Chapter 208: Dream Bamboo Inn

Mu Feng slaughtered all around, sweeping back and forth through the dense snake horde.

Faced with his unstoppable assault, the snakes grew restless, instinctively sensing grave danger. But driven by the flute’s sound, they stayed tangled around the carriage, chaotic yet refusing to scatter. By the time Mu Feng and He Liushuang had cleared the battlefield, slaying every last venomous snake, the sun had already set and the sky darkened. The three Jiu Li women hidden deep in the bamboo forest had vanished without a trace, leaving no clues behind.

“This isn’t right—this isn’t the style of that ultimate Devil Leader, Blind Master. Who sent those three Jiu Li women? Was it a case of mistaken identity, a misunderstanding, or…”

After searching through the Forest Sea, Mu Feng emerged with sword in hand, his mind full of doubts. Once sure there were no further anomalies, he waved his hand, storing away He Liushuang and the Eighteen Blood Witch Commands. He boarded the carriage and instructed Uncle Fu to continue their journey.

The ultimate Devil Leader, Blind Master, only deployed elites and struck with relentless, fatal blows—never allowing anyone to escape easily. The North Flow Twin Ghosts, Dao Duanliu, the Five Ghosts of Jianshui, the Nine-Fingered Black Demon… all were utterly vicious characters.

Though the venomous snakes blocking the road earlier were numerous and intimidating, none truly threatened him. There were no ambushes in the bamboo forest either. Apart from causing some trouble, they hardly affected him at all—completely unlike Blind Master’s methods.

If Blind Master truly had orchestrated this, there surely would have been deadly assassins hidden along the road or in the bamboo forest, launching a surprise attack while he was tangled with the snake horde.

Not Blind Master’s style, nor did it resemble the Immortal Sword Sect’s way… So who could it be?

Mu Feng sat cross-legged inside the carriage, silent and lost in thought, quietly piecing together the clues.

“Young… Young Master Mu, it’s already late; we can’t reach Guangnan Town in time. I’m afraid… we’ll have to stay at the Dream Bamboo Inn at the foot of the mountain. What do you think…”

Even after leaving the mountaintop far behind, Uncle Fu remained pale and shaken. Glancing at the sky, he nervously consulted Mu Feng.

“Since we can’t make it in time, we’ll lodge at the foot of the mountain.”

Mu Feng nodded, understanding Uncle Fu’s unease. After a pause, he added, “Uncle Fu, don’t worry. With me here, no matter what happens, we’ll be fine. If you walk straight, you need not fear a crooked shadow. We’ve done nothing wrong, so even if the foot of the mountain feels eerie, there’s nothing to fear.”

“Yes, Young Master Mu, but…”

Uncle Fu hesitated. “That… that woman in white earlier—why was her face so pale and ghostly? And how did she vanish in the blink of an eye?”

The sudden snake swarm had terrified Uncle Fu, but recalling the eerie He Liushuang who appeared so suddenly also sent shivers down his spine. Though her features were delicate, her face was unnaturally pale. She appeared and disappeared without a sound, making him deeply uneasy.

Eerie?

Mu Feng smiled. After cultivating the Spirit Cultivation Art, He Liushuang had become a Spirit Body, her Yin Energy gradually transforming into spirit energy. If she still looked like the vengeful ghost she once was, that would truly be eerie—her appearance would bring gusts of Yin Wind.

Poor Uncle Fu, first startled by the dense snake swarm, then becoming more and more disturbed by the memory of the unsettling He Liushuang. His hands trembled as he held the horsewhip. Seeing how shaken he was, Mu Feng dared not reveal the truth. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Uncle Fu, no need to worry. She’s a friend of mine, a spirit cultivator specializing in the Spirit Body method. Her cultivation is so profound she moves like the wind; ordinary people can’t follow her movements.”

“Oh, a spirit cultivator! I thought she was a female ghost!”

Uncle Fu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, secretly relieved.

As a mortal with no cultivation knowledge, he knew nothing about these distinctions. Hearing Mu Feng’s explanation and learning the strange woman in white wasn’t a ghost set his mind at ease, so he focused on driving the carriage.

Going downhill was harder than going up. To avoid speeding uncontrollably and plunging off the cliffs, Uncle Fu drove with extreme caution. By the time they reached the inn at the foot of the mountain, night had fully fallen. Looking up, the distance was pitch black, with only a lantern hanging from a tree by the roadside and a simple inn behind it.

The gate was woven from bamboo, and even the surrounding wall was just a bamboo fence, made from local materials. Though crude, set against the surrounding bamboo forest, this bamboo-built inn had a unique charm rarely seen elsewhere.

Above the inn’s entrance hung a horizontal plaque with the scrawled words “Dream Bamboo Inn.” Perhaps worn by wind and rain, the character for “Dream” was blurred, the lower part almost erased. At a glance, it resembled the crooked characters for “Forest Bamboo Inn.”

Perhaps due to its poor reputation, few travelers lodged here; only a handful of guests could be seen. There were no busy waiters either—the innkeeper dozed on a table, while only an Old Woman, around sixty years old, bustled about, occasionally grumbling at the innkeeper. It seemed to be a family-run inn.

“Ah, welcome, guests! Please come inside!”

Seeing the slowly approaching carriage, the Old Woman set down her bowl and chopsticks, greeting them with a bright smile.

“Two best rooms, a plate of cooked beef, a dish of crispy peanuts, and two plates of fresh vegetables. No wine—bring some hot tea!”

Mu Feng jumped off the carriage, gave the order, and strode inside, seating himself at a table by the window. Wine was no good thing; better to drink less while traveling.

“Alright, guests, please wait a moment. It’ll be ready right away!”

Though the Old Woman was elderly, her steps were nimble. She first poured two cups of hot tea, then turned to busy herself. Soon, she brought out hot rice and dishes. Throughout, the innkeeper remained dozing on the table, occasionally yawning and claiming he hadn’t slept all night from patrols, refusing to move no how harshly the Old Woman scolded him.

“Meng Jiao, my daughter, you died so tragically!”

“Meng Jiao, you were so young—how could you leave, abandoning your mother alone…”

…

Mu Feng took a sip of hot tea, greeted Uncle Fu, and had just picked up his rice bowl before taking a bite when suddenly, mournful cries came from outside the window. Looking up, under the hazy moonlight, a middle-aged woman knelt on the ground wailing, a young woman’s corpse laid out before her.

“Eerie, truly eerie—another sudden death!”

Uncle Fu shuddered, quickly recalling the legends about this sinister place. He glanced around anxiously, afraid something dreadful might rush out of the darkness.