Immortalis

Meat Well Four

For several consecutive days, Cao Zhao was nowhere to be seen.

Before leaving that day, Cao Zhao had instructed Shen Qingshi to remain in the secret chamber these past few days. It wasn't her first time staying there anyway, which had previously sparked much unsavory gossip. Some even whispered privately that she was Cao Zhao's kept woman.

Shen Qingshi had never cared about such rumors before, and thus had never noticed that those who had spoken disrespectfully to her would almost always disappear silently on some subsequent day.

Had Cao Zhao been keeping something from her these days?

When the White-faced Guest had an audience with the emperor that day, Cao Zhao didn't allow her to listen in. Shen Qingshi could only wait outside the hall.

After a long time, when Cao Zhao finally emerged, though he wore a smile on his face, the warmth had vanished from his eyes.

It was clear the White-faced Guest had said something that displeased him. Yet Cao Zhao offered no explanation, only instructing her to remain in the secret chamber. Unless he returned, she was not to leave.

Why?

Could it be because the White-faced Guest had mentioned that she was the Flesh Conduit closest to achieving Cicada Molt, prompting Cao Zhao to confine her?

Until Cao Zhao returned, these questions would remain unanswered for her. Fortunately, the secret chamber was spacious enough for Shen Qingshi to practice her swordplay. Three full days passed like this before Cao Zhao finally returned.

"Brother Cao?"

From childhood, Shen Qingshi's obedience to Cao Zhao had been etched into her bones. Even though she had recently come to realize that Cao Zhao was far more terrifying than she had imagined, old habits were hard to break.

Before she knew it, she had already poured wine for him.

Cao Zhao carried the chill of the night on him. Seeing her, he smiled: "Were you wondering why I confined you here?"

Shen Qingshi shook her head: "No need to wonder. I'll do whatever Brother Cao wants me to do."

Her response came too quickly. Cao Zhao was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to say this. He continued: "Qingshi, do you truly hold no resentment toward me? I know you haven't completely let go of the matter with Yang Wujian."

Shen Qingshi knew she couldn't completely hide things from Cao Zhao, so she opted for partial truth: "I just wanted to try to spare his life. I never expected things would end up like this."

"Just because he saved you?"

"Very few people have saved me. Besides Brother Cao, only he and Zhou Huai."

Shen Qingshi spoke frankly, leaving Cao Zhao no room to detect any falsehood. After a long moment, he patted her head and smiled: "True enough. If you were truly devoid of all emotion, you probably wouldn't call me Brother Cao either... Let's not speak of this matter anymore. Qingshi, I'm afraid you'll have to endure staying in this secret chamber a while longer."

"Why?"

"To protect you."

Cao Zhao gave her a helpless look: "Do you know what that Taoist said in court that day? He claimed your constitution is special, and now that you've betrayed someone who saved you since childhood, you must be filled with death-seeking intentions - making you the person in this world closest to achieving Cicada Molt... The Emperor has consequently developed the notion of killing you to test the medicine."

So it was indeed the White-faced Guest?

Shen Qingshi's heart jumped. Sending reports to the palace in her name, severing her connection with Yang Wujian - all of this was meant to push her to the brink, to make her develop death-seeking resolve.

After all, the White-faced Guest knew she had taken the Blood Cleansing Pill and was no longer as iron-hearted as before.

This move killed two birds with one stone - not only could it eliminate the entire Longevity Palace, but it could also complete the Cicada Molt.

But if he had known about the Aconite Kiln all along, why didn't he seek out Tian Ting himself? With both Cicada Molt and Tian Ting in his hands, why would he need to let the palace share in the profits?Shen Qingshi never expected the answer to come so swiftly. Though her heart was roiling like stormy waves, her expression remained placid as ever: "He approached me earlier, presumably to see whether I was truly a Cicada Molt."

Cao Zhao sneered coldly: "But he had numerous opportunities to act against you before. If you really were a Cicada Molt and he wanted to force your hand, he could've simply killed Yang Wujian right before your eyes. Why keep you alive until now? This man's motives are unfathomable. When he came to the Zhaoming Division earlier, he was utterly arrogant. I suspect he merely wants to use the Emperor's hand to kill you, just to spite me."

"Brother Cao..."

Shen Qingshi was momentarily stunned, but the murderous intent on Cao Zhao's face vanished as quickly as it appeared, soon replaced by his usual smile: "However, the Emperor didn't readily believe his words either. I'm mainly concerned that other departments in the Zhaoming Division might catch wind of this and fan the flames. That's why I'm detaining you here for a few days... You should be accustomed to staying here by now, shouldn't you?"

"I understand."

Shen Qingshi couldn't tell whether Cao Zhao genuinely wanted to protect her or was simply being paranoid and distrustful of the White-faced Guest. Still, she preferred to believe it was the former. Thus, she obediently lowered her head and remained silent as she refilled Cao Zhao's wine cup.

Was Cao Zhao considered family to her?

At this moment, Shen Qingshi vaguely recalled how Yang Wujian and Gu Yun interacted at the Longevity Palace. He too had been picked up by Gu Yun, but Gu Yun brought him back to the Longevity Palace merely out of concern that he might starve to death.

Whereas Cao Zhao's motives for bringing her to the palace were far from pure.

Even since childhood, all the stories she listened to while leaning against his knees, and everything he painstakingly taught her while holding her hands—it was all for this very day.

Shen Qingshi became so lost in thought that her hand trembled, causing the wine to overflow. Cao Zhao had noticed her distraction early on and grabbed her wrist: "What are you thinking about?"

"About how to descend the Meat Well."

Shen Qingshi lied without batting an eye. Cao Zhao stared at her for a moment, then laughed: "Why bother thinking about that?"

Shen Qingshi was puzzled: "Aren't we searching for the Longevity Heart Sutra?"

Cao Zhao shook his head: "We are, but we don't need to do it ourselves. After all, the Meat Well isn't going anywhere, and there are countless people in this world who want to find the Longevity Heart Sutra."

Shen Qingshi immediately understood: "You want to leak the information and let those martial artists search for it?"

Cao Zhao said: "Those people have always been a scourge to the imperial court. Their deaths are inconsequential. This is a perfect opportunity to let them fight among themselves while we play the fisherman who benefits."

Shen Qingshi pondered: "That day you told the Emperor you needed assistance from the other three departments of the Zhaoming Division..."

Before she could finish, she already realized the truth and felt a chill in her heart: "What you need them for isn't to descend the Meat Well, but rather..."

Cao Zhao smiled: "Correct. Anyone in the martial world who seeks the Longevity Heart Sutra is a rebel and traitor. The Zhaoming Division will kill every last one of them."

Just as Yang Wujian had suspected, Yongyi was no longer under strict lockdown like it had been a month ago. Even the wanted notice for Yang Wujian previously posted at the government office entrance had disappeared.

"It seems Cao Zhao truly believes I'm dead..."

Yang Wujian thought of Cao Zhao's smug, confident expression that day and couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.He had already eradicated the Longevity Palace, yet deliberately brought those unblinking severed heads to the Aconite Kiln—clearly intending to show them to him.

Not just killing, but destroying the spirit as well.

That such a beast in human clothing could rise to a third-rank official position showed that Emperor Yong Zhao couldn't be all that wise.

After gathering information throughout the city, just as expected—after Young Master Guanhuo's death, Thousand Cliffs Fortress had almost immediately sent someone to replace him. Even the business on Handkerchief Street was barely affected, returning to its singing and dancing within days. Whether it was Zui Xiang, Zhu'er, or the deceased Young Master Guanhuo, they were all forgotten by people, no longer mentioned.

If they hadn't planned this backup long ago, it wouldn't have been handled so cleanly.

Yang Wujian grew increasingly convinced that the one who previously died at the hands of the White-faced Guest was likely just a scapegoat, while the real Young Master Guanhuo had never even shown himself.

With such profound cunning and connections to the White-faced Guest, what exactly were they scheming?

As the sun set, the two dared not stay in the city, so they left and settled down not far from the Meat Well.

At night, Zhou Huai lit a campfire, roasting some fruits for Yang Wujian while also gathering tender leaves from nearby. He released Xue Qiu, who had been confined in a cage all day.

"This rabbit is so plump—I've never managed to hunt one this fat before."

Zhou Huai fed it leaves while stroking the soft fur under Xue Qiu's belly, sighing: "What on earth did Miss Shen feed it..."

"..."

Yang Wujian suddenly remembered that he had previously promised Shen Qingshi that if she were gone, he would take care of Xue Qiu.

Yet now, it was Zhou Huai fulfilling that promise.

Yang Wujian's heart ached faintly once more.

After the Longevity Palace was destroyed, he desperately wanted to hate her, but whenever he recalled Shen Qingshi's tearful eyes in the firelight, he instinctively stopped himself from hating her.

Perhaps from the moment he impulsively opened that cage years ago, his ill-fated bond with Shen Qingshi had begun.

Noticing his silence, Zhou Huai understood exactly what he was thinking and said softly: "In Yongyi, while you were unconscious, Miss Shen told me many things."

"...What did she say?"

"She said she was the Flesh Conduit of the Longevity Palace, had lost her emotions since childhood from taking many medicines, and that you were the one who saved her in the end. If you hadn't risked your life to release her from that cage, she would have perished in the Longevity Palace's furnace flames."

Zhou Huai gazed absently at the flickering fire before them, smiling: "Yang Wujian, I'll just speak my mind... When Miss Shen told me these things that day, I couldn't see any coldness in her at all. Because she was just like any ordinary girl—she could be anxious, she could worry, and when she spoke of your first meeting as children, she even seemed somewhat happy. I've known her for some time now, and I'd never seen so many expressions on Miss Shen's face before."

"She..."

Yang Wujian certainly knew that by then, Shen Qingshi had already taken the third Blood Cleansing Pill, and he had no idea how much it had truly affected her.

Yang Wujian gritted his teeth: "But no matter what, I've seen Cao Zhao's letter... Someone did report the Longevity Palace to the Zhaoming Division. If Shen Qingshi is still alive, when we meet again someday, I'll make sure she explains everything clearly.""Pah, don't jinx it! I'm telling you Yang Wujian, Miss Shen is blessed by heaven and definitely still alive."

Having suffered from Evil Sickness for most of his life, Zhou Huai couldn't stand hearing such ominous words. He grabbed another handful of leaves to feed Xue Qiu, but suddenly noticed in the dim light that among the leaves he'd randomly picked were several withered Howling Whistle Flowers.

"How did these get here!"

Remembering the tragic scene in White Dog Village that day, Zhou Huai immediately threw the petals away. Yang Wujian couldn't help rolling his eyes: "Young master, have you gone stupid? Howling Whistle Flowers alone can't attract wild animals. Everyone says these flowers are easy to find but not easy to..."

His words abruptly cut off halfway.

He stared at the Howling Whistle Flowers Zhou Huai had thrown aside.

Under the firelight, the withered petals cast a faint shadow that surprisingly resembled a small dog's head.

White Howling Whistle Flowers, growing in mining areas, dog heads...

More importantly, the White-faced Guest had once asked White Dog for the collection method of Howling Whistles.

A sudden inspiration flashed through Yang Wujian's mind. He slapped his thigh and stood up: "Wait... White Dog! I think I understand now. White Dog isn't a dog, but a flower! Howling Whistle Flowers grow in mining areas, and all Meat Wells have Howling Whistles nearby. Just like copper flowers, wherever Howling Whistle Flowers grow underground, there lies a Meat Well. This is the truth about White Dog guarding the Underground Heaven."

Zhou Huai was stunned: "So you mean, using Howling Whistle in medicine to attract beasts, could that also be related to Meat Wells?"

Yang Wujian then recalled that day when they found a note in White Dog's books that read "must find... lure beasts into well."

Back then they didn't know what well this referred to, or what treasure to find.

But looking back now, the well here must be a Meat Well, and what else could one be looking for when descending into a Meat Well?

Yang Wujian took out the bottle from his chest. That day "Dong Qisheng" had said that if they wanted to find the Underground Heaven, they must bring this with them.

To find the Underground Heaven, one must lure beasts into the well, while also carrying this Strange Worm. How could both conditions be satisfied... Dong Qisheng must have given them clues too.

Yang Wujian carefully recalled, then his expression suddenly froze: "In the final years of Crimson Gold, someone saw a deer eat a Meteor Star. The deer's four legs stiffened but it didn't fall, walking hundreds of miles into a deep well, returning with treasure before dying... Those people from Aconite Kiln said before that Meteor Stars are living creatures, not only being treasures themselves but sometimes able to find other treasures for people."

He stared blankly at the bottle in his hand.

"I guess, the thing in this bottle is the Meteor Star. As long as we use Beast Luring Powder made from Howling Whistle to attract wild animals to eat the Meteor Star, it will automatically walk into the Meat Well, then bring out treasures from inside."

Yang Wujian murmured: "And that treasure is most likely the Longevity Heart Sutra."