Chapter 119: The Fall of the Fox Demon and the Return to Tongzhou

Chapter 119: Chapter 119: The Fall of the Fox Demon and the Return to Tongzhou

At Pei Shaoqing’s order, several specially-made, blade-studded nets were cast at the Fox Demon at once.

But the Fox Demon was agile. It darted between the trees, easily causing the nets to miss.

"You’ve pushed this demon too far! I’ll fight you to the death!"

The Fox Demon roared. Its body, originally the size of a large stray, instantly swelled to the size of an ox. A demonic aura flared around it as it charged the Jing’an Guard, attempting to use its brute strength to tear open a path to freedom.

"Die, foul beast!"

Gongsun Yi and his wife, Liu Yuheng, attacked at the same time.

Wang Peng, Pei Shaoqing, Hundred Households Commander Zhou, and the others also leaped into the fray, joining the righteous beatdown on the Fox Demon.

The rest of their men formed a perimeter, staying vigilant to prevent the Fox Demon’s escape, effectively boxing it in.

In the past two years, the Fox Demon had eaten over a hundred human hearts.

Many of whom had been Martial Artists.

Its power far exceeded that of lazy good-for-nothings of its kind like General Li. Though it possessed no Magic or special abilities, its physical strength and agility were on par with someone in the Wandering Dragon Realm.

In a one-on-one fight, even if it wasn’t a match for a Wandering Dragon Realm Martial Artist, it could likely have escaped by relying on a demon’s natural agility and talent for traversing difficult terrain.

Unfortunately, it was severely outnumbered, and opportunistic arrows flew in from the perimeter from time to time. The Fox Demon quickly lost the upper hand, beaten into a steady retreat by the group.

"Aaaargh!"

While leaping through the air, the Fox Demon was run through by a sword. A splash of crimson blossomed on its snow-white fur as its body slammed heavily into the ground. It hurriedly pleaded, "The Spiritual Qi is exhausted, and this humble demon’s cultivation has not been easy. Please, Your Excellencies, show mercy. I am willing to become your mount to atone for my past sins."

Everyone instantly stopped fighting and looked to Pei Shaoqing.

"Hmph! You’ve harmed countless people. If I were to spare you, how could I face the innocent dead? How could I live with my conscience?" Pei Shaoqing said coldly, pointing his sword at the Fox Demon. "Cut this beast down."

’Having a Fox Demon as a mount would certainly be impressive. But it would also be far too conspicuous and invite envy. At this stage, it would do me more harm than good. Besides, demons are treacherous and fickle. Not all of them are as harmless as General Li. What if this Fox Demon held a grudge and decided to stab me in the back one day? Better to turn it into a fur coat. Also, you are what you eat... and a Fox Whip is a powerful supplement!’

Liu Yuheng’s longsword flew from her hand, instantly piercing the Fox Demon’s abdomen. The demon let out a final, wretched scream, its eyes fixed on Pei Shaoqing with venomous hatred. "You... are so ruthless."

Then, the blood-red light in its eyes faded. Its enormous body shrank back to the size of a large stray, and it breathed its last.

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for eliminating the Fox Demon and avenging the innocent people of my Bazhou." The plump Zhou Li tossed his saber to a subordinate, walked up to Pei Shaoqing, and cupped his fist.

Pei Shaoqing sheathed Mo Tan and returned the salute with a smile. "Hundred Households Commander Zhou, you’re mistaken. Slaying this Fox Demon was only possible thanks to your flawless planning. I merely assisted. You, Commander Zhou, are the one who deserves the primary credit."

’My promotions have been too rapid; I need to lie low and consolidate my position for a while. This kind of credit is of little use to me in the short term. It’s enough to just have my name recorded in the merit logs. I’ll let Zhou Li take the primary credit to foster some goodwill. After all, whether you’re navigating the Jianghu or the bureaucracy... you can’t build a career by going it alone. You have to form factions and alliances for mutual support.’

Zhou Li was stunned for a moment, then ecstatic.

He had thought he’d be lucky just to get a bit of credit by following Pei Shaoqing’s lead, but he never expected Pei Shaoqing to willingly give him the lion’s share.

"No, no, no, Lord Pingyang, you’re too kind. My own contribution was meager, and without your help, we would have struggled to subdue this demon." Hundred Households Commander Zhou was grateful for Pei Shaoqing’s generosity, but he wasn’t greedy. He decided to split the credit fifty-fifty.

Of course, he knew full well that even a fifty-fifty split was greatly in his favor, so he added, "As for the Fox Demon’s corpse, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of it, Lord Pingyang."

’With the primary credit for killing the demon, which also solves last year’s major disappearance case, I just need to properly handle the upcoming inspection from the Southern Garrison Command. If I play my cards right, the three-year ban on my promotion might be lifted ahead of schedule.’

"Hahahaha, as the guest, I will defer to my host. We’ll do as you say, Commander Zhou," Pei Shaoqing replied with a hearty laugh.

Zhou Li was overcome with gratitude. In front of all his subordinates, he gave Pei Shaoqing a solemn bow and said with a grave expression, "Words cannot express my gratitude for this great favor. Lord Pingyang, if you ever have need of me in the future, you have only to say the word."

"Commander Zhou, what is the meaning of this?" Pei Shaoqing quickly moved to help him up. "We are both officials of the court, and our jurisdictions border each other. It is only right that we help one another. Please, rise. Now that this matter is settled, I must prepare to return to Tongzhou. You can deal with Tian Erni according to the law."

"Lord Pingyang, why leave in such a hurry? Why not stay for a celebratory drink tonight before you go?" Zhou Li grabbed Pei Shaoqing’s hand, earnestly trying to persuade him to stay.

Pei Shaoqing smiled and shook his head. "Let’s save the wine for next time. After all, Tongzhou and Bazhou aren’t far apart."

"Lord Pingyang is a man with many responsibilities, so I will not detain you." Zhou Li then pointed to Wang Peng. "I’ve noticed you hold Wang Tiqi in high regard, Lord Pingyang. I have already submitted a report to the Thousand-Households Commander, recommending he be promoted to Squad Leader for his recent merits and transferred to a post in Tongzhou. The official documents should arrive in a few days. You can take him with you now, Lord Pingyang."

In that instant, all eyes turned to Wang Peng, filled with envy and jealousy. They all knew his life was about to change forever.

"Your Excellency!" Although Wang Peng had already heard about this from Zhou Li, he still knelt, feigning overwhelming emotion.

Zhou Li chuckled. "A grown man shouldn’t act like a young girl. When you get to the Tongzhou Hundred Households, you must serve diligently. Don’t bring shame upon Bazhou."

"Yes, sir! I will obey!"

"Thank you for parting with such a good man, Commander Zhou." Pei Shaoqing was both surprised and delighted. He had been wondering how to formally request Wang Peng’s transfer, never expecting Zhou Li to have already arranged everything.

Zhou Li said with a broad smile, "A talent like Wang Tiqi is wasted following me. He can only realize his full potential under your command, Lord Pingyang."

’He’d only ever gifted women to people before. This was the first time he’d ever gifted a man.’

"Thank you." Pei Shaoqing let out a breath and gave Zhou Li a look that conveyed his unspoken understanding.

Zhou Li cupped his fist in farewell. "Safe travels, Lord Pingyang!"

Pei Shaoqing strode forward, placed the Fox Demon’s corpse into his Storage Ring, and then turned to leave.

Liu Yuheng, Chen Zhongyi, and the others quickly followed.

"Lord Pingyang is a truly principled man," Zhou Li mused, watching his departing figure. He then turned and ordered, "Go search the Fox Demon Cave Mansion."

’Pei Shaoqing took Wang Peng but compensated me with the primary credit for killing the demon. I, in turn, offered him the fox’s corpse, and in response, Pei Shaoqing left everything in the Fox Demon Cave Mansion for me. All told, I still owe Pei Shaoqing a favor. After all, who knew what could be inside the Fox Demon’s cave? There could be priceless treasures hidden within. But Pei Shaoqing didn’t care in the slightest. What incredible magnanimity!’

In any case, Zhou Li was now completely won over by him.

"Sir, we found a batch of Elixirs, as well as gold and silver treasure inside the cave," a subordinate soon reported.

Meanwhile, after descending the mountain, Gongsun Yi and his Iron Sword Sect disciples came to bid farewell to Pei Shaoqing and Liu Yuheng.

"Take care, Senior Brother." The couple had only just been reunited and now had to part again. Liu Yuheng was clearly reluctant to see him go.

Gongsun Yi nodded. "Junior Sister, you must protect the Young Master. As long as he is safe, I can rest easy at the Iron Sword Sect. You must also take care of yourself."

"Eldest Senior Brother, we didn’t even get a chance to have a proper chat this time. Come visit Tongzhou when you’re free. I’ll treat you to drinks," Zhao Zilan invited with a beaming smile, truly believing that Jiang Yebai had moved on from his feelings for her.

Jiang Yebai glanced at Pei Shaoqing before forcing a hearty laugh. "Alright. I’ll definitely come when I have the time."

"Young Master, I must trouble you to look after my wife and Lan’Er," Gongsun Yi said to Pei Shaoqing.

Pei Shaoqing gave a gentle, refined smile. "Rest assured, Sect Leader Gongsun. Don’t forget my relationship with Lan’Er."

"Farewell!"

"Take care!"

Gongsun Yi and Jiang Yebai stood side by side, each silently watching the woman he loved ride away into the distance.

"Alright, Yebai, let’s head back to the mountain."

"Yes, Master."

"HYAH!"

General Li, who had been snoozing in the grass by the roadside, rolled over in annoyance. A moment later, a realization dawned. It shot up with a start and ran out, but could only faintly make out a few figures galloping away in the distance.

It stood up on its hind legs, a look of utter bewilderment on its face. Spreading its paws, it muttered to itself, "I haven’t gotten on my horse yet."

"Wait! I’m not on my horse, my liege!"

General Li straightened its helmet and took off at a full sprint, chasing after them.

"Young Master, did you forget the cat?" Liu Yuheng remembered not long after they had set off. She quickly spurred her horse to catch up to Pei Shaoqing and reminded him in a soft voice.

"WHOA!" Pei Shaoqing pulled on his reins, coming to a stop. He really had forgotten all about General Li. "Let’s go back for him."

"Your Excellency! Look! Your cat is catching up on its own!" Chen Zhongyi suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone instinctively turned to look.

They saw a golden blur rapidly approaching from the distance. General Li was sprinting with its head down, its legs moving so fast they were just a blur.

"That’s His Excellency’s cat for you. It even knew to chase after us. It’s almost as smart as a dog."

"Yeah, that fat cat is surprisingly sharp."

Everyone marveled at the sight, clucking their tongues in amazement.

"HUFF... HUFF... HUFF..."

General Li skidded to a halt in front of General Hei. It tilted its head back, panting heavily with its tongue lolling out like a dog. Since it was inconvenient to speak with so many people around, it simply glared daggers at Pei Shaoqing.

Its silence spoke volumes.

Feeling guilty for having momentarily forgotten his loyal vassal, Pei Shaoqing cleared his throat. "General Li, get on the horse."

General Li kicked off with its hind legs and leaped onto the horse’s back.

"HYAH!" The group set off once more.

"I left my home to serve you, yet you abandon me without a second thought! My liege, this vassal’s heart is broken," General Li complained in a low voice, using the noise of their travel as cover.

Pei Shaoqing replied, "I honestly forgot."

"Hmph! You forgot because you don’t value me."

"The Inner Core," Pei Shaoqing said flatly, uttering two simple words.

General Li’s expression changed in an instant. "Then again, perhaps it’s because my liege is occupied with countless important matters of state. It’s only natural that you might have a momentary lapse and forget about a humble vassal like me."

’What a degenerate tyrant! Using my rightful reward to blackmail me into submission! It’s infuriating! If this general weren’t the very soul of loyalty, I’d overthrow you, you fatuous ruler!’

.........

The return journey was much faster than the trip out.

By noon the next day, the group had arrived in Tongzhou.

"Standard-Bearer Chen, take Wang Tiqi and find him some lodging," Pei Shaoqing instructed Chen Zhongyi, then turned to Wang Peng. "Take the next couple of days to familiarize yourself with Tongzhou. There’s no rush to report for duty."

’Zhou Li had promoted Wang Peng to Squad Leader, but all the Squad Leader positions in the Tongzhou Hundred Households were currently filled. He’d have to sort that out before Wang Peng could officially take up his post.’

The two men replied in unison, "Yes, Your Excellency."

Upon arriving home, Pei Shaoqing handed his horse over to a servant named Xiao Douzi to be washed and tended to, then prepared to return to his room to bathe and change.

General Li trailed after him like a shadow.

"Husband, you’re back." Xie Qingwu immediately rose to greet Pei Shaoqing, then turned to her maid, Qiu Ye. "Have the kitchen send up some hot soup at once."

"Yes, milady." Qiu Ye replied and hurried off.

General Li quickly piped up, "My liege, what about the Inner Core you promised me? A ruler does not go back on his word!"

"What Inner Core?" Xie Qingwu asked curiously.

"What’s the rush? I haven’t even removed it yet. You’ll get your share," Pei Shaoqing said, shooing it away with a light kick before recounting the events in Bazhou to Xie Qingwu.

"Husband, you brought back the Fox Demon’s corpse?" Xie Qingwu’s eyes lit up as she asked.

Pei Shaoqing asked, "You’re interested too?"

"Of course. Several parts of a Fox Demon can be used as ingredients in Alchemy," Xie Qingwu said enthusiastically.

Pei Shaoqing’s interest was piqued as well. He blinked and asked, "Can the Fox Whip be refined into Aphrodisiac Pills?"

’It’s not that he needed them now, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future. Besides, who wouldn’t want to become even stronger?’

"Mm-hmm," Xie Qingwu nodded with a knowing smile.

’Heh. Men.’

Pei Shaoqing was overjoyed. "The Inner Core goes to General Li, the fox pelt is for you to make a shawl, and you can do as you please with the rest of the corpse."

"Hooray!" General Li jumped for joy.