Open a Clinic to Cultivate Myself

In the imperial palace, tourists were thronging in crowds. The voices of tourist guides resounded in this ancient palace. The stories they told were a mixture of facts and fiction. Some could be verified by historical records; others were so spurious that even the involved parties would not guess them.

Ning Tao had visited Beidu many times, and had also passed the entrance to the palace before. He never had time to visit the palace. This time, however, he had come because of a line in the letter the Howling Celestial Dog fetched him, “I am waiting for you at the imperial palace. There’s something I need to talk to you about. You must come alone.”

Although the letter writer did not identify himself, Ning Tao could smell a faint sea stench from the letter. He suddenly thought of a missing person: Hai Dongfang. He could not ascertain whether it was him simply from the stench, but he did not wish to forgo even a glimmer of hope. The fact was, perhaps only Hai Dongfang knew who Liu Shiba and Reverend Qingsong’s killer was.

Liu Shiba had given him the prescription for the aphrodisiac pills and made Ning Tao refine him some. In return, he would tell him the identity of the man who hired Zeng Xunlong to steal the Picture of the Six Samsara Realms. Ning Tao had managed to refine Xu Fu’s elixirs, but they were not elixirs of immortality, merely fertility pills. Liu Shiba had been slain and the clue stopped there. But the sudden appearance of this letter gave him a fresh glimmer of hope.

Quite unknowingly, he had reached the Gate of Heavenly Purity. All along the way, Ning Tao had maintained the state of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose. He studied every place he could but did not detect the presence of any demon aura. Nor did he capture any demonic odor.

Ning Tao continued walking ahead.

The Gate of Heavenly Purity would be just in front. Hundreds of people were taking pictures outside the isolation area. It was a bustling sight.

A plume of greenish demon aura entered Ning Tao’s sight at this moment. Although it was mingled among the colorful innate auras of human beings, it remained very distinct.

A man turned back his head in the crowds. It was Hai Dongfang. He had the well-proportioned, muscular build of fish demons, but not their good looks. Ning Tao did not know if he had intentionally changed his appearance, or that he was born with an ordinary face. He was clearly much less attractive than the fish demons in the village.

Hai Dongfang merely turned back and glanced at Ning Tao. He did not greet him, walking to the side with broad strides.

Ning Tao followed behind Hai Dongfang cautiously all the way. His encounter in the demon village had given him a new understanding of fish demons. There were only a few of them who were good. Most were bad. Even good demons might harm you, let alone wicked ones. He only had a passing acquaintance with Hai Dongfang and did not know him at all. It was necessary for him to maintain his vigilance.

Hai Dongfang walked to a palace wall. There was a door there but it was locked. Only the central axis of the imperial palace was open to the public. Large sections by its two sides were not open. That palace wall belonged to the sections which were not.

Hai Dongfang suddenly leaped up and over the palace wall.

Ning Tao quickly followed him and also leaped over the palace wall.

Behind the palace wall was an imperial garden, silent and deserted. There were many ornamental flowers and trees growing in this garden, as well as rock gardens and ponds. But there was neither water nor fish in the pond, only dried twigs and fallen leaves. The buildings behind the imperial garden were also drab, with paint falling off the windows and doors. They were clearly weather-beaten. This area was distinctly different from the scenic sights outside the wall. It seemed to have suffered more in the hands of time, exuding a heavy historical atmosphere.

But Hai Dongfang still did not stop. He continued walking ahead.

Ning Tao said, “Senior Hai, there is already no one here. Where do you wish to go?”

Hai Dongfang did not answer. He continued to walk ahead.

Ning Tao frowned and could only follow behind Hai Dongfang. As they walked, his eyes under the state of looking quickly swept the surroundings. In this area yet unopen to the public, there was no other person other than Hai Dongfang and himself.

The stone pavement extended forward midst overgrown weeds. The garden had been left far behind. They continued ahead for a long stretch, before another palace appeared at the end. It looked dilapidated, with windows and doors toppling to the ground, rotted to wooden flakes. The corridor was overgrown with weeds and there was the musty odor of mold in the air. The main entrance of the palace had largely collapsed. There was a board over the door. One could just about make out the words “Cold Palace”.

Cold Palace was a place where the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties kept out-of-favor or errant concubines. Over the past centuries, countless women had died here.

As soon as Ning Tao arrived, he could feel the sinister gloom of this place. The moment he saw the name “Cold Palace” on the board. he understood. For the past two dynasties. countless women had died in this palace. So obviously, there was a heavy air of grievance here.

Hai Dongfang halted his steps and turned to look at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao shrugged. “Senior Hai, why did you pick this place?”

Hai Dongfang said, “This is where I live.”

Ning Tao was very surprised. “You live in the Cold Palace?”

Hai Dongfang said, “This place is heavy with negative energy and very eerie. Ordinary people cannot come here, but it suits a demon like me. I won’t exchange it for a courtyard house.”

Ning Tao said, “No matter what this place is, it will do if it suits you. Let’s come to the point. Senior Hai, you must have asked me here because of Liu Shiba’s death?”

“Follow me.” Hai Dongfang turned and walked towards the derelict door of the Cold Palace.

Ning Tao hesitated for a moment and decided to walk into the derelict door. He did not feel happy with Hai Dongfang, but the latter was the only one who could tell him who Liu Shiba and Reverend Qingsong’s killer was. He could only bear with him.

There were armchairs in the hall of the Cold Palace, but some were broken, others barely in the condition they once were. Weather-beaten and eaten by worms and termites, even a simple teacup might make them collapse.

Ning Tao followed Hai Dongfang through a side door in the Cold Palace. They entered a corridor and walked for some distance. Then Hai Dongfang pushed open another door and they entered a room.

Ning Tao had thought that this was Hai Dongfang’s room. But quite unexpectedly, he found an underground tunnel under the floor.

The underground tunnel was dark. Gusts of stale air wafted out from it. Now and then, he could hear some mysterious sounds, like the voice of a woman weeping and cursing someone.

Hai Dongfang turned back and glanced at Ning Tao. He said nothing and walked into the tunnel.

Ning Tao did not move but spoke. “Senior Hai, I have already cooperated with you. We have walked such a long stretch and even entered the Cold Palace. You can tell me whatever you know here. We don’t need to proceed.”

Hai Dongfang said, “If you don’t even have the guts to follow me, you can turn back. I won’t need to tell you anything.”

Saying that, he did not care whether Ning Tao would follow him. He simply strode into the tunnel.

Ning Tao pondered for a few seconds before finally striding into the tunnel. This Hai Dongfang seemed to be testing him, or perhaps was trying to understand him. Besides, even supposing that Hai Dongfang had lay a trap and was trying to harm him, Ning Tao was wearing the Heavenly Gem Magic Garment. He was impervious to knives and gunfire; neither fire nor water could harm him. Not even demon power could, so what was there for him to fear?

There was a dungeon at the end of the tunnel. A few lanterns were illuminating the dungeon, barely lighting it up. In a cell, a moldy skeleton was hanging on a rope. A few of its bones had fallen to the ground. There was a shriveled corpse in the corner of the cell, still clad in the attire of Qing Dynasty eunuchs. Under the dim light, in a sinister dungeon with a hanging skeleton, as well as a eunuch who had died for no apparent reason, the entire scene was horrifically frightening.

Hai Dongfang finally halted his steps and turned back to look at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao smiled. “The rope used for hanging that woman was of good quality. It hasn’t snapped after so many years.”

Hai Dongfang said, “I was the one who gave her it. Woven from the bark of sea willow, it can be regarded as a low-grade spiritual material.”

Ning Tao was initially just cracking a joke. Instead, it had led to a story behind the rope. In order to complement him and ease the atmosphere for subsequent conversation, he deliberately glanced at this skeleton hanging on the rope. He asked in feigned concern, “Why, does Senior Hai know this woman?”

Hai Dongfang said, “Her name is Zhayinagu. She was a concubine during the reign of Shunzhi. She was thrown into Cold Palace for being too pretty. I was a frequent visitor here and we became acquainted shortly after she came. I often gave her food, as well as rouge and cosmetics…”

He seemed to have lapsed into memories of his past. His voice became tender, and his eyes soon showed grief.

Ning Tao did not interrupt him.

“Quite unconsciously, we fell in love. We admired the moon on the rooftop of Cold Palace, and made passionate love on her bed. That period was the happiest days of my life…”

“Then what happened?”

“Later, she became pregnant. I wanted to take her out of Cold Palace and live outside. She agreed, and on that day I revealed to her I was a fish demon. She did not react at first and asked me to pick her up at night. She wanted to bid goodbye to a close sister here. I did not think much of it and simply left to make preparations. In the night, when I came, I discovered she had aborted our baby. She made me leave and said that she would rather spend her entire life in Cold Palace rather than be with a demon…”

Ning Tao did not ask him “what happened later”. He could sense the sadness in Hai Dongfang’s heart and see the tears in his eyes.

“I never thought I would have my own child one day, but he died before I could see him delivered… I was very upset and angry, so I strangled her to death with that rope. I hanged her body in this cell and watched her turn slowly into a shriveled corpse. My hatred of her slowly dissipated. In the end… I can feel no more. I can’t even remember her looks.” When he said this, two tears rolled down Hai Dongfang’s cheeks.

Demons had tears and emotions too.

No matter what kind of love or hate, the sands of time would eventually bury it.

After a moment of silence, Hai Dongfang spoke again. “Thank you for listening so long to me. This matter has been stifling me for too long. I feel much better telling it.”

Ning Tao said, “Then let’s talk proper business.”