Honghuang: Eat a Hunyuan Daluo

On the fairy island of Yingzhou, Yu Ding and Gui Ling returned from the mortal world.

In the struggle for destiny among the various schools of thought, the biggest winners were undoubtedly Li Er and Confucius. One of them directly attained sainthood by virtue of his immense destiny, while the other condensed the Dao Fruit of the Primordial Golden Immortal and only needed to absorb spiritual energy to attain Dao.

The incarnation of Kunpeng succeeded Li Er as the head of Taoism and also gained considerable benefits, breaking through to the level of a quasi-sage.

The Chan sect, being a Legalist sect, received a massive amount of fortune, which helped to stabilize the sect, which was originally on the verge of collapse.

The Buddhist sect, which originated from Buddhism, initially gained some fortune, but later, due to the First Emperor's suppression of Buddhism, they did not ultimately receive much benefit.

On the Jie Sect's side, Jin Ling's military strategy received a significant share of the fortune, which benefited her, allowing her to successfully break through to the level of a Quasi-Saint.

Wu Dang, along with Gui Ling and Youqin Daji, formed the Medical School.

Of the Hundred Schools of Thought of today, only six remain in the court under the oppressive power of the First Emperor. In other words, these six schools currently receive the most fortune.

Wudang, Guiling, and Youqin Daji all benefited greatly.

Wudang was only one step away from becoming a Quasi-Saint, Guiling broke through to the peak of Hunyuan Golden Immortal, and Youqin Daji made rapid progress in her cultivation, breaking through from the late stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal to the peak of Daluo Golden Immortal.

Yu Ding, who founded the Mohist school, received the benefits of Wudang, Guiling, and Youqin Yueyue. He used the luck to push his self-created Great Dao to 99%, and was just one step away from proving the Dao.

The Yin-Yang School was founded by a powerful figure who surprised even Bai Jing. Bai Jing had not paid attention to who founded the Yin-Yang School before, until the Yin-Yang School's fortune was completely transferred to the Demon Realm. Only then did Bai Jing realize that the founder of the Yin-Yang School was Donghuang Taiyi.

All of this fortune was bestowed upon Donghuang Taiyi's nephew, and soon after, a sub-saint was born in the demon realm.

With this, the fate of the various schools of thought was completely divided.

For the Qin Dynasty, the various schools of thought were both parasites that sucked blood and guardians. When Ying Zheng suppressed the various schools of thought and ended their era, a void appeared in the human world, and the true demons of the desire realm took advantage of the situation.

Most of the true demons in the Desire Realm are inner demons. The deeper one's thoughts and the stronger one's desires, the easier it is for one to be possessed by a true demon.

Unbeknownst to many, quite a few people in the Qin Dynasty have already been bewitched by their inner demons.

Time flies, and Ying Zheng grew old. He began to fear death and sought to break the shackles that prevented the human emperor from cultivating. He wanted to live forever!

Ying Zheng was exhausted after a long day. Zhao Gao jogged up behind him and began to massage him. The pressure was just right, the technique was exquisite, and it felt very comfortable!

After massaging for a while, Zhao Gao suddenly asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, have you recently experienced any symptoms such as lower back and knee pain, dizziness, tinnitus, weakness, or lethargy?"

Ying Zheng didn't even open his eyes, and asked in a completely emotionless tone, "What good idea do you have?"

Zhao Gao hurriedly said, "This servant is proficient in alchemy and can refine the Ten-Complete Tonic Pill for Your Majesty to replenish your energy, restore your vitality, and prolong your life."

Ying Zheng casually waved his hand and said, "Granted!"

The following day, Ying Zheng personally issued an edict to build a special alchemy room in the palace to refine the Ten-Complete Tonic Pill.

A month later, the alchemy room was officially completed, and large quantities of precious medicinal materials and minerals were transported into the room.

Another month later, Zhao Gao successfully refined the Golden Elixir, named the Ten-Complete Tonic Pill. The perfectly round Golden Elixir emitted a fragrant aroma and looked very appealing.

In the Xianyang Palace, Ying Zheng examined the golden elixir, nodded, and said, "Not bad. A reward of one thousand. Keep up the good work and refine more and better golden elixirs for me."

After saying that, Ying Zheng tilted his head back and swallowed the golden elixir.

When Zhao Gao saw Ying Zheng swallow the golden pill, he lowered his head in a corner where no one could see him, and a slight smile appeared on his lips!
On the dragon throne, Ying Zheng's face showed a look of intoxication. After a few breaths, he slowly waved his hand and said, "Step down."

Just as Zhao Gao was about to leave, Ying Zheng suddenly spoke again: "Send one of these pills every seven days."

A look of delight flashed across Zhao Gao's face, and he immediately bowed in agreement.

Next, Zhao Gao multitasked, serving Ying Zheng while focusing on refining the elixir of immortality, sending one to Ying Zheng every seven days.

Ying Zheng would swallow it without saying a word each time. At first, he did feel that his energy was getting better and better, but as time went by, he felt that his energy was gradually declining, and he was not as serious about handling state affairs as before.

At this point, Ying Zheng had already sensed something was wrong. Ying Zheng was not stupid; he immediately realized that there was a problem with the elixir and promptly summoned physicians from the medical school to help diagnose it.

After some hesitation, the physicians finally said, trembling, that the First Emperor had less than three years left to live.

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng sighed deeply. From that moment on, he had no desire for immortality and only wanted to leave a peaceful and prosperous era for his son to inherit.

From that day on, Ying Zheng threw away all the elixirs that Zhao Gao had sent. At the same time, Ying Zheng once again relied heavily on the Black Ice Guard. Under the surveillance of the Black Ice Guard, Ying Zheng discovered that many people in the Qin Dynasty were behaving strangely, and their behavior was very different from before. Zhao Gao was one of them.

Ying Zheng silently noted down these people, intending to deal with them together in the future.

Time flies like water, and in the blink of an eye, another year has passed.

Ying Zheng started consuming the Golden Elixir, initially taking one every seven days, then one every three days, and now one every day!
Zhao Gao, on the other hand, rose to a higher and more powerful position, and was appointed as the Chief of the Imperial Carriage Office, concurrently in charge of the imperial seals.

Ying Zheng consumed the elixir of immortality, and his actions became increasingly absurd, interrupting the flourishing of the Qin Dynasty and giving rise to signs of impending doom.

Ministers such as Wei Liaozi, Li Si, and Meng Yi submitted memorials and offered advice, which enraged Ying Zheng, who ordered them to reflect on their mistakes behind closed doors.

Zhao Gao was riding high, and even took the eighteenth son of the First Emperor, Huhai, as his disciple.

Hu Hai's birth mother was of low status. Although she was favored by Ying Zheng, she knew that she had no hope of becoming emperor. Now that she had Zhao Gao's support, Hu Hai placed all his hopes on Zhao Gao and treated him with utmost respect.

As Ying Zheng became incompetent, the remnants of the six states showed signs of resurgence, revealing their presence throughout the country, seeking to overthrow the Qin dynasty.

In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shi Huang's reign, in order to suppress the arrogance of the remnants of the six former states, Ying Zheng decided to embark on his fourth tour of the empire.

This inspection tour of the world, centered on Xianyang, passed through the counties of the Great Qin Dynasty, and toured the nine provinces.

Before leaving, Ying Zheng made a point of taking Hu Hai, Li Si, and other ministers with him.

On this day, Ying Zheng's carriage slowly drove to the sand dunes. For some reason, Ying Zheng fell ill as soon as he arrived at the sand dunes and was bedridden.

The caravan had no choice but to temporarily camp at the sand dunes. After Zhao Gao had shown concern for Ying Zheng, the excitement in his eyes grew even stronger. The pills he gave Ying Zheng were all heavily laced with potent ingredients. Although Ying Zheng was the emperor, he was still a mortal and could not withstand them.

As time went by, Ying Zheng's illness worsened. Zhao Gao, who was serving Ying Zheng closely, noticed that Ying Zheng's breath was weak and his internal organs were emitting signs of aging and decay. He then prepared to add fuel to the fire.

On this day, Ying Zheng drank a bowl of ginseng soup and regained some of his energy. Zhao Gao took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, in recent days I have developed a kind of golden elixir. Taking it can lead to ascension to immortality. However, refining the elixir will shorten one's lifespan, but for Your Majesty, Zhao Gao has no regrets."

Ying Zheng sneered inwardly. If he hadn't already known Zhao Gao's true colors, he would have been fooled by his appearance. But since Ying Zheng was just fishing for him, he naturally wouldn't expose him. So he pretended to be weak and slowly nodded, saying, "Go and refine it! Just tell me what you need."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao left in high spirits. After half a month and consuming countless materials, the enhanced version of the Golden Elixir was successfully refined!

Afterwards, Zhao Gao presented the freshly made elixir to Ying Zheng, his face showing a fawning expression: "Your Majesty, this is the elixir of immortality. One pill will cure all serious illnesses, cleanse the marrow and bones, and grant immortality. There is only one of its kind in the world."

Ying Zheng's face turned ashen. He waved his hand, and Zhao Gao immediately understood, handing over the golden elixir.

Ying Zheng took the golden pill, looked it over for a while, and then swallowed it in one gulp.

In an instant, the immense and potent medicinal power contained within the Golden Core's outer layer surged through Ying Zheng's body like a floodgate being opened.

Ying Zheng's face flushed, and he felt his whole body brimming with power.

Ying Zheng glanced at Zhao Gao with satisfaction, then waved his hand and said, "You may leave."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao slowly withdrew.

After Zhao Gao left, the Sand Dune Palace was empty. Ying Zheng's expression turned calm. He opened his mouth and spat out the black pill, throwing it into the furnace.

As the furnace burned, wisps of black smoke rose from the elixir, as if living beings were weeping within it.

Ying Zheng clapped his hands, and Zhang Han appeared immediately. He glanced at the stove and his face turned angry: "Your Majesty, Zhao Gao has poisoned you with his wolfish ambitions. Please issue an order, and I will immediately execute him."

Ying Zheng, however, remained calm: "The Qin Dynasty is in turmoil, the waves are surging. Now that we have Zhao Gao under control, how can we lure out the fish in the water? I summoned you here to tell you some things. At most, I will fake my death in a month. At that time, you..."

Time flew by, and more than ten days passed. After swallowing the golden elixir in the Sand Dune Palace, Ying Zheng was only invigorated for one day before returning to a weak state. In the following days, he grew weaker and weaker each day until today, when he entered a state of imminent death.

Ying Zheng summoned Zhao Gao, whose face was pale and whose voice was weak, and said, "I probably won't be able to return to Xianyang. I will issue a will, appointing Fusu as the Second Emperor."

Ying Zheng said that Zhao Gao was writing it down below, and after half an hour, Zhao Gao had written it all down.

Ying Zheng seemed to have completed his final mission; his head lolled to the side, and he breathed his last.

"Your Majesty!" Zhao Gao's face showed grief. He quickly crawled to Ying Zheng's side and carefully checked him over. He found that Ying Zheng was indeed no longer breathing.

"Crack!" A loud roar suddenly rang out from the ninth heaven of the mortal realm, spreading throughout the nine provinces of the mortal realm. The Purple Star Emperor dimmed and lost its light, looking as if it was about to fall from the heavens. The fortune of the human race plummeted to a freezing point, and the Great Qin Dynasty became increasingly precarious.

Among the remnants of the six kingdoms were those who understood astronomy and could perform calculations. Upon seeing the strange phenomenon in the sky, they quickly informed the others.

Upon hearing this, the remaining remnants of the six states became excited. An elderly man with white hair asked excitedly, "Has Ying Zheng really passed away?"

The astronomer nodded seriously: "With the imperial star falling, Ying Zheng must have already passed away!"

The remnants of the six states began to stir. No one dared to rebel while the First Emperor was alive, but now that he had fallen, their opportunity had finally arrived!

Meanwhile, Zhao Gao looked at Ying Zheng's gradually cooling body in the palace, pondered for a long time, and then made up his mind. He coldly said to the eunuch serving outside the palace, "His Majesty is resting. No one is allowed to go in and disturb him. Anyone who disturbs His Majesty shall be executed!"

The group of eunuchs nodded vigorously, like chickens pecking at rice.

After leaving the palace, Zhao Gao immediately headed towards Li Si's residence.

Upon arriving at Li Si's residence, Zhao Gao informed Li Si of the news of the First Emperor's death.

Upon hearing this, Li Si was shocked: "His Majesty has passed away? How could that be!" Then, Li Si flew into a rage: "Zhao Gao, you dare to fabricate such a story about His Majesty! You deserve to die!"

Zhao Gao did not offer any explanation, but instead took Li Si directly to Ying Zheng's palace.

Li Si looked at Ying Zheng, whose body was already cold, his expression incredibly complex: "His Majesty has truly passed away."

Having served as prime minister for many years, Li Si naturally knew how momentous the death of the First Emperor was. He raised his head and asked in a deep voice, "The most urgent task after His Majesty's passing is to rush back to Xianyang to stabilize the situation. I ask you, did His Majesty leave any will before his death?"

Zhao Gao slowly took out the First Emperor's edict from his bosom.

Li Si glanced at the document and immediately said firmly, "Since His Majesty has made a will, then Prince Fusu should be enthroned as emperor."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao smiled mysteriously: "Does the Prime Minister truly intend to support Prince Fusu's succession to the throne?"

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Gao slowly said, "Prince Fusu is benevolent and dislikes Legalist thought. He heavily relies on Meng Tian, ​​Meng Yi, and others. When His Majesty was in power, the Prime Minister was second only to the Emperor. How could Prince Fusu have achieved his current position after succeeding to the position of Prime Minister?"

Upon hearing this, Li Si asked with a grim face, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Zhao Gao smiled and took out another imperial edict from his bosom.

The edict clearly states that the First Emperor appointed Huhai as the Second Emperor.

Li Si's face immediately darkened. Of all the First Emperor's sons, Hu Hai was the most incompetent. If Hu Hai were to succeed to the throne, wouldn't the Qin Dynasty be in chaos?

Zhao Gao's mind raced, and a wisp of black energy flew into Li Si's heart. At the same time, he continued to tempt him, saying, "I am Hu Hai's teacher. If Hu Hai ascends the throne, we will still hold a position second only to the emperor, looking down upon the Qin Dynasty."

Zhao Gao's words were highly persuasive, and with the added effect of the black aura, Li Si's eyes became unfocused for a moment after a few breaths. Finally, he slowly nodded and gritted his teeth, saying, "Then let's do it!"

Thus, Li Si and Zhao Gao conspired to alter the First Emperor's will. The two then ordered a large quantity of salted fish to be sent over, as the stench of the salted fish perfectly masked the stench emanating from the First Emperor's corpse.

At the same time, Li Si and Zhao Gao ordered men to rush to Shangjun to kill Fusu.

That night, outside the carriage, Zhang Han's voice called out. Ying Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them. He knocked on the carriage in response.

A few breaths later, the chariot was broken open by Zhang Han, and Ying Zheng stepped out.

Upon seeing Ying Zheng, Zhang Han knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, Li Si and Zhao Gao have conspired, and the Qin dynasty is in grave danger. I beg Your Majesty to take charge of the situation."

"With me here, they can't cause any trouble. Just follow the original plan and take me to Shangjun."

Zhang Han immediately nodded in agreement.

Soon, the Black Ice Platform quietly brought in a corpse that resembled the First Emperor and stuffed it into the carriage.

Zhang Han, meanwhile, led Ying Zheng alone, galloping at full speed towards Shangjun. (End of Chapter)