The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#486 - Last Wish

"Um, the elixir that poisoned Hanshan Ke? Why do you ask about this?" Ding Liu asked, puzzled after Lu Jing explained his intentions.

"Just... just concerned," Lu Jing said anxiously.

Fortunately, Ding Liu was just asking casually. Afterwards, he said, "Hanshan Ke was considered a master of elixirs. However, he only practiced one type of elixir, the Longevity Immortal Pill, hoping to achieve immortality through it."

Ding Liu shook his head as he spoke. "However, everyone has their destiny. The matter of longevity goes against the heavens and is naturally fraught with difficulties. Therefore, he hasn't succeeded after all these years. In the end, he even lost his life because of it. It's truly regrettable."

"I also examined the elixir that poisoned him. Although there are some things in it that I don't recognize, the main ingredients are roughly the same as Cold Food Powder. I guess he modified it himself. As for why it was so poisonous, it's because he added too much red alum and nux vomica to it."

"Both of these medicinal ingredients are very toxic. However, I saw that he also added a lot of herbs to suppress and neutralize the toxicity in the elixir. Unfortunately, it seems he miscalculated the proportions."

Hearing Ding Liu's words, Lu Jing breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He had heard of the famous Cold Food Powder. Not only were those immortal-cultivating Taoists refining and consuming it, but this elixir was also quite popular among wealthy merchants and nobles. Many people firmly believed that it was the only way to achieve eternal life.

Even though many people died from it every year, Cold Food Powder was still highly sought after.

Although it was somewhat unacceptable that Hanshan Ke was poisoned to death by Cold Food Powder, which was somewhat like a good swimmer drowning, at least his death wasn't because he was helping Lu Jing refine elixirs.

However, even after reaching this conclusion, Lu Jing still felt uneasy.

Regardless, Hanshan Ke was dead.

Then, where was he going to get the poisonous elixir that he had promised to help refine?

Seeing Lu Jing's unsightly expression, Ding Liu assumed that he had a close relationship with Hanshan Ke, so he advised, "The dead cannot be brought back to life. Moreover, we are just paper figures. In fact, from the day we decided to enter the valley, as far as the outside world is concerned, we are no different from the dead. Now, we are simply saying goodbye to this small valley."

Lu Jing remained silent. After a moment, he asked again, "Hanshan Ke is dead. What will happen to his belongings, including his silver, clothing, and... his elixir formulas?"

"We usually bury ordinary things with his body. As for the more valuable things, it depends on who he wants to leave them to. Of course, his situation this time is quite special, as he died unexpectedly."

"Then the silver will be handled by the young marquis. Either everyone will divide it, or it will be used to add some things to the valley. As for the elixir formulas you mentioned... well, this thing is considered a unique skill. According to the usual practice, the young marquis will keep it, and then people in the valley can try to exchange it with white shells."

The Drunkard Paper Figure interjected at this time, "He poisoned himself to death by refining elixirs. Is that also considered a unique skill?"

"Yes, it is," Ding Liu nodded. "Although he never refined the Longevity Pill in his life, he accidentally refined some other elixirs, such as the Youth Preservation Pill. Look at his appearance, he looks like he's only in his thirties or forties. That's all thanks to the Youth Preservation Pill."

As soon as Ding Liu said this, perhaps the male paper figures didn't feel anything, but the female paper figures next to them became excited.

They may not all be interested in immortality, but eternal youth is an irresistible temptation for all women.

Some quick-handed female paper figures had already begun to count how many white shells they had on them.

There were also those who didn't lack money and simply offered prices to buy them.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Lu Jing did not dare to delay any longer and hurriedly turned back to find the young marquis.

This time, he didn't hide anything and told the young marquis about asking Hanshan Ke to help him refine elixirs.

The young marquis frowned after hearing this and asked Lu Jing, "Did you two make a written agreement?"

"No," Lu Jing smiled wryly. "He said that since he couldn't beat me anyway, he wouldn't go back on his word."

"..."

"Then it will be troublesome," the young marquis said. "Although the elixir formulas left by Hanshan Ke are kept here with me, I am only keeping them on his behalf. Strictly speaking, these things belong to all the paper figures in Mirror Lake Valley."

"If you can't provide evidence that Hanshan Ke had an agreement with you to give you one of the elixir formulas, then I can't privately decide to hand that elixir formula over to you."

"Is there no other way? That formula is very important to me," Lu Jing could only try his luck now.

It's just that this time, he didn't control the proportions of several medicinal ingredients well and directly ate himself to heaven.

But if Lu Jing could get the elixir formula he left behind and find another alchemist, he might be able to refine the poisonous elixir he had been dreaming of before becoming a Second Palace cultivator.

Of course, all of this was based on the premise that the young marquis was willing to cooperate with him and give him that elixir formula.

Instead of letting that elixir formula flow into that bottomless prize pool, with a probability of less than one percent, Lu Jing wasn't confident that he could definitely draw it.

The young marquis fell into deep thought upon hearing this.

After a moment, she spoke again, "Without rules, there can be no standards. I can't break the rules of Mirror Lake Valley for hundreds of years for the sake of you alone. Otherwise, not only will it be difficult for me, but future young marquises will probably find it difficult to convince the public."

Seeing that Lu Jing was about to say something, the young marquis waved her hand, signaling Lu Jing to let her finish speaking first. Then, she changed the subject and continued, "But your request is not completely impossible to fulfill."

"What do I have to do to get that elixir formula?" Lu Jing asked.

"Don't worry, this matter may be difficult for others, but it should be quite simple for you. I heard from Wu Han that you are a disciple of Senior Ye?"

Lu Jing nodded, "That's right."

"Then, in that case, you should also be proficient in beast taming," the young marquis said, pointing to where A'Bao was. "After Hanshan Ke died, it became like that. It has been lying there for a day and a night without eating or drinking."

"The paper figures in Mirror Lake Valley all know about its relationship with Hanshan Ke. If Hanshan Ke were still alive, he certainly wouldn't want to see it like this. So, if you can restore A'Bao to its vitality, it will be considered fulfilling Hanshan Ke's last wish. Then, according to the rules of Mirror Lake Valley, you can choose one of his belongings to take away first."