Chapter 3: The Small Pot

As they walked towards the inner hall of the Gou residence, Bai Binglan sneered inwardly: "Ha, the world has indeed fallen into depravity. It is not surprising that even a mere servant is blinded by money; even this Daoist disciple, who is supposed to be an elite of the human race, casually resorts to bribery. How shameful and laughable!"

Upon hearing these words, given Bai Binglan's temperament, she would have waved her hand to make this person vanish into thin air; however, now that she has lost all her powers, she does not dare to act rashly in the face of this imposing little Daoist threatening her. Thus, despite feeling aggrieved, she can only prepare to follow the script laid out by Zhang Kuangyun.

He quickly dodged the sword light that the young man had thrown at him.

The situation is stronger than the individual, and coupled with the intention to remain hidden beside Zhang Kuangyun, at this moment, even if one is reluctant, one must still put on a show

Thus, Mr. Gou, while staring intently at Bai Binglan, called out: "Ah Fu, didn't you just say you brought in two people? Why do I only see one?"

Ah? Ah Fu, the chubby house servant, was taken aback. He glanced at Zhang Kuangyun and the other person, then looked at Master Gou, and asked in confusion, "Master, isn't her brother standing right next to her, in front of you?"

As a descendant of the celestial fox bloodline, secretly belonging to an alien race, Bai Binglan's physique may appear unremarkable at first glance, yet in the subtle details, she is already distinct from the average human.

And even though I silently recite the tranquility and non-action of Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" in my heart, striving to maintain an ordinary gaze, it seems that no matter where my eyes fall on the girl, ... they are all seemingly jolted by her plump, elastic youthful curves, as if with a sudden "thud" they spring up...

Despite the cooperation in her words, Princess Tushan was filled with great anger: "What a despicable human thief, daring to take advantage of me and make me call him 'brother'! In the future, I will surely repay this a hundredfold!"

As he spoke, a shiny little silver ingot naturally slipped into the palm of the plump servant; at the same time, he also winked at Bai Binglan.

A clear and resounding voice, as bright as the clouds, suddenly echoed in the courtyard: "Taiyi Xuanling, responding to the stars above; all heavenly deities, summon your true spirits; the mighty Thunder Gods, descend upon the earthly court; heed my talismanic command, and execute the righteous punishment!"

"Perhaps Wang Po did not explain it clearly to you," Zhang Kuangyun said apologetically, "I apologize for startling you. However, I am a disciple of the Xuanling Sect of Jiuyi Mountain, and my skills in Taoism are quite commendable. As for today's events, they were actually more alarming than dangerous."

Before long, the three of them arrived at the inner hall of the residence.

Thus, Bai Binglan forced a slight smile, casting a small flirtatious glance. Before she could take any further action, the wealthy Mr. Gou's eyes blazed with fury, and with a loud "Aah!" he lunged forward, claws outstretched, attempting to embrace Bai Binglan

Is that so... Guo Yuanwai barely shifted his gaze to the side, and as soon as it landed on Zhang Kuangyun, he immediately withdrew it, redirecting it back to Bai Binglan, while muttering, "Hmph! Stinky man."

Not good! This dog demon is truly remarkable, even though it has enchanted me to the point of distraction, I still manage to withdraw completely in an impossible manner amidst the chaos.

This young master, I apologize," the plump servant said politely, "You may not be aware of the rules of my family, the Gou family. Only the young ladies applying for the maid position are allowed to enter the inner hall to be evaluated by our master. If selected, I will personally deliver the payment to you; if not selected, she will return on her own, and the two of you can go home together.

He quickly reached out to tear off the paper talisman on his forehead, but it was already too late

The little man originally intended to drive them away, but this young lady was exceedingly beautiful. He thought to himself that if he did not bring her before the master, it would be a sign of his disloyalty and insincerity

What? Bai Binglan was taken aback, and her expression immediately turned unpleasant

Bai Binglan, feeling helpless, could only feign a timid and frightened demeanor, softly saying: "Esteemed sir, I have never traveled far and am not accustomed to being apart from my brother"

Is that so... Ah, my skirt is torn! It seems that it was only at this moment that Bai Binglan noticed her skirt, which had been ripped by the dog demon just now.

Step aside! Master Gou waved his hand in extreme impatience, intending to push aside Zhang Kuangyun

Of course, on the surface she gently lowered her head and said yes, but secretly she must have cursed Zhang Kuangyun countless times.

After kindly reminding the house servant, he turned his face back and praised Bai Binglan, saying: "Ah, young lady, your skills are truly remarkable! That Wang Po did not deceive me; you are indeed a top figure in the brothel. Just now, your manner of enticing the dog demon, with every frown and smile, was simply like the legendary fox spirit!"

But just as he had time to silently call out in luck, the dog demon felt a piece of paper lightly fall onto its forehead

While she was secretly cursing and making a series of racist remarks in her heart, Zhang Kuangyun had already successfully persuaded the fat servant to open the door

In the resounding and clear sound of the command, the lecherous dog demon was already so frightened that his soul seemed to fly away; he had the intention to counterattack, but at that moment, he was already weak and feeble, with no possibility of any retaliation left.

What? I didn't expect him to be so lewd and despicable. Furious, Zhang Kuangyun raised an eyebrow and lifted a foot, kicking the lewd dog demon into the inch-sized jar!

Hmm? The extremely cautious dog demon has lost composure so quickly, which indeed surprised Zhang Kuangyun

To speak frankly, the current reaction of Mr. Gou is precisely the best outcome that Zhang Kuangyun desires

The lecherous dog demon, hidden from the world, upon seeing the graceful Bai Binglan standing in the courtyard, was momentarily dumbfounded, then burst into wild laughter, almost unable to restrain itself from barking, as if it had suddenly gone mad

What is Master Yuanwai doing? Zhang Kuangyun seemed taken aback, smiling apologetically while instinctively reaching out his hand, as if he wanted to stop Master Gou.

"What? Why did you bring someone else along?" Soon, Zhang Kuangyun and Bai Binglan heard a furious roar erupt from inside.

As they passed through the foyer and walked towards the inner hall along the courtyard, Zhang Kuangyun quietly tugged at Bai Binglan's sleeve

Upon hearing these words, Bai Binglan smiled proudly and thought to herself: "What does 'just like' mean? This princess is indeed a vixen, and of the most ancient and noble lineage of the Nine Heavens Xuanhu!"

It turns out that in this day and age, most girls from ordinary families have a darker complexion and are not particularly fair; however, Bai Binglan possesses skin as smooth as frost and a face like fine jade. Without the need for sunlight to shine upon her, she seems to radiate her own light simply by standing there, exuding a brilliant glow that enhances her already stunning beauty, perfectly embodying the phrase "radiant and resplendent".

The two individuals slightly slowed their pace, falling a few steps behind the plump servant.

The decree had been fulfilled, and Zhang Kuangyun took out a crystal-clear, ruby-red gourd, which was none other than the "Cunshen Hu," a magical artifact for capturing demons from the Xuanling Sect of Jiuyishan. Whenever disciples of the Xuanling Sect ventured out to capture demons, they would utilize the Cunshen Hu to store the subdued demons, bringing them back to the sect to be handed over to the sect leader or elders for personal disposition. Those deemed extremely heinous would be executed on the spot, while the others would be confined in the Demon Suppression Valley for labor reform.

The master of this residence, Mr. Gou, originally harbored the intention of finding fault and stormed out of the hall with great momentum; however, upon stepping outside and raising his eyes to look into the courtyard, he was immediately rendered speechless.

Just as he was about to enter with Bai Binglan, he was stopped by the plump steward

"It is of no concern, it is of no concern," Zhang Kuangyun hurriedly said, "The girl’s skirt was torn while I was working, which constitutes a 'work injury' and should be compensated by me. Since the matter here is settled, let us find a tailor shop to buy you a new dress, my lady."

Bai Binglan was puzzled by the meaning, when she heard Zhang Kuangyun speaking in a low and secretive voice to her: "Presumably that old woman Wang has already told you, but since this matter is of great importance, I might as well repeat it to you. When you meet that Mr. Gou later, you should use your usual charm and employ a 'beauty trap' on him; you only need to do this, and you need not worry about anything else.

As she thought this, the wild cloud in her heart sighed: "Alas, the demon has indeed fallen; even my people, taught by the sages of Huaxia, have been influenced to become greedy for money. Truly, 'one who is close to vermilion becomes red, and one who is close to ink becomes black.' How shameful and laughable!"

Her figure, with its alluring curves and ample tension in the arcs, despite Zhang Kuangyun's instructions to the shopkeeper to select carefully, the final choice of this outfit still did not quite fit Bai Binglan's physique

The demon capturing has concluded, and Zhang Kuangyun turned his face to announce to the astonished fat servant Ah Fu beside him: "Your master is a dog demon, who has taken advantage of the night to commit numerous acts of debauchery and abduction, and has been captured by me; from now on, you are officially unemployed, so hurry and find another job on the street to avoid affecting your ability to support your family"

"Please, please." He gestured, unprecedentedly bringing along the audacious man Zhang Kuangyun, and together with Bai Binglan, they walked towards the inner hall

Seeing her like this, Zhang Kuangyun was somewhat surprised; he glanced at the plump servant swaying ahead, said no more, but darkened his face and, with a stern expression, whispered: "Miss, you agreed and took my money, when the moment comes, do not tell me it is not possible."

My lord, please calm down, my lord, please calm down! The voice of the plump servant came through, "Originally, I would not dare to make an exception, but today the young lady who came to apply is exceptionally beautiful, and her demeanor is quite shy. She insists that she is afraid of meeting strangers, having just arrived and without her brother accompanying her, she is not accustomed to it.

Upon seeing Mr. Gou rush over, Bai Binglan was initially filled with anger, but suddenly seemed to realize something, immediately becoming flustered and hurriedly trying to hide behind Zhang Kuangyun. However, she was unable to evade in time, and the hem of her skirt was already swept by Mr. Gou's hand.

How could an ordinary person withstand the manipulations of his minions? At this moment, Mr. Gou's thoughts were still focused on Bai Binglan, who was hiding behind the young man.

Yes, indeed! The plump housekeeper repeatedly claimed so, and soon Zhang Kuangyun and the other person heard the sound of the door curtain. The two servants of the Gou family had already come out.

When he secretly cursed in his heart, he smiled and said: "It is good for this elder brother to know that my sister has some hidden ailments; she is naturally very timid and never dares to part from me when we go out. Of course, if she were fortunate enough to serve as a maid in your esteemed household, this issue would be resolved. But for now, I hope you can be accommodating and allow me to accompany my sister. I assure you that I will only observe and not speak, and I will not cause any trouble."

She understands that it is this detestable Daoist boy who has compelled her to employ the art of seduction

Looking at the girl before him, Zhang Kuangyun finally understood the painstaking effort of the ancients in their choice of words; at this moment, the character "勒" applied to Bai Binglan was simply ingenious and remarkably vivid

Hangzhou is renowned for its silk, and soon Zhang Kuangyun purchased a new lake green silk dress for Bai Binglan at a nearby ready-to-wear shop

Paper

Zhang Kuangyun's question was originally intended to see if the lustful dog demon would admit defeat and acknowledge its mistakes; however, to his surprise, the dejected dog demon suddenly perked up upon hearing the question, its gaze shifting past Zhang Kuangyun and lewdly fixating on Bai Binglan, drooling as it said: "If you want to know what this lord still thinks, it is that I want to fall for another trap!"

The lecherous and frenzied Gou Yuanwai, at this moment, had forgotten to conceal his desires; the nails of his palm had taken on the shape of a vicious dog's claws. Even though Bai Binglan had maintained her composure, just a slight brush from him unexpectedly resulted in a "rip" sound, and the pale yellow dress was torn apart.

Though she felt proud inside, Bai Binglan's exterior displayed a look of shock and fear. After being stunned for a while, she finally patted her chest and said: "Ah! I didn't expect this task to be about capturing monsters, I was truly terrified just now..."

Just as the dog demon was about to be captured in the "Inch-sized Pot," the triumphant Zhang Kuangyun laughed heartily and said, "Good demon! Even if you are as cunning as a ghost, you have fallen for the clever scheme of the young master of the Zhang family! Today, I am in a good mood, so before you enter the pot, let me ask you one more question: Do you have any final wishes or thoughts to express?"

Upon hearing these words, the financially constrained Princess Tianhu had no objections; thus, the two of them confidently walked out of the residence under the watchful and respectful gazes of the servants and attendants of the Gou family

However, after several escapes from the dog demon before him, Zhang Kuangyun felt that this monster was cunning and might be putting on an act. It was better to remain cautious; otherwise, with this creature's innate speed and agility, it could suddenly flee at the slightest disturbance, rendering all previous efforts futile. In the future, getting close would be exceedingly difficult.

How could he know that the Nine-Tailed Fox lineage inherently possesses a trace of natural charm, capable of enticing lowly creatures like Gou Yuanwai? Such a feat is merely a trivial matter, easily accomplished at will

However, what he did not expect was that he had just reached out his hand, and before he could even approach the young man in white, he suddenly felt a flash of cold light before his eyes, and a chilling aura rushed towards him!

Bai Binglan was taken aback, and after a moment, she reacted with great anger, thinking, "These human beings are truly despicable. This princess is naturally beautiful; do I really need to spend money for it to be recognized? And this little Daoist, despite his handsome features and righteous demeanor, surprisingly resorts to such underhanded methods!"

A thought flashed through, and in an instant, Mr. Gou was so frightened that his soul seemed to leave his body

"Well said, well said!" Having received the silver, and with a beautiful woman pleading sweetly, the plump servant of the Gou family was practically melting away.

The fat housekeeper first instructed the two to wait outside, and then he entered to report.

The originally gentle and undulating curve has been tightened to such an extent that even the carefree young disciple of the Dao feels at a loss for where to direct his gaze

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare," the fat steward said repeatedly, "I serve wholeheartedly, how could I possibly deceive my master? Why not let them in?"

The ill-fitting dress, however, brings about a different effect; the slightly smaller cut accentuates and distinctly outlines the marvelous and astonishing curves of the waist and hips of the celestial fox princess—yes, indeed, it is the "constriction"!

He slightly turned his face and gave a glance to Bai Binglan.

No need for that," Mr. Gou exclaimed loudly, "I happened to have nothing to do last night, and today I am full of energy, so I will go to the courtyard to take a look. It is just bright enough to see clearly, saving me from being deceived by you, this lowly servant.

Oh, I see. Zhang Kuangyun replied, but inwardly he cursed: This old dog is indeed cunning! Yet he has caused me to lose money.

Ah!

Although Bai Binglan had lost all her powers, her keen senses remained intact, and she immediately noticed Zhang Kuangyun's subtle gesture

Is that so? Then obviously it was the loud voice of Master Gou that came through, "You lazy, fat fellow, do not boast so grandly; are you perhaps some relative or in-law? Anyway, when I take a look later, if I find you spouting nonsense, I will surely shatter your clever teeth."

This, this, this, could it be that I am seeing things? Have I actually witnessed a celestial being descending to the mortal realm? Ha, ha ha!