Master Ji sensed something was amiss.
Hu Zhaici had clearly said that the construction of the altar to perform Demon Extermination would begin tonight, but as the night grew deeper, there was no sign of Hu Zhaici reappearing.
Master Ji quietly sent out a little daoist apprentice to gather information and check if the Hu Family was building an altar, but the brat vanished after running out and didn't come back.
This made Master Ji doubtful and even secretly worried, fearing that Hu Zhaici had learned about the events at the Wang Family and labeled her a fraudster.
Should she run away before anything else happened?
Master Ji was very conflicted. She had spent a substantial amount of money on the Strong Fox Killing Medicine and couldn't bear to not make a profit to compensate for the loss.
Just as Master Ji was having difficulty making up her mind, the steward made an appearance: "Master Ji, the lord of the house invites you to the main hall for an urgent discussion."
Master Ji had no choice but to calm her troubled thoughts and followed the steward to the main hall.
As they arrived at the entrance of the main hall, the steward didn't continue to follow but instead gestured for her to go in.
Unease gripped Master Ji as she proceeded alone, and upon entering the main hall, she immediately spotted Hu Zhaici seated in the place of honor and Ling Xiaoyue beside him.
The moment she saw Ling Xiaoyue, Master Ji's heart sank and only one thought was in her mind.
It's over! My cover's blown!
Ling Xiaoyue looked at her with a half-smiling expression, while Hu Zhaici turned to Ling Xiaoyue and asked, "This Master Ji, I hear she's a fellow sect member with you?"
Hmm? There might still be hope!
Master Ji quickly snapped out of her panic, resisting the urge to turn and run, and looked pitifully at Ling Xiaoyue.
Ling Xiaoyue said with a smile, "Hmm, you could say that. We are indeed from the same sect."
Master Ji let out a huge sigh of relief. Although this woman had beaten her up severely that night at the Wang Family, she turned out to be kind-hearted, not exposing her but instead covering for her.
Hu Zhaici smiled at Master Ji and said, "Please, Master Ji, take a seat."
With a benevolently gracious smile, Master Ji slowly walked over and sat at a spot neither too close nor too far from Ling Xiaoyue.
Just as she sat down, several thuds were heard as the doors of the main hall closed on their own.
Hu Zhaici stood up, the constant smile on his face gone, replaced by a chillingly cold expression: "Now that everyone's here, it's time we settle our scores."
Master Ji hadn't even warmed her seat when she sprang up again, slightly confused about what was going on.
Then, she saw a beautiful woman clad in fox fur appear in the hall.
Seeing this beautiful woman, Master Ji's face showed shock. Aren't you supposed to be dead?
But seeing Ling Xiaoyue nonchalantly sitting there, while the beautiful woman's eyes shone with murderous intent fixed on her, Master Ji realized the truth instantly.
This great fox demon hadn't died at the Wang Family's place, and here she was, right in the fox's den.
Hu Zhaici fixed Ling Xiaoyue and Master Ji with a fierce gaze, as astonishing demonic power emanated from him: "None of you will escape tonight. I'm going to skin you and pull out your bones to avenge my daughter."
This was clearly a great fox demon with accomplished Cultivation.
"It's all a misunderstanding, all of it!"
Master Ji rushed to protest to Hu Zhaici, "I'm not her sect member, I am..."
Master Ji noticed Ling Xiaoyue's smirk-like gaze, and the words at the tip of her tongue retreated. She remembered what had happened at the Wang Family's place.
Was she about to repeat that lesson?
To deny or admit?
This question was too difficult, she couldn't answer it.
Master Ji felt exhausted at heart, wondering why she was so unlucky.
...
[Triggered new mission - Defeat two fox demons]
[Difficulty: Normal]
[Reward: Masculinity*4 Blue Card*1]
[Failure: Lose virginity, Death]
This was the newly triggered mission, the 'lose virginity' part was back again.
Fang Zhou closed the prompt and looked across, realizing that the two demon foxes hadn't given up on the idea of eating him. Really, this was a woman—or rather, a female fox spirit—thinking with her lower half.
"Don't be rash, it's best if you just stand still."
Hu Yiling, wielding Fang Zhou's Longsword, pressed it against the neck of the little daoist apprentice, grinning slyly, "If you dare to act out, my hands might tremble, and I could end up beheading your fellow sect member. Then, you'd be the killer, wouldn't you?"
Fang Zhou: "..."
He felt there might be some misunderstanding between Hu Yiling and Hu Yirui.
The little daoist apprentice was neither his fellow sect member nor his brother, and really, they had no connection at all. In some sense, they were even enemies, since they were competitors after all.
Using enemies to threaten him, what kind of ludicrous tactic is that?
Sure enough, the thought process of demons is different from humans, truly baffling.
The little Taoist boy made a "wooo wooo wooo" noise, seemingly trying to say something.
Hu Yiling reached out and pulled the cloth from the little Taoist boy's mouth, and told him: "Advise your fellow disciples, for the sake of your life, don't make any rash moves."
Free to speak at last, the little Taoist boy eagerly shouted to Hu Yiling and Hu Yirui: "Big sisters, you've got it wrong, he's not my fellow disciple. We are enemies, enemies!"
The little Taoist boy felt he was unfairly treated, extremely unlucky. Two days ago, at the Wang Family's place, his master sent him out to check things out, resulting in the loss of the most important thing in his life. Tonight, dispatched by his master again to gather information, he ended up captured by two fox demons.
It was all the master's fault. For heaven's sake, he had to drag him straight into the fox den for Demon Extermination, spouting nonsense, saying that he and those two Cultivators from the Wang Family were disciples of the same sect. Now look, he had been mistaken for one by the fox demons.
He really felt like dying.
Hu Yiling disdainfully said: "To save your own skin, you'd even deny your own sect; you truly are heartless and ungrateful."
The little Taoist boy was close to tears: "We really aren't from the same sect. Look at him, he's so handsome, and I get by on my vibe alone; our styles are completely different, how could we be from the same sect?"
To save his life, the little Taoist boy had to painfully belittle his own good looks.
Hearing the little Taoist boy's defense, Hu Yiling and Hu Yirui jointly turned their eyes to Fang Zhou.
Indeed, one was so handsome, the other so unremarkable, they really didn't look like fellow disciples when put together.
Fang Zhou felt that as a good person, a Cultivator with morals, principles, a conscience, and good looks too, it was necessary to clarify the misunderstanding for the little Taoist boy and clear his name.
Plus, the boy had complimented his good looks, although that wasn't the main point.
Therefore, Fang Zhou smiled and said: "That's right, we are enemies, not fellow disciples."
Hu Yiling and Hu Yirui looked at each other, then Hu Yiling's longsword chopped down onto the little Taoist boy's thigh.
"Ah!"
The little Taoist boy screamed in agony: "Why did you chop me?!"
Hu Yiling sneered: "You think you can fool me with this kind of trick?"
Fang Zhou: (￣▽￣)
Little Taoist boy: (ಥ_ಥ)
Fang Zhou inwardly thought, buddy, it's not that I'm not helping you, but there's nothing I can do if they don't believe me.
Seeing Hu Yiling raise her longsword again, stabbing it into his other leg, the little Taoist boy immediately burst into tears: "I'm wronged, I really am not his fellow disciple, we only met for the first time two days ago, believe me, I really didn't lie to you this time."
The cries and pleas of the little Taoist boy were filled with sincerity and sorrow. Hu Yirui said softly, "Sister, could we really have made a mistake?"
Hu Yiling hesitated for a moment, originally intending to threaten Fang Zhou with the little Taoist boy. If the two weren't fellow disciples, wouldn't that be a joke?
Glancing at Fang Zhou, who was in the spectator mode, Hu Yiling couldn't help but ask the little Taoist boy: "Are you really not fellow disciples?"
The little Taoist boy nodded vigorously: "We are really not from the same sect. It's just my master spouting nonsense and tricking you for business purposes. Why should you believe what my master says and not believe me?"
Noticing Fang Zhou's look as if watching an idiot, Hu Yiling felt ashamed and annoyed, raising her longsword again: "Alright, daring to deceive us, sick of living are you? Since you're not fellow disciples, then you're of no use, go die then."
As the longsword was about to come down, the little Taoist boy's mind went blank.
He couldn't understand why, having done nothing wrong, he was always the one getting hurt. Why was fate so unjust to him? Could it really be because I'm not good-looking?
No, I don't want to die; I want to continue living. Even if it is fate, I must defy it; even if heaven wants me dead, I will go against it!
In that moment, a strong will to survive inspired the little Taoist boy, leading him to the correct choice.
He instantly dropped to the ground, hands covering his head, while shouting towards Fang Zhou: "Senior brother, save me!!"
Fang Zhou, who had been enjoying the show, was startled. What is this kid doing climbing relationships out of nowhere?
But Hu Yiling's sword stopped, and she turned her head towards Fang Zhou.
This back-and-forth reversals had confused her, and she was desperate for a real answer.
Fang Zhou initially wanted to deny it, but noticing the little Taoist boy's pleading, weak, pitiable, and helpless eyes,
Fang Zhou's heart softened, and he nodded: "No mistake, he is my junior brother."
The little Taoist boy exhaled deeply in relief. He hadn't expected Fang Zhou to extend a helping hand in this critical moment, truly a respectful and lovable good person. No wonder he was so handsome; I won't disparage you again in the future.
"Pfft—"
The longsword plunged deeply into the little Taoist boy's buttocks, eliciting a miserable scream.
Tearful, the little Taoist boy looked at Hu Yiling: "Why did you still stab me?"
Hu Yiling, grinding her teeth: "So you really are fellow disciples, and you dared to deceive me, thinking I'm gullible, huh?"
The little Taoist boy cried again, very heartbroken.
If I say we're not, you want to chop me; if I say we are, you still want to chop me. What do you actually want from me, can you just give a clear answer?
I can't solve this question, it's too difficult.