The fox demon, realizing it couldn't win, transformed into its original form and turned to flee.
But it was too late.
If it had fled desperately upon my appearance, it might have stood a chance.
Now, severely injured and outmaneuvered by Old Mo and me,
escape was clearly no longer possible.
My gaze turned cold, and I formed a hand seal.
With a low shout, I commanded:
"Heaven and Earth are boundless, Yin and Yang borrow the law, Decree!"
With a "swish," my sword flew from my hand, directly at the fox demon.
The fox demon hadn't even reacted.
Blood splattered as the sword pierced its hind leg.
The fox howled in pain, tumbling repeatedly before collapsing on the ground.
It reached out with its paw to pull the peach wood sword from its hind leg, blood gushing out.
Then, it still tried to run.
Old Mo raised his axe and swung, scaring it into a series of evasive maneuvers and sending it flying back.
Old Mo followed with a kick.
It was sent crashing into a tree, then fell to the ground, spitting blood, barely alive.
"Abomination, die!"
Old Mo roared, raising his axe to strike.
But I stopped him,
"Wait!"
Upon hearing me, Old Mo halted his descending axe.
However, the axe blade was already pressed against the fox demon's head.
The fox demon was terrified, its body trembling.
"N-no, Daoist Master, don't kill me, don't kill me..."
It begged frantically, death instilling in it an unprecedented fear.
Old Mo looked at it coldly and asked me,
"Old Qin, why keep it alive?"
I didn't answer immediately, instead stepping forward to face the fox demon,
"Where are you from, demon? Why do you harm people?"
I wanted to ascertain the demon's background and the situation around the village.
Hearing my question, the fox demon hurriedly replied,
"R-returning, returning Daoist Master, this humble demon was a first offense.
It was just for fun, that's why I lured souls, I would have returned them shortly.
R-really..."
Such words were only for show.
I didn't take them seriously; it would still be killed if necessary.
What I primarily wanted to know was whether this creature knew anything about the unearthed vengeful spirits.
Seeing my silence, the fox demon continued,
"This humble demon, this humble demon is a fox from the Moon Chasing Cave in the Lianghu Mountains.
P-please, Daoist Master, spare this humble demon this once, spare this humble demon."
As it spoke, a green light emanated from the fox demon.
It transformed again, this time into the appearance of a human.
But the guise it adopted was much more frail than before.
A pale-faced youth, looking wronged and pitiful,
knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to us.
Demons are myriad in their transformations, but no matter how they disguise themselves, they cannot hide their wicked nature.
As for this Moon Chasing Cave in the Lianghu Mountains?
I had never heard of it, and frankly, I didn't care what kind of place it was.
I continued,
"This village has been plagued by ghosts recently, do you know about it?"
The fox demon nodded repeatedly,
"Y-yes!
The ghost tomb on the mountain was dug open.
All the ghosts inside have come out.
Moreover, all the ghosts from the surrounding areas have been drawn here.
This humble demon saw the place filled with ghostly energy, and the village had become a dead zone.
Thinking that the villagers were going to die anyway,
I was tempted to lure souls for amusement.
D-Daoist Master, this humble demon truly, truly only did it for fun!
I harbored no ill intentions!
Daoist Master, please do not kill me.
This humble demon has cultivated for three hundred years, it's been too difficult..."
The demon wept most dramatically, still kowtowing to us.
But Old Mo and I frowned at the mention of the ghost tomb.
"Then do you know how many ghosts were in the ghost tomb?
What their strength was, and if they are all still in the ghost tomb now?"
I continued my questioning.
However, the fox demon didn't know much, hesitating before replying,
"They, they seem to be in the ghost tomb.
They come out at the hour of Hai.
There are many, at least several dozen.
And every night, many lonely wandering spirits drift towards the ghost tomb.
This humble demon, this humble demon has only been here for three days.
I don't know the exact number.
Their strength is unknown, but, but there are a few yellow-robed ghosts.
As for the others, this humble demon does not know..."
Hearing this, Old Mo and I couldn't help but feel a chill.
A ghost tomb, dozens of ghosts, and wandering spirits drifting in every night?
The situation here was far more serious than we had anticipated.
After a moment of thought, I looked back at the fox demon.
The fox demon looked at me expectantly,
"D-Daoist Master, now, now you can let me go, right?"
"Heh heh, did I say I would let you go?"
I spoke coldly, a killing intent flashing in my eyes.
The fox demon's face contorted in panic, stammering,
"Daoist Master, you, you can't kill me.
I, I am from the Moon Chasing Cave in the Lianghu Mountains.
If you kill me, the fox tribe of the Moon Chasing Cave will surely curse your lineage for three, three generations."
I remained unmoved.
I merely sneered,
"Then let them curse me for three generations!"
With that, I raised my peach wood sword and thrust it into the fox demon's chest.
"Ah!"
The fox demon glared at me with intense hatred, spitting a mouthful of blood.
Its body then slumped backward, its life extinguished.
In an instant, its body glowed green again, transforming into its original form.
A yellow weasel-like fox.
However, it had four tails.
The ability to cultivate four tails was a testament to the demon's talent.
Unfortunately, it had chosen the wrong path.
Of course, growing four tails didn't mean it had four lives at this point.
Currently, it only represented its level of power.
Only upon cultivating nine tails would it gain the divine ability to use its tails to evade death.
And not long after the fox demon died.
The fox demon's soul crawled out of its body.
If the roots are not removed, they will grow again in the spring breeze.
So, as soon as the fox demon's soul appeared, I stomped down on it with my foot.
The fox demon's ghostly soul cried out in terror,
"No..."
Then, with a "bang,"
the fox demon's voice abruptly ceased.
Its soul was crushed by me on the spot, utterly annihilated...