Chapter 423: Healing Through Circulating Inner Force

Prompted by Lin Zhentao’s warning, Wangchuan left the capital at once and boarded a southbound cargo ship as quickly as possible.

The river wind was bitterly cold. Even with a stove lit inside the cabin, the chill was still unbearable. The passengers on board all shivered, wrapping themselves as tightly as they could in quilts and blankets, not daring to move.

Only the boat captain and Wangchuan were faring somewhat better.

The boat captain was exerting himself at the oar, and steam rose from his whole body with the heat of his effort.

As for Wangchuan, he sat cross-legged and circulated the Xuanwu Art, easily keeping the piercing cold outside his body while warmth filled him from within.

A full day and night passed.

The ship passed through the territory of Heitu Commandery and Shenyu Commandery.

At a nearby dock, Wangchuan changed ships without delay and continued south...

After another day of travel, he finally entered Sanhe Commandery.

When he returned to the Hall, he happened to run into Divine Physician Shen on his way out, with Chen Ergou seeing him off from behind.

“Hall Master.”

“Hall Master, you’re back!”

Chen Ergou and Divine Physician Shen both came forward to greet him.

“Senior Shen is here too?”

Wangchuan looked surprised.

Chen Ergou explained,

“Hall Master, Brother Cui Mingjue has already been brought back to the Hall. Divine Physician Shen came to treat Brother Cui’s internal injuries.”

Wangchuan immediately understood, and delight appeared on his face.

Cui Mingjue had arrived.

Old Seven...

had truly given up on Cui Mingjue after all.

But for Wangchuan, this was actually a good thing.

Cui Mingjue was Old Seven’s confidant. Keeping him in the Hall would send a clear signal to the outside world:

that his relationship with Old Seven and Hall Master Yin remained close and based on mutual trust.

That would help consolidate his standing in Sanhe Commandery and in the eyes of all Caobang disciples and the disciples of its affiliated gangs.

In the end, a hard fist was still what mattered.

But having powerful people behind you was also a kind of strength.

“Good.”

Wangchuan nodded and turned to Divine Physician Shen.

“Senior Shen, how is Brother Cui’s condition?”

The latter stroked his beard and answered,

“Cui Mingjue’s leg injury has already healed, and the saber wounds on his body are mostly recovered as well. The only real problem is the strand of Inner Force lodged inside him. That is extremely difficult to resolve. With medicine alone, treatment would take a very long time...”

Divine Physician Shen sighed.

“What ails the heart must be treated at the heart. He needs to pull himself together, circulate his Inner Force, and slowly dissolve that hostile Inner Force within him bit by bit. Of course, if someone with a sufficiently deep Inner Force were willing to spend the time helping him disperse it, he would recover much faster.”

At that point, he quietly drew Wangchuan aside and lowered his voice.

“Old Seven’s Inner Force should have been more than enough. He should have been able to deal with this injury long ago. It was likely only because the situation in Heitu Commandery is so complicated and he had no time to attend to it that resentment gradually built up in Cui Mingjue’s heart, until he slowly gave in to despair and abandoned his treatment.”

“Hall Master Wangchuan, if you want to heal Brother Cui, that is where you should begin.”

Divine Physician Shen truly was skilled at saving lives.

Wangchuan’s eyes lit up, and he cupped his fists in thanks.

“Many thanks for Senior Shen’s guidance.”

“As I should.”

Divine Physician Shen smiled faintly.

“Since Hall Master Wangchuan has returned from the capital, I assume there is good news?”

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide it from Senior Shen.”

Smiling, Wangchuan took out his identity token.

On the back were the words: Hall Master of Sanhe Commandery.

On the front: Caobang.

Divine Physician Shen and Chen Ergou both immediately cupped their fists in congratulations.

“Congratulations, Hall Master!”

“Congratulations, Hall Master!”

Chen Ergou had long expected that this trip would most likely result in Wangchuan’s appointment being made official, but the moment he actually saw the identity token, he still could not help growing excited.

As for Divine Physician Shen, he knew he was witnessing the birth of the youngest Hall Master in the history of Caobang.

Wangchuan smiled and said,

“Senior Shen, why not stay and have a celebratory drink?”

“Certainly. When Hall Master hosts a banquet for all the major forces in Sanhe Commandery, Shen will definitely come in person and bring a gift to congratulate you.”

Divine Physician Shen was naturally pleased to see Wangchuan fully seize control of the underworld of Sanhe Commandery. After all, the man before him was an ally of Medicine King Valley.

“Then it is settled!”

Wangchuan cupped his fists and saw Divine Physician Shen out.

...

After walking into the Hall, Wangchuan shared the good news with Wang Yuehui and the others, then had Chen Ergou lead him to see Cui Mingjue.

Cui Mingjue had been settled in his old courtyard. He was reclining in a lounge chair, buried beneath a thick quilt. Two braziers stood beside him, and two Caobang disciples were attending him and brewing his medicine.

“Hall Master!”

“Hall Master!”

When Wangchuan entered the courtyard, the two Caobang disciples quickly bowed in greeting.

Cui Mingjue instinctively tried to rise.

“Hall Master Wangchuan.”

Wangchuan hurried over to his side and pressed him back down.

“No need for formalities. We are all our own brothers here.”

“Now that you’re back, just focus on healing properly.”

Wangchuan sat down opposite Cui Mingjue, patted him on the shoulder, and said,

“You know Sanhe Commandery Hall better than I do, and the brothers here all still know you. Once you recover, take charge of the Main Helm for me.”

Cui Mingjue froze.

At once, his eyes turned red.

The Main Helm of Sanhe Commandery.

Back in Heitu Commandery, he had taken a blade for Old Seven and been so badly wounded that he had lain there like a cripple for seven or eight days.

During that time, the daily consultation and medicine fees had not been small.

He had even overheard the physician quietly suggesting to Old Seven that they invite an expert whose inner cultivation method had reached Perfect Mastery to help heal his internal injuries.

...

Cui Mingjue knew that although Old Seven’s Xuanwu Art had not reached Perfect Mastery, Hall Master Yin’s inner cultivation definitely had.

Old Seven would never trouble his own master, Hall Master Yin, for the sake of a mere confidant like him.

During those days lying in bed, Cui Mingjue had also tried circulating his Inner Force to heal himself and slowly dispel the hidden Internal Force injury inside him, but it had been utterly useless...

His own Inner Force was far too weak!

The martial artist who had attacked Old Seven that day had been a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist. One slash had shattered the Thousand-Forged Battle Armor, crushed the Chest Guard Plate, and nearly split him in two.

There was nothing he could do against that overbearing Inner Force.

“I appreciate Hall Master Wangchuan’s kindness.”

“But the Inner Force inside me truly is no ordinary thing.”

“If I cannot disperse it, then I am nothing but a cripple... a burden chained to his medicine. I am not worth Hall Master treating me like this.”

Cui Mingjue’s eyes were red and damp.

Wangchuan saw all of Cui Mingjue’s resentment and grievance clearly. He patted him on the shoulder, then said to Chen Ergou and the others,

“Help Brother Cui sit up. I’ll try.”

Chen Ergou immediately joined forces with the two Caobang disciples, and together they carefully supported Cui Mingjue into a seated position on the bed inside the room.

“Hall Master, don’t...”

“That Inner Force is extremely overbearing. If one’s inner cultivation has not reached a certain level, it can backlash and cause injury.”

Cui Mingjue was deeply worried.

Wangchuan smiled.

“Enough talk. Start circulating your Inner Force.”

His tone was firm, allowing no argument. He sat down behind Cui Mingjue, crossed his legs, began circulating his Inner Force, and pressed both palms against Cui Mingjue’s back.

The instant Wangchuan’s Inner Force entered Cui Mingjue’s body...

an unusually deep yet warm current at once stirred the overbearing strand of Inner Force lying dormant within him into action.

Wangchuan’s Inner Force entered Cui Mingjue’s body and, following the route of the Great Heavenly Cycle of the Xuanwu Art, helped him guide the cycle through completion.

As that overbearing force surged in to meet it, it was like a fully armed convoy on the main road being intercepted by vicious bandits.

One force was hard, the other yielding. The two energies immediately began clashing through the meridians.

Wangchuan could feel his Inner Force draining quickly.

His circulation was being obstructed...

But that overbearing force was also being worn down little by little.

Both sides were taking losses.

When Cui Mingjue sensed that the hostile Inner Force inside him was visibly being consumed, he was utterly stunned.

Hall Master Wangchuan’s Inner Force was astonishingly deep!

So strong!

He did not dare slack off. At once, he circulated the Xuanwu Art himself, actively drawing the power from his dantian and sending it into his meridians, quickly catching up to Wangchuan’s Inner Force.

The two currents of Inner Force, born of the same source and sharing the same nature, merged into one.

Two armies joined forces as one.