Way of the Devil - Chapter 87

Chapter 87
"Is there really no hope then?" Lu Sheng looked crestfallen .


"Hope?" The old Sect Master laughed . "We’ve always been searching for one… a pity…" he put the white stone powder to his mouth and sucked in a deep breath of it again .
"Oh, right, all inner Qi with Yang-attribute has some effect against them . Who’s to say that there isn’t a possible way out when one cultivates inner Qi to an unprecedented realm?" He half-joked .
"…" Lu Sheng remained silent, but his face looked ugly .
"Alright, you’ve asked your questions . If there’s nothing else, go back and nurse your wounds . Since you’ve been wounded on official business this time, you can collect medicinal powder from the pharmacy . Your contributions will also be recorded . It’ll be pegged at Grade A, Third Class," old Sect Master said . "Enough for you to exchange for assorted skills and pills or weapons . But, I advise you to spend them on a weapon suited to yourself . "
"We’ll see," Lu Sheng was uninterested in these . His thoughts dwelled on old Sect Master’s last line—all inner Qi of Yang-attribute had some effect against them .
‘So it has some effect…’
Leaving the pharmacy, he headed straight back to the greenhouse . Ning San and Duan Meng’an were already waiting there .
"Big Bro, there’s news!" Ning San hurried up to him . "Young Master Lu Chenxin’s corpse… was found in the forest by the village…"
"How was he found?" Lu Sheng was surprised and asked in a whisper . Actually, ever since Lu Chenxin went missing, he had already guessed that the odds were slim for him . Yet because they lacked much feelings between them, he did not feel much sadness, only some pity .
"Two disciples went into the forest to relieve themselves . One of them caught sight of a hand sticking out from the ground and sent men to dig there . They dug out four corpses…"
Duan Meng’an added on, "Two city garrison guards, Young Master Lu Chenxin, as well as an unknown farmer . "
Lu Sheng fell into silence .
"Where’s the corpse now?" He asked a while later .
"It’s still where it was found," Ning San quickly answered .
"Keep it from my family for the time being," Lu Sheng said calmly .
"Yes, sir!"


Lu Sheng intended to reveal the news to his family at a more opportune time . He understood clearly that while his old Dad Lu Quanan was mentally prepared for Lu Chenxin’s death, his Third Mother Wang Yanyu would be devastated . Lu Chenxin was her only son .
It would not be too late for him to tell them after the lockdown on the deserted village is lifted .
Lu Sheng summoned Jade Lotus and enquired about the subsequent arrangements . After ensuring that all was in order, he returned to his room to apply medicine and rest .
In the afternoon, news came from the Crimson Whale that the Dong Family villa near Mountain-Edge City had met with a landslide . Many of them were buried alive and they needed manpower to handle the aftermath .
Lu Sheng let Jade Lotus dispatch an expert from Soaring Eagle Squad, who brought with him over thirty men and various tools and instruments . He himself remained in the room resting and nursing his wounds .
In the evening, the expert returned, his face looking upset . Not only him, but Jade Lotus who had accompanied him also had a long face .
"What’s wrong? Did a mishap occur?"
Outside the greenhouse, Lu Sheng was slowly executing the basic moves of Heart Shattering Palm as a form of exercise . He asked Jade Lotus while exercising .
"No," Jade Lotus shook his head . "There weren’t any mishaps . It’s just that the corpses that needed handling weren’t killed by the landslide . Rather, each of them had been ripped into shreds . Even the government officials puked . "
"Ripped into shreds?" Lu Sheng paused in his moves . He knew for certain that it was again the work of the supernatural .
"Looking at the marks left behind, there seemed to be two opposing forces fighting against each other . The scene was bloodied and savage; broken limbs were all over and even internal organs and spines could be seen," Jade Lotus replied .
Lu Sheng shut his eyes in contemplation .
"Just handle this matter as if it was a mere landslide . Don’t bother yourselves with the details . And instruct the brothers who followed to be tight-lipped . Each of them may collect a tael of silver from the accounts room . "
"Yes, sir," Jade Lotus nodded .
"Also, things may get chaotic outside these few days . Give orders that our men are not to venture far," Lu Sheng instructed .
"Yes, sir . "


"That’s all, you may go back now," Lu Sheng patted Jade Lotus’ shoulder to reassure him .
During this period, the Zhen Family had been warring against a ghost faction . Lu Sheng guessed that this must have been the aftershock of the earlier fight over that treasure .
The lantern lady clearly belonged to a certain organization of which the earlier Red Decks pleasure boat was a part . Perhaps the ghost who had caused trouble for him this last time was in one of the factions which were locked in combat with the Zhen Family .

Jade Lotus turned around and left .
Staring at his back, Lu Sheng thought to himself, ‘Strictly speaking, I’m just one of many leaders in Crimson Whale Sect . That’s just someone who tidies up after the Zhen Family . No one has come seeking trouble for me, so nobody should know that I was the one who killed the lantern lady yet . As long as I’m not exposed, I’m safe for the time being .
A war on that level isn’t something that I can get myself embroiled in at my present level . My priority now is to upgrade my strength as far as possible . That way I can at least guarantee my personal safety in this world of chaos . As for how I can upgrade myself…’
***
For a series of days, news regarding missing persons kept popping up around Mountain-Edge City every day . The authorities posted a notice, explaining that a powerful band of bandits called Stone Peak Bandits has been robbing travelers near Mountain-Edge City and left no survivors due to their cruel modus operandi . All citizens were to avoid travelling outwards, especially on paths apart from the main path .
Instantly, the entire Mountain-Edge City descended into a state of fear . Everyone reduced their trips outwards . Even the merchant teams and ox carts transporting vegetables and fruits drastically decreased in number .
Crimson Whale Sect, along with the other sects and societies and gangs, assisted the authorities to stabilize the situation as far as possible . Once an incident occurred, mouths were silenced and money was dispensed to handle the aftermath .
Although Lu Sheng stayed in the greenhouse to nurse his wounds the entire time, there were at least three cases which were brought to him . He went to take a look; they were all scenes of brutal savagery, with broken limbs and corpses strewn all over . One glance at them showed that they were not the work of humans .
Even with his present cultivation, he was able to detect a faint trace of Yin coldness—clearly an evidence of the supernatural's involvement .
The situation went on for several days before the Zhen Family finally contacted them again .
Two representatives came—a young man and a young woman . They commandeered two healthy horses from the Crimson Whale and rode off straight towards the Wenglin Plains in the south . Lu Sheng did not even get the chance to see them .
News came back the next day that a blazing fire raged on the plains . A village of shepherds and herdsmen who lived on the plains in the direction towards Mountain-Edge City vanished without a trace .
Two large pleasure boats on Cypress Pine Lake lit up in flames as well . Not a single lady or customer managed to escape from them . Lu Sheng knew that this was Zhen Family’s retaliation . Mountain-Edge City fell under Zhen Family’s territory and boundaries . It was natural that the ghost faction’s provocations would start a war .
Despite the intensity of the war outside, Lu Sheng threw everything to Jade Lotus to manage . He himself entered Mountain-Edge City for his personal plans, using the cover story that he needed to nurse his wounds .
***
"Almond Blossom Wine! Top-grade Almond Blossom Wine! Try a sip! Satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back!"
"Deer Antler Wine! Three coins for an urn! Five coins for two urns!"
"Three-year-old Bear Fruit Wine! Ten coins for an urn! Lowest price in town!"
Along Mountain-Edge City’s Fragrant Wine Street One, Lu Sheng strolled leisurely out of a wine store with a white square box on his palm .
He wore a light-green robe and donned a scholar’s hat on his head, hiding his bald head entirely .
Walking to the side of the road, he hefted the box in his hand and hailed a horse carriage .
"Where to, Young Master?" The driver asked with a smile .
"Fine Treasures Hall," Lu Sheng told him the destination softly .
"Alrighty, please sit tight," the driver lashed his whip and the old horse immediately began trotting forward . The carriage trudged on along the street, effortful but steady .
Sitting in the carriage, Lu Sheng let down the curtain . Then, he placed the white box on his lap and gently opened it .
Ten small porcelain vials were placed in the box . They were all white vials with narrow necks, each of them stuffed with a white cloth at its opening . The white porcelain vials lay on a layer of black silk, presenting a stark visual contrast .
Lu Sheng retrieved a vial and gingerly pulled out the white cloth stopper and peered inside .
The porcelain vial contained an extraordinarily black liquid . The moment the stopper was pulled out, the thick fragrance of wine wafted into the wind .
‘All manners of wonders exist in this vast world . Who’d have thought that senior apprentice brother would discover such a method to store and preserve the power of Bind in strong alcohol?’ Lu Sheng exclaimed inwardly . ‘If I had to figure it out via trial-and-error, who knows how long it’d take for me to come across such a method?’
With intense concentration, he gently tipped the vial to a side and poured out a drop of black liquid, the size of a sesame seed, onto his palm .
"Szzzzz… . . "
In that very instant, Lu Sheng’s palm turned red as Ultimate Crimson Qi gushed madly into his palm, resisting the black liquid intensely .
The skin on his palm turned black, then white, seesawing between the two . A scent of rotten flesh emanated from his palm . It was like meat left lying for a long time which had decomposed .
This was his senior’s own discovery—that the power of Bind could be preserved in strong alcohol . It was a convenient method for him to test how high a level his own cultivation had attained—whether or not it had reached a realm sufficient to rival the monsters who were of Bind Level .
Soon, within the span of ten breaths, the drop of liquid in Lu Sheng’s palm gradually evaporated into thin air . Beads of sweat had broken out all over Lu Sheng’s body . His face was as pale as paper .
Gazing at his palm, he smiled bitterly in helplessness .
‘Based on senior apprentice brother’s research, the weakest form of the power of Bind is equivalent to at least ten porcelain vials . If I truly desire to defeat mature Anomalies and Noblemen, the basic requirement is for me to be able to resist the power of Bind . If I can’t even handle the poison of Bind, then it means that even the slightest physical contact with them would be fatal for me, not to mention breaking through their Bind barrier . ’
He recalled the look of defeat and anguish on old Sect Master’s face when he had requested for these porcelain vials from him . Apparently, he had attempted to resist the poison and power of Bind too . It was a pity that he had failed, just as expected .
‘My present cultivation is Ultimate Crimson Mantra Level Six—about equal to my senior apprentice brother . But, practically speaking, I’m slightly stronger . Senior apprentice brother is, after all, advanced in age and needs to expend much of his cultivation base on maintaining his body’s performance . I’m a different story . ’
Lu Sheng shook the porcelain vial . It was completely empty inside . Each vial contained merely one drop of alcohol infused with Bind, the size of a sesame seed .
Such extraordinary power could be preserved for over a decade in concentrated alcohol with merely a slight reduction in its potency .
‘With my cultivation base, I can only barely resist ten percent of Bind poison . The difference between them is too wide a gap…’ Lu Sheng exclaimed in his mind . ‘Let’s hope this trip to Fine Treasures Hall will be richly rewarded . ’
He had come out this time partially to take a stroll to clear his mind by personally buying alcohol, and partially because Mountain-Edge City’s largest antique shop, Fine Treasures Hall, had just informed him that a batch of goods has just arrived, inviting him to take his pick .
Fine Treasures Hall was the property of She Lin Society, one of the noted societies in Mountain-Edge City .
She Lin Society was on pretty good terms with Crimson Whale Sect . Lu Sheng had informed them beforehand of his desire for some artifacts excavated from graves, to which they readily agreed .