Chapter 45

"Xiaozhong!" Zheng Gongming exclaimed in surprise, "Did Tingting find you? Is she alright?"

"Old Zheng, how did you end up in such a sorry state?" Zhong Wen chuckled as he untied him, "Tingting is a bit overworked and is resting in the Piaohua Palace. Don't worry, she's fine."

"That's good, that's good." Tears welled up in Zheng Gongming's eyes as he murmured, "I really owe you this time. I never thought your sword skills would be so remarkable. I always thought I had some achievements in swordsmanship, but compared to you, I'm far behind. I'm truly ashamed."

"Old Zheng, you should also thank these brothers from Shengyu Trading Company this time." Zhong Wen pointed to the people behind him, "If it weren't for the people Miss Shangguan arranged, I might have been overwhelmed."

"Thank you, young master Zhong." The group of Earth Wheel experts all clasped their fists in respect.

After witnessing Zhong Wen's divine sword skills and seeing his young age and Earth Wheel cultivation, everyone knew his future achievements would be boundless. With Miss Shangguan's special instructions, no one dared to look down on him.

"Thank you all for your help." Zheng Gongming sincerely thanked the black-clad men, then looked at Zhong Wen, "Xiaozhong, my wife was saved by your 'Sai Shenshen' a few days ago, and now you've saved the Golden Saber Sect from dire straits. I don't know how to repay such a favor."

As he spoke, he tried to get up to bow, but his limbs were weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Old Zheng, you..." Zhong Wen frowned at the sight.

"This big brother, those villains were afraid of Father's cultivation, so they severed his hand and foot tendons," Zheng Qiyuan said, tears streaming down his face.

"Qier, don't be sad. It's already a great achievement to save everyone's lives this time," Zheng Gongming comforted his son, "For cultivators, losing a limb is nothing. My old bones can't last much longer anyway."

"Let me take a look." Zhong Wen examined Zheng Gongming's hands and feet carefully, "It's no big deal, Old Zheng. You might not know, but I, Zhong Wen, am the greatest physician in the world. I can heal these minor injuries in no time."

With that, he pretended to reach into his pocket but took out needles and other tools from his storage ring, and began to perform acupuncture on Zheng Gongming right there.

While inserting the needles, he handed Zheng Gongming a pill, "Old Zheng, take this medicine. I'll give you some more treatment, and in a few days, you'll be able to move freely. In a month, I guarantee you'll wield your saber even more impressively."

"Really?" Zheng Gongming couldn't hide his excitement. Although he had resigned himself to his fate, the thought of spending the rest of his life in bed was a torment. Hearing that he could recover, how could he not be overjoyed?

"More real than pearls." Zhong Wen smiled as he continued to insert the needles.

In no time, Zheng Gongming felt his injured limbs gradually become itchy and warm, and the areas that were previously unable to move began to regain sensation.

"It really works!" Zheng Gongming was overjoyed, tears streaming down his face.

The black-clad men behind him were amazed and began to whisper among themselves.

"Wow, he healed severed tendons so easily."

"This young master Zhong's medical skills are truly remarkable."

"With such cultivation talent and such miraculous medical skills, this young man is no ordinary person."

"Such a divine physician should be befriended before he rises to prominence. Cultivators all have their ups and downs."

"Doesn't this young man seem very compatible with Miss Shangguan?"

...

Zhong Wen quickly finished the treatment, stretched, and noticed Zheng Qiyuan looking at him curiously.

Zhong Wen smiled warmly at him, and the thin young man immediately stepped forward, "Big Brother Zhong, are you really from the 'Heavenly Saber Alliance'? Why did you let Sai Baiwei and the others go?"

"The 'Heavenly Saber Alliance' is something I made up to divert the attention of that Warden Sai, so he wouldn't think of Piaohua Palace and Shengyu Trading Company," Zhong Wen shook his head with a smile, "The Silver Ring Trading Company is backed by the Xiao family, with a powerful background. If I had killed them all, I would have provoked the Xiao family. It's not the right time to confront such a strong enemy head-on."

"Big Brother Zhong, your sword skills were amazing. Can I become your disciple and learn swordsmanship from you?" Zheng Qiyuan, seeing that Zhong Wen was approachable, couldn't resist the idea of becoming his disciple.

"Little Brother Zheng, your father is a renowned saber expert. Why do you need to become my disciple?"

"My father's sword skills are not as good as yours," Zheng Qiyuan said bluntly.

Zheng Gongming: "..."

This child, saying such truths in front of so many disciples.

"No need to become a disciple," Zhong Wen thought for a moment and still didn't agree, "But if you really want to learn, I can teach you some moves when I have time."

"Thank you, Big Brother Zhong." Zheng Qiyuan was excited, rubbing his hands and nodding.

"Old Zheng, what do you plan to do with these disciples?" Zhong Wen pointed to Zhao Tianming and the others standing nearby.

"That traitor, I will tear him to pieces!" Before Zheng Gongming could speak, Zheng Qiyuan glared at Zhao Tianming with hatred.

"Master! Junior Brother!" Zhao Tianming, who had been restless, suddenly knelt down and cried loudly, "I was wrong. I was momentarily blinded and betrayed my master and sect, all because I loved my junior sister too much!"

Seeing the traitor's despicable appearance, even the disciples he had turned against their master couldn't help but show disdain, ashamed to be associated with him.

"The disciples who betrayed later were just trying to survive, so they don't deserve death. I will expel them from the sect," Zheng Gongming sighed, his eyes dim, "As for Zhao Tianming, this wicked creature, he has lost all sense of morality. The Golden Saber Sect's rules will be enforced."

"Old Zheng, take it easy. After this battle, you can distinguish which disciples are reliable and which are not worth cultivating. It might not be a bad thing," Zhong Wen consoled him.

Several loyal disciples couldn't wait any longer and stepped forward to pin down Zhao Tianming, dragging him toward the main hall.

"Master, please have mercy, Master, please have mercy..." Zhao Tianming's cries echoed throughout the Golden Saber Sect...

***

That night, on his way back to the mountain, Zhong Wen made a detour to the Medicine King Valley, taking some ancient books from the library on miscellaneous subjects and putting them in his storage ring.

Since he knew Ning Jie had the "Devouring Spirit and Heaven Technique," he didn't want such a holy-level cultivation method to fall into the wrong hands and be deciphered. He wanted to use the pretext of an exchange to keep the cultivation method in his possession.

The cool night breeze was refreshing, and Zhong Wen, feeling relaxed, decided to take a walk instead of heading straight back to Piaohua Palace. He took a longer route along the mountain path.

As he approached the back of the mountain, he suddenly felt a significant increase in the concentration of spiritual energy, far exceeding that of the front of the mountain. His curiosity was piqued.

Could there be some treasure hidden in the back of the mountain?

Excitement welled up in his heart, and he quickened his pace, heading deeper into the back of the mountain.

As he went deeper, the concentration of spiritual energy grew even higher, comparable to the medicinal fields in the Medicine King Valley.

The "treasure hunter" Zhong Wen was getting more and more excited when he suddenly heard a loud roar from a beast, pulling him back to reality.

He had forgotten about the beasts in the mountain!

He remembered the giant white tiger he had encountered before and was startled, losing his previous composure.

Then, a sharp screech pierced his ears, seemingly from a bird of prey.

The screech and the roar seemed to be in a fierce argument, growing more intense and refusing to yield.

Could it be...

Zhong Wen, who had been about to leave, stopped and had a thought. According to the templates from the novels he had read in his previous life, two beasts often fought over a treasure, both ending up injured, and the protagonist would benefit from their conflict.

He tiptoed forward a few steps and, through the gaps in the dense vegetation, saw a wide open area where the giant white tiger he had seen before was crouching, its back arched, roaring fiercely in a certain direction.

Following the tiger's gaze, he saw a giant eagle.

The eagle was about one and a half meters tall, with three legs and wings spanning about four meters. It was truly majestic and imposing.

What terrifying beasts!

Although Zhong Wen had reached the Earth Wheel realm and possessed several high-grade spiritual techniques, he instinctively felt that neither the eagle nor the tiger was something he could face in a direct confrontation.

The two beasts were releasing powerful auras, standing off against each other, and continuously making loud noises to intimidate each other, seemingly about to engage in a fierce battle.

Zhong Wen shifted his gaze to the space between the two beasts and noticed a crystal-clear blue flower growing on a rock, with a smaller one of the same kind nearby, clearly younger.

Indigo Beauty!

Over three thousand years old!

Zhong Wen, an expert in spiritual plants, immediately recognized this rare spiritual flower!