Creatures like this are different from the Demons who devour flesh and blood and slaughter innocents. They tend to possess a more natural spirituality; as long as they aren’t tainted by Evil Qi, they won’t necessarily bring harm to the mortal realm.
’It hasn’t harmed anyone in a month, and it’s thriving in the bustling city, yet it hasn’t fled to the wilderness or the mountains...’
A thoughtful glint flashed in Chu Bai’s eyes. This meant the Fox Spirit was not only clever but even possessed a natural ability to adapt to human society.
"I’ll take this on."
Chu Bai looked up at Wuu Shang, his tone calm yet firm. "If I can find it, I’ll attempt to capture it alive. But let me be clear: if it has already been tainted by Evil Qi and shows any sign of bloodlust or harming people, the blade in my hand will show no mercy."
Hearing Chu Bai agree, Wuu Shang looked as if he’d been granted amnesty, and his entire body relaxed. He shot to his feet, gave Chu Bai a deep bow, and said excitedly:
"Lord Chu, you are truly benevolent! So long as you can recapture the Fox Spirit, the Wuu Family will never forget your kindness. If you succeed, my family will prepare a handsome reward. We will not let you labor in vain!"
He knew full well that as long as this Regular Ninth Grade Demon Slaying Officer was willing to take action personally, the Fox Spirit stood no chance. With his nigh-divine tracking abilities and profound Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer cultivation, no matter how cunning the spirit was, it could never escape his grasp.
Daoist Zhang, sitting to one side, simply smiled as he watched this thread of Cause and Effect be settled in his pavilion. He reached for the teapot and poured them both a fresh cup of tea.
"Thank you for the introduction, Master," Chu Bai said to Daoist Zhang.
"It is a matter of fate," Daoist Zhang said, stroking his beard. "However, disciple, since that Spirit Monster was able to evade the Wuu Family’s search, it must have some extraordinary abilities. You must not be careless."
"I understand, Master."
Chu Bai put away the sandalwood box on the table. Now, in accepting this Dharma Artifact, he felt completely at ease.
After stepping out of the Zhang Mansion’s main gate, Chu Bai didn’t immediately return to the Evil Suppression Department. Instead, he slowed his pace and walked alone down the bustling streets of Anping County.
The sandalwood box in his sleeve felt heavy, a reminder of the private job he had just accepted.
Back in the Zhang Mansion, Wuu Shang’s explanation had seemed perfectly reasonable—a clever Fox Spirit that had gained sentience had used its cunning to evade the Wuu Family’s search.
But as he walked through the lively, worldly atmosphere of the city, the more Chu Bai thought about it, the more he felt a strange, hard-to-place suspicion.
He reached down and touched the dark blue Demon Slaying Officer’s Iron Token at his waist.
This Iron Token was not merely a symbol of his status; it was a Dharma Artifact jointly forged by the Great Zhou Ministry of Industry and the Celestial Observatory.
A miniature sensing array was engraved within each Demon Slaying Officer’s token. If any fluctuations of Demon Qi, Evil Qi, or a Spirit Monster’s Spiritual Power appeared within a radius of one hundred zhang, the Iron Token would grow warm or vibrate as a warning.
Over the past half-year, the Demon-slaying Teams had patrolled the entire city. Every alley and bridge in Anping County had been scanned countless times by the Iron Tokens of numerous teams.
’The Wuu Family said the Fox Spirit escaped a month ago...’
Chu Bai’s eyes narrowed as he muttered to himself, "During that month, I personally patrolled the bustling city center at least three times. Given the sensitivity of the Iron Token, it should have reacted to even a newly awakened rat, let alone a sentient Spirit Monster."
According to Wuu Shang, when the Fox Spirit was purchased, its Cultivation was only at the Early-stage of Qi Cultivation.
Even if it had a fortuitous encounter, gained sentience, and even broke through to the Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation on the spot, it shouldn’t possess a Concealing Breath Technique so advanced that it could completely block the senses of a Dharma Artifact from the Great Zhou Royal Family.
After all, a Concealing Breath Technique wasn’t something one could learn just by being clever. It required a legacy and extremely sophisticated techniques for manipulating Spiritual Power.
’Where would a newly sentient, unrefined Spirit Monster learn a technique capable of deceiving a Demon Slaying Officer?’
’Unless...’
Chu Bai stopped in his tracks, standing before a small stall selling candied fruit skewers as his gaze swept over the bustling crowd in the distance.
’Unless it’s carrying some priceless treasure that can mask its aura, or the place it’s hiding has an extremely powerful shielding effect—so powerful it can even block a Demon Slaying Officer’s detection.’
At this thought, Chu Bai’s initial intention of just making some easy money on the side began to fade, replaced by a sense of professional vigilance.
He certainly wasn’t going to handle this matter rashly on his own.
Although he had accepted the Wuu Family’s request, they had never specified that the matter must be kept secret.
They just wanted a result.
As captain of the Demon-slaying Team, his duty was to ensure there was no uncontrolled Extraordinary Power within the county seat.
If a Spirit Monster could truly hide in this bustling city for over a month without being discovered by the Government, then the threat level of this Fox Spirit would have to be reassessed.
Chu Bai’s Divine Thought spread out silently, like ripples on water.
The range of his Divine Thought now extended beyond twenty zhang, and it was far more condensed than before.
As he walked, he sent his Divine Thought seeping into dark alleys, abandoned warehouses, and drainage canals.
The area was abuzz with voices. This was considered the liveliest part of the city, and anomalies were rare on any given day.
’Interesting.’
A faint smile touched Chu Bai’s lips, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The Wuu Family had failed to find the Fox Spirit because their Secret Techniques and search methods had limits.
He didn’t begin searching directly. Instead, he turned and headed toward the Evil Suppression Department.
Extremes beget their opposites.
In a county seat filled with the dust of the marketplace, horse manure, and the smell of sweat, a place with an aura so clean it was untouched by a single speck would be the biggest flaw in its concealment.
If this Fox Spirit truly possessed some incredible legacy or treasure, then this "private job" was probably far more significant than the Wuu Family had imagined.
Now, he not only wanted to catch the fox; he wanted to see what kind of secret it was hiding. How dare it hide in plain sight, right under the nose of the Evil Suppression Department?
’It must have a few tricks up its sleeve, but even if it can avoid a Dharma Artifact, my Divine Thought should be able to find it.’
A technique like Divine Thought was something those in the Qi Refining Stage rarely encountered, let alone knew how to defend against.
Besides, it was impossible for a Foundation Establishment Great Demon to be hiding in the city. The Law Net intercepted the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power, so such a major oversight couldn’t exist.
’I’ll find out on tonight’s patrol.’

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