Senior Zhu's admission, along with his imposing height and otherworldly features, captivated the forming mob. Now that they could see him up close, the cultivators could not resist speculating on his relation to Grandmaster Zhu.

Zhu Zhang descended from the dais and casually made his way towards Senior Zhu, as if answering the disciples' suspicions. He stood by Senior Zhu's side, folding his arms and waiting for the other man to speak.

While Senior Zhu had a more distinctive look than Grandmaster Zhu – near-androgynous features and striking silver hair, versus the Grandmaster's well-defined square jaw and dark tresses – seeing them together left no doubt as to their many similarities. The notable physical likeness, along with the shared surname, led the attending cultivators to fear they might possibly be in quite a lot of trouble for offending this great young master.

Their concerns were soon assuaged thanks to Senior Zhu's calm demeanor and benevolent words.

"The fox spirit is mine," he said. His deep, smooth voice resonating and appealing to the masses with minimal effort. "I shall do my best to compensate for your losses." The cultivators regarded him with awe, unaware of their near-death experience just minutes prior. Senior Zhu spread his fingers apart and conjured a simple worn pouch over his palm.

No one noticed Grandmaster Zhu Zhang's lips twitch, or saw his shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. They were all far too fascinated by the dashing man offering to repay them.

Ah, he had truly overestimated his naughty child! Well, as long as the boy did not kill his disciples, he would not mind letting Little Qingyue play a few games. Bai Zhang kept his silence, simply enjoying the show unfolding before him. His eyes crinkled in the corners as he hid his mirth.

Zhu Qingyue emptied the contents of his pouch, and a few coppers scattered loosely across the ground. The strikingly handsome man looked down, seeming disheartened by the small amount. Seeing the handsome, godlike visage of the young man suddenly suffused with sadness and near shame would tug at any viewer's heartstrings.

"These are my life's savings." His voice was tinged with heartbreak. "I do not have much, but I am willing to work hard to repay everyone for my fox spirit's misdeeds." He looked to the crowd, his gaze sad, yet his features were marked with obvious determination. If this was all a pretend show, then he was a real natural talent. He hadn't needed to concentrate at all to keep up with the act upon seeing the change in the crowd.

A few nearby female disciples whimpered, as if on cue, in response to his resolute promise. The men nodded in understanding and camaraderie, feeling deeply for the Grandmaster's son.

"Senior Zhu is so righteous!"

"No wonder – he must be related to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang!"

Bai Qingyue concealed his expression with his wrist, a gesture of apparent anguish, and stole a glance back to observe Li Meirong's reaction. She appeared slightly confused, her lovely countenance contorted into a frown.

'Odd. Why did she seem upset?' Was he not taking the blame for her?

He would have to increase his efforts.

"My name is Zhu Qingyue," Bai Qingyue said a moment later, beginning to divulge his tale of woe and misfortune. "I am Grandmaster Zhu's illegitimate son. Most of my life, I have lived in a poverty-stricken settlement, brought up by humble means. It was only by sheer coincidence that my father recently discovered my existence, and he chose to train me in secret over the past few years. I have never dared to aspire for wealth or greatness, and therefore this is all I have to my name. I will surely pay you back the moment I am able – on that you have my word!"

He bowed his head at the end of his 'sincere' declaration.

Bai Zhang's good mood instantly vanished – he stood by his son's side, inwardly fuming. He cast him a black look. What a brat! Even with his fabrications, his lies, he made his respected father sound like an uncaring devil! Had he not given him half his life force?!

And what poverty? The boy had been living with a golden spoon in his mouth all his life!

Bai Zhang scoffed a little. There was no way his devoted disciples would believe such nonsense.

With this confidently in mind, he turned towards his disciples, only for his eyes to darken further as his mouth stretched into a long, thin line. 'Utterly despicable!'

The sympathetic looks plastered across the disciples' faces as they gazed up at his son reflected only blind belief in his ridiculous tale. Bai Qingyue had easily bought the crowd with his half-assed narrative! Some of the female disciples even had glistening tears in their eyes!

Bai Zhang had worked tirelessly all these years to maintain a stellar reputation, so to think that his careful efforts could be instantly ruined by a few fictitious words from his own flesh and blood… 'How infuriating!'

Even Shopkeeper Mu no longer wished to argue, but instead displayed deep sympathy for Senior Zhu Qingyue's sad tale. As it were, he had also suffered from bad parenting, and had been left to struggle through life's hardships on his own.

Shopkeeper Mu patted Zhu Qingyue's shoulder and said, "Do not worry about the fox spirit. Let us put the past behind us. You seem like an upstanding young man; I am sure you will do great things in the future!"

"Let bygones be bygones," a female disciple cheered.

"It was a misunderstanding, like Grandmaster Zhu Zhang said…"

The crowd was totally captivated, and were looking at Zhu Qingyue with adoration and pity.

Whilst Zhu Qingyue was showered with affection from the previously murderous crowd, Li Meirong's ire only further increased. She kept her face downcast to conceal her rage.

A few seconds ago, she had harnessed all of her energy in preparation to fight, willing to stand her ground in what would likely have been a final showdown, only to be interrupted by Zhu Qingyue. When he had rushed to stand in front of her, she had assumed he was trying to defend her and so had dropped her own defenses. Her heart had warmed at the thought of this distinguished man protecting her – maybe he wasn't as bad as she'd assumed?

But then he'd had the nerve to say that Snowball was his! Was this thief planning on stealing her pet?