Miao Shui couldn't help but feel a little annoyed: ever since the King entrusted Tong to her disposal, she had been planning something—
She wanted to know where the Dragon Blood Pearl went after the failed rebellion!
Since Miao Huo's death, only she and Tong knew of its existence. It was the only poison in the world capable of killing a King—if they could get their hands on it…
However, no matter how severely she was tortured, Tong remained silent.
Those who emerge from the depths of despair possess an astonishing tolerance for pain. But this level of endurance is simply beyond human limits. Sometimes, she even suspects that the Seven-Star Begonia's poison has penetrated too quickly, numbing Tong's body before completely erasing his memories—
Otherwise, how could a body of flesh and blood withstand so much torture?
"And what about this?" With a thud, another object was thrown over. "That female healer offended the Pope and was beheaded—do you remember who she was?"
Tong suddenly raised his head, and his nearly blind eyes instantly shone with a bright light!
He desperately reached out to touch the head that had been thrown at him. The golden rope tightened instantly, digging into his skin, and blood gushed out again from his already wounded body.
However, what his fingers touched was the head of a man with a full beard!
"Hahahaha..." Miao Shui threw her head back and laughed, "That's Miao Huo's head—look how scared you are!"
As if struck in a vital spot, Tong stopped answering, slumped down, and revealed a sense of helplessness and fear in his eyes. Everything in his mind was gradually fading away, that curse-like poison was eroding his sanity bit by bit, erasing all his memories—such as the events of the past in the Shura Field, and his years of assassination experiences in the Western Regions.
However, the woman's image seemed to be deeply etched into his bones, unforgettable until his death.
“You don’t want to see her die, right?” Miao Shui’s eyes were filled with the triumph of victory as she spoke. “You also know that it’s easy for that female healer to go up the mountain but hard to come down, right? She has already angered the King of the Sect, and sooner or later she will be beheaded! Hehe… Tong, that’s all because of you.”
Tong's shoulders and back suddenly trembled, and blood dripped instantly from the wound.
“Miaoshui,” he suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse from the torture, “we will make an exchange.”
"Hmm?" Miao Shui smiled, leaned closer to the iron cage, and whispered, "What, you're finally willing to reveal the whereabouts of that Dragon Blood Pearl?"
"Tell me, what do you want?" she asked with interest. "A quick release? Or to save your life?"
"If you let her return safely, I'll tell you the whereabouts of the Dragon Blood Pearl." Tong simply lowered her eyes, a mocking sneer appearing on her lips. "You, too, want to use it to poison the Pope—don't you?"
"Heh," Miao Shui's body trembled, seemingly surprised, then she laughed and tightened the chain around his neck viciously. "You've already fallen to this point, and you still want to play smart with me? If you've guessed my plan, you'll only die faster!"
But the next moment, she giggled again: "Alright, I promise you... What use is her life to me? All I want is the Pope's head. Of course—you can't be spared either. Don't even think I'll spare your life."
Tong's expression was indifferent—ever since he learned that he had been poisoned by the Seven Star Begonia, he had never thought he could survive.
“I have crushed the Dragon Blood Bead into powder and smeared it on the Bloodstained Sword—” He closed his eyes and whispered his final secret, “To kill the Pope, I must first obtain this sword.”
"..." Miao Shui's breath hitched, and she murmured, "No wonder we couldn't find it anywhere. So that's why!"
She laughed and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, I'll keep my promise—after all, taking that woman's life is pointless." She paused, then a barely concealed jealousy surfaced on Miao Shui's face: "It's just surprising that you and Miao Feng, two heartless people, would both risk your lives to protect her. It's truly astonishing! Does that Valley Master Xue possess some kind of magic?"
"Miaofeng?" Tong was slightly surprised.
Why would that emotionless, smiling masked man protect Xue Ziye?
“Speaking of which, we have to thank Valley Master Xue,” Miao Shui chuckled. “Thanks to her, the Mu Chunfeng Heart Sutra was broken, and the most troublesome Miao Feng is no longer a threat. Miao Kong is a hands-off person. Ming Li is dead, Miao Huo is dead, and you are crippled—the rest is much easier.”
Tong looked up in surprise—Mu Chunfeng's inner cultivation technique had been broken?
Having been colleagues for many years, he naturally knew the power of the Spring Breeze Technique. The reason why Miao Feng was able to cultivate this mental technique was because he had an extremely simple and pure mind. Apart from teaching the King's safety, he was single-minded and every move he made was full of impeccable momentum.
However, nowadays someone has actually broken through this state of emptiness and clarity, free from all thoughts and ideas!
How did she manage to break through Miaofeng's seemingly calm and collected mind?
At the summit of Kunlun, in the highest paradise, flowers bloom in abundance, and the garden is resplendent in gold.
This paradise is the most luxurious and intoxicating place in the Great Bright Palace, making everyone who has been there linger. Even the top assassins in the Shura Field can only enter to enjoy a moment of ecstasy after achieving great feats.
It was a world forged from crystal and gemstones, beyond the imagination of most people: golden eight-treasure trees, emerald springs, and everywhere flowing sweet wine, mellow milk, and fragrant honey. In the forests bloomed ever-blooming gemstone flowers, and among the springs and trees, countless rare birds sang, while unseen beasts roamed freely. Beautiful maidens and handsome boys frequented the springs, the forests, and the labyrinthine buildings, smiling at every visitor and gently fulfilling their every request.
"Valley Master Xue, are you finding your stay comfortable?" A white-robed man silently descended upon the jade pavilion, asking the esteemed guest who was lost in thought.
Inside, the fireplace roared, warm and cozy, making one completely forget the freezing cold outside. Xue Ziye, who was feeling drowsy, suddenly opened her eyes at the sound—
"It's you?" She saw him, and her eyes flickered.
Miao Feng bowed silently, quickly discerning various emotions within the fluid, among which were anger and contempt. It seemed that, for a doctor, a murderer was forever unwelcome.
"Valley Master Xue, please rest well. Tomorrow morning, I will come to fetch you to the secret chamber to examine the King." He bowed slightly.
"Where is Mingjie?" Xue Ziye asked back, standing up. "I want to see him."
"The Valley Master cannot see Tong until the King's condition improves," Miao Feng replied calmly, turning to leave. However, he stumbled at the door and leaned forward, but luckily managed to grab the doorframe in time.
Xue Ziye was slightly taken aback. In the instant she looked down, she saw a series of bright red bloodstains dripping onto the threshold.
"Miaofeng!" she exclaimed in surprise, rushing forward and grabbing his shoulder. "Let me see!"
He didn't turn around, but just smiled slightly: "It's nothing, Valley Master Xue, no need to bother."
"Nonsense!" Upon taking his pulse, she was filled with shock and anger. "Your old injury hasn't healed, how come you've gotten a new one? Come here and let me take a look!"
Miao Feng stood still without moving, but he did not break free from her grasp.
The two remained locked in this stalemate, one outside the door and the other inside, each seemingly holding their own ground.
Snowflakes drifted down, settling on his shoulders. The hand on his shoulder, however, remained warm and steadfast, never relinquishing a life. He stood at the doorway, gazing up at the snow falling gracefully from the summit of Kunlun, the chill in his heart and the warmth on his shoulder churning like fire and ice: If… if she knew who the murderer was, would she let go of his hand?
"Cough, cough!" However, the standoff lasted only a short while before Xue Ziye's violent coughing came from behind.