Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 11: Shocking Fragrance

GU Yinghua casually inquired, "By the way, since you were once part of the Gu family, I've often heard people praise Yan Ruojiang as being unmatched in loyalty and honor over the years. Is he really as extraordinary as the rumors suggest?"Liu Suiyun, a veteran who had witnessed the fall of the Gu family, replied without hesitation, "In our family, Xu Zhaori was the best in cultivation, character, and loyalty. Yan Ruojiang? He's not worth mentioning."The response caught Gu Yinghua off guard. Yan Ruojiang's reputation had drastically changed before and after the fall of the Gu family. Before the collapse, he was known as a womanizer and a greedy opportunist who contributed to the Gu family's downfall. But after the collapse, people lauded him as a loyal warrior who stood by the Gu family through thick and thin, surviving countless battles and inflicting heavy losses on the Pang family. In fact, the major families of the Han Kingdom would have given anything to have such a loyal retainer.Curious, Gu Yinghua asked, "Then why didn't you follow Xu Zhaori to Tianma Plains? I heard he's now leading thousands of righteous thieves there."A pained expression crossed Liu Suiyun's face. He clearly didn't like to revisit those memories, but he answered truthfully, "I was severely injured back then. Only a rare elixir like the Xuan Yun Yu Ding Pill could suppress the injury. To fully recover, I needed something even more precious."As the faint fragrance in the tent surrounded him, Liu Suiyun closed his eyes and reminisced, "I owed the Gu family a great debt. I once led dozens of men and nearly stepped into the path of immortality myself. How could I drag Xu Zhaori down with me? Besides, I was born in the Han Kingdom, and I'll die in the Han Kingdom. We served the Han's Gu family, not..."Suddenly, his voice erupted, echoing in the tent as he roared, "Not the Jin's Gu family! I, Liu Suiyun, a man of honor, would rather die on Han soil! Xu Zhaori wanted to drag me to Tianma Plains? I told him to get lost!"Gu Yinghua could feel the deep love he had for his homeland. "What happened then?""I became a deserter," Liu Suiyun said, regaining his composure, his voice now filled with unwavering confidence. "If it weren't for them heading to Tianma Plains, I'd have followed them anywhere, no matter how dangerous. But leaving the Han Kingdom was out of the question."Gu Yinghua had one more question, "Did Yan Ruojiang also go to Tianma Plains?"Yan Ruojiang, a loyal retainer, had vanished after the Gu family remnants fled to Tianma Plains. Some said he remained hidden in Tianji County, others that he perished at the hands of the Pang family. Liu Suiyun replied, "Yan Ruojiang had bravery, but he lacked cunning and even less magnanimity. If he were in Tianma Plains, how could he coexist with Xu Zhaori? Xu Zhaori is the best retainer the Gu family ever had."Liu Suiyun sighed deeply, "If Xu Zhaori hadn't defected to the Jin Kingdom, I would have crawled there to follow him."Xu Zhaori was second only to Yan Ruojiang among the so-called 'Four Loyal Dogs' of the Yan family. His most notable feat was killing Pang Tianshou, the patriarch of the Pang family, despite being only in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement while Pang Tianshou was at the Half-Step Core Formation stage. Despite being accompanied by six cultivators and sixteen martial experts, Pang Tianshou still met his end. However, many believed that Xu Zhaori, though cunning, lacked the sheer loyalty of Yan Ruojiang, which was why he fled to Tianma Plains and became a pawn for the Jin Kingdom.Gu Yinghua was surprised to hear Liu Suiyun praise Xu Zhaori so highly, even above Yan Ruojiang. "Is Xu Zhaori really that great? The Jin Kingdom must have struck gold!""Xu Zhaori is like the warmth of spring sunshine. The longer you spend with him, the more you realize his worth. He's like fine wine, growing richer with age," Liu Suiyun said casually. "Speaking of which, what's that fragrance? The more I smell it, the more pleasant it is.""Jingjing Fragrance!" Gu Yinghua blurted out, realizing too late that she'd been tricked into revealing the secret. Liu Suiyun chuckled, "Jingjing Fragrance? So, it's the legendary Jingjing Fragrance from the Han Wudi era? Lady Gu, may I call you Miss Gu?""I've sold my life to you now!"The Han Kingdom of today was not the great Han Dynasty that succeeded Qin but a kingdom reestablished by Han exiles with the support of the Shenxiao Sect. Because of this, these exiles held a deep reverence for the Han Dynasty's glorious past. Jingjing Fragrance was one of the legendary items often associated with Han Wudi, known for its ability to revive the dead and its connection to the mystical Moon Kingdom.While Liu Suiyun doubted the exaggerated claim that "those dead for less than three days could be revived," he had personally experienced its miraculous effects. It was far more potent than ordinary elixirs, and he owed Gu Yinghua an unpayable debt of gratitude."Miss Gu, my life is yours now."Gu Yinghua's face showed a hint of anger at being tricked. "It's just a Jingjing Fragrance pill. It's nothing special. My master used to burn it while meditating and found it too weak, so he gave me a few pills. You don't need to make such a big deal out of it.""Meeting you by chance and receiving such kindness from you, I'll never forget it!" Liu Suiyun's voice was warm, full of gratitude. "Now that my old injuries are healed, I'm ready to soar again. I owe you a debt I must repay."Liu Suiyun could feel the Jingjing Fragrance's warm energy washing over his meridians again and again. His body felt light, yet he knew that if he struck, his fists would be as powerful as thunder. He was now stronger than before his injury and might even break through to a higher level. Even his long-standing injuries had healed almost entirely.Gu Yinghua couldn't convince Liu Suiyun otherwise, so she simply smiled, "Think what you like, but you only owe me safe passage to Yuan Province. That's all.""Miss Gu!" Liu Suiyun's smile was as warm as the spring sun. "Rest assured, I, Liu Suiyun, never leave a debt unpaid, be it money, favors, or lives. I've already entrusted my life to you, and even if I have to crawl, I'll make sure you and Brother Huo reach Yuan Province safely.""Good!" Gu Yinghua felt a bit of relief. No matter how she had obtained the Jingjing Fragrance, it was her last line of defense. Now that the final pill was gone, she could only place her hopes in Liu Suiyun and Huo Qianshu. She hoped Liu Suiyun would be as loyal as Yan Ruojiang had been to the Gu family and wouldn't betray the debt he owed her for that Jingjing Fragrance.After resting for a moment, Liu Suiyun changed the topic. "Miss Gu, may I ask about the men who came with me? Were any of them lost?""You've already asked," Gu Yinghua replied immediately. "Only two were injured.""I know better," Liu Suiyun insisted. "There were many skilled fighters from the Bone Refinement and Tiger Wrestler stages. It's impossible that only two were injured. Tell me the truth."Gu Yinghua lowered her head. "We lost two brave men."Liu Suiyun didn't want to know who had fallen; he didn't want to dwell on it, nor did he feel he had the right to sigh. He reminded himself that he had seen enough life and death. Now, he needed to focus on the living. He couldn't let more young lives be lost. They were his people, his friends, and neighbors. He had to get them home safely.He stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed respectfully to Gu Yinghua. "Miss Gu, I have a humble request..."