Chapter 720 517 Demons

The Li Family's soldiers shuttled through the mountains, with Li Xizhi's white clothes billowing, a sword at his waist, he stood at the head of a mountain, overseeing the battle. Kongheng, not far away, rode the wind with his eyes tightly closed, mumbling the Incantation Script, seemingly performing rites for the souls of the deceased.

He took a careful look to ensure that Li Wushao followed closely beside Li Zhouwei, only then did he retract his gaze, approached slowly through the wind and snow, and with a slight twitch of his ear, he suddenly turned his head to look aside.

A chill glint flickered in the eyes of Li Xijun beneath his sword-like brows, streams of white Qi drifted out, fixating on an empty spot not far away. After several moments, he frowned and said in a cold voice,

"I wonder which Taoist Fellow is here. I am Li Xijun of the Li Family, please show yourself!"

His voice, cold and distant, carried far, just so that the distant Kongheng could hear it clearly. The narrow-eyed monk suddenly opened his eyes and pulled an ancient cyan Zen Staff from his sleeve, rushing over with the wind at high speed.

After Li Xijun spoke these words, a sense of shock filled his heart:

"What a brilliant Invisibility Technique!"

Known to him, from a young age, he had practiced the Pupil Technique, and the Talisman Qi he received from Bright Frost Pine Ridge was also a blessing for his eyes, allowing him to see through illusions and even many Formations.

Yet he had looked for several moments without being able to discern anyone's figure, feeling only the vague presence of someone there, which instantly alarmed him, preparing him to escape.

But there was a sudden flash of white in that part of the sky, showing an inch of Yunbai cloth, and slowly a figure emerged, revealing a smiling youth.

This youth had slightly narrow brows, dewy gray eyes, his skin was tender and smooth, and the black hair on both sides of his cheeks was braided into two sections, tied with silvery-white bells, giving him an air of Agility.

He was barefoot, clothed in a long blue-green robe with large sleeves and uncommonly right over left closing, a small collar yet generously wide cuffs, around his neck a string of Silver Beads, and at the end hung a white shining quartz.

Li Xijun paused slightly, taking a step back cautiously. The youth's face was full of smiles, almost teasingly so, and simply asked,

"Which junior might you be? Where is Li Yuanjiao? Bring him out at once!"

Hearing this, Li Xijun's guard slightly lowered, yet he remained on the alert, answering with clasped hands,

"May I ask which senior you are? To answer your question, Uncle has already passed away many years ago."

"Ah!"

The smile on the youth's face vanished instantly, he struck his chest and stomped in frustration. Li Xijun seized the opportunity to study him, finding this person somewhat familiar, also with gray eyes and long brows, his demeanor quite agile.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the person had snowy white fur and sharp teeth, enveloped in purple mist, evidently a demon creature.

The youth paused for a moment, appearing somewhat dispirited, he waved his hand, the liveliness that was once there drained away in an instant, and in a subdued voice said,

"Just so you know, I am Bai Rong, a cultivator from the Da Li Mountain Demon Cave, I once mistakenly resided around the outskirts of Da Li Mountain, cultivating diligently under a tree..."

"Who would have thought I'd be beaten up by someone coming to my door, your ancestor by the name of Li Tongya, the Human Race has a short lifespan, by now who knows how many generations have passed... Do you still remember?"

Li Xijun was momentarily stunned, murmuring,

"Senior Bai Rong, the White Banyan Fox?!"

Hearing his name called out, Bai Rong showed a trace of a smile, exclaiming,

"Exactly!"

Li Xijun felt an indescribable confusion, standing midair for a moment, just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly narrowed his eyes, skepticism arising in his heart, he kept his hand on the sword hilt but did not draw, and spoke softly,

"What an interesting title you've borrowed, senior... however, our family records note that Senior Bai Rong was a Red Fox, but through my eyes, I see clearly, you are indeed a White Fox!"

Bai Rong was taken aback, then suddenly laughed, seemingly hearing something very pleasing, it took several moments before he could stop, then asked,

"Are you saying... your family has kept such a detailed account of me... very well, very well... Li Tongya was truly a good man."

Li Xijun saw that he did not seem to be deceiving, nodded slightly, and answered with a clasped fist:

"I would ask the elder to give an explanation."

"Ha!"

Bai Rong proudly raised his head when he started talking about this, his white fluffy tail rising beneath the dark cyan and azure robe, and he said with a laugh:

"I was born of low status, and spent so many years in Foundation Establishment, precisely because I wanted to cultivate my blood and seek my true nature in the Demon Pool within the Demon Cave. Now my cultivation is complete, and I have long since shed those red furs and mortal teeth, transforming into a Spirit Fox!"

The explanation was indeed novel. Li Xijun thought it over briefly and asked:

"Does the elder know which sword the ancestor Tongya carried with him?"

Bai Rong casually stepped through the air barefoot and answered without hesitation:

"First it was the 'Jiao Carved Pillar', and then the 'Green Ruler Sword'."

Li Xijun asked several secret questions, and seeing that his answers were fluent and his demeanor consistent and not deceitful, he then clasped his fist and bowed respectfully:

"Junior Li Xijun, the great-grandson of the ancestor, has met Elder Bai Rong. Congratulations to the elder on your great achievement!"

Bai Rong chuckled with a heh-heh, sighing as he began to speak:

"This temperament of yours really resembles your great-grandfather's caution. That dragon-snake too, always cunningly coiled, ever so cautious and careful."

He was dressed in a long robe of dark cyan and azure, which paradoxically made him look much younger than Li Xijun. He smiled at Li Xijun and said:

"You do look handsome, bearing the grace of Li Tongya in his latter years."

Li Tongya's position in the hearts of the younger generation like Li Xijun was extremely high, and he couldn't help feeling flustered when he said so. Li Xijun answered modestly:

"The elder's divine grace, Xijun wouldn't dare to compare in the slightest."

Bai Rong turned back to look at the shouting for killing beneath his feet and took a strong sniff, inhaling deeply, making his lips appear very rosy. Li Xijun glanced briefly and said softly:

"It is rather unfortunate, but I have family duties to attend to. I ask the elder to wait a moment; once matters here are resolved, I will have the elder come to the mountain for tea."

Bai Rong smiled faintly and said with a chuckle:

"It's not a problem at all. Actually, it's my good luck, having just broken through my cultivation. It is due to you that I can rightfully come across so much vital energy, for which I must thank you."

Li Xijun was embarrassed, but unsure how to respond, so he simply swallowed his words silently. Bai Rong gave a casual glance at the ground below and said somewhat indifferently:

"Li Yuanping is also dead... I long told him to gather enough blood sustenance and come find me, yet he stubbornly refused."

"You few... are so unbearably obstinate..."

He grumbled a few words, and the unused string of silver beads with white quartz hanging in front of his chest swayed lightly. Li Xijun didn't know why he hung such an ordinary piece of quartz on his chest, and could only respond:

"The elder speaks truly."

Bai Rong's dark cyan and azure robe billowed slowly, and the vital energy from below surged at his feet. He smiled, seemingly coming to an understanding, and mused to himself:

'Ah... Li Tongya disliked this practice all his life, but his descendants are obedient. Though I absorb vital energy here—which is incomparable to the act of eating humans and rarely accrues resentment—it's inevitable that some would find it objectionable.'

He shook his sleeves and took a few deep breaths, then turned around, still feeling a bit of reluctance in his heart but answered in a low voice only:

"I shall not linger here any longer. I will go to Lijing Mountain and wait for you."