Immortalis

Hong Wan Eleven

"Where is Yang Wujian?"

Zhou Huai's voice was icy as he faced the Bi An Envoy he hadn't seen for a long time.

Even though Cao Zhao had saved Shen Qingshi at the critical moment, Zhou Huai couldn't muster even a shred of gratitude toward him.

Hearing this, Cao Zhao merely smiled: "Young Tower Master, there's no need to be so guarded against me. Have you forgotten? We've long been grasshoppers on the same rope. Coming to see you now, I'm taking risks too—you should understand that clearly."

Zhou Huai sneered coldly: "Since you're taking risks, you shouldn't have come."

"There are some things I must tell you in person... Young Tower Master, things you also want to know."

At these words from Cao Zhao, Zhou Huai's face immediately turned pale. After hesitating for a moment, he ultimately led Cao Zhao into the tower.

Shen Qingshi was now living in the Heavenly Mystery Tower where Zhou Huai used to reside.

Along the way, nearly all the mechanisms left by Zhou Jinglei had been activated. Cao Zhao narrowed his eyes: "You know how to operate these things your father left behind?"

Zhou Huai detected the probing in his words and scoffed: "Finished managing my father, now it's my turn?"

Cao Zhao said: "As long as you behave properly, the court won't interfere too much in martial world affairs... Both you and I know that your father ultimately met such an end because he brought it upon himself."

As they reached the door, before they could knock, Shen Qingshi had already recognized their footsteps and said softly: "Come in, I'm awake."

Upon entering the room, the air was thick with the smell of medicine, making Cao Zhao instinctively frown.

"Brother Cao."

Shen Qingshi leaned against the couch, holding a snow-white rabbit in her arms, her face extremely haggard.

Having gone through that life-and-death experience, even her brows and eyes had become faint and delicate. Seeing him, she remained exceptionally calm and said softly: "Have you settled your matters in the palace?"

Zhou Huai warily moved to the bedside, seemingly ready to confront Cao Zhao at any moment. Seeing this, Cao Zhao smiled: "Consider it settled, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to come see you so easily... If Shen Xin and Fu Hong were still in their positions, they would know exactly where I went."

"Were they removed because of Prince Li..."

"Prince Li wasn't officially declared a rebel. Even in death, he was buried with the honors of a prince, so naturally Shen Xin and Fu Hong wouldn't be convicted for that... However, Lord Shen had offended too many people in the past, and as for Lord Fu, his fondness for women inevitably left some vulnerabilities exposed."

In just a few words, Cao Zhao seemed to have determined these two men's fates, sending a chill down Zhou Huai's spine.

He knew Cao Zhao was a very patient man. Even if Shen Xin and Fu Hong had only lost their official positions for now, with Cao Zhao's methods, he would eventually take their lives to eliminate any future threats.

After the pleasantries, Shen Qingshi looked at Cao Zhao and finally asked the question.

"He's already gone, isn't he?"

Zhou Huai's heart tightened. Although he knew Cao Zhao's visit could only be for one reason... he still didn't want to hear him say those words.

Cao Zhao smiled bitterly: "Qingshi, you should understand—this outcome is a release for him."

With that, he took out a small brocade pouch from his chest. Realizing what was inside, Zhou Huai's eyes immediately reddened, and he turned away. Shen Qingshi took the pouch and opened it, finding only a lock of hair inside.

Shen Qingshi asked: "Is this all?"Cao Zhao said, "Yang Wujian finally asked me how to deal with that Tian Ting. I gave him gold-dissolving powder capable of melting metal and severing iron, concealed within medicinal pills. One was used by Yang Wujian to dissolve the stone, and the other... he swallowed it himself."

Upon hearing this, even Shen Qingshi’s hands trembled slightly.

She knew exactly what gold-dissolving powder was—it could dissolve even gold and silver into liquid. If a person ingested that powder...

As if noticing her pale complexion, Cao Zhao shook his head. "But I promised you I wouldn’t let him suffer too much. So, I coated that pill with a deadly poison made from love peas—the first layer alone would be enough to kill a person."

"Thank you, Brother Cao."

Shen Qingshi closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the brocade pouch.

Cao Zhao was right—this was the best outcome for Yang Wujian.

Back when Cao Zhao had replaced her, she already knew Yang Wujian couldn’t escape. So, before revealing the truth, she had unprecedentedly begged Cao Zhao to at least spare him from excessive suffering in his final moments.

If his corpse had remained, as a Guiding Boy, his so-called "honorable burial" would likely have meant being interred beneath an altar, never attaining liberation in this life. In comparison, leaving no trace of his body was indeed the best possible outcome.

For a long time afterward, only Zhou Huai’s choked sobs could be heard in the room, until Shen Qingshi finally asked, "Did the Emperor grow suspicious about Yang Wujian’s fate?"

To break the deadlock, they had taken an unconventional approach—instead of exposing the fifteen-year-long deception orchestrated by Longevity Palace. Though this might offer a temporary reprieve, in the long run, it would likely only deepen Emperor Yongzhao’s delusions.

Cao Zhao replied, "In a single night, both Yang Wujian and Tian Ting 'vanished.' To the Emperor, how could this not be seen as a divine miracle? Legends say that Ancestor Yonglezi of Medicine King Mountain once transformed into starlight and ascended to the immortal realm, leaving behind thousands of eyes in the mortal world. To the Emperor, this is exactly what happened to Yang Wujian."

Zhou Huai’s eyes were red-rimmed. "So, does that mean he now believes even more strongly in the Cicada Molt theory?"

Cao Zhao smiled bitterly. "Lately, the Emperor has been deeply troubled by the insect plague. In his desperation to attain immortality and glimpse the heavenly way, he consumed a 'Cicada Molt' and began practicing the Longevity Heart Sutra left behind by Yang Wujian... He hasn’t attended court for several days now."

It seemed the Northern Desert’s scheme might not have failed after all.

Then, Cao Zhao suddenly recalled that final day—when he and Tu Yuanliang paid a late-night "visit" to Prince Li. And the man who had lurked behind this chess game for over a decade was waiting for them.

One could say Prince Li had anticipated this day ever since news arrived of Yang Wujian surviving the drug trial.

Though Prince Li had roamed the martial world for ten years, that night he resembled a truly destitute noble—dressed in thin robes, wrapped in a heavy cloak, sitting in a dilapidated courtyard awaiting visitors from the capital.

"Your Highness Prince Li, you must know why we’ve come," Cao Zhao cut straight to the point, his hand already gripping the hilt of his Tiger Head Saber.

Assassinating a reigning prince—such a mission could only be entrusted directly by Emperor Yongzhao to him and Tu Yuanliang. And all three present in the courtyard knew that someone in Prince Li’s mansion would inevitably die that night.

Cao Zhao had expected Prince Li, having been outmaneuvered, to possibly resort to a scorched-earth tactic in desperation. He was prepared for a last-ditch resistance.

But under the moonlight, Prince Li merely gazed at them calmly.

"You may believe you stand on the winning side."Prince Li smiled faintly: "But today is merely the beginning... Regardless, His Majesty can no longer turn back."

These were the final words Prince Li left them.

Cao Zhao sighed: "This plague came at an opportune time. Otherwise, Prince Li might not even have received a proper funeral... But Lord Tu remains Lord Tu after all. Though Prince Li died with dignity, his family wasn't so fortunate. And Thousand Cliffs Fortress was burned to the ground by the Yangcheng army, leaving not even corpses behind."

Zhou Huai frowned: "Has the Northern Desert retreated?"

Cao Zhao nodded: "When news of Prince Li's death reached beyond the pass, they say the Northern Desert is secretly holding funeral rites."

"Fifteen years of planning... and the Northern Desert retreats so easily?"

Shen Qingshi sensed something peculiar about this matter.

Cao Zhao shared the same feeling. He had been pondering these days - since all things in this world could serve as flesh and blood for the Meteor Star, why did Longevity Palace specifically choose humans to host the Meteor Star that day, transforming into Cicada Molt?

Fifteen years ago, Longevity Palace incurred public wrath for using living people to refine elixirs... What would happen if the common people learned that the current Son of Heaven also wanted to follow the same path as Longevity Palace did back then?

And Prince Li - after fifteen years of scheming, ending up like this. Why was he so calm when facing death?

Or was the heirless Prince Li not the oriole waiting behind the mantis after all, but merely a pawn shaking the very foundations of Datong?

Though countless thoughts swirled in Cao Zhao's mind, at least now Thousand Cliffs Fortress had been completely exterminated, the Northern Desert forces had their morale broken, and the Emperor hadn't consumed the real Cicada Molt nor faced the true Tian Ting... The realm of Datong was temporarily preserved.

Cao Zhao continued: "Though His Majesty is determined to eradicate the insect plague, because he needs to cultivate the Longevity Heart Sutra, the matter has been fully entrusted to the Zhaoming Division and the Grand Secretariat. I came to the martial world under imperial decree to seek folk remedies to combat the plague... and to check on you along the way."

"Along the way?"

Zhou Huai sneered, not believing a word of Cao Zhao's nonsense.

The Chaofeng and Chiwen divisions existed in name only, while the Ya Zi Envoy was poor at political maneuvering. As the Bi An Envoy, Cao Zhao had stolen the spotlight in the Prince Li affair and now enjoyed soaring influence, monopolizing power.

And his greatest vulnerability happened to be Shen Qingshi, currently hidden in White Rainbow Tower.

It stood to reason that if anyone discovered the switched Cicada Molt, such a grave crime of deceiving the emperor wouldn't merely cost him his official hat.

Zhou Huai said coldly: "Since you entrusted her to me, I won't let you lay a finger on her again. If Yang Wujian were here, he would make the same choice. He risked his life to play along with your scheme to the end, all so Qingshi could live well. If you want to silence her now, you'll have to get past my White Rainbow first."

As he spoke, his hand already rested on the hilt of White Rainbow Sword.

In the past, Zhou Huai might not have been Cao Zhao's match, but now, the young master of White Rainbow Tower was no longer his former self. In a fight to the death, Cao Zhao might not necessarily gain the upper hand.

As the two stood poised for conflict, Shen Qingshi gently shook her head: "Zhou Huai, let Brother Cao finish first."

She had a feeling.

Cao Zhao indeed didn't want her alive, but he wouldn't kill her either.

He came this time to entrust her with something else.

Zhou Huai snorted coldly: "It's certainly nothing good... Regardless, I won't let him harm you in the slightest.""Qingshi, I truly never expected that after just one journey into the martial world, you'd manage to make such friends."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhao wasn't angered, but instead smiled and said, "The last time I saw Yang Wujian, he said the exact same thing - told me not to touch you... He also said that even raising a bird for ten years should foster some affection. Since to His Majesty, Cicada Molt is already dead, then Shen Qingshi as a person should be considered dead too. Don't pursue this to the bitter end, let her live peacefully for a few years."

Just hearing these words, Zhou Huai could vividly imagine Yang Wujian's lazy demeanor when speaking. His nose stung with emotion, forcing him to turn his face away again: "He's the carefree one, dying and leaving all troubles behind..."

So Yang Wujian, you wanted me to live? To live trapped in this inescapable cage?

Hearing this, Shen Qingshi merely tightened her grip on the brocade pouch, as if doing so could ease the sharp pain deep in her bones.

After a long silence, she suddenly said, "Zhou Huai, I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Could you fetch me another bowl of that tonic soup from earlier?"

"Qingshi, don't try to send me away. I'm not comfortable leaving you alone with him."

Zhou Huai was no fool - he didn't want to leave. But the next moment, Shen Qingshi looked up at him, her red-rimmed eyes actually pleading.

"There are some matters I wish to discuss privately with Brother Cao. Zhou Huai, it's alright. Brother Cao won't harm me."

Zhou Huai opened his mouth, then closed it. He knew what Shen Qingshi wanted to ask, so the words he originally meant to say stuck in his throat.

Indeed, Shen Qingshi's life had been preserved through Yang Wujian's performance, and this was already the second time. How could she possibly come to terms with it?

Thinking this, Zhou Huai felt as if his heart were being sliced by knives, but ultimately relented: "I'll be right outside. If anything happens, I'll come straight in."

With that, Zhou Huai pushed the door open and left. As the room fell silent again, Cao Zhao suddenly laughed: "Why are you so sure I won't move against you and Zhou Huai? Given your understanding of the Zhaoming Division, surely you know that silencing witnesses is the quickest solution at times like this?"

Hearing this, Shen Qingshi merely shook her head: "Brother Cao, you can't touch Zhou Huai now. He's the master of White Rainbow Tower. Even if he's at odds with the martial world, if he dies, the rift between Jianghu and the court would only widen further - that's not what you want to see, is it? As for me, you won't kill me because I still have use."

She paused, her eyes completely clear: "It's true you came for my life, but you keep bringing up Yang Wujian to provoke me - you want me to willingly hand my life over to you, don't you?"