An extremely rich, even cloyingly sweet, fragrance instantly wafted over.
Like thick honey, it forcefully dispelled the cold, earthy smell that had been lingering in the alley.
Qin Zhaoyue immediately held her breath as she caught a whiff of something.
Within the territory of the fifth rank, the breath circulates naturally, and for a short while, there is nothing to do but hold one's breath.
Before you lies a winding cobblestone path, densely planted on both sides with a dark purple dwarf bamboo.
The bamboo stalks are as slender as pens, but the bamboo leaves are broad and thick, with curled edges.
Qin Zhaoyue had never seen this kind of variety before; it gleamed with an almost inky purple light in the dim light.
From deep within the bamboo thicket, there seemed to be an extremely faint rustling sound, like insects gnawing.
A few lotus-shaped glass lanterns hung sparsely along the roadside.
Whether it was a problem with the fuel or the lampshade, the light was weak, barely illuminating the way ahead, which only made the surrounding purple bamboo look even more eerie.
The light and shadow cast on the ground twisted and swayed, like a lurking phantom.
The members of the Four Seas Gang were intimidated and unconsciously moved closer together, their faces tense and not daring to make a sound.
Qin Zhaoyue, who was in the middle, pouted.
Whether it was the narrow alley just now or the winding path now, both are deliberately creating a certain atmosphere.
Even if the cloying sweetness isn't harmful, people who walk by will probably still have some doubts.
Feeling uneasy, I felt a little smaller before I even saw the person.
But in her opinion, it was nothing special.
It's not like I haven't seen horror movies before; I know about psychological suggestion and creating a scary atmosphere...
Well, to be honest, it's just so-so.
As we left the path, the sweet smell dissipated considerably, and the sound of babbling water came from ahead.
Sure enough, after turning past a bamboo screen, a stone arch bridge appeared before us, and the view finally opened up a bit.
The distant lights are faintly visible, along with the sounds of string and wind instruments.
They were probably still quite far away, and it was impossible to tell whether the distant voices were laughing or sobbing.
The servant leading the way turned around and did not head towards the brightly lit area.
After many twists and turns, they led people to a courtyard.
Looking up, you can see four large, gilded characters on the plaque: "Qingtan Jingshe".
The ebony gate, carved with lotus patterns, was ajar. A servant stood to the side and said, "We've arrived."
Zhao Tai swallowed hard; he had never been to this place before.
"Is the boss inside?"
The servant simply smiled and did not answer, as if leading the way here had already fulfilled his mission.
"Fifth Master, stop dawdling."
Hearing the telepathic message, Zhao Tai sighed discreetly and pushed open the door to enter.
The courtyard is small, with a strangely shaped old Bodhi tree in the center, its gnarled branches intertwined.
At this moment, every branch was adorned with a slender-necked glass bottle, filled with a murky, dark red liquid.
I don't know what it is, but it looks very strange.
Zhao Tai stopped, turned around and instructed, "You all stay outside the courtyard, I'll take four of you... inside."
I was so nervous that I almost said "the four leaders" instead, but I managed to press the button.
At the same time, he kept a close eye on Qin Zhaoyue's expression.
Seeing that she shrugged indifferently, he turned around and led the way again.
Unlike the flashy exterior, the interior of the retreat was almost entirely devoid of furniture and furnishings, so spacious it was almost desolate.
The ground was covered with a thick, snow-white long-pile carpet woven with intricate golden mandala patterns.
In front of the glazed wall deep inside, there is an extremely large sandalwood meditation couch.
Seated on the couch was the second-in-command of the Nine Gates Golden Flow Hall, the "Blood Scale" Iron Scale Buddha.
The gold lotus flower inlay on her left cheek reflected a faint light in the shadows, like a cold eye.
Her thick, curly hair was loosely held up with an ebony hairpin, with a few stray strands falling beside her temples, making her look so confident and composed.
As for the fourth leader, Dice Heart Maiden... she was sitting at the end of the couch, her buttocks halfway up, her body turned to the side, revealing her exquisite curves.
She tilted her head slightly, revealing her fair and slender neck. The moment she looked up, her eyes seemed to hold a misty haze of moisture.
She ignored Zhao Tai at the front and looked straight at Qin Zhaoyue in the middle.
The moment our eyes met...
I may possess a thousand charms, but I am not a good man~ Who will be fortunate enough to give their life to the wrong one~~~
Huh? Who played the background music?
A sharp whistle suddenly rang out, coming from the crooked-mouthed Qin Zhaoyue.
That look, that figure... if this were Douyin in my previous life, wouldn't all the little boys be drooling over it!
Such scoundrelly behavior did not anger Dice Heart Lady; she remained cheerful and smiling, her eyes like autumn water.
Interesting, indeed interesting...
His gaze swept past the scar that ran through her right eye, landed on her neck, and then moved on to the remaining three people.
Seeing this, the four knew that their disguise had probably been exposed.
Yin Zhe knew best that this Dice Heart Lady was known as the "Hundred-Faced Serpent".
Although Mo Liu was also proficient in the art of disguise, he was ultimately limited by his sixth-rank cultivation level.
As a result, his trick was immediately recognized.
Yin Zhe had anticipated this and didn't care.
Dice Lady stood up and walked gracefully toward the crowd.
I walked those few steps so much, my waist almost flew off!
The formation remained unchanged, with Suimo and Douzhan guarding the front on the left and right respectively.
This is different from the Four Seas Gang; even Broken Ink's cultivation level is not advantageous here.
Dice Heart Girl had a clear goal and headed straight for Zhao Tai, but her eyes were not on him at all.
Knowing his mission was over, Zhao Tai obediently moved aside quietly.
Dice Heart Mother didn't go too far; she stopped three steps away from Broken Ink.
She lowered herself down, placing her hands on her knees, her gaze level with Qin Zhaoyue's.
This woman is tall and slender, I'd estimate she's over 1.75 meters.
With his heavy platform shoes, he's at least 1.8 meters tall, which is a clear annihilation of Qin Zhaoyue's height.
"The little girl is quite interesting!"
Qin Zhaoyue's appearance was specially requested; she was to portray a fierce and unapproachable character, and she looked to be at least thirty years old.
The phrase "little girl" clearly indicates the disguise.
So what if you see through her? Why do you have to tear off her mask? Are you going to kill her by hiding her true nature?
Qin Zhaoyue straightened his chest, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face.
A bright smile bloomed on her lips, which clashed sharply with her fierce face.
"Auntie is so beautiful, with such looks and figure..."
"Wow, even I, a woman, am tempted by it."
The moment the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.
Auntie...
The Iron-Scaled Buddha at the head of the table, with his somber and stern expression, twitched his lips wildly. He couldn't laugh!
puff……
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