Chapter Forty-One: The flow of wine, meat and garments pass through, the wolf demons are already the bareheaded king.

    Senior Tang Sanzang once said—killing must be done swiftly and thoroughly, uprooting all traces to avoid future troubles, preferably unseen by others.

    After the deed, one must conceal evidence and dispose of bodies.

    Unless one is powerful enough to defy the laws of the Tang Dynasty and fearless of divine retribution, murder remains a troublesome affair.

    The boy and fox dragged the corpses deep into the mountains, finding a remote cliff to discard all six bodies.

    After cleaning the bloodstains from the scene, they finally relaxed.

    Jiang Liuer brushed dirt from his clothes: "Killing truly is cumbersome."

    He sighed: "Slaying demons feels much more satisfying!"

    The pair returned nonchalantly to the county town, securing a room at an inn with copper coins.

    They ordered two roasted chickens, a side dish, and several bowls of rice.

    This marked Jiang Liuer's first taste of extravagance—and his inaugural encounter with chicken meat.

    Though his past life as Golden Cicada should have bound him to vegetarian vows, Elder Huangmei's constant dismissal of precepts in their group chats had swayed him. The boy rationalized that abstaining from meat might stunt his growth.

    Guilt over broken vows dissipated.

    'The Buddha will forgive me!' Jiang Liuer and Hu Yuyu devoured their meal.

    After dinner, a servant brought hot water and towels. Dampening cloths with warmth allowed makeshift bathing before sleep.

    Hu Yuyu eagerly offered: "Benefactor, let me wash you!"

    Her enthusiasm made Jiang Liuer suspect ulterior motives.

    "I'll manage alone," he hastily declined.

    The fox shifted tactics: "Then wash me instead?"

    Transforming into her red fox form, she added: "This makes it simpler."

    While hesitant with her human shape, tending to her vulpine form felt no different than bathing a dog—perfectly acceptable.

    ......

    Next morning, Jiang Liuer practiced 《Vajra Wrath Demon Forging Art》, 《Hundred Curses Heart-Piercing Sword Technique》, and 《Wind-Soaring Soul Chasing Steps》. He drilled "Spirit Channeling Mantra", "Deity Commanding Mantra", and "Mountain Bearing Mantra", then refined the Corpse Demon's bones.

    Though cultivation is said to be timelessly arduous, Jiang Liuer found this untrue. Merely repeating techniques once brought insights. The bones shrank further after brief refinement.

    "Cultivation's not difficult at all!"

    Storing his heavy Heaven-Subduing Sword in a spatial ring—its weight impractical for cloth belts—he declared: "Hu Yuyu, let's kill Horse Captain!"

    The fox followed eagerly.

    Passing yesterday's battlefield where Bear Captain's corpse had vanished, only bloodstains remained.

    Hu Yuyu tensed: "Wolf WuJi's scent lingers here."

    "He took the body," Jiang Liuer concluded.

    With Wolf Gully's forces decimated, they approached undetected. Perched atop trees overlooking the desolate mountain, they observed.

    "So quiet—no demons in sight!" Hu Yuyu marveled.

    "Wait longer," Jiang Liuer advised.

    Dusk arrived before any movement—minor demons sneaking away with bundles, deserting en masse.

    "Wolf WuJi only has Horse Captain left!" Jiang Liuer deduced.

    Nightfall revealed Horse Captain cursing loudly, petitioning Wolf WuJi to retrieve deserters. When permitted, he headed out.

    The pursuers tailed him to a secluded spot where the horse-demon retrieved hidden supplies from a tree hollow.

    "Forgive my betrayal, Great King," Horse Captain muttered. "I've two centuries left—why die like the others?"

    The watchers exchanged glances—Wolf WuJi now stood completely alone.

    "Should we still kill him?" Hu Yuyu whispered.

    "Evil unleashed harms innocents," Jiang Liuer decided.

    As they prepared to strike, clear bell chimes reverberated soul-deep.

    Jiang Liuer halted Hu Yuyu: "Someone approaches."

    ......

    Below, Horse Captain brandished his steel whip: "Jiang Liuer! I've retired! Attack me and I'll fight to the death!"

    The approaching figure revealed a straw-sandaled Taoist shaking bronze bells. Slung behind him dripped a boar-demon's fresh head.

    "You're that demon-hunting priest!" Horse Captain recoiled.

    The youthful voice declared: "From Maoshan, disciple of Master Shengxuan. Hearing of Wolf Gully's atrocities, I've come to cleanse this evil."

    Drawing peachwood sword and bronze mirror, he proclaimed: "The Taishan boar is slain. Tonight, your den falls."

    Horse Captain's weapon clashed with fragile ritual tools. Within moments, the priest's sword shattered, mirror smashed, bell seized.

    "Disaster! This demon's at Refined Qi stage—I'm mere Qi Gathering!" The priest despaired.

    Jiang Liuer: "..."

    Hu Yuyu: "..."

    ......