"Nine-Life Profound Cat, Longevity Pill..."
Xu Qing's face was devoid of expression, like a calm and undisturbed lake, without any emotions leaking out as he continued to read.
Liao Jinzhong accepted the imperial edict, bowed his head, and exited the grand hall.
Zhao Rong, dressed in golden dragon-patterned robes, stood under the eaves outside the hall, smilingly watching Liao Jinzhong.
"Eunuch, the Sacred Body of the Father Emperor concerns the fate of the nation, being of utmost importance. Although the immortal medicine from Yunmeng Mountain is good, it must be ensured to be foolproof."
Liao Jinzhong bowed his body, respectfully agreeing, "What Your Highness said is indeed true. This matter is of great importance. My knowledge is shallow, so I ask that Your Highness not hesitate to provide guidance."
Zhao Rong laughed, "I heard that Immortal Baiyun can refine three portions of immortal medicine in one furnace. You can take one portion to have someone test the medicine. Of the remaining two portions, as the Prince, I should naturally risk my body to verify the medicinal properties for the Father Emperor, fulfilling my filial duty. Only after two verifications can we present it before the throne for Father Emperor's use. What do you think, Eunuch?"
"Your Highness is both literate and martial, exemplifying both filial piety and brotherly love; indeed, it is the Emperor's fortune and the nation's blessing. I am in awe."
The scene shifts to Liao Jinzhong and Song Yunxing, one of the seven sons of the Celestial Master's Mansion, heading to Yunmeng Mountain to obtain the immortal medicine.
The seven sons of the Celestial Master's Mansion each have different personalities, but only Song Yunxing is fond of money and worldly affairs. Liao Jinzhong spent a large sum of money in private, asking Song Yunxing along to ensure someone knowledgeable in alchemy would assist when he consumed the immortal medicine.
He was born into servitude; the Emperor and the Prince wouldn't care for his life, but a servant's life is still life. Liao Jinzhong had climbed to the position of the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace with great difficulty, so how could he not care for his own life?
Yunmeng Mountain is fifty miles north of Quyang County, with a village called Bailong. This village is peculiar, those who live long live very long, those who live short live very short. The former live past a hundred, while the latter pass away abruptly before the age of thirty.
Liao Jinzhong didn't understand this, yet Song Yunxing had some insight. Upon entering Bailong Village and seeing the bloodless, ghostlike villagers, he declared that this village uses a blood transfer technique, where the noble absorb the life essence of the poor, nourishing themselves, hence widening the lifespan gap among the people.
"Such an Evil Technique has long been lost, yet this small village had somehow carried it through the ages."
Liao Jinzhong, upon hearing this, thought of the rumors about the immortal medicine from Yunmeng Mountain, giving more credibility to the matter.
This village indeed possesses longevity miracles!
At the end of Bailong Village, near the deep region of Yunmeng Mountain, there is a temple called Ruyi Temple, inside which is worshipped a white-haired deity known as Lord Yuan.
A young Daoist led Liao Jinzhong and the others into the Incense Hall, saying, "The Daoist is refining the immortal medicine in the inner hall, please wait in the front hall and do not enter the inner hall."
Liao Jinzhong looked up at the statue of the white-haired old man in the front hall. This statue was also quite unusual, as the deity wore shackles on his head and nine iron chains embedded into the foundation wall behind him like blood vessels, held by four armored deities in a mural.
However, just as Liao Jinzhong was absorbed in observing, shadows emerged with black mist from Lord Yuan's statue, followed by the second and third.
A total of eight black shadows escaped, startling Liao Jinzhong to retreat hastily, while Song Yunxing beside him pulled out a golden light talisman for protection. Just then, a frantic shout came from the back of the Incense Hall—
"The monster is escaping! You must pursue and catch it, it cannot be allowed to escape from the temple no matter what!"
A dozen people dressed as Daoists rushed around the foundation wall, out of the Incense Hall, giving chase to the escaping black demonic energy.
Liao Jinzhong, almost unconsciously, circled the foundation wall, discovering the scene behind it.
Here he saw a furnace with strange symbols on it on the ground, and where it connected to the foundation wall, eight of nine chains had broken; the last remaining chain was blood-red, like something alive, connected to the furnace.
A white-haired Daoist, looking youthful, wasn't upset. He said, "You two have extraordinary skill, please lend a hand to this poor Daoist to retrieve the catalyst! Otherwise, this pill's efficacy will be largely lost!"
Liao Jinzhong frowned, about to inquire, but Song Yunxing, knowing alchemy, urgently reminded, "The profound cat has broken free, if not aided, allowing that Cat Demon to escape will prevent the completion of the longevity pill."
In the Funeral Shop, Xu Qing sensed the familiar yet strange aura from the furnace, an unnamed rage rising entirely.
Liao Jinzhong and Song Yunxing rushed out of the temple, yet no trace of the Cat Demon could be found. People surrounded them in all directions, chasing but unable to catch even a glimpse of its figure.
"How could this Cat Demon be so fast that even a master couldn't catch it, how did they capture it initially?"
Startled, Liao Jinzhong immediately turned back and stopped a temple disciple, urgently asking, "If you once managed to catch that Cat Demon, why can't you catch it again?"
The temple disciple replied helplessly, "The Cat Demon was caught with the guidance of a wise person and the master himself acted at that time. But now, the master is unable to attend, and we are doing our best..."
Outside the temple, while a few were debating, an authoritative voice suddenly thundered from within the temple—
"This is a secret technique of the heavens, cherished by the Celestial Emperor, not to be used for such abominable purposes!"
No sooner had the voice ended than divine light erupted in Ruyi Temple, followed by thunder descending from the sky, striking the Incense Hall with a deafening crash.