"Come, Xiao Wan..."
Gu Yuanbai raised his cup. Jiang Yichun, Li Chengye, Shen Tonghe, and Ding Huixiang also raised their wine glasses, saying to Wan Yunting, "Don't worry. Once this period passes and things calm down, you can still come back."
"That's right. After thoroughly eradicating the great threat of the Tianyan Main God Cult, we'll all be waiting for you to return and take over Old Gu's position, leading us in traditional Chinese medicine towards revival and prosperity."
"Looking at the younger generation of the entire Chinese Medicine Association, only you, Wan Yunting, have the talent and ability to lead our association to revival."
"Therefore, don't be disheartened by this incident and completely give up on traditional Chinese medicine. All of us are waiting for you."
Facing the encouragement from these elders, Wan Yunting's eyes turned slightly red. Moved, he solemnly nodded with his wine glass and said, "Don't worry, Old Gu, Old Jiang. I will not disappoint you."
"Good..."
Everyone was relieved. After finishing the toast with Wan Yunting, Shen Tonghe turned to Gu Yuanbai and asked, "Old Gu, at today's meeting, if Xiao Wan doesn't propose that you take over as the Chairman, will those people let Liu He take over Xiao Wan's position?"
This question caused Ding Huixiang, Meng Kang, Wei Datong, and Zhang Fenglin to turn to Gu Yuanbai. Song Sinan, Shen Yingrui, Huang Jingshan, and others at the next table also turned their heads, ears perked, listening...
"Mm."
Gu Yuanbai nodded and said, "Elder Li and Elder Xue both support and think highly of young Liu. Although they haven't said it directly, they all have the intention of letting Liu He succeed Wan Yunting as the Chairman of the association."
"Young Liu River is capable, but compared to Xiao Wan, he's still a bit lacking!" Wei Datong said.
Shen Tonghe and the others nodded in agreement. Ding Huixiang said bluntly, "I don't think highly of Liu River. Although he appears respectful to everyone and acts upright, he just gives me a very hypocritical feeling!"
"I agree with Old Ding,"
Meng Kang also nodded and said, "Although I'm not in the capital, I know a doctor from the capital named Hu Min. He said that Liu River's dealings are shady, especially regarding the channels for supplying Chinese medicinal materials. He said Liu River is suspected of deliberately inflating prices and disrupting the market!"
"Oh, is that so?"
The people present were surprised by this remark. Gu Yuanbai even asked, "Old Meng, is this true?"
Meng Kang said, "Although it's just Hu Min's assertion, I think it would be best if you, Old Gu, investigate this privately."
Wan Yunting raised an eyebrow and said, "If Liu River has truly done such things, then we have misjudged him."
"It can't be, can it? Liu River is, after all, the grandson of the renowned doctor Liu Pingyi. If he really did this, wouldn't he be cutting off his own future?" Zhang Fenglin still found it hard to believe.
"What's impossible about that?"
Ding Huixiang said, "The volume of medicinal materials provided by our Chinese Medicine Association is huge. The annual profit is countless. If he secretly pocketed even a little, how much money would that be?"
"Indeed, young people can't resist such temptations," Shen Tonghe and the others nodded, finding such an occurrence not surprising.
Jiang Yichun raised an eyebrow and turned to Gu Yuanbai, saying, "I heard that there are subtle factions within the Chinese Medicine Association in the capital?"
Gu Yuanbai nodded and said, "Some people support me, and some don't. Thus, there is the concept of the 'Capital Faction'!"
"The so-called Capital Faction is nothing more than Liu Pingyi, Xue Dongsang, Li Tiangui, and their ilk, who believe that we are all outsiders."
"Therefore, although they are friendly to us on the surface, they probably have been trying to find ways to drive us out of the capital in private," said Old Song Chengqi. He understood the bad habits of those in the capital the best.
"The malicious rumors that have been circulating about Wan Yunting privately were probably spread by those people, right?" Wei Datong said.
Everyone present looked at Gu Yuanbai. Although nothing was said, it was entirely certain that it was the Capital Faction people who had acted in private, with the aim of forcing Wan Yunting to step down from his position as Chairman of the Chinese Medicine Association so that their own people could take over!
Wan Yunting raised an eyebrow. Although he hadn't paid attention to the association's affairs recently, he had heard of the existence of the Capital Faction within the association before. He just didn't expect they had already set their sights on his position in private!
"Old Gu, you must be careful in the future and guard against those people," Jiang Yichun said.
"Yes, we must not give them any handle to exploit, nor fall into their trap!" Ding Huixiang agreed, and Shen Tonghe and the others also nodded, urging Gu Yuanbai to be cautious.
Gu Yuanbai nodded and said, "Tonghe, Meng Kang, Datong, I plan to transfer you to the capital. What do you think?"
Shen Tonghe, Wei Datong, and Meng Kang were stunned and exchanged glances. They understood that Gu Yuanbai wanted them to come to the Chinese Medicine Association in the capital primarily to assist him in his work.
"Now that Xiao Wan has left the association, I am also short of people around me. And you three are young, so I intend to have you come to the capital to help," Gu Yuanbai said.
Shen Tonghe, Wei Datong, and Meng Kang were middle-aged, but Jiang Yichun, Old Song, and Ding Huixiang were all elderly, making it inconvenient to ask them to come to the capital.
"Alright, after we make arrangements back home, we will come to the capital." Shen Tonghe, Wei Datong, and the others considered it and nodded in agreement.
Wan Yunting was also happy, but he still felt guilty. After all, his dereliction of duty had caused Old Gu so much trouble...
After the banquet, Jiang Yichun and Li Chengye were arranged to stay at Old Gu's home. Wan Yunting and Jiang Yichun met in Gu Yuanbai's study, and the three of them chatted about Wan Yunting's future plans...
Wan Yunting regarded Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun as the people he trusted the most.
Ever since he was released from prison and met Jiang Yichun, he had the opportunity to work in the Southern Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, and later had the chance to meet Gu Yuanbai. Both elders had provided Wan Yunting with immense help, especially in terms of traditional Chinese medicine and personal conduct. These two elders had always been the most respected elders by Wan Yunting.
Therefore, Wan Yunting did not hide the matter of the Tianyan Main God Cult from the two elders. When Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun heard him describe how powerful the main god of the Tianyan Main God Cult was, their brows furrowed. They said, "The Thirteen Needles of Gui Men, are they truly the divine needle techniques of the Tianyan Main God Cult?"
"Mm."
Wan Yunting nodded. He hadn't believed it before, but after several encounters on Mount Hua where Han Dongri and Feng Xian tried to capture Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong solely to obtain the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men, he was convinced that they were divine needle techniques of the Tianyan Main God Cult.
Otherwise, their main god wouldn't have tried to obtain the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men from Wan Yunting time and time again.
"I didn't expect that these Thirteen Needles of Gui Men would hide such a secret!" Gu Yuanbai couldn't help but exclaim.
The first time he heard of the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men was because of Wan Yunting's master, the Ghost Hand Medical Saint Gongsun Xiuliang. Back then, he had dominated the field of traditional Chinese medicine with the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men, saving countless people suffering from mental illnesses. However, he never imagined that these Thirteen Needles of Gui Men would hide such a secret. Gu Yuanbai said, "So, your master also knew that the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men are the divine needle techniques of the Tianyan Main God Cult?"
Wan Yunting shook his head and said, "I'm not sure. My master never mentioned it back then. Perhaps he didn't tell me because he didn't want me to get involved with the Tianyan Main God Cult."
Jiang Yichun nodded and asked, "Xiao Wan, what are your plans for the future?"
At this point, Gu Luotang entered with a pot of hot tea. Wan Yunting took it and poured tea into Gu Yuanbai's and Jiang Yichun's cups, saying with a wry smile, "I haven't made any specific plans. Now, the Tianyan Main God Cult is determined to get the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men from me, so they will definitely find ways to force me to comply through threats."
Gu Luotang, sitting beside him, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, looking at the unconcealed sadness on the man's face. She knew that the deaths of Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong had hit him too hard.
Wan Yunting paused, then looked up and smiled at the two elders, "Fortunately, the Tianyan Main God Cult's influence hasn't reached the capital yet, and my Ouyang family is not an ordinary family. If I stay in the capital, they won't be able to do anything to me."
Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun nodded and said, "Then stay in the capital and don't give them any opportunity to succeed."
Wan Yunting nodded and then continued to chat with Gu Yuanbai and Jiang Yichun about the various martial arts sects...
Just today, news came from the Huashan Sect that the martial arts sect competition had concluded, and Jin Xuan from the Shaolin Sect had won first place!
Meanwhile, in the headquarters hall of the Tianyan Main God Cult in Country H, the Main God, wearing a black robe and a mask, sat on the throne. His sharp eyes stared at his adopted son, Jian Shisan, who was kneeling below, head bowed and gritting his teeth. "I apologize, adoptive father. I was incompetent and failed to bring back the Thirteen Needles of Gui Men, and I also allowed Junior Brother Han and Junior Brother Feng Xian to remain in China..."
His adopted daughter, Leng Bing, stood beside him, having listened to Jian Shisan recount the entire ordeal in detail after his return. The Main God on the throne withdrew his gaze. He had no intention of blaming Jian Shisan and slowly spoke in a low voice, "I didn't expect that young man's martial arts to be so formidable, even knowing the Bagua Shen Gong of the Xiaoyao Sect. It seems he has inherited the Xiaoyao Sect's legacy!"
Jian Shisan looked up at the Main God and said, "Adoptive father, please give me another chance. I will definitely capture that brat."
The Main God stood up and waved his sleeve with his left hand, asking, "How is the Shen Jian Sect now?"
Jian Shisan quickly reported, "Yan Changjian has not aroused suspicion from the various sects."
The Main God nodded and said, "The Shen Jian Sect is our sharp sword for returning to China. Instruct Yan Changjian to win the trust of all the sects to achieve the ultimate plan!"
"Also, after some time, you and Leng Bing will infiltrate China and strategize against those sects, making them submit to my command. If any refuse, tell them to wash their necks and wait for me to settle the score with them one by one when I return to China!"
"Yes..."
Jian Shisan and Leng Bing nodded in unison, understanding that their next task was to sow discord among the major sects of the Chinese martial arts world and prepare for their adoptive father, the Main God's, return to China.
"As for Wan Yunting, I will find a way to deal with him!"
The Main God's eyes, hidden beneath the mask, were sharp. He let out a cold snort in a low voice, causing Jian Shisan and Leng Bing to tremble, as if they understood that their adoptive father intended to bring in someone to handle him...