Chapter 731: Show of strength, struggle just for this day (2/2)

“What’s going on?” Granny You asked.

Cang Qiuzi gave a cold snort. “Han Yunxi sent someone to poison Yao Yao’s tea!”

“Ridiculous!”Granny You denied it immediately. The same tricks again? When will they give this up?

“Han Yunxi has been undergoing the same confinement for the past month. She’s never taken a step out of Abstinence Hall all this time. This old woman can vouch for her!”

“Even so, it’s possible for someone else to help her poison!” Cang Qiuzi retorted.

“Who is it? Call them out for this old woman to see!” Granny You wouldn’t budge. But Duanmu Yao really did summon a servant from the peak who had voluntarily surrendered themselves and spoke of Han Yunxi’s secret instructions and poison to hurt Duanmu Yao. Of course, plenty of guilty convictions had come from fabricated evidence.

Granny You didn’t buy it. “How could a mere servant’s words serve as proof?”

Duanmu Yao immediately rolled up her sleeves and exposed her arms. The Rose Rattan vines had inched up the back of her hands by now and were reaching her arms.

“This…” Granny You didn’t understand poisons, but she could tell this was no ordinary toxin.

“The poison doctors have already examined me. This is the hypertoxic Rose Rattan poison. Its victims will die without an antidote after three days. It’s a rare poison, not just anyone can have it,” Cang Qiuzi said coldly.

“Who else but Han Yunxi could have such a poison on Celestial Mountain?” Duanmu Yao said, choked with sobs. “Auntie You, I came here today to look for an antidote and seek justice. I’ve already told your disciples, we’re not here just to cause a row!”

A complicated look flickered past Granny You’s eyes. The signs of poisoning on Duanmu Yao’s hands were so evident that it couldn’t be a hoax. And yet, she refused to believe that Han Yunxi would do something so stupid. It was more likely Duanmu Yao had taken the poison herself to frame Han Yunxi.

“Anyone who enters without this old woman’s permission is causing a row!” Granny You persisted. “You should go explain things to your master first, not throw a tantrum here in my Courtyard with the head elder!”

“Granny You, master’s in closed door cultivation. As the head of the Council of Elders, Martial Uncle Cang will naturally have to act as my judge in this matter,” Duanmu Yao shot back.

Hearing this, Granny You grew uneasy. Looks like Duanmu Yao planned her timing before she came.

“Don’t you still have three days until it turns fatal? Wait until your master comes out, then we’ll speak!” Granny You tried next.

“Youmiin,1 what kind of words are those? If anything unfortunate happens to Yao Yao, can you afford to shoulder the blame?” Cang Qiuzi raged.

Duanmu Yao broke into sobbing again as she turned to leave. “Then I’ll just wait! If master takes five days to come out, I’ll wait five days. If he takes 10, I’ll wait 10 days too!”

She was obviously threatening Granny You! The old woman paused. If something really did happen to Duanmu Yao, she couldn’t afford the consequences. Even if she didn’t care about herself, she had to consider the plight of her disciples. Their progress and advancement all rested on her.

Seeing Granny You hesitate made Cang Qiuzi relent on purpose. “Youmin, it’s fine if we don’t enter Abstinence Hall. You can call Han Yunxi out to hand over the antidote first! Whether or not she’s guilty can wait until senior brother comes out of closed door cultivation!”

Granny You paused slightly before she spoke. “Alright. Since we know it’s Rose Rattan poison, this old woman will ask Han Yunxi for the antidote. There’s no need for her to show her face. As for the culprit, we’ll do as you say and wait until senior brother emerges from cultivation.”

Duanmu Yao only fumed silently. This Youmin, she’s a pain to deal with! When she caught Cang Qiuzi looking back at her, she immediately started wailing. “If she doesn’t apologize to me, I won’t cure this poison! Even if it kills me!”

“Youmin, this matter isn’t something either of us can shoulder. Either call Han Yunxi out or let us in! You decide!” Cang Qiuzi lost all patience.

Granny You was stuck. She didn’t want to fight them, nor did she have any more counters. Without a choice, she agreed and hoped that Han Yunxi could stall long enough for Long Feiye to emerge.

“Fine, this old woman will take you over there.” She then told her trusted subordinate, “The entire Courtyard will go on alert. Surround the Abstinence Hall, no one is to leak a word of this outside!”

If Han Yunxi can’t buy enough time, then I’ll just go all out against Cang Qiuzi. I’m not worried about Duanmu Yao since her martial arts have been exhausted–she shouldn’t be able to do anything against Han Yunxi by herself.

—

Han Yunxi was currently facing the wall and counting time with her fingers until Long Feiye came out. But Duanmu Yao’s voice suddenly broke the silence.

“Han Yunxi you slut, get out here!”

Translator’s Note: Big question of the day: is Duanmu Yao an idiot, or just an idiot? You tell me!

1. Youmin (幽敏) – You means “deep and remote, secret,” Min is “quick-witted, nimble/agile.” It is likely Granny You has a surname as well, and that this is just her given name.