Chapter 218: Tu Fa Dao Zi Ge

This letter paper would normally be a treasured piece of calligraphy, but it was more than just an exquisite writing sample, because the person who wrote it was no ordinary human.

Nevertheless, it was still just a piece of letter paper. Yin Qing wasn't sure how much use it would be, but seeing the three women's reaction, it had at least startled them.

“Brother Yin, why is the paper in your hand glowing?”

Mo Xiu, being the closest, was extremely surprised to see the letter paper in Yin Qing's hand overflowing with light. The peddlers and the other two scholars on the other side, though further away and unable to see as clearly, could faintly make out a distinct glow emanating from the paper in Yin Qing's hand.

“Oh, ladies, what's wrong?”

Yin Qing asked with apparent surprise, and Mo Xiu also looked at them and inquired.

“Yes, what's wrong with you all?”

“Ah, perhaps we've startled them here. How about this: ladies, please help yourselves to the clothes from the book-box. Brother Mo and I will go over there and not look at you!”

Yin Qing first placed the letter paper on the table where Lei Yusheng had slept. He then took out both sets of clothes from his own book-box and placed Mo Xiu's clothes directly on the table as well. He then picked up all the book-boxes, one in each hand, and handed them to Mo Xiu. After picking up the letter paper himself, he also took care of two other items, to ensure they wouldn't be "accidentally" touched again.

“Brother Mo, let's go over there.”

Yin Qing gave Mo Xiu a knowing look. Mo Xiu, now realizing what was happening, picked up the book-boxes with Yin Qing and walked towards the peddlers' position.

Yin Qing's original intention was to bring Mo Xiu back, and now was certainly not the time to show off.

Everyone on that side looked at the three women, and then many of them specifically focused on the letter paper clutched in Yin Qing's hand.

Now that they were closer, the peddlers, Lin Xinjie, and Lei Yusheng could finally clearly see the paper in Yin Qing's hand. The persistent glowing light actually emanated from the small characters written on it.

Yin Qing said nothing more; he simply put down the book-boxes with Mo Xiu and then sat there, examining the letter paper in his hand.

After what had just happened, the atmosphere inside the desolate inn became subtle. All the peddlers held onto their woodcutting knives tightly, and the four scholars, alerted by Yin Qing's frequent glances, also sensed something amiss.

The three women, still appearing soaked, stood about ten feet away from the scholars' bonfire, constantly staring at the corner where the men were gathered. Because of the distance from the firelight, no one could clearly see the expressions on their faces.

“Whoosh... whoosh...” “Boom...”

Outside, the wind howled continuously, and the rain poured relentlessly. Occasional claps of thunder varied in intensity, and the flames of the two fires inside the desolate inn swayed from time to time, blown by the wind seeping in.

After receiving the letter, Yin Qing's vigor, along with that of the people around him, seemed to be ignited, gathering together with a shared determination against a common enemy. The corner of the desolate inn became a vibrant surge of masculine energy.

Although the three women couldn't see clearly, they could feel a strong, dry masculine scent emanating from that corner, making their senses feel somewhat uncomfortable.

After a dozen breaths, the three women, though wary, still spoke up to ask, as they hadn't suffered any harm just then.

“Young master, what is that in your hand? It looks like a treasure!”

Yin Qing was actually still nervous. After all, Master Ji's letter was not Master Ji himself, and it might not truly be enough to protect everyone. He looked at the people around him, composed himself, and replied to the woman.

“It's nothing special, just a family letter from an elder. I was a bit careless and didn't put it away properly after reading it.”

Yin Qing shook the letter paper, and the light on it also rippled like waves, appearing quite magical.

“Ladies, you're soaked from the rain. You should quickly warm yourselves by the fire and change into dry clothes, or you'll get sick. Once your own clothes are dry, you can return ours tomorrow. There's no need to repay us.”

Yin Qing's words implied his wish for everyone to remain unharmed and for each side to stay out of the other's business.

The three women exchanged glances, and finally walked to the bonfire. They squatted, hugging their knees for a while, and then began to examine the clothes left by the scholars.

“What a scholarly scent! Sisters, since the young master told us to change, let's do it, to avoid catching a cold.”

The other two chuckled at this, and surprisingly, stood up together and began to undress.

Originally, the area outside the bonfire was blocked by table boards. The tables in this inn were not very high, but they were quite large. If the women really wanted to change clothes, they could have easily done so by half-squatting, which would also have provided a screen. However, these three intentionally stood up, allowing their graceful upper bodies to be fully revealed.

As their clothes peeled away, revealing fair skin and red bodices, everyone in the corner stared intently, finding it hard to tear their eyes away despite knowing something was wrong. Even Yin Qing's face flushed. While he naturally had curiosity about women, he wasn't so undisciplined as to be unable to avert his gaze when inappropriate. However, in the current situation, he had to constantly observe their actions without letting down his guard.

“Hmph, what's with the pretense of being proper...”

One woman murmured softly, then let out a delicate sigh.

“Oh, sister, it's all wet inside too.”

“Then take it off, hehehe...”

This playful scene seemed to become more dreamlike and enticing, making many of the men on the other side feel parched and constantly wanting to swallow.

The women, meanwhile, squinted their eyes at each other, sensing that the dry masculine sensation had significantly dissipated, and it was no longer as uncomfortable for them.

Yin Qing himself was unaffected, but he didn't notice the changes in the people behind and beside him.

“Shameless!”

The elder man surnamed Lu suddenly cursed under his breath, taking his woodcutting knife and tapping it on the ground a few times with a 'clang... clang...' The letter paper also seemed to flicker twice with the elder's scolding, and many people suddenly cleared their heads considerably.

The elder Lu's muttered curse and actions clearly somewhat angered the three women. They all glared coldly at him, their lips even curling slightly in a snarl.

As the three women grew angry and snarled, Yin Qing had a fleeting illusion that long snouts seemed to appear in their shadows. For a split second, he even felt a sense of familiarity.

‘Fox spirits!’

That thought immediately flashed through Yin Qing's mind, and the hair on his body stood on end. While he hadn't been entirely certain before, he was now absolutely sure.

Coupled with Yin Qing's earlier accidental glimpse of movement beneath the women's skirts, it was likely that fox tails were hidden beneath their lower bodies, concealed by the table.

As the three women glared coldly at the elder man surnamed Lu, Yin Qing noticed a faint glow seeming to emanate from the letter paper in his hand, drifting around their group. Subsequently, many people vaguely saw that the three women, now backlit by the fire, had eyes filled with an eerie green light.

“Oh my goodness!” “Their eyes are glowing green!”

“They are!”

“Ah, you saw it too? I thought I was seeing things!”

“No, no, I saw it too!”...

At this, everyone was truly startled awake, their skin breaking out in goosebumps.

Upon hearing the group's discussions, the women were startled, wondering how they had exposed themselves. They also realized that their seductive tactics were likely proving ineffective.

The three women stopped their alluring poses, instead narrowing their eyes and coldly watching the direction of the crowd. Naturally, the elder man surnamed Lu and Yin Qing were the most scrutinized, but what they most feared was the letter paper in Yin Qing's hand.

However, after all this time, the paper, aside from looking extraordinary, seemed to have no other apparent effect. The women's wariness was also diminishing, and they exchanged glances several times.

One of the women spoke up to ask a question.

“Young master, you seem so upright. Is your family's discipline very strict? Your elder certainly writes a beautiful hand!”

Another immediately chimed in, teasingly.

“It looks like the young master hasn't yet experienced the joys of lovemaking.”

“Hmm, it seems your elders at home haven't taught you this kind of knowledge!”

“Want to try? Ah hahahaha...”

The three women laughed, swaying back and forth, but Yin Qing remained outwardly indifferent, feigning coldness. The subtle spiritual energy flowing around him made the letter paper's glow appear constant but was actually more active, even allowing him to faintly glimpse a fleeting tail in the shadows of the women by the opposite bonfire.

He could also see faint wisps of smoke-like substance seemingly rising from the women's bodies, growing increasingly dense, while the 'boom' of thunder outside grew considerably louder.

Unbeknownst to them, the faint foxy smell that only Yin Qing had initially detected could now be smelled by others. They discussed it among themselves, confirming its presence. Combined with the earlier sight, the three women's allure to the men had diminished to almost nothing.

The women's increasingly vulgar remarks were actually a test. They even began to shift their bodies, slowly moving closer to the other side. Their appearance hadn't visibly changed, but in the men's perception, they became increasingly unnerving!

“Boom.....” the thunder sounded again.

A sense of crisis grew stronger in Yin Qing's heart. He realized that these three fox spirits had no intention of giving up.

“Uncle Lu, do you peddlers have any local methods or tricks for dealing with things when you're out?”

Yin Qing asked quietly without turning his head. Master Ji's letter, though miraculous, was ultimately just a written message.

The elder man surnamed Lu and the others were now feeling more fear, but hearing Yin Qing's words, he remembered the method passed down through generations among their peddling village branch. He hummed in acknowledgment and then addressed everyone.

“Everyone, prepare the 'Knife Song'.”

The peddlers exchanged glances and gripped their woodcutting knives.

“Clang... clang...” “Clang... clang...”

Over a dozen people began tapping the ground with the backs of their knives. Within a few breaths, their scattered tapping became increasingly synchronized.

“Clang-clang-clang... clang-clang-clang...”

“Peddlers climb mountains, hey-ho... Bandits block the way, hey-ho... Knives in hand, hey-ho...”

“Clang-clang... clang-clang-clang...”

“Carrying a hundred jin, hey-ho... Desolate mountains and wild lands, hey-ho... Fearing neither tigers nor leopards, hey-ho...”

“Clang-clang... clang-clang-clang...”

The dozen or so peddlers sang louder and louder, their momentum growing stronger. Yin Qing noticed that the light from the letter paper in his hand also intensified significantly, a fine spiritual glow circulating around the peddlers. A fierce, formidable aura rose from these seemingly plain men.

This fierce masculine energy grew increasingly potent, causing the three women's expressions to change. It forced them to retreat several steps, for even though they were all mortals, they appeared as if they were fiercely ready to hack people down with their knives.