Chapter 2: Huhu, I

"Where is my home?"

Looking at the Xianhu Temple that had been completely razed to the ground, the culprit, Ren Yidao, sighed with regret.

"Looks like there's no chance to be a 'demolition second-generation' now."

Sigh, it's already been two lifetimes, and I still don't have that kind of luck.

Ren Yidao is a transmigrator, or more accurately, a reincarnator who was sent back to the factory for a rebuild.

In his previous life, he had just cashed out a huge sum of money during a trend, but before he could enjoy it, he was smashed to pieces by an out-of-control mud-truck while trying to save two children.

The person died, and the money wasn't spent.

A tragedy.

Fortunately, he was the only one who sacrificed himself in that car accident.

On his deathbed, Ren Yidao was only thinking about two things:

"Not bad, one for two; this trade wasn't a loss."

And...

"I hope I draw a more two-dimensional fantasy world in my next life! I want to lick a chocolate ice cream..."

As a result, when he opened his eyes again, he had arrived in this dangerous world where ghosts, gods, demons, and monsters run rampant, demonic sects and evil paths act recklessly, and weak mortals can only struggle to survive.

Tsk, I really should have washed my face before I died; it's darker than black silk, that's for sure.

Fortunately, the righteous immortal sects are equally powerful; the strong can split mountains and sever seas, open the Heaven Gate with a single thought, and fly swords across three thousand miles, working together to protect the peaceful and prosperous world behind them.

However, this glorious mission of subduing demons and eliminating monsters has nothing to do with Ren Yidao.

It's not that his ideological awareness can't keep up.

It's just that...

He is merely a little white fox in the mountains with an ancestral bloodline.

Subdue what demons? Eliminate what monsters?

Don't you know I don't have that ability!?

Buddy is the one who is supposed to be eliminated!

Facing the unreasonable teasing of fate, Ren Yidao made a decision on the spot.

Fate does not spare me, and I have never spared fate!

Hmph!

A real man knows when to bend and when to stretch.

If I can't be a human, then I won't be one!

Huhu, I'm not being a human anymore!

But fortunately, Great Demons are everywhere in this world, and as long as he doesn't act ostentatiously, no one will be bored enough to come and persecute this weak little fox.

Thus, while Ren Yidao followed the instincts in his blood to cultivate and become a Transformation Demon in the mountains, he also tried his best to convey his harmlessness to those around him.

Praying for rain during droughts, helping with hunting during famines, helping old grandmas unclog their sewers...

Judging by the results, it was quite effective; the mortals who had received his help even took the initiative to build a Daoist Temple for him, enshrining him as an Auspicious Beast.

Apart from the fact that his gaze toward little female foxes was always a bit off during the season when all things recover every year, this kind of cultivation life was actually quite interesting.

Moreover, after Ren Yidao moved into the Xianhu Temple, he successfully activated his golden finger!

A huge shrine appeared in his Consciousness Sea, inside which a massive Divine Statue with an unclear face was enshrined.

As long as he sacrifices Merit, he can obtain treasures from the Divine Statue.

Although they are only some low-level materials, pills, magic treasures, and cultivation techniques, they have the advantage of being abundant and stable.

And this made Ren Yidao completely abandon the idea of going out to adventure, turning him into a ruthless Merit-accumulating machine.

Doing good deeds to accumulate Merit, exchanging for resources to cultivate, then doing more good deeds... Ren Yidao originally thought he could rely on this perfect cycle to keep hiding here and developing in secret.

It was just that the passing of a woman disrupted all of Ren Yidao's plans, cruelly plucking him from his warm little nest and back to the sect.

That departure lasted for a full seventy years.

Thirty years to cultivate into a demon, then another seventy years of cultivation following that Senior Sister who claimed to be accepting disciples on behalf of her master.

Although he still looked like a youth on the surface, Ren Yidao was actually a bona fide centenarian!

"There are no years in the mountains; a snap of the fingers is already a hundred years."

Ren Yidao had originally only intended to stop by to see his old home, but he never expected it to turn into the mysterious development of personally demolishing his old house.

"However, it's not completely without gains; the Merit for slaying an evil demon is quite substantial."

Closing his eyes, Ren Yidao's consciousness entered before the shrine in his Consciousness Sea, skillfully dispersing the Merit he had accumulated on his body.

The pale golden light of Merit merged into the Divine Statue, and then a concentrated golden ball of light gushed out, flying into Ren Yidao's hand.

【I have accepted the offering you presented.】

【And I have bestowed the gift you desired.】

A voice of indistinguishable gender and age rang in his ears, and when he opened his eyes again, there was a jade-quality Wooden Fish in Ren Yidao's hand, and he simultaneously understood its use.

【Merit Wooden Fish】:

A type of percussion instrument, but for some reason, it can obtain a faint amount of Merit when struck.

"Just this one this time?"

Tap, tap, tap.

He tapped it three times lightly, estimated the increased Merit, and put it away, planning to study it when he had time after returning.

It really is a very faint amount of Merit; I reckon tapping it dozens of times doesn't compare to unclogging a sewer for an old grandma once.

But it's better than nothing; tapping it when I'm free is also quite nice.

The evil demon is eliminated, the reward is collected, and the house is demolished; there's no point in staying here any longer.

The mortal ties are severed.

"Go back!"

As if.

The affairs of Xianhu Temple can be sealed away on the flyleaf of memory, but aren't there other matters here that haven't been dealt with yet?

For instance, that lady with the very white clothes and very large jewelry.

Would Ren Yidao be so wasteful?

How could that be!

As a qualified Merit capitalist, he would never let go of any opportunity to squeeze out the remaining value... *cough cough*.

Ren is a cultivator of Merit!

How could I possibly harm you!

Ren Yidao strolled leisurely in the direction the beautiful woman had left, tapping out a rhythm with his Wooden Fish.

Tap, tap, tap...

"I get drunk and carry my wine to roam the cold mountain."

"Refreshing~ smooth~ slow~ lick~"

Yu Mansion.

Tap, tap, tap.

The youth tapping the Wooden Fish walked through the gate guarded by the gatekeeper as if no one were there, stepping into the brightly lit mansion.

The night was already deep, but the Yu Mansion was still a scene of busyness, with servants running about everywhere.

"The lady is back!"

"Quickly go report to the Old Lady! Tell everyone out searching to stop!"

Ren Yidao and the beautiful woman had entered the mansion one after the other, though he hadn't actually intended to come so quickly.

Bestowing favor upon others is not as simple as just slapping benefits onto someone's face; everything must rely on timing.

He had long since mastered the routine of accumulating Merit; for the same good deed, providing help in a time of need is far more effective than adding flowers to embroidery, and the Merit gained can even be several times greater.

Following his usual habits, Ren Yidao should have waited until the beautiful woman was at her wit's end again before making a leisurely appearance.

But an unexpected turn of events made him change his mind.

The Demon Qi he had left on the Demon Pill to track its location had vanished.

It hadn't dissipated naturally, nor had it been dispelled by someone; instead, it was as if... it had been devoured?

Oh ho?

Things are becoming interesting.

Who did this good deed?

An expert hidden deep within the Yu Mansion? Some passing Kamen Rider? Or could it be... that Yu'er of hers?

"I am curious."

Passing through the covered walkways and the busy servants, Ren Yidao went straight to the place where the Demon Qi had disappeared.

"Sob sob sob! Yu'er! My Yu'er!"

Hearing the woman's sobbing from inside the room, Ren Yidao gently pushed the door open.

As expected, he saw the woman kneeling before the bed, clutching a little girl while her shoulders shook continuously.

And standing beside the beautiful woman, there was also a red-haired figure... hmm?

"... Senior Sister?"

That person turned her head at the sound, flashing a bewitching and alluring, brilliant smile at Ren Yidao.

"Hi~ Little Junior Brother! Do you miss your sister?"

"..."

After locking eyes, Ren Yidao silently stepped back half a pace, closed the door, and turned to leave.

Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

Family, who gets this?

I went out and ran into a toxic woman!

"If you don't mind, sir, I would like Yu'er to acknowledge you as her Foster Father."

"Uh..."

Ren Yidao looked at the beautiful woman who was dragging the bewildered little girl to kneel before him, and for once, he felt his brain wasn't quite enough.

Foster Father? Godfather?

Hiss!

Isn't this just ancient-style sugar daddy stuff?

Why did it turn into this kind of development?

Seeing that Ren Yidao did not refuse, the woman urged:

"Yu'er, why don't you hurry up and call him Foster Father!"

"... Fos, ter Father?"

Meeting a pair of eyes that revealed a clear, foolish innocence, Ren Yidao regained his senses and took a small breath.

No.

If this continues, it seems I really am going to become Cao the Thief!

And also...

Ren Yidao revealed a nuclear-friendly smile at the enchanting girl standing to the side watching the fun.

Senior Sister!

Why are you just watching?!

If you don't mind, would you please kneel down with them?