Back at the Liu household, Huangfu Xu had barely exchanged a few nostalgic words with Madam Liu when Old Man Liu hurried home.
Huangfu Xu quickly explained why he was in Tonglin County.
“After your family left, Leng Jian was furious. He personally searched the surrounding towns but found no trace of you,” Huangfu Xu said. “Then he went to Qingyao County and Luonan County, still with no luck. So he came to us, ordering our family to search for you.”
“Only if we bring Cousin back will he allow us to return to Wanfu County,” Huangfu Xu said with a bitter expression. “Apart from the matriarch, our entire Huangfu family of over a dozen has been away from home for most of the past year. There’s not even anyone left to cook.”
“I’ve travelled far, heading west through several counties, leaving Yaozhou and entering Yizhou. For the past few days, I’ve been checking nearby towns and only reached Tonglin County yesterday,” Huangfu Xu continued. “I thought you’d settle in a smaller town, not a county seat, openly running a clinic.”
Huangfu Xu looked incredulous. “Aren’t you afraid Leng Jian will find you?”
“Outrageous!” Old Man Liu slammed the table, fuming. “He sent your entire family to hunt us down?”
Madam Liu looked indignant, and Liu Qingyan couldn’t hide her disgust.
…
Sitting beside Liu Qingyan, Lu Zheng listened and pieced together the situation.
Leng Jian, a black wolf demon, lived on Wild Wolf Mountain outside Wanfu County. Cruel and tyrannical, he was highly skilled in cultivation.
Though wary of the Demon Suppression Bureau, avoiding slaughter in towns or counties, anyone—be it commoners, herb gatherers, hunters, or travellers—who strayed into Wild Wolf Mountain rarely came out alive.
For over a century, though not everyone knew a demon was to blame, Wild Wolf Mountain had become a notorious forbidden zone in Wanfu County.
Beyond his cruelty, Leng Jian was lustful, often buying mortal women or abducting female demons. Over the years, countless women had died at his hands.
Wild Wolf Mountain was his domain, and his actions, while heinous, remained within the Great Jing Dynasty’s tolerance. No great hero had come to subdue him, allowing his arrogance to grow unchecked.
Then, some lackey informed him of the Liu family’s daughter. He visited, saw Liu Qingyan, and later sent betrothal gifts and a wedding proposal, demanding to marry her.
This terrified Old Man Liu’s family. How could they let Liu Qingyan fall into such a pit?
After just half an hour of discussion, they decided to act. Abandoning their possessions in Wanfu County, they took only valuables and portable items, fleeing overnight to a distant land.
The family of six travelled west, stopping along the way, until they reached Tonglin County. Seeing it was far from Wanfu County and the locals were simple, they bought a house and opened a clinic to rebuild their lives.
They thought Leng Jian, with his temperament and many women, would forget Liu Qingyan the next day, continuing his reign in Wanfu County. Who would’ve thought he’d still be pursuing them?
…
Liu Qingyan’s face paled, her expression tense.
Lu Zheng gently took her hand, patting it slowly until she calmed down.
Madam Liu said bitterly, “So, if you can’t find us, you can’t go home?”
Huangfu Xu nodded helplessly, a trace of fear in his eyes. “Leng Jian is powerful, and he has lackeys running errands. If we return empty-handed, he might kill us.”
Lu Zheng pondered for a moment before asking, “This wolf demon—how many years of cultivation does he have, and what are his abilities?”
Before Huangfu Xu could answer, Liu Qingyan, startled, grabbed Lu Zheng’s hand and said urgently, “Leng Jian is dangerous. You mustn’t go!”
Lu Zheng jumped, surprised by her intensity, and quickly reassured her. “I won’t go, I won’t go. I’m just asking. Don’t worry. Besides, if I can’t handle him, I have my sect brothers and elders, right?”
Liu Qingyan relaxed, exhaling with an apologetic look. “Forgive me, Lu Lang. Leng Jian’s reputation is so fearsome, I didn’t think of that.”
Huangfu Xu turned to Lu Zheng, surprised. “Cousin-in-law, you have a sect?”
Lu Zheng nodded, revealing his true qi.
Huangfu Xu flinched. “A Taoist?”
“A lay disciple of White Cloud Temple,” Lu Zheng clarified.
Huangfu Xu nodded. “Still a Taoist.”
Then, turning to Liu Qingyan, he began, “You two…”
Before she could speak, Lu Zheng squeezed her hand. “Qingyan is my fiancée.”
Liu Qingquan’s eyes sparkled, and Old Man Liu and Madam Liu exchanged a relieved glance.
Liu Qingyan blushed, her lips curving in quiet joy.
“Hiss—” Huangfu Xu sucked in a breath.
Though human-fox unions weren’t rare, they were usually with ordinary mortals. He’d never heard of one with a cultivator.
Still…
“This is a personal grudge, and it’s between our demon kind. Your sect can protect you here, but they won’t march to Yaozhou to slay a demon just because you ask,” Huangfu Xu said, shaking his head.
In other words, you’re just a lay disciple. What influence do you have to mobilize White Cloud Temple’s masters?
Lu Zheng blinked, thinking to himself that he was actually quite formidable now. If the wolf demon’s strength was on par with the Southern Border sorcerer, or at least didn’t overwhelmingly outstrip his cultivation, he could probably handle it.
Who could blame him for having so many tricks up his sleeve?
But Liu Qingyan, unaware of his true strength, gripped his hand again, shaking her head. “Lu Lang, we’ve escaped and are safe. Don’t trouble White Cloud Temple over this.”
Old Man Liu and Madam Liu nodded in agreement.
Madam Liu said, “Better to bring Mother out. We can all leave Wanfu County for good.”
Huangfu Xu sighed. “I’m afraid the matriarch won’t leave her homeland. Besides, Leng Jian keeps a close watch on her, probably to prevent us from taking her and fleeing.”
“Big villain!” Liu Qingquan cursed.
“This needs careful planning,” Old Man Liu said, shaking his head. “I never imagined Leng Jian would be so persistent.”
Madam Liu nodded. “Erlang, you’ve worked hard. I’ll prepare a guest room. Wash up and rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Auntie,” Huangfu Xu nodded.
