"Master, it's ready. I went to find Xiao Wang overnight and put in the medicine that can temporarily remove a person's internal energy," Zhou Tianhao said.
"Okay, is that Xiao Wang reliable?" Zhou Xingchuan was sitting on his bunk, meditating with his eyes closed.
“Absolutely reliable. He was rescued from the foot of the mountain by my disciple, and he has been saying he wants to repay his disciple,” Zhou Tianhao said.
"Well, everything is ready now, we'll just wait for tomorrow. You can go and rest." Zhou Xingchuan's face showed some fatigue.
“Master, I will accompany you to the Golden Cauldron tomorrow,” Zhou Tianhao suddenly said.
"Wasn't everything arranged so that you would personally lead people to Five Dragons Platform to rescue your grandmaster?" Zhou Xingchuan asked, opening his eyes.
“Let Third and Fourth Junior Brothers go. This disciple wishes to go to the Golden Cauldron with Master,” Zhou Tianhao said.
"Why?" Zhou Xingchuan asked, staring at his eldest disciple.
“I’m worried about you, Master. My Third and Fourth Uncles have already betrayed us. They are younger than you, Master, and I’m afraid you’re not as strong as them,” Zhou Tianhao said.
Zhou Xingchuan's expression softened slightly. His most troublesome disciple had actually spoken these words to him personally.
"Hey, you think your master is too old?" Zhou Xingchuan looked at him with a cold face.
“Master, your skills are still sharp, but I am worried about those two traitors. The fact that they were able to assassinate our grandmaster so stealthily shows that their methods are despicable. I am afraid that Master will fall into their trap,” Zhou Tianhao said.
Zhou Xingchuan nodded and said, "Third and fourth brothers are truly despicable for betraying their sect. Once your grandmaster is rescued, these two traitors must be severely punished."
“Master, I wonder, who exactly are that gentleman and his wife? Why do they want that fake sect leader? This puzzles me,” Zhou Xingchuan said.
“They must be someone important; they’re probably from the palace,” Zhou Xingchuan said.
"Inside the palace?" Zhou Tianhao asked.
"Didn't you notice that there's a eunuch among them?" Zhou Xingchuan asked.
Zhou Tianhao immediately went through Lan Qin and the others in his mind, and finally said with certainty, "It's that guy named Su Peisheng, I think it is."
“That’s right, it’s him. It’s clear that these people have intricate connections with the palace. That’s why I agreed to hand that person over to him for disposal. Our Wudang sect never interferes in the affairs of the imperial court. That’s why we have been able to pass down our traditions for thousands of years,” Zhou Xingchuan said.
“Yes. Then we must do our best to protect his safety tomorrow, otherwise we’ll get ourselves into trouble,” Zhou Tianhao said.
“Hmm. Since you want to go up the mountain with your master, then go ahead. Your master doesn’t need your protection yet, so you can protect him,” Zhou Xingchuan said.
"Yes," Zhou Tianhao said solemnly.
Meanwhile, at Nanyan, the Third Master Zhou Xingkun was meditating in his bedroom. Beneath his bed stood a young Taoist priest holding a bowl containing a slightly golden pill.
"Master, how are you feeling?" asked the young Taoist priest.
"Hmm. I'm feeling a bit better." Zhou Xingkun's complexion was rather poor.
"Master, when you go to the Golden Cauldron tomorrow, you can ask the sect leader for some more medicine," the young Taoist said.
"Hmm. Tomorrow when we go to Jin Ding, we'll ask him for some." Zhou Xingkun slowly opened his eyes and said.
"Alas, Master has been taking this medicine for so many years, yet he still hasn't figured out its toxicity. He hasn't been able to develop an antidote himself," Xiao Dao said. He was Zhou Xingkun's trusted disciple. Although he didn't hold a high position in Nanyan, he was quite favored by Zhou because of his cleverness.
"That old fox, he won't let me figure him out. Every time he gives me an antidote, he adds a new poison to it. That's why I've always been under his control!" Zhou Xingkun's pale face looked somewhat ashen.
"How cunning! This way, Master will always be under his control!" Xiao Dao said.
A shadow crossed Zhou Xingkun's eyes, and he said bitterly, "One day, I will poison him with my own hands!"
“But he never shows himself easily, and Master, your antidote is still in his hands. Actually, Master, you could go and tell your eldest and second senior uncles that this sect leader is a fake, and ask them to join forces with you to eliminate him?” Xiao Dao said.
“No, I’ve already done so much. I’m afraid they won’t forgive me. Back then, when Master was betrayed by the Fourth Brother, and I was drugged and controlled by that person, I was already powerless to do anything,” Zhou Xingkun said.
“But Master, I’m afraid it will be difficult for you to deal with him alone,” Xiao Dao said.
"Sigh, let's see what he says to us tomorrow," Zhou Xingkun said.
Meanwhile, inside the Five Dragons Palace, the candles had not yet been completely extinguished. Wang Xingbin, the fourth steward, was standing behind his desk, listening to two Taoist priests reporting something to him.
"Master, there are suddenly a few more Taoist priests at Taizipo. Today they even went to the kitchen and specifically asked for several dishes, which has never happened before," one of the priests reported. It turned out that Wang Xingbin had been keeping an eye on Zixiao Palace and Taizipo. Basically, any unusual activity they made was noticed by them.
"Have you seen their faces clearly? Are you sure you haven't seen them before?" Wang Xingbin asked, frowning.
“This servant has never seen them before,” the Taoist priest said.
"What about Senior Brother?" Wang Xingbin asked.
"My second senior brother went there today and stayed in Zixiao Palace for several days before coming out," the Taoist continued.
Wang Xingbin frowned even more deeply. He said, "Keep an eye on them. Keep a close watch on their every move."
"Yes, Master, don't worry. We're all keeping an eye on things. But Master, when will you be able to take the position of sect leader?" a Taoist priest asked.
“Tomorrow, I will go and talk to him. Why not pass the position of sect leader to me? Then the other three can gradually clip their wings, and we won’t have to keep an eye on them anymore,” Wang Xingbin said.
“Yes, you have been so careful and cautious for more than ten years. It’s time to pass the leadership to you,” another Taoist priest said.
“But that old man just won’t agree.” A flash of anger crossed Wang Xingbin’s eyes, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
“Master, why don’t we make him feel that he must pass the position of sect leader to you?” the Taoist priest said.
"How can I force him to pass it on to me?" Wang Xingbin asked.
"If the old sect leader falls ill, will he consider relinquishing his position?" another Taoist priest asked.
“But he’s perfectly healthy, there’s not a trace of illness on him,” Wang Xingbin said.
"Master, it's up to us to do it," the Taoist priest said.
"You mean make him sick?" Wang Xingbin said. "That won't do. He's a master of poisons. For so many years, Lao San has been controlled by his poisons."
“Master, how will you know if you don’t try?” the Taoist priest said.
“You’re right, let me think about it,” Wang Xingbin said.
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