This had been an ordinary Herb Gathering Farmer, ordinary to the extreme. Yet his appearance was strangely unsettling, making even the Dark Knight, who had been preparing to strike, turn solemn.
The Herb Gathering Farmer walked to a spot not far from the Dark Knight, then stopped. He looked at Ning Xiaochuan, then at the Dark Knight. Raising his head, he revealed a kindly smile and said, "Not bad, not bad! Powerful constitutions, vigorous blood and qi, exuberant vital essence—you must both make excellent medicinal ingredients."
"Thousand-Year Ancient Demon."
The Dark Knight's expression shifted slightly. He immediately stood with his saber held horizontally, using Saber Qi to prop up a spherical domain as he stared at the Herb Gathering Farmer like he was facing a great enemy.
Ning Xiaochuan's heart sank to the bottom. When it rains, it pours. After battle followed battle that night, he was already covered in wounds. And at a time like this, how had the Thousand-Year Ancient Demon suddenly appeared?
The Herb Gathering Farmer smiled at Ning Xiaochuan and said, "The Seven Aperture God Demon Heart—a fine heart indeed! I've been looking for you for a long time. Where have you been all this while?"
The Herb Gathering Farmer seemed very amiable, as though he were making friendly inquiries about Ning Xiaochuan's well-being.
As he spoke, the Herb Gathering Farmer took a blood-drenched heart from the bamboo basket on his back, held it in his hands, and began gnawing at it.
"Smack, smack, smack!"
His face still wore that very kindly smile.
A year ago, the Herb Gathering Farmer had stirred up a storm of blood in the Imperial City, frightening many princes and marquises into fleeing the city. After a year of hard-won peace, everyone had assumed he had already left the Imperial City.