Chapter 9: The Night Before Revenge
That night, after Song Qingshu woke up and saw Zhou Zhiruo asleep on the bed opposite him, lying on her side, a flash of disgust crossed his face. His mind started turning furiously as he thought about how to take revenge, to clear this utter humiliation for the original Song Qingshu as well as for himself. But when he remembered that Zhang Wuji possessed peerless martial arts and was also the leader of the Ming Cult, and that the Ming Cult could stand toe to toe with the Mongols in the Western Regions, he knew how formidable they were. Right now he was nothing but a cripple, without martial arts, without power, without influence. How was he supposed to get revenge?
For a moment, helplessness spread through his whole body.
By chance, his gaze fell again on Zhou Zhiruo’s exquisitely beautiful face, and the battle spirit in Song Qingshu flared up together with his hatred.
His meridians were broken, so he would find a way to repair them. He still roughly remembered the Nine Yang Manual and the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms that had been hidden inside the Heaven-Rending Sword and the Dragon-Slaying Saber. Added to that, he knew this world’s martial arts world well. It shouldn’t be hard to train himself into an unmatched expert. Then he could find those buried treasures. With the world in chaos right now, it would be easy to gather a force of his own. In the end, he would settle things with Zhang Wuji once and for all...
As his thoughts became clearer and clearer, Song Qingshu’s mood gradually calmed down instead.
He had even considered secretly informing Zhao Min so she could come catch them in the act. But Zhao Min was a terrifyingly clever woman. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t betray him to Zhang Wuji for some reason. By then he would expose himself instead, and the three of them would definitely not tolerate him...
Just thinking about it sent a chill through him.
The next day, in front of everyone, when Zhang Wuji regretfully announced that he was powerless to do anything about the severed meridians, Zhou Zhiruo was still a little worried that Song Qingshu might lose his temper. Unexpectedly, Song Qingshu instead calmly took a sip of clear tea and said evenly, “So be it. I, Song, can’t blame anyone else. Thank you for your trouble during this period, Cult Leader Zhang.”
Even Zhao Min looked him over in surprise. Song Qingshu only returned it with a faint smile, but inside he was in tumult, constantly refining his future revenge plan.
That was the kind of ability he had honed from years of struggling in society. Unless the outcome was already settled, he would never expose his resentment too early and let his opponent put up guard in advance.
After some small talk, because the fighting in the Western Regions had grown urgent, Zhang Wuji had no choice but to lead his people away ahead of schedule. Zhou Zhiruo instructed her disciples to pack the luggage, and she too set off on the road back to Emei.
“Lately, Master seems to be getting more and more beautiful,” the two female disciples said sincerely to Zhou Zhiruo as they traveled.
Zhou Zhiruo had always been beautiful, but there used to be a streak of gloom between her brows that made people uneasy to look at. Now there was always a faint smile at the corners of her lips, and compared to before, she really did seem a bit brighter and more radiant.
“You’re naturally beautiful, Zhiruo, so of course you’ll only get prettier and prettier.”
Song Qingshu gently took Zhou Zhiruo’s hand and looked at her affectionately.
Feeling the smooth softness of her skin, he sneered inwardly. The disciples didn’t know the reason, but he knew perfectly well. These past few days, Zhou Zhiruo had been nourished every day by the essence of Zhang Wuji’s Nine Yang energy. Of course she would become even more alluring.
Because the disciples were watching, Zhou Zhiruo couldn’t bring herself to pull her hand away directly. After all, he was her husband. She was only a little impatient inside, and the look in her eyes gradually turned cold. Although she called herself Mrs. Song in front of Zhang Wuji, that didn’t mean she truly allowed Song Qingshu to do intimate things between husband and wife with her.
Song Qingshu felt that was enough, so he let go of her hands and lounged back in the carriage to rest.
After much reasoning, these past two days had already given him a clear plan. Although the hope of reconnecting his meridians was slim, he still had to try or he would never be willing to accept it.
Among the world’s four great miracle doctors, Ping Yizhi and Physician Xue were probably on par with Hu Qingniu. Since Zhang Wuji couldn’t do anything, they likely couldn’t either. That left only the most mysterious one, Poison Hand Medicine King. Besides, he also had the future medical genius Cheng Lingsu there. No matter how he looked at it, that was his best chance.
If everything went smoothly and his meridians were cured, he would train hard in martial arts, take out those divine manuals and the hidden treasures, and carry out everything according to plan. If, unfortunately, they truly could not be cured, then so be it. He simply wouldn’t learn martial arts. Didn’t Wei Xiaobao know no martial arts at all and still live as prosperously as anyone? He had climbed step by step in his previous life too, so there was no reason he couldn’t do it again this time.
Song Qingshu was a stubborn, unyielding man. Unless he was dead, he would never give up even the smallest chance.
He had already prepared to leave without saying goodbye, but before he went, he still had to collect some interest from certain people. Thinking of that, Song Qingshu narrowed his eyes and studied Zhou Zhiruo’s back for a while.
Zhou Zhiruo, sitting in front, suddenly felt a shiver run all over her body and couldn’t help tugging her clothes tighter.
After nightfall, the four of them found an inn in a small town. After dinner, the two female disciples tactfully returned to their rooms to rest. Zhou Zhiruo frowned slightly and followed Song Qingshu into her own room, only to see that there was just one bed inside. Her face darkened a little.
Following her gaze, Song Qingshu quickly understood what was going on and said with a smile, “Zhiruo, you sleep on the bed tonight.”
“And you?”
Zhou Zhiruo hadn’t expected Song Qingshu to be so considerate, and warmth rose in her heart. She thought of how Song Qingshu had always treated her politely, never overstepping even after they were married, and then thought of the promise she had made with Zhang Wuji behind his back. Her cheeks immediately flushed red.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Song Qingshu said, glancing at her cheek in confusion.
“How can that be? Your tendons and bones are injured. The cold on the ground is too heavy. You’ll end up with lingering illness.” Her words warmed Song Qingshu a little. It seemed she wasn’t completely without conscience after all.
“If I don’t do that, then what else can I do?” Song Qingshu glanced at the only bed, his meaning obvious. “How about we squeeze together?”
“How can that be?”
Zhou Zhiruo immediately shook her head like a rattle drum. If she hadn’t made that future promise with Zhang Wuji, she might have agreed for the sake of their marriage. They could each keep their own quilt, and with her martial arts far superior to his, she wouldn’t be afraid of him trying anything improper.
Song Qingshu gave a bitter smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll go ask the innkeeper for a few extra quilts and spread them on the floor.”
Thinking that one day she would eventually abandon him and become the wife of the man he hated most, Zhou Zhiruo was already somewhat guilty. Hearing him say that, she hurriedly stood up. “Your injuries haven’t healed yet. Sit and rest. I’ll go get them.”
With that, she rushed out the door.
When the innkeeper saw such a fairy-like young woman coming to borrow bedding, he was overjoyed and very enthusiastically brought her several quilts. As she left, he even looked after Zhou Zhiruo’s back and asked, “Miss, do you want any blankets too?”
By the time Zhou Zhiruo returned to the room, she was still a little pleased. What woman didn’t like having her beauty praised by a man? In a cheerful mood, she helped Song Qingshu arrange the bedding. Since they had no real marital relations, it wouldn’t do for the disciples to know, so everything had to be done by her own hand.
At last she finished spreading everything out. Zhou Zhiruo raised a hand to wipe the fine sheen of sweat from her forehead, and Song Qingshu poured a cup of clear tea and handed it over. “Zhiruo, you’ve worked hard. Have some water.”