Why do I have so many masters?

```

After Wang Anfeng left the Meng Yuexue's residence, a stick of incense's time had already passed.

Meng Yuexue sat by the bed, her palm holding Chuan Lian's, the withered, twig-like fingers contrasted starkly against the girl's, providing a significant shock. The townsfolk huddled together in the room, would have been quite curious if they saw this scene on any ordinary day, but their hearts were restless now, and they had no interest in whispering to one another.

Screams of agony could be heard from the streets.

Meng Yuexue's expression remained calm, but her grip on Chuan Lian's hand quivered imperceptibly.

As a medical student, when she was needed the most, she stayed here, choosing to stand by idly. Even though no one blamed her, guilt already filled the girl's heart.

She looked up at Chuan Lian, whose eyes were tightly closed, and for a rare moment, weakness flickered in her heart.

What should I do? Senior brother...

If you were only awake,

How good that would be.

Meng Yuexue pressed her lips together, closing her eyes as if doing so could separate her from the screams outside, as if by just doing this, she wouldn't have to think about choices, about decisions.

Just like when she played hide and seek with her senior brother on the mountain as a child.

If she covered her eyes, it felt like senior brother could never catch her.

Should she leave her senior brother behind, forsaking someone as close as the last of her kin, to go out and treat others?

Or should she ignore the outside wailing, stay here, and prevent any mishap to her senior brother?

Should she choose family ties or an even deeper sentiment, or should she choose her moral duty?

The hardest thing in the world is never the struggle between right and wrong, but at such a time, you can only choose one of two equally cherished, equally correct options and abandon the other.

And the one you give up on ceases to exist.

No matter how intact it may seem in the eyes of others, or how safe the situation truly is, you know that at this moment, you have abandoned it.

Such a decision is incredibly cruel even for a middle-aged person who has seen much of the world, let alone for Meng Yuexue, a mere sixteen-year-old girl. All the more so because she had been able to survive thus far in the dangerous Jianghu, precisely because of Chuan Lian.

In such a situation, no one would blame her for her choice, nor does anyone have the right to.

Those who speak grand words have not been in her position.

Yet despite this, the girl still showed signs of distress, unconsciously biting her lower lip and clamping down firmly, leaving a shallow indent. Her lips split, and a ruby line of blood trickled down the side.

Her mouth suddenly filled with a sweet, metallic taste.

Senior brother, what should I do...

What should I do...

Grandfather.

...........................

On the main street.

The middle-aged arrest officer, his waist bearing a saber, marched briskly.

As a Ninth Rank Martial Artist, if he truly disregarded the consequences and ran madly, his speed could rival that of a galloping horse for a short time. Now, as he ran wildly, he circulated his energy through his throat, shouting as instructed by the old doctor:

"Students of the Medical Family, come out!"

"Don't hide now; the poisoned villagers need you, hurry up and come out..."

"Go to Reviving Spring Hall, take the medicinal materials to Reviving Spring Hall, the entire hall is filled with poisoned townspeople!"

"Life is of utmost importance, it's worth more than any treasure!"

Voices faintly reached Meng Yuexue's ears, and she suddenly opened her eyes, looking at Chuan Lian before her, assuming it was all a hallucination from her recent fatigue.

But the voice became clearer with time. Clearly, someone was outside, shouting and running, unknowable how long they had been at it. That voice, which should have been rough and strong, was now extremely hoarse as if its owner hadn't drunk water for three days.

Yet even with the voice reduced to such a rasp, the person did not relax at all.

The hoarse voice continued to desperately cry out, acquiring a touch of harrowing urgency.

"Life is of utmost importance, it's worth more than any treasure!"

Meng Yuexue couldn't help but rise to her feet, but as she stepped aside, her body suddenly stiffened.

No, I can't...

Moments later, the voice gradually faded away. Meng Yuexue staggered a few steps and sank down weakly, a self-mocking look emerging on her face. Yet as she turned to look at Chuan Lian, her eyes suddenly widened, and her body tensed instantly.

The Chuan Lian lying on the bed.

The Jianghu youth who was nearly an undead, the Pharmacist Valley disciple who was just a step away from death, his hand clenched on the bed was now trembling slightly.

Underneath the tightly shut eyelids, his eyes were shaking violently.

```

A hoarse voice murmured in a nearly inaudible volume:

"Save people... "

"Hibiscus Leaf... Hibiscus Leaf..."

"Junior sister, Fire Refined Grass, crush it into juice...quick, the wound is going to fester..."

"Red Gold Leaf, and also..."

The voice was intermittent and weak, yet it struck Meng Yuexue's ears like thunder. The girl's eyes widened before being filled with moisture.

Senior brother...

Tears slid down her cheeks.

Pharmacist Valley was destroyed overnight; she simply couldn't believe her grandfather would do such a thing. After arguing with her senior brother, she ran out, only to be spotted and nearly killed.

Senior brother saved her.

And then decided to take her to Pharmacist Valley to see for themselves.

Later, while passing through a small city, in order to treat a pair of wandering little girls, because they lacked medicinal herbs, Meng Yuexue's attempt to purchase medicine exposed them...

Chuan Lian's voice suddenly went quiet, his eyes tightly closed, still deep in a coma, he whispered:

"Don't worry..."

"I will definitely save you all..."

His voice was exceptionally hoarse, but it had a calming effect.

Very gentle, very reassuring.

As if struck by lightning, the girl who had once faced off against more than a dozen wicked Jianghu men without a hint of fear, who had supported herself alone in Jianghu for two years and had become mature and capable, collapsed to the ground, powerless. With a couple of sobs, she cried aloud like a child.

Two years earlier.

"You are my junior sister, how could I let you go on the road alone?"

The young man in white clothes had an injury on his shoulder. He was crying; however, he was smiling.

That face, still so wooden.

"Don't worry."

"With me here."

......................

The town's arrest officer, Xing Xiangfei, sprinted frantically down the main road, his heart filled with anxiety.

He had just gone back to Reviving Spring Hall again. Nearly all the medical family students in the entire city were gathered there, even the barefoot doctor who happened to be there had rushed over. But though there were many, most were only adept at handling common conditions. With such a strange poison, they at most knew how to avoid it, but for those poisoned, how to administer a cure hardly anyone understood.

Though they had made many types of detoxification medicine, the effects were insignificant.

Xing Xiangfei bit his teeth hard.

Damn it!

His speed involuntarily increased even more, his throat hoarse as if someone was rubbing it with a dagger, but he still raised his voice, shouting hoarsely:

"Is there anyone skilled at detoxification?!"

"Please, is there?!" Continue your story on My Virtual Library Empire

Just when he himself was about to despair, a voice more resonant than his appeared, and the arrest officer felt a chill rise up his back. He almost instantaneously stopped, his right hand rapidly drew his knife. His fingers were bloody, but he gripped tightly. From within the poisonous fog, someone emerged.

Xing Xiangfei's expression shifted subtly.

In front of him wasn't a fierce or vicious martial artist, but a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, with slightly red eyes as if she had just cried. Though he knew that in Jianghu there were many women with the heart of a serpent and scorpion who were not only highly skilled in martial arts but also cruel and dangerous, his guard relaxed a bit as he said:

"Little girl, this place is dangerous. You should leave quickly..."

The girl sniffled and said:

"Aren't you looking for a doctor skilled at detoxification?"

Xing Xiangfei's eyes brightened slightly as he said:

"Could it be that you..."

The girl nodded her head, lifted her face, and thought of Chuan Lian, still unconscious on the bed, thought of the old man who had once advised her to learn medicine and do good, thought of her notorious family. She pursed her lips and said:

"Pharmacist Valley, Meng Yuexue..."

PS: Second update