Preface
How could the divine elixir be unaccepted in the world? On the day of its completion, a celestial phenomenon was born. The alchemist Xi stood atop a hundred-zhang high platform, and the nine-colored mysterious thunder was struck into powder. For a time, the sky over Xianyang was filled with raging thunder and blood light, creating a scene reminiscent of the end of days, until Emperor Qin Shi Huang ascended the platform and offered a blood sacrifice to the heavenly mysterious thunder, which then ceased.
After more than 2,000 years of the era dominated by the rule of noble lords, the age of kingdoms has finally reached its historical conclusion, while the grand tapestry of the imperial era under monarchical absolutism is gradually unfolding
In 221 BC, the Qin general Wang Ben marched south from the State of Yan to attack Qi, capturing King Jian of Qi and annihilating the two commanderies of Qi. By this time, the six states of Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei successively submitted to the iron cavalry of the powerful Qin, leading to the unification of the realm
In 214 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, ordered the conscription of one million laborers to construct the Epang Palace, while also gathering extraordinary individuals from across the land in Xianyang to concoct the elixir of immortality
At this time, Ying Zheng was already aging, yet he had taken an extraordinary elixir from the divine cauldron of Da Yu, which rejuvenated his vitality. Thus, he was able to extend his life for several more years, and he named this divine elixir "Nine Orifices of Immortality"
In the same year, King Ying Zheng of Qin proclaimed himself emperor in Xianyang, taking the title of the First Emperor.
In 210 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng passed away during a grand tour at Shaqiu and *Tu* Book. Zhao Gao and Li Si secretly communicated with Ying Zheng's second son, Hu Hai, forging edicts from the Emperor and falsely accusing Prince Fu Su and General Meng Tian.
In the spring of the following year, the immortal from Penglai, known as 'Xi', gathered rare treasures from the nine provinces and combined them with the elixirs of ten thousand years. Using the divine cauldron of Dayu as a furnace for alchemy, he spent a period of ninety-nine days and, through a stroke of divine fortune, finally achieved success.
When Xi passed away, only the elixir was left. As a result, there were no more alchemists in the world. Ying Zheng, upon hearing this, was greatly enraged and executed the incompetent individuals. He then sealed the divine elixir within the mysterious lock of Fuxi's Eight Trigrams and bestowed the lock upon his eldest son, Fusu, to safeguard it.
Fusu, a person of filial piety, after receiving the edict, took his own life in resentment. The great general Meng Tian also committed suicide by poison in the army. The Eight Trigrams Celestial Lock bestowed by the Qin Emperor has since gone missing and is unknown to have been lost...