The Jade-Faced Civet

A white fox, with nine magnificent tails. May we build a home and a family, and may our home prosper.

A white nine-tailed fox!

I had heard of the famous nine-tailed fox Li Fan before, and for a moment I was tempted.

Nine-tailed fox! I absolutely have to see this amazing demon in this fantasy world! And it's even white-haired! And there's even a chance to add it to my collection? It would be such a shame to miss out!

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Heh heh, that's not it. No wonder it dares not reveal itself under the moon. Once it reveals its true form, everyone in the entire Lei Marsh will surround it to hunt it!'"

Unfortunately, the Nine-Tailed Foxes of the Central Plains were all hunted down by the Immortal Palace long ago. I only saw one once in the Grand Commandant's mansion. It was indeed a top-grade spirit beast. I've wanted to get a pelt to make a coat for many years, but the Grand Commandant wouldn't give me his concubine and even scolded me for wasting such a precious thing. Bah! He wouldn't even give me a single tail, how stingy!

Isn't that wrong of you?

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'In short, this opportunity is rare. While I was immobilizing that nine-tailed beast, I used the Golden Dragon White Star to pierce its collarbone first, then easily killed the four foxes. This beast was captured. It was very simple!'"

Li Fan hesitated for a moment. If it were a nine-tailed demon beast in front of him, he would definitely capture it. But this creature had already cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, which meant it had already taken human form. If he were to launch a sneak attack, wouldn't that be like abducting a woman...?

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'What do you mean by forcibly abducting women? Several of these women are at the Nascent Soul Stage level. If such a beast can follow the righteous path to cultivate, that would be its blessing!'"

"Look at that wild girl over there, she wants to become your disciple but you won't accept her, just because you think she's not pretty enough? This fox is beautiful, why don't you want her anymore?"

Well...

Li Fan felt a little embarrassed, but then he suddenly understood. Could it be that the Profound Heaven Sword Intent was teaching him not to focus too much on the appearance of humans and demons, but to pay attention to character and potential? So this was the meaning of the ninth-rank rating! Master! I understand!

' Profound Heaven Sword Intent Dao, comprehend it my foot! This is already at the Nascent Soul Stage level, why care about the rank? Wouldn't it be more convenient to just capture it and use it directly than a Foundation Establishment girl!'

Li Fan was speechless. Even if his combat power far surpassed that of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator, could he really capture Nascent Soul Stage demon so easily? And would it willingly submit after being captured?

"Don't worry! With the False Moon in Profound Heaven Sword Intent sky, it can't unleash its full power. After you pierce its collarbone with your sword, I'll teach you how to seize its primordial spirit, erase its Divine Sense, turn it into a beast, and lock it under the mountain formation for a hundred years. Then you can take it as a guardian spirit beast. Add another restriction to lock its primordial spirit, and it'll be obedient."

Of course, if you find that troublesome, you can just peel off the skin and keep it for me.

Li Fan frowned, feeling something was amiss. If he had encountered a monster harming people, capturing and suppressing it would be understandable. But the other side had been quite friendly, agreeing to keep to themselves, yet they turned hostile and attacked him the moment they heard he was a rare animal. Wasn't that a bit much...?

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Hey kid, here we go again. It's being polite to you because it knows how powerful the flying sword is. That Cloud Hidden Leopard has never harmed anyone, but it got caught when it came out to play. You bought it to ride, didn't you? This fox is the same principle. Just think of it as something you caught to ride!'"

Alright, alright, I promise you, you can peel off the skin after you're done playing with it, okay?

Li Fan still felt that something was wrong. Suddenly, his Divine Sense stirred and he felt someone approaching!

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Well, look, someone's here. Now they're definitely going to try and steal the fox from you... Oh, a bunch of trash...'"

Let's make a bet. I've seen at least eight or ten thousand monsters, and the truly kind ones who have never harmed anyone can be counted on one hand. I refuse to believe that we'll happen to encounter another one who has never harmed anyone.

If this fox really won't harm anyone, how about we let it live?

Li Fan thought about it and decided that it was a good idea, so he nodded in agreement, "Then let's give this demon a way out and see what its fate holds."

The three independent cultivators who came this time were probably adventuring together in Lei Marsh Swamp. They clearly had a harmonious atmosphere with each other, without any suspicion or wariness, indicating that they were long-time companions, though they were quite weak.

Well, even compared to the trash heap of Golden Core cultivators, they are quite weak. I don't know if it's due to innate deficiencies or a bad Cultivation Method. Although the three of them have reached the Golden Core realm, their Divine Sense are very weak. Moreover, they didn't even sense the presence of Li Fan and the fox. They just flew to the vicinity of the spiritual cave to recuperate and rest. Obviously, they are using unorthodox methods.

Li Fan didn't reveal himself, but instead used his Divine Sense to probe the movements of the three rogue cultivators from afar. After all, these three were so weak that they probably wouldn't actively provoke the Nascent Soul Stage demons nearby.

But to everyone's surprise, before even an incense stick's time had passed, the demon began to move. Using their Divine Sense, they saw a maidservant actively approaching the three rogue cultivators.

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent Method, the same old trick. She first pretends to be a weak woman separated from her companions or being chased, to observe these people's cultivation levels and test their Dao hearts. If she can hook one of them...'

Before the Profound Heaven Sword Intent could even be fully explained, a rogue cultivator in my Divine Sense stopped meditating, stood up, and left with the maid.

The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, "That means it's a case of mutual consent; it's a willing bidder, and according to the rules, we can't interfere."

Li Fan frowned.

You claim to be Golden Core Stage cultivators, yet you just followed a lone woman you encountered in this desolate wilderness of Lei Marsh Swamp?

"The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'A fox, after all, always has a way of seducing people. Those with low cultivation levels often find it hard to resist. See, here we go again.'"

Sure enough, another maid came, called out a few times from afar, and then lured away another cultivator.

However, the last person still had enough composure. The remaining two maids called out several times but were not affected. But he also came to his senses and suddenly realized that his two fellow Daoists were missing. He immediately jumped up and searched around.

Of course, the other two cultivators were not in mortal danger. Li Fan could also detect with a scan of his Divine Sense that the two maids who had succeeded were simply enjoying themselves with their prey. The third person, who had the best self-control, was being called and guided towards the Nascent Soul Stage demon.

The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, "Heh heh, this big fox is quite picky. He won't take anything too frivolous or easy to handle."

Li Fan frowned deeply. "Are we just going to stand by and watch those three get killed?"

The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, "What harm could they possibly suffer? They might even think they've gained something. With such trash cultivation, it's all the same whether we save them or not; they'll all die sooner or later anyway. There's no need to bother with them."

Hehe, so you see, what good stuff can come to Lei Marsh at a time like this? Tell me, isn't this kind of seductive manipulation of passersby for sexual enhancement harmful?

"A monster is indeed a monster. I gave you a way out, but you're useless," Li Fan shook his head and said to Chen Asha beside him, "You stay in this circle and don't move. I'm going to catch a few raccoons... Take this command flag. If your life is in danger, wave the flag, and I'll come to save you immediately."

Chen Asha took the talisman flag with the image of Qiongqi painted on it and put it in her arms, nodding obediently.

Li Fan leaped into the forest, draped the Gui Xu Dao Yi over his body, and vanished in a flash of purple light. He darted through the leaves and branches, past the bushes below, and found two couples engaged in intense cultivation. He crept to the place where the great demon had landed and saw a square-faced, bearded man dressed as a warrior, holding a pair of iron spears, watching the sedan chair warily.

Two jade-faced fox maids stood beside the sedan chair to serve, but the nine-tailed fox did not come out of the sedan chair.

"You fiend! Where are my two brothers?!" The bearded man, however, had clear eyes and roared angrily, holding two pistols.

Li Fan silently turned his head to look at his two friends who were still happily playing in the lotus-shaped stroller not far away... This bearded man's Daoist heart was firm, but his cultivation was really rather weak; he was easily fooled by such a simple illusion...

A maid spoke up, "Knight-errant, please forgive us. My lady has some matters she wishes to inquire about with you all, but Knight-errant two friends are of questionable character, and we fear they might be disrespectful to her. Therefore, we have asked you to rest elsewhere for a while. We mean no harm, and we ask for your understanding."

Not only did the bearded man frown, but Li Fan was also a little puzzled. Could it be that they hadn't tricked him into coming here for dual cultivation and energy extraction?

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent said, 'Hmph, what a charade. In my opinion, that fox simply saw you and found your beard and appearance too old, so he lost his appetite.'

Li Fan,...

The bearded man frowned. "What tricks are you playing! Speak up! If you hurt my brother, you'll be sorry!"

The maid didn't argue with the bearded man. She leaned down to listen to the lady in the sedan chair give a few instructions, then stood up and said, "My lady wants to ask who is in charge of the Li Country now. Is it the Nangong Family, or the General of the South?"

The bearded man gasped, "... How would I know! What General Nangong! I only know the captains of the capital!"

The maid frowned slightly, turned to confirm a few more words with the person inside the sedan chair, and then asked, "Then let me ask you, is the abbot still in charge of Ink Bamboo Mountain?"

The bearded man frowned deeply. "Go ask Ink Bamboo Mountain things there! We're not from Ink Bamboo Mountain!"

The maid sighed, "We have been away from the mountain for a long time, only wanting to inquire about the affairs of the world. We would be grateful if the chivalrous Knight-errant could tell us what he knows."

The bearded man was displeased. "How can you pry into information like this? Give me back my two brothers. If you have something to ask them, just ask them. I'm just a martial artist; I only know how to practice martial arts and don't know anything about world affairs."

The maid could only shake her head at the sedan chair.

Lady Fox was clearly surprised that the rogue cultivators she encountered on the road were either incredibly fierce, ready to kill with flying swords, or lecherous bastards who would take off their pants after just a few words. The one she finally found with some self-control was a martial artist who was completely impossible to communicate with. She didn't even have anyone she could talk to normally, so she was speechless for a moment.

"Enough with the nonsense! Give me back my brother!"

The bearded man couldn't wait any longer. Suddenly, he exerted force with his feet, gathered his energy, and leaped towards the sedan chair. His two pistols moved like black dragons emerging from the abyss, one thrusting straight at the sedan chair's curtain! To catch the thief, first catch the king!

"How dare you!" The two maids immediately drew soft swords from their sleeves, jumped out, and together deflected the iron spear.

The bearded man also brandished his twin pistols, clashing with the two maids' soft swords in a fierce battle.

It seems that although this person's magical cultivation is low, probably because he attained enlightenment too late, his martial arts foundation is quite solid. When he sweeps his iron spear, it whistles through the air with great force. Although the two maids have the advantage of cultivation and attack from both sides with swordsmanship, their martial arts skills are really no match for this bearded man. He fights against two of them alone and does not lose any ground.

Li Fan watched from the side, feeling a bit strange. This didn't look like they were practicing sexual cultivation... or was it something else? Did they need to warm up and loosen up their muscles first?

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent says, who cares? Let's seize this opportunity and make our move... Sigh, look at you, always dawdling! Someone else is coming!'

Li Fan was taken aback and noticed that two more cultivators had flown over, drawn by the fight.

The two cultivators were clearly also on an adventure together, and their cultivation levels were considerably higher. After observing from the sky for a while, although they didn't find the invisible Li Fan, they realized that the two maids were demons. They immediately took action and threw down magical treasures from mid-air to help Hu Zi.

Seeing that the two maids were locked in a fierce battle with the bearded man's twin spears and unable to break free, and with two beams of light falling from the sky and striking them on the head, the nine-tailed fox could not stand idly by and watch the two maids die.

Two resounding notes echoed, the sound waves piercing through the air and shattering the precious light in the sky!

The two cultivators in the sky immediately suffered damage to their primordial spirits, screamed in agony, and fell from the clouds, spitting blood from their mouths and noses, instantly perishing.

Hu Zi was also taken aback, only then realizing that the lady in the sedan chair was so powerful that he couldn't handle her! He immediately feinted with his spear, and while the maid was parrying, he darted out of the encirclement. He held his spear horizontally to protect the two passersby who had been thrown around in disarray.

The two maids didn't chase after them; instead, they turned around and stood guard in front of the sedan chair, swords in hand.

A moment later, two other disheveled maids, having also knocked out the two bearded friends, leaped over with swords to protect their mistress.

The situation reached a stalemate.

"You've misunderstood, we meant no harm..."

Before the head maid could explain, the bearded man glared at the two maids behind him, his eyes wide with fury, "You monsters! Where are my two brothers! Did you harm them?!"

The cultivator, whose magical artifact had been destroyed, struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth as he roared, "That demon dared to damage my magical artifact! Call for help! Call for help!"

The other person then lit a fire talisman and shot it into the air. Whoosh! A firework exploded, marking a lifelike firebird in the night sky.

Upon seeing the firebird signal, the four maids' expressions instantly changed. Their beautiful faces twisted into beastly ones, their sharp teeth snarling, "The Immortal Palace!"

Li Fan's eyes lit up as well. Immortal Palace? Great!

But wait... something's not right with this firebird? And why is it purple? Isn't the Nangong Family the Vermilion Bird family?

' The Profound Heaven Sword Intent, the Five Phoenixes of the Southern Country, the Purple One (笸�笸�), is the banner of the Xun Kingdom.'