Saionji Jōshō swiftly formed a hand seal, his ring and little fingers curled inward, while his thumbs, index, and middle fingers remained rigidly extended, the fingertips touching. He pressed his hands toward the ground, channeling his zhenyuan until a crimson cinnabar dot appeared on his forehead. This red dot projected a beam of red light, striking precisely at the center point framed by his fingers.
Instantly, a swirling white mist materialized where Saionji Jōshō’s hands framed the spot. Within this mist, the scene inside the room, showing Chris, Ling Yue, and the others talking, became vividly clear.
Saionji Jōshō let out a cold snort. With a shift in his mind, the white mist quickly morphed, displaying the interior of Li Yundong’s room instead.
Yet, Saionji Jōshō searched and searched, but he could not locate Li Yundong. Startled but unwilling to concede, he searched another room. He scrutinized nearly every room in the building, but Li Yundong’s figure remained elusive.
Saionji Jōshō was immediately aghast. He froze, exchanging a bewildered look with the man standing next to him, and sputtered, “Higashiki-kun, what—what are we going to do? Where has Li Yundong gone?”
Higashiki was equally dumbfounded. “Jōshō-kun, weren’t we watching the entrance? We never saw him leave! Could he possibly know an invisibility spell?”
Saionji Jōshō grew somewhat irritated. “Living in the middle of a bustling city, why would he resort to such underhanded sorcery?”
Higashiki’s face was etched with panic. “Jōshō-kun, if we fail the mission, what then? If Lady Tachibana Masako holds us accountable… that…”
Saionji Jōshō’s expression shifted rapidly between dark and bright. He clenched his jaw tightly. Then, Higashiki tentatively offered, “Jōshō-kun, perhaps… we could kidnap one of Li Yundong’s subordinates and then force Li Yundong to come with us?”
Saionji Jōshō immediately whipped his head around and barked, “Idiot! What kind of ridiculous idea is that? Didn’t you see how formidable that woman looked earlier? While I am confident I could defeat her, and confident I could slip the challenge letter into their house without anyone noticing, I am not confident I could spirit away a living person right under her nose! If conflict erupts and the local government gets involved, how would you handle the fallout?”
Among the monks of Shingon Buddhism, there were sixteen ranks, the Daisōjō being the highest, possessing profoundly terrifying divine power and Buddhist techniques. Saionji Jōshō, despite his youth, had attained the twelfth rank, Shōsōjō, which granted him the special privilege of wearing a purple-gold kasaya. His status and strength far surpassed Higashiki, who held the ninth rank of Gondai Sōzu. With one sharp reprimand, Higashiki’s face instantly flushed crimson, and he dared not argue further, quickly apologizing repeatedly.
After his outburst, Saionji Jōshō’s eyes flickered as he unwillingly pondered countermeasures, but the sound emanating from the frame his fingers created suddenly seized his attention.
After the members of the Fox Zen Gate and Chris entered the room, Ling Yue looked at Chris with curiosity and asked, “Did the Sect Master take you as a disciple?”
Chris shook her head. “Only an apprentice in name.”
Although Ling Yue, like Su Chan, felt Li Yundong shouldn't have taken a foreign student, she couldn’t easily question his judgment, so she suppressed her doubts.
Chris was still preoccupied with the two Japanese people outside the door and asked, “Why are those two Japanese men guarding the entrance?”
Ling Yue pursed her lips. “The Sect Master made their shrine maiden, Tachibana Chiko, cry at the Lotus Gathering. By hitting the younger one, he stirred up the elder one. Chiko’s mother wasn’t pleased and sent a challenge letter, wanting a one-on-one fight with the Sect Master. But the Sect Master is in seclusion; how could he meet her? Let alone go to Japan with her.”
Chris asked curiously, “Seclusion?” Ever since witnessing the various miraculous events surrounding Li Yundong last time, she had gradually developed a deep interest in these esoteric Eastern arts. Upon returning home, she had pored over related texts and understood the meaning of bìguān (seclusion/retreat).
Chris cast an even more curious gaze around the room and exclaimed, “He’s in seclusion here? Are you joking? Shouldn’t seclusion require a quiet place, undisturbed by anyone?”
Ling Yue gave Chris a rather surprised look, thinking: It’s one thing that this foreigner speaks Chinese quite well, but she even understands the concept of bìguān?
Amidst her surprise, Ling Yue couldn't help but laugh. “Of course, he can’t be in seclusion here! This place is in the secular world, noisy and bustling—how could it be suitable for retreat?”
Chris asked, puzzled, “Then where did Li Yundong go? I heard those two Japanese men say they never saw him leave?”
Ling Yue burst into laughter. “Where he went, I cannot say; that’s a secret. If people knew where he was secluded, they might disturb him, which would be disastrous. Besides, those two Japanese men are incredibly dense; they only know to guard the front door. They don’t know that we almost never use the front door!”
Chris’s mouth dropped open. She asked in astonishment, “You don’t use the front door? Then where do you go?”
Ling Yue pointed to the balcony and laughed, “Don’t you know we Chinese people love using the back door?” This statement was playfully double-edged, witty, and humorous, causing the members of the Fox Zen Gate to erupt in laughter.
Chris, however, found nothing amusing. She walked to the balcony with a strange look, glancing left and right, secretly shaking her head.
At that moment, the little fox, having returned to the sofa, shouted loudly to Ling Yue, “Hey, Senior Sister Ling Yue, you’re blocking my view of the TV! Hurry up and move!”
Ling Yue and the little foxes had been watching TV until the relentless harassment from Saionji Jōshō made them abandon it. Upon being reminded by their junior sister, Ling Yue immediately settled back down excitedly, repeatedly asking, “Where did it get to? Hey, why is it the news? Who changed the channel? I don’t want to watch the news! Change it back, change it back!”
Just as the little foxes were about to change the channel, they heard Chris suddenly cry out in alarm, “Don’t change it, don’t change it! Look, look! What is this?”
The little foxes first looked at Chris curiously, only to see her excitedly rush toward the television set, pointing and shouting loudly at the screen.
Chris’s unusual reaction drew everyone’s attention, even the usually aloof Ao Wushuang turned to look at her. But the moment Ao Wushuang looked, she trembled violently, her eyes widening as she stared.
On the television screen where Chris was pointing, a reporter was interviewing a man dressed as a villager. This man was holding a three-legged tripod cauldron made of purple-gold metal, which was shrouded in a white mist. It was clearly no ordinary object—what else could it be but the Medicine King Cauldron (Yàowáng Dǐng)?
Even Ao Wushuang, accustomed to great storms, exclaimed involuntarily, “The Medicine King Cauldron?”
Upon hearing the words Medicine King Cauldron, everyone in the Fox Zen Gate shuddered. Cao Yi and Liu Yuehong stared wide-eyed at the television. The little foxes were even more stunned into silence, stammering, “No way, the Medicine King Cauldron, the supreme artifact for alchemy, is on the news?! What the heck is going on? How could such an important artifact be picked up by this guy?”
After the battle on Tiandu Peak, Chris had a deep impression of the Earth Spirit Elixir and the Medicine King Cauldron. In her eyes, it was precisely these two mysterious Eastern treasures that had provoked a terrifying slaughter, completely changing her destiny.
Ling Yue stared wide-eyed at the Medicine King Cauldron and exclaimed, “Is this the legendary artifact of the Medicine King Sun Simiao? So this is what it looks like?”
The little foxes also crowded around the television, desperate to press their eyeballs against the screen, scrutinizing the legendary artifact from every angle. They gasped in admiration, saying, “Wow, the Medicine King Cauldron is so beautiful!”
“Yes, isn’t he afraid of attracting trouble carrying the Medicine King Cauldron like that?”
“Tsk, you’re so stupid. Didn’t you see he even brought reporters? Now that it’s exposed, everyone in the world knows he has the Medicine King Cauldron. Even cultivators who might target him will have to think twice.”
“That’s true, Senior Sister, you’re so smart!”
As the little foxes chattered, the news footage cut back to an elderly expert. This silver-haired expert seriously offered his opinions and insights regarding the artifact the villager had found.
Ao Wushuang frowned upon hearing the expert vaguely deduce the origins of the antique, murmuring, “Such a grand display… what are they trying to achieve?”
As she pondered suspiciously, the scene quickly shifted back to the anchor, who announced, “A villager from Huangshan Scenic Area in Huangshan City, Anhui Province, named Quan Jincheng, claims this treasure is an heirloom. On the first day, someone offered him three million yuan to buy it, but Quan Jincheng refused. Now, the villager has announced he intends to auction the treasure; whoever bids highest will acquire it…”
Upon hearing this, the room erupted!
Ling Yue gasped, “What? This person is going to auction the Medicine King Cauldron? That’s utterly reckless! How much money would it take to buy that?”
Cao Yi stomped her foot repeatedly, saying, “Damn it, the Sect Master is in seclusion, and we have no way to inform him of this news. What should we do?”
At this point, almost everyone turned their gaze toward Ao Wushuang, viewing her as their pillar of strength.
Ao Wushuang pondered for a moment, then said gravely, “Don’t panic. An artifact of this caliber certainly won’t be auctioned off immediately. Even appraisals and preparations will take time. Hopefully, the Sect Master will emerge from seclusion by then!”
Ling Yue, however, looked distressed. “Oh dear, even if the Sect Master comes out of seclusion, it won’t solve things! We lack nothing right now except money! Where are we supposed to raise the funds to bid? Should we sell the Earth Third Immortal Shop?”
The other little foxes immediately shook their heads like rattles: “No, no, if we sell that, we’ll have no spending money left!”
Cao Yi also shook her head. “The shop won’t sell for much anyway. That Medicine King Cauldron will surely fetch a terrifying sky-high price. I’m afraid… it’s beyond our means!”
Chris, listening intently from the side, suddenly spoke tentatively, “If you’re short on money… I think I have a little.”
“You?” Everyone’s gaze shifted collectively to Chris.
Chris hesitated for a moment, but then quickly bit her lip and nodded firmly, “Yes, I have a few million!”
The crowd gasped audibly: Millions! That wasn't a small sum! Did the Sect Master pick up a little rich girl as a disciple after all?
Ao Wushuang shook her head. “A few million isn’t even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth! If an artifact like the Medicine King Cauldron could be bought for a mere few million, then you truly underestimate the cultivators of our Huaxia. Not to mention the Righteous Unity Sect, the Quanzhen Dragon Gate, the Outer Alchemy Sect, and even seemingly inconspicuous sects like Jinshan—their financial power is beyond our imagination!”
Chris said with difficulty, “But that’s all I have. What should we do?”
Ao Wushuang thought it over and said, “While the Sect Master is still in seclusion, let’s try to raise what money we can. I will also think of ways. We can only take it one step at a time, doing our utmost and leaving the rest to fate.”
At this moment, outside the door, Saionji Jōshō heard these exchanges. He shot up instantly, and Higashiki beside him also stood, saying angrily, “Damn it, we guard the front, and Li Yundong slips away through the back! Is he a rat?”
Saionji Jōshō’s gaze flickered; he didn't answer. After a long pause, he suddenly turned his head back to Higashiki and said, “Higashiki-kun, immediately report to Lady Tachibana Masako. Tell her that the supreme artifact for alchemy from the Huaxia cultivation world, the Medicine King Cauldron, has appeared! She will surely be interested when she hears this! With the wealth of our Shingon sect, if we participate in the auction, success will be inevitable! By then, whether we seize the artifact for ourselves or use it to lure Li Yundong to Koyasan, he won’t be able to evade us any longer!”
Higashiki rejoiced upon hearing this. “Jōshō-kun, this plan is excellent! Killing two birds with one stone! Truly worthy of being the youngest and most promising Shōsōjō!”
Saionji Jōshō let out a cold snort. “Let’s go. I’d like to see Li Yundong’s expression when he realizes the supreme artifact of his Huaxia cultivation world has fallen into our hands!”
With that, he sneered repeatedly and strode away.
But at that very moment, thousands of miles away from Tiannan City, on Mount Tianlong in Dongwu City, Li Yundong, Su Chan, Ziyuan, and Zhou Qin had just entered the deepest stage of meditative seclusion.
Supplementary to yesterday’s second update A