The rain suddenly stopped.
Su Muyu looked at Mu Xuewui before him and said softly, “Go back. Your poison won’t work on me.”
Mu Xuewui suddenly gave a faint smile. “Su Muyu, don’t be so narcissistic. Did you think I came here for you?”
“You…” Su Muyu narrowed his eyes slightly and swung his sword, but it was too late. Mu Xuewui had already darted past him toward the Patriarch’s chamber, scattering flower petals in her wake. The petals looked beautifully vibrant, but Su Muyu knew that stepping on any single one could be fatal. Finally, Mu Xuewui turned and waved her sleeve, releasing a cloud of poisonous mist. “If you want to save anyone, first breakthrough my poison formation.”
In the room, the Patriarch had nearly shattered the entire wooden door with one sword strike. Bai Hetai lay panting in the corner – at the last moment, she had thrown the Three Needle Guide Lines from her sleeve, using them to pull herself away just in time. By now, Mu Xuewui had reached the doorway and paused briefly at the scene before her.
“Mu Xuewui of the Mu family.” The Patriarch gripped his sword, struggling to keep his voice calm.
Mu Xuewui glanced at the Patriarch, then at Bai Hetai in the corner, and said thoughtfully, “How unexpected – Xin Baicao’s little martial aunt is such a beautiful young lady. But it seems your medical skills are lacking. Patriarch, if you’re going to kill her, let me do it instead!” Mu Xuewui leaped forward, striking at Bai Hetai with her palm.
Bai Hetai immediately recognized the black energy flowing through that palm strike contained deadly poison. Not daring to meet it directly, she threw three silver needles into the ceiling and pulled herself upward.
“The Su family’s Three Needle Guide Lines? Who exactly are you?” Mu Xuewui demanded.
“You strike so viciously without even knowing who I am?” Bai Hetai caught her breath and then turned to see the wooden bird on the door. No time to think – she needed someone to stabilize this situation first! She grabbed the guideline and pulled hard. The wooden bird suddenly came to life, its wings fluttering as it flew outside.
“A mechanism?” Mu Xuewui, not understanding its purpose, didn’t dare act rashly and retreated three steps.
The Patriarch remained standing with his sword, not moving – because he truly had no strength left to move.
“Now what…” Bai Hetai nervously swallowed, waiting, but nothing happened. Mu Xuewui, who had been cautious, realized the wooden bird was likely just for sending messages and began gathering poison energy in her palms again. Just then, the floorboards beneath Bai Hetai suddenly opened, revealing pitch-black depths below.
“A secret passage?” Mu Xuewui swept her sleeve toward Bai Hetai.
Bai Hetai had no choice but to release the silk lines and fall into the passage, muttering, “Liar Su Muyu, what happened to keep me safe as long as you were here?”
She was only halfway through her complaint when Su Muyu broke through the poison formation and reached the doorway. Bai Hetai instinctively reached out toward him, and he reached back, but it was too late – she fell into the passage and slid down. Without hesitation, Su Muyu followed.
“Su Muyu, what are you doing?” Mu Xuewui rushed forward and called out.
“Ahhhhh! I just found my father, I don’t want to die!” Bai Hetai slid downward, not knowing how deep it went or what lay below, finally showing some girlish fear.
“Don’t panic, Divine Physician,” Su Muyu said calmly.
“Hm?” Bai Hetai just noticed Su Muyu and exclaimed, “Why did you come too?”
“I promised the Divine Physician – with me here, you’ll be safe.” Su Muyu leaped forward, landing right in front of Bai Hetai. The passage was so narrow their faces nearly touched, making Bai Hetai blush deeply, unable even to turn her head away. Su Muyu seemed completely oblivious to this as he wrapped his left arm around her waist and drove his thin sword into the wall with his right hand, gradually slowing their descent. After a moment, they landed, and Su Muyu released her, turning to look around.
Before they stood a stone door.
Bai Hetai helplessly looked up at the passage above. “It’s too high – we definitely can’t climb back up.”
Above the room, only the Patriarch and Mu Xuewui remained. Mu Xuewui glanced at the Patriarch, several thoughts flashing through her mind before she bowed slightly. “Greetings, Patriarch.”
A cloud of poison drifted toward the Patriarch.
The Patriarch continued standing with his sword, showing no reaction to the poison.
Mu Xuewui’s heart leaped – clearly, the Patriarch had been bluffing since earlier; he had no strength left to fight.
“Back!” A sharp command rang out as an iron staff struck the ground, dispersing the poison. A hunchbacked elder landed, gripping the staff and drawing a circle, creating an invisible barrier of energy that separated them from Mu Xuewui’s poison.
“You followed me here.” Mu Xuewui stepped back.
“Don’t be so quick to retreat.” A Taoist robe descended as Mu Qingyang grabbed Mu Xuewui’s arm, then quickly withdrew his hand. “Forgot forgot – now I’ll die from poison.”
“Did we lose outside?” Mu Xuewui tossed a pill into Mu Qingyang’s hand.
“The Twelve Spider Shadows aren’t so easily dealt with. Half an incense stick’s time at most,” Mu Qingyang looked around. “Where’s that Xie boy?”
“He ran,” Mu Xuewui replied.
“Ran?” Mu Qingyang’s mouth twitched. “Then where’s Su Muyu?”
“Fell into that hole with the Divine Physician from Medicine Valley.” Mu Xuewui pointed at the empty floorboards.
“Drop the deadliest poison you have down that hole,” Mu Qingyang said deeply.
“Are you mad? Su Muyu is down there!” Mu Xuewui frowned.
“You gave him a Flowerless Pill sealed in his sword hilt – don’t think I don’t know.” Mu Qingyang’s usual playful expression turned serious. “Use the poison – we won’t get another chance. Su Muyu doesn’t need to die, but that Divine Physician must.”
“You’re all insane.” Mu Xuewui shook her head helplessly, taking out a luminous white flower from her robes. She flicked it gently, and the flower flew from her hand into the secret passage, floating slowly downward.