Within the Azure Fall Palace.
In the Forget Orchid Pavilion.
The Poisonous Thorn within Raging Orchid No Trace's body had been expelled, yet he remained unconscious—this was because the poison still ran deep. To fully cure him of the Poisonous Thorn's toxin, the "Green Charm" pearl was needed. But at least he was no longer tormented by the excruciating pain of the thorn. After Plum Blossom Numerology's drunken episode that day, he had been dazed, as if suffering from some immense shock. The people of Azure Fall Palace dared not disturb him further. To uncover what had truly happened with the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests back then, the Yellow Bright Bamboo Poison afflicting both men had to be neutralized first. Otherwise, even if they regained consciousness, they would only endure needless suffering.
After forcing out the Poisonous Thorn, Fu Zhumei returned to his room to rest. There were no guards outside Raging Orchid No Trace's door. Hong Guniang approached slowly, carrying a bundle in her hand. She pushed open the door and entered.
Raging Orchid No Trace still had disheveled hair. Hong Guniang gently brushed it aside, revealing a face with sharp, handsome features—though past thirty and ravaged by hardship, the deep weariness etched into his expression might never fade. Sighing, she opened the bundle and retrieved a bottle of pink liquid. She stared fixedly at Raging Orchid No Trace's face for a long moment before putting the pink liquid away and replacing it with a bottle of brown-yellow pills. She poured out one pill and placed it lightly beside his pillow. Then, from the bundle, she drew out seven or eight silver needles, raising them as if to pierce his forehead—but hesitated and ultimately withdrew them, returning them to the bundle. After gazing at Raging Orchid No Trace for a while longer, she sighed softly, packed up the bundle, and quietly left.
What was she doing? Tie Jing, who had been hiding on the roof to protect Raging Orchid No Trace, frowned and silently descended. She had left behind a pill—this woman was extremely cunning, and it was best not to touch anything she left behind. He checked Raging Orchid No Trace's pulse and found no abnormalities, then swiftly slipped out.
Not long after Tie Jing left, the brown-yellow pill suddenly exploded— BOOM! A deafening blast shook the room, filling it with smoke. Azure Fall Palace disciples rushed over at the sound, their faces paling as they saw Raging Orchid No Trace's shoulder torn open by the explosion, blood streaming down. Fortunately, the blast had been slightly off-target, missing his throat—otherwise, he would have surely died.
Tie Jing had just reached the Sun-Love Residence where Wan Yu Yuedan lived when the explosion rang out. His expression darkened. The palace master had allowed this woman to roam freely within the palace—sooner or later, disaster was bound to strike. And indeed—
Just as the explosion echoed, the doors of the Sun-Love Residence swung open. Wan Yu Yuedan, fully dressed, stepped out calmly.
"Palace Master—" Tie Jing shouted, "Hong Guniang planted explosives in the Forget Orchid Pavilion—"
Wan Yu Yuedan showed no surprise. He had just begun to say, "Don't go in—" when a figure streaked past like a hawk, darting into the Forget Orchid Pavilion in an instant. Though Wan Yu Yuedan couldn't see the figure, he heard the rush of wind and raised his voice sharply, "Don't go in—!"
Wan Yu Yuedan rarely raised his voice like this. Tie Jing froze, turning to look at the figure—just as it flashed into the Forget Orchid Pavilion. The Azure Fall Palace disciples who had entered earlier to check on Raging Orchid No Trace had already carried him out. Hearing Wan Yu Yuedan's command, they swiftly retreated—only to freeze in shock as someone charged inside.
The moment the figure crossed the threshold, a second explosion erupted within the room. Then, thick purple smoke billowed out from the shattered window frames."Scatter, it's poisoned!" Tie Jing shouted urgently. Wan Yu Yuedan had already walked to Tie Jing's side and called out loudly, "Xiao Fu! Xiao Fu! Xiao Fu..." The purple smoke in the room gradually dissipated as a figure staggered out, carrying several pots of orchids in their arms, their face covered in dust. After taking seven or eight steps, they placed the orchids on the ground, exhaled with a sigh, and then smiled. "Still intact..." Hearing his voice, the tension in Wan Yu Yuedan's brows eased slightly. "The room was poisoned, wasn't it?" Tie Jing frowned at the person who had rushed into the room to save the orchids. The figure, dressed in white with disheveled hair, was none other than Fu Zhumei. He didn't know what relationship this young man in white had with the palace master. When Fu Zhumei entered the Azure Fall Palace ten years ago, Tie Jing had still been a child and had never met him. Naturally, he would never have guessed that this young man in white was Wan Yu Yuedan's elder. But this person had managed to extract the over a hundred Poisonous Thorns from Raging Orchid No Trace's body, demonstrating astonishing martial prowess. For such a figure to rush into an exploding room just to save a few pots of orchids was truly... it was hard to know what to say about it.
"Poison?" Fu Zhumei hadn't noticed the poison in the room at all. He glanced back at the still-smoking house and let out an "Ah..." Having expended much of his energy extracting the Poisonous Thorns from Raging Orchid No Trace, he was already weakened. The potent poison in the room took its toll, and after that single exclamation, he swayed slightly and collapsed backward. "Gather the orchids and take him back to his room," Wan Yu Yuedan said calmly, his expression composed. "Brother Bi, ask Hong Guniang to bring the antidote."
Standing aloof behind the crowd, Bi Lianyi gave a slight bow upon hearing the order. "Understood."
As Fu Zhumei was carried away, Tie Jing gazed at the still-smoking house and let out a long sigh. Hong Guniang had left a mechanism with explosives by Raging Orchid No Trace's pillow. The first explosion had injured Raging Orchid No Trace, serving as a cover for Dissolute Shop to silence him and prompting him to call for Wan Yu Yuedan. The second explosion was meant to release deadly poison when Wan Yu Yuedan examined Raging Orchid No Trace's injuries, aiming to kill him. Such a cunning and vicious plot would have been hard to defend against if not for Wan Yu Yuedan's foresight in refusing to enter. Yet, while Wan Yu Yuedan remained unharmed, the young man in white had inexplicably been injured. It was unclear how this matter would be resolved.
Guest Quarters.
Hong Guniang gazed pensively at the Orchid-Forgetting Pavilion beyond several doors. Two explosions had sounded, and the commotion was deafening, yet she felt no joy in her heart. With a soft creak, the door was gently pushed open, and Bi Lianyi entered, still holding a cup of hot tea, walking slowly toward her.
This man was handsome, patient, silent, and resolute. She looked at the hot tea in his hands. "Wan Yu Yuedan... didn't die?" Bi Lianyi's face remained expressionless, perfectly calm. "No." He handed her the hot tea. "The autumn wind is cold. This is ginger tea." She took it and took a small sip. "If he didn't die, why are you here?" As autumn deepened, her hands and feet grew cold, and the warmth of the ginger tea in her hands was comforting. These days, whenever he had a moment, Bi Lianyi would bring her a steaming cup of ginger tea. He never said much, but she understood.
"Antidote," Bi Lianyi said quietly.
"Antidote?" Hong Guniang laughed softly. "Who was poisoned? So I didn't lose completely after all. Did Wan Yu Yuedan send you to ask me for the antidote?" She set down the ginger tea and stood up gracefully, her red sleeves brushing behind her. "Why didn't he come himself?""He didn't come because he considers you one of his own," Bi Lianyi said. "Since you've mistakenly harmed others, with your magnanimity, you surely wouldn't deny responsibility." Hong Guniang smiled charmingly, "What magnanimity do I have? Who said I'm admitting defeat? Whoever was poisoned, it's all the same to me—otherwise, wouldn't all my efforts be in vain? I won't give you the antidote. Tell Wan Yu Yuedan that within three days, I want news of Liu Yan's whereabouts." Bi Lianyi stared into her eyes, "This decision isn't wise, and it disappoints both me and the palace master." Hong Guniang's expression darkened as she slammed the table with a loud smack. "I've wasted too many days in Azure Fall Palace already. Do you know the pain of longing for someone? Within three days, I want news of him! I don't want to hear anything else!" Bi Lianyi frowned slightly, stepped back, and left, closing the door behind him.
She held the ginger tea he had brought her, still warm. Watching him leave so calmly, a sudden surge of anger rose within her. This man... no matter what she said to him, he never got angry—at most, he'd say he was disappointed. Disappointed, disappointed! Why should I make you happy? Why should I satisfy you? Who asked you to treat me as one of your own? Who is one of your own? This vast Azure Fall Palace is full of... lunatics who don't know what they're thinking! Slumping into her seat, she smashed the cup of ginger tea with a loud crash. Steam rose as shards of porcelain scattered. Revered Master, Revered Master... where exactly are you? Why have you been silent for so long? Do you... do you know how much pain and hardship Xiao Hong is enduring in her heart? She grabbed the teapot from the table and hurled it to the ground with a clang. After smashing the teapot, she threw the teacups, then even the tray. Staring at the mess of broken porcelain, she froze for a moment before suddenly collapsing onto the table, bursting into loud sobs.
Meanwhile, in Fu Zhumei's room, Wenren He was taking his pulse while Wan Yu Yuedan stood nearby, asking softly, "How is he?" Wenren He frowned. "I've never encountered such a potent poison before. It seems similar to the strange toxin affecting the Seven Cloud Traveling Guests, though with slight differences. I believe both must have originated from Yellow Bright Bamboo. Plum Blossom Control... er... Young Master Fu has profound internal force and normally wouldn't be easily poisoned, but his vitality is severely depleted now. It will take two months to recover, during which he can't expel the poison himself. By then, the toxin will likely have taken effect. Ordinary antidotes won't work against this poison." The creases at the corners of Wan Yu Yuedan's eyes tightened slightly. "So 'Green Charm' is the only solution?" Wenren He gave a bitter smile. "With my silver needles, I might be able to sustain him for a month. But if we don't have 'Green Charm' by then, the poison will surely become uncontrollable."Fu Zhumei had woken up by now and, upon hearing this, rubbed his hair. "Ah..." Apart from another "ah," he didn't seem to have much of a reaction. Wenren He glared at him. "Though I may be a few years older than you, Young Master Fu is no greenhorn in the martial world. How could you be so careless?" Fu Zhumei, however, didn’t seem particularly concerned about being poisoned. He widened his eyes at Wenren He. "It's fine..." Wenren He snapped angrily, "How is it fine? This is a rare and deadly poison! Even if you... even if you possess extraordinary abilities, once the poison takes effect, you’ll still be dead!" Fu Zhumei shook his head. Seeing Wenren He’s doubtful and displeased expression, he shook his head again. "Everyone dies eventually." Wenren He was so exasperated he could barely speak. "So you’re just planning to die like this? You... with all your skills, and with the martial world in such turmoil, you’re just going to ignore it all and die?" Fu Zhumei stammered, shaking his head repeatedly. "No, no, I... I was thinking... ah, actually, I’ve thought about death for a long time. Of course, I was originally afraid of dying, but after thinking about it for so long, it doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore. It’s not because I... it’s not because I think I can just die whenever. I just don’t see the point in panicking. If I’m meant to live, I’ll live. If I can’t be saved, then there’s nothing to be done. Everyone dies eventually... crying, being scared, feeling unwilling... I don’t have any of those, so I don’t know what to say." Wenren He and Tie Jing exchanged glances. Between them, they had seen countless people with incurable illnesses or fatal injuries, but never anyone like Fu Zhumei. Tie Jing coughed lightly. "You’re very philosophical about it." Fu Zhumei smiled at him. "Mm." Wenren He snorted heavily, utterly unable to agree with such a laissez-faire attitude, but he couldn’t find the words to argue.
"Death... is something," Wan Yu Yuedan said softly, "that is pointless to discuss until it truly arrives." At his words, Tie Jing and Wenren He immediately became solemn, and even Fu Zhumei held his breath, not daring to speak. Wan Yu Yuedan smiled faintly. "However, the matter of the Green Enchantment Pearl is beyond the Azure Fall Palace’s capabilities. I will write to Young Master Tang, hoping he can lend his aid. And if rumors of such a rare treasure circulate in the streets, the Azure Fall Palace will spare no expense to obtain it for Young Master Fu. So... let’s not talk of life and death. You won’t die."
"Little Yue, A-Li, he..." Fu Zhumei widened his eyes. Wan Yu Yuedan, delicate and elegant, lowered his lashes slightly, the curve of his brows softening. "He will send you the antidote." This was the Azure Fall Palace. Once Wan Yu Yuedan spoke, no one could sway his decision. Fu Zhumei frowned. He absolutely did not want Tang Lici to know about this, but even if he objected, Wan Yu Yuedan would undoubtedly send the letter. Once Little Yue made up his mind, it was final—nothing would change it.
Just then, Bi Lianyi entered unhurriedly. "She said if we provide Liu Yan’s whereabouts and information within three days, she’ll give us the antidote." Wan Yu Yuedan sighed softly. "I suspect she doesn’t actually have the antidote, but I agreed." Fu Zhumei had been poisoned in the Azure Fall Palace, and the palace would never let him die—even if all he had done was save a few orchids in the palace gardens.Both Tie Jing and Wenren He frowned. To find Liu Yan's whereabouts, there was only one clue at present: to have the future abbot of Shaolin Temple compose a poem for someone and then kowtow three times. Everyone knew that Shaolin Temple was currently lacking in talent, and the most promising candidate for the position of abbot was Puzhu Shangshi. Given Puzhu Shangshi's cultivation and temperament, burdened with the honor and disgrace of Shaolin Temple, how could he possibly kneel before anyone? Moreover, it was unclear who had spread such rumors. Even if Puzhu Shangshi were willing to compose a poem and kneel, to whom should he compose the poem, and before whom should he kneel?
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