Secrets in the Mountain Abdomen
hin the forest.""Prince Ding""Miss is indeed wise," Qing鸞 replied cheerfully. Recalling how someone had been tied up with ropes to a tree and thrown into the water, she felt that all her worries tonig...80. The Secret Within the Mountain
A little more than an hour later, it finally stopped raining. In Southern Jiang, rain came quickly and cleared up just as fast; shortly after the rain ceased, warm sunlight spread across the land. The freshly washed soil gave off a scent of fresh earth. If not for its nearly overwhelming fragrance, it would have been even more delightful.
Dark Three emerged from inside when the rain had just stopped. He glanced at the three people sitting or standing in the hall without any surprise over the extra person present. Ye Li pointed to some dried food on a nearby table and said, "Let's eat first. Today’s host is unlikely to send us breakfast."
Dark Three nodded and sat down, slowly filling his stomach under everyone’s watchful eyes. The Sick Scholar watched Dark Three with interest and smiled at Ye Li, saying, "With a warrior like Brother ZHUO protecting him, it's no wonder that Mister Chu dares to come alone to Southern Jiang."
Dark Three looked up and said indifferently, “The公子身邊隻帶了我一個人，自然要小心一些。”病書生眼神微沉，像這樣的侍衛有一個就已經很不容易了。聽這卓靖的意思楚君唯平時身邊的人還不少，現在這樣隻有他一個護衛的情況纔是特殊的。那麼…這個楚君唯的身份隻怕就不一般了。淡淡的掃了一眼旁邊的韓明晰，能夠天一閣主的弟弟交好的自然不是一般人。
Noticing the probing gaze of the Sick Scholar, Han Mingxi cleared his throat and gave him an innocent smile. Don't ask me, I don’t know about Jun Wei’s identity.
The four people tidied up and left the small building. The sunlight was just right outside, and the fragrance of flowers in the air became more intense. However, thanks to the antidote provided by the Sick Scholar, there were no adverse effects for them. When they returned to the nearby building, Lofty Grandpa, the manager, and the guard named Zheng Kui had indeed disappeared. Han Mingxi looked at the scholar with a mischievous smile and said, “It looks like they've been gone for at least an hour. How do you plan on finding them now” If someone familiar with the terrain guided them, in one hour even during rainy weather, it would be sufficient to escape far away. A cold, mocking smile appeared on the scholar's lips as he said indifferently, "As long as they are still within Southern Jiang, they won’t get out of my grasp. Besides... Do you really think that’s why they waited here for us The place they’re going can't be more than twenty miles from here."
The scholar casually took a small box from his chest and opened it; a tiny green moth flew out. It flapped its wings twice, rested on a small porcelain bottle the scholar held open for a moment, then started flying again towards the depths of the village, “Let's go.” The scholar put away the small medicine bottle with satisfaction and said indifferently to his companions.
The trio followed the little moth and found that the entire village was indeed empty. It had been too dark last night for anyone to notice; apart from their residence in two small buildings, all other houses were quite simple. This wasn't like a village where common people lived but rather seemed more like a temporary campsite. The moth headed deep into the mountains; countless snakes and insects along the way died or fled under the scholar's powerful venom; without any deliberate command, these creatures would naturally avoid harm and seek benefit, not attacking in swarms. After half an hour of walking, the moth stopped at the edge of a cliff, circling around the scholar unwilling to proceed further.
"Could it be that Mister Chu’s little moth has taken a wrong turn" Han Mingxi joked.
The scholar looked at him indifferently and put the small moth back in its box, saying to Mingxi, "Go down."
"Go down" Mingxi was stunned for a moment before looking incredulously at the scholar, “You want me to go down! Do you know where we are This is Southern Jiang! Who knows how deep it goes and what kind of venomous snakes or monsters might be in there. You want me to go down!” "Your lightness skills are best," replied the scholar. "Otherwise, should Mister Chu go first" Mingxi’s handsome face turned dark as he looked at the scholar who was casually fiddling with his left fingers; then glancing at Ye Li and Dark Three standing by. Although they had known each other for a short time, Mingxi knew that Jun Wei's lightness skills were actually not very good. If something happened while going down, it might be impossible to escape in time. With an annoyed grunt, he said, "Fine, I’ll go down! But you watch out!" Watch out You open up Southern Jiang, and I'll deal with you!
Mingxi lightly touched the ground and floated off like a huge dark red butterfly before plummeting towards the cliff. The scholar praised him softly, “Second Young Master Han’s lightness skills are indeed much better than Mingyue’s.”
But it was only his lightness skills; compared to Mingyue with his deep schemes and ever-changing mind, the scholar didn't think too highly of Mingxi. As long as he kept Mingyue's feelings in mind and promised not to kill him so that the Pavilion Lord would have an awkward situation, it would be enough.
"Zhuo Jing." Ye Li frowned as she stood at the cliff's edge, only seeing rolling clouds and no view of what lay below. This cliff was certainly more than twice as deep as that under Black Cloud Peak. It was impossible to rely on lightness skills alone to reach the bottom directly. Dark Three stepped forward and stretched his hand out over the cliff.
A silver thread, hanging onto something, swiftly descended down the mountain cliff. After a while, Dark Three slowly retracted the thread and coiled it around his palm before turning back to Ye Li and saying, "Master, there's at least one hundred feet from here to the bottom of the cliff. And… the cliff face is very smooth."
Ye Li pondered over this; a hundred feet was nearly three hundred meters high. The cliff face was still smooth despite its height, with barely any vegetation, clearly not something that could have grown naturally. It seemed the Sick Scholar had indeed brought them to the right place.
The Sick Scholar's eyes flickered with curiosity as he watched Dark Three’s actions before a figure shot up from below the cliff in an untidy manner and landed on the ground. As soon as Han Mingxiu hit the ground, he started cursing at the top of his voice, "Sick Scholar! You wait until I find you, if I die here because of your fault, I will ensure that Sky One Pavilion will hunt you to death!" The Sick Scholar remained unmoved, seemingly unaffected by Han Mingxiu's threats and asked coldly, "What is down there"
Han Mingxiu sneered, "What There’s nothing but a pile of junk. Even if there were something worthwhile, do you think your poor lightness skills would allow you to get it down safely from here Don't count on me to bring you down there; unless you want to die along with me!" Seeing the Sick Scholar frown, Han Mingxiu mocked him maliciously.
It seemed they had faced danger when descending and momentarily forgotten their fear of the Sick Scholar, resorting instead to taunting words to quell their rage and shock.
"Brother Han," Ye Li called out solemnly. It wouldn't be wise to anger the Sick Scholar at this moment.
Han Mingxiu wasn’t rash either; he quickly calmed down after Ye Li's reminder. "Below is a sea of flowers, but I suspect they are all poisonous. There are many venomous snakes in the flower beds and several skeletons; whether accidentally fallen or thrown there, I cannot tell. However… somewhere around seventy feet up from ground level on the cliff face is a sizable hole that looks like an entrance. But…" he glanced at the Sick Scholar with a mocking smile before continuing, "The cliff has been deliberately treated to make it hard to find footholds for climbing down. I wasn't joking earlier; even my lightness skills couldn’t guarantee us reaching the bottom without falling into the venomous snakes and toxic substances below. And… as for you three, your lightness alone won't suffice to descend safely." He spoke proudly of his own lightness skill.
"No wonder we encountered no guards on our way here; they must be confident that we couldn’t find a path," the Sick Scholar muttered. If it weren't for Han Mingxiu’s extraordinary lightness skills, any other person would have met their end there, "There must be another way in; I don’t believe everyone involved is an expert in lightness." Han Mingxiu said arrogantly, "Of course, do you think such advanced lightness techniques are easy to master However… can you find a different route now" None of them were experts at mechanical devices and this place was completely unfamiliar territory. Moreover, the people from South Frontier weren’t fools; they wouldn't just sit there waiting for someone else to discover their path.
"You…" The Sick Scholar frowned as he looked at Han Mingxiu who hurriedly hid behind Zhuo Jing without even daring to peek his head out, "Don’t look for me. Even if I could enter, it wouldn't be much use; my martial arts skills are rather poor and I doubt we can employ lightness techniques inside either. Going alone would just alert them."
"What is so important down there" Ye Li asked with a frown.
The Sick Scholar frowned back at her, "Do you have any ideas"
Ye Li did not respond but repeated her question, "What exactly are you looking for"
The Sick Scholar snorted coldly. With only one of them wanting to capture Chu Junwei as leverage, it was unrealistic. After a long moment, he said heavily, "It’s an unusual poison."
Upon hearing this, everyone's interest dropped sharply. Han Mingxiu asked curiously, "Master yourself is renowned for your expertise in poisons; what kind of poison could possibly compel you to risk everything" The Sick Scholar gave a cold laugh, his eyes flashing with sinister intent as he said, "A… poison that makes one wish to die but cannot." Ye Li was uninterested in such poisons. There were plenty of ways to make someone suffer and there was no need to take personal risks for some unique poison. As for not being able to die, if someone truly wanted to end their life, they had many options; the inability to do so only stemmed from hope and attachment to living. However, the sinister intent in the Sick Scholar’s eyes made Ye Li's heart skip a beat, giving her an indistinct idea.
"You are already a master of poisons, why seek out such unusual ones" Ye Li asked calmly.
The Sick Scholar gave a short laugh filled with resentment and then coughed violently. "True, I have many valuable things, but they aren't enough… the most painful poison in this world is right here in South Frontier. Haha…"
Ye Li stared at him wide-eyed, her voice rising slightly out of curiosity, "I've heard that the world's most agonizing poison is 'Intestine-Cutting Bone-Rot Pill,' where those poisoned suffer agony for forty-nine days before dying in torment. Could there be something worse than this" The Sick Scholar said with a touch of pride, "Indeed, the Intestine-Cutting Bone-Rot Pill is extremely toxic; but it has to be ingested orally and carries a strong medicinal odor that cannot fool those skilled in medicine or scent detection. However, the one I’m talking about truly has no color or taste—just one drop will condemn someone to eternal suffering!"
"The Flower of Darkness" Han Mingxiu asked curiously.
The Sick Scholar scoffed lightly, "Do you think South Frontier only has the Flower of Darkness Compared to it, this is truly a rare treasure—the Blue Sky Flower."
"Blue Sky Flower" Han Mingxiu was blank-faced. "It sounds poetic but I've never heard of it." The Sick Scholar scoffed again; Ye Li frowned and said coolly, "From the heavens above to the underworld below." The Sick Scholar laughed, "That’s right, this poison is called Blue Sky Yellow Springs."
"Sounds like nothing special," Han Mingxiu commented. Compared with Intestine-Cutting Bone-Rot Pill, this name was poetic.
The Sick Scholar smiled, "It indeed sounds unremarkable; once it touches the human body, it merges immediately into all veins and blood vessels. Unless you drain your body of every drop of blood, there’s no way to cure it. Even if someone replaces their blood, as long as even a little tainted blood remains, the poison will spread swiftly in fresh blood."
Han Mingxiu was puzzled, "Why is it called Blue Sky Yellow Springs"
"Haha… one lives above, one below. Those poisoned by this remain outwardly perfect but internally rot away bit by bit. The more poison accumulates inside them, the more beautiful they appear externally; however…
"Is it contagious" Ye Li asked, looking down with a serious tone.
"No, why would it be contagious" Scholar of Illness laughed. "Playing around with poison that cannot be controlled is very troublesome. He can't touch any living creature because the warmth from them causes him immense pain and accelerates the decay within his body. That's why he has to isolate himself in a remote place where no one else could be near him, making him stink until he rots away. Ah... His limbs will become paralyzed first, possibly even dying of starvation before the rot sets in."
Everyone present felt a chill down their spines upon hearing this, especially with Scholar of Illness' sinister tone. Even under the bright sun, his words sent shivers up one's spine.
"This is impossible," Ye Li said coolly. "If it were just poison, it wouldn't garner so much attention." Despite its value, poison was still poison; only in Scholar of Illness' hands would it be more valuable than a universal antidote. Scholar of Illness replied solemnly, "True, the Blue Falling Flower is said to bring back bones and life when combined with another herb. The so-called universal antidotes can only treat common toxins. However, an antidote made from the Blue Falling Flower will completely heal any poison or injury as long as there's still breath in one’s body, even extending longevity. Do you think such a treasure wouldn't be sought after If Mr Liang were to make pills out of it, they would be priceless."
Ye Li suppressed the light in her eyes and nodded calmly, "I see. It's indeed a precious thing. Are you looking for it for medical purposes"
Scholar of Illness scoffed coldly, “It can serve both medicinal and toxic purposes.”
"Then... Would giving one pill as payment be reasonable" Ye Li asked.
Scholar of Illness glared at her with a cold eye. "Payment"
“Don't tell me that you never pay people for help Since you said it can both cure and poison, I assume the Blue Falling Flower isn't too rare. Given my inexperience with herbs and their uses, one pill would be fair compensation,” Ye Li replied coolly as Scholar of Illness' gaze shifted. After a moment, he muttered, "I agree."
"Good."
“I can manage on my own," Scholar of Illness protested, feeling humiliated to have been carried and treated like an incapable person.
Zhuo Jing glanced at him and said coldly, “If you're not afraid of falling to your death, try it yourself.”
"You!" Scholar of Illness glared but saw Ye Li wave to the others before skillfully anchoring a rope in place. She then slowly descended down the cliff while Zhuo Mingxi watched from above. It seemed slow at first, but her descent was swift and deft. Soon she vanished into the fog.
After some time, the rope stopped swaying and began to shake violently as the hook gradually loosened. "Ah..." Zhuo Mingxi anxiously reached out but Dark Three warned calmly, “It's fine, Scholar has already arrived.” Sure enough, after the hook released, the rope swiftly slid down the cliff. Dark Three followed suit, preparing to descend in the same manner. Scholar of Illness did not argue further and joined him once he was ready.
Left alone on the edge, Zhuo Mingxi watched as Dark Three secured himself before slowly descending with Scholar of Illness, clearly slower than Ye Li’s descent.
Zhuo Mingxi mused to himself, “Jun Wei is quite an odd youth...”
Ye Li saw a cave some sixty feet down the cliff and was glad she had added length to the rope earlier for better maneuverability. Approaching the cave carefully, she stepped inside where it was dark and damp but seemed dry. Taking out a flint box once darkness set in, she lit a fire despite the thin air, though reluctantly since it wasn't ideal.
Following behind, Zhuo Mingxi raised an eyebrow at Dark Three and Ye Li walking side by side, their backs against the walls. Smirking quietly, he teased, “Jun Wei, are you too nervous”
Ye Li rolled her eyes, "How could I not be when compared to Master Han with his light-footed skills"
Scholar of Illness turned back and proceeded forward with the lit flint box. The passage was clearly not meant for misleading but led directly downward without any forks or turns. Soon they reached a guarded door where two South Frontier guards stood chatting, seemingly unbothered by intruders.
With no way to sneak past them undetected, Scholar of Illness silently took out an intricate box and fired at the guards who instantly froze. Quickly approaching, Ye Li paused briefly outside the cave door before stepping inside where she saw the dead bodies with black blood trickling from their lips.
Inside, the air was stuffy and bright compared to the dark passage. People bustled about while security became more stringent. Yet, as top-notch martial artists themselves, evading these guards posed no difficulty for them.
Crouching behind a large rock barrier, Han Mingxi curiously looked outside. It was noisy and there were sounds of blacksmithing coming from outside. "What are they doing" the sick scholar asked indifferently. "They’re forging weapons," he said, pointing to where many already-formed weapons had been laid out. Dark Three glanced at Ye Li and gave her a signal. Understanding his meaning, she nodded. The weapons these people were crafting weren’t what ordinary martial enthusiasts or those in the Jianghu would prefer; they were conventional weapons used on battlefields. To forge so much weaponry was clearly for some military unit.
“None of our business. Let’s go.” The sick scholar didn’t care about the type of weapons these people were making and had only one thing in mind, the Blue Void Flower.
"Do you know where that man surnamed Liang is" Han Mingxi asked.
The sick scholar sneered. "He can't get away." Nodding his head, Han Mingxi said, "I remember now. Did you put a poison in him Where's your little moth" The sick scholar glared at him and walked off to the side. Shrugging, Han Mingxi smiled at Ye Li and followed after them. Dark Three whispered, "Young Master, these weapons are being crafted for one of the military units from the Great Chu." Raising her eyebrows, Ye Li asked, “How do you know" Dark Three pointed to a row of blades on display not too far away. "Southerners prefer short knives. The people from Western Capital like thick-bladed ones. And the Northern Rong love long weapons and large broadswords. This type is what our soldiers use."
Ye Li nodded, got up, and followed after Han Mingxi and the sick scholar.
The sick scholar had been correct; it was a rather large underground weapon forge with two wide caverns bustling with activity to produce weapons. Most of the craftsmen were from Central China while some came from the South. After following the sick scholar past them, they descended further into another cave. Compared to the rough caves that were earlier, this one looked more like it could be decorated and furnished. The floor was made up of intricately carved marble stones and comfortable carpets. "Are those people dead" A sharp voice came from inside as Ye Li, et al., approached. She frowned; the sound came from Mr. Liang, the merchant. His tone wasn’t braggadocious like before but sounded anxious and murderous.
"Don't worry, they won't be able to escape," Le Jiang’s voice rang out.
"Why didn't you send people there to kill them!" Mr. Liang complained. "That sickly scholar is a dangerous person; if we don’t deal with him soon he’ll become a threat in the future. If it weren’t for his constant company, I would have already reached Southern Marsh but I can never shake him off! And that man surnamed Han, who’s clearly acquainted with the sick fellow — I won't let them get away no matter what!"
"No matter what" Le Jiang sneered. "Who says you’ll have to pay Those few people aren’t easy to deal with; even a snake army couldn't handle them! Every man in my tribe is precious, how many lives will we lose if we take on these men head-on Do you think I have as many men who can kill endlessly like the Great Chu"
"Don't forget…" Mr. Liang angrily bellowed.
Le Jiang loudly said, "I won’t forget what needs to be done, but don’t order me around when it’s beyond our agreement." There was a pause before Mr. Liang spoke again: "But… If those few people escape from us, do you think they’ll just let us go I’m not sure about the other three, but I know who that sick fellow is. He’s the third leader of Hellgate in Western Capital."
“So why did you anger him” Le Jiang snapped.
"How would I know ! He just showed up unexpectedly and wouldn’t leave no matter what! That guy is known for his vengeful nature, so how could I deal with it"
“So you brought him to Southern Marsh!” After grinding his teeth for a moment, Le Jiang said, “I understand. We’ll send people out to deal with them soon. But don’t worry; the way down has already been sealed off. The mountain is full of venomous snakes and insects now. Even if he’s a poison expert like that sick scholar, I doubt he can kill all the toxic creatures!"
"Just be careful. You’ll only cause more trouble if you just kill them."
Le Jiang sneered. “He sticks to your side like glue. Do you think we’ll get rid of him before he gets rid of you I'll send people out now, stay put until then.” Le Jiang warned coldly. "Don’t forget about the item; if my master can't receive what she wants, you know what will happen!"
Mr. Liang’s breath caught in his throat before he quickly said: “I understand; I’ve brought half of it. Give me the other half.”
"This was originally our tribe's," Le Jiang snorted.
However, Mr. Liang wasn’t intimidated by him and continued to argue. "Only I know how to get it."
"It was entrusted to your family by a former king of Southern Marsh, not given as a gift." Le Jiang said in a cold voice.
“Haha; so what Do you think I would have returned it if it were yours” Mr. Liang laughed. "I didn’t give it back to the royal family already, right"
"We offered more than them and all they gave us was a few thank yous," Le Jiang said coldly.
“You want the treasure; I want money,” Mr. Liang said smugly. “Everyone takes what they need, so give me half of the item soon or else…”
"Your mountain is almost hollowed out, and you won’t be able to find the treasure without me," Liang warned darkly. "And don't even think about killing me; I have…"
Le Jiang was clearly uncomfortable with Mr. Liang’s smug tone but had no choice but to respond coldly: “I understand, I’ll bring it soon. But you shouldn’t play games — my master has said we need the item within the next 15 days or else…”
Mr. Liang’s triumphant laughter was cut short before he finally said: "Understood; don't worry. I know your relationship with his lordship and I'm not a person without limits. Once you give me the item, I’ll make sure to present it in front of you once we reach Southern Marsh."
"That’s great!" Le Jiang said as he walked away. Soon after, silence returned to the room, only interrupted by Mr. Liang's muffled breathing.
What should they do The four people stood behind a corner and Han Mingxi silently gestured at the sick scholar. He lowered his eyes and a sinister smile appeared on his face — already darkened from the beginning. Shivering, Han Mingxi pitied Mr. Liang who was pacing back and forth anxiously inside. What kind of torture would this old man endureir humiliation to burn even higher, Ye Li added, "If single combat isn't your thing, fighting together is also an option."Qin Feng and Wei Lin naturally understood what Ye Li meant; Wei Lin coldly sno...