It was night. I had been chasing monsters for several days that were attacking people near the border of Lanling and Qinghe.

I had just located 3 of them. These monsters were halfway between puppets and ferocious corpses. I had to capture one of them, to find out what they really were and who had created them.

I had heard the sound of a flute several times and my heart had jumped. It had been more than two years since I had regained my freedom and begun my quest for you. Tonight, I swore to myself that I would unlock the secret of these monsters and their master!

A flute tune went up in the night, a brief, clear and distant order. The 3 monsters separated. I decided to follow one of them, the one that seemed the weakest. I tracked it to the ruins. Everything was silent. A kind of fog started to rise from the nearby swamps. It slid between the walls of the dilapidated houses. I walked in silence.

The flute was heard again, just a few chords. Closer. Then silence.

The fog covered, now, the entirety of the ruins. I heard a noise on my left and turned around ready to fight. The other two monsters had joined their sidekick.

I suddenly had a bad feeling. I had been deliberately lured into these ruins! Why? These monsters couldn't think, so it was their master who had set this trap for me. I couldn't believe it was you! I know you, you would never hurt me on purpose.

They went on the attack. I don't know where they got their weapons, but they seemed to be well made! I would have to inspect them more closely once I had them out of the way. I got rid of the first two easily. The third one gave me more trouble, I didn't want to destroy it but to capture it. I was preparing to corner it in a dead end when I started to cough. My head was spinning, I was starting to lose my bearings. My opponent charged at me, taking advantage of my weakness. I had the impression to move in slow motion, then it was the black!

The first thought I had was that I was not dead. I kept my eyes closed. I could hear the crackling of a fire. I could not feel the breath of air. I must have been in a building. Near me, on my right, I could hear breathing and the rustle of leaves being turned. The breathing was calm and regular. I could not feel any negative energy.

"Are you awake, Han GuangJun? How are you feeling? "

I opened my eyes. I was lying on a bed. The room I was in was not very big, roughly furnished and clean. A man came and sat on the edge of my bed. He took my wrist and looked for the energy point on it. After a few moments, he put my hand back on my chest.

"Your energy is flowing normally again. You were very lucky that I went through this! "

"Who are you? "

"All in good time, Han GuangJun, but first... " he leaned over to the table next to the bed and poured boiling water into a bowl. A smell of medicinal herbs wafted out.

"Drink this, we'll talk later... and don't worry, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it when you were unconscious! Drink this! "he said with a smile.

He put the bowl in my hands. He was not wrong. I decided to trust him, his smile was warm and his eyes sparkled with mischief reminding me vaguely of my love! While I drank, I looked at him more attentively

He was dressed in a simple way, a gray dress with a black coat. Tightened at the waist by a leather belt. His age was difficult to determine, as is often the case with farmers. But I gave him about the same age as Uncle. He wore a pouch around his waist that clinked when he moved. Right next to it hung an herb pouch. In all likelihood, he must have been a doctor. I finished my tea and put the bowl back on the table.

My savior looked me straight in the eye. He lay half on the bed, leaning on his elbow.

"So? Verdict?" I liked his frankness.

"Doctor".

"Too easy! What else"

" It's very light, but you have the accent of Baling, not far from Yunmeng "

" Wellnn !!!! "

"Your clothes, although simple, are neat and come from a good manufacturer, I would say Lanling. You do not wear any distinctive colors or emblems of clan affiliation. But I feel in you a great energy and a perfect control. I would say that you are not a true wandering cultist and that you have a point of attachment. But this is not a known sect." .

My savior began to laugh!

"Han GuangJun, you are really as I had heard! "He sat down again.

"You must be wondering what happened last night? "

"Mnnn"

"I was collecting herbs in the swamp near the ruins where I found you. I heard the sound of a flute and then the sound of swords clashing. So I went towards the origin of the noise. Just before I found you, I saw a man wearing a mask and holding a flute. I called out to him, drawing my sword. I may be a doctor, but I've been taught to use weapons! My grandmother was always strict on the subject! We exchanged a few blows and then he ran off. I ran into the ruins and arrived just as you were passing out. I threw my sword and eliminated your assailant. "He paused for a moment and poured himself a cup of tea.

"I immediately felt that the atmosphere was strange! That monster disintegrated and released a powder like substance. I examined you and I understood. It was poison.

He took a sip and continued.

"I think someone deliberately tried to kill you! Han GuangJun, it seems that you are bothering people! "

"I don't know what makes you say that! "

I had come to think the same thing, but I wasn't going to tell him, I didn't know him!

"This trap has been perfectly orchestrated! ... I assume that the number of people you are disturbing must be quite high. "He stared at me and took another sip of tea.

"Han Guang Jun, rumor has it that you travel all over the land, as far as the eye can see. What are you looking for? "

"I am doing my duty."

And what are you looking for? Who are you? You say you fought against the master of the monsters that attacked me? But what if in reality you were their master?

"But what else? Don't make me believe that you throw yourself headlong into battles against the forces of evil, just out of duty. I know that you went on a three-year retreat and that shortly after coming out of it, you began to travel, only rarely returning to Yuchen Buzhi. So, I repeat my question, what are you looking for? "

"Who are you? "I suddenly straightened up.

This man seemed to know a lot about me!

He finished his cup and stood up. He went to put it in a bucket on a cabinet. He turned to me and smiled.

"I am not your enemy, Han Guangjun, on the contrary. I will always be there to help you, count on me! "

He picked up a bag and threw it over his shoulder and headed for the door.

"You can stay and rest here, you are safe. We will meet again, sooner than you think.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then as he opened the door he turned back to me.

"Don't lose hope. You will find the one you are looking for even if the road is long and full of pitfalls. And if you lose hope, I will be there. He left and closed the door.

I was stunned by what he had just told me! What exactly did he know about me and my love? Who was he?

The door opened with a bang, he put his head through the crack and smiled.

"Ah , by the way, my name is BaoChen SanRen" then he disappeared again, without coming back this time!

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

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So, you have just met BaoChen Sanren. I had vaguely mentioned him in the previous chapter. You will find him regularly with Lan Zhan, during his years of wandering. You will get to know him and love him, I hope.

You will have understood that he is the one who knows all the secrets of this story, including where Wei Ying was during these 16 years of absence!

But the time has not come to reveal it to you yet! So....patience .....