"Godfather."
O Shinan stood at the doorway ,the white gauze robe made his skin look even cooler and paler. A silver forehead band with a light purple ribbon shone under the sunlight behind him. A few strands of his black hair lifted and moved gently in the breeze.
"Godfather, what made you suddenly come to my place?"
"Ho... you came back so early." The Medicine King quickly crumpled the letter in his hand and hid it inside his wide sleeve.
O Shinan simply stepped forward and picked up the box labeled dragon nightshade that the Medicine King had just placed on the table.
"How did Godfather find this box of belladonna? A few days ago I accidentally mixed these two herbs together. I searched for several days but could not find it."
O Shinan slowly opened the box, took down another identical box from the shelf and poured all the herbs inside out.
"You know very well how dangerous belladonna is. How could you be so careless?"
"Godfather also knows that belladonna and dragon nightshade look very similar. Mixing them up sometimes is only natural. Besides, belladonna only makes people lose their memory for a short time. It will not kill anyone, so it cannot really be called a dangerous herb." O Shinan said gently.
"I know you have always liked to make medicine with poison. But poison is still poison, and it cannot be used casually."
"Godfather does not need to worry so much. You also know that I never use poisonous medicine to treat immortal friends. Besides, the immortals in the Liao Yin Immortal Realm trust your pills more, so they naturally would not come to me for medicine." While speaking, O Shinan lifted the lid of the golden tripod and used a small stick to poke the toad inside.
"Where did you get this toad?"
"I caught it,"
"You like using poison to treat illness, and it is indeed a different approach. But it is not the proper path after all. How many times do I have to say it? In the end it is still a crooked path and will not achieve great things."
Seeing that O Shinan did not respond and seemed already used to hearing these words, the Medicine King sighed helplessly, waved his sleeve, and turned to leave.
O Shinan bowed politely with a smile behind him. When he raised his head again, his eyes instantly turned cold and fierce.
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. It was close to midnight, and the Medicine King was still busy inside the pill room.
A dark figure suddenly broke through the door and rushed straight toward the Medicine King.
After parting from Mi Xingzhe at their small gathering that day, Yue Ruling had also drunk so much that she could not tell directions anymore. With the last bit of awareness left, she stumbled back into the courtyard of Lianzhan Pavilion.
"This is Master's room." Yue Ruling pointed to what should have been her own room and muttered.
"And this one is my room."
Yue Ruling pushed open Qingyuan's door, staggered to the bed, and fell onto it headfirst.
Qingyuan, who had been sleeping on the bed, woke up with a start. He stared wide-eyed at Yue Ruling beside him, who was drunk beyond sense and was hugging him and climbing on him as if he were a blanket.
Qingyuan turned his head. Yue Ruling's face was extremely close to his. For a moment he lost his composure. He could clearly see her eyelashes trembling. After pulling his gaze away from her face, Qingyuan glanced at a box on a shelf not far away.
Looking at Yue Ruling sleeping beside him in drunken peace, Qingyuan gently touched her cheek.
At this moment, he could not bear to push her away. Perhaps in this life, this would be the last chance he would ever have to hold her like this in his arms.
Ling'er, if there is another life, I do not want to be your master again.
The next morning, sunlight shone through the half-open window above and woke Yue Ruling on the bed.
"Hm? Since when does sunlight shine on my bedside so early in the morning?"
Yue Ruling wiped the drool from her face and raised her hand to block the sunlight shining on her.
After opening her eyes, Yue Ruling suddenly felt that something was not right. She froze for a moment and slowly turned her head. Right beside her was Qingyuan's face, very close, staring at her with wide eyes.
"You are awake?"
"Ah!" Yue Ruling jumped in fright and fell off the bed.
"Master... Master, why are you in my room?"
Qingyuan remained calm. He slowly sat up on the bed and moved his shoulder, which had gone numb from being pressed by Yue Ruling.
"Take another look. Where are you?"
Yue Ruling steadied herself and looked around the room. She then smiled awkwardly.
"How did I... end up in Master's room?"
A stick of incense later, inside the main hall of Lianzhan Pavilion.
Yue Ruling had changed into a new set of clothes. She knelt before Qingyuan with both hands holding her sword.
"As a girl, getting drunk like that, what kind of behavior is that?"
"I only planned to drink a little. I did not expect the wine to be that strong," Yue Ruling argued.
"Yue Ruling, even if you are a general, you are still a woman. How can you be so fond of drinking?"
"What is wrong with that? Who says only men are allowed to drink and forget the world?"
"If last night you had accidentally entered someone else's sleeping chamber, what would happen to your reputation if the news spread?"
"People who practice martial arts do not worry about small formalities. I just slept one night after drinking. What is the big deal?"
When an immortal soldier came to report something.
"Reporting to War God Qingyuan, something has happened in the pill room."
The pill room was surrounded inside and outside by immortal attendants and servants who had come to watch the excitement. Yue Ruling and Qingyuan pushed through the crowd and walked inside.
The door of the pill room was half open. From outside, the destroyed pill furnace and the Medicine King lying on the ground could be clearly seen.
Yue Ruling and Qingyuan exchanged a glance. They sealed the entire pill room with a spell and stepped forward to check.
Inside the pill room, the Medicine King's eyes were closed. Dried blood hung at the corner of his mouth. One hand had been burned beyond recognition when he pushed the pill furnace over. In the other hand he seemed to be clutching something.
Yue Ruling quickly checked the Medicine King and looked at the mess scattered across the floor.
"The Medicine King is severely injured, but there is still a trace of soul left. I will send this fragment of soul to the Immortal Sovereign so he can seal it temporarily to recover. Perhaps there is still a chance for him to wake up." Seeing that a fragment of the Medicine King's soul remained, Qingyuan used a spell to collect it into a magical artifact.
Qingyuan picked it up and looked at it. It was a purple flower petal.
"A few days ago I saw a petal very similar to this."
In Peach Blossom Grove, Mi Xingzhe was stretching his arms as he walked toward the wooden hut.
"Master really can read books all night long. I did not even get a chance to slack off. Does he think I am made of iron?"
"Miss Ruoying."
"Young master?"
"Miss Ruoying, how are you feeling today?"
"I feel much better today. Why did you come so early?"
"Oh, do not mention it. Last night I was again by my mas... I did not sleep all night. It was too boring staying in Mirror Cloud Residence, so I thought I would come to see you earlier."
"If that is the case, then stay for a meal. I will have Qingping catch two fish later."
"Great. Good thing I did not even eat breakfast before running here to see you."
"Wait here for a moment. I will go prepare something. The tea on the table was brewed with morning dew collected today. Try it."
"Alright. Miss Ruoying, go ahead and do your work. Do not worry about me."
After Hua Ruoying left, Mi Xingzhe happily sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.
"Ha. Tea made by a girl really does taste better." Mi Xingzhe held the teacup and admired the ordinary cup with a dreamy smile.
Meanwhile, Hua Ruoying walked to the side of the wooden hut and hid nearby while watching Mi Xingzhe. She clasped her fingers together and formed hand seals while quietly chanting.
"Spirit descend into the empty realm, fading soul drawn and bound, settle."
A red light shot into the back of Mi Xingzhe's head. Sitting at the table, his eyes turned into dull black, and he froze stiffly in place.
"Yun Wannian, I am sorry."
The news that the Medicine King had been severely injured quickly spread through the entire Liao Yin Immortal Realm. Li Luoning was also greatly shocked when he heard the news.
Just as he was about to rush over to check, a group of immortal soldiers walked in.
"Immortal Master Xiao Yi, Immortal Qingyi, by order of the Immortal Sovereign, please come with us. Yun Wannian must come as well."
Li Luoning knew that Mi Xingzhe had gone out early in the morning to look for Hua Ruoying, so he told Yun Qingyi to go find him and bring him back.
When Yun Qingyi arrived at the wooden hut in Peach Blossom Grove, he felt something was very strange. The door of the hut was tightly shut, and the place was unusually quiet.
"Niannian? Miss Ruoying? Qingping?" Yun Qingyi walked around the area but still found no one.
Just as Yun Qingyi was puzzled, he suddenly noticed the teacup on the table. He picked up the teapot and touched it.
The tea inside was already cold. Looking again at the arrangement inside the house, Yun Qingyi thought for a moment and suddenly felt that something was very wrong.
"Master, Niannian, Miss Ruoying, and Qingping are all gone." Yun Qingyi said anxiously after rushing back from Peach Blossom Grove.
"Did you search everywhere?"
"Yes. I searched everywhere but found nothing. When I arrived at the hut just now, no one was there. The tea on the table was cold, and the stove showed no sign of being used. They must have left some time ago."
"You come with me first to see the Immortal Sovereign. After explaining the situation, we will go search for Nian. Perhaps the three of them only went somewhere for fun."
In the great hall, Situ Fanzhi sat high above. In front of him was a fragment of the Medicine King's soul.
"Xiao Yi, I ask you, where is your little disciple?"
"I sent him out early this morning to gather herbs. He has not returned yet."
"Did your disciple go to the pill room a few days ago?"
"Yes, Immortal Sovereign."
"Did he cause trouble there, knock over many of the Medicine King's pills, and even kick over the pill furnace?"
"Yes."
"Good, Xiao Yi. This is the fine disciple you raised. First he showed disrespect to me and spoke wildly in the hall. Then he drank and caused trouble in the pill room. And now he has even attacked the Medicine King."
Situ Fanzhi angrily grabbed a scroll beside him and threw it at Li Luoning.
"Immortal Sovereign believes that Nian'er killed the Medicine King?" Li Luoning frowned when he heard this.
He knew Mi Xingzhe's character well. Although the boy liked to play around, he would never take someone's life.
"Immortal Sovereign, please see clearly. My junior brother may be mischievous, but he has no grudge against the Medicine King. It is impossible for him to commit such a crime. Please investigate carefully." Yun Qingyi quickly knelt down to plead for him.
Situ Fanzhi waved his hand. An attendant brought a tray and presented it before Li Luoning.
"This is... Violet Valley Orchid."
Li Luoning picked up the petal on the tray and smelled it. After examining the pattern on the petal, his pupils shrank slightly and his heart trembled.
"In the entire Liao Yin Immortal Realm, only your little disciple has a violet golden valley orchid in his room. When the Medicine King died, this very petal was clutched in his hand. How do you explain this?"
"Immortal Sovereign, the violet valley orchid is rare but not unique. This alone cannot prove that Nian'er is the killer. Besides, Nian'er's cultivation is shallow. It is impossible for him to harm the Medicine King."
"His cultivation may not be enough, but if he used this item, it might be possible." The Immortal Sovereign waved his hand again, and an attendant carried forward a magical artifact.
"Trace Concealing Umbrella?"
"This umbrella disappeared together with the Yin Law Compass some days ago. This umbrella can hide anyone completely. If used without the victim noticing, it would allow someone to strike suddenly and take a life. And this umbrella was found near your Mirror Cloud Residence. Is that not too much of a coincidence?"
"Your disciple first showed no respect in the hall and spoke arrogantly. Then he repaid kindness with hatred and killed my godfather. You, Li Luoning, actually raised such a wicked disciple. What explanation do you still have?" O Shinan questioned coldly.
Li Luoning glanced at O Shinan. By instinct, he felt that O Shinan could not be unrelated to this matter.
"Immortal Sovereign, there are many strange points in this matter. Please allow us to find Nian'er first and question him before making a final judgment."
"You still refuse to admit it? Bring it up."
Seeing the broken petal brought forward from the valley orchid in Mi Xingzhe's room, Yun Qingyi became nervous. If the torn half matched perfectly, then there would be no way to argue.
"This was found in Mi Xingzhe's room. See it for yourself."
Li Luoning gently picked up the other half and placed it against the missing part.
As expected, the two halves fit together perfectly.
Li Luoning's heart trembled violently. In this situation, if Mi Xingzhe truly could not be found, the charge of killing the Medicine King would be completely fixed on him.
"This petal does indeed match the one from Nian's room."
The entire hall erupted in discussion.
"I beg the Immortal Sovereign to order the capture of Mi Xingzhe and bring justice to my godfather." O Shinan knelt immediately and bowed his head as he pleaded.
Listening to the murmurs around him, Li Luoning remained silent. Everything that had happened felt too coincidental, and every clue pointed straight at Mi Xingzhe.
"Immortal Master Xiao Yi, what else do you have to say?"
"I, Xiao Yi, guarantee with my life that my disciple Nian'er did not kill the Medicine King. I ask the Immortal Sovereign to give me some time. I will investigate the truth. If it truly was done by Nian'er, I will not shield him. But if someone framed him..." Li Luoning glanced at O Shinan beside him, paused, and continued, "then I will also find the real culprit and give the Medicine King justice."
"Yes, Immortal Sovereign. We should wait until Mi Xingzhe is found before making a final decision." Yue Ruling also stepped forward to plead.
"Very well. I will trust you once more. You have three days. If after three days you still cannot bring back your disciple... War God Qingyuan, hear my command. If Immortal Master Xiao Yi fails to bring Mi Xingzhe back within three days, issue a warrant for his capture across the three realms. If he resists, execute him on the spot."
After speaking, Situ Fanzhi slammed his hand heavily onto the table.