Everyone, even Maria's eyes, couldn't help but lit up slightly upon hearing Alchemist Azrael's words. It was as if they were trying to rush towards the only light in the cave, which was previously filled with the darkness of despair.
Arthur excitedly asked, "Senior Azrael, do tell us what way it is. As long as my mother's life can be saved, it doesn't matter how."
"I would need two Pandemonium Needles for my method, and even then, her cultivation wouldn't revert back to her original level. It might even be a realm lower since her ethereal core seemed to have broken down from its original state," Damien said in a solemn tone.
However, he wasn't lying about the method. Even though he desperately needed the Pandemonium Needles, he couldn't just ask for it and then tell them that he was helpless about Maria's condition.
He indeed did diligent research about the Pandemonium Needles and read up on the art of formations to know how these special needles were used for it.
He was surprised to know about the origin history of the Pandemonium Needle and made him realize how powerful ethereal formations can be.
He obviously didn't learn enough to become an expert in formations, but he read up on a lot of healing formations and how they could be connected with alchemy.
Finally, with Reva's help, who had more knowledge about formations than him, suggested the technique of Blood Arrays.
Blood Arrays can be used for various purposes, but the one she told him was the healing type. She said that using the Pandemonium Needles; one could draw up a blood array on the body of the patient and use the necessary activation ingredients to activate the array.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})The latter part was where Damien's expertise in alchemy would come to play, while the former part was related to the art of formations.
Of course, he had other methods to treat Maria's ailment, but all of them were risky and most probably would end up with her losing her cultivation. And without her cultivation, she would at most live about twenty years more since her body had already withered to such a condition and her vitality was drained away.
However, if her cultivation was still present no matter even if it was at a reduced level, she could still regain her vitality and cultivate again to increase her life span. She would no longer look like an old woman and would be able to spend more time with her son as well.
So, he thought of striking two birds with one stone. He could use the help of the crown prince to get him the Pandemonium Needles and, at the same time, help cure his mother as well.
Also, with this, he could test the attitude of the crown prince and also find more about the relationship status between the imperial members since he found it highly suspicious that Maria would rashly try to breakthrough without knowing its consequences.
Arthur's breath froze when he heard that Damien needed the Pandemonium Needle. He knew what it was since he himself was the one taking formation mastery classes for his juniors.
And obviously, he knew that the Pandemonium Needle was in the hands of his father!
Thinking about how he could even ask his father to give him the Pandemonium Needle felt hopeless but then thinking that Alchemist Azrael would be with him, he still felt hopeful.
And most of all, he felt an incredible sense of happiness hearing that Alchemist Azrael can heal his mother!
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})That was enough for him to get rid of any misgivings about asking his father for the Pandemonium Needles.
As if he gained a new life, Arthur said with spirited eyes, "Senior Azrael, don't worry, I will somehow ask my father for the Pandemonium Needles since only he has it." Arthur wanted to say more about how long it would take for him to convince his father.
But wouldn't that mean he would be indirectly telling Alchemist Azrael that the relationship between his father and mother was just superficial, including him?
If his father came to know that he gave away information regarding the imperial family, he was sure he and his mother would suffer unthinkable consequences.
Fortunately, Alchemist Azrael spoke, "You can actually join me when I meet with His Majesty. I already have an audience arranged with him today. I hope Your Highness is fine with this."
Arthur inwardly let out a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile, "Of course, that would be best."
Damien not only needed the Pandemonium Needles but needed a reagent and catalysts to draw up a Blood Array on Maria.
The reagent was the first and one of the most important ingredients he would need to define the type of array. And for this particular situation, he would need Valentina's blood to act as the 'ink' as well.
He felt bad about taking her blood, but Valentina didn't mind at all and said that her blood could be easily regenerated, and it was not a big deal at all.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Damien also took comfort in that since he only needed a vial of her blood.
Her blood had many astonishing properties, especially regenerative ones, so he felt that instead of searching for some other ethereal beast's blood, her blood would work perfectly.
And as for the catalysts, he would need to use one of the best medicinal herbs that could help with Maria's condition.
He then asked Maria, "Your Highness, how did this exactly happen? I want to know whether there were any other complications or anything before your ethereal core got damaged."
Arthur hadn't explained how Maria ended up like this since he wanted to let Alchemist Azrael form speculation of his own instead of letting his words affect his judgment in case Maria had some other health problems as well.
However, now hearing him ask for the exact reason for her condition to occur, Arthur felt tongue-tied. He wanted to tell it was because of her forcibly trying to breakthrough, but even a ten-year-old kid would know that forcibly breaking through is dangerous.
So, if he said that, he was sure Alchemist Azrael would find it extremely suspicious and think that he was hiding details that could help him heal her or think something worse.
Maria decided to take control and calmly said, "Senior Azrael, I made the elementary mistake of trying to forcibly breakthrough. But it was because I wanted to remove the backlash of cultivating a certain stage of my ethereal arts that required a higher cultivation realm. I hoped that after the breakthrough, I could recover from the backlash, but because of my foolishness, things only became worse."
What Maria said was a situation that could happen to some practitioners. Some of them presumptuously try to execute an ethereal skill of their ethereal art which requires a higher cultivation realm and thus suffer the backlash.
But such a backlash could be recovered if the person breakthroughs immediately to reach the required realm. The backlash only happens due to having a weaker ethereal core or weaker cultivation in general.
So, if they breakthrough and satisfied the conditions of using that ethereal skill, the backlash would no longer affect them.
However, Damien could see that Maria was purposefully hiding things, so he didn't probe any further since it would be futile.
"Alright, may I ask who was looking after you all these years?" Damien asked generally.
Arthur gestured at Lina as he said, "I try to stay with mother whenever possible, but otherwise, my maid, Lina, would be the one looking after her."
Damien looked at Lina, who had a certain innocent charm to her and was looking anxiously at him. She was feeling nervous about being under the direct gaze of such a powerful senior and felt as if everything about her was laid bare before him.
However, most of it was only in her mind since Damien only took a casual look and wanted to know more about how the prince took care of his mother and thus discern his personality from those facts.
The others thought Alchemist Azrael asked the question for Maria's treatment, and just like they expected, he asked both of them, "Did Her Highness have any complications that worsened her condition or anything of that sort in the past?"
Lina replied before Arthur could say anything and bowed, "Not at all, Senior Azrael. I have been taking care of her needs day and night, and other than her present condition, I never noticed anything out of the ordinary."
Arthur also nodded and affirmed Lina's words.
Damien already knew what he needed to know and also got to know that Arthur truly cared about his mother and didn't notice any deception among the people in this room.
He could also see that Arthur's treatment towards the maid didn't really seem like a master-servant of sorts. Instead, it seemed as if Arthur gave her more respect than any member of the royalty usually would to their servants.
Damien nodded, "Then, so far, things are looking good as long as we could get the items we need. I shall take my leave now, and shall we, Your Highness?" Damien gestured, indirectly telling Arthur that it was time to meet the emperor.
