A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 74 Golden Needle Detoxification
"Then I will await your arrival," Young Master Wuhen said, raising his fist in a salute before turning and walking out of the woods. He then boarded the sedan chair and put away his white silk ribbon.

Four women carried the sedan chair slowly and steadily westward.

As dawn broke, Gu Xu watched them depart into the distance, then left the woods and headed towards the capital. This time, he was going to meet the head of the Eastern Depot.

Imperial Palace, Eastern Depot

Supervisor Bu Xiao is reviewing the news coming from various places.

“Interesting,” Bu Xiao said, holding a secret letter from Qi Yu, the head of the gang. The letter briefly mentioned other matters but emphasized the mysterious expert.

There was not a single record of this person in the Eastern Depot's archives, which made Bu Xiao secretly more vigilant. Qi Yu's letter said that this person's swordsmanship was superb, even surpassing Jian Jingfeng, who was known as the number one swordsman in the world.

How could Bu Xiao feel at ease knowing that such a powerful expert was not under his control?

"Archive it and classify it as first-class."

"Yes," Bu Xiao replied. After the servant left, Bu Xiao gradually turned his attention to the imperial court. The emperor was seriously ill and had begun to make arrangements for his affairs. The crown prince was young, and in order to secure the throne, the emperor would never allow him to remain in the position of chief eunuch.

With his own control of the Eastern Depot, he was a powerful figure in the court. If the emperor could control him, it was hard to guarantee that the next emperor would be able to use him effectively. The best way was to promote someone from the Eastern Depot to be a tool in the emperor's hands.

"Go and fetch Cao Zhengchun," Bu Xiao ordered, and the servant immediately went to fetch him.

Soon after, Cao Zhengchun came to Bu Xiao and immediately knelt down.

"Zhengchun pays respects to the Grand Eunuch."

"Get up"

"Thank you, Supervisor."

Bu Xiao looked at Cao Zhengchun in front of him and was not satisfied. Although he had promoted Cao Zhengchun himself, the emperor was standing behind him.

"It seems that you have mastered the Heavenly Gang Boy Skill to a considerable degree."

"I am deeply grateful for the Master's kindness. I only started as a student a month ago, and I still have a long way to go. I am far inferior to the Master in this regard."

Cao Zhengchun had no idea what Bu Xiao was planning, so he had to be on high alert, afraid that he might say the wrong thing and lose his life in a muddle.

"I have called you here today because I intend to recommend you as the new head of the bureau."

"Don't speak yet," Bu Xiao gestured to stop Cao Zhengchun from speaking, and continued, "The Emperor is seriously ill, and I must accompany him. However, the Eastern Depot cannot be left unattended. Those civil officials in the court are not to be underestimated. You must keep a close eye on things for the Crown Prince."

"In addition, there have been constant disturbances in the martial arts world recently. You must remember that the martial arts world must not be in chaos. We cannot allow the events of the previous dynasty to repeat themselves in this dynasty, understand?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun's expression changed. He happened to know about the events of the previous dynasty that the Grand Eunuch was referring to. Back then, the previous emperor was incompetent, and a group of martial arts figures broke into the palace without any hindrance and assassinated the emperor in his bedchamber. Only after the current emperor ascended the throne did he promote the Eastern Depot to supervise the martial arts world. It took more than forty years for things to reach the current state.

The emperor was assassinated in his own bedchamber. Cao Zhengchun simply couldn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on. The civil officials must have played a significant role in it.

"I've already sent the Five Poisons of Shanxi to refine the Green Silk Gu. Judging by the time, they should be done soon. With this Green Silk Gu, those martial arts sects will be firmly under the control of the imperial court."

"Green Silk Gu!" Cao Zhengchun was shocked. This poison was extremely vicious and could torment a person's mind. However, to make this medicine, a blood sacrifice was required.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhengchun glanced at Bu Xiao and sighed inwardly.

Just as Bu Xiao was explaining things to Cao Zhengchun, there was a rapid knocking on the door.

Bu Xiao frowned. If someone came to report at this time, something serious must have happened.

"Come in"

The servant entered with a letter sealed with wax and presented it to Bu Xiao. The latter's eyes narrowed slightly; this letter…

He waved for the guards to leave, closed the door, opened the secret letter, and after reading it, Cao Zhengchun noticed that the Grand Eunuch's face was extremely grim.

"The Chief Supervisor?"

"Take a look at this letter too," Bu Xiao sighed and handed the letter to Cao Zhengchun.

"Master, it seems that the plan to control the people of the martial arts world will have to be put on hold."

Cao Zhengchun's expression was grave. He said, "With Young Master Wuhen involved, things are even more complicated."

The Unmarked Young Master has always lived in seclusion and avoided the world. If he had encountered the Five Poisons of Shanxi this time, no one would have believed it was a chance meeting. Moreover, the person who killed the Scorpion and the Green Snake was clearly someone else, someone whose background even the secret agents of the Eastern Depot could not find out.

“This person must be the same expert who appeared in Qingyan Town before,” Bu Xiao said with certainty.

"Then, Chief Supervisor, what should we do next?" Since the Green Silk Gu cannot be used, the Eastern Depot can only try to control the martial arts world from other aspects.

“The plan has been ruined, and I am powerless to do anything about it now, but you still have a chance,” Bu Xiao said, his eyes fixed on Cao Zhengchun.

"Explicit instructions from the Overlord"

"Although all the martial arts sects have now been registered, there are bound to be some concealments, which is of course tacitly approved by the imperial court. This is where we can make a fuss, switch the truth, and pass off inferior goods as superior ones. Do you understand?"

Cao Zhengchun's eyes widened as he looked into Bu Xiao's meaningful gaze, and he couldn't help but nod.

Zhengchun understands.

"Very good, go. If nothing unexpected happens, you will be the next head of the Eastern Depot. Serve the new emperor well and don't harbor any ill intentions."

As Bu Xiao unleashed his aura, Cao Zhengchun found it difficult to breathe and broke out in a cold sweat. Just as he was about to kneel on the ground, his body suddenly relaxed.

Zhengchun understands and will never betray the Supervisor's trust.

With a wave of his hand, Bu Xiao dismissed Cao Zhengchun and took out another slip of paper from the secret letter. It read that the mysterious master was on his way to the capital.

"It seems this expert is a man of great integrity, and he's here to take my life," Bu Xiao muttered to himself.

"However, I have other important matters to attend to now, so please wait a little longer."

As Gu Xu traveled north, he saw that apart from the coastal areas, the inland areas were relatively stable, but beneath this prosperous scene, undercurrents were surging.

"These Japanese samurai have actually infiltrated the interior; it seems they have something big on their minds."

After casually killing a few Japanese lurking in the Central Plains, Gu Xu couldn't help but lament the laxity of the imperial court's surveillance; outsiders had already infiltrated their doorstep without being detected.

In an inn in the capital, Gu Xu was eating, while two people were talking at a nearby table.

"Alas, have you heard? The Vice Minister of Revenue, Lord Gu, was assassinated. The news has spread throughout the streets and alleys. Those in the know say that his death was extremely gruesome, and no one knows who did it."

"I heard it was done by people from the martial arts world. The reason they killed him was because he was corrupt and lawless, and allowed his family to seize land, causing people to be ruined and killed. That's why someone paid a lot of money to hire an assassin to end his life," the young man said in a low voice after looking around.

"Really? No wonder there's been no word from the yamen. It seems this matter will be handed over to the Eastern Depot again. I wonder how many more people will suffer," the sallow-faced man muttered, taking a swig of wine. The young man's expression changed drastically, and he quickly covered the man's mouth.

"We common people should just live our own lives. Those matters are for the court to decide. You dare to speak out about state affairs? You're courting death!" the young man rebuked.

The Eastern Depot's spies are spread throughout the country, let alone the capital city under the emperor's nose. If they hear these words, at best you'll be skinned alive, at worst your life will be in danger, and you'll have nowhere to seek justice after you die.

After being reprimanded, the sallow-faced man came to his senses and quickly shut up, focusing only on drinking and eating.

After settling the bill, Gu Xu left the inn and, after inquiring, arrived at a government office. This was an agency established by the Eastern Depot, one of whose tasks was to register martial arts practitioners entering and leaving the capital.

Inside the prefectural headquarters, Third-Rank Scalp Xiaotian was reading a letter that said Chief Scalp Qi Yu had supported Fang Zhao, the deputy general of Qingyan Town, to become the commander-in-chief. "Hmph, this Qi Yu really doesn't know what's good for him. Now, relying on the governor's power, he's becoming more and more arrogant. He can't even get his hands on the commander-in-chief's election. Isn't he afraid of being crushed to pieces?"

Pi Xiaotian looked down on Qi Yu. He had risen through the ranks based on his own abilities, while Qi Yu was nothing but a sycophant. Not only was his martial arts inferior to his own, but he was also arrogant. If it weren't for the protection of the Grand Eunuch, he would have definitely taught him a lesson.

"My lord, news has come from the Grand Eunuch that we can proceed to the next step."

"Understood, we'll take action tonight."

The servant accepted the order and left, leaving only Pi Xiaotian in the room. Suddenly, Pi Xiaotian's ears twitched, and then, without revealing his expression, he drew his long sword, and a chilling sword aura shot straight towards the corner of the wall.

With a "clang," the longsword was caught between two fingers of Gu Xu, unable to move forward or backward. Pi Xiaotian immediately let go and unleashed a fierce gust of wind from his palm. Gu Xu, however, forcefully reversed the grip on the longsword, pressing the hilt against his palm. Pi Xiaotian's expression changed, and he staggered back three steps, his back against the wall.

"Who are you, daring to trespass into the Eastern Depot's headquarters?" Pi Xiaotian asked sharply, secretly tapping a hidden weapon.

The intruder broke into his room without anyone noticing. He wouldn't have discovered the intruder if he hadn't sensed something was off about the atmosphere inside.

“Pi Xiaotian, the third-in-command of the Eastern Depot, isn’t your supervisor looking for me?”

Gu Xu watched the other party's actions without paying any attention. His calm words shocked Pi Xiaotian. Looking at Gu Xu's appearance, Pi Xiaotian appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil.

"This person is the mysterious master that the governor is looking for. No wonder he has such skill."

Sheathing his sword, Pi Xiaotian raised his fist in a salute, "I was unaware of your presence, senior. I apologize for my rudeness. May I ask what brings you here, senior?"

Pi Xiaotian knew that if the other party tried to kill him, he would be powerless to stop them, so he might as well be more composed.

"I'm here to ask only one question: what is the recent itinerary of your Chief Eunuch, Bu Xiao? Tell the truth, or you know the consequences."

"Senior, the Grand Eunuch left the capital the day before yesterday. We don't know where he went exactly, but he said that if anyone wants to find him, they should meet him at Jubinlou at 3:45 AM on the ninth day of the ninth month."

Hearing Gu Xu inquire about the whereabouts of the Grand Eunuch, Pi Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief. The Grand Eunuch had given some instructions beforehand, but he didn't expect them to come in handy so soon. Did the Grand Eunuch have foreseen this all along?

"Oh," Gu Xu was somewhat surprised. It seemed that Bu Xiao was also a smart man. Just by knowing the Five Poisons of Shanxi and his destination, he could deduce that he was coming to find him. This person was truly not simple.

"Alright, I'll let your supervisor know when the time comes, and tell him that Gu Xu will keep the appointment on time." It's the fourth day of June now, and there's still some time before the appointed date, so Gu Xu might as well go to Cuiluo Valley.

"This junior has taken note," Pi Xiaotian thought to himself. So this person's name is Gu Xu. The name sounds like a Taoist name. Could he be from the Wudang Sect? But the Wudang Sect hasn't produced any outstanding figures in recent years.

With the matter settled, Gu Xu was unwilling to linger any longer. In an instant, Pi Xiaotian felt a blur before his eyes, and Gu Xu had already disappeared.

"Such fast lightness skill, it doesn't seem like the Cloud Ladder Leap. Could it be a disciple of a hidden sect?"

Shaking his head, Pi Xiaotian took out paper and pen and drew Gu Xu's appearance, wrote a few words, and then sealed and stored it.

After leaving the Eastern Depot, Gu Xu bought a fine horse and some dry rations and headed southwest to the Cloud Peaks. The residence of the Unmarked Young Master was located in the Emerald Snail Valley deep within the peaks.

After seven days, Gu Xu looked at the endless green peaks before him, hundreds of peaks standing tall and reaching into the clouds. Following the map given by Young Master Wuhen, Gu Xu led his horse around and around until he arrived at a pool. Although it was the height of summer, the pool was emitting a chill. Beside the pool stood a moss-covered stone tablet with the two characters "凝碧" (Ningbi) written on it in ancient seal script.

A dozen steps away from Ningbi Pool, there is a dense bamboo forest, filled with misty vapor that obscures the view inside.

Gu Xu tied his horse to the side, walked to the front of the bamboo forest, gathered his qi and transmitted his voice. After a while, the mist inside dissipated, and four women appeared first, followed by the Wuhen Gongzi walking on white silk.

"Master Gu Xu," Young Master Wuhen greeted him warmly. Gu Xu returned the greeting, and then Young Master Wuhen led Gu Xu into the bamboo forest, leaving the maids to handle everything else.

"What a paradise on earth!" Gu Xu exclaimed. The green bamboos swayed, the clear stream flowed into the valley, and the birds chirped. Being here made one feel refreshed and intoxicated.

"Daoist Gu Xu, please," Young Master Wuhen chuckled and gestured. Gu Xu looked at the exquisite house before him and glanced sideways. It was covered with glazed tiles, which were worth hundreds of gold coins and were not something that ordinary people could afford.

Stepping inside, the furnishings are exquisite, all the work of renowned artists; even the white porcelain used for drinking tea is a fine example of Ru ware.

"Young master, I have come here to treat your wife's injuries. If it is convenient for you, may I take a look at her?"

"Of course, please wait a moment, Master, while I go and make preparations."

Young Master Wuhen was slightly taken aback, then nodded and told the maid to stay and serve him, while he went to the back.

A moment later, Wuhen Gongzi returned and said to Gu Xu, "Daoist, please come with me."

Upon reaching the back, one sees a cave, with mermaid tear lamps lit on both sides, illuminating the area. The further one goes in, the colder it becomes.

Upon reaching the end, what came into view was an ice cave, in the center of which lay a transparent coffin containing a stunningly beautiful woman.

"This is my wife. To suppress the fire poison, I gathered Arctic ice to make this coffin, and used the water from the Azure Pool to keep the cold air from dissipating." Young Master Wuhen walked to the coffin, touched it with both hands through the ice coffin, and pushed it open with one palm, and a bone-chilling cold air rushed out.

Gu Xu approached and saw that the woman's face was unusually rosy, and it did not diminish even under the suppression of the cold air. This fire poison was truly powerful.

After examining it, Wuhen Gongzi immediately sealed the ice coffin and looked at Gu Xu, asking, "Daoist, are you confident that you can force out the fire poison?"

"This fire poison has already invaded your wife's internal organs. It will be difficult to eradicate it completely. I wonder if I could borrow that secret manual on acupuncture points?"

Women are delicate and weak. If brute force is used to clear the fire poison, there is no guarantee that something unexpected will happen. However, if there is a secret technique of golden needles to assist, it may have a miraculous effect.

Wuhen Gongzi was secretly annoyed, then took out a yellowed book from the freezer next to him, on which were written the words "Deadly Needle".

"Daoist Master, please take a look," Wuhen Gongzi handed the book to Gu Xu. The latter looked at him, took it, looked at the cover, and then turned to the first page. It contained some of the life stories written by the book's protagonist, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, about how he treated some difficult and complicated diseases with his deadly needle technique, including cold poison and fire poison.

A quick glance at the back reveals mostly needlework techniques and designs for gold needles.

"Young master, I need to study this book for a few days. Also, the golden needles mentioned in the book should be prepared in advance."

"Don't worry, Daoist Master, I can wait these few days," Young Master Wuhen was delighted to see Gu Xu's confidence. As for the golden needles, he had already made several sets before.

"Then I'll trouble you for a few days. Once I'm familiar with the techniques, I can treat your wife's injuries."

After the two left the ice cave, Young Master Wuhen had a fine villa prepared for Gu Xu and four maids were assigned to serve him outside.

"This deadly needle is truly a matter of life and death; a slight misstep can turn a path to life into a path to death. The principle of yin and yang transformation within it is quite profound. Fortunately, I have a deep understanding of this art; otherwise, I might not be so confident in mastering the secret of detoxifying with the golden needle within a few days."

For four consecutive days, Gu Xu stayed in the courtyard to study the secret manual. On the fifth day, Gu Xu finally came out of the courtyard, and a maid immediately went to report to Young Master Wuhen.

冰窟
Wuhen Gongzi opened the ice coffin, helped his wife up, glanced at Gu Xu, and said, "Daoist, please use your power."

Gu Xu nodded to him, stretched out his hand, and took out four gold needles of different lengths. He then used them to puncture four key acupoints on the abdomen: Tanzhong, Qihai, Juque, and Guanyuan. After the gold needles were accurately inserted, the needle tips trembled slightly, and a force of both strength and gentleness slowly entered them. Then, Gu Xu continued to use the remaining twelve needles to puncture acupoints such as Baihui, Fengfu, Yuzhen, Quchi, and Yongquan.

Sixteen golden needles trembled continuously on Ni Ying's body. Ni Ying's face changed from red to white, and then from white to red. After this happened three times, Wuhen Gongzi saw a wisp of white mist swirling above his wife's face.

With the support of Gu Xu's internal energy, the fire poison accumulated in Ni Ying's body was gradually diverted. First, a small amount was guided out and swallowed by the cold air. Then, the release speed became faster and faster, and the fire poison gradually became thinner.

In the eyes of the Unmarked Young Master, his wife's complexion gradually changed from an unnatural rosy hue to a natural skin tone.

Half an hour later, the last trace of fire poison was guided out by the golden needles and disappeared without a trace. The sixteen golden needles were retrieved by Gu Xu. At this moment, the medicinal properties on them had completely disappeared, and they had become ordinary golden needles.

"Young master, your wife is much better now and only needs to rest. I'll take my leave now," Gu Xu said, noticing Wuhen's demeanor, and wisely departed.

"Thank you for your trouble, Daoist Master. Please rest assured and relax," said Wuhen Gongzi, feeling very guilty as he looked at Gu Xu, who appeared somewhat tired.

Back in the villa, Gu Xu sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing and meditate to recover his energy. About two hours later, Gu Xu opened his eyes.

"I never expected that using golden needles to detoxify could also refine true qi; it was truly an unexpected gain."

(End of this chapter)