Medical Sage

After receiving orders from Old Master Xuu, they spread the news that Wuu Xiaojun of the Wuu Family and Sunx Bing of the Sunx Family were found dead in their homes, and that the assassin had been arrested by the Central Guard Bureau.

Thus, overnight, a major earthquake shook the various powers and families of all sizes throughout the Capital City.

The Wuu Family was one thing; at best, they were a third-tier clan whose deaths were unlikely to cause widespread concern. But the Sunx Family? They were one of the three great Red Nobility clans in the Forty-Nine City! Someone actually dared to raise a blade against the bloodline of such a family?

Clearly, this was too unbelievable, too shocking. The incident became the center of attention overnight, closely watched by numerous factions.

”Did you hear? Sunx Wanlong’s son is dead. Someone butchered him right in his own home. Half his head was blown off.”

”What? That’s impossible, isn’t it? That’s too astonishing!”

”You haven’t heard yet? The Central Guard Bureau released the news themselves. It’s absolutely true! It happened just a few hours ago. Apparently, the Wuu Family’s Wuu Xiaojun is also dead; he was the cousin of Sunx Wanlong’s son. It was a single killer.”

”So it was a revenge killing? Could Wuu Xiaojun and Sunx Long have been plotting something shady, offending some major figures who then came after them?”

”The Wuu family’s kid is whatever, but Sunx Wanlong’s son… he’s a member of the Old Sunx Family, after all. Are they really going to let this go so easily?”

”Exactly. Not to mention the killer must be incredibly audacious to shed blood and wield a knife in the Forty-Nine City, which is strictly forbidden. And just think about the Sunx family’s boy… when was the last time a member of one of the three great Red Nobility clans was assassinated in the Forty-Nine City? I remember I was still young then, just over ten years old.”

”Thirteen years ago! That time, an Assassin Organization targeted the Old Liu Family, and someone from the previous generation was killed. In the end, the entire organization was uprooted within days, and the Republic was thoroughly cleansed.”

…

It had been thirteen years. For someone to finally be so audacious as to assassinate a bloodline member of a Red Nobility clan in the Capital City naturally caused a massive stir. Everyone with any standing who heard about it was discussing it, and some were even gloating.

The Old Sunx Family’s reputation in the Forty-Nine City hadn’t been very good in recent years. They were used to being aggressive and domineering. Now that they’d suddenly suffered such a setback, many people were secretly thrilled.

Of course, they seemed more interested in the killer’s identity. Who could be so brazen as to defy the ban on violence in the Forty-Nine City and carry out such a deadly vendetta? Was it a suicidal act of revenge, or was it someone with a heaven-defying background?

Later, someone ’with great connections’ actually managed to dig up some inside information from the Central Guard Bureau. The killer’s name was Chen Fei, and he was a doctor?

”A doctor? Since when are doctors so badass? Killing a member of the Old Sunx family at the slightest disagreement.”

”Why does that name sound a little familiar? I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere.”

”Chen Fei, Chen Fei, Chen Fei… I know! Isn’t he Old Master Xuu’s savior? They say Old Master Xuu was gravely ill not long ago, and even the Divine Doctors from the Medical Sage Hall were helpless. He was on the brink of death. Then, he somehow went to Jiangnan and found a doctor who miraculously cured him. If I remember correctly, that Divine Doctor from Jiangnan was named Chen Fei… could they be the same person?”

”What? A Divine Doctor? For Old Master Xuu? Is that true? The masters at the Medical Sage Hall are peerless in their arts, like the modern-day Bian Que! If even they were powerless, could someone else really have cured him?”

”Um… it seems it’s true. Have you forgotten that Old Master Xuu used to be in a wheelchair? Now he can walk around on his own.”

”So, what does this all mean? Everyone knows the Central Guard Bureau is under Old Master Xuu’s command. So, the Central Guard Bureau has arrested Old Master Xuu’s savior? And they’re spreading the news as if they don’t know who he is? Are they trying to provoke the Sunx Family into coming to demand his release?”

…

Everyone was discussing it, all trying to dig up the inside story. What little they knew was simply too chaotic and dizzying. Regardless of whether this so-called Divine Doctor from Jiangnan was truly Old Master Xuu’s savior, rumors don’t start from nothing. At the very least, for such news to be circulating, the man must have some connection to Old Master Xuu and the Xuu Family, right?

But now, the Central Guard Bureau had arrested such a person and spread the news as if they didn’t know him at all. Weren’t they afraid the Sunx Family would come knocking to demand his release? Ugh… this was truly a mess.

”He’s been captured?”

Inside the Liu Family’s grand estate, Liu Chudong looked at the black-clothed man before him with astonishment, his tone strange. Even though shedding blood in the Forty-Nine City was a major taboo, especially against people like them, his impression of Chen Fei from the plane was that he shouldn’t be so sloppy.

After all, for people of their kind, there were countless ways to kill someone in the mundane world without a trace. Being caught on the spot was a joke. What in the world is going on? His head was spinning.

”Yes. The news was released directly by the Central Guard Bureau, so it must be true.” The man in black nodded hesitantly, then couldn’t resist asking, ”Young Master, are you certain that young man is one of your kind?”

”Uncle Jii, do you think there’s something wrong with my eyes?” Liu Chudong rolled his eyes irritably. If it weren’t for his good temper, being asked the same question repeatedly would have angered him long ago.

”That’s not it. I just think that for people like you, killing someone without a trace should be easy, right? Even if the target is an Ancient Martial Artist. But what this guy did…” the man called ’Uncle Jii’ said honestly, truly perplexed. ”I know the Sunx kid had a special status as a scion of the Sunx bloodline, but that has nothing to do with the methods used to kill him, right? If anything, the killer should have been more discreet, as secretive as possible.”

”I’m puzzled too…” Liu Chudong admitted, his expression equally perplexed. If it were me, even if people could eventually trace it back to me through clues, they would never find any concrete evidence, let alone catch me in the act. For people like us, isn’t that just a joke?

”Puzzled about what? Isn’t it obvious it was intentional?” Just then, a middle-aged man in his forties approached.

”Dad!”

”Second Master.”

Liu Chudong and Uncle Jii, the man in black, both greeted the newcomer. This middle-aged man was none other than Liu Dun, the ’Liu Erye’ who had dominated the entire Inner Circle of the Forty-Nine City Yamen over a decade ago. To be acknowledged with such a title both inside and out made his capabilities obvious. At the same time, he was also Liu Chudong’s father.

”Dad, you said it was intentional? What do you mean?” Liu Chudong asked Liu Dun, confused.

”There’s a saying: ’Strike first to gain the upper hand.’ It seems the young man you mentioned is indeed very close to Old Master Xuu, so much so that the old man was willing to abandon decades of watching from the sidelines and step into the fray. The Forty-Nine City is getting more and more interesting,” Liu Dun said with a knowing twinkle in his eye, shaking his head with a smile.

”Strike first to gain the upper hand? Dad, what do you mean? I still don’t get it,” Liu Chudong said, scratching his head in greater confusion. The man in black, however, looked thoughtful, and his eyes gradually widened in dawning shock.

”If you don’t understand, then let it be. Your grandfather’s seventieth birthday is coming up. If that young man named Chen is still in the Capital City by then, have him come by for a visit,” Liu Dun said with a smile, changing the subject.

”Invite him over? Alright…”

…

On the other side of the Forty-Nine City, in the courtyard of the Old Chen Family.

”What did you say? Chen Fei was arrested by the Central Guard Bureau? He assassinated a member of the Sunx Family?” Chen Bingzhang, the current Family Head of the Old Chen Family, raised an eyebrow upon hearing the news.

”Yes, Dad. The news just came from the Central Guard Bureau. I had someone ask around, and it’s true,” Chen Zhenjun said with a wry smile from his desk. ”I never expected the kid to be so bold as to shed blood and wield a knife in the Forty-Nine City. Most importantly, he’s now been caught by the Central Guard Bureau.”

He certainly hadn’t expected something like this to happen out of the blue. After all, a homicide case in the Forty-Nine City was a major affair. And the main issue is that one of the dead was a Sunx. How many years has it been since anyone dared to trample on the three great Red Nobility clans? For this to happen now, isn’t it a slap in their face? How could the Old Sunx Family possibly let this go?

”That kid really knows how to stir up trouble.” Elder Master Chen, Chen Bingzhang, also seemed to grasp the situation’s complexities, shaking his head with a wry smile. ”Didn’t they say his skills were formidable? How could he get caught red-handed?”

Thinking about it from another perspective, even our Old Chen Family would be furious in this situation! Not to mention, the Old Sunx Family is in a different position from us right now. That Old Lord Sunx is still in robust health, and his mental and physical condition is excellent.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

”Big Brother, it’s me.”

Just then, a knock came from the study door, followed by an elderly voice.

”Old Three? Come in.” Chen Bingzhang instantly recognized the voice as his third younger brother, Chen Yaohong, and his eyes flickered as he called out.

”Third Uncle.” As soon as Chen Yaohong entered, Chen Zhenjun greeted him respectfully.

”Oh, Zhenjun. Still up?” Chen Yaohong greeted him casually, then his gaze rested on Chen Zhenjun and Chen Bingzhang before he spoke slowly. ”I just heard something outside…”

”About your grandson? What, are you too worried to sleep?” Chen Bingzhang asked with a smile.

Hearing this, Chen Yaohong didn’t reply. He simply picked up a special-issue cigarette from the desk and lit it, which made him cough a few times until his old face flushed. Then, he finally turned to Chen Bingzhang, his eyes filled with a complex emotion as he spoke. ”Big Brother, I have never asked you for anything in my entire life. But today… could you call the Sunx Family and mediate for me? I’m afraid my words don’t carry enough weight anymore.”

Ever since the Old Master passed away, our Old Chen Family has no longer been on equal footing with the Sunx Family. Furthermore, the timing of this incident is incredibly sensitive… In the jungle, a lion has waited for the old tiger to finally die. Even with crocodiles and elephants still around, what happens when it gets nipped on the backside by a wolf cub? The consequences go without saying.