Inside the Immortal Mansion, the crimson young bird was happily enjoying itself. It ran around the small courtyard Fang Qingyuan had set up, constantly searching for tasty insects.
Fang Qingyuan had shrouded this small courtyard with an array, mainly to prevent Jinbao and the young bird from discovering the true nature of the Immortal Mansion.
Unlike the outside world, everything beyond the Immortal Mansion’s surrounding Spirit Shield was pitch-black, making the distinction obvious.
However, his preparations had clearly been unnecessary. After entering, Jinbao and the young bird showed no interest whatsoever in the world beyond the array.
Seeing the crimson young bird in such a contented state, a wave of annoyance washed over Jinbao. For so unknown reason, it just couldn’t stand the sight of the bird.
Fang Qingyuan was well aware of this and tried to keep the two little ones apart. But now, caught in a perilous situation, he had forgotten.
According to records, various bear beasts were once part of the Fire-Bright Bird’s diet. This might have been why Jinbao felt the urge to bully the crimson young bird whenever it was bored.
And so, with its paws clasped behind its back, Jinbao slowly approached the crimson young bird. As the bird drew near, it surreptitiously raised a paw.
"Master is watching."
At that mont, the words of the Bee Queen, Fang Ruoxi, echoed in Jinbao’s mind, making it hesitate. Rembering Fang Qingyuan’s mighty slap, it held its paw in the air for a long mont before finally bringing it down to scratch the back of its own head.
The crimson young bird, oblivious to the fact it had just narrowly avoided a thrashing, continued to run about happily.
The Bee Queen, lying on a clean patch of the floor, watched the scene unfold. She glanced at her remaining supply of Flower Nectar, and a faint sadness welled up in her heart. ’When will these days ever end? I wish he’d just get these two out of here already.’
At that thought, the Bee Queen rolled over, tucked in her snow-white belly pouch, and craned her neck with so effort to continue sipping the refined flower nectar beside her.
....
Outside, Fang Qingyuan was unaware of the antics of the three Spirit Beasts inside his Immortal Mansion. He had focused all his attention on the great battle in the distance.
’Huo Hu is truly the strongest Foundation Establishnt Cultivator I’ve ever seen. Especially after becoming demon-possessed. His Cultivation Technique has grown even more tyrannical.’
A massive, black tiger Soul Spirit materialized behind Huo Hu. As he channeled his technique, a tidal wave of Magical Power, as vast as the sea, crashed down upon the cultivators from the three factions.
The Nai Wen Family of White Mountain and the cultivators from the Yin Demon Sect had joined forces to fight Huo Hu.
Only the monk was slacking, casting feeble, inconsequential spells from the fringes of the battlefield.
Huo Hu stuck to his close-combat style. He charged forward, ignoring the Sickness-Blocking Umbrella, and unleashed a palm strike at a White Mountain Cultivator.
As Huo Hu struck, the massive black tiger Soul Spirit behind him mirrored the motion, raising a gigantic paw to smash down on the man.
"Brother, save !"
Seeing that Huo Hu had singled him out, the man was struck with terror. He scread for help, but Huo Hu completely ignored the other attacks landing on him.
Beneath the giant tiger’s palm, all Protective Spirit Shields and Talismanic Magical Artifacts were useless. rely being grazed by the attack was enough to be corroded by the Demonic Qi.
With an agonized cry, the man fell to Huo Hu’s strike. Huo Hu, after taking several hits from the other cultivators, spat out a mouthful of blood and began to laugh maniacally.
"Die! Die!"
After killing the man, Huo Hu seed to have fully succumbed to his demonic nature. It was as if he had lost all reason, intent only on destroying anyone who stood in his path.
Seeing Huo Hu in this state, the besieging Foundation Establishnt Cultivators were thrown into a panic.
At this mont, Fang Qingyuan suppressed his aura even further.
....
A quarter of an hour later, the original battleground was in ruins. Huo Hu and the other Foundation Establishnt Cultivators had fought their way elsewhere, and their current location was unknown.
Fang Qingyuan, hidden in the heart of a tree, silently circulated the Five Elents Undying Body. The battle had moved beyond the range of his psychic perception, and he could no longer sense what was happening.
But even so, Fang Qingyuan had no intention of erging.
’Coming to see Huo Hu this ti was a complete mistake.’
’When he wasn’t fighting, Huo Hu could still be reasoned with and even talk to . But once a battle starts, he becos an indiscriminate killing machine.’
’Seeing Huo Hu in this state, I guess Jia Changqing’s two brothers are most likely dead.’
’I’d better wait a few more days. Once things have completely cald down here, I’ll sneak back to Yuanling Square Marketplace. As for Huo Hu... I can’t afford to et with him so casually anymore.’
’Maybe I can have Huo Bai think of sothing... or I could use the Bee Queen’s Mind Divine Techniques to send a tad Spirit Beast to communicate with him. Either way, I shouldn’t be eting Huo Hu face-to-face anymore.’
’Then again, Huo Bai might not want to get involved. Sending a Spirit Beast would be more convenient.’ At this, Fang Qingyuan’s thoughts turned to the crimson young bird.
’It’s been freeloading off for so long; it’s ti for it to pull its weight.’
With that thought, Fang Qingyuan slowly emptied his mind. Curled up inside the ancient, thousand-year-old tree, he entered a ditative state, sowhere between sleep and wakefulness.
.....
「Three days later.」
Fang Qingyuan was awakened by an unusual spiritual wave. When he focused his senses on the disturbance, he was surprised to discover two cultivators conversing where Huo Hu had fought.
One of them was the monk from that day, while the other was dressed as a Daoist. Sensing his cultivation, Fang Qingyuan realized he was a Golden Core Cultivator.
The two were a good twenty-plus li away from Fang Qingyuan’s hiding spot.
At their feet, a Scorpion-tailed Poison Bee clung to a vine, having entered a state of feigned death.
It was through this surviving Scorpion-tailed Poison Bee that Fang Qingyuan could perceive the two cultivators’ presence, yet they remained completely unaware that they were being watched.
"Uncle Yuan Jian, what’s the situation?"
The Golden Core Cultivator retracted his Magical Power and casually set up a Spirit Shield so seventy or eighty feet in diater that concealed their forms and muffled all sound. Then he spoke directly to Kongwen.
"Wenxin, there’s no one else here. Go ahead and drop the disguise. I find this look of yours... irritating."
This sound-dampening Spirit Shield could prevent anyone below the rank of Golden Core Cultivator from hearing their conversation, but the one who cast it failed to notice that a Scorpion-tailed Poison Bee was also inside.
At his uncle’s command, Monk Kongwen—that is, Ji Wenxin—sheepishly activated his Divine Technique and reverted to his original appearance.
A few breaths later, Ji Wenxin, once disguised as an eminent monk, had transford into a dashing young gentleman who exuded the air of a refined scholar. There was not a trace of his forr Buddhist appearance to be seen.
This was Ji Wenxin’s Lifebound Talent, which allowed him to imitate cultivators he had seen. The Monk Kongwen persona was just one of his many aliases.
No one of his own rank could see through Ji Wenxin’s disguise; even Golden Core Cultivators could be fooled. But in front of his uncle, Ji Wenxin had no need for such pretenses.
"Huo Hu has indeed beco demon-possessed. The residual Demonic Qi in this area is dense, and it matches his Magical Power signature. It seems Zhao E Lian wasn’t just spouting nonsense."
The speaker was Ji Wenxin’s Golden Core Uncle, Ji Yuanjian, who was also a regional inspector for the Great Zhou Academy.
So ti ago, he had received a formal report from Zhao E Lian, accusing soone within the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect of colluding with a Demon-possessed Cultivator.
A formal accusation from a Golden Core Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect was sothing Ji Yuanjian took very seriously, especially with the involvent of a Demon-possessed Cultivator. The matter was of grave importance.
But the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect was a powerful and influential sect, so Ji Yuanjian couldn’t go knocking on their door directly. Thus, he dispatched Ji Wenxin to investigate under a disguised identity.
They had now confird the identity of the Demon-possessed Cultivator, but they had failed to capture him. More importantly, while Ji Yuanjian had his suspicions about who was colluding with Huo Hu, he lacked any concrete proof.
As a regional inspector for the Great Zhou Academy, Ji Yuanjian held a high status, but the Soul-Searching Secret Technique, which could be used on Loose Cultivators, was off-limits for mbers of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect.
"So, Uncle Yuan Jian, what’s our next move?"
Ji Yuanjian gazed at the devastated landscape, pondered for a mont, and then spoke.
"The usual plan. Change your identity, infiltrate the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, get close to the head of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, and do whatever it takes to find proof of his collusion with Huo Hu. That way, even if the Beast Taming General Mountain cos calling, we’ll have the moral high ground."
"Even if you can’t find evidence, as long as you learn when they plan to et, we can catch them red-handed. So, I’m counting on you for this."
Ji Wenxin nodded in agreent. He was well-practiced in such matters, having investigated and subsequently dood no fewer than five sects in the past. The only difference this ti was that the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect was a much bigger fish.
But considering Huo Hu’s status, Ji Wenxin hesitated.
"Huo Hu is a disciple of the Beast Taming Huo Family. If we apprehend him, I fear Huo Gan won’t be pleased to see it."
Ji Yuanjian smiled slightly.
"Don’t worry. I’ll report this to Master Yu Liang. Apprehending a Demon-possessed Cultivator of such noble standing as Huo Hu will only serve to highlight our own accomplishnts. Master Yu Liang will help us bear any pressure that cos our way."
After exchanging a few more words, Ji Yuanjian dispelled the Spiritual Power Shield and flew off on his artifact. Ji Wenxin remained for a mont in thought, then activated his Divine Technique. In the blink of an eye, he transford into a bewitchingly beautiful Foundation Establishnt Female Cultivator.
He adjusted his expression, let out a few soft chuckles, and then flew confidently in the direction of Yuanling Mountain.
Long after the two had departed, the Scorpion-tailed Bee remained motionless. Eventually, it dropped to the ground, its life completely extinguished.
anwhile, Fang Qingyuan, still over twenty li away, remained hidden, in no hurry to reveal himself.
「Five days later.」
Fang Qingyuan finally opened his eyes, his expression solemn. He erged from the heart of the tree and strode toward Yuanling Mountain.
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