Chapter 6 Blood Well: Blood Water
Curiosity killed the cat
Six months ago, a group of assassins from the Southern Frontier broke into Yunling Mountain, their target being Tang Yu. In the critical moment, her younger brother, Tang Yang, was poisoned by the Southern Frontier's Gu poison while trying to save her.
Although the Tang Clan is skilled in using poisons, their knowledge of the unorthodox and rare Gu poisons of the Southern Frontier is limited. Therefore, the poison in Tang Yang's body can only be temporarily suppressed with medicine and silver needles, and cannot be completely eradicated. Although he can now live and move freely, he cannot freely use his internal energy, otherwise it will trigger the suppressed toxins and endanger his life.
At that time, she and several elders repeatedly studied the ancient books on Gu poison in the southern border region. Their worries grew day by day, so she secretly drafted a prescription and went down the mountain.
This was the first time she had truly left the Tang Clan and Yunling Mountain, where she had lived for over ten years. Her sole purpose was to find rare medicinal herbs, scarce in the Central Plains, to cure her brother's poisoning.
That night, he sneaked into the Xia Nan Prince's mansion, also for a medicinal herb called "Blood Lingzhi".
The palace was not heavily guarded, and she easily sneaked into the storeroom. After a quick search, she found the medicinal herbs she needed without breaking a sweat.
Just as they were about to leave after succeeding, they inadvertently saw that King Xia Nan personally ushered a mysterious guest in through the back door, speaking in a humble and respectful manner.
It was the third watch of the night, and all was quiet. Such a demeanor... the newcomer must be no ordinary person.
How to avoid arousing her curiosity.
My legs, which were about to climb over the wall and slip away, wouldn't obey me. Before I knew it, driven by curiosity, I was already lying on the roof ridge, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.
The two were discussing something secretive, and even though Tang Yu had excellent hearing, he could only vaguely hear a few words such as "Wangyuan Escort Agency" and "Blood Well".
Driven by curiosity, he leaned forward again, wanting to hear more clearly.
But as the old saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.
The person invited into the mansion was none other than the overly perceptive General Xie.
Before he could hear another word, a burst of energy ripped through the air, and the tile where he had been eavesdropping shattered with a crash.
Fortunately, Tang Yu reacted quickly and narrowly avoided the shards, which flew past her ear. Had she been a fraction of a second slower, her head would have been shattered.
Realizing that her actions had been exposed, Tang Yu dared not linger and immediately leaped off the roof and fled out of the mansion.
Xie Xingzheng also chased after them from inside the house. The two pursued and fled, their clothes fluttering in the wind through the dark night, yet they did not disturb the city in the slightest.
Tang Yu had not expected him to be so skilled in lightness skills. Not only could she not shake him off, but the wind behind her was also getting closer and closer.
Suddenly, a silver light pierced the long night, approaching from behind with a chilling aura. She barely managed to dodge it by turning to the side, but the sword still severed several strands of her hair, which drifted silently down.
Knowing there was no way to retreat, she gritted her teeth, drew her long whip from her waist, and engaged him in combat. But after only a few moves, Tang Yu realized that things were not going well. This person's martial arts skills were the highest she had encountered since leaving the mountain, far surpassing her own, and she was no match for him.
She feinted, her whip flashing towards his face, but it was merely a ploy to lure him in. As Xie Xingzheng dodged, she flicked her wrist, sending white powder flying across his face.
Although Xie Xingzheng immediately turned his head and covered his nose, he was still caught off guard and inhaled a little bit. His body swayed slightly, his brows furrowed, and his consciousness blurred for a moment.
Tang Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, but was surprised to find that he had only lost focus for a moment before regaining his balance.
The Tang Clan's Bewitching Powder would knock out an ordinary person upon hearing it, so how come he seems completely unaffected?
What a physical and mental strength this is!
Xie Xingzheng used his toes to propel himself into the air, and with a flip, he stood in front of Tang Yu with his sword.
"Who are you?" The cold, sharp voice sounded somewhat ethereal in the deep night.
Before she could think it through, Xie Xingzheng took several steps closer.
Forced by his imposing aura, Tang Yu unconsciously retreated, but suddenly launched an attack, raising her hand and shooting out several hidden weapons from her wrist, aiming at his vital points.
Xie Xingzheng's swordsmanship was extremely skillful. With a flourish of his sword, he deflected all the hidden weapons with a few clanging sounds.
Tang Yu did not linger in the fight. Taking advantage of the moment when the enemy dodged, she lashed out with her long whip, which swept over the eaves of the house. Using the momentum, she pulled herself up and soared into the air.
After creating some distance, she didn't even dare to look back. She gathered her inner strength and ran, not caring whether it would expose her Tang Clan identity. She used all sorts of traps and hidden weapons, and it took a lot of effort to escape into the mountains outside Xia Nan.
Fortunately, it was late at night, and she was familiar with the mountains and fields, so she was finally able to shake off the man.
She was even worried that he was waiting outside the forest, so she hid in a tree for most of the night until it was fully light before she dared to change out of her disguise and leave.
Although she ended up in a sorry state, fortunately, she still had the Blood Spirit Mushroom in her possession, which allowed her to hear information about the "Wangyuan Escort Agency," making the trip barely worthwhile. Otherwise, this farce of almost being captured would have been a great disgrace for her first foray into the martial world.
As her thoughts returned, Tang Yu lifted the curtain, and the Xia Nan city gate was already in sight.
*
Inside the Xia Nan Prince's mansion, Wang Shanyue was directing his bodyguards to carry eight iron-plated, red-lacquered wooden boxes into the inner hall. The boxes varied in size and were exquisitely crafted; just by looking at their exteriors, one could tell that the contents inside were far from ordinary.
Unable to help, Tang Yu and Xiao Fangliang stood under the eaves to cool off and rest.
"Brother Su, where are you from?" Xiao Fangliang asked casually.
"Sichuan."
"Sichuan is a land of high mountains and dense forests, home to many sects. The most famous of them all is the Tang Clan. I wonder if Brother Su has ever heard of them?" He spoke in a friendly tone, his gaze falling on Tang Yu with a smile, making her feel a little wary of being tested.
Tang Yu remained calm and replied in a gentle voice, "I have heard of it. However, I have been cultivating with my master in Yunling Mountain since I was a child and rarely come down the mountain, so I am not familiar with the Tang Clan."
Xiao Fangliang gave a half-smile, seemingly accepting her statement, and nodded slightly. He was about to ask another question when a series of hurried footsteps came from the direction of the side hall.
The newcomer, dressed in a magnificent robe with dark gold patterns, appeared to be middle-aged, with a hint of anxiety in the corners of his eyes; he was none other than King Xia Nan. Upon seeing Wang Shanyue, he repeatedly bowed and thanked him, but his gaze kept sweeping over the eight boxes.
"I hope you've had a long journey, young master. I've learned about what happened to you on your way from your companions, and I've already ordered the suspect to be taken to the authorities. This case will be thoroughly investigated."
"Thank you in advance, Your Highness." Wang Shanyue clasped his hands in a salute and then introduced the two people not far away: "This is Xiao Fangliang, the son of Grand Secretary Xiao, and my close friend. And this is Su Yutang, the itinerant doctor who helped us solve the Ghost Cry Murder Case and capture the bandits from the Southern Frontier."
Only then did Tang Yu learn Xiao Fangliang's true identity.
What kind of official is a Grand Secretary?
King Xia Nan nodded, looking slightly uneasy, clearly not paying attention.
He first dismissed everyone else, then his gaze lingered on Tang Yu for a moment. Tang Yu understood and tactfully retreated to the outer corridor of the inner hall, but didn't go far. Through the crack in the door, she could still catch glimpses of the scene inside.
Wang Shanyue opened the box, revealing it filled with various rare and precious treasures, each one of considerable value.
From Tang Yu's perspective, the boxes contained a gold-cast Pixiu figurine, a jade Guanyin seated on a lotus, and silver ritual implements. When the last long box was opened, King Xia Nan actually took out a tin staff. The rings on it swayed and struck each other, producing a sound like chanting, as if it could purify people's hearts.
Tang Yu frowned slightly.
Although these boxes of treasures look different, they have one thing in common—they all seem to be items for warding off evil spirits.
The words "blood well" that she had overheard that night when she eavesdropped involuntarily came to mind.
Could it be that the Prince of Xia's mansion is also haunted?
The atmosphere inside the room also changed slightly.
The two realized something was amiss and hesitated whether to ask Shan Yue.
Normally, once the goods entrusted to the caravan are delivered to their destination, the mission is considered successfully completed. The caravan leader should not be curious about the goods being transported, nor should he inquire about the reasons behind them; this is the unwritten rule of the martial arts world.
Xiao Fangliang glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, understanding his concerns, and also knowing that King Xia Nan was deliberately displaying the goods.
So, he, being an outsider, had to speak up: "Has something strange happened in Xia Nan recently?"
Upon hearing this, King Xia Nan was shocked. His expression became even more tired and haggard, with dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that this matter had been weighing on his mind for a long time.
He remained silent for a long while, then sighed deeply, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, as if weighing whether or not to speak. But in the end, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Please follow me, both of you."
He turned and pushed open the door. Xiao Fangliang suddenly spoke up: "Your Highness, why not invite Young Master Su to come along as well? This man is a skilled physician and has solved the case of the Crying Ghost Village by identifying poisons. Perhaps he can find some clues for Your Highness."
King Xia Nan's gaze lingered on Tang Yu for a few seconds. Although he hesitated, he couldn't refuse since Xiao Fangliang had spoken, and finally agreed.
The three followed him to a side hall of the Prince's Palace.
The place was quiet and empty. Although the courtyard was spotless, it was clear that no one lived there anymore. Only a few weeds remained in the flowerbeds, and a few old trees stood alone in the courtyard, still maintaining a semblance of life.
As Tang Yu stepped into the courtyard, she noticed that the vermilion paint on the gate was bright and shiny, indicating that it had been repainted in the last six months, suggesting that someone must have lived there for a long time not long ago.
In the corner, a solitary stone well, covered by a few wooden planks, stands out conspicuously.
As everyone stepped into the courtyard, an indescribable sense of oppression washed over them, and the closer they got, the tighter their hearts became.
King Xia Nan raised his hand, and his servants, though their faces showed fear, quickly walked to the well and removed the wooden plank.
The turning of the well pulley and the clanging of the winch sounded particularly jarring in the quiet courtyard.
Before long, a bucket of water was slowly drawn up from the dark well opening.
In an instant, the wind seemed to stand still, everyone's pupils contracted sharply, and their breath caught in their throats.
The water in that bucket was a deep, dark red, like blood, carrying a chilling aura. A faint, metallic, metallic smell wafted from the tip of my nose, making me want to vomit.
Even though Tang Yu had heard about the "blood well" that night and was somewhat prepared, seeing this scene with her own eyes still made her frown and her expression change slightly.
King Xia Nan smacked his lips, his face pale, and his voice somewhat hoarse: "This matter... started about a month ago."
He then recounted in detail the strange events that had occurred in Xia Nancheng over the past month.
Initially, it was a family on the outskirts of the city who drew water from their well as usual one morning, only to find that what they drew up was not water, but a bucket of bright red blood. Subsequently, more and more families' wells began to behave strangely, no longer drawing up sweet and clear well water, but turning into that eerie scarlet blood.
Even more horrifying, the man who first discovered the blood well tasted it out of curiosity. The water had a strong, rusty, astringent taste, and he almost immediately vomited it out. However, a few days later, one morning, the man was found dead in his home. His death was extremely gruesome; it was as if all the blood on his body had been drained overnight, leaving only a shriveled, pale corpse.
Just like the dried cured meat that every household makes in winter.
Anxiety and fear permeated Xia Nan City. The families whose wells had been found were like frightened birds, almost never venturing out of their homes, fearing they would be the next to suffer misfortune. Even those whose wells were previously unaffected dared not drink the water anymore, opting instead to buy water from springs in the hope of avoiding disaster.
As King Xia Nan spoke, he couldn't help but shiver, whether from the cold wind or the chilling memories. "Since the Blood Well appeared, no one has died as long as they don't drink the water from it. But until the morning half a month ago, a bucket of blood was drawn into King Xia Nan's mansion."
He slowly looked at the well and silently swallowed.
The well opening was dark and gloomy, like a cold, lifeless eye, silently watching everyone. Inside the well was eerily red blood, seemingly connected to hell, capable of taking lives.
[Author's Note]
Some people beat their wives on the first date :)
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