Chapter 176

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Zhang Xiaohu also narrowed his eyes, coldly glaring at him.

Chang Biao’s expression became somewhat awkward, and he said: “Since Junior Brother He heard me, I won’t try to hide it anymore. When I returned from outside, I saw Zhang Xiaohua wandering around the gate, looking sneaky. How was I supposed to know he was here to see you? Besides, with the martial arts competition going on and so many people coming and going, it’s inevitable that some unsavory characters could slip in. Since our Medicine Hall is an important place in the sect, I naturally had to be cautious. I told the guard to be more careful, and he said I was overreacting. Of course, I got upset! When I came back to remind the Hall Master, it was for the sake of the Medicine Hall. If anything happened, it wouldn’t be easy to explain to the Sect Master.”

He Tianshu laughed out of anger and said: “Don’t you know Zhang Xiaohua? If he had any moral failings, would Huanxi Villa keep him? Besides, he’s always been with me. Anyone with even half a brain, whose head isn’t filled with mush, should know that if they see him at the gate of the Medicine Hall, he’s obviously there to find me.”

Deacon Chang sneered: “Junior Brother He, that’s just you taking on more responsibility. Who can say that just because someone you know is seen at the gate, they’re there to find you? So, are you responsible for everything anyone you know does at the Medicine Hall?”

Just as He Tianshu was about to retort, Hall Master Bai spoke up: “There’s no need for you two to argue. Tianshu, take this token and bring Zhang Xiaohua inside. He can tour the Medicine Hall, except for the restricted areas.”

With that, Hall Master Bai pulled out a token from his robe and was about to hand it to He Tianshu.

Upon hearing this, Chang Biao panicked. What nonsense! He had spent all this time trying to badmouth him, and now, if this token were given, all his efforts would be in vain.

Chang Biao hurriedly said: “Hall Master, please don’t do this. The Medicine Hall is of utmost importance—how can we just allow someone unrelated to the sect to tour the hall? If anything goes wrong, we won’t be able to bear the responsibility.”

Hall Master Bai was irritated, thinking to himself: “You lost to He Tianshu this morning, so you came here to complain. I treated it as some psychological counseling and didn’t mind. But don’t think you can stop me from making decisions.”

Moreover, he couldn’t tell Chang Biao directly about Zhang Xiaohua’s standing with Sect Master Ou. Hall Master Bai had clearly observed Ou Peng’s attitude toward Zhang Xiaohua during their discussions in the Council Hall. Saying that Zhang Xiaohua was Ou Yan’s savior was no exaggeration at all. Everyone in the Piaomiao Sect knew how much Ou Yan meant to Ou Peng—he treated his sister as though she were made of glass, afraid she’d break if she fell or melt if he spoke too harshly. Even though Ou Peng had publicly stated that he had repaid Zhang Xiaohua’s life-saving favor, the fact remained that Zhang Xiaohua had saved her life, something that could never be erased. Xiaohua’s position was already solidified and wasn’t going to change. If anyone suggested that Zhang Xiaohua harbored ill intentions toward the Medicine Hall, Hall Master Bai wouldn’t believe it, even if he were beaten to death.

Just as Hall Master Bai was about to rebuke Chang Biao, Zhang Xiaohu stood up and said: “I will vouch for Zhang Xiaohua. I will take full responsibility for any of his actions inside the Medicine Hall.”

Chang Biao’s heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, ‘This is bad—so they are related to Zhang Xiaohua!’

Zhang Xiaohu continued, turning to Deacon Chang and cupping his fists: “I am Zhang Xiaohu, the newly accepted disciple of Master Wen Wenhai, who serves under Sect Master Ou. Xiaohua is my own blood brother.”

Upon hearing this, Deacon Chang looked as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned pale as he cursed his luck internally: “How did Zhang Xiaohua suddenly go from being a nobody to having a direct disciple of the Sect Master as his brother? What am I going to do now? I’ve offended a core disciple for no reason—what a disaster~”

Chang Biao quickly changed his expression, forcing a smile as he said: “Oh my, Nephew Zhang. What a pleasure to meet you—truly, it’s an honor. I had no idea that Zhang Xiaohua was your younger brother. It’s all just a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! I was a bit too rash earlier. If I had known about Zhang Xiaohua’s connection to our Piaomiao Sect, I would have personally requested a token from the Hall Master for him, haha.”

“How quickly this man can change his tune!” The thoughts of everyone in the hall were in unison.

Now that Chang Biao had stopped objecting, He Tianshu accepted the token and hurried out to retrieve Zhang Xiaohua. Zhang Xiaohu had been looking for him for quite some time, and they had spent even more time here with Hall Master Bai. By now, Zhang Xiaohua was likely quite frustrated waiting outside.

Once He Tianshu and Zhang Xiaohu had grabbed the token and rushed out, Chang Biao finally managed to steady himself. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but nothing came out. Left with no other choice, he bowed to Hall Master Bai and Elder He before quietly leaving in defeat.

After Chang Biao left, Elder He, who had been silent all this time, asked in confusion: “Old Bai, Chang Biao has always been a petty person. His martial arts have always been better than He Tianshu’s, and now, after being beaten, he must feel pretty upset.”

Hall Master Bai frowned and replied: “I know. That’s why I didn’t interrupt him while he was venting—it’s better to let him get it out of his system.”

Elder He continued: “He Tianshu doesn’t have the best reputation in the Medicine Hall either. He’s not as smooth as Chang Biao. But for Chang Biao to be caught badmouthing He Tianshu’s friend—it’s clearly his fault. I understand you wanted to comfort He Tianshu by giving Zhang Xiaohua a token, but Zhang Xiaohu, while being the Sect Master’s direct disciple, is still new to the sect. Did you really need to give his brother so much face? Allowing him to tour the entire Medicine Hall except for a few restricted areas!”

Hall Master Bai let out a wry smile. Elder He wasn’t an outsider—they had built the Medicine Hall together over many years and trusted each other deeply. But some things were beyond even Elder He’s knowledge. Lowering his voice, Hall Master Bai said: “Do you know why He Tianshu was able to beat Chang Biao?”

Elder He frowned: “Wasn’t it because he learned the Piaomiao Steps? I know that much.”

Hall Master Bai pressed further: “But do you know how he was able to learn the Piaomiao Steps?”

Elder He replied: “Didn’t He Tianshu receive it as a reward after that trip to the south?”

Hall Master Bai smiled mysteriously and asked again: “Then why didn’t Shi Niu, Great Aunt Qin, or Lan Dong receive the same reward? Why didn’t they learn the Piaomiao Steps?”

Elder He was taken aback and said: “This…Now that you mention it, that’s strange.”

Hall Master Bai chuckled and leaned in, speaking even more carefully: “It’s because of Zhang Xiaohua. He Tianshu got lucky and was able to learn our sect’s Piaomiao Steps thanks to him.”

Elder He was even more surprised. “Did He Tianshu tell you this?”

Hall Master Bai took a sip of tea and said leisurely: “I saw him use the technique before, so I pressed him about it. He was evasive and wouldn’t tell me the full truth, only saying that it was a gift from Sect Master Ou. But his words hinted that Zhang Xiaohua was involved.”

“Ohhh~” Elder He finally understood.

Then, Hall Master Bai added something that hit Elder He like a thousand-pound stone thrown into the calm waters of his heart: “And the reason Zhang Xiaohu was able to become Wen Wenhai’s disciple was also because of Zhang Xiaohua.”

Elder He was astonished and exclaimed: “How… how could that be possible?”

Hall Master Bai waved his hand, exuding an air as if he was fully aware of everything and not to panic.

Elder He couldn’t help but admire him deeply. As expected from the Hall Master—truly impressive.

Meanwhile, He Tianshu led Zhang Xiaohu as they hurried along. When they arrived at the gate of the Medicine Hall, they saw a small figure sitting obediently on the steps, completely still, lost in thought.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s back, Zhang Xiaohu called softly: “Xiaohua.”

Hearing his brother’s voice, Zhang Xiaohua immediately jumped up from the steps. His once gloomy face brightened with a smile as he cheerfully shouted: “Second Brother, you’re finally back.”

Then, spotting He Tianshu, he called out: “Captain He, you’re finally out. It’s really hard to get into this Medicine Hall of yours.”

He Tianshu chuckled and said: “Well, you should’ve come earlier. Besides, I didn’t even know you’d be here. After spending the whole day fighting in the competition, aren’t you tired? Why didn’t you go to your second brother’s place to rest and prepare for tomorrow’s matches instead of coming here to visit me?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “It’s just that I haven’t seen Captain He for a few days, so I missed you. That’s why I came to visit.”

He Tianshu patted his little head and said: “You’ve got such a sweet mouth. Come on, let’s go inside and take a look. This is the place where I grew up.”

Zhang Xiaohua glanced at the guards at the gate and said: “Forget it, I’d rather not go in. It’s way too difficult to get through the gate of your Medicine Hall. Just now, someone even tried to drive me away!”

“Drive you away?” He Tianshu was surprised, then quickly asked: “Was it that guy named Chang, the one we saw at Huanxi Villa? Tell me what happened.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and told him everything that had just transpired.

He Tianshu was furious. Earlier, when Chang Biao was badmouthing in front of Hall Master Bai, He Tianshu thought he was just trying to get under his skin and make some petty remarks. He hadn’t expected that he had actually berated Zhang Xiaohua to his face. Now, He Tianshu felt like his chest was about to explode with anger. You’re an adult—no matter how upset you are, how can you treat a child like this?

Seeing He Tianshu’s displeasure, Zhang Xiaohua quickly said: “Captain He, it’s okay. Maybe Uncle Master Chang hasn’t seen me in a long time and just forgot about me.”

He Tianshu clenched his teeth and said: “You don’t need to call him Uncle Master. You’re not a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect. If you feel like it, call him Chang Biao. If you don’t feel like it, don’t even bother with him.”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t quite understand, so he looked over at his older brother. Zhang Xiaohu also had a displeased expression and didn’t say anything.

He Tianshu grabbed Zhang Xiaohua’s hand and said: “Come on, since he didn’t want to let you in, we’ll just go in anyway.”

Zhang Xiaohua quickly pulled his hand back and said: “No, Captain He. The guards said that without a token from the Hall Master, no one was allowed inside. Let’s not cause any trouble.”

He Tianshu took out the token from his robe, smiled, and said: “Come on, Zhang Xiaohua. I’ve already gotten this token for you. Today, you’re going to walk through that gate and take a proper tour of the entire Medicine Hall!”

“The entire hall?” Zhang Xiaohua was confused. “But it’s already so late. How am I supposed to tour the whole place?”

“Ah!?” Hearing this, both He Tianshu and Zhang Xiaohu were momentarily stunned. They glanced at each other, then burst into laughter.

Of course! It’s almost completely dark out. Even though there are lanterns and torches in the Medicine Hall, how could you see anything clearly? They had both been so caught up in their irritation with Chang Biao that they had overlooked this.

He Tianshu held the token and, after a moment of thought, said: “Alright, Zhang Xiaohua. Since we’ve already gotten the token, why don’t you go inside and take a quick look? Plus, the Medicine Hall is quite far from where your brother is staying. It’s already late—how about we take a brief tour and then you stay the night here in the Medicine Hall?”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t really mind; wherever he lived, it was still living, wasn’t it?

He glanced at Zhang Xiaohu, who thought for a moment and said: “That works. Xiaohua, since we’re here, why not take a look around? We can’t let people say we couldn’t even enter the gate of the Medicine Hall, right? Tonight, we’ll stay here and let everyone know that not only did we get through the gate, but we even spent the night here. Let’s see if anything happens in the Medicine Hall!”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed and exclaimed_ “Let’s go together, let’s go together!”

With that, He Tianshu handed the token to the guard for verification and then led the two of them confidently through the gate.

The layout of the Medicine Hall wasn’t much different from that of Huanxi Villa, with various courtyards. However, the Medicine Hall had far more disciples, and its many courtyards were several times larger than those at Huanxi Villa. As He Tianshu introduced various places like the library, herbarium, alchemy rooms, and training rooms, Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes sparkled with countless little stars. The grand buildings, brightly lit and beautifully decorated, left him in awe. How he wished he could go inside, read some books, and practice martial arts! Although Zhang Xiaohua had visited Piaomiao Manor twice before—once to the Council Hall and the Scripture Pavilion, and once to Zhang Xiaohu’s residence—this was his first time seeing where the Piaomiao Sect disciples actually lived. Naturally, he was full of wonder and envy.

He couldn’t help but think to himself, this trip was definitely worth it!

In addition to the grand buildings used by the disciples, there were also fields planted with medicinal herbs. However, the number of herb fields didn’t seem very large, and in the darkness, it was hard to see clearly. Puzzled, Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Captain He, are these all the medicinal herbs the Medicine Hall has? Even though it’s hard to see, it doesn’t seem like there’s much more here than at Huanxi Villa.”

He Tianshu said with a smile: “What we’re looking at now is just the experimental herb fields used by the disciples of the Medicine Hall for learning. The real medicinal fields aren’t here.”

“Then where are they?” Zhang Xiaohua asked curiously.

He Tianshu didn’t answer directly but instead replied with a question: “Why don’t you guess?”

Zhang Xiaohua tilted his head in thought, then pointed toward the dark, indistinct mountain nearby and ventured: “Could they be on that mountain over there?”

He Tianshu clapped his hands in praise and said: “Exactly right, Zhang Xiaohua. You’re really smart.”

Zhang Xiaohua, feeling a little embarrassed, replied: “It’s nothing, really. Back in Guo Village, I used to farm on the slopes, so I know a little about these things.”

He Tianshu suddenly understood. “Ah, that explains it. No wonder you knew.”

Zhang Xiaohua sighed with regret: “It’s a pity it’s nighttime. Otherwise, I’d really like to take a look at that vast herb field.”

He Tianshu, with a mysterious smile, said: “If not tonight, you could always see it during the day, right?”

“During the day?” Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu both looked puzzled.

He Tianshu whispered: “I don’t have any matches tomorrow. If I have time, I’ll come to watch your competition. After you’re done, you can still come to take a look.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “But don’t you have to return the token tomorrow? Besides, by the time I’m done with my match, it’ll already be dark.”

He Tianshu replied: “No worries. If not tomorrow, then the day after. I’ll just hold onto the token for a bit longer and not return it to the Hall Master right away.”

Zhang Xiaohua almost jumped in excitement and said: “Really? Then can I keep it for myself and never return it?”

He Tianshu laughed: “No way. Borrowing it for a few days is fine, but keeping it too long wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Zhang Xiaohu chuckled and said: “Xiaohua’s probably just joking. What would he do coming to the Medicine Hall every day?”

Zhang Xiaohua grinned and didn’t reply.

So the three of them continued walking along the path, chatting and laughing. As they passed a fork in the road, Zhang Xiaohua began heading down the path that led up the mountain.

Seeing this, He Tianshu quickly grabbed him and said: “You can’t go that way.”

Zhang Xiaohua paused, looking into the darkness ahead, and asked: “Why not?”

Because just now, it was Zhang Xiaohua walking aimlessly at the front all along the way, and He Tianshu didn’t stop him. After all, he grew up here, so it didn’t matter where he walked; he would eventually find his way back.

He Tianshu also looked toward the dark end of the small path and said: “That path leads up the mountain. You won’t be able to see anything in the dark—why go there?”

Zhang Xiaohua sensed that something was different and quietly asked: “Captain He, wasn’t there another path leading up the mountain earlier? You didn’t stop me then. Why stop me now? What’s different about this mountain path compared to that one?”

He Tianshu coughed twice and said: “Well, there is a difference, but…”

He Tianshu seemed a bit troubled.

Although Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t see He Tianshu’s expression clearly, he could hear the tone in his voice and quickly said: “Captain He, it’s fine. If there’s a problem, we won’t go there. It’s already so dark anyway—let’s just hurry and find a place to rest.”

He Tianshu thought for a moment and then decided to explain: “Here’s the thing. This path leads to one of the restricted areas on the back mountain of our Piaomiao Sect. Not only are the two of you not allowed to approach, but even I have never been inside.”

“Restricted area!?” Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu couldn’t help but exclaim: “What’s a restricted area?”

He Tianshu quickly hushed them: “Can you two keep your voices down? You’re going to scare me. If Hall Master Bai finds out I brought you near a restricted area, I’ll definitely be scolded.”

Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu immediately lowered their voices, saying in unison: “Got it, we’ll keep it down.”

He Tianshu also whispered: “A restricted area is simply a place where no one is allowed to go. It means that all Piaomiao Sect disciples are forbidden from approaching this place. Anyone who does will be breaking the sect’s rules and will face punishment.”

Zhang Xiaohua’s curiosity was piqued. He asked in a hushed tone: “Do you know what’s inside the restricted area?”

He Tianshu glared at him and said: “If no one is allowed inside, that naturally means they don’t want anyone to know what’s in there. How would I know?”

Zhang Xiaohua’s gossip instincts kicked in, and he asked: “But surely there must be some rumors or whispers about what’s inside the restricted area, right?”

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