Chapter 131: Afflicted by the Gu Curse

With Dragon Lady and Jenny gone, Long Fei felt a sudden sense of desolation. For years, he had traveled the world with Phoenix. Though their work was bloody and monotonous, he had never felt lonely with her by his side.

Even after they eventually parted ways, Long Fei could still find pleasure in the act of killing, never feeling as solitary as he did now. He offered a self-deprecating smile. Ever since arriving in Tianhai, he had been constantly surrounded by women. Had he become accustomed to that life? Alone in the hotel room, he felt an emptiness in his heart.

He thought of Liu Ruoyi, Yang Danni, and even that mischievous little girl, Ye Qian. Being in a foreign land seemed to deepen his longing for home. Remembering the resentful look in Yang Danni’s eyes, he yearned to book a flight and leave immediately. Yet, he wanted to spend one more day with Dragon Lady and observe the movements of the Japanese underworld. Furthermore, he needed to see the Iga and Koga clans clash. If they didn’t, he, as a troublemaker, would surely need to add fuel to the fire. Thus, he could not leave.

With no one to accompany him, he had no desire to go out. Although Ise City was rich in tourist attractions and home to the famous Ise Grand Shrine, Long Fei had no interest in them. He cared little for anything from Japan. It might have been better if a woman were with him, but the problem was, he was currently alone.

Recalling Dragon Lady's words, Long Fei dismissed the idea of going out. Bored, he decided that practicing his internal energy would be a better use of his time. It would kill time and allow him to check if his cultivation had progressed. Ever since arriving in Tianhai, he had been preoccupied with worldly affairs and had little time for cultivation.

He didn't know until he tried, but the results were startling. Long Fei knew he possessed a stream of innate *qi* within him, but he never expected it to have grown so rapidly. What was once the thickness of a fine thread was now as thick as the tip of a chopstick. It had shifted from a faintly solid feeling to something almost entirely solid, yet exceptionally flexible, flowing rapidly through his meridians at his command.

Long Fei was overjoyed. He had yet to fully understand the nature of this innate *qi*, but he suspected it was linked to the activation of his Pure Yang body—and, of course, his recent intimate encounters with women.

Regardless, this was a good thing. Long Fei quickly used this innate *qi* to guide his acquired internal energy through his meridians. With every cycle, he felt his internal power becoming more refined, and his meridians seemed to expand slightly. This delighted him; he knew that expanded meridians allowed for greater storage of energy and a stronger physique, which in turn amplified his power.

After forty-nine small cycles, Long Fei merged the two streams of energy into his *dantian*. The fist-sized energy mass he had painstakingly cultivated was now smaller and more concentrated. He nearly laughed aloud. Who knew that sleeping with women had such benefits? It seemed his Pure Yang body was truly remarkable; he would have plenty to look forward to.

When Long Fei finished and opened his eyes, it was already noon. Covered in sweat, he showered and headed to the dining hall for lunch. Unexpectedly, he encountered the Malaysian sorcerer there. Long Fei felt an inexplicable irritation, sensing the man with the feather in his hair watching him with ill intent. He quickly retreated to his room. No matter how high his martial arts level was, he did not want to deal with experts in poison. If he were caught off guard, all his skills would be useless.

With nothing to do in the afternoon, Long Fei decided to practice his mental power. Though his meditation the previous night had yielded no tangible results, he trusted that Song He would not deceive him. Moreover, Dragon Lady had insisted that this skill was immensely beneficial, so he had plenty of motivation.

However, shortly after entering a meditative state, he frowned. He heard a subtle sound behind him. He turned with caution, seeing nothing, but in that instant, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. Thinking it was an insect, he slapped at it, but his hand came away empty.

He shook his head, not giving it much thought. But as he prepared to resume his practice, he felt a tightness in his chest, as if something were crawling inside. It moved downward until it reached his heart. Long Fei’s expression shifted; he closed his eyes and tried to use his internal energy to investigate, but found nothing. Meanwhile, the pain in his heart intensified.

At that moment, the door opened, and the man with the feather stood there, grinning sinisterly. "Kid, we meet again!"

Long Fei’s heart skipped a beat. *Damn it, have I been poisoned by this bastard’s gu?* Seeing Francis’s expression, Long Fei knew the situation was dire. He truly was having a streak of bad luck; Dragon Lady’s prediction had been spot on.

He felt a sense of urgency. Francis and he had been at odds since the night before at the Black Dragon Bar. To fall into his hands was dangerous. However, remembering Dragon Lady’s assurance that he would encounter danger but survive, he calmed down slightly, even as the stabbing pain in his chest worsened.

Suspecting Francis was targeting him over the data disc, Long Fei remained vigilant. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Meaning? Don’t you understand? I simply don’t like you. You’re quite capable, aren't you? Even Dragon Lady helps you. Hmph, but now that you’re in my hands, you’ll have to listen to me!" Francis sneered.

Enduring the agony in his chest, Long Fei asked, "You poisoned me?"

"You’re smart, but that’s not important. This is!" Francis suddenly produced a pocket watch and dangled it before Long Fei’s eyes. Long Fei felt a jolt in his brain, and his eyelids grew heavy.

Francis’s voice became hypnotic: "Do you feel tired? Rest now. Close your eyes. Yes, that’s it. Now, don’t think of anything!"

Long Fei slowly closed his eyes, but a cool breeze seemed to blow through his mind. The mental power he had practiced suddenly flared up, automatically shielding his brain from being fully hypnotized by Francis.

Long Fei was relieved but dared not open his eyes or even blink. He had tried to use his internal energy earlier, but the moment he did, the insect in his chest bit his heart, causing him to break into a cold sweat. He abandoned the idea of a surprise attack. Besides, he was still under the influence of the *gu*. Even if he could kill Francis, who would cure him?

Thinking he had successfully hypnotized Long Fei, Francis put away the watch and smiled. "Answer my questions truthfully. Do not lie. Do you understand?"

Long Fei, acting as if he were under a spell, muttered, "Answer truthfully, no lies..."

Francis grinned. "Good. Why did you come to Japan?"

"To take the disc back from the Black Dragon Society!" Long Fei murmured. Internally, he was sweating bullets. The mental power he had practiced was truly miraculous; otherwise, he would have been completely under this old man’s control, and the consequences would have been catastrophic. It seemed his survival was destined.

Francis was momentarily stunned, but nodded. To him, this was the truth. It meant the disc held by Ye Wentian had indeed been reclaimed by the Black Dragon Society. Unfortunately, John Paul had been too impatient, killing Uchida Ichiro before he could be hypnotized. Now, the trail was cold.

"Are you lying to me?" Francis asked, though he felt the question was redundant.

Sure enough, Long Fei muttered, "Cannot lie, cannot lie."

Though he hadn’t learned the location of the disc, seeing Long Fei suffer under his control brought Francis a twisted satisfaction. He decided to continue: "What is your relationship with Dragon Lady?"

"Friends, good friends!" Long Fei muttered.

Francis’s expression brightened. "And how did you become friends?"

"I saved her, in India." Long Fei cursed Francis in his heart, swearing that once he grew stronger, this old man would be his first target. He had rarely felt so vulnerable.

Francis hummed, his anger fading slightly. He finally said, "Alright, you can wake up now!"

Long Fei shuddered, groaned, and slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Francis with feigned confusion and shock. "What did you just do to me?"

Francis sneered. "Nothing much. I just hypnotized you!"

"Despicable!" Long Fei appeared furious. He tried to stand, but stumbled and fell, clutching his chest.

"Is that so? Your willpower is just weak," Francis laughed.

"If you hadn't poisoned me, would I have fallen for your trick? Hmph, what did you ask me?"

"I won't tell you, haha!" Francis enjoyed Long Fei's panicked expression. He assumed Long Fei would live in constant fear, wondering what secrets he had leaked.

Clutching his chest, Long Fei reached out as if to grab Francis. "Give me the antidote! Tell me, what did I say?"

"Enjoy the taste of the poison, boy. I’m leaving. As for the antidote, I’m sure Dragon Lady will have a way to save you. Until she returns, you will suffer!" Francis chanted a few words and walked away with a cold laugh.

Long Fei struggled to stand. "Stop! Give me the antidote!"

He collapsed again. The pain intensified as the insect moved toward other organs. Lying on the sofa, Long Fei’s body looked fine, but he was in agony. He could only count himself lucky; this encounter had been dangerous. It reinforced his determination to improve his mental power.

Though he felt like crying, he fought it. He tried to call Dragon Lady, but as he dialed, a sharp pain struck his chest, and he lost consciousness.

When he finally opened his eyes, it was the middle of the night. Phoenix was watching him anxiously. Seeing him wake, she turned away, but not before he saw her red, swollen eyes.

"Young Master, are you alright?" she asked, trying to sound casual, though her concern was obvious.

Long Fei was touched. "I think I'm fine."

He felt much better, though weak, like someone recovering from a long illness. "What happened?"

"I brewed some medicine for you. You should recover soon. I just removed the *gu* from your body," Dragon Lady said, entering with a bowl of medicine. The smell of traditional Chinese herbs filled the room.

Long Fei drank it without asking how she knew Chinese medicine. He felt much better afterward. Seeing Phoenix turn to leave, he noticed the murder in her eyes and panicked. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to kill him!" Phoenix stopped, her killing intent undiminished.

Long Fei was startled. If he wasn't a match for Francis, Phoenix would be walking to her death. "You are forbidden to go!"

Phoenix turned, looking aggrieved, and stayed silent.

Long Fei sighed. "You are no match for him. You’ll just be throwing your life away. Besides, am I not fine now?"

"But he hurt you. Anyone who hurts you deserves to die!" she insisted stubbornly.

"Must I beg you to listen? I don't want anything to happen to you. Do you understand?" Long Fei snapped, his heart in chaos.

Phoenix trembled and lowered her head. The words "I don't want anything to happen to you" meant the world to her. She felt like crying; Long Fei still cared about her, even if he kept his distance due to their relationship.

Realizing his feelings, her heart ached even more. Guilt-stricken by her impulsiveness, she whispered, "Yes, Young Master."

"Come here," Long Fei said.

She approached, looking at him with confusion. Seeing him still avoid her gaze, she felt a pang of loss.

"What time is it?" Long Fei asked.

"Three in the morning," Phoenix replied.

"And..." Long Fei hesitated. "Did the Iga and Koga clans clash?"

This was the question he cared about most. He had endured all this pain and danger for the sake of watching that conflict. If they hadn't fought, his suffering would have been for nothing.