He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 802 Go investigate.

The old fox stroked his graying beard, his sparse eyebrows twitching slightly. A knowing glint flashed in his narrowed eyes, and he nodded gently. He looked up at the stunned Xiao Shuai, his tone tinged with reproach but mostly with undisguised delight: "Xiao Shuai, what's wrong with you today? Are you perhaps confused?"

"What is Lord Long Si's status? He's a big shot in the Flood Dragon Clan. For him to take you away is an incredible stroke of luck, a blessing you couldn't accumulate in several lifetimes!" He tapped the ground lightly with his cane. "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go with your master!"

Xiao Shuai was jolted awake by his words, his cheeks flushing instantly, the inexplicable hesitation in his heart vanishing in an instant. He quickly bowed and replied, "Yes," then turned and hurried to catch up with Long Si. As he walked faster, the hem of his blue robe swept across the threshold, stirring up a few fallen leaves. His fingers, gripping the hem of his robe, tightened slightly, but his eyes couldn't hide the barely suppressed excitement, and a hint of trepidation about the unknown road ahead.

The old fox stood at the entrance of the cave, watching as Xiao Shuai's slightly thin figure hurriedly caught up with Long Si. The figures of the man and the fox gradually merged into the swirling clouds in the distant mountains, turning into two blurry dots, before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

He stroked his beard again, secretly calculating in his mind: This kid, Xiao Shuai, actually has good potential, but he's too quiet and reserved, always lacking opportunities for experience. Now, he can go with Long Si to the territory of the Flood Dragon Clan—that's a blessed land! He's heard the spiritual energy there is so dense it can even melt water, hundreds of times stronger than this wretched mountain. Not only will his cultivation speed increase by leaps and bounds, but his horizons will also broaden considerably.

Given time, this child might actually amount to something, no longer the little fox who only followed him around learning rudimentary illusions. Then, this old man might even benefit from it and rise in status among the demons.

He gazed at the distant mountains shrouded in mist, sighed softly, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened, while the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upwards, revealing a subtle smile—this kid, at least he didn't let down the effort he put into teaching him to identify spiritual herbs and set up simple formations back then.

These past few days, He Yuzhu had been single-mindedly focused on cultivation. The spiritual energy within his dantian flowed like a stream day and night, oblivious to the disturbances of the outside world. He only felt that his qi circulation had become increasingly smooth, his meridians seemed to have widened, and his cultivation had quietly made considerable progress. He stopped his cultivation, and the spiritual energy around him slowly receded into his body. He turned to look at the little fox curled up beside him, basking in the sun. Its tail was idly sweeping the ground, so he smiled and suggested, "I've been saying I'd take you to see the Evil Wolf, but I haven't had the chance until today. We're free now, let's go take a look."

His words sounded frank, but a secret thought lingered in his mind—lately, he'd been experiencing a vague, inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Even in scenes he was experiencing for the first time, he'd occasionally have a feeling of déjà vu, as if another vague thought flashed through his mind, too fleeting to grasp. He vaguely remembered that the aura of the Mischievous Demon King had once lingered within him; could this strange feeling be related? Elder Qingyi, with his profound cultivation and expertise in detecting spiritual entities, might be able to discern something. Was there truly another being residing within him? Even if the other party hadn't caused any trouble for the time being, the presence of this ticking time bomb within his body was still unsettling.

Deep within the unnoticed sea of ​​consciousness, Long Shishen's voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, quietly resounded, rippling gently through the space of his mind: "I didn't expect this clone's senses to be so sharp, detecting my presence so quickly." He remained completely unperturbed—he and He Yuzhu were of the same origin, their auras already perfectly intertwined. Even if his own father, Long Si, were here, he would have no chance of discerning this secret without Long Shishen revealing himself. To think that a mere suspicion could force him out? That would be utterly naive.

He Yuzhu led Xiao Li deeper into the mountains. The further they went, the thicker the mountain mist became, a white expanse that shrouded the distant peaks in mist. The surrounding vegetation exuded an ancient and ethereal aura, with glistening dewdrops on the leaves reflecting dappled light. Xiao Li curiously surveyed its surroundings, its fluffy tail standing on end, and softly asked, "Is this... the sect you mentioned before?"

"This is a temporary stronghold for my sect," He Yuzhu said with a smile. "The original Demon Suppression Hall was repaired, but it was unexpectedly destroyed by the remnants of the demon race. For now, we can only make do with what we have here."

This statement is half true and half false. It is true that the Demon Suppression Hall was destroyed in the surprise attack three months ago, and its broken walls still stand in the valley outside the city, shedding dust with the wind. But if he really wanted to rebuild it, with his current reputation in the cultivation world, the resources he has accumulated, and the connections he has all over the world, gathering craftsmen and preparing materials would be a matter of a single word.

He deliberately delayed repairs, wanting to show those lurking in the shadows that he, the sect leader of the Demon Suppression Hall, was now weak and powerless, unable even to protect the sect's foundation. Though he held the title, he had no real power, merely an empty shell, incapable of causing any real trouble. This deliberate show of weakness would lower their guard, reducing unnecessary suspicion and probing. Waiting until the storm had passed before quietly gathering his trusted confidants and rebuilding in a secluded location would be far more prudent.

Upon reaching the entrance to the stronghold, He Yuzhu didn't rush through the stone gate hidden behind the vines. Instead, he stopped and flicked his finger lightly at the ancient locust tree beside him. A thin strand of spiritual energy shot out silently, disappearing into the rough bark. On the trunk, several dark patterns invisible to ordinary people suddenly emitted a faint golden light, flickering twice like breathing, before quickly disappearing beneath the mottled bark, as if it had never shone at all.

A moment later, a figure emerged from behind the tree; it was none other than the fourth brother. He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, with a short blade at his waist. Upon seeing He Yuzhu, he immediately knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully, his voice extremely low: "Sect Master, why have you come in person? Is there a new task to instruct you on?"

“There aren’t that many missions.” He Yuzhu waved his hand, his tone deliberately relaxed, as if he really came to stroll around. “I just brought Xiaoli to meet Xielang. They are both demons, one is a fox and the other is a wolf. They might get along well and have a chat, so they won’t be bored in the stronghold every day.”

As he spoke, he turned to the side, revealing the little fox behind him. The little creature, with its fiery red fur, was curiously looking around. Upon hearing the words "evil wolf," its ears immediately perked up, and its tail wagged happily.