Chapter 424: Chapter 147: Spirit Awakening Realm Fifth Heaven, Great Success in the Twelve True Forms Fist; The Blood Curse Hunt Arrives...

But on second thought, even if she found her target, it wouldn’t be wise to make a move inside Qing Province. She sighed and reined in her impatience.

Although she followed the Demon Dao, she was meticulous and cautious, unwilling to take unnecessary risks.

’Otherwise, how could she have survived this long?’

...

Chu Fan and his friends were drinking and toasting, the atmosphere lively.

Fatty was spitting as he spoke, animatedly recounting interesting stories from their group.

Jiang Yuanfan would chime in from time to time, making everyone laugh.

And Zhao Tianxing simply chewed his food, listening with amusement.

As Chu Fan listened, he savored the feeling of the burgeoning power within him.

This tangible gain after his breakthrough left him feeling content and refreshed.

Mo Yunzi, however, grew more bored by the minute, wondering if she should move to a surveillance spot closer to the city gates.

There was a certain dramatic irony to the situation—

a deadly blade was just inches away, yet the prey remained completely oblivious;

a hidden killer lurked nearby, while the quarry was still enjoying its final moments of peace.

The boisterous tavern was like a grand stage, playing out a drama of unseen undercurrents that no one was aware of.

Even when Chu Fan and his friends had eaten and drunk their fill, settled the bill, and left, Mo Yunzi didn’t spare them a single glance.

She just gazed out the window, silently admonishing herself. ’Patience, be more patient... He’ll have to leave the city eventually.’

She suppressed the restlessness born from the long wait and became a calm huntress once more, waiting for the signal of her prey, who could appear at any moment.

Meanwhile, Chu Fan joked and laughed with his companions as they walked down the stairs, completely unaware that he had just brushed past death.

...

「Qing Province, North City. Medicine King Pavilion.」

The magnificent three-story pavilion boasted upturned eaves, interlocking brackets, jade-green tiles, and vermilion ridges.

Before its entrance, traffic was heavy, and Martial Artists and Cultivators in robes of all colors came and went in an endless stream.

The air was thick with a rich, refreshing medicinal aroma.

This Medicine King Pavilion was one of the Medicine King Valley’s largest enterprises in Qing Province. It was not only a hub for the Elixir trade but also a symbol of the Medicine King Valley’s transcendent status.

Who among the great sects and Noble Families of Qing Province wouldn’t want to be on good terms with the Medicine King Valley?

Some even went out of their way to curry favor and ingratiate themselves.

Dressed in an ice-blue long dress, Baili Bing walked into the Medicine King Pavilion with a cold expression.

In contrast to the lively surroundings, she seemed to be wrapped in a layer of unthawable ice.

These past few days, her mood had been absolutely foul.

Her niece, the eldest young lady of the Medicine King Valley, Baili Youyou, had been murdered in the Gangfeng Forbidden Land!

When the Valley Master, Baili Nutao, received the news, he flew into a thunderous rage on the spot, nearly tearing half the Medicine King Valley apart.

Now, he was sparing no expense, mobilizing all of the Medicine King Valley’s resources and connections in a frantic search for the killer.

But Baili Bing held a secret in her heart that she dared not speak—

she might know who the killer was.

It had to be that young Demon Suppression Guard she had encountered in the Gangfeng Forbidden Land!

At first, she had only planned to capture him and bring him back to the Medicine King Valley for questioning. She didn’t truly believe a mere early-stage Spirit Awakening Realm Cultivator could kill Baili Youyou and her guards.

But the subsequent pursuit had forced her to completely overturn her initial thoughts.

That boy was clearly only in the early Spirit Awakening Realm, yet his Body Technique was bizarre and unpredictable, and his Palm Technique was even more insidious and refined.

No matter how she, an Acupoint Realm Cultivator, pushed her Primordial Qi, she could never catch up to him!

Even when they fought, she, a powerful Acupoint Realm expert, was struck several times by his Palm Technique—a technique infused with Extreme Cold Qi and Yellow Springs Death Qi. It was utterly bizarre!

If not for her strong Protective Primordial Qi and the Inner Armor she wore, she would have suffered a major loss right then and there.

Even now, the memory sent a shiver of fear down her spine.

Later, when the chase led into the Chaotic Stone Forest, they encountered a powerful skeletal monster.

It was only because of his divinely skilled archery, which severely wounded the skeleton, that she was able to finish the monster off.

What frustrated her most was how the roles of hunter and prey had been reversed in an instant.

That boy had a breakthrough right in the middle of being chased, and his speed skyrocketed.

In the end, he even used the name of the Demon Suppression Bureau to threaten her, brazenly "extorting" a piece of precious Demon Marrow Gold and a rare Seven-leaf Star Orchid from her!

The thought of those two treasures, which would make countless Cultivators green with envy, made Baili Bing grit her teeth, her heart bleeding with regret.

Connecting all the clues now, she was almost certain: that young Demon Suppression Guard, with his bizarre methods and meticulous mind, was the real killer of Baili Youyou!

But she didn’t dare tell the Valley Master the truth.

For one, she had failed in her pursuit and lost precious treasures; if the Valley Master found out, she would surely be held responsible.

And two, more importantly, the other party was a Demon Suppression Guard!

The Medicine King Valley might be influential in Qing Province, but what was that in the face of a behemoth like the Demon Suppression Bureau?

If the Valley Master insisted on revenge, it would mean making an enemy of the Demon Suppression Bureau!

’Playing dumb is perhaps the best option for now.’

Besides, Baili Youyou had always been spoiled and willful, offending countless people by flaunting her status. It was only a matter of time before she brought disaster upon the Medicine King Valley.

...

Just as Baili Bing stepped through the main entrance of the Medicine King Pavilion, she saw Zhang Ling’Er, the eldest young lady of the Zhang Family, leaving arrogantly with a large retinue of Attendants.

She frowned instinctively and slipped behind a nearby pillar to hide.

This Zhang Ling’Er and Baili Youyou were practically cut from the same cloth.

Both were spoiled, domineering, and did whatever they pleased.

Baili Bing had never liked dealing with such people, nor did she care for associating with the Zhang Family. In the past, whenever she saw Zhang Ling’Er, she would avoid her if she could.

Only after Zhang Ling’Er’s party was long gone did she slowly emerge and walk straight into the inner hall of the Medicine King Pavilion.

The inner hall was elegantly decorated, and the scent of sandalwood smoke curled through the air.

A middle-aged man with a refined, scholarly face was discussing matters with two men who looked like stewards.

When he saw Baili Bing enter, he waved his hand, dismissing the two men.

"Junior Sister, you’re here."

The middle-aged man was the manager of the Medicine King Pavilion and Baili Bing’s senior martial brother, Ye Chang’an.

Ye Chang’an said, "The Zhang Family’s eldest young lady, Zhang Ling’Er, came looking for you just now. She left not long ago."

Baili Bing frowned slightly. "We’re not close. What would she be looking for me for?"