Chapter 68

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The warm glow of lamplight illuminated the window lattice. In the side room, the Daoist tossed and murmured in his sleep, his light snores blending with the clear, calm voice of someone reading aloud from the main room.

“Self-cultivation lies in rectifying one’s heart. If the heart harbors resentment, it cannot be righteous. If it is filled with fear, it cannot be righteous…”

By the window, the Toad Daoist lay sprawled, his eyes half-closed as he quietly listened to his disciple’s recitation. Though he scoffed at the content of the text—Cultivating oneself? Ha! Old as I am, I’ve killed and been hunted; my mind has long since strayed from the upright path!—yet why does it feel quite comfortable hearing it in his foolish disciple’s voice?

“…If there is indulgence in pleasure, it cannot be righteous either… This is what is meant by self-cultivation lying in rectifying one’s heart.”

The sound of the book closing followed, and Lu Liangsheng picked up his brush from the inkstone and began copying the text onto a blank sheet of paper. It was a habit he had developed over time—whenever a passage struck a chord with him, he would write it down.

A cool breeze brushed the back of his neck. Lu Liangsheng paused and turned slightly, smiling.

“Honglian, you should return to the painting. There’s no need to wait for me.”

The faint beautiful figure behind him drifted closer, her fingers lightly adjusting the wick of the lamp to make the flame brighter.

“Have you forgotten, young master? I’m a ghost; I don’t need to rest. Besides, listening to you read feels oddly comforting, as if I’m beginning to understand the reasoning behind the words.”

Lu Liangsheng chuckled at her reply, continuing to write as he spoke.

“Hearing you say that reminds me of those tales of spirits eavesdropping on the Buddha preaching.”

By the window, the Toad Daoist’s eyelid twitched as he shifted his webbed feet and turned away.

“How can spirits and little monsters compare to me? Ridiculous.,, Besides, I’m no eavesdropper.”

The scholar, seated at the desk, showed no trace of weariness. Since reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his energy had grown immensely, solid and unshakable like a fortress built upon a high platform.

After all, his cultivation path drew its strength from books and paintings.

“I remember Master once said there are many paths to the Dao. A stonemason, after years of carving, may come to enlightenment through his craft. Some may find righteousness through the words of books. I don’t enjoy killing and fighting, so walking this path suits me perfectly.”

Generally speaking, Lu Liangsheng had always adhered to this mindset, diligently persisting for three years without wavering. While other scholars grew fatigued after just a few hours, his cultivation allowed him to focus on his studies and art deep into the silent hours of the night. This unwavering dedication was one of the reasons he consistently secured first place in the local exams.

Each word written by his brush was not only a reflection of his understanding but also a means of feeding back into his cultivation, harmonizing with the righteous principles of the universe.

Though the feedback was subtle, Lu Liangsheng understood the truth of small efforts accumulating into great achievements.

“No need for fighting or endless meditation. I can find joy in calligraphy and painting instead. Using Sun Yingxian’s words, it’s just one word: Refreshing!”

The thought made Lu Liangsheng chuckle softly. Beside him, Honglian, holding the lamp for him, glanced at his smiling face before looking at the paper.

“What’s so funny, young master? What did you see?”

“Just remembered something amusing. It’s nothing.”

Outside, the moonlight was gradually veiled by drifting clouds. Pine branches swayed softly in the courtyard, brushing against each other with a faint rustle.

In the dog kennel, the bandaged black dog twitched its ears, sniffing the air sharply as though catching a peculiar scent. It tugged at its leash, emerging into the courtyard, its gaze fixed on the main courtyard.

A shadow trailed low across the roof, descending swiftly from the upper structure. The wooden railings trembled slightly as it landed, leaping past flowerpots and decorations in the garden, and heading directly toward the courtyard in front. Behind it, two more shadows—one red and one white—pursued relentlessly. Ignoring the potential disturbance to the household, they followed with unrestrained urgency.

The fleeing Yan Zhi, sensing her pursuers closing in, reverted to her human form as she ran. Desperately, she cried out toward the building ahead.

“Master! Sir! Save me—”

Under the eaves, lanterns swayed in the breeze. A sleepy guard leaned lazily against a wooden pillar, snoring. The woman’s desperate cry seemed to reach his ears, causing him to stir, smacking his lips as he mumbled to himself.

“Huhu… heh-heh…”

“A woman… sounds good… Keep calling… Even if you scream your throat out, no one’s coming…”

Suddenly, the faint scent of something fragrant wafted through the air, pulling the groggy guard halfway out of his sleep. Before he could make sense of it, a loud bang jolted him fully awake as the door was slammed open. He grabbed his staff in confusion, only to see a woman burst into the hall, followed closely by two figures rushing under the eaves. Instinctively, he swung his staff toward them.

“Who are you?!” He roared, his shout echoing in the air. Inside the hall, Yan Zhi felt a sharp sting on her skin. Looking up instinctively, she noticed a scroll hanging on one wall glowing faintly with light.

“Big Sister, Second Sister, don’t come in!” She screamed, turning back to warn them.

But it was too late. The red and white figures had already charged into the hall. In an instant, under the guard’s astonished gaze, all three figures were thrown backward violently. The red fox collided mid-waist with a pillar under the eaves, while the white fox flew past the overhang and landed in the courtyard, skidding half a dozen feet.

Yan Zhi, delayed by the two foxes, tumbled past the threshold and slammed into the wooden railings under the long eaves. Her skin sizzled with faint wisps of smoke as the faint scent of burning flesh filled the air.

In the side courtyard, Lu Liangsheng paused mid-stroke, his brush still against the paper. His smile gradually faded.

Honglian, who had been speaking with him, noticed his change in expression and whispered: “What’s wrong, young master?”

“Heh…”

Lu Liangsheng set down his brush and glanced toward the main courtyard. His smile returned.

“We have uninvited guests.”

The night wind stirred the lanterns hanging under the eaves, their reddish glow flickering over the area.

The guard stared blankly at his hands and the staff he held.

“Why didn’t I know that I had become so powerful?”

He turned back toward the three figures sprawled on the ground. Two of them were already getting to their feet, their faces covered in fur, their sharp muzzles revealing fangs, and their glowing green eyes gleaming ominously in the lantern’s light.

Yan Zhi clutched her earlier wounds, wincing at the burning pain coursing through her body. She glanced at the dazed guard and shouted through gritted teeth,

“What are you staring at? Run for your life!”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and darted toward one side of the courtyard.

The two fox demons glanced at the guard briefly but didn’t bother with him. Instead, they turned and resumed their pursuit of Yan Zhi. The guard finally snapped out of his daze, letting out a panicked scream as he fled in the opposite direction, shouting at the top of his lungs: “Demons! There are demons in the house——! Master, everyone, wake up! There are demons in the estate!”

Ahead, another group of patrolling guards and servants, holding lanterns, rushed toward the commotion. One of them collided with a fleeing woman but felt no resistance, as though she wasn’t even there, and she continued running as if nothing had happened.

“Who was that just now?”

One of the guards, just picking up his lantern, suddenly saw two inhuman shadows dart past him in a flash. He screamed in terror.

“Fox Spirits!””

His eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.

Hearing the commotion, more guards and servants rushed in, banging on a copper gong. The loud clang-clang-clang echoed through the estate as they ran in all directions, shouting. Chaos erupted throughout the Zhou Residence.

“Thieves!”

“No, it’s demons—”

“It’s three women! I saw them! They’re headed toward the young mistress’s quarters!”

In the rear courtyard, Zhou Zhen, wearing a hastily donned robe, led a group of people, shouting at a fleeing servant: “Quick! Notify the authorities!”

As the group dispersed to carry out his orders, Mrs. Zhou, following behind, slapped his arm and yelled at the others:

“Quick, go invite Young Master Lu!!!”

The distant clanging of the gong and the shouts of the household reached the side courtyard.

Lu Liangsheng, with his hands clasped behind his back, stepped out under the eaves. Behind him, Sun Yingxian stumbled out, rubbing his bleary eyes and yawning.

“What’s going on? Is there a fire?”

“Demons have entered the Zhou Manor. The protective inscription I wrote earlier for Elder Zhou has been triggered.”

Lu Liangsheng tightened his grip on the brush in his hand, then extended his other hand into the air. A scroll from his bookshelf flew into his grasp.

“Let’s go take a look.”

In the wooded area near the rear courtyard, a loud bang shook the trees, sending leaves cascading to the ground.

Yan Zhi huddled at the base of a tree, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her weary eyes glanced at the two figures approaching from either side, one red and one white.

“Big Sister, Second Sister, please let me go. There’s a master in this estate—those inscriptions earlier should be his. You’ve been injured; leave now before it’s too late…”

The graceful figures approached, their fox paws padding beneath their skirts. The white fox spread her hands, her eyes gleaming with disdain. “Hmph, leave? Give us the yang essence.”

On the other side, the red fox covered her mouth and laughed softly.

“‘Little sister… it seems like you’re the one who’s more seriously injured, isn’t it? If a master comes, do you think you could escape? But before you leave, Second Sister still wants to tell you this: whether as a fox or as a person, you must know right from wrong. Stealing things means losing a hand. We’re all sisters, and cutting off your hand would be too cruel, so how about you offer up your demon core as compensation instead?”

The word ‘compensation’ had barely left her lips before her figure blurred. She lunged forward, grabbing Yan Zhi by the throat and slamming her against the tree. The trunk shook violently, leaves raining down in a flurry.

Yan Zhi, choking under her grip, managed to gasp out broken words.

“…Second Sister, there really is a master here. I only came to beg him to save Liancheng… Please, let me go. Liancheng doesn’t have much time left…”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, falling onto the furry back of the red fox’s hand.

At this moment, the torchlight and lanterns from the estate had already surrounded the area. Upon seeing the three figures over there, no one dared to approach lightly. Using the light from the torches in their hands, they cast it over, and the sharp-eyed among them noticed the shadows the three cast on the ground. Instantly, their faces turned pale, and they stammered as they spoke.

“Look at their shadows…” “Truly demons…” “Do we approach or not?”

No one dared move forward, their faces pale with fear.

The white fox glanced around at the humans, unimpressed, and then turned back to Yan Zhi, her tone dripping with mockery.

“Where is the master you mentioned?”

Ignoring the humans entirely, she approached Yan Zhi, extending her sharp claws to pry open her mouth.

“Spit out the yang essence!”

She let out a sharp fox cry, and at the same time, another voice rang out nearby. Lu Liangsheng slowly stepped out of the darkness, his gaze fixed on the fox demon at the edge of the lamplight. His eyes narrowed, and with a sudden sweep of his sleeve, he flung out a painting scroll.

Feeling the demonic aura, the Heavens and Earth Righteous Path surged within him, carrying the voice of the scholar as it roared out in fury:

“Demons, how dare you intrude upon the Zhou estate!”

The sheer power of his words reverberated through the courtyard like thunder, leaving a ringing in the ears of everyone present. Above, the scroll unfurled in midair, and a massive silhouette materialized behind Lu Liangsheng—a fearsome beast pressing its palms against the ground, causing it to quake. The creature crouched low, its maw opening wide.

Roar——

A wave of foul wind surged like a tidal wave, forcing everyone, including the fox demons, to shield themselves and retreat a few steps.

Tap, tap, tap…

Amidst the ferocious roar, quick footsteps echoed. Sun Yingxian rushed forward, flipping out a bronze mirror from his pocket and shouting at the top of his lungs:

“Let go of that woman! If you dare, come at me instead——”