Stop grinding, I'm really just a free spirit.

Chapter 63 One-Legged Mandrill

"It's nothing."

Chen Bai lowered his voice, "I saw an enemy."

Miao Wuniang followed his gaze and glanced at the outer disciples, where she saw the man staring intently at them. Her brows furrowed slightly.

Without asking any further questions, she subtly shifted half a step to the side, using her shoulder to block Xue Zhen's gaze.

Xue Zhen stared at Chen Bai's figure, took one last look, and loosened his white knuckles from gripping the hilt of the knife.

I forced myself to turn my head away.

Xue Zhen did not wish he could rush over and twist Chen Bai's head off immediately, but he could not.

His life was in Yao Ye's hands, and the whip marks on his back still ached faintly.

If trouble were to break out here, the first person to be punished would not be Chen Bai, but his capricious master.

He took a deep breath, forcibly swallowing the surging murderous intent back into his stomach, but a cruel smile still lingered on the corner of his mouth.

"No rush, what's the rush..."

He comforted himself silently.

The Ten Directions Mountain Range is so vast, with so many demonic beasts, it's perfectly normal for a few rogue cultivators to die.

Once we get into the mountains, there will be plenty of opportunities.

He would make Chen Bai kneel before him and repay the humiliation he suffered on Yuliu Street that day, bit by bit, ten times, a hundred times!

Yao Ye was completely unaware of what was happening in the ranks behind him.

His attention was currently focused on Zhang Ruxue, and he was thinking of a way to find an excuse to say a few more words to this cold and aloof junior sister.

Zhang Ruxue suddenly stepped forward, her cold gaze sweeping across the entire scene, and her right hand forming a simple sword gesture.

A clear, melodious sword cry, like a dragon's roar, resounded throughout the entire arena.

"Gentlemen."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear and distinct, reaching everyone's ears like a mountain spring rinsing over rocks.

The few rogue cultivators who had been whispering to each other immediately fell silent upon hearing this.

"sneeze--"

The tiger demon seemed to sense the threat and became restless, snorting uneasily.

Yao Ye pressed down on his head, and he finally quieted down.

Zhang Ruxue's voice flowed through the room like a clear spring.

"This cleanup mission was jointly launched by the Lingjian Sect and the Sanfeng Dao Temple."

The area we are responsible for is the western section of the outer perimeter of the Shifang Mountains...the Tianfu Mountain area.

As she spoke, she flipped her hand and took out a jade slip. With a slight movement of her true qi, a map about a foot square was projected from the jade slip.

The map shows mountains and rivers in great detail, and a red marker marks the location of Tianfu Mountain.

"Tianfu Mountain was originally a mineral vein, but it was occupied by monsters half a month ago."

Scouts have determined that the creatures inhabiting this area are a group of one-legged mountain demons, their numbers currently unknown.

Upon hearing this, a chorus of sighs of relief rose from the ranks of the rogue cultivators.

Wu Liang tucked the sheepskin map into his pocket, looked around, and grinned, "So it's a mandrill. This mission will be easy then."

Zhang Ruxue ignored the commotion below and continued to read out the mission details in her cool tone.

"..."

Mountain goblins belong to the same category as other goblins.

Desolate mountains and remote wilderness, places teeming with miasma and evil spirits, are most likely to breed demons, monsters, spirits, ghosts, and all sorts of evil creatures.

While most spirits and monsters are tangible, demons and ghosts are intangible and much more difficult to deal with.

The mandrill is one of the most widely distributed low-level spirits.

There are many different kinds of mandrills.

There is a creature called "Wooden Guest," with a human head and a bird's body, sharp claws like hooks, which dwells on ancient, spirit trees.

There is a master of illusion, Kinoshita Saburo, who can transform into handsome men and beautiful women, creating appearances that people desire and bewildering the minds of mortals.

The mandrills in Tianfushan are the most common type of one-legged mandrill.

These kinds of spirits wear red hats, are dark-skinned and thin like monkeys, and are about two feet tall.

It has fuzzy green hair under its neck, one heel turned backward, and three fingers on each hand and foot. It moves and climbs swiftly like the wind, and its cry is sharp like splitting bamboo.

They often live in groups, ranging from a few to dozens of individuals.

For a cultivator, dealing with three or five mountain demons is not much more difficult than dealing with a wild dog, but once their numbers increase...

Ants can kill an elephant.

If hundreds or thousands of them rush in, it will be a real problem.

What's even more troublesome is the way mandrills reproduce.

Mandrill populations mostly rely on plundering females from other creatures to reproduce.

It is said that only a very small number of female mandrills are born, and they are called "mountain girls".

These kinds of spirits are no different from ordinary people in terms of wisdom, and are born with some mystical abilities. They can command fierce tigers and their strength is enough to rival that of immortals who practice embryonic breathing.

In addition, the "Mountain Maiden" was also lustful, often abducting other powerful demonic beasts and even human cultivators to have sex with, and giving birth to offspring of various kinds—such as a humanoid giant monster that was nine feet tall, with a strong body and immense strength, named "Mountain Capital".

There are even precedents of dragons being abducted and having offspring.

Therefore, once a mountain girl is born, her mountain goblin clan will expand rapidly, and in severe cases, it may even threaten the mortal kingdoms under the rule of some minor immortal sects.

This is also why various immortal sects issue missions to eliminate mountain demons year after year.

However, this matter is too ethereal, and there has been no trace of the mountain girl for hundreds of years.

To everyone else, the mandrill was just like a yellow dog by the roadside; even an ordinary person could kick it.

She paused, her gaze sweeping across the group of rogue cultivators, her clear, cold eyes devoid of any extra emotion: "For this purge, the Spirit Sword Sect and the Three Peaks Taoist Temple will each send personnel, advancing simultaneously in several routes, aiming to wipe out all the dens within three days."

The atmosphere in the group of independent cultivators completely relaxed, and the tense atmosphere from before vanished.

Wu Liang even grabbed a wine flask, took a swig, smacked his lips, and handed it to a tall, thin rogue cultivator next to him, laughing and cursing, "With so many of us, what are we afraid of? The One-Legged Mountain Demon! I can complete this mission all by myself!"

Upon hearing Wu Liang's boast, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone's attention was diverted.

Chen Bai's gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Zhang Ruxue.

"This is the perfect opportunity..."

He lowered his body, circled halfway around the edge of the rogue cultivators' line, passed several demon-hunting rogue cultivators who were chatting idly, and walked to the end of the outer sect disciples' line.

Zhang Ruxue had just finished reading out the mission details and was about to put the jade slip back into her sleeve.

"Fairy Zhang"

Chen Bai stopped a few steps away and bowed with his hands clasped.

Zhang Ruxue glanced at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment before recognizing him.

She nodded slightly in return, her tone still cool and aloof: "Fellow Daoist Chen."

Chen Bai didn't exchange many pleasantries and directly took out an oil paper package from his pouch.

The paper package was only the size of a palm, wrapped tightly, and had two thin hemp ropes tied neatly at the knots.

He handed over the oiled paper package with both hands, lowering his voice to say, "This was given to you by Fairy Yueyi after the tea party."

Zhang Ruxue's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

She reached out and took the oil paper package, but didn't open it. She simply brought the package to her nose and sniffed it gently.

A very faint, sweet fragrance of osmanthus wafted through the oil paper.

The corners of her lips curved slightly.

That slight smile was like ripples on the water's surface when the ice first melts in spring, disappearing in an instant.

"The Osmanthus Cloud Cake from Suyuezhai," she said softly, as if talking to herself.

Chen Bai smiled and said, "Fairy, you have a good sense of smell. Fairy Yueyi said that she would like to invite you to Suyuezhai for tea and snacks another day."

Zhang Ruxue carefully tucked the oil paper package into her sleeve and glanced up at Chen Bai.

Her cool, clear eyes lingered on his face for a moment longer than usual, as if confirming something, before she nodded slightly and said softly, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Chen Bai heard a different meaning in those three words.

The response that day was merely perfunctory, but today it is genuine recognition.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"The Fairy of Music's arrangement was truly subtle and effective."

A packet of osmanthus cakes was not only a token of his affection for his best friend, but also a way for him to become more familiar with Zhang Ruxue.

This favor was done discreetly and subtly, yet perfectly timed.

He didn't linger any longer, cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang Ruxue, and quietly retreated back into the crowd.

Zhang Ruxue glanced at the sky.