Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

For a moment, the air in the room grew heavy.

Jiang Ran sat ramrod straight, a silver needle held between his fingers. He stared at the glinting tip, looking like he was itching to stick it in something.

Chang Sheng lay there, his face a ghastly shade of cyan and Black.

He was trapped in a fierce internal struggle.

Jiang Ran wanted to know who this man was. The man, in turn, was even more desperate to know who Jiang Ran was.

Why would this man poison him for no reason?

Judging by the situation, the man probably wasn’t with the Three Rivers Gang.

Otherwise, there’d be no need for such a roundabout approach.

But the thought of laying his entire plan bare... he was deeply reluctant to do so.

Time ticked by, second by second, in the heavy silence.

It was Fang Li, however, who was the first to break the silence. He knocked gently on the door from outside:

"Brother Duan... How is it going? May I come in?"

Jiang Ran glanced at the door, then back at Chang Sheng. He adopted a somber tone and said:

"I still need... another moment...

"Young Master Fang, please wait!"

"Alright, alright. Brother Duan, don’t rush. Take your time."

Fang Li’s voice was tinged with caution.

Only then did Jiang Ran turn to Chang Sheng, a smile playing on his lips.

"Your time is running out."

"..."

Chang Sheng’s face darkened further. He said in a low voice:

"If I die, you won’t get anything good out of it."

"But I won’t lose anything, either."

Jiang Ran chuckled.

"I’ll say I exhausted myself trying to save you, even coughing up blood and passing out, but in the end, I was just one step behind. I doubt Fang Li would truly blame me for anything."

"They’ll only say that the one who poisoned you was too ruthless. To avenge Brother Chang, the Three Rivers Gang will surely investigate and dig up the culprit’s identity."

"If they can’t find the person, so be it. But if they do..."

"I fear that person will meet a fate too gruesome to witness."

"Of course, you won’t need to feel bad about it. You won’t be around to see it, after all."

"You!"

Chang Sheng was furious, but utterly helpless.

Finally, he let out a long sigh.

"I’m trying to save someone..."

"Who?"

"...Ruan Yuqing of the Shuiyue Sword Sect, the Gentle Water Sword."

It took a great deal of effort for Chang Sheng to say those words.

After speaking, he looked as if all the strength had been drained from his body. He stared intently at Jiang Ran, his expression unreadable.

Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow.

"What’s your connection to the Shuiyue Sword Sect?"

"What’s that got to do with you?"

Chang Sheng grew even angrier. "I’ve already told you what you wanted to know. Don’t ruin my plans."

"Just answer my questions."

Jiang Ran’s brow furrowed slightly.

"If you don’t make things clear today, you won’t be accomplishing anything at all."

"...Outrageous!"

Chang Sheng nodded resentfully.

"I have no connection to the Shuiyue Sword Sect, but Female Knight Ruan once saved my entire family."

"When I learned that she had fallen into the hands of the Three Rivers Gang, I came to rescue her."

Having said this much, Chang Sheng went on to explain the whole story.

Years ago, his family had been accosted by bandits and were on the verge of being killed. Ruan Yuqing, who had only recently descended from her mountain sect, saved them with her superb Swordsmanship.

Thanks to her, Chang Sheng’s family was able to escape a fatal crisis.

After they settled down, Chang Sheng began his martial arts training, all the while hoping to find their benefactor.

At the time, Ruan Yuqing hadn’t left her name. It was only after several inquiries that they learned their savior was the Gentle Water Sword of the Shuiyue Sword Sect.

Unfortunately, in the years that followed, Ruan Yuqing rarely descended from her sect’s mountain.

It wasn’t until recently that Ruan Yuqing was forced to lead a group down the mountain because of matters concerning Shi Pingzhang.

Chang Sheng happened to hear about this and wanted to pay her a visit to express his gratitude.

He never expected that upon reaching the outskirts of Sanshui County, he would discover that Ruan Yuqing and a group from the Shuiyue Sword Sect had all been captured by the Three Rivers Gang.

Chang Sheng had wanted to intervene then and there, but the Three Rivers Gang had experts as numerous as the clouds. He had brought few men with him, and he was outmatched in both skill and numbers.

To act rashly would have been suicide.

So, he decided to devise a plan before making a move.

Everything that happened today in the Golden Goblet Tower was indeed part of a long-standing plan of his.

His objective was to use Fang Li to infiltrate the Three Rivers Gang’s stronghold and secretly investigate Ruan Yuqing’s location.

Then, he would rescue her and escape.

He was certain Fang Li would bring him to the Three Rivers Gang’s stronghold because, despite being the son of Gang Leader Fang Yinuo, Fang Li was not your typical arrogant heir.

He was known to be generous and magnanimous, and he enjoyed making friends.

Chang Sheng had caused a scene at the tavern, while secretly maneuvering to lure Fang Li to the Golden Goblet Tower.

This whole charade of turning an enemy into a friend was orchestrated to play on Fang Li’s character. If it succeeded, his plan would be well on its way.

The only thing he hadn’t counted on was Jiang Ran showing up and throwing a wrench in the works.

Which was why he was now lying here, forced to spill his entire plan from start to finish.

After he finished, he looked at Jiang Ran.

"The reason I’ve told you everything isn’t because I’m afraid to die."

"It’s because I’m worried that if I die, there will be no one left to save my benefactor..."

Jiang Ran smiled at his words.

"A rare quality, to be sure."

With that, he opened his bundle, took out a small vial, and shook out a single pill. He walked over to Chang Sheng.

"Open up."

"What are you doing?"

Chang Sheng’s face went pale.

Jiang Ran simply pinched his jaw open and shoved the pill into his mouth.

Chang Sheng swallowed it involuntarily.

The moment the pill reached his stomach, Chang Sheng felt strength return to his formerly powerless limbs.

He shot up, flipping over onto his feet. He looked down and saw the visible black veins on his arm fading away like snow in the spring sun.

"After you get on the island, what’s your plan?"