The fox pack behind us was not as few as we saw in the graveyard before, and there were even more than before. Among the group, foxes the size of wolfhounds were everywhere, almost half of them, enough to swallow me and Zhang Dabiao alive without any problem.
"Brother Zhang, what do we do now?" I drew out my Yin Ironwood ruler and cautiously guarded myself.
Compared to my panic, Zhang Dabiao appeared very calm. He firmly gripped his Cleaving Mountain Saber with his right hand, his gaze fixed on the sunlit area outside.
"Old Fox, since you're here, come out! Stop hiding behind and testing us with your disciples."
Rustle—
As Zhang Dabiao's words fell, a cough came from outside the sunlight. The sound was like that of someone terminally ill, as if the next breath would be their last.
The foxes in front of us parted, creating a path wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Fox spirits the size of wildcats appeared, followed by the old fox lying on top of them. It looked like an ancient eunuch's soft couch, carried by a host of smaller foxes. The old fox lying on it was the same one that appeared before Zhang Dabiao's father's grave.
At this moment, it had lost the majestic and imposing demeanor it had when we first met last night. It looked sickly, its fur was disheveled, and in some places, it was as if it had been burned, revealing scorched skin. Its front two legs dangled unnaturally, clearly broken. It was unclear if Zhang Dabiao's father had done this.
"Cough, cough… I never expected it! I schemed my whole life, only to be schemed against by your father in the end and almost lose my life. However, fortunately, his son is not as clever as him. You finally stepped into this ghost vine. It was not in vain that I had my hands broken and lost so many disciples to wait for you to come. It seems the Zhang family is truly going to be extinguished."
The old fox's eyes held a look of regret, yet its fox mouth was almost split to its ears. It was impossible to know how gleeful it was in its heart.
Zhang Dabiao tightened his grip on the Cleaving Mountain Saber, ready to attack. However, I quickly grabbed his wrist, pinching his fingers twice to tell him not to act rashly.
There was something wrong with what the old fox said. If it only wanted to extinguish the Zhang family, it would have been enough to hunt down Zhang Dabiao or find an opportunity to kill Madam Zhang. There would be no need to confront Zhang Dabiao's deceased father.
Judging by its words, this fellow's intelligence was not low. People say old people are cunning, and horses are slippery. I don't believe an old fox that can speak human language would be less intelligent than Bai Ling'er or Huang San. It must have a purpose in saying this.
Judging from its injuries, it was likely that it couldn't defeat Zhang Dabiao's father and was even lured into this vampire vine, losing many disciples. Even its own front paws were broken, which indicated that it had not obtained what it wanted.
The appearance of me and Zhang Dabiao now undoubtedly gave it an opportunity to obtain that white fox fur. If this is the case, then Zhang Dabiao's father was in a relatively dangerous location, and the old fox could not get that item.
Perhaps it wanted to use Zhang Dabiao's desire to bury his father's remains in a blessed land, and had been waiting for him. Only Zhang Dabiao could obtain that item. I didn't know why that white fox fur was so important to it.
After quickly sorting through all the thoughts in my mind, I squinted at the old fox and asked, "Senior, may I know how to address you?"
"Senior?" The old fox was clearly stunned, then it coughed and said, "This is the first time anyone has called me that. Names are just labels; you can call me Old Fox directly."
"Old Fox?" I frowned. I didn't expect it to still be on guard even though it had the upper hand.
"Hu family?" I cautiously inquired again.
"No!"
The old fox answered quickly, its voice tinged with decisiveness and a hint of disgust. Perhaps sensing its tone was off, it explained, "How could I be from the Hu family? The Hu family is a vast clan, not something a wild old fox like me can compare to."
When it said "No" just now, the old fox's pupils shifted slightly. The change was very brief. If it weren't for the dim light here and the fact that fox eyes glow, I wouldn't have noticed it.
Judging from the change in its eyes, it was very likely from the Hu family, but for some reason, it seemed to have some hatred towards the Hu family. Perhaps this was an opportunity for Zhang Dabiao and me to survive.
Up to now, I still didn't know what that white fox fur represented. However, judging from the expressions of Zhang Dabiao's father and the old fox in front of me, that item must be extremely important, otherwise, it wouldn't have pursued so relentlessly and sacrificed so many disciples.
"Old Fox, you want that white fox fur, and we want Zhang Father's body. As the saying goes, humans have their way, and demons have their path. This vampire vine is not friendly to you either. Can we make a deal? You let us take Zhang Father's body, and you take the white fox fur?"
I didn't want to fight them. Not only could we not win, but the dense aerial roots of the vampire vines around us made me tremble. If I were to get entangled, it would be difficult to break free, and then to be eaten by these foxes, the thought alone gave me goosebumps.
"Heh heh… Young man, your proposal is good, very good. Each takes what they need. This is what I meant yesterday."
Seeing the old fox agree to my suggestion, I was overjoyed. Before I could respond, it spoke again.
"However…" Its fox eyes held a playful glint. "Why should I agree? Now I am the cleaver, and you are the meat on the chopping block. I can cut you however I please. What right do you have to bargain with me?"
"Cleaver? I don't think so. If you could really get the white fox fur, why would you be waiting for us here?"
Seeing the old fox's unyielding demeanor, I continued, "If I'm not mistaken, only Zhang Dabiao can retrieve the white fox fur. Perhaps you can also get it, but it would come at a considerable cost, which is why you've been waiting here for us to enter and then quietly follow. However, one of your disciples accidentally got discovered by us. Am I wrong?"
As soon as I finished speaking, a fox closest to us flew into the air out of nowhere, crashing into several thick aerial roots the size of thighs. It fell to the ground and tried to get up, but its body went limp, and it collapsed. Its eyes rolled back, its limbs twitched twice, and it breathed its last.
"Useless thing, can't achieve anything, only cause trouble." After speaking, the old fox was still not appeased. A flash of light appeared in its mouth, and a fox fire the size of a ping-pong ball landed on the fox, instantly turning it into a pile of ice crystals.
After dealing with the matter, the old fox stood upright, like a human, its eyes fixed on me. An oppressive aura emanated from it, and it said, "Who are you? According to my calculations, it would take this kid at least until tomorrow to find this place, and that's with my disciples leading the way."
This oppressive aura was very strange, making me feel as if I were facing not an old fox, but a towering mountain, or a meteorite falling from the sky. I, on the other hand, was like a blade of grass, an insignificant pebble, and if I didn't answer its question seriously, I would be crushed into dust in the next moment.
Just as I was about to kneel, unable to withstand the pressure from the old fox, I felt a warm current flow into my hand, dispelling the oppressive aura and freeing me from the old fox's restraint.
"Oh?"