Chapter 45
Just as Nangong Wen and Mu Yunqing were locked in a tense standoff, a faint voice drifted in from the doorway.
“I take it… you haven’t experienced the interrogation methods of the Enforcement Hall?” The tone was light, almost casual. “Are you sure you want to keep being stubborn?”
With that, Wei Houming stepped inside.
His gaze swept over Mu Yunqing—sharp, predatory, like a hawk locking onto its prey. The moment it landed on her, her chest tightened involuntarily, unease creeping in without warning.
Mu Yunqing had no intention of letting Nangong Wen have an easy time. But under Wei Houming’s scrutiny, that defiance wavered.
Was it really worth it?
The evidence against her was already undeniable. If she continued to resist, she would only make things worse.
For a fleeting moment, confusion flickered through her eyes.
She had schemed so carefully, eliminated her rival with such precision… convinced herself it was flawless.
And yet—Nangong Wen had seen through everything.
Even held evidence in her hands.
How ridiculous.
How utterly pathetic.
“I truly don’t know how to cure Gu poison,” Mu Yunqing said at last, her voice calm, almost detached. “The man in the black market only taught me how to control them. As for a cure… he never gave me one. And I didn’t ask.”
At the time, she had only wanted Nangong Ying ruined. Why would she have cared about an antidote?
Nangong Wen understood.
So did everyone else.
Seeing Wei Houming step in, Si Nidie immediately slid down from her elevated seat and gestured respectfully, inviting him forward.
From the side, Lou Yuqing couldn’t help but think her senior sister looked a little too… eager to please.
Si Nidie, internally: There’s no helping it. The pressure is real.
Wei Houming didn’t sit. He simply stood beside Mu Yunqing, eyes fixed on her, unblinking.
It felt as though he could see straight through her.
Mu Yunqing’s fingers tightened unconsciously around her clothes.
“Anything else you want to say?” he asked.
Was there?
Probably not.
Mu Yunqing let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh. “This disciple… confesses.”
Perhaps—if she admitted everything cleanly—her punishment might be lighter. After all, the sect valued outstanding disciples. That had to count for something… right?
Si Nidie shot her a sideways glance.
Coward.
Just moments ago she had been arrogant, acting like she feared no one. Now, with Captain Wei present, her attitude had softened faster than anyone’s.
Wei Houming gave a small wave of his hand. “Take her.”
The order was simple.
Mu Yunqing was dragged away, to be locked in the dungeon.
Wei Houming remained where he stood, his expression unreadable.
There was a trace of complexity in his thoughts.
As the youngest Golden Core cultivator in the sect, he was often surrounded by members of the younger generation who admired—or pursued—him. Mu Yunqing had been one of them.
He hadn’t expected her character to be so… rotten.
The Twin Stars had once been the pride of the sect’s rising generation. So many resources had been poured into their cultivation.
And now—one crippled.
One disgraced.
Both ruined by internal strife.
Perhaps Mu Yunqing had been counting on the sect’s reluctance to discard a valuable seedling.
But Wei Houming knew Meng Zonghan too well.
In the Enforcement Hall, all disciples were equal.
So far, no one had escaped punishment.
Even if higher authorities sought leniency, he would never compromise his principles.
A disciple who harmed her fellow disciples… would not go unpunished.
Unseen by anyone else, a faint system interface quietly unfolded within Lou Yuqing’s consciousness.
A streak of light shot out like a meteor, cutting across the Wendao Sect before descending upon a cave dwelling.
It knocked.
“Come in!”
The door opened.
Tan Sheng stepped inside.
At first glance, he took in the entire scene—then his gaze landed on Nangong Ying’s face. His expression sharpened slightly.
“She’s been poisoned.”
The red mark was unmistakable.
“It’s her!” Nangong Wen’s eyes lit up instantly, urgency flooding her voice. “Divine Doctor, please—come quickly!”
She reached out as if grasping at a lifeline.
This was their only connection to Southern Xinjiang—and one of the few who didn’t harbor prejudice against outsiders.
Tan Sheng paused, caught off guard.
“I’m not some divine doctor…”
“Then how should I address you?” Nangong Wen asked earnestly.
“Tan Sheng.”
“Divine Doctor Tan.”
“….”
Tan Sheng exhaled silently.
Fine.
There was no arguing with a patient’s family.
He straightened, his expression turning serious as he approached Nangong Ying. After a brief inspection, he murmured under his breath, “Just a red mark this small… that’s already a miracle.”
A true Beauty Gu was far more vicious. And yet—her vitality remained strong.
It seemed this half-finished Gu only affected appearance.
Lou Yuqing and the others stood to the side, watching.
Tan Sheng pondered for a moment, then began casting spells, one after another, testing.
Nangong Ying’s reactions varied.
At times, she looked as though she might vomit. At others, her consciousness wavered.
After several rounds, her face turned pale.
Nangong Wen’s heart clenched at the sight—but she forced herself to remain silent.
These were necessary steps.
Little sister… hold on.
As if hearing her unspoken thoughts, Nangong Ying sat upright, obedient and quiet, neither resisting nor complaining.
She endured everything.
Two hours later—
Tan Sheng suddenly let out a sharp exclamation, his eyes flaring with light.
“Found them. The Soul-Sucking Gu is in her left arm… and the Beauty Gu—on her face.”
The first step—locating them—was finally complete.
They had lingered inside her body for far too long, their presence nearly fused into her bloodline. Even pinpointing their exact positions had demanded a staggering amount of effort.
A ripple of admiration spread through the surrounding crowd.
Tan Sheng lifted a hand and wiped the sweat from his brow, a quiet breath of relief escaping him.
At least… he hadn’t made a fool of himself.
As one of the leading candidates to inherit the Holy Mountain, failing at something like this would have been laughable.
“I’ll leave the rest to you, Divine Doctor Tan,” Nangong Wen said quickly. “If you need anything, just say the word.”
Tan Sheng shook his head. “No need. If the Gu had rooted in her brain or dantian, the success rate would be below fifty percent. But since it hasn’t… my chances are much better.”
“What percentage?” Nangong Wen asked after a brief hesitation.
She had to know.
Tan Sheng met her gaze. “Seventy percent.”
“…Seventy.”
Her breath caught.
For a moment, it felt as if her soul had drifted away—before slowly returning.
“That’s… not bad,” she forced out. “Please… remove the Gu.”
Only seventy percent.
What if—
Her thoughts spiraled.
Looking into her sister’s clear eyes, guilt surged like a tide, threatening to drown her whole.
What if it failed?
What would happen to Ying’er then?
“Wait!” Nangong Wen suddenly called out, voice hoarse.
“Is there… any way to increase the success rate?” Her words came out uneven, fragile. “My sister is still young. She still wants to cultivate… she can’t be ruined.”
The thought alone made her chest constrict, tight enough to steal her breath.
If Ying’er woke… only to find she could no longer cultivate—
No.
She couldn’t accept that.
No one around her knew what to say, or how to comfort her.
This choice… was nothing like facing a beast tide. That had been her own life on the line.
This—was her sister’s.
She could make decisions for herself.
But not for Ying’er.
The weight of it bore down relentlessly, crushing, suffocating, leaving her almost unable to breathe.
And perhaps, what she feared most… was failure.
That Ying’er might never wake again.
“Wen’er.” Chen Mujian’s voice came softly. “Good people are protected by heaven. Ying’er will be alright. Don’t think too much. We promised we’d help her recover… and now the divine doctor is here. Let him help, alright?”
His tone was gentle, steady.
Slowly, Nangong Wen calmed.
She turned back to Tan Sheng, about to apologize—but hesitated.
He looked as if he had something more to say.
A flicker of hope ignited.
“Doctor Tan… is there really a way?”
Tan Sheng nodded. “Yes.”
“What do I need to do?” Nangong Wen answered immediately, urgency returning. “No matter how difficult it is, I’ll do it.”
Tan Sheng smiled faintly. “Find someone else.”
“…Ah?”
She froze.
“You don’t want to help anymore?” Panic surged. “Did I offend you? My sister is innocent—please, please save her!”
Her knees buckled—
She was about to kneel.
Startled, Tan Sheng shot forward and caught her by the arms, stopping her mid-motion. A wry smile tugged at his lips.
“Fellow Daoist Nangong—you’ve misunderstood.”
He spoke quickly, almost hurried, afraid she might actually drop to the ground and kowtow.
“My limit is seventy percent. If you want a higher chance… you’ll need someone better.”
A brief pause.
“My master,” he added. “He specializes in this.”
Nangong Wen blinked.
“Your… master?”
Then—her expression brightened all at once, as if a light had been lit from within.
“So that’s what you meant! I misunderstood earlier—please forgive me.”
She drew a breath, steadier now, hope returning to her voice.
“If you can help me contact him, I promise—the reward will not disappoint you.”
Tan Sheng waved it off without hesitation. “No need. Your Wendao Sect helped us a great deal before. This is just removing a Gu—it’s nothing. My master won’t refuse.”
He paused, then added matter-of-factly, “When he comes to pick me up, he can treat your sister along the way.”
Lowering his voice slightly, he leaned in just a fraction, as if sharing a small secret: “My master is extremely skilled… just overly modest. He always says ninety-nine percent when he means a hundred.”
A faint smile flickered. “Don’t believe him.”
Lou Yuqing, inwardly: That’s not humility.
Tears welled in Nangong Wen’s eyes.
“Thank you… Divine Doctor Tan. Thank you…”
The title stuck.
And for once, Tan Sheng didn’t mind it at all.
Silently, he sent a message.
“Master, I found you a job. Come to the Wendao Sect—you’ll see.”
On the other end, a man in flamboyant robes glared.
“You rebellious disciple!”
Tan Sheng grinned. “We owe them a favor. This is perfect repayment. You should thank me—you’re lucky to have such a clever disciple.”
His master’s lips twitched. “I told you to stay there and exchange knowledge. You’ve done quite well. Keep it up—I’ll come fetch you soon.”
For some reason, Tan Sheng felt a chill.
He’d been… rather busy lately.
With certain things.
If his master found out, he’d definitely scold him.
Wait—that gossip-loving old man might even expose his relationship with Feng Shu.
No. Absolutely not.
He had to keep it hidden.
And if he got dragged away too soon… what would Feng Shu think?
Irresponsible.
Unreliable.
No, no—that wouldn’t do.
He needed a plan.
A foolproof one.
Something that would keep him here for… eight, ten years, ideally.
Lost in thought, he didn’t notice—on the other side, his master’s eyes had already narrowed.
Something was off.
This disciple of his… was hiding something.
And in this world, there were three things no one could conceal—a cough, poverty, and love.
—
Meanwhile—Lou Yuqing returned to the square with Si Nidie and Gu Buqi.
On the dueling platform, ten disciples clashed back and forth, spiritual energy colliding in bursts of light and sound.
Her blood stirred slightly at the sight.
Then—just as quickly—it settled.
A salted fish was still a salted fish.
Watching was enough.
On the third day of spectating—
Lou Yuqing raised her hand to clap, then paused, blinking down at her fingers.
“…Huh?”
Her storage ring—was gone.