Chapter Ninety-Two: Three Conditions

After some explanation, Yi Xiaochuan still harbored a bit of resentment toward Yang Wenhao’s ruthless actions. Yet such complaints were futile; after all, the dead cannot return to life, and moreover, those men were robbers. According to the laws of Great Qin, their fate was execution. In truth, it mattered little by whose hand they died.

Several days passed, and everyone gathered to drink together. Yang Cong seized this opportunity to further consolidate his cultivation; within the imperial capital of Xianyang, his progress was markedly faster than elsewhere. This place was nourished by the aura of the dragon, with faint traces rising from beneath the ground each day. The dragon’s aura was now at its peak, and Yang Wenhao suspected this had much to do with Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s reign. If history followed its course, and Gao Yao rose to power with Hu Hai succeeding to the throne, the dragon’s aura would surely wane.

“If I were to nurture a ruler myself, and all the imperial aura belonged to him, would it help me break through the ninth level of Qi practice and reach the Foundation Establishment stage?” Yang Wenhao pondered, unable to reach a conclusion, for he had no precedent to draw upon.

Just as Yang Wenhao was practicing with focused breath and calm mind, Sanbao suddenly burst in.

“Sir, sir!” Sanbao called urgently.

Seeing Sanbao’s anxious expression, Yang Wenhao asked, puzzled, “What’s got you so worried?”

“Mr. Cui is calling you,” Sanbao replied.

Yang Wenhao nodded and rose, following Sanbao to find Cui Wenzi. Yi Xiaochuan was also there.

“What’s the matter?” Yang Wenhao asked.

Yi Xiaochuan turned to Yang Wenhao and said, “Brother Yang, do you have any way to save Yushu?”

“Yushu?” Yang Wenhao was momentarily taken aback. “You mean the new concubine Emperor Qin just welcomed? The one granted the title Lady Li?”

“Yes,” Yi Xiaochuan nodded.

“What happened to her?” Yang Wenhao had spent the past few days cultivating and knew nothing of recent events.

“It’s like this,” Yi Xiaochuan explained everything he knew.

It was a matter neither too trivial nor too grave. A plague had broken out in the palace, and its origin was Lady Li’s quarters. Lady Li—Yushu—unfortunately contracted the disease. Now the whole city of Xianyang was plastered with notices, summoning physicians from across the nine provinces. Whoever cured the plague would be richly rewarded.

Since the notices went up, many doctors, confident in their skills, had attempted treatment. Yet none managed to leave the palace alive; all succumbed to the plague.

Yang Wenhao shook his head. “I have no way to save her.”

Upon hearing this, Yi Xiaochuan turned to Cui Wenzi. “Old Cui, you must have a way, right?”

Cui Wenzi smiled faintly. “I do, but before that, you must agree to three conditions.”

“Alright, I agree,” Yi Xiaochuan replied.

Cui Wenzi said, “I haven’t even stated them yet and you agree—don’t regret it later.”

“Old Cui, just tell me how to save Yushu!” At this moment, Yi Xiaochuan cared for nothing else; his mind was wholly fixed on saving her.

“The first condition is for you to fetch a vial of horse blood,” Cui Wenzi produced a small flask. “Just this much.”

“That’s easy,” Yi Xiaochuan took the flask and was about to leave, but Cui Wenzi stopped him.

“Ordinary horse blood won’t do,” Cui Wenzi explained. “It’s said that at the mansion of Great Qin’s General Meng Tian, there’s a sweat-blooded steed called Black Wind, famed for traveling a thousand miles in a day.”

At these words, Yi Xiaochuan, not lacking in wit, immediately understood. “You want me to fetch Black Wind’s blood?”

“Exactly,” Cui Wenzi nodded.

Yi Xiaochuan hesitated briefly, then turned and left. Everyone knew well what he was about to attempt.

Watching Yi Xiaochuan depart without hesitation, Cui Wenzi shook his head. “Such indecisiveness will cost Xiaochuan dearly someday.”

Yang Wenhao smiled lightly. “Perhaps, to him, it is simply human nature.”

“Ah,” Cui Wenzi sighed and said no more.

Yang Wenhao asked, “What’s your second condition?”

Cui Wenzi replied, “If that item is brought back, trouble will follow.”

Though he did not specify, Yang Wenhao had a good idea. In the palace, there was a Deep Sea Night Pearl, quite unlike ordinary pearls—larger, brighter, and far superior in every way.

After securing Black Wind’s blood from the general’s mansion, Yi Xiaochuan hurried back. The second task, naturally, was to steal the Night Pearl from the palace.

Yi Xiaochuan originally wanted Yang Wenhao to undertake the theft, but Yang Wenhao refused. This was Yi Xiaochuan’s own affair; he would not help. If Yi Xiaochuan acted alone, perhaps he would gain some insight.

When Yi Xiaochuan returned to Cui Wenzi for the second time, he brought the Deep Sea Night Pearl.

Cui Wenzi smiled and produced a bottle of medicine.

On seeing it, Yi Xiaochuan was stunned. “This medicine—you prepared it long ago?”

“Yes,” Cui Wenzi nodded.

Yi Xiaochuan grew angry. “Then why did you make me fetch Black Wind’s blood and the Night Pearl? To get the blood, I had to beg the last person I ever wanted to ask. For the Night Pearl, Sanbao nearly lost his life!”

Cui Wenzi shrugged, utterly unconcerned. “I never said those were for making the medicine. That was merely your own assumption.”

Yi Xiaochuan snatched the medicine in fury. Cui Wenzi continued, “Now for the third condition.”

“Don’t even mention a third condition. I won’t do anything more for you,” Yi Xiaochuan’s anger boiled over, and having obtained the medicine, he had no intention of undertaking a third task.

Cui Wenzi smiled. “You’ll go once I tell you, and you won’t refuse.”

“If it’s truly something like that, my life is yours,” Yi Xiaochuan declared.

“Very well. A promise is a promise. The third condition is that you take this medicine and go alone to save Lady Li.”

At this, Yi Xiaochuan was struck dumb.

Just as Cui Wenzi predicted, this third condition was impossible to refuse.

“Your life now belongs to me,” Cui Wenzi laughed.

“You’re being obstinate,” Yi Xiaochuan turned his head away.

Cui Wenzi said, “A promise is a promise. But if you regret it, simply give back the medicine.”

“No!” Yi Xiaochuan refused outright.

Seeing this, Cui Wenzi smiled and said nothing more.

With the notice taken down, Yi Xiaochuan and Cui Wenzi headed to the palace to treat Lady Li’s plague.

Cui Wenzi did not accompany him inside; as he had said, only Yi Xiaochuan would enter.

Yi Xiaochuan glanced at the grand doors before him, then stepped through without hesitation.

(The chapter ends.)