Chapter 118: Who Is More Devious Than Whom?

The first impression Xue Minwen gave Yue Qi was that he was unfathomable—not in terms of his combat strength, but in his depth of character. Having been betrayed by his own subordinates and confined in this sunless place for so long, Xue Minwen remained remarkably composed. While that was one thing—Yue Qi might have done the same under similar circumstances—the crucial point was that the poison in Xue Minwen’s system had long been neutralized, yet he hadn’t attempted to escape, choosing instead to remain inside obediently.

Yue Qi did not know Xue Minwen’s true objective. He had met Xue Hong and knew her to be a straightforward girl who wore her heart on her sleeve; she had clearly not inherited her father’s nature.

However, since Xue Minwen had greeted him, Yue Qi could not be impolite. He cupped his hands in return and said, "You are too kind, Uncle Xue. We were brought into the camp by Xue Hong, and since we heard there were troubles here, we naturally came to help."

Upon hearing that it was his daughter who had brought them to the camp, Xue Minwen’s expression flickered for a mere moment before returning to its previous, undisturbed calm. He replied, "Then I must thank you both. Once I have rescued the others and dealt with the Han brothers, I will properly host you."

"But Uncle Xue..." Yue Qi’s brow suddenly furrowed. "Xue Hong was also taken away by Han Zhi. It might not be wise to launch a direct assault now!"

"What?! You say Hong'er was taken by them?" Xue Minwen finally lost his composure. He had initially assumed these two had come to rescue him because his daughter had discovered something amiss, but he had never expected that she had been captured while he himself was being saved.

"Do you know where they took her?" A trace of panic finally flashed in Xue Minwen’s eyes as he looked at Yue Qi.

"We don't know. If we did, we might have gone to save her first..." Yue Qi spoke the honest truth. He did not fear Xue Minwen holding a grudge; if Xue Minwen were to resent him for that, then Yue Qi would simply have misjudged the man.

True to form, Xue Minwen did not take offense. He remained silent for a moment, thinking, before saying, "I must rescue the others immediately and then go find Hong'er. She was not kept with us; I am certain Han Zhi is holding her hostage to force me into submission."

Yue Qi immediately understood the brothers' strategy. If the Han brothers wanted to rule the camp, they needed Xue Minwen’s endorsement. Without legitimacy, simply usurping his position would leave many dissatisfied, leading to a divided camp that would not last long.

"Everyone, take the medicine and rest for the time it takes an incense stick to burn; the effects of the bone-softening powder will naturally disperse," Xue Minwen said, producing a small porcelain bottle from his person—the antidote. Whether the Han brothers had been negligent or Xue Minwen was simply too cunning, he had managed to keep it with him.

The group scrambled for the medicine, and the small bottle was emptied in an instant. The quantity was perfectly exact, as if Xue Minwen had been prepared for this all along.

But just as the group began to circulate their energy, a wisp of smoke drifted in through the doorway. It was light and faint, easily missed if one were not paying close attention.

"The smoke is poisoned!" Yue Qi reacted instantly, pulling two cloths from his storage bracelet, dampening them with a water-control incantation, and hurrying to hand one to Qin Luo.

Xue Minwen was the second to react. He had initially felt a wave of dizziness, attributing it to the smoke too late. Two men sitting closest to the entrance were already foaming at the mouth and collapsing.

"Cover your noses and mouths with cloth! The smoke is toxic!" Xue Minwen warned. He scanned the room, spotted an unopened jar of wine on the guard’s table, smashed the lid with a palm strike, and dipped cloths into it to hand out to the others.

The pungent scent of alcohol filled the dungeon, but the smoke had already permeated the air. Many had inhaled it; those who hadn't collapsed were still left weak and unable to stand.

"Han Zhi, Han Lu!" Xue Minwen gritted his teeth. He had never imagined they would be so ruthless. There were over a hundred people here; they intended to kill them all!

Just then, a voice echoed from above: "Boss Xue, you had better surrender. Your daughter is still in my hands. If you don't resist, I can guarantee her safety!"

Xue Minwen recognized the voice as Han Lu’s—the trusted subordinate who had always been at his side, and yet the first to betray him. His expression turned dark. He looked at his brothers; most had no strength left to fight. Even he was affected by the smoke. While not severely, he knew he couldn't face the many men above in his current state.

He knew that in his prime, he could have easily defeated the Han brothers, but now, facing even one of them would be difficult. He realized that while their martial arts might not be top-tier, they were former cultivators with strange methods he had never fully understood.

"Boss, you can't agree to this! How can we hand over the camp we built with such blood and sweat to those two ingrates?!" an old subordinate pleaded.

Xue Minwen sighed and shook his head. "What other choice is there? Our weaknesses are in their hands. If it were only my daughter’s life, that would be one thing, but there are so many of my brothers here. I am willing to die, but how can I let you all suffer with me?"

Yue Qi and Qin Luo remained silent. Yue Qi felt that Xue Minwen still had a trick up his sleeve; these words sounded more like a way to rally the men than the speech of a desperate man.

Seeming to notice Yue Qi’s gaze, Xue Minwen looked over. "My thanks to you both for coming to save us, but I am sorry that my affairs have put you in such danger."

Yue Qi nodded without speaking, waiting to see what the man would do.

As time ticked by, the impatient voices above returned. "To the others below: your families are mostly in my hands. If you kill Xue Minwen now, I, Han Zhi, promise to ensure your families' safety!"

The crowd grew furious. In the martial arts world, it was said that one should not involve the families of others, but the Han brothers were constantly crossing that line. Yet, those present were loyalists; they were not swayed into harming Xue Minwen.

Seeing their resolve, Xue Minwen seemed satisfied. "I cannot let you all suffer. I will go up and surrender. Perhaps then you can live."

"Boss!"
"Boss, no! We won't live in shame if you die!"

The scene descended into chaos. Finally, Xue Minwen spoke: "I am grateful for your loyalty! Since you’ve said so, if I refuse, I would be a coward. We will go up together! Let’s see what they intend to do!"

With that, he grabbed his soft sword and led the way out.

Yue Qi and Qin Luo followed at the back. Yue Qi trusted that Xue Minwen was not acting recklessly; he was clearly planning to deal with the brothers using his own methods.

As they emerged, Yue Qi saw that they were surrounded. The men above held military-grade crossbows—the same kind he had seen in Changzhou. At such close range, no one could escape them.

"Hmph! You finally came out!" Han Zhi looked at Xue Minwen coldly, not foolish enough to engage him face-to-face.

"I am here. What do you want?" Xue Minwen said heroically, as if facing death.

"Boss Xue, let’s be direct. Give us your position, and you can leave. We won't bother you!" Han Lu, cooler than his brother, said.

"Ha! You two ingrates!" Xue Minwen cursed. "If I hadn't saved you, you’d have been zombie fodder outside the city walls! And now, you covet my position!"

Han Lu sneered, "Boss, people climb to higher places. We are cultivators; why would we serve under mortals like you? If not for our lost spiritual energy, people of your caliber would be groveling at our feet! Once the Sanqing Sect arrives to rescue us, you will have nothing to worry about!"

"The Sanqing Sect?!" Yue Qi was stunned. He had been searching for so long, only to find two wandering disciples of the Sanqing Sect here!

But as Yue Qi’s mind wandered, a man rushed toward Han Lu, looking panicked. "Bad news, Boss! Xue Hong has escaped!"

"What?!" The Han brothers grew nervous. Without their leverage, who knew if Xue Minwen would fight to the death?

In that moment of distraction, the messenger’s eyes flashed with a cold light. He pulled a dagger from his sleeve and plunged it toward Han Lu!