Several days later, The Head finally regained consciousness. The first thing he did upon waking was to examine his palm before slowly clenching it into a fist.
Long-lost strength.
Ever since being poisoned by "Snow Falling on a Plum Branch," The Head hadn't experienced such formidable power in a long time. As he circulated his True Qi, it flowed with unprecedented smoothness.
"The poison has been neutralized?" The Head stood up and scanned the room, spotting Bai Hehuai lying unconscious on the floor. He frowned slightly—his last memory was of this Miracle Healer from Medicine King Valley attempting to probe his past using the Soul Transference Technique before escaping through a secret passage. Why was she here now? Could she have been the one to cure him in the end? He strode to Bai Hehuai's side and raised his hand.
The wooden door burst open as a Golden Ring shot toward The Head from outside.
With a swift motion, The Head caught the ring midair. Examining it, he said gravely, "Su Zhe."
"Long time no see, Head." Su Zhe sat cross-legged outside, grinning at him.
The Head flung the ring back. "Why are you here? Did Su Jinhui send you to kill me?"
Su Zhe caught the ring with his Buddhist staff. "Years ago, I fought tooth and nail for you. And now you think I've come to take your life?"
"Is that not the case?" The Head arched an eyebrow.
"Originally, yes." Su Zhe shrugged. "But my daughter said she'd taken payment to heal you, so I'm following her lead."
"Your daughter?" The Head startled, glancing between the sleeping Bai Hehuai and Su Zhe before realization dawned. "Medicine King Valley... the Wen family. No wonder..."
Su Zhe chuckled. "So I should thank you, Head. If not for this ordeal, I might never have reunited with my daughter."
As they spoke, Bai Hehuai stirred groggily awake. Rubbing her eyes, she gasped softly at the sight of the white-haired elder. "Head!"
The Head gave her a humorless smile. "Miracle Healer."
Bai Hehuai stood and patted his shoulder approvingly. "Good, good. The poison is nearly gone. But remember—no excessive use of True Qi these next few days, or all our efforts will be wasted."
The Head lowered his gaze. "So the Miracle Healer used the Soul Transference Technique to probe my memories... in search of her father."
"And to cure your poison," Bai Hehuai retorted indignantly. "I didn't lie to you. Look at you now—practically back to normal. About our payment..." She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together pointedly.
The Head laughed. "You'll receive everything promised. But I'm curious—how exactly did you manage it?""Why can 'Snow Falling on a Plum Branch' be considered one of the world's most extraordinary poisons? Because once it invades the human body, it spreads through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, eventually causing pain like 'Ten Thousand Ants Devouring the Body'—an agony beyond endurance. Through soul-shifting techniques, I shared senses with The Head and experienced that torment myself. Yet among the fifty-two Single Acupoints, three hundred Double Acupoints, and fifty Extra Meridian Acupoints in the human body, one acupoint remains unaffected—the Supreme Yang Acupoint." Bai Hehuai spoke with growing excitement, drawing two Silver Needles and waving them lightly in the air. "So, I used one hundred and nine Silver Needles to force all the 'Snow Falling on a Plum Branch' poison into the Supreme Yang Acupoint."
The Head was taken aback. "Then you pierced it with another needle to release the poison?"
Bai Hehuai shook her head. "I considered that, but puncturing the Supreme Yang Acupoint would only lead to a massive leakage of True Qi and immediate death from the poison. The next step requires someone with profound internal energy to cover the acupoint with their palm and draw out the poison. So, strictly speaking, this illness is incurable. The only solution is... a life for a life!"
Upon hearing this, The Head frowned slightly. "A life for a life?"
"Which brings us to the question," Bai Hehuai turned, eyeing The Head with keen interest. "Who in the Spider Nest would be willing to exchange their life for yours, Head?"
"Hehuai, mind your manners," Su Zhe murmured from where he sat on the ground.
Bai Hehuai continued to watch The Head, awaiting his answer.
After a moment of contemplation, The Head spoke slowly, "A Ke..."
"Exactly—that A Ke. I remember our first day in the Spider Nest. You could barely stand, yet you maintained composure in front of him, even telling me that if I'd seen how he kills, I wouldn't let my guard down around him." Bai Hehuai's tone carried a hint of mockery. "Yet it was this very A Ke, whom you couldn't trust, who gave his life for you."
"Where is he now?" The Head asked.
Bai Hehuai shrugged. "He's gone. He said—"
"'What I owed you is now repaid. What you owe me can wait till the next life. In his final days, he wished to be neither Mu Kewen nor part of Dark River.'"
Outside the courtyard.
Su Muyu stood with a paper umbrella strapped to his back, bowing slightly to the hunched old man before him. "Uncle Ke. Won't you wait for The Head to wake?"
Mu Kewen shook his head. "There's no need to meet even if he wakes. Our debts are settled. You may deal with this Spider Nest as you see fit."
"If The Head is unharmed, then this Spider Nest belongs to Medicine King Valley," Su Muyu replied.
"Very well. That Little Divine Physician is quite a remarkable girl," Mu Kewen said with a smile—though his grin was far from pleasant.
Su Muyu shook his head. "Uncle Ke, I didn't know you had a teasing side."
"Only when death is near can one truly see themselves clearly and find real liberation." Mu Kewen patted his chest. "Now I am neither of Dark River, nor Mu Kewen of the Mu Family, nor the master of this Spider Nest. Freed from these burdens, I suddenly find life has a bit more flavor. I'm not so eager to die anymore."
Su Muyu glanced behind him as the wooden door creaked open. After a pause, The Head emerged."Has he come out?" Mu Kewen asked.
"Yes. The Head is looking this way," Su Muyu replied.
"No need to meet again." Mu Kewen, carrying the iron rod on his back, leaped up and left without looking back.
Bai Hehuai asked Su Zhe, "Father, what's the story between them?"
Su Zhe chewed on betel nut and answered vaguely, "They were both once part of the Mu Family, probably good brothers. Later, one became the supreme Head, and the other turned into a hunchbacked, ugly gatekeeper. That’s pretty much the story."
OpenNovel