Young White Horse: The Poison Sword Master of the Wen Family, Shocking the Apocalypse

Chapter 504 Five Grains Burned in a Romantic Fondness, Soul-Guiding Incense Conceals Deadly Intent

The following morning, at the Snowmoon City market.

Su Changhe shouted at the top of his lungs, with more than a dozen jars of Wuliangye liquor in front of him, their mud seals still fresh and their aroma filling the air.

"Come, come, take a look! Yibin Laojiao 12-year aged liquor, authentic Wuliangye! It will boost your courage and internal strength, an essential item for roaming the martial arts world!"

His voice was loud and clear, and his expressions were exaggerated, bringing to life a wine merchant who was eager to sell his wine.

A few passing martial arts practitioners stopped and sniffed: "This wine...smells good."

"Of course!" Su Changhe patted his chest. "To be honest, my friends, this wine is brewed using my family's secret recipe. It contains thirty-six kinds of medicinal herbs, which are specially used to replenish qi and blood."

For ordinary people, drinking this will relax muscles and improve blood circulation, boost energy and prolong life; but if a martial artist drinks it, their skills will definitely increase significantly!

A burly man with a thick beard squatted down, broke open a jar sealed with clay, scooped out a bowlful, tasted it, and his eyes lit up: "Mmm! That's potent!"

He clicked his tongue: "How much is a jar?"

“It was originally sold for fifteen taels a jar,” Su Changhe said, feigning a pained expression, “but I’m new here and want to make friends. So, twelve taels a jar, how many do you want?”

"Twelve taels?" The burly man grinned. "Cheap! Give me five jars!"

"Alright!" Su Changhe deftly carried the wine and collected the money, his movements swift and efficient.

Soon, several more wandering wine enthusiasts gathered around, each offering two or three jars, and in the blink of an eye, more than half of the dozen or so jars of wine were sold.

While collecting money, Su Changhe secretly observed the people buying the wine—most of them were men with cultivation levels around the Vajra Mortal Realm and vigorous blood and energy, making them the best "carriers" for the Soul-Guiding Incense.

Among them were several experts at the Earth Realm, though they were slightly older than those at the Mortal Realm.

Not far away, Su Muyu disguised herself as an ordinary passerby and silently memorized the facial features of each person who bought wine.

Within half a day, all the wine on the mule cart was sold out.

Su Changhe packed up his stall and returned to Wangyue Tower, humming a little tune.

Su Zhe was resting with his eyes closed in his room when he heard the voice and opened them: "They've all been sold?"

"Sold them all!" Su Changhe said excitedly. "Those roughnecks in the martial world turned green with envy when they heard it could increase their power. I followed Uncle Zhe's instructions and sold them specifically to those who seemed to have bad tempers and whose cultivation was above the mortal realm."

Su Zhe nodded and looked at Su Muyu: "Did you remember that?"

Su Muyu took out a piece of paper from her bosom, on which more than fifty names or characteristics were written: "A total of fifty-seven people, of which thirty-eight are at the Vajra Mortal Realm and seventeen are at the Free Land Realm."

There were two others whose cultivation was clearly above the Earth Realm; judging from their aura, they had only recently entered the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm. Seven of these people were traveling together, while the rest were solo travelers.

"More than fifty martial artists, including a Heavenly Realm expert! That's enough!"

Su Zhe took the paper and glanced at it. "After these people drink the wine, they will use their internal energy to digest the medicinal effects today. When night falls and the Soul-Guiding Incense penetrates deep into their meridians, that will be the time to make our move!"

As he spoke, Su Zhe took out the scarlet pottery ocarina from his bosom. This was the "Soul-Capturing Ocarina," a secret crafted by the Dark River. When played, it could resonate for miles around, and anyone who heard it would have the medicinal power of the Soul-Capturing Incense activated within their body, causing them to go mad.

“Tonight at midnight,” Su Zhe said slowly, “I will first use the Soul-Capturing Ocarina to activate the medicinal effects, causing these people to cause chaos throughout the city.”

Remember, I'm afraid I might guide them to attack key targets—the city lord's pavilion, the armory, the granary, the infirmary… wherever is most important, let them attack that!

Su Muyu asked with some doubt, "Uncle Zhe, what about Tingyu Pavilion..."

"Don't panic. After I play the ocarina, I'll personally go to Tingyu Pavilion!" A cold glint flashed in Su Zhe's eyes. "Once Baili Dongjun realizes the chaos in the city and has to leave, I'll use the ocarina's sound to lure at least twenty madmen to besiege Tingyu Pavilion. At that time..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Su Muyu and Su Changhe both understood.

That will be Hu Bufei's death day.

At noon, in taverns and inns throughout Snow Moon City, wandering travelers began opening bottles of Wuliang liquor.

The aroma of the wine filled the air, and praises poured in.

"Good wine! It's really strong!"

"After drinking it, I felt warm all over, and my internal energy seemed to have really increased!"

"Worth it! Twelve taels of silver were well spent!"

Unbeknownst to anyone, the colorless and odorless incense in the wine was seeping into their meridians, lying dormant, waiting to be awakened.

Inside Tingyu Pavilion, Baili Dongjun stood by the window, looking at the bustling crowd on the street, his brows slightly furrowed.

Sikong Changfeng pushed open the door and entered, his face grave: "Dongjun, we've found out."

"Say!"

"After selling the wine yesterday, the three old men, including Sang, returned to the inn and did not go out again."

Sikong Changfeng said, "But early this morning, they brought out more than a dozen jars of wine and sold them at the market, claiming that it was some kind of 'secret brew to enhance one's abilities,' and that it was exclusively sold to martial arts practitioners."

Baili Dongjun turned around: "Sold out?"

"It sold out in less than half a day!" Sikong Changfeng nodded. "I asked Luohe to inquire, and most of the buyers were lone wanderers from the martial world, with cultivation levels mostly at the mortal and earth realms, about forty or fifty people in total!"

"Forty or fifty people?" Baili Dongjun pondered. "If so many people really gathered together, they would be a considerable force."

He suddenly asked, "Where's the wine? Did you buy a jar?"

Sikong Changfeng took out a small jar from behind him: "I bought it, I was just about to show it to you!"

Baili Dongjun took the wine jar, broke the clay seal, smelled it carefully, poured out a small cup, and took a sip.

After a moment, his expression changed slightly: "This wine... is not right."

"how?"

"The wine is good, but something has been added to it." Baili Dongjun handed the wine cup to Sikong Changfeng. "Try it."

Sikong Changfeng took it, smelled it first, then tasted it, closed his eyes and circulated his internal energy to sense it. After a long while, he opened his eyes, a look of surprise and doubt flashing in them:

"It's almost imperceptible... like some kind of sleeping potion, but its effects are extremely subtle, and it's impossible to detect without careful investigation."

Baili Dongjun exclaimed in surprise, "A sleeping potion? What kind of sleeping potion?!"

"I don't know!" Sikong Changfeng shook his head, "But it's definitely not an ingredient that enhances power. This medicine is extremely latent and requires a specific method to activate... it's like a catalyst!"

The two looked at each other and saw the seriousness in each other's eyes.

"What are they trying to do?" Sikong Changfeng murmured, "To make forty or fifty martial artists fall victim to this at the same time... If they all attack at once, won't Snow Moon City descend into chaos?"

Baili Dongjun suddenly remembered the noise outside the window last night, and alarm bells rang in his heart.

"Sikong Changfeng!" he said in a deep voice, "Go and inform the two seniors, Luo Fengzhong and Luo Nianse, to strengthen their vigilance."

"Then have Luohe lead men to secretly keep an eye on those江湖客 (jianghu ke, wandering martial arts practitioners) buying wine. If they make any unusual moves, take them into custody immediately."

"how about you?"

“I’ll stay here.” Baili Dongjun looked out the window. “If they really came for Hu Bufei, this is their first target.”

Sikong Changfeng nodded and hurriedly left.

Baili Dongjun stood alone by the window, gazing at the darkening sky, and raised his hand in a gesture—

"Buzz!"

A speck of dust flew into my hand from the corner of the room!

Snowmoon City remained peaceful as night approached. What awaited them in the darkness this time, Baili Dongjun had no idea.

He knew that with his courage and the sword in his hand, he would not back down a single step no matter who came!

……