HomeTales of Dark RiverAn He Zhuan: Act Three - Chapter 16

An He Zhuan: Act Three – Chapter 16

Several days later, the Family Head finally regained consciousness. The first thing he did upon rising was to look at his palm, then gently clench his fist.

Long-lost power.

Since being poisoned by “Snow on Plum Branch” that day, the Family Head hadn’t experienced such powerful strength for a long time. When he clenched his fist and slightly circulated his true qi, it flowed with perfect smoothness.

“Is the poison cured?” The Family Head stood up and surveyed the room, seeing Bai Hehuai sleeping on the floor. He frowned slightly—in his last memory, this divine physician from Medicine King Valley had attempted to explore his past through the Soul Transfer technique before escaping through a secret passage. Why had she appeared here again? Could it be that she was the one who ultimately cured him? He walked a few steps to Bai Hehuai and gently raised his palm.

The wooden door burst open instantly as a golden ring flew in from outside, targeting the Family Head.

The Family Head waved his hand and caught the ring directly. He glanced at it and said in a deep voice: “A Zhe.”

“Long time no see, Family Head.” Su Zhe sat cross-legged outside, grinning at the Family Head.

The Family Head threw the ring back: “Why are you here? Did Su Jinhui send you to kill me?”

Su Zhe caught the ring with his Buddhist staff: “Many years ago, I once fought to the death for the Family Head. Now meeting again, you think I’m here to kill you?”

“Aren’t you?” The Family Head raised an eyebrow.

“Originally, yes.” Su Zhe shrugged, “But my daughter said she took money to cure you, so I listened to her.”

“Your daughter?” The Family Head was startled. He looked down at the sleeping Bai Hehuai, then at Su Zhe, suddenly understanding. “Medicine King Valley, the Wen family, no wonder…”

Su Zhe smiled: “So I should thank the Family Head. If not for this encounter, I couldn’t have reunited with my daughter.”

As they spoke, Bai Hehuai groggily awoke. She rubbed her eyes, looked at the white-haired elder standing there, and exclaimed: “Family Head!”

The Family Head gave her an insincere smile: “Divine Physician.”

Bai Hehuai stood up, patted the Family Head’s shoulder, and nodded: “Good, good, the poison is mostly gone. But you must avoid overusing your true qi these days, or all efforts will be wasted.”

The Family Head bowed his head: “So Divine Physician used the Soul Transfer technique to explore my memories in search of her father.”

“It was also to cure your poison.” Bai Hehuai said indignantly, “I didn’t deceive you. Now that you’re back to normal, about our payment…” Bai Hehuai rubbed her thumb and finger together meaningfully.

The Family Head smiled: “What was promised to the Divine Physician will certainly be given. But I’m curious how Divine Physician accomplished this.”

“Why is ‘Snow on Plum Branch’ considered a supreme poison? Once it enters the body, it flows through the extraordinary meridians to penetrate the entire body, eventually feeling like thousands of ants devouring you, causing unbearable pain. Through the Soul Transfer technique, I shared the Family Head’s sensations and experienced that devastating pain. But among the body’s fifty-two single acupoints, three hundred paired acupoints, and fifty extraordinary acupoints, one point survived—the Zhiyang acupoint.” Bai Hehuai spoke excitedly, waving two silver needles in the air, “So I used one hundred and nine silver needles to force all the ‘Snow on Plum Branch’ poison into the Zhiyang acupoint.”

The Family Head was stunned: “Then you used another needle to release the poison?”

Bai Hehuai shook her head: “I considered that, but piercing the Zhiyang acupoint would only result in massive qi loss and death by poisoning. The next step required someone with profound internal energy to place their palm over the Zhiyang acupoint and absorb the poison. So this illness was essentially incurable—the only solution was to trade one life for another!”

The Family Head’s brows furrowed upon hearing this: “Trade one life for another?”

“So here’s the question.” Bai Hehuai turned around, looking at the Family Head with interest, “Family Head, who in this Spider’s Nest would be willing to trade their life for yours?”

“Hehuai, show respect,” Su Zhe said quietly from his seat on the ground.

Bai Hehuai continued watching the Family Head, waiting for his answer.

The Family Head pondered for a moment before slowly saying: “A Ke…”

“Yes, A Ke. I remember the first day we entered this Spider’s Nest, Family Head could barely stand, yet still maintained a normal appearance before him. You even told me if I’d seen him kill, I wouldn’t let my guard down around him.” Bai Hehuai’s tone carried slight mockery, “Yet this same A Ke, whom you couldn’t lower your guard against, sacrificed his life for you.”

“Where is he?” the Family Head asked.

Bai Hehuai spread her hands: “He’s gone. He said—”

“The debt I owed you is now fully repaid. What you owe me can wait until the next life. In his final time, he wished to be neither Mu Kewen nor belong to Dark River.”

Outside the courtyard.

Su Muyu stood there with a paper umbrella, bowing slightly to the hunchbacked elder before him: “Uncle Ke. Won’t you wait for the Family Head to wake up?”

Mu Kewen shook his head: “There’s no need to meet even if he wakes. Our debts and grievances end here. Handle this Spider’s Nest as you see fit.”

“If the Family Head is well, then this Spider’s Nest belongs to Medicine King Valley,” Su Muyu replied.

“That’s fine. That young divine physician is a good girl.” Mu Kewen smiled, though his smile was ugly.

Su Muyu shook his head: “Uncle Ke even has moments of teasing.”

“Only when facing death can one truly see oneself and find real liberation.” Mu Kewen patted his chest, “Now I’m neither a member of Dark River, nor Mu Kewen of the Mu family, nor the master of this Spider’s Nest. Without these burdens, I suddenly find more flavor in living. I’m not so eager to die anymore.”

Su Muyu looked back, seeing the wooden door open and the Family Head emerge after a while.

“Has he come out?” Mu Kewen asked.

“Yes. The Family Head is looking this way,” Su Muyu replied.

“No need to meet again.” Mu Kewen, carrying the iron rod on his back, leaped away without looking back.

Bai Hehuai asked Su Zhe: “Father, what story lies between them?”

Su Zhe chewed his betel nut, speaking vaguely: “They were both from the Mu family, probably good brothers once. Later, one became the supreme Family Head, while the other became an ugly, hunchbacked doorkeeper. That’s probably the story.”

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