Old Jin, shedding his usual decadent, oily middle-aged appearance with a receding hairline, displayed a rare proud demeanor befitting a strong individual.
He stared intently at Hu Chai and said, word for word, "We will have a contest, to see whose medical skills are superior. If I win, you will hand Han San over to us for disposal."
Hu Chai's interest was piqued. Perverts, he mused, always enjoyed a challenge. He grinned sinisterly and asked,
"And if I win?"
"I will impart the ultimate techniques of the Qi Huang Sect to you," Old Jin stated gravely.
This wager represented a colossal determination for him, even risking that which their ancestors had fought desperately to protect.
There were many reasons for Old Jin to act thus: wanting to help Yan Shouyi, being unable to bear watching Han San be tormented by Hu Chai, considering the bigger picture...
But the most crucial reason was that Old Jin no longer wished to endure in silence!
With the backing of the Folklore Research Association, he had no need to hide his abilities, nor fear the ancient medical practitioners of the Han Shang Sect!
By proposing this wager, Old Jin aimed to vindicate his ancestors and himself!!!
The Qi Huang Sect was the crystallization of five thousand years of Chinese wisdom. It should not be buried in the annals of history, nor should it be the exclusive domain of a select few!
By defeating the Han Shang Sect, the Qi Huang Sect would have a chance to shine, and its practitioners would be worthy of their ancestors' sacrifices!
At that moment, Old Jin felt as if he were a lone warrior defending a crucial pass, impregnable to all attackers.
Even his receding hairline seemed to possess a certain dashing quality, though alas, there were no ladies present to appreciate his current charm.
Hu Chai pondered for a moment before readily agreeing.
"Fine, let's compete. But I will set the rules!"
As if to ensure Old Jin wouldn't renege, Hu Chai added, "This is my territory, so naturally, I should decide how we compete. If you are not satisfied with my rules, you can simply pack up and leave. I, Hu Chai, will not detain you!"
"As you wish."
Old Jin offered a carefree smile, revealing his tobacco-stained teeth. He possessed absolute confidence now.
No matter how formidable the ancient medical practitioners of the Han Shang Sect were, they were merely minor figures coveting the peerless skills of my Qi Huang Sect.
We, the ancient medical practitioners of the Qi Huang Sect, fear nothing. Bring it on!
Witnessing the transformation in Old Jin, even the Dog Daoist and Miao Ji couldn't help but glance at the middle-aged man with renewed interest.
How had they never noticed before that, besides being lecherous, vulgar, shameless, and greedy... this fellow possessed such fine qualities?
Yan Shouyi seemed to understand Old Jin's current feelings perfectly. He walked over, patted Old Jin on the shoulder, and whispered,
"Old Jin, are you confident? Don't risk the ultimate techniques of the Qi Huang Sect. If it comes to it, I'll kill that bastard Hu Chai. We'll just tear up our agreement with Wushen Mountain!"
In Yan Shouyi's eyes, both Old Jin and Han San were indispensable.
If someone forced him to choose between them at a negotiation table, Yan Shouyi's choice would be to flip the table and cleave the scoundrel who presented him with such a choice.
There were always ways to reach Changbai Mountain, but once a person was gone, they were truly gone.
Old Jin was deeply touched by Yan Shouyi's concern for the Qi Huang Sect, which perhaps explained why he was willing to follow Yan Shouyi.
He smiled and shook his head, "This time, it's not for anyone else. It's time I fought for myself."
Yan Shouyi understood and nodded.
"What are the rules?" Yan Shouyi asked Hu Chai.
Hu Chai answered without hesitation, "The Qi Huang Sect excels at saving people, while my Han Shang Sect specializes in poisoning. How about this: I will poison someone, and you will attempt to save them. If the person is saved, you win. If the person dies, I lose."
Yan Shouyi and Old Jin frowned. This was not merely a competition; it was a gamble with a human life.
But Hu Chai had already stated that he would set the rules, and if they were not accepted, they could leave.
The two had no other choice but to agree: "Alright."
And who would be the subject of the poisoning?
Yan Shouyi instinctively glanced at the seven disciples from the Maoshan Sect, thinking: I told you to leave earlier, but you didn't. Now you'll get what's coming to you.
However, Hu Chai did not choose these seven Maoshan disciples for the poisoning trial.
A gleeful smile spread across his face as he said to Xu Shengnan, "Left Protector, go and bring Han San to me!"
The subject of the poisoning was Han San?!
Yan Shouyi's eye twitched.
Damn Hu Chai, he's doing this on purpose!
He knows my relationship with Han San isn't simple, so he's deliberately set a trap. His ultimate goal is to torment Han San in front of me to test my resolve to overthrow the major sects.
If I intervene to save him, Hu Chai will be certain that my stance is not firm, and he might even attack us directly.
But if I don't intervene, the gamble will be between him and Old Jin.
If Old Jin fails to neutralize the poison, Han San will surely die. At that point, even if my resolve isn't firm, I'll be forced into a desperate situation.
The only way to break this deadlock is for Old Jin to succeed in detoxification!
If Old Jin wins the wager, Han San lives. If he wins, Hu Chai releases Han San, and everyone is happy...
However, given Hu Chai's meticulous planning for this scenario, would he easily allow Old Jin to win?
Yan Shouyi, who had complete confidence in Old Jin, now felt a slight waver. It wasn't that he doubted Old Jin's abilities, but rather his concern that Hu Chai had laid too many hidden traps.
Xu Shengnan had left, and Han San and his companions were in hiding. Bringing him here would take some time.
During this interval, Hu Chai acted as if nothing had happened, enthusiastically inviting everyone to eat and drink.
However, Yan Shouyi and his companions had completely lost their appetite.
Meanwhile, Hu Chai added a few more details to the rules.
There were various Chinese medicinal herbs and alchemy equipment in the room, which Old Jin could use freely.
There were no restrictions on the method of detoxification. Even if Old Jin were to amputate Han San's arm, it would still be within the rules.
The two sides would engage in three rounds. This meant Hu Chai would administer poison to Han San three times, and Old Jin must neutralize it each time. Even if he failed once, resulting in Han San's death, Hu Chai would still win.
Finally, Hu Chai expressed great confidence in his poisons, declaring that Old Jin could command any helper during the detoxification process. Yan Shouyi, the Dog Daoist, Chang Shan, and others could all assist. Even Hu Chai himself would help if Old Jin required it.
Of course, this was all contingent on Old Jin trusting Hu Chai.
These three rules, while seemingly reducing the difficulty for Old Jin, did not actually alleviate his pressure.
Detoxification was not a game with retries. The cost was Han San's life, and failure meant no recourse.
Moreover, this wager even affected the relationship between the Folklore Research Association and Maoshan.
Like Hanshan Temple, Maoshan was still in a phase of observation and waiting to declare allegiance. The most crucial connection was Han San. If Han San were to die here, at the hands of Old Jin and Yan Shouyi, Maoshan would have no further reservations and would directly intervene, targeting Rongcheng!
This was a wager they could not afford to lose!