Peace Order
Chapter 359 - 156: The Elixir of Immortality, The Battle That Captivates the World_2

Chapter 359: Chapter 156: The Elixir of Immortality, The Battle That Captivates the World_2

The image vanished, and the Taoist knelt on the ground.

Emperor Chen watched the scene, aware that Siming had the face mask in his possession.

This face mask was once a gift he had bestowed upon Tantai Xianming.

It was a spoil of war among the accomplices from the incident ten years ago.

"Good, good..."

"Before, I even thought someone was plotting against you, Tantai Xianming. Or should I say, did you guess even such thoughts of mine?"

"It is indeed terrifying, my Prime Minister."

"You actually understood my heart."

"However, I also feel relieved. If there truly had been someone who plotted you, me, and Yuwen Lie into this game, even if they lurk in the shadows, what a monster that would be."

The Emperor sighed, his silence unbroken. The strand of jade beads suddenly broke apart in his hand, scattering across the floor. The Taoist’s complexion turned deathly pale as he knelt, and the Ritual Eunuch’s body tensed; he had already lowered his head but still had learned of this message.

Emperor Chen looked at the white-haired old Taoist and said indifferently:

"You knew?"

"You had the idea beforehand, dispersing everyone to protect them."

"Old and cunning Taoist, stop pretending..."

The Emperor watched the Taoist, his expression shifting unpredictably, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes, yet he finally raised his hand and threw the remaining pearls to the Taoist, saying wearily, "You may go."

"I know your nature; you would not speak carelessly of such matters."

"I should have had you killed to silence you, but since you have been at my side since childhood, I ultimately couldn’t do it. Take these jade pearls and leave the Imperial Palace immediately, before I change my mind. Go as far as you can."

"In this life, never return."

Emperor Chen closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

He waved his hand wearily.

The old Taoist remained silent, knelt on the ground, and heavily kowtowed.

Then, turning around, he left step by step, exiting the palace. No assassin came for him. The old Taoist looked at the sky, finally breathed a sigh of relief, his back drenched in cold sweat. He hastened his departure while Emperor Chen rose, saying indifferently, "Ritual Eunuch."

The Ritual Eunuch kowtowed: "Your servant is here."

"Send someone to check where Si Qing is in the palace."

"Yes."

"Tantai Xianming, the Empress..."

"I want you to pay the price."

Emperor Chen paced alone, watching his son’s death, and seeing the old Taoist who had been with him since childhood leave. Even he felt a sense of loss. Divine skill could not dispel his fear of life and death. He walked unknowingly to Qilin Palace.

He paused, then pushed open the palace doors and entered.

Inside Qilin Palace, there was a new Taoist, more advanced in practice than Hou Zhongyu, who had taken over this position, a Taoist from South Mountain, who claimed to be three hundred years old. He had once seen Emperor Wu and had witnessed the Great Grandmaster of the Yin Yang Family, Siming, being expelled, witnessing the breakup between Emperor Wu and Siming.

He claimed he could refine the Golden Pill, though Hou Zhongyu, with a lesser practice, had been immersed in the ways of magicians for a long time, and seemed related to the legendary green-robed guest of Martial Arts, hence occupied Qilin Palace while the Taoist was placed elsewhere, Emperor Chen spending a million coins to build palaces for him.

With 120 boys and girls provided for his use, ranking as a third-grade official status; involving thousands of regular servants, costing a huge amount of money. The application of Golden Pill used stone gall, stone marrow, and involved the work of stonemasons digging a hundred feet deep in numerous locations, having already taken six full years.

This middle-aged looking Taoist did not know of the Emperor’s arrival and hurriedly performed a courteous tea ceremony.

Emperor Chen asked about the Elixir of Immortality.

The Taoist knelt on the ground, saying, "It’s almost complete."

"The Mountain Marrow of South Mountain, its whereabouts unknown. I have enquired, and it seems the Empress’s people have taken it. Common sayings go, ’Fortune as vast as the Eastern Seas, longevity as enduring as South Mountain’; this Mountain Marrow inherently possesses the capacity to extend life. I know not for whom the Empress has it used."

The Empress, Tantai...

A flicker of anger intensified in Emperor Chen’s eyes as he sipped his tea, saying:

"Tell me, without the Mountain Marrow, what other methods are there?"

The Taoist smiled slightly, "There is one."

"Without stone gall, stone marrow, if we obtain three and a half of child’s gallbladder and marrow, it can suffice!"

Emperor Chen was shocked: "What?"

The Taoist said: "Child’s gallbladder and marrow will serve the purpose!"

"At least three hundred years of life."

"Like me!"

"But Siming, that one is different..."

When the Taoist mentioned that Supreme Grandmaster of the Yin Yang Family, awe and admiration reflected in his eyes.

"His talent and magnanimity truly divine."

The expression on Emperor Chen’s face shifted, turning ferocious at times, the temptation of immortality before him, along with the grim cost of using child’s gallbladder and marrow. Finally, he closed his eyes, his expression settling, saying: "Fine."

The Taoist celebrated with joy.

A sword’s light flashed suddenly, Emperor Chen’s sword pierced through the Taoist’s Protective Gang Qi, entering through his mouth and pinning him against a bronze pillar. Emperor Chen, pale-faced, half in candlelight and half in shadow, gasped heavily, his gaze struggling, then turning cold.

He withdrew the sword, looking at the Taoist.

The Taoist, not defeated by one sword, his three hundred years of cultivation severed by one strike, still spat blood in shock, soon burst into laughter, saying:

"This signifies the Emperor has no fortune, the time for my Soldier Disintegration has come, I ascend to the Brahma Heaven."

Emperor Chen cut him down with another sword.

"I shall send you."

"Someone, tear his body into ten thousand pieces, torture him brutally, his bones and flesh all boxed and nailed down under thousands of waters and mountains!"

He threw down his sword, gazing at the dead Taoist, silent for a long while, then with a sweep of his sleeves and the imperial fire, he burnt all surrounding materials to ashes, took all voluminous scriptures of the Taoist, the discourse on extending life through human blood and hearts, and saw vague mentions of the green-robed guest.

Emperor Chen burned all the Taoist’s belongings related to immortality to ash, orders given to kill all his disciples without pardon, then drew his sword as he walked out. A female official approached; she was a servant of Noble Consort Xue and the Empress, but claimed both ladies were separately hosting banquets waiting for his highness.