"But if I only knew a little bit of medicine whose efficacy was uncertain, I wouldn't have dared to rashly concoct pills and offer them to you. In addition to studying medicine, I also dabbled in Taoist scriptures and Qi cultivation methods.
Your Majesty, as you know,
Many famous physicians are of Taoist origin. Medicine and Taoism are inherently linked, and many Taoists are themselves doctors.
Therefore, while studying medicine, I inevitably came into contact with some Taoist theories. Finding them interesting, I delved into them for a long time. For the sake of health, I even practiced some Taoist guiding techniques and Qi cultivation.
The elixirs are also derived from studying ancient formulas.
Initially, I didn't expect to achieve anything significant, considering it merely a way to pass the time. It wasn't until this morning, when I was consumed by anxiety over Your Majesty's illness, that suddenly, in a moment of profound clarity, a flash of inspiration struck my mind. I involuntarily entered a state of deep meditation, and subsequently, a wisp of Taoist energy entered my body. The essence of the sun and moon merged within me, and genuine Qi was born, harmonizing Yin and Yang and refining my essence.
It even led to a reversal of aging.
Only then did I realize that Qi cultivation was indeed real. Many people never even manage to get started in their entire lives. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, or perhaps my deep concern for Your Majesty's condition touched the heavens.
That is how I managed to enter the path.
Later, I mused that many elixirs are passed down from ancient times and might only be refined by Qi cultivators. Ordinary people, lacking that genuine Qi and the harmony of Yin and Yang, the convergence of dragon and tiger, cannot truly create potent elixirs.
Thus, I specifically emulated ancient formulas.
Refining them with the genuine Qi within my body.
I also consumed some myself to ascertain their non-toxicity.
Only then did I specially bring these elixirs to Your Majesty. Besides this, I also secretly administered acupuncture to you just now. You should have felt that needle prick, right?
I used that needle to channel some genuine Qi into you.
The combined effect is what you are experiencing now. However, your illness is likely not fully cured yet, so I will continue to treat you based on your current pulse.
The acupuncture, though discreetly administered by Ding Yun, was certainly felt by Emperor Pingzhao, the recipient.
Thus, while explaining, she cleverly rephrased the injection of a medicinal agent into acupuncture combined with genuine Qi therapy.
Emperor Pingzhao found no issue with this, as he had indeed felt a needle prick on his arm, followed by a cool sensation entering his body, which soon transformed into a circulating warmth.
Upon hearing the explanation of genuine Qi,
Everything instantly made perfect sense.
"Remarkable! So you're saying you not only became a divine physician through self-study but also achieved success in Qi cultivation, effectively becoming a true immortal?"
Emperor Pingzhao's cooperation was truly extraordinary, to the point that Ding Yun felt touched. What a wonderful father! Everything she had orchestrated, apart from saving herself, was precisely to showcase herself as both a peerless divine physician and a Qi cultivator.
She aimed to make these two skills seem genuine.
Now, with her father's active participation,
She worried less about the news spreading.
Of course, despite her joy, Ding Yun did not admit to having achieved immortality. She hastened to clarify:
"Your Majesty is too kind. How could I be considered an immortal? At most, I can be said to have achieved some success in Qi cultivation, just barely entering the path. If becoming an immortal is akin to taking the imperial examinations, then I have only just begun my studies, not even passing the lowest level of scholar.
The path to immortality is long and arduous; it cannot be achieved overnight.
Furthermore, I have no peers to consult with. I am unsure of my current state and can only rely on my own conjectures and exploration. It is uncertain how far I can progress; I can only take it one step at a time.
However, with me here, refining elixirs for Your Majesty,
And frequently regulating your health,
I believe longevity will be well within reach."
Ding Yun only needed to make her Qi cultivation appear genuine. Ordinary Qi cultivators struggle to live beyond their natural lifespans, so how could they significantly extend others' lives?
Therefore, she was cautious with her claims,
Only promising him a long life.
Emperor Pingzhao considered her words and found them reasonable. Legendary immortals are said to cultivate for hundreds or even thousands of years. How long had his daughter been practicing?
Everything in the world develops gradually from nothing.
Learning is like this, and Qi cultivation is likely the same.
Throughout history, no emperor has lived past a hundred years. If he could live to be a hundred, he would have surpassed over ninety-nine percent of emperors, falling short of the legendary, unverified ancient sages by only a few years.
What more could he ask for?
Thus, he repeatedly expressed his approval and continued to chat happily with Ding Yun, disregarding the others present. He inquired about her experiences, whether he had any potential for cultivation, and if he should issue a decree to summon accomplished cultivators to the capital for mutual exchange.
Finally, Ding Yun, concerned that Zhang Yutao, who had been kneeling and daring not to rise, might suffocate from sheer frustration, mentioned it to Emperor Pingzhao, stating that after his serious illness, he needed rest. She also suggested returning to refine more tonifying and strengthening medicines.
This brought their conversation to a close.
The people kneeling nearby were finally dismissed by Emperor Pingzhao, who immediately issued a decree summoning all civil and military officials. This was to inform them that he was still alive, so there was no need to rush to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, and also to subtly curb the Crown Prince's growing influence.
He wished to prevent the Crown Prince from becoming too powerful and threatening him.
Secretly, he dispatched people to widely publicize his daughter's deeds. This was not specifically requested by Ding Yun, but rather Emperor Pingzhao's own initiative, hoping to convey that his survival was not by chance.
If it could attract some Qi cultivators to the capital,
And facilitate exchanges with his daughter, even better.
If his daughter's cultivation improved through these exchanges, wouldn't he then live longer? Since experiencing that brush with death, he no longer wished to die.
"But if I only knew a little bit of medicine whose efficacy was uncertain, I wouldn't have dared to rashly concoct pills and offer them to you. In addition to studying medicine, I also dabbled in Taoist scriptures and Qi cultivation methods.
Your Majesty, as you know,
Many famous physicians are of Taoist origin. Medicine and Taoism are inherently linked, and many Taoists are themselves doctors.
Therefore, while studying medicine, I inevitably came into contact with some Taoist theories. Finding them interesting, I delved into them for a long time. For the sake of health, I even practiced some Taoist guiding techniques and Qi cultivation.
The elixirs are also derived from studying ancient formulas.
Initially, I didn't expect to achieve anything significant, considering it merely a way to pass the time. It wasn't until this morning, when I was consumed by anxiety over Your Majesty's illness, that suddenly, in a moment of profound clarity, a flash of inspiration struck my mind. I involuntarily entered a state of deep meditation, and subsequently, a wisp of Taoist energy entered my body. The essence of the sun and moon merged within me, and genuine Qi was born, harmonizing Yin and Yang and refining my essence.
It even led to a reversal of aging.
Only then did I realize that Qi cultivation was indeed real. Many people never even manage to get started in their entire lives. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, or perhaps my deep concern for Your Majesty's condition touched the heavens.
That is how I managed to enter the path.
Later, I mused that many elixirs are passed down from ancient times and might only be refined by Qi cultivators. Ordinary people, lacking that genuine Qi and the harmony of Yin and Yang, the convergence of dragon and tiger, cannot truly create potent elixirs.
Thus, I specifically emulated ancient formulas.
Refining them with the genuine Qi within my body.
I also consumed some myself to ascertain their non-toxicity.
Only then did I specially bring these elixirs to Your Majesty. Besides this, I also secretly administered acupuncture to you just now. You should have felt that needle prick, right?
I used that needle to channel some genuine Qi into you.
The combined effect is what you are experiencing now. However, your illness is likely not fully cured yet, so I will continue to treat you based on your current pulse.
The acupuncture, though discreetly administered by Ding Yun, was certainly felt by Emperor Pingzhao, the recipient.
Thus, while explaining, she cleverly rephrased the injection of a medicinal agent into acupuncture combined with genuine Qi therapy.
Emperor Pingzhao found no issue with this, as he had indeed felt a needle prick on his arm, followed by a cool sensation entering his body, which soon transformed into a circulating warmth.
Upon hearing the explanation of genuine Qi,
Everything instantly made perfect sense.
'Remarkable! So you're saying you not only became a divine physician through self-study but also achieved success in Qi cultivation, effectively becoming a true immortal?'
Emperor Pingzhao's cooperation was truly extraordinary, to the point that Ding Yun felt touched. What a wonderful father! Everything she had orchestrated, apart from saving herself, was precisely to showcase herself as both a peerless divine physician and a Qi cultivator.
She aimed to make these two skills seem genuine.
Now, with her father's active participation,
She worried less about the news spreading.
Of course, despite her joy, Ding Yun did not admit to having achieved immortality. She hastened to clarify:
'Your Majesty is too kind. How could I be considered an immortal? At most, I can be said to have achieved some success in Qi cultivation, just barely entering the path. If becoming an immortal is akin to taking the imperial examinations, then I have only just begun my studies, not even passing the lowest level of scholar.
The path to immortality is long and arduous; it cannot be achieved overnight.
Furthermore, I have no peers to consult with. I am unsure of my current state and can only rely on my own conjectures and exploration. It is uncertain how far I can progress; I can only take it one step at a time.
However, with me here, refining elixirs for Your Majesty,
And frequently regulating your health,
I believe longevity will be well within reach.'
Ding Yun only needed to make her Qi cultivation appear genuine. Ordinary Qi cultivators struggle to live beyond their natural lifespans, so how could they significantly extend others' lives?
Therefore, she was cautious with her claims,
Only promising him a long life.
Emperor Pingzhao considered her words and found them reasonable. Legendary immortals are said to cultivate for hundreds or even thousands of years. How long had his daughter been practicing?
Everything in the world develops gradually from nothing.
Learning is like this, and Qi cultivation is likely the same.
Throughout history, no emperor has lived past a hundred years. If he could live to be a hundred, he would have surpassed over ninety-nine percent of emperors, falling short of the legendary, unverified ancient sages by only a few years.
What more could he ask for?
Thus, he repeatedly expressed his approval and continued to chat happily with Ding Yun, disregarding the others present. He inquired about her experiences, whether he had any potential for cultivation, and if he should issue a decree to summon accomplished cultivators to the capital for mutual exchange.
Finally, Ding Yun, concerned that Zhang Yutao, who had been kneeling and daring not to rise, might suffocate from sheer frustration, mentioned it to Emperor Pingzhao, stating that after his serious illness, he needed rest. She also suggested returning to refine more tonifying and strengthening medicines.
This brought their conversation to a close.
The people kneeling nearby were finally dismissed by Emperor Pingzhao, who immediately issued a decree summoning all civil and military officials. This was to inform them that he was still alive, so there was no need to rush to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, and also to subtly curb the Crown Prince's growing influence.
He wished to prevent the Crown Prince from becoming too powerful and threatening him.
Secretly, he dispatched people to widely publicize his daughter's deeds. This was not specifically requested by Ding Yun, but rather Emperor Pingzhao's own initiative, hoping to convey that his survival was not by chance.
If it could attract some Qi cultivators to the capital,
And facilitate exchanges with his daughter, even better.
If his daughter's cultivation improved through these exchanges, wouldn't he then live longer? Since experiencing that brush with death, he no longer wished to die.
Later, Emperor Pingzhao kept Ding Yun by his side. After the ministers paid their respects, he profusely praised Ding Yun, bestowing upon her jewels and increasing her salary. As her title of Grand Princess was already the highest possible, he specially bestowed upon her the Taoist honorific title: Nine Heavens Luan Feng Yuan Jun.
The term Yuan Jun is equivalent to a Taoist Emperor,
Male deities are called Emperor, female deities are called Yuan Jun, both ranks are just below Celestial Venerable. Generally, living individuals are not bestowed such titles, but the emperor insisted, and many ministers, not being well-versed in Taoist customs, did not object, allowing the matter to proceed smoothly.
Ding Yun accepted the decree and gifts before departing.
Following this, Emperor Pingzhao continued to undertake numerous actions. On the surface, he began to reclaim the power that had been dispersed during his illness, promoting several of his adult sons, other than the Crown Prince, into the Six Ministries, further decentralizing the power the Crown Prince had accumulated during his absence.
This was to prevent the Crown Prince from growing too powerful and threatening him.
In secret, he sent people out to extensively publicize his daughter's achievements. This was not a request from Ding Yun, but Emperor Pingzhao's own initiative, hoping to propagate the notion that his survival was miraculous.
He also hoped it might attract Qi cultivators to the capital.
If his daughter could improve through these exchanges, perhaps he could live longer. Ever since experiencing that brush with death, he had no desire to die."