"Bone marrow extraction will not take a life, but it will make one suffer immensely, wishing for death more than life. It will also cripple one's martial arts foundation, severing their seven meridians and eight veins. A poisoned person will become a cripple, worse off than a normal person," Xiao Man said, her voice steady and calm.
The old man smiled and nodded, "Not only that, those who undergo bone marrow extraction will have their bodies remain uncorrupted and lifelike even after death."
Xiao Man paid no mind to the old man's words. Even if the body did not rot, Duggu Man's remains had long since turned to ash in the great fire.
"What I want to know is not this."
The old man smiled mysteriously and tapped twice on the head of the bed. A hidden compartment immediately sprang open. The old man took out a small red porcelain bottle from it. "This contains the bone marrow extraction poison. It is my life's greatest masterpiece, and there is no antidote."
Xiao Man clenched her fists, trying her best to restrain herself, and waited for the old man to continue. "This poison was commissioned by an old acquaintance. After the poison was made, I kept a bottle for myself. I do not know who he intended to use it on, but for him to resort to murder to silence others, the other party must be of no small status."
"Who was the client?" Xiao Man asked slowly, her face as calm as still water. However, sweat had already formed in her palms. That person could absolutely not be Murong Sheng Rui. Thinking back carefully, everything was meticulous and without flaws. Relying solely on Murong Sheng Rui, it would be impossible. There was a black hand behind all of this!
"Girl, do you want to take me as your master?"
"I only want to know who that person is!"
"Even if you know who that person is, you cannot defeat him, unless you can learn all my life's knowledge." A shrewd glint flashed in the old man's faded eyes. "If my guess is correct, the one who underwent bone marrow extraction is your relative, isn't he?"
Xiao Man opened the box containing Zi Yi Xian and showed it to the old man, then pushed it towards him. "The name."
"This person holds a high position and great power in the Yusheng Dynasty and is greatly respected by the populace. With your own strength, there is no possibility of defeating him."
"The name," Xiao Man said patiently.
The old man sighed. "Don't you really want to take me as your master? Don't you want to develop more potent poisons to strike back?"
"Right now, I only want to know his name." Xiao Man thought of all the powerful and influential figures she knew but could not figure anything out. Regardless of who that person was, poisoning her might be related to the Yusheng imperial family. She vaguely felt it was related to Nangong Yu, but quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't him!
"The Imperial Preceptor of Yusheng, Feng Tianlan."
The color instantly drained from Xiao Man's face. Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could it be her master? Master was detached from worldly desires and had no ambitions, how could he possibly plot to poison her? Absolutely impossible!
"You are lying!"
"What good would it do for me to lie?" The old man took out an item. "This is the token Feng Tianlan gave me when he commissioned me to develop the bone marrow extraction poison. This thing cannot be fake. Furthermore, after I developed the poison, he tried to silence me, turning me into this grotesque figure. Even if he turned to ash, I would recognize him."
Xiao Man walked through the streets in a daze. Even though it was late at night, people were still walking on the streets. Although a commercial stronghold was not as prosperous as the imperial capital, it was still more bustling than ordinary cities.
Xiao Man felt her mind go blank. She tried her utmost to shake off the thoughts echoing in her mind, but they seemed to have taken root and sprouted, reminding her again and again that Feng Tianlan, the Imperial Preceptor of Yusheng, Xiao Man's master, was involved in her death!
Xiao Man carefully searched her memories of Feng Tianlan but found no relevant information. Xiao Man did not have many memories of this master. Apart from a vague, veiled face, there was only that deep and loving voice, and a back that was free from worldly desires. How could such a person be involved in the imperial feuds of another country?
If Feng Tianlan was truly free from worldly desires, why would he be the Imperial Preceptor of Yusheng?
Xiao Man desperately wanted to know what Feng Tianlan looked like, but Xiao Man had immense respect for this master and had never thought of removing his veil. Therefore, for so many years, Xiao Man herself did not know what Feng Tianlan looked like!
Some said that Imperial Preceptor Feng Tianlan was peerless in his elegance, even the Prince of Qin paled in comparison. Others said that the Imperial Preceptor's appearance was so ugly that he dared not be seen, which was why he wore a veil all day. Yet others said that the Imperial Preceptor was an immortal and mortals could not glimpse his appearance!
Xiao Man's head began to throb violently. She always felt that this Imperial Preceptor of Yusheng must have some connection with Yun Qi. Was Murong Sheng Rui instigated by him to attack her?
Or was it that her widespread fame had aroused Yusheng's resentment, and Yusheng had secretly cooperated with Murong Sheng Rui to plot her death?
Xiao Man rubbed her throbbing head, leaning against a tree trunk, feeling as if she were about to vomit, yet nothing came out. She truly couldn't fathom what grudge she had with the Imperial Preceptor of Yusheng that would make him slaughter her family, cripple her cultivation, and make her suffer such humiliation!
Xiao Man violently vomited, but only managed to bring up a few mouthfuls of sour liquid, and nothing else. The nausea brought on by the headache lingered in her chest, unable to be dispelled.
"Xiao Man, what's wrong?" A hand grabbed Xiao Man's arm and asked urgently.
Xiao Man vaguely raised her head and looked at the person in front of her, who seemed familiar yet strange. "Master, why?"
The person holding Xiao Man's arm changed expression slightly. "Xiao Man, what's wrong?"
Xiao Man shook her head. Only then did she see clearly that the person standing in front of her was not Duggu Man's master Feng Mo Ran, nor Xiao Man's master Feng Tianlan, but the Prince of Qin, Nangong Yu.
"So it's Your Highness."
Nangong Yu's expression was complex. He supported Xiao Man. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a headache." Nangong Yu helped her sit down at a small stall that had not yet closed and asked the owner to make two bowls of steaming sweet dumplings.
Xiao Man had no appetite. She stirred the sweet dumplings in the bowl with a spoon. She always felt that she had overlooked something. Feng Tianlan and Yun Qi might have some connection to her, and what kind of connection, remained to be investigated.
"Your Highness, how much do you know about my master?"
Nangong Yu raised his eyebrows and looked at Xiao Man. The steam from the bowl made Xiao Man's face appear somewhat unreal, so much so that he saw a daze in her eyes, as if she knew nothing about her own master.
"The Imperial Preceptor rarely participates in state affairs, spending more than half the year traveling outside. I have had little contact with him and do not know him well. However, he holds extremely high prestige in both the court and among the populace," Nangong Yu said truthfully.
After listening, Xiao Man silently stirred the sweet dumplings in the bowl, watching the round dumplings tumble back and forth. Her thoughts were as restless as the dumplings. She had initially believed that her death was a reason for Murong Sheng Rui's power grab, but she hadn't expected there to be other conspiracies behind it.