Unparalleled medical and martial arts skills, saving the CEO's fiancée at the start.

After the water ritual, the people of Blackwater retreated like the receding tide.

According to reports from Song Tiezhu and Qiao San's spies, the old city on the south bank and the Wuyi Ferry area were suddenly much emptied, and even the number of black-clad men wandering in the dark alleys had decreased significantly.

It was as if Ye Chen's sword strike had driven back all the will-o'-the-wisps on the entire river surface.

But Ye Chen knew that this was just Old Man Jiu gathering his strength.

The truly fatal blow hadn't been delivered yet.

The past few days have been anything but peaceful in Medicine King Valley.

Su Qinghan seemed like a different person. Before dawn, she woke up Ye Chen, Ayiguli, and Han Song to practice their skills at the bottom of the valley.

She no longer let Ye Chen practice swordsmanship alone, but personally took to the field, sometimes exchanging moves with Ye Chen, and sometimes having Ayiguli and Han Song join forces to attack him, forcing him to find his rhythm when facing multiple opponents.

Guipu and Song Tiezhu were not idle either; one set traps in the back mountain, and the other led the veterans to practice naval warfare.

Jiang Ruoxi was assigned by Su Qinghan to memorize the medicine classics, recognize acupoints, and learn how to seal her meridians to save herself after being poisoned.

Su Qinghan said that she would not force Jiang Ruoxi to fight on the front lines, but if the moment truly came when there was no escape, she would first have to learn to live for another half an incense stick.

Ye Chen practiced extremely hard.

He only slept for two or three hours a day, and spent the rest of his time either soaking in medicinal soup to recover his strength or practicing swordsmanship in the valley.

Su Qinghan taught him both the Lingyun Step left by Su Youdao and the Kuzhao Sword Technique left by Ye Changfeng, instructing him to combine footwork, body movements, and sword techniques into one.

That sword technique is extremely difficult. Some of the sword techniques almost defy common sense, requiring the person to strike back with their sword in extremely dangerous situations, or to use the enemy's force to counterattack when they lose control of their body.

Ye Chen's old injuries had not healed, and new injuries were added to his body, but the more he practiced, the more his sharpness became.

After observing for a few days, the ghost servant said to Su Qinghan, "This kid is just like his father. He gets brighter and brighter with each fight. Once this hurdle is overcome, Medicine King Valley will produce a true swordsman."

Su Qinghan said softly, "Let's get through this first."

On the fifth night, the five shadows suddenly appeared at the valley entrance.

He didn't enter the valley, but stood under the old pine tree outside the mountain gate, waiting for Ye Chen to come out.

Ye Chen put on a coat and went out. He saw that Wu Ying's face was extremely pale and his left arm was hastily slinged with a strip of cloth, as if he had been struck by some kind of evil force.

Wu Ying said, "Old Jiu has already left Tingshui Cave. He brought his men here personally. Wen Jiuhong has been stripped of his power and has rebelled with his own small group. Blackwater is now divided into two groups, one following Old Jiu and the other following Wen Jiuhong. They may meet outside the valley. If you make good use of them, you can make them fight amongst themselves first."

Ye Chen asked, "How did you get injured?"

Wu Ying said, "Old Jiu saw through my betrayal and had someone stab me in the back. I swam out of the river and almost became fish food."

Ye Chen was about to treat his injuries when Wu Ying took a step back: "You won't die, but Elder Jiu already knows you got the Black Iron Token. He said that the token is no good; it will suck the life out of whoever's blood it touches. You'd better not let Jiang Ruoxi touch it again."

Ye Chen's heart tightened.

Jiang Ruoxi had held that token for a brief moment, but this matter must not be known to Elder Jiu's people.

He nodded and then asked about the general route of Elder Jiu and his group.

After Wu Ying finished speaking, he didn't linger and turned to disappear into the night mist.

Ye Chen returned to the valley and immediately woke everyone up.

After listening, Su Qinghan spread out a map of Medicine King Valley on the table and pointed out several points that were most likely to be breached.

Guipu and Hansong led their men to set up hidden sentries at the valley entrance and on both flanks overnight.

Jiang Ruoxi put the black iron token into the medicine box that Su Qinghan had prepared and wrapped it in three layers of yellow silk.

Ye Chen walked to her side and whispered, "Then you mustn't touch it anymore. Wu Ying said it's malevolent."

Jiang Ruoxi looked at Ye Chen and said, "I'm fine, but you, if a fight really breaks out tomorrow, don't be a lone hero."

Ye Chen chuckled: "I have a family to support, how could I dare?"

Jiang Ruoxi gently punched him, but there was an unconcealable worry in her eyes.

As dawn approached, Ye Chen went alone to the back mountain to burn three sticks of incense for his parents.

He suddenly wanted to say something to Ye Changfeng, to say that the wind in Medicine King Valley was still so cold, to say that Su Qinghan was still so stubborn but soft-hearted, and to say that he had a girl named Jiang Ruoxi by his side who was both stubborn and afraid, yet always followed him down a path to death.

But he didn't say anything, he just stuck the incense stick in the crack of the old stone and watched the smoke slowly dissipate into the morning mist.

When he returned to the front yard, it was already broad daylight.

The birdsong in the valley was clear and melodious, like a very ancient song.

He knew that Elder Jiu and Wen Jiuhong were not far off.

The worst is yet to come.

But my closest relatives are all here.

Ye Chen gripped the Ku Zhao Sword, stood by the edge of the medicinal field, and waited for the wind to come from the valley entrance.

The wind was cold and long, blowing all the way down from Longyin Mountain, making the medicinal herbs in the valley ripple like waves.

Ye Chen heard Jiang Ruoxi calling him to eat from behind. He turned around and smiled at her.

That smile was so gentle, as if it contained all the hardships of a lifetime.

He suddenly felt that whatever comes tomorrow, he can handle it.

Because behind me is my home, and in my hand is a sword.

He wouldn't let go of any of the debts that hadn't been collected yet.

That afternoon, Han Song brought back news from the foot of the mountain: Wen Jiuhong's men and Jiu Lao's men clashed upstream of Wuyi Ferry, and both sides suffered casualties.

Wen Jiuhong did not die; he led his remaining troops to retreat northwest, heading towards Meixi.

Ye Chen exchanged a glance with Jiang Ruoxi after hearing this.

Jiang Ruoxi immediately called some elderly people she knew near the old Meixi residence to ask if there were any strangers in the alley.

The old man said that in the past two days, several cars with out-of-town license plates have been circling around the alley entrance, and there are also people standing under the magnolia tree smoking.

Jiang Ruoxi's expression changed immediately.

Ye Chen took the sword off his back and said in a deep voice, "Wen Jiuhong is even crazier than Elder Jiu. When he is pushed to the limit, he is capable of anything. Meixi, we can't not go."

Su Qinghan said, "The valley is being prepared. I'm worried about you going out alone."

Ye Chen replied, "I'm not alone. Ruoxi and Guli are with me, Han Song is going too, and Uncle Gui is staying to look after the house for you."

Jiang Ruoxi got up and started packing her things.

She didn't cry or panic; she simply kept her mother's letter and the plum-patterned handkerchief close to her body.

Looking at her, Ye Chen felt the fire in his heart slowly reignite.

The last time I was in Meixi, I was looking for old memories. This time, I'm going to preserve the old people.

Just before he was leaving, Su Qinghan called him back, took out a tiny porcelain bottle from her medicine box, and placed it in his palm: "This is a refreshing dew. If Wen Jiuhong releases cold fire in Meixi, apply this under your nose to help you hold on. Remember, if he tries to use your mother-in-law's old things again, don't get angry. The angrier you get, the more you'll fall into his trap."

Ye Chen carefully put away the porcelain bottle, nodded emphatically, and then pulled Jiang Ruoxi into the car.

As the car drove out of the valley, the sky darkened again.

The wind howled from the dense forest on both sides of the mountain road, as if bidding them farewell.

Ye Chen held Jiang Ruoxi's hand and felt that her palm was covered in sweat, but her hand never let go of him.

He suddenly felt an intense urge to get to Meixi as quickly as possible, faster and faster.

He had a premonition that Wen Jiuhong was waiting for not only him in Meixi, but also for her.

This battle is unavoidable.

All they could do was stand side by side under the magnolia tree and accept everything that was to come.