Chapter 27: This Is What We Call Professionalism

The Danyang Academy lay beside the Wang Fu, its entrance marked by an octagonal archway, beyond which stretched a vast complex of buildings, where countless students moved about; outside, one structure was hosting its quarterly examination.

Li Jing, the Academy's Vice Dean, a Confucian elder of both literary and martial prowess, sat outside the examination hall on a grand armchair, sipping tea while supervising.

Behind the chair sat a delicate, porcelain-skinned young lady, gripping the backrest as she peered curiously; behind her stood a graceful beauty veiled in green gauze, saying:

"Zi Su, listen to me—you're already late!"

"I'm just looking! Old Man Li, you'll help me say hello later, right?"

"Impudent! You must call him Elder Li!"

"Heh… no harm done…"

…

The current examination at the Military Academy was on forging weapons on-site.

Due to the difficulty of the task, flames, smoke, and thunderous roars occasionally erupted within the scorching exam hall, drawing crowds of curious students to gather around.

Lin Wanyi had brought Zi Su to school, but Zi Su, upon discovering the Military Academy's exam, refused to move—she hadn't even registered yet—and Lin Wanyi felt a crushing sense of despair, wishing she could publicly spank this troublesome girl.

But with Elder Li Jing seated right there, she couldn't lose her parental dignity, so she said:

"Then go in on your own later—if the instructors punish you, don't come crying to me."

Zi Su, gripping the armchair's backrest, replied without looking away:

"It's fine—Old Man Li's here."

"Sigh… don't forget about the pill-making!"

"I know, I'll go get the permit right after."

"Sigh…"

Lin Wanyi could do nothing but leave Zi Su behind and return alone to her carriage.

Finally alone, her mind inevitably drifted back to yesterday's bizarre experience.

Even now, she couldn't understand how she'd fallen asleep in the bathtub—and what strange, half-real dreams she'd had.

In the dream, she'd become someone entirely different, speaking and acting as seductively as the troublemaking sisters from Wencheng Street, as if she wanted to devour Xie Jinhuan whole…

Had she been possessed by a ghost?

Or was she simply falling in love…

Pfft…

As she drifted in such idle thoughts, the carriage had traveled far without reaching the clinic—when suddenly, Jia Zheng's voice came from outside:

"Oh my~ Young Master Xie, heading to the clinic?"

"Yes—is Physician Lin in the carriage?"

"She is."

…

Hearing Xie Jinhuan's voice, Lin Wanyi snapped out of her reverie; before she could lift the curtain to look, the carriage suddenly dipped.

Creak—

In stepped a young lord clad in brocade robes, followed closely by Big Coal, who greeted her:

"Gujii~"

Lin Wanyi had meant to greet him, but Xie Jinhuan's attire today was unexpectedly handsome—she froze for a moment:

"Your outfit… are you going to a matchmaker?"

Matchmaker?

Xie Jinhuan sat by the carriage window, amused:

"Why? Are you going too?"

Today, to match her thirty-ounce set of undergarments, Lin Wanyi couldn't just throw on any skirt.

She wore a water-green waist-length ruqun, her intricate hairpin adorned with red hairpins, complemented by gold-rimmed spectacles on her nose—looking intellectual and dignified, yet with a slender waist, full chest, and astonishing hip-to-waist ratio, radiating undeniable feminine allure.

Facing his jest, Lin Wanyi couldn't retort with her own critique:

"You're here about the pills? Zi Su already went to get the permit—she'll start refining this afternoon."

Xie Jinhuan shook his head; the matter was urgent, so he cut straight to the point:

"I came to ask about something—I saw a corpse at the government office, its body riddled with holes, likely killed by 'Gu Hua.' Do you know anything about this?"

Lin Wanyi herself was a core disciple of the Gu Du Pai; though she dared not poison others, she knew the full method of nurturing poisons—including the "qing gu" that bound men to her eternally—so asking her this was like asking a fish about water.

Lin Wanyi glanced outside first, confirming Jia Zheng wasn't eavesdropping, then leaned close:

"You're certain it's Gu Hua? What kind?"

Xie Jinhuan shook his head: "The body was pulled from the river—too decayed. I can only confirm the presence of corpse flies and that Longxu grass was used. The exact Gu flower responsible remains unknown."

Lin Wanyi listened carefully, then thought deeply:

"Naturally occurring Gu Hua are virtually nonexistent. Cultivated varieties number seventeen—all core poison arts of the Gedazong Sects.

"Of these, seven use living humans as nourishment—that is, with 'corpse flies'—and only two use Longxu grass, both tied to the 'spirit soul': 'Feng Shi Hua' and 'An Hun Cao.'"

Seeing Lin the beauty knew so clearly, Xie Jinhuan knew he'd come to the right place:

"Which one do you think it is?"

Lin Wanyi rubbed Big Coal's head as it bobbed:

"An Hun Cao grows only in extreme cold and yin places—Danzhou can't sustain it. If the demon raiders cultivated it locally, it must be Feng Shi Hua.

"Feng Shi Hua grows in places of great evil, surrounded by corpses; its essence nourishes it to maturity—its fragrance drives men mad. After a century, it can transform into a flower spirit.

"The Southern Wastelands' Linglu Valley once developed a cultivation method: using humans as nurseries, warming the sprouts with animal carcasses—seven days and it blooms…"

Xie Jinhuan listened in silence, then nodded thoughtfully:

"Where in Danyang would someone choose to grow Feng Shi Hua?"

Lin Wanyi pondered briefly, and before she could respond, the omnipresent red-clad ghost appeared, sitting right before Lin Wanyi:

"There are numerous livestock corpses nearby; the smell is impossible to conceal, so it cannot be within the city. Once the flowers are planted, the corpses serve as fertilizer and would not be discarded willingly. The fact that the corpses appeared by the river indicates the location connects to the waterway. Search upstream along the Huai River's water veins; I will assist as an advisor, seeking places heavy with Yin Qi. Finding it will not be difficult."

Xie Jinhuan looked at the two beauties of peerless charm sitting side by side in the carriage and fell silent at once.

While Lin Wanyi pondered in secret, she noticed Xie Jinhuan's gaze was directed wrongly, so she turned her head to look at the empty space beside her and asked in confusion:

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh... nothing, I was just distracted."

Xie Jinhuan tried his best not to compare which of the two beauties was more voluptuous and alluring, and shifted his gaze elsewhere:

"I suddenly thought of a clue; I must go outside the city. Please excuse me first."

Lin Wanyi still hoped Xie Jinhuan would act as the Double-Headed Dragon, connecting her to the Martial Arts Divine Scripture. Seeing Xie Jinhuan recklessly preparing to slay demons and banish evil, she warned:

"Witches who refine Gu Flowers possess cultivation starting at Rank 3. You are merely a martial artist; if you encounter one, you will die. If you have a clue, it is best to report it to the government office."

Xie Jinhuan understood the stakes, but he still needed to find an opportunity to sacrifice a Daoist friend!

As long as he found the place where the flowers were cultivated, he could devise a method to forge some evidence, pin the demonic qi of Mount Zihui on them, and then let the government office investigate. Wouldn't the Great Qian's iron fist then hammer down upon the demon bandits?

For this reason, the government office officials certainly could not be summoned. He thought for a moment and replied:

"The government office is busy with official duties. I cannot be certain at present, so I should investigate on my own first. Even if I encounter a powerful enemy, I will have a chance to escape."

Lin Wanyi was somewhat worried that the Double-Headed Dragon might meet with trouble outside. Seeing this, she could only say:

"I will go with you. You do not understand the ways of the Wu Sect; having me there makes it safer."

Xie Jinhuan indeed knew little about the Wu Sect's secret arts. Having an expert right before him would obviously make his actions more convenient, so he considered briefly:

"Miss Lin, what is your cultivation level? You won't be a drag, will you?"

Lin Wanyi lifted her ample assets, her face wearing an air of pride:

"I am merely reluctant to fight, not unable. With your meager cultivation, if we truly clash, you will not last a single move."

The red-clad ghost sitting beside them, perhaps feeling that Lin Wanyi was showing off her assets, also lifted her bodice to compare.

As it turned out, the Night Demon indeed possessed a fuller, more voluptuous figure. One did not know if she was cheating with illusions...

Xie Jinhuan's eyes were completely obscured by the heavy weight; his thoughts were no longer clear. Seeing that his ghostly wife had told him to bring a spare, he said no more, found an excuse to send Jia Zheng away, and headed toward the outskirts of the city...

(End of this chapter)