"Young Master! Something’s wrong!" The white mink, in its beast form, came scurrying out of the inner rooms, shrieking at the top of its lungs.
Before Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing could react, a pillar of light erupted from the backyard, shooting straight into the sky. It then transformed into a powerful restrictive barrier, sealing off the entire rear courtyard. The barrier was densely packed with incantation power; even a Daluo Immortal would likely find it difficult to touch. The white mink, having narrowly escaped, clung to Leng Jing’s leg, trembling. "That Black Fox is truly heartless. It seems he’s injured and needs to enter a state of suspended animation to recover for a while. I told him the Young Master would protect him, but he didn't believe me! He insisted on putting up such a terrifying barrier! If I had run any slower, I would’ve been turned into dried mink meat!" Having finished its tale, it looked up at Leng Jing with teary eyes.
Leng Jing walked to the entrance of the backyard. Sure enough, a golden barrier had expanded to the doorway, its incantation power manifesting as dark red, alien runes that swirled incessantly. This was a top-tier barrier that only a Black Fox could cast; anyone who touched it would be refined into ash by the fox’s cursed power.
However, with a mere flick of his snowy sleeve, Leng Jing effortlessly dissolved the Black Fox’s power. The barrier shattered like stardust, scattering in a colorful haze.
The white mink was about to utter a few words of flattery, but Leng Jing ignored it and walked straight into the backyard guest room, with Leng Qingqing following close behind.
On the large bed in the guest room, a slender, golden-furred Black Fox with a magnificent coat lay there with its eyes tightly shut. It appeared to have entered a deep meditative state. Its internal injuries seemed severe, as it had employed the "Death-like Trance" healing method. As the name suggested, this method involved a sleep so deep that one wouldn't even know if they were being hacked to pieces; hence the need for such a lethal barrier.
But now, the Black Fox’s vital barrier no longer existed.
And as it happened, he had encountered the Leng father and son.
"Xiao Jing! I think I want a fluffy pillow~" Leng Qingqing looked at Leng Jing with starry eyes, then gazed longingly at the fox’s fur, which looked soft, comfortable, and smooth.
In the end, Leng Qingqing and Leng Jing simply carried the entire sleeping, entranced Black Fox away to use as a pillow. The Black Fox couldn't feel a thing anyway. It didn't matter how they messed with him—or so Leng Jing said.
Pillowed against the Black Fox’s warm, soft, and silky belly, Leng Qingqing felt immensely cozy. A sudden playful urge struck him, and while Leng Jing was out, he decided to help the Black Fox "fix" his hairstyle. Consequently, when Leng Jing returned home, he found that the fur on the beautiful Black Fox’s head had been trimmed into a bizarre shape—please imagine Cleopatra’s hairstyle for yourselves.
The white mink let out a scream. "We’re doomed! If the Black Fox finds out, he’ll slaughter the whole city! Aaaahhh! Master, you’re being too reckless!!"
Lately, Leng Qingqing had indeed been overstepping. He acted like the absolute boss of the mountain villa. Monster gatherings were held every few days, the villa’s wine cellar was squandered at will, the servants were all scared away, and the courtyard was turned into a chaotic mess.
However, what truly incensed the great White Dragon began with a midnight trip to the latrine. The all-powerful Leng Jing never imagined he would fall victim to a piece of watermelon rind left by Leng Qingqing. After a monster revelry late one night, a groggy Leng Jing got up to relieve himself. The moment he stepped off the veranda, he slipped on a watermelon rind and tumbled into an "ocean" of fruit peels and shells—heaven knows how many days it had been since the place was cleaned. Those visiting monsters always just patted their backsides and left.
When the cleanliness-obsessed Leng Jing realized he had made intimate contact with a sea of trash, he roared in fury. Normally, with one such dragon roar, Leng Qingqing and the white mink would have come running respectfully to accept their lecture. But Leng Qingqing’s courage had grown, and he was currently dead drunk. The white mink was a fair-weather follower, so there was no movement for a long time.
Leng Jing suppressed his rage. A plan to discipline these ungrateful monsters slowly took shape in his mind. *Dammit, if this White Dragon doesn't show his might, do they take me for a mere earthworm?*
Dawn soon broke. Today was yet another day for a happy monster gathering.
Early in the morning, Leng Qingqing changed into brand-new clothes, preparing to preside over the monster assembly. However, he felt something was off. As for what it was, he couldn't quite say. The fox pillow showed no signs of waking up either.
Thus, the monster assembly proceeded as usual. Only, at some point, Leng Jing had taken a stool and sat down below the stage. Just by sitting there with his arms crossed, he exerted a massive sense of intimidation over all the monsters. The atmosphere of the meeting remained dismal because of it.
Finally, a small demon plucked up the courage to ask, "Thousand-Year King! Who is that young man? He’s so scary! Can you tell him to go away?"
"Eh?" Leng Qingqing put down his wine jar and saw Leng Jing sitting below the stage. He immediately understood what was happening. Clearing his throat, he adopted a stern tone. "Xiao Jing! Why aren't you doing your chores?"
Leng Jing gave him a cold sidelong glance. Instantly, the temperature in the area plummeted. The assembled monsters felt the pressure intensifying, and cold sweat began to break out on their faces.
"Xiao... Jing..." Even the "Thousand-Year King" could barely maintain his composure under the pressure. Leng Qingqing took a deep breath before summoning the courage to continue his scolding. "If you’re not working today, then go back to your room! Don't interfere with your father’s business!"
Silence.
A terrifying silence.
A silence where not even a crow’s call could be heard.
After a long while...
"Waaaaahhhhhh!" Finally, a small demon who couldn't take it anymore burst into tears. This triggered a chain reaction. More and more monsters were frightened into tears by Leng Jing’s supreme majesty and spiritual pressure. Soon, the large courtyard was filled with the sound of wailing.
Now, even the Thousand-Year King Leng Qingqing couldn't control the situation. He had no choice but to hop down and tug on Leng Jing’s sleeve, complaining piteously, "Xiao Jing~ let your father play for a bit, okay? You’ve scared everyone into crying; it’s such a buzzkill!"
Leng Jing slowly stood up and ascended the high stage. He raised a hand in a gesture for silence, and the monsters instantly reverted to a state where they didn't even dare to breathe.
"All of you, start cleaning." As soon as Leng Jing spoke, all the monsters sprang into action and began a massive cleanup. Through their concerted efforts, the entire villa was refreshed. Then, the monsters gathered again of their own accord to receive Leng Jing’s instructions. They didn't even understand why they were doing it; they simply followed Leng Jing’s orders instinctively.
Leng Jing nodded in satisfaction and held up four fingers. "You may have gatherings, but there are four rules. One: clean up afterward. Two: no excessive noise. Three: no heavy drinking. Four: no stirring up trouble."
The monsters (including Leng Qingqing) nodded in unison. Only then did Leng Jing step down from the stage and depart with a flourish.
From then on, whenever the monsters at the gatherings saw Leng Jing, they would respectfully address him as—"Young Lord."
However, the ripples caused by the monster assembly were only just beginning.
This happened half a month later.
Leng Jing was strolling through the streets. If he went back too early, those monsters would definitely still be partying, which was annoying. So, he took the long way, checking to see if any new snack stalls had opened. In the deep ancient alleys, the bluestone paths had long been worn smooth. The shops on both sides were filled with a dazzling array of goods; walking slowly through them felt quite poetic.
"Make way, make way! The Immortal Path opens! Evil medicine, begone!" A chorus of shouting approached from a distance. Leng Jing turned his head and saw a grand procession coming from afar. Upon closer inspection, it was a strange troop composed of a large number of monks and Taoists. Leng Jing watched them scattering spiritual talismans and chanting sacred names. At first, he found it amusing, but he quickly realized something. He hurried forward and caught hold of a monk. "Master, what are you all planning to do?"
The monk gave a salute and said, "Benefactor, you may not know, but demonic clouds have gathered over the Leng family mansion in the east of the city. Evil creatures are breeding there. We are going to accumulate merit and eliminate this harm for the people!"
*Isn't that Leng Qingqing and those guys?* Leng Jing’s mouth twitched. As expected, they had attracted a large-scale force of monks and Taoists. It seemed a battle of magic was inevitable.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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玄狐 | Black Fox / Xuanhu | A noble and rare type of fox spirit, often associated with high spiritual power.
假死状态 | Suspended animation / Death-like trance | A deep meditative state used for healing where the subject appears dead.
大罗神仙 | Daluo Immortal | A high-ranking immortal in Chinese mythology.
少主 | Young Lord | A respectful title used by subordinates for the son of a leader.
少东家 | Young Master / Young Boss | A title used by servants or employees for the son of the owner.
