Chapter 205: The Immortal One

In Shenjing Village, Juyan County, Gu Mo and his companions' departure had no impact on the community, which now boasted several hundred residents. As for the mysterious Heixu ruins, they did not reappear near Shenjing Village in the following days, thus failing to attract adventurers. Life in the village remained undisturbed.

This morning, after breakfast, Li Zhongqing prepared to seek treatment from Qi Miaoxuan as usual. As he stepped out the door, he came face to face with Du Sha.

"Your Highness," Du Sha greeted with a bow, "Are you on your way to see Sir Qi?"

Li Zhongqing nodded, "Yes."

"There's no need," Du Sha replied. "Sir Qi just came to bid me farewell. He also left a pill for you, saying that taking it will completely remove the Biling Saliva." As he spoke, Du Sha handed Li Zhongqing a small porcelain bottle.

Li Zhongqing took the bottle and said gravely, "Why did Sir Qi leave without a word?"

Du Sha chuckled lightly, retorting, "Does Your Highness truly not understand why Sir Qi left so abruptly?"

Li Zhongqing sighed, a hint of disappointment in his voice, "It seems he's also unwilling to accept my invitation. Gu Mo was the same, and now Sir Qi. Alas, if only these extraordinary individuals could serve the imperial court, it would truly be a blessing for the common people!"

Du Sha continued, "Your Highness, although Sir Qi is accustomed to a life of leisure and prefers not to serve in office, he has come to admire your ideals of governance during these past few days. He believes you possess the qualities of a wise ruler and, understanding your current predicament, has specifically recommended someone to you."

"Who is it?" Li Zhongqing eagerly asked.

Du Sha replied, "Ye Jinglan, the foremost master in Qingzhou, former leader of the Heavenly Blade Sect, and current Vice-Alliance Master of the Martial Arts Alliance. Your Highness has been away from Daqian for a long time, so you may not have heard of him. He is a young master who has only emerged in recent years. Although he is only in his thirties, his martial arts skills and abilities are extraordinary. Originally, he was the newly appointed Top Ten Grandmaster of Gan. However, shortly after he made the list, a major battle among masters occurred in Qingzhou, which led to Gu Mo becoming a Top Ten Grandmaster. He is currently the most outstanding young talent in the Gan martial arts world, second only to Gu Mo."

Li Zhongqing became emotional, but also somewhat concerned, "This Ye Jinglan is so exceptional and has such a vast foundation in the martial arts world. Will he accept my invitation and join my ranks?"

Du Sha said gravely, "Sir Qi's recommendation should be reliable. A few months ago, a martial arts upheaval occurred in Qingzhou involving Ye Jinglan and his junior brother, Chu Tianqing. Their years of misunderstanding were resolved, and their respective forces merged. However, as the saying goes, 'one mountain cannot hold two tigers.' While their brotherly bond might ensure temporary peace for a short time, prolonged cohabitation will inevitably lead to conflicts and ultimately, animosity. Ye Jinglan is well aware of this, which is why he has considered leaving the Qingzhou Martial Arts Alliance to pursue other endeavors. According to Sir Qi, Ye Jinglan is skilled in military strategy and had always intended to serve in office, but a suitable opportunity never arose. Your Highness also understands that the path to promotion in the imperial court can be both difficult and not so difficult; it has little to do with ability and everything to do with having a powerful family background. Therefore, Ye Jinglan remained active in the martial arts world. Now that he intends to leave the Martial Arts Alliance to pursue other ventures, it is an excellent opportunity for Your Highness to recruit him."

Li Zhongqing quickly asked, "Where is he now?"

Du Sha replied, "After the Qingzhou Martial Arts Alliance was established, Ye Jinglan moved in with Sir Qi, citing recovery from injuries as the reason."

Li Zhongqing urgently said, "Chief Constable Du, could you please arrange the itinerary as soon as possible? I must personally go to Spring God Valley!"

"You may go," Du Sha said, "but Your Highness, as the saying goes, 'a lord chooses capable ministers, and a minister chooses a wise lord.' This Ye Jinglan is no ordinary person. You must understand that he is not only powerful individually but also backed by nearly the entire Qingzhou martial arts world. While the Qingzhou martial arts community cannot directly influence the imperial court and their political assistance may not compare to that of aristocratic families, they represent various industries in Qingzhou, and their economic influence is certainly no less than that of typical noble families. Furthermore, it means that many martial arts masters from Qingzhou can also be at Your Highness's disposal."

Li Zhongqing quickly responded, "Rest assured, Chief Constable Du, I understand completely. I will treat him with the respect due to a national scholar and will never slight him."

***

Yellow sand filled the sky, and the north wind roared. The vast, desolate grandeur of the desert stretched limitlessly across the land. As far as the eye could see, there were only endless, lifeless sand dunes, glowing with a dazzling golden hue under the scorching sun. Suddenly, a flurry of hoofbeats broke the silence, as a group of martial artists galloped into view.

The horses' hooves kicked up plumes of dust, yet they could not conceal the eagerness and excitement on the riders' faces. As they drew closer, someone, unable to contain their excitement, gazed toward the depths of the desert and shouted, "Everyone, the ancient city of Heixu is ahead! Don't miss this great opportunity!"

"Old Ma, be careful not to go in and never come out!"

"Haha, I heard you recently snatched a beautiful concubine; be careful she doesn't become someone else's!"

The group joked and laughed. Even though they knew the Heixu ruins were dangerous and a single misstep could lead to death, no one took it seriously. Such was the martial arts world, where desperate individuals were never in short supply, perfectly embodying the saying, "Man dies for wealth, and birds die for food."

The martial artists cracked their whips, urging their horses forward. The steeds neighed and galloped like lightning towards the dreamlike mirage. The ancient city shimmered faintly in the ethereal light, its majestic walls and towering pavilions hinting at past prosperity and mystery.

"I've heard that the ancient city of Heixu contains supreme martial arts manuals, and obtaining them can make one a martial arts overlord. The recent uproar involving the Qiongshan Sect, where Bai Qiliao cultivated his Zombie Arts, was said to have originated from the Heixu ruins," a lean man said, licking his chapped lips, his eyes full of longing.

"Martial arts aren't that important," a burly man next to him commented. "I heard the ancient city of Heixu was once the imperial capital of the Heixu Kingdom, filled with countless rare treasures. Just a few pieces would be enough to live lavishly for a lifetime."

As they spoke, the group drew closer and closer to the ancient city. No one discussed how many would successfully enter, or how many of those who entered would manage to come out alive.

***

At this moment, on a desolate mountain in the distance, Qi Miaoxuan sat on a rock, watching the people rush towards the ancient city of Heixu. Beside him stood a swordsman wearing a bamboo hat. The swordsman slowly removed his hat, revealing his true identity: Ye Jinglan, Qingzhou's foremost master.

"How many of these people do you think will get in?" Ye Jinglan asked slowly, placing his hat by his feet.

"I don't know," Qi Miaoxuan replied. "But I do know that anyone who successfully finds the entrance to the ancient city within that mirage will not come out alive."

"Are you so sure?" Ye Jinglan questioned. "Didn't you come out alive back then? And He Changqing came out alive forty years ago too."

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled, "I nearly died in there back then, and I'm still being hunted to this day. As for that He Changqing from forty years ago, don't even mention that good-for-nothing; just thinking about him makes me angry. Back then, I risked my life to ensure he came out alive. My intention was that once he gained benefits, he would do everything to continue searching for the ancient city of Heixu. After all, with his influence in Mobie, digging three feet deep might actually yield results. Even if he couldn't find it, he would cause a huge stir, making more people aware and sparking a full-scale search across Mobie. But he, on the other hand, became obsessed with some crappy Zombie Arts and ended up killing himself. It was a complete waste of the dozens of cuts I took to protect him."

Ye Jinglan asked, "Why don't you start a treasure hunt wave in Mobie yourself?"

"How could I dare?" Qi Miaoxuan replied. "There's an old immortal chasing me. The moment I use even a bit of my power in Mobie, he'll sense it immediately and chase me like a mad dog. For hundreds of years, you know, I come here every time, but only forty years ago did I gather the courage to take a chance, only to encounter that good-for-nothing He Changqing."

Ye Jinglan looked at Qi Miaoxuan skeptically, saying, "Have you truly lived for hundreds of years?"

"You still don't believe it?" Qi Miaoxuan said. "What? Is the Qilin blood I got for you not strong enough?"

Ye Jinglan replied, "Qilin blood is undoubtedly powerful, but it has nothing to do with immortality, does it?"

Qi Miaoxuan chuckled, "Work hard. I've already secured the opportunity for you. Use the Second Prince's connection to gain control of the Gan imperial court. Then, send an army to find the Spirit Race in the Heixu ruins, and you'll discover whether true immortality exists."

Ye Jinglan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Even with both of us, we couldn't break through?"

Qi Miaoxuan said, "The difficulty isn't getting into the Heixu ruins; the difficulty is that old guy who's been hunting me for hundreds of years. I have no idea how strong he truly is. Even with you and Gu Mo, I wouldn't be confident." Qi Miaoxuan took a sip of wine and chuckled, "Speaking of that young Gu Mo, I truly like him more and more. After living for hundreds of years, it's the first time I've met someone so mysterious. His innate aura... it's as if he's not even from this world!"

Ye Jinglan remained silent for a while, then said, "The 'Qilin' who died at Duanhun Cliff back then, then Lu Canyang, and even myself now — we're all just experiments in your hands. Combined, our importance to you still doesn't compare to a single Gu Mo, does it?"

Qi Miaoxuan smiled, "You are different from Lu Canyang and the others. You are my most successful experiment so far, so you are qualified to know the truth. As for Lu Canyang and... well, I can't recall the names, there were too many. Those people died without ever knowing anything."

"Am I stronger than all of them?"

"No, it's that my experiments have become more successful."

Ye Jinglan fell silent for a moment, then asked, "What exactly do you intend to do by capturing the Spirit Race?"

Qi Miaoxuan slowly rose, saying, "You'll know when it's time for you to know." With that, Qi Miaoxuan patted the dust from his clothes and said, "Let's go, back to Spring God Valley. The Second Prince will be coming to see you soon."

"I suspect you poisoned the Second Prince."

"You guessed correctly."

"You've been planning this day for ten years?"

"It was merely a casual move!"