Chapter 92: Secret Report from the Capital
The carriage traveled on the official road for more than half a month, and the scenery outside the window was quietly changing.
The ruggedness and vastness of the western wilderness were left behind, replaced by a gentle and beautiful landscape.
The official road is surrounded by a dense network of waterways, with clear water flowing quietly under the bluestone bridges.
The white-walled, black-tiled houses are built along the water, arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern. The distant mountains are like dark eyebrows, and the nearby water is shrouded in mist, exuding tranquility and poetic charm everywhere.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere varied depending on the scenery.
Shen Yunzhou drove more steadily, slowing down the car, seemingly blending into the relaxed rhythm unique to Jiangnan.
Xie Chen sat inside the car, his posture relaxed.
He held a celadon teacup in his hands, filled with freshly brewed Jiangnan spring tea, the tea soup emerald green and fragrant.
He took a sip, admiring the picturesque scenery outside the window, occasionally pointing out a local landmark or historical anecdote: "Look at that stone bridge, it's called Suolan. Legend has it that a dragon king once stirred up storms here, and was imprisoned by immortals... That's Sangmowei over there, where half of Jiangnan's silk production comes from..."
Ji Qianqiu seemed somewhat out of place. His large body was already a bit cramped in the exquisite carriage, and now, looking at the gentle, almost delicate scenery outside the window, he felt even more uncomfortable.
The willow branches swayed gently, a light drizzle fell, and even the wind carried a damp, warm feeling, making him frown.
He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "This place... why is it so soft and weak? Even the wind seems like it hasn't eaten enough, it has no strength at all!" He missed the fierce and powerful sandstorms of the Western Wilderness.
Fang Li was practically pressed against the car window, her eyes sparkling as she chatted animatedly with Tongzi:
"Wow! A babbling brook! A picturesque boat in the misty rain! Tongzi, quick! Check what local delicacies are nearby! Crab roe soup dumplings! Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish! Braised eel in sizzling oil! Ahhh! Isn't that a place selling qingtuan over there? They look so glutinous!"
The system's voice carried a hint of helplessness: [“Host, calm down! Wipe your drool! Food map loading… Target locked: Ten miles ahead, Yangliu Post Station. Not far ahead is a small town with the century-old Zuixianlou restaurant! But host, we're now江湖人士 (jianghu figures), keep a low profile! Keep a low profile! Don't expose yourselves!”]
Mo Yun sat quietly in the corner, holding a yellowed scroll of talisman diagrams in her hands, studying it intently.
The misty, rainy scenery outside the window didn't seem to distract him much. Only when he occasionally glanced up did a hint of appreciation for the Jiangnan water towns flash across his calm eyes before he returned to his world of talismans.
Ling Shuang sat with her arms crossed, eyes closed, seemingly resting. Her cool, aloof expression, framed by the misty rain outside the window, accentuated her detached and indifferent demeanor. Isolated from the hustle and bustle inside the car, she existed in her own private world.
The burly Tiepan was driving another carriage. He was holding a piece of jerky that was as hard as a rock and gnawing on it, making a crisp "crunch crunch" sound.
Hearing Ji Qianqiu's complaint, he replied in a muffled voice, "It's a bit soft, but there's plenty of water! The fish will definitely be fat! I like places with lots of water!"
The carriage traveled through the misty rain and arrived at a riverside post station called Yangliuyi.
Everyone got out of the car to stretch their muscles.
Mo Yun immediately went to the carriage and carefully inspected the horses' horseshoes and harnesses. He then bent down to check the condition of the carriage shafts and wheels, his movements meticulous.
Ling Shuang walked silently to a secluded bamboo grove next to the post station. With a slight movement of her fingertips, several invisible talismans quietly disappeared into the ground and bamboo, setting up a small early warning talisman array in case of unforeseen circumstances.
While everyone was briefly separated for a rest, Xie Chen quietly walked over to Shen Yunzhou and Fang Li.
Ji Qianqiu immediately came over like a large dog that had caught a whiff of something.
Seeing this, Mo Yun, Ling Shuang, and Tie Pan tacitly gathered around. The group stood casually under the eaves of the post station to avoid the rain, but in reality, they formed a small circle that was not easily noticed by outsiders.
Xie Chen subtly moved his sleeves and handed over a rolled-up scroll and a small jade box sealed with a special talisman.
The scroll was unfolded, revealing the latest intelligence from the capital written in tiny, meticulous characters:
The monsters appearing near the capital have become significantly stronger, with several cases of them draining the life force of mortals. The victims are emaciated, as if they have been instantly drained.
The emperor was furious and ordered the third prince, Li Yan, to take full charge of the demon-suppression campaign. Li Yan mobilized the elite imperial guards, established the Demon-Suppressing Division, and secretly recruited extraordinary individuals from the martial arts world.
Small amounts of black powder were found at several sites of monster attacks. The powder dissolves in water and explodes when exposed to fire, emitting a faint demonic aura and a pungent, fishy smell.
Li Yan frequently entered and exited the royal treasury and secretly contacted several alchemy masters and formation masters who were supported by the court. His residence was heavily guarded, and there were unexplained fluctuations in formations.
Then, Xie Chen's fingertips flashed with inspiration, and he carefully removed the sealing talisman on the jade box. The lid was lifted, revealing a small pinch of pitch-black powder inside. It looked fine in texture, but under the dim light, it gleamed with an eerie, dark luster.
What's even more unsettling is that it emits a cloying, rotten-smelling odor!
"This is a sample obtained by secret agents at great risk. The quantity is extremely small, so please be extremely careful," Xie Chen said solemnly.
Everyone's expression tightened.
Xie Chen waved his fan, his eyes slightly cold: "There may be someone controlling the demons behind the scenes... Third Prince Li Yan... his heart is wicked."
Shen Yunzhou's gaze was fixed on the powder, his voice icy: "This is the key. We must find out its origin and how it was made." He had a feeling that this powder was the core to solving the mystery.
Ji Qianqiu leaned closer, took a deep sniff, and immediately frowned and covered his nose: "This smell... is weird and eerie! It's pungent! It's a bit like a poisonous herb called Ghost Cry Vine in our Western Wilderness, which makes you dizzy if you smell it too much, but it's not quite the same... this is even more disgusting!"
Mo Yun pondered, "Since this item could be collected and left behind, it means it's not entirely without a trace. If I could obtain more, I could try to draw a tracing talisman to track its origin."
Ling Shuang stepped forward, extended her index finger, and gathered a wisp of spiritual power at the fingertip. This was a secret technique of Yi Xingfeng.
She carefully controlled her spiritual energy, sweeping it across the surface of the powder to avoid direct contact.
A moment later, she withdrew her spiritual power, her brows furrowing slightly: "It contains mixed demonic energy, and is mixed with some kind of... chilling, bone-corroding plant toxin that targets the soul. It is not naturally formed, but artificially refined. The place where it was refined must have left strong traces that can be found."
Tie Pan stared at the ominous powder, instinctively taking a half-step back. He grumbled, "Drain your life force? That sounds sinister! This thing looks terrifying! My fists are the best counter to these evil spirits!"
Fang Li looked at the powder, feeling a little uneasy but also unable to suppress her curiosity.
"Palace secrets? A prince causing trouble? This plot is... a dark drama of political intrigue? System, quick! Scan and analyze this thing! See what its components are!" She ordered nervously and excitedly in her mind.
System: [“Received! Scanning physical sample...Analyzing...Preliminary results: The powder contains a faint but exceptionally pure demonic energy, not naturally dissipated, suspected to have been purified and concentrated, mixed with some unknown plant toxin. Urgent database comparison in progress...Feature matching rate 65%, suspected to be a variant or similar substance of Soul-Eating Grass. The two were forcibly fused by some special secret method, with high stability. Specific origin requires more samples or access to a higher-level database for in-depth comparison. Host, the waters in the capital are deeper than you thought! Senior Sister Ling Shuang's judgment was very accurate!”]
The three people around Tongzi naturally overheard what he said.
Upon hearing the commander's analysis, Shen Yunzhou's aura grew even colder. The discussions of court intrigues and the rampant demonic scourge stirred a hidden killing intent within him.
Xie Chen seemed thoughtful, his gaze lingering for a moment on Mo Yun, who proposed the "source tracing talisman" solution, and Ling Shuang, who accurately analyzed the toxins, clearly considering their suggestions. He then heard Fang Li mention words like "system," "scanning analysis," and "database" in her mind, and a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.
Ji Qianqiu was eager to try his hand at it, wishing he could fly to the capital immediately to eliminate the evil and protect the righteous path.
Ye Wuyang, far away in the Forgotten Dust Palace, scanned the contents of the secret scroll with his divine sense. When he heard the analysis of the Soul-Eating Grass variant by the Commander, his indifferent eyes froze for a moment. Hearing Fang Li's inner address to the Commander and the words "scanning and analysis," a trace of helplessness flickered in his eternally icy eyes, as if he had resigned himself to this title…
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