Wuh Mansion.
The Wuh Family Master, Wuh Zhengyi, felt his hands tremble. He let the letter drift to the floor as his body went limp, slumping into his chair.
"It's over!"
His eyes stared blankly as he mumbled,
"This time, it's really over."
"My lord!" Lady Wuh cried, throwing herself on him.
"You have to think of something! Ping'er and Shou'er are still so young! They shouldn't have to go down with us."
"Hah..." Wuh Zhengyi's face was bitter as he shook his head helplessly.
"The matter of the Red Blood Sect can no longer be hidden. The key is that the Wuh Family has always sided with the Crown Prince at Court. Now that the Crown Prince has lost favor, we're being deliberately targeted..."
"No one is willing to protect us now."
"Then what do we do?" Lady Wuh was at a loss.
"Do we just wait here to die?"
"No!" Wuh Zhengyi shot to his feet, gritting his teeth.
"The Wuh Family rose through military might and was passed down through scholarly pursuits. We've suffered heavy blows over the past century, but we have always managed to rise again."
"As long as we're alive..."
"...there's hope!"
He picked up the letter from the floor and set it aflame over a candle. His face flickered in the firelight.
"I hold an official post. The imprisonment and confiscation must follow regulations. That can buy us at least half a month."
"Before the news gets out, we have to get Ping'er and Shou'er out of here immediately!"
"Right, right." Lady Wuh trembled.
"Let them go first..."
"Steward!"
"Here."
"Old Huang." Wuh Zhengyi placed a hand on the steward's shoulder and spoke in a low, heavy voice.
"You've been with me since we were children. In name, we are master and servant, but in reality, we are brothers. In this entire Wuh Mansion, you are the only one I trust."
THUD!
He fell to his knees.
"Old Huang, I'm entrusting my children to you. If they dare to be disobedient in the future, you have my permission to discipline them as you see fit."
"My lord!" Housekeeper Huang's expression changed drastically. Seeing he couldn't lift Wuh Zhengyi, he quickly knelt across from him and cried,
"Rest assured, my lord, I will get the young masters and young ladies out safely."
"Good!" Wuh Zhengyi nodded.
"Use the secret passage. You know where it is. Once they're out of the city, have them split up. As long as one of them escapes..."
"...I will be content!"
"My lord," Housekeeper Huang said, gritting his teeth.
"Rest assured. Unless they step over this old servant's dead body, nothing will happen to the young masters and young ladies."
"This old servant..."
"...takes his leave!"
After seeing Housekeeper Huang off, Wuh Zhengyi took a deep breath and waved a hand at his still-sobbing wife.
"You should still have the poisoned wine, right? Distribute it as needed. After I'm gone, I don't want you to suffer any humiliation."
"...Yes." Lady Wuh's voice was choked with sobs.
"We will go on ahead."
*
*
*
「Night.」
For some reason, the city gates, which should have been closed, remained open. In just a short time, several groups had already departed the city.
Wuh Zhengyi had miscalculated.
News of the Wuh Family's trouble had been intentionally leaked by someone. Numerous factions, like venomous snakes, had already set their sights on the Wuh Mansion.
「For over a hundred years.」
The vast wealth accumulated by the Wuh Family had caused certain people to bare their greedy fangs.
「A certain waterway.」
SPLASH...
Several figures shot out from under the water, leaping onto the deck.
The few men on deck who tried to stop them were taken down cleanly.
"Second Master!"
Xiang Zhongyuan, barefoot, kicked open the cabin door and grinned at the figure inside.
"On a dark and windy night like this, what are you doing all the way out here instead of enjoying a life of leisure back at the Wuh Mansion?"
"Xiang Zhongyuan!" The figure inside said, his face dark.
"Let's not mince words. For old times' sake, can you give me a way out tonight?"
"Hah..." Xiang Zhongyuan stretched.
"What are you talking about, Second Master? The Caoo Gang had to pay tribute to the Wuh Family every year, and we couldn't even be one day late. Back then, you never showed any consideration for 'old times' sake'."
"..." The Wuh Family's Second Master lowered his gaze.
"What do you want?"
"It's simple." Xiang Zhongyuan raised an eyebrow.
"Hand over the Pure Yang Qi Technique, and I'll spare your life."
"Pure Yang Qi?" The Second Master chuckled.
"For Gang Leader Xiang to still be so dedicated to the Martial Arts at your age, I am truly impressed. Unfortunately, it is a Wuh family ancestral decree that the Pure Yang Qi must never be passed on to outsiders."
"I cannot agree to this. Besides..."
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
"Xiang, even if I handed over the Pure Yang Qi Technique, I doubt you'd let me leave."
"Heh..." Xiang Zhongyuan nodded, showing no surprise. With a wave of his hand, he commanded,
"Since you won't hand it over, don't blame me for being impolite. Since you chose to escape by water, this is where your journey will end."
"Get them!"
BOOM!
The cabin suddenly exploded. Several figures shot out from within, two of whom brandished their blades and charged straight for Xiang Zhongyuan.
The Wuh Family's Second Master was well-connected, having used his wealth to befriend figures from both the righteous and unorthodox worlds. He naturally had trustworthy people by his side. Judging by their attacks, they were experts who had succeeded in Blood Coagulation.
"Good timing!"
Xiang Zhongyuan barked a low command. His body flashed like lightning, and without dodging, he charged his legs straight toward the blades.
「The next moment.」
PENG!
A figure carrying the momentum of a thunderstorm rushed toward Xiang Zhongyuan.
Thunderbolt Hand!
The Wuh Family's Second Master was the only Body Tempering Martial Artist of his generation in the family. Though he rarely fought, he had always been listed among Yue City's top experts.
The two had a long-standing grudge between them. Today was the perfect time to settle it.
...
「The foot of the mountain.」
"Young masters, go on ahead!"
Steward Huang shouted, leaping toward the pursuers behind them. He unleashed a flurry of palm strikes, proving himself to be unstoppable.
"Body Tempering!"
someone exclaimed in surprise from the darkness.
"The Wuh Family really hides its strength well. Even this old dog is a Body Tempering Martial Artist."
"Get him!"
Several figures pounced.
A Body Tempering Martial Artist is strong, but still mortal. With enough people, they are not impossible to take down. And tonight, none of the participants were weak.
'Escape!'
'Run faster!'
Huang Shou's face was pale. His portly body charged forward with astonishing speed, as agile as a cheetah.
RUSTLE RUSTLE...
The sound of footsteps came from ahead.
"Stop them," Huang Shou hissed to his last remaining guard, gritting his teeth as he veered off course.
'Second Uncle, Fourth Uncle, and all my brothers and sisters from the family... there are at least ten groups leaving the city this time.'
'Old Huang is holding back the experts from behind, and with others causing delays, the chance of the pursuers catching up to me is minuscule.'
'Unless...'
'Someone is specifically targeting me!'
"Young Master Huang."
Just as he was making these mental calculations, a slightly cold voice came from the side:
"Where are you headed so late at night? Why not sit and have a chat?"
Huang Shou's expression changed drastically. Dirt splattered under his feet as he lunged toward a nearby patch of vines.
The moment he landed, he twisted his body like a fat serpent and slithered away close to the ground.
"What a fine Body Technique!"
"Who would have thought that the second young master of the Huang Family, with such a portly figure, would possess a solid foundation in the Martial Arts."
WHOOSH...
A gust of wind howled.
A large hand appeared at the nape of Huang Shou's neck. No matter how he dodged, he couldn't escape its gentle grasp.
SWISH!
In a few flashes, Zhu Ju arrived at a riverbank, carrying Huang Shou.
"Young Master Zhu!"
Huang Shou's knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.
"This lowly one was ignorant and offended you in the past. You are a magnanimous man; please spare me. Huang Shou will never forget your kindness for the rest of his life."
"Cut the crap!" Zhu Ju said.
"Hand over the Pure Yang Qi Technique, and I'll let you go."
"Only a Body Tempering Martial Artist can view the complete Pure Yang Qi Technique. It's useless to look at it before reaching the Body Tempering realm." Wuh Shou's face was bitter.
"Young Master Zhu, it's not that I'm unwilling to hand it over. I truly only have the Methods for the Blood Strengthening and Blood Coagulation stages. If you want them, I can write them down for you right now."
"Oh!" Zhu Ju nodded.
"So, you're useless to me."
CRACK!
A pebble shot out. Wuh Shou cried out, clutching his arm as he fell to his knees. The intense pain made his forehead break out in a sweat as he writhed on the ground.
"I have it, I have it!"
Seeing another pebble appear in Zhu Ju's hand, he roared hastily,
"But you have to swear you'll let me go after you get the Pure Yang Qi Technique."
"Of course." Zhu Ju's expression was unchanged.
"I only want the Method, not to kill."
"Really?"
"It's true!"
"Swear it."
"..." Zhu Ju narrowed his eyes, looking down at Huang Shou.
"I am a man of my word. If you don't believe me, you don't have to say anything, but you won't escape death. If you obediently hand over the Pure Yang Qi Technique, I will absolutely not make a move against you."
"This..." Huang Shou hesitated.
CRACK!
"AHH!"
A pebble struck Huang Shou's ankle, shattering the bone and causing him to scream and fall to the ground, wailing in agony.
"I'll talk, I'll talk!"
"Speak."
Zhu Ju took out the prepared paper and brush, nodding for him to begin.
"..." Huang Shou gritted his teeth and lowered his head, reciting:
"The body relies on Qi. The Qi is caused by the body. The Soul cowers and travels back and forth, as body and Qi rely on each other..."
The Pure Yang Qi Technique was no more than a thousand words in total, and it was recorded in a matter of moments.
"Young Master Zhu."
Huang Shou clutched his wrist, his voice low.
"Can I go now?"
"Soon," Zhu Ju said.
"'The moisture of the moon's water becomes clouds and rain, following the northern Kan.' What's the next line?"
?
Huang Shou's eyes were blank.
CRACK!
"AHH!"
He cried out in pain again, screaming and rolling on the ground.
"I'll talk, I'll talk! It's 'and so it travels to the Zi and Hai, the Kidney's Sea of Qi Palace'!"
"Be honest." Zhu Ju's face darkened as he picked up the brush to make a correction.
"I'm giving you one last chance. If there are any more mistakes or omissions, I don't mind having one more life on my hands."
"Yes, yes." Huang Shou nodded desperately.
"'Pass through the Hall of Light Palace, guard the inch-sized dual fields.' Next line."
"'The twelve-storied pagoda, enter the Sea of Qi's Golden Chamber.'"
"'The left kidney is the sun...'"
"'The yellow Qi rises from the seam of the bone on the left side of the spine...'"
"..."
"Not bad." After confirming there were no more errors, a satisfied look appeared on Zhu Ju's face. He put away the paper and brush and waved his hand.
"You can go."
"...Really?" Huang Shou hesitated for a moment. Seeing that Zhu Ju didn't move, he carefully took two steps back, then turned and bolted for the dense woods.
「The next moment.」
CRACK!
A large hand appeared at his throat and twisted sharply.
Shenn Hu strode out from the darkness and tossed the corpse in his hand aside.
"The Wuh Family has harmed countless people. How could we just let him go so easily?"
"Master Shenn." Zhu Ju, acting as if he knew he was nearby all along, tossed the transcribed Method to him.
"Take a look at the Method. There shouldn't be any problems."
"There are still a few others in the Wuh Family who practice the Pure Yang Qi. We'll find them later to cross-reference." Shenn Hu put the papers away, a complicated look in his eyes.
"I wonder if, in my lifetime, I will ever get to see the view from the Gui Cang Realm."