Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

At this thought, Li Tianxin couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Ran again.

"Logically speaking, even though you’re on fairly good terms with the Shuiyue Sword Sect, with your ’no profit, no effort’ personality, would you really go to such great lengths to save someone?"

"First of all, my personality hasn’t quite reached the ’no profit, no effort’ stage."

Jiang Ran shot him a glare. "Second, this whole affair hasn’t been that much of a hassle."

Finally... Jiang Ran’s thoughts turned to his true reasoning. ’If even someone like Ruan Yuqing fell, then the person we’re up against this time is likely no ordinary character. The Three Rivers Gang Leader is formidable, but he doesn’t have this kind of skill. There must be an even greater expert pulling the strings. Although I’ve captured several people along the way, it has all felt like scratching an itch through a boot. I need to catch a big fish to make this worthwhile. But if, after all this trouble, the Three Rivers Gang turns out to be our only opponent, then it’s no big deal—just a slight waste of time.’

Li Tianxin remained noncommittal.

Jiang Ran checked the time. They were about to reach the Three Rivers Gang’s base.

He stood up and said,

"Wait for me here. I’m stepping out for a bit."

"To do what?"

"A follow-up visit."

Li Tianxin and Luo Qingyi were both taken aback.

’If Chang Sheng’s organs weren’t injured, then it was just a superficial wound. With Jiang Ran’s skills, why would such a troublesome follow-up be necessary?’

The thought had barely formed when they heard footsteps outside the door.

Fang Li’s voice came from outside:

"Brother Duan, Brother Duan!"

Jiang Ran glanced at Li Tianxin and Luo Qingyi with a faint smile, then schooled his features into a look of confusion as he went to open the door.

"Young Master Fang, what’s happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Brother Duan, it’s terrible."

Fang Li said hurriedly,

"Chang Sheng has passed out! His lips are purple—it looks like he’s been poisoned."

"What?"

Jiang Ran’s expression changed.

"To poison the blade... How outrageous!

"Young Master Fang, don’t panic. A mere poison like this is likely no match for my skills."

"Good, good, good."

Fang Li had no other options at the moment. The Three Rivers Gang did have its own doctors,

but they were on a boat right now. To find one of the gang’s doctors, they would have to wait.

But while they could wait, could Chang Sheng?

What if he didn’t make it in that short amount of time?

So, when the problem arose, his first instinct was to find Jiang Ran.

He immediately extended an arm, gesturing for Jiang Ran to go with him.

After the two of them had taken a couple of steps, Li Tianxin and Luo Qingyi started to follow.

But Jiang Ran turned back.

"Alright, you two don’t need to come."

"With Young Master Fang here on the boat, who could possibly harm me?"

"Exactly, exactly."

Fang Li nodded repeatedly.

Li Tianxin and Luo Qingyi had no choice but to stay in the room and wait.

After the door closed, the two of them exchanged another look.

"How could it be such a coincidence?"

Li Tianxin said grimly.

"He says he’s going for a follow-up visit, and something just happens to Chang Sheng?"

Luo Qingyi remained silent.

"He really is a compulsive poisoner,"

Li Tianxin sighed.

Though Luo Qingyi still didn’t say a word, she nodded fiercely.

’He’s not wrong... He really is a compulsive poisoner!’

Other people make friends by opening their hearts.

But with Jiang Ran, to make a friend, he first has to poison them...

This was true for both Li Tianxin and Luo Qingyi.

...

...

Meanwhile, Jiang Ran was quickly led by Fang Li into one of the ship’s cabins.

Opening the door, he saw Chang Sheng lying on the bed.

Not only had his face turned black, but his hands were black as well. A dense network of fine black lines was visible on his neck, a gruesome and terrifying sight, as if he didn’t have long to live.

Fang Li looked at Jiang Ran, his face full of urgency.

Jiang Ran set his bundle aside, reached out to take the man’s pulse, and his expression grew grave.

"What a potent poison!"

"Brother Duan, is there no hope?"

Fang Li’s brow furrowed tightly.

But Jiang Ran shook his head.

"For anyone else, this poison would likely be impossible to cure. But for me, it’s ultimately not that difficult."

"Hmm, however, my acupuncture technique is a secret passed down from my master..."

"Young Master Fang, you see...?"

"I understand."

Fang Li nodded at once, feeling this was perfectly normal.

Every school of acupuncture had its own secret and miraculous methods; many practitioners relied on them to make a living.

If someone else saw and stole the technique, wouldn’t that be smashing his own rice bowl?

Therefore, he quickly said,

"Then I’ll wait outside... Brother Duan, are you truly confident?"

"Rest assured. With me here, even if Black and White Impermanence themselves showed up today, they’d arrive with high hopes only to leave in disappointment."

Jiang Ran wore an expression of utmost confidence.

This expression seemed to infect Fang Li, who, for a moment, also found himself inexplicably filled with confidence.

He nodded and quickly went out, closing the door securely behind him.

At last, only Jiang Ran and Chang Sheng were left in the room.

Jiang Ran plopped down on the edge of the bed and casually took a needle pouch from his bundle.

"So, where do you want the needles?"

Chang Sheng lay there, motionless.

Jiang Ran smiled.

"Then I’ll just pick a spot myself."

"..."

Lying there, Chang Sheng’s eyes darted back and forth, a hint of anxiety in them.

Jiang Ran was amused.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now. The poison I gave you looks terrifying, but it doesn’t have the ability to make you lose consciousness."

Chang Sheng’s eyes flew open, and he stared at Jiang Ran with a grave expression.

"So it really was your doing!"

"That’s right."

Jiang Ran grinned. "But seeing how certain you are, it means the person who ambushed Fang Li today was indeed one of your men. You were sure his blade wouldn’t be poisoned."

"..."

Chang Sheng fell silent.

Jiang Ran just chuckled.

"So, tell me, who are you really?

"The two of us now have about... at most, the time it takes an incense stick to burn."

Jiang Ran said, "If you don’t use this time to explain things clearly, then the situation could become very unpredictable."