“You Huang family bastards! How dare you spy on your grandma!”
At the sight of that Snow Essence, before Liu Guansheng and Lyu Dongfang could even react, Hu Cuiying completely blew her top. Her pupils instantly contracted into beast-like slits, and fine, soft fur sprouted along both sides of her cheeks:
“Speak! Which suicidal bastard betrayed us and leaked the news?!”
As the faint silhouette of a fox flickered across her face, several people behind her bared their fangs and grimaced in unison, fully revealing their demonic nature.
From the moment Hu Manni received Nan Zhi's call to being tailed and cornered here, it had been less than seven hours in total.
Yet the Huang family already knew Nan Zhi had come for Snow Essence, and in just a few short hours, they had even managed to track down a piece of decent quality to offer.
This was nothing short of a blatant provocation.
Not to be outdone, the people brought by the Huang family glared back, their eyes gleaming with sinister, eerie glints as they hissed like wild beasts:
“Hiss—”
“Hiss—”
On the surface, it was a confrontation between two groups of humans, but in reality, it was a clash between foxes and weasels.
“Beidong is no longer a place where the Hu family calls all the shots,” Huang Shiduo chuckled coldly, looking only at Nan Zhi's reaction. “Your Hu family is playing both sides—clinging to that white tiger on Qingmeng Mountain while simultaneously fawning over the Demon Suppression Division. Aren't you being a bit too greedy?
“What, are you going to interfere even with our Huang family delivering a gift? Miss Nan, this Snow Essence isn't anything particularly rare.
“Many years ago, before Huaxia was liberated, a massive blizzard struck beyond the Pass. A house collapsed under the weight of the snow. Just as the family's good-for-nothing son was about to freeze to death, he dizzily saw his deceased great-grandmother holding him tight, keeping him warm until he was brought back from the brink of death.
“When he woke up, he found a chunk of Snow Essence this large on the ground. Later, through a stroke of fortune, it came into the hands of our Huang family's Dima.
“I don't know how much Miss Nan requires, but our people are still gathering more. This is merely one piece of it.”
“Nice story, and the quality is fine, but I don't like being forced into accepting gifts.”
Nan Zhi closed the wooden box and smiled evenly:
“I came here in a personal capacity; this has nothing to do with the Demon Suppression Division. Nor do I have any intention of meddling in the disputes between your Five Families of Beidong and that Demon Lord of Qingmeng Mountain.
“Besides, I am merely a humble demon suppressor. You think too highly of me.”
“No rush. There is plenty of time ahead.”
Hearing Nan Zhi's words, Huang Shiduo's expression remained unchanged. Unfazed by the rejection, he calmly explained:
“Time reveals a person's true heart. In time, Miss Nan will understand our Huang family's well-meaning intentions.”
With that, the group departed just as swiftly as they had arrived, leaving without the slightest hesitation.
...
Seeing them leave, Hu Cuiying's anger still simmered, though an awkward look crossed her face when she turned toward Nan Zhi:
“Little Aunt, we didn't mean anything like that. Our Hu family is indeed working for the Demon King right now, but it's not like what he said about playing both sides.”
“In the demon race, strength is revered above all else. With the Spiritual Resurgence underway, it's only natural for a Demon King to emerge.
“Your Hu family following the Demon King doesn't conflict with Hu Manni wanting to join the Demon Suppression Division.”
Nan Zhi waved her hand and patiently explained:
“The Demon Suppression Division isn't like cultivation sects or clans. Regardless of whether one is a demon or a ghost, and regardless of background, as long as you pass the induction trial, you can become a demon suppressor.
“Back when I traveled with Master, I met several senior brothers and sisters from the demon race—wisteria spirits, yakshas, sea dragons, jiao people...
“The dragon that wrought havoc on the sea was a leader of the aquatic clan, yet Master still executed it. When the Demon Suppression Division passes judgment, it considers actions rather than intent, and never looks at where you came from.
“If you truly wish to join the Demon Suppression Division, you can give it your all when this year's induction trial begins.”
Hearing such inside secrets of the Demon Suppression Division out of nowhere, everyone was in disbelief.
Only after Nan Zhi explained repeatedly, making it clear that those imprisoned in the Demon Suppression Tower were mostly evil demons and malevolent cultivators who had committed crimes, did Hu Cuiying finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Humans were not purely black and white, and demons were naturally the same.
Although the Hu and Bai families had sided with the Qingmeng Mountain Demon King for now, with the great trend rising and turbulence approaching, having an extra friendly faction was always better than having another enemy.
According to word sent by their Old Ancestor, Hu Ban'er, the White Tiger Demon King was exceedingly tight-lipped about Mu Changsheng of the Demon Suppression Division, showing mostly wary apprehension whenever he was mentioned.
Therefore, these little foxes all chose not to provoke the Demon Suppression Division.
Hu Manni alone had fortuitously received a casual promise from Ma Guniang and stood a chance of joining the Demon Suppression Division. If she missed this tremendous opportunity because of her background...
For now, Qingmeng Mountain and the Demon Suppression Division coexisted peacefully.
Yet if the two sides ever came into open conflict one day, she would choose the demon race without hesitation. She just didn't know what Hu Manni would choose.
Hu Cuiying's eyes darted around, and in the next second, the young woman returned to normal, a complicated expression on her face.
She knew the possessed fox immortal wanted to leave the choice to her.
“Alright, I will definitely go.”
Hu Manni fell silent for only a brief moment before her gaze turned resolute:
“No one can predict the future.
“But if I miss the opportunity to join the Demon Suppression Division, I would surely regret it for the rest of my life.”
She pursed her lips, the heavy emotions weighing on her heart suddenly lifting. Looking up, she saw Nan Zhi smiling warmly:
“Congratulations. Qi Refinement level 1, achieved naturally like water flowing to form a canal. You'll have that much more certainty during the induction trial.”
...
With their pursuers gone, the group switched to a more comfortable black commercial van, driving all the way toward a wetland villa near the forest reserve.
Backed by the fox clan, the Ma family of Beidong was split into two branches: inner and outer.
The outer branch managed businesses and provided resources.
The inner branch focused on cultivation and served the fox immortals.
Having painstakingly operated this way across several generations, their accumulated connections and wealth gave them a deeply rooted foundation.
The manor gates opened slowly. The convoy drove onto a side road and followed the mountain path overlooking the Song River all the way up to the Ma Family Manor.
The estate was built in a European architectural style, right next to the wetland park.
Earth energy surged from within the mountain, subtly scattering faint wisps of spiritual energy, while every breath was filled with the fresh scent of earth.
Only juniors of the Ma family came out to greet them. The elders remained out of sight, treating the visit as nothing more than an ordinary gathering among juniors.
The Ma and Hu families shared deep ties, and nearly every member of the Ma family carried a spirit to some degree. If the reception were too formal, outsiders would view it as an alliance between the Demon Suppression Division and the Hu family.
Nan Zhi feigned ignorance as well, letting Hu Manni arrange her accommodations.
Once everything was settled, Nan Zhi found the opportunity to ask Lyu Dongfang and Liu Guansheng about the background of the Huang Shiduo they had met today.
“Huang Shiduo? You mean that lazy-eyed cripple? He... he's quite the ruthless character.”
Lyu Dongfang scratched his head. Knowing this was hardly a secret, he spoke openly:
“He was originally chosen to be the Dima for a little weasel of the Huang family's 'Shi' generation. When he was six, Old Master Huang picked him to be the Dima for his own grandson, also named Huang Shiduo, destined to carry the banner and establish a shrine in the future.
“Who could have guessed that before the Chu Ma ritual, he killed the little weasel bound to him, claiming he'd rather die than invite an immortal into his body.”
“Killed it?”
Nan Zhi was somewhat surprised. “I heard that weasel immortals are the most vengeful. He killed Old Master Huang's direct grandson, yet he's still alive and well?”
“How could he be fine?”
Liu Guansheng carried in a few prayer cushions and smacked his lips:
“It caused quite a massive stir back then. Huang Shiduo wasn't his original name, nor was his surname Huang. He was just an honest kid from an ordinary farming family.
“The year he got into college, the Huang family demanded he undergo Chu Ma. When he refused, the spirit attached itself to him and tormented him relentlessly, driving him mad.
“He only managed one year of college before being expelled and sent to a mental asylum.
“Old Master Huang had divined that this guy possessed a spiritual calling and could cultivate at rapid speeds.
“So the Huang family planned to keep him around to make it easier for their junior weasel to cultivate merit and amass incense offerings.
“Who knew Huang Shiduo's temper was rock-solid. After two or three years of torment, he still refused to yield. Those wicked weasels, unable to break Huang Shiduo, went after his family instead.
“They tormented his parents half to death. Pushed past his limit, Huang Shiduo snapped and killed Old Master Huang's grandson outright, ending up looking neither human nor ghost himself in the aftermath.
“Afterward, whether out of retaliation by the Huang family or not, both of his elderly parents died—one threw themselves into a river, and the other hanged themselves.”
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