Chapter 37 - 37: Jingyang Town, Blackwind Cave, The Great Omen
Jishi Pharmacy.
The place was filled with a pungent smell of herbal medicine, with paper bags tied with hemp rope scattered on the table.
“Alright, alright, Brother Zhao, what’s the matter? Couldn’t it be discussed outside? Why drag me in here?”
Yan Jing was pulled into the pharmacy room by Zhao Huai, helplessly patting his own sleeves.
“Brother Yan, what you said came true.”
Zhao Huai looked at Yan Jing, his eyes filled with seriousness.
“What matter?”
Yan Jing felt that he had said quite a lot, as there were countless bits of news big and small every day. There was always more work for his brain to do.
“Did you win the bet on Cuju?”
“Or the case where you were questioned by the constable?”
Zhao Huai shook his head: “Neither, the constable’s case has already passed.” “You forgot? It’s the matter of the demons.”
Yan Jing looked at Zhao Huai, his eyes revealing a sudden realization, and finally remembered it.
“Do you know about Jingyang Town?”
Zhao Huai asked quite seriously.
Yan Jing nodded: “Of course, it was because this happened that I reminded you.”
“Tell me more?”
Zhao Huai raised his eyebrows.
“Well… the matter is quite simple, but somewhat bizarre,” Yan Jing mused.
“One night a few days ago, many people in Jingyang Town suddenly disappeared. Everyone thought it was the doing of demons and reported directly to the government office.”
“But the next day, most of the missing people returned. According to them, they were blown away by a demonic wind and woke up in the jungle. As for whether that demonic wind was a demon, and what happened to those people in the end, I don’t know.”
“How is that different?”
After listening to Yan Jing’s explanation, Zhao Huai couldn’t help but mutter.
“What’s not the same? Where did you hear other news?”
Yan Jing asked directly, and his sources were indeed extensive and unparalleled, even if sometimes inaccurate. He didn’t believe anyone could get news faster than him.
Zhao Huai replied, “Your version is indeed different from what I heard. My version is that the town was ravaged by demons, and many people died.”
“Who told you that?” Yan Jing furrowed his brows and said straightforwardly,
“The people who came back were all normal. Nobody died.”
“A sect disciple told me.”
“Did the disciple really say that?”
Zhao Huai recounted the conversation with the girl in the green skirt to Yan Jing.
“A sect disciple in a blue long skirt told you that demons killed many people in Jingyang Town?”
Yan Jing stroked his chin, pondering.
“Why would they say that?”
“Is it possible that all the people who returned are dead, and all are transformed by demons?” Zhao Huai revealed his thoughts.
Yan Jing pursed his lips: “That possibility is quite small, demons have never done such a thing. Their main goal is to eat humans, and the purpose of infiltrating and disguising themselves is also to eat humans. Your reasoning is completely meaningless. What’s more, there are no flaws in the returned people, and they’ve been living in peace.”
Then he thought about it and comforted, “Jinzhou is still safe for now. Since sect disciples have come down the mountain, there should be no need to worry.”
Zhao Huai pondered, “Is it possible for a large number of demons to invade a town?”
Yan Jing couldn’t help but smile, denying, “There are basically not so many demons now. Forces led by the Immortal Sect have vigorously eliminated many of them, and demons are no longer rampant.”
“Even the notorious demon lair of a hundred years ago, Blackwind Cave, was rumored to have been destroyed by a Mighty of a sect.”
“Blackwind Cave?”
Zhao Huai heard a new term and found it quite intriguing.
“Yes, it’s an old demon lair with all kinds of powerful demons and evil spirits. They’ve devoured countless people, but in the end, it was all flattened with a sword.”
Just as Yan Jing and Zhao Huai were talking…
Outside the door, a flustered servant ran to the entrance of Jishi Pharmacy, shouting loudly:
“Doctor Yan! Doctor Yan!” “Please save my young master!”
“What happened?”
Yan Jing looked up and saw that this servant was clearly a member of some family.
“My young master fought with his father and suddenly fainted!”
“No matter how we call to him, he won’t wake up. Pinching his acupuncture points is useless, his face is bloodless, and it’s as if he’s been hexed,” the servant said mournfully.
“Which family are you from, and who is your young master?”
The servant was too anxious and hadn’t mentioned his name or family background. Yan Jing didn’t blame him and had already gotten used to itPeople tend to be like this when they are in a hurry.
“My master is the prefecture chief of Jinzhou, and his son is Li Yanqing of the Li family.”
Upon hearing the servant’s words, Zhao Huai also couldn’t help but be shocked.
What’s going on? He had just seen Li Yanqing earlier.
Wasn’t he fine just then?
How did this happen so suddenly?
“So, it’s the son of Governor Li.’
Yan Jing listened and slowly nodded, then asked again, “Tell me more about the symptoms so I can take some medicine with me.”
“He’s unconscious and often talks in his sleep, with painful expressions.”
“It sounds like he’s been poisoned with a hallucinogen,” Yan Jing concluded, but noticed that Zhao Huai’s face was no longer as calm as before, so he asked tentatively:
“Why, you know this person?” His tone was full of curiosity.
“Yes, he once apprenticed under me.”
Zhao Huai furrowed his brows, his mind still not understanding how Li
Yanqing could have had an accident when he had been fine just a moment ago.
Yan Jing could see from Zhao Huai’s expression that he seemed to know something, so he said to the servant at the side:
“Wait here for a moment.”
“Yes!”
Although the servant was anxious, he had no other choice.
“Do you know what’s wrong with him?”
Yan Jing pressed Zhao Huai for an answer.
Zhao Huai explained, “I just found out today that he had demonic qi in him. However, I have suppressed it, and it should be harmless.”
“Could it be that the suppression has failed within this short period of time?”
Yan Jing smiled from the corner of his mouth and said, “Suppressing demonic qi is not easy. It seems that you have some abilities that I haven’t seen before.”
“Would you like to come with me?”
He didn’t dare to let the servant wait too long after all, people’s lives were at stake, and he asked Zhao Huai directly.
Zhao Huai nodded.
“Let’s go and have a look.”
After all, Li Yanqing helped him before, and he couldn’t just stand idly by.
Of course, on the way, Zhao Huai also habitually threw his golden bronze coins.
[Lucky Strike]
The hexagram’s message for the night read: “Good fortune relies on misfortune, as misfortune hides behind fortune; consider every aspect, all lies within your heart.” Hexagram one: “Alluring fragrance attracts demonic forces unintentionally while mentors have no intent and people have no destiny. Following this path, you will receive the instruction of ‘Misfortune’.” Seeking Guidance: Rising demonic winds, numerous calamities.
Hexagram two: “Demonic wind lingers alone, cutting down anyone in its way. Stand still, and you will receive the indication of ‘Misfortune’.” Seeking Guidance: Dire misfortune and tribulation.
“What is this situation?”
Zhao Huai looked at the result, unable to help but be dumbfounded.
Going and not going, both bring misfortune! What the hell?
The hexagrams today were a bit strange.
“Change the result of misfortune.”
Facing this situation, Zhao Huai had experience and decided to use the special effect of [Lucky Strike] first.
“Misfortune leans on fortune and fortune is hidden in misfortune.”
Hexagram three….