Chapter 77.2: Why Do You Force My Hand? (II)

Lu Changsheng shook his head. "I only know about a Young Master Tan from Lady Xia's maid. But whether you are him or simply someone from the Myriad Poison Cult makes no difference to me. As a physician, my only duty is to heal and save lives. The affairs of the jianghu have nothing to do with me, and I do not want to be caught up in them.

"If you let me leave now, I will return to Nanyang City and forget I ever saw any of you. Would that not be simpler for everyone?"

Since Lu Changsheng was traveling under the identity of a physician, and not Zhuang Shisan, he did not want to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary. One act of violence would certainly cast doubt on that identity.

"

Hehe

... What wishful thinking! You've ruined the plans of my cult and left me unable to answer to the Right Emissary. Do you really think I'll let you walk away?[1]

Young Master Tan's lips curled into a cruel grin as he slowly approached Lu Changsheng, drawing out his saber. "I think I will cut you up and use your body to breed poisonous insects. They will burrow into your skull and make you wish you were dead."

He believed he knew exactly who he was dealing with. Lu Changsheng was merely a physician from Nanyang City, a man who had practiced a little martial arts but could not possibly be beyond the Blood Strengthening Stage.

Shing!

Young Master Tan raised his saber overhead and struck down hard at Lu Changsheng's shoulder, intending to sever his arm.

But before the blade struck, Lu Changsheng raised his hand and easily caught it between his fingers.

"What the... You..." Young Master Tan stared at Lu Changsheng in disbelief. He could not believe that a mere physician could block his strike with bare hands. He tried to pull the saber free, but it did not move an inch.

Lu Changsheng looked at him coldly, then swept his eyes over the members of the Myriad Poison Cult, and let out a long sigh. "Why must you force my hand?"

The only Organ Refinement martial artist among them turned pale. "Attack! Loose the arrows!" he cried out in panic.

The command sent countless arrows raining down on Lu Changsheng. At the same time, Young Master Tan abandoned his saber and threw a punch.

Voosh!

Lu Changsheng did not hold back either. His blood qi erupted, twisting into a cloud that shielded him from the arrows. At the same moment, a crushing aura spread from him and weighed down on the members of the cult. Even the Organ Refinement martial artist could only stand there frozen in fear.

"Divine... Divine Strength Realm!" the Organ Refinement martial artist cried out. He stared at the red cloud above Lu Changsheng’s head, his eyes wide with absolute terror.

He knew that this kind of overwhelming blood qi and suffocating aura could only come from someone of the Divine Strength Realm. Yet their investigation had clearly determined that Lu Changsheng was only a physician from Nanyang City. So how come this seemingly ordinary man was a Divine Strength martial artist?

Young Master Tan could not get any words out. He was struggling to pull his fist free from Lu Changsheng's grasp when Lu Changsheng suddenly tore his arm off.

"

GHAAAAAA

" Tan screamed in agony, every trace of arrogance vanishing from his face as he clutched his bleeding stump.

"Spare me... Great Hero, spare me..."

"I tried to let you walk away," Lu Changsheng replied calmly. "You were given chance after chance, yet you kept pushing toward this end as though eager for death. Since this is the path you chose, I will simply stop standing in your way."

Spluuurt!

Lu Changsheng's Silken Thread Sword shot forward, piercing the young master's throat. The young master opened his mouth, but only a sickening gargling sound came out. He then collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Without pausing, Lu Changsheng swept his arm across the clearing. The cloud of blood qi above him burst apart, unraveling into countless threads that fell upon the remaining cult members like a storm.

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!

Moments later, only the Organ Refinement martial artist remained alive. He had fallen on one knee, trembling violently. Lu Changsheng had left him alive because he still needed answers to his questions.

"Is the Myriad Poison Cult plotting against the Xia Clan?"

"Y-Yes," the man answered at once. "The cult wanted the Xia Clan's salt profits. We planned to take control of the family and force them to refine the Myriad Poison Pill for us."

"Who did your cult send for this operation?"

"A Right Emissary, and a Guardian Elder," the man replied, lowering his head even further. "Guardian Elder, Zhao Wuji, is a Divine Strength Realm expert, but he almost never handles these kinds of affairs himself. The one leading this plan is the Right Emissary, Wang Feng."[2]

Lu Changsheng frowned slightly. He knew the Myriad Poison Cult was strong, but a Guardian Elder at the Divine Strength Realm was beyond what he had imagined. The only question that mattered now was how powerful that elder truly was.

"Your Guardian Elder," Lu Changsheng said, "is he at the Ten Cauldrons Stage or the Hundred Cauldrons Stage?"

"U-Uh... That... I don't know... The stages of Divine Strength Realm experts are kept secret within the cult. I only know that Guardian Elder is extremely strong. In most missions, he simply sits in command, rarely taking action himself."

Lu Changsheng questioned him further about the Myriad Poison Cult’s bases in Yan City, and the man answered each question without hesitation.

"I appreciate your cooperation," Lu Changsheng said almost ruefully. "Unfortunately, I cannot let you live."

"I expected as much... I only ask you for a quick death."

He had seen enough to understand the truth. Lu Changsheng possessed terrifying strength hidden beneath the guise of a physician, and a man like that would never allow loose ends to wander free.

This man was never going to walk out of here alive—but at least he could die a quick death, without suffering.

"As you wish."

Lu Changsheng released the Silken Sword Thread. It pierced the Organ Refinement martial artist's heart in a single, clean motion. He fell to the ground at once, his body settling into stillness.

Lu Changsheng surveyed the bamboo grove. Bodies lay scattered across the forest floor, not a single man left breathing. But even with every witness dead, he knew his identity was no longer safe. Once the Myriad Poison Cult discovered that an entire unit had vanished, it would not take much for them to conclude that Lu Changsheng was responsible. After all, he would be the only one who walked away alive.

He let out a weary sigh. "So be it. Zhuang Shisan will have to make another appearance."

A story began forming in his mind.

When the Great Hero Zhuang Shisan was wandering the land, he came across Myriad Poison Cult disciples committing evil. He acted on the spot, rescued the helpless physician Lu Changsheng, and struck down dozens of cult fiends.

This was exactly the sort of tale the jianghu already believed of Zhuang Shisan. However, there was one gap in this story: who would testify that Zhuang Shisan had saved Lu Changsheng?

Lu Changsheng stood in place, racking his brains to find something plausible.

Right. After rescuing Physician Lu, Great Hero Zhuang could not simply walk away. Unable to tolerate the cult’s crimes, he pursued them, cut down the Guardian Elder and the Right Emissary, and wiped out their bases in Yan City.

Lu Changsheng's eyes lit with satisfaction. This story was perfect. Furthermore, if he made enough noise, all of Yan City would hear of Great Hero Zhuang's battle against the Myriad Poison Cult, and the name of Lu Changsheng would be far removed from suspicion. After all, the legends of Zhuang Shisan had long spread across Nanyang Prefecture. Even if the cult chose to investigate, they would chase the phantom hero, not the quiet physician.

With a clear narrative in mind, Lu Changsheng immediately slipped deeper into the bamboo forest. After half an hour of careful work, he had altered his features and changed his clothes.

"No time to lose. I'll finish this up quickly," he murmured, heading toward Yan City as Great Hero Zhuang Shisan.

1. In traditional Chinese hierarchy, the right and left positions were used to denote rank, with left sometimes being slightly higher or lower depending on the dynasty and context, but both were high-ranking positions. In modern fiction, they are generally parallel positions, second only to the leader. ☜

2. The title of Guardian Elder draws inspiration from Buddhist tradition, where divine guardians protect the teachings of the faith, such as the Four Heavenly Kings. The idea of powerful guardians later spread into folk religion, secret societies, martial arts sects, and wuxia fiction. In such settings, a Guardian Elder is typically a high-ranking figure responsible for defending the sect and enforcing its authority. ☜