It had been seven days and seven nights. Jinshui had been channeling his inner energy into Xu Qiao, he didn't dare to rest in the slightest.
This rescue process turned out to be much more difficult than previously thought. Eighth-level wuqing xue was only possessed by Jinshui alone, Shuqin was also powerless to help. Yanzi made several kinds of medicinal herbs, but they didn't much help either.
Gu Chenhui saw that his stepson had such a strong determination. Once again, she begged her mother for help, but Yunian was old, did not have the ability as before, and once again stated that only Jinshui could help and no one else.
Gu Chenhui then asked Fuchang Long and Li Baixun to go find Zeng Baifeng at Wansui Gu, inviting him to Baiyu Shan. However, she was not sure that the owner of Wansui Gu would accept the invitation. There was once a dispute between Wansui Gu and Liangshan member Liu Mo. In addition, judging by his character, it would not be easy to ask Zeng Baifeng to leave his residence to save someone's life. Gu Chenhui then decided to go along accompanied by Zu Ye Niang.
Xu Qiao's own immune system had been greatly reduced due to the poison that had lingered for too long. She also had to face the heavy pressure of leaving Jinshui, dealing with Jinshui's anger, making the energy she had to fight the poison in her body less and less.
Jinshui himself did not dare to impose. Xu Qiao's life was very precious to him. After everything that had happened, he didn't want her to feel any slight pain. He was not only trying to suppress the poison but was also exerting energy to keep Xu Qiao alive. Everything was done simultaneously, and it all drained his energy.
A letter came through a pigeon, mentioning that Huang Zhe was not caught in Luoyang City, and even managed to escape. Orders from Jinshui, even the slightest progress must be reported, so the contents of this letter covered up nothing.
"Jinshui Gege, you should just leave me," Xu Qiao was also very worried.
"Huang Yu and the others should be able to handle it," Jinshui tried to calm her down, "the next process requires full concentration, I hope you don't think of anything else."
However, Jinshui's expression could not hide his own anxiety. Huang Zhe could escape, meaning he could be even more dangerous. Huang Yu and the others were after all important pillars for the rebuilding of Yumen, and Jinshui didn't want to lose any of them. While he was only here for the sake of a girl, he did not know whether this decision was right.
In the room, there were only Jinshui and Xu Qiao, while Yanzi was waiting outside, sleeping, leaning against the wall in front of the door. Jinshui fed Xu Qiao medicine, an energy booster that was always prepared. Xu Qiao had been unable to taste sweet sour bitter spicy and all kinds of other flavors since a while ago, this time she could taste this medicine a bit bitter, whether that could be considered a good sign.
"What's wrong?" Jinshui asked her.
"This medicine, is it so bitter that even a numb tongue can taste it?" asked Xu Qiao.
"You... can taste it now?" Jinshui looked at her and knew she was not lying.
Xu Qiao nodded, much to Jinshui's relief.
"It's starting to show results," he said more excitedly, "the poison doesn't do any more damage. Just a little more, then there's no need to worry about anything. Qiao-er, are you ready?"
"Yes."
Jinshui closed his eyes. One hand fused with Xu Qiao's palm to channel energy, and the other two fingers pressed against her stomach to suck out the poison.
Xu Qiao looked at Jinshui unblinkingly, discovering that there was still some anxiety behind his serious expression. Yumen Jiao and herself were both important. Xu Qiao didn't know if Jinshui could survive if he had to lose her. But she was sure, Jinshui would feel guilty for life if he had to lose his Yumen Sect.
"Qiao-er, you don't think about anything." Jinshui reprimanded her without opening his eyes. He knew Xu Qiao wasn't concentrating properly. "Trust me, I can definitely save you to the end."
"I believe it," Xu Qiao said. "Jinshui Gege, there's no need to share your internal energy to help me reduce the pain. I can hold it."
"No," Jinshui knew the consequences, "you're so weak, you won't be strong enough to hold yourself back."
"It's only a little bit more," Xu Qiao still covered up, "It will only hurt a bit, it's fine."
"Wuqing xue of the highest level is very strong, I don't even dare to ask others to help, how dare you risk your life too?" asked Jinshui gently.
"Jinshui Gege...." Xu Qiao withdrew her hand. Jinshui flinched slightly, almost too late for him to pull back the other hand. Not wanting to injure Xu Qiao, instead, his own strength immediately reversed, almost injuring himself.
"Qiao-er, you...."
"Jinshui Gege, please... sucking out the poison alone is enough for you, you don't need to give me your energy. I don't want you to be exhausted and hurt...."
"I can take being exhausted and injured, but I wouldn't risk anything that could harm you."
"You can't be exhausted and injured," Xu Qiao reminded him, "otherwise how can you help Huang Yu and the others?"
What Xu Qiao said was indeed the biggest pain in Jinshui's heart. After this healing process was completed, of course, he still had to go after Huang Yu and the others, to face an enemy with unknown capability. He didn't care about running out of energy or getting hurt, as long as he can save everyone. But his own ability still had limits, and he had to admit it.
"Jinshui Gege, you once told me, you as the son of Wu Youwei, cannot abandon the duty of being the primary descendant of Yumen, not even for my sake. I know this is an unchangeable reality, I already understand it. You... just let me go...."
"There is still a chance to help, why should I let go? I..." Jinshui did not continue his next words, looking at Xu Qiao's pale face, her tears were unbearable, and she also felt extreme heartache. "Qiao-er… in the end, I have to admit, I'm only a mortal and not a god...."
"It's fine," Xu Qiao wiped away her own tears, "after today, you belong to the Yumen Sect again, and must go help Huang Yu and the others. Regarding me, my life and death is no longer your responsibility."
"You have to stay alive." Jinshui refocused his mind. "At least, you are free from the possibility of losing the ability to speak, see and hear. The leiying hua poison will soon be eliminated and your recovery process can be started after. I know it would not be easy, but promise me, wait for me to come back. I will help you recuperate after."
"I will come with you," Xu Qiao suddenly said. "You're chasing criminals, I also can't just stay here waiting for you."
"What?" Jinshui protested. "How can you leave Baiyu Shan? You are in this condition, only when you are in Baiyu Shan can I catch up and fight with the enemy. If you come with me, then I must share my mind to look after you. If he catches you trying to pressure me, then I will...."
"He won't catch me, because he's busy fighting you. Isn't the enemy this time only one person?" Xu Qiao tried to convince him.
"No, you just have to stay here. I'll have Shangguan Ruyin and the others watch over you so you don't wander around looking for trouble. You're still very weak, they'll definitely be watching wholeheartedly."
"Jinshui Gege, listen to me," Xu Qiao was determined. "I will come with you, but will not be with you. I will keep up to a hundred miles behind you. That way, after everything is settled you can come straight to me and don't have to travel all the way to Baiyu Shan to see me."
Jinshui fell silent. Sweat the size of soybean grains filled his face because he had exhausted himself. Xu Qiao's words were right. He really didn't want to be separated from his girlfriend for too long. If shortening the time of separation was as expected, he would also be able to help Xu Qiao heal her other wounds.
"After the poison in my body is eliminated, I will slowly recover and be strong enough to travel long distances," Xu Qiao said again. "Believe me, if you ask me to wait here and I don't know when you will come back, I will always worry and miss you, and will not be able to recover properly."
"You will miss me?" Jinshui asked, his eyes sparkling, his spirit growing again.
"Jinshui Gege, you know I love you very much."
Yanzi who was lying in front of the door had already woken up. She immediately came closer after hearing their conversation. Jinshui stopped his concentration for a moment. He also needed to take a break and rest for a while.
"Right, right," the little miss agreed with Xu Qiao, "Jinshui Gege only has one enemy, how could that enemy have enough time to find Qiao-er Jiejie when he has to deal with the Yumen descendants? He wouldn't expect Jinshui Gege's lover to leave Baiyu Shan and staying not far away. No one would think about that."
"You really are..." Jinshui couldn't help but admit, letting Xu Qiao come with him within a distance would be better for him and for Xu Qiao too.
"I'm coming too," Yanzi said very excitedly. "Others can't take good care of Qiao-er Jiejie, but I definitely can. I'm not good in martial arts, but I can still brag when it comes to poison and tricks."
"How about your father?" Jinshui reminded her of Zhou Sangong who was also in Baiyu Shan.
Zhou Sangong already lost all his martial abilities, but he was still alive and his poison knowledge was still in his head. Yanzi still needed to take care of him so he wouldn't commit crimes again.
"My father is busy looking after the goats in the valley," Yanzi also replied, "he seems very happy with his current life, I haven't taken care of him for days."
Jinshui was about to retort again, but Yanzi hurriedly continued, "I'll also take the Hanleng Shuang Yin Jiejie with us. They were young but were dashanzhu's disciples. Plus, they have been living in the mountains for a long time, it must be really fun to go out for a walk."
"You better take Yin Guniang and Huang Guniang with you," said Jinshui. "I have already borrowed fifteen bodyguards of Baiyu Shan, daniang is also currently away somewhere. Hanleng Shuang Yin should stay to guard this place."
He didn't know that Gu Chenhui's went to Wansui Gu, in order to invite Zeng Baifeng to come save Xu Qiao.
"That's right," Yanzi replied, "they must also be bored to death not being able to keep up with Liao Xian Gege and Li Qian Gege. But, I guess Yin Jiejie is enough. She can be a good ear. Huang Lian is a bit stupid, bringing her might turn into trouble." She chuckled.
"Jinshui Gege, are you really willing to let me come with you?" Xu Qiao asked Jinshui.
"Do I still have a choice?" Jinshui asked back.
That night Jinshui concentrated on sucking the remaining of leiying hua poison from Xu Qiao's body, storing it in one part of his own body to be slowly eliminated. With his current energy, he could contain poison without much trouble, getting rid of it was easier too.
In the morning Yanzi again gave Xu Qiao energy-boosting medicine. Xu Qiao was extremely excited, her pale face briefly turned red.
That very morning the horse carriage raced out of Baiyu Shan. Jinshui rode the horse in front of it. When they reached the bank of the long river and found the Bai Family's ship, Jinshui used three days of water travel to get rid of the remaining poison in his body, only then was he able to leave Xu Qiao on the ship, spurring his horse to catch up with Huang Yu and others.
Jinshui stopped his horse from running, he looked at the marks left by his followers and knew that they were not far away. Sure enough, it didn't take long for Lao Diaoyan and Lao Guishou to come running over and greeted him.
"The Yuzhi Shi Wu girls found Huang Zhe in a ruined temple in the small village ahead, it seems that he has been there for several days," Lao Guishou reported to him, "we are waiting for Huang Gongzi and the others to arrive. As commanded, we would attack only when we are sure of our strength."
"Huang Zhe is very cunning, tricked us several times, and made it difficult for all of us to find his traces since he escaped in Luoyang City," said Lao Diaoyan. "He's also been using his signature method, killing people that happen to come across, carrying the corpse dozens of miles before leaving it."
"We had to spread out to find his traces," Lao Guishou said again, "Yuzhi Shi Wu girls disguised themselves and waited carefully, and they didn't attack immediately, only then can we find his hiding place."
"Incidentally jiaozhu has arrived here, can take care of him, "continued Lao Diaoyan. "Jiaozhu please give commands."
Not far away was a resident's village called Anxin Chun (Peaceful Heart Village). The sound of horses running could be heard approaching and a moment later Jinshui saw Huang Yu coming with Ma Yongtao and Zhu Baique.
"Jinshui, you're here," Huang Yu came closer and greeted him.
"How's Xu Guniang?" Zhu Baique asked.
"She's fine," Jinshui replied. "I heard that you didn't catch Huang Zhe in Luoyang City, and he fled all the way to this place. Just now Lao Diaoyan and Lao Guishou have also told me the situation."
"There have already been several members of the minor sect who became victims," Ma Yongtao said, "he purposely used the name Yumen Jiao, killing the victim by crushing the bones, said to be the signature effects of our wuqing xue."
"He also injured a number of county officials' bodyguards, deliberately showing the xuanlong sword in his hand and claiming himself as you," Huang Yu said, "he said that the Yumen Jiao has returned, and will soon rule the world."
"This person is really very dangerous," said Ma Yongtao too, "also incredibly cunning."
The five of them headed for the ruined temple that Lao Guishou mentioned, five of Yuzhi Shi Wu's members were already waiting there, dressed in peasant girl clothes and pretending they were herding their goats.
"He is over there," one of the girls, Qianzhi, reported to Huang Yu. "Every night he goes out to catch wild animals, then comes back. During the day he just stays inside, these few days also not looking for human victims. Currently, he was hunting and had not returned."
"Seven days ago we found the bodies of two Haitang Jian Pai disciples who were also present at Baiyu Shan with the people who were hunting down Liangtian Jian Shen's inheritance," continued Lianzhi, the second member, "obviously killed by him and drained of all inner strength. The state of the two bodies was horrific, almost unrecognizable."
"Are they Yuan Wancui's direct disciples?" Jinshui asked.
"Don't know, but it doesn't seem like it," Lianzhi said.
A figure floated towards the broken temple, its movement was extremely fast, but still clearly visible to Jinshui and the others. The figure immediately rushed inside, Jinshui and the others quickly prepared, surrounding the figure from the four directions with weapons in their hands.
"Don't let him off the hook," Huang Yu reminded once again, "I'll distract him for a while, lure him out in the open."
Huang Yu entered the broken temple alone. The place was very dark, he also acted carefully, not wanting to lose the enemy before fighting. Slowly he tried to find where Huang Zhe was by sharpening his ear. But there was no sign of any other living being inside the ruined shrine for a moment.
"Did Hua Jinshui ask you to come?"
Huang Zhe's voice was suddenly heard. Its origin was unclear. Huang Yu prepared his chess piece secret weapon. From this voice, he could guess, his older brother was no longer the same as the Huang Zhe he knew three years ago, and even different from the last time he saw him when he was still with Xie Tianhu. Huang Zhe's hatred towards Jinshui and the Yumen descendants, his self-loathing, had all thickened and merged into every single cell of his blood, unable to be separated anymore.
A figure appeared at the front of the shrine which was still being bathed in light from the outside. Huang Yu turned his head and immediately saw an extremely terrifying figure, his face was covered with dried blood, the veins on his neck were bulging and red, and his eyes were full of hatred and murderous intent, but there was suffering in that face too.
"I have sucked Xie Tianhu's inner energy, multiplied my abilities but I can't control it either," Huang Zhe said horribly, seeming to be in pain. "Then I also sucked up the internal energy of the two Haitang Jian Pai disciples, unexpectedly their energy has such a strong negative nature."
"You stole my wuqing xue fragments a few years ago, studying it yourself without any instructions, even without the beginning," Huang Yu said, "you can't just suck up the inner energy of others, because this way you will only harm yourself."
Another voice was heard after a second of silence, "Huang Yu Gege, help me…."
Huang Zhe showed a terrible smile without replying, then pulled a girl out from the darkness, and stuck the xuanlong sword on the girl's neck.
Huang Yu recognized that girl as Xiu-er, one of two girls brought by the Haitang Jian Pai people to Baitu Shanzhuang. The little girl who had followed Jinshui for a while before being taken away by Bao Xinfei.
"This girl told me that she was actually taken by Xu Erfuren to Huofeng Lou," Huang Zhe still managed to tell his brother. "But she didn't like being there, so she went looking for you."
Huang Zhe stepped back towards another exit while Huang Yu followed carefully. Xiu-er's twin sister was killed by the xuanlong sword in the hands of Jinshui, and Xiu-er took great pains to understand everything. Huang Yu didn't know how the girl fell into Huang Zhe's hands, but he definitely knew he had to save this girl and couldn't help but care about her.
"Let go of that girl, you can take me instead," Huang Yu said to him.
"How dare I?" Huang Zhe laughed. "The descendant of Chailang is not only possessing high skill martial arts but also famous for cunning. Replacing this girl with you will be of no use to me. I'm sure you will ask your friends out there not to hesitate to hurt you so that I lose a hostage."
He turned around and walked out of the temple. Jinshui and Ma Yongtao had already blocked him with their fist, but he used Xiu-er's body as a shield, forcing the two of them to withdraw. Huang Yu used the chess pieces to force him to let Xiu-er go, but Huang Zhe easily knocked out the secret weapon with the xuanlong sword. Huang Zhe's strength really did multiply so fast in just a matter of days.
It was at that moment that from within the ruined temple came the sounds of crying and screaming of a number of small children, distracting Jinshui and the others for just a second and Huang Zhe had seized the opportunity to dash off into the night.