Lingering Fragrance of the Dark

The next morning, the sun was already high in the sky.

Although the fierce ghost disaster in Changling County last night had been eradicated, the incident still caused quite a stir within the county, spreading like wildfire.

Whispers and rumors could still be heard in the taverns and marketplaces. People occasionally passed by the cloth shop, which had been scorched by ghost fire, to see what the place looked like after being ravaged by the fierce ghost.

Amidst the bustling crowd, an old man in coarse linen, carrying a long sword, took off his straw hat and slowly squatted in front of the cloth shop, his fingers lightly sifting through the fine dust on the ground.

"Illusory fire burned, harming neither flesh nor bone. Yin energy overflowed, with incessant, piercing shrieks."

He stroked his white beard, his aged face etched with a solemn expression, and murmured to himself, "Indeed, it's the ashes left behind after an evil spirit was destroyed. I never expected that in this small Changling County, there would be a master capable of subduing such a terrifying evil spirit?"

The old man looked up at the scorched cloth shop, a glint of wonder in his eyes:

"Judging by the power of this illusory fire, it is truly extraordinary. Although the residual flames on the periphery would not harm mortals, anyone caught within them would inevitably be incinerated by the real fire, reduced to ashes. This yin and yang evil spirit's flame, even a Pure Yang Realm martial artist would likely turn to dust if they touched it rashly.

Yet, this person was completely unfazed by the scorching evil flames, even stepping into the cloth shop to forcefully eliminate the evil spirit. Truly a remarkable feat!

It's a pity that this master is likely as elusive as a dragon that shows its head but not its tail. I truly don't know how I can meet them for a discussion."

He sighed, stood up, and dusted off the grass and dirt from his hat, preparing to leave.

But at this moment, he faintly heard hushed whispers from the side.

"That scholar actually charged into the cloth shop alone... and saved Shopkeeper Zhang?"

"Everyone saw it with their own eyes at the time, there's no faking it."

Two young men in plain clothes were sitting by a breakfast stall, eating and talking in low voices.

One of the tall, strong youths leaned in and whispered, "At that time, the ghost fire was burning, extremely bizarre. No one dared to approach the cloth shop easily. But that scholar took the lead, rushing into the sea of fire without hesitation to save people and escape. Moreover, he didn't have a single burn mark on his body.

Afterward, many elders said that this fire was related to demons and monsters, and that scholar must have relied on his righteous spirit and abundant yang energy to be unafraid of this sinister fire!"

His companion took a bite of a steamed bun and couldn't help but exclaim, "I never thought our remote region would produce such a talented and virtuous master. To be able to dispel evil and fire with a heart full of righteousness is truly enviable. I just wonder which academy that master teaches at? Or perhaps he's a scholar who just passed the imperial examinations?"

"I don't know much about that. But I heard others say that he seems to have come from another town or county..."

"Two gentlemen."

A deep, resonant voice sounded from behind them. The two looked back in confusion and saw an old man with a white beard walking quickly towards them with a look of pleasant surprise.

Upon closer inspection, they realized that although the old man's clothes were travel-worn, he exuded an aura of immortal grace and bearing in his every movement.

The tall, strong young man felt a sense of respect welling up in his heart and quickly stood up to bow, "Old sir, you are..."

"I am merely a humble villager from the mountains. I am just passing through Changling County. I happened to overhear you two discussing the cloth shop fire last night. Could you please tell me where the person who saved the day is now?" the old man's voice carried a hint of eager hope.

Seeing his agitated expression, the tall, strong young man scratched his head and hesitantly pointed in a direction.

"I haven't interacted with that gentleman, I just heard the neighbors gossiping. It seems he lives near Stone Workshop Street on the north side. But I don't know the exact location..."

He was about to shake his head, looking troubled, but the next moment, their expressions froze.

Because the old man before them had vanished without a trace in broad daylight!

"This, this-- is there a ghost?!"

The two men's faces changed drastically. They retreated repeatedly, shouting and fleeing in panic.

However, amidst the noisy crowd, the old man had already moved far away.

His footsteps were strange and ethereal as he weaved through the streets, his figure as elusive and unpredictable as a ghost.

In the fragrant boudoir.

With a soft moan, Mao Ruoyu's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly woke up.

She sat up from the bed, holding her forehead, her expression dazed. Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders. The loose collar of her robe revealed a pair of full, ample breasts that seemed on the verge of bursting free, swaying like waves with the slightest movement of her arms, exuding an aura of vibrant sensuality.

"Why, why am I at home?"

After staring blankly for a while, the events of last night flooded her mind.

Immediately, her face turned extremely grim, and her throat felt dry.

"That scholar--"

She couldn't help but swallow.

Although she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.

The evil spirit and strange ghost... had undoubtedly been annihilated by that scholar's single finger!

"Madam Mao, you're awake?"

A hearty voice suddenly sounded from outside the door, causing Mao Ruoyu's shoulders to tremble, her face turning as pale as a frightened flower.

The door creaked open, and Lin Tianlu entered with breakfast.

"You, why are you in my house?!" Mao Ruoyu quickly wrapped herself in the quilt.

Lin Tianlu put down the tray and quickly averted his inappropriate gaze, cupping his hands and smiling, "Madam Mao was overly frightened by the fire last night and suddenly fainted. I had some kind elderly women help send you back to your residence.

Madam, you need not worry. I did not overstep any boundaries. The changing of your clothes was handled by those elderly women. However... it was indeed inappropriate for me to enter your boudoir without permission."

With that, he stepped back with a slight bow, a hint of shame on his face. "I've prepared some warm porridge for you, Madam. You're low on Blood Essence right now, so it's best to eat more to nourish your body. I also have some decocted medicine to replenish your Qi and Blood later."

Mao Ruoyu was stunned by his words. Only after Lin Tianlu had backed out of the room did she quickly say, "Mister Lin... I-I apologize. I was feeling a bit dizzy just now. Please don't take offense."

"It's nothing, Madam. Please steady your mind and eat something first. I will wait patiently in the front hall."

Only when the door was gently closed did Mao Ruoyu blink her beautiful eyes in a daze.

She wasn't killed with a single finger?

Lin Tianlu was sitting in the guest seat in the front hall, passing the time by reading an ancient book from his home.

Although the Regular Script characters had made him dizzy at first, perhaps with the help of his predecessor's memories, he could now slowly and skillfully read through it.

Reading for a while longer was quite enjoyable.

It was just that the ink brush illustrations accompanying the text... he really couldn't appreciate them; they were all the more abstract.

"Cough, cough..."

Half an hour later, a faint cough echoed softly.

A charming, voluptuous figure appeared from around the corner, clad in a form-fitting, plain silk robe with her hair tied up in a braid that fell to her chest. Mao Ruoyu smiled apologetically, took his hand, and bowed slightly, her voice soft and melodious:

"Mister Lin, I apologize for what happened earlier. You must have found it amusing."

"Madam, there's no need to apologize."

Lin Tianlu put away his book and returned the bow with clasped hands. "Madam Mao, you risked danger to accompany me to the fire scene last night, which truly touched me. This small act of care was nothing.

It's just that your home seems rather desolate. Many rooms are empty, covered in cobwebs and dust. Since I had nothing else to do, I took the liberty of cleaning the mansion inside and out for you."

Mao Ruoyu's eyes flickered slightly, and she hurriedly said, "Please don't blame me, Mister. It's because I... like you, I only recently moved back to Changling County. And as a weak woman, I don't have the strength for prolonged labor, which is why the mansion is so dusty."

Lin Tianlu nodded thoughtfully. "Madam, you do have a weak and cold constitution, and it's indeed inconvenient for you to do strenuous work. If you need anything in the future, you can always ask me for help."

"To trouble you with such trivial matters, I am truly ashamed."

Mao Ruoyu quickly bowed in thanks.

Lin Tianlu smiled. "Madam, you needn't be anxious. It's normal for neighbors to help each other. However, I do have a small question that I hope you can enlighten me on."

"Please ask, Mister Lin."

"I searched for a long time last night, both inside and outside the mansion, but I didn't seem to see any sign of your daughter."

Lin Tianlu asked with confusion:

"Madam, your child... where did she go?"

Mao Ruoyu's expression changed instantly, and her hands clenched tightly within her sleeves.