Chapter 129

Chapter 129

“Has Your Majesty been taking medicinal pills?” Physician Zhou asked.

The emperor nodded and glanced behind him. Eunuch Sun immediately left to fetch one.

The old eunuch could barely contain his excitement. His godson had attached himself to an Immortal Master! How had he never noticed the boy was so clever? He would have to promote Eunuch Wu-and personally teach him to read.

“Achoo!”

Eunuch Wu rubbed his nose. For some reason, a chill had just crawled down his back.

Before long, Eunuch Sun returned carrying a box. The emperor opened it to reveal a golden pill. It gleamed brilliantly and released a rich fragrance. The instant the lid opened, a dragon’s cry echoed through the air.

Physician Zhou’s expression only darkened.

“Your Majesty, please have someone bring a bowl of water and some cinnabar.”

The emperor immediately sent Eunuch Sun to obtain them. Physician Zhou had the cinnabar mixed into the water, then instructed the emperor to drop the pill inside.

The emperor hesitated. He relied on these pills for energy, and each dose made him feel better for a while. They were also enormously expensive. Wasting one seemed unbearable.

“Your Majesty…”

Physician Zhou was speechless. The man was nearly dead, yet he still begrudged the loss of a single pill. How had he ever become emperor?

Flushing with embarrassment, the emperor finally dropped it into the cinnabar water.

The pill began to tremble violently. Cracks spread across its surface.

“Awooo…”

A sound resembling a dragon’s cry came from inside. The young eunuch holding the tray stared at it in a daze and reached for the pill.

Physician Zhou reacted instantly, driving a silver needle into his head and jolting him awake.

The pill split open. A worm with an infant’s head crawled out, issuing dragonlike cries as its pitch-black eyes darted around the room.

Many of those present-including the emperor-immediately began to vomit.

Clearly, all of them had taken the pills before.

“Go! Seize those demonic Daoists!” the emperor roared.

His stomach cramped at the thought of such creatures writhing inside him. He turned to Physician Zhou with desperate hope.

“Immortal Master, please save me. I will appoint you as Imperial Preceptors!”

“I am powerless to treat this, Your Majesty, but Lord Liu has a solution.”

Physician Zhou looked at Liu Ye.

“Me?” Liu Ye asked in surprise.

“Yes. Lord Liu possesses objects of great evil, and one of them happens to be the natural enemy of the corruption inside His Majesty.”

He was making it up, of course. The main reason was that anything tainted by the evil objects Liu Ye carried had an unrivaled purgative effect.

Physician Zhou had eaten some on the journey and suffered spectacularly at first. After several meals, however, his body had actually grown stronger. Even his hair had begun turning black again.

He might still carry a walking stick, but he could now defeat a hundred imperial guards by himself.

Such food could not completely heal the emperor. Too many pills had already ruined his body. But they could keep him alive for a while longer. If he died immediately, all his dragon energy and the nation’s fortune would be drained away.

The emperor finally remembered that Liu Ye was the true master here. He bowed deeply.

“Immortal Master, please have mercy and save my life.”

He expected Liu Ye to accept after such a humble appeal.

Liu Ye refused without hesitation. “No.”

The emperor stared at him. “Why?”

“I don’t like you.”

Liu Ye had no interest in whether he lived or died. If he disliked someone, he would not save them. It was that simple.
“Immortal Master, if this is about what happened earlier, then I apologize. I can immediately appoint you Imperial Preceptor. Wealth, honors, temples, monuments-whatever you desire, I will give it to you.”

“No.”

Liu Ye did not even pause to consider.

The emperor began to panic.

“Since ascending the throne, I have worked tirelessly, governed diligently, and loved my people. All beneath heaven live in peace and prosperity. I was merely deceived by those demonic Daoists and nearly made a grave mistake. For the sake of the common people, Immortal Master, please save me!”

Liu Ye stared at him.

So did the officials.

Where did he find the nerve to say such things?

Several officials had also taken the golden pills, and they joined the emperor in begging Liu Ye for help.

Physician Zhou quietly explained his plan. For the sake of the common people, Liu Ye reluctantly agreed.

There was another reason too: his cooking had finally received recognition.

Brother Guiwa and Ah Biao were always saying he could not cook. What did they know? His cooking could save lives! When he returned, he would have to show them what he could really do.

Liu Ye pulled an octopus from his bundle. He had caught it while fishing up the ancient softshell turtle. That turtle had nearly become a monster and even tried to eat people, so Liu Ye had turned it into soup. He had planned to save the octopus for dinner, but now the emperor could have it instead.

The court stared in horror.

In their eyes, Liu Ye held a human head with several writhing tentacles dangling beneath it. The head looked even more terrified than they did and frantically begged the emperor for help.

Liu Ye proceeded to demonstrate the meaning of physical exorcism.

Sizzle!

He dropped the “octopus” into a pan. An enticing aroma rose from the oil.

“Aaaah!”

The creature tried to climb out, but Liu Ye smacked it back with the flat of his cleaver.

Seeing everyone’s mouths hanging open, he grinned proudly. “Hungry already? The smell brought out your cravings, didn’t it? I’m not boasting, but when it comes to cooking, your imperial chefs can’t compare to me.”

Then he remembered that an emperor must be accustomed to lavish meals.

He pulled several fish from his bundle. Each had a fish’s head but a human body complete with four limbs, and each stood as tall as a grown man. The moment they appeared, they tried to flee. Liu Ye struck them down one by one with his cleaver.

“Emperor, you’re in luck. It wasn’t easy to catch these authentic, uh… yellow croakers!”

No. They knew what yellow croakers looked like, and those were definitely not yellow croakers.

Eunuch Wu’s mouth twitched. Those fish had tried to drag passengers overboard and devour them during the river crossing. Liu Ye had subdued them all. He had never expected the creatures to reappear here.

Liu Ye hacked away with his cleaver. The bloody spectacle made the entire court vomit.

He stared at them in astonishment. Brother Guiwa had once told him of a place where people induced vomiting before a feast, emptying their stomachs so they could better appreciate their host’s food.

To think he would witness that legendary custom here!

Deeply moved, Liu Ye slapped his thigh. No wonder this man was emperor. He took etiquette very seriously.

Since his guests showed such respect, Liu Ye had to display his finest skills in return.

“Don’t worry. Today, I’ll make sure every one of you eats your fill!”

The crowd fell silent.

There was really no need.