Desolate Devouring Art

Upon hearing Liu Wuxie’s revelation, the expressions of the three men in the room changed dramatically.

“Poison?” The Emperor was taken aback. His food was always tested by specialized personnel before being served to him, so how could it be poisoned?

“That’s right. Poison!” Liu Wuxie verified. This type of poison was rare, and no one could resolve it in the Great Yan Dynasty aside from him. He had identified the problem as soon as he entered the room.

“Liu Wuxie, can you elaborate on the poison?” Chen Yusheng asked anxiously, eager to find out who was trying to harm his royal brother.

Fan Zhen was also surprised because he had yet to notice the problem. So, how did Liu Wuxie discover that the Emperor had been poisoned?

“Do you all know what this scent is called?” Liu Wuxie walked over to an incense holder. It gave off a faint, pleasant fragrance that permeated the entire room.

“It’s called the Soothing Incense, which has a calming effect.” Chen Yusheng frowned. Could there be an issue with the Soothing Incense?

The Soothing Incense was produced by the Heavenly Fragrance Dynasty in limited quantities each year. It was exclusively supplied to the royal clans of the neighboring countries, making it quite expensive.

When Liu Wuxie covered the incense holder, the fragrance gradually faded until it disappeared.

The revelation left the three men even more perplexed. They had been in the room for a long time, along with maids and eunuchs. These individuals were exposed to the fragrance daily but showed no signs of poisoning.

“It’s not inherently poisonous, but the issue arises when these two elements combine. They produce a potent Cottonsilk Poison. This poison behaves like tiny worms, entangling and slowly corroding the meridians. As time progresses, the affected person will fall into a coma and eventually die,” Liu Wuxie explained, pointing to a snow-white box by the bed and a beautiful cup on the table.

“I see! Even those around me have been bribed,” the Emperor said slowly. The box placed by the bedside was called the Seven Music Box, which played a beautiful piece of music when opened. Craftsmen from the Sky Mansion Dynasty had created it as a birthday gift for the royal clan.

The music box had been stored in the warehouse until a few months ago when the eunuch responsible for the Emperor’s daily care had brought it up, suggesting that it could aid the Emperor’s sleep. Given the Emperor’s struggle with severe insomnia, he had accepted the eunuch’s suggestion. As a result, the Emperor’s sleep quality had significantly improved when he started listening to the music box regularly.

However, someone couldn't be poisoned just by those two items because the maids and eunuchs would also come in contact with the Soothing Incense and Seven Music Box. If there were a problem, they would’ve been exposed long ago.

Chen Yusheng lifted an unassuming yet finely crafted cup from the table, scrutinizing it for any anomalies.

“This is known as the Life-Death Cup. Inspect the base for two distinct designs,” Liu Wuxie instructed, his knowledge of the cup’s origin not requiring him to hold it. Fan Zhen also leaned in for a better view.

“Two designs are present. They resemble a pair of fish, one scarlet and the other ebony,” Chen Yusheng reported, his face reflecting terror as he realized the intricate planning behind it all. Without Liu Wuxie’s insight, the Emperor’s poisoning would have remained undetected.

“Wuxie, can these three poison someone if combined?” Fan Zhen took a deep breath, but he still couldn’t figure out how could these three items poison someone.

“I’m also puzzled. This isn’t something an ordinary person can come up with.” Liu Wuxie was curious because Prince Yongxian didn’t have this capability. There must have been a mastermind who had given Prince Yongxian the idea.

“Advisor Kuang!” Fan Zhen and Chen Yusheng exclaimed simultaneously. This was the first person who came to their minds. The secret advisor to Prince Yongxian, he was reputed for his vast knowledge.

“The combination of Soothing Incense and Heavenly Snow Wood can induce a rare poison. Under normal circumstances, it’s not fatal. However, if someone were to consume water infused with Poison Runes, the situation could escalate dangerously,” Liu Wuxie explained.

The Seven Music Box, crafted from Heavenly Snow Wood, when paired with Soothing Incense, could generate the Cottonsilk Poison. However, this poison was insufficient to kill someone in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. This is where the cup came into play.

The two poisonous runes at the bottom of the cup were highly toxic. It wasn’t difficult to investigate who had engraved these runes. It was most likely an eunuch in the palace with free access to the Emperor’s chamber. Someone must’ve taught him to engrave the runes secretly.

The entire plan was flawless because no one would suspect an inconspicuous cup. Even if they saw it, they wouldn’t pay attention to the two patterns beneath it.

“Men, summon Wang Zuo here!” The Emperor roared furiously. The guards guarding the bedroom quickly ran out. Wang Zuo was also responsible for the Emperor’s daily life.

“It’s too late. He should have been silenced by now!” Liu Wuxie stated. Once the Emperor regained consciousness, Prince Yongxian would erase all evidence that could trace back to him, which meant Wang Zuo couldn’t be left alive.

Shortly after, the guards returned and reported that Wang Zuo had hanged himself and was found dead in his room.

This meant that all the clues were severed. They might’ve found the cause, but there was no evidence. The Emperor couldn’t convict Prince Yongxian of a crime solely on Liu Wuxie’s speculation.

“Fan Zhen, I believe there are still many things in the academy for you to tend to. You should leave.” The Emperor was still weak. The Heaven-Defying Ten Needles might’ve allowed him to regain his consciousness, but the poison wasn’t completely cleared from his system.

“Wuxie, I’ll entrust the Emperor’s health to you. Come and look for me when you return to the academy.” Fan Zhen did have many things to tend to. He still had to deal with Qin Shi’s matter because Qin Shi had nurtured many confidants over the years.

“I need a quiet place to refine the antidote.” Just the Heaven-Defying Ten Needles wasn’t enough to treat the Emperor. Since Liu Wuxie had given his word to Chen Yusheng, he would fulfill his promise.

“Starting today, the royal vault is at your disposal. You are free to take whatever you need.” The royal vault of the Great Yan Dynasty was unparalleled in terms of treasures. After all, it housed the dynasty’s accumulated wealth over centuries.

There were countless treasures and herbs available for Liu Wuxie to pick.

A smile rose on Liu Wuxie’s lips. He was stuck in the ninth level of the Spirit Cleansing Realm, and there was a long way to reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm. However, with the help of some treasures, it could save him the effort.

Given that the Xue Clan and Prince Yongxian were likely to target him after that day, it was imperative for him to ascend to the Marrow Cleansing Realm as soon as possible.

Liu Wuxie left the chamber with Chen Yusheng. Wen Xiang hadn’t left and teared up when he heard that the Emperor had regained consciousness. He waited for Chen Yusheng to hand the military seal over before leaving the palace.

“Senior Chen, are you investigating the disappearance of the Terrabreak Army?” Liu Wuxie probed. They were walking together as Liu Wuxie wasn’t familiar with the palace and needed Chen Yusheng to guide him.

“Not quite. A few months ago, a man in his thirties rushed into the Terrabreak Army’s camp. He claimed that the Terrabreak Army wiped out his town, killing over ten thousand people, and he came to seek justice.”

The Terrabreak Army’s massacre of over ten thousand innocent civilians was an unprecedented event, causing a significant uproar. Chen Yusheng personally visited the town mentioned by the man to ascertain the veracity of his claims.

Sure enough, there were traces of people residing there, but they had all disappeared in one night.

“How did that man know that the Terrabreak Army massacred the town?” Liu Wuxie asked. Could it be the same town that Qi Enshi had decimated? Zhou Hu had mentioned that Qi Enshi had made sure no one survived.

He claimed to have hidden in a haystack and witnessed the entire event. He was only seven at the time and didn’t realize it was the work of the Terrabreak Army. He waited until he was strong enough to confront the Terrabreak Army,” Chen Yusheng shared openly with Liu Wuxie, their bond having strengthened over this issue.

“Is the town you are referring to located ten miles from Eternal City?” Liu Wuxie paused. He had read the book, and the town Qi Enshi had wiped out was ten miles from Eternal City.

“How did you find out?!” Chen Yusheng was taken aback. He had only mentioned it in passing without specifying the location. How could Liu Wuxie have known? Especially considering the event took place over two decades ago, before Liu Wuxie was even born.

“I’ll give you an address; you’ll know after you go to this address.” Since Qi Enshi had engaged the Assassin Pavilion to target him, Liu Wuxie decided to seize this opportunity to eliminate him.

However, he couldn’t possibly approach Chen Yusheng with the record. That would be tantamount to confessing to Zhou Hu’s murder.

The time was ripe now. The book was hidden in Zhou Hu’s concubine’s home. As long as Chen Yusheng could find it, everything would be revealed. This also meant that Liu Wuxie could use this opportunity to eliminate Qi Enshi.

Chen Yusheng was baffled, but he took the address and kept it. He planned to send someone to inspect the address provided by Liu Wuxie shortly.

Passing through numerous halls, the news of the Emperor’s recovery had long spread, accompanied by Liu Wuxie’s name. Wherever they went, the maids and eunuchs bowed in respect.

“This is the royal vault. You can take whatever you need. I’ll leave my royal brother to you. I must leave and prepare if Prince Yongxian resorts to usurp by force.” Chen Yusheng naturally had to prepare if Prince Yongxian acted impulsively and sent his troops.

“Farewell, Senior Chen!” Liu Wuxie sent Chen Yusheng away before entering the royal vault. The Emperor’s decree, granting him access, had long since arrived at the vault.

The vault was massive and filled with treasures, ranging from exquisite porcelain to herbs and weapons.

Liu Wuxie executed Ghost Eye and began searching for fifth-grade herbs. After all, ordinary herbs couldn’t satisfy his request.

“Good stuff! This is a Divine Meteorite Iron!” Liu Wuxie passed by a weapon rack and found a black metal the size of a fist weighing over five hundred kilograms.

“With the Divine Meteorite Iron, it’s just a matter of time before the Heretic Blade becomes a vajra artifact.” The Heretic Blade still had vast room for improvement, and he could start refining it after treating the Emperor.

After walking for about ten minutes, piles of herbs appeared before him, more comprehensive than the Treasure Pill Pavilion. The other cities had contributed these herbs, which were casually piled on the ground.

“This is a fifth-grade herb, the Spiritual Crown Grass!” Liu Wuxie exclaimed when he saw a fifth-grade herb casually lying in a corner. This was also because the Great Yan Dynasty didn’t have a five-star alchemist, and fifth-grade herbs could only be stored away.

As time passed, Liu Wuxie found dozens of fifth-grade herbs.

In the past, Dragon Whisker Grass from the Treasure Pill Pavilion had helped him advance his cultivation. Now, with so many fifth-grade herbs, he could refine a large variety of pills, and it was more than enough for him to reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm. After reaching the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he would have access to the means of an immortal.

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