Chapter 166
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Upon hearing this, both Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang were stunned.
When Chu Lishu loses his rationality, his martial strength surges, and in extreme cases, his inner strength may also recover. In a state akin to losing control, he becomes like a beast, feeling no pain and having only one thought in his mind: to kill everything near him.
However, this usually happens only when he is severely stimulated, physically extremely weakened, and feels life slipping away, nearing the brink of death.
It seemed like a spontaneous protective mechanism of the body.
So, whenever the side effects of Tianxuan Pill occurred, which was his most painful and weakened state, he would instinctively attack anyone approaching.
However, very few people knew about this information, as anyone who had witnessed Chu Lishu losing control had, for the most part, died.
What did this Master know exactly?
Chu Lishu had initially harbored a probing attitude, but now he dared not easily speak up because he was in a weak position. If he took the initiative, the other party might exploit any loopholes to deceive him.
However, it was clear that the Master had something to say to Chu Lishu. Facing two non-martial artists, the Master was not worried. He spoke directly, “You escaped? Is there someone else infiltrating? It seems that this fort is no longer safe. However, since you managed to escape, why are you here? Did you stumble upon it by accident, or do you have another purpose?”
Chu Lishu remained silent, just staring at the Master.
The Master, however, burst into laughter. “Looking at your harmless appearance now, it’s hard to imagine you were the same person three years ago. Do you really not remember me?”
Chu Lishu’s gaze flickered. If we were to calculate by time, three years ago was when he had just transformed into his current appearance, hiding his identity and evading pursuit.
“Do you also not remember having a Master? Living a life like a mad dog?”
Chu Lishu’s expression changed slightly, while Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but widen his eyes in disbelief. What kind of hidden plot twist was this?
Chu Lishu’s painful history of escape was briefly mentioned in the original plot, but there was no mention of any master. The idea of someone being a master to the male lead in this world sounded like a joke.
“Then… you completely don’t remember the incident of killing my daughter?!”
Hearing this, Lin Qingyang understood. Although Chu Lishu’s expression didn’t change much, he also caught on.
However… the Master was the Tianheng Country spy. Did Chu Lishu visit Tianheng Country, or were they both near the border at that time?
Chu Lishu frowned slightly. Three years ago, after consuming the Tianxuan Pill and enduring a significant mental blow, he often experienced memory loss, accompanied by periods of unconsciousness due to severe injuries. While he didn’t remember the details, he knew he was fleeing and committing murders. Aware that everyone around him wanted to harm him, as his body stabilized and his rationality gradually recovered, he found himself deep inside the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, far from the borders. He had managed to endure all the stimuli mentally, almost without experiencing memory fragments.
Perhaps, during his most severe period three years ago, he unintentionally killed the daughter of the Master, leading the Master to seek revenge. In that case, the Master’s actions made sense. As for the notion of a master, it might have involved exploitative situations when Chu Lishu lost control, akin to human trafficking. However, logically speaking, he should have eliminated any threats along the way. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned to this place.
Chu Lishu hadn’t delved deeply into those unstable memories. After all, they were likely painful. He remembered the terrifying feeling of plunging into a helpless abyss, surrounded by emptiness, during his moments of losing control. It was a sensation he preferred not to recall. At that time, he was solely focused on revenge, hiding his true identity.
So, if Chu Lishu met the Master but couldn’t remember, it might be within those lost fragments of memory.
Seeing Chu Lishu completely unaware, the Master’s emotions underwent a sudden change. He thought that mentioning it would at least trigger Chu Lishu’s recollection of his daughter’s spirit. However, nothing happened, and it was inconceivable not to provoke anger.
“You really forgot… you truly forgot. But I’ll never forget, your beastly red eyes, your hideous madness, ruthlessly twisting my daughter’s neck. I’ll never, never forget that scene. How should I retaliate against you? How should I make you taste all the pain in the world? But… my most potent poisons couldn’t kill you. Perhaps… I should wait and poison you later, letting the Second Master completely humiliate you…” Towards the end, the Master began mumbling, as if the madman he described was himself.
However, after he finished speaking, he saw Chu Lishu’s face suddenly filled with a chilling aura. He understood—Chu Lishu was indeed just a normal man who couldn’t accept such humiliation. In other words, it was indeed an effective method of retaliation.
“What’s….you two relationship?” The Master suddenly spoke with a sinister tone.
Chu Lishu narrowed his dangerous eyes, and then the Master unexpectedly pressed a dagger against Lin Qingyang’s neck.
“We’re all people of the court, acting together,” Chu Lishu said.
The Master sneered, said nothing more, and directly forced Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang to take some medicine.
Then, he let his subordinates release Chu Lishu. At the same time, he pushed Lin Qingyang directly into Chu Lishu’s arms.
Instinctively, Chu Lishu caught him. Due to the impact, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang were pressed against the wall, remaining still, waiting for the right moment.
Hearing the triumphant tone of the Master, he said, “Chu Lishu, since the Second Master can’t enjoy you, let your companion experience it. You’ll get the same drug as before, making you completely paralyzed and unable to move. But what he gets is different. It’s not just a simple aphrodisiac. It won’t stop until death. However, judging by your physique, you might be the first to die. Hahaha. When someone discovers your bodies later, it should be quite a scene!”
Chu Lishu stared at the Master with a numb expression.
Lin Qingyang: Damn, this guy is a psycho. Fortunately, I took the antidote in advance. But what’s wrong with this person? His ideas about tormenting people are so twisted; it’s way too abnormal.
The Master, however, awaited with a triumphant expression, expecting Chu Lishu to be tormented by his male companion to the point of mental breakdown, unable to survive yet unable to die.
Initially, his primary goal was to humiliate Chu Lishu, and that’s why he eagerly pushed for the Second Master’s marriage to Chu Lishu. However, he knew that once the Second Master got married, he might not allow him easy access to Chu Lishu. At that time, they were also preparing for an escape, and he was afraid of running out of time. Therefore, he chose to poison Chu Lishu after the marriage.
As for why he came up with such a method, it was actually because of the death of his daughter.
It turned out that Chu Lishu’s stunning appearance had made his daughter wary. She planned to take advantage of the absence of people in the residence to kill the madman who occupied too much of her husband’s attention, but she ended up being killed instead.
The Master arrived just in time to witness the scene. He wanted to avenge his daughter by killing the madman but found it impossible to get close. In the end, when the husband returned, he casually said, “Anyone who disobeys and gets close to him should be buried.”
Although filled with resentment, the Master dared not resist the husband of his daughter. If not for that man accepting his daughter, he would have been nothing more than a dog under that man’s command. The Master had initially planned to seek revenge opportunistically, but the madman managed to escape when the man took him outside. Despite the man’s attempts to track him down, he couldn’t find him.
Until this time, the Master, who had been sent by that man, coincidentally stumbled upon the madman brought in by the Second Master.
The madman had already transformed into a nobleman in the capital.
With his daughter’s death fueled by jealousy towards Chu Lishu, the Master regarded Chu Lishu as an enemy. Faced with such a person, revenge plans naturally included the desire to have men humiliate him.
The madman was supposed to meet such an ignominious end.
However, Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang didn’t care about why he had such twisted thoughts. Just then, Chu Lishu suddenly spoke up, “Let me die if you want, but I want to know, who exactly sent this spy from Tianheng Country?”
The Master sneered, “You really have changed. I thought you would go mad by now, but I can’t tell you. It’s classified.”
Without the Master’s revelation, Chu Lishu couldn’t guess because the situation in Tianheng Country was far from simple, and various forces might send spies to gain advantages.
“It’s classified, it doesn’t matter. When soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty capture you, they can use severe torture to extract information.”
“Heh, severe torture? Do you think I’ll be afraid? And can they even catch me? I’m afraid they’ll end up buried here just like you.”
“Can you really escape? This place is already surrounded.”
The Master laughed, “A dying man shouldn’t worry about so many things.”
The master waited for the outcome but felt the response was a bit slow and was about to check.
On the other hand, Chu Lishu already thought that the Master had no more utility, and this Master didn’t even know he was Yuan Ran, so there was nothing to worry about. As for the lost memories, why bother caring about people who are not important?
With a signal, suddenly, there was a cracking sound from the roof of the medicine hut.
When the Master and his subordinates finally reacted, they were already under attack. Working together, Lu Yi and Lu Shi easily handled the opponents, even if there were skilled individuals among them. The Master’s subordinates were killed on the spot, but the Master himself was spared.
On the other side, Lin Qingyang had already started cautiously aiming at Lu Yi and Lu Shi.
Despite their masked attire, it seemed they were also stealing glances at him. When Chu Lishu asked Lin Qingyang if there were any physical reactions, they widened their eyes in particular.
Lin Qingyang patted his chest and said, “No problem!”
Instead of immediately killing the Master, Chu Lishu administered the same paralysis-inducing drug to him. The Master quickly showed signs of poisoning.
He looked at Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang in astonishment, realizing at this moment that these two were somehow immune to his poison!
Understanding the situation, Lin Qingyang knew that they wouldn’t get any useful information from the Master. Keeping him alive would only be a potential threat. Lin Qingyang couldn’t comprehend why Chu Lishu didn’t let Lu Yi and Lu Shi eliminate him.
However, Lin Qingyang quickly realized the situation. There was commotion near the main gate, indicating that the subordinates of the Master outside had heard what was happening and were approaching.
Chu Lishu directly used the Master to lure his subordinates in, attempting to extract useful information. However, the well-trained spies remained silent. They didn’t reveal anything about their escape plan or the thunderous explosions. In the end, they had to be silenced.
Although the Master couldn’t move, his expression was mocking. It was evident that he wasn’t afraid of death. Seeing Chu Lishu busy for a long time without obtaining any information seemed to amuse him.
However, the Master’s laughter didn’t last long because Chu Lishu had already seen some blueprints on his desk.
These blueprints were written in the language of Tianheng Country, but some information was encrypted.
Unexpectedly, Chu Lishu not only understood the language of Tianheng Country but also deciphered the encrypted messages using his knowledge of the Five Elements formation. In the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he completely unraveled the layout of the thunderous explosions.
Until this moment, the Master finally felt a deep sense of despair. He was going to die, but he couldn’t take this enemy down with him. Why did a madman have such abilities? Why!
Unwilling to accept his fate, the master, with a paralyzed body, looked at the approaching Lu Yi. He opened his mouth as if trying to say something, but due to his overall weakness, he couldn’t form clear words.
Nobody understood what he was trying to convey, and as a result, no one became alert.
The master was trying to convey, “Sooner or later, that person will discover you’re still alive. They will definitely capture you and subject you to a life of perpetual darkness, akin to that of a beast.”
With the Master’s demise, the garden and the medicinal pavilion were temporarily safe. Chu Lishu sat at the table, modifying the map into a comprehensible form for everyone. Lu Yi and Lu Shi silently dealt with the corpses, while Lin Qingyang began searching for clues regarding the hostages and escape routes.
Lin Qingyang was deeply engrossed and didn’t notice the changes in the room. When he found something suspicious, he turned around to show it to Chu Lishu. Suddenly, he realized that Chu Lishu was right behind him, rapidly closing in. Startled, Lin Qingyang instinctively stepped back, inadvertently colliding with a bookshelf. He nearly knocked it over, but Chu Lishu quickly reached out to stabilize it. However, his hand ended up resting on the bookshelf, bringing them closer, face to face.
Lin Qingyang jumped in surprise, “What’s happening? Is the drawing finished?”
Chu Lishu nodded, and Lin Qingyang just realized that there were only the two of them in the room now. Seeing Chu Lishu’s serious expression, it seemed like he had something to say.
Lin Qingyang blinked and silently observed him.
After hesitating for a moment, Chu Lishu spoke, “About what the Master said just now…”
Lin Qingyang suddenly realized that if Chu Lishu were truly his cousin, he couldn’t have encountered the situations mentioned by the Master. This was like a loophole exposed in front of Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang suddenly became nervous. Could it be that the male lead is going to confess his identity now? If that’s the case, would he directly level up in the story?
Lin Qingyang inexplicably felt nervous, and involuntarily began to have various wild thoughts.
Suddenly, he heard Chu Lishu say, “I did hide something from you. I didn’t tell you for your own good. I’m sorry. Can you forgive my concealment? I swear that one day in the future, I will tell you everything truthfully and completely.”
Lin Qingyang was stunned. Suddenly, such formal and serious words felt like a direct confession, which was quite shocking, you know?
However, when Lin Qingyang met Chu Lishu’s earnest, almost devout eyes, as if he was making a solemn vow, all his complicated emotions disappeared. He obediently nodded and whispered, “Okay.”
Chu Lishu, seeing Lin Qingyang, usually so full of curiosity, actually didn’t ask any more questions, but instead had an entirely convinced and obedient look, was filled with affection. He thought that even if everything was exposed one day, even if he wasn’t his cousin, Lin Qingyang’s love for him wouldn’t easily waver.
Chu Lishu’s heart softened. The pressure that had been weighing on his chest gradually dissipated. Although the words of the Master were still harsh, reminding him of his terrible past, those hopeless years that he couldn’t even remember felt like invisible wounds. If Lin Qingyang could help him lick his wounds, maybe when he recalled them later, the wounds wouldn’t hurt anymore.
Chu Lishu couldn’t resist the desire in his heart and couldn’t help but speak, “I once had an illness, behaved abnormally. Even though I’m better now, I might still have occasional relapses. You… have seen it once or twice, do you despise me?”
Lin Qingyang was dumbfounded when he heard this. Looking at Chu Lishu, who had a sorrowful expression, avoiding eye contact and trembling eyelashes, Lin Qingyang couldn’t resist the vulnerability in Chu Lishu. Suddenly, he reached out and gently patted Chu Lishu’s cheek, as if trying to free him from the dark and gloomy atmosphere.
“What are you saying! How could I despise you! You’re the best! Even with a little flaw, you’re still the best! Don’t be afraid, I’ll be by your side. If you have a relapse in the future, I’ll definitely protect you, just like those times before. With me around, no one can harm you.” Lin Qingyang’s blood surged, and he blurted out his true feelings.
Chu Lishu’s face was cradled in Lin Qingyang’s hands, and he gazed at Lin Qingyang with shimmering eyes. The compassion and tenderness in Lin Qingyang’s eyes seemed to be licking the wounds that bled profusely, stopping his bleeding and alleviating his pain.
At this moment, he really wished to kiss Lin Qingyang passionately, to kiss him until the end of time.
“Thank you,” Chu Lishu took Lin Qingyang’s hand and held it tightly. “With you like this, I’m no longer afraid.”
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