Compared to the Dao Court’s anxieties, Jiang Yiguang and Tushan Yi got along quite well.
Having spent most of her time imprisoned, the Nine-Tailed Fox’s understanding of the human world was hazy. After arriving at the Jiang household, she spent her days either criticizing TV dramas or clutching a tablet, gaming and cursing her teammates for being useless. But this “harmony” was limited to leisure time. The moment Tushan Yi caught sight of Jiang Yiguang practicing swordsmanship, she’d perch on a bench and chatter endlessly during practice, even stepping in to offer hands-on instruction. This allowed Jiang Yiguang’s swordsmanship to advance by leaps and bounds even without the external aid of Eternal Space.
Munching on melon seeds, Tushan Yi remarked, “The Dark Lady Sword Art. The Yellow Emperor himself learned this very art, taking the Mysterious Lady as his teacher. If you master even one-ten-thousandth—no, one-hundred-millionth—of it, you can strut through the Human Realm sideways.”
Wiping sweat from her brow, Jiang Yiguang asked curiously, “And what about the Mountains and Seas?”
Tushan Yi’s expression turned strange at the question. She paused, then forced a smile. “You’d be carried back sideways.” Figures in the historical records from the Mountains and Seas era were notorious for their ferocity. The books only held a few light words, but behind them lay countless blood and tears, countless sacrifices. Behind those legendary heroes were innumerable nameless heroes.
Jiang Yiguang’s gaze sharpened. “Then when the Mountains and Seas revive, can the Human Realm’s tribulation even be survived?”
Tushan Yi gave a cold laugh. “Did you think the Human Realm’s tribulation could be weathered by you alone? One person, one sword pacifying the world? That’s a legend from storybooks. At worst, there’s Kunlun and Azure Hill. Pity…” Her voice trailed off with a hint of melancholy. The Ruler had said “a thousand years,” and she’d assumed she’d be traversing the rifts between the Mountains and Seas Realm into the Human Realm. She never imagined it would mean “losing her heart.” Time meant little to the long-lived races of the Mountains and Seas; a single slumber could last centuries.
But she missed Azure Hill.
That was her true home.
Jiang Yiguang caught the regret in Tushan Yi’s words. “Pity what?”
Tushan Yi smiled. “You don’t truly intend to learn only one-hundred-millionth, do you? Even if you can’t resist the great tribulation alone, remember: relying on others is useless. Only your own skill is real. Don’t rest. Keep practicing!”
Jiang Yiguang: “…”
A slacker forced to strive.
Jiang Yiguang practiced her sword. In the kitchen, assisted by three Little Paper Dolls, Fu Juan was busy with medicinal cuisine. Dragon Vein Quintessence was constantly losing its spiritual nature; storing it was difficult, best to use it immediately. Under Tushan Yi’s training, Jiang Yiguang was progressing rapidly, and it was precisely this high-consumption state that allowed the quintessence to exert its strongest effect, strengthening her physique.
“Little Juan, if you took it yourself, your legs would feel better, wouldn’t they?”
“Yeah, she’s so cold to you, aren’t you being too good to her?”
“I really don’t know what you’re thinking. This is Dragon Vein Quintessence, a rare treasure!”
…
The three paper dolls bustled about, chattering at Fu Juan.
Without a severed Dragon Vein, such a mass of quintessence would never leak out. In the Divine Land, tampering with a Dragon Vein was a grave crime. Surely the Mystic Sects had learned their lesson after Jiang City? With heightened vigilance, obtaining more quintessence would be near impossible. Although Jiang Yiguang had improved considerably, the dolls felt using it on her was wasteful—what if she reverted to her old ways one day?
Fu Juan looked down at her legs, silent for a few breaths before saying flatly, “Using it on me would truly be a waste.” No cure existed; what use was merely numbing the pain? Between drinking poison to quench thirst and embracing the agony, she preferred the latter.
Seeing her expression, the paper dolls said nothing more.
–
Wang Family.
Tao Junran sat across from the Head of the Wang Family, Wang Yicheng.
As a Mystical Family with a long lineage, even after many rises and falls, the Wangs were in far better shape than the Jiang family, who had actively severed their clan ties. At least Wang Yicheng wasn’t a commander with no army; he had elders and juniors surrounding him. Now, they stood behind him, facing off against Tao Junran’s group from the Dao Court.
Mutual non-interference was the understanding between the Mystical Families and the Dao Court. They said no one visits without a reason. Connecting Shen City and Jiang City, Wang Yicheng quickly guessed a certain possibility, and his scalp tingled. Yet he maintained his poise as head of the family, his expression unreadable.
The Dao Court had already hit a soft wall with the Noble Clans over the soul-nourishing wood matter in Shen City. Tao Junran didn’t like dealing with them, but he had to, for Azure Hill’s sake. Given that person’s firmness, there was no room for maneuver. Rather than waiting for a direct clash that would damage any alliance between the Divine Land and Azure Hill, it was better for the Dao Court to intervene and resolve things as much as possible.
“Alchemist, what brings you to our Wang family?” Wang Yicheng asked jovially.
Tao Junran didn’t want to dance around. He cut straight to the point: “It concerns the Nine-Tailed Fox and Empress Wenzhao. According to The Southern Travels of Zhenren Changming, it was an ancestor of the Wangs who sealed the fox demon?”
Wang Yicheng narrowed his eyes. He didn’t deny it; with both key figures already revived, denial was useless. He took a gentle sip of his steaming tea and smiled. “Indeed. At that time, the demon fox bewitched the Qi Emperor, bringing calamity to the nation. My ancestor, answering Empress Wenzhao’s invitation and upholding a chivalrous heart to slay Demons and eradicate Devils, sealed that person.” He paused, then added politely, “I wonder why the Alchemist brings this up?”
Tao Junran didn’t believe Wang Yicheng was clueless—the young Zhao had been involved in Jiang City. As Wang Yicheng feigned ignorance, Tao Junran also put on a smile and sighed mournfully. “That person… is an envoy of Azure Hill, a divine maiden of the Tushan Clan.”
Wang Yicheng replied, “Yet she is undeniably guilty.”
Tao Junran ignored that. His eyes flashed. “It’s said Empress Wenzhao and Zhenren Changming agreed only to seal her. Why did Zhenren Changming end up taking her core and severing her tail? I won’t beat around the bush, Daoist Wang. I’ll be frank. That person wants back the Inner Core and the severed Fox Tail left with your family.”
Wang Yicheng paused, then explained on Changming’s behalf: “She is a Nine-Tailed Fox. How could a mere seal suppress her?” His ancestor had left writings. After obtaining the fox’s core, he attempted to refine it into a clan-suppressing Magical Artifact. After all, a Nine-Tailed Fox was an innate auspicious beast, capable of preserving the Wang ancestral vein for a thousand years. Pity the core held a strangeness; they could only suppress and channel its power through artifacts, never able to erase the fox’s aura.
Standing behind Tao Junran, Qi Ji couldn’t help but interject, “But, in the end, they deceived Empress Wenzhao.”
“Yes.” Wang Yicheng laughed heartily. “But the karmic debt my ancestor owed has been repaid. He chose Empress Wenzhao’s tomb and used a thousand-year soul-nourishing wood to preserve her True Spirit, allowing her revival after a millennium. Such compensation is sufficient.”
“The past need not be debated further.” Tao Junran rubbed his forehead and looked directly at Wang Yicheng, his gaze sharp. “Since that person is an envoy from Azure Hill, her belongings cannot remain with the Wang family.”
“Since it has come to this, I won’t hide it from you, Alchemist.” Wang Yicheng smiled. “After my ancestor obtained the Nine-Tailed Fox Inner Core, he enshrined it. It is tied, to some extent, to my Wang family’s fortune. It cannot be returned. As for the nine tails, they were refined into Magical Artifacts. My Wang family is willing to offer compensation in other ways.” His tone was confident, carrying the arrogance and imperiousness born of long-held privilege.
Tao Junran’s brow furrowed deeply. He stared at Wang Yicheng, surprised the current head of the Wang family could be so obtuse. He abruptly stood, raising his voice. “Possessions that don’t belong to your Wang family will likely bring disaster if kept.”
Wang Yicheng rose as well, not to be outdone, hands clasped before him. He chuckled. “A thousand years ago, my ancestor found a way to subdue her. Now she’s merely a defeated cur. Is there any need to fear?”
Tao Junran said sternly, “She carries the backing of Azure Hill.”
Wang Yicheng sneered. “Is the Alchemist afraid Azure Hill will turn against the Human Realm for her? What if Azure Hill has already abandoned us? The Mountains and Seas are reviving. Don’t forget, Alchemist, the Azure Hill nine-tails are also man-eating Great Demons recorded in the ancient texts.”
“King Yu and Azure Hill suppressed the Mountains and Seas. Azure Hill also guards Chiyou’s corpse—”
Wang Yicheng waved a dismissive hand. “That was millennia ago.” A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. “Since the Mountains and Seas are reviving, why not seize this chance to turn those Great Demons into resources for our cultivation? Our generation’s mission is to slay Demons and eradicate Devils. If it’s a Demon, it must be cut down!”
Tao Junran lazily lifted his eyelids, unwilling to hear any more of Wang Yicheng’s fervent declarations. “A clear answer, Daoist Wang. Will you return them or not?”
Wang Yicheng’s smile vanished. His gaze turned mocking. “Is the Xuanzhen Dao Court planning to turn against the Mystical Families for her sake?” The Court had grown rapidly, but every conflict with the clans had been met with appeasement, even accepting minor losses. Wang Yicheng didn’t believe the Court would disrupt the stability of the Human Realm’s Mystic Sects for a mere fox.
But Tao Junran answered, “Yes.”
Wang Yicheng stared at him, incredulous.
Tao Junran clasped his hands behind his back. “In the face of great tribulation, the word ‘choice’ becomes paramount. Don’t you agree, Daoist Wang?” The Dao Court didn’t clash with the clans out of fear, but because it wasn’t necessary. They were all part of the Divine Land, often sharing the same path. But on matters of principle, there was no room for retreat. Refined Daoist arts coalesced into a Qi Flow swirling around him. As his gaze met Wang Yicheng’s, a silent clash began.
Wang Yicheng looked down at the rippling tea in his cup, hiding his bulging veins behind his back. He smiled gently. “I have a condition.”
Tao Junran said calmly, “Please speak.”
