Chapter 248: The Fox Spirit
Chapter 248: The Fox Spirit
"What are you trying to do, my lord? If you desire my service, you only need to ask, and I would never dare disobey. Why be so rough and bully a weak woman..."
Hua Nongying was brought back to the courtyard by Chen Mu, her Primordial Energy completely sealed, but her heart remained calm. She looked at Chen Mu pitifully, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with tears.
She dared to be bold in front of Chen Mu, not because she was confident she could escape unscathed, but because there was no animosity between the Seven Mysteries Sect and the Harmony Pleasure Sect, and they even had some cooperation. Additionally, Chen Mu had always been a man dedicated to the Martial Dao, upright and unyielding. Although he was already married, according to her intelligence, he never indulged in the company of women.
Precisely because of this.
During their brief encounter, she didn't use any additional tricks, as from their short exchange, Chen Mu's strength was even greater than she had anticipated. Even if she used some life-saving techniques, the chances of escaping unscathed were slim.
However, Chen Mu calmly said, "You and your sister seem to have a rather biased opinion of me. Although I'm not interested in your Harmony Pleasure Sect's ways, it doesn't mean you can act recklessly in front of me. Surely you're not going to tell me that with your strength and cultivation, you can't control your 'Pleasure Realm.'"
As a normal person, he had the usual human desires, but his unwavering determination allowed him to remain unmoved by external influences. This wasn't a reason for him to repeatedly tolerate Nongying's teasing.
Moreover.
He no longer feared the methods of the Harmony Pleasure Sect, and he certainly had no reservations about Nongying.
Perhaps it was because they repeatedly acted 'recklessly' in front of him without punishment, leading them to mistakenly believe he was a 'good person' and became even more brazen.
Being a good person could get you pointed at with a gun in this chaotic world. He had never intended to be a 'good person' from the start; he always followed his heart.
"I dare not, my lord. Please spare me this time."
Hua Nongying looked at Chen Mu pitifully, her tone carrying a hint of sorrow. But perhaps due to her innate charm, her entire life's cultivation was focused on pleasure. Her current coy appearance was even more enticing.
The crucial point was.
Chen Mu vaguely saw 'curiosity' in Nongying's eyes, as if she wasn't afraid of being restrained and was even curious about what he could do.
Chen Mu didn't hesitate and said calmly, "Since you offered to demonstrate truth from falsehood, let's see."
He extended his left hand, and a gentle breeze brushed past willow leaves, landing on the water's surface, creating ripples.
"Hmm."
This time, Nongying didn't feign any pose but tilted her head, staring at Chen Mu. Her body trembled slightly, her cheeks flushed, and she let out a soft hum.
Chen Mu's movements paused as he glanced at her in surprise.
Hua Nongying's jade-like face glowed with a peach blossom hue, appearing shy yet flirtatious. She playfully winked at Chen Mu and said, "I've told you before, my lord. Didn't you experience it yourself earlier?"
"If you're willing to leave the Seven Mysteries Sect and join the Harmony Pleasure Sect as an outer disciple, protecting us sisters, we'll give you whatever you desire. I can, and my sister can too. All of us can."
Chen Mu calmly replied, "What I desire, you cannot provide."
Then.
He released his right hand, and Nongying, free from his control, flashed to the wall, gazing at Chen Mu with a hint of laughter. "What do you pursue, my lord? Even if you cultivate to the peak of the Martial Dao, it's only a few hundred years. Eventually, you'll turn to dust. Isn't it a waste to wait idly as time passes? Even the Martial Dao, since its birth, cannot escape the word 'legacy'. We, the Harmony Pleasure Sect, can also help you with your legacy and bloodline."
Chen Mu's expression turned slightly peculiar as he glanced at Nongying. "I don't particularly care about bloodline legacy, but when you, a Harmony Pleasure Sect disciple, say such words, is it not...?"
For the Harmony Pleasure Sect disciples to bear children, wouldn't that be like a lush green meadow above their heads?
Hua Nongying winked and said, "My lord, you're being too discriminatory towards us Harmony Pleasure sisters. Even among beggars, there are distinctions between the dirty and the clean. Naturally, there are different paths within the Harmony Pleasure Sect, as you've just experienced."
Swish!
Just as her words ended, a sword Qi suddenly flew from outside the courtyard, aiming straight at her.
"Is the Harmony Pleasure Sect being too reckless? Acting so brazenly, shameless, and trying to corrupt Chen Shidi's Dao heart?" Meng Dan Yun's cold voice echoed.
Hua Nong Ying was not the least bit afraid of the sword qi. With a light wave of her gossamer veil, the approaching watery sword light silently froze into ice, hanging motionless in mid-air.
Then, she gracefully flickered, landing outside the courtyard and fleeing into the distance while giggling coquettishly, "Elder Sister Meng, don't get so angry. I haven't done anything, though I really wanted to test Brother Chen's abilities. But since Elder Sister Meng is so protective, I'll have to give up and leave it to you... But isn't this the Peach Deity Sword that Jiang Yifei uses? Did Brother Chen also give it to Elder Sister Meng? Brother Chen is really good to Elder Sister Meng, it makes me feel so envious."
"Hmph."
Meng Danyun's expression turned even colder as she listened to Hua Nong Ying's stream of filthy words. She only let out a cold snort and didn't bother to argue. Instead, she mounted the Peach Deity Sword and chased after Hua Nong Ying, their auras vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Chen Mu stood in the courtyard, sensing their auras fade into the distance. He couldn't help but shrug slightly, then returned to his room, brewed a cup of hot tea, and took a sip.
He truly had no interest in playing the drama of mutual love and hatred between the righteous and the demonic with Hua Nong Ying. This time, he let her off because of Meng Danyun's presence. He had too many things to do and didn't plan to have too much interaction with the Harmony Pleasure Sect for the time being.
Speaking of which, Hua Nong Ying had indeed cultivated the second stage of the Great Yin Intent. If he had the chance, he would like to see if the two sisters could manifest the true Yin-Yang Intent. Apart from the Heaven Sword, he hadn't encountered any other intent at this level, and he needed to gauge the gap between such intents and the Heaven-earth level.
Putting down his teacup, Chen Mu silently disappeared from the room.
He had obtained the Twin Cultivation Technique, so there was no longer any need for him to stay in Amethyst Province. His final destination was the village where he had met the young girl, to see what choice she had made. After that, he would return to the sect.
Chen Mu's Visit to the Village
Chen Mu's Visit to the Village
Soon, Chen Mu left the highlands and navigated through the mountain walls by memory. Before long, he arrived at a small village nestled in a narrow valley.
Standing on a high vantage point, he scanned the area and quickly spotted Jin Ling'er. She was washing clothes by a stream that ran through the valley. The clothes were rough linen garments that required a lot of effort to clean, but the young girl's extraordinary strength made the task easy for her.
Chen Mu appeared silently in front of her.
"… Benefactor?"
Jin Ling'er's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Chen Mu.
Chen Mu looked at her calmly and asked, "How have you been thinking about it?"
Jin Ling'er's expression momentarily fell, then she bit her lip and said, "If I go to the Seven Mysteries Sect to learn martial arts, can I come back? I want to become stronger, stronger than Uncle San, so I can protect the village from those monsters…"
Chen Mu nodded and said, "Once you reach a certain level, you can leave the sect. However, from what you've said, it seemsse seems like some events have occurred in your village recently."
Jin Ling'er nodded sadly and began to recount the recent events.
About half a month ago, a powerful monster attacked the village. It was an extremely formidable demon, and despite her Uncle San and the village hunters putting up a fierce resistance, they were only able to drive it away. However, Uncle San was severely injured and passed away a few days later.
Such deaths among the mountain hunters due to monster attacks are quite common. Her father, for instance, was killed by a monster while out gathering herbs, and only a few bloodstained scraps of his clothing were found.
"Was it a fox demon?"
Upon hearing Jin Ling'er's story, Chen Mu's eyes flashed with a thoughtful expression.
Fox demons are generally more cunning than other demons. Recently, there have been no natural disasters in the mountains, so it's unusual for a demon to attack a village. The villagers, who live off the mountains and often gather herbs, are usually well-versed in physical training and are not easy to subdue. Furthermore, excessive killing would attract stronger martial artists to hunt the demon.
Based on Jin Ling'er's description, the demon had three tails and a pale golden pelt. If her description is accurate, it was likely a very rare creature known as a Golden-Tailed Fox. These creatures are known for their cunning and greed, and they are exceptionally sensitive to celestial spirit artifacts. Areas where they are found often contain such artifacts.
Chen Mu's Analysis
"Golden-Tailed Foxes generally don’t attack villages, and there have been no recent natural disasters. So, it’s likely that something valuable, like a celestial spirit artifact, has appeared nearby, attracting the fox. It might be worried that the villagers would discover it, so it tried to drive them away. After a fierce battle, it realized it couldn’t easily drive the villagers out, so it retreated."
Jin Ling'er's Decision
Chen Mu listened to Jin Ling'er's story and carefully considered her situation.
"Jin Ling'er, you mentioned that you want to become stronger to protect your village. That's a noble goal. But before you make your decision, you should understand what lies ahead."
Jin Ling'er looked up at Chen Mu with determined eyes.
"If I go to the Seven Mysteries Sect, I will be able to train and become stronger. But I want to know if I can return to the village after I become strong. I want to protect the village from those monsters and be as strong as Uncle San, or even stronger."
Chen Mu nodded, understanding the weight of her words.
"Once you reach a certain level, you will be able to leave the sect and return to your village. However, the path of martial cultivation is long and arduous. You will face many challenges and must be prepared for the sacrifices that come with it."
Jin Ling'er took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
"I understand, Benefactor. I am ready to face the challenges. I want to protect my village and make Uncle San proud."
Chen Mu smiled, seeing the resolve in her eyes.
"Very well, Jin Ling'er. I believe you have the potential to become a great martial artist. Remember, the path of cultivation is not just about strength, but also about wisdom and compassion. Use your abilities to protect and help others, just as you wish to protect your village."
With that, Chen Mu turned and began to leave the village, his mind already turning to the next steps in his journey.
Chen Mu's mind swiftly formed a series of deductions.
If his judgment was correct, then within this mountain range, there should be some kind of spiritual object, either difficult to mine or not yet ready for harvesting.
However, as the Golden-Tailed Fox was only a third-stage demonic beast, the 'precious spiritual object' it coveted might be a common item of little value. Nonetheless, since there was a possibility of a spiritual object, it was worth investigating.
"Alright, I understand now. That Golden-Tailed Fox probably discovered some precious spiritual object in the nearby mountains and couldn't wait to get its hands on it, so it attacked your village. I'm also interested in what it found, so I'll go and find it for you."
Chen Mu didn't hide anything and directly informed Jin Ling'er of the situation.
"So that's what happened."
Jin Ling'er showed no reaction to Chen Mu's mention of a 'precious spiritual object' and only responded with a slightly dejected gaze, then bowed to Chen Mu again, saying, "Thank you, kind sir..."
She only knew that a ferocious Golden-Tailed Fox was lurking in the nearby mountains, and if Chen Mu didn't find and deal with it, the village might be attacked again. As for the precious spiritual object, she had no idea what it was.
Chen Mu nodded slightly.
Then, he turned and took a step, disappearing from his original spot.
He didn't ask for more specific information, such as the direction the demonic beast had fled. The Golden-Tailed Fox was extremely cunning, so this kind of information was basically useless.
In the past, he had hunted demonic beasts several times, and now, as a top Five Viscera Realm expert on the Wind and Cloud Rankings, he didn't need any complicated methods. Finding the Golden-Tailed Fox was a simple matter of conducting a thorough search!
If his judgment was correct, the Golden-Tailed Fox wouldn't be too far from Jin Ling'er's village. With his Heaven-Earth Concept fully activated, he could sense any demonic traces within a hundred zhang radius, making it difficult for anything to escape his detection.
He just needed to search area by area, and at most, it would only take some time to find the beast.
Swish! Swish!!
Chen Mu's figure swiftly weaved through the mountain walls, searching area by area. After about half a day's effort, he finally found traces of the Golden-Tailed Fox in a canyon about ten li away from the village.
Chen Mu's gaze swept across the canyon, and to his eyes, the entire canyon wasn't composed of ordinary rock and soil but was formed by various colored Primordial Powers. Within these powers, he could clearly see some 'discordant' areas, which were the remnants of demonic traces.
Whoosh!
Chen Mu leaped onto the mountain wall, scanned his surroundings, and immediately fixed his gaze on a distant direction. He saw a faint golden shadow swiftly passing by, seemingly in flight.
"Trying to escape?"
His expression remained calm as he took a step forward, descending from the mountain wall. After a few steps, he reached the spot where the faint golden shadow had been, and he saw a thick mountain wall with an extremely narrow crack.
The Golden-Tailed Fox had squeezed into this crack and disappeared from sight.
"It's quite good at hiding, but..."
Chen Mu's lips curled up slightly. If it were before, encountering such a narrow crack and sensing that it was deeply embedded, it would indeed be a bit troublesome and would require effort to dig into.
But for him now, whether there was a crack or not, whether there was a form or not, made no difference.
...
Inside the crack.
A faint golden shadow, the Golden-Tailed Fox, was desperately squeezing through the narrow gap, trying to reach the depths. Its entire body was covered in pale golden fur, and it had three tails, unmistakably the demonic beast, the Golden-Tailed Fox.
At this moment, the Golden-Tailed Fox's demonic eyes were filled with a very human-like panic. Although it had only glanced at Chen Mu from a distance, it immediately recognized him as an extremely terrifying existence, even more frightening than some of the figures it had encountered before.
Fortunately, it had been lurking in this area and had discovered this crack in the rock wall early on, an excellent hiding spot. This rock peak extended deep into the mountain's interior, and there were multiple exits.
However.
Just as the Golden-Tailed Fox had squeezed deep into the crack and felt that there was no movement behind it, it breathed a slight sigh of relief and slowed down a little.
Suddenly, a human face emerged silently from the pitch-black rock crack, startling the Golden-Tailed Fox.
The fur on the Golden-Tailed Fox's three tails stood on end, and its demonic eyes showed a very human-like terror. It tried to retreat, but a large hand reached out from the crack and grabbed its tail.
That large hand glowed with faint light, penetrating the rock layer as if it wasn't there.
(End)
Chapter end
Report
