Chapter 27: The Fox Spirit Saves a Life
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Xiao Bugui was suffering from terrible stomach pains. Ma Zengsan was at a loss and growing frantic. “What are we going to do?”
Hao Meili came bounding along just then, completely unaware that anything was wrong with Xiao Bugui. She said cheerfully, “I finally found you two!”
Ma Zengsan told her, “Miss Hao, Xiao Bugui has been poisoned.”
When Hao Meili saw Xiao Bugui writhing in agony, his forehead drenched in sweat, she said with concern, “Let us find somewhere for him to rest. I will go home and fetch medicine to cure him.”
They found a quiet place and summoned the renowned physician Doctor Jin. He tried every treatment he knew. Xiao Bugui drank a basin of salt water to induce vomiting, swallowed countless herbal remedies, and even underwent Ma Zengsan’s internal-energy treatment to drive out the poison.
After a long ordeal, Xiao Bugui had already fallen unconscious. Tears glimmered in Hao Meili’s eyes as she anxiously asked Jin Xishan, “Doctor Jin, is there anything else we can do?”
Doctor Jin said, “I am afraid there is no other remedy, unless…”
“Tell me quickly! You are frightening me to death.”
“Master Hao has a thousand-year-old ginseng demon in his collection. If a human consumes it, it can bring the dead back to life. Master Hao bought it to prolong his own life.”
“Then there is nothing to fear. Let Young Master Xiao eat it, and Father can simply buy another one afterward. I will go home and fetch it at once.”
Just then, Hu Jiao pushed open the door and entered. She said to Hao Meili, “Your father is a miser. If you go home asking for that thousand-year-old ginseng, he will be heartbroken and may even take his own life. All of you leave. I will treat this brat.”
“My father is a good man. He will certainly save Young Master Xiao. I will be right back.”
As soon as Hao Meili left, Doctor Jin took his leave as well. Hu Jiao turned to Ma Zengsan and said, “You leave too. I am going to save him.”
“That boy is certainly blessed with good fortune among women.”
Ma Zengsan cast Hu Jiao a roguish glance and withdrew.
Hu Jiao shut the door securely and began undressing Xiao Bugui. Before long, he was stripped completely bare. When a fox demon wished to save someone, she had to employ the Art of Harmonious Union. It was a technique known only to fox demons; snake demons, ox demons, and toad demons knew nothing of it.
“You are not bad-looking. It is not as though I am suffering a loss.”
After admiring Xiao Bugui’s body, the fox demon offered that compliment. Then she lowered her head and spat a red pearl from her mouth. It landed on Xiao Bugui’s navel and hovered there for a long while before clinging tightly to his skin and traveling over his entire body and limbs. Black liquid was drawn from within him, seeping out like beads of sweat.
Weak and pale, Hu Jiao sank down beside the bed. She, too, loosened her clothing and lay herself over Xiao Bugui. In a feeble voice, she said, “The rules of our Demon Cult require us to sacrifice ourselves to save a companion in danger. I had no choice but to rescue you. The martial world says I am depraved, but in truth, no man has ever seen my body.”
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The Azure Lion emerged from beneath Hu Jiao and said disdainfully, “Could you get up first? You have covered me in the stink of a fox.”
When Hu Jiao saw the enormous beast speaking like a human, she sprang upright in fright and asked weakly, “What sort of monster are you?”
The Azure Lion leaped onto the table and raised its head proudly. “Even your ancestor, the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, was not so full of herself. I am the Sea-Calming Roar, also known as the Iron Lion.”
“You know the ancestor of the fox clan. You must be a divine beast, then. Since you are so capable, why are you living inside Xiao Bugui? He has been poisoned, so why do you not save your host?”
“My golden body was destroyed, so naturally I needed a host. I can make my host impervious to blades and spears, but I cannot make him immune to every poison. If you wish to sleep with him, go ahead. I am the Iron Lion—without passions or desires, I will not interfere with you.”
Hu Jiao burst out laughing and explained, “I removed his clothes to treat his poison. I undressed myself because I have lost my inner core and my entire body is freezing. By lying on him, I can absorb the warmth of my own core.”
“Then it seems you are a fox spirit who sacrifices herself and possesses lofty morals?”
Hu Jiao swayed the fox tail behind her and said pitifully, “Of course I am. The hearts of people in the martial world are treacherous. They all call me the Lust Fiend, deliberately ruining my reputation. In truth, I am a good woman. I merely happen to have an extra fox tail, and wicked people use it to mock me.”
“Though I am an Iron Lion, I understand that humans are more wicked than beasts. Beasts only want full bellies, and when spring arrives, they mate and produce their young. Humans alone are bundles of desire. It is not enough for them to eat well and dress warmly; they crave fine clothes and rich food. Once they have those, they want gold and silver. Once they possess gold and silver, they dream of ruling the martial world. In the end, however, they spend their whole lives striving, only to become a heap of yellow earth.”
“Senior, I am truly exhausted. I need to rest.”
Still weak, Hu Jiao pressed herself against Xiao Bugui once more.
“In this state, the man you saved is bound to fall for you.”
“My mother saved my father out of kindness. He took advantage of her weakness, and that was how I was born.”
“What a calamity. I cannot bear this any longer. I am going back to sleep.”
The Azure Lion returned to Xiao Bugui’s body, shifting from the mark on his chest to the one on his back. He could not stand the scent of rouge and cosmetics. Exhausted, Hu Jiao fell asleep atop Xiao Bugui.
When Hao Meili reached her father’s bedchamber, Hao Jingming was admiring his gold and silver treasures in the cellar beneath it. Hearing his daughter’s footsteps and her calls, he immediately came out.
Hao Meili ran to him and embraced him. “Father, where is your thousand-year-old ginseng? Quickly, bring it out! I need it to save someone.”
“Whom are you trying to save, daughter?”
“Father, hurry and bring it to me. If we delay any longer, I am afraid he will die.”
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Hao Jingming said, “I already ate the ginseng. Tell me who this person is, and I will go save him myself.”
When Hao Meili heard that the ginseng was gone, she sadly burst into tears. “He has been poisoned. I am afraid he is going to die.”
“How did I end up with such a foolish daughter? Is the person you want to save that young man who defeated the bandits today?”
“Father, please think of a way to help me. I want to save him.”
“Go find your mother.”
Hao Meili was innocent, but she was not stupid. She immediately began acting spoiled, shaking her father by the arm. “No! I want you to save Young Master Xiao.”
“Very well. Have Lucky fetch Young Master Xiao and bring him here. I will treat him personally.”
The wealthiest man in the martial world sent Lucky to receive the guest. Lucky prepared a carriage fitted with a bed and hurried to the inn. Hao Meili was unwilling to trust the matter to anyone else and insisted on going along to lead the way.
When they reached the guest room, they found the door tightly shut. Hao Meili was a polite girl, so she knocked and called, “Xiao Bugui, I have come to take you to my home to recover. Please open the door!”
Hu Jiao awoke with a start. She hurriedly recalled her inner core and dressed herself.
From outside came Hao Meili’s urging voice. “Open the door! Senior Ma, are you in there?”
Ma Zengsan had already begun snoring in the room next door, having completely forgotten Xiao Bugui. Naturally, he could not hear her calling.
Fortunately, Hu Jiao was quick. Once dressed, she slipped out through the window. As she departed, she struck the door bolt with a pebble and snapped it in two.
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