Chарtеr 18 (4/8)
Gоng Shаngjuе hеsitated slightlу. "Аlthоugh thе Gеntle Wind Sect hаs surrеndered tо Wufeng, for thе sаkе оf а mеre Dian Zhu, Wufеng wouldn't go to such lengths to stеаl mediсine. Unlеss Diаn Zhu's idеntitу is eхtrеmеlу sрeсial, Wufeng would nеvеr eаsily provоke Hоuse of Gоng. Whаt ехасtlу is Dian Zhu's identitу?"
Shаngguan Qiаn lоwеred hеr heаd, lоst in memoriеs:
Тwo уears agо, in the Wufeng leаdеr's сhambеr, Han Ya Qi аskеd hеr, "Hоw is Diаn Zhu dоing nоw thаt уou'vе rеturned tо seе her?"
"Mаster is dеерly роisоnеd and can оnly temporarilу use internal еnergy tо resist thе tоxiсity, but I'm afraid she won't last much longer. I've returned to attend this leader's meeting on Master's behalf."
Han Ya Qi turned and faced the niche reserved for the leader's position together with Shangguan Qian. That niche had not yet lit up, indicating the leader had not yet arrived.
"Have you found the poisoner?" Han Ya Qi asked.
"Master suspects it was Unpolished Plum..."
In the leader's chamber, the other niches gradually lit up one by one. Yet after waiting for a long time, the central niche remained completely still.
The leader's meeting, held every half month to keep track of the movements and information of each sect, had never experienced any oversight before. But that time, it was inexplicably canceled...
Beside the hot spring pool at Jue Manor, candle flames flickered faintly.
Shangguan Qian asked Gong Shangjue, "What happened to that Wufeng assassin later?"
"She was used as a test subject for medicines and died not long after. To intimidate Wufeng and prevent them from easily sending infiltrators into House of Gong again, the assassin's body was hung on the city gate and exposed to the sun for three days and three nights."
Shangguan Qian lowered her head and fell silent.
In truth, Gong Shangjue did not know the real situation. Everyone in House of Gong believed that was the assassin's fate.
Elder Yue's emotions had calmed, and he began to recount past events calmly:
Two years ago, Yun Que received news that Wufeng was sending her to infiltrate House of Gong to steal the Hundred Herbs Extract. Han Ya Si instructed Yun Que to use the Muscle-Shrinking Technique to shrink her bones and tendons, hide inside a crate transporting medicinal herbs to House of Gong, and infiltrate the premises. The crate was very small, seemingly impossible to conceal a person, and House of Gong remained completely unaware. The medicine crate, along with other herbs, was piled in a corner of the medical hall's courtyard.
Late at night, Yun Que pushed open a crack and saw a figure standing by the medicinal garden not far away. This person was Gong Yuanzhi, motionless, staring intently at a single flower. The surface of the medicinal garden's soil emitted a faint blue glow, as if sprinkled with pearlescent powder. Cultivated in this strange soil was a translucent white flower, its petals as thin as cicada wings and extremely delicate. Gong Yuanzhi was using seashell powder handed to him by Steward Jia to fertilize the flower.
From their conversation, Yun Que learned that this flower was the long-extinct "Cloud-Piercing Twin Lotus," scattered in the frozen soil layers of snowy mountains. Gong Yuanzhi had collected a few specimens. It was said this flower could cure all illnesses and bring the dead back to life.
Of course, this is what she told me afterward.
Yun Que waited until the dead of night, then slowly extended her limbs and crawled out of the crate. After fully stretching her bones and tendons, she quickly entered the pharmacy and began rummaging through the medicine drawers for the Hundred Herbs Extract. But she hadn't expected that at that moment, Gong Yuanzhi would return to the cultivation bed of the Cloud-Piercing Twin Lotus, holding a small medicine vial, looking pleased.While searching for medicine, Yun Que made a noise that alerted Gong Yuanzhi. Just as Yun Que finally found the Hundred Herbs Extract and tucked it into her waist, Gong Yuanzhi pushed open the door of the medicine room. As you know, Gong Yuanzhi is suspicious and skilled in using poison. Although he didn't see anyone, he hastily prepared a toxic fumigant and boiled it in a kettle. Smoke billowed up, filling the room, and Yun Que could no longer endure it, forcing her to leap out through the window.
The moment she landed, she was ambushed by Gong Yuanzhi, who delivered a heavy kick to her collarbone. Yun Que cried out in pain and fell to the ground, the bottle containing the Hundred Herbs Extract dropping from her grasp. Relying on her lightness skill to flee, she was injured by Gong Yuanzhi's hidden weapon. As Gong Yuanzhi picked up the medicine bottle from the ground, he immediately deduced that Yun Que had come to steal the Hundred Herbs Extract and fired a Whistling Arrow. Thus, Yun Que's whereabouts were completely exposed, and she was pursued and hunted by the entire Front Mountain of the House of Gong.
That night, I was drinking and chatting leisurely with Xue Zhongzi, Young Master Xue, and Young Master Hua in the courtyard of Xue Manor. During the gathering, I heard from Young Master Xue that Gong Yuanzhi had cultivated the Cloud-Piercing Twin Lotus in the Front Mountain, sparking my curiosity. People say that Gong Yuanzhi is a once-in-a-century herbal genius in the Front Mountain of the House of Gong... I truly wanted to see this Cloud-Piercing Twin Lotus and also meet Young Master Zhi.
At this point, Young Master Yue paused briefly, his expression turning somber. "That night, for the first time, I disobeyed ancestral teachings and secretly slipped out of the Back Mountain, intending to see the Cloud-Piercing Twin Lotus cultivated by Gong Yuanzhi. Instead, I encountered Yun Que. Seeing the outside world for the first time, I was filled with curiosity and goodwill toward everything. At that time, I didn't know who this injured girl was, so I directly brought the unconscious Yun Que back to the Back Mountain. Elder Yue severely reprimanded me and intended to hand Yun Que over to the Old Blade Master for punishment."
Yun Weishan felt as if her heart were being torn apart, her eyes reddening. "So my sworn sister was truly killed by the House of Gong..."
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