Phoenix Rising

047

Zi-ning had never seen a huanhun dan in her past life, but she had definitely heard of it. Rumoured to be made by a reclusive hermit that was known as the River Immortal, the pill was said to be able to cure all ailments—and even resurrect the dead. Ru-an had once spent an enormous amount of effort to locate the River Immortal for the sake of the miracle pill, hoping to present it as a gift to the king in exchange for the throne. He never succeeded.

"You're the River Immortal?" she asked, staring at the old man.

She had always believed that the old hermit and the huanhun dan were merely things of legend, but she had been mistaken.

The elder huffed. "River Immortal? What a useless fancy title."

Zi-ning rushed forward, dropping to her knees in front of him. She pressed her forehead to the ground. "Please, could you give me one huanhun dan? I beg you. I will do anything you ask in exchange for it," she pleaded.

She remembered the day they brought her brother, Yongxing, home from the battlefield. His broken armour hung from his shoulders, his clothes stained with blood, and his face was ghastly white. He had lain unconscious for a whole two months, with the physicians exhausting all their means to save him, but to no avail. Even the best medicines from the palace that she had begged Ru-wen for had not been able to help. His condition began to deteriorate, until eventually he left this world for the next. That day, she had cried until her eyes were dry, mourning the loss of the older brother that had loved her so.

If Yongxing had survived, maybe things would have been different.

Now that she had a second chance, she would not let him die before her eyes once more.

"No!" the old man barked. "Why would I give it to you? I've already wasted one of this imbecile as it is," he said, waving a bony finger at Zhenghuan. "Now stop making so much noise and disturbing my peace. Once you're recovered, get the hell out of here." Scowling, the eccentric man shuffled back towards the house, slamming the door shut behind him.

Zhenghuan set down his firewood, then bent over and helped Zi-ning back up to her feet. "Old Man Hu a bit of an oddball," he said. "The more you want it, the less likely he'll give it to you." He looked at Zi-ning questioningly. "Why do you want the huanhun dan so badly?"

Zi-ning bit down on her lower lip. There was no good way for her to explain the real reason why she wanted the pill. It would make no logical sense whatsoever. Instead, she shrugged. "Why not? Who wouldn't want a pill that can bring back the dead?" she said, trying to sound casual.

Zhenghuan gave her a pointed look, then turned away and headed for the river's edge. "It's fine if you don't want to tell me," he said. "Everyone is entitled to their secrets." He picked up a stone, skipping it across the water's surface.

Zi-ning was surprised. Was he going to let her off the hook this easily? Or did he simply not care?

Isn't it better if he doesn't probe? She wasn't prepared to tell him the truth anyway. Still, a slight inexplicable sourness tingled at the tip of her tongue. Shaking off the sensation, she walked over to his side.

"How are you feeling? Were you badly injured?" she asked.

Zhenghuan looked perfectly well, but it was impossible for him to have escaped unscathed after falling from such a height. She studied him from head to toe, trying to figure out whether or not he might have any injuries hidden from view.

He shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "I'm fine," he said. "Suffered from a few broken ribs and a broken ankle, but Old Hu's huanhun dan did its job well. The fractures mended in only a day, and now there's only a bit of residual stiffness in my limbs." He rotated his shoulders, as if to prove that he was as fit as he claimed. "What about you? Your injuries were lighter, but Old Hu said the huanhun dan would not work on you, so he had to administer some weaker medications."