After Lin Baichuan left Du Feng’s house, he didn’t go to the county yamen. After dismissing Wu De with ten taels of silver, he found an inn in Fong Le County and settled down.
It was already late, and he planned to rest well tonight and enter Mist Mountain early tomorrow morning to check the situation. He had a strong premonition that there must be a great secret within Mist Mountain, very likely a great Opportunity.
At the same time!
Just as Lin Baichuan entered Fong Le County, within a luxurious mansion in the city.
“Master, the Demon Suppression Division sent someone, and he has already entered the city.”
A man dressed as a butler hurriedly crossed the courtyard and arrived at an ancient pavilion. He bowed and said, “He didn’t go to the county yamen. Under the guidance of a city guard, he went to the home of the constable who escaped from Mist Mountain.”
“Oh, isn’t that constable already insane?”
Inside the pavilion, a low voice emanated, carrying a hint of coldness that sent shivers down one’s spine.
“He is insane!”
The man quickly replied, “It’s just that, I don’t know if it’s true insanity or feigned insanity.”
“Keep an eye on that Demon Slayer Guard, and also, send someone to investigate that constable’s background to see if he’s truly insane or faking it.” After a long silence in the pavilion, a voice finally came out: “We must obtain the item in Mist Mountain.”
“Yes, Master!”
The man quickly responded, but he didn’t rush to leave. Instead, he hesitated and asked, “It’s just, Master… the one the Demon Suppression Division sent this time is just an ordinary Demon Slayer Guard, whose strength at most is Seventh Grade Organ Forging Realm.
With this level of strength, I’m afraid he won’t even be able to get out of Mist Mountain!”
“Heh heh, a mere Demon Slayer Guard certainly can’t do anything to those Yao Beasts in Mist Mountain, otherwise why would we be waiting outside.”
The voice inside the pavilion suddenly became a few shades louder, and with a cold laugh, it said, “However, one Demon Slayer Guard might not be enough, but the Demon Suppression Division can be. The Demon Suppression Division doesn't attach much importance to Mist Mountain right now, which is why they only sent one Demon Slayer Guard to investigate the situation.
If this Demon Slayer Guard thoroughly investigates the situation inside, or dies within Mist Mountain, it will certainly attract the attention of the Demon Suppression Division, and then more strong individuals will naturally come.
Slaying demons and eliminating devils is the duty of the Demon Suppression Division. We only need to wait patiently. After they slay the demons and eliminate the devils and leave, we will then collect the things we need. That item, to them, is just an ordinary object, they won’t even notice it.
Only in my hands can its true value be realized…”
“So that’s how it is, Master, rest assured, I will send people to keep an eye on that Demon Slayer Guard, guaranteeing no mishaps.”
The man suddenly understood, and after patting his chest in assurance, he turned and left.
At the same time!
Inside the pavilion, in a pitch-black room, a pair of eyes glowed like fire, and a faint crimson blood-colored light could be seen.
The owner of these eyes was a figure shrouded in a black robe, with eerie eyes, muttering to himself, “I must obtain the Jianmu fragment; no one can stop me.”
...
The next day!
In the early morning, sunlight spilled over Fong Le County, as if dyeing the entire city with a faint glow. At the city gate, a Unicorn Horse galloped directly out of the city, and the rider was Lin Baichuan.
After meeting Du Feng last night, Lin Baichuan found an inn and settled down.
After a night of adjustment, his current state was at its Peak, so he left the city early in the morning, preparing to enter Mist Mountain to check the situation.
Mist Mountain was thirty li outside Fong Le County. At the speed of a Unicorn Horse, this short distance was covered in less than a quarter of an hour. After arranging the Unicorn Horse in a patch of jungle, Lin Baichuan, with his battle saber on his back, entered Mist Mountain alone.
Mist Mountain was named because it was perpetually shrouded in mist.
However, a little over a month ago, in the depths of Mist Mountain, which was originally only surrounded by mist, a blood-red light suddenly shot into the sky, giving rise to astonishing Evil Qi.
Lin Baichuan stood outside Mist Mountain and could see the towering blood-red light, coalescing into a blood-Evil Qi pillar, containing astonishing killing intent that seized one’s soul. Even from such a distance, it made him feel a chill run down his spine.
“What a strange blood-red light, and such heavy Yao Evil Qi.”
Lin Baichuan muttered to himself, but his feet were not idle. He rushed into Mist Mountain at the fastest speed, treading the rugged mountain path as if on flat ground with his Wind Shadow Step, which had reached Minor Achievement, heading straight for the location where the blood-red light erupted.
The closer he got to the depths of Mist Mountain, the lower the temperature in the mountains became.
After going several tens of li deeper, Lin Baichuan even found that the surrounding dense fog seemed to be solidifying into ice crystals, emitting a chilling aura. Even he felt a coldness invading his body. If it were an ordinary person, they would have long been frozen.
“Something is wrong. I haven’t encountered any animals along the way, not even mosquitoes, snakes, or rats. This is very abnormal.”
Suddenly, Lin Baichuan seemed to realize something, his pupils sharply contracted, and bright lights shone in his eyes. He had advanced several tens of li, yet he hadn’t encountered any living creatures. The entire mountain forest was dead silent.
This was very strange; who would believe that there were no living creatures in such a vast mountain forest?
Lin Baichuan’s expression became solemn. He took the battle saber from his back and held it in his hand, his mind and will becoming increasingly grave. His right hand gripped the hilt, ready to draw the saber at the first sign of trouble.
However, his speed remained undiminished as he continued forward.
After advancing another thirty li or so and crossing a hillside, Lin Baichuan suddenly stopped. His expression changed, and he looked forward with shock.
In the distance, in a mountain hollow, a blood-red light soared into the sky, like a towering pillar.
Around that blood-red light, countless wild beasts were densely packed, occupying the entire mountain hollow.
At this moment, all these wild beasts were prostrate on the ground, desperately absorbing the Evil Qi emanating from the blood-colored light pillar, like drug addicts. Each of them looked dazed, and though they were just beasts, they wore expressions of enjoyment.
At the same time, the aura emanating from these wild beasts gradually became more violent.
Especially in the center of the mountain hollow, the area closest to the blood-colored light pillar, there were actually eleven colossal creatures, each at least a zhang high. The largest among them was a giant python, occupying its own space like a small hill.
These were eleven true Yao Beasts, the weakest having already reached the Peak of Soldier-tier First Rank. Moreover, that giant python and a black tiger, which was three zhang tall, were even more terrifying, filled with Evil Qi and surging Qi and blood, definitely comparable to Soldier-tier Fourth Rank Yao Beasts of the Sixth Grade Blood Refining Realm.
“Eleven true Yao Beasts, and at least a thousand beasts contaminated with Yao Evil Qi—this is a huge sum of money!”
Lin Baichuan’s heart burned with excitement. After subconsciously swallowing, his attention shifted to the center of the blood-colored light pillar, to a strange small tree.