Chapter 697: Wuxia: Even Archrivals Can Become Lovers 31

But no matter how they tried to persuade him, Mu Huaizhi showed no sign of relenting.

"I know."

Mu Huaizhi's voice lacked inflection as he stood before Jin Chen, confronting his close friend and junior fellow disciple, yet he did not draw his sword like they did.

"You've always known Jin Chen's identity… you!"

Fang Xun suddenly understood something, his gaze shifting between the two, and he muttered under his breath, "You're clueless."

Even if we don't stop you now, what if you later return to the Heaven Sword Alliance? If Uncle Fu learns of this and insists on stopping you, what will you do then?

Having heard that, Mu Huaizhi really didn't know how to respond.

After all, they've merely been friends up to now.

On the contrary, Jin Chen chuckled lightly at those words, took Mu Huaizhi's hand that was blocking him, and spoke in a relaxed tone.

"What are you insisting on stopping? Young Hero Fang's words make it sound as if I and Mu Huaizhi are lovers."

Fang Xun paused slightly, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face.

It turns out those two haven't done anything yet.

Mu Huaizhi narrowed his eyes, staring at the two people's clasped hands, wanting to retort but finding no way to speak.

It was his own refusal; what's the point of being pretentious now?

Fu Zhiyuan asked in a single sentence, "Is there any connection between the Nine Nether Demon Sect and the Earth Evil Palace? Were you involved in what happened at Yunshu Town?"

"Don't worry; even if there is a connection, it's only the kind that seeks to destroy the other side."

Jin Chen pushed the blade aside with two fingers and brushed off the dust on his body.

"If I wanted to strike, none of you would be standing here unharmed today."

Everyone: "……"

Mu Huaizhi gave him a expressionless glance; that scoundrel's ruined reputation is mostly due to his mouth.

Jiang Zhu stepped forward at the right moment to advise, "The most important thing now is to uncover the secret of the manor. The Nine Nether Demon Sect also participated in the campaign against the Earth Evil Palace back then, so at least on this matter we share the same view as the Nine Nether."

That was a well‑said point.

Fang Xun and Fu Zhiyuan exchanged a glance and sheathed their swords.

After this little interlude, everyone proceeded forward more cautiously.

Jin Chen also clearly sensed that two people lurking in the shadows had become even more vigilant; without his spiritual sense probing, he would not have noticed them.

Following the sound of weeping all the way in, they finally found the clearest crying inside a courtyard.

Having entered the courtyard, Fang Xun had been observing it all along; after confirming, he said, "The giant stones and landscape pots placed on this lawn, even the flowers and plants planted around it, form a spell formation."

And ever since they stepped inside, they have already been within the formation.

Mu Huaizhi: "How do we break the formation?"

Fang Xun continued to survey the surroundings and eventually concluded, "It seems… to be underground."

Fu Zhiyuan: "Then that means we've found the right spot—the crying is coming from underground."

Whoosh—

A tearing-through-the-air sound arrived; Jiang Zhu, skilled in concealed weapons, reacted instantly, his fan unfolding and flinging out three extremely small and exquisite hidden projectiles.

The blades collided in midair, emitting a piercing sound.

Yet no one could see who had moved, nor from where the attack came.

Jiang Zhu warily looked toward the direction the hidden weapons came from and said, "Find the entrance quickly—this time the newcomers are not friendly."

Across the whole martial world, those who can match his skill in concealed weapons are few and far between, let alone the feeling that the hidden attackers might have a slight edge.

Fang Xun groped about for a while, then stopped before a patch of grass and roughly marked out an area.

"We can only roughly infer it's here, but… we can't pinpoint the exact location."

"I should be able to find it."

Sang Ning suddenly raised his hand, half‑crouched on the ground, and began probing the somewhat damp soil with his fingers.

He had been cultivating medicinal herbs for years, so he was fairly familiar with soil; if it had been frequently turned, it would differ from ordinary ground.

"Here……"

His fingertip plunged into the soil, as if touching something.

After pressing down, the patch of grass where they stood collapsed instantly.

"Ouch—hey!"

Sang Ning was the first to fall, landing on his rear.

He winced, rubbing his rear as he rose, glanced at the others who had steadied themselves with lightness techniques, and noticed his bun‑like face beginning to take on a bitter‑gourd expression.

He should have trained properly in martial arts when he was young!

Jiang Zhu came down last, rushing to Sang Ning's side and calling, "Ah Ning! Are you all right?"

"Ow, I'm fine."

Sang Ning didn't want to admit he'd fallen on his butt, otherwise that rascal would surely insist on checking himself before he'd be satisfied.

"The crying is getting closer."

Mu Huaizhi's ear twitched slightly, and he whispered to Jin Chen, "But it seems there's no one alive in here."

"Let's go in and see." Jin Chen shook his hand and walked inward.

Following the passageway forward, it grew increasingly damp and narrow, until at the end only one person could stoop and proceed, extremely cramped.

In such darkness, the surroundings were deathly still and narrow, as if only a single person existed between heaven and earth.

After walking for a while, discomfort was bound to arise.

But no one expected that the first to show a reaction would be Jin Chen.

He walked in the lead, clearing the path; he seemed to hear some sound, hadn't yet had time to think it over, when his body suddenly went limp, followed immediately by a stabbing pain in his head like needles.

Jin Chen let out a muffled groan, fell to his knees, and covered his head.

Jin Chen!

Mu Huaizhi half-squatted, supporting him, his face grave, eyes full of worry, and asked, "What's wrong?"

The few people behind also stopped.

Fortunately, the relatively weak Sang Ning was third; he hurried over, saying, "Let me look… let me look."

Jin Chen's consciousness felt somewhat detached; he realized it was due to this body.

His chest felt stuffy, and all color drained from his face.

Jin Chen! Don't sleep!

Every nerve in Mu Huaizhi's brain was taut; he could clearly feel the body temperature of the one he held draining away rapidly.

His throat tightened, and his phoenix eyes fixed firmly on Jin Chen's face.

... I don't know how either.

Jin Chen secretly circulated Spiritual Power through his meridians, trying to find the cause.

"Gu! Brother Jin likely contracted Gu poison; although it was drawn out, remnants remain hidden in his body, and it was just suddenly awakened."

A chill crept up his limbs; upon hearing this, Mu Huaizhi reacted the most strongly.

Gu poison—how could Jin Chen have contracted Gu poison!

Save him.

Although Mu Huaizhi was speaking to Sang Ning, his gaze refused to leave Jin Chen's face even a bit, and deep intense emotions surged in his eyes.

In the midst of speaking, Jin Chen finally located the lingering Gu in his body.

Spiritual Power slowly enveloped, and his two fingers pressed on the chest acupoint.

Jin Chen suddenly sat up and spat out a mouthful of clotted blood.

Sang Ning, who was about to draw a silver needle from his sleeve: "……"

He stared blankly, then let out a wail toward the ground.

"You actually can vomit out the Gu."

What a formidable skill!

Seeing him vomit blood, Mu Huaizhi's palms broke out in cold sweat, his joints protruding from strain, unable to hide his inner panic.

Are you alright?

Jin Chen saw his worried expression; despite still feeling somewhat unwell, he suppressed it and reached out to touch Mu Huaizhi's pale face.

It's fine, don't worry.

His lips still stained with blood, but his tone lacked the earlier weakness; Mu Huaizhi breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

The taut tension finally eased.