“Since I began my secluded cultivation, I have known little of the outside world. I wonder, now that the world has changed so drastically, what does the mortal realm look like today?”
Nan Zhi lazily changed her posture as she lay there, her tail slowly swishing behind her.
“Your fox clan has always been on good terms with humanity and well-informed. Pick a couple of interesting things and tell me about them.”
Listening to stories?
Is the Mountain Lord trying to probe for information?
He couldn't speak of the Hu family's affairs, nor could he gossip about Longhu Mountain or Maoshan. As for official news—
“With the Spiritual Resurgence, many demons and ghosts have begun to wake. Not long ago, in a small town on the border of Great Xia, the entire town vanished mysteriously overnight. Hundreds of thousands of people disappeared without a trace. Strangely, satellite imagery shows the town is still there, but in human perception, it no longer exists—oh, those satellites are the ‘Thousand-Mile Eyes’ used by the human race.”
“Along the southeast coast, a typhoon blew in some foul things from Southeast Asia. Among them was an evil Buddha statue, the most sinister of all. Any mortal who laid eyes on it would drop dead the very next day.
Many people died in those coastal cities. In the end, the authorities deployed emergency units, literally throwing lives at the problem to drive that wicked thing back.”
“Then there is the northwest. Two royal corpses were unearthed from the Western Xia Imperial Tombs. They weren't handled properly during transport and ended up rising as zombies. They were covered in white hair and killed or injured many people. Eventually, they took over the area around the tombs. Now, it's a restricted zone where the living enter but never leave.”
Hu Ban'er’s eyes darted around as his mind raced. Ultimately, he cautiously chose to avoid sensitive Great Xia news.
“The Mountain Lord may not know, but with the Spiritual Resurgence, it's not just the demons within Great Xia that are waking; other nations are also in chaos...”
Nan Zhi half-closed her eyes, piecing together the clues in her mind.
The Spiritual Resurgence had actually begun two years ago, though no one took it seriously then.
Now, supernatural incidents were popping up all over Great Xia like mushrooms after rain. Ordinary people saw peace and prosperity on their phones, unaware of the heavy price the authorities paid behind the scenes.
If it was like this domestically, it was even worse abroad.
First was the US. With its complex religious landscape and over two hundred and fifty registered sects, the resurgence brought out werewolves, vampires, possessed dolls, and clowns.
The worst of it involved the ghosts of indigenous Americans. One state, built on land stolen from the natives where their skulls were used for foundations, faced a massive spiritual backlash. Local legends woke up; an entire state reportedly fell into darkness, residents vanished, and the governor's scalp was even found hanging at a highway exit as a warning.
Japan, for some reason, saw fewer traditional yokai and more man-made urban legends. The Slit-Mouthed Woman, Hachishakusama, Hanako-san, Human-Headed Balloons, Bloody Mary... it was like a real-life battle royale. At night, the once-bustling streets belonged to the supernatural.
As for Great Xia's neighbor, South Korea, ‘tragic’ was an understatement. Without a foundation of orthodox deities and plagued by cults and corporate greed, the supernatural merged with extreme social repression. Cults flourished, and the news was filled with gruesome dismemberments and family massacres.
Of course, none of this was shown to the public.
Although Great Xia was vast and should have been the hardest hit, the authorities were quick to contain and seal off incidents. Furthermore, Great Xia had well-preserved traditional sects and hadn't suffered from large-scale foreign cultural invasions. The domestic situation was simpler, and the people were happier. Unlike Japan's collective repression or South Korea's rampant cults, Great Xia remained relatively stable.
Despite the frequent incidents, the people of Great Xia were well-protected by their motherland, spending their days surfing the web and treating foreign news as mere gossip, oblivious to the dangers lurking in the dark.
“However, it can't be hidden for much longer.”
Hu Ban'er looked up cautiously at Nan Zhi, trying to explain in terms she could understand.
“A while back, a domestic variety show went to Thailand for a live broadcast. Oh, that's like a troupe of performers filming a story for people to watch—
During the live stream, the unlucky crew happened upon a local temple haunted by ghost monks. Seven people died on the spot. It was a bloodbath—flesh and bone fragments flying everywhere. Eventually, Great Xia contacted the local embassy to bring the survivors home.”
Because it was live, the news couldn't be suppressed. Though the video was deleted, it caused an uproar.
Nan Zhi knew the truth about the Spiritual Resurgence would soon be public.
Her focus, however, was on the red-named monsters everywhere abroad.
Those were living, breathing experience bundles and spiritual energy clusters!
If she weren't too lazy to cross the ocean, she'd be on a plane already.
Noticing Hu Ban'er eyeing the pills in Corn's arms, she spoke.
“My cultivation technique is unique; I require large amounts of evil demon and resentful spirit essence. Your fox clan is well-informed. If you can track the movements of evil demons for me, I will make it worth your while.”
“I would be honored to serve the Mountain Lord! However, I have only just arrived and am unfamiliar with the area. Please grant me three days. In three days, I will bring you the information you require!”
Hu Ban'er’s eyes lit up. He felt no jealousy toward Nan Zhi's inheritance. Every clan had its own fate. If the Old Master hadn't acted decisively to preserve their lineage using imperial qi, he wouldn't even be here.
Nan Zhi nodded calmly.
“When you return, give a message to those from the Demon Suppression Division:”
“I am focused solely on the Dao and have no desire to consume the flesh of sentient beings. Furthermore, before I attained enlightenment, I was but an ignorant cub who received some care from humanity.”
“Therefore, as long as there is no deliberate provocation from humans, I will not strike without cause. But if anyone intends to force their way into Qingmeng Mountain and slaughter its inhabitants...”
She bared her teeth, her bright red tongue licking her lips. The character for King on her forehead radiated an effortless majesty.
“I wouldn't mind a change of pace and devouring a few demon suppressors.”
Hu Ban'er’s fur stood on end. He pressed himself against the ground, paralyzed with fear.
After the killing intent dissipated, he tremblingly backed out of the cave, grabbed his two granddaughters, and bolted.
He ran with every ounce of strength he had.
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