The atmosphere was silent. The soldiers looked at Li Qinglin, their lips trembling, unable to find the right words to say. Li Qinglin stood with his back to everyone, his body now frail and hunched over. Qin Yi knew that when he turned around, he would see a face full of wrinkles, no longer the handsome Li Qinglin he once knew.
Taking a deep breath, he suddenly said, “Ming He, have you had enough of the show?”
The air was quiet for a moment, then a gentle breeze swept by, and Ming He appeared out of nowhere.
“The monster is wreaking havoc in the prince’s palace. Why don’t you take action?”
“If I don’t kill Ye Ling, I won’t kill the other side either. I’ll just watch,” Ming He replied absentmindedly, gazing at Li Qinglin’s white hair.
Qin Yi asked, “Is the show over now?”
Ming He fell silent. No one, not even Liu Su or Ming He, expected this outcome.
Just a moment ago, she thought the situation in Nan Li was nothing special. No matter the background, it all boiled down to a struggle for power. Liu Su found it dull and felt it couldn’t add any flavor to a “long life.”
But she never expected this ending. Even beings like them felt moved. Until now, Liu Su remained silent, lost in thought.
Ming He felt similarly, her emotions quite complex.
Qin Yi bowed deeply and said, “Please help Brother Li. I, Qin Yi, will repay you in the future.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help much,” Ming He sighed. “My cultivation is stronger than yours, but my knowledge is not necessarily better.”
Qin Yi pressed on, “Does your sect not have any special techniques, like a way to regain youth?”
“If I could help someone regain their youth, I could help them achieve immortality. If such techniques existed, why would we seek the Dao so desperately? Unless one obtains a true Nine Revolutions Golden Pill or extremely rare heavenly treasures, that’s beyond what Ming He can provide.”
Qin Yi fell silent. Where could he find such things?
Ming He continued, “The most I can do is cast an illusion, making it seem to the people of Nan Li that the prince is still the same. As for what happens next…”
“That will be enough.” Li Qinglin suddenly spoke up, “Please perform the technique.”
His voice was old and hoarse, like that of an elderly person.
Some soldiers couldn’t hold back their tears.
Ming He waved her hand, and a faint mist passed over Li Qinglin’s body. In the eyes of everyone, his figure straightened, and his white hair turned back to black.
He slowly turned around and calmly said, “Let’s leave here. There are many matters to settle.”
After saying this, he strode out with firm steps. The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, the heavy feeling lifting a bit as they lined up neatly behind him to leave. Even though he was old, he was still Li Qinglin.
Only Qin Yi silently stared at Dong Huazi’s corpse, the silver spear still piercing through it.
What situation would make a warrior forget their weapon?
He knew that Li Qinglin’s heart was not as calm as it appeared.
He quietly pulled out the silver spear and turned to Ming He, saying, “Do you still want to stay at my shabby courtyard?”
Ming He asked, “Do you still hope I can come up with a solution?”
“Yes, let’s think together. Perhaps there’s a way? After all, this isn’t true aging; it’s just a curse. Maybe it can be lifted?”
Ming He suddenly asked, “Why do you care so much? Don’t you want to know what choice he would make?”
Qin Yi replied, “I know there are ways to achieve immortality in this world, but from a prince’s perspective, his ideals of strengthening the country and helping the people are more admirable than seeking immortality. Even if Li Qinglin becomes foolish years later, he wouldn’t be so in the coming decades. Forcing someone into such a desperate situation to interrogate them yields meaningless answers. That’s just Dong Huazi’s one-sided distortion. For me, I don’t want to know his choice; I just hope he doesn’t have to face such a choice.”
Ming He looked at him for a moment and shook her head, saying, “You still don’t seem like a true cultivator.”
At that moment, Qin Yi really didn’t have the mood to discuss the differences between immortals and mortals. He didn’t say much more and turned to leave with Li Qinglin’s silver spear, saying, “I’ve said it before, at least for now, I can’t see through it.”
…
As they walked out of the underground palace, Li Qinglin still stood outside. Most of the army was already gone, and the old general Xie Yuan was no longer there.
Seeing Qin Yi come out with the spear, Li Qinglin forced a smile and took the spear, saying, “Thank you, Brother Qin.”
Qin Yi replied, “Aren’t you supposed to take care of some matters?”
“I had someone go and seal off the palace. Since the troops have already entered the city and disregarded orders, there’s no way for a smooth handover. In the end, I’ll have to take the blame.” Li Qinglin paused and said quietly, “To be honest, I’m not in the mood to consider other details right now.”
Qin Yi wanted to say something, but Li Qinglin waved his hand and said, “I know Brother Qin is noble, and there are some things I can’t express in front of the soldiers, or even tell Qing Jun… but I can talk to you.”
Qin Yi held back his comforting words and said, “Okay, I’m listening.”
“Dong Huazi plotted to kill me; I’ve known this for a long time,” Li Qinglin said, looking into the distance. “I thought that if I died because of his scheme or if this operation failed, then Nan Li would be left to Qing Jun. So I absolutely wouldn’t let her marry Mang Zhan or let anything happen to her.”
Qin Yi nodded, “You truly care. That jade pendant proves everything.”
“But Brother Qin…” Li Qinglin continued to gaze into the distance, seemingly unable to look directly at Qin Yi. He said softly, “Now I clearly know I don’t have much time left, and I’m even lacking in strength, yet… I don’t want to give the throne to Qing Jun. The throne is right in front of me, and I find I can’t even say the words to give it up. I’m a bit confused about what my ambition really is. Have I deceived myself, thinking it’s for Nan Li, when in reality, it’s just for the throne?”
Qin Yi didn’t mock him but replied seriously, “That’s very normal… I don’t hold my friends to the standards of a sage. If someone claims to be entirely selfless for Nan Li, that would be false.”
Li Qinglin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, finally turning to smile at him, “Brother Qin is a true friend.”
Qin Yi said, “In fact, Qing Jun isn’t suitable for this burden. If it’s really handed to her, it might turn out worse than if Dong Huazi were alive.”
Li Qinglin laughed heartily, “That’s very possible.”
After hesitating for a moment, Qin Yi finally said, “You are still a congenital warrior, with stronger vitality than ordinary people. Even in aging, you still have some lifespan left. Hold on for now; I’ll do my best to think of a way…”
Li Qinglin’s gaze suddenly turned strange as he slowly said, “I thought Brother Qin would say to teach me how to cultivate.”
Qin Yi’s heart skipped a beat.
But Li Qinglin suddenly laughed and said, “Forget it; that’s what Dong Huazi would want to see, getting lost in cultivation and neglecting the country? I won’t do as he wishes.” He paused and added, “Talking to Brother Qin has made me feel much better. You’ve worked hard today; go back and rest, and spend some time with Qing Jun.”
After saying this, he strode away.
Qin Yi watched his back, speechless for a long time.
Liu Su said, “Between life and death, there is great terror. It’s easy to laugh it off usually, but when truly faced with it, one still shakes.”
“Facing such a situation, feeling complex and shaken is what makes someone real. At least he hasn’t directly turned to darkness,” Qin Yi sighed. “If it were me, I probably wouldn’t be as calm as he is.”
Liu Su asked, “If Li Qinglin were to ask you to teach him the way of cultivation, would you?”
“Would you agree to let me share my techniques freely?”
“That’s just basic techniques; I don’t mind.”
Qin Yi pressed his lips together. He had avoided Li Qinglin’s direct request earlier, partly because he didn’t know if Liu Su would agree, and mainly because he was hesitant.
Li Qinglin’s understanding of “getting lost in cultivation leading to neglect” wasn’t entirely accurate. If one had enough self-control, couldn’t they balance state affairs and cultivation?
Not really. The true reason is that the tranquility and detachment needed for cultivation fundamentally contradict the nature of the throne; they cannot coexist. You either give up the throne and focus on cultivation, or as long as you sit on the throne, there’s no such thing as an emperor achieving immortality.
The most likely outcome is still neglecting both, neither achieving immortality nor caring for state affairs. Countless emperors throughout history have proven this point.
Li Qinglin has already admitted he can’t let go of the throne… If I teach him cultivation, he would truly be walking down the same path as his father, becoming the very thing he once despised.
Qin Yi could understand him, but he truly didn’t want to see that day.
(End of Chapter)