Xianyang Palace, Great Qin
Inside the grand hall, Ying Zheng flipped through the memorials on his desk and waved his hand lightly.
"Set them aside. I'll review them later."
Dressed in his usual black robes, his appearance carried the weight of age. Though there was still fire in his eyes, the fatigue in his expression could no longer be hidden.
Even the mighty First Emperor had to admit—though silently—that he was growing old.
The vitality of his youth had faded.
Just yesterday, he had summoned two palace maids to his chambers... and yet today, upon waking, he felt utterly drained and unable to rise from bed.
"Have I—he who unified the world—also fallen prey to the same cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death as other mortals?"
Ying Zheng stood by the window, staring out at the horizon.
Anger burned in his chest.
And slowly... it turned into a wildfire of obsession.
No... I refuse to believe it.
I, Ying Zheng, the greatest emperor in history, will not wither and die like some common man!
There must be a way—some path—to change this fate.
Even if it required sacrificing the empire's wealth, he would find it.
"Attend me. Summon Li Si."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Within the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, Prime Minister Li Si arrived, bowing deeply.
Despite being the top minister of the empire, his attitude was one of absolute submission. In the emperor's eyes, Li Si was nothing more than a dog in fine clothing.
"Li Si," Ying Zheng began, "I have unified the world.
And yet… there is one thing I have not obtained."
"May I ask what Your Majesty seeks?
The soldiers of Great Qin shall retrieve it without fail!"
Li Si's response was quick and full of pride.
Ying Zheng was pleased with his tone and gave a rare smile—though it quickly vanished.
His gaze turned serious.
"I want… immortality.
Can you find me an immortal?"
The hall fell silent.
The word hung in the air—immortality.
Li Si was stunned.
He had seen his share of strange things as Prime Minister.
But immortals? Eternal life?
He had never seen such a thing, nor heard of anyone who truly attained it.
Was this even possible?
His mind raced.
I was raised on Confucian teachings. Never in my life have I heard of someone becoming immortal.
This... was dangerous.
One wrong word could doom him.
Ying Zheng's smile was already beginning to fade.
If I deny him outright, I could lose favor—or worse.
Quickly, Li Si knelt down and bowed deeply.
"Immortality must exist, Your Majesty!
If I may be so bold, perhaps we could issue a decree—invite the strange and gifted from all across the empire.
Should anyone possess the secret to eternal life, and hear of Your Majesty's sincerity, surely they would come forth!"
"And if Your Majesty is willing to bestow the title of Grand Imperial Teacher upon such a figure, even immortals will be honored!"
Ying Zheng's eyes lit up with joy.
He let out a deep, satisfied laugh.
"Worthy of being my Prime Minister!
Just from your words alone, I feel as if I've already glimpsed the secret to eternity!"
Then his smile turned cold.
"Of course, mere parlor tricks and illusions won't suffice.
Let it be known—as long as someone can grant me eternal life, they may have anything they desire."
Li Si's heart sank slightly.
He now understood:
The wise and great Emperor Qin... has become desperate.
He feared death.
He was willing to gamble everything to escape it.
Still, Li Si dared not voice his concerns. He merely nodded and bowed.
Half an hour later, a decree was drafted.
It did not directly mention "immortality" but rather called for mystics and sages—those who could offer "longevity methods" and "unorthodox techniques."
The rewards promised were immense—titles, riches, lands. Anything they desired.
Back home, Li Si was anxious.
He lost his appetite. Sleep eluded him.
His usually sharp mind now felt sluggish.
In just three days, dozens of applicants flooded the capital.
But...
They were all frauds, madmen, or fools.
One claimed he could hold his breath for three sticks of incense's time underwater.
Another claimed to breathe fire—then burned himself to death during the demonstration.
Li Si was exhausted.
And now, court officials were beginning to impeach him.
"Deceiving the public!"
"Spreading nonsense!"
As if he had requested immortality.
Why weren't they blaming Ying Zheng?
A bunch of imbeciles. No wonder they're all minor officials for life.
One sunny afternoon...
Li Si was deep in discussion with trusted aides when a servant burst in.
"Master! There's someone outside… he claims he can ease your burden!"
Li Si scowled.
"Tell him I'm busy. Have the guards deal with him."
"But Master—he already defeated the guards! None of them could get within three meters of him!"
Li Si shot to his feet.
"What?!"
He rushed outside immediately.
Could it be… an actual immortal?
Or at least… a terrifyingly powerful cultivator?
Li Si moved quickly, arriving at the gates of his residence.
What he saw left him stunned.
A man in his thirties—perhaps just shy of forty—stood there.
Dressed in black.
Ordinary in appearance, yet his presence radiated overwhelming pressure.
All the gatekeepers lay unconscious around him.
None had been able to get close.
He held a golden imperial scroll in one hand.
This man... is not ordinary.
"So a true immortal master has come to my door—please, quickly, show him in!"
Li Si greeted with an enthusiastic smile, raising his hand in welcome.
Gao Yao gave a faint smile in return.
"Then I'll trouble you."
The two walked side by side and soon arrived at the Prime Minister's mansion.
"My reason for coming is simple," Gao Yao said calmly.
"I heard that His Majesty has issued a decree seeking sages and mystics… so I've come."
"Hehe, that's correct. His Majesty has been plagued by certain concerns recently. May I ask what you are capable of, Master?"
Li Si gestured for attendants to serve refreshments.
This display of respect was intoxicating to Gao Yao.
He remembered seeing Li Si once before.
Back then, the man had radiated absolute authority—just a glance from him had been enough to drive Gao Yao to his knees.
But now... they sat together, as equals.
What a pleasant change.
Gao Yao took a sip of tea, then smiled.
"My skills? Just a bit of trifling knowledge on immortality.
Not only can I grant eternal life—one can even ascend to the divine."
Li Si's face twitched.
This man was too arrogant.
If you're lying, I'll have you executed on the spot.
"Master," Li Si said with a tight smile, "forgive my caution.
It's not that I don't believe you—but I must be certain before presenting you to His Majesty."
"That's easily done," Gao Yao replied.
"See the rock garden outside the gate?"
"Yes?"
Gao Yao raised a hand, exhaled gently—
Boom!
The entire rockery exploded into dust.
A thunderous roar echoed through the mansion.
Even Li Si couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
"W-What was that?! How could it shatter stone just like that?!"
His face went pale.
Those hiding in other rooms also gasped in terror.
All that… with just a whisper of energy?
If Gao Yao had used true divine power, they'd be dead already.
Gao Yao remained calm.
"So... do I qualify for a recommendation?"
"Yes! Yes—immediately! Please, Master, accompany me to the palace!"
A gilded carriage rolled out of the Prime Minister's estate and headed toward Xianyang Palace.
People along the streets fell to their knees, believing a god had descended. Rumors spread quickly.
At the palace gates, General Wang Jian had just emerged.
Seeing Li Si escorting a stranger inside, he frowned.
"Who's this? I've never seen him before."
Wang Jian had long been annoyed by Li Si's recent antics. The court had been plagued with frauds and fools lately.
"Another fake sage to trick His Majesty?
I won't allow it."
His tone turned hostile.
"Li Si, who is this man? You'd best not bring another charlatan inside."
Li Si stepped forward.
"This is Master Gao Yao, an expert summoned by His Majesty's decree.
Please don't obstruct us, General."
"Expert? Let's see if he can beat me."
Wang Jian sneered and lunged forward, attempting to grab Gao Yao by the arm.
"Bold fool."
Gao Yao remained expressionless.
He flicked his sleeve—
Boom!
Wang Jian flew back over ten meters and crashed into the ground.
The surrounding guards were stunned.
General Wang Jian… was defeated in a single move?!
Was this man... really an immortal?
"Let's not waste time on such trivial matters," Gao Yao said, brushing off his sleeve.
"Yes, Master!"
Li Si hid his shock and led the way into the palace.
Before they even entered the throne room, a hearty laugh rang out.
"Hahaha! The widow has finally found the Immortal Master!
At last—eternal life is within reach!"
To both Li Si and Gao Yao's surprise, Ying Zheng had come out to greet them personally.
Even Gao Yao was momentarily stunned.
I thought I'd have to display more tricks to be taken seriously...
But I've already made an impression.
"Please, Immortal Master—enter."
Seeing such genuine reception, Gao Yao didn't act arrogant.
He had spent the last few days studying the information from the chat group, refining a perfect plan.
As long as he secured Ying Zheng's trust, he could use Great Qin's military to conquer the world.
And more importantly—
The Eternal Church would rise in this era.
He had no interest in actually killing Ying Zheng.
Without a ruler to issue commands, the empire would spiral into chaos, and the soldiers wouldn't follow Gao Yao alone.
But with Ying Zheng's support, everything would proceed smoothly.
In the inner hall, the three sat together.
Ying Zheng couldn't hold back his eagerness.
"Immortal Master, do you truly possess the method of eternal life?"
"Indeed," Gao Yao said calmly.
"But may I ask—what path does Your Majesty wish to take toward immortality?"
"There's more than one path?"
Ying Zheng was surprised.
Gao Yao chuckled.
"There's the path of the Elixir—a substance that grants eternal youth.
There's the path of the Immortal Cultivator—ascending into divinity.
And finally, there is the Dharma Path—becoming an Arhat through divine practice.
Each has its merits. Which shall Your Majesty choose?"
Three paths.
The Elixir was the simplest—but also the weakest.
Immortal cultivation required seclusion for decades, even centuries—something Ying Zheng was not fond of.
If I go into seclusion, who will govern the empire?
What if I awaken to a world I no longer recognize?
He hesitated.
Seeing this, Gao Yao smiled again.
"My teachings are different from those of the charlatans and alchemists.
There is no need for closed-door cultivation.
All you need is to practice the divine method."
He raised his hand.
A ball of divine flame manifested in his palm—flickering with terrifying intensity.
He gestured toward a large bronze cauldron in the corner of the room.
The moment the fire touched it—
Whoosh.
The entire cauldron vaporized.
Ying Zheng fell to his knees on the spot, overwhelmed.
"Immortal Master, I beg you—teach me the way!"