Nightwatcher

# 340. Visiting the Sitianjian

"Yes, everything is ready now, save for the princess consort."

Chu Xianglong lowered his voice, speaking in a tone only he and Emperor Yuanjing could hear.

The old emperor's usually stoic expression lit up with unrestrained joy. He took a deep breath, suppressing the laughter bubbling in his throat, and slowly nodded.

"Excellent. King Huai has not disappointed Us. Very good, very good!"

Chu Xianglong continued, "Your Majesty, this humble servant has another request. I encountered a mishap during my training and can no longer fight prolonged battles or exert my full strength. I beseech Your Majesty to assign someone to escort the princess consort to the north."

The old emperor scrutinised him sharply, his gaze piercing and questioning. "At such a critical juncture, you had a mishap during training?"

Chu Xianglong immediately lowered his head and clasped his hands in a gesture of fear and submission. "Your Majesty, please forgive me... Please forgive me..."

He knew full well that the emperor was a man of suspicion. Without a clear explanation, even as a trusted subordinate of the Zhenbei King, he would not escape the emperor's doubts.

Thus, he recounted everything truthfully—how he had schemed to seise Xu Qi’an’s _Vajra Divine Art_ in collusion with the Duke of Cao, leveraging the imperial examination fraud scandal to coerce him.

"Foolish scoundrel!"

Emperor Yuanjing roared in anger, kicking Chu Xianglong aside. His beard bristled with fury as he hissed in a low voice, "If We were still relying on you to handle matters, We would cut off your dog head right now."

Chu Xianglong lay prostrate, not daring to move.

The emperor paced back and forth in the imperial study, deliberating aloud. “Sending the imperial guards as escorts would draw too much attention. That will not do. The shipment of rations is progressing slowly and is not yet prepared. If she travels with it, she might not arrive in the north until late spring, perhaps even early summer.

"Moreover, the various cliques at court have been incessantly submitting memorials, demanding a thorough investigation of the ‘bloodbath of 3,000 miles’... In that case, let the princess consort accompany the investigation team heading north. It will provide cover, and there will be experts to protect her."

After speaking, the emperor shook his head again. "Still not ideal. The princess consort’s extraordinary aura will be difficult to conceal, even with spells to obscure her presence. And her appearance..."

Chu Xianglong’s eyes brightened. "That can be solved, Your Majesty. The princess consort possesses a magical artifact capable of altering her appearance and concealing her aura, transforming her into an ordinary woman."

The emperor frowned. "Where did she acquire such an artifact?"

Chu Xianglong explained, "The princess consort said it was a gift from the National Teacher. She has used it to sneak out of the estate several times in the past."

After a moment of silent contemplation, Emperor Yuanjing said, "Then it shall be so for now. We will discuss the finer details later."

…

Xu Qi’an walked toward the Sitianjian, flanked by Zhong Li on his left and Li Miaozhen on his right. Behind him followed an entourage of companions: Hengyuan, Chu Yuanzhen, Lina, Susu, and others.

Yang Qianhuan was absent from the group. He had returned to the Sitianjian ahead of them to avoid an awkward situation.

If he joined the group, he would face a dilemma. If he walked in front of everyone, the disciples in the Sitianjian would see his face. But if he lagged behind, the people in the streets would glimpse his profile.

Over the years, Yang Qianhuan had carefully observed Wei Yuan and the Jianzheng, concluding that great figures never travelled on foot. The Jianzheng, for instance, never left the bagua platform except to drink wine or stare into the void.

Thus, upon learning that Xu Qi’an and his party were visiting the Sitianjian, Yang Qianhuan had made a tactical retreat.

"Master, will I soon have a physical body again?" Susu asked, her excitement turning her paper face a rosy hue.

Li Miaozhen didn’t respond, but her eyes held a trace of anticipation. Helping Susu regain a body had long been her goal.

Meanwhile, Chu Yuanzhen and the others were purely interested in seeing Song Qing’s creations.

Song Qing, the master alchemist of the Sitianjian, was renowned throughout the land. His name had long piqued their curiosity.

As they approached the Sitianjian, a figure in a yellow dress darted out from the hall—a girl with large eyes and a sweet smile. It was Chu Caiwei, who came to greet them.

Lina cheerfully rushed forward to meet her.

"I packed a feast from Guiyuelou, waiting just for you," Chu Caiwei said, bouncing with excitement.

"Does it include braised pork trotters, pine nut duck, fish roe soup…?" Lina eagerly bounced along with her.

"Of course! Where’s Lingyin?"

"Her mother kept her home, and she cried and wailed about it."

"Poor thing. But since she’s not here, we can eat her share. Haha!"

"I think so too! Hee hee!"

The two girls linked hands and skipped away, leaving the group behind.

… Xu Qi’an’s mouth twitched. "I’m familiar with the Sitianjian. I’ll show you around."

He had already sent Yang Qianhuan ahead to inform Song Qing about their visit.

As they entered the main hall, the sharp scent of medicinal herbs filled the air. White-robed alchemists were busy chopping herbs, brewing concoctions, and studying alchemical texts.

Upon seeing Xu Qi’an, all the alchemists simultaneously stopped their work and turned to greet him with respect.

"Master Xu!"

Their deference was no surprise to the others. Number One had already mentioned that Silver Gong Xu Qi’an was skilled in alchemy and had a close relationship with Song Qing.

Furthermore, although arcanists were proud and haughty, with a vague similarity to to a confucian scolar’s mannerisms, ninth rank was still ninth rank, and the difference between them could not be equalised by the difference in system.

*Xu Ningyan is the Jianzheng’s chess piece. Perhaps in reality he does not know any alchemy, and this is all an illusion created by the Jianzheng to let him get closer to the Sitianjian in a reasonable manner, deceiving prying eyes…* Chu Yuanzhen thought even deeper.

Xu Qi’an nodded slightly. "Your hard work is very appreciated by everyone, junior brothers."

After the greetings, he led Chu Yuanzhen and the others up the stairs, explaining as they went.

"The Sitianjian has nine levels. The first floor is where ninth-rank alchemists work, the second floor is for eighth-rank Qi-watchers, and so on. The ninth floor, known as the bagua platform, is the Jianzheng’s domain."

"I heard the Jianzheng has sat on that platform for years," Li Miaozhen said.

*I get what you’re saying, I also really want to know: does the Jianzheng not shit?* Xu Qi’an thought but outwardly maintained a reverent expression.

"It is said that the Jianzheng focuses entirely on observing the mortal realm."

*Observing the mortal realm...* The group was filled with awe, feeling that the Jianzheng’s stature had become even more imposing.

Even the tone had shifted, elevating the atmosphere to one of profound respect.

*The Jianzheng should be able to hear my flattery...* Xu Qi’an thought.

As they ascended, every white-robed alchemist they encountered greeted Xu Qi’an with respect. But none acknowledged Zhong Li, the Jianzheng’s fifth disciple. This subtle detail did not escape Chu Yuanzhen and the others, making them feel something was amiss.

*…Hmm, maybe it's because she's plagued by misfortune, and others are afraid of being tainted by it,* speculated Chu Yuanzhen to himself.

*I had merely assumed Sir Xu was on good terms with the Sitianjian Arcanists, but the reverence they display toward him far exceeds what simple camaraderie could explain…* mused Number Six Hengyuan, in mild astonishment.

*This brat actually commands such authority within the Sitianjian?* thought Li Miaozhen, her eyes widening in surprise.

*Wow, so this lecher Xu Ningyan wasn’t lying about his sway here? But I heard that the Sixth-Rank Alchemists are the proudest of all. Would they even deign to give Xu Ningyan face?* Susu felt a mix of exhilaration and worry.

“The Alchemy Chamber is located on the seventh floor. This is also the main base of the Masters of Alchemy—where they research, eat, and sleep,” Xu Qi’an explained.

The clever Susu picked up on the inconsistency and coquettishly asked, “But didn’t you say each floor corresponds to a rank? Sixth-Rank Alchemists should be stationed on the fourth floor, shouldn’t they?”

“In theory, yes, but reality often deviates from theory. This is a question that Senior Sister Zhong might be better equipped to answer,” Xu Qi’an said, turning his gaze toward Zhong Li, who followed them obediently, her dishevelled hair masking her expression.

Zhong Li replied softly, “The Sitianjian only has one Fifth-Rank—me. There’s also only one Fourth-Rank, Senior Brother Yang. And the Third-Rank belongs to Second Senior Brother.”

Her voice was so soft that the group had to strain to hear her words as she shrank further under their gazes.

Understanding dawned on them. High-ranking Arcanists were as rare as phoenix feathers. Assigning one entire floor to just one person was unnecessary and impractical.

Hengyuan sighed, “It seems advancing within the Arcanist system is truly difficult.”

At this remark, both Hengyuan and Chu Yuanzhen turned to look at Zhong Li, recalling all too vividly her string of misfortunes.

Zhong Li lowered her head sorrowfully.

Susu, in a tense voice, asked, “Did Song Qing’s artificial human body really succeed? Is he... is he really willing to offer it to me?”

The group immediately turned to Xu Qi’an for confirmation.

_How could I possibly know? I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had time to check up on Song Qing’s bisarre experiments._ Xu Qi’an cleared his throat and admitted awkwardly, “I’m not entirely sure.”

Zhong Li, in her quiet voice, elaborated, “Junior Brother Song did succeed in creating a person. The Sixth-Rank disciples were ecstatic when it happened. What’s more surprising is that even the Jianzheng didn’t punish him.

“For a time, Junior Brother Song was quite proud of himself. However, no one outside of those who assisted him in the experiment has ever seen the results. To Song Qing, this marks a major milestone in his alchemy career, so he treasures it greatly and refuses to show anyone.

“Even I haven’t seen it. Nor has Senior Brother Yang. Song Qing always says that only like-minded friends are worthy of witnessing his work; ordinary people are unworthy. Not that Senior Brother Yang cares to see it—he considers Song Qing a mundane fool.”

At this, the group’s collective gaze turned suspiciously toward Xu Qi’an.

In their minds, Song Qing was clearly a fanatic, obsessively protective of his creations. If even his senior brother and sister couldn’t see his work, what chance did Xu Qi’an, an outsider, have?

The hope in Susu’s eyes dimmed.

Li Miaozhen cast her a comforting look and used sound transmission to assure her, “Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll figure out a way to get a glimpse of Song Qing’s creation.”

Susu nodded slightly and replied, “As expected, my master is the most reliable.”

As they continued to ascend, they finally arrived at the Alchemy Chamber. Inside the spacious hall, numerous Masters of Alchemy busied themselves at their individual workbenches, each cluttered with jars, instruments, and materials.

“Senior Brother Song, your new gunpowder formula isn’t working. It keeps exploding. I’m beginning to suspect Senior Sister Zhong is cursing us,” someone complained.

“My new soap formula is just one step away from completion. If it doesn’t surpass the current version, all my work will be meaningless.”

“My alchemy experiment is one step away from success. If I fail again, my total losses will exceed a thousand taels…”

At that moment, Song Qing looked up from his bench and noticed the group entering the chamber.

He froze for a moment. Then his expression contorted, his features twisting in a mix of shock and outrage, and he bellowed, “Senior Sister Zhong is here!”

The entire chamber fell silent. Then, chaos erupted.

“Put out the fire! Quickly, put it out…”

“My furnace is ruined again… Heavens!”

“Stop everything! Stop everything! If the Alchemy Chamber explodes, all this experimental gunpowder will go up with it…”

The Alchemists scrambled in all directions, frantically trying to secure their workstations.

Moments later, the chaos subsided, and everything returned to calm.

“It didn’t explode?”

“Is it really Senior Sister Zhong? Could someone be impersonating her?”

Amid the Alchemists’ wary murmurs, Zhong Li hung her head low and shuffled off quietly, her lonely figure radiating sorrow.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm. Zhong Li looked back to see Xu Qi’an’s displeased face.

“Where do you think you’re going? Without me, you’re not going anywhere. Stay by my side. You’ll be fine,” Xu Qi’an scolded.

Zhong Li stared at him blankly for a moment. Then her eyes, hidden beneath her hair, seemed to brighten slightly. She nodded firmly and replied in a small voice, “Mhm.”

Meanwhile, the Alchemists, having tidied up their stations, turned to scrutinise the newcomers. Their gazes carried a distinct sense of arrogance.

Li Miaozhen felt a sinking feeling in her heart. It seemed their visit to the Sitianjian was likely to end in rejection. Still, with Xu Qi’an and Zhong Li here, they might at least be able to hold a conversation.

_The Sitianjian Arcanists really are insufferably proud…_ Just as this thought crossed her mind, Xu Qi’an furrowed his brow and spoke in an imperious tone:

“Senior Brother Song, I heard you succeeded in creating a human. My friend here would like to take a look.”

_Idiot! Is that how you ask for a favour?!_ Li Miaozhen cursed inwardly.

Susu stomped her foot lightly, her face pinched with anxiety.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter filled the chamber, echoing off the walls. Song Qing opened his arms wide and approached Xu Qi’an, his expression one of unrestrained joy, as if greeting a long-lost brother.

“Master Xu, you’ve finally graced us with your presence! You’ve been back in the capital for months, visited the Sitianjian countless times, yet all you do is frolic with Senior Sister Zhong, neglecting the great cause of alchemy!”

The other Alchemists quickly crowded around, their earlier aloofness replaced with fervent excitement.

“Master Xu, you’ve finally come!”

“Our recent alchemy experiments are stuck at critical junctures. We’ve been discussing endlessly without making progress, all the while eagerly awaiting your return!”

“Master Xu, please, we beg you! Could you spend more time at the Sitianjian? Alchemy needs you!”

“Master Xu, have you finished the next volume of the Blue Book? We’ve been waiting for half a year!”

Li Miaozhen was pushed aside by the throng, forced to yield her spot.

She stood there, stunned, watching the once-proud Alchemists clamor around Xu Qi’an with smiles plastered across their faces. Gone was their earlier arrogance. Now, their eyes brimmed with reverence and admiration.

Especially when they mentioned the mysterious Blue Book, their attitudes became almost servile.

For a moment, Li Miaozhen thought she might have misjudged reality.

_This is absurd. Absolutely absurd._