In the distance, within the shadowy depths of the forest, Zhou Yixian and Xiao Huan crept silently behind a towering tree, their gazes fixed upon the scene unfolding before them.
Xiao Huan, frowning, whispered quietly, “Grandpa, why did you not flee for your life but instead return to this dangerous place to watch the spectacle?”
Zhou Yixian, his eyes still on the scene, replied in a low voice, “I’ve long heard that these demon lairs are filled with treasures, but I could never find a way in. Today, with so many people clearing the path, how could I miss the chance? Perhaps there’s some profit to be had.”
Xiao Huan, her fair face showing her displeasure, retorted, “What if we don’t find any treasure and end up encountering demons instead?”
Zhou Yixian turned to her, smiling cheerfully, “Fear not, fear not. Your grandfather is well-versed in the secret arts of Earth Traversal, Water Traversal, and Thousand Mile Traversal, passed down from the great Qingyun Zushi. We will be perfectly safe.”
Xiao Huan muttered under her breath, “Pfft, clearly just empty boasts of a con man running away.”
Unheeding, Zhou Yixian continued, brimming with pride, “Besides, didn’t you once tell your grandfather’s fortune? You said my forehead was full and auspicious, with a wealth line on my palm, indicating great fortune. Tonight, it shall come to pass. Xiao Huan, I have the utmost faith in your divination!”
Xiao Huan: “…”
Suddenly, Zhou Yixian seemed startled, turning his gaze back to the scene where Zhang Xiaofan had already closed in, brandishing his black staff toward the seductive woman.
“Taiji Xuanqing Dao! This young man must be a disciple of Qingyun Sect.”
“What?” Intrigued, Xiao Huan also turned to look. As the clamor of battle intensified, she asked, “So he’s from the same lineage as us. Is he powerful?”
Zhou Yixian, his avaricious grin fading, scrutinized the battle, his expression becoming serious. “This youth, though young, seems to have reached the fifth level of Jade Purity Realm. Odd…”
Xiao Huan, knowing her grandfather’s extensive knowledge, commented, “He appears to be quite a prodigy.”
After a moment of silence, Zhou Yixian shook his head slightly, “His talent isn’t poor, perhaps even above average, but certainly not the caliber of the legendary founder, Qinye Zushi. It’s strange that he would progress so quickly given his potential.”
Xiao Huan, at a loss for words, turned back to the scene.
※※※
Shi Tou roared, gold light flashing as the demons retreated. Zhang Xiaofan, leaping into the air, charged with his staff alternating between blue and black, towards the seductive woman. She met him with a wave of her white sleeve, her eyes locked on him. In an instant, they were nearly touching.
Startled, Zhang Xiaofan found himself face-to-face with her captivating features, her subtle fragrance wafting to him, her eyes mesmerizing like jewels, reflecting his own form. His resolve wavered.
“You, what did you see in that well?” Even in the heat of battle, her voice remained soft and alluring, slipping into his ears.
Zhang Xiaofan, his heart fluttering, was about to succumb when a sudden flash of gold on his face steadied him.
The three-tailed fox frowned, then bellowed, flinging Zhang Xiaofan several feet back, where he landed beside Shi Tou.
Shi Tou, concerned, warned, “Be wary; her enchantments are potent.”
Zhang Xiaofan, shaken, nodded. They looked up to see the three-tailed fox floating mid-air, her garments billowing like a painting, breathtakingly beautiful.
Zhou Yixian, impressed, exclaimed, “That youth’s willpower is formidable, resisting the fox’s five-hundred-year-old allure!”
Xiao Huan scoffed, “Big deal, that big guy seems unaffected too.”
Zhou Yixian explained, “You know nothing. That man’s training is rooted in Buddhist teachings, which naturally resist such charms. But Qingyun Sect, being Taoist, lacks such defenses. For that youth to withstand it is truly remarkable!”
“Is that so?” Xiao Huan pondered, then returned her gaze to the scene.
The three-tailed fox, descending, maintained her smile, but her eyes reflected her growing concern. She sensed that despite their youth, both men were highly skilled. The larger one seemed of a Buddhist lineage, while the other’s resolve was unexpectedly strong, rendering her charms ineffective.
Bìyáo, standing nearby, had been about to intervene, but seeing Zhang Xiaofan composed, halted, her gaze cold.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting a lonely shadow over the seductive woman.
Her voice carried a tinge of sorrow, “We have no enmity. Why do you seek to kill me?”
Shi Tou, like a tiger, growled, “You, a demon, have sown chaos in Xiaochi Town. Do you not deserve death?”
She lifted her gaze, a gentle breeze stirring her clothing.
“Do you seek to kill me simply because I am a demon?” She directed her question to Zhang Xiaofan, “And you, why are you here?”
Zhang Xiaofan, without hesitation, declared, “You are evil, and I, a practitioner of righteousness, must eliminate such threats.”
She smiled faintly, “If I told you that your teachings are wrong, what would you think?”
Zhang Xiaofan, taken aback, pondered her words, recalling a conversation with Wan Renwǎng. Doubt gnawed at him.
Shi Tou, shouting a warning, saw the fox leap, her hands transforming into claws, charging towards Zhang Xiaofan. Shi Tou, ready to defend, found himself surrounded by countless demons, leaving him stretched thin.
The fox, deeming Zhang Xiaofan the weaker target, focused on him first.
Just as her claws neared Zhang Xiaofan’s face, a black staff shimmered with a faint blue light, intercepting her strike. The staff, held by Zhang Xiaofan, clashed with her claws, causing a shock that paled her skin almost to transparency.
She screamed, recoiling, transforming into a beam of light and landing far off, staring in disbelief at Zhang Xiaofan and his staff.
※※※
Xiao Huan, awestruck, whispered, “What a powerful artifact! What is it, Grandpa?”
Receiving no response, she noticed Zhou Yixian, deep in thought, and tugged his sleeve. “Grandpa, what’s wrong?”
Zhou Yixian, shaken, mumbled, “Who is this youth? Such a peculiar disciple from Qingyun Sect…”
Seeing Bìyáo, Xiao Huan pointed, “Grandpa, look at that woman.”
Zhou Yixian, following her gaze, observed Bìyáo, her attention fixed on Zhang Xiaofan, her expression a mix of joy and concern.
“She seems interested in the staff,” Zhou Yixian noted, “What are you looking at, girl?”
Xiao Huan, defiant, questioned, “Why can’t I look too?”
Zhou Yixian, scowling, turned back to the scene.
※※※
Zhang Xiaofan, seizing the opportunity, charged again. The fox, retreating, saw countless lesser demons emerging, but Zhang Xiaofan, undaunted, cut through them, his staff’s light dispelling their fear.
Stunned, the crowd watched as Zhang Xiaofan and Shi Tou cornered the fox. Her minions vanished, leaving her alone.
She asked softly, “Young man, what did you see in that well?”
Confused, the crowd wondered why the fox was so interested. Shi Tou shouted a warning, but Zhang Xiaofan, preparing to attack, hesitated.
The fox, sighing, reached into her robes, revealing a palm-sized object. It was a jade ring, with a small, red, mirror-like disc at its center, depicting an ancient flame. The entire artifact was adorned with red tassels.
Zhou Yixian, frozen, stammered, “Impossible… This is the ‘Xuanhuo Jian,’ a sacred treasure of the Burning Incense Valley, a supreme exorcism tool. How could it be in the hands of a demon?”
Xiao Huan, intrigued, asked, “Is it that powerful?”
Zhou Yixian, bewildered, muttered, “The world truly has changed. A righteous disciple wields a dark artifact, while a demon holds a divine one!”
Xiao Huan rolled her eyes, “Such outdated views!”
Zhou Yixian, speechless, stared in disbelief.
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