Chapter 227: Laying Bare

Two little demons leapt out from the dark forest, they had fox heads and fox bodies, their demonic energy was mixed and impure, yet they were tall and sturdy, walking like humans—at a glance they were clearly the lowest-grade foot soldiers.

Such little demons have impure demonic energy; no matter how they cultivate, they cannot develop magical power, and can only be sent to patrol the outskirts.

"Summon your leader!"

Chaomu's face was cold, he wore a purple robe, had longevity eyebrows and grey hair, and at this moment he was in a foul mood.

He did not wish to waste words on these foot soldiers.

Seeing Chaomu's arrogant bearing, the two little demons flew into a rage and were about to shout, when they heard a charming voice from behind scolding them.

"Do not be rude to your seniors!"

Hongluan and Huyang hurried out from inside, and at a glance they saw Chaomu; Hongluan recalled Zhang Jian's parting words, her expression shifted slightly, and she hurried forward to salute.

"Senior has arrived, our fox clan has failed to welcome you properly—we beg your forgiveness!"

"Please, come inside!"

She and Huyang hastily made way, and Chaomu glanced at Hongluan and Huyang with some surprise, a hint of astonishment flickering in the depths of his eyes.

"This Southern Mountain fox clan does have some cultivation!"

After guiding Chaomu into the fox clan's dwelling, Hongluan, though unwilling in her heart, still followed Zhang Jian's instructions and produced the clan's stores: several crimson fruits aged four to five hundred years, intended for Bai Shi and Bai Shi-yi to use in assuming human form.

Also, carefully brewed hundred-flower tea.

"Senior, the lands of Southern Mountain are barren, our clan has no other fine things—please forgive us!"

Huyang, seeing this from the side, felt a flicker of dissatisfaction; these five-hundred-year crimson fruits were taken by Hongluan at the cost of her life after battling a giant bear, and he had long wanted one, but Hongluan never gave him any.

Yet now she gave them to a stranger.

Huyang did not quite believe what Zhang Jian had said.

Still, he suppressed his inner discontent and wore a smile on his face.

"You have been thoughtful!"

Seeing these things, Chaomu glanced at the two fox demons, and inwardly he gained a little more patience; he had originally planned to directly extract the souls of these "riffraff" for interrogation, but now he prepared to give the two demons a chance.

Yet he did not take those few dim, discolored crimson fruits, and spoke indifferently.

"I ask you: do you know who resolved the vengeful spirits atop the mountain ridges?"

Upon hearing this, Hongluan's heart stirred slightly; though Chaomu had never revealed his cultivation or magical power from beginning to end, that aura of supreme dominance was clearly not something an ordinary cultivator could possess.

Her eyes flickered; fox nature is inherently changeable, she had meant to conceal one or two things, but recalling Zhang Jian's words, she honestly recounted meeting Zhang Jian, being ordered to bring a green lotus into the mountain foothills, and sealing the yin-evil earth cavern.

However, she held back slightly and did not immediately reveal Zhang Jian's identity.

Chaomu's expression shifted slightly, but his vast primordial spirit and divine sense enveloped all the fox demons present, discerning the flow of their blood and qi, their heartbeats, and the changes in their vital energy.

Until he reached a definite conclusion.

This fox demon did not lie!

Chaomu furrowed his brows, and at that moment he extinguished the thought of directly refining souls for interrogation.

At this time he slowly rose to his feet.

"Fox demon, do you know the origins of this fellow Daoist?"

At this moment he fixed his gaze upon Hongluan, that majestic spiritual pressure finally emerging—though only a trace, it was enough to make many fox demons present blanch.

Under this spiritual pressure, Hongluan felt as if she were a puppet on a string in someone's palm; her heart trembled with shock, she immediately sensed the gap between herself and him, her eyes flickered with hesitation, and then she truthfully revealed Zhang Jian's identity.

"Our benefactor is none other than Zhang Jian, the top scholar of this year's examination, four years ago!"

"Zhang the Reader?"

Chaomu's heart jolted, a hint of astonishment appearing in his eyes.

This answer completely exceeded his expectations; he knew Zhang Jian not only possessed mighty righteousness but also had cultivation, yet he never imagined it could be so profound.

This truly shocked him deeply.

But upon careful reflection, Chaomu felt no great doubt in his heart; since ancient times, scholars who walk the path of sages are heaven-endowed talents, and if they set their hearts on the cultivation path, they advance a thousand miles a day, akin to the thousand-year Jade Sage.

After achieving sagehood and then treading the cultivation path, they quickly attain immortal bodies—this is no surprise.

His gaze shifted slightly, then suddenly fell upon the two fox demons, as he considered their various deeds.

"You seem to have known of my arrival long ago?"

His gaze was unusually sharp, as if it could pierce the soul.

Hongluan replied respectfully:

"Before our benefactor departed, he left instructions, saying that when the senior arrives, we must not be remiss!"

Chaomu's gaze fluctuated, he glanced at the two fox demons, and coldly snorted.

"You do have some fortune!"

His gaze flickered slightly, then after a moment he said:

"Never mind, since Zhang the Reader spoke on your behalf, I will spare your lives—do as you will!"

He showed no expression, his form transformed into a stream of light and shot straight toward Haojing City.

At this time his mood improved considerably.

Upon learning that the unknown powerful one was Zhang Jian, his heart relaxed somewhat!

To speak frankly, Zhang Jian, as an Academician Reader of the Great Qian, in a certain sense counts as half of "our own."

Moreover, Zhang Jian's mighty righteousness inherently restrains many ghosts and spirits; he still feels wary, but at least he can somewhat restrain them.

On the spot, the two demons were as if they had escaped death.

Huyang also could not help but recline in his chair, his forehead still beaded with sweat; the pressure that man had exerted on him was too terrifying.

Hongluan's jade countenance was also filled with relief.

After the two demons rested briefly, they saw a little demon hurrying in from outside to report.

"Two leaders, has the Green Lion King arrived?"

"What, how did he come?" Upon hearing this, Hongluan's expression changed.

Qing Shi is an old demon deep in the southern mountains, in Shishou Mountain, whose cultivation far surpasses that of the two demons.

But Shishou Mountain is quite far from here, and they usually do not interact; how did it suddenly run to this Sohu Mountain today?

Upon hearing this, Huyang's expression became somewhat uneasy; he glanced at Hongluan and suddenly lost his composure.

"I previously made a deal with Daoist Qing Shi; we left together, with Daoist Qing Shi protecting us, lending us a path, and our fox clan would hand over part of our collected spiritual objects..."

Hongluan was stunned, then instantly furious. "What, how could I not know about such a major matter?"

Huyang said: "This isn't the trouble you caused by disagreeing!"

"Fine, you Huyang, if you disagree, you just act on your own..."

Upon hearing this, Hongluan was so angry her chest heaved, pointing at Huyang unable to speak.

She knew this time the trouble was truly great; that Qing Shi is no easy companion, and this visit likely won't end lightly.

……

At this moment in Haojing City, Daoist Dongxiao was facing the Hell Transmission Diagram before him, his expression dark and shifting.

"If I don't enter hell, who will?"

Daoist Dongxiao's eyes flickered with gloom; he certainly did not wish to enter hell.

Combined with the resentful evil in the dragon veins, this diagram, in his view, was Zhang Jing's preparation for him to sacrifice himself.

At this moment, Daoist Dongjue stood nearby, her jade-like countenance also showing some confusion.

But according to her understanding, that Zhang Shidu would not be so cold-hearted.

"There must be some deeper meaning in this?"