendary realm powerhouse. Not to mention, the Order of a Thousand Blossoms had been around for many generations, giving them plenty of time to accumulate a vast amount of wealth.
As Izroth pondered if there was a more efficient way to employ magic formations, the wooden doors to the crafting room opened.
Izroth immediately pushed his thoughts aside as his gaze shifted to the room's entrance.
He instantly recognized two of the auras; however, the third was someone Izroth had never met.
"As the First Guardian of the Thousand Blossoms, naturally, you have the right to see for yourself. It's just that I hope you won't come to regret your words, senior sister." Seina said as she walked through the doors, accompanied by Jade and another woman.
"Hmph, it is too soon to speak of regret. Besides, we will soon see who the regretful one is." The woman responded firmly.
Not long after she spoke, the woman's system information went on display for Izroth.
NPC Name: First Guardian of the Thousand Blossoms, Yuveil(???)
NPC Level: ???
'Oh? Another guardian? Though this one seems a bit different from the last.'
The woman who accompanied Seina and Jade appeared to be in her late thirties.
She had neatly tied black hair with a pair of violet-colored eyes. The attire she wore was similar to that of Olivia and also had a golden outline, revealing her identity as a guardian of the Order.
But, unlike Olivia, this woman carried herself with a higher level of authority. The way she spoke also had an underlining tone of arrogance. This was something Olivia did not have when speaking with Seina.
As the two went back and forth, Seina and Yuveil approached Izroth.
Yuveil wasted no time sizing Izroth up. However, by the time she finished, a light smile appeared on her face. Though it was not a smile of joy, but rather one of disdain and mockery.
"This is who you have decided to place your hopes in? Junior sister, has your illness consumed your mind? How can we, with good conscious, permit a brat to treat the cherished Holy Maiden of our Order? I'm afraid I cannot condone this course of action." Yuveil stated.
Although her words seemed to be coming from a place of concern regarding Seina's well-being, Izroth was no fool.
It was clear that she was trying to purposely provoke him while also using him as an excuse to downplay Seina's frame of mind.
Izroth could also sense the feeling of uneasiness coming from Sychia the moment that woman walked into the room with her master.
On the surface, their relationship with one another appeared amicable. However, there was a clear line drawn between the two that completely separated them.
'I don't know what she's up to, but if she wants to use me for her own goals, I'm afraid she will find herself faced with disappointment.'
"I fear you've mistaken my int
entions, senior sister. Whether you condone it or not, I have already made the decision. As per our agreement, you are merely here in an observer's capacity. Nothing more, nothing less." Seina reminded.
"Fine. Since you are so blinded by false hope, so be it. No one can say that I did not attempt to stop you." Yuveil commented with a cold gaze as she glanced over at Seina.
"Surely, you jest. Besides, is it not you who is blinded by false hope? After all, I am still here, senior sister." Seina responded as she returned Yuveil's icy gaze with one of her own.
After the two spoke, the atmosphere inside the room became heavy—almost to the point of suffocating.