chapter 13 :forbidden cures in the depth of darkness

Xu Nuan stood alone in the dimly lit apothecary hidden deep within her private courtyard. The air was thick with the scent of rare herbs, their properties both healing and deadly. Flickering lanterns cast wavering shadows against the wooden shelves lined with ancient scrolls, vials of dark liquids, and dried plants forbidden within the imperial palace.

She had spent the past nights searching, her fingers tracing over ancient texts, her mind unraveling the knowledge buried within forbidden alchemy.

The Heart-Sinking Venom had no antidote. But antidotes were not the only way to fight poison.

There were whispers in the underground—the lost arts of manipulating poison within the body, of suppressing its spread rather than curing it. The methods were dangerous, unstable, and often came at a price. Some required the use of another's life force; others relied on cursed elixirs, substances that kept one alive while slowly eroding their soul.

But Xu Nuan did not fear the cost. If the world had decided that Li Feng was to die, then she would simply defy it.

A knock at the hidden door pulled her from her thoughts.

Susu entered, her expression grave. "Mistress, you asked me to retrieve information from the underground apothecaries. I found something."

She handed Xu Nuan a sealed letter, the wax bearing an unfamiliar crest. Xu Nuan broke it open, her sharp eyes scanning the contents.

Her breath stilled.

There was a way. But it was not one she could take lightly.

The Blood Binding Elixir

It was an ancient and nearly lost practice, one spoken of in hushed tones even among the most knowledgeable poison masters. The elixir would force the poison into dormancy, halting its spread and keeping the victim alive. But it required a life-bound connection—a willing participant who would share the burden.

One body would bear the venom's effects while the other absorbed its suffering. If the balance tipped too far, the host could die instead.

Xu Nuan set the letter down.

She already knew what she would do.

Xu Nuan moved with precision, her hands steady despite the storm brewing inside her. The hidden apothecary, deep within her private courtyard, was cloaked in shadows. Small braziers cast flickering light over an array of forbidden herbs, rare minerals, and vials of poison distilled over years of careful study.

Tonight, she would create the Blood Binding Elixir—a remedy that did not cure but instead forced the poison into dormancy by splitting its burden between two souls.

A dangerous gamble. A secret she could never allow Li Feng to discover.

She began with the foundation—a rare spirit grass known to stabilize venom, crushed into fine powder. Next, black serpent's bile, harvested under the moonlight, its properties known to slow the spread of toxins. Then came the key ingredient—Phoenix Blood Lotus, a flower that bloomed once every decade, said to contain the power to tether life forces together.

The elixir had one final requirement. The blood of the one who would bear the bond.

Xu Nuan took a silver dagger, the blade glinting ominously under the lantern's glow. Without hesitation, she pressed it to the soft skin of her wrist, drawing a thin crimson line. Blood welled up, warm and rich with life.

She let a single drop fall into the mixture.

The moment it touched the elixir, the liquid darkened, swirling with an eerie luminescence. The reaction was instantaneous—the potion was now attuned to her, its effects binding only to her and the one who drank it.

Xu Nuan exhaled slowly. There was no turning back now.

She poured the elixir into a small jade vial, sealing it with wax. Now, all that remained was to ensure that Li Feng consumed it—without ever realizing what she had done.

Xu Nuan worked quickly, knowing time was against her. The Crown Prince's usual medicine—a carefully prepared tonic meant to ease his pain—sat steaming in a porcelain bowl on the lacquered table.

Tonight, it would contain something far more potent.

With a steady hand, she unsealed the jade vial and let a few drops of the Blood Binding Elixir slip into the dark liquid. The elixir blended seamlessly, its unnatural glow fading as it dissolved. No trace of its presence remained.

Susu stood nearby, watching in silence. She had served Xu Nuan long enough to know when to hold her tongue, but tonight, concern flickered in her eyes.

"Mistress… If His Highness ever discovers—"

"He will not," Xu Nuan said firmly, her voice quiet but unwavering. "And even if he does, it will be too late for him to undo it."

Susu hesitated before nodding, then carefully lifted the tray, ready to deliver the medicine as she had done every night.

Xu Nuan exhaled softly, pressing her fingertips against the cool surface of the table.

The moment Li Feng drank this, his fate would be intertwined with hers. His pain, his suffering—it would no longer be his alone to bear.

And he would never know.

The next morning, the palace was abuzz with whispers.

The Crown Prince, who had spent weeks suppressing his worsening condition, had awakened with strength he had not felt in months. The burning fire in his veins had dulled. The ice that had once gripped his limbs had vanished. His steps were lighter, his breath no longer labored.

Li Feng sat in his study, fingers pressed against his wrist, feeling the steady rhythm of his pulse—strong, unwavering. It was unnatural.

He had not taken any new medicine. Nothing had changed. So how?

His sharp gaze darkened.

Before he could dwell further, the door creaked open. Lu Lan entered, his expression unreadable but his stance cautious, as if preparing for a storm.

"Your Highness," he said quietly. "I have discovered something regarding last night's medicine."

Li Feng did not move. "Speak."

Lu Lan hesitated for a fraction of a second before continuing.

"The Crown Princess added something to your tonic."

Silence.

Then—crack.

The porcelain teacup in Li Feng's grasp shattered, shards digging into his palm.

"What did she do?" His voice was dangerously low.

Lu Lan remained composed, though even he knew the fury beneath those words was lethal. "It was not an ordinary remedy. She infused it with something… forbidden. A binding elixir. One that ties your survival to hers."

Li Feng rose slowly, his presence suddenly suffocating. His jaw clenched, his eyes dark with something unreadable.

Xu Nuan had dared to bind him to her? Without his knowledge? Without his consent?

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.