Volume One: The Emperor’s Sword Chapter 63: The Bottom Line

North Courtyard, disciples’ residential quarters.

After taking the Detoxifying Pill, the blue and purple hues receding from Lan Yusheng’s body gradually faded, and his feeble, barely-there breaths finally steadied. Like brine curdling tofu, everything has its counterbalance. The spiritual pill worked wonders; a mid-grade Detoxifying Pill was specially crafted to neutralize the poisons of second- to fourth-rank demon beasts, and the crisis of snake venom was resolved in an instant.

The medicine took effect, and the illness was cured!

Yun Que could finally relax. Lan Yusheng’s life, at least, was no longer in danger.

Xue Ziyi took out a bottle of spiritual pills meant to restore one’s vitality and left it with Yun Que.

“Although the snake venom is gone, your friend’s body is extremely weak. Ordinary herbs will have little effect—he’ll need spiritual pills for any hope of full recovery. There are ten Vitality Pills left in this bottle; that should be enough for him.”

“But as for when he’ll wake up, that’s hard to say. It could be days, or years. If his soul is gravely wounded, he might never awaken.” Xue Ziyi explained the patient’s condition in advance.

Such grave injuries—saving his life was already a stroke of fortune. Whether he would regain consciousness depended on Lan Yusheng’s fate.

Yun Que gave Lan Yusheng one of the pills before putting the rest away, and bowed in gratitude. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Vitality Pills were as valuable as Blood Coagulating Pills; one was worth nearly a spirit stone.

“No need to be so formal! If not for the sword stone that Junior Brother brought today, who knows how many would have died by the river,” Xue Ziyi replied with a hearty laugh. “Once I sell off some magical items and spirit stones, I’ll exchange them for silver notes to pay you back.”

She, better than anyone, knew the true worth of the sword stone. If it were truly purchased with silver notes, the sum would be astronomical.

“Money is just a worldly possession, Senior Sister. There’s no need to repay me—I’m not short on funds,” Yun Que replied with a smile.

He really wasn’t lacking in money; the Mu family still owed him a hundred million taels of silver.

“That won’t do!” Xue Ziyi insisted. After a moment’s thought, she declared, “Since you don’t need money, I’ll help you find a fitting flying sword. It’s settled!” With the decisiveness she was known for, Senior Sister made up her mind, and left at once to begin her search.

“A mid-grade Detoxifying Pill must be terribly expensive, right?” Luo Xiaoyu asked curiously.

“Of course! At least three hundred spirit stones, and even more if you try to get one from the treasury!” Wu Dachuan clicked his tongue.

Both looked at Yun Que, their eyes filled with envy and curiosity, eager to know the true price of such a pill.

“It wasn’t that bad, not above market price,” Yun Que replied, barely able to keep a straight face.

He hadn’t meant to deceive them, but he certainly couldn’t admit that he’d traded a handful of dirt for the Detoxifying Pill…

Wu Dachuan sighed, “That’s not bad at all. They say the treasury’s Elder in charge is upright and fair. Seems it’s true.”

“I’ll save up my spirit stones and trade for a flying sword too!” Luo Xiaoyu said, eyes shining with anticipation.

Seeing her so eager, Yun Que thought to himself, You’d best not go—I’m afraid that old monster would fleece you dry.

Remembering the Elder’s strange behavior, Yun Que was filled with doubt.

If the Elder truly coveted his soul stones, he could have seized the opportunity, demanding a soul stone in exchange for the Detoxifying Pill. In that situation, Yun Que would not have hesitated; after all, a soul stone, however precious, meant nothing compared to Lan Yusheng’s life.

But unexpectedly, the Elder was almost eager to give away the pill, asking only for a handful of dirt.

On his way back, Yun Que had been nervous, wary that the Detoxifying Pill might be a fake. Now, assured of its authenticity, he found himself more puzzled than ever by the Elder’s true intentions.

Such proactive goodwill aroused suspicion.

Could that old monster be laying a long trap, coveting the large number of soul stones on him?

Yun Que was not lulled into complacency by the Elder’s humble demeanor and words. He also began to question the Elder’s origins.

If the other truly harbored a larger plot and could humble himself to such an extent, then he was certainly no mere spirit of stone and earth.

For only the human heart is so unfathomable, so difficult to read or predict.

With things settled, Wu Dachuan and Luo Xiaoyu took their leave.

Yun Que was left alone in the room.

Though Lan Yusheng’s condition had improved, his breath was still faint, and he showed no signs of waking.

“Brother Yusheng, just what happened to you…”

Yun Que frowned deeply, lost in thought.

Lan Yusheng, being the eldest legitimate grandson of the Duke of Yu, was heir to the title since his father had passed away years ago. The future Duke of Yu, he was the most precious scion of the family.

Given the Lan family’s standing in the imperial capital, who could have wished such harm upon him?

Thinking further, Lan Yusheng had no cultivation at all—surely not worth such an elaborate scheme. The true target, perhaps, was Duke Lan Yu himself.

Duke Lan Yu once held military command and served as commander-in-chief during the Battle of Cold Water five years prior. He had spent his life waging war for the Yan Kingdom, earning countless military honors. Who could have guessed, in his old age, he would fall prey to such treachery—his own grandson nearly killed by snake venom.

A faint, cold smile touched Yun Que’s lips as he murmured to himself:

“The capital is such a lively place. I had no intention of getting involved—life at the Sword Palace is pleasant enough, with food, drink, and cultivation. But you’ve crossed the line…”

Everyone has their bottom line.

For Yun Que, it was his father who fell in battle, and his few childhood friends.

The affair of the Golden Flood Python had utterly ignited Yun Que’s fury.

He would hunt down whoever harmed Lan Yusheng and skin them alive!

The Duke of Yu was entwined with the military, with the court, with countless powerful factions. Yun Que had never intended to wade into such muddy waters, but for Lan Yusheng’s sake, he could not stand aside.

Footsteps sounded outside. A sword servant entered the courtyard with a message—someone was seeking Yun Que. It was a maid.

Yun Que, puzzled, went to the main gate, and there indeed stood Qiuxiang, a maidservant, holding a letter from Yanmen Town.

Opening it, Yun Que found it was an invitation, clearly stating that Lan Yusheng was to be married, and inviting him to the capital for the wedding banquet.

Yun Que was not surprised.

The Lan family was not yet aware he had come to the Sword Palace, so sending the invitation to Yanmen Town was expected. The servants at the Marquis’s residence there must have forwarded it on, so he now received it in the capital.

He’d long known Lan Yusheng was to marry this year, so the invitation raised no alarm. After sending Qiuxiang away, he returned to the Sword Palace.

By chance, he ran into Zhou Yuanliang.

Zhou, also holding an invitation, said with a tremble, “Marquis Yun, you received one too? Tomorrow we can go together to the Duke of Yu’s residence, have some wedding wine, and share in the joy.”

Yun Que agreed instinctively, then suddenly froze.

“What did you just say? An invitation from the Duke of Yu’s residence?”

The invitation Yun Que held had been sent from the Duke over half a month before, when Lan Yusheng should not yet have met with misfortune.

Now, with Lan Yusheng having barely escaped death and still lying unconscious in the Sword Palace, how could invitations for a wedding banquet still be sent from the Duke’s residence?

And the banquet was tomorrow?

While Yun Que was stunned, the golden doors of the treasury parted in a proud, satisfied arc. Deep underground, the Elder’s delighted mutterings echoed in the darkness:

“What is money in this world? It drives men to stake life and death, turns brothers to foes and fathers to enemies. Ah, money is a fine thing, but there is something even more powerful—favors owed.”

“Heh, heh… After hundreds of years, I finally see a glimmer of hope…”