PDLP Chapter 6: The Immortal Temple
Chapter 6: The Immortal Temple
The horses' hooves pounded on the bluestone slabs, and before long, the two arrived at the mysterious and unpredictable Immortal Temple!
He was surrounded by elite soldiers clad in black armor and wielding long spears.
Meng Yi stepped forward and, expressionless, presented the bronze token symbolizing his identity.
After the soldiers checked and found nothing amiss, they silently retreated to both sides like a tide, revealing a narrow passage.
As soon as the two stepped into the temple, a strange smell, a mixture of medicinal fragrance and mineral dust, hit them.
While it was invigorating, it also made me feel somewhat uncomfortable.
As Fusu looked around, he saw that the buildings inside had flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, and winding corridors. The exquisite layout was far superior to that of ordinary palaces and halls.
Even though Fusu was the eldest son of the empire and Meng Yi was a high-ranking official trusted by the emperor, this was the first time either of them had set foot in this place.
Unsurprisingly, they quickly lost their way in the intricate corridors and courtyards.
The alchemists walking along the corridor, some carrying bamboo slips, some carrying alchemy furnaces, and some carrying rare and exotic stones, were all in a hurry and ignored the two intruders who were dressed in extraordinary clothes.
Meng Yi frowned slightly, intending to call out to one of the gray-robed sorcerers to ask for directions. However, Fusu gently raised his hand to stop him.
A hint of curiosity flashed in Fusu's eyes; he seemed to want to see for himself what kind of group the alchemists were.
So he slowed down and began to stroll around like an ordinary visitor.
After turning through the corridor, the two stepped into a secluded and quiet courtyard.
Moss quietly climbed up the stone steps in the corner of the yard, and a few unknown weeds grew tenaciously in the cracks between the stones.
Suddenly, an impatient voice came from the side, breaking the silence of the courtyard.
"Hey, you guys."
"Yes...stop looking, it's just the two of you. Didn't we say you weren't allowed in?"
A young sorcerer, his body covered in various powders and his hair casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, peeked out from the room.
His face showed a mixture of exhaustion and anxiety. His gaze swept over the two people in the courtyard, finally pointing at Meng Yi, and he quickly gave them instructions:
"Never mind... you tall one, go... find me some more cinnabar!"
"Hurry!"
The tone was so matter-of-fact, as if he were ordering his own servant around! This self-righteous shout gave Meng Yi a sense of utter absurdity.
Aside from His Majesty, who in the entire world would dare to order around an Imperial Minister like this?!
Anger surged within Meng Yi, fueled by the perceived offense.
"Stop standing there like a blockhead! Are you trying to be a door god?!"
Before he could react, the young sorcerer added insult to injury, his disdain almost overflowing.
These words were like adding fuel to the fire, causing Meng Yi's forehead veins to bulge.
His broad palms instinctively reached for the sword at his waist, ready to let this arrogant and rude person taste the sharp blade of the Meng clan!
"Pfft..."
But just as the tension was about to escalate, a suppressed chuckle came from beside him.
Meng Yi looked in astonishment and saw that the young master Fusu, who had just been worried and dejected, was now smiling.
It's not entirely Fusu's fault for losing his composure. He knew General Meng's authority and status well, and had never seen him being ordered around like this by a disheveled sorcerer, let alone showing such a bewildered expression.
This scene was so novel and interesting that he couldn't resist.
However, precisely because of this, the somewhat depressed mood from just now has eased considerably, and a genuine smile has appeared on the corner of my mouth.
However, Fusu's smile did not last long.
Zou Yun's attention was drawn to the laughter. He suddenly turned his gaze to Fusu, his brows furrowing even more, and his tone becoming even more urgent than before.
"Hey shorty, what are you laughing at?"
"Don't just stand there, hurry up and get me some saltpeter, I need it urgently!!"
Zou Yun's words froze Fusu, who was about to reveal his identity.
"Short...short person."
He seemed completely surprised that he, known as a gentleman, would receive this nickname. Now it was Meng Yi's turn to chuckle to himself.
Of course, Zou Yun didn't care what they were thinking. Seeing that the two silly geese were still standing there without making a sound.
He frowned, raising his voice slightly to urge:
"Hurry up! Do you even want to live?!"
It was clear that Zou Yun's experiment was at a critical juncture, which was why he didn't bother to investigate the identity of the visitor.
"you......"
Meng Yi's anger was almost at its peak. With a "clang," the sword at his waist was drawn an inch, its cold light flashing, as if he was about to strike Zou Yun.
However, Fusu interrupted him in time.
After giving Meng Yi a reassuring look, signaling him to calm down, she...
Fusu stepped forward, pointed to his clothing, and asked, "Master Fang, you... don't recognize us?"
His clear eyes were curiously observing the young sorcerer, whose face was covered in dirt but whose brows still exuded a spirited air.
"I don't care who you are!!"
Zou Yun was already frustrated by the experimental stall, and upon hearing this, he blurted out in an annoyed tone:
"Don't you know who I am?"
After speaking, his irritated gaze swept over Fusu and Meng Yi, whose clothes seemed almost identical to him.
I just felt that these two people were dawdling and asking some strange questions, which was really delaying things.
Indeed, Zou Yun had absolutely no idea what Fu Su and the other man were talking about.
Having just transmigrated, he had no idea what the clothing worn by the two men represented under the strict hierarchical system of the Qin Empire.
Furthermore, it was impossible to discern the subtle differences between the prince's official robes and the attire of a high-ranking official.
In his view, these two were just one of the more than four hundred colleagues in the vast Immortal Temple whom he had never met.
"Okay, please wait a moment!"
Fortunately, Zou Yun was facing the gentle and kind Prince Fusu. Not only did he not pursue the matter of Zou Yun's disrespect, he also agreed to the task assigned by Zou Yun.
Fusu's smile deepened, feeling that this experience was truly unprecedented in his life.
In this city of Xianyang, there are people who don't recognize the eldest son of the empire and dare to order me around as if it's their right.
The novel experience gradually lessened the sadness from before.
Without saying another word, he reached out and grabbed General Meng Yi, who was already holding his breath, and turned to walk briskly outside.
After the two had walked some distance, Meng Yi could no longer suppress his anger and spoke in a low voice.
"That brat is utterly rude!"
"Why did you drag me out here, young master, to find materials for such an arrogant scoundrel?"
"So what?"
Fusu stopped, the smile fading from his face, replaced by a calm and gentle expression:
"General Meng, I have been taught since childhood that helping others is a virtue of a gentleman. I have never heard that helping others is not a commendable virtue."
He paused, looked at Meng Yi with clear eyes, and continued,
"Besides, as you and I both saw, this Master Fang's eyes were urgent, and he was completely focused... as if he really didn't recognize us."
"Since he didn't mean to offend us, there's even less reason to blame him!"
Seeing Fusu's smiling face, his eyes revealing sincerity and openness, not a pretense.
A barely perceptible hint of relief flashed in Meng Yi's eyes. After all, his elder brother had already chosen Prince Fusu, so as the core of the Meng clan who remained in Xianyang Palace...
Besides taking good care of Prince Fusu, he also needed to see clearly what kind of person Prince Fusu really was for the sake of Great Qin and the Meng clan.
In the past, I had secretly conducted countless such tests without making a sound.
And he was very satisfied with the conclusions he reached each time.
Fusu may not be a ruthless and decisive ruler like His Majesty, but the benevolence flowing through his body convinced Meng Yi.
This is definitely a benevolent ruler who can remember past friendships and understand the plight of his subjects.
Both the Qin Dynasty and the Meng family are qualified future rulers!
As for Zou Yun's humiliation and orders, to a seasoned minister, it was nothing more than a passing breeze, not worth mentioning.
Therefore, he suppressed his feigned anger and bowed slightly in praise:
"What you say is absolutely right, young master! I, Meng Yi, am enlightened."
After speaking, he said no more, but silently and faithfully followed Fusu's side, together they moved through the courtyard, searching for the materials that the madman had mentioned.