After leaving Du Feng's house, Lin Baichuan did not go to the county yamen. After tossing Wu De ten taels of silver to send him on his way, he found an inn in the county town and settled in.
It was already late tonight, so he planned to rest properly and enter Mist Mountain at dawn tomorrow to investigate the situation. He had a strong premonition that Mist Mountain concealed a great secret, perhaps even a Great Opportunity.
At the same time!
Just as Lin Baichuan entered Fengle County, within a luxurious residence in the city.
"Master, someone from the Demon Suppression Division has arrived and entered the city."
A man dressed as a steward hurried across the courtyard and entered an ancient pavilion. Bowing toward the interior, he said, "He did not go to the county yamen. Led by a City Guard Army soldier, he went to the house of that constable who escaped from Mist Mountain."
"Oh, wasn't that constable already mad?"
A low voice came from within the pavilion, carrying a trace of chill that made one shudder.
"He is mad!"
The man hurriedly replied, "But we do not know whether he is truly mad or merely pretending."
"Keep an eye on that Demon Slayer Guard. Also, send someone to investigate that constable's background and see whether he is truly mad or faking it." After a long silence, the voice within the pavilion spoke again. "We must obtain what is in Mist Mountain."
"Yes, Master!"
The man promptly answered, but he did not leave at once. Instead, he hesitated before asking, "But, Master... the Demon Suppression Division only sent an ordinary Demon Slayer Guard this time. At most, his strength is at the Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm.
With that little strength, I fear he may not even make it out of Mist Mountain!"
"Hehe, a mere Demon Slayer Guard naturally cannot deal with those few Demonic Beasts in Mist Mountain. Otherwise, why would we be waiting outside?"
The voice in the pavilion rose slightly, then gave a cold laugh. "But while one Demon Slayer Guard is not enough, the Demon Suppression Division is. The Demon Suppression Division does not currently regard Mist Mountain as important, which is why they only sent a Demon Slayer Guard to investigate.
If that Demon Slayer Guard uncovers the situation inside, or dies within Mist Mountain, it will surely draw the Demon Suppression Division's attention. By then, more powerful experts will naturally come.
Slaying demons and exterminating devils is the Demon Suppression Division's duty. We only need to wait in peace. Once they have slain the demons and exterminated the devils before leaving, we can collect what we need. To them, that thing is merely an ordinary object, something they may not even notice.
Only in my hands can its true value be brought to light..."
"So that's how it is. Rest assured, Master. I will send people to watch that Demon Slayer Guard at once and guarantee that nothing goes wrong."
The man suddenly understood. After hurriedly patting his chest in assurance, he finally turned and left.
At the same time!
Inside the pavilion, within a pitch-black room, a pair of eyes shone bright as fire. Faint crimson blood-colored light could be seen flickering within them.
The owner of those eyes was a figure entirely shrouded in a black robe. His gaze was strange as he muttered, "I must obtain the Jianmu Fragment. No one can stop me."
The next day!
In the early morning, sunlight spilled across Fengle County, as though coating the entire city in a faint radiance. At the city gates, a Unicorn Horse charged straight out from the city, with Lin Baichuan riding upon it.
After meeting Du Feng last night, Lin Baichuan had found an inn and stayed there.
After a night of adjustment, he was now at the peak of his condition. Thus, he left the city early in the morning, intending to enter Mist Mountain and inspect the situation.
Mist Mountain lay thirty li from Fengle County. At the Unicorn Horse's speed, such a short distance took less than a quarter of an hour. After arranging for the Unicorn Horse to remain in a forest, Lin Baichuan carried his battle saber on his back and entered Mist Mountain alone.
Mist Mountain had earned its name from being perpetually wreathed in clouds and mist.
Yet over a month ago, deep within Mist Mountain, which had once merely been shrouded in cloud and mist, a blood-colored light suddenly shot into the heavens, breeding astonishing Blood Fiend Qi.
Standing outside Mist Mountain, Lin Baichuan could see that column of blood-colored light piercing the sky. It condensed into a pillar of Blood Fiend light, nurturing heaven-shaking Killing Intent that seized one's soul. Even from so far away, it sent a chill through his entire body.
"What strange blood light. What dense Demonic Aura."
Lin Baichuan muttered to himself, but his feet did not slow. At his fastest speed, he rushed into Mist Mountain. With the Wind Shadow Steps, already at the Minor Success stage, beneath his feet, the rugged mountain paths were as flat as level ground. He raced straight toward the place where the blood light had erupted.
The closer he drew to the depths of Mist Mountain, the lower the temperature in the mountain forest became.
After traveling dozens of li deeper, Lin Baichuan even discovered that the thick fog around him seemed as though it were about to freeze into ice crystals, radiating a bone-chilling cold. Even he felt as though the cold was invading his body. Had an ordinary person come here, they would have long since been sealed in ice.
"Something is wrong. I have traveled all this way without encountering a single animal, not even mosquitoes, insects, snakes, or rats. That is far too abnormal."
Suddenly, Lin Baichuan seemed to realize something. His pupils abruptly contracted, and streaks of brilliance flashed in his eyes. He had advanced dozens of li without encountering any living creature. The entire mountain forest was deathly silent.
That was exceedingly strange. In such a vast mountain forest, there was not a single living creature. Who would believe it if told?
Lin Baichuan's expression darkened. He took the battle saber from his back and gripped it in his hand. His mind and will grew increasingly solemn, his right hand resting on the saber hilt. At the first hint of wind or grass stirring, he would draw his blade immediately.
Yet his speed did not diminish in the slightest as he continued onward.
In this way, he traveled another thirty li or so. After crossing a slope, Lin Baichuan suddenly stopped. His expression changed as he stared ahead in shock.
In the distance, within a mountain hollow, a blood-colored light shot into the sky like a pillar holding up the heavens.
Around that blood-colored light, countless wild beasts lay clustered together, filling the entire mountain hollow.
At that moment, all those beasts were sprawled upon the ground, desperately absorbing the Blood Fiend Qi emitted by the blood-colored pillar. Like drug addicts getting their fix, each wore a dazed expression. Though they were merely beasts, their faces were full of enjoyment.
At the same time, the auras emanating from those beasts gradually became more violent and savage.
Especially in the center of the mountain hollow, in the area closest to the blood-colored pillar, eleven enormous creatures were actually coiled there. Each was at least one zhang tall. The largest was a Giant Python, occupying one side alone like a small mountain.
These were eleven genuine Demonic Beasts. The weakest had already reached the peak of Soldier Rank 1. The Giant Python and a Black Tiger standing a full three zhang tall were even more terrifying, their Killing Intent surging and their blood and qi roiling. They were absolutely Soldier Rank 4 Demonic Beasts comparable to the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm.
"Eleven true Demonic Beasts, along with at least a thousand beasts tainted by Demonic Aura—this is a fortune!"
Lin Baichuan's heart burned. After unconsciously swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he turned his attention toward the center of the blood-colored pillar, where a strange little tree stood.
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