"Refining Divine Convention?!" exclaimed Emperor Yuansheng, shuddering. "Please elaborate, Miss."
"This is not a suitable place to speak, pl-, ah!" Miss Lyu suddenly felt her legs give in and keeled over.
Long Zaitian muttered, "Wow, His Majesty's aura is just… oof."
"Miss Lyu!" I had another interpretation. I reached out to help Miss Lyu. Her hand was freezing.
Emperor Yuansheng quickly caught on: "She's been poisoned and fading rapidly! Call a doctor!"
By the time the imperial doctor travelling with us came over with his medicine box, Lyu Yaoqin's lips were pale. When the waiter at the restaurant we were near saw me holding her, he cried, "Murder! Murder!" and ran outside, continuing, "There's a murderer! Report to the magistrate! Report to the magistrate!"
I instantly suspected foul play, a trap. Long Zaitian asked, "What do you reckon, Ming?"
"A waiter waiting by the side of the street to cry murder instead of doing his job, there's not much room for imagination."
Long Zaitian smirked: "Crying murder after seeing someone poisoned, he's either been bribed or is incorrigibly messed up in the head."
The doctor hurriedly took out silver needles and pricked four of Miss Lyu's chest meridians: "May this old one please ask for an expert at internal styles' meridian sealing? She needs your assistance. The poison is spreading rapidly. This old one cannot stop it spreading fast enough with acupuncture. We need an internal style expert to stop it spreading."
Tie Hanyi: "I can help."
The doctor shook his head: "Sorry. To clarify, the poison is extremely potent, so we need a Just Realm internal style adept."
Just Realm internal style adepts were a rare breed and advanced practitioner. They benefited from better health, allowing them to enjoy a longer lifespan, have a stronger immune defence system against poison and malaria. Advance further and they would actually be invulnerable to a plethora of toxins and have hope of living to a hundred. Usually, only those who reached the peak of their style could reap the benefits; a patriarch wasn't guaranteed to enjoy the same benefits. Tie Hanyi's Iron Palm style was Gold Realm's rigid style, which wasn't compatible with Just Realm internal styles.
Emperor Yuansheng rolled up his sleeves: "I am a Just Realm internal style user. I'll do it."
Dugu pulled Emperor Yuansheng over to the carriage and went down on his knee: "Master, the poison is too potent. Please reconsider interacting with it."
"That is disgraceful! She was poisoned because she helped us."
Bai Laimu and Ye Luo joined Du Gu: "Please keep the bigger picture in mind and reconsider it."
Emperor Yuansheng's Entourage's primary mission was always to protect the monarch. If anything happened to the monarch in their presence, they would never live down the humiliation and regret. Knowing they were just opining out of loyalty, Emperor Yuansheng didn't rebuke them. He explained, "Rise. I know what you're concerned about, but I'm not that fragile at my level. Moreover, a man must not be a coward and be selfish."
The three remained kneeling. Emperor Yuansheng sighed and prepared to proceed with his agenda until they heard the doctor remark, "Thank you for helping, Young Tang."
"Don't mention it."
Emperor Yuansheng looked back at the trio. None of them comprehended how Tang Ye also practiced Just Realm. They hurriedly went out to see how things were. Miss Lyu looked much better and was safe for the meantime.
Owing to the urgency when it all came crashing down, I shouted, "Tang Ye, that's your cue to perform. What are you standing there like a block of wood for?" I then grabbed his hand and sealed Miss Lyu's meridians for her.
Emperor Yuansheng didn't believe Tang Ye was behind it: "Young Tang, you learn Just Realm styles? I have never seen you use it before."
Emperor Yuansheng looked at Tang Ye. Tang Ye looked at me. I clarified, "Ahem, Tang Ye told me someone special taught him his Great Elephant Invisible Sound Silent Sound Big Pearl Wrinkly Purple Xiantian Heaven Omnidirectional Six Extremities Immortal Skill, so he could not thoughtlessly use it."
Su Xiao to himself: "Wow, Lord San Shen strikes again!"
The doctor hurriedly started his acupuncture treatment in a panic. After, he wiped his perspiration and stated, "The poison is awfully potent, but thanks to Young Tang stopping its circulation, she will be fine for now."
Emperor Yuansheng bristled: "Just who poisoned the innocent girl?"
The waiter came back with a crowd from the street in tow. They surrounded us and flapped their gums.
Du Gu: "Master, there is something odd about this. We should leave this place as soon as possible with Miss Lyu. We will have support in Canhu Town."
I commented, "I doubt we'll be able to leave so easily."
"What happened? How are you? Miss Lyu?"
The people with the waiter were the same people who left after giving us the gifts. Seeing Miss Lyu's swollen face, the chubby midget cried, "She stayed to exchange a few words with young master. How did sh-."
The midget didn't dare to utter another word after glancing over to me. Fearful, he forced a smile: "She, umm, must have offended you, so she deserves to suffer, hehe. Hehe."
"Nonsense! Young Master Zhong is not a petty man!" argued the manager from Tea Lake Manor.
"What happened? I was told Young Master poisoned the young lady from Lyu Clan," commented Horse Divine Association's rider.
A tall and lanky man yelled, "Hey, Fatty, Eight Drunk Divine' owner and your master are friends. What are you doing? You too scared to say something? Tea Lake Manor, you're from Hangzhou. You not going to speak up? You might be cowards, but I won't stand for it! Nobody here from the pugilistic world can tolerate it!"
Slowly but surely, they cast all of the blame on me. I crossed my arms and chilled as I watched the skit. Nobody else in the escort responded, either. After the blatant garbage, they stopped commenting.
The manager from Tea Lake Manor asked, "Young Master, how did Miss Lyu offend you so badly?"
"Did I ever say she was Miss Lyu?" I rhetorically asked and stumped the manager. "You have my admiration. You came from how far away? Her face is this swollen, yet you could recognise her?"
The chubby midget expounded, "We identified her by her clothing. She has always worn that robe. We could not have possibly identified her by her face."
"Oh, her clothing?" I pinched my chin and tilted my head: "How did you know she was poisoned?"
The cat caught the tongues of the four who accused me of poisoning Miss Lyu. The manager forced a smile: "The town's waiter claimed so…"
Long Zaitian suddenly jumped in: "You're saying you heard him from a kilometre away? You must have magical ears."
The lanky man who vehemently pushed the blame on me sniggered: "The truth is right before our eyes. We didn't make it up. Don't turn around and accuse me!"
I queried, "And what's the truth?"
"Look at Miss Lyu's face. She's already d-, eh?"
Miss Lyu suddenly moaned and sat up from the carriage. There was no sign of her being poisoned whatsoever. The accusers rubbed their eyes. When I saw the crowd coming back, I pinched her foot and drained the poison from her, which was why there was no sign of her being poisoned.
Miss Lyu yawned: "Oh, sorry, I accidentally fell asleep. Where was I now? Eh? Wh-Why is everyone back?"
Someone from the accusation party: "The waiter called us back. We didn't know what happened, either."
"But several people adamantly accused me of poisoning you but are surprised you are fine. I'm also quite puzzled why someone would claim you were poisoned when you are perfectly fine," I explained with a leisurely smile. "May I ask where and from whom the four of you learnt Miss Lyu was poisoned?"
All four were speechless. They exchanged eye contact. I caught a glimpse of the hostility that flitted across their faces. The lanky and tall man brayed, "What are you waiting f-?"
"Tang Ye!" I summoned.
Tang Ye thrust the large and heavy spear he kept for himself after our clash with Great Spear Sect. Tang Ye imbued the spear with his true qi and impaled the lanky man through the chest, skewering him on the ground and leaving him with a critical injury.
All hell broke loose. There were over two hundred men with the quartet. Though the men weren't skilled, it was a riot in the small town. The people who came to send me gifts saw me in a pinch, so they drew their blades and charged into the fray to help me.
I hollered, "There are elderly, women and children here. Please ensure the safety of the defenceless townsfolk first. We will deal with the evildoers."
"He's right! Prioritise the people's safety!" agreed Emperor Yuansheng.
As soon as Emperor Yuansheng charged into the battlefield, at least another ten joined him. I chased after the manager from Tea Lake Manor who sped into an alley the second the fight broke out. As soon as I entered the narrow passage, I tripped him using a strand of celestial spider silk. Before he could get up again, I dashed over and picked him up with one hand. He was as light as a kid to me due his stature.
"Pl-Please spare this humble one out of consideration of your friendship with my master."
"Oh? You recognise me?"
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