Immortalis

Hong Wan VI

Seven days later.

When Yang Wujian was summoned back to the main hall, all Four Envoys of Zhaoming were present, and everyone's gaze fell upon that small brocade box.

So this is her?

Yang Wujian laughed bitterly to himself. During these past days in the palace where he was forced to bathe and burn incense, his pain had long become numb. Now he only wished for release.

Emperor Yongzhao didn't know much about him. When previously asked why he wanted to test the medicine, Yang Wujian frankly stated that he never intended to live alone after Longevity Palace's destruction. Now that even Shen Qingshi was going to undergo Cicada Molt, he might as well replace Guanri as the Guiding Boy. If His Majesty could achieve enlightenment in the future, perhaps he and Shen Qingshi could be buried together with honors.

Emperor Yongzhao, ever suspicious, seemed surprised that he would immediately speak of his own death, and chuckled: "If you can assist me in attaining the Dao, it would be immeasurable merit."

Yang Wujian knew that although he had replaced Guanri to stand here now, the mess left behind couldn't be resolved with just a few words.

Longevity Palace had laid this trap for fifteen years, all presented for Emperor Zhaoming to "witness with his own eyes." Mere explanations from him and Shen Qingshi would be useless and might even invite suspicion, causing the emperor to sink deeper into delusion.

The only solution now was to walk this path for Emperor Yongzhao, letting him "witness" with his own eyes the collapse of this lie. Only then could everything end.

Afterwards, given Emperor Yongzhao's suspicious nature, he would surely investigate Shen Qingshi's background thoroughly, and Prince Li would naturally be implicated. No matter what, their desperate struggle would surely tear apart this web woven over fifteen years.

Yang Wujian thought to himself that the less he asked for now, the more suspicious Emperor Yongzhao might become of ulterior motives. So he simply said: "I have no parents, originally an abandoned child on the streets. If not for being taken in by Longevity Palace, I would have likely died exposed on the roadside. If Your Majesty is willing, please properly bury all the members of Longevity Palace who were exterminated by Zhaoming Division. This would settle one of my concerns."

"That can be arranged."

"Also, I know Shen Qingshi has no remains left, but I don't want her to be nameless in this life. Could Your Majesty grant her a cenotaph so she may depart in peace?"

"Indeed, the young are most passionate... Very well, I'll entrust this matter to Minister Cao. What do you think?"

After the emperor finished speaking, a Daoist nearby said: "Your Majesty, the auspicious hour has arrived."

The Cicada Molt had been refined for seven days, yielding three pills. Following Guanri's previous instructions, they had been purified of fire and water toxins, and now rested in the brocade box before Yang Wujian.

Shen Qingshi, don't you find this ridiculous?

When you were alive, you couldn't even obtain a minor official position. But after your death, the Four Envoys of Zhaoming, even the current Son of Heaven himself, show you such solicitude.

And me - someone who never believed in gods - now must chew your remains to become some Guiding Boy.

As Yang Wujian thought this, his old wounds ached faintly. Following proper ritual, he performed three kneelings and five prostrations before stepping forward to open the box.

Inside lay a pill the size of a fingertip, crimson as blood.

Yang Wujian's heart had long turned to ashes. He only hoped that after consuming the Meteor Star, he would die immediately. This way, everyone in the hall would instantly know this was no immortal medicine to help anyone ascend to immortality.

Those who consume the red pill face only death.

To overturn fifteen years of blind faith, nothing works faster than letting someone see the outcome directly.Yang Wujian took a light breath, tilted his head back, and swallowed the pill. Unexpectedly, it was neither foul-smelling nor bitter—it was as tasteless as plain water.

Yang Wujian closed his eyes, waiting for death. Yet, after what felt like an eternity, he had already relived countless times in his memory the wine he shared with Zhou Huai and Shen Qingshi...

But the anticipated death never came.

Yang Wujian opened his eyes and found himself still standing in the grand hall. His mind reeled in shock.

Why?

Was there no Meteor Star within Shen Qingshi?

Had they been mistaken? Had Shen Qingshi died in vain?

No... impossible. Shen Qingshi's reaction to the Meat Well was identical to that of the Meteor Star. Her very existence was a trap set by the Longevity Palace for the Son of Heaven of Datong.

Yang Wujian's thoughts were in chaos, and he nearly lost his balance. At that moment, everyone in the hall suddenly knelt in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations on obtaining the Guiding Boy!"

Yang Wujian trembled all over. Staring at the beaming Emperor Yongzhao on the high platform, he thought of Shen Qingshi possibly being thrown into the furnace flames for nothing. He could no longer care that he was facing the supreme ruler of the land and instinctively opened his mouth to refute.

But just then, Cao Zhao suddenly spoke: "Congratulations, Your Majesty. With the Guiding Boy now complete, half of the path to heaven has been achieved. Next, all that remains is for the youth to glimpse Tian Ting, and it will aid Your Majesty in attaining the Dao and ascending to immortality."

What...

In the original plan, Yang Wujian had never considered what would come next because he never intended to live that long.

Why would Cao Zhao suddenly mention Tian Ting?

He stared at Cao Zhao in shock and found the other man looking back at him with a heavy gaze. In that single glance, Yang Wujian's back was drenched in cold sweat.

They had dealt with each other many times, so Yang Wujian immediately realized that Cao Zhao already knew the truth and was silencing him.

Yang Wujian calmed down.

Even if he spoke now, would the emperor believe him?

No one in the hall dared to spoil Emperor Yongzhao's joy at this moment, and Cao Zhao was no exception. But since he had taken the pill without harm, it meant the Cicada Molt in the pill box likely wasn't Shen Qingshi.

Could she still be alive?

In a flash of insight, Yang Wujian understood. He immediately bowed and kowtowed, following Cao Zhao's lead. He claimed that the Cicada Molt would take a few more days to fully permeate his organs and become usable. Then, he could probe Tian Ting for the emperor, record the final chapter of the Longevity Heart Sutra, and pave the way to immortality.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongzhao beamed with joy. After rewarding achievements, he handed Yang Wujian over to Cao Zhao. Though not imprisoned in Zhaoming Prison, he was placed under the watch of the Zhaoming Division, fearing this "youth" might escape.

However, Emperor Yongzhao did not know that, rather than fleeing, Yang Wujian now had a bellyful of questions for Cao Zhao.

"Where is Shen Qingshi?"

As soon as they entered the secret chamber, Cao Zhao dismissed the others, saying the youth needed quiet cultivation. Yang Wujian knew then that Cao Zhao must have uncovered the secret.

Otherwise, Cao Zhao would never have spared his life.

Yang Wujian frowned. "You know, don't you? If I don't die today, your emperor will never learn that this elixir is nothing but a deadly poison. You...""But if you die, the entire Bi'an Department will perish with you. I was the one who sent Green Stone on her final journey, and I was also the one who raised her. The Emperor will not doubt everything he has seen and heard over the years just because of your death. Without the Cicada Molt, he will simply seek other feasible methods."

Cao Zhao's face turned ashen as he said, "Do you think those Northern Desert people will retreat after one failed attempt? All those who knew Shen Qingshi's origins have been silenced. Do you believe the Emperor could easily uncover her connection to Prince Li? Once I am implicated because of Shen Qingshi, Shen Xin and Fu Hong, who have been monitoring Prince Li for ten years, will surely try to protect themselves by defending Prince Li and shifting the blame for the Cicada Molt's failure onto me. Who can you count on then? Zhou Huai, who is far outside the palace? Or that brute of a Ya Zi Envoy who only knows how to kill?"

Having served by Emperor Yongzhao's side for over a decade, Cao Zhao understood their emperor far better than Shen Qingshi and Yang Wujian did.

After pursuing immortality for fifteen long years, even if it were a lie, the emperor would be willing to give it a try.

Even if Yang Wujian were to die on the spot today, the emperor would most likely only vent his anger on those who facilitated this matter and then continue searching for other paths to immortality.

At this point, Yang Wujian finally understood completely—they and Cao Zhao were now in the same boat. If he died, everything Cao Zhao had worked for would be ruined. Not only would Cao Zhao lose his official position, but he might even lose his head.

Yang Wujian sneered, "You've spent ten years searching for immortality for the emperor. Back then, to protect Shen Qingshi as the Cicada Molt and secure your own promotion, you even silenced everyone who knew her origins. Now you've ended up shooting yourself in the foot. Minister Cao, isn't it a bit too late for regrets? Where have you taken Shen Qingshi? What exactly did I ingest today?"

Even Cao Zhao couldn't muster a smile given the current situation.

He recalled that day, at the final moment before Shen Qingshi was to be placed into the Alchemy Furnace, he had pondered repeatedly but still felt something wasn't right.

Both Shen Qingshi and Yang Wujian's sudden willingness to embrace death was far too peculiar.

Shen Qingshi knew perfectly well that Yang Wujian would inevitably die after testing the medicine—after all, there could only be one immortal in this world, and Emperor Yongzhao would never tolerate Yang Wujian's survival.

Previously, she had been solely focused on keeping Yang Wujian alive. How could she suddenly send him to his death?

Moreover, as the Cicada Molt, if Yang Wujian were to test the medicine, he would have to personally consume her remains. How could someone as loyal and righteous as Yang Wujian agree to that?

Not to mention, Shen Qingshi had previously led him to meet Prince Li.

Although Prince Li remained in his residence, there were all sorts of strange occurrences within his household...

Cao Zhao was an inherently suspicious man. Ever since bringing the two back, he had been mulling over this matter, unable to set his mind at ease even until the last moment. Thus, he ultimately made an exceptionally bold decision.

Under the pretext of purifying the Cicada Molt, he swapped Shen Qingshi out of Zhaoming Prison and instead pushed a death row inmate who was already awaiting trial there into the Alchemy Furnace, even adding cinnabar to create a false appearance.

Cao Zhao knew very well that he was the one who had facilitated Emperor Yongzhao's pursuit of immortality, and he was also the one who had concealed Shen Qingshi's origins and brought her into the palace. If anything went wrong, he would be the first to face the consequences.

And reality proved just as he had anticipated.After being replaced, what Shen Qingshi revealed to him was so bizarre and horrifying that even though Cao Zhao had long been accustomed to the deceit and intrigue within the palace, it still took him a long time to accept that everything he had investigated over the past decade was nothing but an elaborate lie orchestrated by the remnants of Northern Xiang.

Cao Zhao said coldly, "Your method is far too foolish... How could the Emperor easily admit to having been deceived by lies? Exposing them outright would not only mean your death and Shen Qingshi's in vain but would also lead to countless others losing their heads needlessly."

It could be said that if not for the fear of being discovered by those outside the secret chamber, Yang Wujian would have burst into laughter at that very moment.

Cao Zhao, as the most astute minister in understanding the Emperor's thoughts, had schemed meticulously, only to realize he had been nothing but a pawn from the very beginning. Not only had his efforts come to naught, but in the end, to save his own life, he even had to help cover up the lie.

Yang Wujian laughed, "So, Lord Cao, what do you plan to do? From the moment you replaced Green Stone, you were already in too deep to extricate yourself... Oh no, in fact, from the moment you conceived the idea of seeking the Longevity Heart Sutra for the Emperor and brought Shen Qingshi back to the palace, you were already trapped. In the end, how are you any different from that lofty Emperor? You thought Shen Qingshi was the elixir that would elevate you to the heavens, but who would have thought she would become the poison that kills you? Don't you find yourself utterly ridiculous, Lord Cao?"

"Yang Wujian, even at death's door, your tongue remains sharp. Very well, there will be many occasions ahead where your eloquence will be needed."

Faced with his mockery, Cao Zhao only smiled coldly.

Under normal circumstances, he would have long since thrown Yang Wujian into prison, knocking out his teeth one by one and cutting out his tongue. But unexpectedly, Yang Wujian now bore the identity of the Guiding Boy, and he still had significant uses ahead.

And Yang Wujian knew full well that since Cao Zhao had the audacity to replace Shen Qingshi, he would not kill her lightly, for only with Shen Qingshi alive would there be a chance to reveal the truth—a contingency plan left in reserve.

As for himself... The Guiding Boy had yet to receive the heavenly mandate, so how could blood be shed within the secret chamber?

Thinking of this, Yang Wujian laughed even more recklessly: "It sounds like Lord Cao already has a plan. Truly worthy of being the Emperor's favorite—even in such a predicament, you still know how to curry favor."

But Cao Zhao ignored his provocation and said only, "Since the Emperor is already deeply convinced of this lie, have you not considered using it to expose Prince Li?"

"Using the lie?"

"You are the Guiding Boy, capable of glimpsing the heavenly way. If words that ordinary people dare not speak were instead spoken by Heaven? Even without evidence, if Heaven declares that Prince Li intends to rebel, do you think the Emperor would believe it?"

Cao Zhao looked at him and said word by word, "Green Stone said that the stone drives people mad. Yang Wujian, playing the role of a madman who speaks the truth shouldn't be too difficult for you, should it?"