Chapter 25: The Violet Gold Medical Decree

Spring, the seventh year of the Great Ye era.

The Divine Emperor Yang Guang, having learned in Jiangdu that the backflow of the Luo River was caused by a Black Serpent Soul of Profound Water—a demonic spirit manipulated by Goguryeo—issued an imperial decree: the Eastern and Western Demon-Hunting Camps were to assemble in Zhuojun.

In the Divine Capital of Luoyang, at the Prince Changping Mansion, Prince Yue Yang Xuangan held the Divine Emperor’s decree and laughed heartily. "Good brother, you have performed a great service by exposing the Black Serpent Soul of Profound Water. The Divine Emperor has specifically bestowed upon you the title of Medical Supervisor."

Medical Supervisor?

Ling Xuan was slightly taken aback and shook his head with a bitter smile. "Brother, if not for you and the two senior officials, I would have been swallowed whole. How could I dare to take on a role of supervision?"

"Brother, this title bestowed personally by the Divine Emperor is not merely that of a supervisor in the Imperial Medical Bureau," Yang Xuangan explained, producing a purple-gold medical medallion. "It grants you the authority to travel throughout the vast territory of the Great Sui Divine Empire to investigate demonic spirits."

"This..."

A spark of surprise danced in Ling Xuan’s eyes as he quickly took the medallion. "There is such a good thing?"

On the front of the purple-gold medical medallion were engraved the characters "Heavenly Physician," while the back featured a relief of "Shennong Tasting the Hundred Herbs," with the addition of a dragon-shaped relief beside the figure of Shennong.

"Within the Divine Capital, this relief allows you to draw upon the power of the Great Dragon of National Destiny—the Hub of Ten Thousand Nations. Though it is only half of its power, it is sufficient for you to fend off surprise attacks from demonic spirits," Yang Xuangan said with a smile.

So that was the reason Yang Xuangan, Chief Physician Chao, and Grand Historian Yuan were able to summon the phantom of the National Destiny Dragon at that time!

Filled with joy, Ling Xuan joked, "Brother, can the power of the National Destiny Dragon deal with shikigami?"

"What are you planning?" Yang Xuangan asked, stunned.

"That brat Yuwen Chenglong shot arrows at me," Ling Xuan replied with a smirk.

"Wasn't that to deal with the Bone Demon?" Yang Xuangan muttered. It seemed the heir of Prince Changping still held a grudge and hadn't quite shed his provincial nature. But the National Destiny Dragon was meant to preserve the Great Sui Divine Empire for eternity; could it really be used in such a way? He smiled and shook his head. "Brother, if you want to save face, find other ways. The power of the National Destiny Dragon can only be used against traitors."

Traitors?

Only those officially designated as traitors by the Divine Emperor could be suppressed by the power of the National Destiny Dragon, and even then, only within the confines of the Divine Capital. Once outside the Divine Capital of Luoyang, the purple-gold medical medallion served only as a badge of identity.

Ling Xuan rolled his eyes and tilted his head. "Brother, is the Divine Emperor being so stingy?"

Stingy? Was this considered stingy? Being able to draw upon the power of the National Destiny Dragon—even if limited to Luoyang—was a privilege few court officials possessed. Yang Xuangan was momentarily stunned. "You don't want it?"

"Of course I want the benefits," Ling Xuan countered. "Brother, why couldn't the power of the National Destiny Dragon kill the Black Serpent Soul of Profound Water? It let it escape."

"A Seven-Star Demonic Soul must have its true form destroyed," Yang Xuangan pondered. "Otherwise, it requires the power of the Heaven-Human realm or a Seven-Star shikigami to block its path. The three of us are only at the Divine Treasury level; our strength was insufficient."

"So that's how it is." Ling Xuan shook the purple-gold medallion. "Brother, do many people in the Imperial Medical Bureau have this token?"

Yang Xuangan laughed and shook his head. "Aside from Master Chao, you are currently the only one in the Imperial Medical Bureau to receive this purple-gold medical medallion from the Divine Emperor."

"What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such a generous gift from the Divine Emperor?" Ling Xuan feigned humility, bowing toward the heavens. This matter certainly had to do with Yang Xuangan.

"Yuwen Chengxiang offered a hundred taels, and you discovered the Black Serpent Soul of Profound Water entrenched in the Luo River. This is a great service to the stability of our Great Sui Divine Empire," Yang Xuangan chuckled. "The Divine Emperor employs the talented and does not adhere to conventional patterns."

Impressive. Truly worthy of being Yang Xuangan. Ling Xuan admired him in secret; this was a warning to him not to fail the imperial grace and to head to Zhuojun as soon as possible.

The Black Serpent Soul was a demonic spirit controlled by Goguryeo, and before it fled, it had vowed to swallow him. Yang Xuangan had been there; he knew Ling Xuan’s strength was lacking, yet he was urging him to go to Zhuojun, either publicly or privately. Was he being used as bait, or was there another mystery afoot?

The Yuwen family, in order to investigate the theft of the Heaven-Swallowing Python Soul, had already notified Yuwen Chengdu to return from Jiangdu as quickly as possible. When the former Empress of Chen handed Ye Ziyan over to his grandfather, she had specifically warned him never to let the "Nine Phoenixes" discover the "Purple Phoenix."

Although it was not yet certain if Yuwen Chengdu truly possessed the Nine Phoenixes’ Soul-Swallowing Satiety, it would be safer to leave Luoyang as soon as possible. He had originally made excuses to delay in order to find the Orange Needle. Now that he had it, the risk of demonic transformation was temporarily resolved; it was time to avoid the storm.

With this in mind, Ling Xuan said with a smile, "Brother, I shall depart today."

"Brother, when heading to Zhuojun, you may travel via the Abyss of Suppressed Demons and go upstream," Yang Xuangan suggested. "This will not delay your journey, and you can rest along the way, with the support of the Eastern and Western Demon-Hunting Camps."

Travel by water? Qiu Rui had warned him repeatedly to avoid the Abyss of Suppressed Demons to avoid unnecessary trouble. Ling Xuan felt a slight tremor in his heart and shook his head. "Brother, I have just been favored by the Divine Emperor; it would be better to take the main road and, in passing, check the records of demonic spirits in the local government offices for Master Chao."

"Good!" Yang Xuangan clapped. "That you prioritize the greater cause is something I truly admire. We shall meet again in Zhuojun."

Watching Yang Xuangan leave, Ling Xuan traced the purple-gold medallion with his fingertips. The Spirit Snake Coiling the Moon did not react, and only then did he feel at ease.

In the backyard, Ye Ziyan looked at the various divine weapons the steward, Qiu Fu, had brought. Though they were treasures of the Prince Changping Mansion, none were suitable. The red short bow she had taken during the battle with the Bone Demon in the Luo River was useless, and the Purple Phoenix Treasure Bow could not be used easily for fear of exposing her identity. The Purple Phoenix Twin Blades were for close-quarters combat, meant for surprise, and since they belonged to the former Chen royal family, they nearly aroused suspicion from Grand Historian Yuan; they were to be used sparingly. The Purple Firmament Divine Flute contained a thin purple sword that was comfortable in weight and length, but when she channeled her true essence, she felt a hidden power within it that destabilized the Purple Phoenix, making it unusable.

She sighed to herself, seeing no suitable weapons among the mansion's treasures.

"My lady, why the sigh?" Ling Xuan walked in and tossed the purple-gold medical medallion over to her.

Ye Ziyan caught it, her brows furrowed. "What is this?"

"A gift from the Divine Emperor. It allows entry into the camps of the Demon-Hunting Army," Ling Xuan said with a smirk. "I hear the best divine weapons are all in the Demon-Hunting camps. We must not miss out on such benefits."

"Benefits?" Ye Ziyan couldn't help but laugh. Why was Ling Xuan always thinking of benefits? It seemed he never moved without a profit. "What are you planning?"

"The Divine Emperor has ordered the Eastern and Western Demon-Hunting Camps to assemble in Zhuojun. Do you think Grandfather will go?" Ling Xuan asked with earnest anticipation. If his grandfather really had traveled through time, only then could he understand if he himself was a replacement. His grandfather had been summoned by the Prince of Mount Tai. While he wouldn't be able to see the Prince immediately upon arriving in Zhuojun, he could probe the Prince's intentions when they finally met.

But rumors said the Prince of Mount Tai was formidable. Ling Xuan had no idea how to rescue his grandfather from such a man using his own strength.

Ye Ziyan smiled, her lips parting slightly. "Grandfather said you need to establish a firm foothold in the Imperial Medical Bureau."

"What does that mean?" Ling Xuan was stunned.

"Though we have the Orange Needle, five others are still missing," Ye Ziyan whispered. "Until all nine are found, Grandfather will not acknowledge you, even if you see him."

"What exactly is Grandfather trying to do?" Ling Xuan nearly jumped.

Ye Ziyan shook her head slowly. "These were Grandfather’s instructions before he left."

He opened the Benevolence Needle Case. The black, white, red, and orange needles lay side by side, but the bronze star disk remained motionless, offering no hints. Ling Xuan looked up. "When will there be a hint for the location of the Yellow Needle?"

"Perhaps when you enter the Great Heavenly Cycle, or open your Qi Sea," Ye Ziyan said, looking out the window with a faint sigh. "Or perhaps when the Three-Star Yellow Radiance appears. Grandfather said that nothing can be rushed; everything has its own special timing."

"Special timing? Does it mean I have to wait for the little one to activate its White Dragon bloodline?" He looked at the little white snake. It was still listless, its head drooping, curled up motionlessly.

Ling Xuan was speechless. The time for demonic transformation was approaching, and he had to suppress it immediately. He grabbed the red needle and tore open his chest clothing. He channeled the Tai Chi Wuji, and an orange Tai Chi pattern flashed in his palm.

As the pattern rotated for the third time, he plunged the red needle into the single red star-point in the Spirit Snake’s eye. Strangely, the needle was not pushed out but was absorbed into the red star-point. The small red snake on the Spirit Snake Coiling the Moon wiggled as if enjoying it immensely. He then grabbed the orange needle, and when the Tai Chi pattern rotated for the fourth time, he plunged it into the orange star-point.

Instantly, the small red snake became agile, no longer dull as it had been before. As the red snake moved, the purple patterns on Ye Ziyan’s neck lit up, and a phantom of the Purple Phoenix flashed.

*Click, crack.* The Purple Phoenix’s eyes shone with red and orange light, and the icy chains wrapped around the two star-points shattered, turning into two wisps of icy essence. The little white snake leaped up and swallowed the icy essence in one gulp. A cool sensation permeated Ling Xuan’s body through the snake-mark on his arm.

As the Tai Chi Wuji circulated, he felt no discomfort; instead, the icy essence descended into his Dantian and transformed into two Tai Chi pearls. Ling Xuan chuckled inwardly, "Hey, are you giving me a reward?"

"Reward, my foot! This is the mutual generation of soul seals, the result of your years of nourishing it with blood and essence," Ye Ziyan scolded. "Remember, do not take out the red and orange needles; they need to be nourished."

"Doesn't nourishing the nine needles require opening the Qi Sea?" Ling Xuan asked in surprise.

Ye Ziyan curled her lips, secretly pleased, and tapped his forehead with her finger. "Remember what Grandfather said: Control the soul, do not be controlled by it!"

Meanwhile, in a secret chamber at the Prince Yue Mansion, watching the Purple Phoenix phantom outlined by the copper head of the Qilin, Yang Xuangan smiled. "The Purple Phoenix’s power is beginning to recover. Good brother, on your trip to Zhuojun, do not let down my good intentions in getting you that purple-gold medical medallion!"