Black Greed

TWENTY FOUR

"S-second sister!" Jiang WanYin saw a scene where Lan XiChen is transferring some energy to Wei MeiLan that is currently unconscious in his arms. "What happened?"

"She encountered some enemies. She managed to kill one and weaken the other two, but she was poisoned when she had done that all," The figure in black answered. "She's more than what meets the eye, huh?"

Jiang WanYin went on guard towards the figure, activating Zidian. "Who are you?"

"Pardon my rudeness, I was once called Li Duan. Currently, I'm only a mass of resentful energy but somehow I regain rationality compared to the other three she encountered." The figure, Li Duan, answered honestly.

Lan YuXia stared at the unconscious figure of her master, worried. "Young Master Lan, will Master be fine?"

"We need to see a healer," Lan XiChen said as he lifted Wei MeiLan. "I don't know what poison got into her, but I know that it spreads faster when spiritual energy is used."

"Then—"

"Calm down, A'Xia," Lan XiChen said. "It won't help your Master. If she's conscious, she might get angry and scold you. We need to finish this. If Elder brother and Third brother seeks for help, aid them. I will bring Wei Qing to safety."

"Master Li Duan, please help us." Lan XiChen blindly trusted the figure.

"I can bring you to my hideout in the east part of the forest. It's the only part that they don't want to claim for certain reasons that is beneficial for me. I think the cat can guide the other people who were with you to my hideout," Li Duan shrugged. "I know the poison that was inflicted on her. We need to flush it out of her system before she become a cripple."

Li Duan rushed up to his hideout together with Lan XiChen, carrying Wei MeiLan. Li Duan didn't wasted his time and made the antidote. One was applied to her wound and the other is needed to be feeded to her.

"If she doesn't wake up in an hour, help her drink this." Li Duan gave a bowl of concocted antidote to Lan XiChen.

"Master Li," Lan XiChen accepted the bowl. "How did you turned out like this?"

"I'm an ordinary apothecary in a faraway place from here. But I was falsely accused with a crime I know I can't commit, thus I was sent to prison. Then a man came to the guards, telling that he has ways of disposing criminals without them doing anything.

"Those greedy bastards agreed in exchange of golds; after that we all put in a cart and shipped off somewhere. That's the only thing I remember until I came around with this," he gestured to his body. "I escaped them but I didn't dare to go far, common people will get scared of me and cultivators will hunt me down. But before I escaped, I heard someone that they need to eliminate a Wei seer woman. That's when I figured out that there is someone can spoil their plans.

"And whatever that is, the Wei woman knows without interacting with them once. I'm planning of ways of meeting her, but it looks like she sniffed it faster than everyone might think. She might be the person I can ask for help to end this."

"Are you telling me that Wei Qing has enemies and she's not aware of it?" Lan XiChen calmly asked.

"Perhaps she only know the minion, but not the boss. Whichever it is, she's still in danger. Yet if she do something, it will save lots of lives."

Silence prevailed over them until Wei MeiLan stirred. She's gradually regaining consciousness. "Young Lady Wei, you're awake."

Lan XiChen didn't left his eyes on her as soon as she stirred. "Wei Qing, do you feel pain anywhere?"

"A small wound is nothing," She groaned as she tried to sit up. "But whoever that person dares to make artificial resentful energy, they just dug their graves fo real."

A scratch from the door interrupted them. Li Duan opened it to reveal a worried face of Jiang WanYin and Lan YuXia.

"Second sister!/Master!" The two exclaimed to see a pale faced Wei MeiLan awake. Behind them were the other cultivators wondering what had happened.

"Ugh, this is why I hate interactions," She murmured, earning a chuckle from Lan XiChen. "I'm still alive. No one will watch over you three if I succumb to this stupid poison."

"I think," Li Duan interrupted. "You should drink the antidote I made since you're already awake, Miss Wei."

Wei MeiLan looked at Li Duan, assessing him. "You're quite unique compared to the three I fought. Perhaps you're the answer to the mystery of this forest."

Nie MingJue strode off towards her. "You're a reckless one, but I heard you defeated the three unknown creatures even when poisoned. From today, you're our little sister, but older than my little brother."

Lan XiChen smiled helplessly at Nie MingJue's declaration. "Elder brother, don't just throw around your declarations like that."

"Why not?" Nie MingJue asked. "She's brave. Whoever her partner will be lucky. Of course the guy needs to pass our assessment."

I don't want to have another overprotective and overdramatic brother in my life. Wei MeiLan signalled Lan XiChen through her eyes.

If she can facepalm and sigh without worrying everyone, she would've done it already. "Ok, let's go down to the real situation. What did you guys found?"

"Are you sure we need to discuss this now?" Jin GuangYao asked.

"I don't like where your next words will lead to," Wei MeiLan answered. "If you're planning to sow discord, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut and I will prefer to ask the two guys who scouted with you."

Nie MingJue started to talk first and ignored her warning. Like her, they encountered those unknown creatures. Normal attacks doesn't work, you need to use your spiritual energy if you want to hit them.

Jiang WanYin found a suspicious looking houses at the West. He didn't dare to get close but it looks like they are doing something horrible, judging by the muffled sounds coming from the biggest house.

Jin GuangYao is almost the same as with Nie MingJue and her. "So they occupied the two-thirds of the forest, claiming the west as their central base. Why not claim the whole forest and left the east untouched?"