"I hope so. After spending so much time together, I have confidence in Yingying. However, we must prevent her from being deceived by Luo Beiming, after all, they are father and daughter. Also, this incident is special, the people involved are diverse, and many of them are people who have plotted against the Tiansheng Acupuncture Bronze Man before, so we must strengthen our defenses against this bronze man," Tang Yu said.
Song Hao said, "Don't worry, this bronze figure is hidden in a specially built secret room in this building. The security measures there are the most advanced electronic anti-theft equipment in the world. Without the password in my mind, no one can get in. And apart from you and me, no one has been able to find that secret room yet."
"That's good. The situation is special now, so we need to strengthen the security of Tianyi Hall to prevent anyone from using it to force you to do certain things. What we were worried about has already happened here, and there's no way to stop it from entering Tianyi Hall now. So we must be cautious in everything we do and not act impulsively. The safety and normal operation of Tianyi Hall are the most important things. Although it will inevitably be affected by this incident, we must do our best to limit the impact to a manageable level. Otherwise, our cause and all the hard work we've put in will be in vain," Tang Yu instructed.
Song Hao said, "Now we need to stabilize all the forces. As long as they can't see Ji Dongyang, they won't fight and it won't affect Tianyi Hall. So we must do everything we can to protect Ji Dongyang's safety. This step we took was timely and correct because it is to protect the safety of Tianyi Hall."
Tang Yu said, "This Ji Dongyang is really something else, managing to evade the pursuit of so many forces. However, his visit to Tianyi Hall this time is actually forcing us to protect him, otherwise it will bring trouble to Tianyi Hall, because he has successfully lured the trouble to Tianyi Hall. Didn't you say he's good at negotiating? This time he has created favorable conditions for himself, throwing all the danger and trouble onto us, making us handle it for him. Now he's doing well, hiding in the safe place we provided, enjoying his ease and comfort."
Upon hearing this, Song Hao gave a wry smile and said, "Now that you mention it, it reminds me that he's the kind of person who would do something like this."
"So, Song Hao..." Tang Yu said seriously, "If you really have to choose between Tianyitang and Ji Dongyang, you must make a decisive decision and hand over this cunning person to avoid trouble. In time, various forces will definitely force you to make this choice."
"We'll talk about it later. Even if we hand him over, we must ensure his permanent safety. Otherwise, we'll be the murderers who harmed him," Song Hao said.
"That's not quite right. Actually, the only one who can guarantee his life is himself. All he needs to do is reveal the secret of the 'Medicine-Free Divine Formula.' At least we can guarantee that if we hand him over to Gu Xiaofeng of the Life and Death Gate or your master at Shangqing Temple, his life will be safe. Ji Xuan's death was probably due to his stubbornness in refusing to reveal the secret even in death," Tang Yu said.
“I hate forcing people to do things against their will, especially killing people because of it. I will definitely demand an explanation from my master for Ji Xuan’s death someday, otherwise I will feel guilty for the rest of my life,” Song Hao said.
"You need to think this through carefully. Doing so will damage the relationship between you and your master. Before this incident, everything your Taoist master did for you was truly remarkable, something that most people couldn't do. He should be considered a good master. This incident has damaged the image of your master in your mind, but try not to ruin your relationship with him because of it, otherwise it would be a great pity," Tang Yu said.
"Sigh!" Song Hao sighed helplessly, not knowing what to do.
"And then there's Song Hao. Li He's condition is quite serious. In his delirium, he's been calling out a girl's name. Yingying told me that the girl is from the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect. The two were originally deeply in love, but the incident involving the acupuncture bronze figure caused them to become enemies. Li He's illness is due to his excessive longing for that girl and his extreme guilt. Grandpa and Teacher Lin have consulted on the case and prescribed some medicine, but the prognosis isn't very good. A cure for the heart is needed," Tang Yu added.
“A mental illness requires a mental cure! This is rather difficult. We could find that girl from Aunt Dou’s family for Li He, and we could just give Aunt Dou a call. But they can’t meet right now; it’s not good for either of them. Their grudges can’t be resolved, and a meeting would only lead to a drastic change,” Song Hao said.
"Let's see how it goes after a while of treatment," Tang Yu said.
“I’ll go to the Hundred Herbs Garden tomorrow to see this Li He,” Song Hao said.
That evening, under Tang Yu's arrangement, Song Hao hosted a banquet for Luo Beiming at a restaurant in Baihe Town. This was to appease Luo Feiying's feelings, or to save face; otherwise, Song Hao would not have wanted to sit with that kind of person.
At the dinner table, Luo Feiming flattered Song Hao excessively, praising the achievements of Tianyi Hall, clearly hoping to improve his relationship with Song Hao. Song Hao sat there with a cold laugh, letting Luo Feiming do all the talking, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward. Fortunately, Tang Yu mediated a few times, preventing Luo Feiying from being too embarrassed.
After dinner, Luo Beiming went back to the hotel to rest, while Song Hao, Tang Yu, and Luo Feiying returned to Tianyi Hall. Luo Feiying understood Song Hao's coldness towards her father; after all, the Luo family had played a part in forcing Song Hao to leave and fall into obscurity, and she was grateful for Song Hao's forgiveness.
"Song Hao, thank you for doing this tonight!" Luo Feiying said gratefully.
"I know I was impolite, but I just couldn't pretend to be enthusiastic, so please forgive me," Song Hao said apologetically.
"Given the Luo family's past treatment of you, I'm already very satisfied that you've done this much. But there's one thing you must understand now: under no circumstances will I ever do anything to betray you again," Luo Feiying said earnestly and meaningfully.
Upon hearing this, Song Hao laughed and said, "I believe that, and please don't say things like that again. I believe in our friendship. By the way, let me ask you something. Do you know someone named Diao Cheng?"
“Diao Cheng, the Ghost Hand! He’s a master of the Wind and Fire Hall. Our Luo family once hired the Wind and Fire Hall to track down the whereabouts of that Heavenly Saint Acupuncture Bronze Man, and it was this Diao Cheng who led the team. He’s ruthless and cold-blooded. Sister Tang Yu should know this too. However, after the Acupuncture Bronze Man incident, our Luo family has not had any dealings with the Wind and Fire Hall,” Luo Feiying said.
"There's something else I want to tell you. This Diao Cheng once killed someone in Yantai, the family that hid the acupuncture bronze figure for Dou Haiqin," Luo Feiying said, bowing her head.
"What! That couple was killed by Diao Cheng!" Song Hao was shocked upon hearing this. He then said angrily, "So this is the murderer who killed that kind couple! And he was pretending to be kind in front of me! I never believed him, and when I see him again, I won't let him get away with it."
"Song Hao, the circumstances back then were unusual, inevitably leading some to commit murder and robbery. This Diao Cheng was no good person to begin with. You're right not to believe him, but don't engage in a direct confrontation with such a master," Tang Yu said. She knew that Song Hao's Thunder Needle Technique could strike suddenly at close range, immobilizing someone in an instant. But dealing with a master like Diao Cheng would be dangerous, hence her warning.
"Why would anyone stop at nothing to get something? There are always lives lost! Are people's hearts really this wicked?" Song Hao shook his head and sighed.
Song Hao's phone rang at that moment. After answering, Song Hao frowned and said, "Senior Brother Wuguo wants to see me!"
Wuguo, Wufa, and Wutian were arranged by Song Hao to stay at Tianyi Hall instead of in the town's hotel.
The county town, the temporary encampment of the Gate of Life and Death.
A disciple reported to Gu Xiaofeng: "Master, we investigated some of Diao Cheng's past records. After joining the Feng Huo Tang, he worked for Bai Li and was highly regarded by Bai Li because of his excellent skills. Since the incident with the acupuncture bronze man, the Feng Huo Tang has been employed by Luo Beiming of the Demon Needle Sect, with Diao Cheng mainly in charge of the operations. He once killed a couple in Yantai who were temporarily storing the acupuncture bronze man for the Dou family of the Golden Needle Sect. However, after Diao Cheng accidentally met Master, he switched to cooperating with all the operations of the Life and Death Sect. After the bronze man incident, Diao Cheng returned to the Feng Huo Tang. His unexpected appearance here this time is still unknown. However, after receiving Master's warning, Bai Li, the leader of the Feng Huo Tang, dared not contact anything related to Song Hao again. Diao Cheng's trip here is probably not for the Feng Huo Tang, but for another employer."
"He committed the murder in Yantai!" Gu Xiaofeng was taken aback upon hearing this, and said with slight surprise, "Diao Cheng wouldn't bother killing for someone like Luo Beiming. His employer must be someone else entirely, and Feng Huo Tang is just a temporary refuge for him. This time, he's probably here on the orders of his real boss. I just don't understand what he said to Song Hao when he showed up, and what his purpose is. Diao Cheng is someone who remembers old favors. Years ago, I met him by chance, and seeing his loyalty, I taught him some kung fu. So, after meeting me, he helped us a bit. Now it seems that his employer not only was interested in the Tian Sheng Acupuncture Bronze Man, but now he's even more interested in the 'Medicine-Free Divine Formula.' Who could this person be?"
"Who could this person be? Could it be him?" Gu Xiaofeng frowned, then suddenly realized, "Ghost Hand Diao Cheng isn't interested in money, but that's only in small sums. Large sums of money would definitely sway him. What people seek is either fame or fortune; even saints are not immune to worldly desires!"
"Could it be that Master has guessed who Diao Cheng's real employer is?" the disciple asked in surprise.
Gu Xiaofeng stood up, a worried look on his face, and said, "Could it be that this old friend has begun to distrust me?"
Upon hearing this, the disciple's expression changed, as if he understood something. He then reported, "Master, Luo Beiming of the Demon Needle Sect has also arrived at the Heavenly Medicine Hall."
“That old fox is nothing to worry about! He’s just trying to take advantage of the current relationship between his daughter Luo Feiying and Song Hao. However, this person and the Reverse Needle Technique of the Luo Family’s Magic Needles are a real menace to the world, and it’s time for our Life and Death Gate to deal with him. Have you contacted those who were previously ambushed by the Luo family’s Reverse Needle Technique?” Gu Xiaofeng asked.
Chapter 11 Departure Without Saying Goodbye
The disciple replied, "We have already made contact with them and exposed the conspiracy of the Luo Clan's Magic Needles in the treatment. They are all very angry and have vowed to settle accounts with Luo Beiming."
Gu Xiaofeng sneered, "Heaven's sins can be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins are unforgivable. There's no one else to blame but yourself. When the time comes, let them collectively attack the Luo family. None of these people are people Luo Beiming can afford to offend. The Luo Clan's Demonic Needles may simply disappear from this world. That old bastard Luo Beiming probably senses that things are about to be exposed, so he's eager to find the elixir of immortality to avert this impending doom. However, he'll never get that opportunity! Unless someone can help him and is willing to help him. But that possibility is extremely slim. Luo Beiming's evil deeds are universally condemned; helping him won't be an easy task."
“Master, right now, the biggest obstacle for our Life and Death Sect in obtaining the Divine Formula without Medicine is Shangqing Temple. The rest are not a concern,” the disciple said.
“You’re right! Our biggest adversary right now is Shangqing Temple. Old Daoist Xiao is unpredictable and hard to fathom. Moreover, Song Hao, another key figure in this incident, is his disciple, so we must be cautious in our actions. Judging from all indications, Ji Dongyang should have already arrived here and been hidden by Song Hao,” Gu Xiaofeng said.
“Master, it might be inconvenient to ask for him openly, so we can only steal him secretly. But we don’t know where Song Hao has hidden Ji Dongyang?” the disciple said.
"Tianyitang's assets are so vast, besides the Tianyitang Pharmacy and pharmaceutical factory, there's also the Wansongling Herb Garden. Hiding someone there is easy, but finding them is difficult. However, based on my speculation, Song Hao has likely hidden Ji Dongyang in some secret location on Wansongling. Your focus now should be on Wansongling. Once you find Ji Dongyang, grab him and leave. It will be too late for Song Hao to stop you then. As long as we don't use the miraculous medicine and don't harm Ji Dongyang's life, we can return him to Song Hao after we've succeeded. It's best to do this without damaging the relationship between the two sides. Song Hao is a medical prodigy. Even without the Tianyi Sect's connections, I don't want to offend him, and I'd like to be good friends with him—that would be a great joy in life. So, you must be careful with all your actions in this matter," Gu Xiaofeng instructed.
"Of course, obtaining the Divine Formula without Medicine is the most important thing for our Life and Death Sect right now. If we have no other choice, we will have to do whatever we have to do." Gu Xiaofeng said in a solemn tone.
Tianyitang.
Song Hao entered Wuguo's room and saw Wuguo sitting cross-legged on the bed, meditating.
"Senior brother, did you call me?" Song Hao stepped forward and called out softly.
"You've come!" Wuguo opened his eyes and said calmly, "Sit down, I have something to say to you."