Miao Tianchuan also looked up at the cliff that was getting further away from them.

Miao Xihes powers were far above what he had expected them to be. He had been well-prepared for the trip. He had even thought of grasping the rare opportunity to take Miao Xihe out right there and then. That was why he packed so much firepower. From a machine gun to high explosive grenades to other powerful explosives, he had packed enough to cause a landslide if the situation called for it. He packed so much firepower and had the element of surprise, yet Miao Xihe was able to survive all the same. Worse still, he seemed to have survived completely unscathed. Is he even a human anymore? Thats a monster in human form!

Thats just insane!

They had been able to escape partially due to ample preparations. The rest had been sheer luck.

Miao Chengtang sighed as he said, Miao Xihe sure is one hell of a powerful assh*le.

Yeah, very much so. Hes far more powerful than I thought he was, Miao Tianchuan added.

After getting your message, I thought about taking the chance to kill him. Even if he managed to survive, it still would have been a good thing to cripple him. I didnt expect him to be so insanely powerful.

That wasnt a human. That was a monster.

He has been using methods passed down throughout the ages in the village. He has been stimulating his body with medicines to make himself indestructible.

Indestructible against blades and blunt weapons, sure, but thats a machinegun youve got there, as well as grenades! He shouldnt have been able to survive being blasted by grenades!

Well talk later once we get out of here. Well take our time thinking about how to take him on after that.

Sure.

Miao Qingshan manned the boat and quickly went down the raging river.

Miao Xihe looked at the river from atop the cliff far away. He remained silent the whole time.

Chief?

Lets go home, he said as he waved.

Yes, Sir.

He never thought things would turn out like this. It should have been a guaranteed success, yet those people managed to escape.

Miao Tianchuan is a rare prodigy, he said to the man beside him.

Indeed, he is rare and difficult, the middle-aged man added.

Yeah, I was careless this time, Miao Xihe said.

This is not your fault, Chief. Its just that hes too cunning.

Saying the enemy was cunning is nothing more than an excuse for ones failure. Im the one who was at fault in this case. Miao Xihe was being honest, admitting that it was his fault for not being amply prepared. He had been ill-prepared. He had been high and mighty for too long in the village. Things in the village had been peaceful since that ruckus 16 years ago. No one doubted him. Everyone revered him like he was a god. That changed his mindset somewhat. He thought that he would always have everything under control and that those people out there were little more than clowns who could not accomplish much. However, the series of recent happenings, especially what happened that night, made him realize what was wrong with him.

Contact our guy outside and put him to work. We need to find those three at all costs.

Yes, Chief.

The boat drifted downstream. Before long, it was nearly 10 miles away. They eventually arrived at a remote shore. They made their way through the woods without making any stops. By dawn, they emerged from woods into a town hundreds of miles away.

Alright, it should be safe here for the time being, Miao Tianchuan said. Well rest for the morning and think about what should we do from here on out. We need to decide if we should leave southern Yunnan or not.

Leave? Miao Chengtang was baffled when he heard that.

Yeah, after what happened last night, Miao Xihe will probably use all the resources he has amassed throughout the years against us, Miao Tianchuan said. All those resources he has accumulated for over 10 years are no joke. Ive looked into it somewhat. From officials and rich people at the top to punks and thugs at the bottom, he has people working for him outside the village. If he were to put those resources to good use, things would get terrifying. Well be all exposed if were not careful, and well have to deal with people coming for our us like leeches going after blood.

Its best if we resort to using external resources too. What do you think about that suggestion I proposed before?

Do you mean the two detectives from town?

Yeah, them.

Its a plan worth thinking over. Miao Tianchuan had some other plans in mind, as well as someone more up to the task.

Cough, cough. Miao Chengtang suddenly started to cough.

Whats wrong?

Nothing. Theres probably some water left in my lungs.

In the Valley of Thousands of Medicine

Miao Xihe stared at the mound of bloodstained dirt before him and remained silent for a long time.

Its the Blood Orchid.

Blood Orchid? How is that possible? How did he get his hands on that? The man by his side was surprised.

This cant be anything else, Miao Xihe said. Everything makes sense now. This explains how he is still alive after being poisoned. The Blood Orchid took care of the poison for him.

How did he know about that place?

Miao Chengtang told him, Miao Xihe said. Those two have been in touch for quite a while.

Chengtang should be poisoned as well, right?

Indeed, and I activated it last night. Im sure its in full force now.

At a hotel hundreds of miles away

Miao Chengtang spat out a mouthful of blood.

Chengtang!

Hes poisoned! Miao Tianchuan exclaimed as he looked the dark red piece of clotted blood.

It is probably something that has long been in him and activated last night.

Miao Chengtang gritted his teeth as he uttered, Miao Xihe really is a snake! He felt as if countless bugs were tearing at his internal organs. The pain was unbearable.

Come. Take this. Miao Tianchuan took out a pouch from his pocket. Inside it was several Blood Orchids.

Have you been there again?

Well talk about that later. Just hurry up and eat this. It will help.

Miao Chengtang chewed on the Blood Orchids and gulped them down. The pain in his stomach began to wane after a while.

Didnt any of you take Blood Orchids? Miao Tianchuan asked.

No, we didnt.

Didnt Miao Xihe tell you people anything?

He said the flower was in conflict with some of the effects of the medicines in our bodies and might have devastating effects if we ate them, Miao Chengtang said. All Blood Orchids taken were guarded by specific people, all of whom were his trusted ones.

Its Miao Xihe who would have suffered the conflicting effects, Miao Tianchuan said. He tempered his body with the meds, some of which contained poisons that seeped into his blood. The Blood Orchid would have conflicted with his body, but you people would have been safe. After all, it was something he had tested.

Yeah, I long suspected that, but I never did anything out of place so I did not have my cover blown, Miao Chengtang said.

Thats not good enough, Miao Tianchuan said. Im not sure if the poisons in your body are totally clear now.

I feel that its subsiding.

That could be little more than an illusion, Miao Tianchuan said. That poison might possibly be something concocted by Miao Xihe personally. We cant afford to let our guard down.

What should we do? Miao Chengtang asked.

As you said before, well figure something out using those two, but that could be risky still, Miao Tianchuan said. Miao Xihe might have planted his eyes and ears around them. Contact them and see how they fare for starters.

Sure.

That settles it, Miao Tianchuan said. Qingshan and I will need to hide for the time being.

Will do.

Lu Xiufeng, who was in the county town, received another message.

Hey, partner! That guy got out and is poisoned. He suspects that Miao Xihe is after him and hopes that we can provide protection.

Did he say what his name is? Yang Guanfeng asked.

Miao Chengtang.

Miao Chengtang, eh. Let me check. Yang Guanfeng began to search for the information he was holding in his hand. The information was from 15 years ago. They had just gotten their hands on it, which pertained to the Valley of Thousands of Medicine.

Its there. Miao Chengtang was 22 years old back then, so hes 37 now.

Hold on, Lu Xiufeng said. Hes asking for our help. What does age have anything to do with it?

Well help him, Yang Guanfeng said. We have to help him, but we need to keep this a secret and let as few people know as possible. If what hes saying is the truth, we could be a witness. I was rather impressed by the influence of that chief, given how he was able to make a high-ranking official in the province speak on his behalf. That is one hell of an influence.

Where is he now? he asked.

In the county.

Wow, hes actually here. Thats interesting. So, do we need to see him?

Oh, definitely. Lu Xiufeng smiled as he lit a cigarette.