After striking out to kill that centipede, the seething irritation in Chi Yun’s heart calmed down in an extraordinary way. He exhaled a long breath, and his entire body actually became suffused with a deep fatigue. “Chi Yun,” Tang Lici picked up the clear tea that the Sword Society disciples had brought and took a light sip. “Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Go back to your room and rest.” Chi Yun snorted again. Though he didn’t want to leave after reuniting with the three hall masters after a long separation, he was indeed exhausted all over. As he hesitated, Xuanyuan Long stood up and said, “Our stronghold master’s injuries haven’t healed yet. It’s better for him to rest quietly in meditation. If he needs protection, Huoyun Stronghold will not shirk its duty.” He swept his sleeve, and a signal flare shot into the sky. Outside the door came a thunderous shout like an avalanche, followed by the sound of footsteps. Fifty Huoyun Stronghold brothers had lined up and rushed in. Xuanyuan Long’s expression was indifferent as he ordered, “Everyone escort our stronghold master inside to rest. Anyone who comes within three feet of his door shall be killed without mercy.” The Huoyun Stronghold men responded in unison with a resounding cry that was overwhelming in its momentum.
Chi Yun returned to his room to rest surrounded by the crowd. Tang Lici held his tea and watched quietly without interfering. After Xuanyuan Long stood up, he didn’t sit back down either. He turned around and looked coldly at Tang Lici. “What exactly is the situation with our stronghold master’s poisoning? Are the poison injuries serious?” By summoning the Huoyun Stronghold men inside, he showed that he no longer trusted the Central Plains Sword Society. Tang Lici’s brow furrowed slightly, not knowing what he was thinking. After a pause, as if he had just heard Xuanyuan Long’s question, he said, “The poison injuries… are not serious.” He raised his eyes toward the direction Chi Yun had gone, his expression changing as if carrying a thousand worries.
“Young Master Tang is famous throughout the world, with unparalleled scheming.” Xuanyuan Long looked at him coldly. “Such a great reputation makes Xuanyuan Long unable to help but harbor suspicions about Young Master Tang’s words. Are the poison injuries truly not serious? What exactly was going on with our stronghold master being so agitated just now?” Tang Lici’s brow furrowed slightly as he set down his teacup. “If the Huoyun Stronghold gentlemen can let him rest peacefully without pressuring him about what happened or stimulating his mind, then the poison injuries are not serious.” Yin Dongchuan said coldly, “So it seems that in fact our stronghold master’s injuries are indeed extraordinary. How much of what you just said can be believed?” Tang Lici closed his eyes, the corner of his lips curving slightly. “Completely.” Yin Dongchuan was so angry he laughed instead, slapping the table as he stood up. “Hahaha—Young Master Tang’s words are truly admirable. I wonder which sentence in your recent speech mentioned our stronghold master’s poison injuries?” Tang Lici said flatly, “I thought—the most important thing is that Chi Yun is safe and sound. I haven’t forced him to death, imprisoned him, or demanded the Blood Oath Ghost Crystal Cup. Isn’t this enough? Isn’t it sufficient to make you suspicious of that letter’s motives and trust the Central Plains Sword Society?”
When these words were spoken, both Yin Dongchuan and Xuanyuan Long were stunned. Jin Qiufu laughed heartily. “Young Master Tang speaks truly. At least I, Old Jin, have no intention of doubting the Sword Society. Everyone drink tea, drink tea.” Tang Lici’s long eyelashes at the corners of his eyes lifted slightly, but he didn’t open his eyes, just sat quietly like this.
Yin Dongchuan and Xuanyuan Long looked at each other. The atmosphere in the guest hall immediately became silent. The longer the silence lasted, the more Tang Lici’s imposing presence increased. In just a moment, even the three mighty hall masters of Huoyun Stronghold began to feel uneasy. In this subtle quietude, Yu Furen spoke up. “I’ll go see how Chi Yun is doing.” Tang Lici opened his eyes and smiled slightly. “Go ahead.”
This slight smile immediately eased the situation. Xuanyuan Long secretly let out a long breath. Throughout his life he had faced countless enemies, cutting when he said cut, killing when he said kill, but facing Tang Lici’s closed-eye silence, he felt an intense pressure unlike any in his life. Yu Furen turned and left the room. Tang Lici also stood up, flicking his sleeves behind him, his silver hair flowing back slightly with the sleeve wind. “You three have traveled far and it wasn’t easy. Please rest in the guest quarters. I still have important matters, so I’ll take my leave here.”
“Young Master Tang, please do as you wish.” Xuanyuan Long replied casually, calculating in his heart that this was a good opportunity to examine the terrain of various parts of the Central Plains Sword Society. If a battle became necessary, he would be prepared. Tang Lici walked several steps without looking back, but said softly, “Chi Yun has just recovered from serious injuries, and his mental state is not yet stable. If you gentlemen truly care for him, please restrain your brotherly feelings and don’t disturb him.” Having said this, he walked away slowly.
“Looking at Tang Lici’s expression, our stronghold master’s poison injuries are probably quite serious.” Yin Dongchuan pondered. “Our stronghold master spoke strangely just now, as if emotionally agitated and unable to control himself. Could this be a manifestation of the poison injuries?” Jin Qiufu coughed. “But I feel Tang Lici shows great concern for our stronghold master—it doesn’t seem false.” Xuanyuan Long said, “Tang Lici’s scheming exceeds that of ordinary people. He must be skilled at pretense. We still cannot help but be on guard.”
Tang Lici left the guest hall and returned to his own room. The Crimson Ghost Nine Hearts Pills in Chi Yun’s body had been temporarily suppressed, but the spider gu poison was flaring up again. Although suppressed by his serum, the serum quantity was small and hadn’t completely detoxified him. Once the spider gu poison flared up again, judging by the current situation, it would surely be a bloody storm. But serum, serum—to make serum himself required several hours. Even with his thousand variations of scheming, this was something that couldn’t be done cleverly; he could only gamble on it.
Rolling up his left sleeve, the wound on his wrist from last night had formed a shallow scab. He picked up the crystal cup placed on the table. His left hand’s five fingers gripped, the wrist wound burst open, and drops of bright red blood flowed into the cup again. In just a moment, it was another cup of rich red. Still sitting quietly alone, holding the crystal cup, waiting for his blood to cool and coagulate, then taking the clear upper liquid to shake into serum—losing blood was exhausting, taxing both mind and spirit, yet no one knew. The corner of Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly as he picked up the crystal cup and tilted it slightly. His red lips touched the cup’s rim, his ruddy tongue tip moved slightly, almost about to taste the fresh blood in the cup. However, the soft, warm tongue tip slowly stopped just as it was about to touch the blood, replaced by a breath of hot air from deep in his heart that seemed to make his entire body cold in that instant.
Even if the serum was made, how to make Chi Yun obediently accept this life-saving substance was still a thorny problem. Tang Lici waited for the blood to separate and coagulate. Outside the room, morning sunlight appeared, branches and leaves fluttered red—the autumn scenery was beautiful.
Chi Yun was escorted back to his room to rest by a group of brothers. Normally he wouldn’t mind, but today looking at this mass of dark heads, he felt extremely annoyed. He barely endured until returning to his room, opened the door himself, went in, and lay down on the bed, ignoring everyone outside. Fortunately, the Huoyun Stronghold men had always respected him. They gently closed the door for him and didn’t dare act rashly.
A graceful figure stood not far from Chi Yun’s room, dressed in peach-colored clothing as elegant as a painting. Seeing such a wonderful beauty, the Huoyun Stronghold brothers immediately began joking and flirting. Xifang Tao smiled charmingly and pondered for a while. With so many rough men surrounding Chi Yun’s room, it would be difficult to force her way in. She might not even be able to enter and would be taken advantage of for nothing. She thought about it and turned to leave. Chi Yun was deeply poisoned. Even without her stimulation, the spider gu poison would still flare up anyway—she didn’t need to worry about that. What she needed to watch was Tang Lici, who was never under her control, to prevent this troublesome young master from thinking up another method to neutralize the poison. That would make the loss at the Camellia Prison truly regrettable.
Xifang Tao departed leisurely. Yu Furen approached slowly, with Jin Qiufu catching up from behind. He and Chi Yun had a good relationship—normally they drank and gambled together like close brothers. Now after a long separation and reunion, Chi Yun hadn’t even given him a proper look or spoken a single affectionate word, leaving Jin Qiufu feeling quite uncomfortable. Since Yu Furen was going to check on him, he really couldn’t hold back and had to go question him, even though the stronghold master was like heaven above his head. But even heaven had to show loyalty—otherwise what kind of brotherhood would it be?
Chi Yun lay on the bed tossing and turning. He was exhausted all over but couldn’t fall asleep no matter what. His heart felt like it was burning with a fire that made him restless and nearly drove him mad. But he had no idea why he was so agitated. After tossing on the bed for a long time, he suddenly thought of someone.
A tall, slender woman with a lovely face who was nevertheless ruthless and fond of power.
Bai Suche, his fiancée, a great general under Fengliu Store.