บท 34: 64- The Ghost Hypnocense
Liu Peng scratched his head in confusion. "Is that even legal?" he asked, unsure if this was the right course of action.
Siyi couldn't believe they were resorting to hypnotism, but with their backs against the wall, she felt it was their only option. "I suppose it's for the greater good," she muttered to herself.
Juanxiu, noticing their concerns, spoke up, "Don't worry, it's just basic alchemy. We can create an essential oil that, once smelled, puts someone into a trance, but will not be too apparent. It's just like a truth serum - the hypnotized individual will not lie about the situation."
Liu Peng thought for a moment and then nodded, "I suppose it's the only answer to our predicament. What do we need to make this oil?"
Juanxiu pulled out a piece of parchment, wrote all the ingredients and handed it to Liu Peng.
"You'll need to purchase these ingredients: manic bergamot, dull qilin orange, fatigued valerian, and flying boxwood. The portion to make one vial of the essential oil is also listed there. Please make sure to follow the instruction."
Liu Peng took the parchment and nodded, "I'll be back in no time." He dashed out of the inn and headed straight to the nearest alchemy store. To his surprise, the ingredients were readily available and he quickly returned to the inn with a pouch containing the necessary components.
As they sat in the dimly lit room at the inn, their heads were filled with worries. They had just come up with a plan to put the manager of the Golden Alabaster shop under hypnosis to extract information from her, but they had a new problem to address.
"We need a place to make the essential oil," Juanxiu said, looking around the room at his companions. "We can't do it here, the smell could put everyone in the inn into a trance."
"But where can we go?" Siyi asked, her voice filled with concern. "We can't just go around concocting dangerous substances in the open. What if something goes wrong?"
Liu Peng rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "I remember hearing that the Xiao Clan has an alchemy room. Maybe we can borrow it?"
Juanxiu nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "That's a great idea. Let's go to the Xiao Clan and ask Elder Li."
Without delay, the four of them set out towards the Xiao Clan, determined to find a solution to their problem. When they arrived, the guards immediately recognized Juanxiu and led them to the guest room where Elder Li was waiting for them.
"Elder Li, we need to borrow your alchemy room," Juanxiu said, bowing respectfully. "We need to make a special essential oil and we can't do it in the open."
Elder Li listened attentively to their request and after a moment of consideration, he nodded. "Of course. You may use our alchemy room. But please be careful and take all the necessary precautions."
With Elder Li's permission, the four of them headed towards the alchemy room, ready to put their plan into action.
Juanxiu stood in front of the alchemy room, holding the ingredients for the Ghost Hypnocense. He turned to his companions, Liu Peng, Chang Bao, and Siyi, and said, "I need you three to guard the perimeter and make sure no one comes near. This concoction is dangerous, and I don't want any unexpected incidents."
The three nodded and took their positions, while Juanxiu set to work.
Juanxiu put on a face mask before entering the room. He took out the Heavenly Dragons' Breath and began the process of extracting the oil, carefully measuring out each ingredient before adding it to the cauldron. The dull qilin orange was cut into thin slices, the manic bergamot was crushed and the fatigued valerian was placed in the cauldron. He then added the flying boxwood and stirred it with a long wooden spoon.
"I hope the scent won't be too strong," Juanxiu murmured to himself as he continued stirring. "I need to make sure each ingredient is blended perfectly with the others."
He stirred the mixture using a yin and yang movement of the wooden spoon, an alchemy skills to extract the oil from the ingredients known as the Yin and Yang wave. The mixture began to glow, illuminating the room with a soft light. It was a beautiful sight, but also dangerous. After several minutes, Juanxiu declared the mixture complete.
Juanxiu carefully transferred the extracted oil into a small glass vial. As he stared at the vial containing the Ghost Hypnocense, he couldn't help but remember how he was immune to Gong Jinhai's hypnotic chant. He was intrigued and decided to take a bold move and test the oil for himself.
"I wonder why I wasn't affected by Gong Jinhai's spell, but let's see if this Ghost Hypnocense will have any effect on me," Juanxiu thought to himself as he removed his face mask and uncorked the vial.
He took a deep sniff of the oil and was shocked when he realized that it had no effect on him. He made a mental note to ask Xiannu Yindao about this strange occurrence. Juanxiu recorked the vial and stepped out of the alchemy room, ready to share his success with the others.
"We did it!" Liu Peng exclaimed. "Elder Li, thank you so much for lending us your alchemy room. We couldn't have done it without your help."
"It was my pleasure," Elder Li replied with a smile. "I hope we were able to help with your mission. Whatever it is"
With their mission accomplished, the group thanked Elder Li once again before heading back to the inn.
Juanxiu, Liu Peng, Chang Bao, and Siyi found themselves wandering the streets of the bustling city. They wanted to head to the Golden Alabaster shop, but at this time, most shops are closed. As the sun began to rise, the four friends realized that it was still too early for them to return to the shop and find the store manager.
"What do we do now?" asked Liu Peng, his voice filled with frustration.
"We'll have to wait," replied Juanxiu, "We can catch some rest and start fresh when the shop opens."
Chang Bao let out a long sigh, "I'm exhausted. Can we find a place to rest?"
Siyi nodded in agreement, "We should rest at the inn for a bit."
And so, the four friends made their way to the inn and retired for the time being. As they rested, the hours passed by, and before they knew it, it was time for the shop to open its doors. They quickly gathered their things and set out to the Golden Alabaster shop.
As they approached the entrance of the inn, the manager immediately recognized Juanxiu and his companions. A broad smile spread across her face as she greeted them warmly. "Good day, gentlemen! I am so glad to see you again. How have you been since we last met?" she said with excitement.
"Great! It's good to see you too," Juanxiu replied with a warm smile.
After the great profit she made the last time Juanxiu was here, the store manager has been in high spirits ever since. "Look at this timing, there are new products that have just arrived," the manager exclaimed.
Juanxiu raised an eyebrow in interest. "Really? What kind of new products?"
"Well, let's just say it's a surprise," the manager said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "But I'm sure you will love it. So, come on in and have a look!"
The four companions followed the manager inside and were immediately struck by the vast array of new and exotic items on display. However, they have a different intention that day so they paid no mind on the weapons and items displayed on their racks and shelves.
As they made their way to their guest room, they encountered Gong Jinhai, the master of the Golden Alabaster shop. The manager made the introductions, and Juanxiu and his companions felt their nerves tensing up, afraid that Gong Jinhai would recognize them as the ones who had destroyed his plan.
However, Gong Jinhai seemed too preoccupied to pay much attention to them. He simply nodded at them and said hello before excusing himself and hurrying away. The manager apologized on his behalf and explained that Gong Jinhai's young master had not been feeling well lately.
"He's usually a more gracious host, I promise," the manager said. "But I understand that he's had a lot on his mind lately. Let's get you settled in your room so you can rest and catch up on your plans." And with that, she led Juanxiu and his companions to their guest room, where they could plan their next steps without worry.
As Juanxiu and the store manager entered the guest room, Juanxiu immediately started a conversation with the store manager.
"Do you have any update about the rumors of our Young Lord being possessed?" Juanxiu asked.
The store manager shook her head. "I'm afraid not. The gossip has been going around for a while now but there hasn't been any development."
Juanxiu nodded. The store manager busied herself in preparing the items that she's about to market to Juanxiu. While doing that, Juanxiu instructed Liu Peng, Chang Bao, and Siyi to put on their face masks. "We need to be careful. I don't want any of us to fall under the hypnotic trance," he whispered.
Once the room was sealed and only the store manager could be affected, Juanxiu uncorked the vial that contained the Ghost Hypnocense. The oil immediately started to take effect, filling the room with its potent aroma.
The store manager, who was busily preparing the items she would sell, suddenly stopped and inhaled the essence. At first, nothing seemed to change, but Juanxiu could see the effect slowly taking hold. The manager's eyes became slightly glassy and her movements became slightly sluggish. Despite the noticeable changes, the hypnotic effect was not apparent, ensuring them that they will not go into trouble.
"Are you feeling okay?" Juanxiu asked, masking his concern with a tone of concern.
"Yes, I feel fine," the manager replied, her voice taking on a monotonous quality.
Juanxiu exchanged a quick glance with Liu Peng, Chang Bao, and Siyi, all of whom were wearing masks to protect themselves from the Ghost Hypnocense. They all seemed to be aware of what was happening, but remained silent, waiting for Juanxiu's next move.
Juanxiu approached the manager, his voice low and soothing. "I need you to listen to me very carefully. Can you do that?"
The manager nodded, her eyes fixed on Juanxiu's face.
"Good," he continued. "I need you to tell me everything you know about Gong Jinhai and the Golden Alabaster shop."
The silence in the room was palpable as they waited for the store manager's answer. Juanxiu's eyes were fixed on her, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never used the Ghost Hypnocense before, and he was unsure of what to expect. Suddenly, the manager's eyes fluttered and she let out a soft sigh. Juanxiu and the others leaned in, eager to hear what she had to say.
But just as she was about to speak, there was a loud banging on the door. The four of them froze, fear gripping their hearts. Had someone discovered their plan? They quickly looked at each other, unsure of what to do next. The store manager was still under the effects of the Ghost Hypnocense, and they couldn't risk exposing her.
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