Married the Second Generation Fox Demon with a Baby in a Flash Marriage - Chapter 39

Hu Mengmeng gradually released the spiritual energy sealed within her body. Following the cultivation method taught by Ye Xinyu, after one complete cycle, the spiritual energy was purified and the impurities were separated.

Hu Mengmeng did not release these impurities; Ye Xinyu was still beside her, and Su Mingli and the others were inside the villa. If they were released and even a small amount was absorbed by them, the impact would be significant.

Using her bloodline sealing technique, Hu Mengmeng channeled these impurities into a new sealing formation she had reconstructed in her Dantian. Perhaps they could be released later; once extracted and compressed, these impurities were highly concentrated—comparable to poison—and could potentially serve a great purpose.

“Xinyu, dinner is ready. What is Mengmeng doing? Why hasn’t she come out?” While Hu Mengmeng was cultivating, Su Mingli went upstairs to call the two for dinner.

“She is cultivating. Don’t disturb her for now,” Ye Xinyu said.

“This child, what is she cultivating so late at night?” Su Mingli murmured, but she didn’t call for Hu Mengmeng again and asked Ye Xinyu to come down for dinner.

Su Mingli went out of her way to cook Ye Xinyu’s favorite dishes. Although the ingredients weren’t spiritual plants or demon beasts containing spiritual energy, they were light, appetizing, visually appealing, and delicious.

By the time they finished dinner, Hu Mengmeng had still not finished her cultivation. Su Mingli had no choice but to clear the table and leave some food for her.

“Xinyu, if Mengmeng is always cultivating, it’s too dangerous to have no one watching the perimeter. I should call a few more people over,” Huo Zhilan said to Ye Xinyu.

“Auntie Lan, there’s no need. Any one of those two-headed phantom hounds from today could instantly kill our men. If they really come, it would just be sending them to their deaths. After buying the house, I set up a formation around it. If demons truly come to attack, it can hold them off for a while,” Ye Xinyu told Huo Zhilan.

“That’s good then. I’m just afraid those people are so depraved that they’ll send more demons,” Huo Zhilan said.

“They get stronger every time. If there’s a next time, they will definitely be stronger than this. Mengmeng needs to make good progress,” Ye Xinyu said with a trace of worry on her face.

As night fell, everyone went to sleep. Ye Xinyu sat on the sofa in the room where Hu Mengmeng was cultivating and cultivated herself instead of sleeping.

Hu Mengmeng focused on the conversion. She didn’t know how much time had passed before she finally purified all the spiritual energy in her body.

Hu Mengmeng had switched to her human form to cultivate, releasing spiritual energy bit by bit to transform it into pure energy. After running it through her body once to wash her meridians and storing most of it in her Dantian, she felt comfortable all over.

It was just like when she first transformed into a fox spirit; in her human form, everything around her became clearer, and her mind felt much sharper.

“Go take a shower, quick!” Ye Xinyu fanned the air with her hand and looked at Hu Mengmeng, who had just opened her eyes.

“Ah!” Only then did Hu Mengmeng realize there was a layer of gray grime on her body—oily and very smelly.

“I’ll go wash right away!” Hu Mengmeng said hurriedly.

Ye Xinyu was familiar with this phenomenon. When Hu Mengmeng was in her human form before, most of her spiritual energy was used to suppress her fox spirit bloodline, so her human state was very weak. Now that the spiritual energy had washed through her human body, it was equivalent to raising her human cultivation level. Many impurities had been expelled from her body, resulting in this dark, oily grime appearing on her skin.

Hu Mengmeng scrubbed herself three times in the bathroom before the smell on her body disappeared.

Her skin was noticeably smoother than before. After expelling the filth from her body, she felt much more refreshed.

Looking in the bathroom mirror, Hu Mengmeng felt that both her human and demon forms were exceptionally beautiful; she couldn’t help but touch herself a few times.

Thinking that Ye Xinyu was currently very sensitive to smells—she couldn’t stand the smell of gasoline or blood, even a slightly heavy oily smell from food was unbearable, and the fishy or gamy smell of mutton had to be completely removed—Hu Mengmeng washed one more time just to be safe before finishing her bath.

With the new cultivation method, the problems Hu Mengmeng faced before were basically solved. She could switch freely between her human and demon forms, and her strength and mental power would not be spread too thin.

The biggest problem now was that large fox combat state. Thinking back on it now, she felt a bit of lingering fear.

Transforming into that state was indeed powerful, but it was also extremely exhausting. Even now, Hu Mengmeng felt her muscles were somewhat sore.

Moreover, that state was too brutal, as if she were an emotionless killing machine with a cold heart. Just thinking about that chilling sensation made her shiver.

After washing clean, Hu Mengmeng indulged in a bit of vanity in front of the mirror, but joy turned to sorrow. When she wanted to leave, she suddenly realized she had come in too quickly and forgotten to bring a change of clothes—and she was showering in the bathroom of Ye Xinyu’s room!

She certainly couldn’t wear her dirty clothes, but she couldn’t go out naked either!

If Ye Xinyu saw her outside, she would despise her for being so careless.

Hu Mengmeng thought for a moment, opened a crack in the bathroom door, checked the outside, transformed into her chubby little fox state, opened the door, and walked out on her short legs.

In the outer room, Ye Xinyu had swapped the sofa cushion Hu Mengmeng had sat on for a new one, turned on the ventilation fan, and sprayed perfume. Once the surroundings felt much better, she sat on the sofa feeling a bit drowsy, waiting for Hu Mengmeng to come out of the bath.

“The food is warming in the rice cooker. That’s enough for today,” Ye Xinyu said, hearing the sound of the door opening. She looked up and froze.

Hu Mengmeng had turned back into a little fox, but she was actually walking upright. Her short legs stood on the ground, her fur touched the floor, her front limbs dangled, and her multiple tails appeared particularly dense because her body was smaller, fanning out behind her like a fan.

“Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t bring clothes. I’ll go back to my room first,” Hu Mengmeng said, pressing her two front paws together. Her tender voice combined with her naive and clumsy appearance was extremely cute.

Hu Mengmeng spoke coyly and waddled away on her short legs, her tails swaying behind her, adorable without even realizing it.

Ye Xinyu felt as if her breathing had stopped.

This little fox was conducting a “naked” seduction!

Ye Xinyu’s slender fingers spread then curled; finally, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Her whole body felt incredibly restless. She turned her face away, not wanting to look, yet she couldn’t bear not to. Watching Hu Mengmeng leave, she saw the fox turn back with round, wide eyes looking at her, seemingly embarrassed, as a small paw pad reached out to close the door.

Even seeing Hu Mengmeng without clothes, Ye Xinyu was only slightly embarrassed, but seeing Hu Mengmeng’s fluffy appearance was something she truly couldn’t resist.

Yet, because of previous events, she was currently giving Hu Mengmeng the “cold shoulder” to make her reflect. She acted distant and cold toward Hu Mengmeng everywhere and didn’t want to suddenly change and lose her stance.

Ye Xinyu clutched her chest, her face flushed, and her dark eyes held a rare look of resentment.

Hu Mengmeng had no idea that her “Sister Ye,” whom she was so desperate to be close to, currently wished she could pull her into her arms and pet her until she went bald. She happily trotted back to her own room, transformed back into human form, rinsed off again, put on pajamas, and, feeling her stomach empty, went to the kitchen to forage. After eating the food Su Mingli had left for her, she went back to brush her teeth and wash her face before falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Hu Mengmeng was woken up early by Su Mingli.

“I still have to go set up my stall; every bit of money counts. Look at Xinyu, she’s used to living in such a big house. If we buy a house, we have to buy a bigger one. You’re responsible for cooking this morning. Be a bit nicer to Xinyu; her appetite is still not great. For someone so tall, she eats even less than I do.” Su Mingli lectured her, giving instructions.

Hu Mengmeng was half-asleep and muttered a couple of “okays.” As Su Mingli turned to leave, Hu Mengmeng heard footsteps again. Thinking Su Mingli had returned, she looked up to see Ye Xinyu coming over, still in her pajamas with her hair down, looking very soft.

“Sister, you’re up. Are you hungry?” Hu Mengmeng felt happy seeing Ye Xinyu.

“For the next few days, it’s best if Auntie stays here. If you need to buy groceries, send someone or you and I will go. I’m being watched, and I’m afraid Auntie will be targeted if she goes out. This villa is protected by a formation and is safe for now. I will also stay here and won’t go out unless necessary. Once we find the person behind this and clear them out, it will be safe,” Ye Xinyu said.

“I understand. Did you find anything?” Hu Mengmeng woke up instantly. Hearing what Ye Xinyu said, she understood; Ye Xinyu was indeed very thoughtful.

The several demon attacks weren’t accidental. Each demon was fierce. If they really wanted to capture Su Mingli, it would be effortless. She didn’t know if the person behind it would be satisfied, so she had to take precautions.

“I have a few guesses. The specifics are still being investigated, but it should be confirmed within the next two days. Auntie will have to suffer a bit of inconvenience,” Ye Xinyu said.

“It’s fine. I’ll talk to my mom about it,” Hu Mengmeng said.

“By the way, didn’t you check your phone? Auntie Lan transferred the money to you. It’s the payment for the rodent rabbits; after deducting some fees, it’s 200,000. Additionally, there were four phantom hounds yesterday; each can be worth over 100,000. The specific price will be settled with you once they are sold. You don’t need to think about buying a house; I’m used to living here and don’t want to move casually.” Ye Xinyu turned around and said one last thing before walking away.

Hu Mengmeng knew Ye Xinyu must have heard what Su Mingli said.

Ye Xinyu naturally didn’t care about the house or money, but she and Su Mingli couldn’t live in Ye Xinyu’s house forever.

Hu Mengmeng had been busy cultivating yesterday. She took out her phone and checked; sure enough, there was a deposit message.

Going from four digits to six digits, Hu Mengmeng felt it was quite surreal.

Before she could count the zeros again, she heard the door opening and closing downstairs. Knowing Su Mingli had rushed out, she immediately ran downstairs to chase her.

“Mom, wait,” Hu Mengmeng caught up to Su Mingli, who had reached the outer garden.

“What is it?” Su Mingli asked.

“Mom, don’t go to the stall for now. I found a way to earn money. Sister Ye’s appetite hasn’t been good these past few days and Tao Tao is here too, so you just stay home and cook. I’ll handle the money-making,” Hu Mengmeng said. Looking at the wrinkles on Su Mingli’s face—which she hadn’t noticed before, but perhaps because her spiritual energy had converted today, she saw them very clearly—Su Mingli looked much older compared to Huo Zhilan, who was about the same age.

It was time for her to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family and stop letting Su Mingli work so hard.

“What kind of job could you find to make money? Don’t get scammed!” Su Mingli was curious.

“Mom, I can control my fox spirit bloodline now; I can do many things. Do you remember those rodent rabbits from last time? I caught them. That one rabbit is worth 100,000, and the smaller ones are 50,000. I killed five small ones and one large one. Aside from keeping the large one to eat, the small ones were all sold. After deducting fees, I have 200,000 in my card now. Also, we ran into several dog demons on the road yesterday and I killed them—four of them, all in the 100,000 range. When that hits the account, it will be at least another 300,000. I’ll transfer the money to you,” Hu Mengmeng said, showing Su Mingli the deposit information on her phone.

Su Mingli’s eyes widened. She looked at Hu Mengmeng’s phone and counted the digits—it really was over 200,000!

“Isn’t that what you call a Demon Catcher?!” Su Mingli said.

“I’m not a formal Demon Catcher yet. A Demon Catcher certificate requires an exam. I’ll work hard to take it later. Those I killed were those who deserved it. Don’t worry, I won’t act recklessly. I remember what happened to Fox Mama. I also want to find traces of Fox Mama by becoming a Demon Catcher,” Hu Mengmeng told Su Mingli.

“That’s too dangerous. If Demon Catchers find out your identity, will they lock you up too?” Su Mingli said. Looking at Hu Mengmeng, Su Mingli felt as if she had grown up overnight; her words sounded like an adult’s.

“Mom, I’m hiding very well now; I won’t be discovered. Also, I’ve looked into it—demons can obtain legal status in the human world. As long as they don’t do bad things, they won’t be caught,” Hu Mengmeng said.

“Your Fox Mama didn’t do anything bad. She was busy raising you with me; what bad things could she have done?” Su Mingli said disapprovingly.

“Mom, I know you have some resentment toward Demon Catchers, but there are good and bad Demon Catchers, just like there are good and bad demons. At least believe in me; if I become a Demon Catcher, I’ll definitely be a good one. You just stay and cook. You cook, and I’ll go cultivate. What do you think?” Hu Mengmeng said.

“Do you just want me to stay and cook so you don’t have to? Fine, I’ll go cook first. You watch out for your safety. If you get yourself hurt, it would have been safer for me to sell snacks at the stall.” Su Mingli looked at Hu Mengmeng, paused, then poked Hu Mengmeng’s forehead.

“You caught me! Okay, I just don’t want to cook. My cooking isn’t good. You weren’t here the day before yesterday so you didn’t know—Sister Ye threw up the food I made, and afterward she couldn’t eat anything.” Hu Mengmeng put her arms around Su Mingli’s shoulders as she spoke, getting a playful swat on her back from Su Mingli.

“Mom, I don’t know if demons seek revenge or anything. You should stay here for the next couple of days. If anything needs to be done, I’ll go out. After some time, once I’m familiar with the rules for Demon Catchers, you can go out again. I’m just afraid you’ll be targeted by some demon if you go out; demon noses are very sharp,” Hu Mengmeng said as she and Su Mingli walked back.

Su Mingli didn’t understand much, but if Hu Mengmeng became a Demon Catcher, she would surely offend some demons. She had no special skills, so it was better not to cause trouble or hold Hu Mengmeng back.

After a few more words, they arrived at the house and Su Mingli went to cook.

Ye Xinyu watched them from upstairs. Naturally, she heard everything they said. The way Hu Mengmeng and Su Mingli interacted made Ye Xinyu a bit envious.

While Su Mingli went to make breakfast, Hu Mengmeng washed up and remembered she hadn’t given Ye Xinyu a single bite of the Crystal Honey Peaches she bought. If they weren’t eaten soon, they wouldn’t be fresh.

After Su Mingli started cooking, Ye Xinyu had been eating a bit more, but it still looked like very little. She figured she should try some spiritual fruit to see if it helped her appetite. Now that Hu Mengmeng’s spiritual energy was pure, there shouldn’t be any situation that would make Ye Xinyu uncomfortable, right?

The spiritual energy in the juice she made before had mostly dissipated, so Hu Mengmeng drank it herself. She took out another spiritual fruit from the jade box, sliced it into pieces, placed them on a plate, and went upstairs to knock on Ye Xinyu’s door.

“Something the matter?” Ye Xinyu said. She had just been thinking of her mother and felt a bit down; the little thing in her belly seemed to sense it and was acting up.

“Sister, you haven’t eaten the spiritual fruit I bought yet. My spiritual energy is purified now; I can help you digest it. You can also try to see if you can sense my method. For the sake of the little one, try some, okay?” Hu Mengmeng said to Ye Xinyu.

This time, Ye Xinyu wasn’t as awkward as before. Looking at the crystal-clear fruit flesh on the plate, her slightly dry throat tightened, and she took a fruit fork to put a piece in her mouth.

It was cool, succulent, and had a sweet-and-sour taste, similar to the one she had eaten once before. Only this time, with just one bite, her body felt joyful. The little thing in her belly seemed to become active too—an excited leap, not a painful stir.

“How is it?” Hu Mengmeng watched Ye Xinyu eat with anticipation.

“It’s fine. You can leave it on the table,” Ye Xinyu said.

Hu Mengmeng went in and placed the plate on the table in Ye Xinyu’s room. Ye Xinyu ate the rest of the peaches. She ate silently and slowly, her mouth barely moving. If she hadn’t seen her put the peaches in, Hu Mengmeng wouldn’t have believed she was eating.

She was refined and gentle. And very cute. Hu Mengmeng felt very satisfied just watching Ye Xinyu eat. After a while, Ye Xinyu finished.

“Sister, can I help you now? If you feel uncomfortable, tell me immediately,” Hu Mengmeng said. Unlike the previous times, Hu Mengmeng felt a bit uneasy this time. She was afraid Ye Xinyu would despise her, afraid she would make Ye Xinyu uncomfortable again, afraid it wouldn’t work…

“Okay.” Ye Xinyu nodded, moved to the side, leaned against the back of the chair, and closed her eyes.

Hu Mengmeng sat on the sofa opposite Ye Xinyu. This method required contact. When Hu Mengmeng’s hand touched Ye Xinyu, Ye Xinyu’s body stiffened for a moment.

Hu Mengmeng didn’t know if this happened before, but seeing Ye Xinyu motionless now, she felt that Ye Xinyu was also nervous. Her movements unconsciously became much gentler, and the output of spiritual energy was like a spring breeze and rain.

Although Hu Mengmeng had filtered the spiritual impurities from her body, Ye Xinyu was pregnant; her body was sensitive on one hand, and the little thing in her belly was very close to Hu Mengmeng. As soon as Hu Mengmeng approached, it became very joyful, giving her a feeling of wanting to be close to Hu Mengmeng as well.

The purified spiritual energy made Ye Xinyu feel a bit better and she didn’t have such a strong reaction. In a short while, Hu Mengmeng helped Ye Xinyu digest those peaches.

“This is a fox tribe instinct; I can’t summarize what this method is. Can you feel it, Sister?” Hu Mengmeng asked Ye Xinyu.

“I’ve remembered the path and the method. I’ll try it next time.” As Ye Xinyu spoke, she opened her eyes. The face magnified in front of her was Hu Mengmeng’s—very close, close enough to feel Hu Mengmeng’s breath.

“That’s good. If it really works, that’s for the best.” Although Hu Mengmeng said it was for the best, she felt a bit lost in her heart. If Ye Xinyu knew everything, what would she need her for? Would she not be able to get close to Ye Xinyu anymore?

“Ahem, are we done? Auntie is calling for dinner downstairs,” Ye Xinyu said.

Hu Mengmeng quickly moved her hand away. The two went down for dinner.

Perhaps the Crystal Honey Peaches really did have a better effect on the appetite than ordinary ingredients; Ye Xinyu ate relatively more for breakfast. Su Mingli was delighted and asked Ye Xinyu what she wanted for lunch so she could cook it.

After breakfast, Gu Yiying arrived. She said she had settled things with her family and, seeing that Tao Tao’s condition had stabilized, she wanted to take Tao Tao to find a master and teach her some things along the way. Tao Tao trusted Gu Yiying a lot and felt that Gu Yiying was her savior; she was very willing to go with her. Tao Tao was looking forward to learning powerful skills to protect herself and not hurt others. Hu Mengmeng knew Gu Yiying was Ye Xinyu’s cousin and felt relatively at ease about her.

Once the two left, Ye Xinyu’s side suddenly became quiet. Su Mingli couldn’t stay idle and kept busy in the kitchen.

During lunch, Hu Mengmeng received a call from Zhao Qingqing, telling her to hurry to class. This afternoon’s class was very important, the teacher would highlight key points, and points would be deducted for anyone who didn’t show up.

“Mengmeng, you’ve already taken two days off; you can’t take any more. Studying is important,” Su Mingli said to Hu Mengmeng after hearing their conversation.

“Mom, I understand,” Hu Mengmeng said to Su Mingli before going upstairs to find Ye Xinyu.

“Sister, a classmate called and asked me to go to class. If I go, will you and my mom be okay here?” Hu Mengmeng asked.

“We’ll be fine. There’s a protection formation around here; even a great demon would need time to break through it,” Ye Xinyu said.

“Sister, do you think if I go out disguised as you, it would lure the people watching you to come after me?” Hu Mengmeng asked.

“There are various ways to break an illusion. Anyone who can come to spy at least has the ability to recognize an illusion. Do you want to act as bait?” Ye Xinyu said.

“Yeah, waiting here isn’t a solution either. It was my fault for not leaving any survivors last time. I want to try. I’ll go out and try in my human form, with no special aura. If there really are people watching us who come after me, I’ll catch every single one of them. I’ll definitely catch them alive, and then we’ll know who’s behind this and can go straight to their nest.”

Ye Xinyu was worried Su Mingli would be in danger if she went out, but she didn’t know if Hu Mengmeng would be targeted if she went out alone. They had to try it out to know.

“Then be careful,” Ye Xinyu said.

“Yeah, I will. I’ll head out then; it’ll only be about an hour. You and my mom stay here and don’t go out. If there’s danger, call me immediately,” Hu Mengmeng said.

Ye Xinyu wasn’t quite used to Hu Mengmeng giving her so many instructions before leaving.

“Sister, look at my illusion art.” Hu Mengmeng demonstrated her illusion art to Ye Xinyu, transforming into Ye Xinyu’s appearance.

“Sister, how is it? Do I look like you?” Hu Mengmeng looked at her own face on her phone and felt it looked awkward no matter how she looked at it.

The resemblance was about forty to fifty percent; she couldn’t replicate the temperament, and they were worlds apart—they clearly looked like two different people.

“Uh, maybe from a distance. I wouldn’t wear such loose clothes, and the hairstyle and height are a bit different. Go to class this time. If Auntie Lan doesn’t find anything today, you can try again,” Ye Xinyu said, looking at Hu Mengmeng using illusion art to turn into her—it was very awkward.

Hu Mengmeng also knew her illusion art was terrible and far from being able to imitate Ye Xinyu, so she gave up for now. She packed her things to go to class. Before she left, Su Mingli told her to buy many ingredients and some fabrics. Su Mingli couldn’t stay idle and was preparing to make clothes for her future granddaughter. Looking at that long list, Hu Mengmeng could already feel the heavy weight. Since she wasn’t letting Su Mingli go out, she really should find something for her to do, otherwise, with her personality, she would get sick from boredom.

Once outside, Hu Mengmeng sensed her surroundings; there was nothing special, only two striped snakes not far from Ye Xinyu’s villa. They had no spiritual energy and were slithering into a hole, so Hu Mengmeng didn’t pay them any mind.

After suffering heavy losses the previous day, they would surely need some time to prepare. Demons like the two-headed dogs were already considered mid-tier demons. Those spying couldn’t possibly hide a high-level aura completely; even the sparrows flying in the sky were filtered by Hu Mengmeng. With no one spying, it meant they wouldn’t act for the time being, which made Hu Mengmeng feel a bit more at ease about Ye Xinyu’s side.

Having missed class for two days, so much had happened that Hu Mengmeng felt like she was returning to a different world. Looking at her classmates, their faces seemed much clearer. Zhao Qingqing had saved a seat for Hu Mengmeng and waved her over as soon as she saw her.

“Mengmeng, I thought you were sick. Did you go get plastic surgery?! How do you seem even more beautiful?!” Zhao Qingqing said, looking at Hu Mengmeng.

Hu Mengmeng didn’t feel it herself. Her cultivation had removed impurities from her human body, her skin had improved, and her features had become a bit more refined. She looked much more energetic, as if there were a sparkle in her eyes.

“Qingqing, you’re too good at complimenting people. I had some things to deal with at home these past few days,” Hu Mengmeng smiled and said.

Zhao Qingqing had been very enthusiastic toward Hu Mengmeng from the start, and Hu Mengmeng treated her as a friend. When asked various questions, Hu Mengmeng responded with a smile, though she naturally wouldn’t tell anyone her secrets.

Others in Hu Mengmeng’s class shared Zhao Qingqing’s thoughts—that she had become more beautiful after not seeing her for a few days. It turned out that “chubby people are potential stocks.” The girl who was slightly plump and ignored by everyone before had become so beautiful that she was now even more attractive than the class beauty, Yu Luoluó, whom they had voted for behind her back.

While Zhao Qingqing and Hu Mengmeng were talking, other classmates occasionally came over to say a few words to Hu Mengmeng. Yu Luoluó, who was sitting behind them, curled her lip in disapproval.

After a few minutes, the teacher came in and started the class. Before, when Hu Mengmeng attended class, her bloodline was sealed and much of her energy was diverted, so she was always in a fog. Now, in her human state, her mind was clear as she listened to the lecture. After the first class, Hu Mengmeng was pulled out to the restroom by Zhao Qingqing. When they returned for the next class, the teacher came in but didn’t start the lesson; instead, he went to Hu Mengmeng’s seat and tapped her.

“Mengmeng, come out for a moment, and bring your bag,” the teacher said to Hu Mengmeng.

Hu Mengmeng was puzzled and didn’t know what the teacher wanted, but she took her bag and followed the teacher to the office. In the office were three men. Hu Mengmeng had seen two of them before—one was the grade director and the other was the dean. The third was a strange young man. Seeing the grade director and the dean, Hu Mengmeng felt that things were taking a bad turn.

“Student, we received a report that you are privately selling illegal drugs. Now we need to inspect your backpack. This is a very serious matter; please cooperate,” the grade director said sternly.

“I haven’t! I haven’t even been at school these past few days! You can check!” Hu Mengmeng put her backpack down and unzipped it for them to inspect.

Why would someone report her? Who could it be? She hadn’t been at school for the past two days! She had personally packed the backpack at Ye Xinyu’s place and only left it for a moment when she went to the restroom!

The man she didn’t know, wearing white gloves, searched through Hu Mengmeng’s bag. He actually found a dozen colored pills in a plastic bag in the side zipper pocket of the bag.

“Student, this is it! You’re still a student! There are things you shouldn’t touch!” the man said, looking at Hu Mengmeng sternly.

“Hu Mengmeng, you look like an honest girl; how could you do such a thing! Recently, several girls have become weak and unconscious after taking this kind of drug! Do you know that?! Even if you’re poor and want to make money, you can’t use such crooked ways!” the grade director said with grief and indignation.

“You’ve misunderstood; it wasn’t me. What you see isn’t necessarily the truth. This uncle is wearing gloves to search my bag, so he must be a professional. I swear to heaven, I haven’t touched this plastic bag. If you don’t believe me, you can check it for fingerprints and also check if there are anyone else’s fingerprints on my bag besides mine. Or ask who went to my seat during the break. Isn’t it a bit too arbitrary for you to decide it was me without any investigation?!” Hu Mengmeng said. Perhaps because she was highly skilled and daring, and her mind was clear, she wasn’t afraid of this frame-up; she just felt it was a big hassle!

She didn’t know who was so malicious as to frame her!

“What student Hu Mengmeng said makes sense; everything still needs evidence,” said the dean, who hadn’t spoken until now.

“You are a suspect now; come with me for a bit. We will investigate and clear your name,” said the strange man, looking at Hu Mengmeng with some scrutiny. This girl was far too calm! Any other girl would have been scared out of her wits, yet this girl showed no sign of panic.

Just as Hu Mengmeng was about to say something, her phone rang. she checked and saw it was Ye Xinyu calling. Hu Mengmeng wanted to answer the call, but she was blocked by the strange man.

“You are a suspect now; your communication devices must be confiscated!” the strange man said.

“I said, I’m innocent! You want to judge me as a criminal based solely on that?” Hu Mengmeng frowned. Ye Xinyu had never called her before; she felt that a call at this time was a bad sign.

“Student, I said you’re a suspect. Right now, the evidence points to you. I will investigate and clear your name,” the strange man said, squinting his eyes.

“I have something very urgent right now; I don’t have time to talk to you,” Hu Mengmeng said urgently. She pushed the man aside and pressed the answer button.

“Mengmeng, the protection formation is under attack,” Ye Xinyu’s voice came through.

“Okay, I’ll be right there!” Hu Mengmeng said and hung up. She felt even more anxious; it really was trouble on Ye Xinyu’s side. Ye Xinyu’s words were simple, but Hu Mengmeng couldn’t be careless; if Ye Xinyu could handle it, she certainly wouldn’t have called her.

The strange man, seeing Hu Mengmeng finish the call, looked even less friendly and directly punched toward Hu Mengmeng. Hu Mengmeng was startled; this man’s punch carried spiritual energy and even a faint gold light!

“I said I’m innocent, and I have an emergency right now! I won’t stay!” Hu Mengmeng dodged and said. She wanted to leave through the door, but the man was one step ahead of her and threw several talismans at her.

Hu Mengmeng didn’t expect to encounter someone who knew Taoist arts this time—she didn’t know if he was a Demon Catcher, but it was truly a hassle! Hu Mengmeng couldn’t let Ye Xinyu be in danger; she couldn’t afford to waste even a second! Hu Mengmeng decisively took a few steps back. She didn’t care about much else and directly smashed through the window glass and jumped down.

The grade director and the dean in the room were stunned. The strange man clenched his fist and actually jumped down after her.

“What’s going on!” the dean rushed to the window to look. This was the third floor!

Regardless of how surprised the two directors were, Hu Mengmeng jumped with all her strength and ran toward Ye Xinyu’s villa at full speed. The man behind her wasn’t fast enough; after only a few steps, he lost track of Hu Mengmeng and smashed his fist against a nearby tree in frustration.

A walk that usually took half an hour and a five-minute electric bike ride took Hu Mengmeng only three minutes to reach Ye Xinyu’s villa. When Hu Mengmeng got near the villa, she could clearly sense dark mist swirling around and a strange aura.

In the villa’s garden, several snakes as thick as arms surrounded the villa, along with an even larger one that stood upright with half its body. Its upper body had snake scales and its head did too, yet it had arms; from behind, it looked somewhat human. These snakes had patterned scales, green skin, and pointed heads, and they were all flicking their tongues. As they emitted a pale green mist, they attacked the protection formation—an invisible spiritual energy shield—they had triggered. The shield was already showing signs of damage from the continuous attacks.

Inside the protection formation, Ye Xinyu held her breath and used several talismans to reinforce the shield.

“Mengmeng, these are short-tailed pit vipers; their breath is poisonous. Be careful,” Ye Xinyu said to Hu Mengmeng when she saw her arrive. She had been holding her breath, and now that she had spoken, she took a breath. If these snakes didn’t spray poisonous mist that could penetrate the shield, Ye Xinyu wouldn’t have called Hu Mengmeng.

“Sister, go back, stay away! I’ve got this!” Hu Mengmeng watched the several snakes. Her form changed—her fox demon tail and ears emerged, her claws extended, and she flew over to grab the snake that was more human-like on its upper body. It was emitting the most green mist. Of these snakes, only the more human-like one was difficult to deal with—it was on the same level as the dog demons from the other day—while the other small snakes were much weaker.

Hu Mengmeng’s nails were very sharp and instantly pierced into the snake’s body. The snake flicked its tongue and tried to coil around Hu Mengmeng, but it was thrown away with great force, crashing into the other small snakes. The snakes were soft and slippery, so the damage wasn’t great. Several of them coiled around, wrapping around Hu Mengmeng’s legs. Hu Mengmeng grabbed the large one and fought with the several small ones.

Ye Xinyu could also see the level of these snakes. Hu Mengmeng could handle them, but they were quite troublesome. Unfortunately, she hadn’t taught Hu Mengmeng how to use talismans or her Demon-Slaying Sword, otherwise, Hu Mengmeng wouldn’t have struggled so much in the fight.

The green gas outside was the snakes’ poison. Ye Xinyu couldn’t breathe it in, as it would be very bad for the little one, so she had to retreat first. Inside the villa, Su Mingli had grabbed a kitchen knife and rushed out.

“Mengmeng is here; she’s okay for now. Let’s go in first; the air outside is poisonous!” Ye Xinyu said when she saw Su Mingli. When the snakes attacked, Ye Xinyu went out immediately to check the situation. After Su Mingli discovered it, she came out, and Ye Xinyu told her to hide inside. She didn’t expect Su Mingli to go in and find a kitchen knife, looking like she was ready to fight to the death.

“Is Mengmeng okay?” Su Mingli took a look and felt her legs go weak. Several green-and-flowery snakes were coiled around Hu Mengmeng, their coils leaving marks on her red fur.

“Mengmeng is stronger than them; she should be fine,” Ye Xinyu said. Su Mingli supported Ye Xinyu and they quickly went inside and closed the door.

“Auntie, take a detoxification pill first; you’ve inhaled some of the poisonous gas just now.” Ye Xinyu found the detoxification pills and gave one to Su Mingli. Su Mingli took it and sat restlessly, watching Hu Mengmeng fight the snakes from the window. Her heart skipped beats as she watched. Being a Demon Catcher was far too dangerous! No matter what, she couldn’t let Hu Mengmeng do it anymore!

Su Mingli was very anxious, feeling as if every second were a year. After about ten minutes, Hu Mengmeng finally finished off the snakes, and she was exhausted. She finally understood the importance of using strength against strength and overcoming hardness with softness. Her strength was greater than the snakes’, but they kept coiling and coiling around her, and when several of them attacked at once, she couldn’t shake them off.

Hu Mengmeng tied the several snakes together and left them in the garden. She wanted to go in, but seeing the spiritual energy shield, she couldn’t enter yet and didn’t want to damage the shield. Ye Xinyu came out and let Hu Mengmeng in.

“Take the detoxification pill first!” Ye Xinyu gave the medicine to Hu Mengmeng immediately upon her entry.

“Mengmeng, are you hurt?” Su Mingli ran over and supported Hu Mengmeng.

“Just a small injury,” Hu Mengmeng smiled and said, but as soon as she finished, she let out a hiss of pain. She had been bitten several times while the snakes were coiled around her, and there were wounds on her legs and body.

“I have internal and external medicine here. Come in quickly; the wounds need to be treated immediately, and the poison needs to be expelled as soon as possible,” Ye Xinyu said with a frown.

Hu Mengmeng sat down, and Ye Xinyu and Su Mingli busied themselves with treating her wounds.

“You can’t do such dangerous things anymore! My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest watching that!” Su Mingli said while treating Hu Mengmeng’s wounds.

“Mom, isn’t everything okay now? I’ll learn more skills later and I’ll be safer,” Hu Mengmeng comforted Su Mingli.

“No matter how many skills you learn, there will always be someone stronger than you. How much can you learn?” Su Mingli worried. She used to be afraid of Hu Mengmeng being caught as a monster, and now she was worried she would be killed by a demon as a Demon Catcher. She had endless worries all day long.

“I’ve already provoked them; it’s too late to leave. They’ve come for revenge! Mom, don’t worry anymore; it’s useless anyway!” Hu Mengmeng said.

“…” Su Mingli really wanted to give Hu Mengmeng a beating to make her give up the idea, but seeing the look in Hu Mengmeng’s eyes, she felt she was different from before—there was a sense that the child had grown up and had her own opinions.

The snakes in Ye Xinyu’s villa were taken away by people Ye Xinyu called. For Hu Mengmeng, it was another source of income; she actually hoped more would come—though she hoped it wouldn’t be those snakes again, as the feeling of being bitten by a snake was truly unpleasant. She had spent a long time expelling the poison but couldn’t get it all out; some had already begun to circulate through her body, and she felt a bit dizzy.

After Hu Mengmeng’s wounds were treated, she was called to Ye Xinyu’s room, where Ye Xinyu taught her how to use talismans and the Ye family’s Demon-Slaying Sword.

The sky gradually darkened. As night was about to fall, not far from Ye Xinyu’s villa, a tall, thin figure coiled around a tree, looking toward Ye Xinyu’s villa with a sinister expression, a pair of vertical pupils glowing with an eerie light in the darkness.

“Their strength is only so-so. After this round, it should have dropped significantly. Once it’s dark, we can act.” The man’s lips curled into a wicked smile.