But two hours later, Ethan's excitement faded. The elixir had, indeed, opened a meridian, but as the sensation ebbed, the process stopped. The fire's heat evaporated—energy spent. Worse, his meridian wasn't truly clear.
What had gone wrong? It felt as if a powerful flood had almost punched through a dam, only to stall with debris blocking the exit even tighter than before.
In his last life, he'd never waited long enough; he was betrayed before the process finished. Now, he realized the medicine didn't just fail to fully open the path—it left an even worse obstruction.
No—as he gritted his teeth, he downed a second bottle.
If the first was thread-like, the second was an inferno—pain tearing him apart, reducing him to a shuddering heap on the floor. Only after another hour or two did the agony fade.
Trembling, Ethan struggled up. This time, the blockage was worse, and nothing had shifted. He was certain: a third dose might kill him.
His formula had failed.
Would she regret killing him, he wondered? Or just regret not waiting for the truly perfected medicine?
Moving slowly, he stared at his reflection—pale, defeated. Four hours earlier, hope had burned in his heart. Now, the dream of cultivation lay in ruins.
On Earth, he might have had time to try again. Here, with these crude tools, even that fragile sliver was gone.
A wave of weakness washed over him. As he reached for water, a faint scent caught in the air—a trace of poisonous arrowwood.
Instantly alert, Ethan set the cup down. That was a deadly toxin—one whiff, and he knew.
Someone wanted him dead. Years of research had made his nose too sharp for mistakes.
It all became clear in seconds. While he'd been insane, he was forgotten, but now—sane, successful, and of royal blood—he was a threat. A true heir to North Qin, wealthy and brilliant, was someone to fear.
He felt strangely calm as he set the cup aside. In this vast empire, failing at cultivation wasn't the end. So long as one chance remained, he wouldn't give up on life.
Packing away the empty bottles, Ethan actually felt a little grateful. If the potion hadn't failed, he would have rushed to the Awakening Tower with his gold—dangerous, in hindsight, if his enemies watched for just such a move.
Sometimes, failure was a blessing in disguise.
A cold sense of danger crept over him. He couldn't stay at Danhan Alchemy—vulnerable, rootless, too easily targeted.
But where could he go?
Just then, Lulu's voice called from the door, "Master Mo, people from Shengling Elixir have come. The boss wants you to meet them."
"I'll be right there," Ethan replied, opening the door. "Oh—this pot and cup are dirty. Dump the water and wash them, will you?"
He trusted Lulu, knowing the threat hadn't come from her. The labs were easy to enter—anyone else could have poisoned him.
"Yes, Master Mo." Lulu's respect was genuine. She remembered what life at Danhan had been before Ethan—now it was like waking from a long nightmare.
…
"Ha! Brother Mo, let me introduce our distinguished guests—this is Mia Mi, head of Shengling Supreme Elixir," Lucas Lu greeted Ethan, practically glowing with pride, as soon as Ethan entered the meeting room. He dropped the "Mr." for a much more informal address, clearly to signal to Mia just how close their relationship was.
"Hey, Brother Mo—you don't look so well," Lucas asked, halting his introduction mid-sentence. To Lucas, the Shengling team paled before the genius who'd saved his business.
Ethan waved a hand. "It's nothing, just a bit tired lately."
He then turned to the attractive young woman and smiled, "Pleasure to finally meet you, Master Mia. Your reputation precedes you."
Mia Mi's eyes flickered with curiosity at his weak appearance. She let out a musical laugh. "Master Mo, your fame echoes far and wide—clearly, the rumors didn't do you justice."
Ethan smiled back, feigning casualness. "It's hit or miss some days—occasionally, I still think I'm the Prince of North Qin."
If things went badly, he'd simply play the fool again.
Mia shot him an awkward smile. "You joke, Master Mo. Anyway, allow me to introduce—" She gestured to a kind-faced middle-aged man beside her. "This is Elder Wu Hetai, one of our senior alchemists at Shengling."
Before Mia could finish, another dignified, silver-haired elder stood and spoke for himself, "I'm Winston Liu, head of sales for Shengling—a pleasure to meet you, Master Mo."
Ethan immediately understood Shengling's intentions and offered a measured smile. "Let's all sit and talk."