Chapter 062
Chapter 62: Corpse Refining
“Forget it; things have already come to this. Blaming you now serves no purpose.”
Zhu Feng Lan waved her hand dismissively. Her gaze fell upon Guan Shan Xue, who lay unconscious on the ground, and she pondered aloud:
“This girl’s identity is special; she is the daughter of Guan Tian Qian, the Divine Constable of Six Gates. I still don’t understand why she was watching you.”
“Yet, considering you encountered no Six Gates officials, it doesn’t seem like Six Gates themselves arranged this matter.”
At those words, a wicked gleam and killing intent flickered through Cang Yu Ning’s eyes. He said darkly:
“The solution is simple, Mother. Let me use her to cultivate my arts, then kill her and destroy the body. Tonight’s events will remain hidden forever.”
But Zhu Feng Lan shook her head firmly and scolded him sharply:
“Use your brain for once! We still don’t know why she was targeting you or whether she holds evidence against you. Killing her alone would achieve nothing.”
“What if she left behind clues that lead Guan Tian Qian straight to our doorstep? Do you want all of us buried along with you?”
Cang Yu Ning’s expression instantly changed. He glanced down uneasily at Guan Shan Xue, then lowered his head and asked with a frown:
“Does Mother have a better plan?”
Zhu Feng Lan paused to think briefly, then turned to a nearby maidservant and instructed:
“Bring me the Thousand Infatuations Powder.”
“Yes, madam,” replied the maidservant with a small curtsy. She soon returned from another room carrying a porcelain bottle.
Zhu Feng Lan gave a brief nod toward the porcelain bottle, signaling the maidservant to feed it to Guan Shan Xue.
“This Thousand Infatuations Powder,” Zhu Feng Lan explained quietly to Cang Yu Ning, narrowing her slender eyes, “was something I acquired years ago from a martial artist skilled in poisons. Anyone who consumes it will fall madly in love, utterly obsessed with the first opposite-gender person they see, unable to free themselves for a while.”
“When she wakes, question her. She’ll speak every secret willingly. Once we know her intentions clearly, I’ll decide how to handle her.”
Hearing this, Cang Yu Ning’s handsome face took on a twisted, lustful expression.
“Mother, could you spare some powder for me?” he asked eagerly, “It could prove useful in future endeavors.”
Zhu Feng Lan shot him a cold glance.
“Handle your own problems. This is the last bit I have. After this, there’s no more left.”
Cang Yu Ning looked regretful but said nothing more.
Seeing that the maidservant was busy giving the powder to Guan Shan Xue and knowing it would take time for the effects to begin, he turned his attention to the woman wrapped in the quilt nearby and said:
“I have some matters to attend to first. I’ll question her afterward.”
With that, he lifted the bundled woman onto his shoulder and left the room.
Watching his back, Zhu Feng Lan didn’t comment further. She simply murmured quietly:
“Yu Ning’s martial dao cultivation grows stronger by the day. Though this Nine Yin Profound Fiend Art is sinister, it truly is extraordinary. It might even rival Elder Sister’s Blood Returning Grand Method.”
At her side, Granny Rong nodded gently and agreed:
“Indeed. However, such results come only because of the young lord’s exceptional talent. No ordinary person could manage it.”
She seemed to remember something and added:
“Your Ladyship, the date for your monthly blood meals approaches. I’ll need to leave the city more frequently these days. The authorities have tightened their searches, and most human traffickers dare not enter the city.”
Zhu Feng Lan’s eyes wandered thoughtfully across the flowers in the courtyard, lost in consideration:
“You handle it as you see fit, but make sure to fully satisfy Elder Sister’s needs. Her cultivation mustn’t be disrupted.”
“It might be best to keep more maidservants within the residence, ready for any urgent needs.”
Granny Rong acknowledged her command and looked out to the lush flowers that bloomed beautifully, their intoxicating scent heavy in the air.
…
“So, she’s returned home.”
Under the hazy moonlight, Li Mu Sheng silently appeared outside Marquis Cang Yuan’s residence. He glanced down at the silk Qi thread in his hand, thoughtfully stroking his chin.
Considering Cang Yin Yue’s complicated relationship with Marquis Cang Yuan’s household, this young lady hardly seemed the type to willingly return home.
“Hmm… I see,” Li Mu Sheng murmured. “[Perhaps she’s come back secretly to steal the Bone Eroding Yin Wind Finger manual, hoping I can remove the mark from her face.]”
A sudden realization brightened his face as he peered curiously into the Marquis’ compound.
“I wonder if she’ll succeed,” he thought aloud.
“I might as well sneak in for a look. Perhaps I can collect another favor.”
In an instant, he vanished silently into the estate.
…
After entering a hidden passage that descended beneath the earth, Cang Yin Yue walked a short distance before reaching a cave made of neatly stacked bricks and stone.
She lit a flame and glanced around, noticing the cavern was rather spacious.
Old excavation marks showed the cave had been expanded over the years, yet the age of the modifications was clearly significant.
Spotting wall sconces, she lit each of them carefully with her fire striker. Soon, the cavern was bathed in a dim, yellow glow.
Wasting no time, Cang Yin Yue immediately searched for the Bone Eroding Yin Wind Finger manual. But despite checking dusty wooden shelves and several rusty, empty iron boxes, she found no trace of it.
“Drip!”
Suddenly, the sound of dripping water broke the cavern’s eerie silence.
Following the noise, she raised her eyes toward the cave ceiling. Her graceful brows instantly furrowed in confusion.
Above her, countless iron chains were embedded into the ceiling, suspending a massive, greenish copper cauldron. The cauldron blocked most of the view above, hiding whatever lay beyond.
Cang Yin Yue felt unease; the strange arrangement disturbed her.
Hesitating only briefly, she pushed off forcefully from the ground, swiftly leaping onto the cauldron’s rim using the walls and iron boxes as stepping stones.
Holding the fire striker aloft, she cautiously peered upward.
Yet, in that instant, shock and disbelief filled her eyes. Her entire body froze.
“What…what is this?”
Her face turned ghastly pale.
Above the cauldron lay damp, dark soil filled with an aura of decay. Countless human bones protruded from the earth, densely packed like a mass grave beneath the surface.
One skeletal hand dangled visibly from the dirt, dripping yellowish corpse oil slowly into the cauldron below. The dripping sound she’d heard was actually that oil.
Cang Yin Yue struggled to comprehend why such a horrifying sight was hidden within her own father’s secret chamber.
“Ah, my clever daughter. You’ve finally discovered your father’s secret.”
Just then, a deep, calm voice drifted ominously upward from below.