HomeTales of Dark RiverAn He Zhuan: Act Nine - Chapter 12

An He Zhuan: Act Nine – Chapter 12

The sunset in the west.

At Crane Rain Pharmacy.

Su Changhe’s hand flashed, his dagger gleaming coldly before cleanly dividing the watermelon on the table into five portions.

“Wow!” Xiao Chaoyan applauded. “Your skills are finally being put to some use.”

“Hahaha,” Su Changhe laughed. “I’m not sure whether to be happy about that compliment.”

Xiao Chaoyan glanced outside, her tone worried: “Brother Yu and Sister Bai haven’t returned yet.”

“Don’t worry,” Su Changhe shrugged. “Though there’s certainly some trouble involved, the minor problems of South’an City aren’t troubles for Su Muyu.”

Su Zhe sat smoking nearby with a smile: “Don’t underestimate South’an City. We weren’t afraid in Tianqi City because we were in the shadows while they were in the light. But now we’re in the light, with invisible enemies hiding in the darkness.”

“Then let them see my blade,” Su Changhe sneered.

“Amitabha,” Su Zhe unexpectedly uttered a Buddhist prayer. “We mustn’t take lives unnecessarily.”

As Su Changhe was about to speak, he heard movement at the door. Turning his head, he saw Su Muyu and Bai Hehuan entering. Su Muyu maintained his usual calm expression, but Bai Hehuan’s face showed an unusual darkness. Su Changhe covered his nose: “What a stench. Where have you two been?”

Xiao Chaoyan sniffed: “I don’t smell anything.”

Su Zhe lowered his pipe: “Corpse stench. Were you grave-robbing?”

Su Muyu gave a bitter smile: “Something like that. I’ll take a bath first. We’ll talk when I return.” With that, he walked toward the back courtyard.

Su Changhe looked at Bai Hehuan: “Did you kill someone?”

Bai Hehuan considered: “Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a person anymore. We killed a corpse.”

Su Changhe paused, then smiled: “Now that’s interesting.”

Bai Hehuan dropped into a seat: “I don’t find it so.” She reached for the watermelon but was swatted away by Su Changhe.

Su Changhe waved his hand: “You smell of that stench too. Don’t contaminate the watermelon.”

Unusually, Bai Hehuan didn’t argue with Su Changhe. She withdrew her hand and sat lost in thought.

“Who goes there!” Su Zhe suddenly shouted, grabbing his Buddhist staff and whipping it around. A golden ring flew out. But once the ring passed through the gate, it vanished without a trace, like a stone ox entering the sea. Su Zhe raised his staff and leaped to the doorway but found no trace of movement. He turned to look at Su Changhe.

Su Changhe stroked his mustache: “Such swift movement.”

Su Zhe walked back: “Hehuan, what did you see at the Governor’s mansion?”

Bai Hehuan raised her head and said gravely: “Medicine People.”

“Western Chu Medicine People.” Su Zhe had experienced the great war between Beili and Western Chu in his youth and understood the horror of these Medicine People techniques better than anyone present. He looked at Su Changhe. “Let’s go!”

Su Changhe narrowed his eyes: “Running away scared already? Has our Dark River become so useless?”

“The Western Chu Medicine People technique is feared by both gods and spirits, yet every faction desperately seeks this heaven-defying art. If it has appeared in South’an City, other powers will soon arrive. If we don’t want trouble, we should leave,” Su Zhe said slowly.

Bai Hehuan shook her head: “We can’t leave.”

“Why not?” Su Zhe asked.

“This Medicine People technique was entrusted to our Medicine King Valley. We promised the Western Chu Confucian Immortal to never let it appear in the world again. Having made that promise, when problems arise, it’s my duty as a Medicine King Valley disciple to resolve them,” Bai Hehuan replied.

Su Changhe clapped: “Look at our money-loving Divine Physician, finally showing some Medicine King Valley spirit!”

Bai Hehuan smiled bitterly: “We need to investigate where the Governor’s son went recently and whom he met.”

“No need for such trouble,” Su Changhe shook his head. “Now that they know a Medicine King Valley successor has arrived in South’an City, they’ll naturally come to greet us. We just need to wait.”

Deep in the night.

Everyone had fallen into deep sleep.

Two black shadows dropped into the courtyard, rushing toward their rooms with drawn blades.

Suddenly a sword light flashed as Su Muyu burst from his room, his sword sweeping toward the two figures’ heads. The pair moved with extraordinary agility, immediately dodging Su Muyu’s sword and retreating three steps.

“Were you sent by Ye Ya?” Su Muyu asked gravely.

The two black-clad figures exchanged glances, then struck again with their blades, coordinating their attacks high and low against Su Muyu. A dagger suddenly whirled out of the darkness, slicing their arms. But they seemed completely unaware, their grip on their blades unwavering as they continued their assault.

“Back!” Su Muyu shouted, his sword flashing to break both blades. But the two continued forward, their fists smashing into Su Muyu’s chest. Su Muyu leaped back three steps.

“Mediocre blade work, but extraordinary movement. Average internal force, but devastating fist power,” Su Muyu said slowly.

Su Changhe blocked their retreat: “Perhaps they’ve practiced some powerful external martial art? Nothing remarkable. Dead or alive?”

“Alive,” Su Muyu replied.

“Right then.” Su Changhe lightly twisted the dagger in his hand.

Hearing movement behind them, the two attackers ignored Su Muyu and swung their fists at Su Changhe. His dagger flickered, and he appeared beside Su Muyu.

Su Muyu frowned slightly: “Throat strike?”

Su Changhe shook his head helplessly: “Couldn’t control it properly.”

As he spoke, the two black-clad figures collapsed.

Su Muyu stepped forward and bent down, seeing the fine marks on their throats. He knew Su Changhe’s Inch Sword technique too well—these strikes were certainly fatal. He sighed softly and was about to stand when he noticed one attacker’s eyeball move. Realizing the danger, he immediately leaped back but was still too late. The black-clad figure’s fist struck his chest, sending him flying.

Su Changhe was also surprised: “How is this possible? They were dead.”

Su Muyu flipped in mid-air and landed: “It’s the Medicine People technique. These two have risen from death.”

Su Changhe frowned: “They became Medicine People immediately after death? This means they were already marked with this evil technique before coming here.”

One black-clad figure stood up, followed immediately by the other. Their eyes simultaneously turned blood-red, and a murderous aura emanated from their bodies.

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