ebookslot Chapter 40 The Advantage Lies With Me
Chapter 40 The Advantage Lies With Me
In a flash, the fascia running through the waist and abdomen tightened and slipped as if a python had encountered danger.
The suppleness brought by the [River Demon Appearance] surged beneath the skin, slightly obstructing the penetrating needle's hidden force and deflecting it by an inch.
"Well!"
He groaned, his face drained of color instantly, and veins bulged on his forehead.
A sharp, solid pain shot through my lower back; it was the pain of being struck, the pain of flesh being injured.
He stumbled backward several steps, his back slamming against a pillar before stopping. He clutched his waist tightly, his body arched, and his teeth clenched so hard they cracked.
Cold sweat broke out almost immediately on my forehead and trickled down my cheeks.
It really hurts, but it's far from causing serious injury.
Guo Zhen jumped up, rushed forward, helped Zhou Xing up, and angrily said:
"One hand! What are you doing?! We agreed to stop short of a fight!"
Liu withdrew his hand, feigning remorse, and said:
"I'm so sorry! Officer Zhou, I got carried away and couldn't stop! Are you alright?"
As he spoke, his eyes darted toward Zhou Xing's waist.
"No...it's nothing."
Zhou Xing gritted his teeth, cold sweat beading on his forehead, waved his hand, and forced a smile, saying, "Master Liu... excellent skill."
Guo Zhen helped him sit down, and then carefully lifted the corner of his clothes to look at the injury on his lower back.
Skin bruises, muscle and bone injuries, blood and qi stagnation... all conform to the characteristics of Ming Jin (明劲) striking.
Most importantly, he saw the cool, damp sweat, which was the mark left on his skin by the hidden energy penetrating his body.
He examined her for a moment, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, then his anger intensified:
"Look at you! You're so rough! If anything happens to Brother Zhou, how am I supposed to explain this to Master Ye?!"
"Senior brother, I was truly wrong!"
Liu bowed repeatedly, picked up the wine jar on the table, and said, "I'll finish this jar of wine as an apology to Inspector Zhou!"
Glug glug, he gulped down most of it.
Zhou Xing caught his breath, and some color returned to his face, but his back was still slouch, and he looked pale.
"Master Liu... has a huge capacity. It's because my skills are not good enough."
Guo Zhen offered a few more words of gentle comfort and personally poured hot tea for them.
"Have some to drink and calm your nerves. I'll have someone send over two plasters to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis later."
"Thank you, Master Guo."
After this incident, the atmosphere at the table cooled down.
Liu Yishou stopped provoking, and Guo Zhen only made some idle remarks.
Zhou Xing reluctantly sat for another cup of tea's time before getting up to take his leave, naturally citing that he was "not feeling well and feared he might spoil your enjoyment."
Guo Zhen didn't insist on keeping him, but personally escorted him to the entrance of the martial arts school, patting him on the shoulder:
"Brother Zhou, I apologize for the poor hospitality today. You must have been frightened. Please go back and rest well. We'll meet again another day."
"Master Guo, please wait."
Zhou Xing cupped his hands in greeting, turned, and left. His steps were unsteady, and his retreating figure revealed a disheveled state of forced effort.
After walking a dozen paces, he turned the corner. Zhou Xing didn't stop walking. He let out a long breath, slowly straightened up, and the pain on his face faded, leaving only a cold and solemn expression.
He touched his lower back, where it still ached, but his internal organs were fine.
He reached into his robe, took out the ginseng that Ip Man had given him, pinched off a piece of the ginseng root about an inch long, put it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully.
The ginseng slices have a bittersweet aftertaste, and a gentle warmth spreads out.
The "Fishing Toad Strength" moves with the thought, the breath is deep, long and even. The remaining hidden strength is wrapped and dissolved by the soft and long breath, like snow falling into boiling water, and most of it melts away in an instant.
The burning pain in my lower back also subsided.
In the main hall of the martial arts school, the remaining seats were still there.
Liu poured himself a bowl of wine, tilted his head back and gulped it down, then wiped his mouth.
"You're being too cautious. Zhou Xing is just a braggart who gets arrogant and overconfident when he gets ahead."
He may have some talent, but he's incredibly shallow. A few drinks and he's practically forgotten his ancestors. I think his supposed seven-day burst of energy is largely unfounded.
Guo Zhen's hearty smile had vanished. He stood by the window, hands behind his back, watching the darkening sky, and after a moment of silence, said:
"Ip Man's arrival in the south is crucial to the plan. There can be no mistakes. This week's trip... seems simple, but it has ruined my plans one after another."
Clubs, repair shops, ghost markets… he's there every time. Do you think it's all just luck?
Liu Yishou scoffed: "So what? No matter how much he tries to cause trouble, he's fallen into our trap now, hasn't he? My Azure Dragon Hidden Force has already penetrated him."
He may seem fine now, but within ten days, his kidney essence will be depleted, his internal organs will gradually decay, and even a celestial being couldn't save him. Whatever secrets he may have, he'll have to take them to his grave.
Guo Zhen turned around and looked at Liu Yishou's face: "I checked, the hidden force was indeed injected."
"Then what are you still worried about?"
Guo Zhen frowned slightly: "I can't quite put my finger on it. I just feel like... I've overlooked something."
Liu Yishou chuckled: "We're in the dark while the enemy is in the open; our plan is flawless. Once 'Guo Zhen' dies at the meeting, Ip Man will be speechless in front of everyone."
"Chief, the great undertaking is accomplished..."
The leader raised his hand to stop him from speaking: "Watch your words."
He gazed at the deepening twilight outside the hall, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "Ten days...that should be enough. You must keep a close eye on Madam Guo; there can be no mishaps. If necessary..."
……
In Ip Man's room at Yue Lai Inn.
The oil lamp was lit, and Ip Man was reading a book in front of it when he heard footsteps outside the door and looked up.
Zhou Xing pushed the door open and came in, then closed it behind him.
Ip Man looked him up and down, and seeing that his expression was normal and his steps were steady, he breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief.
"I'm back."
"Um."
Zhou Xing sat down opposite him, poured himself a bowl of cold tea and gulped it down. "The Feast at Hongmen, nothing more than this."
"how?"
"They're all excellent actors; I danced a sword dance with them."
Zhou Xing briefly recounted the conversation during the meal, Liu Yishou's provocation, and the final "handshake" incident.
He omitted the details of how he withstood the hidden force, only saying, "I took a hard hit, but it's nothing serious."
After listening, Ip Man pondered for a moment and said, "Your performance was fine, but Liu Yishou is the problem."
Zhou Xing put down his teacup: "The fact that someone like Master Guo could have his soul switched without anyone noticing is very likely due to betrayal by someone close to him like Liu Yishou."
But such a disguise can never be flawless. This person, no matter how convincingly they act, is ultimately not the real person. And there is another person most likely to see through the deception.
Ip Man pondered for a moment, then his eyes flickered: "You mean...his wife?"
"right."
Zhou Xing leaned forward. "During the meal today, when Madam Guo came to serve the dishes, her breathing suddenly became erratic for a moment as she passed by the fake Guo Zhen. She was nervous, or perhaps resisting something."
Ip Man pondered: "We've been husband and wife for over twenty years, deeply in love. But if the person beside you has been replaced by another soul, even if they look and act exactly the same,..."
Subtle habits, smells, even the murmurs in one's sleep—there are always differences. Ordinary people might not notice, but a wife who sees you day and night will certainly sense them.
"Exactly."
Zhou Xingdao said, "But now that she's under Guo Zhen's nose, she's probably being monitored, and her mind may even be controlled by evil magic. Getting direct contact and the truth out of her is as difficult as climbing to heaven."
Ip Man tapped his knuckles lightly on the table:
"If that's the case, then she is the biggest flaw and the most difficult witness to approach."
Zhou Xing looked at him and suddenly smiled:
"Now, there is one more way."
"Um?"
"I'll have to trouble Master Ye."
Zhou Xing's tone was slightly mischievous, "Go to the trouble tonight, go and eavesdrop."
Ip Man was taken aback, then chuckled, shook his head and sighed, "Eavesdropping... makes me sound like a petty scoundrel."
He looked at Zhou Xing, "You want me to infiltrate the Guo family and find an opportunity to meet with his wife alone?"
Zhou Xing said solemnly, "That's right. With my strength, I couldn't sneak in unnoticed by that person's peak internal energy level. But Master Ye, you..."
Ip Man remained silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh: "Wing Chun emphasizes listening to the bridge and finding the bridge. If you can listen, you can hide. As long as the two of you are not always in the same room, there will always be an opportunity."
His smile was tinged with helplessness. "I never imagined that Ip Man would one day become... a thief."
Zhou Xing laughed and said, "The enemy is too cunning. If we take the right path, we will fall into their trap. Now the enemy is in the light while we are in the dark."
He paused, then said, word by word, "The advantage lies with me."