◎ Antidote Unveiled, Unyielding as Stone, Interrogation ◎
After drinking poisoned blood for ten days, Little Wu gradually began secreting saliva capable of neutralizing the toxins to avoid death.
Lu Jianwei opened the glass bead, and a golden figure landed in her palm, nuzzling against her affectionately.
"Don’t fail today," she said, lightly tapping Little Wu’s tiny body, careful not to crush its delicate fra.
Unaware of what awaited it, Little Wu fluttered its wings excitedly, golden light shimring across their surface.
Guided by its master, it extended its proboscis, piercing the skin’s surface. When confronted with the torrent of poisoned blood, it had no choice but to release its detoxifying saliva, flooding the ridians.
Sensing its displeasure, Lu Jianwei coaxed it: "This man is wealthy and knows how to make money. Once you save him, he’ll earn enough to buy you dicinal herbs every day."
Little Wu: "……"
Grudgingly, it battled the toxins entrenched in the ridians. But years of accumulated poison weren’t so easily eradicated—especially not such a formidable one.
Before long, Little Wu’s wings drooped with exhaustion.
Lu Jianwei was prepared. She had ground rare dicinal herbs into powder, filling a small jar for it to roll around in and feast on. She even fed it a few drops of fresh blood.
Refreshed and full, Little Wu dove back into its task with renewed vigor.
As ti passed, the toxins gradually weakened under the saliva’s effects, and the dark purple hue in Pei Zhi’s leg ridians faded to a lighter shade.
The Yin-Yang Gu truly lived up to its legendary reputation.
In the storeroom, A'Nai ticulously gathered herbs according to the prescription, asuring each ingredient precisely.
But as he worked, sothing struck him as odd.
The formula seed nothing more than a mild tonic for restoring vitality—certainly not an antidote.
Had Lu Jianwei given him the wrong prescription?
No, she was far too ticulous for such a mistake.
Recalling her expression earlier, a sudden realization dawned on him.
She had been teasing him.
The antidote wasn’t in the prescription.
Did that an she was already treating the poison?
A'Nai nearly jumped for joy.
Heart pounding, he finished gathering the herbs and rushed to the kitchen to brew the decoction.
One more hour. Just one more hour, and his master would be cured.
Lu Jianwei never acted without certainty. If she had given this prescription, she must have already neutralized the poison.
His master was saved!
An hour had never felt so long.
His anxiety mirrored the simring dicine in the pot. When the final mont arrived, he carried the thick, fragrant decoction from the kitchen to the dormitory.
Sunlight slanted through the corridor, casting a warm golden path at his feet.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked.
The door swung open from within—likely moved by internal energy.
He stepped inside.
The room was quiet, devoid of the chaos or urgency he had imagined. Everything seed unchanged, yet everything felt different.
His grip tightened on the tray as his eyes trembled.
"Young Master…"
Pei Zhi sat propped against the headboard, adjusting his collar. He looked up with a smile—different from his usual detached one.
This smile was like the most famous pastry in Nanzhou City: sweet, steady, and comforting, leaving a lingering warmth in the heart, as if a wandering soul had finally found ho.
"Is the dicine ready?" Lu Jianwei stood. "Bring it here and feed it to him."
A'Nai snapped out of his daze, shuffling forward in a trance. He sat by the bed, chanically lifting the spoon to Pei Zhi’s lips—then froze, forgetting to actually feed him.
Pei Zhi chuckled. "I’ll do it myself."
"No, no, let —"
"A'Nai."
"Then… be careful."
Pei Zhi took the bowl and downed the dicine in one go.
"A'Nai, go tidy up."
Understanding that his master and Lu Jianwei needed to talk, A'Nai obediently left with the empty bowl. But at the door, he couldn’t resist asking, "Lu Jianwei… is the poison really gone?"
"It’s gone," she replied with a smile. "You can rest easy now."
A'Nai: "……"
The news overwheld him. He stumbled out, shutting the door behind him, and only when he reached the kitchen did he erupt with joy.
"Lu Jianwei! You’re a goddess—"
"What’s all the shouting?" Xue Guanhe walked in. "I heard you from miles away."
A'Nai dropped the bowl and lunged at him, hugging him tightly and bouncing in excitent until Xue Guanhe wrestled him off.
"Ugh, stop being so clingy," Xue Guanhe grumbled. "What’s gotten into you?"
Too elated to care, A'Nai grinned ear to ear, eyes sparkling.
"Lu Jianwei cured the young master! He’ll live a long life now—she’s incredible! She must be a deity!"
Xue Guanhe loved hearing praise for the innkeeper and grinned back.
"Of course she’s amazing—wait, what did you say?"
"The poison is gone!" A'Nai bellowed, loud enough for the entire staff to hear.
Workers dropped their tasks and crowded into the kitchen, eager to hear A'Nai’s effusive praise for Lu Jianwei.
Back in the dormitory, Lu Jianwei sipped tea at the table.
"Aren’t you going to ask how I saved you?"
"How did you save ?" Pei Zhi’s eyes crinkled with amusent.
She rested her chin on her hand. "At the Gu God Sect, Alehong gave an ancient text ntioning the Yin-Yang Gu—a legendary antidote for all poisons. I decided to try it."
Pei Zhi’s surprise lted into admiration. "Your talent is unparalleled."
"Save the flattery." She got down to business. "Raising a Yin-Yang Gu requires rare herbs, toxins, and a month’s supply of Gubaitou. Leaving aside the rest, you know how valuable Gubaitou is."
"Take whatever you need from my funds," Pei Zhi said without hesitation. Then he frowned. "I’ve heard raising a gu requires the master’s blood. You…"
"A few drops are nothing," she dismissed.
"Your kindness is beyond repaynt."
"I didn’t raise it just for you," she said frankly. "The mastermind behind this used a Gu King. The only counter is a Yin-Yang Gu King. I crafted it for defense as well."
Pei Zhi studied her for a mont before his face softened into a smile, radiant with warmth.
"Whatever your reasons, the fact that you once considered saving is enough. A'Nai was right about one thing."
"What?"
"You’re a goddess descended from the heavens."
Lu Jianwei: "……"
She raised an eyebrow, idly twirling a teacup in her hand, and chuckled. "Commander Pei, sweet words don’t work on ."
Pei Zhi froze for a mont, then pondered earnestly, his expression eager. "What does the divine Lu Jianwei prefer? Would you enlighten ?"
"I asked you before if you were willing to return to my sect with and leave the affairs of the martial world behind. You agreed," Lu Jianwei said solemnly. "At the ti, you were on the brink of death, so I assud it was a decision made in haste. Now that you’ve fully recovered and have decades ahead of you, I’ll ask you one more ti—and it will be the last."
Pei Zhi answered without hesitation: "Like an unyielding rock, like an unshifting mat—my heart will not change."
No matter how much ti he had left, his feelings would remain steadfast. Even if they were separated by the ends of the earth, even if they faced the farthest shores, his devotion would never waver.
His initial answer had been both impulsive and a reflection of his true heart.
Lu Jianwei held his gaze for a long mont before finally teasing, "From today onward, you’ll have to work hard to earn money. Only when you’ve saved enough for the entrance fee will you have the chance to return with ."
"As you wish." Pei Zhi’s heart lightened, and a smile spread from his eyes.
He was already strikingly handso, and as an eighth-level Martial King, his obedient and gentle smile inevitably stirred sothing in Lu Jianwei.
But he had only just recovered from his illness, and traces of exhaustion still lingered on his face. He needed more ti to rest.
After briefly discussing the raid on the Thousand Miles Tower, Lu Jianwei said, "Once you’ve regained your strength, we’ll interrogate Shangguan Chi together."
"Agreed."
Three days later, Pei Zhi had regained so vitality. Dressed in black robes, his hair tied back with a jade crown and a long sword at his waist, he stepped out of his room.
This was the first ti he walked outside without a mask, relying on his own legs.
A strange exhilaration surged in his chest. He eagerly scanned the crowd for the one who brought him peace, yet when their eyes t, a flicker of nervousness crept in.
Lu Jianwei nodded approvingly. "Not bad."
She silently praised her own taste once more.
The most excited person in the courtyard was undoubtedly A'Nai.
He rushed up to Pei Zhi, flustered. "Young Master, you look… you look wonderful!"
Tall and handso—no young prodigy in the martial world could compare.
Yue Shu craned his neck, sighing in admiration. "So this is how tall Commander Pei really is. I wish I could grow that tall too."
Xue Guanhe patted his shoulder, the implication clear.
Height was innate, and at their age, it was unlikely to change much.
Uncle Zhang chuckled. "The innkeeper is tall too."
"Yeah, the innkeeper is tall," Yue Shu echoed, though he didn’t quite grasp why Uncle Zhang had brought it up.
Yun Hui, having seen much of life, had long since noticed the truth. Now that Pei Zhi was out of danger, her heart swelled with joy. The more she looked at the two of them, the more perfect they seed together.
A match made in heaven.
Lu Jianwei extended her hand. "To the arena."
Pei Zhi placed his hand in hers, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
Their fingers intertwined in full view of everyone.
Xue Guanhe: "…"
Yue Shu: "…"
Even Tiao widened her eyes, shifting her gaze from their joined hands to Pei Zhi’s face. After a brief internal assessnt, she concluded, "He’s barely worthy," and dismissed the thought.
After days of cleaning, the arena had returned to its original neat and orderly state, as if the earlier chaos had been nothing but a dark dream.
All the guests of the Eight Directions Inn gathered in the arena, standing before their seats, waiting for the innkeeper’s arrival.
On the stage, Yan Feicang and Liang Shangjun held Shangguan Chi and Lan Ling in custody. Both prisoners had their martial power suppressed and their acupoints sealed.
Ten days in the stables had shattered their spirits completely.
Shangguan Chi, born into privilege and hailed as a genius since childhood, had never endured such humiliation or tornt in his life.
After days surrounded by filth, he no longer cared about anything—he just wanted to vanish from this world.
Lan Ling was even more broken. A woman who prided herself on cleanliness, she was now plagued by flies and insects, constantly nauseated yet unable to vomit, as Liang Shangjun only fed her thin gruel.
"Kill ," she rasped when her mute acupoint was unsealed.
Lu Jianwei took her seat at the center, flanked by elders from the Carefree Sect and the Celestial Vanguard Hall.
The other martial artists sat stiffly, their eyes fixed on the two prisoners, though so stole glances at the woman on the main stage before quickly looking away.
Lu Jianwei gave a slight nod toward the corner.
A man stepped onto the stage—tall and lean, clad in black, the familiar token at his waist declaring his identity.
Pei Zhi?!
Hadn’t he been on the verge of death from poison that day?
Had Innkeeper Lu truly cured him?
Below the stage, Jin Poxiao and Jin Huanrong wore complicated expressions.
They knew that face well—but in the past, they had always looked down on him, offering kindness to a man they believed crippled. Now, the "modest rchant" had transford into the renowned commander of the Mystic Mirror Bureau.
He stood tall on the stage, the sa face, yet entirely different.
Jin Huanrong, more accepting than his son, patted Jin Poxiao’s shoulder. "He had his reasons. Your friendship wasn’t a lie—don’t dwell on it. Besides, didn’t you always hope he’d recover?"
"I know," Jin Poxiao sighed with a wry smile. "After all this ti, how could I not understand? I know how hard his life was, and I’m glad he t Innkeeper Lu."
In the past, the involvent of the Mystic Mirror Bureau in martial affairs would have drawn fierce criticism. But now, no one dared speak against it.
Innkeeper Lu was here, and her word was law.
Lan Ling was interrogated first.
"Who masterminded this massacre?"
"Shangguan Chi."
"What was your goal?"
"I don’t know Shangguan Chi’s motives. The Tower Master wouldn’t tell ."
Liang Shangjun tossed a pill in his palm.
"Miss Lan, if you don’t tell the truth, you’ll get to experience the effects of 'Heart’s Confession.'"
"I really don’t know," Lan Ling said bitterly. "I’m just a disposable pawn—I follow orders, nothing more. You overestimate . No amount of drugs will change that."
Lu Jianwei didn’t waste ti. "Feed it to her."
The pill slid down Lan Ling’s throat, and she giggled. "Innkeeper Lu flatters , spending such a precious pill on little old ."
"Your current state doesn’t suit such coquetry," Lu Jianwei remarked bluntly.
Lan Ling stiffened, her smile fading. "...Innkeeper Lu’s words cut as sharply as ever."
Lu Jianwei ignored her.
As the drug took effect, Lan Ling, already on the verge of collapse, quickly lost her grip on reason.
Pei Zhi pressed, "Why incite the massacre?"
"The Tower Master didn’t tell ," Lan Ling murmured, her gaze fixed dreamily on Lu Jianwei. "But I guessed—it must have been to force out Innkeeper Lu’s sect, to lure that naless ninth-level Martial Emperor into the open."
When Pei Zhi didn’t ask further, she continued unprompted.
"I've never seen Zhuang Wenqing so flustered before—what a sight! Thanks to Manager Lu, or I wouldn't have had the chance. Manager Lu, the mont I laid eyes on you, I felt a connection. What a sha though..."
Pei Zhi cut her off. "Where did Zhuang Wenqing get the Gu Emperor from?"
"I don't know," Lan Ling shook her head.
"Gu Emperor? What Gu Emperor?"
Soone in the crowd was utterly bewildered. Weren't Gu worms just so mystical nonsense from those folks in the southwest?
Zhao Xian stepped forward and asked, "Manager Lu, could you enlighten us?"
"Of course." Lu Jianwei's gaze flickered to the left, catching Xie Tongshu's subtle change in expression. She smiled aningfully. "You must all be wondering why those assassins and young martial artists suddenly went mad."
Zhao Xian said, "I can understand assassins having Gu worms in their bodies, but sect disciples were also infected? How co I never noticed?"
Their sects weren’t lacking in those who studied Gu techniques, so why had no one detected it?
The young martial artists shuddered at the thought, their skin crawling. The idea of a worm living inside them made them nauseous.
Lu Jianwei explained, "Since you’re unfamiliar with Gu techniques, you might not know this—among Gu worms, the mother and offspring of the Gu Emperor cannot be detected by any Gu master other than its breeder."
The crowd fell silent.
They had always prided themselves as the elite of the Central Plains, looking down on the underhanded tricks of the southwest. Yet here they were, caught off guard.
"Brother Ying, if I recall correctly, during the Zhou family’s Polar Golden Silkworm case, the deputy hall master of your alliance’s Celestial Vanguard Hall also raised a Gu worm," Hei Zhan said gruffly. "Since when did us Central Plains martial artists resort to such sinister thods? If you’ve got the guts, fight fair and square!"
Ying Chen remained unruffled. "May I ask, Manager Lu, if the Gu Emperor is so difficult to detect, how did you discover it?"
"I didn’t notice at first either," Lu Jianwei replied. "It was only after subduing Zhuang Wenqing and reflecting on the anomalies that I connected it to the Gu Emperor. Last year, during the Gu God Festival in Dianzhou, I witnessed a Gu Emperor’s rampage and was fortunate enough to see High Priest Alehong extract it."
Ying Chen cupped his hands. "My disciple might also be under the control of a Gu worm. If Manager Lu has a way to remove it, I humbly request your assistance."
The others quickly caught on.
Right—whether or not Manager Lu could extract the Gu worms, she at least had ties with the Gu God Sect. She might be able to help.
"Manager Lu, please lend us your aid."
"Manager Lu, such treacherous thods must be stopped."
Lu Jianwei raised a hand, and the voices quieted.
"No need to rush. Let’s finish the questioning first." She glanced at Pei Zhi.
Pei Zhi nodded in understanding and asked, "Was the rumor about 'traces of the Polar Golden Silkworm appearing at the Eight Directions Inn' spread by the Thousand Miles Pavilion?"
"Yes."
"What was the purpose?"
"Zhuang Wenqing didn’t tell , but it was probably just to test Manager Lu’s limits," Lan Ling sneered.
"So it was the Thousand Miles Pavilion framing them again!"
"That pavilion will stoop to any low. To protect their reputation as an intelligence network, they’d even use such shaless tactics."
"Zhuang Wenqing deserved to die."
The crowd erupted in condemnation of the Thousand Miles Pavilion, with no further doubts cast on the Eight Directions Inn.
Pei Zhi continued, "Was the news about Zhou Renjing obtaining the Polar Golden Silkworm also leaked by the Thousand Miles Pavilion?"
"Yes."
The hall erupted in uproar.
Why would the Thousand Miles Pavilion do this?
The massacre of the Zhou family in Dongliu City was carried out by Yang Jidu, the deputy hall master of the Celestial Vanguard Hall—a fact known throughout the martial world.
But the source of the rumor about "Zhou Renjing obtaining the Polar Golden Silkworm" had never been uncovered.
Until today.
One incident after another—every storm of bloodshed in the martial world had been orchestrated by the Thousand Miles Pavilion.
What were they trying to achieve?
Unfortunately, Zhuang Wenqing was already dead. Corpses couldn’t talk.
Soone blurted out, "Then what about the White Crane Manor treasure map rumor? Was that also spread by the Thousand Miles Pavilion?"
Lan Ling replied, "No."
"Then how did it get out?"
"I don’t know."
It seed Lan Ling was just a pawn. Further questioning would be a waste of ti.
Pei Zhi glanced at Lu Jianwei for confirmation. At her nod, he unsealed Shangguan Chi’s mute acupoint.
Liang Shangjun promptly fed him a Truth Pill.
Shangguan Chi, once arrogant and domineering, was now a broken man, his pride as a genius shattered by his filthy state.
Under the pill’s influence, he spoke without restraint.
"Why did you attack the inn?"
"I couldn’t accept it! I’ve spent years researching techniques and conducting countless experints, yet I never found the perfect thod to rapidly increase internal energy—but she did!"
Lu Jianwei raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with interest.
The crowd also perked up their ears.
Pei Zhi cut to the chase. "What experints?"
"‘Internal Energy Symbiosis,’ of course," Shangguan Chi laughed coldly. "I know you fools will condemn , call a monster for harming fellow martial artists. But so what? What I did is no different from what you all do."
"Another Shangguan He!" soone roared. "The Shangguan family breeds nothing but scum!"
"Was the Luzhou Academy collecting martial techniques just for these atrocities? Headmaster Shangguan, the martial world demands an explanation!"
"Headmaster Shangguan, how many more Shangguan Hes and Shangguan Chis are hiding in your academy?"
"Don’t tell the headmaster has dabbled in this too?"
Shangguan Huai rose, his face filled with sha. "Rest assured, the academy would never condone such acts. Shangguan He violated the academy’s rules years ago and was expelled once his cris ca to light. As for Shangguan Chi... this is indeed the academy’s oversight."
"Stop pretending in front of !" Shangguan Chi spat. "Shangguan Huai, you coward! You’ve known about this for years but couldn’t stop it. The mont you saw in that mask, you recognized ."
The crowd fell silent.
"Yes, I’ve known for twenty years!" Shangguan Huai suddenly lifted his head, eyes blazing with fury. "I tried to stop it—but what happened? My wife was murdered right before my eyes, and she was pregnant with Yao’er at the ti!"
His voice cracked with anguish. "I fought desperately to save them, but in the end, Lian’er died, and Yao’er was born prematurely, her ridians frail. She won’t live past forty! Call weak, call a coward—I don’t care. I just wanted to protect Yao’er. Is that wrong?"
"Father..." Shangguan Yao wept uncontrollably.
Little Tao held her tightly, tears streaming down her own face.
Lu Jianwei said, "The fault lies with the evildoers. Headmaster Shangguan tried to stop them but paid a terrible price. This isn’t his sin."
"Be that as it may," Zhao Xian frowned, "why didn’t Headmaster Shangguan expose this to the martial world? Why let them keep harming others?"
Shangguan Huai gave a bitter laugh. "Do you think I didn’t consider it? But I was nothing but a puppet headmaster. Every move I made was watched. The mont I even thought of speaking up, Yao’er would co ho covered in injuries. She was just a child, crying in my arms from the pain. How could I bear it?"
Zhao Xian froze, then sighed softly and dropped the matter.
The others, too, held their tongues.
Then, Lu Jianwei uttered a chilling remark:
"Shangguan He colluded with Dou Ting of the Divine Physician Valley, while Shangguan Chi conspired with Zhuang Wenqing of the Thousand Miles Tower. So, I wonder—are there any other mbers of the Shangguan family secretly collaborating with the sects gathered here?"
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