Three-Tailed Demon Fox

The next day.

After the nighttime interruption, Shen Mu slept until noon before getting up and stepping out of the Bamboo Shed.

"Brother Shen, good morning."

Outside the Bamboo Shed, Zhang Bohan sat by the field not far away, supervising the outer members as they picked Origin Mulberry Leaves in the Origin Mulberry Field.

"Good morning to you too, Brother Zhang."

Shen Mu greeted him with a smile.

"By the way, Brother Shen, have you heard?"

Zhang Bohan continued, "I heard some thief sneaked into the valley last night to pick Origin Mulberry Fruits?"

Shen Mu immediately widened his eyes, feigning ignorance. "That happened?"

Then he gave a wry smile. "I was practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique last night and was completely exhausted. I slept like the dead."

Zhang Bohan chuckled. "You're only at the First Stage of Boiling Blood, which is just the basic requirement for practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique. Naturally, you'll find it a bit strenuous. Once you reach the Second Stage, or even the Third Stage, and have more strength, practicing it won't be so difficult."

"I see."

Shen Mu thought it over for a moment, then understood.

Although reaching the First Stage of Boiling Blood qualified him to practice the Army-Breaking Saber Technique,

it was, after all, a simplified version of the Yellow Grade beginner-level martial art, the Demon-Subduing Saber Art. At the First Stage of Boiling Blood, every move required him to use all his strength, so it was only natural that practicing it was incredibly difficult.

Still, Shen Mu understood that his main reason for practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique was to quickly digest the demon beast meat he had eaten. Understanding the technique was secondary.

"Brother Zhang, have you mastered the Army-Breaking Saber Technique yet?"

Shen Mu couldn't help asking.

"Not yet."

Zhang Bohan shook his head and smiled wryly. "I'm only at the Second Stage of Boiling Blood, and I have to lead the outer members in picking Origin Mulberry Leaves every day. I don't have much time to train my body."

At this, Zhang Bohan glanced at Shen Mu, regret showing on his face. "When I reached the First Stage of Boiling Blood and became a gang member, the people above gave me a chance to choose a position. I chose the one I have now."

"If I'd known how things would turn out, I should've chosen the same position as you and guarded the Origin Mulberry Field. Sure, I'd have to watch out for thieves picking the Origin Mulberry Fruits, but at least I'd have plenty of time during the day to train my body."

Clearly, in the time he'd spent at Emerald Cloud Valley, Zhang Bohan had already figured out how things worked.

The Guardians undoubtedly had the most relaxing job in Emerald Cloud Valley.

With a signal arrow in hand, even if they spotted a thief sneaking into the valley, they could simply drive him off with it.

There was no need to fight the thieves to the death. Their main task was to prevent them from picking Origin Mulberry Fruits.

But after hesitating, he'd chosen the position of managing the outer members who picked Origin Mulberry Leaves.

Who would've thought that one wrong turn would leave him wanting to slap his past self every time he saw a Guardian practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique?

Seeing the regret on Zhang Bohan's face, Shen Mu couldn't help feeling a little moved.

If he hadn't gone to see Wang Jin when registering as a gang member, hoping to show his gratitude for Wang Jin's earlier care, he wouldn't have chosen to become a Guardian.

Most likely, he would've made the same choice as Zhang Bohan.

Shen Mu smiled and tried to comfort him. "There's no need to be too regretful, Brother Zhang. Once you reach the Fourth Stage of Boiling Blood and become a core member of the gang, you can choose a new position."

Zhang Bohan shook his head with a wry smile. "How hard is it to reach the Fourth Stage of Boiling Blood?"

"I have to take these fellows out to pick Origin Mulberry Fruits every day, so I have almost no time to train my body. I'd be lucky to digest three jin of ungraded demon beast meat in a month."

"It'll be at least two or three years before I reach the Fourth Stage of Boiling Blood."

"By then, you might already have become a core member, Brother Shen."

Shen Mu didn't say anything more. After all, this was only the second time they'd met, and he didn't know the other man's temperament yet. It was best to say less and avoid putting his foot in his mouth.

Just then, a commotion and angry shouts suddenly rose from the distance.

"Quick, cut it off!"

"Beast, where do you think you're going?"

"Beast, stop right there!"

"..."

Hearing the commotion, Shen Mu and Zhang Bohan immediately leaped onto the Bamboo Shed and looked in the direction it came from.

In the Origin Mulberry Field about a li away, some seven or eight Guardians, bare-chested, were pursuing something. They seemed to have been running for a long time, their bodies steaming with reddish sweat.

The Guardians were now surrounding a fox with white fur.

Every time the fox seemed about to be caught, it used its nimble body to dart out of the encirclement. Guardians from all directions who'd heard the commotion were also rushing over.

"What's that?"

Shen Mu asked in surprise.

Zhang Bohan seemed very familiar with this sort of thing. He gave an amused laugh. "Probably some ungraded demon beast fell off a cliff into the valley. The Guardians spotted it and are trying to capture it."

Shen Mu asked, puzzled, "Brother Zhang, does this happen often in the valley?"

Zhang Bohan nodded and chuckled. "You may not know this since you just got here, Brother Shen, but demon beasts often appear above Emerald Cloud Valley."

"Not long after I first came here two years ago, a Jade Blood Monkey even made its way into Emerald Cloud Valley. It was already at the peak of the first rank. The two Market Masters weren't its match, even when they joined forces. In the end, they had to call in an Incense Master from the gang. Only by joining forces were the three of them barely able to drive it out of the valley..."

Shen Mu's mouth twitched. A first-rank demon beast showed up in the valley too?

Just then, the white-furred fox in the field suddenly changed direction and raced toward the part of the Origin Mulberry Field where Shen Mu was.

The Guardians chasing it from behind immediately spotted Shen Mu and Zhang Bohan watching from atop the Bamboo Shed.

"Brother Shen, help block that beast!"

Among those trying to capture the white-furred fox was Guo Jinchuan, one of Hong Jingcheng's subordinates.

Seeing Shen Mu, Guo Jinchuan hurriedly called for help.

Shen Mu's mouth twitched. He really hadn't planned on getting involved.

But now that the white-furred fox was racing toward him, it didn't seem right not to lend a hand.

Shen Mu leaped down from the Bamboo Shed, drew Moon Embroidery, and blocked the fox's path.

Zhang Bohan didn't stand idle either. Together, he and Shen Mu blocked the other direction, joining more than ten others in surrounding the white-furred fox.

"Haha, let's see where you run now!"

The men chasing it from behind lit up, as if they could already see the white fox's fate.

The white-furred fox finally reached them, and Shen Mu got a clear look at it.

It was indeed a fox, with a slightly sharp, elongated face and a pair of blood-red eyes. It was seven chi long, and three fluffy white tails trembled as it raced along.

"Is that a Three-Tailed Demon Fox?"

Zhang Bohan recognized the beast. Surprise flashed across his face, then delight.

"Brother Shen, a fox stole made from this beast could sell for at least fifty taels of silver. Don't damage its pelt with your saber!"

After speaking rapidly, Zhang Bohan rushed forward.

"Fifty taels?"

Shen Mu couldn't help being stunned. But with so many people splitting the money, he'd probably only get five taels.

He followed close behind, raised Moon Embroidery, and swept it out in a Whirlwind Sweep.

Seeing Shen Mu use a killing move from the Army-Breaking Saber Technique, the men rushing in from all directions were stunned.

"Brother Shen, stop!"

Guo Jinchuan shouted. If the Three-Tailed Demon Fox was cut in two, the pelt would be worth far less.