Fellow Daoist, look, do I look like a human or not?

Shengyu Workshop, beside the small stall.

Chen Xu remotely controlled the Mud Pill Dao Soldiers, transforming the malice in his heart into flames.

The Heart Fire burned fiercely, killing the dark shadow in the Lin family's backyard that was about to become a ferocious ghost.

As the ghost dissipated, Chen Xu felt his heart pounding wildly.

Miles away, he had channeled his Heart Fire into the Mud Pill Dao Soldiers, killing ghosts and warding off evil. He had succeeded!

At the moment of successfully killing the ghost, countless wondrous messages seemed to feed back into his soul.

For a fleeting moment, it was as if he had glimpsed some of the mysteries of this world.

Man and nature, in the space of a breath, all energies exchanged.

It seemed to be remote, but who knew if there wasn't a complete channel between them?

Humans are born from their mothers, originally possessing a wisp of Innate Qi. However, after birth, they are contaminated by the turbid qi of the mortal world, and this wisp of Innate Qi inevitably dissipates, transforming into acquired Essence.

Those with strong innate talent have abundant Essence and often live long lives.

As for those who are born weak, even with the best care in their later years, their lifespan is short. This is what physicians often refer to as "congenital deficiency."

Chen Xu's mind raced, recalling countless pieces of knowledge he had learned or heard before, all of which were now being re-digested.

Amidst a flash of inspiration, he finally understood what Innate Qi truly was.

It turned out that the greatest function of this wisp of Innate Qi was not to extend his lifespan, but to allow ordinary people in their acquired state to connect with heaven and earth through this Innate Qi!

Human strength is limited, but if one can use their own body as an anchor point to control the power of heaven and earth, then their power would be inexhaustible and unstoppable.

Chen Xu's heart throbbed, his heart beating like a drum.

[God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll (Layer 1 5/100)]

[God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll (Layer 1 7/100)]

[God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll (Layer 1 15/100)]

On the Heavenly Book panel, the experience prompts for the God of Cookery Cultivation Scroll jumped forward in a straight line, increasing to 15 points in just a few breaths.

[You killed a malevolent ghost and eradicated evil, your thoughts are clear, you have obtained one qian of Ghost Spirit Incense, and you are rewarded with 100 Firework Value.]

He had obtained a wondrous substance after killing the ghost, along with a Firework Value reward.

But Chen Xu no longer cared about these things. What he cared about more was that he had comprehended a high-level method of using Innate Qi.

Although, at this moment, the faint wisp of Innate Qi within him had been completely depleted after the previous exertion.

Yet, in his Dantian, a mystical power was clearly and slowly regenerating.

It was like a living spring; even if the water was drawn out for a time, as long as the source remained, new water would always flow out again.

Unceasing, this is Circulation!

Beside the small stall, Chen Xu held a ghost mask, his heart racing, his breathing shallow.

The feeling of having made a true breakthrough finally and clearly filled all his senses.

The complexity of his emotions at this moment could not be simply described as joy.

It was more like a seed buried deep in dark, sunless soil for a long time, finally absorbing enough nourishment as the spring snow melted, stretching its tender sprout with abundant vitality, and breaking through the earth.

Suddenly, he heard a voice: "Sir, are you still buying the mask?"

It turned out that the stall owner had finally finished praising his masks and was now enthusiastically urging Chen Xu.

Chen Xu came back to his senses. It wasn't a wasted trip to the mask stall, so he bought two ghost masks of different appearances.

One was green-faced with fangs, the other was white-faced and featureless.

He casually placed the white-faced, featureless mask on his face. Under the lamplight of the long street, the noisy shadows dappled on the pale, featureless mask. Chen Xu's mind suddenly stirred as he sensed a peculiar aura flowing down the street like moonlight.

He abruptly turned around and looked up to see a tall, thin figure emerging slowly from the night.

In the light of the human world's lamps, the figure had a white face, red eyes, and a pinkish-white hibiscus flower pinned to its temples. It was clearly a young man dressed as a scholar, yet adorned with a flower and makeup.

The scholar with the flower thus walked, stepping on the lamplight and the night, his stark white face holding a faint smile as he leisurely approached Chen Xu.

For some reason, though the long street was bustling, as Chen Xu met the gaze of the approaching figure, he felt a profound silence, as if the entire world had momentarily fallen into a hazy illusion.

Only the surge of his own Vitality reminded Chen Xu not to be deceived.

The one approaching was not human.

It was a demon!

A Fox Demon.

The Innate Qi in Chen Xu's Dantian, which had been slowly regenerating, suddenly felt greatly stimulated. Like a spring's floodgate opening, it began to recover at a rapid pace.

Chen Xu, wearing the mask, met the Fox Demon's gaze.

The scholar-like Fox Demon suddenly spoke: "Fellow Daoist, do I look human?"

In Chen Xu's Dantian, the Innate Qi circulated rapidly, keenly capturing the peculiar fluctuations in the surrounding aura as the Fox Demon spoke.

Does he resemble a human?

How should this question be answered?

Chen Xu said, "Whether Your Excellency resembles a human should be asked of yourself. Truth versus illusion resides in one's own heart; seeking answers from others is the inferior path."

Upon hearing this, the Fox Demon immediately tilted its head, its expression momentarily stunned.

Chen Xu met its gaze, his eyes unwavering. The Innate Qi within him surged, and the Heart Fire in his chest leaped, eager for action.

He was ready to turn hostile towards the Fox Demon at any moment.

Chen Xu naturally understood that this Fox Demon was likely the one from the Lin residence.

He just couldn't figure out why it hadn't appeared when the Mud Pill Dao Soldier killed Lin Yuan, yet now it had crossed paths with him on this long street!

Suddenly, the Fox Demon let out a chuckle.

"What is it?" it tilted its head, the flower pinned to its temple swaying gently. Its face held an indescribably sinister, handsome, and comical expression.

The Fox Demon giggled, "Could it be, fellow Daoist, that you thought I came here seeking revenge for that young Lin family brat?"

Wasn't that the case?

Chen Xu immediately cupped his hands. "May I ask, Fellow Daoist Hu, why you have come?"

"You call me fellow Daoist?" The Fox Demon chuckled again. "You're smarter than that Lin family brat. Why have I come? I've come to make friends with you."

It tilted its head, looking at Chen Xu. "Fellow Daoist Chen, you won't even show me your true face; are you planning to meet me wearing a mask?"

Chen Xu did not remove his mask, only asking, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist Hu, what is your connection to the Lin family?"

"You don't trust me." The Fox Demon sighed. "Very well, it's only natural. Since that's the case, I shall tell you the story."

"That is precisely what I wish for. I, Chen, shall listen with respectful attention."

And so, on this long street, Chen Xu heard a story about a fox and an old acquaintance.

It turned out that a hundred years ago, when the Fox Demon had just gained sentience, it was captured by a tenant farmer under the Lin family's ancestor due to a moment of carelessness.

The tenant farmer took the young fox to the Lin residence to claim a reward. At that time, the Fox Demon had fiery red fur, dazzlingly beautiful.

The Lin family ancestor was delighted upon seeing it and intended to skin the Fox Demon alive to present its pelt to the then Prefect of Yunjiang Prefecture.

Having gained sentience, the Fox Demon used all its might to beg for its life, stirring the compassion of a young daughter from the Lin family.

Afterward, the Lin daughter, unnoticed by her father and brothers, let the Fox Demon go. Before leaving, the Fox Demon plucked three tail hairs and gifted them to the Lin daughter, promising her three wishes.

Having reached this point in the story, the Fox Demon asked Chen Xu, "Do you understand now why I don't care about the death of that Lin family brat?"