Chapter 96: Wenxiang!

A strange sound, a person turns wicked.

Eyes glazed and staring, the soul is lost.

Ding Xie narrowed his eyes as he looked at the motionless Leng Wa who had just finished speaking.

“Dong the Second?”

The Leng Wa made no sound, just stared straight at Ding Xie. His neck twisted again, making a creaking sound like a clockwork doll lacking lubricating oil.

Ding Xie looked at the rope by the Leng Wa’s feet.

It was a three-strand hemp rope, coiled in a circle, of uniform thickness.

There were subtle burrs on the edges.

However, the two ends were different—one end had a smooth inner ring with an indentation, and the other end also had a smooth inner ring but showed some wear on the outer ring. It was obvious that from the moment this hemp rope was made, one end had been hung on a wall while the other end was frequently pulled by someone.

Subconsciously, Ding Xie looked toward the Chen family home.

In the entire fort, only the Chen family had the status to hang a hemp rope on the wall without using it; every other family would use one rope as if it were two.

Ding Xie raised his hand to bind the dazed Leng Wa and led him toward the Chen residence.

Before he even got close, a scent of blood drifted into his nose.

It wasn’t the smell of blood left behind from the previous killings.

It was an older scent, containing a stench of decay more pronounced than fresh blood, mixed with a hint of fragrance.

It smelled like both sandalwood and flowers.

Even with the silk thread armor on, Ding Xie immediately held his breath and focused his mind.

He quickened his pace and arrived at the Chen family’s front gate.

The main gate was open, and there was no screen wall in the courtyard. Standing outside, he could clearly see that the door to a tile-roofed room on the left had been pushed open.

From Ding Xie’s angle, he could clearly see the clutter piled inside the room—hoes, shovels, water vats, and baskets. On the empty wall among them, there was a hook.

It wasn’t an upward-facing hook.

The hook pointed downward, and in the nearby shadows, a door stood open.

Wind whistled from within the doorway.

The stench was thick, and the fragrance heavy.

Clearly, the hemp rope had been hanging there.

Glancing at the height of the hook,

Ding Xie was certain that the Leng Wa wasn’t tall enough. Combined with his haste, when he went to take the rope, he must have pulled and yanked it directly.

And that pull and yank had dragged down the wall hook.

Opening the secret room beside it.

It was entirely by accident.

Ding Xie looked into the secret room.

An ever-burning lamp was lit inside.

Everything inside was crystal clear—

An altar, a goose cage, and a portrait.

On the altar sat golden plates, silver dishes, and a bronze incense burner.

Hearts were placed on the golden plates.

Livers were placed on the silver plates.

Incense was stuck in the bronze burner.

The hearts and livers were extremely small in volume, and—

Five, four, three on the left; three, two, one on the right.

And one more, left alone in the middle.

Ding Xie’s gaze paused.

Then, he looked behind the altar.

Smoke swirled, ethereal and drifting.

The portrait was hazy, appearing both real and illusory.

A fox!

A lifelike white-furred fox sat perched upon the scroll.

From Ding Xie’s perspective, the white fox seemed to be smiling.

Smiling?

The moment Ding Xie had that thought, the white fox seemed to sense it and looked toward him.

“Husband, you’ve returned.”

The voice was soft and sweet, the tone gentle.

As a fragrant breeze blew, the white fox transformed.

A fair foot slowly emerged from the painting, as if tentatively testing the air, while the delicate face was full of timidity.

As her sole touched the ground, the young girl let out a soft cry.

Losing her balance, the nearly transparent fragrant veil on her body fell to the floor, and her form tumbled into Ding Xie’s embrace.

A blush crept onto the girl’s face, radiating shyness.

“I lost my footing, husband won’t blame me, will he?”

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the girl buried her head in Ding Xie’s chest.

But, was this chest a bit too muscular and broad?

Furthermore, the chest hair was pricking her face.

This chest hair was thick and stiff.

Each strand was distinct.

What kind of chest hair was this?

The girl couldn’t help but grab a handful.

She only felt a searing heat in her palm.

Before she could investigate further, a voice rang out.

“Mm.

I’m hungry.

You won’t blame me either, will you?”

Hungry?

The girl froze.

Almost instinctively, the girl looked up.

She saw a tiger.

Wearing a sheepskin coat, standing upright like a man.

Its tail whipped with a crack, and its jaws were open to devour.

Roar!

A Tiger Roar.

The girl shrieked, and half of her body was gone.

The remaining half of her body twitched a few times before turning back into the form of a fox.

【mind Check in progress——】

【Check passed!】

【Gloomy Shade Counterattack!】

【Blood Nurturing Yin Fiend Technique Counterattack!】

Talent first, specialty followed.

With the hit landed, the illusion instantly shattered.

Then, green smoke curled.

The secret room was still the secret room.

The hanging scroll was still the hanging scroll.

Except there was now a person behind the painting.

A beautiful woman coughing up fresh blood.

The woman raised her hand to wipe her mouth, the crimson smear making her look even more charming.

“Spirit Refining?

Are you also waiting for that person?

Why don’t we cooperate!”

The woman looked astonished.

Then, without waiting for Ding Xie to speak,

The woman continued.

“I am one of the Twelve Path Missionary Envoys of the Wenxiang Cult——”

“Wenxiang Cult?

I’ll remember that.”

Ding Xie said indifferently.

The woman was stunned.

She didn’t quite understand what Ding Xie meant by those words.

Then—Crack!

Rip!

Ding Xie didn’t know the Wenxiang Cult.

There was no mention of the Wenxiang Cult in the Swordsman’s memories either.

However, any cult that colluded with the Chen family couldn’t be anything good.

Not to mention the setup inside the secret room.

Glancing once more at the goose cage,

Ding Xie silently repeated ‘Wenxiang Cult’ once more.

Committing it firmly to memory.

【Experience +3000】

After glancing at the experience bar, Ding Xie raised his hand and plucked the hanging scroll down.

【Name: Celestial Fox Wenxiang Painting (Imitation)】

【Type: Ominous Item】

【Quality: Intact】

【Attributes: 1. Visualization; 2. Bolster Presence】

【Special Effect: Heart and Liver Devouring】

【Requirements: mind 2, Transcendent 2】

【Can be taken out of this dungeon: Yes】

【Remarks: The Celestial Fox Wenxiang Painting is a Legacy item of the Wenxiang Cult. Rumor has it that it was painted by the second cult leader after observing the Celestial Fox left behind by the first cult leader. It is said to contain the Wenxiang Cult Legacy. The one in your hand was painted by the twelfth cult leader after three days of inspiration from the original, but its nature has fundamentally changed. Although it allows for rapid visualization, it is exceptionally fierce. Every visualization requires setup with a secret Wenxiang Cult Formation!】

【Visualization: Can be used for meditative visualization to obtain the Wenxiang Heart Sutra】

【Bolster Presence: Uses the Wenxiang Heart Sutra as a Foundation to pull others into an illusion】

【Heart and Liver Devouring: At the start of visualization, eighteen children’s hearts and livers are required as the Formation base. Additionally, an infant is used as the Formation eye; its internal organs are removed and consumed with medicine, and the body is filled with spices.】

(Note: One instance of Heart and Liver Devouring must be completed before visualization can occur again)

“In this life, there are things one must do and things one must never do.

Come, feed my talent!”

The Gloomy Shade immediately flickered incessantly.

The Ominous Item in Ding Xie’s hand was refined in an instant.

Unlike before, although Gloomy Shade still hadn’t ranked up, a trace of gold appeared in its flickering, clearly indicating significant progress.

——

Furthermore, the pigments depicting the Celestial Fox on the scroll in his hand flaked off.

Revealing——

A tower!

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