How to handle this…

On the way to meet up with Elder Brother Jiu Wu, Li Chang Shou had this paper vessel maintain his master’s current earth-traversal speed, feeling somewhat conflicted.

He had used a paper vessel to impersonate his master here specifically to catch the other party’s “fox tail.”

But now, he had burned that “fox tail” to a mere residue with a handful of Samadhi True Flame and had even scattered the ashes just now…

Though some remnant souls remained in the soul-capturing pearl, they would soon disperse completely…

Li Chang Shou had analyzed this possibility—those two letters might have been a trap, and his master’s only enemy wanted to lure his master here to secretly eliminate him.

But what Li Chang Shou hadn’t expected was that his master’s enemy had secretly hired a demon True Immortal to carry out an assassination.

In the centipede demon’s remnant soul, he could see that the person who appeared before the centipede demon was a masked man wearing a treasure cloak…

Considering that someone doing such things would certainly use illusion techniques, this small bit of information was meaningless.

This centipede demon was quite unfortunate;

He had traveled thousands of li from the Northern Continent to this place, seeking refuge with a familiar demon “family” here, and this Lin Dong City was the centipede demon’s choice.

The centipede demon had thought this would be an easy and profitable job, lurking in secret for several months, just waiting to “meet deeply at night” with the target and kick the Turbid Immortal to death with his many legs…

But unexpectedly, more than a month before the appointed day, the centipede demon himself was eliminated first.

Li Chang Shou put away the soul-capturing pearl, quietly sighed in his heart, and didn’t dwell too much on this matter.

Perhaps this was just fate.

Li Chang Shou deliberately leaked a trace of his aura, and Jiu Wu quickly detected Qi Yuan approaching underground.

The short Daoist coughed and clasped his hands behind his back, indicating he hadn’t done anything inappropriate earlier;

That gracefully-figured madam was now bound with immortal rope and thrown under a tree.

“Elder Brother, haven’t you questioned her yet?”

‘Qi Yuan’ slowly emerged from the grass, while Jiu Wu beside him frowned and shook his head.

Jiu Wu said: “Junior Brother, your elder brother just attempted some divination, but my technique isn’t refined enough—I could only discover that the merit of this demon’s body is no small matter.”

Li Chang Shou deliberately sighed and said: “I thought there might be some merit treasure…”

“Junior Brother mustn’t think that way,” Jiu Wu said seriously. “You and I are human cultivators who entered the Human Teaching. Protecting humanity is our duty.

If we let these demons wreak havoc in that brothel, how many mortal families would be broken, how many couples separated, how many mortal men would have their yang energy absorbed and lifespan shortened?”

Li Chang Shou smiled and shook his head at the side—Elder Brother’s enlightenment was quite admirable.

“This demon has also done evil,” Jiu Wu said. “Though she has merit protecting her body, we can’t ignore this.

Let’s wait until she wakes up, question her briefly, then act…”

Jiu Wu made a throat-slitting gesture, and ‘Qi Yuan’ beside him gave a thumbs up, smiling and saying “Shan.”

The word “Shan” actually meant “good” or “alright”—expressions of affirmation mostly used by elder generation cultivators.

Imagine if a white-haired yet young-faced, immortally distinguished old immortal came riding on clouds, spoke a few words to his disciple, then nodded with a slight smile and said:

“Good!” “Okay!” “Right!” “Just do it like that!”

It would be too undignified.

But if this old immortal waved his duster and calmly said the word “Shan,” it would leave people pondering while making his bearing more mysterious.

Li Chang Shou didn’t particularly like saying the word “Shan.” When he attained the fruit of longevity and passed through endless years, when his mindset aged and he spoke with younger generations, he would probably say:

“Steady.”

But back to the matter at hand.

Jiu Wu and Li Chang Shou disguised as Qi Yuan, carrying the brothel madam whose true form might be a six-tailed fox and who still wouldn’t wake up, concealed themselves at the edge of the East Sea.

They also worried about demon experts coming to search for revenge, so they constantly changed their hiding places.

Killing a being with merit naturally would bring karmic retribution;

But this demoness had also done evil in the mortal world—not killing her would violate their Crossing Spirit Gate’s principles.

Jiu Wu and ‘Qi Yuan’ were also discussing that if necessary, they would take this fox demoness back to be imprisoned in the Crossing Spirit Gate, waiting until her merit power dissipated before eliminating her.

Before that, they needed to interrogate her clearly about her background and what good deeds she had done…

Half a month later…

“Elder Brother Jiu Wu, how much sleeping drug did you give her?”

“Not much, just one whole sleeping pill granted by Elder Wan…”

Li Chang Shou: …

This brothel madam’s cultivation was barely at mid-True Immortal realm, naturally, she couldn’t withstand such drug potency.

The Lin Dong City matter had been settled early, and Li Chang Shou didn’t want to wait here longer, so he secretly used some “antidote.”

Three days later, this alluring demoness finally woke up.

She awoke right at dusk, bound by immortal rope at the edge of a beach on an uninhabited island, unable to circulate her demon power…

Li Chang Shou immediately noticed this demoness awakening and wanted to remind Jiu Wu, but currently wearing his master’s identity, couldn’t speak up.

This madam was also clever—after waking she made no movement, keeping her eyes closed pretending to sleep, secretly using immortal sense to observe these two Daoists.

Half an hour later, the butterfly mark on the madam’s forehead flickered slightly, a subtle fragrance quietly spreading from her body;

She soon made a delicate sound, her long eyelashes trembling as she opened her eyes…

Jiu Wu and ‘Qi Yuan’, who were facing the sea in meditation, both opened their eyes.

“Hmph, finally awake!”

Jiu Wu immediately stood up, swept his sleeve, and holding his sheathed immortal treasure sword, turned to interrogate this demon about her background.

But…

As soon as Jiu Wu turned around, he saw a hazy light under the tree, and that demoness bound by immortal rope was so…

Graceful and charming, alluringly beautiful;

That face somehow resembled his beloved senior sister’s, that figure was so entrancing…

The sword Jiu Wu was holding lowered, his steps stopped, and he stared forward unblinkingly, his breathing starting to quicken.

The ‘Qi Yuan’ beside him showed the same reaction, and his breathing and gasping were even more pronounced than Jiu Wu’s.

However, the paper vessel’s reaction was deliberately acted out by Li Chang Shou.

What a powerful charm technique!

The one impersonating his master was just a paper vessel with partial primordial spirit power;

After this demoness secretly used her technique, Li Chang Shou also felt some slight changes in his mental state…

He silently recited a mind-clearing mantra, and his mind immediately became clear and empty.

This was Li Chang Shou’s first encounter with such a technique, and he was carefully observing through the paper vessel.

This type of technique was called charm arts—when ancient demons flourished, some demon races would specifically cultivate this method to ensnare powerful demons as their backers.

Now this demoness wasn’t simply using charm arts, she was also displaying feminine allure—her posture, manner, gaze, eye contact, even the degree her lips parted, clearly all coordinated with the charm arts.

Soon, Li Chang Shou discovered that Elder Brother Jiu Wu could barely resist…

The short Daoist took a small step forward…

If Elder Brother Jiu Wu was controlled by her charm technique, things would become somewhat troublesome.

So…

Clatter!

A scroll suddenly slipped from ‘Qi Yuan’s sleeve, hit the beach, and then partially unrolled itself.

‘Qi Yuan’ lowered his eyes to look, his eyes full of confusion, muttering:

“Isn’t this… the painting Chang Shou gave me…

Elder Brother, Elder Brother Jiu Wu?”

“Hm?” Jiu Wu responded without turning his head or shifting his unblinking gaze, “Junior Brother, what is it?”

‘Qi Yuan’ picked up the scroll from the ground, walked to Jiu Wu’s side, slowly spreading it out;

Then, as if by accident, he bumped Elder Brother Jiu Wu’s shoulder with his elbow.

Jiu Wu instinctively lowered his head and saw the slowly opening scroll…

At this moment, the world in Jiu Wu’s eyes was all pink;

The scroll opened half a chi, showing the edge of a dress. Jiu Wu was curious, wanting both to look up at the beauty under the tree and down at who was in the painting.

Next, the scroll opened another inch, revealing the face of the person in the painting;

Looking at those wrinkles covering the face, that loose-hanging dress, that slightly raised orchid finger, and those yellowed fingertips…

In an instant, Jiu Wu seemed to hear a light ‘ding’ sound, and the bewitching music by his ears instantly dispersed;

This short Daoist stumbled back three steps, and held his breath, his eyes immediately regaining clarity, his whole person energized, and he couldn’t help but shudder several times.

The demoness under the tree frowned but continued to exert her power, however…

It seemed her technique now had no effect at all.

Cold sweat covered Jiu Wu’s back as he said softly: “What… what just happened?”

Beside him, ‘Qi Yuan continued slowly opening the scroll, “Elder Brother, look, this brushwork is quite marvelous.”

“I…”

Jiu Wu looked down at the now half-opened scroll, with its ‘beauties’ in various poses, and his heart no longer had even a ripple of disturbance.

Jiu Wu frowned and asked: “Junior Brother, what is this?”

“Ah, this is something Chang Shou gave me,” ‘Qi Yuan’ smiled bitterly, “I don’t know how it just fell out.

Chang Shou was teasing this poor Daoist, giving me this strange beauty painting because I’m old.”

“Thank goodness we have this thing!”

Jiu Wu narrowed his eyes, looking at the demoness under the tree.

With a clang, Jiu Wu drew his immortal sword, gritting his teeth and cursing: “You dare use charm arts on us!

Seeking death!”

Under the tree, that brothel madam frowned slightly, but gave another delicate smile, showing a pitiful appearance, her phoenix eyes containing tears, like a solitary orchid blooming alone in the dusty world…

The old Daoist beside him raised the scroll and came closer again.

“Elder Brother, look at this figure, Chang Shou’s painting is truly excellent.”

Jiu Wu looked down, and it seemed the old woman in the painting came alive, gently winking at him.

The short Daoist shuddered again.

Looking back at the demoness under the tree, just moments ago he had felt she was ‘a solitary orchid blooming in the dusty world,’ but now she instantly became…

Just ‘a foxtail grass growing everywhere in the dusty world’!

Jiu Wu raised his hand and threw the treasure sword at the brothel madam, the sharp blade brushing past her ear and embedded in the big tree.

This time, the brothel madam was finally completely shocked.

She stared at the scroll in that old Daoist’s hand, naturally unable to see its contents now;

But she was certain that it was this single scroll that had allowed the two men to almost instantly break free from her full-power charm technique!

What kind of treasure was this?

Jiu Wu immediately threw out dozens of talismans, effortlessly completely suppressing this demoness’s demon power and demon soul, who was already bound by immortal rope.

Jiu Wu also looked at Qi Yuan and transmitted: “Junior Brother Qi Yuan, what exactly is this thing?”

“Just a painting,” ‘Qi Yuan transmitted in response, slowly putting away the scroll.

‘The Hundred Beauties in Old Age Painting’, is an essential item for cultivators to calm their minds and resist charm techniques!

“Let your elder brother look a few more times.”

“This… alright.

Though this item is good, Elder Brother please look less, after all, Elder Brother has a dao companion.”

Jiu Wu smiled and calmly said:

“Don’t worry, it’s no problem.

Nephew Chang Shou’s painting skills are truly excellent. Rouge-covered skulls, years passed in vain—better to live long and free, taking each day as it comes.”

Li Chang Shou: …

Was the effect a bit too good?

Later he should give Elder Brother some poison dragon wine, after all, if Elder Brother became unable to lift his duster, he would have formed karma with Elder Brother Jiu Shi.

…

Half a day later, Jiu Wu and Li Chang Shou’s paper vessel flew on clouds toward the East Victory Divine Continent.

The two hadn’t directly killed this demoness—they had already questioned clearly about her background, and after her charm technique couldn’t take effect, she didn’t resist much and quickly confessed her background.

Simply put, this fox demon was fearless, counting on the two not killing someone protected by merit.

Just as humans have good and evil, so do demons;

This six-tailed demon fox had cultivated for over six thousand years, just running a brothel, collecting money, and training minor demons, never directly absorbing mortal men’s yang energy herself.

But she also hadn’t done any good deeds;

This merit was “inherited”—her ancestors had secretly saved many humans during the ancient war between shamans and demons, and after humanity prospered, gave her clan some merit.

For such a demon with merit and ancestors who had helped humans, the two couldn’t easily handle her, so they took her back for the sect to deal with.

“Junior Brother,” Jiu Wu said, “could you lend me that beautiful painting?

I fear she might charm the sect elders—though nothing major would happen, it would still cause the venerable seniors to lose face.”

Li Chang Shou hesitated slightly but still handed over the painting.

It was just an ordinary painting after all, just somewhat clever in conception, nothing too special.

Moreover, similar things, he… had more.