Medical knowledge in Europe in earlier times was not perfect. They had no concept of microorganisms like cells or viruses. Some doctors suggested washing their hands before surgical operations and were alienated for it. They took a very casual attitude toward wastewater treatment and general hygiene. They didn’t even take the job of burying bodies seriously and often had cemeteries close to their housing areas.
It is said that Paris in the eighteenth century was a putrid and foul-smelling city.
In comparison, the industrial smog that plagues modern people can be considered a blessing.
Showers were not popular back then. Water itself was a precious resource, which was why most people did not have a habit of taking showers. Certain historical records show that Louis XIV, king of France, only took three showers throughout his entire life. You can imagine the stench he radiated. It also wasn’t hard to imagine why noble ladies fancied perfume so much and why perfumed gloves were in fashion.
However, perfumes were not a new invention by any means.
Since ancient times, people burned incense wood for their rituals and sacrifices. Signs of burned incense have been found in ancient Egyptian sites. Many ancient religious rites also involved soaking sap and wood in oil before applying the oil to one’s body.
Perfume is inextricably tied to human history.
The techniques used to produce perfume also improved over the ages. From burning wood as incense to grinding, soaking, distilling, oil separation, and chemical synthesis, the production process of perfumes has changed tremendously. Of course, the smell of the product also differs when different processes are used.
Hung Yun Zak’s process involved using women as an ingredient in his perfume. He would wrap their corpses in cloth and then soak them in oil and alcohol. With his unique soul energy, he could infuse every inch of the corpses’ skin with oil and alcohol. They could even seep into the women’s body, allowing him to trap their natural fragrance within the cloth.
Afterward, he would squeeze the refined oil out of the cloth into glass bottles to preserve them. Hung Yun Zak had eighty-one bottles in his study, each one containing the unique fragrance of a particular woman.
He had a simple wish in life. He wanted to make the Hundred-Women Perfume.
Of course, even while he enjoyed all the excellent and refined fragrances, he sometimes found himself craving more ordinary fragrances. He occasionally collected the fragrance of more ordinary-looking girls for this purpose.
“Am I right, Young Master Wun?” said Hung Yun Zak with a chilling smile as he looked right at where Wun Fan was hiding. He intentionally dragged out his words as he said, “Did you think I wouldn’t notice you were hiding there?”
Wun Fan was not the only one who was shocked. Even OId Lei couldn’t help but mutter curiously, “What is going on?”
Given the precision and power of his mental energy and the Spiritstartler Ring’s abilities, a mere intermediate Martial General should not have been able to detect their presence!
“Don’t panic. This might just be a bluff,” said Old Lei to Wun Fan. He had plenty of experience roaming the world as a martial artist. He wouldn’t be so easily tricked.
“Martial soul, descend!” shouted Hung Yun Zak. He immediately summoned his martial soul and attacked! He jumped into the air and broke through the roof with a palm strike. He landed on the roof and looked down at ‘Wun Fan’. Their eyes met.
Hung Yun Zak looked impressed and said with a sigh, “You remained perfectly calm even after I discovered you. I have to admire your courage.”
Of course, he had no idea that Wun Fan’s body was being controlled by Old Lei. Even a Martial Spirit only slightly concerned him, let alone a Martial General.
“Aether Forge,” said Hung Yun Zak. As a Martial General, he could conjure weapons that corresponded to his martial soul. His pink soul energy surged into the air, turning into a giant cloud of flowers and leaves. The flowers and leaves painted the sky with their reds and greens as he said, “Lethality: Sword of the Flying Flowers and Falling Leaves!”
He pressed down with his palm and all the flowers and leaves turned into falling swords. They crashed down from above in a rain of blades!
“Lethality: Emperor Shennong’s Flame,” muttered ‘Wun Fan’ and green flames enveloped his body. The flames absorbed the vitality from all the flowers and leaves that approached him, withering them and rendering them harmless.
This was another powerful ability of Emperor Shennong’s Flame: the ability to freely control the life force of plants!
“Aether Forge,” whispered ‘Wun Fan’. A fishing rod appeared in his right hand. He stood straight and stared Hung Yun Zak in the eyes.
Aether Forging? His aura is only that of an intermediate Martial Vassal, but there’s some sort of strange energy around him,thought Hung Yun Zak when he saw ‘Wun Fan’’s actions. He knew that this would be a very troublesome fight. If he didn’t deal with it properly, it could end poorly for him.
Old Lei had no intentions of fighting with Hung Yun Zak either. Fighting an intermediate Martial General would consume large amounts of his mental energy. Moreover, Hung Yuk Huen was currently staying at the Green Sea Town’s Hung CLan. She was a Martial Spirit and the person who Old Lei was most concerned about.
He had to conserve his power to deal with her in case she tried to coerce Wun Fan to agree to the marriage.
“Young Master Wun, what made you so interested in me that you would follow me?” said Hung Yun Zak. He covered his mouth as he chuckled. He thought it had been someone else who had followed him earlier. He certainly didn’t expect it to be the third young master of the Wun Clan!
‘Wun Fan’ observed Hung Yun Zak’s every movement carefully and said in an emotionless tone, “Speak. Tell me how you discovered me.”
“Speak? Why do you talk like an old man when you’re just a kid?” said Hung Yun Zak as he almost choked from laughing. He then said seriously, “It must be that strange energy in your body.”
A spirit body? No matter, he would fight first and talk later!
“Soul Armour!” he shouted, before lunging straight at ‘Wun Fan’. He straightened his index and middle finger and thrust them at the boy as he said, “Lethality: Adorning Finger of the Pitiful Flower.”
‘Wun Fan’ swung his fishing rod and several seeds shot toward Hung Yun Zak. The seeds attached themselves to his armour and overflowing life force erupted from the Emperor Shennong’s Flame hidden within. This was the life force that he had absorbed from Hung Yun Zak’s attack earlier.
“Grow, Tangling Vines,” said ‘Wun Fan’ as he clenched his middle finger, ring finger and thumb. The seeds grew into a massive bush of vines in two seconds, restraining Hung Yun Zak’s limbs completely.
Hung Yun Zak’s movements were restricted and two to three seconds of weakness was enough to decide a fight between two powerful fighters. ‘Wun Fan’ grasped the opportunity and swung the fishing rod straight at Hung Yun Zak’s face.
“Hmph!” shouted Hung Yun Zak. His body bent backward at a ridiculous ninety-degree angle and he avoided the attack. He then put strength into his arms and tried to break free of the vines.
However, Old Lei was an extremely experienced fighter. His left hand moved along with the swing of the rod and tossed several seeds into the air. He clenched only his index finger and pinky ashe shouted, “Grow, Enfeebling Flowers!”
The seeds in the air immediately sprouted and grew flowers that released pollen. The yellow-silver pollen was blown into Hung Yun Zak’s face just as he was taking a breath!
Old Lei had calculated even this moment perfectly.
Hung Yun Zak immediately held his breath, but he still inhaled some of the pollen. He immediately felt his head turn heavy and his feet turn light. An overwhelming sense of drowsiness over took him and his eyelids started to shut. He had almost broken free of the vines earlier, but he no longer had the strength to do so.
“Lethality: Floral Silk Armour!” roared Hung Yun Zak and a thick armor instantly covered his entire body, protecting his vitals.
Clang!
The armour rang as ‘Wun Fan’’s fishing rod struck it. However, the impact wasn’t enough to break the armour. Nevertheless, Hung Yun Zak was still knockbacked by the attack and was sent flying through the air. He tumbled on the ground several times before getting back on his feet. He no longer seemed as meek as before. Instead, there was only killing intent in his eyes!
“It seems like this is going to be troublesome if I don’t take it seriously,” said Hung Yun Zak. He licked the injury on the corner of his mouth. The taste of blood stimulated his brain. He conjured his soul energy and started to dispel the effects of the pollen.
“You waste your time. Even Martial Blacks are momentarily stunned by my Enfeebling Flowers, let alone a Martial General,” said ‘Wun Fan’ as he twirled his fishing rod. He pointed it at Hung Yun Zak and said, “Now speak. How did you detect me?”
“What? I have to tell you just because you want me to? Do I seem so soft to you?” said Hung Yun Zak with a laugh. He forcefully channelled his soul energy and broke free of the vines’ constraints. He quickly took out a jade bottle from his storage ring and crushed it with his fingers. He picked out one of the pills and said, “The Red Flower Pill, a secret Grade Eight recipe of the Hung Clan. It can replenish double the amount of soul energy that a Martial General has and its only side-effect is two weeks of fatigue afterward.”
He put the pill in his mouth and swallowed. A large amount of soul energy surged out of the pill and into his meridians, causing them to swell painfully. Hung Yun Zak guided the soul energy and used it to dispel the effects of the pollen. Fortunately, he did not breathe in too much of the pollen and was barely able to dispel them.
Old Lei truly didn’t expect him to have a trick like that up his sleeve. He regretted not killing him on the spot. He shouldn’t have wasted time and tried to get answers out of him.
Of course, it was not certain that he would have been able to kill him.
Hung Yun Zak shook his head and threw out a large fistful of leaves. He suddenly expended most of his soul energy as he made a handsign and said, “Lethality: Leaf Soldiers.”89Please respect copyright.PENANACoRz5ThiaK