Chapter 83: Bewitching Potion

Drinking wine and eating dishes, Bai Li Feihong smiled as he ate. No matter how cautious he was, he had still fallen into their trap. The soul-confusing drug was a kind of substance that could not be detected by silver needles—indeed, it could scarcely be called poison at all.

Though he knew the food and drink had been laced with this drug, Bai Li Feihong continued to eat heartily. The drug entered his body, absorbed through his system, flowing through his blood into his brain, lulling the spirit into sleep. It was a crude trick. Had it been any other top-ranked Demon Suppressor, they would have surely succumbed.

Yet, the power of Blood Refinement revealed itself now. Any harmful substance that entered his bloodstream was swiftly purified and burned away by his blood. Still, Bai Li Feihong did not stop. He was listening in, eavesdropping. Others, too, were using their ears to monitor his every move.

The chivalrous guests downstairs only began discussing the opium case after he had drunk the Hundred Flower Brew and eaten the roast lamb.

“What was my weakness?” he mused. That’s right—they had recognized my Demon-Slaying Blade. The Demon Suppression Bureau’s blade had been spotted. He had fallen in among thieves. Perhaps, the entire Hundred Flower Town, like Dalie Town, had already become an outer organization of the Flower Pavilion Sect.

Yet, what puzzled Bai Li Feihong most was the Black Tiger Mountain God worshipped in the temple—what did it mean? Would an evil sect truly worship the Black Tiger Mountain God? In the eyes of the Flower Pavilion Sect, what could the Black Tiger Mountain God possibly count for? They, radical in their ways, feared no demon or monster.

“Could the Black Tiger Mountain God be a demon controlled by the Flower Pavilion Sect?” Demons harm people, as do evil sects. For them, only the pursuit of greater power mattered—imperial law and human morality meant nothing.

“The demon aura detected by the Demon-Settling Compass must have been that of the Black Tiger Mountain God, right?” “Why did it vanish so suddenly?”

Suddenly, Bai Li Feihong recalled his use of Blood Town Rivers, that divine art, to deal with the Japanese pirates. The moment this art was unleashed, his blood energy surged, shining out for miles. The demons of Hundred Flower Town would surely have sensed his blood energy, prompting them to flee or hide.

“I left the official road, entered the woods, and came to Hundred Flower Town in less than an hour.” It seemed the Black Tiger Mountain God had entered the Transverse Mountains. The compass had pointed to Hundred Flower Town, but really it meant the mountains nearby.

“He hasn’t gone far, still near Hundred Flower Town.” With this realization, Bai Li Feihong finished the wine and food. Suddenly, he raised his hand and knocked the wine jar to the floor.

The crash drew much attention.

“Hundred Flower Brew... fine wine... packs a punch... it’s gotten me drunk...” He staggered toward the bed, collapsed heavily, and his breathing soon steadied. Yet his eyes remained open, watching the door.

Footsteps approached.

“Guest, are you alright?” the familiar voice of the attendant called. No answer.

“Guest, did you break something? Are you hurt?” “Guest, are you still there?” The attendant knocked ten times, and, hearing no reply, finally pushed open the door.

It creaked open. The attendant was surprised—the guest had not locked the door, nor bolted it. Carrying an oil lamp, he entered. The room was a mess. The guest lay sprawled on the bed, his blade hanging at the headboard.

The attendant tiptoed to the bedside. Bai Li Feihong remained still; he sensed no murderous intent from the attendant. Besides, with his current body-tempering skills, the attendant could not have killed him even lying down.

He listened as the attendant took his Demon-Slaying Blade. Bai Li Feihong wore a cold smile. Whether this inn was a den of thieves, he did not know, but he was certain his suspicions were correct. The entire Hundred Flower Town was compromised.

Now he understood why the Demon Suppression Bureau had no reports from Hundred Flower Town in Nanshan County. The town simply did not exist. The people gathered here were mostly freelance martial artists from various guilds of the Yuan Empire, assembled here.

The so-called spirit flower was still a mystery, but Hundred Flower Town had acquired improved poppy seeds. Much of the Yuan Empire’s terrain was unsuited for cultivating this plant.

If these seeds were improved, they could be grown anywhere, and controlling opium would become much harder. The seeds had to be destroyed—eradicated before they could take root.

If only the Guardian were here. Hundred Flower Town might soon become the next Dalie Town.

It began with blood, and Dongbin was destroyed.

The prophecy surfaced in his mind again. Bai Li Feihong had once thought “begins with blood” meant that opium consumption would destroy Dongbin, and then the Yuan Empire. Now, he had a new understanding.

Smuggling opium could be banned, but in this age of poor transportation, if improved poppy seeds were deliberately spread and high profits tempted people, that would truly undermine the Yuan Empire’s foundations.

“Master, here is the blade from Room Two, guest of the top rank,” the attendant whispered, carrying the blade to the room of a martial artist at the Refining Aperture stage.

The mysterious master took the blade, drew it, and the cold light flashed—special patterns ran along its length, the Demon-Slaying sigils.

“This is the Demon Suppression Bureau’s Demon-Slaying Blade, reserved for top-ranked agents. So, the outsider who slipped into Hundred Flower Town is an agent of the Bureau.”

The young master, dressed in white, refined and gentle, smiled with beguiling warmth as he stroked the blade. He felt the strange power within and his eyes shone. “The Demon Suppression Bureau spares no expense; this Demon-Slaying Blade is a peerless weapon, especially effective against monsters.”

“You’ve done well. I’ll take this blade.” “By the way, notify the town mayor to deal with this agent. Lest the night drag on and the effects of the soul-confusing drug wear off too soon for him.”

The young master leapt out the window, vanishing from sight.

Bai Li Feihong frowned—the fellow had actually taken his blade. How dare they take what belongs to me?

He had half-expected the man to come and kill him, but the young master revealed his identity, took the blade, and left. The attendant hurried downstairs.

Three minutes later, as rain fell outside, a dense sound of footsteps approached. Bai Li Feihong frowned, hesitating whether to act first. If he did, the so-called Flower Fairy would surely be alerted.

No, let the situation unfold—he would respond with calm.

“Be careful. Capture the agent from the Demon Suppression Bureau. Tomorrow, when the Flower Fairy arrives, after the festival, hand him over for her to deal with.”

The mayor of Hundred Flower Town was a martial artist at the Refining Aperture stage. Seeing Bai Li Feihong unconscious from the drug, he did not immediately strike.

“Mayor, why not just kill the agent now?”

“If the agent came here, does it mean the Bureau has discovered us? Or is he acting alone? We do not know yet.” Stroking his goatee, the mayor sneered, “Let him wake, hand him to the Flower Fairy for questioning. If the Bureau has found Hundred Flower Town, we must discuss our response. If this boy is a lone wolf, we’ll throw him to the Mountain God—I believe the Mountain God will greatly enjoy such a sacrifice.”