Sanhe Commandery, Earth God Temple.
This was a branch altar of the Beggar Sect.
Dozens of ragged beggars were boiling dicinal herbs, and the acrid sll of dicine filled the air.
Inside the main hall of the temple, a burly man lay on a pile of straw. His eyes were shut, his face pale, his lips darkened, and his breathing faint as a thread.
Three n stood beside him, doing their utmost to save him.
One was pounding mountain ginseng, squeezing its juice and feeding it into the unconscious man’s mouth.
Another, an elderly man with graying hair combed ticulously and without a single strand out of place, held a lodestone and carefully moved it across the man’s chest and abdon. At the wound site, sothing could be seen slowly wriggling, as though a sharp object were trying to erge…
After a while, with a clear “ding,” a needle as fine as an ox’s hair snapped onto the lodestone.
A stream of black blood gushed from the wound.
The third man hurriedly caught the blood in a bowl.
“The last one is finally out.”
“These Tang Sect hidden weapons are truly sinister and vicious. If Old Chen had not had the gang’s Detoxifying Hundred-Poison Pill to temporarily suppress the toxin, he would never have made it this far.”
“Still, it is you, Divine Physician Shen, who deserves the credit for saving Old Chen.”
One of the n wiped the sweat from his brow and forced a smile.
Divine Physician Shen sighed and shook his head.
“It is a pity… The poison had penetrated too deeply. Even though the toxins have been removed, Old Chen’s body has suffered severe depletion of qi and blood. Residual poison remains within him, slowly eroding his body. At the very least, he will drop one rank. He must find a quiet place to recuperate properly—for no less than three years.”
At those words, the two n’s expressions changed dramatically.
Drop a rank.
From Third Rank to Second Rank.
And for three full years.
This would be a bitter ordeal.
“That dog Yang Feiyue! When I get the chance, I will take his head and vent the hatred in my heart!”
One of them ground his teeth in fury.
Divine Physician Shen lifted his dical case and instructed them, “First force out the remaining poisoned blood from his body. With the mountain ginseng sustaining his life, there should be no imdiate danger. When his blood runs red again, give him the decoction you have prepared. In addition, administer one Blood-Activating Pill every hour. I will return at this ti tomorrow to examine him.”
Divine Physician Shen was a renowned physician of Sanhe Commandery. Naturally, he could not remain in this broken temple to tend to the Beggar Sect’s people.
Though the two Beggar Sect mbers were anxious, they did not dare press him to stay and quickly stood up.
“Very well.”
“We will arrange for soone to escort you back to your infirmary.”
“No need. My carriage is outside.”
With that, Divine Physician Shen left the Earth God Temple, carrying his case.
Night had fallen.
The city lights had just begun to glow.
He climbed into the carriage waiting by the roadside and leaned back.
“Hmph.”
“The poison has been removed. My task as a divine physician is complete… But whether Branch Master Chen of the Beggar Sect will survive is another matter.”
He gazed into the night and murmured to himself.
…
Inside the Earth God Temple.
Splash!
The dicinal brew was poured from the pot into a bowl. A beggar carefully carried it into the hall and handed it to the deputy branch master, Zhang Ye.
“All the poisoned blood has been forced out.”
“Co, Old Chen, drink the dicine.”
Branch Master Chen had regained consciousness, but he was terribly weak. He could not move his body and had to be supported from behind in order to drink.
Old Chen barely opened his mouth and slowly, bit by bit, swallowed the dicine.
The other deputy branch master, Fu Jundao, watched as Old Chen finished the bowl. He finally let out a long breath of relief and ordered his beggars to carry away the half-bucket of poisoned blood.
“Cold…”
Branch Master Chen managed to utter a single word.
Fu Jundao slapped his forehead.
“Look at , I am a fool. Your body is weak right now—you cannot endure the night chill… Soone… go at once… Forget it, I will go myself. These beggars will never find clean bedding.”
“Old Zhang, keep watch here. I will step out and be back imdiately.”
“Understood.”
Zhang Ye nodded, then added, “Make sure the Caobang does not see you.”
“I know.”
Fu Jundao hurried out of the Earth God Temple and climbed over the rear wall to leave.
Zhang Ye rose and gently lowered Branch Master Chen back down.
At that very mont, his ear twitched slightly.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Several arrows shot through the window.
The incoming arrows were ferocious, all aid directly at Branch Master Chen.
Zhang Ye broke into a cold sweat. With the reflexes of a Second-Rank martial artist, he grabbed Branch Master Chen and rolled aside.
Even so, when he checked Chen’s body, he found that one arrow had still struck him.
What chilled Zhang Ye even more was—
The wound was blackened.
The arrowhead had clearly been coated with poison.
Branch Master Chen had only just had the poison removed and had lost a large amount of blood. Now pierced by a poisoned arrow, even with the strength of a Third-Rank martial artist, he had no hope of survival.
He died on the spot. His breathing ceased completely.
“Branch Master Chen!!!”
Zhang Ye roared in rage.
After all that effort, they had dragged Branch Master Chen back from the gates of death, only for everything to be undone by assassins who had hunted him down.
“Kill!”
“Find the murderer!”
“I will tear him to pieces!”
With a thunderous crash, Zhang Ye burst through the main doors and charged out of the temple, murderous intent blazing as he rushed in the direction from which the arrows had co.
Outside, the Beggar Sect’s beggars grabbed their staffs and blades.
But…
In the vast darkness of night, where could anyone be found?
The beggars climbed walls and searched frantically, alarming guests in taverns and residents in nearby hos. Their search was cut short only when the authorities arrived amid a chorus of curses.
…
At that very mont, Wangchuan had already returned to the docks with Captain Zhao Heiniu.
The assassination of Branch Master Chen had naturally been carried out by Wangchuan and Captain Zhao Heiniu.
Hall Master Yin of the Caobang had provided Chen’s location.
Wangchuan and Zhao Heiniu had taken up position in a nearby tavern, observing and waiting for the right mont.
With Divine Physician Shen present, they did not dare act.
When the two Second-Rank martial artists were guarding Chen, Wangchuan still did not move. Instead, he used the opening and closing of the temple doors to determine Chen’s exact position.
Only after Fu Jundao left, leaving Zhang Ye alone with Chen, did he strike.
One used 《Hundred Paces Piercing the Poplar》.
The other used 《Five-Finger Rapid Shot》.
They created the illusion of a coordinated ambush by an archery squad and successfully shot Chen dead.
Wangchuan did not return to the Caobang hall imdiately. Instead, he boarded a cargo ship with Zhao Heiniu and joined Chen Ergou and the others, who had long been waiting there. The ship set sail, heading deep into the Sanhe River, vanishing into the night.
He did not go to report to Hall Master Yin.
First, he feared being tailed by the Beggar Sect and having the Caobang hall sealed off.
Second, he feared that Hall Master Yin, that old fox, might use him as a bargaining chip.
He had to ensure he possessed an alibi.
He had to ensure that this dirty water would not be splashed onto him.
Thus, before taking action, he had already prepared everything.
Chen Ergou and his n were there to receive them.
The cargo ship belonged to the Yulong Gang.
Their entire group disappeared without a trace.
Even if the Beggar Sect turned Sanhe Commandery upside down, they would never find him or drag him into this matter.
As for what ca next, that would depend on the Caobang.
And on what exactly Hall Master Yin intended to do.
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