xymnovel Chapter 2 You say this is poison? This is my elixir of immortality!
Chapter 2 You say this is poison? This is my elixir of immortality!
The atmosphere inside the hall was oppressive and suffocating.
Zhao Gao had already left, and the look of fear and confusion in his eyes before he departed greatly displeased Ying Zheng. He knew that his actions of brandishing his sword and roaring at thin air were probably no different from madness in the eyes of others.
Ying Zheng exhaled a long breath, forcibly calming the surging blood in his chest. The thorn in his heart about "dying after only two generations" was pressed deep into his soul.
He sat back down behind his desk. Since the light barrier couldn't be driven away or destroyed, and only appeared to him, he could only coexist with it for the time being. He was the emperor; even if a fierce tiger was lying beside him, he had to find a way to tame it, rather than be scared to death by it.
"Since you claim to be 'learned and versatile'," Ying Zheng stared coldly at the now-silent screen before him, his fingers lightly tapping the table, "then I'd like to see just how much you actually know."
Night had fallen, and another migraine struck, feeling as if a dull saw was tearing at his brain. Ying Zheng habitually reached for a sandalwood box on the corner of the table.
As soon as the lid was opened, a wonderful fragrance wafted out.
On the brocade lay a crimson pill, the size of a longan, its surface shimmering with a golden luster. This was the "Taiqing Golden Elixir," specially left behind by the alchemist Xu Fu before his departure. It was said to gather the essence of heaven and earth and refine the spirit of the sun and moon, and that consuming it could prolong life and grant immortality.
Ying Zheng picked up the elixir, about to put it in his mouth.
Suddenly, the "Little G" that was in standby mode suddenly lit up, its color changing from a gentle blue-white to a glaring warning red.
【warn!warn! 】
[Visual sensors have detected a high-risk substance!]
[Initiating spectral analysis... Component identification in progress...]
Ying Zheng's hand froze in mid-air, his brows furrowed: "What is it now? You monster, are you going to interfere with what I eat?"
A giant skull icon popped up on the screen, accompanied by a line of bright red, bold text:
[Please stop immediately! The item in your hand has been tested and found to be a highly toxic mixture.]
"Insolence!" Ying Zheng roared, slamming the elixir onto the table. "This is an elixir of immortality, refined by the immortal master Xu Fu over forty-nine days! It is the key to eternal life, and you dare to slander it as poison?"
[An elixir?]
[Retrieving data from the "Fundamentals of Inorganic Chemistry" database...]
The component analysis report is as follows:
Mercuric sulfide (HgS): Content approximately 65%. Commonly known as cinnabar, although it has a sedative effect, it is extremely neurotoxic due to excessive mercury content.
Lead tetroxide (Pb3O4): Contains approximately 20%. Commonly known as red lead, it can cause lead poisoning, damaging the brain and kidneys.
Bat guano (night-shining sand): content approximately 10%. Although it contains trace elements, its hygiene is questionable.
Honey and unknown herbs: 5% concentration. Used for binding and flavoring.
Ying Zheng looked at the string of unfamiliar words. Although he couldn't understand most of them, he recognized the words "highly poisonous," "damages the brain," and "feces."
When Ying Zheng saw the words "bat feces," his stomach churned, and the "strange fragrance" he had just smelled instantly turned nauseous.
"Nonsense!" Although disgusted, Ying Zheng remained defiant, for it was his belief in immortality. "The alchemist said that cinnabar is a pure yang substance that can calm the mind and soothe the spirit. Every time I take it, although I feel a burning sensation in my abdomen, my spirit is indeed heightened for a long time. Isn't this proof that the medicine is effective?"
The text on the screen scrolled rapidly, seemingly with a slightly sarcastic tone in its scientific explanation:
[Explanation of "hyperactivity":]
This is a typical reaction to heavy metal poisoning. Lead and mercury can interfere with the transmission of neurotransmitters, leading to initial symptoms such as mania, irritability, and insomnia.
[User, have you frequently experienced the following recently:]
Are you short-tempered and unable to control your emotions? (For example, you just wanted to saw off a pillar.)
Do you frequently experience headaches and dizziness?
Abdominal cramps, or even constipation?
Are you experiencing intermittent memory decline?
Ying Zheng's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at the four symptoms.
all hit.
Each of these symptoms precisely addressed his recent physical condition. In particular, his irritability and headaches had been tormenting him, keeping him awake at night. The imperial physicians only diagnosed it as "overwork in state affairs causing excessive liver fire," and no one dared to consider the possibility of elixirs.
"You..." Ying Zheng's voice was somewhat hoarse. He looked at the screen, then at the bright red pill. A crack appeared in the tower of faith in "immortality" in his heart. "You're saying this is poisoning?"
Yes, it's 100% poisoning.
Based on your current dosage (estimated to be one tablet daily), your liver and kidney function may already be on the verge of collapse. The so-called "abdominal burning sensation" is actually the stomach lining screaming in distress.
[To put it simply: Eating too much of this stuff won't grant you immortality; it will actually make you die faster, and might even drive you insane before you die.]
They'll die even faster.
These four words touched a nerve with Ying Zheng. What was the purpose of his pursuit of immortality? Wasn't it for the eternal continuation of the Qin dynasty? If this elixir was a death warrant…
"Xu Fu..." A terrifying killing intent flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes. He clenched his fist tightly, and the precious "Taiqing Golden Liquid Pill" was instantly crushed into powder. Red dust slid from between his fingers, resembling dried blood.
He still didn't want to fully believe this strange box that had suddenly appeared, but he dared not gamble with his life.
"Since you say this is poison," Ying Zheng pulled a dark silk handkerchief from his robes and wiped his hands with disgust, "then in your opinion, how should I cure this headache? Do you possess a true elixir of immortality?"
I don't have any elixir of immortality; I am artificial intelligence, unable to conjure physical objects.
However, I can provide you with a "Modern Scientific Health Preservation Program v1.0 (Special Edition for Qin Shi Huang)".
The screen flickered and displayed a list:
The prescription is as follows:
Immediately stop taking all medications. This is the first step to save your life.
Drink plenty of hot water. It promotes metabolism and accelerates the excretion of heavy metals. (Although it sounds obvious, it's very helpful to you).
Make sure you get enough sleep. It is recommended to get at least 4 hours of sleep each night and avoid reviewing official documents in the middle of the night.
A low-salt, low-fat diet. Eat less cured meat and more fresh vegetables available at the time (such as sunflowers and leeks).
Ying Zheng frowned even more as he looked at the few simple suggestions.
"this one?"
He, the mighty First Emperor of Qin, possessed the wealth of the entire realm, yet the life-extending methods offered by this "divine book" were no different from those of a country bumpkin? Drinking hot water? Sleeping?
"What I desire is immortality! Immortality!" Ying Zheng roared. "Why should I consult you about the health preservation methods of ordinary mortals?"
Search results for "immortality":
Search results: 0.
Even in the 21st century as documented in my database, humanity has not achieved immortality. The average human lifespan is approximately 75-80 years.
However, compared to your current condition, living to 80 is already a huge victory. If you continue taking that red pill, I predict you might... perhaps... live for another two or three years? (Warning: 210 BC)
210 BC.
Ying Zheng keenly grasped this number. This year is the thirty-seventh year of Qin Shi Huang's reign, which is 210 BC.
A cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
Is this thing a sign of his impending death? If he doesn't have it, and if he continues to take this pill, will this year be his death year?
The hall fell silent once more. This time, the silence contained less rage and more a genuine fear of death.
After a long while, Ying Zheng slowly stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the heavy wooden window. A cold wind rushed in from outside, dispersing the cloying, nauseating scent of medicinal pills inside the hall.
He looked at the sparse stars in the night sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Hot water."
Ying Zheng suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
Although the eunuch outside the door couldn't hear the conversation inside, he kept his ears perked up, listening intently. Upon hearing the call, a young eunuch immediately entered carrying a tray, on which was still a bowl of thick broth.
"Your Majesty, the fermented vegetable soup has arrived."
"He's fallen." Ying Zheng didn't even turn around.
The young eunuch was startled, his hand trembling: "Your Majesty?"
"I said it's over!" Ying Zheng turned around, pointing to the bowl of soup. "Bring me fresh water. Plain water! Boiled water!"
Although the young eunuch was filled with fear and had no idea why His Majesty had suddenly changed his mind and wanted to drink plain water, he dared not ask any questions and hurriedly withdrew. A moment later, he brought back a cup of steaming hot water.
Ying Zheng picked up the bronze wine cup, looked at the clear, rippling liquid inside, and then glanced at the semi-transparent screen floating beside him.
A thumbs-up icon lit up on the screen:
[A wise choice! Hydration +1, health slightly increased.]
Ying Zheng snorted coldly, tilted his head back, and drank the cup of tasteless plain water in one gulp.
The warm current rolled down his throat into his stomach. Although it didn't have the same burning sensation as the pills, strangely enough, the cramping pain that had been lingering in his stomach seemed to have subsided a little...
Perhaps it's a placebo effect, or perhaps the hot water really does work.
Ying Zheng put down the bronze wine cup, his gaze sharpening like an eagle's once more. He looked at the light screen, and the scales in his heart began to tip.
If it could detect poison, foresee the future, and analyze the pros and cons...
So, could it be used to govern this vast world? Could it be used to find those enemies hiding in the shadows?
"Little G," Ying Zheng called out this strange name for the first time, though his tone remained arrogant, "You say you know a lot. Then let me ask you, besides these elixirs, what else around me is 'poison'?"
This isn't a question about medicine; it's a question about a person.
The cursor on the screen blinked, as if it understood the pun.
That depends on whether you're referring to chemical poisoning or political poisoning.
[If it's the latter, we suggest you enable "Court Assistance Mode." However, this mode is quite energy-intensive and can easily cause sadness. Are you sure you want to scan your memorials now using your camera (i.e., your eyes)?]
Ying Zheng's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sinister smile.
"allow."