While Meng Gui and Shang He are on their way, Wu Yuan has just stopped trying to use the Mirror of Yearning. The mirror still didn't respond to Wu Yuan's calls. It seems like they are in the deeper, if not the deepest, part of Heilong Realm. It is reasonable, though, since the Four Demonic Leaders' territories are located in this area.
"It's no good." Wu Yuan spoke as he stared at the Mirror of Yearning.
Fei Yin sighed.
"Could it be – " Wu Yuan raised his head and looked at Fei Yin, before his gaze fell on Cheng Sheng. " – this mirror is actually connected to Cheng Sheng?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Fei Yin asked.
Wu Yuan stared at the Mirror of Yearning in his hand for a long time before he spoke. "When I activated this before, Cheng Sheng is conscious." He said. "But, now, I can't activate it. And he is unconscious." He explained.
Fei Yin paused, before he nodded in understanding. "It is logical." He spoke and looked at Cheng Sheng still in a coma.
Wu Yuan kept the Mirror of Yearning. He knows they can't have the answer, since the one who can answer them is still unconscious. "Junior Fei." He called.
"Hm?" Fei Yin answered.
"Earlier, they already gave us the antidote." Wu Yuan spoke. "But, you didn't receive it." He said.
Hearing his words, Fei Yin smiled. "Senior Wu." He spoke. "If it was Senior Sun who was poisoned, and you're in my position, would you take the antidote?" he asked.
Wu Yuan fell silent.
Fei Yin stared at him. "I am tempted." He honestly said.
Wu Yuan looked at him. He didn't speak, since he knows Fei Yin could see that he was also tempted. "Are they testing our will?" he asked.
Fei Yin lowered his gaze. "I think so." He answered.
Silence fell. Not long after, they heard a rush of footsteps, followed by a knock on the door.
"Yin-daozhang. Qiu-daozhang." A servant called from the outside. "Leader Meng and Boss Shang have arrived." She said.
Wu Yuan and Fei Yin looked at each other. 'leader Meng' is Meng Gui. Meng Gui being here is explicable, since this is his territory. 'boss Shang' should be referring to Shang He – another Demonic Leader. But, why is Shang He here?
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan immediately recovered their expression. Fei Yin fixed Cheng Sheng's well-kept clothes while Wu Yuan rose from his seat and walked towards the door and opened it. Shang He and Meng Gui are standing outside, accompanied by their subordinates. The servants have already left to get them some snacks.
The moment Shang He saw an expressionless but extremely handsome and young face opened the door, his face immediately stoned. Then, when his eyes glanced inside the room and saw another two handsome young men – one having a cold face while the other one lying on the bed wearing a pale but delicate face, his face darkened.
They are… Meng Gui's aces? Is he sure they are not the new ones that will be added in his 'harem'? Shang He thought and glanced at Meng Gui whose expression didn't change before he turned his gaze back on Wu Yuan whose brows imperceptibly raised.
Wu Yuan, although a cut-sleeve, and only to Sun Yi, but could see the undercurrent between Meng Gui and Shang He. There is a subtle atmosphere between the two men. "Come in." he spoke to them before he turned. His gaze met Fei Yin's gaze, and their gazes spoke for a second before they looked away when Meng Gui and Shang He entered one after another.
Meanwhile, their subordinates were left outside and consciously closed the door.
"I won't waste them for simple greetings." Meng Gui spoke.
Wu Yuan didn't speak while Fei Yin nodded. His gaze landed on Shang He. "Why are you with another demonic leader?" he asked before he turned back to Meng Gui. Although his gaze is on Shang He when he spoke, but the question is towards Meng Gui.
"Something unexpected happened in the Plum Blossom City." Meng Gui answered. "He's Shang He." He told Fei Yin and Wu Yuan.
Shang He nodded at Fei Yin and Wu Yuan, while the other two nodded back. No words were exchanged between them, leaving Meng Gui at a loss. Although he said earlier that there is no need for greetings, but this is the first time Fei Yin and Wu Yuan, and Shang He met each other.
This is how callous men acts, huh? He thought and glanced at Shang He. I should've known. He looked away, then turned back to Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. "This is also the reason why I will give you the antidote earlier." He continued.
"What exactly happened?" Fei Yin asked. Although he and Wu Yuan doesn't care about these demonic cultivators, but if they could get more information from them, the better.
Meng Gui doesn't have a reason to hide it from Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. The two can ask from the others in the Heilong Realm of what happened in the Plum Blossom City. Also, they are working with each other because of a common interest. He needs their help, while they need the antidote from him.
"Ma Wen screwed us up." Shang He answered.
Meng Gui, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan turned to Shang He, wearing different expressions.
Meng Gui was surprised he answered (on his behalf). He thought Shang He would be vigilant against Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. Fei Yin's brows rose and his eyes are shining with interest as he looked at Shang He. He could figure that Shang He likes Meng Gui. Meanwhile, Wu Yuan's expression didn't even change. He clearly shows disinterest in the topic. He doesn't like to gossip, nor likes to hear schemes and controversies.
"What?" Shang He asked when he saw their expressions.
Meng Gui, Fei Yin and Wu Yuan silently looked away.
Meng Gui coughed. "You continue." He said and walked towards the door when they heard the servants knocked, bringing their snacks.
Shang He nodded and turned to Fei Yin and Wu Yuan. "You must have already heard about us, the Four Demonic Leaders, while on your way here." He started. "Ma Wen is a cunning old fox. All three of us – he, Meng Gui and I, are going to the Plum Blossom City to kill Du Xiang. But, only Meng Gui and I showed up. He stood us up." He said.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked at each other. Another internal conflict? They thought before they turned back to Shang He and continued listening. Meanwhile, Meng Gui personally poured them tea while a servant placed the snacks on the table between them.
"That isn't the worse." Shang He continued. "He actually knows Du Xiang has contracted an infectious disease." He frowned.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan looked surprised.
Shang He saw it. "Du Xiang had many suitors when she was young. Many proposed marriage to her, and she rejected them all. One of her suitors planned to bankrupt their family as a revenge. Their father was forced to sell her, along with her sisters, to a brothel." He explained.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan fell silent. They can immediately guess what happened to her.
"She got her infectious disease from the man who first touched her." Shang He continued and gave a brief explanation on what happened to the brothel, along with how Du Xiang killed all those men who touched her. "Then, when she is about to die because of the disease, the lover of the first man who infected her showed up and cured her. But – " he said as he sipped his drink. " – this woman actually didn't cure her. She just delayed her ailment. Since she has the same disease." He told them.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan are shocked. "Since her lover has the disease, so she must also have that disease…" Fei Yin muttered.
Shang He and Meng Gui nodded. "Those who bed Du Xiang got the disease from her. Then, when they bed other women, the disease spread." Shang He spoke. "Some of our subordinates got the disease. And, since today, a bloodbath happened…" his voice trailed off.
Wu Yuan stared at them. "That disease can also be taken by touching the blood of the infected?" he asked.
Shang He nodded. "Yes. After all, that must be how Du Xiang got the disease…" he said.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan didn't speak. A virgin being deflowered… she definitely bled. And if the man who deflowered her is rough, she might have been torn… they can't help but feel sympathy to Du Xiang. A young and innocent girl became broken because of such circumstances…
"Ma Wen knows all this, considering how wide his network is." Shang He spoke.
Fei Yin and Wu Yuan just looked at them.
Shang He placed down his cup. "Meng Gui won't take my help since he doesn't want to owe me. But, you are his aces." He looked at them.