159. Life and Death Together

A thick stack of papers chronicled not only the progress of medicinal pill research but also the inner journey of the researcher.

The more Lingyu read, the heavier her heart became.

After True Immortal Xindu's sword heart shattered, the Medicine King had traveled far and wide with him in search of medicine, finally settling in the East Sea. Yet a shattered sword heart was almost invariably fatal; saving his life was already a miracle, so how could it possibly be repaired?

"Sword heart" carried a twofold meaning: first, the sword's own heart, and second, the cultivator's heart. In this context, the human sword heart referred to the sword cultivator's golden core.

There was an ironclad rule among sword cultivators, captured in the widely circulated saying: while the sword lives, the person lives; when the sword dies, the person dies. Though slightly exaggerated, this largely reflected reality. If a sword was damaged, the worst consequence was the shattering of the Dantian leading to death, while the milder outcome was becoming a cripple.

True Immortal Xindu's shattered sword heart meant that the golden core of a Core Formation cultivator had been destroyed, and his Dantian broken—the exact equivalent of having one's natal spiritual sword destroyed... Suffering either of these fates made survival extremely difficult, let alone both. That she managed to keep him alive was a feat truly worthy of the title Medicine King.

Upon arriving at the East Sea, True Immortal Xindu experienced increasingly briefer moments of lucidity, and after a dozen years, he had almost become the walking dead. Meanwhile, the Medicine King threw herself into her research with mounting desperation. The entries on the thick pages grew sparse, and her handwriting became increasingly erratic.

Reading these records, Lingyu could almost feel the emotions behind her brush strokes—from initial pain and firm resolve, to subsequent frantic suppression.

Living in isolation overseas, keeping company with a husband who was little more than a living corpse, she had nothing left save her faith.

Loneliness spread and despair grew; only in the presence of her unconscious husband could she find a fleeting moment of peace.

Yet her research into the medicinal pills proceeded with agonizing difficulty. While desperately trying to prolong her husband's life, she worried constantly that time would run out before she could successfully develop the cure.

*...Thirty years have passed since our move overseas. The Seven-leaf Phoenix Tail Flower has finally matured, and I can now begin concocting the medicine.*

This passage was unusually smooth and neat, suggesting that the Medicine King's mood at the time must have been exceptionally good. Then followed a lengthy record of medicinal trials. It was evident that she had not possessed absolute certainty, but as True Immortal Xindu grew steadily weaker, she had no choice but to make a desperate attempt.

Turning three or five pages further, the handwriting abruptly dissolved into utter chaos, marked by spilled ink and unidentifiable stains. The characters were barely legible, save for fragmented words like "failure" and "cauldron explosion."

Lingyu's heart sank. Although she had long suspected that the Medicine King and her husband were likely no longer in this world, reading page by page had immersed her completely in their fate, sharing in their grief and joy, their triumph and despair.

After these few pages, the subsequent writing grew slightly steadier.

*...The Yuxiao Rejuvenation Pill is nearly exhausted. Xindu's condition has deteriorated once more, and the effect of the Longevity Water is waning. If I cannot formulate the medicine in time, he will likely last no more than a decade. Only a single Seven-leaf Phoenix Tail Flower remains; following the last cauldron explosion, the work of repairing the sword heart and Dantian must start entirely from scratch.*

*I believe I may have taken the wrong direction. Repairing a sword heart is exceedingly difficult, whereas repairing a Dantian is far easier. If the Dantian can be reshaped, Xindu will at least have hope of returning to cultivation.*

Next came page after page of abstruse pharmacological theories. The handwriting differed from the initial neatness, nor was it frantic like the records of failed concoctions; instead, it was concise and fluid, as though she felt she could not afford to waste a single fraction of a second.

Lingyu felt a silent surge of admiration. This senior Medicine King was not only exceptionally skilled in alchemy, but her mental fortitude was also extraordinary. To remain emotionally steadfast and patiently pursue research under such circumstances was truly remarkable.

She had been researching the medicinal pills for thirty years; though ultimate success had eluded her, the achievements were nonetheless profound. Having isolated the property of repairing the Dantian, her progress advanced by leaps and bounds.

At last, Lingyu came to the record of a successful breakthrough.

*...The medicinal pill has finally been successfully refined. Testing confirms it has achieved the intended effect. Tomorrow, I shall nourish Xindu's meridians once more, and then he may take it. Heaven preserve us, it must succeed.*

Seeing this, Lingyu smiled faintly and prepared to read on, only to discover that the desk was completely empty.

Turning her head, she saw Xzuzheng holding the final sheet of paper, staring at it in a daze.

"Hey, are you done reading?"

Xuzheng turned his head and handed over the final piece of paper.

Lingyu took it, and her expression froze as well.

The handwriting above was more chaotic than ever before—

*It did not succeed. Why did it not succeed? After Xuzheng took the medicine, there was clearly an effect! His Dantian began to mend, and his meridians were repaired bit by bit. Why did it ultimately fail? What on earth went wrong? Was it delayed for too long? Or was there a conflict in the medicinal properties?*

*Give me just a little more time, and perhaps I could figure out why. But I cannot; Xuzheng's body has collapsed and can no longer withstand the medicinal potency...*

*Xindu, Xindu, am I destined to fail to save you in the end, leaving us separated by the boundary of life and death?*

*A Medicine King who cannot even save the one she wishes to save—what kind of Medicine King am I?*

*Xindu, on the day we pledged our love, we vowed to follow one another through life and death. Now is the time to fulfill that promise.*

*............*

The record broke off abruptly at the end. Rummaging through the entire desk, no other scrap of writing could be found.

Lingyu sighed softly and laid the final sheet of paper down.

Xuzheng stood in silence, not uttering a single word.

Unable to help herself, Lingyu asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Xuzheng remained lost in thought for a long moment before replying, "Nothing. I simply feel that this is rather good."

"Rather good?" Lingyu arched an eyebrow, looking at him in confusion. "One half-dead, the other lingering in misery—do you call this good?"

Xuzheng said calmly, "No matter what plight you fall into, there is someone willing to go to any lengths to save you and watch over you. Is that not good?"

"Uh..." Lingyu was momentarily speechless. Upon closer reflection, the sentiment sounded rather reasonable, yet thinking further, it felt somewhat wrong. Proving true devotion did not necessarily require enduring a catastrophe! How did that saying go? Better to cling to each other through hardship in the mortal dust than to forget each other entirely in the vast rivers and lakes.

Before she could speak, Xuzheng continued, "If one day my glory fades, my followers betray me, and I find myself driven to a desperate corner, I wonder if anyone would still be willing to follow me..."

His tone lacked any heavy emotion, flat and detached as if discussing a matter of no consequence. Yet Lingyu sensed that his inner thoughts were likely far from calm. Only...

"What nonsense is Young Master Xu spouting? With your status, how could you ever be betrayed by everyone or driven to desperation?"

Xuzheng glanced at her, offering a self-deprecating smile, and said nothing more.

Too lazy to unravel his winding thoughts, Lingyu turned her focus to the immediate situation.

"Well, judging by these records, the Medicine King eventually formulated a medicine to repair the Dantian, but she still failed to cure True Immortal Xindu. They must have passed away, ascending to sit in transformation, right? Yet there are no corpses here..."

"They may not necessarily be dead," Xuzheng interrupted, his gaze sweeping across the cavern. "Look, the items here are placed quite casually, and even such vital records were not put away. When I first woke up, I noticed the alchemy cauldron was left open. Clearly, they departed under very sudden circumstances."

Lingyu furrowed her brow, unconvinced. "Impossible, isn't it? If they had left of their own accord, they should have taken their belongings with them. The fact that the items are scattered haphazardly with no trace of packing suggests they may have perished. The Medicine King possessed such deep devotion to True Immortal Xindu; if he had passed away, she likely would not have had the heart to tidy up."

Xuzheng's tone was resolute. "Look at these records; the senior Medicine King was mentally prepared long ago to follow him in death. If True Immortal Xindu had simply died, she would have been entirely capable of arranging their affairs properly. Look at these books—they are neatly stacked. And beside the alchemy cauldron, the materials that hadn't been put away are arranged according to a certain order. This shows the Medicine King was a methodical person. Since such a person had already resolved to meet death, how could she possibly have left things unarranged?"

"..." Lingyu realized, much to her dismay, that she had actually been persuaded by Xuzheng. After a brief pause, she said, "This only proves they encountered an unexpected event; it doesn't prove they didn't die."

Xuzheng nodded lightly. "True. A thousand years have passed, and the name of the Medicine King has never been heard since. Even if they didn't die at the very moment, the outcome is likely grim."

The two of them heaved a simultaneous, long sigh.

After a brief silence, Lingyu tapped her forehead in vexation. "We've talked for so long, and we still haven't found a way out!"

Yet Xuzheng remarked, "If I were you, I wouldn't be in such a rush to leave."

"Ah?" Lingyu blinked, uncomprehending.

Xuzheng lifted his chin slightly. "Could it be that you haven't realized what a precious treasure trove lies right here?"

Lingyu froze, then realization dawned. "That's right! Among these books, there must be the Medicine King's exclusive secret recipes! And this record..." She looked at Xuzheng. "Young Master Xu, why don't we split them?"

Xuzheng met her sparkling eyes, momentarily unable to voice an objection. As he hesitated, Lingyu pressed on, "Never mind whatever promises were made earlier; the two of us discovered this place together, and it has nothing to do with Daoist Fu and the others. Naturally, that previous agreement doesn't count! This doesn't count as breaking a promise!"

"..." Xuzheng shot her a sideways glance. "You phrase it so nicely, but isn't it just that you want to claim an extra share for yourself?"

Lingyu replied with serene frankness, "What benefits us both is a win. Since the advantage is plain as day, why not take it? Besides, you can't tell me you aren't tempted by what's here. It's just that we made promises before coming, and going back on them would truly blemish Young Master Xu's reputation. So, it's better if I play the villain!"

Xuzheng let out a huff.

"Well?" Lingyu pressed.

Xuzheng said with a helpless resignation, "Since you've already put it that way, what else can I say?"

Lingyu beamed with joy. "Splendid, then it's settled." Pondering for a moment, she added, "Well, these books can all be copied, so we'll each take a set. Since Young Master Xu is so agreeable, you can have the originals while I take the copies. As for the other items..."

"I'll take a look and pick two things that catch my eye, and the rest are all yours," Xuzheng interrupted.

"Magnificent!" Lingyu was overjoyed, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "Generous indeed, truly worthy of Young Master Xu!"

Xuzheng lowered his gaze to the hand resting on his shoulder and remained silent.

Noticing this, Lingyu swiftly withdrew her hand. "My apologies for offending Young Master Xu's pristine purity. Truly sorry."

Facing her smiling, mocking countenance, Xuzheng ground his teeth slightly before finally saying, "If you want to insult me, just say it directly. Must you keep calling me 'Young Master Xu'?"