The fox burst out laughing, clutching its belly and rolling on the ground as it answered, "He is just a pig-brained fool. What kind of scheme could he come up with?! He feasted with a bunch of demons for three days, cursing loudly, then got drunk and passed out. When he woke up, he continued cursing, and after they had eaten everything in the den, they all went back to their own lairs."
Li Tongya was momentarily stunned, unsure of whether to laugh. He chuckled a couple of times, then saw the fox straighten up and say earnestly, "Your family is too righteous and too close to the common people. It always confuses me. They are just commoners... What harm is there if these demons eat a few of them? The common people are raised to be used, aren't they? If you do not use them, they will keep multiplying, eventually running out of land and livelihood, and then they will curse and hate you...
"I have lived by the shore for hundreds of years and have seen many things. Newly risen families treat the commoners well when they are weak. But once they reach the Qi Cultivation or Foundation Establishment Realm, they no longer care about the lives of these people. Your family, however, has never changed... You, of all people, should understand this isn't how it should be."
The fox rambled on, only to look up and see Li Tongya's face darken with a hint of anger. The fox fell silent, somewhat fearful, and shook its head hesitantly. It wanted to apologize, yet felt it shouldn't, so it merely watched him in silence.
Li Tongya sighed, suppressing his discomfort, and said wearily, "You speak too much, my friend. My youngest brother was made into someone else's food, and I come from a farming background, so I cannot listen to this. Our family raises commoners for our own purposes. You do not need to worry about it."
The white banyan fox, being a demon, valued Li Tongya as a close friend, but ultimately cared only for him. Seeing Li Tongya unmoved by its advice, the fox flicked its tail and said, "That stupid pig will probably come looking for you to ask about this matter... Deal with it yourself!"
Li Tongya nodded and thanked the fox. Allowing the demons to prey on the townspeople was out of the question, and Li Tongya already despised the actions of the Purple Mansion Realm and Golden Core Realm cultivators above him. If he let the townsfolk be devoured, how would he be any different from those cultivators?
Moreover, the formation of talisman qi required the support of incense and offerings—the greater the number of people under his rule, the better. According to the standards of the Sacrificial Ritual Method , Li Tongya already felt that the talisman pills condensed from the incense provided by his people were too little, so he could not afford to lose them.
Seeing Li Tongya's firm stance, the fox could only nod. Li Tongya then asked, "Do you know about the situation of the demons in Xu State?"
"Xu State..." A flash of fear crossed the fox's eyes, and it said in a low voice, "How could I not know! The expansion of Buddhism to the south terrifies us demons more than you cultivators!"
Li Tongya raised an eyebrow, and the fox, flicking its tail, continued, "Buddhism has these spells and techniques they call destinies or something. At first sight, they'll want to capture you! Once captured, they'll force you to become a vegetarian, and if that isn't enough, they make you their lackey, calling you a spirit beast... Who wouldn't be terrified?!"
The fox shook its head and stood up, saying, "Do not be fooled just because we demons in Jiangnan seem to be doing well—we gain spiritual wisdom and refine our bones, and we can call the immortal cultivators our brothers and friends, establishing the sixteen demon dens to stand alongside the three sects and seven gates. Purple Mansion Realm demon cultivators can roam the world and make friends everywhere..."
The fox paused and continued, "But in the north, there's no place for demons. As demons, we either die or become slaves to humans... There is no third path. We are all subjected to spells, made into spirit beasts, and spend our lives being trampled underfoot! If a demon dares to fly, regardless of its intentions, they will pull it down to indoctrinate it!"
Li Tongya was greatly enlightened by these words and, coming to a sudden realization, responded, "If that is the case, it means the demons in Xu State currently have no backing or protection. My family wants to capture a demon from Xu State, and we feared the risk of offending someone."
The fox laughed heartily, waving its paws repeatedly. "Nowadays, any demon with some background or knowledge has fled Xu State. Only the ignorant and naive ones remain in that place. Buddhism has already swallowed most of Xu State... Who would want to stay there?" The fox sneered.
"I see," Li Tongya now had a plan in mind, and felt relieved that the matter of the sacrificial demon had been sorted. His mood improved considerably, and he could not help but ask another question, "Why have no powerful forces stepped forward to stop Buddhism's southward advance? It is a scramble between different teachings, after all."
The fox shook its head and answered, "How would I know about you humans? Probably because you lost."
Li Tongya fell silent. His family had not even ventured beyond Moongaze Lake
and had no right to think about such grand matters. He took out some Spirit Paddies as a token of gratitude.
The fox, delighted, accepted the large bag and sat down to eat right away. Li Tongya then took his leave and rode the wind back north.
The fox, sitting there for a while, eventually hummed and climbed up. It dug out two spirit ores from a tree hole, moistened them with saliva, and mixed them with the Spirit Paddies to eat.
————
Li Tongya landed hastily on Mount Lijing, his heart troubled, thinking to himself, This trip must remain unknown to the Yu Family. Without a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator currently on guard, who knows what mischief Yu Mugao might cause? A quick trip with a swift return would minimize such danger.
That Foundation Establishment Realm wolf demon was able to conquer a mountain, so its strength must be considerable. I am confident I can kill this demon, but capturing it alive by myself... I'm not sure if that's possible...
Li Tongya pondered for a while. The idea of capturing a demon alive was indeed strange, and he could not ask for the help of another Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. After some thought, he decided, "Perhaps I should ask for the help of the mirror to suppress the demon..."
He then stepped through the central courtyard into the backyard. A white protective barrier appeared. Li Tongya performed a hand seal, and a small passageway, just enough for one person, opened up in the barrier.
This internal formation was linked to the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation on Mount Lijing and could only be unlocked with a secret method known to only a few within the Li family.
Li Tongya stepped into the backyard where the stone slabs were covered in moss, and the autumn wind had scattered fallen leaves all over the ground.
With a sweep of his sleeve, the leaves were piled up neatly. Li Tongya took a few steps forward and entered the ancestral hall. After offering more incense, he then entered the secret chamber.
There, on a stone platform glowing with mana light, lay a small, palm-sized bluish-gray mirror that was floating quietly. Soft white moonlight streamed down, filling the stone chamber with cloud-like mist, making it look like a celestial realm.
Li Tongya waved his hand gently, lighting up several mana-powered candles in the chamber. He kneeled and bowed deeply, then stood up. After organizing his thoughts, he respectfully addressed the mirror with a slightly complex expression.
"Li Tongya, the descendant of the Li Family, humbly requests the mirror to exterminate demons and eliminate evil, in return for a blood offering..."