The great hall was filled with swirling incense smoke, a mixture of sandalwood and ordinary incense.
Su Xiaoqi felt a growing dizziness from the scent.
At first, she paid it no mind.
She was somewhat allergic to sandalwood and thought it natural to feel uncomfortable.
But as a sharp pain pulsed in her temples and the dizziness intensified, she gradually realized something was amiss.
Looking up at the source of the incense smoke, she detected a sweet aroma mixed with the strong sandalwood fragrance.
She frowned. Zhang Yu, who had been following her, suddenly grabbed her hand, tugged at her sleeve, and whispered, "Madam, something is wrong. This incense is problematic. Hold your breath quickly."
As she spoke, she pressed a pill into Su Xiaoqi's hand.
They always carried antidotes for dizziness when traveling the martial world.
Su Xiaoqi felt it, but she had already inhaled too much. The antidote alone would take too long to take effect.
Her head felt incredibly heavy, as if she were wearing a ten-jin jeweled crown.
She desperately wanted to stay conscious.
Reaching into her sleeve, she found a dagger.
Gritting her teeth, she cut her own palm.
"Hiss..." The sharp pain jolted her awake instantly from her drowsiness.
She tugged at Zhang Yu, fearing she might faint, and offered her the dagger.
But Zhang Yu refused, saying softly, "This servant does not need it. I am fine."
Su Xiaoqi recalled Shen Yun once telling her that people like Zhang Yu and Zhang Lei, during their training, had undergone various exercises with hypnotics, soporifics, and mild poisons.
They had developed immunity, protecting them from enemy drugging during missions.
Furthermore, they could usually identify such scents upon first whiff.
The only reason Zhang Yu had taken a moment to recognize it this time was due to the hall's vastness and the overwhelming sandalwood fragrance, which had momentarily misled her senses.
"Madam, let's go," Zhang Yu's immediate instinct was to protect Su Xiaoqi and get her out.
Su Xiaoqi squeezed her fingers, signaling that she would not leave.
She remembered a significant case mentioned in the original novel's plot.
A thought flickered through her mind; she had a hunch this incident might be connected to that case.
However, in the original novel, although that case had surfaced, it hadn't escalated. It was quickly hushed up and never made public. The author had only alluded to it vaguely.
As a result, even having read the entire novel, she hadn't grasped the full picture.
But now, she saw a glimmer of hope to uncover the truth.
She lowered her head to communicate with Zhang Yu, suggesting they feign being overcome by the incense. She wanted to see what these people intended to do.
Their conversation was discreet. An old monk at the front was absorbed in chanting and striking a wooden fish, paying them no mind.
Su Xiaoqi stealthily glanced at the female devotees kneeling around them.
Most were young women in their early twenties, dressed in fine silk and adorned with numerous hairpins and jewelry, indicating they were wives from wealthy families.
Currently, they all appeared dazed, with hands clasped in prayer, a picture of devout worship.
Soon, one Sanskrit chant ended, and another began.
Concurrently, Shen Yun was speaking with Xiao Qing at a teahouse near Huangjue Temple, discussing the current ownership of Yan Yu Ge.
"Xiao is ashamed, having not defeated Xiao Xin..." Xiao Qing sighed.
Shen Yun was unfazed.
He hadn't expected Xiao Qing to defeat Xiao Xin and take over Yan Yu Ge in such a short time.
Therefore, his answer did not surprise him.
Instead, he asked, "Is there a connection between Yan Yu Ge and Yan Yu Lou?"
Xiao Qing pondered for a moment and replied, "They share the same name, so naturally, there is a connection."
Outsiders only knew of Yan Yu Lou, but not Yan Yu Ge.
Yan Yu Lou was the public face, while Yan Yu Ge operated in the shadows.
Yan Yu Lou handled intelligence gathering and business transactions, while Yan Yu Ge was responsible for assassinations or protection – essentially, all manner of unsavory deeds.
"Then it should be manageable," Shen Yun said, having received the answer he sought, and prepared to leave.
He looked up and saw a temple with thriving incense smoke outside the square lattice windows.
Nestled within this bustling city, by the prosperous West Market of the capital, the location was chosen with shrewdness.
Xiao Qing followed Shen Yun's gaze and sneered, "Don't be fooled by the temple's apparent prosperity.
It's a dirtier place than Yan Yu Lou."
The hidden information in his words was substantial, piquing Shen Yun's curiosity.
At the same time, he recalled Su Xiaoqi mentioning her intention to accompany the wine supervisor's wife to Huangjue Temple to pray for a child, after her return from Liu Garden.
He had jokingly remarked then that if she rejected him less at night, there would be no need for her to come here.
"Hmph, this place is filthy..." Xiao Qing shared what he knew with Shen Yun.
He added that he had once stumbled upon it while fleeing pursuers, with nowhere else to go.
As a result, he had witnessed a grand spectacle in the temple's rearmost hall.
"Tsk tsk, you wouldn't believe it. So many people, stark naked, it was utterly… more scandalous than Yan Yu Lou…"
At least there, it was one-on-one, or at worst, one-on-two.
But here, dozens engaged in debauchery…
Xiao Qing shuddered, rubbing his arms as if covered in goosebumps.
As Xiao Qing was elaborating, he suddenly saw Shen Yun's expression change, and he flew out the lattice window.
"Hey… Be careful, there's a market below. Don't hit anyone…"
Xiao Qing shouted as he gave chase…
At this moment, in the rearmost hall of Huangjue Temple, the Sanskrit chants ceased. Four middle-aged monks, wearing kasayas and with the ritualistic scarifications on their heads, entered from a side hall.
The one leading them had a delicate appearance, with large earlobes and full lips. He held a prayer scroll in one hand and a string of prayer beads in the other, his eyes half-closed as he glided forward.
Those whose minds were muddled by the intoxicating incense saw them approaching as if they were celestial beings descending on auspicious clouds.
They all lowered their heads and prostrated, murmuring, "Master Kongshan."
Su Xiaoqi found such an act distasteful, but seeing everyone else do it, she followed suit to avoid drawing attention.
When her patience was wearing thin, the four monks stopped, ushered out the old monk who had been chanting and striking the wooden fish, and the hall doors slowly closed.
The entire hall plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the gentle glow of the ever-burning lamps.
Master Kongshan, who was at the forefront, instructed everyone to raise their heads.
He opened his eyes and scanned the faces of those present from left to right.
He nodded with satisfaction.
This batch was well-chosen: young and beautiful.
Especially the woman in the center, wearing a lake-blue cross-collared ruqun.
Her fair complexion, her newly blossomed features, her delicate eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, aquiline nose, and cherry lips, all contributed to an aura of gentle elegance, as if she were dignified and unapproachable.
Yet, it was precisely this type that pleased them the most.
He took a deep breath and offered Su Xiaoqi a knowing, profound smile.
Su Xiaoqi lowered her head, a chill passing through her heart, and goosebumps instantly prickled her arms.
She felt like prey caught in the gaze of a hungry wolf.
Master Kongshan announced loudly, "My dear devotees, this is a potent water formulated by this humble monk. Drinking it will purify your minds and bring you infinitely closer to Buddha. Please drink it all."
His voice was solemn and resonant, possessing a natural ability to conquer hearts.
The monks behind him brought forward the medicated water, one bowl per person.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at it; the water was yellowish and carried a sweet, fishy odor.
As a practitioner of medicine, she recognized the presence of Epimedium in it.
Drinking water infused with this substance would cause normal people to lose their senses and even experience heightened arousal in certain aspects…