Chapter 32: Black Mist Forest
The two walked along the road, and Lan Ningshuang suddenly asked, “The tasks of the Demon Slaying Department mostly involve eliminating demons and monsters, protecting the peace of the people. Why didn’t I know they also take escort missions?”
“You might not know this, but Jinyang City is a small town. The Great Qian Dynasty doesn’t provide much salary here. If they can’t eliminate demons and monsters, they won’t have additional income. The monthly allowance they receive might not be enough for their cultivation needs. That’s why the head of the Department here, the same person you met last time, Si Zheng, allows his subordinates to take ordinary tasks from the people to earn some extra money for themselves,” Qin Feng explained slowly.
“I see,” Lan Ningshuang nodded. As a sword attendant of the Liu family, she had never worried about money. The necessary medicinal baths and vital energy pills for cultivation were always abundant, so she was unaware of these matters.
Not long after, the two arrived outside a large courtyard with four entrances, which was the location of the Demon Slaying Department in Jinyang City.
Next to the Department’s gate, there was a wooden fence covered with white papers. The papers were filled with tasks posted by ordinary people and the rewards offered.
Among these tasks were some peculiar ones, such as helping find a lost dog or capturing someone’s husband who was wandering in a brothel at night, requesting the officials of the Demon Slaying Department to catch him. If they could break one of his limbs, the reward would be doubled. There were various tasks of this kind.
However, prestigious families like the Qin family didn’t need to post tasks here; they could directly find someone inside.
Qin Feng led Lan Ningshuang into the courtyard. Most of the people inside, apart from those cultivating, were idling around. In this remote place like Jinyang City, even demons and monsters seemed reluctant to visit.
If it weren’t for the fact that the ghost cultivator from last time had come here to kill him, Qin Feng doubted anyone would willingly come to such a place.
Qin Feng found an elderly man with gray hair inside a room; he was the Department’s main record keeper. If one wanted to hire guards, asking him was the most efficient way.
“Isn’t this young master Qin? I saw your father earlier today when the sun hadn’t risen. What brings you here to find this old man?” the elderly man asked.
“I need to go to the Black Mist Forest twenty miles away and hire a guard,” Qin Feng replied.
“Black Mist Forest?” The old man was greatly surprised. Hearing these three words, the demon slayers nearby also turned their heads, a trace of fear in their eyes.
It was no wonder they reacted this way. Black Mist Forest was not a good place. It was said that during the night, when the moonlight shone into the forest, black mist would spread, obscuring vision. The forest got its name because of this phenomenon.
However, this alone wouldn’t make these people react so fearfully.
The key was that there were unusual demonic beasts in the Black Mist Forest!
It was often heard that when villagers were chopping wood in the mountains and passing by the outskirts of the Black Mist Forest, they would hear terrifying and spine-chilling roars. Every time that happened, the entire mountain forest would tremble, and birds and beasts would flee in all directions.
Being able to cause such a commotion, it was easy to infer how terrifying the strength of those demonic beasts in the forest was.
Some even speculated that those demonic beasts might have reached the strength of at least a Fourth Cycle Calamity Power, having awakened their innate abilities twice. If anyone accidentally entered the forest and encountered one of them, their life would be in great danger.
Over time, Black Mist Forest became an unofficial forbidden area for everyone.
“Young Master Qin, why do you want to go to such a dangerous place?” the old man asked, puzzled.
“I won’t venture deep into the forest. I won’t risk my life needlessly. I just want to pick some fruits on the outskirts of the Black Mist Forest. I know there’s still a danger, so I’m willing to pay ten silver coins as a reward,” Qin Feng explained.
Indeed, Qin Feng’s purpose this time was to obtain the final key ingredient for his hot pot – a fruit called Vermilion Red Fruit.
In the “Great Qian Compendium of Herbs,” it was recorded that there was a thumb-sized fruit with a bright red color growing on the outskirts of the Black Mist Forest. It grew from May to June and withered by the end of November. It had a spicy taste that was hard to swallow. Due to its bright red color, it was called Vermilion Red Fruit.
This thing was none other than the chili pepper he was so familiar with from his previous life.
Ten silver coins were already a considerable sum. Considering that a Vital Energy Pill only cost five silver coins, Qin Feng had expected that someone brave would step forward. However, the demon slayers present seemed even more timid than he had imagined.
Just as everyone looked at each other in silence, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in their ears. “I’ll take this task.”
Qin Feng turned his head in surprise and found that the speaker was none other than Cang Feilan.
“Yesterday, why didn’t you go to the Listen To Rain Pavilion?” Before Qin Feng could say hello, Cang Feilan spoke first, with a hint of displeasure in her tone.
“I just got married yesterday, and there were too many family matters to attend to, so I didn’t have the chance to go to the Listen To Rain Pavilion,” Qin Feng replied.
Cang Feilan fell silent for a moment upon hearing this. She turned her head and looked at Lan Ningshuang, scrutinizing her from head to toe, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.
However, for some reason, when she saw the other woman’s chest, her slightly wrinkled brows slowly relaxed. This subtle change made Lan Ningshuang feel strangely uncomfortable.
“Is this your wife?” Cang Feilan asked.
Before Qin Feng could reply, Lan Ningshuang immediately responded, “I am Miss’s sword attendant, Lan Ningshuang, responsible for protecting Young Master’s safety. And who are you?”
“Cang Feilan of the Demon Slaying Department,” she replied, her tone as calm as a pond in autumn, without a ripple.
Lan Ningshuang glanced at Qin Feng, her eyes seeming to question their relationship.
“My friend,” Qin Feng answered truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Cang Feilan also looked at Qin Feng. Her pale blue eyes reflected his face. Qin Feng’s heart trembled inexplicably, feeling like he had said something wrong.
“Let’s go. While there’s still time, perhaps we can return to Jinyang City before nightfall,” Cang Feilan turned and left.
Qin Feng followed closely behind, standing side by side with her.
Lan Ningshuang, observing this scene, pondered silently and then followed suit.
The gray-haired elder remained curious, wondering why Cang Feilan, who usually didn’t take on external missions, accepted such a task. Suddenly, a crisp sound startled him.
He turned to see Si Zheng standing there, holding a plate of peanuts, chewing and drinking wine.
“Lord Si, when did you arrive?”
“I was already here when the good show was about to begin, just didn’t show myself,” Si Zheng replied vaguely.
“Good show? What good show?” The old man was puzzled.
“Heh, you lack insight.” Si Zheng didn’t explain further. Holding a handful of peanuts, he calmly walked away, leaving the gray-haired elder with a face full of confusion.
On the other side, at the Lord’s Mansion in Jinyang City,
A person hurriedly ran into the room and reported to Ye Heng, “Reporting to the Lord, Young Master Qin Feng of the Qin family left Jinyang City with two young ladies not long ago, intending to go to the Black Mist Forest!”
Ye Heng’s eyes lit up. The Black Mist Forest was a dangerous place where anyone could die without warning.
“I was just worrying about not having a chance to show my loyalty to the Tang family. This young man has delivered himself to us. Luoting!”
“Yes, Father.”
“Quickly, inform Lord Wang about this matter!”
Luoting hurriedly left.
Ye Heng narrowed his eyes and sneered, “If we can secretly kill this boy and present his head as a gift to Young Master Tang, our Ye family’s entry into Heavenly City is just around the corner!”
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