I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 183 Cat Insects, Damaged Birds

The moment the Heavenly Fragrance Pill was produced, the room was filled with fragrance.

At this moment, not even the fragrance of a thousand-year-old cassia tree could compare to the aroma of sandalwood that has lasted for ten thousand years.

In just a moment, the entire morgue where Xu Qing was located was filled with a rich, fragrant aroma.

Why do you know these strange fragrances?

It turns out that this fragrant pill is made by gathering the essence of hundreds of flowers and using the glow of the sunset, the wind, the moonlight, and the dew as a guide.

The fragrance can change with the seasons and time of day, and also varies with sunshine, rain, frost, and snow, and is different from dawn to dusk.

Xu Qing held the incense pills, his hands still fragrant. But when he looked at the body of the Fragrant Concubine, the fragrance had faded considerably.

The former Fragrant Concubine, now Empress Duanrong, was originally just an ordinary concubine. Apart from having some beauty, she was not particularly special among the many beauties in the imperial harem.

It wasn't until she received the fragrant pills from the blue-haired fox that she had the opportunity to stand out.

Looking at the story of Xiang Fei, it seems that Xiang Fei was always scheming and used the fox fairy and the honest ghost to climb to a high position. However, after Xu Qing watched it, he found that the one who controlled the whole situation from beginning to end was that green-haired fox.

During a spring hunt, the Green-haired Fox was injured by the Emperor's arrow when he was in danger. He later gave the Fragrant Concubine a fragrant pill, which helped her gain favor. In the end, he foresaw the Fragrant Concubine's fate long ago.

Xu Qing, who watched the entire palace intrigue drama from the audience, did not think it was a coincidence.

Hu Baosong once told him about the fox's cultivation.

Foxes rely on scholars to cultivate immortality; in terms of cunning, ordinary people are no match for the foxes' shrewdness.

Therefore, in addition to the three calamities, if a fox wants to attain enlightenment, it will also face another tribulation called the human tribulation.

As the name suggests, these are calamities caused by people, such as the suffering of life and death, the coercion of greed, or the entanglement of love and affection.
The calamity that befell the green-haired fox was clearly related to the emperor at the time, but the emperor cleverly used a carefully crafted incense pill to escape the calamity. In the end, it was the Fragrant Concubine who died under the calamity.

Xu Qingyuan also thought it was just a coincidence, but when the green-haired fox anticipated that Consort Xiang would be able to get help from Yu Qian, the ghost official of the previous dynasty, he felt that this play was most likely intentionally done by the fox.

The extent to which the other party understood Consort Xiang suggested that they had been planning and preparing in advance, and that Consort Xiang, who had always wanted to rise to power, was the target they used to thwart their plans.

However, being robbed by humans does not necessarily lead to death. The green-haired fox had intentionally given Xiang Fei a heads-up, telling her to be careful.

If Consort Xiang had lived a peaceful life as an imperial concubine, without vying to bear a prince or coveting the empress's position, she would not have lost her life.

Every gift bestowed by fate has a price already secretly marked on it, and the price of the Empress's position is the life of Consort Xiang.

Xu Qing looked at Xiang Fei's corpse. In addition to the Heavenly Fragrance Pill, he also obtained a technique related to Nightmare Suppression.

The so-called "nightmare spell" is an evil technique that uses various sinister "suppressing objects" to bring misfortune to others.

The book of Lu Ban contains many records of "spells of nightmare".

In addition, folk storytellers often love to tell these kinds of stories.

For example, if a wealthy person builds a house and owes money on credit, or verbally abuses a craftsman, the craftsman might bury an evil "talisman" as revenge.

After the new house was completed and the employer moved in, they encountered a series of misfortunes, ranging from minor disturbances to the destruction and death of their family.

Such talismans commonly include miniature coffins, portraits of female ghosts, bloodstained murder knives, or broken saws, broken tiles, nails, small straw figures, small paper figures, and statues of evil gods.

The Nightmare Suppression Technique is a long-range spell. Although it is secretive and convenient, it also has its drawbacks. If it fails to harm people, it will inevitably suffer a backlash from the suppressing object. If the practitioner's cultivation level is low, it may even kill them on the spot.

The reason why Consort Xiang damaged the white-haired turtle and threw it into the well is because the Empress suffered from headaches and was bedridden.

Xu Qing had come into contact with many unorthodox techniques, and the fishing and hunting witchcraft, the Green Cicada Returning Coin Spell, and the Golden Cicada Shedding its Shell Technique all had similarities.

Now, Xu Qing, having grasped the concept, looked at the lifelike empress before him and had his answer.

The empress who was posthumously honored showed no signs of being poisoned, yet she remained as if she were still alive, with even her joints being no different from those of a living person.

Xu Qing originally thought it was the effect of the Heavenly Fragrance Pill, but now he has obtained a fragrant pill with the same effect, but it does not have the function of preservation.

Considering the gloomy aura emanating from the Empress, it's possible that she possesses a protective artifact that can prevent the body from decaying.

Xu Qing examined Empress Duanrong's body again, this time more carefully, and finally discovered something amiss.

Why does the empress have plugins on her body?
Prying open Empress Duanrong's still pink lips, Xu Qing found a two-inch-long nail on her tongue.

Besides the nails, Xu Qing also found some debris resembling plant tubers stuck in Empress Duanrong's mouth.

Xu Qing reached out his finger and removed the debris from Empress Duanrong's throat.

Holding the plant tuber, Xu Qing, who was well-versed in medicine and knew all kinds of herbs, immediately recognized the origin of the tuber.

It was a clump of Coptis chinensis root.

Looking at the Coptis chinensis, Xu Qing suddenly realized.

There's an old saying that a mute can't express their bitterness, so someone, fearing that Empress Duanrong would cry out for justice in the underworld, came up with this wicked trick and stuffed a lump of bitter herbs into her mouth.

People say that once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea; they also say that palace intrigue is like a battlefield, where people are killed without shedding blood. Even a perfectly good imperial concubine cannot find peace after her death.

Xu Qing took out the talisman that had bound the tongue and locked the throat, then reached out and patted Empress Duanrong's abdomen. The next moment, the gloomy energy that had been imprisoned in the Empress's throat turned into black smoke and was exhaled.

As the resentment dissipated, Empress Duanrong's body rapidly decomposed, losing all traces of life in a mere instant.

A beautiful but empty skull, nothing more than white bones and flesh.

Xu Qing carefully collected the body, then took the Heavenly Fragrance Pill and excitedly went to the front shop.

Who doesn't love a fragrant cat?
"It smells so good, what is this?"

"This is a wonderful thing I obtained during my travels. Eating it will make you smell fragrant. It is said that a favorite concubine of the emperor once had this kind of body fragrance."

Xu Qing patiently persuaded Xuan Yu, but when Xuan Yu heard about the effects of the Heavenly Fragrance Pill, it became even more excited than Xu Qing.

"Will eating this make you smell wonderful all over?"

"Of course, this pill is made from the fragrance of a hundred flowers, with the help of the sun, moon, four seasons, and dew. Even the most slovenly and smelly person can become fragrant after eating it."

Xuan Yu's eyes grew brighter and brighter. Just when Xu Qing thought the cat was about to take the bait, he heard Xuan Yu say, "Then Immortal Xu, quickly eat this fragrant pill. That way, Immortal Xu won't need to use cosmetics to make herself smell nice anymore."

"."

Seeing Xu Qing standing still, Xuan Yu pressed on, saying, "Those cosmetics don't smell good at all. They make my nose itch. But these fragrant pills smell wonderful. If you eat them, I won't be afraid of you hugging me anymore."

Xu Qing was speechless.

He was a zombie, and to prevent some cultivators with noses sharper than dogs from smelling his corpse aura, he often used cosmetics to cover up his body odor, and even carried deodorizing powder with him when he went out.

But he never imagined that Xuan Yu would dislike the smell of cosmetics.

Upon hearing Xuan Yu's words, Xu Qing suddenly realized what was happening.

No wonder this cat never liked to get close to him; every time he tried to pick it up, it would dodge away.

It turns out the cat doesn't like the smell of cosmetics.

Normally, if Xuan Yu didn't take this fragrant pill, Xu Qing would just put it into the Mountain and River Map and leave it to gather dust in his inventory. After all, he was a grown man, even if he was a zombie, he was still a seven-foot-tall male corpse. How could he be like a girl, covered in floral fragrance?

However, remembering how she had always relied on applying makeup to cover up the smell of corpses, Xu Qing felt relieved.

'After taking the Heavenly Fragrance Pill, I'll get the chance to cuddle a cat. From now on, when I go for a stroll in the Flower and Bird Street, I won't have to carry a rooster fatter than a pig and just exercise my arm strength anymore.' Xu ​​Qing weighed the pros and cons. When he thought about being able to hold a cat while strolling around and cuddle it, he no longer had any worries.

And so, the zombie, who had intended to persuade the cat to take the pill, ended up swallowing the fragrant pill himself.

The next moment, a sweet fragrance filled the air. Xu Qing didn't know if it was because he was used to the smell of corpses, but at this moment he felt that the fragrance on his body was even more fragrant than that of the Fragrant Concubine.

The key is that the fragrance is not cloying at all; on the contrary, it is a unique fragrance that is quite different from ordinary cosmetics.

It's like the fragrance of locust blossoms crushed by dew during the locust tree season, or the scent of pollen accidentally shed by butterflies after collecting nectar. Everything is so natural and unpretentious.

"The Xu family's home smells wonderful!"

Xuan Yu's slightly damp nose twitched as he greedily inhaled the scent lingering in the air.

After half a year of seclusion and not having catered to a cat, Xu Qing seemed to be experiencing a cat addiction. He squatted down, stretched out his hand, and happily waited for the cat in front of him to pounce on him.

However, when Xuan Yu walked up to Xu Qing, she bypassed him and jumped straight onto the counter.

Xu Qing's smile froze. He turned his head and said, word by word, "Xuan Yu, a cultivator must be trustworthy. You can't trick me into taking pills."

The cat that had jumped onto the counter turned its head and looked at Xu Qing strangely: "Tricked you into taking the pill? Why would Master Xu say that?"

Xu Qing said very seriously, "You said that if I don't smell of makeup anymore, you won't be afraid of me hugging you."

Xuan Yu blinked and said, "I'm not afraid of you holding me, but I didn't say I like being held."

"."

Xu Qing clicked his tongue in disbelief, never expecting that he, who had been deceiving cats all day, would be outsmarted by one today.

Xuan Yu jumped behind the counter, rummaged around for a while, then, with a jar in her mouth, ran back to Xu Qing.
Putting down the jar, Xuan Yu excitedly said, "Xu Xianjia, guess which insect in the jar became the insect king?"

Xu Qing was stunned for a long time when he saw the Thousand Insect Gu Jar.

In the six months he was away, he almost forgot that this jar even existed.

Seeing Xuan Yu looking at him expectantly, Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and said, "It can't be that lazy white worm, can it?"

Xuan Yu squatted on the ground, raised its two front paws, flipped the jar over, and shook it.

*Thud!* A plump white worm, as big as a chicken, fell to the ground.

The fat worm even bounced its belly the instant it landed.

It gives people a dual sense of importance, being both plump and sturdy.

Startled awake, the white worms emitted strange chirping sounds.

However, upon seeing Xu Qing, the white worms acted like chicks seeing their mother hen, wriggling up his boots.

Xu Qing reached out and grabbed the fat worm by the scruff of its neck, lifting it up. He exclaimed in surprise, "This little worm that only knows how to doze off actually survived to the end?"

The plump, white worm has two eyes the size of sesame seeds, three pairs of forelimbs, and no hind limbs.

At this moment, Xu Qing grabbed Fate by the back of the neck, and it kept arching and twisting in the air, while its three pairs of small claws kept scratching at it from a distance.

Because of her excessive weight, her twisting movements resembled doing sit-ups, but only a light touch.

Xu Qing found it increasingly unbelievable the more she looked at it.

How could this giant white worm, which looks even dumber than the golden phoenix, become the Gu King?
Then his Thousand Insect Gu Jar is probably not fake!

"I remember there were three mutated Gu worms left in the Gu jar at the end. Those Gu worms were extremely ferocious. How did it kill those Gu worms and survive to the end?"

"Hmm," Xuan Yu hesitated for a moment when he heard Xu Qing's question, and then answered irrelevantly, "Didn't Immortal Xu say that this white worm would definitely be the last surviving worm?"

Xu Qing thought about it carefully and realized that there was such a thing.

However, at that time he was about to face the lightning disaster, and Xuan Yu asked him if the white worm could survive to the end, so he naturally could not say anything unlucky.

But deep down, he never thought that this lazy white worm, which didn't like to fight and survived by scavenging insect corpses, could survive to the end.

Frowning, staring at the white worm that seemed to have a slight connection with him, Xu Qing couldn't help but feel that this matter was not mystical!

I'm such a big, imposing, and deadly king of poisonous insects, with my own Armament Haki. Is this the kind of person I am?

Xu Qing put down the fat white worm, activated the Gu control technique, and commanded it to use its strongest ability to defeat enemies.

The next moment, he saw the large white worm stand up, its front half raised, baring its fangs and emitting a fierce roar.

Xu Qing felt that this unique little gadget was so embarrassing that he couldn't even bear to use it as a pet insect in the flower and bird market, let alone use it to fight enemies!
Tired of roaring, and seeing that Xu Qing ignored it, the little white worm crawled onto Xuan Yu's neck, hid in the cat's fur, and started purring again.

Xu Qing felt something was off. Logically, the Gu King raised by the Thousand Insect Gu Jar should only be close to him, so why was it sticking to Xuan Yu?

Looking at the cat-like insects in front of him, Xu Qing was about to say something when he saw Xuan Yu dart to the shop entrance. Before leaving, she turned around and greeted him, saying, "I'm going to the back alley to catch some insects to feed the cat-like insects. I'll be back in a bit."

A moment for Xuan Yu could be the time it takes to burn an incense stick, or it could be several days, months, or even years.

Xu Qing still remembered that Xuan Yu had said that it went out to travel for a while and then the human it had raised died.

The truth is that Xuan Yu had been traveling for ten years, and the "human she raised" was an old woman who was over fifty years old.

In the following days, life at the coroner's shop returned to normal.

Xuan Yu, who had been managing the shop for Xu Qing for half a year without ever leaving, went out to play for three days this time. If it weren't for the red string on her wrist that could sense its location, Xu Qing would probably have been searching for the cat all over the streets.

That day, Xu Qing calculated the days carefully and went to the Shuimenqiao villa early in the morning to plant some seeds.

Even after he became a corpse, Xu Qing did not forget his roots and continued to do the hard and tiring work of farming.

After finishing planting, she would listen to a master opera performer teach the embroiderer a new opera, then change into a newly woven robe, stroll to the flower and bird market to tease the birds and pick up some bargains.

After Xu Qing activated his hearing and tongue senses, he could hear the sounds of birds, beasts, ghosts, and gods more clearly with his ears, and he could even make different bird whistles with his tongue.

Every bird vendor who heard it praised it highly; this ventriloquism was truly unmatched!

The key point is that the person doesn't have bad breath; in fact, their breath even has a pleasant fragrance.

Even the best ventriloquists in the capital can't compare to this.

However, not long after Xu Qing arrived at Master Feng's house, all the mynas, parrots, crows, and any birds that could mimic speech on the street started chattering away.

The parrot hanging at the entrance of Rongji Pawnshop on the west side of the street spoke in human language: "The poem of integrity that Prefect Wang of Tianjin invited into his mansion to be enshrined is fake, and the Flying Horse of Gansu in the Governor's mansion is also fake!"

The few mynas that hadn't yet opened their mouths, selling their wares in the narrow alley on the east side of the street, suddenly spoke up: "The treasure basin in Master Zhang's house in Badakou Alley is a fake, a huge fake! The porcelain in that treasure basin was fired in a kiln in Linzhou two years ago, and the painting of court ladies by Master Chu is a copy made this year. The real one is in the Xuanping Prince's mansion."

Even the crows flying in the sky started cawing, "Fake! Fake! It's all fake!"

At this moment, Master Feng and several guests were admiring several antique paintings and calligraphy pieces they had recently acquired in the courtyard.

When he heard crows circling and cawing in the sky, Master Feng's face turned green.

"Where did this scoundrel come from, spouting such nonsense!"

(End of this chapter)