After the alchemy room grew quiet again, the sickly sweet pink strange fragrance in the air had not yet fully dissipated, lingering in wisps within the warm light.
Lai Li’an felt that if he stayed any longer, something might happen, so he simply left.
Ruan Se stood in place, watching Lai Li’an’s back disappear beyond the door, then turned and walked to the elixir furnace, raising her hand to close the lid again.
She took out another portion of spirit herbs and arranged them neatly beside the ignition platform. She channeled spiritual power into the ignition platform again, and the spiritual flame rose, illuminating the sharp contrast of her jawline beneath her face veil.
The spirit herbs entered the furnace one after another, and five strands of wood-element spiritual power simultaneously probed into the furnace, each performing its own function.
Her movements were faster and steadier than last time, but the difficulty of a sixth-rank pill remained. It required the alchemist to protect all the medicinal materials with spiritual power of varying intensity at the same time, and then remove all protection in an instant to allow the medicinal powers to collide and fuse.
This level of spiritual power control had already exceeded the limit of an ordinary cultivator’s spiritual sense.
From time to time, a dull sound came from the alchemy room—sometimes a muffled explosion from spiritual power collapsing, sometimes the roar of the furnace from medicinal forces clashing. After each sound, the brief silence would be broken by the crackling of flames once more.
When night had completely enveloped Yunze Market, the door of the alchemy room was finally pushed open.
Ruan Se walked out. A small patch of her long dress had been scorched by the flames. Her hair was a bit disheveled, and her breathing was faster than usual.
She did not complain. She simply walked to the water vat in the courtyard, scooped up a ladle of cool water, lifted a corner of her face veil, quickly drank a few mouthfuls, and then poured the rest over her face.
Cool water dripped down her jaw. She looked up at the cold crescent moon in the night sky, then turned and walked toward Lai Li’an’s room.
“Senior.”
She stood outside the door and said with a cupped-fist salute, “The backup herbs have been used up. I need to go out and purchase some.”
Lai Li’an came out of the room and, seeing her appearance, was slightly taken aback. He wanted to say something, but when the words reached his lips, he felt such unnecessary talk was pointless, so he just nodded.
“Perfect timing. The Venerable Self also wishes to get some fresh air.”
Ruan Se immediately refused him.
“No.”
Lai Li’an was choked for a moment. Ruan Se seemed to realize her tone had been too harsh, so she softened a bit.
“I have my own ways to deal with the Enforcement Hall’s search, but it would be bad if your spiritual sense were to be swept by them, Senior.”
Lai Li’an was silent for a while, then had to admit she had a point. Although the Immortal-Slaying Delusion-Breaking Talisman he used to kill Li Hanyuan had been consumed, his face had already been seen by the surrounding cultivators. Going out now would be like walking into a trap.
“…Fine.”
He turned his head away awkwardly.
“Then come back soon.”
Ruan Se nodded slightly and turned to walk out of the courtyard.
Yunze Market was even livelier at night than during the day. Spirit lamps illuminated the entire commercial street as bright as daylight. Ruan Se changed into an inconspicuous gray cloak and skillfully turned into the spirit herb shop she frequented.
There were not many customers in the shop. The steward was an old man in his sixties. Seeing her enter, he smiled and nodded in greeting.
Ruan Se did not exchange pleasantries. She walked straight to the counter, took out a pre-written list from her sleeve, and handed it over.
The steward took the list, his gaze pausing on the first medicine name for a moment. Then he looked up at Ruan Se, and a meaningful smile curled at the corner of his mouth. He did not tease her out loud, but the smile lines had already curved to the corners of his eyes—impossible to hide even if he wanted to.
Ruan Se looked up and gave him a cold stare. The steward’s smile froze on his face under her gaze. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he immediately lowered his head, obediently taking out the medicines from the cabinet according to the list, not daring to look again.
Soon, all the herbs were wrapped up. Ruan Se paid the spirit stones, put the medicine pack into her storage bag, pulled her cloak tight, and turned to leave.
When she reached the mouth of the alley, her steps suddenly halted.
Several people were standing at the alley mouth. She recognized the leader—Li Xiuyuan, the Patrol Chief of the Enforcement Hall. Behind him were two Enforcement Hall disciples. The moment they saw her emerge from the spirit herb shop, all three locked their gazes on her.
Ruan Se stood still. She could feel Li Xiuyuan’s spiritual sense sweep over her rapidly.
“Fellow Daoist, please stay.”
Li Xiuyuan blocked Ruan Se firmly.
“I am Li Xiuyuan, Patrol Chief of the Enforcement Hall. There are a few matters I wish to inquire of you, Fellow Daoist.”
Ruan Se did not refuse verbally; she merely stood her ground. Li Xiuyuan took two steps closer to her and got straight to the point.
“Yesterday at the back alley of Ten Thousand Treasures Tower, a Golden Core cultivator used a sword talisman to kill two people in broad daylight. According to the descriptions of witnesses, a female cultivator in a cyan dress wearing a face veil appeared at the scene, spoke with the perpetrator, and even helped him with a few words. Was that person you, Fellow Daoist?”
Ruan Se’s eyebrows moved slightly beneath her face veil.
“It was me.”
She said unhurriedly.
“But so what?”
The two disciples behind Li Xiuyuan exchanged glances, clearly not expecting her to admit it so readily.
“So, Fellow Daoist indeed had dealings with that murderer?”
Li Xiuyuan’s tone suddenly sharpened.
“May I ask you to inform me of the murderer’s current whereabouts? Or perhaps, can you provide any clues about this person?”
Ruan Se was not intimidated by him. She spoke slowly.
“Since Chief Li is so resourceful, can’t you investigate yourself? Why come asking a weak woman like me for clues?”
Li Xiuyuan was choked by these words for a moment, his brows furrowing even tighter. Just as he was about to say something, a disciple behind him leaned in and whispered a few words.
After hearing it, his expression changed slightly. When his gaze fell back on Ruan Se, there was noticeable wariness in it.
“Fellow Daoist’s background is indeed impressive. However, for a disciple of the Main Sect of Alchemy Sect to come to a small place like Yunze Market and immediately get involved in a murder case is too coincidental. Dare I ask, Fellow Daoist, why did you help that perpetrator?”
“Help?”
Ruan Se replied coldly.
“Chief Li’s words are mistaken. Yesterday, when I encountered those two people, someone was already severely injured and lying on the ground. I merely acted as an alchemist to render aid and extend her life by one breath. What, saving the dying and healing the wounded in Yunze Market counts as conspiracy now?”
“As for who those two people were, where they came from, where they went—I know nothing. After saving the person, I left on my own. What happened afterward has nothing to do with me.”
She paused, her tone turning colder.
“If Chief Li doesn’t believe me, you are welcome to handcuff me and take me to the Enforcement Hall for interrogation. I just wonder if my sect would also think that’s a good idea.”
Li Xiuyuan’s Adam’s apple moved, and sweat was faintly visible on his forehead. In the end, he waved his hand, signaling the disciples behind him to clear the path.
“Sorry for the disturbance.”
He stepped aside.
Ruan Se didn’t even raise her eyelids. She pulled the front of her cloak together and walked past Li Xiuyuan. After exiting the alley, she blended into the crowd on the main street and casually wandered into a few unimportant shops until she confirmed there was no one following her. Only then did she confidently take the road home.
On the way back, she passed a mask stall. The stall was small, covered with all kinds of masks. Ruan Se had already walked past it when she suddenly stopped and turned back.
She reached out and took down a dark blue half-face mask. The mask was plain and clean, with a few very faint cloud patterns traced on its surface in silver thread, only covering the upper half of the face. She turned the mask over to look, then back again, rubbing the surface of the cloud patterns with her fingertip, lost in thought.
The stall owner was a woman in her forties. Seeing her examining the mask repeatedly, she leaned in and said in a low voice with a smile,
“Is miss choosing this for her sweetheart?”
“No.”
Ruan Se denied quickly. She held the mask up to the light of a nearby spirit lamp to check if the eye holes were the right size, and said casually,
“Just for a friend who is both a teacher and a friend.”
“Both teacher and friend?”
The stall owner woman savored those words and laughed even more happily.
“A shifu and a friend at the same time—that’s the most important. Miss, take a look at this one.”
She bent down and pulled out a wooden box from under the shelf. Opening it, there lay a more exquisitely crafted dark blue half-face mask, also with cloud patterns, but the patterns were finer and lighter, shimmering with a barely perceptible glimmer under the spirit lamp.
“This one is inlaid with dark silver thread. It’s more expensive than the ordinary ones, but it’s light and stable to wear, and breathes well. Your friend will surely like it.”
Ruan Se took it and tested the feel. It was indeed lighter and thinner than the previous one. The cloud patterns were faintly visible under the moonlight—plain yet not flashy. She nodded, did not haggle, took out spirit stones from her sleeve and placed them on the stall, then put the mask into her sleeve and turned to leave.
When she returned to the courtyard, moonlight had spread across the entire yard.
Ruan Se pushed open the door and saw Lai Li’an sitting under the eaves waiting for her. She walked over, took out the wooden box from her sleeve, and handed it over without a word.
Lai Li’an was surprised but still took the box and opened it. Inside lay a dark blue half-face mask. He held the mask in his hand, looking up at Ruan Se in slight surprise.
Ruan Se avoided his gaze, pulled her cloak together, and walked straight toward the alchemy room.
“In case Senior ever wants to go out, this can provide a bit of concealment.”
She spoke with her back to Lai Li’an, her tone as cool and detached as usual, though her steps were a bit faster than normal.
The door of the alchemy room closed behind her, and then came the sound of a firestone being lit.