The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 370: Chapter 364: Immortal Fox

"B-Bai Mansion..."

A middle-aged man stood on Black Tortoise Great Path, hesitating.

Just as he was deliberating, the main gate rumbled open, pushed from within.

Lu Yu and Fang Wan walked out of the mansion.

"Fifth Uncle."

Fang Wan looked at the middle-aged man.

The man was her fifth uncle, Fanghua. She and Lu Yu had come to the Capital City for the express purpose of helping him.

Although the Fang Family’s current generation boasted outstanding young members like Fang Yan and Fang Wan, and the clan had elders of unfathomable power, their influence in the imperial court was at an all-time low. Fanghua alone had managed to secure a position as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

While the position of a third-grade official wasn’t particularly prominent given the Fang Family’s illustrious history, Fanghua’s post was still of great benefit to them.

Having a man in the imperial court made it easier to get things done.

Thus, Fanghua’s role in the family had become crucial.

Fanghua had written a letter back to Lu State about some trouble he’d encountered, which was why the Head of Fang Family had sent Fang Wan to the Capital City.

Fanghua chose his words carefully. "Ah Wan, are you and your husband staying at the Bai Mansion?"

Fang Wan’s brow furrowed slightly. She could tell her uncle was implying something.

"Fifth Uncle, the owner of this mansion is a good friend of my husband and me. That is why we are staying here temporarily."

As soon as she said this, Fanghua’s heart sank.

Of all the people for his niece to befriend, it had to be Bai Yuan.

By now, tales of Bai Yuan’s deeds had spread throughout the Capital City. If the Imperial Inspection Office was Yama Hall, then Bai Yuan was the Living Yama.

In the mere two months since his arrival in the Capital City, the number of people who had died at the hands of the Living Yama already exceeded one hundred.

Bai Yuan had even openly made enemies with all the Civil Servants and the Jianghu during a court assembly. Who would dare associate with him now?

Fanghua sighed softly. He couldn’t blame his niece, though.

’After all, Lu State is so far away. How could she know what’s been happening in the Capital City? I have to pull her out of this abyss.’

Fanghua said, "Ah Wan, why don’t you come and stay with me at my mansion?"

Both Fang Wan and Lu Yu frowned slightly.

They both realized something was wrong.

From the very beginning, Fanghua had been unwilling to take a single step into the Bai Mansion, as if he feared becoming entangled with it.

The couple exchanged a hesitant glance.

Just then, a voice rang out. "Go on. You can come back another day."

Bai Yuan had appeared at the entrance to the Bai Mansion at some point.

When Fanghua saw Bai Yuan, his apprehension was plain to see.

He cupped his fists. "Lord Bai."

Bai Yuan returned the gesture. "Lord Fang."

Of course, there was no enmity between Fanghua and Bai Yuan. It was simply that being an official was a matter of reputation and choosing sides. He and Bai Yuan walked two different paths; too much contact would only bring harm to them both.

Lu Yu considered for a moment, then said, "Wan’Er and I will leave for a while, then. We’ll come and see you again later."

Bai Yuan nodded.

He, of course, knew why Fanghua was so tense.

The number of officials in the Capital City who dared to even greet him was pitifully small, so he could understand Fanghua’s actions.

Seeing Fang Wan and Lu Yu walk down the steps, Fanghua finally let out a long sigh of relief.

He just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.

...

An elegant mansion on Black Tortoise Great Path.

This was Fanghua’s residence.

As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and a Third-Grade Official, he was naturally qualified to be assigned a residence on Black Tortoise Great Path.

Unlike the grand, imposing architectural style typical of the Capital City seen in Bai Yuan’s mansion, the Fang Mansion made one feel as if they had been transported to a Jiangnan Water Village.

Having grown up in the Jiangnan Lu Continent, Fanghua inevitably missed the scenery of his homeland.

There were quite a few other officials like him in the Capital City. As these men with similar tastes associated with one another, the term "Jiangnan Gang" gradually came into being.

There were many such small cliques in the Capital City.

They were simply pretexts for forming alliances.

As someone who had risen to the rank of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Fanghua was, of course, no exception.

Fang Wan and Lu Yu followed Fanghua into the main hall of the Fang Mansion.

"Fifth Uncle, what on earth is going on?"

she asked, getting straight to the point. For Fanghua to have summoned her so urgently, something major must have occurred.

At her words, a bitter expression crossed Fanghua’s face.

"Niece Wan, it’s a complicated matter."

"The Astronomical Bureau discovered that the fortune of Xuan Yang is in decline. Using their Stargazing Technique, they found that a great demon is stealing the nation’s luck. His Majesty was furious and ordered the Ministry of Rites to find this audacious demon."

For years, the Ministry of Rites has been the undisputed second most powerful of the Six Ministries.

Aside from the Ministry of Personnel, none of the other ministries could rival it.

The reason for this is that in addition to overseeing important matters like the Royal Family’s sacrificial rites and the imperial examinations, the Ministry of Rites is also responsible for monitoring the Demon Race.

Although the Demon Race were no longer the masters of the land as they had been thousands of years ago, their power remained formidable.

To better manage the Demon Race, the Grand Ancestor Emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to confer titles upon them.

Demons who were benevolent or had rendered service to Xuan Yang were registered by the Ministry of Rites. They were transformed into Mountain Gods, worshipped by the common folk. Those not on the Ministry’s demon registry were considered Wild Demons.

Temples dedicated to the worship of Wild Demons were branded as illicit cults.

The Human Race pursued fortune, while demons fed on the power of worship.

This system quickly gained the approval of many powerful demons, and through it, the conflict between the human and demon races was gradually eased.

Aside from conferring titles, the Ministry of Rites also held a consistent policy of suppressing and exterminating Wild Demons.

The Demon Slayer Guard fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites.

And it was Fanghua who had been assigned this cursed task.

He had been investigating for days on end without finding so much as a shadow of the demon.

This left Fanghua deeply frustrated.

The nation’s fortune is a matter of state security. Emperor Xuanyang had already expressed his fury on several occasions, ordering the Ministry of Rites to execute the fiend within seven days.

Left with no other choice, Fanghua could only pin his hopes on Fang Wan’s Divination Technique to find a clue.

This was why he had written for Fang Wan to come to the capital, rather than the more powerful Fang Yan.

Fang Wan’s expression turned grave.

’A great demon capable of stealing the nation’s fortune... such power is simply heaven-defying.’

She was proficient in the art of fate and naturally had a deep understanding of fortune as well.

’That great demon must be anything but simple.’

Fang Wan said, "Fifth Uncle, the great demon’s methods are strange. I have no confidence, but I can try."

Fanghua was overjoyed. He was already clutching at straws. ’What if Fang Wan can actually divine the great demon’s location?’

Fang Wan took a deep breath.

Under Lu Yu’s worried gaze, she sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, her eyes tightly shut, her expression solemn.

This time, Fang Wan didn’t choose her usual Divination Technique. Instead, she intended to use the Dream-Entering Technique!

Fifteen minutes... Two hours... Four hours.

Fang Wan sat motionless on the cushion, occasionally letting out a soft snore.

Lu Yu’s heart was in his throat.

Although he knew nothing of divination, he had heard enough to know that the Dream-Entering Technique carried a high risk of backlash.

In extreme cases, its users could die instantly or be driven insane.

Even with Fang Wan’s exceptional skill, she was not immune to the risk of backlash.

He was prepared to interrupt her Dream-Entering Technique the moment something seemed wrong.

Suddenly!

Fang Wan’s eyes flew open, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Immortal Fox?!"

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