HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 34
"Let's talk business," said Yan Hui. "I've always known that Qi Jue Group is upright yet unscrupulous. As long as money is paid, they will carry out the deed. However they know where to draw the line to not lose their righteousness and humanity. This fox demon lust fragrance business isn't consistent with their style."
Qi Jue group was a mysterious organization in the jianghu. Ten years ago, no one knew of this group. However in those ten years, they had gradually grown into an impressive information and assassin group.
Famous reputation, deep connections. They also had spies in the xian sects, not just the jianghu. It was said as long as you had the money, you could even find out which concubines the emperor kissed last night. As for assassinations, from the royal court to the jianghu, Qi Jue Group would assassinate anyone as long as it wasn't the royal family or members of xian sects. The rest had nowhere to hide.
Tian Yao lived in the remote Tong Luo Mountain for the past ten years. He seldom looked into news from the outside. Even when he did, he cared about news concerning major xian sects. Tian Yao paid no mind to news concerning jianghu sects.
It could be said he knew nothing about Qi Jue Group.
As for Yan Hui, she had a general understanding about them as recent as last year, which was when she met Xian Ge.
Wang Yu Luo was one of Qi Jue Group's network in Yong Zhou City. Because Yong Zhou City was located in a geographically ideal area, people from everywhere flowed here. Naturally, information from everywhere also came. The girls, the servants, even the cooks and sweepers in the back courtyards of Wang Yu Luo were the eyes and ears of Qi Jue Group.
Xian Ge, still holding the tea cup, thought for a bit and said: "Why don't you first tell me where you heard this information?"
"A fox demon that was killed entered my dreams. She wanted me to come here and save her daughter that was also captured for her blood." Reaching this point, Yan Hui smoothly added, "Speaking of, if Qi Jue Group is doing this, Xian Ge, you can ignore everything else, but help me with this. Ask on my behalf if Bai Xiao Lu, a little fox demon, can be released. That way her mom can be at ease. When I look at the mom, I can tell she's close to becoming a malicious spirit. Although I don't know where she has gone these past two days, but in a few days......"
"I'm afraid I can't." Xian Ge put down her cup and lightly tapped its rim. "I'll tell you the truth. The lust fragrance is indeed made by Qi Jue Group, but it has never passed through my hands. I do know about this matter, but I must pretend like I don't."
Yan Hui frowned: "Why?"
Xian Ge glanced at Tian Yao.
Yan Hui didn't look back. She only continued talked to Xian Ge: "Just do what I do, pretend like he's dead. He has no connection with anyone in this world. Even if he hears something he wants to tell, he has no one to talk to." Yan Hui concluded, "His life is that lonesome."
"......"
Tian Yao found out once again Yan Hui's words.......were irrefutable.
Xian Ge slightly smiled in amusement at Yan Hui's words. Then her smile faded and she grimy said: "Yan Hui, you're not part of Qi Jue Group. You have no idea of what's going on right now. The former leader passed away. The son of the leader is still young. His uncle, Feng Ming, is acting in the young leader's place. Feng Ming practically controls everything."
"I understand. It's a power struggle. If I were Feng Ming, then I definitely would've killed the young leader when he was still small." Yan Hui cocked her head and thought for a bit. "But the young leader, Feng Qian Shou, is still alive and well. There's no end to the drinking, gambling, and whoring. He has a hundred-roomed house with concubines, surpassing even the emperor's harem. When I was at the mountain, I would hear all the shocking news."
Xian Ge's gaze slightly dimmed. Then like she was trying to adjust her mood, she immediately smiled. She didn't continue with the conversation but rather skipped to another topic.
"Under the assistance of several elders, the young leader has slowly taken charge of the information aspect of Qi Jue Group. However, the true power of Qi Jue Group has always been under Feng Ming's control. The fox demon trade to make the lust fragrance has brought Qi Jue Group considerable wealth.
"But even though the money is rolling in, the young leader can see long-term. If the fox demon clan in Qing Qiu found out fox demons are being hunted to refine their blood, the fox demon clan wouldn't take it laying down. When that happens, they can't target xian sects, and the nobles and officials that bought the lust fragrance will push the blame on the manufactures of the fragrance. Although Qi Jue Group has a reputation in the jianhu, if the fox demons turn their eyes on us, I'm afraid.......we will drown in disaster."
Yan Hui considered this for a spell: "So Feng Qian Shou wants Feng Ming to stop this business but has no power to order a stop?"
Xian Ge nodded: "The young leader, several elders, and I know about this matter, but Feng Ming has the authority. Now we can only pretend like we don't know about what's going on because the young leader doesn't approve of the business. We carry on as normal just in case the fox demon clan finds out one day, and we can't push the blame onto Feng Ming. The young leader also can't publicly order a halt because Feng Ming will revolt. Qi Jue Group will be thrown into chaos for sure. Under these circumstances, we have to turn a blind eye and pretend like we know nothing, that everything is fine."
Yan Hui nodded her head. Power struggles ran deep. Although she understood, Yan Hui wasn't in the mood to delve deeper.
"Therefore, I can't help you find people. I can't only pretend like I know nothing about this situation."
Tian Yao remained silent behind the two, but Yan Hui stood up and said: "It's not good news, but it's also not bad news. At the very least, if I go to Feng Ming to demand people back, I know I won't involve you in the conflict."
Xian Ge knit her grows at those words: "You're going to charge into Feng Ming's Heavenly Fragrance shop?"
"I'm not that stupid." Yan Hui waved her hand, "Don't worry. I'll figure it out myself. You just have to keep pretending like you don't know anything."
Yan Hui turned around with eyes closed. She said to Tian Yao: "Let's go."
"Wait," Xian Ge lightly called.
Yan Hui sighed: "Don't worry and don't stop me. I have to keep investigating this matter in any case."
"Stubborn as a mule," Xian Ge mildly rebuked. Then she got up and walked to her dresser to get a rice-colored sachet. "I know I can't stop you. Didn't you come to me yesterday looking for this? I ordered for it to be brought here. Look, take it."
Yan Hui turned around at those words to take a look. It was an extremely plain-looking sachet. It was the anosmia sachet. It didn't even look as pretty as other fragrance sachets. She took it, gave it a glance, and then turned aroud to give to Tian Yao: "Put it on and give it a try."
Tian Yao received it, fingers accidentally brushing against Yan Hui. He had no feeling from that, but Yan Hui, on the other hand, was like she had been struck by lightening. Her entire body trembled, and she hastily withdrew her hand.
Tian Yao was like a taboo for Yan Hui right now. Can't look, can't touch. Even hearing his voice should be limited. Hearing, looking, touching. They were guaranteed to make her legs weak.....
Tian Yao hung the anosmia sachet on himself as an accessory. Not long afterwards, it was like a pure wind had blew through. Tian Yao's strange aura vanished in a split second.
Yan Hui nodded: "Very useful."
Tian Yao turned his eyes. He focused on Yan Hui: "And yours?"
When Yan Hui heard Tian Yao, she subconsciously turned toward him. Their eyes met. Once again, Yan Hui's face flushed red. "......what, what, what, what about me? Turn your head! Don't look at me like that!"
Tian Yao acquiesced and turned his head. He grimly said: "Looks like this lust fragrance isn't ordinary. It's very similar to being planted with a gu technique."
"If the fox lust fragrance was that easy to dispel, then those people wouldn't ask for such a high price for it," said Xian Ge. "Feng Ming invited a lot of xian disciples to keep guard over the fox demons. If you guys plan to go to Heavenly Fragrance to save people, then you need to take extreme precaution. Later I"ll order someone to draw out the inner layout of Heavenly Fragrance for you two. You should also go at night."
"Got it." Yan Hui saluted Xian Ge with clasped hands. "I thank this young lady."
"Naughty." Xiang Ge smiled. "You should stay for lunch."
"No thanks. I need to find a person. When that map is finished, tell someone to put it in my room." Saying that, Yan Hui bid Xian Ge bye and left the room.
Returned by to their room, Tian Yao followed Yan Hui in. He asked: "Just then you said you were going to find someone. Who is it?"
Once Yan Hui crossed the threshold of the room, she went to each and every window and closed them tight. The room was dim. Tian Yao raised an eyebrow: "What are you doing?"
"Handling my business," said Yan Hui. "But if you keep talking, I'm going to handle you."
"......" Thus even though Tian Yao had a thousand things to say, the words became stuck in this throat.
Yan Hui took a cup of tea from the table and poured some out. Then she drew a spell array on the floor. It was the same array as the one she drew in the willow grove. Tian Yao got the general gist at this point. Yan Hui wanted to call out the soul of the three tailed fox demon.
This time, Yan Hui used the tea cup to anchor the spell array. Tian Yao moved to stand next to the tea cup. Yan Hui glanced at him. The two didn't exchange words, but they both understood each other's meaning.
Feeling reasurred, Yan Hui sat in the middle of the array and started to chant the spell.
However it seemed like the fox demon really wasn't by Yan Hui's side. She found many lonely souls and wild spirits, but she didn't find the fox demon's soul. In the end, a small wild ghost told Yan Hui the day before yesterday, an evil spirit similar to Yan Hui's description rushed into Heavenly Fragrance in the south part of the city. After causing a ruckus, a strong daoist nun sealed it away.
No wonder why the demon hadn't bothered her in a few days. Yan Hui continued to ask: "Where was the evil spirit sealed away to?"
"That, I don't know." The small wild ghost spun around in a few circles. "Why are you looking for the evil spirit? They're all so mean."
"Bad people in Heavenly Fragrance in the southern district are doing bad things. I'm looking for evil spirits to pester them."
The small wild spirits nodded its head: "The fox demons in Heavenly Fragrance all die a wretched death. Yong Zhou City originally doesn't have a lot of ghosts. Now there's a lot more ghosts, all fox demons. They wail every night, and day by day, their evil energies grow stronger. It makes us ghosts anxious."
When Yan Hui heard that, her eyes lit up: "You said there are a lot of new fox demon ghosts?"
"Ya."
"Can you help me bring two here?"
The small wild ghost nodded: "I know an older fox demon. I'll go find her."
Saying that, the small wild ghost left.
Yan Hui sat in the spell array and started to create a plan. Tian Yao observed her profile. She was deep in thought in schemes. In a haze, he seemed to see a pale, wan moon and Yan Hui's straight back. When she slightly turned her head, he could see her expression.
This girl liked to act as a hoodlum, but when she became serious, it made one feel like she was reliable and put one's mind at rest.
Not long afterwards, the small wild ghost returned. She called out: "Big Sister Yan Hui, I told Big Sister fox demon you wanted to disrupt Heavenly Fragrance. Then they all came."
Yan Hui was stunned. What did......they all came mean?
She didn't have time to react before the spell array suddenly filled with white haze. The small wild ghost's figure was drowned in it. In a split second, Yan Hui's spell array was filled with translucent fox demon ghosts.
They formed a circle with Yan Hui in the middle.
Yan Hui looked at the fox demons surrounding her. They all had some resentful air. She silently swallowed: "Hi......hi everyone. So many......"
The small wild ghost's voice wormed its way out of the midst of fox demon ghosts: "Big Sister, take your time to chat. I'm going."
Yan Hui didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She looked around the ghosts circling her and took a rough estimate. There were twenty, thirty ghosts. So many had turned into ghosts. That Heavenly Fragrance.......really had taken many fox demons' lives.
"You want to go against Heavenly Fragrance?" One fox demon spoke up.
Yan Hui coughed: "I want to save people. And I want to steal the item that's critical in making the fox lust fragrance."
Tian Yao, who was standing outside the array, was stunned at those words. He looked through the translucent fox ghosts and peered at Yan Hui, who was sitting in the middle. Yan Hui had always only said she was wanted to save people, wanted to investigate, wanted to prove Ling Xiao's upright reputation and innocence. She had never mentioned one word about retrieving his dragon horns.
But it turns out it was always in her mind......
Tian Yao slightly looked down.
Those words she spoke didn't seem to have any relation to him. However his heart that had been cold and empty for so many years slightly warmed up.