Jiang Yiguang deduced the approximate time period from the villagers’ conversations.
The current era name was “Chongguang,” the final period of the north-south division. The ruler of Southern Qi was the Last Ruler of Qi, who would be reviled in later generations, but his Empress was renowned for her virtue—none other than “Empress Wenzhao,” Xie Chaoyun. Having inexplicably fallen into this historical period, Jiang Yiguang couldn’t help but wonder about her “identity.”
She might have entered the Nine-Tailed Fox’s dream.
Jiang Yiguang’s suspicion was confirmed before long.
It was a bleak, dark night, the wind howling mournfully, dogs barking incessantly. The small village was lit by torches as conscription officers from the court came to “raid” it, intending to drag off the able-bodied young men and even the elderly. The wails of infants, the pleas of women… all kinds of sounds intertwined, as if a host of demons were weeping.
The family hosting Jiang Yiguang also had its door smashed open by rough soldiers. She was lying in the straw pile, twitching her ears, and when she turned her head, she met a pair of greedy eyes. Her heart lurched in terror, and before she could react, the officer strode toward her, reaching out to grab her by the neck. Naturally, Jiang Yiguang couldn’t sit and wait for death. She dodged frantically around the room, but the officer frowned, drew his blade with a sinister grin. The kind-hearted old man and woman tried to plead and block him, but the officer ignored them, shoving the elderly man with the hilt of his sword, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Jiang Yiguang had little memory of what happened next. Although she was inhabiting the body of this white fox, at the crucial moment, she had no control, more like a spectator. By the time her consciousness fully cleared, the white fox had already transformed into a “human.” On the ground, corpses were piled like mountains, and winding bloodstains seeped into the sandy soil, staining it dark red.
After burying the old man and woman, the white fox began wandering aimlessly, traveling from south to north, enduring countless hardships. The woman the white fox had transformed into was a peerless beauty, naturally attracting the covetous glances of frivolous rogues. In a chaotic era ravaged by war, even humans couldn’t avoid bloodshed, let alone a fox demon. This “wandering” continued until the white fox was encountered by the Imperial Preceptor of the Northern Dynasty. The Preceptor, whose skills were formidable, captured the white fox and fed it a pill, awakening her bloodline— Azure Hill Celestial Fox, born with nine tails. Yet he didn’t see the nine tails as an auspicious omen but wanted her to become a calamitous beauty who would ruin the already chaotic political situation of Southern Qi.
After that, it was the fateful meeting of the calamitous beauty and the Empress of a nation.
Outside the cave.
After slaying the malevolent Mountain Fiend and restless spirits, the miasma that lingered around dissipated somewhat, and the field of vision gradually cleared and widened. Fu Juan turned her head and saw Jiang Yiguang collapsed on the ground, her brows furrowing deeply. Wang Xuanming had also finished dealing with his opponents and hurried over to Jiang Yiguang, reaching out to check her breathing. He glanced at the box of Peach Blossom Pastry discarded on the ground and said grimly, “She formed a connection with the sacrificial offering. She might have fallen directly into an illusory dream.” A Celestial Fox building a dream would not directly harm the physical body or soul, making it something that magical artifacts found hard to defend against.
Fu Juan looked weary. She gave a noncommittal “Mn” and then said to Wang Xuanming, “Go and replenish the missing talismans at the cave entrance.” These spell talismans weren’t recorded in the Xuanzhen Dao Court’s archives but were family secrets of the Wang clan, and only Wang Xuanming could handle them. Wang Xuanming let out a heavy sigh and nodded.
Seeing Wang Xuanming leave, Fu Juan turned her attention to Xie Chaoyun. She said calmly, “That period of history has traces of you. May I use you to enter the dream and bring Jiang Yiguang out?”
Xie Chaoyun asked, “If you can’t break the situation, aren’t you afraid you’ll both sink into this realm?”
Fu Juan lowered her lashes and said flatly, “There’s more than just one path in this world.”
Xie Chaoyun looked deeply at Fu Juan, then nodded. “Alright.”
Qi Palace.
The Last Ruler was unprincipled, surrounded by sycophants.
When Fu Juan’s consciousness awakened, what she saw reflected in the bronze mirror was Xie Chaoyun’s face.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, branches and flowers slanting, creating dappled shadows.
She slowly stood up, feeling the sensation of “having feet on the ground” that she had lost for so many years.
She walked forward a couple of steps when a palace attendant suddenly came to report: “Her Highness the Noble Consort requests an audience.” Before she could respond, the “Noble Consort” in all her pink elegance had already entered the hall, darting toward her like a butterfly flitting through flowers. Fu Juan hadn’t walked in a long time; the impact made her stumble, and she plopped back onto the small couch, a faint crease of pain pressing between her brows.
The palace attendants consciously withdrew from the hall, clearly accustomed to such scenes.
Fu Juan looked up at the “Noble Consort,” trying to find traces of Jiang Yiguang’s presence within her.
And inside the white fox’s body, Jiang Yiguang was also secretly observing “Xie Chaoyun.” This “illusion” was one she had experienced many times before—from being saved by the elderly to the final bite of Peach Blossom Pastry—like an endless cycle of reincarnation. She didn’t know how to break free from this dream. She had tried taking another path, but it always led her deep into the palace, ultimately perishing at the hands of “Xie Chaoyun.”
It could only be said that the obsession in this dream was too strong.
Jiang Yiguang thought she knew every move Xie Chaoyun made by heart, but this time, Xie Chaoyun was different. She didn’t speak, and her eyes were no longer the gentle, watery gaze but as deep and dark as the night.
Jiang Yiguang tried to stand up and distance herself from Xie Chaoyun.
In the past, she had no control over her body, but now she actually managed to stand and even took several steps back, nearly tripping over a small table nearby. A look of surprise crossed Jiang Yiguang’s face. After staring at Xie Chaoyun for a long moment, she was the first to look away, emulating the “Nine-Tailed Fox’s” tone as she said softly with a smile, “Sister, you seem a little different today.”
Fu Juan’s voice was very light. “Is that so?” She secretly thought, if it were Jiang Yiguang, she wouldn’t speak in such a tone. Could it be that her consciousness is sealed inside this “shell”? It would be better if she remained “unconscious and unaware.” Once this illusory dream realm collapsed, she would return to her own body, and it would all just be a hazy dream.
Jiang Yiguang smiled at “Xie Chaoyun,” her charm innate, her gaze rippling like waves.
Fu Juan said nothing more. Neither historical records nor anecdotal tales could fully recount the true situation of those times. The relationship between “Xie Chaoyun” and the “Demon Consort” was entirely different from the “enmity” recorded. If she didn’t interfere and let “the dream continue as before,” it likely wouldn’t be awakening that awaited them but a “restart” of the dream. But if she did interfere, what path should she take? To resolve the Nine-Tailed Fox’s heart’s knot? Did her knot relate to the “Peach Blossom Pastry”?
As she pondered, that soft voice, along with a fragrant breeze, drew closer.
“Sister, I want to eat Peach Blossom Pastry.”
Fu Juan stared deeply at the “Nine-Tailed Fox,” then casually gave a noncommittal “Mn.”
Jiang Yiguang: “…” If she remembered correctly, the last time she reached this juncture, Xie Chaoyun had very clearly refused.
Was this even Xie Chaoyun?
“Tushan Yi” was her, so who was “Xie Chaoyun”?
Jiang Yiguang’s heart jolted in alarm!
