After resolving things with General Wan and checking his laboratory, Fang Mo went to visit the grandfather and grandson from Liushi Village who had saved his life. Because he had been in a hurry to learn about the plants on this new planet, he hadn't had time to check on them earlier.
Now that he had sorted things out and was no longer in dire need of money, Fang Mo wanted to give them more money as thanks. The military would provide his meals, fund his research on the Opening Meridian Solution, and even pay him a monthly salary of five gold coins, with a bonus based on the number of lives saved.
Just as he was about to knock on the door, a faint scent of blood reached his nostrils, accompanied by sobs. Looking closer, he noticed the door was ajar and the lock had been broken. "Ren Tingfeng, Ren Shan!" he called, rushing inside without waiting for a response. There, he found Ren Shan on the ground, crying, with one of his hands crushed.
Fang Mo clenched his jaw, his expression contorting. Ren Shan was a pure and innocent child who lived in poverty with his grandfather. Who could commit such a cruel act?
The furniture and other items in the room looked the same as the last time Fang Mo had visited. Only a few ceramic plates near Ren Shan were broken. This wasn't a robbery.
He rushed over and gently gathered Ren Shan into his arms. Fortunately, the boy's life wasn't in danger. The only issue was his left hand, which would likely be maimed for life.
"Ren Shan, it's okay. I'm here," Fang Mo said as he caressed the boy's hair. "Where is your grandfather?"
"T-They took…" *sob* "They took Grandpa."
Fang Mo's expression darkened. What he feared had come true: Ren Tingfeng had been kidnapped. Why? Who would abduct a poor old man?
He took an analgesic herb from his satchel and placed it on Ren Shan's injured hand. This wouldn't heal the damage done to Ren Shan's hand, but at least it would bring him some comfort. Though Fang Mo wanted to bring the boy to the military camp, the distance from Liushi Village was considerable, and wasting time might cost Ren Tingfeng his life.
As the pain subsided, Ren Shan's expression eased.
"Ren Shan, this is very important. I need you to tell me how many people were here, and anything you know about where they went or why they took your grandfather."
The boy breathed heavily. With difficulty, he said, "I-It was a woman and two men. They said they were looking for Blood Lotus… and needed someone to guide them to the battlefields."
Blood Lotus… I didn't see any mention of this plant in the books I read. It must be some kind of spiritual plant I've heard about.
Fang Mo stood up with Ren Shan in his arms and placed him on the bed. "You stay here. I'll look for your grandpa and be back soon." Fang Mo turned to leave, but Ren Shan gripped his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks.
"They said they were immortal cultivators… Big Brother, be careful."
Fang Mo's expression darkened. If he were dealing with three ordinary people, he wouldn't worry much. But against immortals, he probably didn't stand a chance if his poisons didn't work. I hope they aren't as strong as General Wan.
He held Ren Shan's hand and smiled, trying to comfort the boy. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon with your grandpa. Just rest here and wait for us." Without another word, Fang Mo left Liushi Village.
***
"What a useless old man," Ding De said as he kicked Ren Tingfeng in the knee. "Senior Brother Han, why did we have to get this useless mortal to guide us?"
Inside a sparse forest with tall grass, Ren Tingfeng trembled on the ground. His entire body was battered, with blood running down his left arm, and his legs shook with fear. Neither Han Ping nor Lei Qiu showed any concern for his life.
"Most of the men in the village were taken to participate in the war. This man's body carries the scent of wood and herbs, so he should know the forest better than anyone. Try not to kill him before we find what we're looking for, Junior Brother Ding."
Ding De smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful." He didn't show any remorse for beating Ren Tingfeng; he was just worried the old man might die, forcing them to find someone else to guide them.
"Old man," Lei Qiu said, staring at Ren Tingfeng, still trembling on the ground. "Hurry up and show us where the next lake is. Blood Lotuses always grow on lakes or ponds, but they need a source of blood nearby to bloom."
"P-Please, don't kill me. I promise I'll guide you. My grandson—"
Ren Tingfeng tried to beg for mercy, but Lei Qiu slapped him across the face, sending a tooth flying. "Mortal, you have no right to make demands. If you do a good job, we'll spare your grandson." Not satisfied, she approached Ren Tingfeng with a cold smile and whispered in his ear. "You don't want me to torture your grandson, do you?
In truth, they intended to return to Liushi Village and kill the boy later. Since Ren Tingfeng and Ren Shan had seen their faces and knew they were searching for Blood Lotuses, leaving either of them alive would only cause trouble. Even if the chances of Ren Tingfeng and Ren Shan causing problems were low, there was no reason to take the risk. To most immortal cultivators, mortal lives were as insignificant as those of insects.
"I-I'll take you there. I'll take you!" Ren Tingfeng forced his battered body to stand and moved toward the next lake. He believed the immortal cultivators would, at most, kill him. As someone outside the cultivation world, he didn't understand how cruel it could be.
A sad smile tugged at Ren Tingfeng's lips. I'm sorry, Shan'er… Grandpa won't be able to see you grow. He walked away with them. None of them noticed a pair of eyes watching the four from a distance.
***
Fang Mo's jaw clenched, and his fingers curled into fists at his side. He wanted to pounce on the trio and kill them right then and there, but he knew he wasn't a match for them.
I'll wait for a better chance to strike.
Fang Mo needed to somehow poison all three of them at once. Because they were moving, it would be harder to do so without being detected, but he believed a chance would present itself when they were about to collect the Blood Lotus.
With this in mind, Fang Mo silently followed them, always maintaining enough distance to avoid detection. Since he didn't know how sharp a cultivator's senses could be, he kept farther back than usual.
Less than ten minutes later, the trio finally stopped and stared at a lake. In its center, Fang Mo spotted ten lotuses with a dark red hue, like blood. These had to be the Blood Lotuses.
Fang Mo quietly opened his satchel and took out a flask filled with a green, gaseous substance. While tailing the cultivators, he had made sure to stay downwind of them. As long as he opened the flask here, the wind would carry the poison their way.
I hope this is enough to poison a cultivator. It was the only poison he had that could be used from a distance; all the others were in liquid form and required direct contact with the skin to take effect.
But there was another problem. What he was about to do would also affect Ren Tingfeng. Still, Fang Mo knew he had no chance against any of them in direct combat. His only option was to release the poison and hope the old man survived long enough for him to administer the antidote.
"How long do you plan on hiding?" Han Ping's cold smile stretched across his face like a blade.
Fang Mo's hand froze just millimeters from the flask. A chill crawled down his spine. Damn it... he noticed me.