The Indomitable Master of Elixirs

“Nonsense!” Long Xi gave a low shout.

The girl shrugged. “It’s up to you whether you believe. General Chi wanted me to deliver this message—you still owe him a Jing Xiang wine, you must remember to give it to him.”

Long Xi felt as if lightning struck him at the girl’s words. With a violent start, he suddenly remembered that dashing youth in red armour, standing proud and reckless in the winds.

[“Chi Tong, would you be so scared during your first battle that you can’t even raise your sword?”

“Is the crown prince willing to make a bet with me?”

“Oh? Why not?”

“If I win ten battles in a row, you must give me your jug of Jing Xiang wine?”

“Haha, you rascal. You are still hankering after my jug of Jing Xiang wine. That is the very last jug in the whole wide world now.”

“So? Don’t dare to bet with me?”

“I am afraid you won’t succeed. If you win ten battles in a row, I will give you that wine. How about that?”

“Deal!”

“I will keep my promise.”]

And they made a bet amidst their laughter.

The young general had never tasted defeat in his entire military career.

But who could have known that their goodbye lasted ten years. The young general remained out on the battlefields for a decade. He attained the reputation of the god of war, but could never return to the capital city. Meanwhile, the young crown prince fought ceaselessly for the welfare of his citizens, but he never managed to fulfill that promise of giving the last jug of Jing Xiang wine to that general.

When word of the general’s death was delivered back to the Kingdom of Sa Er, that jug of wine was sealed up and buried in the ground.

Only Long Xi and Chi Tong knew of the bet they made that year. Long Xi never expected for that girl to know of it.

At this moment, an unrealistic notion rose in Long Xi’s heart. He stared in a daze at the young girl, his pale lips parting but unable to speak. It was as if he was longing for something, yet afraid of getting his hopes up.

The young girl couldn’t help feeling amused as she observed Long Xi’s reaction.

“General Chi is still alive.”

Her simple statement resolved a hard knot which had been living in Long Xi’s heart for many years. As if all energy had drained out of him, he stumbled backwards. Fortunately, his guard was supporting him from behind, otherwise he would have collapsed.

“He… is he really still alive?” Long Xi kept his eyes fixed on that girl.

She nodded.

Long Xi’s gaze once again fell upon that nameplate. Without hesitation, he scooped up that nameplate in his hand.

Even the icy touch of that object couldn’t chill his warming heart.

“Is he still well?” Long Xi lowered his eyes to look at that nameplate.

“He’s all right.” The young girl smiled.

Long Xi heaved an enormous sigh of relief at her words. No one could understand the guilt he had been harboring all these years.

He was about the same age at Chi Tong, who had been brought to the palace at a very young age. It could be said that Long Xi and Chi Tong had grown up together and were even closer than actual brothers.

Chi Tong’s death had been a lingering pain in his heart.

Long Xi took a deep gulp of air, before slowly expelling his breath. He then looked up with clear, sharp eyes.

“May I ask who you are?”

The girl smiled. “What? Aren’t you going to ask where he is?”

Long Xi chuckled. “I am satisfied as long as I know he’s well.”

The only person in the world who understood him was still alive. Nothing else would please him more.