As Meng Jianqing stepped forward to catch Mu Chen, three glossy black boneless nails suddenly flew at them. Meng Jianqing deflected two with his horizontal blade, but the third still struck Mu Chen’s left shoulder.

When Centurion Li was distracted to shoot these three boneless nails at Mu Chen, the Jiao brothers immediately seized the opportunity to close in on him. With clubs raised and falling, Centurion Li took a blow directly to the chest, was knocked backward against the wall, and could no longer get up.

Having whirled their wolf-tooth clubs for so long and using excessive force in this final strike, the Jiao brothers could only stand in place, panting for the moment.

Tie Luohan and Jiang Wuji thought Centurion Li had shot the boneless nails merely to help Meng Jianqing subdue Mu Chen, so although they were angry, they weren’t particularly worried.

Only Meng Jianqing knew that Centurion Li’s action was not so simple. The order he had given Centurion Li was to intercept the Jiao brothers, not to capture Mu Chen.

He flicked his wrist and retracted the Weaving Cloud Net.

Mu Chen collapsed weakly on the ground, her face already showing a faint bluish color.

Centurion Qin, who had been hiding far away, now rushed over in panic: “Captain Meng, I’m afraid the boneless nails were coated with no ordinary poison!”

Meng Jianqing was startled and looked toward Centurion Li, who lay fallen against the wall.

Jiang Wuji’s expression changed dramatically. He rushed over to support Mu Chen, sniffed her shoulder wound, and detected a sweet, fishy odor. Knowing that Centurion Qin’s words were indeed correct, he raised his head and shouted angrily at Meng Jianqing: “Quickly bring the antidote!”

Tie Luohan dragged Centurion Li over.

Centurion Li had broken ribs and blood gushing from his mouth, but his face bore a mysterious and satisfied smile. Meng Jianqing suddenly felt something was wrong and shouted urgently: “Don’t bring him over!”

But it was too late.

Centurion Li suddenly opened his mouth, and three black, gleaming thin needles shot out from his mouth, all embedding in Jiang Wuji’s chest.

Centurion Li barely maintained his breath to say: “Captain Meng, this humble official has not failed in his mission.”

Having said this, Centurion Li’s head tilted to one side, and he died cleanly and efficiently.

Jiang Wuji also fell backward at the same time.

Both Meng Jianqing and Tie Luohan reached out to support him.

Tie Luohan tore open Jiang Wuji’s chest garment. The three thin needles had already penetrated his body – where could they possibly be found?

Tie Luohan held Jiang Wuji tightly and laughed angrily in his rage: “Good, good! The Imperial Guard truly has excellent methods and calculations! As long as I, Tie Luohan, have breath in my body, if I don’t settle this account, I swear I’m not human!”

Meng Jianqing pressed several major acupoints on both Mu Chen and Jiang Wuji to delay the poison’s onset, saying as he did so: “Whether you believe it or not, I must tell you that Commander Shen’s order was only to bring Brother Jiang to see him.”

He didn’t mention Shen Guangli’s other order – that if anything happened to Jiang Wuji, he would have to accompany him in death.

A rough person like Tie Luohan wouldn’t believe such an order.

Meng Jianqing took out a small white porcelain bottle from his robes and poured out the single remaining Return to Spring Pill.

When selecting Centurion Li to accompany him on this mission, Meng Jianqing had brought along the Return to Spring Pill that could neutralize a hundred poisons.

He had long understood that he couldn’t trust anyone.

But he hadn’t expected that it would be Jiang Wuji rather than himself who would need this hard-to-obtain pill.

Meng Jianqing brought the pill to Jiang Wuji’s lips. Tie Luohan reached out to knock it away, but Meng Jianqing was prepared, avoided his palm, and brought the pill to Jiang Wuji’s lips again, saying: “If I wanted to kill him, I need only sit and watch. Why would I go to such trouble?”

Tie Luohan was stunned. Wasn’t that exactly right?

Jiang Wuji had already smelled the pill’s clear fragrance, and his consciousness became slightly clearer. In his dazed state, Meng Jianqing had already grasped his jaw, forcibly stuffed the pill into his mouth, and slapped the back of his neck, making him swallow it involuntarily.

Behind Meng Jianqing, Centurion Qin urged: “Quickly give Miss Mu Chen one too!”

Meng Jianqing turned and answered in a low voice: “I only have one.”

Centurion Qin’s face became very ugly.

Meng Jianqing was secretly puzzled and was about to ask for details when Jiang Wuji had already sat up. Grasping the hand of the barely conscious Mu Chen, he turned to Meng Jianqing and said anxiously, “Why aren’t you saving her?”

Without a word, Meng Jianqing smashed the porcelain bottle on the ground. The bottle was empty.

Tie Luohan suddenly understood and rushed to search Centurion Li’s body. Meng Jianqing had just managed to shout “Don’t touch him!” when Tie Luohan cried out and retreated, holding his hands. It turned out that Centurion Li’s body was hidden with poison needles everywhere. However, Tie Luohan had reacted quickly – the poison needles had only punctured a bit of skin without drawing blood. He decisively cut away that patch of skin, finally blocking the poison’s onset.

He Qi hurried to bandage Tie Luohan’s wound, while the Jiao brothers, having caught their breath, were eager to try something.

But Mu Chen’s complexion grew increasingly dim. Meng Jianqing placed his left palm on her heart, channeling his qi to help her resist the poison’s spread.

Jiang Wuji raised his head to look at Meng Jianqing and said through gritted teeth: “If you have the ability, you’d better kill me right now. Otherwise, I will make all of you pay with your lives for Mu Chen!”

Meng Jianqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Using his true qi to forcibly protect Mu Chen’s heart meridians was very taxing, but he had been afraid that Jiang Wuji would commit suicide for love before seeing Shen Guangli. Since Jiang Wuji had sworn to kill them, he definitely wouldn’t commit suicide.

As for whether Xiaoxi Tian would turn hostile because of this – that problem could be left for Shen Guangli to worry about.

Meng Jianqing was about to withdraw his left palm.

But Centurion Qin whispered in his ear, “Captain Meng, you must find a way to save Miss Mu Chen. Otherwise, all of us will have to accompany her in death.”

Meng Jianqing’s heart grew cold. Centurion Qin was well-informed – if he said this, he must have his reasons.

Meng Jianqing dared not withdraw his left palm. Beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

At this moment, Jiang Wuji felt that the poison he had suffered seemed to have been neutralized. He immediately placed his left palm on Meng Jianqing’s back. With his assistance, Meng Jianqing’s pressure was greatly reduced, and he couldn’t help but sigh with relief.

Tie Luohan and He Qi also joined in.

The Jiao brothers looked at each other. Now, only the decrepit old Centurion Qin remained in the courtyard – shouldn’t they seize this opportunity to kidnap the immobilized Jiang Wuji?

But they feared that if they touched any of these people, everyone would be severely injured as a result.

For a moment, the four factions were deadlocked again.