Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Late at night, the duty room in the Evil Suppression Department was brightly lit.

Chu Bai cradled the white fox as he strode steadily through the main entrance.

Hu Hao and Feng Qin followed close behind, their faces filled with irrepressible excitement.

From their perspective, their captain had single-handedly captured the Spirit Fox in a bustling, complex district—a creature that had stumped even the Wuu Family. This was not only a display of strength but also a move that further solidified the Demon-slaying Team’s reputation.

"Captain, this fox is gorgeous—pure white without a single speck of color. No wonder the Wuu Family was willing to put up such a huge reward."

Feng Qin rubbed his hands together, chuckling as he watched the motionless Fox Spirit huddled in Chu Bai’s arms.

Chu Bai returned to the main seat and casually placed the white fox on the wide desk.

The Fox Spirit was exceedingly well-behaved. It neither tried to flee nor cry out, merely watching Chu Bai quietly with its large, dewy eyes.

"Thank you for your hard work, both of you."

Chu Bai looked up at Hu Hao and Feng Qin, intentionally omitting any mention of "Lord Locust." "The Fox Spirit was indeed borrowing the Vitality of the old locust tree in Dahuai Lane to conceal its presence. From now on, we can slightly reduce our patrol intensity in that bustling district."

Hu Hao was taken aback and asked, confused, "Captain, we may have caught the Fox Spirit, but that area is densely populated. What if some other evil entity were to sneak in..."

"My inspection today showed the area to be quite stable. It’s unlikely any new Demons will arise there."

Feng Qin and Hu Hao exchanged a glance. Though curious, their faith in Chu Bai’s judgment bordered on blind obedience.

They didn’t know that deep within Dahuai Lane, a Late-stage Qi Cultivation "Alley God" was already keeping watch day and night, its surveillance far more effective than the patrols of dozens of Evil Suppression Guards.

Withdrawing his men wasn’t just to reduce the unnecessary waste of resources; it was to give Lord Locust a relatively independent, undisturbed environment in which to grow, and to minimize the risk of his exposure.

Chu Bai watched them accept their orders and depart. The door closed softly, and silence once again settled over the room.

He was well aware that granting Lord Locust a divine title, this "private creation of a Divine Spirit," was a major taboo within the current system of the Great Zhou.

Although he had done it for the sake of peace, in the eyes of his superiors, it was tantamount to raising a private army and intercepting the flow of incense offerings.

Therefore, Lord Locust would be an ace up his sleeve, one he would not play lightly.

’The matter of the investiture shouldn’t be traceable back to me. However, if the higher-ups discover Lord Locust himself, it will be detrimental to him.’

’Besides, he needs to cultivate in tranquility. It’s enough to have him serve as my eyes and ears.’

As for this Fox Spirit before him...

Chu Bai reached out and gently stroked the soft base of the Fox Spirit’s ear with his fingertip.

"The Wuu Family wants you back, and I promised Wuu Shang I would spare your life. Now, it’s time we discussed what’s to become of you."

Upon hearing the words "Wuu Family," the white fox’s body visibly stiffened.

Although it had not yet undergone Transformation and could not speak human words, it had received so many benefits from Lord Locust that its intelligence was now comparable to that of a ten-year-old child.

It slowly rose to its feet, spun elegantly in a circle on the desk, and then gently pressed a forepaw onto Chu Bai’s Official Seal, letting out a soft WHIMPER.

Through his Magical Power, Chu Bai could feel a faint pulse of Divine Thought.

It conveyed fear, but also a stubborn defiance—a will to die rather than submit.

"You’re afraid of the Wuu Family’s Beast Taming Technique?"

Chu Bai saw through its thoughts at a glance.

The Fox Spirit nodded, its eyes even beginning to mist over.

As an enlightened creature, its greatest fear was not death, but the loss of its freedom—to be reduced to a mere plaything, devoid of all dignity, existing only to please a master.

"An Enlightened Spirit Monster is, of course, different from an ordinary Demon."

"But for all the world’s vastness, there are few places that can shelter you."

"The Wuu Family has extremely deep roots in Anping County, and my master, Daoist Zhang, has an old connection with Wuu Shang. On that account, I can’t just forcibly keep you here at the Evil Suppression Department."

Chu Bai patiently explained, "Besides, you are a Spirit Monster. Without official status, if you stay in the Department, you’ll sooner or later be discovered by the inspectors from headquarters. When that time comes, no one will be able to protect you."

A Spirit Monster, by its very nature, was not permitted to reside within the city for long.

That is, unless it possessed enough potential or a special bloodline to be recognized by the higher-ups and granted official status.

The Fox Spirit fell silent.

It lowered its head, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

After witnessing Chu Bai’s ability to guide Lord Locust and make a dead tree flourish again, it held an almost instinctual awe and trust for the young Demon Slaying Officer.

After a long moment, it looked up at Chu Bai, its Divine Thought transmitting once more: I will accept your arrangements, so long as I am not made a slave.

"Good." A flash of approval crossed Chu Bai’s eyes. "The Wuu Family is in the Spirit Pet business. They’re after two things: wealth and reputation."

"Since you are enlightened and thus no ordinary being, I can try to secure the status of Guest Minister for you."

Without delay, Chu Bai picked up his brush, spread a sheet of plain stationery on his desk, and swiftly penned a reply.

The letter’s tone was sharp and resolute: The Spirit Fox had been located, but it was already enlightened and possessed a fiery, unyielding spirit. It could not be coerced.

If the Wuu Family attempted to enslave it with a Secret Technique, it would only result in the fox’s death and their own financial loss. However, if the Wuu Family was willing to treat it with courtesy, sign a contract between equals, and provide resources to aid its cultivation, then the fox could serve the Wuu Family as a Guest Minister and estate guardian.

This letter was an olive branch for the Wuu Family, a way for them to save face, but it was also a path to survival that Chu Bai had secured for the Fox Spirit.

「The next morning, at the Wuu Family manor.」

Wuu Shang held the letter delivered from Chu Bai in his hands, walking into the rear courtyard with a complicated expression on his face.

There, the current Wuu Family Patriarch, Wuu Ping, was personally trimming an ancient Spirit Plant.

Wuu Ping was in his forties, and his Cultivation had just barely reached the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation.

His Cultivation, limited by the Receiving Talisman, wasn’t considered high. But in the merchant circles of Anping County, this same Wuu Ping was renowned for his meticulous attention to detail and his gentle methods.