Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

After a full four hours, Jiang Ran finally managed to confine the deadly poison coursing through Man Shengming’s body to seven acupoints, including Tiantu, Yamen, Henggu, Zhaohai, and Fengchi.

This would prevent the poison from wreaking havoc for the time being.

However, this method only treated the symptoms, not the root cause. It could only save his life for the moment. As for completely curing the Seven Yin Annihilation, who knew when that would be possible.

He reached out to check Man Shengming’s pulse again, confirming he would be fine for a while.

He looked at the others, initially thinking of having Luo Qingyi carry the man.

But Luo Qingyi’s load was already heavy.

He was carrying both luggage and human heads.

Adding a whole living person to his burden? Even the most heartless slavedriver would shed a tear at the sight.

Then he looked over at Tang Huayi.

In the past, when she was Li Tianxin, he would have handed off any dirty or tiring work to her without a second thought; Jiang Ran wouldn’t have cared at all.

But now, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

In the end, he had no choice but to take off the Jiaowei zither he was carrying and toss it to Tang Huayi.

Tang Huayi froze. ”If I take this zither and run right now, would you promise not to chase me?”

”What do you think?”

Jiang Ran stared at her, his face a mask of indifference.

”A joke! Just a joke.”

Tang Huayi grinned.

Ruan Yuqing got goosebumps watching them.

”What’s wrong with Young Hero Li? She’s been acting strange all day... like she’s a completely different person.”

The Li Tianxin of the past was the epitome of cold arrogance. She looked down her nose at everyone, acting as if she was second only to the heavens themselves, holding no one in any regard.

That was Li Tianxin’s persona, after all...

But now that Jiang Ran had shattered the facade, what was the point of keeping up the act?

Besides, her act had only ever been for Jiang Ran’s benefit.

She couldn’t care less about anyone else.

So, while she still wore Li Tianxin’s face, her personality was now quite different.

Having spent so much time with her, Ruan Yuqing and Luo Qingyi had naturally noticed the change.

”Just assume she’s gone crazy.”

Jiang Ran said offhandedly.

Ruan Yuqing blinked, glancing between Jiang Ran and Tang Huayi.

”What did you two do last night? How did you drive *him* crazy?”

Jiang Ran suddenly realized what was going through her mind.

He couldn’t help but glance at her, only to see Ruan Yuqing’s eyes sparkling with excitement.

’Help me...’

Jiang Ran rubbed his forehead. ’This team of mine is a real handful.’

A fiend from the Demon Sect, a woman disguised as a man.

A straight-laced man who was a spy for the Court.

A problematic martial heroine with a love for romance novels.

Glancing at the Grand Scholar beside him, who was busy scribbling away, Jiang Ran suddenly wished the Tea and Zither Appreciation Assembly would start sooner.

’If things go on like this, when will it ever end?’

But no matter when these days might end, they had to keep moving forward.

Faced with the choice of returning to the small town or pressing onward, Jiang Ran chose to continue forward.

Returning to the town and leaving Man Shengming there to fend for himself would have been a fine choice.

But doing so would have likely spelled doom for Man Shengming.

The man was well-known in the martial world, and though his actions had been for the sake of the Jiaowei, he had ultimately stood up for Jiang Ran’s group.

Abandoning him to die now felt, in any case, a little too heartless.

Especially with the Grand Scholar there, recording everything.

If word of this got out, it would certainly tarnish his reputation.

So, he might as well bring him along. They could head toward Three Immortals Mountain while trying to figure out a way to cure his poison.

Applying the needles to Man Shengming had taken too long.

They hadn’t gotten far before the sky began to darken again.

They were now in the middle of nowhere, with no village ahead and no inn behind them.

Jiang Ran and the others had no choice but to camp in the wilderness for another night.

Luo Qingyi quickly prepared dinner. They sat around the campfire, with the unconscious Man Shengming lying to one side.

Tang Huayi glanced at their surroundings and inconspicuously edged closer to Jiang Ran.

Jiang Ran looked at her with disdain.

”What?”

”What do you mean, ’what’?”

Tang Huayi feigned confusion.

”Don’t think I can’t see you. You just moved half an inch closer to me.”

Jiang Ran scooted away from her, moving closer to Ruan Yuqing.

A blush crept onto Ruan Yuqing’s face, but she didn’t move.

Tang Huayi glanced at Ruan Yuqing and pursed her lips, feeling like she had just handed Jiang Ran an opportunity...

But she couldn’t be bothered with that right now. She turned to look around, a hint of fear in her eyes.

”I have a feeling that nothing good ever happens when we camp out in the wild.”

”How many times have you even camped out?”

Jiang Ran was speechless.

”Not many.”

Tang Huayi said,

”But in those few times, we ran into the Ghost King Palace.”

”You don’t think we’ll run into some other weirdos this time, do you?”

”Those guys weren’t that skilled, but they sure spared no effort when it came to being spooky.”

”Stop letting your imagination run wild.”

Jiang Ran waved a hand dismissively. ”We won’t be that lucky.”

”Lucky!?”

Tang Huayi’s eyes widened. ”Running into the Ghost King Palace was the worst luck imaginable! How was that lucky?”

”You wouldn’t understand.”

Jiang Ran shook his head.

The Ghost King Palace had allowed Jiang Ran to claim three heads in one fell swoop, and with the help of the Sublime Righteousness Scripture, he had broken through the eighth major gate, elevating his Fortune and Righteous Heart Sutra to the ninth level.

’If that wasn’t good luck, what was?’

Tang Huayi rolled her eyes at him. She truly didn’t understand the reasoning behind his words.

But that wouldn’t stop her from arguing with him.

But before she could get a word out, she saw Jiang Ran’s brow suddenly furrow as he looked off into the distance.

Her heart immediately tightened.

”What is it? Did you hear something again?”

”It’s nothing. Just some people fighting.”

Jiang Ran shook his head.

”The martial world is vast, filled with too many grudges and vendettas. It’s common for people to cross swords by the roadside. No need to be so jumpy and take everything to heart.”

”Young Hero Jiang’s profound Inner Energy is truly enviable.”

Ruan Yuqing sighed softly at this.

”There are people fighting in the night, and we can’t sense a thing, yet you heard them long ago...”

”Well...”

Jiang Ran smiled. ”I suppose I can’t be measured by ordinary standards.”

Ruan Yuqing smiled at his words.

”Of course. Young Hero Jiang has always been extraordinary.”

Just then, Jiang Ran looked up again and said,

”They’re coming this way... Hmm. Two masters.”

Tang Huayi was about to scoff, but her ears suddenly twitched.

”They really are coming.”