FRGNM -Chapter 289 The Toxin

“Alright, enough chatter. You can ask yourself why—you’d just get scared if I told you. Come on, let’s first find Minglang and see where that Purple Bamboo is,” the man in teal said, too lazy to talk more with Silver Wolf. If he scared the stupid wolf in front of him, who knows what could happen.

“Who’s scared? I’ll tell you, this is nothing for me! I’m not afraid—I’ll give it my all!” Silver Wolf glared at the man in teal, but standing under the lanterns outside, he looked like a deflated balloon, head drooping, silent.

Ling Ruoxi waved her hand. “Enough teasing Little White. Let’s go. Right now—”

“Those five brats from Mingyuan Inn, come out!”

Before she could finish, a surging aura appeared. A thunderous voice echoed down the street. A figure stood at the door, hands sweeping outward, straightening his posture, raising an eyebrow at the people opposite him.

Everyone stepped back, swallowing nervously. The old man in blue-green robes radiated powerful Qi, waves of blue-purple Dou Qi rippling around him. A wooden plaque hung at his waist, boldly inscribed with the character “Ming.”

Those who recognized it gasped.

“My heavens! Isn’t this Elder Tang Ming from the Tang Family Trading Hall? How did he suddenly appear here?”

“When did Tang Ming leave seclusion? My God, when did he reach Purple Rank?”

“No, he hasn’t fully reached Purple Rank yet—just one step away!”

Countless whispers spread. Who could have angered the Tang Family enough to summon even the ancestor? Such a powerful presence—it was the first time anyone had seen it.

“Let’s go find that Minglang kid.”

Ling Ruoxi and Luo Mingyu walked out of the inn without giving the figure at the door more than a glance.

Silver Wolf’s legs trembled, nearly sticking to Yuwen Zhiyuan. Shivering, he stammered, “Zhiyuan… wait for me! Is it really that dangerous here? Maybe… maybe I shouldn’t go.”

“Are you sure you want to stay behind?” Yuwen Zhiyuan asked, emphasizing the words heavily, raising an eyebrow at him.

“No, no, I’ll go with you!” Silver Wolf clenched his teeth and hurried after them.

The man in teal yawned, glancing at Tang Ming standing outside the crowd, glaring angrily at Mingyuan Inn, as if he wanted to rush in immediately.

…

Those who had once visited the trading hall clicked their tongues. Wasn’t that the same Elder from back then? All ten Sacred Realm Pills had been ruined by Tang Xin, that girl—what a tragedy.

But why did the old man appear now?

“Elder Tang, what is the meaning of this?” the innkeeper stammered, stepping forward.

Tang Ming raised an eyebrow, voice booming: “The kids staying here—the ones who can make Sacred Realm Pills! The five of them went to the trading hall yesterday, asking for nine hundred billion gold!”

The innkeeper’s face twitched. Looking at this powerful figure, he laughed and cried at the same time. He pointed ahead. “What bad luck, Elder Tang. The five who just left are the ones you’re looking for, but I don’t know where they went. You can wait here while I prepare some dishes for you.”

“What?!” Tang Ming’s mustache bristled as he glared. Those five brats, knowing he wanted them, ran right under his nose! And now he’s supposed to wait for them? How does that make sense?

He clenched his fists. “Prepare the food. Today, I’ll find those brats!”

But Ling Ruoxi and her group weren’t concerned. In their memory, girls like Tang Xin, serving wealthy families, came from families worth at least a trillion gold. Yet for nine hundred billion, she even called out her ancestor. Missing them by accident just gave the Tang Family a little more time.

“Are you saying Minglang and a middle-aged man don’t have a fixed residence, wandering around?”

“Minglang was found as a child. That man has no steady income or job, but has been here for a long time.”

“Really? Where have you seen them recently?”

After searching several streets, Silver Wolf realized it was hopeless. These people didn’t pay attention to Minglang and the man. Paying a silver coin for information seemed useless.

“They don’t care, so how could they know their whereabouts?”

“I know! I know!” A crippled beggar approached, smiling, hands rubbing together, revealing two large black teeth. “Give me a silver coin, and I’ll tell you where they are!”

“Fine, speak.” Silver Wolf impatiently pulled a coin from his wallet, skeptical. Could this beggar from afar really know?

The beggar chuckled. “They’re in a ruined temple in the northern part of the city. I saw them this morning. That kid seems sick, sleeping in the temple.”

“A ruined temple? They’re living in a ruined temple?” Silver Wolf gasped. If the man was really Purple Bamboo in human form, how could he not even have money? Choosing a ruined temple was practically self-torture!

The beggar nodded, pocketing the silver. “I’m telling the truth. Believe it or not, it’s up to you. But the silver is mine!”

“Anyway, let’s check the temple in the north. They might be there,” Ling Ruoxi said, frowning. They headed north immediately.

The ruined temple could no longer shield against wind and rain. Straw lay haphazardly on the floor, filthy. On it, a child lay curled in the corner, skin pale with a bluish-purple hue, trembling.

He was covered in bruises, with small red dots emerging atop them. He pressed against the wall, groaning softly.

His hazy eyes seemed to notice someone opening the door, but he couldn’t see clearly. Dry-mouthed, he reached out to hold a cold hand pressing on his head. “Uncle… don’t leave… don’t leave me alone. I’ll behave… I won’t cause trouble… I won’t… Uncle, don’t leave me…”

“What nonsense is he talking? What are those red dots? Looks like some kind of skin irritation?” Silver Wolf muttered, poking Minglang’s abdomen. The child hadn’t eaten for who knows how long; his stomach was concave, almost frightening.

Ling Ruoxi glared at Silver Wolf. “Teal, tie Little White to a tree. Let him spend the night here alone; let’s see how he behaves.”

“No! I was wrong! Ruoxi, don’t be so heartless! By the way, what disease does this little one have?” Silver Wolf quickly changed the subject, clutching his belt to avoid being dragged.

Ling Ruoxi frowned, pressing Minglang’s pulse. A chill ran through her. “This resembles a case I’ve seen before. We called it smallpox. Teal, do you know what it’s called here?”

“Smallpox? It does bloom like a flower… I’ve never seen it before. His body is hot, sweating, and the red spots are highly toxic. If not handled properly, we could get infected too,” the man in teal whispered, placing his hand on Minglang’s head.

Ling Ruoxi extended her right hand, the silver needle appearing. She swiftly pierced Minglang’s finger, drawing crimson blood accompanied by black Qi flowing onto the floor. Minglang’s condition was grim.

Quickly sealing his major acupoints with the silver needle to prevent toxin spread, Ling Ruoxi said, “Leave this place. It’s filthy and chaotic; the virus could worsen. We need a different inn.”

“But Mingyuan Inn is south of the city. We can’t go back, right?” Silver Wolf frowned. At this speed, he didn’t know if the child would survive. Even he could sense the virus inside, ready to burst from Minglang’s frail body.

Shaking her head, Ling Ruoxi whispered, “There’s an inn nearby. We won’t go back. Let’s go.”

The group disappeared quickly from the ruined temple, heading for the nearest inn.

Meanwhile, a black figure approached absentmindedly. He pressed his hand against the wooden door but lacked the courage to push it open. Frowning, he climbed onto the wall.

Yet inside the empty temple, the child who had been with him was already gone.

Clenching his icy hands, Jiang Yu looked coldly at the familiar temple, still sensing the child’s warmth. He exhaled, landing silently on the ground. Eyes scanning every plant, he sighed.

“I’m sorry, Minglang. If I hadn’t left, you’d be in danger. The five today were after me. Now that you’ve gone, I can rest easy.”

He didn’t know that the child had already fallen ill after he left. Had he arrived earlier, he might have seen the child’s suffering. Now, he assumed the child had left on his own.