Thinking of this, Xiao Man felt guilty. Xiao Zhen and his son had treated her with genuine kindness, yet she had exploited that kindness to drive a wedge between them and the State Preceptor.
“Girl, may I ask who it was that Feng Tian Lan killed with the Marrow Washing Poison?” Wan Du Zi’s voice was soft. Although he was a poison doctor, his connections were all within Yusheng, and he knew nothing of Yun Qi’s affairs. Therefore, he couldn’t ascertain who Feng Tian Lan had poisoned with the Marrow Washing Poison.
“My senior sister. As for her identity, I’m afraid I cannot tell you yet.”
“A fellow creature’s misfortune, you sympathize. It’s understandable,” Wan Du Zi said slowly. “Feng Tian Lan is truly terrifying. Your senior sister must have been his beloved disciple as well, right?”
“Mm. By rights, I should be the senior sister, as I joined the sect before her. However, she is older than me, so she became the senior sister,” Xiao Man said gently.
Wan Du Zi fell into a long silence. He had also been very close to his senior brother. One was a medical cultivator, the other a poison cultivator. Both walked the path of healing and saving lives. However, he had a penchant for developing all sorts of poisons. His senior brother had once advised him, saying that creating poisons was not wrong, but one must be wary of them being exploited by those with ill intentions and becoming weapons to harm others.
He had not taken it to heart at the time. With his skills, who could possibly exploit him? As it turned out, reality had dealt him a harsh blow. The poisons he developed had ultimately killed the senior brother he cherished.
“Girl, do you ever regret it?”
“No,” Xiao Man’s voice was filled with resolve.
“Have you never done anything wrong?”
“I have.”
“And you don’t regret any of it?”
“It’s done, what’s the use of regretting it?” Xiao Man asked calmly. “Instead of regretting, it’s better to do our utmost to set things right.”
“Do your utmost to set things right?” Wan Du Zi frowned. “Your tone sounds just like a schemer.”
Xiao Man lowered her gaze and smiled faintly. She was, in essence, a schemer. She had been one before, and she was one now. Before, she treated the world as a chessboard; now, she had become a pawn on that chessboard, striving with all her might to break free and become the player.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes. That child Qing Yi has exceptional talent. The He family is truly blind to cast aside such a promising seedling simply because she is a girl. It just so happens to benefit this old man,” Wan Du Zi said with a smile. “In time, Qing Yi will surely become a renowned doctor on par with Qing Ti.”
“To become a divine doctor who heals the world is Mother’s wish,” Xiao Man’s gaze fell upon He Qing Yi. “Elder, will you not bid farewell to Mother?”
“No, this old man has many things to attend to, so I will not bid farewell.” Wan Du Zi spoke and headed towards the city gates. Although the gates were closed, for him, leaving was not a difficult matter. “Girl, take care. Please look after Qing Yi and Qing Ti for me.”
“Elder, take care.”
Xiao Man watched Wan Du Zi’s receding figure disappear, then her gaze turned to Dong Fang Wei, who was hidden in the shadows. Dong Fang Wei pouted. A little fox, always harboring ill intentions. Someone helps you so much, and you’re still plotting against them. Can’t you just be a decent person?
Wan Du Zi intended to investigate Feng Tian Lan’s affairs privately. If Feng Tian Lan was indeed the mastermind behind Yao Yue Tower, then his power was immense. He had to distance himself from Xiao Man and the others, otherwise, it would expose Xiao Man too early, which would be disadvantageous to them.
However, before he could even reach the city gates, Wan Du Zi was stopped. The one who stopped him was none other than Ye Qing.
Wan Du Zi paused, then turned, heading into a small alley. He decided to pretend he hadn't seen him, reasoning that in his current disfigured state, the young man wouldn’t recognize him.
Ye Qing followed Wan Du Zi into the alley, maintaining a discreet distance, preventing Wan Du Zi from shaking him off.
Wan Du Zi weaved through several streets, and Ye Qing remained steadfastly behind him. Wan Du Zi was starting to get tired. He stopped and turned around. “Young man, why are you following this old man?”
“Uncle-Master, your disguise technique has become increasingly masterful. You almost fooled me too.”
Wan Du Zi gritted his teeth secretly. That insidious, stinky fox had sold him out!
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“A person’s appearance can change, but their style of doing things will not,” Ye Qing stepped forward, closing the distance between them. “He Qing Yi’s medical techniques are identical to yours, Uncle-Master.”
Wan Du Zi chuckled. “I have no relation to her.”
“Uncle-Master dare not admit your identity because you poisoned my master. Are you ashamed to face me?” Ye Qing felt a surge of anger. This person had appeared before him multiple times, and he hadn't recognized him. If Xiao Man hadn’t sent someone to inform him, he would have been deceived again.
“I did not!”
“So, you are admitting your identity?”
Wan Du Zi was vexed. He had been with that black-hearted fox for too long and had picked up some of that little fox’s cunning. He had fallen into a trap!
“What do you want?”
“I want to know the truth. How did my master really die? And why have you become like this?” Ye Qing had been telling himself all along not to rush, to listen to his explanation, to give even a condemned person a chance to defend themselves.
“Believe it or not, I did not kill my senior brother,” Wan Du Zi sighed. “However, my senior brother’s death is related to me.”
“Meaning, you still killed my master!” Ye Qing’s voice turned cold.
“I killed him. He advised me not to develop untreatable poisons, lest they be exploited by those with ill intentions. I didn’t take it to heart and even developed a peculiar poison. It was because of this peculiar poison that I brought about my own downfall.”
“Peculiar poison?” Ye Qing frowned. “What poison?”
“Marrow Washing.”
“The peculiar poison that killed Empress Yun Qi was developed by you?” Ye Qing was utterly shocked. This was a grave matter. If Nangong Yu found out that the developer of the Marrow Washing Poison was Wan Du Zi, Wan Du Zi would have no chance of survival.
“You say the Marrow Washing Poison killed Empress Yun Qi?” Wan Du Zi’s eyes widened, looking at Ye Qing in disbelief. “Can you be sure?”
“I can be sure. After Empress Yun Qi was poisoned, I secretly investigated, and she was indeed poisoned by Marrow Washing.”
“Haha.” Wan Du Zi burst into laughter. “No wonder, no wonder he wanted to silence us to prevent us from speaking. So, he snatched the Marrow Washing Poison to kill a country’s Empress. What skill, truly remarkable skill. Even if his abilities were heaven-defying, he couldn’t possibly contend with an entire nation, could he?”
“Uncle-Master, what are you talking about?” Ye Qing felt utterly confused. They were clearly discussing his master’s murder, yet it had somehow involved Du Gu Man!
“So, that’s how it is. I see now.” Wan Du Zi’s eyes held a hint of madness. “Qing Ti, if the Emperor of Yun Qi knew who poisoned Du Gu Man, would he spare no effort to kill that person?” Su Dan Novel Network
Ye Qing looked at the delirious-looking Wan Du Zi and sighed. “Uncle-Master probably doesn’t know, but the Emperor of Yun Qi himself handed her the poison. Otherwise, given her vigilance, how could she have been so easily captured?”