The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus

Ch 59 Demon Incense Factory (4)

Night on the mountain was anything but silent. The crickets in the underbrush continuously made a cacophony of rumbling noises. From time to time, fireflies would light up the darkness with a cold, but barely visible light. Most of the time, the dim moonlight was far from enough to warm up the pitch dark night.

A few people were walking through the underbrush with light steps, grass crunching and crackling underneath their feet.

Bro Brother Liu. Miaomiao had started to tremble rather uncontrollably in the rapidly plummeting temperature of the night. She rubbed her arms a few times, Arent we going in circles? Before she could finish speaking, she sneezed with a thunderous Achoo and keeled over.

Even a topographically agnostic ¹ [1] Aka directionally challenged, I just went with a more posh term idiot could feel it. The road they were taking at night was not the same one they walked during the day.

In the daytime, they had made a trip through the entire incense factory with Li Zhun. They didnt discover anything strange as they made their way around. Until, that is, Mu Sheng tore open one of the incense seals and took out some of the bone-ash infused incense within.

According to Li Zhun, the incense factory wasnt in production at night. If that was the case, where did this incense with bone ash mixed into it come from?

In the pursuit of the truth, they had to go there at night and make a deeper investigation.

Liu Fuyi was just about to reply but saw her stuffy nose. He seemed to think of something and took off his cloak.

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Did the black lotus really take off his own cloak to give to her?

She suddenly spun her head back, coincidentally meeting gazes with Mu Sheng. Her head turned blank and she subconsciously blurted, Thank you Young Noble Mu!

Mu Sheng looked into her eyes that sparkled like gems under the moonlight. His fingers silently clenched within his sleeves. Alright, fine. She tried so hard to avoid being suspicious in front of Liu Fuyi, she didnt even dare call him by his name.

Ling Miaomiao couldnt help but shiver in fear as she looked at his emotionless face. She roared inside her head: Hey! Why are you pissed off again!?!?!?!?

After the arc of Jingyang Slope began, Ling Miaomiao had only received a single notification from the system: Mu Shengs favorability towards her was stuck at 70%. If one used 50% as the dividing line between like and hate he should have a slightly good opinion of her.

It should be a good opinion. Yes.

Then why did he get angry when she sassed him!? When she praised him, he also got pissed off??? When she said the wrong things, he would get angry but when she said kind words, he would also get pissed????

Unable to understand the youths heart, Ling Miaomiao could only suffer every second and minute for it. She felt like she couldnt make a single move, lest she suffer.

They were both lost in their own thoughts. It was only Mu Yao that seriously answered her first question, This is a yin-yang fissure. ² [1] So what yin-yang fissure means here is a membrane/fabric that separates the mortal world and other levels and or planes of existence.

What is a yin-yang fissure?

Liu Fuyi answered, Jingyang Slope is surrounded by four mountains. This is a naturally formed depression. Depressions in the earth are places that contain the meaning of gathering. Tens of thousands of villagers were buried here and the yin qi is extremely dense. At night, demons will congregate here. Jingyang Slope in the daytime versus nighttime are two completely different places. Thats why its called a yin-yang fissure.

Mu Yao stopped in front of the river.

Jingyang Slope had two little rivers snaking through it. The one before them was the bigger one. Clean, spring water flowed over lichen covered rocks. Some were as tall as a human, some were as numerous and small as pebbles. They werent submerged and the water danced chaotically through them. In the day, this was what they had stepped onto carefully to cross to the other side of the bank, these small pebbles and boulders.

Now that it was nighttime, the water level had risen for some reason, but not enough to cover the rocks.

Ling Miaomiao lifted up her skirt to cross but Mu Sheng blocked her, Be careful, this is an underground river.

Miaomiao felt her heart shudder a little. She had nearly forgotten the difference between night and day in this place.

Just like water demons and sirens, they love to hide in the water and come out at night to absorb yin qi. Before the sun rises again, they leave.

Who wouldve thought that the small river whose surface reflects the moon would actually be the body strengthening mineral bath water for all kinds of demons..

She couldnt think of how the others would deal with them. In any case, she had no way to deal with them. She could only impatiently look towards Liu Fiyi, Brother Liu, then how are we going to cross?

Liu Fuyi thought for a bit then smiled, Theres no other way. You cant get wet so Ill carry you over.

She nodded, about to walk over to him when a cold, wintry freezing voice came from behind her, Miaomiao, come here.

Ling Miaomiao turned her head and saw Mu Sheng standing a few meters away from her, staring at her. Below his murky lashes, his watery irises were suffused with a cold light. However, upon switching his gaze to Liu Fuyi, his fury seemed to be doused.

She was a little scared of his expression and retreated a few steps towards Liu Fuyi, That doesnt sound good right?

Why isnt it? His gaze deepened and his lips curled up. A mocking expression immediately took over his youthful face, Miss Ling, this isnt the first time youve been an inconvenience to me.

Liu Fuyi was startled, and suddenly pushed her, who wasnt prepared at all, towards Mu Sheng while consoling, Alright, this is fine. Lets not waste time everyone, cross the river.

Hey Brother Liu! She widened her eyes and turned to try to reach for him, only to grab air. Her wrist was lightly clasped by Mu Sheng and before she knew it, she was next to him.

I really must apologize, Miss Ling. Brother Liu doesnt want to carry you. A blizzard seemed to rage within his eyes as he stared into her eyes. He crouched down, Hurry and get on me. Or think of a way to get across by yourself.

Miaomiao raised her skirt and crawled onto his back, arms circling his neck. Mu Sheng brought her into the air without a single warning, nearly causing her to fall off. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got and so she firmly slapped his shoulder, Whats wrong with you? Are you sick or something?

. Mu Sheng laughed coldly, Im truly very sorry for messing up your wonderful situation.

Miaomiao scrunched up her lashes and seethed for a while. In the end, she still calmed down and laid down close to his ear, shamelessly asking, You werent angry before we left, what triggered it?

The youth paused for a moment. He turned away, trying to stay further away from her warm lips, Im not angry.

Miaomiao harrumphed, If you didnt get angry, why would you randomly shout out Miss Ling hah?

Mu Shengs long lashes trembled and he retorted: Didnt you shout Young Noble Mu as well huh?

His legs had already submerged into the cold water. The soft sound of water splashing about was accompanied by the ripples breaking the reflection of moonlight on the surface.

Their cold war had lasted less than a minute.

Ling Miaomiao couldnt relax, her eyes looking everywhere as she patted his shoulder once again. Then, she started to speak in long-winded fashion again, Hey Mu Sheng. Let me ask you a question: Say theres a pole. Theres a rope tied to the end of it with at least 3 chi³ equivalent to 40 inches or 100 cm of rope curled up on the ground. Pulling the end of the rope till its taut while being level with the base of the pole leaves you about 8 chi⁴ 267 cm or 104 inch from the pole. How long is the rope?

. What in the world was she saying?

Its a question about the Pythagorean Theorem, havent you learnt the pythagorean theorem before?

He scrunched up his brows.

Have you read the The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art before? ⁵ [2] The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art is an ancient chinese book on math. Link down below.

.. He shut his mouth, deciding that no matter what she said, he wouldnt reply.

Ling Miaomiao was very disappointed to not get an answer and suddenly slapped his back, The knowledge of our ancestors is going to become lost with you like this!

As she couldnt get a reply the whole way through and as if she had talked so much she had gotten tired, she laid softly on his back to rest for a moment. She somewhat dispiritedly played with his black hair while mumbling to herself, Youre overdoing it Mu Sheng, no wonder you cant even make a bamboo dragonfly.

From start till end, Mu Sheng kept his head low and focused on the water surface.

When they were somewhere near the center of the river, countless demons were attracted over. With a wave of his sleeve, he simply shot out many talismans into the water. The water demons and sirens who popped their heads out, were all knocked back, flying far away and leaving a wide path open for them.

Whether it be the massacre or the undercurrents below the dark surface of the peaceful waters, the person on his back didnt sense it at all.

Mu Sheng listened to her half-heartedly but upon hearing the key words bamboo dragonfly and the disdain associated with it, he nearly grew furious again. However once she reached out to play with his hair, in just two heartbeats, he started to feel something itch.. Terribly.

He felt like something had taken hold of him. Words wouldnt come out of his mouth. It was as if his thoughts and mind were in the palm of her hand. His vision turned blurry as his lashes fluttered. He felt like water vapor from the waters surface was affecting his vision.

Ling Miaomiao had spoken much too much, and was now taking a long flight through her mental skyways. All of a sudden, she heard him reply in a low voice, 12 chi.

What?

The length of the rope.

It took her a long few seconds to react, and realize that this guy had just given her a delayed answer.

She silently calculated the problem in her head then abruptly slapped his black with an exaggerated excitement overwhelming her, Youre not bad, Mu Ziqi! I take back my previous words, youre basically the embodiment of our ancestors wisdom.

Her ridiculous antics had already ruffled his feathers, and he started to get impatient.

He knew he shouldve ignored her. That lunatic of a rabbit.

Ling Miaomiao had always been one to feel on edge and sensitive during long distance journeys. If she had an audience, even if it was but just one person, she would still feel full of energy. But there was some logic to it, she wanted to keep herself and the driver awake.

They only had a few seconds of peace and she felt like sleepiness was already wrapping around her like a vine. Her eyelids grew increasingly heavy but in the midst of her dazed state, she saw a long, thin thing wriggling up Mu Shengs leg. It was black with a red forked tongue tasting the air.

She quivered and all of her sleepiness immediately dissipated.

Snake!!!!!!!!!!!

The snake was extremely quick. Just a moment ago it had been on Mu Shengs leg and in the blink of an eye it had already crawled onto his waist.

She anxiously braced herself on his shoulder, reaching out with her hand and thinking of knocking it off. Before she could even close the gap, Mu Sheng already shot a hand out to slap the back of her hand, knocking her hand off course.

The shaking affected the snake and it slid off with a hiss. Mu Sheng shot out an Exploding Sparks. After the explosion and the red light disappeared, the pieces of the water snake plopped into the water, still steaming.

Ling Miaomiaos eyes were shooting fire as she rubbed her aching hand: Whyd you have to hit me

He was somehow even angrier than her, his voice somewhat shaky, Thats a snake, were you going to catch it with your hands?

It was crawling up your body!!!! Miaomiaos indignance immediately deflated. Thinking back upon it, she felt some fear after the fact, I didnt think it through..

She didnt know when they had already reached the other side of the river. Mu Sheng placed her down below a tree, turned around and used his watery dark eyes to stare at him, wisps of anger still floating off of him: Did you think I couldnt even deal with a mere water snake?

.. I was too anxious. Miaomiao shrunk into the trees trunk, her apricot shaped eyes suffused with a layer of water as she stared at him, Young Noble Mu is so powerful and mighty, how could you possibly fail to do anything perfectly?

You.

The reeds beside the river bank suddenly rustled at a most inopportune moment. Mu Sheng was in the throes of an anger-filled fit so he unceremoniously shot an Exploding Sparks onto them. Halfway through the air, it erupted into a massive, but harmless fiery explosion. It immediately pushed all of the reeds to the ground.

Who is it? Get the hell out here.

From behind the reeds, Princess Duanyangs ash-covered face showed up with a completely shocked expression.

[1] So what yin-yang fissure means here is a membrane/fabric that separates the mortal world and other levels and or planes of existence.

[2] The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art is an ancient chinese book on math.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nine_Chapters_on_the_Mathematical_Art

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