“The human-faced fox is in this procession?” Lu Zheng asked.
“Indeed,” Taoist Jiuzhen nodded. “The human-faced fox is adept at disguise, its aura concealed. My guiding incense can only sense a general area. It’s hiding in this group, clearly using this fox family as a shield to deal with me.”
Huangfu Jing and Liu Qingyan showed no aura, but the Huangfu brothers, Ning and Xu, carried a faint demonic presence, easily discernible to someone like Taoist Jiuzhen.
If Jiuzhen mistook the Huangfu family for colluding with the human-faced fox and attacked, the fox could benefit from the chaos.
“When did you subdue the demon in Luonan County, senior?” Lu Zheng frowned, his eyes flickering with suspicion toward the bridal sedan.
“The day before yesterday,” Taoist Jiuzhen replied.
“The day before yesterday…” Lu Zheng murmured, still uncertain.
He knew the auras of Huangfu Ning and Xu. Huangfu Jing’s cultivation was strong enough to prevent being replaced silently. The only concern…
“What’s wrong, Lu Zheng?” Liu Qingyan approached, worried.
“Jiuzhen says a human-faced fox has infiltrated our group,” Lu Zheng said, taking her hand.
“Human-faced fox?” Liu Qingyan gasped, glancing at Huangfu Xu.
“I know nothing about it!” Huangfu Xu shook his head. “Our family never deals with such foxes.”
“The Taoist subdued the demon the day before yesterday, and we arrived last night, so the fox likely slipped in during the night or this morning’s chaotic bride-fetching,” Lu Zheng said, scanning the group.
Liu Qingyan followed his gaze, seeing the halted procession, all looking confusedly their way.
“Who is it?”
“No idea. We’ll find out,” Lu Zheng said, his tone neutral. “First, test the musicians and sedan bearers. If it’s not them…”
Liu Qingyan’s eyes flashed, glancing incredulously at the sedan. “The Xu family had elders present. They’d notice a human-faced fox, wouldn’t they?”
Huangfu Xu’s face darkened, uncertain.
“Don’t worry, I might be overthinking,” Lu Zheng said, patting Liu Qingyan’s hand. He took a deep breath, his eyes hardening, and turned to Jiuzhen politely. “Shall you act, senior, or shall I?”
The human-faced fox might hide its aura as a human, but a demon is a demon, unable to deceive the natural order. Hiding in a city of thousands was one thing, but a group of twenty? Impossible.
Lu Zheng was only concerned the fox had killed the bride, turning a joyous occasion into a tragedy, not that it couldn’t be found.
To his surprise, Jiuzhen blinked awkwardly. “Well, I’m not skilled in this area. Please, fellow Taoist, take over.”
Lu Zheng: ???
No way. How could that be?
Testing for demons was simple—a banishing curse would reveal it. Unless someone like Liu Qingyan masked their aura with merit, demonic energy would react to a banishing talisman. The human-faced fox, having gained sentience and killed to transform, had no merit and couldn’t withstand a curse.
Was this Taoist a fraud?
No, he’d subdued the fox and chased it here. He wasn’t all show.
Fine, I’ll do it.
Lu Zheng shook his head, unbothered, and stepped forward, casting a banishing curse at the lead musician.
“Swoosh!”
A green light sank into the musician’s chest. He flinched, touched his chest, but felt nothing.
Lu Zheng nodded. Not him.
…
But the moment Lu Zheng cast the spell, one of the sedan bearers dropped his pole, shrank, and bolted backward.
The human-faced fox was panicking.
It had planned to lure the Taoist to the fox family, let them fight, and escape once the aura trail faded. But the Taoist arrived an hour early, and there was another Taoist in the fox group?
Not only did they not fight, but the fox was trapped in this small procession.
Worse, this new Taoist could expose it?
…
“Think you can escape?”
Seeing the bearer flee, Lu Zheng sighed in relief but narrowed his eyes coldly.
Killing to transform deserved punishment.
As the fox fled, a faint demonic aura emerged. Lu Zheng moved to pursue.
Heh, let’s see where you can run with my skills.
“Heavenly Venerate’s command, nine heavens respond with thunder, break!”
“Boom!”
A golden light flashed, thunder roared, purple light filled the air, and a bolt struck the fox.
“Aaah!!!”
With a scream, the fox shuddered, reverting to a brown fox, collapsing.
Lu Zheng: !!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
…
The thunder not only crippled the fox, leaving it immobile, but also terrified the Huangfu brothers, nearly collapsing. The sedan, tilted by the fox’s escape, erupted with demonic aura. A yellow liquid trickled from its edge, carrying a stench.
The thunder, grazing the sedan, had struck the fox.
Lu Zheng glanced at Liu Qingyan, who understood, rushing to the sedan. Lifting the curtain, she saw the bride’s gown in disarray, a red fox trembling within.
The Xu girl, a harmless fox, couldn’t withstand such a scare. The thunder’s demon-banishing power forced her true form. Luckily, she was still inside the sedan, or she’d have been exposed publicly.
Liu Qingyan dropped the curtain, nodded casually, and called for Old Huang to bring the carriage, dismissing the three remaining bearers. “Stay back. The bride’s startled and needs to freshen up in the carriage.”
…
While Liu Qingyan and Huangfu Jing handled the bride, Lu Zheng approached the fox, now charred and twitching, struggling to rise.
“Spare… spare me…”
“Don’t beg me. Ask Jiuzhen,” Lu Zheng said, turning to the approaching Taoist and his disciple, smacking his lips. “So, you’re skilled in thunder arts.”
No wonder Jiuzhen wasn’t adept at tracking auras, relying on incense. He was a combat specialist.
“Immeasurable Heavenly Venerate!” Jiuzhen bowed apologetically. “I only know a few thunder techniques, startling the group and your friends. Please forgive me.”
“No matter,” Lu Zheng waved off. He couldn’t hold a grudge.
That thunder was the strongest single-target attack Lu Zheng had seen here. The fox, with at least a century’s cultivation, was crippled in one strike, its demonic power shattered.
Lu Zheng realized Jiuzhen truly wasn’t skilled at aura detection. His thunder didn’t discriminate.
“What will you do with the fox, senior?” Lu Zheng asked.
“This fox, seeking to live others’ lives, caused chaos and harm. It deserves death,” Jiuzhen said sternly, ignoring its pleas. With a flip of his palm, a palm thunder struck.
“Crack!”
With a thunderous boom, the fox perished.
Lu Zheng swallowed hard. Ruthless and concise, this Taoist was formidable.
