Chapter 61: The Fox Does Not Harm People, but People Harm People

  "Ah!"

  Shu Bailin sprang out, full of energy and said: "You wicked fox spirit, quickly confess! How did you bewitch the master of Liu's old manor, and how did you charm Shen Jiaotou? Don't even think about saying 'no', or I'll burn you to death with true fire."

  As soon as these words came out, Ning Feng was the first to glance sideways, with an inexplicable strangeness in his eyes.

  "How long has Lao Shu been practicing this speech? It really does have... flavor..."

  Ning Feng quickly dispelled the jumbled thoughts from his mind, furrowed his brow and gazed at Hu Yueniang who was desperately begging for mercy in the sunlight.

  A small fox with a crescent moon mark on its forehead, its two front paws clasped together, constantly kowtowing and pleading, I see it with pity.

  "Moon Daughter was originally a fox demon, by nature fond of devouring human blood and essence, which greatly supplements her energy, but cannot match my determination to seek the Tao."

  "I've been living in seclusion here just to reduce some of it, so I can bear with myself and not harm heaven or kill people, lest I attract the attention of an immortal like you and ruin my cultivation."

  "Yue Niang endured great hardship, every time her own kind came to visit, seeing how easy it was for them to cultivate, our household also had a heart full of envy, but rather than go against her nature and endure hardship, she didn't dare be presumptuous."

  "I beg of you, wise immortal, to clearly investigate."

  Ning Feng listened to Hu Yue Niang's words and looked around at the desolate scene of the abandoned garden, his tightly furrowed brow slightly relaxing.

  What she said makes sense.

  The probability of a demon living in seclusion in such a place coming out to wreak havoc on a small village is indeed not very high.

  "Really, mistaken person?"

  Ning Feng couldn't help but hesitate for a moment.

  At this time, Hu Yue'e's true form shrank back, letting out mournful cries, and could no longer argue for herself.

  In just over a dozen breaths' time, whether it was her demon core or her physical body, both would be purified to nothingness under the scorching sunlight of the Sun God.

  Ning Feng looked at the little fox's eyes and saw a heartbreaking sorrow, revealing all sorts of unwillingness, and couldn't help but clench his fists.

  In his palm was a sun god symbol that still flowed with light.

  At this moment, the divine symbol's power is still under his control. One burst of energy and the demon fox would die; but if he reined it in, that would be a different story.

  Perhaps seeing Ning Feng's reluctance, Shu Bailin couldn't help but lean in and whisper to Hu Yuniang: "Young Master Ning, you absolutely cannot show mercy. Humans and demons are different paths. Regardless of whether it was her doing or not, if you subdue the demon and calm the chaos, it will be a meritorious deed."

  Ning Feng knew that Shu Bailin was right, between humans and demons, it has always been the case, right or wrong is not important, you are a demon, I am human, that's enough.

  "It's just..."

  Ning Feng slowly shook his head and said, "Humans and demons are on different paths, but under the same sky and sun, there are some things that have different origins but share a common destination."

  "For example: one drink and one peck; for example: you reap what you sow; for example..."

  In the end, Ning Feng's words were surprisingly simple and different from before: "…can't let good people have no ending!"

  Shu Bailin was stunned.

  If that's the case, then Hú Yuèniáng is indeed a good fox spirit. Born as a demon, she doesn't take shortcuts, suppresses her natural desires, and focuses solely on cultivation - a determination and willpower that Xiū Bǎilíng admits he himself does not possess.

  This difficulty is a hundred times more difficult than for an ordinary man to see a woman with flowers in her hair and not have any lustful thoughts.

  "But... but..."

  Shu Bailin racked her brains, thinking of a way to persuade him, when Ning Feng suddenly waved his hand and said in a low voice, "No need to bother."

  The little fox seemed to be aware of its own misfortune, its eyes moving around, scanning the surroundings, and in those eyes, there was a lingering sense of longing.

  Seeing this gaze, Ning Feng made up his mind.

  "Cheese!"

  He let out a low shout, and the sunlight reversed its flow, suddenly wrapping around Hu Yue's elixir, layer by layer.

  Ning Feng took out a cyan jade box from the sea and quickly put the demon pill, along with the sunlight wrapped around it, into his storage.

  Finally, with a "slap", the nearly exhausted Sun God Symbol was slapped onto the Cang Yu Box.

  The whole box suddenly fell silent.

  Even if the power is exhausted and it's about to turn into ashes, after all, it's a divine talisman from Tianyunzi, and even if it wasn't made for this purpose, suppressing Hu Yuedan's demonic pill shouldn't be a problem.

  Having done all this, Ning Feng let out a long breath, his hands supporting the jade box as he looked up.

  Across from him, the little fox collapsed to the ground, her eyes dimming, but still not losing their luster. She had lost her magical powers and couldn't utilize her cultivation, so even a stray dog could chase her around the mountains.

  "Hu Yuenniang, I'll believe you this time."

  "I'll keep the demon pill for now. If what you say is proven to be true, I'll return it to you. This time, Ning will have wrongly accused you."

  Ning Feng's words came out, and Hu Yueniang was overjoyed at first, jumping up from the ground, then weakly falling back down, raising her head high, with a look of delight in her eyes.

  If Yao Dan returned her words, then a hundred years of cultivation would not be in vain.

  After hearing the second half of the sentence, she was even more unbelievable. For the first time, she heard that a righteous person could subdue demons and evil spirits, and there were mistakes in blaming or not blaming.

  After Ning Feng finished speaking, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders and decided to let go and no longer dwell on it.

  He went straight up, picked up the little fox, and then looked around for a less conspicuous place to sit down quietly.

  Shu Bailin had just been dazzled by what he saw, and only now did he react, catching up to persuade: "Young Master, my Ning Young Master, think again, think carefully, what if she's lying..."

  "True fire refines death."

  Ning Feng's words were as gentle as a breeze, but Shu Bailin was so startled that she almost bit her own tongue.

  This phrase sounds familiar...

  He was fine, but the little fox in Ning Feng's arms had its fur standing on end, not daring to stare at Ning Feng, and instead glared fiercely at Shu Bailin. That's right, this was all his doing.

  This enmity is now settled.

  Shu Bailin felt uneasy under the piercing gaze of the little fox, especially when he thought of Hu Yueniang's powerful presence earlier, and felt extremely unsafe. He hastily urged: "Ning Gongzi, the fox demon is cunning, what if she has other tricks up her sleeve? This is just a delaying tactic, then..."

  Ning Feng waved his hand again to interrupt, saying lightly: "Taiyang Shenfu, I'm not just one."

  He paused for a moment, and then added four words: "Refined to death by real fire."

  Ning Feng finished speaking and smiled to himself, reaching out to stroke the little fox's fur, feeling its softness and warmth, but wondering why it was trembling.

  Can Hu Yuenniang not be trembling? This master has contracted a bad habit, and it's easy to get burned to death by real fire. This saying is particularly impressive, right? It's really scary for the fox.

  The two of them and the fox all fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts, watching as the sun set and the moon rose. The entire world grew quiet, with only the rustling sounds remaining in the abandoned garden, which seemed to be the movements of snakes and insects.

  Time is passing bit by bit.

  Ning Feng didn't show any impatience, but instead, Shu Baili and Hu Yuenniang were both getting a bit worn out.

  One can't help but want to stir up trouble again, fearing future consequences; another is worried that if they can't prove their innocence, the immortal will lose patience, what to do?

  Hú Yuè Niáng is a hundred-year-old or more refined demon spirit, and for cultivators, she is a treasure from head to toe.

  The fur is quite good, refining it would make a great gift for the female cultivator; the demon dan is even better, refining it into a pill can increase one's cultivation.

  Even if it's her flesh and blood, if cooked well, after a hundred years of absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, the flesh and blood would be filled with spiritual energy, making it a delicious and nutritious supplement.

  At mid-month, both sides' patience had reached its limit. A figure crept over stealthily.

  The figure moved stealthily, making no sound, but its shadow stretched out long in the moonlight, and Ning Feng and the others were at a good angle, it was impossible not to see.

  That was a young man.

  Obviously still young and immature, yet dressed up with a greasy face, shiny hair, and sparkling eyes, looking like a thoroughly rotten guy.

  Ning Feng withdrew his gaze from the young man and glanced at Shu Bailin.

  Those who were quick-witted immediately understood and came over to whisper: "Young Master Ning, this little brat is the son of Shen Widow's family. It's not easy for a widow to raise children, but in the end, she raised an ungrateful thing like him."

  His gesture of clutching his wrist and sighing, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, made Ning Feng very suspicious. If Shen Gu were present, would he not have taken the person into his arms to comfort them carefully?

  "It seems the real show is starting."

  Ning Feng nodded and continued to gaze into the abandoned garden.

  A young man with the surname Shen walked his bike familiarly through the abandoned garden, arriving at a place not far from the residence of a retired official who lived near the wall. He sat down in front of a fake hill and called out softly: "Wife, little wife, I'm here."

  He was calling out while looking around nervously and anxiously with a tense and expectant expression.

  The young man from the Shen family had obviously not met here for the first or second time. Without mentioning his familiarity with the place, there was a stone under that fake mountain where the moss had been wiped away and polished to shine.

  Suddenly, Ning Feng's expression changed and he looked somewhat strange.

  He also remembered that he had passed by the stone before, and was surprised to see no moss on it, but later Shu Baili came up with the "Yin Hu Xiang" method, so he didn't investigate further.

  Fortunately, I still vaguely remember that there were some water stains on the stone that had dried up. Now that the memory has surfaced, I immediately understand what it is, and my face turns pale. Luckily, I didn't lie down on it in a moment of dizziness.

  The use of this stone is quite extensive, and it's likely that many times, it also served as a bed.

  "Here comes! Here comes!"

  Shu Bailin said in a low voice, the little fox in Ning Feng's arms perked up its ears, its pupils constricted, and its body arched, clearly furious.

  The young man's line of sight was blocked by the fake mountain, he couldn't see, but Ning Feng and others could see clearly. The calling voice had just passed when a woman wearing red and green appeared from behind the wall.

  The next moment, she lifted her skirt and appeared in front of the young man after circling around the rockery.

  The two of them seemed to have said a few more words, but they were standing some distance away, so Ning Feng and the others didn't quite catch what they were saying. Then, something happened that left them all staring in shock.

  The man and woman exchanged no more than a couple of words before the woman straddled the young Shen, wildly tearing at each other's clothes as if they were about to do something utterly shameless.

  How is this possible?

  The moon in the sky seems a bit shy, pulling over a piece of floating cloud to block it.

  The abandoned garden was quite dimly lit, but it didn't affect the enthusiasm of the two people. Various voices calling out "older brother" and "younger sister" rose and fell in succession.

  Ning Feng and Shu Bailin didn't expect to see such a lively scene, and they were momentarily stunned. They didn't react, but this annoyed Hu Yueniang.

  "Dog Man and Woman!"

  It started with a sharp fox howl, followed by Hu Yueniang, who was originally unable to speak due to the loss of her demon pill, suddenly speaking human language. Finally, she bowed in Ning Feng's arms and transformed into a white light that darted out.

  "Ah~~~~"

  A couple immersed in each other was suddenly frightened by an angry fox, and the little fox, who didn't have any spiritual power on him, still managed to scratch the two of them with blood marks on their faces and hands.

  "That's enough!"

  The sound of Ning Feng's voice rose, and the next moment the little fox was picked up by the neck, still baring its teeth and claws in mid-air, as if not satisfied with slapping the other party in the face.

  She was furious, yet dared not to resist, and scolded loudly: "I have endured hardships, do you know how hard it is for me to endure? You don't even dare to go out and show your face, but you, a shameless woman, dare to use my name, ruin my reputation, and bring disaster upon us. I... I want to scratch you to death..."

  Hu Yuenniang thought of her current situation and how a hundred years of bitter cultivation would not belong to herself, she was so angry that she spoke recklessly while also having to resort to using her only weapon.

  The young man and woman with the surname Shen on that side had long been frightened by the talking fox, and upon hearing this, they immediately knelt down and confessed everything in detail.

  It turned out that the woman was the nineteenth concubine of a retired old official from next door. The old man was advanced in age, and with many wives and concubines, it was inevitable that there would be some uneven distribution of favors.

  The girl was in her prime years, unable to bear loneliness, and like a red apricot on the wall, she did something that went beyond the wall.

  She was afraid that the matter would be exposed, and the young man couldn't keep his mouth shut, so he claimed to be a fox, making the young man dare not show off randomly, nor dare to ask questions, and finally caused trouble.

  Unexpectedly, things didn't start with me, but the mastermind has arrived.

  The ground beneath her feet was wet and soggy all over, and it wasn't just the sound of dripping water that had really scared the pee out of her.

  Ning Feng listened and looked at the Shen surname youth, his face pale, eyes sunken, expression dazed, couldn't help but shake his head repeatedly, sighing out loud:

  "The fox does not harm people, but people harm each other."

  "Never mind, you can go."

  Ning Fengyi said that the dog man and woman ran faster than anything, the young man slipped away in a flash, and the concubine jumped over the wall without even using her hands, disappearing in an instant.

  "Are you just going to let them off like this?"

  Shu Bailin felt like she had been punched in the gut, and asked gloomily.

  "My moral integrity may be flawed, but it's consensual between us and doesn't harm anyone else, so why bother with this trivial matter?"

  Ning Feng shook his head and thought that after this incident, the young man with the surname Shen would also know to turn back. As for the rest, it was a matter of personal fortune and misfortune, which had nothing to do with him.

  He said as he loosened his grip, the little fox landed nimbly on the ground, turned around and crouched down, its two small paws began to make a bowing motion again, looking over with eager eyes.

  Ning Feng burst out laughing and took out a cyan jade box. He opened the lid, revealing the exhausted power of the Sun God Symbol, and retrieved the demon pellet, tossing it over.

  The little fox was overjoyed and jumped up as high as a person, swallowing the demon pill back into his mouth in mid-air.

  Shu Bailin originally wanted to blow some more devilish wind and stir up the clouds, but unexpectedly Ning Feng was so decisive that he hastily swallowed back the words that were on his lips, only failing to control himself as a faint "aiyo" escaped.

  The next moment, a strange aura rose, and the little fox transformed back into its charming adult form.

  She gave Shu Baili a sideways glance and immediately curtsied:

  "Miss Moon, thank you for sparing my life, young master."

  Ning Feng waved his hand and bowed, saying apologetically: "Mongniang, you've been focusing on your cultivation, but this time it was our mistake to suspect you. I apologize for the misunderstanding."

  "It's nothing, it's nothing..."

  Hu Yuenniang was overjoyed to have obtained the Huixian Dan, and didn't dare to accept Ning Feng's sarcastic remark. She hastily said: "It's also this humble woman's fault for not being vigilant enough, who would have thought that our secluded residence had become a place for dogs like you to indulge in debauchery? It's only fitting that we should bear the shame."

  She said with emotion, fortunately saying: "Fortunately, the young woman met a gentleman like you, if not, a hundred years of cultivation would be destroyed in an instant, even falling into the underworld, I would not rest until I had dealt with that pair of vicious men and women."

  Ning Feng heard this and sensed the resentment in it, his expression turned serious, and he said meaningfully: "Miss Hu, a hundred years of cultivation cannot be destroyed by outsiders, nor can it be harmed by oneself."

  Hu Yuenniang felt a warning in his words and hastily said: "This humble woman dare not, will continue to cultivate diligently, follow the immortal way, and not dare to disturb others."

  Ning Feng nodded and waved his hand: "You go, we won't disturb you anymore."

  He was just about to turn around and leave when he heard Hu Yueniang's hesitant voice behind him: "Young Master..."

  "Huh?"

  "A young woman occasionally comes out to absorb the essence of the sun and moon, and sometimes feels that there is a lingering gloomy atmosphere in the direction of Liu's village. I think the monster you are looking for should be inside the village."

  Hu Yuenniang finished speaking and rushed to Ning Feng who had turned around, bowed again, then pulled her skirt and turned around.

  "Hmm"

  She transformed into a wisp of eerie aura and darted towards a corner of the abandoned garden, vanishing from sight.

  Just as the clouds disperse and the fog clears, the bright moon is in the sky. In the abandoned garden, there is a piece of serenity and a piece of quiet elegance.

  Ning Feng nodded and bowed in the direction where Hu Yue Niang had disappeared, then left with Shu Bai Ling towards Liu Jia Zhuang.

  On the way, Shu Bailin, who had been quiet as a cicada after Hu Yueniang recovered her cultivation, became lively again. As soon as they left the abandoned garden, he started talking incessantly, saying that the little fox was cunning and deceitful, previously calling herself "nu jia" (slave family) but now calling herself "xiao nüzi" (little girl) to cater to the young master's preferences, and so on.

  Ning Feng thought about the unsolved evil spirits, feeling emotional about the fox's affairs that harmed everyone, and didn't have the mood to care about him, just letting it go in one ear and out the other.

  Treading on moonlight, entering Liu Family Village, walking to the outside of Liu Mansion, Ning Feng and Shu Xiang stopped at the same time without prior agreement.

  In front of the two, an old mulberry tree with a trunk as thick as three to five men embracing it stood under the moonlight, casting a large patch of shadow. Without the noise of children playing during the day, it looked especially desolate and lonely!