Chapter 114: Wasted Effort (Fourth Update)

Xu Yuan ignored the fleeing ghost infant and waited nearly a stick of incense time before retrieving Wang Shen’s spleen.

The Haikou Toad had been crushed into a slurry of flesh, its hide reduced to nothing but a thin skin.

Fu Jingyu carefully inspected it, hoping most of all to preserve the eyeball.

But it was utterly crushed.

“What a pity,” Fu Jingyu sighed.

Lu Zhengyan came over and sliced open the Haikou Toad’s skin with his Daguan blade: “Everyone take a piece.”

Xu Yuan felt that eating this skin would further strengthen his Pi Dan.

But thinking of the Haikou Toad’s oozing, pus-covered body… he simply couldn’t bring himself to eat it.

In the end, he took only a piece from its belly, planning to give it to his stepmother later to see what she could make of it.

He then asked Master Fu for a “stink-wrapping pouch” to store it in; Master Fu readily gave him one.

Yan Lao asked Xu Yuan: “What did you find in the carriage?”

Xu Yuan opened the carriage and found, to his surprise, a single tongue tendon still intact!

Clearly from the Haikou Toad’s tongue.

This was perfect for reinforcing his Jin Dan.

Xu Yuan took it without hesitation: “It’s mine.”

No one objected.

“Alright, let’s head back to town,” Fu Jingyu exhaled.

When they reached the village, Bai Lao went home alone; Xu Yuan made a pact with him: “We’ll start organizing the Public Office as soon as we return. I’ll have Aguang notify you.”

Bai Lao still looked uneasy: “Don’t break your word! And you still owe us our payment…”

“I’ll have Aguang bring it along.”

Xu Yuan glanced again toward the village gate—Zhang San wasn’t there: “Please tell Zhang San that his payment will be delivered too.”

Bai Lao nodded, about to mention something else, but thought better of it and decided to wait until the Public Office was established; he swallowed his words.

Leaving the village, they passed by the crooked-neck tree of Piao Dang and saw him hanging from it, holding the small booklet Xu Yuan had given him, his long tongue flipping pages as he read.

Two elegant female ghosts stood nearby, attending to him.

He was so absorbed he didn’t notice until Xu Yuan and the others greeted him.

Seeing Xu Yuan smirking at the two ghostly attendants, Piao Dang cleared his throat and waved his hand without blinking: “You two may go.”

The two female ghosts bowed and sank into the ground, vanishing.

“Are you leaving now?”

Xu Yuan nodded, dug up the mountain goods he’d buried earlier: “We’re going. Thank you for your timely help—until next time!”

Not far along the path, Xu Yuan turned back and saw the two female ghosts had already reappeared, clinging to Piao Dang’s sides—one on each.

That hanging ghost’s tongue was restless again…

“Tsk tsk,” Xu Yuan said. “You scholars really know how to have fun.”

Fu Jingyu looked utterly baffled—he was a Wen Xiu, but he could certainly be called a scholar.

What did I do?

Along the way, Xu Yuan veered off course: “We need to stop by Plum Pool and tell those two foxes we’ve killed the Haikou Toad.”

Fu Jingyu grew curious: “How did you come to know those two foxes?”

Xu Yuan answered casually: “I used to gather firewood in the mountains; sometimes we’d meet and chat, and over time we grew familiar.”

He’d wanted to mention their joint battle against the Holy Witch, but that would tie in the Pingtian Society, so he stopped there.

Fu Jingyu was suspicious: Those two foxes are mountain demons too—how could you casually chat with them while gathering firewood? Aren’t you afraid of dying?

Avoiding the territories of some Head Monsters, they traveled half an hour through the mountains before Xu Yuan climbed to a peak.

From here, he looked down and saw Plum Pool clearly.

The view was excellent—if hidden well, you could watch the two foxes for a full hour without them noticing.

This had once been Xu Yuan’s exclusive observation spot.

Even if the foxes noticed, the distance was great enough that if he turned and sprinted downhill, they’d struggle to catch him.

Now he realized: they probably couldn’t catch him not because they were slow, but because they were among the weakest Head Monsters—if they chased too far, they might stray into another’s territory and get hurt.

From the pool below, a woman’s tinkling laugh echoed through the silent mountains, sweet and alluring.

Yan Lao and Lu Lao leaned forward from behind, took one look, shook their heads, and pulled back.

Fu Jingyu, at the rear, respectfully waited until the two elders had looked before stepping forward to peer down.

He immediately covered his eyes: “Unseemly! I won’t look!”

Then he blurted out: “So this is how you became acquainted with the two sisters, Xu Young Master.”

Xu Yuan jumped up in outrage: “How dare you slander my reputation without proof!”

Fu Jingyu was indeed a gentleman—he wouldn’t say anything without solid evidence, but inwardly he was certain.

Xu Yuan opened his mouth to shout down at them: “Stop bathing!”—then clapped his hand over his mouth, wondering: Is it forbidden to shout in the mountains today?

The two foxes had already spotted him; they shot out of the water with a hiss, landed, and transformed into two yellow-furred foxes, shaking off the water:

“Bad luck! All that effort wasted!”

“We were seen naked again—what a loss!”

Fu Jingyu glanced at Xu Yuan—wasn’t this the victim’s testimony?

Xu Yuan acted as if he hadn’t heard, descended the mountain, and reached the pool’s edge—when suddenly two small foxes darted out from beneath the old plum tree.

They chirped softly, gazing at Xu Yuan with hopeful eyes.

Xu Yuan scratched his head awkwardly: “I didn’t come from outside the mountains this time—I didn’t bring you any live chickens.”

The two small foxes’ eyes instantly filled with disappointment; their mournful gaze made Xu Yuan squirm. Then he pointed at Da Fu: “Here’s a goose—how about you take a bite?”

Da Fu: Huh?

The two small foxes instantly fluffed up in terror and shot into the nearby grass, refusing to come out.

The fox sisters complained: “You’re always picking on the little ones.”

Xu Yuan: “Enough. Let’s get to the point—I’ve killed the Haikou Toad for you.”

The sisters were stunned: “Really?”

“Absolutely true!” Xu Yuan turned to leave: “I just happened to pass by and thought I’d tell you—we’re even now. Farewell!”

Xu Yuan finished speaking, stepped onto his Fire Wheel, and sped off.

The fox sisters were still stunned—the Haikou Toad was a formidable Head Monster, and you, this little lecher, actually killed him?!

Such a lie would be pointless—it must be true.

Suddenly, the younger sister realized and dashed after Xu Yuan: “Don’t run! Give back the Shan Ye Stele!”

In that short time, Xu Yuan was nearly at the peak!

Fu Jingyu and the others had just been wondering why he was in such a hurry, even using his Fire Wheel!

Now they understood—he was trying to keep their property.

Xu Yuan ignored the younger fox’s shouts, but when he reached the peak, he saw a black-furred fox in dark robes, sitting like an old scholar, hands behind his back, a wine gourd beside him.

Xu Yuan smiled and stopped: “You’re here, old sir—I was just looking for you.”

The old fox extended his hand: “Give it back.”

Xu Yuan pulled out the fragments of the Shan Ye Stele—but didn’t hand them over immediately. Instead, he said seriously: “You’re a senior. Is this how you should behave?”

(End of Chapter)