Chapter 23: Before One Wave Subsides, Another Arrives Westward

Life is joyful—so rich and lively. Even if some people lack such abundant happiness, they still enjoy a gentle sense of contentment. But what is the end of life? Death. (Gu Long)
……
A’Jiu widened her eyes and said to Liu Yi, “Can you help me up first? I’ve been lying here for almost half a month; it’s unbearable.”
Liu Yi glanced at A’Jiu and said awkwardly, “This…”
A’Jiu snapped, “What ‘this’? Hurry up! It hurts so much.”
Liu Yi wrapped his arms around A’Jiu’s back and slowly helped her sit up.
A’Jiu then asked, “What did you say about some trouble earlier?”
Liu Yi waved his fan and said, “You really cause trouble. Why didn’t you tell me sooner that you were poisoned? Now we’ve run away without a trace—where are we supposed to find an antidote? Truly… before one wave subsides, another strikes!”
Hearing Liu Yi’s words, A’Jiu looked so aggrieved she almost cried. “How could I have known? I just told you now! Would you have listened if I had said it earlier?”
Seeing A’Jiu’s pitiful state, Liu Yi said, “Alright, alright. We can only leave it to fate. Let’s see if heaven will let you rot…”
A’Jiu shed tears. “I don’t want that! It’s better to die than have my body rot.” Everyone knows that women love beauty.
At that moment, Da Dao Wang, carrying a full backpack, and Shi Jie Yi, carrying a large pile of books, rushed out. “Boss, boss! Look what we found!”
When they set down their things, Da Dao Wang’s items shone with golden light—extremely beautiful, all precious jewels, agates, and ornaments. Meanwhile, Shi Jie Yi’s pile of books consisted of sword techniques, knife techniques, mental training methods, and movement skills.
Shi Jie Yi looked at A’Jiu beside Liu Yi and said, “Haha, so Miss A’Jiu is here! I was searching everywhere.”
A’Jiu tilted her head and said, “Pfft. By the time you found me, the cucumbers had gone cold. Go back to your books.”
Liu Yi glanced at the jewels. “I don’t want these. They’re useless. Having money for food is enough…” He then looked at the manuals—sword techniques were hard to master, knife techniques were too cumbersome, and he wasn’t interested. As for mental training methods, he already had one, so no need to practice more. As for movement skills, well, those seemed good. He had almost been killed by that hammer today; he needed to practice movement skills for escaping.
Liu Yi casually picked up a book titled “Hidden Spin Nine Shadows” and put it on his body.
Shi Jie Yi didn’t take anything. Practicing those skills for hours wouldn’t be as effective as using his fists—fists were better.
Da Dao Wang, however, was different. He took some easily portable jewels, a mental training method called “Heavenly Sickness Mental Technique,” and a knife technique called “Flame Knife Technique,” then stopped.
Da Dao Wang saw the tears on A’Jiu’s face and asked, “What’s wrong with A’Jiu? Why are you crying? Didn’t I save you? Could it be that you were…?”
Shi Jie Yi punched Da Dao Wang on the head and said, “Shut your mouth.”

Liu Yi waved his folding fan and said, “See, Ah Jiu has been poisoned by Fei Tian Tuo. He has no strength at all, and if he doesn’t take the antidote within seven days, his body will rot. Now that Fei Tian Tuo has run away, we’re in the open while he’s in hiding. Where can we find this guy?”
No one spoke for a moment. What… should they do? Seven days was a tight deadline. Finding someone in this world was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Even with Wanjin Tower and Master Jinlou’s Dragon Eye, there wouldn’t be enough time.
Just as everyone remained silent, a gray figure flashed in—none other than the Wolf King. As soon as he landed, the Wolf King said, “It’s so quiet. I rushed back so quickly, yet still missed all the action.”
Seeing the Wolf King arrive, Liu Yi immediately said, “Wolf King, do you know what kind of poison Fei Tian Tuo specializes in? Ah Jiu has been poisoned by him, and now he’s disappeared. What should we do?”
The Wolf King imitated Liu Yi by waving his folding fan, then walked over to Ah Jiu and took a look. “Not bad. She’s quite beautiful. No wonder you’re in such a hurry.”
Ah Jiu lowered his head in silence under the Wolf King’s gaze and words. Shi Jie Yi became furious and snapped, “Damn you! You even dare to show up late after everything’s over. Now you come here and say useless things.”
The Wolf King waved his fan and said, “Not at all. What’s wrong with me taking a look at the woman my friend likes?”
Liu Yi hurriedly said, “No, you’re wrong. It’s not me—it’s Shi Yi Yi.”
The Wolf King sneered, “Stop hiding. As the saying goes, ‘Among the waterweeds, I wander left and right; for the graceful maiden, I long day and night.’ What are you hiding?”
Liu Yi pressed, “Enough, stop talking about that. I’m asking you a question.”
The Wolf King thought for a moment and said, “Fei Tian Tuo is a new member of the demonic sect. I don’t know what poison he specializes in, but Ah Jiu’s poisoning doesn’t seem to be from medicine—it’s caused by some tiny worms in the blood. These worms are extremely small and invisible. They cause people to lose strength, and over seven days, they multiply in the blood. To survive, they corrode human skin and even bones. They’re extremely vicious. People in the three realms call these worms ‘Red Dragon Worms.’”
Liu Yi asked urgently, “Seven days is too short. How can we find Fei Tian Tuo?”
The Wolf King shook his head. “If you want to find Fei Tian Tuo, you’ll have to wait until Ah Jiu dies. Right now, you’re in the open while he’s in hiding. How can you find him in such a short time?”
Liu Yi pressed further, “Is there no other way?”
The Wolf King waved his fan and said, “There is, but…”
Shi Jie Yi snapped, “Spit it out! What but?”
The Wolf King glanced at Shi Jie Yi and said, “The emperor isn’t in a hurry, but the eunuch is. Heh. But it’s very difficult. I heard there’s a master poisoner and miracle doctor in Miaojiang named Mo Ying, known in the jianghu as ‘Miracle Doctor Ying.’ I hear he’s quite peculiar.”
Liu Yi continued, “Then how long does it take to get to Miaojiang right now?”
The Wolf King replied, “After passing Fengmo Town, the road gets better. You can ride fast horses. It will take about a day. From here to Fengmo Town, at your current speed, I think three days should be enough.”

Liu Yi suddenly thought of something and asked, “Can’t you fly? Then why not take A Jiu and fly over first? We’ll follow soon.”
Hearing this, the Wolf King thought to himself, “When did this guy know I could fly?” He suddenly remembered that he had flown using his magical device when leaving the Fox Demon Cave.
Seeing the Wolf King’s expression, Liu Yi said, “Alright, stop making things difficult. Go now. Consider it as me, Liu Yi, owing you a favor.”
Under the Wolf King’s instructions, Liu Yi learned Mo Ying’s residence and promised to arrive within four days. Reluctantly, the Wolf King picked up A Jiu and soared into the sky, heading toward Miaojiang…
Liu Yi sighed and said, “Finally, a small setback is over. I wonder how much longer A Jiu will need treatment… Well, Great Sword King, I’ll give you an extra five thousand taels. Take my token and go to the capital to see the emperor. Tell him that A Jiu has been found but cannot be returned for now. Ask for a few more days of grace. If it works, come back and report, and I’ll give you another five thousand taels.”
The Great Sword King frowned and said, “Boss Liu, aren’t you trying to trick me?”
Liu Yi gave a signal to Shi Jieyi, who immediately took out a banknote worth five thousand taels and said, “Take it.”
The Great Sword King’s ugly face instantly broke into a brilliant smile. “Just watch, I’ll definitely dazzle the emperor,” he said before turning and walking out of the cave.
Looking at the departing Great Sword King, Liu Yi sighed, “Peace at last…”