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Chapter 8
“Why is there a cat here?”
Jiang Sinian, the head disciple of the sect, frowned slightly, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. Clearly, he wasn’t fooled.
But Chu Xuanqing said, “There is indeed a cat.”
Jiang Sinian looked surprised. “This…”
Chu Xuanqing continued, “Just a greedy little kitten, nothing to worry about.”
Jiang Sinian wanted to say more, but as a junior disciple beneath Chu Xuanqing, he remembered his master’s instructions before departure—to follow the young martial uncle’s orders in all matters and not act recklessly. He had no choice but to remain silent.
Chu Xuanqing spoke again, “There’s nothing worth seeing in this house. Let’s move to the next one.”
“Understood,” Jiang Sinian dared not refuse.
The two soon walked away.
Ming Yan let out a huge sigh of relief, her body nearly going limp. Beside her, the man who had hidden there first lifted the lid of the rice cellar, letting candlelight spill in. The two companions in misfortune finally saw each other’s faces clearly.
Ming Yan had used an illusion spell, so her current appearance was rather plain. But the young man opposite her was different. His skin was extremely fair, his features strikingly beautiful, with upturned peach-blossom eyes glistening with moisture—a face that could debut instantly in modern times. Unfortunately, Ming Yan spotted his secret at a glance.
“You’re a demon?” Ming Yan subtly tightened her grip on an Immortal Spell.
The young man, however, showed no intention of attacking. Instead, he looked astonished. “How did you know?”
Ming Yan sniffed. “Your Demon Qi isn’t well concealed.” Cultivators like Chu Xuanqing and Jiang Sinian might not notice, but a great demon like her at the Transformation Spirit Stage—or someone like the heroine Mu Qingqing, trained from childhood—would surely detect it.
The young man awkwardly rubbed his nose. “I’ve only just reached Core Formation, and my technique for hiding Demon Qi isn’t very practiced yet.”
Seeing no bloodlust in him and sensing his clean Demon Qi, Ming Yan couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not the murderer, are you? Why are you here?”
“Of course I’m not the murderer!” The young man flicked his sleeve indignantly. “Such a heinous demon, even if they are one of us, deserves to be executed by all demons.”
“So you’re here to…”
“I’m here to find the culprit, bring them to justice, and clear the name of our Demon Clan.”
A demon with such a strong sense of collective honor? Ming Yan couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect.
The young man then asked, “And you, Fairy? Why are you here?”
Ming Yan was quite pleased with his address of “Fairy,” but she didn’t want to reveal herself. Casually, she replied, “I’m also here to investigate.”
The young man was moved. “You’re so kind, Fairy. The cultivators I’ve met before would attack on sight without even listening to my explanations. You’re the first to actually hear me out. But Fairy, those two earlier were cultivators too, right? Why didn’t you reveal yourself to them?”
Ming Yan said, “They’re from the Profound Sky Sect. I’m a Rogue Cultivator.”
The young man looked puzzled. Were Rogue Cultivators and the Profound Sky Sect enemies in the Cultivation world?
Not wanting to explain further, Ming Yan reached into her spatial storage and pulled out a few bottles of elixirs. “These can conceal your Demon Qi. Take them—one pill lasts a month.”
The young man was stunned. “Fairy…”
Overwhelmed with emotion, he didn’t know what to say. Since birth, apart from his mother, he had never met someone as kind as the Fairy before him. In his excitement, his fluffy ears and tail popped out without him realizing.
Ming Yan’s eyes lit up: “What kind of demon are you?”
He looked very… fluffy and touchable.
The young man blushed shyly: “This humble one, this humble one is a fox.”
Ming Yan: “…”
She suddenly remembered something.
The novel had indeed mentioned that once, when the female lead went down the mountain to exterminate demons, she killed a white-furred fox.
That fox’s fur was glossy, smooth, and beautifully snow-white.
Seeing that the female lead had no warm clothes for the cold weather, the male lead skinned the dead fox and made it into a fox fur scarf for her.
The female lead loved it dearly, repeatedly praising the male lead for his thoughtfulness.
So… this pretty male demon before her was that future scarf?
Instantly, Ming Yan’s gaze toward him filled with sympathy: “If you want to live a few more days, I suggest you stay far away from the Profound Sky Sect. A new disciple recently joined—she’s a descendant of demon hunters, and the Demon-Slaying Whip in her hands is no ordinary weapon.”
“What? The Demon-Slaying Whip?” Scarf-destiny visibly shuddered.
The Demon-Slaying Whip was infamous among demon circles.
Even small demons like Scarf-destiny had heard of it.
He’d come here secretly to investigate the case and clear the Demon Clan’s name, but that didn’t mean he was willing to become another victim of that whip.
“Many thanks for Fairy’s warning. This humble one shall leave immediately and never approach Snow Ridge again.”
Scarf-destiny trembled uncontrollably.
“Take care of yourself.” Ming Yan gave one last glance at Scarf-destiny’s fluffy, constantly twitching ears, thinking to herself—these ears looked much better alive.
“Is Fairy leaving now?”
“Yes.”
She hadn’t forgotten her mission here.
Though Scarf-destiny’s appearance was an unexpected interlude, it didn’t matter. She just needed to find another room to leave the cultivation method.
“This humble one has made some progress in the investigation. If Fairy has any questions, this one will answer truthfully.”
Scarf-destiny said.
“Then tell me, where’s the most remote household nearby?” Ming Yan blinked.
“The farthest is in neighboring Erwang Village, on a small hillside. Fairy could—”
Before Scarf-destiny could finish, the figure before him had already vanished.
A melodious “thank you” floated through the night air. He stood dazed for a long moment before suddenly chuckling softly.
The Fairy was truly interesting.
In a hurry, Ming Yan naturally had no time for lengthy chatter with Scarf-destiny.
She hadn’t expected Chu Xuanqing and Jiang Sinian to arrive so quickly.
Normally, given the Profound Sky Sect’s bureaucratic ways, Chu Xuanqing would first discuss the mission with the sect leader at Open Yang Peak, buying Ming Yan ample time to act.
Who knew he’d break routine this time, catching her somewhat unprepared.
But it didn’t matter.
Ming Yan knew the Profound Sky Sect had rules.
Once sect members left their territory for mortal lands, unless in emergencies, they were forbidden from using immortal spells.
No matter how powerful Chu Xuanqing was, without immortal spells, his capabilities were limited.
Ming Yan faced no such restrictions.
Exiting the household’s gate, she first cast the Invisibility Spell, then followed with a Speed Spell that made her feet fly.
Soon she found the household Scarf-destiny mentioned.
The owner seemed to be a hunter, hence living far from the village. Yet even so, his home hadn’t escaped the demon’s raid.
Looking at the bloodstains in the room, Ming Yan silently recited “sin, sin” before retrieving the prepared cultivation methods from her spatial storage.
This time she was smarter—she’d brought several extra copies.
Under the bed, inside the cabinet, and even beneath the table corners—copies of the book were placed everywhere.
There was no way Chu Xuanqing would miss them.
After finishing her task, Ming Yan hurried back to Celestial Pivot Peak using the Instantaneous Movement Array.
The moment she left—
Chu Xuanqing and Jiang Sinian pushed open the door of the hunter’s house.
As soon as the door opened, Jiang Sinian was hit by a thick, metallic scent of blood. Furious, he exclaimed:
“Outrageous! This demon has gone too far!”
Chu Xuanqing naturally noticed the blood as well, but he remained far calmer than Jiang Sinian—so much so that he detected another scent beneath the iron tang.
The fragrance of gardenias.
“What’s this?” Though his nose wasn’t sharp, Jiang Sinian’s eyes were keen. He immediately spotted a book propping up the corner of the table—pristine, untouched by blood. He picked it up and read aloud: *”The Dao is Merciless, Wife-slaying Dao Attainment…”*
“This seems to be a cultivation method.”
Jiang Sinian was stunned.
“Just idle gossip,” Chu Xuanqing said impassively.
“But, Junior Uncle, I’ve heard some junior disciples say that such cultivation methods do exist in the cultivation world.”
Jiang Sinian suddenly brightened as a thought struck him.
It was no secret in the Profound Sky Sect that Junior Uncle had failed thirty-seven Tribulation Transcendings. The Sect Master had fretted endlessly over it. Though Chu Xuanqing himself never seemed concerned, ten years ago, he had unexpectedly married a girl who hadn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Could it be…?
*Whoosh—*
Before he could finish speaking, the “cultivation method” in his hand inexplicably burst into flames.
Flickering orange tongues of fire danced briefly before reducing the book to ashes.
“Heretical nonsense.”
Chu Xuanqing’s voice was icy.
A chill ran down Jiang Sinian’s spine, and he hurriedly hid his scorched hand behind his back.
Remembering the rumors about his Junior Uncle’s temperament, he didn’t dare say another word.
But soon, he discovered that the book wasn’t just under the table—there was another identical copy stuffed inside the cabinet, its cover bearing the same handwriting as the first. And beneath the bed, tucked into the blankets—there were more.
“This…”
He glanced at his unflappable Junior Uncle.
He had to admit—Junior Uncle was wise.
“Was this family in the printing business or something?”
Jiang Sinian concluded at last.
Chu Xuanqing was momentarily speechless.
“I’ll handle the remaining village barriers, Junior Uncle. You should return to the Sect Master and report. This demon is vicious—it must be eradicated as soon as possible.”
Seeing that it was getting late, Jiang Sinian urged Chu Xuanqing to head back first.
Chu Xuanqing didn’t refuse.
After all, the demon was already gone. Staying here served no purpose.
With Jiang Sinian’s cultivation level, setting up barriers for these villages was more than enough.
But instead of heading straight to Open Yang Peak upon returning to the sect, Chu Xuanqing went directly back to Celestial Pivot Peak.
Night had deepened, the moon hanging high in the sky.
Celestial Pivot Peak, perpetually blanketed in pristine snow, seemed even more serene under the moonlight.
Chu Xuanqing pushed open the door.
Ming Yan “just happened” to be getting up.
“Husband?” Her cat-like eyes widened in surprise. “You’re back so early?”
Incense curled lazily from the burner, filling the room with warmth.
Before the intricately carved bed, a vase held freshly picked gardenias, their petals dewy and vibrant.
Chu Xuanqing’s expression remained unreadable. “The demon has been slain.”
Ming Yan brightened. “That’s wonderful!”
A monster so ruthless was nothing but a scourge on the world—she couldn’t wait for it to perish.
“Husband…” Ming Yan tugged at Chu Xuanqing’s icy sleeve that carried a chill, looking at him eagerly, “Did you bring me a gift?”
A faint smile curved at the corner of Chu Xuanqing’s lips: “I did.”
“What is it?”
Ming Yan instantly perked up.
Her question about the gift had an ulterior motive.
She mainly wanted to probe whether Chu Xuanqing had found that Cultivation Method.
However, if Chu Xuanqing had indeed brought a gift, she wouldn’t complain. After all, Chu Xuanqing had high standards and was wealthy, known as the tall, rich, and handsome man of the Cultivation world. Anything he gave would surely be valuable.
Unexpectedly, Chu Xuanqing glanced at her and began taking off his clothes: “A fox fur coat.”
Ming Yan: “…”
Poor coat.
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