Demonkind

The Li family's troops moved swiftly through the mountains. Li Xijun, clad in fluttering white robes with a sword belted at his waist, oversaw the formation from a mountain peak. Not far away, Kongheng flew on the wind, his eyes tightly shut as he muttered incantations, seemingly offering prayers to guide the departed spirits. Li Xijun took a careful look to ensure that Li Wushao remained at Li Zhouwei's side before withdrawing his gaze. Treading upon the wind and snow, he approached slowly. His ears twitched slightly, and he abruptly tilted his head to look sideways. Beneath his sword-straight brows, a faint cold light gleamed in his eyes as several wisps of white qi drifted from them. He stared intently at an empty space nearby. After several breaths, he furrowed his brows and said in a cold voice, "I wonder which Daoist friend is present. I am Li Xijun of the Li family. Please show yourself!" His voice was cold and stern, carrying far enough for Kongheng in the distance to hear clearly. The narrow-eyed monk suddenly snapped his eyes open, drew an antique bronze-hued Zen staff from his sleeve, and swiftly rode the wind toward them. After saying those words, Li Xijun was secretly alarmed in his heart: *What a brilliant concealment technique!* One had to know that he had cultivated ocular techniques since youth, and the talisman qi he received, [Bright Frost Pine Ridge], also empowered his eyes, allowing him to see through falsehoods and even pierce many formations. Yet though he had looked for several breaths, he still could not make out the person's figure, only sensing that someone was faintly present there. Filled with alarm, he prepared himself to flee. Just then, a flash of white suddenly lit up in that patch of air, revealing an inch of cloud-white hem. A figure slowly emerged—it was a smiling youth. This youth had somewhat broad brows and lively, watery gray eyes. His skin was delicate and smooth, and the dark hair on either side of his cheeks was braided into two plaits tied with silver-white bells, lending him a remarkably spirited look. He was barefoot and wore a broad-sleeved robe in shades of blue and green with overlapping front panels, unusually fastened to the left. The collar was very small, yet the sleeves were quite large. A string of silver beads adorned his neck, with a lustrous white quartz crystal hanging at its tip. Looking closer, one could see that beneath the surface lay white fur, sharp teeth, and a body shrouded in purple mist—he was a demon. At a loss for words, Li Xijun stood in the air for a moment. Just as he was about to step forward, his brows lowered, his eyes narrowed, and suspicion welled up in his heart. Keeping his hand pressed on his sword without drawing it, he asked in a low voice, "I wonder which senior you are?" "Allow me to inform you: I am a cultivator from the Mount Dali Demon Cave, named Bairong. Once, having nowhere else to go, I lived on the outer edges of Mount Dali, peacefully cultivating beneath a tree..." "Who knew someone would come knocking and give me a beating? It was your family's ancestor, named Li Tongya. Mortals have short lifespans, and by now I don't know how many generations have passed... Do you still remember?" Li Xijun was stunned and murmured, "Senior White Banyan Fox?!" Hearing that he could call out his name, Bairong broke into a slight smile and exclaimed, "Precisely!" Hearing this, Li Xijun let down his guard slightly, but remained vigilant. He hesitated, took a wary step back, and asked the youth, whose face was full of smiles and even held a hint of tease: "Senior borrows a fine name... yet my clan records state that Senior White Banyan Fox was a red fox. My eyes see clearly, and you are plainly a white fox! I must ask Senior for an explanation." Bairong chuckled softly and replied, "My origins were humble. All these years I spent so much time establishing my foundation precisely to refine my blood and seek my true nature within the demon pool of the Demon Cave. Now that I've succeeded, I have long since shed that coat of red fur and ordinary teeth to become a spirit fox!" That explanation was novel. Li Xijun pondered slightly, then asked, "Does Senior know which sword Ancestor Tongya carried?" Bairong tapped his bare feet in the air, sudden amusement washing over him as if he had heard something immensely gratifying. After laughing for several breaths, he raised his head proudly. A fluffy white tail rose from beneath his blue-and-green robe, and he answered without thinking: "First was [Jiaopanying], and later was [Qingchi Sword]." "I must say... your clan actually recorded me in such detail... Splendid, splendid... Li Tongya was truly a good man." Li Xijun asked several more private questions. Seeing that he answered them fluently and that his demeanor seemed genuine, Li Xijun finally cupped his hands, bowed, and said respectfully, "Junior Li Xijun, great-grandson of the Ancestor, greets Senior Bairong. Congratulations to Senior on your grand accomplishment!" Dressed in his blue-and-green robe, the youth looked far younger than Li Xijun. Smiling, he looked at Li Xijun and said, "You are quite handsome, bearing the poise of Li Tongya in his final years." Li Tongya held a lofty place in the hearts of juniors like Li Xijun. Unable to bear such praise, Li Xijun said fearfully, "The divine bearing of my forebear is something Xijun dares not compare himself to in the slightest." Bairong gave a soft chuckle and sighed, "Your disposition is just as cautious as your great-grandfather's. That dragon-snake is the same way, always coiled venomously, cautious and careful." As he babbled on, the pure white quartz hanging from the string of silver beads on his chest swayed gently. Li Xijun did not understand why he wore an ordinary piece of quartz on his chest, and could only answer, "Senior speaks the truth." Bairong then asked, "Which junior are you? Where is Li Yuanjiao? Have him come out quickly!" "In reply to Senior, my second uncle passed away many years ago." "Ah!" The youth's smile vanished instantly, and he looked as if he were beating his chest and stamping his feet. Taking the opportunity to observe him, Li Xijun found him strangely familiar, with gray eyes and long brows, possessing a very spirited aura. "Li Yuanping is dead too... I told him long ago to gather blood-food and come find me, yet he refused to listen." "You lot... are stubborn to the utmost..." Seeing that he bore no malice, Li Xijun nodded slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "As it happens, I have clan affairs at hand. Would Senior please wait a moment? Once matters here are settled, I shall invite Senior to the mountain for tea." Bairong chuckled and replied, "No matter, no matter. It's just my good fortune. Having just broken through and exited seclusion, I can legitimately come across so much blood qi. I should even thank you." Bairong turned around and looked down toward the sounds of battle and slaughter below. Sniffing forcefully, he took a deep breath. The blue-and-green robes on his body slowly billowed as blood qi surged from beneath his feet, his lips turning strikingly rosy. He smiled, seeming to understand something, and thought to himself: *Sigh... Li Tongya disliked this his whole life, and his descendants are obedient indeed. My absorbing blood qi here, though incomparable to eating humans and rarely tainted with resentful qi, inevitably invites distaste.* He shook his sleeves and took two deep breaths of qi. Only then did he turn back around, still feeling a trace of reluctance in his heart. He glanced casually at the ground below. Li Xijun felt embarrassed, not knowing how to respond, and could only silently swallow his words. "Hai!" The youth paused, seemingly losing interest. He waved his hand, his previous lively and spirited demeanor drained completely away. Lowering his brows, he said, "I won't linger here then. I'll go wait for you at Mount Lijing first."