Volume One, Chapter Twelve: The Seven-Tailed Demon Fox

By the time they emerged from the Cave of King Yu, dawn had already broken. The group tidied themselves up with simple gestures before pressing onward toward Tianyi Town. Along the way, only Yibing and Fat Girl maintained a constant stream of laughter and chatter, while the rest trudged in silence, their spirits weighed down. Attending the so-called Immortal Cultivation Conference had always been a secondary goal—the true purpose was to seek the treasure. Now, with the artifact in another’s possession and their hands empty, frustration gnawed at their hearts.

“Senior Brother Mu, if we don’t find your senior brother in Tianyi Town, why not join us at the Immortal Cultivation Conference?” Fat Girl blurted out suddenly, her words abrupt.

“Mm… I suppose I’ll see how it goes…” In truth, Yibing had no idea where to head should his senior brother remain elusive.

“Oh…” Fat Girl replied, disappointment coloring her voice.

Around noon, a great river stretched before them—wide, swift, its misty expanse tinged with an uncanny air. “Let’s find a boat to cross,” Jin Guishan instructed Qi Yuanxiao, who frowned; he’d been searching for ages, but not a trace of a boat had appeared.

Just then, a gentle, alluring song drifted over the water, stirring the group’s hearts. Following the melody, they saw a small boat approaching from the west, sunlight shimmering on its surface, with three women clad in white aboard, ethereal as fairies.

“Gentlemen, do you wish to cross the river?” the lead woman called. Her white robe was gossamer-thin, her pale skin glimpsed beneath, lips rosy, cheeks tinged with bashfulness.

“Y-yes… yes…” Qi Yuanxiao stammered, tongue-tied.

“Sir?” The lead woman ignored Qi Yuanxiao and looked directly at Jin Guishan.

“Oh… Thank you for your kindness, miss! We’ll find another boat to cross,” Jin Guishan, seasoned in the ways of the world, though momentarily dazed, soon regained his composure.

“Another boat? Is ours not suitable?”

“We’re rough folk; it wouldn’t be proper to ride with you.” As the wind lifted her skirt, Jin Guishan quickly averted his gaze.

“What’s not proper? We like rough men best! Hehe…” The woman pretended to be shy, pressing down her skirt.

“No, thank you! We appreciate it,” Jin Guishan insisted, pulling Qi Yuanxiao to leave.

“Oh… you don’t appreciate kindness?” The woman’s teasing voice quickly drew her figure closer.

“What manner of demon are you?” Jin Guishan’s words came with his sword, thrusting at her face. Clearly, she meant no good; the woman deftly sidestepped, her sleeve flicking to wrap around the blade. “My, such impatience, sir! You rush to stab a lady!” Her voice was half whisper, half sigh, making the group’s limbs melt.

“Yes! So impatient, sir! So impatient, so impatient!” echoed the other two women behind her, speaking in unison.

In an instant, all but Fat Girl and He Lingchi fell into a daze, as if their souls had left their bodies. Though the two girls remained mostly clear-headed, their faces burned with embarrassment, and resistance grew difficult. Fat Girl shouted urgently, “Hey!”

Her cry thundered like a bell, piercing the clouds and snapping Jin Guishan and the others back to their senses. Swords drawn, they encircled the three demon women.

“Fat fool…” the lead woman spat angrily.

This time, the formation was the familiar Black Tortoise array, but with Yibing’s wild movements added, its power clearly increased. In truth, the array was meant for seven: six as tortoises, one as snake. Their numbers lacking, the earlier formation against the Azure Dragon had been incomplete.

“My, sir, you’re so formidable…” The lead woman suddenly struck a seductive pose, arms raised high, and her gossamer robe transformed into seven rainbows arching behind her, leaving her bare as the day she was born. The other two followed suit, five rainbows each. With lascivious, enchanting songs, they swayed their snowy bodies, and once again, the group—just returned to their senses—fell dizzy and confused, even Fat Girl and He Lingchi, their cheeks flushed and expressions hazy.

“Hehe, sorry, gentlemen…” Seizing the moment, the three demon women unleashed their rainbows, sending the group sprawling to the ground. Only Yibing remained—just as a rainbow lunged for his throat, a small hand grabbed his collar from behind, pulling him down, sparing him from the blow.

“Toot! Who dares block the path of the Seven-Tailed Fox?” the lead demon leaped into the air.

“Your peer? You harlot!” A white-robed maiden limped over.

“Oh, I’m the harlot? Risking your life for this little fatty?” the lead demon laughed coquettishly.

“Touch him and you’ll regret it,” the maiden said, face grave.

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“Oh, him? Your sweetheart?” The lead demon feigned surprise, covering her mouth. “And you call me a harlot!”

“You…” The maiden’s face burned red; she raised her jade cudgel, sending a beam of moonlight straight at the demon. The lead demon spun away, her movements swift as lightning, but one of her seven rainbows was cleaved away.

“You damn rabbit, courting death!” The lead demon bit her lip, snatching a pitch-black short rod. Black vapor spilled from its tip, clashing with the maiden’s yellow moonlight. The maiden stood her ground, pressing forward, forcing the darkness to retreat. Suddenly, two streams of black vapor attacked from the sides, forcing the maiden to roll away.

“Hehe! Let me show you our Black Fox Rod!” Before the lead demon finished speaking, all three pointed their rods skyward. The black vapors swirled together, forming a snarling fox head lunging at the maiden.

The maiden leapt up, bracing herself, both hands gripping her jade cudgel. The moonlight doubled in strength, holding the fox head at bay. But the fox was cunning: it suddenly withdrew, jaws agape, swallowing the moonlight whole. As the moonlight shrank and vanished, a loud blast sent the maiden flying, landing precisely beside Yibing.

Yibing, still sprawled on the ground, eyes glazed and mouth drooling, prompted the maiden’s anger. She slapped him hard.

“Ouch!” The blow was fierce; Yibing shot upright. Seeing the fox head rush at the maiden, he whipped off his belt, but his muddled mind, filled with thoughts of women’s legs, conjured a jade leg instead. The jade foot struck the fox head, shattering it to smoke, and sent the three demon women tumbling three meters away.

“What was that… ah…” One demon woman coughed blood.

“Enough!” The lead demon stopped her sisters from attacking again, swallowing the blood that had risen to her throat.

“Sister…” The other two protested.

“Disgusting!” The maiden glared at Yibing, who still held the jade leg. Realizing, he blushed and tried to clear his mind, but the first thing he pictured was the iron pot Hong Kun had summoned.

“You?” The maiden’s nose twisted in anger.

“Pfft…” The lead demon laughed at Yibing holding the steaming pot.

“Harlot, what are you laughing at?” The maiden turned away, seeing the demon women still naked.

“What’s wrong? Did I stir your heart? Little fatty, am I beautiful?” The lead demon struck a provocative pose at Yibing.

“Hey!” The maiden raised her jade cudgel in fury.

“Oh, jealous?” The lead demon chuckled, and with her sisters, dissolved into three plumes of black smoke, vanishing into the earth.

From afar, giggling echoed up from underground: “Little fatty, don’t forget me! Hehe…”

“Harlot!” The maiden stomped her foot in rage.

“Thank you!” Yibing hurried forward to bow, guilt keeping his head low.

“Hmph! You think I wanted to save you, villain? I’d rather kill you!” The maiden snapped.

“By the way, may I know your name, miss?” Yibing tried to change the subject.

“Why ask?”

“So I can address you properly if we meet again…”

“Again? There won’t be a next time!”

“Oh…” Yibing drooped in defeat.

The maiden glared fiercely at Yibing, then limped off: “My name is Han Yu…”

“Is it?” Yibing looked up, but the maiden was gone.

“Senior Brother Mu, are you alright?” Fat Girl, just getting up, called to Yibing, who was still dazed.

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“Oh, I’m fine! Are you alright?” Yibing quickly helped Fat Girl and He Lingchi to their feet.

“Hmph! Useless lot!” He Lingchi mocked Qi Yuanxiao, who was flushed with shame—his mind still flooded by images of the demon women.

“Enough, junior sister! The demon women’s sorcery is to blame; it’s not entirely their fault… Alas, our cultivation is too shallow…” Jin Guishan lamented. This outing had truly been a disgrace.

“Thanks again, Brother Mu…” Jin Guishan noticed Yibing still holding the pot and paused.

“Oh…” Yibing quickly stowed it away. “Actually…” He realized everyone had been in a daze and likely hadn’t seen the white-robed maiden.

“What was it?” Fat Girl asked, curious.

“It… was pure luck. Just happened to hit its head!” Yibing forced a new explanation.

“We haven’t won a fight yet! Forget the Immortal Cultivation Conference—it’ll just be more humiliation!” He Lingchi glared at Yibing, thinking: “Pure luck, indeed…”

Seeing everyone downcast, Jin Guishan stepped forward: “Don’t lose heart! Master sent us for a reason—at the very least, we owe her an explanation!”

“That’s right; victory and defeat are part of life!” Fat Girl remained unbothered.

The fairies were false, but the boat was real. Using the abandoned boat, the group quickly crossed the river. After landing, they soon spotted another small town, its chimneys smoking. It was, as Yibing had hoped and waited, Tianyi Town. As soon as they settled in, Yibing dashed out to ask around, with Fat Girl eagerly assisting. The two round figures rolled through the town, and by noon, everyone knew two fatties were looking for someone.

“Senior Brother Mu, let’s eat first, then continue searching?” Fat Girl rubbed her growling stomach.

“Mm…” Yibing nodded, lost and aimless.

As they entered the inn, the proprietor greeted them, noting their sweat and dirt with curiosity. “Guests, what’s happened?”

“…We got separated from our senior brother. Heard he came to this town, but we’ve searched all morning and found nothing…” Yibing hung his head as Fat Girl explained.

“What’s going on? Lately, everyone’s searching for senior brothers or junior brothers!” The innkeeper scratched his head.

“What did you say?” Yibing’s eyes flashed.

“Huh? Oh, two young men stayed here recently, also searching for someone. But they were looking for a junior brother—a fat junior brother…” The innkeeper paused, “Could it be…?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m that fatty! They’re my senior brothers! Where are they now?” Yibing grabbed the innkeeper’s arm.

“Your master’s beard is tied in knots?” the innkeeper asked cautiously.

“Yes! Yes! Four long strands!” Yibing gestured eagerly.

“Ah, then it’s them! They asked about your master too, but left early yesterday morning!” The innkeeper saw Yibing’s disappointment and pointed north. “I think they headed toward Flat Horse Mountain…”

“Really?!” Yibing turned to rush out, but Fat Girl pulled him back. “Senior Brother Mu, it’s late; let’s rest tonight and leave in the morning.”

“Junior sister is right! Brother Mu, settle down and we’ll help you search in the morning!” Jin Guishan, ordering food downstairs, hurried to persuade him.

In the end, the delicious dishes brought to the table changed Yibing’s mind. The food was so good that Yibing’s cheeks nearly flew away with delight. Watching Yibing and the exuberant Fat Girl beside him, Jin Guishan could only smile wryly.

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