Chapter 319: Target

Chapter 319: The Target

Li Huowang once again scrutinized the list of stolen items on the paper. Though merely from the materials listed, he could not determine the medicinal properties of the pills.

Yet as a direct disciple of Dan Yangzi, the alchemist, Li Huowang could still easily recognize this as a pill formula.

"Could it be another Dan Yangzi?" Recalling his past at Qingfeng Monastery, Li Huowang's expression grew uncertain and troubled.

Seeing the change in Li Huowang’s countenance, County Magistrate Lou asked cautiously, "Sir? Have you discovered something? Did you find those infants?"

"No, not yet—but I have a lead," Li Huowang slammed the paper against his chest.

"I may not know what they're brewing, but some things never change. Alchemy must conform to the One Qi, Two Poles, Six Dusts, and Seven Returns. These ingredients are lacking. To achieve the Six Dusts, they will surely steal more fifty-scattered herbs or similar medicines next."

"Inventory all these herbs and keep watch! No matter who they are, they’ll return!" Li Huowang spoke with firm resolve.

Whether it was another Dan Yangzi or not, the first step was to locate him—once found, everything else would become manageable.

"Understood! As long as we can recover the children for the people, I'll follow your orders, sir! I'll summon all the pharmacy owners in the county immediately!"

"Wait," Li Huowang grabbed him by the arm. "You’re only alerting them. Let me handle this. You must now help me stage a performance."

"A performance?"

That afternoon, County Magistrate Lou led a large entourage to see Li Huowang depart from Cangshui County. He clutched Li Huowang's hand tightly, showering him with praise along the way.

Upon learning that Li Huowang had caught the flower-snatcher, the crowd around him thickened even further.

Many grateful townspeople tried to stuff presents into his carriage, but he turned them all away.

After sending him off five li, Li Huowang once again urged him to stop. Only then did Lou reluctantly turn back with his retinue.

With the flower-snatcher executed by slow slicing, no more women were found defiled in Cangshui County.

Though the missing infants were never recovered, no additional children went missing either. The once-alarmed citizens gradually calmed down.

A few days later, under the cover of night, an old man with a hump walked the empty streets, striking his wooden staff rhythmically. “Heaven is dry, fire is dangerous—be careful!”

At first nothing seemed amiss, but after the third watch, strange things began to occur.

With each strike of the staff, the man’s shadow rose from the ground, limbs elongating into thin, spindly appendages, moving slowly in sync with him.

The shadow appeared to be held upright by some unseen force, and within the pitch-black mass, something stirred.

Wooden clatter echoed as the night watchman shouted again. “Heaven is dry, fire is dangerous—be careful!”

When the watchman approached a medicine shop, bundles wrapped in oilcloth suddenly passed through the wall and merged into his shadow. The shadow swelled larger. “Heaven is dry, fire is dangerous—be careful!”

More and more herbs were absorbed into the shadow, which bulged and twisted, gradually losing its human form.

All of this was observed coldly by Li Huowang, who lay hidden atop a roof.

The farewell procession arranged by County Magistrate Lou was just a distraction—a ruse to make him believe Li Huowang had left and lowered his guard.

Using his invisibility, Li Huowang quickly learned the locations and quantities of the remaining five-stone powder throughout Cangshui County.

After several days of covert surveillance, he finally waited for them to act again.

Alchemy required specific dates and times. He knew they couldn’t wait forever.

"Monk! Since we’ve found them, why stand there? Catch that thief stealing children! Don’t let him harm anyone else!"

In such matters, the monk seemed even more impatient than Li Huowang.

"Not so fast. Catching one who steals outside serves no purpose. Release him to lure out the bigger ones."

Watching the shadow disappear into the distance, Li Huowang, invisible, silently followed it across the tiles.

Time passed. By the fourth watch, the shadow had grown as large as a house, lumbering like a black giant through the streets.

At that moment, the monk beside Li Huowang jumped up and down in panic—he saw a child in a bamboo basket being pulled through a wall and swallowed by the massive shadow.

Seemingly satisfied with its haul, the shadow detached from the watchman and floated upward, its long limbs waving.

"Monk! He’s escaping! Go chase him!!" The monk nearly cried.

"Shut up!" Li Huowang stamped his foot hard on a stone beast on the roof and sprinted toward the shadow.

The shadow drifted in the sky while Li Huowang ran below. Fortunately, his vision was sharp enough to distinguish it from the dark sky.

As he ran further, he exited Cangshui County and onto the dirt road beyond.

He was already panting heavily, growing farther from the shadow.

"This won't do—I can't lose it!" Li Huowang immediately pulled out a talisman, bit his finger, and began drawing.

Two talismans adhered to his knees. His face tensed, veins bulging, his expression grotesque, a burning heat enveloping his heart.

But the price paid brought results—the speed surged.

The wind whipped his face as he pursued the shadow, finally catching up.

Dawn broke. With a splash, the shadow shattered, and whatever it contained fell into a rushing river.

Li Huowang reached the riverside and saw something blurred beneath the water, moving the herbs into the depths.

The waves rippled, making it hard to tell what it was. All he could see was a vague shape dragging the herbs toward a distant underwater cave.

Li Huowang raised his head to gaze at a low fissure on the water’s surface. "Could this be their lair?"

Above the cave stood a towering green cliff. At its base, the cave resembled a black mouth swallowing the wide river.

Carefully examining the map and location, Li Huowang realized this was right at the center of the counties where the children had gone missing—all events stemmed from here.

"No matter who they are, these scoundrels must be hiding in such a remote place, just like the original Dan Yangzi."

Finding their hideout should have been cause for celebration, but looking at the cave on the water, Li Huowang hesitated.

"But how do I get inside?"

(End of Chapter)