Chapter 4 Undercurrents Beneath the Alliance Headquarters
Di Feisheng's order was unquestionable. The power of the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance silently carried the slowly moving Lotus Building northward towards the alliance leader's headquarters.
Li Lianhua sat on the shaft of the cart, slowly and leisurely driving up the stairs, while the vixen dozed at his feet. His face remained harmless, even a little too good-tempered, as if he had just accepted a long-distance medical appointment. Only when he occasionally glanced at Di Feisheng's back would a flash of extremely quick, elusive, complex emotion flash deep in his eyes.
The Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance's headquarters wasn't the eerie, terrifying den one might imagine; instead, it was a grand and imposing place with strict rules. Di Feisheng placed Li Lianhua in a secluded courtyard and assigned someone to "serve" her, calling it protection but essentially imprisonment.
"Divine Doctor Li," Di Feisheng dismissed his attendants and stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. "You can take whatever herbs are here. If you need anything, just ask. I have only one request—"
He turned around, his eyes piercing: "Remove the poison from your body and restore your martial arts."
Li Lianhua was squatting on the ground examining a Lingzhi plant someone had given her. Hearing this, he looked up and gave a helpless smile, "Alliance Leader Di, you're asking too much. If the Green Tea poison could be easily cured, it wouldn't be called the world's most dangerous poison. I've tried at least eighty, if not a hundred, methods in the past ten years. If any of them had worked, I wouldn't still be in this state."
"So, the 'Forgetful River Flower' is your hope." Di Feisheng took a step closer, his tone carrying an irresistible pressure. "But the Forgetful River Flower is a substance of extreme yin and coldness, requiring the use of extremely yang medicinal ingredients. Even the slightest misuse can make it extremely poisonous. The place where it is cultivated is even more fraught with traps. Li Lianhua, if you want to obtain it and heal yourself, you must prove your worth."
The way of proving the "value" of Di Feisheng is extremely direct.
Several masters of the Golden Yuan League, who had gone astray through their training or suffered strange injuries, were sent to Li Lianhua's courtyard. The injuries ranged from bizarre to catastrophic: some suffered reversed meridians, others suffered from a cold poison, and some experienced madness and bloodlust.
This not only required Li Lianhua to unleash his medical skills, but was also a cruel test from Di Feisheng. He was forcing Li Xiangyi's "Yangzhou Slow" internal energy to emerge—that pure and yang internal energy was the best way to heal these injuries.
Li Lianhua saw it all and understood it clearly.
He continued with his usual slow demeanor, taking the patient's pulse, pondering, prescribing medicine, and administering acupuncture. He employed all his exquisite medical skills and pharmacological knowledge, supplemented by some seemingly clumsy but in fact extremely effective external techniques, without employing a single ounce of internal energy.
Under his care, several seriously injured patients actually stabilized or even improved. Throughout the entire process, his breathing was steady and weak, like an ordinary doctor with superb skills.
Di Feisheng watched coldly from above, his brow furrowing ever tighter. He was disappointed that he hadn't been able to draw out the other man's true kung fu, yet he couldn't help but be secretly astonished by the other man's pure medical skills that transformed decay into something miraculous.
One day, the Golden Yuan League intercepted a secret report: the old members of the Sigumen, headed by Qiao Wanwan and Xiao Zijin, seemed to have found some clues about Shan Gudao's "remains" and were secretly tracking a batch of antiques related to Nanyin's evil magic.
This news was also "leaked" to him by the subordinates who "served" Li Lianhua in the form of casual chat.
Li Lianhua, who was pruning a potted plant, felt her fingers tremble slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Shan Gudao… This name was the deepest thorn in his heart, the starting point of all the tragedies ten years ago. Even after ten years, even though he was now Li Lianhua, hearing this name still caused a stir.
He remained expressionless, even coughing twice, and complained, "It's really easy to catch a cold in this weather."
But that night, he suffered a rare bout of insomnia. Under the moonlight, he stroked the Sect Master's token, which he never left behind. His eyes were no longer their usual indifference, but were filled with heavy memories and doubts.
Di Feisheng appeared at the right time and threw a more detailed information in front of him.
"Nan Yin's evil magic can bewilder people, and it might be related to many of the suspicious situations from back then. People from the Si Gu Men have already intervened." Di Feisheng looked at him, "Li Lianhua, your 'value' has been revealed. I want you to go with me to investigate this matter. Along the way, you can search for the antidote."
This was an open conspiracy. Di Feisheng knew that as long as the truth about Shan Gudao's death was involved, Li Lianhua would never remain indifferent.
Li Lianhua was silent for a long time, then finally sighed, as if accepting his fate. "Alliance Leader Di, who's going to pay for this business trip? The medical fee should be calculated separately, right?"
Di Feisheng snorted coldly and walked away with a flick of his sleeves, but a hint of understanding curved his lips. He knew the fish was finally biting.
The group left the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance headquarters. The sound of flutes flew as Li Lianhua rode his Lotus Tower, his pace so slow that the other masters of the Golden Mandarin Duck Alliance were quite impatient, yet they dared not urge him on.
On the way, they were ambushed by a ruthless and strange killer who aimed directly at Li Lianhua's life (obviously targeting his possible identity as "Li Xiangyi"). In the melee, Li Lianhua seemed panicked and dodged clumsily, but always avoided the fatal attacks by the hair's breadth, and occasionally "accidentally" fell and knocked over one of the killer's lower body.
As Di Feisheng swung his sword to repel the enemy, he took in all of Li Lianhua's "coincidental" evasions. His conviction grew stronger and stronger: such exquisite agility and vision were definitely not something an ordinary doctor could possess!
As the fierce battle was in full swing, a poisoned arrow shot silently towards Li Lianhua's back.
Di Feisheng's eyes flashed, and Beifeng Baiyang's inner strength exploded, instantly shaking off the surrounding enemies. With a flash of his body, he actually used his arm to deflect the poisonous arrow! The sharp arrowhead pierced his sleeve, leaving a bloody mark.
Everyone was stunned, including Li Lianhua.
Di Feisheng remained expressionless, as if brushing off a speck of dust. He looked at Li Lianhua, his eyes sharp and complex: "Your life is mine. Only I can decide when and how you die." These words seemed cold and overbearing, but they concealed a deeper meaning - he would never allow Li Lianhua to die before he achieved his determination to fight Li Xiangyi in a fair and square battle.
Li Lianhua looked at the rapidly blackening wound on his arm, remained silent for a moment, then slowly took out a silver needle and a medicine bottle from her bosom: "Alliance Leader Di, your injury... needs more money. You've been poisoned, and five taels isn't enough."
The forest after the battle was filled with the faint smell of blood and the bitter taste of vegetation ravaged by the aura of the shattered spirit. In the distance, the Golden Yuan League's subordinates were silently clearing the battlefield, dragging away the bodies. No one spoke among themselves, and the atmosphere was oppressive.
In the center of the field, the sound of the flute stood firm like a pine tree, as if the fierce battle just now was just a breeze. However, the sleeve of his left arm was cut open, revealing a wound about an inch long. The skin around the edge had begun to blacken and swell, obviously due to the rapid poisoning of the arrow.
Li Lianhua looked at the wound, his brows furrowing slightly. His usual, almost perfunctory smile faded slightly, replaced by a focused look. He didn't make another joke about "adding money," but silently fished out a flat, cowhide needle pouch and several small porcelain bottles from his large, well-worn sleeve pocket.
He walked up to Di Feisheng and looked up at his nemesis, who was still slightly taller than him. "Alliance Leader Di, I'm sorry." His voice was steady, his usual deliberate laziness gone.
Di Feisheng said nothing, simply extending his injured arm. His gaze settled calmly on Li Lianhua's face, a look of scrutiny and an indescribable complex expectation. He wanted to find even the slightest trace of Li Xiangyi on this pale, frail face.
Li Lianhua didn't avoid his gaze, but her eyes were clear, as if focused solely on the wound before her. He first carefully cleaned the area around the wound with clean water, his movements gentle yet precise. Then he opened the needle bag, revealing silver needles of varying lengths, as thin as cow hair.
He picked up a long silver needle, his fingertips incredibly steady. Taking a deep breath, he precisely inserted the needle into a point above the wound, gently twisting it. His fingers occasionally and inevitably brushed against the skin of Di Feisheng's arm—the tough, warm skin of a martial artist, a contrast to his own slightly cool fingers.
He then took out several shorter silver needles and inserted them into several surrounding acupuncture points, blocking the path of the poisonous gas. His movements were smooth and flowing, with a rhythm that was almost artistic. Each landing was precise, reflecting his deep-rooted familiarity with the human meridians.
Di Feisheng remained motionless, even his breathing unchanged, as if it wasn't his arm that was stabbed. But his gaze grew ever deeper, locked on Li Lianhua's hands as they worked on his arm. These hands had once wielded the renowned Young Master's sword, swinging with such swiftness that they could have drawn the moonlight and the gentle breeze. Now, they held the life-saving silver needle, steady as ever, yet seemingly bearing too much weight.
After completing the acupuncture, Li Lianhua took out a knife as thin as a willow leaf and warmed it over the fire. He glanced up at Di Feisheng, as if to remind him. Then, with a delicate stroke of the knife tip, he slashed the center of the blackened wound.
Dark purple poisonous blood immediately gushed out.
Li Lianhua lowered his head and, without hesitation, placed his mouth close to the wound, sucking out the poisonous blood and spitting it onto the ground beside him. Once, twice… His face was very close to Di Feisheng's arm, and his warm breath brushed against his skin, carrying a hint of the bitter scent of herbs.
Di Feisheng's body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment. He lowered his gaze and could see Li Lianhua's drooping eyelashes, her pale cheeks slightly hollowed from the intensity of her sucking. They were so close, so close he could discern the tiny beads of sweat on her temples, and sense a vulnerability of complete trust—though he knew it was perhaps merely a healer's instinct.
This was an extremely strange intimacy. Ten years ago, the closest they had been was when swords clashed over the East China Sea, the raging winds and waves surging through the air. Ten years later, the closest they had been was when he was poisoned, and he leaned over to suck the wound.
The rope of fate seemed to be twisted into a strand at this moment, binding them tightly and making it impossible for them to break free.
After sucking out all the poisonous blood, Li Lianhua rinsed her mouth with clean water, then poured some white powder from a porcelain bottle and carefully sprinkled it on the wound. The powder touched her skin, causing a slight sting, but Di Feisheng didn't even raise an eyebrow.
Finally, Li Lianhua tore a strip of cloth from his clean undershirt and expertly bandaged Di Feisheng's wound. His fingers weaved in and out, occasionally brushing against Di Feisheng's arm, with a businesslike alacrity, yet the care inherent in the action evoked an indescribable subtlety.
Throughout the entire process, the two men exchanged no words. The only sounds in the forest were the wind, the distant footsteps of their subordinates, and the distinct sound of each other's breathing.
Only after he had tied the last knot did Li Lianhua straighten up and sighed softly, his face seeming even paler than before. He took a step back and resumed his slightly distant appearance as if he wasn't the one who had been so absorbed in the process that he almost forgot himself.
"The poison in the blood has been mostly cleared, but the poison is a bit strange. The remaining poison needs to be neutralized with medication for three consecutive days." He said in a flat tone, "The consultation fee and the medicine fee will be settled to me later."
Di Feisheng moved his bandaged arm, feeling the relief from the stinging pain. His gaze remained fixed on Li Lianhua's face, as if trying to penetrate the calm facade.
After a long while, he spoke in a low voice, but he was no longer talking about his injuries: "Your acupuncture skills are very exquisite."
Li Lianhua smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes: "It's just a skill to make a living. Alliance Leader Flute, thank you for the compliment."
One no longer asks questions, the other no longer denies.
But something had quietly changed during this unexpected healing experience. The air was no longer filled with pure killing and confrontation, but with a subtle touch of the past's entanglements and the strange coexistence of the present.
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