Chapter 18: A Shadow Looming Behind? That Is... the Crown Prince
Li Muchen snapped upright from the dragon throne with a sharp clap, glaring down at the kneeling eunuch and demanding, “How is the Princess Royal now? Has the imperial physician been summoned?”
The eunuch abruptly lifted his head, meeting Li Muchen’s intense gaze, and hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten? There is no imperial physician in the palace.”
The eunuch’s words finally brought clarity to Li Muchen’s mind.
Of course...
This nation was newly founded, and no imperial physicians had been appointed yet.
This rotten regime—it was truly a betrayal!
In such a vast imperial palace, not even an imperial medical office was arranged for him?
Without hesitation, Li Muchen strode toward the exit of the Xuanzheng Hall, heading for the Princess Royal’s palace.
At that moment, the system’s voice sounded again:
[Reminder: Detected that the immortal bone pill’s effect has begun to manifest in your sister.]
Li Muchen halted mid-step, asking aloud, “What does that mean?”
[Congratulations, host!]
[Your sister is about to undergo a rebirth and will sprout a spiritual root.]
Li Muchen raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. “So, my sister will become a cultivator?”
[Correct answer.]
This news delighted Li Muchen immensely.
The Da Tang Empire was finally about to produce its first cultivator.
In the future, more cultivators would surely emerge among his people.
With such progress, the Da Tang Empire would no longer be a mere lowly human-only nation.
Among the cultivator clans, demon tribes, elf clans, and demon races coexisting, a nation composed solely of humans was inevitably a prime target for bullying by other countries.
Having more Da Tang citizens as cultivators could only benefit the nation.
With purposeful strides, Li Muchen headed toward the Princess Royal’s palace.
His steps were light and joyous along the way.
Since he arrived in this world two years ago, less than a month later, the late emperor’s uncle had passed away.
His mother was the late emperor’s uncle’s legitimate sister, making Li Muchen, as the legitimate son of the Princess Royal with half-royal blood, the sole hope of the ministers.
Those officials forced his mother, the Princess Royal, to adopt him as the late emperor uncle’s heir, making him the sole successor.
He had just arrived in this strange world and barely understood the situation.
Suddenly, he was thrust onto the throne of the Da Zhao Kingdom.
For over two years, he had hardly ever left the imperial palace.
Though he knew this world was fantastical, he had never personally seen a spiritual root before.
Li Muchen quickened his pace, a smile tugging at his lips. “Pingyang is about to sprout a spiritual root now.”
“I—must see it with my own eyes!”
Later, when the immortal bone pill inside him took effect, he would have a reference and wouldn’t be groping blindly.
...
Fifteen minutes later, Li Muchen arrived at the Pingyang Palace.
“Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”
“Your humble maid pays respects to Your Majesty.”
“...”
Li Muchen waved his hand, ordering all the attendants in the Princess Royal’s palace to rise.
He strode into the inner chamber and saw his sister lying on the bed, pale-faced with red, tired eyes.
“Pingyang—” Li Muchen furrowed his brows, quickly approaching and sitting beside her bed. He anxiously asked, “How do you feel now?”
“Ugh—”
Pingyang barely had time to answer before she began retching uncontrollably again.
A palace maid promptly brought a basin.
“Heavens!”
“The Princess Royal is vomiting blood, Your Majesty—”
The maid’s face turned pale in horror as she saw the blood spewing from Pingyang’s mouth and looked anxiously at Li Muchen.
He peered into the basin, which was indeed filled with blood.
His heart tightened with worry, but he was troubled that there was no imperial physician in the palace.
No one to help, not for the moment.
Right! System!
Li Muchen called out mentally to the system.
“System? Are you there?”
“If you are, come out quickly.”
“Did you hear me—?!”
The system’s lazy voice finally responded:
[I am here.]
[Host, what is your command?]
“Why is my sister vomiting blood continuously?”
Before Li Muchen could finish, Pingyang had another violent fit and spat out a large mouthful of blood.
“This is bad—”
“The Princess Royal is vomiting blood again!!”
The maid’s voice trembled as she nearly dropped the basin.
Fortunately, Li Muchen grabbed one side in time, preventing the basin from spilling the fresh blood onto the floor.
The terrified maid knelt, placing the basin down and repeatedly kowtowing, begging for forgiveness: “Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me...”
Though displeased, Li Muchen did not blame the young maid.
He dismissed her and replaced her with two older, steadier maids.
Once again, Li Muchen connected his consciousness with the system.
At that moment, the system spoke:
[Host, this is a necessary process of rebirth.]
[The Princess Royal has consumed the immortal bone pill, and all the toxins in her body are being expelled.]
[Only when the mortal body is thoroughly cleansed can the spiritual root sprout.]
“So, all this blood vomiting... is there no danger?”
[Rest assured, host, there is absolutely no danger.]
[The immortal bone pill’s function is to purge the stagnant dirty blood and toxins.]
[Vomiting is one of the body’s ways to detoxify.]
[When most toxins are expelled, the user will naturally recover.]
With the system’s assurance, Li Muchen’s expression softened considerably, no longer as tense as before.
He leaned close to Pingyang’s ear and whispered that this was the effect of the immortal bone pill and that she need not be afraid.
Pingyang’s eyes flickered with disbelief.
Yet, having grown up hearing many rumors about cultivator clans and her brother’s firm tone, she was less frightened.
Suddenly, Pingyang seemed to recall something.
Her expression tightened again as she grabbed Li Muchen’s arm, anxiously speaking, “Brother, Mother has fainted.”
Li Muchen’s head throbbed. “What happened?!”
One crisis followed another...
“Mother heard about my illness and came to see me.”
“But as soon as she entered the inner chamber, she fainted and was sent back to Xingqing Palace by the palace attendants.”
Pingyang’s brows knitted deeply, her eyes moist. She tugged at Li Muchen’s arm. “Brother, there’s no imperial physician in the palace now. What should Mother do?”
Upon hearing “imperial physician,” Li Muchen wanted to drag out that rotten regime and give it a harsh beating.
This useless regime was utterly unreliable.
How could they not assign him an imperial medical office when it was so crucial?
“Don’t worry, Pingyang...”
“I’m going to see Mother right now.”
Li Muchen left Pingyang’s palace and headed toward the Dowager Empress Dou’s Xingqing Palace.
...
Meanwhile, in the Northern Ji Kingdom—
Elder Qingmushan, who had accepted the new Da Zhao emperor’s mission, returned to Northern Ji.
He did not immediately go back to Qingmu Mountain but instead entered the residence of the Second Prince.
At the same time, someone secretly trailing him saw the elder enter the Second Prince’s residence and then turn to leave.
The direction he headed was toward the residence of the Northern Ji Kingdom’s Crown Prince...