Chapter 211: Fox Spirit

Night fell, Yan Buji let the other disciples set up camp while he alone stood guard outside.

"Senior brother, aren't you taking a rest?"

"I'll keep watch; you all rest assured." Yan Buji smiled.

"Alright, thanks, senior brother!"

The disciples were grateful to Yan Buji, and his evident strength earned their respect.

Yan Buji sat cross‑legged on the ground, closed his eyes, and contemplated the Shaking Dragon Scripture.

In the deep of night.

Yan Buji suddenly opened his eyes and sneered:

"Who? Crouching in the shadows, too afraid to show yourself?"

"Hehehe, a Daoist of Qingfeng Hall? It's been a while since I tasted one."

"Put away your foxy tricks; I, Qingfeng Hall's Yue Jin, the humble Daoist—if you, demon, don't flee from me, do you think you can kill me?"

A crimson‑gold flash lit Yan Buji's left eye, and he instantly saw the demon hidden in the darkness!

Sure enough, it was a fox spirit!

Foxes are far smarter than ordinary beasts; if they happen to learn demonic cultivation, awaken spiritual intellect, and speak human language, it's not surprising.

However, this fox spirit's demonic aura was extremely strong, already bordering on the peak level of minor demons!

Yan Buji grasped his technique, squinting at the opponent. He admitted it was his first time confronting a demon, and he hadn't expected such a formidable one.

The fox spirit stared at Yan Buji, sensing a tremendously potent blood aura from him, stronger than any mortal warriors it had previously devoured.

Moreover, he was a cultivator, his surrounding magical energy so robust that he was not someone to be trifled with.

The fox spirit's small face twisted, recalling the mission assigned by the elder, it gritted its teeth: "Daoist, if you obediently comply you'll endure less suffering; otherwise, don't blame me for taking action!"

"Ridiculous!"

Yan Buji darted forward in the blink of an eye, his wind‑manipulating secret technique flared, and lightning crackled in his hand!

"Lightning technique? Damn!" The fox spirit reacted swiftly; seeing Yan Buji's rapid approach, it was within a moment at its face, and the flashing lightning in his palm unnerved the fox spirit, causing it to spew a burst of red energy!

Boom!

The thunderbolt flashed, struck the red energy, eroding part of it, yet the remaining red energy stubbornly stayed condensed.

Yan Buji exhaled a light breeze; as his magical force surged, it turned into a gale that blew the red energy aside, while the fox spirit ahead flailed in panic.

"Wind and thunder technique? What a big‑nosed Daoist, with only seven layers of refined Qi to have such a method?!"

The fox spirit's expression soured; it wasn't a fool—wind and thunder arts require a certain cultivator aptitude, and since the Daoist's magical power dwarfed its own demonic aura, whether it could be defeated was uncertain, and the fight would certainly not end quickly.

Thinking of that, the fox spirit sneered: "Yue Jin, huh? You can't escape!"

In the blink of an eye, the fox spirit transformed into a swirl of red energy and sped away.

Yan Buji wisely chose not to chase; the awakened disciples each emerged from their tents, saw Yan Buji ahead, and hurried over.

"Senior brother, what's wrong... what's that smell?"

"Demonic aura; a demon just attacked, but I already drove it away," Yan Buji said gravely.

"A demon?!"

"Even Qingfeng Hall's territory has demons?!"

"The elders inside the Hall usually don't meddle in worldly affairs, but I never expected demons to be so audacious, daring to ambush us on our own ground!"

Yan Buji thought for a moment: "Alright, alright, you all go rest; I'll keep watch."

"Senior brother, you're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine; a petty little demon is no match." Yan Buji laughed.

"Wow, senior brother, you're amazing! I've grown up and never seen a demon before."

It was my first time seeing one as well.

Yan Buji waved his hand, signaling them to continue resting.

The next day arrived.

Yan Buji proceeded on his journey as usual, privately keeping watch around him to guard against another fox spirit ambush.

However, after several days of travel without any follow‑up, they had already arrived at the market town.

Cultivators from Qingfeng Hall arrived here; the surrounding wandering cultivators glanced at them a few times but gave no particular response.

After all, Qingfeng Hall's presence is minimal—so low that nearby cultivators know of the sect but feel no significant pressure from it.

Yan Buji, seeing this scene, offered no comment.

After all, that's Qingfeng Hall's cultivation principle: not interfering with the outside world and focusing on oneself; who would care about you?

Yan Buji, with his very curious disciples, first completed a transaction, tipped the local apothecary, and after settling the money and goods, looked at the disciples wandering and peering outside the gate.

"Senior brother, senior brother, are we... returning to the sect today?"

Yan Buji looked at them and laughed: "The bustling world below—you're also from the secular realm; aren't you tired of it yet?"

"We... are also first‑time visitors to the cultivation market, so naturally we're curious."

"Indeed, indeed."

Yan Buji nodded: "Alright, then rest in the market tonight. Be careful not to disturb anyone's business. If anything happens, come find me here; do not clash with others."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

"Thank you, senior brother!"

The newly arrived disciples grouped in threes and fives and went shopping, while Yan Buji watched them.

To be honest, he didn't care about these people's lives, but for the sake of his reputation in Qingfeng Hall, few like an overly strict person.

Turning, Yan Buji returned to the apothecary and asked: "Owner, do you have these Spiritual Materials here?"

"Ah, Daoist Yue Jin, you..." the shop owner squinted and gestured, and Yan Buji waved his hand.

It was just me buying it myself.

Oh, never mind. These Spiritual Materials… I have them, just wait.

Sorry for the trouble.

Yan Buji put away the Spiritual Materials, walked out of the apothecary and strolled around nearby.

Naturally, this market isn't as bustling as the Gendo Dao Ascension Assembly, and as he walked he saw few good items, not worth his effort.

So, Yan Buji simply sat in front of a tea house on the side, sipping tea while planning his future cultivation path.

The main problem is to achieve magical power synchronization; otherwise, his Five Elements Technique and his Wind‑Thunder magical powers cannot be employed together, which is far from perfect.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have let that fox demon escape; at its speed it could never have gotten out of his hand.

Later, once he successfully cultivates to the eighth layer of Refined Qi, he can leave Qingfeng Temple to gather resources, and then, in passing, search for the traces of Yang Qing and Yang Lan of the Zhi Sheng Dian.

Yan Buji hasn't forgotten that those two likely discovered the marvelous uses of the pattern and may also be concealing the pattern themselves.

Just as he was drinking tea, Yan Buji suddenly saw a disciple dash over, glancing around. The moment the disciple saw Yan Buji, he was thrilled and rushed forward.

"Senior brother, something happened."

Yan Buji nodded, got up and paid the money:

"Lead the way and tell me what happened."

"Oh… senior brother, you're so calm."

"I was mentally prepared."

"....."