Celestial Demon Starting from Attribute Points-Chapter 57: Blazing Mountain, State City Envoys Arrive

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Blazing Mountain, State City Envoys Arrive

After eliminating the hidden evil spirits that blocked the southern route, Li Xuan and Cao Shuda didn’t take the remaining ninety-odd people away. Instead, they paused briefly to understand how those individuals transformed into evil spirits. Simultaneously, they equipped the remaining ninety-odd people with some fire arrows to prevent any evil spirits from slipping out during the encirclement.

Li Xuan initially thought that those who turned into evil spirits must have done something unusual; otherwise, how could they have turned into such monsters in just over a month?

However, after Cao Shuda personally inquired, he was left stunned.

Because those people were not unusual at all; they were just like the others. Apart from being on duty, they just ate, drank, relieved themselves, and slept, without stepping into the deep mountains at all.

Subsequently, one of the small captains among the remaining ninety stepped forward to show what they ate, which was basically dry rations brought from the city, cured meat, and some wild vegetables sourced locally.

"Wild vegetables?" Cao Shuda said, "Bring them here."

The small captain responded with "Yes" and soon had someone gather them from the surrounding area. Shortly, a government soldier returned with a handful of wild vegetables.

The wild vegetables were long, green, carrying the earthy aroma, and upon closer sniffing, a fragrance.

Cao Shuda immediately recognized them as common wild vegetables from the mountains and frowned, asking, "You only ate these?"

The small captain replied, "Reporting to you, yes, only these."

Cao Shuda clapped his hands and summoned the accompanying physician.

The physician stepped forward, took the wild vegetables, glanced over them, sniffed, and shook his head at Cao Shuda, saying, "Sir, there’s nothing wrong with these vegetables."

Cao Shuda handed the wild vegetables back, feeling both confused and eerily frightened for the moment.

What’s going on?

People, fine one moment, suddenly died and then turned into evil spirits?

For a moment, he felt even the summer sunlight upon him turn chilling.

Li Xuan, standing by, suddenly asked, "Where is the water you drink from? Where does it come from?"

The small captain, naturally, recognized this Mr. Su, and having just been rescued by him, respectfully replied, "Reporting to you, sir, it is from a nearby spring."

Li Xuan said, "Take me to see it."

The small captain eagerly complied.

After a short while,

Li Xuan arrived at the spring.

Calling it a spring was somewhat inaccurate; it was more of a small river with its source within the mountains.

The river water was clear, shimmering under the sun, with fish faintly visible playing beneath its surface, and lush greenery on both sides made it impossible to associate with toxic water.

Moreover, if the water source were poisonous, the food too, it shouldn’t just poison a few people.

Li Xuan couldn’t figure out the situation either.

After rejoining with Cao Shuda, he instructed everyone to temporarily refrain from consuming food from outside and then continued to lead the troops to the next location.

...

...

Then, a detachment of government soldiers dispersed to other three blocked paths, followed a similar routine, and found the hidden evil spirits, executing them all.

Indeed, the mountain demon of Luoshi Mountain was not omnipotent, as only the eastern path had evil spirits, while the northwest paths were completely unscathed.

The team of government soldiers circled back to the junction of the southeastern routes, which was the mountain pass.

The government soldiers took a short rest.

After a simple meal, Li Xuan and Cao Shuda sat on a rock in front of the military camp, looking at the mountain together.

Li Xuan already knew the outcome of the previous demon hunt quite well.

Basically, once on the mountain, they didn’t even see the shadow of a demon before incidents started happening.

People started dying suddenly without any warning, one after another.

Cao Shuda chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Sir, don’t laugh at me, but I really have no idea what this demon is."

Li Xuan also felt uneasy.

How should they fight this?

Remembering the demon’s message through the previous evil spirits that it wanted to eat a thousand people every month,

What kind of entity is this? Such an appetite, yet it cannot physically come to the prefecture city?

The moonlight was eerily cold, and Li Xuan glanced slightly back at the government soldiers.

Although reason told him that with so many soldiers, a frontal confrontation would definitely kill the demon, his emotions kept feeling that these soldiers could very well end up as the demon’s feast.

Suddenly, he looked toward the prefect.

Cao Shuda sensed something, and said, "Your advice, sir."

Li Xuan slowly replied, "Set the mountain on fire."

Cao Shuda: ???

...

...

Li Xuan was always one to play it safe.

Since this demon was too tough to handle, they wouldn’t handle it.

The demon feared fire and couldn’t leave the mountain, so... straightforwardly, just set the mountain ablaze.

As for the rough location of the demon, if others couldn’t determine it, who said he couldn’t?

Setting the mountain on fire might have broad and destructive consequences, but previously the entire prefecture city almost became the demon’s "canteen." Compared to an entire city of people, what’s the burning of a mountain?

Compared to forcibly attacking the mountain, encountering various surprises and attacks, being driven to desperation, counterattacking or being slain... Eldest Young Master Li preferred to set this "immobile, fire-fearing enemy" afire from a distance.

...

...

The next afternoon.

A group of people arrived at another mountain.

Cao Shuda asked strangely, "Sir, are you certain the demon is on this mountain?"

This mountain was not even where they previously attempted to hunt the demon; it was a different one, close yet distinct.

Li Xuan, with the demon blood of the "mutated monkey" flowing within him, felt the clear threat of another demon emanating from this mountain.

"Set it on fire," Li Xuan said.

Seeing such certainty, a chill ran through Cao Shuda’s heart. He couldn’t have imagined that during their last demon hunt, not only had they not seen the demon, but they had also mistaken the mountain it resided on.

At this moment, he took a deep breath, raised his hand, and resolutely said, "Burn it!!"

The soldiers, relieved that they wouldn’t have to climb the mountain, took solace in fulfilling the prefect’s and Mr. Su’s orders despite the taboo of setting the mountain ablaze.

Barrels of fire oil, brought specifically to combat the demon, were poured along the mountainside.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Several fire arrows shot over from a distance, igniting the blaze.

With the fire oil igniting, the entire mountain was quickly engulfed in raging flames.

Around this scene, the soldiers began a rapid retreat, and once clear of the mountain, they looked back to see a sea of fire.

...

...

The fire burned for a solid seven days without signs of stopping.

On this day, the soldiers were stationed outside as usual, waiting for the flames to die down and preventing any evil spirits from escaping.

In the distance, about a dozen riders approached.

Leading them were Cao Wen and Cao Yi, along with a dozen or so guards from the Cao Mansion.

As they drew closer, Cao Yi waved from afar, leaping down like a jubilant little sprite, running up beside Li Xuan, and calling out cheerfully, "Godfather!"

Then she called out, "Father."

Cao Shuda teased, "This child still prefers you, acknowledges her godfather over her father."

Cao Yi said, "Godfather is not like you; you’re always busy while godfather, aside from martial practice, always keeps me company otherwise."

She then grabbed Li Xuan’s hand, gently swinging it, asking, "Godfather, how have you been during this time?"

Li Xuan felt her soft touch on his palm, mimicking the tone of an elder, said, "During this time, your father and I have been devising plans to kill the demon. Setting the mountain on fire was to avoid further casualties.

Once matters here conclude, I fear I shall return to the depths of the mountains, living the life of a recluse."

"Ah?"

Cao Yi’s beautiful face showed a look of surprise, then she shook his arm, coyly saying, "Godfather～～～"

Li Xuan, stirred by her teasing, felt his mind flutter.

Beside him, Cao Shuda directly asked, "How might I find you, should the time come that I wish to seek you, sir?"

Li Xuan said, "I shall visit every year, and if I depart long-term, I will inform you."

Cao Yi ceased her arm swinging, her charming face lighting up with joy, and she said, "Then, won’t godfather come to attend Yi’Er’s wedding?"

Li Xuan: ...

He truly couldn’t imagine how distracted Mr. Su would be if he showed up at "Li Xuan and Cao Yi’s" wedding.

Cao Shuda said, "Yi’Er, the gentleman has his matters! Don’t cause trouble!"

Cao Yi pouted, standing aside with her long legs.

Cao Shuda then turned to Cao Wen and asked, "Why have you all come here instead of staying in the city?"

Cao Wen stepped forward and replied in a deep voice, "Father, people from the state city have arrived. They want you to return for a meeting immediately."

Cao Shuda was taken aback and asked, "At this time?"

Then, without waiting for a response, he asked, "Who came?"

Cao Wen replied, "I don’t know them either, but... two groups arrived, one after another, seemingly at odds with each other."

Cao Shuda pondered for a moment, then turned to Li Xuan, cupping his fists, said, "Mr. Su, I should stay here to wait with you, but there is a mission from the state city that I must attend to."

Li Xuan said, "Prefect, do go. I will watch over things here."