Mo Fan felt a pang of frustration. He hadn’t expected such bad luck—barely leaving Black Wind Mountain and already encountering a human cultivator, feared by demons as a harbinger of death.
“Here, have a drink, little brother,” the youth said, filling a clay bowl with wine and smiling at Mo Fan.
Mo Fan’s body trembled slightly. Noticing the grease on the youth’s lips, he forced a smile, “Can I skip the drink?”
He was genuinely worried the wine might be poisoned.
“Of course, it’s your choice!” the youth replied with a chuckle, not minding, and continued eating.
This only deepened Mo Fan’s suspicion.
Could the wine be safe?
Was this human cultivator not malicious?
Mo Fan couldn’t be sure but remained cautious, not touching the wine or the roasted meat, simply watching the youth and his fox companion eat.
The youth didn’t have a big appetite. After finishing a roasted deer leg, he wiped his greasy hands on his green robe, picked up his wooden sword, and patted his stomach contentedly, “I’m full. It’s been ages since I tasted such delicious meat. Thanks!”
“Y-You’re welcome!” Mo Fan stammered.
“Off I go!” The youth turned, waved at Mo Fan, and walked away. After a few zhang, he paused and called back, “Oh, if you run into that black fox later, be careful. That one… bites!”
“Really? Thanks for the heads-up!” Mo Fan replied, feigning calm. Only after the youth was out of sight did he exhale heavily.
His tense nerves relaxed, and he realised he was drenched in cold sweat.
“What a terrifying human!” Mo Fan muttered, taking a deep breath. He didn’t dare linger, not even bothering with the roasted meat. With a wave, he packed up the meat and wine from the fire and left.
Unbeknownst to Mo Fan, shortly after his departure, the youth in green returned.
“Yun Shang, was what you said true?” the youth asked, staring at the still-smouldering fire.
“Of course it’s true. He’s not human—he’s a demon!” the white fox on his shoulder spoke, its voice ethereal and pleasant.
“Not that part. I knew he was a demon,” the youth said, frowning.
“You knew he was a demon and still let him go?” the white fox asked curiously.
“Does being a demon mean I have to kill him?” the youth said with a sudden smile. “You know me—I judge by good and evil. Besides, we got a free meal out of him!”
“True, that toad’s roasting skills are top-notch,” the white fox said, its lively eyes curving into crescents as it licked its lips, savouring the lingering taste.
“A toad demon? That’s rare. But what did you mean about him having some karma with that black fox?” the youth pressed.
“I used our clan’s divination technique on that toad. He’s tied to the black fox by some karma. They might cross paths soon,” the fox replied lazily, then added, “I don’t get why you’re so obsessed with catching that fox demon, chasing her all the way into these hundred thousand mountains.”
“That fox is a man-eating demon. The righteous cultivators pinned the blame on you. I won’t let that slide. Only by catching her can I clear your name,” the youth said calmly.
“Those pompous scholars can think what they want. I don’t care!” the white fox huffed, nuzzling the youth’s neck with its fluffy head, almost playfully.
“You might not care, but I do!” the youth said with a smile, saying no more. He chanted a spell, brushed his sword fingers over his eyes, and the world shifted in his vision.
Faint traces of black demonic energy drifted around, trailing into the distance.
“Definitely a demon,” the youth muttered, then followed the demonic energy’s path.
…
After encountering the suspected human cultivator, Mo Fan had planned to flee back to Black Wind Mountain. But noticing the youth was heading that way, he didn’t dare retrace his steps and gritted his teeth, continuing forward.
For the rest of the journey, Mo Fan stayed on high alert, not even daring to light a fire, fearing it might attract more powerful human cultivators.
The further he got from Black Wind Mountain, the more nervous he became, as he was inching closer to human territory.
After another half-day of travel, Mo Fan finally emerged from the vast forest. Familiar sunlight filtered through the branches, warming his face, easing some of his fear of human cultivators.
He found himself on a mountain ridge, with a massive ravine ahead and more mountains beyond, making escape seem daunting.
“This Demon Spirit Mountain Range is absurdly huge. How far is it to human territory?” Mo Fan muttered, frowning. He was about to rest on a boulder when a beast’s roar echoed from the nearby ravine.
“A wild boar?” Mo Fan’s heart stirred. Having hunted many beasts recently, he was attuned to their sounds.
From the sound alone, he could glean much.
It was a wild boar’s scream of agony. After a brief hesitation, he headed down to the ravine to investigate.
The ravine was vast, filled with jagged rocks, towering trees, and grass taller than a man, making it impossible to see clearly from the ridge.
He moved cautiously, eyes and ears alert, wary of encountering another powerful human cultivator.
But as he neared the source of the sound, he relaxed.
It wasn’t as bad as he’d feared—just a wild boar caught in a trap, its leg ensnared, causing its loud cries.
Out of a sense of mercy, Mo Fan spat out his spear, ending the boar’s life, and stored both it and the trap in his internal space.
Afterward, his nerves tensed again.
The presence of a trap meant he was close to human territory!
Just then, Mo Fan glimpsed a black figure descending from the opposite mountain, holding something and moving quickly toward him.
“Another human cultivator?!” Mo Fan’s heart sank. He quickly hid behind a boulder.
As the figure drew closer, Mo Fan saw it was a woman in a black robe.
