Chapter 116: Breaking Jade

Chapter 116: Breaking Jade

~~~

You still will not speak? Why must you torment me with this vagueness? Is this revenge for what I did?

I do not appreciate being associated with such pettiness.

I...of course. My apologies.

Good. I do not tell you more because all I have is a theory. To be absolutely certain, I need you to do something.

... What is it that you require of me?

~~~

Pan Qiu walks into the Medical Pavilion.

He has been doing so since his punishment for the incident in the Summer Forest was decided. Day after day. Always having to drink those damned poisons. Always having to suffer through their effects. Any rage he may have felt at his situation has long since faded into resignation.

Today, Pan Qiu walks through the white halls more nervous than usual. His steps are too loud on his ears, his clothes too tight, and the weight of everyones stares too heavy. If only he were healthy to face this stress! That villain Qing Jin has restored his body to its former condition: pale, sweaty, and feverish.

Someone may notice if you were to show up healthy twice in a row. Ill do my best to mimic the effects of the poison. Unpleasant though it may be, please bear with it.

Qing Jin had not given him any chance to object, not that Pan Qiu would have done so. Trying to challenge someone like that beast is a fools errand. The way he so easily wielded Poison Qi further confirmed it. To be able to attune your Qi to poison to that degree denoted extreme familiarity with them. No doubt, Qing Jin is someone who has poisoned multiple people to get where he is.

Pan Qiu has no intention of joining their number.

That is why, even though he feels uncomfortable, even though he is nervous, even though he is scared, Pan Qiu does as Qing Jin asked.

The price of failure is not one he is willing to entertain.

Disciple Pan Qiu is here for his punishment, he announces upon arriving at his destination.

It is the same room as always, white with several beds and large windows. Some of the beds are already occupied by those who are being punished alongside him. They lay there, groaning and shivering under the effects of the poison.

Follow me, an older disciple with pale eyes tells him. Bu Jing, he believes his name is. He leads Pan Qiu to one of the beds and brings him a small cup of poison. This is todays dose.

Pan Qiu looks at the cup with apprehension. It looks smaller than usual.

This poison is far more potent than the usual ones. The pale-eyed disciple raises an eyebrow. However, if Brother Pan wishes to drink more, that could be arranged.

No! Pan Qiu cringes as he raises his voice and quickly adds, That is it to say this disciple submits himself to the wisdom of the Medical Pavilion, Senior Brother.

Understandable, the disciple says without any inflection on his voice. He does not move at all. He keeps staring at Pan Qiu until the latter takes the cup from his hands.

The dark liquid swirls ominously inside it. Pan Qius instincts scream at him not to drink it.

Nevertheless, he does what he must. He brings the cup to his lips and empties it in one gulp.

The effects should manifest soon, the pale-eyed disciple tells him. You are free to use the bed.

Pan Qiu does not hear him. His body is already collapsing into the bed, his legs suddenly weak. His vision sways, and his body chills as he seeks the comfort of warm blankets. The beating of his heart speeds up until it becomes a hammer against his ears.

The pain hits next.

~~~

Liu Jin calmly examines the poison that had been used on Pan Qiu.

Is that what is happening?

Is Elder Cheung having all the punished disciples modified, so that they may eventually be turned into cultivation pills?

Liu Jin contemplates that thought for a few breaths before frowning and shaking his head. No. Such a thing would call too much attention. Most likely, it is only a few that are being used that way. In that sense, running into Pan Qiu and healing him is simply a quirk of fate. One could even call it a fortunate encounter

Besides, that is not the first question Liu Jin should be asking himself right now.

Is Elder Cheung truly the one responsible for this?

It seems like an obvious conclusion. This was done in the Medical Pavilion, and Elder Cheung is in charge of the Medical Pavilion. The idea of a group of disciples, high-ranking or otherwise, having the knowledge, skill, and freedom to do something like this under Elder Cheungs nose is unlikely.

And therein lies the problem.

What is happening to Pan Qiu is wrong and must be stopped. But to do so, he must cast doubt on one of the Elders of the Eternal Flame Clan. Since Elder Cheung is the most likely suspect, Liu Jin cannot bring his concerns to him. If he wants to do something about this, he must bring the matter to one of the other Elders.

If Liu Jins suspicions are correct, there is no way Elder Cheung can keep his position. The moment Elder Cheung is discovered is the moment each faction in the Eternal Flame Clan will try to take control over the Medical Pavilion. The tension that has been boiling under the surface may finally explode.

Exposing Elder Cheung may lead to several deaths. It will certainly escalate the conflict between Lord Feng Shang and Lord Feng Gui to the next stage.

Liu Jin drums his fingers against his desk. He knows what he must do. Elder Xue. Lady Ling. Feng Zhi. He could even report this to the Division of Internal Disputes, though that would firmly place him on Lord Feng Shangs side in the eyes of others. Regardless, as long as he brings the matter to someone with enough authority, things will be set in motion. He needs to make a choice.

So why is he having so much trouble?

Why does his throat constrict and his heart speed up?

Why does his soul recoil inside of him?

The Eternal Flame Clan is one of the four strongest Sects in the Crimson Cloud Empire. Can Liu Jin truly cast a stone into its waters so recklessly without knowing the shape of the ripples that will ensue?

Who is he to make such a choice? Nothing but a young, immature boy. His foolishness already failed one city. It should be someone older and wiser in his place, yet who can he turn to for advice? Hes grown fond of Bei Hong and Huang Shing. He appreciates Senior Brother Khong Hu. It would be a lie to say he doesnt enjoy Lu Meis company.

Yet, this is not a choice he can bring to them. There is no one he can turn to.

No.

Liu Jin raises his head, eyes wide with hope.

There is one person, isn't there?

There is one person whose advice he can seek.

His hand is inside the spatial pouch before he knows it. From it, Liu Jin takes out a small wooden box and opens it with reverence, inside are the memory jades his Master left him.

Each one contains a fragment of his Masters life.

Liu Jin has refrained from seeing them all this time. The reasons are many and varied. He had wanted to master what he already knew before moving on to new things. He didnt feel he had the right to see Master after his failure in Eastern Port City.

Liu Jin snorts.

Old Jiang would probably call all his reasons silly and stupid, and he would be right. The truth is he did not want to use up the memory jades because once they were used, he wouldnt be able to see Old Jiang ever again. He had already said goodbye to his Master once. He did not wish to do so again.

That fear is still there, but right now, Liu Jin wants to see his Master badly enough to overcome it. He doesnt know what memory he will see, but surely it will be better than wallowing in his own inadequacy.

The jade breaks in his hand.

~~~