Will you regret it?

Gongye Fusu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The Grand Tutor only gave me three days to refine the pills according to the formula."

Aqiu, quick-witted, asked, "Is it difficult for Young Master Fusu?"

Gongye Fusu gazed at her intently for a moment, then said, “These medicinal herbs are indeed rare, but the Gongye family can still produce them. If we truly lack them, with the Gongye family's influence, we can immediately seek them from medicinal herb merchants in other countries. The only thing I am not certain about is…”

A-Qiu listened attentively.

Gongye Fusu said, word by word, "I have never refined this pill before. I have relied entirely on trial and error to determine the appropriate heat and level of refinement. I cannot guarantee that the pill I refine will be usable."

He added, "If it is not suitable, taking it rashly may have unpredictable consequences."

The fact that even the world's foremost expert in the art of incense, skilled in discerning countless flavors, could make A Qiu so cautious, he had no choice but to perk up and ask, "May I ask, young master, what kind of elixir is this, and what is its purpose?"

Gongye Fusu said in a deep voice, "I wonder if you have ever heard of the Divine Transformation Pill?"

Upon hearing this, A Qiu couldn't help but recall that the Lanling Hall's ancient texts, passed down from the Warring States period, seemed to mention this elixir's name. However, there was only one mention of it, recorded as an anecdote in the assassin's biography.

It is said that this elixir can grant immortality and allow one to remain in the world in a different form. It was passed down from Fu Niu, the founder of Taoism, to Gui Gu Zi. Gui Gu Zi's disciples studied many miscellaneous arts, and the method of refining this elixir was later passed on to the lineage of alchemists.

Early records of martial arts practitioners often traced back to immortals, but the elixirs they used were famous but lacked a formula, so later generations could only regard them as legends and myths.

A Qiu humbly said, "Just hearing its name makes it seem like a mythical elixir of immortality, like the Nine-Turn Purple Gold Pill."

Gongye Fusu smiled and said, "What you say is not far off. If it were only its name, it would indeed seem like something out of a myth, as you say. However, the records of our ancestors contain a recipe for this 'Transformation Pill'. Although it is incomplete, the seven main ingredients and five auxiliary ingredients are exactly the same as the recipe given by the young master. Therefore, I conclude that what the young master wants to refine is the Transformation Pill."

As A Qiu pondered how the Gongye family, a family renowned for its spices for generations, could have recorded a prescription, even though they were neither alchemists nor physicians, Gongye Fusu had already answered her questions.

He said calmly, "Does the young lady know that the art of incense and the art of witchcraft were originally inseparable?"

A-Qiu herself doesn't use any fragrances, because assassins are sensitive to scents and must constantly distinguish poisons and odors in their environment. Most of her knowledge of fragrances comes from her senior apprentice, Gongyi Xiu, because he always bathes and uses incense, and frequents brothels like Luoyufang, places teeming with women. She replied:

"I've only heard one person say that burning incense can scent clothes, purify the mind, and bathing in it can dispel melancholy and refresh the spirit; it can be added to rouge and powder to adjust the scent, and if made into a separate balm or perfume, it can be applied to the skin for moisturizing and calming effects. But I don't know what it has to do with witchcraft."

Upon hearing her argument, Gongye Fusu's eyes lit up, and he said, "Then the person who introduced you to this young lady must be a fellow enthusiast and a master who is well-versed in the profound mysteries of the Dao."

A Qiu was afraid he would ask her again who that person was, because she didn't want to reveal too much about her relationship with Gongyi Xiu.

Gongye Fusu didn't ask any further questions, but instead spoke with great enthusiasm, explaining in detail: "What you just mentioned is the everyday application of incense, which is also the main business scope of the Gongye family's 'Wanxiang Palace' today. However, in ancient times, the use of incense was not for humans, but as a medium to communicate with the gods of the three realms. And my Gongye family's origins are also from an ancient clan of shamans. My ancestor, Gongye Chang, was one of the seventy-two disciples of Confucius, and he was born with the ability to understand bird language."

He sighed, “Since the Warring States period, people’s hearts have become corrupted. When Qin Shi Huang was tyrannical, he buried sorcerers alive and burned books of all schools of thought. To avoid disaster, the Gongye family deleted all the techniques of ‘soul summoning,’ ‘divination,’ and ‘divination’ from their family’s tradition. A hundred years later, the family faded out of politics and entered the world through spices, making a living and earning the name ‘Kingdom of Ten Thousand Fragrances,’ but it had long since lost its original identity.”

Hearing his sigh, A Qiu recalled how revered and noble the Gongye Shenwu clan must have been in the ancient theocratic era. No wonder Gongye Fusu, though possessing the appearance of an immortal and the temperament of an orchid, had become a shrewd and cunning merchant amidst the long course of history, even going so far as to concoct poisons like "Qianji San" for the royal family. This was the impact of shifting power dynamics.

Gongye Fusu interrupted, saying, "In short, the method for refining the 'Transformation Pill' is also a forbidden technique of the Gongye family, but it has long been lost. However, with this list from the Junior Master, I can start the furnace to try it out. However, I cannot guarantee that the finished product will be exactly the same as the one recorded."

A Qiu knew that what he meant was that one could try the method, but as the alchemist, he could not guarantee the efficacy of the pills, or even whether they would poison people, since he had never done this before.

At this point, he suddenly looked at A Qiu and said in a deep voice, "Do you still remember the question you asked me when we first met?"

A Qiu had an excellent memory and would not forget. The first time they met was when Gongyi Xiu asked someone to entrust Gongye Fusu to enter the palace to convey the sect's orders to her. In addition to delivering the message, Gongye Fusu also promised that she could ask him one more question.

Looking back now, given Gongye Fusu's cunning and shrewdness, he might have been interested in Aqiu and Gongyi Xiu's backgrounds. He simply used a clever strategy: to throw out bait and see what Aqiu cared about, thus obtaining more information from her.

But at that time, A Qiu had no desires, only that she could establish herself safely in the Music Bureau. When Gongye Fusu asked her, the only thing she could think of to ask was the fragrance on Gu Yi.

As expected, Gongye Fusu concocted "Summer Dream Memories" according to her description, which was used in the White Silk Dance at the Mid-Autumn Festival Palace Banquet. However, although the fragrance could evoke memories, it was quite different from the fragrance on Gu Yi's body.

But then Gongye Fusu said, word by word, "Now, I am about 70 or 80 percent certain that I know what the fragrance you asked about was."

A Qiu looked up and met his gaze, her eyes involuntarily falling on the list in his hand, which Gu Yi had personally written.

Gongye Fusu said, "You guessed right, that fragrance most likely comes from this Divine Transformation Pill."

A Qiu suddenly understood.

No wonder that when Gongye Fusu was probing him on the Jinling Terrace, Gu Yi decisively answered that he never used incense.

But she could always smell his fragrance, sometimes strong, but most of the time very faint.

This was because it wasn't any special incense, but rather the aroma emitted by the pills as they circulated through the body's blood vessels. Gu Yi had been taking them for a long time, and it had become so natural that he couldn't detect any unusual scent.

Others couldn't smell it either; only those like Ah Qiu, who repeatedly got close to his body, could detect a little bit of it.

Gongye Fusu continued, "I deduced it from these medicinal herbs. There are at least four or five of them that emit a specific fragrance, and when they are blended into a pill, they will produce a complex and unique aroma. I just judged from my experience in blending incense that the final scent would be similar to what you described."

Recalling Gu Yi's past unusual behavior, his drowsiness tonight, and the white hair beside his pillow, A Qiu suddenly asked, "What kind of person needs to take the Divine Transformation Pill?"

After a moment of silence, Gongye Fusu smiled wryly and said, "This, I'm afraid I don't know either. After all, this Divine Transformation Pill is like a myth to me and to you, young lady. I've only ever heard about it before."

He continued, "However, I presume that eating it will not make one a celestial being, as you and I both know."

If the Divine Transformation Pill could grant immortality, then Gu Yi, who gave out the formula, would already be an immortal by now.

Suddenly, Ah Qiu recalled the words Gu Yi had whispered in her ear that night on Mid-Autumn Festival, in the underground chamber of Jinlingtai, with his long, snow-white hair flowing freely.

“My body was already decaying, and it has only been preserved to this state thanks to the support of elixirs. Your dagger is an ancient artifact from the Warring States period, and the ancient weapon energy on it is exactly what counteracts my body. Therefore, the damage cannot be repaired.”

Gu Yi had no background or origin. His origins were a mystery to everyone. Everyone's knowledge of him was that in the fourth year of Jiahe, he emerged from the deep palace, sword in hand, like a dreamlike figure.

It was as if he had always been there.

It wasn't until he ruled for ten years that the figure gradually became clear and concrete, becoming a tangible image of the Junior Tutor in the minds of the people of the Southern Dynasties.

Gongye Fusu seemed to be talking to himself, saying, "No one has ever known where the Junior Tutor came from or how old he is. In the ten years since he took office, his appearance has not changed much."

He had barely uttered this sentence when the boxed "Louyue" sword was already pressed against his throat. Aqiu said softly but firmly, "I hope you will keep all your suspicions to yourself and not tell anyone."

Gongye Fusu did not resist, but calmly smiled bitterly and said, "Naturally. This has been the fate of the Gongye family for generations, to bear all the secrets that cannot be revealed to the public for the court. The Qianji Powder is like this, and the Huashen Pill... will also be like this."

A Qiu heard himself say calmly, "I will come to collect the refined pills from you in three days."

Gongye Fusu looked at Aqiu with a complicated expression and said, "Young lady, you are so loyal to the Junior Tutor, but if in the end you find that you have only served a shadow, will you regret it?"

Ah Qiu, sword at his side, said calmly, "All those who wield power are destined to fade into oblivion, whether they are Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han. In the end, what remains in people's hearts is nothing more than their actions at the time and legends for posterity. The world changes like white clouds and grey dogs, and who is not a passerby in this human world?"

Ah Qiu returned to Jinlingtai at dawn, but did not go into Gu Yi's bedroom again. Instead, she told Lie Changkong, "If Master wakes up, you can tell him that I have done as he instructed and will bring back the results in three days."

Lie Changkong accepted the order and asked, "Miss, you've returned in such a hurry, and now you're going out again. Where are you going?"

A Qiu said, "The Marquis of Guannei is about to arrive in the capital. I need to go to the Music Bureau to rehearse the drum dance and bring the music composed by my master with me."

Lie Changkong stopped trying to dissuade him and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "You've worked hard, young lady."

A Qiu turned around and descended Jinling Terrace, heading towards the Inner Palace Music Bureau.

Lie Changkong was watching her departing figure thoughtfully when he suddenly heard the door behind him open.

Gu Yi stood inside the door, already dressed in a golden feather black cloak, his official robes and hat neatly arranged, silver strands fluttering in his black hair, his expression deep and unfathomable, seemingly devoid of joy or anger.

He looked no different from usual.

Seeing his expression, Lie Changkong guessed that he had already overheard the conversation between the two people outside the door.