Chapter 13: Fragrant, Sincere, and Strong
The two Mountain Crushing Bear Demon leaders were killed on the spot, and the hidden Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey also escaped. This incident was like truly stirring up a hornet’s nest. After a moment of stillness, the ordinary bear demons and young bear demons suddenly went mad and rushed towards the cave entrance.
Ning Xuan saw it clearly. With a flash, he arrived at the cave entrance, drawing his broken saber. Flying Swallow Collapse Mountain, he decapitated the first rushing bear demon. Then, using the demon’s belly as a springboard, he recoiled and returned, accelerating. With another Flying Swallow Collapse Mountain, he slew another approaching bear demon.
“Bear Demon’s Innate Technique” is the innate technique of the Mountain Crushing Bear Demon. Its activation condition is “acceleration.”
Whether Ning Xuan could use “Collapse Mountain” was crucial.
Being able to use it was one level.
Not being able to use it was another level.
The two were in no way comparable.
His physique was there, but physique was like an unsharpened blade.
The innate technique “Collapse Mountain” was the edge of this blade.
If he didn’t use “Collapse Mountain,” let alone the previous bear demon leaders, he couldn’t even kill these small bear demons in one move. He would have to resort to a method akin to brute force, smashing them one by one.
What a waste of time, how inefficient.
Therefore, he had to keep himself in a state of “acceleration” at all times.
And because his “acceleration” distance was very short, he had to use all his skill and exert all his strength with each strike.
He used the spiraling of the saber hilt to accelerate, moving towards the cave entrance to accelerate, using the bear demon’s belly to rebound, and then pushing off again to accelerate.
He was in a state of explosive, rapid movement.
Hand rises, saber falls. Hand rises, saber falls. Hand rises, saber falls.
Soon, over ten bear demon corpses were piled up at the cave entrance, forming small mounds. The stench filled the air, yet no wild beasts dared to approach.
Ning Xuan began to pant heavily. The blow to his back from the Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey earlier now ached fiercely, burning.
But he had no intention of letting these bear demon underlings escape.
With over a dozen bear demons dead, there was no movement from inside the cave.
The bear demons stopped rushing out and instead retreated into the cave.
Ning Xuan did not enter.
His expression shifted slightly. He glanced at the fire starter he had discarded earlier, took a few steps, and then his gaze swept over the bloody corpse of a beautiful woman nearby. Next to the corpse lay a small metal bottle, engraved with the elegant script “Butterfly Brand Rose Dew.”
As the young master of the Ning Family, who had frequented Agarwood Pavilion, Ning Xuan naturally knew about “Butterfly Brand Rose Dew.”
This was a high-end perfume, sold by the drop, and highly volatile. Only wealthy courtesans could afford it. Of course, this rose dew, more expensive than gold, had also become the dream of ordinary courtesans, who always wanted to try it when they saved up some money.
His heart stirred, and he changed direction, walking over and snatching the metal bottle.
He shook it. Empty.
He pried open the stopper and looked again. It was thoroughly empty.
This deceased woman was clearly not a top courtesan or courtesan of Agarwood Pavilion. The perfume bottle she kept on her person wasn’t even half full.
That made sense. Even if those top courtesans went out for inspiration, the brothel owner would specially arrange for guards to accompany them. No matter where they went, the guards would scout ahead. Such bad luck wouldn’t easily befall them.
Ning Xuan took the empty bottle and went to the small pool of blood where the Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey had been.
He carefully lowered the bottle and slowly drew the blood and soil into it, then placed it in front of him.
A familiar line of information appeared:
[Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey]
[Refine Talisman?]
Seeing that it was useful, Ning Xuan shoved the bottle into his pocket.
He then retrieved the fire starter.
With more time, he gathered some dry branches and piled them at the cave entrance, slowly arranging them, and gradually starting a fire.
He took enough branches and piled them into a small mountain. The fire finally grew stronger. Coupled with the favorable weather, it was a southern wind, blowing from the south and forcing thick smoke into the south-facing cave.
Ning Xuan grabbed his broken saber and, with a few agile movements, climbed to a vantage point outside the cave to observe if smoke was leaking from any other location.
If there was, it would mean the cave had a back entrance, and the little demons would most likely escape through it.
After observing for a good half hour, he did not find any other points of smoke leakage.
The little demons, unable to bear the choking smoke any longer, finally began to flee from the main entrance.
Ning Xuan swooped down from his high position.
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
Slash!
With each stroke of the saber, bear demons fell into pools of blood.
When another bear demon ran out, it had completely given up resisting. With a “thump,” it knelt before Ning Xuan, repeatedly kowtowing and begging for mercy, shouting, “Spare me… spare my life…”
Ning Xuan saw that it could speak and deceived it, “There’s a chance.”
The bear demon kowtowed again.
Ning Xuan said, “Answer my questions.”
He thought for a moment and asked, “Are there any more bears in the cave?”
The bear demon said, “I… I am the Third King. The King and Second King are dead. I… I just drove the little demons out first, and then I deliberately held my breath for a while. I didn’t expect you to still be outside. There are no more bears in the cave.”
Ning Xuan asked, “Are there any treasures?”
The bear demon said repeatedly, “Yes, there is. It’s that brocade kasaya. That kasaya was originally used by the King. When the King died, the Second King used it. When the Second King died, I wanted to use it, but… but it wasn’t effective.”
Ning Xuan asked curiously, “How was it not effective?”
The bear demon said, “Treasures must be invited. You have to burn good incense to invite them. When your heart is sincere and your body is strong, it will be effective, and the treasure will come. Perhaps I am not strong enough, and my heart is not sincere enough.”
After saying that, it kowtowed again, “Spare my life.”
Ning Xuan kicked it and said, “Take it out.”
The bear demon hurriedly reached into its thick fur and took out a palm-sized Buddha statue, handing it over respectfully with both hands.
Ning Xuan took it and glanced at it. The statue was as clear as pure water. The Buddha’s head had coiled hair like a blue lotus, its face like a full moon, with a white spot between its brows. Its eyes were cast down, and its lips held a smile. It was both majestic and compassionate.
Ning Xuan asked, “Burning incense is enough?”
The bear demon nodded repeatedly, then added, “Good incense, a sincere heart, and a strong body…”
Ning Xuan pocketed the Buddha statue and then continued, “Where did you come from?”
The bear demon was taken aback and said, “Of course, from Black Wind Mountain.”
“Black Wind Mountain?”
“Black Wind Mountain is Black Wind Mountain.”
“Then where is this place?”
“This is also Black Wind Mountain. It’s a secret place discovered by Black Wave, who was under the Second King.”
“And who is Black Wave?”
“Killed by you.”
Ning Xuan asked a few more questions and found them to be a complete waste of time, so he changed the subject, “How were you able to detect me from such a great distance?”
The bear demon said anxiously, “Aura. It’s the aura. After we occupied this land, we left an aura everywhere. If any other demons intrude, the aura will become chaotic.
We can easily sense where the aura is chaotic, thereby detecting where the demons are coming from. The stronger the demon, the clearer the perception.
However, if it’s not within our territory, then… then it’s not possible.
You… please spare me. We are all demons.”
Ning Xuan asked, “What about humans? Can you sense humans?”
The bear demon said, “Not from that far away, but when they get close, we can clearly smell them. We have a natural sensitivity to human scent, but for other demons, we need to set up an aura zone in advance to perceive them.”
Ning Xuan nodded.
He understood.
Aura was a unique method of identification for demons.
For humans, they were more direct but had a shorter range.
For demons, they needed preparation, but the range was longer.
The reason the small bear demon could sense him all along was that he had been within the other party’s aura zone, as this was, after all, the lair of the Mountain Crushing Bear Demons.
Just then, the kneeling bear demon sniffed the air. It suddenly smelled human scent.
It looked in the distance in surprise and said, “Someone is coming.”
Ning Xuan turned his head slightly.
He smelled it too.
Not only did he smell it, but he also recognized it.
This human scent was the same as the one he smelled before, which meant the person coming was Han Ba and his group.
Now he finally understood.
Earlier, when he could smell a human scent in the waterfall area, he had thought it was his keen senses. Now, it seemed that after using the Heavenly Demon Scroll, he had acquired demonic aura and characteristics, and thus a special perception of human scent.
Ning Xuan’s mind stirred, and he suddenly said, “Go kill them.”
He estimated that Han Ba and his group were likely following the smoke.
However, he still needed to explore the cave and could not be discovered by Han Ba and his group.
Besides, since Han Ba and his group dared to walk here, he naturally wanted to witness their “extraordinary abilities.”
The bear demon was stunned and showed a hint of joy in its eyes.
Ning Xuan gave it a final assurance, continuing, “I don’t keep trash.”
The bear demon’s mind “logically closed the loop.” It seemed to have found a way to survive, and quickly got up, heading in the direction where the human scent was strongest. It wanted to prove itself.
Ning Xuan watched its retreating back and suddenly turned to slip into the cave.
As soon as he entered, he saw scattered bone fragments, rotting flesh, and half-eaten skulls on the ground.
Walking further in, he saw seven or eight skinned and disemboweled corpses hanging from the natural rock spikes in the cave. Their flesh was exposed, and they were long dead, swaying gently in mid-air.
It was clear that far more people had died than had gone missing.
Deeper in the cave, a mattress made of human skin covered a stone platform.
On the side, a conspicuous shrine was placed. The shrine was empty, and Ning Xuan guessed that the Buddha statue he had in his pocket was originally placed on it.
He scanned the ground again and saw only the belongings of the deceased. He didn’t pick up anything and after a brief tour, quickly exited the bear cave.
In the distance, the sounds of fighting could be heard faintly.
(End of this chapter)
