Yao Ji, ever sharp-witted, had finally unearthed some useful information after investigating the young women Boundless Sea Tower had placed within various prominent martial arts sects and families. Ye Chonglou was a man who acted with purpose. It was ludicrous to think Boundless Sea Tower would expend vast resources cultivating these women only to send them away without expecting something in return. But their destinations were so varied. After much deliberation, Yao Ji identified a crucial link: most of these sects and families, excluding a few obvious decoys, were connected to an incident from years past.
A sinister doctor, notorious for his eccentric ways and mastery of poisons, had once roamed the world. He possessed a manual called the Wen Du Jing, proclaiming his unparalleled knowledge of toxicology. This doctor, with roots in the demonic sects, had incurred the wrath of the righteous factions and was ultimately besieged and driven to suicide by a coalition of martial artists. Upon his death, the Wen Du Jing vanished. Legend claimed it contained every poison under the heavens; if a poison existed, it was recorded within the Wen Du Jing.
Knowing Ye Chonglou’s own proficiency with poisons, a bold theory formed in Yao Ji’s mind: perhaps Ye Chonglou, having failed to locate the Wen Du Jing, was targeting the sects involved in the siege of the sinister doctor.
The theory lacked concrete evidence, so she kept it to herself. However, with Pei Yan's life hanging by a thread, Yao Ji was forced to probe the shopkeeper of the Hanmo Studio. To her astonishment, her suspicions were confirmed.
Yet, despite her confident assertion, where was Yao Ji’s fragment of the Wen Du Jing?
She confided in Pei An, who, after a moment of reflection, said, “I’ve heard of the Wen Du Jing, but the Pei family doesn’t possess it. Speaking of which…” His brow furrowed. “Did you know that the sinister doctor was rumored to have been acquainted with the previous head of Boundless Sea Tower, Lady Yueyin?”
Yao Ji froze. Lady Yueyin, Ye Chonglou, Pei Yan, Pei Yan’s mother… These names and their connections had long swirled in her mind, a puzzle she couldn’t solve. Now, with Ye Chonglou making a deadly move against Pei Yan, she had to ask Pei An, “Steward Pei, there’s no such thing as love or hate without reason. Ye Chonglou is willing to make a mortal enemy of the Heavenly Capital. There must be a reason. Why… why does he want to harm the Young Master?”
Pei An scoffed. “Do you think I would know? If I had known Ye Chonglou’s treacherous intentions, would the Heavenly Capital have allowed him to roam free until now?” Despite his words, doubt gnawed at him. After a pause, he continued, “I don’t know if I should tell you this. But… if the Young Master knew, he wouldn’t blame me.”
Seeing his grave expression, Yao Ji composed herself, ready to listen.
“This is a secret known to few in the Jianghu. Lady Yueyin was acquainted with the late Madam,” Pei An began. Yao Ji had heard Pei Yan mention this before, so she wasn’t surprised. But then Pei An continued, “No, that’s not entirely accurate. It was actually Lady Yueyin’s junior sister who first knew Madam. I don’t know her name, but I’ve heard the Old Master mention that Madam called her Yun Guo.”
“Yun Guo lived in the Western Regions. She met Madam, who was traveling at the time, on her first trip to the Central Plains. They became fast friends, even sworn sisters, I hear. But something happened. Yun Guo died, and upon hearing the news, Lady Yueyin stormed the Heavenly Capital, causing a great commotion. At that time, Boundless Sea Tower had many disciples active in the Central Plains. After this incident, they completely withdrew and never set foot here again.”
Yao Ji had lived in the Green Abyss Valley for eleven years and had never heard of the previous head having a junior sister. Yun Guo’s death must have been shrouded in secrecy. Perhaps it was Yun Guo’s death that fueled Ye Chonglou’s hatred for the Heavenly Capital. Pei Mingzhu was long dead; unable to kill her, he sought to vent his rage on her son, Pei Yan. But Yun Guo was, at most, Ye Chonglou’s martial aunt. To provoke the Heavenly Capital over the death of a martial aunt… something didn’t feel right.
“Steward Pei, how did Yun Guo die?”
Pei An shook his head. “That’s a secret of the Pei family. I don’t know. Most of those who lived through that time are gone. I’m afraid… only the Old Master knows the truth.” Pei An shared Yao Ji’s unease. He hadn't considered it before, but now it seemed plausible that Ye Chonglou was poisoning Pei Yan because of Yun Guo’s death. He mused, “The Young Master forbade me from disturbing the Old Master, but the situation is dire. I have no choice but to intrude upon his peace. If the Old Master can resolve this predicament, all the better. If not, with his martial arts prowess, he can capture Ye Chonglou and force him to hand over the antidote.”
Yao Ji felt uneasy. A meticulous planner like Ye Chonglou would surely have considered Pei Che. Even if Pei Che was one of the few remaining Grandmasters, the world was vast. If Ye Chonglou chose to hide, how could he be captured?
Pei An gave a cold laugh. "That's where you come in. As long as Ye Chonglou seeks you out for the Wen Du Jing, we won't have to worry about him escaping."