Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Purity (Part 2)
Fu Juemin sat in the car, his eyes closed as if feigning sleep, his mind quietly pondering matters.
He had an idea regarding the Water Demon at the pier, but even with perfect preparations, success or failure would depend far too much on luck.
The Fu Family of today was no longer the Fu Family of a month ago.
In the past half-month, the ill repute of Song Lin, the son of the Governor of Yangping Province, had become deeply ingrained in the minds of the people of Luan River County.
While perhaps not enough to make children stop crying at the mention of his name, it was enough to make everyone’s face pale when they heard it.
News that Song Lin was intentionally targeting the Fu Family with the intent of swallowing them whole had also gradually spread among the upper circles of Luan River County.
Some of the merchants who were once on good terms with Fu Guosheng had already begun to temporarily suspend their business dealings with the Fu Family.
Although Fu Guosheng’s prestige in Luan River’s business community was still intact, the Fu Family’s situation was indeed deteriorating by the day.
During this time, Fu Juemin had personally witnessed Fu Guosheng throwing away vast sums of money—repairing bridges, mending roads, providing disaster relief, rewarding the troops... He had even bought an entire page in the provincial newspaper to publicize the Fu Family’s good deeds and contributions.
This had barely managed to slow Song Lin’s relentless advance.
But it was, in the end, just a stopgap measure.
’The root of this problem is Song Lin. Either I make him change his mind...’
’Or...’
Fu Juemin opened his eyes, a chill like that of late autumn glinting within them.
’...make him die.’
Perhaps proactively offering up the vast majority of their family fortune could convince Song Lin to finally let the Fu Family go.
But Fu Juemin had seen the hardships of the common people at the bottom of this chaotic world—their lives as insignificant as weeds, with no guarantee they would see the next day.
Moreover, he had now set foot upon the Martial Dao. The further he progressed, the more wealth he would need for support. Song Lin’s desire to seize the Fu Family’s assets was tantamount to severing his martial path.
Even if only to secure the power to protect himself and ensure his future, he could never choose to bow down and compromise.
But, killing Song Lin...
It was too difficult.
Even setting aside his status as the Governor’s Son, the two Tongxuan Martial Artists by his side alone were not something Fu Juemin could currently handle.
He had only just begun Blood Refining; it was impossible for him to reach a level on the Martial Dao capable of confronting a Tongxuan in such a short time.
That was why he had thought of the water monkey at the Luan River Pier, to see if he could find an unconventional path...
Leaving the Luan River Pier, Fu Juemin had his car drive him aimlessly through the city.
For lunch, he ate at Furui Tower, ordering their finest Seven Fortunes Roast Goose, yet he had no appetite.
In the afternoon, he went to Qunyu Garden to listen to some opera. He had never been very interested in theater, and the high-pitched singing on stage grated on his ears. He couldn’t take in a single word, and the longer he listened, the more agitated he became.
It was only when he suddenly recalled something Su Hui had once told him that he tossed a few silver coins onto the stage, and his mood finally lightened a little.
At three in the afternoon, Fu Juemin returned home.
The moment he stepped inside, he could feel that the atmosphere in the hall was wrong.
His father, Fu Guosheng, stood before a "Pine Crane Longevity" painting hanging in the center of the living room, silently smoking his pipe. His stepmother, Lin Wanrong, sat dazedly on the sofa, seemingly lost in thought, not even glancing at him as he entered.
Fu Juemin called out, "Father," but Fu Guosheng didn’t respond. When he greeted Lin Wanrong, she finally reacted, forcing a faint smile for him.
"Uncle Chen, what happened?"
Fu Juemin called over the butler, Uncle Chen, who was waiting nearby, and asked about the situation.
Uncle Chen started to speak, then stopped, glancing at Fu Guosheng before hesitantly replying, "Today, the mistress took the two young ladies out. They were... they were stopped on the street by that Special Envoy Song and were forcibly invited to a meal at County Magistrate Hu’s home."
"Did Song Lin do anything?"
Fu Juemin’s brow furrowed. This time, his gaze fell upon his stepmother, Lin Wanrong.
Lin Wanrong met Fu Juemin’s eyes and her shoulders trembled. She spoke in a rush, "No... he didn’t do anything..."
"Just a meal?"
Fu Juemin stared into Lin Wanrong’s eyes.
"He killed someone right in front of us!"
Lin Wanrong suddenly became hysterical. "Thank goodness... Thank goodness I covered Shuyao’s and Shuxin’s eyes..."
At that moment, Fu Guosheng, who had been facing the painting, turned around to look at Fu Juemin.
It was the first time Fu Juemin had ever seen his father’s expression so grim, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.
"I’ve already asked someone to contact my connections in the Provincial Government.
They promised to put in a good word for me with Song Zhenyuan.
As long as Song Zhenyuan is willing to relent, Song Lin’s side of things... should be easier to resolve..."
Fu Guosheng said this to Fu Juemin in a reassuring tone.
Fu Juemin remained expressionless and slowly said, "Father, wagging your tail and begging won’t bring you true peace."
"Don’t you go acting like your second uncle..."
Fu Guosheng seemed unwilling to explain further. He waved his hand wearily. "For the time being, don’t go running around outside. Just stay home, be good. Practice your martial arts, whatever..."
Saying this, he called the butler, Uncle Chen, by his name.
"Zhongping."
He then began giving Uncle Chen a series of instructions.
Fu Juemin quietly withdrew from the front hall, feeling the stifling frustration in his chest grow even heavier.
After changing into his training clothes, he went to the medicated bath chamber alone.
He didn’t have anyone prepare the medicinal herbs, but simply soaked his entire body in the pool, limbs spread, allowing the churning hot water to slowly submerge him.
Whether in terms of strength or background, he had no way to contend with Song Lin.
This filled him with a deep, gut-wrenching sense of powerlessness and defeat.
Fu Juemin had previously thought that perhaps he could use the Water Demon from the pier to deal with Song Lin.
If Song Lin died at the hands of the Water Demon, then all his problems would naturally be solved.
If the Water Demon was killed by the experts at Song Lin’s side, that would also be beneficial to him.
But while this method sounded wonderful, putting it into practice was not so simple...
’Or, use dynamite!’
’Second Uncle should have some.’
’A few hundred pounds of dynamite tossed directly into Hu Fulai’s residence, or planted in advance on a road Song Lin is bound to travel. As long as it goes smoothly, even with two Tongxuan Guards, he would have no chance of survival.’
’But this plan requires thinking about the aftermath.’
’If Song Lin were to die in Luan River like that, I’m afraid the entire county would be buried with him under Song Zhenyuan’s wrath...’
Fu Juemin’s mind was a chaotic jumble of thoughts. One plan after another surfaced, only to be rejected by him one by one.
Unconsciously, the contents of *The Sutra of the Buddha’s Original Vows and Merits of the Pharmacist Master Vajra Light* flashed through his mind.
These scriptures, which he had recited no less than a thousand times, now flowed through his heart like petals on a stream, word by word.
All distracting thoughts gradually faded, and Fu Juemin entered an ineffably profound state of mind.
Sensing something, he seized this subtle state and immediately leaped out of the water, calling for someone to prepare the medicated bath.
As the various supplementary ingredients were added to the circular trough in the center of the medicated bath, Fu Juemin leaped into the water, clutching the last Centennial Mire Lotus Seed.
The hot concoction surged. Fu Juemin stood suspended in the water as the currents swirled around him like a thousand invisible snakes, desperately trying to burrow into his body.
As if struck by inspiration, he began to practice the five movements from the "Pharmacist Master Purification Diagram."
He had just barely finished one cycle.
When he heard...
...a series of fine, crisp sounds from within his body, as if something was shattering.
...
Inside the room, which was wreathed in mist and thick with steam...
A faint, strange odor permeated the air—the scent of medicine mixed with something like rotten eggs.
BOOM!
With a tremendous splash, a figure suddenly burst forth from the circular pool in the center of the room!
