The Sovereign – Chapter 100

Volume Five: Remembering a Lifetime in the Sound of a Breaking Heart

Testing Poison with My Body

As long as she is safe, it’s fine.

“Are you doing all this for her, does she know?” Guiguzi, a legendary Chinese sage known for his wisdom and strategy, stroked his beard and looked at Liu Qianxun without any fear on his face, feeling a sense of pity.

“She doesn’t need to know. It is I who have wronged her, and now this is all I can do.”

“Alright, the old man understands. First, apply the medicine, and later I’ll make you some medicine to take. Your body isn’t in a good condition, and if you keep eating poisonous herbs, you might just die!” Guiguzi said and skillfully grabbed some medicine from the cabinet. Without needing to weigh it, he could estimate the right proportions by feeling it in his hand.

“Thank you, elder,” Liu Qianxun said, finally taking the medicine with relief.

“Girl, even though I’m much older than you, calling me ‘elder’ every time makes me feel hurt,” Guiguzi said playfully, his heart youthful despite his age, pretending to be upset.

Liu Qianxun’s tense expression finally relaxed a bit, with a slight smile at the corners of her mouth. “Then… how about I call you Master Gui?”

“Master Gui? Tss~ sounds very cool, yes, yes, I like it. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Liu Qianxun.”

“The dusty world, seeking something like a precious herb—sounds like a herb name, I like it, I like it, haha, Qianxun girl,” Guiguzi laughed happily as he ground the medicine and put it into a pot for preparation.

Liu Qianxun entered a nearby wooden hut, removed her outer clothing, and applied the herbs on the whip marks all over her body. There were more than ten whip marks on her chest, back, and arms, varying in depth. The shallow wounds had started to heal slowly, while the deeper ones had become infected and were oozing pus.

The continuous traveling over the past days had made her forget the pain, but at this moment, she clearly felt exhausted, with her whole body burning with pain. After she applied the herbs, a cool sensation spread all over her body, followed by a piercing pain, like being gnawed by thousands of ants.

The pain almost made her convulse. She wondered what kind of medicine Guiguzi had used on her that made such small external wounds hurt so deeply, even more than when she was being punished. To endure the pain, Liu Qianxun had to sit in meditation, with cold sweat dripping from her forehead onto her eyebrows. After about the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the pain gradually disappeared. She felt comfortable all over, and even the previous whip marks were no longer noticeable.

“Xiao Qianxun, are you done hurting?” Guiguzi called from outside the door, holding a bowl of medicine.

Liu Qianxun got up from inside the room, and as if Guiguzi had timed it perfectly, he appeared just as she recovered, “The pain just passed.”

“Perfect timing. Here, drink this, and the fever will go away. Use the medicine once more tomorrow, and you’ll be fine.”

“Most doctors aim to reduce pain with their treatments, but Master Gui, you make it hurt to the bone before things get better. Such a treatment method can only be seen in Shennong Valley.” Liu Qianxun took the medicine, and just smelling it, she could tell it was very bitter.

“This old man only cares about the results of healing. As for how painful the process is, I have my own judgment. The moment I saw you today, I knew you were tough, enduring such pain without making a sound.”

“Pain has become a habit, so it’s nothing much. When can we start making the antidote for the Gu poison?” Liu Qianxun was anxious, fearing that with every day delayed, Qin Junlan would suffer more.

“Tomorrow, then. You need to recover from this fever first, or your body won’t withstand those poisonous herbs.” Guiguzi sighed slightly. In this world, there are countless people deeply in love, and he always seems to encounter these remarkable women.

Ah, love is indeed troublesome. Luckily, he is alone, with no attachments, and nothing in the world is more beautiful than herbs.

The night in Shennong Valley was full of stars, with a bright moon in the sky, but Liu Qianxun couldn’t sleep. She was worried about Qin Junlan and also concerned about her mother. She wondered if they had recognized each other yet. If Yi Qingyu went to the palace to treat Qin Junlan, what would happen to her mother? She blamed herself for leaving in such a hurry. She thought her mother would be safe with Yi Qingyu, but forgot that Qin Junlan was poisoned, and Yi Qingyu would definitely not ignore that.

“Xiao Qianxun, want to drink some wine?” Guiguzi appeared behind her at some point, and she hadn’t noticed. He was carrying two jugs of wine, coming over with enthusiasm.

“Sure.” Liu Qianxun hadn’t drunk wine in a long time. It was rare to feel such a connection with Guiguzi, and she thought how wonderful life would be if there were no conflicts, and she could retire to the mountains.

“Come on, the old man is waiting for you to tell stories. Back then, when Liu Zhu fell off the cliff, Qingyu never found her body. She searched all along the coastal lands, without a single clue, and only after a whole year did she give up. She thought Liu Zhu’s body had been swallowed by the sea. I think she must have been swept away by the waves. But how did she later give birth to a daughter? I’m very curious. She loved Qingyu so much, she wouldn’t have surrendered to anyone else.” Guiguzi spoke all his curiosities in one go. He loved such legendary stories, especially those related to Qingyu, which made him even more interested.

He held the wine jug and tossed one to Liu Qianxun. She caught it steadily, took a big swig, and after finishing it, let out a deep breath. The emotions that had been suppressed for days found some relief in the numbness of the alcohol.

“Mother was saved by the King of Chong in Yu Kingdom. Though she was saved, it was the beginning of a nightmare.” Liu Qianxun lightly wiped the corner of her mouth, looking at Guiguzi, “Master Gui, my mother’s health isn’t good now. If it weren’t for giving birth to me, she wouldn’t have suffered so much. I often wonder if I’m an unnecessary existence in this world. My father, the King of Chong, is probably a stain she doesn’t want to remember in her life, yet she loves me so much. If not for me and her thoughts of Aunt Qing, she might not have held on…”

“Silly child, how could you be an unnecessary existence?” Guiguzi took a big gulp of wine and walked around her twice, “You’re Liu Zhu’s daughter, the number one talented woman in Yu Kingdom. With such extraordinary beauty, how many in the world can compare? I noticed when you saved the old man, your inner strength was profound, your speech steady, and your steps light. Your martial arts must not be weak. Now you’re giving everything for the person in your heart. How could the heavens not allow such a woman to come to this world?”

“But, I feel like I don’t have the right to love. Either I’m hurt or I hurt others, always suffering in pain, not knowing how to break free.” Liu Qianxun lived in the depths of despair. She once wanted to love but couldn’t, and now she wants to love but dares not.

“Child, although love brings many troubles and pain, having pain is better than a life in vain. Look at me, the old man, with no ties, carefree, but sometimes I find it boring and envy you passionate people.”

“I understand, Master.” Liu Qianxun nodded, though she knew Guiguzi was comforting her, she felt much more enlightened. She raised her empty wine jug, a faint smile on her lips, her clear and cold beauty becoming even more striking in the moonlight, surpassing many earthly sceneries. Guiguzi smiled and pushed the wine jug toward her.

If only life could always be like this, with a gentle breeze and strong wine, traveling alone across high mountains and long rivers, staying away from the world—it would indeed be a beautiful thing.

Guiguzi’s skill with medicine was like magic. By the next day, Liu Qianxun felt no pain in her body, and the wounds that had been festering had mostly healed. Eager to find a cure for Qin Junlan, she wanted to begin testing poisons on herself.

Knowing her stubborn nature, Guiguzi had no choice but to gather the poisonous herbs and lay them out one by one.

“Today you’ll be trying these poisonous herbs, but I must remind you, each herb has different medicinal properties and symptoms when the poison takes effect. You need to be mentally prepared,” Guiguzi said. Although he had prepared antidotes for each herb, he still couldn’t bear to see such a woman use her body as a vessel, becoming an experiment for antidote research.

Liu Qianxun said nothing, simply picking up one of the poisonous herbs and, without hesitation, putting it in her mouth to chew, quickly swallowing it. Guiguzi held a sharp blade, watching her reactions closely. Even though he knew the timing and symptoms of each herb’s effects, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

After a little while, Liu Qianxun’s complexion suddenly began to change, her pale face turning bluish, and her arms started to itch intensely. Instinctively, she reached to scratch, but Guiguzi held her back, “Don’t scratch; if you do, it will leave scars that can’t be removed. Endure it.”

Liu Qianxun had to clench her fists tightly. Her whole body began to itch, even her scalp was unbearably itchy. She started trembling, feeling as if her body wasn’t her own, wishing she could shed a layer of skin. Soon, the color of her arms darkened again, and Guiguzi quickly placed a wooden bowl underneath, holding her arm and raising the knife, “I’m going to bleed you now, bear with it.”

She simply nodded calmly.

A cool sensation swept over her as a red cut opened on her arm. Liu Qianxun was so itchy she was numb, watching her blood drip gradually into the bowl, the pain easing the unbearable itch. The blood in the bowl was a bluish-red, and Guiguzi nodded knowingly, quickly giving her an antidote pill and sprinkling prepared antidote powder on the cut.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Liu Qianxun’s complexion returned to normal. Though the poison was neutralized, she felt dizzy, yet she remained calm.

“Continue,” Liu Qianxun said as she picked up the second poisonous herb, ready to consume it. Guiguzi hurriedly stopped her, “Are you crazy? Do you really think your body is just a container?”

“I’m afraid she can’t wait,” Liu Qianxun replied decisively and swallowed the next herb. This seemingly ordinary herb was covered in countless tiny thorns, piercing her mouth with numerous wounds. The taste of blood spread as her teeth, tongue, and even lips started bleeding.

“Oh, you!” Guiguzi was at a loss with her. After she consumed it, her mouth filled with blood, and soon her hands and feet began to cramp. Intense pain quickly swept through her body. She felt alternately cold and as if her inner energy was chaotically surging, like she was in a state of madness.

She hugged herself and fell to the ground. No matter how much it hurt, she didn’t cry out. Her eyes seemed filled with blood, tears brimming. She seemed to see Qin Junlan suffering from poison. It must have hurt a lot, enduring this pain every day, yet she felt worse than death now.

Guiguzi felt a heavy sadness but steeled himself, taking the knife to make a second cut on her arm. He had seen countless difficult and strange illnesses and many injured people, but never felt so unwilling as today.

If she had cried out in pain, it would have been fine. If she had asked him for help, it would have been fine too. But Liu Qianxun stubbornly held on without showing a trace. He knew very well how potent this herb was; even a strong man would cry from this pain.

Liu Qianxun looked at the gentle green valley before her as her vision blurred. The coldness in her body invaded her mind, and she suddenly felt powerless, lacking even the strength to open her eyes… She just felt so tired, and if she could just sleep like this, how nice it would be…

Guiguzi treated her wound, took out silver needles, and performed acupuncture on her key points. Even in her faint state, she shivered, murmuring a name over and over, “Yan’er… Yan’er…”

“I really don’t understand why you women are so stubborn,” Guiguzi said, covering her with clothes and sighing slightly. He picked up a jug of wine, looking at the distant peaks, somewhat lost.

Qingyu, why haven’t you arrived yet? You said three days, and today is already the fourth day. If you don’t come soon, whether Liu Zhu’s daughter lives or dies, I really can’t manage anymore.

In Changning Mansion, where experts are as numerous as clouds and the security is very strict, no one has ever dared to intrude before. Today, however, someone has come alone, defeating the guards from the entrance to the front yard.

“Where is Liu Zhu?” Yi Qingyu, dressed in a black long robe, exuded a heroic aura between her brows, with a red string lightly tying her three thousand strands of long hair.

Her gaze was sharp, and her eyes were full of killing intent, allowing no one to stop her. More than a dozen guards lay on the ground, unable to rise. The front yard of Changning Mansion was spacious, with soldiers coming from all directions, and archers aimed at her from the rooftops. Very quickly, she was surrounded.

“Bold intruder, how dare you trespass into Changning Mansion!” The head guard shouted, holding a sharp sword pointed at Yi Qingyu.

Yi Qingyu let out a cold laugh, lightly waved her sleeve, and with a forceful energy in her palm, pulled the head guard up as if there was a magnetic force. He felt his body out of control, being thrown down, and then pushed against the wall. Yi Qingyu effortlessly swung her arm, severely injuring the head guard.

“Capture her!” the head guard ordered with his last breath. Everyone rushed at her with swords, but Yi Qingyu lightly tapped her toes, moving like lightning through the crowd. No one could get close to her. In just a moment, people were lying on the ground. Many hadn’t even seen how she attacked before they were injured and fell, and by the time they got up, Yi Qingyu had already moved far ahead.

Through the six gates of Changning Mansion, no one could stop her. She easily broke through the first gate. As she stepped into the second gate, countless sharp arrows shot towards her. She spun to the side, dodging like autumn wind sweeping away leaves, easily deflecting all the arrows without a scratch.

“Where is Liu Zhu?” Yi Qingyu grabbed someone’s collar, her murderous look so intense that he couldn’t even stand, only staring at her in fear.

Yi Qingyu angrily threw him aside, gathered her inner strength, and shouted, “Tell your princess to get out here!”

Instantly, everyone felt a shock in their hearts, as if their ears were being torn apart from the pain. All weapons fell from their hands, and they rolled on the ground in agony. Yi Qingyu released her deep inner strength through her voice, forming a powerful attack that was impossible to resist without strong inner power.

Dust filled the air in the courtyard, and the shadows of the trees swayed, making it seem as if the entire Changning Mansion was trembling.

Suddenly, a figure swiftly flashed across the rooftop, sending a powerful palm strike toward Yi Qingyu, who withdrew her inner strength to meet the attack.

“Bang!” With a thunderous crash, their palms collided like a massive impact, shattering the stone benches and tables nearby. Ling Yu flipped through the air and gracefully landed on the stone lion at the gate of the courtyard. Her gaze was sharp, and her presence was just as formidable as Yi Qingyu’s.

“Yi Qingyu…” Her eyes were deep, and she looked at Yi Qingyu with a slight smile.

“Ling Yu!”

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