A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 93 Tianshan Snow Lotus
After Shangguan Haitang entered the pawnshop, she took out her secret agent token. The manager immediately invited her into the inner room and served her fragrant tea. Soon after, the pawnshop owner rushed over and hurriedly bowed when he saw Shangguan Haitang.

"Your subordinate pays respects to the Master of the Manor."

"Manager Liu, get up. I've come here today to tell you something."

"Please speak, Master."

"I need you to send a letter to Hulong Manor as quickly as possible."

"Yes," Manager Liu immediately had someone prepare paper and pen. Not long after he left the room, Haitang invited him in, handed him the sealed letter, and instructed him, "You must not have any mishaps on the way."

Manager Liu nodded. After explaining her business, Haitang declined Manager Liu's invitation to dinner, left the pawnshop, and headed towards the restaurant.

Just as she reached the entrance of the restaurant, she heard a commotion inside. Haitang had a bad feeling and rushed in. She saw a group of people watching the drama unfold. No matter how Yunluo tried to shoo them away, they just stood there and wouldn't leave.

"This is official business. All irrelevant people must make way immediately," Haitang said to the crowd with a grim expression as she took out a token.

Upon hearing that it was a case handled by the imperial court, the onlookers scattered in a panic, and soon only Haitang and her two companions remained in the entire restaurant.

"Haitang, you've finally come. Cheng Shifei has been poisoned." Upon seeing Haitang, Yunluo's tears finally flowed.

Originally, she intended to go find Haitang, but after taking only a few steps, Cheng Shifei vomited several mouthfuls of blood, and the black aura on his face grew thicker and thicker, like the bottom of a pot. Yunluo had no choice but to stay there and use her meager skills to help Cheng Shifei. As for those who were watching the show, she couldn't care less about them.

"Princess, I'll say one, two, three, and you must leave immediately," Haitang said, taking out silver needles and aiming them at Cheng Shifei's nine vital acupoints.

Seeing this, Yunluo nodded. She had been able to hold on until now entirely by sheer willpower. Her internal energy had long been exhausted. If Haitang had stayed any later, she probably would have died from exhaustion.

"One, two, three, withdraw!" Haitang shouted. Yunluo immediately pulled away, her body went limp and she fell to the ground. Haitang didn't care about her. Nine silver needles of different lengths and thicknesses shot out and pierced into the acupoints, trembling incessantly.

"What a terrifying toxin!" Haitang watched as the silver needles turned black at a visible speed, her heart growing heavier. This toxin was truly horrifying.

Haitang flicked her fingers repeatedly, and under the control of her internal energy, the silver needles vibrated continuously. With each movement of the silver needles, the black aura on Cheng Shifei's face thinned a little. Half an hour later, the silver needles had moved eighteen times, but the last trace of black aura on Cheng Shifei's face could not be shaken away.

Looking at Haitang, whose face was covered in sweat, Yunluo was also very worried and anxiously stood by, not knowing what to do.

"Princess, take out that white jade bottle from my bag, pour out three pills, and give them to Cheng Shifei," Haitang said softly while manipulating the silver needles.

Upon hearing this, Yunluo immediately opened her package, took out a medicine bottle, and retrieved the pills. However, Cheng Shifei's jaw was clenched, making it impossible for her to feed him. Yunluo disregarded all etiquette, swallowed the pills herself, and then fed them to Cheng Shifei.

Seeing this, Haitang's pale face flushed slightly, and she looked a little unnatural.

After swallowing the three pills, Haitang exerted more force, and nine silver needles were simultaneously thrust into her. Within two or three breaths, the silver needles seemed to have touched something and immediately bounced out.

"Princess, be careful!" Haitang only had time to retract six silver needles before the other three were thrown at Yunluo. The poison on the silver needles gleamed with a dark luster, and the latter seemed stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Just as the silver needles were about to strike, a scorching palm wind swept from behind Yunluo, enveloping the three silver needles, which instantly turned into smoke and dissipated.

Haitang breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the Taoist priest who appeared at the entrance of the restaurant.

Before he could even ask where the other party came from, the Taoist's figure flashed by, and in the blink of an eye, his right palm was already pressed against Cheng Shifei's back.

"Don't move, the Taoist priest is removing poison from Cheng Shifei," Haitang stopped Yunluo who was about to step forward and whispered.

Upon hearing this, Yunluo stopped and watched quietly. She saw the last trace of blackness on Cheng Shifei's face dissipate quickly, like the sun shining on snow, but the red flesh between his eyebrows became brighter and brighter, like a red gemstone.

After circulating his energy for a while, Gu Xu withdrew his palm strike and slowly stood up, while Cheng Shifei also opened his eyes.

"Thank you for saving us, Daoist Master," Cheng Shifei stood up and bowed to Gu Xu. Haitang and Yunluo also hurriedly came over to express their gratitude.

"I don't know how to address you, Master," Haitang asked, bowing respectfully and looking at Gu Xu.

"I am Gu Xu, and this was merely a casual act. The toxins in your body are only temporarily locked between your eyebrows. To completely detoxify you, you will need a treasure."

"Taoist Master, what treasure do you need?" Yunluo asked urgently. As a princess, she had seen many treasures in the world. Even if she didn't have any, she could ask her brother, the Emperor.

"Snow Lotus of Tianshan Mountains".

"Snow lotus from Tianshan Mountain, a holy grail for detoxification."

Having studied under the master Wuhen, Haitang naturally knew the power of this item. It was the number one antidote, but it was extremely rare and ordinary people rarely saw it. Haitang had only ever seen its image in a catalog.

“Princess, have you seen this treasure?” Haitang asked Yunluo.

“I have seen this before. It was when my elder brother was in power. It was a gift from a foreign country. There were five plants in total. Later, four of them were used to make medicine. The best-looking one was kept and stored in the Yude Pond in the palace.”

When Yunluo heard that she needed the Heavenly Snow Lotus, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she asked her brother, he would definitely be willing to give it to her.

"Haitang, I will go back to the palace immediately to ask my brother for help. Please take good care of Cheng Shifei."

“The princess can go back, but she may not be able to come out again. The person who poisoned her will know the importance of the Tianshan Snow Lotus and will not disregard the princess. If the princess is delayed for even a little while, Cheng Shifei will die.”

Gu Xu's words caused both Haitang and Yunluo to change their expressions drastically. If what the Taoist priest said was true, then the person behind it must have already prepared a plan, just waiting for Yunluo to walk into the trap.

"Princess, I think you should write a letter and give it to me so I can take it to the palace and give it to the Emperor." After pondering for a while, Haitang decided to go in person.

“Alright,” Yunluo borrowed paper and pen from the shopkeeper and wrote a short letter on the spot.

"Begonia, be careful on your journey."

"Don't worry," Haitang put away the letter, clasped her hands in a respectful bow to Gu Xu, and said, "Daoist Master, Haitang has a favor to ask."

"Master Shangguan, please go. Cheng Shifei will not be in any immediate danger, but remember, you must retrieve the Tianshan Snow Lotus within fifteen days, or even a god could not save him."

"With these words from the Taoist priest, Haitang can rest assured that the Tianshan Snow Lotus will be obtained within fifteen days."

After bidding farewell to the three, just as Haitang was about to leave the restaurant, Guihai Yidao suddenly entered from outside and his face lit up with joy upon seeing Haitang.

"Haitang, you really are here."

"Yidao, what brings you here?" Haitang smiled.

"My godfather sent me to meet you. What's wrong with Cheng Shifei?" Guihai Yidao asked, looking at the fleshy bump between Cheng Shifei's eyebrows.

"This is a long story. Well, it's just in time that you've arrived. I have something I need your help with. We'll discuss it on the way."

Gui Haiyi was completely bewildered. He glanced at Gu Xu, his expression turned serious, and then Haitang pulled him out of the restaurant.

“Master Shangguan, please wait a moment,” Gu Xu called out to Haitang. The latter paused, turned around, and looked at Gu Xu, saying, “Does the Daoist Master have any further instructions?”

Gu Xu walked up to the two of them. Gui Hai Yi Dao stared at the other. Just as Hai Tang turned slightly to the side, Gui Hai Yi Dao suddenly drew his sword, but before he could make a move, Gu Xu pointed at his wrist and the sword fell to the ground. Hai Tang hurriedly dodged.

"Who exactly are you?" Haitang drew her sword, and Cheng Shifei and Yunluo also surrounded her.

"The Thousand-Faced Gentleman," Gu Xu subdued his opponent, tore off a human skin mask, revealing a sinister face. Haitang exclaimed in surprise, revealing the identity of the person who had appeared.

"You stinking Taoist priest, you ruined my plans!" Thousand-Faced Gentleman said fiercely. If it weren't for Gu Xuheng's interference, he would have already captured Haitang and eliminated Cheng Shifei in time to complete the task assigned to him by the Supervisor.

"Daoist Master, how could you doubt his identity?" Haitang was still shaken. She was a master of disguise herself. Although she had been careless, the other party had perfectly impersonated Guihai Yidao, almost making her fall for his trick. He truly deserved to be called the number one master of disguise in the world.

“A few days ago, I met Master Yidao and spoke with him for a few minutes. It just so happens that I have some skill in identifying auras, and that’s how I realized that this person was not the real Guihai Yidao.”

The three of them nodded upon hearing this. It was truly a coincidence. Fortunately, they met the Taoist priest, otherwise the consequences would have been severe.

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman's face turned ashen. He had planned everything, but he had overlooked an unexpected event. He harbored deep resentment towards Gu Xu. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and a black spider suddenly emerged from his sleeve, shooting swiftly towards Gu Xu.

"Daoist Master, be careful!" Haitang immediately shot out a copper coin, but the spider was extremely agile. With a light flash, it landed on Gu Xu's shoulder, its eight claws piercing through his robes, about to inject the poison into Gu Xu's body.

Seemingly witnessing the other's miserable state, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman grinned maliciously, only to have Cheng Shifei grab his chin and twist it off.

With a soft "hiss," the black spider was swept away as if by a raging fire, leaving not a trace behind, turning into a wisp of white smoke that dissipated into the air. This left the grinning Thousand-Faced Gentleman utterly astonished. "Such formidable internal energy!" Haitang exclaimed in amazement. Such martial arts prowess was probably unmatched by anyone other than her adoptive father.

Seeing that the Taoist priest was unharmed, Haitang felt relieved and said to Cheng Shifei, "Cheng Shifei, put his chin back up first, I have some questions to ask him."

Cheng Shifei nodded, and with a push, the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's jaw returned to its original position.

"You're the one who poisoned Cheng Shifei, aren't you? Hand over the antidote."

Since the main source is here, there's no need to go to great lengths to obtain the Tian Shan snow lotus.

"Hmph, it's true that I poisoned you, but the antidote isn't with me. If you're so capable, go to the Eastern Depot and ask Chief Supervisor Cao for it."

Haitang's heart sank, and she signaled to Cheng Shifei. The latter used his aura to protect himself and searched the Thousand-Faced Gentleman's body, but apart from some silver notes, there was nothing else.

"It seems I still have to go to the palace. Daoist Master, Princess, there's no time to lose. I'll be leaving right away. I'll leave this place to you."

Having already wasted a lot of time, Haitang rode straight to the capital.

"Daoist Master, what do we do now?" Yunluo watched Haitang leave, and subconsciously regarded Gu Xu as the only person she could trust.

"Stay here for now and wait for Master Shangguan to return. Also, Princess, go to the pharmacy and buy some medicinal herbs. I can guarantee that Cheng will be safe for the time being."

Gu Xu took a pen and wrote down some medicinal herbs on a piece of paper, then handed it to Yun Luo. The latter took it, glanced at it a few times, and hurriedly went out to get the herbs.

"Go upstairs first. You still need to suppress the toxins in your body from time to time." Gu Xu stretched out his fingers to seal the five senses of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, who immediately fainted to the ground.

The shopkeeper took the silver from Gu Xu and led the two upstairs. He then found two more people to help carry the Thousand-Faced Gentleman into the room.

"Master, this is the best room in the restaurant. Are you satisfied?"

"Thank you for your trouble, this is the room I'll take," Gu Xu said, looking at the exquisite interior and quite satisfied.

Seeing that he had no further instructions, the shopkeeper immediately went downstairs and ordered the kitchen to deliver meals regularly, using only the best ingredients.

Cheng Shifei followed Gu Xu's instructions on the method of cultivating inner energy, slowly regulating his breath and breathing. After a while, he was immersed in a sense of ethereal tranquility.

After releasing the pressure points of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman, Gu Xu stared intently at him. The latter had just woken up, and his eyes were involuntarily drawn to him. His mind was in a state of chaos, and Gu Xu openly invaded it, going through his life memories.

Half an hour later, Gu Xu withdrew, his gaze towards the Thousand-Faced Gentleman gradually turning cold. This villain was truly wicked, committing all sorts of despicable acts, impersonating someone else's husband to have sex with others, posing as an official to steal confidential documents, and helping Cao Zhengchun frame loyal officials. Each and every one of these acts was utterly heinous, deserving of a thousand cuts.

"You're worse than a pig or a dog, what use are you?" With a full palm strike, he struck the man's head. The Thousand-Faced Gentleman didn't utter a sound, and his body collapsed to the ground like mud.

"Daoist Master, what is this?" Cheng Shifei opened his eyes and asked as he watched Gu Xu kill the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.

Gu Xu sat at the table, poured two cups of tea, took one for himself, and said in a low voice, "This man has committed many evil deeds and aided and abetted the wicked. What use is he? We should just kill him."

Cheng Shifei nodded in agreement. Since he was Cao Zhengchun's subordinate, he must not be a good person. It would be too good for him to die at the hands of the Taoist priest.

"The Taoist priest hates evil as if it were his enemy, and is truly a chivalrous person. I admire him greatly."

After studying with Yunluo for a while, Cheng Shifei's speech began to become more refined, and he used some idioms with ease.

Gu Xu pushed the tea towards him, then unleashed a palm strike. A gust of hot air made Cheng Shifei's face flush slightly. The corpse of the young master in front of him was struck by the palm wind, and in just five or six breaths, the corpse disappeared without a trace.

"What terrifying internal energy!" Cheng Shifei's mind was slightly shaken. He originally thought that his decades of internal energy were already extraordinary, but compared with this Taoist priest, he was just a small fry compared to a big fish. Easily dissolving the corpse into nothingness was something that ordinary people could not do.

Seeing Cheng Shifei's solemn expression, Gu Xu didn't care and carefully savored the "Frosty Dew" given to him by Wan Sanqian.

Seeing that Gu Xu was merely sipping tea, Cheng Shifei also picked up the tea in front of him and swallowed it in one gulp. He immediately felt a cool sensation in his previously hot body and realized that there was something special about the tea.

The two drank their tea in silence. After some time, Yunluo returned to the restaurant with a large bag of medicinal herbs and was led to her room by the waiter.

"Yunluo, you've worked hard," Cheng Shifei said gently, holding Yunluo's hand as she looked at her slightly disheveled hair.

Upon hearing this, Yunluo blushed slightly, subtly withdrawing her hand and placing the medicine packet on the table. She looked at Gu Xu and said, "Daoist Master, I've bought all these medicines, along with some utensils for decocting them. The waiter will bring them up in a bit."

"Thank you for your trouble, Princess. Please sit down and have a cup of tea," Gu Xu poured a cup of tea, and Cheng Shifei hurriedly picked it up and placed it in Yunluo's hands.

"This tea..." Yunluo took a sip and felt that it was very similar to a kind of tea in her mother's palace. She couldn't help but look at Gu Xu. If he took out such a rare item, Yunluo would never believe that he was of ordinary status.

Gu Xu opened the medicine packet, picked out the useful herbs, and set aside the rest that were useless.

A knock came at the door, and the waiter brought up the medicine-decocting equipment. Yunluo accepted it all, gave him a dozen or so coins as a tip, and then the waiter left happily.

"Master, everything is ready. Shall we start decocting the medicine now?"

Gu Xu nodded and skillfully placed the medicinal herbs into the medicine pot one by one in order. He simmered the medicine over a low flame. After half an hour, Gu Xu waved his palm, and a chilling palm energy covered the medicine pot, forming a thin layer of ice. Then, he used his scorching true energy to drive the fire. With the clash of hot and cold, the medicine pot shook continuously. After three quarters of an hour, the ice melted and the fire went out.

Yunluo and Cheng Shifei were already captivated by Gu Xu's unique method of decocting medicine, staring intently. They had never seen medicine decocting so aesthetically pleasing before, and today was truly an eye-opening experience.

When Gu Xu opened the medicine pot and the aroma of the medicine filled the room, the two of them came to their senses and looked at the emerald green medicine poured into the bowl.

"This medicine will help you suppress the toxins," Gu Xu said, picking up the bowl of medicine and handing it to Cheng Shifei. The latter looked at the medicine in the bowl, smelled the fragrant aroma, and swallowed it in one gulp while it was still hot.

Just as Gu Xu and the others settled into the restaurant, Haitang spurred her horse and galloped away at full speed.

Three days later, they arrived in the capital. After reporting to the Dragon Guard Manor, Zhu Wushi agreed to secretly assist Haitang.

"His Majesty is currently in the Imperial Study. Haitang, come with me." After saying this, he put on his court robes and led Haitang to the palace.

East Factory
"My Lord, Iron-Blooded Marquis and Shangguan Haitang have entered the palace and are now heading to the Imperial Study."

"understood"

Cao Zhengchun waved his hand gently. After the guards left, the third-in-command stepped forward and asked, "Chief Supervisor, should we...?"

"Zhu Tiedan must be asking the Emperor to bring out the Tianshan Snow Lotus to cure that scoundrel. The Five Poisons of Shanxi and the Thousand-Faced Gentleman are certainly efficient."

Cao Zhengchun chuckled lightly, then said, "What Zhu Tiedan wants, this Grand Eunuch will never let him have. Let's go, to the palace."

Inside the Imperial Study, the Emperor learned of Zhu Wushi's purpose and, upon seeing his sister's handwritten letter, immediately dispatched someone to retrieve the Tianshan Snow Lotus from the Yude Pond.

"Please have a seat, Imperial Uncle."

The emperor glanced at Shangguan Haitang again, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable. He then looked away and smiled.

"Not only are the secret agents under the Imperial Uncle all highly skilled, but their appearances are also outstanding, comparable to my third-ranked scholar. It's truly enviable."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Wushi said, "Your Majesty flatters us. How can these people compare to the scholars personally selected by Your Majesty? They are merely military men with a rudimentary understanding of literature, unworthy of being presented in a refined setting."

Haitang felt a little flustered. The way the emperor looked at him just now seemed to have already seen through his true identity.

After a while, the eunuch who had sent someone to fetch the Tianshan snow lotus still hadn't returned. The emperor was a little puzzled and gave a signal to his close attendant, Eunuch Wang, who hurriedly went out.

Just as he stepped out of the room, he saw Cao Zhengchun striding towards him. After announcing his arrival, Cao Zhengchun entered the Imperial Study. After bowing, Cao Zhengchun said to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Medical Academy is preparing to concoct the Longevity Pill, but they are missing a key ingredient, Tian Shan Snow Lotus. Imperial Physician Wang is now seeking Your Majesty's instructions."

Zhu Wushi and Haitang knew inwardly that things were not good. This longevity pill was an essential item in the imperial palace and had to be prepared every year. Cao Zhengchun's move had directly disrupted their plans.

Upon hearing this, the emperor frowned and looked at Cao Zhengchun beside him, asking, "How much Tianshan snow lotus is needed to prepare the Longevity Pill?"

"This servant does not know, but the Imperial Medical Academy said that the Tianshan Snow Lotus is becoming increasingly rare. This time, they are preparing enough for the next ten years, which must be quite a lot."

Hearing this, the emperor was even more troubled. The Longevity Pill was indispensable, but his younger sister urgently needed it. Just as he was in a dilemma, Eunuch Wang returned with the Tianshan Snow Lotus.

(End of this chapter)