Chapter 57: Can’t Bite Two Foxes

Lifting the bamboo curtain of the Elegant Room, Xuanyuan Mu stepped inside.

The person walking behind her, who had been chattering non-stop on the veranda, fell silent the moment the curtain was lifted.

Inside, someone sat alone by the window, draped in a black robe. An empty sleeve hung limply at her side, while her remaining hand lifted a teacup from the table.

Xuanyuan Mu and her companion entered one after the other. The person drinking tea by the window showed no expression, simply sipping the fragrant brew in small, measured tastes.

Behind Xuanyuan Mu, Chen Er was so tense her entire body was taut. The one who had been so eloquent just moments ago now couldn’t utter a single word.

After holding it in for a long while, she managed an awkward greeting: “Your Eminence, Devil Venerable!”

Nangong Yin lifted her eyelids, casting a faint glance at the two of them.

Devil Lord was merely an internal title used within the Devil Clan. Outside the Jiuyou Devil Realm, within the Three Realms, ordinary people were more familiar with her other name: Devil Venerable Cangli.

The way these two were acting, it was obvious they had come to ask for a favor.

Nangong Yin was usually unpredictable in her movements. The fact that these two had managed to track her down suggested they possessed some skill.

For those with skill, Nangong Yin was willing to offer a modicum of patience.

So she asked, “What is it?”

Chen Er’s voice came out haltingly as she introduced herself: “My name is Chen Er. I have some personal acquaintance with Protector Lei, and I dared ask her to arrange this introduction because I wish to discuss a collaboration with Your Eminence.”

Xuanyuan Mu furrowed her brow.

Before entering, Chen Er had discussed things with her. She had been told not to speak unless absolutely necessary. But the way Chen Er was acting now, could she really negotiate a successful collaboration?

Xuanyuan Mu cast a measuring glance at Nangong Yin.

This most esteemed figure of the Devil Realm remained expressionless, her demeanor as unruffled as still water. She showed no sign of impatience at Chen Er’s hesitant tone.

She raised her teacup and took a small sip. “Continue.”

Chen Er’s eyes lit up. The fact that Nangong Yin hadn’t immediately thrown them out meant there was hope!

Her courage slightly bolstered, she spoke up: “Has Your Eminence ever heard of an ancient and secret treasure, the Yantian Divine Scroll?”

Nangong Yin’s hand paused briefly as she held her cup.

The Yantian Divine Scroll was a spatial Magic Treasure. It could establish connections between any arbitrary nodes in the void. If one could obtain this object, even without the Xuanhuang Secret Key, there might still be a way to enter the Xuanhuang Secret Realm.

Chen Er continued, “We two know the whereabouts of this item and wish to offer this intelligence to Your Eminence.”

“Intelligence?” Nangong Yin curled her lips. Her lazy voice was laced with a hint of mockery. “Is it verified intelligence or unverified?”

Chen Er looked abashed. “I dare not deceive Your Eminence. Even joining forces, we two cannot defeat the Fierce Beast guarding the entrance to the Foreign Realm. However, that Foreign Realm is identical to the place where the Yantian Divine Scroll was said to have been lost, and the guardian beast happens to be adept at spatial spells. My estimate is eighty percent.”

An eighty percent calculation; she simply dared not state it with full certainty.

Nangong Yin lowered her eyes and got straight to the point. “Your condition?”

Chen Er organized the speech she had prepared in her mind before speaking. “I ask Your Eminence to act on the day of the Medicine Ceremony…”

Before she could finish, Xuanyuan Mu, unable to stand her hemming and hawing any longer, interrupted. “I request that you help me seize something.”

Nangong Yin looked up at her.

Xuanyuan Mu’s voice was deep. “A Yang Marrow Pill.”

·

Morning. Sunlight streamed into the cave, shining irritatingly into Ren Qingyue’s eyes.

The little fox’s ears twitched, picking up a third breathing sound besides her own and Yan Zhao’s.

And this breathing sound was very close to her, right nearby.

She turned her head to see an orange ball of fluff pressing down on Yan Zhao’s chest. Its head was facing her direction, its nose practically touching her ear.

The fox’s breath brushed against her ear, tickling.

Snowball flipped over and sat up in an instant.

Yan Zhao was sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking. The other little fox sleeping on her, however, stirred slightly at the noise. But it didn’t wake either; it just covered its ears with its tiny paws, shifted position, and continued sleeping.

Snowball: “…”

This human and fox were so content, it seemed even if the sky collapsed, nothing could wake them.

Ren Qingyue recalled giving Bai Jin a Demon Core the previous night.

She hadn’t expected Bai Jin to be so utterly unceremonious, even climbing onto Yan Zhao to sleep.

As she was thinking this, the little orange fox moved again. It stretched like a cat, languidly extending its four limbs and elongating its head, which came to rest on Yan Zhao’s shoulder.

Perhaps because it was sleeping so comfortably, in its drowsy haze, the little red fox even nuzzled Yan Zhao’s chin affectionately.

Yan Zhao felt a tickle and turned her head away.

This scene reflected in a pair of emerald-like eyes. Snowball’s fox eyes flickered. A strange, subtle emotion inexplicably stirred within her.

She couldn’t quite grasp what this feeling meant.

It was like the sudden possessive anxiety that flares up when something that ought to belong to her is being occupied by someone else.

But, nothing had been taken from her.

The fire-attribute Demon Core last night—she had even given it away herself.

Ren Qingyue couldn’t puzzle it out.

Her gaze returned to the red fox itself. It would sleep for a while, then change position. Its sleeping postures were bizarre and varied, but it just wouldn’t wake up.

Ren Qingyue suddenly had a flash of insight. She understood.

It had to be because this red fox was just as lazy as Yan Zhao.

She could tolerate Yan Zhao’s laziness, but seeing it in others irked her.

How could a cultivator not be diligent?

Ren Qingyue decided to spur Bai Jin on a little. Even if her injuries hadn’t healed, she couldn’t slack off on cultivation.

So she extended a little paw, placed it on Bai Jin, and gave a gentle push.

Bai Jin rolled off Yan Zhao’s body.

Ren Qingyue immediately shut her eyes, lay perfectly still on the spot, and didn’t move.

After falling, Bai Jin tumbled head over heels, rolling twice on the ground. She woke up instantly, but her eyes were still hazy. She didn’t understand why she had fallen.

She lifted her head to look at her surroundings, at Yan Zhao, at the white Spirit Fox, and then at herself.

Probably, she had just been restless in her sleep and rolled off Yan Zhao herself.

Bai Jin thought nothing of it. She climbed back onto Yan Zhao’s chest, closed her eyes comfortably, and soon fell asleep again.

But not long after, she woke again.

Bai Jin lay on the icy floor, her expression bewildered.

This time, she hadn’t been sleeping as deeply. She vaguely felt a force push her.

She immediately scrambled to her feet, a fierce glint in her eyes.

Who was playing tricks behind her back to stop her from sleeping?!

A quick glance around revealed nothing.

Yan Zhao was still fast asleep, lying exactly as she had been when Bai Jin entered the previous night.

On Yan Zhao’s other side lay the silver Spirit Fox. The little fox’s posture was also relaxed in deep slumber, not appearing as if it had woken at any point.

Bai Jin couldn’t help but doubt her own judgment. Had she just dreamed that someone pushed her?

Thinking this, she climbed onto Yan Zhao again. Before settling down, she shook out her fur, making her whole body fluffy and soft. Only then did she lie down comfortably.

An incense stick’s time later, Bai Jin woke up for a third time.

Upon waking and opening her eyes, she flew into a rage.

This time, she was one hundred percent certain that someone had pushed her!

But in this cave, besides herself, there were only Yan Zhao and the silver Fox Immortal.

Bai Jin thought to herself: Fox Immortal even gave me a Demon Core last night, so it definitely wasn’t the Fox Immortal!

After eliminating all impossibilities, the last remaining option, no matter how unbelievable, was the sole truth!

Bai Jin bared her teeth, her eyes gleaming fiercely. She opened her mouth and bit down on Yan Zhao’s arm.

Yan Zhao jolted awake, her eyes snapping open.

“Oww!”

·

“What are you doing?!”

Yan Zhao’s eyes were wide as bronze bells as she glared angrily at the red fox hanging from her arm.

The red fox swayed left and right like a dried fish, but stubbornly refused to let go.

Enduring the pain, Yan Zhao also began to lose her temper. She shouted furiously, “Truly, no good deed goes unpunished! You foxes are all ungrateful little wretches!”

Before her words even faded, a sharp pain shot through her other hand.

“…”

Well. Now she had a red fox and a white fox hanging from each limb.

Bai Jin was inwardly moved. Fox Immortal Sister was so good—she was even helping her teach the hateful human cultivator a lesson!

Ren Qingyue’s inner thought: Who exactly is the ungrateful wretch here?!

Yan Zhao was completely at a loss.

Ultimately, she only had one mouth. Faced with two foxes, she couldn’t bite back.

“Hmph, I’m magnanimous. I won’t lower myself to your level.” Yan Zhao plucked the foxes off her arms and prepared to lie back down and sleep.

Just then, Ren Qingyue’s expression suddenly changed.

Without any explanation, she smacked a little paw against Yan Zhao’s head, knocking her unconscious. Then she sprang up, her steps shifting as she instantly darted outside the cave.

Outside the cave stood an elderly man with graying hair, his appearance disheveled and unkempt.

The man looked somewhat crazed, not at all respectable. But the vaguely discernible aura emanating from him caused Ren Qingyue’s heart to clench with tension. She dared not be careless.

Countless questions surfaced in her mind. Was this person friend or foe? What was his purpose?

Ren Qingyue’s mind raced. Yesterday, they had found the injured Bai Jin in the dense forest. It was highly probable that this person was a pursuer who had attacked Bai Jin. The likelihood of malicious intent was greater.

The little fox’s fur had already puffed up, especially her tail, which was now twice its usual size. All her fur was fluffed out like a pinecone.

If this man made a hostile move, even at the cost of her life, she would have to disregard exposing her identity and transform into human form to fight him with everything she had.

Just then, Bai Jin ran out of the cave.

Well, not exactly ran out. She only ran to the corner, then, as if having discovered something, suddenly stopped and didn’t run anymore.

Ren Qingyue heard the light pitter-patter of the red fox’s footsteps and couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath. Then, she heard Bai Jin stop just in time and hide behind a rock at the corner.

Not too stupid, Ren Qingyue thought. At least she knows to hide.

Otherwise, if Bai Jin had rushed out and straight into the line of fire, and Ren Qingyue had to prioritize protecting Yan Zhao, she might not have the spare capacity to protect Bai Jin as well.

The old man on the opposite side took another step forward.

At the cave entrance, the white Spirit Fox crouched low, adopting a defensive posture.

If he took one more step, she would strike first.

Just then, from behind the rock corner, a fox paw with red fur and a white tip stretched out.

It playfully batted at the white Spirit Fox’s tail.

Ren Qingyue: “…”