<h4>Chapter 481: Chapter 483: Let Heaven Decide</h4><h4></h4>


    Master Guangde once again handed the wooden fish to Chu Ge.


    Chu Ge was perplexed and said, "This originally belongs to the master, and since fate brought us together today, it’s akin to ’return the jade intact to Zhao’."


    Master Guangde smiled, uttered, "Amitabha Buddha – The karmic bond between the wooden fish and me has ended. Since it was destined to end up in my nephew-disciple’s hands, it shows that there is a profound connection between you and the wooden fish. How could I possibly take it back?"


    Seeing that Master Guangde refused to take it, Chu Ge had no choice but to let it be.


    The friendship between Master Guangde and Chu Ge’s master was as deep as his master and Jian Chunqiu’s. Naturally, when they met, they had to catch up.


    However, as they conversed, Master Guangde’s evaluating eyes fell on Chu Ge and he always felt that something was odd about him.


    Chu Ge, feeling somewhat ufortable under Master Guangde’s gaze, curiously asked, "Master Guangde, why do you look at me like that?"


    Master Guangde slightly shook his head, smiled and said, "It has been a decade since Ist saw my nephew-disciple. I feel that there have been huge changes in you; I can no longer see the shadow of the boy from those years."


    Although he hadst seen Chu Ge when he was only ten, he vividly remembered the pride inherent in him. The ten-year-old Chu Ge wasnky and had an indescribable air of arrogance, but now, a decadeter, that pride seemed entirely absent, instead, he appeared somewhat sickly.


    Chu Ge didn’t expect Master Guangde to notice his condition so quickly. Thinking of the loss of his martial arts skills due to poisoning, he gave a bitter smile and said, "I won’t hide it from you, master, I am poisoned, and my martial arts arepletely gone. I’m no different from an ordinary person now."


    Master Guangde was taken aback and frowned, puzzled, "Do you know what poison it is?"


    Chu Ge shook his head slightly, "I don’t know. No matter how I diagnose it, I cannot figure it out. I also feel physically weak and often want to sleep after not much time."


    If this continues, he truly cannot guarantee that his body’s capabilities won’t degenerate.


    Master Guangde was momentarily stunned, then he understood, "Even my nephew-disciple doesn’t know what poison he has been afflicted with? It must be the work of a skilled hand then."


    The poisoner?


    A self-mocking smile formed on Chu Ge’s lips. Although he knew that the mastermind who poisoned him were those Japanese, he had no clue who exactly had administered it.


    But now, who administered the poison didn’t matter— because one day in the future, he would settle this score, no matter who it was.


    However, before that, he must first cure the poison in his body!


    Chu Ge sighed softly, wondering where those Japanese got such mysterious poison, even unknown to him.


    Master Guangde then looked back at a child ying joyfully beside him and instructed, "Child, go fetch my pulse pillow."


    The child nced back, said "Oh," and then with slight reluctance nced at Chu Ge, before running out and soon returning with a pulse pillow.


    "Master, here."


    The child ced the pulse pillow on the table, then went off to y on his own again.


    Master Guangde gestured invitingly, "My Medical Skill may not be as exquisite as your master’s, but may I give it a try?"


    He also wanted to find out exactly what the poison was!


    Chu Ge nodded slightly, "Of course, it’s my honor to have Master Guangde personally take my pulse."


    Master Guangde’s medical skills weren’t as modest as he verbally imed; his skills had indeed surpassed his own master’s by a great margin.


    Back in the days, his master also sought much medical knowledge from Master Guangde.


    The acupuncture technique he knew now was learned by his master from Master Guangde and then passed on to him.


    Chu Ge ced his wrist on the pillow for pulse-taking, and Master Guangde began to take his pulse.


    Chu Ge held his breath and watched Master Guangde somewhat nervously.


    He waspletely unaware that at this moment, he had pinned all his hopes on Master Guangde.


    Because if even Master Guangde didn’t know what the poison was, then there would be no cure for his condition.


    Beside him, Huo Tianqian remained silent, feeling tense when he saw Master Guangde voluntarily taking Chu Ge’s pulse.


    He didn’t know much about Master Guangde, but anyone who Chu Ge respected must be an extraordinary figure.


    Three minutes passed, and Master Guangde’s expression grew increasingly grim.


    After a moment, he withdrew his hand, touched his chin, and pondered, seemingly deep in thought.


    Seeing this, Chu Ge felt a slight sense of disappointment – could it be that even Master Guangde didn’t know what the poison was?


    Just when Chu Ge was lost in his thoughts, Master Guangde spoke up, sighing lightly with a touch of destion in his voice, "This poison hasn’t appeared for eighty years."


    Chu Ge and Huo Tianqian’s expressions shifted, and both revealed a hint of joy, eagerly awaiting for Master Guangde to continue.


    Master Guangde took a deep breath, his gaze forward, but his eyes unfocused, as if reminiscing about the past through a point in front of him.


    "Eighty years ago, this poison also appeared in the world of martial arts. The poison is colorless and tasteless; ordinary people who consume it feel no effects, but it seals the martial arts of Ancient Martial Artists."


    Master Guangde paused, held the prayer beads in his hand, then ced them on the table, pointing at them and said, "Back then, the owner of these prayer beads also consumed this poison in order to seal his own martial arts."


    Chu Ge frowned, but did not speak to interrupt Master Guangde, continuing to listen intently.


    With a sigh, Master Guangde continued, "The owner of these beads had not yet be a monk back then. He was a murderous madman who roamed aroundmitting killings, his hands stained with the blood of many, until he met and fell in love at first sight with a beautiful woman, and thereafter, he led a happy and fulfilling life. However, the good times did notst long. Due to the sins he had umted, many enemies sought him out, forcing him to wander with his beloved. Later, during an attack by these enemies, the woman was tragically killed, whichpletely devastated him.


    Struck deeply by his lover’s death and seeking vengeance for her, he wanted to wash his hands clean of his past life, but no matter what he did, he could not escape the sins and nightmares that gued his heart.


    It was not untilter when he met my master, who took him to the mountains and taught him the Meditation Heart Method. Initially, his enemies still came to the mountain seeking him, as if they had agreed, all arriving together, and forced my master to hand him over.


    At that time, one of the pursuers produced a bottle of poison and made him drink it in front of everyone, since that person did not know the effects of the poison, he also left it to fate."