"If that's what you think, then you're wrong. I'm sincerely here to help you—why keep everyone at arm's length? Young Lord Soaring Feather, head of the Four Young Lords, sulking in a backwater tavern after his beloved woman was stolen, drowning his sorrows in wine... I don't even know what to say about you." The middle-aged man said.
"Who exactly are you? Since when do I, Soaring Feather, need outsiders to meddle in my affairs? You'd best leave now, or don't blame me for being rude." Soaring Feather Young Lord said.
"I'm here to help you, of course. Because we share a common enemy. If you truly want your junior martial sister, just do as I say and I guarantee you'll get what you desire." The middle-aged man said.
Soaring Feather Young Lord looked at the middle-aged man, puzzled, then burped and said, "You really have a way to help me? You know, that Evan Chu can even kill the Mist Rain Pavilion Master, a Saint Martial Third Layer powerhouse. What strength do you have to pull this off? Don't tell me you're even stronger than him."
Seeing that Soaring Feather Young Lord had let down his guard, the middle-aged man secretly smiled, then said, "The Frostbane Sect Master may be powerful, but I have my ways to deal with him. No matter how strong someone is, they have a weakness. All you need is to find it."
That made Soaring Feather Young Lord sober up a bit. "You know his weakness? What is it?"
The middle-aged man walked right up to Soaring Feather Young Lord's table and said, "You can't beat a powerhouse like that with brute force. Only cunning will win the day. I believe you can easily pull this off."
"What do you mean by that? Evan Chu is clever too. I think you should stop trying to persuade me—it's just not possible." Soaring Feather Young Lord said.
"That's where you're wrong. You and I might not be able to do it, but someone else can—and so discreetly that no one will even notice. Then, you'll get exactly what you want. But the key is whether you have the guts." The middle-aged man said.
"Waiter, bring another pot of wine, and a few more dishes!" At this moment, Soaring Feather Young Lord seemed to sober up completely.
"Sit down. Since you're Evan Chu's enemy, you're my friend. Tell me what you need me to do!" Soaring Feather Young Lord said.
"Good, Soaring Feather Young Lord is indeed straightforward! I knew I wasn't wrong about you. If you want to deal with Evan Chu, only someone close to him can do it. Neither of us can, but there is someone who can. You'll need to cooperate fully." The middle-aged man said.
Just then, the waiter cleared away the empty wine bottles and brought over a few more dishes. The middle-aged man filled Soaring Feather Young Lord's cup and continued, "His wedding is the perfect chance. You're from Freewind Palace, so of course you'll attend, and Serena Dream will naturally become his bride. But I have a way to make sure Serena Dream can't become his bride."
"You mean to sabotage his wedding? That's impossible. This time, all the major figures from the Nine Great Sects will be there. There's absolutely no chance." Soaring Feather Young Lord said.
"Heh, Soaring Feather Young Lord, just have your junior martial sister take this pill, and everything will be solved. You'll get her too. Don't worry, this pill won't kill her." As he finished speaking, a bean-sized yellow pill appeared in the middle-aged man's hand.
Soaring Feather Young Lord wanted to flare up, but seeing the pill in the man's hand, he held back and asked, "What exactly is this pill? What if it doesn't work? Wouldn't I be hurting Serena Dream for nothing?"
"Relax. The pill just makes her go temporarily insane for a set period. Imagine your junior martial sister suddenly going on a killing spree at the wedding—what do you think would happen?" The middle-aged man said.
Soaring Feather Young Lord looked at the middle-aged man, puzzled. He knew that if Serena Dream really started killing people like a madwoman at the wedding, Evan Chu might have to abandon her for the sake of his reputation. Then, he might actually get another chance with her.
But even so, he was still half-suspicious of the middle-aged man's words. To be head of the Four Young Lords, Soaring Feather Young Lord had to be clever. If not for heartbreak and drunkenness, he wouldn't have given this man an opening.
"How long will this madness last? What if Serena Dream stays that way? Do you have an antidote?" Soaring Feather Young Lord asked.
"Soaring Feather Young Lord truly is clever. Of course I have an antidote. To tell you the truth, this is actually a kind of gu poison called Madness Gu. Anyone afflicted by it will only obey the施蛊人—the one who plants the gu. And you are that施蛊人. I don’t think I need to say more." The middle-aged man said.
Soaring Feather Young Lord was shocked and quickly said, "You want me to curse Serena Dream with gu? I can't do it. I don't know exactly what this Madness Gu is, but I can tell it's something incredibly evil."
The middle-aged man didn't seem to care. He refilled Soaring Feather Young Lord's cup, but as he poured, a tiny white pill, even smaller than a grain of rice, dropped into the wine.
The pill dissolved instantly as the wine was poured, leaving no trace. Then the man produced a green pill, waved it before Soaring Feather Young Lord, and said, "This is the antidote for Madness Gu. Just have your junior martial sister take it, and she'll recover immediately."
Soaring Feather Young Lord seemed to realize something. The middle-aged man kept talking about helping him get Serena Dream, but never mentioned any way to actually deal with Evan Chu. That made him suspicious—this man’s background was unknown, and he might be from some shady organization. He needed to be careful.
"I appreciate your good intentions, but even though I want Serena Dream, I can't use such despicable means. Let's just forget it!" Soaring Feather Young Lord finished speaking and drained his cup in one gulp.
"Waiter, the bill!" Soaring Feather Young Lord stood up, ready to leave.
The middle-aged man also stood up and said, "Since Soaring Feather Young Lord doesn't appreciate my kindness, I won't force it. Farewell!" He left the tavern first.
After leaving the tavern, Soaring Feather Young Lord flew straight toward Freewind Palace. He might not win Serena Dream, but he refused to harm her.
After Soaring Feather Young Lord left, the middle-aged man reappeared, watching his departing figure and laughing, "Soaring Feather, you may not be my pawn yet, but go ahead and enjoy my Heaven-Silkworm Gu!"
Meanwhile, Evan Chu was busy preparing for tomorrow’s wedding. In front of Frostbane Sect’s main hall, a flower palanquin several times larger than usual sat quietly, with many disciples gathered around it, chatting about something.
"Lin Feng, why did you make the bridal palanquin so huge? Is one of your brides some kind of super fatty?" Luna Chu asked, puzzled.
"How did you know? Luna, you’re getting smarter by the day. I finally understand what people mean by ‘big chest, no brains.’" Evan Chu laughed.
"What did you just say? Evan Chu, if you’ve got the guts, say it again!" Luna Chu’s tyrannosaurus temper flared instantly, scaring Evan Chu into using instant movement to vanish without a trace...
(Wishing grandma good health and a long life! Happy birthday! May your happiness be as boundless as the Eastern Sea, and your years as enduring as the Southern Mountains!)