Chapter 406: Senior Brother, Drive Out the Fox and Swallow the Wolf
The next morning, a rooster’s crow shattered the night sky. A waiter at the Jade Sand Pavilion yawned as he removed the wooden planks sealing the door, preparing to welcome the day’s guests.
In the back room, Ye Anping had already changed into a set of robes to block the wind and sand, cleaned up the faint scent left by Xiao Yunluo on the haystack, and arrived at the main hall.
Last night, the innkeeper of the Jade Sand Pavilion, thinking that there were human cultivators with Xuan Xing Sect waist tokens in this immortal city occupied by demons, didn’t investigate Ye Anping and his companions’ identities too closely. He even let them stay without seeing their faces.
But now, Ye Anping wasn’t wearing his bamboo hat. As he walked past the counter, the innkeeper stared at him twice. He found something increasingly off and after thinking for a while, he finally remembered that he had seen this person before.
Just a few days before the demons attacked Jade Pass, a handsome young master in the Foundation Establishment Stage had come to his establishment to buy a cyan spirit sword. The innkeeper vaguely remembered that the young master was only in the Mid Foundation Establishment Stage at the time. He counted on his fingers and stopped at the fourth one. In just four years of not seeing him, this young master had actually advanced from Mid Foundation Establishment to Core Formation? Moreover, judging by his aura, the Core Formation he had achieved was likely at least a first-grade Golden Core. How could such a monstrous talent with heaven-defying aptitude have emerged from an immortal family without him hearing any news?
Ye Anping walked somewhat lazily to a square table in the corner of the hall and took a seat. He noticed that the innkeeper had been staring at him for a long time, but he didn’t approach him. Pretending not to notice, he took out a few spirit stones from his storage bag and called out to the waiter at the door: “Waiter, bring four bowls of herbal tea… and also, help me kill a few chickens, I’ll take them after they’re bled.”
The waiter from the Jade Sand Pavilion trotted over upon hearing this, cupping his hands to receive the spirit stones from Ye Anping: “Got it~~ Young Master, please wait a moment, I’ll be right there…”
However, just as the spirit stones were about to land in his hands, the innkeeper suddenly walked out from behind the counter and stepped forward, cupping his hands in a ceremonial bow: “This humble one’s eyesight is poor, I failed to recognize you yesterday. I didn’t expect to see you again after only a few short years, and you’ve already achieved Golden Core. Please accept my belated congratulations, and congratulations on your successful Golden Core stage, young master.”
“The innkeeper still remembers me?”
The innkeeper felt a little embarrassed and replied respectfully: “Young Master Liang was wearing a hood yesterday, so this junior didn’t see you. But your handsome face, which is unmatched in the four domains, how could I forget?”
“Indeed.” Ye Anping didn’t want to hear any more flattery. He had come to the Jade Sand Pavilion to rest and gather information, so he directly stated the code phrase: “Innkeeper, a bowl of the second-best tea from Jade Sand.”
The innkeeper nodded, understandingly. He immediately gestured with his eyes to urge the waiter next to him to go kill the chickens, then sat down at the table and lowered his voice: “Young Master Liang, what information are you looking for this time?”
“Eastern Domain.”
“Demonic cultivators…” The innkeeper stroked his beard and nodded in understanding. “There are some rumors. Ever since the Emperor of the Central Domain fell, although the demon race has occupied most of the immortal cities in the Central Domain, apart from the high-level demons, the rest are mostly barbaric indigenous spirits. You probably heard the cats’ meows in the alley last night…”
Ye Anping understood his implied meaning. In the eyes of human cultivators, most low-level demons were like uncivilized ape-men, completely lacking in shame or adherence to rules. Although there were demons like Hu Mu who had completely transformed into human form, they were a minority. In other words, it was almost impossible for the demon race to manage over one hundred immortal cities in the Central Domain by themselves.
“So, you think the Demon Emperor plans to give up some immortal cities?”
“Highly possible.” The innkeeper stroked his beard and said solemnly, “Previously, in Moon Dragon Town, the thugs from the black market saw a group of Ghost Spirit Sect disciples, led by a cultivator in the late Nascent Soul Stage, heading towards Tianan City with large bags and packages. They were likely going to appease the Demon Emperor…”
“When you say ‘previously’, do you mean a few days ago?”
“The news came about three days ago. They should have passed through Moon Dragon Town about four or five days ago.”
“I see, thank you…” Having obtained the information he wanted, Ye Anping was not stingy. He immediately took out a large bag containing about fifty to sixty thousand spirit stones from his storage bag and prepared to hand it over. However, the innkeeper quickly pushed it back: “Consider it a favor based on our first meeting. If Young Master Liang ever needs help with something you can’t conveniently handle yourself, please remember our Jade Sand Pavilion…”
Ye Anping did not refuse and cupped his hands with a smile: “Then Liang will remember.”
As they were speaking, the waiter brought the herbal tea and the live chickens. Ye Anping nodded in acknowledgment, lowered his eyes, and pondered. Besides confirming whether the matter of the Donghuang Great Wall had deviated from what was in the game, the most important reason for asking the innkeeper these questions was to find out the whereabouts of the person who went to Tianan City to present gifts to the Demon Emperor. That late Nascent Soul Stage demonic cultivator sent by the Ghost Spirit Sect Master was the first pawn in his plan. And now, it seemed the timing was just right…
Ye Anping didn’t keep the innkeeper chatting. After taking the roasted chicken, he sat alone at the table, watching the demons coming and going outside the restaurant, waiting for Feng Yu Die and his junior sister to come down. As far as he knew, the late Nascent Soul Stage demonic cultivator was a Gu cultivator, sent as an envoy to negotiate with the Demon Emperor and ask him to ignore Donghuang. But what if, at the same time the demonic envoy arrived in Tianan City, Hu Mu’s most cherished disciple was coincidentally abducted by a Gu-using demonic cultivator? This would be driving out the “fox” and swallowing the wolf.
Ye Anping ran through his plan in his mind. Soon, he heard the chatter of his junior sisters and others from upstairs: “Yunluo, didn’t you rest well last night? Why can’t you even walk straight?” “Uh…” “I know! Junior Sister Pei, Young Master Ye accompanied Senior Sister Xiao to practice her legs last night. I saw her coming out of Young Master Ye’s room, wobbly…” “?” “Ouch—Lian Xue, I… I was wrong… I’ll invite you next time…” “Hmm? Junior Sister Pei wants to practice her legs too? I also…” “No!!” “You can’t!” “Oh…”
… …
Ye Anping listened, feeling inexplicably flustered. He looked up and saw his junior sisters and others had also changed into simple dresses and were coming down from the second floor. Feng Yu Die saw that he had been waiting for quite some time and thought he had prepared roasted chicken for her. She ran to the table, but the next moment, she slightly turned her head, brought her nose close to Ye Anping’s shoulder, and asked in confusion: “Young Master Ye, did you get infected with Gu?”
“Is your nose a dog’s?” Ye Anping quickly pushed her face away. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he revealed his left arm. On his fair arm, a worm that looked like both a centipede and a scorpion was coiled, its mouthparts piercing the skin, as if feeding, drawing blood into its belly.
Pei Lianxue and Xiao Yunluo were greatly alarmed and immediately wanted to pull off the Gu worm, but Ye Anping raised his hand to dodge them. “Ah? Senior Brother…” “It’s nothing, just raising Gu, like when I was a child.” Ye Anping reached out and pinched Pei Lianxue’s cheek. “Junior Sister, where do you think I found so many Gu worms to feed you back then?”
Pei Lianxue finally understood. It was likely part of her Senior Brother’s plan. She replied with a frown, “But… Senior Brother, shall I do it?”
“Senior Brother is reluctant to let you do it… Besides, your blood can’t nourish it.” Seeing Feng Yu Die and Xiao Yunluo looking worried, he flicked the Gu worm on his hand, put it back into the Gu jar in his storage bag, pulled down his sleeve, and put on his bamboo hat: “It’s getting late. Drink your herbal tea quickly, we need to continue our journey…”
After that, he got up and walked out of the restaurant first. When Feng Yu Die and the others came out, they exited the inner gate of Jade Pass and flew on their swords towards the depths of the Gobi Desert east of Jade Pass.
… …
Seven days passed like a white steed galloping past a crack, fleeting and swift. The group of four flew their swords across thousands of miles of yellow sand, then passed through mountains stretching for hundreds of miles, and finally arrived before Tianan City, which was suspended between numerous chains hanging from the mountains.
At dusk, the setting sun dyed the horizon red. Ye Anping led Pei Lianxue and the others, landing on a mountain peak to the side. They looked down at this former capital city of the Imperial Sect, but the city no longer had the convivial, long-burning lights of their previous visit.
Perhaps it was a coincidence. Just as the four landed, dark clouds suddenly gathered on the mountain peak to the east of Tianan City. Even from such a distance, they could feel the evil spiritual energy mixed within the dark clouds.
“It seems we’ve arrived just in time. I thought we would have to wait outside the city for a couple of days.” Ye Anping muttered, then turned to the people behind him and said, “Junior Sister, you all wait here for me. I’ll go alone. You can provide support here…”
“Okay, Senior Brother, be careful.”
… …
————
Dong— Dong—
The deep and distant evening bell sounded from the drum tower, spreading throughout the streets and alleys of Tianan City. On the streets of the West District, countless half-human demons walked and stopped, the aroma of delicacies filling the entire street from the shops. A small fox demon, with a pair of pointed ears, was hopping and skipping in the middle of the street, accompanied by two or three female fox attendants, twirling two candied hawthorns back and forth in her hand.
Seeing that it was getting late, one of the fox-eared attendants stepped forward and gently reminded her: “Miss, it’s getting late, shouldn’t we go back soon? If His Excellency finds you not in the mansion tonight, he’ll get angry again…”
“He can get angry, I’ll stroll. Later, I can ask Master to play hide-and-seek with me~~” Xue Tianqiao pouted and giggled, looking around the street, searching for her hiding spot for today. The fox attendants beside her heard this and were immediately panicked, hurriedly trying to persuade her: “Ah… Miss, you should really…”
Before she could finish, a snow-white spiritual energy enveloped Xue Tianqiao, and her human girl-like form instantly shrunk into a ball. The dress she was wearing, made to imitate the style of human immortal cultivators, lost its support and fell to the middle of the street. The fox attendants surrounding her took a moment to react, then suddenly heard several fox cries from the alleyway on one side of the street: “Ying ying ying~~” They looked over and saw Xue Tianqiao, who had transformed back into a small white fox, standing in front of the alley and calling to them, then turned and rushed into the depths of the alley. Hearing this, it seemed she wanted them to play hide-and-seek with her.
The fox attendants all showed a hint of helplessness on their faces, but they understood that this was their young lady’s personality. Xue Tianqiao was restless. Ever since the Demon Emperor brought her to Tianan City, she had been roaming the city almost every day. At first, Hu Mu didn’t pay much attention, as long as she didn’t leave the city, she wouldn’t encounter danger. However, once during this small game of “hide-and-seek,” Xue Tianqiao hid for four days without coming out. Hu Mu thought she had been captured and mobilized dozens of demon cultivators in the Nascent Soul Stage to search within a hundred li radius around Tianan City. It turned out she was hiding in the well behind the Imperial Palace of Tianan City… That time, Hu Mu reprimanded her for several hours and then confined her to the back palace of the Imperial Palace of Tianan City, but he finally gave her an hour to keep watch. The head attendant sighed and quickly arranged: “You hurry to the Imperial Palace to inform His Excellency that the young lady has hidden again… We’ll go look for her…” “Yes…” Then, they all transformed into foxes and chased after her in the direction of the alley.
… …
————
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Imperial Palace.
Hu Mu, wearing a black robe embroidered with gold patterns, sat sideways on the golden dragon throne, his left hand clasped and supporting his cheek. His pitch-black, vertically slit pupils stared straight ahead at the several bird-headed roc demons kneeling on one knee in the grand hall. Those roc demons, like ministers attending court, spoke in their own demonic language: “Ji ji ji… Ji ji ji—” Hu Mu squinted slightly, and asked in an extremely cold tone, “Human cultivators from the Eastern Domain?” “Ji ji… Ji—” “Their purpose?” “Ji ji…” “I see…” Hu Mu nodded faintly, his dark plush tail twitched slightly behind him, coiling onto his thigh, and he gently stroked it with his hand. These roc demons were the current city guards of Tianan City. They said that several human cultivators from the Eastern Domain had arrived at the northern gate of Tianan City, claiming to have an important matter to see him. He remained silent for a long time, then turned to a half-demon fox in a scholarly robe standing beside him and gestured with his eyes for it to speak. The scholarly fox demon immediately knelt on one knee, covered its chest, and said in a low voice: “Your Excellency, our demon race already lacks the energy to manage the vast territories of the Central Domain. Handing over the Donghuang Great Wall and the surrounding immortal cities to them is not impossible. Those immortal cities are currently under the jurisdiction of the remnants of the former Imperial Sect… Their internal strife, we have no need to interfere.”
“Mhmm…” Hu Mu closed his eyes upon hearing this. He knew this logic. After he had taken control of the Imperial Sect’s territory in the Central Domain, the remaining four immortal families, excluding the Xuan Xing Sect, namely the Taibai Sect, the Wu Nian Sect, and the Hantian Kingdom, were all coveting the demon race. Although the old woman from Xuan Xing Sect said she would help the demon race establish a foothold in the Central Domain, in reality, she was only delaying the time for immortal sects like Taibai Sect to invade the Central Domain. If the demon race were to oppose the human cultivators in the Eastern Domain, who were called “demonic cultivators,” for a few immortal cities in Donghuang, they would be caught between enemy forces. Moreover, the demon race didn’t need such vast territories now, and having them would be of no use. In other words, his ignoring the demon cultivators’ attack on Donghuang would be beneficial to the entire demon race. However… Hu Mu couldn’t help but recall that day when he bought back his fox fur for a spirit pearl, the words spoken by that handsome young man protected by Old Woman Si—his Dao companion, Hu Yulan, had died at the hands of the Tian Mo Sect Master. After a period of silence, Hu Mu opened his eyes again and looked at the roc demon below: “Which Eastern Domain human cultivators are they affiliated with?” “Ji ji ji…” “Ghost Spirit Sect…” Hu Mu’s brows furrowed slightly, and his pitch-black vertical pupils narrowed. “Then let them in.” “Ji!”
… …
Requesting one day off.
I returned too late, so I’ll take a day off to rest and optimize the pacing of the upcoming story.
Requesting one day off.
—July 16th.
