Chapter 97 My Relationship With Him Isn’t That Close…

Chapter 97: Our Friendship Isn't That Deep

"A... love potion?" Shen Qingwu felt a sudden gap in her knowledge.

A Chan, seeing her bewildered look, kindly explained, "It's a special incense I concocted. It has no effect on humans, only on flood dragons."

Concocting the incense itself wasn't difficult; the real challenge lay with Shen Qingwu.

The Flood Dragon Mother had remained hidden for so many years, undiscovered by the outside world. It was likely a secret known only to a small faction within the Shen family. Now, only Shen Qingwu had access to her.

Though flood dragons are far more formidable than ordinary demons and can even transform into true dragons given the right circumstances, they possess a fatal weakness: before successfully transforming, anything related to true dragons holds an irresistible allure for them.

The bait used to lure the previous flood dragon was effective, but the incense she had specially prepared would be even more potent. Of course, it required a unique ingredient. While it might seem like overkill, considering the Flood Dragon Mother was likely a Fourth Realm entity, it didn't feel quite so wasteful.

Though Shen Qingwu couldn't fathom what kind of aphrodisiac could produce the effects A Chan described, having sought her help, she had no choice but to trust her now.

A Chan offered no further explanation, simply arranging for Shen Qingwu to collect the medicine in three days before dropping the subject.

Soon, Hui Niang finished preparing the meal, and the four of them gathered around the modest table for a hearty dinner.

After the meal, A Chan turned to Shen Huixue, who was seated beside her, and said, "Huixue, I noticed you brought the Duke of Liguo's heir's guards. Could you ask them for a favor?"

"What favor? Just say the word."

"Commander Shen Zhuo of the Bright Mirror Bureau has arrived in Xiling. I'd like them to discreetly help me locate his group's whereabouts and deliver a message to him: Ji Chan requests an audience."

"No problem. I'll have them find Commander Shen right away." Shen Huixue readily agreed without even asking why A Chan wanted to see Shen Zhuo.

As dusk deepened, Shen Huixue, though reluctant to leave, knew it was improper to stay any longer.

After promising A Chan to visit another day, she reluctantly departed with Shen Qingwu.

Seeing them off, A Chan noticed Shen Huixue giving a few instructions to a guard, who nodded and left alone.

Just after 9 PM, Chen Hui, as usual, drank a cup of monster blood and, as if intoxicated, stumbled sleepily back to her room.

A Chan, meanwhile, lit a candle and sat at the table, writing. When she reached the last ingredient, she crumpled two sheets of paper before finally settling on a discreet term.

Shen Zhuo certainly wouldn't possess this item, but he could ask Bai Xiuming for it. That way, she wouldn't be the one owing the favor.

Everything she did was for the Bright Mirror Bureau's benefit, so the debt of gratitude should naturally fall to Commander Shen.

About half an hour later, a rhythmic knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," A Chan called out without rising.

The door creaked open, and Shen Zhuo entered, carrying the distinct scent of medicine.

Catching the scent, A Chan turned her head in surprise and asked, "Commander Shen, are you injured?"

Shen Zhuo nodded, found a stool, and sat down before speaking. "Just a minor scratch. I went to the Shen residence today to apprehend Shen Zhiyuan. Unfortunately, before we could interrogate him, he was silenced."

"To injure Commander Shen, the assailant must be quite powerful?"

"A Fourth Realm expert appeared. The Shen family certainly holds me in high regard," Shen Zhuo scoffed. "Miss Ji's lead has now been confirmed."

Given the Shen family's resources, it was impossible for them to cultivate two Fourth Realm experts. The one who attacked must have been Shen Zhiyuan's own sister.

He didn't know how to evaluate the person who gave the order. Did they naively believe that by silencing Shen Zhiyuan, the investigation would simply cease?

A Chan didn't particularly care about the Shen family. She simply noted that to engage a Fourth Realm expert and escape with only minor injuries, the Bright Mirror Bureau's Commanders were indeed formidable.

Quickly collecting her thoughts, her eyes flickered as she spoke, "The Shen family is truly audacious. With Shen Zhiyuan dead, it will be difficult for Commander Shen to investigate openly. To have come this far only for the trail to go cold—what a pity."

Sensing the underlying meaning in her words, Shen Zhuo couldn't help but ask, "Miss Ji summoned me today, surely also concerning the Shen family. Do you have a better way to deal with them?"

A Chan's lips curved upward. "Just a few ideas, but they will require Commander Shen's cooperation."

"What do you intend to do? How can I assist?" Shen Zhuo immediately leaned forward, intrigued, waiting for her to continue.

"Since the Shen family doesn't want the Flood Dragon Mother exposed, I'll simply give them a push and make it reveal itself." As A Chan spoke, she handed over the list she had written. "Commander Shen, you must gather these items and deliver them to me within two days. The success of this plan hinges on you."

Shen Zhuo took the list from A Chan, glanced at it, and suddenly found the scene strikingly familiar.

Hadn't something similar happened not long ago?

That flood dragon causing havoc in Jishui had only died a few days ago, and now her target was a Fourth Realm flood dragon?

A Fourth Realm entity wasn't so easily outmaneuvered.

Yet, given their last encounter, he dared not voice his doubts easily, fearing it would make him seem narrow-minded.

After all, it was just a few materials. What harm was there in trying?

Shen Zhuo carefully folded the paper and assured A Chan, "Miss Ji, rest assured, I will deliver everything on this list within two days."

Then he added, "Thank you for your assistance this time. Should you ever need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

A Chan couldn't help but sigh with emotion. The matter wasn't even resolved yet, and Commander Shen was already offering such a generous promise. Indeed, character was truly revealed in contrast.

"You can thank me after the plan succeeds," she said with a sigh. "Besides, I'm also doing this for myself. With people constantly eyeing me, I barely dare close my eyes at night, fearing assassination."

She spoke pitifully, but Shen Zhuo didn't believe a word.

This girl appeared harmless, yet she could calmly plot against a Fourth Realm Great Demon. Indeed, just as Bai Xiuming had said, she held grudges.

And in just a few days, she had devised a plan to deal with the Shen family, faster than even the Bright Mirror Bureau. Such decisiveness meant she was not someone to offend lightly in the future.

Unaware that Shen Zhuo had already elevated her threat level to the highest, A Chan saw him off after all the details were settled.

Shen Zhuo returned directly to the Bright Mirror Bureau's outpost. The person who came to kill Shen Zhiyuan had injured two of his subordinates and destroyed a wall earlier that day.

In the less than an hour he'd been gone, his idle subordinates had already rebuilt the ruined wall.

Looking at the new wall and his subordinates waiting for praise, Shen Zhuo was suddenly speechless.

It seemed his subordinates' efficiency was always directed toward the strangest things.

After dismissing everyone, Shen Zhuo returned to his room and opened the list A Chan had given him. Six materials were listed.

He had heard of three of them: relatively rare spiritual herbs in the market. Though uncommon, they weren't impossible to obtain; the Bright Mirror Bureau's stores surely had them.

Below that was a spice called "Revival Incense."

Folklore claimed this incense could carry its scent for miles and even revive the dead.

Coincidentally, Shen Zhuo had once handled a case involving Revival Incense and witnessed its potency. While it couldn't actually resurrect people as rumored, once its scent dispersed, it could make one's blood surge and internal energy boil uncontrollably.

Mishandling this substance could lead to significant trouble.

Shen Zhuo continued reading. The fifth material was a small vial of Moonlight Toad's saliva. He had never seen this type of toad's saliva before, but it sounded rather disgusting.

The last item was... Dragon Yang Water?

Shen Zhuo read it twice, but still couldn't figure out what this material was. Since it was related to dragons, perhaps he could ask Bai Xiuming? He had arranged to meet him tonight anyway.

A few days ago, he could still sneak into the Prince of Xiling's residence, but recently, Bai Xiuming said something "unclean" had entered the estate and advised him not to visit. That meant Bai Xiuming would have to come to him instead.

As night deepened, the government office grew quiet, with only the occasional footsteps of patrolling Bright Mirror Bureau guards breaking the silence.

The candle in Shen Zhuo's room remained lit. At midnight, the flame flickered twice, and he felt a light breeze pass by—someone had entered the room.

He turned his head and saw a figure standing by the window, as if materialized from thin air.

Bai Xiuming wore a white wide-sleeved robe with a jade belt, looking more like an elegant scholar out to admire the moon.

"Tsk, in the middle of the night, must you dress like that?" he couldn't help but comment.

"The Prince of Xiling's preference," Bai Xiuming casually explained before getting to the point. "What did you call me here for?"

"Originally, I wanted to tell you that Shen Zhiyuan had been captured, but he was silenced within the hour." Saying it like this made him sound somewhat incompetent, so Shen Zhuo quickly added, "But at least this proves that the Shen family's Flood Dragon Mother truly exists."

Bai Xiuming snorted. "They're quite bold, daring to silence a witness."

"After all, this is Xiling, where the Prince of Xiling holds absolute sway. The Shen family must be accustomed to acting without consequence. For years, our Bright Mirror Bureau has struggled to get an opportunity to investigate here. Who knew we'd be met with such a warning shot right away? Quite the new experience."

Noticing no anger on Shen Zhuo's face, Bai Xiuming was slightly surprised. "It seems you've found a solution?"

Shen Zhuo chuckled, then changed the subject. "I went out earlier. Guess who I met?"

Bai Xiuming looked at him expressionlessly, clearly not in the mood for guessing games.

"Alright, I met Miss Ji."

Bai Xiuming's eyebrows arched slightly. "Why?"

"It wasn't me seeking her out—she sent someone to find me. Miss Ji said she had a way to help me." He tossed the list toward Bai Xiuming. "Take a look. She just gave this to me."

The thin sheet of paper suddenly seemed to change texture, whipping through the air with a sharp sound.

Bai Xiuming caught it between his fingers and scanned the items written on it. His gaze lingered on the last entry—Dragon Yang Water. He paused, then realized what it was and let out a soft scoff. "She asked you to gather these?"

"Yes. I was just about to ask you—what exactly is Dragon Yang Water? Is it related to dragons?" Shen Zhuo asked earnestly.

Bai Xiuming glanced at him before looking back at the list.

This list might appear to be for Shen Zhuo, but in reality, it was a request directed at him.

Within just a few months, she had first taken dragon bones from him, then dragon blood, and now dragon essence.

That dragon they killed truly ended up benefiting her.

This time, she had wised up—using Shen Zhuo as a go-between to ask for it, as if that would spare her from owing him a favor.

Seeing Bai Xiuming remain silent for a long while, Shen Zhuo assumed he didn't know either. "If it's too difficult, I can visit her again tomorrow and ask her directly."

"No need." Bai Xiuming folded the paper. "I have it. Gather the other materials, and I'll deliver them to her."

"You? Can you leave the Prince of Xiling's residence right now?"

"I can spare a moment. Did she tell you what she plans to do with these?"

Shen Zhuo blinked, finally realizing he had forgotten something crucial. Earlier, he had been too excited and only half-listened to A Chan's explanation before rushing back without asking for details.

"She only said she had a way to make the Flood Dragon Mother reveal herself, then handed me this list."

Bai Xiuming's heart stirred. If she was even using dragon essence, her goal likely wasn't just to expose the Flood Dragon Mother—she probably intended to bring down the entire Shen family.

Upon reflection, though her approach was unconventional, it struck directly at the heart of the matter. That was just like her.

Before leaving, Bai Xiuming said, "Send me a message once you've gathered everything."

"Sure." Since he was willing to take care of delivering it, Shen Zhuo didn't argue.

Two more days passed, and recently, people from the Prince of Xiling's residence could often be seen on the streets.

Word was that the prince was overjoyed about his son's upcoming engagement and was searching for rare treasures as gifts for the future bride.

Now, you couldn't step outside without hearing about it. A Chan couldn't muster the interest to listen.

She figured it must be because Bai Xiuming's choice of fiancée was so dreadful that it killed her interest in the gossip altogether.

That night, A Chan was deep asleep, bundled in her blankets, when she suddenly woke in the middle of the night.

This had never happened before—she was still exhausted.

Yawning, she turned over to adjust her position, only to freeze when she saw a figure standing right beside her bed.

Her drowsiness vanished instantly. She jerked upright, but the figure stood motionless. Leaning closer, she finally made out who stood there.

"Bai Xiuming," she said with mild irritation, "only scoundrels creep into a lady's bedroom at night."

"You summoned Shen Zhuo to meet you at night too."

"Commander Shen is much more polite than you—at least he knocks." With a huff, she climbed out of bed to light a candle.

Bai Xiuming stopped her with a flick of his finger, lighting the candle on the table.

"I feared knocking would disturb your rest."

"If you knew it would disturb me, couldn't you have come at a different time?"

As the candlelight brightened the room, A Chan glanced down at her sleeping robes—thin but still decent.

She walked to the table and poured herself a cup of water. Finding it too cold, she pushed it aside.

Bai Xiuming sat across from her, touched the cup, and the water inside instantly warmed.

He slid it back toward her. She took it, surprised by the comfortable warmth, then drank a few sips. The warm water moistened her lips, leaving them rosier.

Bai Xiuming's gaze lingered on her lips for a moment before he looked away, as if explaining himself. "I was busy all day. This time worked better."

A Chan gave him a sideways look. "Oh right," she said sarcastically, "Lord Bai is busy with his engagement preparations."

"You've heard?"

"Is there anyone in Xiling who doesn't know the prince's son is about to be betrothed?"

Bai Xiuming chuckled lightly, "So, you plan to give me a big present on my engagement day?"

A Chan's inexplicable irritation suddenly faded. Resting her chin on her hand, she smiled and asked, "You guessed it?"

Bai Xiuming remained silent, pulling out the things she wanted one by one, and finally took out a jade vial giving off a cold vibe.

The vial was only as long as a finger. A Chan immediately realized what was inside and gazed at it with longing.

Bai Xiuming placed the vial before her, "What you asked for. Use it carefully."

Even at this moment, A Chan didn't forget to clarify responsibility, emphasizing, "This is for Commander Shen. It has nothing to do with me."

Bai Xiuming raised an eyebrow and took the vial back, "If it's for Shen Zhuo, then forget it. Our friendship isn't that deep."