"Then I'll take my leave," Ouyang Yixun said, bowing to the assembled leaders. He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and stepped out of the room.
Once Ouyang Yixun had left, Su Ran and Ji Chun exchanged a glance before jumping down from the roof and landing quietly on the ground. Su Ran sneered, his voice low and mocking. "It seems Ouyang Yixun doesn't consider you one of his own. He kept quite a few secrets from you."
Ji Chun, who had only heard part of the conversation, was still piecing things together. Though many details remained unclear, he knew Ouyang Yixun had withheld significant information. He shot Su Ran a cold look before walking away. Why did this man always have to provoke and belittle others? His words were never kind.
Seeing Ji Chun's irritation, Su Ran felt a sense of satisfaction. The more the monk bristled, the more amused he became. Reflecting on the important information he'd just learned, his lips curled into a faint smile as he strolled out of the alley. His striking presence caught the attention of several young women, who blushed under his deep, cold gaze. There was something undeniably magnetic about him, even if it was shrouded in mystery.
Back at the inn, Ouyang Yixun was already speaking with Xue Yao and the others. After lunch, a waiter approached to inform them that Ye Bang Zhu had arranged rooms for them. Grateful for the gesture, they accepted and retired to their rooms to rest.
In the afternoon, Ji Chun reflected on the events of the past few days and decided it was necessary to report the situation to his Shifu. He sat down to write a detailed letter, describing the fall of the Tiangang Sect, Ouyang Yixun's revelations, and the emergence of the Di Mang. Once the letter was complete, he handed it to a messenger for delivery and returned to the inn.
As he stepped through the door, a disheveled figure stumbled toward him. Ji Chun turned to see a man with severe burn scars covering his face. His clothes were tattered, and he limped heavily. When the man saw Ji Chun, his eyes lit up with relief. "Ji Chun Dashi!" he called out hoarsely.
Ji Chun carefully avoided the man's touch and asked, "Benefactor, who are you?"
"Ji Chun Dashi, I am Bai Wu... Bai Wu of the Tiangang Sect," the man rasped, his voice rough and strained. His scarred face twisted into an expression that was both desperate and unsettling.
"Bai Wu?" Ji Chun studied the man closely and realized it was indeed the same Bai Wu who had once welcomed him to the Tiangang Sect. Seeing the man's pain, Ji Chun quickly said, "Please, come inside."
As they entered the inn, Xue Yao and Mu Mifeng emerged, curious about the commotion. They were startled by Bai Wu's disfigured appearance. "Ji Chun Dashi, who is this?" Xue Yao asked.
"Xue Shenyi, I am Bai Wu," the man said, bowing with difficulty. His voice was strained, and his movements were labored.
Xue Yao's expression darkened. "I thought no one from the Tiangang Sect survived," he said coldly. His disdain for the sect was evident. Despite their outward appearance of righteousness, he knew them to be deceitful and cruel.
Bai Wu looked confused and hurt by Xue Yao's tone. "Why does Doctor Xue speak so harshly?" he asked, his voice trembling. He was already in a pitiful state and couldn't afford to offend anyone.
Xue Yao sneered. "Then let me ask you this: Did you know that Xu Zhen imprisoned Ouyang Yixun in a dungeon and tortured him?"
Bai Wu's face contorted with anger. "Xue Yao, how can you say such things?!" he shouted, his voice rising. "My master treated Ouyang Yixun with nothing but kindness! How dare you slander him!"
Ji Chun and Mu Mifeng exchanged glances. Bai Wu's reaction seemed genuine, and they began to wonder if they had misjudged the situation. Before Xue Yao could retort, Mu Mifeng quickly covered his Shidi's mouth and whispered, "Let him speak."
Bai Wu continued, his voice shaking with emotion. "On the night you disappeared, my master was furious. He said Ouyang Yixun was missing and feared he had been harmed. He sent people to search for him and ordered us to keep it quiet to avoid alarming the martial artists staying at the Tiangang Sect. How can you accuse him of such cruelty after everything he did for Ouyang Yixun?"
Xue Yao remained skeptical, but Ji Chun and Mu Mifeng were beginning to have doubts. Just then, Su Ran appeared, his presence cold and imposing. He looked down at Bai Wu with disdain. "Your master, Xu Zhen, was a hypocrite—phony and self-righteous," he said, his words deliberate and cutting.
Su Ran reveled in moments like this, watching people's faith crumble before him. He stood above it all, indifferent to the pain he caused. Ji Chun glanced at him, already familiar with his cruel tendencies.
Seeing Bai Wu's devastation, Ji Chun felt a pang of sympathy. "Benefactor Bai," he said gently, "Xu Zhen did imprison Ouyang Yixun. Xue Shenyi and I witnessed it ourselves."
Bai Wu slumped to the ground, his face a mask of disbelief. "How could my master...?" he murmured, his voice breaking. He wanted to deny it, but Ji Chun's words carried too much weight to ignore.
The commotion in the inn's hallway had drawn attention, and a waiter approached cautiously. "Honored guests, perhaps you could continue your discussion in a room? You're blocking the passage."
Ji Chun clasped his hands together and bowed. "Amitabha. My apologies for the disturbance. We will move at once." He turned to the others. "Let's continue this in my room."
Xue Yao and Mu Mifeng nodded, but Su Ran ignored the suggestion entirely. Without a word, he turned and walked out of the inn, leaving the others behind.
In the room, Bai Wu sat with his head bowed, lost in thought. Xue Yao went to find Ouyang Yixun, while Mu Mifeng and Ji Chun sat in silence, unsure of what to say next.
Soon, Ouyang Yixun and Xue Yao returned. Ouyang Yixun had already explained to Xue Yao that Bai Wu was unaware of Xu Zhen's actions, so Xue Yao's hostility toward him had diminished. Ouyang Yixun looked at Bai Wu, who was still visibly shaken, and called out gently, "Bai Wu."
"Ouyang Gongzi?!" Bai Wu snapped out of his daze, his eyes widening as he stared at Ouyang Yixun in disbelief.
"Xu Zhen did take me to the dungeon," Ouyang Yixun said solemnly, locking eyes with Bai Wu. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his fair wrists, which were still marked with bruises from the ropes that had bound him.
Bai Wu's face fell as the truth sank in. "How did you escape?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Ouyang Yixun, seeing that Bai Wu believed him, continued, "That night, I went to speak with my master about something. Suddenly, a man in black appeared and attacked him. I tried to help, but the assailant was too powerful. I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, the place was engulfed in flames. My master was gone. I barely managed to escape the fire. After that, I felt like someone was watching me, so I kept hiding. When I heard the major sects were gathering at Changlong Inn, I came here seeking refuge."
Bai Wu's shoulders slumped as he absorbed Ouyang Yixun's words. "I see..." he murmured, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"You can stay here," Ouyang Yixun said reassuringly. "Many masters are staying at the inn, and I doubt the mysterious man will dare to pursue you here."
Bai Wu immediately knelt down, his voice choked with gratitude. "Thank you... thank you all!"
"Please, stand up. There's no need for this," Ouyang Yixun said quickly, helping Bai Wu to his feet.
After a few more polite exchanges, the group dispersed.
Meanwhile, Ye Bang Zhu had spread the word about the mission to "find the Di Mang and save the people." He called for all major sects to gather in Jeju to discuss the journey west. Over the next two days, more and more martial artists flooded into Jeju City. People from various sects arrived, each claiming to be righteous and eager to contribute to the martial world. The city became a chaotic mix of individuals, each with their own motives.
In his room, Su Ran paced anxiously. He had entrusted the affairs of the Demon Sect to his trusted elders, allowing him to focus on finding a cure for the poison in his body. However, he had been unexpectedly delayed here. He had given Mu Mifeng three days to find a solution, and today was the deadline.
Su Ran hesitated. He was almost afraid to confront Mu Mifeng. What if the doctor hadn't found a cure? The poison lurking in his body was a ticking time bomb, and he couldn't afford to ignore it. Finally, he steeled himself and decided to seek out Mu Mifeng. If the doctor failed, Su Ran resolved to take him back to the Demonic Cult by force.
He strode to Mu Mifeng's room and was about to knock when the door opened from the inside. Mu Mifeng stood there, accompanied by Xue Yao and Ji Chun.
Su Ran's irritation flared at the sight of the monk. His voice was icy as he addressed Mu Mifeng, "Well? What's your plan?"
"Sect Leader Su, I was just about to look for you," Mu Mifeng said, surprised by Su Ran's sudden appearance. "I've figured out a way to neutralize the Reincarnation Pill."
Su Ran's expression softened slightly, and he even regarded Mu Mifeng with a hint of approval. "Good. Let's discuss this inside," he said, stepping into the room.
Mu Mifeng nodded and closed the door behind them. Su Ran's gaze immediately fell on Ji Chun, and he pointed at him coldly. "Get out."
Ji Chun, accustomed to Su Ran's erratic behavior, stood up calmly. "I'll take my leave," he said to Mu Mifeng and Xue Yao.
Xue Yao, however, quickly intervened. "Ji Chun Dashi, wait!" He turned to Su Ran and explained, "Sect Leader Su, if we're to refine the antidote, we'll need Ji Chun Dashi's assistance. His presence will speed up the detoxification process."
Su Ran raised an eyebrow, his finger now pointing at Mu Mifeng. "Is that true?"
Mu Mifeng nodded with a faint smile. "It is." He couldn't help but feel amused by his Shidi's quick thinking, though he knew Su Ran's temper could flare at any moment.
Su Ran let out a dismissive snort but relented. "Fine. Stay," he said to Ji Chun, his tone begrudging.
Ji Chun, though tempted to leave, saw the pleading look on Xue Yao's face and decided to stay, suppressing his frustration.
Mu Mifeng sat down in front of Su Ran and began to check his pulse. After a moment, his expression shifted to one of mild surprise. "Sect Leader Su," he began cautiously, "have you experienced any... unusual symptoms recently?"
"No," Su Ran replied coldly, though he understood what Mu Mifeng was hinting at. His frown deepened. "Why do you ask?"
Mu Mifeng hesitated, his brow furrowing. Then, carefully choosing his words, he asked, "Have you... engaged in any sexual intercourse with a man?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Mu Mifeng regretted them.