The background of Su Chang He, the Funeral Master, had always been a secret unknown to anyone in Dark River.

Even with someone as mysterious as Su Muyu, everyone knew he was found by the Leader in a water bucket by the river. But Su Chang He had no such story, leading to many rumors, including one that claimed Su Chang He had found Dark River himself while traveling with his brother Su Chang Li.

How could a wandering child with no martial arts skills find a place that countless martial arts masters had searched for in vain? It sounded like a fairy tale, so no one believed it was true.

Only Su Muyu knew it was indeed true.

But even Su Muyu didn’t know where Su Chang He had lived before finding Dark River.

“You’re from the Five Poison Sect?” Bai Hehuai was startled.

Su Chang He smiled slightly: “How could I be worthy of the Five Poison Sect? I merely lived in the same region. They were noble beings, while we were as worthless as grass.”

“The Southern Wilderness,” Bai Hehuai said gravely. “You’re from the Southern Wilderness.”

“That envoy to the Ancient Kingdom was a eunuch,” Su Chang He avoided the topic of the Southern Wilderness. “What kind of eunuch would qualify to represent Bei Li as an envoy to another country?”

“At least one of the Five Great Eunuchs,” Su Muyu replied.

“This eunuch was extraordinary. He later helped the then-prince, now Emperor Tai’an, conquer Bei Que and destroy Xi Chu, establishing his empire. After Emperor Tai’an ascended the throne, he became Bei Li’s Grand Eunuch,” Su Chang He looked up. “He also served as the Head Abbot of Dawu Temple, his influence rivaling even the Grand General’s.”

“Former head of the Five Great Eunuchs, Lord Zhuo Qing,” Su Muyu said gravely. “You’re suggesting he’s involved in this?”

“I only know that this Lord is now guarding the Imperial Tomb, and given his personality, he wouldn’t be content just doing that,” Su Chang He said quietly.

“This… how did Tianqi City get involved?” Ge Xiu frowned.

“I hope I’m overthinking it,” Su Chang He touched the dagger in his sleeve. “That demon – I’d rather not face him.”

“Huff.” Bai Hehuai sighed. “Let’s not discuss this now. The Huajin Powder can only temporarily remove one’s martial powers but rarely causes death. This suggests they have other plans.”

“These past few days, many masters have infiltrated Sihuai City,” Su Muyu said softly. “Including…”

“Oh?” Su Chang He raised an eyebrow.

“Sword Immortals,” Su Muyu looked up at the sky.

At the Jinglai Inn.

Li Hanyin sat up in bed, sensing a floral fragrance, unlike the camellia scent of Xueyue City. This scent was heavier, with a hint of sweetness, and after just a few breaths, she felt her strength slowly draining. She immediately drew Iron Horse Ice River from her waist, waving it lightly. Extremely cold sword energy dispersed, instantly coating the room in frost.

This sword strike even crystallized the invisible flower pollen in the air.

The fine pollen condensed into ice flowers, floating around Li Hanyin.

Li Hanyin flicked her sword, and the suspended ice flowers fell to the ground.

Shattering into fragments.

“Who’s there?” she said coldly.

Meanwhile, a scholar had just entered Sihuai City by carriage. Behind him, the city gates slowly closed. The driver turned his head in confusion: “Why are they suddenly closing the city gates?”

“Is that strange?” The scholar was naturally the Confucian Sword Immortal Xie Xuan. Closing city gates was a common occurrence, yet this driver seemed extremely surprised.

The driver nodded: “Sihuai City has never had a curfew. It’s famous for being a city that never sleeps. These gates haven’t been closed since I can remember.”

“Oh. That is interesting,” Xie Xuan said quietly.

“Whoa!” Just then, the driver suddenly pulled the reins, stopping the carriage.

Xie Xuan put down his book, watching as people walking normally on the street suddenly collapsed. He frowned slightly. The driver set down the reins, about to get down to investigate.

“Don’t go,” Xie Xuan reached out to stop him.

“Sir…” the driver’s legs went weak, and he nearly fell from the carriage.

Xie Xuan quickly caught him, pressed several major acupoints on his body, and then waved his palm gently, pushing away all the floral scent around the carriage. He then took out a red candle from his robes, lit it with a gentle pinch of his fingers, and placed it beside him, raising an eyebrow slightly: “Huajin Powder?”

The driver slowly regained consciousness, seeing people collapsed everywhere while Xie Xuan sat reading by candlelight. He smiled bitterly: “Sir, how can you still have the mood to read at a time like this?”

“I must find a method to break this Huajin Powder Formation,” Xie Xuan answered matter-of-factly.

Though the driver didn’t understand what “Huajin Powder Formation” meant, he understood Xie Xuan’s intent: “Isn’t it too late to be reading now?”

Xie Xuan shook his head: “Not late, not late. When this inch of candle burns out – that will be truly late.”

At the Luoyang Tavern in the south of the city.

The usually noisy tavern had fallen completely silent. All the patrons who normally spent their nights in revelry now lay sprawled across tables, making no sound.

Not even snoring.

Only a burly man sat drinking in the corner, one cup after another, without stopping.

After finishing a pot of wine, the man stood up, lifting a sword even larger than a golden ring saber, and thrust it forcefully into the ground.

With a “bang,” an overwhelmingly dominant sword energy dispersed, causing every wine jar in the tavern to shatter instantly. The scent of wine pervaded the air, immediately overpowering the cloying floral fragrance.

The man shouldered his great sword and sneered: “Trickery.”

And at the highest point of Sihuai City, atop the Huitien Pagoda of the central Mingguang Temple.

Two people were looking down at the city.

One wore black clothes, with a graceful figure and a purple cloth covering her face. Her voice carried endless charm: “As you can see, the entire city sleeps in the flower’s fragrance.”

The man beside her spoke with a resonant voice and calm tone: “Some will resist sleep, and those who resist are the targets of our hunt.”

“I don’t understand these things. My flower fragrance can only intoxicate, not kill. The rest is up to you, General,” the woman smiled.

“Don’t call me General,” the man said deeply. “In this Sihuai City, I am just a wanderer.”

“Very well, wanderer,” the woman smiled. “Then I’ll leave the rest to you, wanderer.”

The man turned to descend the tower: “No need to instruct me. Your Five Poison Sect’s task this time isn’t as simple as just laying a flower poison formation.”