Poisoning

Wang Qingwan's voice was shrill with grief. She and Wang Xiaolong had been as close as hands and feet; she simply could not face such a cruel outcome.

Lin Qing and the others could only express their deep sympathy. But since the conclusion had been reached and there was no indication of murder or anything of the sort, there was no need for them to remain.

Led by Zhao Feng, the group left the Wang Lineage estate. Lin Qing and the others' task for the day had come to an end, and they returned to their respective residences. It seemed as though the matter had simply passed.

In the dead of night, within the Wang Lineage estate, Wang Qingwan used overwhelming grief as an excuse to remain in the courtyard where Wang Xiaolong had been cultivating in seclusion, telling everyone else not to disturb her.

But in truth, Wang Qingwan did not believe Wang Xiaolong had died suddenly of natural causes.

Thus, Wang Qingwan secretly used her connections to invite an old physician who had retired many years ago from the city.

At the hour of the ox, under Wang Qingwan's arrangements, the old physician donned a black robe, slipped past the eyes and ears of the Wang Lineage guards, and arrived at the courtyard where Wang Qingwan was staying.

Wang Qingwan stepped forward and bowed deeply, her voice almost pleading:

"Senior, I beg you."

The old physician helped Wang Qingwan up and nodded at her.

Wang Xiaolong's body had already been placed inside the coffin. However, due to Wang Qingwan's intervention, the Wang Lineage had yet to prepare his appearance for burial. Moreover, Wang Xiaolong had been a Third-Tier Martial Artist with vigorous qi and blood. Even now, he still retained the state he had been in at the moment of death.

The old physician walked to the coffin, raised an oil lamp, and began carefully examining Wang Xiaolong's corpse.

His movements were gentle and professional. He first pulled back Wang Xiaolong's eyelids, then took his hand to inspect his fingernails. Afterward, he lightly ran his fingers over the corpse's neck and chest, unwilling to overlook a single detail.

After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the old physician finished his examination and let out a soft sigh.

Wang Qingwan hurried before the old physician and asked:

"Senior, how was it?"

The old physician cupped his hands toward Wang Qingwan.

"Just as Miss Wang suspected, Young Master Wang's death was far from simple. He was poisoned!"

The Martial Suppression Office's coroners could naturally be considered skilled, but they were ultimately too young. In terms of experience, they were far inferior to these old physicians who had made their names over many years.

And some poisons left concealed signs of poisoning; only senior experts who had spent decades immersed in the medical arts could discern a hint of them.

Wang Qingwan's body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground. Tears burst from her eyes once more as she looked up at the old physician.

"Please enlighten me, Senior!"

Seeing Wang Qingwan's utterly grief-stricken appearance, the old physician gently shook his head and slowly said:

"As far as I know, Young Master Wang was a Mid-Third Tier martial artist. Once martial cultivation reaches the Third Tier, one's qi and blood become so vigorous that one no longer fears cold or heat. Autumn has only just begun—why would Young Master Wang have put on a padded brocade jacket so early?"

Wang Qingwan replied:

"Senior, you do not know this. Xiaolong pursued the martial path with all his heart and trained beyond his limits year after year. Over time, he developed chronic ailments, suffering muscle and tendon strain, with cold evil entering his body. He had been weak and afraid of the cold for several years. Even when the weather was not particularly cold, he needed thick clothing to keep warm. Otherwise, his entire body would grow chilled, and his internal energy would not flow smoothly."

The old physician shook his head.

"Miss Wang only knew that Young Master Wang feared the cold and had a weak constitution, so you naturally assumed it was due to cultivation strain and cold evil entering his body. But do you know that a Third-Tier Martial Artist's qi and blood are like a dragon's? Even with cultivation strain, at most their internal energy would become sluggish and their cultivation progress slow. They would never become afraid of the cold."

Wang Qingwan stood there, stunned.

"So my younger brother had been targeted years ago?"

The old physician continued in a grave voice:

"Young Master Wang's fingernails bore an unnatural bluish-gray hue. There were faint pale bloodstains in the whites of his eyes, his pupils were unequal in size after death, and the qi and blood throughout his body had scattered, yet there were no external wounds. None of these symptoms could have been caused by backlash from martial cultivation. His heart meridians had been eroded by minute amounts of poison over many years."

"This poison is a rare plant toxin. It is colorless and odorless and can easily be mixed into daily tea, meals, incense, or medicinal powders. Its effects are mild yet enduring. Ordinary physicians cannot distinguish it at all and would only treat it as weakness and overexertion."

"But over time, the toxin slowly gnaws away at a martial artist's foundation, causing them to become afraid of the cold."

"When the time comes to truly make a move, another medicinal catalyst is used to ignite the poison accumulated in the body over the years, causing the martial artist's internal energy to collapse and ultimately leading to sudden death!"

Wang Qingwan abruptly rose to her feet, a vicious glint flashing in her eyes:

"Senior, do you mean that whoever was responsible for Xiaolong's food and daily care is the most suspicious?"

Wang Qingwan recalled the maid who had knelt beside Wang Xiaolong's corpse yesterday, weeping with tears like pear blossoms in the rain.

"Chun Tao!"

Wang Qingwan's voice was icy as she spoke the maid's name. Then she bowed deeply to the old physician once more.

"Thank you for your assistance, Senior. Once this matter is settled, I will certainly come to your door to offer my thanks."

Afterward, Wang Qingwan secretly sent the old physician away and found several people she could trust to capture Chun Tao and interrogate her through the night.

In a dim secret chamber, Chun Tao was tied to a pillar while a martial artist beside her continuously whipped her. Only after beating her for half the time it took an incense stick to burn did he finally stop.

Wang Qingwan stood before Chun Tao and demanded sharply:

"Chun Tao, my Wang Lineage did not treat you poorly. Xiaolong trusted you deeply as well. Why did you poison him? Who ordered you to do it? Confess truthfully at once!"

Wang Qingwan knew that Chun Tao was merely a maid. She had neither motive nor the courage to poison a Mid-Third Tier martial artist.

There had to be someone else behind this matter. Chun Tao was nothing more than a chess piece.

"No, it wasn't me! I didn't harm Eldest Young Master! Eldest Miss, believe me. I was utterly loyal to Eldest Young Master—how could I possibly do such a thing?"

Her body trembled endlessly in pain as she desperately tried to deny it, but Wang Qingwan saw through the panic and terror in her eyes at a glance.