# 1698
Chapter 1698: Expelling Jialan
Huo Qubing stood frozen in place.
"This... is for this Marquis?"
"Yes." Lin Qiye nodded. "This Pan Peach can extend your lifespan and repair hidden bodily flaws. If you eat it, you'll feel much better."
Huo Qubing stared at Lin Qiye for a long while, his expression complicated beyond words.
"This Marquis is merely a broken vessel. Even with the Pan Peach to sustain me, how much longer can I linger... Your kindness, this Marquis accepts with gratitude, but you should eat this peach yourself."
"I've already eaten one. This one would be wasted on me."
Lin Qiye forcibly stuffed the Pan Peach back into Huo Qubing's hand. "You are the Champion Marquis of the mortal realm. No one in this world is more worthy of eating this peach. If you refuse, I will destroy it right now."
Under Lin Qiye's persistent urging, Huo Qubing finally sighed and ate the Pan Peach.
As the peach entered his body, that pale and frail face visibly regained color. The vitality that had been on the verge of withering rapidly regenerated, powerful spiritual fluctuations rolled forth from within him, and his eyes once again shone with vigor!
"Marquis, please meditate and regulate your breathing. I will guard you." Lin Qiye's voice rang in Huo Qubing's ear.
Mighty power churned within Huo Qubing's body. He tightly closed his eyes, immediately sat cross-legged on the ground, and devoted his full attention to absorbing the essence of the Pan Peach. His spiritual power, already at the Human Apex level, began to grow once more!
Sensing the changes emanating from Huo Qubing, expressions of shock appeared on the others' faces. They had never expected that a single peach could contain such terrifying power.
"What a powerful peach." Chloe's eyes went wide. "Is this the mysterious power from the East?"
Absorbing the Pan Peach was a lengthy process. According to Lin Qiye's estimate, it would take Huo Qubing about half a day to fully absorb the peach. Although this peach couldn't make him a god, it should be able to extend his lifespan.
Normally, one Pan Peach was enough to sustain an ordinary person for decades, but for the Dominator Emperor, this effect would be significantly diminished... Exactly how much time it would buy him was something only Huo Qubing himself could know.
"Jialan, where is the Immortal Pill?"
At this moment, the Queen Mother of the West turned to look at Jialan and asked.
Jialan: (⊙x⊙;)
"Um..."
Beads of sweat the size of soybeans beaded on her forehead, and her entire body tensed. She knew this day would eventually come.
Seeing Jialan's reaction, the Queen Mother of the West narrowed her eyes slightly. She reached out with her hand and made a beckoning gesture through the air. A white alchemy jar flew out from within Jialan's sleeve and landed in her palm.
The Queen Mother of the West opened the jar and examined its contents. Her expression immediately darkened.
"Where is the Immortal Pill?"
Just as Jialan stood at a loss, a voice sounded from behind her:
"Madam, the Immortal Pill... I had her eat it."
The Queen Mother of the West furrowed her brow and looked over. She saw Lin Qiye, dressed in cyan robes, calmly walk to stand before Jialan and speak with respect.
"Ate it?" The Queen Mother of the West's voice carried a hint of coldness. "Lin Qiye, do you know that this Immortal Pill is a secret treasure for crossing tribulations that Lingbao Tianzun forged for all living beings beneath heaven? Its materials are even rarer than your Hongmeng Spirit Fetus. There were only two in this world, and they can never be refined again...
The culprit who wreaked havoc in the Jade Pool, and the monster pursuing Jialan, both came for it. If it had been destroyed out of necessity, that would have been acceptable—at least it wouldn't have fallen into enemy hands.
But as long as this pill is eaten, it will always exist within her body. Not only will it be unable to combine with the Immortal Pill to save all living beings, she will become a target for those monsters... If she is captured and the Immortal Pill is forcibly extracted from her, it will unleash another catastrophic disaster."
The Queen Mother of the West's low voice rang out before the Grand Three Halls. As her eyes gradually narrowed, a terrifying divine might pressed down upon Jialan's shoulders, causing her to kneel倒在台阶之前.
Although the Queen Mother of the West appeared gentle and serene, her actions had always been swift and decisive. If not for such resolve, she could never have personally massacred her own Jade Pool, sparing not even the Chief Gods who came as guests... In her heart, she had her own set of principles, and Jialan's defiance of her decree and私自吞服 the Immortal Pill had undoubtedly crossed her bottom line.
Jialan was very familiar with the Queen Mother of the West's temperament. Her face was deathly pale at this moment, her head bowed low, not daring to look up and meet the figure before the hall.
The Queen Mother of the West took a deep breath. Her golden-trimmed purple-patterned robe dragged across the steps as she slowly walked toward Jialan.
"Before this palace sent them away, this palace gave them countless warnings not to swallow the pill privately... Now that this situation has arisen, you had better give this palace an explanation."
Just as Jialan's head lowered to the point where it nearly touched the ground, a figure stepped between her and the Queen Mother of the West.
"Madam, do you believe in karma?"
The Queen Mother of the West gazed at Lin Qiye before her. After a long while, she finally spoke: "Karma is one of the supreme laws of heaven and earth. Of course this palace believes in it."
"Then if I were to say that Jialan swallowing the pill was karmic necessity, would the Madam believe it?"
"Karmic necessity?" The Queen Mother of the West shook her head. "Lin Qiye, this palace knows you carry the power of karma. But if everything in this world were karmic necessity, what meaning would our existence have?
There is no such thing as karmic necessity in this world. What appears to be inevitable fruit is simply because someone planted the 'cause' in advance."
Inevitable fruit... is because someone planted the "cause" in advance?
These words fell into Lin Qiye's ears as if a flash of insight had passed through his mind. He seemed to have realized something, and a sharp light gleamed in his eyes.
"The Madam is right. All seemingly inevitable results in this world are because someone planted the 'cause'... And I am the one who plants that 'cause.'
Jialan swallowing the Immortal Pill was orchestrated by my own hand. This is precisely the 'cause' I have planted for future generations."
The Queen Mother of the West frowned as she looked at him. "Lin Qiye, do you know what great risk you are taking by doing this?"
"These matters were all done by me alone, so the risk must also be borne by me alone." Lin Qiye clasped his fists and bowed respectfully. "I implore the Madam to show mercy and spare Jialan."
The Queen Mother of the West's expression was heavy as stone. Her gaze swept continuously between Lin Qiye and Jialan, as if contemplating something.
In the end, she made her decision. Her gaze locked onto Lin Qiye.
"Since you insist on planting this 'cause' for her, this palace will grant your wish. Only, this palace hopes that one day, you will not come to regret this..." The Queen Mother of the West cast one final glance at Jialan, then turned and walked away. The sleeves of her golden-trimmed purple-patterned robe swayed gently as her voice drifted back.
"Pearl Soul Jialan, defying this palace's decree and privately swallowing the Immortal Pill. Expelled from the Jade Pool effective immediately. From this day forward, she has no connection to this palace."
Hearing these words, Jialan's gaze suddenly froze. She looked dumbfounded at the Queen Mother of the West's departing figure, her body fixed in place like a sculpture.
Only when that figure had faded into the distance did she suddenly snap back to her senses, her forehead striking the ground heavily:
"Jialan... kneels to see off the Madam."