M49S Vol 1 Chapter 62. Bad News

Meng Qiqi was seriously injured. His meridians had been damaged, and his cultivation had dropped to the minor perfection stage of the second realm. Even then, it remained unstable, fluctuating wildly. Yet Meng Qiqi behaved as if this were nothing new. He swallowed a healing pill, sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate, and after just the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, he opened his eyes and said, “Bring Xiao Yu’er.”

Chen Boyan had been silently replaying what had happened on the terrace.

After forcing Wang Changlin to back down, Meng Qiqi had barely said a word. He had even stepped back to stand beside him.

Was he already enduring the backlash from a forbidden technique then? Was the reason he stayed silent because blood was choking his throat, leaving him unable to speak?

Thinking back now, perhaps Meng Qiqi had not truly compromised with Wang Changlin. Perhaps it was not that he feared the consequences of escalation, but simply that he could no longer hold out. The image of Gushan’s Little Martial Uncle as unyielding and undefeatable could not be allowed to falter. If he had shown even the slightest weakness in front of others, Wang Changlin might have struck back immediately.

Meng Qiqi was not reckless or arrogant. He had endured, calculated, and planned. Everything he had shown the world might have been no more than what he intended them to see.

And yet, Chen Boyan found that he had not once questioned whether what Meng Qiqi had said to him was sincere or feigned. Instead, he regretted being too gentle over these past few years. If he had been harsher, perhaps Meng Qiqi would not have had to suffer like this.

He stared at Meng Qiqi without blinking. Though he had already reined in the oppressive air from earlier, Meng Qiqi still felt a chill crawl over his skin.

Chen Boyan was a strange man. Most of the time, he appeared to be a gentleman praised by all. But at certain moments… Meng Qiqi truly doubted whether the word compassion had ever existed in his heart.

“Have you stared enough? If you have, go get Xiao Yu’er,” Meng Qiqi said.

“This is your disciple’s room. If Little Martial Uncle needs anything, you can give your orders directly to me,” Chen Boyan replied. As he spoke, he rose and poured a cup of hot tea, placing it by Meng Qiqi’s side.

Meng Qiqi looked down at the rising steam. He could not tell what Chen Boyan was thinking. In this version of him, he could glimpse faint traces of the past. But the cold in his eyes kept seeping outward, impossible to hide.

The period of weakness after suffering backlash from a forbidden technique was excruciating. His limbs were heavy and powerless, the pain in his meridians sharp and tearing. Trying to circulate his vital force again was nearly impossible.

What he needed now was someone he could trust completely to care for him. But at this moment, Chen Boyan was not that person.

And the very thought of that made him want to sink his teeth into Chen Boyan and tear out a piece of flesh.

Meng Qiqi thought to himself that one day, when he had the strength to bring it up, he would tell Chen Boyan, You took too long to remember. I got angry. I hated you to death. Just so he could taste what pain felt like, too.

The thought of Chen Boyan being punished by kneeling on a stone chessboard someday brought him considerable comfort.

Xiao Yu’er finally arrived. Meng Qiqi immediately called out, “Come in.” Xiao Yu’er shut the door in a hurry and rushed to the bedside.

Whenever Meng Qiqi used a forbidden technique in the past, it was always Xiao Yu’er who took care of him. Qing Gu was a girl, so it was inconvenient. Xiao Xiao was often away. So the responsibility of looking after his master had fallen to Xiao Yu’er.

Today, when he noticed Meng Qiqi fall silent after the duel, he knew at once what had happened. As soon as the competition ended, he rushed back without delay.

“Master!” Xiao Yu’er was beside himself with worry.

Meng Qiqi raised his hand to pat the boy’s head, and at last the light in his eyes softened.

“Good disciple, you truly are the one closest to your master’s heart. I had just been thinking of you, and here you are.”

But Xiao Yu’er frowned.

“Master, you mustn’t talk anymore. Just lie down and rest. I’ll tell you everything that’s happened.”

Meng Qiqi did as told and lay down. Chen Boyan remained by the bed, pulling the blanket snug around him, but Meng Qiqi’s gaze stayed fixed on Xiao Yu’er.

Xiao Yu’er’s whole heart was on his master. Seeing how pale his face was, he immediately turned to beg the eldest senior brother.

“Senior Brother, could you prepare something to eat? Master must be hungry. And hot water. We need lots and lots of hot water.”

Chen Boyan said, “…All right.”

In truth, he had already sent someone to prepare food and hot water earlier. They were likely on the way now. But with his heart heavy with worry for Little Martial Uncle, he let himself be ordered around without protest.

When he returned to the room carrying the steaming dishes, he happened to run into Shen Qingya.

Shen Qingya was one of the few who knew Meng Qiqi had used a forbidden technique. His concern for Meng Qiqi was no less than Xiao Yu’er’s.

Upon entering the room, he stepped forward and helped Meng Qiqi to the table, then took the seat beside him and began gently placing food in his bowl.

“Have a little something first,” he said. “Let Xiao Yu’er talk. You just listen.”

His voice was soft, his manner refined, and the concern in his eyes was impossible to miss.

The two had known each other since youth and were the best of friends. Their manner was naturally close and familiar. Meng Qiqi saw nothing inappropriate about it. Xiao Yu’er saw nothing inappropriate either. But Chen Boyan frowned.

Xiao Yu’er was standing with his back to him, by Meng Qiqi’s side, and didn’t notice the shift in his expression. He earnestly reported, “Elder Tang and Master Kongming went to the Wang manor. Zhao Jue and the other four didn’t want to go, so they were settled into rooms at Lion Tower. Senior Brother Xiao Xiao went to meet with the Holy Sovereign. Wuyan had been held there before, and it seems the Holy Sovereign’s people managed to get something out of him.”

Meng Qiqi nodded. “And the rankings?”

“The top spot on the Knock upon the Immortal Gate list went to Master Yinian. Then it was Brother Shen, followed by Senior Brother Xiaoshan. In fourth place was Wang Ning, and after that came Senior Sister Xu from Ruizhu. Because Senior Brother Xiaoshan lost to Brother Shen in the first round on the first day, he ended up dropping one rank.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Qiqi raised an eyebrow and looked toward Shen Qingya. “You didn’t get first place?”

Shen Qingya shook his head. “Tianlao has never cared for the spotlight.”

Meng Qiqi made no comment. His fingers tapped lightly against the tabletop, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes.

“Now that Wang Jing is crippled, Wang Changlin will definitely take the opportunity to seize control of the Elders. Before long, the entire Wang clan will become his personal mouthpiece. But Wang Changlin is an ambitious man with far too many schemes. To preserve his reputation, he won’t actually eliminate all of Wang Jing’s former subordinates. That will leave hidden threats behind. The danger may not surface immediately, but it will come eventually.

Xiao Yu’er, go tell your Senior Brother Xiao Xiao to release Elder Yexin of Beidou back to them. Then pass him a message in secret. Tell him Wang Changlin killed Jiang Xie.”

Although Meng Qiqi’s face was still pale, and a lingering sickness clung to his brow, his tone was firm and his posture remained upright.

Xiao Yu’er nodded. “But Master, Yu Yao has disappeared. Won’t the people from Beidou blame us?”

Meng Qiqi said, “Then put Yu Yao on Wang Changlin’s ledger too. Spread a few rumors, and say he was another scapegoat, someone Wang Changlin had silenced in order to frame me. If enough people repeat it, even a lie starts to sound like the truth.”

Shen Qingya could not help but speak up. “Wang Ziling is recovering under Wang Wan’nan’s care. With his protection, and if the boy has enough will, he will one day be able to stand against Wang Changlin and his father. The game you played with the Wang clan is already finished. You should let it go now and focus on resting. That’s what matters most.”

“This is only the beginning,” Meng Qiqi shook his head. “Wang Changlin wants to become the new leader of the cultivation world. That’s why he chose Gushan, a sect in decline, as his stepping stone. And I, in order to secure Gushan’s place, chose the Wang clan as my whetstone. On the surface, it looks like nothing more than a struggle over interests. But… the secrets the Wang clan holds go far deeper than we imagined. Some of them, they might not even be aware of themselves.”

As he spoke, Meng Qiqi felt a tickle rising in his throat. He reached for a cup of tea to soothe it, only for one to appear in front of him right on cue. He looked up and met Chen Boyan’s eyes, his gaze following the hand that held the cup.

“Have some tea, Little Martial Uncle.”

Meng Qiqi had no strength left and drank as Chen Boyan held the cup to his lips.

“The Wang clan is connected to Zhou Ziheng’s disappearance. The fact that Wang Jing was so desperate to kill me only confirms it. Now that I’ve crippled him, he’ll probably die of some sudden ‘illness’ within the clan. We need to find a way to get him out, to make him talk and reveal the truth.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Chen Boyan said.

Meng Qiqi glanced at him without responding. His silence was as good as approval.

“There’s another troublesome matter,” he continued. “Guiluoluo has arrived. We need to get out of Jinling before he latches onto us.”

“I saw him too,” Shen Qingya frowned.

Back then, the three of them had encountered Guiluoluo together, but the man had shown interest in only Meng Qiqi. That man was erratic, cruel, and dangerous. If he fixated on Meng Qiqi again, disaster would surely follow.

Shen Qingya quickly made up his mind. “I’ll go talk to him. See what I can learn.”

“No,” Meng Qiqi’s rejection came too fast. The sudden surge of breath stirred his internal injuries, and color flushed abruptly across his pale cheeks.

Just then, a warm current of vital force surged into his back, soothing his damaged meridians and helping him catch his breath.

It was Chen Boyan.

He stood behind Meng Qiqi, steady as a mountain, firmly supporting his body.

Meng Qiqi closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When he opened them again, he fixed his gaze solemnly on Shen Qingya. “You are not to go after him. It’s too dangerous. Do you hear me?”

“All right, I won’t go. Don’t worry.” Shen Qingya’s heart was warm and bitter all at once.

This friend of his was someone who should have roamed the world freely with nothing but a sword and a flask of wine. That proud, unyielding spirit from the past was still there, but the wounds had piled too high, and the road had become too hard.

Leaning against Chen Boyan, Meng Qiqi felt a bit better. “As for Guiluoluo, I know how to handle him. What matters most now is Wang Jing. If we get our hands on him, I refuse to believe we can’t make him talk.”

Even in this weakened state, Meng Qiqi was still the same ruthless, decisive force.

Chen Boyan suddenly took his hand. The chill of it made him frown. “Little Martial Uncle, you need to rest.”

But Meng Qiqi refused. “I’m your elder. If I tell you to stand there, you stand. No more talking.”

Chen Boyan said, “I wouldn’t dare. But Little Martial Uncle, do you remember when you sent me to find Jin Man? You promised me a favor in return.”

Meng Qiqi had forgotten. Truly forgotten.

So now, he intended to pretend he hadn’t.

But Chen Boyan was not so easy to fool. He held Meng Qiqi’s wrist firmly and turned a cold gaze on Shen Qingya.

“My Little Martial Uncle needs to rest. Brother Shen, please take your leave.”

Shen Qingya was more than happy to comply. Before leaving, he set down a few bottles of medicine and took Xiao Yu’er with him. Xiao Yu’er had not wanted to go, but he trusted that his senior brother could take care of everything. So, with a flurry of movement, he rushed off to carry out Meng Qiqi’s instructions without looking back once.

Meng Qiqi watched them leave one after another, each more eager to disappear than the last.

He looked up at Chen Boyan. “Ignoring your elder and making decisions on your own. How very capable of you. Just wait until we return to Gushan. You can face punishment then.”

“If Little Martial Uncle wants to punish me, I will accept whatever comes,” Chen Boyan said as he helped him to his feet, intending to guide him back to bed.

Meng Qiqi knew he was too weak to resist right now, so he gave up on struggling. Je shot a dissatisfied glance toward the screen and said, “I want to bathe and change clothes.”

After several rounds of fighting today, his body was soaked in sweat. There was no way he would allow himself to sleep in such a state.

Chen Boyan had no choice but to comply. Fortunately, the hot water was already prepared. He took out a few herbs from his spatial ring that were known to nourish the meridians and added them to the bath, then personally helped Meng Qiqi soak.

Half an hour later, Meng Qiqi finally settled down and fell into a deep sleep.

Chen Boyan immediately used a command token to summon Chen Zhan and instructed him to capture Wang Jing.

Chen Zhan had never once questioned a single order from his young master. But when his eyes accidentally swept over the sleeping figure behind the gauze curtain, he was a little puzzled.

Since when had the young master become so gentle that he allowed someone else to sleep in his bed?

“Uncle Zhan,” Chen Boyan’s voice was slightly firmer.

Chen Zhan quickly averted his gaze and said nothing more. Then, without holding anything back, he reported that earlier that day on a mountain outside the city, he had encountered Guiluoluo.

Chen Boyan paused to consider, then said, “Take some men and probe him again. There’s no need to hide your identity.”

No need to hide? Chen Zhan was surprised.

Before he could respond, Chen Boyan asked, “Where’s Boxi?”

“Second Young Master returned to the Chen manor ahead of us,” Chen Zhan replied.

“Why?” Chen Boyan frowned. In his view, Chen Boxi had gone through great effort to leave home. Why would he be in such a rush to return?

“I don’t know the full details. I only know that he received a letter from home, and after reading it, he left with a few attendants. Before leaving, he said he had come only to see his older brother. Now that his goal was met, there was no need for formal goodbyes. He also told me not to disturb you so as not to affect the competition.”

“You’re sure it was a letter from home?”

“I’m sure. It bore the Chen family’s unique watermark,” Chen Zhan said with certainty.

Hearing that, Chen Boyan relaxed a little. The sons of the Chen family were raised amid blood and blades. Chen Boxi might still be young, but he was not reckless. Since he had people with him, there should be no danger.

Before long, Chen Zhan left to carry out his orders, and Chen Boyan remained to watch over Meng Qiqi through the night.

What he could never have expected was that by the time dawn broke, Chen Zhan would return not with Wang Jing, but with bad news.

Wang Jing was dead, assassinated in his sleep.

Beside the bed was a small wooden box inlaid with precious pearls. Inside were several cases of rouge and a folded note.

The note read: For the little mad dog.