There was an obvious wound on the stranger’s abnormally fair hand. It was dripping blood as he approached.

At the same time, a subtle fragrance wafted in the air and a shroud of mist enveloped the fading moonlight.

Bai Fanlu was vigilant and held his breath in time, before the fragrance could be inhaled.

Glancing toward the youth under the nearby tree, he noticed that he was still lying down. Even Zhizhi, who had a keen sense of smell, was deep in slumber.

"Don't worry, I’m giving him a sweet dream.” 

A man’s sinister laugh came from behind. Bai Fanlu couldn’t see a thing when he was being pursued earlier on and could only depend on his breath for bearings. However, this time, the other party stepped forward and Bai Fanlu could finally see his face clearly under the moonlight.

Like his voice, the man could not hide his menacing aura under his delicately embroidered robe.

His greenish-pale complexion made him look both horrifying and sickly.

Hearing what he said, Bai Fanlu guessed that the man had cast an illusion spell on Xiao Liu as well.

Thankfully, it was better that he was not awake.

Bai Fanlu secretly channeled his internal energy to seal several key acupoints in his body and managed to continue breathing. However, when he inhaled, he sensed something amiss with how his breath sounded.

It turned out to be...soft and sickly.

Gritting his teeth, Bai Fanlu growled angrily, "Are you a demon? You will regret hurting me.” 

Now that he was close, the man no longer concealed his treacherous aura. He was undoubtedly a demon.

Bai Fanlu gave a warning and tried to suppress the strange fluctuations in his dantian at the same time. The indescribable softness, sourness, and numbness changed back and forth along with his breathing. It seemed to be beyond his control and with the chaos within, he struggled to maintain his calm.

He vaguely noticed that he was very likely...

Next, Bai Fanlu felt a layer of cold sweat break out on his back. With each gust of wind, the heat within his body was mildly suppressed, before it raged again like a wildfire.

Damn it!

Bai Fanlu secretly adjusted his breath, and thousands of possible situations and tactics to deal with this enemy flashed across his mind.

At this moment, the crisis unleashed his potential and the abilities of the book’s Bai Fanlu seemed to have transferred into his own subconscious.

The man didn't notice the change in Bai Fanlu and walked up to him.

"Hurt you? How can I bear to? But how can you tell? How? Unless you are also a demon?” 

Shaking his head regretfully, the man casually sighed, "A beauty like you in the Demon Realm is rare. Besides, our demonic clan in the eyes of mortals.. Didn't they always talk about loyalty among those of the same race? 

As he spoke, the man squatted down, raised Bai Fanlu's chin with one hand, and stroked his dewy smooth skin with his fingers.

Bai Fanlu could see his eyes clearly, and even in the depths of the night, there was an unmistakable smirk.

His heart suddenly sank, Bai Fanlu turned his face to avoid the disgusting caress, but was taken aback by his lack of strength. He even had trouble leaning against the tree trunk.

Bai Fanlu attempted some healing techniques earlier. However, this was not an ordinary hallucinogen and most likely a technique from the Demon Realm...

And for some reason, as time passed, he felt another odd and cold energy gradually seeping out of his body. This energy seemingly trickled from certain crevices and entered his meridians. It was menacing, like a venomous tongue hissing curses from a dark corner.

One part of him was on fire, burning within intolerably, and the other part was like ice, with a chill that bore into the bones.

"Hey, Beautiful, how do you feel? The man chuckled as he reached out, and pulled Bai Fanlu into his arms.

He was the lustful type who was adept at such lewd and provocative moves. Under the influence of the demonic technique, the man’s touch felt like an unyielding caress, which caused Bai Fanlu to react at once with an inexplicable numbness.

"Do you feel..." The man leaned in and whispered into Bai Fanlu's ear.

As Bai Fanlu suppressed a few faint gasps, which were about to escape his lips, he felt a stream of strange qi at his lower abdomen swirling more violently, driven by the man’s subtle fragrance.

"When...when did you make your move? 

Bai Fanlu struggled to maintain his composure in order to stall for time while he gathered the remnants of his internal spiritual power into the magic weapon Cang Jin which was tied onto his wrist. He knew that there was still a secret talisman hidden there, and he could deliver a fatal blow after activating it when the time was right.

The man's fingers had slowly slid from Bai Fanlu’s chin to his lapels as he spoke, "When do you think? 

The fingertips which gently circled his fair neck were cool to the touch and Bai Fanlu could only grit his teeth and endure.

Before tonight, he had no exchanges with this person and only pursued him the entire way. The other party should have no time to lay a hand on him, and Bai Fanlu also remained vigilant even when meditating, except—

Bai Fanlu immediately understood that he had let down his guard with Xiao Liu not long ago. It was probably then that he might have caught something strange.

Sure enough, the man whispered in his ear again, “You and your little friend were so busy flirting while I was watching from the side...Tsk tsk! 

"You have bad taste. Such a foolish brat doesn’t know how to appreciate a gem like you. How could he be compared to me..."

Bai Fanlu's eyes dimmed, and Cang Jin rotated on his wrist, emitting a dazzling cold light.

However, in the next moment, his wrist was pinned down, and the man's ghastly voice threatened, "Don't try to struggle. If I die, you’ll have to accompany me and pleasure me in Hell.” 

"..." Bai Fanlu promptly recalled the details Xiao Liu mentioned regarding the crimes which the Flower Thief had committed.

It is said that among the victims, those who resisted were killed by demonic techniques, Their deaths were extremely gruesome. However, those who survived, all committed suicide in shame the following day.

If this was the case, how would he be able to dispel the techniques cast on him if he were to deal with the man directly?

Digging his nails into his palm, Bai Fanlu kept his composure by focusing on the pain. He replied casually, "Aren’t you curious at all, as to who I am?" 

The man saw that despite being immobilised, Bai Fanlu maintained a relaxed and nonchalant expression. This fuelled his desires and his gaze reflected his increasing hunger for conquest. However, he did not advance. HIs hands stroked across Bai Fanlu’s lapels and his eyes narrowed as he eagerly observed his reaction.

Bai Fanlu stared at him coldly, holding back the turbulence in his abdomen that was stirred by the man's every movement.

"I’m curious, very curious indeed.” 

That being said, the man grinned smugly and added, "It just so happens that I tend to ask for the names of the beautiful women before I make love to them, but you...I cannot hold back any longer.” 

Before he finished his sentence, he tore Bai Fanlu’s robes apart with a ‘shua'.

Under the luminescence, skin that was more sensual than the moonlight was revealed. The man could only ogle.

Bai Fanlu felt goosebumps all over and resisted his impulse to stab the person with a sword. He deliberately lowered his voice, "Come closer, I'll tell you...” 

The man snickered and the corners of his slender eyes were raised, "Since the beauty has taken the initiative, how could I disobey?” 

With that, he leaned in and heard Bai Fanlu utter in his ear, "I am..."

Three words were individually articulated.

The spring night was quiet and enveloped by a faint fragrance.

"… you?” The man was astounded and murmured with uncertainty.

Suddenly, a gust of wind ruffled the grass and disturbed a flock of sparrows perched on a tree. With a mass of startled warbles, they broke the silence of the night and took off.

At this moment, Cang Jin spun rapidly around Bai Fanlu's wrist. If the Flower Thief dared to question his identity, he would launch an attack at once.

"If you have any tact, you would remove this spell from my body right away, or else..."

Or else, regardless of what strange demonic techniques the man cast, Bai Fanlu would drive Cang Jin into his throat.

However, what Bai Fanlu didn't know was that someone else made a move at the same instance, or perhaps even earlier.

When the Flower Thief collapsed heavily on him, he was already dead.

The wind still carried that same intense fragrance but now it had a faint stench of blood.

The Flower Thief probably didn't get a chance to figure out who killed him. His eyes were widened and his face was distorted as if he had experienced an astounding agony. His right hand was also raised high as if in an attempt to resist.

However, the silver blade which stuck out of his left chest did not leave him any opportunity to struggle. Its bloodstained tip pierced through without mercy.

This move cut through bones, ripped through the heart muscle and snatched his soul in an instant.

Didi: [Congratulations for completing the side quest 'Retribution for Evil', you will be rewarded with 'Reader's Brain Fragment’ × 3, and activated Hidden Event 1 'The Horse Proudly Gallops in the Gentle Breeze of Spring’/ and Hidden Event 2 'The Reflection of the Moon Was Never Real'.]

Bai Fanlu's mind was clouded when he heard the system's mechanical prompts and could not understand the two poetic event titles. He was only able to process the fact that the Flower Thief was dead.

When the man toppled completely, Bai Fanlu also saw the person behind him.

The originally clean robes were covered with blades of grass at that moment. Other than the right hand which was splattered with demonic blood, the youth’s left arm also had blood trickling down. It was not known when he got injured and when he woke up from his trance.

The Flower Thief was motionless on the ground but Xiao Liu still gripped the knife firmly in his palm with a viscous crimson liquid dripping down from the tip of the blade.

Bai Fanlu noticed that his body was trembling, his gaze was fixed on the corpse beside his feet. The youth’s expression was full of shock, fear and panic.

Sighing silently, Bai Fanlu laboriously straightened his robes and compelled his frail body to move to another tree just a few steps away. He leaned against it, and slowly slid down the trunk and sat down.

Xiao Liu, Xiao Liu. Although the youth meant well, he unintentionally ruined his plans. Originally, Bai Fanlu could have threatened the Flower Thief to get rid of the demonic technique on his body and then swiftly deal with him afterwards. Now the caster is dead and Bai Fanlu could only rely on himself to undo the spell.

Closing his eyes, Bai Fanlu wanted to hypnotise himself to sleep in bid to suppress the growing heat in a certain part of his body, but it didn't help. He had chronic insomnia in the first place, not to mention in this situation.

Bai Fanlu had to bite his lips repeatedly to forcibly chant the Heart Purifying Mantra until they were numb. He could only weakly gasp for breath.　　

The more he resisted, the more the evil energy in his body raged to breach his sanity.

Not knowing how long he had endured, Bai Fanlu suddenly felt his body being shaken with force. He fought to open his eyes but his field of vision remained blurred and he could only make out that it was Xiao Liu after a while.　　

"Wake up, Immortal Gege, don't sleep! You seem to be running a fever, you..."　　

Then, Bai Fanlu felt a burst of heat on his shoulders where the youth's palms were pressed. With this stimulation, the energy rushed throughout his body with renewed vigour.  Bai Fanlu wanted to speak, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he could only let out a few moans.　　

Damn it... It’s taking effect...

Conscious of this embarrassing reaction, Bai Fanlu's vertigo intensified until his face turned pale at once. He tried to use the last of his strength to push Xiao Liu's hand away, but his body became weak and he slumped into the youth’s arms.