Hidden Shadow – CH 106

Chapter One-Hundred-Six: Ning in the North, Mo in the South

His heart ached, yet a sliver of hope remained. When Fourteenth Young Lady was struck by a hidden weapon, he had sealed her acupoints and administered the antidote. If Chu Dingjiang were skilled in healing, she likely would not have died.

But did Chu Dingjiang actually know how to heal?

Damn it! Who thought of using something as fragile as a butterfly to find someone! Smash!

Mo Sigui slammed his fan on the table, shattering the remaining butterfly into dust. Mo Sigui gritted his teeth and vowed that he would find a way to use tigers and wolves as guides for tracking incense in the future!

The guests in the hall all looked over, and the innkeeper timidly approached, “This, sir…”

Mo Sigui prepared to pay, then felt in his sleeve, only to remember that the little silver he had left had been used to buy a piece of clothing and stay at an inn for the night; now he only had a few coins left…

“This will cover the meal.” Mo Sigui tossed the folding fan to the innkeeper.

The innkeeper was unaware of the fan’s true value, but the tassel—a round, jade seed the size of a quail egg—was incredibly valuable, enough to buy ten of his shops.

“Take care, My Lord!” the innkeeper said, tucking the fan into his robes and seeing him off with great courtesy.

As he reached the door, he brushed past a man and a woman. The man was tall and burly, with a dark complexion; the woman was slender with wheat-colored skin. Their appearance was quite different from that of the people around Bianjing. Even more striking was the menacing aura emanating from them. Their presence at the doorway instantly silenced the shop.

“Who is the innkeeper?” the woman asked in perfect Mandarin. As she spoke, her gaze swept over Mo Sigui, catching only a glimpse of the back of his head.

She sniffed lightly, as if detecting a faint medicinal scent.

“It is this old man,” the innkeeper said with a smile, bowing to the two. “Would you like to eat or rest? We do not have rooms.”

The innkeeper’s attention was diverted by the woman unfolding two portraits. “Have you seen these two people before?”

Mo Sigui glanced at them, vaguely recognizing an old man and a young man in the portraits, and his heart skipped a beat. Could it be Elder Qi and him?

He lowered his eyes, pretending to be nonchalant as he walked out.

The innkeeper found the young man’s portrait somewhat familiar, but sensing the menacing nature of the two, he feared getting into trouble and said, “Our inn is in a remote location, and we do not have many customers all day. I have not seen these two in the portraits.”

The woman put away the portraits and went inside, finding a seat by the window. “Tea, please.”

The man also sat down. As he placed his sword beside him, he noticed powder on the corner of the table. “Innkeeper! Come wipe the table!”

“Yes! Yes!” The innkeeper, having just brewed the tea, hurriedly grabbed a rag and ran over.

The shop was usually quiet, run by the owner and his wife, with the wife as the cook. He was the only one working in the dining area, but now he was being bossed around by two people.

He was about to wipe the dish when the woman stopped him. “Wait!” she said.

The woman took a gourd from her waist and poured out a large centipede. The centipede crawled onto the table, followed the scent to the powder, and began to eat it. In a moment, its entire body turned crimson, almost swelling into a pupa.

The innkeeper trembled, dropping the dishcloth without even realizing it.

“I am asking you, who was sitting here before?” the woman said kindly.

But the man’s long sword was already drawn, pressed against the innkeeper’s neck.

“It was a young man. He had just left when you came in!” the innkeeper said, terrified. He dared not hide anything and quickly pulled out a folding fan from his robes. “Brave warrior, heroine, that young man even offered this as payment for his meal. This old man is blind and did not recognize him as the person you two are looking for. I did not mean to protect him; please, have mercy.”

The woman took the folding fan and slowly unfolded it. Seeing a red apricot blossom on the fan, her eyes lit up. “Chase!” Before she finished speaking, she flashed and rushed out.

The man sheathed his sword and hurriedly gave chase.

“Ning Yi,” the man asked, “is it Mo Sigui?”

The woman, called Ning Yi, released a centipede. Seeing it crawl north, she chased after it without hesitation. “It must be him! This time, we must meet him!”

“Our lord values ​​you. If he also submits to our lord, would he not be your equal?” the man said.

Ning Yi chuckled. “Equal? ​​This world is vast, but the pinnacle is as small as a needle’s point; there’s never been room for two number ones.”

“Why not kill him?” the man suggested.

“Killing him would make me unparalleled in the world?” Ning Yi chuckled. “No, killing him would only leave me feeling like I’ve forever had an insurmountable obstacle in my life.”

Ning Yi’s real name was Ning Yanli, and he was only in his early twenties. From a young age, he was hailed as a medical genius, and seven or eight years ago, there was a saying, “Ning in the North, Mo in the South.” However, after Mo Sigui joined the Mei family, his reputation gradually faded, and “Ning in the North” disappeared from public view for unknown reasons. In the years that followed, these two medical prodigies were gradually forgotten by most people.

The two tracked him for ten miles. Ning Yi saw the figure carrying a bundle ahead and blew out two flying needles.

Mo Sigui sensed the noise behind him and quickly dodged.

“Liu Hen, capture him alive!” Ning Yi ordered.

Liu Hen obeyed, suddenly exerting his strength, shooting out like an arrow. A chain flew up and coiled around Mo Sigui like a serpent.

He stumbled, almost falling to the ground.

“Mo Sigui.” Ning Yi caught up, her voice laced with amusement. “I finally caught you!”

Mo Sigui steadied himself, turned around, and said flippantly, “I do not remember getting into any romantic entanglements.”

Ning Yanli met his pair of alluring eyes, which held a hint of a smile, and paused for a moment. “You are much more handsome than in the portrait.”

Mo Sigui smiled noncommittally.

“I’ve heard so much about you! My name is Ning Yanli. We do not know each other, but I am sure you’ve seen my masterpieces.” Ning Yanli quickly returned to the main topic.

“The half-baked product?” Mo Sigui’s attitude became serious. “You used drugs to enhance those people’s skills!”

“That’s right.” Ning Yanli flicked her wrist, releasing two poisoned flying needles.

The poisoned needles sank into his thigh, and Mo Sigui groaned. She said, “This is a special gift I prepared for you. I hope you like it.”

Mo Sigui forced a smile, enduring the pain spreading from his leg.

“I will find you again in half a month.” Ning Yanli set a date for their next meeting, then glanced at Liu Hen. “Let’s go!”

“Physician Ning.” Liu Hen had already gripped the hilt of his sword, wanting to kill Mo Sigui, but dared not act rashly.

Ning Yanli did not turn her head. “If he dies by your sword, our bond will be severed from now on!”

Liu Hen gritted his teeth, forcefully pulled back the iron chain, and followed Ning Yanli.

Mo Sigui endured until the two figures disappeared from view. His body swayed slightly, and he reached out to steady himself on a withered branch beside him.

“Such a potent poison.” Mo Sigui’s face was pale and bluish, but his eyes shone brightly, revealing a hint of excitement.

As someone obsessed with medicine, he often tested medicines on himself because no one could better understand the subtle differences in the effects of medicine than he could. He readily accepted Ning Yanli’s provocation.