19 Saving the children

Tracking the smell, they reached a creepy location.

"The scent of their children is coming from that house," Yuzhen translated the beast man's words.

Approaching the house, Yuzhen sensed signs of habitation and knocked on the door after noticing a lamp glowing inside. An elderly man opened the door, and they requested permission to search the house, displaying their sect symbol as proof of their authority.

Seeing a beast man accompanying them, the old man startled a bit but allowed them to search inside his house. Yuzhen initiated the search, but nothing suspicious was found. The beast man still insisted that the scent of their cubs was strong in this place. Meanwhile, Chen Zoe observed the old man's facial expressions.

"Master, there is nothing here," Yuzhen said disappointingly.

"I already told you," the old man replied weakly.

"You really didn't miss any spot, right?" Chen Zoe asked to confirm.

Yuzhen disappointedly nodded; however, Chen Zoe decided to make a final check. He stopped at a wooden doll placed in the corner, observing the old man's unsteady gaze and sweating face. Chen Zoe inquired, "Is this doll some sort of trigger?"

Realizing that he had been caught red-handed, the old man rang a bell he held in his hands. From outside, five men entered, all carrying weapons and dressed in black to hide their identities.

"Classic assassins' look, can't they change their getup at least?" Chen Zoe remarked.

"Hush, come at once. I don't have much time to waste on you." In less than five minutes, Chen Zoe swiftly resolved the situation, leaving one for Yuzhen to handle, for gaining experience.

In a desperate attempt to escape, the old man made a run for it, but Chen Zoe reacted swiftly. He grabbed a nearby wooden vase from the table and hurled it at the old man, rendering him unconscious. In such dire circumstances, anything could come in handy.

"How's that shot?" With a proud face, Chen Zoe asks in the excitement of that shot thar hit the target correctly, forgetting for a moment what kind of situation he really in.

As Chen Zoe rotated the wooden doll, it triggered the opening of an underground dungeon concealed beneath the house. A noxious odor wafted from the dark entrance, assaulting their senses as they ventured inside.

Having a single lamp in their hands they move forward, the darkness around them made it challenging to search. To counter the darkness, Chen Zoe summoned his blue flames, casting a radiant light that illuminated the area, allowing them to see more clearly.

Long Yuzhen was surprised by the blue flames technique that Chen Zoe used. It was quite similar to the one Zoya had shown him, ten years ago.

The sight within the dungeon was truly heart-wrenching. The children were imprisoned in the dungeon without any food or water. Some of their companions had met a tragic end at the hands of their captors, their lifeless bodies piled up in the corner, emitting a foul odor that pervaded the air.

Chen Zoe and Yuzhen's presence initially struck terror into the hearts of the children. They cowered and whimpered, frightened by the sight of a human in their midst. 

The beast men came forward to comfort them, reassured that these humans won't harm them, their fear began to subside. Yuzhen knelt down beside them, offering what little comfort he could. "It's going to be alright now. You're safe," he whispered soothingly, trying to console the traumatized children.

"We need to move them out," Chen Zoe said, realizing they didn't have much time to waste.

They carefully led the surviving children out of the dungeon. However, there was a little black-colored nine-tailed fox cub (in its real form) left behind; his injuries were severe but still alive. 

"You were missing one; take him with you," Chen Zoe urged as he cradled the injured cub in his arms, refusing to leave it behind. However, the beast man moved forward without showing any concern for the wounded cub.

"Leave him there; he won't survive," The beast man seemed unwilling to take the injured cub.

"But he isn't dead yet. There is a chance he can survive," Chen Zoe insisted, his heart aching for the helpless creature in his arms. The beast man, unyielding, continued to move away.

"Then can I raise him if he survives?" Chen Zoe proposed, feeling pity for the child.

"Because you are our savior, I will give you advice," the beast man began solemnly. "He is a jinx, born after killing his own mother. Nothing good came from saving such a thing. It will only bring disaster.

Now it's your choice. Keep that child or not."

Long Yuzhen felt a deep sense of sympathy for the injured cub. He could see a reflection of himself in the cub – abandoned by parents, with no one to depend on, and struggling to survive. He wasn't certain about his master's decision; if Chen Zoe chose to leave the cub behind, what will happen to him?

"It seems I've become your owner, black guy," Yuzhen murmured softly to the injured cub. "Don't easily surrender to your fate. We have a long journey ahead."

Experiencing this compassionate side of Chen Zoe left a profound impression on Yuzhen, deepening his respect for his master.