"Legend has it that someone with the Holy Flame Body, who can cultivate the Prison Soul Technique, can enter unconditionally. Anyone else must be unconscious to be brought in by the master."
"The Holy Flame Body? What's that?"
"It's said that a Holy Flame Body is so rare, you might not see one for millions of years. People with this constitution are born with superb cultivation talent," Trudy explained, as if searching its memory.
'Oh, so there's something like that... Whatever, I'll worry about it later.' Seraphina Ashworth listened to Trudy's explanation while practicing her calligraphy. Being so young, she found it difficult to write with an elegant, flowing hand. Fortunately, after a few practice runs, she got it right.
"Trudy, I'm going to refine some Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills. Go get the ingredients for me, and then come help out." Seraphina Ashworth put away the note she'd been writing on and walked toward the Divine Farmer's Cauldron.
"You got it." Trudy swiftly gathered the ingredients.
Seraphina Ashworth placed the ingredients into the cauldron, following the steps. A moment later, a sudden BANG erupted from within the Divine Farmer's Cauldron. It had exploded. Seraphina, clutching Trudy, dodged out of the way, but she was still caught in the blast. Her small face was covered in soot, and her clothes were filthy. Trudy fared even worse—it had been turned into a little black ball.
'What happened?' While Seraphina Ashworth was racking her brain, Trudy suddenly spoke up. "Seraphina, you could try adding some water from the White Jade Pool."
Seraphina Ashworth's eyes brightened. She immediately ran out and scooped a small vial of spring water from the White Jade Pool.
Back in the Purple Bamboo House, she started the refining process over. She carefully placed the ingredients back into the Divine Farmer's Cauldron, then poured in a little of the spring water. Before long, the faint, clean fragrance of an elixir began to waft out.
Seraphina Ashworth's eyes shone. 'Success!' She lifted the lid and saw fifteen plump, milky-white, and crystalline elixirs resting inside.
"So it really was the spring water. But only fifteen... that's not very many. Still, I succeeded this time, so it'll be much easier from now on," Seraphina Ashworth said as she picked up a vial and placed the elixirs inside.
Trudy was speechless. "Master, that's already a lot."
"Then I'll just have to refine a few more batches."
After a long time in the space, Trudy couldn't fight off its sleepiness and dozed off to the side. Seraphina Ashworth wiped the sweat from her brow, gazed at the elixirs on the table, and curled her lips into a satisfied smile.
Leaving the space, Seraphina Ashworth placed the note and the elixirs on her nightstand and then went to sleep.
The next morning, Sylvia Blaine got up and went to wake Seraphina Ashworth, just as she always did. A gentle smile blossomed on her face as she watched her daughter sleeping so sweetly. Just then, Paul Ashworth, who had quietly followed her in, witnessed the tender scene. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Sylvia from behind. "Ah!" Sylvia jumped, startled. But as she recognized his familiar scent, she relaxed into his embrace. Leaning back against him, she whispered, "Paul, I feel so happy right now."
"And we'll stay this happy. I promise," Paul Ashworth said, lovingly kissing Sylvia's forehead.
"Mm, I believe you. Okay, we should get Seraphina up for breakfast." Sylvia straightened up and walked to Seraphina Ashworth's bedside. "Hm? What's this?" Sylvia looked down and noticed the items Seraphina had left on her nightstand the previous night.
Paul Ashworth followed her gaze, reached over, and picked up the items. He unfolded the piece of paper. On it were just two words—"Don't look."
His brow furrowed. He picked up the porcelain vial from the table. The moment he opened it, a faint, clean fragrance wafted out. When he saw what was inside, a strange expression crossed his face.
"These are elixirs."
Sylvia Blaine gasped, leaning in to look at the vial. "There are so many."
Paul Ashworth said, "Here's what we'll do. You wake Seraphina up. I'm going to talk to Dad about this. Bring Seraphina over in a little while."
"Okay." Sylvia Blaine nodded to Paul Ashworth. Taking the note and the vial, Paul turned and walked out.
Sylvia walked over to Seraphina. "Seraphina, time to get up."
"Mmm, Mama..." Seraphina Ashworth feigned rubbing her eyes. In truth, she had been awake ever since Paul Ashworth and Sylvia Blaine had entered the room. She was just pretending to be asleep, waiting for them to find the items on her nightstand.
"Seraphina, go wash up and get ready for breakfast. After you eat, you're coming with me to the study to see Grandpa."
"Okay." 'They must be bursting with questions by now,' Seraphina Ashworth thought.
Paul Ashworth left Seraphina's quarters and went straight to Mr. Ashworth's study.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
"Come in." Mr. Ashworth's resonant voice echoed from within the study.
"Dad, I need to discuss something with you. Take a look at this." Paul Ashworth got straight to the point as he entered, handing the note and the elixirs to Mr. Ashworth.
"What's so urgent?" Mr. Ashworth took the items, and his expression grew serious as he examined them. After a moment of contemplation, he looked up at Paul Ashworth. "Paul, where did you find these?"
"On Seraphina's nightstand. Sylvia and I found them this morning when we went to wake her."
"And Seraphina? Is she awake?" Mr. Ashworth's expression remained calm, but his mind was in turmoil. The Ashworth Family's security was excellent, and after the recent incident with Mrs. Lawson, it had become even tighter. To be able to enter and exit the Ashworth Residence at will without being detected... this was clearly no ordinary person. And for them to be so generous... Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills weren't the rarest of treasures, but within the great families, only high-ranking members, talented heirs of the main lineage, or those who had performed meritorious service were given the chance to consume them. These were two vials of *upper-grade* Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills. If offered to the public, people would be fighting tooth and nail for them.
"Dad, do you think it could be some hidden expert?" Paul Ashworth ventured.
Mr. Ashworth curled his fingers and tapped them lightly on the desk. "It's impossible to know right now," he said, his voice low. "For now, we can only wait to hear what Seraphina says. Go and gather everyone. And bring your father-in-law's family as well."
"Yes, I'll see to it at once." Paul Ashworth turned and left to make the calls.
Mr. Ashworth was left alone in the study, lost in thought.