Chapter 76: Plucking the Fragrance Part 3

Released on July 26, 2026

“Her mistake was being brought back by Sun Qi, being taught by Sun Qi! Her mistake was inheriting Sun Qi’s mantle and winning the respect of the world!” Chu Xu’s burned throat screamed to its limit.

“The person who deserves to die is clearly you.” Feng Yun’ai moved to raise her sword.

Sang Chencao lightly pushed the tip of Lonely Heart aside and looked at Chu Xu. “You recruited followers from the Sun Chasing Cult and founded the Guiyuan Sect. You spent years and months, days and nights, planning and calculating—all for the sake of that unquenchable hatred in your heart?”

“No.” Chu Xu bared her teeth and smiled. “I want the Sacred Fire to burn away all sin.”

Sang Chencao lunged Solitary Gall forward. This time, it wasn’t just a surface wound.

With a squelch, even if the King of Hell were to show mercy, the sword would not.

Flames crackled and roared, the starlight stained by the colors of dusk. The fire that hadn’t burned out years ago now licked at every brick and tile of the Guiyuan Sect.

The summit was burning fiercely. Within a few steps, Sang Chencao brought Feng Yun’ai to the foot of Snow-Top Peak. She sat cross-legged on the ground and used the utensils she had brought from the Guiyuan Sect to brew a pot of medicine.

Feng Yun’ai was drowsy, lying motionless on Sang Chencao’s shoulder. She watched as the dozen or so people who had been lying in the Guiyuan Sect were now piled haphazardly on the ground nearby. A wooden box sat by Sang Chencao’s shoe, containing Chu Xu’s Sorrowful Wind Fan.

Feng Yun’ai spoke weakly, “These people must have been brainwashed by the Guiyuan Sect. When they wake up, I fear they will immolate themselves like Lin Yaoyao.”

“Xiuxiu, guess what kind of medicine I’m brewing in this pot?” Sang Chencao said meaningfully.

Feng Yun’ai couldn’t guess. The variety of medicines and poisons this woman knew how to brew was likely more than she had seen since coming down the mountain. Not to mention, the Tome of Poisons at Yellow Sand Cliff had been burned; she couldn’t even look it up if she wanted to.

“Could it be something to clear the mind?” Feng Yun’ai asked in confusion.

Sang Chencao chuckled. “It can make this group forget everything from the past years, making them mistake the past for a long dream.”

Feng Yun’ai looked skeptical. “Is it really that powerful?”

“I haven’t tried it yet. Whether it works or not, we’ll pour it into them first.” Sang Chencao was calm and unhurried. “This recipe was written by Wen Lanxin long ago. She didn’t even give it a name. Perhaps she couldn’t bear to forget, so she eventually tucked the recipe at the bottom of a box to gather dust. Why don’t we call it… Forgetfulness Soup?”

Feng Yun’ai shook her head slightly. “That’s too simple. Have you run out of words?”

“You’re actually teasing me now,” Sang Chencao snorted.

“I am not,” Feng Yun’ai said briefly. Her internal qi was depleted, and speaking too much was exhausting.

“Then you tell me, Xiuxiu. What should this medicine be called?” Sang Chencao asked softly.

“It smells quite fragrant.” Feng Yun’ai was too sleepy, her voice becoming increasingly ethereal. As she closed her eyes, she barely managed to finish her thought: “How about… Plucking the Fragrance?”

The sound of cicadas filled the summer air. It was another time of scorching heat, and this place was the Listening Moon Sand River, even hotter than the Central Plains.

The people who lived in the Sand River were long accustomed to the heat. Even when the sun was high, they would wrap themselves in coarse cloth to shield against the dust and head out.

The town was filled with merchants from all over, and the goods for sale were quite complete. The local commoners were different from the martial artists of the Central Plains; they viewed the diverse tribes from the borderlands as ordinary people just trying to make a living.

A little maid playing by the mud wall bumped into someone. She looked up and smiled, revealing a row of white teeth. Her small face was tanned dark by the sun, but it didn’t hide her cuteness.

As soon as the little maid smiled, she suddenly froze. She hadn’t expected more Central Plains martial artists to come here. Not only was the newcomer’s skin fair, but their clothing was also different from the local people.

The person gave her a bag of sugar cakes, took out a portrait, and asked, “Little girl, have you seen these two sisters? They are about this tall, very beautiful, and they know kung fu.”

The little maid shook her head and started babbling in the local dialect of Listening Moon Town. “Who are you? Why are you looking for them? I’ve never seen these two! I didn’t see them today, I didn’t see them yesterday, and I didn’t see them the day before!”

The person looked at their companion in embarrassment and said apologetically, “I don’t understand. What are you saying, little girl?”

“She said she hasn’t seen them!” someone nearby shouted. “Why are you looking for those two?”

The man holding the portrait, afraid of raising suspicion, quickly explained, “We came from the Central Plains. We want to invite these two to lead the Hantian Alliance. We mean no harm.”

A middle-aged woman nearby smiled. “I’ve heard of the Hantian Alliance. Didn’t they disband everyone a few days ago? They’re back together now?”

It sounded like a tease, and the martial artist scratched his head.

The little girl who had been speaking the local dialect suddenly spoke in stilted Central Plains Mandarin. “I know everyone here. I haven’t seen these two people in this place since I was born. Go look elsewhere.”

Hearing this, the group of martial artists looked disappointed. They had no choice but to turn and head elsewhere.

Once the group had walked far away, the woman leaned down and asked the little maid, “Who taught you to lie? The Hantian Alliance is a good place. Others would beg to get in. How could you decide for those two young ladies?”