Chapter 60

Chapter 60: Three Poisons XII 5

Wen Ning gathered dozens of disciples and personally escorted them to a grand mansion, slipping in quietly through the back door. He led Wei Wuxian into a small room.

However, the moment Wen Ning turned around to close the door, before he could even catch his breath, Wei Wuxian grabbed his throat again, whispering harshly, "Where is this place?!"

Despite being saved by Wen Ning, Wei Wuxian couldn’t drop his guard against the Wen family that easily. He had been on guard the whole time. As they passed through the mansion, he overheard snippets of Qishan-accented conversations through door and window cracks. From the fragments of dialogue, he caught the phrase "Inspection Lodge."

Wen Ning waved his hands frantically, "It's not... I..."

Wei Wuxian said, "It's not what? Isn't this the Inspection Lodge set up in Yiling? Whose unlucky family's territory has been taken over now? What do you intend to do by bringing us here?"

Wen Ning struggled to explain, "Wei gongzi, please listen to me. This is indeed the Inspection Lodge. But... I have no intention of harming you. If I wanted to, I could have turned back after entering Lotus Pier last night, instead of deliberately leading you here."

Wei Wuxian had been on edge for days, ready to explode at any second. Although he was still suspicious, Wen Ning continued, "This really is the Inspection Lodge. If there’s one place the Wen family won’t search, it’s here. You can stay here, but you mustn't be discovered by anyone else..."

After a pause, Wei Wuxian finally released him, whispering a quick thank you and apology before carefully placing Jiang Cheng on the wooden bed.

They’d just agreed not to get caught, and immediately someone found them!

Wei Wuxian broke out in a cold sweat, quickly stepping in front of the bed. Wen Ning was so frightened that he couldn’t even speak.

The two of them stared rigidly at the woman standing in the doorway. Or rather, the girl. She had a slightly dark complexion and a sweet appearance, but her eyes were inexplicably proud. She wore fiery robes, with vivid red flames flickering at her cuffs and collar.

Her rank was very high, on par with Wen Chao’s!

The three stood frozen in a tense standoff until hurried footsteps echoed outside. Wei Wuxian steeled himself to act, but before he could, the girl moved first, slamming the door shut with a loud "pa."

A voice from outside called, "Inspector Wen, what’s happening?"

The girl replied coldly, "Nothing. My brother’s back and feeling low. Don’t bother him. Let’s go back and continue our discussion."

A few people responded and left with her. Wen Ning let out a sigh of relief and explained to Wei Wuxian, "She... she's my sister."

Wei Wuxian said, "Wen Qing is your sister?"

Wen Ning nodded, a little embarrassed, "Yes, my sister. She’s very capable."

Indeed, she was very capable.

Wen Qing was somewhat of a celebrity within the Wen family of Qishan. She wasn’t a direct daughter of the Wen family head, Wen Ruohan, but rather the descendant of a distant cousin of Wen Ruohan’s. Although the cousin was a distant relative, Wen Ruohan had been close to him since childhood. Moreover, Wen Qing excelled in literary exams and specialized in medical arts, making her a talent. She was highly favored by Wen Ruohan and frequently accompanied him to various grand events hosted by the Wen family of Qishan. Wei Wuxian had some impression of her face, as she was considered a beauty. There were rumors she had a brother or younger sibling, but since they were far less notable than Wen Qing, few people discussed them.

Wei Wuxian asked curiously, "You’re really Wen Qing’s brother?"

Wen Ning, thinking that Wei Wuxian was surprised that such an outstanding and famous sister would have such an unremarkable brother, admitted, "Yes. My sister is amazing. I... I'm not."

Wei Wuxian said, "No, no. You’re also very capable. What surprises me is that with your sister being Wen Qing, the head of the Inspection Lodge, you actually dared to bring us..."

At that moment, Jiang Cheng on the bed stirred slightly and frowned a little. Wei Wuxian immediately turned to check, "Jiang Cheng?!"

Wen Ning hurriedly said, "He’s waking up, he needs medicine. I’ll get some."

He walked out and gently closed the door behind him. After being unconscious for a long time, Jiang Cheng finally stirred awake. At first, Wei Wuxian was overjoyed, but soon realized something was wrong.

Jiang Cheng’s expression was strange, too calm. Unsettlingly calm.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, seemingly indifferent to his surroundings or his situation.

Wei Wuxian hadn't expected his reaction to be like this—no joy, anger, sorrow, or surprise. His heart sank and he said, "Jiang Cheng, can you see? Can you hear me? Do you recognize who I am?"

Jiang Cheng looked at him but said nothing. After Wei Wuxian pressed him with a few more questions, Jiang Cheng finally sat up on the wooden bed with the support of his arm. He glanced at the whip scars on his chest and sneered.

Once the whip scar was on the body, the shameful mark could never be erased. Yet Wei Wuxian said reluctantly, "Don't look. There's always a way to get rid of it."

Jiang Cheng slapped him, though the blow was weak and soft, not even making Wei Wuxian flinch. "Hit me all you want. If it makes you feel better," Wei Wuxian said.

"Did you feel it?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Feel what?" Wei Wuxian replied, confused.

"My spiritual power?" Jiang Cheng clarified.

"What spiritual power? You didn't use any," Wei Wuxian said.

"I did," Jiang Cheng insisted.

"What are you… What are you saying?" Wei Wuxian stammered.

Jiang Cheng repeated word by word, "I said, I used it. Just now, when I hit you, I used all of my spiritual power. Tell me, did you feel it?"

Wei Wuxian looked at him. After a moment of silence, he said, "Try hitting me again."

"No need," Jiang Cheng said. "No matter how many times you hit, the result will be the same. Wei Wuxian, do you know why the Alchemy Hand is called the Alchemy Hand?"

A deep sense of despair sank in.

Jiang Cheng continued, "Because those hands can dissolve the golden core, making it impossible for the person to ever form a core again, causing their spiritual power to dissipate, reducing them to just an ordinary person."

"And a nobody from a noble cultivation family can only live an ordinary life, never again able to dream of reaching the top."

"My mother and father were first stripped of their golden cores by Wen Zhuliu, leaving them defenseless before he killed them."

Wei Wuxian's thoughts were in turmoil, and he muttered in confusion, "...Alchemy Hand... Alchemy Hand..."

Jiang Cheng sneered, "Wen Zhuliu, Wen Zhuliu. I want revenge, I must take revenge, but how can I? I don't even have a golden core anymore, and I'll never be able to form one again. What can I use to seek revenge? Hahahahaha, hahahahahahaha!"

Wei Wuxian fell to the ground, unable to say a word as he watched Jiang Cheng, who seemed to have gone mad on the bed.

No one understood better than him just how much Jiang Cheng valued his own cultivation and spiritual power. Now, with one strike from the Alchemy Hand, all his cultivation, pride, and hope for revenge had been shattered into pieces.

After laughing maniacally for a while, Jiang Cheng lay back down on the bed, spread his hands, and said in a self-deprecating tone, "Wei Wuxian, why did you save me? What's the point of keeping me alive? So I can live in this world and watch the Wen dogs run rampant, while I can do nothing?"

Just then, Wen Ning entered the room. With a nearly ingratiating smile, he carried a bowl of medicine to the side of the bed. Before he could say anything, his fiery robes caught Jiang Cheng’s attention, and his pupils shrank instantly.

Jiang Cheng kicked Wen Ning, knocking over the bowl of medicine, which splashed all over Wen Ning. Wei Wuxian had meant to catch the bowl but instead pulled the startled Wen Ning aside. Jiang Cheng roared at him, "What’s going on?!"

Wen Ning retreated in fear, but Jiang Cheng grabbed Wei Wuxian's collar and shouted, "You saw a Wen dog and didn’t kill him?! And you even saved him? Do you want to die?!"

Though Jiang Cheng had used all his strength, his hands were still weak. Wei Wuxian easily broke free. It was only then that Jiang Cheng seemed to notice his surroundings and looked around warily, asking cautiously, "Where are we?"

From a distance, Wen Ning replied, "The Yiling Supervision Lodge. But it's very safe..."

Jiang Cheng suddenly turned to Wei Wuxian. "A Supervision Lodge?! You walked right into the trap?"

"I didn't!" Wei Wuxian said.

"You didn't? Then what are you doing in a Supervision Lodge? How did you end up here? Don't tell me you sought help from the Wen dogs?!" Jiang Cheng demanded harshly.

Wei Wuxian grabbed him and said, "Jiang Cheng, don't panic! This place is secure! Calm down, reversing the Alchemical Hand may not be impossible..."

But Jiang Cheng was already beyond reasoning, in a state of semi-madness. He clutched Wei Wuxian by the neck and laughed maniacally, "Wei Wuxian, hahahahahaha Wei Wuxian! You! You..."

Suddenly, a red figure kicked the door open and darted in. A palm struck down, and a flash of silver light passed by. Jiang Cheng was pricked by a needle and immediately fell back onto the bed. Wen Qing closed the door and barked in a low, angry voice, "Wen Ning, are you that foolish? Letting him shout and laugh so loudly?! Were you afraid no one would notice?"

Wen Ning looked relieved, as if he had just seen a savior, and called out, "Sister!"

Wen Qing said, "Don't call me sister! I haven't asked you yet, when did you become so bold? Daring to hide people! I've already asked around; it's no wonder you suddenly wanted to go to Yunmeng! Who gave you the courage this time? If Wen Chao finds out what you've done, he'll tear you apart! If he really decides to get rid of someone, do you think I can stop him?"

Her words were fast and clear, leaving no room for argument. Wei Wuxian couldn't find a chance to interrupt. Wen Ning's face turned pale as he said, "But, Sister, Wei Gongzi..." Wen Qing sternly cut him off, "I'll overlook it because you acted out of gratitude, but these two absolutely cannot stay here for long! You suddenly left and suddenly returned; Wen Chao will soon notice someone's missing. Do you think Wen Chao is stupid enough not to realize? They'll search here sooner or later. This is the Inspection Lodge under my jurisdiction, and this is your room. Do you realize what will happen if they discover you're hiding someone? Think carefully!"

She made the stakes so clear that it was as if she was pointing at Wei Wuxian's nose, telling them to leave immediately and not drag them into trouble. If it were Wei Wuxian who was injured, or if someone else had saved them, he would have definitely said a firm goodbye and left at once. But now, it was Jiang Cheng who was injured—not only that, he had lost his golden core and was mentally unstable. No matter what, Wei Wuxian couldn't bring himself to be firm. Moreover, it was the Wen family who had put them in this situation, which left him feeling resentful. Wei Wuxian could only grit his teeth and remain silent.

Wen Ning said, "But, it's the Wen family..." Wen Qing interrupted, "What the Wen family does doesn't represent what we do. The sins of the Wen family don't mean we have to bear them. Wei Ying, you don't need to look at me like that. Every wrong has its source, and every debt its debtor. I am the Chief here in Yiling, but I took this position under orders. I am a physician and have never killed anyone, and I've never had the blood of your Jiang family on my hands!"

Indeed, it had never been heard that Wen Qing had been involved in any deaths or atrocities. People from various places only hoped she would take over. Among the Wen family, Wen Qing was one of the few who behaved decently and could even speak well in front of Wen Ruohan, enjoying a good reputation.

The room fell into silence.

After a while, Wen Qing said, "Don't remove that needle. If this kid wakes up, he'll go crazy, shouting and screaming so loudly that people outside will hear. Wait until his injuries have healed before removing it, and then leave quickly. I don't want to deal with Wen Chao, especially the woman next to him. She makes me sick!"

With that, she decisively left the room. Wei Wuxian said, "She... is telling us we can't stay long but can stay for a few days... right?"

Wen Ning hurriedly nodded and said, "Thank you, Sister!"

From outside, a bag of medicinal herbs was thrown in, and Wen Qing's voice came from afar, "If you really want to thank me, be more capable! That was some awful medicine you prepared earlier. Boil it again!"

Wen Ning was hit squarely by the bag of herbs but happily said, "The medicine my sister prepares is definitely much better than mine, hundreds of times better, absolutely good."

Wei Wuxian finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you."

He knew that this brother and sister were both taking a huge risk. As Wen Qing had said, if Wen Chao really decided to get rid of someone, Wen Qing might not be able to stop him, and she might even get dragged into trouble. After all, those born to others could never compare to one's own flesh and blood.

Jiang Cheng had that needle stuck in his head and slept for three days. His bones and external injuries had healed, leaving only the ever-fading whip mark and the golden core that could never be retrieved, which were destined to remain unhealed.

Wei Wuxian had also thought for three days.

After three days, Wei Wuxian bid Wen Ning farewell, carried Jiang Cheng on his back, and walked for a while before borrowing a small house from a forest warden.

He closed the door and carefully removed the silver needle from Jiang Cheng's head. After a long time, Jiang Cheng finally opened his eyes.

He was awake but didn't move, not even to turn over or ask, "Where is this?" He had no interest in drinking or eating, as if he was seeking death.

Wei Wuxian said, "Do you really want to die?"

Jiang Cheng said, "If I can't take revenge while alive, I might as well die. Maybe I can become a fierce ghost."

Wei Wuxian said, "You've received the Soul-Calming Rites since childhood. You can't become a fierce ghost after death."

Jiang Cheng said, "If I can't take revenge whether alive or dead, then what's the difference between living and dying?"

After saying that, he fell silent again.

Wei Wuxian sat by the bed, looked at him for a while, patted his leg, stood up, and began to bustle about.

In the evening, he finally prepared a meal and set it on the table, saying, "Get up. It's time to eat."

Naturally, Jiang Cheng didn't respond to him. Wei Wuxian sat at the table, picked up his chopsticks, and said, "If you don't regain your strength, how will you ever recover your golden core?"

At the mention of "golden core," Jiang Cheng finally blinked.

Wei Wuxian continued, "Yes, there's no need to doubt it. You heard me correctly. I said, 'get your golden core back.'"

Jiang Cheng moved his lips, his voice hoarse, "...Do you have a way?"

Wei Wuxian calmly replied, "I have a way."

He turned around and said, "Didn't you already know that my mother, Zangse Sanren, was a disciple of the hermit Baoshan Sanren?"

This brief sentence, just a few dozen words, instantly reignited the light in Jiang Cheng's previously lifeless eyes.

Baoshan Sanren, a legendary immortal said to be hundreds of years old, capable of resurrecting the dead and regenerating flesh—a legendary recluse beyond the mortal realm!

He stammered, "Are you saying... are you saying..."

Wei Wuxian spoke clearly, "I'm saying that I know which mountain Baoshan refers to. In other words, I can take you to find Baoshan Sanren."

Jiang Cheng asked, "...But, but didn't you lose your memories of childhood?!"

Wei Wuxian explained, "I didn't lose all of them. There are some fragmented memories I've recalled many times. There was a woman's voice that repeatedly told me about a location and certain things. This voice said that if I ever encountered a dire situation, I could go to that place, up the mountain, and seek help from the immortals there."

Jiang Cheng rolled off the bed.

He rushed to the table, and Wei Wuxian pushed the bowl and utensils in front of him, saying, "Eat."

Jiang Cheng leaned on the edge of the table, excitedly saying, "I..."

Wei Wuxian said, "Eat. Talk while you eat. Otherwise, I'm not saying more."

Jiang Cheng had no choice but to climb onto the stool and start shoveling rice into his mouth with his chopsticks. His heart, which had been as good as dead, suddenly found a glimmer of hope. He was so excited it felt like a fire was burning within him, making him restless. He didn’t even realize he was holding his chopsticks upside down. Seeing that Jiang Cheng had finally started eating distractedly, Wei Wuxian said, "In a few days, I'll take you to find her."

Jiang Cheng insisted, "Today!"

Wei Wuxian replied, "What are you afraid of? An immortal who has lived for centuries isn't going to vanish in a few days. It has to be in a few days because there are many taboos involved, and I need to explain them to you slowly. Otherwise, if we break any taboos and anger our ancestor, we're done for, both of us."

Jiang Cheng stared at him, hoping he would say more. Wei Wuxian continued, "Once we're on the mountain, you can't open your eyes and look around at the scenery or the faces of others. Remember, whatever they ask you to do, follow their instructions without question."

Jiang Cheng said, "Okay!"

Wei Wuxian added, "And most importantly, if they ask who you are, you must say you are the son of Zangse Sanren. You can't reveal your true identity!"

Jiang Cheng said, "Okay!"

At this point, Jiang Cheng would likely agree to anything Wei Wuxian asked. Wei Wuxian said, "Alright, eat. Restore your strength and regain your spirit. I need to prepare in the next few days."

Jiang Cheng finally realized he was holding his chopsticks upside down, switched them, and ate a few more mouthfuls. The spiciness made his eyes water, but he still couldn’t help cursing, "...This is awful!"

After several days of repeated questioning about the details of Baoshan Sanren, Wei Wuxian set out with Jiang Cheng, crossing mountains and rivers, and arrived at a deep mountain in Yiling.

This mountain was lush and verdant, with a spiritual elegance to its peaks, and its summit shrouded in clouds and mist, indeed carrying an air of immortality. However, it didn’t quite live up to the image of a divine mountain. Jiang Cheng had been suspicious all these days, sometimes doubting whether Wei Wuxian was lying to him, sometimes wondering if Wei Wuxian had misheard or misremembered as a child, and other times worrying about whether they could even find the place. Seeing the mountain, he doubted again, "Is this really where Baoshan Sanren lives?"

Wei Wuxian affirmed, "It's definitely here. What would be the point of lying to you? To give you false hope only to crush it later?"

They had repeated similar conversations countless times. Wei Wuxian accompanied him to the halfway point of the mountain and said, "Alright, from here, I can't go up with you anymore."

He took out a cloth and blindfolded Jiang Cheng, repeatedly cautioning him, "No matter what, don't open your eyes. There are no fierce beasts on the mountain, so take your time even if it means walking slowly. If you fall, don't pull off the blindfold. Absolutely no curiosity. Remember, stick to the story that you are Wei Wuxian. Do you know how to answer if they ask you anything?"

Eager to regain his golden core and avenge his family, Jiang Cheng dared not be careless and nodded nervously.

He turned and slowly made his way up the mountain. Wei Wuxian called out, "I'll wait for you in the town we passed earlier!"

After watching Jiang Cheng's slow progress for a while, he turned and took another mountain path.

Jiang Cheng's ascent took seven days.

The small town they had agreed to meet in was built among the mountains and was quite desolate. The town was nearly deserted, its streets narrow and uneven, with not even a peddler's stall by the roadside.

Wei Wuxian crouched by the roadside, scanning the mountain, but still couldn't spot Jiang Cheng. He pushed himself up from his knees, feeling a bit dizzy, and wobbled as he stood up. He then headed toward the only teahouse in the town.

The teahouse was the only building in this small town that wasn’t shabby. As soon as he entered, a clerk greeted him with a smile, "What can I get for you?"

Wei Wuxian's heart skipped a beat.

In recent days, he had been exhausted from traveling and had not had time to clean up, so he was almost disheveled. Typically, a teahouse clerk would have frowned and shooed someone like him away, making this warm greeting seem suspicious.

He quickly scanned the interior. The accountant stood behind the counter, seemingly trying to bury his head in the ledger. There were seven or eight people scattered across ten tables, many of them wearing cloaks and keeping their heads low, as if trying to hide something.

Wei Wuxian made an instant decision and spun around to leave. However, as soon as he took one step out of the teahouse, a dark, towering figure loomed over him, delivering a thunderous palm strike to his chest.

Wei Wuxian was sent flying through two tables, while the clerk and the accountant scrambled out in panic. The seven or eight people in the teahouse threw off their cloaks, revealing their fiery robes underneath. Wen Zhuliu stepped over the threshold and stood before Wei Wuxian, glancing thoughtfully at him and then at his own hand. Someone kicked Wei Wuxian's knees, forcing him to kneel heavily. Wen Chao's cruelly excited face appeared above him, "Is that all you've got?! You were quite the jumpy one at the bottom of the Tortoise of Slaughter cave, weren't you? One hit and you're done? Hahahaha, try jumping again!"

Wang Lingjiao's impatient voice chimed in, "Quick! Young Master Wen, cut off his hand! He still owes us an arm!"

Wen Chao said, "No, no, no. We’ve finally caught him; cutting off his hand would cause too much bleeding, and he might die too quickly. That wouldn’t be fun. First, let's dissolve his golden core. I want to hear him scream like Jiang Cheng did!"

Wang Lingjiao added, "Then let's dissolve his core first, and then cut off his hand!"

As they enthusiastically discussed, Wei Wuxian spat out a mouthful of blood and said, "Fine! Bring on your tortures!"

Wang Lingjiao laughed, "You asked for it!"

Wen Chao sneered, "You're about to die, and you're still pretending to be a hero!"

Wei Wuxian coldly laughed, "It's because I'm about to die that I'm happy! I was afraid I wouldn't die. If you have the guts, torture me to death! The crueler, the better. After I die, I will become a fierce and vengeful ghost, haunting the Wen family of Qishan day and night, cursing all of you!"

Hearing this, Wen Chao hesitated. He knew that disciples from prestigious clans, like Jiang Fengmian and Lady Yu, were influenced by their families and rituals from birth, undergoing countless soul-calming ceremonies. After death, they were unlikely to become fierce ghosts. However, Wei Wuxian was different. As a child of a household servant, he hadn’t grown up in the Jiang family and hadn’t undergone those soul-calming rituals. If he truly became a vengeful ghost, it would indeed be problematic. Moreover, the more torment he suffered before death, the more vicious and difficult to deal with the ghost would be.

Seeing Wen Chao's hesitation, Wang Lingjiao quickly said, "Young Master Wen, don't listen to his nonsense. Not everyone can become a fierce ghost after death. It requires the right timing, location, and conditions. Even if he becomes one, can't the Wen family handle a single vengeful spirit? We've been capturing people for so long, isn't it to punish him? Should we just let him go because of a few empty threats?"

Wen Chao said, "Of course not!"

Knowing that he was doomed, Wei Wuxian became increasingly calm, his hatred turning into a cold, iron-like resolve. Seeing Wei Wuxian's expression, Wen Chao felt both displeased and a bit chilled. He kicked Wei Wuxian in the abdomen and said, "You're still pretending! Trying to scare us! Acting like a hero!"

A group of disciples joined in the beating. After they had beaten Wei Wuxian enough, Wen Chao finally shouted, "Enough!"

Spitting out blood, Wei Wuxian thought grimly, "Is it time for the killing blow? Dying isn't so bad, and there's still a thirty percent chance I'll come back as a vengeful ghost for revenge!"

However, Wen Chao said, "Wei Ying, do you think you're fearless, brave, and great?"

Wei Wuxian, surprised, said, "Huh, a Wen dog that can speak human words?"

Wen Chao slammed his fist down and sneered, "Keep up the act. Let's see how long you can keep pretending to be a hero!"

He ordered his men to grab Wei Wuxian, and Wen Zhuliu came forward, lifting him off the ground. Wei Wuxian struggled to lift his head and looked at the man who had killed Jiang Fengmian, Lady Yu, and destroyed Jiang Cheng's golden core. He memorized the man's face and his indifferent expression.

The Wen family took him up into the sky on their swords. As the small town and the deep mountains grew distant, Wei Wuxian thought, "Even if Jiang Cheng comes down, he won’t be able to find me... Why are they flying me so high? Are they going to drop me from up here and kill me?"

They flew on sword formations for some time, and the snow-white clouds were suddenly split by a black, ominous mountain.

This mountain exuded an ominous, heavy deathly aura, like a gigantic millennium-old corpse. Just looking at it from afar was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.

Wen Chao halted his flight above this mountain. He said, "Wei Ying, do you know where this is?"

He cackled, "This place is called the Burial Mounds."

At the mention of the name, a chill shot up Wei Wuxian’s spine and settled at the base of his skull.

Wen Chao continued, "The Burial Mounds are located in Yiling. I’m sure Yunmeng has heard of its infamous reputation. This is a mountain of corpses, an ancient battlefield. Anywhere on this mountain, if you dig with a shovel, you'll find a corpse. Unidentified bodies are simply wrapped in mats and tossed here."

The sword formation descended slowly, approaching the mountain. Wen Chao said, "Look at this dark aura, tsk tsk tsk, isn't it heavy with malevolence? The resentment is thick, isn't it? Even the Wen family can’t do anything about it. All we can do is seal it off, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. And this is during the day. At night, who knows what horrors might emerge. If a living person enters, they’ll never leave—body and soul lost forever."

He grabbed Wei Wuxian’s hair, snarling each word, "You’ll never come out either!"

With that, he hurled Wei Wuxian over the edge.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"