Starting with ten elixirs of immortality, I led the First Emperor to rebel against the Qin Dynasty.

Zhao Gao bowed and withdrew from the Qilin Hall, only daring to straighten up when the hall's doors were no longer visible. A cold wind blew through the Xianyang Palace, and he realized his inner garment was already soaked with cold sweat.

His Majesty's first decree upon his return was quite strange.

Elixir of immortality? Living creature?

Zhao Gao dared not think too deeply, only feeling a chill run down his spine. He hurried towards the courtyard where the palace sorcerers lived.

The residence of a Taoist priest.

When Zhao Gao arrived, Xu Fu's residence was in a state of commotion, with several young Taoist boys packing some books and artifacts into boxes.

Upon seeing Zhao Gao arrive in person, Xu Fu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm. He stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Prefect Zhao, it is an honor to have you here. I have failed to greet you properly."

"Master Xu, there's no need for formalities." Zhao Gao's tone was urgent, and he didn't bother with pleasantries. "His Majesty has decreed that you bring the newly refined elixir and come with me to the palace for an audience."

Xu Fu's heart sank.

He was planning to use the pretext of searching for a sacred mountain to request permission from His Majesty to sail away with three thousand boys and girls and all the treasures he had amassed, to live a carefree life overseas. Why, of all times, does His Majesty want to see him at this crucial juncture?

"I wonder what Your Majesty has summoned me for?" Xu Fu asked tentatively.

Zhao Gao lowered his voice: "Don't ask anymore. His Majesty also ordered that a few chickens and rabbits be prepared and taken along. Hurry! His Majesty is waiting!"

Chicken? Rabbit?

Xu Fu's expression changed. He knew the elixirs he had refined best. Small amounts of those cinnabar, lead, and mercury substances could induce mental excitement and a feeling of euphoria, but large doses or long-term use would result in deadly poison that would kill one's intestines.

Using live animals to test drugs?

Xu Fu dared not think any further and could only force himself to remain calm: "This humble Taoist obeys the decree. Please ask Magistrate Zhao to wait a moment."

He turned and went inside, taking out several crimson pills from a sandalwood box and carefully placing them into a brocade box. Each pill emitted a strange medicinal fragrance and looked very appealing.

Before long, Zhao Gao, accompanied by Xu Fu and several trusted alchemists, carrying brocade boxes and cages containing chickens and rabbits, returned to the Qilin Hall.

Ying Zheng sat high on the throne, his face ashen.

"This servant Zhao Gao, along with the alchemist Xu Fu and others, pays homage to Your Majesty!" Zhao Gao knelt down first, his voice filled with flattery.

"This humble Taoist priest, Xu Fu, pays his respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!" Xu Fu and the others also knelt down.

Zhao Gao crawled two steps on his knees, looked up, and laughed, "Your Majesty's fortune is boundless! The alchemist Xu has devoted himself to the elixir, and his craft has improved once again. This elixir possesses the power of heaven and earth; if Your Majesty takes it, you will surely enjoy longevity and live as long as the heavens!"

Xu Fu, upon hearing this, nearly broke out in a cold sweat. Not daring to look up, he seized the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, this humble Taoist observed the celestial phenomena last night and saw purple clouds rising in the east, a sign that the immortal mountains overseas are revealing themselves. This humble Taoist humbly requests Your Majesty's permission to lead three thousand young boys and girls to sea immediately to seek the true elixir of immortality for Your Majesty! This journey will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

He wanted to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible.

Ying Zheng ignored their words and waved his hand at the eunuchs standing in the hall.

"Feed the pills to those beasts."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fu suddenly looked up, his face turning deathly pale.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" he exclaimed. "This is an elixir of immortality, imbued with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and the essence of the sun and moon. How can mortal beings, with their impure bodies, withstand the divine power of this elixir? This act is blasphemy against a divine medicine, and we fear divine retribution, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Gao, realizing his mistake, quickly chimed in, "Yes, Your Majesty, what the alchemist Xu says is absolutely right! The elixir is incredibly precious! Your Majesty's health is paramount; if you wish to test the medicine, you should use condemned prisoners. Those condemned prisoners deserve to die; it is their honor to test the elixir for Your Majesty. Why defile this Qilin Palace and offend Your Majesty's eyes?"

Ying Zheng's gaze slowly swept across their faces, his gaze devoid of warmth, causing them to choke on their words.

"My mind is made up."

Ying Zheng uttered four words calmly.

"No need for further explanation."

Xu Fu and Zhao Gao felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave, their bodies turning ice-cold, and they dared not utter another word.

The eunuch cautiously opened the brocade box, took out a crimson pill, broke it in half, and put one half into the mouth of a rabbit and the other into the mouth of a chicken.

After doing all this, the eunuch stepped aside.

All eyes in the entire hall were focused on the two cages.

At first, the chickens and rabbits showed no abnormalities.

After a while, they seemed a little excited, scurrying around in the small cage, making "cooing" sounds in their throats, as if they were enjoying themselves.

Xu Fu's tense nerves quietly relaxed a little.

Perhaps the dosage was insufficient? Or perhaps these animals have different constitutions and are able to withstand the drug's effects?

Zhao Gao even planned to say that the elixir was incredibly powerful, even animals would be greatly enhanced after taking it, and that the effect would be even better if His Majesty took it.

Xu Fu was secretly relieved. As long as he could get through today, he would do everything he could to petition for permission to go to sea tomorrow.

However, their relief lasted for less than fifteen minutes.

The rabbit, which had been hopping around energetically, suddenly started convulsing, its limbs kicking wildly in the cage, making a "bang bang" sound.

Black blood was flowing from its nostrils and the corners of its mouth.

The convulsions became more and more violent. Finally, its body stiffened abruptly, its limbs became rigid, and it stopped moving completely.

Everyone in the hall watched this scene, not daring to utter a sound.

"Gah—!"

Just then, the chicken in the cage next to them let out a piercing scream.

Its feathers stood on end like a hedgehog. It frantically banged its head against the cage, its wings flapping wildly, until finally its neck tilted to the side, and it collapsed to the ground, its body convulsing a few times before finally falling silent.

"what!"

Zhao Gao was so frightened that his legs went weak and he collapsed to his knees.

He understood everything.

He crawled on his hands and feet toward the throne, tears streaming down his face, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, spare me! I didn't know! I truly didn't know this elixir was deadly poison! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"

He now desperately wants to distance himself completely from these sorcerers.

Xu Fu and the other alchemists were already ashen-faced and trembling like leaves.

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"

"Your Majesty, it must be this beast's filth that has corrupted the medicinal properties, not the elixir itself! Please allow me to reopen the furnace, and I will surely be able to refine the true elixir!" a sorcerer shouted hoarsely, his forehead bleeding profusely from kowtowing.

Xu Fu, disregarding his dignified and otherworldly demeanor, wailed, "Your Majesty! Your humble servant is willing to use my crippled body to test the medicine. I beg Your Majesty to give me another chance, even if it means feeding fish in the East Sea. Please spare my worthless life!"

Cries for mercy rose and fell, echoing in the empty hall.

Ying Zheng slowly rose from his throne, ignoring the pleas for mercy from Zhao Gao, Xu Fu, and the others. His gaze fell upon the two still-warm animal carcasses.

He recalled Zhao Huan's words.

"Feed them the pills the alchemist made, and see how long they live. I guarantee they'll be dead in no time."

utterly dead.

Ying Zheng was furious. In his pursuit of immortality, he had been consuming these highly poisonous substances as if they were treasures for so many years.

If it weren't for Huan'er, he probably would have been completely consumed by these elixirs long ago.

He raised his hand.

All sounds inside the hall came to an abrupt halt.

"Someone come here."

Ying Zheng's voice was calm, eerily calm.

"Seize all the sorcerers and throw them into the imperial prison."

Upon hearing the commotion, the black-armored guards outside the hall rushed in and dragged Xu Fu and the others, who were limp on the ground, out like wolves and tigers.

"Zhao Gao."

Ying Zheng then turned his gaze to Zhao Gao.

Zhao Gao was startled and lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

Ying Zheng glanced at Zhao Gao, then turned and walked towards the inner hall.

"Twenty strokes of the cane, go and receive your punishment."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"