Chapter 66: The Human Bones in the Garden Part 1

“What poison? Speak clearly!” someone demanded.

A voice replied, trembling with trepidation, “It should be the Sorrow-Wind Spring-Revival Grass, a substance unique to the Borderlands. I was unfortunate enough to have encountered it once before. The plant itself is toxic, but in small amounts, it isn’t immediately lethal. However, if ground into a paste, it becomes impossible to dissolve in water or fire. It is incredibly adhesive; once ingested, it clings to the body forever.”

“Could it be…”

The speaker continued, “Presumably, by the time Feng Rong died, the Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower had already taken root in her body. Its growth would have caused her internal organs to rot and perforate long ago.”

As soon as the word ‘Borderlands’ was mentioned, the crowd couldn’t help but think of the demonic figures who had invaded the Central Plains years ago.

“But how could the Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower feed on flesh and blood?” another voice questioned.

Sang Chencao let out a scoff. “To be honest, the flower previously held within the Stone Sword was indeed a Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower that the Dieshan Alliance specifically retrieved from the Northern Regions. Zhou Gui even ordered her people to water it daily with ice water and the flesh of the dead. Why don’t you ask Zhou Gui if she has had any dealings with Cloud City’s Fu’an Restaurant these past few days? The flesh and blood of the dead were transported into the Alliance from there, bucket by bucket.”

Zhou Gui was currently incoherent; asking her would yield no clear answers.

However, it was common knowledge within the Alliance that because the Hero Recruitment Meet had been moved up, the original Red-Necked String-of-Pearls had not yet reached its blooming season. Zhou Gui had been forced to send men to the Northern Regions to find the Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower as a replacement.

A member of the Dieshan Alliance shouted, “Nonsense! We have never heard of this ‘flesh of the dead’ business!”

A rogue cultivator who had come for the meet snorted coldly. “You aren’t the one in charge of those duties. Why would Zhou Gui bother telling you?”

“Then where is the person in charge?” another asked.

The various department overseers of the Dieshan Alliance looked at each other in confusion. They began calling out the names of the subordinates under their jurisdiction. Those who heard their names responded, but the specific individual responsible for the flower’s care seemed to have vanished without a trace, like a stone sinking into the sea.

An overseer’s expression shifted drastically. He stepped forward, pointed at someone from the same courtyard, and asked coldly, “Have you seen those two today?”

The man being questioned shook his head in terror. “No, I haven’t. I saw them yesterday, though.”

Feng Yun’ai stood in the center of the grounds, her expression unchanging as she cast a glance at Sang Chencao. Although neither of them held official positions, they had acted as the flower’s guardians for several days.

Aside from the two of them, no one else present knew the truth of what had happened during those nights.

Just as Feng Yun’ai expected, Sang Chencao maintained her composed demeanor. She sat casually before the desk, tapping her fingers against the wood as she spoke in a measured pace. “It seems the matter of the watering is only known to the one in charge. And since that person is nowhere to be found… could it be that they have fled in fear of their crimes?”

The underlying implication of her words was laid bare on the table for all to see.

The members of the Dieshan Alliance were fuming but remained silent. Several overseers had bloodshot eyes, not daring to step forward and investigate for fear that the accusations were true.

As the crowd fell into a hushed silence, it was Sui Jianxue of Qiushui Pavilion who spoke first. She cupped her hands while gripping her sword. “Since the materials supposedly came from Fu’an Restaurant, we might as well invite the manager here for questioning.”

At this point, if the Dieshan Alliance continued to make excuses, it would be equivalent to confessing their guilt before the entire martial forest. The overseers exchanged looks before cupping their fists in unison. “Very well. We ask that two individuals accompany us to Fu’an Restaurant to invite the manager for a talk.”

Few dared to speak up. No one wanted to take on the responsibility, fearing that once they stepped into this whirlpool, their lives would no longer be their own.

Feng Yun’ai shifted her gaze slightly, her eyes drifting toward Sang Chencao. For some reason, she found herself trusting this woman more than the supposedly righteous and generous heroes of the martial world. Perhaps it was because of that phrase the woman had used: “through thick and thin.”

Or perhaps it was because, while she had never pried into the hearts of others, she had spent time investigating this woman’s thoughts and actions—even if she had failed to find any definitive answers.

Others were like ice in a jar, clear and visible once poured out. This woman’s heart, however, had nine twists and eighteen bends; she couldn’t pour it out, nor could she understand its flavor.

After a long silence, Feng Yun’ai looked away and said calmly, “In that case, I am willing to go.”

Sang Chencao leaned back and chuckled, propping herself up with one arm in a carefree posture. She raised her right hand and said, “Then I’ll have to trouble Xiuxiu to make the trip.”

Feng Yun’ai gave her a cold glare before departing for Fu’an Restaurant with the Dieshan Alliance overseers.

These men were clearly not Zhou Gui’s trusted confidants; otherwise, they wouldn’t look so incredulous and claim total ignorance of the situation.

Feng Yun’ai followed closely behind. Even though the location of Fu’an Restaurant was etched into her mind, she had to pretend she didn’t know the way.

She couldn’t help but silently curse Sang Chencao. If they hadn’t spent the last few days lurking in the shadows like ghosts, she wouldn’t have to feel so awkward now.

Then again, she couldn’t say Sang Chencao was wrong. Without those days of clandestine surveillance, this day might never have come.

The men in front still harbored suspicions toward the woman in white. One gathered his courage and asked, “May I ask who your master is, Miss?”

This, of course, could not be said.

Beneath the veiled hat, Feng Yun’ai’s eyes had already turned a cloudy grey now that the effects of her medicine had worn off. If it were revealed that Feng Rong had taken a disciple from the Borderlands, the situation would spiral out of control.

After a long pause, Feng Yun’ai’s lips moved as she said coolly, “If one does not hail from a prestigious sect or a famous master, are they not worthy of walking alongside you?”

She didn’t know when it had started, but she had managed to mimic Sang Chencao’s way of speaking with seventy percent accuracy. After saying it, it felt as though she had become just as cunning and unruly as the other woman.

The men’s expressions flickered. Sensing she was unwilling to elaborate, they hurriedly offered explanations and didn’t ask another word.

News of the deception at the Hero Recruitment Meet had likely spread. The once-bustling city now seemed deserted. Ordinary citizens didn’t dare step outside, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

When they arrived, the doors of Fu’an Restaurant were tightly shut. It was deathly silent inside, sounding as though it had been vacated long ago.