Fox Demon Cultivation Manual Chapter 24

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The silver moon hung in the sky like a hook. A gust of chilly wind pa.s.sed, and layers of dark clouds concealed the moon among the vast night sky.

The entire Mo Yao was brightly lit. The sudden ringing of the bell in the middle of the night had roused everyone from their sleep as the sound permeated every corner of Yu Shi Peak. The first chapter of the ma.s.sacre had been unveiled.

Song Ci followed Mirror Old Man out of the room in a panic. He saw a light blue dome hanging over the dark sky. It was so huge it seemed to envelop all of Mo Yao.

“What’s that?” Song Ci raised his head and asked doubtfully.

“The Mo Yao barrier. It’s to prevent evil beings from invading Mo Yao.” Mirror Old Man was so anxious he wanted to pull Song Ci along and leave. He was no match for Song Ci’s questionings. But he knew that if he did not explain it clearly, Song Ci would not leave.

“This barrier was originally bestowed by an immortal from the Realm of Immortals. It is admittedly solid. But the demons at present aren’t your average demons. I heard that the head of one of the twelve Demon Capitals is personally leading the demons here. The barrier can’t hold them back at all! Moreover…”

“Moreover?” Song Ci frowned. 

“Moreover, there’s a crack in the barrier. I’m afraid it can’t even withstand a single blow.” Mirror Old Man pointed to the easternmost part of the dome.

Song Ci looked at it and saw a fissure among the blue light. As a picture flashed through his mind, his heartbeat sped up.

It was the dawn they first came to Mo Yao a few days back when Rong Bai’s clear eyes reflected the golden ray of light from the horizon as he set his sight on the easternmost direction.

At that time, Song Ci had followed his eyes. But he had seen nothing, and so he paid it no mind. 

But now that he thought of it, could it be that… Rong Bai had already noticed the crack in the barrier at that time? Or was it just a coincidence?

“The barrier hasn’t fallen apart yet. Does that mean those demons have yet to enter?” Song Ci asked.

“All it takes is a snap of a finger to shatter it. Besides, even if those outside has not made it inside, those from the back mountain are already running all over the grounds. We won’t be safe regardless of whether we are within or outside the barrier. All we can do now is to leave Yu Shi Peak!” Mirror Old Man urged him on. “Little Lascivious Demon, your demonic power is too weak. You’ll have a problem preserving your life. Don’t hesitate!”

“Mirror Old Man, I’m returning this to you.” Song Ci took out a small bronze mirror from his bosom and took Mirror Old Man’s hand to hand him the mirror. “Leave after taking it. I can’t go yet.”

Mirror Old Man furrowed his brows and threw him a questioning look. “Why?”

“My friend is still in Mo Yao sect. If I leave, I may lose contact with him.” Song Ci explained.

If he left, finding Rong Bai again would be as difficult as ascending to Heaven. Rong Bai was now extremely important to him. Losing him was like losing half of his life. Song Ci did not want to take the risk.

“You…” For a moment, Mirror Old Man did not know what to say. He understood who Song Ci was referring to, and he was deeply aware of how formidable that friend of his was. But he was afraid Song Ci would die while looking for him.

“I’ll go with you.” Mirror Old Man was still holding on to Song Ci’s wrist. 

“There’s no need to. You have other matters to see to.” Song Ci shook his head and gently brushed his hand away. He still remembered what Mirror Old Man had said the day he helped him out of the dungeon.

Mirror Old Man said, “I still have unfinished business. I must leave this demon sealing dungeon; otherwise, I won’t die in peace.”

Song Ci thanked him softly. “Thank you. We shall meet again if destiny permits.”

As expected, Mirror Old Man did not insist on tagging along after Song Ci said these words to him. Instead, he kept a close eye at Song Ci’s departing back until he vanished into the chaos. Only then did Mirror Old Man slowly keep the bronze mirror and turned to leave.

The Six Realms were so vast, it could accommodate the rise and fall of millions of living creatures. For someone to say “we shall meet again if destiny permits”, he was actually saying his last farewell. 

Mirror Old Man repeated silently in his heart. “We shall meet again if destiny permits, Song Ci.” 

After bidding farewell to Mirror Old Man, Song Ci quickened his pace and dashed through the empty buildings as he anxiously considered locations Rong Bai and Wen Changchu would go.

The blue and white robe created a brilliant arch through the air. Heat rose from all his four limbs. Song Ci gradually felt tired after pa.s.sing through several empty rooms in a row. He panted and thought of stopping. Just then, a voice rang out.

“Halt—!”  

Song Ci stopped at once. His chest tightened as he looked towards the voice. He saw a fair-faced man standing at a side, dressed in a gray garment. The man was staring at Song Ci with a malevolent look. “Little child. You look fine and tender. You should taste delicious.”

“Eldest brother, just one leg is enough for me.” A younger-looking youth appeared beside the man. He looked carefully at Song Ci’s covered legs and said solemnly, “I want the right leg.”

“I want the arms and thighs. I’m growing up. I need to eat more!” Before Song Ci could speak, a child of about nine or ten years of age appeared next to the youth. He had red lips, white teeth, and big glistening eyes. His tone was far from his eldest brother’s threatening tone.

Song Ci’s nose twitched. These three smelled familiar to him. He narrowed his eyes and said nothing. 

“Eldest brother, there is something wrong with his reaction…” The youth whispered to the man.

“He’s just so scared he’s pretending to be strong. Children nowadays have high self-esteem.” The man replied in a low voice, then said to Song Ci with a fierce expression. “It’s your unlucky day to come across us today. Don’t wait for me to do it myself. Tear off your arms and legs on your own!” 

The two younger brothers imitated him and nodded.

Song Ci asked with uncertainty, “I seem to have seen you guys somewhere before…”

“Don’t you fricking play the friendly card with us!” The youth yelled. “Who has seen you before?!” 

“Eldest brother, this lad isn’t afraid, nor does he beg for mercy. Isn’t it different from what we imagined?” The youngest boy hurriedly asked.

“Who says so? You can see his brows are all scrunched up, he’s obviously frightened.” Song Ci did not know if there was something wrong with the man’s eyes or his brain.

“Exactly.” The youth joined in. “He’s too scared to beg for mercy.”

The boy was skeptical and asked Song Ci, “Are you terrified?”   

Song Ci suspected that there was a screw loose in these guys’ brains. He said with some impatience. “Fellows, if you have anything to say, just voice it. I still have something on. I don’t have the time to chat with you.” 

The three brothers simultaneously looked happy and whispered to each other.

“He pleaded for mercy!” 

“As expected, he’s scared. As I said, how would a kid not feel frightened on seeing the three of us?”

“Eldest brother is truly awesome. This plan is flawless!” 

Song Ci, “…” He really did not want to listen to the conversation of these three fools. 

The man pretended to be enigmatic and coughed twice. “Since you’re so afraid, then I’ll have pity on you and spare your life. Now, hand over all your silver in exchange for your life!”

After all this trouble, they were just here for money? 

Touching the silver Wen Changchu had given him before, Song Ci instantly recalled who the three men were.

These were the three waiters from the inn in the City of Le Yu who had scammed his silver.

Song Ci looked at the three of them and abruptly bent over to pick up a bamboo stick from the ground. The moment he picked it up, there was a flash of faint, white light on the bamboo stick. Without noticing it, Song Ci rapped on each of their heads with the stick.

Right after getting smacked, the youngest boy fell to the ground with a painful cry, and a pair of long and gray ​rabbit-like ​ears ​stood out from his hair​.

The man glared at ​him and stretched out his arms to shield his two younger brothers behind him​. He warily asked, ​“You​, what do you want?!”

“​So it’s three rabbit demons. No wonder they ​aren’t that bright.” Song​ Ci found it inexplicably funny and said to ​the eldest brother, “You cheated me of my ​silver in the inn before. Why can’t you recognize me now?”

​The man’s expression changed. With wide-opened eyes​, his eyes roamed over Song Ci’s face several times. ​All at once, he kneeled on the ground and bowed. “​Great Immortal ​Song! ​So it’s you! ​We were ​blind not to recognize you​, please do not hold it against us!”​

As soon as he kneeled​, his two younger brothers ​followed suit with their heads bowed.

“If you don’t want me to hold it against you, that’s fine. But first, give me all your ​silver!” Song ​Ci said fiercely and rapped the man on the head with ​the bamboo. “How dare ​you try to rob me again? I’ve never seen such a ​money-grubbing rabbit!”

If it weren’t for the time constraint, Song Ci would ​have taught them a good lesson.

​The man did not dare to dawdle ​and hurriedly searched his body​. He almost cried as he held​ up​ all ​his silver in his hand. ​​“This is all I have! This is all I have!​” ​

Song Ci ​swiped all his silver clean without mercy​. ​​Stuffing them ​into his bosom, he said, “I think the three of you are too idle. You ​need to find something to do.”

“There were two formidable ​men in the ​City of Le​ Yu earlier, and one of them was a Daoist priest in white. ​Do you still remember him?”

​The man nodded hurriedly. “I remember! I remember!”

“He’s here ​too. The three of you​, go and look for him. Let me know when ​you find him.” Song ​Ci ​had no qualms about​ ordering the three of them around​.

If ​he allowed these three ​rabbit demons to ​go free​, they ​would most likely ​go and ​rob others of their money. ​Might as well put them to work for him.

The man looked awkward. “This…”

“​Hmmm?” Song Ci raised an ink-black eyebrow. The threat was obvious. ​Reaching out to pluck a ​bunch of ​fur from the little boy’s ear​, he shamelessly said, “If you dare to run, I’ll use this rabbit fur to ​chase you to the ends of the earth and rob you of all your money!”

​Having said so, he whacked the ​eldest ​hare demon on the head​. “Go!”

​Before the three of them could respond, ​Song Ci rushed off, wondering whether ​he should find Rong​ Bai or Wen​ Chang​chu​ first.

While he was in a ​state of anxiety, ​he heard a sudden commotion. Song Ci turned and ran towards the ​sound. ​He had only taken a few steps when there was a loud noise, and the sidewall of the building in front of him suddenly blew apart. ​A demonic beast covered ​in blood burst through the wall​ and rolled several times ​before it​ collapsed ​onto the ground​. It landed only a few steps away from Song Ci.

He stopped and saw that the ​demonic beast was barely​ ​breathing. ​Its wide-open mouth ​revealed its uneven fangs​, and its teeth were full of blood. ​There were also many ​big and small ​wounds​ on its body​. The ​stench of blood enveloped Song Ci.

​It was ​obviously ​a fierce battle.

Song Ci ​gulped. Taking a few steps back, he saw a man stepping out of the building through all those dust. When the light from the lamp​ above​ illuminated his body​​, Song Ci​ met his gaze.

​It was ​Wen Changchu​, who​ was drenched in blood.

Song ​Ci hastily ​​sidestepped the ​demonic beast’s ​corpse and ran over. “​Wen Changchu, are you ​okay? Why is there so much blood on ​you? Where ​are you hurt?”

Wen Chang​chu​ was surprised to see Song Ci. He touched the ​beads of ​blood on ​his ​hand and returned Song Ci’s question with his own. “I’m fine. This is not my blood. ​Why are you here? ​Aren’t you with Master Rong?” 

“He said he found the ​Devil Seal fragment. ​He should be ​getting it now.” Song ​Ci ​replied honestly.

Unexpectedly, ​Wen Changchu looked astonished on hearing it. “I’ve ​found​ ​the​ Devil Seal fragment too.”

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