Chapter 125 — The Little Poison Lord of the Same Sect

This estate was grand and magnificent, yet the place where the Imperial Preceptor cultivated was exceedingly plain: a single great hall, vast and empty, with nothing else in it at all. Yet if one looked up, one beheld a most spectacular sight; above the great hall no roof could be seen, only a dome, and countless stars seemed to hang so low they could be touched. Such was the wondrous working of a formation.

Ten thousand zhang above the ground, a formation floated, laid with countless panes of transparent glass, and several disciples of the Imperial Preceptor presided over it there. The formation spread a thousand mu across the sky, gathering starlight and transmitting it through the glass to shine straight down upon the dome of the great hall. The Imperial Preceptor gathered starlight for his cultivation, and thus his attainment was exceedingly high. At this moment the Imperial Preceptor's breath was weak and failing, and he was in the midst of healing, while beside him a man in black was compounding elixirs.

Suddenly a red flying insect darted in from beyond the hall and alighted at the black-robed man's ear.

The man's face was covered in toad-like warts, warts all over his features, a frightful sight to behold; he nodded again and again, as though he understood the red insect's words, which was most uncanny. "Imperial Preceptor Jingping, my junior fellow disciple has arrived.

" The black-robed man was none other than the Little Poison King the Empress Dowager had spoken of, whose name was Fu Yuanqing. He said, "He has acted to cure the Thousand Mechanisms poison in the Empress Dowager's body.

" The Imperial Preceptor opened his eyes and exhaled a thick breath of bloody stench.

Doubtfully he asked, "How do you know it was your junior disciple who undid the Thousand Mechanisms poison on the Empress Dowager? " "The Thousand Mechanisms poison is my master's masterwork. In all the world, only he and I can undo it. " The fleshy warts on Fu Yuanqing's face quivered.

Unhurried, he said, "My little insect tells me the one who came was a youth, clearly not my master; so it can only be a disciple newly taken in by him.

I had thought he was already dead. I never imagined he was alive, and had even raised up a little junior brother.

Imperial Preceptor, the poison on the Empress Dowager has been cured. Shall I administer another rare poison? " The Imperial Preceptor shook his head.

"There is no need.

" Fu Yuanqing was puzzled. "There is no personal grievance between the Empress Dowager and me.

Back then, for the sake of her son's empire, she opposed my leading the reforms. His Majesty was somewhat hesitant as well, and so I had you administer the poison, not to kill her, but only to keep her from meddling in the affairs of state.

With no interference from the Empress Dowager, His Majesty could devote himself wholly to the reforms.

And now my position is secure; half of the court and the realm are supporters of the reforms. " The Imperial Preceptor said, "And those who oppose me are now seizing the chance to rebel and make trouble. My ascendancy is complete, and with the tide of the times running as it does, even the Empress Dowager cannot stop me now. " Fu Yuanqing laughed. "You care about the tides of power; I care about debts of grievance and gratitude.

Your wounds have nearly healed, so there is no use in my staying here.

I mean to go out and take a turn about.

My junior disciple has come; how could I, as his senior, fail to go and pay him a visit? " The Imperial Preceptor said, "Be careful. The Empress Dowager cannot do anything to me, but she is still quite capable of having you put to death. " Fu Yuanqing hesitated, the warts on his face twitching wildly, and said bitterly, "It was you who had me administer the poison. Why should she kill me and not you?

How am I the guilty one? " "You sold out your own master, have you forgotten?

And there was something not entirely proper between the Empress Dowager and your master. The Empress Dowager is clever; she will surely realize that the one who cured the poison is your junior disciple, and that you will certainly go looking for him. She is certain to be waiting for you to take the bait, to strike you down, to avenge herself, and to avenge your master as well.

" Fu Yuanqing's head ached, and he had no choice but to abandon the idea.