Deep in the night, all was still, and the moon hung at the zenith.
In a dim little bamboo hut, a wisp of blue smoke rose from the Divine Wood King Cauldron, drawing countless venomous insects in from every direction.
A'Zi hid in a dark corner, huddled beside Qin Zheng. She watched until her eyes shone, and asked in a low voice, "You're going to cultivate the Energy-Dissolving Art, aren't you? You can draw the net in now. These venomous insects are enough for Ding Chunqiu to refine for more than half a year!"
Qin Zheng said, his face full of scorn, "What's worth cultivating about that thing? Ding Chunqiu is a talent of sorts. He took a martial art for absorbing other people's internal energy and actually cultivated it into a method that uses poison arts to corrode other people's internal energy. I truly don't know what jumble of nonsense is packed into that head of his."
A'Zi glanced at Qin Zheng in surprise. "If you don't want to cultivate the Energy-Dissolving Art, then what did you lure so many venomous insects here for?"
Qin Zheng said, all righteousness, "To refine poison, of course. I hear the Prince of the Southern Administration of Liao means to launch a rebellion during the Liao emperor's autumn hunt next year. How can that be allowed?"
A'Zi looked baffled. She knit her brows and asked, "You're going to poison that man? But what does Liao's business have to do with you? Why go and stop him? Don't tell me you want the Liao emperor to make you a high official afterward?"
Qin Zheng said, indignant, "Next autumn I have to help Wuyazi hold a bride-seeking martial contest, so I can't go to Liao. They're clearly looking down on me. They don't want me going over to join the fun...
So I've decided to use poison to control that Prince of the Southern Administration, and make him launch the rebellion early, during this year's autumn hunt!"
"Ah?" A'Zi froze where she stood, as if struck by lightning, her scalp gone numb.
Ding Chunqiu and Duan Yanqing already counted among the few great villains in the world, yet on ordinary days they only killed a few people to vent. And you? One moment of displeasure, and you meant to overturn a country outright?!
After a moment of stunned silence, A'Zi said in a trembling voice, "Is there anything you need my help with? I'm the senior sister of Xingxiu Sea. Even in the Xingxiu Sect I count as widely connected—one call, and a hundred answer. I can lend you a hand!"
Qin Zheng turned his face and glanced at her, somewhat puzzled. "That worthless bunch in your Xingxiu Sect—aside from flattering people and shouting slogans, what else can they do?"
A'Zi was so frightened she was about to cry. "I can find people to help you keep up appearances and raise morale and such. So long as you don't kill me to silence me, I'll do whatever you say!"
Qin Zheng burst out laughing.
So A'Zi was afraid he would kill her to keep her quiet. The girl's sense for danger was indeed sharp. It seemed that after staying so long in the Xingxiu Sect, where the strong preyed on the weak, the habit had formed in her without her noticing.
Once he understood what A'Zi was thinking, his face darkened. "Mm. In that case, I'll be waiting to see how you perform. When the poison is refined in a little while, you'll test the poison first."
With that, under A'Zi's look of utter despair, he went and gathered up the venomous insects the Divine Wood King Cauldron had drawn in, and began refining pills.
One shichen later, Qin Zheng's work was done. He had refined two pills, one golden and one red, set them on a plate, and placed them before A'Zi.
A'Zi stared at the pills on the plate and trembled. She swallowed, and asked with a woebegone face, "Which one do I eat?"
Qin Zheng narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Eat the red one. It can help you recover from your injuries. After all, you've already thrown in with me. Starting tomorrow you'll still have to recite the Longmen Escort Agency's escort agency rules for me. If a ferule beats your backside to ruin, I'd be taking a great loss."
A'Zi asked, her face bitter, "What's the pill's side effect?"
Qin Zheng gave a wicked chuckle. "This pill is called the Three-Corpse Brain-Spirit Pill. If you don't obey, venomous insects will eat your brain at once!"
Resigned to her fate, A'Zi picked up the egg-sized pill and put it in her mouth. After chewing twice, she said, slightly dazed, "It tastes of roasted meat. It's actually pretty good..."
Qin Zheng was inwardly amused. Of course it was—fried scorpion pills, sprinkled with his secret barbecue seasoning. He just had no chili on hand; otherwise a bit of fiery heat would make it seem even more like poison...
While Qin Zheng was hoodwinking A'Zi, Jiumozhi had already found Murong Bo.
"Benefactor Murong, it has been a long time. After so many years apart, how have you come to look like a stray dog that has lost its home?"
"How did you find me?"
Seeing Jiumozhi come looking for him, Murong Bo could not help being filled with shock and suspicion.
These past days he had kept his face covered, and had never shown his true features to anyone. How had this monk found him?
Jiumozhi smiled faintly. "Naturally, I followed the marks you left. Back then, if I had not investigated you thoroughly, how would this poor monk have dared cultivate the Shaolin supreme arts you bestowed on me?"
In those years, to stir Jiumozhi's greed for Shaolin martial arts, Murong Bo had given him several Shaolin supreme arts along with his insights into cultivating them.
But Jiumozhi was no fool. Though he had not discovered the harm Murong Bo harbored, he had still made some inquiries into him, and had even uncovered the Murong family's exclusive marks. That was why he had found Murong Bo's whereabouts with ease.
At these words, Murong Bo's expression changed sharply.
Many days ago he had already found Xuanci hiding at Putian Shaolin Temple. He had left marks in various places, summoning the people of the Murong family to come and help.
Several days had passed now. Even Jiumozhi had followed the marks and found his way here, yet not a single person from the Murong family had appeared. Could they all have met with disaster?
Worrying over Murong Fu and the others, Murong Bo cupped his hands toward Jiumozhi and said, "Master, you came specially to seek me out. May I ask what the matter is?"
Jiumozhi pressed his palms together and said with a sincere face, "This humble monk has heard that Benefactor Murong is a descendant of the imperial house of Great Yan, set on the restoration of the kingdom. I wish to invite Benefactor Murong to return with me to Tubo, so that we may discuss a great matter together.
At present the rulers of Liao and Dali are fatuous, and in both Song and Western Xia the empress dowagers hold court. This is the moment to plot great affairs. My Tubo is willing to help Benefactor Murong restore his kingdom, and together we shall divide the realm!"
Murong Bo was full of doubt, hardly able to believe in a windfall like this. He probed, "If Tubo is willing to help my Murong clan restore our kingdom, I am of course only too glad. But what can I do for your Tubo?"
A brilliant smile appeared on Jiumozhi's face, and he laid his purpose bare. "So long as Benefactor Murong presents the Heirloom Seal of the Realm to our Zanpu, our Tubo will grant your every demand."
Murong Bo's gaze turned sharp, and he cried out inwardly that this was bad. Besides the Song court, even Tubo had come to seize the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. It seemed this monk before him could not be spared!
A conflicted look came over Murong Bo's face. Then he untied the bundle on his back and sighed. "Alas, my Murong family is weak and alone. I never thought to keep this imperial seal for myself.
Since the Zanpu of Tubo wants it, I shall pass the gift along and present it to your Zanpu."
As he spoke, he stepped forward and, with one hand, held the bundle up before Jiumozhi's eyes.
Right after, two fingers hidden in his sleeve shot out, pressed together into a sword-finger, and he struck with Canhe Finger toward a fatal point on Jiumozhi's chest.
Almost at the same moment, the right hand Jiumozhi had hidden in his sleeve unleashed Universe in the Sleeve, a stored-force blow toward Murong Bo's chest.
Bang!
Both men took a heavy blow to the chest at once. As if by agreement, each spat a mouthful of blood and staggered several steps back.
At the same time, the bundle in Murong Bo's hand fell. What was inside scattered across the ground. Aside from a few ragged clothes and some gold and silver, there was nothing else.
Jiumozhi glanced at what lay on the ground and flew into a rage at once. "You used a fake seal to deceive me?"
Murong Bo gave a cold laugh. "Weren't you deceiving me as well!"
Chapter 39