Chapter 91. Same Bed, Different Dreams (3)

Crack.

The muscles in the arm that pulled the bowstring were taut.

Thud.

The thick veins on the arm that was choking the old man's neck bulged.

It was a sharp confrontation. With Bai Gongtian's skills, he could target any part of Lian Huozheng's body that was exposed behind the old man.

The problem was that Lian Huozheng was not an ordinary expert. If he missed even slightly, the old man's neck would break instantly.

"......"

A heavy silence fell.

Bai Gongtian, who had been glaring at Lian Huozheng with fierce eyes, slowly lowered his bow.

Lian Huozheng smiled.

"You made the right decision."

"Release the hostage."

"Indeed, the hostage had some utility. I can't let him go."

Bai Gongtian's face twisted.

Lian Huozheng spoke.

"What's your name?"

"I have no name to tell you."

"I knew you'd say that. Then let me ask one thing."

"......"

"Are you a fellow student of Mobi?"

Bai Gongtian still did not answer.

He seemed to have no intention of answering. Lian Huozheng tightened his grip on his arm.

Thud.

"Crack."

The old man's face turned pale.

Bai Gongtian's eyes trembled.

"Who is Mobi?"

"You don't know Mobi?"

"I don't."

"Your shooting technique, body movement, and the ability to adjust your stance from half an inch to one inch."

"......!"

"You even used the Dragon Arrow technique. And you don't know Mobi?"

Bai Gongtian's face was filled with shock.

"You know the Dragon Arrow technique, who are you?!"

Lian Huozheng was momentarily speechless.

'An interesting character.'

The destructive archery skills he displayed yesterday were truly remarkable. Such archery skills combined with efficient body movements were enough to earn the title of a great master.

But he was too honest. He was naturally taciturn, but his honest nature was clearly visible on his face.

"I'm the one asking questions. I'll ask one last time. Do you really not know Mobi?"

"......I don't. There is no Ghost Archer with that name."

He inadvertently mentioned the term "Ghost Archer," but he was not even aware of it.

Lian Huozheng's eyes deepened.

'Is it an alias?'

It could be. After all, there weren't many martial artists who used their real names in the江湖 (jianghu, the world of martial arts).

"What is a Ghost Archer?"

Bai Gongtian closed his mouth. He had just realized his mistake.

Lian Huozheng continued.

"You killed a member of the Open Road Sect. The situation is already serious. If you don't want to make it worse, it's better to answer honestly."

"......Let him go."

"If I were going to let him go, I wouldn't have taken him hostage."

"Do you have no pride? To take a powerless old man as a hostage with your skills is shameful."

"Enough with the pointless provocation. This is not a friendly match, but a fight."

Lian Huozheng glanced at the old man.

"And a powerless old man?"

"......?"

"He has a considerable amount of usable internal energy sealed. His skin may be wrinkled, but his muscles are quite firm. To maintain such a body and internal energy, a lot of practice is needed."

"......?"

"It seems you didn't check properly."

Thump.

Lian Huozheng pressed the old man's acupoint. The old man's body stiffened.

"When pressing an acupoint, there is considerable resistance. If he hadn't used more than one-tenth of his true energy, it wouldn't have been pressed at all."

Bai Gongtian's eyes wavered.

He had seen the process of pressing the acupoint. The opponent's fingers clearly hesitated. He felt strong resistance from the acupoint.

To unconsciously cause such resistance, one needed the internal energy of a first-class expert.

'How could he have such internal energy?'

Bai Gongtian looked at the old man, Gaoping.

Gaoping's eyes were trembling as if an earthquake had occurred. His mouth was also sealed, as if the mute point had been pressed.

"......Old Mr. Gao?"

The Gaoping he knew was an ordinary person who had not cultivated any internal energy. He was a renowned doctor unknown to the world, who had dedicated his life to medicine.

"Zhuangxin Hong is the same."

Bai Gongtian looked at Lian Huozheng again.

He had pressed the hostage's acupoint and sealed the mute point. Yet, there were no gaps. His arm was wrapped around Gaoping's neck, and a little more pressure would compress the carotid artery.

"When did Zhuangxin Hong become a poison that drains a person's life force? Such a poison is extremely rare even among the Gu Du (poison insects) category."

"......Is it not?"

"Of course not."

Lian Huozheng glanced down at Gaoping with a cold, ruthless gaze.

"Zhuangxin Hong is a type of Shen Zhuo Du (adherent poison). It adheres to the internal organs and causes degeneration. It particularly affects the heart, which is a characteristic resulting from the refinement of a mineral-based poison."

"......!"

"But it doesn't work on those with a strong body and a certain level of control over their internal energy. The true energy expels the poison before it can adhere to the organs. In other words, it is a low-to-mid-grade poison that doesn't work on experts who have cultivated a certain level of internal energy."

Zhuangxin Hong was a poison used by only a few people in the black market of the martial arts world.

In other words, it was not easy to identify. Moreover, few people tried to identify it.

There were countless stronger poisons than Zhuangxin Hong. It might work on third-rate gangsters or common black sect members, but not on experts.

Lian Huozheng had even been doused with a bowl of Zhuangxin Hong.

He was still fine. The Hongtian Qi expelled the poison as soon as it was inhaled. The Zhuque Qi even prevented it from affecting his heart, causing it to dissipate.

For a high-level expert like Bai Gongtian to be poisoned by such a low-to-mid-grade poison? It was absurd.

"In other words, whether this person is a doctor or not, he is not the weakling you think he is, and you are not poisoned by Zhuangxin Hong."

Bai Gongtian's expression twisted.

He asked Gaoping.

"Is what this young man said true?"

Gaoping's mute point was pressed, so he couldn't speak.

Bai Gongtian said to Lian Huozheng.

"Release the old man's mute point."

"No."

"What?"

Lian Huozheng coldly said.

"I've stripped away the illusion and revealed the truth. But I'm not the type to show unnecessary kindness to strangers."

"......?!"

"What is a Ghost Archer? Explain that first."

Sss.

Killing intent rose from Bai Gongtian's body.

It was not just simple killing intent. It was mixed with genuine urgency, a sense of time being precious.

"This is not the time for word games! Release him now!"

"You're not in a position to give orders. If you don't want to waste more time, answer my questions."

"Ugh!"

"Right now."

Though he urged Bai Gongtian to speak quickly, Lian Huozheng's face showed no signs of urgency.

His cold expression and persistent questioning put strong pressure on the other party. Even in a similar situation, the way he presented himself was completely different from Bai Gongtian.

Finally, Bai Gongtian spoke.

"A Ghost Archer refers to a candidate for the new Yi Shen (God of Archery) in Guanri Valley."

"Guanri Valley? What is that? A group that has archers like you?"

Guanri Valley was a name that should not be known to the world.

But Bai Gongtian was in a hurry. If Gaoping was not the doctor he knew, he needed to find another doctor as soon as possible.

"That's right."

"I've never heard of such a sect."

"Guanri Valley is not a sect in the martial arts world. It is a religion that worships the Sun God and simultaneously exists to kill him, known as the God-Killing Sect."

The God-Killing Sect, meaning a religion that kills gods.

Lian Huozheng frowned.

'God-Killing Sect...?'

He recalled Mobi's words from the past.

'Their god is despicable. That's why I dislike the God-Killing Sect.'

It was a rare moment when the usually taciturn and emotionless Mobi showed anger.

"You're not a sect, but you teach remarkable archery skills."

"Of course. The only way to kill the Sun God is through archery. Just as the legendary Hou Yi shot down nine suns with his bow, we are those who aim to reach the heavens with our archery."

Lian Huozheng shook his head.

'I have no idea what he's talking about.'

Mobi had never mentioned anything about this. Regardless, it seemed they were a kind of religious group.

'Hmm?'

A sudden thought made Lian Huozheng ask again.

"Your group seems small, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the archers in your group, Guanri Valley. And what is this Yi Shen?"

The urgency on Bai Gongtian's face grew deeper.

"Have I not told you enough! Release him immediately...!"

Thud.

Gaoping's face turned bright red.

Bai Gongtian gritted his teeth.

"......To become the Yi Shen of Guanri Valley, the Ghost Archers must compete with each other."

"Compete?"

"A battle to the death."

Lian Huozheng's eyes flashed.

"Does the survivor become the Yi Shen or something?"

"Yes."

"Surely, you're not in the middle of that competition now?"

"Yes! So release him immediately!"

The battle to the death to become the Yi Shen.

'So Mobi...?'

Was he the survivor?

But why didn't he return and become the Yi Shen? Was there a reason?

"I have one last question."

Lian Huozheng's eyes sank.

Even in his urgency, Bai Gongtian realized that this question was the most important to the other party.

"Your current age is roughly... in your mid-twenties, I suppose. You are tall, slightly under six feet, and you use a horn bow instead of a large bow. Your main martial skill is...?"

"Bai Xiang?!"

Lian Huozheng's eyes widened.

"Bai Xiang?"

Bai Gongtian, who had been unable to speak for a moment, stammered.

"Do you know Xiang?"

It was a familiar tone, as if addressing a brother, cousin, or close friend.

"Not exactly, but... it seems to match."

"If the age and height you described are correct, it can only be Xiang. Among the Ghost Archers participating in this competition, there is no one else in their mid-twenties. And Xiang uses a horn bow."

"......Alright. Then where is Bai Xiang?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I don't know the exact location. But there's a high probability he's near Mount Balong. He hasn't moved since the competition began."

Lian Huozheng, who had been staring at Bai Gongtian, released Gaoping.

Bai Gongtian's eyes flashed.

Whoosh!

"Choke!"

Gaoping exhaled roughly. A powerful finger wind had unsealed his mute point.

It was a high-level display of internal energy. Not just skilled in archery, but also in martial arts knowledge and training at a top-tier level.

Bai Gongtian lifted Gaoping, almost grabbing him by the collar.

"Is what this young man said true?"

"Cough! How can you say such a thing! Do you think I was lying to you!"

"......It's fine, I don't need to know anything else. I'll ask one thing."

Bai Gongtian's eyes blazed.

An indescribable emotion overwhelmed the person facing him. Gaoping's face was as stiff as a board.

"Can you cure his body?"

"......"

"Why aren't you speaking! Can you cure the Seven Yin Absolute Meridians?"

At that moment, Lian Huozheng spoke.

"Seven Yin Absolute Meridians?"

Bai Gongtian looked at Lian Huozheng.

Lian Huozheng tilted his head.

"Seven Yin Absolute Meridians? Isn't it Nine Yin Absolute Meridians?"

"......What?"

"Is there such a thing as Seven Yin Absolute Meridians? I thought it was called Nine Yin Absolute Meridians because excessive yin energy accumulates, causing the eight extraordinary meridians to freeze, and eventually, life is cut off."

"......?!"

"Only seven out of the eight extraordinary meridians freeze? Is there such a delicate condition?"

Bai Gongtian glared at Gaoping.

Lian Huozheng frowned.

"Is he just a fraud?"