Mount Song Sect, Tang Ying'e

Ji Shu cured Yue Lingshan and the others of the poison, then went to sleep.

Just in case.

He still slept while circulating the Turtle Breath Technique.

At dawn the next day.

He was awakened by a piercing scream.

Not long after.

Someone began pounding on his door.

"Ji Shu, open up! Open the door!"

It was Yue Lingshan.

Ji Shu got up and opened the door. Yue Lingshan carefully looked him over twice, then patted her chest and let out a long breath. "It's good that you're all right. You scared me to death. So many people died at the Inn."

Ji Shu merely smiled and said nothing.

Yue Lingshan shuddered, her almond eyes widening round:

"Ji Shu, those people... you didn't kill them, did you?"

Having spent so much time with Ji Shu, she had a rough understanding of his temperament. He was so calm and composed, as though he had known all along. There was clearly something unusual about this.

Ji Shu did not hide it from her and briefly explained.

After hearing him out, Yue Lingshan was furious, yet still shaken. "Thank goodness for you, Ji Shu. Otherwise, we would definitely have fallen into another trap this time."

She was deeply dejected, feeling herself to be useless.

When she told Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze about it, the two looked at each other. Amid their lingering fear and fury, they too inexplicably felt useless.

How many times had Ji Shu saved them now?

Yue Buqun thought, Ji Shu's cultivation is growing ever higher. We were all brought down by poison without realizing it from beginning to end, yet he killed the invading enemies in return and resolved the peril hanging over us by a thread.

He had already made up his mind. So long as Ji Shu's nature remained unchanged and he did not undergo any major changes, once the Alliance Assembly was over, he would teach Ji Shu the Purple Cloud Divine Skill.

Ji Shu had saved them several times already. His life-saving grace weighed heavier than Mount Tai. Not to mention that Ji Shu's talent was peerless—if Yue Buqun did not spend heavily to win him over now, he feared Ji Shu might run off.

If such an unparalleled genius left Mount Hua—

Yue Buqun would regret it until his guts turned green!

Right.

Yue Buqun recalled the Treasure Medicine Yue Lingshan had asked him to buy last night, and immediately instructed her to bring it to Ji Shu.

Smiling brightly, Yue Lingshan carried a bundle off to find Ji Shu.

Ning Zhongze frowned deeply and sighed. "Zuo Lengchan is becoming increasingly vicious, ruthless, and unscrupulous. We must be more careful."

"Hmph!"

Yue Buqun snorted coldly. "That scoundrel wishes to unite the Five Peaks Sword Sect, so naturally he must remove those who stand in his way and oppose him. I fear it will not only be us—the Mount Hengshan Sect, Mount Tai Sect, and Mount Hengshan Sect may also meet with trouble!"

"I only hope they are not ambushed by Mount Song Sect halfway there."

"Even if they are ambushed, they probably will not be poisoned time and again as we were. We must have received Zuo Lengchan's special attention."

"That makes sense. Ji Shu's existence cannot be concealed. With Lao De Nuo around, everyone in Mount Song Sect who ought to know likely already knows. It is understandable that they would want to eliminate Ji Shu before he fully matures. But they could never have imagined that Ji Shu's rate of growth would surpass all imagination. By now, even if the two of us joined forces, we would likely be no match for him!"

Yue Buqun's face heated with embarrassment and shame. But when he considered that Ji Shu was a genius while he himself could only be called mediocre, he let it go. Comparing himself to a genius was simply asking for suffering. If he was to compare himself with anyone, it should be Zuo Lengchan and the rest!

Mount Song.

When Zuo Lengchan learned that Ji Wushi, Cong Buqi, and the others had failed to poison their targets, he could not help but be astonished:

"A foolproof plan actually failed?!"

"Ji Shu seems to possess some special ability that can resist the Illusion Poison!"

"The Illusion Poison is a sleeping drug specially concocted by players and Ping Yizhi. Colorless and odorless, it disperses with the wind. With a bottle of Illusion Poison in hand, even an army of ten thousand would be left dizzy and disoriented, stripped of all fighting strength. How did Ji Shu block it?!"

"Unknown."

Ding Mian's face was deathly pale, the killing intent in his eyes so thick it seemed ready to drip. "Senior Brother Sect Leader, the three assassination attempts at the ruined temple, outside Luoyang City, and in the small town have all failed. Ji Shu is far too difficult to kill. In my opinion, it would be best to gather a group of highly skilled fighters, each carrying a powerful crossbow, and swarm him together. Only then might we have a chance of killing this fiend. Otherwise, if we let him continue growing, the future consequences will be endless!"

"You are right."

Zuo Lengchan unconsciously tapped his fingers against the table. "Strike first and gain the advantage; strike late and suffer disaster. Nor can we be sure whether Ji Shu has guessed that our Mount Song Sect is targeting him. If he has guessed it and turns against us, we may find him impossible to guard against. At this Five Peaks Alliance Assembly, you will challenge him. I will support you from below the stage."

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, you mean?"

"Like this..."

Ji Shu was chewing on Treasure Medicine such as ginseng and Deer Antler.

There was certainly no thousand-year ginseng, but it was still rare hundred-year ginseng, which Yue Buqun had spent a fortune purchasing from the surrounding area.

Yue Lingshan took Ji Shu's affairs very seriously.

Before going to sleep last night, she had specifically gone to speak to Yue Buqun about it.

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze were equally concerned about Ji Shu. They had risen early in the morning to buy Treasure Medicine.

When they returned, they heard Yue Lingshan explain the cause and course of events behind those corpses.

Of course.

Though Ji Shu was not entirely clear on these matters, he knew it was all born of Yue Lingshan and the others' goodwill, and he accepted it gratefully.

As he chewed the Treasure Medicine, he circulated the Five Poisons Secret Codex.

His Five Poisons Inner Qi rapidly increased along with it.

Ji Shu felt incomparably comfortable.

He gave Yue Lingshan the gold and silver taken from the bodies and asked her to buy restorative medicine.

Yue Lingshan accepted without ceremony and immediately went out to handle it.

By the time she returned, it was already evening.

The restorative medicine she brought back was considerably less than the morning batch, but it was still quite good—enough for Ji Shu to eat for a day or two.

As long as the Five Poisons Secret Codex continued circulating, his inner strength would continuously stack. If he kept eating restorative medicine, it would not last long. It was still better to stay beneath the Old Sophora Tree. He could grow stronger simply by lying down and sleeping, without needing any restorative medicine at all.

"I wonder whether there are trees like that within Mount Song's territory?"

The next day.

Ji Shu followed Yue Buqun and the others to Mount Song.

The person receiving guests was an old acquaintance, Tang Ying'e, Vice Sect Leader of Mount Song Sect.

The instant he saw Ji Shu, his expression darkened. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said:

"Everyone, please enter."

Yue Buqun smiled and clasped his hands in greeting before walking through Mount Song's gates.

Yue Lingshan gave Tang Ying'e a cold snort. After learning what Zuo Lengchan and Mount Song Sect had done, she could no longer greet Tang Ying'e with a smile. The only reason she had not drawn her sword against him was because Yue Lingshan had good upbringing.

Lu Dayou and the others were all young. They clearly could not emulate Yue Buqun in keeping their emotions hidden, and each passed by with an unfriendly expression.

Ji Shu was relatively calm. He merely glanced at Tang Ying'e and the others before stepping through the mountain gate.

"Detestable!"

Tang Ying'e watched Ji Shu's group with a cold gaze. "Enjoy your pride for another two days. In two days' time, we'll see whether you can still smile!"

Ji Shu entered the mountain gate and arrived at Mount Song's reception hall.

Groups of people had gathered there.

Their banners were clearly displayed.

Within each group stood a Mount Song disciple holding a banner.

The area reserved for the Mount Hua Sect was on the left, where a Mount Song disciple stood holding the Mount Hua Sect banner.

Ji Shu followed Yue Buqun toward the Mount Hua Sect's place.

Lu Dayou and the others looked around. When they spotted the Mount Hengshan Sect group, their eyes suddenly lit up:

"Eh, it's Eldest Senior Brother!"