The next day, Li Luo left the cave. Following Amber’s instructions, he donned short hunting clothes, smudged some ash on his face, cleared his throat, and strode into the fur merchant’s shop.
The bald shopkeeper, still lamenting the poor business this year, barely glanced at him. But as soon as Li Luo opened his bundle, the shopkeeper’s eyes lit up with such excitement that he nearly stopped breathing.
“Fox fur, eh? Not much demand for it this year,” the shopkeeper said, trying to mask his enthusiasm with a professional air.
“This is silver-tipped black fox!”
“Silver and white fox furs sell better these days. Yours has aged a bit. I’ll offer you ten taels—nowhere else will give you a better price.”
Li Luo didn’t reply, only began wrapping the bundle up again.
“Alright, alright. Hunting isn’t easy for you folks. I’ll add two more taels.”
“One hundred taels!” Li Luo raised his finely featured face and declared firmly.
The shopkeeper’s face darkened, then turned red as he gritted his teeth. After a tense pause, he stomped his foot and relented. “Fine! One hundred taels it is. You’re ruthless—stealing this and still daring to ask such a high price!”
“What makes you think I stole it?”
“With your little frame, you expect me to believe you hunted this yourself?” the shopkeeper scoffed. “I bought a similar pelt ten years ago—it’s obvious this one is its match.”
“This was a gift from my Uncle Mo when I turned nine! He gave it to me for my birthday, and now that he’s gone, don’t slander me!”
“Your Uncle Mo?” The shopkeeper paused, his curiosity piqued. “Where are you from, young man? This is good stock—if it’s true, I’d like to source more from your village.”
“Mo Family Village in Yang County, Pizhou. Our village is small, but we’re all excellent hunters. If you’re serious, I can draw you a map—it’s not an easy place to find,” Li Luo said, his excitement showing as he achieved his goal. His green eyes gleamed with a mesmerizing light, leaving the shopkeeper momentarily dazed.
Pizhou’s Mo Family Village was deep in Jun Yin Mountain. Although not far, the route was treacherous and winding, requiring a full day of climbing.
By the time Xuan Ye and the group reached the edge of the village, they could barely make out the pointed roofs of a few wooden houses.
Chi Xue, ever eager, ran to knock on the first door. Despite knocking for a while, the people inside didn’t open up. Instead, a voice called out, “Who are you?”
“I’m Chi Xue,” he replied bluntly. “Please open the door.”
“We’re cultivators,” Ban Xia interjected smoothly. “We’re here to ask about Mo Xie. Things don’t seem peaceful around here, and we mean no harm. Please open the door.”
After a long hesitation, the person inside finally said, “All the men are out hunting. It’s not convenient to host male guests. As for Mo Xie, you should ask Xiao Luo. His house is the third one to the north.”
Having waited for this moment, Li Luo quickly cleared his throat inside his house, feigning hesitation as he called, “Who’s there?”
Ban Xia repeated her explanation from earlier.
Still acting reluctant, Li Luo cracked the door open and sized them up before finally, slowly, opening it fully.
“You’re Mo Xie’s nephew?” Ban Xia asked, comparing him to the shopkeeper’s description and finding the details matched.
“Yes,” Li Luo nodded. “Mo Xie was my uncle.”
“All the men in the village are out hunting. Why are you home?”
“I’ve been sickly since I was a child. I’m the most useless man in the village,” Li Luo said with a sigh.
He had narrow eyes, a slender waist, a delicate, feminine face—but no chest and something extra between his legs.
Truth be told, Li Luo didn’t need to lie. He already felt like the most useless man—no, the most useless male marten who’d failed in his dream to become a woman.
“But my uncle was incredible. He once hunted a leopard alone, even took down a bear. It’s a shame he’s gone.” Remembering the purpose of their visit, he quickly added, “He’s dead now.”
“How did your uncle die?”
“I don’t know the details. They found his body in the woods, and his tongue was missing.”
“He hated foxes. Why?”
Li Luo fell silent, his expression troubled, as if unwilling or unable to speak.
“Has his ghost appeared in the village? If you don’t tell the truth, he’ll never find peace.”
“I only heard rumors…” Li Luo hesitated before continuing. “My uncle went hunting once and became infatuated with a woman. One day, that woman came to see my aunt. I don’t know what she said, but the next day, my aunt…”
“Took her own life?”
“My aunt was a solitary person, not one for much conversation. She often overthought things and got stuck in her own mind.”
“That woman—was she a marten spirit?”
“A marten spirit? How could she be? She was a fox spirit,” Li Luo said, his eyes wide with confusion. “My uncle and aunt loved each other deeply. After my aunt died, my uncle became erratic. One day, we saw him with a bow, chasing a woman outside the village. She couldn’t escape and was pierced through the heart with a sword. After her death, she revealed her true form—a gray fox!”
“The woman is dead?” Ban Xia asked, startled, then scoffed. “So, because she came and caused his wife’s death, he killed her?”
“My uncle and aunt grew up together. They were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love.”
“If they were so in love, why was he fooling around with another woman?” Ban Xia snapped.
Li Luo lowered his head, lips pressed tight, hesitating to explain.
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