The next morning, the former crown prince was laid to rest. This should have been a funeral presided over by the king himself, but instead, it was led by Dong Huazi. At the grand ceremony, Li Qinglin and his sister Li Qingjun stood silently to one side. Li Qingjun's eyes were swollen from crying, while Li Qinglin's face showed no emotion.
His thoughts had already drifted to the palace, where his father was meeting with Qin Yi. The king's health had been declining over the past two years, and the banquet yesterday had been quite exhausting for him. This morning, he was unable to attend the ceremony and was resting in the palace. Yet, the king himself didn’t seem to realize how much his health had worsened; he often believed he was in better spirits.
Li Qinglin let out a soft sigh. He turned to look at his sister, who was crying like a rain-soaked pear blossom, and felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he wished for her to remain carefree and joyful, while on the other, he hoped she would grow up and become more sensible. It was frustrating how little she understood, but if she truly did understand, it might lead to conflicts between them.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of Qin Yi, who seemed so calm and untroubled, which meant he had fewer worries.
Meanwhile, Qin Yi was being guided by palace servants toward the sleeping quarters, feeling extremely uncomfortable. He couldn't bring his wolf-toothed club to meet the king, so he had left it hidden in his guest room, carefully tucked away in the center of a wooden sword formation. After thinking he had hidden it well, stepping outside made him feel uneasy, as if something was missing.
It felt like forgetting his phone before going out, or even worse—a feeling of emptiness, as if half of his heart was gone. His hands were itching, and he almost wanted to grab the eunuch beside him.
This was the first time since arriving in this world that he had been away from his club.
Fortunately, he had recently brushed up on his knowledge of Taoist techniques, so he wouldn’t easily show weakness. He could make up some nonsense about divination since it was somewhat similar to what Dong Huazi did. As for alchemy, he felt he could easily surpass Dong Huazi in that area, so overall, he felt somewhat confident about meeting the king, knowing he wouldn’t be completely useless without his club.
This was the kind of scene Qin Yi had imagined when he first set out.
Upon reaching the sleeping quarters, the scent of sandalwood wafted through the air. As he entered, he immediately saw the king, dressed in a Daoist robe, sitting cross-legged on a mat, surrounded by swirling sandalwood smoke, with maidservants gently fanning him.
Qin Yi couldn't help but feel exasperated. His eldest son was being buried today, and while it was understandable if the king was too ill to attend, why was he here practicing Daoism?
At the banquet yesterday, the king had sat in a high position, looking somewhat distant, and Qin Yi had mainly focused on Dong Huazi and Mang Zhan, not paying much attention to the king's appearance. Now, up close, he could see the king had quite handsome features, which explained why his children were so good-looking. He looked to be in his forties or fifties, with black hair and a rosy complexion, appearing to be someone who took good care of himself. No wonder he believed in Dong Huazi.
However, Qin Yi could tell that this rosy complexion was not quite normal. The king had fought in battles when he was younger and was a martial artist; a practitioner in their forties or fifties should still be in their prime unless they naturally had a red face or practiced a special technique.
Could you imagine Li Qinglin with a rosy face at that age?
This rosy complexion indicated he had developed alchemical toxicity, which was already affecting his health. Moreover, the strong scent of sandalwood seemed to be masking a faint odor coming from him.
“Your Majesty, Qin Yi has arrived,” the eunuch whispered.
The king opened his eyes, which were a bit cloudy at first but gradually cleared.
“Five declines of heaven and man,” Qin Yi thought to himself, feeling a slight shock. He wasn’t sure if his knowledge of medicine was still lacking, but judging by what he knew, it seemed the king didn’t have long to live…
“Daoist friend Qin,” the king said warmly, “You are quite young. May I ask which school you follow?”
Qin Yi was prepared and replied, “My master is the real person Liu Su, who travels the world and does not belong to any particular school.”
The king thought for a moment and said, “I have not heard of him… But there are many practitioners in the world, and I cannot know them all.”
Qin Yi thought to himself that the king was quite ignorant, not just lacking knowledge. Of course, he didn’t say this out loud and simply bowed.
“Daoist friend Qin, please take a seat,” the king gestured to the mat across from him.
Qin Yi sat down gracefully, his robes fluttering lightly, with both hands resting on his knees, looking more like a celestial being than a practitioner. The king watched him intently for a moment and nodded slightly, “Your posture is standard, sitting with both feet in the lotus position, hands facing heaven. It seems you have some teachings.”
“…” Qin Yi was almost speechless. What on earth did Dong Huazi teach him that he considered such basic things as a measure of skill?
The king continued, “What is your main focus, Daoist friend? Is it divination?”
“Divination is just a casual pastime for me,” Qin Yi said. “My main focus is on external alchemy, which can help people overcome diseases, prolong life, and enhance vitality.”
The king’s eyes brightened slightly, “That is similar to what the national teacher studies. You might want to consult with him; it could be beneficial.”
With that, the king placed Qin Yi in the position of being Dong Huazi's student, showing how much he valued Dong Huazi. Qin Yi replied calmly, “It would not be inappropriate to exchange ideas with the national teacher.”
The king then said, “The national teacher’s alchemy can lead to immortality, while your skills only prolong life and alleviate illness. You are still young and should remain humble in your pursuit of the Dao.”
“Speaking of prolonging life and alleviating illness is already being humble. The path to immortality is difficult, and I believe that even seeking longevity will require a lifetime of exploration. To boast about helping others achieve immortality is not humble at all.”
The king was taken aback and said, “The national teacher has not claimed to have all the answers. The true method of achieving immortality is still being explored. However, the pills I have taken have indeed made me feel clear-headed and sharp, showing real effects.”
Qin Yi almost blurted out that those pills were useless, but remembering Li Qinglin’s reminder, he held back and said, “I will seek the national teacher’s guidance another day.”
The king nodded and suddenly said, “Since you are seeking the Dao from a practitioner, what about Zhao Yang…”
Qin Yi immediately bowed, “If there is mutual affection, I am willing to be a Dao partner.”
The king seemed taken aback by Qin Yi’s directness, his words caught in his throat. After looking at him for a while with a strange expression, he slowly said, “Your worldly connections are not pure; how can you discuss the Dao? I have a suggestion…”
Qin Yi cut him off, “Has the national teacher ever mentioned this phrase regarding alchemy?”
The king, interrupted but not displeased, still replied kindly, “Please, go ahead.”
“Lead and mercury first combine, dragons and tigers first meet, the sun and moon intersect, yin and yang resonate, thus the elixir is born from chaos. If one does not understand the foundation of dragons and tigers, nor the essence of yin and yang, recklessly throwing in metals and stones to create elixirs is like seeking chickens and rabbits in water or fish and dragons on a mountain—it's all wrong!”
The king was stunned for a moment, lost in thought.
Qin Yi felt refreshed.
Mourning and pleading for someone not to marry off their daughter was useless; showing off his alchemical knowledge, which he valued most, was the real way to impress!
Today was super busy, so this chapter is a bit short.
(End of Chapter)