The one holding the poisoned pill was Xiao Xuefeng. She had literally opened it just a few moments before Yong Ke's arrival. Her first instinct was to hide the pill, to put the box back in her spatial ring. But she obviously couldn't do so right in front of Emperor Weide without a good reason. Knowing her sister well enough, Xiao Xuefeng could deduce what she had in mind, she would somehow try to convince Emperor Weide to take the poisoned pill while offering another pill to Yong Ke. Whether she succeeded or not, they had to keep complete control over the pills so they could make sure Emperor Weide had the right pill. Even now, they had a chance of salvaging Cao Yun's plans.
Sadly, the young man was painfully aware of his powerlessness. Although he didn't know Hua Fenfei as well as Xiao Xuefeng did, he could still guess her intentions. If somehow she managed to give the poisoned pill to Emperor Weide, his plan could still work. Unfortunately, Cao Yun couldn't just hang on to this thread of hope, he had to be ready to act if things didn't go well. To be fair, they weren't going very well already.
Yong Ke was still waiting, she didn't make any move for the pill. Clearly, she was trusting the alchemists. Before Emperor Weide could do anything or say anything more, Director Hua intervened.
"Princess Yong Ke, this humble one pays her respects to you. Venerable Emperor, this is indeed quite unexpected. Please, let this modest alchemist remind your august person that the Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill is too much for a 3rd-grade Spirit Warrior to handle. Princess Yong Ke, do not take umbrage at this, but your Soul Embryo might rupture under the effect of the Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill. Even if it survives intact, it will be damaged. In the best-case scenario, your Soul Embryo will still need decades to fully recover, if not more. In fact, it may never fully recover. Besides, your Upper Dantian will be an obstacle as it won't be sufficiently tempered to harbor your Soul Embryo. As a result, you will be stuck as a 3rd-grade Spirit Warrior for several centuries. This would be a waste of your great talent. Please, consider this modest alchemist's words carefully."
Yong Ke didn't bat an eye. Clearly, she already knew all of that. And there was absolutely no way Emperor Weide didn't know either. After all, this Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill was meant to push the Soul Embryo of a late Spirit Warrior above the threshold of the Greater Tribulation. Of course, a late Spirit Warrior could still use it without being close to the Greater Tribulation, just to improve their Soul Embryo, but this would honestly be a waste of such a rare pill.
Although Director Hua knew Emperor Weide's intentions, she had to act as though she was genuinely confused and worried about the situation. As a matter of fact, she was confused and worried, not because she didn't know what was going on, but rather precisely because she knew.
Emperor Weide put on a very serious face.
"Director Hua, you are absolutely right. This is extremely dangerous, and our daughter might never recover from this Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill. However, this isn't our intention. Princess Yong Ke has accepted the risks of performing the 'Black Stone of Royal Embers' method. As such, she pushed the 'Sharpening Rock to Purify Soul' as far as she could. Without extraordinary strength, she won't be able to break apart a dense layer encasing her Soul Embryo. Our daughter has a very specific constitution. No one knows about it. Without this Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill, her Soul Embryo can't fully manifest itself, even though it is already fully awake. Besides, there is another reason..."
Clearly, Emperor Weide made it look like it was painful for him to talk about this matter. However, Xiao Xuefeng could tell that he was brimming with excitement at the prospect. On the other hand, Yong Ke was afraid but full of pride and dignity. Xiao Xuefeng had absolutely no doubt that Emperor Weide had told her, albeit concealed by multiple layers of deception, about his goal and what would happen to her today. Usually, Xiao Xuefeng was good at reading emotions. In this moment, she was unparalleled. Indeed, she was watching for any opportunity during which she could switch the poisoned pill for another from her spatial ring. Unfortunately, they would have to use a very good pill. Even if Emperor Weide and Yong Ke weren't alchemists, they could tell if the difference was too huge compared with the quality they had announced.
Thankfully, Wei Tonghe, Han Ziyu, and Qin Rui were a bit too far to fully examine the pill, so they wouldn't sense the difference. And Feng Yingyue knew what was actually going on. Hopefully, the conversation would prove to be a useful diversion. But, for now, Xiao Xuefeng couldn't find the right opportunity to switch the pills.
Yong Ke put her hand on her father's shoulder. As an Emperor, even his daughter couldn't touch him lightly. This gesture alone was incredible and full of emotion. The alchemists were all waiting and wondering what would happen.
"Father, please let your daughter explain..."
Emperor Weide nodded and let Yong Ke tell it herself. At this point, he needed her to be as calm as possible. As such, he wouldn't do anything to upset her. Honestly, Emperor Weide already considered her dead, so he could let her enjoy her time for now. Deep down, he knew that she would go through with this, no matter what. He had prepared her so well...
While she had been training in the 'Black Stone of Royal Embers' cultivation method, she had not known of the ultimate goal of this technique. Even now, Emperor Weide had been able to embellish things. He had not planned to use her Soul Embryo from the beginning, this was just a great and tragic coincidence that her cultivation method would allow for Emperor Weide's plans. Blinded by her misguided love for the man whom she believed was her father, she trusted him and obeyed him fully.
"Director Hua, what I'm about to tell you is the most closely guarded secret in the entire Hongchen Kingdom. My father's Soul Embryo has been damaged during the war. Unfortunately, he can't make another attempt at the Greater Tribulation. But our physicians found a way. Sadly, I was attacked when I was a kid. Demonic cultivators targeted me to get to my father. In the attack, I was severely injured, and I even lost a limb. Worse than all of that, my mind was almost annihilated, but my soul endured. With my father's help, I was able to recover and even push my cultivation further than I ever thought possible.
"That being said, I have almost no hope of ever becoming a 9th-grade Spirit Warrior... However, my father has hope to go even beyond this barrier. If he can become a Sage, our Hongchen Kingdom will most likely be saved. So many people have already died in this war. Since there is a way to stop it and even win it, it is my responsibility as Princess Yong Ke to seize it.
"Director Hua, the Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill will indeed do everything you've mentioned. But my cultivation already reached a bottleneck. This Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill is not for me to become stronger, it's for my father to break the curse of this Forsaken Dao Era."
Wei Tonghe, Han Ziyu, and Qin Rui were very confused by her words. On the other hand, Cao Yun, Feng Yingyue, Xiao Xuefeng, and Director Hua all knew what was going on and where she was going with that. Emperor Weide had intertwined lies with truth. The so-called demonic cultivators had indeed targeted her, but for other reasons. And now, she was willing to give her life for the man who had destroyed it. Cao Yun was sick to his stomach at seeing his sister defend the man who had ordered the slaughter of their entire family. In fact, if Cao Yun had died that day, Cao Huiying would have given her life and made Emperor Weide stronger thanks to this very massacre. Cao Yun had to stop it, no matter what, no matter the cost. Suddenly, a thought crept into his mind. Was he willing to sacrifice the entire Hongchen Kingdom for his sister? If it didn't matter what, then all of mankind shouldn't be too high a cost. And yet, it was. There were things even Cao Yun had to admit were above his sister's life.
Anyway, Cao Yun was ready to die and to kill for Cao Huiying. Even if she didn't recognize him, even if she cursed him for killing her so-called father, Cao Yun would save her from herself. Emperor Weide would die by his hand. Of that, Cao Yun was absolutely certain. His hatred of Emperor Weide was unreal at this point.
"Princess Yong Ke, I fear I understand what you're talking about, but..."
"Repairing a Soul Embryo is almost impossible. Only pills from the Legendary Era could achieve such results. Even Saint Xun Ke couldn't rebuild his Soul Embryo. However, my father's Soul Embryo is not completely destroyed, it's just injured. Since he's my father, our souls are very compatible. After all, we share the same blood, and we even practiced similar martial arts. Thus, if my father uses my Soul Embryo, he'll be able to heal and maybe even break through to the Sage realm. If he succeeds, I know that we will triumph over the demons. Please, Director Hua, help me save the human race. Help my life have some meaning."
Suddenly, Wei Tonghe, Han Ziyu, and Qin Rui understood what was going on. At first, they thought that Yong Ke planned on using a sudden wave of energy from her Soul Embryo to try and help heal her father. However, it would never be enough. Seeing Yong Ke literally kowtowing before Director Hua, they realized the truth. Yong Ke was talking about giving her life for her father, for her country, for her people. The three alchemists were deeply moved.
On the other hand, the other alchemists watching were disgusted and horrified. Such a noble young woman was ready to give her life and her very soul to the man who had tormented her family for so long. Not only had he slaughtered the Cao family, but even the Shui family, which had birthed her mother. Unfortunately, they couldn't show their disgust. Thankfully, they could conceal it easily under shock and sorrow at the sight of Yong Ke kowtowing to Director Hua.
At this moment, Director Hua saw an opportunity. Obviously, her right move was to make Yong Ke stand up. But she didn't. In fact, Director Hua used her shock as cover to stay stunned. As it was improper for Princess Yong Ke to keep her forehead on the ground, Emperor Weide finally moved. While he reached for his daughter to help her stand up, Xiao Xuefeng didn't hesitate. No one was actively watching her. Using all of her soul expertise, she manipulated her spiritual senses to send the poisoned pill into her spatial ring and to take out another one. In fact, the only people who noticed anything were Director Hua, Feng Yingyue, and Cao Yun. The poisoned pill was back in the spatial ring, ready to be used, ready to be given to Emperor Weide.
Now, they had to convince Emperor Weide to take a Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill himself. But, even if he agreed, this would be useless if Yong Ke took hers before him. Indeed, the effects of the pill alone could kill her. As a matter of fact, this was Emperor Weide's plan. He wanted her to die from the pill so he could easily extract her Soul Embryo and absorb it in order to become a Sage.
After the switch was expertly done, Director Hua suddenly moved. She acted flustered because of her shock, which had prevented her from lifting Princess Yong Ke up. Immediately, Director Hua lowered herself and helped Princess Yong Ke stand up. In fact, she was helped by Emperor Weide at that moment, but she was very careful to strictly adhere to etiquette.
"Princess Yong Ke, your words sadden me. However, I will not question your honor and your sense of duty. This humble alchemist is ready to help you, no matter what. If this modest alchemist may add something, there is a way to improve the chances of success. If the Venerable Emperor took another Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill, even if it was slightly inferior, he might actually be able to improve his chances."
Before Director Hua could even suggest such a pill, Emperor Weide interrupted her.
"Thank you, Director Hua, but it won't be necessary. In fact, it might hinder me. I've been through a couple of attempts at the Greater Tribulation. Although there is some sense behind your words, this isn't the best option. Believe me, Director Hua."
Emperor Weide's tone was gentle but firm. Clearly, Director Hua had no way of contradicting him. Feng Yingyue understood. Emperor Weide would absorb Yong Ke's Soul Embryo while it was still full of medicinal essence. If he took another Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill at the same time, it might simply have an adverse effect. He simply wasn't counting on Yong Ke living very long once she took the pill. Even if she did, he would make sure it wasn't too long...
With no way of stopping anything, Director Hua was forced to give the Nine-Souls Calamity Ascension Pill to Yong Ke. Or rather, Xiao Xuefeng had to give her the pill. Unfortunately, this would probably kill her very shortly after consuming it. On the other hand, she couldn't delay it at all, or Emperor Weide would become suspicious. With no way of communicating with Cao Yun, Xiao Xuefeng had to make a decision.
Slowly, she extended the open box toward Yong Ke. The young girl went to grab the pill with a lot of respect and solemnity. At the same time, a voice echoed in Xiao Xuefeng's mind. She recognized it instantly. Cao Yun had somehow found a way to talk with her without revealing himself, even though he was outside the room, or was he?