Chapter 56: The Only Way
Chapter 56: The Only Way
Fang Cun looked at the woman with the utterly devastated expression, his face remaining cold and indifferent.
The matter of the Human Elixirs was so huge. The Academy and the City Governor wouldn’t dare cover it up. Even if they had sealed off the news and stopped the common folk from discussing it, they still had to account for it to the higher-ups: the Nine Immortals Sect and the Prefect. However, even after two days had passed, and despite receiving a warning from the Green Fox Mountain lineage beforehand, they still hadn’t managed to catch the Human Fiend refining the Human Elixirs. In that case, how could this matter be concluded?
Well then, naturally…
It would be the Green Fox Mountain lineage they’d pin it on!
There were ready-made demons in the mountains, and they just happened to be raiding the commoners. Who else to blame if not you lot?
Digging deeper: right after the Green Fox Mountain monsters exposed that Demonic Array and delivered their warning to the city, a sudden group of vicious attackers barged into the Green Fox’s territory, seized their ancestral spirit herb, killed their injured clan leader… Then, conveniently, a “Mr. Leopard Cat” popped up and incited the Green Fox Mountain monsters to raid villages for revenge… And these monsters just happened to be spotted by Academy Disciples entering the mountains to investigate…
The waters are deep indeed!
“If I were curious about one thing…”
Fang Cun himself frowned slightly at this moment, seemingly puzzled.
After a while, he looked at the Fox Demon and said, “Why is it you lot who got dragged in?”
The Fox Demon’s own expression dimmed. After a moment, she said, “Young Master, you probably don’t know about the Demon Core issue in Willow Lake City?”
“Demon Cores?”
Fang Cun pondered this, then said, “Speak…”
“The Demon Core affair has been prominent in Willow Lake City for a long time. Back then, Immortal Master Fang Chi entered the mountains to slay demons largely because of this Demon Core business. After he did that, all the demons were intimidated and stopped acting so brazenly. Yet, in recent years, signs of it have resurfaced. Bear Ridge and Red Sand Ridge, along with some rogue cultivators and minor demons—who knows who they consulted—have all been secretly siphoning the life force of commoners to refine Demon Cores. Some are used themselves, others are sent into… sigh… Us fox demons, born with charming features, are especially adept at stealing the life force of humans. Those other demon lineages have come to recruit us many times. But my elder brother always refused. Gradually, they grew to hate us…”
“I see…”
Fang Cun finished listening quietly and fell silent.
Mentally, he slowly turned the matter over, piecing the details together.
As for the Fox Demon woman, the more she thought about Fang Cun’s words after comprehending them, the more afraid she became. Initially, she thought Fang Cun was just warning her, but the more she followed the logic, the more plausible it seemed. Her heart panicked, she could barely maintain her composure. Suddenly, she frantically knelt before Fang Cun, face wet with tears, kowtowing as she said, “The few dozen remaining souls of the widowed, orphaned, and crippled clan of Green Fox Mountain beg Little Immortal Master for rescue…”
Fang Cun, however, was surprised, “Me? Save you?”
“Only Little Martial Uncle can save us now…”
Seeing Fang Cun hesitate, the Fox Demon hurriedly said, “You… you are after all Immortal Master’s younger brother, surely you have…”
“I do not!”
“Don’t spout nonsense!”
Fang Cun shook his head rapidly, “My skills are very poor…”
Hearing this, the woman’s heart sank into an ice cellar. She pleaded bitterly, “Little Martial Uncle, if you won’t lend a helping hand, my Green Fox Mountain lineage might soon face annihilation! Regardless, we called Immortal Master Fang Chi our ‘Master’. You…”
Seeing her like this, even the Little Fox Girl hurriedly knelt down silently.
“Ah…”
Fang Cun frowned, thinking silently as though deeply troubled.
Resolve the demon calamity.
Eliminate the bandit scourge.
Slay the Human Fiend!
In this mission, it seemed he was supposed to wipe out all demons. How did he end up with a bunch of martial nieces instead…
This was truly…
…Interesting!
“Second Young Master Fang, you clearly see…”
The Fox Demon saw Fang Cun fall silent, feeling increasingly uneasy. Weeping, she said, “Because we received Immortal Master Fang Chi’s teachings, our Green Fox Mountain lineage has always been friendly toward the common people, doing many good deeds. If you don’t believe me, the Fox Immortal shrines built by commoners in the villages around the mountain are proof. This humble demon dares not say there are no rotten eggs in my clan who harass the people, but as for good deeds… my Green Fox lineage performs the most…”
Listening to the sorrowful weeping, Fang Cun emptied his mind.
He quietly went over the origin and sequence of events, pondering how to resolve this.
His mind diligently emptied itself; the knowledge and experiences from his previous life could surely provide some reference. Frame by frame, many images flickered past.
“Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Dream of Red Mansions, Journey to the West, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, Calabash Brothers…”
His heart suddenly stirred lightly: “Got it!”
“I don’t want anything to do with this mess, and I don’t have the power to save you!”
Under the pleading gazes of the woman and the Little Fox Girl, Fang Cun seemed to deliberate for a long time before speaking helplessly.
Just these opening words made the woman’s eyes grow utterly despairing.
Fortunately, Fang Cun continued, “The only ones who can save you… are yourselves…”
The woman looked startled, “What do you mean…”
Fang Cun asked calmly, “How many demon lineages are there in the great dark mountains?”
The woman hastily answered, “Bear Ridge has one. Red Sand Ridge has one. Our Green Fox Mountain originally counted as one, but because we followed Immortal Master Fang Chi’s teachings and cultivated peacefully, never daring to act wildly or get too close to Willow Lake City’s Qi Refiners, we fell far behind them. Add to that now my eldest brother and sister-in-law both perished, and we lost dozens of clan members, so now we are even more…”
Fang Cun nodded almost imperceptibly. He then asked, “You said before your lineage causes the least harm?”
The woman hurriedly confirmed, “Absolutely true! The Fox Immortal shrines in the mountains…”
Fang Cun shook his head, “I’ve heard plenty of stories about foxes harming people!”
“Young Master, you clearly see—my Green Fox lineage is not all foxes! Bear Ridge and Red Sand Ridge have foxes too. Because us Fox Demons are born with captivating… sigh… that brings disaster upon us. Bear Ridge and Red Sand Ridge have abducted members of my Green Fox lineage more than once to be their… playthings, or laborers for refining Demon Cores. Green Fox lineage is weak; we can’t overcome them. And many clan members committed grave offenses and were banished by us…”
Hearing this, Fang Cun pondered silently. Ideas began to form in his mind.
He sighed softly, “Since this place is no longer safe ground, why must you insist on staying?”
“Well…”
The woman was slightly flustered, “This is the ancestral home of our Fox Clan…”
Fang Cun said, “Your clan leader is dead. Your lineage’s ancestral spirit herb has been taken away, hasn’t it?”
The woman’s voice weakened, concerned, “With our current strength, if we tried to leave, I fear we’d…”
“Naturally, you wouldn’t escape!”
Fang Cun said quietly, “If the Academy and City Governor determine the Human Elixir matter is related to you, they’d hunt you down even if you fled a thousand miles away. Also, if this is reported to the Nine Immortals Sect and an Immortal Decree is issued… where exactly would you run?”
The woman looked up, startled and utterly lost.
“Unless…”
Fang Cun suddenly smiled faintly, “After thorough investigation by the Academy and City Governor… they discover the matter is connected to other demon lineages…”
“That… how could it be possible…”
The woman showed surprise, lowering her voice, “Those two lineages are acquainted with many powerful figures in Willow Lake City; they interact frequently…”
Fang Cun smiled, “It’s the familiar ones who stab the deepest knives—knowing exactly where the vital points lie!”
Hearing this, the woman looked momentarily stunned before suddenly reacting. She whispered, “Please instruct this humble one, Little Martial Uncle…”
“You are foxes! Do you really need to ask me how to harm people?”
Fang Cun looked utterly helpless. This frightful remark scared the Fox Demon woman stiff; she lowered her head, not daring to speak.
“And now you really won’t ask?”
Fang Cun waited a moment himself, but also felt helpless. He sighed involuntarily, as if relenting. He said, “Alright. Listen carefully.”
The Fox Demon girl quickly straightened her posture, tilting her ear respectfully.
Fang Cun leaned down slightly, a slight smile on his face, and whispered a few words very softly.
The Fox Girl listened intently. Her expression gradually shifted from shock to horror. She even glanced at Fang Cun with disbelief.
Fang Cun just looked back at her impassively.
The more the Fox Girl thought about it, the more terrified she grew. Suddenly, she knelt down urgently and kowtowed in thanks. “Thank you for your teaching, Little Martial Uncle…”
“Don’t use that title anymore…”
Fang Cun laughed, waving a hand dismissively. “It just seems ill-fated!”
The woman wondered how ‘Little Martial Uncle’ could be ill-fated but didn’t dare question it, nodding hurriedly. Seeing Fang Cun was getting impatient, she quickly stood up and gently nudged the Little Fox Girl. “From this day forward, you will stay by Little Martial… Young Master’s side to serve him!”
Fang Cun: “?”
Seeing Fang Cun’s reaction, the woman hurriedly explained, “Young Master taking her back is truly her great fortune. This humble demon dares not deceive Young Master—conflict between demon lineages is brutal; survival is day-to-day. She was once the young lady of our Green Fox Mountain, but now her parents are both dead. Staying with the clan would only mean a more tragic end for her. When we flee, we can only escape toward the Southern Borderlands, seeking refuge in Great Demon Sovereign’s Shangtian Village… I am only a woman; to gain footing in the Southern Borderlands in the future, I’ll likely have to attach myself to someone… If she were to follow me…”
“Sigh… but she is still too young right now. She really shouldn’t suffer such misery…”
Listening, Fang Cun did indeed frown. He knew the woman was telling the truth.
Seeing Fang Cun frown silently, the Little Fox Girl cautiously inched closer and looked up at him with uncertainty.
After a long silence, Fang Cun finally let out a gentle sigh. He asked the Little Fox Girl, “What was your name again?”
The Little Fox Girl answered carefully, “Little Ling…”
Fang Cun gave a slight nod. “From today on, you shall be called Xiao Qingling.”
The Little Fox Girl’s eyes widened, and she nodded gently.
Hearing this, the woman exhaled a huge breath of relief. She turned to face Fang Cun and bowed deeply. Glancing at the Little Fox Girl with a sorrowful smile, she placed a green Jade Pendant in her hand before turning away. Her form transformed into a gust of demonic wind…
Plop…
She had just risen into the air before plummeting heavily back to the ground, landing awkwardly.
Fang Cun watched her helplessly, thinking, Aren’t foxes supposed to be clever? Getting hurt once wasn’t enough?
The woman, flushed with embarrassment, scrambled up from the ground. Head down, she quickly walked through the corridors and verandas, exiting the main gate of Fang Manor. She felt intensely aware of two pairs of eyes fixed mockingly on her back, the shame unbearable. Only after she had moved beyond the line of sight of the two stone lions guarding the Fang Manor gate did she cautiously attempt to take flight again. This time, she successfully soared into the air as a gust of demonic wind, heading urgently back toward the mountains.
After going a long distance, she turned back to glance at the imposing silhouette of Fang Manor, swallowed by the surrounding darkness.
Everyone says demons are cunning… but compared to humans…
….
Back inside Fang Manor, Fang Cun gazed at the little Fox Girl before him. She glanced back cautiously at him.
“Starting tomorrow, you will learn to read, pour tea and water, clean the halls, make the bed…”
Fang Cun began. He paused, looking directly at her.
“And the most important thing: you mustn’t bite people.”
The Fox Girl Xiao Qingling lowered her head, frightened. After a moment, she said in a small voice, “I don’t bite people…”