Idle Chat and Amusing Tales in the County

This calligraphy scroll held completely different value in Ji Yuan's eyes compared to Lord Lu's, and he was instantly captivated.

Every character on the Sword Intent Scroll displayed a unique expression, each stroke brimming with sharpness, yet when viewed as a whole, they formed a seamless, cohesive sensation, as if hundreds of seemingly still characters were dancing together.

Lost in his reverie, Ji Yuan forgot the time. The fox on the stone table watched him immersed in the scroll, and the spiritual qi in the courtyard slowly dissipated after a few hours, yet it dared not make a sound to disturb him.

It wasn't until the sky grew dark that Ji Yuan snapped out of his contemplation of the characters, unable to help but sigh.

"Excellent characters, excellent sword! I never imagined martial sword techniques could reach such exquisite heights. Skill Approaching the Dao must be just like this!"

This scroll was not written by a cultivator—Ji Yuan had Felt a Sense the moment he touched it. It bore no spiritual qi nor any profound mystical arts of cultivation.

The meaning left in the text was merely a momentum of wielding the brush like a sword. Dipping it in water once would ruin the scroll, and even Ji Yuan's Yin Bamboo Slips were not so easily destroyed by ordinary Water and Fire.

Moreover, what the scroll recorded was a sword technique from martial arts, what cultivators would Look Down On as Mundane Minor Arts.

Yet this connected momentum of sword intent, like a chess game achieving the same effect through different means, seemed to come alive in Ji Yuan's mind like a Wandering Dragon, containing wisdom and will!

'That Martial Artist who wrote this scroll must be no ordinary Martial Man, but a truly brilliant and exceptional individual. I wonder if he still walks the mortal world?'

Just as Ji Yuan was thinking this, he suddenly felt something was off.

'Wait, why the hell am I thinking in such a refined manner? Damn, this is toxic!'

Ji Yuan Hastily shook his head like a nervous tic, then turned to find the fox on the table, which had been drowsy earlier, now much more alert. Looking at the sky, he saw the sun had already slanted westward.

"Haha... Embarrassed, I forgot the time. I need to decoct your medicine! Uh, but there's no Medicine Stove and Pot here..."

Ji Yuan knew perfectly well what was in his home—there was definitely no medicine stove. That meant he'd have to borrow one from the Yin family.

"Stay here and don't run off. I'll be right back!"

Leaving these words and seeing the fox's obedient demeanor, Ji Yuan exited the courtyard gate and headed toward the Yin residence.

Before he even reached the Yin family courtyard, he heard Yin Qing speaking with great excitement.

"Mother, Mother! Today, on the way back with Daddy, I heard people talking about Mister Ji. They said this morning in the market, a red fox appeared, chased and bitten by a Big Yellow Dog and beaten by people. The fox fled and fled until it reached Mister Ji's feet as he passed by, and it kept kowtowing to Mister Ji!!"

"Ah!? Such a thing happened?"

Inside the Yin house, Madam Yin exclaimed in surprise, then looked at Yin Zhaoxian, who was sitting to the side lighting candles with a Tinder Stick.

"Husband, is what Qing'er said true?"

Yin Zhaoxian lit the candle and Nodded at her.

"It should be true. Many people asked me about Mister Ji on the way back today. They said the red fox was covered in blood, escaped the crowd by playing dead, then knelt before Mister Ji and kowtowed. The yellow dogs around didn't dare approach, and moreover..."

"Yes, yes, yes!! Mother, let me tell you, Mister Ji only said one sentence, and those Big Dogs backed off on their own. Mister Ji even gave money to those two fox-beaters, Let them spare the fox. Hmph, why give them money!!"

Yin Qing's words were full of childish emotion, as if he had seen it all with his own eyes.

"Mm, I heard that later Jiren Hall treated the fox."

Outside the courtyard, listening to the Yin Family Members discussing the day's events, Ji Yuan couldn't help but smile wryly, then lightly knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Dong dong dong~~~"

"Is Master Yin or Madam Yin home? Ji Yuan pays a visit!"

Ji Yuan's steady, forceful voice came from outside the courtyard, startling the Yin family, who had been discussing him. Yin Zhaoxian Hastily went to open the door, and Yin Qing immediately followed.

Opening the courtyard gate, Ji Yuan stood outside, with bloodstains particularly noticeable on his sleeves and chest.

"Master Yin!"

Ji Yuan gave a slight bow.

"Mister Ji has arrived, please come in, please come in! Qing'er, have your mother brew a pot of tea!"

"No need! This Humble One has come only to borrow your Medicine Stove and Pot. I wonder if Master Yin has such an item at home?"

Recalling the market rumors from his return today, Yin Zhaoxian immediately understood and nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll fetch it for you!"

"Daddy, the medicine stove is right here!"

Before Yin Zhaoxian could look for it, Yin Qing, brimming with excitement, came over carrying the Medicine Stove and Pot and handed them to Ji Yuan.

"Mister Ji, the medicine stove!"

"Good, thank you, Little Yin Qing!"

Ji Yuan Smilingly took them. Though he Couldn't See Clearly the specific Details of the stove, from the touch, it seemed to be some kind of coarse pottery. He could also smell a faint charcoal ash, and both the stove and pot were small.

"Master Yin, Ji has matters at home, so I won't intrude further!"

"Good, Mister Ji, please do as you wish. If there's anything you need from me, don't hesitate to ask. Yin is always at your service!"

Yin Zhaoxian was just bowing to Ji Yuan when he saw his son dash out of the courtyard in one stride and stand behind Ji Yuan.

"Qing'er, What are you doing, come back!"

"Mister Ji, I want to go too. I want to see the red fox. I've never seen a fox before. Can I come see it? I promise to behave!"

"Qing'er!"

"Hehehe... Master Yin, please don't mind. Little Yin Qing is at an age of pure innocence, so a bit of extra curiosity is only natural. How about this—let him come with me to the pavilion for a look. I'll have him back before dinner!"

"Hahaha, that's wonderful!"

Yin Qing jumped for joy, while Yin Zhaoxian gave an awkward chuckle.

"Then I'll trouble you, Mister Ji."

'Little rabbit, why didn't you suggest your father come along too! I want to see it as well!!'

But hindered by his pride and concern for Ji Yuan's feelings, Yin Zhaoxian couldn't voice this thought. With regret and even a hint of envy, he watched Ji Yuan and Yin Qing leave.

In the courtyard of Ju'an Pavilion, the red fox on the stone table heard the approaching footsteps outside the yard, along with Yin Qing's crisp voice incessantly asking Ji Yuan about foxes. It tensed warily, almost standing up, but didn't flee.

Before long, Ji Yuan, carrying the medicine stove and pot, entered the yard with an excited Yin Qing.

"Oh? You can stand up now?"

Ji Yuan felt a bit more reassured. Seeing the fox eyeing Yin Qing with caution, he spoke with a smile.

"Little Red Fox, this is the son of a friend of mine. No need to worry. Little Yin Qing, this is the red fox. It's badly injured right now, so try not to disturb its rest or touch it, understand?"

"Mm, got it!"

A child like Yin Qing had no resistance to a fluffy red fox. The bandages wrapped around it actually lessened the fox's intimidation as a wild beast.

He circled around, peering from above and below, scrutinizing the fox thoroughly, stopping just short of reaching out to touch it. The fox's eyes stayed fixed on Yin Qing, never relaxing its guard.

One moment Yin Qing would ask, "Does it hurt?" and the next, he'd flinch back when the fox bared its teeth, while the red fox, as if facing a great threat, would then snort dismissively and ignore him. The one boy and one fox seemed completely out of sync, and Ji Yuan found it hard not to laugh.

After about an hour, a bowl of dark, slightly thick medicinal decoction appeared in Ji Yuan's hands. Considering the fox's small stomach, he had deliberately boiled it down to be more concentrated.

"Grrr..."

The smell of the medicine wasn't pleasant, but with Ji Yuan watching, the fox had no choice but to obediently lap up the bowl of liquid from the corner of the table. Yin Qing found it amusing, thinking the fox was even better-behaved than a dog.

A trace of spiritual qi had also been infused into the medicine. Before it could dissipate quickly, the fox drank it down, helping it absorb the medicinal power.

Thankfully, this was no longer an ordinary wild beast. Timely treatment, aided by spiritual qi, had truly stabilized the fox's injuries.

It was just about mealtime. After sending the reluctant Yin Qing home, Ji Yuan finally had time to eat his first meal of the day, planning to bring back some meat for the fox as well.

And the strange tale of the red fox begging for help on the street, and the yellow dog heeding advice and walking away, gradually became an amusing topic of after-dinner conversation among the people of Ning'an.