Chapter 368: Almost Certain (Requesting Monthly Passes)

The stepmother brought Xu Yuan two new craft items.

Using the material from the servant cook, she forged a snuff bottle.

It can emit a special fragrance.

Upon smelling this fragrance, whether human or evil spirit, one would briefly lose reason and dazedly follow the scent.

This craft item is of the Fifth Grade.

Using a tree eye, she forged a folding fan, but it has only twelve fan ribs, corresponding to the remaining twelve tree eyes.

Every time the folding fan is opened, it can teleport Xu Yuan away.

However, the destination is random.

This is a craft item used for escaping death.

It can only be used twelve times; each use consumes one fan rib.

The stepmother has not yet had time to process the remaining material.

For instance, Deng Linyue's spider web and Spider Lady, as well as that clump of foul silk; the stepmother plans to fuse them together, having an idea but not yet acting on it.

As for Qi Yue's material, the stepmother has a very satisfying idea.

So after arriving in Zhan City, she took three hairpins and counting rods from Xu Yuan.

Preparing to fuse them together to forge a craft item that might be of the Fourth Grade!

Xu Yuan is very much looking forward to this.

He promised the stepmother: "Whatever material you need, just tell me. If I don't have it here, I can buy it at the Old Market of Little West Temple; if Little West Temple doesn't have it, I can buy it on Guanghuo Street."

On the day of "Forbidden Stepping on Shadows," the city was indeed quiet.

By mid-afternoon, the older sister of the fox sisters returned.

"Someone went to Xiapo Village today! They were even sneakier than us, seemingly looking for those water buffaloes."

Xu Yuan waved his hand, using the illusion technique "Dragon Spits Mirage" to conjure the appearance of Gao Wanli: "Is this the person?"

"It is her!"

Xu Yuan nodded: "She didn't find those water buffaloes, so what happened next?"

"Before I returned, she had just left, seemingly heading toward Dongzha Village."

Xu Yuan said: "Go back immediately, catch up with her, and watch everything she does."

The sister's eyes rolled, secretly thinking they could no longer let this great villain use them for free.

"We sisters work for you, what benefit do we get?"

Xu Yuan smiled slightly: "Think about it, in Ghost Wushan, whose techniques are most coveted? I will help you get them."

"Really?"

The sister's eyes lit up.

Xu Yuan nodded: "My Lord will never break his word."

"Good."

The fox sister left full of expectation.

Last time, using "Gazing at Fate," Xu Yuan looked at Gao Wanli.

Xu Yuan discovered the problem.

Gao Wanli is not only a craft cultivator but also practices the "Agricultural Method."

At other times, Xu Yuan would not have suspected anything.

But the Black Sister of Xiapo Village was an anomaly created by the Agricultural Method.

Xu Yuan naturally kept an extra watchful eye.

That is why he went to find Miao Yu and obtained detailed information about the Gao family.

Now it seems, the "arrangements" made by Gao Wanli are definitely not limited to just Xiapo Village.

Two people from the Fu family died, and Fu Chongjiu was one of the Fu family's very important heirs.

The cocoon-eaters were lost; the merchants sent two groups of people, and then fell silent.

Xu Yuan would not foolishly believe they would give up.

Now it seems, they were indeed colluding together.

And Xu Yuan does not intend to resolve Gao Wanli this time.

Xu Yuan now needs the continuation of the "Dragon Transformation Method" so that before the Mid-July Festival, he can cultivate the "Dragon Transformation Method" to the Fifth Grade.

His Dragon Transformation Method came from Fu Shuanghui.

It barely counts as Sixth Grade.

But in reality, it is still somewhat inferior to Sixth Grade.

Xu Yuan stroked his chin in the duty room, secretly pondering how to set the bait so Gao Wanli would bite the hook, and then draw out the Fu family.

But he could not expose himself.

Gao Wanli returned only when the sky was nearly dark.

In one day, she ran around seven or eight villages and towns of Zhan City; it was truly hard work.

Gao Wanli had never worked so hard before.

Her hatred for Xu Yuan and Lin Wanmo gave her tremendous motivation.

Returning to the yamen, Gao Wanli accidentally encountered Old Qin.

Old Qin shivered in fright at Gao Wanli's appearance: "What kind of ghostly thing dares to act recklessly in my Zhan City Office—eh, eh, it is Lord Gao, misunderstanding, all misunderstandings."

Old Qin truly did not recognize her at first glance.

Today's ban on "heavy makeup" meant Gao Wanli went out without any makeup on.

She was indeed ugly...

With makeup, she was at least passable.

Without makeup, having spent the whole day tramping through dust outside, and returning with her hair disheveled, it was no wonder people misunderstood.

Gao Wanli trembled with rage, her entire body stiff.

By the time she reacted, Old Qin had already fled.

"You dog!" Gao Wanli ground her teeth: "Once I bring down Xu Yuan, you'll be the first one I deal with!"

Gao Wanli snorted coldly: "A Wu Xiu who looks nothing special, yet has such a robust build. Don't tell me he's a silver-tipped wax spear, destined to disappoint me!"

Gao Wanli had long been married.

She was born of high status and possessed extraordinary talent.

But her appearance was simply unacceptable.

Her family had intended a political marriage; everything was settled, but when the two parties finally met, the man refused to agree no matter what.

After several such rejections, Gao Wanli was deeply hurt. Six years ago, she spotted a scholar of extremely handsome appearance on the street and immediately ordered her subordinates to snatch him back.

The scholar's family was poor, with no power or influence.

Gao Wanli forced him into marriage.

After that, Gao Wanli let loose; while she didn't have countless lovers, she had more than two hands could count.

She loved playing Mahjong; if she had nothing to do in the afternoon, she would summon three handsome subordinates to play with her until night, then pick one from among them to serve her overnight.

Old Qin's disdain for her appearance only triggered Gao Wanli's rebellious psychology.

I am determined to have you!

Xu Yuan not only had the Fox Sisters keep watch on Gao Wanli, but also ordered Lang Xiao Ba to secretly monitor Gao Wanli's courtyard.

The moment Gao Wanli returned, Xu Yuan went out.

By then the city gates were closed, but when my lord Xu flashed his badge, the soldiers guarding the gate dared not ask questions, quietly opening the gate a crack to let my lord Xu out.

Outside the city, Xu Yuan found the Fox Sisters and gave the order: "Lead the way."

The two little foxes began to run with all their might, while Xu Yuan donned a mud mask and followed behind.

Two fluffy, large tails swayed back and forth before my lord Xu's eyes.

The first place they went was Dongzha Village.

During the day, the elder Fox Sister returned and called on her younger sister to chase after Gao Wanli together.

Their noses were very keen; following the scent, they caught up with Gao Wanli in no time.

Dongzha Village was named after a water sluice built there in early times to irrigate the fields.

It was a large village with over two hundred households and more than a thousand people.

Tonight, the stars twinkled; beside the long-abandoned water sluice lay a pond of seven or eight mu in size.

The water surface shimmered, ripples rising layer by layer in silence.

Immediately, dozens of ferocious snake heads emerged from beneath the water.

They did not act immediately; extending seven or eight feet above the water, they gazed quietly at the night sky, seemingly listening intently to the sounds around them.

During this process, the water snakes' bodies swelled and thickened, their scales began to rot, and from the wounds sprouted clumps of flesh buds resembling water weeds!

The entire pond looked incredibly strange and terrifying.

Gao Wanli took a hot bath, then lay comfortably on her bed, unable to help but laugh.

Although the strange occurrences in Xiapo Village had, for some reason, vanished without a trace, the operations in other villages were all successful.

Tomorrow, reports of tragic losses will reach Zhan Cheng one after another.

Xu Yuan will surely be powerless to turn the tide.

As for the thousands of innocent villagers who perished in Zhikou's grasp... she simply did not care; mere commoners, their lives as cheap as wild grass, dead was dead.

(End of this chapter)