Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

The girl in green was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly, "Thank you so much, young master! I will take good care of the spirit fox." She then turned to the old man, "Please sell the spirit fox to me, sir. I'm willing to pay double the price."

At this moment, the man in black suddenly sneered, "Hmph! Do you think I don't exist? I'm going to have this spirit fox! Who dares to take it!" Before he finished speaking, he had already flashed in front of the old man, grabbed the spirit fox by the neck and lifted it up. "Now it's mine! Anyone who dares to stop me will be killed without mercy!" His eyes were filled with murderous intent, which made people tremble with fear.

"Let it go!" the girl in green cried out in shock, rushing forward to snatch back the spirit fox, but was struck away by the man in black and fell to the ground with a "bang," blood trickling from the corner of her lips.

"Watch out!" Ying Zheng quickly caught the girl and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

The girl shook her head to indicate that she was alright, but fear flashed in her eyes. She had not expected the man in black to be so ruthless and powerful.

"Damn it!" Bai Ze roared in fury, drawing his sword and pointing it at the man in black. "Release the spirit fox immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The man in black sneered, "You think you're worthy to compete with me? You overestimate yourself!" As he spoke, he exerted force, intending to strangle the spirit fox. At the critical moment, the spirit fox suddenly let out a sharp cry, a cunning glint in its eyes, and its body transformed into a white light, breaking free of its restraints and leaping onto Ying Zheng's shoulder.

"Huh?" The man in black was shocked, not expecting the fox spirit to possess such supernatural powers. "What kind of sorcery is this?" he shouted angrily, pointing at Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng smiled faintly, stroking the fox's fur gently. "Little one, are you alright?" he asked softly. The fox seemed to understand human speech and nodded slightly. Then, it opened its mouth and spat out a crystal-clear spirit pearl, which floated into Ying Zheng's palm. That spirit pearl contained magical power; it was the inner core that the nine-tailed fox had cultivated for many years. By giving away its inner core, it seemed to be expressing trust and entrustment.

"This is..." Ying Zheng stared in surprise at the spirit pearl in his palm, feeling the immense spiritual power within it. He understood that this was the spirit fox's approval, and also a heavy responsibility.

"It seems this spirit fox has recognized you as its master," Bai Ze said, stepping closer to the spirit pearl. There was no jealousy in his eyes, only joy for his friend.

The girl in green leaned closer to examine her curiously: "I never expected the fox spirit to choose you. It must be because of your pure heart and courage." Her words were filled with sincere admiration.

However, the man in black did not give up. A cold light flashed in his eyes, and he moved again, attacking Ying Zheng and the spirit fox. He knew that as long as he obtained the spirit fox's inner core, his cultivation would definitely reach a higher level, so he would not allow them to leave.

Faced with the onslaught, Ying Zheng and Bai Ze did not back down. The two joined forces to fight back, engaging in a fierce battle. The Nine-Tailed Fox also used its supernatural powers to assist them. Its nine long tails lashed out like spirit whips, each attack possessing astonishing power.

After a long and fierce battle, both sides had given their all. However, the man in black was ultimately more skilled and gradually gained the upper hand. He sneered and looked down at them, "You think you can contend with me with just a spirit fox? How naive!" With that, he condensed a powerful energy in his palm and slammed it towards the two of them.

At the critical moment, a dragon's roar suddenly echoed from the sky, and a colossal dragon descended to block the attack. "Who dares to harm my honored dragon guest!" the dragon roared, its fury shaking the heavens. Its imposing power terrified all who beheld it. The man in black paled upon seeing the dragon, realizing he had provoked a being he shouldn't have. "Retreat!" he whispered, instantly disappearing into the crowd. The other opportunists scattered and fled in all directions.

The dragon slowly descended to the ground, transforming into a middle-aged man in dragon robes. He looked at Ying Zheng, Bai Ze, and the spirit fox and nodded slightly: "Well done, you prevented the villains from succeeding." He then reached out to the spirit fox, "Little one, come back with me. The dragon clan is your true home."

Unexpectedly, the spirit fox shook its head in refusal, leaping onto Ying Zheng's shoulder and nuzzling his cheek affectionately, indicating its unwillingness to leave. Seeing this, the middle-aged man smiled wryly and shook his head: "Fine, since you've acknowledged him as your master, I won't force you. I only wish you two could support each other and live in harmony." With that, he transformed into golden light and vanished into the sky, leaving Ying Zheng, Bai Ze, and the spirit fox exchanging knowing smiles.

Ying Zheng gently stroked the nine-tailed fox's snow-white fur, his gaze as tender as water: "Little thing, don't be afraid, I will definitely protect you."

The fox seemed to understand human speech, obediently nodding and squinting its eyes to savor the warmth. Bai Ze smiled at this, "It seems you two are truly compatible. This fox understands human nature; it's indeed extraordinary."

“Indeed,” Ying Zheng nodded. “Since it has recognized me as its master, I will do everything in my power to protect it.” At this moment, a young woman in emerald green gracefully arrived, her bright eyes sparkling with inquiry as she carefully examined the spirit fox: “Could you tell me what is so special about this nine-tailed spirit fox? Does it possess extraordinary power? Why is that man in black so determined to obtain it? Is there some hidden reason behind this?”

Ying Zheng and Bai Ze exchanged a helpless glance. After a moment of contemplation, Ying Zheng slowly said, "To be honest, this nine-tailed spirit fox is no ordinary creature. It possesses spiritual abilities and can cultivate to become an immortal. Its inner core contains immense spiritual power, which can help cultivators break through their cultivation levels."

The girl's expression changed upon hearing this: "Is that so?! Doesn't that mean it's in danger?"

Bai Ze chimed in, "That's exactly right. But now that it has chosen a master, it will be safer by Ying Zheng's side."

The girl gazed at the human and the fox, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes: "You are truly lucky."

Ying Zheng smiled faintly: "It is our blessing to have encountered it."

Suddenly, the crowd stirred. A man in brocade robes strode in, surrounded by his retinue. Though handsome, his eyes held a cold glint. "It's them!" the man in black shouted, pointing at Ying Zheng and his entourage.

The man in brocade robes coldly surveyed the crowd: "How dare you steal my things? You're tired of living!" His attendants responded and surrounded the group.

Ying Zheng and Bai Ze immediately drew their swords against each other. The nine-tailed fox shrieked and transformed into a white light, rushing straight at the man in brocade robes. "Overestimating yourself!" The man raised his palm to meet the attack, but the fox nimbly dodged, its sharp teeth digging deeply into his wrist.

"Ah!" The man cried out in pain and struggled, giving Ying Zheng and his companion the opportunity to drive away the attendants. At that moment, a spirit fox brought a jade pendant and tossed it into Ying Zheng's hand. The jade pendant shimmered with light and radiated power.

Ying Zheng activated the jade pendant, and a burst of brilliant light shot out, striking the man squarely in the chest. With a "thud," the man staggered and fell to the ground, blood trickling from his lips.

"Who...who are you?" the man asked, filled with fear and trepidation.

Ying Zheng stood with his hands behind his back: "Tell me everything you know about the spirit fox!"

The man answered tremblingly, "I only know that it is an ancient spirit beast, and its inner core can aid in cultivation. The man in black seems to belong to some mysterious organization, and they have been searching for the spirit fox's whereabouts."

Ying Zheng and Bai Ze looked grave. They understood that this turmoil was far from over.

As they walked through the bustling streets, Ying Zheng gently stroked the spirit fox and whispered, "Even if there are a thousand difficulties and dangers, I will protect you." The spirit fox gazed at him deeply with its azure eyes, full of trust.

Bai Ze asked worriedly, "What are your plans next?"

"Let's find a safe place for it to cultivate, and we also need to improve our cultivation." Before Ying Zheng finished speaking, a commotion suddenly arose from ahead.

At a stall surrounded by a crowd, a strangely shaped stone, shimmering with light, caught the eye. "This is... a spirit stone?" Ying Zheng exclaimed in surprise. (End of Chapter)