Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Demon Trouble (Please Collect)_1 Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Demon Trouble (Please Collect)_1 Several days later, during the night.

The back door of the Fang Residence.

A mass of dark clouds appeared out of nowhere, obscuring the moonlight.

In the dim light, the door slowly opened, and a figure slipped out.

The shadow glanced left and right, and after confirming that no one was paying attention, he immediately hunched over and began skirting the edge of the alley, then suddenly darted into a civilian’s house.

“Hehe… He Laofu, you’ve finally arrived!”

An oil lamp was lit in the room, and a tall, masked man was staring at Housekeeper Fu, mocking coldly.

“I have already done everything you asked, where is my grandson?”

Housekeeper Fu’s expression was rigid.

If not for his beloved grandson held hostage, he would never have betrayed his master.

“Hmph, did you find out where that person disappeared to during that time? And where he keeps his gold and silver?”

The masked man asked.

“How would I know? That person is always careful.” Housekeeper Fu sighed, “I’ve entered his room several times, but have found nothing… Just give me back my grandson, this old man wants to flee far away!”

Although he did not know Fang Xi’s background, judging from his meticulous need for precision and his refined diet, he knew he must be from no ordinary origins, perhaps a young master from a wealthy noble family!

Betraying such a master, Fu Tou only thought of fleeing for his life!

“Our prior agreement was that you must find useful information first.”

The masked man cursed, “You’re utterly useless, no wonder you almost starved to death back then!”

“Yes… I never imagined, back then when you and your grandson were almost starving to death on the roadside, I was the one who saved you, yet you ended up betraying me.”

At that moment, a voice suddenly came from outside the window.

“What?”

Both Old Fu and the masked man were stunned, looking towards the window in surprise.

Bang!

The door abruptly opened, and Fang Xi walked in with a swagger.

“Die!”

In an instant, the masked man leaped up with his shins chopping down, like a great axe splitting a mountain.

He was quick to react, choosing to strike immediately upon discovering someone’s presence!

“So it’s the Red Snake Leg!”

Fang Xi laughed loudly and struck with his palm.

His palm, though later in action, was first to strike, catching the masked man’s downward kick like a wall.

Bang!

As the palm met the leg, the masked man was sent crashing through a window, his entire figure sent flying backwards.

“What a White Cloud Palm!”

A hoarse voice came through; Fang Xi chased to the window just in time to see the figure speeding away, vanishing around the corner in a blink of an eye.

Fang Xi did not pursue. Turning round, he looked at Fu Tou, whose face was alternating between red and green.

“Master, it was my fault, I have wronged you!”

Fu Tou suddenly knelt on the floor, tears streaming down his face: “It’s all because of that damn masked man, who kidnapped my grandson and forced me to work for him…”

“He Laofu, of course I am aware, you being a good housekeeper. If you weren’t coerced, why would you betray me?”

Fang Xi said, “But a betrayal is a betrayal, disloyalty once means no use forever, you may go now!”

“What?”

He Laofu suddenly looked up, filled with shock and disbelief.

He could never have imagined that the ever-smiling, easygoing master could have such a ruthless side!

However, it was too late for him to say anything more, as a dark hand had quietly pressed on top of his head.

A layer of blackness passed over He Laofu’s face, and after writhing on the ground for a few moments, he became a corpse…

“You betrayed me for your grandson, I can understand, but it doesn’t mean I will forgive you… I am only responsible for sending you to the underworld, forgiving you is Yama (the King of Hell)’s business.”

Fang Xi withdrew his hand and walked away.

In fact, there was another reason why he killed Fu. After he betrayed Fang Xi, the latter was reduced from ‘master’ to ‘that person’ in his words—enough to know that even when compelled, Fu must’ve harboured some resentment!

‘Considering his ability to manage affairs, perhaps he belongs to some scholar family. To have him as a housekeeper was indeed a slight…’

‘Scholars are prideful, aren’t they? How could they be content as servants? Thinking too much leads to weighing pros and cons; the unfaithful are often scholars, indeed a true statement!’

Fang Xi returned to the mansion and forgot about Fu Tou in an instant.

As for the grandson, left to his own fate—such ants would not cause the slightest ripple in his heart.

…

The next day.

Laurel and the other servant girls lined up, each with their eyes on their nose, and their nose on their heart, daring not to make the slightest move.

A few with particularly weak stomachs were even trembling.

That was because Fang Xi had called for a middleman of human trade today, selling off several maids and servants who had been close to Housekeeper Fu.

“Master, have mercy, please spare me!”

One of the maids was bawling her eyes out, but Fang Xi’s expression remained unfazed, merely swirling the tea in his cup.

Maids and servants have no rights over their own person; being sold again could mean ending up in a household far less kind than the current one, or even being sent directly to the lowest of brothels!

The scene was grim, and even Laurel found it hard to bear, but she dared not say a word.

She knew all too well that if she dared to speak out, Fang Xi would sell her off as well.

“Thank you, Lord Fang. Here is the money for the sale of the slaves.”

The human trader, all smiles, his teeth showing more than his eyes—Fang Xi was a big customer to him.

He presented a bag of silver respectfully at that moment.

“Forget it, this silver is for you to enjoy a cup of tea.”

Fang Xi stood up and looked at Laurel, “From now on, the house steward of this residence is no longer Fu but you, remember this?”

“Yes!”

A group of maids and servants hurriedly paid their respects.

…

After settling the matters at the residence, Fang Xi changed into his regular clothes and strolled out the front door.

The masked person from last night, even though a high master of the Three Transformations of Qi and Blood, would have been easily taken down had he played his ace.

The reason he didn’t act was merely to cast a long line to catch a big fish.

Besides, the means of an Immortal Cultivator, how could ordinary people guard against it? This was the advantage of attacking from a higher dimension.

“At this time, tracking methods include thinking I have been marked with some fragrant powder or using animals and people to continuously monitor and follow…”

“After the masked man fled, he would most likely destroy all his clothes, maybe even washing off a layer of skin…”

As Fang Xi wandered the streets, he suddenly turned into a corner and took a jade vial from his bosom.

Upon uncorking the vial, a snow-white Jade Bee flew out.

This was a ‘Seeking Spiritual Bee’, naturally extremely sensitive to spiritual energy, typically used by Spirit Farmers to find nodes of Spiritual Power in fields or to pollinate spiritual flowers.

However, during last night’s encounter with the masked man, Fang Xi had infused a thread of his Magic Power into him.

Magic Power is Spiritual Power that has been refined.

“Go!”

Fang Xi made a hand gesture, pointing at the Seeking Spiritual Bee!

Buzz! Buzz!

The snow-white bee took off, circling around him three times before lazily flying towards the main street.

Fang Xi immediately followed close behind.

He overtook the bustling crowds, and after several streets, the Seeking Spiritual Bee stopped by a courtyard wall.

Fang Xi moved to the front entrance and looked up.

‘Red Snake Martial Arts School’—those four big characters glaringly entered his sight.

“Could it really be someone from the Red Snake Martial Arts School?”

Fang Xi murmured to himself, touching his chin, “It’s not out of the question…”

However, after waiting for a moment, the Seeking Spiritual Bee whirled in a circle and then suddenly flew off in another direction.

Fag Xi thought to himself that there might be a play and continued to follow.

After turning several corners, they arrived at the edge of a lake as clear as jade.

In the midst of the lake, there appeared to be some lotuses, but the season had passed and the flowers were not seen, only withered and shriveled seed pods remained.

This place didn’t require asking around; Fang Xi was intimately familiar with it.

“Yuanhe Mountain?”

After confirming once more, Fang Xi called back the Seeking Spiritual Bee and curled his lip, “Unexpectedly… I haven’t decided to provoke you yet, and you come provoking me?”

“Even… framing the Red Snake Martial Arts School…”

Had Fang Xi pursued the trail last night straight away, he would have likely ended up at the Red Snake Martial Arts School.

And with both Lu She and She Lei bearing grudges against him, a normal person would naturally take it as the other side making another move!

One wouldn’t think it related to Yuanhe Mountain at all!

“Such a vicious plan, I’m afraid it’s inseparable from that Qiao Wucha.”

Thinking about the appraisal in the intelligence, Fang Xi instantly locked onto his target.

Regardless of how cunning the opponent’s strategies, they are vain before absolute power!

Fang Xi arrived at the main entrance of Yuanhe Mountain and found a tea stall to sit down, slowly contemplating what he should do in the future.

‘Wait a while, with the new purchase of Taisui Meat, I can surely break through to the realm of True Power, then I’ll be even more assured…’

Just as Fang Xi was about to leave.

Boom!

The branch’s main gate of Yuanhe Mountain flung open, and a group of people came out in a grand procession, riding fine horses, heading out of the city.

Among the riders, the young Martial Artist in the lead cut a gallant figure, and the beautiful girl lagging by two horse lengths also left a deep impression.

“Isn’t that Linghu, the guard, and Steward Chun?”

Clearly, someone at the tea stall recognized the two, exclaiming in surprise, “They’ve both left the city together, could it be for the monster beast that’s been ravaging the trade routes?”

On hearing this, Fang Xi’s expression became concentrated.

“Yes… lately things outside have become increasingly unsettled; sigh, my sister who got married to the village is now regretting it, wanting to sell her land and buy a house in the city!”

A peddler dressed in rough clothes said with a bitter smile, “First it was Three Mountain Ridges, then Changshui River, and now the trade routes… these recent monster beasts, aren’t they occurring a bit too frequently?”

“Thank goodness we have the Martial Artists, ah!”

The tea stall owner clearly had a favorable view of Yuanhe Mountain, “With Lord Linghu taking action this time, what concern is a minor monster beast? Isn’t it as simple as capturing it?”

“Indeed, indeed…”

A crowd of people continuously nodded in agreement, then resumed their tea drinking.

“Waiter, the check!”

Fang Xi tossed out a piece of silver change; he had no interest in joining the excitement.

On the contrary, he thought about the monster hunting business that Black Market Han Fatty had introduced to him.

‘Perhaps these two matters are actually one and the same!’

‘But these monster beasts appear far too frequently, there’s something abnormal about it…’

Fang Xi looked troubled for a moment, then acted as if nothing had happened.

After all, when the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!

And if danger arises, he could simply flee to the Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm. It wasn’t a big problem.