Cause of Death

Li Xuan's hand was still resting on the door frame.

Shi Yong's complexion was white like a corpse, and the hand gripping Li Xuan's wrist was trembling, his knuckles ice-cold.

"When?" Li Xuan asked.

"Just now." Shi Yong let go of his hand, stepped back half a pace, and steadied himself only when he leaned against the door frame. "Zhou Wen stayed by the bed last night. This morning, when the people from the Medical Hall found him slumped beside Zhou Wu's bed, his corpse was already stiff."

"How did he die?"

"I don't know." Shi Yong's Adam's apple bobbed. "There are no wounds on his body, no expression on his face. He was just slumped there like he was asleep. But he's chilled through to the bone."

Li Xuan turned and glanced at Xu He on the bed.

Xu He was looking at him too, the terror in his eyes even heavier than before.

"Stay here and don't move," Li Xuan said to Xu He, then looked at Shi Yong. "Lead the way."

The Medical Hall was located on the west side of the inner sect, a compound of three courtyards with black tiles and blue bricks, two white paper lanterns hanging at the entrance.

Li Xuan followed Shi Yong through two sets of doors and into the back courtyard.

There weren't many people in the back courtyard; seven or eight Medical Hall disciples stood under the veranda, all with rather unsightly complexions. A stretcher lay on the slate-paved ground in the center of the courtyard, covered with a white cloth.

Zhou Wen was lying right there.

Elder Heiyan stood beside the stretcher, his back to Li Xuan, speaking with an elderly man in grey robes.

Li Xuan hadn't seen this elder before, but judging by his attire, he was a member of the Medical Hall—his hair and beard were completely white, his face lean and gaunt, and his gaze sharp.

Li Xuan walked over, squatted down, and lifted the white cloth.

Zhou Wen's face was revealed.

He really did look like he was asleep.

His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted, his complexion normal, looking even more serene than a living person.

Li Xuan reached out and pressed his neck; the skin was icy cold, his pulse entirely gone, and rigor mortis hadn't set in yet—he couldn't have been dead for more than an hour.

He lifted the white cloth to look further down.

Zhou Wen was wearing the same black clothes he had worn last night, un-ripped, without bloodstains, and without any traces of a struggle. His hands hung naturally at his sides, his ten fingers relaxed, his nails clean.

Li Xuan turned his palms over to check.

His palms were completely clean, with nothing at all.

Li Xuan pulled the white cloth back over him, stood up, and looked at Elder Heiyan. "Elder, may I ask the Medical Hall senior a few questions?"

Elder Heiyan nodded and flicked his chin toward the grey-robed old man. "This is Chief Qin, Elder Qin Henian. Ask whatever you wish directly."

Li Xuan cupped his fists at Qin Henian. "Elder Qin, was there anything unusual about Zhou Wen before he died?"

Qin Henian stroked his beard, his voice hoarse when he spoke. "At the chou hour last night, he and Zhou Wu's younger brother were in the sickroom. Zhou Wu was heavily wounded and unconscious, and Zhou Wen kept watch by the bed the entire time. When the Medical Hall disciples made their rounds at the yin hour, he was still awake and spoke a few words with the disciples. When they checked again at the mao hour, he was already gone."

"What did he say?"

"He said the poison on Zhou Wu's leg was under control, and asked if the medicine needed changing." Qin Henian paused. "There was nothing unusual."

"What posture was he in when he died?"

"Slumped by the bed." Qin Henian pointed at the stretcher. "It was this posture. We didn't move him."

Li Xuan looked at Zhou Wen's corpse, his mind spinning rapidly.

Slumped by the bed.

Just like he was asleep.

No struggle, no pain, no external injuries.

He had seen this kind of death before.

On the night Iron Wall City fell, a wounded soldier had died just like that. That wounded soldier had been grazed by a barbarian shaman's curse; he had been fine at the time, but in the middle of the night, he suddenly stopped breathing.

"Elder Qin," Li Xuan asked, "was there anything unusual inside his body?"

Qin Henian's gaze flickered slightly. "What are you referring to?"

"For instance... things that don't belong to him," Li Xuan said. "Like some kind of aura, or some kind of energy."

Qin Henian was silent for two breaths before speaking. "There is."

Shi Yong sucked in a sharp breath beside him.

"When this old man examined him, I found a trace of extremely faint, chilling baleful Qi lingering between his eyebrows," Qin Henian said. "That aura was very weak; if one hadn't specifically investigated, it would have been nearly imperceptible. Moreover..."

He looked at Elder Heiyan, as if asking for permission.

Elder Heiyan nodded. "Speak."

"Moreover, that aura is of the same origin as the aura within the claw marks on Zhou Wu's leg, which was brought in yesterday," Qin Henian said. "It is also of the same origin as the thing inside Xu He's body, which was brought in this morning."

Li Xuan's heart sank.

Three people.

Zhou Wu, Xu He, Zhou Wen.

All of them eroded by the thing in that cave.

Yet there were no wounds on Zhou Wen's body, no traces of having been grazed by the black shadow—how had he fallen victim to the trick?

Unless—

"Zhou Wen was with Zhou Wu the entire night last night," Li Xuan said. "If the claw marks on Zhou Wu's leg are contagious, then Zhou Wen might have been infected."

Qin Henian nodded. "There is such a possibility. But this old man has practiced medicine for forty years, and I have never seen such a 'poison' that can be transmitted simply through contact. It doesn't resemble a poison at all; it's more like..."

He weighed his choice of words.

"More like an 'will'," Qin Henian said. "Like the extension of some kind of consciousness."

That eye's words flashed through Li Xuan's mind instantly:

That person carries my things on him too. Even fresher than the ones on you.

Zhou Wen carried "its" things on him.

Fresh things.

Even fresher than the Wolf Soul Mark inside Li Xuan's body.

When was he marked, then?

Things had been so chaotic during the retreat, and Zhou Wen had stayed right in the middle of the formation, never getting close to that black shadow. The only time contact was possible—

Was when Zhou Wu was being carried away, and Zhou Wen was supporting him.

That claw mark on Zhou Wu's leg was the source.

When Zhou Wen supported him, he made contact with the claw mark, or made contact with the aura on Zhou Wu's body.

And then, Zhou Wen died.

Yet Zhou Wu was still alive, and Xu He was still alive.

Why?

Was it because Zhou Wen had no wounds or lacerations, so that aura seeped straight in through his skin? Or was it because Zhou Wen kept watch for a whole night, having the longest contact time and accumulating the most?

Li Xuan looked at Qin Henian. "How are Zhou Wu and Xu He's conditions?"

"The poison Qi from the claw marks on Zhou Wu's leg has spread to his knee; the Medical Hall used three Cleansing Spirit Pills to suppress it," Qin Henian said. "But the poison Qi is spreading—very slowly, but it is indeed spreading. At this rate, within seven days at most, it will spread to his heart meridian."

Seven days.

Seven days again.

"And Xu He?"

"The thing inside his body is near his Dantian, more dangerous than Zhou Wu's," Qin Henian said. "Once it invades his Dantian, his entire martial cultivation will be crippled. Furthermore, that thing moves, becoming active once every three hours. When it's active, his Qi and blood will reverse, and he will vomit blood and fall unconscious."

"Can it be suppressed?"

"We can." Qin Henian said, "Using 'Meridian-Locking Needles' to seal the meridians surrounding his Dantian can make that thing temporarily unable to move. But the Meridian-Locking Needles can seal him for seven days at most; after seven days, they must be removed, otherwise his meridians will necrose."

Seven days.

Li Xuan took a deep breath.

That eye had said it would give him seven days to consider.

Zhou Wu and Xu He wouldn't last seven days either.

This was no coincidence.

"Elder Qin," Li Xuan asked, "how long can the Meridian-Locking Needles be used? Counting from right now."

"Needles applied at noon today will last until noon next Tuesday—exactly seven days," Qin Henian said.

Li Xuan said nothing more.

He squatted down and looked at Zhou Wen's face one last time.

That face was very young, twenty years old at most.

Someone who was alive and well last night was gone by this morning.

Stepping out of the Medical Hall, Shi Yong followed closely behind Li Xuan.

The two walked to a deserted fork in the path, and Shi Yong suddenly grabbed Li Xuan's sleeve.

"What that eye said... was it true?" he lowered his voice. "Out of the seven of us, has someone already been bought off by it?"

Li Xuan looked at him.

In Shi Yong's eyes, there was fear, suspicion, and even a trace of an unspeakable anticipation?

"I don't know," Li Xuan said. "But what it said didn't sound false."

"Then who could it be?" Shi Yong let go of his hand and leaned against a nearby tree trunk. "Xu He? Injured to that degree, he can't be faking it. Zhou Wu? His legs are practically crippled. Zhou Wen is already dead. Su Ying? That little girl has less courage than a mouse; she nearly peed her pants from fright when entering the cave. Shadow? He was taken away by the Shadow Division, and his life or death is unknown right now. That just leaves you and me—"

He stopped and stared at Li Xuan.

"Do you suspect me?" Shi Yong asked.

Li Xuan shook his head. "I don't."

"Why?"

"Because if it were you, you wouldn't have any need to come tell me Zhou Wen is dead, nor would you need to keep following me," Li Xuan said. "You should be hiding, or figuring out a way to silence people."

Shi Yong froze for a split second, then gave a bitter laugh. "Your brain... really is something."

He straightened up and said with a solemn expression, "What do we do now, then? Within seven days, we have to find that person, otherwise—"

"Otherwise it will find someone else," Li Xuan took over the sentence. "That person will enter the cave on its behalf to fish out the magical artifact, and then break the seal to release that thing."

Shi Yong's complexion grew even paler. "Release it? If that thing really gets out, the Crimson Firmament Sect—"

"They can suppress it," Li Xuan said. "But a lot of people will definitely die."

The two fell silent.

Mountain wind swept past, causing the tree leaves to rustle.

"The matter of Shadow being taken away," Shi Yong asked suddenly, "do you think it's related to this?"

Li Xuan thought for a moment. "The Shadow Division doesn't handle ordinary disciples. Shadow being taken away by them indicates that there was already a problem with him to begin with. But whether there's a problem, and whether he was bought off by that thing, are two different matters."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Li Xuan said, "Shadow might have been in contact with that thing long ago, or he might just have been targeted by the Shadow Division, unrelated to the mine tunnel. We don't know anything right now."

Shi Yong punched a tree, splitting the bark.

"Then let's go investigate!" he said. "Find Elder Heiyan and ask clearly about Shadow's situation. Find the people from the Shadow Division and ask why they took Shadow away. Find—"

"Find who?" Li Xuan interrupted him. "The Enforcement Hall just finished questioning people yesterday, and Elder Heiyan told everything that should be said. As for the people of the Shadow Division, you wouldn't even be able to get past their doors."

Shi Yong was struck dumb.

Li Xuan looked at him and suddenly asked, "Do you trust me?"

"I do." Shi Yong didn't hesitate at all.

"Then listen to me," Li Xuan said. "Go back and do whatever you're supposed to do. Heal your injuries, cultivate, and wait for news. Within seven days, that person will jump out on their own."

"How do you know?"

"Because it can't afford to wait," Li Xuan said. "Zhou Wen is dead, and Xu He and Zhou Wu can hold on for seven days at most. If no one agrees to it within seven days, it will find someone else again. When that time comes, whoever it targets is that person."

Shi Yong thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, I'll listen to you."

He turned to leave, then stopped, turned back, and asked, "What about you, then? What are you going to do?"

When they returned to Courtyard 7, it was nearing noon.

Li Xuan closed the door, sat cross-legged on the platform, and closed his eyes to look within.

Inside his body, the Blood Fiend Gang Qi flowed leisurely, running parallel to the earth-attribute Qi and blood of the Mountain Suppressing Art. The Wolf Soul Mark deep in his right shoulder lay dormant and quiet, without pulsing.

Yet he knew it was still there.

He opened his eyes and fished the Earth Vein Fiend Stone out from his embrace.

The stone had grown mostly dim, leaving only a few shallow golden patterns. Refining it once or twice more, and this stone would be completely spent.

He gripped the stone in his palm, closed his eyes, and began running his cultivation technique.

The Blood Fiend Gang Qi surged into the stone, drawing out a wisp of Earth Vein Fiend Qi that sank down along his meridians into his lower body. The Mountain Suppressing Art operated simultaneously, slowly grinding down that baleful Qi and fusing it into his Qi and blood.

This process was very slow, but very steady.

Just like moving mountains and filling seas, shifting them stone by stone.

An hour later, he opened his eyes.

The Earth Vein Fiend Stone completely lost its luster, turning into an ordinary black rock.

And inside his body, the Mountain Suppressing Art had advanced another tiny step.

[Mountain Suppressing Art: Completion → Completion (Qi and blood solidity +8%)]
[Physique: 55.8 → 57.2]
[Strength: 12.5 → 13.1]
[Potential Points: 2.3]

In case he had to enter the cave within seven days, these few Potential Points might be his capital for preserving his life.

The light outside the window grew gradually dim.

Li Xuan stood up and pushed the door open.

A person stood in the courtyard.

Su Ying.

Her complexion was even worse than it had been in the morning, her eye rims red as though she had been crying.

Seeing Li Xuan come out, she opened her mouth, but no sound came forth.

"What is it?" Li Xuan asked.

"Zhou Wu..." Su Ying's voice trembled. "Zhou Wu just woke up."

Li Xuan's heart skipped a beat. "Waking up is a good thing."

"But as soon as he woke up, he called out Zhou Wu's name," Su Ying said. "He shouted a few times, then suddenly went still and rolled his eyes back. The people from the Medical Hall said that poisonous qi moved again, and they used acupuncture to suppress it for ages before they managed to hold it down."

She paused, tears falling.

"Elder Qin said that if they can't suppress it again, the only option..."

"The only option what?"

"The only option is amputation," Su Ying covered her face. "They have to cut the entire leg off from the root of the thigh to save his life."

Li Xuan fell silent.

Amputation.

For someone who practiced martial arts, amputation meant that the path of martial arts was broken.

Zhou Wu was only twenty years old, at the eighth layer of Body Tempering, and his combination technique could fight an Inner Qi Realm expert.

If he was amputated, all of this would be gone.

"Did he agree?" Li Xuan asked.

Su Ying shook her head. "He won't agree. As soon as he woke up, he said he wouldn't do it, that he'd rather die than amputate. His younger brother just died; if he gets crippled too, their Zhou family's lineage will be cut off."

Li Xuan didn't speak.

Su Ying raised her head to look at him, her gaze carrying a plea. "Senior Brother Li, do you have a way?"

"No."

Su Ying froze.

"I'm not from the Medical Hall," Li Xuan said. "Nor am I an elder. I can't save him."

Su Ying lowered her head, her shoulders shaking, and turned to leave.

Walking to the courtyard gate, she suddenly stopped and looked back, asking, "Xu He asked me to pass a question to you."

Li Xuan watched her.

"He said, 'Has that eye looked for you yet?'"

Li Xuan's pupils contracted slightly.

Su Ying waited for his answer.

Li Xuan shook his head. "No."

Su Ying nodded and left.

The courtyard gate closed.

Li Xuan stood in place, staring at that door, motionless for a long time.

What did Xu He mean by asking this question?

Had he been sought out by that eye, so he came to probe Li Xuan?

Or had he experienced nothing and merely guessed something?

Or perhaps—

Was Xu He the person that eye spoke of?

He had already been sought out, so he knew that eye would look for people.

Yet he hadn't died or been crippled, only vomiting blood and collapsing.

Why?

Because his situation was different from Zhou Wu and Zhou Wen's? Or because—

Li Xuan suddenly thought of something.

Xu He practiced both medicine and poison.

Someone who practiced both medicine and poison had meridians in their body more complex than ordinary people, and their resistance to various poisons and curses was also stronger than average people's.

If the "intent" of that eye was a type of curse-like thing, then Xu He might have lasted longer than others.

Lasted until seven days.

Lasted until he had a chance to enter the cave and fish out the magical artifact.

Therefore, that eye said someone had already agreed to help it.

That person might very well be Xu He.

And Xu He's current injuries were merely an act.

Acting for the Enforcement Hall to see, acting for Li Xuan to see, acting for everyone to see.

Li Xuan clenched his fists.

He remembered the expression on Xu He's face after he was questioned, unhealthily pale.

That pallor—was it real injury, or was it put on?

He remembered the look in Xu He's eyes when he asked him, "Has that eye looked for you yet?"

In that gaze, there was probing, anticipation, and fear.

If Xu He truly was that person, then why did he come to probe Li Xuan?

Did he want to confirm whether Li Xuan had been sought out?

Or did he want to drag Li Xuan into it?

Or—

Did he simply want to confirm whether Li Xuan knew anything?

Li Xuan couldn't figure it out.

But he knew one thing.

Within seven days, Xu He would definitely make a move.

If he truly was that person, then he would definitely find a way to enter the cave within seven days.

If he was faking it, then he would inevitably leave a trace of a flaw.

Li Xuan returned to his room and rummaged out the Blood Wolf Saber from under the bed.

The saber was still there, its edge still stained with the barbarians' blood.

He laid the saber flat across his knees and began to sharpen it.

The sound of sharpening echoed in the darkness—stroke by stroke, very slow, very steady.