Chapter 12: Operation of the Protective Qi

After finishing his walk, Hou Gong went to find the family head to convey his intentions.

The family head's eyes widened as soon as he heard.

"You're talking about the elixir?"

Joy outweighed his surprise, and the family head's eyes sparkled with excitement, so Hou Gong nodded firmly.

"Yes, I want to take advantage of this time when my body and mind are strong to make a push forward."

"Of course, of course, don't worry. I will do my best to obtain it for you. For now, we'll use the ginseng and rehmannia stored in the secret chamber. They are about a hundred years old, so they're not bad."

"Yes."

Seeing that the family head was willing to spare no expense, Hou Gong left in a satisfied state.

He then returned to his quarters and summoned Yun and Bu Meng.

This was to initiate the normalization of the Tianhua Library, which had been in decline.

First, he instructed Yun.

"Yun."

"Yes, Brother."

"Starting today, you will spend four days thoroughly investigating the current state of the library, document it, and report to me. This includes not only the internal but also the external business entities and the prestigious families and sects in the vicinity."

Yun laughed and waved his hands.

"Haha, Brother, there's no need for that. Everything will be resolved when the Chief Manager arrives."

"Hmm..."

Hou Gong was also aware of the Chief Manager.

Chief Manager Guo Dao.

It turned out that during the time when the family head and the direct line were in disarray, the Chief Manager had been running and supporting the Tianhua Library. Moreover, the Chief Manager Guo in Fan Hang's memories was a trustworthy person.

'Within the range of what Fan Hang remembers...'

Yun continued.

"Right now, the Chief Manager is out managing the external business entities, but once he returns, everything will become clear. There's a report that he will return to the library in ten days."

"..."

"Brother, if it's alright, I would like to challenge Jin Nanshu. I can tell that you have cultivated martial arts through mental visualization, and I'm curious about your level..."

"Yun."

"Yes, Brother."

"Kneel down."

"Huh?"

As if prepared, Songhua, who was quick-witted, handed him a cudgel.

Then,

Smack! Smack!

Yun, who thought he could finally move around, was once again reduced to limping.

"Who is the owner of the Tianhua Library? You or the Chief Manager? Have you forgotten who you are because you've been drinking so much?"

"I, I will report directly to you."

"Pitiful. Get out."

Next was Bu Meng.

Bu Meng was tense, his eyes full of determination.

"You have shown exceptional talent in formations since you were young. Bu Meng, how many formations are installed in our family?"

"Huh?"

"How many?"

"Well... if we include the mechanisms, it seems to be over a hundred..."

Bu Meng trailed off, his pupils trembling, seemingly anxious.

Sure enough,

"Bu Meng."

"Yes."

"Kneel down."

Instead of kneeling, Bu Meng knelt and begged.

"Brother, please forgive me this once. I will do better from now on."

"Our youngest has been busy with the double-ended staff. So kneel down."

Then, a series of intense strikes sounded, and Bu Meng writhed like a worm.

"Bu Meng, there are a total of 224."

"Sorry, sorry."

"Even though you are the youngest, you should show more interest in the family. What are you planning to use your sharp mind for? I will give you four days. Select the necessary personnel and inspect all the formations and mechanisms inside and outside the main house. If repairs are needed, take immediate action, and if it will take time, report it. Also, check not only if they are functioning but also if they have been tampered with."

"Yes, Elder Brother."

After Bu Meng crawled away, Songhua stepped forward confidently.

"Master! I am confident I can do it. Please give me any task!"

"Songhua, you."

"Yes!"

"Bring tea. Longjing tea. We'll talk after that."

"Yes!"

A moment later, Songhua brought the tea, and Hou Gong sipped it while pointing to the brush.

"Take the brush and write down what I dictate."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Kneel... Ahem... You said you would do anything I commanded."

"Oh, right."

Songhua giggled and picked up the brush.

"Since you are beautiful, let's see if your handwriting is as beautiful as you are."

"I'll write beautifully, Master."

"Hehe, let's start. The first sentence is 'To Zhu Yang.'"

"Huh? To Master Zhu?"

Songhua's eyes widened.

"Yes."

"If it's a letter to Master Zhu, wouldn't it be better if you wrote it yourself? If the handwriting is different, he won't believe anything you write."

'My handwriting is different too.'

Hou Gong had already tried it out, but no matter what he did, he couldn't replicate Fan Hang's handwriting. It was similar, but upon close inspection, it was different. Handwriting is like a fingerprint, and there are limits to how well you can imitate it.

Zhu Yang, who would receive the letter, would also report to the family head, and the content would be checked, so he didn't want to waste time explaining the handwriting.

Therefore, it was better to have it ghostwritten.

"I said I want to see your handwriting."

"But..."

"It's fine. After all, the content of the letter is just to invite Zhu Yang to the Tianhua Library."

"Really? Wow, seeing Master Zhu again feels like a dream."

"You like Zhu Yang?"

"Of course. Not just because he's your friend, but because Master Zhu is manly, righteous, and the most handsome person in every way."

"Indeed, the saying 'a man's word is worth a thousand pieces of gold' could have been made for Zhu Yang."

"Exactly. That's it. Master, please call him. I'll write it as beautifully as possible."

After Songhua finished writing the letter and left humming a tune, Hou Gong frowned deeply.

'Zhu Yang is handsome?'

In terms of appearance, he could be considered handsome.

However, the Zhu Yang revealed in the letters exchanged between Fan Hang and him was not in his right mind. If one knew the absurd and terrifying secrets of those madmen, they wouldn't call him handsome.

'By the way, the Chief Manager is coming in ten days... What a joke. Is it reasonable to be so relaxed?'

***

Somewhere.

The orchid by the window is beautiful.

A middle-aged man with a straight and kind gaze was gently wiping the orchid with a damp cloth, as if caressing a beloved woman.

Two middle-aged martial artists stood behind him.

One of them reported.

"The Eldest Young Master has changed. After losing his memory due to the Blood Worm Poison and regaining it, he has personally initiated a major overhaul, and the Tianhua Library is regaining its vitality."

"That's good. It's a good thing."

"Will the Chief Manager just let this happen?"

The Chief Manager Guo Dao smiled at the orchid.

"Of course not."

Guo Dao's voice was deep and clear, pleasant to the ear.

"But how..."

"You might not understand. The Eldest Young Master's ruthlessness is indescribable. Haha, even if the world changes, the Eldest Young Master will not. And I support the Eldest Young Master."

"Then, are you saying that the current changes are just an act by the Eldest Young Master?"

"Of course. That's the kind of person he is."

The Chief Manager's face was full of ease as he laughed.

"By the way, how should we interpret the Eldest Young Master's refusal of the Blood Worm Poison?"

"How could a lowly person like me understand such profound intentions?"

"..."

"..."

"Perhaps he felt it was a pity to take only the family head to the afterlife."

The Chief Manager looked proudly at the orchid and turned around.

"So, in my opinion, this is a good thing. If the Eldest Young Master were to die in this situation, what would happen to the Tianhua Library?"

"That, that would be..."

"Yes, it would be hell. Everyone would fall into hell. Hehehe!"

"Then, are you going to wait until the Eldest Young Master takes action?"

The Chief Manager shook his head.

"No, we've waited too long. We've been saying 'he'll die tomorrow, he'll die the day after' and we've come this far. It's boring to wait any longer. I don't know how much effort I put into shedding tears in front of the family head when he decided to commit suicide. Thinking about that... Haha, I'm very angry that the two of them are still alive, and I feel sorry for being impatient, but the Eldest Young Master will handle it on his own if we wait a bit longer. However."

The Chief Manager carefully lifted the orchid pot.

The two martial artists looked at the pot, not understanding its significance, when the Chief Manager dropped it, and it shattered, turning the orchid into a grotesque mess.

"He must be killed. We must help the Eldest Young Master."

"There is one thing that bothers me."

"There are many things that bother you."

The Chief Manager's eyes gleamed, and the two martial artists flinched.

"Please speak."

"This young master said something strange. He said it wasn't him who improved, but the Eldest Young Master who cultivated martial arts."

The Chief Manager tilted his head.

"That is a strange statement."

"Yes, it was a truly peculiar statement."

"No, what I find strange is the story I told you two."

"Huh?"

"Even if the Eldest Young Master cultivates martial arts, would he be a hindrance to you two, the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Guard?"

It was a comment on the gap in martial arts. The Chief and Deputy Chief of the Guard, who were the leaders of the Tianhua Library's guards, laughed awkwardly.

"No, no."

"Good, good. It's good that you believe the Eldest Young Master has changed. If you believe it, the guards will also be less vigilant. Of course, Songhua is a bit of a problem, but hehehe!"

"We will handle it without any issues."

"Ooh, ooh... Remember, the Eldest Young Master must appear to commit suicide. Keep that in mind. It would be troublesome to kill him openly. Arrange a private meeting with the Eldest Young Master for one of you. Offer him a sword first. He will kill himself. If, by some chance, he resists, cut his throat. After that?"

"Report it as a suicide."

"Right. It's so easy, isn't it?"

The Chief Manager Guo Dao smiled slyly.

***

Hou Gong frowned in the morning.

"Ugh... What is this foul smell?"

It was an unexpected foul odor.

Day one, day two, and now day four.

With his brothers taking on tasks, the Tianhua Library was regaining its vitality.

During this time, he had been taking ginseng and rehmannia on schedule and diligently practicing his martial arts, but this morning, the stench was so strong that it was difficult to sit still. It was tolerable a little while ago, but it had gradually worsened to the point where it was now almost unbearable.

This level of foul odor was rare.

It was as bad as the stench of the foul-mouthed elder of the Beggar Sect, who could knock people out with his breath alone. In the past, Hou Gong almost killed the elder on the spot when he smelled his breath.

No, no.

This was even worse than the stench of the corpse of the Black Death Sect's No. 7, who had been killed after hiding in a cesspool for three days.

It was impossible to remain seated any longer.

Hou Gong, satisfied with the achievement of one of his three major protective qi techniques, the Blood Channel Shift (轉穴, Zhuanxue), concluded his practice.

He had only checked the achievement of the Blood Channel Shift.

The Blood Channel Shift, as the name suggests, involves the movement of the meridians.

When he activated the protective qi, a change appeared in his eyes.

The whites of his eyes disappeared, and his entire eye turned black as if ink had seeped into it.

This was a sign of the Blood Channel Shift.

At the same time, his internal meridians swirled, and the positions of the meridians changed.