Demon Fox

Meanwhile, deep within the mountains, Zhou Ping's appearance remained largely unchanged. Cultivating in quiet seclusion, he had attempted to break through his major bottleneck several times, managing to accumulate eleven strands of Spiritual Qi in his body. This brought him one step closer to the threshold of sixteen strands, yet he had already reached a point where further progress was impossible.

His poor aptitude stood before him like an unyielding mountain, cruelly severing his cultivation prospects. This was the sorrow shared by the vast majority of cultivators in the Spirit Awakening Realm. It was not that they lacked diligence or effort, but that their innate talent was simply too dreadful, leaving them with absolutely no hope for the immortal path.

After squandering five to ten years of their lives just to reach the peak of the Spirit Awakening Realm, only to be forever barred from the Great Dao-how could they not feel despair and heartache?

Some of the more resigned ones would descend the mountain after a few more years of failure to establish a family and clan, living out their days as carefree, wealthy mortals. Those with stubborn hearts would persist without rest, fighting endlessly against their fate until they ultimately withered and died on the mountain, a tragic end.

Although Zhou Ping was unwilling to resign himself, he was not entirely stubborn. He held his parents and elder brother in his heart, and now, he carried the weight of the entire Zhou family.

If the family prospered and the halls were filled with children and grandchildren, he would harbor no regrets.

"As long as Minghu and Xuanya achieve success in their cultivation, I won't have to hide in the mountains forever." Standing atop the cliff, he gazed into the distance at Baixi Village, a melancholy expression on his face. "I wonder how Xuanya is doing. The last time I saw him, he was still so small."

He could not help but recall the last time he returned home under the cover of night. He had wanted to hold Xuanya, but unexpectedly, the child had burst into tears at the sight of him. A pang of bitterness welled up in his heart.

A son who did not recognize his father, a home he could not return to.

Over the past five years, the continuous goodwill displayed by the Wang and Sun families had gradually caused Zhou Ping to lower his guard, making him consider returning to accompany his family.

However, two years ago, a Spirit Awakening Realm cultivator from the neighboring Lin Family Village had returned home in a blaze of glory. Yet, one night, he was ruthlessly stabbed to death in his sleep. The event rang out like a harsh warning bell, striking terror into the hearts of men.

How could Zhou Ping dare to be careless? Until his own family rose to prominence, how could he show his face in the open? After all, it was precisely because he remained hidden in the shadows that the Wang and Sun families dared not act recklessly.

Just as Zhou Ping was longing for his family, he suddenly heard a disturbance from the nearby forest. His mind immediately jolted; he pinched a technique incantation within his sleeve and gripped a heavy broadsword in his hand, staring vigilantly in that direction.

Having lived in these mountains for so many years, he had encountered his fair share of wild beasts, even catching sight of fierce tigers and black bears. Although ordinary animals naturally avoided danger and would flee upon sensing his aura, he still had to remain on his guard.

Suddenly, a fiery red fox darted out from the tall grass, its fur breathtakingly vibrant and lustrous.

When the fox saw it was a human, a flicker of disappointment actually flashed through its highly intelligent eyes.

"What a powerful Demon Beast!"

Zhou Ping's heart pounded uncontrollably. He could feel the overwhelmingly dense demonic aura radiating from this red fox-it was a great demon at the Qi Condensation Realm!

His entire body went rigid as cold sweat poured fiercely from his forehead. He did not dare move a single muscle, terrified of provoking the fox demon's wrath. Even knowing he was entirely outmatched, his mind raced frantically in search of a way to escape.

This place was dozens of li away from Darong Mountain, where even minor spirits were a rare sight. How had a Qi Condensation great demon suddenly appeared here?

Regret filled Zhou Ping's heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he cast a glance at the cliff behind him. Although the drop was over a hundred zhang high and a single misstep would shatter his bones, a winding river flowed below. If he managed a lucky jump into the water, he might just miraculously survive.

Seeing that the red fox showed no signs of attacking, Zhou Ping forcibly suppressed his terror. Qi Condensation great demons possessed spiritual enlightenment and understood human nature. Some Demon Beasts kept by the Azure Cloud Sect could even speak human tongues after receiving proper guidance.

Judging by this fox demon's demeanor, there was a high chance it was not some vicious, bloodthirsty creature. Perhaps it could even be reasoned with.

Hu Li was a descendant of the Heavenly Fox Ancestor of Darong Mountain. With nothing else to do, he had been wandering the mountains when he sensed a relatively decent aura lingering in this barren foothill branch. Thinking it was a newly sentient spirit, he had come prepared to recruit it as a subordinate, never expecting to find a human instead.

Although he lived deep in the mountains and had never laid eyes on a human before, he had heard countless tales about them from the clan elders. Seeing one in the flesh today wasn't particularly shocking.

"Human... why have you run to Darong Mountain?"

Zhou Ping stood stunned. He hadn't expected this mountain Demon Beast to actually speak the human tongue. Could it be the descendant of a great demon from Darong Mountain, possessing ancient clan inheritance?

He respectfully bowed his head. "This Junior harbors absolutely no ill intent. My home is not far from here, so I merely reside in seclusion within these mountains. I have never slaughtered or abused any living creatures here. I implore Senior to quell your anger."

Hu Li listened with profound disinterest. He could naturally sense the lack of bloodlust or murderous aura on Zhou Ping. Besides, he wasn't like those brutal, savage beasts deeper in the mountains; he had zero appetite for human flesh.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. "I hear you humans have many delicious things to eat. Go fetch some for me, and I certainly won't treat you poorly."

'I've always heard the elders say that the human race excels at preparing exquisite delicacies. Let me taste just what they are like.'

Joy instantly sparked in Zhou Ping's eyes. Demon Beasts were not as treacherous and deceitful as humans. Though often volatile and violent, their natures were fundamentally straightforward. Based on this fox demon's words, it most likely had no intention of killing him.

Furthermore, this might just turn out to be a Fated Chance for the Zhou family.

Darong Mountain held countless treasures, but it remained the undisputed territory of the demon race. Only those with a death wish would dare venture deep into its borders. However, if he could appease this fox demon, even a few casual scraps tossed his way would be enough to sustain his family's cultivation.

"This Junior will definitely see it done. However, how should I go about finding Senior next time?"

Hu Li looked around before turning his gaze toward the sky. "I will return when the moon is next full. You had best be ready by then."

As he spoke, Hu Li cast a glance at Baixi Village in the distance, assuming it to be this human's dwelling place.

That single glance made Zhou Ping's soul tremble. He felt a bitter dread. Now that the fox demon had noted the location of Baixi Village, failing to satisfy its appetite would likely bring about an apocalyptic disaster for his home.

Soon after, Hu Li vanished into the dense mountain forest.

The worldly qi in these outer mountain branches was simply far too thin; lingering here only made him uncomfortable.

Only after Hu Li had completely departed did Zhou Ping finally steady his nerves. He slumped to the ground, gasping heavily, his clothes thoroughly drenched in cold sweat. However, his mind was already turning over plans.

Most likely, the fox demon had been drawn here by his cultivation aura. Although he was still some distance from Darong Mountain, they bordered one another, making it inevitable that a great demon might take notice.

Fortunately, the beast that arrived possessed a mild temper. If a bloodthirsty jackal or leopard demon had shown up instead... Zhou Ping shivered with sheer horror just picturing it.

For his next cultivation session, he would absolutely have to find a more heavily concealed location. He could never sit openly on this cliff again.

Calculating the days, it was already the thirteenth of the sixth month. There were less than two days until the full moon. Calling upon his family to go to the county town for purchases would take too long; Zhou Ping had no choice but to make the journey himself.

Quickly packing his meager belongings and carefully concealing his cave dwelling, Zhou Ping set off at a sprint toward Qingshui County.

He had briefly considered reporting the matter to the imperial court, but putting aside the lack of time, the court would likely ignore it anyway.

Firstly, the Demon Beast hadn't harmed anyone. Secondly, the fox demon remained strictly within the boundaries of Darong Mountain, never stepping a single foot into human territory. Baixi Village, on the other hand, was built right at the foot of Darong Mountain. If the villagers were slaughtered, the imperial court would likely turn a blind eye.

After all, Darong Mountain was undeniably the domain of the demon race.

Furthermore, that fox demon was in all likelihood a descendant of the core demon clans within Darong Mountain. If anything happened to it, even if an all-out war didn't erupt between humans and demons, Baixi Village would be entirely wiped from existence by the demon race's fury.

Zhou Ping sighed heavily. For now, he could only take things one step at a time.

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