He Huilan hadn’t recovered from the shock before a group of maids and matrons pulled her away. The houseboys rushed in to subdue the raging Gu Feng. The door slammed shut; from inside came only screams and the sound of things shattering.
“Hurry! Go invite those four immortal masters…,” He Huilan ordered, forcing herself to stand steady.
“Yes!”
“Miss, let’s go back first. You’re to be married tomorrow. If anything happens to you here, we can’t answer to the master…” the matrons urged.
He Huilan frowned. She was already frail, and her emotions had swung so wildly that she had little strength left. She couldn’t help much by staying. She had no choice but to listen, casting one last deep look at the chaotic room before turning to leave.
…
“Our young master—he’ll be alright, won’t he?” Gu San stood to the side, face green with worry. On his neck, bruises bloomed dark.
Cen Ying put away her silver needles and said coolly, “He’s fine—for the next two days at least. He should stay lucid and won’t go mad.”
Gu San had just let out the breath he’d been holding when her next words sent his heart flying back into his throat.
“Your young master has suffered repeated shocks and inhaled a great deal of the flower’s poison. You’d best prepare yourselves—he’ll be like this for the rest of his life, going mad from time to time.” Cen Ying still didn’t understand why the peach blossom demon’s pollen was poisonous—and a devilishly hard toxin at that. For now, she had no lead on how to neutralize it.
Gu San was horrified and hurriedly asked if there was an antidote.
Before Cen Ying could reply, a tall man walked in from outside, stern-faced and imposing.
“How is Gu Feng?”
“Master.” Gu San braced himself and repeated what Cen Ying had said.
The more he heard, the deeper Master He’s frown grew.
“So—in other words—he can’t be saved?” Master He glanced emotionlessly at the man trussed up on the bed, brows knitting.
“…” Gu San dared not answer and lowered his head in silence.
Master He’s gaze shifted to Cen Ying. She said evenly, “No cure.”
In truth, it wasn’t that there was no cure—she simply didn’t want to treat him.
Ever since hearing Bai Yuhan recount Fang Linchun and Peony’s story, Cen Ying felt both regret and fury. She had no desire to heal him. And even if she did, it would require long-term treatment—three to five years would not suffice; at least ten or twenty. She didn’t have that kind of time to spend, nor did she want to heal such a beast.
The Five Poisons Sect does not heal just anyone. Whether we treat a person depends entirely on our will—nothing more.
Master He no longer wished to look at the ruined Gu Feng. He was a puddle of mud to begin with—nothing to pity or regret. If not for the fact that he was his sister’s posthumous son, he would only need to be kept—someone like that could never enter the He family gates.
Gu San had wanted to plead with Master He and explain, but remembering his temper, he could only stand aside, frustrated.
Seeing her work was done, Cen Ying said, “Since Young Master Gu is stabilized, I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah—Immortal Master, this way, please!” Gu San respectfully escorted her out.
The other three were waiting outside. Once reunited, they were just about to head out of the residence.
“Take good care of Young Master Gu. We can find our way,” Cen Ying said, turning to politely decline Gu San’s offer to guide them.
“Many thanks. Please forgive our poor hospitality,” Gu San said.
Cen Ying nodded with a faint smile.
After they left, the four walked one behind another toward the front gates.
“How is it?” Bai Yuhan asked.
Only then did Cen Ying roll her eyes hard and let out a long breath.
“His mind’s unhinged—hysteria. His vital essence is damaged. He likely won’t recover in this lifetime, and he’ll have recurring fits of madness,” she said coldly. “Serves him right.”
Cui Mingcan chimed in, “Serves him right!”
“For Fang Linchun to have no quarrel with them, yet they pushed her to this… Leaving him alive is mercy enough!”
“Exactly!” Cen Ying, for once, found herself on the same page as him.
Bai Yuhan and Li Tiankuo simply listened to their chatter without comment.
“Immortal masters! Please, wait!” A young maid came running. “Immortal masters, please wait.”
“You’re calling us?”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.” The maid smiled. “Our master wishes to thank the immortal masters for your hard work. He has prepared tea and invites you to the main hall.”
Cen Ying and Cui Mingcan looked to Bai Yuhan.
“Let’s go, then. I’m thirsty anyway.”
“This way, please,” the maid said, leading them ahead. Cui Mingcan trailed behind, muttering to Cen Ying about Master He.
“We were standing right outside earlier. He must’ve thought we were Gu Feng’s worthless cronies. He didn’t even look at us and just walked off. Now he’s changing his face this fast!”
Cen Ying snorted. “He probably learned our identities from someone and wants to squeeze some benefit out of us. A merchant’s way.”
Cui Mingcan retorted immediately, “Cen Xiaoying, that’s painting with too broad a brush! Not all merchants are like that!”
She slanted him a look. “Oh? Did I hit a nerve?”
“Hmph, let me tell you,” Cui Mingcan said, hands on hips like a proud peacock. “I am the son of Jiangzhou’s richest man, Cui Shiyuan!”
“Pfft, brag away! Last time I asked you to treat me to a bowl of wontons, you hemmed and hawed. So stingy—rich merchant? More like rich debts!” Cen Ying scoffed. “Yuhan, do you believe him?”
Bai Yuhan watched them bicker with a smile and shook her head. “No.”
Of course she sided with Xiaoying.
“Traitor, Bai Yuhan!” Cui Mingcan fumed, then turned to the tight-lipped Li Tiankuo. “Brother Li, do you believe me?”
Li Tiankuo gave him a single sideways glance—one glance that said everything without a word.
Cui Mingcan nearly exploded. “You’re all a bunch of country bumpkins—long hair, short knowledge!”
“Yes, yes, you’re the worldly one. Walk faster, oh great tycoon,” Cen Ying urged.
“Hmph!”
“The immortal masters have arrived. Please,” the maid said respectfully.
“Thank you.”
The four entered. A tall, broad-shouldered man stood up at once when he saw them.
“It was my fault for failing to recognize the mountains for what they are—I only learned today that the immortal masters were in my humble home,” Master He said, his severe face arranged into a genial smile as he cupped his hands in apology.
“Immortal masters.” He Huilan also came over, smiling. “Our He family has not attended to you properly. Might you grant us an opportunity to make amends?”
“What are you saying, Miss He? You’re too polite,” Cui Mingcan replied smoothly—clearly better than the other three at handling such formalities. After a few rounds of pleasant words, Master He was laughing heartily.
“I’m so delighted I almost forgot to invite you to sit and have tea. Please, please! Today’s tea is my long-treasured Yunding Zhenwu, prepared especially for our honored guests. Someone—pour the tea!”
At his word, a line of maids filed in, each carrying different teas and pastries. Everything was set in order, and they withdrew as quietly as they’d come, smooth as flowing water.
“Please, immortal masters.” Master He lifted his cup to toast them.
“What fine tea!” Cui Mingcan took a sip and sighed.
“If you like it, please have a few more cups,” Master He said.
After a bit more mutual flattery, Cui Mingcan finally asked, “May we ask what else Master He wished to discuss?”
“Ai.” Master He set down his cup and accepted an item from a maid. “First, to thank you for treating my dear nephew—this is your consultation fee, a small token of respect.” He pushed it toward them. Only then did they see clearly—a lustrous glass jar filled with gold.
Cen Ying frowned and declined. “This is far too valuable, and we didn’t actually do much for your nephew’s illness. We can’t accept it.”
“Please don’t refuse,” He Huilan said with a gentle smile. “Just saving my cousin’s life is priceless. This is nothing compared to your kindness.”
“Hui’er is right,” Master He agreed. “This is only a token. Compared to a human life, it’s hardly worth mentioning.”
“That’s all the more reason we cannot accept it,” Bai Yuhan said with a smile. “Our sect’s rules forbid taking money from common folk. Violators will be flogged and confined at best, and expelled from the sect at worst.”
“…” Master He and He Huilan exchanged a look.
“It was presumptuous of me. Since the immortal masters must heed your sect’s rules, then please don’t refuse the second matter.”
“Please speak, Master He.”
Receiving her father’s cue, He Huilan smiled shyly and said, “Tomorrow is my wedding day. I’d like to invite the immortal masters to attend.”
“With the immortal masters presiding, my Hui’er’s wedding will surely proceed smoothly,” Master He added.
The four looked at one another and did not refuse.
“Very well.”
“The ceremony starts early. Why not stay here at the He residence tonight?” Master He didn’t give them a chance to decline before calling to the servants outside, “Someone—escort the immortal masters to the east courtyard rooms! See they are well attended to!”
“Yes, Master.”
“…”
In a whirlwind of decisive orders, they were given no opportunity to demur.
“This Master He really does have the final word,” Cen Ying remarked.
“Exactly,” Cui Mingcan agreed. “But it’s clear he wants to probe our background. Could it be he wants to cultivate too?”
Cen Ying rolled her eyes and lowered her voice. “With that body of his, he couldn’t even manage fasting, let alone cultivation. Wine, women, and meat have hollowed him out.”
“He looked full of spirit to me—and quite sturdy!” Cui Mingcan protested.
“What you saw was just the surface. His deficiency isn’t only in the body—it’s in the heart.”
Bai Yuhan added, “I’ve heard his son-in-law-to-be is this year’s famed scholar—Tang Peiqian. For the marriage to be so rushed, I suspect his health truly is failing.”
Li Tiankuo said, “He has only one daughter, and Gu Feng is unreliable. With such vast wealth, there will be wolves circling.”
Cui Mingcan nodded. “With a scholar like that holding the fort, he might keep the house intact for some years.”
Their analysis was right on the mark.
“Let’s rest a day, then go find the peach blossom demon and Peony,” Bai Yuhan said. “You’ve both been exhausted—chasing the demon day and night, then being summoned here without a wink of sleep this morning. Get some proper rest and restore your strength.”
Cen Ying nodded. “Mm. You rest early too.”
Cui Mingcan yawned and waved. “I’m going to sleep first. Once this mission ends, I’m sleeping till the heavens turn dark!”
Cen Ying chuckled and teased him a few times.
Each returned to their rooms to rest.
The night passed without incident.
Early the next morning, Bai Yuhan was jolted awake by deafening firecrackers and pounding drums.
After washing up, she stepped out and happened to run into Li Tiankuo returning from sword practice—bare-chested, muscles still taut and sheened with sweat.
“Morning.”
“…Morning.” Li Tiankuo, caught off guard, instinctively hunched his bare arm, the tips of his ears reddening. He hurriedly greeted her and strode back to his room.
Bang!
“???” Bai Yuhan glanced at his door, which had slammed loud enough to shake the rafters, baffled.
“Morning, Xiaoying.”
Jolted awake, Cen Ying came out rubbing her eyes. “Who’s slamming doors at dawn? No sense of decency!”
“Morning, morning!” Seeing Bai Yuhan practicing her forms, Cen Ying joined in to spar a bit. “By the way, what’s your little golden snake? It seems really powerful!”
Bai Yuhan lied without blinking, “Oh, that? My master gave it to me as an initiation gift. It’s the spirit of a senior’s technique. It happened to take a liking to me, so he gave it to me as a weapon.”
“Wow! Uncle Pei is that nice?” Cen Ying clicked her tongue in amazement. The Uncle Pei she’d seen in the great hall that day didn’t quite match this description.
“Of course!” Bai Yuhan still fiercely protected her disciple’s reputation. “He’s just cold-faced and warm-hearted. Spend time with him and you’ll understand his nature.”
She praised him without reservation, though in her heart she felt that disciple of late seemed ever colder and more distant—rather unlike what she’d known before.