Chapter 3

"Indeed, a fine fox spirit. Even if you are a master at manifesting your form, you cannot escape your beastly nature and remain a mere animal. How dare you offend His Highness and even bargain with him? Are you not afraid of the extermination of your entire clan?"

Long Bo was enraged by the Yeti’s words. No matter how destitute Zhao Shu had become, he was still of the Song royal family. Even the most respected scholars in the court would not dare to insult him, let alone these reclusive cultivators who should show even greater respect. Moreover, the Great State Temple, relying on its thousand-year-old history, had been severely reprimanded by the imperial family for its coercive actions and was ordered to return the mountain villa. As for its delay in compliance, that was a separate matter.

Hearing Long Bo’s words, the Yeti did not dare to be angry. In fact, a fox spirit at the manifesting stage was already a powerful figure among humans, greatly revered, and even ordinary warriors would not dare to force them. However, he was a white fox, unable to match humans, especially a member of the royal family. If he offended him, his entire clan might be doomed.

"How could a creature of the wild dare to offend His Highness? This little fox is a child of my clan. I cannot bear to see it die a tragic death. I beg His Highness to consider my compassionate heart and spare this child."

Zhao Shu’s surprise had faded, replaced by curiosity. This was the first time he had seen divine techniques, and they were performed by a fox spirit.

"Do you also understand compassion and filial piety? In the mountains, is it not about the survival of the fittest?"

Zhao Shu’s question was quite impolite, but the white fox king did not get angry. Instead, he laughed heartily, showing great magnanimity: "Indeed, the survival of the fittest. His Highness speaks with great insight, revealing the law of survival in the mountains. However, this is the rule followed by beasts without wisdom. My pure fox clan is not like those unenlightened beasts. We understand reason and the ways of the world. In ancient times, there was no distinction between humans and beasts. All were raw meat eaters, covered in fur. The ancient people were no different from apes. Later, they gradually stood upright, ate cooked food, and created writing, thus becoming human. My pure foxes, living deep in the mountains, are akin to the uncivilized people of ancient times. Why does His Highness ask such a question?"

"Indeed, a man of great grace. I was the one who was abrupt. Long Bo, bring me the wine from my horse."

Zhao Shu also laughed heartily, feeling a newfound liking for the fox spirit. Since it could speak human language and understand reason, it was not like those beasts.

Long Bo was somewhat reluctant, but since His Highness had spoken, he could not refuse. He quickly fetched a bag of white wine from the saddle.

"I am Zhao Shu. This white wine is homemade. I offer it to you as a means to keep warm."

Zhao Shu threw the wine to the Yeti, laughed heartily, and mounted his horse, saluting the Yeti: "Farewell. If you admire our Han civilization, you may visit Qinghe Villa in the future."

"His Highness is most generous!"

The Yeti immediately bowed and slowly dissipated, the white fox in his arms clutching the wine bag and vanishing into the snow.

Zhao Shu and his companions continued on, continuing their hunt to train the young cavalry.

"What a noble person! The demeanor of the royal family is indeed different. I must visit Qinghe Villa. Perhaps my white fox clan can find protection and truly step out of the mountains to learn the civilization of the human world."

The Yeti murmured as he disappeared.

"His Highness, why did you spare this mountain fox spirit? Since it offended you, it should have been killed."

"Long Bo, this fox spirit is a remarkable being. There’s no need to worry. Let’s continue the hunt. I want to see the skills of these young men."

Zhao Shu laughed heartily, spurred his horse into the forest, drew his bow, and shot a deer not far away, then continued to gallop into the distance.

Thirty-six strong horses quickly followed, making the once quiet forest a scene of intense activity.

"His Highness, we have found a dilapidated temple ahead."

At dusk, a young scout reported. The night in the mountains was dangerous, and they needed a place to camp. The dilapidated temple provided a safer option.

"Camp in the temple."

Zhao Shu nodded. Originally, they planned to clear a place to camp, but the temple made it safer, especially since the forest was home to not only wild beasts but also many malevolent spirits.

"What a magnificent temple it must have been, but now it is in such a state of ruin!"

Zhao Shu looked at the temple with a hint of regret. The temple was vast, with green bricks and red tiles, carved railings, and jade steps. The two broken stone lions in front of the temple testified to its former glory.

"Belief in gods and spirits is ultimately a delusion, a waste of wealth and resources."

Long Bo shook his head, looking at the large dilapidated temple. Martial artists often had a distaste for such superstitions, and the sight of the grand temple made him feel even more regretful.

"His Highness, there is someone inside!"

As they pushed open the door, they saw a flicker of light in the main hall and immediately reported.

"There is a smell of blood! Protect His Highness!"

Long Bo sniffed the air and shouted. The young soldiers were startled, quickly drew their sabers, and surrounded the hall, moving like startled rabbits and entering the hall in an instant.

"What!"

Zhao Shu followed closely, and upon entering, he saw several dried corpses on the floor of the hall, their blood drained. There were about seven or eight of them, all wearing strange Taoist robes, white on the left and black on the right, different from the current Taoist attire.

In the center of these corpses, a middle-aged scholar with a refined face lay with his eyes closed, two silver needles inserted in his ears, blood having dried around them.

Opposite him, an old Taoist with white hair and beard, wearing a yin-yang robe, sat cross-legged with a red sword across his knees. His hands were tightly pressed against the middle-aged scholar’s chest, his eyes wide open, but he too had been drained of blood and turned into a dried corpse.

"His Highness, this old Taoist must have died trying to save the middle-aged scholar. Even so, the middle-aged scholar sealed his senses to avoid the evil, barely surviving. I wonder what kind of evil they encountered. This place is near Bianliang; why is there such a powerful evil here?"

Long Bo observed for a while and said with a slightly troubled expression. Zhao Shu glanced at Long Bo and sighed heavily, thinking of the saying that when a nation is about to fall, evil will appear.

"Immediately secure the surroundings, light a bonfire, and distribute the hunting dogs outside the hall. Everyone must form groups of ten and not act alone!"

Zhao Shu issued his orders firmly. The young soldiers, seeing the bizarre scene, did not dare to be careless and immediately followed his commands.

"Long Bo, can you save this person?"

After arranging the young soldiers, Zhao Shu asked Long Bo. He was the only true qi realm martial artist here and the most knowledgeable.

"He sealed his senses to resist the evil. We just need to use true qi to unblock his meridians."

As Long Bo spoke, he placed his hand on the middle-aged scholar’s back. As true qi flowed into him, the silver needles in his ears were forced out, and the old Taoist’s arms, which had been pressing on the scholar’s chest, slowly fell.

The old Taoist’s tightly closed eyes slowly opened.

"Evil! How dare you!"

The moment the middle-aged scholar’s eyes opened, they turned blood red. He roared in anger, trying to stand up, but his body was too weak. He fell to the ground halfway and fainted.