Chapter 102: Fragrance of Apricot (Final Chapter of Volume)
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
There were nineteen prefectures in the world. Cultivators also had their own matters to deal with. Some cultivated in seclusion and some roamed the mortal world. Others guided their disciples. The Inspector Heavenly Ambassadors seldom stayed in the Inspector Heavenly Alliance's headquarters. For example, the Jiang Prefecture had Palatial Lord Essence Charm, Abbot Lunar Magus, Daoist Yan, as well as the newly appointed Inspector Heavenly Ambassador Qin Yun. Furthermore, Palatial Lord Essence Charm had specially brought Qin Yun there.
"Here is the Inspector Heavenly Alliance's Treasure Repository." Daoist Yan accompanied Qin Yun and introduced him to the Inspector Heavenly Alliance's headquarters. "This is a very important place. If there are any treasures you need, you can buy it here! The stores of treasures here are no way inferior to the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands."
Qin Yun's eyes lit up as he said immediately, "Itinerant cultivators like us have extremely few resources. With Treasure Repository, it makes it a lot more convenient."
"It's not that convenient either." Lunar Magus shook his head. "It's still quite alright with ordinary treasures, but if it were truly rare treasures, there are contribution requirements. For example, one has to be credited with three thousand merits in order to use something to exchange for a fifth-grade Dharma treasure. Without the three thousand merits, Treasure Repository would not sell the fifth-grade Dharma treasure to you."
Qin Yun understood. "This is also to encourage us to slay fiendish demons."
"By the way, I'll go in for a while," said Qin Yun immediately.
"Oh?" The trio beside him was astonished as they followed behind him.
An elder sat cross-legged in Treasure Repository. He opened his eyes when he sensed the visitors. He looked at the trio that arrived and smiled at Palatial Lord Essence Charm.
"This is Elder Qian." Palatial Lord Essence Charm whispered.
"Elder Qian." Qin Yun was alarmed. An Elder? He immediately bowed. By his side, Abbot Lunar Magus and Daoist Yan had already bowed respectfully.
"Treasure Repository has everything. You can take a look at whatever you would like to buy." Elder Qian smiled as he pointed at dozens of thick books by the side. "Those books record the treasures Treasure Repository possesses and the requirements needed to purchase the items."
Qin Yun said, "Elder Qian, this place allows the exchange of goods. Is it possible that you help me appraise something?"
"Ascertaining the value of items is also part of my responsibility." Elder Qian had a very mild temperament.
Qin Yun immediately flipped his hand over, took out a gray bottle, and handed it over. "I want to know what blood is in there. And what kind of blood is it."
Elder Qian took it and released the stopper to take a look and instantly, his expression changed.
He had an extremely mild temperament and even the other Inspector Heavenly Ambassadors very seldom saw him angry!
"Where did you get this blood from?" Elder Qian's voice was low and deep. His eyes flickered with purplish lightning flashes. Instantly, his aura turning extremely horrifying as it wrapped the entire Treasure Repository.
Palatial Lord Essence Charm could withstand it but Qin Yun, Daoist Yan, and Abbot Lunar Magus felt stifled almost immediately.
"This blood was obtained after Divine Firmament Chapter disciple, Yi Xiao and I slew Grand Dominance County's water ape. I could not recognize what it was but Nine Mountain Island Lord had sent his subordinates to attack me. The Motai family had also previously come to purchase this blood. Later on, the local county governor, Gongye Bing, dealt with my Qin family also because of this bottle of blood," Qin Yun explained. "The Heaven-Inspecting Mirror had vindicated me so after becoming an Inspector Heavenly Ambassador, the burning question I have is to know what blood this is."
Elder Qian nodded. "I know about your situation. I never expected it to be because of this bottle of blood. Hmph, that water ape? He made all of Grand Dominance County sacrifice their children, so it appears that the true motive was to gather the blood of children's hearts."
"The blood of hearts?" Qin Yun was alarmed. "This… This much blood are all from hearts?"
"Yes." Elder Qian nodded.
By the side, Daoist Yan also sensed it somewhat. He could not help but say, "It's almost as much as a tiny river. How many children lives were needed?"
Palatial Lord Essence Charm added, "There are about a thousand villages in Grand Dominance County. Every year, about twenty children need to be sacrificed from each village. A county has millions of people… How many children need to be sacrificed a year? What happens after two hundred years? We, cultivators, have long been wanting to kill that water ape but he possessed an ancient water ape bloodline. He could sense a five-kilometer radius around him. He would immediately enter the river the moment there is any stir. In the river, even I won't be able to pose a threat to him."
"Settle it yourself." Elder Qian handed it over to Qin Yun. "It's best to resolve it cleanly and do not conspire to use it for any benefit."
"Although some fiendish demons and some magus arts have a need for this, using it for benefits would only result in being taxed by sin." Palatial Lord Essence Charm added.
Qin Yun took the gray bottle over and looked at it.
The scene of him separating from his younger sister in his youth surfaced.
"Father, Mother, Big Brother, Second Brother, save me! Save me…" The cries of his younger sister still sounded in his ears.
"The blood of the hearts of countless children just like Sister." Qin Yun sensed the blood that seemed to form a river as his eyes turned moist and reddened.
Daoist Yan suggested, "Daoist Qin, if you don't mind, I can cast fire arts to help you dissipate this blood."
"Thank you." Qin Yun nodded. "I'll be troubling you."
…
Soon.
In the outskirts of the Inspector Heavenly Alliance's headquarters, Palatial Lord Essence Charm, Qin Yun, and company stood there.
"Phew." Daoist Yan cast his Dharma spell as instantly, fierce flames emanated the surroundings, causing a sea of fire to rise above the layer of clouds.
Qin Yun removed the gray bottle's stopper.
He controlled the blood with his Quintessential Essence.
"Go."
Immediately, a stream of blood flew out and into the sea of fire, dissipating completely. Like a sanguine mist, it rapidly burned into nothingness amid the inferno.
Qin Yun silently watched the endless sanguine mist burn and dissipate. By the side, Palatial Lord Essence Charm and company were silent as well.
Fiendish demons wreaking havoc… had been seen a lot by them! And the blood of the hearts of children was one of them.
******
On a golden flying boat.
Palatial Lord Essence Charm and company brought Qin Yun's family and departed the Inspector Heavenly Alliance and headed for Jiang Prefecture's Grand Dominance.
"We are reaching home soon." Qin An and his wife teased the two children.
"We are going back! We are going home!"
"Going home!"
The two children were happy.
Qin Yun also revealed a smile. Everything was over.
…
That day.
Grand Dominance City bustled more than ever because, in the day, an immortal boat had brought the Qin family back and descended into Qin Manor.
"Didn't Young Master Qin Yun kill the county governor?"
"According to my brother working at County Governor Manor, the county governor is really dead."
"Why is Young Master Qin Yun's family back again? Aren't the officials going to do a thing?"
"Who knows what goes on with immortals."
The commoners broke out into a flurry of discussion.
The commoners did not know but the top wealthy family clans in Grand Dominance had received news.
Grand Dominance. Hong family.
Hong Lingtong held a wooden staff as he looked at the golden flying boat descend from a high altitude. He could tell very clearly that the famous Palatial Lord Essence Charm of the Jiang Prefecture's cultivation world was on the boat. There were also Daoist Yan and Abbot Lunar Magus. They were having a casual conversation with Qin Yun.
"Lingtong! Lingtong! The Qin family is back! They are back!" Old Master Hong rushed over. "I never expected that Gongye Bing to be a fiendish demon spy. Qin Yun killed that fiendish demon and has now been conferred the title of Inspector Heavenly Ambassador. How impressive. Truly impressive! Our Grand Dominance County has also produced an Inspector Heavenly Ambassador."
"Father." Hong Lingtong smiled and said, "Brother Qin is only twenty-one. He has a bright future. Don't you see Palatial Lord Essence Charm from the top sect, Scenic Mountain Sect, personally accompanying Qin Yun? Scenic Mountain Sect also knows that in another one or two decades, our Jiang Prefecture might even produce an additional cultivator at the Connate Golden Core realm. They naturally want to establish ties early!"
Old Master Hong was enlightened.
"It's simply icing on the cake but how can it compare with providing timely assistance?" Hong Lingtong smiled as he turned to leave.
"Lingtong, are we not preparing any gifts to visit the Qin family?" Old Master Hong said immediately.
"There will be too many people today. We can make a visit three days later." Hong Lingtong had already entered his room as his voice sounded from inside.
"Alright." Old Master Hong nodded. His son was meticulous in his plans, considering every conceivable possibility. He was already long accustomed to this. There was no mistake when it came to listening to Hong Lingtong!
******
The Qin family began to flourish but it continued maintaining a low profile. Yet, it naturally became the best family in all of Grand Dominance County! There were some weaker itinerant cultivators that willingly deferred to the Qin family. After all, how many Inspector Heavenly Ambassadors were there in the entirety of Jiang Prefecture? Although many second-rate cultivation sects had Connate True Core realm experts as their patron, it did not mean that being at the Connate True Core realm was sufficient to become an Inspector Heavenly Ambassador.
Now, the Qin family naturally become one of the top families in the Jiang Prefecture. It was all simply because of having one Inspector Heavenly Ambassador.
…
In a blink of an eye, several months passed.
It was already the 25th of February.
Early that morning, Qin Yun left home using Sword Kinesis Flight. He proceeded through the clouds and in an hour, arrived in Wusu County.
Wusu County. Windblast Pavilion.
Qin Yun silently landed in a spot. Windblast Pavilion was one of the rather famous scenic spots in Wusu County. It neighbored the gigantic lake, Little Cloud Lake. Many people came to visit it. There were tiny bridges and flowerbeds in the vicinity, adding to its beautiful scenery.
"How fragrant."
It was early spring and the apricot flowers had bloomed. A light fragrance made Qin Yun unable to resist smiling.
He walked along a small alley and walked towards a pavilion that wasn't far away. He felt an upheaval of emotions and did not even use his psyche to probe, afraid that he would be rude to the beauty.
"Oh?" After walking around a bend, Qin Yun looked over. In the distant Windblast Pavilion, beside a bed of apricot flowers, a girl in a light-blue dress was standing by the lakeside alone, watching the boundless lake.
(End of Volume)