Sniff

Combining the abilities manifested by his own divinity, Xu Yi immediately understood that he was now a [Sniffer].

"However, I have already found a clue."

As he spoke, Yan Luo pulled a crumpled newspaper clipping from his pocket.

He unfolded the fragment, which carried a faint, musty scent, and displayed a news story on it for Xu Yi to see—

<Young Maiden Found Dead on Street, Body Completely Dehydrated; Suspected Brutal Gang Tactic!>

Next to the report was a photograph of a strange corpse lying in a reed marsh. Half of the body was submerged in water, yet it had not bloated into the typical state of decomposition.

The black-and-white camera of this era produced low-resolution photos, and with the clipping having been crumpled in Yan Luo's pocket, the image was already quite blurry.

Xu Yi felt his right eyelid twitch uncontrollably.

He quickly scanned the text:

<On the day of Chushu, the police station of the Twenty-Third Shop discovered a female corpse in the reed marsh near the open fields by Yangjing Creek.

According to the investigation, the victim was approximately 20 years old, a native of Guangling City, who had arrived in Puxi City half a month ago to stay with relatives. She was employed at the Guangxing Textile Factory and went missing after finishing her night shift.

According to the coroner, the body was wrapped in beeswax. Before killing the target, the murderer coated the victim's entire body in beeswax and used special methods to soak and cure it, ultimately harvesting beeswax from three private areas.

With a large influx of migrants arriving in Puxi City recently, civil unrest is rampant. Police stations across all shops are recruiting new forces. Citizens are urged to be cautious and avoid visiting sparsely populated areas at night...>

After Xu Yi finished reading the news, Yan Luo's words followed:

"Curing living beings with beeswax is a very typical method used in spiritual perfumery."

Xu Yi felt a tingling sensation sweep across his spine, over and over again:

"Does the inheritance of this senior also require perfumery?"

Yan Luo replied honestly:

"Of course. Incense is a very common ritual item and a medium for humans to communicate with the spiritual.

For our inheritance, incense imbued with spirituality is also one of the most important mediums for communicating between the netherworld and the mortal realm."

"However..."

Yan Luo looked at the newspaper clipping, his voice sounding hollow:

"However, this method was previously only used on animals.

Because animals have fur, and some have horns, they are well-suited for extracting oils and blending perfumes using this method.

Certain specific insects often wander between the surface and the depths, or even grow deep underground for long periods, keeping them close to the Yellow Springs. Thus, they are rich in spirituality and serve as excellent mediums for channeling."

Yan Luo steadied himself:

"Based on my understanding, this time it is likely that a Night Roaming God's spirituality has spiraled out of control, leading to a mental breakdown, which is why they applied a method meant for beasts onto a human.

I am very worried."

Although Yan Luo spoke of worry, his tone and demeanor remained steady, devoid of any heavy, negative emotions:

"Once spirituality spirals out of control, the mind is affected. To be capable of such heinous acts, that Night Roaming God must have already gone completely insane."

Watching the newspaper and listening to Yan Luo's explanation, Xu Yi felt his scalp go numb.

Is it really just insanity?

Is there a possibility... that the perfuming Night Roaming God was a pervert to begin with, which is why they used this method to extract spices?

This lineage of Night Roaming God I possess...

They aren't all perverts, are they?!

Due to his extreme nervousness, his shame regarding his own penchant for sniffing incense, and the fact that this habit easily invited unsavory associations... Xu Yi ultimately kept these thoughts to himself.

Yan Luo spoke earnestly:

"The nature of spirituality is purely innate; it is different for everyone.

Furthermore, the nature itself cannot be changed after the fact.

Since your spirituality is related to fragrance, you can only accept this inheritance.

But this inheritance is already shattered and fragmented; no one knows if there are still successors among the common folk.

Even with my extensive network of information, I have only ever seen this person mentioned in the newspaper—and even then, it is only a suspicion; it is not certain whether they are truly part of the Night Roaming God lineage.

If we can find them, perhaps we might learn news of your specific lineage."

Xu Yi asked in a low voice:

"Can the abilities of a Night Roaming God not be explored on one's own?"

At the mention of this, both Yan Luo and Jing Tao turned serious:

"The process of transforming spirituality into divinity is extremely dangerous.

Just like the process you used with that Shadow Wood incense burner to transform your spirituality into divinity—one careless move and you would be doomed beyond redemption!"

Hearing this, Xu Yi thought back to his previous experience using the incense burner and couldn't help but shudder.

He nodded in deep agreement, his heart still racing with lingering fear!

If he had been careless and failed to hold on, he would have turned into a psychopathic killer.

Who could possibly endure such a risk?!

Xu Yi certainly could not.

The moment he imagined himself as that psychopathic killer inside the Shadow Wood incense burner, he shuddered.

He did not fear death, but he was truly terrified of becoming a pervert!

Yan Luo explained:

"The process of converting spirituality into divinity is something the predecessors of the Night Roaming God in our lineage have already paid a heavy price in trial and error to figure out.

This is one of the necessities of a legacy—

With a legacy, you do not need to bear the risk of losing control of your spirituality at any moment, nor do you need to make attempts that threaten your life.

Even if there is danger, that danger is limited and will not be something you cannot withstand—

The predecessors have already risked their lives to test it for you; you only need to follow this path steadily and securely to avoid the vast majority of fatal dangers."

Xu Yi signaled his understanding; he did not speak, merely cupping his hands toward Yan Luo.

Seeing this teachable demeanor, Yan Luo felt very satisfied.

He who listens to advice will never go hungry; what the Night Roaming God lineage fears most are those who fancy themselves geniuses, looking down on everyone all day long and relying on their powerful spirituality to temper their divinity recklessly. Such people usually die without even knowing how they died.

If they simply died, that would be the end of it, and that would be fine.

The real fear is dying, but not dying completely, where the remaining sliver of spirituality in a broken, ruined body attracts the Hundred Night Miasma, only to be fused and devoured by it, twisting the consciousness into a neither-human-nor-ghost perverted monster—that is the true agony.

Only by being down-to-earth, extremely cautious, and taking it one step at a time can one climb higher on the Ascension Staircase!

"I have already found the trail and clues regarding that beeswax murderer."

As Yan Luo spoke, he took a folded piece of black cloth from his pocket.

Xu Yi felt a vague sense of unease.

Yan Luo unfolded the black cloth, revealing a small, dull-colored piece of beeswax inside.

This beeswax had been exposed to the air for far too long; it had oxidized from its original light yellow to an orange hue, its surface was not smooth, and one could faintly see something resembling hair embedded within it.

As the beeswax appeared, a light, drifting fragrance followed closely behind.

This scent was not pure; aside from a very faint pine aroma, there was a lingering trace of corpse stench entwined within it.

Xu Yi quietly swallowed his saliva.

His throat felt dry.

This fragrance was stimulating his spirituality.

This scent...

His body liked it very much.