Volume One, Chapter 15: You Are Provoking Me
Jiang Boyu listened with a troubled expression as Cheng Xi recounted the tragic fate of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox—a story that differed significantly from what he had initially understood about the case.
“This matter requires me to send a missive to the Director for a final decision,” Jiang Boyu said after taking a deep breath.
“That’s only proper,” Cheng Xi nodded in agreement.
Jiang Boyu then turned to the Four-Eyed Demon Fox. “Since you can speak, why didn’t you speak up if you had grievances?”
“What’s the use of talking to you?” the fox replied coldly.
“The Tongtian Bureau doesn’t kill demons on sight. If you have a grievance, you can speak freely.”
“Mutual protection among officials, do you think I, a mere fox, don’t understand that?”
Cheng Xi’s interest finally piqued as she looked at the Four-Eyed Demon Fox. “You’re still a criminal demon now. If you want freedom, you have to cooperate properly with the Tongtian Bureau, understand?”
The fox turned to Jiang Boyu. “I am now under Cheng Xi’s command. For matters concerning me, speak to her.”
“What do you mean by ‘under Cheng Xi’s command’?”
“I have accepted her as my master. You don’t understand that? How dull.”
Jiang Boyu sighed deeply, unwilling to waste time debating with a beast. He looked back at Cheng Xi. “Miss Cheng, what exactly is going on here?”
Without blinking, Cheng Xi replied, “Coincidentally, I want to know too.”
With a quick glance, she picked up the Four-Eyed Demon Fox and headed to the backyard.
Jiang Boyu watched with a puzzled look at Bao Hua. This paper figure seemed far too perceptive.
“Miss Cheng, the case of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox is far from resolved. He has killed many in Jindu, including heirs of noble families. Taking him in might not be appropriate.”
Cheng Xi responded calmly, “Lord Jiang, humans raid demons’ homes and steal their treasures, yet you expect no consequences?”
Jiang Boyu frowned.
“Humans have their laws, demons have theirs,” Cheng Xi said with a light laugh. “All things in heaven and earth follow rules. Whether human or demon, breaking those rules carries a price. Ordinary people don’t understand this, but surely Lord Jiang, working for the Tongtian Bureau, knows?”
Jiang Boyu naturally knew, but many high officials in the capital ignored such matters, leaving the burden on subordinates like him.
Cheng Xi didn’t wish to continue the topic. Since the Four-Eyed Demon Fox was with her, she was unconcerned about him escaping again. Once the case was thoroughly investigated, the matter would be resolved. How the investigation proceeded was now the Tongtian Bureau’s responsibility.
The pressure was on the Bureau.
“Then I leave the care of the Four-Eyed Demon Fox to you, Miss Cheng.”
Hearing Jiang Boyu’s lack of insistence on taking the fox away, Cheng Xi smiled. “It’s my honor to serve the Tongtian Bureau.”
Jiang Boyu’s lips twitched. “There’s another matter. Cheng Yun Jian is still unconscious. Magistrate Cheng and Cheng Fenglan insist you can awaken him. Is that true?”
Cheng Xi’s face was expressionless. “If they say they can, then they can? Should I claim to be a deity too? Do you believe that?”
Jiang Boyu deeply regretted coming here. He should have sent Li Guanqi instead!
“However, I must warn you, Lord Jiang.”
“What is it?” Jiang Boyu was already thinking of how to apologize to the Director. This case was a mess, and everyone involved—human or demon—was far from normal.
“The Four-Eyed Demon Fox sensed a treasure on Cheng Yun Jian’s person. That’s why the Ghost-Faced Bird targeted him,” Cheng Xi explained. “The little fox said that treasure can help the Ghost-Faced Bird ascend.”
“Really?” Jiang Boyu was startled.
“I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s what the little fox said.”
Jiang Boyu pondered deeply. “Last night, the Ghost-Faced Bird kept watching Cheng Yun Jian closely. I found it strange but never sensed any treasure aura from him.”
With his cultivation, any treasure manifesting nearby would not escape his detection.
Cheng Xi recalled when she had returned home and saw Cheng Yun Jian. Indeed, she hadn’t sensed any treasure aura from him either. After some thought, she said, “I’ll call the little fox over and ask.”
Before Jiang Boyu could reply, Cheng Xi called, “Bao Hua, bring the little fox here.”
As she spoke, the Four-Eyed Demon Fox came on his own. “What do you need me for?”
“Tell us about Cheng Yun Jian and the Ghost-Faced Bird. If you can make a contribution, it might reduce some of your charges.”
Jiang Boyu: … He hadn’t said that and didn’t acknowledge it!
The fox’s eyes flickered as he eagerly said, “Cheng Yun Jian has a bloodline talent. Treasures near humans are hard for them to detect, but demons cannot be deceived. He possesses the treasure but hasn’t learned to use it, so the Ghost-Faced Bird targeting him is normal.”
“Bloodline talent?” Cheng Xi frowned. “What kind of talent is that? Can it mask the treasure’s aura?”
In two lifetimes, she had never encountered such a thing. Truly rare.
“Human magical tools are forged using demon beasts. The bones and blood of these beasts are spiritually linked, and when encountering similar bloodlines, fusion occurs.”
Cheng Xi and Jiang Boyu exchanged a glance, their expressions turning grave.
Humans forged treasures by melting and refining the bones and blood of demon beasts, creating their own magical weapons.
Therefore, many awakened demons seeking advancement would seize and devour these weapons from humans—an immediate and direct method. The higher the rank of the magical weapon, the higher the quality of the demon bone.
The Ghost-Faced Bird targeted Cheng Yun Jian’s treasure to ascend, hence its violent intrusion into the Magistrate’s residence.
Cheng Xi suddenly looked at the Four-Eyed Demon Fox. “Cheng Yun Jian is Cheng Zhouxing’s son. Both Cheng Zhouxing and the Li family are human. How could there be demon blood in his lineage?”
“That, I don’t know,” the fox said.
He was still a fox demon, not yet a fox immortal, and didn’t know such details.
Jiang Boyu looked at Cheng Xi. “This is interesting. Two humans gave birth to a child with demon blood?”
“Indeed. How could humans produce a demon? But humans and demons can produce demon hybrids,” Nan Jinping sneered.
Jiang Boyu clicked his tongue. Magistrate Cheng had driven out his lawful wife and legitimate daughter to marry again, only to be cuckolded by Li—quite a scandal.
“Should we inform Magistrate Cheng of this?” Jiang Boyu’s eyes glinted with curiosity as he asked Cheng Xi.
Cheng Xi had long left the Cheng family and no longer cared for their affairs. Cheng Zhouxing’s blindness and foolishness in raising another’s child was his own retribution.
“Lord Jiang, if you wish to act chivalrously, feel free.”
Though indifferent, she found the unfolding drama amusing.
Who wouldn’t want to watch such lively chaos?
That very day, Jiang Boyu quietly sent the information to Cheng Zhouxing. Since Cheng Zhouxing was an ordinary man, verifying the matter would take time.
With the Ghost-Faced Bird eliminated and the Four-Eyed Demon Fox still in Jiang Boyu’s custody, he planned to reunite with the Director. After bidding farewell to Cheng Xi, he headed straight to Qinghe Academy.
For several days, there was no news from the Magistrate’s residence, so Cheng Xi put the matter out of her mind, knowing the drama wouldn’t unfold anytime soon.
One day, when Cheng Xi went downstairs and didn’t see Bao Hua or the Four-Eyed Demon Fox, she heard some noise in the backyard and walked over. There, she saw the jar she had buried earlier had been dug up.
Bao Hua looked disgusted and retreated a good distance away. The Four-Eyed Demon Fox pressed his paw on the jar, his eyes glimmering with a faint light. Hearing the noise, he turned to Cheng Xi. “Can I have this?”
Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow. “You want to eat it?”
The fox nodded. He was only one step away from transformation. He had a strong intuition that whatever was inside the jar would greatly enhance his strength.
“No way,” Cheng Xi laughed, waving her hand. With a flick, the jar flew from the fox’s paw into her palm.