The dust was once again swept away by Jiu Baiyun, and before him stood an even larger brown bear.
It was lowering its head, its left hand firmly pressing the smaller brown bear’s head deep into the ground.
“Young Lord, this one is Zhu Le, and I am Zhu Shi.”
“On behalf of the War Bear Clan of the Luoyan Mountains, I welcome the Young Lord’s arrival!”
“Just now, Zhu Le was disrespectful to the Young Lord. Please punish him!”
Jiu Baiyun stood frozen in place, his silver-white hair slightly disheveled, his tail instantly stiffening as every strand of fur bristled.
Wasn’t this…
The Fox Demon Lord had just said it, and now it had become reality so quickly!?
They couldn’t really still remember the Fox Demon Lord, could they!?
Staring at Zhu Le, who was just trying to lift his head only to be pressed back into the ground by Zhu Shi, Jiu Baiyun didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Watching this pair of brown bears—one forcing the other’s head deep into the dirt—the scene was both comical and carried a primitive sense of oppression.
Jiu Baiyun felt his temples pulse.
He steadied himself, trying to keep his voice calm.
“Get up first.”
But Zhu Shi’s thick bear arms didn’t budge; his hand remained firmly on the back of Zhu Le’s head, burying that bear face even deeper into the soil.
It was as if they wouldn’t get up until Jiu Baiyun punished them.
Was this serious or what!?
Jiu Baiyun couldn’t figure it out.
He was about to turn his head to seek Su Zhiyun’s advice, but the next moment, several figures streaked across the sky.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three figures appeared as if from nowhere, silently landing in the open space not far in front of Jiu Baiyun, and at the same time tossed Zhu Le and Zhu Shi aside.
“Damn it! First come, first served! You can’t afford to play fair!”
Zhu Shi, thrown aside, immediately shouted angrily, but the three figures paid him no attention.
This stunned Jiu Baiyun again.
On the left was a slender woman in a well-tailored azure-green dress, the hem flowing like drifting clouds.
Her hair was pinned up high, adorned with nine tiny cyan feathers.
Her voice was crisp and pleasant, her face beautiful, her bearing ethereal.
She made a graceful bow to Jiu Baiyun.
“Qing Ling of the Azure Bird Clan, welcomes the Young Lord to the Luoyan Mountains!”
On the right was a man in plain white robes, thin in build, with an ordinary face but remarkably lively, shrewd eyes.
A string of small, unknown bone ornaments hung from his waist.
He bowed quickly and respectfully, his voice carrying a slightly piercing quality.
“Bai Ya of the Mystic Mouse Clan, welcomes the Young Lord! Your presence brings radiance to our humble abode!”
The one in the middle was the most peculiar.
He wore a deep green robe that seemed woven from some kind of ancient moss, embroidered with complex runes.
His figure was slightly stooped, his face carrying a nearly eternal weariness, his skin rugged like old tree bark.
He nodded slightly, his voice low and hoarse.
“Ku Mu of the Longevity Ghost Clan, pays respects to the Young Lord.”
The three clan representatives appeared simultaneously and bowed, their postures extremely respectful.
Jiu Baiyun: “…”
Zhu Shi and Zhu Le were thrown aside, cursing as they picked themselves up.
Qing Ling, Bai Ya, and Ku Mu gathered before him, maintaining their respectful stances.
“Heh, how about that? But I didn’t expect them to be so attentive to you.”
The Fox Demon Lord said with a hint of schadenfreude.
Hearing this, Jiu Baiyun’s face instantly twisted into a sour expression.
Though he didn’t like being treated with hostility or isolated, he also didn’t enjoy this kind of treatment.
Back in the sect, because he had the best aptitude and made rapid progress in cultivation, he’d always be surrounded by people wherever he went, addressed as “Senior Brother” left and right—it was unbearably awkward.
That’s why he always took on missions to train outside and incidentally slay demons.
As if sensing Jiu Baiyun’s embarrassment—or perhaps her own embarrassment at being surrounded by so many demons—Su Zhiyun tugged at the corner of his robe and said in a voice only he could hear:
“How about we just leave?”
Jiu Baiyun sighed inwardly.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to leave!
But the three in front were staring at him like searchlights, trapping him.
How could he possibly run!
“Besides, since they’re this respectful, wouldn’t running make us seem suspicious?”
The Fox Demon Lord couldn’t stand it anymore and urged with some exasperation:
“What are you standing there dumbfounded for? They’ve acknowledged you as their Young Lord, so just let them find you a mountain peak! Saves you from stumbling around like a headless fly, afraid you won’t find a good spot?”
“And don’t worry, demons all have respect for the strong, unlike you humans. My deterrent power is still intact, so you don’t have to worry about them playing tricks.”
Jiu Baiyun was choked by the Fox Demon Lord’s words, but upon second thought, it was indeed true.
In that case…
Why not… go with the flow?
After all, given their awed attitude, they probably wouldn’t harm him—at least not for now.
He took a deep breath, glanced at Su Zhiyun beside him, who was nervously clutching his robe, and gave her a “Don’t worry, leave it to me” look.
Then, Jiu Baiyun’s gaze fell back on Qing Ling, Bai Ya, and Ku Mu, who were waiting respectfully.
“Mm. This place… is not bad.”
He nodded slightly, acknowledging the environment of the Luoyan Mountains, and then changed the subject, cutting straight to the point.
“Do you have any locations to recommend?”
Qing Ling, Bai Ya, and Ku Mu were clearly taken aback, apparently not expecting this “Young Lord” to be so direct, asking for a place right off the bat.
Qing Ling of the Azure Bird Clan reacted the fastest.
Her beautiful face quickly bloomed into a proper smile, and she bowed again gracefully.
“The Young Lord’s inquiry is an honor for the Luoyan Mountains. May I ask what kind of place the Young Lord desires? A secluded, elegant forest retreat, or a cliff-top cave dwelling overlooking the mountains?”
“Our Azure Bird Clan’s ‘Qixia Peak’ has excellent scenery and abundant spiritual energy. If the Young Lord doesn’t mind…”
Before she could finish, Bai Ya of the Mystic Mouse Clan impatiently cut in, his voice sharp but brimming with enthusiasm.
“Ah, ah, Lady Qing Ling, you’re mistaken! Though Qixia Peak is good, in terms of spiritual energy convergence and geographical advantage, how could it compare to the area near our Mystic Mouse Clan’s ‘Earth Vein Spirit Eye’?”
“That place is the most vibrant location of earth veins in the entire Luoyan Mountains. Though underground, it has its own unique charm—warm in winter and cool in summer, perfect for a figure of the Young Lord’s esteemed status to meditate! If the Young Lord is interested, my clan will immediately clear out the best spot for you!”
As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together, his small, bean-like eyes gleaming with cunning light, as if he already envisioned the benefits of having the “Young Lord” move in.
Jiu Baiyun fell silent.
His silver fox ears trembled imperceptibly in the breeze, and his snow-white tail unconsciously curled, brushing the ground and lifting a few fallen leaves.
His gaze swept over the three demons before him—postures respectful, but eyes harboring different intentions—and then over Zhu Le and Zhu Shi, who were rubbing their noses, looking aggrieved but not daring to approach.
Though the locations they mentioned sounded quite appealing, a sect couldn’t be accommodated in such a small area.