Bloodkiller - Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Undercurrent
As dawn broke at five in the morning, a faint layer of autumn dew coated the ground, and the west courtyard of the Qian estate remained still and quiet.
Despite the Qian family’s vast influence, their city residences were kept discreet and modest. With only a few servants tending the grounds, even the uproar from the night before had gone unnoticed.
Yao Chuan was already awake, as usual, and had begun his daily martial practice in the courtyard. His swordsmanship was refined, his inner strength formidable—few in the martial world could match him. This daily routine had long become second nature, and missing it made him feel unsettled.
He hadn’t bothered to clean up after last night’s scuffle. Only now did he notice the dirt on his inner garments—hardly something he could keep wearing. Yet the one responsible for the mess was still sleeping soundly, which made him half amused, half exasperated. Shrugging it off, he stripped to the waist. The crisp air of late autumn had no effect on him thanks to his cultivated internal energy.
After completing a full set of blade techniques, sweat streamed from his body. Yao Chuan ceased his practice, intent on settling into meditation. He spotted a broad camphor tree nearby, and on a whim, leapt into its canopy. Finding a comfortable perch among the branches, he sat cross-legged and began to regulate his qi.
Time passed unnoticed, until the soft chatter of voices drifted over from the front courtyard. Women’s laughter and children’s cries echoed faintly in the air. Only then did Yao Chuan recall that today was the day Bai Yulian, the lady of the house, was returning home.
Before marrying into the Qian family, Bai Yulian had been a remarkable figure in her own right. Her father, known only as “The Hermit of Anonymity,” Bai Yan, was a mysterious healer whose origins and age were unknown. He claimed to hail from “Mount Anonymous,” and when he first entered public life, he already had snow-white hair and the bearing of a seasoned elder. Though aged in appearance, he possessed miraculous medical skills and was famously able to treat even those considered beyond saving. For this, people dubbed him “White Hell.”
He had no children of his own, only an adopted daughter—Yulian—who was both stunning in beauty and exceptionally skilled in medicine, inheriting her father’s talents. People called her the “Maiden Hua Tuo.” Yet, both father and daughter had their eccentricities. Bai Yan treated only one patient per month and specialized in rare, complex illnesses—turning away simple ailments and refusing high fees. Yulian, on the other hand, had an affinity for poisons. She often treated illness by using poison to counteract poison—while her patients were ultimately cured, the agony they endured earned her a controversial reputation.
However, after marrying Qian Ling, she tempered her practices, began using milder remedies, and slowly earned respect in the martial world.
Yao Chuan had met her several times. He knew she was straightforward and warm-hearted, and with guests visiting the house, she would no doubt insist on greeting them personally. But he was drenched in sweat, and another round of cleaning would be needed. He sighed at the thought.
And that brat Lin Yi was still asleep!
Grumbling to himself, Yao Chuan leapt down from the tree and made his way to Lin Yi’s room, only to find that the young man had already freshened up and was carefully polishing his purple bamboo flute by the window.
Before Yao Chuan could say anything, footsteps approached. A servant called out respectfully, “Master Yao, Young Lord Lin—Madam has prepared a meal and invites you both to the front hall.”
Neither had eaten yet. Yao Chuan himself didn’t feel hungry, but he remembered how much inner strength Lin Yi had expended the night before—and the lingering poison in his system. So he set aside his irritation and responded, “Thank you for the kind invitation. We’ll be along shortly.”
Turning to Lin Yi, he noticed a faint smile playing on the young man’s lips, his thoughts unreadable.
As they entered the front hall, the estate was noticeably livelier than usual. A graceful woman sat beside Qian Ling, chatting and laughing easily. Her features were delicate—almond-shaped eyes beneath finely arched brows, with a slight trace of crow’s feet that lent her a mature, alluring charm.
Upon seeing them, she rose at once and greeted Yao Chuan with a warm smile. “It’s been too long, Brother Yao. How have you been? My husband is hopeless when it comes to hospitality. If you’ve been neglected, I ask your pardon.” Then turning to Lin Yi, she added, “You must be Young Master Lin of Qingfeng Stronghold. What a refined and elegant young hero. My father once met your esteemed father years ago—fate must be bringing us together today.”
Yao Chuan exchanged a few pleasantries, but quickly noticed Bai Yulian stealing glances at Lin Yi, her brows faintly furrowed, as if something were troubling her.
Sure enough, not long after, she dismissed the servants and said gently, “Young Master Lin, have you been feeling unwell? Your lips are pale, your complexion off, and your gaze somewhat clouded.”
Yao Chuan silently admired her skill—her assessment was spot on. But Lin Yi clearly did not wish to discuss his poisoning publicly and remained silent.
Then, unexpectedly, Lin Yi laughed and replied, “Madam truly lives up to her reputation as the Maiden Hua Tuo. I do feel unwell. To tell the truth, in my youth I was rather… free-spirited, chasing pleasure and beauty without restraint. I indulged too much and now suffer the consequences. Since Madam is so kind, if you happen to know of a cure, I’d be in your debt.”
His playful self-deprecation left Bai Yulian unconvinced. She frowned slightly. “If that’s the case, the earlier it’s treated, the better. If you don’t trust me, there are other reputable physicians in Hangzhou.”
At this, Qian Ling interjected, “Don’t misunderstand—my wife is never indiscreet with others’ private matters. Master Lin is the son-in-law of the Shuanglong Sect, and we owe much to them. Our household would never do anything to harm you.”
Lin Yi paused before replying. “It’s not something I’m proud of. This isn’t Yao Chuan’s doing—it’s my own misjudgment. I just didn’t want to cause unnecessary gossip.”
He then gave the couple a brief account of what had happened—the trap he had fallen into, the mysterious drugging, and the inner energy issues he was now facing—clearing any suspicion that Yao Chuan had been involved.
After hearing it all, Bai Yulian’s expression grew serious. She took Lin Yi’s pulse carefully. “Strange… your qi is stagnant, but I don’t sense signs of poisoning. If anything, it feels like something disrupted your cultivation, or perhaps a backlash from inner deviation. How much strength do you still retain?”
“About seventy percent,” Lin Yi replied.
Bai Yulian’s frown deepened. Yao Chuan asked, “Is there any way to resolve it?”
“If this were ordinary qi blockage, acupuncture could fix it. But your meridians are locked in a way that suggests deeper interference. If I apply needles recklessly, the rebound of your inner force could be fatal.”
Lin Yi remained calm. “So I’m not dying just yet. That’s good news. I’ll find a solution eventually.”
Bai Yulian hesitated, then said slowly, “I’ve encountered a similar case once, many years ago. My father and I were traveling when we came across a notorious criminal in Qingzhou. He was once a top fighter—wielded a pair of short blades with unmatched skill—but turned to crime for silver. The government and martial world alike hunted him. There was a bounty of 700 taels for his head.”
“Was it… the ‘Dragon Dagger’ Lian Li?” Yao Chuan asked.
“Exactly,” Bai Yulian nodded. “Eventually he was captured and sentenced to death. My father happened to be in Qingzhou when they paraded the prisoners. He saw this once-fearsome fighter looking feeble and broken—his hands trembling, inner strength completely gone, though his body bore no visible wounds. Curious, my father snuck into the prison and discovered that Lian Li’s meridians were in total disarray—like he’d suffered a massive qi deviation overnight. When my father questioned him, the man only muttered two words, full of hatred—”
She paused, looking at both men meaningfully.
“—‘King Huai.’”
Yao Chuan’s eyes narrowed. “If I recall, Lian Li was caught by Liu Zichong, the governor of Qingzhou. And Qingzhou falls under King Huai’s jurisdiction. If this strange poison originates from there, then it would make sense.”
“It’s dangerous to speculate, but this may have been a poison developed by the court to eliminate dissidents or dangerous outlaws. Somehow, Lin Yi became a target.”
A heavy silence followed.
To break the tension, Bai Yulian signaled for the servants to bring in food and wine. “It’s getting late. Let’s eat first. Afterward, I’ll write to my father and see what he knows. He’s seen more than anyone—perhaps he can confirm or deny this theory.”
Qian Ling nodded. “And if needed, we’ll ask my father-in-law to come in person. He loves a good challenge—he’ll definitely help.”
Yao Chuan tried to smile, but his heart was uneasy. He remembered Lin Yi’s words from earlier—was that mysterious figure from the brothel connected to King Huai? They had come to Hangzhou chasing a separate trail, investigating a deadly blade—but now it seemed they were caught in a deeper web that might reach the imperial court.
But one question lingered in Yao Chuan’s mind:
If Lin Yi had been poisoned twice by that strange girl… why hadn’t Bai Yulian detected any trace of it?