Undying Life

Chapter 167: Chapter 167: The Promise

"Are these the two items?" Zhongshan squinted at the two objects.

"A Reaching Ascension Pill and another metal sphere?"

"Yes, this refining sphere, do you recognize it? This is the first question," Princess Qianyou slowly descended, a sense of satisfaction evident in her gentle fan gestures.

"A refining sphere?" Zhongshan questioned.

Seeing Zhongshan's confusion, Princess Qianyou smiled faintly. "A refining sphere, as the name suggests, is used to refine one's consciousness. You see this metal sphere, it has two openings, one is an entrance, and the other is an exit. Inside, there are over fifty thousand branching paths, but most are dead ends, like a maze. Only one passage can traverse both openings. What you need to do is to use a grain of rice to enter through one opening and exit through the other."

With that, Princess Qianyou handed a grain of rice to Zhongshan.

Looking at the grain of rice in his hand and then at the two openings, Zhongshan frowned.

"You use your consciousness to explore the maze inside the sphere, then use your consciousness to guide the rice grain from the entrance to the exit," Princess Qianyou explained with a smile.

"Well, this can indeed strengthen one's consciousness and even the precision of consciousness, but I haven't cultivated my consciousness yet. Isn't the princess putting me in a difficult position?" Zhongshan frowned.

"I didn't have consciousness at first either. The Emperor also set the test this way. Do you doubt the Emperor?" Princess Qianyou pointed her folding fan at Zhongshan, questioning.

"I dare not." Zhongshan was speechless for a moment. This Princess Qianyou was indeed witty. One sentence shut down all his excuses.

"That's good then." Princess Qianyou smiled, flipping her fan.

"Um, can I have someone else do it for me?" Zhongshan immediately asked.

"Have someone else do it? Of course not," Princess Qianyou paused slightly, speechless at Zhongshan's question.

Looking at the grain of rice in his hand, Zhongshan frowned. Over fifty thousand branching paths? So many?

"This is the first question. The second is more straightforward. Do you see this Reaching Ascension Pill?" Princess Qianyou pointed at the pill.

"Yes," Zhongshan nodded.

"The second question is to turn this Reaching Ascension Pill into an Infant Transformation Pill," Princess Qianyou said.

"Huh? Transform it? The Reaching Ascension Pill is a third-grade pill, while the Infant Transformation Pill is a fourth-grade pill. Does the princess want me to add ingredients and refine it again? Turn it into an Infant Transformation Pill?" Zhongshan frowned.

"Without adding anything?" Princess Qianyou was hesitant.

On the side, Shuitianya and Ada Ada both broke out in a cold sweat for Zhongshan. This was definitely a difficult task. How could it be accomplished? Turning pills out of thin air? We're not immortals. The gap between the Reaching Ascension Pill and the Infant Transformation Pill is so huge, how could it be done?

"What? Did you not hear what I said?" Princess Qianyou chuckled.

But Zhongshan frowned, looking at the two items, and then at Princess Qianyou. Suddenly, he bowed deeply. "Princess, are your words true?"

"True? What's true?" Princess Qianyou was slightly taken aback. Of course they're true, it's about the task, isn't it?

"What the princess said earlier, if I solve these two questions, the past can be forgiven, and when seeing the princess, I don't have to kneel and bow." Zhongshan said solemnly.

Upon hearing Zhongshan's words, everyone suddenly stared at him.

Ada and Er were astonished as they watched Zhongshan. Was this guy a fool? These were obviously impossible tasks. How could he possibly accomplish them? Guiding a grain of rice through the refining sphere required extraordinary luck, and turning a Reaching Ascension Pill into an Infant Transformation Pill was even more impossible.

On the other hand, Shuitianya looked at Zhongshan with suspicion. From what he had heard from Tianwu, Zhongshan was an extraordinary person, but this boast seemed too much.

Princess Qianyou, however, had a gleam in her eyes. The two questions were originally meant to humble Zhongshan, but at this moment, Zhongshan seemed to have a way. She knew that the Emperor had never set a time limit for these ten questions. She had made a bet with the Emperor. If Zhongshan could solve them, she would have won against the Emperor. And if he truly succeeded, wouldn't he be exactly what she desired? He would be a genius rivaling Master Shuijing.

With a hint of anticipation, Princess Qianyou said, "Of course, they count."

"In that case, I have a request, I don't know if I should ask," Zhongshan said immediately.

"You can ask," Princess Qianyou said.

"I said it before, but I ask for the princess's forgiveness," Zhongshan said again.

"Alright, rest assured, I'm not petty," Princess Qianyou said, puzzled.

"I request that the princess write it down in black and white, to set my mind at ease," Zhongshan said.

"You—" Princess Qianyou was angry, then looked at Zhongshan with a mix of irritation and amusement.

Shuitianya and Ada Ada were sweating profusely on the side. Zhongshan was indeed not an ordinary person.

At this moment, Zhongshan remained calm, observing his breath, because he deeply understood the saying, "Only villains and women are hard to raise." Obviously, Princess Qianyou wasn't the type to adhere to conventions. If he didn't hold her to her word later, he would only have to swallow his anger. It was better to clarify from the beginning. Moreover, judging from Princess Qianyou's attitude, she probably wasn't one to hold grudges.

Seeing Zhongshan's calm expression, Princess Qianyou felt a bit puzzled, amused, and even more intrigued. But Zhongshan's words sounded more confident. Princess Qianyou's anticipation grew.

"Except for the Emperor and my father, no one dares to negotiate terms with me. You're the first. Alright, today I'll make a deal with you. If you can't solve the questions, watch how I deal with you," Princess Qianyou took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Princess," Zhongshan said calmly.

Then, an unusual scene unfolded in the hall. Zhongshan took out pen and paper, and began to write—

"I promise that if Zhongshan guides the grain of rice through the refining sphere and turns the Reaching Ascension Pill in his hand into an Infant Transformation Pill, all past grievances will be forgiven. Moreover, Zhongshan need not kneel and bow when seeing me in the future, and I will not target Zhongshan—"

Zhongshan wrote two copies, both identical, and handed them to Princess Qianyou for her signature.

Seeing this strange promise, Princess Qianyou was once again speechless. She felt as if she had been defeated. Extremely speechless.

"Princess, please sign. Two copies," Zhongshan handed the brush to Princess Qianyou.

His demeanor was akin to making someone sign a contract for selling oneself.

Shuitianya and Ada Ada, on the side, were sweating profusely, wearing expressions of extreme disbelief. Zhongshan was indeed, well, very powerful.

Princess Qianyou signed two "Ancient Qianyou" and handed the pen and paper back to Zhongshan. Obviously, if Zhongshan could solve the questions, she would never target him again.

Satisfied with the two promise documents, Zhongshan put away the pen and one copy, handing the other to Princess Qianyou.

"Princess, keep this one. Let's begin," Zhongshan smiled.

Taking the paper, Princess Qianyou nodded curiously at Zhongshan.

Zhongshan walked up to the refining sphere, tapping it lightly and peering at the small hole, then glanced at the grain of rice in his hand, and smiled faintly.

Seeing Zhongshan's smile, Princess Qianyou was puzzled. "Have you figured out a way?"

"Well, with more time, there could be many methods, but for immediate action, there's only one feasible way for now," Zhongshan said after a moment of thought.

Hearing Zhongshan's words, everyone frowned. Many methods? You must be kidding!

Princess Qianyou furrowed her brows as she looked at Zhongshan. She had begun to doubt him, because it was impossible to have many methods. Zhongshan wouldn't just make things up, right?

"Princess, could you find me some strong and thin spider silk, some soybean oil, and an ant nest? I can guide the grain of rice through right away," Zhongshan said, looking at Princess Qianyou.

Hearing Zhongshan's request, Princess Qianyou's brows furrowed even tighter. Her earlier doubts dissipated rapidly, because Zhongshan's statement, "I can guide the grain of rice through right away," was so confident that it couldn't be baseless. But what were these items for?

"Ada, quickly go and fetch them," Princess Qianyou said.

"Yes," Ada, though puzzled, quickly left the hall.

Now it was just a matter of waiting for Ada to return.

"Why do you need spider silk, soybean oil, and an ant nest?" Princess Qianyou asked in confusion. Because even she couldn't think of a solution in such a short time, how could Zhongshan?

Looking at Princess Qianyou, Zhongshan smiled faintly. "Princess, you've grown up in luxury and haven't been exposed to the methods of us ordinary mortals. Because you don't have access to these things, it's hard for you to imagine my method. If you were to experience the life of an ordinary mortal, you would definitely discover some miraculous things."

Princess Qianyou remained noncommittal, awaiting Ada's return.

In no time, the three items were placed on the table.

Zhongshan looked at the sturdy spider silk and nodded in satisfaction. He picked out a robust ant from the ant nest and carefully tied the spider silk around its body. Then, he inserted the ant into one of the holes in the refining sphere, preventing it from coming out.

Next, Zhongshan picked out the largest queen ant from the ant nest, grabbed it, and placed it at the other hole of the refining sphere. From his storage bracelet, he took out a grain of rice and glued the queen ant to the hole, preventing it from leaving. Then, he blew gently into the hole.

The queen ant wriggled continuously, as if in panic.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, Zhongshan's spider silk began to enter the refining sphere continuously. More and more spider silk entered the sphere, clearly indicating that the sturdy ant inside was constantly moving around, pulling in more and more spider silk as it walked inside the refining sphere. And since the spider silk was extremely light and thin, it naturally didn't weigh much. Even the small ant could pull in a large amount of spider silk and move freely.