The sun set behind the western mountains.
Inside Crane Rain Medicine Manor.
Su Changhe flicked his wrist, and the cold glint of his dagger flashed as the watermelon on the table was neatly sliced into five equal portions.
"Wow," Xiao Chaoyan clapped her hands. "Your skills are finally good for something."
"Hahaha," Su Changhe laughed. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment."
Xiao Chaoyan glanced outside, her tone still tinged with worry: "Brother Yu and Sister Bai He haven't returned yet."
"Relax," Su Changhe shrugged. "Though there's bound to be some trouble involved, the minor troubles in this Nan'an City mean nothing to Su Muyu."
Su Zhe sat nearby, smiling as he puffed on his pipe: "Don't underestimate Nan'an City. In Heaven Revelation City, we walked without fear because we were in the shadows while they were in the light. But now we're exposed, while unseen enemies lurk in the dark."
"Then let them see my blade," Su Changhe sneered.
"Amitabha," Su Zhe unexpectedly uttered a Buddhist chant. "No killing, please."
Just as Su Changhe was about to retort, he heard movement at the door. Turning, he saw Su Muyu and Bai Hehuai walking in. Su Muyu's expression remained as calm as ever, while Bai Hehuai's face was uncharacteristically clouded. Su Changhe pinched his nose: "It stinks. What have you two been up to?"
Xiao Chaoyan sniffed the air: "I don't smell anything."
Su Zhe set down his pipe: "The stench of corpses. Did you go grave-digging?"
Su Muyu gave a bitter smile: "Close enough. I'll wash up first. We'll talk when I return." With that, he headed for the backyard.
Su Changhe glanced at Bai Hehuai: "Killed someone?"
Bai Hehuai thought for a moment: "To be precise, it wasn't exactly a person. More like... a corpse."
Su Changhe paused, then grinned: "Now that's interesting."
Bai Hehuai plopped down onto a seat: "I don't think so." She reached for a slice of watermelon, but Su Changhe swatted her hand away.
Su Changhe waved dismissively: "You reek of that smell too. Don't contaminate the watermelon."
Unusually, Bai Hehuai didn't argue with Su Changhe. She withdrew her hand and sat in silence.
"Who's there!" Su Zhe suddenly bellowed, grabbing his Buddhist staff and swinging it hard. A golden ring shot out through the door, but it vanished without a trace, as if swallowed by the sea. Su Zhe lifted his staff and leaped to the entrance, but found no sign of anyone. He turned to look at Su Changhe.
Su Changhe stroked his mustache: "Incredible speed."
Su Zhe walked back: "Hehuai, what did you see at the magistrate's residence?"
Bai Hehuai looked up, her voice grave: "Medicine Puppets."
"Western Chu Medicine Puppets." Su Zhe had witnessed the war between Northern Li and Western Chu in his youth and understood the terror of the Western Chu Art of the Medicine Man better than anyone present. He turned to Su Changhe: "Let's go!"
Su Changhe narrowed his eyes: "Running away scared? Has Dark River become so useless now?"
"The Western Chu Art of the Medicine Man is a technique feared by gods and ghosts alike, yet coveted by all factions. If it's appeared in Nan'an City, other forces will soon descend upon this place. If you don't want trouble, we leave," Su Zhe said slowly.
Bai Hehuai shook her head: "We can't go.""Why?" Su Zhe asked.
"Because this Art of the Medicine Man was obtained by our Medicine King Valley, and we once promised the Western Chu Confucian Immortal that it would never resurface in this world. Since we made that vow, if problems arise, we disciples of Medicine King Valley must resolve them," Bai Hehuai replied.
Su Changhe clapped his hands. "Look at you, this money-grubbing Miracle Healer finally showing some backbone worthy of Medicine King Valley."
Bai Hehuai gave a bitter smile. "First, we need to investigate where the magistrate's son has been recently and who he met."
"No need for such trouble," Su Changhe shook his head. "Since that person knows you, the successor of Medicine King Valley, have come to Nan'an City, they will naturally come to greet us. We just need to wait."
Late at night.
Everyone had fallen into deep slumber.
Two dark figures dropped into the courtyard, brandishing blades as they charged toward their rooms.
Suddenly, a flash of Sword Light erupted as Su Muyu burst out from inside, his longsword sweeping out to take the heads of the two intruders. The two figures, agile in movement, immediately dodged Su Muyu's strike and retreated three steps.
"Were you sent by Ye Ya?" Su Muyu said coldly.
The two black-clad men exchanged a glance before swinging their long blades again. Working in tandem, one attacked high while the other struck low, converging on Su Muyu. But then, a dagger spun out from the darkness, cleanly slicing through both their arms. Yet the two showed no reaction, their grip on the blades unwavering as they continued their assault.
"Fall back!" Su Muyu roared, flicking his sword and cleanly severing both blades. But the two pressed forward, throwing punches that slammed into Su Muyu's chest. Su Muyu tapped his foot and retreated three steps.
"Blade skills are mediocre, but their movement is swift. Internal energy is average, yet their fists carry immense force," Su Muyu remarked slowly.
Su Changhe blocked their retreat. "Perhaps they've trained in some formidable external martial arts—nothing noteworthy. Dead or alive?"
"Alive," Su Muyu replied.
"Got it." Su Changhe spun his dagger lightly.
Hearing the movement behind them, the two ignored Su Muyu and simultaneously threw punches at Su Changhe. With a subtle twist of his dagger, Su Changhe had already shifted to stand beside Su Muyu.
Su Muyu frowned slightly. "One strike to the throat?"
Su Changhe shook his head helplessly. "Didn’t control it well."
No sooner had he spoken than the two black-clad men collapsed to the ground.
Su Muyu stepped forward and crouched down, spotting a thin line across their throats. He knew Su Changhe's Inch Finger Sword all too well—this strike was undoubtedly fatal. He sighed softly and was about to rise when he suddenly noticed one of the black-clad men's eyeballs twitch. Reacting instantly, he leaped back, but it was too late. The man's fist struck Su Muyu's chest, sending him flying.
Su Changhe was also stunned. "How? They were clearly dead."
Su Muyu flipped midair and landed steadily. "It's the Art of the Medicine Man. These two have come back to life."
Su Changhe frowned. "They turned into Medicine Puppets immediately after death? That means they were already implanted with this dark art before coming here."A man in black stood up, and another man in black quickly followed suit. Both of their eyes simultaneously turned blood-red, emitting a fierce and malevolent aura.
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