Two little demons jumped out from the dark forest. They had fox heads and fox bodies, their Demon Qi mixed and impure, yet they were tall and walked like humans, clearly the lowest level of fodder soldiers.
Such little demons had impure Demon Qi, no matter how much they cultivated, it was difficult to produce Magical Power, so they could only be sent to patrol the periphery.
"Call your leader out!"
Chao Mu’s face was cold, he wore a purple robe, with longevity eyebrows and gray hair, and he was in a very bad mood.
Unwilling to waste words with these fodder soldiers.
The two little demons, seeing Chao Mu’s overbearing demeanor, were furious and were about to scold him when they heard a charming voice from behind reprimand.
"Do not be disrespectful to the senior!"
Hong Luan and Hu Yang hurriedly walked out from inside, and upon seeing Chao Mu, Hong Luan recalled Zhang Jian’s instructions before leaving, her expression changed slightly, and she quickly stepped forward to salute.
"Senior has arrived, our Fox Race failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive us!"
"Please come in, senior!"
She and Hu Yang quickly made way, Chao Mu looked at Hong Luan and Hu Yang with some surprise, a hint of astonishment in his deep eyes.
"This Nanshan Fox Race indeed has some Dao Practice!"
After leading Chao Mu into the Fox Race’s residence, Hong Luan, although unwilling in her heart, still followed Zhang Jian’s instructions and revealed the background of the Fox Race. Several vermilion fruits of four to five hundred years grade were offered, intended for Bai Shi and Bai Shiyi to transform form.
Also, there was the carefully crafted Hundred Flowers Tea.
"Senior, the South Mountain area is barren, our race has nothing else good to offer, please forgive us!"
Beside her, Hu Yang, witnessing this scene, had a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes. These vermilion fruits of five hundred years were obtained by Hong Luan risking her life in a battle with a giant bear. He had wanted one in the past, but Hong Luan wouldn’t give him any.
Now, they were given to a stranger.
Hu Yang didn’t quite believe what Zhang Jian had said.
But he still suppressed his dissatisfaction and maintained a smile.
"How thoughtful of you!"
Seeing these items, Chao Mu glanced at the two fox demons, gaining some patience in his heart; initially, he planned to directly extract the souls of these "fodder" in front of him for interrogation, but now he decided to give the two demons a chance.
However, he did not take the few vermilion fruits that had turned dull in color, only saying indifferently.
"I ask you, do you know who resolved the Resentful Fiend on the mountain ridge?"
Hearing this, Hong Luan’s heart slightly skipped, although Chao Mu never showed his Dao Practice Magical Power, that aura of ’being peerless’ was clearly not something ordinary cultivators possessed.
Her eyes flickered, inherently cunning as a fox, and she initially wanted to conceal some information, but recalling Zhang Jian’s words, she honestly recounted the encounter with Zhang Jian, and the mission to carry a Cyan Lotus into the foothills to seal the Yin Sha Earth Cavity.
However, she kept a bit of discretion, not immediately disclosing Zhang Jian’s identity.
Chao Mu’s expression constantly changed, but his vast Primordial Spirit Divine Sense enveloped the numerous foxes present, discerning the flow of their blood, heartbeat, and energy changes.
Until he reached a certain conclusion.
This fox demon was not lying!
Chao Mu frowned, extinguishing the idea of immediate soul-refining interrogation in his mind.
At this point, he slowly stood up.
"Fox demon, do you know the origin of this dao friend?"
He then stared straight at Hong Luan, and that majestic Spiritual Pressure finally emerged, just a trace causing the many fox demons present to change their expressions.
Hong Luan felt herself like a puppet on strings under this Spiritual Pressure, her heart shocked, immediately sensing the gap between her and the other party, a bit of hesitation in her eyes, she then truthfully revealed Zhang Jian’s identity.
"The benefactor is this year’s Champion Scholar from four years ago, Zhang Jian!"
"Zhang Shidu?"
Chao Mu was slightly stunned, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
This answer was completely beyond his expectations, he knew Zhang Jian not only possessed Vast Righteous Qi but also had Dao Practice, but he did not expect the Dao Practice to be so profound.
This truly shocked him.
Though upon careful thought, Chao Mu had few doubts; since ancient times, scholars embarking on the path of saints were always exceptionally talented, if they engaged in cultivation, they usually advanced rapidly, akin to the thousand-year-old Yu Saint.
After achieving sainthood, embarking on the path of cultivation and attaining the Longevity Body in a short time, this was not surprising.
His gaze slightly shifted, and he abruptly focused on the two fox demons, considering their various actions.
"You seem to have known of my arrival for a long time?"
His gaze was exceptionally sharp, piercing as though through souls.
Hong Luan respectfully said:
"Before the benefactor left, he instructed that if the senior arrived, we must not neglect you!"
Chao Mu’s eyes flickered, he glanced at the two fox demons, snorted coldly and said.
"You do have some Fortune!"
His gaze flickered slightly, and after a moment said:
"Fine, since Zhang Shidu pleaded for you, I will spare your lives, be careful!"
He, expressionless, turned into a stream of light and headed straight for Haojing City.
At this moment, his mood improved considerably.
Knowing that the unknown powerful figure was Zhang Jian, he subtly breathed a sigh of relief!
Truth be told, Zhang Jian as a Daqian Imperial Tutor, was to some extent considered ’half one of us’.
Moreover, Zhang Jian’s Vast Righteous Qi naturally restrained many ghosts and spirits, he still harbored some dread, but it could be somewhat restrained.
In place, the two demons felt as if they had escaped death.
Hu Yang couldn’t help lying on the chair, sweat still on his forehead, the oppression from that person just now was terrifying.
Hong Luan’s jade-like face was also full of relief.
After the two demons rested for a bit, they saw a little demon hurriedly come to report.
"Two leaders, the Cyan Lion King has arrived?"
"What, why has he come?" Upon hearing, Hong Luan’s expression changed.
Cyan Lion was an old demon from the depths of South Mountain, within Lion Head Mountain, his Dao Practice far exceeded the two of them demons.
But Lion Head Mountain was far from here, usually not interacting; why has he suddenly come to Suihu Mountain today?
Upon hearing, Hu Yang’s expression was a bit uneasy, he glanced at Hong Luan, suddenly losing his confidence.
"I previously made a deal with Cyan Lion dao friend, we will leave together, with Cyan Lion dao friend sheltering us, lending us a path, and our Fox Race offering a part of our collected Spiritual Objects..."
Hong Luan was stunned, then instantly furious. "What, how did I not know of such a major event?"
Hu Yang said: "Isn’t this the trouble caused by your disagreement?!"
"Good, Hu Yang, if I disagreed you just acted on your own..."
Hearing this, Hong Luan’s chest heaved with fury, pointing at Hu Yang, unable to speak.
She knew, this time it was really troublesome, Cyan Lion would not be easy to deal with, he surely wouldn’t give up easily!
...
At this moment in Haojing City, Dongxiao Daoist faced the Hell Dao Transmission Map in front, his expression gloomy changing.
"If not me, who will go to hell?"
In Dongxiao Daoist’s eyes lay a shade of gloom; he didn’t want to go to hell.
The map in front, paired with the Resentful Fiend within the Dragon Vein, in his view was Zhang Jian preparing him for self-sacrifice.
At this moment, Dong Jue Daoist stood aside, a bit puzzled in her jade-like face.
But according to her understanding, that Zhang Shidu wasn’t indifferent to such an extent.
"There must be some deeper meaning behind this?"