The Terrifying Old Monster

Hoo!

As the sun set, Xu Yan stopped the brush in his hand, a look of satisfaction on his face.

Another exquisite painting had been born under his hand. The painting depicted a young man in snow-white robes and a little fox facing each other while eating roast chicken.

The little fox was painted with great detail, lifelike, as if every strand of fur was real and could be blown by the wind.

The white-robed youth in the painting, however, had a very blurry face, his true appearance impossible to discern.

This was Xu Yan's usual style. Whenever he painted himself, his face would always be blurred, as if covered by a mysterious veil.

He hung the painting in the most prominent position in the main hall of the inner chamber. Beside it hung the painting of Jiang Li kneeling to thank him.

As soon as Xu Yan walked out of the inner chamber, Jiang Li arrived, sweeping the area outside the small shop.

He thought for a moment, then walked to the doorway and asked, "Jiang Li, have you ever thought about becoming a cultivator?"

Jiang Li scratched his head and replied with a smile, "My family has been mortals for generations. We don't have any talent for cultivation."

In this world, almost no one didn't want to become a cultivator. When he was young, he also had a dream of becoming one.

But later, he realized that not everyone could become a cultivator, especially someone from a poor family like his, where even having enough to eat was difficult, let alone becoming a cultivator.

Xu Yan said, "How will you know if you don't try? Soon it will be the day the Tianren Sect recruits disciples. If you are interested in becoming a cultivator, you can go and try."

After saying this, he entered the backyard and began watering the flowers and plants.

As for Jiang Li, he had said what he needed to say. The rest depended on Jiang Li's own choice.

"Divine Doctor Xu, I will go and take the test when the Tianren Sect recruits disciples."

Before Xu Yan had finished watering the flowers and plants in the small flower bed, Jiang Li's voice came from the outer hall.

A smile appeared on his face, and he continued watering.

Growing flowers and plants was also his hobby in his spare time.

Huh?

Where is this?

Right, it seems to be that mortal youth's home... No, that guy is definitely an unfathomable old monster.

Su Jiuer suddenly woke up, recalling the powerful Great Dao rules and profound meanings she had encountered before losing consciousness, and she still felt lingering fear.

Someone who could leave such supreme profound meaning in a calligraphy and painting was definitely not a mortal. They must be powerful to the extreme, an old monster who was a living legend.

"You're awake? Your body is so small, yet you insisted on eating so much. You almost got into trouble."

Xu Yan's voice suddenly rang out, startling Su Jiuer.

She turned and saw Xu Yan's gloating smile. Her eyes couldn't help but well up with tears.

She was very scared and desperate now. She had just escaped from those wicked demons, only to willingly fall into the hands of this human old monster.

She really wanted to cry... Why is my luck so bad?

Xu Yan saw Su Jiuer tremble first, and then her eyes welled up, making her look pitiful. He found it inexplicable.

Why did a perfectly fine fox look so silly? He muttered to himself, "What's wrong? Did this fox really overeat and get sick?"

As he spoke, he reached out his hands towards Su Jiuer.

Don't come near me!

Su Jiuer cried out in despair in her heart, too scared to move. She decided to let this human old monster do as he pleased and gave up resisting.

She had heard that old monsters who had lived for countless years all had some quirks. For example, the more their captured prey resisted, the more excited they became. So, perhaps giving up resistance would lead to a more dignified death.

Xu Yan picked up Su Jiuer and looked closely. Her body seemed fine.

Then he patted Su Jiuer's head and put her back on the bed, muttering to himself, "It seems this fox was just silly to begin with, and it has nothing to do with overeating."

Hearing Xu Yan's words, Su Jiuer cursed him furiously in her heart: You're the silly one, your whole family is silly!

After cursing in her heart, she then noticed that she was actually in Xu Yan's bed.

Bastard, he wants to sleep in the same bed as me, how shameless!

As soon as dawn broke, Xu Yan got up.

His life was very regular, and he basically never overslept.

After opening the small shop and cooking two bowls of porridge, Xu Yan entered the inner chamber.

As expected, Su Jiuer was still asleep.

"Little Fox, wake up!"

Xu Yan shouted, startling Su Jiuer awake.

As a beautiful fox, Su Jiuer had morning grumpiness. After being woken up by Xu Yan, she bared her teeth and claws at him.

However, in her true form, she was small and cute, completely lacking any destructive power.

"Alright, no more acting cute this early in the morning. Breakfast is ready for you," Xu Yan said, grabbing Su Jiuer.

Then, he took Su Jiuer to have some porridge.

Su Jiuer lay on the table in the front hall of the Small Shop with a look of utter despair. Just now, that scoundrel Xu Yan had forced her to drink a bowl of porridge, calling it "health porridge."

She was so angry she wanted to curse. He was clearly an old monster who had lived for who knows how many years, and would likely live for many more, yet he was talking about health porridge here.

Even if that were all, why didn't he put sugar in her porridge? Was he discriminating against foxes?

Porridge without sugar tasted awful!

"Little Fox, let's go out and get some fresh air!" Xu Yan walked out of the shop with Su Jiuer, sat down under the cherry blossom tree in front of the Small Shop, and held Su Jiuer in his arms, his thoughts drifting far away.

He didn't know how long this simple, ordinary life could last. Perhaps one day, things beyond his control would happen to him too.

In Xu Yan's arms, Su Jiuer felt his presence and warmth. She tilted her head slightly to look at his face.

She wondered why Xu Yan looked so sad. Could it be that even an supreme expert like Xu Yan had moments of powerlessness?

At this moment, a group of people with extraordinary auras walked down the street, drawing considerable attention.

They were clearly Cultivators, and as they passed, onlookers quickly made way.

This group of Cultivators was searching for something. They sometimes entered people's homes, but they never found anything useful.

A rather stout man asked the heroic and elegant black-clad woman in front of him with suspicion, "Young Miss, is the Little Fox from the Sky Fox Clan really in Tianren City?"

The black-clad woman replied coldly, "This is the information the Demon Tiger Clan gave to our Family. It shouldn't be wrong."

She didn't want to search for some Little Fox from the Sky Fox Clan either, but the Demon Tiger Clan had approached her Family and commissioned them with a Spirit Refining Grade Treasure to capture the Little Fox for them.

Thus, her Family had ordered her to bring a few people to Tianren City to search for the Little Fox from the Sky Fox Clan.

The stout man complained, "There are so many people in Tianren City. Searching for a fox house by house, who knows how long it will take."

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked up and happened to spot a young man holding a Little Fox under a cherry blossom tree.