Chapter 768: Mantis, who is the master (1/2)

Perhaps this was the first time that Bai Yanqing had been left in the dark. He had many guesses of his own, but he couldn’t ascertain any of them.

“Han Yunxi shouldn’t be going to Celestial Mountain at a time like this,” he muttered to himself. “Nor should she be leaving South Ning. Why not? Why?” Eventually, he turned towards Bai Yuqiao.

“Yu girl, why do you think that is?”

“Then maybe they’ve gone to Medicine City?” Bai Yuqiao tried next. Anyone with a brain could tell that Han Yunxi had to take Long Feiye’s place right now to stabilize South Ning’s situation to prevent civil strife from breaking out. Medical City was the source of the mess since they targeted South Ning. Although Baili Yuanlong had complete control of its commander-in-chief’s estate and claimed to fight Medical City until the end, Han Yunxi’s group wouldn’t be stupid enough to seek their death in Medical City itself! Even if they went, it’d be no use! They could bring all the troops they wanted, but that would only anger all of the medical community--perhaps even all of Cloud Realm Continent’s powers and its common people. Then Han Yunxi’s label as a Poison Sect descendant would truly become a criminal name.

“Master, do they have a chance at winning if they join hands with Medicine City to face Medical City?” Bai Yuqiao asked.

“None,” Bai Yanqing was certain. “Medical and Medicine City are of the same cohort. Pill King might help her, but Medicine City won’t give Pill King any face regarding this matter. Just wait and see. Even if Pill King can help Han Yunxi once, he can’t help her for the rest of her life.”

Moreover, Pill King’s medicine couldn’t help everyone either, because most of the illnesses were common ailments. The victims didn’t need rare or precious medicine, but just basics from Medicine City.

Bai Yuqiao was lost. “Master, then where could they have gone?”

Bai Yanqing simply looked at her without saying a word. Bai Yuqiao saw that her master looked annoyed, but not ferocious. Thus, she only waited a while before asking timidly, “Master, does Han Yunxi really have the phoenix birthmark? What kind of thing is that?”

Master told her to interrogate Su Xiaoyu, but she had no idea what he wanted. It wasn’t clear whether Bai Yanqing had heard her or was just ignoring her, but he never answered her question. Bai Yuqiao knew his temper too well to try asking again. She still couldn’t figure out if her master wanted Han Yunxi dead or alive. Thinking up to here, her thoughts went to her senior brother Jun Yixie.

A few days ago, they’d received news that senior brother and the two imperial princes had clashed terribly with the Wintercrow Clan. The crown prince suffered grievous injuries, but the medical skills of the Wintercrow Clan were too backwards to help him. Senior brother thus escorted the crown prince back as fast as possible to treat his wounds. Meanwhile, the second imperial prince had insisted on staying behind, vowing that he’d buy the horses they needed within a month. Bai Yuqiao knew all this was part of senior brother’s schemes. Most likely, the crown prince would die on the way home, while the second imperial prince had grim prospects of survival. She had no idea how he’d face the Northern Li emperor’s wrath, much less whether they’d get their horses at all.

While senior brother’s risking his life with the Wintercrow Clan, master’s done so many things behind his back!

“What are you spacing out for? Get moving,” Bai Yanqing said coldly.

Bai Yuqiao obediently got onto the carriage and asked innocently, “Master, where are we going?”

“Medical City!” Bai Yanqing declared.

It would be ten more days before the Apricot Woods Conference, which showcased Cloud Realm Continent’s best medical skills. Of course he was going to widen his experiences by checking it out. Moreover, he was curious to see what other methods Gu Yuntian had to deal with Han Yunxi besides forcing the doctors out of South Ning Prefecture.

He had schemed for years in order to make all of his preparations. Long Feiye might want to reap in the fish after the clashes between the three nations died down, but he was going to be “the mantis that follows the oriole once it nets the cicada”[1] and steal all of Long Feiye’s hard work! According to his plans, as long as Jun Yixie’s horses arrived, they’d need training for one month. By then the three nations would have exhausted themselves with the war and be low in medicine and rations. When the time came, Northern Li only needed to head south with their crack calvary to sweep away the trio and then head straight for South Ning.

Of course, he knew that Long Feiye had a navy on his hands that could travel up along the Eastern Sea’s shoreline, but he’d never give Long Feiye that chance. There was a huge secret in his hands that was capable of destroying Long Feiye at the most critical moment and send his forces falling apart! Over the past few days, he had divided his time between waiting and observing the situation on Celestial Mountain. But he never expected that Han Yunxi’s identity as the Poison Sect descendant would be revealed, or that Ning Cheng could find so many red coat cannons to speed up the progress of the battle between three nations. He also never thought that Long Feiye could control the energy of the Lustbite Seal.

Because of this, his plans were ruined; fortunately, not on a large scale. In fact, the situation now favored Northern Li and himself more than ever. Now he only needed to accomplish two tasks: 1) keep waiting for Medical City to strangle South Ning and Ning Cheng to send his troops south, and 2) force Han Yunxi onto a dead end.

Only when forced onto a path with no return could one harbor more hatred in one’s heart.

He instigated Carefree City, not to kill Han Yunxi, but to stir up her hatred. Unfortunately, they never got to make a move before Gu Qishao appeared. At this, Bai Yanqing narrowed his eyes. Just who is...Gu Qishao?

Both Bai Yanqing and Han Yunxi’s group were headed for Medical City. Whether or not they’d meet each other there by chance was still unknown. Han Yunxi’s group traveled on horseback for three days and three nights through deep mountain forests before they saw any signs of civilization.

“Esteemed wangfei, there’ll be more people once we get down this mountain. For safety’s sake, let’s adopt disguises,” Gu Beiyue said. Although they could enter Medical City openly, Gu Beiyue preferred to be unassuming and low-key. He didn’t want anyone to know of their movements in case unexpected obstacles popped up.

This trait of his was quite similar to Long Feiye. Both of them preferred to keep their cool until they made a fatal move that guaranteed victory. Although they gained the same results, their methods differed slightly. Long Feiye was more cruel and ruthless while Gu Beiyue was temperate and mild.

Chu Xifeng had already prepared a large horse carriage for them. Han Yunxi was going to play the role of a weak and sickly girl on her way to seek treatment in Medical City. She was about to get changed when Gu Qishao stopped her. He rubbed his chin, then examined Gu Beiyue.

“Doctor, from what this gentleman sees, it’s better if you play the invalid. You look like one already without even pretending.”