Chapter 691 — Hidden Clan: Yet Qiu Lingshan Did Not Know That Wei Zhao Was the True Discoverer of the Poison, and That Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals Was No More Than a Mouthpiece Pushed to the Fore

"Zhong Yongliang?" Wei Zhao blinked in surprise. What did Zhong Yongliang have to do with any of this? The boy did not even have kidneys anymore — and here he was, out poisoning people?

"Yes. But Zhong Yongliang was a victim too, so in the end we decided to waive any punishment for him. Personally I don't agree with it, of course, but the final call wasn't mine to make." Qiu Lingshan spoke flatly, plainly holding no fondness for Zhong Fabai and his son. "Still, I hear someone higher up is protecting Zhong Yongliang. Seems he's been thick with Zhao Qibing lately?"

"I see." Wei Zhao had finally worked out who was behind all this. Barring the unexpected, it had to be Zhao Qibing — and behind Zhao Qibing, besides Uncle Zhu, there stood someone even more formidable.

"Is there anything else? I did you a favor — aren't you going to buy the brain... the little silly girl a meal?" In front of Wei Zhao, Qiu Lingshan had grown altogether too comfortable calling herself the brain-dead girl; she had nearly let it slip out again! What was the matter with her mouth? Did she actually want to be the brain-dead girl?

"You've got it backwards, haven't you?" Wei Zhao had discovered that Qiu Lingshan and the eldest miss were truly two different sorts of people. Both had had their bodies seen; both had been caught in mortifying situations. Yet Qiu Lingshan had instantly grown far more familiar with him, while the eldest miss had only grown colder.

"Then I'll treat you instead," Qiu Lingshan said. "Come to my place next Saturday?"

"No time," Wei Zhao said flatly, turning her down outright.

Wei Zhao figured that Little Song was beautiful and tempting, and that something happening between them might be rather wonderful — but the consequences, the consequences! He had enough to vex him already. Grow any closer to her, and the moment anything came up she would come running to him; was he supposed to have time for anything else?

"Oh. Some other time, then." Qiu Lingshan sounded a little deflated; Wei Zhao really did seem to have no interest in her. Her seduction had failed. Wei Zhao's guess had been right: Qiu Lingshan had indeed sized him up as a sucker. She had been looked over, and she had taken a huge loss, and none of that could be undone — so she might as well get more help out of Wei Zhao. What she wanted was for him to clear out every case gathering dust at the police force: theft rings, biker gangs, and so on and on...

Those organizations had been around for ages, and netting them all in one cast would be no easy thing — but Qiu Lingshan still had her fantasies! Her momentum was excellent; at this rate, promotion to bureau chief was no dream. How long had she even held the post? And already she had cracked one major case after another!

These days Qiu Lingshan felt far more at ease than before. She figured that since Wei Zhao had seen her, she counted as his girl, more or less, so if he helped her close cases, what was there for her to feel guilty about?

Wei Zhao hung up, a headache coming on. Saving Qiu Lingshan had landed him in trouble; Little Song had learned to pester him with any wild argument she could dream up, and she was a good deal shrewder than before.

Back at the villa, Wei Zhao dialed the old man's number.

There was no one in the villa, so Wei Zhao had no need to be careful of anyone's ears. "Old man, someone here is using Seven-Herb Death Powder."

"Oh?" Old Wei was startled. After a long pause, he asked, "You're certain?"

"Yeah, certain. I tasted it," Wei Zhao said.

"Could it be that those people have come out again?" Old Wei said, sounding less than sure himself.

"What people?" Wei Zhao asked.

"The people of the hidden clans," Old Wei said.

"The hidden clans? I've heard of the four great clans and the five minor clans, but never of any hidden clans. What do they do?" Wei Zhao was taken aback.

"Heh, the four great clans and the five minor clans are nothing but families that took shape in the mundane world much later on — they cannot even be mentioned in the same breath as the hidden clans!" Old Wei said. "But the truth is, I don't know all that much about the hidden clans either. Your master knows more than I do — he was one of the parties involved back then! By the agreement made a dozen-odd years ago, certain ancient martial arts clans were required to withdraw from the world. Otherwise, their appearance would throw a great many things out of order..."

"Oh? My master?" Wei Zhao was startled. He had not expected his master to have ties to the hidden clans!

"Among these hidden clans there is a medical clan, the You family of Yunnan. Though they are well versed in medicine, what they excel at is using medicine to harm people, and they have done deep study of Gu sorcery!" Old Wei said. "By the original agreement, however, the You family is not permitted to let its disciples walk in the mundane world. They may only serve the great clans and the hidden clans!"

"You mean this You family knows the formula for Seven-Herb Death Powder?" Wei Zhao asked with a frown.

"Possibly. But it's not certain," Old Wei said. "Keep an eye on the matter for now, but don't go poking into it. With your present strength, you cannot reach that level yet! As for the old covenant, they wouldn't dare violate it openly either — if they did, your master would be unable to stand aside."

"All right, I understand." Since Old Wei had said as much, Wei Zhao would not press him further. His current strength was enough to walk the mundane world, but against those hidden colossi he could not hope to make the slightest dent!

"Is there anything else? Ah, yes — the medicine you had Er Goudan fetch, I've already given it to him. But the boy is busy with the spring plowing; it will be some days yet before he can come over," Old Wei said.

"No hurry on that..." Wei Zhao said. "By the way, have you ever heard of the Ten Thousand Year Spring Wooden Box?"

Wei Zhao had suddenly remembered the Ten Thousand Year Spring Wooden Box he had obtained at the auction, though he had no idea what it was for. Ever since returning from the auction he had been busy with one mess after another, and the matter of the box had been pushed clean out of his mind. Only now did it come back to him.

"The Ten Thousand Year Spring Wooden Box? I have heard of it — there's an old text in the house that describes it." Old Wei thought for a moment. "Why do you ask?"

"I believe I have one in my possession..." Wei Zhao said.

"What?!" Old Wei was startled. "You have one? How did you get your hands on it? You actually have a thing that only appears in ancient texts?"

"I picked it up by chance at an auction..." Wei Zhao had not expected such a reaction. Could the box truly be so extraordinary? He asked, "Old man, is this thing a good one?"

"Something set down in an ancient text — how could it not be good?" Old Wei countered.

"Oh. Then what exactly is this Ten Thousand Year Spring Wooden Box used for?" Wei Zhao's curiosity had been hooked as well, and he asked at once.

"What it's used for, I honestly don't know," Old Wei said, veering off in another direction entirely.

"Huh?!" Wei Zhao was dumbfounded; he had not expected such an answer. "You don't know?" he blurted in disbelief.

"I don't know," Old Wei said, flat and to the point.

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