This assassin organization's hideout had three leaders: one chief and two deputies. One of the deputies had accompanied the chief to Shaolin Temple some time ago to steal a Great Rejuvenation Pill and died there. The chief, meanwhile, had gone to Chaoyang City yesterday to drink and enjoy female company.
Nobody knew the chief's real name. Everyone simply called him Leader Zhao.
Not only was Leader Zhao formidable, but his medical skills were also considerable. Whenever the assassins at the hideout had been injured in the past, he had treated them, and he kept a substantial supply of wound medicine in his room.
Wang Hao had carried Dongfang Bai here precisely to treat her injuries. Although he could do nothing about this girl's internal injuries, he could still handle her external wounds.
Wang Hao brought over the medicine chest Leader Zhao kept in the corner of the room and laid it out. Taking a deep breath, he undid Dongfang Bai's outer robe, but before he could admire the beauty's perfect figure, the gruesome wound on her body shocked him.
A foot-long wound ran from her right shoulder all the way to her chest, so deep that bone was visible.
Most frightening of all, the flesh around the wound had turned a strange jade green, and the color was spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"That's the deputy leader's poison!"
Wang Hao had seen this poison before-or, more precisely, the body he had possessed had seen it before. It was the very poison used by the deputy leader he had just killed.
That fellow's methods were vicious. He coated his sword blade with a poison he concocted himself.
Earlier, he had let Dongfang Bai stab him through the chest in exchange for slashing her with his sword, inflicting this wound.
Clearly, he had planned it all along. He had been waiting for the poison to take effect and for Dongfang Bai to circulate her internal power to expel it, so he could get up and seize the chance to kill her.
The biggest problem, however, was that there was no antidote to the poison the deputy leader had concocted. In his own words, since it was meant for enemies, there was no need for an antidote.
So...
"What do I do now?"
Wang Hao stared in dismay at the poison spreading farther and farther.
He had originally intended to win Dugu Qiubai's favor by treating Dongfang Bai and further reduce the killing intent the man outside harbored toward him. But he really couldn't handle this injury!
If he had profound internal cultivation, he could simply help this girl force the poison out of her body. The problem was that the fellow whose body he had possessed only knew how to cultivate external techniques and had no internal force whatsoever.
Even if he wanted to help expel the poison, he didn't have the ability!
"Uncle, that Dugu Qiubai has already entered the courtyard. He looks like he wants to rush in, and his killing intent toward you has shot up a whole lot again."
As Wang Hao was pondering a solution, Xiao Mengmeng's anxious voice suddenly rang out in his mind. His breath caught, and a broad patch of cold sweat seeped through the back of his shirt.
I almost forgot. This girl can't hold on much longer. That big shot Dugu Qiubai must have noticed too. He's bound to be unable to resist showing himself and using his internal power to expel the poison for her. Once he shows himself, judging by the killing intent he's displayed, he'll definitely kill me while he's at it.
No, I have to think of a solution as quickly as possible!
Wang Hao's mind raced as he searched for a way to survive. As for the idea of running away, he snuffed it out the moment it surfaced.
Facing a big shot like Dugu Qiubai, there was no difference between running and staying.
Besides, running meant certain death, while staying offered a sliver of hope.
What he needed to do now was find that sliver of hope!
That's right. According to my predecessor's memories, Leader Zhao seemed to have stolen a Great Rejuvenation Pill from Shaolin Temple some time ago. He said he was going to hand it over to the organization's higher-ups, but he probably hasn't done so yet. I hope that fellow didn't take it with him.
An idea suddenly flashed through Wang Hao's mind. He had found a clue in his predecessor's memories.
"Mengmeng, doesn't the system have a treasure-hunting function? Hurry and search for that Great Rejuvenation Pill and see where it's hidden. Put the Fortune Points it costs on credit for now. Staying alive is what matters."
Wang Hao glanced around the room and abandoned the idea of searching for it himself. Even if Leader Zhao hadn't taken the pill with him, he would certainly have hidden it somewhere extremely secret. There was no chance of finding it in a short time.
Dugu Qiubai was about to rush in, and Wang Hao had no time to waste, so turning to the system's treasure-hunting function was the best choice.
As for not having any Fortune Points yet, that wasn't a problem. He could just put it on credit.
Surely Xiao Mengmeng couldn't just stand by and watch that big shot Dugu Qiubai kill him, causing this transmigration to fail.
Sure enough, Xiao Mengmeng spoke up helplessly.
"All right. A targeted search for the Great Rejuvenation Pill costs ten Fortune Points. Since it's on credit, you'll have to repay the system a hundred Fortune Points afterward.
"I found it. It's in the floor tile under your feet, Uncle."
"..."
Wang Hao looked down at the floor tile beneath his feet and was utterly speechless.
He didn't say much, though. He quickly pried up the tile and flipped it over. After feeling around for a while, he finally discovered its secret.
Someone had drilled a thumb-sized hole in the back of the tile and fitted a wax pellet the size of a lychee inside, then sealed it back up with lime the same color as the tile.
If he hadn't known something was hidden inside, there was no way he could have discovered it.
Wang Hao was familiar with wax pellets like this. Medicinal pills were generally coated in wax to keep their medicinal potency from escaping or the pills from spoiling.
It was like the vacuum packaging used for modern food, sealing out air and bacteria and greatly extending an item's shelf life.
He dug out the wax pellet and crushed its outer coating, revealing a milky-white pill. A rich medicinal fragrance spread from it, and breathing in just a little eased the pain of Wang Hao's injuries considerably.
"It really is a Great Rejuvenation Pill! The young lady can be saved!"
Wang Hao pretended to be wild with joy. Then he looked at the grape-sized Great Rejuvenation Pill in his hand and at the unconscious Dongfang Bai. After thinking it over, he rushed out of the room, drew a bowl of water from the well in the courtyard, and returned.
What Wang Hao failed to notice was that an old man standing in the corner of the courtyard had witnessed all his actions. Wang Hao had not noticed the old man just now, as though some mysterious force had influenced him to subconsciously overlook the man's presence.
"What's with this kid?"
The old man gently stroked his long beard and looked at the room in puzzlement. He stopped himself from rushing in, intending to watch a little longer.
Back in the room, Wang Hao dissolved the Great Rejuvenation Pill in the bowl, making a full bowl of medicinal liquid. He first sprinkled some on Dongfang Bai's wound, then took a large mouthful himself and prepared to bend down and feed it to her mouth to mouth.
After all, she was still unconscious and would have difficulty drinking the medicine, so naturally she needed a little help.
Therefore, he definitely wasn't taking advantage of her vulnerable state. He was genuinely helping her.
Yes, that was exactly what he was thinking.
Of course, it would have been even more convincing if one overlooked the lecherous smile on Wang Hao's face at that moment.
"Wait!"
Just as Wang Hao was about to kiss Dongfang Bai's rosy lips and feed her the medicine in his mouth, Xiao Mengmeng suddenly spoke up.
"What is it?"
Wang Hao raised an eyebrow, unsure what the little loli meant by speaking up now. Had something else gone wrong?
"Uncle, are you planning to treat Sister Dongfang as nothing more than a tool for completing your mission, or as a wife you're planning to woo?"
Xiao Mengmeng asked in an odd tone, catching Wang Hao off guard.
After a moment's daze, Wang Hao answered as though it went without saying, "If I really woo her, of course I'll make her my wife. I'm not that despicable."
Although this was only a world he had transmigrated into, it was still a real world, and Dongfang was a living, breathing person. How could he possibly treat her like a tool?
He had no desire to become a scumbag. He'd be struck by lightning for that!
"But you're possessing someone else's body right now. Are you really going to use someone else's body to kiss your future wife? That's pretty kinky!"
This time, the little loli's voice carried a barely concealed note of amusement.
"..."
After a long silence, Wang Hao finally said inwardly, feeling aggrieved, If you hadn't said that, we'd still be good friends!
Shaking his head in gloomy frustration, Wang Hao swallowed the medicine in his mouth. He was injured too, so drinking a mouthful wasn't a waste.
Then he rummaged through Leader Zhao's medicine chest and found a spoon whose purpose he didn't know. Gently, he fed the medicine in the bowl to the beauty in his arms, a little at a time.
It took quite a while to finish feeding her the entire bowl.
The Great Rejuvenation Pill was indeed worthy of its reputation as Shaolin Temple's holy medicine. Taking it not only added a full sixty-year cycle's worth of internal force, but also healed injuries and even expelled a hundred poisons. It could be called a miracle cure for everything.
The deputy leader's poison was potent, but it was no match for the medicinal power of Shaolin Temple's supreme holy medicine. Coupled with Dongfang Bai's own abundant power, it took only a short while to force the poison out through her wound. Even the gruesome sword wound began to heal.
The internal injuries she had suffered when her Qi went astray earlier were also healing rapidly. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before she recovered completely.
Meanwhile, thanks to the large mouthful of medicine he had drunk earlier, Wang Hao's injuries from his fight with the deputy leader were also healing rapidly.
At this rate, he would recover in a few days.
Wang Hao gently laid Dongfang Bai flat on the bed. Only then did he have the time and inclination to take a careful look at her.
That closer look left him dazzled. This Dongfang Bai did not look like Qiao En, as she had in Yu Ma's version of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. Instead, she bore three parts resemblance to Qiao En and another three to Qingxia.
It was as though their strengths had been fused together: she had Qiao En's delicate beauty and Qingxia's heroic bearing, and then both had been elevated another level. She was unbelievably beautiful.
As it happened, both Qiao En and Qingxia had played the role of Dongfang Bubai, one in a television series and the other in a film.
This had to be fate!
"Mm!"
As her injuries healed, Dongfang Bai soon showed signs of waking. After some thought, Wang Hao decided not to stay any longer.
After all, he was still her sworn enemy. For all he knew, she might try to kill him the moment she woke up.
Although he had fooled the big shot Dugu Qiubai for the time being, he hadn't fooled her yet.
If she attacked, he'd be in for it.
With his current strength, he was no match for her. She would probably finish him off in one move.
So leaving immediately was the best choice!
Before leaving, however, he still had to put on a performance. Judging by Xiao Mengmeng's warning, Dugu Qiubai outside still harbored some killing intent toward him. It wasn't safe enough to leave just yet.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Wang Hao gently caressed Dongfang Bai's cheek and put on a look of pain and guilt. He murmured, "You lit a beacon in my dark life and showed me that I was a living person, not a walking corpse.
"But by the time I came to my senses, I had already made a terrible mistake. I don't ask you to forgive me. I only wish to protect you for the rest of my life and let you live happily."
As soon as he finished, Wang Hao hurriedly asked in his mind, Mengmeng, does that big shot Dugu Qiubai still want to kill me?
"I have to admire you, Uncle. Your imagination and acting skills are both impressive. That old man outside really fell for your deception."
Xiao Mengmeng's reply was full of admiration. Although she hadn't given a precise answer, her words had made the meaning unmistakable.
Thank goodness. I finally made it through!
Wang Hao finally breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Dongfang Bai, who was about to wake, then turned and left without hesitation.
"Wait, Uncle. Take that treasured sword with you. It's a good item that has nurtured a trace of spirituality."
Just as Wang Hao was about to leave the courtyard, Xiao Mengmeng suddenly reminded him.
"Spirituality! Are you sure you saw that right?"
Wang Hao was shocked. He abruptly turned to look at the treasured sword that had been tossed onto the ground during the earlier fight.