Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Once he was sure the ointment on Zuo Mingqiu’s forehead had been absorbed, he tapped a finger between his eyebrows.

Zuo Mingqiu was baffled at first.

But the moment the finger touched him, his once-clear eyes instantly turned blood-red.

Veins bulged on his neck as guttural gasps escaped his throat. A violent pain, almost beyond description, swept through his entire body.

Before, when Jiang Ran had used this on people, it had been nothing more than a simple flick to the forehead. This time, however, he had used a sliver of Inner Strength.

Though the Inner Strength was faint—and would normally only cause pain without inflicting real injury—the situation was different now.

For Zuo Mingqiu, whose senses were amplified by the ointment, the pain was magnified a thousandfold. It was as if he had been cast into the Eighteen Layers of Hell to be boiled in a wok of oil.

By the time the pain subsided slightly, tears were streaming from Zuo Mingqiu’s eyes, and his entire body was drenched in a cold sweat.

Ruan Yuqing found it to be a real eye-opener.

"What is that?"

"King Yan’s Wrath."

Jiang Ran explained casually,

"This stuff can torture a man to within an inch of his life, but he won’t die."

"King Yan waits and waits in his throne room, but the soul never arrives. Naturally, he grows angry..."

"Hence, King Yan’s Wrath."

Ruan Yuqing thought for a moment. "Aptly named."

Zuo Mingqiu had just recovered his senses when he saw Jiang Ran raise his finger. His entire body shuddered.

"Don’t... please... I’m begging you..."

Jiang Ran chuckled.

"I know you’re not a man who scares easily."

"But you can rest assured. This isn’t just a scare tactic."

"I can make as much of this as I want. If anything happens to Fang Li, I’ll brew a large vat, give it to Fang Yinuo, and have him soak you in it... day and night. You’ll be immersed, slowly and subtly ’improving’ your constitution."

"It won’t take much. Three months will be enough. After that, even if you’re never touched by King Yan’s Wrath again..."

"...you’ll become a very... ah, let’s say a very ’precious’ man. A very ’delicate’ man. Someone who can’t bear the slightest touch."

"What would be a light touch for anyone else... will be unbearable agony for you."

"I’ll entrust Fang Yinuo with taking good care of you. I’ll make sure you don’t die. You can rest assured on that point as well."

"And one more thing. I won’t be laying a hand on you again."

He looked up at the Water Stronghold in the distance.

"Because we’ve arrived at Black Water Stronghold. If you’re smart, you’ll take me directly to Fang Li."

As he spoke, Jiang Ran had already pulled the sampan up alongside Black Water Stronghold.

Black Water Stronghold was a cluster of buildings, constructed half over the water and half on the shore.

At this moment, the stronghold was rather quiet.

Zuo Mingqiu’s operation tonight had called for a small, elite team rather than a large force. There was no need for fanfare; in fact, the more discreet, the better.

If they caused a commotion, word might leak out, which ran counter to Zuo Mingqiu’s plan.

Ruan Yuqing was finally able to stand and step ashore.

Although it wasn’t a proper shore, but rather one of Black Water Stronghold’s structures that extended out over the water.

Still, the feeling of solid ground beneath her feet put Ruan Yuqing’s mind at ease.

Jiang Ran hauled Zuo Mingqiu ashore as well, then secured the sampan to keep it from drifting away.

Only then did Jiang Ran glance at Zuo Mingqiu.

Zuo Mingqiu immediately pointed.

"He’s in the Water Prison!"

Jiang Ran nodded, satisfied.

"Good."

With no time to waste, Jiang Ran and Ruan Yuqing delayed no longer.

They had reached Black Water Stronghold in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. If they could find Fang Li quickly enough, they might be able to save his other ear.

The two of them immediately shot into motion, leaping through the air without any concern for who they might alert.

They headed straight for the Water Prison.

Sure enough, they had barely taken flight before they attracted the attention of the Black Water Stronghold sentries.

"Who goes there?"

Someone shouted in anger while others leaped up to intercept them.

But all they saw was a flash of light that flowed like water, like a vast river. With a sweep of a blade, bodies began to fall.

Ruan Yuqing was known as the "Gentle Water Sword," and her Swordsmanship was exquisite.

During the day, even while the Biluo poison ravaged her body, she had been able to slay a man using an unconventional weapon with a single strike.

She had even shattered Wu Zhong’s Inner Energy.

Now, although the Biluo poison wasn’t completely purged, most of it was gone.

With her martial skills now largely restored, how could these ordinary members of the Water Stronghold possibly be her match?

Bodies fell the moment she engaged them. This heroine of the Shuiyue Sword Sect was ruthlessly efficient in her killing.

Only then did Zuo Mingqiu get a clear look at Ruan Yuqing’s Swordsmanship.

His expression suddenly changed.

"You’re from the Shuiyue Sword Sect..."

Ruan Yuqing ignored him completely, but Jiang Ran laughed.

"You have a good eye. This is Ruan Yuqing, the Gentle Water Sword of the Shuiyue Sword Sect."

Zuo Mingqiu’s expression darkened further.

’Logically, the Three Rivers Gang should have no reason to be acquainted with Ruan Yuqing.’

’The Shuiyue Sword Sect had always been cold and proud, looking down on the likes of them...’

’So how did she end up at the Three Rivers Gang’s banquet?’

As this thought struck him, his face fell, and he hurriedly tried to speak again.

But they had already reached the entrance to the Water Prison.

Jiang Ran now drew his saber and joined the fray, a tiger pouncing on a flock of sheep.

With every swing, the brilliant golden light of his Goldshatter Saber was followed by a spray of crimson.

Every slash claimed a life.

As the fighting intensified, he even started swinging Zuo Mingqiu around, using him like a human club.

Zuo Mingqiu’s misery was beyond words. Collisions with other parts of his body would have been one thing, but when his head slammed into people, the result was too gruesome to watch.

He was still suffering from the effects of King Yan’s Wrath.

On impact, his opponents would be sent flying with a scream, but Zuo Mingqiu’s own screams were even more wretched...