The King of Jin and Wei Yuan sat opposite each other in prolonged silence.
In the end, it was the King of Jin who spoke first, offering a bitter smile. "Back then, I fought my way through thorns and brambles, toppling brother after sister to ascend this throne. All my life, I battled the heavens, battled the earth, and battled fate. How did I suddenly end up living like this?"
Wei Yuan asked, "What does Your Majesty think is the reason?"
The King of Jin sighed. "A person simply must walk one path to the bitter end—one must never waver back and forth. If you want to be a good person, be one to the very end; if you are evil, be so rotten that heaven and earth despise you. Never play the villain for a while only to think of becoming a good person in the end.
"Otherwise, you end up like me right now—achieving nothing, just idling away the days waiting to die."
Wei Yuan grew thoughtful and said, "Your Majesty's words are indeed reasonable. However, my purpose in coming this time is to present a precious medicine that extends longevity."
The King of Jin let out a sigh, wrapping his robe more tightly around himself, and said, "Living like this, it matters little whether my life is extended or not."
Wei Yuan said, "Though the new pill extends life by only three years, it does not use phoenix blood. Therefore, Your Majesty should be able to recover the vigor of your prime."
Light finally returned to the King of Jin's eyes. Leaning forward, he said, "You obtained another new medicine? But I have already taken quite a few soul yingluo."
"It is neither. It is a new formula I researched and developed myself. There are four or five similar medicines, and more will be developed in the future. So Your Majesty may take it with peace of mind; there will be more to come."
Only then did the King of Jin accept the pill handed over by Wei Yuan, his hands trembling slightly. However, the method of taking this pill was rather peculiar: it required slitting open a vein in the wrist and dissolving the pill directly into the blood.
For a cultivator, such a method was effortless. The King of Jin tapped open a vessel, melted the pill into an exquisite nectar with dharmic power, dispersed it into his bloodstream, and then closed his eyes, remaining motionless.
Within moments, a visible flush returned to the King of Jin's face, his wrinkles smoothing out before the naked eye. His qi and blood surged, and his heart pounded with the resounding thrum of drums!
His aura surged violently, then receded slowly like an ebbing tide. When it stabilized, he had transformed from a withered old man at dusk into a middle-aged man whose gaze flashed like lightning.
The King of Jin slowly opened his eyes and praised, "This medicine is truly miraculous. Blending over a dozen common spiritual herbs, it actually matches the efficacy of immortal medicine. While its potency is not as overwhelming as immortal medicine, it also avoids the drawbacks. This pill formula is truly the work of a master craftsman!"
Wei Yuan smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty's attainment in the Dao of Alchemy is truly unexpected. This formula was indeed painstakingly developed. With just slight adjustments, it can become a new recipe, preventing its efficacy from diminishing upon repeated consumption."
By now, a light sweat beaded on the King of Jin's forehead. He cast off his thick fur coat and stretched his limbs, causing firecracker-like pops to ring out across his whole body. Then, a thin film of pale black grime surfaced upon his skin.
"Wait a moment. I will bathe and change."
A short while later, Wei Yuan and the King of Jin sat down once more in the Imperial Study. Glancing at the memorials piled high like a mountain upon the desk, the king remarked self-deprecatingly, "I never realized I had grown so neglectful of court affairs. Oh, right—there is another major matter. I had originally decided to abdicate in favor of Prince Chu next month, and the ceremony was already being prepared. But now, I suddenly find myself reluctant to abdicate. What do you think?"
Wei Yuan said, "The realm is on the verge of great chaos. Though Western Jin may not bear the brunt of it, it remains a prime target for all.
"At a time like this, there ought to be an anchor holding the center to stabilize the realm. Therefore, Your Majesty should remain on the throne."
The King of Jin had not expected Wei Yuan's stance to be so clear-cut. After pondering for a long while, he finally said, "Yet if so, Prince Chu will likely have to wait another ten years."
Wei Yuan said, "The people come first, the realm comes first. It is not as if he is being deposed—let him wait."
The King of Jin took a deep look at Wei Yuan and said, "You didn't come to see me this time merely to present medicine, did you?"
Wei Yuan said, "I wish to exercise the authority of Prince Wei and take full control over the commerce of Western Jin's entire territory, excluding the northern frontier. The central and southern regions encompass nineteen commanderies and a total of three hundred and thirty million people, all under my control. Of the mortal karmic luck gained, I will give ten percent to Your Majesty. If Your Majesty endures patiently for three years, with mortal karmic luck washing over your soul each day, the hidden ailments brought on by the evil art should be completely eliminated. When that time comes, what happened with the King of Zhao might well be replicated."
The King of Jin sprang to his feet, then realized his lapse in composure and supported himself against the desk before slowly sitting back down. "How certain are you?" he asked.
Wei Yuan said, "A little over five percent, but less than ten."
The tips of the King of Jin's fingers trembled slightly as he muttered to himself, "That's not low... not low at all..."
Having held high station for so long, the King of Jin soon recovered his composure and said, "The south is one thing, but the central region is the kingdom's primary source of tax revenue. If it is all handed over to you, I fear the state treasury will be hard-pressed to sustain itself. If nothing else, seventy percent of the Northern Army's payroll comes from there. How is this to be resolved?"
Wei Yuan said, "So long as Your Majesty grants me the power of life and death over commandery governors and all officials below them, I can guarantee that this year's annual revenue from the nineteen commanderies will double past years' figures, triple next year, and for the following ten years, increase by an average of three times."
Light flashed in the King of Jin's eyes, and he readily replied, "Agreed. I will make a twelve-year covenant with you first! However, the appointment, dismissal, life, and death of commandery governors and officials of equivalent rank must be ordered by my decree. Naturally, the decisions will still be yours; I will merely issue the edicts as a formality."
"That is only right."
The King of Jin nodded and said, "Go pay a visit to Chunhua Palace. You haven't been there in years either. As for Prince Chu, he has long since resided in separate palace quarters. If you wish to see him, go as you please; if not, do not bother. This waist token will allow you to move freely throughout the palace. Except for my sleeping chambers and the queen's, you may enter anywhere. Go on now. I must catch up on the court affairs that fell behind during this time."
Taking the waist token and offering his thanks, Wei Yuan left the Imperial Study and headed toward Chunhua Palace.
Chunhua Palace remained just as it had always been, with lush celestial plants and an extraordinary serenity within the hall, though the eunuchs, court attendants, and maids were all new faces now.
A subtle fragrance drifted through the chamber, encircling a figure by the window. Consort Yuan stood before a desk beside the casement, holding a brush and painting. With a light turn of her fingertips, the brush glided like a swimming fish. Her head was tilted slightly downward, the evening glow dancing upon her eyelashes. Dressed in a long gown of white gossamer and devoid of ornate jewelry, she was adorned only by natural sunlight and shadow—falling across her cascading hair, her ivory shoulders, and her bright eyes that rippled like water.
Even when Wei Yuan arrived behind her, she did not turn her head. She merely said indifferently, "I thought you would never come again."
Yet cold though her voice sounded, a quiet pat sounded as a single teardrop fell, wetting the painted paper.
Wei Yuan had weighed the words he would speak on this visit countless times beforehand, so he said, "Once an affection exists, it will never be forgotten."
Consort Yuan slowly turned around and looked at the man before her. Separated for years, neither of their appearances had changed; what had changed was heaven and earth, the shifting of the four seasons.
This time, without waiting for Consort Yuan to make a move, Wei Yuan reached out, lifted her into his arms, and carried her into the rear hall.
Wei Yuan's Desolate Roar showed a slight regression.
Consort Yuan stood before the window, continuing her unfinished painting by the moonlight. The moonlight was like water, exceptionally bright, filling the chamber with radiant luminescence.
This was Wei Yuan drawing upon the power of the Taiyin Grotto-Heaven to magnify the moonlight.
Consort Yuan's skill in painting was surprisingly exquisite as well. Her piece, *Late Autumn Swallows Returning South*, captured a bleak autumnal mood that rushed straight toward the viewer. She lifted her brush and dabbed lightly, adding the final plumes to the returning swallows on their distant journey.
Gazing at the freshly completed painting, she murmured softly, "Is it because new lovers are too fresh and beautiful that you forgot about me?"
After giving birth to Prince Chu, Consort Yuan's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds; by now, she was nearing the perfection of the Dharma Idol realm.
In terms of a cultivator's lifespan, she was still in the prime of her youth, with at least three to four hundred years ahead in which she could maintain her peerless beauty. Moreover, with her natural talent, there was a strong likelihood she could advance to Scenery Command, which would grant her more than a thousand years in bloom. At this moment, she was not different in the slightest from when she first met Wei Yuan.
Faced with this question, Wei Yuan had long prepared an answer. He smiled bitterly and said, "I haven't even finished repaying my old debts; where would I find new lovers?"
Consort Yuan cast him a sidelong glance and said, "If they are related to me by blood or kinship, taking in a couple more wouldn't be out of the question."
To this, Wei Yuan did not reply.
Walking out from Chunhua Palace, Wei Yuan strolled toward the palace exits, observing the scenery of the palace along the way. Fallen leaves scraped crisply against the ground in a steady rustle, and moonlight bathed the rooftops as though dusting them in cold frost. A few winter crows flew across the horizon, their shrill cries piercing the silence of the night like sharp blades.
In early autumn, prosperity gives way to decline—the season of deepest desolation.
As Wei Yuan walked, a tall young man in opulent robes suddenly darted out from the side, blocking his path. Here in the deep palace, the surroundings were eerily deserted, without a single eunuch or maid in sight.
The young man looked at Wei Yuan, suddenly surged forward a step, prostrated himself on the ground, and cried out excitedly, "...Your son pays respects to Father!"
Wei Yuan stood motionless. He did not look at Prince Chu kneeling on the ground, but instead gazed ahead.
From the lane ahead stepped out a bald, green-eyed woman. She walked over gracefully and, in the blink of an eye, passed Prince Chu and arrived before Wei Yuan.
Having received no response for a long while, Prince Chu stealthily raised his head, only to see Wei Yuan standing where he was, calmly gazing forward. He could only brace himself and repeat, "Your son pays respects to Father."
Prince Chu had only just reached perfection in the Dao Foundation; naturally, none of his actions could escape Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan could tell that he could not see the green-eyed woman before them at all.
Wei Yuan asked in a calm voice, "Who taught you to call me that?"
Though asked in a mild and gentle tone, the question sent a chill coursing through Prince Chu's entire body. His teeth chattered as he stammered, "...Your son heard... heard it from the personal servants attending Imperial Mother."
Wei Yuan said indifferently, "Whoever said it, beat them to death with staves. Have it done before dawn."
With that, Wei Yuan walked past Prince Chu and continued toward the palace exits.
Prince Chu remained prostrated on the ground, not daring to move an inch, his robes long since soaked through with sweat. Only when the footsteps had faded into the distance did he dare to stand up, trembling near collapse as though recovering from a grave illness.
When he looked back, Wei Yuan was already nowhere to be seen. How could he dare ask about the King of Jin's extended longevity now? He had no choice but to flee in haste.
In truth, Wei Yuan was still not far away, walking side by side with the green-eyed woman beneath the moonlight. Looking at the water-like moonlight around them, the green-eyed woman said, "Your attainments in the Dao of Taiyin have actually reached such heights. Contending with you under the moon now, I wouldn't have much confidence."
Wei Yuan smiled faintly and said, "Not much confidence? How much do you have left then? Ninety percent, or eighty?"
Rather than answering, the green-eyed woman countered, "He is both your child and the reincarnation of an arhat. You have kept him pinned in the crown prince's position for over a decade, and he is already thirty this year. How many more years do you plan to keep him pinned down?"
Wei Yuan said indifferently, "Since he is an arhat's reincarnation, his disposition is surely exceptional. As the histories say, 'Where has there ever been a crown prince for a hundred years?' He is still far from a hundred years, so he can just keep serving as one."
The green-eyed woman said, "It clearly offers you a hundred benefits and not a single harm—why do this?"
Wei Yuan said, "Having only benefit and no harm is precisely the greatest danger. But I don't quite understand: Master, what are you doing here?"
The green-eyed woman said, "Can you still not tell? I protect the King of Jin's safety and ward off Lu Changhe's overt and covert schemes. My payment is taking a small bite out of Western Jin's state fortune. Ever since the King of Jin shared part of the state fortune with you, I haven't eaten much of it. If I eat any more, natural disasters will inevitably arise, and I might end up turning against you."
Wei Yuan said, "Back when I drifted into the Desolate Realm, Master did not harm me and even lent a helping hand. That left me utterly baffled."
The green-eyed woman said, "It is very simple: the path you walk is unprecedented. Before this path existed, what I did was correct. But now that you have opened a new way, I have another choice. So I gave you a hand, wanting to see just how far this path you forged can go."
"Which path does Master refer to?"
"Spirit Mountain's return to silence."
Chapter 1112