The mysterious master couldn’t risk bringing someone as weak as Xiao Wufeng into the dangerous heart of Hell’s Gate. She carried him out of the cave and left him by the roadside, where an old couple eventually found him. They brought him to their humble home, offering him food and shelter for the night.

“What happened?” the wrinkled old woman asked curiously, watching as Wufeng ate the simple noodles they had provided with an alarming ferocity. The place where the mysterious master had struck him still ached, the pain growing more intense with every swallow.”Hahaha, I was picking herbs in the mountain, and some bandits robbed me and beat me to a pulp, that’s all,”

Xiao Wufeng lied, not wanting to admit that a woman had defeated him so easily. They would laugh at him! His head began to spin. Although he had medical knowledge and had excelled in the imperial exams, he couldn’t understand what was happening to his body. His pulse was erratic, as if fire and ice were warring within his abdomen. The pain was unbearable. He staggered, crashing into furniture before finally collapsing.

The couple, being simple folk, didn’t know what to do. They rushed outside to call the town elders. This was a small, remote town of farmers, and they had one wise elder they sought counsel from in times of need.The elder arrived and immediately began using his chi to stabilize Wufeng. “I feel lightheaded, the pain in my body is slowly subsiding, I feel warmth. Is this a fairy?” Wufeng thought as he slowly opened his eyes to see a grim-faced old man, locking fingers and transferring energy. He couldn’t understand what was happening; martial arts were foreign to him.”What the heck!!! Leave me alone, you old geezer! What kind of darn pervert sits cross-legged and touches adolescent boys, huh?!” Wufeng exclaimed, forcing his palms to break the connection. He turned around to see the entire village watching him. An awkward pause louder than the rustling leaves in the night wind ensued. Finally, the crowd burst into laughter.

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The elderly woman stepped forward, her face etched with concern. “Are you okay, dear? I thought you were a goner for sure. It must be the noodles, right? I knew there was too much salt,” she said, bursting into tears and embracing her husband.The town elder raised his hand, and silence fell over the crowd. “Son, have you studied martial arts before?” he asked. Though his gaze was fierce, his tone was calming, almost paternal. Wufeng couldn’t help but respond. “N-no, I have not. I am a scholar, who knows nothing about martial arts. I come from a family of scholars.”You seem to have learned an internal martial art, although you haven’t learned it properly. You possess the skill and energy, but it isn’t responding to your body correctly.” ”Huh?” Wufeng looked confused.

The elder was speaking a language he didn’t understand. Internal skill? Chi? What was he talking about? “What do yo—”The elder cut him off. “You have a month to live at most, unless you settle the internal skill,” he said

calmly. How could he say such a thing so calmly? Wait, what? I could die! Wufeng thought to himself. The elder continued, “There’s a place, south of here, deep into the Nightshade Mountains, a place no one dares to go. That’s the only place you can find help… But there are conditions you need to agree on. ”Wufeng’s heart raced. A month to live? Conditions? He didn’t understand any of this, but one thing was clear: his life depended on finding this place and agreeing to whatever conditions were required