Chapter 79: Follow the Vine to Find the Gourd

At two a.m., inside a grand mansion near Dongshi Market!

The three-court mansion was dark and silent; a few guards patrolled outside, while a faint glow lit the bedroom in the back courtyard.

Inside the opulent bedroom, the scent of cosmetics lingered; two concubines huddled under the covers, trembling.

The wealthy merchant Yang Sichen, dressed in a night robe, sat by a round table writing with a brush; chilled by the autumn night, he had a blanket draped over his shoulders.

As a renowned pharmaceutical merchant from the capital, Yang Sichen was immensely wealthy and employed many formidable guards—but clearly, they had done no good. At this moment, he gazed at him with utter reverence and said:

“Great hero, your skills are extraordinary—you enter my home as if it were your own. But next time, just announce yourself. Suddenly placing a sword at my throat is truly terrifying…”

Outside the room, Linghu Qingmo stood guard with sword in hand, carefully watching. Though she claimed to be accompanying Xie Jinhuan on an investigation, right now she felt like she was aiding a notorious bandit couple!

Earlier at Xiaoyao Cave, Xie Jinhuan had gone to investigate a fur shop, only to stir up a swarm of fleas that scurried across the roof and vanished in an instant.

She followed his orders and stayed still, but Xie Jinhuan returned quickly, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward Dongshi Market.

Linghu Qingmo was deeply puzzled; along the way, she learned they were going to demand the order list from Yang Sichen, the head of the Four Great Pharmaceutical Merchants, and thought this task nearly impossible.

After all, Yang Sichen was no ordinary man—nearby cultivation powerhouses like Taiyin Palace and Zihui Mountain all ordered from him; his connections spanned both legal and illicit circles, and the order list was a trade secret.

Linghu Qingmo had originally planned to arrive at his door as a direct disciple of Zihui Mountain, appeal to their longstanding ties, move him with emotion and reason, and persuade him to cooperate with the investigation and hand over the list.

But look what happened!

Xie Jinhuan dragged her to the Yang residence, moved as if he had x-ray vision, slipped past all visible and hidden sentries, slipped into Yang Sichen’s room, and directly placed his sword against his throat.

Yang, the great merchant, was a seasoned veteran—he rose without a word and began writing, their communication smooth and harmonious, utterly without friction.

Linghu Qingmo trailed behind, stunned; they were hunting a murderer, yet she felt the thrill of a bandit raid.

Afraid of being recognized and causing Yang Sichen to raise prices for Zihui Mountain, leading her master to hang her up and beat her, she stayed hidden outside, silently thinking:

No wonder Xie Jinhuan’s efficiency in chasing demonic bandits was so outrageous…

His expertise in investigation, interrogation, stealth, and assassination surpassed even professional assassins—using him for detective work was a waste of talent…

I can’t learn it…

But it’s undeniably effective…

Meiqiu, by contrast, was used to it; she strolled along the roof ridge, occasionally letting out a soft “gūji?”—probably thinking Xie Jinhuan was being far too slow.

…

Xie Jinhuan stood behind Yang Sichen, sword in hand; since MoMo was outside keeping watch, his tone was relatively casual:

“Apologies for the disturbance. You’ve written over a hundred names already—still not done? How many people ordered Longyang Flower?”

Yang Sichen, though nervous, maintained a calm expression as if speaking to an old friend:

“Longyang Flower is needed by all martial cultivators of fourth rank and above. Pharmacies, alchemists, and sects in Danshou, Weizhou, and elsewhere all source from me—totaling over eight hundred people. Demand consistently outstrips supply.”

A medicinal herb priced at eighty taels per qian could attract so many buyers? Xie Jinhuan frowned:

“Can you remember all these names?”

Yang Sichen thought this was just a straightforward business negotiation and smiled in reply:

“Regular buyers of Longyang Flower each have their own price. If I can’t remember them, what business am I in? I guarantee not a single mistake.”

Xie Jinhuan saw Yang was highly professional—but he had no time to investigate so many people.

The killer operated locally; shipments sent to other provinces could be ruled out.

Pharmacies and alchemists both bought and sold; those who used it long-term without reselling would eventually reveal themselves. If their usage was so massive it escaped notice by outsiders, their influence would be astonishing—contradicting the rogue cultivator profile, so also ruled out…

As for martial sects, killing a few people was like child’s play—they followed demonic paths, consumed beast-based medicines to cultivate—wasn’t that embarrassing? Also ruled out…

After brief consideration, Xie Jinhuan asked:

“Excluding outsiders and pharmacies, alchemists, and sects within the Jingzhao region, how many individual buyers have consistently ordered Longyang Flower in recent years?”

Yang Sichen thought carefully: “There aren’t many—only about thirty. Most order Longyang Flower to cure stubborn illnesses.”

“Tell me roughly who they are and why they need it.”

Yang Sichen held his brush, writing as he pondered:

“Hmm… Assistant Director Huo Zhonghu of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau ordered Longyang Flower to stockpile ingredients for brewing the ‘Poison-Dispelling Pill’ to break through to Supergrade…”

“Lie An Nan Ye Shirong ordered it to heal old wounds from the Jian’an Uprising…”

“Captain Wu of Daxing Battalion also for an old injury…”

…

As Xie Jinhuan listened, he mentally eliminated those who wouldn’t need to buy Blood Essence at the Ghost Market.

Still, eight or so suspects remained—mostly wealthy household retainers or freelance martial artists.

Xie Jinhuan had been pondering how to investigate them, when Yang Sichen, writing the twenty-seventh name, suddenly added:

“Wu Su of Bai Ma Street runs a curio shop; he ordered Longyang Flower to heal an old injury…”

?

Xie Jinhuan frowned and interrupted:

“Wu Su is a curio dealer—what old injury requires Longyang Flower to heal?”

Yang Sichen explained: “Master Wu apparently overexerted himself in his youth, damaging his root. He consulted a divine physician from the Taiyi Academy, who prescribed a regimen requiring long-term warming with Longyang Flower—small quantities.”

The explanation was plausible enough. Xie Jinhuan thought for a moment:

“Tell me more about this Wu Su.”

“Er…” Yang Sichen looked uneasy. “Master Wu has been confined to his home due to illness for years; his son manages the shop. I haven’t seen him in a long time.”

Wealthy, low status, reclusive…

This matched the rogue demonic cultivator profile: “capable of sensing experts within a hundred zhang, but with limited connections.”

Remembering the killer’s ability to detect experts within a hundred zhang, Xie Jinhuan asked again:

“Does he have any other peculiar traits?”

Yang Sichen thought: “Wu Su’s nickname is ‘Golden Eyes Wu.’ He made his fortune gambling on raw stones—he rarely misjudges artifacts and is quite famous in the curio district. Does that count?”

Hearing this, Xie Jinhuan was now certain Wu Su was the culprit.

Still, to be safe, he had Yang Sichen finish writing the rest, then carefully analyzed them all.

Of the thirty-odd names, excluding Wu Su, the others either had too high a cultivation base or too strong a background—their suspicion paled next to Wu Su’s.

Having identified the key target, Xie Jinhuan wanted to go directly—but remembering his own troubles, he asked:

“Can you buy any herb here?”

Yang Sichen pulled his blanket tighter, refusing to turn around:

“What does the hero need?”

“Jiazi Lotus root. I’ll pay silver—no forced taking.”

“?”

Yang Sichen didn’t believe it for a second!

But he truly had no stock. He apologized:

“Jiazi Lotus root is found only in a few ancient sects—and the imperial treasury. The last time it was issued was when the abbot of Fanyun Temple ascended to Supergrade and came to the capital to perform rituals for His Majesty’s blessing; the court awarded him one as a reward.”

“This herb is primarily used by ancient elders above Supergrade for ‘washing marrow and felling bones.’ Once one reaches Supergrade, everyone seeks it—every sect treats it as their lifeline. I certainly don’t have any.”

Seeing even the capital’s largest merchant had none, Xie Jinhuan’s heart sank halfway. He said:

“Understood. It’s late—Master Yang, rest well. Apologies for the disturbance.”

Seeing Xie Jinhuan truly meant to leave, Yang Sichen hesitated, then asked:

“Are you certain you need this?”

Xie Jinhuan paused, turned back:

“Do you have a connection?”

Yang Sichen showed a hint of pride: “Ordinary people can’t obtain Jiazi Lotus root—but mountain-top elders like Shang Lianbi and Sikong the Ancestor surely have stock.”

“Oh?”

The name Shang Lianbi was legendary to Xie Jinhuan.

He was the only ancestor in all the land who openly dabbled in demonic paths, fluent in all five teachings—Immortal, Buddha, Martial, Shaman, and Demon—and alone held sway over ten thousand li of Longgu Beach!

The novel “The Passionate Swordsmen Shang Lianbi” depicted him ruling Longgu Beach, constantly teasing fox spirits and octopus maidens—something many envied…

Though unsure if the book’s content was true, given Shang Lianbi’s status, using Jiazi Lotus root to brew tea wouldn’t be surprising. If he could pay, he could certainly buy it.

Thinking of this, Xie Jinhuan asked:

“Can you contact someone like that?”

“No.”

“...”

Are you seriously asking for a beating?

Xie Jinhuan’s expression darkened.

Yang Sichen felt a chill down his spine and hurriedly added:

“Though rare, Jiazi Lotus root isn’t impossible to find within a thousand li. There are sellers.”

“But ordinary silver means nothing to mountain-top elders. Such divine herbs are traded for equivalent treasures.”

“If you can provide a comparable artifact, I can inquire on your behalf. Within three to five days, I should find a lead. Commission: five percent of the transaction value.”

Five percent—that’s quite a cut…

But Xie Jinhuan had no money; if he couldn’t secure a transaction, there’d be no commission. Still, he bowed:

“Thank you. Please find out the price for me—I’ll return in a few days.”

“Hero, you’re too kind. Next time, knock first!”

“Understood.”

……

Not long after, outside the Yang Mansion.

Xie Jinhuan walked down the street, carefully examining the list.

Linghu Qingmo looked back every three steps, confirming that Yang Sichen had not sent his retainers to pursue and seek revenge, before sighing in relief:

“How come you handle things… how come you’re so ruthless? Yang Sichen is a legitimate merchant, an elder of the Purple Banner Mountain Sect’s Affairs Hall—everyone gives him at least a little respect. You just put your sword to his throat…”

Xie Jinhuan hadn’t actually slashed Yang Sichen—he’d just followed the principle of “strike first, listen later,” which was more efficient:

“Matters have urgency and priority. The demon bandits could strike and kill at any moment; when necessary, you must take necessary action. Sometimes, excessive mercy leads to worse consequences.”

“Oh…”

Linghu Qingmo thought it made sense, pulled out her small notebook, and wrote down “Jinhuan’s Sayings,” then asked:

“Why are you inquiring about the Jiazi Lotus?”

Xie Jinhuan blinked his eyes, looking at the kind and beautiful Mo Mo:

“Miss Zisu wants to brew the Life-Reviving Pill, and she needs this. I’m just helping out by asking around. The Jiazi Lotus of Purple Banner Mountain…”

Linghu Qingmo quickly shook her head:

“I could give you other things, but this is a sect’s foundation—my master hasn’t reached the transcendent rank, so she isn’t even eligible to use it. I truly can’t give it to you.”

“Hehe, just joking.”

Xie Jinhuan’s smile was light, but inside, his heart was dead.

After all, he only had twenty days left, hadn’t earned a single coin, and Meiqiu had already eaten up a good portion…

But rushing wouldn’t help. Seeing Mo Mo’s determination as she checked the list, he thought for a moment:

“How about we make another bet?”

Linghu Qingmo remembered their first meeting, when she’d lost the bet and been stripped of her bodice—she grew nervous:

“What are we betting on?”

“The killer. Before dawn, if I don’t catch him, I’ll treat you to breakfast. If I do catch him… then you give me three chances to be forgiven when I make you angry.”

Forgive me when I make you angry?

Linghu Qingmo felt the scope was too broad:

“What counts as ‘making you angry’?”

“If I do something that angers you, you can’t get mad—you have to forgive me.”

Linghu Qingmo’s eyebrows furrowed slightly:

“So if you kiss me, I still can’t hit you?”

Xie Jinhuan wouldn’t just kiss Mo Mo—but it was more or less what she meant:

“If you’re too afraid to bet, fine. I won’t bring you along on future investigations—I’ll move faster alone.”

?

Upon hearing this, Linghu Qingmo’s gaze darkened instantly!

Was this a bet?

This was clearly threatening her into submission!

But she truly feared Xie Jinhuan would refuse to take her along again…

Xie Jinhuan handled things so well—if she didn’t follow and learn from him, when would she ever become a righteous female hero like her master?

Besides, according to the government office, the killer was extremely cunning, able to sense experts within a hundred zhang.

Even if Xie Jinhuan truly found the location using the Longyang Flower, he might still fail to track the killer’s movements…

Catching the killer would be a good thing!

Linghu Qingmo weighed it carefully, then gritted her teeth and nodded:

“Fine. If you don’t catch him, you give me three chances to say ‘Stop!’”

?

Xie Jinhuan blinked. “What does that mean?”

“No matter what you’re doing, if I say ‘Stop,’ you must stop immediately!”

Hss…

So that means even at the critical moment, you have to hold back?

That might be… really uncomfortable…

Xie Jinhuan hesitated slightly, but still trusted Guixifu’s judgment—if the killer truly kept consuming beast medicine, Wu Su was ninety percent likely the culprit, and the remaining ten percent were on this list!

“Alright, it’s a deal!”

Xie Jinhuan finished speaking and immediately dashed toward the Antique Street, unwilling to waste a moment.

Linghu Qingmo knew Xie Jinhuan’s abilities and felt a pang of guilt, but the thought of catching the killer steeled her resolve, and she leapt after him…

——

Going live next Monday—I’ve done my best with updates; hope the seniors will give a first subscription or two!

(End of Chapter)