We're All Thousand-Year-Old Foxes

"Gentlemen, we encountered vicious bandits on the road. Our servants all died at their hands, and we fled all the way here. Might we rest our feet here?"

The woman at the head stepped forward and gave everyone a graceful bow, looking every bit a young lady from a distinguished family.

"If you gentlemen would be willing to escort us some way, once we are safe, we will certainly offer a hundred taels of silver in thanks."

The Great Han beside them had already been somewhat entranced by the women's graceful figures.

Now, seeing their frail expressions, they felt an even stronger desire to protect them.

They promptly nodded. "We were already escorting this provincial graduate to the capital for the examinations. Since we have met you ladies, taking a few more people along would be no trouble. We just don't know whether we're going the same way."

Whatever else might be said, the promise of a hundred taels of silver afterward had struck straight at every one of their hearts.

A hundred taels of silver!

At the current market rate, one tael of silver could be exchanged for around fifteen thousand in Blazing Summer Currency.

That meant a hundred taels of silver was worth one and a half million!

At the thought, the breathing of the men beside him grew somewhat heavy.

"Of course we're going the same way. You heroes need only escort us to Yueyang City in Yunmeng Marsh."

As she spoke, the woman swayed her body, looking utterly alluring.

The sight left everyone beside them staring blankly, almost drooling.

At that moment, however, Fang Zelin keenly sensed something amiss.

As he watched, while the woman spoke, something resembling pink mist was slowly being inhaled by the people before her.

At a glance, Great Han and the others all seemed somewhat witless, as though part of their wits had been stolen away.

Sure enough, they're up to no good!

Fang Zelin was immediately startled by the sight.

The others presumably could not see these things, so they had taken no precautions whatsoever against the pink mist.

If ordinary people saw this mist, they certainly would not recklessly inhale it.

"Yueyang City? I've heard that the KFC tavern in Yueyang City is famous throughout the city. Do you ladies know it?"

Fang Zelin watched as the women before him were about to approach. As they drew closer, the pink mist emanating from them grew ever denser.

The corner of Fang Zelin's mouth twitched at the sight, and he suddenly spoke up to question the women before him.

At his words, even Great Han Wu Yong beside him froze for a moment.

The KFC tavern? Was there a tavern with that name in Seeking the Dao?

Of all the places they had visited, not a single one had been influenced by real-world culture.

While they were all puzzling over this, the women at the front also froze briefly before smiling.

"The KFC tavern? Of course we know it. Quite a few people in the city are particularly fond of its wine."

The woman uttered the strange name, completely unaware that a smile had already curled the corner of Fang Zelin's mouth.

"Impudent fiend! I could tell at a glance that you weren't human! Since when has Yueyang City had such a tavern? I merely bluffed, and you gave yourself away!"

Fang Zelin shouted and leaped to his feet.

His voice was like a thunderclap, leaving everyone's heads spinning.

What was going on? How was she suddenly not human?

Fang Zelin's stern shout left the woman somewhat dazed as well. A little flustered, she immediately forced a smile at everyone.

"Please don't joke, young master. I was only traveling to visit relatives when I encountered bandits. I'm distraught, so it's inevitable that I didn't quite think my answer through."

Her words prompted several people beside her to nod, and they could not help turning to look at Fang Zelin.

"We met you on the road too, and invited you to spend the night with us so we could look out for one another. Why are you being so harsh now that you've seen other people in trouble?"

"Exactly. We're all people in trouble. For a grown man to make things so difficult for a few women is going too far."

Great Han and the others looked at Fang Zelin, all feeling that his suspicions were utterly groundless.

Hearing this, Fang Zelin felt rather helpless.

These fellows had probably lost some of their reason after inhaling that mist just now.

"I'm not deliberately making things difficult for these women. Just think about it yourselves. They said they encountered bandits and fled all the way here. If they really were fleeing for their lives, why are their clothes so tidy? Even their long hair is pinned up as though they've only just finished washing and combing it."

As Fang Zelin spoke, he pointed out various things about the women before him.

Looking them over, no matter how he looked at them, it was clear that there was something seriously wrong with these women.

Hearing this, Wu Yong took a closer look and immediately sensed something amiss as well.

That's right. These women said they had encountered bandits, and they were so beautiful.

If bandits saw them, wouldn't they chase after them like mad?

If these women really had fled, how could their clothes and pinned-up hair be so tidy?

Looking at it this way, the group immediately realized the problem too.

Something was wrong-very wrong!

At that moment, they finally regained some clarity and immediately went on full alert.

Seeing this, the woman in front froze briefly, then lowered her head and began to weep.

She took a square handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her tears as she sobbed softly. "Never mind. Our unknown origins have caused you heroes some trouble. If we remain here and cause you to come to blows, it would be our fault."

"We shall leave at once."

As she spoke, her lovely face was filled with such a pitiable look that anyone would feel for her. She turned as though to leave, but the pink mist around her surged, sweeping toward Wu Yong and the others.

Hesitation appeared on Wu Yong's face and those of the others at the sight. Could we have misunderstood them?

Just as doubt arose in their minds.

Watching the swelling pink mist, Fang Zelin sensed trouble. He hurriedly swept his wide sleeve, whipping up a fierce gust that blew the mist apart.

"We're all thousand-year-old foxes here! Why play Strange Tales with me!"

Fang Zelin shouted angrily, then stamped his right foot on the ground, sending a pebble straight into his hand.

Spiritual power surged within Fang Zelin's body. After pouring it into the stone, he hurled it fiercely at the woman in front.

The next instant, spiritual light blazed.

With a piercing whistle, the stone shot straight toward the woman at the head.

"Don't!"

Wu Yong was shocked at the sight and hurried to stop Fang Zelin.

Although these women's origins were somewhat unclear, surely that was no reason to strike to kill?

But his cry still came too late. Fang Zelin's stone had already shot straight into the woman at the head.

Just as everyone thought the woman was about to die here, what happened next left every one of them with their jaws hanging open.