Fox Demon: The villain at the beginning

Chapter 422 Illusion, the Mask Appears

Because they were indoors, Jin Renfeng did not use his full strength, not even his power to split rocks.

Logically speaking, even a rogue cultivator shouldn't be so easily defeated.

But the two people in front of them just died and their souls vanished.

With doubts in his heart, Jin Renfeng raised his hand, held the two heads in his palm, and activated the Dual-Hand Technique.

A crimson hand enveloped the head, penetrating deep into the soul.

Both of their wills were very weak, and soon, he unearthed their memories one by one.

After quickly reviewing their recent activities, Jin Renfeng's expression turned grim.

"They were just two lowly pawns!!"

"No wonder he's so weak!"

These two were just waiters at the inn; they hadn't even entered the path of cultivation and didn't possess a trace of magical power.

That's why he was fatally struck by Jin Renfeng.

As for why he dared to attack Huai Zhu on the main road, it was because he was controlled by someone with ulterior motives using illusion magic, making him come over to carry out his scheme.

"What a good plan!"

"Instead of lifting a finger, they brought two scapegoats along."

Jin Renfeng's eyes gleamed with divine light.

Just now, when he was searching through his memories, he also saw the figure of the person who cast the illusion.

However, because he was dressed in black and masked, concealing his identity, he was unable to determine his specific origin.

Startled by the commotion of the fight, Huaizhu came out of the room and saw the two dead bodies on the ground. She opened her mouth slightly in surprise and asked.

"Senior brother! What's going on?"

"These two were just blowing poisonous smoke into your room, and I caught them red-handed!"

Jin Renfeng was straightforward and direct.

"Poisonous smoke?"

Huai Zhu was startled.

She hadn't fallen asleep; she was fully awake, yet she hadn't noticed anything throughout.

At this moment, Li Muchen walked over from the side. She stepped forward, examined the copper tube and porcelain bottle, sniffed them, and then spoke.

"This poisonous smoke is the Thousand-Day Bewitching Powder, which comes from the Southern Kingdom. It is a poisonous smoke specifically designed to deal with cultivators."

"Colorless and odorless, it is difficult to detect."

"Once poisoned, a cultivator will immediately fall into a deep sleep and become unresponsive to external stimuli."

"It's that powerful?"

Upon hearing this, Huai Zhu was filled with dread.

Fortunately, my senior brother discovered it early!

Otherwise, even if one possesses pure Yang Flame and is immune to all poisons, one might still suffer from hidden harm.

Once the Pure Yang Flame technique is activated, it can indeed make one immune to all poisons, but if one is not prepared, one can still be harmed by the toxins.

"You actually know the origin of this poisonous smoke?"

Jin Renfeng looked at Li Muchen with a surprised expression.

"What's so strange about knowing its origin?"

Li Muchen curled his lip.

"I've read extensively, and my knowledge far surpasses yours by at least eight hundred times."

"It's just a kind of toxic smoke, how could I not know?"

"But why would this person target me?"

Huai Zhu looked puzzled.

"Junior sister, have you forgotten your family's identity and capabilities?"

Jin Renfeng countered with a question.

"identity?"

Huai Zhu looked as if she had just realized something.

The ability of women from Eastern clans to inherit spiritual power is indeed coveted.

"Could it be that a powerful family was behind this?"

The girl asked.

"It must be that some families have learned about my junior sister's background and are getting impatient."

Jin Renfeng said calmly.

Which one could it be?

Huai Zhu looked thoughtful.

There are countless Daoist families, and without solid evidence, it is difficult to guess which one was behind it.

"Given my junior sister's status and position, only a few top families would dare to make a move."

Jin Renfeng snorted coldly.
"Patriarch Yang and Elder Li are on good terms with our Shenhuo Mountain Manor, so they would never do such a despicable thing."

"The Wen family has always been conservative and neutral; they would never dare to get involved in such provocative matters."

“I just gave the Zhang family a warning, so they don’t have the guts.”

"Right now, the only ones who would dare to make a move are probably the royal family."

"Indeed, only the Wang Quan family proposed marriage back then."

Huai Zhu nodded, acknowledging the guess.

"What a self-deceiving act! It's laughable that they even sent a lowly pawn to conceal his identity."

Jin Renfeng chuckled, then turned to look at the girl beside him.
"Junior sister, please be careful during this time and try not to leave my side."

Huai Zhu's gaze was complicated. After experiencing this incident, she finally understood the dangerous and complicated situation of being a woman of the Eastern Clan.

She also understood why her father valued Shenhuo Mountain Villa so much, and why he insisted on keeping her there.

"But what if someone else comes tonight?"

Li Muchen said with concern.

"Since they're planning to harm my sister, they won't let this go easily."

"How about we go to another inn?"

Huai Zhu offered her suggestion.

"If we change locations, they won't be able to find us, so we should be fine!"

Jin Renfeng shook his head.
"Since we're already being watched, changing locations won't help."

"But if we don't change locations, how can we defend against the enemy?"

Li Muchen frowned.

"We can't let Sister Huaizhu stay up all night!"

"You can all rest assured!"

Jin Renfeng said calmly.

"Tonight I will stand guard outside my junior sister's door. I want to see which fool dares to come over again."

. . . . . .

To prevent the thieves from striking again, Jin Renfeng moved a stool and sat imposingly in front of Huaizhu's gate, guarding it all night.

Four hours passed, but no one appeared again.

Knowing there was no chance of getting a phone, they stopped there.

At dawn, the group left the inn and headed back towards the Wangquan family's territory.

Standing on the bamboo flute, Huaizhu glanced at Jin Renfeng and said worriedly,

"My senior brother didn't sleep a wink last night, and he's already on his way again today. That's really pushing himself too hard!"

"Why don't we find a place to rest first?"

"It's alright!!"

Jin Renfeng waved his hand, speaking calmly and casually.
"It's just that I didn't sleep all night, it doesn't affect me much."

As his cultivation of life force improves, his need for sleep is decreasing.

Even if he meditates and cultivates continuously for a month, it will not have any negative effects on Jin Renfeng.

He truly achieved a state of being so full of energy that he didn't even think about sleeping!

"Although we're safe tonight, those people will probably make another move in the next few days!"

At this moment, Li Muchen spoke up.

"How about starting today, the three of us take turns keeping watch at night, with each person keeping watch for a period of time?"

"In this way, if any foreign enemy comes, someone will always be able to find out."

"This is my own business, how could I trouble my sister?!"

Huai bamboo is difficult to find.

"Why are you being so polite with me, sister? Do you think I'm an outsider?"

Li Muchen said reproachfully.

"this--"

Huai Zhu was in a dilemma; refusing was wrong, and agreeing was also wrong.

"Since Mu Chen is willing to help, Junior Sister, you should agree!" Jin Renfeng said with a smile.
"Special times call for special measures!!!"

After listening to his persuasion, Huaizhu finally nodded.

The three of them sped along, covering a hundred miles in the blink of an eye.

Just as the three were about to cross a mountain ridge, nine figures suddenly flew up from the forest below and blocked their way.

Jin Renfeng and the others looked up and saw that the nine figures were of different shapes, some male and some female, but the only thing they had in common was that they all wore masks, which covered part of their faces.

"So it's you all!"

Upon seeing their faces, Jin Renfeng recognized the newcomers.

This is clearly a group of members from the Masked Gang causing trouble!
Huai Zhu looked at the person in front of her in surprise; this was the first time she had ever seen the masks of the Masked Group members.

Although they had met many members of the Masked Troupe before following Jin Renfeng, none of them wore masks at the time because they were in the family.

"This mountain is mine, these trees are mine, if you want to pass, leave your toll!"

The leader, a man wearing a painted mask and riding on wheels of fire, shouted in a theatrical voice.

"If you know what's good for you, hand over all your valuables and magical treasures, or you'll be cleaved into eight pieces by the falling swords!"

"Did you own this mountain?"

Huai Zhu raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"But we've never been through the mountains, why should we give you money?"

The man in the red robe was slightly taken aback, not expecting anyone to answer like that.

His eyes darted around, and he said with a grin,
"Any area within this mountain's boundaries is my territory."
"Whether it's in the sky or on the ground, if you want to pass through here, you have to pay!"
"Then I'll just take a detour, won't I?"

Huai Zhu smiled.

"this----"

The man in the red robe was speechless for a moment.

Just as the man was pondering how to answer, Li Muchen leaped forward, hands on his hips, and shouted,

"Li Quzhuo! What are you doing here, you bastard!"

"Ugh?"

Upon hearing his name called, Li Quzhuo panicked.
"Miss, you've mistaken me for someone else! I'm not Li Quzhuo."

He scratched his head and said awkwardly.

"Li Zizai, Li Quzhuo, you two idiots!"

Li Muchen gritted his teeth and said.

Do you think I'm blind?

"Who else could it be but the two of you, with those Wind and Fire Wheels and those Unpredictable Flying Knives?"

"It's just a coincidence; there are plenty of magical artifacts like that!"

"I don't know any Li Quzhuo or Li Zizai."

The two brothers turned their backs, whistled, and pretended to be nonchalant.

"Two bastards!"

Li Muchen gritted his teeth in anger.

"The Wind and Fire Wheels are a family heirloom of the Li family, and it has always been forbidden to pass them on to outsiders."

"If an outsider obtains it, it will be a major incident of our family's heirloom being leaked."

"If you don't acknowledge your identities, do you want me to call my father to arrest you?"

"well?"

Upon hearing their father's name, the two brothers froze.

They weren't afraid of the magic weapon being leaked, after all, they were members of the Li family.

But they were afraid that their father would come in person.

You should know that the two brothers ran away from home without telling their family. Their father had always opposed their joining the Masked Gang. If he found out that they were planning to fight the kids from Shenhuoshan Manor, he would skin them alive.

The thought of their father's anger made them both tremble.

"This young lady, when the Masked Gang was founded, they swore an oath to conceal their faces and hide their identities."

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a voice suddenly reached everyone's ears.

Everyone turned to look and saw a man dressed in plain robes with a smiling mask flying down from above and standing in front of the nine people.

The man stood still and spoke loudly.

"That's the rule, young lady, it's best not to make things difficult for them!"

When someone tried to dissuade him, Li Muchen was about to reprimand them, but when he saw the mask on the person's face, he almost burst out laughing.

"This mask!"

Huai Zhu's expression turned strange the moment she saw the mask.

The mask the person wearing was absolutely bizarre!

Two thin, curved lines represent the eyes, one thin, curved line represents the mouth, and two pinkish circles represent the cheeks.

The entire mask is constructed in this way, and it looks like a child's doodle.

Jin Renfeng was slightly surprised to see the person wearing a smiling mask in front of him.

Having memories of his past life, he naturally knew that this person was Wang Quanba Ye of the Wang Quan family.

He originally thought that he would only be able to confront this royal power and hegemony when he set foot on the Royal Manor.

Unexpectedly, before he even reached Wang Quan's house, this person ran right up to him.

"Big brother!"

Upon seeing the newcomers, Li Zizai and Li Quzhuo couldn't help but call out to them.

The newcomer nodded. He then turned his gaze and swept it across the room, pausing briefly on Huai Zhu before finally settling on Jin Renfeng.

"This must be the famous Golden-Faced Fire God!"

The smiling masked man spoke.

"That's right!"

Jin Renfeng said calmly.

"May I ask what brings you and your men to stop my two fellow disciples?"

"You've been targeting my brothers in the Masked Gang lately. Don't you know why I'm here?"

Wang Quanbaye questioned.

"Targeting the Masked Group specifically? Does that mean all the people I challenged before were members of the Masked Group?"

Jin Renfeng said deliberately.

Why ask a question you already know the answer to?

Wang Quanbaye said calmly.

"That's quite a coincidence."

Jin Renfeng plays with flavor.

"But judging from your expression, you seem to think I'm targeting your Masked Group."

"That's right!"

Wang Quanbaye answered without hesitation.

"If only one or two people were injured, it could be considered a coincidence, but if seven or eight people are injured in succession, it is no longer a matter of coincidence."

"But didn't your Masked Group say you've already hidden your identities?"

Jin Renfeng laughed.

"Since nobody knows who you are, how am I targeting your Masked Group?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Quanba was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond.

Indeed, if their identity hadn't been revealed, the other party would never have come knocking on their door.

There's no way we can talk about targeting anything!

"You little rascal, you're so cunning and treacherous!"

Li Quzhuo retorted from the side.

"Who knows what despicable means you used to find out the identities of our Masked Gang members?"

Upon hearing this, Li Muchen remained stunned.

This guy is hopeless!
Even now, he still thinks they've hidden it very well!

"So, you suspect that I specifically inquired about you and am deliberately trying to harm you?"

Jin Renfeng said with a joking smile.

"Even so, what do you want?"

"Many of my brothers in the Masked Gang have been defeated by you and suffered serious injuries. As the leader of the Masked Gang, I naturally want to seek justice for them."

Wang Quanbaye continued.

"justice?"

Huai Zhu raised an eyebrow and said in a cold voice,
“My senior brother has always been open and aboveboard in challenging me.”

"Even in martial arts duels, they always stopped short of killing anyone."

"What kind of justice are you trying to get?"

(End of this chapter)