Even if Shi Feng was ignorant, he knew that this was a monster that had become a spirit through cultivation.
The white fox blinked its eyes and spoke in human language, "You have advanced to the Golden Core stage in just a hundred years, but you have actually cultivated the invisible sword energy of the Tiangang Sword. You are considered a genius." It was the voice of the young man from before.
Taoist Danyang was standing a hundred feet away to the right of the white fox. His face was a little pale, and there was a three-foot-long sword in his right hand. The sword was shining with spiritual light, and it was obvious that it was not an ordinary item.
"However, you can't use the spiritual energy to transform into a sword at will. I think you must have hurt your vitality after releasing this sword energy, hum!" The white fox continued.
But no matter what he said, Taoist Danyang remained silent. He simply stroked his sword with both hands, his eyes fixed on the white fox like an eagle. After a long moment, he exhaled deeply, flicked his finger, and with a clear whistle, the sword soared into the air, transforming into a white rainbow and slashing straight at the white fox's waist. The white fox seemed caught off guard, its four tails erect. Just as it was about to flee, it was struck by the flying sword.
Shi Feng was overjoyed, but saw the white fox split into two and turned into points of light and dissipated.
"Sure enough, old Taoist priest Ox-nosed, your magic power is greatly depleted, and you can no longer emit invisible sword energy. Hehe, although your Tiangang Sword is a magic weapon, it can't hurt me." Ten feet to the left, the white fox reappeared. It turned out that the flying sword just now only hit his afterimage.
Taoist Danyang pointed his finger, and the flying sword, as if possessed of a spirit, turned and slashed back at the fox. The fox dodged the sword, its silhouette flashing. Two streaks of white light, one chasing the other, danced across the sky like lightning.
Seeing that the two sides were at a stalemate, Shi Feng took out the mulberry wood bow, drew the bow and arrow, and aimed at the white fox.
Taoist Danyang and the white fox were originally fighting in mid-air. When Taoist Danyang was wrapped by the ice ball and used his sword energy to fight back, both sides were only a hundred steps away from the ground. Although Shi Feng was young, he was an expert in archery. Within a hundred steps, his arrows never missed their targets.
He knew that even if he shot the white fox with his archery skills, he would not be able to hurt it at all, but he only hoped that he could distract the fox a little so that the Taoist could succeed in his attack.
However, the white fox's figure flashed too fast, and it was too strenuous for Shi Feng to see the other party's position clearly. He could only concentrate and calm down, striving to hit the target with one blow.
The white fox had already noticed that there was a mortal child below, and didn't take it seriously. However, when he saw that the boy actually drew his bow and aimed an arrow at him, he couldn't help but get very angry, "How dare you!" He glared at Shi Feng.
Shi Feng only felt that the white fox's green eyes were as deep as a pool of water, with a faint purple light shining out, as if there was a magnetic force drawing his mind into them.
Shi Feng was startled and was about to turn his head away from the other man when he heard a roar. A blue wolf, identical to the one he had killed yesterday, suddenly leaped out from behind the Youzhen Temple. The blue wolf kicked its front legs and pounced towards Shi Feng. Shi Feng was startled. His bow was already fully drawn, and he quickly stepped back and shot an arrow at the blue wolf's throat.
Taoist Danyang had seen Shi Feng drawing his bow to shoot a white fox, and he was secretly amused. Suddenly, Shi Feng turned the arrow and shot it towards him. He was stunned. At this moment when his mind was distracted, the white fox rushed towards him, and its green eyes turned completely purple.
Taoist Danyang only felt the scenery before him change and cried out, "Not good! This is the fox's magic!"
But before he could make any move, he felt dizzy and found himself in a small study. On the left was a paulownia bookcase with neatly stacked books in rows. The study was not large, but the desk in the middle was spotlessly clean. At the desk stood a middle-aged scholar with clear features and a stern face. He was shouting at him, "Why did you stop? Start reciting from the beginning. If you don't recite this book today, you won't have dinner."
Taoist Danyang sneered, first using his true energy to protect his sea of consciousness, then pointed with his right hand, inhaled from his dantian, and a gust of wind blew out. The Confucian scholar in front of him immediately turned into a phantom and disappeared.
The scenery before him was distorted and blurry, like a reflection in water shattered by a stone. It shook for a moment, and when it calmed down, he was in a joyous house, decorated with lights everywhere. Outside, he could still hear the sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers. Inside, a pair of red candles cast a glowing red light on the window paper. Under the lamps, a young woman with curved eyebrows and bright eyes shyly held out a glass of wine and whispered, "Husband, please drink this cup to the full!"
Zhenren Danyang saw that the person in front of him and the scene under the lamp were exactly the same as they were back then, even the light mole on his wife's left cheek, the color of the bedding in the bridal chamber, and the embroidery on the pillow were all very real. Zhenren Danyang only felt his consciousness slightly heavy, and he quickly concentrated his mind. A strong wind shot out from his right hand, shattering the image of the woman.
The scenery shifted again. While reading by the window, he heard footsteps outside the courtyard and a shout, "Congratulations! The king has issued an order! The young master has been appointed Grand Historian. The messenger announcing the good news is already outside." In an instant, the entire mansion was abuzz with the clamor of gongs and drums, firecrackers, congratulations, the sounds of people opening doors and sweeping, requests for rewards, and compliments. Countless people gathered around him, "Congratulations, young master!" "Young Master Du will surely have a bright future." "Master Du and Young Master Du have both been Grand Historians. They truly are from a family of scholars and a noble family."
Taoist Danyang saw figures swaying around him, closing in on him. With a low shout, the Tiangang Sword flew out in a flash of green light, circling the area and disintegrating the figures around him. But the scenery before him remained in flux, clearly still trapped in an illusion. Taoist Danyang was horrified. The cultivation method he practiced was designed to thwart such illusory techniques. His heart was strong, and he had encountered illusions numerous times since his attainment, but most of them proved incapable of shaking his mind. Even when he was occasionally perplexed, a single cycle of his cultivation method dispelled the illusion.
But now, even though he had used all his skills and supernatural powers, he still could not break through this illusion. He thought, this fox demon has such amazing supernatural powers, it seems to have a great origin.
At this moment, he was in a room again. His wife was dressed as a young woman, holding a newborn baby in her hands, and said, "Husband, fortunately it's a boy. Would you please give him a name?" The Taoist Danyang felt as if his head was heavy as a mountain at this time. He did not answer and sat cross-legged, closed his eyes and concentrated, trying hard to keep his mind clear.
Yet, even though he closed his eyes, the illusion was attacking his mind, and the scene was still vivid in his mind. He saw a sea of people kneeling in front of the courtyard, led by the middle-aged scholar, now already an old man. A smug eunuch stood on the steps in front of the courtyard, shouting, "... Junior Secretary Du Qinzhen was not a good talent. Because of his literary talent, the king personally selected him and appointed him Grand Historian. Unexpectedly, he betrayed the king's favor and accepted huge bribes in Dongping. He was not a position to speak out, yet he dared to attack the ministers... His son Du Yuan succeeded him as Grand Historian and slandered him wantonly. He also colluded with a group of frustrated villains to jointly slander important officials... His property must be confiscated, his position must be dismissed, and his entire family must be exiled. They will never be employed again, and they will not be returned even if pardoned..."
"Hehe, if you want to accuse someone, you can always find a pretext. I'm one of the Nine Ministers, so why can't I comment on the court's policies? A minister of the court? A mere eunuch, a commoner, dares to call himself an important official of the court. How ridiculous!"
"How dare you, Mr. Du, you slander the abbot and yet he is so generous that he even pleads for your life and spares your life. And yet you have no intention of repaying me."
"What a joke! You control the imperial court, blinding the emperor's wisdom. History is written in stone, and I won't change a single word? Hehe, you actually falsely accuse my father of corruption. Today, our family's property was confiscated, and besides books, all we have is less than 500 taels of silver. How could we have embezzled millions?"
"Well done, well done. You all are so arrogant, thinking you are tough as nails. You are like dogs that can never be tamed. Then I will also put away my kindness and put Du Qinzhen in the Heavenly Prison, exile Du Yuan for five thousand miles, and turn all his family members into official slaves." With these words, the whole courtyard burst into tears.
"Master Zhang, the decree only said to exile him to Liuzhou. Why did they change the treatment of my husband and father-in-law like this?"
"Hmph, you want the king's decree? Very well. Xiao Linzi, return to the palace immediately and draft another one..."
Taoist Danyang felt as if he was back in that tragic scene. The blood in his dantian surged, and veins on his forehead bulged. He couldn't help but jump up, draw his sword and kill all his enemies.
