Chapter 23: A despicable deal

Refining pills was especially taxing on one’s mental energy.

Even with Wang Tong helping to keep an eye on the heat, Wang Sandong still had to check the progress of the refinement frequently.

Because there was no spiritual power to assist, the already time-consuming and laborious process became even more drawn out.

Luckily, Wang Sandong’s experience in alchemy was incredibly vast — thanks to Mr. Yi’s “gifts.”

Although Wang Tong was a bit slow, he was earnest and responsible.

Though the process took a while, no accidents occurred.

The pill was finally finished in the dead of night.

Since it was hand-rolled without spiritual power to maintain its form, the shape was not perfect.

It was a bit flat, but at least it was presentable.

The smell was odd, carrying a hint of smoke — a sign of poor temperature control.

Some of the herbs had charred, causing the color to turn black.

At first glance, it looked very much like a poison pill.

Even touching it would stain one’s fingers with a bit of black residue.

“Young Master…”

Wang Tong said with a face full of guilt, “it is all my fault. I did not control the heat well.”

Wang Sandong did not reply immediately.

Instead, he stuck out his tongue and took a lick of the pill to taste it.

He nodded and said, “It is fine. The appearance is a bit lacking, but it is not without effect.”

After saying that, he picked up the brewed Woman’s Fragrance and took a sip.

“As for the taste, it is too bitter.”

Dreams were supposed to be sweet; naturally, a broken dream would be bitter.

Generally speaking, any pill refined with the addition of a Broken Dream Flower would inevitably be bitter.

“Put it on the pill tray, cover it with the pill cloth, and let it dry under the moonlight for one night,” Wang Sandong instructed as he handed the pill to Wang Tong.

He then let out a yawn and went back to his room to rest.

***

The next day.

When the sun was high in the sky, Wang Sandong took that unattractive pill out of the manor and headed toward the Zheng Clan estate.

Zheng Xiao was preoccupied with her own worries and was in no mood to chatter with a youngster.

Her face showed no sign of welcome; in fact, she seemed rather annoyed.

“The Celebration Grand Ceremony is about to begin. The Old Capital is full of all sorts of people right now, and trouble is easy to find. You should go out less.”

“Hah, would anyone actually dare to touch a member of the Wang Family?”

“I heard that last year, on the day of the Celebration Grand Ceremony, you were harassed by a dandy from the New Capital while you were out shopping…”

“Oh! I am thirsty. Would it be convenient to have a cup of tea?”

Wang Sandong interrupted Zheng Xiao with lightning speed.

He really did not want anyone mentioning that embarrassing incident from the past.

Zheng Xiao had originally been impatient, but seeing Wang Sandong’s embarrassed yet beautiful expression, she could not help but laugh.

“Someone, bring tea.”

Looking at Wang Sandong’s delicate appearance again, her irritation completely vanished.

Anything beautiful would make one’s mood improve.

People were the same.

Regardless of whether they were men or women.

Zheng Xiao admired Wang Sandong’s flawless face and asked with a smile, “Is there a reason you came to see me?”

Wang Sandong joked, “Can a man who is about to become your husband not come to see you even if there is nothing wrong?”

Zheng Xiao found it a bit funny.

A husband?

With such a sickly body, it was impossible for them to ever have a real marriage.

Even if they wed, what kind of husband would he be?

As for being a man…

It was truly difficult to view such a beautiful, city-toppling person as a man.

“I still have to cultivate. I do not have time to play with you,” Zheng Xiao said, unconsciously adopting the tone of an elder.

Wang Sandong gave a bitter smile and said, “You think I came here to play?”

He didn’t bother beating around the bush and simply pulled the pill wrapped in the pill cloth from his robes, placing it on the table beside Zheng Xiao.

Zheng Xiao curiously unwrapped the cloth. When she saw the blackened, oddly-smelling, flattened pill, she frowned.

“This is… I do not care for snacks.”

“What snacks? This is a pill,” Wang Sandong said.

“A pill?”

Zheng Xiao’s frown deepened.

“Heh, why are you giving this to me?”

Wang Sandong laughed and said, “I heard Mr. Yi tell a story once. He said that 2 years ago, a patient claiming to be from out of town came to him for treatment regarding damaged meridians.”

Zheng Xiao’s expression suddenly turned solemn.

She did not reply immediately.

Instead, she glanced at the pill on the table again and then back at Wang Sandong, guessing the pill’s origin, its use, and Wang Sandong’s purpose.

“For 2 years, Mr. Yi researched and experimented repeatedly. He finally came up with a formula that could treat that man’s damaged meridians without the need for Water Essence.”

At that moment, a servant brought the tea.

Wang Sandong picked up the teacup and took his time drinking, intentionally dragging things out.

Zheng Xiao’s heart was in her throat, but seeing Wang Sandong stalling, she felt like she was about to explode with anxiety.

However, she was a powerful expert at the peak of her cultivation, so she suppressed her temperament well.

She did not let even a hint of her urgency show.

Seeing this, a bit of playfulness rose in Wang Sandong’s heart.

‘Let’s see how long you can last,’ he thought.

“This tea is quite good,” Wang Sandong praised.

“Is it included in your dowry?”

Zheng Xiao pursed her lips and smiled.

“If you like it, I will bring some along as part of the dowry.”

“I like it, I like it,” Wang Sandong replied repeatedly, then sighed.

“In my condition, I should not eat too much spicy, sour, or sweet food, and I cannot touch alcohol, women, or tobacco. Usually, I just rely on tea to get through the day. If I did not have tea, life would be unbearable.”

Zheng Xiao scrutinized Wang Sandong with a faint smile.

“Although I am not fond of tea, I have stored some high-quality leaves. I will bring them all over when the time comes.”

“Oh? What kinds of tea? Tell me about them.”

Wang Sandong seemed extremely interested.

He leaned in closer, his large, clear eyes blinking with a lively spark.

Zheng Xiao did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“You child…”

Those words felt wrong; they weren’t something one should say to a youth in the flower of his age.

“Cough… You are too playful.”

She gave another bitter smile and continued, “You win. Let’s get back to the topic of the pill.”

Wang Sandong had not expected Zheng Xiao to be so direct.

He laughed and said, “Alright. Mr. Yi and I were acquainted for many years, and he occasionally taught me some medical arts. Although I do not have a Spiritual Root, I have a good head on my shoulders. So, I have more or less inherited a bit of Mr. Yi’s legacy.”

So much nonsense…

Although Zheng Xiao was anxious, she did not press him further.

She simply waited patiently.

Wang Sandong continued, “Mr. Yi suspected that the reason your Zheng Clan wanted an alliance with my Wang Family was to steal the Water Essence. You chose a sickly person like me because I am about to die. A dead ‘husband’ won’t be in the way, making it easier for the Zheng Clan to steal the Water Essence. Even if you are caught, you would not have to worry, since I would be dead anyway. After my death, the Zheng Clan’s daughter could just go home, and the Zheng and Wang families wouldn’t need to maintain an awkward relationship.”

As he spoke, a look of loneliness appeared on his face.

Zheng Xiao did not admit it, nor did she deny it.

Wang Sandong said, “The Wang Family likely suspects the Zheng Clan’s motives as well, even if they might not guess that you are after the Water Essence. It is just that…”

He revealed a complex smile.

“The Wang Family probably wants to go along with it. After all, the Wang Family won’t lose anything.”

The thought of his marriage being used as a tool for the schemes between Great Families brought a wave of bitterness to Wang Sandong’s heart.

Noticing the change in Wang Sandong’s expression, a sense of sympathy arose in Zheng Xiao’s heart.

She sighed softly and said, “The mortal world is too bitter. In your next life, do not come back.”

Wang Sandong nodded with a smile.

“Mr. Yi said something similar.”

He took a deep breath to adjust his emotions and added, “I have wandered off-topic again. Heh, no more nonsense. Anyway, following the methods Mr. Yi taught me, I refined this pill. It can nourish that person’s damaged meridians.”

Although Zheng Xiao had expected this, she still couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy upon hearing it for sure.

However, she calmly picked up the pill and felt for the spiritual power within it, then mocked, “There is no spiritual power to speak of in this pill. If an ordinary person ate it, perhaps it could nourish their meridians, but… if their cultivation is too high, I fear this would be like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water.”

“Using the same refining method, increase the medicinal dosage 100 times and use spiritual power to forcibly extract the essence…”

Wang Sandong smiled.

“Then refine it in a high-grade cauldron using Black Mystery True Water as a catalyst and Heaven Profound Wood to start the fire. Use a gentle flame to refine it slowly for 36 hours. That is how the pill is formed. Finally, a Spiritual Cultivator of the Fifth Rank or higher must use their energy to dissolve the pill and assist in its absorption. Take one dose every 7 days. The first dose stops the damage, the second dose repairs it, and the third dose results in a full recovery.”

After hearing all this, Zheng Xiao was finally moved.

However, she still did not dare to celebrate too early.

Wang Sandong pulled out a page of paper from his robes and placed it together with the pill.

“This is the refining method. Whether you believe it or not… give it a try. What if it works?”

Zheng Xiao picked up the paper and read it seriously.

An excited flush actually appeared on her face.

She was one of the Nine Surnamed Kings and possessed formidable strength.

Although she was not an expert in medical arts, she could see the brilliance of this refining method at a glance.

By simply pushing the medicinal logic, it seemed truly feasible.

Or perhaps it wasn’t.

But what was the harm in trying?

Zheng Xiao carefully put away the paper, looked at Wang Sandong, and asked, “Since Mr. Yi thought of a way, why did he not tell us himself?”

“It was a coincidence. Before Mr. Yi could tell anyone, he passed away.”

Essentially, there were no witnesses left.

Zheng Xiao pondered for a moment and said, “What do you want?”

She guessed that Wang Sandong or Mr. Yi must have already realized that the person with the damaged meridians was the head of the Zheng Clan.

How could a formula capable of curing a clan head be given away for nothing?

It was only natural to ask for some benefits.

As long as he didn’t extort them, they would have to be grateful.

Meeting Zheng Xiao’s gaze, Wang Sandong raised one finger and said, “I want to call off the engagement.”

Of course he wanted to call it off.

Just think about it: if he spent every day and night with Zheng Xiao, one of the Nine Surnamed Kings, wouldn’t she eventually discover he was a Demonic Cultivator?

If that happened, how could he stay alive?

Furthermore, “Demonic Cultivator” wasn’t the only secret he carried that outsiders couldn’t know.

Zheng Xiao’s eyebrows twitched several times.

She looked like she wanted to speak but stopped herself repeatedly.

“You… look down on me that much?”

No!

It wasn’t “looking down”!

It was “disdain”!

In truth, if the formula worked, she would no longer need to marry into the Wang Family.

He didn’t need to make this a “condition” at all.

Yet he had brought it up so seriously.

This…

It was practically…

Truly…

Fine.

If it was strictly based on looks, she was indeed inferior to him.

But…

“It is not that I look down on you; I just do not want to ruin your life,” Wang Sandong said.

Zheng Xiao took a deep breath, once again stopping herself from speaking.

Forget it.

“What is the second condition?”

“The second one…”

Wang Sandong made a “two” gesture with his hand.

“Help me kill someone.”

Zheng Xiao frowned.

As a member of the Nine Surnamed Kings, being used as a tool for murder was an absolute insult.

However, glancing at the pill on the table, Zheng Xiao asked, “Who?”

“Chen Youde.”

“Why?”

Wang Sandong said with righteous indignation, “Did I not tell you last time? That old thing stole my beloved woman. I loved Hongxiu for 16 years, but in the end, that old thing took her away from me. How can I tolerate him?”

Zheng Xiao’s mouth twitched several times.

She really wanted to question Wang Sandong: ‘Do you really think that I, one of the Nine Surnamed Kings, am inferior to a lowly maid in your eyes? Even setting aside status, I am far better looking than her, right?’

‘Are you blind?’

‘Or just stupid?’

Hoo…

As a member of the Nine Surnamed Kings, she had to maintain her composure.

Although Zheng Xiao was indignant, she maintained a calm facade.

“My Zheng Clan never kills the innocent.”

“That old thing Chen Youde uses his position as a steward to bully a poor, lovely maid and even took her body. Does that not count as a crime?”

Wang Sandong said, glancing at the pill on the table.

“The Zheng Clan is a family of integrity; I doubt you would take advantage of someone for free. Therefore, I did not think it was necessary to force you to agree to my conditions before showing you the formula.”

Zheng Xiao was stunned for a moment. Looking at Wang Sandong’s pure, lovely, and weak appearance, she frowned and said, “I believe that your doing this is truly… heh, one really cannot judge a book by its cover.”

Presenting the formula after making demands would be coercion.

Presenting the formula first was moral kidnapping.

Zheng Xiao recalled the misery of her younger brother after his injury and thought about the catastrophe the Zheng Clan was facing.

She sighed repeatedly.

“When one sees a delicacy, one can resist eating it. But if it is already in the mouth, spitting it out… is even harder.”

She really wanted to give Wang Sandong one word: Despicable.

But in the end, she changed her wording.

“Third Young Master Wang truly knows how to calculate.”

Seeing Zheng Xiao’s attitude, Wang Sandong suddenly felt a bit of regret.

He realized he had underestimated Zheng Xiao’s emotional intelligence.

His little scheme had been seen through by her.

Moreover, regarding the condition to “kill Chen Youde”…

He had originally thought Zheng Xiao would agree readily, but he had forgotten the Zheng Clan’s cursed “integrity.”

Other members of the Zheng Clan might not care much about it, but Zheng Xiao certainly did.

After all, the Zheng Clan’s integrity originated from Zheng Xiao herself.

If she did not believe Chen Youde deserved to die, she likely wouldn’t agree.

Sigh, he also blamed himself for his lie about Chen Youde being too fake — it was almost a joke.

He should have crafted the lie more carefully.

But at least the first condition should be no problem.

“I agree to the second condition,” Zheng Xiao suddenly said.

“The first one, however, will not do.”

“Ah?”

Wang Sandong was greatly surprised.

This answer was the exact opposite of his prediction. “Why?”

“The wedding date is approaching, and the refinement of the pill will take many days,” Zheng Xiao said.

“If you truly look down on me… we can get married first. If the pill is effective, we can then divorce.”

If she put it that way…

It also made sense.

“That works.”

Wang Sandong smiled.

“Then it is a deal.”

With that, he stood up and took his leave.

Zheng Xiao personally escorted Wang Sandong out of the manor.

As Wang Sandong’s carriage departed, Zheng Xiao turned back into the manor.

In a moment of inattention, she directly kicked a piece of the door threshold off.

Her pace did not seem fast, but her movements were like a bolt of lightning.

The flowers and grass she passed even shook from the gale she stirred.

Arriving straight outside a room, she kicked the door open with a bang.

Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice choked as she said, “Brother! Your injury… it might finally be healed!”

As she spoke, she pulled out the paper from her robes.

Her slender fingers gripped the paper so tightly they were trembling.

If her brother’s injury could be healed, and the two of them joined forces…

The Zheng Clan could be saved!

However…

Recalling the “deal” with Wang Sandong, Zheng Xiao felt another wave of frustration.

She was one of the dignified Nine Surnamed Kings, yet today she had been led by the nose by a little brat…

It was truly infuriating.