CHAPTER 36
Prince at the Border
LUO FAN
For another week, we traveled, taking Lin Qiu with us wherever we went. The child feared Ruan Yanjun so most of the time, he clung to me. Each night we stopped by to rest in an inn, he preferred to share a room with me even if Ruan Yanjun was willing to give him a separate room.
I also preferred the child being with me all the time. It kept Ruan Yanjun away from me. Instead of me becoming the child's protector, he had become my protector from the devil.
On the eighth day of our travel, I sensed a gradual change in the atmosphere. We were nearing a desert. I could tell by the dry, sultry air and the dust that seemed to stick on my face.
It was a sign that we were nearing Kan Empire.
The realization made me feel anxious.
"Lord Ruan." I turned to Ruan Yanjun who was seated comfortably with arms crossed. Between us, Lin Qiu had fallen asleep on my lap. "Who do you wish to see in the desert?"
He groaned. "How do you know that we're in the desert?"
"I've been to the desert a few times before. I know how it feels."
He sighed. "The desert is still a few miles away. Regardless, the climate here is no different from the desert. Isn't it a wonder why the fifteenth prince of Wun had to build his residence in this godforsaken place?"
"The fifteenth prince of Wun Empire?" I asked. "Is he the alchemist that we're after?"
"We're here."
The carriage stopped and I pushed the curtain aside to take a look outside.
I could see shadows of a royal residence.
"Why does an alchemist prefer to live in a desolate place like this?" I asked.
"His father had originally placed him here to guard the border, to test if he had what it takes to be named a crown prince. Unfortunately, Xiong Ru has no ambition for the throne. Instead of proving himself in battle, he let his general handle all his affairs while he engrossed himself with cultivation mainly for refining purposes. He was never interested in learning martial arts, and that was why the emperor had long lost confidence in him."
He was quite the opposite of me. I had never been interested in alchemy, but it had been shoved down my throat. As a disciple, I had to obey orders so I had spent more time refining and studying elixirs instead of improving my martial arts.
"Every one of us has their own dream," I said.
"How about you? What's your dream?"
I looked away. My dream was to reach the pinnacle of cultivation, of course, but that dream had already been shattered the moment I had lost my martial arts. I had stopped dreaming ever since. Even though the reawakening of my core had given me new hope, I was well aware that at my age, level five was probably the most I could achieve, and it might take several decades for me to get there.
When he did not get an answer from me, he chortled. "Let's go," he said and assisted me out of the carriage.
It was still early in the morning, but the sun already burned my skin.
"Lin Qiu," I called as I reached out for the child.
"Leave the child with Lin Si for now," Ruan Yanjun said. "Xiong Ru is not informed of the presence of a child. Someone will take care of them."
I nodded and smiled at Lin Qiu to reassure him before I dropped the curtain.
The moment we entered the royal residence, the guards and servants all bowed down to Ruan Yanjun as if he were the emperor himself. In the middle of the courtyard surrounded by at least a dozen people, a tall, lanky man stood there like a bamboo pole in the middle of cacti. He had the bearing of royalty so I immediately knew that he was the prince that Ruan Yanjun wanted to see.
"Lord Ruan," Xiong Ru greeted as he stepped forward and lowered his head. "We've been waiting for your arrival since early morning."
"Mmm." Ruan Yanjun glanced at the people around. "I see you're still unmarried."
Xiong Ru awkwardly scratched his neck. "Why don't we head inside first for tea? It's hot in here."
Ruan Yanjun did not introduce me until we were left alone in the prince's chamber, seated around a rectangular table while the servants poured tea into our cups.
"This is the former Divine Mage of Kan Empire, Wei Fan," Ruan Yanjun finally said.
The prince gasped in surprise. He suddenly stood up and bowed before me. "Your Highness!" he exclaimed. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I have known you for so long and it has been my dream to meet you in person. I never expected that this day would come."
I felt uncomfortable with all the praise and courtesy he had given me. "Your Highness," I replied with regret, knowing that my next words would disappoint him. "I am no longer the Divine Mage."
"I am aware of that. I've heard about what had happened, but my admiration for your unparalleled talent remains."
I shook my head. "They've nullified my cultivation as punishment for my crime. I can only refine common pills right now."
He froze for a moment. I almost felt how his heart must have shrunk upon hearing what I told him. "But you still possess the knowledge, I believe. They can take away your martial arts, but you're still an alchemist. The only reason that you cannot do it is because you lack the required energy to refine."
"That's true," I agreed. "And because my cultivation is back to zero, my senses have also deteriorated. I can no longer tell the components of an elixir, and identifying ingredients and herbs has also become a challenge."
Herbs, especially medicinal ones, also possessed energy. High-level alchemists could easily identify them through the essence that the plants emit. I had lost that ability the moment they had nullified my cultivation.
The prince's sigh reverberated how deeply he resented the loss of something he had admired the most. "But as long as you still possess the knowledge, with the aid of another alchemist, it's still possible for you to refine, right?"
I did not know how to tell him that I was not really that passionate about alchemy, but I did not want to disappoint him any further.
"If you're done getting to know each other, let's get down to business," Ruan Yanjun, who had been left at the sideline, said.
Xiong Ru cleared his throat and returned to his seat. "I apologize for the distraction. I was not able to contain my excitement."
"You may continue discussing alchemy later. I need you to take a look at this." Ruan Yanjun laid the box on the table, right in front of the prince.
Xiong Ru opened the box and took the elixir out. "Hmm," he hummed as he inspected the small object. "I must say the creator of this has a higher cultivation level than mine."
"He's a level six like yourself, but on the verge of breaching the grandmaster level," Ruan Yanjun replied. "He has started refining at an earlier age, however, so perhaps his ability is a little more advanced than yours."
The prince nodded without taking his eyes off the elixir. "I can however tell you the ingredients used in this elixir, if that is all that you wish to know."
"Yes, that is all."
Xiong Ru placed the elixir in a small dish and released a small amount of qi into the pill so he could connect with the mixture of essences present and ascertain each of the ingredients used.
With his eyes closed, he started enumerating about a dozen herbs and elements that he could gather from the elixir.
I listened attentively, and so far, I knew all those ingredients, and I could tell that none of them were toxic and their combination was not lethal either. Most of all, the Molun herb was indeed included. The other ingredients were added for more efficiency.
"Is that all?" Ruan Yanjun asked when Xiong Ru dropped his hands and opened his eyes.
"That is all, my lord."
Ruan Yanjun turned to me. "Is the former Divine Mage satisfied?"
I nodded. "I am."
"So it's safe?"
"It is."
"It is safe," Xiong Ru agreed. "This is a powerful elixir that can strengthen the body despite a grave illness. In most instances, it makes the body able to fight off any disease and completely recover from it. I believe this is intended for His Highness." He handed the elixir over to me.
"You should take it in while in the presence of an alchemist," Ruan Yanjun suggested. "In case something unexpected happens, someone can extract it out of your body or provide you with an antidote."
"That's correct," the prince agreed.
I also agreed. So right then and there, I took the elixir in and swallowed.