Even though Master Ji shouted the famous line, "Don't come over here," the red light still soared onto the altar and collided with Master Ji.
Master Ji let out a pig-slaughtering scream, fell off the altar, rolled on the ground a couple of times, then quickly got up and ran off.
The little novice lying unconscious on the ground also "woke up" just in time, hurriedly got up, and followed behind Master Ji.
"Master! Master!"
Wang Fulai stretched out an "Erkang" hand, calling out to Master Ji, but Master Ji and the little novice didn't look back and kept sprinting away.
"Heeheehee!!"
The red light let out a shrill laugh, darting around the courtyard, teasing those servants who hadn't managed to escape.
Fang Zhou leaned over to Ling Xiaoyue: "Hey, what do we do next?"
Ling Xiaoyue tipped back her head for a sip of liquor, and smiled: "Next, of course, is the moment for your master to make a grand entrance and turn the tide. Disciple, open your eyes wide and watch closely, don't miss the spectacular performance."
Fang Zhou eagerly waited for a while, only to find that after Ling Xiaoyue finished her drink, she began leisurely tidying up her appearance, making him impatient: "Aren't you going to make a move?"
"No rush, your master has to present the most dashing side to talk about the price."
"Price?"
Fang Zhou saw Ling Xiaoyue pour some liquor into her palm, then smear it on her head, her whole person immediately glowed radiantly, it was just like activating special effects and beauty filters, almost blinding him.
Holy shit, what kind of special skill is this?
Wang Fulai also quickly noticed this side.
After the much-anticipated Master Ji had fled, Wang Fulai, who had already despaired, absolutely did not expect that the two young ones, whom she thought came to mooch food and drinks, could still stand calmly in place, unaffected by the demon fox.
Especially that white-clothed woman, who was emitting light from her whole body like luminescence, so dazzling.
At this moment, Wang Fulai finally understood that these two youngsters were the truly capable ones.
She hurriedly wanted to run to Fang Zhou and Ling Xiaoyue to seek protection.
But the red light noticed Wang Fulai's movements, flew straight towards her, grabbed her legs, and dragged her into mid-air.
"Master! Master, save my life please!"
Wang Fulai called out to Ling Xiaoyue for help.
Ling Xiaoyue gave Fang Zhou a look that the time had come, then replied: "No problem in saving you, as cultivators wander the mortal world, we should hone the body and mind and also undertake the demon extermination to benefit the human world."
Fang Zhou: This sounds familiar!
Ling Xiaoyue's words suddenly shifted: "However, we, as master and disciple journeying the world, have spent greatly, and now we are in financial distress, would Sponsor Wang be interested in sponsoring some travel expenses?"
Fang Zhou looked at her unbelievably, this was another way to operate? Wasn't this taking advantage of people's plight?
Ling Xiaoyue turned her head and glared over: "Whose side are you on? I am being brave and righteous while also asking for a little reward; if she won't even give this small reward, why should we extend a helping hand?"
Wang Fulai was also stunned by Ling Xiaoyue's shamelessness, and blurted out without thinking: "This isn't taking advan-ahahahah!!"
She was spun around dozens of times in the air by the demon fox and was already dizzy, unable to take it anymore: "I'll give! I'll give!"
"How much will you give?"
"Five hundred taels!"
Ling Xiaoyue saluted towards Wang Fulai, who was spinning in mid-air: "Sponsor Wang, take care of yourself, we'll meet again in the future."
"No!"
With a splash, water splattered everywhere, and Wang Fulai was thrown by the fox demon into the courtyard's pond.
She emerged from the water and shouted towards Ling Xiaoyue: "Master, please wait!"
The fox demon flew down, pressed down on Wang Fulai's head, and pushed her back into the water.
"Master... glub glub... I'll give... glub glub... a thousand taels... glub glub..."
Ling Xiaoyue considered for a few seconds, then shook her head: "Sponsor Wang, not to be modest, but you should seek someone more capable."
Wang Fulai's head was underwater, already completely unable to make a sound, but she still tried hard to reach out an arm, raising two fingers.
"Glubbery glub glub glubbery glubbery!"
Ling Xiaoyue was satisfied, she picked up the wine pot and threw it forward.
A stream of liquor spilled from the pot, the crystalline liquor instantly solidified into ice, like countless points of starlight, shooting towards the demon fox.
The demon fox hid within this sphere of red light, moving with astonishing speed, rapidly leaving Wang Fulai behind, and flying upward attempting to dodge Ling Xiaoyue's attack.
The wine liquid that shot towards it suddenly expanded, like a sky full of stars, covering all possible escape routes and leaving no room for the demon fox to flee.
Whizzing through the air! The red light was pierced by ice crystals, immediately emitting a high-pitched screech that was clearly filled with agony.
The red light dimmed significantly, revealing the blurry shape of a fox.
This fox glared resentfully at Ling Xiaoyue, then leaped over the wall and disappeared from sight.
This was Fang Zhou's first time seeing Ling Xiaoyue take action, as he had not witnessed it the previous time she saved him.
This was the kind of technique he had imagined a Cultivator to possess, unlike Li Ruyu who would simply draw her sword to chop.
Ling Xiaoyue did not reveal her realm, but Fang Zhou estimated that she might be in the Innate Realm; otherwise, she would not be so eager to escape before the Xuanji Sect, seeing as its Sect Master was at the Golden Core Realm.
The difference between the Innate Realm and Li Ruyu's Foundation Establishment Realm was only one tier, yet the gap in combat power was like heaven and earth.
Fang Zhou somewhat looked forward to the day when he himself would reach the Innate Realm, though he wondered just how many years and months that might take.
He asked Ling Xiaoyue, "Why didn't you keep that fox demon?"
Judging by Ling Xiaoyue's casual demeanor, it was clear that the fox demon was no match for her, and she did not seem to make any effort to stop it as it fled.
Ling Xiaoyue glanced at Fang Zhou and said with profound meaning, "I'll teach you a lesson, making money should be a steady stream, you can't finish all your business at once, do you understand?"
Fang Zhou understood; this woman had a heart as black as coal, enjoying the process of fleecing one victim after another.
Ling Xiaoyue tapped him with her wine jug, "Go on, fish up manager Wang."
Just a moment ago she referred to him as benefactor Wang, and now he's manager Wang.
Fang Zhou had no choice but to strip off his upper garment, leaving just his pants on, and jumped into the pool to fish manager Wang, who was floating on the water, back to shore.
Manager Wang had not been knocked unconscious, clutching Fang Zhou as she was carried, she still managed to reach out and stroke Fang Zhou's strong chest, weakly asking, "Little brother, are you interested in staying with the Wang Family, by my side, and protecting me closely?"
Fang Zhou dropped her back into the pool.
...
The Wang Family's commotion finally came to an end tonight, with Wang Fulai being fished out once again by the housekeeper and servants.
But now, no one in the Wang Family dared to be the slightest bit discourteous to Ling Xiaoyue and Fang Zhou; instead, they became extremely respectful. The duo's treatment improved dramatically in an instant—they were moved into a large house and had attentive servants to tend to their needs.
This was the first time the Wang Family had seen a demon fox driven away after suffering its harassment for so long, the first time they had seen a true master. They naturally rushed to honor them, fearing the master would simply leave with a wave of her hand.
Having guzzled a bellyful of water, Wang Fulai spat it out for quite a while and had to retire early to rest.
The housekeeper wanted to invite Ling Xiaoyue and Fang Zhou to visit Wang Minghong, who had nearly lost his life, but Ling Xiaoyue refused, and even yawned, "We'll see tomorrow."
After Ling Xiaoyue left, Fang Zhou secretly pulled the housekeeper aside, asking her to bring some food to his room. He hadn't had more than a couple of large steamed buns today, all of which had gone into Ling Xiaoyue's mouth. His stomach was roaring with hunger, and being in the stage of growing and constantly cultivating, his appetite was naturally large.
The housekeeper repeatedly apologized for her cold demeanor earlier upsetting the two masters and quickly arranged for the kitchen to send a table full of dishes to Fang Zhou's room.
Fang Zhou, taking advantage of his agility, climbed onto the roof of the Wang Family's house and began cultivation under the moonlight.
With the presence of the moon, the cultivation of New Moon Qi would bring twice the results with half the effort. After witnessing Ling Xiaoyue in action tonight, his heart was filled with both anticipation and urgency, not wanting to waste a single moment of cultivation time.
After a few Circulations, the moon was obscured by clouds, and Fang Zhou finally came down from the roof and returned to his room.
The housekeeper had already sent a table full of sumptuous food to Fang Zhou's room, but now there was an additional person in there.
Someone Fang Zhou did not want to see at the moment.
He exclaimed in outrage, "What are you doing here?!"
Ling Xiaoyue spat out a chicken bone from her mouth, "Why can't I be here? Can you finish all this food by yourself? Of course, I'm here to help you clean up, to avoid wasting food."
Fang Zhou looked at the table, which had already been mostly devoured by Ling Xiaoyue, and felt a wave of sadness. He carried thousands of taels on him, and manager Wang still owed him two thousand taels, yet even eating his fill was a challenge.
Unable to restrain his frustration, he cried out, "Damn it (a type of plant), leave some for me!"
And then he joined in the scramble for food.
By the time they finished eating, it was late at night, and Fang Zhou, infuriated by Ling Xiaoyue, couldn't sleep. He went back to the roof of the Wang Family's house to continue cultivating.
He cultivated until dawn when the sun was just rising, and only then did Fang Zhou stand up and stretch his back.
His midnight training had not left him fatigued; the only problem was his stomach was growling again, the food from last night already digested and gone.
Fang Zhou began to understand why Ling Xiaoyue said cultivation was an expensive affair. Apart from everything else, just providing for the daily meals of a cultivator was not something an ordinary family could afford.
He jumped down from the roof, ready to ask the housekeeper for some more food, since he might as well not refuse what's free.
The housekeeper quickly appeared before Fang Zhou with a panicked expression, and said to him, "Master, something has happened."