Chapter 4

The Demon's Selection (4)

A weapon so vicious that it was clear at first glance.

It was an iron mace with spikes protruding in all directions, known as the Da Chaozi Gun (大硝子棍).

"Brother Chao?"

A bald giant with bristly whiskers like a badger suddenly thrust his face forward.

Pan Jiewei, who had been staring intently at Chao Ailiang, tilted his head.

"What is it? Is the Blood Fiend Venerable really going to give up so easily?"

"Let's go and pack up quickly."

"But it's really Brother Chao, isn't it?"

Clank.

Pan Jiewei put away his weapon and countered.

"But why do you suddenly want me to pack up?"

"Because the Martial Arts Alliance will be coming."

"Huh? Why would they come?"

"Didn't you know... that you don't know anything?"

Chao Ailiang sighed, seeing that Pan Jiewei still had no idea.

"The Martial Arts Alliance has declared the extermination of the Ten Great Evils."

Pan Jiewei chuckled.

"I thought they had been quiet for a while, but it's starting again. I'll deal with them immediately..."

"Hurry up."

"..."

"Can't you see my condition?"

"Huh? Now that you mention it..."

Pan Jiewei, who had been scrutinizing Chao Ailiang, grinned.

"You look like you're about to die?"

"..."

Chao Ailiang, hurt by his pride, shut his mouth.

"Could it be that the greatest expert among the Ten Great Evils was humiliated by the Martial Arts Alliance?"

"You're starting to talk down to me?"

"I think it's fine now, isn't it?"

Chao Ailiang's eyes trembled. But he quickly suppressed his anger with superhuman patience. It would be a waste of time to argue with this fool.

"Alright. I came here to save you with this battered body. So don't waste time and pack up."

"When did you start worrying about me? Didn't you say you'd pull out my beard and stuff it in my ass?"

"You said you'd pull out my eyeballs and use them as your third eye!"

They glared at each other silently. But this time, Chao Ailiang showed his patience.

"Let's go first. We can talk on the way."

"Where are you always trying to take me? You said the Martial Arts Alliance is coming, so we should wait here and smash their heads in as they arrive."

"Let's put that off and treat your illness first."

"Illness? What illness are you talking about?"

"The madness that makes you go berserk at the sight of blood!"

"Pfft... If there was someone who could cure it, I would have turned the world upside down three times to get it done."

"There is. Someone who can cure your Heavenly Punishment (天刑)."

Pan Jiewei was surprised by Chao Ailiang's next words.

"I found the Demon's Selection."

"......!"

But that wasn't all.

"I also found the Divine Physician."

Pan Jiewei looked at Chao Ailiang with suspicion.

"Brother Chao, are you a spy for the Martial Arts Alliance?"

"What?"

"Are you trying to lure me and sell me to the Martial Arts Alliance?"

Chao Ailiang sighed quietly. Then he suddenly extended his hand toward Pan Jiewei.

"What are you doing?"

"Check it out. You can tell by feeling my pulse, can't you?"

Offering his pulse was a sign of entrusting his life to the other person. Although it was suspicious, Pan Jiewei wasn't one to miss such a golden opportunity.

Pan Jiewei swiftly reached out and grabbed Chao Ailiang's pulse.

After a moment,

Confusion appeared on Pan Jiewei's face.

"Brother Chao, are you a zombie?"

His pulse was barely detectable, and his meridians and blood vessels were twisted in a mess.

It was a wonder he was still alive.

"I survived by meeting the Divine Physician."

"Oh! Really?"

Chao Ailiang felt a chill run down his spine.

Pan Jiewei, who was smiling at him, had a murderous intent in his eyes.

"So, you're saying that if I wanted to, I could send Brother Chao off right now?"

Chao Ailiang hastily spoke up.

"Think about all the memories we've shared!"

"Memories? Bullshit. You forgot about the poison you put in my food last time? I had diarrhea for a month because of that nasty poison."

"You peed in my wine!"

"You set fire to my place while I was sleeping first."

"You touched my lover!"

"Touched? That woman came on her own. So who's the one cheating?"

"You were the one who told me!"

"That's... "

The two of them, who had been bickering for a while, suddenly fell silent.

They were embarrassed even by their own memories.

Two great masters who shook the world had a past that was too embarrassing to speak of.

After a long while,

Chao Ailiang sighed and spoke.

"If I can't achieve enlightenment, it's all your fault."

"Don't say that to anyone. People need to have a conscience."

"What, man?"

"Killing people and then talking about enlightenment. The Taoists who hide in the mountains to achieve enlightenment will laugh so hard they'll fall off the cliff."

"Originally, the source of my martial arts..."

Chao Ailiang shook his head, about to explain.

If he could have communicated, their relationship wouldn't have deteriorated like this from the beginning.

"Anyway, you said your martial arts progress is blocked because of that madness. If we fix that, you can break through your current limits. Then the Martial Arts Alliance won't dare touch you."

"Hmm..."

Pan Jiewei stroked his bald head.

He had been pondering the limits of his martial arts for a long time. After a long moment of thought, he nodded.

"Alright. Let's go. I'll trust Brother Chao this time."

"Hold on."

"What is it?"

"Since we won't be coming back here, take everything valuable. You need to take the money for the medicine."

Pan Jiewei looked bewildered.

"You didn't come here just for the money, did you?"

"You bastard! I risked my life to save you! Anyway, this is how I repay my old debts!"

"Oh, so that's why? Alright. If the treatment works as Brother Chao says, I'll consider it even."

* * *

Half an hour later.

Chao Ailiang was flying through the air. Of course, he was riding on Pan Jiewei's back.

Pan Jiewei, who was moving at a terrifying speed, shouted.

"Hey, stop moving! I don't like rubbing against men!"

"Shut up and keep going if you want to get treated."

"Tell me where it is, and I'll go there right away."

"Do you think I don't know you're trying to leave me behind?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"Do you trust me?"

They were silent.

* * *

Another day passed, and Chao Ailiang and Pan Jiewei entered the Demon's Valley.

Dan Aoxian, waiting at the entrance, beamed at Chao Ailiang.

"You're not late."

"Choke!"

Chao Ailiang's scream echoed as Pan Jiewei threw him like a sack of potatoes. Impatient, Pan Jiewei immediately pressed Dan Aoxian.

"Is the Demon's Selection here? Lead me to him! Hurry!"

But an unexpected answer came.

"He's gone."

"What?"

Pan Jiewei blinked.

"Then bring the Divine Physician."

"He's also gone."

Pan Jiewei turned his head sharply to look at Chao Ailiang.

"This boy is their son."

Chao Ailiang, frowning, rubbed his aching waist.

"He inherited all their progress."

Pan Jiewei pointed at Dan Aoxian.

"This little brat?"

Pan Jiewei couldn't believe it.

"Did you lose your mind after being beaten by the Martial Arts Alliance?"

"Have you forgotten? You checked my condition yourself."

Pan Jiewei pointed at Dan Aoxian.

"Is this his work? What can a little shrimp like him do...!"

Pan Jiewei hastily swallowed his words.

Chao Ailiang was glaring at him with a terrifying look.

"Watch your words, Pan Jiewei. He is my savior."

"No, what I mean is..."

Pan Jiewei faltered, taken aback by Chao Ailiang's open display of killing intent.

No matter how weak Chao Ailiang was, he was still Chao Ailiang.

The name of Blood Fiend Venerable, one of the Five Greats of the World, wasn't earned for nothing.

Just a change in his eyes made him seem like a different person.

'Was it an act?'

There was no other way to explain his presence.

In the end, Pan Jiewei took a step back.

"Cough. Alright. I'll be careful. Why are you so serious about this? It's embarrassing."

He knew better than to provoke Chao Ailiang with that look.

One of the lessons he learned from his long years in the martial arts world.

"Shall we start with the pulse diagnosis?"

As Dan Aoxian approached, Pan Jiewei reluctantly extended his wrist. Dan Aoxian, with his eyes closed, sighed and opened his eyes after a moment.

"It's not easy."

Dan Aoxian looked at Pan Jiewei.

"The biggest problem is that the meridian leading to your head has deviated from its path. When you push your inner energy to the limit, it touches the brain's acupoint, causing you to lose consciousness."

"......!"

Pan Jiewei turned to Chao Ailiang.

"Did Brother Chao tell you this?"

Chao Ailiang shook his head.

"Just that you go berserk at the sight of blood."

Pan Jiewei believed Chao Ailiang. He never lied.

Dan Aoxian continued.

"The second problem is the Quze point in your left arm. With the Heart Protector Meridian's vital point like this, it must have been very difficult to bend your arm..."

Pan Jiewei couldn't hide his surprise.

"Did you get injured recently?"

Pan Jiewei nodded involuntarily. He had to admit the medical skills of the young doctor in front of him.

The injury mentioned was something even Chao Ailiang didn't know.

"And the last one..."

Dan Aoxian gestured for Pan Jiewei to come closer.

Then he whispered something in Pan Jiewei's ear.

"......!"

Pan Jiewei's eyes widened.

A long-kept secret weakness! The young doctor in front of him had accurately pointed it out.

"Hey, can you...?"

Pan Jiewei asked cautiously.

"Can you cure it? No, can you cure it?"

Pan Jiewei's tone had become respectful.

Dan Aoxian smiled.

"Of course."

"Then I'll take the risk and trust you."

"Can you bow your head a bit?"

"Like this?"

"Yes. And take a deep breath in this position."

At that moment, Pan Jiewei felt a prick on the top of his head.

He was startled to see a needle in Dan Aoxian's hand.

Dan Aoxian calmly turned to Chao Ailiang.

Then he extended his hand and inserted a needle into Chao Ailiang's chest. Chao Ailiang felt a sense of relief in his chest, which had been feeling stuffy.

At that moment,

Dan Aoxian pulled out the needle.

At the same time, dark, dead blood spurted out from where the needle had been inserted.

The bleeding stopped quickly, but Chao Ailiang's face turned pale.

"Be careful!"

Chao Ailiang grabbed Dan Aoxian's shoulder and quickly hid him behind his back.

"I told you! He goes berserk at the sight of blood!"

Chao Ailiang stood between Dan Aoxian and Pan Jiewei.

However,

"Huh?"

Chao Ailiang was at a loss for words. Pan Jiewei, the patient, was also surprised.

Pan Jiewei looked at Chao Ailiang with wide eyes.

"Am I fine, right?"

"That's right. Normally, you would have gone berserk right away..."

After a moment of looking at each other, their gazes turned to Dan Aoxian.

Dan Aoxian smiled.

"I said I could treat it. It will take time to fully recover, though."

Pan Jiewei bowed deeply to Dan Aoxian.

"Master!"

"Dan Doctor is enough."

Dan Aoxian smiled.

"Welcome to the Demon's Valley."