Chapter Twenty-Three: The Celestial Tome Sanctuary

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Legend of the Heavenly Book

"Ah—forget it!" Wu Songran realized it was too late to stop Wang Liang, who had already spoken. Glancing at his companions, he weighed his options. For the sake of the lives of the inn's servants, it wasn’t worth provoking these influential figures who could shake the capital with a single stomp.

"It should be true! The legend says the Heavenly Book of Mount Wuyi is a secret manual for warriors to reach the innate realm!"

Wu Songran and his companions, seeing Wang Liang reveal the matter of Mount Wuyi without hesitation, immediately felt a murderous urge. Such knowledge was usually reserved for powerful factions; the fewer who knew, the fewer competitors there would be.

“Hmph—Wu Hong, don’t let me catch you! Or I’ll slice you into a thousand pieces!” Wu Songran, as if suddenly recalling something, slammed the table.

“Hehe—Miss Wu, why get angry over that useless fool? With King Wu Wei’s perfected marrow-refining realm, ordinary poisons couldn’t harm him. How could that good-for-nothing son possess the means to poison the king?”

The young man dressed as a Daoist smiled at Wu Songran, clearly trying to curry favor.

“Brother Li, you don’t know? My mother Zhao possesses the renowned Three-Corpse Powder. Unless a warrior attains the true innate realm, death is certain. Yet, while legends speak of those with innate cultivation, such beings haven’t appeared in centuries; no one knows if they truly exist!”

As Wu Songran recounted the past, her eyes reddened. The Daoist handed her a handkerchief, while Wang Liang watched with secret contempt.

“That scoundrel Wu Hong—born a useless fool! But as the selection for the next heir of King Wu Wei’s estate approached, the Great Qian Dynasty does not require the eldest to inherit the title. Of course, if the family head insists on the eldest, that’s a different matter. Usually, it’s the capable who inherit.

Brother Wu Lie joined the army young and achieved great martial merit! His talents in the arts were just as impressive. But what was Wu Hong? A wastrel, idly wandering, chasing pleasure, unable to cultivate martial arts! Yet he dared covet the throne, and even stole the Three-Corpse Powder from Lady Zhao to poison his own father! Hmph—”

Hearing Wu Songran discuss the past in the front hall, Wu Hong felt puzzled. His lifelong animosity toward Lady Zhao stemmed from the belief that King Wu Wei had died from her exclusive poison. But now, thinking carefully, what motive could there be? Wu Hong was a useless fool at the time! Wu Lie, Lady Zhao’s own son, excelled in every field—arts and martial cultivation—clearly the strongest among the king’s children.

According to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, Wu Lie would be the next heir, unless the king personally designated someone else.

Why, then, would Lady Zhao harm Wu Hong? What threat did he pose to her? Could it be that his father had chosen Wu Hong as heir, and Lady Zhao found out, prompting her to act? Wu Hong shook his head—this seemed impossible. He was the king’s son, but so was the outstanding Wu Lie. King Wu Wei wasn’t a fool; he would surely pick his most capable child.

At that time, Wu Hong was nothing—a wastrel, incapable of martial cultivation, a frivolous noble of the capital. He had never committed heinous acts, nor accomplished anything good.

Yet King Wu Wei died suddenly, and all blame fell on Wu Hong. That night, only Wu Hong had seen the king, and to outsiders, the motive seemed clear: to poison his father and claim the throne as the eldest son.

Although the Great Qian Dynasty did not stipulate inheritance by age, upon the master’s death, the eldest son would inherit by default. After King Wu Wei’s death, all suspicion pointed to Wu Hong.

Wu Hong now felt a premonition—if his father had reached the perfected marrow-refining realm, perhaps even poisoned, he wouldn’t have died?

But Wu Hong was no murderer, and Lady Zhao had no motive either. So why was his father killed?

“The culprit must be your useless brother! Born a fool, incapable of anything! To inherit the family title, killing King Wu Wei was the only way. The king treated your brother so well—what a shame!” Wang Liang chimed in.

“Wang Liang, how many times have I told you? Wu Hong is a beast, not my brother! Say he’s my brother again and you’ll regret it!”

Wu Songran shot to her feet, glaring at Wang Liang.

Wu Hong understood Wu Songran’s feelings well. If he stood in her shoes, he would hate his scheming, useless brother too. To her, Wu Hong had killed a father who cared deeply for her—what else could he be but a beast?

Wu Hong felt a pang in his heart, but did not blame Wu Songran.

“Yes, yes, my lady, I won’t say that beast is your brother anymore,” Wang Liang quickly pleaded.

“But I heard Mount Wuyi holds not only a Heavenly Book, but also a Resurrection Mirror. They say this mirror can reveal not just one’s own past, but the memories of those around you. Truly miraculous!”

The Daoist youth added.

“Hmph—that beast is guilty, but many still doubt the truth. I must seize the Resurrection Mirror and expose Wu Hong’s vile face to all!” Wu Songran declared resolutely.

“What? Sister Songran, did you say the Resurrection Mirror really exists?” Wu Hong, hiding behind the scenes, heard mention of this magical mirror and burst forward, loudly questioning Wu Songran, forgetting his need for secrecy.

“You are—Wu Hong—” The youths accompanying Wu Songran were startled to see someone suddenly rush out. Though Wu Hong’s skin tone had changed, his features remained recognizable. Songran, seeing her nemesis, bitterly spat out his hated name.

Wu Hong regretted his rash appearance. Bracing himself, he said, “Sister, it’s me! But you must believe me—I truly didn’t kill Father!”

“Believe you? Believe you? Never!” Songran suddenly drew her slender sword and hurled it at Wu Hong. A streak of silver tore through the air toward him, and Wu Hong quickly blocked it with his dagger. The sword embedded itself in the beam nearby.

Seeing Wu Songran attack, her companions also drew their weapons and rushed at Wu Hong.

Just as Songran summoned her vital energy, she felt suddenly dizzy. “No! Poisoned! This poison is potent—even after taking antidotes, we’re still affected. That shows how strong this drug is!”

The other youths’ faces changed as they too felt dizzy.

“Despicable scoundrel!” Songran forced out the words coldly. But their cultivation and prior antidotes helped somewhat.

“Prepare to die, Young Lord Wu!” Wang Liang’s face twisted as he darted toward Wu Hong, snapping open his paper fan. Several pale blue darts shot toward Wu Hong.

Wu Hong was alarmed—Wang Liang had hidden poisoned darts in his fan.

The darts were incredibly fast! Wu Hong felt a sharp pain in his chest and broke out in a cold sweat, but upon looking down, saw the darts stopped outside his skin, not penetrating. He sighed in relief.

“Oh—Young Lord Wu, you truly hide your skills! Seems you really did kill King Wu Wei! Impressive!”

Wu Hong did not wish to tangle with Wang Liang. He flipped backward, jumping several meters away.

The inn’s servants, seeing Wu Hong in danger, drew their prepared weapons and attacked the group.

“Be careful, don’t hurt them!” Wu Hong called loudly to the servants.

The servants understood. The youths were poisoned by Li Ruolan’s drug; the antidotes only delayed the effects, but otherwise provided little protection.

Li Ruolan’s poisons were infamous. When she first arrived at Erlang Mountain, she poisoned the streams, and within a month, all the bandits were afflicted. Her poisons were truly lethal.

The youths grew more shocked as they fought. These seemingly ordinary servants were all skilled fighters. Even without the poison hampering their strength, they would have struggled against them.

“Wu Hong, you bastard, you hid yourself so well! I hate you!” Songran cursed, fighting the servants.

Tables and chairs were smashed to pieces. The sounds of shattering wood and clashing weapons filled the small inn.

Gradually, as the poison took effect, the youths felt increasingly dizzy, unable to resist. They were soon subdued by the servants and brought before Wu Hong with blades pressed to their necks.

Wu Hong looked at Songran’s furious face and shook his head. “Sister Ran, why can’t you believe me? I truly didn’t kill Father! That night, the medicine for his spirit was given to me by Lady Zhao’s servant!”

“Nonsense! Why would Lady Zhao harm Father? Brother Wu Lie was the heir! Why would she do it?” Songran glared at Wu Hong.

Wu Hong was at a loss for words.

“Hmph—no defense left? You heartless, greedy wretch, jealous of Brother Wu Lie! Killing Father was your only path to the throne—you’re worse than a beast!” Songran’s face flushed as she berated him.

“Sister, I know whatever I say now, you’ll believe I’m guilty of patricide! But I, Wu Hong, am an honorable man—I would never stoop to such vile acts!” Wu Hong said, troubled.

“Young Lord Wu, since these people are so hostile to you, why not turn them into meat buns?” Erzi suggested, eyes gleaming.

Hearing this, the youths turned pale. Though they were influential figures in the capital, if they were turned into meat buns in this remote place, it would be the greatest miscarriage of justice in the dynasty’s history.

“Listen! I am the eldest son of the Minister of Rites. Wang Liang, if you know what’s good for you, release me now!”

Wang Liang had barely finished his threat when he felt a pain in his neck and immediately lost consciousness.

Wu Songran and the other youths looked at him as if he were an idiot. In such a situation, threats were useless.

Wu Hong had wanted to talk further with Songran, but seeing her furious eyes, he knew it was pointless.

“If you’re reluctant, Young Lord Wu, sell the men to the border as laborers and the women straight to the brothel!” Old Liu suggested even more harshly. The youths’ anger surged, their blood boiling, and they passed out from rage.

“Wu Hong, in the next life, don’t let me get my hands on you, or I’ll slice you into a thousand pieces!” Songran spat, then fainted.