Yang Qing had been afflicted with Death Gu, and had been for quite some time.
The news took Yang Qing and the others completely by surprise, coming utterly out of the blue.
But as he listened to Ouyang Lin's explanation, a few thoughts began to take shape in Yang Qing's mind.
"Ouyang is right. I'm afraid the Death Gu inside me had already taken effect."
Already taken effect?
Those words sent a chill through Bu Er and Jiang Zhizhou.
Both of them moved close, each placing a hand on one of Yang Qing's shoulders, yet neither found anything unusual.
Could it be that when Death Gu took effect, it bore no resemblance to other Gu poisons?
Yang Qing glanced again at the trace of blood on the back of his hand. "But now, I believe it has already been purged."
Yang Qing stared thoughtfully at the back of his hand. "My emotions have been off these past few days. I've been far too prone to mourning spring and grieving autumn."
"I thought it was simply because I had been through too much and couldn't bear it all at once. I never imagined I had been afflicted with Gu."
In his early years, Yang Qing had survived the slaughter of his entire household. Afterward, he had raced from place to place in search of a thread of hope, braving mountains of blades and seas of fire. How steadfast his mind had been!
Yet lately, pity had often welled up in him, along with a desire to keep his hands free of the martial world's bloodshed.
None of this had been his true intent, but it had troubled him deeply.
Fortunately...
As Yang Qing spoke, he reached out to stroke the little creature still nestled inside his robes.
"If Jiangli hadn't saved