If anything, she felt certain that there was no way the prince could harm her, especially with so many other witnesses present.

But as soon as the cup touched her lips, she felt a searing sensation in her mouth. Having gulped it down before tasting it, the burning sensation spread to her throat and then down to her stomach.

She attempted to force it out, but it felt as though unseen hands were keeping her mouth shut until everything had gone down.

Her body began to jerk and vibrate, causing the men standing beside her to step back in fear as they watched.

Each one among them was so terrified, their hearts beating rapidly, and many felt relief that they were not the ones made to drink that water.

Armad was also surprised because he hadn’t expected anything like that. He should have tested the pills on one of the servants before trying it on the volunteers, he thought in hindsight.

However, he had already tested it on himself, and he believed that the effect it was having on A’i was the same as what he felt whenever he took it, despite being a cultivator.

Ten seconds later, her body stopped trembling, and she stood still. Then, without a word, she turned around and stared at the people around her, then back at Armad.

Without wasting another second, she approached him head-on. The five men standing guard at his back rushed to stop her, but Armad waved them off. She hurried toward him, but instead of plowing into him, she side-stepped at the last minute and struck the wall behind him with her fist.

In a move that was both remarkable and unbelievable, the wall she hit broke with a loud crack as bricks flew about and scattered.

Some of the bricks hit her companions, while everyone, including Armad, stared at this spectacle in open-mouthed wonder.

He quickly ordered his guards to escort her back to her seat. Armad did this to test her senses.

She had grown stronger, but he wanted to ascertain if she was still in her right mind. If not, then the pill was still not as diluted as he had hoped.

However, A’i didn’t wait for the warriors to reach her before she stepped back. She had already heard what Armad said. Walking away from the wall, she knelt before her king.

“As I mentioned earlier, Your Highness, my name is A’i,” she said. “And I want to express my utmost gratitude for the gift you bestowed upon me. You were right, my King, in assuring us of your benevolence, and this water is indeed a priceless gift to us all. I feel strong—stronger than anything I believe a person can logically feel.”

She paused and then continued, “I feel I should be the one to challenge the five hundred volunteers. I pray that you will grant my wish to test my strength against them.”

A lopsided grin crossed Armad’s face. The lady was fully in control of her senses, and her previous actions when she approached and then bypassed him at the last minute were merely human nature: ‘Power usually comes with pride.’

When someone gains power, they change, even in character. Such was the case with A’i, and it wasn’t indicative of a loss of her faculties. This realization elicited a smile from Armad.

“Your request is granted,” he told her, and immediately, A’i stood up. She was filled with pride at the moment, believing she was chosen because Armad saw something special in her.

She certainly wasn’t going to squander the opportunity to prove that she truly deserved to be chosen.

Her fellow volunteers witnessed everything that had happened, including the exchange between their king and A’i. However, they laughed it off and jeered at her, especially the men who had witnessed her strength. They felt that a brick wall wasn’t as formidable as a human body, and they doubted she could face them.

Armad ordered a space to be cleared for them, with A’i on one side facing five men on the opposite side. Only Armad believed in A’i at that moment.

He trusted that she could overcome them if she were as strong as that pony. With time, her opponents might tire, but she wouldn’t easily fatigue.

Shortly afterward, he raised his hand to signal the start of the fight.

A’i was so energized that she couldn’t wait for her opponents to come to her. Instead, she leaped at them first.

The first man she encountered was ready for her, or so he thought. His feet were set wide apart, and he prepared to punch her. However, as she approached, he didn’t even see her pass. All he saw was a shadow, and then a crack! Something akin to a train collided with him, and he found himself lying on the ground far from where he had stood seconds ago.

Anyone who got close to her ended up being pummeled by her incessantly moving hands. Whenever her hands made contact, men went flying before crashing back to the ground.

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In no time, almost thirty of them lay injured on the ground. Armad had no choice but to halt the contest when he realized he could lose men, considering how badly A’i’s victims were injured.

The young men he saved appeared grateful. They approached him, bowed on their knees, and apologized for doubting him. They expressed their desire for a chance to drink the magic water themselves.

If just a cup of it could grant A’i such strength, then they were willing to drink ten cups if necessary. They pleaded for the opportunity, stating they were prepared for the pain and trembling that would pass within minutes.

Armad merely smiled and ordered the injured men to be brought before him. He wanted to test if the pill could cure an injury and bring someone back to consciousness, or if it only revived them without healing.

The first man brought before him was so battered that he couldn’t open his eyes, and there was blood from a deep wound across his back.

Fortunately, his spinal cord wasn’t affected, but the wound appeared painfully deep. Armad suspected it was the spot where A’i had hit him, causing a deep gash that kept dripping blood.

He wasn’t surprised, having witnessed how she destroyed the brick wall. With such strength, splitting a man’s back wouldn’t be difficult for her.

He signaled to the servants to feed the man a cup from the cauldron. The effect on him was surprisingly different from what happened with A’i. He felt no pain and didn’t tremble. Instead, his wound began to knit before their eyes, surprising Armad greatly.

Just then, a message from the System appeared: “Energy pills could be used to heal an injury, but be warned that they wouldn’t provide the necessary strength in that case. A large amount may be needed depending on the severity of the injury.”

He nodded in satisfaction. This was something that could be immensely helpful during battle. If what the System said was correct, he could force two or even three undissolved pills into a person’s mouth without hesitation.

He ordered more cupfuls, and after the tenth cup, the wound still hadn’t completely healed. Undeterred, Armad persisted, and by the thirty-seventh cup, the wound was fully healed.

To the onlookers, this appeared as magical as ever. How could a wound knit itself together before their eyes if not through magic?

Such occurrences were reserved for cultivators. Commoners like them, devoid of cultivation, never experienced anything like this, nor did anyone bother to provide it for them.

The fact that the magical water could not only energize but also heal was astonishing.

Armad continued ordering cup after cup to be fed to the injured man so he could regain his strength. However, he was soon taken aside, and another man took his place. This one had fractures in both legs. After the 90th cup, one fracture healed, but his stomach became swollen from the water intake. He was set aside until the water settled, needing to urinate it out before continuing the exercise so the other leg could heal.

It was then that Armad realized some injuries couldn’t be completely healed on the spot. Partial recuperation was the best one could hope for since a significant amount of water would be required, which the person’s system couldn’t handle all at once.

The only solution Armad could see in such a case was to administer a whole pill or dilute a pill with less water. But the question remained: could they consume it without harm, or would it affect their senses like the unfortunate horse?

He needed to conduct experiments on the injured to determine the appropriate dosage needed for healing and strength enhancement. Additionally, he needed to experiment further to find a safe dosage for non-cultivators that would boost their energy without causing harm.

He realized that achieving these goals could take days if not weeks, and by then, the wild people could have already attacked the city before he could lead his warriors out.

Deciding that this could wait, he directed his men to take the injured to the palace healing house and to continue administering the water solution. He knew the healers would have questions, but he turned away. This wasn’t the time for inquiries; it was time for battle.

After about an hour of activity, A’i slumped down and began to sleep. Armad had been waiting for this moment. He had observed her since the start and had witnessed how energized she had been, displaying strength akin to that of lifting an elephant. Her vigor had remained unwavering until now.

Unexpectedly, she suddenly slumped down and fell asleep. This was something Armad couldn’t allow on the battlefield, as it would be akin to indirectly sacrificing his people to the lions.

He signaled to his men to bring her before him. Although he wanted to administer another cup of water, he hesitated, fearing it could harm her.

He knew he needed to wait until she regained consciousness before giving her any more water. Did this mean that every other person would only fight for two hours before succumbing to fatigue? Armad realized he needed to seize this opportunity before the battle for a thorough investigation to confirm his assumptions. He also needed to explore other potential uses for the pill.

He decided to only administer the solution to them as needed during the battle.

Standing up, he called for the volunteers to come forward.

“You have all witnessed the effects of these pills,” he addressed them when they were assembled. “Not only does it elevate you to the level of cultivators, but it also heals any injuries sustained during battle. Your comrades are a testament to its efficacy.”

“You have seen all of this. However, it won’t provide permanent strength because, after two hours, you will feel fatigued and be forced to sleep, as A’i just displayed.”

“With that said, you shouldn’t consume it indiscriminately but only when necessary, such as during battle when you require energy.”

“All five hundred of you will be divided into ten units, each overseen by five cultivators. You will be briefed and then given the water. Do you understand?” he asked, fixing them with his gaze.

The youths responded by pounding their chests with their fists and kneeling on one leg.

And with that, battle preparations commenced within the palace.