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The next evening, the carriage, skillfully driven by a Kakushi Member, entered a sizable town.
The wheels rumbled over the somewhat noisy cobblestone streets, and lanterns hanging from shops on both sides lit up one after another, illuminating the hurried or leisurely figures of passersby.
"Master Cheng Mo, Master Tanjirou, we have arrived."
The Kakushi Member reined in the carriage and respectfully pulled back the curtain.
"This place is called 'Maple Bridge Town,' a vital north-south transportation hub, but because of this... it hasn't been very peaceful in recent months, with frequent bizarre murders, which the corps has noted."
Cheng Mo nodded slightly and was the first to step out of the carriage.
Tanjirou followed closely, his feet on the solid cobblestones, curiously yet cautiously surveying this place, which was more prosperous and lively than any village or town he had ever seen.
He keenly smelled a mixture of food, spices, horse manure, and a faint, almost imperceptible... oppressive scent in the air.
"Thank you," Cheng Mo said to the Kakushi Member, "I have my own arrangements for the rest of the journey; you may return and report."
"Yes!"
After bowing, the Kakushi Member drove the carriage silently into the deepening twilight.
Tanjirou watched the carriage disappear, then looked at his calm-faced teacher beside him, and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Teacher, what do we do next...?"
"First, find a place to stay."
Cheng Mo interrupted him, his gaze already sweeping towards the depths of the street.
"Follow me."
He did not immediately explain the so-called "bizarre murders" or "unrest."
But Tanjirou's keen nose had already caught a faint, sickening stench, similar to that night in the mountains.
This stench, mixed with the complex smells of the town, made his heart tighten, and he instinctively clenched his fists.
Cheng Mo seemed to notice his tension and glanced at him sideways: "Compose yourself; don't let your emotions affect your judgment."
"Demons are good at hiding; impatience will only alert them."
"Yes! Teacher!" Tanjirou immediately took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.
Cheng Mo led him, not choosing the seemingly cheap and simple inns, but walking directly towards a rather grand three-story wooden building in the town center.
The signboard read "Songfeng Pavilion" in large characters.
The lanterns hanging at the entrance were exceptionally bright, and the guests entering and exiting were well-dressed.
Tanjirou looked at the clean porch and the faint sound of elegant music coming from inside, his steps somewhat hesitant: "Teacher, this place... it must be very expensive, right?"
He remembered his family's hard-earned income from selling charcoal for a whole year, which probably wouldn't be enough to stay here for a few nights.
Cheng Mo's steps did not falter; he merely said calmly, "Money is a tool; there's no need to be stingy. A comfortable and safe environment will allow you to recover faster and cultivate better."
He spoke as if it were obvious, but Tanjirou secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.
Inside the inn, it was even more spacious and clean, with floors so shiny they reflected like mirrors, and the innkeeper behind the counter wore a welcoming smile.
"A superior room, quiet, with a suite and a bath."
Cheng Mo spoke directly, tossing over a heavy small gold coin.
The innkeeper took the gold coin, his eyes lit up, and his attitude became even more respectful: "Excellent, excellent! Absolutely quiet! Room number three in the 'Heaven' category, guaranteed to satisfy you! Xiao Lan, quickly lead our two distinguished guests upstairs!"
Tanjirou watched the gold coin being given away so easily, and he felt his heart clench.
He followed the attentive maid, Xiao Lan, up the stairs, step by step.
Looking at the landscape paintings and porcelain displayed in the corridor, he felt somewhat uneasy, afraid that his dust-covered shoes would dirty the smooth floor.
The room was indeed very large, with a sitting area with tables, chairs, and a tea table in the outer room, and a sleeping couch in the inner room.
The windows were bright and clean, and there was even a faint scent of incense burning.
Tanjirou stood at the doorway, almost afraid to step inside.
"Come in and close the door."
Cheng Mo had already walked in, placing a small satchel he carried on the table.
Tanjirou then carefully walked in, closed the door, and still stood somewhat at a loss.
"Rest for a bit, then we'll go to the pharmacy."
Cheng Mo instructed, seemingly completely unfazed by anything special about the room.
"To the pharmacy? Are you unwell, Teacher?" Tanjirou immediately became anxious.
"It's for you," Cheng Mo glanced at him.
"Your foundation is too weak, and you're injured. You need medicinal herbs to strengthen your body and accelerate your recovery."
Tanjirou froze, opening his mouth, a warm current welling up in his heart, his nose feeling a little sore.
Teacher... he even thought of this?
"Don't stare,"Â Cheng Mo's tone remained even, "Remember the way; you might need to do these things in the future."
"Yes! Teacher!"
Tanjirou responded loudly, fiercely suppressing that surge of emotion deep in his heart, transforming it into a more resolute determination.
He must work hard and never fail his teacher's guidance!
After a short rest, the two went out again.
Cheng Mo seemed quite familiar with the town's layout and quickly found a large pharmacy with a wide variety of medicinal herbs.
He rattled off a string of medicinal names Tanjirou had never heard of, all in considerable quantities, and then added some clay pots, medicine jars, and other items for brewing medicine.
Watching his teacher pay another substantial sum without batting an eye, Tanjirou felt the bags of medicinal herbs in his hands grow heavy.
It wasn't just the weight, but also his teacher's seemingly indifferent yet meticulous care.
Back in the luxurious room at "Songfeng Pavilion," Cheng Mo had a small brazier sent up by the attendant, personally washed the herbs, and began brewing the medicine.
He sat in front of the brazier, intently watching the bubbling liquid in the medicine pot, stirring it occasionally with chopsticks to control the heat.
Tanjirou sat quietly beside him, watching.
The flickering firelight illuminated his teacher's calm and serious profile, and those eyes, usually sharp and cold, now held only complete concentration.
The scent of medicine gradually permeated the room, filling it and overpowering the original incense, bringing a strange sense of peace.
As Tanjirou watched, his eyes welled up again.
He quickly lowered his head, not daring to look anymore, but secretly vowed in his heart: I must become stronger! I must become a disciple that my teacher can be proud of!
Once the medicine was brewed, Cheng Mo poured out a bowl of dark, thick medicinal liquid and handed it to Tanjirou: "Drink it while it's hot, then go to the inner room to cultivate. Try to guide the medicinal power using the method I taught you."
"Yes! Thank you, Teacher!"
Tanjirou took the bowl with both hands; the scalding temperature made him feel incredibly warm.
He took a deep breath and quickly drank the bitter medicinal liquid.
The intense bitterness instantly filled his mouth, making his entire face scrunch up, but he didn't utter a sound.
Cheng Mo also drank a bowl himself, his expression unchanged.
Then Tanjirou immediately walked to the laid-out tatami in the inner room, sat cross-legged, and tried to enter a state of cultivation.
Cheng Mo, meanwhile, cleaned up the dregs and washed the medicine pot, then sat down in the outer room, closing his eyes in contemplation.
The power of the Eye of Truth, like invisible ripples, spread out from him, quietly extending throughout the entire town, carefully searching for that faint, familiar evil aura.
The night passed uneventfully.
Tanjirou fell into a deep sleep under the combined effects of the medicine and cultivation, waking up feeling refreshed. The lingering injuries and fatigue from his previous battle seemed to be more than half healed.
As for Cheng Mo, he seemed to have remained in silent meditation in the outer room all night.