Where in the world is there no Dao? Unlocking new spiritual materials

On the long street, the Fox Demon looked at the smiling scholar opposite him and couldn't help but murmur, "That family was wicked, how can you blame the fox?"

The Fox Demon looked up at the scholar opposite him. The young man was still wearing a white mask without features, only with holes for the eyes, revealing the young man's bright, star-like eyes.

For some reason, even though he couldn't see the other person's features, the Fox Demon involuntarily felt that the person opposite him must be exceptionally distinguished and elegant.

The Fox Demon involuntarily felt a surge of inexplicable excitement, as if hot blood was boiling from the bottom of his heart, urging him to break through all the worldly illusions and see the vast world, the bright moon and stars.

The Fox Demon subconsciously wanted to imitate the other person's smile, and even more so, his demeanor.

"I..." A smile appeared on the Fox Demon's face, his pointed lips stretching upwards from both sides.

He felt it was wrong again and quickly reached out to rub his cheeks, working his slightly stiff features to make the smile's arc softer and more natural.

The Fox Demon then cupped his hands, smiling, and bowed deeply to Chen Xu.

"I, I... this little fox, this little fox thanks you, teacher, for teaching me!"

The Fox Demon was overjoyed and excited, wishing he could scratch his ears and cheeks on the spot, but he fidgeted, measuring the arc of his smile, trying his best to appear elegant.

Although he was in human form and could speak human language, and in some ways understood etiquette and propriety better than some humans, at this moment Chen Xu clearly saw a fox whose fur had not yet faded.

The fox stood on its hind legs, with a pointed chin, slanted eyes, and a hibiscus flower pinned to its ear.

He wore a scholar's robe and a scholar's cap, like a human, yet he retained his untamed animal nature.

It was rather comical, yet also possessed a wild cuteness.

Seeing this, Chen Xu couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relief. It was much better to be able to teach the Fox Demon than to fight to the death.

"We are fated to meet, and we are merely chatting and discussing the Dao. Why thank me?"

The fox, however, was startled again and asked cautiously, "Are we... discussing the Dao? Is this discussing the Dao?"

"Where in the human world is not the Dao? Your gratitude is the Dao, your keeping of promises is the Dao, and the fireworks on the street right now are also the Dao," Chen Xu said. "It's not that only boiling pine flowers with wine or stewing spring water with tea can be called the Dao.

Or perhaps Daoist masters, Confucian scholars, burning incense and playing the zither, singing elegant songs...

They are the Dao, but are we not the Dao?"

The Fox Demon let out an "Ah," his eyes lighting up, his pounding heart growing more excited.

He was overjoyed, yet didn't know what to say. For a moment he adjusted the flower by his temple, then touched the hat on his head, his hands itching to rub his face.

"I, I must repay you somehow," the Fox Demon fretted. "But I promised the young master of the Lin family that tomorrow I would hide in a coffin and ask you if you were the murderer.

Although he is dead, I must fulfill my promise. What, what should I do?"

Chen Xu said, "Just fulfill your promise and ask then. As for when to ask, how to ask, and what my reaction will be, that has nothing to do with your promise. Fellow Daoist Hu, don't you think so?"

The Fox Demon's eyes lit up again.

Chen Xu finally said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Hu, as you cultivate in the human world and wish to attain the Dao, please be sure to know one thing.

There are those in the world who are complete, and there are those who are incomplete. Those who are incomplete, though in human form, have wicked natures. Such people act unpredictably and without limits. Though human, they are not human; they are merely vermin.

Fellow Daoist Hu, do not learn from those vermin, be blinded by this murky world, and lose your bottom line.

We met today and called each other Fellow Daoist. If we have the chance to meet again, I hope we can still call each other Fellow Daoist."

With that, he removed his mask.

The Fox Demon stared at him blankly, his mind churning with his words. His face involuntarily mimicked his expression, his back straightening slightly, and the slightly stiff, exaggerated expression on his face became softer and more natural.

The Fox Demon, with wide sleeves and a proper demeanor, clasped his hands before him and bowed solemnly, "It shall be so, I dare not deviate."

Chen Xu returned the bow, "I am Chen Xu, greetings, Fellow Daoist Hu."

The Fox Demon stammered slightly and quickly said, "I, I am Hu Xi, greetings, Fellow Daoist Chen."

One person and one demon bowed to each other and took their leave.

Until the Fox Demon took his leave and departed, Chen Xu suddenly heard the noisy human voices in his ears. In that instant, all the clamor of the mortal world returned.

And on the long street, only pedestrians came and went, the night market bustled, and there was no sign of the Fox Demon anywhere.

Meeting under the lamplight was like a fleeting dream from a strange tales novel.

But Chen Xu knew that none of this was a dream, because the Fox Demon had also given him three fox hairs before leaving.

The fox hairs were still in his hand, real and tangible, wondrous and magnificent.

[Fox spirit whiskers, when roasted and ground into powder, can be mixed with auxiliary materials to form Mystic Fox Rejuvenation Powder, which stops bleeding, promotes muscle growth, heals external injuries, and has certain efficacy for cultivators.]

[Formed a connection with a Fox Demon, obtained a new type of spiritual material, Reward: Firework Value +300.]

Chen Xu was immediately delighted. With +300 Firework Value, he could unlock Fire Control Technique Level 2 or Summon Wind Technique when he returned!

As he was rejoicing, Chen Xu was about to put the three fox hairs in his hand into the Embers Kitchen when he suddenly heard a surprised shout from behind him: "Here, here, the demonic energy is just ahead, quick, A Jue, let's go!"

Turning his head, he saw a conspicuous pair of a person and a donkey.

A young Taoist priest in a blue robe held a compass in one hand and a Gray Donkey in the other, pulling it forward with effort.

The person walked forward, the donkey retreated.

The young Taoist priest went from joy to urgency to anger: "The demonic energy is right in front of us, you stubborn donkey! If you keep being difficult, the demonic energy will run away again. Oh, hurry up..."

The donkey wouldn't move, it whinnied and backed away even more.

"A Jue!" the young Daoist first yelled angrily, then his face fell. "Ancestor, can I call you ancestor? I promise I won't ride you again next time. Let's just go."

The young Daoist relented, and the donkey stopped backing up.

The donkey finally agreed to walk forward obediently. Just as the young Daoist felt delighted, he suddenly looked down at the compass in his hand.

Huh? The compass needle was wrong again.

"Ah!" On the long street, the young Daoist let out a donkey-slaughtering scream. "The demonic energy is gone again? Ahhh, you stupid donkey, you stubborn donkey, I'm gonna fight you!"

"Whinny whinny whinny--"

At this end of the long street, Chen Xu silently put three fox hairs into Embers Kitchen. Once the fox hairs were put away, the so-called demonic energy naturally disappeared.

He toyed with the two masks in his hand and brushed past the young Daoist.

The young Daoist, leading the donkey, suddenly turned back and exclaimed, "Huh?" He then enthusiastically ran up to Chen Xu, bowed, and said, "Greetings, benefactor. This humble Daoist is the seventy-second generation disciple of Qingxu Dao Palace, with the Daoist name Xuan Yi. I am currently traveling south for training, to observe the ways of the world and to capture demons and ghosts.

I observe that your aura is extraordinary, and I believe your insight must far surpass ordinary people. May I ask if you have seen any demons in this vicinity?"

Chen Xu looked at the young Daoist Xuan Yi and asked back in surprise, "The night market is bustling with people. Why do you assume I can recognize demons? I am merely a common man in this world, how can I be worthy of your 'extraordinary aura'?"

Xuan Yi was taken aback by the question. He couldn't help but scratch his head and stammered, "N-no, is that not the case? That's not right. The moment I saw you, I felt you were definitely different from ordinary people. My intuition can't be wrong..."

Chen Xu was in a hurry to go back to his cultivation and immediately put on a serious face to fool him. "Feelings are ethereal and illusory, how can they be infallibly correct?

Please do not be deceived by your own misjudgment, Daoist. Farewell."

This is a critical period for PK, please continue reading. Thank you all!