Chapter 32: Also Wants to Steal Her Little Fox?

This group approached with menacing momentum. The Gray-Robed Profiteer also spotted Yan Zhao at a glance.

“It’s you!” Bao Hui exclaimed.

This little girl had eaten one of his demon cores for free. That debt hadn’t been settled yet. Even if she turned to ash, he’d recognize her!

Originally, he had only called for backup to avenge the beating Tushan Yu had given him yesterday. He never expected to run into Yan Zhao by chance.

Although he couldn’t gauge Yan Zhao’s true strength, if she were so powerful, why would she have run yesterday?

Besides, they had many people today. No need to be afraid!

Bao Hui bared his teeth in a cold grin: “We of the Great Saber Sect are not so easily bullied! Brothers, seize her!”

The brothers he’d summoned today were at the very least at Qi Condensation Great Perfection in strength, and among them were several Foundation Establishment disciples. With such qualifications, they could even enter the inner sect of a Major Sect.

How she swallowed that demon core yesterday—he’d make her spit it right back out!

The several thugs behind him got a clear look at Yan Zhao’s face. They exchanged glances, hesitation appearing on their faces.

They still held some sense of tender protectiveness toward pretty girls.

Bi Lan’s expression darkened. She stepped sideways, positioning herself protectively in front of Yan Zhao: “Who are you people? What do you want?!”

Seeing his men hesitate, Bao Hui raised his voice: “What are you hesitating for?! Don’t be fooled by her appearance—she’s a Monster! She can swallow a demon core raw; if she isn’t a Demon, she’s a Devil!”

If not a Demon, then a Devil?

The faces of the underlings changed drastically. The way they looked at Yan Zhao instantly shifted.

To human cultivators, demons and devils were both evil beings.

Who knew what kind of face lay beneath that pretty mask once it was torn off?

“Get her! Avenge Brother Bao!”

The group swarmed forward but were repelled by an invisible wave of qi before they could get close.

Bi Lan poured her Dharma Power into her compass, activating the protective array.

But there were too many opponents, and her own cultivation level wasn’t high. She couldn’t hold out for long.

Soon, many people on the surrounding streets gathered to watch the excitement. Windows in the upper-floor guest rooms also opened wide.

Bao Hui let out a “Ho!”, his gaze falling onto the compass in Bi Lan’s hand. His eyes glinted with greed: “That’s a fine treasure! In my estimation, that thing could sell for at least two hundred thousand Spirit Stones!”

Two hundred thousand!

The disciples of the Great Saber Sect were instantly jolted. They all stared at Bi Lan, the greed in their eyes impossible to hide.

Seeing the increasing number of onlookers, Bao Hui shot a meaningful glance at the underling beside him. That man immediately brandished his saber and shouted at the crowd: “What are you looking at?! The Great Saber Sect is settling a grudge! I advise you not to meddle in others’ business!”

A small portion of the onlookers dispersed. Bao Hui roared: “There are only two of them, and their cultivation is mediocre! Nothing to fear! Get them, quickly!”

Bi Lan pursed her lips and injected another surge of Dharma Power into the compass.

The protective array’s power intensified, pushing the Great Saber Sect members straight back.

A prolonged standoff like this couldn’t last, either. Bi Lan made a decisive move. She placed the compass into Yan Zhao’s hands, instructing her: “Junior Sister Yan, just hold it like this. Don’t move.”

Yan Zhao obediently reached out, holding the compass aloft, and stood rooted to the spot like a wooden post.

Bi Lan then stepped forward alone. She bit the tip of her right thumb, drawing blood, formed a hand seal, and pressed it to the ground.

Boom—

The ground trembled. The trees in the relay station courtyard suddenly grew wildly, their branches thrashing as if alive, lashing out at the Great Saber Sect members in the yard.

With the sudden emergence of powerful spiritual qi fluctuations, the relay station’s own protective array was activated. A faint layer of golden light covered the buildings, preventing damage during cultivator battles.

A spell of this scale was at least Third-Grade.

Caught off guard, the Great Saber Sect disciples had no time to set up their own formation. They could only fend for themselves, sent leaping and scrambling through the courtyard by the whipping vines.

Bao Hui was stunned. Before he could react, a vine lashed him hard across the face.

The vine struck with tremendous force, sending him crashing to the ground and rolling over. A clear welt appeared on his face, the skin broken. It stung fiercely and quickly swelled up.

Before he could recover from that lash, another whip cracked down, striking him on the back.

Riiip! His clothes tore, and another welt was left on his back.

Bao Hui howled in pain from the thrashing vines.

Behind Bi Lan, Yan Zhao’s eyes widened slightly.

The little fox also poked its head out from her arms, watching the scene in the courtyard with a pensive expression.

So Bi Lan was this strong.

To be able to cast a Third-Grade Spell at the Foundation Establishment stage—and this particular spell didn’t seem to belong to Fuyun Sect either. Seen this way, Junior Sister Bi wasn’t simple.

Another vine was about to land on Bao Hui when a hand suddenly reached out from the side and grabbed the branch barehanded.

With a forceful yank, he snapped the branch in two. Other branches approaching him were also severed by the Sword Qi swirling around him.

Recognizing the newcomer, Bao Hui wept tears of joy: “Senior Brother Wu!”

Wu Ren was the strongest among them—at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, he had already touched the threshold of the Body Tempering Realm. His Protective Astral Qi was so potent that not even a Third-Grade Spell could get close.

Bi Lan pursed her lips, her expression grave.

A Metal-Attribute Sword Cultivator—the natural enemy of the Wood Attribute.

Only now did Yan Zhao notice the extra person in the courtyard.

As soon as this person appeared, he countered Bi Lan’s spell. But…

Her nose twitched. She sniffed, feeling the aura of demon cores in the air grow even denser.

Not just demon cores—this person also had many Spirit Stones, pieces of Spirit Jade, and medicinal herbs on him.

The kind ten Bao Huis couldn’t match.

The newcomer brandished his sword. The wildly dancing branches in the courtyard were severed one after another. Bi Lan’s pressure multiplied.

The little fox also leaped from Yan Zhao’s arms onto her shoulder, its eyes showing vigilance and wariness.

It hesitated, wondering if it should intervene.

The demon core in its body hadn’t been refined yet, but it could draw out roughly ten percent of the spiritual qi for its own use, enough to exert strength comparable to the Early Body Tempering Stage.

But if it made a move, it would inevitably draw suspicion.

It might be easy to fool Yan Zhao, but there were too many eyes in the courtyard today. Even if it got through today’s crisis, it might only bring trouble upon Yan Zhao in the future.

Just as Ren Qingyue was wavering, an overwhelming Spiritual Pressure swept through the relay station like a flood.

Everyone else—including Bi Lan—was shaken and suppressed by this sudden pressure. Only Yan Zhao remained unaffected.

Wu Ren’s sword hadn’t even been unleashed when he was struck by a gust of wind from ahead.

The wind, sharp as blades, instantly shattered the protective armor on his body.

He was lifted by an invisible force, tumbling through the air. He landed like a discarded sack, sliding several yards before coming to a stop beside Bao Hui.

Bao Hui looked down. Wu Ren’s eyes had rolled back, his tongue lolling out—he had passed out cold.

“…”

Ahhhhhhhhh!

Their biggest trump card had just fallen, just like that!

Bi Lan whipped her head around. The little fox also sharply looked up into the air.

They saw a cyan figure leap gracefully down from the upper floor. With a flick of the wrist, a Jade Fan snapped shut.

The gust of wind just now—it was this person’s doing.

Bi Lan recognized that Jade Fan. Her pupils constricted, shock evident on her face.

Bao Hui scrambled frantically to his feet. When he got up and saw who had intervened, he completely broke down: “You, you, you—what the hell is your cultivation level?!”

This man clearly hadn’t used a shred of Dharma Power when he beat him up yesterday!

What kind of background did that clueless little girl have?! Why were there so many immovable iron plates around her?!

“What this Young Master’s cultivation level is—are you worthy of asking?” Tushan Yu toyed with the jade fan in his hand, his voice cold. “You’ve bullied people on the street time and again. I gave you a small punishment before, but you refuse to learn your lesson. Now, you can’t blame me for this.”

Having said that, he turned the fan in his hand, about to sweep these people out the door.

“Wait!”

A voice rang out abruptly. Tushan Yu’s movements paused slightly.

He turned his head. The one who had stopped him was none other than Yan Zhao, standing there like a post with the compass in her arms.

Bi Lan was also brought back to her senses by Yan Zhao’s cry. She glanced at Tushan Yu, then quickly retreated to Yan Zhao’s side, asking, “Junior Sister Yan, what is it?”

Yan Zhao returned the compass to Bi Lan, then ran forward a few steps. She passed by Tushan Yu and entered the courtyard.

Tushan Yu’s gaze followed her—or more precisely, it fixed on the White Spirit Fox perched on Yan Zhao’s shoulder.

That faint, hazy aura from before had appeared again.

Tushan Yu was now certain. The spirit fox on Yan Zhao was a Fox Demon, and very likely a young fox of their Tushan Clan.

He just didn’t know why its aura was so weak, and why it hadn’t yet undergone Transformation.

Yan Zhao ran all the way to Bao Hui’s side.

Bao Hui was already terrified out of his wits, retreating on trembling legs.

Yan Zhao grabbed him by the collar. He squeezed his eyes shut, expecting a beating.

Unexpectedly, Yan Zhao reached into his pockets. She found every single magical artifact capable of storing items, and no matter what they were, she stuffed them all into her own bag.

After finishing with Bao Hui, she also searched Wu Ren. She didn’t let a single person go unsearched.

Her plundering complete, she ran back again, took the compass from Bi Lan’s hands, and held it with both arms, resuming her post.

Then she said, “You can do it now.”

Everyone in the courtyard: “…”

Bao Hui and the other Great Saber Sect members were thoroughly thrashed by Tushan Yu and fled with their tails between their legs.

As the farce concluded, Bai Jin finally came running down from the upper floor, shouting, “Elder Male Cousin! You made such a huge scene this time! You’re definitely going to get scolded when we get back!”

She never imagined her cousin would care so much about that young lady he met by chance yesterday, to the point of risking exposing his identity by casting spells in public!

Tushan Yu’s expression was indifferent. He replied, “It’s fine.”

Bi Lan recovered from her shock. With mixed feelings, she walked forward and clasped her fist toward Tushan Yu: “Thank you, Young Master, for stepping in to help us.”

Tushan Yu nodded slightly to her, then walked straight toward Yan Zhao.

“Miss,” Tushan Yu called softly, his gaze falling on the spirit fox on Yan Zhao’s shoulder. “This fox—where did you get it?”

Bai Jin also noticed the little fox then, letting out a soft “Oh?”

Yan Zhao’s eyes immediately filled with vigilance.

Could it be that this man also wanted to steal her little fox?

Yan Zhao grabbed the little fox by the scruff of its neck, stuffed it into her chest, and leaped back to Bi Lan’s side in a single bound. She tugged on Bi Lan’s arm: “Time to go.”

Bi Lan stumbled from the sudden pull. Awkwardly, she turned back and cupped her hands toward Tushan Yu and his companion: “We take our leave.”

With that, she and Yan Zhao departed together.

The courtyard fell silent.

Bai Jin tilted her head, unleashing her mockery: “Looks like you got yourself disliked, huh.”

Tushan Yu: “…”