Holy body, start with the Five Animal Exercises

13: Fox Fairy statue, tombstoneQin Jiang’s heart was slightly startled, his breathing became somewhat disordered, and then he instantly adjusted it.

Sure enough, there were still Fox spirits! And they were in human form!

Drawing Blackwater and holding it, he slowly circulated the internal Qi within his body, observing the structure of the mine tunnel through the bronze mirror.

Now that he had killed two Fox spirits, he had formed an irreconcilable enmity, and there was no other choice.

Before long, his internal Qi gathered to its peak, and he suddenly rushed out from the corner, stepping on the mine tunnel wall with one foot, his legs bending like springs and then instantly straightening, his body charging fiercely towards the female figure.

Just as his blade was about to fall, he suddenly realized that this was not a woman at all, but merely a female statue.

His body flipped, and he landed lightly on the ground with a leap, making no sound.

He looked at the statue; it was larger than a normal person, about two meters tall, its clothes and skirt painted with colorful pigments, and its face looked lifelike.

Looking around, there were a few tables and chairs, very neatly arranged, much like the main hall of an ordinary commoner’s home.

The light source in the mine tunnel came from several white tallow candles; the burning fat emitted a faint fragrance.

In the corner, several wooden crates were placed. He walked closer and gently opened them, revealing neatly stacked, palm-sized pieces of blood-red metal.

blood metal!

He picked up a piece and weighed it; it was a full ten catties heavy! Just this palm-sized piece of blood metal was almost as heavy as his Blackwater.

Putting down the blood metal, he gently closed the lid and looked towards the inner part of the mine tunnel, where a wooden door appeared before his eyes.

He looked back at the statue, thought for a moment, then walked over and placed his hand on the statue’s skirt.

No potential points.

Somewhat disappointed, he withdrew his hand, held Blackwater, and held the bronze mirror in his other hand.

He slowly approached the door, cautiously extending the bronze mirror.

Through the bronze mirror, he saw not the imagined bedroom, but a row of stone tablets, and nothing else.

Walking in with some surprise, a row of stone tablets came into view, seventeen in total.

He walked forward to examine the inscriptions on the stone tablets.

’The zither remains, but the strings are broken; the voice and face are gone, tears cannot dry.’

’Summer, deceased Li, courtesy name Henggong, originally born in the Dingwei year, fourth month, passed away in the Gui Mao year, twelfth month.’

’My husband, son of Yingsheng, grandson of Chaohuan. Your concubine records this husband’s tablet; who knows the bitterness of my sorrow? I have no hope, leaning on your tomb, prostrating on your tablet, silently weeping.’

Was this... a memorial to a husband?

Qin Jiang’s eyes showed confusion as he looked at the other tombstone tablets—seventeen husbands?

There were tablets but no tombs; were no bodies left behind?

His fingertip gently traced the tombstone; there was not a speck of dust, indicating someone regularly cleaned it.

But who would come here?

”Young Master~”

Just as he was wondering, a charming voice sounded behind him, startling him into an immediate slash backwards with his blade.

Internal Qi erupted, and blade light appeared as his body turned towards the door.

Swish!

The blade light cut through the air, striking the doorframe and leaving a mark.

”Young Master is so mighty~”

Charming laughter rang out. Qin Jiang focused his gaze, and two unexpected figures appeared before his eyes.

It was Xian’er and Yu’er from the Fox spirit’s illusion, but now, their skirts below the waist appeared somewhat ethereal; they were not walking on the ground but floating an inch above it, and through their illusory skirts, the scattered stones behind them could be seen.

And the slash he had just unleashed had passed directly through their forms, causing no damage.

”What... are you things?”

Blackwater hung by his side, ready to attack at any moment.

Xian’er covered her mouth and chuckled, ”Young Master need not be nervous. After you killed those two fox demons, my sister and I were already freed. A single thought still remains; we just wanted to come back and see our esteemed husbands.”

Qin Jiang’s eyes flickered at the mention of ’demon’.

”What is your relationship with those two fox demons? Are ’esteemed husbands’ referring to the owners of these tombstones?”

Xian’er nodded slightly, her crimson skirt fluttering without wind, ”Young Master, have you ever heard that a mountain lord who eats people can turn them into a ’chang gui’?”

Qin Jiang looked at her, saying nothing, only nodding slightly.

”A mountain lord who eats people can turn them into a ’chang gui’. My sister and I are much like those ’chang gui’, forced to obey the fox demon’s command.

My sister and I were originally members of the Lin Family from Yuanzhou Prefecture City. Over sixty years ago, we were traveling with our Family’s caravan through this area, but unexpectedly met our demise at the hands of the fox demon, becoming her accomplices.

As for the ’husbands’ Xian’er mentioned, they are indeed the owners of these tombstones. All the husbands were unfortunate individuals lured here by my sister and me.

Seventeen men, all of whom we had formally wed. After the death of our esteemed husbands, my sister and I erected these tombless tablets.”

At this, Xian’er and Yu’er’s expressions grew forlorn. All the husbands were truly good men; if not for that fox demon, how could it have come to this?

Qin Jiang’s eyes were indifferent, without the slightest emotional fluctuation. ”You just said you were going to be freed. What did you mean?”

Xian’er gave a bitter smile, ”In less than half an hour, my sister and I will dissipate and go to the elusive Reincarnation.”

She looked at the tombstones, her eyes downcast, filled with an unresolvable sorrow.

”It’s just that our esteemed husbands suffered; after being devoured by that fox demon, they ended up Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, unable even to enter Reincarnation.”

Qin Jiang remained silent upon hearing this, quietly moving to the side.

Xian’er smiled faintly, like a vibrant peony blooming.

She and Yu’er exchanged glances, each taking out a handkerchief from their bosoms. The two women floated to the tombstones and gently wiped them.

A moment later, after wiping the last tombstone, the two women’s figures gradually became ethereal, and specks of shimmering light diffused from beneath their skirts.

Xian’er looked at Qin Jiang, ”Young Master, the night is long and the firelight dim. My sister and I are now departing. It is only a pity that we could not form a goodedge with Young Master.”

As her words fell, the two women’s figures abruptly shattered, turning into specks of shimmering light and dissipating.

A jade pendant appeared in his palm. Qin Jiang looked at the dissipating women, his expression unreadable.

Reincarnation, does this world have Reincarnation?

Shaking his head, he put away the jade pendant and returned to the mine tunnel, walking to the wooden crate containing the blood metal.

He tore off half a sleeve, took out ten pieces of blood metal, wrapped them up, and carried them on his back.

One hundred catties, not heavy, and the volume was just right, it wouldn’t affect his body’s movements.

If there were too many, he would have to leave some behind. The location of the mine tunnel was already deep within Dahei Mountain, so he had to ensure his strength wouldn’t be affected on the way back.

Walking to the corner of the mine tunnel, he looked back at the statue, then left without another glance.

Before long, after traversing the dense black forest, it was already close to dusk when he exited Dahei Mountain.

By the time he returned to Black Mountain City, the sky had completely darkened.

Outside the city gate, there were still large numbers of refugees, but they were all slumped powerlessly, without any Life Qi.

Entering the city, there were even more refugees along the streets, perhaps from other districts.

He walked through the streets to the fence. No one was guarding it; Wang Dali and the Red Tiger Gang members were nowhere to be seen.

He took down the blood metal from his back and held it in his hand. He first went to Lius Blacksmith Shop to exchange it for silver. The shop didn’t give him cash but rather silver notes.

For him, this was a good thing. Although it was the end of the Dynasty, it hadn’t reached the point where banks were untrustworthy. Compared to actual silver, silver notes were more convenient to carry.

Arriving at the medical clinic, lanterns had already been hung outside, their reddish glow illuminating a range of less than ten meters.

Entering the clinic, the Old Doctor sat quietly in the main hall. Seeing Qin Jiang return, he smiled faintly, as if he had been specifically waiting for him.

”Have you already mastered the third level of Five Animals Play?”