Chapter 210: Zhushan Temple

The strange fragrance seeping in from the window grew stronger and stronger.

Slowly, the inn became completely silent. Even the insects hiding and chirping in the cracks of the stones fell quiet, as if they had also inhaled the Soul-dazing Incense and fainted.

This was not ordinary Soul-dazing Incense; it absolutely could not have been refined by an ordinary alchemist!

Mu Feng held his breath, sat cross-legged on the floor, and patiently waited to see what would happen. His abdomen rose and fell gently as he used the pores all over his body to breathe instead of his lungs. His breath was faint and subtle, like a puppet sitting motionless on the ground.

Although he didn’t know much about alchemy, just one whiff of the strange scent in the air told him that the Soul-dazing Incense drifting in from the window was extraordinary, far beyond common goods. It was nearly colorless and odorless. If he hadn’t been prepared and extra vigilant, even he might have fallen victim to it unwittingly.

After a long time, confirming there was no movement in the inn, a faint, soft rustling sound finally came from the bamboo forest. Judging by the weight of the footsteps, two people were stealthily approaching. One of them occasionally sniffed lightly as he walked, his steps light and nimble, clearly possessing remarkable skill. The other’s footsteps were much heavier, perhaps due to nervousness or excitement. The fluctuations of power within his body were strong and forceful; he had at least cultivated to the Middle Mortal Realm.

Mu Feng sat motionless. Even without opening his eyes, he could clearly perceive the movements outside. In the darkness, he coldly watched and waited.

“First Senior Brother, any luck? Did you find the prey?”

The one with heavy footsteps asked his companion with a dark chuckle, then continued, “That young woman from last night, tsk tsk tsk, was truly unforgettable. Pity her constitution was too weak; she couldn’t last the night, and she had her mother with her. If she were alone, we could have imprisoned her and savored her slowly. That would have been truly enjoyable, heh heh heh.”

“Shut up! How many times have I told you to exercise some restraint? You’re still so insatiable. When prey becomes scarcer, you’ll regret it, but it will be too late.”

The one with light footsteps snorted coldly. He paused, then continued coldly, “Go. Counting from the left to the right, the third guest room upstairs has a prey. A prime prey. Go bring her out. We don’t have much time; we must deliver the person before dawn. Remember, show restraint this time. No more fatalities. Do you think Master’s task of fundraising to build this base was easy?”

“Yes. With just a light sniff, you know so clearly, First Senior Brother. Your cultivation has broken through again. When will you teach us the second level of the Great Bliss Meditation?”

“Hmph, do you think all my efforts over the years were in vain? Hurry up! Master is waiting. If you dawdle any more, be careful, or in his anger, he might skin you alive!”

“Yes!”

…

The one with heavy footsteps bowed to accept the order. He slipped into the inn like a civet cat, leaped up, directly passing through a window. Soon, he swiftly left, carrying a person on his back.

“First Senior Brother, success!”

“Nonsense, that goes without saying. Let’s go!”

The two whispered to each other and quickly departed. With a light tap of their toes on the ground, they appeared five or six meters away, moving with astonishing speed. Along the way, they didn’t speak a word, their speed increasing until the inn was left far behind in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, neither the one carrying the prey nor the one called First Senior Brother noticed someone following them from a distance.

Two monks?

After clearly seeing the faces of the two from afar, Mu Feng was greatly startled.

He had initially thought the innkeeper and his wife were suspicious. He never expected the evildoers to be others, and shockingly, they were two bald monks whom no one would have suspected! Their so-called ‘prey’ was actually the black-clad woman who had arrived at the inn after dark, escorted by several guards!

In the middle of the night, two monks used Soul-dazing Incense to knock out everyone in the entire inn and abducted a slender young woman. What were they planning to do?

A cold light flashed in Mu Feng’s eyes as he silently gave chase.

Recalling the other young woman lying on the ground, her body long stiff and cold, leaving behind only her elderly mother, he suddenly understood the source of the resentment within her. So, the claim of illness and sudden death was just an excuse. The true cause of death was harm inflicted by these bald monks!

The two monks moved faster and faster, crossing mountains and ridges, passing through stretches of bamboo forest until they arrived before a temple. With a creak, another monk who had been waiting promptly opened the door. After the two rushed in one after the other, the door slammed shut with a bang, and they quickly vanished from sight.

Zhushan Temple?

After a long while, confirming that nothing seemed amiss, Mu Feng silently approached the front of the temple.

Blue bricks and black tiles. Two statues of Bodhisattvas stood before the main gate. The brass rings on the door were inscribed with the characters ‘Tong Tian Year 37’. It seemed this temple hadn’t been built for many years.

After looking it over, Mu Feng pondered briefly, then leaped over the side wall of the temple. He proceeded step by step with great caution, moving slowly and carefully.

Under the hazy moonlight, although the temple wasn’t large, it had all the necessary structures: a pagoda, a main hall, a scripture depository, and everywhere statues of Buddhas, Arhats, and Bodhisattvas could be seen, making it appear exceptionally solemn. Who could have imagined that such a dignified and majestic-looking temple on the outside was actually a den of iniquity?

Hu…

A cold wind blew past. Deathly silence surrounded the area.

The three monks who were just in sight moments ago seemed to have vanished into thin air. Their figures were gone, their auras undetectable, and not a sound could be heard. Under the dim moonlight, Mu Feng moved from the courtyard behind the main gate all the way to the main hall, yet he still detected nothing unusual.

Restrictions!

There must be some hidden chamber within this temple, layered with restrictions that isolated sound from the outside world!

Mu Feng’s thoughts raced. He quickly sat down cross-legged, formed a Sorcerer Seal with his hands, and activated an ancient witchcraft. With a ‘Hu’ sound, the Spiritual Soul in his mind left his body, hovering three feet above his head. It spun lightly, and strands of Divine Sense spread out far and wide, penetrating every corner of the temple, seeping deep underground. A vague, ancient, and primordial aura immediately enveloped the entire mountain.

The movements within a radius of over ten li, both in heaven and on earth, surged into his mind.

Ancient Witchcraft – Piercing Heaven and Earth!

Thinking of the unconscious young woman, whereabouts unknown after being abducted by the two bald monks, Mu Feng did not hesitate to use the Wumen Divine Arts.

Piercing Heaven and Earth was an ancient witchcraft used by the Ancient Great Witches to perceive changes in the world. It specialized in breaking through all powerful restrictions and tracking enemies’ movements. Its power was astounding, but its consumption of Spiritual Power was also immense. With Mu Feng’s current strength, he could only sustain it for a moment. Soon, the Spiritual Power within his body was almost completely drained.

“Southeast corner, thirty meters underground!”

Mu Feng took out a handful of Blood Pearls from his Breeze Ring and swallowed them in one gulp to replenish his depleted Spiritual Power. His body suddenly shot up from the ground, and he flew straight towards a cellar located at the southeast corner of the temple.