According to the "traitor" Zhu Yingning, the Tang Sect had three ultimate skills: hidden weapons, chanisms, and poisons. The most formidable of these was poison, which ca in countless strange varieties with exceptionally high lethality.
As for their martial arts, their strongest mber was Tang Dingbo, a mid-stage Master. However, within the Tang Sect's stronghold, he held a geographical advantage and could leverage their three ultimate skills. Because of this, even a Grandmaster would choose to steer clear of him and avoid a direct confrontation, unless driven by a deep-seated hatred, like that for a father's murderer or a wife's captor.
"Little brother Lin Tang, listen to your big sister's advice. Don't go throwing your life away. You're so young and already an Innate expert with limitless prospects, why risk it all over a mont of anger?" Zhu Yingning pleaded tirelessly. To anyone unaware of the situation, it might have seed as if she had already fallen for him. In reality, she was just worried that if Lin Tang were captured, he would expose her.
Just a mid-stage Master. I thought he'd be soone impressive…
Lin Tang secretly shook his head, not taking Tang Dingbo seriously at all. "Thanks for your kind warning. You can go now."
"But…"
"I promise I won't tell anyone you leaked the Tang Sect's secrets. Is that good enough for you?"
"But I think…"
"Get lost!"
"...Hmph!"
Still worried, Zhu Yingning left while muttering curses under her breath. She had absolutely no faith in Lin Tang's integrity. Besides, the Tang Sect used poison in their interrogations. Not even a man of iron could withstand it. Refusing to confess would be impossible.
After sending Zhu Yingning away, Lin Tang packed his bags, ready to depart.
Lee Encai asked worriedly, "Are you really going to venture into that dragon's den?"
"Isn't that obvious? You just heard her say that the Tang Sect's stronghold has the thousand-year Spiritual dicine that can restore Shen Youling's appearance. I'll just bring it back while I'm there," Lin Tang replied with a relaxed expression, as if he weren't going off to fight and kill, but simply setting out on a trip.
Lee Encai was speechless. She assud Lin Tang was just pretending to be calm and had already resolved to sacrifice his life for a righteous cause.
"Sigh, if Shen Youling knew how hard you're fighting for her, she'd definitely be touched. If I were the one who was disfigured, would you go to such lengths for ?"
"Are you crazy? What's with all these 'what ifs'?" Lin Tang flicked her on the forehead. He couldn't understand her sudden bout of sentintality. It was too mushy!
He thought for a mont, then said, "I'll arrange for you to stay sowhere else. That way, that Yan Luoyang fellow won't be able to bother you while I'm away."
"Oh."
Lee Encai's heart ward again. He really did care about her.
Lin Tang left so money for Huang Jifen and the others before taking Lee Encai and leaving Jiangbei directly. He didn't deliberately hide his tracks when he left, so to observant onlookers, it seed he was fleeing to lie low, worried his divine sword might be stolen. They thought perhaps he would never return.
When Dong Mingfeng heard the news, he couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.
The pharmaceutical factory they had contacted had already produced and tested samples. The effects were excellent. Whether it was the Chao Yuan Replenishing Soup or the Three Flowers Rejuvenating Soup, one rejuvenated the body while the other nourished the mind. No side effects had been observed so far.
"We're going to be rich, so rich!" Dong Mingfeng and Shen Xin were ecstatic.
The pharmaceutical experts were also amazed, but out of caution, one of them still advised waiting a while longer to observe for any side effects.
"Ti is money! If we wait any longer, we'll lose our chance!" Dong Mingfeng snapped. "I want you to start working overti on mass production right away. I want to launch this on the market imdiately!"
"Alright…" The factory had signed both a confidentiality agreent and a liability waiver. If the client insisted, there was little they could do. So traditional Chinese dicine leaflets listed side effects as "currently unknown," and Dong Mingfeng and his associates decided to do the sa. As for the approval procedures, having been in Jiangbei for so many years, they were confident they could get everything squared away quickly. They also had connections in advertising and were prepared for a massive promotional blitz.
Everything was ready; all that was left was to count the money.
「A few days later.」
The Shen Family held a high-profile press conference, officially launching their new dicines. Once they hit the market, they beca an instant sensation, their popularity snowballing and growing larger by the day. In the blink of an eye, the Shen Family's assets had multiplied exponentially. Major investors, like sharks slling blood in the water, scrambled to discuss partnerships and market expansion. The various powers in Jiangbei watched, first with curiosity, then with shock. Even so families in the surrounding cities were alard.
"My God, the Shen Family's growth is explosive!"
"At this rate, the Shen Family is about to leap into the ranks of Jiangbei's top families!"
"Where did they get their formula? The effects are incredible!"
"Rember that young man, Lin Tang, from Vice-President Wei's banquet? Even Sun Siwei and Chen Shanchun praised his dical skills."
"Don't tell he's the one who provided the Shen Family with their new dicine? Didn't they cut ties? I heard even Shen Youling, the number one beauty of Jiangbei, was kicked out of the family."
"Tsk, she's hardly the number one beauty of Jiangbei anymore. Soone saw her with their own eyes—her face is disfigured!"
"What?!"
…
In stark contrast to the triumph of Shen Xin and his cronies, the news of Shen Youling's disfigurent spread like wildfire. While many people expressed their pity, a good number also reveled in her misfortune.
Previously, she had been too beautiful to find a job. Now, with a dark scar on her face, she faced constant rejection all the sa. The irony was palpable. The money she had borrowed was about to run out, and her creditors were already hinting that they wanted her to repay the loan early.
Shen Youling looked up at the sky, a feeling of utter darkness washing over her.
Just then, a woman wearing a mask and sunglasses found her.
"Who are you?" Shen Youling secretly tightened her grip on her pepper spray. Her sense of security was at an all-ti low. Even if the other person was a woman, she dared not trust them.
"It's ." Mo Pinglan removed her mask and sunglasses, offering a miserable smile. Her appearance was indeed more wretched; her entire face was blackened, covered in cracks and wrinkles, so ugly it was hard to look at her directly. As for Shen Youling, apart from the black mark, the rest of her face was still flawless. Without comparison, there is no suffering. Mo Pinglan looked at her with a complex gaze.
Shen Youling froze for a mont before she realized who it was, which only made her more nervous.
"You don't have to be afraid," Mo Pinglan said gently. "My master has completely abandoned . I won't hurt you just because she has a feud with Lin Tang."
"Is that so? Then why are you looking for ?" Shen Youling did not let her guard down.
"Co work at Tianxiang Doukou Company," Mo Pinglan said. "The Tang siblings have been completely ruined and were taken away by my master. I'm in full charge of the company now, so no one will harm you. I'd like to invite you to be my assistant. I guarantee the salary and benefits will satisfy you."
Shen Youling was surprised. "Why ?"
"In that case, I'll be honest with you," Mo Pinglan said seriously. "I want to get on Lin Tang's good side so that when he cures your face, he might cure mine as well."
These words left Shen Youling at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. "Miss Mo, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed. While Lin Tang's dical skills are excellent, he can't cure everything. He admitted to himself that he can't fix my face."
Mo Pinglan shook her head. "That's because you never truly placed your hope in him… You don't know yet, do you? He has already gone to the Tang siblings' hotown. There's a thousand-year-old Spiritual dicine there that can cure your face. Of course, the place is also extrely dangerous. For Lin Tang to go is to face almost certain death. But for your sake, he went without a mont's hesitation."
Shen Youling was utterly shocked. If Lin Tang telling 'let's get back together' was out of pity, then venturing into a dragon's den for … that can't be explained away with just 'pity,' can it?
Why would he do this for ? Could it be… he has fallen for ? He's risking his life for , so why didn't he say a single word about it?
Shen Youling was lost in a daze, and then she felt the overwhelming urge to cry.
…
"ACHOO—"
Beneath Sky Mountain, the air was chilling. Fluffy, willow-catkin-like particles drifted everywhere.
Lin Tang sneezed.
Is soone badmouthing ? he mumbled, digging a Beggar's Chicken out of the dirt where it had been cooking.
"Wow, that slls amazing!" Unfazed by the heat, Lin Tang grabbed the chicken and started tearing into it.
After eating his fill, he ventured back into the mountains.
If I'd known Sky Mountain was this vast, I would have tied that woman Zhu Yingning up and dragged her here to be my guide.
Lin Tang felt helpless. With his Qinggong, it had only taken a day to travel here from Jiangbei. But searching the mountains inch by inch was taking much more ti. He had been looking for several days with no results. The main problem was that the Tang Sect excelled in the art of chanisms, which weren't just for trapping enemies but could also be used for concealnt. Although Lin Tang climbed to high vantage points, his sharp gaze piercing through the clouds and mist, he still couldn't spot any sign of the Tang Sect's stronghold.
He speculated that they had likely built a secret chamber deep inside one of the mountains.
But they're still human, not gods. They have to eat, drink, and relieve themselves, which ans they must leave traces. They have to go out to procure supplies, right? And they must maintain contact with the outside world, right? They probably also cultivate so poisonous plants, most likely in damp, dark, life-giving places. From a Fengshui Technique perspective, such a location would be suffused with malevolent qi…
As Lin Tang walked, he observed his surroundings, combining his knowledge of dicine, Fengshui Technique, and other fields. He wasn't just wandering aimlessly. Moreover, his Qinggong was exceptional, and his movents were nimble. He traversed any terrain as if it were flat ground, needing no ropes or other equipnt. His efficiency was off the charts.
One day, Lin Tang discovered a man-made dicinal field in a shady gorge. It contained not only many poisonous herbs but also shade-loving dicinal plants, including so rare specins seldom seen in the outside world. The only issue was that they weren't very old.
Lin Tang smiled faintly. Heh, it seems I've finally found a lead!
He scouted the area again but found no secret chambers or signs of human activity, so he decisively returned to the dicinal field to lie in wait. He found a sheltered spot, carved out a small cave, and went inside to ditate and sleep, conserving his energy.
He didn't know how long he'd slept when he suddenly snapped his eyes open. Rushing out of the cave, he looked up at the opposite mountaintop. A towering figure stood there, one hand pointing to the heavens and the other to the earth. Overflowing with excitent, the man threw his head back and laughed boisterously.
"HAHAHA, I've perfected my poison techniques! I've finally perfected them!"
This person was none other than the Tang Sect Leader, Tang Dingbo
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