Chapter 102 The Fox

Sitting down and staring at the group of merchants, Deming was hungry and thirsty, but he dared not ignore the merchants. He knew very well in his heart that if he continued to follow them, they would take him back to Cloud City, or rather, they would lead him in a direction that he was familiar with.

Lu Min looked at Deming and threw the half-eaten chicken leg to Deming. Then she threw a steamed bun to Deming.

The servant said, "Little Master, why do you keep feeding that fox?"

Lu Min said, "He is very cute, and I feel sorry for him."

Master Lu said, "Xiao Li, let her be." He gently rubbed the girl's head. "My Xiaomin, keep doing good deeds. What you do today will make up for you in the future."

One of the merchants asked, "Master Lu, that little fox is very beautiful, how much do you think the fur will cost?"

Master Lu said, "Indeed the little fox is really beautiful, but sometimes beauty can deceive people's eyes."

The merchant said, "What do you mean?"

Master Lu said, "Look at its hair, the tips are like crystals. A normal fox doesn't have sharp hairs, like crystals." He approached the merchant. "I think it's a fox fairy."

The merchant's eyes widened, startled, and said in a low voice, "Fox fairy? What are we going to do?"

Master Lu said, "Send the word, don't touch the fox, the fox sometimes gets lost, waiting for his group. If we do something to it, its mother will find out, guess what will happen to us, eh?" He glanced at Deming, then turned to the merchant. "Leave it alone."

The merchant walked over quickly and began to pass the information on to the others. When the merchants learned of Deming's prophecy, they distanced themselves.

A carriage suddenly stopped in front of the roadside tavern. Deming saw a familiar, flattered hem float in front of him. A male voice asked for twenty buns and a bag of tea.

As soon as Deming looked up, he saw the reddish robe floating in the air. Deming rushed forward and shouted, "Brother...Brother..." He rushed to the man in the white and red robe. "Brother...take me back to Cloud City with you." He felt happy going around the man's feet.

The young man looked down quickly and saw a white fox barking at him. He kicked the fox away. "Stay away from me," he said angrily.

Deming quickly jumped into the carriage, and as soon as he got in, he could smell the smell of rotting human flesh. He lifted the straw mat up a little with his mouth, and when he saw Dong Enlai's pale left hand, his heart suddenly stopped.

Deming thought "how do I get back into this body". He tried many times, but his soul would not leave the fox's body.

One Guozhao hunter said, "Senior, that dog grab student Dong's hand." He raised the cloth door. He frowned angrily. "Stupid dog." He stretched out his arms to grab Deming, but he was powerless. He quickly drew a spell in the air and sent it directly to Deming.

Deming stepped back slowly, snatched the bracelet from Dong Enlai's left hand, and a powerful force pushed him to the ground from the carriage. He hurriedly got up and chased after the carriage, but his injured body had to give up due to the broken leg and the injury of the junior's spell. He limped slowly by the roadside waiting for the merchants.

After waiting for a while, the merchants began to walk by. As soon as Lu Min saw Deming, she pointed at Deming and said, "Look...Look, grandpa, the white fox is still waiting for us."

Master Lu smiled at Lu Min and said, "Leave him alone."

Lu Min broke free from Master Lu and looked down at Deming. She saw Deming with a bracelet in his mouth. Lu Min smiled and asked, "Is this yours?"

Deming said, "Yes, it's mine."

Lu Min said, "I'll put it on your leg." She reached out to take the bracelet from Deming's mouth and reached for the fox's right leg, but Deming reached out his left hand to Lu Min. Lu Min smiled. "Oh, you want it on this leg." She fastened the bracelet. She patted Deming on the head lightly. "I won't hurt you." She reached out and hugged Deming. With Deming in her arms, Lu Min slowly walked back to the merchants.

The servant ran to Lu Min's side, "Master...Master...Let go of that fox."

Lu Min said, "He won't bite."

Master Lu sighed, "Xiao Min, put down the fox."

Lu Min said sadly, "Grandfather, look at him, he is injured. If we leave him, he will die from his injuries." She pleaded. "Grandfather, please let me care for him until he is better..."

Master Lu sighed, "Until he is better, only."

When the group of Merchants came to an intersection, the large group of merchants partway with Master Lu's group.

Merchants, "Master Lu, we will partway here."

Master Lu and two other merchants cupped their hands and said, "Have a safe journey."

Other merchants also bowed their hands, "Safe journey."

The larger group of the merchants walked to the left. Master Lu, the two other merchants and their twenty young men continued to walk in the direction of River Village.

Deming rode on the back seat of the carriage beside Lu Min, watching the sunset, merchants of all ages chatting. He heard the merchants talk about River Village, and he knew that starting from River Village, it would take a day's walk to reach Cloud City. He was both excited and worried.

A merchant said, "Tonight we have to find a place to sleep and leave early tomorrow so that we can reach River Village before Sunset."

Master Lu said, "We have already booked room for us in River Village."

One of the merchants said, "We will be sleeping at the temple."

Master Lu said, "If you don't mind being squeezed into the room we booked, we can stay at the inn together."

The merchant said, "If master Lu doesn't mind."

Master Lu smiled and said, "Why would I mind?"

The merchant smiled and said, "We usually rest in the cave in front of us. Let's rest there for the night."

When the team of twenty-two people approached the small cave, they saw that four people were already sitting and eating. The four looked at the group of merchants strangely.

A man asked, "Where are you going?"

Master Lu said, "Cloud City."

Bandit Sū asked again, "What kind of goods are you selling?"

Master Lu said, "Thread and fabric."

Bandit Sū licked his lips and looked at the other two merchants; he asked, "How about you two?"

One of the Merchants said, "Pottery."

Master Lu pulled Lu Min behind him and said in a low voice, "Quiet." Lu Min held Deming with her left arm and tightly grasped Master Lu's belt with her right hand.

Bandit Sū suddenly blew a whistle, and ten people rushed up and surrounded the group of merchants. Bandit Sū walked slowly towards the merchants and said, "Surrender or die if you are trying to flee."

Master Lu said, "Take it, don't hurt us."

Bandit Sū smiled at Master Lu. He frowned, "It's a pity that there are no women in this group." He stared at Lu Min. "Go and see what we got?" He turned to the merchants. He hit Master Lu hard in the stomach, knocking Master Lu to the ground with one punch. Bandit Sū grabbed Lu Min's right shoulder and pulled her away from Master Lu.

When being dragged away, Lu Min called out, "Grandfather..."

Bandit Sū smiled and said, "Little girl, it's not bad to be my bride..."

Two bandits hurriedly knelt Master Lu down to the ground, and the other two bandits started to beat the servants and the two merchants.

Deming rushed forward and bit Bandit Sū's left arm. Bandit Sū grabbed the back of Deming's neck with his right hand and threw Deming to the ground. Seeing that his left arm was bleeding from the bite mark, he kicked Deming angrily, causing Deming to stumble a few yards away, as blood continue dripping from his left arm.

Bandit Sū drew his sword, "You little bitch..." He slowly walked towards Deming.

Deming knew he could no longer fight the bandits. He lay on the ground accepting his fate, band the bracelet suddenly lit up, but it caught his attention. He is no longer human, and he will not be able to cast spells. He desperately needs help. He put his right palm on the bracelet and closed his eyes. He made his heart recite the mantra: 'The enchanted forest between the living and dead. I pray to you to open the gates of heaven and hell and allow those whom I call to pass through'. A bright white circle quickly formed around Deming.

The bandits and the merchants looked at the dying fox and were startled.

Bandit Sū, "What the hell is going on...?"

The surrounding merchants begged, "Fox fairy...help us... fox fairy...please save us."

Deming closed his eyes and whispered in his heart, "Zhiqiang...Zhiqiang...Zhiqiang