NOVPUBThe sound diminished, and a chill arose in the hearts of the disciples of Immortal Pavilion around; they couldn’t help but step back, distancing themselves from the white-haired elder. The disciples of Immortal Pavilion, engaged in both medicine and poison, often maintained neutrality in Jianghu—neither completely righteous nor evil. Hence, such extreme behavior seemed way too mad even in their eyes.
The middle-aged man looked at the twisted expression of the elderly man beside him, his eyes flashing with indecision, yet his facial expression remained as usual, only in his heart, scorn was rising.
Bravery and ruthlessness—was it because of the boldness in his heart that he sought instant gratification?
Did he truly believe that the current state of Jianghu was still the same as it was thirty years ago? If the common people under the great rule of Great Qin could be so easily stirred up, then Great Qin would not deserve to be called Great Qin.
A malignant poison lasting seven days?
Hmph...
Mei Feng sneered in his heart.
Not to mention the ferocious patrol officers of the Ministry of Punishment, who carried swords and surveyed the world. Should a sign of deadly poison appear here, within a mere hour, no less than three Middle Third Rank Martial Artists, wielding Bi’an iron orders, would arrive to execute their duty to kill.
Two years ago, during the case of White Tiger Hall, it was only because Xia Changqing of Danfeng Valley had acted first, luring away the nearby Middle Third Rank Patrol Officers from Mi Family Villa, that the members of White Tiger Hall dared to make their move.
They struck swiftly and fled immediately, preparing several escape routes. Nevertheless, White Tiger Hall was ultimately discovered by the enraged Iron Cavalry of Great Qin. At that time, a Fifth Rank Great General wielding a Spirit Soldier took action, leading the armies of several cities. With the military formations of the Military Family, the martial artists involved from White Tiger Hall were all executed cleanly without a single survivor.
There was no need for prisoners.
The Great Qin Iron Cavalry roamed the world, no longer like a pack of wolves, but rather, only a pride of fierce tigers could truly be used to describe them.
Now, these prowling tigers had not changed their nature, but they were confined because they had a true dragon to restrain them. It was said that the veteran soldiers in the army, frustrated by the lack of combat, found their weapons jumping out of their sheaths at night, making incessant and shrill sounds, cold and eerie enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
Mei Feng pursed his lips, looking at Zhao Guang before him. Although he had anticipated that the old man’s actions would surely fail, he didn’t speak out to stop him. Instead, he began to ponder how to sever the connection between this old man and Immortal Pavilion and use the hand of Great Qin to execute this constantly resentful elder without implicating himself.
This poison acted violently, but it was not immediately lethal, which was why he had this thought. If it had been a potent toxin that killed upon contact, he would certainly have distanced himself far away, and would have reported to the Pavilion Master, and on behalf of Immortal Pavilion, informed the Great Qin patrol officers, drawing the experts from the Ministry of Punishment to kill this madman, to prevent burning himself and ruining the greater plan.
But the nature of this poison indeed allowed many viable actions to be made.
If he helped subdue Zhao Guang when the Great Qin martial artists arrived, simply stating that it was an impulsive act of revenge, with no connection to Immortal Pavilion, and then saved the lives of the townspeople, it would likely be enough to convince Great Qin, at the very least, to keep them from acting against him.
Thinking of the many rare poisons hidden within the elderly man’s residence, a strange light flashed in Mei Feng’s eyes, but his expression became even warmer. He stood with his hands behind his back and nodded, saying:
"Then... I shall wait and see."
Zhao Guang nodded, his face expressionless as an ancient well, his mind overflowing with a gambler’s frenzy bordering on madness.
Thirty years.
This thought had tortured him for a full thirty years.
How many sets of thirty years does life have? He couldn’t wait any longer.
Thirty years had turned him from a strong and elegant martial artist of Jianghu to a dying old man with withered hair and wrinkled skin. The person who had tormented him like a nightmare had already left this world before him.
But he was not reconciled!
His drooping hand, hidden in the sleeve, clenched slightly.
Zhao Guang’s ferocity had disappeared from his face, calmness returning. Although aged, as a Sixth Rank Martial Artist, he had few wrinkles on his face, his demeanor kind, and his white hair like snow. He resembled the friendly old neighbor that could be found anywhere in this tranquil town.
Yet, he stood tall and straight, and his eyes—full of madness—showed an eerie calmness.
.........…
"Brother Wang, can you identify the poison in our senior brother?"
Meng Yuexue’s eyes brightened when she saw Wang Anfeng rising to his feet. According to what Chuan Lian had said two years ago, the latter’s medical skills were extremely profound and seemed to have a unique heritage, wholly different from the common medical practices and pharmacology of the Jianghu.
If it were him, perhaps he could...
Hope rose in Meng Yuexue’s heart.
Wang Anfeng shook his head, his expression tinged with a trace of apology, as he said:
"I’m sorry..."
Meng Yuexue’s eyes lost their luster, and she shook her head, forcing a smile:
"It’s nothing..."
In the past two years, after hiding and fleeing everywhere, she found countless prescriptions that could barely control the worsening of Chuan Lian’s symptoms, preserving the True Qi in his chest. Now that Wang Anfeng could not cure the poison, it wasn’t unexpected to her.
Still,
It felt hard to bear.
Wang Anfeng looked at Meng Yuexue, whose eyes had dimmed, and pursed his lips, feeling a pang of sympathy, yet ultimately, he said nothing. Meng Yuexue’s face quickly recovered, and with a breath, she looked up and smiled:
"Brother Wang... you sit first."
"I’ll go make some tea for you."
Wang Anfeng nodded.
Meng Yuexue turned back to the inner room, while he sat at the table, hearing an old voice:
"Wind, why... don’t you say it?"
Wang Anfeng lowered his gaze and was silent for a moment before softly saying:
"I cannot say it."
Naturally, he could not say it—he did not even know how to start because what Chuan Lian had been afflicted with was the Poison of the Drug Man, nearly incurable once contracted.
