Li Gewen went to the archives to check the records of Wang Yun and the others, and only then did he learn that the five of them had been brought to the Peak of Yunxiao by Yi Sihan ten years ago. Afterward, he headed to Lucheng Peak to await the results from Yi Xiaofeng.
Yi Xiaofeng stated to Li Gewen, "Yang Chun was poisoned with Clearing Laxative, a colorless and odorless laxative. If the dosage is increased, it can not only purge the filth from one's stomach but also drain the spiritual power within the human body. It is potent enough to kill someone."
"Judging by the present situation, the spiritual power in Yang Chun's body has indeed been drained, which shows that this person is very skilled in using poison. Is this poison difficult to make?" Li Gewen asked.
"It is made from a certain proportion of croton beans, foul water, black fruit, stink grass, and salted melons. Judging by the manufacturing technique, the user of the poison should be well-versed in various herbal medicines."
Li Gewen unfolded the booklet handed over by Yi Renmei. Seeing that Wang Yun and the others had cultivated the Tongshen Sutra up to the third layer, he recalled hearing Wang Yun mention earlier that he had learned the fourth layer from a senior brother, which suggested they had learned it surreptitiously. From the sword manual records, they had only acquired a superficial understanding. Recalling that Wang Yun had once asked him about the Innocent Sword Technique, Li Gewen became even more convinced that they were under grave suspicion of secretly learning the Tongshen Sutra and the Innocent Sword Technique.
Seeing Li Gewen point his finger at Wang Yun's name, Yi Renmei asked, "Brother Ge, do you suspect him? He seems a bit foolish."
"He is not as foolish as you think. That booklet was what he used to teach me to practice. It could be considered a desperate attempt to curry favor with me, yet it has become the most powerful evidence casting suspicion on all five of them. May I ask Third Aunt about some matters?"
The three of them went to Yi Sihan's room together, where Yi Xiaoyue was taking Yi Sihan's pulse. After exchanging greetings, the three of them went straight to the point.
"Third Aunt, do you still remember Wang Yun? He is one of the twelve children brought from Linxiang Village."
"I remember. Why do you ask?"
"The eldest of the twelve children is named Wenxin. According to the records, she originally knew medicine and later became your disciple, going to the Valley of the Medicine King to study medicine. Did she teach Wang Yun and the others how to make medicine?"
"Why do you ask? What happened?" Yi Sihan sensed that something might be amiss.
Li Gewen explained the whole sequence of events along with his own deductions. "They may have only inadvertently become accomplices, but the nature of the act is severe. Fortunately, the outcome is not too bad. Better late than never to mend the fold."
"Also, did they learn any leg-based Cultivation Formulas?" Yi Renmei recalled the scene when she was chasing them that day.
"For some reason, a plague suddenly broke out in Linxiang Village, and I happened to pass by. When the plague struck, those thirteen children were not in the village; they had gone to a mountain outside the village to fight. That was how they escaped disaster."
"Fight?" Li Gewen blurted out inadvertently.
"I don't remember the exact details, but they were definitely fighting. Later, when I brought them back to the Peak of Yunxiao, they were arguing fiercely on the way. So I had them swear brotherhood and sisterhood, and used a Cloud Token to brand them with the same plum blossom pattern of the Cloud Token. The effect was very good. The thirteen brothers and sisters supported each other and walked for a whole year until they reached the Peak of Yunxiao. However, when they arrived before the mountain, the second eldest refused to enter the Peak of Yunxiao, so only twelve people entered the mountain. On the way, the eldest, Wenxin, had taught them various medical principles and some folk remedies. The Clearing Laxative you mentioned just now—I once heard Wenxin bring it up; it was her family's ancestral secret. As for that leg technique, it was taught by the second eldest. The father of that second eldest should have been a disciple of the Peak of Yunxiao and a victim of clan struggles. I later checked that leg technique, and it is indeed the Galloping Horse Hoof."
"I once heard Wang Yun mention that you are his foster aunt and that you branded them with the mark of the Cloud Child. Why weren't they nurtured?"
"I originally felt we had a bond, and I was just then wanting to cultivate my own disciples, but Second Brother said the Wu Family was powerful at that time and feared it would be dangerous for them. So we only took in the eldest, Wenxin. The fifth was very talented, so he was taken in by Second Brother. The others were either too small or of mediocre aptitude, so they were assigned to other peaks."
***
Wang Yun dropped a single drop of rabbit blood into a bowl filled with water, and the four of them thrust their fingers into it one after another.
"Is there still the smell of blood in this?" Zhang Zhong said. "This Young Master Li really likes to make things difficult for people. Last time he stubbornly wouldn't let us chop firewood to sell for money, and this time he gives us such a bizarre spell."
"Stop complaining and hurry up and find the person for him so he can go catch the thief and won't have time to mind us," Li Ping said.
"Why don't we just confess our wrongdoing voluntarily?" Du Ju suggested.
"No way. If we confess voluntarily, everything we stole will have to be returned, but the replenishment pills have already been eaten. We can't afford to pay for these pills," Li Ping said.
Wang Yun paid no attention to their discussion and remained sitting in quiet meditation, trying to comprehend the wondrous principles of this spell. Suddenly, he felt the booklet within his body stir. He pulled out the booklet.
"What is it?" Li Ping asked.
"The owner of Moxiang Pavilion is upgrading the booklet for Zhu Heng."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's a tremendously good thing. He upgraded my booklet along the way as well. This is why stones from other hills can be used to polish jade. Sometimes what you cannot accomplish yourself can be completely achieved with the help of others' abilities. Senior Brother Qi taught me this." Wang Yun stood up. "I can already sense where that rabbit is, and at the same time, I can also sense where Young Master Li is. It truly is killing two birds with one stone."
Wang Yun captured the rabbit and flew toward Lucheng Peak. At that moment, Li Gewen was discussing the origins of the five individuals with Yi Sihan. Wang Yun pushed the door open directly and walked in. "Quick, quick, Senior Brother Gewen, I've found the person."
"We were just talking about you, and here you are. Have you come to surrender yourself?" Yi Renmei asked.
"Surrender myself for what? I've come to stir up trouble. No, I mean, I'm here to lead Senior Brother Gewen to find the thief." Wang Yun grabbed Li Gewen and made to leave.
"How did you learn it so quickly? Aren't you only in the Fourth Realm?"
"I am endowed with superior talent and have already broken through the Fourth Realm."
"This is way too fast! When I taught you the spell, I tested the depth of your spiritual power." Li Gewen grabbed Wang Yun's wrist. "At that time, you only had the capability of the Fourth Realm Lower Grade. How many days has it been?"
Yi Xiaofeng stepped over and pressed his fingers against the pulse on Wang Yun's neck. "He has already reached the Fifth Realm Middle Grade. Skipping three grades all at once—how formidable."
"Even if you secretly learned the fifth layer of the Tongshen Sutra, it shouldn't be possible to reach the Fifth Realm this fast. What kind of trick are you playing?" Yi Renmei demanded.
"What secretly learning the fifth layer of the Tongshen Sutra? I haven't even started practicing it yet. No, what I mean is—" Wang Yun caught sight of Yi Sihan sitting to one side. "Foster Aunt, I haven't seen you in many years. Do you still remember me?"
"Your memory is quite good; you still recognize me."
"You've only grown more beautiful with time."
Yi Renmei delivered a chop to the back of Wang Yun's head. "Is this how a junior should speak to an elder?"
"What is wrong with this woman? Why does she always like to use her hands and feet?"
"When did I ever use my feet?"
"You chased after us running for so long that day."
Yi Renmei was about to retort when Li Gewen pulled her back.
"How did you know I was here?"
"You changed your medicine that day, and the blood-stained bandage was left in the basin. I secretly dipped my finger into it at that time. Remembering your mention that dropping a rabbit's blood into a bowl of water might be somewhat difficult, I simply made a note of it."
"I never imagined you would have mastered that spell almost completely right then and there."
"This spell's key lies in the subsequent tracking. Are you going to go catch the thief or not?"
"You seem to be in quite a hurry."
"Am I in a hurry?" Wang Yun suddenly felt he was acting somewhat uncomposed, so he feigned calm and looked around, acting as if he didn't care.
Yi Renmei leaned close to Li Gewen's ear and whispered, "He's probably afraid of being discovered and has come to create trouble for you. But Brother Ge, how did you get hurt? When did this happen, and why didn't you mention it?"
Li Gewen still had many questions that required answers from Wang Yun, but at this moment he was even more eager to catch that thief. He originally hadn't held out much hope, never expecting that they would actually find him.
"Is he really in Yunxia City?"
Li Gewen carried Wang Yun through the air as they flew toward Yunxia City, with Yi Renmei closely following behind. Wang Yun did not hear Li Gewen's question; he was still dwelling on his earlier lack of composure, wondering if Li Gewen might already know about their kidnapping of Yang Chun. They landed in a dim alleyway in front of Moxiang Pavilion.
"Is this the place?"
Guided by his senses, Wang Yun saw the plaque of Moxiang Pavilion.
"Why is it here?" Wang Yun thought of the booklet's sensation.
"Are you certain this is it?" Yi Renmei asked again.
From within his mind, Wang Yun saw the map in the booklet marked with a red dot. What kind of trick was this again? Well, that would just give him more trouble. "Gewen, do you have the booklet on you?"
Li Gewen pulled out the booklet, and Wang Yun channeled his magic into it. A panoramic, three-dimensional map of Yunxia City unfolded before them. "I accidentally flipped to this map while inside Moxiang Pavilion before."
"This is a map of Yunxia City. What does this red dot mean?" Yi Renmei pointed and said, "There seems to be one over the Li Family's airspace as well."
"Can you make it clearer?" Li Gewen asked.
Wang Yun manipulated the magic to zoom in, and a clear red dot appeared inside the servants' quarters of the Li Family's estate.