Yinlan City, part 11

Ye Mingshi had a reason for coming here from Tianque City.

Their Crimson Leaf Sect was just a small, minor sect, consisting only of their master Ye Ruici, senior brother Ye Rong, herself Ye Mingshi, junior brother Ye Lan, and an old mule named Old Black, who was at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Wherever these four people and one beast were, there was the Crimson Leaf Sect.

Therefore, after emerging from the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, the Crimson Leaf Sect was not in a hurry to return to their original Cloud Mist Mountain.

On one hand, it was because they had spent all their travel expenses along the way and truly had no money left for the return journey.

On the other hand, within the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, Ye Mingshi’s demonic bone could no longer be suppressed due to overusing her bloodline secret art for a short period, caused by the sneak attack of the evil cultivator, Blood Thorns.

The demonic bone gradually began to awaken.

Originally, it would only flare up once every three to five years, but now the frequency had greatly increased.

Once the demonic bone flared up, the demonic energy that had been stagnant within her body for a long time would surge out along the demonic bone, occupying her sea of consciousness, causing her to lose her sanity and do irreversible things.

During her first flare-up after emerging from the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, Ye Mingshi bit to death over thirty of her neighbor’s chickens.

When Ye Rong went to find her, she was huddled in the chicken coop, biting fiercely into a chicken’s neck.

Foul-smelling blood gushed from the dying chicken, flowing down her lips, chin, and neck.

She paid no mind, her eyes fixed on Ye Rong, the depths of her pupils a terrifying scarlet.

He was startled, rushed over, pried her face open, and pulled the chicken from her mouth, “You can’t eat this, the feathers haven’t been removed yet!”

Biting chickens to death was nothing.

Ye Rong paid the neighbor with his wages, brought Ye Mingshi, who was still biting the chicken, back, and even packed up the thirty dead chickens.

He marinated them and cooked them in different ways every day, until Ye Mingshi felt nauseous just seeing a chicken.

After a demonic bone flare-up, there would be a period of peace.

But Ye Mingshi didn’t expect the demonic bone to flare up again just half a year later.

This time, she started drooling at her junior brother.

The junior brother was so scared he said, “Senior Sister, please stop drooling at me, I’m scared.”

Ye Rong shielded Ye Lan, saying, “Junior Sister, eat me first. He’s still young, let him grow a bit more.”

This couldn’t go on.

Ye Ruici couldn’t solve the demonic bone problem himself, but he could go to the Sword School to find someone to help seal the demonic bone.

Ye Mingshi didn’t know who he went to see, but after he returned, he packed his bags and left, saying he was going to the Southern Continent to find the Earth Store Flower King to suppress her demonic bone, leaving Ye Rong and Old Black to take good care of her here.

Ye Mingshi thus settled down in Tianque City, until one day she was strolling on the street and bumped into a white-robed young master fanning himself.

This person was also eccentric; he stood at a book stall and haggled with the vendor with a smile for half an hour, firmly bringing down the price of a hundred spirit stones cultivation technique to sixty spirit stones.

Ye Mingshi watched, both greatly impressed and inexplicably bewildered.

This person dressed extraordinarily, with exquisite details on every accessory, and a gentle, jade-like demeanor, clearly a noble young master.

Yet, as soon as he opened his mouth, he was so worldly.

[Infinite good articles, all on Jinjiang Literature City]

He didn’t even dress like someone who would spend half an hour haggling with a vendor.

The vendor was also speechless.

Ye Mingshi heard him deliberately mumble in a not-so-quiet voice, “Could this person have worn all his possessions on himself?”

[Open Jinjiang App and scan to read]

The vendor had already concluded that this person was a destitute fop pretending to be wealthy.

The white-robed man wasn’t angry after hearing this; he still smiled good-naturedly.

However, when paying, he opened his storage bag slightly, his slender fingers rummaging through the money pouch for a long time amidst a pile of dazzling, top-grade spirit stones, before barely managing to pull out sixty low-grade spirit stones.

He said gently, “Count them. It should be exactly right, not one more, not one less.”

The vendor’s mouth twitched continuously.

Ye Mingshi guessed he was probably cursing in his heart out of anger.

Ye Mingshi watched the show for a while, then prepared to leave.

This month, she and her senior brother had earned some money by drawing talismans, making their lives a bit more comfortable.

She planned to go to the fine market to buy a cup of Honey Spirit Tea to treat herself.

She had just lifted her foot when she heard the young master call out to her softly from behind.

He said, “Little demonic bone.”

“Haven’t you left for Yinlan City yet?”

‘Demonic bone? How did he know?’

The moment she heard the word “demonic bone,” Ye Mingshi’s guard instantly rose to its highest.

A flash of ruthlessness appeared in her eyes, ready to strike first.

Yet, the bustling market around her suddenly vanished, transforming into a vast expanse of white.

In this snowy cavern, the white-robed young master, fanning himself, was smiling at her.

The pure white sword at his waist gleamed with a lustrous glow.

“Hasn’t your master told you yet?”

Ye Mingshi didn’t answer his question; instead, she countered, “Who are you?”

“Oh dear.” The white-robed young master seemed a little troubled. “If I say I am Wang Quan, the Sect Leader of the World Sword Sect, would you believe me?”

‘The Sect Leader of the Sword School would spend half an hour haggling with a vendor just to save forty spirit stones?’

But upon closer thought, she seemed to have seen the Sect Leader before entering the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, and he looked much like this sickly, lifeless person.

She said simply, “I believe you.”

Trapped in the space he created, Ye Mingshi had no choice but to believe him.

Let alone him claiming to be the Sect Leader; if he said he was the King of Heaven, she would believe him.

Skipping over the Sect Leader’s many useless, inexplicably irritating ramblings.

Ye Mingshi learned from his mouth what her master hadn’t told her: it turned out her master had gone to see the Sect Leader that day.

Wang Quan said, “There are only three ways to resolve the demonic bone within you.”

“First is to obtain the Earth Store Flower, have you take it day and night to suppress and cleanse the demonic energy in your body.”

“The advantage of this method is that it’s gentle and harmless to your body, but the drawback is that you might be stuck at the Qi Refining stage for the rest of your life. After all, for you, demonic energy is the source of your cultivation. Merely replenishing spiritual energy naturally won’t increase your cultivation; you’re somewhat aware of this, aren’t you?”

Ye Mingshi knew this.

It was her body; she understood it better than anyone.

After returning heavily injured from the Dragon Boat Secret Realm that year, not only did her realm not drop, but her cultivation leaped up seven layers, directly breaking through to Foundation Establishment.

This was precisely because the demonic energy from the suppressed demonic bone, once released, began to nourish her body.

She said nothing, staring with wide eyes as he continued.

“Second is to abandon human cultivation and completely turn to demonic cultivation. You are not an acquired demon, but born with a demonic bone, a descendant of the demon race. Releasing the demonic bone will do you no harm, and you won’t have to suffer the struggle between spiritual and demonic energy from forcefully cultivating as a human, which causes your mind to be eroded with every flare-up.”

This act could fully unleash your bloodline power.

With your aptitude, you would certainly become a formidable expert.

“I don’t want to leave my sect, nor do I want to be stuck at the Qi Refining stage my entire life; I definitely wouldn’t live long, I’d have to die even earlier than Ye Lan!”

Ye Mingshi realized that her master must have chosen the first method.

She looked up and asked, “You are the Sect Leader of the Sword School. You manage such a large Sword School so well, you’re so powerful, isn’t there another method that offers the best of both worlds?”

[Infinite good articles, all on Jinjiang Literature City]

Wang Quan smiled, “You speak much more pleasantly than my students.”

“But if I truly knew a method to transform demons into humans, why would I stay here as a Sect Leader? I would simply lead people to attack the demon race, capture their people to cultivate immortality. Wouldn’t that be far more impressive than being a small, broken Sect Leader?”

Ye Mingshi was disappointed, but it was also within her expectations.

She pouted, “Then I won’t bother anymore. I’ll just honestly be a human.”

Only then did Wang Quan stop teasing, close his fan, and say seriously, “But it’s not entirely hopeless. Right now, there’s an opportunity in Yinlan City. Perhaps that will be the turning point of your destiny.”

Ye Mingshi asked, “Yinlan City? What kind of opportunity is there?”

“There is a segment of a demonic bone there.”

Wang Quan stared at her and slowly said, “During the Full Moon War, the Carefree Immortal and the Demon Lord battled on the mountain peak for three full months. During that time, someone saw a segment of the Demon Lord’s pinky finger bone sliced off by the Carefree Sword, flying away. Thinking about it now, the direction that demonic bone flew was precisely towards Yinlan City. However, you will have to find its exact landing spot yourself.”

And for three hundred years, Yinlan City’s beast tides had grown more severe with each occurrence.

By this beast tide, it even showed signs of cultivation deviation.

Wang Quan had already guessed that this segment of the demonic bone was likely gradually awakening.

And all the various forces gathered in Yinlan City at this time must have come for the demonic bone.

It probably wouldn’t be long before this segment of the demonic bone fully awakened and saw the light of day again.

Only, what kind of terrifying waves would it stir up then?

Wang Quan continued, “No matter how noble your bloodline is, can it be more noble than the Demon Lord’s?”

Your demonic bone is beneath hers.

“As is well known, demonic energies devour each other. If that segment of demonic bone could absorb the demonic energy from your own demonic bone, and then be supplemented with spirit herbs to reconstruct your foundation, why wouldn’t this matter be resolved?”

Ye Mingshi slowly blinked her eyes, pondering Wang Quan’s words.

She didn’t care what kind of bloody storm this segment of demonic bone might cause.

She had very little, and cared about very little.

As long as this segment of demonic bone could cure her, no matter how difficult, she would obtain it.

Yet, why would this Sect Leader inexplicably tell her about this?

Information about the demonic bone should be confidential, shouldn’t it?

She suspiciously asked, “You’re not lying to me, are you?”

She rummaged through her pockets and even opened her storage bag to show him, “I have nothing. I only have ten spirit stones on me. Even if you trick me, you won’t get anything.”

Wang Quan tapped her head with his fan, “I just complimented you on your pleasant speech. It was wasted praise.”

Regardless of whether this suddenly appearing, smiling Sword School Sect Leader was sincere or deceitful, he had indeed offered a possibility.

If she could completely transform from a demon to a human, she would no longer suffer.

The foul smell of chicken blood from that day still lingered in her mouth.

What if, one day, she couldn’t help but bite Ye Rong and Ye Lan’s necks like that?

Not to mention that Ye Lan, that annoying kid, always forgot to wash his neck when bathing.

Once that happened, there would be no turning back.

Therefore, Ye Mingshi left a note, unbeknownst to Ye Rong and Ye Lan, and departed.

Before leaving, she went to Old Black’s shed.

Old Black had been led away by Ye Rong; otherwise, it might have been the only one there capable of stopping her.

She looked at the empty shed and repeated to herself, “You are a mule, I am a human. There is no simpler truth in this world.”

In short, Ye Mingshi rushed all the way to Yinlan City.

She didn’t have the Sword School’s cloud boat to travel on, so she worked her way forward, encountering several misfortunes and using her bloodline secret art, which made her unable to retract the scales on her face.

She had to conceal them all the way.

Now, she had finally arrived in Yinlan City.

Because all her savings had been spent on the road, she had no choice but to stay at the Old Temple.

But precisely because of this, she stumbled upon a clue to the demonic cult.

Even before Bayin, she had already begun secretly monitoring the conversations of these two individuals.

As for secretly eating some offerings after eavesdropping, she wouldn’t mention that.

The Sword School Sect Leader had once said that many forces knew about the demonic bone’s revival, and the Abyssal Void must also know quite a bit.

As long as she followed these two, she would definitely be able to uncover some information.

However, this time, to protect Bayin, she acted and killed these two, thus breaking the lead here.

This was a bit awkward.

While she was lost in thought, Bayin had stealthily brought over a basin of water and a rag, and began kneeling on the ground, carefully wiping away the bloodstains.

The bloody water stained the gaps between her fingers red, but there was no sign of fright; she was no longer trembling, and her movements were quick.

Ye Mingshi asked, “Aren’t you afraid?”

Bayin shook her head, “They’re all dead, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

After her mother and father died in the beast tide, she was the one who went to collect their bones.

At that time, their bones were mixed with others’ and shattered into muddy fragments.

Bayin couldn’t distinguish them at all and ultimately didn’t know if the ones she brought back were theirs.

Ye Mingshi said, “Don’t bother wiping. Watch me.”

She first searched for the storage bags the two had hidden, which were her main source of income.

Then she took out bone-dissolving water, completely destroying both bodies without a trace.

[Infinite good articles, all on Jinjiang Literature City]

The bodies quickly vanished completely, along with all traces of their existence.

Only then did Bayin catch her breath, carefully sitting down against the corner of the wall.

Bayin suddenly looked up and asked her, “There must be something wrong with those blessed sachets. What should we do?”

“I don’t know,” Ye Mingshi stretched lazily and said with a grin, “Since things have come to this, let’s eat some offerings first.”

Since things had come to this, it was best to deal with the corpses first.

These three came quickly and disappeared just as quickly.

Aside from leaving a room full of corpses, they left not a single word.

For a moment, everyone felt a little alarmed.

Yan Yan’s expression was grim.

The deputy general stood beside him, head bowed, face flushed with shame, looking as if he regretted his past actions.

If he had known it was a matter concerning the demonic cult, he wouldn’t have been so negligent.

Who would have thought that this Sword School squad, having only been in Yinlan City for two weeks, could uncover such a clue?

He had thought it was just student shenanigans.

After returning, military law would certainly be enforced, and the deputy had also abandoned his dismissive attitude towards them.

Just then, Xiaocao suddenly walked to a corpse, turned to Su Qing, and said, “He’s still alive.”

This person was the ruffian Su Qing had initially questioned.

He had been stabbed once and had his neck cut.

He could no longer speak.

Even if medicine were given to him now, his breath was extremely weak, and he couldn’t even swallow.

But Su Qing saw his fingers trembling on the ground, seemingly trying to leave something.

Su Qing flashed forward, and everyone else also crowded around.

“The garrison will certainly apprehend those three and bring them to justice, avenging you.”

Su Qing said quickly, “Do you want to tell me something?”

Since the man could no longer speak, Su Qing, being the only one who had communicated with him, desperately recalled their conversation and tentatively asked, “Are these three the ones who instigated you to draw the symbols?”

A burst of hatred suddenly erupted in the ruffian’s eyes.

He trembled, drew two crooked strokes, then twisted his neck and completely went silent.

His two bloodshot eyes remained open, full of resentment.

Xiaocao quietly watched him, then used a strand of grass to close his eyelids.

Su Qing moved the ruffian’s palm, carefully examined the bloodstains underneath, and then recalled his movements.

It was an ‘X’.

“No.”

Su Qing turned back to Yan Yan, “The people who instigated them to draw symbols everywhere are not allied with the Lotus Fire Cult!”

So, there were two different factions.

And one faction tried to expose another faction?

Was there some benefit to that?

If they wanted to report them, they didn’t need to be so circuitous; couldn’t they just go directly to the authorities?

This could only mean that the other faction also couldn’t reveal themselves.

Moreover, the Lotus Fire Cult’s emblem was a red lotus enveloped in flames.

When this pattern was drawn, the eight petals of the red lotus were divided into four parts, and it took four superimposed patterns to clearly recognize it as the Lotus Fire Cult’s emblem.

Such elaborate effort was merely to increase the possibility of deceiving others.

Yan Yan told Su Qing about the Lotus Fire Cult.

Su Qing didn’t presume anything, immediately sharing the information she knew with Yan Yan, “According to this person, the one who made him draw symbols everywhere should be from the Old Temple. He once smelled the incense of the Old Temple on that person.”

Yan Yan repeated, “Old Temple.”

A week ago, the City Lord had ordered them to thoroughly investigate the Old Temple, but perhaps their actions were too clandestine, their roots too deep, and their distribution too wide, as they had never managed to get a concrete handle on anything.

Granny Alan poured out the spices from the blessed sachet again.

This time, without Bayin present, she directly used the pill furnace, burning them with spiritual fire to determine their ingredients.

“Rehmannia root, longan pulp, salvia miltiorrhiza, goji berries…”

After continuous burning, the black herbal dregs finally revealed a trace of purple gas.

Granny Alan’s expression instantly turned solemn, “Demonic Breath Grass. So that’s it.”

This Demonic Breath Grass has a hallucinogenic effect. Mild use can lead to loss of sanity, madness, and irritability, while severe use can cause people to mistake friend for foe and kill each other.[1]

“Such sinister deeds must be the work of a demonic cult.”

Granny Alan pondered, “This must be reported to the Alliance Leader.”

Their Heavenly Secret Alliance had been lying in wait here for the demonic bone for years; how could they let the demonic cult reap the rewards first?

She crushed a talisman, and a moment later, a dark figure slowly appeared in the room.

This person had a secret art that obscured their facial features, revealing only a blood-red thorn flower tattooed on their snow-white cheek, which seemed alive and eerily vibrant.

However, a sinister aura emanated freely from their entire body, making it clear at a glance that they were an evil cultivator.

As the guide of the Ci’an Herb Hall within the Heavenly Secret Alliance, Granny Alan always disdained evil cultivators, but the Alliance Leader customarily liked to use evil cultivators as his personal blades, so she had no choice.

She said in a deep voice, “Blood Thorns, last time you failed in the Dragon Boat Secret Realm, you couldn’t find the Immortal Bone and lost several companions. The Alliance Leader is compassionate and didn’t hold it against you, but if this demonic bone matter fails again, you should be careful of your own situation.”

Blood Thorns said with a smile, “Although I didn’t find the Immortal Bone, when the secret realm was about to close, I guarded the entrance for a long time and never found the person who obtained the Immortal Bone. I presume the Immortal Bone is still within the Dragon Boat Secret Realm and was not brought out.”

“As long as it doesn’t fall into others’ hands, it’s not a complete failure, is it?”

“Granny Alan, if you have something to tell me, just say it directly. Why do you need to scare me first?”