Chapter 213: The Fire of the Setting Sun

The timid capybara spirit creature, feeling threatened, immediately spilled everything about the situation in this place.

It turned out that beneath the seventh slope of Nine Linked Slopes, there was a swamp where it originally lived.

A few years ago, a plump Daoist arrived and, while the capybara demon¹ was away, planted many white flowers in the swamp.

The white flowers were beautiful, but the capybara demon instinctively sensed danger from them. Coupled with the fact that the plump Daoist looked fierce, it immediately accepted the reality that its home had been taken over.

Later, it noticed that whenever people passed by the swamp, the white flowers would release a kind of pollen. Those who inhaled it would go mad and walk straight into the swamp, allowing themselves to be swallowed up.

Over time, the flowers changed from white to a deep red…

Sacrificing the living to nourish flowers—this was clearly the work of a Daoist practicing dark arts.

Gu Ning’an paused and said, “So you released the fog to trap people here in order to save them?”

“Mm!” The capybara demon nodded. “I’ve tried blocking the road directly and also tried hiding and warning people.”

“The first method worked sometimes—some knew that when a demon blocked the way, there had to be a reason. But others didn’t understand and even thought I was begging for food…”

“The second method didn’t work at all. Whether I spoke to them face-to-face or from hiding, they would be so scared that they’d rush forward in a panic.”

“I see.” Gu Ning’an nodded before asking, “Then, hasn’t that plump Daoist noticed you preventing people from going forward?”

The capybara demon shook its head. “No, the mist I release hides me well—even underworld emissaries can’t find me…”

“Besides, I only come out to stop people when that Daoist isn’t around.”

“That’s quite a natural gift.” Gu Ning’an beckoned to it. “Come with me.”

“Huh?”

“Sir, I haven’t done anything bad!”

“I tried my best to stop those people, but they wouldn’t listen!”

“I don’t want to go to the underworld—please don’t send me there…”

The capybara demon lay flat on the ground, its large “propeller ears” spinning rapidly.

Gu Ning’an chuckled. “I’m not sending you to the underworld. I’m taking you to reclaim your home.”

“Huh?” The capybara demon didn’t even have time to say “no need” before Gu Ning’an scooped it up and carried it back up the slope.

…

At the top of the slope, none of the guards had managed to sleep. After what had just happened, they were all exhausted but too restless to rest.

Fortunately, they were accustomed to sleep deprivation, so no one complained about being too tired to endure.

As they rested in place, they roasted some flatbreads to share.

Every now and then, Cao Cheng would roast two flatbreads. When they cooled, he would hand them to the guards beside him and continue roasting more.

His plan was to have a warm meal ready for Gu Ning’an when he returned.

“Chief Cao… take a break. No one’s eating anymore…” Liu Er reminded him helplessly.

Cao Cheng shot him a glare. “You didn’t seem to have trouble eating when there was meat.”

Liu Er smiled wryly. “Meat and flatbread aren’t the same.”

“How are they different? I think you’re just living too comfortably—” Cao Cheng suddenly stopped speaking. Grabbing two steaming flatbreads, he got up and walked toward Gu Ning’an, who was approaching. “Quick, quick! Mr. Gu, have a hot flatbread.”

Seeing the enthusiastic offer, Gu Ning’an, though not hungry, accepted one and handed the other to the capybara demon in his arms.

“Whoa!”

“A giant rat!”

“This one actually looks quite handsome!”

Just as Cao Cheng was about to reach out and pat the capybara demon’s head, the so-called “big rat” was having none of it. It furrowed its brows and snapped, “You’re the big rat! Your whole family are big rats!”

In an instant, the sound of blades being drawn, curses, and exclamations filled the air! Almost everyone had gathered around, with many gripping their weapons.

However, after hearing from Gu Ning’an that the capybara demon had only tried to stop them in order to save their lives, the group immediately changed their tune, bowing their fists in gratitude to the spirit creature…

After escaping from the “encirclement” of the escorts, the capybara demon rubbed its head and asked, “Great Sir, why do you and those guards all like rubbing my head?”

Gu Ning’an chuckled. “Because it looks like it would feel really nice to touch.”

The capybara demon: …

Descending the slope, the ground underfoot became increasingly slick and sticky.

At the bottom, to the left, lay a semi-circular swamp densely packed with eerie red flowers.

To the right, there was a stretch of semi-dry mud, covered in a mess of footprints.

As if sensing the newcomers, the strange flowers began to tremble slightly. Their buds slowly opened, releasing waves of bluish mist.

“Great Sir, hold your breath!”

After a brief warning, the capybara demon used its front paws to clamp its own nose shut.

Seeing Gu Ning’an remain still, the spirit creature, speaking in a muffled voice while still holding its nose, said, “Great Sir, this pollen is extremely dangerous! I accidentally inhaled a bit once and was immediately trapped in an illusion!”

Gu Ning’an casually set the capybara demon down and strode toward the spreading blue mist.

With every step he took forward, the drifting mist retreated as if recoiling from him.

By the time Gu Ning’an reached the edge of the swamp, the pollen that had been spewing from the flowers was now retracting back into their buds.

“Sacrificing living beings to nourish wicked flowers…”

“This is truly vile…”

Gu Ning’an waved his hand, and the towering pine and cypress trees around him bent outward, revealing a patch of open sky.

A beam of the setting sun’s afterglow fell onto the swamp.

With a slight motion of his fingers toward the golden light—

“Boom!”

The moment the sun’s rays touched a few of the wicked flowers, they burst into flames!

The fire spread rapidly. In no time, more than half of the eerie red flowers were ablaze.

The sizzling sound of burning plants filled the air, accompanied by a thick, pungent stench.

“Insolent brat!”

“How dare you destroy my divine flowers!”

A furious voice echoed from the distance.

With it came a streak of blood-red light!

The light crashed into the ground with a bang, sending up a cloud of dust.

The newcomer was a portly man clad in a black Daoist robe. As he watched his “life’s work” go up in flames, his bloodshot eyes burned with rage, as if he wished to tear Gu Ning’an limb from limb on the spot!

“A perfectly good person, yet you choose to practice dark arts and cultivate wicked flowers—only to end up with such pitiful strength.”

Gu Ning’an barely spared him a glance before immediately gauging his power.

After murdering so many people, this Daoist wasn’t even as strong as the water monster Jiang Wanzhou had slain…

“My flowers! My divine flowers!”

As more and more of the eerie red blossoms ignited, the crazed Daoist flung himself into the swamp, desperately trying to save the ones that had yet to catch fire.

However, he had underestimated the seemingly delicate flames.

The moment he dove into the swamp, the fire latched onto him, crawling rapidly over his body!

The searing pain instantly snapped him out of his frenzy.

Just as he attempted to slap out the flames, he realized, to his horror, that the more he smacked at them, the faster they spread…