The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 338 Swords Exchange (4k)

Just as Du Yuan finished hearing that unexpected statement, he heard Yao Shiyuan say in a complicated tone:
"The emperor's power extends ten paces and a thousand miles. Yet, a commoner's anger can spill blood on the imperial palace and plunge the world into mourning!"

"So, Immortal Master, the time I feared most in my life was never the days when I was manipulated and controlled by Gao Huan on the dragon throne."

The apothecary turned and pointed to the dragon throne in the Golden Palace, saying each word clearly, "It was the moment when I personally killed Gao Huan and truly sat on the throne!"

What he feared most at that time was that he would eventually become another Gao Huan.

Before killing Gao Huan, he knew he still had value. Even if Gao Huan considered replacing him, he could at least keep his life for two or three years and still have time to plot in secret.

But with Gao Huan's death, the old order completely collapsed, and he, the puppet emperor who stepped out from behind the scenes, became the target of all the tigers and wolves in the world—at that moment, he was truly terrified to the core.

During those days, he lived in constant fear and trepidation.

Every time he falls asleep, he dreams that he and Gao Huan have switched places: he should be the one to kill Gao Huan with his own hands, but in the dream, it is Gao Huan who kills him instead.

“Gao Huan’s power is actually much greater than mine as a proper emperor.” Yao Shiyuan suddenly gave a bitter smile. “Everyone in the court and the palace guards have to act according to his wishes.”

"It seems he foresaw long ago that the empire he had taken over wouldn't last long, so he only cared about his own pleasure. If he didn't like someone today, he would have their entire family executed without waiting until tomorrow, completely disregarding the consequences. He even dared to mobilize troops to punish any vassal king who dared to defy him, showing absolutely no scruples."

It sounds absurd that a powerful minister could overpower the legitimate emperor, but it is an undeniable fact.

As the emperor, he had to consider his legitimacy, his reputation for benevolence, and the dignity of being a ruler and father. He also had to work hard to maintain a balance between the vassal kings and the court officials. Under such circumstances, even if he hated someone to the point of itching, he could only endure it.

But Gao Huan was different. He could kill or punish as he pleased. Before, all the civil and military officials dared not speak out against him; now that he was the true emperor, the officials dared to bargain under the pretext of the so-called "righteous path".

Therefore, although the world was in chaos and the country was in turmoil when Gao Huan was alive, no one dared to say that Gao Huan's power was even slightly weaker than that of the "true emperor".

Ultimately, everything in life is a trade-off – Gao Huan gained the pleasure of absolute power, but lost the stability of the world; such a situation was not meant to last.

Although he possessed Gao Huan's power for a long time, he was bound by layers of concerns and ultimately could not do as freely as Gao Huan.

But even if one truly learns from Gao Huan, what then? Does one end up like Gao Huan, losing one's head in the process?
At this point, the pharmacist's expression suddenly changed, and he looked at Du Yuan with utmost seriousness: "So, Immortal Master, I still remember that day when I saw Gao Cheng descending to earth like a celestial being, my heart was filled with indescribable excitement!"

"At first, I thought it was because I was happy that the world had finally not let me down. But only now do I realize that what surprises me even more is that 'the emperor can truly be the emperor, and not just some shameless mortal who has taken up the title!'"

"At that moment, I considered myself a powerful ruler blessed by heaven, and I thought that even if things ended today, I should at least leave the pharmacist family with a dignified ending. But now that I think about it, I probably didn't even think that I would die back then?"

"And that's exactly what happened later. Gao Cheng had a celestial sword, and I, Yaoshi Yuan, also have one!"

The pharmacist looked down at the two immortal swords in his hands, especially the cauldron sword, his eyes filled with complex emotions:
"When this immortal sword flew in out of thin air, I truly felt that I had the world under my control, and even thought that I could surpass all the kings of the past and present."

The legend of the young king, coupled with the miraculous miracle that brought him to the brink of disaster, either one of which would make one feel as if he were blessed by the heavens, let alone the fact that he, the Medicine Master, wished to have both.
He gently put down the immortal sword and smiled sheepishly:

"But not long after, Gao Cheng dealt me ​​a heavy blow, which almost made me lose my senses!"

"If Gao Cheng hadn't been far from being a villain, but rather a true gentleman and a true patriot, I'm afraid I would have become the second 'Gao Huan' long ago!"

The pharmacist raised the two immortal swords again and placed them horizontally in front of Du Yuan.

Without any hesitation, and with utmost seriousness, he said:
"So, Immortal Master, you asked me what I saw in these two immortal swords. I can only say that all I saw was 'power,' that unshakeable 'power'!"

"Therefore, we beg the immortal master to take away this divine weapon!"

Upon hearing this, even Du Yuan was stunned for a moment: "You want me to take away these two immortal swords?"

An emperor who has always been terrified of the wrath of commoners would actually take the initiative to send away his greatest reliance that could help him get rid of this fear.
The pharmacist nodded and smiled:
"Yes!"

"Why is that? Do you know what these two swords mean to you?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Du Yuan spoke to the pharmacist with great admiration.

"Of course I know. But it is precisely because I know that I request you to take away this divine weapon!"

After a brief hesitation, the pharmacist added a few more words that made Du Yuan's eyes light up:

"Unshakeable power must never reside in the hands of a monarch. That would cause the monarch to lose virtue and the people to lose benevolence. Ultimately, the people would suffer, and the nation would cease to exist!"

"Only when a king possesses fear, knows that his position is not unshakeable, and understands that the people are to him like water that can carry a boat, but can also capsize it, will he always remember the principle of 'never treating the people lightly'!"

"Therefore, I cannot possess such divine weapons. It is best to return the weapons of the gods to the gods!"

The pharmacist's voice was very calm, yet it revealed everything he had seen in his life.

After Du Yuan nodded in satisfaction, she asked another question:
"Do you know that strange phenomena are occurring frequently in the world these days? Without such a powerful weapon to protect the country, how will you manage?"

The pharmacist, holding the cauldron sword and the benevolent sword with both hands, then knelt down and bowed deeply to Du Yuan, saying:
"Therefore, I wish to appoint you as regent! You are a true immortal, and all the struggles of mortals are but petty trifles to you. With your long life and enduring vision, you will not be blinded by so-called power and position."

"If you were to oversee the country, the entire world would naturally submit!"

Hearing this, Du Yuan looked at Yao Shiyuan with a touch of emotion. Gao Cheng and he were indeed a 'perfect match'.

Gao Cheng was constrained by his era and limited knowledge, but he came up with a solution similar to that of the 'philosopher king'.

The pharmacist, similarly constrained by the times and his own experiences, also devised a regulatory mechanism akin to the "Three Sages."

"You and Gao Cheng are quite alike."

Upon hearing this, before the pharmacist could react, Du Yuan added:
"I'm just a passerby, I can't do as you wish."

A stranger is always just a stranger, and a foreign land will always be a foreign land.

The Pharmacist sighed deeply, then put down the two immortal swords in his hands and said:
"Immortal Master, is it really impossible to agree?"

If Du Yuan doesn't agree, then he will still need the power of these two immortal swords to maintain the rare peace in this country.

Du Yuan shook her head gently again.

"I was being presumptuous!" the pharmacist sighed helplessly.

He realized the 'terrifying' power emanating from the two swords and wanted to seek a solution from the immortal, but to his surprise, the immortal's solution was not what he had expected.

But immediately, he saw Du Yuan raise her hand and grab his wrist, saying:

"However, I can give you another solution!"

The pharmacist's eyes lit up:
"Please enlighten me, Immortal Master!"

Du Yuan reached out and grasped the two famous immortal swords.

The moment they were in their hands, both immortal swords trembled violently, as if some earth-shattering phenomenon was about to unfold.

This was something neither Yaoshi Yuan nor Gao Cheng had ever seen before. But just before that, after the old sword at Du Yuan's waist swayed slightly, whether with her movements or something else, everything fell silent.

After receiving the two immortal swords that she had almost acquired, Du Yuan smiled at the pharmacist:
Do you know how much of your current thinking truly comes from your heart?

The pharmacist was completely bewildered, but as the two immortal swords were handed over to Du Yuan and held in her hands...

The clarity in his eyes vanished abruptly, his pupils contracted, and a look of horror instantly filled his eyes.

Staring at the immortal sword in Du Yuan's hand, he staggered back several steps, his voice strained: "Are these two swords?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized and exclaimed, "It's Gao Cheng?!"

In the opinion of the pharmacist, Gao Cheng was, in a sense, a rare individual throughout history who was devoid of both ruler and father, and it would be difficult to find another like him.

In his eyes, there was little room for 'adults' like them.

Du Yuan nodded slowly, her tone calm: "Yes, this is the solution he found for the world."

As soon as he finished speaking, he met the astonished look in the pharmacist's eyes and added, "But it is already extremely rare that you can say such a thing."

It is already difficult for an emperor to have such awareness, almost like a fantasy - although it is not entirely from his own heart, how can people ask too much?

Although the sword of benevolence can inspire people to be benevolent, how long can the pharmacist hold onto it? How can it completely change people immediately?
Realizing what had happened, the pharmacist was filled with shame and bowed deeply, saying, "You flatter me, Immortal Master. I might have had that thought before, but now I am utterly incapable of doing it!"

He is now not only puzzled by his previous thoughts, but also terrified by them, because the memory and feelings are clearly etched in his mind, yet they are not things he would do.

Du Yuan gently shook her head, interrupting him: "Ah, what I meant by 'even so' is already extremely rare. After all, how long have you held the Ding Sword and the Ren Sword?"

Ultimately, the Ding Sword and the Ren Sword are immortal swords, not demonic swords like the Human Butcher's that can distort one's mind and personality. Once wielded, they can instantly change a person's temperament.

The pharmacist stood there somewhat at a loss. Without the 'supreme holiness' brought by the Benevolent Sword and the Cauldron Sword, he truly didn't know what to do when facing a celestial being.

There was both panic and unease, and a sense of self-satisfaction.

And she tried to force herself to remain calm, but no matter what, she could never go back to how she was before.

Du Yuan then picked up the conversation and said:

"Didn't I say I had another solution?"

The pharmacist asked with slight unease:

"May I ask what your meaning is, Immortal Master?"

Du Yuan pointed to the Ding Sword and the Ren Sword in her hand and said:

"It's still those two swords!"

The pharmacist's expression changed slightly; a divine weapon that could subtly alter human nature was far too terrifying.

Fortunately, Du Yuan immediately added:
"But don't worry, it won't be like before, where they tell you to take it like that!"

The pharmacist's expression improved considerably, and he humbly cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Immortal Master, please stop keeping us in suspense and enlighten us!"

Du Yuan laughed:

"Easy, easy!"

After Du Yuan finished speaking, she raised her hand and grabbed Yao Shiyuan's head. The next moment, everyone in the entire capital, including Yao Shiyuan, heard a clear dragon roar.

This caused Zou Zi, who was drinking tea in the tavern, to pause slightly, put down his teacup, and then said:
"What a big deal!"

On the other side, the pharmacist watched as Du Yuan used her fingers as a brush to create dragon and phoenix paintings on the two immortal swords.

Du Yuan's fingertip condensed into a golden light, which exploded the moment it touched the sword, turning into countless tiny streams of light that danced across the blade.

With each stroke, powerful characters rapidly appeared on the sword's blade, but they appeared so quickly that he couldn't make out what they were writing.

All I know is that when each word lights up, auspicious clouds overflow from it!

That's truly divine skill!
"I'll seal these two powerful weapons for you to prevent their energy from overpowering you and turning you into something inhuman. I'll also open a new path for you so you can unleash the power of these divine weapons to suppress the villains!"

As soon as he said that, Yaoshi Yuan's breathing became heavier and heavier.

If there were no worries about the future, then these two divine weapons would be of immeasurable value!

The previous Yakushi-gami worried that the king would lose his virtue as a result, but the current Yakushi-gami is confident that he can control his mind.

But before he could be happy for long, he heard Du Yuan say another sentence:
"But I've also placed a restriction on them. If you become immoral to the people, these two swords will break the seal on their own!"

The pharmacist's heart skipped a beat. Before he could figure out a way out, he heard Du Yuan say something else:
"Furthermore, you can keep them away if you wish, but these two swords are bound to the dragon veins of the world. Even if you hide them away and don't use them, they will be useless. When the world is in chaos, they will choose their own masters!"

The pharmacist's expression changed drastically, but he quickly chuckled self-deprecatingly, then accepted the situation calmly and bowed deeply, saying:

"I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the Immortal Master for his great kindness!"

As Du Yuan finished her final stroke, she held it up before Yao Shiyuan and said:
"This is ultimately a sword hanging over your head, constantly reminding you to be mindful, something most people would find unbearable. So, if you're going to accept it, you'd better think it through!"

After a brief hesitation, the pharmacist solemnly accepted the item and said:

"Immortal Master, to have received such a thing is already an immense bargain. To refuse it would be far too ungrateful!"

Seeing that the pharmacist was willing to accept it, Du Yuan then instructed him:

"You don't need to worry too much. Whether what you did was right or wrong, you have a scale in your heart, and the people of the world also have a scale in their hearts!"

"There's no need to force yourself to be what you believe in; as long as you have a clear conscience towards the people, that's enough!"

Du Yuan would not demand anything from a saint; as long as one is worthy of this title and the people, that would be more than enough!

As for how to implement it, well, as long as they all believe it, isn't that enough?

With such a stellar performance, coupled with the literary figures and their subtle writings, this moment is bound to become increasingly mythologized.

That way, there's even less to worry about!

(End of this chapter)