When Li Luo arrived at the Suncreek Villa with the herbs, he was greeted with relief.
“Young Lord, that takes the top off our worries.” Even Cai Wei showed her happy relief.
“The others couldn’t get a thing?” Li Luo could tell from their expressions.
Jiang Qing’e shook her head. “Amber wormroot and ambient saltpeter are all sold out all across the city’s apothecaries.”
“Luckily, you sent me to the Golden Dragon Bank,” Li Luo said, comforted.
Yan Lingqing was inspecting the herbs with a spark of hope in her eyes. “How is it that the Golden Dragon Bank didn’t run out? Surely Pei Hao would not have missed such an obvious place.”
“It had run out. I got them from the storehouse of the Golden Dragon Bank.”
“Wow. I heard the storehouse requires the permission of Yu Hongxi herself to open. Very daring of you.”
Something in her voice seemed to indicate that there was more to it.
“In any case, it was thanks to President Yu Hongxi. Without her approval, we wouldn’t have been able to get these herbs,” Li Luo briefly explained the situation, and the curious softening of Yu Hongxi’s attitude.
“Perhaps only you could have brought about that outcome,” Jiang Qing’e said with mild amusement. “Had it been me, Yu Hongxi wouldn’t even have shown up, let alone show me the inside of the storehouse.”
“Really?” Li Luo said, astonished.
Jiang Qing’e nodded. Both she and Yu Hongxi were headstrong personalities that could sense the coolness and stubbornness in the other. Neither was willing to lower themselves.
Yu Hongxi was not on good terms with Tan Tailan, who just so happened to be Jiang Qing’e’s greatest idol. Even for the sake of House Luolan, Jiang Qing’e’s pride was too great to swallow. Swans walked with grace and pride, never lowering their heads. [1]
Jiang Qing’e turned to the gathered healers. “The ingredients are here. Quickly, the antidote.”
“Yes, Miss Jiang. We will do our best to create one. However, it just so happens that my master is not in Xia City. Otherwise, his expertise would have this sorted out in a jiffy.”
The one who had spoken was a young man with a studious but warm smile. He was very excited around Jiang Qing’e.
“We’re counting on you.” She nodded at him with calm eyes.
Li Luo barked a short laugh. He remembered this healer. His name was Qin Wang, and he had built a modest reputation for himself among the healers in Xia City. His master was one of the best, and also one that Li Luo had failed to hire.
Qin Wang had accepted his invitation grudgingly, his arrogant attitude a sour start to their relationship. But in the short time that Li Luo had stepped out, he was now wrapped around Jiang Qing’e’s finger, dying to make the antidote that they needed. Such was the power of charm.
All the tools had already been laid out, and the herbs were quickly brought in.
The sharp aridity of brewing formulas soon filled the room.
Neither Li Luo nor Jiang Qing’e left. They had to supervise the process—the herbs were too important, and they could not be sure that there wasn’t more trouble hidden among the healers.
Li Luo’s hastily crammed healing studies from his work on the emperor allowed him a basic understanding of what was happening, although he would have been totally lost if he had to come up with the antidote himself. He had neither the time nor the energy to spare on healing.
Li Luo conferred with Jiang Qing’e while waiting. “Do you think they can create an antidote? Or rather, will their antidote really be effective?”
Jiang Qing’e looked at him in glum silence. “How do you see it?”
Li Luo sighed softly. “Unsure. Pei Hao’s preparations have been flawless at every step so far. If the herbs alone can solve things, that would be too good to be true.”
“I didn’t tell you just now, but when you went to get the herbs, I sent out people to find the finest healers in Xia City. And guess what? None of them are in Xia City presently.”
Li Luo’s eyes widened in realization.
Who could have the power to do something like that?
Definitely, it would be beyond Pei Hao.
“That dog…”
Li Luo swore softly but with deep feeling.
Cai Wei interrupted them. “The poisoned artificers’ conditions are worsening. The poison must be spreading, along with the rumors of a tainted secret watersource being fed to them after they offended the Young Lord…”
She felt sick at the vile slander being hurled at them. It would not only ruin the Suncreek Villa, but Li Luo himself.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing’e frowned. The situation was going from bad to worse.
Still, there was nothing that could be said. All they could do was create the antidote.
They turned as one to the busy healers, moving with a sense of urgency as they brewed and analyzed.
Two hours passed before there were cries of triumph. They saw the healers gathered around Qin Wang, who was triumphantly holding a green vial aloft. The antidote they had created was within.
However, it was not yet complete.
Just like spirit liquids and purifying lights, the final step of creating antidotes was a process that healers called the Awakening. [2]
Put simply, one would imbue healing resonant power into the antidote, fusing raw power with natural ingredients to produce a stronger detoxifying effect.
Like spirit liquid-refining, this required a user with strong healing resonant power. A random power might ruin the delicate composition of the solution.
This first dose of antidote had been produced by Qin Wang, who proceeded to awaken it. A drop of highly concentrated resonant power was added to the bottle, then a sharp smell rose with a pop.
The healers all had pleased smiles on their faces at the smell, which indicated a successful Awakening.
“Brother Qin, you are truly a worthy disciple of Master Lu Long.” They gathered around, congratulating him on his excellent work.
Qin Wang puffed up his chest proudly. “Miss Jiang, your wish was indeed my command.”
Jiang Qing’e looked at him with approval as well. “Master Qin, you do Master Lu Long proud… Let’s test the antidote, then.”
She lifted a hand, and servants carefully heaved in a wooden chest. Inside were samples upon samples of black blood.
“This is blood from the poisoned. If the antidote works, it should be able to purify the blood.”
Qin Wang took out one sample carefully. He knew that the poison was powerful, and there was no guarantee that his antidote would work.
Everyone held their breath as he unstoppered the sample with trembling hands and poured the antidote in.
The poisoned blood immediately reacted, the glowing, green light hissing as it ate away at the black blood.
The black blood started to turn paler and paler.
“It’s working!” The healers rejoiced.
Their ecstasy was short-lived. Soon enough, the blackness rallied, mutating and eating away at the green light in kind. A few short moments later, the green light in the liquid winked out, and the blackness was revived again…
A foul odor marked the death of the green liquid.
Qin Wang’s face was pale, and the other healers likewise.
The poison was much worse than they had imagined.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing’e shared a long, solemn look.
As they had predicted.
The ingredients were correct, but negating the poison wouldn’t be so easy.
Pei Hao’s plan was one step ahead of them. Clearly, he wasn’t going to quit until the Suncreek Villa fe