People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

"Miss Zi Nu...is something on your mind?"

Xiao Hongyu looked at Sister Zinu in surprise. Sister Zinu had always given them the feeling of being calm and composed, so why would she have something on her mind?

Zi Nu paused slightly in her jade-like hand holding the purple clay teapot, then placed it on the red clay stove.

"As for what's on my mind... I do have something to ask you, sir. Would you be willing to help me with that?"

Cao Ze smiled and said, "I'd like to hear the details."

Zi Nu concealed the emotions she had inadvertently revealed earlier and said instead, "Last winter, the Poison Scorpion Sect provoked trouble and took the initiative to start a fight with the Seven Absolutes Hall. However, they were no match for the well-trained Seven Absolutes Hall, and as a result, the Seven Absolutes Hall occupied one-third of their territory."

Cao Ze took a sip of fragrant tea. The underground gangs in Xinzheng and Handan were very similar, both exhibiting polarized trends.

The leader of the Poison Scorpion Sect, Poison Scorpion, is cruel, bloodthirsty, despicable, and shameless. His sect is full of hooligans, scoundrels, and notorious fugitives and prisoners.

On the contrary, the Seven Absolutes Hall is led by Tang Qi, who comes from a military background and has fought in the Baiyue region. He is quite powerful.

The original intention of forming the Seven Absolutes Hall was to find common ground and mutual support in Xinzheng, as most of the members were brothers who had nowhere else to go and no means of livelihood. The training continued the military style, with strict discipline, which was naturally incomparable to gangs like the Poison Scorpion Sect, which were known for their ruthlessness and violence.

"Has the Scorpion Clan found a powerful backer?"

Zi Nu exclaimed in surprise, "Sir, you are truly intelligent."

"Indeed, the Poison Scorpion Sect suffered considerable losses and, wanting revenge against the Seven Absolutes Hall, recently sided with Nightfall."

Cao Ze smiled slightly. He knew about the Poison Scorpion Sect and the Seven Absolutes Hall, so it wasn't difficult for him to guess.

"It seems that Tang Qi, the leader of the Seven Absolutes Hall, wants to find Zi Lan Xuan as his backer?"

Zi Nu nodded slightly: "The Poison Scorpion Sect has the support of Nightfall. Well, to be precise, the Poison Scorpion Sect has pledged allegiance to the Hundred Birds Assassin Group under Nightfall. With their support, the Seven Absolutes Hall can only hide north of the stone bridge in the city to ensure that it is not wiped out by the Poison Scorpion Sect."

Cao Ze blew on the hot tea.

Nightfall looks down on scorpions, even if a scorpion acts like a sycophant.

But the Hundred Birds Killer Gang is different. Apart from Parrot Song, who has undergone bloody training since childhood, many of them are recruited from wandering rogues and notorious bandits. Otherwise, the Three-Haired Wolf Vulture would not have been able to join and infiltrate the gang.

"Is Miss Zi Nu hesitating?"

“Yes, I have already investigated the Seven Absolutes Hall. Hall Master Tang Qi is definitely worth cooperating with. If the Seven Absolutes Hall joins the Purple Orchid Pavilion, it will allow the Purple Orchid Pavilion to take its control over Xinzheng to another level. However…”

"However, there's a possibility of conflict with the birds, which could then attract the attention of the Nightfall?"

Zi Nu nodded slightly. "Indeed, Nightfall has been entrenched in Korea for a long time, and Zi Lan Xuan is not something that can be countered now. Moreover, although Zi Lan Xuan makes a fortune every day, it is still struggling to make ends meet."

Cao Ze thought for a moment and said, "I can help with this. Miss Zi Nu, just agree to Boss Tang Qi's request."

Zi Nu's alluring purple eyes stared intently at Cao Ze. "What idea?"

Cao Ze said, "Tomorrow night, Ji Wuye has invited me to a banquet at the General's Mansion."

Zi Nu said directly, "He has ill intentions."

Cao Ze nodded: "It's obvious, I'm going to join Nightfall."

Zi Nu's eyes darted around. "I see. But what about your safety..."

Cao Ze channeled his inner energy, and his powerful aura pressed down on Zi Nu.

Meanwhile, Xiao Hongyu, who was caught in the crossfire, was so overwhelmed that she couldn't breathe, as if someone was choking her.

Zi Nu exclaimed in surprise, "You actually..."

Cao Ze nodded with a smile: "A lucky breakthrough."

Zi Nu couldn't help but admire Cao Ze's talent, "Sir, you are also a cultivation genius."

"Oh? Are there any other people?" Cao Ze asked with a smile.

Zi Nu realized she had spoken out of turn, and Wei Zhuang was unwilling to reveal it now, so she turned and smiled and said, "I've heard that Fu Nian, the acting leader of the Confucian school, and Gai Nie, the sword saint of Qin, are both young and promising like you, sir."

Cao Ze did not expose Zi Nu, and said with a smile, "Master Fu Nian may have already broken through to the Grandmaster level, so he cannot compare."

Aside from the gradual decline of the Mohist school, the Confucian school remained strong. Fu Nian, who was only four or five years older than him, was already a half-step master in Handan, just one step away from becoming a master.

It can be said that Confucianism was far ahead of Mohism.

Zi Nu said worriedly, "The night is like a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. Besides Ji Wuye and Xueyi Hou, there are also unknown Tide Demoness and Straw-Clothed Guest. Sir, you must be careful."

Cao Ze solemnly said, "Therefore, I have come here today to seek help from Miss Zi Nu."

It's highly likely that Lady Mingzhu couldn't have kept Ji Wuye's banquet a secret.

At that time, the great white shark will definitely come looking for him, opening its blood-red maw to devour him, and may even use tricks like Gu worms to control him just like it controlled Tianze.

Zi Nu composed herself and said seriously, "Please speak, sir."

Cao Ze pondered for a moment and asked, "Does Miss Zi Nu know about Gu?"

"The poisonous Gu technique of Baiyue?" Zi Nu blurted out instantly.

Cao Ze nodded, "That's right. I'd like to ask, if someone were to cast a curse on me, what should I do?"

Zi Nu frowned and said, "If someone has already been infected by Gu, it is difficult to resolve. Generally, Gu techniques are like poison techniques; prevention is better than cure."

She was well-versed in medicine and poisons, but knew little about Gu poison.

Cao Ze then asked, "How can we prevent it?"

Zi Nu smiled gently and said, "Isn't it enough if it doesn't work?"

"What if you knew you were about to be poisoned?"

Zi Nu raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, "Does the master think someone might be trying to cast a spell on you?"

Cao Ze said, "I have some secret information that there are experts in Gu magic in the Nightfall."

Zi Nu pondered for a while and said, "Poisonous Gu are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining. I am not proficient in Gu techniques, but I have some understanding of poison techniques, so it is not impossible to take targeted preventative measures in advance."

Cao Ze was slightly pleased. The original text said that Zi Nu's skills in making and using poison were unparalleled and that she was also proficient in pharmacology. Sure enough, she was able to come up with a solution.

If Zi Nu has no other choice, he will have to break ties with Madam Mingzhu and transform into the Old Man and the Sea to bravely fight the great shark.

"How to say?"

Zi Nu said, "The Gu worms don't take effect immediately upon entering the body. They usually need a process, residing in the place where the body's Qi and blood are most abundant, and surviving by relying on the body's Qi and blood. This place is usually the heart."

Cao Ze nodded.

Zi Nu continued, "Therefore, the best way to prevent the Gu worms from controlling you is to obtain the antidote in advance, or to kill the Gu worms residing in your body."

Cao Ze frowned. To accurately kill the Gu worms that could enter the bloodstream, one would need to reach the Grandmaster level, strengthen one's soul, undergo the first transformation, and be able to introspect. Otherwise, it would be impossible.

However, there is another way: using one's superior internal energy cultivation to kill the Gu worms in the heart.

But you need at least the strength of a half-step Grandmaster, otherwise the Gu worm will die and you'll be finished too.

Cao Ze explained his problem.

Seeing Cao Ze's worried expression, Zi Nu smiled faintly: "Killing the Gu worms in the body does not necessarily require great strength, as long as it is suitable."

Cao Ze cupped his hands and said, "Please enlighten me, Teacher Zi Nu."

Zi Nu chuckled, "Good student, your teacher will teach you now."

Xiao Hongyu watched Sister Zi Nu and Mr. Cao Ze chatting and joking, and felt a pang of envy. She wished she could be like that too.

I hope that Sister Zi Nu can marry the gentleman, so that I can also share in the glory.

Zi Nu rose gracefully and lightly to the bookshelf displaying the bamboo slips, opened a hidden compartment, took out two small porcelain bottles, one white and one black, and then returned.

"The small black porcelain bottle contained poison, which I named Xi Shi Poison."

"That... small white porcelain bottle?"

"It's the antidote. Xi Shi poison is a slow-acting poison that will remain dormant in the body for two hours. During this time, as long as the host doesn't circulate their internal energy, they won't feel anything too unusual. However, if they circulate their internal energy, the dormant time will be shortened, or it may even erupt directly, causing the host to bleed from all seven orifices and die."

Cao Ze's lips twitched slightly, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

"Does Teacher Zi Nu mean I should take the poison beforehand?"

Zi Nu smiled and said, "Yes, the Xi Shi poison is very potent, but once the poison is ingested, the person will recover instantly. As long as the Gu worm that has been ingested is not a rare and exotic species, the Xi Shi poison can easily kill it."

Cao Ze nodded with some difficulty. Even with the antidote, taking poison was still quite unpleasant.

As for whether it can kill the Gu worm, unless the Gu worm is more resilient than him, it is impossible for him to survive.

However, Zi Nu changed the subject, saying, "But I need to remind you that if the Gu worm is a poisonous Gu, then this Xi Shi poison may not be able to solve the problem."

Cao Ze smiled helplessly: "Teacher Zi Nu, don't scare the students. I've only ever heard of poisonous insects killing people, never of them controlling people."

Each profession has its own expertise, and different types of Gu insects have different effects. As an expert in Gu techniques, Madam Mingzhu would not make such a small mistake.

Zi Nu smiled sweetly and said, "You can graduate now. Your master has nothing more to teach you."

Doesn't he know what it means to be a teacher for a day and a teacher every day...? Cao Ze muttered to himself for a moment, and then chatted with Zi Nu about other things.

……

The next day, the seventh day, at the end of the Yin hour (3-5 AM), the sun was setting and night was approaching.

Under Zi Nu's guidance, Cao Ze spent most of the day studying Xi Shi's poison and its antidote before arriving at Liu Yi's residence.

Liu Yi had already prepared the carriage, put on a warm green hat, and was ready to be the coachman himself.

Cao Ze, not seeing Madam Hu, casually remarked, "Brother, have you changed your hat?"

Liu Yi chuckled and said, "The previous green hats weren't warm enough, so I had the tailor make them thicker."

Cao Ze said "Oh" and smiled, "Brother, you should prepare a few more sets of green clothes, brighter ones, so they match well."

Liu Yi's eyes lit up slightly. "No wonder I always felt something was off when I looked in the mirror, now I understand!"

At this moment, Yingge came out, dressed in a gorgeous formal gown.

She had changed from her previous capable and dashing demeanor to a more feminine and gentle appearance, which completely amazed Cao Ze.

Yingge smiled gently and walked gracefully towards Cao Ze, her figure slender and elegant, her demeanor charming and graceful.

Liu Yi looked at Cao Ze with envy and jealousy, "Brother, you're so lucky."

If he hadn't known that the woman in front of him was a female assassin from Bai Niao, he would definitely have been tempted.

"Thanks to you, brother, our niece is truly beautiful."

Cao Ze smiled and added in his mind, "Your wife is also very nice, I like her too."

Liu Yi laughed loudly, "That's right! Brother, get in the carriage, I'll personally take you to the General's Mansion."