Mad Doctor No. 9

Tiancheng, the old city, is Wang Tian's hometown.

At 11 p.m., Wang Tian, ​​Zhang Qingyun, and Guo Zi quietly approached the familiar-looking two-story building.

More than three months had passed since I last saw the courtyard, which was overgrown with weeds and had all the doors and windows tightly shut. Under the moonlight, the place had a rather desolate feel to it.

"Something's not right." Wang Tian stopped at the alley entrance and pulled Guo Zi back. "It's too quiet here."

Although there aren't many residents on this old street, it's usually brightly lit at this time of year, with the sound of televisions occasionally drifting through the air.

But at that moment, the whole street was dark, and the streetlights were not on.

Zhang Qingyun looked around and said in a deep voice, "Someone is attacking. There are at least six people, their presence scattered on the rooftops on both sides of the alley."

Wang Tian took out a small porcelain bottle and poured out three pills: "Place them under your tongue, and they will conceal your presence for ten minutes. Guo Zi, you stay here and keep watch. Qingyun and I will go together." After saying that, he turned and left.

"Count me in, Brother Tian!"

Wang Tian said decisively, "If we haven't come out within half an hour, call Xiao Hao."

As they spoke, they exchanged a glance with Zhang Qingyun, and the two of them, like raccoons, climbed over the courtyard wall and landed in the yard.

The courtyard was also completely silent.

Wang Tian remembers that his father always liked to plant some flowers and plants in the corner. The flowerpots are still there, but the flowers and plants are dead, and the soil shows signs of being disturbed.

Zhang Qingyun pointed to the ground: "Someone dug this place up."

Wang Tian nodded, signaling her to be careful, and then quietly walked to the door.

The door lock is fine, but there are slight scratches on the keyhole, indicating that it was pried open with a special tool.

He took out a specially made silver needle, inserted it into the keyhole, and gently twisted it.

The door opened.

The room was a mess.

Furniture was overturned, books were scattered everywhere, and even the family photo hanging on the wall had been slashed open with a knife.

Wang Tian's heart sank; the people from the Dark Palace had indeed arrived here.

"Go to the cellar." Wang Tian turned and walked towards the kitchen.

The entrance to the cellar was a movable stone slab.

Wang Tian moved the stone slab aside, and a staircase extended downwards.

Just as he was about to walk down, Zhang Qingyun grabbed him.

"Wait." She crouched down and picked up a few thin, thread-like objects from the stairs. "An infrared alarm. It will go off if you step on it."

The two carefully made their way through the silk threads toward the basement.

The basement wasn't big, only about ten square meters, and it was filled with some old things, including tools left by his father, pickling jars made by his mother, and Wang Tian's few small toys.

Following the directions his mother had given him on the phone, Wang Tian walked to the innermost corner and started knocking on the third brick.

The brick loosened, and he took it out, revealing a metal box in front of him.

The box was covered in rust, but the lock was brand new; Mom said she changed the lock when she left.

He took out the key, opened the iron box, and inside was an old, yellowed book.

The cover of this book bears the three ancient and simple characters: "The Secret Book of Witch Doctors".

Wang Tian was relieved: "I got it."

Just as he was about to close the box, he suddenly noticed an old photograph and a letter at the bottom of the box.

The photo shows a young mother, around eighteen or nineteen years old, with a bright smile on her face.

Beside her was an old woman whose face was obscured, holding a small cauldron in her hands, which was none other than the Medicine King Cauldron!

Inside was a letter, written in neat handwriting:

"Xiao Tian, ​​if you see this letter, there's something I've never told you before. I'm not an ordinary Miao girl. The Witch Doctor Clan keeps a secret: the Medicine King Cauldron can not only be used to refine pills, but also to refine longevity pills. But longevity comes at a price: sacrificing one's own family."

More than thirty years ago, the predecessor of the Dark Palace, the Netherworld Cult, attempted to seize the Medicine King Cauldron and the Secret Manual. The clan fought desperately and was almost completely wiped out. Your grandmother entrusted me to the village elder and used a fake cauldron to lure away the enemy, disappearing without a trace. In order to live a normal life, I concealed my identity and came to Tiancheng.

However, what's meant to happen will happen. Kid, remember this: the Medicine King Cauldron must never fall into the hands of the Dark Palace, and must never be used to refine the Longevity Pill! If all else fails, destroy the secret manual and the cauldron.

Dear Mother.

The letter trembled slightly in Wang Tian's hand.

It turns out that my mother harbored such a huge secret and such deep hatred.

Just then, Zhang Qingyun suddenly shouted, "Wang Tian, ​​someone's coming!"

Footsteps came from above the cellar, and there was more than one.

"Let's go through the back door!" Wang Tian put away the secret manual and letter, and led Zhang Qingyun out of the basement through another path. This path was dug by his father years ago and led to an empty house next door.

The two had just emerged from the tunnel when they heard the sounds of fighting coming from their own yard.

Zhang Qingyun tried to turn around: "It's Guo Zi!"

"Don't move." Wang Tian grabbed her. "With Guo Zi here, let's go outside first and talk."

They climbed through the back window of the old house and came to the other end of the alley.

At this moment, Guo Zi was being attacked by six men in black. Although he was at a disadvantage, he should be fine in the short term.

Just as Wang Tian was about to lend a helping hand, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

"Wang Tian, ​​this is the person I've been waiting for."

A figure shrouded in a black cloak slowly emerged.

It was a bronze mask engraved with strange symbols, and it belonged to the Lord of the Dark Palace—Youming!

"The Netherworld." Wang Tian gripped the silver needle in his hand. "It has finally appeared."

"Hand over the secret manual, and I'll spare your life." The voice of the Netherworld was hoarse and unpleasant, like the scraping of metal. "Where is the Holy Maiden of the Witch Doctor Clan?"

Stop dreaming.

Youming sneered, "You think you can stop us by destroying the formula for the Longevity Pill? How naive. We already have the Medicine King Cauldron. As long as we capture your mother and use her blood as a sacrifice, we can also refine the Longevity Pill."

Wang Tian's heart skipped a beat, and he could hardly believe it.

It was the mother's blood!

"You're asking for it!"

Youming did not dodge; with a flick of his black robe, all the silver needles were deflected.

He took a step forward and instantly appeared in front of Wang Tian, ​​his withered hand reaching for Wang Tian's throat.

Extremely fast!

Wang Tian managed to turn to the side, but still took a blow to the shoulder, which stung painfully.

Even more terrifying, he felt a numbing sensation, which was caused by a deadly poison!

"Watch out, Wang Tian!" Zhang Qingyun drew his longsword and thrust it out.

Youming slammed his palm onto the sword, sending Zhang Qingyun flying backward and crashing heavily into the wall, spitting out blood.

That's the difference! Netherworld is far more powerful than Ghost Face!