Asked About The World Of Mortals

Chapter 33: The Way of Alchemy

The next morning, the former crown prince's funeral took place.

The funeral, which should have been presided over by the king himself, was instead led by Donghua Zi. Li Qinglin and Li Qingjun stood silently on the side during the grand ceremony. Li Qingjun's eyes were swollen from crying, while Li Qinglin remained expressionless.

His thoughts had already drifted to the palace, where the king was summoning Qin Yi.

The king's health had been deteriorating over the past two years. Yesterday's banquet had already been quite taxing for him, and this morning he was too weak to participate in the funeral, resting in the palace instead. However, the king himself didn't think his health was declining; on the contrary, he often believed that he was in even better spirits...

Li Qinglin let out a soft sigh. He turned to look at his tearful sister and felt a sense of conflict within himself.

On one hand, he hoped that his sister would always remain carefree and lively, but on the other hand, he wished for her to mature and become sensible... She knew nothing and was so foolish that it was irritating, but if she were to truly understand, it might lead to discord between siblings.

He couldn't help but envy Qin Yi, who was content and free from desires, as it would alleviate many troubles.

Meanwhile, Qin Yi was being led by palace attendants towards the sleeping quarters, feeling extremely uncomfortable along the way.

He couldn't bring his wolf-tooth club with him to meet the king. He had left Liu Su in his guest residence, carefully hidden within the heart of the wooden sword formation. Thinking that he had securely hidden Liu Su, he felt a sense of unease as soon as he stepped out, as if something was missing.

It was like leaving the house without bringing a mobile phone before transmigrating... or even worse, it felt as if half of his heart was empty, and his hands were itching so much that he almost wanted to carry the eunuch beside him.

This was the first time Qin Yi had left Liu Su since transmigrating.

Fortunately, he had recently made great strides in his knowledge of the Dao, so he wouldn't easily reveal any signs of weakness. Divination was just a bunch of nonsense, similar to Donghua Zi. Alchemy and medicine were his specialties, and compared to Donghua Zi's shoddy pills, Qin Yi felt confident that he could surpass him in this aspect. Overall, he had a certain level of confidence in meeting the king this time, even without Liu Su.

This was the scene Qin Yi had imagined when he decided to come out of seclusion. (PS: I don't know what some people who think that Qin Yi coming out of seclusion meant he was overestimating himself and going to fight Donghua Zi were thinking.)

Upon arriving at the sleeping quarters, the scent of sandalwood filled the air. As he walked in, he immediately saw the king dressed in Daoist robes, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, surrounded by the lingering fragrance of sandalwood, with a maid gently fanning him.

Qin Yi couldn't help but complain inwardly. Today is the day of your eldest son's funeral, and if you're unwell, it would be understandable, but here you are cultivating in this place!

During yesterday's banquet, the king sat high on the main seat, somewhat distant, and his attention was mainly focused on Donghua Zi and the battle in Mang. He didn't pay much attention to the king's appearance. Now, seeing him up close, the king did indeed have handsome features, which explained why his children were all so good-looking. He was at most in his forties or fifties, with jet-black hair and a ruddy complexion. He appeared to be someone who knew how to take care of his health, which was probably why he believed in Donghua Zi.

However, Qin Yi could tell that his ruddy complexion was not normal.

This Martial Emperor had also been on the battlefield when he was young and had become a Martial Artist. A Martial Artist who had achieved success in his cultivation should be at the peak of his strength in his forties or fifties, unless he naturally had a flushed face or practiced a special cultivation technique. Otherwise, a normal complexion would be the norm.

Can you imagine Li Qinglin with a rosy complexion in his forties or fifties?

This ruddiness indicated that he had been poisoned by dan, which was already affecting his health. And...

The strong scent of sandalwood seemed to be covering up a faint odor emanating from him.

"Your Majesty, Qin Yi has arrived," the eunuch whispered softly.

The king opened his eyes, which initially appeared somewhat cloudy but gradually became clear.

"The Five Decays of Heaven and Man," Qin Yi's mind was filled with this term. He trembled slightly, unsure if his knowledge of pharmacology was still lacking, but based on his current level, it seemed like the king wouldn't live much longer...

"Qin Fellow Daoist." The king's tone was very amiable. "Fellow Daoist is young. May I ask who your master is?"

Qin Yi was prepared and replied, "My master is Liu Su Perfected Being, who travels the world. I do not know which sect he belongs to."

The king pondered for a moment. "I have not heard of him... However, there are many Daoists in the world, and it is beyond my knowledge to know them all."

Qin Yi thought to himself, "You are indeed ignorant, not just in not knowing him." Of course, he wouldn't say it out loud, he just bowed.

"Qin Fellow Daoist, please have a seat." The king pointed to a cushion opposite him.

Qin Yi calmly sat cross-legged, his robes fluttering, placing his palms on his knees facing upwards. His posture was standard, not quite resembling a cultivator, but rather exuding a sense of elegance. The king stared at him intently for a while, nodding slightly. "Double lotus position, five hearts facing the sky, very standard. Indeed, there is some inheritance."

"..." Qin Yi was almost speechless. What did Donghua Zi teach you? Even such basic things are considered a criterion for judgment?

The king continued, "Fellow Daoist, what is your main cultivation path? Divination?"

"Divination is just a casual pastime." Qin Yi said, "I specialize in the external alchemy path, which can help people overcome illnesses and prolong their lives."

The king's eyes brightened slightly and he said, "It is similar to what the national teacher studies. Fellow Daoist may benefit from seeking advice from the national teacher."

By saying this, the king placed Qin Yi in the position of Donghua Zi's student, indicating the high regard he held for Donghua Zi. Qin Yi calmly said, "Fellow Daoist, I am open to communication."

The king then said, "The national teacher has achieved the ninth transformation in alchemy, which can lead to immortality, while Fellow Daoist only prolongs life and cures illnesses. Fellow Daoist is young and full of vitality, although you have an inheritance, you still need to be humble and seek the Dao."

"To say that I only prolong life and cure illnesses is being humble. The Great Dao is arduous, and even seeking immortality requires a lifetime of exploration. It is not humble to boast about helping others achieve immortality."

The king was taken aback and said, "The national teacher also did not claim to have achieved it. The true method of achieving immortality is still being explored. However, the elixirs I usually take have had significant effects on my clarity of mind."

Qin Yi almost wanted to directly say that those elixirs were useless, but he remembered Li Qinglin's reminder and suppressed the urge, saying, "I will seek advice from the national teacher another day."

The king nodded and suddenly said, "Since Fellow Daoist is a cultivator seeking the Dao, what about Princess Zhaoyang..."

Qin Yi immediately bowed, "If our feelings are mutual, I am willing to be Dao companions."

The king seemed surprised by his directness, and his words were choked back. He looked at Qin Yi strangely for a while before slowly saying, "Fellow Daoist's secular connections are impure, how can we talk about seeking the Dao? I have a proposal..."

Qin Yi interrupted directly, "Has the national teacher ever mentioned such a thing in his alchemy teachings?"

The king was not displeased by the interruption and still spoke kindly, "Please go ahead, Fellow Daoist."

"When lead and mercury first combine, when the dragon and tiger first unite, when the sun and moon intersect, when yin and yang resonate, the elixir is born from chaos. Without understanding the foundation of the dragon and tiger, the transformation of yin and yang, blindly seeking gold and stone, attempting to create the elixir, is like seeking a chicken or rabbit in water, or fishing for dragons and snakes on a mountain. It is a mistake!"

The king fell into contemplation, his mind lost in thought.

Qin Yi felt refreshed and clear-minded.

Pleading and begging someone not to marry off their daughter was useless. Showing off his most valued alchemy was the true way to impress!

Today is super busy, this chapter is a bit shorter.

(End of this chapter)