The Treasure Medicine

“Seeing is believing. We almost fell for rumors and misunderstood Young Master Xu Jin.”

“My husband mocked Young Master Xu Jin yesterday, saying he was just lucky to be born into the right family. Wait till I get home—I’ll sit on him until he apologizes!”

“I feel so ashamed. I believed the slander and insulted Captain Xu Zimu. Thinking back to how heartbroken he looked earlier, I feel like crawling into a hole.”

“Captain Xu, we were wrong! We shouldn’t have doubted you!”

“Hahaha!” Xu Zimu burst into hearty laughter, his face beaming with joy. “It’s fine! There’s no need to apologize to me. What’s past is past. As long as everyone understands that I, Xu Zimu, have always been upright and impartial, never bending the law for personal gain, that’s enough for me! Loving the people like my own children and upholding integrity—this is who I am!”

“What a virtuous official Captain Xu is!”

“A man so just and incorruptible, yet he’s only a humble captain of the guard? Truly, the heavens are unfair!”

The audience’s praises rang out one after another, creating a heartwarming scene of unity between officials and citizens.

Even Qin Gou couldn’t help but wonder if Xu Zimu’s main goal wasn’t to boost his own reputation while conveniently helping Qin Gou advance in the contest.

—

After stepping down from the arena and returning to the resting area far from the spectators, Qin Gou was immediately greeted by Xu Shuangshuang, who threw her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug. “Little Brother, you were amazing! How did I not realize before that you’ve become so strong?”

This silly girl…

Qin Gou felt his face flush with embarrassment. Did she really not notice the oddities in the fight? She wasn’t an ordinary person unfamiliar with cultivation. It was likely her unconditional trust and love for him that made her overlook the flaws she would normally spot instantly.

Creaaak.

The door to the resting room opened, and an uninvited guest stepped in.

Dressed in a golden robe and exuding an air of authority, Xu Wenrui entered with a mocking smile. “Well, well, my dear Third Brother. That performance earlier was quite the spectacle. I watched the whole thing—it was truly eye-opening.”

“What do you want?” Qin Gou asked, frowning in annoyance.

“Haha, I heard my dear Third Brother tied with me for first place yesterday, earning the nickname ‘Dragon and Tiger Brothers’ among the common folk. How could I not be curious? But after seeing today’s match, I must say, I’m deeply disappointed,” Xu Wenrui said with a sneer.

“Big Brother, can’t you stop talking like that? Third Brother has worked so hard—” Xu Shuangshuang began to defend Qin Gou but was cut off by Xu Wenrui’s sharp rebuke.

“Silence.”

Xu Wenrui shot her a cold glance. “Second Sister, can’t you see I’m teaching someone a lesson? You know my temper. It’s best if you stay out of this.” As he spoke, a sharp burst of spiritual energy shot from his sleeve toward Xu Shuangshuang, intending to push her back.

Qin Gou’s eyes flashed coldly as he raised a fist and dispersed the energy with a single blow.

Xu Shuangshuang stared at Xu Wenrui in disbelief.

Xu Wenrui, however, chuckled darkly. “Interesting. That was unexpected. It seems my dear Third Brother isn’t entirely useless after all. At least you won’t embarrass yourself too much when you lose to me.”

“I’ll be waiting for you in the final round,” Qin Gou said calmly. “And when we meet, you’ll find something even more unexpected waiting for you.”

“Haha! That’s my line! You think you’re worthy of saying that to me?” Xu Wenrui laughed mockingly. “Fine. Enjoy your moment of glory while it lasts. This must be the first time in your life you’ve experienced such admiration and respect. Savor it while you can.” With that, he turned and left without sparing another glance at the shaken Xu Shuangshuang.

“Are you alright, Second Sister?” Qin Gou asked immediately, his tone filled with concern.

Xu Shuangshuang’s face was pale as she shook her head sadly. “I’m fine… I just didn’t expect Big Brother to try to attack me again. He promised he wouldn’t lay a hand on me anymore and even apologized so sincerely…”

Qin Gou’s expression darkened. “He’s attacked you before?”

Xu Shuangshuang forced a bitter smile. “That was years ago… It seems Big Brother is truly angry this time.”

“That bastard,” Qin Gou muttered under his breath, his eyes smoldering with anger.

—

The martial arts marriage contest continued to heat up, drawing nearly all of Tian Kun Dynasty’s young talents. Each day’s leaderboard reflected shifting rankings and fierce competition, but two names remained unshaken at the top:

Xu Jin and Xu Wenrui.

The two brothers from the Marshal’s household had become the talk of the capital, their brilliance turning the contest into a legend whispered among citizens.

“Young Master Xu Jin, tomorrow you’ll face Commander Xu in front of His Majesty and the Sword-Wielding Princess herself,” Xu Zimu said, rubbing his hands together nervously. “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to help you this time.”

Xu Zimu wasn’t joking. Over the past few days, he had basked in newfound fame as a paragon of justice and integrity among the people—a peak moment in his career.

“Captain Xu, I’m grateful for your support these past few days. The Marshal’s household won’t forget your contributions,” Qin Gou said with a smile.

Deeply moved, Xu Zimu nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry, Young Master Xu Jin. Chief Eunuch Ji Wu has hinted that everything will be handled properly moving forward.”

Qin Gou smiled knowingly. “I’m aware.”

—

Meanwhile, in the Tian Kun Palace.

“Old Master, isn’t this too risky? Commander Xu is set to duel tomorrow in front of His Majesty. If anyone finds out we tampered with his food…” A nervous eunuch whispered anxiously.

Ji Wu toyed with a small dark green bottle in his hand before glaring at the eunuch. “How dare you say such things? Who’s tampering? Who dares tamper? Such treasonous words! Slap yourself!”

The eunuch reluctantly slapped himself twice, tears welling up in his eyes. “But didn’t you just say we’d add something ‘special’ to Commander Xu’s food?”

Ji Wu sighed in exasperation. “This is why you’re still stuck in the kitchen department! If not for being my godson, who would even notice you? This isn’t poison! It’s a treasure medicine that accelerates detoxification and cleanses impurities from the body. It leaves no trace and even cultivators at the Dao Nourishing Realm wouldn’t detect it without thorough inspection. It’s a gift—a token of my care for such an outstanding young man like Commander Xu! Do you know how much this little bottle cost me?”

He continued sternly, “Helping His Majesty isn’t tampering—it’s loyalty! If His Majesty had to spell out every detail himself, what would be the point of having ‘trusted aides’ like us? When you understand this principle, maybe then you’ll be worthy of inheriting my position!”