Chapter 48 There was no wind in the hall, Cao Zhuangling's hand...

There was no wind in the hall, but the oil lamp in Cao Zhuangling's hand suddenly flickered. The flame on the wick shrank and almost went out, darkening the hall for a moment before lighting up again.

The flickering candlelight made his deeply lined face appear even more terrifying.

Yingyue's puzzled voice rang out in the flickering candlelight: "What happened?"

"Pack your things, we have to go." A deep voice came from Cao Zhuangling, making the dimly lit hall seem even colder.

Yingyue approached Cao Zhuangling: "Leave? We've already made a name for ourselves here, why should we leave?" She turned and glanced at the high-ranking statue, her eyes filled with resentment.

"Hmph, if you don't leave now, I'm afraid your time as a fox spirit is coming to an end." Cao Zhuangling put away the jade token in his palm and said coldly, "Leaving this place and regaining your freedom is the most important thing. Where can't you find a bunch of fools?"

Yingyue's eyes flickered, a glint of light flashing within them, as she realized the implication behind Cao Zhuangling's words: "You didn't fool the people from the Anti-Evil Division?"

"They were just testing us today. My lord sent me a message saying that their purpose in coming here is to track down the missing children in the capital, and they have now set their sights on us."

As Cao Zhuangling spoke, he walked towards the temple gate. "You should tidy up the valuables hidden in the statue and the offerings from the believers today. I'll tidy up the things in the dungeon. We'll set off for Luozhou before dawn. The magistrate has arranged for people to meet us there."

"Clap"

The palace doors closed again, and without the oil lamps, only the soft moonlight filtering through the window screens filled the room.

As Yingyue watched Cao Zhuangling leave the hall, her figure suddenly lowered, transforming into a slender silhouette as she leaped onto the offering table and slipped behind the statue through a gap on its side.

The dark shadow on the beam moved, its two seemingly soft tails drooping naturally, its body poised in a diving posture.

Before the other two could react, Su Xiaochun silently leaped off the beam and landed on the offering table that Yingyue had stepped on moments before.

As if sensing something, Yingyue turned her head in the narrow passage, and a fiery red figure was reflected in her beastly eyes as it pounced towards her.

Yingyue dodged, flicked her tail, and jumped off the high platform where the statues were placed, transforming into human form upon landing.

After regaining her footing, she formed her hands into claws, imbued with spiritual energy, and attacked Su Xiaochun:

"What is that?"

Su Xiaochun missed her target, but as she landed on the platform, she twisted her body to avoid the attack coming at her head, and said sarcastically, "Your ancestor."

A clear, crisp voice of a young man rang out at the feet of the statue.

Yingyue stared intently, and only then did she realize that the crimson figure on the platform was a two-tailed fox. A dark glint flashed in her eyes, and she withdrew her attack stance.

"May I ask where this junior temple has offended the senior in the first place, that it has led to the senior's night raid on this humble temple?"

Senior and I are of the same clan; we should help each other when we're out in the world. If you need anything, I will do my best.

After exchanging blows, Yingyue could tell that the red fox in front of her was more powerful than her. She deliberately changed the subject of Su Xiaochun's attack to an attack on the Fox Fairy Temple, implying that Cao Zhuangling had just left and that she was not alone in the temple. At the same time, she did not want to make a big fuss, since it was a chaotic time and leaving this place safely the next morning was the best course of action.

Hearing her explanation, Su Xiaochun narrowed her eyes, pressed down with her front paws, and sneered, "What kind of kin are you and me? You're not a fox." She tilted her red head and said disdainfully, "A jackal trying to pretend to be a fox spirit."

He could see it clearly when he was above the beam. After Yingyue transformed into her original form, her size was quite different from that of a fox. Although they looked similar, he himself was a fox, so he naturally couldn't not tell the difference.

As Su Xiaochun finished speaking, Yingyue's pupils constricted, and she gritted her teeth as she spoke: "Fox Clan..."

Just as she uttered two words, Yingyue's body was suddenly sent flying, revealing Xie Baoqiong, who had been hiding behind her at some unknown time.

Taking advantage of the situation, Su Xiaochun leaped up and landed on Yingyue's body, pouring in spiritual power. Yingyue's figure gradually shrank, transforming into a long, thin jackal. Although its fur was the same red color as a fox, it was slightly duller, mixed with brown fur.

He used his spiritual power to control Yingyue, then turned around and leaped into Xie Baoqiong's arms, picking out the small white bird that was nestled in Xie Baoqiong's hair.

Qi Gui gradually got used to the fox head above him, which was several times larger than him. He didn't struggle when it was held in his mouth. Instead, he looked at Xie Baoqiong with bright eyes and said, "Ah Qiong is so amazing."

Then, tilting his little bird head back, he said, "Young Master Su is also very capable."

Su Xiaochun put Qi Gui down, licked the feathers that Qi Gui had messed up, and turned to Xie Baoqiong: "Little... Baoqiong." He paused, but still gritted his teeth and called out the name: "Now is the time to ask her the questions you want to ask."

The reddish-brown dog lay motionless on its side on the ground, its eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to their words; only the rise and fall of its belly indicated that it was still alive.

Xie Baoqiong crouched down to check, and the fox in her arms took the opportunity to peek out its head: "Don't play dead."

Yingyue on the ground opened her eyes and glanced at the three of them without saying a word.

"Who is the 'master' that the old Taoist priest was talking about?" Xie Baoqiong's question hit the nail on the head.

Yingyue gave him a deep look, then closed her eyes again, appearing unwilling to answer.

The crimson fox exhaled, and its spiritual energy flowed out. Yingyue painfully opened her eyes: "I'll talk."

The spiritual power that had been suffocating the demon suddenly dissipated, and Yingyue gasped for breath, saying, "I don't know."

She took two deep breaths, her eyes reflecting the red fox's face, and added, "I wasn't the one who came to meet you; I was just following orders to handle some matters at the temple."

"Where is the person who ordered you to capture the young master of the Marquis's mansion? Why did he order you to capture the young master of the Marquis's mansion?" Xie Baoqiong's expression remained unchanged as she immediately posed two questions she had prepared beforehand.

Yingyue's eyes shrank back: "This is not something I'm responsible for."

It was Cao Zhuangling, the old Taoist priest from earlier. He received orders from his superiors to go to the capital to arrest people. He got two people from my hands, but I don't know anything else..."

Her eyes reflected the fox's face turning ferocious, and her voice trembled: "Don't kill me, I didn't do anything unjust to the young master of the Marquis's mansion... I just want to live. If you let me go, I can tell you a method of cultivation."

Fear of death.

She frantically sought solutions, just as she had on the day she embarked on this path.

“The cultivation of demons is different from that of humans. Everyone has cultivation techniques passed down through generations. We may not be able to apply your techniques.”

Yingyue, as if grasping at a straw, squeezed out a sound from her throat:

"Yes, yes! It can even turn those who cannot cultivate into cultivators. Your use will only make your path to immortality smoother."

Aside from Qi Gui, who had only a superficial understanding of cultivation, Xie Baoqiong and Su Xiaochun's expressions changed strangely.

Xie Baoqiong, who had been stuck at a bottleneck for many years, couldn't help but reveal a look of inquiry in his eyes. He was looking for the person behind the scenes, and what he wanted was nothing more than to move into the next stage of cause and effect, but... he always felt that it was not a proper cultivation method.

Su Xiaochun, being the most knowledgeable of the three demons, calmly asked, "Does such a technique exist in the world?"

“Yes!” Seeing that they were showing signs of wavering, Yingyue’s brown eyes flashed with light: “Only three of you are willing to travel with us. I am willing to introduce you to that lord. Once he has witnessed your strength, he will surely be willing to take you under his command.”

Knowing that she wouldn't die anytime soon, Yingyue started thinking about recruiting people to join her group. As for whether that person would keep the three of them or use them as nourishment, that was beyond her control.

Xie Baoqiong and Su Xiaochun exchanged a glance, but neither agreed or disagreed with Yingyue's words.

The shadows of the trees were reflected on the windows, and the patterns of the window frames were reflected on the floor inside the hall.

Su Xiaochun conjured a rope and tied up the entire jackal, including its mouth.

Yingyue, whose spiritual power was sealed, struggled twice but could not break free.

Xie Baoqiong got up, dragging the jackal's tail, and hid behind the statue. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a spot on the platform below the statue where the color was slightly different.

He reached out and groped around, then pulled off a brick. Looking inside, he saw a spacious area filled with compost and yellowish-white materials.

He thought for a moment, then used some force to pry off a few more bricks, rolled up the jackal in his hand, and stuffed it into them.

When Xie Baoqiong finished stacking the bricks back in their original positions, the red fox that had been there disappeared, and a slender figure appeared in its place.

The man turned his face, and there stood "Yingyue," whom he had just stuffed into the platform.

"Little Baoqiong".

Xie Baoqiong turned her face away expressionlessly, but Su Xiaochun, who had transformed into Yingyue's appearance, took a few steps closer.

Yingyue was several heads taller than Xie Baoqiong.

Xie Baoqiong looked up and examined Su Xiaochun's appearance, concluding that they looked very similar.

"How about it? Have my illusions improved again?" Su Xiaochun twirled in front of him.

“Yes, Xiaochun looks exactly like her now.”

Su Xiaochun stepped forward and took Qi Gui, who was perched on Xie Baoqiong's shoulder, in one hand: "Little Baoqiong, you should change too."

Xie Baoqiong glanced at Qi Gui and nodded.

His figure disappeared from the spot, and a palm-sized blue stone fell where he had been, which "Yingyue" caught in his other hand.

"Ah Qiong can also use illusion magic!" Qi Gui exclaimed in surprise as Su Xiaochun took both of them into her sleeve.

—

Dawn is approaching.

Two carriages stopped at the back gate of the Fox Fairy Temple.

Cai Shun and Ji Fei drove the wagon loaded with goods from the dungeon behind them.

Cao Zhuangling drove another carriage, with Amei taking Xie Baoqiong and Yingyue inside.

The carriage avoided the main road and set off along a side road.

Amidst the swirling dust, the treetops in the forest swayed gently in the breeze.

A figure gripped the talisman tightly, made a hand seal, and silently followed the carriage.

After the figure on the treetop quietly left, a bird bathed in the glow of the sunset landed on the branch where someone had been waiting.

His calm, dark eyes took in everything that had happened moments before.

As the wind rises from the treetops, birds take flight and disappear into the woods.