"Godfather~"
O Shinan stood at the door, smiling. The white gauze he wore made his skin look even paler, and the silver headband with a light purple ribbon glimmered in the sunlight. A few strands of his black hair floated gently in the breeze.
"What brings you here so suddenly?" O Shinan asked, walking into the room.
"Naner... (cough), you're back early," the Medicine King said, flustered as he hastily crumpled the letter in his hand and hid it in his wide sleeve.
O Shinan noticed the small movement but said nothing. Instead, he picked up the box labeled "Dragon Nightshade" that the Medicine King had just placed on the table.
"How did you find this box of belladonna? I accidentally mixed up these two herbs a few days ago and couldn't find them," O Shinan said as he opened the box and took down another identical box from the shelf, pouring out its contents.
"You know how dangerous belladonna is. How could you be so careless?" the Medicine King scolded.
"You also know that belladonna and dragon nightshade look very similar. It's natural to mix them up occasionally. Besides, belladonna only causes temporary memory loss; it's not lethal, so it's not that dangerous," O Shinan replied gently, smiling at the Medicine King.
"Naner, I know you like using poisons in your medicine, but poison is still poison and should not be used carelessly."
"Godfather, you don't need to worry. You know I never use poisonous herbs to treat our immortal friends. Besides, the friends in The Liao Yin Immortal Realm trust your pills more and won't come to me for medicine," O Shinan said as he opened a golden cauldron and lightly prodded the toads inside with a stick.
"Where did you get these toads?" the Medicine King asked.
"I caught them," O Shinan responded nonchalantly.
"Sigh, your use of poisons to treat illnesses is indeed innovative, but it's not the orthodox way. How many times must I tell you? It will not lead to great achievements," the Medicine King said worriedly.
O Shinan, seemingly used to such conversations, remained silent. The Medicine King, exasperated, waved his sleeve and turned to leave.
"Farewell, Godfather," O Shinan said, bowing respectfully. When he lifted his head, his eyes turned fierce.
The moon shone brightly, and it was near midnight, yet the Medicine King was still busy in the alchemist's room. A black shadow burst through the door, rushing straight at the Medicine King.
That day, after parting ways with Mi Xingzhe, Yue Ruling, drunk and disoriented, stumbled back to the courtyard of Lian Zhan Pavilion with what little sobriety she had left.
"This is Master's room," Yue Ruling mumbled, pointing to what was supposed to be her room.
"And this is my room," she said, pushing open Qingyuan's room door and stumbling to the bed, collapsing onto it.
Qingyuan, who had been sleeping, was startled awake, staring wide-eyed at the drunken Yue Ruling, who treated him like a pillow, straddling and hugging him.
Turning his head, Qingyuan found Yue Ruling's face inches from his. Flustered, he could clearly see her eyelashes trembling. As he looked away, his eyes fell on a box on a nearby shelf.
Seeing Yue Ruling asleep beside him, Qingyuan gently stroked her cheek.
At this moment, he was reluctant to push her away. Perhaps this was his last chance in this life to hold her so tightly. [Linger, if there is a next life, I don't want to be your master.]
The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the half-open window, waking Yue Ruling.
"Why is there sunlight at my bedside this early?" she mumbled, wiping the drool from her face and reaching out to block the sunlight.
As she opened her eyes, she realized something was off. Slowly turning her head, she found Qingyuan's face right next to hers, staring at her.
"Awake?" Qingyuan asked coldly, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah!" Yue Ruling yelped, falling off the bed in shock.
"Master, why are you in my room?" Yue Ruling asked, flustered.
Qingyuan, remaining calm, sat up slowly, moving his shoulder that had been numbed by Yue Ruling's weight.
"Look again. Where are you?"
Yue Ruling looked around, embarrassed. "Why am I in Master's room?"
(A stick of incense later in the main hall of Lian Zhan Pavilion)
Wearing a fresh set of clothes, Yue Ruling knelt before Qingyuan, holding her sword.
"A woman drinking herself into a stupor—how disgraceful."
"I thought I had only a little, but it was stronger than I expected," Yue Ruling defended herself.
"Yue Ruling, you may be a warrior, but you are also a woman. How can you be so fond of drinking?"
"What's wrong with that? Who says only men can get drunk?" Yue Ruling grumbled.
"If you had accidentally entered someone else's chamber last night, what would have become of your reputation?" Qingyuan scolded, seeing her nonchalant attitude.
"Warriors shouldn't be concerned with trivial matters. It's just a night's drunken sleep. What's the big deal?" Yue Ruling seemed unconcerned.
"You!" Qingyuan raised his hand to strike her but was interrupted by a soldier reporting an incident.
"War God Qingyuan, there's trouble at the alchemist's room."
The alchemist's room was surrounded by curious young immortals and servants. Yue Ruling and Qingyuan pushed through the crowd and entered.
The door to the alchemist's room was half-open, revealing a destroyed alchemy furnace and the Medicine King lying on the floor.
Yue Ruling and Qingyuan exchanged glances and sealed the room with a spell before stepping forward to investigate.
The Medicine King lay on the floor, eyes closed, with dried blood at the corners of his mouth. One hand was severely burned from pushing over the furnace, and the other clutched something tightly.
Yue Ruling checked the Medicine King's condition and the mess around the room.
"The Medicine King is gravely injured but has a trace of soul left. I'll send this soul fragment to the Immortal Lord to have it sealed and restored. There might still be hope for recovery," Qingyuan said, performing a spell to collect the soul fragment into a magical artifact.
As the Medicine King's body was absorbed into Qingyuan's artifact, the object he had been clutching fell gently to the ground.
Qingyuan stepped forward to pick it up and saw—a purple petal.
Yue Ruling was surprised, "I saw a similar petal a few days ago."
In the peach blossom forest, Mi Xingzhe was stretching his arms as he walked towards the wooden house.
"Master can really read all night without a break, leaving me no chance to slack off. Does he think I'm made of iron?"
"Miss Ruoying," Mi Xingzhe called out enthusiastically upon seeing Hua Ruoying. All his aches seemed to vanish as he waved happily at her.
"Young Master?" Hua Ruoying was a bit surprised to see Mi Xingzhe arriving so early.
"Miss Ruoying, how are you feeling today?" Mi Xingzhe asked, smiling as he ran over.
"I feel much better today. Why have you come so early, Young Master?"
"Oh, don't mention it. I didn't sleep at all last night. It was so stifling at Mirror Cloud Residence that I decided to come early to see you."
"In that case, stay for a meal. I'll ask Qing Ping to catch some fish."
"Sure, I didn't even have breakfast before coming here to see you."
"Wait here a moment while I prepare. There's some tea made with morning dew on the table; try it."
"Alright, Miss Ruoying, you go ahead. Don't mind me."
After Hua Ruoying left, Mi Xingzhe happily sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.
"Ah, tea made by a girl indeed tastes better," Mi Xingzhe said, admiring the simple tea cup with a dreamy look on his face.
Hua Ruoying had gone to the side of the wooden house. She hid and watched Mi Xingzhe, her fingers intertwined as she chanted softly.
"Soul to the dead, Xi Mo Qian Yi, fix~"
A red light shot into the back of Mi Xingzhe's head, and his pupils turned a dull black as he froze in place.
"Forgive me, Young Master."
News of the Medicine King's severe injury quickly spread throughout The Liao Yin Immortal Realm. Li Luoning was also shocked when he heard the news.
As he prepared to go check, a team of celestial soldiers arrived.
"Immortal Master Xiaoyi, Immortal Yun Qingyi, the Immortal Lord orders both of you and Yun Wan Nian to come with us."
Li Luoning knew Mi Xingzhe had gone to see Hua Ruoying early in the morning, so he sent Yun Qingyi to fetch him.
When Yun Qingyi arrived at the wooden house in the peach blossom forest, he found it strange. The door was tightly shut, and everything was eerily quiet.
"Xingzhe? Miss Ruoying? Qing Ping?" Yun Qingyi called out as he circled the area, but there was no response.
Feeling uneasy, Yun Qingyi touched the tea pot on the table and found the tea had gone cold. The lack of fire in the stove and the arrangement of the room suggested they had been gone for a while.
"Master, Xingzhe, Miss Ruoying, and Qing Ping are all missing," Yun Qingyi reported anxiously upon returning from the peach blossom forest.
"Did you search thoroughly?" Li Luoning asked.
"I did. No one was there when I arrived. The tea on the table was cold, and there were no signs of recent activity. They must have left some time ago."
"Let's first report to the Immortal Lord and then search for Xingzhe. They might just be out somewhere playing."
In the grand hall, SiTu Fanzhi sat high above, with the Medicine King's soul fragment displayed before him.
"Xiaoyi, where is your little disciple?"
"I sent him to gather herbs this morning. He hasn't returned yet."
"Did your disciple visit the alchemist's room a few days ago?"
"Yes, he did."
"Did he cause a commotion, spill many of the Medicine King's pills, and kick over the furnace?"
"He did."
"Good job, Xiaoyi. First, your disciple was disrespectful to me in the hall, then he caused trouble in the alchemist's room while drunk, and now he has harmed the Medicine King." SiTu Fanzhi angrily grabbed a scroll and threw it at Li Luoning.
"You think Xingzhe killed the Medicine King?" Li Luoning frowned, knowing Mi Xingzhe's temperament well. Although playful, he would never take a life.
"Immortal Lord, although my junior brother is mischievous, he has no enmity with the Medicine King and would never commit such an act. Please reconsider," Yun Qingyi pleaded, kneeling.
SiTu Fanzhi waved his hand, and a young immortal brought a tray to Li Luoning.
"This is? Empty Valley Fairy!"
Li Luoning picked up the petal on the tray, smelled it, and examined its texture, his pupils shrinking in shock.
"There's only one Empty Valley Fairy in The Liao Yin Immortal Realm, and it grows in your disciple's room. The Medicine King died clutching this petal. Explain that."
"Immortal Lord, while the Empty Valley Fairy is rare, it's not unique. This alone doesn't prove Xingzhe's guilt. Besides, his cultivation is too weak to harm the Medicine King," Li Luoning argued.
"His cultivation might be insufficient, but with this, it's a different story," the Immortal Lord said, gesturing as another artifact was brought forth.
"The Disguise Umbrella?"
"This umbrella and the Yinlu Compass went missing recently. The Disguise Umbrella can make anyone invisible, allowing them to strike unseen. It was found near Mirror Cloud Residence. Isn't that a bit too coincidental?"
"Your disciple was disrespectful, caused trouble while drunk, and now has harmed my godfather. What do you have to say?" O Shinan accused.
Li Luoning narrowed his eyes at O Shinan, instinctively feeling that he was involved in this.
"Immortal Lord, this matter is suspicious. I request time to investigate. If Xingzhe is guilty, I will not protect him. But if he is being framed..." Li Luoning paused, glancing at O Shinan, "I will find the culprit and bring them to justice."
"Let's wait until we find Xingzhe before passing judgment," Yue Ruling pleaded.
"Very well. You have three days. If you don't bring your disciple back, War God Qingyuan will issue a warrant for his capture, and if he resists, he will be executed on the spot," SiTu Fanzhi decreed, slamming his hand on the table.