Chapter 88 Lord Bai, What Mischief Are You Planning?…

Chapter 88: Lord Bai, What Mischief Are You Plotting?

Bai Xiuming watched A Chan for a moment before slowly replying, "Nothing."

"Want to give it a try?"

"...You want me to help you kill that flood dragon?"

A Chan nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling.

"But why should I help you?"

"How can you call it helping me? This is clearly about rescuing the people of Yongzhou from suffering—eliminating a public menace!" A Chan declared righteously.

"I recall you saying not long ago that I’m no longer an official, so I don’t need to abide by laws, nor do I need to help the people." Bai Xiuming’s words silenced her.

How could someone learn to be so wicked so fast?

A Chan wheedled, "If you can help, you should. You’re only suspended—who knows, you might be reinstated someday. This could count as a great achievement."

"Whatever. I couldn't care less."

Seeing that the appeal to duty and virtue didn’t work, A Chan changed her approach.

She dragged her chair closer to Bai Xiuming and softened her voice. "Then just do it for me—it’s indirectly helping yourself too. That flood dragon is clearly after me. If it failed this time, there’ll surely be a next. And you wounded it—it’s bound to seek revenge."

"I don’t know if it holds grudges, but you certainly do."

To wake up in the middle of the night just to plot revenge—she really didn't waste a single moment.

A Chan quickly cut him off. "Ah, that’s not the point."

"Fine, go on," Bai Xiuming said patiently.

"If it comes for me again, given our deep friendship, would you just stand by and watch me get taken?"

Amusement glinted in Bai Xiuming’s eyes. "So?"

"So, instead of always being on guard, why not strike first?" A Chan made a fierce throat-slitting gesture.

"Sounds reasonable."

"Right?"

Her eyes brightened, only for Bai Xiuming to add, "But I'm not in the charity business."

A Chan declared solemnly, as if ready to swear an oath, "I’ll never forget your help today. Whenever you need it, I’ll repay this great kindness."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Since you’re so sincere, I’ll reluctantly help you this once."

Seeing him finally relent, A Chan couldn’t help but think Bai Xiuming was far harder to handle than that flood dragon.

"That flood dragon disappears into the water and is extremely wary. How do you plan to lure it out?" Bai Xiuming finally asked the question that intrigued him most.

"As long as we prepare the bait, the rest doesn’t matter." A Chan exuded confidence.

Skilled at aquatic escapes? Then bait it onto land. Cautious? Big deal. If it’s a true flood dragon, it won’t resist its blood's calling.

"Like how we caught the Snow Needle Snake last time?"

"Exactly."

"Good. Tell me what materials you need, and I’ll... I’ll prepare them." Bai Xiuming agreed without hesitation.

"A bucket of dragon blood, three fresh whirl turtle tails."

"Anything else?"

A Chan pondered. "Also goldthread moss and dragon egg fragments. That’s all."

"I’ll have everything ready by tomorrow night."

Seeing him agree without hesitation, A Chan swallowed what she was about to say.

She had thought the bait’s cost might be too high and was prepared to tweak the recipe if Bai Xiuming objected. Apparently, he was loaded.

"Any other requirements?" Bai Xiuming continued.

A Chan suddenly remembered. "Oh, find a place with a pool and plug the water vent beforehand. The rest is up to you."

She was only responsible for the bait—the heavy lifting was Lord Bai's.

"Understood."

With everything settled and that damned flood dragon likely dealt with by tomorrow night, A Chan was in much better spirits, and sleepiness hit her.

She yawned and waved at Bai Xiuming. "I'm beat. I’m turning in."

Bai Xiuming got up to open the door for her, making sure she entered the neighboring room before returning to his own.

Turning around, he found Shen Zhuo, who'd made himself scarce earlier, had returned.

"Who is that girl to you?" Shen Zhuo’s curiosity was plain to see.

Bai Xiuming letting a girl into his room at night—now that's something.

"Not your concern."

Shen Zhuo tsked, already planning to spread the news throughout the Bright Mirror Bureau for everyone to enjoy the spectacle.

"Fine. Then tell me—was what she said true or false?"

Common sense said it was unlikely. That girl was just an ordinary person—where would she learn such an obscure recipe, something even the Bright Mirror Bureau didn’t know? And claim it could lure a flood dragon?

Yet Bai Xiuming had humored her, clearly not just because they were close.

"Never seen this formula before. No guarantees," Bai Xiuming replied. "But... we can try."

"You’re serious?"

"You heard the materials. Have them here by morning." Bai Xiuming left no room for refusal.

"Fine." Shen Zhuo had no other leads on how to deal with the flood dragon anyway, so he might as well try.

But soon, he suddenly realized something and his head snapped up. "Wait—why am I supplying the materials? You sweet-talk the girl into gratitude, and I pay for everything?"

"Isn't it your duty to protect the people from harm? These would all count toward your accomplishments."

Shen Zhuo was speechless. "If you had just changed a couple of words, I might've thought you meant it."

He was throwing her own words right back at her.

Bai Xiuming showed no sign of shame and even reminded him, "Don't forget to find a pond as she requested, not too far from Yongzhou City."

"Anything else? If not, I’m leaving."

"Get me a knife," Bai Xiuming said.

"Gotcha."

"Have someone bring two sets of clean clothes."

Shen Zhuo was done talking. He waved his hand and vanished into the dark.

The next day, A Chan slept until mid-morning. When she finally tried to get up, every muscle screamed in protest.

She flopped back down miserably onto the bed, suddenly feeling that skinning that flood dragon alive wasn’t enough—if she could get her hands on its ancestors' graves, she’d dig up its entire family and whip their corpses!

Someone knocked at the door. A Chan rolled her head toward the door lazily and asked, "Who is it?"

"It’s me," came Bai Xiuming’s voice from outside.

"Give me fifteen minutes."

The person outside gave a quiet laugh. "Do you want new clothes?"

"Yes!" A Chan immediately sat up, bolted to the door, and opened it a sliver, just enough to stick out a hand. "Where are they?"

Bai Xiuming caught her groping hand and placed a stack of clothes into it. "Come downstairs to eat after you change."

"Got it."

Soon, A Chan had changed, washed up, and made her way downstairs.

There were still few customers in the inn. She spotted Bai Xiuming sitting by the window at once, with dishes already laid out on the table before him—three plates of food, a bowl of soup, and a roasted chicken.

The moment she saw the chicken, A Chan felt as if the day just got better.

After finishing the meal and putting down her chopsticks, Bai Xiuming finally spoke. "All the materials you asked for are ready."

"So fast?" A Chan was surprised. "Do you have some special sources?"

Bai Xiuming just smiled. "When do we start?"

"Now's good. We need to prepare the bait there, but we need to prepare in advance."

She followed Bai Xiuming back to his room. As soon as the door opened, an iron-sweet scent filled the air—the smell of dragon blood.

For most serpent-folk, dragon blood was irresistible, and the same went for flood dragons.

Under the table by the wall sat a full bucket of dragon blood. A Chan tested it with a finger, submerging a knuckle.

Dragon blood was hotter than human body temperature, burning at first contact, and incredibly thick—thick as quicksilver.

Pleased with the quality, A Chan withdrew her hand and checked the other materials.

Once she'd verified everything, she turned to Bai Xiuming. "Everything’s good. Next, we need to dry and grind the whirl turtle tails, then mix them with the dragon blood."

Fresh whirl turtle tails couldn’t be dried and crushed in an instant—obviously this was his job.

With a sigh, Bai Xiuming picked up one of the tails, and circulated his internal energy. Soon, the smell of cooking meat filled the room.

Controlling the heat took time, so it took him seven or eight minutes before the tail became crisp enough to crumble.

After processing the remaining two tails, he ground them into powder and sprinkled it into the bucket of dragon blood. Instantly, the blood began frothing violently.

A Chan pushed a basin-sized fragment of dragon egg toward Bai Xiuming. "Grind this too. Add it after the bubbles disappear."

Following her instructions, Bai Xiuming poured the powdered egg into the bucket. The dragon blood grew even thicker, emitting a faint, peculiar fragrance—one that dissipated beyond a few meters.

"Done." A Chan surveyed their handiwork with satisfaction. "Once we’re at the pond, we’ll add the golden moss. That flood dragon won’t stand a chance against the scent."

Then she looked up at Bai Xiuming. "Now it's your show. You’re so strong—no way you'd lose to a mere flood dragon?"

"Cut the crap. I don't rise to bait."

"Oh. Then remember to mince it real fine when you kill it."

They waited at the inn until evening before Bai Xiuming led A Chan out of Yongzhou City.

The spot Shen Zhuo had found wasn’t far—a mountain on the outskirts, far from any villages. Even before nightfall, the chirping of insects and birds filled the air.

At the pond’s edge, A Chan took out the dragon blood and the cloth bundle containing the golden moss.

The bundle gave off a faint glow in the dark. She opened it and poured the moss into the blood.

At first, the luminescent moss showed no reaction. But after absorbing the blood, it gradually clumped together, forming crimson spheres that emitted a soft golden glow.

In the pitch-black night, they shone like beacons.

One by one, she tossed the spheres into the pond. As the dragon blood met the cold water, steam hissed upward, and the pent-up aroma exploded, spreading rapidly.

Just as A Chan was placing the bait, the Flood Dragon King—resting in an underwater cave in the Ji River—suddenly opened its eyes.

It caught a maddening fragrance, one that stirred its instincts, urging it to find the source and devour it.

Whatever it was, it had to be a treasure capable of elevating its bloodline—nothing else could explain this ravenous hunger!

Ignoring its unhealed wounds, the Flood Dragon King surged from the river and soared toward the scent. Along the way, it shattered stone and felled ancient trees.

The commotion sent every bird in the mountains fleeing into the night.

Meanwhile, A Chan sat atop a broad boulder, gazing down at the pond where the luminous bait bobbed on the rippling water.

A mountain breeze swept past, carrying a chill—and a familiar, metallic stench.

She looked up. Though she saw nothing, she knew—the Flood Dragon was coming.

When she turned her head, the man who had been standing beside her was already gone.

The Flood Dragon King moved faster and faster, smashing through every obstacle in its path. The closer it got to the scent, the hotter its body grew, its blood boiling as if aflame.

At last, it halted at the edge of a pond.

Mist drifted over the pond's surface, floating golden orbs emitted a faint glow—the source of the intoxicating scent.

The Flood Dragon King didn't bother wondering about their origin. Its huge body dove into the water, mouth gaping open as it eagerly sucked in the glowing orbs.

The scent that had nearly driven it mad burst across its tongue. For a brief moment, the Flood Dragon King's thoughts went empty.

In that split second, a sword stabbed through its skull, driving straight through its lower jaw.

"Roar!" Pain wrenched a deafening roar from the Flood Dragon King. Its body writhed, its jet-black tail lashing upward—but hit nothing.

The sword lodged in its skull was pulled out, gleaming as it cut through the dragon's prized resilient scales, shattering them until the flesh beneath split and the blade bit deep into bone.

"Coward! Only daring to ambush from the shadows! Face me properly if you have the guts!"

"A mere beast dares call itself a king?"

The voice rang out as Bai Xiuming's figure appeared in midair.

Floating motionlessly, his longsword vibrated in his hand.

The Flood Dragon King froze briefly before lunging at Bai Xiuming, jaws wide open. Bai Xiuming swung his blade, but the dragon twisted its body and plunged back into the pond, attempting to flee.

Yet the pond's water channel had long been sealed by Shen Zhuo using the Bright Mirror Bureau's secret techniques. Like a trapped beast, the Flood Dragon King thrashed about in the water, unable to find an escape.

Finally, it surfaced in frustration, only to find the human standing above, staring down coldly.

"Human, let me go, and I swear to leave the Ji River forever—never to return."

Bai Xiuming wiped his blade clean—not a drop of blood stained its blade.

Unmoved, the Flood Dragon King roared, "If you insist on killing me, I won't die alone! I can flood both riverbanks right now—take everyone with me!"

"Clever. But I despise threats."

Bai Xiuming disappeared. The Flood Dragon King's eyes flashed with fury as it prepared to activate its core—only for searing pain to erupt in its skull, sending it writhing in agony.

Amid its frenzied thrashing, Bai Xiuming leapt down from its head, half his body drenched in dragon blood, clutching a blood-smeared orb—the Flood Dragon King's core.

Without its core, the dragon howled in pain, begging, "Please... spare me! I won’t dare again, I swear!"

Bai Xiuming merely studied the core before asking, "Last night—who ordered you to abduct that woman?"

"No one!"

With a scoff, Bai Xiuming's blade descended, lopping off part of the dragon's tail.

"I’ll talk! It was the Shen family—Shen Yingxiao! He commanded me to capture her and... torment her to death."

"You obey the Shen family?"

"Yes! They forced me to cause chaos in the Ji River, forcing the people to worship me... I had no choice!"

"Heard that?" Bai Xiuming called out abruptly.

Rustling echoed through the woods as dozens of Bright Mirror Bureau Guards emerged, encircling the scene. Shen Zhuo stepped forward, face twisted in anger.

"I underestimated the Shen family," he spat through gritted teeth.

Two months of chasing this beast, thinking it just a monster's rampage—only to learn it had been a puppet all along. They’d played him for a fool!

Seeing their interest in the Shen family, the dragon saw its opportunity. "Masters! I know more of their secrets! Spare me, and I’ll tell you everything!"

Shen Zhuo remained silent, looking to Bai Xiuming.

"I’ve no interest in their secrets." With that, Bai Xiuming squeezed the core to dust.

The Flood Dragon King's last hope shattered. Its massive body collapsed, weeping as it lay motionless.

Then, A Chan's impatient voice drifted down from the hillside. "Bai Xiuming, are you done yet?"

Next time, she swore, she wouldn’t pick nighttime for monster-slaying. Too dark—nothing to see.

Bai Xiuming blinked twice before reappearing with A Chan in tow.

The moment her feet touched ground, she took in the sight—the weeping dragon, like a fallen mountain in its despair, and the unexpected crowd of Bright Mirror Bureau Guards.

Meeting A Chan’s gaze, the Flood Dragon King realized—this woman was the reason for its downfall.

If only it had devoured her last night!

Studying the dragon’s stunted horn, A Chan remarked, "Your bloodline’s impure."

Its horn was short and blunt—nothing like a true flood dragon’s.

The dragon shut its eyes, ignoring her.

A Chan continued, "Do you have human blood?"

"Of course not!" it snapped—too quickly.

A Chan smirked. "After taking me to your island, you didn’t revert fully. Half-human, half-beast—I thought you were just bad at shapeshifting. But maybe... that’s your natural form? Were you born this ugly?"

"Silence!" the dragon bellowed.

Having successfully provoked it, A Chan turned to Bai Xiuming. "Well? Who wanted me dead?"

"Shen Yingxiao."

"That weakling couldn’t tame this thing alone. So the Shen family controls it?" she deduced instantly.

"Mm."

"Then what are we waiting for? Raid their house!"

Shen Zhuo cleared his throat. "Many thanks, miss, for aiding Yongzhou’s people. Now, I must take it to the Bright Mirror Bureau to verify if it was truly bound by contract—"

Before he finished, Bai Xiuming yanked A Chan backward.

Shen Zhuo reacted too late—the dragon’s head exploded, splattering him with gore.

Wiping his face, he decided Bai Xiuming was cursed to ruin his day.

"Now there’s no evidence left," A Chan mused, eyeing the carnage without much regret.

"I will continue the investigation and surely give you an explanation," Shen Zhuo said earnestly.

"Then I’ll leave it to you, my lord."

Watching Shen Zhuo with a smile as he went to direct the Bright Mirror Bureau Guards in cleaning up the aftermath, A Chan suddenly turned her head, her gaze sharp.

"Didn’t you say you were suspended? How did they find their way here?"

"Call it... luck?"

A Chan snorted. "Why not call it fate! You said laws don’t matter and helping folks is pointless, yet you handed such a grand achievement to someone else for nothing."

Her eyes flickered, and she suddenly added, "Or are you afraid of people finding out that *you* slew the river monster? You lost your post overnight, and now you’re holding back? Lord Bai, what mischief are you planning?"

Bai Xiuming’s lips quirked. "Curious?" He was unsurprised by her sharpness.

"Not at all. But I don’t work pro bono. If I keep such a big secret for you, what’s in it for me?"

Now the shoe was on the other foot; it was Bai Xiuming’s turn to return the massive favor.