Pearl Order [Complete] - 6

Chapter Eight.

Dawn broke . Ling Junyi had just gotten out of bed when the pretty maid Yingchun, carrying a silver basin, lifted the curtain and entered. Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled sweetly, "Master Zhu, please wash your face." Of course, this was a guesthouse for VIPs, and everything was new. This was the start of a new day, and Ling Junyi, having come with purpose, displayed a remarkable sense of acceptance. After he finished washing, Yingchun served him, "Master Zhu, what would you like for breakfast? I'll give the order."

Ling Junyi seized the opportunity to smile, "Do you have everything you could want here?" Yingchun

smiled charmingly and said, "To cater to the tastes of our VIPs, Master Zhu has specially hired several renowned chefs from various places to manage the kitchen. Take the pastries, for example—Suzhou, Yangzhou, Sichuan, and Guangdong pastries, sweet and savory, meat and vegetarian—if you can name it, the kitchen can make it."

Ling Junyi's heart stirred. He stroked his beard and asked in a deep voice, "Judging from your tone, young lady..." "It seems the Master has invited more than just me?"

Yingchun pursed her lips and smiled, "This humble servant doesn't know either. Several fine houses in this area are where the distinguished guests stay." Then she hummed in agreement, swayed her hips, and said in a sweet voice, "What would Master Zhu like? This humble servant will give the order."

Ling Junyi cursed inwardly, "What a cunning girl." He smiled and said, "This old man is used to having porridge for breakfast."

Yingchun blinked her bright eyes and smiled, "Porridge is readily available. This humble servant will ask them to prepare a few more delicate dishes." After saying that, she turned to leave.

Ling Junyi said, "Please wait, young lady."

Yingchun turned around and said, "My name is Yingchun, the Yingchun of forsythia. Master Zhu should call me by my name. I dare not accept the title of Master Zhu. If the Master hears me, I will be scolded." Before Ling Junyi could speak, she asked, "Does Master Zhu have any other instructions?"

Ling Junyi said, "I always have a habit of taking a walk in the morning. May I go for a stroll?"

Yingchun glanced at him and smiled sweetly, "Our place is surrounded by water on three sides, and mountains surround the water. The garden has flowers and trees that bloom in all four seasons. The scenery is pleasant. Master Zhu is a distinguished guest invited by the Master, so naturally you can go anywhere. When Master Zhu returns from his walk, breakfast will be served." Go anywhere? Aren't they afraid their "invited" "distinguished guest" will run away?

Ling Junyi said, "Alright, then I'll go out for a walk." Yingchun lifted the curtain for him, and Ling Junyi stepped out of the bedroom. Outside the bedroom was a spacious and exquisite guest room. In the small courtyard in front of the steps, there were two rows of flower stands with about twenty pots of spring orchids in full bloom, their fragrance filling the air.

Yingchun stepped forward and opened the vermilion wooden door for Ling Junyi, then followed him out, saying, "Master Zhu is new here and not very familiar with the area. Would you like me to explain things to you?"

Ling Junyi stroked his beard and smiled, "Of course, I would be honored, but I dare not ask."

Yingchun glanced at him and giggled, "This humble servant's education is limited. Master Zhu's use of flowery language is beyond my comprehension." She then pointed to a distance and said, "This garden covers a hundred acres and is surrounded by water on the east, south, and west sides. To the north is a towering cliff, a hundred feet high. The five magnificent houses to the south are the main estate of Juechen Manor, where my master resides. From Juechen Manor, along the corridor, is 'Xiegu Zhai'. Going north, you reach the VIP area, which consists of five exquisite buildings. This is the third one, 'Lan Yuan'. To the west of the VIP area is 'Tianqi Tang'." Walking south along the corridor leads to "Wanxiang Pavilion," and beyond that, "Kanjian Pavilion," which stands opposite "Xieguzhai" to the east and west. In the middle is a large artificial hill, atop which is "Duoyun Pavilion," offering a panoramic view of the entire garden. That's the general layout.

Ling Junyi nodded repeatedly, smiling, "Thank you for your guidance."

Yingchun chuckled, "Master Zhu, you flatter me."

Ling Junyi stroked his beard, smiled slightly, and slowly walked along a white stone path. This garden was indeed vast, filled with lush forests and bamboo groves, fragrant flowers and singing birds, pavilions and towers, their red and green hues complementing each other! Walking through it, one felt a gentle breeze, all worldly worries washed away. Who would believe that this magnificent garden was actually the place where the "Pearl Token," the source of the turmoil in the martial world, issued its orders?

After listening to Yingchun's description, Ling Junyi had a general idea of the large garden. He thought to himself, "Since I'm new here, it would be best to go to the 'Duoyun Pavilion' on the artificial hill to see the whole garden." With that thought in mind, he slowly walked towards the central path. Before long, he arrived at the artificial hill. There, he saw a mountain made of stacked stones, exquisite and translucent. Among the stones, slender bamboos were planted everywhere. The corridors were winding and the paths were suspended in the air, showing great craftsmanship. Although it was an artificial hill, it was the size of an ordinary small hill, more than ten zhang high. On the hill was a pavilion, which was naturally the "Duoyun Pavilion."

Ling Junyi climbed the steps. Inside the pavilion, the vermilion railings were winding and the decorations were luxurious. Looking out from the railing, he could indeed see the entire garden. But as Ling Junyi looked out, he was stunned! Although he had been blindfolded with a black cloth when he got out of the carriage last night, he remembered clearly what happened after Hou Tieshou got out of the carriage. Based on his deduction, this back garden should be located behind the main manor, separated at most by a fairly high wall. Since those "invited" here had unintentionally ingested their sleeping potion, which was also laced with a power-dissipating drug, even the most skilled martial artists could only retain two or three tenths of their strength. Escaping over the high wall would be impossible. Of course, they would certainly have deployed experts to secretly monitor and guard the area closely; this wasn't just speculation, but a fact that should exist. However, what Ling Junyi saw was entirely different. The charming maid Yingchun was right; this garden was surrounded by water on three sides, with a towering peak and a hundred-zhang cliff to the north. Logically, the main manor should be located to the south, but what he saw was only the ornately decorated "Juechen Manor." To the

south of "Juechen Manor" was a river more than ten zhang wide, with willows swaying like threads and green mountains faintly visible on the opposite bank—where was the main manor? Looking to the east and west, he saw the same river encircling the area, its banks shaded by lush trees, and beyond the forest, verdant mountains forming a screen. Last night, the carriage had clearly gone directly to the front of the manor before disembarking. If there was a river separating them, how could the carriage have crossed so easily? He clearly saw the high walls, over ten feet high, and the manor standing majestically. Where had that manor gone? From last night until now, he had remained fully conscious and could not have been moved to another location.

He couldn't believe it. Turning back to the north, he saw a towering peak, its cliffs hundreds of feet high, yet it looked somewhat familiar—it was the mountain behind the manor he had seen last night. The strange thing was that while the manor was gone, the mountain still existed, proving that he hadn't been mistaken last night. The more astonished he became, the more he felt there must be something fishy going on! Of course, even if there was something fishy, he couldn't immediately find the reason. The name "Jiechen Manor" was not an exaggeration at all; surrounded on three sides by a river over ten feet wide, it was indeed isolated from the world, impossible to escape! Ling Junyi had originally only intended to observe the overall situation of the garden. Now, although his doubts remained, he finally understood, so he retraced his steps towards the "Orchid Garden."

What puzzled him was that he hadn't encountered a single person. It seemed the owner trusted him completely, having not sent anyone to secretly monitor his movements. It was as if being "invited" to the "Peaceful Manor" meant he was free to roam wherever he pleased. The more this seemed to be the case, the deeper Ling Junyi's suspicions grew. What were their intentions in going to such lengths to invite these "distinguished guests"? Surely they wouldn't keep these people as "distinguished guests" in the garden for life?

Since the "Orchid Garden" was named after orchids, there were indeed hundreds of potted orchids around it. Rows of tall flower stands had porcelain dishes filled with water at their bases to prevent ants from climbing up and gnawing on the orchid roots. Above were tall pergolas covered with reed curtains. Strolling beneath the reed curtains, one can bask in the soft sunlight and enjoy the cool breeze. Ling Junyi, standing beneath the flower shed with his hands behind his back, carefully examines each orchid. Judging from his leisurely demeanor, he seems to be the master of this place, not a "distinguished guest" invited here, much less a renowned martial arts master. Ling Junyi has come with a purpose, determined to make the best of it. This very trait perfectly reflects the hidden, unassuming nature of Qianlong Zhu Wenhua, who never reveals his true emotions.

It was nearly noon when a maidservant dressed in green came swiftly along the white stone path. Her speed and agility were unmistakable; she possessed exceptional lightness skills. Upon reaching the entrance of the Orchid Garden, the maidservant exchanged only a few words with Yingchun before Yingchun led her towards the flower trellis on the right side of the garden. Ling Junyi pretended not to see her, continuing to look at the blooming orchids with his hands behind his back, without even turning his head. A series of light footsteps approached and stopped beside him. Then Yingchun's voice rang out, calling, "Master Zhu." Ling Junyi grunted, stroked his beard, and slowly turned around.

Yingchun said, "My master is already waiting in the front hall. She specially sent Sister Chunxiang to invite Master Zhu to a meeting."

At this, the maidservant in green standing beside her quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "This humble servant, Chunxiang, greets Master Zhu." This maidservant was also beautiful and graceful.

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "This old man is just about to pay his respects to your esteemed master. Please lead the way, young lady."

Chunxiang bowed again and said, "Yes, this servant will lead the way for Master Zhu." She then turned and walked ahead. The

path from "Lanyuan" to the main estate of "Juechen Manor" was a relatively wide white stone path, lined with unidentified flowering trees. The wind rustled through the treetops. Ling Junyi followed behind Chunxiang, a sudden thought striking him. Last night, when Hou Tieshou brought him here, he had also heard the sound of wind rustling through the branches, which seemed similar to this path. Therefore, the passage into the garden must be within Juechen Manor. Indeed, this garden was surrounded by water on three sides, and Juechen Manor was located directly south of the garden. It was highly likely that the entrance was through an underground secret passage, hence the heavy iron gate. "Juechen Manor" consisted of five buildings facing north, magnificent and imposing, with painted beams and carved pillars, exquisitely beautiful! Only here in the entire garden could one catch a glimpse of the aura of a martial arts overlord! On a dozen or so wide stone steps, flanked by four large red pillars, stood four men in blue martial attire, single swords at their waists.

Chunxiang led Ling Junyi up the steps, and just as they reached the veranda, they were greeted by a magnificent, golden hall. Standing before it was an elderly man of medium build in a brocade robe. When he saw Ling Junyi, he immediately chuckled and hurried forward, saying in a booming voice, "Brother, I have long admired Master Zhu's name and regretted not having met you. Your presence is a great honor to our

humble abode. Please do not take offense." This man was about fifty years old, with a lean appearance, high cheekbones, and bright, piercing eyes. He was not tall, but his voice was like a bell. Beneath his amiable appearance lay a dignified and awe-inspiring presence. As soon as he approached, Chunxiang immediately stepped aside. Judging from his tone, Ling Junyi knew he was undoubtedly the master of "Juechen Manor." He cupped his hands in greeting and smiled faintly, saying, "This must be Master Qi, the owner of this place? It's a pleasure to meet you, brother."

The old man in the brocade robe repeatedly clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "I dare not accept such praise. I am indeed Qi Chengchang."

Ling Junyi secretly pondered, "There is no such person as 'Qi Chengchang' in the martial arts world. If he is not using an alias, then this person has never shown his face in the martial arts world." Before Ling Junyi could speak, Qi Chengchang chuckled and gestured for the guest, saying, "Please, please, Master Qi, please come inside for tea." Accompanied by his host, Ling

Junyi stepped into the ornately decorated hall and immediately saw three people already seated there. One was an old monk in a grey robe, with a long, narrow face, long eyebrows, and slender eyes, appearing to be around sixty years old. He sat upright, silently turning a string of prayer beads in his hand. The other two were elderly men in blue robes, with thick eyebrows, broad faces, large ears, and black beards reaching their chests; they were over fifty years old. The third was an elderly man in a brown satin robe, with a fair complexion, short stature, slightly plump body, and a long, white beard; he was also around fifty years old. As the host accompanied Ling Junyi into the hall, all six pairs of eyes simultaneously turned to him. With just one glance, Ling Junyi could tell that all three possessed considerable internal strength, yet their gazes were scattered and unfocused.

Qi Chengchang smiled and raised his hand, saying, "Brother Zhu, it's your first time here, please take a seat." Ling

Junyi didn't stand on ceremony and calmly sat down in the seat of honor. Qi Chengchang accompanied him, and immediately two maids in green robes served incense. The maids of Juechen Manor were clearly carefully selected; each was young, beautiful, and captivating. Qi Chengchang raised his teacup and said, "Please have some tea."

Ling Junyi took the cup and took a small sip. Qi Chengchang put down his teacup, stood up, and said, "You've all probably heard of his reputation but haven't met him yet. Let me introduce you." He then pointed to Ling Junyi and said, "This is Master Zhu of Longmian Manor, known in the martial world as the Hidden Dragon. You three should be familiar with him."

Ling Junyi hurriedly stood up and clasped his hands in greeting. The three seated men also stood up simultaneously, a strange, indescribable glint flashing in their eyes. The gray-sleeved old monk clasped his hands together and said, "So it's Master Zhu. I've long admired you."

Qi Chengchang pointed to the gray-sleeved old monk and said, "This is Master Leshan." Ling Junyi was deeply moved and exclaimed, "Master, you are actually a high-ranking monk from Shaolin! "

In truth, upon seeing the three people present, he had already guessed who this old monk was.

Qi Chengchang, seeing the astonished look on Chi's face, smiled slightly and pointed to the old man in blue robes, saying, "This is Brother Tang Tianzong, the old leader of the Tang Clan in Sichuan." He then pointed to the old man in brown robes, saying, "This is Brother Wen Yifeng, the old leader of the Wen family in Lingnan."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Master Leshan and the two old leaders, Tang and Wen, are both here. Then my mother is probably in this garden too." His thoughts flashed, and his expression suddenly changed. He stared at Qi Chengchang and coldly said, "So, Master Qi is the owner of the legendary 'Pearl Token'?" "

He had heard Yingchun say that they had mixed a power-dissipating poison into the sleeping potion, and those who had taken it could only retain 30% of their strength at most. Therefore, although his eyes were fixed on Qi Chengchang, he concealed 60-70% of his own power. Qi Chengchang smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said, "How dare I, how dare I, this is just people in the martial arts world not knowing the inside story. It's all hearsay and many misunderstandings about you brothers..."

Ling Junyi said sternly, "What is the purpose of Master Qi kidnapping us brothers here?"

Qi Chengchang smiled repeatedly and said, "Brother Zhu, this is a misunderstanding. I have long admired your four great names and invited you to my manor to avert a martial arts calamity. I have absolutely no selfish motives. This matter is a long story. Come, I have ordered the kitchen to prepare some simple dishes and wine to welcome you and show my respect. Let's eat and talk." Then he raised his hand to the four of them and said with a smile, "Please take your seats." "

His appearance was amiable, and his words were so sincere that it was impossible not to believe him. Ling Junyi was ordered by his master to investigate the conspiracy behind the 'Pearl Token,' so naturally he couldn't afford to have too much of a falling out with his master. He gave a slight snort, his face still showing resentment, but he suppressed it. He acted perfectly, as if he both suspected Qi Chengchang and wanted to hear his opinion. Qi Chengchang raised his hand and said, 'Please.'

At the east end of the hall was an exquisitely crafted round doorway. At this moment, two pretty maids lifted the two purple velvet curtains on either side. Inside, a very elegant banquet had already been set out." Host Qi Chengchang gestured to his guests with a smile, then turned to Ling Junyi and said, "

Master Zhu, please take the seat of honor." Ling Junyi replied, "I dare not." He then gestured to Master Leshan, saying, "Master , this high-ranking monk

from Shaolin should invite you to take the seat of honor." Master Leshan clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, this banquet is a welcome feast hosted by Elder Qi on behalf of Master Zhu. How could this humble monk presume to overstep his bounds? Master Zhu, please take the seat of honor."

Qi Chengchang smiled and said, "Master is right, Brother Zhu, there's no need for such formalities." Ling

Junyi declined several times, but still took the seat of honor, and everyone happily took their seats. The table was laden with golden cups and jade ornaments, and the utensils were extremely luxurious. The table was already filled with dishes, including delicacies from land and sea, all finely chopped and arranged in various ways, demonstrating the chef's exquisite skills. Two pretty maids immediately brought silver pots and poured wine for everyone after everyone had taken their seats, except for Master Leshan, who substituted tea for wine. The host, Qi Chengchang, raised his cup first, saying, "Congratulations on your arrival at my humble abode, brother. I, your brother, have spoken

on behalf of the martial arts world, so I first offer you a toast." "Speak on behalf of the martial arts world"—that's quite a topic! Ling Junyi repeatedly said he dared not accept such praise, and drank a toast with his host. After several rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually turned to the main topic. Ling Junyi said, "Master Qi just mentioned that you invited me here to avert a calamity plaguing the martial arts world. What are the details? May I hear them?"

Qi Chengchang raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, saying, "Brother Zhu, even if you don't ask, I must tell you." He paused slightly, then continued, "It all started with me. Our Qi family and the Wan family of Huangshan have a long-standing relationship

. In my youth, I was frail and sickly, and I became a sworn brother of the old man Shipu..." Ling Junyi had heard his master say that Wan Zhenyue, the great hero of Huangshan, had a father named Shipu, who was known as "The Sword of Huangshan" seventy years ago. This master of Juechen Manor was actually the adopted son of the old man Shipu. Qi Chengchang stopped there, looking at Ling Junyi, and said, "Last spring, news of my sworn brother's sudden death came. Brother Zhu, you probably heard about it too." Ling Junyi nodded and made a soft "hmm."

Qi Chengchang's face darkened, and he slowly said, "He was injured by an extremely powerful palm technique and died vomiting blood." Ling Junyi feigned surprise and said "Oh."

Qi Chengchang continued, "The cause of his death was the discovery of a massive conspiracy that threatened the martial arts world..."

Ling Junyi's mind stirred, and he couldn't help but ask, "What conspiracy?"

Qi Chengchang said, "My sworn brother discovered three notorious villains in a secluded mountain, secretly gathering and calling themselves the Three Elements Society. They were preparing to send people to secretly deliver a black notice to the underworld..."

Ling Junyi asked in surprise, "A black notice?"

Qi Chengchang glanced at the other three and nodded, "That's right. They coated the black notice with a strange poison. Anyone who receives the black notice will be poisoned and must report to the Three Elements Society within the specified time. " "Only by surrendering can you save your life."

Ling Junyi asked, moved, "What is their purpose?"

Qi Chengchang replied, "They have two steps. The first step is to gather all the underworld figures in the martial arts world and bring them under the control of the Sanyuan Society. The second step is to plan to poison all the major sects and all the righteous figures who oppose them within three years..."

Ling Junyi listened with skepticism and asked worriedly, "What kind of things could this be?"

Master Leshan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he murmured a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha, well done, well done."

Two maids busily served hot dishes; of course, each dish was prepared by a master chef, its color, aroma, and taste all exquisite! The host raised his wine glass and exclaimed, "Come, come, everyone, please eat!"

Ling Junyi took

a sip of wine and couldn't help but ask, "What happened next?" Qi Chengchang picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. As he chewed, he said, "They concocted a kind of poison, extremely potent. Just a little bit would kill instantly, with no cure. My sworn brother heard about their plot and was greatly alarmed. He stole a vial when they weren't looking. Unfortunately, just as they were about to leave, they were discovered. My sworn brother is a clever man, but he couldn't fight against so many opponents. He was hit by an invisible fist and escaped wounded." At this point, his face showed sorrow, and he continued, "He knew his injury was serious, but the vial of poison he stole was related to the safety of the entire martial arts world. He had no time to worry about his own life or death." He rushed to his brother's place. After he finished telling me what had happened and asked me to deliver the vial of poison to Shaolin Temple or Wudang Sect, he suddenly vomited blood uncontrollably. Seeing that his condition was not good, his brother sent him back to Huangshan that very night. He could no longer speak and finally died.

His expression was somber. After a long while, he continued, "After returning from Huangshan, my brother couldn't think of a good solution. First, my brother has never been active in the martial arts world. Even if I personally delivered this vial of poison to Shaolin or Wudang, I'm afraid the leaders of the two sects might not believe me. Second, this vial of poison was obtained by my sworn brother with his precious life. It concerns the lives of hundreds of people in the entire martial arts world. If the leaders of the two sects don't take it seriously and put it aside, wouldn't my sworn brother's efforts be in vain?" Ling Junyi listened quietly without saying a word.

Qi Chengchang continued, "Therefore, I resolved to take on the task of finding the antidote alone. My first thought was of Fang Xiweng from Zhongnan, a renowned pharmacist. However, after traveling to Zhongnan, I couldn't find him. Later, a woodcutter told me that Fang Xiweng had passed away three years prior. My journey to Zhongnan was essentially a wasted trip." He raised his wine cup, took a sip, and continued, "Upon returning from Zhongnan, I thought of Brother Tang and Brother Wen. One is a poison expert..." "One is a master of hidden weapons, and the other is a master of sedatives; perhaps they can cure this poison..."

Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng said in unison, "Master Qi, you are too kind, but this old man is very ashamed..."

Qi Chengchang shook his hand and hurriedly said, "Brothers, there's no need to be so modest. At the same time, I was also thinking of Master Leshan of Shaolin Temple, who has presided over the Medicine King Hall for decades..."

Master Leshan put his palms together and said, "This humble monk also feels deeply ashamed."

Qi Chengchang smiled faintly and said, "I have long heard that Brother Zhu of Longmian Manor is also a master of poisons..." …

Ling Junyi had heard Zhu Wenhua recount the story of the bandits' invasion of Longmian Manor years ago, and immediately stroked his beard and smiled, “Master Qi, perhaps the rumors are inaccurate. Years ago, my late father saved a critically injured old man at the gate of our manor. The old man recuperated there for three months, and before leaving, he left behind a secret recipe, instructing my father to prepare it and scatter it around the three-mile perimeter of the manor. This finally deterred the bandits from invading. However, after my father's death, that secret recipe could not be found anywhere…”

Qi Chengchang waved his hand repeatedly before he could finish, and laughed, “…” "Brother, please don't misunderstand. I only sought the antidote for the poison; I had no intention of coveting the formula. I originally intended to carry the poison to each of the four of you to seek help, but upon careful consideration, I realized that if this matter were to be exposed, not only would I immediately become a sacrifice to the Sanyuan Society, but my own death would be a minor matter; I fear even this vial of poison would be difficult to protect. After much deliberation, I finally had to resort to some means to invite the four of you here. If I have offended you in any way, I hope you will forgive me." With that, Chao Lingjunyi repeatedly bowed.

Ling Junyi's heart stirred slightly. He returned the greeting with a respectful bow, saying, "Master Qi has gone to great lengths for the safety of the martial world, for which I have the utmost admiration. I have some knowledge of medicinal properties; whether

I can help Master Qi is another matter." Qi Chengchang, seeing that he had persuaded Zhu Wenhua, gleamed with a strange light and laughed heartily, "It is said that this poison is made from a collection of the world's rarest poisons. Whether we can find an antidote specifically for this poison is another matter. As the saying goes, man proposes, God disposes. Even if we cannot find an antidote, we have at least done our best. I am extremely grateful for Brother Zhu's permission."

Ling Junyi replied, "Master Qi is too kind." His eyes flashed, and then... Ling Junyi asked, "Besides the three of you and your brother, did Master Qi invite anyone else?"

Qi Chengchang replied without hesitation, "No, I'm being particularly cautious about this matter. Although there are many renowned poison experts in the martial arts world, inviting them all would inevitably lead to leaks. Therefore, apart from the four of you, I didn't invite anyone else."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Judging from his tone, he doesn't seem to be lying. It seems that Mother wasn't kidnapped by this person." He deliberately nodded slightly and said, "Master Qi is right."

The atmosphere at the dinner was quite harmonious. The misunderstanding was cleared up, and the guests and hosts naturally parted on good terms. After the meal, accompanied by the host Qi Chengchang, the group left the main hall of "Juechen Manor". Walking east along the corridor for about a hundred steps, they arrived at the antique-style "Xiegu Zhai". As the name suggests, "Xiegu Zhai" should be a study with thousands of books, but now it has been divided into a guest room and four small rooms. The guest room, located in the center, was exquisitely furnished. Red-carved chairs and tables, along with embroidered stools, and calligraphy and paintings by famous artists adorned the walls, truly embodying the saying "a room of elegance need not be large.

" Qi Chengchang led the four "distinguished guests" into the guest room, turning back to Ling Junyi with a smile, saying, "This is where you four conduct your business. This guest room is specifically for your daily rest."

"Conduct your business?" Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Conduct your business... this is probably where you research the antidote for that poison." Just then, two beautiful maids in green robes brought teacups.

Qi Chengchang said, "Yingfeng, Nongyue, come and greet Master Zhu." The two maids approached Ling Junyi, curtsied, and said sweetly, "This humble servant greets Master Zhu."

Qi Chengchang raised his eyes and said, "They are stationed here specifically to serve distinguished guests. Brother Zhu, if you need anything in the future, just give them your orders."

Ling Junyi said, "Brother, I would like to ask Master Qi how things are going here?"

Qi Chengchang laughed loudly, "Brother was just about to tell you. The place where the four of you are staying is like your temporary home; you leave early and return late. This is where you four study medicines and seek antidotes. Because I feel this is a matter of great importance concerning the crisis of the martial arts world, and this poison is the most potent poison in the world, I specially set aside this study for the four of you to use for your studies so that you can exchange opinions and have a place to discuss and learn from each other. But perhaps the four of you don't want anyone to be around during your research." "I apologize for the inconvenience, so I've prepared a small room for each of you four, so you can discuss things together or study individually. I hope you can achieve success soon; it would be a blessing for the martial arts world."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Master Qi's idea is very thoughtful."

Qi Chengchang stood up and said, "Brother Zhu's room is the one at the back on the right. I'll take you to see it." He then cupped his hands to the other three and said, "Master, Brother Tang, Brother Wen, please make yourselves at home."

Master Leshan bowed eleven times and said, "In that case, this humble monk will excuse himself." Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng also cupped their hands at the same time and walked towards their respective small rooms.

Ling Junyi glanced around and saw that Master Leshan's room was the one at the front on the left, Tang Tianzong's room was the one at the back on the left, and Wen Yifeng's room was the one at the front. His own room was behind Wen Yifeng's, facing Tang Tianzong across the guest room. Qi Chengchang raised his hand and said, "Behind this guest room is a medicine room, managed by a maid named Xinghua. The medicines prepared here are all top-quality herbs specially selected from various provinces by my brothers..." As he finished speaking, he stepped into the medicine room.

Ling Junyi followed him in and indeed saw that the room, about two zhang square, had medicine cabinets arranged on three sides. A maid in green saw the manor owner leading Ling Junyi in and immediately stepped forward to bow. Qi Chengchang waved his hand and said, "This is Master Zhu, a distinguished guest I recently invited."

The maidservant then curtsied to Ling Junyi and said, "Aunt Xinghua greets Master Zhu."

Qi Chengchang then pointed to the medicine cabinet and said, "Each drawer here is labeled with the name of the medicine. Brother Zhu can take whatever medicine he needs, or he can ask Xinghua to get it for him. If the medicine needs to be prepared in a certain way, you can ask Xinghua to do it. Of course, if Brother Zhu has any family secret recipes that he does not want others to know, he can do it himself. All the necessary processing tools are here."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "Brother will remember."

The two left the medicine room and returned to the guest room. The maidservant, Yin Feng, had already opened the door to the right-hand back room. Qi Chengchang raised his hand and said to the guest, "This is Brother Zhu's room for handling affairs."

The two entered the room together. This room was about two zhang square, with four windows on the east and north sides. The windows were bright and the room was clean and spotless. Beneath the east-facing window stood a red cypress desk, upon which lay the Four Treasures of the Study (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper). To the west was a cabinet, upon which lay numerous medical classics and pharmacopoeias, and below were two wooden doors secured with a brass lock. Qi Chengchang took out a key from his side, unlocked the brass lock, and opened the cabinet doors. Inside were many various sizes of knives, mortars, medicine bottles, porcelain dishes, and other utensils. He solemnly presented a small blue porcelain gourd-shaped bottle, saying, “Brother Zhu, this contains the poison that my sworn brother Wan Zhenyue obtained from the Sanyuan Society. I divided it into four portions, and this is about half a gourdful. This substance is extremely poisonous; even a tiny touch will be fatal. Brother Zhu, please be extremely careful. Now I entrust this to you, please cherish it, for we have only this much; the lives of hundreds in the martial world depend on this.” The blue porcelain gourd was only about an inch tall, and he presented it with both hands to show his solemnity.

Ling Junyi also extended both hands and took the gourd from Qi Chengchang, saying, "Don't worry, Master Qi, I understand."

A hint of joy flashed in Qi Chengchang's eyes. He clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Ling Junyi, saying, "Brother, I wish you success in eliminating this calamity for the martial world. I plead for the sake of thousands of martial arts practitioners. Please accept my bow."

Ling Junyi was secretly on guard, thinking, "This person is so deceitful; he's truly a remarkable individual. I must be careful in the future." He hurriedly put down the gourd, returned the bow, and smiled, "Master Qi, don't forget that I am also a member of the martial world."

Qi Chengchang laughed loudly, "With Brother Zhu's words, I'm relieved."

After Qi Chengchang left, Ling Junyi put the small blue porcelain gourd back into the cabinet, locked it with a copper lock, then went behind the desk and sat down in a high-backed chair. The high-backed chair was even padded with a thick layer of cotton, making it very comfortable to sit in. He thought to himself, "Juechen Manor has really thought of the needs of the four 'invited' 'distinguished guests' we've come to. When we're tired from work, leaning back in this high-backed chair for a while will certainly refresh our minds and make us forget our fatigue."

Then, he looked up at the sky, pondering, "What Qi Chengchang said may not be entirely credible, but he kidnapped the old masters of the Tang family in Sichuan and the Wen family in Lingnan. He didn't force them to hand over their ancestral secret recipes, nor did he coerce us into making poison for him. He only asked us to find the antidote for the poison. It seems he has no intention of harming anyone. So what is his conspiracy?" Without intention to harm, he can't be said to have a "conspiracy," but before he left, his master clearly said that a huge conspiracy was hidden behind the "Pearl Token," and that he should investigate carefully. His master's words are certainly not wrong. So what should I do next? "This is indeed a very troublesome matter."

Qianlong Zhu Wenhua dealt with the eight traitors in the manor and appointed the old steward, Zhu Fu, to temporarily assume the position of general manager, redeploying the manor's defenses. He left a simple letter, saying that he had to go out on business and that Zhu Fu should deliver it to his wife after dawn. After he finished everything, Fang Ruping also changed into men's clothing and hurriedly went to the study.

Zhu Wenhua took out a bright silver cylinder and a leather pouch from the bookcase drawer. He handed them to Fang Ruping and said, "Ruping, there are two leather straps on this quiver. Tie it to your left wrist."

Fang Ruping took it and asked in surprise, "Uncle, what is this?"

Zhu Wenhua said, "This is a miniature repeating crossbow that you have carefully designed. It contains one hundred and twenty poisoned arrows. When you use it, you only need to press the spring to fire an arrow..." Fang

Ruping said, "Is that a sleeve arrow?" Zhu

Wenhua laughed, "An ordinary hidden arrow would only last three feet, but this can hit any enemy within ten feet."

"Ah!" Fang Ruping's eyes widened in surprise, "Uncle, this miniature repeating crossbow has such great power?"

Zhu Wenhua smiled slightly and said, "Although you've been practicing martial arts with your uncle since you were little, girls like you don't have enough natural talent. Most of the martial arts you've learned are only good for basic self-defense. If you want to track down a strong enemy or actually fight them, it won't be enough."

Fang Ruping pouted and said, "So what Uncle taught us wasn't top-tier martial arts." Zhu Wenhua said, "Your uncle just said that girls are limited by their talents and cannot pursue advanced studies, but with this miniature crossbow, even if you encounter a strong enemy, you will have nothing to fear... "

Before Fang Ruping could speak, he continued, "But your uncle must remind you that this crossbow is extremely dangerous, and within the time it takes to drink a cup of hot tea, you will be poisoned and unconscious. Without the antidote, you will die of paralysis within half an hour. Unless it is extremely urgent, you should not fire it lightly."

Fang Ruping asked, "Uncle, where is the antidote?"

Zhu Wenhua said, "The antidote is in the leather pouch. Take one pill each, one for internal use and one for external application, after removing the poisoned arrow. In addition, your uncle has also prepared one hundred and twenty spare arrows for you, which are also in the leather pouch."

Fang Ruping said happily, "Uncle, my godmother gave me a set of darts, and with this miniature crossbow, I am not afraid of any enemy, no matter how powerful they are."

Zhu Wenhua's face darkened slightly, and he said, "You and Yaqin both have the same problem, which is that you are ignorant of your own limitations." The martial arts world is full of skilled individuals; how can one be so arrogant as to look down on everyone just because of mere hidden weapons? When navigating the martial world, the most important thing is to avoid being too sharp and to be cautious at all times, lest you suffer a great loss.”

Fang Ruping said happily, “Uncle, we can go now.”

Zhu Wenhua said, "Please wait a moment, your uncle also needs to change his appearance." With that, he opened the secret chamber and went inside. A short while later, Zhu Wenhua emerged from the chamber, now wearing a blue cloth gown and a wide-brimmed hat. His once fair and delicate face suddenly appeared weathered and aged, dark and wrinkled, even his once black beard now streaked with gray! Fang Ruping was stunned for a moment, then said, "Oh, Uncle, you can also disguise yourself? You've never taught us."

Zhu Wenhua smiled and said, "Uncle, this is the most basic disguise technique. Most people in the martial arts world probably know it. It's just applying some medicine to make it harder for people to recognize you. That's nothing. Compared to Brother Ling, it's far inferior."

Hearing her uncle mention Brother Ling, Fang Ruping immediately became anxious and urged, "Uncle, can we leave now?"

Zhu Wenhua waved his hand and said, "Wait a minute. Uncle has something else to tell you first. After leaving Longmian Manor, we can't walk together. You have to lag behind and stay a little further back." "Follow me closely, even if we stop for a meal or stay at an inn, we don't need to greet each other; we can just pretend we don't know each other."

Fang Ruping asked, "Then why?"

Zhu Wenhua replied, "I suspect there might be spies on this road, so we should be careful." He then waved his hand and said, "Ping'er, it's getting late. We can go now. Come with me; I need them to fetch two horses from the stables."

Fang Ruping said, "Uncle, no need. When Brother Ling and I came, we left two horses in the woods outside the mountain."

Zhu Wenhua nodded and said, "That's good. Let's go."

As dawn broke, Zhu Wenhua spurred his horse and galloped towards Xiaotian Town. There were already many people on the road heading to the market, walking in twos and threes towards the town. Zhu Wenhua didn't enter the town; his bright eyes only glanced at the earthen wall of a thatched hut at the town's outer entrance before he continued westward.

Fang Ruping was only half a mile behind Zhu Wenhua. Not long after Zhu Wenhua passed, she followed closely behind, galloping past Xiaotian Town and heading west. This area is a triangular region formed by the Wanshan Mountains, the Beixia Mountains, and the Dabie Mountains. Towering mountains rise in all directions, crisscrossed by streams; apart from the narrow paths between villages, there are no main roads. Zhu Wenhua had already dispatched two capable servants, leading contracted dogs, to track Ling Junyi down the mountain, leaving marks along the way. Following the marks, he traveled from Xiaotian Town, through Mozitan, and arrived at Dahuaping by noon. Being meticulous, after half a day of tracking, he had discovered a secret: along the way, he had seen tire tracks on the roadside weeds, and these tracks consistently followed the same path he had taken.

In this mountainous region, only wheelbarrows and people riding donkeys or horses were seen; horse-drawn carriages were rare. Judging from the horse manure along the road, this carriage was pulled by two horses. Especially between villages, there were many forks in the road, but the tracks of this carriage always appeared in front of his horse. Therefore, he believed that there was no need to look at the marks left by the villagers by the roadside; as long as he followed the vehicle tracks, he would not go wrong! Of course, since the other party had kidnapped him (Ling Junyi) and stuffed him into a sack, the safest way to avoid suspicion was to transport him by carriage. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly, and immediately dismounted in front of a small food and wine shop at the entrance of town (Dahuaping), and sat down at a square table.

There was only an old man serving customers in the shop. At this moment, he poured a cup of tea and brought it over, asking with a smile, "What would you like, sir?"

Zhu Wenhua ordered a pound of yellow wine, asked him to cut a plate of braised dishes, and also a bowl of noodles. The old man readily agreed and quickly withdrew. Just then, he heard the clatter of hooves on the road, and a fast horse galloped straight towards the entrance of the shop. Zhu Wenhua assumed it was Fang Ruping, but when he looked up, he saw a man in a gray cotton jacket with a sword at his side walk in. The man, holding a riding crop in one hand, sat down at a table by the roadside under the awning and loudly called to the old shopkeeper, "Hey, old man, hurry up and feed my horse! It needs to eat its fill; we still have a long way to go." The old shopkeeper repeatedly replied, "Yes, sir," and hurried out of the awning.

Zhu Wenhua, being a man of his stature, immediately recognized the gray-clad man as the one with the shifty eyes and furtive features who had been lurking and spying on him at the corner of the wall at Mozi Tan (a place name). Now, the man was openly riding alongside him. Thinking this, Zhu Wenhua couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Just then, Fang Ruping arrived on horseback. Disguised as a handsome scholar, she carried a folding fan, looking every bit the refined gentleman. She dismounted in front of the shed, walked slowly inside, and stood before a square table, asking, "Shopkeeper, what do you have to eat?"

The old shopkeeper quickly smiled and said, "Please sit down, sir. We only prepare vegetables: beef, tripe, pig's heart, pig's ears, pig's intestines, and braised eggs. We also have plain noodles, and fine Shaoxing wine and mung bean liquor. What would you like, sir?"

Fang Ruping said, "Just give me four ounces of Shaoxing wine, a plate of sliced beef and pig's intestines, two braised eggs, and a bowl of noodles."

Zhu Wenhua frowned slightly, thinking, "Why would a girl drink alcohol?"

The old shopkeeper then brought over the braised dishes and wine for the three of them, letting them eat and drink at their leisure. Then, he hurriedly turned back to cook the noodles. The man in gray drank his wine, but his eyes kept glancing at Zhu Wenhua. If he were indeed a member of the thieves, he would only be a minor figure. Zhu Wenhua pretended not to know, calmly drinking alone at his table. After a while, the man in gray finished his wine, poured the remaining braised dishes onto his noodles, and slurped down the entire bowl of noodles, soup and all. He wiped his mouth, took out some loose silver, put it on the table, and loudly said, "Old man, settle the bill."

The old man in the shop quickly smiled and said, "Thirty coins in total." He counted out several dozen coins and gave the man in gray change. The man in gray stuffed the change into his pocket, strode out of the awning, unbridled his horse, mounted it, and rode away.

Seeing him leave, Zhu Wenhua immediately went to settle the bill, mounted his horse, and followed. The horse he rode was originally the finest steed chosen from among the hundred best of the Tang Clan in Sichuan, which Ling Junyi had ridden. It was incredibly fast, and in no time, it had caught up with the man in gray. The man in gray turned around and saw Zhu Wenhua chasing after him, so he immediately spurred his horse forward. Zhu Wenhua smiled coldly, suddenly spurred his horse, and the horse spread its hooves, grazing past the man in gray's horse and over half a head. In that split second, Zhu Wenhua stretched out his right arm, grabbed the man in gray by the collar, and lifted him off the horse. The man, encountering a master like Zhu Wenhua, was like a goat meeting a tiger; besides flailing his arms and legs and screaming like a pig being slaughtered, he had no chance to struggle. Zhu Wenhua gently flicked the reins with his left hand, and the horse immediately slowed down. At the same time, his body was already off the saddle and flying to the ground. His gaze swept around and saw a large rock nearby. He immediately threw the man he was holding onto to the ground and sat down on the rock. The fall was quite hard; with a "thud," the man in gray fell flat on his face and couldn't get up for a long time.

Zhu Wenhua coldly said, "Speak, why did you follow me down here?"

The gray-clad man knew he'd met his match, rolled his eyes, and said, "You're being unreasonable! I didn't provoke you..."

Zhu Wenhua said, "I'm a man of the martial world, I don't tolerate even a grain of sand in my eye. My friend followed me down from Mozi Pool to report, didn't he? Let me tell you, if you dare utter a single lie in front of me, I'll make you regret it."

The gray-clad man cried, "I don't understand what you're saying!"

Zhu Wenhua's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he sneered, "You don't understand what I'm saying? Very well, I'll make you understand soon enough."

As he spoke, the gray-clad man suddenly drew a steel knife from his waist, grinned maliciously, and suddenly lunged forward, the blade flashing as he brought it down on Zhu Wenhua's head. The attack was incredibly fast; his steel knife flashed, and his fierce eyes were fixed on Zhu Wenhua without blinking. With a clang, sparks flew. Zhu Wenhua sat there, motionless, while the steel blade slashed several inches to his right, without even touching the hem of his clothes. The gray-clad man was startled, thinking he had made a mistake in his haste. He suddenly shouted, his right wrist twisting swiftly, and the steel blade swung horizontally, aiming to strike Zhu Wenhua's shoulder. This time, he aimed precisely; if the blade had struck, Zhu Wenhua's head would have rolled a few feet away with the blade.

But when the gray-clad man swung his blade, there was only a hissing sound as the blade struck, and there was absolutely no resistance. The horizontal slash met with no resistance, naturally missing its mark on the man's head—meaning the strike had missed again! The gray-clad man was even more shocked. He tried to stop his attack, but it was too late. He felt an immense force from the back of the blade, and the steel knife was suddenly flung out of his hand. No, the steel knife was both heavy and fast. His palm burned, his tiger's mouth went numb, and he could no longer hold on. With a "whoosh," it transformed into a streak of white light and flew out of his hand.

Zhu Wenhua remained seated on the stone, motionless, and coldly said, "Now do you believe me? Once you're in my hands, there's no point in trying to escape or fight. Just be honest and tell me. Who instructed you to follow me? Who will you report to? Perhaps I can spare your life then." The

gray-clad man's steel knife was jolted out of his hand, and he seemed stunned, standing blankly before Zhu Wenhua for a long time before finally smiling bitterly, "It's no use. Even if I tell the truth, I'll still die."

Zhu Wenhua said, "As long as you tell the truth, I promise you won't die, and naturally I won't let them kill you."

The gray-clad man shook his head, "It's no use. No matter how high your martial arts are..." Suddenly, his body trembled, and he slowly slumped to the ground.

Zhu Wenhua noticed something was wrong and quickly looked down. After a violent tremor, the gray-clad man fell silent, and then a trickle of black blood slowly flowed from the corner of his mouth! Zhu Wenhua stroked his beard, his face grave, and sighed, "He really did commit suicide by poison. Alas, these people have the courage to die for themselves, but why didn't they have the courage to reveal the truth and seek survival in the face of death?"

Muttering to himself, he picked up his steel knife from the ground, then grabbed the gray-clad man's corpse, dug a pit in the woods, buried him, and mounted his horse, continuing onward. Along the way, he followed the marks left by the village men; the two long cart tracks were still faintly visible before his horse. After crossing the Leishi River and reaching the Manshui River, dusk was approaching. Zhu Wenhua frowned slightly, thinking, "Further on, we'll be in the Dabie Mountains. Could the bandits' den be in the Dabie Mountains?" He then went into a small noodle shop in Manshui River town, ate something, and noticed that Fang Ruping hadn't caught up yet. Although he was worried, he had already told her the marks he had made along the way, and she would find him. As they drew closer to the bandits' den, it would be better to maintain some distance between them. With this in mind, he continued on his way, heading west from the Manshui River. The mountain path became increasingly rugged, flanked by towering mountains on both sides, a narrow, winding trail ascending

the mountain. By this time, darkness had fallen, and the occasional cry of a strange bird echoed through the forest. Hearing such a sound in the desolate, dark night would surely instill fear! Qianlong Zhu Wenhua, with his superior cultivation, naturally paid no heed, but he hadn't seen any more marks left by the two guards since arriving from the Manshui River, and a sense of unease crept into his heart. Of course, those who leave marks wouldn't leave them in obvious places; they'd usually hide them in corners, tree roots, or under large rocks—places that would be difficult to spot in the darkness. But this only applies to ordinary people. A master like Zhu Wenhua, with his superior internal strength, can see clearly even in the dark, down to the smallest detail within a few meters. He didn't see any marks left by the guards who had followed Ling Junyi's carriage, which meant there were no marks. The carriage wheels were still clearly visible along the way. If the two guards hadn't taken this route, then there was no other way from the Manshui River. After traveling another twenty li or so, the mountains on both sides became even steeper, and beyond that was Longmen'ao. Longmen'ao was a narrow mountain path, with steep cliffs on both sides. Besides the stunted pine trees, there were only some intertwined vines. This path was four or five li long, and only after leaving Longmen'ao did the terrain become slightly flatter.

As Zhu Wenhua rode, he caught sight of a dark mass lying on the mountain path not far ahead, blocking his way. He rode swiftly, and by the time he spotted it, his horse was already close. Zhu Wenhua quickly reined in his horse and stared intently. The dark mass was a contracted dog, curled up on the ground, motionless. His eyesight was sharp; he immediately recognized the dog as one of his own. A jolt went through him. He dismounted and examined it closely. The dog had been dead for some time, but its body was intact, without a single mark. It seemed to have been killed with a powerful internal martial arts technique, or perhaps by some kind of deadly poison.

The dog's death meant that the two servants who had followed him were likely discovered. No wonder they hadn't left any marks along the way west from the Manshui River. With a thought, he leaped onto his horse and galloped less than three dozen feet. Ahead lay another dog, lying lifeless on the road; he knew without a second glance that it too had been killed. He spurred his horse on, covering the five-mile distance in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. There, on either side of the cliff, about three feet above the ground, hung two low pine trees, each with a person hanging from one side! Zhu Wenhua looked up and saw it was none other than the two henchmen he had sent to track the thieves. Who else could it be? Seeing their hands hanging limply, motionless on the trees, he knew they were dead. This sight filled him with rage. This man had killed two dogs and left them on the road, and now he had hung two henchmen on the cliff—clearly, he had discovered his whereabouts and was deliberately showing off.

Zhu Wenhua suddenly gathered his qi and used the "Hidden Dragon Ascends to Heaven" technique, leaping from his horse, his long sword simultaneously drawn, and lunging towards the cliff to his left. A flash of sword light severed the rope binding the man on the left. With a light push off the stone wall, he leaped sideways, landing on the right cliff. With a flick of his sword, he severed the rope binding the man on the right as well, then floated down to the ground. His movements were incredibly fast; only after he landed did two loud thuds be heard as the bodies of the two guards fell together. Zhu Wenhua's horse, as expected of a well-trained steed of the Tang Clan, stopped automatically as he leaped into the air. Zhu Wenhua sheathed his sword and bent down to carefully examine the two guards' bodies. He found them to be similar to the two contracted dogs—no wounds on their bodies. The difference was that the contracted dogs, with their long fur, were less noticeable, while the two guards' faces were purplish-black, clearly indicating they had been killed by the thieves using a kind of unorthodox poison technique called "Poisonous Palm," the poison attacking their hearts. He immediately dug a pit at the foot of the cliff, buried the two corpses, and muttered, "I will avenge you." With that, he mounted his horse again and galloped towards the valley entrance.

Emerging from the narrow valley, the terrain suddenly opened up, revealing a long, narrow plain nestled among the mountains. Beneath the towering peaks and dense forests, lush green grass carpeted the ground. This was the famous Longmen'ao in the Dabie Mountains. Zhu Wenhua, already wary, glanced around from his horse after leaving the valley. He noticed that the grassland was extremely quiet in the darkness, without a sound, yet people were standing there.

There were four men in black robes, like four withered trees, silently and motionless, perfectly surrounding him from a distance. These four men in black robes were naturally the murderers who killed the contracted dog and the two servants. Their arrayed formation was clearly waiting for him! Even he... Their positions seemed meticulously calculated, anticipating that he would emerge from the narrow valley and stop on the grass. Their four positions perfectly surrounded him, preventing any chance of escape.

Of course, Zhu Wenhua might not necessarily flee. The four men in black robes wore loose black robes, and most strikingly, they all possessed the same cold, lifeless faces. All four stood motionless, their hands hanging limply at their sides. Although they carried no weapons, Zhu Wenhua, seated on his horse, could tell they were calm, composed, and confident. Their eight eyes, flashing in the darkness like eight cold stars, suggested their formidable skill. Weak opponents wouldn't so openly surround him. In the instant he observed them, the four men in black robes slowly approached, stopping only about ten feet in front of his horse.

Qianlong Zhu Wenhua naturally didn't take these four men in black robes seriously. His gaze slowly swept over them as he said, "What do you four want, blocking my path?"

The man in black robes facing him coldly replied, "Old man, you can dismount now."

Zhu Wenhua said, "I still have a long way to go, why should I dismount?"

The man in black robes coldly said, "Because you've reached the end."

Zhu Wenhua stroked his beard and smiled slightly, "I'm afraid you four are mistaken. This place connects to Xifeng'ao in the north and Qingming Pass in the west; how could it be the end?"

The man in black robes sneered, "I mean you've reached the end of your life."

Zhu Wenhua laughed loudly, "How could you four, who haven't reached the end of their lives, know that I have?"

The leader of the black-robed men fixed his cold, sharp eyes on Zhu Wenhua and said in a cold voice, "Judging from your tone, you don't seem like an unknown person. Quickly state your name."

Zhu Wenhua said, "There's a saying in the martial world: there are heavens beyond heavens, and people above people. You four might not even know my name."

The leader of the black-robed men chuckled and said, "You have quite the nerve

. I wonder what your skills are like?" Zhu Wenhua said, "Since you four have blocked my path, you must have already intended to attack. Let's see."

The leader of the black-robed men's eyes were sinister as he slowly said, "Once we make a move, you old man will either die or be seriously injured. There's only one way to avoid this fate."

Zhu Wenhua asked, "What way?"

The leader of the black-robed men said, "You'll mutilate yourself and come with us to see the angels."

Zhu Wenhua's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, "Angels, that's quite a novel term." He feigned surprise and asked, "Who are your angels?"

The leader of the black-robed men said, "You'll mutilate yourself, and I'll take you there myself."

Zhu Wenhua stroked his long, white beard and laughed heartily, "Why not call your angels to see me?"

A black-robed man on the left snorted angrily, "This old man is arrogant. We don't need to waste time with him; let's just capture him."

Zhu Wenhua glanced around and smiled slightly, "Do you think the four of you can capture me?"

The black-robed man on the left roared, "You dare underestimate us?" He suddenly lunged forward, his left hand flashing outwards, grabbing at Zhu Wenhua's shoulder like lightning.

Sitting on his horse, Zhu Wenhua vaguely sensed the opponent's grabbing force, sharp as a knife. A sense of unease crept in, and he wondered, "What technique is he using?" In a flash, his right hand drew his longsword, slashing towards the opponent's wrist. The sword strike was swift as lightning, and with a resounding clang, it struck the man's left wrist. The sword struck his wrist, yet the man remained unharmed, even producing a metallic clang! Zhu Wenhua was greatly shocked, but the black-robed man was also forced backward by the powerful internal force emanating from Zhu Wenhua's sword.

In that moment of surprise, the black-robed men from the front, right, and rear simultaneously let out a shout and lunged forward. Zhu Wenhua turned his horse, swinging his longsword back, creating a dazzling silver flash, followed by three more clangs of metal. He deflected the three men's attacks with a single strike, his right wrist, holding the sword, tingling slightly from the impact. He also noticed that the four men in black robes had iron hands on their left sides! He was secretly astonished: "These four are extremely skilled in martial arts. What style do they use? I've never heard of anyone in the martial world using iron hands as weapons."

His mind raced, and taking advantage of the moment he forced three of them back with his sword, he leaped off the saddle, lightly patting the horse's rump with his left hand. This well-trained Tang Clan steed, as expected, understood his intentions, letting out a long neigh and darting away from the side. Zhu Wenhua landed gracefully, chuckling, "If the four of you want to fight, then come at me all at once."

The four men in black robes hadn't expected this unknown old man to possess such high martial arts skills and internal strength. Although their expressionless faces showed no surprise, their eight eyes betrayed their astonishment. They exchanged glances but didn't immediately attack. The leader of the black-robed men snorted and asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Zhu Wenhua smiled and replied, "That's exactly what I was asking you four."

The leader said, "So you're unwilling to tell me?"

Zhu Wenhua said, "And you four might not be willing to tell me either."

The leader said, "You should know that we're not afraid of you, we just want to know your background so I can decide whether to take you alive or dead."

Zhu Wenhua smiled faintly and said, "It's up to you."

The leader's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he gestured to the other three, shouting in a deep voice, "Alright, everyone listen up! Kill them all, dead or alive!" As soon as he finished speaking, he pounced, his left hand flashing out like lightning. The other three black-robed men also attacked simultaneously.

Zhu Wenhua laughed loudly, "It should have been like this long ago!" His long sword flashed, and he engaged the four black-robed men in combat.

Zhu Wenhua, the "Hidden Dragon," was indeed a formidable figure, possessing astonishing skills worthy of his reputation. His longsword, wielded with the agility of a divine dragon, emitted bursts of cold light, its blade flashing and its power overwhelming. Because he rarely ventured into the martial world, the four black-robed men were completely unable to decipher his swordplay. The four masters were forced into a state of disarray by his fierce swordsmanship. However, these four black-robed men's martial arts were equally unpredictable, and their left hands were forged from refined steel, their five fingers like hooks, impervious to blades. Although Zhu Wenhua held a significant advantage, he couldn't harm them for the time being. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged over twenty blows. Zhu Wenhua was secretly astonished, thinking, "Judging by the martial arts of these four, they are all top-tier figures in the martial world, and their styles are not entirely the same. How could they all have lost a left arm and acquired iron hands?"

Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly heard a delicate shout from afar: "Stop!" The voice was undoubtedly a woman's.

Fang Ruping and her uncle were only half a mile behind. Zhu Wenhua interrogated the man in gray and discovered the bodies of the contracted dog and two farmhands in the canyon. Fang Ruping arrived shortly after and naturally saw everything. However, her uncle had repeatedly instructed her to keep her distance from him on the way and not to speak to him, so she could only stand at a distance until Zhu Wenhua mounted his horse and left before urging her horse forward. But just as she reached the canyon's exit, she heard four sounds of metal clashing. Fang Ruping's heart skipped a beat. She immediately abandoned her horse, slowly slipped out, leaped onto a large cliff at the canyon's entrance, hid herself, and peered down. She saw four men in black robes surrounding her uncle. They exchanged only a few words before starting to fight. Fang Ruping suddenly realized, "That's it! Hou Tieshou's left hand is also made of iron, and these four black-robed men also have iron hands. It seems they're in cahoots with Hou Tieshou."

A sharp shout rang out, and the four black-robed men responded instantly, retreating swiftly. Zhu Wenhua, longsword in hand, his eyes blazing, quickly turned towards the source of the shout. He saw six black-robed men slowly emerging from the mountain path. These six men not only wore the same clothes as the four he had attacked, but their deathly expressions were also identical. They walked side-by-side in pairs, like puppets.

Zhu Wenhua was secretly alarmed, thinking, "Four black-robed men were already difficult to deal with, and now there are six more. It seems tonight's battle is likely to be disastrous. I hope Ruping doesn't come in." In the blink of an

eye, the six black-robed men reached the right side of the lawn, suddenly parting to the left and right, standing like the wings of a goose. At this moment, two more lamps appeared on the mountain path! Two beautiful young women, dressed in green, carrying palace lanterns, walked side by side across the lawn. In the dark wilderness, the two red lanterns illuminated the surrounding area, instantly brightening it. These two young women were merely the guides; behind them followed a magnificent sedan chair adorned with seven treasures, carried by two burly men in black. The two men in black had wide red silk sashes embroidered with four large black characters: "Imperial Inspectorate." What kind of tone was that? The magnificent sedan

chair stopped in the center of the right side of the lawn. The two young women in green, holding palace lanterns, stood on either side of the chair. Illuminated by the lanterns, the sedan chair shone with dazzling jewels, exceptionally luxurious! A beaded curtain hung low before the chair, obscuring the people inside, but the man in bronze robes and ten men in black robes bowed respectfully. The sheer scale of their presence was enough to intimidate anyone!

Qianlong Zhu Wenhua's heart skipped a beat. He recalled the black-robed man mentioning "angel," and now, seeing the words "patrolling on behalf of Heaven," it was clear that the person sitting in the sedan chair was an "angel." He wondered just who this "angel" was. Although he had sheathed his sword and stood calmly, appearing composed, he couldn't help but mutter to himself. He had already gathered all his strength, ready to deal with any sudden attack. Suddenly, a delicate voice rang out from inside the luxurious sedan chair: "Zhang Tieshou!" The voice was as sweet and melodious as a nightingale's song.

Zhu Wenhua hadn't expected that this "angel" who was supposedly "inspecting on behalf of Heaven" would be such a delicate young woman. Looking up, he saw that the leader of the four black-robed men he had just fought was now approaching the sedan chair, bowing and saying, "Your subordinate is here."

The woman inside asked, "Have you found out his background?"

Zhang Tieshou replied, "He won't say."

The woman asked again, "How skilled is he?"

Zhang Tieshou said, "Even with the combined strength of the four of us, we couldn't defeat him."

The woman said, "In the martial arts world today, even with the combined strength of the four of you, there are very few who can stop him. Who could this person be?" Her last question was spoken in a slightly lower voice, as if she were only asking herself. Zhang Tieshou stood respectfully, naturally not daring to answer. After a long while, the woman slowly said, "Very well, you may step back." Zhang Tieshou bowed and replied, "Yes," and stepped back.

The woman in the sedan chair instructed the maid in green on her left, "Go and invite that old gentleman over. I have something to ask him."

The maid obeyed and went to Zhu Wenhua, curtsying and saying, "Old gentleman, our fairy invites you to come and see me." "Fairy" and "angel"—this person certainly had many titles.

Zhu Wenhua was eager to know the woman's background; who exactly was this mysterious "angel"? Stroking his long beard, he smiled and said, "This old man has been wanting to see your fairy." With that, he strode over, stopping a few feet in front of the sedan chair. He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, fairy. I am honored

by your summons. What brings you here?" The woman in the sedan chair gave a coquettish "humph" and said, "Old gentleman, a master of martial arts! It is truly an honor to meet you tonight." Then she added, "Why aren't you raising the sedan curtains for me?"

This was exactly what Zhu Wenhua wanted to hear. A woman who could command so many masters must be an unknown figure. Speaking with the curtains drawn gives an air of mystery, but once the curtains are lifted, one can always discern some clues. Two maids in green robes gave the order and immediately lifted the beaded curtains on either side. Two palace lanterns, right in front of the sedan chair, shone directly onto the face of the woman inside, making her even more clearly visible.

This "celestial being on behalf of Heaven" was actually a beautiful woman in her thirties, dressed in a yellow gown, her hair styled in an elegant updo, her eyebrows delicately drawn, her eyes sparkling, smiling as she looked at him! Zhu Wenhua was stunned. Although he rarely went out, he had at least heard of anyone with a slight reputation in the martial arts world, but he had never even heard of this beautiful young woman before. When did such a mysterious figure appear in the martial arts world?

Qianlong Zhu Wenhua was originally a very cunning person. After a moment of surprise, he immediately coughed and laughed, "A fairy who patrols on behalf of Heaven must be an angel, right?" It's not good to ask a woman her given name. As long as you know her surname, it's not difficult to find out her background.

The beautiful woman's eyes flickered, and she said in a coquettish voice, "Old sir, you are a master of your time. I haven't yet had the pleasure of asking your esteemed name."

Zhu Wenhua inwardly scoffed, "This woman is indeed formidable." He chuckled and said, "I am He Wenbin, a humble countryman. I am unworthy of your title of 'master of your time.'"

The beautiful woman giggled and said, "Old sir, the name you gave is probably your real name, isn't it?"

Zhu Wenhua was secretly taken aback, and stroked his beard, saying, "Perhaps you have never heard of my humble name. It is not that I have intentionally changed my surname and concealed my name. Besides, I have no need to change my surname and conceal my name."

The beautiful woman smiled slightly and said, "What you say is true, old sir. However, in my opinion, you seem to have disguised yourself. Am I right?"

Zhu Wenhua's expression turned grim, and he said coldly, "I am..." " There's no need for disguise,"

the beautiful woman said with a charming smile. "When traveling the martial world, disguise is common to avoid attracting attention. Whether you disguise yourself or not is irrelevant to me. What I wish to ask is, sir, as you venture deep into the Dabie Mountains, where do you intend to go?"

Zhu Wenhua laughed heartily and said, "That's right, I was just about to ask you, fairy, what is your intention in blocking my path without cause?"

The beautiful woman giggled and said, "Didn't you see, Master He? My duty is to patrol on behalf of Heaven. Tonight, my men discovered that you, Master He, were riding alone into the mountains. Your behavior was perfectly reasonable, so naturally, I had to question you a few times."

Zhu Wenhua coldly snorted and said, "Has the fairy finished questioning me now?" This showed his impatience and annoyance. He was leaving as soon as she finished questioning him.

The beautiful woman's eyes sparkled as she giggled, "Old Master He hasn't told a single truth. Asking is pointless."

Zhu Wenhua asked, "What does the fairy wish to do?"

The woman replied, "I wish to invite Old Master He to come and investigate. Once I have them investigate thoroughly, I will personally escort Old Master He out of the mountains."

Zhu Wenhua raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "The fairy intends to rely on her numbers to fight me?" He abruptly took a step back, about to raise his hand to draw his sword.

The woman smiled lightly, "I don't need to fight you."

In that instant, Zhu Wenhua suddenly sensed something was wrong. His abrupt step back was merely a thought; his left foot hadn't actually moved. He couldn't raise his right hand to draw his sword either. All human movements originate from the mind's intention—how to raise one's hand, how to move one's foot—and then the command is given for the hands and feet to follow that intention. Zhu Wenhua's mind raced; he was about to retreat abruptly and raise his right wrist to retrieve his sword, but his limbs wouldn't obey his commands. Zhu Wenhua was utterly shocked; his face changed drastically, and he shouted, "You lowly servant..."

The beautiful woman, still beaming, said sweetly, "It is truly an honor for me to have invited Master He." She then waved her hand and said, "We can go now." Two maids in green lowered the beaded curtain, and two burly men picked up the ornate sedan chair. Ten men in black robes, escorting Zhu Wenhua, followed closely behind.

Fang Ruping, hidden on the cliff, almost screamed at this sight! Suddenly, a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz sounded in her ear, saying, "Young benefactor, you must be patient now, and absolutely must not act rashly."

Fang Ruping's heart tightened, and she indeed held back, watching the ten men in black robes escort her uncle away in the sedan chair. She hurriedly turned around and saw a thin, withered old monk standing about ten feet behind her, his eyes bright and smiling at her. Knowing she had encountered a master, she hastily curtsied and said, "Master, please save my uncle!" In her haste, she forgot she was dressed as a man and actually curtsied.

The withered old monk quickly returned the greeting, surprised, "Young benefactor, you are a young lady. Was the man captured by that woman your uncle?"

Hearing him say, "Young benefactor, you are a young lady," Fang Ruping blushed, thinking to herself, "I was so flustered." She nodded and said, "Yes, he is my uncle. This group of people must be related to the 'Pearl Token'?"

The withered old monk said, "This old monk doesn't know their origins either, but as far as I know, this woman is extremely powerful. Currently, those who have fallen into her hands include Ghost-Scaring Master Tang Qi, Wen Yifeng, the second son of the Wen family of Lingnan, and my junior brother Jin Kaitai, among others..." Fang

Ruping exclaimed, "Master Jin has indeed fallen for this demoness's tricks!

" The withered old monk asked, "Do you know my junior brother, young lady?"

Fang Ruping replied, "I don't. My elder brother and Master Jin are very good friends."

The withered old monk stared at Fang Ruping and asked, "Who is your elder brother, young lady?"

Fang Ruping said, "My elder brother's name is Ling Junyi." The withered old monk said, "Oh.

" Fang Ruping hurriedly asked, "Master, you said that Ghost-Scaring Master Tang Qi of the Tang Clan in Sichuan has also been captured by this demoness?"

The withered old monk said, "That's right."

Fang Ruping said, "Master, you must be a high-ranking monk from Shaolin. May I ask your Dharma name?"

The withered old monk said, "This old monk is Lingshan, abbot of the Wenshu Monastery of Shaolin Temple." Usually, only monks from the Arhat Hall of Shaolin Temple go out; the monks from the other five monasteries never leave. Now, even the abbot of the Wenshu Monastery has come out personally, showing how seriously Shaolin Temple takes the "Pearl Token" matter.

Fang Ruping cupped her hands and said, "So, Master Lingshan is the abbot of the Wenshu Monastery. I am deeply sorry for my rudeness, but my uncle has been captured by a demoness, and I must leave."

Master Lingshan said, "Please wait, young lady."

Fang Ruping said, "Does Master Lingshan have anything else to say?"

Master Lingshan said, "Could you tell this old monk who your uncle is?"

Fang Ruping said, "Since Master Lingshan has asked, I cannot hide it. My uncle is Zhu Wenhua, the master of Longmian Manor."

Master Lingshan's body trembled. "It could be Master Zhu…?"

Fang Ruping said, "Master Lingshan, saving lives is urgent! I must leave."

Master Lingshan hurriedly said, "This woman is extremely powerful. I don't know her background; even Master Zhu… " "We're no match for them, young lady, you shouldn't take such a risk."

Fang Ruping laughed, "No, I need to quickly tell my godmother about my elder brother and Master Tang."

Master Lingshan asked, "Who is your godmother, young lady?"

Fang Ruping replied, "My godmother is Madam Tang from the Tang Clan of Sichuan."

Master Lingshan asked curiously, "Madam Tang is here too?"

Fang Ruping said, "My godmother is currently living on Mount Bagong."

Master Lingshan said, "Then please, young lady. This old monk also needs to follow this witch down to see where this group's lair is." With that, he stomped his feet, and like a gray crane soaring into the air, he flew straight towards the direction the beautiful woman and her group had gone.

Fang Ruping watched inwardly, alarmed, "This old monk only dares to follow in secret, as if he's very afraid of this witch. It seems I have no choice but to rush to Mount Bagong to get reinforcements." Thinking this, she hurriedly leaped off the cliff, mounted her horse, and galloped away.

This was Ling Junyi's second day at Juechen Manor, and also his first day officially "working" at Xiefangzhai after being "invited" by Manor Lord Qi to "eliminate the poisonous calamity in the martial arts world." He had breakfast at the Orchid Garden that morning and then headed towards Xieguzhai. As he entered the courtyard, Nongyue greeted him, "Manor Lord Zhu has arrived?"

Ling Junyi stroked his beard and smiled, "Since I promised Brother Qi, I must do my part."

Nongyue walked ahead, opening the door to the right-hand back room for him, and said, "Manor Lord Zhu, please."

Ling Junyi nodded slightly to her, stepped into the room, took out a copper key from his side, opened a wooden cabinet, took out a small celadon gourd containing poison, and then placed a knife and a small dish, among other necessities, on the table. Nongyue brewed a cup of fragrant tea and placed it on the right corner of the desk, saying, "Please have some tea, Master Zhu."

Ling Junyi picked up the celadon gourd, uncorked it, carefully poured a small amount of poison into a small porcelain dish, then recorked it and put the gourd back into the cabinet. He returned to his chair, casually picked up a silver needle, and stirred it in the poison. He noticed the needle tip was black, indicating the poison was indeed extremely potent. He immediately lowered his head, brought it close to his nose, and smelled the needle tip. Standing to the side, Nongyue was horrified and hurriedly said, "Master Zhu, this poison is extremely potent; anyone who is poisoned will die instantly. You must be careful."

Ling Junyi smiled slightly, "Thank you, young lady. I will be careful."

Nongyue blushed and said, "This humble servant forgot that Master Zhu is a great expert."

Ling Junyi said, "I dare not accept the title of 'great expert.' I am always grateful to you for reminding me."

Nongyue and Ling Junyi exchanged glances and felt that although Master Zhu had a long black beard and was over forty years old, his bright eyes were full of youthful vitality, making one's heart flutter. She blushed slightly and lowered her head, saying, "Master Zhu, just call me Nongyue, please don't address me like that."

Ling Junyi said, "Then I'll call you Miss Nongyue."

Nongyue said gratefully, "Master Zhu is so kind. When Master Tang and Master Wen came, they had such bad tempers that even Sister Yingfeng and I felt we couldn't handle them." Then she added, "If Master Zhu needs anything, just tell me. I'll take my leave now." She was about to turn and leave.

Ling Junyi, still holding the silver needle, suddenly looked up and said, "Miss Nongyue, please wait a moment."

Nongyue stopped and asked, "Is there anything else you need

, Master Zhu?" Ling Junyi said, "I'm new here and unfamiliar with the rules. I'd like to ask you something."

Nongyue said, "Please speak, Master Zhu."

Ling Junyi said, "We have four rooms here. May we visit each other?"

Nongyue smiled sweetly and said, "Master Zhu, you flatter me. You four are honored guests invited by our Master. Your movements are unrestricted. This room is simply for your convenience in focusing on your research and avoiding distractions." "There are four rooms. Our Master Qi's original intention was to have the four of you work together so that when you're searching for the antidote, you can each express your opinions and visit each other."

Ling Junyi nodded and said, "That's good. This poison is very potent. The three of them may know more than I do. I'd like to hear their opinions first."

Nongyue said, "Master Zhu, if you have no other instructions, I'll leave."

Ling Junyi said, "No, please go ahead."

After Nongyue left, Ling Junyi immediately opened the door and went out. He briefly considered his options and decided to visit Master Leshan first. He then passed through the small guest room and walked to a wooden door on the left. He gently knocked twice on the door. Master Leshan's voice said, "Who is it? Please come in."

Ling Junyi replied, "I am Zhu Wenhua, and I have come to seek your guidance, Master." As he spoke, he pushed open the door and entered.

Upon hearing that it was Zhu Wenhua who had arrived, Master Leshan stood up from his chair, put his palms together, and said, "Master Zhu, please forgive this old man for not greeting you properly. Please have a seat."

Ling Junyi looked at the table and saw that nothing was on it. It seemed that he was just sitting quietly by himself, doing nothing. He entered the room, casually closing the wooden door behind him, and bowed, saying, "I have come to seek your guidance, Master."

Master Leshan repeatedly said he dared not accept such praise, and invited Ling Junyi to sit on a chair in front of the table. He himself returned to his chair and sat down, saying, "Master Zhu, what brings you here? What can I do for you?"

Ling Junyi said, "I have just carefully examined the poison of the Sanyuan Society and found it to be extremely toxic, but I cannot discern what kind of poison it is. Master, you have extensive knowledge of medicine and stone; perhaps you have any clues?" As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately used telepathy to ask, "What does Master think of Qi Chengchang?"

Master Leshan seemed to ponder for a moment, but in reality, he was listening to Ling Junyi's telepathic message. Then he shook his head slightly and said, "I am quite ashamed. To this day, I still know nothing about what kind of medicine the poison is made from. It is very difficult to discern by observation alone. Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs; one must use the tongue to taste and the nose to smell the medicine to make even a slight difference." "Find a clue. But this poison is extremely potent, killing instantly upon ingestion. Its smell is impossible to discern; we can only explore its properties. For the past three months, I've essentially failed." He then transmitted his thoughts telepathically, saying, "From my observation, there seems to be a great conspiracy involved."

Ling Junyi nodded, "Master is absolutely right. This poison, firstly, has been refined, greatly diminishing its original nature; secondly, it's a mixture of several highly toxic substances, their effects amplifying each other, creating a powerful effect. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so potent." He then transmitted his thoughts again, "Master, do you know what their conspiracy is?"

Master Leshan clasped his hands in prayer, saying, "Excellent, excellent! Master Zhu truly deserves his reputation as a master. I share the same thought, but I couldn't test its properties. Now that Master Zhu is here, we can exchange ideas..." He then transmitted his thoughts, saying, "I can't say for sure either, but it's definitely not what he claims—it's to avert a martial arts catastrophe."

Ling Junyi humbly replied, "Master, you are too kind. You are an expert in pharmacology, and I was just about to learn from you." He then transmitted his voice, "Master, were you also drugged and kidnapped by them?"

Master Leshan replied, "Not at all, not at all. I have examined this bottle of poison many times, but I really can't figure it out. I wonder if Master Zhu has any insights?" As soon as he finished speaking, he transmitted his voice again, "Indeed."

The two took advantage of their study of the poison to communicate with each other via voice transmission. Ling Junyi said, "They mixed a dissipating poison into the sleeping potion. What do you think, Master?"

Master Leshan replied, "Indeed, my true energy is almost completely dissipated. Now, I only have about one-tenth or one-twelfth left. No matter how you try to gather it, you can't." Ling

Junyi asked, "I wonder if you can still circulate your true energy?"

Master Leshan raised his eyes and stared at Ling Junyi, asking, "What does Master Zhu mean..."

Ling Junyi smiled slightly and said, "Master, you don't need to ask any more questions. Please answer my question first."

A hint of doubt flashed across Master Leshan's face as he said, "I can barely circulate my true energy."

Ling Junyi said happily, "That's good."

He reached into his robes and took out the "Poison-Repelling Pearl," quickly placing it in Master Leshan's hand, saying, "Master, put your palms together, place this pearl in your palms, and then slowly circulate your true energy. The true energy must pass through your palms and then circulate throughout your body..."

Master Leshan was knowledgeable and experienced. He glanced furtively at his palm and exclaimed in surprise, "This is the Dragon-Repelling Poison Pearl, adept at neutralizing all the world's most potent poisons!"

Ling Junyi said, "Master, quickly put your palms together and circulate your energy to dispel the remaining poison from your body."

After this exchange via telepathy, Master Leshan nodded slightly, then raised his eyes and said loudly, "Master Zhu, please sit down. I have been feeling weak and unwell lately and need to rest and recuperate. Please don't take offense."

Ling Junyi quickly replied, "Master, please do as you please."

Master Leshan said no more, clasped his hands together at his chest, and slowly closed his eyes. Ling Junyi sat opposite him without uttering a sound. A full meal's time passed before Master Leshan let out a long sigh and suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing that his eyes were bright and clear upon opening them, Ling Junyi was secretly pleased, knowing that the poison that had been dispersing his internal energy had been completely removed. He quickly asked, "Master, do you feel better?"

Master Leshan slowly raised his hands and put them together, saying, "Thank you for waiting so long, Master Zhu. I am feeling much better."

After putting his hands together, he quickly handed over the "Poison-Repelling Pearl" and said through "secret telepathy," "Thank you for your help, Master Zhu. With the power of the 'Poison-Repelling Pearl,' I have finally cleared the remaining poison from my body. However, since my true energy has been scattered for so long, it will probably take one or two days to fully recover." Ling Junyi accepted the "

Poison-Repelling Pearl" and transmitted his voice, saying, "Congratulations, Master."

Master Leshan said, "I will never forget Master Zhu's kindness in curing my poison. I only wonder what Master Zhu's plans are?"

Ling Junyi said, "I cannot say what my plans are at the moment. I can only wait for the right opportunity to make further decisions."

Master Leshan nodded and said, "Master Zhu is right. Based on my observations over the past few months, it seems that Qi Chengchang is a very cunning person, and he is definitely not the mastermind. Even if there is a conspiracy, it will not be easy to find out their true purpose in a short time, especially since there may be someone else behind the scenes."

Ling Junyi thought for a moment and said, "What do you think of Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng, Master?"

Master Leshan said, "I think they..." After several months of contact, I've learned that Elder Tang and Elder Wen have experienced exactly the same things as I have. Although Qi Chengchang has tried so hard to win them over and treated them with great courtesy, they have never yielded. I think Master Zhu might secretly remove the poison from their bodies to neutralize their internal energy. With our combined strength, we might be able to find out their purpose in mobilizing so many people to kidnap us here, and the source of this bottle of poison.”

Ling Junyi said, “Master, your words are very true. I will act accordingly.”

To prevent anyone from eavesdropping, the two talked for a while about how to research the antidote (poison). Only then did Ling Junyi get up and leave, returning to his room. He deliberately dipped a silver needle in a little poison and pretended to be deep in thought. Sure enough, a short while later, the door opened, and Nongyue walked in gracefully, smiling sweetly. She said, "Master Zhu, you've worked hard. Lunch has been served; please have your meal."

Ling Junyi put down the silver needles, then carefully picked up the small porcelain dish containing the poison and placed it in the cupboard. Nongyue said, "Master Zhu, you leave it there; let me clean it up."

Ling Junyi solemnly replied, "This substance is extremely poisonous, and according to Master Qi, there's only a small amount of poison here; it wasn't easily obtained. It's best if I clean it up myself." He then placed the porcelain dish in the cupboard and locked it.

Nongyue chuckled, "Master Zhu is truly a cautious man. I hope the antidote can be found in his possession."

Ling Junyi stroked his beard and said, "You speak well, young lady. This is to save the martial world from a poisonous calamity, and I have no choice but to do so. However, the results of my discussion with Master Leshan just now show that, despite Master Leshan's decades of experience in studying medicine, we still couldn't find a clue. I'm afraid I may not be able to come up with any results either." As he said this, a slight look of displeasure appeared on his face.

Nongyue said, "Master Zhu only arrived today. How could it be so quick? This servant believes that Master Zhu will definitely achieve something."

Ling Junyi smiled and said, "Young lady speaks very well. I also hope so." Stepping out of the small living room, a small round table in the middle was already laden with sumptuous food and wine.

The two pretty maids, Yinfeng and Nongyue, stood at attention. At this time, Master Leshan, Tang Tianzong, and Wen Yifeng also came out one after another. This was lunch at "Xiegu Zhai," with only four distinguished guests dining together. Of course, the host, Qi Chengchang, did not need to accompany them. The wine was the finest aged Shaoxing wine, and the dishes, though few, were a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, each exquisitely prepared and delicious. Everyone bowed to each other and took their seats. Two pretty maids, carrying silver pots, filled everyone's cups with wine.

Master Leshan, however, opted for tea instead of wine. He raised his teacup, chuckled, and said, "I had a long conversation with Master Zhu just now, and I deeply admire his profound knowledge, especially his expertise in medicine. I am ashamed to admit my inferiority. Regarding the antidote to the Three Yuan Society's poison that we have been unable to find for the past three months, with Master Zhu's participation in the research, I believe it can be completed by Master Zhu. This would be a great feat to avert a catastrophe for the martial arts world. I humbly offer this cup of tea in place of wine to Master Zhu." He then drank it all in one gulp. Standing to the side, Yin Feng and Nong Yue, naturally spies sent by Qi Chengchang, exchanged a glance upon hearing Master Leshan's words.

Ling Junyi hurriedly raised his cup and said, "Master, you are in charge of the Medicine King Hall of Shaolin Temple and are an authority on pharmacology in this era. Such praise is too much for me. I should first offer my respects to the Master." With that, he also raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Master Leshan sighed softly and said, "Although I have devoted my life to the study of medicine and stone, to be honest, I am a complete novice when it comes to the use of poisons. This is called having a specialized skill, so my knowledge of poisons and sedatives is far inferior to that of Master Tang and Master Wen."

Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng said in unison, "Master, you are too modest."

Master Leshan said solemnly, "What I say is true. Putting aside the fact that Master Qi specially invited us here and treated us like honored guests, earnestly hoping that we would find the antidote for the poison, the truth is that the Sanyuan Society is plotting to use poison to eliminate dissidents in the martial arts world, which could cause a great calamity. We are all martial arts practitioners, and even without Master Qi's instigation, we would not have been able to sit idly by." Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng did not know the meaning behind Master Leshan's words. They exchanged glances, but nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Master Leshan continued, "What's most precious is that the four of us can gather together, see each other day and night, and have the opportunity to learn from each other. If the four of us still can't find an antidote for the poison, then the martial arts world will not be able to escape this calamity of poison..." The old monk clasped his hands together, his face full of compassion, and then slowly said, "As I just said, I am a novice when it comes to the use of poisons. Therefore, the heavy responsibility of saving the martial arts world from this calamity of poison falls on the three masters. My knowledge is limited, and I can only offer my assistance and do what I can." "That's all I can do. Therefore, I suggest that Master Zhu should exchange ideas with Master Tang and Master Wen more often. The antidote for the poison should be completed as soon as possible. This is not something we are doing to Master Qi, but to save the martial arts world. I believe the three of you can cooperate sincerely."

Ling Junyi nodded secretly, thinking, "The old monk is using this as an excuse to spout a bunch of grand principles. It turns out he's trying to deceive Qi Chengchang's two spies in 'Xiegu Zhai'—Yinfeng and Nongyue—so that he can have easier access to Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng." He stood up without thinking and bowed repeatedly, saying, "Master is absolutely right. I was just about to ask Brother Tang and Brother Wen for more advice."

Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng, both seasoned veterans of the martial world, naturally understood the implication in Master Leshan's words: he wanted them to cooperate with Zhu Wenhua. However, they couldn't help but wonder, "Zhu Wenhua was also 'invited' by Juechen Manor. How much can he accomplish?" Despite their thoughts, they still raised their hands in return, saying, "Brother Zhu, please guide us." Ling

Junyi repeatedly replied, "I dare not." Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng were both heavy drinkers, and with a tacit understanding, they chatted amiably throughout the meal. They drank wine to the last drop, enjoying themselves immensely until they were drunk and full. Yin Feng and Nong Yue cleared away the leftovers and brewed fragrant tea for the four of them. They sat in the small hall for a while before returning to their respective rooms to study the poison.

In the late afternoon, after a short rest, Ling Junyi went to visit Tang Tianzong. Their conversation was similar to Master Leshan's, using the topic of the Sanyuan Society's poison to communicate through "secret telepathy." The difference was that Ling Junyi presented the short sword given to him by Old Madam Tang, then briefly explained his origins and how he disguised himself as the Hidden Dragon Zhu Wenhua to infiltrate Juechen Manor. Finally, he took out the "Poison-Repelling Pearl" to cure Tang Tianzong of the strange poison that had been dispersing his internal energy.

The next morning, he used the same method to visit Wen Yifeng and also cured Wen Yifeng of the same poison. He had successfully completed the first step, while also deceiving Yin Feng and Nong Yue. However, Yin Feng and Nong Yue had to report their every move to the manor lord every day, which aroused Qi Chengchang's suspicion. He felt that the Hidden Dragon Zhu Wenhua, a powerful figure, had been treated with the utmost respect after being "invited" here, but had ultimately lost his freedom and harbored resentment. He couldn't possibly be so enthusiastic about the antidote for the poison. Therefore, he instructed Yin Feng and Nong Yue of "Xiegu Zhai," Xinghua in the medicine room, and Yingchun in the inn to pay special attention to Zhu Wenhua. He also ordered his adopted son, Tian Zhongbi, to strengthen security in the garden and keep a close watch on the four "distinguished guests.

" Ling Junyi had been "working" at Xieguzhai for three days. In those three days, aside from exchanging ideas with Master Leshan, Tang Tianzong, and Wen Yifeng, and visiting their rooms for long talks, he hadn't done anything else. To show that he was actively researching an antidote, he went to the medicine room every day to take some medicine from the cabinet, grinding and crushing it himself, keeping himself very busy. In

just three days, his small room was filled with medicine bottles of all sizes, some containing powder, others containing infused liquid; a strong medicinal smell filled the room upon entering. Qi Chengchang, of course, didn't believe he was truly researching an antidote; he assumed his active preparation of medicine was simply an attempt to neutralize the "dispersing poison" they had been afflicted with. He could rest assured about this, because the medicine room didn't contain a single ingredient for the antidote to the "Dispersing Power Poison," especially since those who had entered "Juechen Manor" weren't afraid of anyone flying away.

It was the afternoon of the third day. After lunch, Ling Junyi stepped alone into his small room. A heavy feeling began to settle in his heart. After three days of conversations with Master Leshan, Tang Tianzong, and Wen Yifeng, he realized that although he had cured the three of them of the Dispersing Power Poison, many problems remained unresolved. For example: why did Qi Chengchang go to such lengths to "invite" them here? Of course, his claim that the Sanyuan Society intended to poison the martial arts world was not entirely believable; but where did this poison come from? Why was he so eager to find an antidote? Master Leshan believed that Qi Chengchang was merely acting on orders to manage Juechen Manor and monitor their search for the antidote; there must be another mastermind behind it all. Who was this person? What were their motives? When he arrived, he clearly saw a large manor at the foot of the mountain. Why would "Juechen Manor" be surrounded by water on three sides, with mountains surrounding the water? Given this situation, even if the four of them were fully recovered, they couldn't escape.

Of course, the most serious issue was the "poison." According to Tang Tianzong and Wen Yifeng, two experts in poisons and incense, this extremely potent poison had no antidote. Perhaps these people possessed such a potent poison but were hesitant to act due to the lack of an antidote. However, it was still a very dangerous situation. If, as Qi Chengchang said, they took action against the two powerful figures of the martial arts world, this poisonous calamity would be truly uncontrollable. Ling Junyi sat at his desk, head bowed in thought, the more he pondered, the more complex the problem seemed! Suddenly, he realized that the crux of all these problems lay with the "poison," and was caused by it. If an antidote could be found, perhaps all the problems could be solved! Thinking of the antidote, he immediately thought of the "Poison-Repelling Bead" he carried.

The "Poison-Repelling Bead" was adept at neutralizing all kinds of poisons, and naturally, it could also neutralize the "poisonous juice." With this thought, he immediately took out the "Poison-Repelling Bead" from his robes and carefully dipped it lightly into a small dish of "poisonous juice." This light touch had no effect; a sudden "hiss" sound rang out from the dish, like a red-hot iron being placed in water, and wisps of yellow smoke immediately rose from the small dish of poisonous juice! Ling Junyi was startled and quickly looked at the "Poison-Repelling Bead," thankfully finding it completely undamaged! Just then, the door opened, and the pretty maid, Nongyue, carrying a copper kettle, came in to make tea for Ling Junyi. Ling Junyi, quick-witted, immediately hid the "Poison-Repelling Bead" in his sleeve.

Nongyue noticed the yellow smoke still rising from the small porcelain dish. Her pretty eyes fixed on Ling Junyi, she smiled sweetly and said, "Master Zhu, why don't you rest for a while? Are you experimenting again?"

Ling Junyi looked up and smiled, "I had nothing better to do, so I took some medicines to test their toxicity."

Nongyue said, "Master Zhu is so kind..." As she spoke, she gracefully approached the table, about to brew tea for Ling Junyi, when suddenly she exclaimed "Ah!" and put down the copper kettle, crying out in surprise, "Master Zhu, you succeeded! Look! This dish of poison has turned into clear water!"

Indeed, after the yellow smoke from the small porcelain dish disappeared, the half-dish "poison," blacker than ink, had turned into clear water! Ling Junyi, caught off guard by Nongyue's sudden intrusion, had only been busy quickly putting the pearl into his sleeve, failing to examine the contents closely, and had even readily admitted to testing the toxicity of several medicines. At that moment, Nongyue shouted, and he immediately thought to himself, "Oh no!" Now that she had seen it, wouldn't that cause him a lot of trouble? But he couldn't help but pretend to be surprised, so he stared at the porcelain plate and pretended to laugh out loud.

Nongyue, her face beaming with joy, curtsied to Ling Junyi and said, "Congratulations, Master Zhu! I knew you would find an antidote."

Ling Junyi's laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes darting frantically around the dozen or so medicine bottles of various sizes on the table. He scratched his head anxiously and said, "Oh no! I just tried a random combination of different medicines, and I don't know which ones can neutralize the poison!"

Nongyue smiled sweetly and said, "Master Zhu has successfully neutralized the poison. With a few more tries, you'll be able to find the antidote. This is wonderful news! It's a pity our Master isn't here..."

Ling Junyi's heart skipped a beat, and he seized the opportunity to ask, "Where did Master Qi go?"

Nongyue replied, "I don't know either. Master left last night and probably won't be back until tomorrow night." As she spoke, she brewed tea for Ling Junyi and said, "With Master Qi gone, you're in charge of the manor. Now that Master Zhu has neutralized the poison, I must immediately go and report the good news to you." She picked up the copper kettle and turned to leave.

Ling Junyi said, "Miss, please slow down."

Nongyue stopped and asked, "What are your orders, Master Zhu?"

Ling Junyi replied, "The young master you're referring to, is that Master Qi's son?"

Nongyue said, "Young Master Tian is our Master's adopted son."

Ling Junyi asked, "May I ask what Young Master Tian's name is?"

Nongyue replied, "Young Master Tian is named Tian Zhongbi."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "So that blue-robed young master is named Tian Zhongbi." He stroked his beard and pondered, "In my opinion, the dissolving of the poison just now was merely a coincidence. We cannot yet be certain that we have found the antidote. If this is considered a success, it is only the initial step. We need to conduct several more experiments to know for sure. Therefore, I think it is not appropriate to inform Young Master at this time..."

Nongyue smiled charmingly and said, "Now that I know, how many heads do I have if I don't report to Young Master?"

Ling Junyi said, "I really just stumbled upon it by chance. It will still be some time before we succeed."

Nongyue said, "But wishing Master can dissolve the poison is the truth." After saying that, she turned and hurried away. Ling Junyi watched her back and secretly frowned, thinking, "I have already dissolved half a dish of 'poison.' Even if I use the excuse that it was just a chance discovery, I'm afraid I can't delay for long."

As the door opened, Yin Feng slipped in, bowing with a smile. "This humble servant heard from Nong Yue that Master Zhu managed to dissolve a dish of poison into clear water during his experiment. I've come specifically to congratulate Master Zhu." Ling

Junyi stroked his long, black beard and chuckled, "Thank you, young lady. I merely stumbled upon it by chance."

Yin Feng said, "That is still Master Zhu's achievement. I heard that there is no antidote for this poison, but now you have finally found one for Master Zhu."

Ling Junyi said, "That is too early to say." Just then, Master Leshan, Tang Tianzong, and Wen Yifeng also entered. Yin Feng immediately withdrew from the room.

Master Leshan clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha! This old monk has heard that Master Zhu has been cured of the poison. It is truly a cause for celebration." "As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately asked via telepathic communication, 'What's going on?' Tang Tianzong, wanting to facilitate a conversation between Ling Junyi and Master Leshan, deliberately laughed loudly, 'Brother Zhu is indeed brilliant! I've been studying this for three months and still haven't found a clue, but Brother Zhu neutralized the poison in just three days.'

Ling Junyi said, 'Not at all, not at all,' while simultaneously recounting to Master Leshan via telepathic communication the incident where he had used the 'Poison-Repelling Pearl' to test the poison and was caught by Nongyue.

Wen Yifeng then laughed, 'It seems Brother Zhu will definitely be able to concoct the antidote in a short time.'

Master Leshan frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, 'It's a good thing that the 'Poison-Repelling Pearl' can neutralize the poison, because with the 'Poison-Repelling Pearl,' the 'poison' is no longer a threat. But if word gets out, Qi Chengchang will definitely force you to concoct the antidote. It's fine to deal with it temporarily, but if it takes too long, he might become suspicious.'"

Ling Junyi said, "Then we'll just have to deal with it for a while. The most important thing right now is to find out what their conspiracy is. Who is secretly behind Qi Chengchang? It would be even better if we could expose these problems in one fell swoop." Just

as he said this, Yin Feng walked in and bowed, saying, "Reporting to Master Zhu, the young master has arrived." A series of light footsteps stopped at the door, and then Nong Yue quickly opened the door.

A young man in a blue robe with a golden crown tied in his hair stepped forward with a smile on his face, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "This nephew, Tian Zhongbi, greets Uncle Zhu." Ling Junyi

immediately recognized him as the blue-clad man who had secretly escorted the "Pearl Token" all the way from Kaifeng. He quickly returned the greeting with a cupped-fist salute: "Brother Tian, please don't stand on ceremony."

Tian Zhongbi, with his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, exuded arrogance, but at this moment he was extremely humble and polite. He bowed to Master Leshan, Tang Tianzong, and Wen Yifeng one by one, and then said to Ling Junyi: "I heard that Uncle Zhu has just neutralized the poison. This is great news and a blessing for the martial arts world. Since my godfather is away and has not yet returned, I have come to offer my congratulations and would also like to invite Uncle Zhu to the 'Sword-Viewing Pavilion' for a chat."

Ling Junyi's heart stirred. He thought to himself: "Qi Chengchang is away and has not yet returned. Why is he inviting me to the 'Sword-Viewing Pavilion'?" But he had never been to the "Sword-Viewing Pavilion." Since he had been invited, wouldn't it be perfect to go and see what was inside? A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately stroked his beard and smiled, "Brother Tian, you are too kind. Since you have invited me, I will certainly accompany you."

Tian Zhongbi's face lit up with joy, and he said, "In that case, Uncle Zhu, please."

A strange light flashed in Tang Tianzong's eyes, and he secretly told Ling Junyi through telepathy, "This Tian fellow has a crooked eye. Brother Ling, you must be careful."

Ling Junyi cupped his hands to Master Leshan and the other two, saying, "Brother, I will keep you company for a while." As he spoke, he secretly nodded to Tang Tianzong.

Tian Zhongbi then bid farewell to the three, and respectfully said, "This nephew will lead the way for Uncle Zhu." After saying that, he took the lead.

"Kanjian Pavilion" is located at the southwest end of the entire garden, surrounded by water, with three waterside pavilions in the middle, surrounded by vermilion railings and a winding stone bridge. It and "Xiegu Zhai" are located to the east and west, facing each other from afar. Accompanied by Tian Zhongbi, Ling Junyi walked across the Nine-Bend Bridge. Three painted pavilions stood in the middle of the water, their sides draped with curtains of Xiangfei bamboo, creating a remarkably tranquil scene. Walking on the bridge, the water was as clear as a mirror, and a gentle breeze made it feel like being in a crystal palace! Just as Tian Zhongbi led Ling Junyi to the pavilion, a maid in green lifted the curtain and bowed to Tian Zhongbi, saying, "The fairy is waiting inside. Please accompany Master Zhu to meet her." She then lifted the bamboo curtain. Tian Zhongbi turned and gestured, "Uncle Zhu, please."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "I wonder who this fairy she speaks of is?" He stroked his beard and smiled, "I'm new here, Brother Tian, no need for formalities. Please go first."

Tian Zhongbi then stepped aside and entered the waterside pavilion with Ling Junyi. This was a rather elegantly furnished small guest room, with chairs and tables made of Xiangfei bamboo. At the head of the table sat a beautiful young woman with her hair styled in a palace updo, dressed in a black dress. Seeing Tian Zhongbi accompany Ling Junyi in, her eyes sparkled, and she stood up with a smile. Ling Junyi immediately recognized the beautiful young woman as Xuan Yi Luosha, which didn't surprise him, as he already knew she was a member of the "Pearl Token" gang.

Tian Zhongbi hurriedly bowed and said, "Aunt Chu, Uncle Zhu has arrived." Then, turning to Ling Junyi, she said, "This is Aunt Chu, a relative of my godfather. Since my godfather is away, Aunt Chu has been in charge of all matters at Juechen Manor. She just heard about Uncle Zhu's cure of the poison and wished to see him, so she sent me to invite him." So that's how it is.

While Tian Zhongbi was speaking, the black-robed Rakshasa, with her bright, beautiful eyes fixed on Ling Junyi, immediately interjected with a smile, "This humble concubine has long admired the name of Master Zhu of Longmian Manor. Meeting you today, I can see that your reputation is indeed well-deserved..." Her voice trailed off, then she suddenly gave a coquettish reproach to Tian Zhongbi, saying, "Young Master Tian, Master Zhu is our honored guest. You've been so busy talking that you haven't even invited him to take a seat."

Tian Zhongbi responded with a "Yes," and quickly raised his hand, saying, "Uncle Zhu, please take a seat."

Only then did Ling Junyi have a chance to speak. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to the black-robed Rakshasa, saying, "So it's Miss Chu. It's an honor to meet you." With that, he slowly walked to the head of the table and sat down with the black-robed Rakshasa, as host and guest. Tian Zhongbi, having received no instructions from the black-robed Rakshasa, could only stand respectfully to the side. A maid in green served fragrant tea.

The beautiful, dark-clad Rakshasa raised her teacup, her eyes sparkling, and said sweetly, "Please have some tea, Master Zhu."

Ling Junyi had many questions for the Rakshasa, but with Tian Zhongbi present, he couldn't show any sign of surprise. The Rakshasa's gaze was fixed on Ling Junyi's face as she slowly said, "Master Zhu's ability to neutralize the incredibly potent and incurable Sanyuanhui poison in just two days is truly both exciting and astonishing."

A sudden thought struck Ling Junyi, and he asked, "How does Miss Chu know that the Sanyuanhui poison is incurable?"

The black-robed Rakshasa was taken aback by his question, but immediately smiled and said, "At least until Master Zhu can neutralize this poison, no one can cure this strange poison." Ling Junyi, observing her words and expressions, naturally saw that the black-robed Rakshasa's answer seemed rather reluctant, and he immediately became suspicious, thinking to himself, "Could it be that the poison is truly incurable?" He coughed and said, "I myself wasn't very confident, but I encountered a miracle by chance. Even now, I still can't determine which ingredients, when combined, can turn the poison into clear water. Therefore, I originally didn't want to alarm everyone before I was completely certain." "
The black-clad Rakshasa's beautiful eyes sparkled as she giggled, "What? Does Master Zhu intend to keep this a secret?" Ling Junyi frowned, smiling awkwardly, "Miss Chu, you may not know, but I only stumbled upon this today. Although I've neutralized the poison, I can only say I've made a preliminary breakthrough. I still need to continue researching and experimenting with the various medicines several times before I can find the final result."

The black-clad Rakshasa gently touched her hair, then suddenly her expression turned serious as she asked, "I wonder how much more time Master Zhu will need before he can concoct an antidote?"

Ling Junyi hesitated for a moment, then smiled wryly, "That's hard to say. Although I have found several medicines that can neutralize the poison..." However, whether it can be made into an antidote is still unpredictable.

"What do you mean by that, Master Zhu?" asked the Black-Clad

Rakshasa. Ling Junyi stroked his beard and smiled, "This may sound unbelievable, but it might actually be true..."

The Black-Clad Rakshasa said, "Master Zhu's profound words are perhaps too deep for this humble servant to understand."

Ling Junyi's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "The principle is actually quite simple. For example, the medicines I use to neutralize poison, while capable of counteracting the poison, are themselves extremely toxic. How can they be made into an antidote? Of course, most antidotes work by using poison to counteract poison, and we can try to reduce their toxicity, but after reducing it..." "Whether it will still be effective in neutralizing the poison remains a great question."

Xuan Yi Luosha nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's quite true."

Ling Junyi smiled slightly, thinking, "If my master hadn't explained some principles to me before, wouldn't I have been stumped by you today?" He continued, "Therefore, I feel that even if the poison is neutralized, it doesn't mean we've found an antidote. There's still an immeasurable gap between us, and I have no confidence whatsoever."

Xuan Yi Luosha said, "But I hope that Master Zhu can find the antidote as soon as possible."

Ling Junyi said, "I will do my best in this regard." The conversation should have ended there.

But Xuan Yi Luosha seemed quite talkative. With a glint in her eye, she smiled gracefully at Ling Junyi and asked, "I've heard that Master Zhu has a daughter with a beauty that could rival the most beautiful women in the world. She's known in the martial arts world as the 'Dragon Sleeping Phoenix.' May I ask her name and how old she is?" Oh no, she suddenly asked about Master Zhu's daughter.

Ling Junyi frowned slightly. Fortunately, he knew that Fang Ruping had a cousin, and they were about the same age. Fang Ruping was eighteen this year, and her cousin was at most a year or two older, so she was probably nineteen or twenty. Although Fang Ruping often mentioned her cousin, she had never said her cousin's name. But that didn't matter. As long as the Black-Clad Rakshasa didn't know her background, he could just make up a name for her. He was quick-witted, and his mind raced. He immediately chuckled and said, "My daughter is nineteen this year, and her nickname is Rulan." It made sense that the cousin was called Ruping and the older cousin was called Rulan.

The Black-Clad Rakshasa smiled slightly and said, "Master Zhu, I have someone here. I wonder if you know her?" As she spoke, she turned around and called out, "Yu Rui."

A maid in green stepped forward and bowed, saying, "What are your orders, Fairy?"

The Black-Clad Rakshasa said, "Go and call He Dongsheng in." The maid in green bowed and accepted the order, then withdrew.

Ling Junyi muttered to himself, "Who is this He Dongsheng? And why did she call him in? Could he be very familiar with Master Zhu?"

Not long after the maid left, she was heard saying from outside the curtain, "Reporting to Fairy Cha, He Dongsheng has arrived."

The black-clad Rakshasa said, "Let him in."

Someone outside the curtain responded, and the curtain was lifted, revealing a man with thick eyebrows and a pockmarked face dressed in gray. Upon entering the room, he immediately stood still and respectfully bowed, saying, "Your subordinate, He Dongsheng, greets Fairy Cha."

"Hmm." The black-clad Rakshasa raised a pretty eyebrow and said with a smile, "Does Master Zhu still know him?"

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "This He Dongsheng seems to be just an ordinary martial artist from Juechen Manor. Perhaps he's been to Longmian Manor and met Manor Lord Zhu. " With a thought, he stroked his beard and said, "This strong man He, I feel like I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't quite place him." Although his words were vague, they were enough to get by.

The black-robed Rakshasa glanced at him with a half-smile before saying, "He Dongsheng, quickly greet Manor Lord Zhu."

He Dongsheng replied with a "Yes," turned to Ling Junyi, clasped his hands in greeting,

and said, "This humble one, He Dongsheng, greets Manor Lord." Ling Junyi returned the greeting, saying, "No need for such formalities, brave warrior."

The black-robed Rakshasa chuckled crisply and said, "So, Manor Lord Zhu doesn't blame him for betraying your manor and joining ours."

Ling Junyi's heart jolted. He Dongsheng was actually from Longmian Manor? He didn't even recognize one of his own men—wasn't he giving himself away? But he was quick-witted. In that instant, a thought struck him. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, revealing a hint of anger, which he quickly concealed. He stroked his long black beard and smiled calmly, saying, "Even I have become a member of your manor, let alone someone under my command?" These words subtly revealed his indignation, which also showed the profound nature of Qianlong Zhu Wenhua.

The black-clad Rakshasa smiled sweetly at him and said, "He Dongsheng was not tolerated by your esteemed manor, so he came here seeking refuge. I hope Master Zhu will not take offense." Turning back to He Dongsheng, she asked, "How many years have you been at Longmian Manor?"

He Dongsheng replied, "Three years."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Judging from his tone, he's probably one of the henchmen brought in by Steward Yin Tianlu."

The black-clad Rakshasa continued, "Master Zhu has a daughter. What's her name? How old is she? Do you know?"

He Dongsheng replied, "Her maiden name is Yaqin, and she's nineteen this year."

The black-clad Rakshasa nodded and waved her slender hand, saying, "Alright, you may leave now."

He Dongsheng agreed, bowed, and withdrew. The Hundred-Clothed Rakshasa glanced at Ling Junyi with a half-smile, half-teasing, and said, "How could Master Zhu even get his own daughter's name wrong?"

Ling Junyi's expression changed slightly, and he said angrily, "Miss Chu, don't you think that's going too far?"

The Black-Clothed Rakshasa blinked her pretty eyes and smiled, "If Master Zhu won't take offense, I always feel that Master Zhu's face seems to have been disguised..." Suddenly she stopped speaking, her eyes fixed on Ling Junyi's face.

Ling Junyi's heart skipped a beat, and he chuckled, "I don't change my name or surname, why would I need to disguise myself?"

The black-clad Rakshasa chuckled, "Yes, that's what I thought too, but with the situation before us, it's impossible not to have some doubts."

Ling Junyi sneered, "Miss Chu, are you saying you invited the wrong person?"

The black-clad Rakshasa smiled subtly, "Perhaps so, but I wonder if you intentionally came in place of Master Zhu?"

"Intentionally came in place of Master Zhu." These words struck Ling Junyi like a chord. He secretly gathered his strength in his left hand, his face darkening, and he chuckled, "What do you mean by that, Miss Chu?"

The black-clad Rakshasa chuckled sweetly, gently shaking her jade hand, and said, "Master Zhu, please don't be angry. I just want to clear up my doubts, I have no ill intentions whatsoever."

Before Ling Junyi could speak, she smiled again and said, "Whether you, Master Zhu, are real or not, you are still a distinguished guest of Juechen Manor."

Ling Junyi still looked at the black-clad Rakshasa with feigned incomprehension and said, "What do you mean by that, Miss Chu?"

The black-clad Rakshasa suddenly giggled and said, "Before a true person, there's no point in lying. Last night, my senior sister captured someone at Longmen'ao. Compared to you, Master Zhu, it seems more real."

"Seems more real." This was a subtle way of saying it, but it already indicated that she had captured the real Qianlong Zhu Wenhua! Ling Junyi had initially been skeptical, thinking she was deliberately testing him, but this time she not only mentioned the time (last night) but also the location (Longmen'ao), making it seem plausible.

Indeed! Qianlong Zhu Wenhua had said he would come to meet him. Judging by the time, last night was the next day, and he had been following her all this way, so Zhu Wenhua had truly fallen into their hands? Although he didn't know the extent of Qianlong Zhu Wenhua's martial arts skills, considering that Jin Ding Jin Kaitai, Lingnan Wen Yifeng, and others had all disappeared along the way, they were likely all in the hands of the "Pearl Token" group. It was plausible that Qianlong Zhu Wenhua had been captured by her. But where are these people who have fallen into their hands being imprisoned? Could they also be in Juechen Manor? He suddenly remembered that his mother had been missing for some time. Since she was not in the VIP area, she must be imprisoned with these people. There might be another prisoner's cell in this garden.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, the black-robed Rakshasa said sweetly, "You don't believe me?" Ling

Junyi suddenly had a thought, stroked his black beard, and said with a slight smirk, "This old man indeed doesn't believe that there could be two hidden dragons, Zhu Wenhua, in the world."

The black-robed Rakshasa laughed sweetly, "Of course there can only be one. Hmm, if you, Master Zhu, are interested, I can take you to see him."

Ling Junyi said, "Very good, this is exactly what I was thinking."

The black-robed Rakshasa stood up and smiled, "Shouldn't this be called the Meeting of Two Dragons? The meeting of two hidden dragons, Zhu Wenhua, would be a fine tale in the martial arts world."

Ling Junyi stood up as well and asked, "Where is he?"

The black-robed Rakshasa smiled and said, "Master Zhu, please follow me." After speaking, she turned and walked into the inner room. She seemed to have no sense of caution. As she turned and walked, her entire back, with its pressure points exposed, was completely in front of Ling Junyi, and the distance between them was only a few feet. Ling Junyi only needed to reach out and subdue her in one fell swoop. But she walked calmly, seemingly unconcerned, as if she assumed Ling Junyi wouldn't dare harm her. Ling Junyi was indeed hesitant, so he simply followed her. Behind the small guest room was another small room.

The black-clad Rakshasa was the first to lift the curtain and enter, turning back with a smile, "Master Zhu, please come in."

Ling Junyi placed his left hand on his chest, stroking his black beard, secretly gathering his strength, and then stepped inside. Tian Zhongbi followed behind Ling Junyi. Ling Junyi glanced around and saw a person lying on a purple carved wooden couch against the east wall. This person had a fair complexion, but two thick eyebrows and a black beard reaching his chest; at a glance, it was clear that he looked exactly like himself! No, it really was the Hidden Dragon, Zhu Wenhua! Ling Junyi didn't know if he was real or not. He scoffed coldly, "You really put on a good show."

The black-clad Rakshasa glanced at him sideways and said in a coquettish voice, "You don't believe he's real?"

Ling Junyi said, "Miss Chu just said that there's only one real one. Why don't you wake him up so I can ask him?"

The black-clad Rakshasa smiled at him and said, "Waking him up is certainly possible, otherwise it would be difficult to convince Master Zhu, wouldn't it?" Saying this, she continued, "This Master Zhu is just under the influence of his sleeping acupoints. Please release his acupoints and ask him yourself."

Ling Junyi snorted, fearing she was playing a trick. He secretly gathered his strength in his left hand, slowly walked to the bed, and swiftly struck Zhu Wenhua's sleeping acupoints with his right hand. Zhu Wenhua's eyes snapped open, and he slowly sat up from the bed, looking quite listless, but his eyes flashed with anger as he glanced at the two of them. When he saw that there was another person who looked exactly like him next to the black-robed Rakshasa, he was slightly taken aback and shouted, "You lowly servant, what do you want from this old man?" As soon as he spoke, Ling Junyi realized that he was indeed Qianlong Zhu Wenhua, and he was secretly surprised.

The black-clad Rakshasa chuckled, "Why is Master Zhu so angry? Here's the thing: we invited this Master Zhu here, but he doesn't believe you're the Master of Longmian Manor. That's why I accompanied him to see you. I think you two must know each other; there's no need for me to introduce you, is there?"

Zhu Wenhua's eyes showed surprise. He glanced at Ling Junyi and said, "Who is the Master of Longmian Manor? I don't know."

The black-clad Rakshasa giggled, "Why pretend, Master Zhu? I already removed your disguise when I invited you here. Now, the two Masters Zhu are involved in this double entanglement. You both know the truth."

Zhu Wenhua angrily said, "I don't understand at all." He then turned to Ling Junyi and shouted, "Who are you?"

Ling Junyi frowned secretly. He frowned, thinking, "Oh no, I didn't expect this outcome. Zhu Wenhua and I didn't agree on a secret signal. What should I say now?" A thought flashed through his mind, and he suddenly burst into laughter, "You two are really good actors! Who am I? You secretly drugged my ginseng soup and acupunctured five major acupoints on my body. You know perfectly well. Why ask me again?"

His quick thinking subtly implied that Zhu Wenhua, hiding in the secret room, had witnessed Yin Tianlu acupuncturing him. If the Zhu Wenhua before him was an imposter testing him, he wouldn't pay attention. Sure enough, Zhu Wenhua's eyes flickered, and he suddenly spoke telepathically, "Are you really Brother Ling?" This confirmed that the Zhu Wenhua before him was indeed genuine!

Ling Junyi stroked his beard and, using telepathy, said, "I am indeed Ling Junyi. How did Master Zhu fall into their hands?"

Zhu Wenhua replied telepathically, "This old man was tricked by that vixen..."

The two stared at each other, feigning an examination, but just as they finished speaking, the black-clad Rakshasa giggled, "Have you two finished your conversation?" She gently raised her slender hand towards Zhu Wenhua and said, "I think Master Zhu should rest for a while. We won't disturb you any longer."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "Sister Yuying is indeed amazing. She even saw through my telepathic conversation with Zhu Wenhua." As his thoughts raced, he noticed Zhu Wenhua suddenly yawn and drowsily lay back on the couch. Ling Junyi was greatly startled, thinking, "Could she have used some kind of trick?"

The black-clad Rakshasa smiled sweetly at him and raised her hand, saying, "Master Zhu, please sit outside. " Just now, Ling Junyi saw her raise her hand to Zhu Wenhua, who then lay down. Now, seeing her raise her hand to him again, he had no choice but to pretend. He quickly held his breath, took two steps back, and sneered, "I didn't realize Miss Chu was so skilled at using sleeping potions."

The black-clad Rakshasa giggled, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Ling Junyi. She slowly said, "Master Zhu, please rest assured. As I said, whether you are real or not, you are still a distinguished guest of Juechen Manor. I will not use sleeping potions on you. Let's talk outside, please."

Ling Junyi, not knowing what she was up to, had no choice but to comply and leave. The three returned to the small guest room and sat down as host and guest. Ling Junyi coldly said, "What else is there, Fairy? You can speak now."

The black-robed Rakshasa smiled and said, "You've already met with that Master Zhu, and as far as I know, you've already talked. Now there's no need to discuss who's real and who's fake, but there's one thing I must tell you..."

Ling Junyi asked, "What is it?"

The black-robed Rakshasa said, "It's about the antidote for the poison." She brought up the antidote for the "poison" again.

Ling Junyi said, "I've said..."

Before he could finish, the black-robed Rakshasa waved her hand and said, "I know that since you can neutralize the 'poison,' you'll naturally find the antidote. Only if you concoct the antidote can you, the real and the fake Master Zhu, leave Juechen Manor safely."

Ling Junyi said, "Are you threatening me?"

The black-robed Rakshasa giggled and said, "Threatening sounds too harsh. This is an exchange."

Ling Junyi frowned, looking troubled, and said, "I'm not confident." The black -

robed Rakshasa suddenly changed her tone, coldly saying, "You must complete it. I'm giving you half a month."

Ling Junyi said, "I'm afraid that won't work. Half a month is too short. I..."

Xuan Yi Luosha said, "Half a month? I've already said too much. I originally wanted to say five days."

Ling Junyi thought to himself, "With half a month, I can probably find out where your prisoners are." He still shook his head and said, "Half a month is really..."

Xuan Yi Luosha had already stood up and said, "No need to say more. I hope you can find the antidote within half a month, otherwise..."

Ling Junyi also stood up and said defiantly, "Otherwise what?" Xuan Yi Luosha's eyebrows furrowed slightly and she said, "If you can't deliver the antidote within half a month, I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for everyone." Xuan Yi Luosha glanced at Tian Zhongbi standing to the side and said, "I'll talk to Master Zhu again. You can leave if you have something to do." This was to ask Tian Zhongbi to leave.

Tian Zhongbi responded with "Yes," bowed and said, "This nephew takes his leave." He quickly turned and left the water pavilion.

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