ã€ŠAccidentally Married a Fox Godã€‹


 Chapter 1: Bidding Commenced

    The room was dimly lit, a musky fragrance lingered in the air. It was quite an exotic sight, silk curtains and shawls were draped elegantly across the expanse. A large rosewood table stood in the middle of the room, offering alcoholic beverages and bowls of dried fruits, several low seats with comfortable cushions surrounding it.

    A little stage for performances was positioned at the front of the room, with yellow decorative lanterns hanging from the ceiling to highlight it.

    The burning sandalwood incense was unable to cover up the scent of sweat and human musk.

    In the middle of the room were several men, some seated while others were standing. They were viewing the stage performance in a rather unreserved manner. A few of them were dressed in military outfits, with their hair tied up in a bun, a chest metal plate protecting their form, and a sword at the side, while others wore naught but a simple garb made of cotton or hemp. Cheers and shouts could be heard over the sounds of the Pipa and Flute players on the stage. Each of the musicians was a beautiful girl in a pink translucent dress. They were young girls but dressed as adults, with rouge on their lips and black liner to highlight their eyes.

    An older yet just as beautiful woman, wearing a red garment ascended the stage. Her foreboding presence made the room fall silent. She lifted her hand delicately up in the air for attention, showing her pale and dainty wrist adorned with golden jewelry.

    "As you all know, my respected gentlemen, tonight we have acquired new goods for our fine establishment." She began explaining, cheers already sounding off in the background. The folks were eager for new nightly entertainment.

    The red clad woman smiled faintly, presenting her newly acquired wares. "Many of our new girls are young and yet untouched. A bidding taking place, starting with our lowest fees for our regulars, mid fees for deflowering the newcomers, and the highest fees for our courtesans." She winked playfully, getting the crowd all the more riled up.

    The bidding commenced. In preparation the musical performers left the stage and the red clad madam escorted ten young girls underneath the lanterns to be displayed, describing each of their merits in hopes for the men to bid a higher sum.

    Li Meirong peeked through the white veil covering her face, she hadn''t had the opportunity to figure out what was happening before she was already forcibly dressed by several girls in attendance and rushed to the stage with the rest of the ''livestock''.

    By her side a red dressed woman, taking off the veil of the girl to her left, pointing out physical characteristics and describing the girl as untouched.

    The winning bid for the girl was high, reaching close to 25 silver taels for her first night.

    Li Meirong shuddered. There has to be some terrible misunderstanding going on! She was so stressed out she accidentally bit her bottom lip.

    The sudden discomfort brought her to a realization.

    This is not a dream.

    She spaced out while recollecting the events which occurred to her in the past hour.

    One moment she was going home from work, a regular modern 25 years old office worker from the suburbs, and the next she was stuck in this place, straight out of an ancient period drama.

    Could she have possibly died?

    She remembered it was an unexpectedly rainy day, everyone was huddled up together waiting for the train. With each passing second she felt herself being pushed around in the crowd until she lost her footing as she was about to tumble onto the railroad tracks. The last thing she could remember were the beam lights of the train rushing towards her.

 Chapter 2: 50 Silver Taels

    Li Meirong regained focus as she felt her body being manhandled by the madam selling her off. When the woman ripped the veil from her face, several shocked gasps emanated from the crowd.

    What they saw was a delicate girl with alabaster skin, plump red lips, and big doe eyes slanting slightly upwards with a pitiable frightened expression on her face. She was so young, yet already filling up in all the right places. Her hair appeared to be soft as silk and dark as a starless midnight sky. The true definition of a delicate beauty, one who could grow up and have men chasing after the moon for her¡­

    That would have been the case, at least, if not for the angry red scars covering her cheeks. There were some areas appearing like craters on her skin, damaging her otherwise flawless appearance, deeming her actually quite ugly in a society that considers a woman''s beauty to be her first and foremost asset.

    "What a pity..."

    "Such a beauty to be ruined like that, tsk tsk."

    One of the younger lads laughed heartily and clanked his cup with that of his friend''s. "Good! Good! Very good! How could we have the opportunity to get this kind of girl here, otherwise?!" His exclamation made the other men nearby chuckle and nod in agreement.

    Li Meirong hesitantly reached up to cover her face. Whatever they saw, it was clear to her that she was being mocked.

    However, her hand had barely made its way to her cheek when the lady running the event by her side grabbed her wrist and held her firmly in place.

    Li Meirong winced in pain but didn''t pull away. Her thoughts grew more disoriented by the second. All she could concentrate on at the moment was how she had to find a way to escape!

    "As you can see, we got ourselves here a special case! This maid belonged to the royal concubine. As you know, such ladies are bred from very young age for their exquisite appearance and behavior, they are trained in arts and music, and are taught with strict discipline, however-" The lady paused her explanation to heighten the suspense.

    Everyone stood silently as they anticipated her next words.

    "They say one of the young princes took a fancy to this one, and so the concubine immediately cast her out. The burn on her face is from acid. Punishment of acid for seducing the prince. Luckily only her face is damaged. The rest of her body is polished, beautiful, and still untouched, I assure you!" The lady finished with a winning smile and a light tone.

    That girl was a little damaged but could still be sold off nicely, given a suitable advertisement.

    Li Meirong who came from modern times, was never considered a great beauty but she had never been humiliated like that either! People here were heartless! Nevertheless, that wasn''t even the most important point.

    The most important point is she was being auctioned off in a brothel!

    "Let go of me!" Li Meirong exclaimed and tried to push away the woman holding her wrist, discovering to her dismay that she was so much weaker than her owner.

    That feeble attempt of a push sent the crowd into a fit of laughter. The lady glared at her and squeezed her wrist tighter. Her long, sharp nails piercing Li Meirong''s skin, drawing blood which trickled down to the floor in small drops.

    Tears of frustration welled up in Li Meirong''s eyes, but nobody seemed to care. She kept quiet.

    "She''s a bit feisty, as you can see! If you feel the need to exact punishment, please don''t hesitate to do so!" The red dressed madam addressed the crowd with a smile, once she''d subdued Li Meirong.

    She signaled for the bidding to begin.

    "Ten taels!" A young man in the back raised his hand and exclaimed.

    "Fifteen taels." A middle aged military man in the front grunted.

    One of the simple garbed gentleman huffed.

    "Her face is so ugly even fifteen taels would be a hefty sum despite her being a courtesan. Truly making a dumpling seem like the moon with your descriptions." The young man remarked.

    Li Meirong''s face blanched. Not only is she being sold in a brothel, apparently she is so ugly now that she''s not even worth much? Great. Her body was already trembling from the thought of what was yet to come.

    Maybe once she was sold, she could manage to knock out the bidder and make a run for it? She was so grateful now for having learned a few self defense moves before she died, because that could be just the thing to get her out of this predicament she seems to have reincarnated into.

    "Please good sirs, if not for the scars on her cheeks she would be sold ten times the current price value. Only her face is ugly, the rest is just fine, it''s all fine." The madam chuckled nervously.

    The bidders were considering whether or not to bid a higher sum. The military man with the final bid seemed rather cheerful, expecting a good purchase for such a low price.

    "50 silver taels." A deep, rough voice echoed from the crowd.

 Chapter 3: Succumb To Circumstances

    Li Meirong glanced nervously in the direction from which the voice came. He stood apart from the crowd, with an appearance resembling that of a huntsman. He wore a heavy black cloak, grey fur covered his shoulders. His robes were of a simple cloth, but they seem to be designed for battle. His face was lined from hard work and age, and he had a scar across his right cheek that slashed all the way from his chin to the corner of his bushy eyebrow. His hair was black with grey streaks and was tied back loosely with a clasp. He had a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to his back. His overall demeanour didn''t quite match that of the rest of the crowd. In fact, he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to leave the place.

    Everyone stared in shock. Even the madam was speechless for a moment. 50 silver taels! Not even their most highly sought after courtesan inspired such a price.

    The madam hurried to wrap up this bid up before he would have a chance to retract the offer, but the "huntsman" remained motionless and silent.

    "Hehe, this honorable sir certainly knows what he wants! Going once¡­Going twice..."

    The military man with the previous bid seemed disappointed, but he had no intention of outbidding 50 taels for a mere one night with a disfigured prostitute.

    Most of the men in the area looked aghast at the final bidder, and some regarded him with mockery.

    "What a waste of money..."

    "Sold!"

    Li Meirong was immediately rushed to a different room on the second floor, along with the other girls who were bought, each shoved into separate rooms.

    Small. Windowless. The air thick with incense and contained a large bed in the way of furniture.

    This room was clearly meant for one purpose only.

    On one side there was a small stool with a candle flickering on top of it.

    Li Meirong felt defeated. How could she escape when there wasn''t even a window to climb out of? To top it off, she wasn''t bought by a young frail man, no..

    It had to be someone who looks like he just came back from hunting a mammoth.

    She stood nervously by the bed as one of the veteran courtesans barged into the room with a slam of the door.

    She was about the same age Li Meirong was supposed to be, her overall appearance was small and dainty, but her bosom was large, giving her a rather desirable look. Her face was painted heavily with white powder and her lips with scarlet rouge. Without even speaking, the sneer on her face already gave away her disdain.

    "I''ve been instructed to advise you on your upcoming job by this establishment''s madam, considering such a huge sum has been paid for you." She took Li Meirong by the arm and sat them both down on the bed.

    She sighed and started explaining "I''ve heard a bit about your case, it''s better for you not to consider committing suicide again. Luckily when you came here and shoved poison down your throat, the madam was able to extract it. Life is hard here, but not impossible. If you can''t use your face, then learn to use your body to please a man. Make sure you always seem pleased and happy even if it hurts. I have heard that you had knowledge of both singing and dancing. Use that to your advantage." The courtesan clasped Li Meirong''s hands and spoke quietly with a distinct tone of disinterest.

    "Most importantly, don''t bring shame to the establishment." With that final statement, she had covered all the necessary points. Once you become a prostitute, she knew, you can forget about living life as an honorable woman, but it doesn''t necessarily mean you will live a horrible life.

    This particular point of view was still lost on Li Meirong. The more she heard, the more doomed she felt. Even if it meant risking her life, she would find a way to escape. She would not be reborn into a world just to resign to this kind of ending!

    Li Meirong looked directly into the courtesan''s eyes and whispered softly.

    "Thank you for telling me all this, but I really cannot accept this as my fate. Is there any way for me to escape, or buy my freedom? Maybe you and I can run off together?"

    The courtesan paused a moment, and then burst into laughter.

    "You haven''t had your first night and you''re already panicked, whatever shall you do with yourself later on? Sweetie, the only way out of here is with silver taels, which we earn by selling our bodies. Otherwise it would be by being flogged to death. Your only other alternatives are to be flogged to death, or pray for some miracle to save you. As for me? I got good food, all the silk I want and men lining up to meet me, I have no intention of leaving." She regarded Li Meirong as nothing but a cute and foolish little girl talking nonsense.

    Li Meirong looked down dejectedly, silenced.

    She wasn''t an assassin or a warrior, able to bravely fight her way out of there. Still unwilling to succumb to her fate, but not yet knowing how to escape it. She did her best to internalize her struggle. The courtesan, seeing as she got no response from the young girl patted her head in mild sympathy and left the room.

    All was quiet now in this small room where she waited for her first client. She could already hear moans and grunts of both pleasure and pain from the neighboring rooms.

    The heavily incensed air in the room made her slightly dizzy and warm, she felt thirsty but there were no drinks in the room.

    It was only after the candle on the stool burnt out that the door opened once again. The huntsman walked in with slow, heavy strides.

    Li Meirong stood up in a panic, clutching the sides of her skirt, ready to fight or flee if need be.

 Chapter 4: About To Be Raped

    The burly man saw the girl, terrified like a little rabbit, and chuckled softly, making his way to sit on the bed.

    "Take off my boots." He commanded as he removed his bow and arrows, and placing them beside the bed.

    Li Meirong felt so dizzy that with one step towards him she nearly collapsed to the floor. She felt disoriented, senseless, but she followed through with his demands.

    She approached him slowly, bent down and took off his boots one at a time.

    With a trembling lip, she gazed up at the middle aged man, hoping to be met with sympathy. "Sir, I wouldn''t know how to take care of your physical needs, but if you help me leave this place I will follow you as your servant. My cooking is not half bad and I can read and write." She spoke meekly, feeling as though she''s selling herself once again, but at least this time with her own terms.

    The "huntsman" frowned at her. She was supposed to be a maid serving the royal concubine, dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments was what those maids were known for. Since when did royal maids learn to cook, read or write?

    "Girl, stop lying to me and do what you''re supposed to. You know why I chose you? I had a run in with a fox demon, captured him and sold him for a hefty sum. I only wanted to stop by here for a quick drink, but when I saw you, I changed my mind." The man spared a few moments to explain himself.

    "My lover was once a maid to a royal concubine such as yourself. Her fate ended in an untimely demise. Your past experience and looks reminds me of my sweetheart. Don''t ruin my good moment now, I paid a lot for you. For tonight, you will be my Xiner and I won''t treat you unkindly. Call me Zhou Shang." He was getting annoyed with her, yet still he went out of his way to be somewhat polite to this nobody. It had been so long since he lost his beloved, he just wanted to pretend he could experience one night with her again, and this whore was ruining his mood. Wasting his good money.

    Li Meirong was resolved. However, she stood up quickly, shaking her head. Because of her dizziness she nearly stumbled again. No matter what, she refused to pretend to be someone she''s not and she would not lie down with him! Seeing that sympathy wouldn''t work, she spoke seriously assertively instead."Sir, this is not happening. I will not do it. Please call someone else, I''ll work hard elsewhere and make sure you get your money back." She edged herself towards the door, regretting not thinking of bolting earlier when she had a better chance, but Zhou Shang quickly grabbed her shoulder and tossed her on the bed, then began ripping her clothes apart.

    Li Meirong screamed in terror. Zhou Shang clamped her mouth shut with his rough hand as he towered over her. "I tried to be nice, but you''re choosing to make this difficult! Do you know how many courtesans I could have called with 50 silver taels? You should be honored." The man growled at her.

    Whatever happened to the meek and calm disposition of royal attendants? All this one did was cry and give him attitude, she wouldn''t attend to him at all.

    Li Meirong found herself exposed with only her undergarments left to cover her intimate parts, she shrieked and screamed but her voice was muffled by Zhou Shang''s large hand. She tried biting him but he still wouldn''t let go.

    Zhou Shang quickly mounted on top of Li Meirong''s small body and spread her legs apart, his face reddened with his anger.

    "Such a waste of money!" He exclaimed venomously. He should hurry the deed and be done with it. Women are more docile after you manhandle them a bit anyway.

    Li Meirong''s mind was on the edge of an abyss. She already died once, she might as well try to die again.

    In all her 25 years of life she had never had sex. She knew that compared to others she was considered a late bloomer. She had boyfriends before, but she''d never felt comfortable enough to reach that point of intimacy with them. And now, a dead virgin transmigrated into the body of practically a child, only to have her first real sexual experience be being raped by this mountain of a man. How could things possibly get any worse than this?

    After another brief attempt at a struggle, Zhou Shang gave Li Meirong a ringing slap to the face. Tears streamed freely down her scarred bruised cheeks. Finally, she closed her eyes and succumbed to her fate, she tried not to think of the pain, or his wandering hands.

    She could feel Zhou Shang''s hands taking hold of her undergarments.

    ''It''ll be over soon..'' she told herself internally, ''just think of something else¡­ anything else...''

    Suddenly, she heard the unexpected piercing sound of metal slicing through flesh. Her carefully detached consciousness came rushing back into her body, when Li Meirong''s face was suddenly splashed with warm liquid.

    She opened her eyes, and the sight before caused her to let out a shriek.

 Chapter 5: Savior?

    When Li Meirong had opened her eyes, she saw Zhou Shang had been impaled by one of his own arrows.

    The arrow had lodged deep into his chest, where his heart would be. Zhou Shang''s eyes bulged alarmingly out of their sockets, blood poured from his mouth, nose, and chest.

    He tried to speak, but no voice came out. It was then that Li Meirong noticed his throat had been ripped out slashed through.

    All his blood dripped all over her. Her entire body quivered uncontrollably, she held Zhou Shang''s lifeless body with her own two hands pressed up against his chest, to prevent him from collapsing onto her.

    "Help!! Help me please..!" Li Meirong cried out. She had never in her life seen someone being murdered. Now, added to the list of firsts since transmigrating to this new body, a man was killed right on top of her, now about to crush her with all his dead, bleeding weight. The shock was too great to endure. Her throat was so awfully dry from screaming and dehydration, she was dizzy and disoriented from trauma and struggle after struggle, one after the other, piling up on her senses like the very weight of this dead man she could barely keep holding up. And she felt so...Weak, her body was burning as if she was running a fever, she really hoped she would die and just be done with it all!

    "This is to express my gratitude for capturing me at my weakest moment and selling me to Taoist phonies." It was a masculine voice, cold and striking in its intensity. The killer speaking his farewell to the departed Zhou Shang.

    Li Meirong turned her head to look at the person to whom the voice belonged.

    It was a man with hair the color of snow, he wore worn out robes, but everything else about him gave the unmistakable impression of an overbearing, majestic ruler.

    As the man dislodged the arrow from Zhou Shang''s corpse and tossed his body aside, Li Meirong found herself locking eyes with the mysterious stranger.

    She couldn''t believe it. Were there really people as beautiful as this, in this world?

    Momentarily forgetting her position in her haze, she lost herself in the newcomer''s burning phoenix eyes.

    They were truly golden, the metallic gold, dazzling as if they were made from the precious stone itself. The color shouldn''t have been humanly possible, yet there it was staring back at her. His glistening silver hair was long and silky, practically glowing in the dark room. Here and there it was splattered with dry blood. He had a straight regal nose, ravishing pouty lips, and his ears were slightly pointy.

    This was a terrible time to be thinking such a thing, but he was quite possibly the most beautiful man Li Meirong has ever seen. He didn''t really look like a man, but more like an elf from those western fantasy stories..

    He held her gaze, and she came to realize that not only was his voice cold, his gaze was colder still, frighteningly so. He seemed to be someone the likes of which one would never want to cross. If she had to compare his demeanor to anyone''s, it would most likely be to that of a serial killer before he offed you for good.

    Li Meirong couldn''t stop the smile that slowly stretched across her face. An unstoppable wave of euphoria washed over her, causing her to ignore all the warning signs of this feral creature that had just slaughtered someone on top of her.

    She was saved!

    She was saved by a white haired gorgeous man. Could it be that her transmigration would not be a tragedy but a blessing after all?

    The man stared incredulously at the bloodied young girl foolishly smiling up at him and couldn''t couldn''t suppress a disgusted sneer. Best to threaten the girl, before she alerts the humans nearby.

    "Girl, be quiet or speak softly. I won''t hesitate to wipe you out as well if you screech again."

    Cold, domineering and overbearing.

    His words were like a bucket of cold ice on Li Meirong''s happiness. She was thankful now for the blood that coated her face and hid her furious blushing. She gulped and whispered "I''m sorry...Could you give me a moment to put my clothes on, in privacy?"

    She grabbed the comforter she had been lying on, and wrapped it around her, in order to hide her disheveled appearance.

    The silver haired man turned around with an impatient snort to stare at the wall , his back now turned to her.

    "Relax. I won''t be touching you, you have my word." He sounded very confident. His voice laced with loathing. He made is sound as if it would be beneath him to even consider the notion.

    Li Meirong didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, not five minutes ago she was nearly forced into having sexual intercourse, and now someone was basically insinuating to her that he wouldn''t touch her even if she was the last girl on earth.

    Quickly arranging her torn up garments in a feeble attempt to look presentable, she used one of her sleeves to wipe the blood from her face.

    One way or another, this man did save her. No matter what else he said, for that she would at least thank him. Perhaps he was that miracle she needed after all?

    "Thank you so much for saving me. I don''t know what I would have done without you. May I please know your name?" Li Meirong asked timidly.

    The man turned his head to glance back at her. Seeing that she was dressed, he replied mockingly,

    "And here I thought you were just doing your job...My name is not be uttered by the likes of you."

    Endure. she told herself, swallowing her indignation

    Endure.

    He may be rude, she thought. But so was everyone else people there. She didn''t need to know his name. She was just trying to be civil and express her gratitude. Humph.

    Her throat still burned and Li Meirong felt on fire.

    "Ahem, I should thank you anyway...If you are leaving, can you please take me out of this you? I beg you, I would owe you a favor for life if you do!" Li Meirong knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to him three times.

    The silver haired man looked down upon the pitiful girl and smirked. He flexed his long nails that were caked with Zhou Shang''s dried blood. "What could you possibly offer me?"

    Li Meirong opened her mouth to respond but the man held up his hand to prevent her from doing so. He let out a tired sigh. "Don''t bother. I will take you out of here, from the kindness of my heart. But we will have to spend the night in this room, with the stench of this corpse, without you making a sound. I have annoying pests hunting me down now, and I need to hide tonight."

    Li Meirong nodded repeatedly. " Absolutely, I''ll follow your instructions, just get me out of here." She worried that she sounded too enthusiastic and tried to keep a calm exterior, as well as remain focused on the conversation while her vision became more and more blurred.

    Even the domineering "man of mystery" tugged at his collar and loosened it slightly. He exhaled deeply. "Why is it so hot in this tiny room?"

    Li Meirong shook her head confused, just as confused. She was wondering the same thing. At first she thought she was getting sick , but now it seemed that she wasn''t the only one. With her foggy eyes, she glanced vaguely at the long ago burnt out candle in the corner.

    The smoke from the extinguished flame still lingered on...

 Chapter 6: I Will Smite You

    In all the thousands of years he had been alive, this was probably the lowest point for Bai QingYu.

    Just as he was about to ascend to godhood, the pride of his fox clan, the fox clan''s sovereign lord received his lightning strike tribulation and, instead of completing his ascension, descended down to earth.

    What''s more, in the process of his failure, one of his nine tails had evaporated. It would take another 1000 years for that tail to grow back again...

    He found himself all bloodied up in a clump of grass, in his fox form, the immense pain of the lightning strike still echoing through his body. So damaged was he from this experience, he laid helplessly in the dirt, unable to even move his limbs at all.

    Unfortunately for him, his bad luck had not run out just yet.

    A demon hunter by the name of Zhou Shang, just happened to be passing by after wiping out a weasel demon in the nearby village. As the senior huntsman trotted on his steed across the barren hills, he came across the fox, apparently dead.

    Zhou Shang dismounted and approached the animal, on the lookout for any peculiarities.

    It didn''t take long for Zhou Shang to deduce that this was a fox demon!

    This was a most rare and fortunate discovery for the hunter. Those demons were hard to come by, thanks to their tricks, wit and charm, they easily managed to outmaneuver most demon hunters.

    Zhou Shang unclasped a satchel he carried on his steed and took out a pair of jade bangles. They weren''t just any jade bangles, but power sealers. Especially crafted for dealing with high level demons.

    He grabbed the fox demon, slipping a bangle onto each of its paws, just to be on the safe side, and got back on his horse. He picked up his speed to reach the nearest Taoist monastery. There was a notice board for demon hunters about the Ever Eclipse monastery looking for live specimens and corpses alike of demonic entities to better practice their spells.

    "I will make a quick buck with you." Zhou Shang declared with satisfaction as he petted the behind of the dead fox.

    The fur was so silky and soft to the touch that if he had not known what large profit he could gain by selling it, he probably would have probably made a nice coat out of this fox.

    Bai QingYue had never been so humiliated in his life!

    There he was, being dragged around like a sack of potatoes by this wretched human to be sold off like a piece of meat.

    And he dared pat his behind!

    His behind!!!!

    In order to truly understand the horror of this scenario, one would know that Bai QingYue had been alive for thousands of years. He was the pearl of his tribe, the next leader of the clan. His strength immeasurable. His nobility unquestioned. In fact, as sovereign lord there were very few he would ever have to answer to. With his fast cultivation, and rich upbringing, Bai QingYue quickly became one of the most powerful Celestial foxes in the heaven realm.

    That''s right. He was no mere fox demon.

    He was a true nine tailed celestial fox from the heaven realm.

    This was, in fact Bai QingYue''s first time on earth. The only humans he had ever interacted with were those of noble bearing whom, against all odds, through hard work and dedication, have managed to ascend to immortality and join the ranks of immortals and gods in the heaven realm.

    Those immortal humans were sages, full of wisdom and dignity. They had truly given him a positive impression of their society, yet there he was, with that buffoon who mistook him not only for a fox demon, but a dead one at that.

    Bai QingYue was seething with rage, but was still unable to move or make a sound. He had no choice but to slowly recuperate until some of his powers returned.

    And the first thing I shall do when I am able, is to smite you! he thought venomously, already plotting his sweet revenge over the unsuspecting demon hunter as he glared daggers at his back.

 Chapter 7: Absorb His Life Essence

    Trekking up the sordid and dreary path, Zhou Shang finally reached the mountain''s peak where the Ever Eclipse monastery was located. The setting sun glowed orange and ominous over the horizon, a blanket of thick mist cascading through the gradually darkening blue mountains. The sound of howling wolves could be heard in the distance.

    Demon hunter though he was, trained in fighting monsters, hardened by life in the wild and all of its challenges, even for him, the ambience was a touch too unpleasant.

    He reached the foot of the stairs and dismounted from his horse. He collected his hides, and other such treasures, and slung the fox demon''s limp body across his shoulders.

    In front of him stood a long stairway made of stone, leading up to the mountain''s peak, his destination. Trudging slowly up the steps, the higher he climbed, the thinner and colder the air became. He began to curse the added weight of his bounty and treasures, feeling the ache in his ever tiring muscles. Finally, he reached the top, wheezing and dragging his feet.

    The entrance to the monastery was protected by a decorative glazed archway, adorned with a pair of sculpted lion guardian statues.

    As Zhou Shang passed through it and began approaching the front doors of the building, a crow swooped down with a loud shriek, just barely missing his face before veering off in a different direction, nearly knocking him back down the steps.

    He cussed under his breath, watching it fly away for a moment before hastily proceeding to knock on one of the heavy wooden doors.

    A young child, with not a single hair on his head, garbed with a traditional bright coloured robe, opened the door and signalled for Zhou Shang to come inside. The monastery was quiet, and yet bustling with priests. It had a very traditional structure to it and was permeated with a strong, fragrant scent of sandalwood. In one area, there were a few young children reading scriptures, and in another, a group of strapping young priests chanting in unison.

    In the far right corner, Zhou Shang saw a long stand holding an endless row of cages in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of the captured inhabitants were tiny, whilst others were as large as himself. The cages contained creatures ranging from wood sprites and elemental spirits to small, harmless demonic entities, such as cat, rabbit and weasel demons. Most of them were rather weak beings or ones who moved slowly and were easy to catch. They were perfect to use for experimental purposes, as well as for familiar bonding.

    In front of one of the cages, Zhou Shang spotted a young priest holding a scroll on which he was writing down notes.

    Zhou Shang hurried across the hall to speak with him, hoping to finalize the transaction and leave as soon as possible.

    Luckily for him, the process was swift and efficient. He described his stock to the young priest, a snowy fox demon, possibly a cub, although it was difficult to tell its age since demons shrink in size when losing power.

    The head priest, who was in charge of handling the beasts, was called over to approve the transaction which he did by handing a heavy bag filled with coins to Zhou Shang and then hurrying him out of the monastery.

    Once Zhou Shang had been escorted out of the premises, Bai QingYue''s limp fox form was tossed unceremoniously into a small wooden cage. After half a day he managed to regain much of his strength, but he intended to keep playing dead until he would be able to execute an escape plan.

    Regardless, he was too tired to stay awake and needed more rest, in order to regain enough energy as swiftly as possible. The bloodied little fox blinked several times, and then slowly shut his eyes.

    When a few hours had passed, Bai QingYue''s ears perked up. He couldn''t suppress the involuntary movement as there were too many noisy humans all around him. He opened his eyes slightly and looked around, squinting in the bright light. Sure enough, he could no longer pretend to be dead.

    The white-furred cub was surrounded by more than a dozen priests, all of them gawking at him curiously.

    "Is this really a fox demon?"

    "I sense very little power, but no demonic origin."

    "Actually he is kind of cute. Perhaps we can keep him as a familiar¡­?"

    Bai Qingyue''s blood pressure rose. Hearing such a remark caused his forehead vein to nearly pop. His tiny fluffy paws curled inward, resembling angry small, closed fists.

    How dare these pesky little worms even dare to think of keeping him as their servant?!

    Suddenly, the room fell silent as a venerable man, trembling with old age walked into the circle of priests.

    It was the head abbot who held respect and authority all over the monastery and all its two hundred disciples. The gathered priests immediately ceased their prattling once they caught sight of their leader.

    With his many years of experience, there was little that the senior priest had not seen before. And yet, he had no answer as to who this fox really was. The only conclusions he could reach at this point were, firstly, this fox was definitely not dead as the demon hunter had suggested, and secondly, that it was also definitely not from this realm.

    "This fox is very much alive. He is merely weak, however, I am uncertain of his origins or intentions in coming to our world. I believe he is not from our land, but from a different plane." The head abbot announced as he came to his conclusion.

    Indeed, this fox''s aura was too bright, shining with a godly halo. Now that he had mentioned it, all of the other priests began to sense it too, and they stared at the small furred beast in awe. Nobody here had encountered a creature from another realm before.

    The head abbot sensed that, as time passed, this little fox would gradually become stronger and more dangerous. His apprehension towards the creature spiked, and he knew he had to make a swift decision, for the safety of the monastery. He addressed the muttering crowd once more, and they fell silent.

    "I sense that now he might be weak, but he grows more powerful by the second. His spiritual aura shows a force to be reckoned with. It would be dangerous to keep him alive. We should, therefore, make sure to kill him first of all, and only afterwards may we absorb his life essence in order to heighten our most talented disciples'' cultivation.

 Chapter 8: Trick His Way Ou

    Bai Qingyue sneered.

    This could definitely be a true trial for ascension. Only a day had passed and he''d already experienced tribulations worse than anything he had come across in thousands of years.

    His large doe-like eyes gazed at his snowy front paws. A pair of jade bangles had been placed on each of them, sealing in his powers. They would not have affected him in his true form, but the fall had greatly weakened him.

    It seemed there was no other way but to trick his way out of this ordeal. He stood up on all fours and glowered dangerously at the monks surrounding him.

    "You dare think of absorbing my life essence?!" Bai Qingyue growled, thumping the center of his chest with a righteous white paw.

    The head abbot rushed to the cage, hobbling with the assistance of another priest who held him upright. He stopped inches away from it, meeting the strange beast''s glare with a suspicious gaze.

    "You speak now, I see. Does this mean you have grown tired of pretending to be dead? Don''t think I won''t get rid of you. I can sense your aura and know that you are weak. You best tell me exactly who and what you are and then, perhaps, we might reconsider our decision." The head abbot threatened.

    He knew he wouldn''t change his mind. This trickster was far too dangerous to keep alive but curiosity got the better of him. He just had to know, where did this strange fox spring from?

    The fox averted his eyes as the corners of his mouth tilted upwards into a smirk. "You can only sense what I am willing to show you, old man. Don''t pick a fight with someone so out of your league. You better release me soon, before my benevolence runs out and I shall wipe out you, as well as each and every one of your disciples, right here and now."

    It was just a tiny, fluffy fox, trapped inside a locked cage, any magical powers it may have had was being blocked with enchanted power sealing bangles. And yet, the way he spoke, threatening his entire monastery sent involuntary shivers down the head abbot''s spine. His fellow priests were murmuring quietly between themselves. Some were alarmed by the threat, but others found it laughable.

    No matter how you look at it, it''s just a little monster sealed in a cage talking big, right?

    And in fact, they were right. Bai QingYue was not able to do much at that moment, however, their hesitation was all he really needed anyway.

    The head abbot frowned. His feelings were mixed. Unsure which of them listen to, he decided to postpone the execution, for now, seeing as one wrong move could ignite this potentially dangerous fox''s anger and unleash his full wrath upon them after all.

    But if he were to observe him for a while and see no significant changes, it would then be safe to do with him as he pleased, the head abbot concluded.

    Shifting his demeanour to that of a friendly old man, with a croaky voice and his best attempt at a winning smile, the head abbot addressed the fox once more.

    "Fox beast, we truly apologize for our conduct until now. We are a humble monastery. We merely handle demons in order to better protect society from harmful creatures, taking care only to capture those that have done harm to those around them.

    But clearly, you come from a distinguished background, and therefore we have no quarrel with you personally... and if you would care to tell me where you are from, we might be able to return you to your origins..." The abbot suggested, trying to sound helpful.

    "Harmful creatures"? Those little demons in the cages around him were deemed "harmful"? Bai Qingyue almost laughed. This sudden change of behaviour sure was interesting, and this stupid man''s lies and attempts to get more information out of him were anything but subtle. But alright, he thought, he would play along for now.

    Bai QingYue''s eight tails swished back and forth, occasionally one of them thumping against the walls of his wooden cage. He looked rather adorable with his snout wrinkled up in a foxy sneer, as he reproached the abbot condescendingly.

    "Why should I tell you where I''m from? I''m locked in this cage, held at a fraction of my powers by these shackles you keep me in and now you act like we''re good friends¡­ Are you trying to deceive me?" He squinted his golden eyes at the abbot.

    The surrounding priests watched curiously as the two interacted. They never had never seen the head abbot talk to any non-humans before, much less be nice to them. Was this fox really something to be afraid of after all?

    "No no no, how could I? A monk vows never to harm the innocent and always fight for righteousness." The head abbot raised a hand in dismissal.

    Naturally, non-humans were not included when it came to defining ''the innocent'' in their traditions. He would be rid of this menace soon enough.

    Bai Qingyue pointed his little claw at him. "You don''t sound very sincere to me. How about you show me an act of good faith like releasing me from this dreadful prison, and then I will reconsider my course of action? I may even let you know where I come from..." He suggested, raising an evocative eyebrow at his last words, perceiving that this was the information the abbot was most curious about.

    "¡­" Said the head abbot.

    Did this fox really expect him to unlock the cage, unseal his powers and just let him waltz free as a show of good faith?

    What a headache!

 Chapter 9: Bloodbath

    After an hour of bickering without coming to any sort of agreement, the tired head abbot had Bai Qingyue transferred to the caged demons section of the monastery, to be dealt with later.

    Naturally, every precaution had been taken to ensure his maintained captivity, but the long talks at least delayed any plots these vermin were cooking for him.

    Bai Qingyue took in his fellow prisoners. There was a Weasel Demoness in the cage beside his. She was even smaller than him, with grey-brown fur and beady black eyes. She seemed like she could have been a perfectly ordinary weasel, were it not for the unmistakable demonic aura surrounding her.

    She was incapacitated but still awake. Bai Qingyue decided to fish for some information.

    "Little one, baby weasel, how did you get here?"

    The demoness raised her head from atop her front paws and glanced at the rude fox.

    ''Baby weasel''? How dare he call her that, when he looks like such a young cub.

    Still, feeling alone in this unfortunate predicament, she was not opposed to chatting with others, while she was still able to.

    "Humph, I''m not little at all. I''ll have you know I''m already married and have 4 children."

    Just as she responded, the thought of her family filled her with heartache. She proceeded to whisper her tale softly to the fox listening patiently in the cage next to her.

    Her children and herself were abducted by the priests to be turned into familiars, just as they had escaped from the clutches of a demon hunter. Her mate had stayed behind in order to distract the hunter and give them time to escape.

    Bai Qingyue had lived for so long and heard countless tragic tales, but recalling now that his kidnapper was boasting of wiping out a Weasel Demon as he dragged him to the monastery filled him with sympathy for this poor mother. Not only were she and her cubs caught and caged, but her mate was surely dead...

    While the demoness spoke, Bai Qingyue realized that although she was weak, her power could be strong enough to break out of her cage. All she needed was a little push in the right direction. Unbeknownst to her, he transferred the little bit of energy he managed to reserve over to her.

    "It will end soon." was all he whispered back.

    His eyes glowed mischievously and the temperature inside the cell dropped by several degrees as, despite the bangles on his paws, his powerful malevolence radiated from him.

    The night soon passed and with the new light of dawn, several priests arrived to the cages and leading the procession was the head abbot.

    The air felt chilly. A murder of crows perched on a nearby tree, waiting, sensing what was soon to come.

    The abbot gazed down upon the fox and, noticing no differences except for the slight fluctuations of power, he decided that it was time to end the fox''s life.

    He smiled menacingly, "I''m sure you imagined I was unaware that all that talk yesterday was just to fish for time, but unfortunately for you, I am not so easy to fool!"

    "Unlike my cellmate here, who you seem to have tricked easily enough. She tells me her children were also kidnapped and have been turned into familiars, and yet I''ve seen no weasel cubs lurking around." Bai Qingyue muttered, loud enough for the demoness to hear.

    The Weasel Demoness'' head snapped up, eyes glaring at the head abbot in alarm.

    "That''s right. They weren''t powerful enough to be familiars. And you might as well join them now, become a source of power to increase my disciples'' cultivation. It''s a shame you didn''t tell me more about yourself, I might have considered ending your life less miserably."

    The head abbot turned his back to the cages and began preaching to his fellow disciples, "Today we''ve all learned something new, don''t try to make deals with these creatures, nothing good ever comes from it." His tone filled with mockery.

    Bai Qingyue continued to glare at the foolish abbot.

    I can definitely agree with that statement. He silently agreed.

    The fox made a big show of yawning loudly to let them know just how "troubled" he was about his impending fate.

    The head abbot fell silent in outrage. ''This little pipsqueak was acting like a grand emperor!'' He thought, ''He had just been told that he was going to be wiped out and he-''

    Before the head abbot could finish his thought, it wasn''t the fox who retaliated, but the Weasel Demoness who had been silent the whole time.

    Upon hearing that her babies had been killed for their life essence, she went mad with grief. With them gone, she had nothing left to live for.

    "I will not be appeased until all of you perish with me!!" The demoness screamed as she expanded in size and energy, tearing the cage apart. Fighting against the sealing enchantment would cost her life, they all knew it. Her body was on the verge of collapse, but still, she struggled on. If she didn''t kill every last one of them, the murderers of her little cubs, she would find no peace in the next life!

    The head abbot was stunned. The senior priests quickly aligned themselves in front to protect him. How did she manage to break out of the cage??

    Her fur twisted into long sharp spikes as her irises changed into the shade of fresh blood. Her claws grew to an unnatural size, thick and sharp as daggers. The demoness was too far gone, transforming into her most monstrous of forms, something she had never done before. All that remained in her was pure vengeful energy, weighing down on the surrounding priests and crushing them to the ground.

    That night, almost all of the monastery''s population was exterminated.

    With her giant claws, she swiped through the petrified priests'' flesh, spilling their entrails all over the floor. Only a measly few priests had managed to escape the Demoness''s wrath and a handful of captured demons were slaughtered in the mayhem. It was a scene of complete, utter chaos.

    Leaving herself the best for last, after killing anyone who hadn''t managed to scurry away in time, she approached the slack-jawed abbot. Far too paralyzed by her unbreakable hold over him to move, the man could see his own terrified reflection in her bloodshot eyes, just as the weasel''s long, demonic body towered over him. In one swift motion, her enlarged mouth engulfed the Head Abbot from head to toe and swallowed him whole, without even leaving one limb left to bury.

    The head abbot of the Ever Eclipse monastery had died. He was never to understand how it had happened nor who, really, was the one to orchestrate his demise.

    Bai Qingyue sat in his cage, comfortable and unfazed, as the slaughter took place.

    A few hours later, when all the excitement finally "died down", Bai Qingyue cracked the cage open with a slight nudge of his snout. He easily slipped off the jade bangles from his wrists and transformed into his human form.

    His skin was pale and smooth, and silver hair soft as silk cascaded down his back. Barefoot, his lean yet muscular form circled around the bloodbath. He looked like a fallen angel descended upon hell.

    He clad his nude body in the garments of one of the less bloody, low-level disciple''s clothing.

    The air in the monastery was thick with the stench of blood. The expectant crows finally swooped down and feasted on the flesh of the priests sprawled upon the cold stone floor, pecking at innards and other body parts scattered around.

    Being used to blood and death, Bai Qingyue was unaffected by all this. The stench filling the air, however, was already smelling rather repulsive.

    His glowing golden eyes scanned the area for the demoness he had used. She somehow had managed to find the discarded carcasses of her young ones and was now curled up around them, dying slowly.

    Bai Qingyue slowly made his way over to her and bent down at her side.

    "I helped you achieve your revenge, but at the cost of your life. Know that I will find the man who killed your spouse and bring an end to his existence." His voice was cold and detached, but for her, it was the sound of hope she heard. She could now take comfort in her last minute; at least those who ruined her family would suffer the same fate.

    Blinking her sorrow filled eyes for the last time, she whispered her gratitude, before falling into her eternal slumber.

    Cold and unmoved, Bai QingYue sniffed the air and grimaced, reluctantly inhaling all the filth. That huntsman''s scent was faint, but he could still track him down.

 Chapter 10: Truly Mesmerizing

    Finding Zhou Shang was indeed quite easy.

    Bai QingYue swiftly glided through the barren hills, dense forests and run-down villages until he reached a more densely populated region.

    The moment he ventured forth among the people, the glances and stares didn''t stop.

    Realizing quickly, he had to disguise himself, and making do with his resources, he snatched a large round hat with a veil and tied his hair up neatly to hide his striking hair colour and his alarmingly beautiful facial features.

    With his height, he still stood out, but he was able to pass for a human.

    His sense of smell led him to a tall building called The Blossoming Petals.

    As he walked in, strong artificial scents mixed with alcohol assaulted his nose.

    The lodging was crowded, filled with people to the brim, with men cheering for the dancers on the main stage. There were dim yellow lights and heavy smoke from incense that was spread everywhere. His sense of hearing and smell ached from this environment yet nothing showed on his face. He was aloof and uninterested.

    A woman in a blood red outfit rose to the stage and hushed the crowd, the men then settled down and Bai Qingyue stood at the corner of the room, hiding in the shadows. He was able to immediately spot Zhou Shang who was making quite a figure with his fur cloak and rugged features.

    Suddenly, he smelled fresh blood. Glancing towards the stage again, his gaze was captured by the girl who''s wrist was held up, as blood trickled down her arm.

    She was a vision clad in silk like the rest of the girls on stage, but something about her made him unable to look away. Her luscious lips and beguiling eyes called to him, her dark as ink hair was sprawled around as she miserably tried to escape spread around her like a halo.

    Perhaps it was that frightened expression of a cute, cornered rabbit that truly captivated him.

    The men were making bids on her. Her value lessened because of the scars she had on her face...

    Just watching the scene aggravated him. His eyes darkened into ocean deep water orbs, and the temperature around him plummeted down to a murderous chill.

    As luck would have it, his target was the one who made the final bid on the girl.

    Zhou Shang still sat there casually, completely unaware of his upcoming demise...

    Soon after, all the girls were dragged away and the bidding ended. Those who made the purchases quickly scattered, the rest demanded more entertainment.

    Bai Qingyue followed Zhou Shang undetected, hiding in the shadows. This might have been more difficult to accomplish, had Zhou Shang not been muddled with alcohol, his mind clouded.

    As he walked by, his keen hearing caught onto the words of a few whispering villagers.

    "I ran away to the city as soon as I heard the news.."

    "Nearly all of the monastery¡­ Slaughtered, It was the work of a weasel demoness out for revenge and a fox demon together. The weasel died but the fox escaped..."

    "There are hunters everywhere tonight looking for the white haired fox demon, one of the priests that survived managed to draw up a portrait. Even the famous Virtuous Sword sect had sent disciples to apprehend the culprit."

    Great. More trouble.

    It seems he will have to go into hiding after this ordeal.

    Zhou Shang went out of sight and Bai QingYue ignored the rest of the chatter. Silently like a shadow, he walked into the same room as Zhou Shang.

    The girl was inside, pleading the man.

    She screamed and shrieked, the salty scent of her tears assaulted him as he opened the door and caught the man on top of her with his pants hung low and unaware. In such a defenseless position, he quickly grabbed one of the arrows scattered in the corner and shoved it straight into Zhou Shang''s heart.

    Zhou Shang with his last breath was about to scream, but Bai QingYue flexed his claws and easily slashed his vocal cords, it was not that different from slicing butter.

    Unfortunately, the girl underneath the man yelled instead.

    "Help! Help me please¡­!" She shrieked underneath the man.

    Bai Qingyue uncovered himself as he took off the hat and veil.

    "This is in gratitude for capturing me at my weakest and selling me to those Taoist phonies." Just as Zhou Shang reached the end of his life, He made his farewell. His voice remained monotone the whole time.

    Bai Qingyue pulled the arrow out and with a spurt of blood from the wound, tossed the fresh corpse to the side. Zhou Shang''s corpse hit the corner of the room with a thud, right by his bow and arrows.

    His gaze went back to the girl on the bed.

    He found himself hypnotized by her once again. All bathed in blood and half clad in silk, he noticed how the colour contrasted her pale skin and matched beautifully with her painted red lips, her hair was spread about on the bed like seaweed.

    Her eyes were moist with tears and black as the abyss, shining.

    Truly mesmerizing.

    She gazed back at him as if he was her saviour, and the sight made him remember what was just about to occur. He couldn''t help but sneer in disgust.

    He found himself rather pleased that he reached her in time before she could be defiled.

    As they stared at each other, he heard noise outside of people passing by.

    They had heard the shrieks and assumed it was the pain of a girl''s virginity being taken.

    However, it was the footsteps later on that alerted him. They were fast, on pace and silent.

    Most likely it was the quietness of the footsteps that made him realize he was dealing with people with higher cultivation than those he came across before.

    Still recuperating from his wounds, he preferred to lay low instead of an all out brawl right now.

    The girl stared at him dazedly and just as she was about to speak he warned her, lest she decides to scream again.

    "Girl, be quiet or speak softly, I won''t hesitate to wipe you out as well if you screech again."

    He noticed how quickly his words made her attitude change. Her cheeks heated up and she asked for privacy to dress up.

    Actually, that was rather cute, she was so easily embarrassed.

    He snorted at his own thoughts. What came over him?

    Turning around, the nine tailed fox spirit assured her he won''t be touching her. His voice filled with loathing.

    Just thinking about that man touching her now filled him with unexpected rage.

    He heard her soft voice in the back, it was gentle and almost sweet.

    "Thank you so much for saving me just now, I don''t know what I would have done without you. May I please know your name?"

    Bai Qingyue glanced back at her, she covered herself better but finding her here in this situation made him upset for reasons unknown to him.

    "And here I thought you were just doing your job. My name is not to be uttered by the likes of those such as yourself."

    In fact, he was hiding his identity.

    Why?

    Would she consider him a monster like the rest of the human folk he encountered here did?

    Best to err on the side of caution.

    "Ahem..I should thank you anyway. If you are leaving, can you take me out of the brothel house with you? I beg you, I would owe you a favor for life!" She knelt down in front of him and kowtowed. Pleading.

    Bai Qingyue found himself muddled by her, struck by a spell. The more he saw, the more he liked. The more he heard, the more pleasant she became.

    Honestly, this strange feeling was already maddening the Fox God. He felt like he was close to losing his rationality!

    However, none of his internal conflict showed. Masking his thoughts, he smirked at the girl, acting unfazed.

    "What could you possibly offer me? He flexed his fingers and responded.

    If you offer me yourself, I will consider.

    His thoughts brought him to a full stop. Before she had a chance to say anything, he quickly hushed her and continued the charade.

    With a sigh, he answered. "Don''t bother, I will take you out of here, from the kindness of my heart. But we will have to spend the night in this room with the corpse''s stench, without you making a sound. I have annoying pests hunting me down and am in need of hiding for the night."

    A half truth, he needed to hide for but a short while, but his instincts told him not to let the girl go.

    The girl nodded enthusiastically to his demands. His cold eyes glowed in response.

    The more he gazed at her, the hotter the temperature rose.

    It was getting so suffocating that he loosened his collar. Exhaling heavily, he couldn''t help but mumble under his breath. "Why is it so hot in this tiny compartment?"

    The girl shook her head confused, but her gaze went towards the stool on the side of the room where a burnt out candle smoke spread around. His gaze followed hers and his nostrils flared.

    Aphrodisiac.

 Chapter 11: Bai Qingyue, Your Husband

    (NSFW content ahead, be warned)

    The man with hair the colour of snow seemed extremely bothered.

    He kept glancing back at Li Meirong, as if contemplating a decision.

    His gaze was deep and unfathomable.

    Li Meirong''s thirst was unbearable, the heat was overwhelming.

    She didn''t eat nor drink recently and as she stared at the smoke circling in the room, she came to a conclusion.

    It has to be this damnable candle! There wasn''t even a window for ventilation!

    Her rational thoughts didn''t linger though.

    Her eyes locked with his.

    His irises were like molten pools of lava, the more they stared at her, the darker they became.

    A herbivore cornered by a large cat, that''s how she felt, but this cat was so enchantingly beautiful, that like a moth to the flame, she stumbled closer and closer towards this irresistible man.

    She couldn''t help studying him, and eventually her eyes landed on his lips. He was slightly panting, his expression looked shocked, gazing at her in wonder.

    She was confused by that, but all she could process at the moment was her physical agony.

    And his lips definitely had to be the cure.

    Her fears disappeared, her mind no longer lost in thought. All she could think about was to get rid of this thirst and heat.

    He felt her hot breath on his chin.

    Bai Qingyue stood there frozen stiff.

    This isn''t possible.

    Unless...

    His thoughts didn''t stray far before he felt a pair of warm and soft lips descend upon his as Li Meirong tiptoed to reach her destination.

    It was dark in the room, the only lights were the faint glow that shined from the hall outside through the cracks between the wooden door and the surface floor. The darkness and gentle glow made the atmosphere all the more passionate.

    Zhou Shang''s discarded corpse was long forgotten in the corner as the pair were fervently engrossed in exploring each other''s body.

    From one moment to the next, the raven-haired seductress was glued to him. Her wet and nimble tongue lazily traced his lips.

    "Mm... It''s so hot..."

    Bai Qingyue felt electrocuted. The heat was so unbearable and made him crave for something he never thought he needed, or wanted.

    Li Meirong grew frustrated. She was still burning, it wasn''t enough!

    She moaned in complaint.

    Her response triggered a grunt of desperation from the man she was ''assaulting''.

    Mystified, he couldn''t help but think, what kind of drug was this woman for him?!

    There''s only so much a simple aphrodisiac can do to affect his heavenly self, all of his reactions were due to her.

    His normally flaccid shaft grew hard and stiff. Bai Qingyue was a god known for his lack of interest in worldly affairs. Now, all he could think of was to plow this maddening woman, and fill her to the brim with his engorged member!

    He grabbed her fiercely by the waist and separated their lips, it was almost so painful that it made her yelp. There was no longer any space between them.

    She heard him mumble in surprise, almost with a hint of gratitude, "I finally found you." His voice was low, deep and incredibly sexy.

    Warm breath caressed her neck as he deeply inhaled her scent.

    She felt a hot rod poke her stomach incessantly. Realizing what it was made her blood rush all the way to her head. She couldn''t believe how shameless she became, but he felt so good! Li Meirong didn''t want to stop, despite sensing how dangerous this man was.

    This feeling was entirely new to her and exceedingly tantalizing.

    Trying to focus on his words, Li Meirong wondered what was he talking about?

    They just met after all, and didn''t he say he wouldn''t touch her?? But her thoughts were soon extinguished.

    All that remained was primal desire and lust as she felt traces of his warm tongue going round in circles on her neck, making her nerves explode.

    The sensation made her cry out, she lifted his face back up and pressed her lips tightly against his in urgent desperation.

    "Ah!" Li Meirong suddenly gasped in surprise as she felt his teeth gently nibble on her lower lip. The stranger used the opportunity to pry her lips open. Demandingly, he shoved his slippery hot tongue inside her mouth.

    His kiss felt rough, and nearly desperate. It was so intense that Li Meirong was struggling to breathe.

    He was eating her!

    She pounded on his chest in urgency and the silver haired man pulled his tongue back soon after.

    Li Meirong sighed in relief.

    However, what came next was a blur of ecstasy as the man made quick work of shedding their garments and their hands descended upon each other as he carried her to the bed.

    Bai Qingyue made sure to remove the sheet splattered with blood as he laid his seductress''s lithe body on top of the mattress.

    She laid there in all her glory. A well made feast just for him.

    Her soft pale mounds and budding peaks were perked up and exposed to his hungry eyes, he couldn''t help but grab one of those delicious looking nipples to his mouth.

    Li Meirong''s nerves were so heightened that she pushed against his chest.

    "It''s too much, I can''t!" She cried for him to stop.

    It was too hot, too intense, his tongue swirled around her nipple, providing her with waves of pleasure. He didn''t stop his roaming mouth despite her demands and after torturing one side he quickly jumped over to her other rosy bud.

    Li Meirong slowly got used to the spasms of newfound gratification and she markedly seeked for more.

    She occupied her hands by caressing him instead, as he suckled fervently on her breasts.

    Bai Qingyue shuddered in pleasure as he felt her hands caressing his skin, and tracing her soft fingers along his abdominal muscles, but his train of thought sharpened back to the moment when his lower member throbbed in pain.

    As much as he wanted to, he could not have her now. She will surely regret it after the effects of the drugs are gone.

    The girl stared at him awhile, her vision seemed glazed as she made sounds of frustration, seeking his attention.

    Bai Qingyue caressed her cheek gently. It was slightly bruised, and had deep red gashes on them. Feeling a stab of pain from seeing the marred flesh, he solemnly swore.

    Whoever did this to her will suffer a thousand times worse!

    Her wandering hands slowly made their way towards his now pulsing shaft, but he held her palms still before she touched his sensitive spot, he slowly unlatched his demanding mouth from sucking her breast.

    If she touched him there, he won''t be able to stop.

    They may not consummate now but he will make sure to bring her fulfillment. After all, it was now his newly given duty.

    All Li Meirong could focus on was on this strange man on top of her. He looked like a fallen angel as his hair draped on her like a silver curtain.

    He had a gaze filled with urgency and¡­Was that devotion in his eyes that she saw?

    It was such an odd expression to see from someone she never met before, even her previous boyfriends never looked at her like that after months in a relationship. His eyes that seemed constantly cold as an iceberg were now shining flames on his chiseled face.

    She ogled the man on top of her, and sure enough, he should have stepped straight out of a magazine. His lean body and tight muscles kept her captivated. Her cheeks heated up as she glanced back at his face shyly. He probably caught on her staring.

    Certainly, noticing her assessing look and her blushing cheeks only made Bai Qingyue feel satisfaction.

    His girl was really adorable.

    He wasn''t certain how this strange predicament led him to his fated person, but there he was, inhaling her sweet scent and tasting her exotic flavor.

    They may not copulate now but he would at least make sure she was satisfied.

    Bai Qingyue let go of her hands, he carefully bent down until he spread her soft pale legs and his breath exhaled on her core nestled between her thighs.

    Li Meirong shivered in fear and anticipation. She had never done anything like this before, but she didn''t want to stop. She wanted him to keep touching her. She flailed her legs nervously, but Bai Qingyue held each of her thighs in place with a firm grasp.

    His tongue descended on her most sensitive spot and she almost exploded. He lapped on her flesh like a man finally drinking water after days in the desert.

    She moaned and screamed her delight, and the more she did, the faster his tongue licked and his mouth suckled on her pink pearl, until a rush of heat engulfed all of her senses.

    She grasped his hair tightly and felt herself spasm. A rush of pleasure fell on her as a wave upon the sea.

    Li Meirong felt drained of every ounce of her strength.

    Slowly, she felt her senses returning, and only fatigue remained.

    She couldn''t believe she just did all this! She was so desperate for it too, and with a complete stranger no less!

    Her cheeks heated up in shame. Her face was red as a tomato.

    Bai QingYue faced this adorably silly woman and licked his lips, looking like a cat after it finished licking heavy cream, enjoying the lingering taste on his mouth.

    His response made her even more embarrassed and she quickly averted her eyes and tried to close her legs together.

    She felt so tired, it was difficult to keep her eyes open.

    As sleep was about to take over, she felt the gorgeous devil''s height rise on top of her. His arms reached for her waist and she was soon cradled protectively in his embrace.

    "Remember my name, it is Bai QingYue, your husband."

    QingYue? She wasn''t sure what he was talking about. It was hard to focus, and her long eyelashes fluttered a few times until she finally closed her eyes and slept contentedly.

    When the sun rose up the next day, rays of light peeked through the tall forest branches, their beams landed on Li Meirong''s profile, waking her up.

    She opened her eyes and found herself lying in an unfamiliar forest.

    It was lush and dense. The sounds of birds chirped happily nearby.

    For a moment, she wondered if she had somehow made it back to her world..

    Looking down, she noticed her body was covered in an unfamiliar silken white garment, it was so soft and luxurious looking, the strings on her dress glistened under the light. She wondered if it was made of spiderwebs.

    Looking left and right, she realized that she was all alone.

    Away from the brothel.

    And the strange pale haired man was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 12: Forgotten Waters Sec

    Li Meirong transmigrated to a different world.

    On her first day, she was sold to a brothel house and was nearly raped by a man who was later murdered right on top of her.

    She was drugged by the smoke in the room she was imprisoned in, and ended up d-doing such shameful activities with that man.

    She couldn''t help the gush of shame that flooded her.

    And she was so eager for it too!

    She wished she wouldn''t remember!

    Why can''t a convenient memory loss appear right now?

    On her second day, she woke up in a forest straight out of a fairytale.

    But¡­How did she get here, and where is that man? Did she hallucinate the whole ordeal?

    One way or another, she can''t stay here!

    At least she''s not in the brothel and whether that whole episode was a figment of her imagination or not, she will focus on finding her whereabouts and identity, and quite hopefully a place to stay.

    In her previous life, Li Meirong never aspired for grand dreams or great achievements in life. She just wanted to live peacefully, to be one with the crowd. Get a stable job, find a man and settle down, make her parents happy.

    But now all of that was lost, she had no one here, and she was an easy target.

    She felt weak. Useless.

    No matter what, she refused to reach a position where she was sold or tossed around again.

    She thought about the man with the golden glowing eyes and wondered if what they had could be counted as a one night stand? She most likely won''t see him again.

    The bitter taste of disappointment unwittingly surfaced on her face.

    At least if what occurred yesterday was real, at least he fulfilled his promise and took her out of that whorehouse.

    Now she was free.

    She sighed and rose up, gathered her long dress in her hands and waltzed forth.

    No point in thinking about the past, she had to move on!

    Making her way through the forest, she found a traveler''s path in the woods.

    There were signs pointing north, so she tread through the unfamiliar path.

    The further she walked, the more the atmosphere changed. It was morning yet there were so many trees around that barely any light shined through.

    Little fireflies roamed about, some even circled her.

    She reached out her hand to touch one and felt a stab of pain.

    It bit her!

    Frightened, she hurriedly jogged ahead away from the swarm of glowing fireflies.

    It got darker still, creeping vines crawled about and as her gaze focused, she realized the vines were actually the roots of the trees.

    And the roots moved.

    Through the shrubs on the sides of the path, she could see many pairs of red eyes blinking at her.

    With her senses on high alert she rushed down the path and the more she looked the more she feared, but eventually, she made her way safely through the woods.

    In front of her, a large opening at the edge of the woodland path slowly appeared.

    Li Meirong walked forward and saw a crowd of people lining up.

    Almost jumping in joy, she hurriedly ran to the population nearby.

    The majority of the people lining up appeared quite wealthy, but there were a few people dressed in rags as well, it seemed as though anybody was able to follow through if they wished.

    Most of the people around her were in fact very young, they were at Li Meirong''s age or younger, still, some parents came with their children and held their hands.

    At the end of the line sat a woman on top a large boulder with her shoulders upright and her legs folded into a lotus position.

    She stood apart from the crowd with strikingly beautiful and youthful features. She was surrounded by a strong blue aura, her eyes were dark and piercing.

    Behind the said woman was a vast and empty abyss, only the blue-grey skies and fluffy clouds could be seen. If a person walked forward, they would fall to their doom.

    The distinguished woman gazed at the crowd. She was clothed in a light blue robe and her waist was adorned with a white sash around it.

    The woman atop the boulder was giving instructions to the people on their destination.

    In front of the boulder, there was a large metal bowl filled with water.

    Each time the person in line reached the lady on the boulder, they would put their left hand into the water.

    It was very peculiar for Li Meirong to witness this scenario. Sometimes the water glowed really brightly in different colours and at other times it has a dim glow with a sole or pair of shades.

    The people who placed their hand in the water and no glow showed were instructed to leave the premises.

    Li Meirong noticed how deeply affected some people were by their results, when the water didn''t glow, one little girl burst into tears. Her mother quickly grabbed her and urged her to follow. In the distance, both men and women alike with distinguished bearings and a white sash around their waist were gazing at the occurrence. They looked down on the people lined up with undiguised disdain.

    There is no place for weaklings here.

    The line was so long that Li Meirong was sure that by the time she reached the front, nighttime would arrive, but everyone still stood there patiently.

    She really had nowhere to go and her curiosity was peaked by the magical occurrences around her.

    Might as well stick around and give it a shot.

    The people waiting in line in front of her started whispering among themselves.

    They were three cheerful and excited teenagers, two boys and a girl. Their plump cheeks and happy smiles definitely gave the impression of spoiled noble children.

    "The Forgotten Waters sect only recruits once every fifty years, this is such a lucky event for us! If we get accepted, not only do we have the opportunity to become stronger and elevate our households, but we can practice immortality!" The girl squealed, but her expression quickly changed to alarm.

    "But if I don''t get accepted¡­"

    The boy in the middle was all smiles towards her and he pat her head gently. "I''m sure you will be accepted, little Qianqian. After all we''ve been practicing our internal strength since infancy."

    Li Meirong remembered the Asian dramas she used to watch before she died and most of them dealt with bickering women in harems, empires and politics, but she once came across a drama that had to do with cultivating powers.

    After hearing the kids in front talking about it, this event seems to be a test to get accepted into a sect, like in that drama, where you gain magical powers.

    Practicing immortality, becoming stronger? That doesn''t sound half bad!

    She was already sure of it, in this world, there were no laws to protect a person, she was a discarded and punished maid. If she didn''t become stronger, the odds of her finding herself in a situation as the original owner of this body did were very high.

    She had to find a way to get into this sect and become powerful!

    With this newfound determination in mind, she tapped on the shoulder of the boy in the middle.

    The boy turned his gaze towards her and the two youngsters at his side soon followed.

 Chapter 13: Lose Your Life On The First Day

    "Brother Mo, do you know her?"

    The girl who spoke was named Qianqian. With furrowed brows, she anxiously grabbed the corner sleeve of the boy in the middle who comforted her a moment ago.

    The three turned around to confront the girl behind them. What greeted their sight was a pair of large watery eyes and pale skin, long wavy hair cascading down the girl''s shoulders and a luxurious shimmering silk dress. She had the makings of a devastating beauty, if not for the large burn marks on her face marring her otherwise gorgeous appearance.

    To bear such hideous scars, one really wondered what sort of misfortune this young lady went through.

    Li Meirong quickly caught their assessing stare and covered her scarred features with both hands. Until now, she hadn''t seen herself but she knew something wasn''t quite right about her face just by the way everyone had commented and stared at.

    The boy in the middle who was called brother Mo glanced at Qianqian bewildered, shook his head in response and addressed Li Meirong. "Hello, my name is Mo Cheng, this is my brother Mo Jing and my friend Shu Qianqian. And you are¡­?"

    His voice was clean, clear, and still retained a childish tone. He bowed slightly as a show of respect, his brother and friend at his side copied his actions.

    Li Meirong hastily bowed back in greeting.

    "I''m sorry for interrupting you. My name is Li Meirong and I stumbled across this place accidentally. I couldn''t help but overhear your conversation and was wondering if you could explain what''s going on?" Li Meirong''s voice was calm and serene, there was a tilt to her lips that appeared very charming.

    Mo Cheng''s brother scoffed as he heard her reply.

    "Accidentally? How can you pass by here ''accidentally'' when the only way to reach this place is through the Hundreds Beasts forest. Ordinary folk can''t even dream of walking through!" The younger looking boy named Mo Jing frowned as he blurted out and stared at Li Meirong suspiciously.

    Both Mo Cheng and Mo Jing had handsome looks, their features were almost exactly alike. Sharp straight eyebrows, bronze skin, high straight nose, and thin lips. They were both young but their physiques were already defined, showing signs of regular workouts.

    Their personalities were what differed them. Mo Jing was more silent and brooding while Mo Cheng was cheerful and friendly, and Mo Jing had chubbier cheeks. He reminded Li Meirong of the cute pandas she used to love viewing at the zoo.

    Mo Jing''s response made Mo Cheng and Shu Qianqian stare questioningly at Li Meirong.

    Her words sounded clearly like a lie. Even regular folks daring enough to come here had to hire experts at a high price just to pass through the woods. Most of the people who managed to attend Forgotten Waters sect''s disciples'' acceptance ceremony were from prominent families who have had assistance since birth in improving their cultivation in order to support their journey to reach this very mountain.

    Li Meirong''s eyes widened. The forest region she woke at seemed friendly enough but the further she ventured, the more frightening it became. However, no harm befell her whatsoever, except for those pesky bugs biting her, she was safe and sound.

    Detecting their suspicions, she chose not to tell them about the brothel events. Using her accumulated knowledge of the previous body''s life experience which her soul transmigrated into, she came up with a small lie. "I was serving at the royal court as a maid, but I ended up being expelled and was deserted in the forest as punishment. It was really a stroke of coincidence and luck that I managed to get here." She explained hastily while still bowing, her tone tinged with fear. Li Meirong bowed a little lower, averting her gaze.

    To Mo Cheng, Li Meirong seemed interesting, but also a little strange. She didn''t give off a hostile feeling though, so he decided to take her word for it.

    Actually, such occurrences were common for servants. It could even be considered light punishment. To let fate decide what would happen to a servant that had acted wrongly instead of the masters inflicting the punishment themselves.

    However...Li Meirong certainly did not dress as a servant and her features, although marred were very striking. The group was still a bit suspicious of her, but Mo Cheng was the best at reading other people despite being the more approachable one of the three, and Li Meirong seems like a pleasant person from his perspective.

    "Don''t worry! Since you made it here, perhaps this is all a play of fate." Mo Cheng''s smile was wide and inviting, showing that he accepted her and reached his hand to help Li Meirong rise up.

    Qianqian huffed as she saw the interaction between the two.

    Why is her brother Mo becoming so friendly with this stranger?!

    Mo Jing was silent but his eyes remained shrewd as he kept assessing Li Meirong.

    Since Mo Cheng accepted her, Mo Jing and Shu Qianqian did not refute his decision.

    Li Meirong smiled gratefully and kept quiet, hoping to integrate into the group.

    They walked together in a row as the line progressed.

    "Since you came by accident, I will explain briefly. In front of us lies the entrance to one of the most world-renowned sects, the Forgotten Waters Sect. It was built around 2,000 years ago and is known as one of the oldest sects that has maintained its prestige through the centuries. To become a disciple here, one would need, in most cases, not only a strong internal foundation but also a lot of luck! The sect only accepts disciples once every fifty years and the testing location is completely random. Many prominent families build connections just so they can find the acceptance point for the sect as soon as it''s revealed. If you do manage to reach the acceptance point, you must pass a series of tests before you are actually accepted. The first test is treading through the dangerous part of the Hundreds Beast forest. The second exam is testing your spiritual aptitude. If you have no aptitude, your qualification would be immediately eliminated. The stronger your spiritual root, the higher the odds are for you to have a better status in the sect and possibly be accepted as a direct disciple under a master. Unfortunately, the examination doesn''t end there because, after the spiritual root test, we must all descend down this mountain and survive for three days in the wild lands. A randomly chosen region filled with spiritual beasts, poisonous plants and other foul creatures roaming freely." Mo Cheng explained thoroughly explained with avid enthusiasm.

    "That part would be the hardest, you see¡­most potential disciples lose their lives on the first day. Despite all this, I can''t imagine a person that wouldn''t want to join, the moment you are accepted, your life starts anew. They say the path to immortality is fraught with danger, but the rewards are treasures beyond our wildest dreams.." He continued his explanation, his tone was light and clear.

    Li Meirong listened attentively the whole time, but she felt her back sweating near the end of Mo Cheng''s speech.

    Why is everything so dangerous here?! I just want a peaceful life!

    Standing still, Li Meirong lost her conviction. She wanted to be strong so she could take care of herself in this new land, but let''s be honest, Li Meirong came here by accident. She knows nothing about cultivation or internal strength. The little self-defence moves she knows couldn''t even count for basic martial arts.

 Chapter 14: Stuck Here

    She would have to backtrack her steps and find a way to a village nearby, maybe attempt to toil a field and little by little build a house for herself?

    What else could she do in this godforsaken ancient world?!

    Qianqian saw Li Meirong''s horrified expression and snickered condescendingly. "Now you finally understand, coming here by accident is a really bad idea! Your best bet would be to go back to your former master and ask for forgiveness. I and brother Mo are related to the minister of war''s family in Cloud country and have trained under a renowned martial artist master since we were first able to walk. " Qianqian haughtily finished her explanation as she patted Li Meirong''s shoulder. "We prepared all our lives for this chance, but you would die without an intact corpse if you dare to continue!"

    Mo Cheng glared at Shu Qianqian, urging her to be quiet, but the damage was already done.

    Qianqian''s words kept reverberating in Li Meirong''s head long after she stopped talking.

    Li Meirong was officially frightened.

    I''m out of here! Never mind strength, village life here I come!

    Bowing again Li Meirong stammered. "W-well then, I think I have made a mistake arriving here, may our paths cross again one day, farewell!" Li Meirong turned around and traced her steps slowly until she heard Mo Jing''s young and cracking voice. It was the young lad who ridiculed her words previously.

    He coughed lightly in an attempt to catch her attention before she left.

    "Ahem, unfortunately for the miss, from the moment you left the thousand beast forest, you are not allowed to leave the testing grounds until you evaluate your spiritual root." Mo Jing replied in a respectful manner. His youthful voice which had just reached that awkward stage of puberty remained soft, as he was still maturing into himself.

    Li Meirong really wanted to slap herself for her foolish decisions.

    Great, now she was stuck here...

    Without much choice, she found herself back with the same group she had acquainted herself with. Mo Jing kept quiet for most of the time. The young man could have pulled off an impression of a "serious minister" if not for his plump cheeks, still not rid of baby fat. His attitude made him appear adorable instead. Qianqian kept hogging Mo Cheng''s attention, sending glares at Li Meirong every now and then. Mo Cheng was friendly and all around approachable. Whichever questions Li Meirong had asked, he kept engaging in conversation and providing thorough answers, explaining to her all of which she needed to know.

    Li Meirong momentarily relaxed when she realized that she wouldn''t have to continue the exam if she failed the Spiritual Root test.

    Mo Cheng explained all about the subject. Having a high affinity for elemental attributes was a rare circumstance, in fact, the majority of the population had no affinity whatsoever. From the potential cultivators with a Spiritual Root, ninety percent had multiple attributes, which made it possible for them to cultivate but never become as strong as the ten percent of the lucky few who owned a single attribute.

    Of course, there were different types of attributes. Earth, Fire, Water, and Lightning.

    Some attributes were strictly offensive while others were considered supportive.

    As Mo Cheng continued his speech, Li Meirong learned a little more about her companions.

    Turns out it was a foreign envoy in their country who told them about the acceptance test. The elders of their families rushed to send the most talented children of the main wives to test their aptitude and luck for entering the sect, With their knowledge of martial arts and the fact that they had improved their internal strength throughout the years, it was an arduous journey fraught with danger but they managed to reach their destination with the assistance of hired experts that were sent to protect them along the way.

    An owl''s distinctive hoot could be heard from the nearby woods. Crickets chirped harmoniously in search for a mate nearby. The sun had died out and the moon princess took charge of the darkened skies, illuminating the secluded domain.

    Those unlucky folks who have been eliminated from the test were given a teleportation stone. Once the stone was activated they would be delivered straight to the forest''s entrance.

    Li Meirong assumed that since she was not only in the body of a lowly, insignificant maid, and not to mention that originally her soul wasn''t even from this planet at all, she would most likely be part of the majority and have no spiritual root.

    She sighed peacefully.

    Disaster averted. Her eyes shimmer in tranquillity, knowing she wouldn''t have to go through a life and death experience again. She even started chatting with Qianqian about her scarred face, explaining it was an accident of acid spilt on her skin.

    "That must have been a terrible experience! Don''t worry, after the test is over, I will write a letter to my family and ask them to send you medicine to assist with healing your scars! My Shu family has a lot of herbalists and healers in our abode!" Qianqian mentioned happily as she comfortingly clutched Li Meirong''s hand.

    At first, Qianqian found the girl with the hideous scars distasteful, especially when she was acting all pitiful in front of brother Mo, but as the hours passed by and when they had spent enough time with each other, she saw that Li Meirong was honestly just an unfortunate soul, and most importantly, she had stopped cosying up to brother Mo.

    The less Li Meirong talked to Mo Cheng, the friendlier Shu Qianqian became to her.

    Li Meirong wasn''t actually a little girl, assuring the Qianqian she wasn''t a potential threat to her budding relationship with her childhood friend, Li Meirong made certain to provide extra attention to Qianqian in hopes of avoiding any potential bickering with her.

    The group had finally reached the front. The water bowl was placed low and Mo Cheng was the first in line to be tested. He stood tall with his posture aligned, full of confidence.

    The cultivator lady seated on the boulder scrutinized the young, assertive man. Her slanted almond eyes were pitch black, not showing a hint of emotion in their depths.

    "Proceed."

 Chapter 15: Disappointmen

    The water bowl in front of Mo Cheng was of simple design. It was round, outdated looking and metallic. The only prominent look to this mystical object was a drawing centered in the middle of the bowl. It was of an elegant sword with a tip of a snake head instead of a sharp blade.

    Mo Cheng unhesitatingly shoved his hand into the water bowl. The water rippled from the impact, and Qianqian, Mo Jing and Li Meirong waited in anticipation for the results.

    Gradually the surface changed its transparent hue and took on a bright glowing purple shade.

    There was only a solid color of purple coating the bowl now, it reminded Li Meirong of Jelly grape juice.

    Gasps of astonishment filled the crowd nearby, even the stern beautiful cultivator lady''s shrewd phoenix eyes slightly enlarged at the result.

    "It''s a genius! A true genius¡­"

    "A rare prodigy showing once every couple of hundreds of years.."

    "A solid lightning attribute. Very impressive young one. Walk forth to the resting chambers." The cultivator lady never spoke a full sentence this whole day, that goes to show how eye catching Mo Cheng was right now.

    Mo Cheng smiled from ear to ear. What is a lightning attribute? That is the strongest offensive internal power possible. It''s difficult to cultivate, the rarest of attributes, but most of the cultivators who managed to ascend to immortality were in fact¡­Lightning attribute cultivators.

    Such was the immensity of the result.

    In fact, this was probably the best attribute one could ever wish for.

    "Brother Mo Cheng, you''re amazing!!"

    Qianqian was gushing with happiness, in her excitement she leapt into Mo Cheng''s arms, her hands wrapped tightly around his neck. Mo Cheng blushed embarrassingly and patted her head in a doting manner, he then unclasped her tight hold on him, making her pout.

    She couldn''t believe she fell for such an outstanding man, she was definitely fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow up with him.

    Mo Jing went to his brother and hugged his shoulders, he congratulated him without speaking much, but his eyes held all the pride in the world.

    In all this excitement Li Meirong got dragged into their happiness and was cheering and congratulating Mo Cheng as well.

    Soon Mo Cheng went towards the group of accepted disciples on the side, they too congratulated him excitedly and even the senior disciples of the sect who had to monitor the acceptance procedure went over to speak with Mo Cheng, they were about to rest for the night in the side of the mountain where a collection of wooden cabins were made to accommodate their needs, and were waiting for the remaining contestants results to wrap up.

    Shu Qianqian came next, and her results were also impressive, her bowl flared red and blue. Fire and water. Dual attributes. Considered quite talented.

    Dual opposing attributes, although not as rare as a single attribute vein wielders, it was definitely impressive. Both supportive and offensive capabilities.

    Shu Qianqian was elated. She leapt toward Mo Cheng and was also graced with heaps of praises and congratulations.

    Mo Jing''s test showed a solid green. Another genius almost unheard of!

    Earth attribute was almost strictly supportive , but anyone having a solid vein, a single attribute was such a rarity that it was nothing short of a miracle! These brothers were truly impressive.

    Following suit, Mo Jing joined his group on the side.

    The other accepted disciples looked at the group as their upcoming prodigies.

    Li Meirong''s turn came next, she tentatively gazed at the clear waters.

    Part of her wanted to be done with this, and another part regretted not being reborn into a powerful, influential family with a lot of spiritual talent.

    Unlike her last life, how amazing it would have been if she could actually shake the heavens..

    But she was reborn as a simple maid, with quite a horrible fate that she luckily managed to escape by the teeth.

    Even if one is not meant for it, one still dreamed.

    Li Meirong knew she wasn''t brave or adventurous. She was quiet, accepting..Most of her time she used to spend at her old apartment. Her evening afternoon spent with her cats.

    She enjoyed the quiet life and the companionship of her pets.

    She glanced to her group of newly acquainted friends, they were all standing near each other. The upcoming stallions of this generation, giving her looks of encouragements. Although the odds are slim, but still..

    She knew she was no stallion, and not to feel disappointment when nothing would happen.

    Whatever comes her way, she would deal with it.

    The cultivator lady impatiently gazed at the scar faced young woman in front of her, dawdling in front of the vein testing water bowl. She disliked such hesitant personalities, why is she unsure now if she made her way up until here?

    The girl gave her a bad impression.

    "Hurry." Was her only response to Li Meirong.

    Li Meirong sighed, gazed at the mystical waters, and placed her hand gently inside the cold liquid.

    A moment passed, which led to a minute¡­

    The water stayed crystal clear and transparent.

    Li Meirong was planning on reigning in her emotions, but she ultimately was unable to stop the feeling of disappointment which engulfed her, to discover that she really was worth nothing here.

 Chapter 16: Furnace

    "Tsk tsk.."

    "As usual, after all , not everyone can be a genius.."

    The murmurs were softly spoken among the others but Li Meirong still heard.

    She was alright.

    She was fine with this.

    She will teleport to the outside of the forest, find herself a craft or make do with humble work and build her life step by step.

    This body was young, she had years ahead of herself.

    Mo Cheng, Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing also saw the results, their expressions showed the disappointment of not having the opportunity to continue with Li Meirong, but after all this made sense.

    She did come over here entirely by accident.

    What was not fated could not be forced.

    And what was fated was bound to happen.

    "Eliminated." The cultivator lady responded. She disdainfully gestured for Li Meirong to join the ranks of the folk without attributes and be handed a teleportation stone.

    However, just as Li Meirong raised her hand from the waters all at once all attributes showed at once on the bowl.

    It was a sudden rainbow of green, purple, red, and blue. They shown brightly and vividly. As soon as hues appeared, the colors just as quickly disappeared and faded away into nothingness. The water once again turned crystal clear.

    One of the senior disciples ready to bring the accepted group to the chambers gazed inquisitively..

    "How rare.."

    It is the most common for cultivators to have multiple attributes, but to have all attributes could only mean one thing.

    And it wasn''t great for the owner of that power..

    The potential contestants behind Li Meirong were as clueless as her as to what was happening, but the elder cultivators were aware of the phenomenon.

    The cultivator lady seated on the boulder had her full focus on Li Meirong now.

    What was once before disdain and haughtiness turned into outright pity.

    The colors shown, even if they were all at once and disappeared abruptly, they still showed!

    Li Meirong, clueless as to what was going on was still overjoyed with the results! She has potential, she can cultivate!

    She looked at the senior cultivator full of smiles and bowed.

    "Senior cultivator, does this mean I passed?" Almost forgetting the dangers she has been told previously.

    Li Meirong''s mind was focused on the fact that she now has potential. She doesn''t have to be a stallion! But she could stay by their side.

    "¡­" The senior cultivator lady was at a loss for words, she couldn''t bear to say what she knew out loud.

    She coughed twice and regained her balance.

    "Multiple attributes. Average talent. Pass."

    Li Meirong bowed again and joyfully walked towards her companions who were happy for her fortune. None of them any wiser.

    A senior cultivator with a mischievous look to his face smirked as he got closer to the group, he was adorned more exquisitely than his fellow senior disciples and his long hair hung loosely around him, he had a pointed chin and his cheekbones were placed high..

    "Foolish one, it would have been better for you if you had no attributes at all, from all the possible cultivators, you will have it the worst." his voice had a slur to it, he spoke loudly and his tone was mocking.

    A senior disciple girl with a pair of dots for eyebrows walked towards the senior who spoke. She was quite intimidating with a muscular physique and taller than most of the men in the vicinity.

    "Don''t address her, brother Shuchu, this is beneath us." She spoke in disgust.

    Li Meirong felt hurt and unsure by their words, after all, the most common for cultivators is multiple attributes anyway, why is she treated differently?

    The duo continued with their chatter.

    "Don''t worry sister Liang, even with her only use, it would still be hard for her to find a strong support in the sect when her face looks like that." The senior disciple Shuchu snickered, he took out a fan from the sleeve of his robe and flapped it gently against his face, to hide his expression.

    Mo Cheng, Mo Jing, and Shu Qianqian grew enraged by their talk. They couldn''t dare offend their elder seniors without even officially joining the sect, but Li Meirong was someone who they spent the whole day with, one could say they''ve already become friends, the did accept her after all, and to hear them insult her like that was frustrating without being able to respond.

    Li Meirong knew that these people may potentially be her future seniors if she passes and becomes a disciple successfully. Wanting to avoid making enemies, she glanced at her talented companions with a smile to calm them down and then proceeded to bow and cup her hands in front of her seniors.

    "Thank you elder seniors brother and sister for reminding me. I hope I have not done anything to offend you." Li Meirong kept a pleasant attitude, her voice was soft and melodious.

    Pride didn''t help her stay alive, pride wouldn''t help her survive. Li Meirong didn''t mind debasing herself in order to avoid conflict.

    "Pft, the likes of you offend my presence alright. You probably don''t know so I will give you dirty little thing a tip. You''re a furnace. You''re best use would be only to increase the strength of another cultivator, and the means for that..Hmph, anyway you dirty creature, stay away from the bestiary coalition. We won''t welcome you there!"

    The rest of the potential disciples who passed the test all looked at Li Meirong.

    She felt almost intimidated, the feeling was not so unfamiliar from the feeling she had at the brothel house when she was on the stage.

    Assessing her as used goods.

    What does a furnace even mean?

    One of the new recruits looked at Li Meirong lustfully and licked his lips.

    "I''m a dual attributes of Earth and Water, if you want to be my companion I may consider it despite your imperfections." He approached them smiling. Showing off his generosity with his offer.

    Mo Jing was the first to stand in front of Li Meirong, he hid her view from the crowd and glared at the approaching young man, Qianqian went by Li Meirong''s side and squeezed her hand reassuringly, but it was Mo Cheng who spoke.

    "Li Meirong is under my Mo''s family protection, I won''t allow the newcomers to bully her!" Mo Cheng announced. His words were sharp and resonated with the crowd.

    Li Meirong almost blushed, this was the first time someone ever stood up for her like that, and to think it''s such a youngster at that!

    She almost felt her old woman''s heart beating faster for this boy who was probably younger than her actual soul by ten years.

    The group couldn''t stand up against the senior disciples, but when it comes to the newcomers, they were considered dragons among them. Mo Cheng''s words quickly made the fellow disciples avert their gaze and cease the prattle, the young man carefully retreating with sounding a swift apology.

    Li Meirong cast her gaze to the ground and stared at her feet.

    "Thank you fellow brother Mo." Her voice was low and almost shy. Her hair hid her expression, Mo Cheng thought she looked kind of cute.

    He patted her head in response and said in a brotherly fashion. "Don''t worry about it, you are now like a little sister to us, whoever bothers you will have to deal with me."

    Mo Cheng made his stand and went to assemble the rest of the disciples who were accepted.

    Mo Jing seemed slightly displeased by the interaction, he folded his hands and huffed but didn''t respond.

    Qianqian who was still holding Li Meirong''s hand held her tighter until it hurt.

    She smiled but it looked very forced, almost static.

    She came close to Li Meirong and whispered in her ear. "Don''t think badly of me because I started to like you, but brother Mo is mine so please don''t get any ideas. As long as you keep your distance from him I will be your friend and even support you. Alright?"

    Qianqian said all that while appearing cute and charming.

    The contrast terrified Li Meirong but she got the message.

    Not to have romantic inclinations towards the prodigy?

    Not.A.Problem.

    After the brothel event she felt like she''ll need the next 20 years to get over her awkwardness around men anyway.

    Especially when that strange men fondled her, went down there and licked between...

    Between..

    Shaking her head to snap out of those embarrassing thoughts, Li Meirong focused her attention on this little girl that''s in love and considers her a threat. She had to stop this foolish impression.

    Li Meirong gazed straight into Shu Qianqian''s eyes, she grabbed her hand as well.

    "I swear that I have no intention of making any moves on brother Mo. I''m really grateful to you three! You''re the first friends I made in this worl- Ahem, this sect. I hope we will stick together as true friends. " Li Meirong solemnly swore, she then came close to Qianqian''s ears just the same way she did for her and whispered.

    "And if you need my help to hook up with brother Mo I don''t mind helping you!"

    Pleased with her response, Shu Qianqian smiled from ear to ear and clasped her arm around Li Meirong''s. They looked like close friends walking hand in hand.

    "Then we will definitely get along! Don''t worry, even if you''re a furnace, I''ll make sure nobody would touch you!" Shu Qianqian threw another promise in the air happily.

    Mo Jing who was standing up ahead glanced back at them and frowned.

    Li Meirong was glad that although they were incredibly powerful, these kids were innocent and not at all vile like the people she met before. She felt secure in their presence.

    The no eyebrows lady from the Bestiary coalition called her a furnace. Maybe that''s the weakest among cultivators as they can only support other cultivators instead of enhancing their own powers, but how bad could it truly be?

    Li Meirong did not know, but she would soon find out.

    The testing passed. Only a little over two dozen disciples were accepted, the lot headed to the cabin for the night.

    Shu Qianqian bunked in with Li Meirong in the room. It was a cozy feeling. She was rather entertained by Shu Qianqian''s behavior and antics. She was like an excited little puppy with a lot of mischievous ideas in mind.

    They were provided with a sample of light foods, and a water pitcher. Sauteed plate of green vegetables and steamed lotus roots, a small bamboo basket filled with steamed dumplings, along with a bowl of clear warm soup. The girls shared the meal, Li Meirong ravenously consumed the meal. She couldn''t recall the last time she ate properly.

    After feasting, they settled down to rest.

    Early morning of the next day, the sound of a horn echoed loudly, it was still dark outside. The sun had just rising and the sky got coated with a splash of golden hue.

    Shu Qianqian snored lightly on the adjoining wooden plank these cultivators called a "bed".

    With dark circled under her eyes, Li Meirong recalled that now she has to survive in a forest full of monsters for three whole days!

    If I will die in an unmarked grave, I will regret this foolishness of waltzing into a testing ground for a sect in my next life as well!

    Shuddering in fright, she lay in the wooden bed and hugged herself before resolving to get up.

    No matter what, she will stay by her new stallion''s side and hug their powerful thighs!

 Chapter 17: Stepping Into The Wild Lands

    In the early morning all the folk who passed the test for their internal strength huddled in a row in front of the same mountain, at the edge. With the abyss in front of them, in the danger filled wild lands they will have to survive for three whole days.

    It was chilly so early in the morning, the sun rays have yet to warm the earth, the clouds were dark grey, the sound of thunder resonated in the background.

    Li Meirong rubbed her hands furiously against each other. Her small body was covered now in the outside disciple garments which has been handed to all the pre qualifiers. It was a loose light blue robe with a black sash around the waist. A very simple design, and very unfitting for the cold.

    She wasn''t the only one freezing, her fellow disciples were also shivering. Shu Qianqian clung to Mo Cheng''s side, at the beginning Mo Cheng resisted her clinging hands but after continuous wining, he relented and let her do as she pleased.

    Mo Jing'' shoulders were shaking but his expression fit the rest of the scenery. Freezing cold.

    In front of them, from the dark skies slowly formed the formidable shape of a senior cultivating disciple. She was flying on what appeared to Li Meirong as huge red tiger with a pair of horns and flaming twin tails. It was a true majestic sight to behold, Li Meirong was in speechless in awe.

    The rider and her beast flew swiftly through the skies, slicing straight through the clouds to land gracefully in front of the crowd.

    When the cultivator descended from her beast, Li Meirong instantly recognized the her as the senior disciple who said she was disgusted to be in her presence. Her formidable presence and impressive height were too noticeable.

    Frowning, Li Meirong calculated the odds less in her favor. She now has a strong group to cling to for survival but the person in charge seems to hate her guts.

    Not long after, several senior disciples flew on swords and descended on the cliff''s edge.

    ''It might take me a little while to get used to this fantasy land'' - Was Li Meirong''s thoughts as she stared in wonder at the amazing view of people flying on swords and tigers with horns descending from the skies. Besides her, all the others treated the sight as a casual occurrence.

    The Tiger sat down comfortably while his intimidating gaze scrutinized the young ones at the front.

    All the people present wore practically the same sect robes, however only the new recruits were shivering in the cold. The seniors acted as if they didn''t even feel a slight chill. Some had their collars loose and their sleeves folded up.

    The senior disciple who descended from the Tiger, whom Li Meirong recognized as no eyebrows lady, paced back and forth as she spoke.

    "My name is your senior sister Liang. Address me as captain Liang henceforth. I am the second in command of the bestiary coalition as well as your supervisor for this test henceforth. The Forgotten Waters sect has accommodated you with our outside disciples'' garbs but it doesn''t mean you have been accepted as official disciples. You are yet to be part of the sect. Only those worthy, who survive and complete three days of waiting period in the wild lands will be officially accepted.

    You may go into this test solo or pair into group of no more than three people, the decision is up to you. You may kill for survival. You may kill others for survival, except for your fellow participating disciples. They must not be harmed.

    Use your wits about you. Be vigilant. Most of all remember, if you feel that you are under threat of life, don''t hesitate to use this signal stone. We will provide this signal stone for each of you, take good care of it. If you drop your blood on the stone, a senior disciple will come to your rescue and you will be disqualified on the spot, but your life would be saved. Don''t die for foolish reasons.

    Remember that in the wild lands nearly everything and everyone is hostile, tread carefully. Just like in the thousand beasts forest, even the plants and insects are carnivorous, there are regions with toxic poison around. I''m sure you all know what you signed up for when you arrived here." Captain Liang held her hand high in the air to show the signal stone. It was the size of a pebble and looked like a regular green jade. She finished her speech and gave a sharp glance to Li Meirong.

    Under her scrutinizing stare, Li Meirong felt her throat tighten. She gulped audibly.

    Captain Liang''s look of disdain yesterday would have surely made her avert her gaze in shame, but now all she could think of is of the injustice of getting caught in this predicament.

    She doesn''t even practice cultivation. Her wits are the only thing she could depend on.

    She glanced to her side to her fellow companions..

    She''ll definitely stick to them like glue!

    The new recruited disciples congregated into groups, in low murmurs some have decided to go solo while others paired up for better survival.

    The problem was that in Li Meirong''s group there were now four people including her. One had to be left out.

    "Brother Mo, we should definitely go together!" Shu Qianqian exclaimed happily.

    Mo Jing shook his head, exasperated. Mo Cheng chuckled in response

    "Little Qianqian, Li Meirong is the only one among us who doesn''t know how to fight, it''s best if two of us go with her. I am strong enough to survive alone. I will leave it to you and Mo Jing to protect our fellow junior sister!" Mo Cheng tried to persuade Qianqian to see reason.

    Li Meirong felt touched. She just met these kids, but they were already treating her like a comrade.

    She felt very warm inside. No matter what, she will have to find a way to repay them for their kindness later on.

    Shu Qianqian complained, but eventually consented, she nodded enthusiastically. "I will definitely take care of sister Meirong, don''t worry at all!" She proclaimed.

    Mo Cheng separated from the group and Mo Jing led the way. As they reached the edge of the cliff, a senior disciple made an intricate hand gesture and with a chant opened up a portal.

    All the recruits stepped hesitantly through the portal, all they could see after all was only an abyss in front of them, the fear of falling down the cliff was in everyone''s hearts.

    Mo Cheng confidently stepped through. Mo Jing glanced back and ushered the girls. "Follow closely behind me."

    Li Meirong closed her eyes and stepped through.

 Chapter 18: Suspiciously Quie

    The trio found themselves in a tropical region.

    Was this really the bottom of the cliff?

    The climate seemed entirely different.

    Turns out the portal teleported the disciples to different designated locations, in efforts to have less odds of encountering fellow participants during the waiting period.

    Li Meirong only saw such places on television. Very similar to South America''s jungles and other tropical rainforests. Even the chilling cold dissipated. It was in fact quite warm and a little hard to breathe.

    Gentle raindrops dripped on the overgrown shrubs and leaves. The earth was dark and soaked thoroughly, with more mud than dry ground. There was a lot of moisture everywhere.

    Usually in forests there''s constant sounds of buzzing insects and birds, however here it was suspiciously quiet.

    Shu Qianqian in preparation drew out a dagger she had a attached to her legs and held it carefully in her hands, prepared to fight. Mo Jing on the other hand was empty handed, but his eyes were alert for any sudden movement.

    Li Meirong tip toed behind her little protectors cautiously.

    They tread through coiling paths and slippery ground. The further they went in, the bigger the plants appeared.

    The trees were now so tall that as Li Meirong looked up, she couldn''t see their end, only vines and foliage.

    After nearly half a day of wandering in utter silence, the group couldn''t help but start speculating ..

    Maybe they landed in a lucky spot? Or maybe the hostile beings in the environment were wiped out?

    One way or another, they were safe.

    This situation made Li Meirong recall the previous day, as she walked through the forest path and no harm befell her, after hearing what her companions had to go through just to pass through the same area..She found out her circumstances were peculiar.

    Mo Jing discovered a comfortable spot to rest by a river bank and the group settled for the night.

    As Li Meirong, Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing settled down on the ground, Qianqian couldn''t help but comment. "This is too odd!"

    Mo Jing nodded in agreement. "Even if we have been sent to a remote location without much population..I get the feeling that the creatures are all¡­Hiding from us." He voiced his suspicions out loud.

    Li Meirong was also at odds with this predicament.

    Granted, she might have seen too many fantasy movies and expected some killer plants to jump out and tackle them, but this eerie quietness was also disturbing. It looks like a jungle but not even a chirp of birds could be heard!

    "Well, one way or another, this works in our favor. Let''s stay alert just in case, who knows, maybe three days will pass without issue and we will become official disciples." Li Meirong tried to reassure her companions. They nodded in response. That''s true. If this will continue as such, they are sure to become Forgotten Waters sect disciples.

    Li Meirong rose up from the ground and stretched her sore limbs, it was bad timing but she had to go to the bathroom.

    "Don''t wander off." Mo Jing warned.

    The feeling of being protected was truly sweet, she smiled at him gratefully.

    Li Meirong said she''ll be sure to stay close by, and excused herself.

    She found a large bush that hides the view well and hid behind it. After relieving herself, she used one of the leaves from the bush to clean herself as best as she could and made her way back to her young companions.

    For a moment, Li Meirong entertained the thought of having lost her way, but that was impossible, she wasn''t even 100 steps away from MoJing and Shu Qianqian.

    The river bank was right in front of her, the ground which still had their footprints lay ahead..

    But her companions were gone..

 Chapter 19: It Took Off Running

    Li Meirong''s breathing got quicker, she looked all around but her friends simply vanished!

    "Don''t panic, don''t panic."

    She chanted as she tried to keep her thoughts clear.

    Her companions added her to their group as one of their own so quickly, they took care of her when they really didn''t need to. If anything, she was a burden on them.

    If something happened to them while she just stood by and they suffered, she would never forgive herself!

    It was dangerous, but her only choice left was to yell out for them, and hope that it wouldn''t attract danger towards her.

    "Mo Jing!!!! Shu Qianqian!! Please make a sound if you can hear me.."

    "Mo Jing..Sister Qianqian.."

    "Qianqian."

    After screaming a good while and running out of breath, Li Meirong stood still at her spot. Helpless.

    There was no response.

    It was for a split second, but all of a sudden she heard a rustling sound by the batch of creeping vines on the side of the river bank.

    Li Meirong hurriedly pounced to the source of the noise, the creeping vines descended down form one of the nearby trees. They were so thick that she had to forcibly divide the vines with the full strength of her arms just to push through. Each of the vines was thicker than twice the size of her legs.

    As she managed to squeeze herself through the tangled vines, she found an enclosed clearing.

    There wasn''t a large space as she expected to find, but a small corner of a few feet without no other path to go from. The river bank was surrounded by a large stone wall, it was a crumbling construction but it definitely looked ancient and man made.

    What immediately caught her sight was not the wall though, but the plant that was growing near it.

    Li Meirong was not an expert on plants, but this particular one, with its appearance of a vacant pipe and its exotic shade of auburn red merging as a gradient to pale green tint, she was almost certain it was a carnivorous plant. It looked almost exactly as the pitcher plants from her world.

    Just 10 times bigger.

    Definitely big enough to consume a person.

    The rustling sounds continued and she noticed the belly of the plant wobbling slightly. A terrible scent of its digestive juices emitted as visible smoke from the opening of the plant into the air.

    Please don''t let this be what I think it is!

    Li Meirong was terrified by the idea of this plant potentially digesting her friends!

    She was too scared to creep towards it and check its insides lest she be eaten as well, but she couldn''t escape without knowing for sure.

    She backed away slowly to the opening and tried ripping off a creeping vine. Her efforts were like punching through an impenetrable titanium substance.

    She ran back outside and broke off a somewhat thinner branch from a younger tree.

    Rushing inside, she mustered her courage and shot straight for the plant.

    As if sensing her desires, the carnivorous plant shuddered and its leaves curled unto themselves.

    Li Meirong was panting and sweating at this point, she climbed onto the opening of the monster sized pitcher plant, with both her hands holding the branch she stuffed the piece of wood straight into the belly of the plant.

    "Oh no!!" She screamed in terror.

    The wood branch hit a solid body, she quickly traced it and it was round, she moved the stick further down and the shape turned rectangle. Those were definitely shoulders.

    The plant shuddered, and a rumbling sound roared from its inside, Li Meirong almost accidentally slipped. She braced herself with each leg on the side of the plant''s head, threw the branch out and shoved her arms fully inside its gaping mouth.

    It felt slimy and sticky, and really warm. She felt like she was assisting a woman in giving birth. Her hands felt the round shape, it was covered entirely with slime but she could definitely tell it was a head, she pushed her arms further down, unable to see it visually, she had to depend on her senses to maneuver.

    She reached for what felt as the armpits, and with a grunt she attempted to pull the person out.

    "Ughhh.."

    Li Meirong tried to gather more support by pushing with her knees against the plant.

    Seconds felt like hours in this life and death situation, but eventually a head picked out of the plant''s mouth. It was Mo Jing.

    She wasn''t sure where her strength came from, maybe it was those rare adrenalin rushes of grandmas seeing their grandchildren in jeopardy and all of a sudden having the capability to lift cars with their frail limbs.

    Mo Jing was completely covered in the pitcher plant''s digestive juices, he was wrapped in stinky saliva and lay unconscious in Li Meirong''s arms.

    She had no time to concentrate on him, because Shu QianQian might be still inside!

    After making sure his heart was beating, she unceremoniously dumped him on the ground.

    At this point, fear for her life was long forgotten. Li Meirong made quick work of shoving her arms back inside the plant, she grasped around aimlessly with her palms until she felt another round shape.

    This time it was further inside and Li Meirong had to push her upper body inside to reach Shu Qianqian.

    Thankfully, Qianqian was lighter and easier to lift up. There was a sizzling sound and a slight smell of burnt flesh alongside emitting from the belly of the plant. Li Meirong didn''t even wish to think of the consequences.

    Just as she lifted Shu Qianqian out of the plant and tossed her to the ground, a terrible screeching noise was heard, as if the plant got angry. Li Meirong''s heart beat so fast she was scared of having a heart attack! She quickly unclasped her arms from the plant but before she managed to get off from the carnivorous pitcher plant, it took off!

    The plant screeched like nails hastily scraped across a blackboard. Its roots retracted and it took off running!

 Chapter 20: Jiangshi Master

    Having been mounted on top of a screaming carnivorous plant without the ability to hop off, Li Meirong pounded against the wobbly flesh of the plant to no avail.

    Its stinky scent disintegrated as it stopped digesting living creatures.

    The plant was much stronger and bigger than her, and it made quick work of leaping in between the vines and hopping over troublesome terrain.

    In fact, if it didn''t try to eat her friends a second ago, she would have probably complimented this plant. It was pretty smart!

    By now Li Meirong no longer recognized her location. She wasn''t certain but she assumed it was already the morning of the second day.

    The scenery didn''t change much, but she was definitely in a deeper part of the jungle. Nobody showed up around her, but she sensed more movements. At times, the feeling of someone watching her was so intense she felt her fine hairs rising up.

    The plant heaved, running took its toll on this agile body of his...

    She wasn''t honestly sure what it was. It was definitely not a regular plant, it ran off, felt fear, screeched in alarm..

    Whatever it was, the plant settled down, Li Meirong climbed down from it and distanced herself a few feet away, making sure the plant stayed well in her field of vision.

    It stood there in front of her, and its open mouth puckered and heaved..

    Like it was panting.

    "¡­" Li Meirong was speechless, but her nerves were still on high alert.

    It probably ambushed her friends when they least expected it, she had to stay vigilant.

    Expecting the worst from the wildlife around her, she was prepared for sneak attacks from animals or killer plants now.

    "I can''t believe I have such rotten luck to deal with killer plants on my own of all things.." Li Meirong sighed depressed. She was wondering when would the opportunity occur to have a nice relaxing day.

    She wanted to be strong so she could have it easy, not harder!

    This is not worth it.

    That was her conclusion.

    However, the unexpected happened yet again for her, the feel of cold metal slicing against her flesh made her yelp in pain.

    She quickly clutched her source of agony. The tip of her ear nearly got sliced off! Her fingers got coated with her blood. The assailant''s weapon was a disc shaped metal with several teeth.

    Before she had an opportunity to glance back, she felt a hot breath on her ear. Strong arms pulled her hand away and a warm slippery tongue enveloped her ear, soon after, a mouth clamped shut on her wound and sucked on it harshly.

    "Let go!" She looked back and pushed her assailant with the last of her strength, the attacker barely moved, but she had enough space to get away from his clutches.

    She scrambled forth on all fours towards where the carnivorous plant was. With the sudden event of the attacker taking place , the plant soon disappeared.

    "You look so ugly, but taste so good!" The dangerous man behind her declared, he laughed maniacally.

    Li Meirong glaringly faced her opponent. He wasn''t too young nor too old looking, a young adult standing at 6"3 feet, he wore pitch black robe with a pattern of red snakes crawling on the long sleeved shirt atop his shoulders, like a crest.

    His otherwise handsome young features and jade like skin were marred by the psychotic look in his eyes, and his abnormally large mouth that stretched wide across his face, revealing a pair of sharp vampiric looking fangs.

    "Who are you?! What do you want from me??" Li Meirong questioned angrily at her wits end.

    She moved her hand about the ground, hoping to find something to protect herself with, anything..

    The assailant barked another laugh, unlike his actions, his voice was soft and even soothing.

    "I am the Jiangshi master, second in command to the demonic path in all this realm, you should feel honored meeting the likes of me." He edged closer to her as he spoke. His whole being gave off a reptilian feeling, luring its prey before consuming it.

    She preferred having a showdown with the pitcher plant instead!

    I regret complaining about my predicament, please god of luck, help me out here!

    Finding nothing to use as a weapon to protect herself with, and feeling physically drained after her escapade with the carnivorous plant, Li Meirong consented to debasing herself, again.

    "I really don''t know you, mister Jiangshi master. We probably got off on the wrong foot here..Hehe¡­I''m Li Meirong, I''ve been placed here in the wild lands in hopes to learn to cultivate in a sect." Li Meirong responded as sweetly as possible. She stood up and dusted her backside.

    When all else fails, aim for diplomacy, even against the devil.

    The Jiangshi master raised his eyebrow in amusement.

    It was in the blink of an eye that the Jiangshi master disappeared and once again appeared right in front of Li Meirong, he bent his back and stared at her, their noses touching.

    "You''re a furnace, aren''t you? I could tell by your sweet blood.."

    Li Meirong''s eyes widened in alarm. That word again..

    The people in this world did not hear about personal distance!

    "I wouldn''t have minded taking you in as a concubine if your face was at least presentable." The Jiangshi master explained, his expression twisted, expressing his disappointment.

    Excuse me sir, I don''t want to be your concubine. I don''t want to be your anything!

    Li Meirong was full of grievances, but there was no shoulder to cry on.

 Chapter 21: Drain you dry

    "I-it''s quite alright really, I''m not fit to be a concubine.." Li Meirong stammered a response embarrassingly, he was too close for comfort.

    The man ignored her response as it was of no importance to him.

    The Jiangshi master''s muscular and long limbs traced the air around Li Meirong''s face, as if touching a halo surrounding her.

    "You have an aura about you, it''s almost unheard of, certainly not human.."

    He gazed back into her doe like eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered gently.

    "I''m definitely human." Li Meirong assured him, trying to make sure he wouldn''t take fancy to her, she doesn''t want to be his property.

    "You are, you definitely are, but there is something about you. I assume all the surrounding beasts saw you and hid away from view." He chuckled and grasped a few unruly strands of her hair by the side of her cheek.

    "Please don''t touch me." Li Meirong''s eyes turned to crescent moons as she smiled and cringed a response.

    "Soon you will beg for my touch." After all, he will only give her an option between raising his powers by topping her lithe body, or draining her dry of blood.

    "¡­." Li Meirong wanted to cry, but in her shock no tears came out, a dozen thoughts circled in her head regarding what he could have possibly meant, and none of them were good.

    Can''t afford to offend this person, if his weapon would have flown slightly lower, he would have sliced my neck!

    Though his previous words did linger in her mind. So the reason nothing showed in their path is because of her?

    And then¡­

    When she separated from her companions, that was the time they were attacked.

    Li Meirong''s eyes widened in realization and her mouth opened up in in "O" shape. The Jiangshi master liked that silly expression.

    Maybe he won''t drain her blood dry just yet.

    "Li Meirong." The Jiangshi master voiced her name out loud.

    He liked the way it sounded.

    His voice was low and made her feel like a tongue just licked her spine, she was repulsed.

    "Since we mean no harm to each other, let''s part ways peacefully!" Li Meirong was the perfect example of a proper subordinate, she backed away a few steps, and bowed down respectfully. Ready to rush away at any given moment.

    "Haha, who said I mean you no harm? I was going to kill you on the spot, but you are rather interesting. I think I''ll keep you as a pet and drain you of blood bit by bit." The Jiangshi master thought of a new plan, teleporting once again in the blink of an eye to Li Meirong''s side and grasping her thin waist tightly in his hands.

    She was young and frail, and quite easy to handle, her soft skin squished easily under his palm.

    Li Meirong screamed to the top of her lungs, remembering the signal stone each disciple was given to use in a life and death situation, she quickly grabbed the stone from her sleeve and reached for her bleeding ear. To hell with this test, she''s not going to be this guy''s dinner!

    The Jiangshi master quickly caught onto the signal stone she held and right before she had the opportunity to splash her blood on it, he flung it away to the side.

    "It will not be so easy to deal with me, stupid girl!" He clamped his hand on her mouth to cease her ear piercing shouts.

    It was right at the moment when the Jiangshi master was about to teleport with his new loot that Li Meirong''s old threat came by, the carnivorous pitcher plant.

    The plant stood tall and mighty in front of them both, its vines reaching high into the air, if it had eyes, Li Meirong would have imagined a look of determination would have shown on its watermelon colored figure.

    Her day must be a whole day filled with surprises because what came next, she wouldn''t have imagined in a thousand lifetimes.

    Instead of having to face both of these enemies..One dealt with the other.

    The first bane of her existence this day leaped up in a wondrous feat, using his vines as a stepping stone to cover the great distance between them as it positioned its large gaping plant mouth straight towards the Jiangshi master.

    It was so unexpected that the Jiangshi master didn''t even have time to teleport, his hands forcibly removed from Li Meirong''s waist and mouth as he got swallowed whole by the man eating plant.

    "¡­."

    The killer plant just saved me.

 Chapter 22: You Want Me To Feed You?

    "You saved me."

    Li Meirong blurted her thoughts. It was silly though, probably completely unintentional on the plant''s part, and it probably didn''t understand her anyway.

    If it would pounce to attack her, she had to prepare to leap away, unlike the Jiangshi master who was caught unaware, not even able to voice a sound before he was swallowed whole.

    Watching his bulging eyes and the smirk wiped from his face as the plant gobbled him up was more satisfying than Li Meirong would care to admit.

    She scurried to the side and grabbed the signal stone with both her hands. While squeezing the stone, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. What a close call. Li Meirong carefully placed her signal stone inside her sleeve in a more easily accessible location.

    The plant placed itself not far from her, it wiggled the lower region of its body where it was built wider, back and forth, like a puppy.

    Its upper body part, where its open mouth was shaped, had a red tint to it which wasn''t there before.

    Li Meirong smacked her head for daring to think that it''s possibly blushing.

    "I think this place made me lose my mind.." She muttered as she retraced her steps towards her companions. It might take her a whole day, but turns out she''s got an aura to repel vicious animals, hopefully she could relax now.

    Every ten to twenty feet she glanced back at the unmoving man eating plant, it didn''t budge when she looked back at it, but then she kept on walking forward, yet the distance between them didn''t grow larger.

    It''s definitely following me!

    Li Meirong wiped the sweat off her forehead.

    If that plant attacked her, she was going to bleed her whole arm on the signal stone if need be. She clutched the signal stone tightly in her sleeve for reassurance. Just to be prepared..

    The carnivorous plant, now working on digesting the man in its belly, was hopping about much more slowly than before when Li Meirong was clutching to its top for dear life.

    That made Li Meirong less wary. It seemed that while it was eating, the plant was a lot less dangerous.

    She followed through the tracks the plant made along the jungle, the sight becoming more familiar to her eyes.

    Previously she was on top of the plant, but now that she had to walk in the deeper parts of this terrain, her shoes got thoroughly soaked with water and mud coated her legs all the way up to her knees. It was difficult to venture through the path.

    After an hour of walking, Li Meirong stopped for a rest, she didn''t dare to sit, and so she leaned against a wide tree for support. Catching her breath.

    She held a hand to her chest panting, and glanced back in the direction she walked from.

    Just as the previous hour since it showed up and ate the demonic path leader, whoever he was, the carnivorous plant stood at the same distance as before, waiting for her to go forth.

    She didn''t sense hostility from it now. Actually¡­It felt like the plant was strangely protecting her.

    "You''re not planning on eating me too?" Li Meirong asked, who knows, maybe it speaks?

    The plant did not respond, but as if it understood her words, it shook its wobbly body left and right.

    That means no, doesn''t it..

    "You¡­What do you want from me?" The plant has been following Li Meirong all along.

    As she leaned against the tree, the plant edged closer to her side.

    Hop.

    Hop hop.

    About 3 feet away, it stopped and sent one of its long vines it used to move around towards her slowly.

    She stood in alarm as the vine crept closer to her, but didn''t move. Waiting to see what would happen.

    She hoped this gamble won''t cost her life.

    To her pleasant surprise, there was no malicious intention towards her. The plant crept its vine to Li Meirong''s forehead and flapped one of its smaller leaves on her skin.

    It was a cool and comfortable sensation.

    Li Meirong suddenly received a vision.

    It was an image the plant projected somehow into her mind.

    She saw an image of the plant, this time the size of a little hamster on her palm, and she saw the plant imagine her nipping her finger with her teeth and dripping drops of blood into its now small and eager mouth. It made gurgling happy sounds and the little leaves in its vision rattled happily.

    After the vision faded, Li Meirong''s gaze went back to the man sized plant, its leaf retracted from her forehead gently.

    "You want me to feed you?"

    The plant tipped its head forward exaggeratingly .

    "¡­."

    Why do I have to feed this plant my blood?!

    She sighed, trying to make sense of this.

    "What will I get out of it?"

    The plant placed its leaf on Li Meirong''s forehead again.

    This time a different vision showed.

    In the new vision, the plant sliced a part of its flesh, green ooze flowed. It sent its leafy vine to cup the green ooze with an uncurled leaf, and brought it forth towards Li Meirong''s red lips. Her lips parted as the leaf nudged her lips. The green essence squeezed into her mouth and she swallowed the ooze. She then walked to the plant and dripped blood from her imagined sliced finger down towards its open cavern.

    Ownership blood pact.

    She imagined a soft gentle voice whispering in her mind. It was real yet unreal. A caress of the wind on her body.

    Li Meirong blinked and snapped out of the vision.

    "Can you, like in the vision you showed me, resize yourself?" She asked skeptically.

    In response, the plant glowed in a soft yellow light, and in front of her very eyes it shrunk.

    It shrank more and more until she cupped it in her palm.

    How convenient..

    She smiled at the plant, at this size, it wasn''t so scary.

    The plant looked up at Li Meirong''s smiling expression and its leaves curled and shook, bashfully.

    Its eagerness for food reminded her of her pet cat. It wasn''t the plants'' fault that it needed blood to survive. Humans ate animals too.

    "If you do what I tell you, I''ll let you follow me, and feed you too." The mini sized plant jumped on her palm excitedly, Li Meirong continued her speech and warned.

    "But if you misbehave, I will cut ties with you! And you must never harm people I care about. In fact, don''t harm anyone, unless I ask you to, like that crazed Jiangshi master. Good job there." Li Meirong preached, but she wasn''t stingy with compliments either.

    She gently patted the belly part of the plant. Good boy.

    The top of the plant''s figure turned pink.

    So it did blush. She didn''t imagine it!

    As the vision showed, Li Meirong followed the same process and nipped her finger, she then fed the plant blood in small drops, the plant reciprocated by giving her its own version of bodily fluids.

    After the exchange, Li Meirong added. "You should also probably not show yourself to my companions when we meet again, you did almost eat them."

    The plant bent down looking wilted and dejected.

    ''Sorry master, I won''t eat your friends again.''

    Li Meirong heard that soft gentle voice again, instead of hearing it through her eardrums, the soundwaves were transported directly to her mind.

    So now I can hear you?!

    ''And now I can hear your thoughts too, master!'' The plants voice replied enthusiastically in her head.

    It wasn''t a bad feeling, now that she could communicate with the plant like this.

    They were now companions so she had to have a name to call him by.

    Li Meirong placed the carnivorous plant on her shoulders and walked on towards the direction of her companions. She hoped they fared better than her after she extracted them out of the bowels of the plant that nestled on her shoulder.

    "What is your name?" Li Meirong asked curiously.

    ''¡­..''

    ''Why do I need a name? I''m just a plant, master''

    Li Meirong rolled her eyes. That''s just a plant, and she''s just a goldfish, alright?!

    "Fine, I''ll call you Chou, because when you eat you''re kind of stinky."

    ''¡­.'' Chou didn''t respond, his tears were left unshed.

    This master looks nice, but she''s actually mean.

    "Chou¡­What happened with that demonic cultivator, did you really eat it?" Li Meirong couldn''t help but wonder. She didn''t feel guilty, he wanted to do such horrid things to her, but she was curious about his outcome.

    ''It''s in my belly right now master..

    Hmm, I think it''s still alive. It didn''t look very friendly. Do you want to keep him? He''s not that tasty anyway..''

    Huh, so turns out, that guy is still alive, and turns out, her new man eating plant not only resizes at will, it could also resize its food at will.

    So the Jiangshi master is at her mercy.

 Chapter 23: They Wouldnt Have Left Her

    Li Meirong carefully considered her options. The thought of being responsible for the life of another lay heavily on her heart, as vile as he was.

    "I wonder if it''s possible to preserve that demonic cultivator''s life while ensuring he won''t be able to harm us.." She pondered.

    An idea soon popped in her mind!

    "Little Chou, if we extract that person from your um, belly right about now, would the person stay shrunken in size?" Li Meirong asked, a spark lit in her eyes.

    Chou didn''t have eyes, but the gaze he directed towards Li Meirong after her question made her certain that he thought she was dumb.

    After a moment of silence.

    ''Master, I''m just a plant..''

    Chou''s soft and almost childlike voice echoed in her head, exasperated. She swore she heard him telepathically sigh.

    A vein popped on Li Meirong''s forehead.

    "Yes yes, you''re just a plant¡­So what does actually happen if you extract him out?" She asked slightly angered.

    She''s not even from this world! Give her a break, is it even considered a common occurrence to communicate with man eating plants here..

    ''I will have to revert to my original size and spew him out. It doesn''t feel that good master, imagine puking your food. Feels bad. Imagine someone shoving his hands into your mouth and taking out the food from your belly. Sure is awful, master.''

    Chou explained as slowly as possible and even went as far as to offer a description for Li Meirong to understand what he would have to go through, and especially what he had to go through because of her previously.

    In Chou''s opinion, he was a very considerate and attentive spirit plant.

    Another vein popped on Li Meirong''s forehead.

    "I see¡­.I''m sorry about before, but in my defense, you did almost eat my friends, I had no choice but to shove my hands inside and¡­Sorry about that." Her apology came almost instinctively, but after she asked for forgiveness, she soon regretted it!

    He was the bad guy here, why am I apologizing?!

    Chou on the other hand thought it was right and proper for her to do so. ''It''s alright master, I won''t hold it against you.''

    "¡­" Said Li Meirong.

    ''However master, in response to your predicament, my body''s saliva paralyzes prey before my body digests them. I can keep him in a state of incubation for a while if you wish, if you will provide me with blood regularly instead.''

    That didn''t seem like a bad idea, maybe she can ask her friends what to do with him later on.

    "How much blood do you need?"

    ''As much as you can give!''

    "¡­I can give you a drop a day." Testing the grounds, Li Meirong responded.

    ''Master, I''m a growing plant and I need my nutrition!''

    Cho crisscrossed his vines around him.

    He sounded mad. It was only possible to tell from his voice, since he had no face.

    "Fine, a few drops a day." Li meirong relented.

    The master and pet reached a bargain and the walk continued in silence. Li Meirong planned on asking him, why did he even help her? And why did he want to be her pet when he could have just eaten her, but she didn''t want more on her mind now.

    She had to find Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing first.

    They followed the previously charted territory. Tracing Chou''s track''s from his agile hopping capabilities in the jungle. After what felt like a whole day of agony, Li Meirong finally made it through to the familiar river bank she sat by previously.

    She was completely drained. Blisters formed on her feet, her legs already got coated with dry mud, twigs and leaves got stuck on her loosely tied hair.

    She was definitely fitting the scenery better as the hours passed by.

    Li Meirong dragged her weary feet towards the thick vines where she discovered Chou for the first time, but she was depressed to find that Mo Jing and Shu Qianqian were not there.

    Now what¡­

    They can''t be dead, their corpses would have stayed or she would have at least found some remains.

    They wouldn''t have left her..

    Li Meirong tried to assure herself , but gloomy thoughts kept surfacing.

    Her mind blanked, she really wasn''t sure what to do at this point. She aimed for the practical approach and figured she could at least care for herself.

    Going back to the river, she bent down on the ground and cupped water in her hands. It was the first time that Li Meirong saw how she looked like in this body.

    She saw a disheveled young woman. She really got dirty from head to toe, but she could still see that if it were not for those horrible facial wounds and unkempt appearance, this body of hers might have passed for a real beauty in a year or two.

    The sought after pale skin, full eyebrows, long lashes and small full ruby colored lips was the vision she gazed at.

    Li Meirong wasn''t bad looking before, she had an average type of look, at least that''s how she would describe herself. She was the type that with a little bit of makeup she could pass for beautiful, but without she would be considered plain.

    She felt a bit guilty for taking over the body of this delicate girl who has probably been through so much only to end her life at such a young age, she appeared as a delicate Chinese doll who''s been mauled by an angry animal. She definitely didn''t take good care of herself since she arrived here.

    Li Meirong splashed the water on her face and used her fingernails to try and scrape off the dirt, as well as taking off the worn out mud filled leather boots. She let her poor sore feet breathe some fresh air before placing her feet in the water. The blisters burnt, she bit her lips to stifle her yelp.

    Chou hopped off from her shoulders and imitated her actions, cupping water with his miniature leaves and splashing water on his chubby plant body. She couldn''t help giggling, viewing his antics.

    Li Meirong decided to spend the night there. Just in case Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing would decide to come back and see if she''s there again.

    She lay at the corner where the thick vines lightly grazed the waters.

    As Li Meirong curled her body in a fetal position, she didn''t forget to bleed her finger on Chou''s hungry mouth.

    Chou was so happy to receive her blood he lay about as well, and swung his chubby belly around happily.

    It would have looked cute if he was a seal, or a puppy, but he was a carnivorous plant, with a man stuck inside his body.

    Eh.

    She closed her eyes and hoped dreams would take over.

 Chapter 24: Nightmares

    Li Meirong''s dreams were a hazy mix of her previous life and her current plights.

    She dreamt she was back in her small yet cozy apartment, and one of her Siamese cats named Liuli lay comfortably on her lap. She was eating a honey glazed lightly fried Salmon on top of an American bread bun as she sat on her beige shaded sofa in front of the television. It was one of the meals she got addicted to lately. She used to be picky with what she ate.

    She had no choice but to learn how to take care of herself early on. Her parents both worked overseas and barely spared time for her since young age. It was lonely, but Li Meirong learnt how to make herself tasty meals due to it.

    Liuli''s eyes shimmered and he meowed in demand.

    In the dream, she understood what he wanted.

    It went along the lines of. ''Comfortable. Pet me. Feed me..''

    Li Meirong cut a slice of her fish and let Liuli nibble on the leftovers contentedly.

    The dream shifted as dreams tend to do. She now stood at the entrance of that very same train station where her life ended, her head hung low. It was nighttime and raining, people rushed back and forth, and the lights flickered dimly, but she didn''t care. It was all a blur to her. She was too miserable to mind her hair getting wet and her blouse and skirt that got soaked. She just finished talking to her ex-boyfriend on the phone after a long day at work. He wanted her to pack the items she forgot at his place.

    Before she hung up on him, he didn''t forget to mention that the reason he found another girl was because he "felt that she really never was into him". Even when she found out he was cheating, she didn''t even get mad. Instead, she just asked him why couldn''t he be a man about it and at least break up with her before hooking up with another girl.

    Li Meirong''s response was "You are the one who cheated, you are the one who broke things up between us, and now you''re also the one complaining to me?" She slammed her finger on the end call button right after.

    It was her third breakup. She honestly didn''t want nothing to do with men at this point. If you''re not out to please them, then you''re not attentive enough. If you''re too independent and don''t need their help, then they don''t feel manly enough, if you''re too dependent, they feel used.

    She clutched her cellphone tightly, her fingers turned red. Honestly, she did harbor feelings for her ex. It hurt her to see him cheating on her, but what good would it do for her to cry about it and be miserable? She''s been called an ice queen before, but it''s not that she had no feelings. She was just better at containing her emotions.

    The vision in her dreams shifted yet again. She was underneath Zhou Shang. The man who bought her first night in the whorehouse. He unclasped his inner garments, his pants fell down to his ankles.

    She closed her eyes in horror.

    That splash of blood that flew on her face felt warm.

    The sequence changed and it was like Zhou Shang was never even there, all she saw were a pair of brilliant golden eyes gazing at her.

    She felt so warm. So treasured.

    That stunning man with long silver hair and glowing phoenix eyes hugged her to his chest. He smelled really good. A cool fresh scent which reminded her of Peppermint and Lemon Verbena. Li Meirong dreamed she was Like Liuli, her cat who laid so contentedly and happy on her lap. She did the same. Laid happy and satisfied in his arms.

    The comfortable dream soon took a morbid turn. All around her were flames. The room she was in burnt down, the wood quickly got eaten by the fire.

    She looked up and saw the silver haired man smile down at her. He hushed her and told her that they will shortly be far away from there.

    She believed him. His gentle gazed which soothed her quickly changed to a fierce glare as he flung one of his hands about while he held her tightly with his other arm, his claws lengthened. A pair of fox ears materialized on top of his head, and with 8 fluffy tails swinging around his backside with matching silver fur.

    He condensed fire straight out of his hand! Flames materialized out of thin air and he threw them around almost like it was a game.

    The brothel went up in flames. Sounds of agony and the scent of charred flesh filled the air.

    The dream shifted again, and she imagined herself in the tropical jungle in front of Chou, the spirit plant she encountered this time. He was the size of a tree and he jumped up and down crazily. With every fall to the earth Chou did, the heavy impact caused the rainforest floor to shake and crack.

    He cried out in a childlike manner ''Feed me! Feed me!''

    Li Meirong held the a tree nearby for support as the ground shook. She felt a strong grip around her waist and turned around in a rush.

    She saw the demonic cultivator in front of her now. He was the Jiangshi master who wanted to drain her dry of blood. His body was half melting, the chalk paste skin on his face drizzled down and parts of his skull stood out. His eyes were hollow sockets. even his hair waved around him with invisible wind, flailing like snakes.

    He held her tight and whispered "It''s because of you¡­You did this to me.." his rotting mouth kept opening and closing after he finished forming his sentence.

    "Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!! Get away!! Get away!" Li Meirong screamed so loud her voice stopped working.

    The Jiangshi master didn''t let go, he kept calling her "Li Meirong. Li Meirong.."

    Until his voice changed from a vicious murmur to a clear and soft voice. The tone snapped her out of the nightmare.

    Li Meirong blinked in and out of consciousness.

    "Li Meirong. Li Meirong.." That clear voice kept calling her name.

    Her lips were cracked and dry. She was completely dehydrated and starving. She couldn''t recall the last time she drank or ate a meal. Her voice was hoarse.

    The first thing she saw was Mo Cheng, Mo Jing''s older brother. His handsome features were a light in the darkness to her now. She couldn''t believe it. Is she still dreaming?

    She was lying on a wooden mattress in what appeared to be a pavilion. It was a beautiful scenery, quite unlike the previous residences she''s been in. Fresh clean and airy. Through the pillars in the open room she could see a pond with large Koi fish swimming about. There were a few lotus flowers scattered in the pond, and a little wooden bridge was constructed on top of it, so it would be possible to walk through and gaze at the waters up close.

    She reached her palm to Mo Cheng''s face and stroked his cheek hesitantly.

    "Mo¡­Cheng? Is it really you?" Li Meirong''s voice cracked in attempt to speak.

    Mo Cheng''s worry filled eyes inspected Li Meirong up and down. He was bent on top of her body that lay on the mattress and held her hand to his cheek.

    His bronze healthy skin and clean orderly look was a complete contrast to Li Meirong''s deathly pale, disheveled and starved appearance.

    "Yes. It''s me. Mo Jing and Shu Qianqian found you when they hurried back to see if you came to the place they stayed at a day before, and sure enough you were there knocked out cold. They said you saved their lives and disappeared."

    "They couldn''t wake you up no matter how much they tried, Qianqian handed you water bit by bit through your lips and my little brother mashed the fruits they rationed while you were comatose to feed you. When the senior disciples came to collect you on the third day, I went along with them. After seeing your state, I brought you to the healer''s peak in the Forgotten Waters Sect. You did it Li Meirong. You passed!"

 Chapter 25: A Little Too Close

    Li Meirong rejoiced. She cared less about being accepted, and more about the fact that Shu Qianqian and Mo Jing came back for her. They were alive and well.

    Mo Cheng''s attentive concern made her feel cherished. He explained that Qianqian and his brother were both recuperating after the test. Since their separation they encountered high level beasts they had to battle without rest up until the point they found her again.

    An odd phenomenon.

    Li Meirong chose to reserve her words and didn''t explain about the aura the demonic cultivator was talking about. She wasn''t sure about the reasons for the wildlife avoiding her. She looked around but found no trace of her spirit plant Chou.

    She hoped he was alright, he did end up saving her life..

    After a brief conversation, the young man took it upon himself to make sure Li Meirong had all her needs cared for. They all passed the test and with his lightning vein attribute, he was already considered an important figure in the sect. Mo Cheng called for one of the attending healers to brew a light meal for Li Meirong. He stepped out to bring her clothes to change into.

    She was still dirty, having just rested and had no change of garments. Mo Cheng came back and brought a basin full of warm water and a cotton cloth. His hair was tied in a high bun with a wooden ornament to clasp it in place. His robes were now light blue with a white sash surrounding his waist. With his sun kissed skin and handsome young features, he looked like he stepped right out of an action movie.

    "I asked one of the disciples in attendance to draw you a bath and bring a change of robes, later on when you have strength you can clean yourself properly.." Mo Cheng said, he had a light and carefree tone.

    He brought a low wooden stool and sat by the side of her mattress. The water basin and cloth were in his hands.

    Li Meirong attempted to rise from her seat, sensing his actions, but he quickly held her down by pressing her shoulder lightly.

    "Please, allow me. You saved my important people, it''s the least I can do! I will be proper, I promise."

    Mo Cheng''s cheeks took on a pink hue, Li Meirong gazed at her lap, feeling awkward and a little embarrassed. She hadn''t noticed his change of expression.

    She nodded her head in response.

    He dabbed the cloth in the warm water, squeezed it lightly and applied it to her face first, clearing away the dust and the mud.

    Li Meirong sniffed the air. The water had a smell of herbs to it.

    "It''s medicinal water. It will help your skin heal better from cuts or scrapes." Mo Cheng explained as he gently dabbed the cloth back in the water, this time he cleaned her bloody ear.

    "Thank you so much. I-I can take it from here" Li Meirong stammered.

    Isn''t this a little too close??

    Mo Cheng laughed "This is what friends are for! I want you to rest well, tomorrow we will be presented with all the divisions in the sect and it would also be the new recruits accepting ceremony for grandmasters who want to take personal disciples under their wing. "

    He explained the upcoming events thoroughly while casually ignoring her words. His palms aimed for her swollen feet.

    Li Meirong reached for his straying hands and ended up grasping his arm. They stared at each other for an awkward moment.

    "Please, there''s no need for you to help with that, my feet are so ugly now." Her cheeks heated up.

    Feeling Li Meirong''s soft hands clenching his arms tightly, Mo Cheng ignored his rising heart beat and coughed slightly, he averted his gaze. Li Meirong let go of his arm.

    He hung the cloth on the side of the basin, and rose up from his seat abruptly.

    "I will see you tomorrow then! Make sure to rest lots and properly care for yourself, I gave a powder of medicine to the disciple in charge of your meal, it will assist your healing." Mo Cheng spoke quickly, and like the breeze passing by, he vanished.

    Li Meirong found the interaction amusing. She was thankful to him but she had to keep her distance.

    Especially with Shu Qianqian who was head over heels in love with him.

    Best not to step into that landmine.

    Li Meirong proceeded to deal with her sore feet. She placed the moist cloth on them and rubbed vigorously. She put the cloth back in the basin and slowly took care of herself, removing dry leaves that were stuck in her hair. She stroked her fingers through her loose locks. It was full of knots!

    I''ll have to get used to having long hair here..

    One of the disciples at the healer''s peak went into the pavilion she stayed in. She was a charming elderly woman with long grey robes and a head full of white hair tied neatly in a simple updo.

    She carried a tray with a bowl of hearty food. Congee and a plate with saut¨¦ed vegetables. Her age caught Li Meirong by surprise.

    The elderly woman gave her a warm smile, noticing her surprise.

    "Didn''t expect to see an old woman like me, did you?"

    "I''m sorry, all the other disciples always appeared so young.. You are the first person I see who''s aged." Li Meirong responded honestly.

    The elderly woman placed the tray on Li Meirong''s lap.

    "It is true that most disciples in the sect are young, but it is only their appearance that looks young. Most folk here are well passed their eighties.. As for me, I joined the sect fifty years ago on its prior opening. It was by luck that I survived the ordeal at my age, but I had good companions to support me. I haven''t aged further, but unfortunately I wasn''t able to regain my youth since I am a multiple attributes cultivator." The woman explained patiently, she then proceeded to add "Oh! Silly me, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is doctor Rong. I heard about you saving your friends, you seem like a good girl. If you will ever need help, you''re always welcome here."

    Li Meirong was speechless. Her fortunes were really changing, meeting more and more considerate and hospitable people. She wasn''t able to bow properly, so she hung her head low instead. "Thank you for caring for me, doctor Rong!"

    The doctor laughed and ruffled her hair. "There there, be sure to eat your food. That handsome lad brought drinking water in a bucket and placed it by the edge of your bed when you were asleep. Don''t drink a lot at once because you''ve been dehydrated, and it can harm you, and chew your food properly before swallowing it. There is a small bamboo steam room opposite this pavilion where a tub full of warm water has been placed for you. Don''t take too long or the water will get cold. Rest well, tomorrow will be a big day for you." Doctor Rong left after speaking her parting words.

    It was silent now, Li Meirong took a moment to breathe. All the events from before rushed through her mind.

    She was so glad she made it up to here.

    She lifted her arm to grab the congee bowl to eat.

    ''Master I''m hungry too!''

 Chapter 26: Thats What It Means!

    Chou slipped his wobbly body out of Li Meirong''s sleeve, where he has hidden himself during this whole time.

    "Chou! You stayed with me!"

    ''Of course master, where else would I be?''

    He had that tone again, that one that said she was stupid.

    Li Meirong bit her finger and bled into his mouth. He excitedly flapped his vines around her arms like a bracelet. She then nourished herself with food, and drink, making sure to follow the doctor''s instructions.

    She didn''t rest for long before she felt too filthy and forced herself to reach the bamboo steaming room, bringing along with her the new set of disciple robes she received.

    Li Meirong glanced at Chou, he was a plant but he was a little more than a plant too..

    Chou was seated comfortably on a pebble by the side of the tub, oblivious to his master''s thoughts.

    She did walk around her apartment only with her underwear at times as her cats were lazing about. It''s probably the same now too.

    Li Meirong disrobed and entered the tub, one leg at a time. She seated herself comfortably inside. Unknown to her, after seeing her naked figure, Chou hurriedly turned his body around to sit facing the bamboo wall enclosure. He was a gentlemanly plant!

    The water was warm and soothed her aching muscles. There were a few rose petals floating on the water surface.

    She sighed in contentment, leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

    Some of her previous thoughts surfaced. It was about time to ask. "Chou, why did you save me? And why did you want to follow me? Also¡­Why is it that only you showed yourself to me while all the others hid." Li Meirong disclosed her thoughts, her voice was low, close to a whisper.

    Chou stayed quiet for a short while.

    ''Master is special. Master''s blood is better than anything else Chou ever ate. Chou chose to save master because master didn''t try to kill Chou after finding Chou. Master is so strong yet still spared me. Chou is grateful! That''s why Chou didn''t hide and chose to follow master.'' The man eating plant responded. His voice was full of worship.

    Li Meirong opened her eyes and looked at the little plant monster. She was glad she was inside of the tub, lest her stress would show.

    She thought of killing him several times, but the reason she didn''t do it was not because she spared him, but because she was so weak! How would she even dare to? Chou seems to have gotten the impression that she''s a mighty powerful cultivator.

    Silence is golden. Li Meirong decided to keep the truth to herself.

    "What makes you think I''m so strong?"

    ''Master sure is funny! Your godly aura shows. Master, Chou is a plant but Chou has feelings too. Please don''t mock Chou.'' He sounded bashful.

    Li Meirong rolled her eyes at his response, but later on held her chin in a thoughtful manner. Maybe she''s a rather special existence in this world after all. She had some special blood and godly aura, that sounded like awesome starting specs.

    "Do you know why my blood is so beneficial for you?"

    Chou Hopped up and down excitedly.

    ''Chou heard about people like master, they are called furnaces and they are especially good for helping other cultivators, spirits or even demons become more powerful in a very short amount of time! That''s why master''s blood is so tasty and full of essence. Chou heard furnaces give the best attributes while engaged in copulation, so early on whoever discovers furnaces usually covets them for that purpose, Chou thinks cultivators call this method dual cultivation, but Chou isn''t certain, because after all¡­Chou is only a plant! Ah! Master, why are you so upset??''

    Chou carefully explained his stored knowledge, but his master got so angry she stood up and all the waters splashed on him. Boohooo!

    That''s what a furnace means?! All this time¡­

    Li Meirong''s face turned entirely red with the realization. Her senior''s response and that new disciple who approached her...The Jiangshi master who was planning on making her a concubine..It all made sense now!

    My body is a tool for enhancing other people through sex?!

    All her good specs and attributes...

    She felt so cheated now.

    Not only is she herself not strong, she''s only good for making others strong, and in such a shameful manner no less.

    Thinking of the Jiangshi master who had such awful thoughts about her made her bristle further.

    "Chou!"

    ''Master!''

    "That Jiangshi master in your belly, eat him up!"

    ''No can do, master¡­'' Chou answered sadly.

    "Why not¡­?"

    ''He was too heavy for me to carry, and I didn''t know if you wanted me to eat him or not, I spewed him back to the forest before leaping into your sleeve as your fellow disciples took you away.''

    Li Meirong covered her forehead with her hand.

    Well, that''s that¡­

    She dressed into her new clothes, they were not that different from the previous set of robes she was given by the sect, but the colors seemed lighter now, and a white sash was attached to signal acceptance to the sect.

    Li Meirong went back towards the pavilion. She found several sets of additions on the low stool by the bed. A wide toothed comb, and a simple hairband, even a small tube of rouge and an intricately crafted little hand mirror. A pair of new black leather boots were perched neatly at the entrance.

    She eagerly grabbed the items and made use of each of them, she even applied a little of the rouge on her lips. Feeling a lot better about herself and a lot less like a wild woman.

    Li Meirong brought the mirror to her face and was shocked to discover her perfectly jade like skin, with not a hint of imperfection.

    She recalled Mo Cheng speaking about putting powder in her food, and wondered if it was a magical scar healing powder, or perhaps it was the medicinal waters he dabbed on her face.

    She traced her fingers gently down her cheek, tapped her nose, pinched her chin.

    Wow¡­Knowing what a furnace means now, she thought it might have been better to remain with the scars on her face to hide her features!

 Chapter 27: Lets Be Friends, Dont Drop Me

    The accepted disciples'' ceremony was stationed in the lower level of Forgotten Waters Sect. It was only the morning after when Li Meirong realized how vast Forgotten Waters Sect sect truly is.

    It wasn''t one mass of land, but rather different islands with their own specialties, each patch of land was located in a space, that by means of defying gravity, could be considered a floating island.

    Each island had its own specialized division, and on the peak of each island were the houses of the grandmasters of the divisions.

    There was a whole system here in Forgotten Waters Sect that had its classes and seniority, but essentially, the moment you entered the sect, young or old, rich or poor, peasant or royalty, all were treated as equal. What gave you status and influence here was your strength, your attribute, your contributions to the sect, your cultivation level, and your personal excellence within the division you are assigned to. If a grandmaster chooses to take a disciple under their personal care, they will be considered a succeeding disciple. A disciple with a potential for greatness with all the possible benefits of the sect in said division.

    Forgotten Waters Sect''s islands were floating atop an endless ocean, with no edge at its end. When the sun rose up in the skies, the gleaming rays encompassed all the islands different divisions. There were marketplaces, houses, mansions, and even servant quarters, all the vicinities were structured with careful care as though a feng shui master designed the whole sect.

    Whilst the majority of the people living in the sect were disciples, there were a few exceptions, such as the servants. They weren''t in fact servant, but they were labeled as such. In actuality they were outer sect disciples, meaning they got accepted, but their aptitude was either too weak, or their contributions in the sect were too low. Their job was to care for the division''s daily necessities.

    Li Meirong was treated to another light meal and a cup of warm water before she was ushered outside to the stables of the healer''s peak. Instead of horses, she saw cranes.

    The birds were large, twice or thrice bigger than the size of a man. They had long graceful necks and thin dark legs. Their beaks were stretched far and had a sharp pointy edge. The crane''s feathers varied in shades of white to cream and beige, but the most common ones were white with only their neck and a small part of their faces coated in a black splash with a matching color on their backside feathers.

    One of the attending servants in the healer''s peak was a young boy who looked no older than eight or nine years old. The boy was holding a large wooden bucket filled with freshly caught fish and tossed a single fish to each of the birds perched side by side in the stables. The moment the fish was flung their way, each crane opened its long beak and ravenously captured the loot.

    When the boy noticed Li Meirong, he dropped the bucket by his feet and ran quickly to her side, he made a low bow.

    Li Meirong helped him up.

    "There''s no need for such a formal greeting with me." She said, smiling.

    The little boy looked up and was slightly dazed. This older sister is such a beautiful fairy!

    Li Meirong made her greetings to the boy, he was sweet and polite. His name was Chao Dequan. Their conversation was brief but she learnt from their small talk that the boy was actually born inside the sect. A rather common occurrence. He was the offspring of a famous and promising disciple and an outer sect disciple who had a one night stand. Their story ended with the outer sect disciple who was impregnated, discarded by her sweetheart who followed his master''s teachings to achieve greatness and let go of worldly affairs.

    Li Meirong would have called it negligence, irresponsibility, and selfishness, but she wasn''t part of the story, and she had no say in the matter.

    Chao Dequan, despite the reasons of his birth was an optimistic young boy, and she promised she would come to visit him later on. He was grinning and his eyes shaped into crescent moons as he handed her the reins to one of the cranes.

    Li Meirong frowned, she never even rode a horse before. Now she has to ride a bird.

    With Chao Dequan''s assistance, she managed to leap on the crane, not without having to use a stool in order to lift herself high enough to get on its back.

    "Give Furifuri these grains after he takes you to the lower level." Chao Dequan handed her a little bag with grains.

    "Thank you junior brother!" She petted the boy''s head affectionately. Chao Dequan blushed up to his ears and hurriedly moved his head away. "I-if you want to come back here, I''ll wait for you!" He shouted as he ran away.

    Li Meirong was definitely happy to have a cute junior brother like Chao Dequan, she was excited to see her other brothers and sisters in the sect.

    Chou was perched comfortably in her sleeve, dozing off.

    She puzzled over how to get the crane to fly without falling off, but she didn''t have more than a moment to ponder before the bird spread its large majestic wings and took off to the skies all on its own.

    It was shocking and exhilarating. Li Meirong clutched the bird''s feathers tightly, she dared not look down. The distance was just too large between the surface and her right now!

    The fresh salty smell of the ocean waters assaulted her senses and cool wind grazed her face. Her hair which she tied in a simple hairdo flapped around.

    Riding the crane in the air, on top of the ocean with the sun at her back was frightening yet wonderful, and an awfully majestic experience she swore she will never forget.

    If only she didn''t feel like she was about to drop off at any second, no seat buckle, no chair, nothing to make sure she won''t fall off, she made sure not to budge her legs even for a moment.

    "Furifuri was it? Very nice name. You must be an intelligent bird! I''ll give you all the contents inside this bag I have here after we get to the lower levels." Li Meirong spoke to the bird, hoping to calm her stress, she catered to it.

    Let''s be friends, don''t drop me!

    Furifuri turned back its long neck towards Li Meirong. They stared at each other face to face.

    Furifuri huffed in disdain, why is someone so powerful so scared?

    Coward.

    The bird went back to focus on its path.

    Having realized that their interaction was unsuccessful, Li Meirong busied herself with the little sack of grains she carried. She munched on one and noticed they were tough, chewy, and a little bland.

    There were a lot of ways to improve them, soaking them with honeyed water, or adding small amounts of dried berries..

    Her thoughts strayed and the girl perched on the bird soon reached her destination.

 Chapter 28: Stunning Vision To Behold

    The crane gracefully flew to the resident stables house, Li Meirong descended from Furifuri''s back, nearly falling off in the attempt. She managed to gather her footing right before her butt was about to hit the ground.

    A few servants were handling all the mounts that arrived for the ceremony, from the distance they saw the girl''s clumsy fall and snickered as they covered their mouths.

    Li Meirong was too far and too busy to notice, as promised she spread out all the grains from the bag and laid it on the ground in an accessible distance for Furifuri to gather it comfortably.

    The fair skinned girl with raven hair walked to the assembly hall where the ceremony took place.

    There were a lot more disciples gathered than she expected. Plenty of seniors arrived as well, and the grandmasters were seated high at the edge of the hall. Each of them appeared fearsome and awe inspiring.

    Li Meirong hurried to where the other newcomers were standing right outside the grand halls, waiting patiently to be called upon. She squeezed her way through the crowd of resident disciples who came to view the spectacle.

    She felt a hand clutch hers through the crowd and was happy to see Shu Qianqian''s adorable features.

    "Sister Meirong!!!" Shu Qianqian screamed and she gave her a hug strong enough to suffocate.

    "Sister Qianqian¡­Breathe..Can''t.." Li Meirong Struggled for air.

    Shu Qianqian let her go and dragged her forcibly through the crowd. With Shu Qianqian''s domineering attitude, the disciples made way for them to go through.

    The girls reached the rest of the new recruits. Mo Cheng and Mo Jing walked towards them.

    Now that they all had a moment to breathe, the trio gazed at Li Meirong, their mouths agape.

    "Sister Meirong¡­You''re actually this beautiful.." It was Shu Qianqian who spoke first.

    Shu Qianqian didn''t hesitate to grab Li Meirong''s pales cheek and squeeze.

    It was soft like tofu!

    "Ahem, I''m glad the medicine worked, I wanted to give you a surprise. Are you happy?" Mo Cheng coughed and retrieved his noble bearings, his cheeks slightly reddened, Mo Jing coughed as well and looked sideways.

    Li Meirong moved Shu Qianqian''s hands down and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance fellow brother Mo."

    "This is nothing, you saved our lives. We were paralyzed by that awful creature, but we were actually conscious throughout the whole ordeal." Mo Jing admitted. It was an awful experience he never even wanted to think about again. Both himself and Shu Qianqian shuddered.

    It was Mo Jing who told his brother how Li Meirong grabbed him literally out of the bowels of that monster. A very impressive feat.

    Mo Jing had his reservations about Li Meirong, but from that moment on, he swore he would be her true friend.

    The said awful creature was meanwhile resting peacefully inside Li Meirong''s sleeve. Oblivious to all the slander he was receiving.

    I have to make sure they will never discover Chou..

    Was what Li Meirong was thinking at the time.

    After their greetings and pleasantries, the companions set their sights on the grandmasters.

    There were several divisions to be cast in.

    The sword bearers were the martial artists. The fighters. Training and honing their techniques of both pen and sword, and mastering their offensive attributes. They were the strongest of all divisions.

    The armament division specialized in weapon making. Tinkering day in and day out. One had to have a specific affinity to excel in this division.

    The pill refiners were a coalition that was part of the healer''s peak. Pill refiners didn''t necessarily hone their skills for healing, and so it was made to its own separate sub division.

    The healer''s peak usually took in disciples with supportive attributes, and those who want to contribute their aid to others in battle, instead of acting as the physical force. It would be prudent to mention that while the healer''s peak specialized in an assisting role, they also taught the art of poison and brewing potions. Making them both helpful allies but also deadly opponents if need be.

    The bestiary coalition''s division inhabited disciples who felt kinship with spirit beasts, or those who would dare to tame demons. They focused their strengths in bonding with familiars and working as a team with their pet companions.

    The final division was the herb caretakers. It was considered an outer sect disciple job, but actually it had a lot of merit on its own, if one succeeded in excelling there, the skies wouldn''t even be the limit. Only disciples that had the earth attribute were able to join this division. They had to learn about herbs, agriculture, farming, and also how to communicate with the plants and deal with pests, disease, and drought. The herbs were required both for certain armaments and was an extreme necessity for healer''s peak, for healing, poison making, and pill refining alike.

    The ceremony passed by fast, majority of the newcomers were received merely as outer sect disciples, some dual attributes were taken into divisions, and naturally the single vein disciples who were only Mo Cheng and Mo Jing were highly sought after.

    Both rarities were the new pride of the sect. Mo Cheng was taken as a succeeding disciple under the sword bearer division, Shu Qianqian followed the same division. Mo Jing was taken as a succeeding disciple for the herb caretakers division.

    While each division specialized in different aspects, all shared one goal. To cultivate and grow stronger.

    Li Meirong entered the hall to be assessed, she had her gaze lowered to the ground as directed.

    As she walked through the grand ceremonial hall, gasps were heard from the crowd. Many disciples had their breath caught by the beauty who passed through. She was a stunning vision to behold. She wore the same garment as the rest of them, but on her it looked like an immortal who mingled with the commoners. Her jade-like skin glowed, the hair which cascaded down her back was so dark it had a blue sheen to it. With eyes that were large and shining like obsidian jewels, and lustrous red lips, her body was still developing yet it already had a sought after desirable womanly shape. She was quiet and demure yet she walked with gracefulness and elegance.

    When she reached the grandmasters in charge of the divisions, she knelt down and cupped her hands upfront as a show of respect, imitating the previous disciples.

    A succeeding disciple stood at the side and held a scroll which contained the information of the new disciples. He read Li Meirong''s attributes aloud.

    "Li Meirong. Multiple Attributes. Average talent."

    The grandmasters kept quiet. Nobody took note of her.

    Li Meirong could hear some of the attending senior disciples laugh at the back.

    "I heard she''s a furnace¡­"

    "She was all scarred up, but now that she fixed her face, this young master wouldn''t mind to take good care of her!"

    "It''s still shameful, only the servant quarters would be fit for her.." A female disciple spoke with undisguised contempt.

    Indeed, Li Meirong was quite a beauty, but in a cultivator''s perspective, beauty means very little in a land where strength is everything.

    She kept quiet throughout the assessment. The scornful words were heard by all.

    ''Master, why are they talking badly about you?''

    Li Meirong heard Chou''s drowsy voice asking, but she couldn''t respond at the moment.

    I was given very bad specs upon my rebirth, that''s why.

    The succeeding disciple who held the scroll glanced her way, he coughed lightly and continued.

    "Well then, distributing Li Meirong as an outer sect disciple-"

    "Wait!"

    The succeeding disciple was about to designate Li Meirong right before he was stopped. A powerful voice reverberated through the crowds, causing all the attendees to straighten their posture and be silent at once.

 Chapter 29: He Can Kill Me Without Moving A Finger

    Upon hearing the forceful command, Li Meirong couldn''t help her inquisitive nature and took a covert peek.

    The sudden situation caught her completely unaware. She felt her lungs ceased to function.

    The man who spoke strode with a foreboding air of upcoming demise right in front of her. He bore his gaze down at her. All she could concentrate on was his intimidating height and face.

    His facial characteristic and commanding aura bore a striking similarity to the man she met on the day of her transmigration, the same man she dreamt of with piercing golden eyes and hair like a chilling snowstorm.

    However this man, although bearing familiar attributes to her savior, he also had many differences in comparison to ''him''. His jaw was slightly wider and his chin was a tad longer, giving him a more masculine and less refined appearance. His heavier set of frowning eyebrows portrayed his maturity, but most importantly, the difference lay with his pair of eyes. A twin set of black bottomless holes. He stood frostily unmoving. Only his eyes and downturned tilt to his thin lips portrayed his displeasure.

    An angry emperor who has been most displeased.

    In a hurry, she looked down again.

    Li Meirong felt that his presence was so terrifying, she must have forgotten to breathe as a result of it!

    The more she thought of it, the further her attempts grew in order to breathe. It took only but a few moments for her to realize that her windpipes were somehow blocked!

    She couldn''t take in air at all. She couldn''t speak or even inhale nasally. With the oxygen cut off, she felt faint and held her hands on the ground for balance.

    This bastard is choking me to death!

    Her skin already changed colors like a Chameleon, from a pearly hue to a tomato red and finally purple shade. Her brain felt like it would explode any moment.

    Despite the terror the man inflicted, nobody else was affected to the point of suffocation except for her. She was the target of his violence.

    Everyone present, senior disciples and fellow grandmasters simply studied the occurrence as if they conducted a scientifical experiment. She was the guinea pig.

    Li Meirong struggled to look back, straight into the horrifying Asura''s eyes. His eyes reflected her death.

    This level of hostility really made her feel incredulous.

    What have I done to offend this man?!

    Poor Chou didn''t even have time to show up in the spotlight, the atmosphere was as bad for him as it was for her. He got knocked out cold.

    That same commanding and terrifying voice echoed in her lightheaded brain.

    ''Where did you steal your power from?!''

    Li Meirong wondered how exactly did this crazy demon expect an answer if he blocked off her windpipes!

    Her eyes and nose began emitting a constant stream of blood.

    She really thought this injustice was uncalled for, she did nothing wrong nor spoke a word, and there she lay on the brink of death again..

    But it was not long after her thoughts surfaced that the man changed his mind. It seemed that the man did not want her to die, just as her head felt like it was going to pop and the pain skyrocketed to an intensity she could no longer bear, he unclenched his hold on her breathing.

    She grasped her throat and inhaled with all her might. As dignifying and impressive as she appeared previously, was how low and wretched she appeared currently. Her nerves failed to function properly and drool merged with blood trailed down her chin from her gaping mouth.

    "She really thought she was a phoenix, trotting around in front of our godly masters. She was just shown her place!"

    "But this is too brutal, she hadn''t even said a word¡­"

    "The masters have their reasons."

    There were whispers voiced in the back, and a few amused disciples made mocking remarks. Most of the crowd however was shocked speechless, even the fellow grandmasters had their eyes widened in alarm.

    "Grandmaster of the bestiary coalition Zhu Zhang¡­This¡­" The senior disciple who was cut off tried to make sense of it all. He addressed the grandmaster who nearly killed Li Meirong.

    The addressed grandmaster sent a chilling glare at the disciple.

    "Be silent."

    His attention went back to the girl shriveled on the hall''s floor.

    When Li Meirong was able to speak, her voice came out in coughs, she adjusted herself back to the proper bowing posture she had before the ordeal.

    "This disciple does not know what she did wrong! This disciple does not know anything about stealing power! Li Meirong begs for forgiveness." She cried out and kowtowed repeatedly on the ground.

    This man can kill me without even having the need to move his little finger!

    The surrounding audience had no knowledge of what the girl spoke of, the grandmaster Zhu Zhang did not speak a word with her.

    Has she lost her wits?

    Zhu Zhang''s eyes narrowed as he assessed this thief''s response. It did not sound as though the girl was lying , however he was well acquainted with all kinds of tricks, he won''t judge in her favor too quickly.

    He communicated telepathically with the girl once again.

    ''If you let me know where you got your powers from, I will host you under my coalition as a succeeding disciple. You will have every necessity and every wish catered to, but you must be truthful. It''s not your aura girl, what have you done?''

    "¡­." Said Li Meirong.

    What is she supposed to say? She doesn''t even know how she got whatever it is he talked about, not to mention any sort of power, how can she even use it?

    Almighty grandmaster, if I had all this power, why would I let you choke me to death?!

 Chapter 30: The Bestiary Coalition

    As if hearing her thoughts, the grandmaster''s chill gaze slightly softened.

    "This disciple really doesn''t know about any power, I woke up in the thousands beasts forest and ever since then, strange things kept happening around me that relate to the aura you speak of. I really did not take it from anyone. I swear!" Li Meirong cried out with all the strength she could muster.

    Her blood stopped flowing but salty tears took its place.

    "Cease crying, it is nauseous." The grandmaster stepped back, it was an act that showed how repulsed he felt in her presence.

    Li Meirong tried to force her shaking body to stop. She forced herself to calm down. Her tears ceased and only sniffles remained.

    Every day is a struggle for survival, to bend, bow and ask to be forgiven for things she''s not responsible for or never even committed.

    Zhu Zhang, the grandmaster of the bestiary coalition had made his mind about the girl. He will keep her close by and inspect.

    The grandmaster pointed his long arm to the disciple who maintained the placements of the new recruits. The disciple''s hands shook as he held the scroll.

    "Xi Lu, send Li Meirong to the Bestiary Coalition."

    Verdict made. The grandmaster took her into his coalition.

    Several seniors stood speechless. Some were outraged.

    It was incredibly difficult to join the bestiary coalition! Disciples were rarely accepted, and if they were, only dual or single vein attribute powers were taken in thus far.

    The grandmaster personally took this nobody into his coalition..

    One of the senior disciples from the bestiary coalition sprinted to the middle of the hall, and knelt by Li Meirong''s side. She spoke in haste while her head was bowed.

    "Teacher and respected grandmaster, your succeeding disciple begs to revoke your verdict! Please cast Li Meirong away from the bestiary coalition!"

    Li Meirong wished she would fail to recognize this woman, however it was impossible. Just like the previous times she saw her...No eyebrows lady, better known as captain Liang, cried out against her acceptance into the coalition in the assembly. Captain Liang''s muscular form, wide shoulders and towering height made her formidable among other women.

    Zhu Zhang, mighty and unfettered, walked slowly to his seat. He sat gracefully without a sound and held a hand to his chin, appearing unperturbed by the disturbance. Handsome and aloof.

    "Oh, and why would you go out of your way to speak against this junior disciple, little Liang?" His voice was cold, as if he didn''t really hold any interest in her response.

    Captain Liang, the succeeding disciple of the Bestiary division gulped down as she felt the air get colder and colder.

    "Teacher, this junior disciple is not only of average attributes, but has an unclean body. This disciple fears the coalition would get tainted by her!"

    There was a unified silenced in the crowd.

    She actually said it out loud..

    Most seniors by now had heard the rumors of the furnace joining the sect. Majority of them were aware, but to boldly speak out loud of the matter, not only was it scandalous, but the biggest insult would be towards the new disciple, Li Meirong.

    Now wherever she would go within the sect, she would first and foremost be known as a bed partner and not as a fellow sister.

    Tarnishing Li Meirong''s name was exactly what Captain Liang was aiming to do. Not only did the wretched girl get accepted into the sect, she dares to join her division?! Dream on!

    Only captain Liang who was known for being fearless and hateful of dainty flowery girls, empty shells that just used their looks to gain power and prestige, could come forward and speak such words.

    This small sentence was enough to mar Li Meirong''s reputation inside the sect indefinitely.

    Li Meirong couldn''t figure out why Zhu Zhang was so vicious towards her, but captain Liang was a whole new beast to deal with. Something about herself really seemed to tick off that woman.

    She hung her head down in shame, her cheeks heated up.

    She makes it sound like a prostitute is going to join her division¡­

    That''s probably what she intended everyone else to think.

    Li Meirong was embarrassed to the core. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong.

    Now she would be a junior with a senior disciple who hates her guts, and a grandmaster in charge who tortured her before even hearing her out.

    Zhu Zhang rested his hand on the wooden seat''s armrest, tapping his fingers on the wood in a steady rhythm.

    Whatever vendetta his little disciple might have against the newcomer might work to his advantage in finding out the truth.

    "Taking my succeeding disciple''s words into consideration. I will proceed to receive Li Meirong into my division only as an outer sect disciple." He concluded the assembly. Rose up, and with a flap of his sleeve took off flying out of the hall.

    The cold air in the hall disappeared with his departure.

    The rest of the grandmasters bid farewells to each other respectfully and left in Zhu Zhang''s heels.

    Li Meirong''s thoughts spun to how the situation just got worse.

    Now she''s not a fellow disciple with a woman who hates her guts, but her servant instead.

    She caught captain Liang''s smirk filled with evil intentions from the corner of her eyes..

    Indeed, my "good" days are coming.

    Li Meirong''s hands curled into a fist. Her eyes chilled, and her lips squeezed tight. There is no way she would let herself be stepped on like a cockroach repeatedly in this place that looks like paradise but is worse than than hell.

 Chapter 31: Only One Person I Can Be With

    Meanwhile, in the upper realm, a certain snow fox was facing a rather similar torture.

    The celestial realm''s reach was far and wide. While each realm had its own dominions, rulers and kingdoms, it was an unshakeable truth that the heavens governed over Earth, Hell, and the Netherworld.

    The heaven''s dominion lay not only on itself and opposing realm factions, but on other hundreds and hundreds of worlds across, ancient and newly born.

    The upper realm, otherwise known as the land of the gods, consisted of different worlds governed by separate rulers, all under one leadership of the royal dragon clan and its leading figure, the jade emperor.

    The Jade Emperor sends envoys to monitor the leadership of different worlds in heaven. Making sure to abide by the realm''s laws and decisions.

    The world''s rulers are all prominent clans who excelled above all. Similarly to a caste system, there is structure and balance in the classes.

    The Sovereign God acts as the leading ruler of each world. God''s word was law, not only with the backing and seal of the Jade Emperor but with a sheer difference of power.

    The Sovereign Lord Gods stood apart from the masses. The measure of their strength was unfathomable.

    There was only one exception to their ruling, and that was filial piety.

    Even gods had parents, at least, the ones of the newer generation.

    Bai Qingyue was no exception, the all-powerful, domineering Fox Lord with royal bearing and accumulated cultivation of over a dozen millennia bowed down as he greeted the Celestial Huli Jing''s matron. His own mother, Hong Meigui.

    While Bai Qingyue was nominated sovereign lord of the Huli Jing realm, his mother Hong Meigui, who married into the Bai clan took charge and acted as matron ruler within a quick span of a few thousand years.

    Except for Bai Qingyue, all cowered before her. Hong Meigui''s reach went far beyond the Huli Jing''s realm. As a goddess of lower clan ranking who came from the red fox clan and married into the ruling Bai clan, one would either be in awe of her accomplishments in life or find her manipulative and conniving.

    But for foxes, to be called manipulative or conniving would be considered praise.

    Inside the dark and empty palace halls, with stone walls inlaid with riches and gold beyond one''s wildest imagination, sat a beautiful woman with golden mischievous eyes and a smirk on her lips. In front of her stood a tall, beguiling man who could make mountains crumble and empires fall with a flick of his wrist.

    The halls which were almost at all times filled with servants rushing to and fro now laid barren. The luxurious sights and air of arrogance that were constant in the Bai palace for thousands of years were now void of feeling. It was to be a private family meeting on this moonless night.

    All the attendants were dismissed.

    Bai Qingyue was reared solely by his mother for as long as he could remember, naturally he bowed in consent to her whims and demands.

    It was only until this point which he realized that even filial piety had reached its limit.

    A stunningly bewitching man with a gorgeously chiselled face, owning a pair of phoenix eyes which appeared shrewd and calculating bowed his wide shoulder down in front of the ruling matron.

    Atop his head twitched a pair of fluffy white fox ears, and from the lowest end of his back sprouted a majestic count of eight large tails in matching colour.

    He wore his traditional white robes with the crest of the Bai clan sewn at the back of his robe. A nine-tailed leaping fox.

    His silken soft hair lacking any pigment framed his lean yet muscular form like a curtain.

    Although his hair covered his features, they couldn''t hide the murderous glare emitting from his golden orbs, his seductively thin lips stretched into a straight, hard line.

    "Greetings, mother." His voice was of the coldest frost, lacking any hint of warmth or affectionate emotion.

    The matron barked a laugh. The sound echoed in the whole like twinkling silver bells. "Glare all you want, boy. You may rule over others but for your mother, you will always be a declawed little fox cub!" Hong Meigui haughtily replied, her voice sounded young and nearly childish.

    As if her son''s anger was just a mere amusement to pass her time.

    Hong Meigui, mother of Bai Qingyue was known as one of the most beautiful and alluring women in all of heaven''s realm. She was a vision that would make both men and women alike lose their mind.

    Her skin shone like the moon, and her lips were the colour of fresh blood. Hong Meigui''s curvaceous figure lazily sprawled on the throne Bai Lord''s throne. Curly red hair cascaded down her back like a lion''s mane. Nine orange tinted tails with a pointy milky white shade at their tips curled around her hips, with matching coloured ears tilted up.

    Even the Jade Emperor once courted her and wanted to take her as a royal concubine, however, it just so happened that Hong Meigui married into the Bai clan, and wedded the Bai clan''s former Lord and sovereign.

    "I will not follow through with your plan, and you cannot lock me here forever." Bai Qingyue had no intention to begin this charade. He stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point.

    Hong Meigui rose from her sit in a sudden bout of fury.

    Her sheer aura caused Bai Qingyue, who lost half of his life''s cultivation from his lightning tribulation to nearly collapse onto floor and cough blood.

    Even as he was about to collapse, he opposed the person he called his own mother. His body fighting her offensive force set to subdue him at every turn.

    "You will submit to me, boy!" She haughtily screamed as she heightened the percentage of her strength to topple her unruly cub.

    Bai Qingyue would have never fallen from his mother''s powers, having suppressed her strength many centuries ago, but with his weakened condition, she now ruled over him. Both in strength and as a parent.

    "I will not marry your maternal clan''s princess. I feel nothing for her." Despite bleeding on the ground and his blood circulating backwards, Bai Qingyue''s voice was serene and tranquil, as if he was seeping warm tea and gazing at the scenery while enjoying the weather.

    "Unruly child, you will marry whoever I wish for you to marry. My maternal clan carefully maintained the Red Fox''s princess for you. She has the bearing, ranking and prestige to fit and lead as your consort." Hong Meigui''s voice rang through the halls.

    "It is impossible, there''s only one person I can be in this life-" Bai Qingyue struggled through the pressure, his garment shredding from the thickness of the power forcing him to bend. It felt like slices of needles in the air piercing his flesh.

    "-and it''s not her." He finished his sentence through the pain.

    Although he never received motherly affection from Hong Meigui, throughout all his life Bai Qingyue had always shown the proper respect a child would to his mother. When his father abandoned the clan and his mother took over after his birth, he supported her as he grew older and stood by her side when all the other elder fox gods within Bai clan frowned upon her as an outsider. When he took the role of sovereign god, he still allowed his mother to boss everyone else under him.

    Certainly, it was a mistake on his part since now she was bossing him around.

    Hong Meigui realized force doesn''t crack this iceberg she calls her son and changed her attitude. She collapsed back on the throne, her hand clutching her forehead in exasperation. The pressure in the air ceased.

    "Why won''t you listen to your mother? I only want what''s best for you. I prepared this matchmaking in advance since you were a baby." Hong Meigui sounded like a depressed princess who didn''t get to eat her favourite snack for the day.

    Bai Qingyue wanted her to understand but knew all too well that she wouldn''t.

    There were many fox clans in the Huli Jing realm, but the Bai clan stood apart from the others not only for its leadership.

    The Bai clan''s men and women were plagued with what some would call a blessing, while others would call a curse.

    They were unable to be with anyone else but their fated person. The force of a political union between a fox from the Bai clan and another always led to tragedies throughout the aeons of their existence.

    This tale spanned to ancient times in the primordial god realm when the Bai clan was but an insignificant tribe. They were bestowed with the bloodline curse of a fated person. The hex passed down throughout all the generations that followed.

    The last union between his mother and father was precisely one of those occasions when the clan rebelled the primaeval curse and went for a political marriage. While the Red Fox clan was lesser in terms of prestige, they held vast lands and trade routes with other nations and realms. One could label them as wise businessmen.

    The Red Fox clan made a well-known name for themselves and the marriage was advantageous on both ends.

    It was advantageous for all the parties involved, except his father.

    Bai Qingyue did not have a lot of recollections of his predecessor, but he knew his mother fell for his father early on. It was a fruitless attempt on her part to chase him and force him into marriage with the pressure of the clans because shortly after Bai Qingyue was born, his father vanished. Leaving his weeping mother to harden her heart and lose her wits in grief. She alienated her feelings after having her husband abandon her.

    It was a sad fact that Hong Meigui raised Bai Qingyue only for the sake of rearing him as a future sovereign god, and so, knowing his mother would never understand what her son was going through, Bai Qingyue explained in the simplest of terms he could manage.

    "Because I won''t be able to get my thing up with anyone else except her."

 Chapter 32: Recalling How He Lost His Powers

    Because I won''t be able to get my thing up..

    Except her¡­

    Bai Qingyue''s words kept echoing in his mother''s ears, with his cold unfeeling voice, deprived of any emotion. Simply stating the facts.

    She wanted to rush and slap the unruly whelp, but his words alone caused her to stagger from her seat.

    "¡­." Said Hong Meigui.

    What am I supposed to even say in retort?!

    Mother and son stared eye to eye.

    It was almost like gazing at one''s own reflection.

    While Bai Qingyue received the same white coat from his paternal family, and his insufferable personality from his deserter of a father, Hong Meigui could say in certainty that the rest he took from her.

    The same bewitching golden eyes and moonlight skin. Both Hong Meigui and the previous Sovereign Lord were attractive looking gods, as the rest of their fox spirit kind usually is. Bai Qingyue''s father had a formidable commanding presence, exuding charm and Hong Meigui was the enthralling, bewitching type. She was certainly the embodiment of the foxes you only hear of in tales, having been captured by their beauty, mortals will no longer be able to look at anyone else ever again..

    Seeing her bleeding son on the ground with that very same enthralling appearance as hers only made Hong Meigui all the more vexed.

    What was beautiful even good for? What was working hard so good for, when in the end she was left alone by the man she loved the most..

    It was for the same nonsense reason her son was spouting that she was not ''his'' true intended. ''He'' couldn''t even bear to touch her.

    Visions of the past clouded her mind and filled her with agony.

    Hong Meigui''s eyes glinted with madness as she materialized a long leather whip in her hands and lashed her son''s back.

    As if I would let him repeat his father''s mistakes!

    Bai Qingyue did not utter a single sound. Realizing his mother is so far gone, speech would only be a vain attempt.

    "Stupid child, I''m doing all this for your own good! What do you mean "her"?! That stray mortal you decided to pick up! Would you like ill bred whelps running through our sacred halls? Let go of this madness. I won''t allow you to follow your father''s footsteps!" Hong Meigui''s shrill voice resonated in the halls.

    Bai Qingyue''s back robe was shredded long ago, the sewed in crest of the nine tailed fox scattered to dust.

    The strikes were so intense, his flesh split and torn. He looked like a mangled pile of meat.

    "Mummph¡­" Eventually, he couldn''t help himself and retched. With his mother''s aggressive Qi plummeting him unto the ground and the whip strikes, he ended up puking his stomach juices mixed with blood.

    Hong Meigui kept on.

    "You can forget about her. I will never allow it, you hear?! Your mistakes will take you thousands of years to suppress me, by then you would be settled down with my maternal clan, princess Chun. Mother is doing all this for your sake, you must understand."

    Bai Qingyue let her vent the madness within. He took it upon his body. That was the least he could do, because after tonight he would no longer be able to call himself filial anymore.

    Sovereign Lords were not only born stronger in order to lead the "herd", but they were trained rigorously from birth. Their upbringing cultivated to suppress the rest in all means possible. His mother was right, having lost half of his cultivation, he was not her match. However, a true tactician does not rely on a sole method alone.

    Recalling how he "lost" his power, the pain he felt had lessened as he grew numb.

    Actually, He didn''t lose his powers, but gave them away..

    He really couldn''t believe that such a misfortune would turn into grace, and shortly after collapse into tragedy.

    The Bai people had been surviving for eons in solitude without having found their other half, he was considered young in their clan''s terms.

    And yet, against all odds he found his fated person.

    The moment he saw her, it was already difficult to look away. When he recognized her, he finally understood why his father left. It was as though the girl imprinted her existence on his soul and he was unable to breathe without her.

    Her touch, her scent, her voice, and her soul. Everything about her called to him.

    Upon sharing their intimacy he perceived his damaged dantian warming up and healing. With every caress they shared, he grew more powerful.

    His internal energy recovered so swiftly that he concluded, by the time they would join their bodies as one he would be able to restore all of his lost cultivation.

    Not that he would complain if they needed to put more effort into the restoration...

    When he carried his woman out of the burning brothel''s remains, he found a pond in a forest, thick with healing essence. His girl was unconscious during the whole time. After part of his cultivation restored, he made quick work of summoning a few servants to the mortal realm and have them cater his wife.

    He regretted calling those servants, foolishly unaware was he at that time of his mother''s schemes as she monitored his every move with the use of the attendants.

    Watching his sleeping beauty adorned in the ceremonial robe representing the head wife of the Bai Clan filled him with a sudden burst of pride. She would probably be frightened, a little mortal girl joining the ranks of gods, but he would handle her with tender care, and explain all that was needed to explain in due time.

    When they were both clean, groomed and attended to, he cradled his fated woman back into his arms and ascended.

    The attempt failed miserably.

    He quickly realized that his woman was but a mere mortal. Unable to reach higher planes of existence..

    She would need thousands of years to cultivate into a celestial being.

    Bai Qingyue shook his head. There was no way he would wait so long.

    He decided to give the girl the remaining cultivation of his godly fox form.

    She received the aura of a god.

    It might have been a loop in the system in order to bypass thousands of years for a mortal to ascend, but she was his woman, so what if he gave her his powers? It was his and he could choose to do with his cultivated internal energy whatever he pleased.

    The plan wasn''t a bad one. After ascension, Bai Qingyue planned to cultivate with his bride and replenish his inner powers again, as well as assist with her personal growth.

    Having given her his remaining cultivation, she should be able to ascend.

    Yet it was at that moment when Hong Meigui, his very own mother snatched him from the mortal realm at his weakest point and imprisoned him. Separating the pair.

    Bai Qingyue was knocked out cold. By the time he woke up, his wife wasn''t by his side any longer and he was confined in the palace by his mother. Unable to retaliate since her had given all his cultivated inner strength away.

    He had to bide his time carefully until he could confront his mother.

 Chapter 33: Prepared The Prison

    Bai Qingyue''s thoughts surfaced to the present time.

    Forcing himself to preserve his consciousness, he could feel his spine cracking under the harsh impact.

    He guided his soul into his pocket dimension during the time his physical form was tortured, although he felt the pain of each strike, he was still capable of separating his body and spirit.

    A pocket dimension was a physical manifestation of space a cultivator''s soul is capable of creating. Naturally, it was rare even for cultivators to be able to possess a pocket dimension. One would have to have a very special soul in order to have their own dimension. The higher the cultivation was, the bigger the space of the dimension.

    Bai Qingyue''s pocket dimension used to be a vast, nearly endless space but currently, it shrank down to a yard size. Inside the small space was an ancient temple adorned with fox guardian statues and surrounded by herbs so rare that even the dragon royal family members frequently requested exchanges with the clan for them.

    The fox lord''s ethereal spirit brushed past the statues and went inside the temple.

    Dusty wooden walls greeted his sight. It had been a very long time since he last went into his dimension. The temple was completely unkempt, filled to the brim with priceless materials scattered and tossed on the floor. Without his inner energy, the brilliant glory of his space had turned into a pile of dirty mess, yet the objects both himself and his ancestor obtained remained. Countless treasures accumulated throughout the generations of the Huli Jing''s sovereign rulers manifested in front of his eyes.

    He made his way to a pile of rusty and ancient trinkets and ornaments, shoving his hand inside the stack of items and fishing out a hand-sized lamp.

    The lamp was old and lacklustre in its condition. Age did not preserve it well, yet this lamp''s potential made it a highly sought item, cherished beyond compare.

    Bai Qingyue shut his eyes and syphoned his consciousness into his body.

    He brought the lamp with him into the physical planes of existence. The rusty old lamp materialized in his hand.

    Hong Meigui might have been capable of preventing the upcoming events but in her bout of madness, she was too far gone to notice Bai Qingye''s subtle movements.

    "You''re just like your father! All I wanted was the best for him and look what happened. I won''t let you do the same!" Her golden eyes swirled and her shoulders shook as she whipped her son.

    Bai Qingyue lit the lamp with his fox fire and cast the object at his mother''s direction.

    Hong Meigui bewilderedly paused her hand, but she had no time to react before bone wrecking pain consumed her body. Her back felt as though a horde of racing horses splintered across it.

    The rusty lamp Bai Qingyue delivered from his pocket dimension was known as the agony reversal lamp.

    The stronger the damage inflicted on the holder of the lamp, the higher the intensity of the lamp was capable of transitioning the pain towards the inflictor.

    As dangerous as the lamp was, it was but a play on the mind and only a temporary solution. The damage wasn''t real, and no physical harm was done to the aggressor, but the mind delivered signals to the rest of the body as though it did.

    Hong Meigui''s yell soon turned into a shrieking howl of pain. She was in such a sudden intense torture that her consciousness was unable to handle it. Her body toppled to the ground as she fainted in front of the golden throne.

    Bai Qingyue struggled to elevate himself. He wiped the blood off his face. With a signal of his hand, Bai Yu was summoned, his most trusted second in command, the captain of the guard.

    Waiting for his lord to call upon him, Bai Yu counted the seconds outside the palace halls. He could feel the malice and evil energy in the air. His white ears with black tips drooped down from the intensity of the screams. For such an intensive negative force to accumulate, a lot of blood must have shed. His lord demanded not to let him interrupt until he was called upon, and have the servants wait upon his summons.

    As soon as he felt his lord''s signal, Bai Yu sifted inside the throne room.

    The regal and loyal captain of the guard who had witnessed countless battles and lived for aeons had his mouth gaping in horror.

    The ruler of the clan and Sovereign Lord of the realm had his back facing him. Its shape was no longer recognizable. All Bai Yu''s mind was capable of comprehending was forms of sliced flesh. A pale sheen of his lord''s spine emerged into view, the striking red of his blood adorned the bone. It was a hideous sight.

    "S...Sire!" Terrified, Bai Yu knelt down in front of his lord, his face paled from shock.

    Bai Qingyue spat a mouthful of blood and sighed.

    "It is fine. It appears worse than it feels." His voice was devoid of emotion as if he wasn''t just tortured to the brink of death. He stood with a ramrod straight back. His royal countenance seemed lonelier than ever.

    "...." Said Bai Yu.

    Sire, you are a really bad liar.

    "Have you prepared the prison hold for my mother as I requested?" Bai Qingyue could no longer let his mother run amok. She caused a disaster with his consort that would now take him who knows how long to fix.

    "Yes, sire!" Bai Yu bowed again as he responded. His usually fierce voice was shaking.

    To go to this extent and butcher your own son...

    The matron had lost all sense of reason!

    The handsome captain of the guard was fiercely loyal to his Sovereign Lord. Although Bai Yu was older than Bai Qingyue and served under his father''s reign, Bai Yu had nothing short of respect one would have for an elder towards his Fox Lord.

    Under Bai Qingyue''s reign, the clan only prospered. Despite not being a full fox, and having been raised as a third extended branch of the Bai clan, the Sovereign God never belittled Bai Yu''s merit and even went as far as to ordain him second in command.

    Bai Yu''s mixed heritage was portrayed with his full-on pitch black eyes belonging to the demon realm. His hair was as all the other pure blooded clan members, a shining silver colour, neatly tied down with a single braid, his stature stood taller than the other celestial foxes.

    Many fox gods assumed Bai Yu''s lineage was tainted with a large bestial demon because of his burly physique. He was often mocked due to his intimidating build.

    Bai Yu always thought his lord''s only shortcoming was handing the reigns to his mother in ruling the Huli Jing.

    Bai Qingyue glanced at his subordinate shaking as he kneeled on the ground. He couldn''t tell the man to carry his mother with his own hands, that was most improper.

    "Bring forth the ladies in waiting for the matron that stayed awake on standby. Monitor their every move, I want your eyes on the matron at all times. Ensure she is properly locked within the prison''s force field without means of escape. The ladies in waiting that were part of the ambush I experienced on earth¡­Eliminate them." It was rare for Bai Qingyue to give such a long speech. It emphasized how important this mission was to him.

    It must be done perfectly.

    "Right away, sire!" Bai Yu followed his sovereign lord''s command and disappeared as he sifted out of the throne room.

    It was only when Bai Qingyue was once again alone with his unconscious mother sprawled on the floor that he allowed his body to stagger.

    The heavily bleeding fox wobbled towards the palace''s hot springs, leaving a trail of ruby drops through his path. He undressed the remains of his robe and fell into the waters. The spring was already prepared in advance on his orders, filled with special herbs to accelerate healing. He sat his nude tortured body inside the warm liquid and shifted himself to a lotus position in order to cultivate.

    Bai Qingyue circulated his Qi throughout his body, cultivting inside the hot springs.

    The medicinal spring water stung the exposed wounds. It was so agonizing that cold sweat formed all over forehead and back.

    His thoughts strayed from the ache and lingered elsewhere...

    Knowing time moved differently in the god''s realms than on earth''s realms filled him with dejection.

    How long had she been without him? For Bai Qingyue, it was a moon''s cycle, but for his girl? How long had it been?

    His only comfort was the knowledge she had his powers to protect herself. With his godly cultivation, she should experience no issues in the mortal realm.

    He sighed and let the healing spring work its magic.

 Chapter 34: He Had No Time For This

    In the Bai Clan''s palace, a week later...

    It took seven rises of the sun to handle the affairs of the clan and care for his body. Cultivating under healing waters helped tremendously, but an imperial doctor was still summoned to his chambers.

    After handling the sovereign''s lord body with extra care, the old grey fox, immortal doctor Luo, bearing a sage-like appearance with a moustache and a pair eyebrows so thick they grew all the way down to his feet, was ushered outside by the impatient sovereign god.

    Bai Yu quickly barged into the bedchambers of his sire after the immortal doctor Luo escaped the room of the grumpy lord as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Temperamental gods and their issues! Humph!

    The captain assumed his sire barked at him to leave. He hated being interrupted, even if it was in order to care for his body.

    Bai Qingyue''s bedchambers were cosy and spacious, unlike his cold and aloof demeanour, his room portrayed his true animal nature. The room''s fair glow was made by a row of candles lit by Foxfire.

    Pelts covered the ground and his large bed was filled with the softest fur blankets. The Sovereign Lord was illuminated by the light of the Foxfire around him. He let his eight tails surround his lean body in comfort.

    His long white hair draped the bed and trickled down all the way to the floor, jade-like skin received a yellow glow from the candles around, and his piercing golden eyes with those red tinted mischievous looking lips would have made countless women collapse to the floor in adoration.

    Providing such a mouthwatering and seductive view made Bai Yu certain that if he wasn''t a man of the Bai clan, he would have fallen head over heels in love with his lord right now!

    Bai Yu stared in a daze, however noticing his glazed eyes, the fox lord sent a glacial glare his way.

    The captain of the guard coughed embarrassingly to regain his bearing. He acted less like a captain and more like a mother hen trotting around her young ones this past week.

    Bai Yu paced back and forth in the bedchamber.

    Annoyance clearly portrayed on the fox lord''s perfectly sculpted features.

    "Sire, you just got back here and made the palace orderly again, must you leave so soon? Your body is still healing! Even gods need a little time to rest." Bai Yu has been practically begging his sire to stay for the whole week.

    His fox lord wanted to leave on the day after the incident with the matron.

    "Cease your worries. I have no time to stay here and recuperate. I shall handle myself after I descend." Bai Qingyue''s masculine voice tiredly responded as he laid on his damaged back. His flesh already filled and restored, and scabs formed on the wounds. Having to deal with the tantrum and worries of those around him tired him out more than the episode he had with his deranged mother.

    In fact, he simply grew vexed by the whole situation, his own worries grew with every drop of sand in the hourglass. He couldn''t stop his thoughts from straying to his future consort all alone, who knows what happened to her by now?

    As time trickled by, his fears escalated. The woman whose name he did not even know...She was not a fox, and not bound by the spell.

    What if¡­What if she found someone else?

    Bai Qingyue imagined hands that were not his own caressing her lithe and soft body. Another male making her moan instead of him.

    His fury drove his body out of the luxurious comfort of his bed before his mind could even come to terms with the act.

    He noticed his subordinate still mumbling words about responsibility to himself and recuperating..

    He had no time for this.

    "Bai Yu, cease your prattle. I leave the managing of the clan in your hands until I return with my wife." Bai Qingyue made his demands as he dressed.

    The captain felt that his lord enjoyed dropping bombs on people. His pacing stopped abruptly. What wife all of a sudden?!

    "I will summon you or the legion should a need arise, otherwise I trust you with the clan''s reign."

    Bai Yu stood dazed once again before his lord.

    "W-wife, sire??"

    His sire found his future consort?? Does that mean the palace would soon see baby foxes running around?!

    It was so abrupt, and he dared to think he hadn''t imagined it, but Bai Yu swore he saw his lord''s permanently frozen lips tilt up.

    So the thought of this consort of his could make his iceberg lord smile...

    Bai Qingyue nodded silently. He didn''t give his servant the opportunity to respond before he shifted through dimensions and brought his bandaged body to the lower planes of earth.

 Chapter 35: Thoughts Drifted To How It All Commenced

    On the river banks of a majestic land, with floating islands atop a vast ocean of the deepest blue, where gigantic sea creatures roamed the waters, and young ageless men and women flew on swords in the skies. Where demons lurked in the woods and plants could uplift their roots and scurry away¡­A region known for its secrecy and discipline, the Forgotten Waters Sect floated majestically obscured by heavy mist from prying eyes.

    A young woman with hair the colour of the starless night clasped loosely at her back and spilled down towards the pond, where she sat at the edge of the bank. Her body was clad in light-coloured robes which adorned her shape and highlighted her feminine figure.

    The woman''s feet laid bare, her smooth skin glowed as her legs splashed around in the waters.

    Her baby fat receded, what once showed as the beguiling bloom of young adulthood blossomed into sculpted features of a true beauty. The woman''s previously doe like orbs morphed into a pair of peach blossom eyes. Her cute dainty lips grew fuller and luscious.

    The young woman indeed looked like a fairy who went to fool around in the mortal world.

    The lady in question was, in fact, Li Meirong, who was designated to become a servant in the bestiary division.

    Li Meirong reached for her bag of snacks with her now longer and delicate limbs, her every slight movement no longer clumsy with fear, she exuded charm and grace with her every motion.

    She chewed on part of the snacks she baked the other day and tossed the leftovers towards the waters. Bubbles soon formed in the waters as fish battled to gobble the delicious meal.

    She sat at the entrance to the bestiary division, where her living quarters were located.

    Although this section of the Bestiary division was deemed the lowest in rank, if she had to compare her living standards now to residing in the brothel she found herself in after rebirth, this patch of land was heaps better.

    Her space was small, and she had little privacy to herself, but she made do with what she had.

    In fact, Li Meirong dared to admit that she learnt quite a lot during these past few years. She built her own cabin, wood plank by wood plank. True, it looked more like a mini stables house than a proper residence, but because it was done with her own two hands which altered to worn out blistered skin filled with splinters, she appreciated the structure all the more and was immensely proud of her house. She learnt to use ancient tools to prepare meals and made do without a toilet. She practised sewing and occupied herself with reading, writing, and gardening. Entertainment was hard to come by here.

    She dearly missed her television and mobile phone.

    One can say, that in the five years that have passed, Li Meirong had experienced countless bullying.

    It began with little pranks of sending young virile men to her bedchambers at night and went all the way to heaping her with piles of tasks she wasn''t even supposed to be responsible for, the worst were the rumors that floated through the sect.

    A fickle woman of questionable morals.

    A certain part of her dared to hope that she should at least live up to her reputation.

    Both in this life and her previous one, she was still an untouched virgin!

    She found herself giggling at her silly thoughts.

    Surprisingly, during these five years, despite not being allowed to practice cultivation, as outer sect disciples were not provided with the privilege, she did find enjoyment in the job she was assigned with.

    Even with her foul reputation, many fellow juniors and seniors alike visited her for assistance.

    Plenty of disciples in the sect came over to Li Meirong''s place for those little things they knew nothing of.

    Cooking, gardening, cleaning, accounting, caring for animals...

    It was rather silly, immortal disciples who could fight vile demons required her opinions and advise on basic necessities.

    Li Meirong''s thoughts drifted to how it all commenced.

    It all began when she was left to feed the spirit beasts but was given the lowest quality of sustenance to provide. Both to herself and those under her charge. The beasts were not common livestock, and their demands were numerous. Some of them were even capable of human speech or telepathy to convey their wishes.

    And so, when Li Meirong introduced spices and herbs to their otherwise bland palate, she became the coalition''s favourite among the beasts, and quite a few of the disciples alike.

    It wasn''t a lie when her mother told her a way to a man''s heart is through his stomach.

    A way to a spirit beast''s heart was through their stomach just as well!

    After having such successful results with the meals, even grandmasters of other divisions summoned her to prepare their dishes on rare occasions.

    It would be prudent to mention that for cultivators, food is not a necessity and therefore feeding and meal preparation is considered a low-class position in the sect. The meals provided were also odourless and flavourless, meant only to fill one''s belly. Cultivators may eat, but it is not a requirement. Majority of the disciples abstained from feeding because it halts their spiritual advancement.

    Li Meirong was denied the learning of cultivation methods, for all intended purposes, she was a mere mortal. Her perk was that she ate merrily with her fellow spirit beasts under her charge.

    Chao Dequan, the outer sect disciple boy she befriended from healer''s peak, kept in touch with her. He slowly grew into a young strapping lad preparing for adulthood. In her eyes, he was still the same adorable baby, perhaps because she still envisioned him as that cute boy who helped her mount the crane five years ago.

    Li Meirong made quick work of enhancing the grains and snacks provided to the cranes in healer''s peak. With the addition of small amounts of protein and dried fruit slices to heighten the flavour, Chao Dequan had attained a comfortably easy life, handling the herd under his care, he was extremely grateful for having met the little fairy girl all those years ago.

    Li Meirong made it a habit to bring seeds and plants with their roots attached of any herbs she could recognize, whenever she had the chance to descend to the forests below, and slowly with the passing months, she successfully built a herb garden by her abode.

    Rome was not built in a day, and neither was Li Meirong''s progress, but she felt content with knowing that she did accomplish quite a bit.

    Speaking of beasts and gardens, her spirit pet companion, that very same carnivorous plant she named Chou, stuck by her side through thick and thin. Although they met under the worst conditions, the pair bonded and became inseparable.

    Li Meirong did not forget her promise to Chou, and regularly fed him a drop of blood from herself.

    Unsure of the results of her feeding, she recently inquired why he obsessed over her blood so enthusiastically.

    Chou decided that a demonstration would be better as an answer when his master inquired, he switched to his true size. From a man-sized carnivorous pitcher plant, Chou doubled in size. He was now matching the length and width of her house.

    A formidable opponent even for cultivators. Having the opportunity to hear bits and pieces from the inner sect disciples, they would have called a spirit of his capabilities a spirit of the fifth rank.

    Li Meirong did learn here that while different spirits have varying capabilities, they also have multiple ranks. The ranks reach from one all the way to rank ten. Above it is a godly beast.

    Chou started as a rank three plant, which is already a threat to common society, Spirit Beasts don''t usually elevate in ranks. For Chou to rise higher through the levels was all thanks to Li Meirong''s blood.

    Chou also urged her to shed a drop of her blood on a little fruit seedling she planted to emphasize his point.

    The results astounded her, within a week she had an adult aged tree bearing fruits.

    Li Meirong did not hesitate to turn her garden to an orchard with the spattering of her blood.

    The growth of plants in her abode was shocking not only to her but to her fellow juniors and seniors. The herb caretaker''s division considered having her join his ranks, but Li Meirong refused. She liked where she was, and she already built her place in the Bestiary division.

    Sadly, not all events were pleasant during the passing years...

 Chapter 36: Building A Harem Was The Standard

    After gaining the affection of the beasts around her with meals, that''s when the worst bullying happened.

    She recalled waking up in the middle of the night during her second year only to discover that in her single solitary cabin, three pairs of eyes lurked in the shadows.

    Those eyes belonged to senior disciples she never met before. They did not hesitate to stuff her mouth with a cloth as soon as she awakened and attempted to assault her.

    It was most unfortunate for them that they thought she was alone. For the unsuspecting future rapists, Chou made quick work of stuffing them one after the other into his large belly. The stench that emitted from his digestive juices that night was the worst scent Li Meirong ever smelled.

    Yet the thought of their hands crawling on her filled her with far worse dread. It was the first time Li Meirong weighed the life of another being in her hands and decided to end it. Chou was all too happy to fulfil that task.

    As for Captain Liang, she suspected that woman was behind the incident, after several disciples "mysteriously" disappeared from Li Meirong''s residence, no one dared to follow with petty tricks.

    To this day, many aren''t aware of what occurred. Some disciples thought she was really done by the men who arrived, and then they took off from the sect. Others thought the grandmaster of the division suppressed the knowledge of the dual cultivation which took place.

    No one suspected Li Meirong, and no one was aware of "little" Chou.

    The third prank that had been placed on her, arrived at a very important time for the sect.

    It was the illustrious once in a century gathering of heroes.

    All famous disciples and grandmasters of righteous sects congregated in Forgotten Waters Sect for the assembly, and the budget for the event "somehow" landed in Li Meirong''s incapable hands.

    Naturally, if she would have failed her mission, even death would be considered too light a punishment.

    However, as funny as it was, the hardest of tasks was the easiest for Li Meirong. Dealing with accounting and finances was practically effortless on her end.

    Li Meirong recalled the bulging eyes of the succeeding disciple Liang, better known as no eyebrows lady, as she calculated all the notes in less than a few minutes, what would have possibly taken another experienced disciple who has been handling the finances in the sect for years, at least several days. Obviously, even the Abacus was not needed.

    From an undignified trash, Li Meirong slowly built a name of an "unfortunate genius."

    The whispers diverted from "Don''t come near her, who knows how many men she''s been with.."

    And switched towards "It''s a shame she has multiple veins, such a talent! No matter which task she was given, she handled it all with care. Diligent! Quite diligent."

    She wanted to say she didn''t care one way or another, but having the scorn lessen around her assisted her self-esteem tremendously.

    Since she''s been appointed as an outer sect disciple in the bestiary division, she hadn''t seen Zhu Zhang, her grandmaster even once. He was known for rarely leaving his pavilion and even more so, interacting with others.

    It was a pleasant surprise to receive frequent visits from her companions who she met early on in this world.

    In the first few years, only Mo Jing and Shu Qianqian kept in touch.

    Mo Jing arrived once in a blue moon, he helped her build her little garden and brought her spare herbs and concoctions he brewed, along with many fruits and vegetable seeds. She was very thankful to him and probably wouldn''t have been able to prepare appropriate meals for herself and others without him. For Li Meirong, from her three young companions, she got along with Mo Jing the most.

    Mo Cheng, in the beginning, disappeared from sight, it was from one moment to the next that he began to stick to her like glue. from the third year of their acceptance to the sect, he had a habit of visiting her the most. He was very considerate and kept demanding her to ask him for help whenever she needs any.

    She always politely declined when he invited her out or bought her gifts. He was a sweet boy who grew into adulthood, but she didn''t wish for any misunderstanding between them.

    While she felt that Mo Cheng showed a romantic inclination towards her, it also did not stop him from accepting Shu Qianqian''s advances. She recalled how the bright youth once made her heart flutter. Sadly, he gave off the impression of having an agenda of making everyone''s hearts flutter.

    Li Meirong disliked that attitude from men. Not to mention, she promised Shu Qianqian that she had no interest in him.

    She couldn''t fault him as his attitude was not improper, considering that in this world befitting more ancient customs, building a harem was the standard norm.

    Shu Qianqian visited the least, but when she did, her friendliness was genuine. As she grew older, she blossomed into a beautiful maiden and was confident enough in herself to not erupt in anger with every woman who approached Mo Cheng.

    Unfortunately for Shu Qianqian, there were quite a few of those. Mo Cheng was a woman''s magnet. Being so naturally gifted and handsome to boot, he attracted women like a flower coated with pollen, surrounded by bees.

    Shu Qianqian throughout the years learnt to curb her outrage, yet when she visited Li Meirong, it was to vent out her displeasure about her beloved accepting any woman who comes his way. It was not that he did not like her, it was just that he didn''t dislike the rest. That was what Qianqian at that time said.

    Li Meirong''s heart ached for the girl. She knew what it was like to be in a relationship with a man who kept glancing sideways to fresher flowers which he hadn''t tasted. On one hand, Mo Cheng was very kind to Li Meirong, and so she did not wish to speak ill of the young man, but she felt that he was undeserving of Shu Qianqian''s affections.

    Speaking of the troublesome man, it was only yesterday that an event which shook Li Meirong''s heart occurred.

    Mo Cheng visited her as night fell down and the sun only peeked behind the ocean''s edge. The skies were filled with shades of purple and pink.

    Li Meirong joyfully greeted her friend and led him inside her cabin, making sure she hid Chou properly in her sleeve.

    Mo Cheng held his hands at his back, as he stepped into her house, he brought his arms to the front and offered her a bouquet of flowers.

    After tending to her garden, she was familiar with a few of the types he held. They were not only beautiful but very rare.

    She wanted to refuse his gesture but her mouth watered at the sight of the flowers.

    He did prepare well for her!

    Li Meirong thanked him and grabbed the flowers. She placed them in a high bowl and fetched water from the nearby pond to nourish them.

    Mo Cheng''s smile was wide from ear to ear when Li Meirong accepted his tribute.

    Actually, Mo Cheng was a tad apprehensive of Li Meirong. Especially five years ago. His heart felt like it would burst out of his chest every time he saw her. Especially after he gave her the medicine to heal her scars. Blood rushed to his head as he used to stare at her stupidly. That unnamed feeling made him keep his distance from her.

    He regretted not being there for Li Meirong when she experienced all the bullying, he really did wish he could go back in time and change his stupid thoughts then perhaps then she would think better of him now.

    It was only after three years since their separation into different divisions that Mo Cheng realized, he actually truly liked her. Thoughts of her plagued his restless mind long after he stopped seeing her. When he met other women, he envisioned her face. She must be his leading lady. The rest can become concubines, it''s not as though he couldn''t accommodate several women..Such was the conclusion he came up with.

    Countless times he visited her and actively wooed her, but from all the women he ever met, she was the most stubborn one.

    Yet, also the one he wanted to conquer most.

 Chapter 37: Master Can I Eat Him Now?

    Mo Cheng sat on a low wooden chair in the cabin. Li Meirong busied herself with heating water. She prepared herbal tea.

    The curious handsome man with bronze skin and body taut with muscles from cultivating with martial arts training sneaked a look around Li Meirong''s home.

    The walls were quite badly structured, he assumed that when it rained, water poured right through the cracks, you couldn''t say this little wooden square was very well made, but it did give a cosy and comfortable feeling. There was a fresh earthy smell to the place, with sweet lavender and jasmine scent in the air. It lacked furnishing, but there were a lot of cushions, badly sewn thick woollen cloths were placed instead of seats. Only a pair of low stools were in the cabin, and he sat on one of them. A large coal heated pot was placed at the edge of the room for meals and beverage preparations. A stack of logs lay by the pot, readied for colder climates or heating up food. Mo Cheng found himself cringing at some of the designs. His girl might be clever with finances but when it comes to the arts a woman should have knowledge of in their society, she was truly terrible. Embroidery, music, poetry, painting, Li Meirong was a disaster in the feminine arts.

    Well, he was used to ladies from prominent families to surround him, and after all, she was only a maid, he couldn''t compare her to Shu Qianqian.

    Thinking in Li Meirong''s favour, Mo Cheng had to admit that the perk of being a furnace was better than anything another woman could provide him with. What was more important than being the strongest in a dog eat dog world? He would not treat her badly. She will have her every need catered for, her only concern should revolve around him. Her duty would be to have dual cultivation with him. The thought excited the man, causing his blood to boil in anticipation.

    His quarters were a world of difference in comparison to Li Meirong''s abode. He was a succeeding disciple when all was said and done, she was an outer sect disciple, their treatment could not be appropriately compared. He had his own mansion with servants at his beck and call.

    The woman he''s been trying to win over had a soft spot for small animals. Upon his visits, he frequently found a wounded bird cared for, or a lazy cat asking for food. In the sword bearer''s sect, animals were not permitted in the premises, but this was the bestiary coalition, after all, the rules differed.

    He couldn''t help but notice the stack of accounting books which lay on the mattress, but his curiosity was soon directed to his object of admiration.

    Li Meirong cheerfully handed him a cup of warm Chamomile tea with a dab of honey. Mo Cheng held the cup with both hands and inhaled deeply, enjoying the aroma.

    "Your tea always has the most pleasant and fragrant scent." Mo Cheng observed, his tone was low and somewhat intimate.

    With the passing years, he turned from a brave youth to a man with a force to be reckoned with. He also came up with new innovations that benefitted the sect aplenty.

    Li Meirong often thought that Mo Cheng was like a protagonist in a novel, his life was prepared in advance for greatness.

    She cast her gaze towards her own warm cup in her hands as she sat by Mo Cheng''s side.

    "Thank you, brother Mo, these Chamomile flowers were given by brother Mo Jing. They are of excellent quality." Her voice was soothing to his ears.

    Mo Cheng couldn''t help but notice how her long lashes fluttered like a butterfly as she spoke.

    "True, my brother is exceptionally skilled, however, the flowers I gave you are of rarer quality." He did not forget to bring himself into good graces during the conversation.

    Li Meirong inwardly gagged. This boy''s main flaw was always his vanity, and his constant need to be assured by women that he''s valuable.

    ''Master, can I eat him now?'' Chou''s murderous words echoed like a child''s whisper in her head.

    She sent a glare towards her sleeve.

    Be quiet, you.

    From the moment Chou met Mo Cheng, he disliked the fellow. Later on, Li Meirong discovered that Chou disliked any fellow who seemed to have taken interest in her, like a well-trained guard dog.

    Chao Dequan was his only exception. ''He has no evil thoughts about you'' was Chou''s response to her about the boy.

    "Ahem, I came today to ask if you would like to join me for the upcoming spirit beasts quest through the Thousand Beast''s forest. The divisions are partnering up for the task and many of my sword sect members are assigned to aid the bestiary coalition''s disciples during their journey to capture a spirit beast." Mo Cheng laid his thoughts flat out.

    Journeying with Li Meirong side by side would provide him with the perfect opportunity to win her heart. He will have ample time to show his capabilities, save her from danger or care for her in the wilderness.

    Truth be told, he most likely harboured feelings for her since the time he heard she saved Mo Jing and Shu Qianqian''s life, her bravery perked his interest in her, but with his newly undiscovered feelings, it took him years to gather the strength to approach.

    Surprisingly, Mo Cheng always got the feeling Li Meirong kept her distance from him.

    Li Meirong casually sipped her tea.

    Now how do I get rid of him? Exasperatingly, the raven-haired lady was plagued by a new burden.

    ''Master, that''s not a bad idea! Then I can eat him, and no one would know!'' Chou was excited about Mo Cheng''s future prospects for entirely different reasons.

    "Pffft-" She sprayed her tea on Mo Cheng''s shirt.

    This plant would be the death of her!

    "I''m so sorry! Let me bring a cloth to dry you up."

    Mo Cheng chuckled and scratched the back of his head, seeing the girl so flustered was rather cute. "Don''t worry about it, it is no problem!"

    Li Meirong profusely apologized and rushed to deliver a towel. How embarrassing!

    ''Master, why are you always so clumsy? So beautiful yet so silly at the same time.''

    She wanted to choke this stupid plant right now!

    By the time Li Meirong returned, she saw Mo Cheng flipping through her accounting notes, an odd glint in his eyes.

    He laid the notes down and stared at her all the more intensely.

    What does this change of attitude mean? His reaction made her flabbergasted.

    She slowly approached and gently dabbed the cloth on Mo Cheng''s garment, making sure to keep her distance. Mo Cheng had other plans, he placed his hand on top of hers as he gazed straight into her eyes.

    His gaze was deep and profound.

    Oh lord, this is not happening!

    Li Meirong forced a smile to her face, she unclasped his hold on her and backed away.

    Bowing slightly, she kept her act of diplomacy. It was one of the skills she worked on the most in this era in order to survive.

    "Brother Mo, I am not an inner disciple but a servant. Servants are not allowed to search for their own spirit beasts since we are not even given the opportunity to cultivate. Fellow brother should find another partner to assist. I am not worthy."

    Abase yourself, it''s all good.

    ''Master, why are you always putting on a show? You are way more powerful than him, you should...You should eat him!..''

    This annoying plant again. Li Meirong ignored Chou.

    Mo Cheng''s passionate gaze changed to disappointment. "You do not have to be so reserved with me. I am a leading disciple of the sword sect, if I request to take you, no one would dare oppose."

    Heck, Li Meirong really did want a spirit beast of her own. She had to keep Chou in hiding constantly, it would be nice to trot around with a formidable force to be reckoned with!

    She cried inwardly, even if she wanted one, she couldn''t get one. All the beasts hid from her!

    "Please don''t press the matter, I am not worthy."

    Her rejection might have been polite, but it was a rejection nonetheless. Mo Cheng was a man not used to getting refusals. He did not handle it well.

    His eyes turned cold. He turned his back towards Li Meirong and his voice lost its pleasant tune.

    "Very well then, don''t come to me later regretting your answer. I will see you next time."

    Just as he was about to leave, he turned towards her once more, he seemed both upset and confused.

    "Before I leave, I wanted to ask...The notebook you wrote in, is it possible that you''re not from.." His words were hesitant as if he weighed them carefully before speaking.

    "No, never mind. It can''t be."

    In the end, the question was not asked.

    Mo Cheng flung his sleeves and dejectedly vacated the premises.

    Li Meirong exhaled soundly, she didn''t even notice her breath held back.

    It felt like he was going to unravel a secret of hers for a second there.

    After he left, Li Meirong snatched her notes, the book was opened on mathematical equations.

    How could he have recognized those? no one in this world has knowledge of such calculation.

    She quickly dismissed the strange thought.

    There were more important plans to consider. She absolutely did not want to journey with Mo Cheng, but she certainly did want to get her own spirit beast. She was considering who''s powerful thigh to latch onto now without having to break her head in dealing with them.

    Chou leapt out of her sleeve.

    ''I still vote for eating him! He''s no good, I tell you.''

 Chapter 38: Join Us

    Li Meirong sighed as her hand rubbed the chubby plant''s belly affectionately, making sure to avoid his gaping mouth.

    "If you talk less, nobody would think you''re deaf."

    ''Master, I''m not even communicating with you verbally..''

    Ugh.

    The young woman sat on her mattress, thinking of her options. She tossed the finance books aside, supporting her chin with both her hands in concentration. What could she do in order to quest for a spirit beast as her fellow inner sect disciples were preparing to do?

    At first, she planned on asking Shu Qianqian, but due to recent events, the idea got scratched out. Mo Cheng would get involved again. It would become a situation a tad too awkward for her liking.

    Requesting Mo Jing to join is also an unacceptable option, especially after she rejected his brother. Chao Dequan is less of a warrior than she was, with a label of a scaredy cat. Nope. It won''t do.

    Chou hopped made his way to the mattress and proceeded to jump on her lap. He cuddled her affectionately, twisting his thick vines around her slim waist. Sensing his master''s dilemma, Chou reproached.

    ''I still think we should have accepted the studhorse''s offer, then eat him after we were done.''

    Li Meirong''s dewy skin paled considerably.

    "Where did you hear that term before?!"

    ''¡­.Master, that''s what you called him once.''

    Chou felt aggrieved. Why was he getting scolded?

    Uh, so it''s her fault. She really should mind her words, Chou picks up on things fast.

    Not being able to come up with an appropriate companion to request as assistance, she decided to focus on what she''s capable of instead, currently her talent was to sleep.

    Together with her hidden spirit plant, she laid to rest for the remaining hours left tonight.

    Early morning, as Li Meirong fed the fish in the nearby pond and paddled her feet playfully in the waters, an unexpected answer to her plight arrived in the shape of her fellow outer sect disciples. She tilted her head to see their sage-like forms emerging from the orchard surrounding her cabin.

    There were not many servants in the bestiary division, but there were a few determined outer sect disciples, whose passion was this particular coalition. Since outer sect disciples were refused acceptance as core students, many disciples chose to be admitted for the next best option, servants in the division.

    Servant quarters were established for outer sect members, although all disciples had an opportunity to choose their living arrangements. Each member could build his own little roof over his head, as Li Meirong chose to. It was necessary for her primarily due to Chou jumping everywhere without care, yet she also felt fortunate for picking the harder path of staying in the sect.

    A senior pair of outer sec disciples approached. Not just any pair of people, but a cultivating wedded couple. They were known for their lack of involvement with the rest of their junior brothers and sisters, or so the rumours said. She considered their arrival most unexpected.

    Li Meirong removed her feet from the water in haste, stretching her dress fabric over her knees as she rose to her feet. She presented a respectful bow to her seniors.

    The man dismissed the bow. "No need. No need. We are of the same rank in the division."

    This couple appeared in their late twenties, reminding Li Meirong of how she used to look like.

    They appeared stern, especially the woman. She was not one who would enjoy a good joke. Her hair was tied in a neat hairdo, her eyes were long and slanted, giving her a cat-like appearance. Her hands folded in her sleeves. All she was missing was a pair of glasses and a mini skirt to complete the image. She could have passed for a typical librarian.

    The man had a gentler appearance to him, yet he also carried a strictness to his bearing. His aura yelled ''hard to approach''. He was growing a little beard down his chin, it emphasized his jaw structure, looking more defined. They were both slim, tall and complimented each other to perfection.

    "How may I be of service, senior brother and sister?" Li Meirong relaxed her posture, asking pleasantly.

    Seeing her subservient attitude, the couple lowered their guard.

    "There is a rumour in the sect about you, they say upon admittance, when you were in the wild lands, no spirit beasts dared approach you¡­We were wondering if such is truly the case?" It was the woman who spoke, she went straight down to business.

    Li Meirong''s eyebrows knitted in suspicion. She wondered who could have spoken about that event, the only ones who knew were her friends.

    Since the cat came out of the bag, she might as well admit it.

    "It was indeed the case, but how is that related to my seniors?"

    The senior disciple''s features brightened considerably after her approval of the rumour.

    The man held a fist to cover his mouth as he coughed lightly. "We want you to join us for the Thousand Beast forest expedition."

    Li Meirong asked, "You know I repel spirit beasts and you still want me to join?"

    Wouldn''t her coming cancel the whole point of the event?

    The man chuckled, his tone low. "We aren''t looking to capture spirit beasts, as outer sect disciples, we don''t have the cultivation or means to make a bond with them. There is a particularly rare herb in the forest that allows¡­Allows..." He couldn''t bear to finish his sentence as his face turned red.

    The woman glanced at her spouse and clicked her tongue. She shifted her gaze straight into Li Meirong''s eyes. "We have been trying to conceive a child for a few years to no avail. I am no longer young and fear of missing out this opportunity. There is a herb in the forest which helps with pregnancies. We don''t really have anyone else to ask, if you assist us with our request, we will owe you a lifetime favour."

    Li Meirong regretted not becoming a doctor, instead of magical herbs, she could have given them practical answers to this issue. It could be so many factors that a plant would not necessarily help with, however, this wasn''t her problem to solve.

    They might not be warriors, but siding with them would not put her in any complicated situation.

    "Alright, I will join you."

    All present disciples finalized their agreements. The descent of the disciples into the forest was to be conducted three days hence. They each had to prepare.

    Before departing, Li Meirong introduced her name appropriately, having forgotten to do so upfront. The couple let her know they were already aware of her identity, introducing themselves as Wei and Ying Yu. Finding their lack of surname mention peculiar, she chose not to broach further.

    Li Meirong returned to her cabin and began her daily chores of meal preparations. She asked Chou who perched on her shoulders as she kneaded the flour into dough.

    "What are your thoughts about my senior disciples?"

    Chou did not think much of them, but he didn''t think they were very pleasant. The pitcher plant answered.

    ''They smell the same.''

    "¡­." Said Li Meirong.

    Sometimes I have to remind myself that my truest companion in this world is really just a plant.

 Chapter 39: I Would Be Wary If I were You

    Li Meirong found her life in the sect rather convenient. Despite the hurdles of added errands, the occasional remarks regarding her body''s attributes, and unforeseen animosity from the leading forces in her division, namely the elusive grandmaster and his prickly succeeding disciple.

    Still, she found stability in her life. Not unlike how she used to live. In the beginning, the struggle for survival left a heavy toll on her soul, but her steady lifestyle and the simplicity of her schedule kept her content.

    The young woman wrapped her dough in a bundle of damp cloth.

    She waited patiently until the dough had risen and doubled its size, unwrapped the cloth and divided the dough into cup sized balls.

    There wasn''t much for Chou to entertain himself with lately, except for helping master with cooking or passing her the complaints of the plants in the garden when they were thirsty or ill. The carnivorous plant jumped on the tray where the dough had been placed and formed his own little dough balls, using his miniature leaves.

    Li Meirong grew excited at the prospect of finding another companion such as Chou, the corners of her lips faintly lifted upwards as she saw her pet''s foolish antics. Maybe she could acquire a female plant for him to hang out with? Or a formidable beast that would make others shudder with fear upon seeing it.

    In a way, it would be like expanding her family. She might not be able to have regular animals such as cats and dogs, but it doesn''t mean she can''t keep pets.

    Her fantasies went on.

    Chou glanced at his master stupidly grinning while preparing human food. What could possibly make her so happy about cooking?

    His master sure was strange¡­

    Li Meirong left Chou to attend the house as she assembled the unbaked bread into a small package. She delivered the package to the central kitchen place. The main chefs who were in charge of the heavy course meals greeted her amicably. She was in good relations with her fellow outer sect disciples, specifically those who dealt with the meals preparation.

    The main kitchens were filled with attending servants. Large bamboo steamers were positioned in the centre counter of the kitchens, stone slabs attached to the walls placed as counters. Each chef busied himself in front of a designated slab as they handled the preparations.

    Servants were either peeling, chopping or stewing vegetables. It was a rarity to find meat in the kitchens. Cultivators preferred vegetarian dishes, they were lighter and less harmful to their inner energy.

    A pleasant mixture of scents could be smelled from the ingredients used. The herbs and spices Li Meirong regularly contributed to the kitchens added a boost of aroma.

    A short plump woman wearing an apron went to greet the new arrival. As she saw the raven-haired girl carrying a bundle filled with dough, the girl''s smiling eyes and warm expression made the chubby woman grin unconsciously. She patted her hands on her smock, removing the leftover flour stuck on her palms.

    "Good to see you in such a cheerful mood! You arrived late with the dough, but we can still make it on time before we shut the stoves off for the day. Hurry and follow me!" The woman dressed in an apron scolded Li Meirong with a light note to her voice. She didn''t come off as intimidating at all.

    The chubby chef was young, yet she carried the tone of an authoritative figure. Her name was Bao Li. She was informally known as Li Meirong''s boss.

    "Yes, Miss Li."

    Li Meirong''s voice was clear as a bell. It unconsciously caused the chefs in the residence to tilt their heads and view the beauty. Her gentle countenance and soft feminine features were pleasing to the eyes and made it difficult to look away.

    "Stop ogling the girl and get back to work!" Bao Li''s command was sharp. Several youths quickly got embarrassed about getting caught and focused their eyes on the vegetables.

    The head chef led the self-conscious girl towards the inner stone room. A narrow row of stoves was situated and ready for use.

    Li Meirong arranged her bread for baking without delay.

    As she busied herself, Bao Li lingered to keep her junior company. The head chef leaned against the stone wall with her hands folded, her eyebrow lifted high in a provocative manner.

    "Well, aren''t you going to tell me what made you so happy? It''s rare for you to appear as cheerful as you do today." Bao Li was not only an expert at cooking and managing kitchens, but she was also highly observant.

    "It''s nothing important, really." Was Li Meirong''s meek response.

    Li Meirong handled the care of feeding the spirit beasts, while Bao Li handled the dishes and desserts of the division''s disciples. Bao Li was under the assumption that she probably encountered Li Meirong more than anybody else did in the division, the girl avoided going to disciples group gatherings and festivities. She kept to herself with those beasts handled under her care.

    Her first impression of the lass was not of an innocent na?ve girl. No. She definitely had a calculating mind, Bao Li quickly noticed the girl measured each of her words and actions.

    She put effort into her plain and subservient demeanour, but if one looks closely, they could tell it''s an act.

    Honestly, Bao Li considered Li Meirong an intangible existence. She was also aware of Li Meirong''s reputation as most others in the sect did. Being a furnace could have made the girl''s life very easy in the Forgotten Waters faction. There were not many like her to go around, with the majority of the disciples being men, she could have simply found herself a powerful cultivator to pair with in order to raise her own strength and prestige at lightning speed.

    Unexpectedly, the lass asked for a patch of land on a deserted corner of the island, away from prying eyes. She built a shoddy roof over her head and took over the practice of menial chores.

    Bao Li was well aware the girl had no clue about her charm, she seemed almost oblivious to her surroundings at times, at other times she came up with the strangest ideas, making her an even more peculiar entity. Like that thing she was calling a toilet seat the other day. The head chef thought this system she spoke of was too complicated to function, but who knows? It sounded better than the chamber pot.

    All in all, she couldn''t make much sense of this girl, the impression she provided outwardly didn''t match her actions.

    With Bao Li''s knowledge and her friendly ties with said girl, she didn''t hesitate to prod further.

    "Just tell me and I''ll forgive your late arrival." Bao Li smirked, causing her puffy cheeks to rise cutely as she bargained.

    Li Meirong glanced at her boss who looked younger than herself. She appeared like a cute girl resembling a squirrel with their face stuffed with walnuts.

    Bao Li may look young but she was by far her senior, having lived for over seven centuries. The head chef who remained an outer sect disciple all these years, due to her contributions in the sect was given a low-level cultivation method. Unable to make herself grow more powerful with the method, she could at least control her youth and live on for centuries thanks to it.

    Li Meirong consented to Bao Li''s pestering. She knew that if she won''t answer, her senior won''t let her off.

    "I found a way to join the upcoming quest at the Thousand Beasts forest. Soon I may come back to the division with my very own spirit beast!" She couldn''t retain her excitement and spilled the beans.

    Bao Li''s eyebrows furrowed, her happy expression turned sour.

    "Crazy child, without a decent amount of cultivation, there is no way you would be able to pair up with a spirit beast. The higher in rank the spirit beast is, the loftier your cultivation must be to match. If that''s not enough, it''s one thing to pass swiftly through the Thousands Beasts forest in a hurry to reach the sect, but to actually lurk there until you make a pact with one of those mangy monsters is a whole different story. So many disciples died in their attempts! You''ve gone mad!"

    The head chef disapproved her foolish idea. She was this close to bonking her head silly, to knock some sense into her.

    Li Meirong considered her words as she waited for the bread to bake in the oven.

    How did she make a pact with her spirit plant if she didn''t ever practice cultivation?

    The only conclusion she could come to terms with is the probability of the previous owner of this body practising cultivation! It didn''t add up that she was just a maid in the royal harem, maybe she cultivated in secrecy? This could explain the aura or powers mentioned.

    The good news was this meant she definitely did have enough cultivation to form a pact with a Spirit Beast, if only she will have an opportunity to find one.

    If she finds a really strong beast, she may even be promoted to an inner sect disciple!

    "Please don''t worry for my sake! I''m joining two other disciples, we will protect each other in the forest. My comrades are the outer sect disciples who are known for their martial arts skills, the married couple in our division residing in the southern region of the island. Besides, I never told you, but I practised a little bit of cultivation myself." She came up with a white lie, assuring Bao Li that she''ll be alright.

    Bao Li''s brows wrinkled further, clearly, she didn''t buy her story.

    But if the girl insists so much, what could I possibly do? The despondent head chef thought.

    "I am acquainted with your comrades myself. They do have a reputation in combat, despite being outer sect disciples, but something doesn''t feel right with them. I would be wary if I were you." Bao Li still worried about her foolish junior.

    "It will be fine! I promise I''ll see you soon!"

    The ladies made their goodbyes. Li Meirong went back home after she finished baking.

    Days passed by uneventfully. In a flash, the appointed moment for the spirit beast''s quest began.

 Chapter 40: Cat Agreed To Carry Her

    At dawn, Li Meirong met with her partners for the upcoming journey through the treacherous woods.

    The sky seemed coated with a layer of honey,providing them with a warm and bright feeling, as the sun rose higher towards the heavens.

    "Good morning, brother Wei and sister Ying Yu." Li Meirong called cheerfully to her companions as she caught sight of them.

    The seniors heard her greeting and walked over to her.

    "Good morning, junior sister." Senior Wei replied. Ying Yue nodded her head in greeting.

    Her seniors both wore light clothes, holding only one small cloth bag clutched in Wei''s hand. Since they had already practiced cultivation, it made sense that neither of them required food and drinks for the journey.

    Li Meirong felt overly prepared in comparison. She had sewn herself a backpack and enforced it with thin wooden planks for more durability. She made sure to bring several flasks containing water, and had stored them in her bag, along with an assortment of preserved meats, dried vegetables and a separately packaged loaf of bread.

    She also had a small pouch fastened around her slim waist. Chou was resting comfortably inside.

    The group had gathered near the stables of their division. Mounts were already lined up across the field near the edge of the island, saddled and ready for the journey. Most inner sect disciples were already gliding the distance on top of their mounts. A few of the outer sect disciples waited their turn to follow, hoping to try their luck in the upcoming quest.

    Unlike the cranes of Healer''s Peak, the mounts of the bestiary division were demonic felines.

    They ranged from big cats such as Tigers and Leopards, to overly large house cats, each with a coat of fur uniquely marked by a wide variety of colors and patterns. Some felines bore long sabre fangs, while others sprouted horns, or feathered wings. The domesticated cat demons were all twin tailed with long whiskers.

    "Let''s hurry on, the sooner the better!" Senior Wei declared. He made his way towards a yellow thick coated Amur leopard, decorated in black spots from head to toe. The big cat stood perfectly still, waiting patiently to be mounted.

    In one swift motion, senior Wei jumped on its back. Ying Yue approached the same beast, took her husband''s outstretched hand, and allowed him to help her onto its rear behind him. The Amur leopard crouched down and pushed off from the ground, swiftly ascending away from the island.

    Li Meirong watched the perfectly matched immortal pair flying on top of a spirit leopard, an image so striking that she couldn''t help feeling a twinge of envy creeping in the pit of her stomach.

    She impulsively muttered, "It must be wonderful to live life with a partner to share all your happiness and sorrow with."

    ''Master, don''t forget. You have me.'' Chou responded. Roused from his sleep, his voice sounded slightly raspy.

    "Thank you for staying with me Chou, I really appreciate it." She whispered back to her little pet. No need to clarify what she meant. His sentiment did make her feel better, nontheless.

    Li Meirong made sure Chou was safely tucked in her pouch as she made her way to the nearest mount. An especially enormous domesticated cat.

    The feline''s coat was a stormy grey with even darker colored stripes across its back.

    The cat lied down on the floor with eyes sealed shut as its face rested on its fluffy paws, the very picture of laziness. As she approached it, the pair of tails began slowly flicking left and right.

    She braved a gentle tap to its back.

    "Why are you bothering me, hmm?" It responded with a shrewd condescending voice, slurring through the end of its sentence. The cat opened one of its large almond shaped eyes, a striking vibrant green with a sharp slit pupil emerged.

    "I need to descend from the island, can you take me to the lower floor level?" Li Meirong asked as politely as she could. Her hand itched to pat the soft fur in front of her eyes, but she resisted for now. She had a soft spot for cats, having raised a few herself. They may come off apathetic and unfriendly, but it was only their outer shell.

    The demon cat gazed at her with its one open eye, assessing the girl carefully.

    "Are you stupid? Just go down on your own. You don''t need me!" It exclaimed as it shut its eye, and then proceeded to mumble, "...Pesky humans, bothering me when I''m trying to sleep..."

    ''This cat is rude! Let''s teach him a lesson, I''ll eat him up!'' Chou barraged her with violent suggestions.

    Li Meirong coughed loudly, choosing to ignore her angry pet plant. The cat let out an exasperated sigh as it opened both of its eyes this time.

    "Yes, what do you want now? I can''t help you."

    Some cats are inherently lazier than others and don''t care for orders. She had to coax it somehow.

    Her gaze hardened with determination as she boldly cupped the cat''s large head with both her arms and tilted it up.

    "How dare you touch me?! Hey! What do you think you''re doing?! Oh¡­Mmm¡­That feels good¡­" Outrage soon turned into a long, rumbling purr as Li Meirong rubbed her under the cat''s fuzzy chin and scratched behind its ears. It rubbed its head against her in eager satisfaction.

    "You have a lot of skills for a human. Good job, rub over there!" The cat turned exceedingly docile under Li Meirong''s fingers.

    She stifled a laugh at its quick change of attitude.

    ''Master, I didn''t know you were so good at coaxing spirit beasts! No wonder you captured my little plant heart when I met you.'' Chou shamelessly flattered her with lies.

    Since when did her spirit plant learn to lie so blatantly?

    As if! you just wanted to drink my blood!

    After appeasing the spirit beast with rubs and scratches, the cat finally agreed to carry her.

    "Fine, I shall concede to your demands. Just this one time." It bent over its front paws to let her climb more easily onto its back.

    Once they''d flown over the misty blue ocean, finally reaching their destination, Li Meirong quickly dismounted. She caressed its fur gently, and the cat responded by rubbing her face affectionately with its big fluffy cheek.

    "Seeing as you''re so incompetent, you may call my name when you wish to come back to the island. I am known as Cai Huise. Don''t forget it!" The cat arrogantly proclaimed as it leapt back into the air and flew away without waiting for a response.

    She shook her head with a knowing smile, turned and found herself standing right at the entrance to the Thousands Beasts Forest. A sense of nostalgia washed over her. Recalling that fateful day all those years ago, and the man who had carried her away from the brothel.

    No time to think of the past. There were people waiting for her.

    As if cued by this thought, Ying Yue''s voice could be heard from the distance. "We''ve been waiting for almost half a day now, hurry up!"

 Chapter 41: Its Just A Little Baby!

    "I''m sorry, I was held back!" Li Meirong apologized as she reached her senior''s side.

    She knew they were in a hurry to retrieve the rare herb, but was it really necessary to urge her in such a manner? She hadn''t taken that long to get there.

    With an accentuated tone, Ying Yue replied "Never mind. Let''s go. Follow me, my husband is waiting up ahead. We already know the herb''s location." She seemed evidently stressed.

    Li Meirong followed her close behind, as they both hurried through the woodland path.

    Once inside the forest, the shining rays of sunlight beaming from the bright blue sky dimmed significantly. The forest trees were monstrously tall, overshadowing the ground below. As usual, her so called aura scared nearly all the living creatures away. The sound of rustling leaves could be heard as pheasants scattered in fright as she passed by.

    Li Meirong hadn''t bothered to find out the full details of their mission. Her interests lay more in finding a spirit beast. She fully expected her personal task to be a challenge.

    Senior Wei''s tall shadow came into sight. He signaled with his hand for them to follow along.

    Li Meirong was not on intimately friendly terms with her seniors, and so their tandem walk in the woods fell into an awkward silence. The couple walked up front and she trailed a few steps behind them.

    At times, Ying Yue brought her lips close to her husband''s ear and whispered a few words. He would respond with a low voice.

    Li Meirong grew nervous, feeling alienated. She attempted to eavesdrop on their conversation, stepping slightly closer to them as they walked.

    However, the couple soon noticed her proximity and ceased conversing.

    Odd.

    They turned onto a curved path leading uphill. The trail strayed further and further away from the sect.

    Li Meirong began to notice her seniors walking faster, further ahead from her. She jogged in attempt to catch up, but they somehow still managed to keep their distance from her.

    Are they gliding?! How can they be so fast? She wondered incredulously.

    Chou''s childlike voice muttered after a long stretch of silence ''Master, I feel like we should eat your seniors.''

    Li Meirong scolded in a whisper "Can you stop trying to eat every person you see? They just need

    our help in retrieving a little herb."

    ''Fine. Don''t regret it later!''

    She sighed.

    She had been so distracted by Chou, that she hadn''t even realized how much further they had trodden uphill.

    The temperature grew warmer as the disciples ascended the unmarked path. By now, Li Meirong''s back was entirely drenched in sweat. Carrying her heavy backpack certainly did not help her condition.

    "Come on, hurry up! You''re quite slow!" Ying Yue turned back in order to berate the girl still lagging behind.

    "I''m on my way!" Li Meirong couldn''t disguise her annoyance. All she''s been hearing from these jerks is to hurry along!

    Just as she spoke, a small sharp object hit the back of her head.

    "Ow!" Li Meirong cried out as she clutched the offended spot. The impact didn''t cause severe damage, but it was strong enough to leave a bump.

    ''Master, are you alright?'' Chou asked in alarm.

    "I just got hit by something¡­" Li Meirong muttered. Her seniors were too far away from her to notice.

    She turned around and saw a little pebble by her feet. How did it even drop there?

    Glancing back, she spotted just off the very same uncharted path she walked through, a bleeding fox.

    Its fragile form lay sprawled on the damp earth, mostly concealed by a small clump of shrubs and bushes. Its snowy white fur was drenched in dark crimson tint, and drops of fresh blood dotted the ground around the poor creature.

    "Oh no, poor little thing!" Li Meirong cried out as she rushed to the fox''s side. With so much blood everywhere, it must have been half dead!

    She quickly and gently lifted the little cub onto her arms. The fox opened its eyes. Glowing, golden slitted orbs pierced through the eyelids, causing her to experience a peculiar feeling of deja vu.

    There was something so familiar about it! But she couldn''t pinpoint exactly what it was.

    The fox let out a small yelp, blinking its eyes and looking up at her with innocence akin to that of a newborn baby seeing the world for first time. Those puppy-dog-eyes gazed, along with the rest of its cute youthful canid features and fluffy, silvery fur. Seemed to reach in and touch her very soul.

    How could she not fall in love, then and there?!

    She felt her motherly instincts kicking in. It may not be a spirit beast, but there was no way she was going to leave this poor creature to die here!

    Noticing a deep gash across the cub''s back, Li Meirong made sure to avoid the wounded area as she adjusted its position in her arms.

    "Don''t worry little one, I''m not going to let anything happen to you." With a gentle voice, Li Meirong cooed the fox cub.

    ''Master, this thing has terribly bad thoughts about you! We should definitely eat him!'' Chou urged as he sensed the presence of the animal his master was holding.

    ''This guy is bad news! Bad news! Bad news!'' He insisted.

    "Stop it, Chou, it''s just a little baby!" She snapped finally at his incessant yapping.

    Li Meirong continued to cradle the fox pup protectively. Unbeknownst to her, the little fox''s mouth stretched wide into a devious smirk. The glint in his eye was barely perceptible in the darkness of the shadowy forest.

 Chapter 42: His Point Of View

    As Bai Qingyue "fell" down to the lower realm, he hadn''t expected to find himself in an unusual predicament such as this.

    He was no mere mortal, nor a low class demon, but a high god from the celestial realms. As such, his healing capabilities were unmatched. Not to mention, having been so thoroughly spoiled and lavished with attention befitting his status, by now his wounds were nearly gone. All save for the large aching gash still stretched across his back, and even that was already beginning to scab.

    He was usually a very level headed and calculating individual. He would plan his actions, consider consequences and weigh the risks. However, his wish to find his woman again led him to be uncharacteristically hasty, it seemed. He had acted rashly upon his desires, and now, recalling his foolish impatience, regretted not thinking of countermeasures for the difficulty he was now in.

    He stood on all fours. His snout aimed at the ground as his golden eyes gazed at a pair of fluffy white paws.

    How astounding it was, to find himself once again in the body of a winter fox...

    With only one tail protruding from his backside. He wasn''t even a spirit fox.

    Just a regular animal!

    Even cursing all the seven layers of hell would not be a hex sufficient enough to describe how wretched he felt in that moment!

    Bai Qingyue crawled through the overgrown berry bushes in which his slender fox form landed, until he reached a familiar looking path. Realization dawned upon him. Gloomy and dark. Overgrown trees and thorny shrubs, predators lurking in the shadows, patiently waiting for unsuspecting prey to pass by. He confirmed it with a nod of his furry muzzle. It was definitely the same place he stayed, before his mother ambushed him elsewhere in the woods. It hadn''t escaped his notice that there, where the healing springs were, the climate was cooler by far.

    He couldn''t help but wonder where he went wrong. He tried to organize his thoughts. He had been left with very little cultivation after having lost nearly half of his lifetime''s hard work from the lightning tribulation, as well as providing his bride with what remaining force he had had. Was it the lack of internal force which caused him to end up like this?

    He was a high god. Turning into a mere fox upon his descent was an unheard of disaster.

    Incredibly, he could have sworn he had already caught the girl''s sweet scent nearby.

    Had he reached the point of delusion?

    It seemed his unlucky circumstances were finally shifting to good fortune. Her unmistakable alluring scent grew stronger. She had to be near!

    The gods of fate worked in mysterious ways indeed. He needn''t even look for her, and his little "lamb" walked straight into his lap.

    There was a pair of older humans wearing traditional sect robes walking further ahead of her on the path, they appeared young, but their human appearance clearly did not match their true age. Bai Qingyue did not care to analyze them, he simply wanted to avoid wasting this opportunity to stick with the girl. He hurried back into the nearby bushes.

    With both paws he pushed aside the foliage obscuring his view and peeked his snout outside to observe.

    About fifty feet behind the other mortals, his little "lamb" came into view, in all her dazzling beauty.

    Knowing that time passed differently between the realms, he still did not anticipate how a mere few days could have made such a difference. Her once child like features had now transformed into those of a mature beauty. The scars on her face had disappeared, leaving not a even a trace of a blemish behind. Her pale skin resembled the smoothness and hue of a finely honed white jade. She now had a body of a woman having grown into herself, with an ample bosom, thin waist, and long, coal black silky hair spilling elegantly down her shoulders and back. Although her forehead was sweating and she stumbled occasionally as she walked, carrying a heavy looking sack on her back and a little pocket fastened to her waist, somehow, the girl still maintained a rather graceful appearance. She owned a pair of peach blossom eyes so dark they shined with a soft glow.

    He couldn''t help but stare at her in astonishment.

    Bai Qingyue may have lived for thousands of years, but he was a novice in the ways of love, having never experienced such a feeling before. He wished he could grab her and carry her away to his palace and be done with it. But he knew that under these circumstances, with so little internal strength left in his body, he had to first form a plan to fall under her good graces.

    She was nearing closer and closer to his hiding spot. His little fox heart pounded faster in his chest and his paws began to tremble slightly. He cursed this feeble body for succumbing so to nerves and excitement.

    Damnit!

    He had little time to spare. Thinking fast, he quickly grabbed a mouthful of berries from the bush and squashed them on his fur, smearing his body with it. He''d lost most of his cultivation, but he still had enough power to conduct simple tricks, producing an odor masking spell to hide the fruity scent emitting from the berries. He concentrated his remaining qi as he manipulated his body, and watched his own limbs shrink into a younger version of his animal self. Small fluffy paws with needle-like claws, big puppy eyes and a little dark nose. His transformation into a fox cub form was now complete.

    For the final crafty touch, he hurried to topple out of the bushes before his girl could notice.

    Taking care to lie on the edge of the path, he sprawled out on his belly as he emphasized his "heavily bleeding" back. Bai Qingyue closed his eyes and eagerly anticipated their inevitable encounter.

    One second passed. Two seconds passed¡­

    Time ticked by, yet there was no response at all.

    Could his woman actually be so heartless as to ignore a dying little cub in the woods? He would have to put in more effort than he expected in order for his plan to work.

    Slightly opening his slanted eyes, he tracked her whereabouts, only to notice the back of her lithe figure leaving his sight not long after she passed him by.

    A surge of irrational anger overcame him. All this time, his thoughts had been constantly occupied by her. Every waking moment, every breath he took had been filled with longing, to see her, to be near her, touch her again.

    And now, when the moment of truth finally arrived and they had their chance?

    The stupid woman left him behind!

    He was conveniently forgetting, of course, in his ongoing rage that he had failed to introduce anything regarding himself to the mentioned bride, except for his name, in order for her to recognize him.

    He picked a small pebble off the ground and hurled it at her without thinking. He felt a slight sense of satisfaction at the sound of the oblivious woman yelping in discomfort.

    However, that feeling was soon replaced by guilt. He now hoped the impact wasn''t too painful.

    Whatever the intention, his act proved successful, she quickly turned around. He resumed his carefully calculated position on the ground, and shut his eyes once more.

    "Oh no, poor little thing!"

    Her melodious voice was like music to his ears. Bai Qingyue sensed his body elevate as a pair of soft hands took hold of his limp body. His nose was being pressed into the softest, squishiest mounds he ever felt in his life.

    Oh. The sensation was so addictive.

    His paws rested on the tender pair of steamed buns. Having already experienced their softness once, it was hard to let go.

    He opened his eyes slowly. She stared at him with her beautiful, shimmering black eyes, her long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

    His mouth suddenly felt dry. A warm sensation began to spread from the depths of his heart.

    As they gazed meaningfully into each other''s eyes, he came to a fine conclusion.

    This situation wasn''t bad at all...In fact, he secretly wished time would stand still for all eternity.

    The snow fox cub let out the most adorable little yelp. He widened his slanted pupils, attempting to be the very picture of innocence as he fixed her with the most heart throbbing expression he could muster.

    Just watch as I get you wrapped around my little finger with my sheer cuteness!

    He may be acting a bit shamefully, but this was his future spouse. There shouldn''t be reservations between a husband and his wife, right? Bai Qingyue silently justified his actions to himself.

    His devious mind secretly plotted, Surely, once she was completely obsessed with him, he would be able to feel the sensation of her soft pale body whenever he so pleased?

    Her hands handled him with utmost care. She hugged him even closer and whispered near his ears. "Don''t worry little one, I''m not going to let anything happen to you."

    Woman, because of you, something is already happening to me!

    Bai Qingyue felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. Surely, she was trying to seduce him.

    His perverted thoughts came to a halt as he noticed her brows knitting in frustration.

    Then she spoke angrily. "Stop it Chou, it''s just a little baby!"

    The sweet moment shattered in an instant. His golden eyes darkened, now resembling molten lava, as his gaze picked on a murderous glint, the corners of his long mouth curling upwards into a chilling smile.

    Who, exactly, is this....Chou, hmm?!

 Chapter 43: Why Are You So Slow

    After the plant''s short argument with his master, he had to resort to giving her the silent treatment.

    Master is so foolish! he thought.

    Only when that evil fox eats her up, will she understand!

    Li Meirong wasn''t bothered by her spirit plant''s unresponsiveness. It was a refreshing change not to listen to him constantly talk about eating others.

    She instead focused her attention back at the cub. He blinked his big round eyes at her, making him seem all the more lovable. She gave him an affectionate squeeze.

    Chou must have lost his mind, to think this tiny baby could be harboring evil thoughts! Li Meirong thought as she shook her head in disbelief.

    Li Meirong assembled herself. She quickly got to her feet and, still carefully holding the cub in her arms, hurried back up the uncharted path. As soon as she came into view, her senior sister Ying Yue was badgering her once more.

    "Why are you so slow?!" She scolded.

    Li Meirong ignored the senior, for whom her dislike only seemed to deepen with every interaction, and kept her own steady pace. As she walked, she tried to brush off some of the dried "blood" from the little fox''s dirty fur.

    Ying Yue was about to scold Li Meirong again, when she finally noticed the wounded beast cradled in the girl''s protective embrace. She tugged at her husband''s sleeve to draw his attention to this new obstacle.

    Senior Wei glanced back, and reassured his wife. "Eh, don''t worry about it. It''s just a regular fox."

    They had to make sure Li Meirong would not receive any assistance, but it wasn''t like a little wounded animal could possibly pose a threat to two martial arts expert cultivators.

    The forest path grew darker still. No spirit beasts appeared. In fact, if there were any beasts of any kind in the vicinity, the travelers would have no way of knowing it. Not an owl''s hoot, nor a crow''s caw could be heard in the oppressive, deafening silence under these trees.

    The silence felt deafening. The rising temperature certainly didn''t help the mood. Li Meirong felt nervous, the further they walked, the more hostile the environment seemed. All that was missing from this perfect "scenery" were some witches and ghouls jumping from behind a tree to give her a heart attack.

    They had been walking constantly for more than several hours now, since her last stop since she picked up the fox. Li Meirong, who had only ever tended to her garden and dealt with cooking meals for the last five years, , found this hike particularly strenuous and exhausting. She felt as though she was back in the Wild Lands sect acceptance test all over again.

    Feeling as though her unpracticed body was being strained to its limit, and rather unnecessarily so, she decided to take a break and sit down, right in the middle of the trail. Her feet were incredibly sore, she was hungry and thirsty, and her arms and back ached as well from carrying her backpack as well as the fox cub''s now added weight.

    Transmigrating into a different world hadn''t changed her lazy personality. She was accustomed to comfort. If need be, she would go out of her way to achieve something, but only if it was absolutely necessary. Otherwise, why should she put any effort?

    In all honesty, this place gave her a bad feeling. She had wanted to get her own spirit beast, but at this point, she would rather backtrack and look for one in a friendlier part of the woods. Even when she met Chou, it hadn''t been in a creepy location such as this.

    After wiping the sweat off her forehead, she lowered the fox and settled it on her lap, making sure tp keep its back in as painless a position as possible. She was in serious need of a break, and she no longer wished to go forward.

    Enjoying a few moments of peace before the others noticed she had stopped walking, she couldn''t help but notice the cub seemed to be quite pleased, lying comfortably in her lap. It reminded her of the way her lazy spoiled cats used to act when they were contentedly sprawled on her knees.

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt she wanted to part ways with her seniors.

    The respect she felt from them when they had requested her assistance on this journey was long gone. She was doing them a favor, after all, helping them find this herb. Yet she felt now as though they viewed her as a burden, someone they were forced to drag along with them to the end of this trail. She may not have great physical prowess as they have, but they could have at least acted more considerate during their journey.

    She called their names in order to gain their attention. Enough was enough.

    "Sister Ying Yue, brother Wei!"

    They both turned around. She waved her hand over her head to help them spot her, sitting comfortably in the middle of the path.

    "This pest!" Both seniors whispered to each other.

    After coming to a decision, they made their way back towards the unruly girl.

 Chapter 44: It Wants To Eat You

    While she waited for them to reach her, Li Meirong opened her pack, grabbed the flask and gulped down several mouthfuls of water. Her thirst and fatigue causing her to forego grace, she drank so fast that water was seeping out of the corners of her lips, trickling down her chin and trailing its way down her pale neck. It really was incredibly hot, even as the sun was already beginning to set.

    Bai Qingyue stared hypnotized as the water droplets made their way down Li Meirong''s smooth flesh. How was it that even as she drank water so unceremoniously, she still managed to appear so enticing? His golden orbs darkened intensely as he stood on his hind legs and stretched out to touch his snout to her long, pale neck. His little pink tongue protruded and gently licked the water from her flesh.

    She felt ticklish and gently pushed the little fox away to make him stop.

    Realizing he must be thirsty, she took a little wooden bowl out of her pack, put it on the ground and filled it with water.

    "I''m sorry, you must be so parched! Here you go." She positioned the cub in front of the bowl and gave him a little gentle pat on the head.

    Bai Qingyue felt a vein on his forehead pulse with rage. He has never been treated like this before. The proud noble son of heaven, resorted to pretending he was a dumb fox, drinking from a bowl on the ground...Unheard of¡­

    He looked back up at his future wife, glaring her seductive jade like neck, which he just licked a moment ago.

    Her skin tasted so sweet, and her intoxicating scent assaulted his senses. She had an addictive fragrance to her, mixed with herbs.

    Yes, there it was. Her own special scent, perfectly complemented by the smell of Jasmine and Lavender.

    He looked back at the bowl of water placed at his feet.

    Fine.

    He will let this insult slide. he lapped the water with his tongue for a short while.

    There were more important matters to focus on, like this Chou thing she spoke to, or those pesky humans that were now heading their way to disrupt his time with her.

    Meanwhile, Chou unthreaded his pouch from the inside, and crossed his vines around his little chubby plant form to make his feelings known to his master. He always used that pose when he was moody, she knew.

    Li Meirong grabbed the flask''s cap, filled it with a bit of water, and handed it to her grumpy spirit pet. This satisfied Chou. He grabbed the cap with his leaves, and splashed the water on himself.

    Suddenly, sensing a murderous gaze filled with animosity aimed at him, his little plant body shivered involuntarily from a sudden chill in the air.

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes narrowed down as he spotted the plant as it emerged from the pouch.

    Oh, so this is the menace sticking to his girl, huh¡­.The thought boiled in his mind.

    It''d been many years since Bai Qingyue had eaten a vegetarian dish, but suddenly, he craved one!

    Chou had no eyes, but he could sense that powerful aura quite well. It was that fox! It was going to kill his precious plant body!

    Acting in frightened self preservation, Chou quickly threaded the pouch shut again to hide inside. He attempted to reason with his master again.

    ''I still think you should listen to me. This fox is especially dangerous! And these seniors...They''re no good, master. Chou is scared!''

    "Well, at least we now agree on one thing." She, too, started getting a bad vibe from her seniors, but she did wonder what was passing through her plant''s mind, who usually seemed so fearless, and had a habit of suggesting that he feast on those he disliked. His true form was as tall as an adult tree and he was, in fact, a carnivorous man eating plant. What could possibly make him scared?

    ''Master is stupid!!! We are in terrible danger! Boohoohoo...'' Chou sobbed.

    Li Meirong obliviously concluded; Chou was a very odd fellow. She shrugged as she placed her hand over the pouch Chou resided in and said. "Please quiet now, my seniors are approaching."

    ''Master, we have to escape while we still can. The fox wants to eat us and the senior''s aura is filled with malice. Not good, master.''

    She considered Chou''s telepathic words. The cub was probably just hungry and wanted to eat some meat, but as for her seniors? She waited for them to come back, and hoping that they could part under amicable terms. Otherwise, Chou would be her only defense.

    As she pondered this, her eyes staring focused at the ground noticed the finely crafted leather shoes of her seniors come into her field of vision.

    They towered over her menacingly.

    "What do you think you are doing right now?" Senior Ying Yue asked, a threatening hint in her tone.

    Senior Wei stood by her side, his brows knitted in a frown.

    Li Meirong lifted her gaze to stare up at them. Noticing their lack of cordial pretense, she replied, "Seniors, my body is not practiced in cultivation like yours is, I think at this point it would be best if we go our separate ways."

    Ying Yue''s threatening tone was no longer a hint, her next words were spoken with pure malice,

    "No. You will come with us whether you like it or not!"

 Chapter 45: You Are So Gullible

    ''That does it! Master, let me eat them!'' Hearing the senior''s response, Chou''s fear of the fox was abruptly replaced by a surge of fury towards the older sect disciples.

    Realizing she cannot part peacefully with her seniors, Li Meirong decided it was time to reveal her hidden spirit plant. They may have thought they had the upper hand with her, but little did they know she too had a few tricks up her sleeve. She unthreaded her pouch and lifted Chou out of it, holding him on top of her palms like a trophy.

    The fox cub sat silently at her side, shifting his stare from his "rescuer", to the tiny plant, and back to the vermin speaking to her. His gaze was deep and unfathomable.

    "I didn''t want to have to do this, but you leave me with no choice! My spirit beast will not hesitate to eat you if I give him the order. You better leave me alone, or face the consequences!" Said Li Meirong, trying to sound intimidating.

    Chou leapt to the ground, his size increasing with every passing moment, until his height grew nearly as tall as the ancient trees flanking the path.

    The senior''s eyes widened in astonishment. They knew she carried a spirit plant with her, but this one¡­ It was huge! Despite their shock, they both pretended to be unmoved by the plant''s impressive demonstration of power.

    Wei regarded the girl with a condescending smile stretched across his face, his arms were folded arrogantly over his chest. Senior Ying Yue matched his pose, so that she looked almost like a mirror reflection of his. Backs straight, an amused look on both of their faces, their immortal appearance and supposedly honorable reputation for belonging to a righteous sect clearly did not match their current countenance.

    Ying Yue burst into a fit of laughter, and pointed a mocking finger at Li Meirong.

    "Li Meirong, you sound so confident! Hahaha, you''re so gullible. You must have gotten accepted into the sect as a fluke. How can you be so foolish as to follow us blindly? Let me give you some advice for your next life. Don''t trust people so blindly! You think we came unprepared?"

    As senior Ying Yue finished her little speech, senior Wei took out a small wooden whistle that was hidden under his collar, and brought it to his lips. A warbling sound emitted from the whistle, and as if in response, a loud, monstrous, screech reverberated through the surrounding woods.

    The fox cub''s eyes widened in surprise. This trap was prepared well in advance and they seemed to be well informed about his bride.

    And so it was that under these circumstances, he finally learned her name¡­ It was a shame he had to hear it uttered by that vermin.

    Li Meirong noticed the fox cub moved to stand in front of her, taking a protective stance, his fur standing on end, and his mouth slightly opened, exposing little pearly white fangs. He emitted a low growl from deep in his throat.

    His whole posture looked a lot more adorable than what the fox had probably intended.

    She quickly picked him up from the ground and held him tight. She didn''t want the little one to get hurt again because of her mistakes. If anything happens, she would throw him into the bushes nearby and hope for his survival.

    Bai Qingyue felt quite miserable, shedding invisible tears for his damaged pride¡­ He didn''t even have a chance to show her his impressive figure, and she was already cradling him in her arms like a baby! But as for the predicament, he was not concerned. Li Meirong had a god''s cultivation. These pests would not pose much of a challenge even if they summoned forth the most colossal creature in this earthly realm.

    The girl holding the fox cub addressed her seniors. "I have never even spoken to you before you approached me. What have I done for you to decide to plot against me??" She sounded genuinely confused.

    Li Meirong wasn''t so blind as to think she had no enemies in the sect, but she assumed they would have been people she had at least interacted with before. Unless they were operating on someone else''s orders¡­ Could it have been captain Liang?

    Chou held his vines high up in the air, preparing to strike. Wei and Ying Yue still seemed unfazed.

    It was senior Wei who spoke next, "I will let you know, so your ghost won''t remain to haunt us. You made an enemy of a very powerful cultivator. He offered us a blood serum for our unborn child in exchange for your life. He even warned us about your spirit plant. You''d best surrender now. If you do, we will make your end painless." He sounded almost concerned for her well being, if only his words matched his tone.

    A rumbling sound could be heard from the south, gradually increasing intensity. The sound became clearer, it was that of the ground shaking and cracking under the weight of a massive force.

    From that same direction, trees were being torn down like mere twigs, as whatever was summoned by the whistle made its way through the forest.

    Sensing the impending danger, Li Meirong stopped hesitating, and issued her command in an urgent tone, "Chou, leap now!"

    Immediately Chou lifted his body high in the air and swung himself mouth first towards the enemy. He was by now a high ranked spirit beast, a low level cultivator would be no match for him. Ying Yue screamed in fright. she hadn''t expected such a huge plant to move with so much agility. One moment he was 30 feet away, and the next, his large gaping mouth was zeroing in on her head!

    Wei pushed his wife out of the way as he drew a small silver knife. It enlarged instantly to the size of a full blown sword.

    Chou narrowly avoided the slash of the sword. He leaped again at Ying Yue, while his long, tough vines coiled around the sword handle. No matter how Wei tried to slash at him with his sword, he was unable to cut Chou''s vines.

    Ying Yue, realizing that the tables had turned, knew she had to fish for extra time. Just as Chou was about to gobble her up she screamed, "Stop! Please stop!! We regret! Let''s stop this fight. I''ll tell you the truth." She knelt on the ground crying, playing for sympathy.

    That guy had told her the girl had a third rank spirit plant! A third ranked spirit she could easily handle on her own.

    This was clearly a higher ranked spirit!

    "Chou, don''t eat her just yet, but be ready in case she moves." Li Meirong''s voice sounded cold and detached. She''d gotten used to the common violence in this world, there was no longer any surprise in face of such circumstances. She didn''t take any chances, knowing that she would have been dead now, if the circumstances were different.

    Bai Qingyue had his paws resting comfortably on his new favorite spot in the world, as Li Meirong held him tight against her chest. The softness and comfort he felt, and the way his bride handled the pests made him both pleased and proud. She hadn''t even used his cultivation, and she was already making them beg on the ground at her feet. And well she should, being his woman!

    He even considered letting the plant live, seeing as it behaved so obediently. Little did he know, Li Meirong had no idea how to tap into the powers he bestowed upon her, and acted with the only means she knew to use.

    Senior Wei was entirely wrapped in vines, his sword already separated from his hand and dropped to the ground. An expression of utter defeat was plain to see on his face. Ying Yue cried miserably, her aloof and unapproachable demeanor shattered entirely. Her neat bun turned messy as her hair spread tangled all over her face, and her dress got dirtied from the soil.

    She spoke in between sobs, "M-my husband and I are blood related siblings. Our surname is Wu. W-we were shunned by our clan for our forbidden love, and with our strong martial arts background, we managed to get into the righteous sect. We kept our identity hidden and married but.."

    She stifled her sobs and continued, "When I bore the fruit of our love, the baby came out deformed! It was not a one time occurrence. We couldn''t very well request assistance in the righteous Forgotten Waters sect, and so we paid a visit a year ago to the evil Yuan Gui sect. It was a terrifying journey, but it was our only hope! One of their highest superiors approached us as soon as he saw us arrive. He knew a lot about you! When he heard the sect we came from, and especially our division, he quickly offered to make a deal. He told us about your spirit plant and special aura that deflects beasts and demons. He seemed to have been obsessed with you, and asked us to lure you to the top of the fire mountain looming over the Thousand Beasts forest, in exchange for a blood serum that would let us conceive a healthy baby. His name was Sheng Jing Wu, the Jiangshi master."

    After Ying Yue finished her confession, the temperature suddenly dropped down by several degrees. It became suffocating to breathe. A certain fox cub''s aura unleashed its might in a sudden rage. Despite becoming a mere fox, Bai Qingyue''s oppressive vibe of an immortal high god remained.

    This Sheng Jing Wu dares entertain thoughts about his bride?!

    How many lurked around her in his absence?

    Li Meirong was lost in thought, taking in all this new information and failing to notice the fox cub''s dark and snarling expression. Wu Ying Yue, Wu Wei, and even Chou, all subconsciously began to cower closer to the ground, in reaction to his increasingly bloodthirsty aura.

    It was that man from the wild lands, which Chou spat out while she had fainted.

    She''d completely forgotten about him, and figured their paths would never cross again. Meanwhile, he''d been seeking his revenge. Who knows for how long?

    Her thoughts were interrupted by a menacing presence that had just arrived onto the path.

    Its beady reptilian eyes were already locked on its target.

 Chapter 46: Master, Stop Being Lazy!

    When the enormous beast finally arrived, Li Meirong thought by the looks of it that she had jumped into a different world, straight out of the prehistoric era.

    It appeared to be some kind of horrifying, massive reptile, resembling a Komodo Dragon. Its body was covered with glistening emerald scales, tough as iron. As it opened its mouth and slipped out its long forked tongue, a twin set of sharp, enlarged fangs gleamed threateningly.

    "A-a fire drake!!!" Wu Wei hollered, hope reigniting in his eyes.

    Wu Ying Yue likewise, saw the drake and her lips curled into a triumphant smirk.

    She quickly rose from her kneeling position and backed her way towards her brother.

    "Bitch! Let''s see you handle a fire drake! Even high ranked spirit plants cannot survive the heat of a fire breathing drake''s flame!" Wu Ying Yue shrieked over the gigantic beast''s roar. She grabbed Chou''s vines and pulled, trying to untangle Wu Wei to no avail. Chou wouldn''t budge.

    Li Meirong stood frozen, shocked. She was too preoccupied with the drake to mind her conniving seniors. This lizard was close to the size of a Tyrannosaurus rex, and it did not look like it would answer to anyone or shared any alliance. She truly doubted it would spare them in an attack. A terrified shiver ran through her, leaving goosebumps all over her skin.

    The fox cub, who had been too preoccupied with plotting the murder of this Jiangshi master fellow, noticed Li Meirong''s sudden change in attitude and glanced up curiously at the girl''s fear stricken face.

    Why was she so scared?

    Li Meirong couldn''t be bothered to notice the cub''s peculiar expression, her spirit plant shared in her fearful worries.

    Chou thundered in her mind. ''Master, Chou will be roasted by this beast! Quick, use your phenomenal powers and take it down!''

    "...." Said Li Meirong.

    What phenomenal powers was he blabbering about?!!

    ''Master, stop being lazy!'' Chou urged further.

    "I¡­ I really don''t have any powers to battle a fire drake!" Li Meirong cried out in panic. Why was everyone expecting her to come up with magical solutions all of a sudden?

    ''Then what are we to do??'' Chou whined.

    Bai Qingyue''s mouth hung slightly open, his shrewd golden eyes already following the communication between Li Meirong and the plant nuisance. Although he could only hear her responses, it was simple enough to deduce the meaning behind the only partially verbal conversation. Of all the possible complications he could have predicted for the time Li Meirong spent on her own, her not figuring out how to use the godly powers he bestowed upon her, or even knowing that she possessed them, had never occurred to him.

    Even in an undeveloped world such as this, young children still practiced their knowledge of cultivation. She, however, didn''t seem to know how to tap into her own powers.

    He wanted to knock some sense into his silly woman.

    This wouldn''t do!

    The stupid woman clearly couldn''t be left alone, for even when given cosmic powers, she was still unable to fend for herself!

    He had to make sure there would be no more unfortunate incidents from now on, lest they separate again, and he will have to look for her soul in the netherworld.

    But there were currently more pressing matters to deal with. If she had no basic practice of cultivation, then that meant they were in serious trouble.

    Bai Qingyue wiggled his way out of Li Meirong''s grasp and jumped to the ground.

    She thought he wanted to escape for his life, and let him go.

    The reptile let out an angry roar, its jaws opened wide and a fireball materialized at the back of his throat.

    Instead of dashing away into the woods, the tiny snow fox trotted up to the man eating plant, his eyes glowing eyes emitted a deathly chill, unbefitting a small animal in the face of life threatening danger.

    Wu Wei and Wu Ying Yue took no notice of the fox''s odd behavior. Now that their aid had arrived, they waited for it to strike down their opponents.

    Seeing her companions in danger, Li Meirong forced herself to break out of her frozen shock. She slapped both her cheeks in order to snap her senses back to reality, discarded her heavy backpack, and rushed toward her fox and plant. The fire drake began to aim its fireball at the whole group.

    Chou titled his head downwards. His chubby body wobbled slightly in alarm as the scary fox reached him.

    Now he must deal with both a fire drake and a demonic fox?!

    Chou longed for the comfort of his jungle home. Being stronger clearly meant stronger enemies. Not worth it! Chou was becoming more like his master, preferring comfort over power.

    With a series of purposeful barks, Bai Qingyue instructed the nuisance plant on his part in his plan. He then turned around and dashed back towards Li Meirong, who rushed to meet him. He bit a mouthful of cloth from the hem of her dress and began "dragging" her off the path in the opposite direction of the fire drake.

    Understanding that the little fox wanted her to follow him, Li Meirong took off running, following the small fluffy creature. Bai Qingyue leapt forward and took the lead, letting go of her dress when he was sure she would follow.

    Li Meirong looked back at her plant spirit left behind, her tone urgent, "Come quickly Chou, or we won''t make it!''

    ''I''ll be right there, master! Remember, Chou is nimble, strong, agile, and amazing~!'' Chou sounded confident. His assurances calmed Li Meirong''s nerves a little as she followed the fox cub away from danger.

 Chapter 47: His Little Butt Moved About Like A Flying Snowball

    Meanwhile, Chou was feeling neither confident nor strong. But he had no choice! The little furry beast terrified him! He hurried forth with the task the evil fox left him with. He threatened that if he didn''t follow his orders, he would roast him under eternal flames! Chou cried internally at the very thought, believing every word. Boohoohoo¡­

    Chou had to make sure to follow through with the plan. He wrapped his vines around both the foolish humans that harassed his naive, and silly master.

    "What do you think you''re doing?! Let me go, you stupid plant!" Wu Ying Yue kept screaming as she felt Chou''s vines tangle around her body as they did for Wu Wei. They both howled in agony as the tendrils constricted around their waists.

    None of the humans knew what had been said between the fox and the man eating plant, but a second after the cub barked his commands, Chou grasped both Wu Wei and Wu Ying Yue with his vines and flung them straight into the gaping jaws of the fire breathing drake.

    "Let me out of here! Mmphhph!!" Whatever Wu Ying Yue said after that was nothing more than muffled gibberish, while her and her husband''s heads filled the drake''s open jaws. However, their screams could still be heard, as the flames pouring out of the giant reptile''s gullet slowly burnt them alive.

    The fire drake, whose mouth was suddenly stuffed to the brim just as he was about to blow his destructive attack, tried to swallow back his internal force and reabsorb the fireball into his body.

    But it was too late. The attack was already too far in progress to abandon, and it ended up blowing up in recoil. The fire Drake''s gargantuan body burst into smithereens, Wu Wei and Wu Ying Yue''s bodies burning to a crisp as they were engulfed in flames. The explosion was large enough to cause a small crater in the path, wiping out all the trees and plants in the area.

    In the distance, Li Meirong was blown forward by the explosion, her body flung against one of the still standing trees, knocking the wind out of her.

    She collapsed to the ground and coughed blood, her whole body in pain.

    She was covered in dirt, and warm slimy goo, which she could only assume was the fire drake''s remains. She lifted her face off the ground, pushing herself up with her arms, speechlessly taking in the wreckage caused by the explosion. It was already too dark to really see all of the damage, but she could see rows of gigantic trees, broken and bent, one after the other like dominoes. The air was thick with smoke, causing her to fall into a coughing fit. In the distance she noticed, near the path she ran away from, was a hole in the ground so large it seemed as though a meteorite had crashed into it.

    ''Master, I''m coming!'' Chou''s telepathic thoughts soon reached her as he got close enough. He shrank back to a miniature version of himself as he used the broken trees like jungle vines, swinging from one branch to another, until he reached her side.

    Li Meirong couldn''t help herself, she grabbed little Chou and brought him up to her face, rubbing her cheek affectionately against his plump body.

    Chou''s plant body heated up, and he used his leaves to push Li Meirong away. ''Stop it master, this is undignified!''

    Li Meirong giggled at his indignation. She was so relieved they made it out alive, for a moment there she really had thought that would be the end for them.

    Suddenly, she dropped Chou to the ground, cupping her hand to her mouth as she gasped. "Oh no, the baby fox!!"

    If Chou had eyes, he would have rolled them. He rubbed his little tush with his leaves after he fell so clumsily, and hoped nobody had seen that embarrassing moment. Why was she getting all bent out of shape anyway? Good riddance, said he! He jumped back up onto her shoulder.

    ''Master, forget that fox, he''s bad news. If you keep him, for sure he will eat you one day.''

    Li Meirong glared at him from her peripheral vision. "Stop it Chou, he''s one of the reasons we''re alive right now!"

    ''But I did all the work!'' Chou exclaimed, feeling unappreciated. He wanted to just be alone with his master. Why was she always trying to help other beasts? They weren''t even plants! Chou was most unsatisfied.

    Li Meirong sighed and rubbed her jealous pet. "Yes, you did. Good job, Chou. I''ll prepare a honeyed water brew for you when we get back home, alright? Now please help me search for Snowball."

    Chou grew even more upset. '' You think I will be so easily bribed with a snack?! Humph,Humph!, And what do you mean ''Snowball''? You already named him?!'' Chou wanted to wring his betraying master''s neck.

    Li Meirong, disregarding her plant''s raging complaints, continued. "Yes, I thought of it as I followed him through the woods. His little butt moved about like a flying snowball."

    ''.....'' Chou was at a loss for words.

    His master was really bad at naming things. He decided it was time to hit her with the silent treatment again.

    Unbeknownst to Bai Qingyue, he had just received a nickname that would follow him for the rest of his life.

    Li Meirong moved her sore limbs and tired body as fast as she could, moving stones and peering through shrubs, reassuring herself that the fox ran ahead of her, and therefore had to be alright!

    As she crawled around on the forest bed, searching for Snowball''s whereabouts, she began to notice a faint light shining through the edge of the woods, uphill. It was hotter than before, and the unknown source of light alarmed her.

    She recalled Wu Ying Yue''s words;

    "Fire mountain¡­"

    The sound of bubbling, boiling liquid could be heard from the direction of the glow, up at the edge of the woods.

    It was as she feared. In all of the danger and commotion, she had made her way to the fire mountain, otherwise known as an active volcano.

    ''Master, I think I sense the the fluffy beast. He''s up ahead, where the heat source is coming from.'' Chou''s voice resonated in her mind.

    Of course he was in the direction of the volcano¡­

    Of course he was!

    Li Meirong looked up at the skies in silent accusation, wondering why fate always insisted on dragging her into life threatening situations.

 Chapter 48: Follow Through To The End

    The woodland region grew sparse, as the land connected with the dark, smooth hardened ground, devoid of vegetation. Obsidian rocks were scattered across the barren earth while ashes drizzled from high above, showering the surface with a shroud of a dusty grey haze.

    Li Meirong feared for her little plant, knowing that flames can harm him more than anything else. She hid Chou in her sleeve since she lost her pouch, after discarding her bags when she ran for her life from the fire drake''s attack. Having finally reached the trail''s end, the sight before her eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

    She moved forward into the unfamiliar territory.

    A wall of blackness, created from dried stiff molten rock, appeared before her eyes. On top of the volcanic rock wall was a small surface of solid ground. Snowball''s little fluffy paws could be seen, dangling off the ground. The fox cub lied there, unconscious of everything around him, his white fur contrasting the horrific surroundings. Behind his limp body, was an enormous hole gushing with boiling, vividly bright magma.

    She had been walking uphill until now but the path in front of her required her to climb instead.

    Catching sight of Snowball''s limp form brought her into a state of panic. Without thinking, she reached for the dried slippery lava wall with both hands, which was warm to the touch. She bent down and lifted up one leg at a time as her palms groped around for any bumpy surface she could grab hold of.

    ''Master, please let''s go back. That crazy guy that wanted to suck your blood in the jungle is waiting for you to get there. How about we find you a new fox instead? One that would not think of eating you up, or stewing me? How about that?''

    Li Meirong knew Chou was right, this was a trap, her seniors confessed to it. She could only assume that while the explosion occurred, that vile Jiangshi master grabbed hold of her little Snowball and somehow, he also knew she wouldn''t leave Snowball to die. She didn''t pick him up just so a crazy madman could torture the baby fox to death.

    As she kept on climbing the slippery wall, her eyes filled with a glint of determination. Resolutely, she exclaimed, "I am not leaving little snowball alone!"

    ''Master, after five years together, Chou still does not understand you, sometimes you act like the most scared person Chou has ever met, and other times you plan on jumping into burning liquid fire! Make up your mind, Chou can''t handle this stress!'' The plant spirit vented incessantly.

    The wall began to burn her hands as it was scaling hot to the touch, as she proceeded to climb higher. Li Meirong could sense the skin on her palms slowly blistering. Beads of sweat coated her skin, and her voice cracked as she answered, "Chou, when you can avoid trouble, avoid trouble. When you can live in comfort, don''t look for trouble. But if you take responsibility for someone, you must be sure to follow through to the end!"

    ''....'' Chou stayed quiet. What kind of strange life philosophy is that?

    His master is clearly suicidal. Was she not also suicidal when she climbed right into his mouth?

    Li Meirong''s personality was shaped by her previous life experiences. Before, she would never have thought to risk her life so easily, but dying once has changed something within her. She also knew how awful it felt to be discarded by her nearest and dearest. Even her own parents left her, they were far too busy with work, and regularly left her to fend for herself since young age. She didn''t lack money and always had a roof over her head, but she didn''t have a mother to wipe her tears when she got hurt. She didn''t have a father to take her to her first day at school. No warm home-made meals were ever made for her when she returned home. Only her grandmother was there as a parent figure for her while she was still a child, but she passed away early. In her few years on Earth with Li Meirong, she taught her how to be independent. She knew all too well how terrible it feels to live life alone.

    Years after, her failed relationships were a lesson for what it feels like to be abandoned. After falling in love once with a person who cheated on her, she could never fully invest herself in a relationship since, always growing fearful of becoming too emotionally attached, of giving too much of herself. She had been burnt before and remembered the pain. Naturally, her lack of investment in a connection produced a series of failed relationships later down the road.

    Her sense of comfort was derived from her pets at home, the fluffy cats she took care of kept her loneliness at bay day by day.

    And now, when the wounded, bloodied little Snowball needed her help, would she turn her back on him like all the rest did to her?

    No way!

    Li Meirong''s hands finally reached the wall''s end, ignoring the heat and pain, she tried to find an object to grab hold of, but the floor was nothing but a smooth, burning surface.

    Coming up with an idea, she issued a command, "Chou, see if you can grab Snowball with your vines and I''ll jump down right after."

    ''Alright! Let''s do that and run away from here quick.'' Chou agreed. In an instant, his vines were already out and about to encircle the vile fox that latched onto his master''s heart, however, it was just at that moment when he felt a sudden excruciating pain. A sharp object sliced right through between Chou and Snowball, cutting down his vine.

    "Chou!!! Fall back right now!" Li Meirong screamed, after witnessing Chou''s vine getting sliced mid-air before it reached Snowball.

    ''Master, it hurts...Boohooo¡­''

    Chou''s anguish-filled cries echoed in her mind, he lost one of his vines and as a plant spirit, it would have felt like losing an arm for a human.

    "I''m sorry Chou, let me handle this, you stay back, alright?" Li Meirong''s voice slightly trembled, feeling remorseful. She was willing to suffer the consequences, but she hadn''t considered how those around her would be affected by her decisions.

    ''Chou will rest now and try to grow his vine back¡­'' The plant spirit''s voice gradually became softer and softer, until Li Meirong felt his consciousness disconnect from hers.

    Still hanging on the edge of the volcano''s outer surface, she lacked the strength to lift herself up for that one final step. A mass of smoke condensed in front of her eyes materializing into the shape of a tall and frightening, handsome man. He stood right behind Snowball, a triumphant grin stretched across his deathly pale features.

    "I knew you would come."

 Chapter 49: Hugged By A Large Snake

    Seeing the very same man she hoped never to cross paths with ever again, made Li Meirong''s eyes light up with fury. She clenched her fists in silence, reigning in her emotions.

    The Jiangshi master, otherwise known as Sheng Jing Wu, arrogantly stood upright atop of the active volcano. His pitch black eyes were like black holes, ready to consume everything in its path. The boiling lava behind him made the edges of his shadowy figure gleam. His contrasting dark robes and ink black hair cascading down his back, produced a terrifying image to behold, as the smoke from his materialization surrounded his being, like living essence.

    Sheng Jing Wu''s smile resembled that of an alligator. He lazily stretched his pale arm, and grabbed Snowball by his foot, dangling his body in contempt.

    "I assumed tricking you with those foolish sect members would be enough to drag you here, but who would have thought that a furry coat would do the trick instead. This is great! I do need a change of clothes though." His voice held a feminine tone, and his words were accentuated with a certain lilt.

    As if they were friends, talking about nonchalant concepts while drinking a cup of coffee together.

    Li Meirong bit her lower lip hard, calming her nerves.

    "Let. Him. Go." She uttered every word slowly and carefully.

    Sheng Jing Wu chuckled. Ignoring her response, he covered his mouth with his empty hand, in a nearly coquettish manner. "I see you have made your body appear rather pleasant to the eyes. Mmhmm, you look so much better than the last time I have seen you. Did you prepare yourself for me? I was planning on treating your skin, but it seems that you took care of it for my sake! It warms my heart to know that you have thought of me as much as I thought of you."

    As he kept speaking, it became evident for Li Meirong that the man was completely deranged.

    She spoke slowly, once again, her tone softened. "Please let the cub go, he has nothing to do with this."

    Her insistence and calm demeanour only made him all the more enraged, "Stop telling me what to do! You want me to let him go!? Very well!"

    He dragged Snowball by his foot right on top of the bubbling lava, in an evident threat.

    "No! Please don''t do this!" Li Meirong cried out, she tried to grab hold of the Sheng Jing Wu''s attention, "What do you even want from me?! Why go to all these lengths-"

    Shen Jing Wu cut her off mid-sentence, "Hahaha, I was going to make you mine, and you had your plant nearly devour me! Now, you ask me what do I want from you?! Let me tell you, no one has ever dared to make an attempt on my life. Women line up offering themselves to me, and you¡­" He pointed his finger at her to emphasize his point, his finger shaking with anger. "You tossed me away like trash! It would not be so easy to get rid of me!"

    Li Meirong blinked her round eyes. Once. Twice.

    She couldn''t really believe what she was hearing. Why did it sound from this deranged lunatic''s words, like he was the betrayed, discarded wife, and she was the womanizer who trampled on his feelings?

    Wasn''t he the one who nearly killed her, and was about to suck her blood dry, or make her some sexual slave for his sadistic pleasure?

    It seemed her relationship issues followed her transmigration¡­

    "I won''t toss you away! Please bring the cub over here. We did not really talk properly before, we have so much to discuss." Her approach towards the Jiangshi master changed entirely, her voice took on a pleasant tune. Seeing her submissive attitude made the demonic cultivator pleased. Heeding her words, he made his way casually towards Li Meirong, lifting her soft body easily with one arm closer to him, while still holding the fox with the other arm.

    "You should have acted this way previously, and I would have never resorted to plot against you. Let me tell you, that fire drake you blew up is a rare and expensive beast, but I will forgive your foolishness this time." Sheng Jing Wu said "dotingly", as his arm encircled her waist in a vice-like grip. His face was close to her ear, almost seeming like a lover, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

    Li Meirong did her best not to cringe, it was not that he was repulsive, he was quite simply horrifyingly scary in her eyes.

    She felt like she was being hugged by a large, venomous snake.

    She swallowed her saliva and replied, "Ahh, I''m so sorry about that! It was a mistake on my part, a mistake." He clearly only cared for the drake he hid in the woods and gave no thought to her seniors, who were manipulated by him.

    The best course of action would be to please this deranged man and to aim to escape once she grabbed hold of Snowball, seeing as he has no intention of killing her at the moment and knowing she couldn''t depend on Chou, left Li Meirong with no choice but to change tactics.

    Sheng Jing Wu''s fangs gleamed as he smiled, he dropped the furball heap to the ground as he grasped Li Meirong''s bruised hands. He stared, captivated by her long beautiful lashes and large irises, making her appear adorable to him. He noticed her delicate lips were chapped, her skin was dripping with sweat, and yet somehow, she was more alluring than the finest beauties who were clean, perfumed, and eagerly awaited his advances back at his court.

    Li Meirong attempted not to show weakness as her hands were grasped, but a painfilled moan still escaped her lips. Her skin was red and raw with small blister bumps, a resultfrom her climbing the scorchingly hot wall.

    She could feel Sheng Jing Wu''s hot breath on her lips, as he brought his face closer to hers, their noses nearly touching. He kept whispering, "From now on, I will take care of you, but if you dare displease me again, you know what will happen¡­" He ended his sentence with an undisguised threat.

    From an outsider''s point of view, all one would have seen at this moment was a passionate embrace between lovers, making their eternal vows as the awe-inspiring mother nature framed them majestically, bearing witness to their love.

    Bai Qingyue slowly opened his eyes, after getting knocked out cold by a snake-like man, all he could feel was a constant stream of agonizing heat. Finally regaining consciousness, such was the scene his golden orbs beheld.

    Li Meirong''s dainty lips were nearly plastered against the same demonic man''s mouth who captured him, as the man embraced her body.

    Coldness seeped through all over Bai Qingyue''s furry little form. He felt a chilling murderous rage, engulfing his blood, causing him to grow larger until his body reached twice the size of an average man. Still unable to transform into his human shape, he retained the features of a fox, now in its demonically huge, adult form.

    His elongated canine snout drew dangerously close to his prey. His muzzle, filled with sharp, glistening fangs remained open as he exhaled his breath onto the back of the ignorant Jiangshi Master.

    Li Meirong, bearing witness to the whole transformation, had her mouth hanging open in complete and utter shock.

    Her little Snowball just woke up and turned into a humongous Snowball!

    Sheng Jing Wu felt a hot flush of air brush across his neck, but he had no interest in looking back. After all, it was not an unexpected feeling, heat surrounded them here everywhere. It was Li Meirong''s stunned and silly expression, which made him feel that something had gone awry and alarmed him enough to turn his head around and see which disturbance manifested, only to gaze straight into the open jaws of an immense, silver-furred beast with demonically slanted, golden eyes, glinting with bloodthirst.

    A carnivore gazing at his prey.

    The beast roared, his voice was low and dangerous as he said, "How dare you touch my woman!?"

 Chapter 50: A Common Animal Would Be Better Than You!

    A man''s first reaction when encountering a life-threatening situation would be to cower. Even a man as formidable as Sheng Jing Wu, an ancient demonic cultivator. He was well practiced in the devil''s path, and already powerful enough to compete with a Nascent Soul early stage cultivator! At this point in his life, he was a force to be reckoned with.

    On this continent, even highly skilled martial arts practitioners would think twice before even attempting to cross paths with him.

    And yet, it was this very man, who felt his whole body grew taut like a strung bow, upon staring into this beast''s piercing golden orbs, without a speck of spiritual aura to him.

    Sheng Jing Wu''s deep set of eyes had lost their usual perceptiveness.

    Feeling apprehensive, his slate-gray skin turned into a chalk-pale shade. Unable to form a coherent sentence, he muttered, "Y-You are¡­.?"

    His question antagonized the furious beast, even more so. The silver-furred monster let out a deafening roar straight at Sheng Jing Wu''s face.

    Li Meirong felt the Jiangshi master''s hold release, his attention fully occupied by Snowball.

    She used the opportunity, and staggered towards "humongous Snowball". Her face portrayed exactly how dumbfounded this situation made her feel.

    She couldn''t help but entertain the thought that maybe, she might have jumped into an alternate reality, a world where she would be the protagonist, and a hoard of men would aim for her heart, somewhat like Mo Cheng had been living his life since they met.

    But the ones who seemed to aim for her never cared for her opinion. Two of them had their own harem, one of which was an insane psycho, and now...The third one is her little Snowball. A fox.

    Somehow, in all this mess, Chou stood out as the most reliable guy from the whole lot she encountered.

    How messed up were the people here, that a carnivorous plant made more sense than the others?

    Her thoughts halted as Snowball''s words echoed on top of the volcano.

    "I am her husband. How dare you place your filthy paws on her?! Don''t blame me for being impolite!" The massive fox threatened, lowering his hind legs in preparation to pounce.

    Sheng Jing Wu cast a quick glance towards Li Meirong as she made her way to the beast''s side.

    He frowned at her suspiciously, and couldn''t help but ponder. Do they actually know each other¡­?

    Li Meirong''s cheeks heated up as she caught sight of Sheng Jing Wu''s accusing stare. She couldn''t believe that Snowball just uttered that nonsense!

    What husband! Since when was she even married??

    He wasn''t even human!!

    She only just saw the wounded baby animal in the woods today, okay!? They''ve never met before!

    Chou was right, she got herself into a big mess.

    While she had a thousand words to say, she decided to keep quiet. This misconception might make the loony lose his obsession with her.

    Sheng Jing Wu misunderstood her expression. His mouth twisted into a sneer, "I see you''ve been very busy, slut! To go as far as to seduce a common animal! Tsk."

    Li Meirong puffed her red cheeks in anger and glared at Sheng Jing Wu''s nasty look. This guy had a lot of nerve!

    As embarrassing as the situation became, she still didn''t think this fellow was in any position to scold her!

    She held her chin high, and had her arms crossed in an arrogant manner while she berated him, "Even a common animal would be better than hooking up with you!"

    There''s only so much bull**** one can take before they lose it! Humph.

    Unfortunately for Li Meirong, in her rush of anger she had not considered what would happen when her opponent finally snapped.

    Sheng Jing Wu''s blood boiled. He clenched his fists in indignation, and his eyes glowed red, matching the vivid red snake pattern sewn on his black robes. Never mind the fox, after this insult, he had to murder this insolent girl!

    Bai Qingyue felt slightly disoriented, his body faintly swayed after hearing those words.

    His wife thought he was a common animal¡­

    Another little piece of his pride cracked with that realization.

    Yet her words elated him as well. She clearly has no feelings for this man.

    He was not even a rival!

    His long furry limbs shuddered in unexpected relief. How terrible would it have been if she had found herself a lover during the time he was in the upper realm? Then he would have had to kidnap her unwillingly!

    Catching on the snake man''s murderous intent, Bai Qingyue focused his attention back to his opponent. He wasted no time, lifted his front legs high in the air, and toppled Sheng Jing Wu to the ground.

    Sheng Jing Wu felt his head was spinning due to the impact. Not a moment after his body got pummeled onto the smooth, scalding surface, he rushed to focus his distorted senses and summoned his internal powers. Grey smoke engulfed him like a transparent cloak.

    Bai Qingyue snapped down his jaws on the man''s neck, but instead of feeling Sheng Jing Wu''s soft, tender flesh against his sharp fangs, he ended up clenching his teeth tightly.

    The bastard shapeshifted into smoke...

    Sheng Jing Wu would not have been Bai Qingyue''s match, had he even an ounce of his godly cultivation, but alas, he managed to expand his strength on mere tricks alone and his force was not enough to take the Jiangshi Master down.

    The only one who was capable of turning the tides right now was the oblivious Li Meirong.

    She saw Snowball clench his jaws on thin air, while Sheng Jing Wu made his body disappear into mist.

    Before she could even blink, the demented man materialized behind her. He grabbed her by the back of her collar and hurled her straight into the molten lava.

 Chapter 51: He Must Have Lost His Mind

    "If I can''t have you, nobody else will." Sheng Jing Wu remarked in an almost casual manner, while observing Li Meirong''s falling figure as she drowned in the sea of lava. Surprisingly, he felt a slight pang of guilt, stemming from all the years he plotted to have the woman under his grasp. However, it mattered no more. She had become tainted by another. He had no need for used goods. The humane emotion was soon extinguished. After practicing demonic cultivation for centuries, it was a rarity for him to feel anything.

    Meanwhile, the shapeshifting fox dashed rapidly at him. Sheng Jing Wu avoided the impact, turning into smoke and materializing in the distance.

    "Li Meirong!!!" The fox cried out, ignoring the other man. He stood at the place where she was only a moment ago. His eyes were downcast. He stared at the lava, completely at loss.

    It had all happened so quickly, leaving him without even a moment to comprehend that which had just occurred.

    Bai Qingyue felt his figure react in a way it never had before. His eyes started burning.

    He lifted a trembling paw and wiped his cheek, discovering a wet substance dripping from his eyes.

    What is this¡­?

    He had never shed any tears in his life. Now, he felt as though his anguish had been materialized, dripping down his face. His teeth chattered, and his legs were shaking.

    He knew she was his intended, he felt it with every inch of his being, but this physical and mental pain he suffered from now that she was lost truly took him by surprise. Surely, he did not know her well enough to become so attached? But why, then did it feel as though his whole world had collapsed from underneath him?

    With her sudden death, it could take eons until their souls would meet again.

    He thought that perhaps, they might meet sooner if he, too, would fall to the same unfortunate fate¡­

    Impulsively, he edged himself closer to the bright liquid flames. A scorching heat flooded his senses. The unfamiliar affliction devastated his heart, thinking of all the torment Li meirong must have felt as her body perished. His front limbs were already hanging in the air.

    Wait a moment¡­

    In the midst of his darkening thoughts, a familiar azure shade caught his eye.

    His sharp gaze locked on Li Meirong''s form. She was surrounded by the lava, yet seemed completely unharmed.

    His self destructive thoughts halted instantly along with his remorse. His eyes widened in amazement...

    Abruptly, he discovered his bride had unconsciously tapped into the powers he bestowed upon her, shielding her with the eternal flame of the blue fox fire.

    Pride swelled in his chest. As expected of his wife!

    Bai Qingyue sighed in relief and stepped a few feet backwards towards safer ground. Now all he had to do was wait until she came back, and then make her torture the wretched man with his gifted powers, preferably eternally. He''d find some corner at the edge of the world to leave Sheng Jing Wu to burn there forever.

    Unable to help himself, he uttered a low delightful snicker, that soon heightened into a maniacal laughter, relieving himself of all the accumulated pent up emotions in the process.

    Bai Qingyue''s whole countenance changed to that of a lazy demeanor. He casually laid on the ground and licked his fur clean, flipping his fluffy tail in impatience while waiting for his wife to settle her unimportant matters inside the volcano she fell into.

    Sheng Jing Wu''s brows knitted in confusion as he watched the fox''s face change between a whole variety of different expressions.

    Surely, he must have lost his mind!

    Meanwhile, he grew frustrated with the location he chose. He had grown accustomed to heat after years of cultivating, but the searing intensity of fire mountain finally took its toll on him. Beads of sweat formed on his pale skin as the specks of lava leapt out of the bubbling liquid, causing him pricks of discomfort. Yet, he chose to stay and view her demise, let this be the end of his obsession.

    Expectantly, he waited to hear the sound of her flesh as it sizzled and watch as her skin melted away.

    But, to his surprise, his predictions did not come to pass.

    His bottom lip twitched and his eyes flew open in shock, discovering the girl had once again escaped death''s grasp.

    Contrary to what he expected, he saw her engulfed in a blue flame, yet she did not burn from it, nor from the lava. The blue flame protected her as she descended deeper inside the molten liquid, until she disappeared altogether.

    "H-how is this even possible¡­" Sheng Jing Wu said. He stood still, completely in disbelief, looking at the volcano which consumed the girl, intact. What kind of powers could a girl who had never practiced cultivation possibly possess?

    Bai Qingyue perceived Sheng Jing Wu''s stupefied expression with intense satisfaction. His mouth stretched into a crafty smirk.

    He flexed his long claw and scratched his chin, recalling the man''s words, "If he can''t have her, nobody else will¡­"

    A new idea formed in the Fox God''s devious mind, he would make sure that everything Sheng Jing Wu ever owned would belong entirely to his wife!

    And then burn him with eternal flames, just for good measure.

    At that time, Li Meirong was unaware of her future husband''s plans. The entirety of Sheng Jing Wu would not only be himself, but a whole harem of evil sect women included.

    Sheng Jing Wu felt his fine hairs stand on edge as he noticed the fox gazing at him quietly. Its mouth stretched in an intimidating manner. He had a sinking feeling that this would not be the last he would see of it. After the fox''s prior screams of outrage, the silent treatment he received from it was even more alarming.

    But then again, besides a fearful aura, what else did the fox have? He must be a low level fox demon, only masking himself as a frightening entity. Sheng Jing Wu shook his head as if to clear it of these nonsensical thoughts.

    There was no way that girl would be able to escape the all consuming fire. The shielding skill she possessed couldn''t possibly defend her forever. Sheng Jing Wu was a rational man. He considered only what was possible. He would not have even dared to entertain the thought that the fox he had angered was a god, or that the girl''s powers were heaven-defying in strength.

    Impatient, he decided to cease his long wait, the lava had now reached a full boil and it would have been most inconvenient if he had to deal with the volcano''s imminent eruption.

    He proceeded to transform himself into a shroud of mist and disappeared without a trace.

 Chapter 52: Stuck In An Active Volcano

    Inside the volcano, her body was enveloped by a gentle, sheltering warmth. Brilliant hues of bright, shiny colours surrounded her. Li Meirong quickly realized that she was inside the boiling lava, and somehow she was still alive.

    She recalled how her heart nearly jumped out of her chest the moment she felt her feet lose touch with the ground. When Sheng Jing Wu unclasped his hold on her, she had not even a moment to breathe as her life flashed right before her eyes. She might have died once, but it wasn''t an experience anyone could really get used to. She thought of her unconscious little Chou perishing alongside her and the mysterious Snowball who shapeshifted from a little cub to an enlarged adult fox, roaring he was her husband...In the end, what would happen to him?

    Terror-stricken, Li Meirong shut her eyes, too scared to face her demise.

    As she fell, instead of encountering the feeling of broiling lava heat consuming her, she was embraced inside a soft, warm sensation. Her long dark eyelashes fluttered gently. The image of an ocean blue flame encompassing her alabaster skin greeted her sight. Her whole being was untouched by the liquid engulfing her, even her hair and clothes were left undamaged. Surprised limpid eyes assessed the surrounding area in speechless wonder.

    Meanwhile, Chou rested peacefully inside her sleeve, unaware of his master''s bewilderment.

    Dazed, Li Meirong thought back to one of the conversations that she had with Bao Li, the bossy chef of the Bestiary coalition and what she spoke of¡­

    The path of cultivation is one fraught with endless hardships and untold dangers. In order to become stronger, one must practice diligently every day in both martial arts and mysticism. A cultivator''s mind must be entirely clear of any distractions for one to be able reach a higher level of enlightenment and regulate their life force. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to practice without the guidance of a mentor. However, there are exceptions to everything. At times, when one is faced with a life threatening encounter, a hidden talent may be unlocked as an act of self preservation. Cultivators without a mentor may even attempt to put themselves in harm''s way on purpose, so that they might have the fortune of experiencing this miraculous event.

    At such times, a person''s internal energy may expand without practice, enhancing one''s abilities to a superhuman extent.

    When Li Meirong heard Bao Li speak of cultivation previously, her interest piqued. She had never learned anything about the subject.

    The mysterious practice of eternal youth, immortality and amplifying one''s capabilities.

    She could only read about those things in stories. Learning how to utilize her own internal energy for such purposes intrigued her, but Bao Li''s words had dampened Li Meirong''s enthusiasm.

    "Endless hardships and untold dangers, practicing diligently, life threatening situations¡­" Good lord, she wanted none of those! Li Meirong decided to go on a safer journey, cultivating slowly by caring for the spirit beasts in the sect. Eventually she might be granted a manual book to learn step by step just like Bao Li did. Maybe she will even be able to prolong her life¡­

    Those were her thoughts at that time. Now it seems, during her near death experience, that those powers others often told her of were finally discovered by her!

    But...now she''s stuck in an active volcano, how is she supposed to return to the surface?

    Li Meirong lifted her arms with some hesitation, noticing no fluctuation in her "blue fire shield" as she moved her arms into a swimmer''s position.

    It didn''t help, she was unable to "swim" her way to the surface. Her body felt too heavy, she slowly drifted lower still towards the bottom of the volcano.

    Suddenly, an inexplicably soft and gentle female voice resonated as she floated downwards by the lava. After five years in this world, Li Meirong no longer took any voices in her head for granted, or as some form of illusion.

    She concentrated carefully, trying to make sense of what the voice was saying.

    The soft voice was ever so sweet. An image of a demure, shy little girl could be fitting such a song-like sound. Is it possible that the volcano was speaking to her?

    ''....upid¡­''

    ''supid¡­.''

    ''...So stupid¡­.''

    "..." Said Li Meirong.

    She wanted to take back all her pleasant thoughts about the owner of this voice!

    Impulsively, she ended up mumbling her thoughts out loud, "Did I do something to offend this volcano?"

    The cute, girly voice grew clearer than before and in an obviously annoyed tone it answered, ''Who are you calling a volcano?! So stupid. Stupid stupid!''

    Feeling offended, Li Meirong wanted to cry but had no tears to shed. Why is she getting cursed out after nearly dying?! It wasn''t even certain if she could even make it out of here alive!

    All at once, she saw the molten lava dissipate by a nearly translucent force field. She passed through the invisible hold preventing the lava from reaching the bottom of the volcano and her feet connected with the moist solid ground. The blue flames around her vanished as soon as she was safe from harm.

    The bottom of the mountain was dark, wet and incredibly warm. It was an enclosed dwelling and the only light source was derived from the molten rock above her head.

    Li Meirong looked up curiously. She saw the whole "ceiling" was covered by lava, unable to spill further.

    "I erected a barrier, obviously. Don''t tell me you''ve never seen one before?" The owner of the girly voice spoke directly behind Li Meirong''s back. This time she heard her loud and clear.

    Li Meirong turned around to greet the mysterious fairy residing inside the volcano.

 Chapter 53: Dont Like What You See?

    She looked left and right, but couldn''t find anyone else besides herself. The lava illuminated the dark dwelling, well enough for her to see even the furthest reaches of the volcano''s surface.

    "Down here!" the fairy spoke impatiently.

    Li Meirong looked further below. Nothing but empty space greeted her sight.

    Honestly, when she first heard the voice speak to her, she thought it might be some type of resident guardian spirit, or maybe an ancient phoenix using this dwelling as their nesting grounds...

    "Lower!"

    Hurriedly, she shifted her vision to the moist earthen floor. Bemused, a pair of delicate eyebrows were raised as Li Meirong stared awkwardly at the "fairy."

    "What, don''t like what you see?" The "fairy" questioned, obviously frustrated. There was no other way to describe it other than what it was.

    A turtle.

    Li Meirong expected to find a majestic being, so she couldn''t help but feel a little disillusioned.

    The turtle was definitely female, it was obvious by the sound of her voice. Her body was of the darkest shades of brown, camouflaging well with the cave walls and the ground on which she stood upon. Her shell was of a ruby shade. It reminded Li Meirong of a bright metallic jewel. In fact, all of the outer shell was covered with pint-sized sparkling crystals, giving off the impression of a large shiny gem.

    Flustered at having her thoughts being seen through so thoroughly, Li Meirong waved her hands in denial, "No, I didn''t mean that!"

    "Yes, you did, it''s easy to tell by your expression." Remarked the turtle, her eyes narrowed as she assessed the "intruder".

    Li Meirong was quick to try to placate the turtle, "It''s not that I think less of you for being a turtle, I just expected to see a different type of-"

    "A phoenix, right?"

    "Yes! Uh-" Li Meirong blurted out thoughtlessly and realizing her upfront response, soon regretted it. It''s a fantasy world, fantastic beasts roam this earth, no? How come turtles roam around instead...?

    The turtle narrowed her eyes even more accusingly, her lateral matching red eyes were brightened by the ceiling''s light hues and resembled crescent moons. The sides of her pointy mouth curved downwards in an obviously displeased conduct.

    Li Meirong noticed the blaming gaze casted on her. The turtle was quick to anger and sharp with her assessment, giving the impression of a quick witted, sharp tongued miss. Seeing as they were the only two inhabitants in the area, with the exception of Chou, Li Meirong wanted to soothe the rising tension. She made a little awkward cough and apologized, "I''m really sorry, I didn''t mean to offend you. I was pushed down into the lava by an evil man, but I was protected by a blue-" As she attempted to explain carefully with a tender voice, she was once again cut off mid sentence.

    "I know what happened, no need to repeat it. I''ve seen it all." The turtle said in a condescending manner.

    "You do¡­?" Li Meirong was surprised, it''s not that she thought it was impossible, but how exactly did she see outside of the volcano if she was stuck right here?

    "Don''t tell me you think I''m just a regular turtle?! I''m a magnificent and fearless demoness! I have been cultivating here for a thousand years! Naturally I learnt a thing or two, I can easily gain information with the flow of the magma current." The turtle explained arrogantly and she lifted a brown reptilian leg and pointed at the ceiling, "This barrier was also made by me. For a human, it might take thousands of years to have enough knowledge and energy to maintain this level of complicated defense mechanism!"

    That did sound very impressive! Li Meirong delivered an appropriate response for the turtle, clapping enthusiastically, "That is amazing! You''re very talented."

    The turtle was finally appeased. Her aggressiveness significantly softened, but her arrogance, however, only heightened, "It''s good that you finally understand who you''re talking to!"

    She wasn''t lying, Li Meirong was truly impressed. For an animal to cultivate into a demon, they would need a high level of dedication and utmost concentration as they connect with the Dao. It was extremely rare for animals to be able to achieve such a level of high awareness, but once they did, they would become a force to be reckoned with! In comparison to spirit beasts, who are already born with awareness and spiritual aptitude.

    Li Meirong did not gain much knowledge of cultivation methods throughout her years in the sect, but whatever she could learn, she managed to memorize. She studied a few scrolls related to spirit beasts and animal''s cultivation, and knew that in this world, any type of creature was capable of a higher sentience. Trees, plants, beasts, humans, and even rocks. That''s right, even inanimate objects could attain awareness. Such items are often those who belong to an owner with a strong emotional attachment, for example, an item of great importance to a person, like an heirloom. The owner''s feelings could be absorbed by the item and the by-product of this occurrence could create a living entity from a lifeless object.

    Animals don''t need an outward force to necessarily assist them, perseverance and hard work was their key to success.

    Not only did this turtle cultivate enough to be able to telepathically and verbally communicate with the same skills as a spirit beast, but she even learnt fire attribute skills, somehow giving her the ability to process information through an internal connection with a heat source. She must be extremely talented to have the ability to create barriers powerful enough to prevent the natural elements for hundreds of years.

    Amicably, Li Meirong introduced herself, "I am a disciple of the Forgotten Waters sect and a bestiary coalition disciple. My name is Li Meirong. What is your name?" She proceeded to sit down on the damp earth, cross-legged as she waited for the turtle''s reply.

    "..." The haughty turtle grew silent and thoughtful, was a name really necessary? She could already manipulate fire and shield herself from all harm, living hundreds of years longer than her peers. What''s a name in comparison to such might?

    The turtle''s sudden unexpected agitation and silence made Li Meirong presume the problem.

    "If you don''t have a name, how about I give you one? I have a talent for it!" Li Meirong suggested cheerfully.

    The thoughtful turtle stared at Li Meirong''s good natured attitude and assumed no harm would come to her. The human girl''s friendliness made her more appealing. Her long black hair looked like tasty seaweed and her eyes shined like fine jewels. The girl''s skin was dirtied and bruised, but it was easy to see how shiny it could appear with a little polish. Most importantly, her lustrous mouth tilted adorably and its shade was of a splendid scarlet, a very pleasing color! Almost as beautiful as the turtle''s majestic shell, or so she thought to herself.

    The turtle''s thought drew on a different theory as well. She suspected the girl had a talent for emitting a certain type of charm, causing others to compulsively approach her. However, she was just offering to give her a name. It wouldn''t harm the turtle to receive one.

    "Alright, I suppose so."

    By the time the turtle learned it was a mistake to be so casually named by a stranger, it was already too late.

 Chapter 54: On The Edge Of A Great Discovery

    Li Meirong pinched her small and delicate chin with her thumb and index finger, her eyes glazed over as she contemplated the most appropriate name, "Let''s call you¡­.Feng Huang!"

    That was most appropriate, since Li Meirong first thought she was a phoenix anyway and the turtle drew her powers from the fire element.

    The newly named Feng Huang had her mouth hanging open. It was difficult to digest how the happy-go-lucky Li Meirong came up with this senseless choice.

    She''s a turtle, right? Why is she named after a bird?!

    "Uh, I''m changing my mind, who needs a name these days anyway?" She definitely did not need to be named after a damned bird!

    "Once a name is given, it cannot be taken back!" Li Meirong''s brow furrowed as she rebuked Feng Huang, who''s expression grew more miserable by the second.

    The ruby shelled turtle had never heard of this rule before.

    I got conned!

    "Feng Huang."

    "What?!" It was the turtle who impulsively answered now. Oh no! She already fell for this girl''s trick, now she''s really been named a Phoenix. Boohoohoo¡­

    I''m a proud turtle, damnit!

    Li Meirong finally broached the subject she wanted to ask from the very beginning as she once again felt optimistic, "Can you tell me how to leave the volcano?"

    She waited expectantly for Feng Huang''s response, her eyes glistening like obsidian jewels. Feng Huang was a turtle demoness who had cultivated for over a thousand years. Surely, she would know a way to escape this calamity!

    Feng Huang almost felt upset for handing off the bad news. Almost.

    "You cannot." She leered at Li Meirong, tilting her bobbly head to the side as she concealed a treacherous smirk and answered with utmost seriousness. There was no room for question by the tone of her voice.

    Taken aback by such a final and conclusive response, Li Meirong''s cheerful grin stretched into a long thin line. She refused to believe that she was now stuck here. She would starve to death!

    "Is there really no way?" She nearly cried out, feeling once again how helpless she was in this crazy world.

    "You have an impressive aura and your protective fire is not that bad, but I can see the heat of the internal energy coursing through your veins, you haven''t cultivated even a little bit, have you? There''s no way for you to escape from here, unless¡­" Feng Huang left the end of her sentence suspended. Her red eyes gleamed with greed.

    Wasn''t it known that cultivating humans carried many rare and sacred treasures? She could fool this youngster into giving her all her special artifacts, earning treasures without breaking a sweat! The girl should offer her some compensation, since she named her after a bird anyway!

    Li Meirong patiently waited for Feng Huang to finish speaking, hoping the turtle would have the means to escape and ensure her survival.

    "...You must give me all your special human treasures and I will part the lava for you to pass through!" Feng Huang declared, her high pitched voice taking on an even higher note, making it sound like she was squealing instead.

    Delicate slim fingers rummaged through large sleeves and checked inside the garment pockets, but alas, Li Meirong''s hands came out empty. All her belongings were inside of her backpack which she lost in the forest. Even if she had her things, her biggest treasure would have been her preserved meal.

    Li Meirong smiled wanly and raised her hands up in the air, showing she has nothing to offer. "I''m sorry, I''ve lost my bag in the woods, I really have nothing to give."

    Feng Huang roguishly went straight for the treat, she knew more than this girl, she won''t be fooled! "I will believe you only after checking your interspatial ring with my own eyes. Where is it?"

    "...I don''t have an interspatial ring." Dejectedly, Li Meirong answered honestly. Some of her fellow sect disciples carried interspatial rings, so she already heard of these precious items. Those mystical objects provided a storage space one could go in and out of as if it was its own separate world. They were highly valued and incredibly sought after. Only skilled cultivators possessed them. She could only wish to have an item like that, how easy would it be to carry food and comfort items whenever and wherever she pleased instead of killing her back every time she left the sect?

    Li Meirong was only a poor outer sect disciple, obviously she wouldn''t be able to possess such an expensive and unparalleled interspatial ring.

    Determined, Feng Huan continued to probe. Her senses told her this girl carried a ''metaphysical space'' and she was shrewd enough to fish the information out of her! "There''s no need to lie, I can sense it on you."

    "..." But I really don''t have it, Miss turtle Feng Huang!

    Li Meirong figured a visual proof may be needed. Long and graceful arms reached to grab Feng Huang by the sides of her shell, making sure to avoid the sharp crystals growing on the top of the tough shield. She placed her right on her lap, and began to fold her sleeves and unfold her collar, proving that she''s not hiding a ring anywhere.

    Meanwhile, Feng Huang turned slack jawed, thinking that Li Meirong was really bold to just go ahead and grab her so casually! But as she saw that the girl really did not have even one jewel on her, she ended up reluctantly believing her. Then where was the source of the heat surge coming from, if not from a pocket dimension concentrated with wealth?

    Now that Feng Huang was laid directly on Li Meirong''s lap, she could easily discern the heat from this girl was indeed very abnormal.

    Very odd.

    Yet the girl''s helpless expression proved she wasn''t hiding anything, so perhaps she was not even aware of what she owned?

    Feng Huang placed her reptilian leg directly on the skin of Li Meirong''s leg for better access.

    There was really something peculiar going on! On the edge of a great discovery, she sent her inner force to probe the makings of the girl.

    The clash of Feng Huang''s probing energy into Li Meirong''s internal energy caused an unexpected change to occur, for both turtle demoness and human girl!

    Li Meirong and Feng Huang''s environment instantaneously changed! Li Meirong blinked several times, bug eyed, she pinched her arm to make sure she wasn''t dreaming. She looked down and saw the turtle''s crystal filled shell. Her position was still the same. She sat cross legged with Feng Huang on her lap, but now, instead of a dark, damp and sealed cavern, they sat in a glistening field full of flowers in a spring like, daytime zone. They were surrounded by peach blossom trees in full bloom. Small, pink flower petals fell on Li Meirong''s dark and silken hair.

    In front of them was a majestic looking shrine, made of Ebony hardwood painted in auburn with ornate bells hanging across ornamental pillars standing tall on each side of the shrine''s entrance. Underneath the tiled roof was a golden board, on it was a carving of exquisitely written calligraphy writing. "Bai Clan".

    Intricate fat mutton jade carvings of foxes in all shapes and sizes were aligned all along the path of the shrine.

    It really seemed as though every little thing about this place was carefully planned. From the trees to the golden chimes hanging from the roof, and even to the awe-inspiring entrance. All of it was picture perfect.

    Li Meirong couldn''t believe her eyes, this was probably the most stunning and extraordinary looking place she had ever seen.

    "Hah! I knew I sensed something, I''ve never been wrong before!" Feng Huang soon went back to her self-important attitude, her ruby eyes glittered greedily as she swallowed her saliva.

    Treasure!

 Chapter 55: How May I Be Of Service

    Li Meirong stood up with Feng Huang in her arms. With one hand, she brushed off the accumulated fallen peach blossom petals from her hair and shoulders.

    The meadow was blooming with life. Not only with vegetation, but also little critters roaming and flying by. Butterflies, bees and mantises, just to name a few. On the field, she stood upon were a mixture of flowers and herbs, each more precious than the last. She wished Chou would wake up and teach her more about them, having a spirit plant who is able to communicate with others of its kind easily made herbal studies an easy subject for her. Unfortunately, he was still knocked out cold. From her limited knowledge, it was already easy to deduce this place was indeed a treasure trove.

    "Where are we? This place...It''s amazing." With evident awe, Li Meirong questioned as she stared ahead at the entrance of the shrine.

    This can''t be what she heard of, the "storage" place. This was an actual piece of land. Otherwise, how would it be possible for living organisms to grow here? Interspatial rings provided you with your own dimensional space, a place where you can leave important items and carry them with ease. It wasn''t an actual location you could live in and raise flowers!

    Feng Huang raised her long neck and looked up at Li Meirong''s pointy chin, she answered as happy as a clam, "We''re in your dimension!"

    Li Meirong didn''t take the turtle''s words seriously. Not only was it not a storage place, but it also couldn''t possibly be hers. She took notice of the signboard hanging from the shrine''s roof and murmured in thought, "It says this place belongs to the Bai Clan."

    Why did that name sound so familiar to her? She wondered if she had heard of it before...

    Feng Huang snorted, wiggled her shell left and right to squeeze herself out of Li Meirong''s embrace. She might have once been a small and slow animal, but now that she had become a mighty demoness, hovering above the ground was an easy feat for her!

    "We will change it soon, don''t worry. Let''s call this place the ''Feng Huang clan'' from now on."

    "...." This turtle really managed to leave Li Meirong speechless.

    With a shake of her head, she followed Feng Huang''s hovering turtle body towards what appears to be the shrine.

    As they strolled ahead, the floor level grew thick with mist, giving off an even greater air of mystery and wonder to the residence.

    They reached the main entrance. A door befitting a giant was in front of them and on top of the door were vines tangled and twisted around the whole establishment. White and purple flowers sprouted from the tendrils. It was a gorgeous sight, but it also indicated the place had not been used in a very long time.

    "I think this place is abandoned." Li Meirong mentioned in a soft tone.

    In full glee, Feng Huang grinned from ear to ear, "Not anymore! The new owner has just arrived!"

    The little ruby shelled turtle nearly skidded into the entrance hall as Li Meirong pushed open the exquisitely carved door. It creaked loudly. Definitely unused.

    In the hall was what looks like a lounge area painted in red and gold with a full tea set centered on a large, wide tree stump serving as a table, surrounded by the softest looking cushions on top of wooden chairs in matching colours. Lotus-shaped lanterns were hanging all across the halls, suspended in the air.

    Hesitantly, Li Meirong went to sit on one of the cushioned chairs, looking around curiously, still wondering where the hell she was. Feng Huang went to explore, no doubt looking around for whatever items she can take as her own.

    She noticed on the table was placed an empty beige tinted scroll. Curious, she reached her delicate hand to grab it.

    As soon as her fingers made contact with the scroll, it got filled with ink, characters formed and took shape on the scroll''s surface.

    With widened eyes, she read the written text aloud, "Welcome back, how may I be of service?"

    In response, she blurted out, "This is my first time here, where am I?"

    As if on cue, the characters shifted and new text formed.

    In your dimension.

    So it can hear what I say? Can it read my mind too? Li Meirong quizzically wondered.

    The characters changed once again.

    Of course, you created this dimension. It is a part of you.

    "...!!!"

    What is this monstrosity?!

    She flinched as she read this newfound discovery. Her hands shook and the scroll dropped to the floor.

    Taking in a deep breath, Li Meirong calmed herself down. She just got pushed into a volcano and met an animal that changed into a demon, what''s a dimension in comparison? No big deal! Just another day in her crazy life.

    Slowly, her fingers crept around the scroll. There were already characters written down this time.

    Please don''t do that.

    ...I''m sorry¡­

    That''s fine. How can I help you?

    She preferred to speak her wishes than have them read from her mind. She wanted to check the limits of this place. A while had passed since she last drank anything and the tea set seemed very inviting.

    "Can you prepare Oolong tea for me?"

    There was no written response, however, a kettle filled with hot water materialized on the table, with no hands holding it. The kettle gradually poured out its own contents into the teacup.

    Li Meirong brought the porcelain teacup to her lips and noticing the steam rising from the water, she blew over the tea to lower the temperature, taking a small sip. Sure enough, it was Oolong tea!

    Pleased with the result, Li Meirong probed further, "Can you prepare me a lobster dish?"

    Poof. Besides the teacup set appeared a plate filled with chef grade content meals.

    She asked for chopsticks and enjoyed her feast.

    After she was well rested, nourished and content, came the next request, "Can you bring me a computer or a cellphone?"

 Chapter 56: She Is The Ultimate Treasure

    Nothing materialized. The scroll was empty.

    Li Meirong tried again, "Can you bring me a computer or a phone¡­?"

    I heard you the first time. Um, I do not know what a computer or a phone is. Can you eat it?

    As if the dimension grew curious on its own, it began to question her instead.

    No! You cannot!

    She missed playing games, listening to music, and having information available for her a finger''s click away. It was those small things in life that made living more interesting for her.

    Li Meirong sighed. This dimension thought it belonged to her, but it obviously did not. She is not from the Bai clan and if it was anything that was created from her, would it not be aware of technology?

    She pitifully tried one last time, "Can you give me some headache pills?"

    The dimension felt its dignity was in jeopardy! The owner clearly looked upset. It had not heard of headache pills, so it came up with the next best thing.

    Poof!

    A small, ancient looking, dark blue, and slightly rusty object suddenly appeared on the floor. It looked like a closed mini cauldron but its shape resembled the kettle she saw a little more than the standard round shape of a pot.

    Placed on her lap was a package filled with different materials ranging from shiny crystals, small powder filled bags and pulsing electrical round balls

    Exasperated, she questioned the dimension, "What is all this nonsense?"

    Nonsense?! It gave her one of the best pill furnaces in the whole universe, filled her bag with high level spirit beast cores, preserved energy crystals and dried precious herbs mashed into powder!

    The dimension was extremely offended!

    "I just wanted some headache pills, take all of this back." Li Meirong placed the bag on the side and jumped over the little rusty looking kettle pot.

    The dimension wanted to cry.

    Li Meirong''s curiosity only grew further with this place, despite her disappointment. She decided to copy Feng Huang and look around. It didn''t seem that way from the outside, but once she went inside the shrine, it was evident that there were several floors to the structure.

    A row of sturdy marble stairs curled upwards to the second level, designed like a stairway in a fancy, european opera house. Li Meirong inquisitively checked the vicinity, finding herself in a gigantic library.

    The shelves were so tall that she had to procure a ladder in order to reach the books stacked on top. Heaps of ancient looking books, scriptures and bamboo scrolls were listed in alphabetical order according to topic and origin.

    Her wandering feet soon brought her to a stand, listed "Cultivation Practices And Manuals."

    After the reputation she''s been left with in the sect, her vision immediately drifted to the familiar term of a scroll situated on the right side of the shelf. "Dual Cultivation: How To Practice Safely."

    Embarrassed, she hurriedly averted her gaze and randomly grabbed a book nearby.

    It was a pleasant surprise to discover a scripture listing "Cultivation For Dummies: A Step By Step Guide."

    This was exactly what she wanted! Little did she know, it was not by sheer luck that she found the scripture. The dimension purposefully placed it right there as she was aiming to grab it.

    She sat down and engrossed herself in reading. She already knew some of the words so it made sense to her, and so she found it easy to follow the guidelines.

    After what seemed like a few hours of reading...

    Testing her newfound knowledge, Li Meirong sat in a lotus position, and cleared her mind of any possible obstructions. She guided her consciousness to focus on her lower dantian, the region which supposedly contained most of her internal energy. As if she was able to see into her own body, a vision of a barren pond surfaced in her mind. The pond was vast , but nearly empty of water.

    She reached out with her mind, feeling the flow of qi coursing through her meridians as she tried to circulate her energy back into her dantian.

    She was empty. There was so little energy flowing inside.

    Where is she supposed to draw her energy from if her very dantian is empty?!

    More than determination, it was her lack of knowledge and confusion which kept her going. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. Where did the blue flame shield come from? Where did this dimension appear from? Why does she have a strange aura? Why did her grandmaster call her a thief? All these questions surfaced, causing her muddled mind to unfocus.

    With her concentration gone, she sullenly surfaced her conscious self back to the present and blinked the salty tears away, only to notice a curious pair of blood red eyes staring directly at her. Feng Huang hovered her crystal filled body right in front of Li Meirong''s eyes, staring at her curiously.

    "Took you awhile¡­" By the time Feng Huang had noticed Li Meirong, she managed to check all the possible floor levels. Meanwhile, she even found a whole room filled with priceless treasure! There was only one floor level she was unable to reach no matter how hard she tried, as if it was cloaked by an illusion spell, she was only able to see it from the bottom floor, but when she flew over towards the location, it vanished.

    She was fine with that though, there was more than enough loot to plunder! Honestly, Feng Huang took pity on Li Meirong. The girl had the chopsticks, but didn''t know how to use it to grab the food. The girl brought her to this wonderland, so she might as well assist her.

    "Let me help you. Close your eyes and I will lead my spiritual energy to guide your consciousness until we find yours." Feng Huang explained as she raised her thick, dark turtle legs and placed it on Li Meirong''s pale forehead.

    Li Meirong followed her instructions and tried to focus her consciousness once again. A hot flaming trail appeared in her vision this time. She followed the path made by Feng Huang.

    At first, she reached the same empty pond she saw before, but the flame trail marked its path forward. She crept onwards.

    In the far distance, a blue flame could be seen glowing in the darkness, it seemed so far away, almost impossible to reach. No matter how far she walked, the flame didn''t get any closer. Li Meirong felt like she couldn''t go on, it was too difficult.

    "Don''t give up now! You''re almost there!" Feng Huang''s girly voice echoed as she yelled.

    She didn''t want to give up! But there was no way she could reach it. It was like staring at the Himalayan mountain peak when you''re stationed at the lowest point in the world.

    "It''s right there, only if you have the willpower for it, then you can reach it." Feng Huang''s trail ceased. It was up to Li Meirong to make the next step. Only she could do it.

    Distracted, Li Meirong thought of a western movie series she really enjoyed as a kid called Star Wars. Finding certain similarities in her situation with the characters in the movie, she regretted not naming the turtle ''Mistress Yoda''. It would suit her right now!

    As her thoughts jumbled up, the blue flame dimmed significantly and went further away.

    "Focus, stupid!" Feng Huang''s voice loudly scolded.

    Li Meirong bit her lower lip in frustration, thinking of the time Chou lost his limb and Snowball was wounded and covered in blood. She had to strive harder to care of her little ones! What if Sheng Jing Wu was waiting outside to kill her, will she await her demise, defenseless?

    Her obsidian eyes picked up a shine of determination. She forced her legs forward, step by step. It felt as though she walked inside quicksand, with the current flowing against her. It became harder to breathe. She could hear her heartbeat ticking faster as her consciousness reached into the furthest reaches of her spirit. Her heart pounded so furiously, she wondered if she would die before reaching the flame.

    As if the flame waited for her to embrace it, it glowed brighter.

    Meanwhile, Feng Huang who supervised Li Meirong''s body noticed blood began dripping down the girl''s nose and from the corners of her mouth.

    This stupid girl might really die! I told her to focus her willpower, not to fight herself, damnit!

    She was about to place her sturdy turtle leg back on her forehead, and tell her to stop before she kills herself, but a tantalizing smell halted her movement.

    Oh, it smelled so sweet!

    Feng Huang couldn''t help her greedy personality, so she stuck out her pink tongue and tasted the beautiful crimson liquid.

    Instantly, she felt completely rejuvenated. As if she drank from the pool of life! With every drop of blood, her body''s strength increased by heaps and bounds!

    Seeing the blood flowing faster, Feng Huang snapped out of her ecstasy.

    Li Meirong was a living pool of energy! In this entire place, she is the ultimate treasure!

    ''Turns out, I''m the stupid one!'' Feng Huang couldn''t believe her foolishness, she almost let go of the finest delicacy. In haste, she brought herself back inside Li Meirong''s inner life force.

 Chapter 57: You Must Have A Goal

    Using her spiritual powers, Feng Huang materialized a flame trail inside of Li Meirong''s consciousness once again. She followed the Qi''s heat source and discovered the girl''s soul about to tear itself into shreds.

    "Have you gone mad?! You''re killing yourself! Stop, stop, stop. I''ll be your strength. You don''t really need to cultivate anyway, there are other ways to attain immortality. I will just give you a few years worth of my spiritual powers." Feng Huang''s girly voice turned into a banshee screeching as she screamed in explanation. Seeing Li Meirong''s soul nearly evaporate stressed her tremendously!

    I just discovered my cheat-code, there''s no way I''m letting it get away!

    Expectantly waiting for Li Meirong''s form inside her consciousness to turn back and resurface, Feng Huang stayed behind. She had the powers to reach inside a person''s essence, but she couldn''t delve all the way through.

    She had to convince the girl to turn back!

    Yet, the girl chose to defy her expectations right now, of all times!

    Li Meirong stammered stubbornly as she pushed herself against her body''s current, "N-no. I''m s-sick of relying on others. I always end up getting used, and in the end, the one who stays h-helpless is me."

    Feng Huang wondered what encounters Li Meirong had in her life for her to feel this way. It seems the girl was not as dumb as she thought she was. It couldn''t possibly be...Did she discover her plans to use her body''s life essence for cultivation?

    Nervously, she responded, "Let''s talk this through, alright? Come back here now."

    Li Meirong shook her head. She felt as if her body was tearing into pieces. She wanted to give up already, but she was so close! The light was right in front of her. Why can''t she reach it?!

    Feng Huang sensed the dimension cracking, it was as though an earthquake large enough to consume this entire place had occurred. A deafening booming noise reverberated through the library. Several scrolls rattled and dropped from the shelves. It was obvious by now, this was no interspatial ring! This dimension was a creation of Li Meirong''s. Somehow, this useless girl who couldn''t cultivate produced such a grand treasure and now that she''s dying, the dimension would extinguish with her!

    Seeing as the stubborn girl kept ignoring her life-saving attempts, Feng Huang frustratedly sighed.

    Oh, the mess she put herself in! Naturally, if this girl dies, she would die too, seeing as she''s stuck inside her metaphysical dimension!

    "You must have a goal! What do you want the most in life!? What is it that you strive for!? Maybe there''s an injustice to fight or revenge to seek!" Feng Huang questioned, as calmly as she could, under her current circumstances. Actually, she really wanted to strangle the girl for jeopardizing her precious turtle life.

    Li Meirong extended her arms forward. Her palms were outstretched, ready to grab the flame as soon as she came close enough to it.

    She really didn''t need a psychology lesson at the moment!

    Still, Li Meirong couldn''t help but wonder, what was it she wanted most in her life?

    The world was filled with injustice, but who could she possibly put the blame on? There was no grand revenge to seek¡­.She simply didn''t want to be alone. She didn''t want to be discarded. She wanted a family, someone to always stick by her side and never let go.

    Everyday, Li Meirong woke up because she needed to. She worked hard because she had to. Even in her previous life, she couldn''t think it through as to what she "wanted" to do.

    Always finding ways to keep the loneliness at bay.

    At once, her bright limpid eyes noticed a familiar image as it suddenly visualized. It was a tall, handsome silver-haired man with a foreboding presence, cloaked in smoky shadows. Li Meirong recognized the vision, it was the same breathtaking man she met years ago. He stood in front of her as an apparition of her mind. His thin lips opened as he spoke, but she couldn''t hear what he said. His phantom hand reached for hers. As her rosy-pale hand connected with his ghost-like one, he immediately intertwined his fingers with hers. A warm and pleasant sensation took over Li Meirong''s soul, taking away her pain and providing her with utmost comfort.

    He vanished as fast as he arrived. Just as their fingers fully crossed against each other, his ethereal form disappeared altogether. In her hands now lingered the same blue flame she tried so hard to grasp hold of.

    Li Meirong panted heavily, her muscles felt sore and aching. The small flame in her hands grew larger and larger until it engulfed her from head to toe like a violent inferno, yet she felt not an ounce of discomfort from it. At first, the flame''s warmth could only be felt on the outside, covering her skin, but soon she sensed it coursing through her limbs in a soft and gentle manner. The blue fire merged with her flesh and was absorbed into her meridians.

    As the fire coursed through her body, Li Meirong became completely revitalized! In fact, she never felt as good as she did right now. She could feel her body remake itself anew and all the ailments on her body and soul had disappeared.

    Turning back, she slowly made her way out of her consciousness. On the way, she passed by the same empty pond from before.

    Her eyes widened in surprise. It was filled to the brim! A clear, translucent spring. The fresh liquid''s colours were like that of the tropical ocean waters. The lightest teal, aqua, and deep blue.

    Even clever Feng Huang was stunned speechless. After cultivating for a thousand years, her dantian had still not filled one-fourth of its capacity, not to mention her "pond" was so much smaller!

    How many cheats does this girl have?!

    For a second there, she was sure they would both die, and then suddenly¡­.Suddenly she turned from trash to a genius!

    Whatever Li Meirong had been eating, the turtle demoness wanted some of it!

 Chapter 58: Weird Looking Shape

    Li Meirong left her meditative state, her eyes were still shut as her consciousness gradually surfaced to shore. Feng Huang was already waiting awhile for her to come back, sitting on her lap and couldn''t help but notice that as soon as Li Meirong took control of her hidden powers, the dimension stabilized. It actually seemed brighter and better looking than before.

    The air turned thick with spiritual essence. It was a perfect place for cultivating! Feng Huang figured that if she were to cultivate here for a hundred years, it would be the same as cultivating outside for a thousand!

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong was waking up. Feng Huang''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she saw the heavenly aura emanated from the girl. All of her impurities disappeared, her cuts and bruises dissipated. Everything about her became altogether enhanced. Her skin picked on a healthy glow and her hair grew longer and darker still.

    This girl is some sort of¡­Some sort of goddess reincarnation!

    She must find a way to hug Li Meirong''s heaven-defying thighs!

    Li Meirong''s lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Feng Huang''s shimmering red orbs, staring at her in deep reverence.

    Well, this turtle did a one hundred and eighty degrees turn with her personality. The looks she received from her before were only of undisguised disdain.

    It felt great to gain some power!

    Li Meirong kept her thoughts to herself as she still felt incredibly thankful to the turtle and ended up grabbing Feng Huang and lifting her to face her at eye-level. She gave her a small peck on the top of her head in thanks, "Thank you for guiding me. I wouldn''t have been able to reach the flame without you."

    Feng Huang giggled nervously and covered her face with her stubby feet. "Don''t mention it! It was nothing, hehe¡­"

    Li Meirong felt her senses had heightened. She could see further, hear better. Her nose could even smell the herbs in the field outside. She placed the cultivation scroll back in place, and with one arm holding the strangely silent Feng Huang, she walked towards the shrine''s back entrance.

    This dimension had deemed her the owner, whether it was true or false, it now means she had access to this storeyed building.

    Now that the blue flames coursed inside her meridians, she felt power brimming in her fingertips. She wanted to stay longer and research, but she needed to escape the volcano, find Snowball, and escape from Sheng Jing Wu.

    She exited the building and walked nearby to a pond filled with giant red lobsters. A speculating eyebrow arched as she wondered if the dimension reshaped itself according to her demands.

    Shame it couldn''t provide her with a computer though¡­

    Shortly after, her footsteps halted as she discovered a good empty meadow to practice. Feng Huang was gently placed to the side, a safe distance away. Li Meirong went to the middle of the barren field and lifted her hand high in the air, pointing one finger towards the heavens in the shape of a gun handle. Following the beginner''s guide scroll instructions, she visualized her energy to focus on her fingertips and guided the Qi coursing through her body to condense into one area. A ball of fire emerged from her finger, blazing red and flaming hot.

    Li Meirong concentrated harder, envisioning a shape to the little mass of flame. It morphed itself into an arrow, and with a tap of her finger, flew straight to the skies!

    "That was easy enough!" Li Meirong happily thought out loud, and proceeded to experiment with her newfound abilities.

    If her fellow disciples would have heard her now, surely they would have coughed up blood from sheer anger due to her careless words.

    This time, she closed her eyes and envisioned herself covered by four impenetrable walls. Analytical thinking was never her strong suit, but creativity? She had tons of it!

    The wall was made of the toughest substance possible she could think of defending against the lava''s temperature. She covered the wall with the most indestructible, resilient titanium, and made several layers of walls, one against another. The wall changed and materialized physically into the shape of a rocket made of blue flames.

    Li Meirong opened her eyes and saw herself inside a see-through rocket made of blue flames. She sniffed the air and discovered a coppery, metallic smell.

    Interesting¡­

    Feng Huang who spectated this whole time was now sure of it! Li Meirong is definitely not human! And what happened to the flames?! They turned into such a weird looking shape!

    The most frightening of all her discoveries is that, for certain, Li Meirong''s cultivated energy had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment.

    She simply skipped the Qi condensation stage altogether!

    Feng Huang really wanted cry tears of blood. After a thousand years, she was still at the peak of Qi condensation and was unable to breakthrough the bottleneck in order to reach the foundation stage!

    Any cultivator would know that harnessing internal energy was in essence spiritual growth. Cultivation had its developmental stages, not unlike a mortal''s life cycle. However, some cultivators were never able to breakthrough and only a select few were able to ascend to immortality and join the ranks of the gods. Qi Condensation was the beginner''s floor. It had nine layers that must be passed through before ascending to a higher level. Each breakthrough between stages required innate ability, tremendous effort and a whole lot of luck! It wasn''t something you can just decide to skip through, alright?! Foundation Establishment came next, filled with all its nine layers, each more harder to break through than the last one.

    Oh, and Li Meirong? She just hopped from nothing to the end of the second stage! That''s what it meant.

    "Well, I think I''m ready! Feng Huang, I''m going to leave the dimension now, are you coming?"

    Li Meirong''s question made the turtle snap out of her daze. She hovered her way to the cheating cultivator.

    "Wait a minute! You must let me join you!" Feng Huang announced, her voice full of determination. She''s never letting go of this golden goose!

    Li Meirong looked at the sparkling, crystal filled turtle in contemplation. After a moment of thinking, an all familiar voice rang in her head, ''Master, don''t!''

    A tiny carnivorous plant hopped right out of Li Meirong''s sleeve and onto the dry meadow ground.

 Chapter 59: Chou Was "Upgrading"

    "Chou!!!" Li Meirong didn''t notice Chou''s warning as she was too busy getting excited over the fact her little companion finally woke up!

    Feng Huang''s ruby crystal shell rattled sideways as she thought at this point, there will be no more surprises, but another one just popped out of the blue!

    The hovering turtle saw how Li Meirong bent down and carefully picked up the little plant spirit from the ground right onto her palms with such gentle care, ignoring her existence entirely.

    The girl nodded her head and greeted the plant with sheer happiness. Obviously, they were communicating non-verbally.

    So, he was her spirit plant¡­

    Feng Huang''s darkened eyes resembled the shade of dried blood. She couldn''t help tasting bitterness at the thought. Oh, her treasure trove had already been plundered¡­

    In the meantime, Li Meirong was making sure Chou was alright. She enthusiastically jumped straightaway into telling him of all the events he missed out on. "Are you sure you''re fine? That vile man cut off your precious vine! Oh Chou, you don''t know what happened next, Snowball turned into a huge fox, defended me and then just when he tackled Sheng Jing Wu, the vile man disappeared into a puff of smoke! He popped up right behind me and dropped me inside the volcano!"

    Chou lifted a forest-green leaf from each of his regrown vines and covered his little body as if to hide a "gasp" of surprise. ''Oh no, master! How did you manage to stay alive??''

    Li Meirong rambled on, "Somehow when I fell into the lava, a blue flame surrounded me and protected me from it! Then I was absorbed inside a barrier underneath the lava which Feng Huang created and then next thing we knew, both of us ended up in this dimension! The dimension claims it belongs to me, but I''m not sure. It gave me food and drinks, but it couldn''t offer me headache pills or even a mobile phone! Afterwards I went to explore the rooms inside the building and discovered a library with heaps of cultivation manuals...Oh! And I finally cultivated for the first time, I nearly died trying. I owe Feng Huang a lot, she guided my consciousness when I was lost."

    Chou was already used to his master''s strange and uncommon vocabulary. By now he was familiar with her talking about peculiar devices such as "cars", "toilet seats", and now "Mobile phones." He paid it no heed. Li Meirong kept singing praises about this Feng Huang fellow, but Chou didn''t see any vermilion bird around.

    Ah, his master named another creature with her stupid ideas!

    He turned his green coloured plant figure around and glared at the sullen, floating reptile.

    The turtle stared back at him with what Chou could only describe as obvious envy. Aha, this turtle is bad news and his master is gullible enough to fall for her tricks.

    Not while he''s around!

    Ever since Chou lost his "limb" and had to rest, he worked hard to restore his missing vine. To his great surprise, as he continued to cultivate inside the dimension, he received a great boon and his spiritual level had ascended yet again.

    Chou also noticed the dimension his master owned was rich with spiritual essence, as expected of his master with her godly aura! If only she wasn''t so silly, she would have already been a cultivator with enough power, becoming a force to be reckoned with.

    Up until now, Chou could only communicate with other plants and Li Meirong, since she was his blood-contracted master. He was able to understand other''s speech but unable to speak back. As for his vision, he could only make sense of shapes and view other living organism''s energy flow, but not able to truly see.

    Now, it was time for a change!

    He turned into a high ranked spirit plant using Li Meirong''s special blood, capable of increasing one''s cultivation, and combined with the dimension''s rich spirit essence, it was only a matter of time for results to bear fruit.

    Becoming a high ranked spirit plant came with a lot of perks, it shouldn''t take too long for him to reach a human form with his unprecedented cultivation speed.

    Li Meirong brows knitted as she noticed Chou staying quiet while staring at Feng Huang. He did tell her not to include the turtle, is he going to make another huge fuss like he did with Snowball?

    "Little Chou, this is Feng Huang. Why don''t we add her to our little family, it will be more lively this way!" Li Meirong said, already showing her stance on the matter.

    Feng Huang moved to hide her expression. A mix of emotions clouding her ruby red eyes. She tried to use Li Meirong repeatedly, but wasn''t this girl the perfect example of a candle shining for others at the cost of its own life?

    Guilt piled up heavily in her heart. Honestly, Feng Huang never had a good impression of humankind, Yet seeing the way Li Meirong was treating Chou so generously made her want to be treated the same way. Joining others as a little family didn''t sound all that bad.

    As Feng Huang remained absorbed in her own thoughts, Chou was "upgrading" himself.

    Suddenly, a pair of pitch black eyes formed on the top part of his chubby plant body. A few centimeters below his eyes, a small hole grew bigger and stretched into a thin line. His "glare" turned into a physical display.

    "Chou objects!" Chou''s angry, youthful voice spoke out loud for the first time.

    Li Meirong couldn''t believe her senses, the little plant just grew a pair of eyes and mouth and talked!

    "C-chou you¡­"

    Chou''s thin mouth stretched further into a full smirk, "Chou grew strong enough to change shape!"

    "That''s amazing, little Chou, Good job!"

    The man eating plant teetered on Li Meirong''s palms, feeling proud.

    Li Meirong was astounded but also incredibly happy, she was brimming with tears of joy, as though her own child came back from school with a perfect test score. She knew that for spirit plants to have the ability to change their forms is an endeavor far more difficult than it is for spirit animals, and requires twice the work. It is considered exceedingly rare to encounter a spirit plant of such a high level as Chou. He was probably the only spirit plant in the sect capable of such a feat.

    But why is he so against Feng Huang joining?

    "Chou, this is great! I know you oppose this, but don''t you think now that we have both grown stronger, we should consider adding another addition to the family-" She tried to convince him once again but was cut off.

    "No, master! Chou knows that master is a little silly, so Chou will think for both of us this time. It''s bad enough that you picked up the evil fox, now you want this evil turtle too? No no no. Chou does not allow!" Chou had no eyebrows, but his narrowed eyes and the curve of his mouth were noticeable enough to portray his evident displeasure. He sounded an awful lot like a motherly figure scolding her unruly daughter.

 Chapter 60: Made Plans To Bully Her!

    Li Meirong sighed helplessly. She did pick Snowball up against his wishes already, and knew it wouldn''t be easy to convince the "little" plant, but she owed Feng Huang too much to give up so fast. Guiltily, Li Meirong attempted to study Feng Huang''s dejected expression, whose neck was aimed towards the ground, purposefully avoiding her line of sight.

    Not knowing exactly how off the mark she was in her judgement, Feng Huang was indeed dejected, but for entirely different reasons. It was the newly discovered emotion called guilt, eating away at her from inside.

    She lifted her short, stubby feet to her eyes, hiding the salty tears about to drip down her face.

    Sobbing tearfully, she managed to stammer, "I''m s-s-s-sorry...I have been dishonest!"

    Chou rolled his eyes at the charade the turtle was pulling, there is only so much people can fall for! He could sense the turtle''s thoughts before he even hopped out of Li Meirong''s sleeve. She just wanted to use Li Meirong as a blood supplier to get stronger!

    Chou didn''t consider that he once did the very same thing, after all, at this point, he was deeply attached to his silly master.

    Almost immediately, he felt his plant body get squeezed tightly against the hard crystal rock shell of the turtle as Li Meirong grabbed Feng Huang and himself in a tight embrace against her bosom.

    "!!!!!" What''s going on here?! Chou was fine with getting squished by Li Meirong, but being squeezed against this lying turtle was a whole different matter!

    "Master, Chou doesn''t like this! Let the turtle go!" There was no way he would tell his master to drop him and hold the turtle who wants to take his place. There is no room for her!

    Li Meirong glared at her spirit plant and reproached, "Chou, you have to stop acting so spoiled! Look, she''s already crying so badly." As she addressed the turtle, her tone changed to a soft, silken hum, cooing the sobbing turtle, "Shh...Shh...Calm down, don''t worry, it''s fine as long as we will all be honest with each other now, alright? Don''t cry. It''s going to be alright." Li Meirong coaxed Feng Huang to relax.

    Gradually, the turtle''s nerves calmed down and only little sniffles could be heard.

    It will most certainly not be alright! This turtle wants to take Chou''s place! Now instead of one Snowball enemy, there is another Feng Huang enemy! Chou thought he did not have an easy life. Not at all.

    "You better confess now to all your lies! Don''t think Chou doesn''t notice this bad charade!" Chou vehemently spewed out and wiggled his little plant body back and forth. Unfortunately for him, Li Meirong only squeezed them both tighter as she made her way back into the wooden, complex structured storeyed tower. After Chou got his precious plant body painfully pin-pricked by the red, sharp, rock edges several times, he ceased his attempts to leap out.

    Li Meirong went inside the building she deemed as a shrine and comfortably seated herself on a soft feathered cushion in the luxurious lounge.

    She summoned a cream-colored silk napkin and squeezed Feng Huang''s runny nose with one hand while she clutched both turtle and spirit plant against each other.

    After Feng Huang calmed down, she began to confess, "I wanted to rob you of your treasure, because the other cultivators I encountered always carried precious items with them. B-but then we went inside your dimension and I realized this whole place is peerless in wealth, and¡­well, I wanted to grab it too! But then¡­.Then you were dying and I ended up sampling your blood when you were in a meditative state. I discovered that you were one of those unique types of humans whose essence is spiritual. I did want to use you, but that was back then! In order to repent, I don''t mind giving you my knowledge of barriers, with it, you will easily be able to escape fire mountain, just...keep me with you."

    Li Meirong cast the moist napkin aside and beamed at the silly turtle, revealing a pair of cute dimples on her cheeks. She was already aware of how Feng Huang saw her as a tool to be used, except for her blood taken, none of what she mentioned came as a surprise. Feng Huang reminded her of the cats she used to own back when she first adopted them, they only demanded to be cared for. It took them a few months until they finally opened up and showed her some affection. Her past experiences taught her well, that feelings grow with time. Everyone is looking out for themselves at first, only after you start caring for others would you put their well being into consideration as well. Actually, she wasn''t angry at all!

    Chou and Feng Huang both stared at Li Meirong with avid anticipation, awaiting her verdict.

    Gently patting the turtle demoness''s crown, Li Meirong''s faint smile left her companions momentarily dazzled by how beautiful she has become with a simple tilt of her scarlet lips.

    She thought it would be for the best if Chou and Feng Huang stayed safely inside the dimension, she didn''t want to jump into the lava with a pair of critters in her arms. What if they burnt to death?

    Oblivious to her charm, the raven-haired girl explained her plans, "It''s all in the past, I am really not mad at you! Let us be true friends from this moment on. Actually, I''m uncertain as to how strong my shield can become, so if you can lend me your barrier, it would be all the better. Let''s benefit mutually! It also seems as though this place is suitable for your growth. Since this is now my dimension, both of you should stay here and cultivate. Become fearsome monsters and get along with each other! That way, no one would be able to bully us in the future, how does that sound?"

    Chou''s new pair of button eyes widened in astonishment. He couldn''t believe it! After his master discovered she was being used, she still didn''t care! Oh, the amount of work he had piled up with such a master¡­

    Relenting to her obvious acceptance, Chou ceased his attempts at shunning the selfish turtle.

    Unbeknownst to her, Li Meirong''s casual words ignited a flame inside her companions'' hearts. They must strive to become invincible! Knowing their master is a silly, gullible girl without knowledge of how to use her powers made them even more determined to get stronger.

    Chou''s hostility subdued. He needed to have more confidence in his master! He was her first and most important family member, it''s not as though anyone can jump in and take his place, right? Besides...If Feng Huang joins, he would be her senior! Humph humph, she better behave! If not, Chou will not hesitate to inflict familial punishment!

    Meanwhile, outside, on the volcano''s surface, an impatient fox thought of which type of flavor would best be suited with a vegetarian soup.

    Li Meirong made quick preparations to head out, she ate another meal of seafood, cleaned her dirtied robes and made sure that Chou and Feng Huang had every comfort they required. She made a blood pact with Feng Huang in the same way she previously did with Chou.

    Feng Huang placed her thick earth-colored foot on Li Meirong''s forehead and transmitted the knowledge of her barrier. Li Meirong discovered it was rather easy for her to perceive and master newly acquired skills. She quickly grasped the makings of barrier creations. Now that her dantian was full of spirit force, she wondered what else could she be capable of?

    Snapping out of her thoughts, she made her farewells.

    "Remember, get along and take care of yourselves. I will come get you once I reach the sect, alright? Be good!" Li Meirong hugged both of her companions affectionately, one at a time.

    Chou jumped up and down and Feng Huang nodded her small round head.

    Li Meirong exited the "shrine" and went back to the same location she first arrived from. She sat back with her legs crossed and closed her eyes. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she focused her mind, forcing her consciousness out of the dimension''s space.

    Both contracted pets watched their master''s figure slowly disappear while she sat in the blooming flower field. Scattered peach blossom petals encircled her condensed aura as her skin turned transparent.

    Shortly after Li Meirong dissipated, Chou''s subservient demeanour abruptly switched to a spoiled, unruly young master. "Now that I''m in charge, you must do as Chou says! There is a library to clean and ponds filled with Shrimp and Lobsters to care for. We''re not just going to use master''s generosity without reciprocating. Time to tidy this place up! And also, you better find a proper skill to hone because master works hard at the sect and will need our assistance!"

    "..." Feng Huang was at loss for words.

    She felt like this spirit plant has already made plans to bully her!

 Chapter 61: She Named Him Snowball!

    The volcano became more ferocious by the second. Bai Qingyue shrank back into his cub form in preparation to greet Li Meirong. He distanced himself from the furthest edge possible in order to avoid the boiling liquid specks. He huddled into a ball, trying to hide from the scalding lava as much as possible.

    It was uncertain how much power he had left in his meager little body. Unable to wield spiritual powers, reduced to a common animal but powerful enough to shapeshift in size and was able to speak to mortals. Does it not mean that he had become a spirit beast? A very low grade one at that.

    This won''t do. He can''t bear to take back the spiritual powers he had given Li Meirong, but for him to cultivate to godhood now would take far too long! He needed to find someone strong and temporarily¡­ "borrow" their accumulated cultivation.

    His little bride had already made powerful enemies, he shouldn''t stay a helpless fox and let her battle without him.

    After losing his godly strength, Bai Qingyue had become susceptible to natural disasters, but there was simply no way he would descend the mountain on his own. After all, she was still here!

    White fluffy ears drooped down as distressing thoughts swam through his mind.

    What if something happened to her? She should have already risen out, what could have possibly held her back?!

    Bai Qingyue, the most cold-hearted, detached sovereign lord under the heavens had become a furry ball of anxiety.

    Instantaneously, his golden eyes were glued to the transpiring changes inside the sizzling volcano.

    The liquid fire parted into two!

    Between the separated waves of lava, levitated Li Meirong, surrounded by the blue foxfire and a nearly translucent, shimmering barrier emitting a soft light around her.

    Thin, round eyebrows knitted in a frown as her eyes were shut tight in concentration, her long, dark hair floated around her jade-like skin and bright coloured robe, framing her feminine shape. Li Meirong''s whole appearance glowed vibrantly and groomed spotlessly.

    Bai Qingyue was awestruck. In all his life, he had never seen such a beautiful image. As though he witnessed a phoenix reborn from the fiery flames, the impression would be seared into his mind for eternity.

    A feeling of relief soon flooded over Bai Qingyue. She was completely unharmed!

    Li Meirong might have made a pretty picture, but her nerves were absolutely on edge. Practicing a shield is one thing, but putting your own life on the line made the situation truly unpleasant. When she managed to escape the lava, she decided upon a new rule.

    From this moment on, avoid dangerous men and hide from trouble!

    Li Meirong opened her eyes the moment her soft leather shoes touched the ground. She had no time to focus before a small round shadow bounced over, straight into her arms.

    "Snowball!" Li Meirong cried out. Her vision sharpened and noticed the white-furred baby fox she found in the forest before. Snowball grasped her waist intensely with both of his small, fluffy paws, holding onto her for dear life.

    Li Meirong lifted him up and encircled him in a tight embrace. She wasn''t certain what had happened to him after she fell into the lava, he was left to deal with Sheng Jing Wu and stayed in this dangerous location. She figured Snowball would have either ran away or had gotten himself killed by the demonic cultivator. Seeing him safe and sound made her feel as though they battled the storm and managed to survive the calamity.

    Bai Qingyue snuggled comfortably in her arms.

    Feeling her warmth against his, his heart finally felt at peace. He couldn''t help but think of how all his choices were totally worth this moment.

    But...what is this "Snowball" she''s talking about?

    As if to emphasize his thoughts, Li Meirong reassured herself verbally, ruffling his fur while walking with the fox in her arms to the edge of the mountain in preparation to climb down, "I''m so glad you''re safe, little Snowball."

    W-who are you calling little Snowball?! This woman can''t be serious!

    A sudden fear gripped Bai Qingyue.

    Don''t tell me she named the sovereign lord, celestial Fox God governing an entire heavenly realm-

    "Snowball, be careful now." Bai Qingyue''s dreaded thoughts got cut off as Li Meirong''s sweet voice called him once again, confirming his suspicions.

    She placed him on her back before she bent and climbed down the rocky mountain.

    What could Bai Qingyue possibly do? It''s not as though he would kill his own wife for her insolence.

    Still, she named him Snowball!

    He mustn''t let anyone else find out!

    Pouting the whole way down, Bai Qingyue didn''t fail to notice that Li Meirong''s aura has grown stronger. She finally took control of the powers he invested in her. Now, he had to simply find a way to care of his own cultivation and bring her back to his palace.

    After reaching the bottom, Li Meirong hastily retraced her steps towards the forest. A few hours likely passed, it must have been sometime during the middle of the night by now. She hoped Sheng Jing Wu thought she was dead and would bother her no more.

    The further they went from Fire Mountain, the chillier it became. A thick fog made it even harder to see further. It was even darker and more frightening in the forest at night. The only sound made was of Li Meirong''s footsteps as she walked. She wished to reach the safety of her wooden cabin already. She felt scared of bringing trouble to herself, but it was impossible to see! Li Meirong concentrated her inner energy on her fingertips and summoned a bright blue flame to light their path.

    Meanwhile, knowing now that Snowball was not a simple fox, she felt the need to discuss a few subjects. She grabbed the fox cub from her back and hugged him against her chest. His golden eyes gazed at her adorably.

    "Little Snowball, are you a spirit beast?" Li Meirong asked curiously, gently easing into the conversation.

    There were a lot of spirit beasts in this forest, she wouldn''t be surprised if he was one. It would also explain how he could change his shape at will, like Chou did.

    "...A spirit beast." I''m a god, d*mnit.

    "The evil cultivator you tackled before, what happened to him?" This was what Li Meirong wanted to know the most, her breathing got quicker, agitated by Snowball''s upcoming response.

    Snowball''s answer grew thick with disdain, "Hm. He scurried away, the vermin." But I''ll take care of him soon enough.

    Li Meirong giggled lightly at his response. She hadn''t expected such a lordly and domineering answer from a baby fox.

    "That''s good, really good! I''ll take you to my place, little Snowball. I don''t have much, but I should be able to treat your wounds. Everything that happened was my fault and you got dragged into my mess. I''m really sorry about that." Li Meirong sincerely apologized. By now, she was already used to communicating with animals the same manner she did with humans. It didn''t matter if they were spirits or demons, they needed to be treated with the same amount of respect as everyone else.

    "Your troubles are my troubles." The fox cub curtly replied.

    Bai Qingyue lifted himself higher to reach her cheek before he stuck out his tiny pink tongue and gave her a "reassuring" lick.

    Silly woman, there is no need for apologies between husband and wife.

    Li Meirong held a hand to her cheek where she just felt Snowball''s wet tongue, the sensation made her slightly embarrassed.

    Awkwardly, she asked the next question, "W-why did you call yourself my husband?"

 Chapter 62: Tribes Extinction

    Golden eyes covertly glinted with the glow of a blue fire. Bai Qingyue''s gaze had turned deep and unfathomable under the cover of darkness, a certain air of intimacy could be felt between the soft-spoken girl and the mysterious fox cub.

    There was so much to be mentioned that a simple explanation couldn''t possibly describe all the reasons for what he said.

    In the end, the fox opted out with a lie. Suppressing his turbulent emotions, his pupils widened and his voice sounded monotone, devoid of feeling. "It was the only thing I could think of at that moment."

    Seeing the little fox''s innocent expression, Li Meirong believed him without hesitation. Her voice was but a whisper as she sighed in relief, "Oh, so that''s why...I was worried for nothing."

    Bai Qingyue''s gaze darkened to an unnerving abyss of an endless night. His paws clenched into tiny fists, restraining his nerves.

    She believes his lies so easily and sighs in contentment. Was it such an insult to be married to him?

    It''s not as though he could easily explain to her the curse passing down through every generation of Bai clan members, making it only possible for them to become attached to only one soul in the entire universe.

    The curse only works in one direction. The fated person of a cursed clan member wouldn''t necessarily possess the same form of attachment towards the cursed person.

    He has to tread carefully with his little bride.

    Having only one person to be soul-bound to in the entirety of existence only sounded romantic on the surface. In actuality, it was anything but.

    The celestial Bai fox clan had always been a desirable and powerful tribe to make alliances with. Known for their might, beauty and prominent family status filled with ancient history, there have always been gods and goddesses of all realms lined up waiting, if only for an opportunity of catching a glimpse of their visage.

    Eons ago, the Primordial Sovereign Fox Lord of the realm was the cause of the terrible curse. He was a distinguished god, peerless in his powers and intelligence. A truly perfect and unique existence, if not for his womanizing ways, he would have remained as one of the top among the most renowned heavenly lords. Apparently, it was not enough for him to have just a harem of a thousand concubines, his lust was seemingly endless and he always sought to conquer more.

    One of his conquests led to his inevitable demise. It was a royal dragon princess pretending to be a servant in attendance at the heavenly Tree of life banquet. The tree bearing the fruit of eternal life, sprouting only once every ten thousand years was an exclusive event, and only a select few were allowed admittance. The dragon princess impersonated a servant in order to attend the gathering and fell in love at first sight with the dashing Sovereign Bai Clan Lord.

    The old fox god easily charmed the young dragon princess the moment they met, unaware of her special identity. They shared a brief passionate time in each other''s embrace, as couples naturally tend to do. It didn''t take long until the dragon princess found herself discarded and alone. Her charming lover had disappeared altogether.

    If only the ancient Sovereign Fox Lord had known the woman he messed with was the most beloved great-granddaughter of the Jade Emperor, there was no way he would have placed his mischievous paws on her.

    The elder Bai Clan Lord found out about his mistake only after a summoning order to the court hall was sent. As punishment for his heathen ways and low moral conduct, the Jade Emperor ordered a permanent curse to be placed upon his clan and all generations that follows. The curse was casted directly by the very same abandoned dragon princess, arriving at the Punishment Hall in her full prestige and adorned with the royal dragon crest, no longer pretending to be an insignificant servant.

    The Fox Lord and all his clan would only be able to develop feelings and desires for one sole existence throughout their whole life. They would be unable to be attracted to anyone else except for their fated person.

    There were many theories circulating throughout the centuries about that fateful tale of the cursed Bai Clan. Some gods had thought the Bai fox gods had grown too strong and became a potential threat to the royal dragon clan. The emperor grew wary of the white fox clan and sent his family member under guise in an attempt to purposefully trap the dreaded Bai lord. The curse was intended from the very beginning, meted out as collective punishment, it was nothing short of the tribe''s imminent extinction.

    After all, even if gods can live indefinitely, finding one soul in the whole universe to continue the bloodline would be nothing short of a miracle. The intention was the decimation of the powerful clan. After many battles and so few offspring born, the large and terrifying Bai clan went from several thousand members to a short few hundreds remaining. Taking matters into his own hands, the old Sovereign Lord assembled the rest of the fox clans under the heavenly realm, subservient under his rule and made the Bai clan take control over the Huli Jing. Taking leadership over all celestial foxes.

    A counter curse was placed on the clan by the Sovereign Lord, ensuring that at least the bloodline would survive, since the choice of mates was now out of the clan''s control and was left in the hands of fate. It would also mean that newborns, in all likelihood, would all be mixed until there would be no blood from the original Bai clan remaining.

    The Jade Emperor was indeed wise and conniving. He guaranteed his prestige remained intact with underhanded methods instead of an all-out war, wiping out a potential threat by breeding it out.

    The counter curse ensured the clan''s survival by making the male''s bloodline overtake the maternal line. In essence, when a male Bai member finds his fated person outside of the clan, the offspring of the union would only take after the Bai bloodline and follow the father''s lineage. However, the counter curse did not work with the Bai females, causing a lot of mixed bloods to form sub-branches in the tribe. These days, it was more common to find mixed bloods than pure-blooded Bai members remaining. It was a surprise for many that the clan had managed to survive and even prosper altogether under such harsh circumstances.

    The curse had also left a dissension among the fox clan members who were forced into marriage and copulation, such as Bai Qingyue''s own father. The Bai elders went as far as to drug some of the males to perform in bed in order to continue the lineage.

    Desperate times called for desperate measures.

    How could Bai Qingyue possibly explain what kind of a special existence Li Meirong was to him?

    Unfortunately, Li Meirong''s lack of knowledge didn''t mean that Bai Qingyue didn''t get mad at her response. The grumpy little fox placed his snout on the curve of Li Meirong''s neck and nipped his wife''s smooth skin in reprimand.

    "Ouch! Snowball, that hurts!" Li Meirong frowned, her doe-eyes watered from the sudden pain as she moved Snowball away from her neck and glared at his guiltless, baby face.

    Snowball''s ears drooped down, his fluffy tail curved around his belly. The fox averted his gaze bashfully and using a low tone, he muttered, "I stopped the mosquito from sucking your blood..."

 Chapter 63: Done Differently

    Li Meirong stayed tight-lipped and arched one eyebrow. She was beginning to question Snowball''s sincerity. Was it all an act?

    Noticing the girl needed further persuasion, Bai Qingyue appeared more pitiful than ever, curling up into a ball in her arms as his "trembling" paws clasped her light blue sleeves. He was the very image of a falsely accused opposition, and thus, commenced the waterworks.

    "Uwuuwuu...I was just trying to help!" He exclaimed as he faked his weeping.

    Seeing her little Snowball looking so aggrieved, how could Li Meirong''s heart not soften? Her eyes turned gentle once more. To wrong the people you care for was the worst thing to do in her book. She patted Snowball''s shaking head, tweaking his ears playfully.

    "Alright, alright! I believe you, it was an accident¡­" Li Meirong affectionately hugged Snowball against her chest and patted his back, causing his small body to press against her breasts.

    "Y-you have to always believe Snowball!" The little fox demanded between pitiful sobs.

    Shamelessly, Bai Qingyue completely disregarded his pride as a high god and waited to be babied by his wife. The more she indulges him now, the easier it would be to make her listen to his demands in the long run!

    Just as he predicted, Li Meirong only spoiled Snowball further, her motherly instincts kicking in. She coddled the fox cub, "Always! I''ll always believe you, so stop crying, alright?"

    Sniffles. Sob. "A-alright¡­"

    Feeling his favourite steamed buns against his muzzle, Bai Qingyue felt too content to continue his fake crying even if he wanted to. He rubbed his snout fervently against the soft "pudding" like surface, enjoying every moment.

    If Chou were to be by her side right now, surely the man-eating plant would have warned her of the evil fox''s plan of gobbling her up!

    However, Chou remained in the dimension and Bai Qingyue was left to play around to his heart''s content!

    Finding the plant''s absence peculiar, Bai Qingyue decided to ask Li Meirong if the plant turned into a crispy fried dish in the lava. He sniffed and imitating the vegetable dish, asked sweetly, "Master, your plant spirit...Did he disappear?"

    "Oh no, turns out your master is not so useless! I have a dimension of my own now! I left Chou there along with Feng Huang, your new sibling. I''ll let you meet both of them in the dimension after we reach my sect. After all, you are all like my babies, I need to take good care of you!"

    "..." Snowball stayed silent. All his good feelings fluttered away like the wind.

    There was too much to digest. Bai Qingyue needed a moment. The plant spirit is still alive. Simply wonderful. Now there''s another pest? He just reunited with his wife, why are the nuisances accumulating?!

    And what do you mean babies? We haven''t made any babies yet, I should know, I''m your godd*amn husband!

    "You..!" Snowball nearly growled out. After processing all the information, it was difficult to remain calm. Bai Qingyue inhaled and exhaled deeply, curbing his rage.

    Adorable. Act adorably.

    Li Meirong looked at the little fox in her arms, his sudden outburst made her focus on him as she kept walking through the forest. She was still so far away from her hut, but luckily she had an aura preventing most animals and spirits from approaching.

    She asked in surprise, "What is it, little Snowball?"

    "Can you explain to me what happened? Who are my new...siblings?"

    Li Meirong provided a lengthy explanation, mentioning Chou''s lost limb and his coma. Her meeting with Feng Huang after falling into the volcano, the dimension, her connection with the blue flame and her cultivation ascension. She ended the story with the blood contract she had made with Feng Huang, making her a familiar in the same manner Chou was.

    Bai Qingyue couldn''t believe his ears. He knew that Li Meirong did not have knowledge of cultivation before, but the girl was utterly clueless! How did she even survive all this time? A mix of emotions coursed through his little body. On one hand, he was delighted she managed to connect with his inner energy and on the other hand, a sharp thorn pricked his heart. Li Meirong''s jeopardy was nearly a fatal mistake and he was to blame. Bestowing his girl with a god''s cultivation when she was nought but a mere mortal. Bai Qingyue felt grateful Li Meirong managed to overcome the challenge and absorb the Foxfire as her own.

    His absence and haste have wronged his wife. He had to hurry and finalize their bond, as to ensure that she would always be kept under his careful watch.

    As Li Meirong finished her tale about the blood contract with Feng Huang, a brilliant idea brewed inside of Bai Qingyue''s calculative mind.

    Snowball''s voice was thick with honey as he asked, "Master, I''m a spirit too. You need to make a blood contract with me!"

    Li Meirong stopped on her tracks as she realized her mistake. She walked for so long in the darkness that she hadn''t even noticed the dawn of a new day and the dim rays of light filtered through the crowded trees.

    Snowball was right! And not to mention the way Feng Huang and Chou kept chattering about how helpful her blood was to them, wouldn''t it benefit Snowball and help heal his wounds?

    "Yes! Let''s make the contract right away." She nodded enthusiastically as a beautiful smile bloomed across her jade-like face.

    Bai Qingyue felt his heart melting in his chest. His golden eyes were glued to her dimpled grin. He felt as though his breath got stolen just from seeing her smile.

    His desire to make her his own only grew stronger.

    Even if he had to lie.

    The end will justify the means!

    Coughing to clear his thoughts, Bai Qingyue continued with his plans, knowing that his bride was unknowledgeable of the heavenly rules and proceedings only made it that much easier.

    Faking a cute behaviour, he said, "Ahem. With fox spirits, the contract has to be done differently. We must first begin by bowing to the heavens and earth¡­"

 Chapter 64: She Didnt Suspect Him For Even One Second!

    Following Snowball''s guidance, Li Meirong kneeled alongside him upon the dimly lit forest floor and bowed to the skies in reverence. Both had attentively closed their eyes.

    "Follow my words and beseech the heavens; If you allow us to mar- ahem, make a contract together, please encompass us with a shroud of mist." Snowball carefully instructed while clasping both of his paws together.

    As Snowball finished speaking, Li Meirong inquisitively squinted a peek at the white fox by her side. It was almost comical to see the little fox baby with his eyes shut tight in avid concentration as if his whole life depended upon making this contract succeed. Her eyes turned into crescent moons and her lips trembled as she witnessed the scene. Li Meirong quickly brought her hand to cover her lips, afraid of destroying this important moment for Snowball with her careless laughter.

    Amused as she was by the whole predicament, her heart was still filled with warmth at the thought of Snowball caring for her to such an extent that he would be so engrossed in the ceremony. It made her feel all sweet and fuzzy inside.

    So little Snowball already cares so much for me!

    "Well¡­?" Seeing as Li Meirong remained silent, Bai Qingyue nervously urged her to continue. The faster they get on with the ceremony, the lesser the opportunity would be for her to bail out!

    "Right away! If you allow us to make a contract together, please encompass us with a shroud of mist." Li Meirong didn''t want Snowball to know she found the situation entertaining, so she quickly clasped her hands back together and closed her eyes, chanting the special words.

    Unbeknownst to her, the heavens had indeed heard her words and enveloped the forest with a veil of heavy fog.

    The ceremony continued as Bai Qingyue proceeded with his instructions, "Since we can''t properly conclude the union, let''s make do with what we can. Follow my words; ''I thank the Jade Emperor as*hole for allowing this contract to be made. What is once done cannot be undone, the red threads of fate shall entangle eternally.''" Bai Qingyue might be obligated to pray to the jerkface Emperor, but it didn''t mean he had to be polite about it. Humph. That vicious dragon messed with his whole family line!

    "..." Li Meirong stayed momentarily silent, her brows furrowed in thought. Why does it sound as though little Snowball has issues with the emperor of heaven? How does that even make any sense?

    What was even sillier was that the whole speech strangely sounded as though they were about to get married! She felt foolish just thinking about such a ridiculous notion!

    There were so many ceremonies containing speeches with threads of fate and requiring bows of respect. Surely, she was only overly suspicious.

    Li Meirong sheepishly repeated Snowball''s sentence, excluding the insult.

    Directly after, they bowed in respect to each other.

    "Perfect! Now let''s exchange blood, hurry!"

    Li Meirong opened her peach-blossom eyes and saw a thick coat of grey enveloping her as if the heavens had really heard their prayers. Snowball perched right in front of her and excitedly nipped his downturned paw hard enough for a trickle of blood to spill.

    In response, Li Meirong unhesitantly bit on the soft flesh of her thumb. Since she was already regularly feeding Chou, her pearly white teeth sliced through her flesh with very little discomfort.

    Bai Qingyue resolutely pressed his bleeding paw against her thumb. His usual large pupils turned to sharp slits. As soon as their blood connected with each other, an invisible breeze suddenly engulfed the pair surrounded by thick fog. Li Meirong found the whole experience had shifted from an amusing experience to an eerie and otherworldly sensation.

    Snowball was only a little fox cub, barely the side of an adult cat, and yet¡­at this very moment, he looked frightening to her. The fog encircled his furry form like a demonic cloak. His eyed picked on a bewitching lavender shine, and his tiny snout stretched into a sinister smirk.

    Wide-eyed, Li Meirong gazed at Snowball with a hint of trepidation, feeling itchiness all over her skin, as if a profound event far beyond her comprehension had just taken place. Making blood contracts with Chou and Feng Huang was so simple in comparison to this ceremony. She felt as though she stepped into a trap without the means to escape unscathed!

    A chill flowed through her whole body. Was this really the helpless baby fox she picked up in the woods?

    Why does it feel as if I just made a contract with the devil?

    "Are we through? Umm...the weather took a turn for the worst, so let''s hurry along now!" Said Li Meirong. She couldn''t hide the trace of panic from her tone.

    From one moment to the next, the fog had dissipated, the breeze had blown away and the terrifying impression had vanished as if it never happened. Snowball''s demeanour went back to his sweet, adorable self. He lifted his upper limbs towards Li Meirong, preparing himself to get picked up by her as he gazed at her with the same puppy-face she was already used to.

    Li Meirong felt completely confounded, unsure of what to make of what she saw. In times of stress, it was best to disregard unreasonable emotions and depend on logic. She must have gotten hit too many times on the head recently, to think Snowball was some sort of malevolent creature!

    Li Meirong lifted her Fox Spirit and placed his chin on her shoulders so he could be held in comfort. She trod through the path which was now cleared of mist, failing to notice the little fox held in her arms grinning sinisterly from ear to ear.

    Bai Qingyue was so elated, it was difficult to contain his joy! Ah, to think humans would be so foolish, she didn''t suspect him for even one second!

    From now on, Li Meirong would never be able to escape from him!

    Perhaps later on, after he would bring them back to the Celestial realm, it would be necessary to provide an explanation for his...avoidance of the truth, but for now, this will do.

    There was no way Bai Qingyue would be so careless as to end up in the same condition as his poor, heart-broken cousin who had lived her life in solitude for several millennia despite finding her fated person.

    His cousin''s destined partner was a human just the same as Li Meirong, but by the time she found him, the destined partner had already fallen in love with another.

    This one-sided curse was a terrible burden to bear. Unfortunately, that human man was smitten by a cultivator and alongside her guidance, he had retained his life as an immortal.

    Bai Qingyue''s pitiful cousin wasn''t even granted an opportunity to trace his soul in the afterlife and try to win him over again because the man''s mortal lifespan defied its natural course due to his cultivation. Even now, she had gone looking for him, continuously remaining in anguish as her beloved was in the arms of another woman.

    Bai Qingyue swore under his breath just from thinking of his family member''s plight.

    No. He has to tie this woman to his side using every means possible.

    Should anyone attempt to take her away from him¡­

    The fox''s gaze darkened at the thought. A murderous aura emanated from his small physique.

    Kill on sight!!!

 Chapter 65: Do Not Worry I Am Here

    The curious spirit beasts hiding in the bushes and on top of the tree branches shuddered as they felt the dangerous energy filled with killing intent emitting from the harmless-looking fox cub.

    And to think they were scared of the girl bearing a god''s halo! That fox is actually ten times worse, a harbinger of death!

    The magical creatures viewing the pair swiftly made themselves scarce.

    Suddenly, a familiar feline roar echoed from above. Li Meirong lifted her gaze up to the skies and saw a grey, furry belly several feet above her head.

    The twin-tailed cat mount that had brought her to the Thousand Beasts forest gracefully glided in front of her.

    Immediately, Snowball turned his head towards the incoming intruder and flashed his pearly white fangs threateningly, a low growl unconsciously coming from his throat.

    We just got married and there''s already an intruder!

    Snowball''s menacing thoughts went unnoticed by Li Meirong who cried out happily, recognizing the spoiled, lazy feline.

    "Cai Huise! You''ve come to pick me up?" She asked while closing the distance between herself and the cat spirit.

    Cai Huise noticed the little fox''s murderous aura and kept his distance. Something was definitely amiss with that fox. He focused on the girl he searched for, his large, feline eyes glared accusingly at Li Meirong.

    "So you remembered my name only when I''m already here?! I told you to call me when you were done. I would have come to pick you up~!" Cai Huise reprimanded the foolish girl. How dare she forget about his magnificent self?!

    Ah. So he did¡­

    Almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise as realization dawned upon Li Meirong. With the course of events leading to the explosion from the fire drake, the betrayal and death of her fellow disciples, meeting with the demonic cultivator and eventually the dimension with Feng Huang, she completely forgot about Cai Huise''s favour of bringing her back to the sect when she calls for him.

    Refraining from upsetting the grumpy mount any further, Li Meirong changed the subject. Seeing as Snowball already picked on an aggressive stance, she introduced the Cai Huise to her fox familiar.

    "Thank you so much for finding me! If you didn''t come to get me, I would have probably reached the foot of the mountain near the entrance to the sect by night."

    Pointing her index finger with obvious pride towards the little bundle in her arms, she began introducing Snowball, "This is my new spirit familiar! I found him in the forest, he is heavily wounded so we''ll have to reach the sect as soon as possible in order to treat his wounds."

    Seeing how friendly Li Meriong was with the cat, Snowball ceased his hostilities. An expression of disdain was etched across his face as he allowed her to discuss unimportant matters with the domesticated beast.

    Indeed, Cai Huise might be a domesticated spirit beast in the sect, but he was still a cat nonetheless. His shrewd, slanted pupils took note of the fox cub''s abnormal behaviour.

    A spirit beast usually waits for his master''s command before jumping to action, this fox, however, looked as though Li Meirong was his territory and a foe has arrived to threaten his position.

    Not to mention, he barely seemed injured. The fox''s fur was coated with dry patches of red, but Cai Huise easily recognized it as the juice from the forest berries.

    Whatever, it was not any of his business¡­disregarding the fox, the twin-tailed Cai Huise said with an accented slur, "Mmm...that''s all well and good, but while you were picking up abandoned cubs in the forest, the sect masters heard an explosion in the forest and discovered the remains of the humans you travelled with. They''re blaming you for their deaths. You''re in a lot of trouble now!"

    Her eyes widened in astonishment, Li Meirong staggered backwards and asked nervously, "What? Why!? I was the one who got ambushed."

    Why was she in trouble? She was the one dropped inside a volcano, okay?!

    "I don''t know the entire details, but you have been a pleasant human to me so as soon as I''ve heard the news I rushed to look for you. We should head back right away and you better prepare yourself for a trial because Captain Liang of the Bestiary coalition is backing up the murder claim, the situation is not in your favour~." Cai Huise licked his slate grey fur clean after he finished explaining, seemingly nonchalant about the matter.

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong''s emotions turned turbulent. Her brows wrinkled as she bit her bottom lip. Was this the famous scheming scenarios she always read about? Will she be executed for a crime she didn''t commit?!

    Maybe it would be best to transfer herself and stay inside her dimension for a century or two¡­

    As she thought of ways to escape to a hiding place, with an overwhelmingly lack of awareness she nervously whispered, "They were the ones who tried to kill me¡­I only defended myself."

    Instantly, she felt the warmth of a soft paw on top of her hand as it caressed her pale skin in reassurance and helped her focus. Glancing at Snowball, Li Meirong saw the young fox observing her carefully, his golden eyes glowing with earnestness unbefitting his young, fluffy figure.

    "Do not worry, I am here."

    Bai Qingyue''s fox cub voice sounded completely different than his human-like deep and masculine tone. It was now higher pitched as a young fledgeling would have, yet his calm demeanour and sincere countenance made Li Meirong feel as though she could really depend on him.

    Suffused with warmth, Li Meirong felt her nervousness gradually lessening.

    She mounted Cai Huise with Snowball placed between her legs, grasping the smooth grey fur for balance as the twin-tailed beast glided through the clouds and headed towards Forgotten Waters sect''s main halls for questioning.

    Calming herself, Li Meirong rationally thought of her situation. Justice was on her side. If she could explain everything accurately, the grandmasters would have to believe her. Right?

 Chapter 66: Making His Wife Submit, How Dare They?!

    The air became crisp as Li Meirong dismounted Cai Huise''s broad furry back. The morning chill breezed atop the island floating at such a high altitude that cooled her skin and left her with a trail of goosebumps. Snowball thoughtfully rubbed his paws up and down Li Meirong''s arms while she thanked Cai Huise and was about to head towards the sect''s hall.

    "~Wait a minute." Li Meirong heard the twin-tailed cat call her back.

    She masked her dolefulness with a faint smile as she turned and asked, "Is there anything else?"

    Cai Huise stared at her in silence for a moment, contemplating his next words and thinking that she better be prepared than not, he told her the sect''s rules. "According to the regulations, when a disciple is summoned to trial, they cannot bring any form of weaponry with them and your spirit beast counts as one. You must go alone and without any means to defend yourself¡­"

    Li Meirong took a deep breath and exhaled, thinking perhaps that this was for the best. Snowball was only a baby, should anything happen to her, he shouldn''t get caught in the crossfire if he remained outside. Besides, she now had a few hidden powers to protect herself with.

    In agreement with Cai Huise, she placed Snowball by his side. The cat apprehensively backed away, he disliked the idea but was left without a choice in the matter.

    "So foolish! I will not be left here while my wo- err, master goes alone to be scolded by a bunch of overgrown imbeciles!" Snowball angrily barked, his golden irises blazed with fury.

    Bai Qingyue lordly trotted to Li Meirong''s side but was faced with a fierce glare. Caught unprepared by her sudden change in behaviour, his legs froze midway.

    She walked to him, bent down to his level and pinched his button nose in reproach.

    "You must listen to me now. I have to go alone, you have to follow my orders as my familiar and I order you to stay put! Don''t leave Cai Huise''s side unless I call for you, understood?!" Li Meirong''s forehead wrinkled while she scolded him. Her eyes were as cold as frost, and her pouty lips stretched into a thin line. At some point during the flight to the sect, her hair had broken loose from the tie, framing her visage like a vengeful goddess.

    Bai Qingyue stared at his wife, having never witnessed this side of hers before. She possessed a fierce kind of beauty when she was angry and was appreciating that he could see this new side to her, it was somewhat more unique than usual because of its rarity.

    Still, he was not a pet but a husband. Though it''s not good to anger the wife frequently, this was one order he definitely won''t listen to.

    After Li Meirong let go, Bai Qingyue placed his paws on his snout, blinking away crocodile tears as he wept. "Uuuwuuuwuu...So painful. Alright, master, Snowball will listen to you."

    Snowball''s cries softened Li Meirong''s heart into pudding but she needed to show how serious the matter was at hand and to make sure he properly listened, especially in this sect because it wasn''t certain whether she would be able to leave unscathed.

    Placing a gentle kiss on her fox''s forehead, she said, "Be good now, the pain will go away soon and I''ll be back before you know it."

    Saying her farewells, Li Meirong headed towards the hall. Snowball sat "obediently" outside, waiting until her small back disappeared from his view.

    "You''re a shrewd little one, aren''t you?" Catching the whole theatrical play, Cai Huise commented as his tails swished behind him.

    Snowball glanced at the nosy cat, his tone cooled down and his pupils sharpened into their usual bloodthirsty, petrifying look, changing his conduct at once.

    Ill at ease, Cai Huise shuddered and gulped down the saliva stuck in his throat. He regretting opening his mouth.

    "It would be wise of you to keep your mouth shut from now on."

    Bai Qingyue didn''t dawdle to converse. After warning the cat, he dashed towards the hall''s direction and climbed onto its roof, skipping across the plated glazed tiles and dislocating several tubes, making a hole big enough to look through and to jump down to the rescue if needed.

    He saw Li Meirong in the middle of a brightly lit and finely made hall designed with smooth marble. Her narrow, fragile and shivering back greeted his sight as she kneeled in front of various early stage Nascent Soul practitioners, surrounded by a myriad amount of cultivators at each side garbed with the same tacky coloured robes.

    Bai Qingyue raged inside, every fibre of his being felt close to bursting.

    These vile, pretentious, pompous weaklings making his wife submit- How dare they?!

    At the same time, Li Meirong''s hands were cuffed with spiritual binding ropes, limiting her powers and ruining her plans to fight when cornered. Currently, she felt like a pig being led to the slaughterhouse.

    Since she became a disciple in the bestiary coalition, her fate was placed in the hands of the coalition''s elusive Grandmaster, otherwise known as Zhu Zhang.

    The last time she saw him was at the acceptance ceremony years ago when he nearly choked her to death, his strikingly familiar features had been edged deep within her memories.

    The additional governing Grandmasters were seated on carved antique rosewood chairs upon the elevated stage, waiting for Zhu Zhang''s arrival. He wasn''t only the Bestiary Coalition''s Grandmaster, but also one of the strongest cultivators on the continent. It was already nearly impossible for the other high-level cultivators in the sect to perceive his strength, showing just how powerful he actually is. Naturally, the disciple''s judgement would be placed upon his capable shoulders.

    Only the succeeding disciples were admitted inside the halls. Captain Liang, who is representing the accused disciple''s division stood up front. Her formidable countenance causing cheers of respect and admiration to reverberate in the hall. She had already accumulated a high status with her vast number of accomplishments. Captain Liang''s words bore weight in the sect.

    A group of servants scurried forth to the main hall and dropped an uncovered bamboo basket on the ground. It was filled with a pile of putrid flesh, dismembered body parts and skeletal remains scattered from the bag onto the shiny marble floor.

    Choking from the foul smell, Li Meirong''s eyes watered as she forced herself to breathe slowly. The wedded siblings'' remains that were dropped at her feet only caused her to stress more. She knew it would be difficult to escape condemnation, even though her actions were in self-defence.

    The succeeding disciple Miss Liang glared daggers at her. Li Meirong avoided her gaze, no eyebrows lady certainly made her intentions clear. With no apparent reasons for hatred, she still wanted to bury her six feet under.

    Gripping the hem of her sleeves tightly as she knelt, Li Meirong swore she wouldn''t back down without a fight.

    The doors of the inner halls blasted open, nearly breaking off the adjoining walls. The Bestiary Coalition''s Grandmaster Zhu Zhang strode inside. The cheers ceased at once. An air thick with oppressive Qi filled the halls, causing the weaker cultivators to faint and the higher level cultivators to abase themselves as they kneeled down due to the pressure. Even the other Nascent stage Grandmasters felt slight discomfort breathing as Zhu Zhang went to stand in front of Li Meirong.

    When a dog gets beaten, it will always fear the person who abused them and it was not that different with humans who experienced trauma. Li Meirong''s trembling intensified as she saw the familiar set of leather shoes in front of her.

 Chapter 67: Stall For Time

    Zhu Zhang''s overpowering presence left all the onlookers muted. He clicked his tongue and asked Li Meirong, "Years ago, I took you into my own coalition. I saw a potential in you and yet, here you stand before me, accused of murder. Tell me, do you have anything to say refute the allegations against you?"

    At this point, Li Meirong already knew that telling the truth would get her nowhere. An explanation would not suffice to redeem her innocence, that much was obvious from the way she was manhandled, shackled and forced to kneel, accused on the cold floor.

    Additionally, her "judge" was lying through his teeth.

    What potential? She was never even given a single guidebook nor a single lesson in training and left to handle menial chores in the outskirts of the island?! Clearly, Zhou Zhang only picked her up to observe her due to his unfounded suspicions regarding her aura.

    She sincerely lamented her decision. It would have been so much easier to just escape from the forest grounds, but the wish to prove her innocence brought her back. She had lived here for five years and grew attached to the sect, her acquaintances, her cabin and herbal garden...yet in the end, it was inevitable that she would be accused one way or another.

    She needed to stall for time in order to find a way to unlock the spirit sealing chains placed upon her wrists.

    Luckily for her, nobody had even entertained the thought she could possibly possess the ability to harness her internal powers, and with their ignorance, the security remained lax. Li Meirong wiggled her hands, it hurt to squeeze her limbs out of the restraints, but if she managed to keep rubbing her flesh against the iron binds, eventually, her sweat could help her slip out and break loose.

    Grinding her teeth, Li Meirong calculated her words with care as her clear gaze was directed at the marble floor, "It was not murder, but an act of self-defence. Senior Wei and Senior Ying Yue plotted against me after striking a deal with a demonic cultivator named Sheng Jing Wu. I managed to save myself with the help of my spirit beast after they summoned a Fire Drake in attempt to kill me."

    The crowd raged when they heard her words. A Fire Drake was no simple beast, it was considered a high-ranked, intelligent spirit capable of mass destruction.

    Li Meirong heard one of the attending disciples snort behind her. "Who''s going to believe this crap?! Do you think we''re all clueless like you? For a cultivator to take down a Fire Drake, even with the assistance of a spirit beast familiar, he would need to be at least at the early stages of Core Formation! You don''t even have the privilege to cultivate. What would you know?!"

    The attending disciple''s declaration brought a chatter of responses in general agreement.

    "That''s right, that''s right! You''re such a vicious woman! A furnace staying in the sect will pollute our reputation!"

    "Who knows what she did to her Seniors? Turns out the girl is not only a slut but a scheming murderer!"

    "Captain Liang was right, we should have expelled her years ago¡­"

    "Silence! This is a trial, not a market!" Zhu Zhang''s voice mercilessly thundered across the hall, before lifting his hand up high in the air and clenching it tightly into a fist, sending a powerful surge of an oppressive aura outwards and knocking the breath out of all the babbling attendants. His stern expression halting all the cultivators from jumping to accuse like a herd of sheep.

    His obsidian eyes locked accusingly onto the audience. After bringing order back to the hall, he went to sit upon his designated seat. A cup of warm tea had been arranged on a low table at his side beforehand.

    Zhou Zhang steadily lifted the cup to his thin lips, breathing in the fragrance.

    Finding the scent acceptable, he took a small sip and continued his interrogation, "Rise. You claim a spirit beast assisted you, but all the spirit beasts governed under the sect have to be accounted for and you are merely an outer sect disciple, thus you have not been granted a spirit nor demonic beast companion. Who was it that aided your battle against the drake?"

    Flustered, Li Meirong didn''t want to raise her head only to be greeted by the accusing stares she was certain were waiting for her, but after the Grandmaster commanded her, she was left with no choice in the matter. She focused only on the Grandmaster and avoided looking directly at his eyes as she kept on rubbing her wrist raw against the binds.

    Li Meirong didn''t think that after all those years of keeping her trump card hidden just in case, the truth about Chou''s existence would come out now of all times. Being condemned by Zhu Zhang''s scrutinizing gaze caused a confession to spill from her lips.

    Forcing herself not to stammer, Li Meirong said, "I have a companion that I found when I was in the Wild Lands years ago, he is a Plant Spirit named Chou. When the Seniors summoned the Fire Drake, Chou grabbed and hurled their bodies into the drake''s mouth, causing the explosion."

    Another collective murmur commenced in the crowd. Even the ever composed succeeding disciple Liang widened her eyes in surprise.

    For a cultivator to make a contract with a Spirit Beast or Plant Spirit, they must have at least some knowledge of cultivation or else, why would the spirit bother to make a contract to begin with? Additionally, the stronger the cultivator''s foundation was, the higher level the spirit he would be able to contract with.

    For a Plant Spirit to have sufficient strength to fight against a Fire Drake was a tale unheard of. Not only would the Plant Spirit have to be of a superior rank, but it would be fighting against a spirit that''s a fire element. Vegetation and Flora Spirits were known to be the weakest against fire.

    As for Li Meirong? She only has average spiritual roots, the most basic of foundations and no practice in cultivation. Now apparently, a Plant Spirit won against a Fire Drake?

    The story sounded less credible the more Li Meirong tried explaining!

 Chapter 68: There Is No Medicine For Regre

    Hearing the sounds of disbelief from the crowd, Li Meriong stressed her words in a repeated explanation, "I''m telling the truth! We were about to die! It was by a stroke of luck that we survived, the Fire Drake opened its jaws to blast a fireball at us but my Plant Spirit flung Wu Wei and Wu Ying Yue into his mouth right at the moment and the Drake ended up exploding into smithereens." Li Meirong recounted the events in detail, that which had transpired.

    Zhu Zhang''s curiosity was finally peaked. He was already aware of the Plant Spirit, as he noticed it hiding in her sleeves years ago, but it was of no importance to him. However, he was certain the spirit wasn''t capable of winning such a match. The Plant Spirit was but a youth and could be almost considered a child in terms of a spirit''s growth.

    How would he know how to act in times of danger against a greater, more formidable force than himself?

    As for the girl...he avoided meeting her, but he made certain to carefully monitor her. There were no hidden trump cards he was unaware of and the powers inside of her were far too grand for a simple mortal like her to be capable of mastering.

    Quite simply, the story did not add up.

    "Li Meirong, even a child could come up with a better lie than you. In addition to the Plant Spirit protecting you, I doubt you would''ve thought of blocking the attack by stuffing the Fire Drake''s mouth? Don''t think me a fool! You were shivering like a beaten slave when I was simply entering the chamber. It couldn''t possibly be you." Zhou Zhang ended his theory with a mocking scoff.

    Li Meirong tried to find the right words to describe what had happened without sounding like a complete liar, but the truth often sounds stranger than fiction.

    What were the odds of them believing that little Snowball was the one that commanded Chou to swing her traitorous Seniors in the Drake''s direction?

    But as long as she could keep the conversation going, the more time she would have to unseal her powers and protect herself.

    Her voice broke as she described the incident, "I-it was a fox cub I found in the woods, he was the one guiding my Plant Spirit."

    "Oh? A random fox cub in the woods that just happens to know how to make battle strategies, is that right?" Zhu Zhang taunted her, but her words caused a thread of suspicion to creep into his heart.

    It wasn''t possible...

    Several cultivators couldn''t help snickering. Even as a liar this girl was no good!

    "Correct." Said Li Meirong.

    "I don''t suppose this fox would just materialize out of thin air on your demand, would he? Before speaking nonsense, you must have evidence for your claims!" Zhu Zhang scolded harshly and sipped his tea while tapping his finger on the porcelain cup.

    "This is the biggest joke I''ve heard in years! Hahaha!" The martial arts Grandmaster of the Sword Bearers division burst into laughter.

    Captain Liang walked to the middle of the hall. Her eyes were serene like the clear ocean and her tone low and collected as she spoke. "Outer sect disciple Li Meirong, you cannot invent stories as you wish, if you have any more fairy tales for us to listen to, it would be after you are sent to the dungeon chambers for a thorough interrogation."

    Li Meirong almost rolled her eyes. No Eyebrow lady''s dislike was evident. Forget about explaining the story, Captain Liang wanted to jump straight to the torture.

    "I will not be going with you anywhere." Said Li Meirong calmly.

    Li Meirong was absolutely certain she couldn''t take Zhu Zhang down in a fight, but if No Eyebrows attacked her, she would rather go down in flames with that woman instead of being tormented to death in a dungeon.

    Zhou Zhang waved his hand nonchalantly, dismissing his ruling while he kept on sipping his tea peacefully. He must have overestimated Li Meirong''s capabilities.

    Especially after hearing all that nonsense about a fox in the woods, surely that was a lie! Even if she did meet a fox, it was more than likely nothing more than a common demon. Zhou Zhang silently reassured himself.

    He allowed this senseless accusation to progress only for an opportunity to witness which sort of tricks she could manage to concoct, discovering precisely the method Li Meirong used to get a hold of the godly aura in her possession. There was not even a point to become disappointed, she had not shown an ounce of competence. He must have been mistaken...

    Decisively, he allowed the younger generation to handle the matter at hand.

    Seeing her Grandmaster handing the reins over, Captain Liang grabbed the Beast-tamer''s leather whip attached to her hips and imbued the weapon with her spiritual power. The whip glowed in shades of bright magenta, illuminating the space with colour.

    Captain Liang slowly advanced towards Li Meirong, still kneeling on the ground.

    She almost managed to rid herself of this pest years ago, but her Grandmaster decided to take her in instead. Finally, she would have the opportunity to rectify this mistake!

    With her hair tied up in a single braid and her tall height, long legs and lean build, Captain Liang was a striking figure to behold as she stretched her glowing whip. Her robes shimmered with a pink hue from unleashing her internal powers.

    She struck her whip at full force directly at Li Meirong''s face, wanting to mar her features back to how she looked like at the time of her admittance. The onlookers eagerly anticipated the strike, which caused a commotion when they surrounded Captain Liang and Li Meirong.

    A united gasp was the only sound heard after the strike had been made.

    Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the lash did not reach Lei Meirong''s smooth visage.

    Li Meirong managed to squeeze her wrists out of the binds and against all odds, surrounded herself with incredibly powerful and vivid blue flames!

    She held the whip between her palms, covered in azure flames, blocking the impactful attack.

    Flabbergasted, Captain Liang couldn''t believe her eyes. The intensity of her Qi indicated Li Meirong was no simpleton, but a cultivator of the Second Realm...somehow she had managed to reach the peak of Foundation''s Establishment!

    What does that really mean? During the course of a few days, Li Meirong turned from useless trash to a genius!

    The only possible means to advance so quickly was with forbidden cultivation techniques, otherwise known as demonic cultivation, and even then such a leap was considered impossible!

    Even Captain Liang, a cultivator in the Forgotten Waters Sect for over a hundred years couldn''t break out of the Qi Condensation stage!

    Her shock did not prevent Captain Liang from jumping into action. She did not waste a single moment before shouting orders. "Capture her! She''s a demonic cultivator, don''t let her escape!"

    All the assembled cultivators rose from their chairs at once. Demonic cultivators were a scourge upon the land, the main enemy of a righteous sect such as the Forgotten Waters. Only Zhu Zhang remained seated, strangely frozen stiff.

    With so many cultivators aiming to bring her down, Li Meirong focused on concentrating her Qi, engulfing her whole body with ocean flames. On top of that, she surrounded herself with the very same barrier Feng Huang taught her earlier in order to protect herself against the lava, making her shields nearly impenetrable.

    Seeing the all too familiar Foxfire flames encircle the girl, for the first time in his life, Zhu Zhang realized there is no medicine for regret!

    Oh no!

    What a terrible mistake!

    He had no time to mend this incident before the deafening sound of a crash was heard. The roof''s tiles caved in and landed on a number of disciples, knocking them out cold.

    On top of the tiles stood the menacing presence of a white baby fox. The fox cub''s golden eyes were filled with murderous intent large enough to send all the low-level cultivators into the afterlife.

    "Pffffffft."

    Zhu Zhang ended up spurting out all the tea he drank! He swayed in his seat from shock.

    That familiar energy, those piercing golden eyes, the family''s Foxfire flames...

    That was his son!

 Chapter 69: Her Thoughts Were Led Astray

    (Warning - hardcore content near the end of the chapter)

    Seeing that it was likely the same fox cub Li Meirong spoke of, the cultivators menacingly circled around both beast and girl, blocking their escape routes. Li Meirong might be a demonic cultivator, but they were larger in number, not to mention all the sect Grandmasters were at the Nascent Soul stage, far higher than Lei Meirong''s level. The succeeding disciples were full of confidence as they grabbed their weapons, ready to battle evil.

    As Captain Liang struck her bullwhip to attack, her lash was suddenly thrown aside.

    She looked back to see Zhu Zhang using a streak of force to deflect the rod away from her very hands.

    His eyes widened in shock. He didn''t even bother glancing at her. Zhu Zhang was utterly entranced by the sight of the white fox standing atop the heap of crumbled tiles.

    Liang Wang Yan''s eyes burned with unshed tears. She couldn''t believe that her Grandmaster had just flung her weapon aside. What did he mean by that?!

    It was happening all over again, like all those years ago, ignoring her for the sake of another...

    Captain Liang was carefully selected by Grandmaster Zhu Zhang after proving herself worthy by winning countless tournaments and promoting the sect''s prestige throughout the continent, ultimately given the highest level of privilege and was admitted as a succeeding disciple under one of the most righteous cultivators known across the land, the Bestiary division''s Grandmaster.

    Liang had never stopped practising and pushing her body''s potential to the limit all in the hopes of receiving even a shred of acknowledgement from her detached and aloof teacher, but the only attention he ever graced her with was on the night she had offered him the ceremonial drink of acceptance between disciple and teacher.

    She recalled his stunning appearance when he faintly smiled as he handed her a collection of priceless cultivation scrolls. After exchanging basic pleasantries with her, he immediately departed, only to be seen years later.

    That brief moment was enough for Liang Wang Yan''s heart to be consumed by desire towards her teacher. The vision of him smiling at her had never once disappeared from her thoughts.

    To Liang Wang Yan, Zhu Zhang was beautiful and mysterious like only a true immortal should be. His thoughts and expressions were always hidden, elusive. He was her ideal image of a man and a cultivator.

    She was always under the impression that he sought something or someone and frequently left the sect searching for that special thing, but never spoke a word regarding his desires.

    Their time together felt stale, unchanging throughout the passing years but Liang Wang Yan enjoyed every moment of it. It was enough for her to simply see her teacher from a distance, to watch him as he meditated peacefully under the sun and appreciate his handsome looks in secrecy.

    Her tranquil time came to an abrupt halt fifty Lunar New Years later, she specifically remembered that it was on the new disciple''s acceptance ceremony.

    It was all the fault of that damned furnace...

    Traditionally, the sect''s Grandmasters had granted audience to all the newly arriving disciples one at a time, but Zhu Zhang had never shown any interest in anyone. At times, she even wondered if he was only pretending to be awake and was cultivating with his eyes open. She always stood at his side, enjoying his silent companionship.

    On that fateful ceremony arrived a young boy with no accomplishment nor status. He came from a peasant family dressed in rags, reaching the sect''s destination with his last breath. Miraculously, he possessed a single Lightning vein, making his potential in the cultivation realm boundless. His life instantly changed from rags to riches.

    The moment he entered the ceremonial halls and Zhu Shang laid eyes on him was the exact instance Liang Wang Yan''s heart was torn into pieces.

    Zhu Zhang''s full attention was directed at the boy he had never met before. His deep, obsidian eyes were filled to the brim with passion and wonderment.

    He had never looked at her like he did that boy before, not even once.

    Liang Wang Yan tasted the worst form of bitterness as she saw Zhu Shang declare the boy as the secondary direct disciple in front of all the Grandmasters and fellow disciples. Without earning merit, without even working as hard as she did. That boy received everything she shed countless blood, sweat and tears for on the spot.

    Her teacher took the boy and allowed him to live by his side in his own mansion, providing him with everything he could ever possibly require and more.

    Captain Liang stood by her teacher''s side for decades and had barely received not even one whole smile, and the little boy that had just arrived and already taken everything away from her!

    The situation took a turn for the worst when the boy was tasked with an outside expedition. As a Senior sister under the same Grandmaster, Liang Wang Yan joined him and by chance discovered his rare body type. He was a Furnace, or otherwise known as a Human Cauldron, capable of strengthening a cultivator''s vital energy through vulgar practices, but what good would that do? The boy was male and can''t possibly cultivate with another male.

    Or so she thought.

    Later as she researched, she discovered it was feasible to conduct dual cultivation between two men and her thoughts were led astray. Was her master interested in Human Cauldrons?

    Would he do those special sorts of activities with his direct disciple?

    Years passed without any incident. Her junior grew into a handsome youth. Liang Wang Yan had kept close watch over him under the guise of a dedicated senior. She tried to set her worries aside as nothing but impossible, her thoughts were brought to life as she witnessed the affair that shattered her mind.

    It was a lightning-filled, stormy night when she rushed to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s villa, requesting guidance in handling the unsettled beasts running amok in fright, only to discover her pure, sacred teacher entangled in a passionate embrace with her junior sect brother.

    After seeing the couple, Liang Wang Yan vowed to never allow anyone to taint her precious master, even if it means that she would have to resort to despicable means in order to assure her master''s safety. She was willing to shoulder the blame and sin.

    The next morning at the break of dawn, Captain Liang brought her junior disciple, Liu Wei, for a morning ride with her loyal Tiger Spirit mount to a secluded island after travelling across the ocean. In a bout of unrestrained hatred, she secluded the naive, unsuspecting youth and had placed crippling talismans on both his arms and ankles, keeping him chained down. She stripped him of all his clothes and mounted him in a rage of madness, absorbing all his energy to the very last drop.

    After assimilating Liu Wei''s energy as her own, she let her Tiger mount tear him to shreds and devour his remains.

    When Liang Wang Yan went to Zhu Zhang''s side and reported the news of Liu Wei''s death, her teacher looked as though he had lost half of his soul. His gaze was vacant, the light shining in his eyes like when he looked at the boy was gone. Without a reason to live any longer, he wasn''t even suspicious about Liu We''s death, as he was far too engrossed in his grief. She invented a tale of them being ambushed by demonic cultivators, as they discovered Liu Wei''s special physique and used his Cauldron body until his final breath. It was close enough to the truth for her to tell the story without alarming her teacher.

    Overwhelmed with despair, Zhu Zhang locked himself in his inner chambers in closed cultivation, and the dutiful Liang Wang Yan moved into his villa to watch and tenderly care for her teacher in his time of need.

 Chapter 70: Shameless Fox

    Captain Liang snapped out of her memories. Unable to control her tears, they fell from her eyes like a drizzle.

    "Teacher Zhu Zhang¡­" Captain Liang confronted Zhu Zhang and pleaded, yet he paid her no heed. She went to him just as he stood up from his seat and grasped his wrist in desperation. If he would stand by her side, she would easily finish this incident. "We must apprehend Li Meirong! She is definitely a demonic cultivator! Who knows how many innocents have died under her hands!? For her to cultivate this fast, she must have sacrificed countless humans in order to advance! We-" She didn''t even finish her sentence before her teacher flung her hand away in obvious disgust.

    Zhu Zhang murmured dangerously. "Do not touch me again."

    Even when he scolded her, he didn''t even once look her way.

    Feeling wronged, Liang Wang Yan vented her anger out on the closest available target, Li Meirong.

    She bit her lips in frustration and pointed an accusing finger straight at her.

    "You''ve plotted the whole journey to kill your seniors in order to use their blood for forbidden cultivation! Otherwise, why would you hide your powers until now, am I not right!??"

    Shaking her head tiredly, Li Meirong was too exhausted to speak to this lunatic. For all she cared, No Eyebrows may as well continue telling lies, since nobody bothered believing her, what was the point of arguing back?

    Li Meirong was safe inside the shield and that''s what mattered, she simply had to find the opportune time to escape. She tried to ignore her fears and focused her Qi on the shield, forcing herself to remain cool-headed under such a large opposition.

    Noticing Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s suffocating aura rising, the surrounding disciples backed away in hesitation, seeing as their leading Grandmaster had stopped the assault and that Li Meirong was unwilling to change her stance, they became doubtful.

    Glancing sideways, Li Meirong''s eyes turned bug-eyes as soon as she caught sight of Snowball trampling over the heads of several unconscious disciples as he paved his way to her.

    What was he doing here?! Was he the one who made the ceiling collapse?!

    That little fool jumped right into danger! Now she has to escape with him!

    Seeing Snowball running towards her, Li Meirong made an opening in her shield for him to cram through, but against all expectations, the fox changed course and dashed straight towards No Eyebrows!

    "Aaaaaaaaargh!!"

    The tormented shrill voice of Captain Liang echoed throughout the hall.

    Unable to make sense of the situation, Li Meirong just stood there, absolutely stupefied.

    Snowball toppled Captain Liang to the ground and viciously ground his claws against her face!

    The little fox cub tackled Captain Liang directly by jumping on top of her and scratching her all the way from her forehead to her chin. It was so unexpected that the rest of the audience speechlessly stared, too dumbstruck to move.

    Captain Liang gripped onto the fox''s belly, trying to shove him off, but the cub was simply unmovable!

    He was determined to rip her face off!

    "Get this thing off of me!!!" Captain Liang cried out. Snapping out of their daze, several succeeding disciples in good relations with the captain rushed to assist their struggling comrade.

    Zhu Zhang erected a barrier straightaway around Captain Liang and his son, preventing the others from approaching.

    "Everybody stand back. Only I shall approach."

    Nobody dared to challenge Grandmaster Zhu Zhang and all decided to head back to their seats, spectating as the new drama unfolds.

    By the time Zhu Zhang had reached the screeching Captain Liang, her face was already a bloody mess.

    "Let go, let go! Let go of me!!!" She cried out, but the fox was unrelenting. For some odd reason, she was unable to summon her internal force to fight against him!

    Her body felt heavy, subdued as if she was being controlled by someone¡­

    Liang Wang Yan just couldn''t understand it, the only one who was capable of incapacitating a cultivator on this continent was her teacher and he would never do such a thing to her!

    Without her cultivation, she was rendered useless!

    As another claw connected with her maimed flesh, Liang Wang Yan fainted.

    The moment Zhu Zhang reached them and prepared to grab Bai Qingyue from clawing Liang Wang Yan''s eyes out, a skillfully crafted arrow made entirely of flames was shot at him!

    He instinctively stepped away from the danger and the arrow grazed his arm. Although Zhu Zhang couldn''t even feel a scratch with his immortal physique, it was truly unexpected!

    Turning around, he saw Li Meirong aiming a dozen of brilliantly flaming arrows, all pointing at him. Her brows frowned and her eyes were filled with toxic venom as she locked her sight on him.

    "Don''t you dare take even one more step." She warned him.

    He would have laughed out loud if he didn''t have an image to uphold. This little girl sure is gutsy!

    Observing this new brave side of Li Meirong made him think better of her.

    Unknown to him, there was another in the hall even more engrossed with her than him. Ignoring the old coot at his side, Bai Qingyue dropped the comatose, nasty girl''s raw meat and prepared a bucket of tears for Li Meirong.

    He avoided the Grandmaster and practised his weeping while sprinting to Li Meirong''s side.

    "Uuuwuuuuwuu...Snowball is so scared! That big baddie almost killed me...uwuuwuu."

    Li Meirong nervously picked up her pitiful Snowball and hugged him tightly, dropping all her shields due to lack of concentration. The flaming arrows dissipated into thin air.

    "Silly Snowball, I told you to stay outside, didn''t I?! Are you alright? Did you get hurt??" She began inspecting him, from the tip of his ears to his paws and everything in between. Bai Qingyue relished in the attention and miserably lifted his paw for her to inspect.

    Sniff sniff. "I-I broke my claw¡­"

    "Oh, my poor baby..." Li Meirong squeezed the delighted Bai Qingyue against her warm steamed buns as she patted his back gently.

    "It''s so painful, uwuuwuu¡­" He kept weeping while rubbing his muzzle against the pleasant softness.

    All the disciples in the hall were speechless.

    Who was this king of acting?! Wasn''t he the one who just disfigured the unconscious Captain Liang simply moments ago??

    The person more shocked than anybody else was Zhu Zhang, unsure of how many more surprises he would get today.

    He couldn''t even manage to close his jaw as he watched his offspring''s inconceivable shamelessness!

    Naturally, he would know whether his son was actually harmed or not. Zhu Zhang made sure to render everyone who dared approach the boy as useless and crippled Liang Wang Yan''s meridians when his boy attacked her.

    Was this shameless fox really his son?!

 Chapter 71: Unpleasant Family Reunion

    Despite his embarrassment upon witnessing the cub''s outrageous deeds, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang was certain of the fact this "Snowball" was his offspring. He could sense the blood ties of the Bai clan''s direct lineage emitting from him, as only the children of the Sovereign Lord would have the capacity to be brimming with this tremendous aura.

    Only now, that formidable aura was displayed from the girl his son had placed his paws on so brazenly.

    Zhu Zhang attempted to conceal his turbulent emotions while he was still mulling over the sudden discovery of siring a child!

    There were many times in his life when Grandmaster Zhang felt guilty for deserting the clan since ultimately, there were so few of them left capable of continuing the lineage. The curse had not only toppled their family count but steadily brought forth the inevitable demise of the long-lasting Bai genealogy.

    As he was witnessing his flagrant son''s machinations, Zhu Zhang couldn''t help but entertain the thought that he would surely become a grandfather soon and the empty Bai palace may yet be filled with the cheerful cries of children once again.

    Thinking about the Bai palace made him realize "Snowball" must have been conceived after that horrendous night aeons ago when that witch Hong Meigui drugged him on the eve of their marriage ceremony.

    He was a proud man and only a few gods had ever managed to faze him, but the morning after the wedding, when he groggily woke up by the side of the Red Fox princess, he felt so repulsed to the point of retching and realization dawned upon him. He reached his breaking point.

    The feeling of his body being defiled by another had never truly left him.

    Only other Bai members forced against their will into producing heirs for the sake of the line would be able to understand the indescribable feeling of befoulment that he had experienced.

    He knew that he couldn''t abide by his elders'' wishes any longer. That very same day, he left the godly realm and never once looked back.

    The obligation of procreation did not fall upon all the clan members. Side branches were left to find their fated person and most of the elders had not even married. They were a clan with a scarce population, nearly all Bai Foxes practised abstinence and preserved their chastity.

    Regrettably, Zhu Zhang was born to be the Sovereign Lord and with his great powers came greater responsibilities he was committed to upholding.

    The Jiu Wei Hu''s were only able to remain a substantial tribe in the heavens because the governing Bai Foxes were the only ones affected by the curse. The rest of the Fox Deities were thriving in comparison.

    On another note, was his son the Sovereign Lord of the Bai clan really named Snowball?!

    Zhu Zhang cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to compose himself after witnessing such an embarrassing scene and subsequently formally addressed the entire hall in a declaration, "The trial is officially adjourned. Clearly, we are lacking a few details in our investigation. I will conduct a thorough interrogation in private. Everyone, disperse. Li Meirong, follow me to the inner chambers." He then turned to Healer''s Peak division''s Grandmaster and said, "My disciple has sustained mild injuries, I will ask you to make sure she is properly treated."

    The Healer''s Peak Grandmaster respectfully saluted Zhu Zhang as he assembled his disciples and ordered them to carry the unconscious, tortured Captain Liang.

    As the fellow Grandmasters left, they wondered what had made Zhu Zhang suddenly sound so biased...mild injuries? The skin on her face was completely peeled off!

    Amidst the hushed whispers of the scattering disciples, Li Meirong protectively cradled her Fox Spirit that has finally calmed down and curled up inside the shelter of her arms in contentment.

    Her nerves still stood on edge. Since she transmigrated, there have been far too many vindictive people around her. If she was back in modern times, at this point she would have most likely been paranoid and traumatized to the point of sleeping with a gun underneath her bed.

    Having been nearly disfigured by Captain Liang, repeatedly accused until a verdict named her as guilty, nearly attacked by a mob of expert fighters and suddenly, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang had taken back his decision as judge and completely shifted his demeanour.

    The abrupt changes taking place were altogether suspicious! Still feeling apprehensive about her abusive Grandmaster, Li Meirong remained vigilant. If they came at her with a surprise attack, she would be prepared!

    However, her suspicions remained unfounded.

    Zhu Zhang kept his dark robed back to her as he repeated, "Follow me."

    Narrowing her eyes distrustfully, Li Meirong stayed put.

    Snowball lifted his head to rub his forehead affectionately against her chin, "Don''t worry. Remember, you have me to fix all your problems!"

    Li Meirong sighed, this silly fox must really think he''s some big, tough fellow to fight against high-level cultivators, and one moment later he starts crying from breaking a nail.

    What was she going to do with her troublesome pet?

    "Yes yes, Snowball is my big, brave protector¡­" She assured her little fox.

    He nodded his small snout in agreement. Finally, she understood!

    "It''s good that you know!"

    Eventually, Li Meirong followed Grandmaster Zhu Zhang into the inner halls.

    The Bestiary''s Grandmaster led her to a secluded chamber, and right after her hesitant steps brought her inside, the Grandmaster covered the room with a sealing barrier.

    Immediately, Li Meirong flinched as she noticed his actions.

    Observing her agitated behaviour, Zhu Zhang said, "I didn''t place the seal with any malicious intentions. There are certain things we must privately discuss¡­"

    While arching a delicate eyebrow, Li Meirong''s limpid eyes assessed Grandmaster Zhu Zhang with utmost suspicion, unwilling to fall for any more deceit.

    Zhu Zhang wiped his forehead after he felt sweat accumulating on his skin and pointed at a seat for Li Meirong to settle down.

    "Ahem, please sit down."

    He suddenly felt really nervous. After thousands of years of missing out on family, he really made a mess of his first impression with his daughter-in-law!

    Knowing how fiercely protective Bai Foxes are of their soulmates, Zhu Zhang audibly gulped before glancing at his son. His boy''s shrewd yellow eyes pierced straight into his heart in accusation.

    This meeting was not going to be a pleasant family reunion...

 Chapter 72: It Will Not Be So Simple

    Cautiously averting his gaze from his angered son, Zhu Zhang focused on the interrogation, trying to ease the pair into a conversation. "Describe the beginning to the end of everything that happened between you and senior disciples."

    Li Meirong reluctantly explained, for the third time, all that had transpired along her journey, including her encounter with Sheng Jing Wu, the strange obsession he had for her during the last few years, her meeting with Chou in the forest and the seniors requesting her assistance in finding a herb. She avoided mentioning anything about falling into the volcano, the dimension, or Feng Huang. Instead, she told Grandmaster Zhu Zhang that Sheng Jing Wu disappeared after she found Snowball near the volcano.

    Bai Qingyue''s face blackened, the more he heard her speak, the more he raged. He had to find the appropriate time to get rid of that Sheng Jing Wu person.

    He regretted not wringing that ugly man''s neck!

    Zhu Zhang stayed silent until Li Meirong finished speaking and said, "And your aura, how did you obtain it?"

    Li Meirong''s face paled as she remembered the way Grandmaster Zhu Zhang had asked her the very same question all those years ago, causing her legs to quiver.

    Bai Qingyue''s ears twitched while he inspected Li Meirong''s subtle reactions.

    "I-I told you last time, I really don''t know. I just have it somehow. I have no idea about this aura you speak of." Li Meirong answered quietly.

    Zhu Zhang contemplated her words, if she really didn''t know anything about her aura, it could only mean that the Foxfire was placed on her involuntarily. Eyeing his son and seeing him blink innocently, Zhu Zhang knew that he was purposefully hiding information from the girl.

    He decided to play along.

    "Since you were only defending yourself, then the fault cannot be sided with you. I hereby clear you of all charges." He said casually as if her verdict didn''t matter to him one way or another.

    Li Meirong''s eyes widened in surprise. That was it?! Now she is innocent?? She wasn''t certain of it before but she was now sure, her Grandmaster is mad!

    She had no doubt that he was going to continue to interrogate her until she bled. Li Meirong clenched her fists under her sleeves. After the emotional rollercoaster she''s gone through in the last hour, his abrupt conclusion of the case was stupefying.

    Before she had the opportunity to speak, Zhu Zhang already fished out a teleportation stone from his sleeve and handed the small blue pebble to Li Meirong.

    "I heard your skills in brewing tea are most excellent, why don''t you go back and fetch me a cup of tea before we continue our discussion?" Zhu Zhang asked in a tone filled with unexpected fondness.

    It was difficult to fathom what thoughts passed through her crazy Grandmaster''s mind, he changed his behaviour all too rapidly. Zhu Zhang''s pleasant way of speaking to her now made her even more alarmed.

    Nevertheless, serving Grandmasters with meals and beverages was within her job description, so perhaps she was just overthinking the issue at hand. Although, this was the first time she was given a teleportation stone simply to hand in drinks. Those stones cost a small fortune, they weren''t often used for such casual purposes.

    Li Meirong nodded her head and said, "I''ll be right back."

    She hugged Snowball and raised the stone in preparation.

    The Grandmaster immediately rose from his seat and said, "No need to trouble yourself with the fox, since you will be back right away, just leave him here."

    "No, I don''t think so." Li Meirong didn''t leave any room for disagreement.

    She felt Snowball''s furry paw tap on her arm before he said, "It''s alright, I''ll stay put. You come right back, if anything happens, I will let you know." He spoke in an extremely cute manner, eliciting a positive response to any of his demands.

    Li Meirong felt ill at ease leaving her precious bundle with Zhu Zhang, but she was given the teleportation stone, which meant she could instantly return should anything happen and was close enough to Snowball for him to communicate with her in case of danger.

    "I''ll be right back." She stared at Zhu Zhang as she said, silently warning him.

    Bai Qingyue saw her fade away as the stone teleported her out, wiggling his little fingers as he waved goodbye.

    An uncomfortable silence lingered in the exquisitely crafted chamber. Bai Qingyue was perched comfortably on the chair Li Meirong sat on moments ago as he nonchalantly licked his paw. His pupils turned to slits and the air around him turned freezing chill.

    Feeling at a loss for words, Zhu Zhang was clueless as to how to begin conversing with his newly discovered, awfully displeased son.

    He chose to delve into the irrefutable facts.

    "You''re the Bai clan Sovereign Lord now¡­?" Zhu Zhang asked, leaving the end of the sentence a lingering question.

    "Naturally." Replied Bai Qingyue, utterly unperturbed, meanwhile, Zhu Zhang felt like he needed a cold shower!

    It was time to let out the truth. Zhu Zhang tapped his fingers repeatedly on the wooden table in front of him as he told his boy, "I am Bai Zhang. As a matter of fact, I am-"

    "My parent."

    Zhu Zhang held back his words as Bai Qingyue cut through his sentence.

    "Y-you knew?" He ended up stammering as he asked.

    "Obviously, I''m aware of everyone in my Bai family''s whereabouts except yours and your scent already gave you away, not to mention the poorly made mask you put on. Any competent person with a discerning sight would be able to see through your disguise."

    There were so many words to be said between them, but now that they have finally met, where would either of them start?

    As a person grows older, it becomes harder for them to admit their mistakes, perhaps even more so with gods. Living for eons, having phenomenal powers and being part of a prestigious elite clan made Zhu Zhang, better known as Bai Zhang abase himself very few times in his life.

    What made it all worse was the complete lack of emotion from his child. He could deal with anger, even hatred, but the aloofness he was met with only left him remorseful.

    "I have wronged you for leaving the clan but I have my own reasons for doing so. I am aware there is no excuse for it." His tone grew heavier as he continued," There was a...slight misunderstanding between Li Meirong and I. At first I jumped to conclusions and thought she harmed one of the Bai Foxes, absorbing their magic as her own, so I want to offer my apologies."

    For the first time in his life, Bai Zhang apologized.

    Bai Qingyue scoffed, flashing his small fangs as a growl of disdain escaped him.

    Bai Zhang, his father, deserted his sacred duties as leader, let his wife go mad, accused Li Meirong of murder and now he though a simple apology would wipe the slate clean¡­

    "I''m afraid it will not be so simple to let bygones be bygones. First, tell me why does my woman fear you so badly? She shivered the moment you walked into the hall!"

 Chapter 73: Grabbed His Heart And Ripped I

    Of course, his son would jump straight to the worst possible part in the discussion.

    "It was a misunderstanding, like I said¡­"

    After hearing his father mumbling, Bai Qingyue''s almond-shaped fox eyes narrowed dangerously, he grazed his claws against the chair.

    "Speak now or you can forget about mending your ties with the clan."

    Bai Zhang sighed, there was no right way of explaining how he almost killed his daughter-in-law.

    "Before I tell you of my misdeeds, I would like to inform you both formally as the Sovereign Lord and as my son of my discoveries."

    Bai Qingyue levelled his golden eyes with his father''s charcoal black irises. Bai Zhang shed his mask, showing a nearly identical shade of pale hair as Bai Qingyue. Without his human disguise, his otherworldly appearance was now visible once more, a white pair of fox ears sprouted from his head and nine, large and fluffy tails swished around, nearly overtaking the entire space inside the chamber.

    Bai Qingyue is the Sovereign Lord. He has a lot of weight on his shoulders and carried his trouble-filled clan with pride, but he was still considered very young in terms of immortal deities, having only recently passed ten thousand years or so.

    Bai Zhang, however, had lived for over sixty thousand years. His sheer presence was already nearly too much for his own barrier to contain and the force field cracked from his suppressed internal energy.

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes lit like lantern lights as he stared at Bai Zhang''s true form. How convenient it was for him to stumble upon his guilt-ridden father who''s brimming with far too much vitality for his old bones to handle. He would have no choice but to be a filial son and unburden his father from the gushing internal force that almost couldn''t be contained inside of him.

    Bai Zheng spoke as he began clarifying his position. He told Bai Qingyue of the drugging on the eve of the wedding, that much all of the Bai clan members were aware of.

    Had Bai Qingyue not found his fated person so early, the clan elders would have subjected him to the same fate, with their fear of losing the only Bai lineage capable of becoming the Sovereign Lord, having an heir was a necessity.

    In fact, Bai Zhang was both happy and slightly envious of his fortunate son. Not only did Bai Qingyue find his soulmate at such a young age but she was a female too, capable of continuing the lineage.

    As for him? He came to this low ranked world after working on a tracking device which could assist the clan with finding their fated partners. The tracker led him to this realm and after sixty thousand years of solitude, his fated person ended up walking up to his very doorstep.

    However, the god of luck did not smile upon him for when he finally met his fated person, it turned out to be a young boy named Liu Wei.

    The curse does not choose a specific vessel. Throughout the cycle of reincarnation, the souls'' compatibility would remain constant, but the vessels changed with each lifetime. The soulmate bond did not only defy the pattern of Ying and Yang, but it also defied species and status.

    For example, a Bai Fox''s partner could be of the same sex, or a simple animal, and even a random tree. The possibilities were endless.

    Despite his gender and age, Bai Zhang''s immediate attraction to the boy was instantaneous, not in a sexual sense, but in an overprotective manner. He nurtured Liu Wei as he waited for his growth.

    Originally, he planned on going back with his lover and reclaim leadership over the clan, but when he found out that his fated person was a male, he knew that his time as the patriarch of the Bai Clan had come to an end.

    For the cursed foxes, their fated partner meant everything to them, he wouldn''t dare to do anything to harm his person for the sake of the clan, he would have rather killed himself.

    If he would have gone back with his fated person, the elders might have tried to assassinate him in hopes of his reincarnation turning into a female, or force Bai Zhang again into copulation with his wife. He changed his original plan and decided to live his life peacefully with his lover.

    They remained together on the earthly plane and eventually, Liu Wei matured enough for them to join as a real couple.

    Those were the best years of Bai Zhang''s entire life.

    Unfortunately, all good things were never meant to last.

    Tragedy struck all too soon. Perhaps he was too engrossed in happiness that karma had to balance his life.

    On that dreadful day on which he heard of Liu Wei''s passing, he nearly killed himself right then and there.

    Only revenge drove him to persevere.

    In a fit of insanity, he nearly exterminated all the demonic cultivation sects and every inhabitant. Only a few remained and survived the slaughter. His body was filled with malevolent energy and it took him years in closed cultivation to purify his body.

    A god would not always be struck with punishment everytime they acted immorally. Gods were not mortal, their lives were handled by a different set of virtues as guidelines and their fates are not preordained.

    The punishment decided upon gods who have gone rogue are placed on them by the same cosmic energy which created all living beings. The lightning bolts a god receives upon a higher ascension were given by that same source of energy.

    For Bai Zhang to be so contaminated with evil energy meant he had strayed so far that he was nearly utterly altered into a fallen god.

    After Bai Zhang purified his dantian, he concentrated on finding ways to undo the terrible curse. His research barely bore fruit and his bitterness and loneliness consumed him even more so.

    When you don''t know what you''re missing, you won''t feel as sorrowful, but once you lose your source of happiness, it would be nearly impossible to continue living with the heartbreak¡­

    Just like what happened to his own parents. His noble father died and his grief-stricken mother soon joined his resting soul.

    He had never even entertained the thought of him ever having a son of his own during the time he escaped his position, much less a son who has already found his destined partner.

    At first, Bai Qingyue snorted, sensing his father''s attempt to redeem himself but as he proceeded to speak, all that was left was solemn understanding.

    How did Bai Qingyue feel when he thought that Li Meirong had died? It felt as though someone grabbed his beating heart and ripped his organ out of his chest.

    In a rare act of sympathy, Bai Qingyue jumped onto the wooden desk, high enough to reach his father and patted his mournful back in silent understanding.

    The intimate air in the room instantly changed and turned sour the moment Bai Zhang finished his explanation.

    "...So when I met Li Meirong, thinking her a thief, I condensed my energy to pressure her into a confession."

    The shrewd old fox explained himself so nicely, but Bai Qingyue knew better as to believe he was anything close to gentle!

    The little fox snarled threateningly, his bright eyes seething with rage. Condensing energy to pressure a person? Was it not just a sugar-coated way of explaining a person being tortured?!

    A pair of senior outer sect disciples walked through the long, narrow inner halls, sweeping and polishing as they passed by.

    "Argh!"

    When they were sweeping the marble floor near Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s study room, they could discern the unmistakable sound of a pain-filled grunt belonging to an adult man getting beaten while a squeaky canine growl barked from the cracked barrier,

    "Father or not, see if I don''t bite you to death!"

    "..." Said the disciples, unable to comprehend what was happening!

    Was their all-powerful Grandmaster getting bitten by a rabid dog?!

 Chapter 74: She Wouldnt Be Able To Join You

    Inside the study chamber, a little snow fox circled the room as he chased an all-powerful Fox God.

    The Fox God in question who was being pursued had tried to reason with his vigorous son, but every time he stopped moving, the boy would catch a hold of him and bite him, trying to rip his flesh off!

    Eventually, Bai Zhang lost his cool, "Would you wait for one second?!"

    Bai Qingyue caught hold of Bai Zhang''s backside again and bit down hard.

    "Ow!!!"

    He may be a small fox, but the murderous intent was still there! Bai Zhang''s poor bottom probably had changed colours by now.

    Bai Zhang groaned in despair, letting his son vent.

    Feeling the cub''s jaw was slackening, he lifted him by his nape with his long fingers and confronted him at eye level.

    Bai Qingyue''s ears drooped as he sulked. There was only so much he could do to avenge Li Meirong when he was just a powerless fox.

    "I hope you''ll be content, I''m certainly going to be left with purple marks on my ass for gods knows how long!"

    Knowing that did make Bai Qingyue feel better, but it wasn''t nearly enough!

    "You almost killed my wife!" Bai Qingyue shouted, swinging his paws at Bai Zhang''s direction, but sadly he couldn''t do any harm because he was being held at an arm''s length.

    Bai Zhang sighed, one day with his son and he had already concluded that parenthood wasn''t easy at all.

    He held his hand up to offer a truce but had his palm scratched the moment he was close enough to reach.

    As Bai Zhang''s blood dripped on the marble floor, he said, "What matters is that she''s alive and well. I will make amends, as her father-in-law and as her Grandmaster."

    Bai Zhang couldn''t care less about common mortals, but Li Meirong had now become his son''s intended, he had to change his attitude towards her accordingly.

    With his arms folded together, Bai Qingyue snorted in contempt, "Humph, you''ll have to put in a lot of effort. I have a list of demands."

    Bai Zhang already felt his back sweating, he knew all too well to never negotiate with foxes since he was one himself. They always have the upper hand in a bargain.

    Seeing his son had grown more relaxed, he dropped him onto the chair again. His cut had already vanished as if it was never there.

    The awkward family sat in front of each other once again while Bai Qingyue listed his set of demands.

    With his claw extended, Bai Qingyue arrogantly began his extortions. "First, you must always side with Li Meirong and you must provide her with every and any comfort she desires in the time she vacations in your sect."

    Blinking his eyes, Bai Zhang wondered what his son considered this sect as, a temporary trip from home?

    "Alright."

    "You must give Li Meirong the best position possible during her stay."

    Zhu Zhang covered his forehead with his hand. This would take a while...he was basically asking him to breach protocols that he himself created!!

    "Li Meirong was taken in as an outer sect disciple, with your powers merged inside her, naturally she would be skilled a lot more than necessary to become an inner sect disciple. However, I already have a cultivator sitting in the position of a succeeding disciple which is the highest rank in the division I control before my own. My succeeding disciple was the girl whose face you scratched raw."

    Bai Qingyue huffed, feeling his reasoning was justified. "All the more reason to make some changes. You''re harbouring such vile humans in the sect. Kill that tramp and put my woman at her position."

    "It''s not possible to make such a drastic change. Liang Wang Yan has remained loyally at my side since she was a young girl, it would be too much to remove her without a cause or reason." Before his son argued back, Bai Zhang quickly added, "But I can take Li Meirong as a secondary disciple, she''s my daughter-in-law. I will treat her well."

    Bai Qingyue glared at Bai Zhang as if to say "You better!"

    The fox cub said, "I descended to the earthly plane due to a lightning strike tribulation and since then a large chunk of my accumulated energy was drained. The remaining strength I had left was transferred to my wife, so now I will need you to let me borrow your accumulated energy." Indefinitely.

    Bai Zhang could already discern the meaning behind the word "Borrow", but it didn''t matter to him. It was his son and the least he could do, but there were a lot of loopholes in his story and there was much he had yet to know about him.

    "I have not yet head your name¡­" said Bai Zhang, purposefully avoiding his son''s demand with his response.

    "Bai Qingyue." Was the cub''s curt answer.

    Bai Zhang nodded, pleased. He was afraid for a moment that the Sovereign Lord of his clan was actually named "Snowball".

    "A favourable name, Overturning The Moon. Our clan always had close ties with Chang''e, the Moon Goddess." Bai Zhang said in appreciation as he held his hand to his chin and added, "I assumed you kept your status hidden from Li Meirong but now that you are married, that means she is aware of your position as Fox God. It''s good that everything went smoothly with you and her. Very good! Certain humans don''t take well to having relationships with deities, they would rather have a spouse who is human, like themselves."

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes darted around the room, his tail nervously swished left and right as he said, "About the marriage...she doesn''t know yet. She thinks I''m her Spirit Beast named Snowball."

    "..." Bai Zhang was too speechless to ask.

    How did they even marry?!

    Bai Qingyue cleared his throat and said, "Well, are you going to transfer me your energy? I need to prepare my ascension. We will stay awhile but I cannot be gone from the clan for too long and Li Meirong needs to get acquainted with her new position as Sovereign Lady."

    Bai Qingyue couldn''t wait to get a human-like form again. He wanted to hold Li Meirong in his arms and tell her who he is. He wanted them to settle down together already and he''s been withholding his identity from her for the very purpose of reintroducing himself at his finest. There could be no accidents, she had to fall for him in order for his plans to proceed smoothly.

    Bai Zhang hated being the bearer of bad news, but he came to realize his son''s lack of knowledge at this point. Bai Qingyue gave Li Meirong his godly aura, yet that won''t be enough for her to ascend. There were no shortcuts to becoming an immortal.

    Unlike him, Bai Qingyue did not research about fated partners. He was far too engrossed with the clan''s tasks and management and was left unaware of the necessary steps required should an immortal join in matrimony with a mortal.

    "I will give you half of my lifespan''s cultivation. You are my son and the Sovereign Lord, it would only be right for me to provide for you, although Li Meirong wouldn''t be able to join you in the Celestial Realm."

    Arching a brow, Bai Qingyue asked, "The reason?"

    "Your providence of her powers has already given the girl a lot of cheats she may have been unable to pass through in terms of cultivation with her own physique, but to become an immortal is a journey she must go through, it cannot be handed to her and it would be impossible for the girl to ascend into the Celestial Realm without an immortal soul."

    Seeing his son bristling, Bai Zhang comfortingly said, "It doesn''t mean it''s impossible, but it will not be easy. An immortal''s soul is already built with a foundation mortals simply do not possess. Humans, animals and any form of enlightened consciousness have to strive for it and must have the willpower and mindset required. There''s a reason why only one mortal amongst hundreds of thousands ascend to immortality. Most humans are simply not able to partake in such a difficulty, nor wish to."

    After he finished listening, Bai Qingyue''s whole face became shrouded in darkness. If he couldn''t bring her with him, it would mean that he would have to make sure she cultivates to become an immortal!

    Having already been acquainted with her laidback disposition, Bai Qingyue knew such a journey would be nearly impossible for her! She lacked any sort of drive!

 Chapter 75: His Son Was Deluding Himself

    Noticing the conversation was taking a turn for the worst, Bai Zhang frowned in thought while rubbing his chin as he contemplated any possible ways to assist his son.

    Remembering the sect''s upcoming competition, he mentioned, "The Forgotten Water sect''s once every century tournament is nearing. Usually, the sect will allow inner disciples skilled in combat to spar each other before the final winner is sent to a championship tournament against allied prominent and righteous sects. Such an opportunity would be ideal for my daughter-in-law, but unfortunately, she has no knowledge of any martial arts. I fear that it would be inappropriate to make her battle without training for at least a decade. How about this, you head back to handle the clan and I shall train Li Meirong, meanwhile, by then she should have progressed her cultivation a little further."

    "Absolutely not!" Bai Qingyue exclaimed, thumping his paw on the chair.

    He left her for such a short while and she has already attracted vermin!

    "My wife is not useless, she has her own special merits and will be more than qualified to attend the upcoming tournament, humph." Bai Qingyue haughtily replied.

    He would make sure of it, the faster, the better.

    "I refuse to wait thousands of years for her to turn into an immortal."

    "..." Said Bai Zhang. His son was deluding himself¡­

    Li Meirong had no proper foundation nor the passion for cultivating and in the short amount of time she lived in the sect, not once did she complain about her position or aspire to reach the inner disciple''s classes as many of the other servants have attempted to.

    No, she seemed all too content with her life. It was a miracle that she even managed to reach the second stage of cultivation thanks to his son''s trickery, trying to defy heaven''s rules.

    Honestly, Bai Zhang wasn''t sure whether to sympathize with Bai Qingyue or Li Meirong at this point. It seems that even between a fortuitous and fated couple, there were still many issues left to resolve.

    Reaching a dead end, Bai Zhang promptly initiated the transfer of half his internal energy to Bai Qingyue.

    Knowing Li Meirong may come back at any given time, Bai Zhang masked his appearance to look like the same human cultivator shell he glamoured prior and summoned a recliner with a tap of his fingers. He positioned the chair near Bai Qingyue and sat as close as possible to the young fox. Placing his palm on the silver-furred back, he focused on the qi circulation coursing through him when he transferred his cultivated powers to his son.

    Bai Qingyue absorbed the qi transfer in comfort, his spiritual essence rejuvenating with every passing second. It might be a difficult process to receive godly qi from a stranger, however, the qi of his own father was absorbed inside of him effortlessly. His immortal core gulped the onslaught of power until he was intoxicated from it.

    The image of an adorable cub had vanished altogether. His fox form took on a shimmering glow the moment his body reshaped itself into that of a heartrending, stunning man. Bai Qingyue''s animal eyes had transformed into long, seductive, narrow eyes curving upwards at the end, his dark snout turned into a high-bridged, straight nose and his small furry hind legs morphed into long, smooth and muscular limbs. He kept his ears and tails hidden, passing for a human with only his hair and eye colours marking his different heritage.

    The corners of his reddened lips tilted upwards in a subtle smile, silver strands of flowing hair fell on his face, cloaking his golden eyes. Sensing the revitalized and tremendous energy swimming right under the surface of his skin anew, Bai Qingyue''s contempt towards his father lessened significantly. He may have been a terrible Sovereign Lord but as a father, he assisted him in his time of need.

    Feeling a silken cloth draped over his shoulders made Bai Qingyue turn around to see a black outer garment covering his exposed back. Bai Zhang''s face had paled considerably and his breathing got heavier, for the person who transfers so much energy out of himself, the effects are much harder to handle. He needed to rest and cultivate for proper recuperation.

    Bai Zhang summoned a stack of robes that were the same as the garments belonging to the rest of the disciples in the sect.

    "Dress yourself, your wife will be returning soon." He reminded Bai Qingyue, who sat still with his sword-like eyebrows frowning at the robes with utmost disdain.

    Relenting to the circumstances, Bai Qingyue sighed as he garbed himself with the sect robes. The sleeves were long and wide, with an open cross collar shirt and a light coloured sash to secure the separate pieces together. When he was done, Bai Qingyue wore the black outer garment on top.

    It wasn''t long before they settled again as though nothing grand had just occurred, standing side by side, father and son staring at each other from the same height.

    Bai Zhang''s curiosity got the better of him when he asked. "Will you tell my daughter-in-law of her identity today?"

    Averting his gaze in thought, he swept his hair back and contemplated his next course of actions. Bai Qingyue had grown tired of pretending to be "Snowball", yet he had a prickly feeling that Li Meirong would not jump into his arms happily when she finds out the truth. The woman''s thoughts were difficult to perceive at times. He preferred acquiring enough information and only after knowing he would certainly succeed would he admit his identity.

    "I will speak with her tonight and should all go well, by tomorrow she will be informed."

    Bazi Zhang nodded in understanding, feeling sympathetic of his son. Seeing Bai Qingyue''s human form bearing a striking resemblance to his own made Bai Zhang reckon his child received the best of both worlds.

    He carried the domineering presence of a Sovereign Lord and also the seductive softness in his features from his mother''s side. With such a handsome and peerless bearing, his Qingyue should have no trouble getting his wife to become obsessed with him, although he agreed with his son''s concerns as there were exceptions to everything. They might be gods, their appearance and status the dream of every mortal, but there were still those select few who refused the courtship of the Bai clan when they were met with their fated person. The curse only affects their clan which made the foxes desperate to consolidate their partner''s feelings for themselves.

    There was nothing worse than being eternally caught in a one-sided love affair.

    The two family members continued conversing, catching up on important information. Bai Qingyue''s answers were kept brief but he replied to all of his father''s questions relating to the clan.

    Amidst their discussion, a gentle knock sounded from the entrance. Bai Qingyue held a hand to his chest and grasped his robes as if to still his heart from beating any faster.

    Li Meirong materialized right outside of the study chamber with a platter of tea and a plate filled with pastries. Unable to access the room directly due to the barrier, she tapped her dainty fingers on the door.

 Chapter 76: She Could Tell Who She Needed To Avoid

    The intricately carved wooden door opened by itself and Li Meirong slowly stepped inside, carefully making sure not to spill the hot tea.

    The study room wasn''t overly large but had sufficient space for tall cabinets stacked with scrolls and unique trinkets she had had never seen before, including enough room for a screen door to be placed near the entrance, concealing the main seating placements and the Grandmaster''s ''scholar'' desk. Despite the numerous furniture, the room did not appear cluttered at all. The impression she received was of careful placement of every object in the room, providing a pleasant atmosphere.

    She went behind the screen door and the person that greeted her sight made her tight grip over the tray slacken, nearly dropping all the contents of the platter from her hands.

    Unwilling to believe her own eyes, her thoughts were caught in a jumbled mess. The past came haunting her today of all days!

    "Y-you¡­!" Li Meirong blurted out.

    Standing by Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s side was the man she met years ago in the brothel, on the dreaded night when her soul first transmigrated into this world!

    How could there be such a coincidence as to meet that man once again?!

    That very same imposing height and lean muscular build with an arrogant grace to every slight movement he made. Moon-kissed skin and sculpted features with a pair of cunning Phoenix eyes, the impossibly long albino hair and unforgettable sun-kissed eyes¡­

    He looked exactly the same as that night.

    She tried not to think about their encounter during the passing years, placing the memory at the back of her mind. If there was a way to describe how she felt after the brothel ordeal, the only emotion that was left was a strong feeling of shame.

    Thinking about the past, she refused to condemn herself for her actions, the aphrodisiac clouded her rationality and made her desperate for his touch. She secretly admitted to herself that she enjoyed every moment of their intimacy and knew she couldn''t lay blame on the man since he was affected by the same drug, yet another part of her despised the stranger for taking advantage of her, even more so for his disappearance directly after.

    That day, she had lost consciousness so quickly that even until now she wasn''t certain if she had lost her innocence during the event¡­

    The shameful feeling of being a used object and later on tossed aside left her bitter.

    In the past, when visions of his piercing eyes surfaced in her dreams, Li Meirong used to casually cheer herself up and avoid the heavy thoughts.

    ''It could have been worse, you could have stayed in the brothel and became a plaything for any passing stranger. Think of what happened as a bad memory and a one-night-stand with a good-looking guy.'', that''s what she used to silently told herself.

    Li Meirong shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. She forced herself to calm down and to properly take in the scene with detail.

    The man was garbed in the sect robes and standing right by Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s side made the similarities between the two all the more apparent. were it not for that person''s albinism, she would have thought the pair to be siblings when she had first encountered Zhu Zhang.

    Seeing them together now, they resembled each other too much to be strangers.

    It was hard to look away from the silver-haired man''s liquid gold irises, they were of a similar shade to Snowball''s. Through her obscured recollection, she still managed to find familiarity in his chiselled face and tempting lips. His whole countenance made the alarm bells in her head ring ''trouble!''

    He was definitely the type of man that would make you fall hopelessly in love with him, only to break your heart in the end. More than anyone else, Li Meirong feared these type of men the most. After repeated heartbreaks, she could already tell who she needed to avoid.

    She already had one Mo Cheng and she didn''t need another in her life. Not to mention, the silver-haired stranger seemed ten times worse than her womanizing friend.

    His eyes did not widen in surprise as hers did. No, they narrowed down as his golden gaze bore into her, making her squirm in her place.

    Grandmaster Zhu Zhang cleared his throat in an attempt to clear the tension within the room, grabbing Li Meirong''s attention.

    "Do you two already know each other?"

    The silver-haired man shook his head and answered, "Not at all."

    With a hand beckoning Li Meirong, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang presented the man.

    "You must be wondering who my guest is. Let me introduce you, this is Zhu Qingyue, my one and only son." said Zhu Zhang.

    Bai Qingyue''s brows furrowed in discontent when he heard his surname being switched to Zhu. He clasped his hands together in a silent greeting.

    Li Meirong quickly placed the tray on the desk and greeted him back.

    So his name was Zhu Qingyue...she vaguely recalled he mentioned Qingyue that night.

    Noticing Zhu Qingyue''s displeased expression and how he obviously kept quiet about their relationship made Li Meirong realize that he might have been just as embarrassed about the past as she was, not to mention that the Grandmaster was his father. Gosh, what a mess!

    Zhu Qingyue did proclaim in their last "meeting" at the brothel that he wouldn''t touch her. She certainly didn''t forget that statement. Maybe he already had a family? It wasn''t uncommon for men far younger than him in this world to already have several wives and plenty of children.

    Clearly, he was a man of prominent status, considering that he was the only son of the leader of a sect, it was probably a mark of humiliation for him to bed someone such as her.

    Even when the sect claimed there was no status among disciples, the wealthy disciples mingled with themselves and the poorer ones were often the servants.

    No wonder he vanished.

    She only ever thought about her own unwanted experience but wasn''t he a victim just as much as she was? The thought of him seeking her out had not once crossed her mind.

    Li Meirong''s self-esteem was never high. She grew up in a family that preached humility and self-abasement, even speaking a word out of turn was considered improper and impolite. Being raised by her grandmother, the traditional values of her family skipped a generation and passed on directly to her. It was only during rare moments of losing her cool that she managed to speak up.

    As she finally let herself delve into the recesses of her mind, she came to the conclusion of letting bygones be bygones. She wouldn''t mention the past nor blame him and he would most likely avoid her after this second meeting just as well.

    Focusing on her responsibilities, Li Meirong glanced around the room, unable to find little Snowball which she was expecting.

    Silently reprimanding herself for being inattentive, her eyes darkened with instant malice as her now hardened gaze focused on Zhu Zhang.

    "Where is Snowball?!"

 Chapter 77: Not Allowed To Touch

    The Grandmaster stared at the girl looking back at him with venom in her eyes. It seemed as though his son was already deeply rooted in her feelings, though not exactly in the manner he wished to be.

    Grandmaster Bai Zhang stole a quick glimpse at Bai Qingyue. The boy stood there broad shouldered and arrogant but Bai Zhang had enough experience to tell his son''s nerves were on edge.

    He would take command of the situation instead.

    "No need to get riled up, ''Snowball'' went outside to relieve himself. He will be here shortly, no doubt." said Zhu Zhang, accentuating the silly name his son acquired.

    The silly remark made Bai Qingyue snap out of his petrified state. He viciously glared at his father. Wasn''t he clearly mocking him?!

    He should have bitten him harder and tear off a chunk of flesh from his butt!

    "I understand." Said Li Meirong as her anger was immediately alleviated. Snowball was a little fox, it made sense that he couldn''t hold his pee pee.

    They all sat down in awkward silence.

    Li Meirong seated herself near the table, by her side was Zhu Qingyue and in front of her sat Zhu Zhang.

    One nearly killed her, the other ate her tofu and now she''s sitting down and sharing a drink with them¡­

    Li Meirong nervously looked at the murky green shade of the tea in her hand, making sure to avoid meeting Zhu Qingyue''s stare. She seeped the leaves in the water for too lengthy an amount of time and made the flavour far too bitter for her liking.

    She was completely stressed when she left and her attempt to head back as quickly as she could made her carelessly ruin the tea.

    Bai Zhang took a sip and sat the cup aside, left to be forever untouched.

    Bai Qingyue gulped the whole cup down in a single sip, courtly placed the cup on the tray and poured himself another cup of bitter tea.

    Hearing the sound of a snigger, Li Meirong raised her head to see Zhu Zhang stifling his laughter with a hand over his mouth.

    He couldn''t help but be amused at seeing how foolish his son was. The tea was clearly too bitter to drink. Who was he trying to impress when he was already married to the woman?

    Bai Qingyue kept sipping the bitter tea, not a hint of displeasure could be seen on his tranquil face.

    Li Meirong''s cheeks reddened as she watched Zhu Qingyue drink the tea, seeming as if he would never stop. She nibbled on her lower lip in agitation.

    Expecting words of rebuke, she hurriedly apologized. "Umm...I''m sorry about the tea, it''s my fault, perhaps the pastries would be more to your liking. I mashed the almonds into a paste for a buttery flavour and added honey for sweetness."

    Finally, the domineering man spoke. "It tastes good. I enjoy a strong flavour." His tone of voice was strict and cold but his words made her feel better.

    Li Meirong inclined her head in affirmation and grabbed one of the square-shaped pastries, munching on the snack.

    Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she enjoyed the soft texture and subtle sweetness. One of the self-imposed rules she abided by was that no matter what happened, she would at least make sure to take care of herself to the best of her abilities, and that included eating well.

    After the failure that was the horrendous tea, Bai Zhang wasn''t tempted in the least to sample the colourful dessert despite observing how content his daughter-in-law was when she munched down on the cake.

    It was no wonder, she made it herself and was probably trying to show off after the blunder...

    Bai Qingyue however, did not share his father''s disappointed sentiments.

    The dashingly handsome man was captivated by the jet-black haired beauty at his side.

    His Phoenix eyes bore into her, concentrating on the way her luscious lips munched on the pastry. He gulped his saliva audibly. Bai Qingyue was absolutely certain that a pastry would never look as desirable as the one before his eyes.

    As he imagined his tongue sampling the softness of those red lips again, his body temperature rose quickly.

    The moment his thoughts were led astray, Bai Qingyue abruptly stood up and went to sit by his father''s side. For some reason, it was that much harder to control his urges around her in his human form.

    After tasting her once and knowing just how sweet she is, how could he resist having her again?

    He wasn''t made of stone!

    Li Meirong felt slightly offended. She hadn''t even talked to Zhu Qingyue but apparently, it was also beneath him to sit by her side. That''s fine. When all this was over, she wasn''t even certain she''d stay in the sect!

    Bai Zhang had half a mind to smack his son over the head right now, but that would give him away. It was obvious to him that the boy kept having impure thoughts about his innocent wife.

    He kept watching the good show, content as the Sovereign Lord made a complete utter fool of himself.

    Bai Qingyue loosened the collar of his robe and grabbed a round pastry. It felt as soft as sponge and had a warm, appetizing colour.

    After biting down, the edges of his thin lips inadvertently tilted upwards in a pleasant surprise.

    Who would have thought his wife was a culinary genius?! He had never tasted such a delicious pastry in his life, in fact, he never even enjoyed the taste of pastries before.

    Watching Bai Qingyue''s contentedly gobbling the cake made Bai Zhang sneer.

    They weren''t mortal peasants. They were gods, their palate was of a higher standard then what was available in the mortal realm. The boy was putting too much of a show in front of the girl. He was already collared.

    That was what Bai Zhang had thought at first, yet seeing the plate emptying so rapidly brought forth a trace of suspicion.

    Bai Zhang hesitantly reached for a pastry and gently nibbled it, expecting a bland and oily flavour.

    Instead, he received a burst of a tantalizing, rich taste and a soft, pleasant texture melting in his mouth!

    His skin tingled as he stared wide-eyed at Li Meirong who was engrossed with her own cake.

    Turns out my daughter-in-law is so accomplished! No wonder the other Grandmasters kept asking for her to be cooking their meals specifically.

    Bai Zhang was about to grab another cake but his hand came out empty.

    The pastries vanished!

    The Grandmaster almost fell from his seat when he saw Bai Qingyue stuff his face full of cakes, unwilling to share his prize and glowering at him as if to say; Mine! Not allowed to touch!

 Chapter 78: I Quit!

    Bai Zhang fumed, thumping his fist on the table angrily.

    There was no respect left for elders now in this day and age!

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong who still had some cake crumbs left on her hands quickly finished the last bits of her pastry.

    They look as if they''ve never eaten sweets in their lives¡­

    As she viewed the silver-haired man in front of her, she couldn''t help but think that Zhu Qingyue''s usually cold and otherworldly features looked ridiculously cute now, like a squirrel stuffing his mouth full of walnuts. Li Meirong placed a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.

    She would have never imagined such an intimidating looking man would have a moment like this!

    Bai Qingyue unabashedly finished swallowing the desserts.

    When he relished the taste in his mouth after stuffing himself full of Li Meirong''s cakes, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the gut and contorted in discomfort, clutching his bloated belly.

    There was a reason why cultivators scarcely ate, not to mention the gods. Mortal food contained a lot of impurities and was hard for the body to digest.

    Unless it was spiritual fruits or meals enhanced with spirit essence powder, one must eat with care lest they damage their physique.

    Although there wasn''t any fear for Bai Qingyue that it would harm his immortal body, the stomach aches he experienced felt horrible.

    Still, he regretted nothing!

    Noticing Zhu Qingyue''s face contorting in pain, Li Meirong asked in concern, "Are you feeling alright, senior disciple?"

    "Fine." Bai Qingyue gritted back in response, trying not to show a disgraceful image in front of her.

    Bai Zhang couldn''t suppress his laughter this time, his eyes curved with mirth as he snickered in contempt.

    Serves you right for eating all the pastries!

    The old father fox''s lips stretched into a crafty smirk, plotting ways to snatch future delicacies. Wasn''t he the all-powerful Grandmaster of this sect? He could just go and grab some whenever he likes!

    He controls the whole sect, after all. Doesn''t that mean he can do whatever he wants?

    Li Meirong''s eyes darted fretfully between Grandmaster Zhu Zhang and Zhu Qingyue, hoping the blame won''t be placed on her for making the dish.

    During the same time, Bai Zhang was enjoying his moment of karmic retribution. Despite his ongoing amusement, it didn''t take long for him to offer his benevolence by summoning a canister of spirit infused ginger sticks from his spatial storage bag.

    "Here, chew on this. It will help relax your upset stomach." Bai Zhang instructed his son.

    Bai Qingyue followed his advice and shortly after, he sighed in relief as the symptoms lessened and he gradually started feeling better. His stomach, however, remained bulging ungracefully due to bloating.

    Noting all the time that had passed without Snowball coming back, Li Meirong''s worries resurfaced. She rose from her seat and respectfully bowed.

    "Seeing as my Fox Spirit has yet to return, I shall take my leave now." And may our paths never meet again. She left that unsaid.

    Bai Zhang lifted his hand up, halting her departure. "Hold it!"

    Her back stiffened the moment he spoke, she looked up and noticed the two briefly exchanging looks with each other...

    Bai Zhang nudged Bai Qingyue, urging him to take charge and go through according to their plan.

    Bai Qingyue stood from his seat as well. His golden eyes bore into Li Meirong as he said, "In preparation for the upcoming martial arts tournament, my father has summoned me after witnessing your talent at the time of the trial. I have been brought here to act as your teacher." His long hair and somewhat feminine features heavily contrasted with the low and deep voice he emitted.

    Li Meirong shifted her feet in agitation. She had no intentions of joining any silly tournament!

    "I''m afraid that I''m really not suitable, I''ve only just started cultivating and have no knowledge of any martial arts."

    "You have a talent for it."

    When Bai Zhang heard his son spouting lies without an ounce of change to his expression, he felt a tinge of admiration for the Sovereign Lord. What talent? He provided her with all her powers on a silver platter!

    "I really have no desire to learn martial arts, I just want to live peacefully and cultivate slowly." said Li Meirong.

    Bai Qingyue''s vein twitched in rising anger. Was his woman the reincarnation of a Buddhist monk!?

    Martial arts cultivation is the most dangerous way of raising one''s cultivation since it requires the cultivator to be put in harm''s way against numerous opponents, but it is also the fastest method. The training requires constant practice in both mind and body but the results were the most lucrative.

    Woman, you''ll not make me wait thousands of years for you!

    "You are obligated to join!" Bai Qingyue roared.

    After being yelled at by Zhu Qingyue, Li Meirong decided that she finally had enough of the Zhu family. She was losing her wits worrying about Snowball and this family was like a thorn at her side, bothering her at every turn. Turns out the son was just as aggravating as the father! All her forgiveness regarding their previous entanglement extinguished.

    No matter what, they simply cannot get along!

    "I am not going to join! I quit!"

 Chapter 79: Im Not Fa

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes had a frosted glaze as he torridly glared at Li Meirong. With his powers now restored, the temperature around him immediately plummeted to that of a blizzard storm alongside his frustrated mood.

    Her Peach Blossom eyes shined with determination as she stood her ground. The only giveaway of her nervousness was that of her feet unconsciously stepping back, instinctually backing away from danger.

    Somehow, he was even more angered with himself for finding her to be breathtaking even when she rebelled against his decisions!

    He was her lord and husband and she dared go against him!

    An urge frothed inside him to give her butt a spanking, finding himself enjoying the idea in more than one way.

    Raising a hand to his forehead, Bai Zheng silently sighed in exasperation. If he wouldn''t help the younger generation, the Bai Clan may never receive the blessing of children!

    He patted his angered son''s shoulder, hoping the boy would grab hold of his senses before his wife would surely run away.

    He formulated a ploy that would ensure her captivity. His daughter-in-law''s arrogance grew due to the control of her "newly" acquired powers and thinking that she could survive outside on her own, so all he had to do was to threaten her into obedience.

    "Miss Meirong, if you choose to leave the sect, the decision will be up to you but do take note, should you decide to go through with that plan, you must first strip yourself of all the cultivation you''ve acquired during your days as a disciple and return to being a common mortal," said Grandmaster Zhu Zhang, informing the rules of the sect.

    His words caused Li Meirong''s resolve to waver. Were it before the struggle she had inside the dimension and her breakthrough with the blue flames, she wouldn''t hesitate to leave, but after all the hardships she''s been through and the knowledge that Sheng Jing Wu still lurked in the shadows, Li Meirong couldn''t bring herself to irrationally escape.

    She had to think carefully about the matter. After all, she only had herself to depend on in this world, not to mention Chou, Snowball and Feng Huang who relied on her. Li Meirong couldn''t afford to be weak now.

    The edges of Bai Zhang''s lips curved up in a knowing smile.

    "If you choose to stay, then you must assist with the sect''s traditions and practice martial arts for the sake of the tournament. I shall take you as a personal disciple and assist you with the teachings." Said Zhu Zhang.

    Unbeknownst to Li Meirong, Bai Qingyue''s inner hurricane was reduced to a tropical breeze. He nodded in approval at his father, appreciating his quick thinking.

    Li Meirong blinked in surprise, unable to understand why she was suddenly given all these opportunities to progress in the sect. Were flaming arrows and blue flame shields that impressive to Grandmaster cultivators?

    Focusing back on the question at hand, she sulkily admitted defeat, "I''ll abide by the sect''s rules. If you''ll excuse me, I have to go retrieve my fox."

    "Fine, fine. You may leave," said Grandmaster Zhu Zhang.

    As if the devil was chasing her, Li Meirong''s feet took off as soon as she received the approval to depart, without sparing even a single glance at her superiors.

    For a second there, she felt as though she was back in modern times in a romantic novel setting like some sort of insignificant employee in a successful company, finally meeting up with the second generation CEO and his old-fashioned, arrogant father after having an accidental one night stand with the CEO boss.

    Those type of plots always end up with the girl suffering abuse throughout the whole story.

    Nope.

    She had to avoid the Zhus'' like the plague!

    As soon as Li Meirong rushed outside, the sight of Snowball perched near the outer pavilion caught her eyes.

    Why did her silly fox take so long to do the deed?!

    "Snowball! I was mad with worry! Next time, you must wait for my return before you leave!" Li Meirong scolded the fox cub.

    Snowball looked pitifully sad, his pupils wide and his ears drooped, staying unusually quiet.

    Li Meirong wondered if she was too harsh on the little baby, he was only an innocent baby. It was her responsibility to teach him right from wrong.

    She sighed in exhaustion while lifting up the kit into her embrace.

    "Just don''t do that again, alright? I was really worried about you."

    Snowball slowly nodded in reply. At the same time, the disguised Sovereign Lord couldn''t help but feel both warmth for her genuine concern for him and bitterness for her special treatment for "Snowball" while she couldn''t wait to get away from "Zhu Qingyue"!

    I''m your husband, not a pet, you stupid woman!

    Bai Qingyue resolutely determined that he had to tell her the truth tonight!

    While Bai Qingyue''s thoughts brought him to despair, Li Meirong curiously pondered why her little Snowball suddenly looked so much "fatter".

    She poked his adorable round belly and giggled, amused.

    "Did you run off to catch some chickens while I wasn''t around? How did you get so fat?"

    Ridding himself of the aggrieved pretense, mortified Bai Qingyue silently glared at the laughing woman while she poked his belly, feeling his "fat" tummy.

    It''s all your fault anyway! I had to chase after you and didn''t have any time to digest the food!

    "I''m not fat!" Snowball squealed, shooing her unruly finger away with his paws.

    How undignified!

 Chapter 80: Planning His Revenge

    "Alright, you''re not fat, just robust!" Li Meirong kept giggling, only making Bai Qingyue all the more aggravated.

    "Humph. Of course, I''m robust, every inch of my body is filled with rippling muscles!" The angry snow kit retorted back at her.

    Meanwhile, Bai Qingyue''s thoughts turned all the more devious as he began planning his revenge.

    Eventually, we''ll see who''s going to end up with a round belly!

    Little Snowball''s cheeks puffed up in an obvious display of discontent. Li Meirong stopped her teasing and decided to drop the subject before Snowball''s whole face turned into a balloon.

    There was a certain type of satisfaction one felt when they were just about to reach their home and Li Meirong couldn''t wait to rest her weary body, she felt utterly exhausted.

    With Snowball in her arms, she returned to the stables only to discover that Cai Huise was long gone. Without the twin-tailed cat around, she opted to mount one of the available cranes instead, flying to the sect''s bustling marketplace.

    The sect''s inhabitants lived in separation from the rest of the world, not only was it nearly impossible for non-cultivators to reach the sect grounds, the Forgotten Waters sect''s inhabitants rarely left the sacred islands themselves, except for rare occasions such as when the Grandmasters ordained a mission upon disciples, or in search for certain cultivating materials such as herbs and special items...

    Similarly to a religious faction, cultivators lived in seclusion.

    Because of their solitary circumstances, the sect operated as though it was an independent city, filled with residences, transportation systems and education for those entitled and their likes. Here, one was qualified for better standards if they had a good foundation or a worthy attribute. Otherwise, the cultivator would more often than not be treated like a servant or in other words, an outer sect disciple. Deprived of almost all the bonuses that one would supposedly acquire from joining a sect, as Li Meirong did.

    By now, having lived here for five years, Li Meirong had already grown used to the sect''s system. In her opinion, even living in the "bottom status" of the sect was still pleasant in comparison to what other options were offered in this land. She was collecting herbs once, straying from her path without noticing and came upon a farmer''s village, finding the living conditions of the peasants were horrendous. It wouldn''t be out of place to say that every day was a struggle to survive for those who were not wealthy in this world.

    Of course, as a cultivator, making a living would not be difficult in the secular world. Cultivators stood apart from the crowd and were almost worshipped by civilians for their prowess.

    Still, it would be hard for a cultivator to grow stronger after returning to civilization.

    Li Meirong and Snowball reached the crowded market. It was filled with stands, beauty parlours, restaurants, inns and even brothels. The place really did seem like an ancient trader square.

    The differences were more apparent upon a closer inspection. For example, a pet shop stand would sell low levelled magical Spirit Beasts and the restaurants would offer meals infused with spiritual essence. A jewellery shop may provide items that have grown a consciousness or had a soul residing inside.

    Not to mention, the only accepted form of exchange was the trading of goods and services, or the highly sought-after crystal-like gems called Beast Cores.

    Beast Cores were harvested from hunting magical beings such as spirits and demons, it was basically life essence extracted from a spiritual entity, containing their mystical powers.

    Consuming Beast Cores was highly beneficial for cultivators and the higher the rank of the beast, the more essence provided by the core.

    Li Meirong did not have a lot of Beast Cores in her possession except for a select few from the victims who fell prey to Chou''s appetite, her usual way of obtaining goods was by trade. She exchanged fruits and herbs and received some other basic necessities like paper, wool and mutton.

    Upon their arrival to a stand filled with medicinal herbs, Snowball''s ears perked up as he curiously asked, "Why have we come here?"

    Pinching her kit''s button nose in a doting manner, Li Meirong said, "So I can buy herbal medicine for your bath!"

    Snowball''s fur didn''t seem as dirty anymore, but she knew that his back was injured and getting tossed in the ashes of a volcano certainly wouldn''t be good for his health. What if the wound got infected? The spirit infused herbal extract would benefit the condition of his little body.

    Snowball''s eyes glinted with what Li Meirong assumed was excitement at the prospect of getting pampered by her, his fluffy tail swished around in anticipation as he made a suggestion,

    "Let''s take a bath together!"

 Chapter 81: Medium Grade Spirit Grass

    "Mmhmm! Sounds good, let''s do that! I have to scrub your fur anyway." Li Meirong joyously agreed. Recently, she cleaned herself in the dimension after progressing her cultivation but she certainly didn''t mind bathing again as she''s used to cleaning herself on regular basis, a practice from her previous life.

    Bai Qingyue''s previously grumpy mood was long forgotten. He became giddy with anticipation for their "evening activities".

    Li Meirong took a small package containing green herbs resembling common wild grass from her wide sleeves and bartered with the herbalist seller at the stall.

    "I have several medium grade Spirit Grass for trade, can I exchange it for some Sticklewort, Sacred Lotus, Boswellia Carterii and Lesser Reedmace?"

    The salesperson''s brow arched in surprise when he heard the inexperienced-looking young beauty''s question. As an inner sect disciple well versed in his subject of trade, he didn''t expect a disciple from outside of his division to be able to specify their required herbs so easily. The only explanation that came to mind was that she was a part of the Healer''s Peak and specialized in herbal medicine concoction.

    Despite his pleasant surprise of finding a fellow person who knows a bit about herbs, he harboured doubts regarding the grade of the Spirit Grass the girl was offering to exchange.

    After all, medium grade spiritual herbs are quite rare...

    "Let me see a sample of the grass first." He requested in apparent disbelief.

    Li Meirong rarely made exchanges with the herbal stand since she had Mo Jing who provided her with any seeds or plants she requested, then planting them in her garden made her more or less self-sufficient.

    Her knowledge was not derived from learning medicine. Truthfully, it was all thanks to Chou''s information network of the plants in the sect. He helped her learn about ancient medicinal practices due to his talkative personality of gossiping with the fellow Plant Spirits.

    As for the Spirit Grass...there were no hard feelings in Li Meirong''s heart from the seller''s suspicion towards her. Herbs had three types of growth qualities, low grade, medium grade and the rarest, high grade.

    For high grade herbs, a cultivator would need to supply the plants with the richest soil and spiritual water, so it was nearly impossible to cultivate high grade herbs. Medium grade herbs required constant and tender care, rich soil, attentiveness and the more communication with the plants, the better their growth became. Low grade Spirit Grass was the most abundant and the easiest to grow, although,in comparison to the common, non-spiritual herbs, it would be ten times harder for the grass to reach its mature state and become ready for harvest.

    Because of all the difficulties surrounding the Herb Caretaker''s division and the scarcity of disciples with the required Earth element necessary to care for the herbs, a Herb Caretaker disciple is highly sought after in the cultivation world.

    For Li Meirong to be able to produce medium grade Spirit Grass was already considered an incredible feat. It was again all thanks to Chou''s hard work in assisting her with the garden.

    Snowball remained contentedly sprawled in Li Meirong''s arms during the exchange, admiring his wife''s capabilities.

    The besotted fox''s thoughts about his wife only intensified.

    So what if his wife isn''t a good fighter? He can fight well, why would she need to? So what if his wife''s foundation wasn''t excellent? His golden core will suffice for the two of them! So what if she is a little lazy? He will just have to work harder in order to compensate.

    His silly wife has her own special skills and whatever she lacked, he will cover for it!

    After examining the grade of the Spirit Grass, the herbalist gave Li Meirong her sample back and complimented her for the quality.

    "Well done! I didn''t expect to find an outer sect disciple of a different division to have the ability to raise Spirit Grass beyond a low grade. I am willing to exchange ten stalks of Spirit Grass for each of the herbs you requested." said the herbalist, knowing that dealing with an outer sect disciple gave him the arrogance to demand a much larger count than what was traditionally agreed upon.

    Li Meirong''s face fell. The seller may have been polite but he was obviously trying to rip her off! She hated bartering but she had no option other to wiggle around the prices. In the end, she only managed to reduce the amount of ten to eight stalks of Spirit Grass in exchange for every type of herbs.

    It was really unfair! Li Meirong made a mental note to request Mo Jing for a fresh batch to plant in her garden next time.

    Witnessing his wife''s features turn crestfallen, Bai Qingyue made sure to carefully memorize the seller''s facial structure.

    How dare he scam his wife?! He will burn all his crops in retribution!

    With her parcel finally purchased, Li Meirong and Snowball headed out of the marketplace.

    Suddenly a gruff, manly voice called out just as she was about to leave the crowded street, "The Miss with the Fox Spirit, come over here. I got something for you!"

    Li Meirong glanced back only to notice an elderly man waving an arm in her direction from inside the nearest pet shop.

    "Come over here, I have a fine deal for you!" The shop owner said as his eyes ogled Snowball.

 Chapter 82: Didnt Mean To Offend You

    Having a soft spot for the beasts displayed in chains, Li Meirong chose to avoid those kinds of shops. More often than not, the spirits were purchased only for their cores and rarely because someone took interest in raising them.

    Being part of the Bestiary division doesn''t mean one necessarily gets along better with spiritual entities or demonic beings. Their studies leaned towards their usage, whether as mounts, reliable fighting companions or the necessary components of different creatures'' organs that are required for alchemical purposes.

    The Bestiary division should have been called "The study and exploitation of mystical beings," at least according to Li Meirong''s thoughts on the matter.

    Noticing the way the seller''s eyes leered at Snowball, she used her arms to cover his silver fur from his view.

    With a slight bow, Li Meirong kept a pleasant tone as she said, "Is there anything you require of me, fellow senior brother?"

    The older senior chuckled heartily and beckoned Li Meirong into the shop, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort.

    "Come inside! I have something to show you that will definitely arouse your interest!" The shopkeeper proclaimed enthusiastically.

    "I really don''t think-" As Li Meirong was about to reject her request, he cut off her sentence,

    "Just a moment. You will not regret it! Hahaha."

    Giving in to his demands, Li Meirong sighed and walked into the shop with Snowball in her arms.

    The small looking shop turned out to be far bigger the moment one was inside of it. Spirits bound in chains and cages were categorized in different locations according to their types and grades. For some of them, there was even a sign placed in front, describing their attributes, origins and personalities.

    A whining bark of a canine cub could be heard from a distance.

    Li Meirong was ushered into a deeper part of the shop and already recognized the all too familiar sound of squealing foxes before she had the chance to even see them.

    Sure enough, the seller brought her to a cage covered in talismans, containing not one but a whole family of foxes. Caged inside was a three-tailed Fox Demoness with four cubs lying down in front of her slightly swollen belly, breastfeeding.

    "Well? What do you think?! It wasn''t easy to catch these sneaky demons. In fact, it took days of stakeout until there was an opportune moment to capture the mother. My hunters weren''t aware at that time but we ended with not only one, but a whole litter! They were sold on the first day of their display. Now, I am only waiting for them to finish their weaning period. I gathered that a Fox Demon owner would know just how valuable these little critters are!"

    During the whole speech, the shopkeeper spoke with such pride that in his bout of arrogance, he failed to see Li Meirong''s expression was turning all the more horrified as he continued speaking.

    Squeezing Snowball in reassurance, Li Meirong''s brow knitted as she adamantly said, "There has been some misunderstanding between us. I have no appreciation for this and it''s best that I''ll be on my way."

    She didn''t linger a second longer and made her way towards the door, leaving the man bewildered, staring at her slender, departing back.

    As he saw his plan was instantaneously ruined, the shop owner nervously rushed in front of Li Meirong, blocking her exit.

    Bai Qingyue sneered, his gleaming teeth flashed threateningly.

    Li Meirong raised her voice and sharply said, "Fellow senior brother, please don''t block my path or else I will have no choice but to be discourteous with you!" A blue flame aura shimmered on the surface of her milk-white skin, emphasizing her threat.

    Li Meirong considered herself a patient woman. She always tries to be reasonable and solve a situation calmly but every person would eventually reach their breaking point. After going through hell and back today, she had zero tolerance for nonsense!

    Jumping to conclusions, she wondered what the shopkeeper planned to do. Did he think she would sell little Snowball?!

    Luckily, the shop was empty from other customers or else the confrontation could have escalated...

    Several spirits and demons bounced back from their lifeless disposition after witnessing their jailer being cornered by someone more formidable than himself.

    Beholding the massive power emanating from the girl that was far greater than his own, the shop owner cowered in fright!

    He waved his hands left and right, hoping to assuage Li Meirong as he pitifully said, "It''s a misunderstanding! I didn''t mean to offend you! I r-regret offending this great aunt! After seeing your Fox Demon''s striking coat, I only wished to offer a breeding program for him after he reaches adulthood with the Fox Demoness I captured!"

    The shopkeeper''s shoulders trembled as he explained the reason behind his invitation.

    Bai Qingyue wasn''t certain of it before, but after the insults he uttered, the Fox God''s decision was set in stone. This man will suffer!

    Yet before he had the opportunity to strike, Li Meirong was one step ahead of him.

    Perhaps it was her first experience in this world of being sold as a sex slave that left a mark in her heart that she won''t forget anytime soon that caused his words to only further aggravate her.

    Her eyes glowed like glass beads as she glared at the shopkeeper, "You want me to forcibly breed my precious baby just so you could sell the cubs like some¡­.like some products?!"

    The shopkeeper really wanted to cry now. He desperately wished he could go back in time and never invite this insane woman into his shop!

    Wasn''t it common to breed demons together? What was wrong with his offer? He only wanted the two of them to profit from this deal!

    Li Meirong closed her eyes in concentration, focusing her qi to flow out of her body in order to reach all the locks and burn the talismans in the shop. Sweat formed on her forehead as she concentrated on shoving her spiritual essence into the iron binds in hopes of unlocking the chains and cages. It didn''t work.

    When he saw the blue flames trailing around his shop like some form of controlled mist, the shopkeeper stammered in alarm, "W-what do you think you''re doing?!"

    Snowball''s silver fur bristled in preparation to leap and attack at any moment should the mortal decide to make a move while Li Meirong was focused on controlling her internal energy.

    "Ugh!" Li Meirong uttered in exasperation as her idea failed. Instead, she changed her strategy and went for the more aggressive approach, using her qi to strike at the locks, breaking them directly from their source.

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes shined with immense pride.

    After all, this awe-striking woman was his wife!

 Chapter 83: Youre Free To Go Now

    The shopkeeper''s legs gave way and he landed on the floor with his butt, his mind unable to process everything that was taking place at that moment.

    The second the imprisoned spirits'' and demons'' bindings were shattered, they simultaneously bolted out of their cages, wreaking havoc everywhere.

    Knowing that he was the target of their hatred, the shopkeeper immediately ran out of the store for his dear life before the spirits could exact revenge and kill him!

    He instantly jumped on his mount''s back and flew to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s halls, hoping to appeal to him for the reimbursement of his shop, and more importantly, to arrest that wicked girl!

    Just because she was stronger doesn''t mean that she could come over and ruin his life as she pleased! There are laws in the sect for a reason!

    His shop. His livelihood. All gone¡­

    Meanwhile, a majority of the magical beasts had already escaped, breaking through the see-through walls and crashing into the entrance door, turning it into a pile of rubble. The shop was reduced from a luxurious establishment to a rundown house as though a stampede had passed through it.

    Li Meirong stayed in the shop until she could make sure every last one of the "animals" was free. Wanting to hasten the process, Snowball helped the smaller captured spirits with their binds, such as the sprites and the bloodsucking fireflies stuffed inside glass jars.

    Meanwhile, Inside the inner room, only the Fox Demoness and her kits remained. Li Meirong went back inside, bent down and personally opened the cage. The Fox Demoness warily stepped out of the cage.

    Li Meirong''s eyes started to water at the scene. The poor fox was covered with wounds; she must have nearly fought to her very last breath before she was captured.

    She thought of her poor wounded Snowball and wondered if he had also suffered from battling hunters. He was but a little fox and the wounds covering him were terrible, not unlike the mother fox before her eyes.

    "Don''t worry, you''re free to go now¡­"

    The fox kits followed after their mother, one at a time. When they got out of the cage, their first action was to leap onto Li Meirong, perfecting the term "puppy pile".

    Her heart was suffused with honey, baby foxes were the most adorable creatures in the whole wide world!

    She let them nip her sleeves and hop on her lap. One of the kits even got tangled in her hair.

    Now, what was she going to do? She really wanted to adopt all of them!

    While the fox cubs were preoccupied with their new object of interest, their mother shapeshifted into a humanoid form.

    A tall, regal woman, with long, luscious hair and a beguiling pair of eyes materialized amid a puff of smoke. She was dressed in a simple, light green dress. Three hazel coloured tails sprouted from her back. Her wounds were mostly covered by her garment except for a few visible bruises on her neck.

    Li Meirong was momentarily stunned by the beautiful woman. Was she the fox mother? She just changed into a person!

    Not to mention, she was so enchantingly captivating...Li Meirong thought that she was the most beautiful person she had ever seen other than the Zhu''s.

    "You turned into a human¡­" Li Meirong whispered in awe, stating the obvious.

    One of the cubs barked in response, as though he proudly responded, "Of course, silly girl!"

    The beautiful mother covered her lips with the palm of her hand, hiding her smile. "For us Fox Demons, after three thousand years we are able to change into human form but we don''t turn into humans. We remain foxes who are able to camouflage better in society." she turned to the side in order to better show her furry tails for a proper explanation, "my kind acquires a tail for every thousand years of our lives. After rigorous practice, we are also able to conceal them from sight."

    "Oh...I understand." Even the simple looking animals were formidable! Didn''t this mean that beautiful fox mom was more than three thousand years old?!

    This world felt truly magical for Li Meirong at this very moment. She knew that demons were able to grow stronger as they aged but to change into a human shape? That was wholly unexpected!

    As she kept contemplating her newfound discovery, Li Meirong spread her hair to the side and untangled the kit who messed around with her locks.

    The Fox Demoness bowed her head and said, "I wanted to thank you for saving my family, were it only a few days more, my cubs would have been taken away from me! In order to repay your kindness, I am willing to match my female cub as a mating pair with your Fox Spirit cub."

    The Fox Demoness kindly suggested, thinking that Li Meirong''s original intention for going inside the shop in the first place was to offer her fox cub as a potential, future stud.

    The image of golden and snow coated fox puppies happily playing in her cabin made Li Meirong feel tempted by the prospect!

    Unbeknownst to her, a very grumpy Bai Qingyue waited outside the room and peeked through the open door, overhearing the conversation. At first, he was about to angrily rush inside and throttle the stupid mother but when he saw the Cubs tossing and playing with Li Meirong. The sight instantly placated his ire, making his cold eyes soften as he imagined his own young playing on their mother''s lap.

    Surely, my wife won''t sell me off...

    Bai Qingyue held his breath, waiting for Li Meirong to refute the mother''s words.

    "That sounds great!" Li Meirong''s melodious voice could be heard as she answered cheerfully.

 Chapter 84: Snowball Has Someone He Likes!

    "..."

    BQ stared at his wife slack-jawed, unable to believe what he was hearing.

    Listening to the sound of Li Meirong''s joyous laughter at the prospect of betrothing him to another female caused his mood to plummet further still.

    Coming out of his shocked state, his small shoulders started trembling from accumulated rage. He was filled with overwhelming fury. He just wanted to grab the foolish girl, take her back to his quarters and indefinitely chain her to the bed. Only after a thorough spanking, would he be able to extinguish the rage inside his heart.

    What skills?! What power?! She was stupid, stupid, eternally stupid!

    He was now thoroughly convinced that Only when she would be imprisoned by him, would this foolish wife cease to cause a mess!

    How dare she think of marrying him off to someone else?!

    He didn''t even let his mother do it and now his wife "thinks" she can?!

    The scores that needed to be settled between the wedded couple only kept growing in number...

    Just as the Fox Demoness was about to settle the betrothal, Snowball stormed into the room.

    Unable to keep his temper, Bai Qingyue roared at his stupid wife.

    "Li Meirong!!!"

    Upon hearing Snowball yelling her name, Li Meirong immediately turned around in fright. Her doe-eyes stared in surprise as her obviously irate fox barged through the door in a great fit of anger.

    She had never seen her adorable, poofy baby look so mad before!

    "W-what''s the matter?" She innocently asked.

    It couldn''t be that he was jealous of her playing with the other fox cubs, could it?

    Bai Qingyue slowed down his heavy breathing and attempted to steady his emotions, but seeing her dumbfounded expression only managed to make him more aggravated!

    Quickly racking his brains in thought of what he could say to stray Li Meirong from her delusional thoughts, Bai Qingyue proclaimed, "Snowball already has someone he likes!"

    As he said the words, Bai Qingyue made his way to Li Meirong, shoved the cubs away and perched his bottom on her lap.

    Noticing his actions, Li Meirong figured that he was still too young, perhaps her excitement made her act rashly upon her decisions.

    She should have consulted Snowball regarding the matter first...

    Slender fingers caressed the cub''s beautiful silver fur as Li Meirong placated grumpy Snowball. "Snowball is right and Li Meirong was wrong! I''m sorry I didn''t ask your opinion first, you know you''re my favourite fox, right?"

    Snowball huffed angrily and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the comfortable sensations he felt as her fingers brushed across his back, he looked like a displeased little "emperor".

    "Humph!"

    Acting cutely now won''t help you! Foxes are vindictive animals by nature, your days are numbered!

    Li Meirong sighed and rubbed the back of her head in frustration with her unoccupied hand.

    Snowball was usually so adorable but sometimes he was a bit of a handful.

    "How about this, let me know who it is that you like and we''ll see if we can add the little miss to our family as well, how does that sound?" Li Meirong attempted to coax him again.

    It was her fault this time for not asking if he already had a little sweetheart but how was she to know there was already someone on his mind? He was so young, when did he even get the chance?

    Bai Qingyue''s mouth twitched and his paws curled into fists. He really wanted to stuff her mouth shut! The more she spoke, the madder he became!

    If you don''t speak, nobody would think you''re deaf!

    "I don''t want to stay here anymore!" Snowball announced.

    Observing the ongoing family dispute, the Fox Demoness gathered that there were personal matters that needed to be settled between the cultivator lady and her Fox Spirit...

    "I shall not bother you any longer." Said the Demoness, "My family hails from the Diqiu tribe and we have guided our descendants to cultivate for many years, protecting the nearby human shrine as familiars to the local god residing in the Island of our birthplace situated near the southernmost part of the sect. Should you ever need my assistance, don''t hesitate to call upon me." After offering her alliance, the Fox Demoness grabbed all her four young pups and hurriedly departed her former prison.

    Full of undisguised awe, Li Meirong gossiped with her baby pet, "See that Snowball? If you work hard enough, one day you could grow more tails and become a powerful familiar too!"

 Chapter 85: Where Did You Run Off To Again?

    Bai Qingyue''s thoughts darkened as he wondered what would be most appropriate to stuff his wife''s mouth with, considering everything she''s been saying lately had been sheer, utter nonsense.

    If only she knew that her "Snowball" had a legion of far greater familiars at his beck and call, no way would she have said such ridiculous words.

    He chose to pardon his wife''s slight this time. Next time, there will surely be retribution made for this kind of insolence. Moving to another subject at hand, Bai Qingyue''s shrewd golden eyes assessed the room, finding it most disgraceful.

    "That foolish fox was a weakling, but capturing a pregnant mother is too foul a move. Let''s incinerate the shop as an act of good faith." Snowball kindly suggested.

    Li Meirong''s brow arched after hearing Snowball''s suggestions, wondering what caused her young familiar to pick up on such violent thoughts¡­

    Truthfully, the whole matter had escalated to a far larger scale than she had predicted. It wouldn''t be out of place to say she was in trouble now.

    It goes without saying that she''ll be expecting another summons back for another interrogation.

    "Nevermind the shop, let''s go back home. I might have gotten myself into trouble now, but it will be my burden to bear. This time, if anything happens to me, you must keep your distance and stay safely away, is that understood?" Li Meirong reprimanded Snowball.

    The silver-furred cub agreed without hesitation, "Don''t worry, Snowball will patiently wait this time!"

    "Good boy!" Said Li Meirong.

    Meanwhile, the "naive" looking cub''s eyes narrowed, as he was in thought.

    Snowball won''t be there, but Zhu Qingyue will definitely stay close by! He couldn''t very well just leave his silly wife alone.

    Appeased with his reply, Li Meirong rose to her feet and dusted her robe from debris, then she lifted Snowball up and held him by the waist, placing the top of his fluffy head right underneath her chin as she exited the shop only to discover a crowd of cultivators had made a circle around the battered entrance.

    She tried ignoring their intrusive stares while she was leaving the shopkeeper''s premises but the attention still managed to make her flustered.

    The swarm of gossiping disciples parted in two when Li Meirong came closer. She had no choice but to walk between the crowd. Despite her anxiety rearing its ugly head, Li Meirong managed to stride forward with her back straight as she passed through, keeping her field of vision forward.

    Unfortunately, it was inevitable for her to hear some of the words of the gossiping disciples, not even bothering to hide their disdain.

    "She just ruined Senior Mu''s shop, they''ll definitely kick her out now!"

    "The girl is such a menace, even for a furnace she''s too much of a handful to deal with."

    "I heard that she was put on trial today and her Fox Spirit disfigured Captain Liang''s face." A familiar womanly voice mentioned. Li Meirong recognized the voice to be one of No Eyebrows lackey''s.

    Her words rippled through the crowd.

    "I heard that too! It''s beyond my understanding to comprehend what our sect''s succeeding disciple Mo Cheng finds in her, despite having so many beautiful and talented girls by his side, he insists on leaving the main wife position to her...a furnace should just scurry off to become a concubine, that''s all they''re good for anyway!"

    One person whispered to another, "Do you think Grandmaster Zhu Zhang fell for her charms and that''s why he chose to turn a blind eye when Captain Liang was attacked by that evil seductress?"

    "Heh, it wouldn''t be the first time he fell for someone''s charms! I heard that a long time ago he had another disciple who was a furnace too, some say they were in an illicit relationship between master and disciple. Perhaps the Grandmaster has a thing for Human Cauldrons?"

    Li Meirong hastened her pace as her hands began to shake and sweat trickled down her nose. ''This'' was precisely the reason why she hated leaving the sanctuary of her residence. Every time there was a need for her to head out, she would be forced to overhear the whispers of passerby slandering her.

    Finally, she distanced herself far enough for the dreaded chattering to dissipate. A familiar row of mounts perched by the edge of the island''s cliffside came into view.

    She rushed to mount the Crane at the stables.

    In her awkward, nerve-stricken state, she had failed to notice the little fluffy bundle in her arms had long since disappeared.

    Panic-stricken, Li Meirong''s heartbeat thundered in her ears. She grasped the back of her head in agitation and just as she was about to scream for her fox cub, his light footsteps and small frame could be seen running towards her from afar.

    "Snowball! Where have you run off to again??" Li Meirong worriedly asked.

    "Nature called!" said Snowball, lifting his arms high in the air, begging to be lifted up.

    "..." said Li Meirong. This fox will be the death of her...

    Still, she was glad to be far away from the bustling market and was in no hurry to go back. Picking up her fox, she mounted the waiting Crane and after a short-term flight, she reached her destination.

 Chapter 86: One Piece At A Time

    Bai Qingyue examined the patch of land before him upon his arrival. There was a fruit orchard with trees rooted to the ground in a disorderly fashion, providing a more natural vibe than a man made one.

    Deeper inside was a herb garden emitting a familiar fragrance that he had already grown to associate with Li Meirong''s natural body scent.

    Carrying the troublesome fox in her arms, Li Meirong sucked in a breath of fresh air when she finally reached her own shelter.

    Bai Qingyue''s mouth stretched thin as his button nose wiggled in an evident display of aversion to the poorly made cabin.

    Did his wife reside in this trashbin?

    The silent question he had asked was soon answered by Li Meirong''s hurried footsteps and apparent glee as she reached the badly built door and unlatched its wooden handle.

    He couldn''t help but notice her previous nervousness and sullen mood slowly disappeared since they reached the place.

    The door creaked loudly, causing Bai Qingyue to cringe in displeasure. He covered his large fox ears in an attempt to quiet the assaulting noise.

    This just won''t do!

    Tonight, after his wife will sleep, there are going be many tasks left for him to handle.

    In Bai Qingyue''s opinion, the inside of this poor excuse for a home was just as bad as the outside. His curiosity got the better of him when he ended up inquiring about the ramshackle cabin, "Who made this...place?"

    "I did, all by myself!" Li Meirong answered, her tone full of pride.

    "..." Nevermind. Bai Qingyue couldn''t very well complain about his wife''s own handiwork, could he?

    Despite the house being empty of any other inhabitants, Li Meirong yelled in rejoice, "I''m home!"

    She then placed him on top of her shabby, patched blanket and bent down so she could gaze at him at eye level, foolishly grinning from ear to ear while doing so.

    Bai Qingyue immediately schooled his expression, portraying only childlike innocence to his unsuspecting wife.

    He felt her soft and gentle hand rubbing his head affectionately as she said, "From now on, this is your home too! If you need anything, you have to let me know. What''s mine is yours!"

    Her melodious voice was like music to his ears and her words warmed his heart. Suddenly, he didn''t really mind staying in the dilapidated cabin.

    Oddly enough, everything seemed pleasant when she beamed at him.

    "What''s mine is yours too." He answered back, feeling his heart beating faster just from staring at her smile.

    "That''s so sweet of you! Sit here a moment while I prepare the bath for us, okay?" Li Meirong teetered as she heard her cute Snowball''s reply. He was simply too adorable! Making her want to pamper him all the more.

    She went outside to the back of the house, reaching a bamboo stall with a long, narrow wooden tub placed inside of it. She picked the bucket by the corner and left to fetch water from the nearby pond, filling up the tub to an acceptable level after only a few short trips back and forth.

    Although she felt utterly fatigued from today''s events, the thought of putting her newly acquired powers into practical use drove her into action. She placed her palm on the surface of the cold water and closed her eyes, concentrating on the flow of her qi coursing through her meridians. She envisioned the burning, blue flames spreading their heat and warming up the water.

    Slowly and tiredly, she opened her eyes to pleasantly discover steam rising from the tub with bubbles rippling as the waters were brought to a simmer.

    Upon gradually rising up, her arm reached to grasp the bamboo wall as her legs staggered. It seemed like she had drained herself of all her remaining powers to the point of causing her own body to weaken.

    Turns out, the power supply was not infinite, just as a well would ultimately be emptied after a person would repetitively grab water from it time and time again.

    Li Meirong took a moment to stabilize herself and retrieved the purchased herbs from the bag hidden inside her sleeve, dropping them into the simmering waters, allowing their beneficial remedies to permeate awhile.

    Meanwhile, she went back into the cabin to pick up Snowball and grabbed a soft bristle brush, strips of cloths and a cotton towel from inside the cabinets, bringing it all along with her to the bamboo stall.

    After making certain the water wasn''t too hot, Li Meirong carefully put Snowball inside the tub with his face aimed at the opposite side and placed the items in a neat space by the side. She proceeded to untie the sash around her waist, removing her upper layer of clothes, one piece at a time.

    Bai Qingyue turned around, wondering what his wife had busied herself with this time only to stare in astonishment, hypnotized by the sight of her slightly open robe, revealing milk white skin and prominent collarbones.

    His eyes roved downwards only to discover smooth, creamy flesh and a bouncy pair of buns he had had the pleasure of setting his sights on only once before.

    Feeling his throat drying up, Bai Qingyue gulped audibly, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of the water.

 Chapter 87: Enough Room For Both Of Us

    The startled fox cub pointed a trembling paw at Li Meirong, feeling as if he was emerging from a drunken stupor.

    "Y-y-you! What are you doing?!" Bai Qingyue asked in alarm. There was only so much his "vigorous" body could bear!

    Li Meirong''s brow arched up, questioning the reason for Snowball''s peculiar behaviour.

    Stating the obvious, she answered, "What does it look like I''m doing? I''m undressing so I could get inside the tub with you. Don''t tell me you want to hog all the medicinal waters to yourself?"

    Li Meirong jested. In fact, she wanted to get inside so she would be able to properly tend to Snowball''s wounds but she also honestly felt like she could use a warm bath right now.

    It wasn''t as though Bai Qingyue didn''t wish for her to join him. He wasn''t sure there was anything he wanted more at this moment. No, the issue at hand was that he still hadn''t said anything to her about their actual relationship yet.

    His wife was still under the impression that he was just a simple, little pet. He had hoped for them to speak first and only then enjoy their time together as a couple but she just went straight ahead to preparing the bath for him, leaving no room for argument.

    Relenting to her desires, he figured that they would converse afterwards, yet he never would have thought that she''d decide to hop inside the tub with him in his fox form!

    This was not at all what he had planned for!

    "Let''s use the bath in turns. After I''m done, I''ll wait for you in the c-cabin and you can bathe in privacy-cy-cy." Bai Qingyue''s words ended in gibberish as he became befuddled once again, noticing his seductive wife had already shed all of her upper garments and was now left with only transparent, silken inner clothes, barely able to cover anything!

    Bai Qingyue has lived far longer than a mortal is even capable of imagining and was still considered young among the ranks of ancient gods. In all his life, partly due to the curse cast upon his clan and partly due to his eccentric personality, he had always maintained a certain distance from the opposite sex. It was not as though everyone in the Celestial realm knew the exact mechanisms behind the curse. Despite the burden Bai Qingyue was born with, he was still left with a nearly endless line of goddesses seeking his "favour". After ruthlessly and some might even say callously rejecting so many admirers, in his aversion, Bai Qingyue had inadvertently built himself the reputation of a cold and unfeeling man. Resembling a lifeless doll, forever beautiful and without feelings.

    To him, every moment he had experienced since meeting Li Meirong was nothing short of a miracle. His body reacted in ways he had only read of or researched while studying biological functions. It was all theoretical. While he enjoyed every minute of it, it took every ounce of his self-control to prevent himself from copulating with her before.

    Enjoying the feeling of her touch and her lithe curves squeezing up against him when she had her clothes on certainly did not stir him in the same manner as what her naked flushed body evoked inside of him.

    Now that she displayed herself so invitingly once again, every fibre of his being was eager to finish what he previously failed to do!

    If his subordinates saw him at this moment, they would never have believed that he was Bai Qingyue, the unfeeling Sovereign Lord, all-powerful Celestial Fox God.

    Right now, Bai Qingyue could only faintly hear static noise as his mind went blank. All he could manage to think of was that it definitely wouldn''t be his fault for devouring her.

    She offered herself to him first!

    Adding salt to the wounds, Li Meirong innocently replied, "Don''t be silly, there''s enough room for both of us."

    "..." Bai Qingyue kept quiet.

    It was an unfortunate fact that for Li Meirong, there was no difference between bathing with Snowball and any other infant or pet.

    Li Meirong lifted a pale, velvet-like leg into the tub, one at a time, gently sinking into the water. Her every careless movement attracted Bai Qingyue''s attention.

    When she entered the waters completely, her bountiful breasts were perched right in front of his face!

    "!!!" Bai Qingyue never feared for his sanity more than he did this moment.

    Woman, would it kill you to not torture me for at least one second?!

    With her clothes soaked, the complete shape of her curves was perfectly exposed before him. The valley between her mounds resembled the finest work of art he had ever laid eyes on.

    This time, without the aphrodisiac to cloud his senses and under the bright light of day, the sensations triggered by marvelling his wife were heightened to an unbearable level!

    Right after, when she accidentally stumbled a little closer to him, her softness was squeezed against his face. A beautiful, rosy peak tickled his cheek, causing all his blood to immediately rush up to his head.

    Bai Qingyue felt warm, wet liquid trickling down his nose.

    Full of concern, Li Meirong''s slender fingers reached to wipe the cub''s blood away.

    "Oh no, Snowball, I think your nose was injured too!"

 Chapter 88: Kiss And Choke At The Same Time

    Bai Qingyue was not unfamiliar with acts of torture. Unlike popular myths, not all deities were kind and righteous beings set to lead an example to the rest of the population.

    The Celestial realm had its own rules and own leadership. Karmic retribution was ordained by the heavenly energies governing all living entities. However, that wasn''t to say that the gods did not inflict punishment upon each other, not to mention upon mortals for which certain deities were appointed to do just that.

    There were divine punishments frequently meted out and the ones left in charge of condemning and punishing criminals in the upper planes were the Sovereign Lords.

    One could say that punishments inflicted upon Deities would be a hundred times worse than that inflicted on mere mortals. The feeling of one''s body being tortured was nothing in comparison to the agony of a tormented soul being torn into pieces. An intact soul can reincarnate, but a damaged one is left to suffer eternally in an endless abyss.

    Bai Qingyue now concluded that when it comes to delivering physical punishment, his wife had quite a talent for this particular skill.

    ''Able to look but unable to touch'' is a punishment with its own special section in hell, no doubt about it.

    Inside the tiny wooden tub and beneath the warm nourishing water, Bai Qingyue''s young fox form was frozen stiff. He feared that if he moved a single muscle right now, he would surely transform and gobble up this woman.

    His thoughts were fully consumed by feeling the softness lightly brushing against his snout, he felt more than heard Li Meirong''s movements. She grabbed the coarse comb from the side of the tub and gently stroked his fur, making sure to groom him without further harming his injuries.

    Truthfully, there were no injuries left at all. After receiving half of Bai Zhang''s accumulated internal energy, Bai Qingyue''s open gash was healed instantly. His restored powers left him brimming with vigour.

    Not that he would tell her though, he rather liked her fretting over him. To make his facade look more realistic, the crafty fox had the foresight to make a few surface cuts on his skin, not deep enough to even itch him but sufficient for Li Meirong to be concerned for his wellbeing.

    He heard her speaking softly as she continued her careful ministrations.

    "Snowball, you''re so tiny and defenceless. From now on, you must stay by my side so I can protect you. You never told me what had happened for you to end up so heavily wounded¡­" Li Meirong inquired as she set the brush aside and scooped the herbal water with both her hands, pouring it over Snowball''s "injured back".

    In his haze, Bai Qingyue had to pause for a moment and consider his response. In a way, he was grateful for the distraction her question provided, it assisted him with fighting against the urge to change into his real form and bully his wife as much as she bullied him.

    In the end, he settled for a short answer, one that was close enough to the truth to be mentioned without loopholes.

    "It was a family dispute." Was his curt reply.

    For some reason, his words seemed to have deeply affected his wife.

    Li Meirong thought that her family was bad but Snowball''s family went as far as to nearly kill him! Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears at her unfortunate familiar''s tragic past.

    Looking bewildered by the turn of events, Bai Qingyue''s pupils widened and his nerves tensed from seeing his wife get so upset. To say that Bai Qingyue was confused was an understatement. First, she seduced him when he was not in shape to actually take "proper" advantage of the situation. Then, she started crying, making him feel guilty for his thoughts!

    Hey, I still have a score to settle with you for almost selling off your husband to another female!

    Restraining herself from weeping, Li Meirong kept her tears at bay and started sniffing instead.

    Bai Qingyue nervously raised his paw and rubbed it across her wet lashes, "Stop crying. It''s in the past now."

    He never had to comfort another person before and wasn''t really sure what to say or do. Luckily, his words managed to calm her down, she grasped his paw with her own hand for comfort and her sniffles quieted.

    Li Meirong nodded in agreement. She brought her arms around Snowball''s belly and held him against her. Noticing that his belly had shrunk, she said in an attempt to lighten the mood, "That''s right, that''s right. You''ve got me now and I''ll be your family from now on." She paused a moment and then added, "I''m glad to see that your bloating is gone now. Don''t stuff yourself too much from now on or you''ll turn into a fat ball of fur!"

    Her first sentence caused Bai Qingyue''s heart to be filled with sweetness, thinking to himself that his silly girl had no clue that they were already a family.

    And then her second sentence irked him all over again.

    D*mnit! The girl was driving him mad! He silently cursed.

    As if that wasn''t enough, just as he was about to retort her insolence, Li Meirong added insult to injury.

    "And when you get a little bigger, we''ll find a nice fox lady for you, a sweetheart of your own choosing. Don''t worry, I''m not a big fan of arranged marriages myself. If there''s someone you like, you have to court her first!"

    Bai Qingyue felt the blood rush back to his head but for an entirely different reason, almost coughing up blood instead. He wanted to kiss and choke this infuriating woman at the same time!

    Can you stop trying to shove concubines onto your husband?!

 Chapter 89: Your Hearts Desire

    Reigning his temper in with difficulty, Bai Qingyue couldn''t help casting a deliberate, furious glare at her.

    Through gritted teeth, he enunciated every word slowly.

    "I''m already married." To you, Stupid! He silently fumed.

    Regretfully, he has already grown to expect her careless demeanour in front of "Snowball" and she has certainly lived up to his expectations. Li Meirong''s charming dimples showed as she chortled from his declaration.

    "Alright, ''elder'' Snowball, then I''ll be an Aunty to your cubs. I want a whole pack of little Snowballs running around!" She fantasized about her Fox Spirit growing up and coming back with a little missus and a whole litter of cute cubs trailing behind them and rushing to greet her. Similarly, just like the Fox Demoness''s cubs did.

    Despite the ever-increasing desire to throttle his wife, Bai Qingyue disregarded the beginning of Li Meirong''s comment and concentrated on the latter part of it, finding her words not entirely displeasing this one time. He bobbed his muzzle in agreement.

    "Mmhmm...then you shall have your heart''s desire."

    He was hoping for one or maybe two children to continue the Bai line, but if she wished for a whole litter...it would be his rightful duty to assist his wife!

    Li Meirong pinched Snowball''s nose adoringly and shortly after placed her other hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn. Her body was sorely in need of rest.

    After thoroughly soaking in the tub, she felt a lot healthier and could almost swear her skin had picked on a shimmering glow. Spirit-infused herbs were really on a whole different level than common medicinal ones.

    The oddly strange part was that her eyes could barely remain open at the moment. Still, she needed to bandage Snowball''s wounds, dry them both up and head back inside the cabin.

    Slowly reaching out her delicate hand to grasp the bandages, Li Meirong found her body working against her and she was unable to complete the action. Her eyelids fell shut and refused to open up again, every movement became incredibly difficult to make. Giving in to her fatigue, she leaned her head back on the rim of the tub and sighed tiredly.

    "Snowball, I''m going to take a short rest...o...kay."

    Sensing something amiss with her, Bai Qingyue''s eyes darted straightaway to Li Meirong, only to find she had fainted behind him!

    He concernedly placed his paw on her smooth, pale forehead and discovered her energy was completely depleted!

    Cursing himself for his own negligence, Bai Qingyue reproached himself. He should have been more attentive to her health, even if she seemed not to care for her own wellbeing!

    The fool had used her inner force to the very last ounce! No wonder she lost consciousness! Not only did she recently absorb the Foxfire as her own, she decided to play hero and waste all of her resources. Who does she think she is? Some goddess of righteousness? Didn''t he tell her not to worry with him around?

    When a mortal uses all their inner energy, their physical self can suffer a backlash.

    Luckily, Li Meirong was only exhausted. In worse cases pushing your body to the limit could result in an untimely death.

    Bai Qingyue shuddered at the thought, remembering how his heart nearly stopped when he saw her falling into the volcano. He solemnly swore to make sure never to relive the experience again.

    The method to prevent drainage is to cultivate frequently and increase the body''s aptitude so it would possess the capability for maintaining balance after utilizing one''s internal energy.

    In other words, increasing the person''s dantian to contain more qi in their body.

    Meanwhile as one cultivates to a higher stage, circulating the qi regularly is a necessity so as to not become utterly drained of life force.

    Meditation and qi circulations are crucial in replenishing stamina and caring for a cultivator''s health.

    He had to properly scold Li Meirong for her self-neglect tomorrow!

    But for now¡­

    The quiet cubicle was filled with the vibrations of energy rising to burst.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes glowed with the force of his power unleashing.

    At once, a flurry of mist shrouded the bamboo stall where Li Meirong lay unconscious in the bathtub.

    A long, muscular arm wrapped around her slim waist, holding her gently as the other arm reached to cradle the back of Li Meirong''s neck with utmost care.

 Chapter 90: Mmm So Good

    (NSFW)

    Silver and jet black tresses danced harmoniously in the water as Bai Qingyue''s human form filled the narrow bathtub, his long legs tangling with Li Meirong''s in the tight space.

    When he shapeshifted, the garments he had worn prior to having turned into a fox had rematerialized on his body. Now, he too had soaking wet clothes clinging to his broad shoulders.

    He allowed his hands to wander, one slithered around her waist and the other gently grasped the back of her neck and in a smooth motion, pulled her onto his lap, leaning her backwards onto his muscular chest. Her small, soft body practically enveloped by his.

    With the lingering mist from Bai Qingyue''s transformation and the position they were currently in, any onlooker could have mistaken them for a romantic painting of two fairies lying amorously in each other''s embrace.

    Bai Qingyue nestled his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her succulent scent like the addictive drug that it was to him.

    His wide palm, now resting firmly on her stomach, radiated a bright warm light as he transferred his energy into her, replenishing her drained life force.

    As he did this, he tilted his head until the breath passing through his slightly parted lips ghosted along her skin, making her shudder but not with discomfort.

    Then, his tongue flicked against her flesh. Stealing a taste of her sweetness, his glowing Phoenix eyes heated with desire.

    He relished the sensation filling his taste buds and, unable to resist any longer, clamped his mouth shut on the side of her throat, gently suckling on her flesh.

    Even in her unconscious state, a sudden moan escaped Li Meirong''s luscious lips, as though she could still feel every sensation. The seductive sound of her voice only increased his craving for more, making him feel unbearably hot.

    With his mouth firmly latched on, he trailed his tongue across her skin in a circular motion, eliciting another sweet response from his sleeping wife.

    This was a special type of torture, the kind in which he found himself enjoying and suffering from all at once.

    Bai Qingyue let out a low, dissatisfied grunt as he struggled to contain himself. He could already feel himself hardening just from the smallest taste of her. The cloth covering his crotch was barely restraining his growing erection. Adjusting himself to more comfortably accommodate his throbbing shaft, he moved the garment aside and groaned with relief when he felt his aching part squeezed between the plump cheeks of her backside.

    His silver hair spilled around both of them like a curtain, concealing this intimate moment.

    Sensing her energy restored and knowing she was now merely asleep, Bai Qingyue chose to gratify them both and continue, feeling righteous.

    She was, after all, the one who had offered herself to him first!

    Grasping her small chin with his fingers, he tilted her head to the side for a better angle.

    The sound of Li Meirong''s gasp delighted Bai Qingyue as he incessantly continued licking and suckling on the sensitive part of her throat.

    With his mouth fully occupied, he allowed his hands to travel lovingly to her milky breasts, tickling her soft, sensuous skin along the way.

    Enjoying the feeling of the warm supple softness, he massaged them vigorously. Li Meirong''s nipples were already puckered from the cold wetness of the fabric clinging to her skin, but adding to that his loving manipulation of her ample mounds, the sensitive rosy peaks began to harden into tight beads. His slender fingers brushed across them and made her let out a pleasurable whimper, shivering helplessly in his arms.

    "...mmm so good." Li Meirong''s barely audible murmur didn''t escape Bai Qingyue''s exceptional hearing.

    A gush of masculine pride erupted inside him. With a smug smirk plastered across his face, he proceeded to tease and pinch the aching buds, making the still unconscious Li Meirong''s cheeks redden and her breath quicken.

    It may not have been the right time to complete the act, once again, however, that didn''t mean he couldn''t have some sort of payback! Bai Qingyue already had a growing list of grievances demanding reparation from his unruly wife!

    The thoughts brewing in the back of his mind resurfaced. Li Meirong''s agreement to try and engage him to another in addition to all of her impudent remarks caused him to unconsciously tighten his hold on her nipples in anger, pulling at them hard.

    How dare she try to marry him off!

    The sudden jolt to her nerves made her legs clench together as she cried out.

    Bai Qingyue paused his punishing hands and unclasped his hungry mouth from her neck. Her constant reaction to his actions made him wonder if in her current state she would be able to answer the questions plaguing his mind.

    His curious pondering allowed Li Meirong''s taut nerves a much needed moment to relax.

    "Li Meirong." Bai Qingyue''s low voice huskily whispered her name, leaving a series of small kisses on one side of her cheek as he did so.

    "Mmm.."

    Seeing that he managed to elicit a reply, Bai Qingyue shamelessly interrogated her.

    "Do you love Snowball?"

    "Mmm¡­"

    "Do you love Zhu Qingyue?" He brazenly asked, using the alias his father ordained him with.

    "Qingyue...is..." She began mumbling the name but Bai Qingyue already grew excited of hearing her call for him.

    Really call him, not the animal he pretended to be.

    The silence lingered.

    Impatiently, the Sovereign Lord asked again.

    "Well, what do you think of him?"

    "Is¡­"

    Bai Qingyue heard his own heartbeat drumming in his ears as the moment stretched on.

    Li Meirong breathed out the word, yet it was just loud enough for him to hear.

    "...a bastard."

 Chapter 91: The Dream

    (NSFW at the beginning of the chapter)

    A bastard?

    Bai Qingyue''s molten eyes turned into chilling frost at her barely conscious words. The heat within him intensified into a burning rage, fusing together with his lust.

    Insufferable woman!

    In a surge of anger, he fiendishly twisted her nipples and bit her earlobe in reprimand. Rubbing his shaft between her bottom cheeks as he did so.

    "Ahhn!" Li Meirong squealed this time, the sudden attack on her sensitive ears combined with her abused peaks and the hot, probing feeling in the most embarrassing part of her backside caused her eyelashes to flutter as she began to wake up from these extremely unfamiliar yet pleasurable sensations.

    Within a few strokes, Bai Qingyue hissed with pleasure as his body spasmed and a thick load of white essence spilled out from the tip of his pulsating cock, spreading all over Li Meirong''s lower back.

    Contentment filled him after climaxing so intensely on her. A strange sense of primal satisfaction, the likes of which he never thought he''d ever feel. His rage subsided alongside his fulfilled desire.

    Suddenly noticing her waking, Bai Qingyue immediately put her under a sleeping spell, too terrified of the consequences should she discover herself in this state.

    She already thinks I''m a bastard. Bai Qingyue thought to himself and chose not to take the risk. He had to find the proper time to continue his "interrogation".

    After thoroughly cleaning them both in the now cold bath water and rearranging their clothes so that everything was properly covered, he rose from the tub, scooping up Li Meirong in his arms.

    He surrounded them with his Foxfire, careful not to harm even a single hair on her head, effectively drying their wet skin and clothes.

    Carrying her inside the ramshackle cabin, he laid her on the bed and tucked her in. The sight of her plump cheeks resembling two steamed buns and innocent sleeping visage softened the harshness in his eyes.

    Leaning over her, Bai Qingyue pressed his lips tenderly against her forehead and brushed his fingers through her soft hair. She might not have been fully aware but he now felt closer to her than ever.

    He reluctantly transformed back into Snowball and settled himself down by her side.

    Several hours later.

    Li Meirong groggily awoke.

    "Kyaaa!"

    She let out a mortified shrill cry upon remembering the fantasies she had dreamed while she was asleep. Images of a certain silver haired man teasing and touching her refused to disappear from her mind!

    Sure enough, the silken cloth concealing the juncture of her thighs was soaking wet with clear evidence of her arousal.

    Pressing both hands against her face, Li Meirong tried to cover her cheeks, flushed with embarrassment.

    She couldn''t believe it was happening again! The dreaded Zhu Qingyue had come back to haunt her!

    Years ago, after that brothel "event", the hypnotizing image of that man plagued her thoughts. It took her years to forget him! Only after finally convincing herself that she forged a hallucination of a "saviour" in the time of her most desperate need, did she manage to let go. Since then, it was her absolute worst luck that reunited them, making her imagination run wild all over again!

    "Arghhh, I can''t believe it!" Li Meirong groaned loudly, rolling on the bed from side to side.

    Was she really such a pervert at heart?!

    She never had such thoughts about anyone in her previous life!

    Yes. He was beautiful. This much she dared to admit. In fact, he was breathtaking to the point of obsession. And yet, that made her fear him all the more. A person that gets burnt once or twice can call it an accident, but any more than that means that person is just plain foolish.

    Had she not experienced a relationship with those types of handsome, arrogant guys before? Had they not betrayed her? Dumped her?

    She knew well to stay away from him, so why?! Why would she keep thinking about him?!

    The dream felt so real that her neck felt sore and her nipples were completely swollen!

    In her embarrassed state, she failed to notice her bumping against Snowball''s small sleeping form and waking him.

    After making a great show of rubbing his eyelids, Snowball adorably blinked, his big ''puppy-eyes'' gazing patiently at his ''master''.

    Realizing that she ended up accidentally waking her sleepy Fox Spirit, Li Meirong rose to sit upright on the bed and rubbed his head affectionately in apology, "I''m sorry for waking you up Snowball. I had a¡­ nightmare."

    Snowball looked at her questioningly, "Nightmare? What kind of nightmare?"

    Li Meirong was too ashamed to admit to having lustful thoughts about a stranger she had a one night stand with years ago!

    "I forgot." Li Meirong said quickly and bit her lower lip, agitated.

    Bai Qingyue suppressed a devious smirk. Her state of distress was obvious enough to him. Even after sleeping for hours, he could still smell the strong scent of her arousal in the air.

    Soon, this charade would be over. He intended to continue his interrogation and finalize their marital status by nightfall. In case that didn''t work, he had another foolproof backup plan that even she wouldn''t be able to ruin.

    Knowing she purposefully lied, Bai Qingyue didn''t probe further.

    Instead, he jumped on her lap and curled himself there comfortably.

    Suddenly noticing her surroundings and her own body''s warm and dry condition, comfortably tucked under the blanket left Li Meirong baffled.

    Finding a few loopholes in her memory, she asked, "After I fainted in the bathtub, how did I get back here? Did you dry me up?"

    Oops.

 Chapter 92: It Was Terrible!

    Bai Qingyue hadn''t planned a response in advance, instead, he came up with the best answer he could at that exact moment, "I struggled to drag you back inside the cabin with my inner powers. I licked you clean and used my low-level Foxfire to dry us." Partly true, he did lick her and he did use his Foxfire. Indeed, it could almost be counted as him being honest¡­

    Ignorant of her fox''s conniving nature, Li Meirong felt glad to have Snowball by her side, she bent down and kissed the tip of his nose. "You''ve worked hard, Snowball. Thank you for taking care of me when I should be the one taking care of you."

    However, Li Meirong was surprised by his words for a different reason. She wasn''t even aware of her Snowball''s capabilities, utilizing his inner powers at such a young age.

    If anything, Li Meirong felt a little envious to discover that such a young fox was already so much stronger than her. She had to seriously devote herself to hone her newfound energy, and practice cultivation to the point where no one would be able to bully her or her loved ones ever again!

    "It was my duty and pleasure to do so..." Bai Qingyue answered rather conceitedly from his position on her lap.

    Li Meirong was grateful for her little one''s consideration. She should be the one tending to him and yet it ended up being the other way around.

    Nighttime swiftly arrived. Shadows submerged the cabin''s confined space into darkness. Attempting to organise the surroundings into a cosier and more agreeable place. Li Meirong went and lit a few candles around. Afterwards, she assembled a collection of puffy blankets for Snowball, making sure he was kept content.

    Meanwhile, she heated up a light meal using the mini charcoal stove. After placing a slice of cured mutton onto the greased iron pan, the fragrant smell of savoury meat immediately spread throughout the room. With swift, practised movements, she arranged a plate of chopped vegetables seasoned with herbs, using the garden''s plants.

    Bai Qingyue sat on the bed, silently observing his wife meandering back and forth whilst the pleasant aroma permeating from the frying pan caused his appetite to increase. His eyes lingered unabashedly on Li Meirong''s pert backside, remembering how soft and comfortable it felt when he was placed between those warm, tender cheeks during the-

    "Snowball!" Li Meirong''s scolding voice snapped him out of his absent-minded state.

    His fluffy ears perked up as his molten gaze snapped to hers.

    "I told you to come, the food is ready! Seriously..." said Li Meirong indignantly. She had called him a few times already!

    They ate in silent companionship. Bai Qingyue surprisingly found himself becoming obsessed with her cooking, uncertain as to the reason. He used to practise abstinence with ease, not only from physical intimacy but from eating as well. Fundamentally, gods are able to indulge but do not necessarily need to.

    Perhaps his wife was just that skilled? She outclasses the chefs in his palace with ease! When they return to the heavens, he had to ascertain that all the meals being made will be up to par with her expectations.

    Thoroughly sated from the sumptuous meal, Snowball returned to the bed and Li Meirong washed the dishes that were used. The room was silent but felt snug and homely to Bai Qingyue.

    Nevermind the palace, he thought to himself, changing his mind.

    He would just stay with her in the mortal realm for as long as she wished. Wasn''t he the Sovereign Lord? He could just move his work over here!

    A while later, Li Meirong finished her chores and went to sit by Snowball''s side, gently stroking the fur on his back as she contemplated her next course of action.

    Tomorrow, she will have to attend the morning ceremony in the presence of Grandmaster Zhu Zhang and Zhu Qingyue and take on the mantle of a personal disciple under the Grandmaster, as well as being a temporary student to his son. That would have been the case, only if the events of the Spirit Beast shop don''t condemn her to go on trial again.

    Her cheeks heated up slightly at the thought of facing the domineering man she had those wild fantasies about. Wouldn''t she have to see him every day, now that he was assigned to teach her martial arts?!

    Vehemently shaking her head, Li Meirong decided that whatever her thoughts were, she should never let him find out!

    Bai Qingyue carefully observed his wife. Even with her simple garb, her beauty and gentleness managed to shine through, enrapturing all who laid eyes on her. Her dark tresses, he now knew, not only looked as soft as silk but feel that way, too. Her rosy cheeks only added to her innocent demeanour, heightening his desire to ravage her. The noticeable red marks on her throat stood out in stark contrast to her tender flesh.

    He acquired a new sense of pleasure, seeing her marked by him.

    Regretfully, Li Meirong was about to discover them and think otherwise. Grabbing a hand mirror from the nearby storage closet, she brought it to her face in order to examine the sore feeling from her nape. She stared, horrified by her own reflection and ended up dropping the mirror from her quivering fingers onto the hardwood floor, nearly shattering it. Her eyes widened and her palms shook.

    It looked as if she had been abused!

    Dark red and nearly purple marks marred her neck!

    Alert to her frightened reaction, Bai Qingyue jumped to clarify before she could start to question the anomaly.

    "Oh, it was terrible! After you fainted, a swarm of mosquitoes passed by!"

 Chapter 93: Underestimated Her

    Clear crystalline eyes concentrated their full attention onto Bai Qingyue''s blazing golden ones. The sudden intensity he received from Li Meirong''s stare made him second-guessing his wife''s naiv¨¦te. Anxiously, he wondered if he underestimated her a little too much?

    For a moment there, he received the impression of her dark orbs seeping into the very depths of his soul, unveiling his thoughts similarly to peeling an onion.

    As if on cue, the candles illuminating the room simultaneously flickered, enhancing Li Meirong''s enigmatic visage and making it even more difficult for Bai Qingyue to analyze her thoughts.

    A moment later, the sharp light of her eyes was gone. She blinked once and her lips stretched into a faint, pleasant smile, with her dimples peeking from each side of her mouth.

    Bai Qingyue''s keen senses noted the fear-filled smell had evaporated and her quick heartbeat stabilized. Lingering a second longer to double check her reaction, he tossed out the idea. He must have imagined it. After all, Li Meirong absolutely trusted "Snowball".

    Instead, he indulged in the sight of her captivating beauty and considered the idea of her possibly possessing some sort of power that created a bewitching effect on him due to the curse¡­

    "Ah! So that''s what happened." Li Meirong curled her fingers tightly and tapped her fist on her other outstretched palm as if to emphasize a point.

    A few moments later, she continued, "Well, it''s just a few mosquito bites, definitely not as bad as the facial scars I had before, not that they''ve really disappeared, but it''s easy enough to maintain my skin as a cultivator."

    She snorted at her own words, although she seriously meant what she said. Forget power, greatness or immortality. Even to an unattentive observer, it was unmistakably apparent that most of her seniors and juniors cared for their matchless looks and the maintenance of their youthful appearance more than anything else.

    It was very much like the judgemental society she used to live in. If a person was older, unattractive, without prestige or dared to deviate from the standards dictated by the cultural norm, it would become inevitable for that person to be frowned upon and belittled.

    In the sect, it was no different. This type of discriminating mindset was just as rampant.

    No wonder it was so rare to find an unattractive looking cultivator. Naturally, if a person could hone their physique to perfection, they would choose to do so.

    Luckily for Li Meirong, maintaining one''s beauty as a sect disciple was fairly easy to accomplish, even for servants such as herself who are not granted knowledge to practice the art of cultivation. The reason for this was because nearly everything in the sect was enriching, nourishing both the body and the soul. From herbs to spirit infused materials and even the water. In fact, the very air in the Forgotten Waters was beneficial for an individual''s health.

    Now that the effects of Li Meirong''s medicinal brew were reaching their yearly expiration date, she contemplated whether or not it would prove to be more beneficial for her to leave her face untouched.

    It was of utmost importance for a cultivator to preserve an "elegant air". The facial disfigurement meant that once again, her unusual appearance would become eye-catching. Being in the spotlight was the thing she hated the most and yet, it always seemed to happen to her.

    On the other hand, with Li Meirong''s reputation as a furnace and the burden placed upon her by the imminent participation in the martial arts tournament, she was bound to draw attention. At this point, if she becomes "ugly" again, the probability of her fellow disciples losing interest in her was rather high.

    She found the prospect of a life free of pestering, concubine-seeking men to be quite appealing.

    While Li Meirong thought of the hypocrisy shared between this realm and her original one, Bai Qingyue focused on her earlier comment, making a show of childlike interest and curiosity as he did so.

    "What scars? What do you mean ''they haven''t disappeared''?"

    Right after Snowball''s question, Li Meirong felt his callous, padded paw as it reached out and rubbed across her cheek. He exclaimed, "It''s as smooth as an eggshell!"

    She giggled as she cupped the cub''s paw with her palms, placing it back on her lap and explained, "It''s a long story, but suffice to say, I woke up one day in a brothel with gaps in my memory and my face full of scars. It was almost as though someone had drizzled boiling oil on me! After I joined the sect, a friend of mine gave me some special, rare medicine to mend the disfigurement, but turns out it was only a temporary effect. I have to concoct the same brew once a year to maintain my skin, otherwise, the scars will return¡­" Luckily, by this time, she grew the herbs in her garden with year-round availability.

    As she spoke, Bai Qingyue''s Fox eyes darkened into a warm caramel glaze. This friend of hers? He could somewhat speculate as to who that person was.

 Chapter 94: Investigation

    More importantly, the Fox God asked himself, what was this he just heard about a memory loss? It seems his wife has her fair share of secrets in dire need of a thorough investigation!

    His golden fox eyes acquired an insidious lavender tint at the thought of seizing the culprits in charge of her skin''s facial scars. He will surely return the same favour, skinning them alive. One piece at a time.

    Whilst Bai Qingyue was conjuring gruesome images in his mind, Li Meirong split her hair into three sections and styled the strands into a single braid, in preparation for bedtime.

    She continued her explanation while doing so. "Madam Bao, who is the head chef in the sect and my superior, told me I''ll only be able to permanently rid myself of the scars after forming a Spiritual Core. When we spoke of the matter, I didn''t ask many questions because I never would have thought that I''d be able to successfully cultivate, so I don''t really know what she meant."

    The Fox God dismissed the murderous images consuming him and inwardly snickered after listening to Li Meirong''s soft-spoken words. If only she knew what plans he had in store for her ... a Core Formation will be the very first requirement in her long list of tasks, but for a completely different purpose.

    She has no need to change anything about herself, in his opinion at least.

    "With or without scars, you''ll always be beautiful to me." He ended up saying his thoughts out loud, oblivious to the impact of his words until he was already, gladly squeezed between her steamed buns.

    "Thank you, Snowball. You have such a knack for cheering me up!" To Li Meirong, his answer warmed her heart more than anything else he could have mentioned regarding her features.

    Snowball simply gazed back at her silently, enjoying the moment. He snuggled against his favourite softness.

    Wasn''t it his job to please her?

    As they kept talking, Li Meirong covered her face with her hand to stifle a yawn. She had slept earlier but not nearly enough. It was a little upsetting because she had hoped to go inside of her dimension in order to check up on Chou and Feng Huang and maybe even learn more about cultivation techniques before the upcoming ceremony tomorrow, but she was far too tired to do so now.

    She went to blow on each of the candles as Snowball remained tucked in her arms. Reaching her bed, she lifted up the blanket and covered both herself and the cub with it.

    "Let''s go back to sleep, there''s a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Li Meirong said, unable to prevent herself from yawning once more.

    Snowball nodded in agreement.

    It took about half an hour for Li Meirong''s breathing to settle into an even rhythm.

    In the quiet darkness of the room, only a pair of golden eyes glowed brightly from within the shadows, casting an eerie light on the person lying nearby, completely defenceless. Bai Qingyue maintained a silent vigil with the patience of a predator lying in wait for his prey.

    Finding the right moment to continue his "investigation", the Snow Fox crept out of the covers and sat by the woman''s side. Finally, he was able to proceed with his task.

    The small, furry face gradually morphed into smooth pale skin with sculpted angles. A thick fog appeared, cloaking a man''s figure as he transformed.

    Lean, ivory arms placed themselves on each side of Li Meirong. Successfully trapping the prey underneath a broad expanse of shoulders, the reflection of her sleeping face could be seen within the man''s irises.

    With his legs straddling her, Bai Qingyue prevented his own weight from touching hers, he remained utterly still. Mindful of stirring her awake, he placed a spell upon her, assisting in preserving her drowsy state.

    "Li Meirong." His voice a low and husky whisper.

    She uttered a muffled sound of acknowledgement. Just like before, she was responding to his questions in her half asleep state.

    "Which qualities do you value the most in a man?" The man asked, unreservedly probing for the answers he sought most, yet her words gave him pause.

    "Sincerity, honesty¡­ mm, humility¡­"

    The murmured words she said echoed inside his head like a mantra.

 Chapter 95: This Devilish Spawn Is My Child?

    His mouth stretched into a thin line as his fingers clenched tightly.

    What is this nonsense she''s blurting out now?! Shouldn''t it be "power, prestige, wealth"?!

    Why did it always seem that despite the countless assets at his disposal, she will constantly desire something else?

    Only the sound of Bai Qingyue''s sharp exhale was heard in the room. The darkness concealed his gloomy expression.

    Unwilling to give up, he kept on asking, "Would you rather marry a poor man or a rich man?"

    "... dun wanna marry men¡­"

    Li Meirong paused for a moment, a moan of frustration rose from her throat, as though she couldn''t be bothered with this conversation. Shortly after, she added, "troublesome."

    "!!!"

    Bai Qingyue''s urge to throttle the woman only heightened with each passing word!

    How can you be so difficult?!

    His eyebrows drew together into a frown and his expression turned increasingly menacing, yet, he kept probing her with questions, refusing to give up.

    "But if you had to choose?"

    "Poor is better."

    He growled inwardly and muttered, "Of course¡­"

    What did he expect? He should simply anticipate her desires to be the opposite of whatever he could provide. She would always want the opposite!

    Bai Qingyue''s molten eyes glowed with a murderous light. If Li Meirong was to wake up right this moment, he wasn''t certain he''d be able to stop himself from having his way with her.

    "Why do you think Zhu Qingyue is a bastard?" His whispered question was tinged with venom.

    "He''s¡­ bad news."

    "Woman!" Bai Qingyue hissed, outraged. Fortunately, Li Meirong stayed in her semi-conscious state. His hand was positioned near her throat, claw-shaped fingernails extending threateningly.

    Between uneven breaths, he dangerously whispered, "Who is Mo Cheng to you?"

    A bloodthirsty aura surrounded him, preparing to lash out depending on her reply.

    "A friend." She whispered, almost inaudibly.

    "Do you have feelings for him?"

    The temperature in the room dropped by several degrees. Li Meirong''s skin was covered with goosebumps. "No! No¡­" Her face contorted into a grimace, tilting her head sideways.

    The vehemence in her negative response calmed Bai Qingyue''s wrath and turned the bitter taste in his mouth into sweet honey.

    "Mmm¡­" He hummed appreciatively, moving the predatory claws higher, reaching her pale cheek and turning his palm to stroke her tenderly, brushing his knuckles against her skin, ever so gently. The violent air around him dissipated altogether.

    If she was so easy to capture, where would be the fun in that?

    Bai Qingyue lowered his head until his breath mixed with hers, slowly pressing his lips against the juicy rosebud of her own. It was only momentary, yet the soft feel of hers remained with him.

    As regretful as it was, Li Meirong''s answers caused Bai Qingyue''s resolve for his explanation to crumble. Knowing the girl''s unpredictable thought pattern made him uncertain of her decisions.

    Admitting his true identity may prove to be a risk far too hazardous to gamble with.

    Only after the girl falls deeply in love with him would it be appropriate to reveal himself.

    Since this was the last opportunity he would get to see her tonight, Bai Qingyue covered Li Meirong''s small hand with his own. He gave the dainty hand a squeeze and reluctantly transported himself out of the room.

    On the Bestiary division island, inside the courtyard of Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s mansion, was a path cloistered with archways and pillars made from nephrite jade and bricks of gold. The stunning path led to an ancient five-story pagoda. Each of its carefully designed eaves was covered with a layer of Yulan Magnolia petals, decorating the tower. The pure white of the petals gave the illusion of falling snow.

    On the last floor of the tower, on the balcony edge sat the Grandmaster of the Bestiary division, former Sovereign Lord of the Celestial Foxes in the heavenly realm and deserter of his clan, Bai Zhang.

    The god in question appeared in his usual human disguise, reclining against the rail. His eyes were clouded, lost in thought while staring absentmindedly at the nearby foliage.

    A trail of mist materialized behind Bai Zhang''s back, right before he heard the informal greeting of his son, current Sovereign Lord and ruling Fox God, Bai Qingyue.

    "No wonder you''re in no hurry to return, there''s enough splendour in your mortal palace to last you a lifetime."

    Hearing the taunting words, Bai Zhang squeezed his eyes shut, clearing them of their constant despair before turning around and confronting his son.

    "Didn''t your mother teach you any manners when speaking to your elders?" Bai Zhang rebuked.

    Bai Qingyue''s gaze hardened and he greeted his father in a mock salute.

    With a sigh, Bai Zhang consented the greeting. It would take quite a while to make peace with this boy.

    Bai Qingyue spread his black sleeves in a flamboyant manner as he gracefully lounged onto the lacquered softwood armchair.

    "There''s been a change of plans." His near androgynous features had a wicked appeal to them. The edges of his lips curved slightly into an arrogant smirk as he placed his knuckles against his chin.

    Bai Qingyue was a man who rarely showed a delighted expression, but when he did smile, it made his enemies cower in fear. Bai Zhang was unfamiliar with his own son''s usual attitude, but even he could tell those flashing fangs carried a vengeful malevolence rather than a good-natured intention.

    This devilish spawn is my child? Bai Zhang worriedly thought to himself.

 Chapter 96: Cooperate With Me

    Despite the sinister aura, the sight of him could easily make an observer lose his mind, like a siren''s hypnotizing voice at sea. Bai Qingyue''s looks were lethal enough to destroy a person and possess him or her, completely.

    Luckily, the observer this time was his father and as such, was immune to the same charm he himself owned.

    Bai Zhang itched to scold his son, yet he kept his calm. With his hands clasped behind his back, his tone was casual as he spoke, "Oh? Did your change of plan include stripping all of my disciples of their robes in the marketplace, or was it to shave all their heads off?"

    With the same arrogant manner only befitting a lord, Bai Qingyue sneered and said, "I let them off easy in consideration of you ''father''. Otherwise, I would have already ended their miserable lives."

    Bai Qingyue''s words were chillingly cold, the temperature dropped down along with his mood.

    Looking at his carefully crafted walls, Bai Zhang sadly discovered a layer of ice had indeed covered his home.

    He cringed, yet managed to retort in a calm, collected manner, "Regardless of what they said, you cannot do as you please. This is a sect I worked hard to maintain and it has its own rules and regulations."

    Bai Qingyue''s grace momentarily cracked as he scowled, slamming the armrest with his fist.

    He violently rose to his feet as the expensively made lacquered chair crumbled to dust.

    "What rules? Regulations? Did you or your sect possess any rules and regulations when you tortured my wife?! This slight is more than enough reason for me to burn this world to a crisp!" Bai Qingyue bristled, the Pagoda shook with his anger and the floor cracked underneath him.

    By the end of the night, Bai Zhang feared he would lose his precious home.

    He pinched the space between his brows and sighed. He really liked that chair¡­

    Bai Zhang was raised learning all about human moral conduct and the adequate degree of benevolence a Lord God possessing destructive powers should exercise. And yet, he was known to be terrible and cruel, uncaring about anything and anyone despite the teachings he was taught.

    To this terrible and cruel god, it seemed as though his offspring had turned out ten times worse. To casually threaten the destruction of an entire world, with all the trillions of life forms living in it was too much for Bai Zhang to ever consider.

    The union between Bai Qingyue and Li Meirong suddenly made a lot more sense to the Bai Father. No wonder his daughter-in-law had a completely opposite temperament, Bai Zhang thought to himself.

    Ying and Yang worked that way. One side balancing the other in order to create harmony, and Bai Qingyue needed a lot of balance, no doubt about that!

    "Don''t threaten your old man now. I promised to assist you as I did before but I need this realm to be kept safe, I''m¡­ waiting for someone. I cannot leave this world."

    "About the slight misunderstanding with your wife, I regret my actions. We will fix it tomorrow when I proclaim her my personal disciple and you receive the post of a martial arts instructor." While frowning, Bai Zhang placated his son and hastily added, "Just please, keep your powers at bay. If there are any issues, father will handle them."

    The persuasion seemed to have worked, at least on the surface. Bai Qingyue''s bloodthirstiness receded as he approached the balcony''s edge. quietly gazing at the same white petals as Bai Zhang did before.

    Not accepting his father''s request yet not rejecting it either, Bai Qingyue said, "About that, I''ll need you to cooperate with me. Assuming everything goes well, I shall keep this realm intact, for now."

    To him, this world was a tiny ant hill which could be squashed at any given moment. If he could use it as leverage to have his ways, Bai Qingyue wouldn''t mind doing so.

    Bai Zhang was his father but Bai Qingyue was the Sovereign Lord. This fact meant the decision to destroy worlds was left in the son''s hands. A God acting out of turn could be punished by the heavens but it was within a Sovereign Lord''s right to exact punishment, the scope of his dominion included the extermination of planets.

    When Bai Zhang coaxed his own son to be lenient, it was precisely because Bai Qingyue had the authority to do as he pleased with his status as a Ruling God. Bai Qingyue wasn''t jesting. He really could destroy this world, instantly.

    Honestly, Bai Zhang felt slightly bitter for handing over half of his powers so easily to this ticking time bomb of a son.

    "What is your new plan?" Bai Zhang asked dejectedly. Expecting another extortion.

    Bai Qingyue''s bright eyes caught a shine from the moonlight. Loose silver strands framing the sides of his ethereal face. He turned to his father, keeping his voice low and explaining his demands in great detail

    Bai Zhang stared blankly in disbelief at his own son. He almost facepalmed himself in frustration.

    He looked up to the skies, only to notice the luminous moon was shaped in a way which oddly seemed as though it was mocking him.

    How, pray tell, should he go about helping this shameless boy give the impression of a sincere, honest, poor and humble man?!

 Chapter 97: Calm Before The Storm

    During the time Bai Qingyue was imposing his demands, Bai Zhang''s expression only sank further.

    As they kept talking throughout the night, the skies gradually changed colours from coal-black to midnight-blue

    Listening to his son''s plans, Bai Zhang couldn''t help but concernedly comment his opinion on the matter.

    "Aren''t you afraid she would leave you after finding out about all your¡­ mischief?" And he was putting the term mildly so, Bai Zhang thought to himself.

    Bai Qingyue snorted, waving his hand in the air to emphasize his opinion. Finding the very notion preposterous, he said, "Leave me? As if I would let her get away."

    His answer was short, yet filled with an oppressive force. The whole idea of her escaping from him only riled him to further enact his plans.

    Bai Zhang wanted to shed a little light on his son''s complete lack of understanding when it comes to a romantic relationship, but before he was able to do so, Bai Qingyue had long since vanished.

    A lone man stood inside his intricately made chambers. The ice encasing his walls had melted, however, the cracked floor and the dust of the disintegrated chair remained, showing the evidence of his family meeting.

    "... Ungrateful whelp"

    The grumbles of The Grandmaster were said only to himself.

    Concluding the arrangement with his father, Bai Qingyue''s ethereal figure disappeared from the pagoda and materialised instantaneously in the lush, verdant garden of Li Meirong''s backyard. The moonlight graced his presence with a shimmer, making the paleness of his tresses and the light in his eyes shine in the darkness

    The silken, silver hair cascading down his back lightly swayed due to his unhurried gait as he circled the perimeters, studying his new "residence".

    A wordless command was uttered as the bewitching Fox God parted his lips, similarly to an underwater animal communicating with the usage of a soundwave. The vibrations of his commands were able to transcend through the realms, instantly reaching the desired destination.

    At once, the silhouette of a man kneeling on the ground came into view inside the garden, right behind the Fox Lord. It was his second in command, the captain of his guard.

    "Sire, It''s been too long! Your servant has grown sick with worry!" Bai Yu''s intimidatingly tall figure and broad shoulders did not match his grovelling form and worry-filled cries.

    "Quiet down. I''ll chop your head off if you wake her up." The Fox Lord hissed.

    Her?

    Bai Yu gulped, wondering if his Sire referred to the new Huli Jing matron. Not daring to ask, he sealed his mouth shut.

    He gradually lifted his head only to be met with the sight of his Lord''s imposing back.

    For all his years of service, Bai Yu knew his Lord could mercilessly chop him into pieces in less than the blink of an eye, was he so inclined.

    Turning around, Bai Qingyue approached the kneeling subordinate, signalling him to rise. He inquired, "In the upper realm it has been less than a day since I left, why are you so anxious?"

    Refusing to move from his position, Bai Yu kept his knees on the ground, refusing to stand up. Despite noting his Sire''s exquisitely beautiful face looking as calm as ever, he knew very well how still waters can turn into raging waves upon the sea.

    The skies turned brighter still. Dawn was soon approaching.

    Impatiently, Bai Qingyue clicked his tongue. "Tsk. Speak now. My time is running short."

    Knowing he had to inform him of the urgent news, Bai Yu rose to his feet, mustering the courage to speak and narrating the passing events to his Lord.

    "While you were away, Hong Meigui¡­ your mother, she fled from her confined quarters. We are suspecting the infiltration of the Red Fox clan was aiding her escape." Bai Yu paused and eyed his Lord. Seeing his tranquil expression, he continued, "When Hong Meigui fled¡­"

    Bai Yu gulped again and said, "She unlocked the eternal dungeons and released the monster, Taotie. I dread to think what she''s been scheming all this while."

    After finishing, Bai Yu heaved a sigh, as though he faced a potential demise from simply speaking, glad to discover he was still alive by the end of the sentence.

    Bai Qingyue stayed still as the moon behind him. The only movement that portrayed his emotion was the tight clench of his fists. Sharp claws dug into the ivory flesh and caused his own palms to bleed upon the damp soil.

    Seeing his Sire regarding him so intently, the slightly taller, burly looking man, Bai Yu ended up nervously stammering. "I s-see you''ve gotten your powers back. Well-done, Sire! I always had faith in you!"

    Golden eyes glimmered furiously in the early hours of the morning while the Fox Lord disregarded Bai Yu''s comment.

    Bai Qingyue pointed bloody palm to the ground with one pale finger, outstretched. An order was spoken aloud. "Kneel."

    It was the calm before the storm. That was what Bai Yu felt.

    It wasn''t my fault! The second in command inwardly cried.

    Hong Meigui had ruled the Huli Jing for eons! Despite the heavy guard, she had connections everywhere that could assist with her escape.

    Knowing he was not permitted to talk, Bai Yu kept all the explanations he wished to provide to himself. He immediately followed the Fox Lord''s order, dutifully falling down to his knees and staring at the ground, again. His wide, muscular back was now shuddering.

    Bai Qingyue''s authoritative voice was heard from above.

    "You mean to tell me that you, the person I left in charge of the clan while I dealt with highly important matters had failed his duties. You allowed my mother to escape despite my strict warnings to keep a close watch over her..."

    Bai Qingyue''s killing intent heightened, his eyes glinted with malevolence. He then added, " And my supposedly impenetrable prison hall was invaded. That is what you''re telling me?"

    Bai Yu didn''t dare respond.

    As the sun rose up in the skies, the cracking sounds of bones breaking could be heard from Li Meirong''s garden.

 Chapter 98: Demoted

    Bai Yu was no rookie in training. His muscle-honed body was used to enduring hardship, but to remain unperturbed while every bone inside of him broke into pieces? He wasn''t sure it was possible for anyone, god or mortal, to stay unfazed under such cruel discipline!

    Still, he couldn''t bear to cry out. His pride wouldn''t let him. One way or another, it was his fault. He was in charge and he let his lord down. He could only assume the amount of chaos that would ensue from his remiss security over the clan.

    Not to mention Taotie, that monster hated the Huli Jing with every fibre of his being...

    And so, Bai Yu bore his punishment like the seasoned warrior he was. His back, breaking out in beads of sweat and his mouth grimacing were the only signs of his suffering.

    Gods were not called Supreme Immortals without reason. It was nearly impossible to kill them. Even if a god was chopped into tiny pieces, they would still remain alive. It was their primordial souls which ensured their existence.

    The gods'' spiritual bodies were certainly capable of enduring a lot more than mortals, however, it didn''t mean they couldn''t feel anything, especially from opponents with powers far stronger than their own¡­

    Bai Yu reached his pain threshold. His mind rebelling against the pain, bringing him to the brink of losing consciousness.

    Only then, did his pain lessen. The captain of the guard felt a cooling sensation seeping into every part of his body, realigning his bones and mending them back to their natural state.

    Bai Qingyue''s already healed palm hovered over Bai Yu''s form, curled on the ground. He effortlessly mended all the bones back into place.

    "I would have kept your condition in this state for a longer duration, had I not required your presence." The Fox God said.

    Bai Yu slumped on the ground. The feeling of control over his limbs gradually returned to him. He flexed his fingers and toes. Finding himself capable of doing so, his demonic black eyes were glazed, clouded with relief.

    "At your service, my Lord." Bai Yu hoarsely answered. his braided white hair clung against his clammy back.

    Bai Qingyue hummed in response and issued another order, "Summon the elite squadron."

    The tortured man did as he was told and rose to his feet right before a dozen shadowy figures materialised in the garden. They all kneeled in unison, awaiting orders.

    Eyeing his soldiers with appreciation, Bai Qingyue raised his elegant hand, signalling them to rise.

    The subordinates simultaneously stood up and straightened their backs, cupping their hands at the front. Their matching uniform was covered with metal plates, showcasing an engraving of the regal, nine-tailed Bai Fox clan crest. Almost all of them had matching white hair except for a few members from the sub-branches of the family. Their bloodline was so diluted that the curse no longer affected them.

    "From now on, I shall be handling all matters regarding the clan and my sovereignty from within this mortal realm."

    The Fox God subordinates simultaneously sucked in a sharp breath, surprised. Their Fox Lord had just migrated to the mortal world, what could possibly be the reason for this rash decision?!

    The Fox Lord in question gestured to the guard kneeling in the middle. Her dark, green tinted hair matched the emerald shade of her eyes. She was exceptionally striking amongst the guards bearing a similar appearance belonging to the Bai clan.

    Observing his troops'' expressions, Bai Qingyue said, "Your Lordship''s orders shall be meted out without any room for discussion. The Captain of the Guard is temporarily dismissed of his duties."

    All of the Huli Jing present were stunned speechless by their Lord''s decree.

    Bai Yu was the captain of the guard longer than Bai Qingyue''s reign! The attending soldiers couldn''t help but throw sympathetic glances at Bai Yu.

    His demotion meant the Sovereign Lord was truly furious this time!

    Bai Qingyue addressed the dark-haired Fox Goddess in the middle. "Bai Cuifeng, I hereby ordain you as the new captain of the guard. Rally the troops in search of my mother''s whereabouts and send scouts in search of Taotie''s hideout." His tone turned stern, emphasizing his words as he said, "Immediately inform me of any information you come across."

    "Understood, my Lord!" Bai Cuifeng said, sounding feminine yet stern at the same time.

    She had to work hard to maintain her unfazed expression. Although she felt a little bad for Bai Yu, her captain of the guard for all these years. Secretly, she was elated!

    I can''t believe the Sovereign Lord recognized my merit! Bai Cuifeng thought to herself, gazing at her Lord with obvious admiration.

    Meanwhile, Bai Qingyue finalized his commands. He waved his hand to dismiss the troop. There were more pressing matters to attend to. Recalling one final issue, he added. "Additionally, I want all of the palace attendants to be interrogated. I will not have any rats in my palace. Dismissed."

    The entire squadron had disappeared as swiftly as it arrived. Only Bai Yu remained, dreading his Lord''s plans.

    Full of remorse, he asked, "Sire, what do you need from this servant?"

    Bai Qingyue''s harsh gaze softened slightly as he turned to stare at the nearby wooden cabin.

    Perceiving the subtle changes of his Lord, Bai Yu''s brow arched in contemplation. He had never seen his Lord looking so¡­ so tenderly at anything or anyone before.

    Clearing his throat, Bai Qingyue instructed, "I need you to change into your fox shape. Leave only one tail and regress to your youth. Make sure you look as appealing as possible."

    Bai Yu would have already laughed if the words were not uttered by his iceberg Lord.

    He blinked a few times, trying to digest the information¡­

    My Lord wants me to turn into a little fox?!

 Chapter 99: Not Breathe A Word

    Time was gaining on the crafty Celestial-Fox God. The bright moon had already dimmed and the glorious sun rose high up towards the heavens. A flock of seagulls could be seen flying as they departed the island to capture fish from the deep blue ocean underneath. The lush orchard''s sweet fruits and pollen attracted the attention of little critters. The buzzing of bees, chirping of birds and fluttering of butterfly wings was the only noise heard in the tranquil garden.

    Impatient as he was, Bai Qingyue gave his subordinate a pointed look, urging him to hurry up.

    For Bai Yu, it was a very uncomplicated procedure to meet his Lord''s demands. Or so he thought.

    Fox Spirits, and not to mention Celestial-Fox Gods, were masters of disguise. In fact, glamour and illusion was their area of expertise.

    Shapeshifting into a fox cub? Simple!

    Poof.

    A cloud of smoke condensed only to quickly evaporate. From the haze emerged a young fox cub standing on all fours with one fluffy tail curled around him. The cub''s pure white fur coat and big black eyes made him look especially cute. It would be nearly impossible to imagine that this fox cub was a big brawny, immortal soldier.

    Bai Yu transformed according to Bai Qingyue''s instructions, yet the Fox God was still unsatisfied.

    With his delicate brows knitted in a frown, Bai Qingyue coldly reproached, "You don''t look cute at all! Make your ears bigger."

    "..." Bai Yu remained silent, looking like an abused puppy.

    Wordlessly, he enlarged his ears.

    What was the point of all this? The former captain of the guard couldn''t help but think.

    "Make your nose smaller. Are you trying to make me look ugly in front of my wife?" Said Bai Qingyue in reprimand.

    Sire, you''re so mean! Bai Yu thought to himself, feeling wronged!

    He clutched his chest with a single paw as if to shield his small heart from the verbal assault. How could his Lord say he looked ugly so easily? Uwuuwuu...

    Yet, despite his miserable mood, he followed his Lord''s orders.

    Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Bai Qingyue narrowed his phoenix eyes and scrutinized Bai Yu''s fox cub form. "Hmm¡­ Still not enough. Make your eyes rounder. Remember to keep your irises shining gold at all times."

    "..." The speechless subordinate once again, did as he was told.

    Sire, is this a new type of torture to torment your servant?!

    Bai Qingyue closed his eyes, pinching the space between his brows in aggravation. He sighed and said, "For now, this will do. I shall brief you on your newfound duties now, listen carefully."

    Sighing in relief, Bai Yu gratefully sat back on his hind legs, keeping himself attentive to his Lord''s instructions.

    Bai Qingyue addressed the mission at hand with utmost seriousness, there was not an ounce of humour in his eyes as he spoke, but his words made no sense!

    The more he heard, the more the subordinate''s eyes widened in alarm.

    Feeling his life was in jeopardy, Bai Yu felt anxious before he even started the mission!

    Wasn''t his Lord setting him up for a trap? One wrong move and he''ll be chopped into pieces!

    Attempting to properly assess the information he was given, Bai Yu contemplated his next course of actions. He had to disguise himself as his Fox Lord who disguised himself as a Fox Spirit named¡­ Snowball? And meanwhile, his Lord would pretend to be a cultivator named Zhu Qingyue?!

    And and and¡­ all this was just to get his wife to fall in love with him?! Why is his lord even having so many issues, to begin with?! Everywhere his Lord went, ladies would willingly offer themselves to him!

    Finally gathering his courage to ask his Lord a question, Bai Yu''s first curious query was made, "Snowball, Sire?"

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes glowed with repressed energy, his hair levitating in the air, making him seem like a demon from the depths of hell. His hands clenched into fists, emphasizing his threat. "If you dare speak a word of this, you can forget about reproducing in this lifetime!"

    Ouch!

    Bai Yu frightfully crossed his paws to cover the endangered family jewels. He would most certainly not breathe a word of it!

 Chapter 100: Die A Thousand Deaths!

    "I won''t breathe a word of it!" Bai Yu immediately replied, his nerves on edge.

    There was a whole lot more he wanted to say but his fears kept him at bay. In the end, Bai Yu settled for asking the questions which really boggled his mind, "But Sire, about this mission, is it really necessary? Why don''t you just come clean? I''m sure your wife would love you as you are."

    Wasn''t it obvious? His Sire was the most handsome god in all the heavens. What kind of fearsome woman could possibly resist him?

    Bai Qingyue shot Bai Yu a venomous glare, making him regret speaking altogether. "Do you think I''d make you impersonate me if it was that easy?! Humph."

    The Fox Lord didn''t bother explaining what a difficult woman his wife was. She had such strange ideas and her requirements from a male were absurd. Regretfully, he needed to present himself on the best of terms.

    After their cubs would be born, there would no longer be any need to maintain the pretense¡­

    By now, the sun had already risen higher in the skies. Bai Qingyue finally instructed, "Remember, don''t get too close. If she tries to hug you or kiss you, back away instantly. Don''t touch her at all. Anywhere. Understood?"

    The killing intent emitting from Bai Qingyue only intensified to the point of making Bai Yu''s small shape huddle in fear.

    "Crystal clear, s-sire!"

    Bai Yu himself did not suffer from the legendary curse which ailed his Lord and master, for having been born into the Bai clan only from his mother''s side. The pure Bai line only maintained itself from the father''s side, and all Bai Yu knew of his father was that he was a demonic entity of unknown origins. This fact alienated Bai Yu all the more from the ranks of the celestial foxes.

    The blood flowing through his veins was diluted enough not to have passed along the curse, and in fact, this was becoming the case with most of the clan''s newer generation. All this, however, did not mean he was ignorant of the curse''s effects. It caused clan members endless anguish, driving many of them to extreme lengths to ensure their destined partner belonged only to them. For some, it would go as far as to drive them insane and even end their own lives¡­

    He could only imagine how his Lord would act if he made one step out of turn!

    Silently, he swore to ascertain this plan would be faultless, ensuring his Sire would be pleased, and more importantly, keep his own body intact!

    As soon as Bai Yu''s illusory golden eyes were filled with determination, his keen sense of hearing picked on a melodious, young female voice calling the unbecoming nickname addressing his Lordship.

    "Snowball, where did you disappear to this time?!"

    Glancing back, Bai Yu resentfully discovered his Lord had already disappeared, leaving him alone to handle the task.

    Yet, before he even managed to breathe a word in response, he was already lifted up in the air, only to feel a pair of warm, comfortable pillows squashed against the back of his head.

    A soft-spoken, female voice sounded right above him, "So this is where you''ve been hiding!"

    Oh no. No no no no, this is not happening! I will surely die a thousand deaths!

    "Uwah!" Bai Yu ended up yelping in panic.

    He immediately struggled, tactfully manoeuvring himself from his Lady''s tight grasp and leaping out of danger!

    He didn''t want to get tortured again!

    What was her Ladyship''s name again? Li Mong? Master? What was he supposed to call her?! Bai Yu settled for Master since he was pretending to be her contracted spirit.

    "M-master, males and females should maintain a proper distance from each other!" With his fluffy brows knitted in a frown,''Snowball'' scolded Li Meirong.

    The corners of Li Meirong''s lips curved downwards, a little saddened by her affectionate pet''s abrupt change of behaviour. She just woke up to find Snowball missing and frantically rushed outside in search of him only to be reprimanded by that very same troublesome pet.

    She bent down to stare at Snowball, evidently upset. "What do you mean by saying ''maintain proper distance'' after I already bathed you and slept with you in the same bed?"

    "..." Said Snowball, his eyes widened in shock.

    With his mouth hanging slightly open, the dumbfounded Bai Yu wasn''t really sure how to retort. All he could think of right now was how terribly shameless his Lordship was¡­

    Not to mention, her Ladyship didn''t look at all like what he expected her to be. For someone to match his Lord, he presumed the consort would be a formidable, seductive, fearless warrior. As for her Ladyship, she seemed so young! Dressed in a light garb, her big watery eyes, fair skin and plump red lips made her look like a cute rabbit.

    Suddenly, he felt a little sympathy for her Ladyship. His Sire must have been bullying her!

    Poor thing, you married such a terrifyingly outrageous male and you don''t even know...

    An image of a vicious fox hunting down a terrified rabbit, flexing its claws as it was chasing the fluffy white creature across the meadow suddenly popped in his head.

    How could this innocent little girl manage the mischievous Huli Jing clan? How could she even handle her husband?

    Seeing Snowball was simply sitting there on the ground, staring at her absentmindedly made Li Meirong a little worried. She stopped herself from reaching out to grab him as she usually did, wondering if he was experiencing some sort of growth spurt and didn''t wish to be babied anymore?

    After a long stretch of silence, Snowball finally said, "It''s just something I learnt that must be done, so from now on, you can''t touch me anymore."

    Li Meirong exhaled deeply, pondering if she acted out of turn yesterday? Perhaps she bothered him with her excessive show of affection?

    She patted her knees and got up, feigning her cheerfulness. "I''ll respect your wishes. Come on. We need to leave early because I''m going to drop you over at my friend''s place while I attend the assembly."

    The fox cub stayed frozen to the spot, blinking his big eyes in confusion.

    Wait. What? What friend? Bai Yu was even more dumbfounded now than he was before!

    His Lordship orchestrated this whole charade so she could bring "Snowball" over while "Zhu Qingyue" was present. Wasn''t the whole ordeal pointless if she was planning on dumping "Snowball" with her friend?!

    Li Meirong walked forward, noticing Snowball wasn''t by her side, as he usually was, she turned around and said, "I know how much you like munching on snacks so I''m letting Bao Li take care of you. She''s our division''s head chef! I''m sure you''ll be pampered with lots of dishes at her place."

    Hmm. Bai Yu already started liking her Ladyship. This plan sounded much better than his Lord''s idea!

    "Sounds good!" ''Snowball'' nodded his fluffy head and trotted behind Li Meirong.

 Chapter 101: Stripping Them Of Their Dignity!

    The pair reached their destination without delay. Li Meirong guided Snowball to the outer sect disciples'' quarters, hoping to meet Bao Li before the head chef would leave to do her work.

    The outer sect disciples'' residence was structured as a double courtyard house, but with all the rooms divided into separate sleeping quarters, keeping male disciples on one end and female disciples on the other.

    The housing establishment of the outer sect disciples was in far better condition than Li Meirong''s badly constructed wooden cabin, although it wasn''t altogether impressive.

    The walls were made from mudbricks stacked into a solid mass and the roof tiles were moulded from clay and painted a dark shade of blue.

    After they entered the courtyard, ''Snowball'' thereupon inspected his whereabouts. In the courtyard, there was a small gated block for pigs and hens to reside in. Chunks of haystack were collected in one corner. A line of rope extended across the yard with sheets and robes hanging on top of it.

    Inwardly, Bai Yu was a little surprised and even slightly repulsed. He knew this was a cultivation sect, but for the life of him, he could see no difference between this and a poverty-stricken farmer''s village!

    He was confident in his skill of masking his expressions, so when Li Meirong whispered at his side, he couldn''t help being slightly taken aback.

    "That''s why I chose to build my own place!" Her Ladyship spoke with utmost pride, clearly wanting to be praised.

    Bai Yu wanted to say that in his own house, even his pets have better living conditions than hers but he wouldn''t dare insult his Lady.

    "Your house is most impressive." "Snowball" blandly answered. He was more perturbed by the fact she managed to catch on to his inner thoughts. She couldn''t possibly be a mind reader, right? Otherwise, his Lord would have been in a big mess by now!

    Li Meirong peered at her Fox Spirit as they kept on walking. Something about him felt a little odd today, she thought.

    However, it was too early to mention anything. She chose to keep her speculations to herself.

    When the servants'' rooms came into view, the residence''s appearance shifted from a "farmhouse" to what finally seemed like proper living quarters.

    Only women could be seen. Most of them busied themselves in preparation for the upcoming day, drying their beddings and coiling their hair into buns.

    "Snowball" tactfully kept his eyes aimed at the floor.

    Suddenly, a loud feminine voice cheerfully yelled in the courtyard. "Sister Meirong! You finally came to visit me!"

    Bao Li made her way to greet the pair while clutching a damp looking cloth to her wet curls.

    Li Meirong felt her worries lessening as soon as she saw Bao Li. The head chef had this certain charm to her that managed to calm her soul. She greeted her back, bobbing her head courteously.

    At the same time, "Snowball" curiously peered at the noisy woman.

    So this was her Ladyship''s subordinate¡­

    He saw an attractively curvy woman of short stature, wearing the same robe as her Ladyship. The woman''s mouth was stretched into a bright, youthful smile and her almond-shaped eyes narrowed into crescents. She smelled fresh and clean. Tiny drops of water trickled down the tips of her dark brown her and dampened the top of her garment. She probably bathed very recently, Bai Yu presumed.

    While he was observing her Ladyship''s "subordinate", Bao Li returned the favour. Her mouth hung slightly open as she stared at the adorable fox.

    "I can''t believe that he was the cause of the mess in the marketplace¡­" Bao Li said her thoughts aloud, awed. Her gaze fixated on the baby fox.

    "What do you mean by that? I was the one responsible for ruining the shop. Snowball had nothing to do with it." Li Meirong concernedly asked, unconsciously hiding Snowball behind her.

    Bai Yu''s fluffy eyebrows rose higher after noting Li Meirong''s movement. The impression he received from his Lady just kept on getting better. Wasn''t she very protective? She''d be a good mother for the future generation!

    Noticing the intrusive glances from her fellow disciples, Bao Li was silent for a moment and then said, "Come into my room, we''ll speak about this privately."

    She grabbed Li Meirong''s hand and dragged her into her private bedroom.

    Before they entered, "Snowball" stood outside the open door and preached. "I don''t think it''ll be appropriate for me to go inside an unmarried lady''s room." He already felt awkward enough as it was inside the female courtyard!

    Li Meirong groaned and grabbed him by the belly, unceremoniously slumping the white-furred cub on top of her shoulder. "Stop being so silly Snowball, you''re too young to worry about these kinds of things!"

    Bao Li giggled inside the room, sitting comfortably on a chair as she dried her hair. "He''s so considerate!"

    Li Meirong wasn''t cheerful anymore. She was too scared of her previous actions somehow implicating Snowball.

    She dropped Snowball onto one of Bao Li''s unoccupied stools and worriedly questioned her friend, "Please tell me what you meant before, why is my Fox Spirit being blamed?"

    Meanwhile, Bai Yu was far too occupied with his humiliation to eavesdrop on their conversation. Wasn''t this the most shameful moment in his life?!

    She carried me like a sack of potatoes¡­ uuwuuwuu.

    Bai Yu''s impression of his Lady changed, once again. Li Meirong certainly had her own vicious way of handling people, stripping them of their dignity!

    The female "subordinate''s" words interrupted Bai Yu''s train of thought. He managed to catch part of her sentence as she said, "... I didn''t mean what happened to the Spirit Beasts shop, I meant the part that everybody''s been talking about. There''s gossip circling around, saying things like your fox fried all the disciples at the marketplace!"

 Chapter 102: Why Are You Upset?

    At first, Li Meirong outright rejected this ridiculous idea, but then she remembered that upon her departure from the marketplace, Snowball had conveniently disappeared. "Nature called", was what he told her at that time.

    "Tell me all you know." Li Meirong''s clear peach-blossom eyes had gained a sharp glint. Her usually calm and unguarded demeanour changed into a person who''s clearly on edge.

    Bao Li didn''t need a second invitation to speak. The gossipy chef excitedly recounted the tale she was told by her neighbour who worked as a part-timer in a restaurant at the time the incident took place.

    When Li Meirong departed the market, her Fox Spirit returned to the chattering crowd''s location. Without making a sound, the little cub covered the whole block with a sea of raging flames. Surprisingly, the fire projected did not cause any burns or serious harm. The Fox''s control over the flames reached an unprecedented level. He honed his skills to the point of restraining the destructive element and only igniting the disciples'' clothes until they melted to ashes along with all their hairs, burnt to a crisp. The crowd cowered in fright and shame, covering their private areas. Oh, the nearby shops were also heavily damaged, but nobody bothered to care about those minor details.

    The gossip relating to the event focused on Li Meirong''s savage and unruly ways of harming her own fellow sect members. The Fox Spirit''s intimidating prowess was considered as Li Meirong''s underhanded methods of sending her little Spirit Beast to do the dirty work for her. No one considered a one-tailed Fox Spirit to be able to control his spiritual powers to this extent. Surely, it was all an act. Now, instead of a being good for nothing furnace, Li Meirong''s reputation had changed to an evil woman with hidden powers. A vicious tigress pretending to be a pig!

    Once Bao Li finished narrating the event, she let out a delighted snicker. "Now, about a quarter of our sect members turned from lofty, superior looking cultivators into bald monks! Haha!"

    Li Meirong didn''t share in her friend''s amusement. Her small, pouty lips stretched in a thin line and she immediately shot a pointed look to Snowball.

    The unsaid question was hanging thickly in the air. Are the rumours true?

    Being scrutinized by her Ladyship caused Bai Yu to shift uncomfortably on top of the stool, wiggling his little paws left and right. He was too busy thinking how to save his own hide than to care about propriety anymore!

    What was he supposed to say? If he said he didn''t do it, he''d only be telling the truth! But most likely, his Lord was responsible for the act. Was he supposed to take the blame?

    In his heart, Bai Yu blamed Bai Qingyue for this predicament. What kind of task was this?! Was his Sire''s behaviour reverting back to his youthful days when he used to turn the clan upside down with his trickery?!

    Bai Yu couldn''t even count the number of times he fell for his Bai Qingyue''s traps when the Lord was but a young cub¡­

    He stupidly thought that in the last few thousand years after his Lord had finally reached maturity that his personality had changed for the better. The Fox Lord grew all the more reserved, spending the majority of his time in solitude and handling all manners relating to the clan and his godly domain in an orderly and collective fashion. The air of superiority belonging to a natural born leader naturally exuded from him.

    But who was ever able to tell with foxes if they were only pretending? Clearly, his methods remained the same!

    Finding himself unjustly accused, Bai Yu could only attempt to lessen the damage. With his droopy ears, he averted his eyes, staring at his own paws "guiltily".

    "Master, it''s not as bad as the rumours say it was¡­"

    Li Meirong crossed her arms together and tapped her foot on the floor. "Oh. So now you finally decided to tell the truth."

    Bao Li quickly sealed her lips shut. She never heard Li Meirong sound so upset before. "I''ll give both of you a little bit of privacy. I think my sheets had dried up by now¡­" she quietly said, offering a reasonable excuse as she left the room.

    Bai Yu was filled with complaints. It was so unfair! He was being blamed for something he didn''t even do!

    Look how loyal I am, Sire. I''m covering for you!

    "I''m sorry for burning the people in the marketplace." "Snowball" pitifully apologised.

    It was daytime outside and yet the bedroom was shrouded with gloom. The shawls covering the small window concealed their presence from prying eyes. Bai Yu kind of hoped for the lady Bao Li to return, the interrogation room seemed a lot more pleasant with her around.

    Li Meirong''s stance didn''t change. Her delicate brows were knitted in a frown and her eyes darkened in anger, matching the charcoal colour of her long, flowy hair.

    "I''m not upset because of what you did." Her tone was sharp and crisp.

    The seasoned warrior, Bai Yu was not easily intimidated, but this was her Ladyship he was speaking to! With one word out of her mouth, he''d be banished out of the clan! How was he going to mend this relationship and prove his loyalty to the future matron later on? His Sire placed him in a big pile of trouble!

    "Then, why are you upset?" Snowball swallowed his saliva and asked, huddling into himself.

    At this point, Li Meirong wasn''t willing to back down. She waited all this while for Snowball to come clean about everything. He was her family now, so naturally, she would be more forgiving towards him than to others, however, his deceits only kept accumulating!

    Her fair, slender hand reached to grasp the cloth on top of her neck, remembering the previous day. She wore an extra shirt with a high collar underneath her outer robe, hiding the bluish marks upon her skin

    "I''m angry because you keep lying to me!" Li Meirong bristled.

    "..." Now, what was he supposed to say?!

    I''m a warrior, not a politician! Bai Yu thought to himself. He was not cut out for this task!

    This was a terrible day for him. First, he was tortured. Then, he was demoted. Eventually, he was forced to change into a cub and go undercover. Now, he was being admonished for something he didn''t even do. He should have never accepted the second in command position!

    Meanwhile, the cause of all this mess was probably lazily lounging in some fancy hall, enjoying himself.

    Humph! I might be taking the blame for you right now, but your actions will bite your frilly white ass, one day! Bai Yu silently cursed his Lord.

 Chapter 103: More, Please!

    "I''ll be honest from now on! I can''t tell you the truth about the past right now but I have a good reason for everything I did. I''ll definitely tell you one day."

    Eventually, Bai Yu gathered his wits and dropped the ticking bomb back to where it came from. Letting his Lord handle the mess.

    Her Ladyship was still mad, nevertheless, he could sense his response had reduced her anger.

    "Fine. I''ll wait for that day. Don''t lie to me again, Snowball. I can''t stand it when people scheme behind my back."

    "Yes, master!" Bai Yu tried not to show his nervousness. He nodded his head at her, meanwhile thinking of how terribly wrong Bai Qingyue went about wooing her Ladyship. He also had to find the appropriate time to report back to his Lord.

    Just then, a clattering noise could be heard from right outside the door, breaking the tension and causing them both to turn in unison towards the entrance.

    Bao Li entered the room, carrying a breakfast tray with congee and steamed bread buns.

    "I''ve brought extra food for you and Snowball." She said with a faint smile.

    Finally, the frown gracing Li Meirong''s forehead had eased. Her expression softened and her eyes returned to staring at Snowball in the same doting manner she did before.

    Li Meirong was never the type to remain upset for long, as soon as a problem was resolved, what need was there to be in a bad mood?

    "I can''t stay here but I''ll be leaving Snowball under your care until I return if that''s alright with you?" Li Meirong asked.

    "Absolutely, no problem! Take as long as you need. It''s my day off anyway." Bao Li explained. She had a soft spot for baby Spirit Beasts and always wanted one of her own. Sadly, she was never qualified to get one.

    Li Meirong thanked Bao Li and after rubbing Snowball''s fluffy head, she bade her friend farewell and left in a hurry.

    Bai Yu could only hope his Lord won''t mind the act. He tried to avoid her touch and discovered his Lady to be quite the determined woman! The former second-in-command was unable to escape his fur getting ruffled.

    As soon as Li Meirong departed, Bao Li placed the tray on the small ebony wood slab which she used as a table and dragged the stools nearby it. "Snowball" hopped off the seat right before Bao Li moved it, only to jump back on top of it when she placed it down again.

    Bao Li opened the curtains, lighting up the room and making the place more hospitable. The subtle fragrance of rice and meat emitting from the warm meal made Bai Yu relax, feeling as though the storm had passed and he finally found a shelter.

    They sat down, facing each other in comfortable silence. Bao Li held the thick handle spoon and ate with a proper lady''s etiquette, while "Snowball" stuffed his snout inside the bowl.

    She peeked at the cub''s antics and covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. He tried so hard to eat without making a mess, it was hilarious! No wonder Li Meirong was so attached to him. She never saw that girl look so mad before, even when she was insulted and pushed around, her behaviour was always level headed and surprisingly calm. It could only mean that Snowball had a very special place in her heart. Bao Li thought as she observed the young fox.

    At the same time, Bai Yu ate heartily, appreciating the meal. It was a little bland for his taste but he was not a picky man. If there''s food, he would happily gobble it down!

    It took him mere moments to empty the bowl. Bao Li giggled and asked, "I figured you''d like some meat and added the pork bits especially for you. There''s more where that came from. Would you like another serving, Snowball?"

    Bai Yu''s ears perked up, he stuck out his tongue and licked his mouth clean. He liked the sound of that!

    "More, please!"

    The Head Chef gave "Snowball" the extra plate she originally brought for Li Meirong and went outside to grab leftovers.

    In the Bestiary division, at another courtyard with luxurious scenery to behold, lounged a strikingly handsome silver haired man upon an elongated chaise, bathed in the first rays of the morning sun.

    The majestic view of the garden leading to the courtyard was surrounded by pine trees and bamboo houses, providing an air of mystery and splendour. The man was adorned in a loosely fitted dark robe, his long silken hair spread about him like the falling snow as he lazily lifted a scroll and unhurriedly studied its contents, his mind was a tad occupied to pay proper attention to the subject written on the wooden slip.

 Chapter 104: Condemn This Culpri

    It was another report regarding the Red Fox clan. One of Bai Qingyue''s subordinates had promptly returned to deliver it shortly after his announcement to the troops. It contained a detailed account of his scout''s discoveries thus far.

    His mother, Hong Meigui, was not at the Red Fox clan''s territory and surprisingly, neither was the Red clan''s princess, the Fox Goddess whom his mother had insisted on betrothing to him.

    The bewitchingly beautiful man sighed deeply, holding a palm to his forehead in frustration. He didn''t want to deal with his mother''s shenanigans. There were far more pressing matters to attend to, such as convincing his wife to become an immortal and warm his bed along the way.

    Or, he could warm hers. Though she''ll need a larger sized bed for both of them to lay on, Bai Qingyue thought to himself.

    While Bai Qingyue was occupied with his thoughts, the residence grew thick with smoke. Near the entrance of the yard materialized a large grey fox with a long snout and bright, narrow eyes. Six fluffy tails swished behind his backside. The fox trotted towards Bai Qingyue and bowed low in reverence, nearly pressing his nose to the concrete floor.

    "Your servant Lang Ju is here to report." The Fox familiar said with a slur to his voice.

    "Rise." Bai Qingyue''s eyes were still focused on the bamboo scroll when he spoke.

    "Sire, your human disciples have arrived at the assembly." Lang Ju reported.

    Bai Qingyue had summoned a few servants to better facilitate his remaining duration in the realm until the time of Li Meirong''s eventual ascension. As per his father''s request, he kept his parent''s identity a secret. Bai Zhang''s cloaking abilities were top notch. Even his own kind was unable to recognize him for who he was, however, Bai Qingyue was certain his mother would surely be able to.

    "Very well. Disperse."

    At once, the Lang Ju bowed once more and disappeared.

    Bai Qingyue immediately stopped dawdling. He got up from his seat, squeezing the scroll in his palm until it disintegrated into ashes and briskly made his way towards the main halls.

    He reached the main halls of his father''s palace. It was a separate structure from the pagoda, A mansion meant for ceremonies and gatherings for prominent figures within the sect.

    Since he entered from inside the inner chambers, the first area he reached was the centre stage.

    Bai Zhang was already seated on an elevated chair up front. Bai Qingyue settled himself on the empty accommodation at his side, specifically designated for him.

    Unlike the previous trial, this was an intimate gathering. The first order of business was the trial concerning the destruction of a certain Spirit Beasts shop.

    Shopkeeper Mu was already present, kowtowing and narrating his side of the story with a trembling voice, uttering his complaints.

    "She barged into my store and threatened my life, undoubtedly with the intention of robbing me! Later on, the girl went back and blasted my shop into smithereens, clearly to hide the evidence. Grandmaster Zhou Zhang, I beseech you, condemn this culprit to the fullest extent of the law!" When he finished speaking, his position assisted him in hiding the smirk plastered across his face.

    The shopkeeper made a purposeful show of being wronged whilst containing his excitement.

    Justice shall prevail! That damn girl should be chopped into pieces! Did she really think she could ruin my life''s work and get away with it?! Humph!

    Shopkeeper Mu was full of confidence. He was a Senior inner sect disciple who had been part of the sect for many years. Despite the girl''s superiority in terms of strength, it would do her no good in front of the frightening Bestiary division''s Grandmaster.

    He raised his face to peer at his superiors. Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s presence was as regal as ever, tapping on the armchair with a look of utter boredom. His coal-black robes and oppressive aura matched the unfamiliar looking man sitting by his side.

    Curiously, Shopkeeper Mu inspected the unknown person a little better. He noticed the pale-haired man shared an unmistakable resemblance with the prominent Grandmaster. Perhaps they were related? The main difference in their expressions was that the other man''s mouth was stretched into a harsh sneer. His bright, cold eyes glinted with obvious displeasure.

    Shopkeeper Mu''s shoulders shivered, a sense of unease suddenly overtaking him.

    Why did it seem as though this scary looking man was annoyed at me? I''ve never even met this person!

 Chapter 105: A Misunderstanding

    Eventually, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang addressed him, cutting off his speculations.

    "Shopkeeper Mu, justice will be served as soon as we get to the bottom of this tale."

    His response seemed appropriate during the course of an investigation but Shopkeeper Mu felt something wasn''t right since he already delivered a detailed account of the incident and even went as far as to bring witnesses to testify on his behalf. Shouldn''t the girl be on her way to the dungeons by now?

    "Grandmaster Zhu Zhang¡­" Shopkeeper Mu began appealing with a pleading voice but the Grandmaster instantly raised his wrist from the armchair and waved his palm in demand for silence.

    "I grant the accused, Li Meirong, permission to step inside the hall." The Grandmaster stated, glancing briefly at the Pale-haired Man while doing so. The Pale-haired Man hummed in approval.

    Li Meirong walked inside the halls, kneeling a few steps behind Shopkeeper Mu. She looked up to see the banes of her existence staring right back at her. Zhu Zhang was sighing dejectedly and as for Zhu Qingyue¡­ did he look angry? Was he annoyed with her?

    "Grandmaster Zhu Zhang. Senior Zhu." Li Meirong maintained her composure and cupped her hands up front in a display of respect to each of them.

    The whispered murmurs of the people could barely be heard but the displayed contempt was unmistakable. Li Meirong''s eyes darted to the masses, regarding plenty of scowls directed straight at her.

    The onlookers in the hall were divided between attendants in the Bestiary division and disciples who witnessed the shop''s explosion. Numerous disciples covered their scalps with paddy hats. They became the laughingstock of the whole sect overnight, all because of this girl!

    Seeing the crowd''s outrage only heightened Shopkeeper Mu''s resolve. Everybody is on my side! He thought gleefully, placing his worries aside and regaining his composure. He rebuked himself for needlessly fretting.

    That man who''s called Senior Zhu is most likely outraged on my behalf! Shopkeeper Mu thought to himself.

    Meanwhile, the two esteemed individuals sat on an elevated dais a great distance away from the rest of the masses. To the spectators, it seemed as though for a moment, the Grandmaster''s respectable guest was restraining his rage to lash out. The man whom Li Meirong addressed as Senior Zhu had his hands clenched into fists, his irritated expression worsened. Shopkeeper Mu was elated, righteously thinking that even the Grandmaster''s guest supported him since his mood soured the moment Li Meirong arrived.

    "Just wait and see what happens to you!" Shopkeeper Mu venomously whispered to Li Meirong who kneeled behind him.

    Didn''t she pompously threaten his life yesterday? Now, look at her! Bowing so lowly with her shoulders hunched in fear!

    Li Meirong did not reply. Her eyes shimmered and her head hung lower.

    The shopkeeper wasn''t wrong with his deduction. Li Meirong was indeed afraid, feeling as though by now she had developed a crowd phobia. Every time she was surrounded by people, she ended up needing to defend herself from torture or possibly death.

    She knew she was in the wrong for ruining the man''s shop, but he was practically slave trading! Spirit Beasts weren''t mindless creatures. They had the same level of intelligence as humans if not more so.

    In fact, she was willing to find a way and compensate Shopkeeper Mu for his loss. They could have settled the issue calmly! Li Meirong really wanted to knock her own head for acting so stupidly before.

    While bowing low, she wondered if this trial meant she would no longer be accepted as an inner sect disciple, much less a personal disciple¡­

    Well, it would at least mean she won''t have to spend any more time with the crazy Zhu''s. If she makes it out of here alive, that is. Li Meirong tried to reassure herself silently.

    Shortly after, Zhu Zhang asked, "Would you be so kind as to give us your input to these accusations?"

    His tone sounded unusually friendly to Li Meirong. She looked up to behold the frightening Grandmaster faintly smiling at her.

    Li Meirong turned saucer-eyed, her expression almost seemed comical.

    Did he just smile at me? This is too shocking!

    She tried to analyze his reaction but couldn''t come to terms with this odd change of behaviour. Could it be that because he wanted her to compete for his sect, Zhu Zhang had become more lenient towards her?

    Notwithstanding her theories, she concisely delivered her rendition of yesterday''s situation, confirming that she indeed went into the shop and was responsible for its destruction.

    Zhu Zhang attentively overheard her report, no longer looking uninterested, and Zhu Qingyue''s temper seemed to have lessened as well. He now seemed peculiarly calm. Expressionless.

    Unable to make sense of their attitude, Li Meirong felt it was beyond her comprehension skills to try and analyze these strange people. At the same time, she still felt stressed. Just because they bothered to listen to her didn''t mean they would take her side, especially since the sect laws actually condemned her actions.

    Or so she thought, right until the moment Zhu Zhang addressed the Shopkeeper, again.

    "Ah. So that''s what happened... it sounds like a misunderstanding to me, wouldn''t you say?"

    Everyone looked startled, except for the expressionless Zhu Qingyue. Li Meirong''s mouth hung open in disbelief and a sharp intake of air was collectively uttered from the attendees.

    More so than the others, it was Shopkeeper Mu who was utterly confounded!

    Could anyone please explain to me what the hell was going on?! The wretched girl literally confessed to wrecking my shop. How in all the seven hells does this sound like a misunderstanding?!

 Chapter 106: I Am To Blame

    Inside the large imposing hall sat a particularly menacing Fox God whose ire was so great, it took him an extra effort to mask his emotions.

    While Li Meirong was being admonished by her peers and huddled in fear in front of him, he was barely restraining himself, heeding his father''s reprimands, "Reign in your temper." Bai Zhang told him.

    Bai Qingyue had a reputation as a fearsome figure who rarely displayed any expression or emotion, but his trigger was right there in front of him, being mistreated. It took every ounce of his being to hold himself back from lashing out at the offensive mob.

    His wife was the future Lady Goddess of the Celestial Realm. How dare these vermin speak badly of her?

    Still, he observed the hall in silence.

    Taking note of Bai Qingyue''s twitching mouth, Bai Zhang sent his son a pointed look as if to say, ''Let your father handle this.''

    At the exact same time, Shopkeeper Mu was no longer able to stay quiet. He kowtowed three times and yelled "Grandmaster! I beseech you to judge this case fairly!"

    Zhu Zhang grimaced and rubbed one of his ears, gritting his teeth. "Tsk. I am judging fairly. Why are you shouting in my halls?"

    Shopkeeper Mu''s face paled, his jaw turning slack. This wasn''t the first time he attended a sect trial and knew that justice was only determined by the judge''s opinion. It wasn''t difficult to discern the Grandmaster''s bias. But why? Why would he side with the wretched girl?!

    Shopkeeper Mu was a senior inner sect disciple who had been part of the sect for many years! His status was far greater than hers and even his brothers and sisters in the sect supported his stance!

    Knowing that the Grandmaster wanted him to declare the issue as a misunderstanding left the Shopkeeper feeling wronged. He stood up to interject.

    "The culprit herself admitted her misdeeds. How can this be a misunderstanding? Grandmaster, please think twice!" Shopkeeper Mu cried out.

    The aggrieved disciples supporting his stance shouted in approval.

    The Grandmaster pinched the space between his brows. This was taking far longer than he expected. The younger generation sure knew how to make a mess¡­

    He expected his daughter-in-law to serve him a lot of pastries after he finished handling this blunder!

    While Bai Zhang was contemplating how to pacify his disciples without shedding blood, Li Meirong unexpectedly stood up, bobbing her head towards the Shopkeeper and the attendees in compliance.

    Her soft voice resonated in the halls like a silver bell. "I apologize for ruining your shop. I could have handled the situation in a better way but I don''t regret my actions."

    She then addressed the crowd, "I''m also sorry about burning your shops and clothes. The Fox Spirit who did this is my familiar so I will take responsibility for his actions. I will leave the sect at once and distribute all my goods, except for my pets."

    The attendees were itching for blood and were disappointed to find the Grandmaster rejecting retribution. However, the prospect of receiving some form of compensation was better than nothing. A hum of agreement could be heard within the hall.

    "That''s acceptable, but your familiar should be executed for causing harm!"

    "Hurry up and leave at once! Let your monster remain and be held accountable." A bald Senior Disciple cried out. His hair had been his crowning glory. It would take him years to grow it all back!

    Shopkeeper Mu quickly pointed an accusing finger at Li Meirong and inserted his own demand, hoping to get the powerful Spirit Beast as his own. It would be a waste to kill such a powerful Spirit!

    "You should hand me the Fox Spirit as compensation for the damage incurred to my shop."

    Li Meirong''s clear almond eyes flashed in outrage. She secretly felt relieved for leaving Snowball with Bao Li. She had a feeling the matter would escalate to this extent.

    Her polite manner all but disappeared as she prepared to invoke her qi, spreading her arms in a boxing posture. "You want to take my baby? Over my dead body!"

    Shopkeeper Mu knew the girl was powerful, but this time he had the numbers on his side! He joined the approaching disciples. Everybody took their weapons out in preparation for battle while the servants ran outside the hall for dear life.

    Bai Zhang was supposed to supervise the trial, but it had been such a long time since he''d seen such a good show that he was completely sidetracked by Li Meirong''s unexpected change of reaction. His daughter-in-law was so meek and vulnerable only a few moments ago! But as soon as Bai Qingyue was threatened she instantly snapped.

    Witnessing this shift in her attitude happening a second time made him wonder if perhaps Bai Qingyue was blessed with the curse influencing his fated person as well. Li Meirong sounded so protective of his son!

    The problem was that in his amusement, Bai Zhang neglected to settle the situation!

    By the time he remembered to take control over the trial, Bai Qingyue had already levitated from the stage, standing protectively in front of Li Meirong. His bloodthirsty aura consumed the halls and his eyes flashed with a tint of a murderous lavender hue.

    Come back here, you foolish child!

    Before his sect would turn into a place of massacre, Bai Zhang''s shout reverberated across, "Zhu Qingyue, stop! Remember what I told you!"

    The enraged Fox Lord was about to extend his claws when his father''s reprimand halted his actions. He slowly turned around to gaze at his shell-shocked wife. The sound of her sleepy voice from yesterday evening echoed in his mind. Sincerity, honesty, humility¡­

    He took a deep breath and turned back to the crowd. How could he bear to scare his wife away from him?

    "As for what happened at the marketplace, I am to blame." Zhu Qingyue spoke out loud, absorbing the oppressive energy inside himself.

    Meanwhile, Bai Zhang covered his gaping mouth. Was his son finally admitting the truth?!

 Chapter 107: This Brat!

    Senior Zhu''s admission along with his imposing height and otherworldly features captivated everyone in the courtroom. Now that they saw him up close, the cultivators couldn''t help but speculate about his relation to Grandmaster Zhu.

    As if answering the disciples'' suspicions, Zhu Zhang descended from the dais and casually made his way towards Senior Zhu. He came to stand by his side, folded his arms and waited expectantly for the other man to speak.

    Senior Zhu''s near androgynous appearance and striking silvery hair might have looked somewhat more distinctive than Grandmaster Zhu''s dark tresses and well defined square jaw, however, seeing them stand together side by side, one would have had to be blind not to notice their many similarities. Add to all that them bearing the same surname, the attending cultivators couldn''t help but fear the possibility that they might suddenly be in a lot of trouble for offending this great young master.

    However, their concerns were soon assuaged, thanks to his calm demeanour and benevolent words.

    "The Fox Spirit is mine. I shall compensate for your losses." Senior Zhu''s deep voice appealed to the masses. It was easy for the cultivators to regard him with awe, being unaware of their near-death experience just several minutes prior. Next, he spread his fingers apart and conjured a simple, worn out pouch over his palm.

    Nobody noticed Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s lips twitching and his shoulders shaking from suppressed laughter. Everybody was far too fascinated by the dashing man offering to repay them!

    Ah, he really overestimated this naughty child! Well, as long as he didn''t kill his disciples, he wouldn''t mind letting Little Qingyue play a few games, Zhu Zhang thought, enjoying the show.

    Next, Senior Zhu emptied the contents of his pouch onto the ground. A few coppers scattered about. The strikingly handsome man looked down, seemingly disheartened.

    "These are all my life savings. I do not have much but I am willing to work hard for the rest of my life to repay for my Fox Spirit''s misdeeds." His soothing voice was tinged with heartbreak. As if on cue, the nearby female disciples whimpered in response to his genuine resolution.

    "Senior Zhu is so righteous and upright."

    "No wonder. He must be related to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang!"

    Bai Qingyue concealed his expression with his wrist in apparent anguish and stole a glance backwards to observe Li Meirong''s reaction. She looked slightly confused, her lovely countenance contorted into an irritated frown.

    Hm. Why does she seem upset? Isn''t he taking the blame for her? Bai Qingyue would have to increase his efforts.

    Shortly after, Senior Zhu divulged his tale of woe and misfortune. "My name is Zhu Qingyue. I am Grandmaster Zhu''s illegitimate son. Most of my life I have lived in a poverty-stricken settlement, brought up on humbleness and humility. It was only by sheer coincidence that my father recently discovered my existence and chose to train me in secret throughout the last 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.

    Meanwhile, Bai Zhang who stood by his side was inwardly fuming, giving his son a black look. His good mood had all but disappeared.

    This brat! Even with his fabricated lies, he makes his respected father sound like an uncaring devil! Hadn''t he given him half of his life force?! What poverty? This boy had been living his life with a golden spoon in his mouth!

    Bai Zhang scoffed. There was no way his devoted disciples would believe such nonsense. With this confident mindset, he turned towards his disciples, only for his eyes to darken further and his mouth to stretch into a long, thin line.

    The sympathetic looks plastered across the seniors'' faces as they gazed up at his son reflected their blind belief in his ridiculous tale. Bai Qingyue had bought the crowd with his half-assed narratives!

    Bai Zhang worked so hard for all these years in order to maintain a stellar reputation. To think all his careful efforts were instantly ruined with a few fictitious words from his own flesh and blood¡­

    Even Shopkeeper Mu no longer wished to argue but instead displayed deep sympathy for the lad''s sad story. He also suffered from bad parenting and was left to struggle through life on his own. The Shopkeeper patted Bai Qingyue''s shoulder, "Don''t worry about the Fox Spirit. Let''s put the past behind us. You seem like an upstanding young man, I''m sure you''ll do great things in the future!"

    "Let bygones be bygones!" A female disciple cheered.

    "It was a misunderstanding like Grandmaster Zhu Zhang said¡­"

    While Zhu Qingyue was being showered with affection from the previously murderous crowd, Li Meirong''s annoyance had only increased. Keeping her face downcast, she tactfully hid her rage.

    A second ago, she had harnessed all her energy in preparation to fight, willing to make this final showdown only to be interrupted by Zhu Qingyue. When he rushed to stand in front of her, she assumed he was trying to defend her and so, she dropped her defenses. Her heart warmed with the thought of this man protecting her. Maybe he wasn''t as bad as she assumed him to be?

    But then, he had the nerve to say that Snowball was his! Was he planning on stealing her pet?!

 Chapter 108: Distrusting

    It of course crossed her mind that he may have only said that to try and assist her case, however, continuous backstabs in this world had already made Li Meirong instinctually suspicious of any unusual behaviour and Zhu Qingyue was the epitome of strangeness!

    Even if he was the Grandmaster''s own son, she''d fight him for Snowball!

    By the time Zhu Qingyue finished revealing his identity to everyone, Li Meirong was already long forgotten. In a fit of anger, she stormed outside.

    Knowing she had to wait for Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s approval to depart, she chose to wait in the nearby courtyard for the attending disciples to disperse.

    Tall trees cast their shadows and concealed the soft sun rays. The sound of trickling water dripping from a bamboo fountain had a relaxing effect on her. The courtyard''s tranquil atmosphere had eased her stress somewhat.

    She sat down on a stone bench and glanced at the building''s entrance, watching all the disciples who hatefully accused her depart on their mounts with good moods, the very same people who were prepared to condemn her into damnation and execute her baby.

    Bitterness welled up inside of her. Crazy hypocrites, all of them!

    When she tried to plead with them, they were all ready to attack her at once!

    She was glad to finally possess the means to defend herself. Perhaps accepting proper training wasn''t such a bad idea, despite having been coerced into the training sessions. She wasn''t strong enough to defend herself and her loved ones from these lunatics, so she might as well squeeze all the knowledge she could get and use it against them.

    Suddenly, Li Meirong felt a soft tap on her shoulder. She spun around in trepidation and channelled her powers to her palms defensively.

    It was Zhu Qingyue. He stood in front of her with his regal countenance, looking cool and collected as ever. Li Meirong narrowed her eyes suspiciously and leapt from the seat.

    "Why did you run off?"

    His baritone voice and dashing looks might have caused her to melt a few years ago, but she was no longer helpless nor naive, and most importantly not under the influence of an aphrodisiac.

    "I simply needed a minute to calm down, Senior Zhu."

    Zhu Qingyue nodded and went to sit on the opposite side of the stone bench, he motioned with his hand for her to join him. She hesitantly positioned herself on the bench in front of him. A matching stone table separated them. Zhu Qingyue remained expressionless, making it difficult for Li Meirong to discern his intentions. She could only assume he came looking for her with something specific in mind.

    After a short stretch of awkward silence, a masculine voice inquired, "Regarding your Fox Spirit-"

    Before Zhu Qingyue was able to finish, Li Meirong sharply interrupted his speech.

    "Snowball is mine. No matter what, you can''t have him!" She thumped her small fist on the table and gave Zhu Qingyue a fiery glare.

    I knew he was aiming for Snowball! The Fox Spirit was simply too eye-catching for people to leave him be! She had to find a way to hide her young fox, maybe leave him in her personal dimension...

    Bai Qingyue''s long eyelashes fluttered, shrugging helplessly at her adorable antics.

    He had never felt more bewildered in his life. His heart beat faster from finally standing in front of Li Meirong as his real self, warmth was seeping all over him after listening to her assertive claim over him, and yet¡­ why did it seem as though she looked at him with the eyes of a woman facing a dreaded enemy?!

    He just couldn''t make sense of this woman!

    Nevertheless, the Fox God feigned nonchalance and leaned back to appear more relaxed.

    The corners of his lips faintly curved upwards, "Don''t fret. I only said that to shoulder the blame from you. Snowball is yours." And you are mine, he continued to himself.

    His attempt at reassurance didn''t seem to provide the desired effect. She kept her guard up and observed him still, distrusting.

 Chapter 109: Hes Really Smiling

    Unbeknownst to Li Meirong, a dozen pairs of sharp, gleaming eyes were currently observing her. Mindfully hidden from view were the summoned servants from the Bai palace.

    In order to better hide themselves in such close proximity, the lower ranked gods of the Huli Jing clan had all transformed into foxes, lurking between the wide, tall trees and the Red Fringe Flower bushes within the garden, right outside the open courtyard.

    The Sovereign Lord had instructed them not to approach Her Ladyship senselessly but he had carelessly failed to mention anything regarding eavesdropping from a safe distance.

    The problem with managing foxes wasn''t necessarily their trickery, albeit their crafty nature could potentially pose a lot of difficulties if not properly controlled. No, it was moreso their self-righteous mindset of always being correct, no matter what they do.

    See, they weren''t defying orders. They were simply assessing Her Ladyship!

    "I wonder what they''re talking about¡­" A rather squeaky voice questioned behind a nearby shrub.

    "''Tis a bit hard to tell, His Lordship has erected a barrier. Can you read lips?" One fuzzy looking brown fox asked her four-tailed friend.

    The four-tailed fox sullenly shook his head.

    A six-tailed grey fox interjected, "They''re obviously talking about their future together! Look at how happy our Lord looks, he''s practically grinning from ear to ear."

    The six-tailed grey fox, better known as Lang Ju, came from a long line of palace attendants. They may have been deemed as servants but their rank was much higher than the majority of the Huli Jing tribes combined. With his status in the clan, he naturally had more opportunities to bask in his Lordship''s presence.

    The Sovereign Lord may possess a constant apathetic and uncaring face but Lang Ju was already proficient in perceiving his Lordship''s mood!

    The other foxes raised their eyebrows in disbelief and wordlessly directed their attention back to their Sovereign Lord.

    Thin unmoving lips, cold and calculating eyes curving upwards at the outer corners, swordlike eyebrows without even the smallest furrow, and an overbearing air enveloping him.

    Wasn''t this perfect face as expressionless as a porcelain mask? What was this nonsense about looking happy which Lang Ju spoke of? He might as well be chopping heads off with that look! Everything about their Lord''s appearance was unreadable. Or rather, so open to interpretation that it might as well have been meaningless.

    The fellow foxes glanced back at their six-tailed companion disdainfully.

    Lang Ju indignantly glared back at them. "I''m not lying, you fools!" He pointed with his paw towards Bai Qingyue and exclaimed, "Look here, see how his lips are stretching! He just smiled and he''s not killing anyone! This clearly means he''s happy!"

    The fluffy tails sprouting from Lang Ju''s backside swished left and right arrogantly as he huffed in pride. Only elite servants like himself would be able to discern their lord''s thoughts!

    Sure enough, if one observed carefully, the corner of Bai Qingyue''s lips could be seen curving upwards, causing all the foxes to stare in awe and bewilderment. Their iceberg Lord was unquestionably smiling!

    The brown, fuzzy coated fox gasped as she looked back and stuttered, "I think Lang Ju''s right, he''s really smiling! I''ve never seen His Lordship look so happy before!"

    At the same time, a snort sounded from above. The onlookers hiding within the bushes curiously looked up to the tall tree branches. A small, five-tailed golden fox nestled himself inside an empty bird''s nest.

    The golden fox snickered evilly, adding his own opinion as a matter of fact. "You''re so busy trying to analyze our Sovereign Lord and meanwhile, I can tell with certainty that Her Ladyship is most upset."

    Loyal Langu Ju snorted and jumped to his Lordship''s defense, "Pfft. Yan Wen, what could possibly trouble Her Ladyship when she''s mated with the Sovereign Lord of the Celestial Huli Jing?"

 Chapter 110: Finalize His Plan

    It needn''t be mentioned that were it not for the curse, their Sovereign Lord would have had a harem filled with thousands of goddesses at his beck and call. Surely, Her Ladyship was a highly fortunate woman! Due to the curse, she gets to have one of the most powerful and prominent gods in the Heavenly Realm all to herself!

    The foxes hummed in approval. Turns out, Lang Ju was a high ranked inner palace servant for good reason, they thought in agreement. Nobody heeded the golden fox''s words.

    "We''ll see if I''m right or wrong." The golden fox, Yan Wen answered mysteriously.

    Langu Ju was definitely not far off the mark with his discernment but neither was Yan Wen. Bai Qingyue was indeed on cloud nine while Li Meirong was as unsettled as ever.

    Perhaps the word "upset" was not an accurate description of her emotions.

    In this world, for someone to lend a helping hand without rhyme or reason was a rarity. The man in front of her definitely didn''t give Li Meirong the impression of being a noble, caring soul.

    The first time they met, he disappeared without a trace all too suddenly, most likely hoping to wipe himself clean of the events at the brothel that night. The second time they met, he had clearly distanced himself from her. In her nervousness, she was barely able to speak a word to him, and he went as far as to force her into joining a battle tournament, obviously colluding with his father against her.

    Now, it turns out he has his own tragic history, despite being the lunatic Grandmaster''s son.

    A small part inside of her melted when she heard of his tragic tale. The handsome, cold faced man who was apparently the sect leader''s lost child had actually been a poor little boy who grew up with endless hardship, struggling to survive in this cruel world.

    And yet, the alarm bells kept ringing in her head, warning her to stay clear of him. Li Meirong''s instincts warned her not to be fooled by a few heart-rending words. Something about him wasn''t quite right. Something about his words¡­ felt like a pack of lies.

    Assuming Zhu Qingyue was telling the truth and didn''t want her pet, Snowball, the next question which is raised is whether he desired something else from her? Otherwise, why would he assist her? Li Meirong silently mused in thought while repositioning her arms above the stone surface, pressing her palms together with fingers stretched out and interlaced.

    After a long period of silence, she finally asked, "If you don''t want my Fox Spirit, then what do you want? Why did you help me?"

    The first time Zhu QIngyue saved her did appear to be completely coincidental, finding themselves stuck together in the same place at the same time provided her with the opportunity to escape with his aid.

    But now? He had leapt in front of her defensively, facing everyone who opposed her. What explanation could there be for that?

    During the time Li Meirong was absorbed in her thoughts, the Fox Lord was left entranced by her intense glare and pouting cherry lips. It felt as though he could spend a lifetime trying to make sense of what goes through her head.

    The flash of her pearly white teeth snapped him out of his reverie as she made her inquiries.

    What did he want? Why did he help her?

    Finally, she asked him. It appeared to him as if she would never understand her position unless he would come out with a declaration. The only concern remained in how to go about explaining it.

    Bai Qingyue''s faint smile curved into a cunning smirk. He had been anticipating this precise question. Now, he could finalize his plan.

    Gazing directly at her squinted eyes, twinkling like two pristine stones of onyx in the daylight, Bai Qingyue''s own golden ones glowed like the setting sun as he placed his elbows on the stone table and leaned himself towards Li Meirong, their noses nearly touching in such close proximity.

    "I only want to protect you. You''re my woman... if I don''t take care of you, who will?" In a thickly modulated voice, Bai Qingyue professed in the form of a question, letting the cat out of the bag.

 Chapter 111: You Dont Have To Take Responsibility!

    The feeling of Zhu Qingyue''s hot breath upon her skin immediately gave her goosebumps. It became harder to think when he brought himself this close to her. With his handsome face practically touching hers, she couldn''t help but notice the man barely had any pores showing. His face was as smooth as an eggshell. As for his eyes, they were truly golden. Not hazel or light brown colour, but an actual metallic shade of gold.

    Mesmerized as she was by him, it took a few seconds for his words to sink in, prompting her to dump all of her careful calculations into the trash. Her misgivings all but forgotten, her nervousness kicked into high gear.

    What did he mean by saying "you''re my woman"?! His remark was so outrageous, she didn''t even know how to counter it!

    Clearly agitated, Li Meirong instinctively brought her arms forward and pushed against his chest, causing Zhu Qingyue to ungracefully collapse from his seat with his legs spread apart in an awkward position. The smirk on his face faded only for his mouth to draw into a thin line, lips pressing tightly together. Mortified by his undignified fall, he avoided making eye contact with her.

    The situation had escalated so quickly, it took Li Meirong a moment to comprehend what exactly happened. Witnessing such an overbearing man falling so funnily backwards would have made her burst into laughter, had it been under different circumstances. That is, if he didn''t just claim her as his woman and if her life wasn''t currently hanging on the line...

    Regarding him, wordlessly sitting on the ground like that, shoulders slumped and eyes cast down dejectedly made Li Meirong all the more stressed out. People died here for far less!

    "I''m so sorry! Please forgive me." She exclaimed, abruptly rising from her own seat. Unsure whether to go and offer her hand or run away while she still had the chance. How was she even going to get out of this mess?!

    However, she didn''t need to contemplate for long. Zhu Qingyue pitifully held the stone bench in front of him for support and stood up, dusting his dark-coloured robes. Advancing a few steps with his hands clasped behind his back, his clouded eyes staring into the distance, brooding.

    Stay calm. Don''t stress out. Don''t get mad. Li Meirong wordlessly chanted to herself as she faced Zhu Qingyue''s broad shoulders from behind him. His back was covered by long silken hair cascading down his rear, resembling shiny gossamer threads, nearly touching the floor.

    After what seemed like a lifetime, he finally spoke.

    "No need to be so courteous. There should be no apologies between husband and wife" He politely answered. His gaze was mysteriously set upon the red fringe flowers in the nearby garden.

    What the f*ck! Who''s your wife?!

    Li Meirong swallowed thickly, staring at his back. "This, uh¡­" her voice cracked, unsure of how to go about asking this question without offending the man, "Since when was it established that I''m your wife?"

    Surely, there''s a piece of information missing. Why would someone she hadn''t even met for years suddenly make such a claim?

    "I informed you back then that I will be your husband. You gave me your body, so from now on, I shall take care of you." Bai Qingyue answered calmly.

    Upon hearing this her brows arched high and her mouth gaped open.

    It wasn''t even past noon but Li Meirong had already exhausted all of her energy today. There was only so much surprise a person could handle!

    Every time this man spoke, she found herself confronting another revelation.

    Now, it would seem she did lose her virginity all those years ago¡­

    So, this whole misunderstanding had to do with ancient customs. To be precise, that of being held accountable for a woman after taking her virginity. She pondered thoughtfully, rubbing her eyelids in frustration.

    The feelings of agitation consuming Li Meirong began to recede significantly after realizing there wasn''t any big scheme nor devious plot to take advantage of her. He was simply trying to be honourable.

    Pressing a palm to the heart, Li Meirong sighed in relief at finally resolving this peculiar conundrum. She went to stand by Zhu Qingyue''s side, unable to suppress a peal of shaky laughter and assured him. "So that''s what this is all about! Senior Zhu, you really gave me a scare for a second there. Don''t worry about me. You don''t have to take responsibility!"

 Chapter 112: Are We Going To Die?!

    A complicated look flickered across Bai Qingyue''s eyes before he gave Li Meirong a sidelong glance. "You don''t have to take responsibility"? Her words echoed in his head. This troublesome wife still entertained the thought of escaping his grasp!

    At once, the bright sunny day had transformed into a distressing scene as a blanket of grey clouds covered the skies. Every living surface and every blade of grass growing around the surrounding garden had shrivelled in accordance with the Sovereign Lord''s fluctuating mood. The ominous brittle silence felt stifling.

    The foxes concealed within the garden were caught in the crossfire of their Lord''s oppressive energy. The ones who huddled between the wilted flower bushes made themselves invisible as they hastily sought another hiding spot.

    A young looking black furred fox squealed in alarm, clutching a thin branch atop a nearby tree for dear life, "His Lordship is terrifying! I''m sure he caught us looking at him! Are we going to die?!"

    The grey fox, Lang Ju, skipped from branch to branch and quickly made his way to the squealing black fox, placing his paw on top of her snout and silencing her shrieks. "Shh! Stop yelling¡­" He tried to calm her down, "as for His Lordship, don''t worry. He''s always been like this, and look at me, I''ve been serving him for centuries and I''m still alive."

    Actually, Lang Ju merely feigned his confidence. As a senior higher ranked servant, he wanted to ease his frightened comrades but in fact, he was cold with fear.

    At that, a fluffy looking brown fox snorted from behind a large boulder, "It''s not our fault the Lord is mad! I think Her Ladyship made him deeply upset. The Lord is a chaste man and Her Ladyship suddenly pushed him to the ground, no wonder he''s so enraged. How could he get used to such an aggressive female?"

    The brown fox''s four-tailed friend who stayed by her side, bonked her head in reprimand, "Idiot! Haven''t you noticed that the Bai clan is dying out? They need an energetic female now more than ever, especially with our frigid Lord!" He paused a moment and added, "I''m not sure about what our Lady had planned to do with our Lord but whatever it is, we must never utter a word of it or we''ll surely lose our heads!"

    Yan Wen was the only fox who hadn''t moved from his position, still perched inside the bird''s nest. His yellow tails curled around his tiny form. He was no longer snickering or enjoying the show. With a solemn look, he mentioned in a low voice, "Right now, he''s truly angry. I''ve seen him in this state before and it wasn''t under pleasant circumstances. We''d best stay quiet from now on."

    The hidden foxes silently agreed in unison.

 Chapter 113: You Have To Be Responsible For Me!

    Back inside the courtyard, Bai Qingyue''s inner turmoil plagued him still.

    He wasn''t taken by surprise when she pushed him away. In fact, he made the fall appear all the more dramatic, garnering sympathy seemed to work well with her.

    No. The blow he received was derived from her reaction to his confession. She acted as though being deflowered was of no concern to her. Even puny mortals placed great importance on propriety!

    A jarring thought befell him. Could it be that she had found another suitor during the time he was away and had given herself to him?

    Bai Qingyue''s fair skin became icy pale as the colour white itself and he bitterly gritted his teeth. He presumed that the so called friend of hers was the only possible threat, but now¡­

    "Am I to assume you have offered yourself to another man?" He inquired in a deadly undertone, still staring at the distance as he asked.

    Even if there is someone else you desire, I still won''t let you go!

    Bai Qingyue''s calm bearing opposed his turbulent thoughts, which only the weather reflected.

    At his question, a flush of embarrassment overwhelmed Li Meirong, standing rigidly at his side. Her whole face turned a deep shade of red as she stared at the ground and fiddled with her fingers.

    How did anything she said warrant this overly familiar question?! She thought that now they could finally end this awkward conversation, yet, it appeared to have only worsened!

    A sudden sense of foreboding travelled to Li Meirong''s heart which now beat more frantically. She wasn''t sure why his words caused her to stress so, but she felt the need to clarify the truth to him.

    "I didn''t." She cleared her throat, "I mean to say, you were the only one that I''ve¡­ been with." The last part of her sentence was spoken so softly that if not for Bai Qingyue''s sensitive hearing, it would have been impossible for him to hear.

    Bai Qingyue slowly looked down at Li Meirong, examining her and noticing her shallow breathing. Because she stared at the ground, he was only able to view the crown of her head.

    He extended one long finger, placing it under her small chin and slowly raised it to face him. A lovely sight awaited him. Her face tilting upwards had exposed her long ivory neck. Her luscious lips were a tantalizing shade of red and her large black eyes instantly pacified him.

    As beautiful as she was, her words always seemed to strike him where it hurt the most.

    "I only meant to say that there''s no need to be responsible for me because of what happened! We were both drugged and, well, I don''t blame you." She continued to explain with a tight voice, reaching both of her dainty palms to clutch his hand, trying to pull his finger away from her face, only for him to take a firmer hold of her jaw.

    Bai Qingyue inwardly growled. Blame me! I want you to blame me!!

    Vexed, he sighed deeply. This was not at all how he wanted today''s events to unfold! If he could have gotten away with it, he would have locked her up in a cage by now! Honestly, he expected her to succumb to him after his aggrieved performance and heartfelt declaration. Nevertheless, he had already prepared for this scenario.

    "Even if you don''t wish me to be responsible for you," He brushed his thumb across her cheek, "you have to be responsible for me!"

    Li Meirong stared at the outlandish man incredulously.

    What the f*ck was he going on about now?!

 Chapter 114: Some Kind Of Funny Joke

    Li Meirong stood there, dumbfounded, and stared at Zhu Qingyue. One second passed. Two seconds. Three...

    Suddenly, the sound of a soft giggle escaped her lips, filling the air with a cheerful melody, like the tinkling of silver bells. She closed her eyes as her narrow shoulders began to shake with laughter.

    The ridiculousness of the situation was simply too much for her, she couldn''t help herself. When her fit of giggles had subsided, she opened her eyes only to be met with Zhu Qingyue''s dead serious expression. Despite his extraordinary presence, he might as well have been a mannequin.

    After all this time, he never relinquished his hold on her chin.

    Feeling awkward, she softly uttered, "This is some kind of funny joke, right?"

    He was talking to her as though she was the big bad wolf who ate him up!

    Having been forced by him to maintain eye contact, Li Meirong somehow discerned from his eyes, blazing like twin suns, that once again, he was displeased. Zhu Qingyue hadn''t moved a muscle but she was able to tell that, for some reason, her reaction had infuriated him.

    Thunder rumbled in the distance and a bolt of lightning cracked the ashen skies. The wilted vegetation and deteriorating weather were all too clear additional signs for his ire.

    Then he leaned in, still holding her in place.

    After seeing him several times up close, Li Meirong was certainly conscious of the man''s large stature. Still, she was never able to measure just how remarkably tall he was until that very moment. Like a deer in headlights, she gazed up at him as he slowly brought his face closer to hers, effectively blocking the view of everything else. Her laughter had long since died in her throat.

    "W-what do you think you''re doing?!" Li Meirong questioned nervously. She wasn''t presented with an answer, however.

    This time, when she felt his breath mingling with hers once more, there was no longer an opportunity to push him away. The softness of his lips brushed against hers without any hesitation.

    At once, the rest of the world had faded away as she felt herself melting into his gentle touch.

    She knew it wasn''t the first time they had shared a kiss, and yet, it felt as though it was. In her foggy memory, she faintly recalled herself being the one to make the first move when they were high on aphrodisiac.

    Within moments, the fire inside Bai Qingyue was building. He needed more. He forced their lips harder together with unabashed urgency.

    She whimpered, flustered.

    For Li Meirong, this kind of kiss was different. It felt innocent and clumsy. Not at all the type of kiss performed by an experienced man. Yet, it knocked the wind right out of her lungs just the same.

    When she pounded on his chest, signalling her need to breathe, he finally let go of both her lips and chin. Li Meirong panted in relief, clutching his hunched shoulders for support.

    Next, Zhu Qingyue pressed his forehead against hers and huskily whispered, "Do you still think I am joking?"

    Dazed, and still struggling to believe such a man would be in any way seriously interested in her, she found herself asking a question she would never have otherwise asked.

    "Why me? Because I took your¡­ because I was your first?"

    He hummed in agreement, "Mmhmm. I was taught to preserve my chastity for marriage. You have stolen my purity and so now, you must take care of me." He spoke in a deep voice, and as he did so, his lean arms greedily wrapped around her slender waist.

 Chapter 115: You Have Already Rejected Me

    Li Meirong frowned. In a matter of minutes, her entire perception of him had shattered yet again!

    This guy looked like a lady killer, so she naturally assumed he was a typical playboy.

    Now, it appeared as though her theories were completely misguided. He was a virgin, and she?

    She had wronged him...

    Unlike the rest of the people residing in this world, Li Meirong didn''t place her virginity on a pedestal. She just never felt comfortable enough with anyone to go ahead and do the deed.

    As for Zhu Qingyue, he was raised to value his chastity, which she took from him unceremoniously.

    So the real question became; Would she actually have to enter into a relationship with him because of it?

    Since Zhu Qingyue had found her in the courtyard, her emotions went through an unending rollercoaster ride. Li Meirong felt she needed some space to try and make sense of this new turn of events and deliberately stepped back, separating herself from him.

    In her opinion, them having sex was not a good enough reason to start a relationship, if there really was nothing else to it.

    She shut her eyes and pinched the space between her brows, preparing an explanation for her upcoming refusal. "Look, I''m really sorry, but I can''t be together with you because-" we don''t actually love each other.

    The final part of her sentence was left unsaid. Her words were interrupted by a loud retching noise. Li Meirong immediately snapped her eyes open to see Zhu Qingyue sprawled upon the ground, convulsing and spitting blood. His sudden ailment made her completely lose track of what she was going to say.

    Alarmed, Li Meirong rushed to kneel at his side. She gathered his silvery hair out of the way and helped him adjust his position to lean on her for support. He heaved, clutching a hand to his chest, looking terribly weak and vulnerable.

    "What happened??" She asked, genuine concern in her voice.

    Zhu Qingyue weakly tried to push her away, "There is no need to feign concern. You have already rejected me."

    "I''m not pretending, I''m really worried about you! You''re spitting blood! Please, tell me what''s wrong?" Li Meirong insisted, feeling incredibly guilty. Witnessing this noble man in such a pitiful state made her feel like a wretched human being for the way she had been mistreating him.

    Meanwhile, the ragged clouds announced the arrival of an upcoming storm. The deafening noise of a rolling thunder boomed, opening the dark brooding skies to weep in mourning.

    A thin drizzle steadily grew into a heavy downpour, drenching the area as Zhu Qingyue''s whispered confession was ultimately uttered.

    "I am dying¡­"

 Chapter 116: Thorn Piercing Her Hear

    Dying?

    "How is that possible?" Li Meirong murmured, blindsided.

    He didn''t answer. The rain caused Zhu Qingyue''s long wet hair to cling to his skin like white ink, obscuring the look of weakness on his face.

    Zhu Qingyue was one of those people that couldn''t be read easily. Every time she had encountered him in the past, his expressions had barely changed. He would say the most confusing things, turning her world inside out. However, his baritone voice always sounded calm and untroubled. He always seemed unfazed by anything whatsoever.

    Now, she sensed the sorrow radiating from him, the heartbreak in his voice.

    Li Meirong felt as if a thorn was piercing her heart. And to think that she had just pushed the poor man to the floor!

    After his weak attempt at forcing her away, Li Meirong resolutely took control of the situation and placed one of his arms around her shoulders, leaning him against her. His wide sleeve covered her like a wet blanket. She managed to help him to his feet after several attempts, struggling under his weight. He certainly wasn''t a lightweight. Nevertheless, Li Meirong hadn''t uttered a word of complaint, using all her strength to maintain his balance.

    The pitter patter of the rain was no longer gentle. The drizzle soon turned into a vengeful storm and the temperature dropped significantly. Both Li Meirong and Zhu Qingyue were completely drenched.

    "Help me to my residence and I shall tell you of my condition, seeing as you are suddenly so interested in me." Zhu Qingyue''s words were laced with bitterness.

    "What about the mentorship? Am I not supposed to return to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s hall?" Li Meirong asked. She wanted to avoid violating any more laws in this friggin sect.

    "I already settled the issue with my father. Consider yourself his direct disciple from now on, as well as my personal student." Zhu Qingyue responded as though this matter wasn''t of any actual concern.

    Li Meirong expected a traditional ceremony between master and student. Somehow, this abrupt mentorship seemed a little half assed to her, but she didn''t probe the subject any further, assuming the reason for the lack of a conventional ceremony was due to her bad reputation.

    "Understood¡­" She said softly, half dragging Zhu Qingyue out of the courtyard, passing the garden and heading to the neighbouring residence. She had a peculiar feeling that someone was watching her. Following Zhu Qingyue''s directions, she pulled him inside his house, straight into the main parlour. Luckily, it wasn''t far from where they had been and that odd feeling didn''t last for long.

    Zhu Qingyue''s residence was shockingly pristine in contrast to hers. The polished wooden floor gleamed and the parlour sparkled without so much as a speck of dust. There were beautiful statues of mythological figures hanging from walls and a showcase of exquisitely made swords, axes and such other weapons was on display. The place definitely fit the image of wealth belonging to a man of the upper class, except for one small detail. The living room was barely furnished. No chairs, no sofas... not even a single pillow. She wondered if Zhu Qingyue had even a bed to sleep on. Glancing around the room, she found to her surprise that they were alone, without a single attendant. Odd.

    This place didn''t seem as though it was inhabited by anyone at all.

    Without much choice, Li Meirong gently settled him on the wood tiles and then kneeled in front of him. Catching her puzzled look, Zhu Qingyue stated, "I do not enjoy servants pestering me."

    "I see." Li Meirong curtly answered, biting her lower lip. Knowing they were both alone in a closed space made her feel awkward. She didn''t wish to stay there for long.

    Then, Zhu Qingyue adjusted himself to a cross-legged position and quickly made a few signals of invocation with his hands. Within seconds, he conjured a small Fire Sprite who sprouted a set of tiny, nearly transparent wings. The Sprite was surrounded with an orange light and it made a buzzing sound quite similar to a bee or a fly as flapped its wings rapidly, encircling them both with a trail of orange haze, only to disappear at once.

    Li Meirong was suffused in gentle warmth and awed by the spectacular occurrence. She wondered if by learning from Zhu Qingyue, she''d be able to summon Sprites as well.

    The raindrops dripping from the hairs on her forehead had evaporated and her clothes had magically dried up. The colourful haze dissipated shortly after.

    Zhu Qingyue sat in front of her in a meditative pose, immaculately dry. It was a bit difficult to imagine that about half an hour ago, his soaked form had collapsed on the floor with blood dripping from his lips.

 Chapter 117: Willing To Do It With You

    She waited patiently for him to speak, and once he did, a piece of her heart had finally relaxed, listening to the sound of his voice returning back to its usual tone. He revealed his tragic situation, "By the time my father had found me and taught me how to cultivate, I was already afflicted with a terminal illness. I was infected with poison from a rare, venomous bug. We tried seeking a cure for years to no avail."

    Li Meirong brought a hand to her mouth, concealing her shock. He was actually so pitiable! Her heart went out to him.

    Taking note of her sympathy, Zhu Qingyue cleared his throat and said, "Alas, despite my skills and fast cultivation methods, I don''t have long to live. Since you rejected me¡­ I shall spend the remainder of my days in solitude."

    At this point, Li Meirong was rubbing the back of her neck. The persistent twinge in her heart bothered her still, and she tasted sourness in her mouth.

    It was a sticky situation for her. She didn''t want to get into a relationship like this but she was second guessing her decision to reject his advances, now that she felt so sorry for him. In a way, she imagined herself as a vile, brazen brute stealing a sickly girl''s first time without remorse. Her conscience wouldn''t allow her to refuse this dying man''s wish.

    Since he had a terminal illness, that also meant he didn''t have long to live. She should, at the very least care for him for the rest of his final days¡­ and, not that she would ever say it aloud, but to herself, she was able to admit that his kisses and warm touch felt quite pleasant.

    As Li Meirong was rethinking her options, she stared absentmindedly at the well crafted sculptures hanging from the wall, lost in thought. One of them caught her eye. It was of a burly man with a big gut covered in leaves and twigs. Instead of a human head, that of an intimidating ox was crafted. Li Meirong found a strange sense of familiarity as she looked at the statue of the ox man.

    She hadn''t noticed Zhu Qingyue''s pointed gaze directed at her. His eyes glinted with confidence.

    Eventually, she looked away from the unusual statue, bashfully folding her arms and staring at her lap.

    "About your request¡­" Li Meirong started speaking and stopped with a hint of hesitation.

    "My request?" Zhu Qingyue inquired.

    His deep voice made Li Meirong feel especially shy. She just rejected him and now she''s going back on her words? Doesn''t that make her fickle?

    Nevermind. She decided to be kind to him in his final days. He saved her not once but twice now. She owed him this much! Li Meirong thought to herself.

    "You know¡­ what you said, I agree. I mean, I''m willing to do it with you. Ah!" She closed her eyes and cried out, slapping her cheeks with both hands. Why was it so difficult to speak the words?! She was sounding way too ambiguous!

    Zhu Qingyue hadn''t uttered a word, but if one was to look closely, one would be able to discern his mouth twitching in reaction.

    Breathing deeply, Li Meirong tried again, "I''ll be responsible for you! A-and I''ll be in your care too. And um, thank you for saving me twice now." She was glad to have finally been able to speak the words she wanted to say and didn''t forget to acknowledge his kind hearted rescue.

    After she finished speaking, she immediately added as she rose to her feet, "I have to get my pet now so I guess I''ll see you tomorrow!"

    Before Zhu Qingyue was able to speak a word, Li Meirong dashed outside, teetering as she fled, leaving a highly satisfied Fox Lord in her wake.

 Chapter 118: Strange Bitter Feeling

    By the time Li Meirong left Zhu Qingyue''s residence, the thick blackened clouds had mysteriously vanished. The heavy downpour reduced to light, gentle rain, signalling the storm''s inevitable end.

    Contrary to the foreseen gloomy environment, the rain had brought richness to all the colours in the sect, enhancing the greens and browns into deeper shades. The wilted plants had miraculously regrown and were restored to their former glory as though they were never scorched nor harmed in any way.

    Li Meirong wasn''t very attentive to her surroundings as she ran through the coalition''s grounds. She was far too absorbed in her own nervous thoughts to marvel at the abrupt weather changes and revival of the garden''s plant life.

    The hearing''s outcome and the consequences of the private meeting with Zhu Qingyue threw her into a tizzy. And to think that only a few hours ago, she had been prepared to depart the sect for good.

    However, now it would seem that from today henceforth, she had inadvertently agreed to be responsible for Zhu Qingyue. Even if it wasn''t exactly a romantic association, it would be a relationship nonetheless.

    ''Well, my previous relationships always ended terribly. At least with this one, I know what to expect and am aware of how it will end.''

    She wondered what sort of tasks her responsibilities would entail and whether her association with the Grandmaster''s son would assist or harm her down the road.

    Li Meirong hadn''t managed to settle her own emotions with regards to her newfound involvement with Zhu Qingyue, but she had already given her word and she wasn''t a person who spoke carelessly. There was nothing to it but to be patient and let things unfold naturally.

    It''s not like she had gotten married to him or anything. Nothing was set in stone.

    As she raced through the servant''s courtyard and reached Bao Li''s quarters, the rosy reddening of her cheeks had not yet faded.

    Right as Li Meirong was about to enter Bao Li''s quarters, the sound of lively chatter and boisterous laughter rang from inside, loud enough for the neighbours to hear.

    "Snowball, I really want to steal you away! If you stay with me, I''ll feed and pamper you as much as you like!"

    Li Meirong''s eyes narrowed as she heard the words. She quietly stepped inside Bao Li''s room, instantly zooming in on Snowball as he was being spoon-fed by her Senior Sister. They were so engrossed with each other, they hadn''t even noticed her presence.

    A strange bitter feeling swelled inside her.

    Pressing her lips together, Li Meirong inwardly seethed as she recalled her Fox Spirit''s indignant remarks. Wasn''t it Snowball who announced that males and females should maintain proper distance from each other?!

    The Fox Spirit was lounging on the chair like a babied prince with a huge protruding belly and an open jaw, anticipating the next slice of meat. His eyes remained glued to Bao Li in undisguised adoration. A clutter of emptied dishes covered the table''s surface. Bao Li held a ceramic bowl filled with shredded pork soup, feeding the fatty fox one spoon at a time.

    Li Meirong observed this all in silence. The butterflies in her stomach had long since dissolved and her clear eyes had darkened. It looked as though Bao Li had been stuffing the gluttonous "pig" since the moment she left!

    "I am afraid my duty is going to prevent me from accepting your proposition." ''Snowball'' replied to Bao Li between munches.

    To say Bai Yu was content would be quite the understatement.

    He hadn''t enjoyed such a good time in centuries! A cute girl at his beck and call, spoon feeding him! No wonder His Lordship had transformed himself to cub form. There was a world of difference in the treatment one received from females this way.

    "Is that so?"

    "Mmhmm¡­ I must perform my tasks to perfection." ''Snowball'' said absentmindedly, he couldn''t very well abandon his mission for the sake of his personal interests.

    Unfortunately, he realized the sharp voice laced with accusation wasn''t Bao Li''s only after he uttered the words.

    Oh no! At once, the fox turned back and tripped, falling face first from the chair to the floor in fright. Her Ladyship had caught him unawares! His Lord would surely slay him!

 Chapter 119: You, Be Quie

    "Master! You''re back." Bai Yu wanted to rise back up but his large bloated belly restricted his movements, thus he could only crawl pathetically towards Li Meirong. Mortal food was far too addictive to him, he was unable to control his voracious appetite.

    He looked up only to be pierced by Her Ladyship''s frown and was stressed even further. Then, just when he thought the situation couldn''t get any worse, he felt a pair of soft arms wrapping around him right underneath his armpits, steadily lifting him higher towards a sweet smelling female scent.

    "Welcome back, Junior Sister! I hope everything went well for you?" Bao Li inquired as she clutched the guilt-ridden fox against her plump chest.

    Bai Yu was sweating buckets now. Her Ladyship pointedly stared at him, furious.

    ''It''s not my fault! Your subordinate grabbed me before I could even utter a word of protest¡­'' Bai Yu silently lamented, too petrified to respond.

    "It went better than I expected. Thank you for taking care of my troublesome Fox Spirit, Senior Sister Li. I am most grateful." Li Meirong said through gritted teeth. She kept her response particularly formal.

    Bao Li nodded with a shaky laugh. "It''s no problem at all. I really like your Fox. You''re welcome to bring him over whenever you like!" She gave the fox in her arms an extra squeeze.

    Bai Yu never thought the feel of a female''s body pressing against him could be so torturous! He forced himself to snap out of his frozen state and quickly explain himself.

    "Master, I-"

    "You, be quiet. I see that what you''ve told me yesterday was all nonsense. Come on, we''re going back home right now." Li Meirong snatched ''Snowball'' from Bao Li''s firm grip and held him tightly in her arms.

    Bao Li''s expression gradually switched from cheerfulness to obvious discontent. She wished she could somehow adopt Snowball from Li Meirong, however, her friend appeared to be quite attached to the adorable fox, and she didn''t wish to do anything to harm their friendship.

    Despite her loyalty, Bao Li couldn''t control the urge to fondle Snowball and pinched his fluffy white ears while pouting in complaint. "You''re so lucky! I can''t believe you managed to get such a cute Spirit Beast from that dreadful forest. The other disciples only succeeded in contracting Spider Demons and other nasty critters."

    "Hey, stop at it once! I say, mmhmph!" Bai Yu''s feeble attempts to shove the assaulting dainty fingers away from his ears were useless on Bao Li. Before he was able to do anything further to protect his "purity", Her Ladyship draped her sleeve over him.

    "Our encounter was definitely a fortunate situation. I wouldn''t trade my Snowball for anything in the world." Li Meirong''s voice was loud and clear, emphasizing her ownership. She moved backwards and covered Snowball''s head with her arm, pushing Bao Li''s wandering fingers away.

    The Head Chef was definitely not a fool. She had lived Li Meirong''s life a few times over by now. Sensing the rising hostility from her friend, she realized her Junior Sister had heard her from outside and misunderstood.

    "Sister Meirong, I think of you as my friend and I don''t want us to bicker. I will never think of stealing him from you, I only said what I did as a joke." Bao Li folded her arms together and kept her tone lighthearted as she explained herself.

    Li Meirong sighed, irritated by her own rise of jealousy. The Head Chef had always been kind to her. She didn''t want to ruin their camaraderie.

    Realizing this, she met her friend''s half smile with her own and apologized, "I''m sorry. I didn''t intend to sound so ungrateful and I didn''t think you''d actually want to steal Snowball. I don''t know what came over me..."

    "It''s quite alright. I would probably act the same way if I were you! Snowball is a precious fox and I''m glad to see how much he''s loved by you." Bao Li said, easing Li Meirong''s feelings.

    "I''ll see you later at the kitchens." Li Meirong bobbed her head towards her friend in gratitude and departed with Snowball in her arms.

    "..." Meanwhile, the sought after fox was dumbfounded into speechlessness.

    For the first time in his life, Bai Yu had been fought over by two beautiful women. Sadly, his circumstances were terrible.

    By the time he realized he was pressed against the danger zone, it was already far too late. Her Ladyship was holding him tightly in her arms. It was one thing to be embraced by an unattached female and another thing entirely to be pressed against His Lordship''s wife.

    How could he possibly explain himself to His Lordship?!

    But the poor subordinate''s troubles had not yet come to an end. Not only was he unable to escape Her Ladyship''s grasp without scratching his way out, the final blow was waiting for him back inside Li Meirong''s cabin, causing his heart leap right out of his chest.

    As Bai Yu entered the cabin in Her Ladyship''s unyielding embrace, they discovered the dreaded sight of His Lordship lying comfortably on the bed inside!

    Did Bai Yu also forget to mention how his stomach had suddenly started aching?

 Chapter 120: This Ferocious Tiger

    At the same time, Bai Yu wasn''t the only one whose heart had nearly leapt out of his chest.

    Li Meirong suffered a fright and stumbled back in surprise as well.

    Upon entering her home, she wordlessly stared slack-jawed at the man resting comfortably on her single mattress.

    ''What the¡­''

    The bed was obviously not made for him. Zhu Qingyue had his long legs bent in an uncomfortable looking position, yet his feet still dangled in the air. His dark robe was large and loose, contrasting with his fair skin and silver hair. It enveloped him like a blanket of darkness as he laid curled like a puppy. The blanket had dropped to the floor by the foot of the bed.

    Li Meirong peeked a little closer and discovered the afflicted man was actually asleep! He looked serene and peaceful, resembling an ethereal fairy as he rested.

    The moment she started advancing towards the bed, Bai Yu used the opportunity to save his life and escape her hold while keeping a close watch over His Lordship, in case he should wake up and incinerate him at any given moment. Bai Yu had been at his Lordship''s side for many years. He wasn''t even certain the Fox Lord had ever slept throughout the ages! He decided to be extra cautious and lingered near the doorway.

    Li Meirong silently tiptoed towards the direction of the sleeping man.

    At first, she wanted to kindly wake him up, but as she crept closer, she was able to tell by his heavy breathing and peaceful expression that he was indeed sound asleep, thus making her change her mind.

    ''What is he doing here?''

    Li Meirong assumed it would be best to let him sleep peacefully, especially since he was terminally ill. She could always question him later.

    She lifted the blanket from the floor and after making sure it was clean, she carefully draped it over Zhu Qingyue, keeping her movements gentle so as to not disrupt his slumber.

    Then, Li Meirong went back to the cabin''s entrance and bent down in front of her Fox Spirit.

    She whispered to her pet. "Snowball, I''m going to disappear from the cabin, but I''ll be back shortly. Meanwhile keep watch over this man, alright? He''s frail and ill so we have to be especially attentive to him."

    ''Snowball'' blinked his big bright eyes at her, looking most aggrieved.

    ''What frail and ill?! This ferocious tiger doesn''t know the meaning of frailty! Her Ladyship is getting tricked again yet, I can''t tell her the truth! but if I stay here on my own, His Lordship would kill me. This won''t do, I must hug Her Ladyship''s powerful thighs.''

    Bai Yu''s thoughts were in a disarray. However, one thing he was sure of. He mustn''t stay here alone with His Lordship!

    "No, master. I''m coming with you!" ''Snowball'' said as he nipped Li Meirong''s robe. Refusing to let her go.

    Li Meirong stared helplessly at her peculiar little fox, experiencing a gush of warmth from his insistence.

    Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she patted his head in adoration and said, "Ah, so now you remember the meaning of loyalty? Fine, come with me."

    After arranging herself in a lotus position, she placed Snowball on her lap and began her meditation. Focusing her mind on her dimension in the same exact process which she had utilized to depart from it.

    While Li Meirong was concentrating, her eyes were shut and her mind was in a state of higher consciousness. In comparison, Bai Yu was focused on his surroundings. His eyes were wide open and alert, locked on the dangerous god lying snugly a few steps away from him. In the split second prior to being transported alongside Her Ladyship, he noticed the unmistakeable predatory glint of Bai Qingyue''s vicious glare as he locked his narrowed eyes on him.

    Bai Yu made a sign of prayer in thanks to the goddess of luck for allowing him to preserve his life and escape with Her Ladyship.

    Regretfully, he knew this temporary reprieve won''t save him. Bai Yu resolved to somehow make certain Her Ladyship would protect him from his vengeful master and devise a plan before his impending sentence.

    As Li Meirong connected her consciousness to the dimension, her soul transferred into the wondrous space she discovered back when she was trapped inside the volcano. This time, she brought ''Snowball'' along with her.

    The sweet scent of peach blossoms permeated the air. A gentle breeze carried the petals with it, circling Li Meirong as she materialized inside the flower field. The familiar sight of a majestic shrine surrounded by a wide meadow greeted her eyes.

    ''Snowball'' had already dashed forward, hopping to and fro across the field. He seemed strangely ecstatic.

    "T-this is the clan''s ancestral grounds!" The sound of his squeals echoed in the field.

    Li Meirong looked ahead and observed the fluffy white butt of her little fox skipping down in excitement as pink petals fell above his furry head.

    "What are you so happy about?" Li Meirong curiously questioned.

    Then, ''Snowball'' turned around and looked at his master''s inquisitive eyes, gulping a mouthful of saliva.

 Chapter 121: Why Am I Not Surprised?

    ''Snowball avoided Li Meirong''s gaze before answering in a monotone voice, "Ummm, this place looks a lot like my family''s home."

    Li Meirong''s clear eyes narrowed as she said, "Your family''s home must be beautiful. I know you''ve been in a family dispute but maybe later on, after a few years, we can go back and visit your home, if you don''t mind. "

    Bai Yu thought about her suggestion. Technically, they would eventually return to the clan''s grounds so he wouldn''t be lying to Her Ladyship! Relieved at being able to tell the truth, he nodded his head and said, "Yes, let''s do that!"

    ''I must be careful with my words¡­ Her Ladyship has a troublesome inquisitive nature.'' Mentally berating himself for his momentary lapse, Bai Yu leapt ahead, hoping to avoid any more potentially damning question.

    During the time the pair walked towards the tower, Li Meirong kept a slower pace as she stepped between the different herbs and flowers in the field, while ''Snowball'' raced forward, his small figure disappearing quickly into the shrine.

    After she remained alone in the meadow, Li Meirong took her time and carefully observed the herbs around her. The majority of the plants present were extremely rare and though she easily recognised some of them, there were plenty that were still unfamiliar to her. She planned to request Chou to communicate with the herbs and gather information about their unique properties.

    Then, she cast a sidelong glance as an interesting sight provoked her interest. It wasn''t a flower nor a herb, but a large hand sized mushroom with a dark red-brown cap, resembling the shape of a clam. She actually recognized this particular polypore mushroom.

    ''This is a Lingzhi mushroom¡­ How unusual to see it growing here.''

    Li Meirong leaned down and tapped on the reddish cap, finding the texture of the fungus quite familiar. She confirmed it was indeed the Lingzhi mushroom, sprouting from the ground like a plant instead of a fungus.

    ''Well, considering the fact that I''m inside a metaphysical space, and not to mention the other odd things I encountered last time I was here, a Lingzhi mushroom sprouting from the soil shouldn''t be that surprising.''

    In fact, the mushroom was a pleasant discovery. It was better known as the "Mushroom of Immortality," and for good reason, since it was excellent for modulating the immune system if made into a tonic herb concoction. Li Meirong didn''t think twice before wrapping her fingers around its base, intending to pluck it out.

    ''Nooo! Don''t touch me, you pervert!'' A squeaky voice shrieked with all its might.

    Of course. It was a talking mushroom...

    Li Meirong exhaled loudly and muttered, "Why am I not surprised?"

    Keeping her fingers around the telepathic fungus, she contemplated her options. If all the plants began communicating with her, what would she have left to eat? This won''t do. She needed this mushroom. It might assist Zhu Qingyue''s health and she had promised to take care of him.

    "I''m sorry, mushroom. I need to turn you into tonic to help my acquaintance. I''ll pray for your soul to depart peacefully." Li Meirong said, starting to tear the mushroom from the soil.

    ''No! W-wait one moment! If you let me grow, I''ll provide you with a field of mushrooms. I swear you won''t regret keeping me. Do you know how rare it is for plants to acquire a higher form of consciousness? It''ll be a waste to turn me into tonic. Super wasteful!'' The Lingzhi mushroom mournfully pleaded.

    Li Meirong hesitated. "You can provide me with a field of mushrooms?"

    ''Yes yes yes! A whole field. I just need some time to grow bigger¡­''

    Rubbing her eyelids, she temporarily gave up on her idea for a tonic. Her resolve further crumbled as she realized the mushroom''s consciousness was communicating at a level which would make her feel like a murderer should she choose to tear it from the ground.

    A moment later, she recalled Chou''s rapid growth spurt and came up with an idea. Nipping her thumb, she let a few drops of blood fall onto the mushroom cap.

    "This should hasten the process." Li Meirong replaced her casual tone with a stern one and proceeded to say, "May the force be with you!"

    After smearing blood on its cap, she resumed her walk towards the shrine, making a mental note to check on the mushroom later on and inspect the effects of her blood on the fungus.

    At the same time, the confused mushroom thought, ''What nonsense is this girl talking about? How can a force be with me? I''m just a mushroom¡­''

    Just then, a sudden surge of energy exploded inside of it, as if it had suddenly acquired the cultivation force of a thousand years.

 Chapter 122: Shes The Lords Wife

    When Li Meirong reached the entrance to what seemed to be a shrine, she was pleasantly surprised to find it appeared to have been tidied up.

    Gone were the tangled vines, shrubs and weeds. Instead, there were flower bouquets of pale Peonies and Magenta Camellias placed inside tall decorative vases shaped like butterfly wings.

    She sauntered into the building and headed towards the luxurious lounge. It looked the same as before, magnificently structured with brightly painted walls and decorated with ornaments painted royal red and gold. Several lotus-shaped lanterns cast a soft light, giving the dwelling a warm and hospitable feel.

    Li Meirong was slightly disappointed to find that upon her arrival, the area remained silent and empty. Chou and Feng Huang were nowhere to be found. She also wondered where Snowball had run off to.

    ''I thought they would be eager to see me...'' Li Meirong thought, sullen.

    With a quick glance at the nearby wooden table, her mood sank. Last time she''d wanted to speak with the dimension, it communicated with her through a scroll on that table. Sadly, this time, it appeared to be clear of any items.

    She''d hoped to be able to ask the dimension about her little one''s whereabouts.

    "Dimension, can you hear me?" Li Meirong asked aloud. She scratched the back of her head, feeling a little foolish for talking to what was clearly an empty room.

    There was no response.

    Li Meirong didn''t dawdle any further and headed straight towards the library, hoping to find any sign of life there.

    As she climbed the staircase to the second landing, Li Meirong was suddenly able to overhear Snowball''s hushed whispers.

    She edged closer, stepping lightly in an attempt to keep her presence concealed. ''Snowball'' slowly came into view, standing at the end of the library''s corridor and conversing with what seemed to be the dimension''s scroll, placed between his paws.

    "I''m telling you, she''s the lord''s wife now. That''s why we must always be respectful to her."

    ''Snowball'' paused and silently read the dimension''s written response.

    "What does it matter if you have to sustain a pond full of lobsters? Seriously¡­" Immediately after he finished speaking, ''Snowball''s'' ears perked up, twitching as his tail swayed from side to side in alertness. Then in a flash, he turned around and scanned the area with squinted eyes.

    Before Li Meirong could even consider hiding behind a tall bookshelf, ''Snowball'' had already discovered her presence.

    The cub''s demeanour changed completely. He docilely rushed to Li Meirong''s side and stared at her with his big fox eyes. "Master, I was waiting for you!"

    "En. Sorry, it took me a while to get here." Li Meirong didn''t even glance down at him. She paced forward and focused on a nearby bookshelf, pointedly avoiding him while grabbing the nearest random scroll, pretending to read from it as she tried to make sense of what she''d just overheard.

    What he said made no sense at all! Who was this lord and who was his wife? And why would this be a subject for her Fox Spirit to discuss with the dimension? Did the scroll act as some sort of therapist, too? Was Snowball talking about his family?

    Li Meirong only grew more confused the more she tried to make sense of it all. She dearly wanted to question Snowball but was under the impression he wouldn''t be honest with her.

    Would he come clean to her eventually?

    She chose to trust ''Snowball'' and allow him to tell her his secrets in his own time. Maybe when that time finally came, she could confide him with hers.

    Meanwhile, Bai Yu inwardly berated himself again. He really wanted to bash his head against the wall!

    It was all that stupid dimension''s fault. The moment it recognized the Bai fox''s bloodline within Bai Yu, the dimension incessantly badgered him with questions as to why its owner had suddenly become a mortal girl instead of the clan''s successor.

    The pretending ''Snowball'' let out a deep breath. He had a newfound appreciation for His Lordship''s shapeshifting skills. It wasn''t enough to look different, one had to change one''s entire conduct. How had Bai Qingyue managed to stay by Her Ladyship''s side, all the while pretending to be a fox cub, without spilling the beans until now?

    ''Snowball'' curled up on the floor, pretending to nap. He restlessly hoped Her Ladyship wouldn''t concern herself too much with what he said.

    Li Meirong, the oblivious wife, groaned in frustration. She wanted to cultivate, cuddle with her pets and make good use of her time in the dimension. Instead, she was upset, confused and couldn''t help but feel that Snowball was constantly hiding things from her.

 Chapter 123: Chou Is Building An Army!

    Tossing the scroll aside, she marched to the end of the library''s corridor and grabbed the one ''Snowball'' was holding a moment ago.

    As the dimension''s scroll was spread open by Li Meirong, the empty beige parchment filled up with characters.

    ~ Welcome back. How may I be of service? ~

    "I want to know the whereabouts of the Plant Spirit and Turtle Demoness I left here last time?" Li Meirong asked immediately.

    The characters on the parchment morphed into a different answer.

    ~ The Turtle Demoness is sleeping in the back garden. The Plant Spirit is currently occupied with training the lobsters. ~

    ...What?

    Li Meirong blinked a few times and reread the last sentence, making sure she didn''t get it wrong.

    "Training the lobsters for what?" She asked.

    ~ How should I know? ~

    With a helpless sigh, she folded the scroll and stored it in her sleeve, urging ''Snowball'' to come along with her. It took Li Meirong a few minutes to reach the back garden.

    The grounds were divided into many sections. However, the nearest area to the supposed shrine could only be described as a formal household garden. There was a large pond with floating water lilies surrounded by a colourful assortment of raised flower beds. It was a pleasant sight to see, if not for the swarm of crawfish splashing in and out of the water''s surface, ruining the otherwise tranquil atmosphere.

    Li Meirong saw the familiar back of Chou''s plump red and green shape bellowing orders at the crowded lobsters. His long vines were raised high in the air, signalling the struggling crawfish to swim in circles.

    "You don''t paddle fast enough! How do you expect to cultivate into fine demonic lobsters if you can''t even put in this much effort?! Those who don''t exercise will turn into a side dish!" Chou''s childlike voice was hollering similarly to a general commanding his troops.

    ''I think that now, I''ve seen it all.'' Li Meirong stood in place, staring agape at the sight before her.

    "Master, this..?" ''Snowball'' was just as bewildered as Her Ladyship was. He stood a step behind her, pointing a paw in the direction of the pond. Why was a plant helping these sea creatures cultivate?

    "Uh¡­ let me go find out."

    Li Meirong walked up to Chou and tapped on his back. He resized himself to a human height this time, remaining taller than her by a foot or so. The plant wobbled as he turned to face her, the light in his beady eyes shimmered once he caught sight of her.

    "Master! Chou missed you so so much!!" The thin line that formed Chou''s mouth parted as he cried out. The lobsters were all but forgotten as he wrapped his vines around Li Meirong and hugged her to his plant-like body.

    Li Meirong patted Chou''s back affectionately, coaxing the plant with a soft tone. "Silly Chou, I wasn''t gone for that long." She paused and gestured towards the lobsters, "What have you been doing in the meantime?"

    Holding back his sniffles, Chou exclaimed, "Chou is building an army!"

    Pinching the space between her brows, Li Meirong asked patiently, "...Why are you building an army of lobsters?"

    "Feng Huang said Master wouldn''t like to eat the lobsters because of Master''s compassionate nature, and since Master is a bit ignorant, it''s best to raise them to becomes soldiers who are able to protect Master!" The Plant Spirit simpered, looking pleased with himself as he uncoiled his vines from Li Meirong''s waist.

    Li Meirong barked out a laugh. It was painfully obvious that Feng Huang had tricked Chou, but what did it matter? It looked as though the not so little pitcher plant was having quite a good time playing with the lobsters.

    "Alright then, I''ll leave you to it." Li Meirong informed him. she took a few steps forward before Chou''s vines wrapped around her waist again, holding her in place.

    "Nooo. Chou wants to stay with Master. Don''t leave Chou!" The Pitcher Plant pouted in complaint.

    Li Meirong''s eyes curved into crescents. She pretended to sound stern and said; "Alright alright, help me look for Feng Huang, she''s supposed to be sleeping somewhere around here."

    Bai Yu sat by the edge of the pond, staring wide-eyed at the affectionate exchange between the strange plant and Her Ladyship.

    Was this His Lordship''s love rival?! S-surely she had higher standards than that, the thing didn''t even look human!

    The lobsters swiftly swam to the bottom of the pond, grateful for their reprieve.

 Chapter 124: This Plant Almost Ruined Everything!

    Bai Yu resolved to keep a close watch on the Plant Spirit. All things considered, he was still a loyal servant to His Lordship and would never allow him to be cuckolded! He stayed in his spot and steadily observed the pair, scrutinizing their every move.

    In the meantime, Li Meirong and Chou were unaware of Bai Yu''s speculations. Shortly after, they went to seek for Feng Huang in various parts of the garden. Li Meirong walked a bit further ahead, to the barren field where she had practised the fire barrier techniques prior to ascending the volcano.

    Chou lingered in the garden, hefting boulders aside and peeking behind bushes.

    It didn''t take long for him to find the self-indulgent turtle, hiding in a dark damp area beneath a decorative arched bridge, built between a collection of rocks and pebbles.

    The Plant Spirit whipped his vine at Feng Huang''s unprotected tail, causing her to stir from her slumber with a startled yelp. "Besides sleeping and cultivating, what else do you do?! You didn''t even assist Chou with training the troops!"

    After relaxing her nerves from the unexpected attack, Feng Huang quietly side-eyed the intruder. ''Tsk. What does he want now?''

    Chou raised his vine up high in the air, threatening. "Not getting up?"

    The Turtle Demoness loudly groaned and replied, "I''m up, I''m up. I thought you took care of training the troops, what am I supposed to do?"

    Chou excitedly wobbled back and forth. "Master is back! She wants to see you."

    Feng Huang''s ruby eyes sparkled like the gems on her shell. She nodded in acknowledgement. ''Finally!''

    Chou loped off towards the building and Feng Huang floated in the air as she followed the man-sized plant.

    He cried out, "Master, Chou found her. Chou found the turtle!"

    Then, his button eyes sharpened on the small white fur ball curled near the doorway. It bore a striking similarity to the evil cub in the forest, but Chou could tell that this ball of fluff was different...

    Li Meirong ran back as soon as she detected Chou''s youthful voice. But what she returned to was a confrontation taking place between the Fox Spirit and the Pitcher Plant.

    ''Snowball'' and Chou were having a staredown, while Feng Huang giddily spectated from the sidelines, anticipating a fight.

    "Who are you?" Chou suspiciously inquired, finally addressing the small white fox.

    "Didn''t your mother teach you it''s common courtesy to introduce yourself first?" Bai Yu retorted as he sat in his spot, unfazed. ''This silly plant is clearly stamping his territory...''

    "Why should Chou introduce himself to a stranger?!" The Pitcher Plant used his tall build to tower over the fox. This fluff ball didn''t appear all that terrifying compared to the previous one. More importantly, he didn''t seem to harbour any malicious desires such as eating up his Master. It was definitely a different furball! Chou wordlessly concluded.

    "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Feng Huang floated in mid-air and raised her stubby foot in encouragement.

    At that exact moment, Li Meirong rushed in between the two, spreading her arms to each side. She panted heavily, nearly out of breath.

    "What are you two doing?? You''ve already met each other back at the forest. Chou, this is Snowball, remember? He waited for me outside the volcano and I brought him back, he''s part of the family now." She explained while gasping for air. The last thing she wanted was for them to quarrel!

    Chou directed his stare towards Li Meirong, "Master is mistaken, this one is obviously mmhpphh!!"

    Bai Yu''s face chilled at his words. Just as Chou was about to let the cat out of the bag, the Fox Lord''s subordinate acted swiftly, pressing his paw tightly over the Plant Spirit''s mouth and muffling his voice.

    ''This plant almost ruined everything!''

    "Master, ''Snowball'' will be a good boy and make peace with Chou. Please wait a moment!" He abruptly announced, no longer perturbed. Gradually, he uncovered Chou''s lipless mouth.

    ''You better keep your big gob shut!''

    Then in the blink of an eye, ''Snowball'' nipped Chou''s belly region and hurriedly dragged his heavy mass away.

    "Ahhh! Let Chou go. Chou doesn''t want to deal with you!" The Plant''s shrill cries echoed as he was hauled to a faraway part of the garden. ''This fox may not be as terrifying as the other one, but it is just as deadly!''

    After a short struggle, Bai Yu managed to bring them both away from prying eyes. Relinquishing his hold on the man-sized plant, he peered left and right, making sure they were indeed alone.

    The disguised fox addressed the pitcher plant in front of him with a grumble."I''m not going to kill you! I just want to talk."

    By now, Chou was able to confirm that ''Snowball'' was far stronger than him. However, he had his manly pride to uphold! Refusing to back down, he glared right back at the furball, raising his vines in a protective stance. "Out with it!"

 Chapter 125: Humph, Ill Show You...

    Bai Yu sighed in relief at finally managing to get the troublesome plant to listen to him. He cleared his throat, stating in a low voice. "Listen now, I''m going to tell you something very important and you must keep it a secret¡­"

    Their conversation progressed with utmost secrecy.

    Back at the entrance, just as Li Meirong was about to follow them, she felt Feng Huang''s heavy foot gently tapping her shoulder.

    "They probably need a moment alone. Trust me, I know all about guys! They bicker and fight, and then a moment later become best buddies." Feng Huang enthusiastically shared her pearls of wisdom.

    Glancing back at the turtle, Li Meirong''s tone was tinged with agitation. "I don''t think that will be the case with them." Nevertheless, she reluctantly followed Feng Huang''s advise, hoping that Chou and Snowball would get along.

    "It will be alright, you''ll see." Feng Huang reassured Li Meirong. They began to make their way towards the library, chatting along the way.

    As Li Meirong slowly calmed down and considered Feng Huang''s words, she scrunched up her brows and teased the Demoness with a small smile playing on her lips. "I didn''t know you''re so popular!"

    Feng Huang lifted her nose high up in the air and harrumphed. "Girl, I can teach you a thing or two. I''ve had demons chasing me everywhere! Of course, I didn''t allow their pestering to deter me from cultivating! It''s not as though I can copulate with anyone other than a turtle before I reach my human form, anyway... " She gave Li Meirong a probing look and said, "You''re not so bad looking, I''m sure you can find yourself a simple male for your womanly needs. It''ll be best to attach yourself to someone who''s not too powerful. Those kinds of men will step all over you! So tell me, what sort of male interests you?"

    Li Meirong''s cheeks heated up to a rosy pink shade. She facepalmed herself with regret. ''I should never have tried to make fun of Feng Huang. How the hell do I escape this awkward ''girl talk'' with a turtle?!''

    A moment later, Li Meirong said, "You can say I''m in a relationship with someone already. Although, it''s not an official one¡­ and he''s not that strong, so I don''t need any advise." She paused and glanced forward, relieved at finally reaching their destination.

    "Ahem, I want to focus on cultivation techniques that can increase my powers quickly. What do you think I should read?" Li Meirong diverted the conversation to another subject as they passed between rows of bookshelves in the library.

    Actually, Li Meirong truly did plan on searching for special techniques to hasten her cultivation. Now that she was enrolled in a martial arts tournament. She''d need any help she could get to level up as soon as possible.

    Feng Huang let out a low sinister chuckle. ''Heh, you think I didn''t notice your attempt to sidetrack me? It only heightens my desire to pry the information out of you! Humph, I''ll show you...''

    The Turtle Demoness had already familiarized herself with the dimension''s library. Without even needing to search, her round body directly glided towards the scroll she sought and clamped her reptilian mouth over it. Then, she spun around and delivered it to Li Meirong.

    "Well, if you don''t want to talk about the subject, far be it from me to press you. Here, this scroll is just what you''re looking for!" Dropping the scroll in Li Meirong''s palms, Feng Huang smiled mischievously after saying her piece.

    Li Meirong grinned back, glad to focus on what mattered. She cast her eyes downwards to the familiar characters written at the beginning of the scroll, muttering the title softly to herself.

    "Dual cultivation, how to practice safely..."

 Chapter 126: Dual Cultivation Technique

    Li Meirong''s voice ended up stuttering as her pale face turned red as a beetroot.

    "Pffft!" Feng Huang kept herself from laughing out loud while observing the ever-changing expressions on Li Meirong''s face. Her tough shell shook with the effort of suppressing her mirth.

    ''Ah, so my clueless mistress knows about Dual Cultivation!''

    From shyness to agitation and eventually, settling on irritation, the girl''s brows creased in a deep frown. Li Meirong gritted her teeth and clutched the scroll tightly, itching to lash out at Feng Huang, yet managed to suppress herself from doing so.

    What was Dual Cultivation? Wasn''t it basically an erotic book? Well, she''d seen and read worse before!

    With a huff, Li Meirong unfolded the scroll and skimmed across the characters written down.

    Feng Huang''s deduction wasn''t exactly right. Li Meirong heard of dual cultivation but had never thoroughly learnt about it before.

    Her annoyance subsided as genuine interest took over. To her pleasant surprise, the scroll didn''t describe any vulgar acts as she previously assumed. But rather, a technical summary of paired cultivation techniques. It brought forth an interesting subject which Li Meirong had never even thought of.

    Introducing the concept of sex as a spiritual experience beyond physical pleasure.

    The key to exercising the method is by employing one''s qi during sexual acts instead of wasting the energy force, as is often the case. When a couple makes love, they can circulate each other''s opposing energy of yin and yang with harmony in a circuit, ever-increasing stream. The effects of dual cultivation have the potential to expand and enhance one''s spirituality to incredible levels if performed correctly.

    As Li Meirong kept reading, she discovered there was even a section detailing the potentialities of increasing energy utilizing that of someone such as herself, who was described in the scroll as a ''Cultivation Vessel'', or what her fellow sect disciples often referred to her as, a ''Furnace''. Basically, vessels like herself were highly sought-after candidates for dual cultivation, since their partners would acquire a tremendous increase of energy by pairing with them. Sadly, furnaces were often abused and drained of all qi, often leading to their deaths.

    She didn''t even notice just how deeply immersed she had been in reading until she finished studying the first written technique and carefully folded the scroll.

    When she finally glanced away from the manual, she was embarrassed to find ''Snowball'', Feng Huang and Chou in his miniature form sitting right in front of her, looking at her completely flabbergasted.

    Feng Huang was quite surprised yet also impressed. If anything, she appreciated Li Meirong even more now. She preferred a daring mistress!

    As for ''Snowball'', his wide-eyed stare was the only expression showing on his furry face. Now, Bai Yu felt compelled to find some private time to speak with His Lordship. With this newfound knowledge, he was sure that his Lord would be so ecstatic, he''d forget all about punishing him!

    Chou wasn''t really certain what to say. Neither did he know about these human techniques nor cared about them. But his Master was looking incredibly funny with her face turning so red. His master was a little silly sometimes and made Chou worry about her quite a lot. What if she choked herself to death?!

    "Master¡­ are you alright?" Chou''s voice was filled with worry.

    Despite having read the text as though it was a biology book, Li Meirong still felt self-conscious at taking so much interest in cultivating techniques related to sexual acts.

    "I''m fine! I uh-, I was just skimming through this¡­" Li Meirong quickly averted her gaze in shame and stuffed the Dual Cultivation scroll into the nearest shelf. She quickly whipped out the dimension''s parchment.

    "Give me a proper cultivation technique, please!"

    The empty parchment was filled with characters once more.

    ~ Didn''t you read one only moments ago? ~

    "..." ''Is the dimension also trying to make a joke out of me?!''

    Frustrated, Li Meirong stuffed the parchment back inside her sleeve. ''Useless dimension¡­''

    She grabbed the nearest cultivation scroll, discovering something related to water attacks. After reading the technique a few times over, Li Meirong sat cross-legged and chanted the written mantra.

    Meanwhile, during the time Li Meirong was cultivating, the astonished contracted entities dispersed and found their own forms of entertainment. Chou went back to bossing the lobsters, Feng Huang returned to her nap and ''Snowball'' obediently sat by Li Meirong''s side. His golden eyes noting Her Ladyship''s lack of advancement.

    It was difficult to accurately judge the passing of time within the dimension''s space. Nevertheless, Li Meirong assumed that about a few hours had passed. When she felt her fatigued body aching and her back sweating, she finally decided to end her training.

    Sadly, no progress had been made. She didn''t sense even an ounce of increase in her energy. If anything, she was all the more drained.

    Dejectedly, Li Meirong left the dimension''s space along with ''Snowball'', meditating her consciousness back into her body from within the confines of the library.

    By the time Chou and Feng Huang discovered Li Meirong had departed the dimension, they were both filled with frustration, thinking the same thought. ''We forgot to ask for blood!''

 Chapter 127: Unexpected Visitor

    In the meanwhile, a rather grouchy Fox Lord was frantically pacing back and forth within the confines of the wood cabin, his fists tightly clenched and his mouth set in a rigid grimace. His foul temper belied his godly lineage and royal upbringing.

    Shortly after Li Meirong had transcended into the pocket dimension, Bai Qingyue had risen out of bed and moved his wife''s soulless body to sit near the bed, placing a soft pillow on the ground as he carefully lifted her frail form and positioned her on top of the cushion.

    So many hours had long since passed, and Li Meirong''s physical shell maintained its meditative stance all this while. Bai Qingyue stayed by her side the whole time, anticipating the moment she would return.

    The droplets of the early morning drizzle and the serenity brought by the rain''s soothing melody did nothing to ease Bai Qingyue''s frayed nerves.

    What was taking her so long? And what could Bai Yu possibly be doing alone with her for an entire day and night?!

    The more he thought about it, the more his mood had worsened.

    He should never have given his subordinate "Snowball''s" position. Wasn''t he practically offering his priceless treasure to another? Clearly, he had miscalculated.

    Consequently, the sound of approaching footsteps brought his frantic thoughts to a sudden halt. The knuckles tapping on the dilapidated door instantly captured Bai Qingyue''s attention.

    Immediately masking his inner turmoil and appearing as though nothing could ever shake or disconcert him, Bai Quinyue opened the door with a flick of the wrist. He was greeted with the sight of a budding youth, the same prodigal boy whom his father had urged him to restrain from harming.

    The boy looked startled to see him. His dark eyes widened as he saw Bai Qingyue, barring the entrance from inside Li Meirong''s cabin. The Fox Lord''s tall stature concealed the entire room behind him.

    "... What are you doing here? W-who are you?" Forgetting his manners, the youth stammered at the sight of the man before him.

    Bai Qingyue advanced a few steps forward, leaving only a few inches between them. He towered over the younger man, scrutinizing the stuttering oaf. ''So this shrimp is Mo Cheng?''

    "You exhibit a remarkable sense of decorum." Bai Qingyue''s voice was laced with pins and needles.

    Taking note of the man''s robe which was identical to that of the sect grandmasters, coupled with a distinct bearing, led Mo Cheng to deduce that this was a gentleman of high rank. Wary of marring his division''s reputation, he hastened to perform a formal bow, his mouth drawing into a thin line even as he did so.

 Chapter 128: Dear To Him?

    "This junior begs forgiveness for his lack of proper conduct. My name is Mo Cheng, I am a succeeding disciple of the Sword Bearer''s Division. I''ve come to check up on my friend, Outer Sect Disciple, Li Meirong." Following the introduction, Mo Cheng straightened his back, his sharp black eyes meeting Bai Qingyue''s own golden ones.

    A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of Bai Qingyue''s eye as Mo Cheng uttered his wife''s name so familiarly.

    Bai Qingyue looked down his nose at the bright-eyed youth. "I am Senior Zhu Qingyue, the son of the Bestiary Coalition''s grandmaster, as well as the martial arts instructor for this division''s disciples."

    Despite the air of arrogance emitted by the instructor, Mo Cheng didn''t back down. He projected his own pride, a trait bred from his fine upbringing and a path of unhindered excellence.

    As the staring contest wore on, Mo Cheng waited for Zhu Qingyue to further explain himself, but the man seemed to measure his words with gold! ''That''s all well and good, but what are you even doing here?!''

    "Li Meirong is properly cared for. There is nothing for you to concern yourself about when it comes to her. Do not come here again uninvited." Bai Qingyue finally announced at length as he stepped back and moved to push the door closed.

    When Mo Cheng thought he''d gain answers to his unvoiced questions, he was dismissed instead!

    Mo Cheng had not been prepared to receive such a cold reception. He had always been cherished by all the leading authorities in the sect. Seeing he was about to be left out cold by this senior, he swiftly moved to place one foot inside the door, effectively blocking it from shutting.

    "I heard Li Meirong went to the Thousand Beasts forest and was nearly killed there. Later on, she was put on trial not once, but twice. I just want to check on her, she''s quite dear to me." Mo Cheng sincerely explained himself to the instructor.

    ''Dear to him?'' Bai Qingyue''s expression darkened.

    Crack

    A sudden crunching noise could be heard as Bai Qingyue spitefully imbued the sole of his foot with a surge of profound qi and stomped on Mo Cheng''s intruding shoe, breaking the boy''s toes.

    "Ahhh!!!" Mo Cheng hissed in pain, limping as he floundered backwards.

    Bai Qingyue''s molten eyes gleamed as half of his form was hidden behind the door. The corners of his mouth tilted slightly upwards in a mocking smile. "If you wish to die a dog''s death, try stepping in here again. I shall endeavour to accommodate you.

    Mo Cheng wordlessly glared at Zhu Qingyue, gnashing his teeth in resentment. He knew he couldn''t oppose the man with his current level of strength. A small tap of this man''s foot was enough to break his own bones. He dreaded to find out the full extent of the martial arts instructor''s power.

    He obviously couldn''t fight back, but he could at least demand an answer. "What are you doing in my friend''s house? Who is Li Meirong to you?!"

    "What I do is none of your business. Li Meirong is mine. If you come here again, I will kill you." Bai Qingyue calmly answered and proceeded to slam the door shut in Mo Cheng''s face.

 Chapter 129: Knocked Out Cold For So Long

    When Li Meirong''s consciousness resurfaced, Mo Cheng was long gone.

    A discontented whimper escaped her lips as she sluggishly rose from the floor. Snowball moved straightaway out of her lap and went to sit at the corner near the stove area, he seemed strangely on edge.

    The cabin was covered with the soft light of a fresh new day and Li Meiring had realized she had been fruitlessly cultivating all night long. For all these hours, her body remained in the same state and her stiff muscles ached badly.

    She stretched her legs and neck, glancing sideways as she did so, only to notice her sitting location had been changed. She dubiously reached a slender arm to grasp the pillow from underneath her.

    ''Zhu Qingyue arranged this?''

    After setting the pillow aside, Li Meirong turned to face the bed and was a little surprised to find the ''Sleeping Beauty'' still laying there.

    She was now much closer to the mattress than before she had transferred herself into the dimension. There was barely an arm''s length of distance between her and the man asleep.

    Li Meirong bent her back forward and shyly examined him once more. His chest rising and falling rhythmically and his usually cold expression seemed softer somehow.

    "He must have been feeling very unwell to be knocked out cold for so long, but I should probably wake him up by now." She whispered softly.

    The sound of Snowball''s snort could be heard from his hiding spot, yet Li Meirong paid no heed to it.

    Just as she was about to shake the man and wake him up, Li Meirong let out a startled gasp as a pair of strong arms encircled her waist, forcefully pulling her down.

    Her sharp intake of breath was sealed by Zhu Qingyue''s pursed lips pressing against her own.

    Unable to cry out with her mouth shut, she moaned in protest and struggled against him, squirming as best as she could and pushing with both hands against his torso. Zhu Qingyue''s robe crumpled up in the process, revealing a pale muscular chest peeking from the dark fabric. Li Meirong''s dainty palms shoving and punching didn''t faze the man in the slightest. His hold over her was unshakeable.

    Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, Zhu Qingyue loosened his hold, permitting Li Meirong to back away ever so slightly. She heaved a sigh of relief and attempted to remove herself from his grasp.

    The silver-haired man uttered a low guttural sound of objection, tightening his arms around her once more.

 Chapter 130: Do Not Move

    Her plight took a turn for the worst when she realized that the man''s eyelids were still shut and his steady heartbeat didn''t accelerate in the least. The long lashes complimenting his face gently fluttered like folding fans against the wind.

    ''He''s actually dreaming?!'' Li Meirong thought incredulously. This man''s arms could crush her to death while he''s asleep!

    However, the woman''s stress instantly turned into embarrassment when she realized that with her new position, she actually ended up straddling Zhu Qingyue!

    "Eek!" Li Meirong''s face grew flush and she yelped as she suddenly felt a sharp object jabbing the sensitive spot between her legs.

    "Oh god, please don''t wake up now¡­" She murmured nervously and tried to push herself away again, yet this time, it was from straddling his bulging member.

    ''If he woke up now, wouldn''t he think I''m a big pervert, attacking him in his sleep?!''

    But alas, Li Meirong''s efforts were to no avail. Like being caught in quicksand, she kept struggling to escape, and Zhu Qingyue kept pressing her harder against him. She felt him growing bigger still underneath her, grinding against her core.

    Li Meirong wanted to cry out her helplessness but was too ashamed of the possibility that Zhu Qingyue would find her on top of him in this awkward position.

    With a final act of desperation, she tilted her head towards Snowball, silently pleading with her eyes, begging him to help her get away. But the Fox Spirit simply shook his head in disapproval. He huffed in disbelief as though surprised that she would even dare to ask him such a thing.

    ''I want to stay alive, thank you very much!'' Bai Yu thought, leaving Her Ladyship''s fate to her own. Should he dare to involve himself with His Lordship''s underhanded methods, surely, he would suffer a terrible retaliation.

    He covered his muzzle with both paws. ''Out of sight, out of mind.''

    Li Meirong bit her lower lip, stifling herself from yelling at her treacherous fox! ''Aren''t you supposed to help me in my time of need?!''

    Her luck just wasn''t very good that day. The stars were definitely not aligned for her. The frail woman''s shoulders trembled as she turned back to the man underneath her, finding him now wide awake, his gaze fixated upon her.

    Her almond eyes locked with his, and she felt momentarily entranced by the sheer intensity of his stare.

    Those eyes... so bright. Startling, scorching.

    "Do not move." He growled out dangerously.

 Chapter 131: Thump Thump Thump

    Li Meirong stilled, as per his demand. A bashful expression dominated her features. She bit her swollen lip ever so slightly, looking as though she yearned to speak but was holding herself back.

    Her long, dark tresses tumbled over her shoulders and spilled across Zhu Qingyue''s exposed pectorals. The man underneath her raised an arm to tuck a few stray locks behind Li Meirong''s ear.

    Thump. Thump. Thump...

    As she gazed, spellbound, into the man''s expressive eyes, the sound of her own heartbeat echoed in her ears.

    Feather-like hair framed his exquisitely sculpted face, more captivating and beautiful than any man or woman she had ever laid eyes on. Zhu Qingyue looked like a person who had never suffered any sorrows nor worked a day in his life, and yet, the feel of the rock hard body underneath her was that of an athlete, or in this era, perhaps a seasoned warrior. A man who frequently experienced the hardships of battle.

    ''And to think he is terminally ill¡­ This man is full of contradictions.''

    Time stood still for what felt like an eternity.

    Consequently, Zhu Qingyue said with a throaty voice, "You are quite daring."

    After the words were spoken, the special moment between them all but vanished. Li Meirong felt compelled to defend whatever was left of her dignity, she started sputtering, "There''s a perfectly good reason for this! Actually, I only wanted to wake you up, but then in your sleep, you-you grabbed me! And no matter what I did, you refused to let go. And then by accident I also, I mean, my mouth was shoved against yours¡­"

    As Li Meirong finished that pathetic excuse for an explanation, she mentally berated herself. ''Of all the ways to explain an accidental kiss, I had to make it sound so stupid! And why am I so flustered, anyway?! We already did the deed!''

    The edges of Bai Qingyue''s lips tilted very slightly upwards into a smirk, the change in his expression so small it was almost imperceptible. ''How is it possible for a girl to be so adorable? Even when she is frustrated or angry, she still remains irresistibly cute.''

    He wanted to see more of her expressions. He wanted to learn everything about her.

    When he was pretending to be asleep and pulled her to him, he didn''t expect to be so fortunate. He had been just about to release Li Meirong when he felt her tender warmth grinding against him.

    He may have tackled her first, but she was the one tantalizing his senses! He had to stop her from arousing him further before his lust could get the better of him. Bai Qingyue was dangerously close to ravaging the girl.

    ''So now, she''s shifting all the responsibility to me, is that right? Well, two can play this game.''

    Disregarding her account of the situation, Bai Qingyue''s sword-like eyebrows furrowed and arranged his expression to project that of a victim who had been deeply wronged. He moved his hand from Li Meirong''s waist to the side of his cheek, concealing part of his face behind his sleeve.

    "There is no need for an explanation between husband and wife. Now that we are a couple, Wife can touch me whenever she so pleases. I am more than willing to grant my affections, however you must finish what you started." His low voice, a hoarse whisper. The spoken words made Li Meirong wish she could just disappear back into her dimension for a few centuries!

    However, she chose to focus on the most immediate problem, and that was her compromising position. Now that she was no longer held captive, Li Meirong used the opportunity to leap from the bed, pointing an accusing finger at Zhu Qingyue. "Y-you! Who is your wife? I said I would be responsible for you, but I didn''t say we''d be married! And I didn''t mean to jump on you, it was an accident!"

 Chapter 132: Stay Strong Mlady!

    Why was it that every time she was around this man, she was never able to properly explain herself and was left second guessing her own decisions?! And what did he mean by finishing what she started? He was the one who shoved her onto him! He was the one who didn''t let go of her! He was the one with the sharp thing sticking up!

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes darkened into a wolfish amber shade as he adjusted himself into a sitting position. The large bulge between his legs represented the unmistakable evidence of his arousal. ''This bad wife still thinks she can escape me?''

    Without wasting any more time, he clutched a hand to his bare chest and made a show of continuously coughing for a good minute.

    He was the perfect model of an aggrieved, sickly wife deserted by her husband.

    "So now that you had your way with me," He coughed twice, "you see me at my lowest point and no longer find me attractive. My wife wants to leave me¡­"

    Zhu Qingyue''s ailing condition pulled at her heartstrings. Li Meirong put on a helpless look as her resolution wavered. ''Why am I always the villain?!''

    The finger aimed at the ill man trembled. She hurried to explain herself, "That''s not what I meant! You''re very handsome, and I''m not changing my mind because I think you''re weak! When I told you I would care for you, I didn''t mean for you to move into my house, nor to marry you."

    Prior to answering, Bai Qingyue side-eyed his subordinate. The small snow fox crouching in the corner was no longer concealing his interest in The Lord''s private conversation. Bai Yu stared bug-eyed, witnessing for the first time what an unscrupulous liar His Lordship actually was.

    ''The Lord may have been causing mischief at a younger age, but he was always unfailingly honourable! Who is this immoral devil?! What happened to my dignified lord?!

    Bai Yu didn''t manage to get over his shock before he felt a piercing heat zapping him. He sniffed the slightly charred smell of his fur before turning his head around, only to see his tail had caught on fire!

    During the time Bai Qingyue was conversing with Li Meirong, he sent a streak of Foxfire to roast Bai Yu!

    The small snow fox silently prayed for Her Ladyship''s wellbeing before dashing out of the cabin, completely undetected. ''Stay strong, M''lady!''

 Chapter 133: Then, Please Take Care Of Me

    Seeing that they were now alone and uninterrupted, Bai Qingyue diverted the full measure of his gaze back to his wife. "If you do not wish to accept the title of wife, how do you intend to take responsibility of me?"

    "I will be your caretaker." Li Meirong adamantly replied, feeling more and more helpless as the conversation progressed.

    After she spoke, she couldn''t help sneaking a shy peek at the lofty tent that had formed at the juncture of Zhu Qingyue''s legs. He was sitting on the bed with both of his legs spread, his arousal all the more apparent due to his seated position.

    ''Is this a normal size for a man?'' Li Meirong tried not to gape.

    Bai Qingyue maintained his sickly demeanour, however, a surge of male pride swelled within him as he caught his wife ogling him.

    Using his index finger, he pointed at his lower member and spoke with a thick voice, "Then, please take care of me¡­"

    Outraged by his request, Li Meirong averted her eyes from the ''tent'' and screamed in frustration. "Y-you take care of this thing!!!"

    Bai Qingyue''s usual deadpan expression turned crestfallen. "You''ve used my body twice now¡­ I am ill and unable to relieve myself. You already promised to shoulder responsibility, to be my caretaker. Are your promises worth nothing?"

    "No! If I make a promise, then I intend to keep it. It''s just¡­" ''I didn''t exactly know what my statement entails.'' Li Meirong kept the last part of her sentence unsaid. It sounded silly even to her.

    The disoriented woman facepalmed herself. Then, she took a deep breath, realizing she was never going to win an argument against him. He acted so differently now, from when they first met. She wondered what was real and what was fake, but whatever the case, it seemed as though she was going to be stuck with him for a while.

    From Zhu Qingyue''s point of view, she was backing out on her words. She cringed at herself for what she was about to do and tried to alleviate her embarrassment by thinking that she was no longer a virgin and was far from being a young girl. Quite the opposite, in fact. In modern times she would be considered a late bloomer.

    Hesitantly, Li Meirong padded her way towards him, her every step felt monumental. She had the strangest sensation of walking straight into the open jaws of a predatory beast. Zhu Qingyue hadn''t looked away from her, not even once. He gazed her with hungry eyes.

 Chapter 134: Raise Your Hand Up And Lower I

    Perhaps it was because she was on edge, or maybe due to the way this man seemed to rattle her with his sheer presence, that despite her weariness, her senses at this moment seemed heightened somehow.

    The streams of soft sunlight peeking through the uneven planks in crisscrossing patterns basked the lodging in a gentle radiance. The faint scent of fresh morning dew mixed with the smoky smell from the remnants of charred firewood had filled the air and blended pleasantly.

    As if her brain was reprogrammed every time she interacted with Zhu Qingyue, she found herself acting against her better judgement. Every time she was around him, her instincts told her to flee and yet, her body trembled at the sight of him.

    The night they had spent together several years ago was but a blur of images in her mind. At times, when she dreamt, she recalled the silver hair spreading over her body like a shimmering curtain, those same golden eyes searing through her soul, hot breath tickling her sensitive areas, and the warmth of his gentle touch caressing her skin.

    People say that a woman''s first time is precious, not necessarily because virginity is considered sacred, but because women tend to invest their emotions when they join their bodies together with another person.

    At this moment, Li Meirong found herself agreeing with this assumption. Granted, Zhu Qingyue''s ailment made her more sympathetic towards him, but even so, she realized that she wasn''t averse to his demand...

    The way he sat there, like an otherworldly siren, expecting to be served and obeyed, certainly didn''t give the impression of someone afflicted by an incurable disease. The dishevelled robe meant to conceal his flesh was framing his visible collarbones and broad, finely honed pale chest. The muscles on his neck, she noticed, were drumhead tight. As if he too, was just as nervous as she.

    Intoxicated by the sight of him, her efforts at rationalisation were rendered futile. Just looking at him simply took her breath away.

    The bed wasn''t tall, and Li Meirong had no choice but to crouch down in front of the man in order to reach her "goal".

    She softly asked, unsure if she was questioning herself, or him. "If I do this, will you really feel better?"

    He answered all the same, "Very much so."

    As though his body wanted to reiterate the state of his health, he coughed a few times more.

    Li Meirong slowly reached for the bulging shape. With delicate fingers, she tentatively squeezed the black coloured robe wrapped around the thickness. Her lips parted in surprise upon discovering that she could not bring the four digits to meet with her thumb.

    Despite being unable to fully grasp the erect penis, she gave it a small squeeze.

    Bai Qingyue sucked in a deep breath through his teeth. He stared down, entranced by her. The audible sound of his gasp seemed to have piqued Li Meirong''s interest and caused her to look up at him curiously. Her almond eyes shining with innocent regard succeeded in stimulating him further.

    When he started teasing his wife, he never would have thought he''d be able to have her little fingers wrap around him. He had never considered himself a selfish man, but every time Li Meirong offered a bit of herself, he was always left unsatisfied, constantly craving for more.

    In one swift movement, Bai Qingyue covered her dainty hand with his much larger one and unclasped her hold over him, only to dip her hand underneath his garments, forcing her fingers to wrap around his throbbing girth.

    This time, it was Li Meirong''s breath that started to grow shallow. Her skin connected with the thick velvety rod. It was firm, smooth, and incredibly hot to the touch.

    As Zhu Qingyue released her hand from his grasp, his deep guttural voice uttered instructions. "Raise your hand up and lower it down to the base."

    Li Meirong moved according to his guidance, down his slowly expanding length.

 Chapter 135: Played Him Like A Fiddle

    Li Meirong moved her fingers gently and hesitantly, getting herself accustomed to the new, unfamiliar shape. She saw a man''s private part before. She even saw Zhu Qingyue''s intimate area before, although her vision was clouded at that time and she barely had any recollection of it. However, this was the first time she held a man''s cock in her hands. Even though most of it was concealed under a robe, she could easily discern a few things about it with a simple touch.

    For instance, it felt too long... and overly wide. She found it difficult to imagine how exactly her small frame was able to take all of this throbbing length inside her. The fingers caressing Zhu Qingyue''s warm, sensitive shaft tightened their hold on the velvety muscle.

    Although Zhu Qingyue didn''t budge, Li Meirong could tell that he struggled to contain himself.

    The beguiling man sat still as a statue except for his hands grasping the bedsheet. He no longer spoke, as though he feared a single movement might provoke Li Meirong to stop. The only visible reactions she perceived from him were of his smouldering eyes. His irises flickered with heat. A shade of liquid honey, tinged with a hint of lavender.

    Li Meirong kept her eyes locked with his as she gave the stiff member in her hand another squeeze. Zhu Qingyue''s tightly pressed lips parted as he hissed in pleasure.

    ''He pretends to be unfazed, but every time I touch him, he involuntarily reacts...'' This newfound knowledge greatly surprised her.

    Throughout most of her life, Li Meirong learned to submit, to be docile and meek. It was improper to take matters into her own hands. It was impolite to probe and ask questions. More often than not, she was labelled as a person who could easily be stepped on.

    After her life was put at risk several times over, she strived to break out of her shell. To escape her old habits and reform herself in order to stay alive.

    Still, she had to continuously bow, beg for forgiveness and lower her head in front of her superiors. And yet, now that she was on her knees between this man''s legs, it seemed as if their roles were somehow reversed. His heated gaze, brimming with near desperation caused her to feel as if she had complete control over him.

    A sense of superiority emboldened her to move faster. Her fingers reached his base, touching the tender location where the shaft and the testicles connected. She averted her gaze from his striking features and stared at the floor. The sight of the man unsettled her. Without looking at him, she felt more in control.

    Then, Li Meirong brought her hand back up, reaching the tip and rubbing her fingers back and forth across the bulbous head. After minuscule stimulation, the thick muscle jerked in her grasp and her fingers were slightly damp with a viscous liquid.

    Startled, she unwrapped her fingers and looked back at him, wide-eyed.

    "Do not stop!" The silver haired man immediately commanded.

    He took a deep breath, and spoke again, this time, the tone of his voice turned the words into a plea.

    "Do not stop."

    For the first time in his life, Bai Qingyue knew what it felt like to be at another''s mercy. Even when the monks had him captured and sealed without an ounce of power coursing through his body, he didn''t feel as helpless as he did right now.

    The Fox Lord grew painfully aware of how easily his wife played him like a fiddle!

 Chapter 136: Hot Sticky Substance

    "I''m sorry, it was just a bit unexpected. I never did this before..." Li Meirong answered bashfully.

    Bai Qingyue hummed in acknowledgement. It was very good that she didn''t. If she did, he would have castrated every single male that she touched!

    "Continue." He demanded, holding her in place with his gaze.

    She stared at him with her beautiful peach blossom eyes. Fascinated, Bai Qingyue was able to recognize the trepidation, curiosity and even, to his pleasant surprise, the growing desire within them. She shifted into a more comfortable position, placing her pert bottom on the floor as she attended to his needs. Grabbing the cock with both of her dainty palms, stroking it up and down. Despite Li Meirong''s unpracticed motions, she was bringing Bai Qingyue to a state of near madness.

    Those small tender fingers were lighting Bai Qingyue''s body with a scorching fire. When he felt her hands exploring him, all of his blood rushed down and he nearly burst. Fearing she would think less of him for being unable to control his urges, he forced himself to stabilize, refusing to display any form of weakness.

    Unfortunately, it was a losing battle for the man, and it didn''t take long until he was unable to control himself any longer. He ended up voicing his pleasure with a hoarse groan.

    In response to the sound, he felt Li Meirong''s grip tighten as she grew encouraged by his reaction.

    She laced the fingers of both her hands together and rolled the engorged member in slight twisting gestures. Stroking him faster and faster until he reached the summit.

    Bai Qingyue held the sheet in a death grip, his claws elongated along with his ecstasy and he carelessly ripped through the cloth. The Fox Lord threw his head back and closed his eyes as a shiver of intense pleasure travelled up his body.

    She felt the veins on his pulsating cock grow thicker up until the moment he spasmed, spreading his essence all over her palms.

    Her hands were now soaked in a hot, sticky substance.

    The rush of liquid was far more intense than before. Li Meirong instantly yanked her hands away from Zhu Qingyue''s body and stared at the white fluid coating her skin. Zhu Qingyue let out such a huge load that her hands were unable to contain the amount, and it trickled onto the floor.

    In the aftermath of his bliss, he failed to notice the approaching intruder until it was far too late.

    A young, mortal female suddenly barged through the door along with a trembling Bai Yu disguised as Snowball, standing rigidly behind her.

    The female stared, bug-eyed, at the scene before her.

 Chapter 137: Get Out!!!

    The intruder was a lovely looking young girl with silky hair made into an elaborate updo, wearing clothes the colour of royal purple and carrying an air of noble arrogance. She came determined to battle Li Meirong for her beloved''s honour. However, she soon received quite a shock when a small fox stood in her path, blocking the way forward.

    "Master is busy!" The Fox Cub declared, barring the entrance and cutely flashing his small fangs.

    Sadly, it just so happened to be that Shu Qianqian wasn''t the type to follow any orders, especially not from those weaker than her. As a disciple of the Sword Bearer''s division, she unsheathed her weapon of choice. It was an exquisitely crafted, narrow blade that immediately enlarged as soon as she held it in her grasp. She didn''t bother with responding to the spirit beast and quickly glided towards the doorway atop the magical weapon, bypassing the Fox Spirit altogether.

    Tossing the blade aside, Shu Qianqian forced her way straight into Li Meirong''s abode.

    Yet, after barging in, she wavered. All of her determination flew out the window. Her brain was unable to formulate any thought other than to register the scene in front of her.

    Shu Qianqian''s reserved friend, Li Meirong, kneeled upon the ground. Her dainty form sandwiched between a pair of long legs, with hands coated in white fluid while her face looked flushed red. She slowly turned her head around in trepidation. The expression on her face was just startled as the one on Shu Qianqian.

    Shu Qianqian stared open mouthed. She didn''t have to be a genius to figure out what had just occurred.

    "You¡­ this¡­" Shu Qianqian was unable to form a coherent sentence. Seeing was believing, and there it all was in front of her, plain as day. But she never would have imagined Li Meirong capable of such indelicate behavior!

    The Fox Spirit came to stand at her side. Trembling in fright, he cried out, "I tried stopping her but this mannerless girl disregarded my warning!"

    "Useless." Bai Qingyue muttered under his breath. He would assign personal guards to Li Meirong as soon as possible. Bai Yu had been doing inexcusably poorly at his assignment as of late. His displeasure with his second in command was put on hold when he saw his wife looking white as a sheet. She was frozen to the spot, silent and unresponsive.

    The Fox Lord concealed her protectively with his wide sleeve and roared, "Get out!"

    His demeanour shifted to that of terrible malevolence. With a flick of his fingers, a gust of wind blew out both intruders, slamming the door shut in their faces.

 Chapter 138: Tears Of Old Anger

    With them out of the way, he lifted his shell-shocked wife onto the bed. Holding her in a gentle embrace while she remained stiff in his arms, like a broken doll. A simple spell cleaned up the mess from her hands and himself. Whatever she was experiencing now, he would see her through it and make sure she was well again before the day was over. He held her close, cradled in his lap like a terrified child, and rocked her back and forth in a soothing motion.

    Li Meirong was caught in a painful past-life memory. She had walked in on her boyfriend cheating on her. Back then, she was the one barging in through the door to his apartment, and had been the one forced to witness another woman in the same position as she going down on her man.

    The confusion, the shock, the disbelief, were all too present in her mind. Despite the different circumstances, the similarities shook her to the core and her mind was in complete chaos.

    Was she that girl now? It wasn''t the same¡­

    No matter how she tried to convince herself this was different, her past humiliation overpowered her and though she fought hard to hold them in, tears of old anger and pain began to trickle down her face.

    Slowly, Zhu Qingyue''s repetitive soothing took effect. When Li Meirong finally looked up at him, she was surprised to find so much warmth and gentleness reflected back at her. Just as she did the first night they spent together, she felt strangely safe in his arms. But then, the next thing he did after that was leave her alone in the Thousand Beasts forest...

    She was so afraid to trust again. Zhu Qingyue seemed to care for her, truly. But so had everyone else who ended up breaking her spirit in the past. How could she know for sure he would stay with her, be what she needed him to be? This whole relationship was already far exceeding any expectations she''d ever had from it. She had been wrong about him so many times, she didn''t know what to think anymore.

    She was so exhausted of trying to maintain her carefully constructed barriers whenever it came to the opposite sex, something inside her was urging her to believe in him, to let him in.

    She rubbed away the tears aggressively with the back of her hand, frustrated with herself.

 Chapter 139: Marry Me

    "I''m sorry." She said, "I''m sorry, I don''t know what came over me¡­ Old unpleasant memories still seem to affect me."

    "Never apologize to me. It is my duty and my privilege to care for you, especially when you are so clearly distressed." Zhu Qingyue responded, his voice deep and full of tenderness. Her head rested on his broad shoulder as she was enveloped by his soothing warmth. She was glad he had the tact not to ask her what was on her mind.

    She didn''t notice the way his bright irises darkened into a deep violet shade, eyes glinting with bloodthirst.

    Once Li Meirong managed to calm down, she separated herself from Zhu Qingyue, putting some distance between them by sitting on the other side of the bed. The recollection of her previous, intimate actions suddenly made her feel shy and she was now anxious to manage to talk with Shu Qianqian before the rumours circulating about her had a chance to worsen.

    "Thank you for comforting me. About before, I¡­" Li Meirong stopped her sentence mid-way, clearly flustered. She was unsure of how to complete it.

    "I want you to marry me." Zhu Qingyue suddenly declared.

    Li Meirong met his gaze, her brows arched high in surprise, although perhaps not as much as she should have felt. The sudden proposal wasn''t out of the blue. He already called her his wife several times now. However, it was a bit of a shock all the same.

    "Marry me." Zhu Qingyue repeated as he stood up, towering over her. She was interested to find that, somehow, he no longer seemed intimidating and oppressive to her. Actually, he looked afraid¡­ Was he perhaps scared of being rejected, just like her?

    Li Meirong had to think about this carefully. In this world, once a woman was married, there was no escape for her. Unlike in her own world, where two out of three marriages ended in divorce, here, it was a done deal. If she chose to accept his proposal, that would be that, and at this point, she wasn''t even certain there was anything more between them than raw physical attraction.

    "I''ll need some time to think¡­" Li Meirong answered softly, doing her best not to sound unkind.

    "How much time?"

    She pressed her mouth shut and looked down at her feet before glancing back up to catch his eye, "I-I don''t... I need to talk to my friend, you should go now¡­"

    Zhu Qingyue reached out to grasp her hand, but then stopped himself. He cleared his throat and said, "As you wish, I am willing to wait. However, if I hear any slanderous chatter about you, I will not allow you to remain without status any longer."

    When Li Meirong said nothing, he added, "Do not forget to attend the classes today starting at midday. I expect your presence in my courtyard this evening, for your martial arts lesson."

    Li Meirong nodded in acknowledgement and Zhu Qingyue took his leave without another word, shutting the door behind him. Once he was gone, she released a breath she didn''t even know she was holding.

    Taking another deep breath, she waited a minute before shuffling towards the entrance to let Shu Qianqian come inside.

 Chapter 140: A Friend, But Maybe Something More

    Shu Qianqian swayed as she stepped into the cabin, shaking like a leaf. The girl''s rosy face had lost its usual cheer, and her large almond eyes were devoid of spirit.

    "Sister Meirong, we need to talk." She spoke in a monotone voice.

    Li Meirong was taken aback by the abrupt changes she saw in her friend. Earlier on, Shu Qianqian barged into the room with the same old haughty attitude she had always displayed. Afterwards, her enraged expression transformed into one of shock, that much made sense.

    Now, she seemed to be terror-stricken.

    It hadn''t even been five minutes since the girl had been waiting outside. What changed?

    Li Meirong expected to be directly barraged with probing questions, but Shu Qianqian remained unusually silent.

    "Sister Qianqian, are you alright? What happened to you?" Li Meirong inquired.

    "I''m fine. Nothing happened." Shu Qianqian kept her answer brief.

    As Li Meirong went to stand by Shu Qianqian''s side and bobbed her head in greeting, the despondent girl instantly withdrew a few steps back. The intricately made hairpin that complimented Shu Qianqian''s elaborate hairstyle with spring flowers and tiny butterflies rattled as she skittered backwards.

    Noticing how her friend recoiled when she edged closer, Li Meirong bit her slightly swollen lip and turned around, masking her disappointment. She went towards the charcoal stove and heated up a bowl filled with water.

    "Sister Qianqian, I''m really sorry about before, please knock next time. What brings you to my place so early in the morning?" Li Meirong answered meekly, mild-mannered. Busying herself with tea preparation, she placed a few spoonfuls of herbs in the bowl.

    Most people thought that Li Meirong was a reserved and respectful person. Only a few people knew her well enough to discern that when she acted this way, it was in order to hide her insecurities.

    Shu Qianqian wasn''t one of those knowledgable few.

    Despite being acquainted with Shu Qianqian for all these years, Li Meirong had always felt that their friendship bond wasn''t as strong as the one she shared with Bao Li.

    Shu Qianqian stayed put as she disregarded Li Meirong''s response and answered with a question of her own, "Who was that man before?"

    "He is¡­" Li Meirong momentarily paused and said, "a friend, but maybe something more. He''s Grandmaster''s Zhu Zhang''s son, and he saved my life once, many years ago."

    ''What does that even mean, "maybe something more"?'' Shu Qianqian clenched her small fists together, slowly regaining her reasoning once more. She asked, "Are you going to marry him?"

    The water finally boiled and Li Meirong arranged a cup of tea for her guest. She turned back to Shu Qianqian, handing over the warm cup for her to hold onto, as she shook her head and replied. "I don''t know. I don''t think I''m ready to marry anybody."

    "Is that so¡­" Shu Qianqian reluctantly accepted the cup of tea. Her hollow expression recovered some of its fiery arrogance.

 Chapter 141: Friendship Shattered For Good

    Unbeknownst to Li Meirong, Shu Qianqian disdainfully sized her up. Slumped shoulders, unbrushed hair carelessly left untied, lacking ornaments or gems. The plain girl never bothered with any accessories to make herself stand out. She only dabbed a bit of rouge on her lips and powdered her face once in a while. Her scars were concealed by the effects of magical herbs, camouflaging the imperfections which Shu Qianqian knew were still under the surface.

    Shu Qianqian never understood why Brother Cheng was so fascinated with the dull girl. She was all the more astounded by Li Meirong''s association with someone as handsome and powerful as the senior she just met.

    Granted, she had even considered Li Meirong her friend for a while, but now that she had hurt her beloved, it was impossible for them to remain under good terms.

    Shu Qianqian threw Li Meirong a dirty look of disgust.

    Standing directly in front of her, Li Meirong''s eyebrows furrowed in discomfort as her clear eyes fixed upon Shu Qianqian''s. She was able to recognize that look from a mile away. Although she had expected this eventual retaliation from Shu Qianqian, she still found herself upset and disappointed by it.

    "Let''s stop pretending. If there''s something you wish to tell me, then say it now." Li Meirong''s voice was low, devoid of feeling.

    "You¡­!" Shu Qianqian gnashed her teeth in frustration and unclasped her hold over the cup in her hands. The hot drink spilled to the ground as the clay cup shattered into pieces.

    She grew all the more aggravated, unable to muster the actual words she wished to say, still petrified by the ominous aura of the grandmaster''s son¡­

    During the time Senior Disciple Zhu exited the cabin, without saying a single word, he directed a wave of oppressive force towards Shu Qianqian. Its deadliness caused the girl''s blood to nearly flow in reverse.

    Had the senior cultivator kept going for even a second longer, Shu Qianqian feared she would have been permanently crippled.

    His force was terrifying, unimaginably powerful. And after being inflicted by the man''s qi, Shu Qianqian lost the confidence to physically confront Li Meirong for Brother Cheng''s sake.

    Still, she refused to back out without a fight, even if only a verbal one.

    Shu Qianqian''s voice was filled with spite and her eyes brimmed with tears as she spat out. "I''ll tell you what I think! I think you always act as if you don''t care about anyone or anything. You continuously reject someone as amazing as Brother Cheng, but actually, you''re really just a slut! You don''t want to commit to anyone, not really. Instead, you play around with a different man and trample on Brother Cheng''s feelings! I guess the rumours weren''t a lie! Li Meirong, you don''t deserve his affections and you don''t deserve my friendship!"

    Words flew out of her mouth that Shu Qianqian never thought she''d dare to say. She instantly knew from the look in Li Meirong''s eyes that they hit exactly where it hurts. In that moment, their friendship had shattered for good.

    Li Meirong''s gaze grew cold. She pointed at the doorway and whispered the same words Zhu Qingyue spoke before.

    "Get out."

 Chapter 142: People Come And Go

    Shu Qianqian didn''t move. Instead, she hatefully glared at Li Meirong, bewildered by her lack of retort. The slut''s calm and collected demeanour aggravated her to no end. She clenched her hands into fists until her knuckles turned white.

    "You Green Tea Bitch! I just caught you red-handed! Don''t you have anything to say in your defense?!" Shu Qianqian shook her head and clicked her tongue.

    "And to think Brother Cheng had frantically rushed to your cabin in the middle of the night as soon as he returned to the sect, just to see if you''re safe and well. When in fact, you were far too busy latching yourself onto another man!"

    Li Meirong''s eyebrows scrunched up in confusion, knowing full well she had been occupied at that time, cultivating all night inside the dimension. She hadn''t even met Mo Cheng!

    And yet, Shu Qianqian spoke as though she had betrayed his sacred trust, when in fact, she had never once attached herself to him in any way beyond friendship.

    Nevertheless, she had no intention of clarifying herself to Shu Qianqian. If anything, she would go to confront the man himself.

    "If you really were my friend, I would have explained myself to you. But as it stands, I don''t owe you any explanation. What I do is my business. If you want to go around and talk trash about me, go ahead. I stopped caring a long time ago." Li Meirong walked to the door and held it open for Shu Qianqian. "Now, please leave."

    "Humph! I don''t even know what men find in you anyway. Besides being a furnace, you have nothing else to offer!"

    After speaking her mind, Shu Qianqian crossed her arms and held her chin high as she stormed off without saying another word.

    Li Meirong''s lips were pale and tightly pursed. She didn''t take her eyes off of Shu Qianqian until she saw her gliding away from the island.

    Shortly after the girl''s departure, she peered outside and saw that Zhu Qingyue was long gone, and Snowball was nowhere to be found. ''Probably, he ran off to play again¡­''

    When she was finally alone in her home, she allowed herself to break down. She reached the bed and collapsed on it. Curling into a ball and placing her hands on her ears as she closed in on herself. Her throat felt dry and her eyes were irritated, but she had already cried today and refused to do so again.

    ''People come and go in a person''s life, but the right ones will always stay¡­'' Li Meirong thought, trying to console herself. It was one of the reasons she preferred to have her adopted companions by her side than to interact with others.

    The lack of sleep from cultivating throughout the night, along with the haunting memories of her past, not to mention the consequent criticism from a person she used to call her friend had caused her so much stress that she fell asleep like a log in a matter of a few minutes.

 Chapter 143: Nevermind, Hes Still A Fiend!

    At the same time, inside Bai Qingyue''s residence in the Bestiary Coalition''s island, there silently stood a fuming Sovereign Lord, glaring at a small, snow fox.

    "You useless thing. Are you incapable of handling one measly mortal?" Bai Qingyue''s rebuke descended on Bai Yu like a ton of bricks.

    "Forgive me, Sire! Of course, I am able to! But Sire, I would never have thought she''d simply glide right over me!" Bai Yu was left confounded by his own failure. Originally, he had been a robust man of imposing stature. Nobody had dared to ignore his presence! Yet now, in this cub form, he was as intimidating as a newborn babe!

    Bai Qingyue let out a deep sigh, pinching the space between his brows. "Never you mind. I have already summoned guards to accompany my consort. Go back to her side and keep your act for a while longer. Be my eyes and ears, inform me of everything you observe."

    "Thank you, Sire, thank you!" Bai Yu teared up, clutching a paw to his chest. ''Is my lord becoming more forgiving? I thought he''d kill me, or at the very least, torture me!''

    "Scram!" The Fox Lord snarled.

    Just as Bai Yu was about to tell His Lordship of the possible Plant Spirit love rival, and Her Ladyship''s reading material in the Bai clan''s ancestral dimension, a murderous force of energy directly erupted from Bai Qingyue. FoxFire gushed out in a sea of flames across the hall.

    The Snow Fox promptly disappeared with a loud yelp as he narrowly avoided His Lordship''s attack. Bai Yu transformed into a puff of smoke as he transported himself back to Li Meirong''s garden. ''Nevermind, he''s still a fiend!''

    As Bai Yu departed, the Sovereign Lord summoned the servants waiting outside the hall.

    "You may enter."

    Immediately, a throng of Fox Spirits materialized in front of him, bowing deeply in reverence.

    "Your Highness, we await your orders." It was the high ranked servant, Lang Ju, who dared to speak. All of the Fox Spirits kept their noses pointed at the ground.

    "Assemble a team and acquire all the information you can find about my consort''s history in the sect and outside of it. I wish to discover all of her previous relationships, familial or otherwise. Especially with the men she acquainted herself with."

    As Bai Qingyue delivered his orders, the vision of Li Meirong''s traumatized features surfaced in his mind. Knowing that when he met her for the first time, she had been so young, caused him to feel all the more troubled. He couldn''t help imagining what may have triggered such a deep reaction from her to be shocked into stillness.

 Chapter 144: No Longer Felt That Way

    "Yes, Your Highness!" The Fox Spirits answered in unison.

    "Disperse." With a wave of his hand, Bai Qingyue dismissed the servants. They collectively disappeared, not daring to linger a moment longer.

    Shortly after, the Fox Lord settled himself upon a silken cloth draped across the wooden tiles, reaching to grasp the latest collections of scrolls he was obligated to sort through.

    As soon as he had left Li Meirong''s cabin, he had summoned a pair of trusted high ranked female servants, appointing them to accommodate and protect his wife. The Fox Spirits accepted the decree without hesitation. It was considered a great honour to become personal servants for the Bai clan''s consort.

    After being instructed to hold their tongues, the servants instantly departed to attend Her Ladyship.

    Up until he met Li Meirong, the passage of time had never bothered Bai Qingyue in the least. As a diety, one was required to possess a state that attained Nirvana. A higher form of consciousness, spending a lifetime of dedication to wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline.

    Indeed, Bai Qingyue had always carried himself with grace. His duties had always been the top priority for him. The godly realm which he governed had forever been his only concern. He had never bothered himself with anything else, had never needed nor desired anything.

    He no longer felt that way.

    Time began to disintegrate into itself. As though chained in purgatory, the stifling sensation of a formless entity locked forever in an ache of wanting was his ever constant torment.

    The hours passed by painfully as Bai Qingyue dealt with a portion of his sovereign obligations. He assumed that at this moment, Li Meirong was attending her first classes.

    His assumption was shattered when Bai Yu unexpectedly came back.

    "Sire, Her Ladyship isn''t waking up and it''s been a while since the classes have started!" Bai Yu spoke frantically, his fluffy tail wagging back and forth as he panted heavily.

    As soon as he heard this, the Fox Lord tossed aside the valuable scrolls in his hands and vanished, only to instantly appear at Li Meirong''s side. She was curled up on the bed like a frightened rabbit with her hair spread around the bed like black ink, her face pale and contorted. Evidently, she was experiencing a nightmare.

    The assigned servants previously tucked Li Meirong under a blanket and silently observed her from a distance. However, when the Royal Consort became restless in her sleep, they were too fearful of approaching her. And as for Bai Yu, he certainly didn''t have the nerve to check up on Her Ladyship either, and only tried to wake her by calling to her from afar.

    The three attendees speechlessly observed their oppressive and tyrannical Fox Lord as he knelt by the bedside, gently caressing the Royal Consort''s cheek as she slept.

    Seeing the intimate act, the stupefied trio tactfully left the premises.

    Without delay, Bai Qingyue placed his palm on Li Meirong''s forehead and transferred soothing energy into her as she slept. In a short breath of time, her frown was eased and her ragged breathing steadied into a peaceful rhythm.

    Li Meirong woke up that evening to a pair of almond shaped amber eyes.

 Chapter 145: Snowball?

    "Snowball?" Li Meirong asked as she pushed the blanket away and turned to lay on her stomach, leaning on her elbows and staring directly at her pet.

    The young Fox Spirit laid himself beside her. He looked adorable, with a small button nose and a large pair of fluffy ears, longer than that of a typical Arctic Fox. His silver coat was thick and glossy, and he had an extravagant ruff of fur around his neck.

    Li Meirong rubbed the sleep from her eyes as the young Fox Spirit crept closer, snuggling against her neck.

    Snowball''s snout peeked from within her tangled hair, his bright yellow orbs gleaming with worry. He licked her cheek with his warm and slightly rough tongue.

    "Are you well?" He asked, licking her again.

    She playfully shoved him away, but was secretly glad to receive his affection. Seeing him act the same way he used to, caused her to feel all the better.

    "Yes, I feel great. I don''t think I''ve had such a good rest for a long time now. It''s like I''ve been injected with a shot of energy." Li Meirong yawned and stretched her arms above her head. She wasn''t lying. All her exhaustion had dissipated as soon as she woke up, she now felt rejuvenated, at least physically so.

    The fox''s ears twitched, somewhat pleased with his "master''s" choice of words.

    "I''m pleased to hear." Snowball proceeded to inquire "What did you dream about?"

    "I''m not sure." Li Meirong rubbed her fingers across her forehead. "I don''t remember."

    "Hmm.."

    "Where were you?" This time, it was Li Meirong who asked.

    "Outside, playing," Snowball answered at length. His response was curt but his tone was warm.

    "I''m happy to have you by my side." Li Meirong smiled softly, gently bumping her forehead against Snowball''s furry cheek. She was delighted to notice that he seemed to have gotten over his "shyness".

    Bai Qingyue was glad he had shooed Bai Yu away and took over his former position at his wife''s side. Li Meirong clearly trusted Snowball more than she did Zhu Qingyue, and right now, he could sense that she needed comfort. He would give her what she sought, even if he had to debase himself to do it.

    Then, the disguised Fox God jumped on Li Meirong, tackling the troublesome wife with his soft paws and nipping her ear.

    The girl laying down on the bed squealed in surprise as the fox cub jumped on top of her back. When she felt his sharp fangs lightly scraping across her ear, she let out a startled cry.

    "What was that for?!"

 Chapter 146: Not Ready To See Him!

    "Who told you to exhaust yourself until you lost consciousness? Do you have no sense of self-preservation?!" Snowball''s attitude took a 180-degree turn as he swiftly chastised Li Meirong. He was about to nip her ear again, but this time, she blocked the oncoming attack, turning to lay on the side and covering the abused ear with her wrist.

    The Fox hopped off Li Meirong''s back and turned to glare at her.

    "I simply tried to train on my own! You''ve seen what I did inside the dimension. For some reason, the cultivation technique didn''t work for me¡­" Li Meirong pouted, looking wronged. She had a terrible day and didn''t want to get scolded.

    Bai Qingyue felt his heart melting in his chest as he saw the corner of his wife''s soft lips tilting downwards. He placed his pink paw on the crown of her head, patting her.

    "That''s wonderful. Good job, but it''s evening now, and you already missed your first classes. If you don''t know how to do something on your own, there is no shame in asking someone else! How do you plan on advancing your cultivation if you keep draining your energy?" Despite Bai Qingyue''s rather high pitched voice in his fox form, the words he spoke sounded stern and scolding.

    ''Why does Snowball sound so mature all of a sudden?'' Li Meirong thought, slightly confused by her pet''s ever-changing attitude.

    Although Li Meirong knew she acted irresponsibly today, she felt strangely on edge and strived to defend herself all the same. "I''m not in a hurry to become stronger. These kinds of things take time. It''s best to learn cultivation slowly and with a clear mind, isn''t that so? I''ll just go tomorrow..."

    Snowball facepalmed himself. "Master, Senior Zhu Qingyue sent a messenger to inform that your lesson was cancelled for this evening. He wrote that instead, you should go to Grandmaster Zhu Zhang to be briefed on the subjects of today''s classes. I told the messenger that you will go when you wake up."

    It was another fabrication, however, Bai Qingyue assumed his father was most likely idling anyway and could spare a few hours to teach his daughter-in-law.

    As soon as she heard what Snowball said, Li Meirong sighed in relief, exclaiming, "My Snowball is so dependable! You took care of everything when I was sleeping."

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes squinted as he assessed his wife''s reaction.

    "You do not wish to meet that man, Zhu Qingyue?" He kept his tone bland as he asked.

    "Oh god, no!" Li Meirong blurted without thinking twice about her words. She rose from the bed, placing a palm over her heart. After what she did to his, um¡­ thing, she didn''t really think she''d be able to look at him straight in the eye without turning red as a tomato.

    For some reason, when she had been touching Zhu Qingyue in the morning, she felt far less embarrassed about her actions than after the deed had been made. Not to mention that afterwards, the whole ordeal with Shu Qianqian doused all the flames in her heart.

    But now? She was absolutely not ready to see him!

 Chapter 147: Soon, Okay?

    Snowball flexed his claws and closed his eyes, hiding the rage glinting in their depths.

    What to do? He really wanted to bully this silly wife!

    Dusk promptly arrived. The last remanents of daytime faded and the skies welcomed darker shades of crimson and mulberry as the sun set down. Underneath the floating island, the ocean''s aqua colour intensified into the deepest blue.

    After taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Bai Qingyue opened his eyes again. Recalling that he had to act in accordance with "Snowball''s" character, he forced himself to change his demeanour. Knowing he couldn''t afford to slack off with his pretense.

    As shadows filled the cabin, Snowball''s yellow eyes mysteriously shined in the darkness without reflecting light from any other source. As though the golden hues gleamed all on their own.

    It was at moments like this when Li Meirong remembered that although Snowball was a fox, he was also something more. Not only an animal, but a spiritual entity that lives and breathes magic.

    As if he noticed her scrutiny, the intensity in Snowball''s eyes had dulled into that of a casual look as he made his way to Li Meirong''s side.

    With a small tug on the hem of his wife''s robe, Bai Qingyue said, "Master, come on! We need to go to your lessons!"

    "Soon, okay? Let''s drink and eat first." Li Meirong sighed, averting her gaze as she made her way to prepare some tea. If she could find a way to delay her meeting with the lunatic Grandmaster, she would.

    Bai Qingyue followed at her heels and tugged again. "Not now, master! Come on, let''s go!"

    Li Meirong pretended to yawn. "Ah, I think I need to rest for a little while longer¡­"

    "A moment ago, you spoke of how good your rest was! Master, if you don''t go, Snowball will be sad!" Bai Qingyue changed tactics and made a pitiful expression.

    ''I''ll make you cultivate into becoming a Celestial even if you do not wish to!'' He silently swore.

    Relenting to Snowball''s incessant request, Li Meirong groaned as she turned away from the stove''s direction and was pressured into another awkward meeting on the same day. "Alright alright, I''m going now!"

    As the pair departed the premises, the hidden Fox Spirit Servants who had been observing the whole scene from the shadows were unable to close their slackened jaws.

    "You''ll get used to this, eventually¡­" Bai Yu said as he stood at their side, still in his "Snowball" disguise. Watching his shameless Lord dragging Her Ladyship away, he wondered which one of them was more troublesome.

    ''They do fit each other¡­''

    Shaking his head, Bai Yu let go of that thought and decided to pay a visit to Bao Li''s abode, hoping to charm the Head Chef into feeding him more meat buns and hearty soup.

 Chapter 148: Snowball Is The Most Splendid

    Late that evening, Bai Qingyue ushered Li Meirong directly towards his father''s residence. They passed through a pathway of stunning archways illuminated by green and blue floating lights of the Will-O''-Wisp as they headed straight towards a lofty pagoda. On their way, they came across the inner sect disciples'' residences.

    The district belonging to the official disciples was of a much higher standard than that of the outer sect. And despite having been to the main assembly halls on several occasions, Li Meirong had never stepped foot in here before.

    Since the Grandmaster''s home was located at the edge of the disciples'' district, there was no other option but to walk through it.

    Not unlike a palace, the surrounding area was bustling with servants going about their chores. As well as several disciples guarding the pagoda''s entrance. The sight of a few high ranked disciples training in martial arts along the way had caught Li Meirong''s interest.

    Their practised motions seemed to be less combative and more visually elegant, artistic even. As if every subtle move they made was part of a sacred dance.

    Snowball snorted as he saw his wife gaping at the martial artists, "It''s not that impressive!"

    Li Meirong turned to Snowball and ruffled his fur with a giggle. "That''s right! My Snowball is the most splendid!"

    The Snow Fox harrumphed.

    The disciples guarding the tower''s entrance immediately allowed Li Meirong and Snowball to go inside. It seemed that the news of Li Meirong becoming the Grandmaster''s direct disciple was now known to everyone.

    The pair was led into a fancy parlour, where they waited for Grandmaster Zhu Zhang to arrive.

    Similar to Zhu Zhang''s study chamber, the parlour was filled with all sorts of magical tools, scrolls, and unique looking objects which Li Meirong had never seen before.

    ''The Grandmaster kinda gives the impression of a bipolar mad scientist.'' Li Meirong snickered in thought.

    Still, she kept her guard up and didn''t dare to speak her thoughts aloud. The last thing she wanted was to give the lunatic incentive to abuse her.

    After a few moments of hesitation, Li Meirong silently went to sit on a chaise. Snowball jumped on her lap and nestled himself comfortably.

    After what seemed like the time it took for an incense stick to burn out, Zhu Zhang entered the parlour.

    Li Meirong immediately jumped to her feet and kneeled on the ground, forcing Snowball to plop unceremoniously to the floor in the process.

 Chapter 149: Did I Now?

    The fox uttered a low rumbling noise. ''This father of mine requires a handsome reward!''

    "Master Zhu Zhang, I''ve arrived for my studies as requested. Thank you for teaching me." Li Meirong said, her forehead pressed to the floor.

    "..." Bai Zhang silently raised his eyebrows at her. ''When did I tell the girl that I''ll be teaching her?''

    The Grandmaster glanced at his son, perplexed.

    In response, the fox cub glared back at his father as he adjusted himself into a more dignified position. ''How long are you planning on making my wife kneel on the cold floor?!''

    The silent exchange was only understood between father and son. Bai Zhang sighed and held out his hand to assist Li Meirong to her feet. "There is no need to bow so deeply next time. We are practically related now."

    "Uh¡­ alright¡­" Bewildered, Li Meirong awkwardly took the offered hand and stood up.

    "So, you want me to teach you about cultivation?" Bai Zhang asked, peering questioningly at his son.

    Bai Qingyue simply sat there on the floor, uncaring and nonchalant.

    Li Meirong nodded her head, "Yes. Senior Zhu advised me to come to you and also, I don''t know if you remember, and it''s alright if you don''t, but you did tell me you''d assist with my studies."

    "Did I now?" Of course, Bai Zhang remembered, though he dearly wished he could take his words back. He momentarily eyed his son who was giving him a death glare before resigning himself to the task.

    "Fine, let us begin." He said bitterly.

    With the sole exception of his fated person, it''s been hundreds upon thousands of years since he last taught anyone. He hadn''t even trained his own succeeding disciple. He was a god, for heaven''s sake!

    Despite his misgivings, the study session started.

    Li Meirong went to sit cross-legged on the floor with a scroll in front of her and a bamboo quill in hand. Meanwhile, Bai Qingyue sat by her side, pushing his snowy paws across a small plate, dutifully grinding an ink slab.

    In the years Li Meirong had lived in this world since her transmigration, she hadn''t learned anything besides Feng Huang''s barrier technique, along with a few bits and pieces of knowledge from resident disciples.

    Bai Zhang slowly paced back and forth across the parlour as he gave her a general briefing regarding the land in which they resided.

    This evening, Li Meirong learned that the Forgotten Waters sect was in the southwest region of the land, and the nearest kingdom was Chu, named after the reigning royalty there. Zhu Zhang progressed to teach her about the neighbouring kingdoms, the current currency and governing monarchy in the region.

 Chapter 150: Go Back To My World?

    Moving on to explain next about the basics of cultivation, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang said, "There is no need to invest too much in learning about the non-secular world and mortal affairs. Focus on your inner energy and aspire to raise your cultivation to a new level."

    He did not elaborate on what he meant by "mortal affairs". Instead, he began explaining to her about a few basic cultivation techniques and the proper meditative methods to assist her consciousness with absorbing knowledge, and levelling up at a faster pace.

    As Zhu Zhang continued lecturing, an unfolded paper materialized on top of Li Meirong''s notes and scribbles.

    "There are many stages to cultivation. The process to an ascension differs between humans, spirits, common animals, as well as inanimate objects. Depending upon each individual''s aptitude, perseverance, and good fortune," Zhu Zhang glanced at Snowball as he spoke, "a genius may forever remain as a mere mortal whilst another person with a pitiable foundation can possess the opportunity to ascend into immortality. Take a look at this list."

    Following his instructions, Li Meirong dutifully assessed the contents of the paper in front of her. It contained a record of a certain person''s cultivation ranks on his quest for immortality.

    ~ Qi Condensation - nine stages; body Purification, heightened senses, harnessing energy. ~

    (A mortal sheds their impurities and begins to absorb energy from nature.)

    ~ Foundation Stage - nine stages; strengthening physique, condensing qi into liquid form. ~

    (Harnessing energy without external assistance, strengthening one''s physique.)

    ~ Core Formation - early, mid, and peak stage; compressing spiritual energy into a solid core. ~

    (Condensing spiritual energy into an orb, increasing lifespan by a few hundred years.)

    ~ Nascent Soul - Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Ancestor; moulding the core with the soul. ~

    (Increasing lifespan significantly, controlling the energies, cutting through space.)

    ~ Ascension into immortality ~

    (Surpassing the lightning tribulations)

    ~ Immortal Level - ----- ~

    ~ God Level - ---------- ~

    ~ Primordial God Level - ----------- ~

    Li Meirong''s brows knit into a frown as she concentrated on the letter, especially on the section regarding the Nascent Soul rank. ''What does it mean to cut through space? If I reach this rank, will I be able to go back to my world?''

    She skimmed again through the contents and recalled that her consciousness contained a liquid pool. Not to mention, after the time she had grabbed onto the blue flames and fortunately absorbed them, her senses had all heightened and her body had been somewhat altered. Her skin had turned more supple, hair grew longer, eyes turned brighter, and she barely felt hungry since then.

 Chapter 151: Foundation Rank

    Did that mean that she was somewhere in a Foundation Rank? How odd. She had only managed to successfully cultivate once. Besides, most of this cultivation stuff still didn''t make much sense to her.

    As she kept reading, her eyes lingered on the information that had been cut off after the immortal ascension rank.

    "Is immortality the final rank?" She suddenly asked in curiosity, drawing her fingers across the blank space at the bottom of the paper.

    Grandmaster Zhu Zhang let out a small chuckle. "You can say that for some of us, it is merely the beginning, but this should be of no concern to you right now. You''re at the peak of your foundation, and you lack knowledge in harnessing energy as well as any other form of martial arts training, which a cultivator at your level should possess. Practise martial arts, train your body and meditate often. Learn to harness the energies around you, and inside you."

    Li Meirong nodded her head in silence. Although She was completely confused by this mire of information, she kept on taking notes of everything the Grandmaster had spoken of.

    Zhu Zhang recommenced the lecture. " As for your division''s speciality, the Bestiary Coalition specializes in taming beasts, as well as merging a cultivator''s combat skills with his or her spirit beast. The Saintly Soul technique will further allow you to merge yourself with your spirit beast as you battle, enhancing your senses and powers in accordance with those of your beast. However, that would be too much for you to be able to practise now. Start by honing your taming techniques, and your mental capacity to telepathically communicate with your contracted spirit."

    While Li Meirong was writing everything down, she stopped mid-way to process Zhu Zhang''s words.

    The ink dripped from the quill, staining the scroll with spatters of black.

    "Master, I don''t have any taming techniques. And except for Snowball, my contracted pets already seem to be able to communicate with me telepathically." Li Meirong stated as a matter of fact.

    Snowball sounded a hum of approval.

    The Grandmaster questioned in a tone filled with reproach, "Oh, I suppose your contracted spirits simply dropped on your head and begged you to adopt them?"

    "..." Li Meirong blinked a few times, wondering how to respond. ''It did kind of happen that way¡­''

    Receiving silence as an answer, Bai Zhang assumed it had to have been because of his son''s aura that the beasts wished to align themselves with her, despite her inadequate foundation.

    With another sigh, the Grandmaster produced a few parchments from his storage bag and tossed them at Li Meirong.

    "You must start from scratch. Study these scrolls and begin by taming low-level beasts in the mountains and islands near the sect. As for telepathic communication, it is impossible for an untrained mortal to telepathically communicate with anyone."

    "..." Said Li Meirong.

    She stayed quiet, wondering why everybody always found it difficult to believe her.

    After a few further instructions, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang ended the lesson.

    He cleared his throat and asked, "Dear disciple, you didn''t happen to bring a few of those pastries with you again, did you?"

    "No, master."

    Bai Zhang''s face blackened and he made a grumbling sound. ''Unfilial daughter-in-law.''

    Seeing the Grandmaster''s mood had worsened, Li Meirong immediately added, "I''ll be sure to bring some next time!"

    Her response seemed to have pleased him, and he nodded in acknowledgement. "Be sure that you do¡­"

 Chapter 152: Is My Son Not Good Enough For You?

    Since the lesson had ended, Li Meirong gathered her materials and grudgingly thanked Grandmaster Zhu Zhang.

    He hummed in acknowledgement.

    "I''ll take my leave now¡­" Li Meirong''s voice was soft and delicate. She hoped to depart as soon as she was able to.

    "No need to be in such a hurry. Stay for a few more minutes, your Master has some questions to ask you." Zhu Zhang gestured for her to sit down.

    With a fake smile plastered across her face, she hunkered upon the chaise, again.

    The grandmaster stood straight as a ramrod, his countenance stern as ever. "I have been previously misinformed. Turns out, you have met Young Qingyue before¡­ My son told me that he has asked to marry you."

    Snowball stood at Li Meirong''s side, making a low rumbling sound that sounded suspiciously similar to a cat''s purr.

    Li Meirong gulped nervously as she understood the direction which this conversation was heading towards. She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke. "That''s correct. He saved my life once, before I entered the sect. I''m indebted to him, but when it comes to marriage, I think that''s a bit too-"

    "Ah, so that''s what this is all about. You know what they say, to be saved by someone, you must spend your lifetime repaying the debt. As for the saviour, they must be responsible for their choices as well. My child is not a dishonourable man. He will undoubtedly strive to ensure your happiness." Grandmaster Zhu Zhang rubbed his chin as he proclaimed, cutting off his daughter-in-law mid-sentence.

    Following those words, Li Meirong''s distress only worsened. ''It sounds like the lunatic is trying to hook me up with his son!''

    "I told Zhu Qingyue that I will be responsible for him, in order to repay his life-saving grace, and also due to his ailment. But as for marriage, I don''t think it''s right for us to join together." Li Meirong rushed to explain herself one more time.

    Instead of looking at her, Bai Zhang stared at Snowball, eyeing him with a look that said, "This woman sure is difficult.''

    Snowball snorted. ''You think I don''t know?''

    The Grandmaster addressed Li Meirong once more, his eyes darkened in reproach, "Is my son not good enough for you?"

    Li Meirong broke out in a cold sweat, waving her hands in front of her face. "No, no! Your son is more than perfect. I''m sure any woman would love to marry him! It''s my own ideology that stops me. I think that people should marry out of love. It definitely has nothing to do with him!"

    "Love may grow with time. You must give someone a chance before dismissing the person."

    "..." His words made Li Meirong grow quiet in contemplation. It had been many years since her last breakup. ''Maybe the lunatic has a point¡­ Is it right for me to try again?''

    With a wave of his sleeve, the Grandmaster dismissed her with a few more parting words. "If you think too hard, you might let a wondrous opportunity slip away. Pick a teleportation stone from the bowl on the counter and don''t miss out on your lessons tomorrow."

    Bobbing her head in gratitude, Li Meirong grabbed Snowball with one arm and scuttled towards a mauve coloured counter. She fished out a single stone from the bowl placed on top of it, shaking her head as she did so.

    ''Lunatic Master treats highly expensive items as though they''re worth nothing¡­''

    Just as she was about to depart, Zhu Zhang''s authoritative voice could be heard.

    "I''ll need to talk to my son soon..."

    She didn''t understand what was the point of him saying such words to her, but she didn''t bother asking. Li Meirong''s shape disintegrated as she activated the stone.

 Chapter 153: That Sincere And Humble Guy

    Li Meirong and Snowball instantly returned to their cozy yet shoddy dwelling. The girl half expected to be greeted by the sight of Zhu Qingyue resting on her bed again, and was surprised at herself for feeling a slight pang of disappointment upon finding it empty.

    ''What was I expecting, anyway, that he''d wait for me at home like a devoted housewife? It''s not like I agreed to his proposal.''

    Shaking her head at her own strange thoughts, she made quick work of cleaning herself and wiping Snowball with a damp cloth.

    It was already late by the time they turned in for the night and the Fox Spirit was the perfect snuggling partner anew.

    "I''m happy to see that my Snowball has reverted back to his cuddly self." Li Meirong''s lips curved into a faint smile.

    She slept on her right side and wrapped one arm around the Fox Spirit, cradling him against her.

    Snowball''s snout was contentedly squished between Li Meirong''s soft mounds and his voice was muffled as he spoke, "Sometimes Snowball needs to sleep alone, and sometimes Snowball is allowed to sleep with Master."

    "..." Li Meirong wondered if the cub''s reasons were related to his growth. Could it be that a growing fox needs his own private time, as adolescent boys do?

    "I understand, but I love the Snowball who likes the huggles and cuddles the most." She squeezed him a little more firmly to emphasize her point.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes were eerily bright and his whole body shuddered. Luckily, his reaction went unnoticed by his wife.

    Purposefully sidetracking the girl, he moved his face to look up at her as he inquired, "Did you understand everything from today''s lesson? You must practise diligently to become an immortal!"

    Two delicate eyebrows formed into a frown as the girl answered, "Did I understand everything? I felt like he was talking gibberish for most of the time!"

    The fox sighed, "... I somewhat expected that. At least you took down notes. How about you ask that sincere and humble guy, Zhu Qingyue, to help you with your studies?"

    Bai Qingyue didn''t neglect to give himself a few cookie points.

    ''I guess Senior Zhu gave Snowball a good impression.'' Li Meirong hummed in thought as she contemplated the suggestion.

    "Maybe I will." She then complained in a worry-filled tone, "But I''ve got something more worrisome to consider now. How will I be able to tame beasts, if they all scamper away the moment I come close to them?"

    Bai Qingyue gazed at his wife''s lovely, drowsy features. Her long eyelashes trembled as she was about to doze off, lending her a more child-like and innocent appearance.

    One snowy paw made its way to her pale cheek.

    "You only need to learn how to conceal your aura. I will teach you tomorrow. Don''t worry." Snowball''s high-pitched voice was strangely soothing at that moment.

    Feeling the texture of Snowball''s paw pad rubbing on her skin induced Li Meirong to reciprocate the act, bringing her own slender fingers to ruffle the Fox Spirit''s furry muzzle.

    "My Snowball is so dependable¡­ mmhmm..."

    High above the clouds, the temperature dropped significantly at nighttime, and the badly constructed plank walls did a poor job of preventing the cold of a late night chill from seeping inside the dilapidated cabin.

    Li Meirong tried to keep the conversation going, but sleep was gaining on her and it became more difficult to do so. Despite the cold, she grew more comfortable, engulfed in the warmth of the blanket and Snowball''s soft fur. She was blissfully unaware of what was going on around her, and as she fell into a deep sleep, a pair of long, powerful arms embraced her throughout the night.

 Chapter 154: Drowning In Happiness

    Li Meirong slowly woke up to the strange sensation of what felt like a damp sponge being smeared repeatedly across her face. Whoever was doing this to her must have been at it for a while, because by the time she was conscious enough to notice it, her cheeks had been rubbed slightly raw.

    When Bai Qingyue saw that his wife was finally groggily rubbing her eyelids, he stopped licking her face and sprang from the bed. His big fluffy tail wagged as he turned to face her.

    Li Meirong had slept soundly the previous night and hadn''t noticed at all when Bai Qingyue had transformed himself from a small snow fox into a human form, only to revert back to a four-legged cub.

    "If you keep sleeping, you''ll miss out on your lessons! That fellow Zhu Qingyue arrived at sunrise and brought you some food. Master, eat before you leave." Snowball''s high pitched voice cajoled Li Meirong to rise out of bed.

    His words had indeed caused an impact, since Li Meirong had instantly propped herself into a sitting position.

    "I''m up now!"

    After wiping the slobber from her cheeks with the back of her sleeve, She dressed herself in the sect''s blue upper garments, and tied her hair into a single braid.

    During the whole time, Snowball silently observed his wife, his thoughts unfathomable.

    Then, Li Meirong turned to ask the Fox Spirit, "Did Zhu Qingyue really come over here?"

    Snowball unglued his eyes from Li Meirong and nodded his furry head in confirmation. "He really did! Look over here..." He announced as he trotted towards the tiny kitchen stand, near the charcoal stove.

    On the stand was placed a basket filled with an assortment of dumplings and a single soup container. An ambrosial aroma wafted from it and reached Li Meirong''s nose, whetting her all but forgotten appetite.

    She quickly made her way to the delicious smelling case and assessed its contents.

    The bite-sized portions reminded her of Dim Sum. The dumplings were small and exquisitely made with a curled up shape, resembling a candy wrapper.

    She immediately grabbed one piece and took a bite, drowning in happiness as the taste of seasoned shrimp filled her mouth.

    Li Meirong couldn''t remember the last time she had eaten somebody else''s food except for Bao Li''s. Most of the time, she was the one who had to provide meals for others.

 Chapter 155: Especially For You

    ''It''s true what they say, food tastes a lot better when it''s being prepared specifically for you.''

    She uncovered the soup container and swiftly sampled a spoonful of the broth.

    "Mmhmm¡­" Li Meiong cried out as she savoured the dish, it was sweet and rich with flavour. Several red dates, wolfberries, and ginseng slices topped with dried longan floated on the surface of the bowl. A few clumps of unmelted rock sugar were evidently mixed in.

    "Isn''t this a bird''s nest soup?" She asked, amazed.

    "I suppose so?" Bai Qingyue didn''t really know much about food. He was a god and barely ate at all.

    In modern times, it wasn''t so uncommon to eat this dish, however in ancient times, the bird''s nest soup was considered a delicacy reserved for the wealthy.

    ''Then again, Zhu Qingyue is the Grandmaster''s son, he could probably afford it¡­''

    "Do you think he made it himself?" Li Meirong asked after enjoying a few more mouthfuls.

    Seeing his wife merrily stuffing her cheeks with food gave Bai Qingyue a strange feeling of satisfaction. He momentarily anchored his attention at the entryway''s direction, knowing that the servants who had prepared the dishes were eavesdropping on the conversation.

    "Does it matter?" Snowball curiously asked the girl, jumping on her lap and peering at the food.

    "Of course it does! If Zhu Qingyue knows how to cook such excellent dishes, then¡­ He''s really amazing!"

    "..." Bai Qingyue stayed mute. All of a sudden, he began to question his entire upbringing.

    He was sovereign lord, a general and master tactician. He was better versed than most when it came to cultivation and really any number of arts, be they martial or otherwise.

    Thousands of years of study and practise, developing what he could only, in all modesty, call a brilliant mind. Yet, by some grave oversight, had never actually learned something as trivial as cooking. A menial task assigned to those whose identities were far inferior, how could it have entered his gaze?

    "Oh. You''re right... That Zhu Qingyue fellow said he had prepared the meal especially for you." Snowball answered at length, his large almond eyes blinking with feigned innocence.

    Outside the cabin, a pair of hardworking fox spirits wept bitterly.

    All the hours they had spent on preparing the meal in order to please Her Ladyship instantly went down the drain the moment His Lordship stole the credit for their hard work!

 Chapter 156: Ill Stay Right Here

    Li Meirong finished her meal absentmindedly. While she relished every bite, her thoughts wandered elsewhere.

    She had to find the right opportunity to thank Senior Zhu later on that evening.

    "I''ll be back soon. Don''t stray too far from the cabin, alright?" After tapping the fox''s button nose, she unwrapped a few slices of preserved meat for him to nibble on throughout the day.

    "I''ll stay right here and wait for your return!" Snowball exclaimed.

    "Good boy." She rubbed the fox cub''s head and exited the cabin.

    ''I have to visit Bao Li and ask her for ingredients to feed Snowball. A spirit beast''s diet is different from humans. He can''t keep munching on what I''m eating.''

    By the time Li Meirong made her way to the Bestiary Coalition''s study chambers, the sun had risen high up in the skies.

    She half expected to be ridiculed, as usual. But to her pleasant surprise, she was treated as an equal by the rest of the inner sect disciples in the class. In fact, some of the students were even friendly with her. One particular female disciple went as far as to signal for her to come sit beside her. Li Meirong gladly accepted the invitation with a bashful nod.

    The furnace who had been shunned since her acceptance into the sect was now being treated with respect and camaraderie. Her status had been elevated and she was no longer considered a simple servant. She was now a direct disciple to the division''s grandmaster.

    The study hall was of a simple design. At its center there was a row of low tables, bookshelves lining the polished wooden walls. Rays of sunlight peeked through the slightly open sliding doors, shining in from an azure sky that was partly concealed by the morning mist. The soft rustling sound of the surrounding foliage fluttering in the wind added a touch of calming ambience. There was a half-transparent divider placed within the study, separating the men and women in the class. There weren''t too many students, amounting to a total of no more than two dozen.

    All in all, there was a tranquil and gentle atmosphere to the place.

    The class was conducted as a lecture rather than a practical demonstration. The mentor, Teacher Tian, was a stern looking, no-nonsense kind of woman. As the lecture progressed, she mentioned a few important points regarding beast taming, holding a bamboo scroll while reading its contents to the disciples.

 Chapter 157: Xiong Mei

    Next, the Teacher began to cover the subject of beast cores and their usage.

    Every spirit beast contains a core inside their body. A beast core is a highly valuable item, and depending on the beast''s rank, a core can sell for hundreds and thousands of gold.

    The reason the cores are so valuable is because they do not only assist practitioners with advancing cultivation rapidly, they are also extremely beneficial for those who are experiencing a halt in their advancement, a term often referred to as a bottleneck.

    Every cultivator must pass through a series of stages before advancing to the next level. Once he or she reaches the peak of their current stage, it is not uncommon for them to experience a bottleneck and find themselves suddenly unable to ascend further. Some cultivators are not gifted with the talent to rise in ranks and resort to seeking other means to upgrade. For those unfortunate individuals, the beast cores are the perfect solution.

    The demand for beast cores is one of the main reasons that spirit beasts were being aggressively hunted these days.

    Li Meirong had brought a few empty parchments with her, and she made sure to write down everything Teacher Tian said. Yet she felt unsettled as she kept listening. An irrational part of her dearly wished to immediately rush back home and hug her companions, just to make sure they were safe.

    As the day progressed, she learned about the various ways of coaxing spirits and demonic beasts in order to capture them with more ease. The teacher had also provided each disciple with a sample of herbs classified as a type of drug.

    "These are called the half moon lilies, named after their unique shape. These herbs are considered to be intoxicating for certain beasts. Using them could allow you to easily ambush an unsuspecting target. Do note, it only works for mammals. You may take the samples with you and test them out for yourself."

    As the mentor finished her instructions, Li Meirong took the batch of lilies and placed them inside her sleeve.

    "Psst! Hey, don''t you have a storage bag?" The female disciple by Li Meirong''s side scooted slightly closer and asked in a whisper.

    Up until that point she hadn''t made eye contact with any of her fellow classmates. She kept her sight set on the ground or on her notes, avoiding looking at anyone for fear of seeming rude or somehow drawing attention to herself.

    And so, when she turned to look at the girl who whispered to her, she was astonished to discover how truly breathtakingly beautiful she was.

    The first thing she noticed was the stunning, aquamarine colour of her laughing eyes. There was a distinctly exotic quality to her features, with a slim build, slightly darker skin and expressive eyebrows. Her long black hair, tied up in a high ponytail, had a blue sheen to it, corresponding with the hue of her eyes. If Li Meirong were back in her previous life, she''d have thought the girl was of mixed heritage. As it was, she was curious about how she got to have such an outstanding appearance.

    When she was done gawking at the exotic looking disciple, she realized that she had also been writing down notes, just like herself.

    "Oh, I have a bag. I''ll just store the herbs later on¡­" Li Meirong subconsciously scratched the back of her neck as she replied in a hushed tone. She didn''t know how to access her dimension without meditating, so she couldn''t very well send the herbs into her spatial dimension with a snap of her fingers.

    The exotic girl arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of her response. Her long slanted eyes curved into crescents as she fished out a green fabric bag from the side of her robe.

    "Here, take it. I have an extra one. My name is Xiong Mei, by the way. It''s a pleasure to meet you!"

 Chapter 158: Would Love To Practise With You

    "My name is Li Meirong. It''s nice to meet you too.. Umm, listen, I really appreciate your generosity, but I cannot possibly take your storage bag. I know this item costs a small fortune." Li Meirong shook her head, adamant in refusing the offer.

    "Pfft," Xiong Mei covered her mouth to muffled her laughter, "you''re not at all like the rumours say you are!"

    She swiftly grabbed Li Meirong''s wrist and placed the bag in the palm of her hand. "Take it! It''s nothing for me. You''ve been a servant until now, isn''t that so? You''ve probably yet to practice any sort of cultivation techniques. If you like, I can guide you."

    Not feeling as if she had much of a choice, Li Meirong placed the half moon lilies in the green bag and slipped it inside her sleeve.

    Xiong Mei''s laugh was sweet and endearing, and her slightly tanned skin reflected her outdoorsy nature. Li Meirong had learned the hard way to be wary of people in this world, and yet, Xiong Mei gave her a good impression. She was the type of person that seemed to radiate happiness, infecting those around her with it just by being near them.

    "Thank you," Li Meirong said for the gift and smiled, "and I would love to practise with you."

    "Oh¡­" Xiong Mei said absently. Her eyes locked on Li Meirong like magnets, momentarily dazed. The quill fell from her hands.

    Bang! Bang!

    The impactful noise of a bamboo scroll bonking Xiong Mei and Li Meirong''s heads sounded in the study hall.

    "Enough with the chit-chat, both of you! Do you think this is a marketplace?! Humph!" The fuming mentor walked back to the front of the room after admonishing the talkative disciples.

    "Ow¡­" Xiong Mei rubbed the top of her head, her face contorted into a grimace. "This teacher is so mean!" She whispered and stuck her tongue out at the mentor''s back.

    Watching the aqua-eyed girl''s antics, Li Meirong shook her head helplessly and went back to her writing with a smile on her face.

    A few seconds later, a small folded paper was thrown onto her desk.

    She opened it up and read its contents. The characters were all exquisitely written in perfect calligraphy.

    ~ Meet me at the pavilion behind the study hall after the lesson ends. XM ~

    At the same time, inside the Bai clan''s palace kitchens, in the heavenly realm.

    The royal kitchens were in a complete state of disarray. The pantries had been turned upside down, ingredients scattered everywhere. A black cloud of thick smoke billowed from the place, and a strong stench of burnt meat permeated the air.

    To summarize the current situation, it seemed as though a tornado had just passed by, wreaking devastating havoc on everything in its path.

    The few chefs who were brave enough to stay in the kitchens were left dumbstruck by the sheer, utter chaos.

    Didn''t His Lordship say he wanted to learn the art of cooking so he could appease the future consort? Why did it look like he planned on demolishing the palace grounds instead?!

    Despite the chaotic state of the enclosure, Bai Qingyue had kept himself perfectly pristine, not a speck of dust could be seen on him.

    The Sovereign Lord sighed regretfully, his upper lip curled up in disdain. He had a whole list of tasks to attend to before his wife returned home and no longer had any time left to spare.

    Right before departing, Bai Qingyue looked back at the palace servants and spoke in a calm, nonchalant voice.

    "I shall return tomorrow..."

    Following that foreboding statement, the panic-stricken chefs shuddered in fright.

    ''Please Sire, don''t come back!''

 Chapter 159: Sea Of Endless Darkness

    In the pavilion behind the Beastiary Coalition''s study hall.

    Xiong Mei and Li Meirong sat facing each other with their legs loosely crossed, their feet resting below their opposite thighs.

    Li Meirong had her eyes closed in concentration with her chin tucked in, and her right hand placed on top of the left, with her thumbs slightly touching.

    As was planned, after the lesson had ended, the girls had met up and began to practise their cultivation.

    "You must clear your mind of any wandering thoughts. Imagine yourself inside an empty space, devoid of everything." Xiong Mei instructed, "When you''ve managed to free your mind, focus on the energies that surround you. The light, the breeze, the water¡­ Everything holds its own form of energy. Concentrate on a single source."

    Li Meirong did as she was told. Her greatest difficulty had been to clear her mind from stray thoughts and she put in the extra effort to succeed.

    She imagined herself floating in outer space. An endless, wondrous sheet of blackness, filled with shimmering stars. She envisioned the planets in the solar system. Jupiter, Venus, Mars¡­

    Realization suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks. She probably wasn''t even in that galaxy anymore.

    Her eyelashes fluttered in concentration as she bit her lower lip. ''No, I have to empty my mind.''

    Focusing on what she imagined to be emptiness, Li Meirong pictured a sea of darkness. An infinite void.

    It wasn''t cold. It wasn''t lonely. It wasn''t anything, because she, herself, was nothing.

    Xiong Mei''s voice echoed like a soft whisper, guiding her. "Good girl. Do you see the energies? Concentrate on the energies¡­"

    It was difficult for Li Meirong to make sense of what exactly her fellow disciple was talking about, yet she didn''t need to ponder for very long.

    Soon enough, Inside the sea of endless darkness, emerged dim shadowy fluctuations of colours, slithering across the vast emptiness.

    When she focused on the colours, they came closer and closer, looking like a swarm of snakes. Their tones intensified into vivid lights, streaking across the space.

    They were like a living essence. Some were cold, some warm, and some even felt similar to a lover''s gentle embrace.

    When the glowing waves reached Li Meirong, they shot straight into her body. A brilliant myriad of pigments, varying in shades of greens, blues, yellows and reds.

    She felt submerged with energy and immediately opened her eyes, panting for breath. The first thing she saw was Xiong Mei''s aqua eyes, staring at her in silent amazement.

    Xiong Mei was no longer in a sitting position. During the time Li Meirong was cultivating, the other girl had moved to sit in front of her.

    "Y-you''re glowing like a rainbow!"

    Hearing Xiong Mei''s declaration, Li Meirong stared down at her own hands. They were indeed shining like the northern lights. Different kinds of glowy colours radiated from her skin as she felt a gentle vibration coursing throughout her entire body.

    "I feel¡­ sweaty." Her voice came out hoarse.

    Feeling sweaty was an understatement. Li Meirong felt like she had dived inside a murky swamp.

    Xiong Mei let out a high pitched bray, clutching her hands to her stomach.

    The blue-eyed girl''s burst of hearty laughter rang in Li Meirong''s ears. Every little sound pained her sensitive eardrums. She could even hear the crickets chirping from about a mile away.

    Not only that, her eyes were burning. It was a cloudy day, and yet the sun had suddenly turned so bright, it caused Li Meirong to shield her vision with the back of her wrist.

    "I can''t believe it, even though I see it¡­ Usually, practitioners absorb a single form of energy while cultivating, so that they could maintain a balance within themselves. But you," Xiong Mei playfully pinched Li Meirong''s nose, giggling between her words, "You went ahead and collected everything around you!"

 Chapter 160: Damn This F*cking Cultivation!

    Li Meirong frowned and almost slapped Xiong Mei''s hand away, but the girl seemed to have sensed her discomfort and immediately retracted it on her own.

    "Aii! Not very cute, are you?" Xiong Mei playfully pouted.

    "I don''t feel comfortable with being casually touched." Li Meirong frowned. She moved aside a few of her damp hair strands that were plastered across her face and asked, "What do you mean by saying "I collected everything around me?" The colours shot straight into my body."

    Xiong Mei''s teasing expression turned solemn as she regarded Li Meirong''s sour face and looked her up and down.

    She offered a hand to help her up, but Li Meirong ignored it and chose to support herself against one of the pavilion''s pillars, rising to her feet on her own.

    "Sorry about earlier. I''ll be sure to ask your permission next time before I touch you! As for what I meant, well, the way you cultivate means you''re kind of special." Xiong Mei stated, scratching the back of her head.

    Li Meirong side-eyed Xiong Mei and sighed, "It''s fine, I probably overreacted. I''m also sorry."

    Xiong Mei smiled, "It''s good that there''s no hard feelings between us. Would you like to come to my residence? I have a large collection of cultivation manuals that might assist you. Since you absorb so much energy at one go, it''s going to take a toll on you. I won''t be surprised if you''ll feel a bit feeble for the next few hours."

    As if on cue, once Xiong Mei had finished saying those words, Li Meirong felt herself go weak at the knees, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. With her eyes squinting, she grasped the pillar tightly for support.

    "Let''s do that next time. Can you explain to me what exactly did I do wrong when I cultivated? Why do I feel this way?" Li Meirong spoke through gritted teeth. ''Damn this f*cking cultivation!''

    Disregarding her question, Xiong Mei rushed to her side instead.

    "Ah! Let me help you, please. I feel responsible, this happened under my instructions. I should be the one to take care of you, isn''t that so?" Xiong Mei''s voice was filled with worry as she reached out to hold Li Meirong, although she waited for her consent before actually touching her.

    Li Meirong hesitated to voice her reply as Xiong Mei''s particular choice of words had caused her to remember a certain fair-haired, ailing senior. She rolled her eyes at her own strange thoughts.

    How could there be any extra meaning to Xiong Mei''s concern?

    ''I have to stop being so paranoid¡­'' Li Meirong mentally rebuked herself.

    "I''d appreciate some assistance in getting back to my home, and thank you for inviting me, but It''s getting late now and I''m supposed to have a martial arts lesson this evening."

    Li Meirong''s body felt terribly strange right now, and she felt especially icky. She was overflowing with energy but her senses were all working against her. If she had to compare her current predicament to anything else, it would be to that time when she gobbled up a sumptuous feast but ended stuffing herself and becoming bloated. Although she was supposed to have energy from eating, she was barely able to move after consuming that meal.

    Xiong Mei instantly wrapped one arm around Li Meirong''s slender waist and placed the other one on her shoulders. She carried her towards the edge of the pavilion and whistled loudly.

    No more than a minute later, the silhouette of a dark, large, four-legged creature could be seen as it trotted across the skies, making its way to the pavilion''s entrance.

 Chapter 161: You Stink Real Bad!

    It was a magnificent looking bull with a sleek black hide and a pair of large, ivory horns protruding from the top of its head. The creature had a bulky lizard-like tail swinging behind him which identified the beast as some sort of chimera. On its hooves were lightning sparks as it galloped in the air.

    After the bull landed in front of the pair, it hung its head low and uttered a deep rumbling sound.

    Xiong Mei lifted Li Meirong with obvious ease, setting her on top of the mount''s broad back. While doing so, she lowered her head and brought it closer to the nape of Li Meirong''s neck, sniffing her.

    When Li Meirong felt a ticklish sensation on the back of her neck, she immediately shied away, "You¡­ what are you doing?!"

    Xiong Mei snickered in response, "Nothing." She said and retreated, "You stink real bad! Go shower!"

    Li Meirong''s cheeks heated up. She grumbled, "I know I reek, but who told you to smell me?!"

    Hearing her response had only seemed to have made the bright-eyed girl look amused, which caused Li Meirong to become more agitated. ''This girl is so strange! She is almost as frustrating as Zhu Qingyue!''

    Xiong Mei stepped back and said, "Hey, I followed your rules. Nobody said sniffing isn''t allowed! Anyhow, this is Tiny, one of my spirit beasts. He will take you back to your home. I''ll see you tomorrow¡­"

    "Wait! You still haven''t explained what happened to me!" Li Meirong turned back and stared accusingly at Xiong Mei. Her ink black eyes met the girl''s aqua coloured pair.

    The corner of Xiong Mei''s lips curved up into a mysterious smile as she answered with a wink, "I''ll tell you the next time we meet. Don''t miss me too much, alright?"

    She slapped the bull''s backside, and it immediately flew away with Li Meirong on top.

    ''Who''s going to miss you?! I barely even know you!" Li Meirong silently fumed. She felt grateful for Xiong Mei''s help, yet she couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something unusual about the girl. Like a smiling clown, it was difficult to tell what the person actually felt underneath the pretense.

    Li Meirong''s figure was gradually concealed behind the clouds.

    On the ground, Xiong Mei leaned against the pillar, her arms tightly folded across her chest in a flamboyant pose. As she smirked, her cyan blue eyes glimmered and her round pupils shifted into long, narrow slits.

    "She smells rather sweet." Her voice was but a gentle whisper.

 Chapter 162: You Lie!

    When she and the bull had eventually left Xiong Mei''s line of sight, its behaviour seemed to have undergone a change. It slowed from a rapid dash through the skies to a lazy saunter. Tiny suddenly appeared to be in no apparent hurry to reach the intended destination.

    Li Meirong couldn''t help but notice this and began trying to appeal to the chimera beast. She really wanted to get home as soon as possible for some rest and a much needed shower.

    She leaned a bit forward and stroked its wide, muscular neck. "So you''re Tiny? You have a very cute name!"

    The bull made a rumbling sound. It was difficult to decipher its mood. Li Meirong tried again.

    "Tiny, I need to get home now. Your master told you to take me back. Can you do that?"

    The bull snorted and wiggled its rear. The movement nearly caused Li Meirong to fall off its back, and she clutched Tiny''s black hide in alarm.

    Exhaling deeply, Li Meirong''s tone was no longer clear and calm as she asked, "Have I done something to offend you??"

    After a while, the bull ceased its movements and slowly replied, "Master seems to like you."

    Its voice was light and sweet, completely different from what Li Meirong expected. So apparently it wasn''t a bull, but a cow...

    This time, it was Li Meirong who snorted, ''Like me? I''d say Xiong Me has been bullying me instead!''

    Still, she wasn''t sure this cow was in a mood to be reasoned with.

    "I only met sister Xiong Mei today, and she''s been helping me with cultivation, that''s all. I don''t think we''re close enough to like each other."

    Tiny halted her progress through the sky altogether and hovered high above the islands.

    "Humph. Master never gets close to anyone, and yet, Master didn''t hesitate to hold you! You lie!"

    Frustrated and exhausted, Li Meirong seriously wanted to cry now. She decided then and there, that the first lesson she was going to ask Zhu Qingyue to teach her was the art of Qinggong. That way she could glide to her cabin on her own.

    The cow''s possessiveness of her master reminded Li Meirong of Chou. The Plant Spirit had always been scared that others would bully her, so perhaps, if Li Meirong professed to pose no harm, Tiny would become more agreeable?

    "I''m not planning on harming your master or anything. Really, we''re simply colleagues! Acquaintances!"

    "My master needs no other acquaintances besides me! Go die!" Tiny''s sweet sounding voice changed into a shriek as she raised her stocky rear end, kicking back with her hind legs and forcibly propelling Li Meirong off her back.

    Li Meirong cried out, reaching with both arms to grasp Tiny''s horns, however the Cow easily bucked her head out of reach.

    As she plummeted towards the island below, a thousand thoughts ran through her mind. The idea that her death was so rapidly approaching astounded her. Here, now of all times, and under this ridiculous circumstance. She was just beginning to feel strong enough to defend herself. Clearly, she was wrong.

    Her heart pumped wildly in her chest and the cold air rushing past her made her entire body shiver. Or was that the fear?

    Knowing that from this height and at the speed she was dropping, there was no way she would survive this fall.

    Everything felt like a blur swirling out of existence. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable impact that would end it all. And in her last moments, the silliest thought came to mind...

    Would Zhu Qingyue miss her when she didn''t show up for their lesson later that night?

 Chapter 163: Flurry of Furred Beasts

    As Li Meirong plummeted to her demise, a sudden unexpected flurry of silver, black, and golden furred beasts had suddenly leapt to the air, swiftly flying in her direction. Her eyes were shut tight, and she didn''t notice the multitudes of fox spirits that had assembled together in order to catch her.

    Unbeknownst to her, she had been monitored the whole time, not only by the pair of guards/servants tasked specifically to ensure her wellbeing, but also by more than a dozen overly curious fox spirit servants who were currently living in the sect.

    There was no time to analyse the situation. Her descent was happening so quickly that she expected to be flattened on the ground in the next second but instead, a soft sensation of silken fur surrounded her from all sides, rendering her momentarily dazed.

    "What¡­ what just happened?" Li Meirong mumbled as she was about to open her eyes.

    "She''s getting up! Quick! Put the powder on her!"

    That was the last thing Li Meirong heard before a coat of sparkling dust settled on her, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

    A short while later, several fox spirits stood in a circle around the girl who was now sleeping peacefully on the moist earth of a cabbage garden. Li Meirong had fallen directly onto one of the vegetable fields in the Bestiary Coalition, not too far from her own residence. All but a pair of fox guards kept their animal form in accordance with his Lordship''s orders, the other two who were assigned as her personal servants had shifted into human form and dressed as outer sect disciples.

    The girl lying upon the ground had fair skin and luscious red lips. Her hair draped on the cabbage field like seaweed. The blue sect robes she was wearing were damp and clung to her body, enhancing its hourglass shape.

    The fox spirits examined their lord''s wife in appreciation.

    One six-tailed brown fox said, "Her Ladyship doesn''t look too bad for a human, fit for bearing cubs, I''d say."

    Another six-tailed fox with golden fur mentioned, "True true. Though I feel a little bad for Her Ladyship. She can''t compete with His Lordship''s appearance."

    An older looking eight-tailed fox scoffed in retort, "You shallow lot! What does it matter how she looks like? The offspring will inherit the Bai clan''s bloodline, anyway! The future generation will all take after the father."

    One particular overly curious fox tapped Li Meirong''s nose and said, "I think she''s cute, but how did she manage to fall off that cow? Her Ladyship is a bit too clumsy." The curious fox stepped closer and sniffed the air. His pupils dilated, "Oh! She smells good, kinda sweet like a flower, or ripened fruit."

    Lang Ju, the senior ranked fox servant, shooed the unruly fox''s paw away from Li Meirong''s face. "Insolent whelp! How dare you place your paw on the lord''s wife?!"

    It was a good thing that he was there. So few of the fox spirits could restrain their mischievousness.

    The fox who had suffered a slap to his paw was silently scowling at the grey-furred senior ranked fox. ''Grumpy old coot!''

    The rest of the foxes snickered.

    Li Meirong''s guards pushed their way through the circle. They looked like a pair of adolescent twins with adorable round eyes, small lips, and dainty figures. These girls who appeared to be no more than thirteen of age were, in fact, powerful enough to topple mountains and overturn seas.

    One twin lifted Li Meirong while the other spoke, "We''re taking Her Ladyship back to her mortal home before the powder''s effects should dissipate."

    "What are you planning on telling His Lordship?" Lang Ju inquired as he asked Li Meirong''s guards.

    The girl holding Li Meirong in her arms looked back at the grey fox and said, "We must tell His Lordship the truth. A member of the royal family is monitoring this world¡­"

    "And regarding what happened between Her Ladyship and... her?"

    Li Meirong''s guard froze, gulping audibly. Her twin sister spoke instead of her. "His Lordship has a habit of killing the messenger. The Lord will find out the truth soon enough. He doesn''t have to hear it from us!"

 Chapter 164: Where Was Bai Yu?

    It was already evening when the Fox Lord made his way back to his consort''s side. He hadn''t seen her the whole day and ached to gaze upon her countenance again.

    By the time Bai Qingyue returned to the sect, Li Meirong had already been cleaned up and tucked in bed. The twins, Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei, kept vigil at Li Meirong''s bedside until the Sovereign Lord''s arrival.

    The twins had naturally sensed his arrival before he even stepped through the door and swiftly sent him a telepathic message to wait outside.

    They silently transported themselves out of the cabin and kneeled in front of their lord.

    "Sire, the lady is resting in bed. She should wake up shortly."

    Raising a questioning eyebrow, Bai Qingyue''s long, slanted eyes narrowed as he inquired, "Is that why you told me to wait outside?"

    What does it matter if his wife was sleeping or not? If anything, it seemed easier to gain some honest answers out of her when she was dreaming.

    The kneeling girls looked at each other for a brief moment before staring back at the ground as they addressed the Fox Lord.

    "We need to inform you of today''s events, Sire."

    "Oh?"

    That single sound was intimidating enough to make the Xiao twins break out into a cold sweat.

    They told Bai Qingyue about the royal family member hiding in the sect as well as the incident that happened with the chimera spirit beast.

    "A cow almost killed my wife?" Bai Qingyue boomed, unwilling to believe the words coming out of his mouth.

    The guards stayed silent, far too scared to answer, their shoulders shook with trepidation.

    "Go find Bai Yu. You shall travel together to the Hall of Punishment at once."

    "Right away, Sire!"

    The twins sighed in relief. Good thing they didn''t tell His Lordship that the disguised royal god had been acting familiarly with Her Ladyship¡­

    But, where was the former second in command, anyway?

    The twins bowed once more and hurriedly left the premises to look for Bai Yu.

    Silent as a ghost, Bai Qingyue headed inside the cabin, creeping closer to Li Meirong''s slumbering form. His eyes glowed like burning ambers as he stared down at her visage. Assessing her condition, he felt his nerves relax upon discovering that she was completely unharmed.

    Bai Qingyue leaned down and gently kissed the tip of her small nose, causing Li Meirong to utter a low-pitched sound, wrinkling her nose.

 Chapter 165: The Wheels In His Head Kept Turning

    Seeing Li Meirong looking so cute and innocent when she slept only drove Bai Qingyue to feel all the more protective over her.

    The Fox Lord towered over Li Meirong, trapping the unsuspecting girl underneath him. He reached out a slender finger and tapped on her bottom lip. Her skin felt as soft and as supple as he remembered it. Bai Qingyue''s pupils dilated as he stared at the beguiling beauty.

    ''Why is my foolish wife always falling into danger?'' He thought, carefully placing his forehead against hers.

    Fighting the urge to kiss her, Bai Qingyue sighed and stepped back, sitting in a cross-legged position on the wooden floor. Impatiently, he waited for Li Meirong to wake up.

    As Bai Qingyue watched her sleep, he reconsidered his decision to permit the girl her freedom. Wouldn''t she be safer if he locked her up and trained her day and night until her eventual ascension into a celestial being?

    The wheels in his head kept turning incessantly.

    The angered god curbed his fury and discontentedly pinched the space between his brows. Chaining Li Meirong now would render his previous endeavours fruitless, especially after all the efforts he put into his disguise, only to please her¡­

    It wouldn''t do. He''d have to maintain his presence in the sect until she becomes an immortal. In the meantime, perhaps using his father''s private kitchens would suffice for his training.

    As for the affairs regarding the clan, he''ll simply move all of his belongings to the cabin and wait for her to agree to his proposal after he''d settle in. They were, after all, already married, even if his wife thought she had the privilege of having a say in the matter.

    ''A husband and wife should sleep under the same roof.'' Bai Qingyue justified his future plans with that thought.

    As for the dragon lurking in the sect...

    His subordinates might not have known the reason for a member of the royal family to spy upon this low levelled cultivation world. However, Bai Qingyue knew all too well.

    It would seem that the dragon clan had been aware of his father''s whereabouts. Not to mention, they had probably been monitoring Bai Zhang''s experiments and repeated attempts at breaking the curse.

    Not that he needed any more reason to despise dragons, but the knowledge that Li Meirong had almost inadvertently died because of that spy had certainly added fuel to the fire.

    Bai Qingyue silently clenched his fists as his eyes shown with a tint of murderous violet.

 Chapter 166: What Are You Doing Here?

    When Li Meirong woke up, she found herself covered underneath a warm blanket on her bed. A deep baritone voice greeted her as she opened her eyes.

    "You are awake."

    Rubbing her eyes, she bent herself forward and looked towards the direction of the voice, finding herself face to face with a radiant man sitting by the bedside, his frame illuminated by a cold light which seemingly radiated from his own body. Peerless and graceful like an aloof immortal, the man''s long, flowing hair was loosely tied at the waist and the wide sleeves of his extended robe draped on the floor. The breathtaking appearance before her eyes sorely clashed with the shoddy cabin''s interior.

    The instant Zhu Qingyue turned to face her, she felt as though the world stood still. When their eyes met, she suddenly felt her heart pounding in her chest in a constant, throbbing rhythm.

    Flustered by her own reaction, Li Meirong looked away without delay, occupying herself with studying her own hands as she entwined her fingers together.

    Now that she wasn''t staring straight at the man, it became easier to regain her composure.

    She still found it hard to believe that she was somehow still alive. The last thing she could remember was a horde of furry, fuzzy creatures enveloping her. Afterwards, she had been knocked out cold. It somewhat startled her to discover that near-death experiences didn''t really seem to rattle her anymore.

    It''s as they say, humans tend to adapt to their environment, no matter how deadly it may be.

    Finally, Li Meirong asked what was on her mind, "How did I get here?"

    "A pair of outer sect disciples found you sleeping on the vegetable fields and brought you home. By the time I arrived, you were already deep asleep." Zhu Qingyue coolly informed her.

    "Oh, I see¡­"

    ''Is that really what happened? But then, how did I survive the fall?'' Li Meirong silently wondered as she got out of bed and assessed herself, noticing her clothes had been replaced. She warily eyed her senior, "You¡­"

    "The girls who had found you had also cleaned you up."

    Hearing his response made her sigh in relief. Still feeling embarrassed by his presence, she covered the blanket around her like a shawl.

    "Have you seen Snowball?" Li Meirong inquired. She looked all around but couldn''t find a trace of him.

    A few seconds later, Zhu Qingyue answered in a flat voice, "He went out to play."

    "Oh, I see¡­" She continued asking, "What are you doing here?"

    Honestly, Li Meirong was surprised to find herself happy to see him, and yet, his presence was unsettling at the same time. How long was he here? Why did he come? Did he watch her sleep all along?

    Zhu Qingyue''s eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze had never left the girl''s face. As though he could read her mind, he answered, "I have just arrived. Did you forget your lessons?"

    Li Meirong peeked at her senior, cowering under his unnerving scrutiny, "Of course not. I just didn''t think we would be training in my home¡­

    Zhu Qingyue sighed in apparent contemplation, "I had wanted to give you time to adjust to my presence. Alas, a few disciples had notified me that they had seen you nearly fall to your death today. As it is, by the time you would accept my proposal, I shall end up marrying a corpse. It would be best for me to live here so I could supervise you, just as I had previously suggested. This way, I could also teach you martial arts right here."

    "..." Speechless, Li Meirong brows arched high, and her mouth opened wide. ''When was there any suggestion? You never asked for my opinion about anything!''

 Chapter 167: Breathe Next To Her Ear

    A minute after, she finally found her voice, "That wasn''t my fault. That cow was insane, I''m telling you, she purposefully threw me off her back! Anyhow, We can''t live together, it''s improper!"

    "We have already done all the possible improper activities. Living together is the least inappropriate decision." Zhu Qingyue''s voice was deep and low, slightly tinged with a masculine allure. He didn''t speak as though he was arguing with someone. On the contrary, he gave the impression of having an intimate discussion with a lover.

    "..." Only Li Meirong found herself growing more and more flustered as the conversation progressed.

    She was unable to refute him. One of the reasons Li Meirong felt apprehensive of Zhu Qingyue was that he had always seemed to gain the upper hand. She felt as if, despite his condition, he could still manipulate everyone around him with his words alone.

    They settled themselves into an unspoken agreement.

    "You can''t sleep on my bed." Li Meirong pointed out.

    Zhu Qingyue let out a low chuckle, rising to his feet. "As you wish."

    His reply seemed to carry a heavier meaning than what he implied, but Li Meirong wasn''t able to make sense of it.

    "Let us not delay your lessons any further. Follow me."

    Subsequently, Li Meirong''s first martial arts lesson began.

    Li Meirong had some knowledge of martial arts from her previous life, although it was nothing in comparison to what people practised in this world. It was, however, good enough to skip the correct postures and movements and proceed straight to invoking qi.

    As they went outside to train in the garden, Zhu Qingyue faced Li Meirong and showed her a few martial arts moves that could easily be imitated. Like rippling water, every subtle gesture he made flowed in a graceful arc. Every movement he performed was executed with elegance, even his roundhouse kick seemed like it was part of an artistic performance.

    Li Meirong watched closely, mesmerised by the skilful manoeuvres.

    "That was amazing!" She cheered, genuinely impressed by him, and started clapping.

    Zhu Qingyue remained expressionless as usual when he glanced her way. Anyone would think the man remained unfazed. Only someone who was well acquainted with the Sovereign Lord would notice the subtle details which showed how he truly felt. Like how, for example, the tips of his ears began to turn red.

    Clearing his throat, Zhu Qingyue explained, "When channelling spiritual energy while moving, you must maintain balance. Don''t command your qi to assemble in one area such as the fists or the feet. Let it flow through all your meridians instead. After mastering control over your spiritual energy, directing qi to a part of your body, or even to a weapon should be an effortless task, without the need to concentrate or meditate to do so."

    Nodding fervently, Li Meirong eagerly followed his instructions. She felt that finally, she was learning the necessary foundations which she had lacked all those years.

    After repeating the movements several times over, Li Meirong groaned in frustration, noticing that no matter what, she was unable to properly imitate Senior Zhu''s demonstration.

    Engrossed in her attempts, she failed to notice her teacher sneaking up behind her.

    Suddenly, Li Meirong let out a loud gasp as she felt Zhu Qingyue''s form pressing against her back. A few strands of silver hair cascaded down her shoulders as he leaned forward and slightly bent down to breathe next to her ear.

    "Let me hold you as you move."

    "O-okay¡­" Li Meirong shyly nodded her head. Zhu Qingyue''s voice sent a shiver of excitement racing through her body.

 Chapter 168: Stars In Her Eyes

    The pale haired senior reached out to take Li Meirong''s delicate hands, placing them in his, as he guided her movements through the same fluid motion he showed her.

    Together, they practised a continuous set of movements. All the while, Zhu Qingyue held Li Meirong closely as he led her. With their bodies pressed against each other, they invoked their spiritual energies which spread all around their forms manifesting as a dim iridescent azure tint.

    Nighttime swiftly arrived, yet the pair maintained their intimate dance in the shadows. The nearby lake glimmered under the moonlight as a scatter of luminous fireflies swaying in the breeze punctuated the darkness.

    Since it was Li Meirong''s first lesson, Bai Qingyue had focused on teaching her the basics. He instructed her on properly honing the rudimentary techniques. Starting from breathing exercises to stances and repeated movements of strikes, throws and jumps.

    There was too much ground to cover in one training session and so, the rest had to be taught at a later date.

    When they were done, Li Meirong excitedly hurried to his side with stars in her eyes.

    "Senior Zhu, you''re incredible! I didn''t think I''d be able to grasp everything so quickly. It''s only because you taught me well."

    Bai Qingyue looked down, grunting in acknowledgement. Steadily and intently, he focused on her face, when he saw her smile, a warm gush of light beamed inside him. A tingle spread from his fingers and toes, piercing straight into his heart. Subconsciously, the corners of his own lips tilted up every so slightly.

    He wondered if that too, was another effect of the curse? Could it be that when his wife was happy, he too, would share the same feeling? Was happiness contagious?

    Li Meirong''s eyes glittered like onyx jewels in the night, her luscious red as cherry lips appeared darker still, and all the more inviting. Her long flowing hair had already loosened and looked tousled from all the exercise, the rippling jet-black waves cascading down her back and merging with the blackness of the night.

    To Bai Qingyue, at that moment, his wife looked ethereal, otherworldly. A fairy born from the night''s beauty. He couldn''t take his eyes off her.

    Slowly, he bent down, tilting his head to reach the seductive pulp and juicy flesh which called to him. He heard her mumble something, but was far too preoccupied to make sense, or care what those words were.

    Edging closer to the intended prize that was provoking his senses, his breath mingled with hers as he was about to conquer her irresistible lips. Frustratingly, at that exact moment, she raised her hand and covered half of her face, barring the treasure he so desperately sought.

    "Senior Zhu, I asked if you could teach me the Qinggong technique so I wouldn''t have to depend on mounts to travel in the sect." Li Meirong repeated her request in a muffled yet stubborn voice, her mouth hidden by the palm of her hand.

    Bai Qingyue''s bright eyes deepened to dark molten gold. Through gritted teeth, he breathed in deeply to steady himself.

    As he inhaled, her very scent flooded his senses. Sweet and succulent like honey, the intoxicating fragrance of his wife caused him to grow restless instead.

    Never mind being his "fated person", the universe had created this woman to become his damnation!

    "If you wish to make a request, you must make an offer of equal value to reciprocate the gesture." Bai Qingyue''s voice was deep and slightly raspy as he spoke. He gently pried his consort''s slender fingers away, one at a time. Finally, the obstructing hand was removed, revealing the delectable lips.

    "What would you like to mmph-!"

    Bai Qingyue didn''t waste any more precious time, his arm encircled her waist in a vice-like grip, pulling Li Meirong tightly against him into a suffocating embrace. His lips immediately descended upon hers before she could even think to utter a word of protest.

 Chapter 169: Trying To Kill Your Husband

    Li Meirong felt as though shackles were binding her. Zhu Qingyue''s ailment didn''t seem to affect his physical prowess in the least.

    Raising her arms in defense, she pounded on his chest with her small hands curled into fists, resisting his hold, yet he stood there like a boulder, unfettered and unmoving.

    As she felt his warm, wet tongue licking the flesh of her lips, Li Meirong moaned in frustration, and the moment her lips parted, the greedy muscular organ instantly probed itself into the crevice of her mouth.

    There was nothing innocent about this kiss, not like the one before. It was hot and demanding, tinged with sexual frustration. He was forceful and unrelenting, nipping and sucking on her bottom lip while smothering her with kisses. The slippery tongue proceeded to explore her mouth like some sort of treasure trove.

    "Mmmm¡­"

    Unable to think straight anymore, she moaned again as her own tongue met his in a tangled dance, melting under his touch. Her struggle gradually decreased until it eventually ceased altogether. Uncurling her fingers, she reached with her arms to grab his shoulders in an attempt to wrap her hands around his neck, but he was simply too tall for her to do so.

    In response to her efforts, she heard the man utter a low, primal sounding rumble of approval as he lowered his arms from her waist to firmly grabbed hold of her ass, lifting her up in the air to better reach his neck, he guided her legs to wrap around his waist.

    "Sh-sstop" Li Meirong breathed out between Zhu Qingyue''s unquenchable thirst for more.

    After several more rounds of battling with their mouths, he ultimately stopped, followed the request and allowing her to relax. He stood there, with his large palms securely cupping her pert bottom, pressing her against his now fully erect shaft with only the fabric of their clothes blocking the way.

    Li Meirong leaned on Bai Qingyue, their foreheads meeting as they were both left panting.

    "Let us complete our marital duties." Bai Qingyue hoarsely announced and began to stride towards the cabin while maintaining their position, grinding himself against her opening.

    "I haven''t even agreed to marry you yet." Li Meirong''s silvery voice remarked with a giggle. Perhaps it was the effects of their intimacy, her recent near-death experience or the result of her jumbled up hormones, but all things considered, she felt slightly drunk from their kiss.

    Bai Qingyue stopped in his tracks and growled, "You are trying to kill your husband."

 Chapter 170: Not Like He Has A Choice In The Matter

    While the couple had been preoccupied in their bickering, the twins who were supposed to have been on their merry way to the Hall of Punishment, had instead sneaked back to observe Bai Qingyue and Li Meirong''s interactions from the sidelines.

    "Say¡­ Sister, do my eyes and ears deceive me?" Xiao An Hua whispered to her sister, her big, round eyes widening in disbelief.

    "How can that be? I''m here by your side, seeing and hearing the very same thing!" Xiao An Fei replied in a hushed voice.

    "The Almighty God is flattering and indulging a human girl, shouldn''t the roles be reversed?!"

    "I''m not really sure what''s happening anymore, to be honest with you. Maybe this human is particularly hard to please and His Lordship didn''t manage to capture her heart?"

    Xiao An Hua puffed a few short breaths in an incredulous manner. "Our Sovereign Lord is the most desired god in all the Heavenly Realm. There''s no way a mere mortal would be able to resist his charms!"

    Squinting her eyes as she watched the pair, Xiao An Fei shook her head and said, "Sister, I''ve seen men act this way before. He''s definitely trying to show off his skills in order to impress the lady."

    "Impossible, ah! His Lordship is a walking block of ice and hates receiving attention from females, much more trying to impress them!" Xiao An Hua exclaimed.

    Xiao An Fei gently bonked her sister''s head with a fist. "Fool! He''s completely besotted because she''s his fated person. It''s not like he has much choice in the matter."

    "Oh¡­ right. But still, I''ve seen other Bai foxes with their fated ones, and usually, their counterparts were more than happy to be bestowed with the grace of marrying a celestial being. Why would our Sovereign Lord stoop so low as to pretend to be a weak mortal?"

    "You know, they say some humans hate creatures that are different from them. Maybe the mortal girl wants to marry a human man. A male from her own kind? That would make sense."

    Xiao An Hua went back to observing the Fox Lord. Despite performing only a few basic moves, His Lordship''s every strike and gesture portrayed his nobility. His very form in itself was sheer work of art, pale hair shimmering under the glow of the moonlight, an expressionless face that seemed to have been carved from the finest jade, long and lean arms executing deadly killing moves like a skilled artist honing his craft.

    She muttered under her breath, "Still! I cannot fathom this."

 Chapter 171: He Was Such A Busy Fox

    To say they were stunned by what they were seeing was an understatement.

    The handsome and ruthless Sovereign Lord, ruler of all the Celestial Nine-Tailed Foxes, the frightening Hu Li Jing, High Deity who puts nobody in his eyes was right there, strutting while performing a series of primary martial arts moves which even the youngest members of the clan had easily mastered. As if it was a great achievement, he looked no better than a peacock in mating season.

    There was no doubt about it, the Fox Lord was indeed showing off in front of his consort.

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but this is really hard to take in, okay?!

    Eeek!

    When the Fox Lord bent down to kiss the mortal girl, the fox twins immediately covered their eyes and turned around to face the other side. If they ended up seeing something they shouldn''t, they wouldn''t be able to preserve their eyesight!

    At that exact moment, Bai Yu popped his head from one of the bushes, huddling close between the Xiao twins.

    "I see that you''ve been acquainted with the other side of His Lordship''s personality." Bai Yu spoke with a hint of arrogance, scratching the back of his ears.

    The girls eyed the little fox perched between them, a sinister light could be seen in their eyes as they disregarded his words. "Oh, you came just at the right time. We were looking for you¡­"

    Bai Yu rubbed his plump belly, sniggering foolishly. Maybe this was his lucky year with the opposite sex? Women have been coming left and right after him, seeking his company!

    But sadly, he was such a busy fox, how could he possibly spare time for all of them?

    "Be it any other day, I would happily keep you ladies company. Alas, I am on a secret mission and can only humbly refuse."

    The girls rolled their eyes at him. "Who wants your companionship? You senile old fox! The Sovereign Lord ordered us to go to the Hall of Punishment! Hurry up, you must be back here by tomorrow morning."

    "..." Said the disguised ''Snowball''. Like the day turning into night, so did Bai Yu''s gloating happiness switch into immense sorrow.

    ''Why is Sire always punishing me? Uwuwuwuu¡­'' Bai Yu silently cried.

    Meanwhile, The Fox Lord''s consort righteously defended herself against her teacher''s statement. "Don''t be silly. How can you say such a thing? I don''t want you to die!"

    "Heh, well, you do not wish me to have any children. How can I continue my line without your cooperation? If that is not death to a man, I do not know what else to call it." Zhu Qingyue''s deep, magnetic voice didn''t match his brazen choice of words.

 Chapter 172: Kissing Monster

    "You!" Li Meirong just couldn''t believe it. Lost for words, her cheeks instantly burned a deep crimson. What happened to the domineering man she met at the brothel? After they''d had sex once, he had completely changed into a different person, one without shame!

    How did the weight of bearing his children suddenly fall on her incapable shoulders? She was unwilling to carry such a heavy burden!

    Desperately steering the conversation into safer territory, she inquired with a tone filled with irritation, "What about the martial arts technique I asked you to teach me?"

    Bai Qingyue was a master trickster. Would he not notice his wife''s attempts to save herself? He placed one hand at the back of her neck and pushed her face towards his, ravishing her lips once more.

    It would not be so easy!

    "You kissed me again!" She huffed, almost like a petulant child. After the onslaught, the bullied girl rubbed her sore lips with one hand while holding Zhu Qingyue''s shoulder with the other.

    His constant show of affection rattled her emotions, akin to a swarm of butterflies fluttering their wings inside her stomach. She had to make this uncomfortable feeling stop!

    Bai Qingyue stared with hooded eyes, appreciating the fine work he made of his wife''s lips. Full and swollen, the plump red lips appeared delectable and tantalizing, so much that he couldn''t resist taking another bite.

    "So I did¡­"

    His deep voice rumbled against her chest as he chuckled ever so softly. Then, without being able to react, the affronted girl found herself locked in a hot and heavy embrace as the devilish man leaned in to savour the fruits of his labour, kissing and sucking on her bottom lip again.

    "Mmph! Stop kissing me!" Li Meirong leaned away from him as she puffed her cheeks in anger, trying to squirm her way out of his hold.

    Bai Qingyue tilted her head back to properly view that grumpy yet silly expression, and his mouth inadvertently stretched into a subtle grin, a myriad of giddy emotions coursing through his body.

    "Why do you look so upset? You moaned so happily only moments ago." His golden eyes widened in mock horror as he asked, "Could it be my fault? Allow me to rectify my mistake."

    He entered the cabin and laid Li Meirong down on the bed. Leaning on top of her, he took another kiss in the process. Deciding that one wasn''t nearly enough, he bent down to plant a trail of kisses all over her face.

    "E-enough! You said you''d teach me Qinggong!" Li Meirong frowned, squeezing a sentence in between the kissing barrage, blocking his lips with her hands.

    However, she soon froze into a state of mortification. Was this roguish man actually kissing her palm?!

    ''Is he a kissing monster?! Since this devil started, he refused to stop!''

    Stealing another kiss, this time from the top of Li Meirong''s forehead, Bai Qingyue concluded it was time to yield to her.

    "I shall teach you whatever you wish to learn. However, your martial arts level is still too low to practise the art of Qinggong at the moment. Perhaps after a few weeks of training¡­"

    Actually, it could take a human years upon years to learn the flying technique, but when one learned martial arts from a god, one was bound to get a few perks here and there.

    Unfortunately, the mortal student remained oblivious to her lucky strike of gaining martial arts lessons from a deity. She could only see the bronze pot but not the gold underneath.

    Li Meirong''s anger only intensified. Why didn''t he mention this before? She had been both bullied and cheated!

    When she felt Zhu Qingyue''s warm lips pressing against her cheeks once more, the grumpy and slightly tipsy girl finally snapped.

    "You! Stop it now, you fiend!" Li Meirong pushed him away, yet despite all her efforts to block him, he only chuckled and gently held her hands in his.

    The kissing monster aimed to steal another kiss, but this time, Li Meirong lifted her legs and kicked him right in the gut.

    Bam!

    Senior Zhu flew back, crashing against the plank walls, toppling to the ground.

 Chapter 173: Absolutely Appreciate

    Zhu Qingyue sprawled on the floor, his face contorted in pain as he groaned aloud. A few planks broke from the wall, landing on his back with a solid impact.

    Gazing at the sight before her, Li Meirong blinked her eyes twice, confusion gradually morphing into fear.

    "Are you alright!?" Li Meirong shrieked in a bout of panic, sobering up completely. She shot out of the bed, darting straight towards him and kneeling at his side. She hastily removed the wooden boards off of him.

    "It''s not as bad as it seems." Zhu Qingyue whispered, letting out a low chuckle.

    Seeing her panicked expression, he spoke in an obvious attempt to reassure her and waved his hands in haste, yet hissed in pain as he attempted to reposition himself. Pointing to his back, Senior Zhu gestured for Li Meirong to help him reach the bed.

    Li Meirong immediately complied with his request, her slender arms carefully supporting Zhu Qingyue as she slowly helped the man lay down, pulling up a stool to sit by his side. The girl lowered her head in shame as guilt crossed her heart with each glance directed at him.

    "I didn''t know I could hurt you so badly. It was my fault, I''m so ashamed!" Li Meirong''s voice sounded unsteady as she spoke, her lower lip trembled as she held Zhu Qingyue''s palm with both her hands. Her anger had been long forgotten and she was left with the bitter taste of regret for her inconsiderate actions.

    What was she thinking? Kicking a dying man! He seemed so strong only moments ago that she had totally forgotten about his terminal condition. And to think she just kicked her mentor with a move that he, himself had taught her...

    After coughing a few times, Zhu Qingyue gave her palm a gentle squeeze, his golden eyes soft and warm as he gazed at her. "To have you become so worried for my sake is well worth the pain."

    Li Meirong felt those incessant butterflies stir inside her stomach at full force. She stared at the man lying on her bed, looking at her with such tenderness and vulnerability, and felt the icy barrier constructed around her heart finally begin to thaw.

    She wasn''t sure when it had happened, but at some point, this man had managed to sneak his way into her soul. She felt as though he was somehow a part of her now, or perhaps she was a part of him.

    He was brazen and odd, and clearly something of a pervert. His views and his lifestyle were undeniably different from her own, and yet despite all this, she had to admit he also had many qualities she could absolutely appreciate. He was capable of being righteous, honourable and kind. He was brave and honest, upfront about his feelings, which she greatly valued in any kind of relationship, and he wasn''t ashamed of his poor upbringing, which told her that he was also grounded and secure in his identity.

 Chapter 174: I Will Not Let You Die!

    More important than all of this, however, was that he seemed to really care about her in his own way, which clearly showed after he came to her rescue over and over again. He wanted to marry her as a means of protecting her from further mistreatment in the section. And every other intention he had seemed to be rooted in wanting to please and protect her. What more could she ask for in a companion, really?

    Perhaps she''d been wrong to condemn him, just as so many others were wrong about her. Whatever he was, he deserved to be acknowledged for his good qualities, she could no longer deny that.

    Coming to this conclusion, the girl''s ink black eyes were limpid and resolute as she firmly set her gaze upon the man''s peerless countenance. Her words crystal clear as she spoke, "Zhu Qingyue, I will not let you die!"

    Senior Zhu appeared to be mystified by her declaration. As he was about to question the girl, she retracted her hands and announced, "I''ll be back shortly. I prepared something for you!"

    After her declaration, Li Meirong shut her eyes and almost instantaneously disappeared, leaving only her mortal shell crouching by the bedside.

    After his wife''s soul departed into the spatial dimension, Bai Qingyue still remained laying on the tiny bed, staring at Li Meirong with a look of perplexity on his face. He imagined her saying or doing any number of things that night, such as finally agreeing to marry him, bear his children, or even just perform her wifely duties out of sympathy for his suffering... However, once again, the girl had managed to completely negate all of his expectations.

    Indeed, when it came to handling his consort, the circumstances always seemed to be beyond his control. And yet, despite not having the situation shift to his desires, Bai Qingyue still couldn''t stop his mouth from stretching into an elated, full-blown grin.

    Since Li Meirong didn''t wish for him to die, didn''t that actually mean that she already cared deeply for him?

    After so long, he finally managed to hold a place in her heart, not as a fox, but as a man.

    Currently, the Sovereign Lord''s mind was occupied with thoughts of wondering what his consort had prepared for him¡­

    ''But for now, I have to take care of this¡­'' Bai Qingyue silently mused, sighing in frustration as he assessed the problematic region of his bulging third leg.

    Relinquishing the wounded man''s facade, the Fox Lord strode to the bamboo enclosure and showered himself in freezing cold water.

 Chapter 175: The Weeds Simply Had To Go

    Back inside the dimension, Li Meirong had transported herself into the very same familiar flower field. However, the colourful, sweet-scented view of the flowers had now been changed into a different type of scenery.

    Li Meirong darted back and forth amid the field, scanning the mushroom-filled meadow in bewildered despair. Only a few flowers and herbs had now remained in the area since the majority of the flora had been displaced by a heap of fungi. Huge, thick, stems they were, with glossy auburn, kidney-shaped caps. The polypore mushrooms colonized the whole field, peculiarly shooting straight out of the ground.

    In the meadow''s middle, one large lingzhi mushroom stood apart from the masses. It looked far grander than its smaller, identical-looking neighbours as it stood aloft, its large red cap shined with a waxy glow under the beaming light rays of the dimension''s space.

    Li Meirong approached the massive mushroom with a questioning look in her eyes, tapping on its wide top with her knuckles.

    The mushroom tilted its cap slightly forward in excitement, ''Distinguished Master, I have been waiting for you!'' It communicated telepathically with her, its tone filled with glorious cheer.

    Li Meirong''s shoulders trembled as she curled her hand into a fist and knocked the mushroom''s head, furiously scolding the fungi, "What have you done to my field?!"

    She seriously wanted to cry now. Why, all her beautiful, priceless flowers and herbs were all but gone¡­

    ''Ahh! Don''t hit, don''t hit! I told you I''d give you a field of mushrooms, remember?''

    "You forgot to mention that you''d decimate my flowers in exchange!" Li Meirong fumed, spreading her arms and pointing at her ruined flower field.

    True, it had delighted her to discover the valuable lingzhi mushrooms growing in such large quantities, but¡­ couldn''t they do so without ruining her already existing garden?!

    ''The soil here provides us with rich nutrients, so the weeds simply had to go.'' The mushroom explained very logically.

    ''Weeds?'' Li Meirong facepalmed herself.

    "Nevermind. No use crying over spilt milk. I need the mushrooms now so I''ll be plucking a few."

    Sounding as sweet as honey, the sentient Lingzhi rejoiced, ''Go ahead, go ahead! Please give me another drop of blood, and I''ll keep taking care of the field for you!''

    Li Meirong snorted in response, but went ahead and gave the mushroom her blood after plucking several lingzhi stalks and stuffing them inside the green storage bag which she received from Xiong Mei.

    Then, she bent down and dug a few small holes in a patch of unoccupied soil with her bare fingers, planting a few of her preserved spirit grass seeds along with the half moon lilies.

    For a while now, she had been curious about the effects of this spatial dimension when it came down to planting herbs brought from the outside, and wondered if their properties would enhance or change in any way.

    Following that, Li Meirong summoned a damp napkin and wiped her fingers clean while warning the mushroom "boss" in a low voice, "Don''t you dare ruin the herbs I just planted! You need to learn to share this space with the rest of the plants, understood?"

    ''Understood, understood! Not touching the useless weeds anymore."

    She turned around without saying another word and tucked the dirty napkin in her bag as she began to head out towards the library. Right now, she was on a mission and didn''t have a lot of time to spare. She had to find a way to help Zhu Qingyue, and perhaps, with the advice of this magical dimension, she''d be able to find a cure.

    Just as Li Meirong was about to leave, the sentient mushroom called out to her, ''Wait, Master! You need to make a contract with me!''

 Chapter 176: Ben Mo

    Stopping in her tracks, Li Meirong stared back at the mushroom, crossed her arms together and huffed, "And why should I?"

    The mushroom bent the tips of its cap and communicated in a tear-filled voice, ''You know, it''s not good to quit things halfway. You already gave me blood and that''s already half the contract process. Don''t leave me hanging!''

    The sound of the Lingzhi''s weeping rang in Li Meirong''s ears.

    "..." Li Meirong wondered whether plant spirits had an inborn ability to render their victims speechless.

    The Lingzhi Mushroom didn''t wait for her to speculate and hurried to slice a part of its flesh as it urged the girl, ''Eat this and give me a name, Master.''

    Thinking that there''s nothing for her to lose in making this contract after already having her garden destroyed, Li Meirong picked the mushroom''s slice flesh and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing it slowly.

    Next, she didn''t ponder for very long before coming up with a name for it.

    "From now on, you''re going to be called Ben Mo!" She stated and immediately headed to the library.

    The newly named Ben Mo silently cursed his master. ''Why, this grouchy girl named me a foolish mushroom!''

    Within a few minutes, Li Meirong had already reached the second floor and began browsing through various bamboo and parchment scrolls stacked inside the bookshelves.

    She found a specific section with all sorts of accounts regarding poisonous bugs, but the collection was so large that she didn''t even know what to start reading about.

    "Senior Zhu said he was infected with the poison of a rare venomous bug," She mumbled to herself in distress as she absentmindedly twirled a stray strand of hair that fell down her cheek, "But there are so many different poisons listed here¡­" She paused for a moment and added, "How do I even find the right one?"

    Slightly despondent, Li Meirong had to admit that she was more than a little overwhelmed as she sorted through the notes.

    Eventually, she gave up on looking for a specific piece and tossed all the content related scrolls inside the green storage bag, deciding to sort through them back at home after brewing medicine for Zhu Qingyue.

    Before leaving, she didn''t neglect to pay a visit to Chou and Feng Huang, and unlike last time, she made sure to provide her contracted pets with drops of blood in the same exact way which she did for Ben Mo.

    Yet, contrary to her plans, when she returned to the cabin, Zhu Qingyue was no longer waiting there. He left a written note that explained something along the lines of cooking a few dishes. And since Li Meirong had already been acquainted with his excellent culinary skills, she didn''t think much of it, assuming the senior had gone to prepare himself a something to eat.

    Without further delay, she started boiling the medicinal brew, chopping the lingzhi mushrooms and adding them to the broth after simmering it with a collection of dried spiritual herbs that she had previously stored inside the kitchen counter.

    Seeing that the hour was already late, Li Meirong transferred the medicinal brew into a closed container and took off her undergarments in preparation for bedtime. She planned to deliver the broth to Zhu Qingyue tomorrow at the earliest time possible, knowing that he most likely wouldn''t come back tonight.

    By the time she went to bed, Snowball finally returned home and jumped on top of the mattress, giddily falling into her arms. The young fox licked Li Meirong''s cheek as he nestled his furry muzzle between his favourite soft pair of mounds.

 Chapter 177: Over The Week

    Amidst the gentle breeze and calm waters, a week had swiftly passed by without Li Meirong''s notice.

    Much to her surprise, Zhu Qingyue did not move in right away and respected her wishes. The enigmatic devil did, however, force her into a refurbishing agreement, under the excuse of accommodating his own set of furniture. The bewitching man had a special way with words, and somehow, she seemed to succumb to nearly every demand that flew out of his mouth.

    Confounded and slightly frustrated, the girl couldn''t help but think back to how Zhu Qingyue had easily brushed off her questions. When she had asked him which type of objects he had planned on moving into her cabin, he had barely bothered to provide her with an answer.

    In spite of her reluctance, a tiny piece of her still anticipated his arrival, and she held on to that feeling in hopes that it would overcome any residual feelings of mistrust and reservation she may have still had.

    What had greatly pleased Li Meirong during the past week was Snowball''s clingy behaviour. He seemed to have regressed to his old, spoiled ways, sticking to her like glue.

    This entire week, Snowball had not left her side. Only when Senior Zhu visited during the evenings to teach her martial arts, did the little fox mysteriously vanish until the lesson was over.

    A soft blush spread across the girl''s cheeks as she remembered her first martial arts training session. Since that time, Zhu Qingyue hadn''t laid a hand on her, and she wondered if the kick to the gut had finally made him back away from his intentions to wed her. Was he having second thoughts about his marriage proposal?

    She had presented him with the lingzhi infused medicinal brew upon meeting with him the next day after their first lesson, as a form of atonement for her actions.

    The gesture seemed to have pleased him, that is, if the slight upward curve to the corners of his lips could possibly be any sort of indication. Albeit, his hesitation to drink the concoction had left her a tad disappointed.

    Zhu Qingyue gently caressed the top of her head before taking the container, his aloof expression, hiding his thoughts when he chose to pack the beverage instead of drinking it before her eyes, had cooled the expectant girl''s heart.

    At the time, she had also tried to pry for more information regarding the poison that afflicted him, but any of her burning questions, particularly those about Senior Zhu''s ailment, had been quickly evaded as he extended his long fingers to correct her posture. Otherwise, he would always shake his head and change the subject entirely by launching into a discussion about cultivation.

    Furthermore, another peculiar thing happened during the past seven days. She had not managed to see Xiong Mei ever since their first encounter. Li Meirong wanted to relay to her what happened with the mad spirit beast, Tiny. Then again¡­ she wasn''t certain that she wished to actively seek out the aqua-eyed girl, still feeling slightly awkward from their previous meeting.

    When she finally gathered to courage to seek the girl, Xiong Mei appeared to have vanished into thin air. Even after questioning the fellow inner disciples about the whereabouts of the exotic looking beauty, all Li Meirong had received in response were countless blank stares and looks of confusion.

    Over the week''s course, Li Meirong''s cultivation had improved at a steady and visible pace. However, according to Senior Zhu, she was still not yet ready to practise the art of qinggong.

 Chapter 178: Date

    As for harnessing energy from the elements, she still hadn''t managed to cultivate correctly and ended up becoming exhausted after every single attempt. Despite feeling the spirit powers welling up inside her dantian, she was unable to ascend higher even though she had already reached the peak of the foundation stage.

    By the time the week had nearly ended, Li Meirong realized that she had barely seen Zhu Qingyue except for her brief training sessions with him. Yet, whenever she wished to see the enigmatic senior, he would appear within minutes, knocking on the door as though she could somehow summon him by sheer force of will.

    After ending each daily martial arts lesson, Senior Zhu would march straight to the bamboo enclosure and take a shower, only to disappear right after.

    That strange man...

    The more time she spent with the enigmatic senior, the more she felt herself becoming attached to him. Li Meirong''s continuous, daily meetings with the man had only driven her to put more effort into her research, so she could find a cure for his ailment.

    Inside the cabin, Li Meirong sat down for a moment to relax after several hours of sorting through her collection of scrolls. Whilst rubbing her face in Snowball''s fur for comfort, she suddenly paused, her limpid eyes narrowing in thought.

    Each time she had attempted to read the scrolls pertaining to the complex world of poisons and the myriad of venoms that eluded her mental grasp, the little fox would tug at her sleeve, gazing at her with tear-filled eyes as he begged for affection.

    Today was no exception to the spoiled fox''s behaviour. With a sigh, Li Meirong carefully placed Snowball onto the ground before securing the scrolls inside the green storage bag. She wasn''t able to leave any of her items lying around anymore due to her broken wooden board wall. A small gust of wind was now capable of blowing all of her notes and papers straight out and scatter them all over the garden.

    A few hours ago, Senior Zhu had sent a note, inviting her to come over to his courtyard for an evening meal instead of conducting the regular martial arts lesson.

    She knew it was not a common practise in this day and age for people to date, yet she still considered the invitation as such.

    Li Meirong didn''t have a large variety of clothes in her wardrobe, but she primped to the best of her ability. She adorned herself with a pair of seashell earrings and applied subtle red eyeshadow around her eyes to match the cinnabar rouge in her possession, the scarlet tint enhanced the glow of her milk-white skin. After thoroughly brushing it down, she chose to leave her hair loose to flow free in the evening breeze.

 Chapter 179: News of Your Wife

    While Li Meirong had finished her preparations and was on her way to meet Zhu Qingyue at his residence, another important meeting was taking place at Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s abode.

    On the top floor''s terrace of the grandmaster''s home, the five-storeyed pagoda, sat a powerful, regal man upon a golden chaise, skimming through the contents of his latest experiment.

    A swirl of smoke condensed before the seated man, who was none other than the grandmaster himself, as the shape of a snow white fox cub appeared before him.

    Bai Zhang raised his ink-black eyes from his notes to stare at the cub. His face contorted into a subtle frown as he invoked his inner energy, a sizzling spark of flame materialised around him.

    "Why have you come here?"

    Noticing the undisguised threat, the small fox immediately bowed deeply and explained himself, "Lord Bai, the Sovereign Lord is currently occupied and does not suspect me. I have news of your wife."

    "Drop the title, Bai Yu. There can only be one Lord in our clan and I have long since relinquished my title. Also, my son is cleverer than you might think. Don''t assume that just because he''s acting like a besotted fool that he does not notice anything else. How long can you use that human female as an excuse for your disappearances?" Bai Zhang''s voice was low, much like his son''s, but lacked Bai Qingyue''s menacing undertone. The oppressive energy dissipated after he finished speaking and placed his notes aside.

    At that moment, the fox cub shape-shifted into a humanoid form, and at once, Bai Yu''s bulky shape appeared before the Grandmaster, kneeling upon on the floor in front of Bai Zhang.

    "I wouldn''t dare presume His Lordship to be a foolish man! But he has not left Her Ladyship''s side at all this week except for the times in which he practised his¡­ culinary skills. I don''t think he suspects, or cares about my whereabouts that much." Bai Yu''s response was straightforward as usual. He lacked the cunningness of his kind, but that missing trait had also made him a great subordinate.

    Hearing his reply, the Grandmaster let out a dry laugh. He knew very well where Little Qingyue had been spending his time lately, the demolished kitchen in his residence was an unmistakable proof of the Fox Lord''s pastime activities.

    Directly eyeing the former second in command, Bai Zhang inquired, "It''s good that you think so. So, where is that witch right now?"

 Chapter 180: You Can Come Out Now

    Bai Yu gulped his own spit before he spoke, "It''s as you suspected. Hong Meigui''s presence has been found in this world, but she is being protected by a powerful force. This Subordinate is unable to pinpoint her location."

    Bai Zhang hummed softly, drumming his fingers upon the chaise pad and gestured with his other hand for Bai Yu to rise, "Keep your guard up at all times. She will come here, sooner or later."

    "Yes, Elder Bai!" The former second in command bowed once more before making his appeal, "But Sir, when will His Lordship be informed of your plans? This One cannot continue hiding secrets from the Sovereign Lord for long. This One swore an oath of fealty to him and is betraying his master by concealing information!"

    Bai Zhang approached the kneeling guard, placing his hand on Bai Yu''s shoulder as he looked him over with respect, "You are loyal to your clan, and that fact alone should matter more than anything else. Breaking the curse must be our utmost priority for the sake of our family''s prosperity. When the time is right, I will include my son. Don''t feel guilty for your actions, young Bai Yu."

    "Still, This Subordinate does not feel that this is right. His Lordship should know¡­" Bai Yu''s masculine voice trembled slightly. He didn''t quite mind the punishment. He was even willing to kill himself if need be, however the thought of deceiving his master had been plaguing him like a sword stabbing into his heart.

    "Stop your foolish thinking." Bai Zhang scoffed, "You are not betraying your master, you''re simply working for the sake of the greater good. Come back to inform me again, only if you find any further news relating to the curse or the red vixen."

    "Sir." Bai Yu bowed once more, shape-shifted into "Snowball" and disappeared at once.

    A sliver of moonlight spilled into the room, bathing the forlorn Fox God with its shimmering glow.

    Only a few seconds after the subordinate''s departure, Bai Zhang called out as he stared at the distance, peering into the moonlit sky, "You can come out now."

    Directly after, from the shadows of the grandmaster''s halls came a form of a beautiful woman with skin like caramel and eyes like teal sparkling jewels.

    "We have forged an alliance and yet you haven''t even told me your family decided to come over for a visit." The woman held the back of her hand against her lips as she laughed, her voice rang like silver bells in the hall.

    As she approached Bai Zhang''s side, there was something puzzling in the woman''s gait. It seemed to be quite masculine, clearly indicated by her confident stride. The air of arrogance exuding from the feminine beauty was, indeed, rather unusual.

 Chapter 181: She Turned Into A Man

    Without turning to glance back at the woman, Bai Zhang scoffed in response, "I am not obliged to provide you with any sort of explanation. Our interactions are to be limited to finding a solution for breaking the spell."

    "Indeed, but you forget that I am your ranking superior. You are obliged to involve me in anything I deem relevant." As she spoke, the woman''s body began to shift, growing taller and more imposing. Slim shoulders widened and breasts retracted into a flat chest. The robe "she" was wearing seemed to have magically adjusted to her new masculine physique.

    There was no trace left of the feminine beauty. Instead, it was replaced with a striking and impressive male with bronze skin and eyes that shine brighter than all the stars in the night sky. A pair of large dark horns grew out from the sides of his forehead, each protruding bone split and divided into several more prongs, similar to an adult elk''s antlers.

    Despite the man''s words, Bai Zhang stood tall and unperturbed, still staring into the distance.

    "Alas, a person''s status means nothing to me now, so save your royal arrogance for someone who cares." Bai Zhang''s hands clenched and unclenched as he spoke and his eyes sparked with a look of determination, "All that matters now is breaking this wretched curse."

    The woman who had turned into a man laughed loudly. His voice now sounded rough and yet somehow retained its distinct personality, "Yes yes, I already know all about your obsession. Don''t worry, I wouldn''t still be here if I didn''t like your obnoxious attitude! I''ll continue to let your insubordination slide, but don''t forget your promise to me, Old Fox. When the time is right, I will need the Huli Jing''s allegiance to compete with my older brother for the throne."

    Bai Zhang sighed and replied wearily, "It will not be that simple. You and I have been gone from the Heavenly Realm for a very long time, and my son''s sudden appearance changes everything. I expected to have to battle the elders for the clan head''s position, but not my own flesh blood."

    The man with skin like dark honey paced forward and leaned one foot on the lower rung of the terrace''s railing, "Even though your son is currently the Sovereign Lord, you are still the strongest god in your clan, isn''t that so? Force the celestial foxes to obey you."

 Chapter 182: Dragon Prince

    The man then jumped up and balanced himself on top of the railing, his long garment flapping against the wind as he shapeshifted back into Xiong Mei''s familiar, dainty appearance. With a burst of melodic laughter she added, "You better get your son to join our cause, because if he won''t be my ally, he will definitely be my enemy."

    "Are you threatening me again?"

    Then Xiong Mei turned to stare at Bai Zhang, her bright ocean water eyes meeting his, "Call it what you will, ah! But trust me, you don''t want your fox cub to be my enemy."

    She pushed off the railing with a leap and flew high into the night sky, her final words lingered in the air, "Also, be a dear and get him off my back already. He''s been sniffing around for my whereabouts since I met the sweet-smelling human girl."

    After hearing that, Bai Zhang''s brow arched high with a contemplative look on his face. ''Sweet smelling? Oh my¡­''

    He had an alliance with the Jade Emperor''s bastard child for many years now, but this was the first time he had seen the illegitimate prince shapeshift into his original form. The Dragon Prince was a peculiar being who was difficult to decipher, and it was even more difficult for anyone to grab hold of his attention. The Prince may be the type of character that laughs and teases, but there was nothing genuine or pleasant about him.

    From what little he knew of the Dragon Prince, all he ever seemed to care about was assembling troops to challenge the heir apparent for the throne, and the Huli Jing were known to be some of the best fighters in the Heavenly Realm. As such, the request to forge an alliance came as no surprise. The Bai clan had age old scores to settle with the dragon clan, and toppling the Jade Emperor''s reign wouldn''t be such an unthinkable plan for the tribe who had been condemned by him into extinction.

    Still, why would Long Tiang Feng, the royal bastard child whose only thoughts were to overthrow his father''s rule, suddenly take an interest in Li Meirong, Little Qingyue''s human..? And why now, after so many years, did he suddenly choose to shift back into his male form, even if just for a few seconds?

    Shaking his head at these troubling thoughts, Bai Zhang went back to looking over the notes on his latest experiments. Hopefully, he was just overthinking the matter.

 Chapter 183: Counting The Seconds As They Passed By

    In the dark of the night, a ring of dimly lit candles graced Zhu Qingyue''s courtyard in an arc of flickering warm yellow, the flames wavering with the occasional breeze.

    Luckily, the weather was perfect for eating outside, neither too hot nor too cold. The commonly seen mist on top of the floating sect island had mysteriously dissipated. It was a rare and beautifully clear night with a brilliant array of stars shining high above.

    The table in the yard was already set for dinner. An assortment of small porcelain plates with pickled vegetables, stuffed dumplings and two rice bowls were laid on top of the stone surface along with the accompanying sets of chopsticks. In the middle, several cups were placed beside a large steaming teapot.

    The exquisite meal and carefully arranged cloister was concealed from prying eyes by the dense foliage and the camphor wood slatwall panels surrounding it.

    An agitated man with a pair of phoenix eyes blazing like the morning sun was waiting impatiently by the entrance to the courtyard. His broad shoulders were stiff and his mouth stretched into a thin line while counting the seconds as they passed by.

    A gentle wind blew through the scene and few stray leaves fell from the tall trees, decorating the strikingly handsome man''s loosely tied silver hair with hints of green and yellow.

    Inside the residence, the twin servants who had assisted in cooking the meal and preparing everything for Her Ladyship''s arrival, stood on their tiptoes, sneaking a peek at their lord pacing back and forth by the doorway.

    They simply couldn''t help themselves. Their expressionless, peerless, domineering Sovereign Lord looked no more superior than a young maiden anxiously anticipating the night of her betrothal. The Heavenly Realm''s warden appeared to be so out of character that, had they not known better, the Xiao twins would have assumed he had been replaced with an imposter.

    The Fox Lord might have been tense and unsettled, unbefitting his godly entity, but he was still as breathtakingly beautiful as ever. He was wearing what could be mistaken at first glance for a plain black robe. Upon closer inspection, however, one could see the shimmering quality of the fabric and the golden embroidery sewn into the cloth in the shapes of complicated mandala patterns.

    The bewitching facial features, so ravishing they could easily outshine even the goddess of beauty herself, along with his ivory skin, lean form and tall stature, made Bai Qingyue a truly unforgettable sight for any person, mortal or immortal who would dare lay eyes upon him.

    Suddenly, the Fox Lord froze in place. Only his face turned slowly, almost mechanically so, towards the entrance as his keen hearing picked on the sound of Li Meirong''s approaching footsteps.

    Finally. Finally, she arrived! He had nearly burst into flames from all the waiting.

 Chapter 184: Clang

    When Li Meirong unlatched the gate and passed through it, the image greeting the Fox Lord''s eyes had caused him to suck in a sharp breath through his teeth.

    Bai Qingyue''s raven-haired wife was not the kind of girl to put a lot of effort into her appearance, he knew this, and that certainly didn''t matter to him, for she was a natural beauty that hardly needed any embellishing. However tonight, she chose to adorn herself with jewellery, highlighting her appeal, and rouge that made her juicy lips look like they were made to be kissed. Li Meirong''s small oval face and slender waist made her appear even more young and delicate. She was dressed in a pale loose robe that was not ornately made but its simplicity only complimented her gentle beauty and bright limpid eyes. All in all, she resembled a white lotus flower, tenderly fresh and pure.

    Standing still as a statue, Bai Qingyue was rendered spellbound.

    It wasn''t until the girl had rushed to his side, slightly gasping for breath, that he snapped out of his reverie. Her pale cheeks instantly turned rosy when she momentarily tugged on his sleeve.

    "Sorry I''m late¡­" Li Meirong''s soft voice sounded shaky.

    Bai Qingyue could hear her heartbeat accelerating, and the drumming pulse was the most beautiful melody he had ever listened to. The vision of her small, beguiling form brought out a beastly, primitive side of him to the surface, urging to topple this girl to the ground and have her dig those small fingernails into his flesh, gasping his name while he drove himself inside her inviting wetness.

    The images flooding his mind made his throat turn dry.

    "You came at the right time." Unable to hold her gaze, Bai Qingyue cleared his throat, trying to sound relaxed. He spun around and signalled for her to accompany him to her prearranged seat, pointedly avoiding her hypnotizingly starry eyes.

    Li Meirong timidly teetered a few steps behind him.

    After making certain she was seated comfortably, he went to sit opposite her, his expression giving none of his inner turmoil away as he observed her for a brief moment.

    It seemed as though she was just as nervous as he, her face cast downwards and she stared at her own lap, biting her lower lip.

    Bai Qingyue''s pupils dilated as he caught sight of the slightly swollen lip. That simple nervous action, he noted, drove him one step closer to the edge of insanity.

    Was she trying to seduce him? Because she certainly didn''t have to work so hard!

    He picked up his own chopsticks, pretending to be greatly interested in eating. Then, he selected a few of the side dishes and placed them in Li Meirong''s rice bowl, and proceeded to add the same selection to his own bowl.

    "Try these."

    Li Meirong smiled bashfully and nodded her head as she picked up a pickled slice of veggie with her own chopsticks, nibbled on it and hummed in appreciation.

    "Thank you." She mumbled after a few more bites, "I like the way you made them, slightly sweet and sour at the same time."

    "I am pleased to hear..." Bai Qingyue spoke at length, easily taking credit for his servants'' hard work without batting an eye, he went ahead and sampled the appetizers from his own bowl.

    After tasting the pickled vegetables and finding the flavour sufficiently pleasant, he picked a few meat dumplings from the porcelain plates and deposited them atop Li Meirong''s rice bowl.

    Soon, Li Meirong''s bowl had turned into a miniature pyramid of different dishes piled on top of each other.

    "..." Feeling slightly amazed by her teacher''s shower of affection, she slowly raised her widened eyes to meet his.

    The Fox Lord''s hand was currently occupied with holding his chopsticks, carrying a serving of meat dumpling to his partly opened mouth.

    Then, in a moment of rare confidence, Li Meirong''s lips parted ever so slowly as she said rather meekly, "You look really handsome tonight. Um," She bit on her lower lip once more before adding, "Although you probably don''t need me to tell you that." she ended the compliment with a nervous giggle.

    Clang.

    Bai Qingyue''s dumpling never reached his mouth. The steamed bun rolled on the table until it fell off the side along with his clattered chopsticks that dropped from his long shaking fingers.

 Chapter 185: Driving Him Mad!

    His molten gold eyes darkened into a glazed caramel shade. Like a fish out of water, he gawked, opening and closing his mouth for a few times. It suddenly became so hard to breathe.

    "Oh, Let me pick that up for you." Li Meirong merely kept her head low as she bent down, her porcelain arms sweeping across the floor to pick up the fallen sticks.

    Sometimes, the most innocent of situations can instantly become explicitly ambiguous.

    "Hn." Grunting in affirmation, Bai Qingyue''s slanted eyes narrowed as they locked on the bane of his existence while she bent down dangerously close to the juncture between his legs.

    However, the girl remained as innocent as ever. Bright, lucid eyes stared back at him from her kneeling position like a ripe fruit. Sweet and tempting.

    His imagination was certainly working overtime tonight. He couldn''t help picture her small juicy lips clamping on the tip of his shaft as her fair hands worked their way up and down, just as they did before.

    She was driving him mad!

    Unable to control himself any longer, Bai Qingyue immediately wrapped his long arm around Li Meirong''s slender waist and lifted her up to sit on his lap. The chopsticks she picked up dropped to the ground again.

    His grip on her tightened as he heard her soft gasp. Her small dainty palms pushed against his chest, trying to separate them.

    "Zhu Qingyue, what do you think you''re doing?!" Li Meirong''s voice sounded fierce while glaring at him, her behaviour unmatching her tender appearance.

    As she writhed on top of his legs, the crown of her head bumped his chin and Bai Qingyue ended up drawing a deep breath, inhaling her scent. He felt himself easily grow intoxicated by her. She emitted a stronger, sweeter fragrance now than she did before.

    The girl felt so incredibly tiny and frail in his arms that he found himself relishing the feeling of embracing her all the more. Although he wished for nothing more than to press her tightly against him, he knew it wasn''t the right time.

    If he was to push her down now, he may very well be able to receive the pleasure of her body, but knew that he still didn''t fully possess her, not yet anyway. He acted against his own desires and loosened his hold over her.

    After regaining a semblance of whatever was left of his sanity, Bai Qingyue exhaled loudly and playfully teased the girl, pinching her soft cheek, "Why do you always struggle against me? One would think I''m trying to eat you."

    Li Meirong swatted his hand away and didn''t bother with maintaining her manners any longer as she snorted in response, "Aren''t you?"

    ''Indeed, I do.'' Moving both arms to support his wife''s waist as she stood up, Bai Qingyue gritted his teeth, masking his true thoughts. He forced himself to clear his mind from the vividly lustful images.

    Instead, he righteously justified his behaviour after few dry coughs, "You are mistaken. I only wished to help you stand up. I''m an innocent man being wronged."

 Chapter 186: Short Ribs

    There was a moment of silence between the couple as Li Meirong questioned her conclusions.

    A few moments later, Bai Qingyue saw Li Meirong''s frown gradually relax and knew that he had successfully managed to mislead her. The invisible knot in his stomach had loosened up as well.

    "Oh¡­ then, I appreciate the assistance." Her face became flushed, as though she was the one in the wrong, misunderstanding the upright man''s intentions.

    "What did you think I tried to do?"

    "... I¡­" Li Meirong began to explain her reasoning but found herself tongue-tied as she saw Zhu Qingyue''s thin mouth draw into a grin that quickly escalated into a chortle.

    "You! Can you stop teasing me?!" She gave the side of his shoulder a playful shove.

    "Ow! Heartless girl," Bai Qingyue cried out in pain while clutching his own shoulder, "Now that you''ve grown stronger and no longer have need of me, you want to kick me to the curb."

    Li Meirong rolled her eyes and pointedly pushed him again, "Can you stop fooling around?"

    Over the course of last week, she found herself growing more familiar with the peculiar teacher. Right now, she already felt at ease exchanging these kinds of words with him, their silly conversations became an everyday occurrence. She discovered that Zhu Qingyue was quite the friendly, playful man who liked to joke around.

    Though, he didn''t seem to know when to stop teasing.

    "Who is fooling around? I am deadly serious. You have to treat me with tender care, and you need to uphold your promise of marriage before the worst happens to me¡­" The silver-haired man''s voice was both alluring and magnetic, despite his obvious pity talk.

    Li Meirong squinted her eyes at him in contempt, "I already told you that I won''t let you die. I''m working hard to find a cure for you. Don''t say these kinds of things even as a joke, alright?"

    "Mhmm¡­ Even if you find a cure, you are still heartless for rejecting my genuine proposal." Bai Qingyue nodded his head at her words, but his playful grin revealed that he had no intention of changing his ways.

    "I didn''t reject," Li Meirong promptly interjected, avoiding his penetrating stare, "I just need some time to think about it." Her words were spoken so quickly, it barely sounded corrigible, yet the man seemed to have understood her all the same.

    "I shall wait for you."

    Following his statement, Li Meirong didn''t answer. However, her whole face turned as red as a tomato and a somewhat foolish-looking smile was plastered across her face.

    Pleased by her reaction, Bai Qingyue moved on to the next step in tonight''s event and lifted his hand up high, clicking his finger and thumb together.

    On cue, the assigned servants went out of the house at the same exact time, their faces were practically red as their deceived mistress. Each of them held a plate covered by an opaque lid.

    "They are¡­?" At once, Li Meirong''s shoulders grew tense, the corners of her lips curving upwards suddenly seemed stiff. She became both apprehensive and confused by the newcomers. Two beautiful, young girls had exited Zhu Qingyue''s residence all of a sudden, the man who insisted on marrying her. What did this all mean?

    Bai Qingyue glanced at his wife''s distraught expression and felt a strange sense of satisfaction at perceiving her unease, though he had no intention of providing the girl with the opportunity to entertain any suspicions about him.

    "These outer sect disciples are your new maids from this moment henceforth, their names are Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei. They are not very competent but I hope they will be able to assist you with your daily activities."

    "..." The maids stayed silent, their heads bowing low and their expressions remained unseen.

    Actually, they were busy shedding silent tears at the injustice made unto them.

    ''Sire, we are goddesses from the Heavenly Realm. How can you call us incompetent?!''

    Li Meirong had certainly not expected this declaration, she stared surprised at the girls, "This¡­"

    Without being given an option to refute, Xiao An Hua made a step forward and presented the main course, uncovering the lid, "We brought the main dish as requested, slow roasted short ribs."

 Chapter 187: Grumpy For No Good Reason

    Following that introduction, Li Meirong was ushered to sit back at the dinner table.

    The servants set the main course at the center of the table in front of the pair, as well as provided Senior Zhu with a new set of chopsticks before hurriedly retreating into the recesses of the residence after receiving a subtle signal from their disguised lord.

    Li Meirong stared flustered at Senior Zhu from across the table. Her voice turned soft and quiet, "You didn''t have to arrange attendants for me, I know how to take care of myself. Please tell them that I don''t need their service."

    With one eyebrow raised, Bai Qingyue answered, "You will keep the servants. Be that as it may, you do have a tendency to get into trouble quite often and you never know when you might need an extra pair of hands."

    "Still, I don''t even have any space for them" She almost huffed, "My home can''t host any more people." Li Meirong added a few more excuses to support her claim.

    Bai Qingyue spoke with clarity as he explained as a matter of fact, "You seem to have forgotten your own words. Previously, you have permitted me to refurbish our home so I may finally be able to move in. Moreover, since you keep using the lack of space as an excuse to bar me from moving in with you, I am forced to add an additional room for myself. It shouldn''t be too difficult to attach servant quarters and indoor bathing chambers, just a few simple changes to make our accommodation more pleasant."

    Meanwhile, the girl''s fair cheeks puffed up in a fit of anger, resembling a pair of steamed buns. She folded her arms together and gave him a pointed look, "You are so frustrating! I can never win an argument with you!"

    First, Zhu Qingyue decided to make her home his own, then he somehow convinced her to refurbish the place, and last but not least, now he''s adding servants to the whole package. No matter what, it seemed like she never even had a say in the matter. He kept deciding everything, and she always ended up accepting the verdicts.

    Instead of getting mad, however, the bewitching man looked amused¡­ happy, even.

    "Whatever do you mean? We are not arguing at all. You keep getting grumpy for no good reason." Bai Qingyue picked up a slice of rib from the middle and placed it atop Li Meirong''s already filled rice bowl, his every movement was unhurried and graceful.

    Then, he gave a low chuckle and pointed at it with his chopsticks "It''s not good for you to eat when you are angry. Here, try this and tell me what you think."

    "No good reason, he says¡­" Li Meirong grumbled under her breath, but her attention soon drifted to the stuffed bowl.

    The savoury aroma of the slow-cooked meat smelled very appetizing, and it didn''t take long for her to pick her own chopsticks and sample the rib.

    Upon nibbling on a slice, the soft texture of slow-cooked beef led her to let out an appreciative moan, it was so tender that even the bone was edible. Also, the dish wasn''t too salty and only a tad spicy, it had been seasoned just right.

    "Oh, it''s really tasty! You''re quite skilled!"

    Bai Qingyue knowingly smirked in triumph after seeing that his little wife''s mood was improving, "It is good that you like it."

    Li Meirong nodded her head enthusiastically.

    Meanwhile, Bai Qingyue didn''t bother with eating, he was far too occupied with watching the silly girl behaving adorably. She squeezed her little hands into fists and pressed them against each side of her cheeks in contentment.

    Indeed, the Fox Lord concluded that his little wife really seemed to enjoy the small things that life had to offer. He had to make sure that he properly rewarded the fox twins for pleasing his wife with their cooking.

    Watching Li Meirong look so happy from munching on the food increased the Bai Qingyue''s determination to master the art of cooking. Naturally, he wouldn''t be able to offer her anything that he made until he would possess the required skills.

    However, for now¡­ this would do.

    "Do you like eating this type of meat?" Bai Qingyue casually inquired.

 Chapter 188: Taste Ever So Swee

    "Mmm!" Li Meirong closed her eyes and cried out in enjoyment while eating.

    "Do you think revenge is sweet?" He kept asking.

    The second question made Li Meirong open her eyes wide, blinking in confusion. What did revenge even have to do with food? She couldn''t make sense of this question.

    "Hmm¡­" Slowly savouring the slice in her mouth, she swallowed delicately and tried to reason out the meaning behind his words.

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes stayed transfixed as he watched Li Meirong. He focused on the cherry red lips that were now coated with an oily residue, and gulped audibly as he forced himself to direct his gaze elsewhere. His slanted eyes roamed downwards to the alluring white neck and the muscles that contorted as the girl consumed her food, the image of her searing into his mind.

    D*mnit. This woman was really dangerous! No matter where he looked, he felt the urge to gobble her up. After aeons of abstinence, he now became a bona fide pervert! Luckily, none of his inner turmoil had ever shown on his countenance.

    "I''m not sure really¡­" Li Meirong finally said in an undertone. She lifted her almond-shaped eyes and bashfully peered at him. At night, under the dim candlelight, Zhu Qingyue appeared both lofty and imposing, his face was blinding and his eyes were captivating. A clear image of her own figure reflected in his dark pupils and she felt slightly overwhelmed by his undivided attention.

    When Bai Qingyue heard her soft, bewildered response, his gaze snapped back to her eyes and his lips curved into a subtle smirk, "Next time I prepare this dish for you, I promise that the meat will taste ever so sweet."

    Li Meirong blinked a few more times and pursed her lips in thought, "Well, I do like sweet and tangy flavours." She said and picked up her eating pace, gobbling down all the contents of her bowl in a most unladylike fashion.

    The Fox Lord''s eyes curved into moon crescent shapes as he observed her.

    By now, he was already quite knowledgeable of how his little wife acts, like how she always masked her real thoughts with a polite smile and a respectful speech when she would feel apprehensive or threatened. Though actually, Li Meirong didn''t maintain any manners when she was genuinely comfortable with someone.

    He preferred her that way, expressing her thoughts freely and acting as she wished without pretending. After all, as his wife, she didn''t need to bow her head down to anyone.

    ''Not even to me.'' He thought as he tenderly brushed his thumb across her lower lip to wipe the oil from her face.

 Chapter 189: Steal A Kiss

    Like a doe in the forest who''s unable to look away from the hunter pointing his taut bow and arrow at her, Li Meirong sat motionless, her peach blossom eyes shimmering and her narrow shoulders lightly trembling as she locked eyes with the man in front of her.

    Seeing the dazed look on her face, Bai Qingyue smirked in satisfaction, knowing that this night had been executed to perfection.

    It was already obvious. He could tell she was enraptured by him. It had taken him far longer than he expected but he had finally managed to have her wrapped around his finger.

    The intense blush that spread across Li Meirong''s cheeks and the sheepish smile which tugged at her lips as she raked her fingers through her hair validated his thoughts. The rouge which had been smeared over the edges of her lips and the dimples displayed on her face made her look both innocent and enticing at the same time.

    "Are you embarrassed?" He asked with a tone of voice that held a teasing quality to it.

    Li Meirong''s brows drew into a frown. She turned her face away from his smouldering eyes and remained silent.

    Rising to his feet, Bai Qingyue walked towards her side. His tall form bent down, kneeling by the shy girl''s feet as he withdrew a silken handkerchief from his robe. With tender motions, he dabbed the cloth on her soft, yet plump lips.

    "Don''t be." He said, placing the handkerchief aside and helping her to her feet.

    They were now standing so close to each other that there was less than an inch of distance between them.

    Bai Qingyue held Li Meirong''s chin and slowly leaned down until their breaths mingled together.

    Apart from lifting the girl up, the Fox Lord had to practically crouch down to reach her lips, not because Li Meirong was a short girl but because he stood about seven feet tall.

    Thus, before he could steal a kiss, the girl took the chance to press her palm against his mouth.

    "You didn''t even eat anything¡­" Li Meirong blurted out, not entirely even certain why she said what she did. It was the first thing that came to her mind to distract him from his obvious intent.

    "I do not usually eat a lot." As he spoke, his breath blew on her skin and his words were slightly muffled.

 Chapter 190: Licked Her Fingers

    "Oh," Li Meirong spoke softly, surprised, "I thought you had a big appetite, considering how you gobbled up all those pastries when I first met you at the sect."

    With a soft chuckle, Bai Qingyue softly replied, "Ah, if it is the food you make for me, I promise to devour all of it."

    Li Meirong''s eyes flew open and she gasped aloud as she felt his wet tongue skate across her skin.

    She immediately withdrew her hand away from his lips and cried out in mortification, "Zhu Qingyue, how thick is your skin?!!"

    "Pfft!" Bai Qingyue laughed softly, the taunting sound was uniquely tantalizing.

    Regarding the man''s shoulders shaking in amusement only increased Li Meirong''s erratically beating heart as her anger flared up.

    "That does it." She fumed and flailed her arms in exasperation as she spoke.

    This person always managed to make her heart almost leap out of her chest while making her want to bite him to death at the same time!

    She purposefully stomped on Zhu Qingyue''s foot and quickly turned around to march back to her place, "It''s getting late. Thank you for the meal, but I have to go!"

    However, she only managed to take a few steps forward before a pair of lean, powerful arms wrapped around her waist and drew her back against a warm, hard chest.

    "Forgive me."

    Li Meirong heard him speak from behind her, despite his choice of words, his tone sounded far more playful than sincere.

    Then She felt his chin rest on her shoulders, a hot breath was blowing on her ear and made her go weak at the knees, weakening her resolve under his touch.

    She huffed but didn''t budge, his embrace no longer felt restricting, and she found herself longing for his touch.

    Nevertheless, she put on a front and exclaimed, "You love messing around with me."

    "Only because you look adorable when you get mad."

    "So you act this way on purpose?! Argh, I can''t stand this anymore, let go!" Li Meirong seethed audibly, raised one of his ivory arms to her face and followed her violent desire, biting down on his wrist.

    Bai Qingyue didn''t retract his arm. Instead, he gently caressed the top of the girl''s raven black hair. Using his free hand, he amusedly observed the fuming rabbit of a girl biting down on his flesh. His voice held a trace of concern as he implored her, "Be careful not to bite too hard, lest your jaws would hurt."

 Chapter 191: Still Famished?

    This insufferable bully!

    After hearing those words, Li Meirong got so mad she bit him even harder!

    Wasn''t he basically taunting her? She''d make him regret treating her like a fool!

    However, It didn''t take long for her resolve to dampen as she soon felt her jaws truly start to hurt...it would seem the infuriating man''s concern was not just empty words. As for Zhu Qingyue, he simply stood there unfazed, as if he were a beautiful statue that couldn''t feel a thing.

    The man towering over her affirmed his previous response, "See, I told you this would happen. Could it be that you are still famished? Would you like me to arrange another meal for you?"

    A hint of amusement coloured his words.

    "..." There was nothing left for Li Meirong to say!

    Feeling helpless, Li Meirong wanted to punch the man, but couldn''t afford to take the risk of actually hurting him. She didn''t want a repeat of what occurred back at her home, and had to continuously remind herself that Zhu Qingyue was sick, so she shouldn''t use too much force on him.

    Meanwhile, a completely different thought occupied Bai Qingyue. He couldn''t help but pinch the adorable nose on his wife''s grouchy face. With her large eyes shimmering like a lake under the moonlight glow, glaring daggers at him, and her cheeks puffed up in anger, she was, quite frankly, the cutest looking thing he had ever laid eyes on.

    Li Meirong wanted to yell at him but suppressed herself. It was clear to see that no matter what she did, Zhu Qingyue always had the upper hand. With that realization, she chose to carefully retreat. She slapped his hand away from her nose and slowly unclenched her hold on his wrist, revealing a fine set of teeth marks decorating the otherwise unmarred skin.

    "No need. I''m full, thank you. I should be going now..." Li Meirong gritted through her teeth.

    At once, Bai Qingyue covered his arm inside his sleeve to hide the teeth marks which instantly disappeared.

    He faintly smiled and extended his hand for her to hold, "Then I shall walk you back home."

    With a huff, she strode a few steps forward, seeming to ignore the man. But then, under the pretense of reluctance, she reached back with her dainty hand and grasped his wide palm.

    "Okay." Li Meirong answered.

    At the sound of her acceptance, she felt his hand gently squeeze her own. His palm, she noticed, was that much larger than hers and felt hot to the touch, his grip also somehow made her feel safe and secure.

 Chapter 192: Masculine Beauty

    It had taken more than ten thousand years, but it seemed as though the Fox Lord had finally learned how to smile, the corners of his lips stayed curved upwards. He nodded his head once and guided her outside the courtyard.

    In all honesty, it was getting rather late, and his wife was supposed to attend an early morning class tomorrow. Thus, Bai Qingyue allowed her to return home without any considerable delay.

    After strolling side by side throughout the surrounding garden connected to the courtyard, he brought Li Meirong to the cabin.

    When they finally reached the familiar doorstep, Li Meirong turned around and looked back at Zhu Qingyue.

    One glance at that masculine beauty rendered her face a deep shade of red again.

    Zhu Qingyue''s long silken hair gracing his fine features like gossamer threads, along with his beguiling eyes enhanced by a set of long eyelashes casting heavy shadows upon his cheeks, gave the man a rather feminine and seductive appearance.

    However, that was where the softness ended, the rest of him was all male. Aside from the broad shoulders, lean build, and outrageous height, it was his piercing stare akin to a ravenous wolf which pointedly branded him as a man.

    Worse yet was that playful smirk of his, if she were to analyse it, it seemed partly tantalising and partly mocking, as though the owner of said smile was a stunningly beautiful, high and mighty ruler who looked down upon the world''s inhabitants in contempt.

    Li Meirong paused a moment to reflect upon her own behaviour and found herself acting quite unlike her usual self. Zhu Qingyue seemed to have a way about him that made her lose her composure and act rashly, childishly.

    No one had ever affected her this way to that extent before. Whether it was embarrassment, happiness, frustration or anger, all of her emotions were heightened due to his presence in her life.

    When she realised how deeply the man before her eyes had managed to etch himself into her heart in such a short length of time, she finally came to terms with her own feelings.

    Following that, Li Meirong took a deep breath and forced her heart to calm down for but a moment as she gathered her courage. Tenaciously grasping the ends of Zhu Qingyue''s collar, she stood on her tiptoes, pulled him to her and firmly planted her lips upon his.

    Bai Qingyue was not even granted the opportunity to consider what kind of fortune had befallen him before he was yanked down, his mouth suddenly pressed upon a sweet softness.

 Chapter 193: Could Anyone Blame Him?

    Li Meirong had closed her eyes as she made to kiss him, but her lips pressing against his were met with no response. The unsuccessful smack of her mouth against his was followed by another and yet, Zhu Quinyue''s mouth remained unmoving, causing her to utter a small sound of frustration.

    Nevertheless, she determinedly kept her lips pressed to his. Yet without him parting his own to accept the offering, she was left with no opportunity to progress any further.

    Eventually, she opened her eyes in dismay and discovered a dazed look on Zhu Qingyue''s face. He appeared to have been stunned frozen to the spot in apparent disbelief.

    Li Meirong may have had previous relationships in her past life, but she didn''t know much about flirting or charming the opposite sex.

    At that moment, she pulled herself from Zhu Qingyue, disconcerted by his flat rejection. She stared into his glazed eyes as she fiddled with her fingers and ended up mumbling her thoughts aloud, "I thought you¡­ I mean, you''ve said you wanted to marry me, and you always try to kiss me. I thought you would like it if I return the gesture. I-I''ll stop now."

    Whatever she said seemed to have stirred the fair-haired man from his daze.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes turned piercing sharp once more. When he saw his wife backing away, he immediately gripped her arms and pulled her body closer to his, resting his head on the crook of her shoulder.

    The Fox Lord immediately tried to gather his scattered wits together.

    Could anyone blame him? He had been pursuing this woman for so long and only now did she finally kiss him back, had even gone as far as to initiate the act. It caught him so off guard that he felt fortunate to be wearing a robe, for his knees had weakened to the point where they might have been slightly trembling.

    This dangerous woman had turned him into a paralyzed fool.

    Bai Qingyue took a deep breath and drew her closer to him.

    "You misunderstood." Once uttered, his voice sounded low and husky. He inhaled deeply once more, basking in her sweet soothing scent.

    Sadly, his response didn''t seem to suffice, because his little wife looked aside and purposefully avoided his gaze, staring at the ground.

    Indeed, Li Meirong''s train of thought turned to a different direction. What did he mean by saying that she misunderstood? Does he not want her the way she wants him?

    The thought process of his wife was painfully obvious to Bai Qingyue, her dejected expression spoke volumes.

    He quietly observed her, smiling inwardly at her obliviousness to the devastating effect she had over him. He didn''t explain anything else.

    In place of words, he preferred to use actions to prove himself.

    With a single skilful movement, he lifted Li Meirong who shrieked in surprise, and carried her bridal style into the cabin.

    Next, he carefully laid Li Meirong on the bed and placed his elbows on both sides of the mattress to support his weight, trapping his flushed wife underneath him.

    Bai Qingyue''s pupils dilated and his adam''s apple convulsed as he swallowed his saliva. He felt himself grow painfully hard, taking in the sight of her.

    Tousled jet-black hair fanned Li Meirong''s face like a splash of ink on the bedsheets, enhancing the jade-like colour of her skin, whilst a pale neck led to prominent collarbones, and a pair of tempting hills rapidly rose and fell along with her unsteady breathing.

    Unwilling to wait for even a second longer, he gently nipped and licked her lower lip, seeking permission to enter.

    When she moaned and parted her lips, he groaned in satisfaction and immediately relished in his conquest, aggressively plunging his tongue inside to explore her mouth and incessantly entwining her tongue with his.

    She wrapped her slender arms around his nape and moaned into his mouth as she reciprocated, trying to match his intensity with her own.

    Bai Qingyue kissed her deeply and without remorse, pouring all of his suppressed desires into this kiss.

    By the time the Fox God finished eating her up, she was left trembling and panting for breath, resembling a forbidden fruit, ripe for the taking. He could smell her arousal in the air and found it to be both sweet and tangy. It further tempted him to taste the woman underneath him in the most primal way.

    Bai Qingyue pressed his forehead against hers and hoarsely whispered, "I want you¡­"

 Chapter 194: I Dont Care

    Bai Qingyue propped himself up with one elbow and reached with his unoccupied arm to gently caress Li Meirong''s cheek with the back of his hand. His eyes roamed over her, taking in the milky shoulders peeking from the slightly rumpled dress, all the way down to the cloth which snuggly hugged her slender waist and wide hips. He found himself marvelling at how small and fragile she appeared compared to him.

    "I want you." Bai Qingyue whispered again. This time, his words came out sure and steady as he gazed deeply into a pair of beckoning eyes, her small oval face making them appear larger and brighter still. He traced his nimble fingers across her delicate jawline and further up, skimming over those deliciously puffed up lips which he had ravaged only moments ago.

    "Oh." Li Meirong was unsure of how to reply to such a decisive remark, as if the man were proclaiming victory in battle rather than confessing to a lover. She was left wanting to profess her own desires but was too hesitant to do so, despite her lips parting in silent wonder at his declaration.

    Bai Qingyue observed Li Meirong''s eyes skittering across the room, searching for any other object to focus on other than him. He was unwilling to allow this silly wife any room to avoid him and shoved his face closer to hers, forcing her to stare directly into his eyes.

    "Oh?" Bai Qingyue shook his head and goaded her for more, feigning dismay. "I profess my desire for you and that is all I get in response?"

    He moved his neck a little backward, as if intending to withdraw.

    "Wait! I¡­ I..." Li Meirong stuttered, her arms stiffening around him and her face turned deep red. She clenched her teeth before anxiously forcing the words out of her mouth, "I want you too."

    At her words, Bai Qingyue gave an involuntary shudder, excitement and euphoria coursing through his entire being. He hastily withdrew his satisfied expression, revealing only a gentle, caring smile.

    Then, Li Meirong retracted her hold over his neck, summoning her courage, she glided her fingers lightly down along his spine, sending shivers down his back. They came to a stop, shyly coming back to the man''s front and resting upon the midsection of his collarbones.

    She traced light feathery circles over the exposed skin that showed from the exquisitely made robe. Unbeknownst to Li Meirong, her gentle touch was plain torture to the man.

    "But there is something I must say." She paused a moment and added, "I want to be honest with you before we do anything further than this. First, my face is scarred, so what you''re seeing now isn''t real. I''m only concealing the disfigurement with a special concoction." Li Meirong''s voice came out breathy as she spoke.

    Bai Qingyue found himself thoroughly pleased by the sound of her voice. He loved to hear her speak like this, breathless from his kisses. Yet her words, as usual, had a way of aggravating him to no end.

    He had to force himself from rubbing his temples in frustration. After all was said and done, did she really think he was so shallow as to be bothered about something so insignificant?!

    "I don''t care." He finally groaned out. All he wanted to do right now was plough himself inside this maddening woman!

    "Oh I-¡­ well, s-second, I don''t remember our first night together very clearly, so," Li Meirong bit her lower lip, her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, "Please be gentle with me."

    The sensation caused by those small fingers drawing circles on his skin along with her meek response had swelled Bai Qingyue''s already engorged cock even more, and he couldn''t help but lift up her outer garments and press his throbbing shaft against the smooth expanse of her stomach.

    "En," He said, "I swear." He placed a soft chaste kiss on her forehead before staring back at her beautiful face.

    When Li Meirong heard his promise, she felt the last of her reservations crumble away into nothingness. She gazed into Zhu Qingyue''s eyes, awed by the heat she saw emanating from their depths. His irises, bright like the blazing sun, appeared to have changed colours as their silent staring contest wore on. The bright golden hue darkened into a rich honey shade, heavy with lust.

    Yet when she felt a long heavy mass press on her stomach with an intensity that seemed to burn through her very core, her eyes widened as she wondered if there was still an opportunity to back out of her rash decision.

 Chapter 195: Sweet Nothings

    ''This third leg is way too big, it will break me!'' With that fearful thought in mind, Li Meirong wiggled underneath him and tried to put some distance between them. The plan seemed to backfire because she heard the man atop her take in a deep, sharp breath.

    It was as though Zhu Qingyue could read her mind, considering how his next comment was filled with reassurance.

    "Do not be afraid," He said, suppressing his insatiable thirst from devouring her, "I promise to be gentle with you."

    After sensing her wariness, Bai Qingyue immediately repositioned himself and moved his legs off of the mattress to kneel by the bed, only keeping his torso directly above Li Meirong''s dainty figure.

    Li Meirong didn''t have even a moment to respond before the bewitching man''s long fingers descended upon her and tenderly worked their way to the thin fabric of her undergarments. She felt his touch grazing across the pale diamond shaped bodice patterned with multicoloured blossoms which she had sewn for herself.

    With a simple few swift movements, Bai Qingyue stripped away the dudou which flattened Li Meirong''s breasts and tossed it aside, revealing a pair of creamy buns with pink pearly tips.

    It had grown a little chilly by now, long deep into the night. After Li Meirong''s skin got exposed, her nipples immediately hardened, the buds puckering at once.

    However, she didn''t experience the cold for very long, as not even a second later, Zhu Qingyue had buried his face within the mounds of her soft breasts.

    He didn''t waste any more time before tasting her in his mouth. His lips were already firmly wrapped upon one of the tantalising cherry buds, and a wide palm covered the neighbouring breast, gently squeezing its softness.

    Li Meirong let out a sharp gasp and arched into his mouth when she felt his tongue rolling over and around, sharp teeth lightly grazing her sensitive peak. Like a finely tuned instrument, she found herself whimpering with every flick of his tongue against her nerve endings.

    Honestly, she couldn''t help but wonder if he really was chaste prior to their first encounter and if she was the only woman he had ever done this with before.

    If so, how come he was so good at this? She was like putty in his hands!

    The noises emanating from the cabin were so sensual that even if a person merely passing by outside were to overhear them, it would suffice to visualise the most vivid scenes imaginable merely by listening to Li Meirong''s pleasure-filled cries and the sucking and lapping sounds of Zhu Qingyue''s tender care.

    Her thoughts instantly ceased when she felt a restless thumb playing with her exposed nipple, Zhu Qingyue alternated between pinching the peak and fondling the creamy mound. At the same time, he sucked on the other peak with fervent passion and she no longer felt capable of controlling her own body, unable to suppress her own eager sounds from letting out.

    "Wait! It''s too much¡­ this is too much. Maybe we should stop now, ah!" Li Meirong cried out at once, her body felt like it was getting tossed to the brink of pleasure and discomfort.

    If this continued, she feared she''d lose all sense of reason!

    Unfortunately, Zhu Qingyue paid no heed to Li Meirong''s stressful plea, he uttered a low rumbling sound of disapproval and lightly nipped her tit right before repeatedly licking the assaulted region all over again.

    Following that, it didn''t take very long for her pleasure to accumulate, between one moment to the next, she ended up writhing underneath him, her body tingled all over.

    However, the man was far from ending his careful ministrations and did not allow the woman her much needed moment to rest.

    Bai Qingyue finally let go of the swollen, abused nipple with an audible pop, only to clamp his mouth over the adjacent taut bud and sucked on it forcefully, lavishing it with as much attention as he had the other.

    His constant attacks prolonged the summit of Li Meirong''s pleasure until the second she begged him to stop.

    Meanwhile, his hands were unreservedly touching her all over, adventurous fingers tracing and gently squeezing her skin.

    In the thick of ecstasy, Li Meirong heard Zhu Qingyue''s low guttural voice murmur sweet nothings along the lines of, "Taste so sweet," and "You are mine."

 Chapter 196: She Chose The Right Man This Time

    Maybe it was because she already felt drained from all the accumulated pleasure that she didn''t take much notice of his words. She was too preoccupied with basking in the afterglow akin to the one Zhu Qingyue gave her all those years ago at the brothel.

    Suddenly, his mouth on her flesh felt so good and so right, she didn''t want him to ever stop.

    Despite Zhu Qingyue''s dominating position on top of her, she felt cherished by the way he held himself back from going straight to having intercourse. His movements at times turned slightly aggressive, yet she was easily able to discern how difficult it was for him to restrain himself.

    The way he struggled to contain his urges and treated her with tenderness as though she was a porcelain treasure, made her feel that she made the right decision. That this time she chose the right man this time and nothing would go wrong between them.

    The silver hair cascading down Zhu Qingyue''s torso slithered across Li Meirong''s smooth belly. Tickled by the sensation of the pale strands on her skin, she couldn''t help but giggle softly between moans of pleasure as the man lowered himself downwards, trailing kisses across her stomach and edging ever closer to the sensitive area between her thighs.

    Li Meirong closed her eyes tight, pressing her thighs together with fear and anticipation. For a moment there, she felt his hands roving down on her, parting her legs apart, and then¡­

    Then there was nothing.

    When Li Meirong opened her eyes again, she saw Zhu Qingyue''s figure was somehow already standing by the doorway in less than the blink of an eye.

    His monolid eyes had altogether shifted from molten gold to a glowing violet, silver hair floated around him by sheer force of inner power, and the former lust filled expression grew ice cold, barely concealing the rage hidden within.

    He looked so feral all of a sudden. His nails extended into sharp deadly claws, and for a moment there, she could have sworn that when his lips drew back in a snarl, she saw a pair of fangs peeking from inside.

    "Stay where you are. I shall be back shortly." Zhu Qingyue practically growled the words, vanishing into thin air.

    "Okay, I''ll wait for you¡­"

    Li Meirong''s low response was met with empty silence. She hugged the blanket around her, covering her nude form, wondering if she hallucinated all the events that had transpired.

 Chapter 197: My Well-Being, You Say?

    When Bai Qingyue left Li Meirong''s abode, he immediately descended the floating island. Lightning shot down from the skies and a powerful oppressive air engulfed his malevolent figure

    The calm, gentle night had turned into a fierce storm and the tranquil ocean waters had grown turbulent. The waves had reached so high that isles below were tragically impacted by a tsunami.

    Meanwhile, as the Fox Lord gradually flew to the nearby mountain. His shape had altered into that of an enormously great white fox with eight elongated tails swinging behind him, similar to an emperor''s descent from a royal throne, dragging a heavy cloak while strolling along the way.

    When the majestic fox finally reached the ground, the earth shook and cracked beneath his heavy gait.

    A horde of foxes waited for Bai Qingyue at the foot of the mountain, a collection of servants and warriors mixed together, bowing low and prostrating themselves in honour of His Lordship''s arrival.

    The Fox Lord''s bestial form was both fearful and majestic to the eye of the beholder. Unlike a common fox, a Celestial-Fox God''s true form was anything but adorable. Bai Qingyue''s extended snout appeared altogether terrifying, a row of countless gleaming sharp teeth threateningly peeked out from a slightly parted mouth. The white ears atop the fox''s head were quite long and pointed, and the heavy silvery coat was unable to conceal the well-toned shape of a predator lurking underneath.

    A pair of vicious looking eyes curved like crescent moons contained slit pupils and shone like bright jewels in the nighttime.

    This was indeed a vision of a beautiful yet terrible beast, prompting both worship and fear from those who witness its regal presence.

    The Fox Lord didn''t utter a single word. He simply stood there, his imposing presence and bone-chilling eyes portraying his displeasure to perfection.

    After a minute of petrifying silence, it was the newly appointed Captain of the Guard who attempted to approach the enraged Fox Lord, slowly stepping forward in front of the elite squadron.

    Bai Cuifeng shapeshifted into a human form, a gorgeous looking maiden with dark hair and attractive green eyes. Though sadly, those breathtaking emerald eyes only dared to focus on the gigantic paws in front of her as she addressed His Lordship, cupping her hands in a gesture of salute.

    "Milord, we come with urgent news! Our scouts have spotted your mother''s presence in this very world."

    The Fox Lord breathed noisily and forcefully through the nose, expressing his contempt.

    "Bai Cuifeng, have you grown tired of living? You dare summon this Lord merely for this piece of intelligence?" Bai Qingyue hissed. His low voice reverberated throughout the mountains with unconcealed power, "Do you know the penalty of summoning my presence for an unjust cause?"

    The Captain of The Guard''s shoulders quivered in fright. She didn''t understand the reason for His Lordship''s terrible ire, but knew she had to come clean with everything she had known in order to escape an untimely death!

    "No Milord! This subordinate does not dare bother Milord unless called for. If not for your own well-being, this subordinate would never have thought to summon Milord!"

    The enormous Celestial-Fox uttered a frightening growl in retort, flexing his large claws on the ground and dividing the mountain in two, "My well-being, you say?"

    Bai Qingyue''s desire to kill only intensified. He was so close to finally claiming his chosen female which he sought for so long and this vixen dared to say she interrupted his most precious moment for his sake?!

    The servants and guards at the scene leapt to the air as the ground split open beneath them.

    Bai Cuifeng''s elegant eyebrows wrinkled into a deep frown as she knelt frozen to the spot, nearly falling into the open cracks underneath her. She tried to quickly analyze the reason for His Lordship''s rage but came up with nothing!

 Chapter 198: Absolves You of All Crime

    His Lordship had rarely shown any emotions and when he did, it was usually a fit of anger. And yet, what could have possibly enraged him to the point of wishing to murder his own kin?!

    She knew that she needed to speak up, but was far too scared to open her mouth!

    Seeing the situation taking a turn for the worse, Lang Ju, the senior grey fox cried out, rushing to the rescue, "My Lord, the Jade Emperor has sent an official decree, commanding your presence at the Jade Palace!"

    After those words were uttered, the very air stood still, and the mountains ceased to shake.

    Bai Cuifeng, still tongue-tied with fright, took a moment to steal a nervous peek at His Lordship.

    The news seemed to have caught him off guard, she could tell by the slight widening of those enchanting golden eyes and the subtle change of his bloodthirsty aura.

    It was a well known fact among the inhabitants of the Heavenly Realm that despite the connections between the Huli Jing and The Jade Palace, the Celestial Foxes had never been summoned to the Royal Palace since the time of the great primordial ancestor who had originally provoked the curse.

    The Celestial Foxes had remained loyal to the emperor. They fought for the Jade Emperor''s sake, had bestowed the crown with the appropriate gifts and conducted trade between the clans when requested, but they did not ever meet, much less been summoned to the Jade Palace.

    This decree could have been considered a great honour for any Sovereign Lord. However, as things stood between the royal family and the Bai clan, it was anything but that.

    There had always been an unspoken rift between the dragons and the foxes, a cold war that had never been brought to light since it first began.

    Without delay, Bai Qingyue shifted into a human form. The dark robe and the long pale hair along with his frosty gaze made him look like a devil lord instead of a heavenly deity.

    Eventually, the violence emanating from the Fox God subsided.

    An imperial decree from the Jade Emperor demanded an immediate response. It was no wonder that the subordinates had sent a distress signal.

    With a flick of the wrist across the air, Bai Qingyue had torn a rift through space and time, opening a portal to the heavenly realm in the shape of an iridescent pillar, piercing through the skies.

    Before heading into the pillar, he glanced at the shivering subordinates floating several centimetres above the ground and stated, "This Lord understands the reasons for your summons and absolves you of all crimes."

    The surrounding foxes looked at their Lord in evident confusion, thinking to themselves, ''Sire¡­ what sort of crimes have we committed?!''

    As Bai Qingyue was about to ascend to the upper realm, Lang Ju hurriedly stepped towards him, changing into a handsome man in the process, and came close enough to whisper in his ear.

    The Senior Servant''s voice was filled with apprehension, "This servant wishes to report on the matter regarding Her Ladyship, Li Meirong, Sire¡­"

    Lang Ju didn''t know how to break the news to this temperamental Lord without receiving some sort of backlash.

    "Speak with haste." Bai Qingyue''s voice was low and dreadful, he had no time to spare for another person''s sentiments.

    Senior Servant Lang Ju wasn''t given an option to ponder on how to break the news in a gentler manner. His palms were sweaty as he provided a detailed account of the investigation.

    While he spoke, Bai Qingyue''s eyes had grown darker and darker still.

 Chapter 199: Bad Timing

    The Sovereign Lord grew solemn, his pale face expressionless. However, Lang Ju knew better than to relax after seeing the Fox Lord''s impassive countenance.

    After serving Bai Qingyue for more years than he cared to count, Lang Ju was well aware of the fact that it was actually far more dangerous when he seemed eerily calm, rather than when he displayed his wrath.

    "Sire¡­"

    "Stay here with Bai Yu, protect my consort." In between his speech, the natural pitch of Bai Qingyue''s voice turned lower, "Should my mother decide to pay a visit, alert me at once. No matter what must be done, do not allow my consort to come to any harm."

    "Of course, Sire."

    Thus, Bai Qingyue departed the realm, an entourage of foxes, both spirits, and demi-gods alike hastily followed after their sovereign and rushed into the portal.

    Lang Ju remained on the now split mountains, watching as the portal dissipated into thin air a few seconds later.

    Long after the crowd had disappeared, from within the shadowy Thousand Beasts Forest which was connected to the now split mountains, slowly came forth a familiar snow fox cub. His furry muzzle had never seemed so sullen before.

    Lang Ju turned back to stare at the approaching miserable looking cub, "What''s the matter with you, Second-In-Command?"

    "Former Second-In-Command." Bai Yu pointedly corrected the Senior Servant, ignoring Lang Ju''s question.

    Lang Ju raised an eyebrow at that but chose not to upset his superior with any further inquiry regarding his condition.

    "Right, right¡­" Lang Ju answered as he went to stand by Bai Yu''s side, peering down at his small furry form, "Say, you follow His Lordship like his own shadow, what made him angrily thunder his way here?"

    Bai Yu''s doom and gloom expression slightly lightened up, knowing what it was exactly that made His Lordship''s wrath rise to the surface. How could he not? The musky smell of arousal and the unmistakable moans of Her Ladyship were evident to anyone with a good pair of ears.

    His small furry mouth parted as he let out a low snicker, assuming the Fox Lord had, in all likelihood, failed to consummate his marriage, as of yet.

    However, Lang Ju took no notice of the minuscule changes in Bai Yu''s expression. He crossed his arms together and pretended to shiver, emphasising his words, "His Lordship''s energy was so potent and vicious that I felt my own hide begin to tear when I approached him!"

    "Let''s just say your timing couldn''t have been any worse." Bai Yu concluded the conversation, leaving the confounded Lang Ju puzzled all the same.

 Chapter 200: Jade Palace

    The Jade Palace''s Dragons. The heavenly ruling clan whose dominion ruled over all of the realms, their authority and influence unparalleled. From the merfolk with their glittering scales to the flora deities that reigned over the lands, all the way to the phoenixes wreathed in flames. All godly creatures whose numbers were as vast as the stars in the skies, did not dare question the Jade Palace''s decrees. Be it a human cultivator, spiritual beast or any other divine entity, not a single soul dared to risk displaying any form of disrespect towards the supreme hegemon.

    An ancient saying that had survived the long passage of time was that the Jade Palace''s wrath was never to be underestimated. Ever since the primordial gods had forged the universe, the Jade Emperor''s legacy had soared to the highest peak. It was also said that the reason the Emperor''s rule had only prospered throughout the ages was for his great righteousness and benevolence.

    Some of those tales had existed for so long, it was difficult to tell fact from fiction.

    Nevertheless, it was obvious that the heavens were not as harmonious as they appeared to be on the surface. There was a struggle for power in every clan, and there was a set hierarchy which was very rarely defied.

    Thick clouds embellished the resplendent Jade Palace''s brilliance with an air of mystery and splendor, it was constructed with the finest marble and adorned with the brightest gems.

    Though all of the structure''s beauty went unnoticed by a very irritable Fox God, yet none of his true thoughts were displayed on his face.

    As expected of a Sovereign Lord conducting a proper greeting, he arrived with an entourage of foxes at his beck and call, each demi-god carrying a priceless treasure in their hands while presenting all the items as gifts to the Jade Palace.

    Bai Qingyue waited outside the throne room until the moment a servant had announced his presence. He marched inside the room with a confident stride. Upon reaching the throne, he bowed in a manner befitting his position, respectful but not grovelling, "Greetings to the Jade Emperor."

    With his head lowered, Bai Qingyue was not provided with the opportunity to assess the surprised expression on the Emperor''s face.

    "Hmm," The deep voice of the Jade Emperor could be heard from above, sounding as though he was deep in thought, "Does the Fox Lord know why we have summoned you to our Jade Palace?"

    Bai Qingyue''s baritone voice sounded clear and without feeling, "This Lord does not know."

    "Raise your face so we may gaze upon you."

    It was a rather monumental development for the Fox Lord to step into the Jade Palace halls, but at that time, nobody except for the Jade Emperor knew why.

    Bai Qingyue lifted his clear, cold eyes and boldly faced the supreme ruler, observing him in detail.

    The Jade Emperor sat upon a large chaise, situated on a raised platform. He looked no older than an adolescent child with a pair of dragon horns adorning the edges of his forehead. His skin was bronze, not like a mortal who had been too long under the sun, but like a celestial energy that was born with rays of light shining from within it.

    What was most striking about the Emperor were his crystal blue eyes which lacked pupils, a complete glossy pair of orbs that were seeing, yet lacking sight.

    Bai Qingyue stood ramrod straight, his phoenix eyes devoid of light and his visage as unreadable as an expert gambler.

    "Do not let my blindness fool you, Young Fox, I can see you quite clearly." The Jade Emperor laughed aloud. The childish voice seemed to carry a magical tune of joy to it, as if his laugh alone could make all living creatures feel content and at ease.

 Chapter 201: The Fox Lords Punishmen

    The Emperor''s cheerful chortle made Ba Qingyue almost ignore the dishonourable way in which his title was removed. Among high gods, removing a lord''s title upon addressing a person of rank was an undisguised insult.

    The Fox God tightly clenched his fists underneath his long sleeves. Sharp claws pierced ivory skin as he forced himself not to be riled by the obvious power display, for he could not afford to offend this particular deity, this much he knew.

    "This Lord does not presume to look down upon his own ruler." Bai Qingyue''s calm and graceful voice filled the throne room.

    The Jade Emperor laughed aloud again, the sound was as clear as silver bells, "And yet you did all the same. Young Fox, you cannot fool us."

    "This Lord did not intend to disrespect the Jade Emperor." Blood trickled down from his palms onto the floor as Bai Qingyue spoke.

    Directly after his response, he bent down on one knee, averting his gaze. His slanted eyes narrowed as he wondered what sort of scheme had been cooked for him without his knowledge. The Jade Emperor was targeting him, and he couldn''t fathom the reason why.

    The silence that currently engulfed the royal palace was stifling.

    The ruler of all the heavens stepped down from the royal platform and sauntered towards the kneeling Fox God, looking down his nose at him with his pair of sightless eyes.

    "Hah! You bowed before us and still think to keep your arrogance?" The Jade Emperor lazily pointed his small, youthful finger at the Fox Lord and cut to the chase, "We have heard of your failure as warden to the realm. Taotie is a danger to the gods and you allowed it to escape without caring to inform us of your mistakes. We should have you demoted to a minor deity for such failure¡­" The Jade Emperor shook his head, "Alas, we are generous and shall allow you to retain your position, knowing there is not another of your clan who can replace you."

    Bai Qingyue did not respond. Anything he would have said right now might cause the verdict to worsen. His face was devoid of any emotions, only his golden eyes displayed the ferocity which he felt inside.

    "Hmm¡­" The Jade Emperor hummed in a tone edged with disappointment, as though it disheartened him to receive no reaction. Then with a sigh, he signalled a few guards posted at the entrance to come forth.

    "The Fox Lord''s punishment is to be confined to the Bai clan''s palace until we say otherwise." Following the Jade Emperor''s decree, the attending dragon guards immediately shackled Bai Qingyue.

    The detained pale haired god stood silently, his back ramrod straight as he compliantly marched out of the throne room.

    Following the Fox Lord''s departure, the youthful Emperor gestured for the figure hiding its presence behind the screen to come forward.

 Chapter 202: Never Forget This Favour

    "Son, we have only chosen to abuse our authority for your sake, knowing you have never asked anything of us before." The Jade Emperor sat back on the throne, removed the golden crown from his head and brushed his small fingers through his long dark hair.

    A beautiful girl with aquamarine eyes and a matching pair of dragon horns had excitedly stepped forward and bowed in gratitude.

    "Thank you, Father. This prince will never forget this favour!"

    The Jade Emperor sighed remorsefully, tiredly placing his palm over his forehead. He, the ruler of all godly beings had countless concubines and plenty offspring, but as fate would have it, he was only blessed with two sons. The eldest son was the heir apparent, kind and righteous and filial, yet lacking the backbone and shrewdness which the younger brother possessed.

    After numerous years of conflict between the siblings, the younger brother had chosen to leave the Heavens for thousands of years, vanishing without a single trace.

    Yet now, all of a sudden, Long Tiang Feng, the prodigal son had finally reappeared and returned to the Jade Palace only to present his father with a very peculiar request; "Confine the Fox Lord to the Heavenly Realm."

    The boy had even gone as far as to provide a valid reason to use as an excuse and informed him of Hong Meigui''s escape from the Bai clan alongside the legendary monster, Taotie.

    The Jade Emperor''s eyebrows wrinkled into a frown as he addressed his unruly child, "Long Tiang Feng, are you now going to tell us why you made this absurd request?"

    The bright-eyed girl tittered in delight, covering her grin with her sleeve, "That fox is after something I too am interested in, his presence irks me! Besides, he should have been punished for allowing that monster to flee."

    The Jade Emperor raised a single eyebrow, knowing his son would never admit his true thoughts. The twinge of guilt he felt for not spoiling his youngest as much as he did his eldest child had prompted him to follow along with this ridiculous plan.

    Still, he scolded the prancing girl, restraining the urge to smack his own child, "Foolish boy, the proper procedure would have been to send the Fox God out to seek Taotie, not confine him to the palace. Our reputation will be tarnished because of you!"

    The beautiful dragon girl didn''t seem to care at all for what her father had to say. She held a delicate hand to her chest and grew indignant for an entirely different reason, "Ah! Father, can''t you see I''m a female? I''m called Xiong Mei from now on, alright? I''ll see you soon with some good news!"

    Xiong Mei stood by the dais, narrowing her sparkling eyes as she stared at the royal throne, she bowed down in respect while her appearance began to gradually shapeshift. Brilliant scales that were cold as ice and could rival the lustre of the shiniest stones graced the body of a humongous floating serpent instead of her.

    The sublime dragon glided right out of the main doors, leaving behind a bewildered father at his wit''s end, shaking his adolescent head while wondering what he had done to beget a child whose hobby was to change genders.

    Worse yet, his foolish son''s request had brought to light the revelation of an event he had tried to prevent from occurring since time immemorial.

    That voice, those eyes¡­ especially the awfully familiar malevolent aura which the Fox God had possessed¡­

    There was no doubt about it, The Jade Emperor''s worst fear had unwittingly came to pass.

 Chapter 203: Tactfully Pretending To Sleep

    Back at Forgotten Waters sect, Li Meirong had waited and waited in her cabin, and then waited some more. That night, she had clutched the blanket to her side, her fingers gripping fabric tightly in anticipation for Senior Zhu''s return. She remained in a state of turmoil until the early break of dawn.

    As her vision gradually turned blurry and she could no longer keep her eyes open, sleep finally relieved her of the pointless expectation and her eyes closed, not to open until noon.

    When she woke up hours later, her grogginess had been eradicated by a quick wash of her face. She grabbed the small hand mirror and assessed her own reflection. The lucid orbs had lost their bright lustre, the eyes that had misted over with passion only the night before were now glinting with the cold fury of a woman scorned.

    To the aggrieved girl, all thoughts of missing out on the entirety of the morning classes were thrown to the far recesses of her mind, which was perhaps all for the better, for she was far too occupied with turbulent thoughts and had no mind for studying.

    As if chancing upon a divine opportunity, right before her gaze had completely frosted over, the sound of Snowball''s claws scratching against the door filtered into Li Meirong''s ears. She moved the mirror aside to conceal the bitter disappointment shrouding her heart, quickly dressed herself in a simple gown and stepped forward to open the door. She managed to welcome the fox cub with a halfhearted smile.

    A young snow fox slowly stepped inside and circled around Li Meirong several times over with a calculative look, as though he was scrutinizing her for any ailing conditions. Seemingly satisfied, Snowball became unusually respectful and obedient for a change and simply perched himself by the entrance, supposedly guarding the house with his furry little form.

    Despite her pretense at reassurance, Li Meirong was internally berating her own foolish decisions in life after having been dumped in the wake of an intimate moment with a man, not once but twice by the same person, no less!

    Li Meirong had glanced at the overwhelming pile of medicine scrolls taking all the space atop the table and bit her lip in silent frustration. She had spent plenty of hours in the dimension learning how to concoct and brew medicine for Zhu Qingyue, hoping to be the person who would bestow him with a cure, yet now, she was left wondering how many years it would take for her to see the man again, if ever.

    Crash!

    With one quick movement, Li Meirong''s dainty hand furiously swiped all the bamboo scrolls off the table, muttering under her breath, "I''m such a fool for still thinking about him!"

    Meanwhile Bai Yu who had been tactfully pretending to sleep by the doorway while hearing Her Ladyship berate herself in a muffled voice, opened his large yellow eyes and rose to peer at Li Meirong huff at herself when he heard the loud noise of the cluttering scrolls.

 Chapter 204: Crazy Radish Wants To Kill Me!

    At the time Bai Yu had first made his presence known to Her Ladyship, he had made sure to come back only when Her Ladyship was awake and properly dressed. When he stepped inside the house, Her Ladyship greeted him with a faint smile, yet it was clear to him that she was in a terrible mood despite her attempt to conceal it.

    Now, it seemed as though she could no longer restrain her displeasure...

    The fox cub''s yellow eyes squinted while his snout contorted into a cringe as he witnessed Li Meirong toss away the ancient, priceless scrolls in her fit. A piece of his own heart broke as parts of the bamboo scrolls crashed upon impact with the ground, the cracking noise dug mercilessly into his furry ears.

    ''My Lady! Those are priceless treasures that deities would slaughter each other for, and you''re hurling them around so carelessly! Uwuwuu¡­''

    Bai Yu tearfully lamented as he turned away, covering his ears with his paws in the process, unable to watch this tragedy any longer.

    Though to be honest, he was similarly befuddled by the Jade Palace''s summoning decree and wondered what could be the cause for it. However, whatever the case for it may have been, the fluctuating time difference between the Heavenly Realm and the Mortal Realm was certainly bound to cause a rift in the friendly relationship and blooming affections of the Bai couple.

    The small silvery fox sighed in dismay as he made a silent prayer for the Sovereign Lord.

    Oh, the Fox Lord definitely had his work cut out for him now, Her Ladyship seemed royally pissed off this time around¡­

    Clap!

    A sudden striking sound snapped him out of his reverie to glance back at Her Ladyship once more. Oddly enough, Bai Yu''s heart felt a little unsettled once his sight focused on Li Meirong clapping her palms together. Something about her demeanour seemed to have changed, her gaze now possessed a clear indifferent radiance as she gazed at the heap of cracked bamboo scrolls, as though within those few moments, she made some sort of important decision. It was always stated that a woman''s anger was easier to appease than her indifference, and Bai Yu was seeing the reality of this wise saying.

    At that moment Bai Yu concluded that it wasn''t so bad to still be a bachelor, considering how he certainly wouldn''t know how to appease his wife in such a situation, that is, if he ever had one. He was never really good with comforting others, and could only provide his silent companionship, choosing to speak less for fear of making a mess with the wrong choice of words. Surely, the last thing His Lordship needed was for his secrets to be unveiled this instance.

    "Come on Snowball, let''s go back into the dimension." Li Meirong resolutely stated.

    ''Snowball'' furiously nodded his furry head and wordlessly rushed to Li Meirong''s side as she transferred her consciousness out of her body, dragging him along with her.

    Once Li Meirong''s eyes fluttered open to reveal the densely populated mushroom field within the dimension, the final remanents of anger were thoroughly extinguished due to the shocking sight which she was greeted with.

    Her mouth hung slightly open as she was left dumbfounded by the appearance of a buck naked, heavyset boy with skin as pale and smooth as tofu and a mass of green curly hair which adorned his head in a fashion quite similar to that of damp seaweed.

    Even more shocking was the way this young child, who currently had his back turned to her, was ardently digging through the soil with his chubby little fingers, in the midst of what seemed to be a strong-minded task of plucking out a plant¡­

    Wait a minute, wasn''t that her recently contracted Lingzhi Mushroom Spirit who was currently being dug out of the ground?

    ''Master save me! This crazy radish wants to kill me!''

    Ben Mo telepathically shouted in anguish the second he saw Li Meirong''s arrival, directing his wide reddish cap her way as if he planned to jump into her arms for dear life.

 Chapter 205: C-Chou?!

    Upon noticing that the Mushroom spirit was talking to someone behind him, the chubby child immediately turned around to face the intruder. Then unexpectedly so, it wasn''t Ben Mo who leapt into Li Meirong''s arms, but rather, the chubby radish boy himself!

    "Master!"

    The boy with curls like seaweed had all but forgotten his ardent task and had instantly forsaken the mushroom, dashing to Li Meirong with big watery eyes and nearly knocking away the unsuspecting fox cub who stood in his path.

    Despite his small build, the boy''s heavy weight and lightning speed were enough to knock down Li Meirong onto the damp soil without even a moment for her to get out of harm''s way. Luckily, she landed on her butt, with the radish boy''s grubby arms grasping her snugly around the neck.

    "Master left for too long!" The boy wept in anguish, his tone sounding strangely familiar.

    Still in a state of confusion, Li Meirong found herself patting the radish boy''s soft plump back as she groaned in discomfort, struggling to support the child''s weight with one arm.

    "I''m sorry I did¡­ I''m sorry, please stop crying. There, there..." She tried to calm him down, speaking softly in a soothing tone. Seeing as the boy seemed harmless enough, she figured it would be best to pacify him first and foremost.

    He sobbed a few times and mumbled, "It''s because of that stupid mortal! Ever since he barged into Master''s life, Master has all but forgotten about Chou!"

    "A stupid mortal? Well if you mean who I think you mean, you don''t have to worry about him anymo-" Li Meirong suddenly stopped speaking, she practically choked on her own words midway through the speech and blinked a few times before shrieking in wonderment, "C-chou?!"

    How could this be?! Her silly Plant Spirit was a pitcher plant, not a human child.

    Listening to Li Meirong''s obvious tone of disbelief, Chou distanced himself a tad bit in order to stare directly at her face with deliberate accusation. His big dark eyes shined like ripe grapes under the sunlight as he pointed one short finger straight at her nose, "Who did Master think Chou was? Humph!"

    "But you''re¡­ You''re a baby. A human looking baby!" Li Meirong still couldn''t come to terms with the changes that Chou had undergone, she used both her arms to lift the child higher up in the air, examining him from all sides. There were no vines nor roots or any other such plant-like features, only his hair gave Chou''s otherworldly identity away¡­ She had never seen a person with locks that look like wet leaves before...

    "Isn''t Master proud? Chou is so powerful now!" Chou smirked triumphantly, flexing one fatty arm as though he was displaying a magnificently muscular bicep.

    ''Ahem¡­'' Ben Mo coughed rather awkwardly and tried to gain his odd master''s attention, swaying his mushroom cap left and right, ''This is all well and good, but this crazy radish just tried to kill me! What about that important little fact, huh?!''

 Chapter 206: Mushrooms Are Not Plants

    Chou turned around and snapped at the mushroom, "You rotten bean! Chou will stew you in boiling water!" He turned back to face Li Meirong and exclaimed, "This mushroom said he''s contracted to this dimension''s master! How can that be? Chou is the only Plant Spirit master needs!"

    ''Fool! I''m a mushroom, not a plant! We come from a different family, okay?'' Ben Mo''s telepathic words were conveyed to Li Meirong and Chou alike. He sounded most indignant with his reprimands.

    Chou furiously squinted his grape like eyes, swivelling his gaze back and forth between the vile mushroom and his master, "You''re the fool! You''re a liar. You grow out of the soil just like Chou, if you''re not a plant, then what are you?"

    "No, I''m not. Mushrooms are not plants, I''m telling you¡­''

    Before Ben Mo had a chance to clarify, Li Meirong placed Baby Chou on the ground and brought the conversation back to its original context, "Umm, about that¡­" She scratched the back of her head and muttered, averting her gaze from Chou''s direct stare, "I did contract him. Little Chou, this mushroom is called Ben Mo and he''s not lying. You can''t kill him, okay?"

    There was a brief time of awkward silence right after, the only sound which could be heard was Chou''s gasp of disbelief.

    After what felt like forever, the small boy furiously whispered, "Master, how could you do this to Chou?"

    The Plant Spirit Boy reached with a trembling hand to grasp Li Meirong''s fingers with his own. His chubby face adopted the expression of an aggrieved child who had been abandoned by his own parent. Tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill at any given moment.

    Li Meirong fell into a daze. She wasn''t even sure what to think of this confusing situation. Was it such a big deal to contract two spirits of a similar kind? It''s not as though she betrayed anybody¡­

    "Is it really such a big deal?" Her brows drew into a frown and she ended speaking her thoughts.

    Chou''s lower lip began trembling as well, the accumulated tears finally spilled down across his cheeks. He cried out, "Master is so cruel!"

    "Chou, wait a minute. Let''s talk about this first. Why does this bother you so much? You disliked Feng Huang too but in the end, you were willing to accept her, right? What about Snowball, he''s part of our family too and you are fine with that, right?"

    Li Meirong tried to reason with the emotional Pitcher Plant, crouching down to his height and wiping the tears off his round cheeks with her thumb.

 Chapter 207: Whats A Studhorse?

    However, her reasoning only seemed to further aggravate the so-called radish boy.

    "Chou is not fine with that!" He spat, "Chou did not want to accept anyone else, but Master took them all in anyway! Now¡­ Feng Huang is acceptable, but Chou never wanted the Snowballs! Uh, Snowball!"

    Li Meirong raised one eyebrow at Chou''s choice of words, yet kept silent, letting her little spirit continue with his grumbling.

    Chou shifted his sight to glare at the Snow Fox who was waiting patiently by the side while observing the whole scenario like it was a comedy show. He breathed in deeply and turned his glare back at Li Meirong, smacking her hands away from his face, "And Chou will definitely never approve a Plant Spirit! M-master, you''re just like that friend of yours, trying to build a harem! Y-you studhorse!"

    After venting out all of his frustrations, Chou immediately dashed away in an adorable baby waddle without even offering a chance for Li Meirong to explain herself. The sight of his wobbling white butt could be seen as his small feet sped away in haste, it looked as though he was levitating.

    Bai Yu tried to keep himself aloof during the whole encounter while maintaining the fox cub disguise, but the Plant Spirit''s final words had nearly caused his facade to crack and laugh out loud. Luckily, he managed to restrain himself and ended up coughing instead.

    Surely he''d have to mutilate himself, should he dare mock his own master!

    However, the thought of Her Ladyship collecting males for a harem was indeed quite amusing. Ah, if His Lordship were to ever hear a whisper of this nonsense, even if it was a joke...

    The Snow Fox shuddered at the thought, a tremor of fear rippled through him, he shook his head and neck before looking up at Li Meirong.

    Once Bai Qingyue''s temper flared, it was very difficult to rationalize with that man. Wouldn''t the Sovereign Lord murder all the males who dared approach Her Ladyship, including himself?!

    Bai Yu nodded his furry head over and over in silent agreement, thinking it might have been for the best that the Fox Lord was summoned away and was incapable of viewing this spectacle.

    In the meantime, Li Meirong had fallen to her knees, facepalming herself. She sighed deeply, wondering what to do now. She had wanted to forget her worries and troubles and concentrate on what mattered. To cultivate and train for the tournament, and hopefully rank higher with her cultivation until she would be able to get back to her own world. She wanted a break from the emotional rollercoaster that was Zhu Qingyue, knowing that should he return now, she wouldn''t even be certain of how exactly to face him.

    ''So much for a break, I jumped from one pit and into another¡­'' Li Meirong thought and sighed wearily, her acquired determination seemed to have crumbled along with Chou''s fallen tears.

    After a long stretch of stillness, Ben Mo''s curious question probed Li Meirong''s clouded mind, ''Master, what''s a studhorse?''

 Chapter 208: Bad Luck With Men

    At that moment, Li Meirong truly regretted her running her mouth so tactlessly, teaching Chou those sort of words was definitely a dreadful mistake!

    Nevertheless, she could always try to get away with describing the meaning of the term in a literal way...

    Li Meirong cleared her throat and answered briefly, "It''s a horse used specifically for breeding."

    ''But why did the radish boy say you''re a studhorse? A harem master?'' Ben Mo continued inquiring. His voice quickly rose in pitch and fervor, ''Master, are you collecting different males for breeding?! Master, I can''t join your harem, I''m a mushroom!''

    Li Meirong''s whole face immediately blackened. She pinched Ben Mo''s reddish cap in reprimand, "Who wants you to join a harem?! I don''t have a harem, and even if I did, I wouldn''t want a mushroom in my harem. I''m into humans, okay?!"

    "Ahhh! Stop, that hurts! I get it. No harem, no harem, you''re the forever alone master.''

    For some reason, the mushroom''s answer managed to aggravate her even more. Li Meirong ceased her assault on Ben Mo''s cap and sighed, "I''ll see you later. Don''t fight with Chou, he might act tough but he has a very fragile heart."

    Ben Mo''s voice was dripping with sarcasm, ''Right, of course he does...'' His tone quickly changed to one filled with enthusiasm as he added a question, ''Say, what about my regular dose of blood?''

    "No blood today!"

    ''That''s not fair!''

    After ignoring Ben Mo''s sobs of outrage from being denied his power boost, Li Meirong went to find Feng Huang while Snowball followed her not far behind. She wished to chase after Chou but figured that he''d need some time to calm down first.

    Feng Huang was hiding between a few rocks in the garden, napping under the sun as usual...

    Li Meirong found her not long after. She lightly tapped on the crystal-encrusted shell for a few times and heard the turtle grumble an incoherent response.

    Roused from her sleep, Feng Huang turned her reptilian neck around to assess Li Meirong''s countenance.

    She clacked her small tongue and said, "You look distraught..."

    "I was wondering if you could help me with cultivation today." Li Meirong answered, pointedly ignoring the remark.

    Feng Huang slowly narrowed her blood red eyes and said, "Is that so? Very well."

    Following that, Li Meirong went into a meditative state in the dimension''s garden, syphoning and harnessing the energies around her, under Feng Huang''s instructions. She was pleased to discover that it was indeed possible to cultivate energy from within the dimension in the exact same manner which she did outside.

    However, her mind was in a chaotic state. The cultivation results yielded almost nothing.

    During the whole training, Snowball stayed silent and observed from a short distance.

    After a third failed attempt at cultivating, Feng Huang noticed that Li Meirong had reached the limit of her mortal capacity to absorb energy and urged her to stop trying.

    They sat down side by side near the Lobster pond. Feng Huang watched Li Meirong whose eyes were downcast as she used a small wooden stick to draw circles on the ground.

    "This is just not my day..." Li Meirong mumbled aloud, her usual calm visage was marred by a deep frown.

    "What''s going on with you? I know you''re not as talented as me, but surely you can do better than that. Remember, your mind has to be free from troubling thoughts to fully unleash your capabilities. Otherwise, you''d just be wasting your time and exhausting your strength." Feng Huang tried to keep the speech lighthearted, hoping to coax Li Meirong into sharing her worries. She could tell from previous confrontations that the girl was a reserved type of person.

    As expected, Li Meirong stayed quiet.

    Feng Huang tried persuading her, "Sometimes talking about your issues rather than trying to ignore them can solve your inner demons¡­ I may look like a young beauty, but I''m quite the ancient turtle. With all my years of experience, I should know!"

    Li Meirong glanced at the turtle by her side before going back to staring at the circle shapes she had drawn.

    Eventually, she said, "I have bad luck with men. Just when I thought something had worked out for me, my dream shattered..." She sighed, "And Chou got mad at me too."

    Feng Huang hummed in understanding, "Oh, I see what this is about."

 Chapter 209: Completely Wrong!

    Li Meirong lifted one of her delicate eyebrows high up in response to Feng Huang''s unexpected remark.

    "You do?" Her tone evidently portrayed her disbelief.

    "Sure I do!" Feng Huang chuckled with confidence, her heavy shell tilted left and right as her reptilian form shook with laughter. She answered, "This is not about your luck with men, it''s about that prospective male of yours. He must have been unworthy! You already said he''s a weakling, and since you''re not that strong yourself, how will your future babies fare once they are born? I said to get a man who won''t step all over you. I didn''t say to hook up with a complete loser!

    The Turtle Demoness talked like a mother educating her foolish young child and continued, stomping her stubby feet in the process, "Besides, he must have been terrible in bed for you to already have issues with him. Weak males don''t know that they need to be a little aggressive to please their partner... Find a better one, I say. As for Chou, he''s still a baby, and babies have temper tantrums. He will come around..."

    Li Meirong''s downcast expression disappeared altogether. She gave Feng Huang a dirty look and angrily threw the stick in her grasp aside. Her palms closed into fist shapes, itching to knock some sense into this overly imaginative turtle!

    "You''re completely wrong!" She spat the words out, "This is not at all what happened, and Senior Zhu is not a weakling and not a loser, he''s just sick!" Her voice turned slightly wistful as she kept speaking, "He''s strong in his own way and if anything, I probably don''t deserve him, he really is perfect. He is kind and considerate, charming, humble, and knowledgable, a-and really handsome too."

    Meanwhile, Feng Huang sneered at her foolish master. The girl didn''t seem to know any better, yet she already sounded like a lovestruck fool. However, she didn''t mention her opinion aloud and allowed Li Meirong to proceed with her ranting.

    "Anyhow, we''ve¡­ we''ve never actually gone that far ahead. It''s probably my fault too. This is the second time he ditched me and this time, he disappeared right in the middle of-"

    Li Meirong''s pale cheeks heated up to a shade of an aged tomato as she willed herself to reveal what had happened, "-I-in the middle of, when we were about to¡­"

    She hadn''t managed to finish the sentence, but figured Feng Huang would be clever enough to guess at what she was trying to say, or so she thought.

    The Turtle Demoness contemplated aloud, "So you feel sexually unsatisfied?"

 Chapter 210: He Obviously Likes Men!

    "No! That''s not the point I''m trying to make!" Li Meirong shrieked in frustration as her face turned redder still. She unclasped one palm and hastily covered Feng Huang''s talkative mouth.

    Li Meirong glared at the wide-eyed turtle and blurted, "I may not be the brightest girl around, but I can tell that if a man disappears on a woman like that, it usually means that their relationship was all a joke to him. He''s not really into her." She breathed in deeply and said, "I don''t want to get hurt again, so I''ve decided to give up now before it''ll be too late and I''ll end up falling for him. And about Chou¡­ I hope you''re right. Seeing him cry broke a piece of my heart."

    ''Foolish girl. You don''t get to choose when you give your heart away to someone. It sounds like you''re already emotionally invested.'' Feng Huang silently gathered, pitying her silly mortal master.

    Feng Huang attentively listened to Li Meirong, blinking her crimson eyes a few times over. She tried to think of a way to get the girl out of this mess without being too heartbroken.

    After Li Meirong finished talking, she slowly moved her hand away from the turtle''s mouth.

    The Turtle Demoness had a look of concentration on her face as she wondered, "Never mind the crazy plant now! Hmm, about that unworthy male of yours, maybe he did like you. Though sadly, it seems as though he''s not that attracted to you, considering how he disappeared when you were about to mate." She paused for a moment and exclaimed, "Ah! Maybe he''s a lover of men?"

    "A lover of men?" Li Meirong repeated the question, thinking the words over again in her mind.

    Unbeknownst to the chattering girls, a certain snow fox who had been overhearing their conversation nearly toppled from his unmoving position!

    A lover of men, they said!

    Bai Yu was about to shed tears of blood for Bai Qingyue''s tattered pride. ''Ah, to think there is a title that would insult His Lordship more than being named Snowball¡­''

    Worse yet, Her Ladyship seemed to be seriously considering Feng Huang''s idea!

    Li Meirong nibbled on her lower lip, her voice softening to a mumble, "Although I don''t wish to believe it, your words do make sense. The first night we were together, Senior Zhu was heavily drugged and might have been acting solely on instinct. Not to mention prior to that, the way he acted when he was sober was completely different. My memory isn''t very clear when it comes to that night, but I do recall the way he proclaimed that he wouldn''t touch me. I remember the way he spoke¡­ the tone of disgust in his voice,"

    She gasped as though she reached a terrible conclusion, "Then when we met again, he began pursuing me right away with no rhyme or reason. Maybe it was all an act to cover his actual interests? When we were about to do it, he couldn''t bear the thought of finishing the act and ran away."

    Feng Huang bobbed her small head in agreement, "See what I told you. I know what I''m talking about. He obviously likes men!"

    In the background, Bai Yu started silently sobbing for his master''s ruined dignity.

 Chapter 211: Cant Even Gain A Human Form!

    Following that conclusion, Li Meirong proceeded to chat with Feng Huang for a short while and prepared to leave. She didn''t wish to remain in the dimension for much longer. After collecting a few cultivation scrolls to peruse, she paced back towards the mushroom field. Feng Huang and Snowball silently accompanied her along the way, each of the three companions was engrossed in their own thoughts.

    Li Meirong stopped in her tracks upon reaching the field''s entrance. She immediately caught sight of Chou sitting cross-legged at the exact location she transported her consciousness to and from the material plane of existence.

    The nude boy had his arms folded together while his bottom lip protruded in a sulking pout. The mass of leaf-like curls fell to his shoulders like clumps of moss crawling down a tree bark. He looked to be the very image of a petulant child who had been deprived of his bosom toy.

    In the meantime, it seemed as though Ben Mo had been thoroughly frightened by Chou. The mushroom turned suspiciously quiet at the sight of the boy, his occasional trembling provided the only proof of his otherworldly entity. Otherwise, he would have seemed no better than an actual fungus instead of a spiritual being.

    "Now what kind of nonsense are you trying to do?! Can''t you see Master''s got enough issues to deal with?" Feng Huang lifted one stubby foot high up and chastised the boy.

    Chou turned to glare at the Turtle Demoness by Li Meirong''s side and stuck his small pink tongue at her. He huffed and retorted in a voice filled with derision, "Humph! Chou doesn''t want to hear no complaints from a turtle who can''t even gain a human form!"

    "Why, you little-" Feng Huang''s red eyes glowed and her shell infused with flames as she levitated in the air, preparing herself to battle the stinky plant once more.

    That stupid plant knew exactly how to hit her what it hurts the most! What was Feng Huang''s sore spot these days? Her cultivation, of course!

    Not only was she a thousand-year-old respectable Demoness who should be outranking most mortal cultivators and certainly a large number of spirit beasts¡­ Yet somehow, she lost in strength not only to her Master, but to a puny little Plant Spirit!

    The blow to her self-esteem had far exceeded Feng Huang''s mental tolerance, causing the Turtle Demoness to become quite depressed and indolent. Instead of cultivating with dignity, she preferred to bathe under the soothing rays inside the dimension.

    Undeniably so, that pale grass-head knew exactly how to piss her off!

 Chapter 212: Chou Wants To Go Out!

    "Chou may be young, but Chou can still take you down, you lazy turtle!"

    In response to Feng Huang''s display of power, Chou stood up on his tiptoes, a pair of thin vines materialized into whips dripping with oozing venom at their tips. He held the vines in each of his palms in anticipation for a fight.

    However, the battle ended before it even started. Li Meirong blocked the pair from advancing on each other with her arm barricading the path.

    Li Meirong''s face blackened and her voice turned dangerously low, "Didn''t I say that I don''t allow fighting between ourselves unless it''s for training?!"

    The Pitcher Plant Boy and The Turtle Demoness''s aggressions had rapidly been brought to a halt. The pair gulped down simultaneously and stared at their furious master with guilty expressions etched across their faces.

    Li Meirong had indeed set a few rules for them to abide by, but they had still been bickering since day one. However, this was the first time that they nearly battled in front of their master.

    ''Oh no¡­ Master is our most important food source! We can''t let her get mad!''

    Feng Huang and Chou had one thing in common. They were strict believers of the saying, "don''t bite the hand that feeds you," quite literally so.

    Not even a minute passed before Chou grabbed Feng Huang in his small arms and nervously giggled, "Chou is simply helping Junior Turtle with her cultivation!"

    Feng Huang assisted with the act, "Y-yeah. I need a few pointers¡­"

    "..." Said Li Meirong, the scowl didn''t disappear from her face.

    "Umm, Master," Chou carelessly shoved Feng Huang aside, seeing as the ongoing friendly pretense didn''t seem to make much of a difference with his master. He tugged on the hem of Li Meirong''s robe, "Chou is sorry for calling Master a Studhorse. Master is definitely not like that stupid Mo Cheng. Also, Chou wants to go out of the dimension with Master this time!"

    Feng Huang sent a death glare to the stupid Pitcher Plant Boy after being pushed away so unceremoniously and quickly announced, "If he''s going, I''m going too!"

    Li Meirong sighed and pinched the space between her brows. She came in for some peace and quiet, and instead, she ended up dealing with her spirit pets'' temper tantrums, as well as discovering that her potential boyfriend might have possibly been gay this whole time.

    "Master, are you alright?" Snowball stepped forward and asked with concern.

    Li Meirong turned to stare at Snowball''s bright golden eyes, her lips curved upwards at the thought, ''At least I have my lovely Snowball to depend on.''

 Chapter 213: What If Something Happened To Zhu Qingyue?

    Li Meirong reassured the fox cub with a pat on his furry head and helplessly succumbed to her companions'' demands. She brought Snowball, Feng Huang, and Chou back to the material plane with her.

    The next two and a half months passed by rather uneventfully.

    During that time, she settled into a casual routine which included the daily Bestiary Division''s lessons and evening martial arts training sessions. As the tournament grew closer and closer, time was running short and almost less than a full moon''s cycle was left to prepare for the approaching event. She found herself focusing more on the battle techniques Zhu Qingyue had previously taught her.

    Since Li Meirong officially became an inner sect disciple, the servant duties which were once hers had now been transferred to another outer sect disciple. Her now emptied schedule provided her with ample time to hone her skills and focus on her studies.

    With the passing of each day, her thoughts always reverted to a certain fair-haired man who hadn''t returned since his disappearance from their rendezvous at her home.

    At first, all she had felt for Zhu Qingyue was a furious rage, then, later on, she was filled with disappointment, shock, and disbelief brought about by Feng Huang''s suggestion that he might be "a lover of men". Though ultimately, her emotions all culminated with the most worrying thought.

    What if something happened to Zhu Qingyue?

    Li Meirong suddenly realized that instead of letting him go as she intended, she found herself all the more enamoured with him.

    She was second-guessing her own feelings and decisions yet again. Did Senior Zhu''s absence really make her heart grow fonder?

    With all her previous relationships, when she had decided that it was time to let go, she was always capable of officially discarding the old flames in her heart and never looking back, not even once.

    "Out of sight and out of mind," as people said. Li Meirong would feel sad, shed a few tears, but in the end, she would continue with her life and look forward to something else to occupy her time with.

    However, this wasn''t the case now. Not this time.

    She kept wondering if Zhu Qingyue''s terminal disease had finally killed him. So what if he was homosexual? She still cared for the man. If he had died in some ditch somewhere out there, all alone, lost and forgotten...

    Li Meirong shook her head. She''d rather not think about that.

 Chapter 214: Disguise The Aura

    Because of the constant unsettling feelings, Li Meirong''s cultivation had regressed to an even slower pace. She wasn''t very skilled to begin with, considering her spiritual foundation, but after jumping several ranks higher in such a short time, to be held in the same stage without even the smallest of changes was quite disheartening.

    Today was one of those days where she had tried, once again, to contract a beast. And just the same as before, she ended up failing miserably.

    It wasn''t the case of an inability to battle a spirit beast or charm it in one way or another. No, they simply refused to appear at all.

    Li Meirong knelt down in frustration on the seashore of an island situated not far from the floating Forgotten Waters sect. She had flown to this small patch of land using one of the Bestiary Division''s crane mounts and had been accompanied by Snowball, while Chou and Feng Huang stayed back home.

    The beach stretched out along the ocean water, gentle waves greeted the warm grains of sand in a constant, unchanging rhythm. It was quite a peaceful, sunny day. On such a pleasant day, Li Meirong would normally have felt joyful, if the circumstances were different.

    She turned around to glance at Snowball. The fox was busying himself with licking one of his paws.

    "Didn''t you say you''re going to help me disguise my aura before?" Li Meirong complained, venting her frustration by shifting the blame onto the fox.

    "O-oh? Oh, right! Hmm¡­" Snowball hopped on the sand, leaving small canine footprints behind as he approached Li Meirong. He caused his own inner energy to flare, encasing himself in a dense, visible aura.

    "Summon your spiritual powers to the surface, and as you feel your meridians coursing with qi, attempt to control your aura from spreading."

    "Alright." Li Meirong followed Snowball''s guidance and summoned her inner energy. A bright blue flame enveloped her and made her shine like a fire sprite.

    "Try to tone it down now. Control the energy which you summoned and reduce its strength." Snowball instructed, reducing his own flare of energy as an example.

    "The way you explain it makes it sounds so easy..." Said Li Meirong as she closed her eyes and attempted to control the spiritual energy coursing through her body.After a few unsuccessful attempts, Li Meirong''s aura dimmed a tad.

    "Well," Snowball remarked after assessing the fruits of Her Ladyship''s labour, "That''s a start! Though sadly, it won''t be enough to make the spirit beasts approach. You should probably practise until you manage to conceal all of your aura."

    "Dam*it!" Li Meirong focused on her energy but she lacked the skill to control it. After reducing it a bit, the strength of the aura wouldn''t budge even a little.

    "I''ll never be able to practise this way! How can I capture beasts if I scare them off from miles away?!"

    Li Meirong bit her lower lip and grabbed a fistful of sand, tossing it in the air. Unfortunately, it was as if mother nature herself mocked her inability, for at that exact moment, the wind shifted in her direction and all the sand flew straight back into her face.

    "Hahaha!" A feminine sound of merry laughter could suddenly be heard behind Li Meirong and her fox spirit companion. The duo spun around to face the person behind them.

    "Perhaps I can be of some assistance," Spoke a beautiful girl with caramel hued skin which only further enhanced the vividness of her deep azure eyes. She greeted Li Meirong with a grin so wide, a dimple formed on each side of her lips.

    Li Meirong sputtered out some of the sand that had flown into her mouth and rubbed her eyelids with the backs of her hands.

    "Xiong Mei? Where have you been? What are you doing here?" Li Meirong asked hesitantly, her eyes reddened from the sand. She noticed Snowball had advanced to her front, baring his fangs and flexing his claws in front of Xiong Mei.

    "Oh, I only just returned from my sect mission and stumbled upon this area. What a surprise it was to find you here! Junior Sister, you need to call off your guard dog or I won''t be able to help you!"

 Chapter 215: Run, My Lady!

    "Snowball isn''t a guard dog, he''s my spirit beast companion, and I''m grateful for the offer but I''ll politely decline it." Li Meirong countered, her eyebrows drew into a frown as she glanced askance at her fellow student from the same division.

    Xiong Mei''s eyes narrowed down as she peered at the so-called "Snowball" with undisguised mockery, "Right. Of course he is¡­"

    After speaking thus, Xiong Mei immediately reached Li Meirong''s side with a single flying leap, bypassing the hostile fox with incredible ease.

    Bai Yu who had been pretending to be Snowball had only managed to turn his head back around and face the opponent before freezing on the spot. Every fibre of his being itched to transform at once and protect Her Ladyship from this terrible entity, however, he grew terrified upon realizing that he was unable to do so much as budge a paw!

    During the time this "Xiong Mei" jumped over him, she managed to block his acupoints, therefore rooting him immobile to the spot!

    Worse yet, this girl hadn''t even touched him when she pressed on his pressure points.

    Bai Yu contemplated the situation at hand with a terrible dread. He was unable to tell when this enemy had first approached and couldn''t measure her level of cultivation, which meant that this person''s strength had far surpassed his own.

    Additionally, to be able to paralyze a warrior god from the Heavenly Realm without so much as lifting a finger could only pinpoint to one thing, and it was that this Xiong Mei was terrifyingly powerful. So powerful, in fact, that Bai Yu assumed no one in the fox clan would be able to take her down in terms of sheer strength.

    The fates surely enjoyed abusing Bai Yu, for if that was not enough, his keen senses had already picked on the reptilian scent emitting from the girl. She smelled strangely like a lizard, and therefore her identity could only be¡­

    ''Oh, no.'' In his deadened state, Bai Yu only managed to inhale a sharp intake of air.

    His almond yellow orbs stared at Xiong Mei''s back with a fierce, piercing look, willing himself to burn a hole into her chest with his eyes alone.

    ''Run, My Lady! This is one opponent even your Lord Husband would be unable to overcome!'' He wanted to inform Her Ladyship of the danger but was unable to speak, his voice had been thoroughly muted!

    Heck, he couldn''t even warn Li Meirong with his eyes, the damned girl''s height and shoulders completely concealed the dainty frame of Her Ladyship from his view!

 Chapter 216: He Had Been Mistaken

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong had been too occupied with Xiong Mei to notice Snowball''s attempts at warning her with his eyes. Xiong Mei came so close in front of her, the fabrics of their clothes nearly brushed together.

    Almost by instinct, Li Meirong took a quick unsteady step away to put some distance between her and the strange girl and nearly stumbled backwards. Though instead of falling, she was speedily caught by Xiong Mei''s thin yet surprisingly strong arms.

    The Aqua-eyed beauty held her with a firm and steady grip.

    On this peaceful, sunny seaside, a pair of beautiful girls could be seen entwined in a harmonious embrace. The gleaming sun shined down from the clear skies and basked their feminine figures with a gentle glow. The taller girl with skin that shined like bronze was dressed lavishly and adorned with gold and silver jewellery as she leaned slightly over the smaller girl who kept herself plain and simple, merely wearing the sect''s robe and tying her hair in a plain updo.

    Their small, oval faces were brought so closely together, it seemed as though they were about to indulge themselves in a sweet caress and a gentle kiss, while one girl''s arms were wrapped around the other girl''s waist in a rather possessive manner.

    Xiong Mei''s bright ocean coloured eyes curved like crescent moons and the corners of her lips tilted upwards into a coquettish grin, "You sure you don''t want my help?"

    Li Meirong swallowed down her saliva, she felt her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. She wasn''t exactly sure why, but the way Xiong Mei looked at her reminded her of the way Zhu Qingyue used to look at her, setting off alarm bells in her mind at full force.

    The spectator, Bai Yu, still had his mouth hanging open as he observed the scene with a mix of strange unexplainable emotions.

    At first, he had speculated that this Xiong Mei girl had been in cahoots with Hong Meigui, the Bai clan''s former matron and Bai Qingyue''s mother.

    He had mistakenly assumed Xiong Mei was aiming to murder Li Meirong under Hong Meigui''s orders so she could push her son into an arranged marriage with the Red Fox Princess.

    But now¡­ What did this present situation imply? Why did it seem like Xiong Mei stared at Her Ladyship in the same way he had stared at Bao Li''s freshly made, pork-stuffed buns marinated with oyster sauce?

    Could it be that he had been mistaken all this time? It wasn''t the pitcher plant who was the love rival, but this dragoness instead?!

    ''My Lord," Bai Yu wordlessly grieved, ''You wife is a blooming flower which attracts all sorts of peculiar butterflies. Be it male or female, with a dragon as a competitor for Her Ladyship''s affections, whatever shall you do now?!''

    Alas, the girls were too caught up with each other for either of them to notice the distraught fox.

    Eventually, Li Meirong spoke under her breath as she repeated Xiong Mei''s question, "Do I want your help?" She purposefully avoided the girl''s direct gaze, trying to maintain her composure, "Yes, I''m quite sure I don''t. Last time you helped me, I nearly died."

    Xiong Mei had usually kept a constant cheerful expression on her face, but now, her green-blue eyes narrowed down and her otherwise perfectly sculpted features had been marred with a deep frown.

    "Whatever do you mean by that?" Gone was the careless mirth in Xiong Mei''s voice as she inquired.

    Li Meirong became solemn and quiet. She pushed her elbows to each side, trying to untangle herself from Xiong Mei''s arms, "Let go of me."

    Contrary to Li Meirong''s pleas, Xiong Mei did the opposite, her grip tightened as she awaited Li Meirong''s response, "First explain yourself."

    "No," Li Meirong winced and yelped, "First, let go."

    Xiong Mei''s lips were pursed as she allowed the girl to escape her hold.

 Chapter 217: Im Tired of Explaining Myself

    "You are not allowed to drop this sort of accusation without properly explaining yourself." Xiong Mei''s whole demeanour had undergone an abrupt transformation, as she suddenly expressed herself with the air of a ruler, a commanding presence whose each perfectly enunciated word weighed heavy as it was spoken.

    After Li Meirong had acquired her much needed personal space again, she arranged her crumpled sleeves and slowly raised her chin up to lock eyes with her strange, fellow student.

    It came as a surprise for Li Meirong when she was suddenly able to detect a terrifying sort of power lurking within Xiong Mei, a thick misty aura that had not been present before could suddenly be seen, taking shape and engulfing the bright-eyed beauty in a display which was both breathtaking and chilling at the same time.

    Her irises, Li Meirong noted, had moderately altered their shade like the ever-changing weather and darkened into a raging storm. She struggled to keep her gaze locked on Xiong Mei''s, going against her growing desire to cower underneath a force so terrible, and so much greater than her own.

    "Your mount, Tiny. She almost killed me." Li Meirong''s hands trembled, however, she managed to say the words without stammering.

    "Impossible!" Xiong Mei scoffed, "Tiny would never act without my direct order." She rebuffed the accusation, waving her hand in the air as if the very notion was preposterous.

    Li Meirong let out a bitter laugh, forcing herself to stand her ground, "I''m tired of explaining myself to other people who never bother to believe me. I wanted to tell you this before but you have disappeared for too long and stopped attending the daily lessons."

    Xiong Mei opened her mouth to speak but at that same instance, Li Meirong jabbed Xiong Mei''s shoulder with one finger and interjected, "For some odd reason, your spirit beast was jealous of the way you behaved around me. She dropped me off her back in midair and up until now, I''m not even certain of how I stayed alive. Do with this information what you will, just stay away from me. I got a lot of things going on with me right now, and I can''t handle any more of this craziness."

    At that moment, Bai Yu, the little furry spectator felt pride welling up in his little canine heart.

    Despite his inability to move, his soul was raging with fire!

    It was an unquestionable fact for the former second-in-command, that if he hadn''t already chosen to whole-heartedly devote himself to the Bai clan, surely Her Ladyship''s great feat of mind-blowing courage would have made him pledge his loyalty right there and then for the rest of his life!

    ''That''s My Lady worthy of ruling the Huli Jing!'' Bai Yu wordlessly cheered, ''A human mortal toppling the heavens, taking down an almighty godly dragon. You can do it, My Lady! Show her who''s the boss!''

    Needless to say, it was more than likely that Her Ladyship was unaware of who exactly she was jabbing her finger at, yet regardless of her ignorance, the act had been impressive all the same!

    Unfortunately for Bai Yu, he wasn''t the only person present who had been impressed with Her Ladyship.

    Li Meirong''s bold declaration caused Xiong Mei to withdraw her ire. The blizzard storm in her eyes had softened into gentle rippling raindrops, returning to their usual teal hue. She raised her hand to clasp the prodding finger in her palm, squeezing it ever so gently.

    "No one ever dared to speak to me this way before." Her sentence came out as a whisper filled with wonderment.

    The condensed, oppressive aura gradually dissipated.

 Chapter 218: Already Know All About Zhu Qingyue

    Li Meirong kept her lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed down with suspicion as she assessed the girl in front of her. She wasn''t really sure as to what was now brewing in the strange girl''s mind, the more she thought about the meaning behind Xiong Mei''s choice of words, the more confused she became by her. She had already acquired a migraine due to one certain silver-haired individual, and she definitely didn''t need Xiong Mei to give her another headache.

    She sighed and tried to manoeuvre herself out of this awkward encounter with a polite approach, "Xiong Mei, I don''t want to fight with you. You were nice to me before and I appreciate your help, so let''s separate under good terms."

    "I don''t want to separate. If what you say is true and my spirit beast had wronged you, I will seek justice on your behalf." Xiong Mei announced, and it felt as though her words were as strong as a vow.

    During that moment, they stood there in silence for a few seconds longer, each with their own ideas, trying to read the thoughts of the other person.

    Li Meirong looked aside as she busied herself by contemplating how to respond to the girl''s declaration without triggering her into anger, purposefully avoiding Xiong Mei''s penetrating stare. The only noises that were now heard were of the birds chirping in the distance, and the soft tinkling sound of the waves crashing upon the sand.

    A few moments later, Li Meirong felt the touch of a warm hand upon her skin as she was forcibly pushed forward to Xiong Mei''s direction.

    "What are you-"

    Xiong Mei bent down with one fast movement and grasped Li Meirong by the back of her neck. Without providing the latter with even the slightest opportunity to escape, she tilted her head and plastered her lips upon Li Meirong''s, silencing the girl from speaking any further.

    "..." Li Meirong''s eyes had rounded like a pair of saucers, she became shocked into speechlessness! Except for the soft feeling of smooth lips pressing against her own, she wasn''t able to comprehend what was actually happening. She felt no better than a machine that had short-circuited!

    Of all the things that Li Meirong had been speculating, getting kissed was the last thing on her mind, and by a girl, no less!

    However, before she had a chance to soundly slap the audacious girl, Xiong Mei had somehow managed to mysteriously rise several feet above the ground in the blink of an eye, grinning from ear to ear like a content cat who had just licked the finest cream.

    "Mmhm. I knew you''d taste sweet!" Xiong Mei said, tracing her own lips with one long finger and playfully taunting the fuming beauty who stood upon the ground.

    She twirled around while levitating in the air. Her dark hair spilled down across her partly concealed shoulders and contrasted with her loose, white silken dress that sparkled under the sunlight as she danced. The golden bracelets and anklets decorating her long, tanned arms and legs rattled with the sound of the silver bells which was attached to them.

    "Y-you! Just what do you think you''re doing?!"

    After a short length of time had passed in which Li Meirong regained her rationality, she venomously spat out the words and furiously rubbed her lips with the back of her hand, still flabbergasted by the smooching she had just received.

    From above, the aqua-eyed girl''s expression reverted to her commonly seen smirk, "You are too sweet a temptation to give up on. Li Meirong, I''ll be back for you after I settle my issues with Tiny. Don''t miss me too much!"

    Li Meirong gnashed her teeth with rage, flailing both her fists in the air, "You insane girl! Who is going to miss you? Don''t come back, you hear me?!"

    Xiong Mei chuckled, seemingly all too happy with the response she received, she pointedly chose to ignore Li Meirong''s remarks and answered, "Oh, and sweety, stay clear of Zhu Qingyue, he is not who you think he is."

 Chapter 219: I Figured It Out By Now

    "Don''t call me sweety, and I already know all about Zhu Qingyue. There is no need to warn me. I''d rather you stay away!" Grumbled Li Meirong as she brought her fist down, realizing she cannot reach high enough to smack the audacious girl. She turned around stomped off towards Snowball, picking the somewhat limp snow fox into her arms.

    Li Meirong felt more than saw the crazy, audacious girl following after her while hovering overhead.

    "Do you really know Zhu Qingyue''s secret?" Xiong Mei asked from behind, sounding incredulous.

    "Yes," Li Meirong nodded her head in assurance, "I figured it out by now and I''m fine with it." She said and headed back to the crane mount perched upon the side of the beach, hoping that if she were to ignore Xiong Mei long enough, she''d eventually go away.

    "How unexpected," Xiong Mei grunted, "And kinda disappointing." Her eyes widened in astonishment, "I thought you''d hate him for lying to you."

    "A lot of people lie about this kind of thing because it''s hard for them to be accepted into society." Li Meirong tactfully explained. It was true, even the more advanced society from which her soul originally came from still frowned upon homosexuality.

    "Is that a fact?" Now it was Xiong Mei''s turn to sound confounded by the other girl.

    "Yes. But just because you''re like that too doesn''t mean you can go around kissing people! You have to get their approval first!" Li Meirong turned around and lashed out in anger.

    She always believed that everybody should be with whoever makes them feel happy, as long as they don''t make the other person miserable in the process. If love wasn''t a two-way street, it would simply be a one-sided affection that ends up as a tragedy. A person cannot be forced into loving someone.

    Unfortunately, Li Meirong''s words of outrage fell on deaf ears, for by the time she pivoted to admonish Xiong Mei, the audacious girl had already disappeared.

    "Why am I always meeting lunatics?" She wondered aloud as she mounted the crane, placing Snowball upon her lap.

    The moment the dragoness had flown away, Bai Yu realized his pressure points had been unsealed. He disregarded the dangerous position of his butt on Her Ladyship''s lap and cried out in anguish, "Master! Master was molested!"

    Li Meirong gave Snowball a sour look and ruffled his fur, "Don''t speak nonsense!"

 Chapter 220: Oh No Oh No Oh No

    Regrettably, Snowball appeared to be in his own little world. He hadn''t made any sign of acknowledgement of hearing Li Meirong whatsoever.

    "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh, no¡­." The small fox kept muttering in fright, his tail drooped down, curling between his hind legs.

    The most terrible perception became clear to him, Her Ladyship had just been taken advantage of! While he, the useless bodyguard, had simply stood there paralyzed and watched the girls'' soft pair of lips colliding with each other!

    Never mind the fact that it wasn''t a particularly terrible sight to behold. Bai Yu began to think that staying by Her Ladyship''s side might be dangerous for his frail heart. All these intense emotions shifting constantly and jumping back and forth from being on his guard to wrath, excitement, pride, and eventually despair¡­

    At this rate, he would definitely die young! If not from a heart attack, then certainly from His Lordship''s wrath!

    The fox cub''s pupils dilated and his small frame started quivering when the image of Bai Qingyue popped into his mind, causing him to stress ten times over.

    What would happen if His Lordship were to ever find out that another person had kissed his wife? He wouldn''t care whether it''s a man or a woman, friend or foe, the bearer of such news would die first!

    The consequences would definitely be severe!

    ''No, it must never happen!'' Bai Yu shook his head and solemnly swore not to utter a single word about today''s events.

    In his state of inner turmoil, he suddenly felt a slight prickling sensation as his button nose was getting pinched by Li Meirong.

    "What are you fretting over? One would think that the person who had to deal with the lunatic girl was you." She let out a nervous giggle and pulled the reins attached to the crane, urging the bird to spread its wings and fly.

    "Master¡­ I''m so sorry." Snowball cried out. Li Meirong was obviously distraught by the whole ordeal and yet, she still tried to calm him down. He was undoubtedly able to tell how rattled she actually was by the stiffness of her shoulders and by her unsteady breathing.

    "I''m fine!" Li Meirong assured Snowball as she glanced at his pitiful looking expression, "I''ve been kissed by girls before. There are some countries where this display of affection is very common! What do you want to eat tonight? I''ll cook something tasty for us." She kept on mumbling.

    At a specific point, it wasn''t certain if Li Meirong was trying to convince herself that she was alright, or the fox spirit in her arms.

 Chapter 221: Reconsider

    At the same time, far beyond the horizon, stood a tall, foreboding man inside the confined territory of the Celestial Fox Spirit palace.

    In the rear region of the Bai clan''s castle, surrounded by lotus ponds and shrouded with a mystical fog, stood the lone man beneath a garden''s alcove, signing his seal on a collection of parchments.

    Moonlight rays streamed through the gaps between the pergola, as tendrils of creeping vines dimmed the light piercing through, enveloping the handsome yet daunting man with a soft, ethereal glow.

    The man was cloaked in the royal garment of his clan, which was only a shade darker than his hair, cascading all the way down across his back like a stream of waterfall formed by glittering snowflakes. A pair of elongated fox ears decorated the crown of his head, while eight long, silver coloured furry tails casually swished behind his ramrod back.

    Not unlike a majestic tiger in its natural habitat, this particular man presented a heart-stopping vision, one which could only be admired from afar, for if one would ever be bold enough to tread closer, then surely, they would be torn to shreds by this deadly, unattainable beauty.

    Ever so slowly, the striking man''s thick eyelashes fluttered as he opened a beguiling pair of bright, uncanny eyes. The slanted phoenix shape and seductive, golden hue of those irises, along with his jade-like skin, and pure, otherworldly appearance certainly didn''t match the murderous intensity emanating from his slitted pupils, nor the aura full of darkness that shrouded his very form.

    The air was damp and rather stifling in this garden. An eerie kind of silence covered the area, one that suppressed even the rippling water nearby.

    All in all, this godly being presented a terrifying, morbid yet enthralling and impressive sight to behold. The likes which one cannot help but watch, despite knowing the dangers such actions foretold.

    From a distance, the sound of rustling leaves could be heard as the observer''s clothes brushed against a nearby bush.

    "Why are you here?" Spoken with a voice as cold as the chilling frost, Bai Qingyue''s sight never left the thin parchment paper in his hand. He didn''t stir from his spot as he verbally acknowledged the intruder who stealthily tiptoed behind him.

    "My lord, I beseech you to reconsider." Bai Cuifeng said, with a tremor in her voice, she knelt down and kowtowed as she pleaded.

 Chapter 222: Spare Me Your Words of Wisdom

    The newly ordained Second-in-command who had always been considered a true born warrior and a fearless female in the Bai clan, had plastered her forehead against the concrete. She was dressed in metal armour, while her flowing green hair was tied into a tight, neat bun. The vibrant green tint of her eyes was hidden from view as she stared at the stone floor. An unmistakable hint of fear coated her scent.

    Bai Qingyue didn''t answer, he kept stamping his seal from one parchment onto another.

    "I beg you, My Lord, please don''t go back." She breathed in deeply before continuing her speech, "My Lord can''t defy the Heavenly Emperor''s orders. Not only will you be hunted down, but all our clansmen will also suffer the consequences as well." In the end, Bai Cuifeng''s words came out as a whimper.

    It was obvious to all the residents who were allowed to remain in the palace, that the Sovereign Lord was in a hurry.

    Hurrying where? Naturally, there could only be one place, or rather, one person who was capable of shaking His Lordship''s calm and collected demeanour.

    After several moments of frightful stillness, Bai Qingyue''s baritone voice reverberated throughout the garden, "You think it is within your position to reprimand Your Lordship?"

    At the sound of those words, Bai Cuifeng immediately raised her face from the ground. Her now reddened forehead had turned slightly bruised from the previous kowtows. She stared wide-eyed at His Lordship''s back and cried out, "Certainly not, My Lord! This humble servant is merely concerned for-"

    "Leave."

    "My Lord! You will bring our clan to ruin for the sake of one woman?" As she questioned, a flash of hatred could be seen in her eyes.

    "Presumptuous!" Bai Qingyue hissed, his voice laced with venom. He let go of the scroll in his hand and swung one long arm backwards in a sweeping movement.

    A powerful gust of wind blasted from his direction and targeted the kneeling fox goddess, piercing through her armour and skin as easily as a knife slicing butter. Bai Cuifeng was instantly swept several miles away.

    When Bai Cuifeng could no longer be seen, a deep, familiar voice chuckled aloud, "Your commander isn''t wrong, you know. A Sovereign Lord should always prioritize the clan above everything else. Learn from your old man''s mistakes."

    Bai Qingyue glared at the owner of the voice, who materialized underneath the pergola beside him. He had a few words in mind to retort, but kept quiet instead.

    The person who suddenly appeared looked not much different from Bai Qingyue, bearing the same otherworldly looks of the white fox clan, even his clothes were identical to the Sovereign Lord''s. He dangled a small fragrant sachet between two of his fingers, playfully swirling the small bag in a circular motion.

    "Father, spare me your words of wisdom." Bai Qingyue dropped all forms of formality when addressing Bai Zhang, eyeing the sachet in his father''s hand.

    He summoned a tray of freshly brewed teacups and presented one to Bai Zhang, "I summoned you to assist me with solving this particular issue. I see that the sachet is indeed able to deceive our kind''s keen sense of smell."

    Bai Zhang sighed deeply. He was already used to his son''s lack of respectful speech. Nevertheless, the older fox god accepted the offered cup and took a small sip. He proceeded to say, "We, the Huli Jing, are known as the masters of illusion, however, there is one trait we have never been able to ever properly conceal and that is our personal scent."

    Bai Zhang displayed the sachet in his hand. It was a plain small bag with a strong scent of freshly cut grass, "Our ancestor, the primordial Bai clan''s Sovereign Lord, had created a pair of sachets that are able to completely conceal one''s personal scent. He produced one such magical item for himself and one for his future wife. These sachets have passed down throughout the generations and each Sovereign Lord receives one and provides their wife with the other when they marry." The corner of Bai Zhang''s lips curved downwards in disdain, "I have one sachet and your mother has the other."

 Chapter 223: The Story Just Didnt Add Up

    "Wasn''t the Huli Jing''s primordial god known for having over a thousand concubines? Why did you say "future wife"? Do you mean to say our great ancestor had never chosen a main consort?" Bai Qingyue kept firing questions one after the other. His long claws scratched the wooden surface of the tray in his hands as his usual tone of indifference was suddenly piqued by a rare hint of curiosity.

    Bai Zhang stilled in his spot, raising one of his bushy eyebrows ever so slightly as he assessed this peculiar son of his. Contrary to his expectations from Bai Qingyue''s response, who he assumed would have politely entreated him for assistance, the boy unexpectedly voiced an entirely different question.

    During the previous, brief conversations he had shared with the Young Qingyue, this was the first time his son sounded so interested in the knowledge he possessed.

    But of all the things, why would this be of any importance?

    "Indeed, that was the case¡­" Bai Zhang took another sip of tea before facing Bai Qingyue, "At the end of his final years, our Primordial Fox Lord ancestor had possessed a vile reputation. He was known to be a deity who trod upon an evil path, lacking all the qualities befitting a righteous god. However, from the little knowledge our clan had preserved of him, the ancient fox had never consummated his marriage with any of his concubines, and also never took a main wife. It really makes one wonder why our line was cursed, to begin with. The old tale of the Primordial Fox Lord''s meeting with the Royal Dragon Princess at the Heavenly Tree of Life banquet must have been profoundly distorted."

    Wasn''t that the case? The Bai clan''s whole family had been cursed for aeons because of the Primordial Fox Lord''s mischievous ways and low moral conduct with the Dragon Princess back in the day. However, the Bai clan had also possessed another account of this deity, one that claimed their ancestor abhorred the touch of another. Even though he had collected such a large harem, the Primordial Fox Lord didn''t touch a single one of them nor produced any offspring.

    The story just didn''t add up.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes lit up with interest. "Hm. Then who was it that received those sachets, if our ancestor had never acquired a main consort?"

    "Naturally, Primordial Fox Lord never produced any offspring, and so, following his demise, his closest kin had been bestowed with the sachets, passing them down throughout the generations." By now, Bai Zhang''s look of incredulity had changed into a deep frown.

    Why would this information be of any importance to Young Qingyue?

    "Hmm¡­" Bai Qingyue merely hummed in response. He had a look of deep concentration upon his matchless countenance.

    With a simple flicker of magic, the teacup tray had been moved from Bai Qingyue''s palms and placed on a nearby rail.

    Bai Qingyue glanced at his father once more before silently turning to stare into the distance. With both of his hand folded together, along with his glowing, cunning eyes which were rooted in one direction, he gave the impression of a beautiful scholar, contemplating the meaning of life.

    His faint glance made Bai Zhang feel strangely uncomfortable, and in reaction, he instinctively lowered his head. He wondered why he, as the elder, would even feel this sort of nervousness while facing his own child.

    Yet, regardless of his current unease, Grandmaster Bai Zhang ignored the feeling and hastened to bring forth the planned request. Setting his cup aside, he said, "I, as your father will naturally come to your aid in times of crisis. However, now, I must ask for your support in return."

 Chapter 224: Break Our Familys Curse

    "What do you wish me to do?" Bai Qingyue plainly asked.

    "I will pose as you, but you must do two things for me." Bai Zhang cleared his throat and continued, "The first would be to assist me with breaking the curse. I am tracing your mother for this exact purpose. My informants have told me that she is in contact with a wise sage who has the power to divine the future of gods. This sage has knowledge of how to break our family''s curse. I wish for you to find that sage and bring him to me. As for the second request¡­"

    Bai Zhang drawled on as he tried to pinpoint his son''s reaction to his demands. However, it was nearly impossible to tell. Bai Qingyue''s visage had reverted to his natural mask of icy indifference as he tilted his face towards him.

    Seeing as he couldn''t read his son''s expression, Bai Zhang gave up on the attempt and verbalized the next demand. "My second request is to get rid of a little nuisance. I have found another demonic sect''s location in the world I govern over." Bai Zhang took out a map from his sleeve and handed it to Bai Qingyue. "I try to wipe them out whenever I hear news of these sects. Alas, you summoned me and I had no time to do so. You need only eradicate that filth. It shouldn''t take you very long."

    "It will be done." As his father finished his sentence, Bai Qingyue announced and instantly vanished. Only a whiff of smoke remained behind.

    Bai Zhang huffed, waving away the trail of smoke with his sleeve. "Insolent child. It''s always such a pleasure talking to you, humph!"

    Within mere moments, he disguised himself as his own son, carefully tucking the priceless sachet inside his robe and masking his scent.

    Bai Zhang sighed. His dark eyes swept around the tranquil greenery. He casually strolled inside the majestic Bai clan''s palace garden, breathing in deeply. The unique, nostalgic fragrance of jujube and apricot trees growing along the curved path assaulted his senses.

    So many years had passed since he had visited this sacred garden, and yet, so little had changed during this whole time.

    The tearful sound of a whimpering female could faintly be heard in the background. Curious, he hid himself and followed the noise.

    Bai Zhang flew across the wide expanse of the garden until he reached the battered form of the Second-in-command who had spoken out of turn. At her side was an elderly minor ranking servant, comforting her.

 Chapter 225: A Second Wife?!

    The former sovereign lord concealed his presence behind the corner and listened in on their conversation.

    "Lady Cuifeng, you shouldn''t displease His Lordship. You have served at his side for all these years, but this dreaded curse prevents him from returning your affections. You must be patient! Wait until the Matron finds a way to break the curse." The elderly servant comforted the wounded Goddess, helping her to her feet.

    Bai Cuifeng coughed out a spatter of blood. Due to Bai Qingyue''s heavy blow, her body had been inflicted with deep, internal injuries. Her emerald eyes blazed with barely contained fury and her hair spread about messily, the very image of a vengeful goddess.

    She clenched her hands and spat out, "He is so obsessed with that pathetic human girl. Who is to say he wouldn''t chase her after the curse is broken? Besides," Bai Cuifeng laughed bitterly, shooing the servant''s hands away after standing up, "Matron Hong Meigui would rather her son marry the Red Fox Princess from her maternal clan."

    "Lady Cuifeng, please quell your anger! You are making your injuries worse!" The elderly servant cried out and immediately let out a whistling sound. Several fox spirit servants swiftly arrived, each of them removing a piece of Bai Cuifeng''s broken armour, one at a time.

    "Hurry. I do not wish to be seen in this condition." Bai Cuifeng gnashed her teeth. This whole episode was a complete humiliation to her!

    While Bai Cuifeng was being treated by the others, the elderly servant suggested, "My lady, even if that may be the case and His Lordship marries the Red Clan''s Princess, you can always aim to be a second wife. For now, lay low until the Matron, His Lordship''s mother, returns to break the curse."

    Bai Cuifeng raised her hand and viciously struck the elder servant, dropping the older woman to the ground.

    "Me?" She shrieked, "A second wife?! How dare you suggest such a thing!"

    "I''m sorry, My Lady. I spoke foolishly!" The elderly servant prostrated herself on the ground, slapping her own cheek repeatedly.

    In the distance, Bai Zhang sighed tiredly. With a heavy heart, he turned around and left the pathetic spectacle. This was one of the reasons he had also chosen to leave the clan many years ago.

    There were far too many lies. Too many deceptions¡­

    Fate sure was funny. Here he was, trying to find the same woman whom he had forsaken all those years ago, Hong Meigui. While she, that dreadful woman was now working towards the same goal as him, the breaking of the Bai clan''s curse.

    Meanwhile, it seemed as though his son had unknowingly left behind a trail of admirers who had been plotting to gain his favour at a specific point.

    Bai Zhang slowly shook his head and went into his former private quarters.

    Only now did he actually find himself agreeing with his son''s questionable decisions. If Bai Qingyue hadn''t tricked his wife into marriage, who knows what would have happened by now? Who knows how many females were out there, plotting and vying for Young Qingyue''s favour. Would his son have ended in the same predicament as him?

    Not to mention the Dragon Prince he had allied himself with. That fellow had taken a strange interest in his son''s human wife, Li Meirong...

    Bai Zhang chuckled and wondered how many hearts would be broken at the moment Bai Qingyue would formally announce to the world that he had already married that ''pathetic human girl''.

    Though first, it would probably be wise of Young Qingyue to announce the marriage to his clueless wife.

 Chapter 226: Unorthodox Yuan Gui Sec

    In a desert-like terrain located in the western portion of the mortal realm, over a hundred thousand miles away from Forgotten Waters sect, lay the entrance of the unorthodox Yuan Gui sect.

    To the outside world, the sect looked no different from an abandoned colony of coal farmers, having been built inside an old forgotten mine. No one would have thought this dry, empty wasteland would host a few of the most notorious demonic cultivators known across the realm.

    For many a year, the Yuan Gui sect members kept their whereabouts a secret, concealing their territory with the use of powerful enchantments, and only allowing petty fools to venture forth into their hidden residence, either to enslave them or merely for the sake of some malicious entertainment.

    Although the exterior was that of a decrepit coal mine, underneath this facade was an entire, majestic city, built upon the backs of slaves and fortified with their long suffering bones.

    The demonic cultivators were known for their cruelty, but more so for their incomparable power. They had grown so formidable that only a few heroes on this continent would have dared face them in battle.

    With such impressive prowess as cultivators, the select members of the Yuan Gui sect had naturally thought themselves to be at the top of the food chain, with none in sight who could surpass them.

    This arrogant mindset had caused them to be woefully unprepared for their imminent downfall.

    On this stifling night, a lackey in charge of guard duty dashed through the empty charcoal streets, hurrying to reach his master''s manor.

    He crossed through the spiked iron fence and barged into the manor''s courtyard. A row of seated slaves rattled the chains latched onto their necks as they were roused from their fretful sleep.

    The slaves had remained in the same position for days, huddling together in their own filth. After several years of living in the darkness and being deprived of proper nutrition, they had long since lost their eyesight, hair, and teeth. By now, they barely resembled any human appearance and seemed more like skeletons covered in putrid flesh.

    The lackey wrinkled his nose in disgust from the sight and stench of the dying slaves, flapping his sleeve in a huff while covering his nose. He took care to pass by without making any contact with the living trash.

    This was a young man who had been bestowed the honour of acceptance into Yuan Gui sect as a potential demonic cultivator. Traditionally, if he served at his master''s side for twenty years, he would be given a cultivation manual and would finally be able to surpass his spiritual bottleneck, ascending from the qi condensation stage.

    He considered himself lucky to be wielding a sole fire attribute. Possessing an offensive attribute, let alone a single one, was considered a great blessing for people in this world.

    Another stroke of luck was that his father had, once upon a time, acquainted himself with the ancient demonic cultivator, Sheng Jing Wu. Thus, with both his natural aptitude and connections, he had managed to make himself an upcoming disciple in one of the most powerful cultivation sects in all of the realm.

    The lackey didn''t mind his servitude, he knew that if he kept working hard, his prospects would be boundless, and besides, it''s not like there was much for him to do in the sect anyhow. Most nights he just lazed about.

    Except for now, that is.

    He ran to the main halls, furiously knocking on the towering doors. "Master! Master! We are besieged by a devil!"

 Chapter 227: A Devil Is Terrorizing Our Sec

    At first, the doors remained shut. However, the young lackey kept incessantly pounding his fists on the door frame until eventually, he heard the sound of shuffling feet stepping closer.

    The doors creaked open as a pair of scantily clad women allowed the lackey to enter, and he rushed inside, nearly breathless. In the middle of the room was a wide chaise covered by a satin veil.

    The Jiangshi Master lounged upon the chaise, resting with his legs spread apart, with only an open robe draped upon his shoulders. Meanwhile, the silhouette of a naked young woman could be seen kneeling at his feet, her head nestled between his legs, tilting up and down.

    An unmistakable slurping sound permeated the lackey''s ears along with the giggling of the girls at his side.

    "Imbecile! Can''t you see that your master is busy right now?" One girl chided, sashaying towards the man behind the veil. She began to massage his shoulders, rubbing her breasts against his back while doing so.

    "Ha! He said we are besieged by a devil! This young one seems to have forgotten that we, the owners of this sect, are the true devils!" The other girl tittered, still standing by the door, keeping it open in indication for the lackey to leave.

    Except for the occasional lust-filled groan due to the ladies'' careful ministrations, the Jiangshi Master stayed silent.

    The frightened manservant fell to the ground and hollered, "Master, this servant is telling the truth! A devil is terrorizing our sect. He already wiped out Master''s fellow cultivators, and he is heading over here next. We must escape now!"

    "What nonsense is this you speak of?" The Jiangshi Master''s tone illustrated his disbelief.

    "This servant wouldn''t joke about such a matter! There is a white haired man outside slaughtering or sect members."

    Finally, the Jiangshi Master reacted by kicking away the woman at his feet, flying into an abusive rage. The discarded woman yelped at the impact, but quickly composed herself, scrambling on all fours to gather his clothes and assist him with dressing up.

    When the demonic cultivator was fully dressed, he moved the veil aside and slowly approached the lackey. His smooth, hairless skin, high cheekbones, and deathly pale appearance, only served to enhance the intensity of his pitch black eyes. A pair of bottomless pits scrutinised the servant. The three women in the room bowed down and fell silent.

    The Jiangshi Master''s pallid, yet handsome visage, contorted as he jeered, "It is so rare for me to accept apprentices, and yet, I made an exception for you. Took you under my wing. Allowed you to handle my affairs. Now you seem to have chosen to repay me by interrupting my nightly activities with this ridiculous jest," Using his long white arm, he reached for the lackey''s throat, boney fingers squeezing tight on his windpipe as he lifted him into the air. "Did you think I would find this amusing?"

    "M-master, this servant is speaking th-the truth." The lackey choked out the words. His feet flailed helplessly in the air as he struggled to breathe.

    The Jiangshi Master threw the foolish boy against the stone wall like a sack of potatoes and roared, "Who would dare threaten me? If there is a devil out there, then I am his father! My name alone causes men to tremble in fear. My enemies suffer agony at my hand to their very last breath!"

    The unfortunate manservant had lost consciousness from the collision with the wall, and offered no acknowledgement of his Master''s declaration of grandeur. However, another listener chose to reply instead.

    "It seems we have something in common."

 Chapter 228: Silver Haired Devil

    A rumble of low, quiet laughter could suddenly be heard from outside the manor. An ominous, foreboding sound.

    Abruptly, the Jiangshi Master spun towards the entrance, a dreadful chill creeping up his spine. He narrowed his eyes as he stared outside, trying to feel out this elusive enemy who had managed to mask his presence. He could have sworn he had heard that voice before.

    "Who are you, intruder? Are you so eager to court death?"

    A ghostly hush stretched out.

    Sheng Jing Wu, the Jiangshi Master, grabbed the nearest weapon, a crescent moon spade, and slithered out of his room, silently pacing through the halls leading out of the manor. As he reached his courtyard, his eyes immediately locked upon a tall figure hovering over the outer wall.

    The dark shadowy outline of a tall, lean man floated a few feet above the roof tiles. The man''s ankle length hair swayed around him, enveloping him like a snowstorm. Similar to a beacon of light engulfed by inky darkness, his eyes were shining golden, suffused with uncanny light inside the murky underground. His left hand was wielding a long, narrow sword, and from its tip dripped a stream of red liquid across the cold, forged steel.

    The air was heavy with the smell of burnt flesh and the iron of freshly spilled blood, festering like a stagnant bog.

    "Enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road." The man hovering in the air said, his bone chilling voice betraying a trace of amusement.

    "Do I know you?" Sheng Jing Wu inquired, gritting his teeth in a mixture of dread and resentment. From the corner of his eye, he noticed something odd lodged on each of the pointed ends of his manor''s iron fence.

    He turned and squinted his eyes for a closer inspection. A small sigh of anxiety escaped his lips upon discovering those objects were, in fact, severed heads.

    The head of his own master among them.

    His own heart, which hadn''t felt dread for so many years, had now begun to beat erratically. His own home had turned from a place of pleasure into a dismal graveyard.

    The silver-haired man responded with another low, rumbling chuckle. The ghastly laughter pealed around the courtyard. "When I had first arrived here, I thought this task to be a tedious chore." His lips curved up into a chilling smile, "Yet, it seems as though I have received a boon instead. Fate certainly works in mysterious ways."

    He gracefully descended from above, standing in front of Sheng Jing Wu with his bloody sword drawn out.

    "You are¡­?" Sheng Jing Wu asked again, brandishing the extended spade. He couldn''t shake off the strange feeling that somehow, he knew this man, but for the life of him, he could not recall the previous encounter he had had against this foe.

    "I already answered your question once before." In the blink of an eye, the silver-haired man raised his sword and aimed it at Sheng Jing Wu''s throat. His golden eyes flashed in contempt, "You coveted another man''s wife, and think it is possible to escape unscathed?"

    Sheng Jing Wu''s hand trembled at the sight, his mouth pursed in thought. Those eyes. He had seen those eyes before.

    "Impossible. Are you¡­ are you that fox?" He asked, his voice filled with ridicule at the very notion.

    As though prompted by the very words, the moment Sheng Jing Wu''s question was uttered, he could suddenly see a faint outline of long canine ears atop the devilish man''s head, along with multiple silver tails swishing behind him.

    The silver haired man didn''t acknowledge his question, however, the sneering smile painted on his matchless countenance was enough of an answer.

 Chapter 229: He Took Pleasure In This

    Sheng Jing Wu was about to speak again, hoping to pry for any sort of possible information to his advantage. However, his voice was instantly muffled, only to be replaced by a screeching howl of agony. For once the silver-haired devil swung his sword, all of his planned strategy of biding for time to prepare against the enemy''s attack had died out.

    The silver-haired devil moved from one instant to another, his sword slashing all too fast. Faster than the eye could perceive. Within a few milliseconds, Sheng Jing Wu''s arm, which had wielded the crescent moon spade, had now been severed from the rest of his body, having been cleanly cut off with one graceful sweep of the sword.

    He staggered backwards, clutching the bleeding shoulder with his one remaining hand.

    First, there was shock. His mind couldn''t register what had just occurred. Then came the agonizing pain.

    He hadn''t felt this level of agony in hundreds of years¡­

    Sheng Jing Wu''s eyes locked with the devil''s, his mouth agape with incredulity.

    A faint smile graced the silver-haired devil''s lips, his terrifying eyes twinkling in the darkness.

    There was no doubt about it, the devil was relishing this moment. Much like Sheng Jing Wu, he took pleasure in this, in torture.

    The devil''s face, that expression of smug satisfaction, seared into Sheng Jing Wu''s very soul.

    "Where is all your arrogance now?" The devil sneered.

    Sheng Jing Wu stayed silent. His pale skin became clammy from sweat when he realized right then and there, that he was staring death in the face.

    He turned on his heel and ran.

    "Coward." The devil mocked. His evil laughter rang in his ears, urging the Jiangshi Master to escape as fast as he could. He raced into the manor, the lopped off side of his shoulders kept bleeding, leaving a messy trail wherever he went.

    Inside the manor''s halls, the sound of approaching footsteps prompted him to stand his ground and summon his internal energy. A mass of grey smoke instantly enveloped him.

    It was one of the concubines who rushed to greet him. Her shrill cry resounded throughout the entire residence. "Ahhh! Master, what happened to you?!"

    Shortly after, a throng of concubines left their private rooms upon hearing those words, gathering in the main hall. They cautiously approached Sheng Jing Wu, concerned.

    "Master, your arm!"

    "What happened to you?"

    When one of the concubines attempted to bandage the bleeding clump of flesh, Sheng Jing Wu violently pushed her away. His long, dark hair clung to his sweaty skin and trembling shoulders. The usually regal, handsome countenance, was now a nervous, bloody mess of gore and stench.

    He jostled further away from the entrance, shoving several of the concubines in the process, using them as meat shields and hurling them towards the main doors.

    "Don''t touch me, slut!" He hissed, and immediately raised his single hand, performing a variety of complex hand gestures. He began to chant the necessary words to teleport out of the sect.

    The concubines were used to the Jiangshi Master''s violent temper, but they had never seen their master so alarmed. After being hurled away, they wordlessly stared at each other, clueless about what they should be doing next.

    Sheng Jing Wu disregarded the surrounding women. Every moment was precious to him, he was this close to escaping. He closed his eyes and focused all of his power into transporting himself.

    Slash!

    Alas, the devil wasn''t so benevolent as to allow him to leave. It was almost as though he gave Sheng Jing Wu a glimmer of hope for the sole purpose of crushing his spirit.

    "Argh!" Searing pain assaulted Sheng Jing Wu''s senses, breaking his concentration. His eyes opened wide as he regarded the now dismembered forms of the concubines, laying upon the ground like a collection of broken dolls.

    His gaze travelled to his feet, where the severed limb of his previously remaining arm was revealed.

 Chapter 230: For The Sake of One Insignificant Woman

    Sheng Jing Wu''s handsome, youthful countenance, which had remained the same throughout countless centuries, underwent a drastic change within a breadth of time. Fine lines graced the sides of his thin mouth, and his sharp, onyx eyes appeared sunken, as though his life force was sucked right out of him.

    His hollow eyes remained downcast, gazing at his hacked off limb.

    "Kill me and be done with it." Sheng Jing Wu, the infamous Jiangshi Master, pleaded.

    "Why, pray tell, should I listen to your request?" The devil coldly replied.

    In spite of asking, the silver-haired devil didn''t wait for an answer. His narrow sword struck, again and again, accompanying his low, spine-chilling voice.

    The Jiangshi Master''s mind screamed out as the burning pain drove through him. He couldn''t help weeping at his own suffering, imagining himself to be a block of wood in the hands of a skilled carpenter, being sliced one piece at a time.

    It took only a few moments for him to lose the remaining arm, and both of his legs. He lay helplessly on the ground, bleeding to death in his own abode.

    Next, the silver-haired devil sheathed his sword and extracted a marbled pill from the side of his robe. He advanced on Sheng Jing Wu, using one hand to dislocate his jaw.

    Meanwhile, the devil shoved the pill down the crippled man''s throat.

    Almost instantly, the heavy bleeding stopped. Sheng Jing Wu gaped in horror as he realized the devil''s plans.

    What he gave him just now¡­ wasn''t it a highly expensive, blood clotting pill?

    As it turned out, this monster didn''t wish to kill him. Rather, he planned on keeping him alive without limbs!

    ''Why? Why was he doing this?! Was all of this just for the sake of one insignificant woman?'' Sheng Jing Wu wanted to ask, but he couldn''t even bring himself to speak.

    The devil jeered, "Now, you wish for death¡­ but it will not come for you so easily."

    Then, the silver-haired devil grabbed a fistful of Sheng Jing Wu''s hair and began pulling him, his crippled body dragging along the floor behind the devil.

    Around a dozen or so of the remaining concubines crowded together and watched the unfolding scene with horrified expressions, their trembling backs plastered against the wall. They were the lucky few who had managed to avoid the cross-fire and maintain their lives.

    As the devil passed by them while yanking Sheng Jing Wu by the hairs towards the exit, one concubine jumped to block his path. She knelt on the ground between the carcasses of the other, less fortunate women who had been slain.

    "My liege! Please allow this humble maid to dutifully serve you." The concubine''s voice was clear and sweet sounding. She was a frail and dainty girl in appearance, her long, well maintained glossy hair draping her back like a luxuriant fan. The finest silk adorned her wispy frame, matched with numerous glistening pieces of priceless jewellery. Much like the rest of Sheng Jing Wu''s harem, she was truly a bewitching beauty.

    The silver-haired devil halted his steps and raised one eyebrow in question. His freezing voice invoked fear on those around him as he said, "How could someone as lowly as you serve the likes of someone such as myself?"

    The concubine slowly raised her head, peeking at the stunning man in front of her from underneath a set of heavy lashes. She had never seen a person so beautiful, so dangerous, and so alluring, in all the years of her life.

    Once upon a time, she considered the Jiangshi Master to be the best man she could have found, but now¡­ she realized how blind she had been before!

    Comparing these two men was akin to comparing a fish to a dragon!

    The concubine gritted her teeth and clenched her fists with determination. ''No matter what'', she thought to herself, I have to find a way to follow this celestial man!''

    "This humble maid is willing to do anything my liege will ask of me! This humble maid only wishes to accompany my liege on his journey." The concubine announced.

    The silver-haired devil''s mask became one of consideration at her words, his gaze seeming to become lost in thought.

 Chapter 231: Why Would I Need You for All These

    The devil in question, Bai Qingyue, was indeed, deep in thought. Though surprisingly, his thoughts weren''t too different from the concubine''s. However, his views lay hidden, and could never be deciphered by others.

    He only stopped in his tracks because of the extremely familiar vision which assaulted his mind. The image of another maiden who had once knelt down at his feet, pleading for him to take her away, claiming that she would owe him a favor for life.

    That was the first time he had met his wife. The corner of Bai Qingyue''s lips curved up at the memory of their peculiar meeting.

    He wondered how such a similar encounter would trigger such an adverse reaction from him. True, the circumstances were terribly familiar. The girl before him was a fresh beauty with large, beguiling eyes and a gentle demeanour, one who would most likely make mortal gentlemen swoon at the sight of her.

    That was what Bai Qingyue assumed, at least, according to the tales of other gods he spoke with. As for his opinion, well, for a very long time, he wondered if he was simply incapable of being attracted to anyone. With the exception of Li Meirong, bile had always risen in his throat and his chest clenched whenever a female had tried to get too close to him.

    A strong feeling of disgust washed over him, every single time, just like now.

    Still, when Bai Qingyue imagined Li Meirong all those years ago, he couldn''t help making a comparison between the two girls.

    As the elegant-looking girl bowed herself before him, she kept throwing coquettish glances his way, only serving to further provoke his ire. He loomed over her while his eyes narrowed into slits.

    "Are you skilled at cooking?" Bai Qingyue suddenly asked.

    The question seemed to have been so unexpected for the concubine, that for a while, her mouth was left open, yet no words came out.

    At length, she managed to stammer, "This maid is skilled with playing musical instruments such as the zither and flute, and also mastered the art of painting, poetry, and embroidery." She gulped her own spit. "About cooking¡­ this maid can swiftly learn how to make My Liege''s favourite dishes!"

    Bai Qingyue snorted. Humph, as if it could be that easy to impress his sophisticated palate.

    "Why would This Lord need you for all these arts, when This Lord can perform these skills, all on his own?"

    "My Liege, I-"

    "If you obtained a spirit beast, would you risk your life to save him?" Bai Qingyue cut her off with another inquiry.

    If the first and second question didn''t cause the concubine to become dumbfounded, then the third one surely did!

    She stared at the devilish, silver-haired man with wide eyes. What kind of odd questions was he asking her?!

 Chapter 232: Warm Your Bed

    Perhaps it was a test of wisdom? The concubine pondered, thinking long and hard about the question. Finally, she answered. "The spirit beast is meant to protect his master. The spirit beast is supposed to risk his life for his master. Therefore, if the master risks his life for the spirit beast, he would be a foolish person. Naturally, I will preserve my life first and foremost."

    "That would be the natural thought process." Bai Qingyue nodded his head in a slight form of acknowledgement. Honestly, he wished his wife wouldn''t be so reckless with her own life. Yet, he couldn''t help appreciating her all the more for her selflessness.

    It was difficult to decipher the silver-haired devil''s thoughts and opinions. However, the concubine had lived with a powerful man who was prone to fits of violence, and her only way of avoiding the Jiangshi Master''s temper was by pleasing him whenever he went into a rage. Thus, she had a lot of experience with noticing the minuscule changes in a person''s expression.

    She knew that her answers had displeased this powerful, peerless man.

    The concubine''s lips drew into a thin line as she resolved to use whichever means possible to capture the devilish man in front of her. Using her own body in an attempt to bargain, she gracefully rose up and stepped in an ostentatious, yet casual manner towards him, moving her body in a way that displayed the beauty of her curves.

    "Sir, it will be my honour to warm your bed." The concubine said, using an informal choice of words to address him.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes glinted with suppressed fury. He momentarily dumped Sheng Jing Wu''s crippled body behind himself and kept one palm on the hilt of his sword.

    Sadly, the concubine was too confident with the success of her technique and mistook the devilish man''s eyes, which were flaming with rage, to be a pair of pupils burning with lust instead.

    "I will surely be able to fulfill your every desire¡­" The concubine fluttered her long eyelashes and smiled gently, reaching with her fair arms to wrap around the devilish man''s neck.

    An inch before the concubine''s delicate fingers were about to make contact with Bai Qingyue''s skin, he stepped away, kicking the stump of Sheng Jing Wu''s amputated arm with the back of his heel, causing the tortured, nearly unconscious man to cry out again.

    Bai Qingyue withdrew his sword from its sheath and sliced the audacious girl''s head off.

    He glanced at the headless corpse with revulsion, right before turning his furious glare towards the rest of the concubines leaning against the wall. "Anyone else care to join their friend in the afterlife?"

    Like well-trained dogs, the trembling concubines simultaneously shook their head.

    Bai Qingyue pointed at his own chest with the pommel of the sword, "This Lord is already attached to a single wife and is not seeking anyone else. If you follow my orders and keep an appropriate distance, I may let you live. Dare to touch me again, and you shall suffer a fate worse than death." As if to prove his point, the Sovereign Lord purposefully smashed his foot onto Sheng Jing Wu''s stump again.

    His words were echoed by the Jiangshi Master''s howling screams.

    The concubines accepted his words as their new law, bowing low before their new master.

    "I shall return to collect you at a later date." Bai Qingyue said. He made a summoning signal with his unoccupied hand and almost instantly, a pair of beautiful twin girls abruptly manifested at the entrance of the manor.

    "My lord." They knelt in reverence and cupped their fist in a show of respect.

    Bai Qingyue nodded his head, signalling for them to rise. "Place these humans in a confined location and swiftly attend my wife."

    After relaying the orders, he grabbed Sheng Jing Wu''s scalp, carrying the broken and battered demonic cultivator towards his new home, the Eternal Ice Prison.

 Chapter 233: Injured By The Claws of A Small Fox Spiri

    Far away from the bloody scene, on the other side of the mortal plane, the Forgotten Waters sect slowly sank into darkness. As the last rays of the sun dipped behind the mountains, shadows began to creep onto the sect whilst the floating islands hovered like silent sentinels high above the waters.

    The Bestiary Division''s island was alight with luminous will o'' wisps and numerous paper lanterns, casting a soft glow along the path leading to the inner disciples'' residences.

    The bedroom at Captain Liang''s private quarters was dimly lit on this quiet evening. The room''s interior was filled with intricate furniture carved from expensive red sandalwood, every single piece a rich, dark reddish-brown. Yet, without a direct light source, each of the pieces of furniture would lose all colour, appearing instead as dense black shapes, their lustre all but invisible.

    The room was filled with a depressing atmosphere, heavy and thick.

    Inside this gloomy bedroom, a lone figure covered by a thick blanket sat upon a round, drum stool, staring outside a window covered by panelled screens.

    For the past several months, the small shred of happiness which the owner of this room once felt, had long since vanished.

    Liang Rou Yan''s beady eyes flashed with undisguised hatred as she peeked out from inside the pair of holes in the fabric wrapped around her face. She gnashed her teeth with an audible sound, squeezing her bandaged jaw roughly with her hand. She was the succeeding disciple of the Bestiary Division, the woman whose reputation had once been synonymous with talent, strength and honour. Everyone within the Bestiary Division used to look up to her, had marvelled at the sight of her wherever she went.

    And now? Since her last encounter with that wretched furnace, Li Meirong, all of her dignity had been torn to shreds.

    Even her fair looking face had been permanently marred by that wretched furnace, as she had used her vile spirit beast to execute her commands.

    It was so shameful...so demeaning! For a cultivator like her, who was at the very end of the first stage, to be so heavily wounded by the claws of a mere tiny fox spirit!. To this day, she simply couldn''t fathom how was it even possible for that small baby fox to possess the capability to wound her.

    ''It must have been that wretched Li Meirong''s plan all along!''

    A woman''s face was one of the most important parts about her. Liang Rou Yan didn''t own a bewitching type of beauty. No, she had broader shoulders than most women, and was taller than the average man. Usually, she dressed herself in a simple fashion, in a manner which she knew her master would appreciate more. She had never even gone as far as to make an elaborate updo for her long hair or flaunt her wealth as other female cultivators often do.

 Chapter 234: The Very Last Chess Piece

    She kept herself simple, that''s for sure. But when it came to her appearance, there was one thing she had always been proud of, and that was her flawlessly smooth as eggshells, poreless skin.

    Now her face was wrapped tightly and completely in bandages, concealing the deep, raw claw marks that stubbornly refused to heal despite the numerous amount of times she applied spirit infused, medicinal ointments.

    Worse yet, during all these months, she hadn''t seen her Master, Zhu Zhang. Not even once!

    Liang Rou Yan was a famous disciple in the sect, and naturally, had acquired quite a few allies and friends, and yet, since her fall from grace, she had been all but forgotten. No one but her servants had remained loyal to her, staying by her side and doing whichever errands she required them to do, including spying for her whenever she needed to gather a bit of intel.

    One of Liang Rou Yan''s spies had recently informed her that Master Zhu Zhang had disappeared from the sect, and his prodigal son, who had recently been found, had also vanished for a few good months now.

    Because Master Zhu Zhang had taken Li Meirong as a secondary disciple and bestowed his grace upon her, along with Senior Zhu Qingyue visiting that wretched furnace on a daily basis, it was practically impossible for Liang Rou Yan to find an opportunity to get rid of Li Meirong.

    However, the two people who could foil her plans were no longer around.

    Liang Rou Yan bit her lower lip, tearing the soft skin beneath her teeth. Once the taste of copper invaded her mouth, she spat out and whispered, "Li Meirong, just you wait."

    It was the perfect chance to execute her plans. Oh, how she had waited patiently for this moment, this chance to exact her revenge! And finally, the very people who could pose a threat to her plot were no longer in the way.

    While Liang Rou Yan envisioned Li Meirong''s demise and her return to glory as she stood by Master Zhu Zhang''s side, voices gave sound outside.

    A small smile played upon Captain Liang''s lips, an expectant look visible even upon her bandaged face. The very last chess piece she needed to enact her plan had just arrived.

    A maidservant of Liang Rou Yan ushered an anticipated guest into the room. "Junior disciple Shu Qianqian, my lady has been waiting for you to arrive."

 Chapter 235: Ensnare Men

    Shu Qianqian stepped into the dark room. Every movement she made was graceful, with perfect posture and an elegance befitting her station as a noble lady. Her footsteps were so light, even the barest whisper of them could not be heard. The subtle rattle of the jingling jewels attached to her hairpin was the only indication to her timely arrival.

    She was dressed extravagantly in an embroidered yellow gown, patterned with shimmering blue butterflies, and a soft looking fur shawl covered her narrow shoulders. Her exquisite countenance appeared as though she had barely aged a day since she had first arrived.

    Captain Liang''s gaze fixed upon Shu Qianqian, staring at her with barely concealed resentment. Her mouth filled up once more with a bitter taste.

    "Bring the screen panel over here!" Captain Liang swiftly ordered the nearby maidservant to move the wood panel in front of her, setting it directly between Shu Qianqian and herself.

    "Leave."

    The maidservant did as she was ordered and hurriedly departed.

    The corners of Shu Qianqian''s lips curved downwards into a disdainful sneer, criticizing the senior disciple''s unbecoming behaviour. Nevertheless, she bobbed her head and addressed Liang Rou Yan with the proper amount of respect, minding her rank. "This Junior Disciple has arrived as requested."

    "Thank you for visiting so late in the evening. Please, have a seat." Liang Rou Yan gestured towards the unoccupied stool.

    "Thank you for the offer, but this Junior Disciple is busying herself with preparation for the upcoming battle tournament and has very little time to indulge herself." Shu Qianqian politely declined.

    She had no interest in chatting with the disfigured Senior, when right now she could have been practising martial arts with Brother Cheng. That would have been the case, if Captain Liang hadn''t summoned her.

    Liang Rou Yan''s small eyes squinted, her lips curved into a forced smile. "Heh. Very well. Then let''s talk business. I know the man you like is lusting after another girl. I can help you. Rid you of that nuisance."

    Shu Qianqian sneered, "Humph. Captain Liang, I am Brother Cheng''s most favored person. Please don''t spout baseless tales about him."

    Liang Rou Yan snickered. "Oh, are you really? Then why was succeeding disciple Mo Cheng seen day after day requesting permission to visit my division''s junior disciple, Li Meirong? Why, if he wasn''t barred from seeing her, he would most likely be at the girl''s home right now, sniffing after her like a dog in heat."

    Shu Qianqian''s lips drew into a thin line.

    After a minute of silence, her sweet sounding voice took on a menacing undertone. She clenched and unclenched her fists, and asked, "What do you propose to do? I won''t jeopardize my position in the sect and end up as you did."

    It was now Liang Rou Yan''s turn to look down upon the other girl, assessing her from behind the screen with contempt. ''Spineless bitch.'' Yet, she bit back her annoyance and continued, "Rest assured, you will not be affected in any way. I know that you and that furnace, Li Meirong, have been friends for a long while-"

    "I was never her friend. My father taught me to keep my friends close, and keep my enemies even closer." Shu Qianqian interrupted.

    "Your father is certainly a wise man. Now would be the best time to use this friendship, which you have so painstakingly cultivated, to your advantage." Liang Rou Yan announced, finally coming to the crux of the matter.

    Shu Qianqian averted her stare, nervously reaching up to rub the back of her neck. "I fear that might not work out¡­ the last time I spoke to her, we ended up fighting."

    Shu Qianqian revealed to Liang Rou Yan what had occurred on that day when she had barged in on Li Meirong in her moment of intimacy with Teacher Zhu Qingyue.

    "That bitch!" Liang Rou Yan screamed, no longer caring about her image.

    After listening to the story, Liang Rou Yan grabbed the blanket covering her, ripped it into shreds and tossed the torn fabric angrily onto the ground, wishing nothing more than to throttle the damned furnace girl at this very moment!

    Why, seducing Master Zhu Zhang and succeeding disciple Mo Cheng was not enough for that bitch? She had even made Teacher Zhu Qingyue besotted with her! How terrible was Li Meirong?! Liang Rou Yan grew all the more determined to murder the wretched girl.

    Liang Rou Yan huffed a few times, regaining a semblance of composure. She turned back to the nervous younger girl in front of her.

    "Listen carefully. It''s not your Brother Cheng''s fault that he''s obsessed with Li Meirong. She''s a furnace, and that means she has the power to ensnare men. It''s in her very blood." Liang Rou Yan stepped out from behind the folding screen and stood face to face with Shu Qianqian.

    Shu Qianqian stumbled backwards almost instantly, yelping in alarm. Her eyes grew wide with horror and revulsion. She hadn''t imagined Liang Rou Yan''s condition to be as bad as it was. If all of her face was covered up with bandages, didn''t that mean that she would never be able to step out of her home without being ashamed of herself? The very idea terrified Shu Qianqian. To be marred and disfigured¡­ it was simply too horrifying!

    Liang Rou Yan threw a small map straight at Shu Qianqian''s petrified looking face. "Forget the fact that she ruined my skin. For the sake of the men we love, we must discover a way to kill that girl. Find a way to lure Li Meirong to the location marked on this map. It''s a secluded area, which only a small amount of people know how to reach. Get her to that location, and I will handle the rest."

    At the beginning, Shu Qianqian wanted to refuse the offer once more, knowing the plan would most likely not work out. Why would Li Meirong want to meet up with her after their last exchange of words? But then she remembered someone who might be able to help convince the girl.

    Brother Cheng''s sibling... Mo Jing.

    Shu Qianqian pulled back her nervousness and fear, resuming her calm, graceful exterior. She then said confidently, "I''ll find a way to lure Li Meirong over to that island!"

 Chapter 236: Quite Tipsy

    For the last several days the person in question, whose demise was being carefully planned, had been spending her time in complete idleness.

    Following Xiong Mei''s unexpected arrival, and with an irritating lack of progress in her cultivation, Li Meirong had chosen to take a much needed break from her constant training.

    Tonight was one of those carefree nights.

    A few hours ago, Li Meirong had gone to visit her friend, the head chef of the Bestiary Division.

    For Li Meirong, the plump head chef was a very special existence in this world. Despite their bickering, Bao Li was one of the very few people whom she could confide in.

    As such, Bao Li was the first person to be introduced to Chou, Feng Huang, and of course, Snowball, who she had already become acquainted with. Especially after taking into consideration the countless amount of times Snowball had snuck into her chamber in the dead of night, practically begging for food.

    Bao Li had marvelled at the sight of the Turtle Demoness and highly evolved Plant Spirit, but most of all, her gaze had lingered on the aloof Fox Spirit, Snowball.

    Soon after Li Meirong had arrived over to the outer sect disciple''s quarters with her contracted pets, she and Bao Li had secretly gone and fetched a bottle of sweet, fermented rice drink from the kitchen, whilst the rest of the disciples were deep asleep.

    Li Meirong spent another night distracting herself at Bao Li''s place, talking about everything and nothing, drinking her worries and troubles away with the wine.

    In all the years of her life, Li Meirong had never used drinking as a coping mechanism. However, she had also never met a person whom she couldn''t stop thinking about before.

    After a short while, both girls became quite tipsy.

    Bao Li made herself comfortable as she went to sit at the table, sloppily drunk. She slumped over the wooden surface with her upper body and used both elbows to support her weight. A few strands of stray hair escaped the pair of buns styled atop her head as she hunkered down in front of Li Meirong.

    In the meantime, Li Meirong stared at the ceiling absent mindedly. Her eyelids sagged and her long eyelashes cast dark shadows over her fair skin as her thoughts lay elsewhere.

    "Sister Meirrrrrrrong."

    "What is it?" Li Meirong asked, her gaze still directed at the ceiling.

    Bao Li hiccuped as she tried to grab hold of her friend''s attention, slouching on her seat across from Li Meirong, "You''re really something, aren''t you? Only recently, you were of a lower rank than me, and now look at you! You''re at the peak of foundation realm. That''s incredible!"

    Li Meirong levelled her gaze with Bao Li''s and smiled helplessly. "It''s not all that incredible. To be honest, I think I ascended into a higher level with my spiritual powers by a sheer fluke. Now, no matter what I do or how hard I try, I''m unable to progress any further."

    "It''s incredible if I say it is! Time to drink up!" Bao Li ordered with a rather playful tone, pouring wine into Li Meirong''s cup yet again, sloppily spilling a little as she zealously poured.

    "Fine. One last drink." Li Meirong chortled and drank the proffered wine.

    Bao Li pointed an accusing finger at Li Meirong, as though the latter had committed a grave and terrible crime. "You''ve got to listen to what I say. This old woman knows what she''s talking about, a''ight? Remember what I said about the Wei couple? I told you something didn''t feel right about them, and look what happened?"

    "You''re right. Absolutely right. Whatever you say." Li Meirong replied offhandedly.

    Li Meirong could barely concentrate on Bao Li, for not even a moment after knocking back the wine, she started feeling sick and began to dry-heave. She quickly covered her mouth with one hand, trying to keep down the contents of her stomach. She downed one drink too many and was feeling the effects of her foolish decisions.

    Although in her case, she was still somewhat sober, as for Bao Li, the girl was completely drunk.

    The young looking head chef kept her stance, growing grumpier by the minute. Bao Li''s slurred speech came out as a declaration. "This old woman is serious. You don''t even understand how lucky you are! Who cares if it was an accident or not?! You''re on par with disciples who were cultivating for hundreds of years now! Ah, you even became an inner sect disciple under Grandmaster Zhu Zhang''s personal order!"

    Bao Li hiccuped again, her accusatory finger shaking. "And then¡­ you even had Senior Zhu Qingyue propose to you! Why is this life so unfair? What about me? I need to find a man too!"

    As she continued the rant, her complaints shifted into a pitiful whine. She grabbed another cup of wine and chugged it down.

 Chapter 237: This Thing Stinks!

    Li Meirong banged her fist upon the table, bristling at the mention of the silver-haired teacher. "Zhu Qingyue? Who is this Zhu Qingyue you''re talking about? I don''t see him anywhere! Can''t you see that I''m alone again? It''s not good to depend on men. How many times am I supposed to learn the same lesson?"

    "What are you talking about?" Bao Li asked in confusion, hiccuping once more. "Then who are you supposed to depend on, women?"

    "I meant to depend on myself!"

    "The way you used to describe him, constantly fawning over you... It made me think that Senior Zhu was serious about you. It also sounded like you had a pretty good time depending on him, too!" Despite Bao Li''s slurred speech, she persisted in speaking her mind.

    Li Meirong grew solemn, replying in a hushed whisper, "Bao Li, he''s gone, and he''s¡­ well, I think I over-thought the matter. It was too good to be true."

    "It''s clear to see how much his absence troubles you. I''ve never seen you this worried before. Once, I used to think you don''t really place anyone deep in your heart." Bao Li patted Li Meirong''s shoulder in a comforting manner, "He''ll be back. He already came back once before."

    "We met the second time by accident." Li Meirong corrected her. "And he is also ill. If he doesn''t properly take care of himself, who knows how much time he''s got left?"

    "Well, maybe he went to look for a cure."

    "Maybe he regretted his decisions." Li Meirong mumbled to herself.

    Bao Li didn''t seem to hear her response. She busied herself by serving another cup of wine.

    Li Meirong sighed, keeping a close watch over her rattled friend who kept on consuming alcohol like it was water. She tried drinking in order to not think about troubling issues, and yet there she was, speaking about the most troubling subject which she tried to avoid.

    She frowned as she noticed the way Bao Li''s hand began trembling. "Stop drinking now. You''ve already had too much!"

    "Not stopping!" Bao Li declared childishly. As if to prove her point, she brought another cup of wine to her lips again.

    Once it became apparent that Bao Li''s condition was taking a turn for the worst, Li Meirong immediately snatched the cup from her friend''s mouth.

    Bao Li puffed her reddened cheeks in annoyance, reaching to snatch the stolen cup from Li Meirong while resentfully bemoaning "How come you''re not as drunk as I am? We drank around the same amount! Is it because your cultivation is higher than mine?"

    The furrow between Li Meirong''s eyebrows deepened. She hastily raised up her arm grasping the cup and evaded Bao Li''s flailing attacks with ease. She tossed the object over to Chou and said, "Get that jug of wine too. I don''t want her to drink anymore."

    Chou rolled his eyes, "Finally. Chou was beginning to grow tired of this silly behaviour!"

    A toddler with jade like skin and a mass of green, curly hair, stood guard by the door, grabbing the troublesome cup with his short fingers, and sending one of his vines to seize the wine jug from the table in the middle of the room.

    "Silly human girls acting stupid, as usual," Chou grunted and grumbled as he brought the wine jug over to his side, holding onto the cup along with the obnoxious smelling drink that had caused both his master and her friend to turn into blithering idiots. He screwed his face in disgust and proclaimed, "This thing stinks!"

    At the same time, the Turtle Demoness who kept dozing off at the corner woke up and slowly floated over towards Chou. Inside the room, her crystal encased shell glinted like the morning dusk by the glow of the dimly lit candlelight.

    "That''s rich, coming from you." Feng Huang drily remarked.

 Chapter 238: Marital Status

    Feng Huang didn''t seem to mind the situation all that much. Her ruby eyes observed the jug held by Chou with obvious curiosity, until eventually, she stuck out her pink tongue, licking the remaining liquid within the bottle.

    After sampling the wine, Feng Huang moaned contentedly. "Mmhm. Actually, this drink is not bad at all."

    Chou sighed deeply and pinched the space between his fine eyebrows, wondering if perhaps, all females were creatures prone to foolishness.

    As for ''Snowball'', once the disguised Fox Spirit had previously found out that there was no food involved in tonight''s menu, he had simply made himself comfortable by resting upon Bao Li''s chaise. He disregarded the ongoing conversation, and allowed the girls to blabber about whatever silly talks they wished.

    That had been the case for most of the night, up until the moment Her Ladyship''s subordinate had begun to pitifully cry.

    Unnoticeable to all the rest, Bai Yu''s furry ears had previously perked up at the sound of Bao Li''s mournful declaration regarding her marital status. Since then, he had started eavesdropping on the girls'' conversation.

    In the meantime, Bao Li grabbed Li Meirong''s wrists with fake tears streaming down her puffy cheeks. "You ruthless girl, using your pets to fight against this old woman, hmph! Gimme back my drink!"

    Li Meirong shook her head, and even that small movement made her grow dizzy, "That''s not going to happen."

    "You''re so mean! Why are you so mean?"

    "Yes, I''m a big meanie. What are you going to do about it?"

    "You!"

    "Listen," Li Meirong sighed. "I''m trying to make sure we won''t wake up with a hangover." She felt exasperated as she tried to reason with a drunk Bao Li.

    "What is a hangover, anyway? And why do you have three pets? That''s far too much for one cultivator to handle. You should give me one as a friendship gift." Bao Li presented a tactful proposal.

    "I actually have an extra one. It''s a Mushroom Spirit¡­ Do you want it?" Li Meirong smiled as she suggested in a light hearted manner.

    Bao Li suddenly gasped aloud, cupping the sides of her cheeks in bewilderment, "Y-you have another pet?! Unbelievable." In spite of her awe, she tried her luck again at acquiring the cute looking fox that she had sought after for so long. "I don''t want the mushroom. I want Snowball."

    "No." Li Meirong said with finality. Her smile subtly stiffened. "Snowball is mine. I will never give him away."

    "Then¡­" Bao Li hiccuped a few time more, and gradually, stopped crying as she pondered over the matter for a breath of time, seeing as there was no longer any room for an argument, "How about you breed him already? I''ll adopt his babies!"

    At the sound of Bao Li''s ludicrous proposition, the Fox Spirit began coughing uncontrollably.

 Chapter 239: The Moon Is Like His Hair

    "I was actually considering it, breeding him, that is." Li Meirong rubbed the tip of her chin. "But I''m waiting for Snowball to bring over a little missy whenever he''s ready for it."

    "What kind of nonsense is that? You''re his owner. You should find an appropriate Fox Spirit to breed him with." Bao Li reprimanded Li Meirong. If the lass kept thinking that way, who knows how long it would take until she''d be able to adopt a baby Snowball of her own?

    "You have a good point, but I still think that right now, he''s a bit too young for this." Li Meirong countered.

    Bao Li slowly turned back and regarded the Fox Spirit laying on the bed with covetous eyes.

    "Fine then. I''ll be waiting..." She said.

    ''Snowball'' locked eyes with the small, young mortal girl and felt his fur stand on end.

    ''What is this frightening feeling? Have I taken leave of my senses?'' Bai Yu couldn''t help but mentally berate himself for fearing the look in this little girl''s eyes!

    His whole body trembled as he lamented his own misfortune. Why, wasn''t this scenario almost as terrible as facing off against that Xiong Mei girl?! Why was he always privy to such dangerous situations?!

    Not only did it feel like his own hide was in jeopardy by Her Ladyship''s subordinate, but he was also in a near death situation when the dreadful time would finally arrive to report his findings to His Lordship!

    How¡­ just how should he go about explaining to His Lordship that his wife thinks he prefers men over women, was smooched by a girl and now, to top it all off, wants to breed her husband with another fox?!

    Bai Yu decided that the less he knew, the better!

    "Master, I''m going back home to sleep, alright?" ''Snowball'' faked a loud yawn.

    "Good night. I''ll see you soon." Li Meirong''s voice turned a tad softer as she answered her adorable Fox Spirit.

    In a flash, Bai Yu hopped off and sprinted right out of the open window.

    Li Meirong stayed with Chou and Feng Huang over at Bao Li''s place until midnight.

    It didn''t take too long for Bao Li to doze off after Snowball''s early departure. When the head chef could no longer keep her eyes open, Li Meirong had lifted the drunk girl from the stool and carried her to bed with Chou''s help.

    She was ready to leave only after ensuring Bao Li was properly tucked under a blanket.

    After going back and forth from the pocket dimension time and time again, Li Meirong had been told by the dimension''s scroll that much like a storage bag, she was able to summon and deposit items into the dimension at will.

    Surprisingly, she discovered that she could also deposit living beings into the dimension as well.

    She brought the slightly intoxicated Turtle Demoness and the grumpy Plant Spirit back into the dimension, preferring to conceal their presence than to openly reveal them within the sect grounds.

    After ensuring her pets were safely hidden in the dimension, Li Meirong trudged outside, walking with small uneven steps due to her own inebriation.

    Outside, in the servants'' courtyard, a gentle breeze blew by. The lantern lights illuminating the sect grounds had all been extinguished. The only remaining source of light was that of the moonlight, gracing the darkness with its presence from high above.

    Li Meirong swept aside her long, unbound hair as she looked up, basking in the moonlight that shined so brightly, surrounded by an array of glittering stars.

    "The moon is like his hair," she whispered to herself, tittering foolishly. "Sometimes it seems so white, and sometimes it shines like silver."

    "Just like an old man!" Suddenly, Li Meirong''s whisper turned into a loud shout. She raised a fist and flailed it in the air.

    "You''re an old man, Zhu Qingyue!"

    While she stared at the moon, she could suddenly see a faint silhouette of a person flying on a mount towards her.

    Li Meirong stayed rooted to the spot, her lips parted in surprise.

    Could it that Xiong Mei had already spoken to her psychotic cow, and came back to bother her again?

    Or¡­ could it be that because she called his name, he finally returned?

 Chapter 240: Tell Me If Shes Lying

    The pale moon illuminated the nearing rider''s outline, their visage indiscernible as they flew closer and closer, until finally, a distinct appearance became revealed to the observing eye.

    A flash of displeasure flitted across Li Meirong''s countenance upon discovering the identity of the approaching rider, whom, to her great disappointment, was neither Xiong Mei nor Zhu Qingyue.

    Similar to the ancient tales of a glorious beauty falling down from the heavens, Shu Qianqian''s long flowing robes fluttered around her feminine curves as she dismounted from a flying crane in mid-air. She performed a brilliant Qinggong technique, gliding through the sky as though she descended upon a translucent staircase.

    Li Meirong attempted to keep a small smile on her face and failed. Intoxicated as she was, it was that much harder to control her expression under the circumstances.

    "Sister Meirong, long time no see." Shu Qianqian smiled, waving from afar as she strode forward.

    Li Meirong''s eyebrows rose up. She remained unmoving. "Why have you come?" She asked in a tone tinged with indifference.

    Shu Qianqian''s smile disappeared without a trace. She reached Li Meirong in a hurry, standing only a few steps away, seemingly out of breath, yet still maintaining the appearance of a regal and matchless beauty.

    Out here, in the outer sect disciples'' courtyard, Shu Qianqian''s extravagant dress and expensive jewellery made her seem completely out of place as she stood there, with a pig pen stationed right behind. The strong mixing stenches of booze and animal feces permeating the air did nothing to help her visage to blend in.

    Though it seemed as though none of it mattered to her. Her expression appeared quite stressed, as though whatever she had to say was a matter of life or death.

    "I know we had a falling-out, but I hope that what happened between us won''t make you a disloyal friend," Shu Qianqian''s eyes shimmered in the night with unshed tears as she spoke. Her every step was that of a frail, distraught young lady. "I really need your help!" She begged.

    Li Meirong snorted loudly, unfazed by the display. "Tell me, why should I help you now? Didn''t you call me a slut? Didn''t you say I don''t care about anything?" She folded her arms together in a condescending manner, and added, "Didn''t you say I don''t deserve your friendship? Well, I don''t care enough to help you."

    She knew that she should be more careful with her pretenses, however, being drunk had made her grow bolder, more honest, and perhaps, more foolish. "I suppose that does indeed make me a disloyal friend." she added.

    Despite her addled state of mind, the memory of Shu Qianqian''s disdainful gaze as she hurled insults her way was etched too deep inside her heart to be erased.

    Contrary to Li Meirong''s expectations, Shu Qianqian didn''t back down after being rejected. Instead, she clutched the fabric of her silken robe right at the area of her heart, her voice trembling. "I regret what I said, I really do. But right now, I''m not here for me, but for our dearest friend who''s in dire need of your help!"

    Her desperate response made Li Meirong hesitate. She frowned and asked, "Who needs my help?"

    "It''s Brother Jing!" Shu Qianqian cried out, "He''s in terrible danger!"

    ''Mo Jing? Why would he be in danger? He almost never leaves his division''s island¡­'' Li Meirong pondered in silence. The image of the sharp-mouthed youth she had known for all those years, suffering and agonizing for whatever reason, troubled her.

    Once upon a time, Li Meirong would have rushed ahead and offered whatever assistance she was capable of, heedless of the danger. Shu Qianqian was, after all, a girl whom she had known for many years, a friend she had once shared her meals with, listened to her troubles, lent her own shoulder to cry on.

    But now, after being schemed against time and time again, she was no longer willing to follow others blindly.

    "W-wait a moment." Li Meirong staggered as she stepped back, closing her eyes. She felt a little too dizzy and really regretted swallowing that final cup of rice wine.

    While she was so unsettled, she failed to notice Shu Qianqian''s triumphant smile.

    Shu Qianqian''s eyes narrowed down, assessing Li Meirong''s drunken state with utmost satisfaction. Honestly, the disfigured Captain Liang''s spies were quite the meticulous bunch. She couldn''t have found this girl at a better time.

    However, her confidence took a staggering blow when a cute looking toddler suddenly materialized out of thin air!

    "W-who? What?"

    Shu Qianqian gaped, unable to properly voice the question of where, from seemingly out of nowhere, this¡­ this thing just came from? Or rather, what was this thing?

    The toddler ignored Shu Qianqian and turned to glare at Li Meirong with obvious discontent, as though she just woke him up from his comfortable nap. "Why did Master summon Chou again? Can Master stop being silly and go home to rest?!"

    Li Meirong''s midnight lashes fluttered open. She crouched down to Chou''s eye level and whispered in his ear, "Can you stop complaining for once in your life!? I need you to tell me if she''s lying!"

 Chapter 241: He Isnt Threatening In Any Way

    Shu Qianqian edged a little closer, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Her palms felt sweaty when she overheard Li Meirong''s exact words.

    ''Can this baby read my mind?!'' She panicked at the thought.

    Shu Qianqian held her breath, dreading the child''s response.

    The little toddler looked exceedingly crestfallen. He jutted his lower lip, pouting. "Master, Chou isn''t a mind reader."

    "Oh¡­ Then what do you suggest I should do?" Li Meirong''s shoulders slumped. She sounded disappointed and unsure of herself.

    Shu Qianqian took notice of every little exchange between the pair and sighed in relief, darting a sly, sideways glance at the toddler.

    He seemed no older than a few years at most. His cheeks were so round, they made his face resemble a pear shape. He looked like a typical child except for his peculiar hair that rustled like a pile of leaves. The way he spoke with Li Meirong indicated a familiar closeness. He grumbled and complained, but gazed up at his so called ''master'' with a pair of eyes filled with adoration.

    Most importantly, he didn''t appear to be all that powerful or threatening in any way.

    The corner of the toddler''s small lips tilted up, obviously pleased with Li Meirong''s request for advise. "Chou is proud of master for summoning me." The toddler continued saying, patting Li Meirong''s head as if he was the adult, and she, the child. "When all is said and done, Chou possesses a natural talent for sensing people''s auras!"

    The toddler appeared confident and proud. He moved to stand in front of Li Meirong, and directed an inquisitive glare towards Shu Qianqian, assessing her in ways she couldn''t begin to comprehend.

    Shu Qianqian''s relaxation was painfully short-lived. She tried to calm herself down, and let out a small controlled breath, thinking that if the toddler can only sense auras, then it meant that as long as she appeared convincing enough, he wouldn''t be able to tell otherwise.

    She continued her act, dramatically falling to the ground. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, "I''m not lying! We are in dire need of your aid. Brother Jing is heavily injured and is stranded on an island, unable to move without replenishing his spiritual essence. Only a furnace is capable of helping him now¡­ Luckily. Luckily for us, Sister Meirong is a furnace."

    Li Meirong''s brows drew together into a light frown. She first turned to Chou, waiting for his evaluation.

 Chapter 242: A Furnaces Blood

    The toddler went to whisper in her ear, but the words were spoken loud enough for Shu Qianqian to hear. "Chou senses some truth in her words, but Chou doesn''t trust this one. This ugly lady has a malicious aura!"

    Shu Qianqian''s expression of endless woe cracked under the toddler''s deduction, her right eye started twitching, and her hands clenched into fists as she stifled her urge to clobber the brat! ''Did this baby just call me ugly?!''

    Li Meirong stood straight and turned back to address Shu Qianqian with heavy-lidded eyes.

    Her speech came out slightly slurred. "You want me to¡­ to save Mo Jing by using my body?"

    There was no need to proclaim what she had meant. Everyone knew that furnace''s powers were utilized through copulation.

    Shu Qianqian gasped, shaking her head repeatedly. "No, no, no. Nothing like that! We just need a bit of your blood. A furnace''s blood can assist with transferring energy as well. That should suffice."

    "Hmm." Li Meirong regarded her steadily. She didn''t move a muscle as her half opened eyes fastened on the sobbing figure of Shu Qianqian slouching in front of her.

    The girl''s calm assurance bothered Shu Qianqian. It made her feel as though Li Meirong possessed secrets she did not know of. But how was that possible? She was merely a servant for most of the time. Servants weren''t even provided with basic cultivation manuals to practice martial arts. Before joining the sect, she was only a pathetic, banished maidservant. What could she possibly know? What could she possibly do?

    Didn''t they say that as a furnace, Li Meirong had seduced her way into a position of power? Shu Qianqian huffed at her own absurd feeling of apprehension. She was a natural beauty, blessed with both talent and wealth. She practised fighting at a young age. Even if Li Meirong had suddenly become an inner sect disciple, and was capable of summoning babies out of thin air, it wasn''t as though she could best her in any way!

    Clouds gathered overhead, veiling the moon, shadowing Li Meirong''s pale visage.

    The toddler tapped his small foot impatiently. He imitated Li Meirong''s stance and folded his arms together. "What is master planning to do?"

    Following a short, nerve-wracking silence, Li Meirong eventually clapped her hands together, startling Shu Qianqian slightly, and replied, "Fine. We will go and save Mo Jing."

    Shu Qianqian jumped to her feet, crying. "Thank you Sister Meirong. You are so kind!"

    "Let''s be on our way." Li Meirong curtly replied. She closed her eyes, and at once, the toddler disappeared.

    "Absolutely, we have no time to spare!"

    In preparation. Shu Qianqian retrieved a whistle from her storage bag and summoned the crane mount.

    They swung up onto the crane and flew south towards a deserted looking island in the middle of the night.

 Chapter 243: Why Is Master Walking Straight Into A Trap?

    The crane gracefully landed on the outskirts of the island, spreading its wide wings for the passengers to dismount.

    Shu Qianqian deftly skidded off the wing as though it was a slide. She strode several steps ahead, looking back every once in a while. When her eyes locked on Li Meirong''s, she appeared to be extremely worried. She bit her lower lip, revealing a worrisome expression.

    Li Meirong gave her a noncommittal, tight smile. She held onto the crane''s side and awkwardly jumped off in an unsteady motion, tripping onto the sand beneath.

    It was moist and warm. Tepid water splashed about her feet, soaking right through her worn-out leather boots.

    She turned around and beheld a scattering of a soft white sheen, highlighting the gentle waves of the cobalt sea behind her. It seemed to be the only light she saw, since the night was overcast and shrouding the rest in darkness.

    She untied her boots and removed her socks, quickly storing them within her dimension.

    A pair of tiny vine-like tendrils slowly crept from Li Meirong''s sleeve as a miniature pitcher plant peeked its head outside.

    Previously, when Chou and Li Meirong were still at the Bestiary Division, they decided to follow along with whatever Ugly Lady suggested they do. Master suspected that the mastermind wasn''t her baddie friend, but the other baddie who kept targeting Master since she had first joined the sect.

    At that time, Chou hadn''t returned to the dimension. Instead, he changed his shape and size, concealing his presence inside Master''s robe.

    ''Is Master certain of her decision? Master is still unsteady on her feet.'' Chou''s childlike voice transmitted into her mind.

    Li Meirong clasped the area in her sleeve where he had been hiding, gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze and brought one finger to her lips, signalling him to keep quiet. "I told you to hide." She whispered irritably.

    The Pitcher Plant dismissed his master''s orders and kept telepathically transmitting his inquiries. ''Not that Chou is complaining, but Chou always thought Master was the type to avoid trouble. Why is Master walking straight into a trap? And why does Chou have to hide instead of attack? Chou doesn''t understand.''

    Li Meirong sighed helplessly. What was the point of hushing this Plant Spirit? He never bothered to listen, anyway.

    "I think I know who''s behind this, and I''d rather confront what it is she has planned than allow her to repeatedly keep scheming against me. This place taught me that in order to have some peace and quiet, one must show that they cannot be trifled with." Li Meirong replied in a hushed, agitated tone.

    Chou huffed. ''Then let''s kill the ugly lady now! Chou should have digested this baddie girl all those years ago and spared Master the trouble.''

    Li Meirong grimaced. She always wondered from where Chou acquired his bloodthirsty attitude. Then again, he used to live in the jungle. Perhaps that was his only way to survive, or maybe, it was a part of his unique personality.

    She was so used to treating him like an adorable pet that sometimes, she forgot his true nature.

    "We can''t act rashly. You told me that Shu Qianqian''s words don''t sound completely untrue, which means there''s a chance that Mo Jing is somewhere here, injured."

    ''This Mo Jing used to bring pretty plants from time to time, but that boy isn''t worth worrying over. Master should just let Chou handle the situation and gobble all the nasty people.''

    "No. You stay put until I say otherwise." Li Meirong hissed and rose up.

    She hadn''t been training all this while for no reason. She was sick and tired of others stepping all over her. She remembered the way Zhu Qingyue had urged her to join the fighting tournament and wondered if he''d be proud of her actions.

    At that moment, Shu Qianqian glanced back and asked, "Sister Meirong, did you say something?"

    Li Meirong''s frazzled nerves jumped all over and little goosebumps covered her arms. After a single calming breath, she smiled back, clasping her hands behind her back. "Not at all."

    Shu Qianqian raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but said nothing else. Seeing as Li Meirong was following along, she kept marching forward ever deeper into the suffocating darkness.

 Chapter 244: No Eyebrows Spirit Beas

    The deeper they went into the island, the more still and quiet it became. There was no longer any comforting sound of splashing waves nor the caress of a gentle wind. Only soft footfalls could be heard from time to time as Shu Qianqian and Li Meirong stepped on a branch or a pile of dry leaves, along with the accompanying buzzing of insect wings.

    The familiar sight of the ocean had long since disappeared, lost behind an impervious screen of foliage. A strong sense of foreboding began to creep up on Li Meirong. Although she was not afraid, she was definitely on high alert.

    ''Chou likes this place. It reminds Chou of home¡­'' The Pitcher Plant pointed out, appreciating the surrounding environment.

    Shu Qianqian brought forth an oil lamp and summoned a flame upon the wick inside with a simple flick of her fingers.

    Tall trees and thick vines flanked the uncharted path on which they walked. Li Meirong looked around and assumed the place was some sort of Caribbean jungle.

    "We''re almost there. Brother Jing is right up ahead." Shu Qianqian announced.

    Li Meirong stifled a laugh. Seeing how hard Shu Qianqian tried to stay in character was almost comical. "That''s good. We should reach him as soon as possible." She replied almost dryly, marching ahead.

    They reached a small clearing, bereft of trees, with the only way forward being the entrance to a stone cave.

    Shu Qianqian lifted the lamp, blew out the fire and declared, "He''s right ahead!"

    The sudden disappearance of any light source had caused Li Meirong to turn momentarily blind, as her pupils dilated, adjusting once more to the darkness.

    She heard Shu Qianqian play her whistle, and within a flash, the familiar flapping of a Crane''s wings could be heard.

    Li Meirong blinked once, and when she was able to see again, Shu Qianqian was already gone.

    ''... Master, is this how you want to show your might? The baddie girl just left us here.'' Chou remarked, his voice filled with disappointment.

    "Well, it''s not exactly what I had in mind, but I figured it wouldn''t be Shu Qianqian I''d be facing up against, anyhow." Li Meirong said and scratched the back of her neck.

    She walked with slow and measured steps barefooted towards the dark cave, her footfalls silent in the dew-dampened grass of the clearing. As she reached the entrance, she yelled out loud, "Mo Jing, are you there?"

    There was no response. Furthermore, it was too dark inside the cave to see anything.

    Li Meirong called to the energy vibrating within her. Almost instantly, she was surrounded by a warm blue fire.

    ''Master is a walking lamp!''

    She tapped on her sleeve, lightly smacking the chattering bundle within.

    ''Ouch! Master, that was uncalled for¡­ Oh! Chou senses a presence. A predatory beast.'' Chou''s aggrieved tone grew cautious.

    Li Meirong drew in a sharp breath and silently narrowed her eyes, observing the cave for any sudden movements.

    She identified a pair of bright topaz eyes staring right back at her from within the cave. A feral growl followed immediately as the creature inside noticed that it had been discovered.

    The creature crept closer until the shape of a towering, ferocious tiger with horns sprouting from its head could be seen. A twin pair of tails engulfed in fire flicked agitatedly as it stalked towards the entrance.

    Li Meirong morphed her blue flames and erected a barrier in the shape of a flaming escutcheon shield

    "That''s No Eyebrows''s Spirit Beast." Li Meirong stated, sobering up instantly. She glanced from side to side to check if Captain Liang was hiding anywhere nearby, but found no trace of her.

 Chapter 245: Chou Is Scared

    ''Master, be careful! Chou saw this type of Spirit Beast before. It''s a strong one.''

    "Are you stronger than him, Chou?" Li Meirong asked.

    ''Chou is slightly stronger, but that''s a Fire Spirit Beast, Master. Chou is only a Plant Spirit. Fire is no good for plants.''

    Li Meirong muttered under her breath. "It''s as if the heavens purposefully pit me against fire elements because they know my weakness. Nevermind, stay hidden."

    The Tiger Spirit growled menacingly. It leapt from the cave mouth and prowled around Li Meirong, waiting for the precise moment to strike. With its every move, it exposed a powerful set of muscles underneath the striking red fur.

    Li Meirong took a step back and went into a fighting stance, her pulse pounding in her temples. She knew that she was strong enough to take this beast down, but confronting an enemy, and training to fight one were two different matters altogether.

    She was no killer, and she knew it. However, fate seemed to propel her onto a path of bloodshed. Her rational mind urged her to flee, avoid the danger altogether. But she knew that if she did¡­ if she ran away now, then she''d have to keep running for the rest of her life. It wasn''t a matter of dealing with one enemy, it was a matter of choice. Her choice on how to live this life.

    Despite her trembling hands, her pupils sharpened as she stood her ground.

    The Tiger Spirit finally made its move, pouncing upon the girl.

    Li Meirong evaded the tiger''s claws by the narrowest of margins, shifting herself sideways. A few strands of her midnight hair were slashed as she dived to safety. She could see them from the corner of her eye almost in slow motion, gently wafting in the air as they fell away. It almost felt like a warning.

    The tiger dashed after her, lifting its body up as it struck again. This time, she was too slow to avoid the attack and took it head on, bracing for the impact with the flaming blue shield in front.

    Luckily for her, Feng Huang''s barrier technique was nearly impenetrable and blocked what might have possibly been a fatal strike.

    Li Meirong''s teeth chattered from the collision. The tiger didn''t wait for even an instant before rising again for the kill.

    It kept slashing across the spectral shield, growling and screeching with frustration as it realized it could not reach through and maul its prey.

    Even though the shield protected Li Meirong, the sheer difference in size between them offered the tiger a physical advantage over her. It cornered her to the ground. With every strike, the tiger pushed her further and further down until she ended up crouched on the grass beneath her bare feet.

    ''What is Master waiting for? Strike back! Shoot the baddie!'' Chou urged, panicking.

    At first, Chou was confident of his Master''s capability to wipe out this Spirit Beast. Master was unquestionably a lot stronger than the mangy beast! Though sadly, as the battle progressed, it became evident that his Master lacked the necessary fighting experience as well as the confidence in herself to do so.

    Li Meirong had no time to argue with Chou and explain how she couldn''t very well shoot the beast if she was too busy defending herself from getting chopped up. However, his suggestion seemed spot on. She had to find a way to attack from a distance, far enough so that she would have time to switch from a defensive position to an offensive one.

    "I need you to distract him." Li Meirong groaned as she blocked another blow. After a repetitive series of impacts, the barrier seemed to have sustained some damage as a crack appeared on the side of the translucent shield.

    ''Chou is scared.'' Chou whispered back. He huddled inside Li Meirong''s sleeve, thoroughly terrified. Gobbling up humans was simple and easy, but dealing with humongous, fire breathing beasts was certainly not! It was difficult for the Plant Spirit to admit it, but he was frightened of fire element beasts. His last encounter with the Drake made his fear only worsen.

 Chapter 246: What Is That Thing?

    "Chou..." Li Meirong gritted out through her teeth, adjusting the position of the shield to face against the tiger''s every blow, "I need your help now more than ever. You won''t have to fight him, only distract him so I could step back!"

    Chou didn''t respond.

    The tiger ceased its attempt to slash the shield and changed its strategy, opening his wide mouth to crunch the spiritually made barrier.

    "Chou, please." Li Meirong begged. She tasted the coppery tang of blood in her mouth. The damage to the shield seemed to have affected her body in some way or another. It was as though her spiritual essence had taken damage.

    The desperation in her voice seemed to have triggered her Plant Spirit''s resolve, for he jumped straight out of her sleeve and hopped right onto the Tiger''s massive head!

    The Tiger stopped its series of onslaught on the shield and paced back and forth, attempting to strike the plant off of its head.

    Li Meirong''s eyes widened at the sight of Chou hopping up and down upon the Tiger Spirit''s head, but she didn''t permit her shock to halt her plan. She ran as fast as she could until she was several meters away from the Tiger. She spun back on her heels only for her mouth to gape open for the briefest of moments. Her little Plant Spirit was on the beast''s head. And not just on its head, but taunting it from there!

    Chou kept ridiculing the Tiger, who was helplessly thrashing his own face while trying to remove the lingering pest.

    The Plant Spirit joyfully gloated, ''Look, Master. This baddie is all brawn and no brains! Chou was scared for no good reason!''

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong closed her eyes and morphed the shield into another item. She envisioned the shape of a pistol, and although she wasn''t particularly knowledgeable about the exact design and making of the weapon, she managed to mold her spiritual energy into a handgun all the same. She chose to concentrate on the force of the bullet inside, pouring into it as much of her inner power as she could.

    When preparations were complete and she felt satisfied with her work, she opened her eyes and stared down the barrel of the pistol as she aimed it at the enraged, snarling beast.

    "Leap away from him." Li Meirong instructed with urgency as she squinted her eyes. She waited for her hand to stop shaking before she clenched on the handgun, preparing to fire.

    ''What is that thing?'' Chou curiously asked as he observed the strange looking device in his Master''s hands, but he didn''t stick around to wait for an answer. Following another attempt of the Tiger to slash Chou''s frail, plant-like body, he quickly jumped to safety. He manoeuvred his tiny body by the use of his tendrils until he reached Li Meirong''s shoulder.

    The disoriented Tiger focused its attention back upon Li Meirong, starting to lunge at her once again. Seeing that the shield had disappeared had further fueled its fury as it prepared to slash the girl in two.

    Two events occurred at that exact time. Li Meirong fired the pistol. A shining blue bullet blasted through the air and pierced the center of the Tiger Spirit''s forehead, dispatching the feline with one shot.

    While Li Meirong shot the tiger down, a thick leather whip constricted around her neck, hauling her from behind and slamming her backwards.

    The back of her head collided with the firm ground and nearly knocked her senseless. She barely had a moment to register what had just occurred. The spectral pistol vanished from her grasp as she strained to pull the whip away from her throat, striving to prevent herself from choking to death.

    ''Master, look up!'' Chou screamed inside her head.

    Li Meirong''s gaze drifted upwards only to witness Captain Liang yanking the whip, squeezing the life out her using one hand, whilst the other hand grasped a blade. The sharp tip plunged down in a rush.

 Chapter 247: My Eyes

    Liang Rou Yan had surged down from the skies like a falcon hunting its prey. She might have been insane, but she certainly knew how to strategize. Perhaps, because of her madness, she was that much more formidable.

    Unfocused. Disoriented, and struggling to breathe, Li Meirong watched in abject horror as Liang Rou Yan drove her to the ground and, in a manner similar to the ferocious Tiger Spirit, pounced on her from above. The difference was that the tiger''s claws and teeth had been exchanged by a sharp blade and a whip.

    Liang Rou Yan glared down at her with pure hatred seething from a pair of black eyes that peeked through layers of bandages wrapped around her mutilated face.

    "This has been long overdue. I should have ended your miserable life the moment you tried to join the sect." She spat out. The blade was gripped tightly in her palm, moving ever closer to Li Meirong''s heart, diving with the single intention of carving out the beating organ from its cage.

    At that instant, Li Meirong locked eyes with the madwoman. She saw her own death reflecting back at her from Liang Rou Yan''s gleaming pupils, the only exposed part of her face.

    The difference between Li Meirong and Liang Rou Yan''s combat experience was painfully distinguishable.

    Li Meirong had prepared herself all along to expect a brutal fight. She had known that eventually, Captain Liang would make her move again.

    Yet, despite knowing, she still miscalculated. Her mistake had been to think that because she now possessed a higher level of cultivation than her enemy, that she would gain the upper hand in battle.

    The overflow of spiritual power she had acquired after absorbing the flames into her meridians back at the volcano had made her arrogant.

    Another miscalculation on Li Meirong''s part was the expectation of a fight. This was not a fight. There was no exchange of blows nor a measure of wit and strength. This was an ambush with the sole intention to kill.

    As such, there was no need to play fair. This was not a competition nor a game. There were no rules or regulations. It was either kill or be killed.

    Li Meirong squinted as she focused on Liang Rou Yan''s pupils and chose to leave her chest exposed, deciding to take the hit and strike at the same time instead of protecting herself.

    Dense blue fire surrounded each of Li Meirong''s quivering fingertips as she aimed her nails at those gleaming pupils.

    Meanwhile, the blade''s tip embedded itself into her flesh, plunging deeper still with every passing moment.

    Li Meirong let out an anguished cry as she felt the searing pain diving inside and engulfing her senses. However, her fingers kept reaching for Liang Rou Yan''s eyes ceaselessly, until she managed to force two digits into each of Captain Liang''s eye sockets.

    She pushed her flame encased thumbs inside, her nails sinking further into the soft tissue until Liang Rou Yan wailed above her and finally loosened her grip on the whip. She leapt backwards, pulling the blade out and slashing it blindly through the air in front of herself.

    The blade grazed Li Meirong''s wrist as she whirled herself away from the spot. She tossed the whip from her neck and crawled backwards with whatever was left of her strength.

    Li Meirong coughed several times, inhaling rapidly. Each breath burned as the air moved through her strangled throat. She stared down at herself and saw a large gash situated near the middle of her chest. A rivulet of deep red crawled its way down from the wound like a stream.

    Liang Rou Yan stumbled backwards, screeching and howling. Her palms covered her scorched eyesockets, the stench of burnt flesh filling the air.

    "Bitch! Bitch! You f*cking cockroach that refuses to die!" Liang Rou Yan raged. She kept slicing blindly through the air, hoping to cut down the bane of her existence that was Li Meirong, but to no avail.

    Li Meirong quietly watched the spectacle from a safe distance away.

    Liang Rou Yan''s rage was eventually reduced to a fit of weeping. "My eyes¡­ my eyes¡­"

 Chapter 248: Forced My Hand

    Chou, who had been tossed away during the whole exchange, returned to Li Meirong''s side. The miniature pitcher plant placed one leafy tendril atop Li Meirong''s open wound. ''Master, you''re losing a lot of blood.''

    Still slumped on the ground and too tired to move, Li Meirong patted Chou''s head gently and said in the most reassuring way she could muster, "I''m alright. It''s just a little cut."

    Chou transformed back into his humanoid, toddler form. His big, round eyes assessed Li Meirong, looking entirely unconvinced. "Master should summon the silly turtle to help us."

    "Alright." Li Meirong closed her eyes for but a moment and summoned Feng Huang from the dimension, but the Turtle Demoness did not show up.

    With a shake of his head, Chou muttered, "Useless turtle got herself drunk and is probably dozing off at some place." He started plucking out a few of his own leaves and attached them to the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding. "Master should also allow Chou to eat No Eyebrows, and let us leave this stupid place!"

    Li Meirong sighed and patted his head once again. She felt like a horrible human being for considering his proposition with utmost seriousness. Was it a justifiable course of action to have one''s Plant Spirit gobble up a murderer? The fact that she had already allowed Chou to eat several of her enemies, along with the fact that she no longer felt guilty about it was troubling to her.

    When the sound of Liang Rou Yan''s weeping settled, Li Meirong fixed her weary stare back upon the madwoman, glancing at her through hooded eyelids. "Can you tell me just one thing? What have I ever done for you to hate me so much? Since the very first time I met you, you have constantly harassed me, sent people to kill me, tried to condemn me for no reason, and now, finally, you decided to take the matter into your own hands. Why?"

    Liang Rou Yan instinctively turned towards the direction of Li Meirong''s voice, taking a few calculated steps forward. She laughed maniacally, as though she heard the funniest thing in the world. "I love the way you''re acting as though you''re the innocent victim. Why don''t you tell me, Li Meirong, why have you gone into the Bestiary Division which I control?" Her voice trembled. "Why have you tried to seduce my Master with your furnace body? Why have you stolen him from me?"

    "..." Li Meirong blinked a few times. It was quite difficult to process anything after getting tossed around and nearly being mauled by a tiger, not to mention almost getting choked and stabbed in the chest. But despite her confusion, she tried to comprehend what the madwoman was talking about. It wasn''t easy, since both of them seemed to have been communicating on two different wavelengths.

    Nevertheless, the more she thought about it, the more she was certain that No Eyebrows was referring to another person altogether, which made no sense. The last thing she wanted was to steal that psychotic Grandmaster Zhu Zhang from anyone, much less seduce him!

    "Did you make me your target because I remind you of someone else?" Li Meirong''s eyebrows rose high as she asked incredulously.

    "Ha!" Liang Rou Yan sneered, "You are all the same! Look at what you did to my Spirit Beast!" She shifted her attention to another matter and pointed at her own face with the front of the blade. "Look at what you did to my eyes!"

    Her irises were seared and the pupils turned white.

    "I didn''t want to do this. You forced my hand." Li Meirong responded as calmly as possible. She struggled to her feet and stumbled back down, dizzied by the amount of blood she had lost and the sudden upward movement. Chou cushioned Li Meirong''s fall by sending his tendrils to wrap around her legs and stabilized her.

    "Forced your hand?" Liang Rou Yan repeated, cackling loudly. "Don''t act as if you''ve already won!"

    "Oh? I''ve killed your Spirit Beast and ruined your vision. Do you want me to be responsible for your death as well?" Li Meirong feigned confidence.

    Now that Liang Rou Yan turned blind, Li Meirong was glad for it. This way, ''No Eyebrows'' couldn''t see her sorry state and shivering frame as she clutched a palm to her leaf covered wound, maintaining constant pressure on it.

    Though, it didn''t help a lot. Hot blood pooled through her fingertips.

    Liang Rou Yan cackled loudly, tossing the blade aside. "You think you''ve managed to beat me, don''t you?" She looked up to the sky and spread her arms in expectation. "Allow me to show you what happens to those who cross me!"

    In the starless heaven, cloaked by a cluster of clouds, lightning forked down from above and ripped through the inky night right onto Liang Rou Yan''s wide open arms. She stood there encased in an electric current, a vessel of pure, raw, unadulterated energy.

 Chapter 249: Throw Your Mushroom Head Into The Ocean!

    ''What''s happening here? This lightning looks awfully familiar...''

    A young, well-known voice was suddenly transmitted to Li Meirong. However, it wasn''t Chou who communicated. The Plant Spirit was now in his humanoid form and could easily use his mouth to speak.

    ''How could this be?! He''s supposed to be safely tucked inside the dimension!'' Li Meirong thought in panic, looking side to side, searching for the owner of the telepathic message.

    From the corner of her eye, Li Meirong nervously sighted Ben Mo, the small Lingzhi Mushroom. His reddish cap tipped forward in fear as he remained not too far from Captain Liang''s crackling lightning.

    As it turned out, when Li Meirong had failed to summon Feng Huang from the dimension, Ben Mo had accidentally arrived instead!

    ''Master, I''m scared.'' Ben Mo spoke again.

    When Ben Mo noticed that his Master''s attention was finally directed at him, his speech grew anxious and pitiful.

    "Stupid Mushroom, run away from this place!" Li Meirong yelled, frantic with worry. Blood kept pouring from her chest wound and soaked the leaves so thoroughly, they appeared to have been dyed red.

    In a state of panic, Li Meirong took no notice of her injury. Dread coiled within her stomach as she observed how dangerously close Ben Mo was to Captain Liang''s location, whose body was surrounded by lightning that kept stretching further and further away as the seconds trickled by.

    ''I can''t move.'' Ben Mo wept.

    A sudden soft, warm touch upon her wrist averted Li Meirong''s attention from the shivering mushroom to the Pitcher Plant boy at her side.

    Chou grabbed Li Meirong''s wrist with his small, chubby palm, holding her gaze for a single moment. He might have looked young, fragile, and harmless, but the intensity in his eyes betrayed the powerful strength of a predator that had been drinking blood and feasting on human flesh.

    "Don''t worry Master. Chou will save the useless one and will come back to protect Master." The Plant Spirit boy proudly announced.

    Li Meirong patted his mass of green curls in a doting manner. Her eyes curved into crescents, and her lips formed a soothing smile. "Go, Chou. Pick up Ben Mo and take him to safety. I''ll reach your side as soon as I''m able to."

    "Alright, sounds good!" After a short, confident nod, Chou immediately leapt into the air, extending a pair of vines and hopping his way towards the Lingzhi Mushroom Spirit.

    ''Hey, hey! I''m not useless!'' Ben Mo''s speech filtered through Chou and Li Meirong''s minds. ''I really can''t budge! I haven''t cultivated enough to be able to move myself outside of my field, nor have I received enough blood from Master, unlike a certain someone!'' Ben Mo righteously defended himself in light of his predicament. In spite of being frightened, he still managed to sound grouchy as usual.

    "Well if you continue talking, Chou will throw your mushroom head into the ocean!"

    Ben Mo kept quiet after suffering Chou''s unreasonable response. That crazy plant boy nearly killed him once already, and he certainly wouldn''t dare risk his life again!

    While Ben Mo was being rescued, Liang Rou Yan seemed to have fully charged up, her body kept glowing with white-blue sparks.

    She might have looked like a vengeful goddess, if not for the bandages wrapped around her head, which gave more of an impression of a matchstick being lit up.

    Liang Rou Yan fixed her blind sight upon Li Meirong with sadistic anticipation, pointing one arm pulsating with lightning energy.

    Somehow, she was able to pinpoint Li Meirong''s location without the use of her vision. A sinister smile stretched her lips beneath the gauze. "I am doing the world a favour by getting rid of you."

 Chapter 250: No Longer Able To Stay With Master - Part I

    Li Meirong didn''t answer. She tried to rise up slowly once again, only to stumble back down.

    Unfortunately, Ben Mo wasn''t the only one rooted to the spot. Li Meirong had severely underestimated the extent of the damage which she had received. She felt lightheaded and could barely bring herself to make a step forward. Her condition seemed to be gradually worsening.

    Li Meirong inhaled deeply as she concentrated on the spiritual essence flowing through her body, willing the blue flames into being. Yet the attempt proved to be unsuccessful. The flames emerged but were far too dim, like a fire that had burnt all night long, its last flickering embers greeting the morning sun right before perishing.

    A feeling of despair washed over her as she took in the sight of Liang Rou Yan''s overpowered state.

    ''At least Chou and Ben Mo are far away from danger¡­'' Li Meirong silently consoled herself. She was glad for Chou''s brave decision. It spared her the crucial time that might have been wasted on trying to convince him to leave her side.

    She knew that for all of Chou''s boastful talk, he wouldn''t have mustered enough strength to take down Liang Rou Yan in her current condition, her body sizzling with raw power. Surely, the lightning would have charred him to smithereens.

    The corner of Li Meirong''s lips curved up into a small, heart-rending smile. If she were to die today, then at the very least, none of her precious ones would suffer the consequences with her.

    "I didn''t know you possessed a lightning vein attribute. You have really hidden your abilities very well." Li Meirong chided, letting out a soft, self-mocking snicker, while keeping Captain Liang''s focus on herself. Her upcoming demise seemed to have been the typical, fatal mistake of underestimating one''s enemy.

    Liang Rou Yan''s smile widened, standing tall and imposing. "Gullible. Naive. Foolish junior of mine, if the knowledge of my spiritual energy will make your passing any more tragic, then know this, you would never have been able to find out about the real level of my cultivation, and after I absorb your essence, I will truly be a force to be reckoned with."

    "You''ve absorbed another furnace''s powers and acquired lightning energy from them, didn''t you?" Li Meirong asked, shaken, though there was no need for an answer.

    Since Li Meirong became an inner sect disciple and was allowed access to the sect''s cultivation scrolls and manuals, as well as her own dimension''s library, she had made sure to research as much as possible about the conditions of what it meant to be a "furnace".

    A furnace was able to bestow their powers and boost others with the use of their own spiritual essence, similar to how Li Meirong had been providing her contracted spirits with her lifeblood.

    Commonly, a furnace would most likely be used as a bedding partner until they are drained to death if not properly cared for. Otherwise, they would be drained of blood by an overzealous cultivator.

    It was a one-way ticket with a furnace''s body. Once the spiritual essence was given away, it was impossible to replenish it.

    She didn''t need to be a genius to figure out how Liang Rou Ya became so incredibly powerful with a potent spiritual essence that was not her own. She wasn''t sure what was worse, if Captain Liang had either drained a furnace to their last drop of blood, or had bedded them to death.

    A shudder crept through Li Meirong as she recalled the first time she had encountered Zhu Zhang, the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster. She wondered if he had thought that she had stolen her powers through such despicable means.

    Liang Rou Yan''s shoulders trembled as she barked out, laughing maniacally, "So ironic. It happened right here¡­ Right on this island. The cycle repeats itself!"

    Following that declaration, Liang Rou Yan sent a zap of lightning towards Li Meirong, missing the target by a hair''s breadth. A large, deep crater emerged on the ground where the lightning had struck.

 Chapter 251: No Longer Able To Stay With Master - Part II

    "Master!" Chou''s shrill scream reverberated throughout the clearing as he witnessed the horrific scene. He had managed to collect Ben Mo right before the earth beneath the mushroom got covered with pulsating, killing energy. He had immediately perched the Lingzhi Mushroom on one of the nearby trees surrounding the clearing, stationing him in a safer area.

    Right as the Plant Spirit was about to return to Li Meirong''s side, he heard her yelling, "Don''t come back! I order you to stay where you are!"

    Once given a binding command, a contracted spirit could do nothing more than follow the order. Li Meirong had very rarely ordered Chou around. Most of the time, she had been consulting with him and making polite requests. However, currently, his master issued a direct order, and Chou could do nothing more except to follow it, despite wishing to contradict it with every fibre of his being.

    Chou stood paralyzed with terror. He witnessed as Liang Rou Yan directed another tremendous lightning attack on Li Meirong, pouring every ounce of her strength into it.

    "Chou, no matter what happens, protect yourself and Ben Mo from harm, okay? You must find Snowball and go to Bao Li together. She will take care of you. I-If you see Zhu Qinguye," Li Meirong paused a moment and added in a trembling voice, "Nevermind. Perhaps, everything that was needed to be said, was already said." Her desolate whisper reached the Pitcher Plant''s sensitive ears.

    The speech made Chou''s whole body shake. It sounded ominous. Final. It sounded like he would no longer be able to spend time with his silly Master. He would no longer be able to stay with Master.

    Chou shook his head left and right, his leaf-like hair swished back and forth around his face in a physical attempt to refuse acknowledging Li Meirong''s orders. He had only recently acquired a human form, and he didn''t know how, exactly, this new body of his worked, but he began to feel mildly warm liquid pour down from his cheeks.

    The liquid trailed down to the corner of his lip. It had a salty, bitter taste.

    "Master, Chou refuses! Refuses, you hear? Master better come over here and do everything that needs to be done. Chou is just a plant. This plant can''t live without Master anymore!"

    Li Meirong raised her face and regarded Chou with a faint smile.

    Simultaneously, Liang Rou Yan sent another blast of lightning. The fatal shot struck Li Meirong dead on.

 Chapter 252: Have You Gone Insane?

    Cold was the dark, bleak night. A chilling glow graced the fallen beauty, the very light drawn to her still figure. The pale blue sect robe adhering to the beauty''s dainty frame billowed while silken, inky hair strands outlining her narrow shoulders swayed in the breeze.

    Li Meirong''s eyes were peacefully shut. A pair of long lashes cast dark shadows upon her waxy and pallid complexion. A coat of fresh blood stained her breasts, no longer rising and falling to the rhythm of a heartbeat. Like a black hole, the scarlet gradually expanded and cascaded down her sides.

    Wherever her blood dripped, fragrant herbs and baby pink flowers began to sprout from the earthly crust.

    A boy with hair in the shape of leaves and skin the colour of a young turnip silently beheld the vision in front of him. He was too frightened to move. Too terrified to speak.

    In the midst of the attack, the reddish Lingzhi Mushroom Spirit, who kept quiet throughout the whole ordeal, the very being who was supposed to be sheltered and protected had somehow, despite his claims of being unable to move, made his way to Li Meirong''s side as well.

    ''No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!''

    Ben Mo couldn''t speak, for he had no mouth, but Chou could still hear the echoes of his soul screaming all the same. The Mushroom Spirit didn''t cry, nor did he wail or whimper. He screamed the same word over and over again. He screeched so loud that Chou thought he''d die from the sheer intensity of the Mushroom''s anguished soul.

    Chou couldn''t understand. Why was Ben Mo the one screaming? Shouldn''t he be the one screaming? Why was the Useless Mushroom acting as though he was the one suffering the most, when Chou was the one who had just lost his most precious person.

    The Plant Spirit wiped the running, salty liquid from his face. He was anguished, cold, and felt empty inside. A certain blankness consumed him, as if nothing really mattered anymore.

    Nevertheless, he promised Master to take care of stupid Ben Mo, and he would make sure to uphold his promise.

    The spell that had prevented him from reaching out to help his Master had dissipated along with her passing. Chou swiftly reached his Master''s lifeless form and grabbed the screeching Ben Mo with both of his palms.

    ''Useless Mushroom. How did you even get here?'' Chou transmitted the question, but only received further, nonsensical screeching in response. He shook the mushroom in his arms. ''Listen, you need to stay atop the tree branch where Chou left you. Chou must kill this No Eyebrows person to avenge Master, and then, Chou will find a way to bring Master back!'' He telepathically communicated with the Lingzhi Mushroom, ensuring that Captain Liang wouldn''t overhear any of his plans.

    ''No! No! No! No! No! No!'' Ben Mo seemed to be stuck in a trance, reliving a shadow of a haunting memory, unable to hear anyone or anything else. He deftly wiggled out of Chou''s plump fingers and jumped onto Li Meirong''s chest wound, smearing his petite fungus frame with her blood.

    Chou slapped Ben Mo''s cap harshly, snapping the Mushroom out of whatever spell he had been put under. ''You! What are you doing to Master''s precious blood?! Chou is not killing you right now only because he promised Master that-''

    ''This woman murdered me! She murdered me!'' Ben Mo momentarily stilled after getting slapped by Chou. His unending screams were replaced with the echoes of words seething with rage.

    ''What are you talking about? It''s Master who has been murdered, you idiot! It is Master who sacrificed herself for our sake. Have you gone insane?!''

 Chapter 253: She Murdered Me!

    Chou was beginning to regret his code of honour, his desire to kill the Mushroom only intensifying with every passing moment. He made another attempt to seize Ben Mo from Master''s chest again, but the crafty Mushroom skillfully evaded his grasp.

    ''She murdered me!'' Ben Mo lathered himself with Li Meirong''s blood from the tip of his cap to his rootless bottom and turned to Chou''s direction.

    Repeating the same words, his voice no longer held a young, whining quality. He owned the tone of a person who had grown into adulthood. ''I will have my revenge, for our Master''s sake, as well as my own.''

    Chou fixed a venomous glare at the delirious fungus who seemed to be under the impression that he was the one who had died. ''Chou doesn''t understand, but if you want to avenge Master, let Chou handle the revenge. You are just a useless mushroom. What can you do?''

    Ben Mo huffed and puffed out his wide reddish cap. ''Tch, you don''t understand anything! This useless mushroom will show you what he can do.''

    The Pitcher Plant Boy rubbed his eyelids in aggravation. ''Let''s hide for now and ambush No Eyebrows when she least expects it. How about that?''

    ''Fine!''

    Chou and Ben Mo silently consented to temporarily work together. Ben Mo jumped on Chou''s shoulder and the pair leapt to the clearing''s edge, spying upon Liang Rou Yan from the nearby tree branch.

    Blissfully unaware of their murderous intentions, Liang Rou Yan stood triumphantly several meters across from Li Meirong.

    "I shouldn''t waste the blood. It''s the most potent when it''s fresh..." She muttered as she strode towards the corpse, planning to plunder the bounty. She didn''t need to use her eyesight to know where the furnace''s body was resting. She could smell her fragrant blood. It emanated the scent of freshly bloomed blossoms.

    "Don''t think that I''m a bad person, Li Meirong." Liang Rou Yan mumbled as her leg bumped against Li Meirong''s waist. She bent down in front of the corpse, retrieving an empty vial from her sleeve.

    After groping here and there, she found the open gash upon Li Meirong''s chest area and managed to scoop the blood from it.

    She continued mumbling, "You stole my master. Ruined my reputation. Blinded me. Killed my Spirit Beast. You seduced people with your furnace body¡­ You''re a vile woman. You deserved to die. But at the very least, know that I am just, and that I will return your captured friend, Mo Jing, back to the sect, unharmed. As soon as I''m done absorbing your powers, that is."

 Chapter 254: Waste Not Want No

    After scooping a decent quantity of the blood, Liang Rou Yan created a seal on the vial. She brought the container to her lips and whispered, "And with this, your powers are bound to be mine, and no one will know any better, once again."

    She gulped the blood down greedily with a satisfied expression plastered on her face, practically moaning as she lapped on the sweet-tasting liquid.

    Almost immediately, she could feel the changes in her body. She felt stronger, faster, better¡­

    Abruptly, the blackness that once enveloped her world was replaced with hazy images in the night. The blurry contour of Li Meirong''s corpse gradually emerged in her field of vision.

    Her sight was coming back!

    Liang Rou Yan realized with a sense of relish that Li Meirong''s furnace powers were even more potent than that of the previous wretched furnace, Liu Wei!

    Her dantian had nearly gotten filled to the brim with spiritual essence from just one vial of the furnace''s blood. She shuddered at the notion of what would happen if she drank some more.

    She didn''t wait to find out. Liang Rou Yan made quick work of absorbing Li Meirong''s energy. She fumbled around the chest wound area, scooping more of the blood and slurping it down.

    Seeing that the wound was drying out, she slashed the corpse''s wrists, drawing a larger amount of the precious liquid.

    Greedily, she wanted to swallow all of the furnace''s essence down to the last drop.

    When her vision was completely restored, and her dantian stuffed with energy, she stopped for a moment and loomed over Li Meirong''s corpse, leaning down to assess the girl''s ghostly countenance.

    The corners of her lips faintly curved up at the sight. Bloody, torn, bruised. Dead at her feet.

    Concurrently, an incredible warmth enveloped her whole body. Akin to soaking in a hot spring, it felt both nourishing and soothing. After countless years of trying, she knew that she was finally able to make a breakthrough and ascend to the next stage of her cultivation!

    She was stuck at the peak of Qi Condensation stage for so long, and now, she finally built her foundation! She freed herself of the mental restraints that had hindered her from reaching a whole new level of strength. In addition to absorbing Liu Wei''s lightning vein attribute, as well as Li Meirong''s spirit powers which provided such a high boost, she felt incredible! Invincible!

    A shiver of delight ran through Liang Rou Yan as she passed to the next stage, gleefully welcoming the foundation realm.

    At this point, there was probably not much spiritual essence left, so she needed to ensure that every last drop would be efficiently extracted. Waste not, want not.

    Fearing she''d run out of the remaining essence, she hastily leaned down and grabbed one of the bleeding wrists, raising them to the vial and letting the blood flow freely.

    She ardently persisted with the task, swallowing another vial of the unique, sweet blood.

    Liang Rou Yan kept undergoing physical changes as a result of the corpse''s essence. Lips that were chapped and peeling from dryness were now plump and luscious. Hair that was dry and brittle turned long and silken. And best of all, her skin that was filled with scars became flawlessly smooth, just like before.

    Her eyes widened in shock as she discovered that the spiritual essence was just as potent as the first time she had drunk!

    "This is incomprehensible¡­" Liang Rou Yan mumbled, trying to make sense of the odd situation.

    How was it possible? Once a furnace gave their power away, they lost it for good. How can Li Meirong keep bestowing powers endlessly so? What kind of person, much less a dead one, was capable of such a deed? None!

    Just to be on the safe side, she placed her red-coated fingers on Li Meirong''s pulse area, scared of the possibility that she might have been tricked instead.

    "Pfft, impossible!" Liang Rou Yan let out a burst of nervous laughter.

    However, before she had any time to thoroughly examine the pulse, she ended up reeling backwards in fright.

    From the tip of her fingers and all the way up to her arms, brownish dots grew out from every inch of her glowing skin, becoming larger with every passing moment!

    She anxiously lifted the hem of her robe and noticed the same rust-coloured dots sprouting all over her long legs!

    With one nervous wave of the hand, she swiped the brown patches from one arm, gripping one of the darkening patches for a closer inspection.

    The brown stuff was soft, flat and looked to be like a pale, red-varnished, kidney-shaped cap, growing darker still. It seemed to be maturing at a rapid rate.

    "Are these¡­ mushrooms?" Liang Rou Yan questioned in disbelief.

 Chapter 255: No, Not A Furnace

    Every unoccupied inch of Liang Rou Yan''s skin was getting filled with fast-growing, parasitic fungi.

    She dropped the mushroom in her grip and let out a choked scream, reaching to stifle the sound of her voice with her hands.

    Except, when she touched the skin of her cheeks, she instinctively retracted her fingers after pressing on multiple lumps.

    The honey-kissed surface wasn''t perfectly smooth as it was a few seconds ago. Tiny bumps began to break out all over her face.

    "What is this?! What kind of spell is this?!" She yelled in panic, scratching herself all over. Her face. Her legs. Her arms. Wherever she could reach.

    But, no matter how many bumps she removed, they kept regrowing shortly after!

    "Stop it!" She shouted loudly, to no avail.

    Liang Rou Yan was no simpleton. She was a seasoned fighter and a skilled cultivator, and yet, she had absolutely no idea how to deal with this type of attack!

    Her powers were all offensive, and if she were to roast the mushrooms with lightning, she''d end up killing herself as well!

    She whirled around and narrowed her eyes at Li Meirong. Somehow, she knew this was the girl''s fault.

    The mushrooms continued sprouting all over, some developing from within Liang Rou Yan''s nostrils, armpits, and even her ears. Eventually, her vision clouded once more, as patches of small brown bumps spread around her pupils.

    "What did you do to me?!" Her face mottled red as she bent down in front of the corpse and grasped Li Meirong''s limp shoulders, spitting out the words.

    Then she froze in place as she felt it.

    It was a heartbeat. A weak, faltering pulse, but the heart was beating nonetheless.

    Liang Rou Yan squeezed the girl''s shoulders tightly until the pale skin underneath her fingers changed its hue to an angry purple. The damned furnace. No, not a furnace. Whatever Li Meirong was, she was still alive!

    Li Meirong appeared to be dead in every practical sense, completely helpless and unmoving. But, deep within her stilled chest, her heart was still pulsating!

    "Why are you still alive?" Liang Rou Yan clenched her teeth and held her breath, forcing herself to calm down, to analyze.

    Li Meirong was a mortal furnace who took on a direct lightning strike. She should have been dead. Any other person who did not attain immortality would die from a lightning attack.

    Lightning vein attribute users were one of the deadliest and brightest cultivators because the lightning utilized by them was a discharge of heavenly lightning, and no mortal could withstand a heavenly bolt!

    Liang Rou Yan had absorbed that furnace boy, Liu Wei''s lightning vein when she drained him of his powers. She knew that the level of her attack was enough to eliminate those who were far more powerful than one insignificant furnace at the foundation stage.

    So, how did Li Meirong survive?

    The next puzzle piece was the girl''s strange blood. Liang Rou Yan had drained Li Meirong of all the spirit essence coursing through her, and yet she still kept providing more, as though she was a pool of unending spiritual energy!

    To top it all off, the biggest revelation was that all this while, this damned girl hadn''t been a furnace, and worse yet, she wasn''t even dead!

    "Li Meirong, what the hell are you?! What kind of game are you playing?" Liang Rou Yan asked the girl, furiously shaking her still figure. "You want to keep pretending to be dead? Fine. If lightning won''t kill you, then my hands surely will!"

    Liang Rou Yan clasped both sides of Li Meirong''s milk-white neck, squeezing hard.

    She was so engrossed in her rage and madness that she didn''t notice the presence of a monstrous, carnivorous plant sneaking up behind her, along with a small mushroom perched on one of its tendrils.

 Chapter 256: Hurry Or You Will Die

    A few minutes prior.

    Li Meirong had gradually regained consciousness.

    Though it certainly wasn''t an immediate process. At first, a strange and terrible heat had overwhelmed her senses. She felt scorched yet soothed. Chilled yet warm.

    While Li Meirong became aware of her surroundings, she noticed that her consciousness had slipped inside the metaphysical plane of her own body. A familiar looking pond brimming with translucent liquid appeared in front of her.

    The last time she had seen that pond, her consciousness had drifted into her own dantian, the spiritual energy centre of her physical form.

    Back then, she had nearly died in an attempt to absorb the blue flames and merge with them. Not only did she require Feng Huang''s guidance, she had also struggled to meditate in order to reach the transcendent state which separated her spirit from the body, providing her with the opportunity to explore her own spiritual veins.

    In comparison, her current experience provided no struggle whatsoever. She didn''t receive any assistance from the Turtle Demoness at present, and she certainly didn''t meditate, considering how she had little to no time to do so while being under attack. Yet here she was, back again, staring at the energy pool welling within her.

    Li Meirong went to the pond''s edge, grazing the surface of the clear liquid with her see-through fingertips.

    The clear, water-like liquid changed consistency as she made contact with it.

    It turned a little thicker, changing from flowing water to a more pancake-like paste.

    Suddenly, from the pasty substance emerged a small golden, tinkling bell, floating at the centre of the overflowing pond.

    The bell didn''t appear to be anything special. It was a typical plastic-looking brass bell. The smooth, shiny type she recalled receiving as a child and breaking after tossing the plastic chunk around a few times.

    Li Meirong wasn''t sure what came over her, but she knew that she wanted, no, needed to reach that cheap looking plastic bell. She needed to hold on to it.

    She dipped her legs inside the pond, one foot at a time. The gooey substance felt warm, and surprisingly, it didn''t soak her.

    When she stepped in, she struggled to wade in the liquid. It felt like paddling through a swamp, trying to flee the sludge.

    At last, when she came to the centre of the pond, she seized the bell with a certain sense of urgency, pressing it to her chest.

    The bell''s tinkles sounded a lot like giggles of amusement.

    ''Took you a while¡­ took you a while.''

    It was the bell that communicated with her. Its speech resounded in the empty, metaphysical space as though it were a hollow cave.

    Li Meirong lowered her gaze and observed the bell nestled in her arms. She felt like a missing part of her was completed now that she had found it. She felt whole even though she never knew she needed this bell before.

    ''Hurry¡­ or you will die.''

    ''Hurry, hehe.'' The bell tinkled, it''s cheerful tone at odds with a distinct, ominous warning.

    From one moment to the next, the bell changed shape. It transformed from a cheap metallic imitation to a living, breathing, beating organ.

    It was a golden heart. Her heart.

    Her reasoning faltered as she realized that she was holding her own organ in her palms. Slowly, it fused into her nearly transparent chest. The golden heart kept tinkling softly in its original bell-like notes as it delved deeper into her ribcage until she could see it no more.

    As soon as the tinkling heart sank into her spiritual embodiment, the sense of trance she had been possessed with was dispelled. The pond she dove into gradually disappeared into nothingness.

    Whichever magical trial Li Meirong was supposed to undergo seemed to have ended. The gush of heat which consumed her disappeared, only to be exchanged by an abrupt, unexpected onslaught of pain.

    Agony washed over her from every corner of the plane, until she could barely breathe. She convulsed, collapsing into the ever-growing darkness with the pain riding her.

    "Why are you still alive?" A banshee''s shriek could be heard in the distance.

    Li Meirong could barely make sense of the speech, but she recognized the owner of that voice. It was the woman who had struck her, No Eyebrows.

    She fought to listen to the madwoman''s hateful voice, knowing that the sound would lead her out of the meditative state.

    "Li Meirong, what the hell are you?!" Liang Rou Yan barked another question which made no sense.

    The odd inquiry sounded so silly to Li Meirong, that for some reason, it assisted her disoriented senses to refocus. She rose out of the comforting nothingness and headed directly towards the direction of Liang Rou Yan''s voice, towards the pain.

    "You want to keep pretending to be dead? Fine. If lightning won''t kill you, then my hands surely will!" Liang Rou Yan''s vicious roar thudded into her soul.

    Just then, Li Meirong snapped her eyes open and was greeted with the sight of Liang Rou Yan''s snarling expression up close, mere inches away from her own.

    The madwoman''s hands were occupied with clutching her throat, blocking Li Meirong''s air passage in a death grip.

    Behind Liang Rou Yan, Chou hovered over in his monster-sized plant form. His mouth area gaping open, preparing to swallow the unsuspecting prey.

 Chapter 257: Dont You Already Know?

    By the time Li Meirong was fully conscious and aware of what was happening, her fingers had already scrabbled at Liang Rou Yan''s wrist, an instinctual survival response. The futile struggle hadn''t loosened the madwoman''s grip in the slightest.

    Li Meirong''s eyes adjusted to the dim light, and she was only able to make sense of the figures above her due to their silhouettes under the moonlight.

    As her gaze focused, she took notice of hundreds of small mushroom that had sprouted all over the madwoman above her, born from the very flesh like a horde of human parasites.

    ''Aren''t you going to kill her? It''s alright to kill her. I won''t hold it against you.'' A joyful, tinkling sound echoed in her mind.

    It was the bell, or rather, her own heart. Whatever it was.

    Once it delivered its speech, a wave of powerful energy suffused every vein coursing through Li Meirong. A power the likes of which she had never experienced before, until suddenly, she could perceive Liang Rou Yan''s aura.

    As if Li Meirong''s sight had developed a new talent, she began to see a faint, flowing mist surrounding Liang Rou Yan. To her untrained eyes, it seemed frail. Weak. And yet, she could tell that this mist represented the Foundation Building stage.

    Li Meirong had realized with a jolt that during the time she had fainted, Liang Rou Yan had ascended to a higher level, reaching the same rank as her.

    ''No, silly. You''re wrong. You passed. You passed.'' The bell sighed, responding to Li Meirong''s mental assumptions. It sounded as though it was growing tired of explaining things to a child.

    Li Meirong rasped out in confusion, "What are you?"

    ''Don''t you already know?'' The bell asked, laughing, ''Kill her. Don''t you want to? She made you suffer so much. Do it.''

    "I don''t-" Li Meirong was about to respond to the homicidal bell, but was cut off by the madwoman above her.

    "What am I?!" Liang Rou Yan repeated Li Meirong''s question. She snarled at her face, thinking she was referring to her instead. "Can''t recognize your own handiwork? You pulled a nice trick on me, but I won''t yield!"

    Despite her speech, Liang Rou Yan began to panic. By now she was supposed to have choked Li Meirong to death, and yet, no matter how much force she put into squeezing the latter''s throat, it felt like she was incapable of even breaking the damned skin!

    As for Li Meirong, she grew stronger with each passing second. She no longer felt deprived of air, even though Liang Rou Yan didn''t cease her attempt to strangle her. It felt more like something was itching her neck, a little bug crawling on her skin.

    The moment Li Meirong had opened her eyes, the tables have turned.

    ''Kill her. Kill her.'' The bell urged.

    Li Meirong ignored the bloodlust raging in her mind. She peeled off Liang Rou Yan''s fingers, one at a time. "Let go."

    "Why can''t I kill you?!" Liang Rou Yan wailed, her mushroom-filled shoulders quivered as her fingers were forcibly pried off. It was the sound of a woman who had lost her reason to live, admitting defeat.

    "Let go now." Li Meirong commanded, her voice clear and firm, leaving no room for negotiation to her demand.

    Liang Rou Yan unclasped the rest of her remaining fingers'' tight hold on Li Meirong''s throat and crawled backwards on all fours. She bared her teeth and banged her fists on the ground beneath. "You should have died from my lightning strike! How did you develop your core instead? How is this possible? Not possible. Not possible..."

 Chapter 258: Do You Understand? Yes or No?

    Li Meirong didn''t respond. In all honesty, she herself wasn''t so sure how exactly she had stayed alive.

    How many days, months, years had she diligently cultivated without a speck of progress? All this while, she had been disheartened, thinking that she had reached the cap of her potential.

    Li Meirong got up and briefly assessed her wounds. Even though she suffered from pain all over, she found no bruises or cuts, and the gash on her chest vanished as if it had never existed. The only thing she noticed was smooth skin smeared with dried blood, partly covered by a torn and tattered robe.

    In the exact same manner as the time she had merged with the blue flames, she became completely revitalized once more.

    ''Finally, do you understand? Yes or no?'' The bell asked out of the blue.

    "Yes. I levelled up. You''re my golden core." Li Meirong whispered, astonished by her own words.

    She knew that she must have ascended to a higher cultivation stage, because the last time she did, back when she had merged with the flames, it was practically the same experience. A complete revitalization following a near-death experience.

    The bell uttered a short ding-a-ling sound.

    All the while, the humongous Pitcher Plant had halted in his place, shivering all over in excitement.

    Chou rattled his leaves and nearly dropped Ben Mo by accident. He transformed into a toddler form and leapt to Li Meirong''s side, latching himself onto her leg in a fierce embrace, meanwhile Ben Mo had been all but forgotten. "Master is alive! Master is the bestest master in the whole wide world! Don''t do this to Chou again! This plant nearly experienced a heart attack!"

    Li Meirong gathered Chou into her arms and showered his forehead with small kisses. "I''m sorry for giving you a fright, Little Chou. Did you behave while I was unconscious? Did you listen to my orders?"

    Chou''s cheeks took on a reddish hue. He bashfully pushed at Li Meirong''s chin with his small palm and nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Chou always listens!"

    "Good boy." Li Meirong stroked Chou''s hair, smiling faintly, "Where is Ben Mo?''

    Thud!

    Suddenly, Li Meirong and Chou simultaneously detected a dull, thudding noise of a heavy mass crashing to the earth.

    They swiftly turned towards the direction of the sound and saw Liang Rou Yan laying on the ground face down, her arms and legs jerking in an uncontrollable movement.

    The mushrooms growing out of every corner of Liang Rou Yan''s skin developed into their adult state, darkening in colour to a muddy brown. Each of her wide-opened eyes obscured by a large coffee-coloured lid.

    A collection of fungi sprang forth from her parted lips, leaving her in a horrid state. Frothy saliva foamed from her mouth, her throat making a sickening gurgling sound.

    Ben Mo stationed himself atop Liang Rou Yan''s shaking back, standing taller and more imposing than the other mushrooms environing him. He tilted his wide cap to Li Meirong in a form of salute. ''Welcome back Master.''

    Liang Rou Yan''s seizures stopped within a breath of time. She dropped dead within an instant.

 Chapter 259: You Passed

    One would think that after witnessing the demise of one''s enemy, a euphoric sense of satisfaction, or even triumphant pleasure would emerge, but all that Li Meirong felt at that moment was a strange sort of helplessness.

    It wasn''t a feeling bred from having been stabbed or struck by lightning. Rather, she felt this way for her lack of understanding¡­ for being unable to prevent this inevitable outcome.

    ''Don''t mourn what was bound to happen. Compassion is the key. Your power is to give. You passed the test. You passed.'' The bell''s words suddenly rang in her ears. It had a joyful tune, filled with happiness.

    Li Meirong''s willowy eyebrows wrinkled into a frown. What was that bell gibbering about now? Didn''t he tell her to kill Liang Rou Yan only seconds ago?!

    The bell tinkled. It was a peal of laughter, a mocking tune. ''Still too trusting. Keep kindness. Be cautious.''

    "Enough of you!" Li Meirong muttered under her breath, trying to ignore this newfound, annoying addition to her crew.

    The bell had ceased uttering any further melodies. It provided her with the reprieve from receiving its ''wise'' guidance.

    She sighed gratefully and placed Chou down, then went to kneel by Liang Rou Yan''s corpse, plucking out the mushrooms sticking from her open eye sockets and sliding her eyelids closed. Then she stretched out her hand in invitation for Ben Mo to jump on her palm. "I''m glad to see you''re safe."

    Ben Mo remained on Liang Rou Yan''s stilled back, tipped his cap up and faced Li Meirong directly.

    Although he had no eyes, his stance compelled Li Meirong to stay in place, to listen to him.

    ''Master, I killed her.'' Ben Mo confessed.

    "I know, but you saved me. If you hadn''t, she would have killed me while my spirit was away." Li Meirong stated, reaching with her forefinger to tap lightly and lovingly on Ben Mo''s cap.

    He narrowly avoided her touch. His speech sounded heavy with guilt. ''No, Master. I want to appear selfless and say that I did it for you, but that''s a lie. All I could think of was revenge. I did it for myself. I had to kill her.''

    Li Meirong''s rosy lips pursed slightly. "Do you want to tell me why?" She asked at length.

    There was no answer. Ben Mo''s little fungus frame started trembling. His spirit was somewhere else, dreaming about never-ending nightmares borne from his earlier actions.

    In an instant, Li Meirong grabbed Ben Mo and held him protectively with both hands as she stepped away from Liang Rou Yan''s corpse, heading out of the clearing and back into the encircling jungle terrain, while Chou silently followed behind.

    She sat down and rested her back against a wide tree trunk. The mushroom in her palms hadn''t stopped shaking all the while.

    Li Meirong gently patted Ben Mo''s cap in a continuous motion and murmured soothingly, speaking in a soft voice as a mother would to her child. "It''s going to be alright. You''re safe now."

    She wasn''t sure how much time had passed, but the sky above began to gradually shift colours from obsidian to a crisp grey, until eventually, a melancholy blue peeked from between the tree branches that formed a ceiling of dense foliage inside the jungle.

    After a while, Li Meirong turned to Chou who dutifully stood nearby, no more than a few inches away from her side. Since they had left the clearing, Chou hadn''t so much as moved more than a foot away from her.

    "Little Chou, I think Mo Jing is hidden somewhere on this island. Possibly inside the cave. Can you go and scout for his whereabouts? If he hadn''t been here, then we would have detected a lie when Shu Qianqian had first spoken. I think the plan was crafted well enough that they did in fact bring him, and hid him somewhere nearby."

    Chou blinked a pair of watery eyes at Li Meirong and shook his head. "Not leaving!"

 Chapter 260: My Original Name Was Liu Wei

    "Chou¡­"

    He grumpily puffed out his lower lip. "But what if something happens to Master while Chou''s away? Master is silly and always gets into trouble. Chou can''t leave Master''s side!"

    A small smile crept across Li Meirong''s face. "I have Ben Mo here to protect me, and you saw what he did, right? Besides, I''m stronger now. It''ll be more difficult to take me down, and I need you to do this for me."

    Chou''s gaze darted to the shivering mushroom nestled in Li Meirong''s palms, looking entirely unimpressed.

    "Chou, please."

    Chou made a grim face, folded his small arms together, and let out a deep breath. "Fine. But Chou will be back swiftly even if it means that the human, Mo Jing, won''t be found!"

    "Chou is the best." Li Meirong said, and Chou''s baby cheeks turned a little pink.

    "Now you notice?! Humph." Chou haughtily reproached. He sent out a pair of vines and leapt a long distance away, back towards the cave''s direction.

    A cool draught of air swept through the jungle, coating Li Meirong''s long, tangled hair and milk-white skin with a light, salty mist. A few birds hopped on the tree branches, greeting the newly dawned morning with their sweet, dulcet chirps.

    Following a brief period of time, Ben Mo stopped shivering at last. He stirred and pushed against Li Meirong''s palm, gaining her attention.

    She cast her eyes downwards and silently paid attention to him. A layer of moisture coated her lush, curled lashes, which glistened slightly in the light of dawn.

    Ben Mo sighed wistfully and telepathically transmitted his tale to Li Meirong.

    ''My original name was Liu Wei. I was once a child born into a poor family with many siblings and little food to spare. More often than not, I had to steal scraps just to get by through the day, but as luck would have it, I was born with a special power. I possessed the rarest of all attributes in this world, the lightning vein."

    Li Meirong let out a short gasp, connecting the dots together.

    Ben Mo continued, ''Even though I had a special physique, it didn''t mean that I would be granted wealth or position in the cultivation world. Actually, I came across Forgotten Waters sect by sheer accident, or maybe it was the hands of fate? I was never really sure, but it felt as though it was my destiny to reach the sect. Everything seemed to have gone perfectly for me. I passed through all the obstacles. I had the necessary talent¡­ I was even accepted by the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster to become a direct disciple! Riches beyond anything I could have ever possibly imagined as a boy were showered upon me. I was able to provide for my poor family with ease.''

    ''Everything went well. Too well, in fact. I even¡­ I even thought I met someone I could love forever.''

    Ben Mo''s voice cracked, trying to hold back invisible tears which he was unable to shed.

 Chapter 261: Very Rude of You To Ask

    Tears welled up in Li Meirong''s eyes instead, acting as some sort of substitute to Ben Mo''s turbulent emotions, but she held herself back from letting them spill. She didn''t feel like it was her place to cry. She kept her fingers on the Mushroom Spirit''s head, trying to comfort him through the painful recollection.

    Ben Mo said, ''Good things never last, however. My senior disciple under the same Grandmaster, she, one day, she¡­ took me out, to this very place. She took me here and used me in a way I dare not mention. She stole my powers, used them as her own. She murdered me. Afterwards, my ghost was left wandering, anguished, vengeful. I''m not certain what had happened, but at a specific point, all I could recall was waking up inside your dimension. I only wished to grow stronger, not sure as to the reason why. It was as if an invisible purpose drove my thirst for power.''

    He stopped his explanation, taking a deep breath, a clear indication to Li Meirong that whatever it was that he was going to say was difficult for him to share.

    ''Then, when I was summoned out of the dimension and saw this place, I felt frightened, and I couldn''t understand why. When I saw Liang Rou Yan all charged up with lightning, I recognized the power as my own. When she struck you, all the memories of my past life came rushing back to me.''

    "I''m sorry." Li Meirong said. The dam finally broke, tears fell down along her cheeks, dripping on the Mushroom Spirit in a salty shower.

    Ben Mo let out a burst of strangled laughter, wiggling from side to side. ''Hey! Stop crying! You''re getting me all wet with your tears! What are you sorry for, anyway? I should be the one who''s sorry. Because of Liang Rou Yan''s past obsession with me and my relationship, she lost her mind and hunted you down.''

    Li Meirong angrily wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her tattered sleeve, "I''m sorry. I won''t cry."

    She sniffled a few times, trying to get her emotions under control before asking, "Does this mean that the one who Liang Rou Yan had talked about, the one who seduced the lunatic Grandmaster Zhu Zhang is¡­ is¡­"

    ''...'' Ben Mo silently hopped out of Li Meirong''s palm.

    "Were you and the lunatic Grandmaster of the Bestiary Division together?" Li Meirong asked again, properly this time.

    ''C-could you shut up about it? It''s very rude of you to ask!'' Ben Mo''s colour darkened into a deeper shade of red, sounding quite mortified.

    "Pfft!" Li Meirong covered her lips with the back of her hand, stifling a giggle, her cheeks still damp with tears.

    Just then, Chou returned to the jungle, carrying an unconscious Mo Jing within his tendrils. "Master, Chou found him!"

    Mo Jing was unceremoniously dangling behind Chou. His appearance was practically a replica of his older brother, Mo Cheng. He owned a healthy tan and a face that was nicely sculpted, all sharp angles and high cheekbones, unconcealed by his dark brown hair that had been tied neatly into a bun. Only his narrower shoulders and slimmer waist contrasted in comparison to his sibling.

    Unlike his brother, it was clear to see that Mo Jing was a man who wasn''t trained for fighting. His eyes were shut tight, and he snored loudly, unaware of anything around him. He seemed to be heavily drugged, for him to remain asleep under Chou''s ''tender'' care.

    Li Meirong felt that the final discomfort lodged in her heart finally dissipated. Her friend was safe and sound. "That''s great, Chou!"

    Chou grinned from ear to ear, ready to be basked in his Master''s compliments, however, Ben Mo bumped himself against Li Meirong''s foot at that exact moment, catching her attention instead.

    Ben Mo transmitted a final message to Li Meirong, ''Don''t you dare tell a soul what I told you! I''m warning you!''

    Li Meirong winked at the mortified Lingzhi Mushroom, perching him on her shoulder.

    "Your secret is safe with me!"

    Chou sulked, poking at the mushroom with his tendrils as they passed through the jungle''s path.

 Chapter 262: Where The Hell Did It Spring From?!

    They went back, retracing their steps all the way to the island''s shore. Li Meirong called for Cai Huise, the resident Cat Spirit mount she had once befriended, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that he had promptly answered her call. His only response was; "I told you I''d come over when you call my name."

    Li Meirong and her spirit pets departed the island without looking back.

    Unbeknownst to any of them, out of Liang Rou Yan''s corpse, a single sapling began to sprout. It grew out at an alarming, unnatural speed, until it reached full maturity. The tree developed long and thick roots, encasing Liang Rou Yan''s dead body from head to toe.

    Ultimately not a single trace of the dead captain from Bestiary Division could be seen anymore.

    The tree''s branches were like lightning forks, each carrying multitudes of small budding flowers that instantly bloomed and produced a scattering of pink blossoms. Eventually the tree turned heavy with bulbous, ripe fruits.

    The fruits were juicy and delicious looking, bearing an orange tint with a hint of blush to their round shape, resembling a baby''s bottom.

    A pair of identical fox twins, along with a young snow fox, had lingered to witness the strange occurrence. The trio stared at each other in evident confusion.

    The fox twin goddesses, along with Bai Yu, who had all been ordered by His Lordship to protect Her Ladyship, had arrived at the island after tracking down Her Ladyship''s scent of blood. They exchanged a few silent stares, thinking of what they had just witnessed.

    They had arrived after what seemed to have been an intense battle which had taken place at the site, according to their assumptions, at least, especially after noticing the Tiger Spirit''s carcass and the deep craters on the ground.

    The trio of foxes were all about to rush to the rescue upon seeing Her Ladyship''s lifeless body sprawled unconscious, when they had suddenly noticed, with much surprise, that Her Ladyship''s aura had evolved! Li Meirong had successfully ascended into a higher stage in her cultivation and gained a golden core!

    Now that they had known that Her Ladyship wasn''t in any immediate danger, the fox subordinates had collectively chosen to stay back and study their future high lady, evaluating her worthiness as their superior.

    Her Ladyship had woken up, surged to her feet, bloodied and adorned with tattered clothes, looking quite frightening, yet awe-inspiring at the same time!

    Then, unexpectedly, it wasn''t the towering Plant Spirit who made the next move, nor Her Ladyship herself, but the tiny fungus who had executed the human cultivator. Its spores had grown from inside the woman''s organs until she had ultimately dropped dead.

    It turned out to be one of those cases where the subordinates were completely useless. Her Ladyship hadn''t needed their protection at all!

    However, impressive as it was to witness that event, it had all made little sense to the three Celestial Foxes.

    And what about that tree? Where the hell did it spring forth from?!

    The tree branches lifted up to the sky majestically, its bark patterned with swirls and tinted with the colour of salt, adorned with rosy blossoms that sprinkled around it as a beautiful shawl, it was a breathtaking sight to behold.

    The awed trio of foxes hesitantly crept towards the fast-growing tree, which, interestingly, generated blossoming flowers and bore fruits at the same time. Bai Yu climbed on it, snapping his small jaws on a single, fruit-bearing branch and dropping it to the ground.

    One of the twin foxes, Xiao An Fei, changed into a human form, instantly shifting into a beautiful, young maiden dressed in shimmering silk. She dislodged the fallen fruit from the branch and quickly wiped it against the side of her dress.

    She nibbled on the fruit and was met with a sweet, delicious flavour. It had an addicting, slightly tangy taste, the likes of which she had never experienced before!

    Xiao An Fei hungrily devoured the remaining juicy fruit before reporting, "It''s a peach! The tastiest peach I have ever eaten!"

    Both Bai Yu and her twin, Xiao An Hua, frowned in response.

    "I''ve never seen a peach tree with white bark¡­ are you sure it''s a peach?" Bai Yu asked.

    Xiao An Fei glared at Bai Yu. "Try one yourself if you don''t believe me!"

    Thus, all three fox gods turned into their human form and quickly became bloated, gobbling dozens of peach fruits that morning.

    A while later, the trio transformed back to their animal forms and were ready to follow after Her Ladyship, as they had originally intended.

    As they were about to fly back to Forgotten Waters sect''s island, Xiao An Hua curiously asked, "Former Second-In-Command, what should we tell Her Ladyship on His Lordship''s behalf?"

    Bai Yu thought for a moment before responding. His white, furry ears twitched as an idea came to mind. "His Lordship once told Her Ladyship that he has a terminal disease. We can just say that he had to go¡­ to go find a cure!"

 Chapter 263: Henpecked Husband

    Bai Yu''s suggestion seemed flawless at that time. He would cover for His Lordship''s disappearance and get in his good graces. Maybe, just maybe, His Lordship would find it in his heart to be merciful when Bai Yu would report that which had occurred in his absence.

    However, the former Second-In-Command''s plan didn''t go quite as well as he had initially expected¡­

    Xiao An Hua, Xian An Fei, and Bai Yu were still a fair distance away from the floating island, but close enough that they could already perceive the faraway outline of Her Ladyship dismounting the Cat Spirit mount and tiredly stepping back home in a slow, relaxed manner. She was alone, Bai Yu noted. Probably, she tucked the Plant and the Fungus back inside the Bai clan''s ancestral dimension.

    The Celestial Foxes collectively sighed, relieved. It seemed as though the rest of the day would prove to be peaceful and uneventful.

    At that point, Bai Yu still felt calm and carefree, but the relaxed feeling soon changed when he approached the Bestiary Divison''s sect grounds. A thick, stifling power permeated the air. It was an aggressive energy placing its mark, asserting its dominance. This kind of presence, he knew all too well.

    The Fox God Subordinates were startled to discover His Lordship''s oppressive aura condensing all over Her Ladyship''s home!

    "How did he return so quickly? The Eternal Ice Prison is several worlds away!" Xiao An Hua said. There was anxiety in her quiet voice.

    "There are carefully constructed barriers between each world. It cannot possibly be that easy to cross, even for someone as powerful as His Lordship." whispered Xiao An Fei, feeling the same level of astonishment as her sister.

    Bai Yu rolled his eyes at the twins. "Crossing between worlds is nothing for him, especially when he has a set destination in mind, a powerful connection that leads him to this plane of existence."

    All three of them were the Sovereign Lord''s subordinates, but only a select few in the clan were close enough to His Lordship to be aware of the real measure of his capabilities. Bai Yu was one of those few.

    The Xiao twins shuddered. They fervently wished to never displease someone as powerful as their lord! They eyed each other from the corner of their vision, sharing the same thought. ''If His Lordship is angry, then let Bai Yu take the blame!''

    The level of malevolent aura protectively surrounding the premises could mean one thing, and one thing only. His Lordship had returned, and like a henpecked husband, he was dutifully waiting for a beating inside Her Ladyship''s cabin!

    The Celestial Foxes landed outside the cabin, inside the garden area. They quickly concealed their presence and hid behind a nearby bush.

    As Her Ladyship stepped inside the house, the three foxes held their breath, huddling together under the cover of the foliage. The air was so still, not even the leaves were rustling.

    After a short period of silence, Bai Yu bucked under the pressure, his small, white paw tapped on the ground with a thump. "I can''t stand this suspense!"

    Disguised as Snowball, Bai Yu went to crouch between a few of the cabin wall''s uneven wood planks and snooped around. The Xiao twins changed into their human forms, disguising as servants in the sect and followed closely behind.

 Chapter 264: Zhu Qingyue Suddenly Reappeared

    Li Meirong came back to the cabin alone. She had left Chou and Ben Mo inside the dimension after dropping Mo Jing over at his residence at the Herb Caretakers division.

    She wasn''t planning on staying at home for very long, and was glad for this moment of solitude, providing herself with ample time to clean and freshen up before the morning classes she had intended to attend.

    The dried blood stuck uncomfortably to her figure, her hand was balled into a fist gripping the side of the tattered robe in a poor attempt to retain a semblance of modesty. She held onto her clothes in a way that would conceal the pale skin glimpsing through the tears on her chest where Liang Rou Yan had shoved a blade through, as well as a hole that showed a tad too much skin in an area too close to the upper thigh.

    She opened the door to her wooden house and left it hanging open. The sight before her eyes left her jaw hanging, much like the door. She lost her meagre grip on the robe as though she had received an electric shock.

    He simply sat there on the edge of her bed, cloaked in the darkness of the room, his presence gracing the place with his absurdly good looks, lean frame and godly height. He was all poise and grace, carrying the natural air of nobility. His long, silver hair was left unbound, spilling around him in a glorious, shimmering fountain of silken strands that fell to the mattress like coiling snakes. The collar of his dark tunic was left slightly open and might have been perceived as a casual disorderly appearance, were it not for the subtle, crafty smiled played upon his lips, hinting that everything she was seeing was a very deliberate attempt on his part to look charming. Though, she couldn''t fathom the reason why he''d even want to.

    His eyes were the same shimmering, golden orbs she had remembered, and his gaze contained a heat that caused her to go weak at the knees. It was as if no time had passed at all since their last rendezvous. As if she had seen him only yesterday, and he waited patiently for her return.

    Li Meirong crossed the doorstep hesitantly. "Zhu Qingyue?" she asked. His name came out of her lips as a whisper of disbelief.

    After months of disappearing, Zhu Qingyue suddenly reappeared out of the blue.

    The small smile was wiped right off of Zhu Qingyue as he assessed Li Meirong from head to toe. His chiselled face immediately became grim.

    "Wife," Zhu Qingyue said, rising to greet her. He crossed the room in two strides. "Who dared to hurt you?"

    He sounded clearly distraught, his deep voice filled with concern, and underneath it, barely contained rage.

    Li Meirong stiffened. She had thought about what to tell him when he''d finally return for over a thousand times in her head, but as soon as he stood in front of her, words failed her.

    ''I might have nearly died, but the one who hurt me more was you. You hurt me. You left me, again.'' She wanted to scream, to pound her fists on his chest with, but in the end, she turned her back to him and coldly replied, "It''s no concern of yours."

    Zhu Qingyue reached for her then, his warm palm lightly grasping her shoulder. "You must tell me what happened to you."

    Li Meirong jerked away from him. "Don''t you think that you should be the one giving me an explanation for your disappearance first?"

    His silence was deafening.

 Chapter 265: I Will Never Let You Go.

    She refused to turn around and look at him, scared of the outcome of this conversation. Her eyes began to burn with unshed tears, and she hated herself for losing control over her emotions so easily in his presence.

    A moment later, she felt his fingers gently caressing her arm. "Wife-"

    "Teacher Zhu, please don''t call me your wife, and don''t place your hand on me so familiarly. Whichever relationship we agreed upon before no longer matters. Let''s officially part ways now before we both end up hurting each other." Li Meirong''s sentence came out both formal and detached, as she meant it to be. She pulled away from Zhu Qingyue, crossing both arms underneath her chest.

    She didn''t notice the man''s face darkening behind her until all that encased him was a black, murderous aura so strong, it veiled the room in a fog.

    "You wish to leave me?" She heard him ask.

    "I don''t want to see you anymore." Li Meirong fought to keep her voice from trembling as she answered. The mist of her own tears gave a shine to her limpid eyes. The healthy natural blush on her skin dissipated, leaving her ashen-faced.

    She knew that she had to quit this relationship before she''d be in too deep, before he would break her and smash his foot on the crumbled pieces of her heart. Those continuous disappearances of his, the differences in their social positions, and the probable chance that he was playing her all along only to mask his true intentions, of hiding his sexuality, had made her determined to end this. She only hoped that if she would manage to make a clean break with him today, then her mind would no longer be plagued by his presence.

    However, Zhu Qingyue didn''t let go. His hand fastened on Li Meirong''s arm in an almost painful grip as he possessively pressed her back against his chest, while his other arm snaked around her slim waist in a tight hold.

    Fear became a tangible force that crept over Li Meirong as she squirmed in his grasp, only to discover that she was trapped in his steel-like embrace, unable to shake him off.

    She felt Zhu Qingyue lean down directly behind her, a few strands of silver cascaded down her shoulders from above, and warm breath tickled her ear. His low-pitched voiced caused her to let out a shuddering breath.

    "Listen to me very carefully. You alone may walk all over me. Demand from me, insult me, treat me as your servant. You can do as you please. All that I have, all that I am, is yours. But in return you may never, ever entertain the thought of leaving me, do you understand?" Zhu Qingyue''s voice dropped to venomous whisper against her ear, "for I will turn this entire world upside down, scour the whole universe if need be, to find you and chain you to my side. Here is where you belong." His grip on her tightened in emphasis, "here is where you stay."

    "Zhu Qingyue, you''re scaring me. Let me go."

    Li Meirong felt his grip tighten on her waist, as though angered by her response. She winced in pain, her heart beating like a trapped creature in her throat.

    "Never. I will never let you go." He hissed, furious. It seemed like the very notion was enough to make him fall into madness.

    Terror washed over her at his calm, controlled words. She didn''t recognize this side of Zhu Qingyue. Or perhaps, she did, but purposefully chose to forget the frightening feeling he had once invoked within her, the first time they had met.

 Chapter 266: Test My Limits

    Following his proclamation, Zhu Qingyue reluctantly released his hold over Li Meirong, and she used the opportunity to hastily scurry from his side.

    It was at that moment that Snowball dashed to the doorstep. The maids Zhu Qingyue had previously ordered to serve Li Meirong followed cautiously behind the snow fox cub.

    "Master!" ''Snowball'' called out. He stood at the entrance with one paw hanging in mid-air, appearing to be unsure of where to place himself. In the end, he decided to settle himself a few steps away from the bickering couple.

    Li Meirong immediately reached for ''Snowball'' and assumed a protective stance in front of him. She used her body as a shield for the little fox, boldly hiding him from her teacher''s murderous glare.

    The wary fox cub lowered his head to the floor in absolute submission to the Sovereign Lord. He used this position to sneak a covert peek at the Sovereign Lord from behind Li Meirong, evaluating the danger level of the war zone he just dashed into. ''Not good!'' He silently deduced.

    The Sovereign Lord didn''t even move, his body still as a statue. However, it was his terrifying gaze, the tension in his back, and the way he stood there unmoving that showed just how much he restrained himself from physically lashing out and ripping everything apart. Violence emanated from him like something thick and tangible.

    Li Meirong turned to face her teacher only to see the frown on his face deepening into a furious scowl. The extent of his terrible rage not only frightened her, but it also left her deeply puzzled. It seemed to be mostly directed at Snowball instead of her.

    Bai Yu, who had disguised himself as Snowball, was about to shed tears of blood, watching his own demise unfolding before his very eyes. ''My Ladyship, ah! Your husband is going to flay this poor fox alive if you keep opposing him and defending this poor soul!''

    As if prompted by Bai Yu''s non-verbal speech, the Huli Jing''s Fox Lord that masqueraded as a human, advanced on Li Meirong and Bai Yu.

    "You would protect him from me?" He snarled in disbelief, his eyes slightly widening. "Him?!" The Sovereign Lord sent a glacial, piercing glare at Snowball, and practically growled out the words. His liquid golden eyes glowed from the shadows as he threateningly cracked his knuckles. He looked ready to pounce on the fox cub and throttle him.

    Li Meirong''s obsidian eyes hardened, her lips stretching into a thin line and her brow furrowing in anger. She immediately took up a fighting stance, conjuring blue flames in her hands. Her voice trembled as she ordered, "Stay back, Zhu Qingyue! I don''t want to fight you, but I will if I must."

    Bai Yu panicked and cowered behind Li Meirong, his white paws crossed over his little snout. He looked entreatingly at the beautiful girl standing protectively above him. "M-master¡­ please don''t fight!"

    He had rushed inside to prevent the couple''s conflict, but Her Ladyship''s protective stance only riled His Lordship further!

    ''My Ladyship is making everything worse! This husband of yours is filled with bad traits and you''re triggering every single one of them! As if His Lordship being an overly possessive man wasn''t enough. No, he has to be incredibly jealous too!''

    Bai Yu''s pitiful request fell on deaf ears, the Huli Jing''s Lord and Lady spoke over him as though he wasn''t even there.

    "Insolent wife." The Sovereign Lord hissed, narrowing his eyes and directing the full weight of his anger at Li Meirong. He took another step forward and their skin nearly brushed against each other as he loomed over her.

    His lips curled into a disparaging smile. "Are you purposefully trying to provoke me? Testing my limits?"

    "I don''t know what you''re going on about, but if you come any closer, I swear I''ll use my powers on you." Li Meirong glared back at him even though she knew he could beat her in a fight. She had already sworn to defend Snowball from any harm, even if that meant exchanging blows with the man she began to have feelings for. In spite of her threat, she took a step back to avoid harming him.

    Bai Yu hastily rolled sideways, out of their way. He suddenly realized how true the saying was; Family should never get in between a husband and a wife!

    Li Meirong''s words and actions didn''t seem to affect Zhu Qingyue in the least. Unfazed by her threat, he reached for her again, and she desperately moved away until the wall''s rough texture pressed against her back. Beads of sweat began to trickle down her temple as he set her flame-filled hands protectively in front of her, restraining him from coming any closer.

    Zhu Qingyue slammed his hand against the wall right above Li Meirong''s head, causing the wooden cottage to shake under the impact.

    He didn''t even spare a glance to the destructive blue flames conjured by Li Meirong, the fire apparently didn''t matter to him whatsoever. A condescending sneer still stretched on his face as he pinned her against the wall, trapping her in place once again. "Go ahead," he urged, "Burn me."

    The flames were only an inch away from scorching him, and yet he still pressed himself against her, so close that her palms met with his rock hard chest.

    When the flames began to burn his clothes, Li Meirong immediately revoked her powers. "Zhu Qingyue, are you trying to kill yourself?!" She squawked in disbelief, frustrated by his carelessness.

    Meanwhile, Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei tiptoed over to Bai Yu''s side near the entrance, silently exchanging an apprehensive glance of inquiry with the former second in command as if to demand, ''Fix this situation!''

    Bai Yu took in a deep breath and gathered his courage before interjecting, applying the same commanding tone that he had been using to order hundreds and thousands of demi-god soldiers to obey his will, roaring at the top of his lungs, "Wait! Stop! Stop right now. Snowball will explain everything!"

 Chapter 267: Endless Amount of Satisfaction

    Bai Yu''s exclamation instantly captured Li Meirong''s full attention. Still reeling from an emotional rollercoaster due to the silver-haired man trapping her in his arms, she settled her glistening eyes on Snowball with a troubled expression plastered on her face.

    The Sovereign Lord however, paid no heed to his subordinate''s outburst. His eyes never left Li Meirong''s. The dark amber of his irises brightened to molten gold, softening his wrathful countenance.

    As he looked deeply into her revealing eyes, the sneer playing upon his lips curved into a smug smile.

    ''So, my dear wife still cares about me?'' he thought as he felt her soft, delicate hands gently pushing against the bare skin of his chest without a trace of Foxfire to surround them. He could feel the dampening fire of his rage morphing slowly into an entirely different kind of warmth.

    Raising his hand, Bai Qingyue tenderly played with a loose tendril of Li Meirong''s midnight hair, revelling in the silky texture.Leaning forward, his smile widened as he noticed his wife turn her gaze back to him and visibly stiffen because of their close proximity.

    "Um, Master¡­?" Snowball began to inquire after losing the momentum to deliver his planned speech. Bai Qingyue momentarily raised his hand in the air, demanding silence. The trio of fox gods at his back turned mute on the spot. They became as still as statues, hoping to decrease their presence even further.

    After successfully reclaiming Li Meirong''s attention and pulling her back to focus on him, Bai Qingyue asked, "Why have you stopped?" a teasing tone could be traced in his voice, the smirk still playing on his luscious lips. "Did you not say you were going to use your powers on me if I came any closer? Or is this not close enough for you?"

    Li Meirong''s cheeks visibly flushed under his intense gaze. She cast her sight downwards, disregarding his obvious taunts, and rebuked him. "Zhu Qingyue, you really have no shame! What are you trying to prove here?" She gave another light nudge to his chest. "Look at your clothes, they''re all burnt!"

    After saying so, Li Meirong immediately retracted her hands, finally noticing the warmth and firmness pressing against her palm. She felt as if her face was suddenly on fire as she observed her teacher''s scorched tunic revealing a sculpted chest and ridged abdomen.

    The Fox Lord threw his head back and chuckled. It was a dark, masculine laughter swelling with pride. Knowing how deeply he managed to affect his wife brought him an endless amount of satisfaction.

    Li Meirong wordlessly regarded her teacher with cheeks that were still dusted pink, her delicate eyebrows drew into a frown, confused by the sudden change of his mood. Sometimes it was hard for her to keep up with the violent swings they took. ''The insanity must run in the family¡­''

    Along with the sounds of Bai Qingyue''s rarely beheld merriment, the thick aura of violence gradually dissipated. The three shell-shocked subordinates stared at their Sovereign Lord with wide eyes, mouths slightly agape. Thankfully, they thought, it became much easier to breathe in the room.

    Bai Yu sighed deeply. Even though his commanding presence was completely disregarded and his moment to shine had all but disappeared, he was still resolved to assist His Lordship and get into his good graces.

    Snowball cleared his throat and announced, "Master, the servant girls told me everything, ah! His Lordsh- Senior Zhu Qingyue had a once in a lifetime opportunity to find a cure to the venom in his body. Unfortunately, he had to go far away and had no way of contacting you!" he raised a paw to his chest, " Though there is some good news! He found the cure! Senior Zhu is not going to die!"

    Bai Yu glanced at His Lordship with a grin, ready to be showered with heaps of praises. Contrary to his expectation, he was met with a frowning glare. The Fox Lord was completely discontent with the speech.

 Chapter 268: I Didnt Wish To Needlessly Worry You

    Snowball let out a tiny whimper after noticing the Fox Lord''s frown. He lowered his body to the ground, his long tail wagging rapidly.

    What could he have possibly done wrong? Bai Yu couldn''t help but wonder, his long, pointy ears drooping down in confusion and sorrow. ''I don''t understand His Lordship¡­ I''m trying to assist him, yet he seems angry with me! Is it because Her Ladyship just opposed him to defend me?''

    "Is it really true?" Li Meirong''s gasp snapped Bai Yu out of his thoughts. She addressed him with relief evident in her voice.

    The little Fox Spirit''s eyes wandered from the Sovereign Lord''s obviously displeased appearance to Her Ladyship''s delighted one and felt at a loss. ''What should I say? Her Ladyship wants to know, but His Lordship seems furious. Should I concoct an elaborate, convincing lie?''

    "Yes¡­?" Finally, Bai Yu''s answer came out in the form of a question.

    Bai Qingyue''s face instantly blackened, while Li Meirong appeared glad, albeit a little bit suspicious.

    Glancing at His Lordship''s displeased demeanour, Bai Yu unconsciously cowered in terror once more.

    "Do you know where he found the cure?" Li Meirong inquired from her little Fox Spirit, wondering why he seemed a little flustered after informing her of the matter.

    "T-the Eastern Continent!" Bai Yu exclaimed. At the same time, he internally cried as Li Meirong continued to press him for answers. ''My Ladyship, after I answer your question please save me from your husband''s wrath!''

    "How do you know all this?" Li Meirong''s eyebrow rose up as she questioned.

    "Zhu Qingyue''s servants told me while you were away." Bai Yu craftily added the fox twins into the mix. Should he fall into the pit that was his Lordship''s ire, they''ll fall right down with him!

    Behind Snowball, Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei kept their heads bowed low and quietly gnashed their teeth, wishing to throttle the devious former second in command!

    "What was the cure?" Li Meirong skeptically continued to pry for more information.

    "It''s an incredibly rare cure for Gu poison, a powder extracted from the entrails of the same venomous creature that was used to create the poison to begin with." Bai Yu blurted out off the top of his head.

    "Gu poison?" Li Meirong breathed out the words in surprise. "Didn''t you say that you were afflicted by poison from an extremely venomous bug? You never mentioned Gu poison before." She turned to glare accusingly at the Sovereign Lord who still kept her successfully trapped in his arms, and added, "If you had specified, I might have been able to find a cure for you too."

    Bai Qingyue no longer smiled, though when facing his wife, he likewise didn''t appear upset in any way. He looked composed and aloof. His bewitching countenance reverted back to its usual blank appearance, like that of a porcelain doll. It became impossible to decipher his emotions.

    Under Li Meirong''s scrutiny, Bai Qingyue kept a cool facade, shrugging helplessly. He calmly replied, "I didn''t wish to needlessly worry you."

    Li Meirong scowled at him, leaned down beneath his arms and managed to slip from his grasp.

    Similar to predators keeping their prey within their field of vision, Bai Qingyue''s eyes followed Li Meirong''s every move as she retreated towards the open doorway and stood by Snowball''s side, folding her arms together.

    Li Meirong shut her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly. The corners of her lips curved into a sneer.

    "After the countless nights I spent searching for a cure... All this time, and you refused to tell me the one important detail that could have helped me to find it. Senior Zhu, you sure do make it easy for me to feel my time was wasted. It also makes me wonder what other sort of secrets Senior Zhu refused to tell me." She opened her eyes, faced Bai Qingyue with a light bow and suddenly changed her behaviour, growing more distant and speaking in a respectful manner as one would address their superior. "Be that as it may, This Junior Disciple is glad to see Senior Zhu again, and even more glad that Senior Zhu is no longer ill. I should be going to class now, it was nice seeing you."

 Chapter 269: I Would Have Told You Everything

    At last, Bai Qingyue dropped his gaze and rubbed his temples with the tip of his long fingers. "Li Meirong, do not do this."

    "Do what, Senior Zhu?"

    "You purposefully place a barrier of formality when you face strangers that you''re wary of, or worse yet, enemies. I am not a stranger. Nor am I your enemy."

    Li Meirong looked aside and bit her lower lip. "I don''t know what you mean."

    Bai Qingyue''s voice turned soft and slightly hoarse, as though his throat was dry. He almost sounded hurt, a complete contrast to the lack of expression on his face. "If I could, I would never leave your side. If I thought you would not reject me, I would have told you everything."

    The ache in his tone caused Li Meirong to raise her face to observe Bai Qingyue, and his words alone managed to pull at her heartstrings. He was standing there, tall, regal, and so carefully composed. His previous deductions made her feel easily embarrassed, as if she was an open book that could be so easily analyzed. But at that moment, she looked at him and realized that just like her, he too, was hiding his true feelings, pretending aloofness.

    It was difficult to discern, but once she perceived it, she could easily notice the minuscule details about him, like his pair of ivory hands that clenched into tight fists, and the stiffness of his posture that gave him away. There was a certain hurt showing behind those bright eyes that pierced through his carefully constructed mask.

    She almost broke down at the sight of him. She wanted to stop with the charade and simply agree to whichever demands Zhu Qingyue had, if only to make the pain in his eyes go away.

    However, more than anything, she wanted him to tell her the truth about his disappearance, about his preferences, and whether or not his insistence on being with her was due to an ulterior motive. After he would confess, then they could work things out. Otherwise, they would have no future together, whether it was to be as friends, lovers, or anything else for that matter.

    She whirled around and turned her back to him again, staring at the garden outside from the open door. "I want to trust you, but I want you to confide in me. I want you to trust me first."

    "Wife¡­"

    She heard him hoarsely call out for her again, as though they were already an official couple. Strengthening her resolve, she decided to leave before she''d end up giving in to him. ''I have to do this or we''ll end up going nowhere.''

    "I must go to attend my classes. Senior Zhu, Let''s talk afterwards, when we''ve both calmed down." Li Meirong picked a neatly folded robe from her cabinet and immediately fled from her cabin, afraid that leaving even a second later would allow Zhu Qingyue the chance to change her mind.

    The twin servants curtsied in greeting to their Lord, bent their head low and followed after Her Ladyship.

    As for Bai Yu, he too, bowed lowly to His Lordship, but as soon as he was about to run for dear life, he felt a stinging ache as powerful fingers tightened around the scruff of his neck, twisting his fur painfully as he was lifted up in the air.

    "Where is it that you think you are going?"

    Bai Qingyue''s low sounding words echoed like shattering glass to Bai Yu''s sensitive ears.

    Bai Yu nervously gulped as he was forcibly turned around to gawk at a pair of furious, blazing eyes. "Nowhere, Sire¡­"

 Chapter 270: It Just Happened

    In the back of the cabin, inside a little bamboo stall, Li Meirong gave herself a quick wash under cold water and belatedly discarded the torn, bloodied robe, hastily exchanging it with another identical looking, yet clean article of clothing. She made quick work of adjusting her unkempt appearance and tied her long black hair into a tousled updo.

    The careless way in which she arranged her appearance might have lacked the touch of proper, feminine elegance, but instead, exuded its own individual charm, like that of an adventurous maiden, free of social confines and decorum. Unwilling to tarry any longer, she swiftly left the premises, mounting a crane and flying to the adjacent island.

    As soon as she landed on the adjoining island, she led the crane to the nearby stable house and had the mount rest among the flock perched in the barn. She reclined against one of the several haystacks placed about, taking a moment to summon Chou from inside the dimension.

    Although, instead of a grumpy toddler sporting a mass of hair likened to that of seaweed, Li Meirong faced a pair of shining rubies hovering in front of her face, belonging to none other than the exhausted Turtle Demoness.

    "..." Li Meirong speechlessly stared at the turtle, wondering if the dimension spat out whatever it wished, regardless of her actual demands?!

    "Oh Master," Feng Huang yawned loudly, "Nice to see you safe and sound. The vegetable spirits told me all about what happened." She blinked her blurry, red eyes a few times slowly, assessing Li Meirong as though she was staring at a priceless treasure.

    "Yes. While you were sleeping, we were all very busy fighting for our lives." Li Meirong answered dryly, peering at the Turtle Demoness.

    Feng Huang acted as though she hadn''t heard her response at all. Her mouth parted in astonishment, and her ruby filled shell shook as she hovered from side to side around Li Meirong. "So, Chou wasn''t joking. You actually managed to ascend and develop a cultivator''s golden core!" The turtle''s reptilian mouth stretched wide into what resembled a smile. "I knew I picked the right thigh to hug! Master, you''re the best!"

    "I don''t deserve any compliments. I didn''t do anything to level up, and all the time I spent cultivating proved to be useless. Then it just¡­" she hesitated before breathing out, "Happened." Li Meirong bashfully avoided making eye contact with the turtle and instead, focused her attention on the dried grass on the floor, picking a hay stick to trace random patterns on it.

    Feng Huang snorted and laid herself on the bundle of haystack beside Li Meirong. "You say this only because you don''t know the hurdles of cultivating. Do you even know how long it takes for a cultivator to form a core? Not to mention how difficult the process is? If, for a human, a hundred years to build their foundation is considered fast progress, then at least five hundred years to build a core would be the mark of a genius."

    It was now Li Meirong''s turn to look flabbergasted. Her mouth formed an ''O'' shape as she put a hand to her chest. "I wasn''t aware it was supposed to take so long."

    Feng Huang glanced at Li Meirong, giving the girl a pointed look. "Why should you be aware of it? Ascending to immortality seems to be as easy for you as it is to sleep or eat. For others, it''s practically an impossible feat." She stretched her stubby feet and wiggled on the haystack. "I say, stop cultivating and just let these miraculous events occur on their own! It''s way better to bask under the sun and enjoy a day of comfort."

 Chapter 271: I Got Struck By Lightning

    "There was a time when I used to think exactly the same." Li Meirong breathed in deeply. She then smiled softly and patted Feng Huang''s head. "Tell me more about the golden core. I only know the basics from the scrolls I have read."

    Feng Huang might have lived in seclusion for most of her life, but she was very knowledgeable when it came to cultivation. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat, assuming a mentor''s presence. "When a cultivator establishes a golden core, you could say that, at that point, the cultivator has taken their first steps towards immortality. The core is your ability to merge the essence within you along with your spirit. You can now harness spiritual energy, and store it inside you. This way, for example, you will not be so easily drained of power as you were before."

    "Like keeping a container of gasoline in the trunk."

    "What?" Feng Huang blinked one eye open.

    "Never mind," Li Meirong made a motion with her empty hand, waving her fingers up and down. "Continue."

    Feng Huang gave Li Meirong an odd look, but kept going. "As you know, the core formation stage has its own ranks, and at peak stage, a cultivator manages to successfully form his or her own core." She pointed one foot towards Li Meirong and said, "This means that you are at the peak of core formation. I can no longer tell your level because you outrank me, and cultivators can only accurately tell the level of those whose ranks are below them. But if I were to concentrate hard enough, then I am able to detect a faint yellow aura shimmering around your body, though not much more."

    "Is it the same aura that scares all the spirit beasts away from me?" asked Li Meirong.

    "Yes and no. Maybe it''s a mix of both. Anyhow, it would be wise to conceal the aura, so others wouldn''t be able to accurately measure your strength. My barrier technique can work not only as a physical shield, but a spiritual one. It can be suffused inside the spiritual veins and allow you to conceal your presence."

    Offering to show an example of how to hide the aura, Feng Huang encased herself in shimmering sparks of light, and slowly, those sparks were absorbed into her entire frame until all that was left was a faint glow that gradually vanished beneath her rough skin and shell.

    Li Meirong hurried and copied Feng Huang''s actions. After absorbing the light into her skin, she let out a small groan. "Do you know that for months now I have been looking for ways to conceal my aura? Couldn''t you tell me sooner?"

    Feng Huang gave Li Meirong a blank face. "You never asked."

    Li Meirong pinched the space between her eyebrows and puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Right, I didn''t ask you."

    "So what did you do this time in order to ascend?" Feng Huang switched the conversation onto a different subject. She was awfully curious about the wonders this girl managed to come up with.

    "I got struck by lightning."

    "Oh."

    Noticing the irritable tone in the clipped reply Li Meirong provided, Feng Huang wisely changed the subject again. "By the way, where are we?" she asked, staring around the stable house with a disdainful look on her face. "Chou said you wanted to attend those boring human classes again, but I think we''re at the wrong place, unless you''re going to study with dumb birds."

    The cranes trilled and cawed in indignant refusal. A few of them opened their sharp breaks in a threatening manner and flapped their wide wings, as if to express their righteous anger.

    Li Meirong gave Feng Huang a disapproving look. In her dark eyes, a pair of pupils sharpened, spreading firmness of mind. Her mouth drew into a thin line right before she answered, "We''re at the Sword Bearer''s division. The classes can wait. I have a ''friend'' who''s dying to meet me."

    Feng Huang looked up at Li Meirong''s limpid eyes, which shone from within a calm and withdrawn countenance. "You don''t seem to look like you''re going to visit a friend. It looks like you''re going to beat up somebody." She paused a moment before inquiring, "And where''s that Fox Spirit of yours, anyway?"

    The sharpness in Li Meirong''s eyes was abruptly exchanged by a troubled expression marked with a deep frown. "I forgot Snowball!"

 Chapter 272: Foiled My Plans

    While Li Meirong headed back to retrieve Snowball, the mentioned Snow Fox quailed at Bai Qingyue, the Sovereign Lord''s sight.

    It might have been difficult for the Sovereign Lord''s subordinate, Bai Yu, to breathe before, back when His Lordship had bickered with his wife, but presently, it became a hundred times worse after her departure.

    Bai Qingyue relinquished his hold over the furry fox and unceremoniously tossed him aside.

    Bai Yu skillfully avoided being flung against the wall and regained his balance. He knelt before the angered Fox Lord whose sheer presence filled the whole enclosure with oppressive, profound qi. Struggling to breathe in through the suffocating energy, he coughed a few times as he raised his eyes with trepidation to stare at the angered Fox God.

    Bai Qingyue did not move nor speak. He seemed calm and refined, graced with painted features, glowing eyes, and fair skin as polished jade.

    An unfamiliar character might have deemed him unperturbed, as though nothing fazed him, but Bai Yu knew better. He wasn''t fooled by the tranquil appearance before him. He saw his Lord torturing prisoners until they begged for death, and slaughtering masses without so much as batting an eyelash with that same unconcerned look on his face.

    This was bad news for the former second in command, and he had not the faintest idea how to escape His Lordship''s wrath this time around. He hadn''t even told His Lordship anything yet, and displeasure already radiated off the Sovereign Lord in endless waves.

    Following what felt like forever to the former second in command, the Fox Lord finally, verbally expressed his discontent.

    "You foiled my plans." He stated.

    "This subordinate meant only to assist My Lord. it was by no means this subordinate''s intentions to ruin My Lord''s plans." Bai Yu pressed his white-furred forehead to the floor and kowtowed. He spoke nonchalantly, measuring every word.

    Still pressing his head to the ground, Bai Yu wasn''t met with a retort. He chose to tread on the side of caution and to keep bowing until being given a reprieve to raise his head. "My Lord, please pardon this subordinate''s wagging tongue."

    He only heard the Sovereign Lord sigh deeply in response.

    In all honesty, Bai Yu simply couldn''t understand why His Lordship became so upset quite so suddenly. He wouldn''t have managed to comprehend the way the Celestial Fox Lord''s mind worked for the life of him.

 Chapter 273: My Leverage

    It was as if Bai Qingyue could have somehow read his subordinate''s confused state at that second, for he suddenly said, "You do not understand the consequences of your actions. My wife is a person who would rather fawn over a weak, struggling man than shower her affections over someone strong and capable. My ailing condition was my leverage and now, she would use the knowledge of my well-being as an excuse to escape me."

    Bai Yu couldn''t see His Lordship, but he managed to detect the tone of irritation leaking forth from his voice. He heard the bed creak and knew that His Lordship arranged himself into a more relaxed position.

    ''Sire, your wife would sooner leave you for thinking you are not even interested in her as a man would be towards a woman! She thinks you''ve been fooling her for entirely different reasons.'' Bai Yu sensibly kept this thought to himself, and only answered His Lordship with another apology.

    "You may rise." Bai Qingyue spoke at length.

    "Thank you, Sire." The former second in command sighed in relief. It seemed as though he wouldn''t die, or at least, not yet.

    When Bai Yu rose, he noticed Bai Qingyue''s careful mask of indifference lightly crack, and the pressure in the air receded once more. Bai Qingyue tiredly ran his fingers through his hair, removing a few stray strands that covered the pristine and sharp angles of his face. He was still the ever vengeful Huli Jing Lord, but he looked a little¡­ tired, worn out. The weariness showing in his phoenix eyes made him seem less dangerous, and a bit more approachable.

    Ever so slowly, Bai Yu approached the edge of the bed, stood on two feet and placed his front paws on the mattress by the Sovereign Lord''s side. "Sire, are you well? Do you need some time to rest?"

    Bai Qingyue lifted his hand up and waved it in the air, making a sort of careless gesture. It seemed to be indicating that he doesn''t wish to be bothered with senseless questions, or maybe, showing that he was alright.

    Bai Yu''s long canine mouth was set in a somewhat grim expression. His current priority was to keep himself alive, but that didn''t mean he lacked concern for His Lordship.

    The Sovereign Lord had just traversed the universe in what amounted to lightning speed. Such a feat would take its toll on any immortal being, even a high god.

    "Tell me what has occurred during my absence," commanded Bai Qingyue.

    The abrupt question made Bai Yu suck in his breath. ''Where should I begin?'' He mournfully questioned himself.

 Chapter 274: Im Getting To That Point, Sire

    Bai Yu leapt away from the bed and paced back and forth in front of it, avoiding eye contact with His Lordship. He hoped that it would be a bit harder to read his expression in animal form, and that his nervousness would go unnoticed. Thus, he maintained the ''Snowball'' disguise and kept a safe distance away.

    "In your absence, Her Ladyship had often thought of you. Though in the beginning, she seemed to have mostly been angry, but later on¡­ she grew concerned, wondering what might have happened to you and if you were still alive."

    His eyes darted swiftly to sneak a glance at Bai Qingyue, before turning just as swiftly back to their original position. The harsh light emanating from Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes had slightly softened, the tightness to his shoulders relaxing. ''Good. He seems somewhat pleased.''

    "Continue." The Sovereign Lord commanded.

    "Right away, Sire." Bai Yu cleared his throat. One should know that in all the years of his service, the Former Second In Command picked up on a few body language signs. In spite of not being a great tactician, he was still capable of interpreting his Master''s displeasure. This awareness had helped save his life quite a few times.

    "Her Ladyship kept on practising for the tournament as you instructed, as well as training her spiritual powers." Bai Yu stopped midway and tapped his paw before exclaiming, "Alas, her cultivation did not show any progress."

    "Then how, pray tell, did my wife obtain her golden core?"

    Bai Yu let out a short, strangled sound. "I''m getting to that point, Sire."

    "... Hurry up." Said Bai Qingyue, sighing in aggravation.

    "The Dragon Spy had returned as well. She¡­ she¡­"

    "Well?" Bai Qingyue asked impatiently, narrowing his eyes.

    "She took a strange interest in Her Ladyship. She tried warning her of you. It seems as though the Dragoness cares, in her own strange way, about her Ladyship¡­ that is, um..."

    "Cares how? What did she tell her? Stop speaking in riddles." Bai Qingyue leaned forward, placing an elbow on each knee while his fingers stretched out and interlaced together. His face turned increasingly gloomy.

    At that moment, Bai Yu came to a resolution that he wouldn''t tell His Lordship about the kiss. There was just no way to stay alive after revealing that one part!

    He turned to face His Lordship with droopy ears and said, "This all started with Her Ladyship. She was most courageous when confronting the Dragoness. She told her off from the very beginning." Bai Yu''s ears perked up as he recalled that moment. "Oh, and remember the Spirit Beast My Lord had cooked up for Her Ladyship? Li Meirong sent the Dragoness on a fool''s errand to seek said Spirit Beast! As expected of Her Ladyship!"

    The corners of Bai Qingyue lips hooked up, ever so slightly, but not enough for Bai Yu to escape unscathed. "You neglected to inform me of what the Dragon Spy had told my wife."

    Bai Yu innocently blinked. "Of course. That part, that is¡­ they had a short argument, and Her Ladyship told her not to come back, but the Dragoness said she will. That was when she told Her Ladyship to stay clear of you, My Lord, that you are not all that you seem."

    As he continued narrating, his chest swelled with pride. "In response to the Dragoness'' warnings, Her Ladyship defended My Lordship''s honour, informing her that she already knew all about My Lord and she told the Dragoness to stay away instead!"

    Bai Qingyue hummed in approval, locking narrowed eyes with Bai Yu. "This pleases me to hear. However, I can not help but feel as though you are purposefully withholding an important piece of information from me."

    Casting his stare aside, Bai Yu performed the most innocent looking face he could muster. "This Subordinate does not know what My Lord means, but there is more to tell!"

 Chapter 275: See What I Told You

    Bai Qingyue turned silent again as he expectantly waited. It was a dreadful kind of silence.

    "As for the golden core, yesterday, Her Ladyship travelled to a secluded island at the dead of night and was ambushed by the Bestiary Division''s succeeding disciple, whom Her Ladyship often referred to as Lady No Eyebrows. A battle took place and-"

    "Where were you?" Bai Qingyue interrupted to ask.

    Bai Yu''s eyes widened. "Pardon?"

    Bai Qingyue''s voice grew deeper as he repeated the question. "Where were you at that time?"

    "Oh, that''s what My Lord meant." Bai Yu nervously laughed. "This Subordinate was not there at the start of the battle, but this Subordinate arrived as soon as he realized Her Ladyship fell into danger!" He quickly explained, defending his position.

    Seeing that Bai Qingyue asked no further questions, he continued. "Her Ladyship got struck by lightning before this Subordinate or the Twins that His Lordship had recently dispatched had an opportunity to intervene."

    Bai Yu felt his heart creep into his throat as he heard Bai Qingyue suck in a sharp breath.

    He hurriedly finished narrating the tale. "That was when Her Ladyship gained her core! She had risen from her injury reborn! And yet, before any of us could end the life of Lady No Eyebrows, one of Her Ladyship''s contracted pets had done the deed." He had a puzzled look on his face as he finished the tale. "Then, a tree blossomed from that woman''s corpse. A peach tree¡­"

    Once finished, Bai Yu raised his eyes to observe His Lordship. What he saw made him hunker down and take a step back in retreat.

    His Lordship''s face was becoming extremely thunderous, like the calm before a storm. ''And to think I have yet to tell him the worst part!'' Bai Yu thought in panic as he backed further away from Bai Qingyue''s reach.

    The Sovereign Lord''s lips were now set in a thin, straight line. He frowned as he rose from the bed and fixed his narrowed eyes on the former second in command. "Bai Yu, if there is anything you have purposefully chosen not to tell me, know that if I obtain the information from another source, your upcoming punishment shall be ten times worse."

    Bai Yu choked on his own spit after hearing those words. Images of tortured prisoners surfaced in his mind and he couldn''t help but blurt out, "H-her Ladyship thinks you prefer the companionship of men, Sire!"

    The sentence seemed to have shocked the enraged Fox Lord into a sudden stillness.

    For a few single moments, the Sovereign Lord and his former Second In Command simply stared at each other in intense horror, each of them suffering an emotional disruption for completely different reasons.

    However, what followed next felt to Bai Yu as though time seemed to have passed in fast motion. At one point, he saw His Lordship standing frozen, and at the next moment, he was airborne and nearly choked to death.

    A soft grey mist clouded the room as Bai Yu transformed into his human form. His life, unfortunately, was still very much in jeopardy.

    The former Second In Command was a bulky man, mostly due to his half-demon parentage. In terms of physical strength, he was one of the best, but he lacked the spiritual energy to defend himself against Bai Qingyue''s ferocity, even though he was far older than the Sovereign Lord. The only option left for him was to plead for forgiveness.

    "Sire, allow this Subordinate a chance to explain!" He choked out the words as Bai Qingyue continued to literally squeeze the life out of him, crushing his throat relentlessly.

    "You have done enough explaining." Bai Qingyue thundered in a venomous tone. A dangerous icy glint flashed through his gaze as he raised up one hand with elongated claws engulfed in foxfire directly above Bai Yu''s head in preparation for a great downwards strike.

    "Mercy, Sire! What would Her Ladyship think of you if she saw you n-now?" Bai Yu thrashed about in the Sovereign Lord''s grip, trying to evade the oncoming deathblow.

    His struggles to escape proved fruitless. His words, however, seemed to have caused the ruthless Fox Lord''s intention to waver. Bai Qingyue''s brows creased in silent contemplation, his lips stretched into a thin line.

    Somehow, throughout the whole ordeal, both of the Fox Gods had tumbled onto the bed, with Bai Qingyue landing on top of Bai Yu''s slightly larger frame, leaning over him.

    Bai Qingyue kept a tight grip on Bai Yu''s throat, whose face already turned into a dark purple shade. While maintaining a tight chokehold, his other hand remained in preparation to attack the latter from above.

    The door suddenly creaked open and revealed a stunned-looking Li Meirong with a floating, red-eyed turtle hovering right above her shoulder.

    "See what I told you." Feng Huang made a disapproving sound. "I know what I''m talking about."

 Chapter 276: I Didnt Mean To Interrup

    As the Turtle Demoness spoke these snickering words, Li Meirong blinked a pair of limpid onyx eyes once, twice, then rubbed her eyelids just to be sure she wasn''t imagining what she was seeing. Gradually opening her eyes once more, she stared, practically hypnotized by the sight.

    The image before her had been painfully imprinted into her brain, inducing her to conclude that it was unquestionably not an illusion.

    There were two overgrown men locked together in an ambiguous position on the bed. On her bed, to be precise. One of them, she instantly recognized, as for the other, he was a complete stranger.

    Senior Zhu Qingyue, her teacher, the man who had just recently returned after having disappeared for countless months, was straddling this unknown male, his body pressed ambiguously upon the man below. His knee-length silvery hair cascaded onto his sides and veiled the person beneath him.

    As it were, Li Meirong couldn''t see much of the person underneath Senior Zhu, except for the frame of his bulky physique, and a pair of pitch black eyes that stood out against the stranger''s fair skin. It was a solid black colour that gave no white to the eyes, like a seal, or a horse''s irises. They gleamed like dark jewels from the curtain of Zhu Qingyue''s pale hair strands, seemingly wide with surprise.

    Li Meirong stood silent, taking in a deep breath. Her dainty hand on the door trembled slightly as her surprise was exchanged with the bitter taste of disappointment, followed by a strong feeling of resignation. ''I dared not believe it, but the evidence lies here before me. I''ve been taken for a fool yet again.''

    Zhu Qingyue immediately noticed her presence with a frown on his face. In an almost mechanical way, he turned to regard her, letting go of the man underneath and rising to greet her.

    "Wife-"

    "I''m searching for my little fox spirit, Snowball." she cleared her throat and muttered, "Apologies¡­ I didn''t mean to interrupt." Li Meirong retreated a few steps, backing out through the doorway, and avoided Zhu Qingyue''s penetrating gaze, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks and eyes that have hardened with resentment.

    The door was instantly shut in the Fox Lord''s face, leaving him more bewildered than ever.

    Bai Yu used this opportune moment to save his hide and vanished from the cabin once His Lordship''s attention was directed towards his wife, sending a silent message of gratitude towards the Sovereign Lord''s wife. ''Her Ladyship is my saviour!''

    Meanwhile Bai Qingyue who now remained alone, pinched his chin in thought. His frown deepened still as he stared blankly at the shut door. "What is my foolish wife thinking of?"

    He didn''t wait to find out. The room filled with smoke again as he opened the door, transforming himself into a snow fox cub and rushing outside, wondering how his mortal wife managed to get so close without him sensing her presence.

 Chapter 277: First Priority

    Bai Qingyue quickly shifted into a fox cub within mere moments and chased down his runaway wife, tracking her whereabouts in moments. He caught sight of Li Meirong''s slender back at the edge of the island. She had both hands cupped around her small, rosebud lips, busying herself with shouting out his name. Well, the name she dared to bestow upon him, anyway.

    He also noticed from the corner of his eye that the hovering turtle he had seen before was floating lazily nearby. The turtle was turned upside down with her stomach facing upwards as she floated in the air.

    Bai Qingyue disregarded the new nuisance with a roll of his eyes and set his full attention on his wife.

    "Master, were you looking for Snowball?" Bai Qingyue called out in an apparently innocent manner as he came to a stop right behind Li Meirong.

    She jumped at the sound of the Fox Spirit''s voice and spun around to grab him in a tight squeeze. "You had me so worried!" She placed her chin on the top of his furry head and said, "I''m sorry I left you behind. It was my fault¡­ I was careless."

    Bai Qingyue rubbed his long snout against her milk white neck and inhaled deeply. The sweet smelling scent that belonged only to her engulfed his senses, and a strong feeling of contentment washed over him. "It''s alright, Master. Wherever Master goes, Snowball will follow, promise."

    Li Meirong raised her oval face and regarded him with a frown. "You say that now, but who was it that''s been repeatedly disappearing for the past few months?"

    "Snowball was a little busy lately." Bai Qingyue answered and blinked, softly tapping a paw on her cheek. He locked eyes with his wife and presented her with the cutest appearance he could muster. "But finally, the unimportant duties are over and Snowball can return to his first priority."

    The expression of disapproval gradually relaxed and Li Meirong stared at him with a doting look. Seeing the result of his hard earned work, Bai Qingyue''s mischievous looking eyes curved in satisfaction.

    "Oh, and what is your first priority?" Li Meirong asked and gently stroked the fur on his head, gracing him with a modest smile.

    "You." stated Bai Qingyue matter-of-factly.

    A soft sounding giggle escaped her lips. "I thought it would be to play outside and chase after your next meal."

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes widened in mock horror. "Is that what you think of Snowball?"

    His response brought out another peal of laughter. The sound was like music to Bai Qingyue''s ears.

    A coughing noise could suddenly be heard from the side, breaking the moment. Bai Qingyue turned to confront the Turtle Demoness with a hostile expression. ''This pest dares to interrupt my time with my wife!''

    However, the turtle paid him no mind, her blood red eyes were directed to Li Meirong. "I know you have important matters to attend to, but is it really fine to leave that attractive lover of yours in bed with another man? You should have kicked them both out of your house!"

    Hearing the turtle''s words, Bai Qingyue felt the blood drain down from his face.

 Chapter 278: Slandering Him Out In The Open

    Li Meirong sighed, and that single, audible breath portrayed just how desolate and bereft she was feeling. "I don''t feel like I can deal with this emotional baggage, at least not right now."

    "You''re too nice, far too nice." Feng Huang snapped. "If I were you, I''d turn both of these men into my slaves for this audacious insult!"

    The Turtle Demoness turned right-side up and fumed, her angry eyes resembling gleaming polished garnets. So filled with ire were they, that it appeared as if they could burn anything in their path with a mere glance.

    Li Meirong cast a lingering look towards the direction of her cabin, while unconsciously tightening her hold on the Fox Spirit in her arms. "Feng Huang, Senior Zhu has his issues, but he has helped me a lot in the past. Even though he kept this secret from me, I can understand the reason why he did so. It cannot be easy for the son of a sect''s grandmaster to ''come out'' and declare his preferences."

    "Master, this is¡­" Bai Qingyue tried to speak and defend his badly damaged honour, but his voice came out dry and nearly inaudible, easily overshadowed by the Turtle''s bold speech.

    "What kind of nonsense are you talking about? The way you talked about this so-called Senior of yours made it seem as though you held affection for each other. Just how many ships is this Zhu Qingyue planning to sail upon?" Feng Huang grumbled loudly in a demanding tone.

    "It''s not so abnormal for some to, well... to ''swing both ways'' so to speak. Though I fear that in Senior Zhu''s case, I was most likely the cover up story he needed to charade to properly conceal his real intentions from the rest of the world."

    Meanwhile, Bai Qingyue stared in abject terror at his own wife, mouth gaping wide and no longer able to focus on the continuous conversation.

    During the time that Bai Yu had conveyed that final piece of information regarding Li Meirong, Bai Qingyue had thought his impudent subordinate had been merely jesting, provoking him into a purposeful rage with a direct insult to avoid reporting the events that had actually transpired.

    That was what he had originally thought.

    Bai Qingyue felt his breath catch in his throat and started hearing a ringing, buzzing sound through his ears getting louder by the moment as he stared at his wife, open-mouthed. Standing outside, Li Meirong was basked in sunlight, her fair skin shimmered, the darkness of her fine hair danced around her small face as it itself glistened with a sapphire sheen. The long eyelashes fanning her peach blossom eyes caught a bit of that light and made for a stunning sight. Yet, it wasn''t her beauty which made him unable to breathe, but her dreadful response and the mournful appearance she possessed as she spoke.

    The way her expression had turned crestfallen at the Turtle''s words had led him to one horrifying conclusion; his wife truly believed it. She believed he preferred men''s company! That he was some¡­ some cut sleeve! She really thought that he desired that degenerate Bai Yu!

    For Bai Qingyue, this discovery was hard to swallow. As a Sovereign Lord of the Celestial Fox clan, a ruler of a tribe belonging to the highest of immortal ranks, his authority had never been questioned, his opinion never second-guessed, and while there were a few secretive, baseless rumours floating around about him in regards to his interests, no one had ever dared to speak outright of it for fear of his retribution. Yet his very own wife, the sole owner of his affections, busied herself with slandering him out in the open. Much worse was the fact that she believed this absurd theory.

    More than terror, Bai Qingyue felt righteous indignation! Was he not constantly showering his wife with affection? Did he not, time and time again, show her just how deeply he was attracted to her? All this while, he had been suppressing his raging desires only for her to think of him as one who ''prefers the companionship of men!''

    What sort of strange ideas was this foolish wife of his entertaining in that silly little head of hers?!

 Chapter 279: Visting Mo Cheng

    Needless to say, Bai Qingyue could do nothing in his disguise as Snowball, except for inwardly bristle at the ridiculousness of it all, even though he was currently experiencing a mental breakdown.

    However, one thing was for certain: this was one misconception which he absolutely refused to allow to exist!

    ''Foolish wife! When we get back home tonight, just watch how I sort you out!''

    In the midst of all his thoughts, Bai Qingyue inadvertently let out a growl of frustration, catching both Li Meirong and the Turtle''s attention.

    "Snowball, are you well? Is something wrong?"

    The care in his wife''s voice caused him to snap out of the shock, and the buzzing noise immediately ceased.

    "I am well enough." Bai Qingyue curtly answered.

    "Is it just me or does the little fur-coat sound grumpy?" Feng Huang hovered over Li Meirong''s shoulder, peering at the Fox Spirit as she sniggered with abject curiosity.

    Irate and wrathful, Bai Qingyue scowled at the Turtle, flashing his sharp fangs. He mentally added another chore to his list of tasks, to find a turtle soup recipe!

    "Don''t tease Snowball," Li Meirong chided before turning towards the direction of the waiting crane mount. "Let''s return to the Sword Bearer''s division."

    "Why are we going there?" Bai Qingyue asked.

    He would much rather bring his wife back to a secluded location as soon as possible and show her just how much of a cut sleeve he was!

    "We''re going to visit my friend, Mo Cheng."

    "I understand." Bai Qingyue answered as calmly as he could, carefully suppressing the growl that wanted to escape his throat at the mention of that insolent boy.

    As the Fox Lord snuggled in his wife''s embrace, he decided to use this presented opportunity to direct all of his suppressed fury at the unsuspecting succeeding disciple of the Sword Bearer''s division who dared to covet his wife. Although he was asked not to kill the pest, Mo Cheng, it didn''t mean that he would leave the boy without a parting gift.

    The Fox Spirit''s eyes flashed with a killing intent, but Li Meirong who held the cub in her arms was clueless to his cruel and ruthless nature. However, the ever-observant Turtle Demoness was not so easily fooled as she scrutinized the Fox Spirit''s reaction. Though she held her tongue, for now, thinking that she would soon see a very good show.

 Chapter 280: Intrude Every Day

    Mo Cheng''s estate was about ten times larger than Li Meirong''s little wooden cabin and orchard combined. The main entrance was a well planned garden, carefully constructed with the utmost detail. There were not many flowers or ornaments of decoration, but the simple layout design possessed an air of luxury all the same. It was flanked by several smaller trails leading to adjoining courtyards, whilst the central trail was a paved path to a training grounds circle without a single person in sight.

    A collection of expensive looking armaments were aligned on a polished rack at the left side of the circle. Tossed nearby were a handful of practise swords and a few broadswords stacked on top of each other in a rather careless manner.

    Li Meirong stepped onto training grounds with a remote look on her face while holding her unusually silent Fox Spirit in her arms. Feng Huang hovered not far behind, making little comments here and there as she looked around.

    Briefly glancing at the weapons tossed at the side, Li Meirong noted that they appeared to have been recently used, and assumed that Mo Cheng was somewhere nearby, most likely taking a break after his morning practise.

    As it were, her assumptions were spot on. She soon heard a feminine chortle followed by the bustling racket of unhurried footsteps and teasing murmurs coming over from one of the smaller trails on towards the main path.

    Turning swiftly to face the approaching group, Li Meirong bent down and protectively placed Snowball behind her. As she straightened her back, the light in her eyes dimmed as she saw Mo Cheng followed around by several giggling female disciples. Like a delicate white flower in a sea of green grassland, Shu Qianqian stood out among them, staying closest to Mo Cheng and possessively holding onto one of his arms.

    Mo Cheng held a napkin to the side of his neck, wiping off a trail of sweat from his sun kissed skin. His warm brown eyes shone bright and his wide smile made him look like the fresh young youth he was. Innocent and brave, gentle and kind. And as it seemed, quite fond of being lavished with attention.

    As soon as he turned to face Li Meirong, his smile widened and formed a pair of dimples near the corners of his lips.

    "Sister Meirong, what a pleasant surprise!" Mo Cheng exclaimed, all but forgetting the entourage of girls he came with. He tossed the napkin without any regard and shook Shu Qianqian away from him, only to hurry along the path to Li Meirong''s side.

    The moment his eyes set on hers, he acted as though he was simply discarding a few unimportant objects, and not actual human beings with feelings that could get hurt from his balatant disregard.

    Behind him, Shu Qianqian gritted her teeth and glared daggers at Li Meirong, large doe-like eyes burning with unconcealed hatred. The other fellow girls at her side stopped giggling at once and stared at each other in quiet dismay. They bowed and bade their farewells before gracefully retreating to their residences.

    Li Meirong ignored Mo Cheng and narrowed her eyes at Shu Qianqian. She gathered that she must have not been able to veil her anger well enough, because she noticed Shu Qianqian flinch as soon as they were locked in the short-lived staring contest.

    The scornful glare Shu Qianqian sent her way was gradually replaced by eyebrows curving up at the corners in dread, and eyes that showed a little too much white for them to mask their owner''s fear.

    However, Mo Cheng noticed none of that. He eagerly came to stand in front of Li Meirong, his figure blocked Shu Qianqian from view and forced Li Meirong''s attention to him.

    "Brother Cheng, I apologize for intruding so suddenly," said Li Meirong. She forced herself to smile politely and clenched her hands into fists, curbing the urge to beat Shu Qianqian to a pulp.

    "Please don''t!" said Mo Cheng and let out a burst of nervous laughter. "I wish you''d intrude on me every day."

 Chapter 281: Well Talk It Over

    Mo Cheng''s shaking voice, resembling that of a nervous youth, was in complete contrast to his social status and physical appearance. The handsome succeeding disciple of the Sword Bearer''s division, owning a harem of concubines in his estate, born and raised in the lap of luxury, was awkwardly scratching the back of his neck while staring at her affectionately. At that moment, he looked so much like a love-struck puppy, a very silly, love-struck puppy.

    As Li Meirong looked at him, she noticed that he seemed to have been seriously training for the approaching tournament. Half of his hair was tied into a high bun, while the rest of the strands trailed down a set of broad shoulders. The muscles of his glistening chest could be glimpsed from the crevice of a loosely tied robe, his narrow hips flanked by a sword on each side. His body was developed under a daily exercise regimen, growing leaner and taller still.

    Despite the careless way in which he lived and his indulgence in material desires, Li Meirong had known Mo Cheng for many years, and thus, knew that he trained rigorously from dusk until dawn each and every day.

    If there was something certain that she knew about Mo Cheng, it was that he valued his friends, and that he loved cultivating. He was the type of person who would refuse to back down from a challenge, and wouldn''t take no for an answer. This quality made him annoying at times, especially when it came to his insistent wooing, but when such insistence was directed to surpassing one''s spiritual and physical limitations, he possessed just the right mindset.

    The obvious effort he put into training caused Li Meirong to feel as though she unfairly acquired her powers by a sheer fluke. She didn''t seem to invest even half the amount of energy that he had in the past.

    Her attention was diverted to Mo Cheng''s honey-brown eyes that were filled with innocence, and her anger slowly dimmed. She wasn''t sure if it was because she had known him since he was young. Ever since they had met, he was one of the few people who had never wronged her. Or perhaps it was because of the way he always looked at her with the simplicity of a child that knew he did wrong, but was far too young to understand the reason why his parents were displeased with him.

    Whatever the case was, Li Meirong still considered Mo Cheng her friend, even if they didn''t always get along.

    Li Meirong''s stern appearance softened as she cleared her throat and said, "I came to visit because of an urgent matter. It includes your brother too, so you might as well know about it."

    Noticing the seriousness in her tone, Mo Cheng stiffened and his voice grew somber. "Please, come inside and we''ll talk it over," he said, reaching with his palm to hold her palm and urge her inside.

    However, just before his hand made contact with hers, a sword pierced through the air so close to his skin, that the fine hairs on his wrist were neatly cropped off, left to float off in the wind.

 Chapter 282: My Dearest Friend

    Mo Cheng nervously retracted his hand, gazing at Li Meirong who seemed just as clueless. Then he looked to the left and right as he sought the enemy who had been bold enough to attack him in his own abode.

    A Floating Turtle Spirit with red eyes peered at him with a perplexed yet shrewd look upon its face from behind Li Meirong''s shoulder. Mo Cheng could sense no evil intentions from the reptilian creature. He quickly dismissed it as the culprit. Though he did find its presence slightly unnerving, as if it knew more than one would expect.

    Following a thorough inspection of the surrounding, Mo Cheng''s eyes finally landed upon Li Meirong''s Fox Spirit cub, sitting obediently at her side. The Fox''s pink tongue darted out of his small snout as he raised one paw and innocently licked himself clean. Seeming to suddenly notice he was being stared at, the Fox Spirit glanced up at Mo Cheng with a pair of yellow orbs, blinking harmlessly a few times over.

    ''How can this tiny fox possibly be able to attack me without my knowledge?'' Mo Cheng sighed, shaking his head at his own ridiculous thought. His heart burned in shame realizing that being attacked like this in his own home had him imagining such an absurd scenario.

    Still troubled by the strange occurrence, he turned to Li Meirong and queried incredulously, "What just happened?"

    "The wind must have tossed the scattered weapons," said Li Meirong. As if spoken into existence, a sudden gust of wind swept through the courtyard, fluttering her robes and blowing her hair like an onyx cloud about her oval, jade-like face. "Brother Cheng, you should take better care of your items," she further remarked while turning around and picking up the sword that almost slashed Mo Cheng, neatly stacking it back against the polished rack. The Fox Spirit obediently followed closely behind her.

    "Right, I really should." Mo Cheng answered in apparent disbelief, arching an eyebrow at Li Meirong''s back as she fastidiously occupied herself with rearranging his weapon rack.

    While Li Meirong busied herself with stacking the swords, she cast Snowball a knowing look filled with reproach. The latter avoided the stare, sheepishly concealing his velvety muzzle as he looked down. His fluffy tail was carried at half-mast, giving a cautious wag.

    Seeing that Li Meirong stepped away, Shu Qianqian used the opportune moment to dash forward and desperately grab hold of Mo Cheng''s arm. "Brother Cheng, are you alright?!" she exclaimed. "The sword just levitated in the air and darted in your direction!"

    "I''m fine. Nothing happened." Mo Cheng somberly reassured Shu Qianqian, stroking the top of her head, and added, "Go back to your room, alright?"

    Shu Qianqian looked at him with an aggrieved look on her beautiful face, tears began brimming in her eyes. "I don''t want to! Brother Cheng, I think Li Meirong came over with ill intentions! I wish to stay by your side and protect you."

    Mo Cheng''s face darkened, pulling away from Shu Qianqian in apparent disappointment. "Stop spouting nonsense! Li Meirong is my friend."

    "Brother Cheng," Shu Qianqian whined, keeping a tighter hold over Mo Cheng when she sensed him backing away. "I''m serious. Sister Meirong changed as of late. She''s not the same as before."

    Mo Cheng pushed Shu Qianqian away with a fierce admonishment. His voice dropped to a low tone that left no room for argument. "You are not allowed to speak ill of her! Do you remember that she once saved your life?"

    Shu Qianqian toppled over, landing on her buttocks. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she kept pitifully pleading, brushing away the teardrops with the back of her sleeves. She cried out, "Of course I remember! But Brother Cheng, I have been with you longer than she has, and I''ve always cared for you. If I''m telling you that she has an evil plan, then you must believe me!"

    Mo Cheng''s scowl slowly receded into a perplexed frown. Seeing how desperate and pitiful Shu Qianqian appeared, he felt his heart soften. He looked slightly conflicted as he helped Shu Qianqian to her feet.

    "Alright, alright. I''m sorry. I believe you," he said, assuaging the stricken girl. "But please, calm down first. It''s unbecoming of a lady to behave this way."

    Shu Qianqian wiped the corner of her eyes and sniffed. "If my Brother Cheng says so, then I will do my best."

    "I want Shu Qianqian to stay." Li Meirong suddenly called out and interjected in the middle of their conversation, startling Mo Cheng and Shu Qianqian. She came back to stand in front of the bickering couple with her arms folded together and a spirit beast at each side.

    "You do?" Both Mo Cheng and Shu Qianqian asked simultaneously. Their expressions subtly shifted as their gazes travelled to Li Meirong in shock.

    Actually, Shu Qianqian wasn''t wrong. Li Meirong had changed. She always used to walk around with her shoulders slumped and constantly tried to avoid conflict. She used to never raise her voice, and used to always act demure.

    Now Li Meirong stood with her back ramrod straight, and a frosty expression on her face. She impatiently tapped her foot on the ground, appearing bold and imposing, undaunted by Shu Qianqian''s display in the slightest.

    Her lip curled up into a sneer. "Of course I do! Shu Qianqian must stay! She is, after all, the reason I have come here to visit, my dearest friend."

    Shu Qianqian cringed as she heard those words, while the floating Turtle Demoness hovering above Li Meirong''s shoulder snickered loudly.

    At the same time, Bai Qingyue concentrated on a different matter altogether as he stood by Li Meirong''s side, studying the crying girl whom his wife had called Shu Qianqian. He carefully observed with narrowed fox eyes the way that Shu Qianqian pitifully sought Mo Cheng''s affection. He calmly absorbed how the wretched boy''s anger swiftly dissolved at the sight of her tears.

    The spectacle in front of him led Bai Qingyue to realize the error of his ways. He simply hadn''t been trying hard enough to appear pitiful in front of his wife! Unlike this crying girl, who clearly mastered the craft of pulling at one''s heartstrings!

 Chapter 283: Taste of Her Own Medicine

    The interior design of Mo Cheng''s complex was as simple as the outside, with very little in the way of furniture. However, the room Li Meirong was led into still managed to provide a feeling of comfort, as it looked clean and refreshing.

    The few pieces of decoration inside had been well crafted and were elaborately designed. This included a shallow square table with sword hilt engravings at the four corners of its feet, stationed at the far right edge of the room. Soft rays of sunlight filtered through from outside and cast a honey glow on the mahogany wood. It was a perfect spot for allowing guests to relax and bask in the warm sunlight. The welcoming location overlooked the pond from a pair of wide-open back doors, making the view picturesque and inviting.

    Around the table were various plain rice mats to sit upon. Mo Cheng guided Li Meirong and Shu Qianqian to the room''s edge and told them to make themselves comfortable, then disappeared into another room to prepare something to drink.

    Li Meirong placed Snowball on her lap and brought Feng Huang to lay on her own separate rice mat. She silently peered at Shu Qianqian, who kept herself standing. Shu Qianqian looked like the perfect image of a noble lady, with impeccable manners and a charming appearance to match.

    Shu Qianqian waited for several moments after Mo Cheng''s departure, before arrogantly flapping her long silken sleeves and sitting down in a huff. She gazed back at Li Meirong with apparent disdain. "Whatever you plan on telling Brother Cheng, know that I will make sure he will never believe you!"

    Li Meirong felt her lips curving up into an unfriendly smile. "It''s very kind of you to warn me, but whether Mo Cheng believes me or not shouldn''t be your primary concern. Do you think you could just lead me into a death trap and get away unscathed?" she asked sharply.

    Snowball''s large ears suddenly perked up. Both the fox spirit and the turtle demoness turned to glare accusingly at Shu Qianqian after finding out this new piece of information.

    "So that''s why my Master was so eager to pay this girl a visit!" Feng Huang said, turning her long green neck to face Li Meirong. "That vegetable spirit of yours told me about what happened on the island. Master, you should drain her of all her spiritual powers. Let her have a taste of her own medicine!"

 Chapter 284: A Dutiful Husband Must Wait for His Wife To Make Decisions

    Snowball''s eyes darkened in an instant. The shine from his pupils transformed into a menacing glint. ''This vermin dared to harm my wife?'' he thought, itching to scratch Shu Qianqian''s face off. His small claws began to elongate, and his tail whipped back and forth in agitation. It was only when he felt his wife shift slightly in discomfort that he suppressed his ire, exerting the necessary control to retract his claws.

    The fox spirit sank back against Li Meirong''s softness, but maintained a scalding glare at Shu Qianqian, making no further move. ''A dutiful husband must wait for his wife to make decisions.'' he mused.

    All the while, Li Meirong seemed pleased with Feng Huang''s proposal. She rubbed her chin in contemplation and spoke in a clear and pleasant voice. "Maybe I should."

    "Your threats are useless. You can''t scare me!" Shu Qianqian whispered angrily.

    Despite her bold words, Shu Qianqian kept her trembling fingers under the table. She wouldn''t admit to it, but she was afraid now. After fidgeting all morning, she realized that the plan had failed when Liang Rou Yan hadn''t returned from the island to meet up with her as promised. Instead, it was the vixen, Li Meirong, who came back without even a scratch on her.

    She wasn''t so scared of Li Meirong herself as she was of losing face in the sect, of besmirching her good name. Worse yet, she knew that Mo Cheng had a soft spot for the temptress and had always defended Li Meirong''s honour whenever anyone called it into question.

    What would Mo Cheng think of her if he found out that she had plotted to kill Li Meirong?

    ''It won''t happen. It must never happen!'' Shu Qianqian thought, pleased with herself for dispatching loyal servants early on, ensuring there was no evidence left in the island to back up any claim Li Meirong might consider coming up with.

    "Who''s threatening?" Li Meirong suddenly asked, "I''m merely curious about your opinion. What do you think, should I drain you of all your powers, or not?"

    The absurd question snapped Shu Qianqian back to the present situation. Li Meirong had asked her such a terrible thing in such a nonchalant manner, that it seemed as though she was discussing the weather instead of threatening to cripple her cultivation.

    Flared by Li Meirong''s arrogant display, Shu Qianqian could no longer control her temper. She slammed a trembling fist on the table. "Li Meirong, who do you think you are?! You''re nothing more than a discarded maid, a peasant! Do you really believe you have the means to harm someone in my position? Do you think that the few measly Spirit Beasts you have collected scare me?" she snorted. "How ridiculous. Don''t forget your position, slut!"

    Li Meirong rubbed her temple and sighed. "Slut this, slut that... Don''t you grow tired of calling other people such names? What would Brother Cheng think if he saw your uncouth behaviour, no better than that of a fishwife?"

    "I''m only speaking the truth! Everybody knows you slept with the Bestiary Division Grandmaster''s son in order to acquire your position in the sect. Otherwise, you would have just stayed a servant!"

    The instant Li Meirong heard Shu Qianqian''s shrill words, she lost all of her composure. Her pale cheeks flushed red, unable to refute the claim. What could she possibly say? She had indeed slept with Zhu Qingyue, and she''d be a fool to think that her elevated status in the division had nothing to do with him. Before his arrival, she was treated no better than a piece of trash that could be bullied without repercussion and easily discarded by her fellow seniors.

    Alas, there wasn''t even an opportunity for Li Meirong to reply due to Mo Cheng''s abrupt re-appearance. She spun around as her attention was seized by the tea-set tray in his hands clattering to the floor. Hot tea spilled out of scattered, broken pieces of porcelain cups, scalding anything they splattered.

 Chapter 285: He Is Evil

    "Is it really true? Have you been intimate with Senior Zhu?" Mo Cheng stood aghast, looking as though he''d seen a ghost. "How could you do that?"

    At the sight of Mo Cheng''s shell-shocked appearance, Shu Qianqian hid a crafty smile with the back of her exquisitely manicured fingernails. She stole a quick, triumphant glance at Li Meirong, eagerly expecting an outrageous reaction. Currently, her greatest desire was to watch Li Meirong grovel and make a spectacle of herself in defense against these accusations.

    In a dramatic contrast to her expectations, Li Meirong remained abnormally calm, mirroring the peaceful tranquillity of the pond that could be seen from the back doors. Her cool and collected demeanour only served to further infuriate Shu Qianqian, causing her to bite her lower lip so hard that she ended up piercing the skin.

    Li Meirong didn''t bother with sparing any attention to Shu Qianqian. She calmly looked up at Mo Cheng''s expression, which was filled with judgement, and felt her own heart harden. Her eyes grew as cold as frost in a mere instant. Yet, despite her lack of response, inwardly, she felt a deep sense of discrimination!

    This man, no, boy, had built a harem out of half of his division, and not once had she rebuked him in any way! As for her, she shared one night with a single man long ago, and all of a sudden, this womanizer was looking at her accusingly. He was judging her for being a promiscuous woman?!

    She knew that in this ancient outdated world, a lady''s chastity was often more valuable than her own life. She knew that even though cultivators were, supposedly, all considered equals in the sect regardless of their status or gender, it was only an empty ideal. Underneath this facade, for one''s reputation to be soiled, to be considered a ''loose'' woman in this backwater society, was a mark of shame that could easily ruin one''s life.

    In both professional and social light, a woman''s reputation, once mulled, was completely destroyed.

    Back when Li Meirong had been accepted into the Bestiary Division, with one simple sentence from Captain Liang, her reputation had been completely tarnished. She had lived not only the life of a mere servant in the sect, but a bullied one at that. Her life had been little better than an unwanted and beaten dog cowering in fright. Her knowledge from the future and her culinary skills had been enough to help her get by, but if it hadn''t been for Chou''s help, she would never have been able to survive the first few years after the repetitive attempts upon her life.

    At that time, the few people that had stood by her side and defended her honour were none other than these two. Shu Qianqian, who had eventually turned against her, and Mo Cheng, the one who was staring at her now. He wore a look of complete and utter disappointment and it was directed at Li Meirong.

    The irony of this double standard was so tragically hilarious, that Li Meirong couldn''t help but coldly laugh in response. "It''s true. Zhu Qingyue and I have been together. So what of it? Do I owe you anything? Do I need to tell you who I''ve been with?"

    Shu Qianqian gasped in mock indignation, exclaiming, "How audacious!"

    Mo Cheng''s wide eyes narrowed as he stepped over the broken teacup shards without a care and headed directly towards Li Meirong, small rivulets of blood leaving a trail from the wounds on the soles of his bare feet.

    "Mo Cheng, your feet are bleeding! Are you alright?" Shu Qianqian cried out, using the table to hoist herself up.

    "Not now, Little Qianqian." Mo Cheng held his arm up and waved at Shu Qianqian''s direction, demanding silence.

    Obedient as ever, Shu Qianqian followed Mo Cheng''s command and discontentedly sat back down with a barely audible huff of frustration.

    As soon as Mo Cheng reached the table, Snowball''s fur stood up, and he growled ominously low, ready to pounce, should Mo Cheng dare to come any closer. His tail once again began flicking with agitation.

    Mo Cheng frowned at the Fox Spirit, but made no further move. He closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration at Li Meirong. He acted as though, suddenly, he was the elder in the room, knowing far more than everybody else and simply observing, if not correcting the mistakes of the younger generation.

    "You don''t understand. That person is not good for you." he stated. "You''re not supposed to be with him."

    His choice of words caused Li Meirong to still, a small pinching of her brows revealed confusion as she tried to make sense of it all. Even Shu Qianqian appeared a little bewildered.

    "I suppose you assume I should be with you?" Li Meirong snorted with derision.

    Following that question, Mo Cheng locked eyes with Li Meirong. The intensely grave expression on his face was enough of an answer. He didn''t need to say it for her to know that her mocking response had hit the nail on the head. That was exactly what he thought, but in all these years, she had never quite understood why he was so certain that eventually, she would merrily leap into his arms, if he''d kept trying to win her over. It was as if he thought they shared some sort of preordained fate that only he was aware of.

    "Why is Zhu Qingyue not good for my Master?" Feng Huang interjected, her inquisitive red eyes studied Mo Cheng''s every move.

    Mo Cheng blinked, caught off guard by the Turtle Spirit''s question. He didn''t seem to expect her to be able to speak. At length, he answered with utmost seriousness, "He is evil."

 Chapter 286: Hes A Lunatic Too!

    "Evil?" Li Meirong repeated his words with one speculative eyebrow raised. She inwardly scoffed at his accusation. On what grounds could he possibly declare such a thing?

    Mo Cheng thrust both his hands skyward in exasperation at seeing her disbelief. "Yes. He''s an evil trickster, a deceiver." he earnestly explained, drawing in a deep breath. "When I saw him the first time, I didn''t recognize him, but afterwards, I remembered his identity. You''ve been siding with the wrong person in this story."

    Li Meirong thought many things of Mo Cheng, but she had never considered the notion that he might be a lunatic too. The earnestness with which he spoke began to make her reconsider the possibility. She looked at him as though he had grown a second head.

    She then noticed out of the corner of her eye the way Shu Qianqian kept her eyes occupied on the table surface. Her cheeks were slightly reddened in embarrassment, as if she was used to this kind of talk.

    Li Meirong looked back at Mo Cheng in confusion, cocking her head to the side. She knew that she wasn''t very good at handling lunatics, and she certainly didn''t come over here to bicker with Mo Cheng over other people. She came here to officially settle her business with Shu Qianqian, and that was all she planned on doing. She refused to be distracted by this useless and vexing conversation.

    Almost instinctively, she ruffled Snowball''s soft fur, taking a small measure of comfort in his warm, soft presence. Her clouded eyes turned clear once more.

    "It sounds like you know my senior personally, but so do I, and my business with Senior Zhu is my own. You call him evil, but he''s never acted evil or malicious towards me." She paused forming her words carefully. "On the contrary, he''s been sweet, and kind. He has constantly helped me, even at a time when he had to concentrate on curing his own illness. He saved me years ago, and stood up for me when I was being accused. He taught me martial arts."

    Her words trailed off as she sank deep into her own thoughts remembering all that he had done for her and the times that they had spent together. Li Meirong shook her head. "No, I won''t forget the good things he''s done for me."

    Bai Qingyue silently raised his little snout upwards from his wife''s lap and stared at her chin with a strange look on his face. He couldn''t see her expression as she spoke, but her words alone seemed to echo in his soul, enchanting enough to make him feel unsettled. Watching her defend his honour made his heart beat erratically.

    In this lifetime, Bai Qingyue was called many things, but ''sweet'', and ''kind'' were never one of them.

    "Impossible!" Mo Cheng blurted out in agitation."He must have tricked you into thinking this way. That''s what his kind does."

    He spoke as he leaned against the wall, raising one foot at a time and clearing the ceramic shards away from his bloody soles.

    A few strands of dark hair fell over his forehead, veiling Mo Cheng''s pain-filled expression. He looked troubled, but not from the small cuts on his feet. There was a distant, faraway look in his eyes, clutching a few moments longer on one foot in particular. "I''m not strong enough to take him on now, that''s why I have kept my distance. But after the tournament¡­. Yes, after the tournament things will be very different."

    Again, he spoke as though he knew more about Zhu Qingyue, and more about the future.

    ''I suppose he really must be crazy. But he has been exceptionally good at hiding it.'' Li Meirong concluded on the spot.

    A small smile spread across Li Meirong''s face, but it wasn''t a kind smile. She placed Snowball aside and rose to her feet, her hands cupped together and concealed beneath her sleeves. She didn''t know why, but hearing any sort of slander about Zhu Qingyue seemed to bother her.

    Her problems with her boyfriend were her own. That didn''t mean outsiders could badmouth him!

    "If you keep talking about Zhu Qingyue this way, I will no longer be courteous with you. And since you wish to talk about tricks so much, let me tell you about a little trickster I encountered yesterday." Finally, Li Meirong found an opening to redirect the topic of conversation back to her purpose of coming here. She pointed a finger at Shu Qianqian. "My dear friend here paid me a visit last night. She told me your brother was in danger, and that only I could save him. She took me to a secluded island where I was ambushed and nearly killed!"

    It was Mo Cheng''s turn to look perplexed. "How is that possible? Shu Qianqian spent the night with me yesterday."

 Chapter 287: As For You

    Mo Cheng''s face blanched, then swiftly changed into a colour of ripe strawberry at noticing Li Meirong''s reaction to his words. He flapped his hands in front of his face, criss crossing them again and again in a panic. "Not in that way! We were practising martial arts late into the night. It must have been someone else..."

    At that instant, Shu Qianqian gazed up to Mo Cheng with a look of adoration. "I knew that Brother Cheng believes in me!"

    Mo Cheng disregarded the outburst from her, still staring at Li Meirong intently. It was painfully obvious that he was reigning in his embarrassment. "I''m simply stating the facts."

    The corners of Li Meirong''s lips curved up into a mocking smile. "I couldn''t care less about what you did or did not do together. I''m telling you that sometime last night, Shu Qianqian came over to the servant''s courtyard and lured me away to an unknown island. She claimed that your brother was about to die. She used Mo Jing as a means to blackmail me."

    She peered at Shu Qianqian, then turned back to Mo Cheng. "I know that you have a special relationship going on with her, but I''d suggest you look twice into the matter before dismissing my words so carelessly. You said Zhu Qingyue is evil, but I say evil can come in many forms."

    For a moment, Mo Cheng appeared to be conflicted. He stayed quiet, glancing between Li Meirong and Shu Qianqian as though he had to choose between them and was torn about making the decision.

    After a while, he hung his head low and spoke with finality. "I promise to properly investigate the matter."

    Li Meirong cupped her fists together respectfully and gave a small bow, hiding her expression. "That''s all I ask. The rest I''ll do myself."

    Shu Qianqian crossed her arms over her chest and harrumphed. "What else can you do? Brother Cheng will find out that I''ve been wronged!"

    Seeking affirmation, Shu Qianqian eyed Mo Cheng, but her enthusiasm dimmed when she was met with a bone-chilling glare, a shiver ran down her spine. She gave him a slightly hurt look before casting her gaze down.

    Mo Cheng turned back to Li Meirong with his mouth set in a thin line. He looked her up and down and said, "I made a promise and I intend to keep it."

    Li Meirong silently nodded her head in response, glad to know that she was still able to talk some sense into her slightly crazy friend, and gladder still for his sense of righteousness.

    The harshness in Mo Ceng''s eyes slightly softened, holding a look of both concern and confusion. "You said you said were nearly killed, but you seem fine." As if desperately searching for any way to believe her, he continued to question, "Do you have any internal injuries? Yesterday, what happened in the end?" finally, almost as an afterthought, he asked about his brother. "Did you find my brother on that island?"

    "I''m fine. Your brother is back home, safe and sound, and about what happened, there is no need for you to know the rest. I''ll see you soon at the tournament." Li Meirong''s answer came out in a clipped tone.

    ''There is no way to end this meeting politely, so I might as well conclude it.'' Li Meirong thought, seeing how this conversation took a lot longer than she expected.

    She bobbed her head at Mo Cheng''s direction just as she saw he was about to speak again, and turned to glare at Shu Qianqian. "As for you¡­"

    Before anyone could so much as blink, Li Meirong abruptly closed the distance between her and Shu Qianqian, grasping the latter by the collar and flinging her across the room.

    Li Meirong''s actions were so unexpected that except for Shu Qianqian''s yelp of fright, the room momentarily fell into an eerie silence.

    Shu Qianqian''s back instantly collided with the wall. She cried out as she lay sprawled pitifully on the floor. "Brother Cheng¡­" she managed to softly whisper.

 Chapter 288: Im Done

    Mo Cheng shouted Shu Qianqian''s name just as he was about to race to her side, but a sudden stinging pain stopped him in his tracks. He groaned and peered down only to stare at Li Meirong''s Fox Spirit stepping on his previously damaged foot.

    The Fox cub''s small paw pads pressing on his foot somehow exerted tremendous strength, cracking the bones underneath!

    Yet Mo Cheng was unable to focus on his own pain, as his attention was drawn to the unexpected assault happening before him. His mouth hung agape, and he could barely process what was happening.

    How could the meek and gentle Li Meirong become so¡­ so vicious? Furthermore, the fact that Shu Qianqian far outranked her in terms of skills, experience and spiritual powers made the scene before him so much more baffling!

    Just what exactly happened to cause such changes to Li Meirong in the past several months?!

    A sudden mental image of the white-haired man that he had previously encountered popped into his mind.

    ''It must have been that villain, Zhu Qingyue!'' Mo Cheng silently recalled.

    A cold sweat broke out on his forehead once he saw Li Meirong advance on Shu Qianqian again. He realized that he had no time to think!

    He cursed under his breath and tried kicking the fox away, but for some odd reason, he was unable to make the little fox budge! Those small paws felt like boulders crushing him down, rooting him to the spot!

    The fox spirit looked up at him with a pair of piercing golden eyes and growled out a command, "Stay put."

    "..." Mo Cheng wordlessly gaped at the fox.

    Simultaneously, Li Meirong reached for Shu Qianqian again and grabbed a fistful of her hair, lifting her up until they stared at each other eye to eye.

    "What do you think you''re doing?!" Shu Qianqian yelled in panic. The feeling of her strands tearing from the scalp made her cry out. Noticing that Mo Cheng didn''t manage come to her aid, she changed her attitude, flailing her arms and aiming to scratch Li Meirong''s eyes out.

    However, Li Meirong avoided her attacks with ease, her movements were simply that much faster. She gazed at Shu Qianqian with a distant kind of look.

    "I''m teaching my dear friend a lesson," said Li Meirong.

    "You damn furnace! Who the hell is your friend?! How dare you touch me?!" Shu Qianqian snarled, her usual lovely appearance turning unsightly with malice.

    A gust of wind swept into the room and swirled around the two, mimicking the cold fire burning within Li Meirong''s eyes. She raised one fist to punch Shu Qianqian straight in the middle of the face. Still feeling unsatisfied, she punched her again.

    A hollow crunch could be heard in the hall as Li Meirong shattered Shu Qianqian''s nose. A terrible scream echoed the sound, rising in pitch to an awful screech.

    With eyes widened and mouth gaping, Shu Qianqian helplessly trembled under Li Meirong''s grip, a long trail of red dripped from the nostrils of her crooked nose and onto her quivering lips, joining the initial trail of red, forming a grisly line on her pale face.

    Shu Qianqian was too stunned to speak. She was too shocked to do anything but stare at this she-demon, absolutely petrified!

    Spasms of pain brought Shu Qianqian to her knees again as Li Meirong relinquished her hold over her long locks.

    Shu Qianqian held a shaking hand over her broken nose, her natural rosy face paling further. She just couldn''t believe it! How did Li Meirong suddenly become so strong?!

    "I''m done. You hear me?" Li Meirong spat.

    "W-what?" Shu Qianqian gazed up at Li Meirong towering above her and sucked in a sharp breath.

    She did not see anger nor rage. It was a cold look she saw now, like a tiger staring down at an ant. The tiger didn''t care about the ant that could easily be squished. It was as if her life was of no consequence to Li Meirong!

    She realized right then that Li Meirong didn''t come seeking revenge. She acted like it was beneath her. In fact, she always acted like she didn''t care about any worldly affairs.

    Shu Qianqian had always felt that her greatest concerns were perceived as nothing but trivial matters to Li Meirong, such as her feelings for Mo Cheng.

    It was one of the things that infuriated her about Li Meirong the most, that sort of dismissive attitude!

    "I''m sparing you on account of our past friendship, but I''m done being a punching bag. Come at me again and you will regret that the very thought crossed your mind." Every word Li Meirong uttered was slow and carefully enunciated, a cold fierceness flashing in her onyx eyes.

    Li Meirong''s behaviour caused her outward appearance to suddenly appear substantially different. She no longer seemed heroic or charming, but rather, unscrupulous and frightening!

 Chapter 289: Still Waters Run Deep

    The sliding doors rattled to the base of their foundation as Li Meirong stormed out of Mo Cheng''s quarters, her chest heaving up and down with the intensity of her emotions. Both Shu Qianqian''s cries and Mo Cheng''s voice screaming her name echoed loudly from behind.

    As she passed through the garden''s pond area, she stopped in her tracks to stare at her own reflection in the still water. What she saw made her grimace. She didn''t recognize the woman staring back from the water.

    She had been in this body for several years so far, and had already grown accustomed to her countenance, but even so, she thought that she had never looked this way before. She looked enraged, scary even.

    She traced the outline of her face with her fingers, as if to make sure what she saw was real. Her eyes were narrowed and gleamed like obsidian, and her lips seemed a darker colour than usual, sticking out of a chalk pale skin and reflecting a harsh, scowling face. Not a speck of dust or dirt could be seen on her. Not even a hair could be found out of place.

    Not a single thing showed that she had just thrashed someone. Her narrow shoulders slightly trembled, but not from fear. Her heartbeat was drumming in her ears and a strange, exhilarating sensation was coursing through her body.

    Li Meirong closed her eyes and took in a deep, calming breath. ''This isn''t me.'' was the resounding thought that pounded through her mind. She had never sought to challenge anyone before, and had always been striving to avoid conflict as much as possible. When trouble came knocking on her door, she ardently defended herself, but hadn''t gone looking for more trouble. She had never sought revenge from anyone, nor had she wished to.

    Back when No Eyebrows, the deceased Captain Liang, had bullied her, she had cowered, but had managed to stay alive. Li Meirong had never even entertained the thought of confronting her head on.

    After the Jiangshi Master, Sheng Jing Wu, had thrown her into the lava at the Thousand Beasts Forest, she hadn''t thought of paying him back for his actions. Rather, she had tried keeping a low profile so that he wouldn''t come after her again.

    Yet, despite all of Li Meirong''s talk of wanting to live a peaceful life, she had still been coerced into joining a fighting tournament.

    Furthermore, in a moment of sheer folly, thinking herself powerful enough to finally face her enemies undaunted, or possibly due to her state of inebriation at that time, she had knowingly jumped right into the trap Shu Qianqian had concocted along with Captain Liang. It was a foolish, egotistical mistake that had nearly cost her life.

    If that wasn''t enough, she had just beaten Shu Qianqian to a pulp, and didn''t feel an ounce of remorse about her actions. In fact, she wanted to beat her up some more! Once she had seen how easy it was for her to retaliate, she didn''t want to stop. It was the shock of her own growing thrill at harming another that made her bolt away from the violent scene.

    "What happened to me?" Li Meirong whispered the words, slowly opening her eyes and staring at her own reflection in the still waters. As she traced a finger over her cheek, the smooth skin underneath began to crack.

    "Still waters run deep!" She heard Feng Huang snickering behind her.

    Li Meirong turned around to face the beaming Turtle Demoness. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, raising one delicate eyebrow as she directed her gaze in the turtle''s direction.

    "I''d have never expected you to be so aggressive. You really shocked my little heart! It''s so very unlike you, but I do like this kind of change!" said Feng Huang, who was floating so closely over her shoulder that the cold scales of her feet brushed against the juncture of Li Meirong''s neck and collarbone.

    Li Meirong remained quiet, musing over Feng Huang''s choice of words as she gave the Turtle Demoness an affectionate tap on her crystal-filled shell. There she was, lamenting over her situation, while her contracted pet sounded ecstatic about it. Until times like these, it was easy to forget that her pets had their own moral principles that they lived by, and their mindset was quite different than her own human one.

    Snowball silently and unhurriedly stepped through the sliding doors in that instant, capturing both Li Meirong and Feng Huang''s attention. His almond eyes curved into crescent moons as he peered at Li Meirong. For a moment there, it seemed to Li Meirong as though her fox spirit''s long snout was smiling up at her in a gloating smirk.

    Li Meirong rubbed her temple. "Let''s get out of here," she mumbled to her companions.

    "Let''s," replied Snowball, raising his front legs in the air, expectantly waiting to be picked up.

    As soon as Li Meirong lifted Snowball into a hug, she felt his soft paw pad caress her cheek, as a torn leaf of skin broke off, only to float creepily to the ground.

    "Master, your skin is falling apart!" he warned in a concerned tone.

    With a loud groan, Li Meirong stepped back and exclaimed, "This is really bad timing."

 Chapter 290: Master Is Very Ugly

    Originally, Li Meirong''s plan was to make a quick visit to Mo Cheng''s residence and then resume her studies. However, she made a change to her plans once clumps of skin began to fall from her face. Her little fox spirit kept his eyes fixed on her, his curiosity growing with every piece that was shed.

    As she returned home, she felt a strange mix of conflicting emotions upon finding the place empty. Could she have actually still been hoping to see Senior Zhu? Though, she didn''t wish to ponder upon those emotions and promptly transferred Feng Huang back into the dimension. She was about to transfer Snowball too, but the Fox Spirit was particularly insistent on staying, to a point where she could do no more than oblige him.

    Li Meirong left Snowball to sprawl on the bed as she rushed to rummage through her kitchen cabinets. In her frantic search, she tossed out a collection of pots and pans, spices, and stalks of dried herbs. A few ladles and wooden bowls were dumped from the cabinet and strewn all over, causing a tremendous racket as they hit the floor.

    Since she couldn''t find what she was looking for in the kitchen cabinet, she undertook the eager task of messing up her living quarters by scouring the closet, flinging badly sewn sheets and worn, tattered blankets left and right.

    Snowball patiently lounged on the soft mattress basking in Li Meirong''s pleasant scent as he waited for her to fiddle around with her myriad of mortal items. Sensing an object getting thrown his way, he narrowly avoided being hit by a rather odd clothing accessory by rolling quickly over to the other side of the bed. It appeared to be a peculiar looking type of contraption.

    He delicately grabbed ahold of the undershirt with one claw, curiously studying it from side to side. From the shape and length of the clothing, the Fox Lord deduced that the weirdly designed item was a bodice, but not a dudou, meant to conceal one of his most favourite things in this whole world.

    In fact, the bodice seemed different than any he had seen before, for it to be so accurately fastened that the shapely pair of twin serving cups were nearly the exact same size as his wife''s bountiful steamed buns. It wasn''t as though he had seen that many, due to the curse. Still, this one was rather short for a bodice.

    As he busied himself with that single bodice, another similar piece of clothing was thrown his way. Unfortunately, he was too preoccupied to avoid the oncoming piece and it fell right on top of his head, wedging itself with the straps between his ears.

    "..." Bai Qingyue felt a little grateful that he was a Sovereign Lord at that moment. With a messy wife like this one, he''d surely require numerous servants to maintain a proper household.

    After the room became messy enough to put a garbage heap to shame, Li Meirong finally turned around to face the chaos, brushing her hair back in frustration. "I can''t find the stupid vial!" she fumed.

    Following the chaotic mess that she made of her one room home, Li Meirong''s eyes landed on her Fox Spirit, who busied himself with putting one of her bras on top of his head while clawing another bra with his paws.

    Her cheeks were stained pink as she reached to grab her bras from the Fox Spirit, unlatching the straps of her form fitting undergarment from each of his white furred ears. "Snowball, you shouldn''t play with these kinds of things. I don''t have a lot of bras here and I''m not very good at sewing them to begin with, so I have to care for what I already have."

    ''Is there any point mentioning that I''ve been wrongly accused?'' Bai Qingyue wisely kept the dry remark to himself. Instead, he perked up his freed ears and asked his wife, "What is this thing you call a bra?"

    Li Meirong silently opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish a few times. At length, she settled for answering, "It''s an undergarment meant for holding them in place, otherwise when ladies move around, it can feel a bit uncomfortable." she opened her palms wide over her chest in a cupping motion to better express herself.

    ''Them?'' Bai Qingyue thought in amusement about her choice of words. Though as she raised her hands, his pupils enlarged, glued to her every move.

    "Luckily for you, a male Fox Spirit will surely never have to worry about this sort of trouble. All you have to do is make sure your fur is clean!" said Li Meirong, stroking Snowball''s fur and laughing in embarrassment.

    Bai Qingyue looked up and stared at her with a mischievous look in his eyes, rising to meet her palm with the side of his head. "Master''s troubles are Snowball''s troubles!" he exclaimed in the most innocent tone he could muster. "If Master requires support to keep those special parts in place, Snowball will do his utmost to help!"

    ''Wait, that''s not at all what I was trying to explain here¡­'' Li Meirong helplessly thought.

    However, as soon as she tried to explain herself again, another clump of skin fell from her face. The scars she had been concealing all these years with a medicinal concoction became visible on her face one again.

    "Master, are you in pain?" Snowball asked in faint concern, drastically changing the topic to one that concerned him greatly.

    "Remember how I once told you that a friend of mine helped concoct a medicine for the scars on my face? That medicinal brew temporarily conceals the scars, but the effects don''t usually last more than a year or so. I have to renew it every time, but I can''t find the vial that I prepared." Li Meirong''s voice came out muffled as she hid her face with a sleeve at seeing the wide-eyed look on Snowball''s face. "Don''t look at your Master, alright? Master is very ugly and doesn''t want to scare you."

 Chapter 291: He Is Not A Man

    Snowball tried reaching for Li Meirong''s face, but she took a step back to avoid his touch. Her eyes darted from side to side as she thought aloud. "What should I do now? It takes a week to brew the medicine. Maybe a mask..."

    "Master." Bai Qingyue called out to her, but received no reaction. "Master!" He raised the tone of his voice, calling her attention to himself.

    When she tilted her face to stare back at him, she was met with an infuriated glare. Snowball immediately stood up on his hind legs and grasped each side of her cheeks with his small paws, placing them directly onto the scarred parts of her skin.

    "Do you remember what I told you before?" he asked, his golden eyes fixed on hers.

    Li Meirong blinked in confusion and shook her head slowly. Her brows drew into a subtle frown as she felt her cheeks gently getting squeezed by his soft paw pads.

    Strangely, it felt as if Snowball''s sharp gaze burned into hers, as if he could read her like an open book.

    "I said that with or without the scars, you will always be beautiful to me." As Snowball spoke, his harsh tone softened.

    For a moment, Bai Qingyue noticed Li Meirong''s almond eyes fill up with a soft light, warming his heart. ¡®My words are finally getting through.'' he thought, pleased with himself.

    But his happiness was a short-lived moment. He could tell that she had made a different assumption directly after by shifting her gaze downwards.

    "It''s different with humans," muttered Li Meirong at length, shrugging her shoulders in resignation. She raised her hand and held it over his paw. "Thank you for trying to make me feel better, but seeing a disfigurement and knowing that it''s there are two different matters. You wouldn''t understand because you''re a fox spirit, but humans, both men and women alike, look down upon such imperfections. I just became powerful enough to keep trouble away from us. This will bring me a lot of unwanted attention, and worse yet¡­"

    Following several moments of silence, after Li Meirong''s voice trailed off in a defeated whisper, Bai Qingyue repeated her last few words, urging her to finish her speech. "Worse yet?"

    "Senior Zhu just returned, and now I look like this. What would he think of me? Maybe he''s really better off with that other guy," said Li Meirong, letting out a dry laugh. "I don''t even know why I still care."

    Bai Qingyue felt the blood drain from his face for the second time that day.

    A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his eye as he made a low sound at the back of his throat, containing the storm of rage that instantly consumed him.

    ¡®This is not about me.'' he silently told himself again and again. ¡®This is about my wife and her insecurities.''

    Despite what Bai Qingyue told himself, he must have unconsciously squeezed harder on her cheeks, because he heard her make a small sound and felt her tap on his paw in reprimand.

    "My little Snowball grew stronger. You have to be careful when you hold someone''s face, alright?" said Li Meirong. She placed his front legs back on the mattress and stepped back. Keeping her face away from view, she was trying to keep the scars away, hidden so no one could see them.

    Li Meirong turned around, giving a despondent sigh as she began to collect the tossed items and neatly placed them back on the shelves and inside the cabinets where they belonged.

    "Zhu Qingyue is not a man." she heard Snowball whisper quietly from behind.

    A bundle of dried jasmine slipped from Li Meirong''s hands as she whirled in place to face Snowball again. This time, the Fox Spirit avoided her gaze. His little snout dropped down as his eyes were fixated on his paws, as if it was very difficult for him to say what he was about to say.

    "What do you mean by that?" Li Meirong asked her suddenly shy Fox Spirit.

    She heard Snowball mumble, but his voice was too low for her to understand. She went to him and sat on the bed at his side, stroking his back.

    "Snowball, I couldn''t hear you," Li Meirong cooed, gently encouraging Snowball to speak to her.

 Chapter 292: Only Snowball Is Good To Me

    "He is not a worthy man if he will think less of you for having scars." Snowball mumbled, pointedly avoiding Li Meirong''s gaze. "Besides, shouldn''t it be the male who must ensure that he is attractive to the female for the sake of drawing her favour?"

    The disguised Fox Lord suddenly found himself overwhelmed by a fierce hug. His nostrils flared as he breathed in Li Meirong''s scent. His keen hearing easily picked up on her strangled words, smothered as they were by a burst of halfhearted laughter.

    "In the end, only Snowball is good to me..."

    Snowball emitted a low, rumbling growl as he breathed in and out. It sounded suspiciously like a purr.

    At first, it had felt inappropriate for Bai Qingyue to tarnish his human disguise for the sake of cheering up his wife, but at the sound of her words, he felt that his concerns no longer mattered. The gloominess in his heart had easily been dispersed by her lilting, melodious voice.

    "That''s right," he agreed, nuzzling up against Li Meirong while her arms enveloped him in an embrace as she stroked his fur. Her hands felt soft. Soft and warm. It was this softness, this bubbling feeling of sheer, soothing serenity, that had easily made him willing to demean himself, to even go as far as to defy a heavenly verdict. "Snowball is the best for you." he stated with an air of finality.

    They stayed like that for a short while, taking silent comfort in each other until Li Meirong gradually lifted him up in the air. Her eyes turned clear once more, filled with resolution as she stared at him.

    "You know what, you''re right. To hell with what people say. So what if I lose face? I didn''t have much of a reputation here to begin with. And about Zhu Qingyue, well, I can''t keep running away from confronting him. Even though it''s awkward, we''ll have to sit down and talk about everything." said Li Meirong. Despite the resolute tone of her voice, she still bit her bottom lip.

    "Maybe ''everything'' was just a big misunderstanding. You never know." Snowball helpfully and innocently gave his opinion.

    Li Meirong smiled in amusement. "Perhaps you''re right," she said and stopped for a moment of contemplation, holding on to her chin with her thumb and index finger. "But I think I''ll need a drink before I can meet him again."

    Snowball''s adorable snout wrinkled as he frowned. He did not seem to like the idea of her drinking.

    She shook her head, laughing. She thought that even though she might have grown stronger, her confidence was shaken.

    Li Meirong carefully lowered Snowball down and picked up her hand mirror. The girl gazing back at her was peeling like a snake shedding its skin. Underneath the cracking mask, lines of scars caused by the punishment inflicted upon the previous owner of this body showed. She had always assumed that her face was marred so gruesomely by boiling oil.

    For years, she had been hiding the disfigurement with concoctions that formed a thin layer above the skin. She knew that it was a sort of concealing technique more than it was a herbal decoction. Previously, she had been grateful for Mo Jing''s assistance with helping her with this ''medicine'' or rather, mask. But she no longer wanted or needed it.

    She picked at the skin with the tip of her fingers, peeling off a thin layer of the elastic substance that crumbled, feeling a little horrified by herself. She wondered if she was a vain woman for wanting a beautiful face, for being ashamed of this disfigurement. It pained her to be scorned, and she felt that the visible scars would only lend additional ammunition for those in the sect who wished her harm. They''ll have another wound to poke at now, she was sure of it.

    ''But now, I won''t just sit there and take a beating.'' Li Meirong thought. Her eyes hardened, likening to the obsidian gems they so resembled, as she stared at herself in the mirror.

    Snowball quizzically peeked at Li Meirong''s reflection from behind her shoulder. His own luminous eyes locked on Li Meirong''s with an intensity that left her slightly unnerved. She gave him a nervous smile before turning the mirror away.

    Later that day, Li Meirong went to spend the evening with Bao Li again, drinking her troubles away and relieving her mind from stress, from her relationship issues, from the upcoming tournament, and from the jingling bell that kept bugging her from time to time. Snowball had insisted on remaining at home, so she had let him stay there alone. Sometimes, she thought that his demands to follow her everywhere or stay behind were a bit odd, but decided that even spirit beasts needed alone time every once and awhile.

    When she returned that night, she was greeted with a surprise. Rather than seeing Snowball''s little tail wagging at the entrance as she had initially expected, she was startled to discover Zhu Qingyue idling in front of the doorway. A sheepish smile tugged at his lips as he looked up at her from beneath a pair of long, elegant eyelashes. On anyone else, it would have made the person seem a bit childish, but for him, it made him bewitching. Those thin lips portrayed a mysterious charm.

 Chapter 293: Who Said I Dont Like It?

    Li Meirong dragged her feet across the garden leading to her home, to him. She took her time walking over, her stomach tightening and twisting with nervousness. A large part of her just wanted to flee again¡­ to avoid handling her troubles for another day.

    She felt as if, somehow, Zhu Qingyue held a strange sort of power over her heart. The closer she got to him, the more the thudding, treacherous organ began to beat erratically.

    Though she was unwilling, she couldn''t help but stare at him. The dark robe he wore contrasted with his pale features and bright eyes. His unparalleled appearance and long limbs also didn''t suit the way he so casually leaned against the door, shoulders slumped and hands folded together.

    Her cheeks flushed pink as she realized that she had been caught gawking at him a tad too long. She could only imagine how foolish she must seem at that moment, tipsy and ogling the man who certainly spelt trouble. The man who was certainly off limits for her. The man she had pointedly tried to avoid talking to, after longing for his presence like the foolish woman she had been for all these many months.

    Li Meirong thought she saw Zhu Qingyue''s smile change into a sneer as he gazed back at her, but when his voice came out, it was deep and soft, and his eyebrows arched in query.

    "Are you pleased to see me?" he asked.

    Halting in her tracks, she paused to assess him. His expression made her think that he wasn''t very used to politely smiling at others. The forced stretching of his lips looked unnatural to her, and made her wonder if he, too, felt nervous.

    "Pleased. Angry. Both, I think." Li Meirong pondered aloud.

    "Good, that''s good." A breathy, baritone chuckle escaped his lips. "I would like to be given a chance to explain myself."

    At least his reaction sounds sincere enough. She thought it was enough, at least, for her to be willing to hear him out. Li Meirong was in no mood to pretend politeness with him.

    She strode forward to open the door and Zhu Qingyue immediately stepped aside, letting her through.

    "You can come inside. Sorry about the way this place looks. It got a little messy here since the last time you let yourself in." She glanced back and told him, glaring at him from the corner of her eye.

    Zhu Qingyue didn''t respond to her obvious verbal stab. He silently stared back at her with that same sheepish smile from before and followed her inside.

    She sighed and went in. Whatever he was thinking was beyond her capability to decipher, and she had long given up trying.

    Following the amount of time it took for an incense stick to burn, Li Meirong tried to focus on things to do to steady herself and prevent her own nervousness from showing. She arranged a tea tray and a plate of preserved fruits.

    There wasn''t a lot of space to sit around besides the bed, so she placed a few pillows on the floor around the shallow wood trunk which she used as a table.

    Zhu Qingyue made himself at home on the floor, uttering not a word of complaint as he sipped a cup of bitter green tea. In fact, he seemed way too comfortable with the situation. He carelessly grabbed one of the fruits from the plate with two long, graceful fingers and stared at it inquisitively. It was a small, red, wrinkled looking fruit. After a short breath of hesitation, he brought the fruit to his lips and tried it.

    The resulting grimace that followed brought a great deal of evil satisfaction to Li Meirong as she witnessed Zhu Qingyue bitterly chewing down the sour fruit.

    She simpered, looking pleased with herself, as she sat down cross-legged in front of him. "What, you don''t like it?" she teased, trying to sound as serious as possible.

    Zhu Qingyue eyed her with a defiant look in his eyes and grabbed another piece of the same round fruit, shoving it right into his mouth, leaving Li Meirong speechless.

    After he finished consuming the bitter fruit once more with an obvious struggle, he countered, "Who said I don''t like it? If I cannot enjoy the bitter taste of fruits, how can I enjoy them when they''re sweet and honeyed?"

 Chapter 294: Did I Imagine What I saw

    The sharp smell of vinegar exuding from the red wrinkled fruits made Li Meirong stare in astonishment at Zhu Qingyue as she watched him stuff a third piece into his mouth. She had intentionally served him a batch of preserved hawthorn berries that she had only kept as a herbal remedy.

    The bitter, sour berries were by no means made to be a delicious treat. The hawthorn berries had become so sour that even dipping them into a jar of honey wouldn''t have made them edible. Yet, there he was, eating one tart bite at a time, until not even a trace of red remained on the plate

    Li Meirong''s amusement shortly shifted into a perplexing, uncomfortable feeling. She quietly wondered at his words as she poured Zhu Qingyue a cup of water to clear the lingering taste.

    "Here, drink this. It''s just plain water this time," said Li Meirong with a pang of guilt in her tone, handing him the cup.

    He quickly chugged the water down.

    She didn''t know if her wicked intentions were partly influenced by her intoxicated condition, but she had wanted to see Zhu Qingyue become disoriented, had wanted to see him unsettled. However, he caused her to become flustered instead.

    As Zhu Qingyue drank the water, Li Meirong fiddled with her own cup of tea, trying to concentrate on the tiny ripples forming from the greenish liquid as she shook the cup. "I want you to be honest with me," she said, her breath tinged with the fragrance of rice wine. "The man from before, was he your lover?"

    The crash of porcelain slamming against the wooden surface of the table pierced through Li Meirong''s ears, the remaining water in the cup splashed all over Zhu Qingyue''s hand. She was somewhat surprised to find out that the fragile cup had miraculously endured the collision. It almost seemed as if Zhu Qingyue knew the exact measure of his strength, and ensured he wouldn''t break the porcelain despite his evident outrage. Her eyes met his own pair of liquid amber.

    "He is not my lover." Zhu Qingyue lost his calm and seethed through gritted teeth, his eyes darkening. "What kind of absurd opinion have you formed about me?"

    Almost instinctively, Li Meirong scooted backwards, flinching under his piercing glare. His mood changes so quickly!

    She covered her scarred cheeks with the back of her hand, casting her gaze downwards. "Did I imagine what I saw with my own eyes when you bent over that other person in my own bed?!"

 Chapter 295: Strike Me Down If I Am Lying

    "You-" Zhu Qingyue sputtered, seizing Li Meirong by the wrist and moving her hand away from her face. She wriggled under his grasp as he leaned down and forced her to stare straight at him. He bent down so close that she could feel his breath mingling with hers.

    "I was going to punish him!" he snapped.

    Li Meirong stilled, raising a single eyebrow in disbelief. "Why would you punish him? Who is him, anyway?"

    "I govern my family and sentence them to their punishments accordingly. The man you saw is one of my family members," said Zhu Qingyue, letting out a breath of exasperation. He quickly added, "A very distant family member, might I add. He not only neglected his duties, but completely failed his appointed task."

    "I thought your father, the Grandmaster of the Bestiary division, was governing the family. Didn''t he only recently find you and brought you back to his side, to your clan?"

    Zhu Qingyue''s golden eyes darted to the side, his tone mellowed. "Indeed, that was originally the case. However, I belong to a large family and hail from the main branch. My father bequeathed me with the title to govern over the main house, the sub-branches and our distant relatives along with them."

    Li Meirong''s small lips parted, letting out a humming sound as she tried to process all the information. "So let''s say that what you tell me is correct, then why did you leave last time? Why do you keep disappearing?"

    Zhu Qingyue grew silent again. She felt an indescribable ache as he put that invisible mask back on, covering his expression behind an unreadable screen. As she watched the mask of arrogance and indifference sweep across his countenance once more, Li Meirong couldn''t find it within herself to utter a single word.

    "It''s not what you think. Stop entertaining such ridiculous ideas." Zhu Qingyue finally said, letting go of her hand.

    "You''re not willing to explain yourself, so what am I supposed to do?" Li Meirong responded in evident annoyance.

    She felt tears beginning to burn within her eyes and hated herself for getting so emotional all over again. She was half glad that she did drink tonight because she knew she wouldn''t have had the courage to ask him all these questions otherwise.

    "One day, I shall reveal everything to you. I promise."

    Li Meirong''s brows drew into a frown as a series of questions escaped her lips. "Why can''t you tell me now? I''m scared of being hurt again, and every part of me is telling me to keep away from you, but still, I think of you. So tell me, Zhu Qingyue, what is it that prevents you from telling me the truth? are you married to someone already? Do you have children? are you using me as a decoy to hide your preferences?"

    "Or is it these scars that bother you... am I too ugly for you?"

    Her frown turned into a glower as she locked eyes with Zhu Qingyue, daring him to confirm any of her suspicions.

    "Is that what you''ve been thinking of me all this while?" asked Zhu Qingyue, his eyes widening as he swore under his breath. "No! None of that. May the Heavens strike me down if I am lying."

    Outside, the darkened skies quivered with a deafening clap of rolling thunder, followed shortly by a streak of lightning that smote the slumbering heavens. The dimly lit room was momentarily illuminated by a flash of white light through the slightly opened window.

    The window was mysteriously shut tight in an instant, reducing the outdoor ambience.

    At once, Zhu Qingyue cupped Li Meirong''s cheeks in his hands. His large palms felt warm and slightly coarse, but not uncomfortably so. They felt like hands that have been wielding a sword for many long years.

    Then, he gently bumped his forehead against hers. His gaze seemed to desperately strive to bore into Li Meirong''s very soul, and she couldn''t look away from him.

    "You must be incredibly ugly," Zhu Qingyue gave a wry, quick hiss of a laugh, "Because I cannot stop myself from looking at you. Yet every time I do, my breath is caught in my throat and I end up behaving no better than a simpleton."

    Li Meirong felt the tears she had been holding back rolling down her ruined cheeks, sliding over Zhu Qingyue''s fingers. She closed her eyes and kissed him.

 Chapter 296: You Are A Cruel Girl

    Emboldened by his words, Li Meirong kissed Zhu Qingyue.

    She didn''t have much time to think about what she had just done because she had kissed him without any reasoning, a blur of pure temptation and emotional outburst.

    She kissed him because she wanted to, because his beautiful lips were taunting her timid heart.

    She kissed him because the way he looked at her made her feel as if she was the most important person in the world.

    Alas, her lips plastered themselves onto a solid, immovable wall. Even though it wasn''t her first kiss, Li Meirong remained in place, unsure how to proceed or interpret the situation, since Zhu Qingyue kept his own mouth shut.

    With her eyes still closed, a rush of deja vu flooded Li Meirong''s heart when she couldn''t detect any sort of response from Zhu Qingyue. She ended up being reminded of that night when he had disappeared all those months ago.

    Back then, his reaction had been no different than it was now.

    Li Meirong''s heart plummeted into her stomach. Her hands and feet began to tingle. She started wondering if perhaps she had made the wrong decision by kissing him.

    Was she once again being too impulsive? She had kissed him already, and had even initiated the move, so she knew that he wasn''t the type of man who wanted their woman to be docile and submissive.

    It couldn''t have been that he had grown shocked into speechlessness and inaction again just because of a small kiss, right?

    Li Meirong''s mind raced with troubling thoughts, and she had to force herself to lean back and squint one eye open to observe Zhu Qingyue''s reaction.

    She anxiously, yet carefully regarded Zhu Qingyue, hoping that her own nervousness wouldn''t show.

    His silvery eyebrows shot high up on his forehead, and the whites in his eyes showed a tad too much. He stood still against her like a perfectly crafted statue of mutton jade, without so much as a single pale strand of hair out of place.

    There was no revulsion, no apprehensiveness, nor any anger. His handsome, startled visage filled her with an overwhelming sense of relief.

    At once, all of her sadness, all of her anxiety vanished like so much empty air.

    A surge of sly satisfaction welled up inside of Li Meirong as she stared at his somewhat stupefied expression, knowing that she was the one who managed to crack his unreadable mask of arrogance. She was the one who made him look like that.

    Zhu Qingyue''s large, warm palms were still on her cheeks, and as he slowly regained his senses, she felt his lithe fingers gently wipe away the tears from her face.

    "I think I believe you now. You do look like a simpleton." Li Meirong''s eyes curved into beguiling crescent moons and she couldn''t help but let out a mischievous giggle.

    She heard Zhu Qingyue inhale deeply, as if he was struggling to contain himself. The sharp intake of breath rushed by her lips, tickling them. His narrowing pupils sharpened as his irises darkened to an intense amber colour. The potent gaze he directed at her managed to thrill and strike fear in her at the same time.

    "You are a cruel girl. Do you know that?" said Zhu Qingyue with a voice that came out thicker than usual.

    "I''m not cruel!" Li Meirong huffed. "How am I supposed to know you''ll grow as still as a dead fish every time I kiss you?" she retorted, tracing one finger slowly over the flushed surface of his lower lip.

    Zhu Qingyue nipped her finger hard enough for it to sting. The sudden reaction nearly made her jump out of her skin.

    "Ouch! You big bully!" Li Meirong jerked her hand away from Zhu Qingyue and pushed at his chest with enough spiritual force to make him stumble backwards. However, to her great surprise, he stood as unmoving as a mountain.

    She grew troubled, knowing she had invoked the same amount of profound qi that had caused Shu Qianqian to cower and tremble, yet when the same amount of power had been applied against Zhu Qingyue, he acted as though he hadn''t felt a damn thing!

    This morning, she found out that Zhu Qingyue was no longer ill, but in spite of his recovery, she had also grown a lot stronger in the past few days, and her impact should have at least caused him to move, even if just a little!

    Just how much of a difference was there between their levels of cultivation for him to not yield at all from the force of her spirit powers?

    The tree trunk stump serving as a table between them rattled as Zhu Qingyue nonchalantly shoved it aside with his palm.

    With inhuman grace, he proceeded to inch forward on all fours until he leaned directly over Li Meirong, forcing her to practically lay flat beneath him.

    Zhu Qingyue''s body transformed into a natural prison, restraining her every move as his heat surged throughout every fibre of her being.

    "Wife becomes quite daring and a little too mouthy after a few drinks. This Husband does not allow you to consume wine without his presence anymore." Zhu Qingyue haughtily announced.

    "You can''t tell me what to do, even if you end up marrying me. If you mistreat me, I-I can still divorce you!"

    Li Meirong stammered as she held herself by the back of her elbows from lying completely down on the wooden floor.

 Chapter 297: Once Married Never Seperated

    Concurrently, Zhu Qingyue didn''t seem to notice any of Li Meirong''s internal concerns. His eloquent phoenix eyes narrowed as he glared down on her. "Divorce?"

    The question halted Li Meirong''s fleeting concerns, exchanging them with the will to gain the upper hand over Zhu Qingyue.

    "Yeah, exactly. I''ll divorce you," she stated firmly.

    "What is this ''divorce'' you speak of?" he hissed back.

    "It''s, um¡­"

    "Yes?"

    In Li Meirong''s current inebriated condition, she dizzily looked up to behold Zhu Qingyue with slightly parted lips, her eyes greedily raking over him.

    From this angle, he seemed to be nearly twice her size, and even though it was hidden underneath several layers of thick fabric, she could still decipher the honed torso which she already knew was packed with muscles.

    Long, silvery hair cascaded down the set of broad shoulders above her and toppled over her like spider silk. His sword-like eyebrows were drawn into a frown as his burning glare kept searing into her in demand for an answer.

    He was as alluring as he was frightening. The vision of him stole the words from her mouth.

    An instinctual dread crept over Li Meirong, and it probably showed on her face because Zhu Qingyue gave her a meaningful look.

    "Oh, so you know to fear me now..." his voice trailed off as his fingers gently skimmed over the exposed line of her throat. "Explain to this Husband, what is the meaning of this word - ''divorce''?"

    "I''m not afraid of you." Li Meirong gulped, picking up the teasing note his voice had held. His touch felt feather soft and made her shiver.

    She gripped his roaming hand with her own, preventing him from tickling her further and allowing herself a moment to clear her head.

    Zhu Qingyue leaned down until the side of his cheek met hers and blew a hot breath against her ear.

    "You should be," he calmly whispered. His low, magnetic voice resounded in Li Meirong''s ear, right before he rose up again to lock eyes with her.

    She squirmed underneath him, glaring back at Zhu Qingyue with a ruddy complexion.

    Maybe she feared him a little, if she cared to admit it. But it wasn''t fear which caused her throat to turn dry.

    "Wife." Zhu Qingyue used the word as though he was issuing a warning. With one fast movement, he grasped both of Li Meirong''s wrists and secured them over her head with one hand.

    Li Meirong spat out the words. "Divorce is the official process followed when a marriage ends and a married couple separate. The spouses cut ties and each person goes their own way."

    Zhu Qingyue''s face instantly blackened as he squeezed her wrists tighter. His mouth suddenly claimed Li Meirong''s in an unyielding, demanding kiss.

    As their lips crashed upon one another, his hot, slick tongue pushed against her with such speed and force that her lips were forced to part. The moist weapon slithered in instantly, sliding within her mouth as if to claim every inch within as its own. When it had touched and savoured every inch of territory within, it withdrew.

    When he finally relented from his ruthless rampage, a delicate silver string of saliva trailed from Li Meirong''s dainty lips to his.

    Her eyes turned vacant, and she was left panting for breath.

    "Preposterous! Once married, never separated!" growled out Zhu Qingyue, flashing a pair of pearly white fangs.

 Chapter 298: What Would You Have Me Do?

    ''That''s not how it works.'' Li Meirong wanted to say, but as she opened her mouth, no words came out.

    Zhu Qingyue''s direct gaze unnerved her into speechlessness. He looked like he was fighting to suppress something within himself, though what, she wasn''t so sure. When he looked at her like that, it reminded her of the time she had found Snowball in the woods, and of Chou''s frightened pleas to leave the fox cub to his own devices.

    Peculiarly, the silly carnivorous plant spirit had proclaimed that little Snowball had wanted to eat her.

    However, instead of harmless little Snowball being a threat to her life, she felt a certain sense of danger emanating from the fair-haired man on top of her. It felt as if he was the one who wanted to gobble her up.

    As these thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, Zhu Qingyue''s panting breaths caused her nerves to be on edge, drawing her back to the present.

    "There will be no divorce, understood?" Zhu Qingyue''s baritone voice lowered to a murmur, breathing hard. The flash of his fangs vanished in an instant.

    "Understood." Li Meirong nodded dumbly at Zhu Qingyue as she realized what it was about him that made her feel scared.

    Unfortunately, she wasn''t capable of thinking of a witty comeback, and pettily blamed his bewitching appearance for her lack of concentration.

    Especially those amber eyes¡­ so terrible was their beauty.

    As though she was spellbound, she couldn''t help but gaze back into their depths. His eyes shone like sunlight on pools of mirrors, reflecting a heat wherever they looked. His anger was slowly being replaced with a different kind of heat that made her whole body perspire.

    Li Meirong''s heart raced as Zhu Qingyue made a sound low in his throat. He gradually loosened his hold over her wrists, and reached down to snare her mouth in a chaste kiss.

    His hands slowly moved down to either side of her, keeping himself steady atop her as he gently caressed her. Everything else became a hazy blur to Li Meirong, and she could only concentrate on the softness of his lips, the warmth of his touch.

    Their lips kept connecting and gliding over each other in a sort of teasing dance until Zhu Qingyue groaned in frustration against her, ripping his mouth free.

    "Do not look at me like that." Zhu Qingyue''s voice sank into a plea, softening to a barely audible whisper. "I won''t be able to control myself if you do. I am not so honourable as to not take advantage of you."

    Li Meirong raised her freed hand to him, ghosting her fingers over the face of a man too perfect to be true. The only flaw that showed on him was a pain-filled expression that made him look a little less alien, and a little more real. She slowly slid her delicate fingers down his fine eyebrows, shutting one eyelid at a time.

    "If that is the case," she started saying as her blush deepened. The heady wine in her veins spurred her tongue forward. "Then don''t look. Let me be the one to ravage the beauty."

    Her words earned her a short chuckle of amusement. "What would you have me do?"

    She swallowed hard, gathering her drunken courage. "I want to be the one to make the decisions tonight."

    "Consider it done."

    A small smile, full of mischief, slowly spread across Li Meirong''s face. In a slow and deliberate movement, she began to remove Zhu Qingyue''s robe from his shoulders. As her hands slowly glided down his chest, she could feel his heartbeat quicken under her touch, its drumbeat rhythm matching her own.

    "I want to be on top," she brazenly stated.

    A moment later, Li Meirong squealed when she felt Zhu Qingyue''s palms firmly cupping her ass. Her arms held him around the neck for balance as he effortlessly shifted into a sitting position, hoisting her to straddle him.

 Chapter 299: I Can Do This

    Li Meirong faced Zhu Qingyue as he pulled her into his lap. Her legs slid around his waist as though he was a tree she planned to climb.

    Staying true to his word, Zhu Qingyue made no further move and allowed Li Meirong to take control of the circumstances. His eyes stayed closed at her command, yet a small crafty smile tugged at his lips.

    Zhu Qingyue''s palms left a tingling sensation along Li Meirong''s spine. She felt him kneading her backside, right before trailing his fingers up her back. Even through the thick fabric of the robe, she could feel the sensation as strongly as if he had touched her bare skin.

    Ultimately, the torturous fingers ceased their mind numbing ministrations once Zhu Qingyue gently grasped the back of her head and began to slowly stroke her hair.

    Goosebumps lined Li Meirong''s skin. She felt a little ashamed of herself to admit that Zhu Qingyue''s uneven breathing and tantalizing touch made her stiffen with nervousness. Worse yet, a wicked sort of expectation filled her, both dreading and anticipating what was going to come next.

    Feeling herself at his mercy again, Li Meirong gave him a pointed look. Seeing as he was unable to perceive her displeasure, she reached to smack Zhu Qingyue''s troublemaking hand away.

    "I''m in charge," she sulked. "You stay put! You promised."

    "As you wish," Zhu Qingyue obediently answered, grabbing hold of the back of her head once again. One hand stroked through her hair while the other settled heavily against her hips.

    Li Meirong bit her lower lip, still feeling as though Zhu Qingyue had somehow managed to gain the upper hand in this, despite the apparent submissive attitude he portrayed.

    She began removing the sash securing Zhu Qingyue''s robe, while adjusting herself here and there to reach behind his back.

    As soon as she moved an inch, Zhu Qingyue groaned against her ear. His hold on her hair tightened into a nearly painful grip.

    At the same time, something hard, hot, and stiff pressed itself at the juncture between her legs, persistently demanding entrance into her.

    "Wife sure knows how to torture her husband." Zhu Qingyue hoarsely gritted out, peeking at her with one eye open, his lips drew into a resentful pout.

    "I said to close your eyes!" Li Meirong flushed red and furiously admonished him.

    "As my wife demands." Zhu Qingyue grumbled but dutifully shut his eyes once more.

    Suddenly, Li Meirong froze. She wasn''t certain if this brazen decision could be considered a life-threatening mission!

    The rather large, stiff, hot stick poking her between the legs kept stirring her nervous spots, making her lose focus. But it felt a little too long, a little too wide for her small fragile body to take in.

    She took in a deep breath, trying to think things through. ''I''ve already done this with him before.'' she thought, silently reassuring herself. ''They say the first time hurts, but I didn''t even feel anything from it. How difficult can a second time be?''

    With this thought in mind, Li Meirong finally stripped Zhu Qingyue of his robe, revealing a lean, sculpted chest to her eyes that could easily shame the best looking male models of her time.

    Li Meirong swallowed hard, feeling like a complete pervert as her eyes raked down his body. She could practically imagine the smug look of satisfaction on Zhu Qingyue''s face if he saw her expression now.

    Every inch of his abdominal muscles left her breathless, and unable to look away.

    Needless to say, she was definitely glad he had his eyes shut!

    The too long, too wide insistent monster poked at her again, and Li Meirong gazed at Zhu Qingyue through narrowed eyes.

    "I told you not to move," she slowly enunciated every word, chiding him.

    "I am not moving." Zhu Qingyue explained innocently, raising his eyebrows.

    "You!" Li Meirong stammered. She knew he was lying, because it felt like he would tear straight into her underwear and shove himself right through!

    "Wife, how about you let this husband spoil you?" Zhu Qingyue spoke in a husky voice.

    "W-we''re not married just yet, so stop saying that. And also, I''m in charge." Li Meirong adamantly replied.

    "Wife is on top of me like this, and still claims we aren''t married?"

    "It''s not the same. I''m using you now. Since you keep running away, this is¡­ this is revenge, ah!"

    Li Meirong gasped aloud. She wasn''t sure when it happened, but from one instant to the next, all of her clothes had been completely shredded through! By the time she found out, it was far too late, the shredded scraps of fabric fluttered around her like blue petals floating in the room.

    ''All my precious clothes...'' she silently lamented. ''Torn into smithereens...''

    Zhu Qingyue''s hand was no longer cupping the back of her head. Instead, he meticulously and seamlessly tore her clothes from her body without so much as even having her notice.

    "You owe me more clothes," Li Meirong grumbled distractedly.

    She felt the troublemaking hands fiddling with her hair again, until they stopped, seemingly arriving at their intended destination, and successfully removing her headband.

    Midnight hair spread around her nude form as a dark cloak, draping over her shoulders like silken pieces of cloth.

    "I''d rather you be less dressed," remarked Zhu Qingyue, squinting his golden eyes open for but a moment, his voice carrying a particular hint of satisfaction.

    Li Meirong''s hands clenched into fists, holding herself back from acting on the growing urge to punch the audacious man. The sensation of their lower parts rubbing together made her shift her attention to a more pressing matter, eliciting a strange, eager sound out of her lips.

    She distractedly cast her gaze downwards and inspected Zhu Qingyue''s pulsating cock grinding against her most sensitive spot. Her cheeks became beet red as she saw the shaft standing tall and straight between her thighs, arising arrogantly from a nest of white curls that spread from a partly uncovered robe.

    "Ahh¡­ mmm¡­" A feeble moan escaped Li Meirong''s lips as she nervously squirmed away once the heat of the thick, reddened member began to rub vigorously against her core. It was a stimulating, foreign sensation of velvet steel.

    However, the too long, too wide monster ended up pressing against her belly instead!

    "Wife¡­" a low, compelling growl rumbled forth from Zhu Qingyue throat.

    At that moment, Li Meirong dazedly thought that Zhu Qingyue was really unfair. Was everything about this man a tool of seduction? Even his voice, his deep voice became increasingly seductive when he lowered his tone to a husky whisper.

    She shook her head, trying to regain control of her senses. Wanting to be the one in charge, a force of determination built inside her.

    ''I can do this. I can do this.'' Li Meirong kept mentally chanting. She indecisively reached to grab ahold of Zhu Qingyue''s stiff manhood, unable to fully grasp it in her hand.

    She could practically feel the cock pulsating under her touch, its veins thickening in constraint.

    "Everything is going to be fine, don''t worry. I got this all under control." Li Meirong said, unsure if to herself, or to Zhu Qingyue.

    "..." Zhu Qingyue grew speechless, one side of his lips twitched at her response. His eyelashes fluttered as though he desperately wished to take another peek.

 Chapter 300: Grant His Wife Pleasure

    Time seemed to have stood still for Li Meirong as she awkwardly slipped her hands between their bodies and placed the bulbous tip of the cock right underneath the juncture of her thighs.

    Without any further thought, she pressed herself downwards the moment she felt his blunt intrusion probing at the entrance of her channel.

    "Ngh!"

    A sharp, stinging pain left Li Meirong gasping for air as Zhu Qingyue flexed his hips forward, rising to meet her, sliding deeper inside her. She could feel her body straining and stretching to accommodate the foreign object into herself.

    At this point, it was useless to mention that Li Meirong was not very knowledgeable about sexual relations between men and women. In her previous life, she had never reached that far with any man. In her current life, she had only slept with Zhu Qingye under the influence of drugs, and couldn''t recall much of the encounter. Considering the fact that this wasn''t the first time she had experienced intercourse, especially with the same man, she sought to convince herself that the process wouldn''t be so arduous, despite his intimidating girth.

    But as it were, the cause for her anxiety was spot on.

    It did hurt. It hurt a lot!

    Peeking at where she and Zhu Qingyue were joined together, Li Meirong saw, to her growing dismay, that only the tip of him was inside of her!

    ''This is impossible! I thought that if I was the one in the lead, it''ll be easier, but maybe I can''t do this after all.'' Far too daunted to advance, Li Meiorng gradually began to dislodge herself from Zhu Qingyue.

    She shyly peeked at him with a side-long glance, an apologetic smile gracing her lips.

    However, before she could remove herself entirely, she felt Zhu Qingyue''s strong hands gripping her firmly in place at the waist.

    The upper part of his body carried a fine sheen of sweat, and his eyes were open now, boring into her as they flashed eerily in the dark. His mouth was set into a thin, grim line.

    "It is not my intent to cause you pain. Should I do anything you so dislike, tell me, and I shall stop," said Zhu Qingyue. "But do not deny me my duty. It is this Husband''s responsibility to grant his wife pleasure."

    As he spoke, the brows on his pale face furrowed with an internal struggle.

    Li Meirong looked at him with distress plainly written across her face. She actually wanted to stop altogether, in spite of Zhu Qingyue''s unusual choice of words that actually sounded quite sincere, and even flattering.

    She was a person who strived for comfort when it came to all things in life. If something was too difficult to obtain, then she would give up and seek an alternative route. If a task was too painful to endure, then she didn''t wish to undergo it in the first place.

    At that instant, however, as she stared back at Zhu Qingyue''s matchless countenance, she thought she saw a look of anguish, of near desperation, reflecting from within the depths of his beautiful eyes.

    Somehow, them joining their bodies together seemed like it was a merging of tremendous importance to the senior cultivator, far more than she initially gave him credit for.

    Her throat suddenly felt incredibly dry. She just couldn''t say no to that look on his face.

    Following a breath of time, Li Meirong shyly tilted her head and offered a silent nod of permission.

    At her consent, Zhu Qingyue''s lips fell upon her like a ravenous wolf, touching and kissing and licking everywhere he could reach.

 Chapter 301: You Are A Dangerous Beauty

    Only the tip of Zhu Qingyue''s cock remained a solid, unmoving object inside of her, and to her relief, he stilled himself from flexing forward.

    Instead, he fully concentrated on showering her with smoldering kisses. He softly kissed her cheeks, lightly nipped her chin, and slowly trailed butterfly kisses down her neck. His tongue proceeded to circle the hypersensitive spot connecting her neck and shoulders.

    Li Meirong''s skin was tender and fragile, it was fairly easy to leave marks on it. Due to Zhu Qingyue''s loving attention, a long line of red spots now graced the area of her collarbones and jade-like neck.

    Shivers of delight engulfed her each time she felt his warm mouth and slippery tongue leaving their mark on her skin, and the silken strands of his long silvery hair sweeping over her were like an additional sensation of soft caresses. She writhed above him, unable to continue sitting still.

    The sharp pain of his manhood''s penetration dimmed and was slowly replaced with an evoked, addicting sort of pleasure, as she rubbed herself against him. Her core moistened in an instinctual invitation.

    Her nipples began to harden, aching to be touched, and faster than she could even register, his wide palms were upon her breasts, cupping and kneading the puckered cherry buds.

    Li Meirong''s whole body began to ache with an unusual delight, and she let out an embarrassing throaty moan, immediately stifling the shameful noise with the back of her hand as her bashfulness overcame her.

    "Do not cover your mouth. I wish to hear you," Zhu Qingyue said in a low, steady tone. Despite his apparent calm, the feeling of the cock pulsating inside her entrance betrayed the man''s eagerness.

    He gently pulled her hand away, and kissed her fingertips, licking each tip of her fingers as though they were a delicious treat to feast upon.

    By now, Li Meirong assumed that in all likelihood, Zhu Qingyue would kiss every inch of her body, if she''d allow it.

    With her thighs still spread docilely atop Zhu Qingyue, her muscles adjusted to his shape and size, and the pain had all but disappeared. The same thrilling anticipation wound her tight, and she cried out with the rising pleasure that filled her up.

    Feeling more and more perverted with each passing second, her core clenched and unclenched around the tip of his manhood as she regarded Zhu Qingyue. His face, stark with arousal, left her dazed.

    "You are a dangerous beauty." she breathed in amazement, tracing the sharp line of Zhu Qingyue''s jaw with her hand.

    Entranced, she slowly moved her fingers over the sword-like shape of his eyebrows, and traced her fingertips down his high, finely chiselled nose befitting an aristocrat.

    The tip of Zhu Qingyue''s ears reddened. "This Husband is glad that his appearance pleases his wife, seeing as she is so easily attracted to pretty flowers."

    "Hey, that''s not true! I-"

    Li Meirong''s reply died in her throat as Zhu Qingyue ravished her mouth with his tongue, licking, sucking and nipping as if he couldn''t ever get enough of her. He kissed her as if she was the last drop of water in the desert and he was a travelling man, dying of thirst.

    She felt his wide hands fastening on her waist once more as he slowly pushed his cock past her entrance.

    Li Meirong couldn''t help but cry out with pain and pleasure as Zhu Qingyue drove himself into her, one slow, painfully agonizing inch at a time.

    Zhu Qingyue seemed to have purposefully kissed her to keep her distracted, consuming the whimpers right out from her swollen mouth with absolute relish.

    Simply put, she thought she would not survive this. Li Meirong''s panic intensified as Zhu Qingyue''s cock mercilessly ripped at her inner walls.

    It felt as if she was on the brink, the feel of his massive girth was tearing her in two.

    Every bit of her body was on fire, and she, apparently, was suicidal, because all she kept wanting to do was ride him faster, and push him deeper into herself!

 Chapter 302: Possessive Eyes

    Li Meirong''s body seemed to need him as much as her befuddled mind did, for she felt herself grow increasingly wet for him. A line of slick liquid trickled down her thighs while Zhu Qingyue handled her body as if she were a marionette. He had complete control, pushing her forcefully down onto his shaft until he was fully buried within her.

    Zhu Qingyue released a primal hiss of satisfaction once his cock thrust inside her all the way to the hilt.

    "You are so tight, so wet." He let out the words through gritted teeth.

    Li Meirong writhed on top of him, whimpering helplessly.

    Zhu Qingyue lifted her up until his cock was nearly fully visible once more. Li Meirong cast her gaze downwards to observe her own slick juices overflowing, coating Zhu Qingyue''s throbbing manhood. The evidence of her arousal shamefully plain to see.

    A streak of red suddenly caught her eye but was immediately concealed from view as the silver haired man seemed to lose whatever was left of his patience.

    Without any further ado, Zhu Qingyue''s powerful hips surged forward, burying his entire length once more into her aching core with one swift movement.

    The intruding sensation was so sharp and intense that Li Meirong was screaming as she held onto Zhu Qingyue for dear life, her arms around him in a fierce embrace, fingernails digging and cutting into his back.

    He seemed entirely all too pleased by her reaction, slamming his hips upwards and shoving himself inside her repetitively, sheathing his cock to the hilt with every hard thrust. His pace grew increasingly faster every time she cried out.

    "I can''t anymore!" Li Meirong screamed, shutting her eyes in ecstasy. Her body felt no better than a taut cord of a musical instrument, about to snap at any given moment.

    "You can, and you will," he countered with a low growl while vigorously pumping into her again and again.

    His motions were unpractised, uneven. But his deep, magnetic voice was low, controlled, and mysteriously reassuring. It helped to ease Li Meirong''s tension and fear, allowing her to concentrate on the mounting pleasure building within her.

    His thrusts were growing ever harder and faster with a desperate urgency, on the precipice of pain, but not quite there.

    Everything stripped away except for a primitive need, a demand, which Zhu Qingyue not only answered, but had far exceeded any of her wildest expectations.

    She screamed again as her walls clamped down on him, tremors of electricity shooting up her spine.

    "Look at me." Li Meirong heard him say.

    "Mmhm?"

    She let out a mumbled response and groggily opened her eyes to stare straight at Zhu Qingyue. Her cheeks were flushed red at the lewd sounds evoked by their lovemaking. Her taut legs trembled as her body naturally strived to loosen itself from the intense orgasm, yet he kept pumping himself inside her, prolonging the agonizing, nerve-wracking sensation.

    "Li Meirong." Zhu Qingyue''s gaze burned through her soul. Her name was uttered as a ferocious command from his lips.

    "Finally," he whispered, forcing himself inside and grinding his erection as deeply as he could. "You''re mine."

    Li Meirong trembled all over as she rode the pleasure, every pounding of his shaft became another jolt of electricity searing through her.

    She locked eyes with him and the tremble in her body became one that was not entirely of enjoyment. He stared at her with a pair of haunting, fiercely possessive eyes. It was a look no less frightening than his wrath.

    As if to match the ferocity of his gaze, Zhu Qingyue began to almost viciously slam himself into her abused tunnel at a much greater speed, on the verge of his own approaching release.

    "You''re mine forever," he said, breathing hard. His mouth clamped on hers as she felt his swelling cock spasm and expand its width within her, stretching the contorting muscles of her inner walls wider as he shot his seed inside.

 Chapter 303: Trouble My Wife To Take Care of Me

    "Ahh, ahh!"

    The force of his ejaculation was akin to a volcanic eruption. The sensation was so overwhelming; it brought Li Meirong another unexpected shockwave of pleasure until her voice turned hoarse from crying, and tears trickled down her face.

    The scorching hot semen flowed and filled her to the brim, and still kept spilling more.

    Zhu Qingyue pumped her so full, the hot liquid seeped in a steady stream down her thighs.

    Exhausted, she collapsed above him, enjoying a moment of release and basking in the afterglow as she relearnt to breathe again.

    As Zhu Qingyue reluctantly released his hold on her waist, she gratefully used the opportunity to slowly dislodge herself from him.

    To Li Meirong''s great dismay, her legs were too weak to function, and she had to resort to crawling away on all fours.

    As embarrassing as the situation was, she tossed her self-respect to the back of her mind and intuitively began to distance herself further away, away from him. She felt on the verge of fainting and dearly wished to slump on the bed and sleep the rest of the night away.

    Contrary to her plans, Li Meirong was suddenly lifted into the air, effortlessly caught by Zhu Qingyue''s powerful embrace. His long arms hooked under her knees as he scooped her up and travelled in large strides towards the bed.

    "W-what are you doing?" Li Meirong''s heart leapt.

    "My Dear Wife, what does it look like I am doing?" Zhu Qingyue audaciously raised one provocative silver-coloured eyebrow as he gently laid Li Meirong''s backside on the bed.

    Li Meirong quickly used the last ounce of her strength to close her legs and fold her arms over her breasts, giving Zhu Qingyue a well-deserved death glare. However, she ended up squeezing the mounds together, unintentionally making for a far more tempting view.

    "Are you trying to seduce me?" asked Zhu Qingyue mischievously.

    Seeing Li Meirong''s reaction, he amusedly regarded her with his arms crossed. Standing stark naked, his whole body gleamed invitingly with perspiration. Once again, his manhood stood provocatively alert, ready and eager.

    "Definitely not!"

    Zhu Qingyue''s pupils dilated with interest as his gaze roamed over the shivering huddled feast that was Li Meirong laying before him.

    "Surely, you don''t assume that your Husband''s fire could be doused so easily?" he inquired at length, revealing a trace of wickedness as his thin lips hooked upwards. "I will have to trouble my wife to take care of me."

    "Please, I can''t take any more trouble. Y-you can''t be serious..." she whimpered. ''This shameless, outrageous man, can''t he see I''m exhausted?!''

    "Everything is going to be fine," said Zhu Qingyue, licking his lower lip. He teasingly imitated her own previously spoken words. "Don''t worry. I''ve got this all under control."

    "..." Li Meirong''s mouth hung wordlessly open. She realized that her inebriated decision had led her into another unexpected death trap!

    One round after another, the pitiful, ignorant wife of the Sovereign Fox Lord had discovered and repeatedly reacquainted herself with all the sore parts of her body.

    Birds chirped their morning melody by the time Li Meirong found out she had spent the entire night under Zhu Qingyue''s tender and "merciful" care. That night''s lesson had been carefully drilled into her; never try to outwit this black bellied man!

 Chapter 304: Spoil You Terribly

    The mating calls of the crickets had finally died out as morning had broken. Faint rays of light filtered through the window screen, and a hazy shade of an early day''s mist was cloaking the nude figures of the couple resting on the bed.

    An amorous atmosphere prevailed in the small enclosure of Li Meirong''s unkempt residence.

    As the wife of the Sovereign Lord slumbered in her husband''s possessive embrace, her jade-like skin appeared obviously flushed, even several hours after she had fainted.

    The bruise-like marks on her skin remained an absolute affirmation to yesterday''s strenuous activities.

    A salty sweat dripped from her partly covered breasts, which rose and fell rhythmically. She looked peaceful in her sleep, pursing her rosy lips ever so slightly. Her hair, slightly damp, messily clung to her face like a dark shawl.

    Bai Qingyue fixed a tender gaze upon the sleeping bundle in his arms. Under the light, Li Meirong seemed to have grown ever more enchanting.

    She was so tiny in comparison to him. So frail. So mortal.

    Yet, this petite, delicate woman took him in, all of him. She cried out her pleasure as he gobbled her up, leaving not a single trace of her untouched or unmarked by him.

    The way her body had been tightening on him, answering his every jarring thrust, had sent a rarely felt pleasure like no other rushing through him.

    The memory of it alone had brought his manhood to stand ramrod straight once again.

    As if it had a mind of its own, the damned thing kept repeatedly hardening to a painful throb without his consent whenever she was around.

    Furthermore, he was the Celestial Fox God, hailing from a clan known for their prolonged chastity. A clan which preached a way of life that disentangled oneself from the pleasures of the flesh.

    However, when it came to her, Bai Qingyue found himself unable to think, and only capable of mindlessly acting upon his most base desires.

    He wanted, no, needed to make her pant out his name. To make a mess of her, to plant his seed inside. He needed to make her his.

    Thus, he had taken her again, and again, and again. Emptying his sperm deep within her, every single time.

    Moreover, even when she begged him to stop, he had not heeded her pleas.

    Only when she had fainted, did he finally cease.

    Bai Qingyue''s palms clenched into tight fists, his nails elongating into claws, drawing blood as feelings of guilt overrode his senses. Remorse tortuously ate at his insides.

    A few hours ago, he had set his fainted wife on the bed, tucked her underneath the blanket and dutifully stayed at her side, regarding her serenely beautiful visage the entire time. He quietly waited for the moment she would finally rouse from her sleep.

    But she hadn''t. Naturally, she had been far too exhausted to awaken.

    He should have exercised some measure of self-restraint, that much he knew. He should have allowed her to rest after they had done it the first time.

    And it was, indeed, her first time. He had done his utmost to divert Li Meirong''s attention as he tore at her hymen, to distract her from the pain.

    However, it was also his first time, and the lack of his experience had shown.

    He had hurt her.

    The unquenchable thirst that had been kept dormant for thousands of years had driven Bai Qingyue to become a mindless beast.

    Li Meirong began to stir in her sleep, snapping him out of his reverie. She unconsciously curled up more closely into the curve of his body.

    His heart began to pound faster, as though a string connected the beating organ in his chest to her every subtle move.

    The vision before him eased the waves of bitterness which overwhelmed him.

    The corner of Bai Qingyue''s lips curved into a faint smile. Huddled up as his wife was against him, she resembled a harmless, little rabbit.

    Bai Qingyue gently tucked a few stray hairs behind Li Meirong''s ear, careful not to wake her up.

    He found it a bit hard to believe that this was the same girl who had been rejecting his advances, who had boldly confronted not only an immortal god, but a dragon member of the royal family, no less.

    This was the same girl who had brazenly stormed into another male''s residence, only to beat them to a pulp.

    The same silly girl, no, silly woman, for she was definitely a woman now. She was the very same silly woman who, insolently, had considered him to be interested in his own subordinate!

    Bai Qingyue leaned closer to her neck, inhaling the fruity fragrance emitting from his wife. Her own unique scent merged with his, a most pleasing blending which he knew he''d never tire of.

    His hot breath caused Li Meirong to shiver as she slept. Spurred by her unconscious response to him, he softly brushed his lips against her dotted neck, at the area where he felt her blood pumping strongly.

    She let out a seductive, throaty sound that left him restless.

    He gritted his teeth, a physical effort to suppress his desires, knowing that he had to give her ample time to rest.

    Sometimes, this frail human, more often than not, drove him so mad he wished to throttle her into submission.

    "Although..." Bai Qingyue paused, and adjusted his position to rise over Li Meirong. His lips hovered directly above hers as he whispered, "Oftentimes, I find myself yearning to spoil you terribly, so I will be the only thing you can ever think of."

    Li Meirong stayed soundly asleep, completely oblivious to Bai Qingyue''s declaration.

    The distant sound of approaching footsteps had alerted the Sovereign Fox Lord to the presence of others and broke the tender moment.

    Bai Qingyue hastily wrapped himself in his robe, threw a quick glance to assess his sleeping wife''s condition, and exited the room.

    As soon as he left, Li Meirong''s eyes shot wide open.

 Chapter 305: The Rice Has Been Cooked?

    Amid the stalks of herbs in Li Meirong''s garden, a pair of twin foxes crept between the many different types of aromatic leaves. As silent as expert thieves, their soft and tiny paw pads hadn''t made so much as a single sound to announce their arrival.

    "Do you think it''s safe for us to approach, sister?" one fox anxiously inquired.

    The fox''s identical twin let out a jeering laugh. "The aggressive aura surrounding the perimeters has reduced significantly and appears to be unusually pleasant. I''d say it''s safe enough."

    "But what if His Lordship punishes us for intruding on his precious time?"

    The fox rolled her eyes at her sister. "You worry too much! I don''t think His Lordship has the patience to take care of us mere subordinates, even if he wanted to. He''s probably exhausted from all of his nightly labours!"

    "I don''t think His Lordship was busy working last night, or that he''s possibly tired in any way." The worried fox retorted.

    The fox''s identical twin sighed. "Dearest sister of mine, sometimes you are far too innocent for your own good."

    "Sister, His Lordship is our Sovereign Lord! It will not be a very simple task to exhaust a godly entity of his caliber. And also, His Lordship spent all of his time with Her Ladyship, so what could he possibly do make him feel tired?"

    The worried fox''s words came out as a furious whisper, not fully understanding the double meaning behind her own twin''s wise words.

    In response, the twin fox sister gave her anxious sister a pointed look, bopping her sister''s pink button nose. "Fine then, explain to me, if you will, why did the killing aura diminish? What else could make His Lordship''s mood suddenly change for the better?"

    The worried fox blinked her eyes a few times over, looking lost.

    Her twin sister looked up to the skies as if to seek help from the heavens above. Then, she drew circle patterns on her furry belly with her tiny paw, in an attempt to emphasize the point of what she had just mentioned.

    Understanding suddenly dawned on the anxious fox''s face. A few tiny leaves of thyme rustled as she backed up a step. "You mean to say, that the rice has been finally cooked?"

    The fox''s twin sister smirked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Heh, not only has it been fully cooked, I bet it''s been cooking all night long!"

    "Sister An Hua, you have no sense of shame!" The little fox averted her eyes in embarrassment and added, "Regardless, we should do what we were instructed to do, and since His Lordship wanted us to present him with that fool, Bai Yu, then we must respectfully announce our arrival."

    "I don''t think there''s any need for that. Look there," said Xiao An Hua as she involuntarily gulped aloud. She pointed a single claw at Bai Qingyue''s ethereal figure approaching them from a distance.

    Her sister, Xiao An Fei, quickly looked up, her paws beginning to tremble. "Do we have the loot prepared?"

    Xiao An Hua glanced back at the big brown sack dragging behind them. "Yes, the loot is right here, ready to be delivered!"

    The ''loot'' in question, was none other than the former second in command. The terrified subordinate who had previously run away to save his precious life, was currently confined inside the bag, fully prepared to be handed out to the executioner by the hands of his own comrades.

    Bai Yu''s stifled voice wailed from inside the bag, "Let me out, you fiendish vixens! Are you really so heartless as to willingly have my blood on your hands?!"

    The Xiao twins eyed each other with an identical smile and nodded their heads. "Yeah, no problem there."

 Chapter 306: The Sack Began To Tremble

    It had taken the Sovereign Fox Lord less than a second to appear behind the Xiao twins, faster than they could have possibly comprehended.

    The pair of fox goddesses spun around to prostrate themselves upon the ground, grovelling at his feet.

    "Sire." They squeaked in unison.

    The Fox Lord dismissed the grovelling foxes with a simple wave, while using his other hand to seize the wiggling sack that was dragging behind them. He plucked the sack high into the air with the edge of his ivory fingers, and stared at it with undisguised, dangerous amusement glittering in his phoenix eyes.

    Bai Yu shifted inside the sack as he barked out curses. "You fiendish females! No wonder you have not been able to find a mate! Who would want to marry such conniving- Oh, Sire! You''re¡­ you''re here..." he all but stuttered, his flaming rage deflating instantly.

    There was a hint of anger in the Fox Lord''s voice as he asked, "Dare I ask the reason for your recent uncouth behaviour?"

    ''There are plenty of reasons, of course, but I cannot name any of them!'' Bai Yu thought as he wordlessly mourned his current predicament. Would this be the end of him?

    Those bloody twins were far more clever than Bai Yu had originally given them credit for! He had travelled so far away that he had been certain about his success in disappearing for at least a century or so. He planned to vanish at least until His Lordship''s wrath would ease a little, enough for his life to be preserved.

    Needless to say, that plan had been reduced to ashes. The Xiao twins must have been experts at tracking, since they had found him in less than a single bloody day!

    "I was captured and stuffed in a bag, Sire." Bai Yu''s squeaky voice was heard at length, his words coming out as a mumble.

    Bai Qingyue raised a single eyebrow, one corner of his lips twitching ever so slightly. "I am well aware. I planned to send you on a journey to visit Old Lady Meng and drink her bowl of soup in the Netherworld."

    The sack began to tremble in Bai Qingyue''s grip.

    "You must be wondering how it was possible for your whereabouts to be discovered so easily." Bai Qingyue continued speaking. He narrowed his eyes, exuding a faint coldness. "You see, after the incident with the Huli Jing Matron''s escape, I do not take risks with anyone anymore. Do not think to escape again. I will track you wherever you may roam."

    "Yes, Sire¡­" Bai Yu muttered defeatedly.

    If he was bound to drink the Broth of Oblivion from Meng Po''s cold undead hands, he would do so without begging for his life. The former Second in command reasoned with himself, holding on to the last shred of his dignity.

    "We have brought back Bai Yu, as His Lordship requested. Please be lenient with our punishment," announced Xiao An Hua, finding the opportune moment to speak. She pressed her small snout to the ground between several herb stalks as the scene played out before her. Her sister promptly imitated her actions.

    Observing his subordinates'' reactions, Bai Qingyue let out an ominous chuckle.

    The trio of subordinates cowered in fright. A bone piercing chill crawled up their spine.

    At times like these, when the Sovereign Fox Lord laughed, the unfortunate souls around him, more often than not, ended up getting instantly dismembered. The victims of the Fox Lord''s violence were often torn limb from limb, their bodies never able to receive a proper burial, and their souls suffering in agony for countless eons before being given the mercy of reincarnation.

    Although it was a known fact that the Fox Lord had rarely butchered his own people, his subordinates had also been aware that such an action was not beyond their Lord to act upon. This knowledge had them shaking in fear and praying to all that is good and holy for this to not be their own fate.

 Chapter 307: Your Aura Seems A Lot More Pleasan

    Despite the Sovereign Fox Lord''s oppressive aura and bloodthirsty nature, he had not ruled the Huli Jing with an iron fist. Quite the opposite, in fact. He had been just and wise with his decisions, bringing prosperity to the dying Bai clan.

    Thus, the celestial fox gods had always tiptoed around their Sovereign Lord. They had lived and breathed in fear whenever they approached him, but they did it willingly, with great respect, not wishing for any other to replace him.

    However, the suffocating air of malevolence that the Sovereign Lord had always carried with him had currently diminished. It was definitely there under the surface, if one looked hard enough.

    Yet it seemed as though his oppressive aura had been reduced to a mere humming threat vibrating in the wind.

    Xiao An Hua, Xiao An Fei, and Bai Yu had simultaneously regarded their Lord with their own sense of spiritual awareness.

    Astonished by their discovery, they nearly jumped out of their skin in shock.

    The comparison to the previous throttling malice that had brought deities to their knees from sheer agony, astounded the fox god''s subjects, throwing them into great confusion.

    The Bai clan''s subordinates might have been considered as servants in their social ranking, but they were still immortal beings nonetheless. An immortal was an entity who could see with more than just their eyes, listened with more than just their ears, and smelled with more than just their nose.

    Immortals were beings capable of a deeper level of awareness, of consciousness. Their senses worked on a metaphysical level, that had naught to do with their physical forms.

    There were some immortals who had once begun their cultivation journey as mere mortals, and struggled to achieve this higher level of understanding as they trudged through the path to immortality.

    In contrast to the struggles of a mortal to cultivate his or her spiritual senses, there also existed immortal deities who were bestowed with a deeper perception from the moment of their birth, such as the celestial foxes.

    Nevertheless, it didn''t really matter how any of the immortals came to gain their higher level of consciousness. For all immortals, godly or not, shared this one thing in common.

    All immortals used their inner senses, their spiritual awareness, to comprehend and perceive their surroundings. In fact, when faced with some of the incredible forces lurking in the Heavenly realm, this perception became vital to one''s survival.

    As such, anybody with a deeper level of perception who had encountered Bai Qingyue previously, would immediately feel the need to distance themselves away. Instinctively sensing the Sovereign Fox Lord''s intimidating power, those godly entities had often went running for their lives.

    At least that had been the case, until today.

    "Sire, is it really you?" Bai Yu squealed under Bai Qingyue''s hold, being unable to recognize the spiritual force of His Lordship.

    "What a daft question." Bai Qingyue sighed and opened the sack. He grabbed Bai Yu''s scruff and pulled him up to hang mid-air, at his eye level.

    "It really is you!" Bai Yu exclaimed in shock, smacking his snowy paws on each side of his furry cheeks as he momentarily forgot his precarious position.

    Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei rose together and regarded their Lord, shape-shifting into their human forms. "Sire, your aura. It has been altered."

    "Oh?" was Bai Qingyue''s only unconcerned reply.

    "Your aura seems a lot more pleasant." Xiao An Fei piped up cheerfully, circling Bai Qingyue in awe.

    Xiao An Hua grabbed her sister by the collar and dragged her a few steps back, maintaining an appropriate distance.

    She said, "My sister is right. Your aura seems to have merged with Her Ladyship''s."

    The Sovereign Lord didn''t speak a word and pursed his lips. From a bystander''s perspective, he would have seemed displeased, angry even. But that wasn''t actually the case. He was just concealing his embarrassment.

    ''Since when did my Lord start acting all timid, not much different than a shy maiden? Is this another new side of him?'' Bai Yu thought as he gawked at the Sovereign Lord. He couldn''t believe his own eyes.

    Sure enough, as Bai Yu inspected his sovereign further, he noticed His Lordship''s ears were tinted red!

 Chapter 308: I Shall Go In Her Stead

    The unrestrained way Bai Yu stared at the Sovereign Lord made it impossible for the latter not to take notice.

    Bai Qingyue smiled coldly and flung the fox cub, also known as Bai Yu, straight into a thorny bush.

    The former second-in-command expertly somersaulted in the air, shape-shifting into a human form in the process. He narrowly avoided getting his behind pricked by thorns.

    The moment Bai Yu was about to sigh in relief, the Sovereign Lord granted him an icy glare, making him hold back his breath.

    "Due to your wretched existence, fortune turned sharply in my favour. Thus, I found myself contemplating whether it would be wiser to spare you a trip to the realm of the dead. Do not make me reconsider this benevolence." said Bai Qingyue.

    Bai Yu sank to his knees, bowing deeply before the Sovereign Lord. "My Lord is as just as he is wise. This incompetent servant wronged Her Ladyship with his carelessness. Please forgive this servant. It shall not happen again."

    "Cease your grovelling. I cannot bother to deal with you while my wife has been left unattended." Bai Qingyue declared icily.

    All three of the fox god''s subjects looked towards the cabin, blinking in confusion as they thought to themselves, ''Isn''t Her Ladyship merely sleeping? What sort of tending does she require?''

    "There is one thing this servant wishes to say before My Lord departs." Bai Yu kept bowing, hiding the small smile plastered upon his face.

    ''His Lordship won''t get rid of me. I''m still needed!'' he grew thrilled at the prospect. As long as he was needed, he wouldn''t be so easily discarded.

    "What is it?" Bai Qingyue asked with a gloomy face, the air around him began to prickle with energy.

    "The long expected tournament that My Lord has desired for Her Ladyship to participate in will begin today. If you''d allow, this servant will be more than happy to act as your fox spirit disguise once again."

    Bai Yu raised his face to steal a peek. Faced with the Sovereign Lord''s dangerous gaze, he finished his speech while stuttering. "... S-so that My Lord may stay by Her Ladyship''s side as she battles the human cultivators."

    Bai Qingyue stood there with his hands behind his back, wearing his black robe elegantly. He didn''t say anything in reply. Only his pupils narrowed into slits, catching a sharp glint.

    "How could Her Ladyship be expected to battle when she has been preoccupied all night? She must be fatigued!" Xiao An Hua interjected.

    "Sister, hold your tongue!" Xiao An Fei hissed, smacking her sister over the back of her head.

    "Ouch! Was that really necessary?" Xiao An Hua locked her sister with a scathing glare as they began to bicker.

    Bai Qingyue shot the twins a pointed look that silenced them instantly. He turned his back to his subordinates and directed his gaze towards the cabin.

    "My wife needs her rest," he said.

    "Then, is it alright for Her Ladyship to be disqualified?" inquired Bai Yu.

    "I shall go in her stead."

    "Oh."

    The fox gods stared stupefied at their Sovereign Lord''s back, their mouths hanging slightly open.

    ''How far is His Lordship willing to go for Her Ladyship? She totally has him whipped!''

    Bai Qingyue cleared his throat. "Bai Yu, deliver yourself to the Punishment Hall to be crippled a hundred times over. You may return once you have finished repenting."

    "Yes, My Lord," said Bai Yu, tasting bitterness in his mouth. It was the lesser evil, he thought, trying to encourage himself. ''It could have been worse. He could have killed me on the spot."

    Turning his head to address the fox twin goddesses, Bai Qingyue said, "One of you, stay and attend my wife. The other will go and supervise Bai Yu''s punishment."

    Xiao An Fei took a step forward and demurely bobbed her head. "It will honour This servant to stay with Her Ladyship."

    Suddenly, Li Meirong''s soft whisper could be heard from inside the cabin as she called out the Sovereign Lord''s fake name.

    A human might not have been able to hear such a low sound. But then again, none of the individuals present were, in fact, human.

    Bai Qingyue vanished into thin air. All that was left in his spot was a rolling ball of dust.

    A few moments later, the three foxes turned to stare at each other, re-learning how to breathe again.

    "Well now, you got off lucky." Xiao An Hua smirked at Bai Yu.

    "Absolutely," said Bai Yu, scratching the back of his head. He began to fix his loose hair into an unkempt braid. "His Lordship must be in a very good mood today."

 Chapter 309: I Have To Get Out of Bed

    By the time Li Meirong had opened her eyes, Zhu Qingyue had already stepped outside. She was glad for it, too. Her face felt burning hot to the touch.

    Too tired to move, she merely kept her eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.

    Actually, she had woken up a bit earlier and pretended to be asleep for a while longer. She wanted to see what else Zhu Qingyue had in store for her. It was only sheer luck which helped her feign sleep.

    Utilizing Feng Huang''s shield technique in addition to the recent ''upgrade'' in power had allowed her pretense to go unnoticed.

    A sweltering rush of embarrassment filled her, and her fingers fidgeted without end as she thought of the intense form of exercise her untrained body had just been put through.

    A pain-filled moan escaped her lips as the feeling of throbbing muscles abruptly assaulted her senses. She was aching all over. Her waist, especially, felt excruciatingly sore.

    As for her abused nether region, she didn''t even wish to think about it.

    Li Meirong slowly moved the blanket aside from her naked body to inspect her condition. To her great mortification, she discovered a trail of hickeys made their way towards her navel.

    In the back of her mind, she knew she had been the one who came on to him. She wasn''t so sure of what came over her, but she felt like she couldn''t help herself. She had craved to touch him. She had wanted more of him.

    However¡­ he had been far too ruthless!

    Li Meirong''s cheeks darkened into a deeper shade of a ripe strawberry as she sensed a sticky wetness pooling between her thighs.

    ''This bastard!'' An ever increasing part of her dearly wished to punch Zhu Qingyue until he turned black and blue!

    She was only grateful for the fact the pain hadn''t lingered much longer after the first time they had done it last night. Her body naturally seemed to have adjusted to his shape and size by the second time he had entered her. His unceasing penetration had made her carve crescent moons on his back, screaming until her voice had grown hoarse.

    Consequently, Zhu Qingyue''s words kept echoing in her ears long after his departure.

    He said he yearned to spoil her, so that he would be the only thing she could ever think of¡­

    Li Meirong adjusted herself into a sitting position, cupping her mouth to prevent herself from making too loud a sound as she squealed.

    She nibbled on her lower lip, conflicted by her own torrent of emotions. She had to admit that she also wished for her beautiful senior to swiftly return to her side. The sooner, the better as far as she was concerned. She wondered if perhaps she developed some sort of masochism.

    Or did she, hopefully, simply wish for Zhu Qingyue''s speedy return only so she could exact revenge? At this point, she wasn''t so sure.

    In her large, limpid eyes showed signs of uncertainty.

    At first, Li Meirong had vehemently denied her growing fondness for Zhu Qingyue, even to her own self. She had hoped to guard her feelings from further torment. But she couldn''t find it in her heart to deny her emotions.

    An indescribable form of attachment began to build inside for her silver haired senior. She was scared of liking him, but she liked him nonetheless.

    Whatever he had been doing seemed to have an effect on her, because she found herself thinking of him quite often. Far too often for her own good.

    Additionally, Li Meirong couldn''t help feeling a nagging pang of dread well up inside of her as soon as he had left. After all of Zhu Qingyue''s previous disappearances, she ended up wondering if perhaps she''d see the man in a few years once again.

    "I have to get out of bed." Li Meirong groaned and shook her head. She felt sore, sticky, and generally uncomfortable.

    More than anything else, she grew tired of sinking in her own useless thoughts.

    A warm, relaxing bath never sounded any better than it did at this exact moment.

    She dragged the nightgown which she kept underneath her pillow and draped it on herself. One of her feet dangled out of bed in preparation to head out.

    However, as soon as she stepped out of bed, her legs gave way beneath her, and she collapsed with a loud thump to the floor.

    The damned legs refused to listen! It was as if her limbs had lost their bones, and she became completely incapacitated. She dreaded to find out for how long she''d remain in this embarrassing state.

    "Great, ah! Just great." Li Meirong sucked in a breath while grinding her teeth. She broke into a bitter smile as she rubbed her sensitive rear end. "Damn you, Zhu Qingyue!"

 Chapter 310: This Is All Your Fault Anyway

    The door burst open and a strong pair of arms immediately encircled Li Meirong''s narrow waist from behind. She felt a hot breath fan across her neck, followed by a soft brush of lips pressing on her skin. All of her previous thoughts stopped in their tracks.

    A warm rush of reassurance pressed against her. She could smell him before she could see or hear him. Just from his scent alone, she knew who it was.

    Li Meirong unconsciously grew limp in Zhu Qingyue''s arms as she leaned her head back against the broad span of his chest. To her, it felt as if she was sinking into him, melding with his solid warmth.

    His masculine scent invaded her senses. It made her feel safe, and at the same time, a little perplexed as a new feeling aroused within her, becoming slightly turned on by his body odour.

    The softness of Zhu Qingyue''s lips disappeared as he raised his head. A few strands of gossamer hair fell over her forehead, tickling her nose.

    ''So he didn''t leave.'' she thought, releasing a breath she didn''t even know she had held. The constant beating of his heart comforted her, easing her confusion.

    "Playing around on the cold floor is not good for your health," scolded Zhu Qingyue, unknowingly ruining the tranquil moment. He scooped Li Meirong into his arms and sat her back on the bed, wrapping her tight with a blanket.

    Li Meirong turned her head and gave him an exasperated look. "Who is playing around?!"

    Sadly, she didn''t sound half as angry as she wanted to, since her voice came out squeaky and a little raspy.

    "Stay put," ordered Zhu Qingyue as he strode into the compact kitchen area and poured water from one of the jugs into a cup.

    Li Meirong''s face darkened. She couldn''t budge even if she wanted to. Not only could she barely move her fatigued limbs, but he had also wrapped her up like a tightly packaged sushi roll!

    She sighed and looked to the front, staring at his ramrod back, and thought something seemed a bit different about Zhu Qingyue this morning. He was leisurely pouring water, his every movement filled with artistic elegance and grace she had grown to expect. A part of his ivory wrist was bare to view as he raised up the jug ever so slightly, slowly tilting it downwards. Just that small glimpse of his skin made her throat feel dry.

    Zhu Qingyue did nothing out of the ordinary, but even so, he was astonishingly beautiful, casting a spell on any pair of eyes that dared look his way.

    However, his enchanting looks weren''t what held Li Meirong''s gaze captive. It was something else which she couldn''t quite put her finger on. Her silver-haired senior possessed a tranquil air about him, a serenity which she hadn''t seen before. He looked fresh, radiant, and composed. As if for him, all the problems in the world ceased to exist.

    Once Zhu Qingyue returned with the cup, he lifted the bundled up Li Meirong and brought her to sit on his lap. One arm snaked possessively around her waist, restraining her in place.

    He then brought the cup to his own lips and blew his breath on it. Steam began to waft from the water inside.

    "Drink." He delivered the cup to Li Mierong''s lips.

    Li Meirong frowned at him, pursing her lips together. Wasn''t it just water he poured for her? He made it seem like he was providing her with precious medicine.

    "What is it?" she asked with suspicion.

    "It will aid your recovery." He inclined his head, gazing at her with an unfathomable look in his eyes.

    Li Meirong didn''t listen. She childishly turned her face aside and sulked. "This is all your fault anyway..."

    "Wife is right. It is all this Husband''s fault." Zhu Qingyue''s magnetic voice reverberated from his chest. "But first you must drink, then you can beat up your husband."

    The bundled up Li Meirong narrowed her eyes at him and huffed, completely uncooperative. If she could have petulantly crossed her arms, she would have. However, seeing as she was frustratingly bundled up, she could do no such thing.

    Zhu Qingyue met her gaze. His customary unreadable expression began to alter with a little rise to the corner of his mouth, creating a sinister smirk on his bewitching face. He was savouring the moment, relishing in this silly bickering as if it was the best possible way to spend his time.

    Li Meirong raised a questioning eyebrow as Zhu Qingyue raised the cup towards himself and poured the liquid into his own mouth.

    For an instant, it seemed as though he had given up on trying to persuade her.

    Then, he forcefully pried Li Meirong''s lips open, sealing her mouth with his own as he drove the hot water down her throat.

 Chapter 311: Darling Please

    Li Meirong gulped down the liquid between ongoing coughs, her eyes glaring daggers at the man holding her captive on his lap.

    After the cup was successfully emptied out, Zhu Qingyue leaned back and affectionately patted Li Meirong''s head, his fingers gently glided through her silky, midnight hair.

    "Good girl." he murmured.

    "Zhu Qingyue!" Li Meirong sputtered in outrage. She shook her head against his hold, feeling as if he was patronizing her.

    "Call me husband." Zhu Qingyue''s playful voice sounded above her head.

    "Release me this instant!"

    "Say ''please release me, my dear husband''."

    Li Meirong gnashed her teeth. "You infuriating-"

    Zhu Qingyue tapped on her lips with his index finger, silencing her. He clucked his tongue in disapproval. "What did I say?"

    Li Meirong took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. She wasn''t the unyielding type that would persist to protect her pride, but that did not mean she wouldn''t get back at him, either.

    A few moments later, she graced him with a stiff smile. "Darling, please unhand me."

    Zhu Qingyue''s eyes brightened, looking like he drank a jar full of honey. "Say that again."

    "Darling... please."

    "Anything for my wife," he said, faintly smiling and seemingly all too pleased with his newly bestowed title. He unhurriedly uncovered Li Meirong from her cocoon-like blanket.

    As soon as Li Meirong successfully escaped her woollen chains, she immediately turned around and pounced on Zhu Qingyue.

    Seething with frustration, she angrily pounded her fists on his chest. "You utter bastard!"

    "Won''t your arms grow tired?" Zhu Qingyue asked from beneath her, his voice filled with feigned concern. "If you must discipline me, I would rather engage in a different sort of familial punishment."

    "Who''s tired? I can do this all day!" Li Meirong announced, thumping on his chest again and again.

    ''I can''t believe I thought he was a man of noble character! He''s just a clever, perverted bastard!'' she thought, completely rattled by his behaviour.

    Highly peeved, she ended up straddling him a second time. Even though she used a substantial spiritual force against the shameless man, her attacks seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

    "You should refrain from dancing on top of your husband unless you are willing to handle the consequences. I am all too susceptible to your teasing."

    Zhu Qingyue''s warning came out as a sharp gasp, golden eyes darkening with lust. His abrupt shortness of breath had nothing to do with Li Meirong''s onslaught of attacks.

    Li Meirong instantly froze, her mouth hung wordlessly open. At first, she had merely assumed Zhu Qingyue was attempting to provoke her, as he seemed to take great pleasure in driving her mad. However, the growing bulge bumping against her inner thighs proved otherwise.

    A bubble of panic rose up inside her chest. She scrambled backwards, nearly falling off the bed once more.

    Zhu Qingyue straightened his back as he slowly got off the bed, dusting nonexistent dirt from his wide sleeves. His eyes still held a spark of mischief, even though he acted as if he was the one being wronged.

    "You will rest today without me," he announced. "Although it pains me to leave you, alas, I have a meeting which I must attend to. One of the servant girls assigned to you is waiting outside at your convenience. I can now rest assured after seeing my wife regain her strength."

    Shock crossed Li Meirong''s face as she stood up and stretched her legs. She hadn''t even noticed this important detail, but soon after she had been force-fed the water, her body had become fully revitalized.

    She turned to face Zhu Qingyue, hoping he wouldn''t notice the thread of anxiety in her voice as the words tumbled out of her mouth. "Why are you leaving? Will you be gone for long?"

    Zhu Qingyue gave her a mysterious, noncommittal smile, and leaned down to whisper in her. "Do not despair. I shall return shortly to recommence my husbandly duties."

    Following that statement, the self proclaimed husband swiftly departed, intentionally leaving Li Meirong utterly mortified in his wake.

    "As if I would despair¡­" Li Meirong grumbled to herself. She grabbed the offended appendage which the shameless man blew his breath into and rubbed it a few times over, unable to shake off the seductive effect he had on her.

    Occasionally, Li Meirong kept getting the feeling that Zhu Qingyue wasn''t entirely all that he seemed to be. Sometimes, he was simply too much for her to handle. This was definitely one of those moments.

    With a furious blush, she gathered a few of her bathing necessities and rushed outside towards the bamboo stall in the backyard.

 Chapter 312: So Kind So Forgiving

    The moment Li Meirong stepped outside, she nearly tumbled over an outer sect disciple who had prostrated herself on the bare floor right outside the door.

    Li Meirong immediately took a step back, balancing herself as she tightened her hold on the towel and brush in her hands.

    The young girl, dressed in the Forgotten Waters sect''s servant clothes, had her forehead pressed to the ground. Her dark hair was neatly styled into two elaborate loops on each side of her small head. Golden strings tied to a bell decorated each loop, making her seem all the more adorable.

    She immediately recognized the sister with an identical twin who had been introduced as her personal maid several months ago. She had naturally assumed that Zhu Qingyue''s words were all in jest, since she hadn''t seen the girls since that one single meeting.

    "Please don''t bow before me." Li Meirong smiled and asked gently, "I remember you and your sister. Your honoured surname was¡­?"

    The girl tilted her head. A pair of round cheeks, big lucent eyes, and a small apologetic smile came into view.

    "It is Xiao," replied the girl, sounding a tad surprised. "Xiao An Fei, my lady."

    "Miss Xiao, have you waited here for long? I''m sorry for having troubled you."

    "It is no trouble! I wouldn''t dare to call it trouble, my lady." As if frightened by her words, Xiao An Fei hastily made another curtsy.

    Xiao An Fei couldn''t be blamed for her peculiar reaction. She had lived all of her life in a society where every word spoken was a double edged sword. She had automatically assumed that Her Ladyship grew displeased with her.

    Furthermore, to make matters worse, Xiao An Fei had been serving the wickedest lord of them all. If one wasn''t able to properly read the real meaning behind the Sovereign Lord''s speech, they would often end up displeasing him. No one wished to displease him, for his retribution was swift and harsh.

    A wrinkle developed between Li Meirong''s delicate brows as they drew together. "Oh, it''s just that I haven''t seen you for so long. I figured Zhu Qingyue must have suddenly ordered you to look after me."

    Xiao An Fei''s back stiffened. A fearful presumption suddenly occurred to her. It sounded as though Her Ladyship had gotten upset by her lack of appearance!

    She miserably thought, ''I''ve been watching Her Ladyship day in and day out for all these days except when I was forced to return to the Heavenly realm. It''s only because His Lordship was keeping a close watch like a hawk that even servants weren''t allowed to show themselves before Her Ladyship!''

    Noticing the little maid was lost in thought, Li Meirong slowly knelt down beside her. "Miss Xiao¡­?"

    Upon seeing Li Meirong face her at eye level, Xiao An Fei turned flabbergasted, jumping as if stung.

    She swiftly lowered her eyes and said, "Please forgive my discourteous behaviour! I will present myself before Her Ladyship every morning until the moment of my dismissal."

    "That''s not what I meant to say." Li Meirong''s frown deepened. ''How did this little Miss reach this odd conclusion? I''m beginning to feel like an evil empress dowager bullying a pitiful concubine.''

    "My lady, may I hold onto your belongings?" Xiao An Fei had her palms stretched wide open, ready to receive the bathing supplies.

    Li Meirong sighed. Although she wanted to carry her own items, it seemed to be of great importance for this little maid to show her capabilities. She didn''t want to come off as rude or for any other misunderstandings to develop, so she simply consented to her request.

    "Please do," said Li Meirong, handing Xiao An Fei the items.

    A grateful smile spread across Xiao An Fei''s face as she accepted the towel and brush, holding them like treasures. Her Ladyship was so kind, so forgiving!

 Chapter 313: My Lady Is Our Long Lost Pearl

    Xiao An Fei dutifully followed Li Meirong to the bamboo stall at the back of the house, if one could even call it a house. As soon as the tiny, dilapidated bath stall appeared before her eyes, the fox goddess wrinkled her nose at the sight, her face instantly blackening.

    This was simply a mockery to the Bai clan''s good and honourable name!

    Who exactly was Li Meirong? She was none other than the future ruler of all the Huli Jing combined! And to think that a person of such importance was living under these circumstances¡­ it was simply horrendous!

    In the Celestial Bai Palace, the Sovereign Lord''s bathhouse was a pool half as big as this whole island!

    Xiao An Fei looked as if she was being choked.

    Li Meirong turned around and mistakenly regarded Xiao An Fei''s astonishment to be a look of a favourable impression.

    She proudly pointed a thumb at her own chest, her lips stretching into a wide grin. "I built this bathhouse on my own. I''ve even built my cabin! Although, Zhu Qingyue helped me reconstruct some of the walls that broke off..."

    "Most impressive, my lady" lied Xiao An Fei as her right eye started twitching. Secretly, the fox goddess wanted to cry.

    The Huli Jing''s Sovereign Lady used her precious hands to construct this shoddy excuse for a cabin, this tiny dog house¡­ What was Her Ladyship thinking? Xiao An Fei simply couldn''t fathom.

    They went inside the stall and prepared the bath. Li Meirong removed her gown and slid directly into the round tub, sighing in contentment.

    After Li Meirong settled in the tub, Xiao An Fei brought a stool from inside the house and sat by her side, gently brushing Her Ladyship''s hair.

    Li Meirong sat quietly in the tub, demurely concealing ample breasts as her knees squished them in her huddled position. Her milky shoulders gleamed between inky tresses like beautiful jade, and her long pair of eyelashes held drops of water similar to dewdrops on a dark flower.

    Xiao An Fei was rendered spellbound as she helped Li Meirong comb her long hair. She momentarily glanced at her own pair of underdeveloped white hills before directing her attention back to Her Ladyship''s bountiful snow peaks. A sigh of dismay escaped her lips as she compared their figures.

    Her Ladyship was definitely ready for childbirth, thought Xiao An Fei. With this type of curvaceous figure, it was no wonder the Sovereign Lord couldn''t keep his paws off his wife!

    She stared at Li Meirong and murmured, "I haven''t once noticed how beautiful my lady is."

    "There''s no need to lie. I know how my face looks." Li Meirong immediately rejected her words.

    The fox goddess, like many of her kind, could easily see through most disguises. Thus, she had clearly noticed Her Ladyship''s facial imperfections for quite a while before the poultice''s effects had worn off.

    The scars had marred Li Meirong''s features, simply overshadowing the rest of her beauty.

    Interestingly enough, now that the scars were revealed on Her Ladyship''s face, the imperfections seemed to have dimmed. Perhaps because Li Meirong herself had placed less importance on them.

    "I wouldn''t lie about such a thing. To all of us, my lady is our long lost pearl." Xiao An Fei sincerely answered. ''Her Ladyship''s existence is a blessing to our celestial fox tribe,'' she thought.

    "Then I thank you for your kind words. Do you mean to say that Zhu Qingyue has long been searching for a wife?" Li Meirong politely inquired. She dove deeper into the water in a flustered manner, asking a question as she tried to make sense of the little maid''s declaration.

 Chapter 314: My Lord Dotes On You

    Xiao An Fei pursed her lips, knowing she had nearly caused a blunder by referring to all of the Bai clan with her careless choice of words. Although Li Meirong wasn''t a very knowledgeable person, she still seemed to be quite apt at picking things up.

    As such, it was of utmost importance for Xiao An Fei to measure her words with care from this moment on.

    "This servant merely meant to express how valuable my lady is to my lord."

    Li Meirong huffed, hunching her shoulders. "What value? He keeps coming and going and I never know what to expect! Look, he just came back and he''s already bullying me."

    Xiao An Fei giggled. "Surely not! My lord cares about you the most in the world." Xiao An Fei took up a soft cloth that was laying by the tub and slowly started to wash her Ladyship''s dainty back.

    "Well, I owe your lord a good beating!" Li Meirong kept grumbling as she began to massage her waist.

    ''Who''d have thought the Sovereign Lord, heaven''s gift to female kind, will be spurned by his own wife?'' Xiao An Fei silently mused.

    Xiao An Fei couldn''t help but feel a shred of pity for the Sovereign Fox Lord. He had kept all of his selfless, and often, less than noble deeds, hidden. Providing his beloved with nearly the full amount of his spiritual cultivation, who else would do such a thing?

    Imprisoning the Huli Jing''s Matron for the sake of his wife, who else would be crazy enough to attempt that? The ever devoted and filial child, Bai Qingyue, had immediately defied Lady Hong Meigui''s wishes, and went as far as to imprison the frightening goddess, his own mother.

    Additionally, far more terrible than all of that was defying a heavenly verdict! The Sovereign Lord went against the Jade Emperor''s imperial order. He should have stayed under a literal house arrest back at the Bai Palace, yet there he was, pretending to be Li Meirong and fighting in the human''s tournament instead of her, while Her Ladyship stayed at her home, resting and relaxing.

    At this point, Xiao An Fei began to dread what else His Lordship was willing to do for Her Ladyship''s sake.

    "Trust this servant''s words, my lord dotes on you, my lady." Xiao An Fei said, trying to assist the Sovereign Lord, even if just a little.

    "Speaking of your lord, where is he now?"

    The little maid gulped.

 Chapter 315: Useless Trinkets

    Meanwhile, the Fox Lord in question had long ago departed the Bestiary Division''s premises, flying directly towards the bustling main island of the sect.

    At Forgotten Waters sect''s largest floating island, an important tournament was currently taking place.

    The sun was glaringly bright. A deafening roar could be heard from the crowd of onlookers as they cheered for their respective divisions. Many visitors from far away had arrived and mingled with the crowd. The place became an infested pile of rambunctious, overzealous mortals reeking of sweat.

    Bai Qingyue wrinkled his small nose in disgust, tactfully avoiding the large crowd.

    The tournament was a long standing tradition that had existed for hundreds of years. Besides the sect disciples'' privilege to witness the event, only the highest ranked martial heroes of the pugilistic world were allowed to attend.

    Many a talented martial artist, as well as numerous renowned cultivators, came from far and wide to witness the righteous sect''s talented youths portray their skills in the preliminaries. Not only for the opportunity to witness the spectacular event, but also for the slight off chance of being granted an opportunity to battle for the championship.

    The Forgotten Waters was a sect known for its prestigiousness and glory, bearing an excellent reputation for promoting young and highly talented cultivators. The winner of this martial arts tournament would not only advance to battle against the champions of the rest of the continent''s righteous sects, but would also be given a ranked ten spirit beast mount, a chest filled with precious spirit cores, and most importantly, a One Thousand Frozen Tear pill.

    As the name suggests, the One Thousand Frozen Tear pill was a pill which takes over a thousand years to concoct. Its main ingredient is the frozen tear of a qilin. Wreathed with flames and smoke, the noble qilin was a beast known as the most divine and peaceful being across the entire realm.

    Since there were scarcely any qilins left roaming the lands at this day and age, a One Thousand Frozen Tear pill was obviously an extremely rare and priceless treasure.

    For a cultivator, consuming a Thousand Frozen Tear pill could easily make the difference between rising in ranks towards the pre-immortal stage, otherwise known as the Nascent Soul cultivation stage, or staying forever stuck in the cumbersome bottleneck of the Core Formation stage.

    Such an invaluable cultivation pill could easily amount to the price of several whole nations, and was known to be the cause of many wars in the mortal realm. For what wouldn''t a person do to ascend to immortality?

    As for the Sovereign Fox Lord, the tournament meant very little to him. The enticing treasures offered were nothing more than useless trinkets to a deity from the Heavens.

 Chapter 316: Shapeshifting Into His Wife

    The Sovereign Lord had other issues to deal with. A most pressing concern required his necessity to attend this tournament: he needed his wife to change her mindset about cultivation. He needed Li Meirong to practise diligently in order to attain godhood, and had even gone so far as to attempt to coerce her into joining this dull, boring mortal competition.

    Furthermore, even if Li Meirong would win the tournament and acquire the pill, it would do her no good, since she wasn''t at the right level to use it.

    The reason which motivated his actions more than anything else, was his impatience. While he was known to be tolerant, when needed, when it came to his wife, he did not possess the patience required to wait for who knows how long for her to decide to achieve immortality.

    Bai Qingyue knew Li Meirong had an inherently lazy disposition, and that she enjoyed living her life peacefully, with as much leisure as she could possibly afford. Asking a woman like that to push herself to the limit, to battle time and time again, was unheard of.

    When it came to Li Meirong, his expectations (particularly in regard to the matter at hand) were not very high. He doubted his wife would show any interest in ever joining a battle tournament if she were not forced into attending.

    Yet in spite of his assessment of his wife''s personality, she had seemed peculiarly motivated ever since Bai Qingyue had started training his little mortal wife. For reasons unknown to him, Li Meirong''s enthusiasm to train had further encouraged his belief that his reasoning was just, and that his plan would yield positive results.

    That being the case, it did not mean that he would have his wife trouble herself over useless endeavours. First and foremost, he would wipe out the weak competitors who would only be a waste of Li Meirong''s time and energy. Only when the long-awaited moment arrived ¨C the commencement of the final battles ¨C would Bai Qingyue stay on the sidelines, where he would secretly ensure her success.

    Thinking of the previous night''s delights, he also knew Li Meirong would be sorely in need of rest. What sort of husband would he be if he tortured his wife all night, and then sent her off to battle at dawn?

    No, he would much rather torture her every night and fight in her stead, every single time.

    However, in order for mortals gain power quickly, they must hone their skills and compete with others at their level, or against those with a power far greater than theirs. So, battle they must.

    Thus, when the moment would come for the tournament''s final competitors to present themselves, Bai Qingyue would have to allow Li Meirong to enter the ring and prove her worth. He would also once again have to refrain from touching her for a while.

    Not touching his little wife proved much easier said than done. After experiencing such untold pleasure, it was much harder to refrain from pursuing it.

    Bai Qingyue''s every waking thought led him to envision Li Meirong writhing beneath him, moaning his name. After tasting her addictive sweetness, the need to have her had become ten times worse.

    He frowned downwards, assessing the blue sect robe clinging to his tempting figure. It revealed a tad too much for his liking. The sash hung a little too loose around his waist, and the cloth was uncomfortably tight around his currently ample chest. He would have to reprimand his wife, to remind her to wear more modest clothes in the future, and to ensure that her collar properly covered her enticing, milk-white neck.

    It felt a bit unsettling for Bai Qingyue to stride forward while shapeshifted into the form of his own wife, but this was definitely not the worst he had done in the long, long years he had lived.

    "Sister Meirong!" An obnoxious voice called from behind him.

    Bai Qingyue glanced back, his small luscious lips forming a wry smile. This was also an excellent opportunity to get rid of a collection of pesky flies.

 Chapter 317: To What Do I Owe This Great Honour?

    Mo Cheng, alongside an almost identical clone of himself, approached Bai Qingyue enthusiastically.

    As Bai Qingyue was currently disguised as Li Meirong, he had no choice but to acknowledge Mo Cheng and his lesser clone.

    Without turning around, his head tilted to the side as he glanced in their direction, concealing a sneer.

    "To what do I owe this great honour?"

    His tone was almost spiteful. The men''s mouths were left hanging slightly open in response.

    Nevertheless, when they stood directly in front of the Fox Lord, they cupped their fists in a respectful greeting.

    Never, in all the times they had met Li Meirong, had she ever spoken to them in such a manner. Even when angered, she had always been polite and demure.

    An aura of lofty detachament faintly exuded from her as she stood quietly in front of them.

    Mo Cheng appeared rather taken aback. The man beside him, however, who greatly resembled him in appearance, appeared to be a bit less undeterred by Bai Qingyue''s show of hostility.

    "Sister Meirong, this is the second time you have saved my life. I do not know how I could ever repay your grace," said Mo Cheng''s near-clone. The words he delivered sounded genuine and sincere.

    Bai Qingyue arched an eyebrow at the boy. ''My wife risked her life for this¡­ vermin¡­ not once, but twice? How important is he to her? How deep in her heart is he?''

    "Who are you to me?" Bai Qingyue asked finally, curiosity getting the better of him.

    "Sister Meirong, are you well? It is me, Mo Jing." The slimmer, younger version of Mo Cheng looked bewildered, and slightly hurt. "Do you not remember the time after we passed our final test? Back then, I swore I would be your friend for life."

    "Is that so?" Bai Qingyue''s voice was mild, and he kept his face unreadable, but inwardly he was seething. ''This stinky brat thinks he can befriend my wife? He should remove such a notion from his mind at once!''

    Mo Jing nervously cleared his throat. "I see that the potion''s effects had worn off. Do you want me to brew you a new batch of herbal medicine for the scars on your face?"

    Bai Qingyue fixed Mo Jing with a sudden scathing glare. "There is no need for that."

    "I understand. There is nothing wrong with your appearance, of course. I simply thought you''d feel better about yourself." Mo Jing kept his tone calm and spoke politely as he could manage, but no matter what he said, it seemed to upset Li Meirong.

    Mo Jing was a bit disappointed by Li Meirong''s reaction. The last time he had offered to brew the medicine for her, she had been so overjoyed...

    Mo Cheng patted his brother''s shoulder, a subtle request for silence rather than reassurance. He turned his gaze back to lock eyes with Bai Qingyue.

    "I see that Sister Meirong has chosen to join the tournament after all. Is it due to spite that Sister wishes to fight me?"

    Mo Cheng''s rich brown eyes lit up as he noticed Li Meirong focused her attention on him, he proceeded to address her informally. "If you advance to the final round, we are bound to face each other, and you would be forced to battle against Shu Qianqian. I do not wish for this to happen."

    Bai Qingyue attempted a polite smile. However, it caused both boys to unconsciously stiffen in discomfort. "Be that as it may, Brother Mo, we cannot prevent the inevitable. Since we will be opponents, would it not be best to keep our distance from each other?"

    His voice came out calm, collected, as he tried to act as much like his wife, in her more serious moments, as he could.

    However, Mo Cheng appeared to completely disregard Bai Qingyue''s good intentions of offering him a polite, verbal warning to stay away.

    "Shu Qianqian already plans to relinquish her position in the tournament before she faces me, but I fear what will happen should the two of you end up battling in the arena. Little Qianqian holds quite a high level of resentment towards you, you know."

    Bai Qingyue glanced disinterestedly at Mo Cheng, pursing his lips. ''What would happen would be my wife smearing your concubine''s blood across the arena. And if she did not, then I surely would.''

    The possibility made the Fox Lord''s sour mood improve by a little bit. Suddenly he was quite looking forward to the prospect of attending the tournament. This occasion had turned into the perfect excuse to remove vermin from his wife''s side without bringing suspicion upon himself.

    Mo Cheng sighed deeply, oblivious to the thoughts of the person standing before him.

    "I understand the reason you are upset about the disagreement between yourself and Shu Qianqian, but you know her well. She has always been this way. Also, you used to be friends for a long time¡­ can you not find it in your heart to forgive her childishness?"

    Bai Qingyue''s dark eyes narrowed dangerously at the clueless humans. They continued to use the word ''friend'' as if it justified every individual''s cruel behaviour. Shu Qianqian had plotted, viciously, to kill his wife.

    To have such friends, his little wife had suffered a great loss!

 Chapter 318: He Is My Darling Husband

    Raising a delicate hand to his crimson lips, Bai Qingyue quietly laughed at this juncture. "This sort of friendship, I am afraid I cannot afford it."

    Mo Jing remained silent, his face falling as his heart sank. Understanding dawned, but it was not a kind discovery. Guilt gnawed at him, for he knew Shu Qianqian had tried to kill Li Meirong purely out of jealousy.

    In addition, his brother seemed insistent on finding a way to maintain an intimate relationship with both ladies. Marrying several women was not uncommon, not even among cultivators, but it was impossible to marry women who were vying to kill each other.

    No matter how good their intentions, Li Meirong no longer appeared interested in keeping contact with them. Mo Jing could not blame her. His older brother, however, was being strangely persistent about keeping hold of Li Meirong''s affections.

    "Sister Meirong," Mo Cheng said, his voice strained. He took a step forward. "Please, do not be like this. After all these years we have been together, please do not let a clouded moment of anger separate our paths."

    Bai Qingyue scoffed, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. He was a god, well known for killing without blinking. Devils trembled at the sound of his name. Yet, here he stood, entertaining a pair of foolish human boys who were barely old enough to have ceased suckling at their mother''s teat.

    Should he remain in the Mo brothers'' presence another moment, he would surely lose his temper and maim them.

    If that were to happen, wouldn''t he suffer a terrible loss by angering his little wife? Li Meirong was too fond of these twerps for him to end their miserable lives without providing her with a proper excuse for his actions.

    Bai Qingyue''s eyes curved into crescent moons. "Respected brothers, our paths may have been the same in the past, but my destination lies elsewhere. Let us maintain a proper and respectful distance from each other."

    He then turned his back on the pair with an exasperated huff.

    Mo Cheng''s expression filled with pain, as if Li Meirong''s every word struck deep into his heart. Grappled by what seemed to be an immense internal struggle, he grabbed Li Meirong by the shoulder as she made to walk away.

    "Please, tarry a moment more," he begged. "There is something urgent we must speak of! I should not have waited so long to do so, but I never expected you would become enamoured with the likes of the Grandmaster''s son, Zhu Qingyue."

    A vein bulged on Bai Qingyue''s forehead as his final thread of patience finally snapped. He swung an arm backwards, swiping at Mo Cheng. A thin streak of sizzling energy escaped the tips of his small fingers, shaped into ice shards, slashing directly at Mo Cheng''s face.

    Luckily for Mo Cheng, as Bai Qingyue had turned around, he staggered a few steps backwards and narrowly avoided the deadly attack by a sheer fluke.

    If the slash had met its target, Mo Cheng''s face would have been cleaved in two!

    Mo Cheng drew back immediately, cold sweat trickled down his spine. He felt frozen to the core. He had almost died!

    "Careful, brother!" Mo Jing pulled his brother further away from the danger, sensing killing intent rising in the air. Wary and shocked, he stared at Li Meirong as if she had grown a second head.

    Mo Cheng clambered to his feet, falling into the support of his brother. His face was devoid of colour.

    At this very moment, Li Meirong seemed to have changed into a completely different person. Her usual clear and honest eyes turned sharp and merciless, yet the rest of her face remained devoid of any expression. The energy she emitted was filled with a bone-piercing killing intent.

    She became immensely beautiful and terrifying to behold.

    "Child, you test my benevolence further with every encounter. Pay heed to these my words; you would be wise to stay clear of me," said Li Meirong.

    Disguised as Li Meirong, Bai Qingyue''s feminine voice was abnormally calm, yet carried a sense of unnerving chill with it, stinging Mo Cheng and Mo Jing''s skin, and making them quake in their boots.

    The glass-like ice shards speared the ground an inch from their shaking feet.

    "In addition, Zhu Qingyue is my darling husband, whom I love dearly. You cannot come between us." Bai Qingyue announced.

    Thereafter, the Fox Lord immediately left, not sparing the Mo brothers a second glance as he disappeared into the crowd and vanished altogether.

 Chapter 319: Atrocious

    Mo Cheng sat still, staring at the crowd ahead, desperately searching with his eyes to pinpoint Li Meirong''s whereabouts. No matter where he looked, he found no trace of her. The girl had simply vanished into thin air!

    His brother shook his head at him. "You should just let her go. Sister Meirong made herself abundantly clear to us. You do not hold a special place in her heart."

    "This makes no sense." Mo Cheng rubbed his temple, turning back to assess the crowd once again with a forlorn glance. "I''m the one she should care for the most. We are the same, she and I."

    Mo Cheng''s frustration was reaching an all time high. He desperately wished Li Meirong would simply listen to him. There was so much he wanted to talk to her about, but he wasn''t sure she''d understand.

    He furiously stomped his foot on the ground and stated further, "Sister Meirong is being deceived by that wretched man Zhu Qingyue. He manipulates her into doing his bidding. His evil influence is clear¡­ look how cruel Sister Meirong turned out to be!"

    "Brother¡­" said Mo Jing, sitting by Mo Cheng''s side as he stared at him with a distressed and conflicted look upon his face.

    His brave older brother was the Mo family''s shining star, as well as the sect''s youngest genius. It hadn''t surprised Mo Jing in the least that his brother had become so famous, since he possessed a lightning vein, the strongest and rarest of all foundations. But it wasn''t only Mo Cheng''s profound spiritual foundation that made Mo Jing admire his brother.

    Ever since they were young children, Mo Jing had always looked up to his older brother, long before Mo Cheng had risen to fame.

    With his natural aptitude for martial arts, Mo Cheng had stood out among his peers since the time of their youth. His cultivation had also progressed at an incredible speed as well. In short, he had always been impressive in every way. He had been the man others came to in their time of need, providing solutions that others had not been able to find on their own. He was always giving a helping hand to anybody who had sought his aid.

    For his meritorious deeds, Mo Cheng''s name had become incredibly famous in the continent within a few short years, his noble reputation likewise preceded him.

    Yet sometimes, Mo Jing simply wasn''t able to understand what his genius older brother could possibly be thinking. Every so often, Mo Cheng''s words sounded like the ravings of a madman.

    As soon as Mo Jing was about to persuade Mo Cheng to stop thinking about Li Meirong and her new love interest, his older brother jumped to his feet.

    "She will begin her match shortly, so she must be near the arena grounds." said Mo Cheng with a determined look on his face, diving straight into the swallowing mass of the crowd.

    Mo Jing sighed deeply as his shoulders slumped forward. He reluctantly followed his brother a few steps behind.

    Mo Cheng had no time to listen to his little brother''s concerns. He rushed through the all-consuming crowd of cultivators. His thoughts were currently jumbled in chaotic disarray, and he almost collided with several individuals as he squeezed in through the masses.

    Earlier during the day, Mo Cheng had easily won against all of his own opponents. With a broadsword in his hands, his dashing figure had soared across the arena and enticed the crowds into a loud roar as he vanquished one foe after another.

    Not long after, Shu Qianqian''s turn had arrived. In spite of her injuries, she had showcased a formidable set of skills, preserving a place for herself in the second stage of the tournament.

    As soon as Shu Qianqian''s final match for the day had ended, Mo Cheng had ushered her to return to their residence. He wanted her to rest some more, and to avoid any potential encounters with Li Meirong.

    Luckily, Shu Qianqian had listened to his request and obediently went back home.

    Mo Cheng couldn''t understand why Shu Qianqian, the one girl who was the most magnanimous and virtuous in his harem, had always acted spitefully towards Li Meirong.

    The matter between the two females had made his plans become a lot more complicated. He originally thought Li Meirong should be his main wife, but her extreme stubbornness had derailed these well-laid plans.

    As he kept striding forward, Mo Cheng narrowed his deep-set eyes, recalling Li Meirong''s hateful words.

    "Atrocious¡­" Mo Cheng whispered under his breath, his steps slowing down as he neared the arena. ''For the female lead to side with the villain, how ridiculous is this situation?!'' he vehemently thought.

    "Sister Meirong is already inside the boundary of the arena''s array!"

    Mo Jing''s voice suddenly called out behind Mo Cheng as he came to stand beside his brother and pointed a finger towards the center of the arena''s grand stage.

    Beyond them was the prestigious arena, surrounded by a powerful spiritual array which blocks the opponents from fleeing the stage the moment they enter it. It was a structure with an elevated stage, hedged by rows of shouting people.

    Li Meirong had already entered the arena, and was in the midst of battle. Not a trace of sweat nor a hair out of place could be seen on her. She possessed a regal countenance, and carried herself with poise and grace.

    Mo Cheng followed his younger brother''s gaze, taking in the impressive display of a blade dance which Li Meirong had elegantly performed. His jaw dropped, surprise slackening the muscles.

 Chapter 320: Nefarious And Ruthless Character

    In all honesty, Mo Cheng had never thought Li Meirong could possibly become a talented cultivator on her own merit. He had known her at her most pitiful state, when she had just joined the sect, and his impression of her had remained unchanged. Considering Li Meirong''s average spiritual foundation, in addition to her lack of skill or backing, Mo Cheng had assumed she would remain as an outer sect disciple, at least until the moment she''d gain a sense of understanding to come to him, pleading for aid.

    However, back when Li Meirong had visited his residence, and had thrown Shu Qianqian across the room, Mo Cheng realized that he had been mistaken.

    The tides have turned. Something had changed dramatically.

    The young, scarred maid with only an average foundation, who possessed a furnace body, had found a way, without his help, to ascend in power. Her cultivation growth was entirely inhuman.

    Completely shocked, Mo Cheng watched, hypnotized, as Li Meirong beautifully executed a highly skilled sword technique on the arena stage, turning not only him, but the entire crowd, speechless. The silence was almost deafening.

    Soon after, a few hurried whispers began to break the noticeable silence.

    "Isn''t this the same furnace servant girl who became an inner sect disciple by seducing the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster? Why would this furnace need to seduce anyone when she is so powerful? It sounds like the story I heard was completely fabricated!"

    Mo Cheng took a quick glance at the person who had just spoken. It was a senior disciple lady adorned with a Healer''s Peak crest, murmuring at his side.

    "I heard a similar tale as well. But I''ve been told it was the Grandmaster''s long lost son who took a fancy to her." A fellow sister from the Sword Bearer''s division whispered to the Healer''s Peak Disciple in response. She snickered and added, "Although, I do wonder why. I mean, look at her. Her skin looks like it''s been overcooked!"

    The Healer''s Peak Disciple snorted. "As cultivators, we must hone every part of our being to become immortals. What is more important than a person''s willpower and strength? What does it matter if her face looks bad? Senior Qingyue must have chosen wisely to court this Junior for her talent, or for her use as a furnace. If those rumours are true, that is."

    The Sister from the Sword Bearer''s division grew silent. She sullenly pursed her lips after being subtly reprimanded.

    Noticing the other lady''s dejection, the Healer''s Peak Senior Disciple drew an excited breath and hurriedly changed the subject. "Nevermind that now¡­ Oh! Have you seen Senior Qingyue before? I''ve caught a glimpse of his noble visage as I passed by his residence this one time."

    A spark of interest quickly flared in her friend''s eyes, prompting the senior disciple to continue. "The image was instantly seared into my mind! He seems to be a man of such gentle temperament, and his appearance is as refined as jade. Our Junior must feel fortunate to have someone so handsome and of such high esteem take a liking to her."

    "What a pity, I haven''t seen him yet¡­" The other exclaimed, admiration evident in her voice.

    "I''ve heard he''s a dragon among men!" Suddenly spoke a third disciple standing nearby, letting out a dreamy sigh. Just like Mo Cheng, she had also been eavesdropping on the ongoing gossip.

    Meanwhile, Mo Cheng was so baffled by the chatter he had just heard, that he felt like ripping his hair out! Reigning in his temper, he simply clenched his calloused hands into tight fists at his sides, and held himself back from lashing out at the foolish, besotted girls.

    Yet, the chatter kept on, and Mo Cheng began to struggle to remain silent.

    "I''ve heard that because he was so sickly, his hair turned white!"

    Mo Cheng groaned aloud, butting in on the foolish girls'' conversation as he lost the thread of his patience.

    "Zhu Qingyue is nothing like you say he is! That man is an utterly nefarious and ruthless character, who has somehow managed to deceive everyone with his lies."

    The three girls rapidly blinked at him, falling into a silent stupor.

    "But don''t you worry," he said right after, failing to notice their extreme reaction. "Because soon enough, I swear to reveal his true colours!"

    The ladies at his side threw him a look filled with disdain.

 Chapter 321: Youre Not A Real Person

    The gossiping disciples huddled closer as they stared at Mo Cheng.

    "Isn''t that the succeeding disciple of the Sword Bearer''s division? I''ve heard he was the star of the sect up until a few months ago. I do wonder how a person like that became so famous. What a spiteful tongue!" The Healer''s Peak Disciple whispered in her friend''s ear conspiratorially.

    "How unbecoming of a succeeding disciple to lose his temperament. Our division''s ''respectable'' successor must have gotten jealous because Senior Qingyue holds a higher position than him."

    The Sword Bearer''s Disciple whispered back to her friend as the three female disciples eyed Mo Cheng with derision and disbelief.

    Mo Jing lowered his head in embarrassment as he hurriedly stepped closer to his brother. He always hated it when Mo Cheng started behaving this way.

    Most of the time, his older brother had acted cool, calm, and collected, except for a few rare occasions which hadn''t matched his character whatsoever, such as now.

    These tantrums had first started many years ago, when Mo Cheng had only been twelve years of age.

    At that time, Mo Jing was a very young boy, and he could barely remember anything from when he was so young. However, the one thing he could never manage to forget were the events of that wretched day, when his older brother had nearly died.

    The Mo clan were a prominent family of martial arts practitioners, and as such, Mo Jing and Mo Cheng''s parents had often travelled on their own without requiring the employment of trained guards, unlike many other noble families in their social position.

    Unperturbed by any potential danger lurking ahead, they failed to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.

    Mo Jing remembered thinking how beautiful the mountainous scenery had seemed to him on that day, when their family had travelled uphill to visit a remote temple in his youth. He remembered how he had been frozen to the spot as skilled assassins had ambushed them.

    He remembered how his brave older brother had shielded him from harm once a bandit had aimed a bow in his direction.

    An intense feeling of terror seized Mo Jing''s heart. He recalled the way his older brother''s pristine white tunic had been stained crimson once the bandit released the arrow, striking Mo Cheng''s back.

    To this very day, Mo Jing had experienced moments he''d wake up in a cold sweat from dreaming of that night.

    Everybody had thought that from such a deadly strike, Mo Cheng wouldn''t be able to survive.

    Even their parents had given up, thinking their son would soon pass away, and began to arrange funeral preparations for Mo Cheng.

    Yet the unimaginable had occurred, and Mo Cheng had opened his eyes a few days later. The only side effect he experienced had been a slight memory loss, according to the doctors, at least.

    Since then, Mo Jing had noticed a few peculiar changes in his brother, not only to his personality, but also his knowledge and interests. Although Mo Cheng was still protective and caring as ever, it sometimes felt to Mo Jing as if his older brother had become a completely different person.

    "Shut up!" yelled Mo Cheng, suddenly frightening Mo Jing out of his thoughts, and scaring the gossipers into silence.

    Mo Jing grabbed Mo Cheng''s shoulder, hoping to avoid another awkward scene. He pulled him away from the crowd. "Brother, let''s go back to our quarters, alright?"

    Mo Cheng roughly shook Mo Jing away from him. "Stop looking at me like I''m crazy! You''re just an NPC. You''re not a real person, so you won''t be able to understand!"

    He held a hand to each side of his head, cursing under his breath. "I''m the protagonist, and she is my female lead! How is it possible for me to kill the villain and save the beauty when I haven''t even developed my golden core?"

    At that exact moment, less than a few minutes since Li Meirong''s match had begun, her battered opponent was flung right out of the arena, tossed like a broken toy at a row of astonished spectators.

 Chapter 322: My Presence Is Required Elsewhere

    Following Li Meirong''s tremendous display of brutality on her first round, the second opponent reluctantly stepped onto the stage. Wielding a pair steel battle axes, he stood ready to fight. His hands gripped the long wooden shaft of each axe so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

    The second opponent was an outer sect disciple from the Sword Bearer''s division, who had only recently joined the ranks of inner sect disciples. The newly recruited junior wished to prove his worth by winning a few battles in the prestigious tournament.

    Yet, at the moment, the second opponent was having second thoughts about joining this competition. The casual way in which Li Meirong had trampled on her previous competitor without so much as batting an eyelash, had left the second opponent a little rattled.

    If one were to look close enough, little beads of perspiration could be seen forming on his brow.

    Li Meirong stood calmly and completely at ease, dangling her spiritual blade on the ground in front of her. She looked both fierce and domineering.

    The blade''s sharp tip let out a screeching noise as she used it to trace patterns on the stage''s concrete floor.

    With a single indifferent glance in her opponent''s direction, she disregarded the agitated opponent and turned to face the tournament''s judges instead.

    Li Meirong sheathed her blade and looked up, bobbing her head in the judges'' direction. They were leisurely sitting atop a nearby tower to spectate the event from high above.

    The judges were the grandmasters of each respective division within the sect, with the exclusion of the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster, who had more pressing matters to attend to.

    "Distinguished Grandmasters, may I be allowed to battle both of my remaining opponents at the same time? I would like to hasten the process, since my presence is required elsewhere." Li Meirong politely inquired.

    The Grandmasters exchanged a few puzzled looks with each other, wondering what could be more important for a cultivator in their sect than to prove his or her worth in this battle tournament.

    More so than the other grandmasters present, it was the Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster who had narrowed his eyes in disdain at Li Meirong. He, unfortunately, knew this stinky girl all too well. In fact, he had not expected the very same girl who had been nearly throttled to death at her acceptance ceremony, to have the guts show up on the stage, especially with this kind of fearless attitude.

    What''s more, he had definitely not expected this stinky girl to have cultivated her spiritual powers to the degree that she could easily crush a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

    It troubled the Grandmaster that he was unable to make an accurate assessment of the level of Li Meirong''s powers, which could only mean one out of two possibilities. The first and most reasonable option being that the stinky girl had found a crafty way to conceal her aura.

    As for the second option, it was that she was simply stronger than him. It was a thought which was too incomprehensible to be true, since a cultivator couldn''t assess another''s cultivation level if his opponent had surpassed him in terms of spiritual prowess.

    If the second option were to be the case, then that would mean that Li Meirong''s spiritual cultivation had surpassed that of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator!

    The idea was too ludicrous for the Grandmaster to even consider.

    Suffice it to say that the first option definitely made a lot more sense to the Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster than the second one. The Elder Grandmaster was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator who had lived for over two thousand years. It would be ridiculous to assume that a recent servant girl in the sect such as Li Meirong had suddenly managed to surpass him with her unpractised cultivation.

 Chapter 323: Teach This Junior A Lesson

    It wasn''t beneath the Elder Grandmaster to admit that he held a few grudges of his own against Li Meirong. This stinky girl had not only lead his succeeding disciple by the nose, but also had the nerve to show off without a shred of humility, and without an ounce of respect to her elders or peers!

    The Elder Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster harrumphed as he thought, ''Very well, I''ll make you regret your arrogant words!''

    He turned to address the Armament Division''s Grandmaster who calmly sat beside him. "I''ve heard rumours of the grand accomplishments your succeeding disciple has done on her recent trip out of the sect. Why not let her battle this petulant junior, and have her set an example to the rest of our disciples?"

    The Armament Division''s Grandmaster stroked his long white beard in contemplation, staring into the distance as he spoke. "My succeeding disciple is a skilled and hardworking cultivator. Indeed, she brings honour to our sect. But Fellow Grandmaster, wouldn''t we be called out for bullying our juniors? My disciple is at the mid-stage of Core Formation, only two steps away from becoming a pre-immortal." He shook his head and said, "This unpractised Junior couldn''t be at more than the peak stage of Foundation Establishment, and even that is a commendable feat to accomplish such a level in such a short period of time. It wouldn''t be a proper and honourable battle if they should compete."

    The Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster angrily smacked his fist against his palm in an evident show of disagreement. "This is no longer a matter regarding an honourable battle. Did you not see the merciless way in which this disciple, Li Meirong, has treated her previous opponent? What about her blatant show of arrogance? This Junior disrespected the sanctity of this tournament! We, as the Elders, must take care of the younger generation. If we teach this Junior a lesson now, it will save her some trouble in the future!"

    "Well, have you made a decision, or not?" At that instant, Li Meirong coldly called out from below, further strengthening the Sword Bearers Grandmaster''s standpoint.

    Li Meirong had only asked a simple question, but the way she had spoken, as well as the way she presented herself, made her seem entirely unprincipled in the eyes of the judges!

    The Grandmasters murmured for a short while longer amongst themselves as they finally came to a decision.

    The Armament Division''s Grandmaster stood from his seat, gathering all the onlookers'' attention. His voice echoed as he made the announcement, "Summon the Armament Division''s participant, Liu Jiayu, to the stage!"

 Chapter 324: A Huge Humiliation For Liu Jiyau

    As soon as Liu Jiayu stepped onto the stage, a messenger from the Sword Bearer''s division reached the top of the tower.

    The messenger bowed down in reverence. He then gradually raised himself on both elbows and stammered. "Grandmaster! Your succeeding disciple, Mo Cheng, he¡­"

    "What about my disciple?" inquired the Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster. A long line stretched from each corner of his tightened lips, all the way to the sides of his nose.

    "M-mo Cheng, he¡­"

    "Why are you stuttering? Speak plainly!"

    "Your succeeding disciple is raising a ruckus! Please do something, Grandmaster!" The messenger concealed his face in fear, speaking as fast as he possibly could.

    "Preposterous! Where is he? Show me the way!" The Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster immediately rose from his seat.

    The messenger departed the tower, along with the distraught Grandmaster.

    Meanwhile, the battle below was about to commence.

    The crowd''s roars echoed across the island as the famous Liu Jiayu gracefully entered the arena. Every subtle move of hers was made with refined precision, and caught the undivided attention of all the onlookers.

    Liu Jiayu''s rosy lips faintly curved upwards as she glanced over her shoulder to gaze at the audience, causing several awe-struck men to sigh at the sight of her.

    The beautiful armament master then courteously cupped her palms together as she regarded Li Meirong from the opposite end of the stage.

    "It is good to finally meet you, Sister Meirong. Your reputation certainly precedes you! I have heard that within a few short years, you have managed to turn from a servant rank into a secondary disciple of Grandmaster Zhu Zhang. What an amazing accomplishment, indeed."

    Li Meirong merely smiled at her, cupping her fists together. "Do go easy on me."

    "Of course I will! After all, we are both sisters in this sect, and must care for one another. I hope you will not be offended by the Elders'' decision to have us battle against each other. Do not worry, my dear Junior. As your Senior, I will be more than lenient with you."

    Although Liu Jiayu spoke sweetly, her words were edged with hidden thorns. She evidently staked her claim of superiority before even starting the battle.

    Furthermore, the direct jab at Li Meirong''s reputation had already caused some of the onlookers to gossip about Li Meirong''s legitimacy in becoming a direct disciple of her division.

    Li Meirong''s shoulder slightly shook. It looked as though she very much wanted to laugh, but thought better of it. She stared at Liu Jiayu with that same subtle smile that could mean anything. Her eyes were a pair of black shining pools, deep and filled with unknown danger.

    "In that case, I will kindly return the favour," replied Li Meirong at length.

    "How gracious of you," answered Liu Jiayu with feigned calm as she squinted her eyes. ''Does this junior really think she can go easy on me? What position does she even hold to announce such a bold claim?!'' she inwardly seethed.

    Liu Jiayu was an armament master whom many have held in high regard. In the eyes of other apprentices, she was an impeccable lady, both inside and out. She strived to conduct herself with the appropriate poise and decorum of a cultivator in her reputable position.

    After earning the status of succeeding disciple in the most famous orthodox sect for so many years, a lady such as herself had naturally acquired a renowned reputation. Yet the same could not be said for Liu Jiayu''s opponent. How could this trashy apprentice cultivator ever think she could compete with her?

    For Liu Jiayu, to battle Li Meirong, who was a disfigured low level cultivator with an inferior reputation, was nothing short of degrading!

    Furthermore, she got paired up with an inner sect disciple who had been a servant up until a few days ago! This whole battle was a huge humiliation for Liu Jiayu. In fact, it was a travesty to waste her skills and time on such a lowly personage!

 Chapter 325: Blood Sucking Parasol

    The third disciple on stage came forward and made a low bow before Liu Jiayu as he introduced himself. "I am Wei Qi. To battle by Senior Liu''s side is my greatest honour! Rest assured that I will not let you down, Miss Liu!"

    Liu Jiayu turned to him and bestowed him with a beautiful smile. "I expect great things from you, Brother Qi."

    Wei Qi saluted her and said, "Yes, Miss Liu!"

    He raised his starstruck eyes, staring at Liu Jiayu with a look of hopeless adoration. Despite his broad build and eye-catching weapons of choice, at the moment, he seemed no better than an overgrown child.

    At the same time, Li Meirong stifled a yawn. "Since I have little time to spare, how about we make a deal? I am going to count from one to ten as I stand in place. While counting, I will not evade any of your attacks. Should you make me take a single step back from my current spot, I will voluntarily resign from the competition."

    Both Wei Qi and Liu Jiayu directed their gaze at Li Meirong with matching expressions of incredulity.

    Finally, it was Wei Qi who was first to snap. He harrumphed coldly. "You overestimate yourself! Just because you defeated your previous opponent, you think it will be so easy to trample over your respected Senior? If Miss Liu wished for it, she could have easily defeated you!"

    Emboldened by Liu Jiayu''s presence, Wei Qi gathered his courage and aimed his steel axes at Li Meirong. "On behalf of Miss Liu, I will teach you a lesson!"

    Li Meirong snickered and gestured with her finger for Wei Qi to come at her. "Is that so? I''m waiting for a lesson. Come on, then."

    Liu Jiayu''s expression became sterner as she came to stand between the two. "Brother Qi, stop it! Please don''t be so rude to Sister Meirong. I am sure that Sister Meirong means no disrespect with her careless remarks."

    "But she was rude to you, Miss Liu!" Wei Qi looked taken aback, as if he expected Liu Jiayu to be impressed with his bravery.

    "Even if that is the case, what kind of Senior would I be if I allowed a junior sister of mine to be bullied?" asked Liu Jiayu, her clear eyes shimmering with emotion.

    "Y-you''re right, Miss Liu. It is my fault for showing you such uncouth behaviour."

    Like a deflated pufferfish, Wei Qi retreated and silently stood behind Liu Jiayu, looking no different than a bodyguard.

    A collective gasp of admiration could be heard from the crowd nearby.

    "Liu Jiayu is an exemplary lady!" An onlooker called out.

    "She is noble and righteous!" A disciple shouted from the crowd.

    Disguised as Li Meirong, Bai Qingyue tiredly rubbed his temple. ''I mustn''t kill them. If I am lacking in etiquette, it will reflect badly on my little wife.'' he silently mused, waiting for the bothersome farce to come to an end.

    Liu Jiayu concealed a knowing smile as she brought out a small, pale sphere-like object from within her sleeve. The sphere shape lengthened in size to become an embroidered white parasol.

    "That''s a blood sucking parasol!" An excited disciple called out from the crowd. "The moment a person gets the smallest of cuts, it can suck his blood dry!"

    "That''s a master level weapon..." whispered Wei Qi, his eyes widening in alarm. He acted as if he''d seen a monster, and hurriedly stepped to the furthest edge of the arena''s stage, losing whatever was left of his pride as a man in exchange for his survival.

    Since the arena was surrounded by a spiritual array, it meant that until the moment of an opponent''s defeat, there was absolutely no opportunity to escape the stage.

    However, in this tournament, there was no actual rule proclaiming that the match cannot end in death.

    For all intents and purposes, Wei Qi was well aware that he could easily be caught in the parasol''s deadly blood leeching snare, even if the attack wasn''t directly aiming at him!

    Murmurs of disbelief echoed amongst the spectating cultivators.

    "Isn''t bringing a master killing weapon a bit too much? Who can survive a direct attack from an armament master?"

    "It was the junior, Li Meirong, who asked for it!"

    "Still, this is too much¡­. Isn''t this supposed to be a friendly match?"

    Liu Jiayu turned to address the crowd, fluttering her dark eyelashes. "Since my Junior has made an offer, it would be rude of me to refuse it! Thus, I will politely accept her proposal with a heavy heart." She turned back to Li Meirong and added, "Should my attack fail, I will not move and allow you to strike at me in the same manner."

    "That sounds fair enough," answered Li Meirong with a calm demeanor. She arrogantly crossed her arms under her chest, seemingly unimpressed by Liu Jiayu''s master level weapon.

    The cultivators in the crowd who were familiar with the armament master''s weapon of choice, shook their heads at Li Meirong''s apparent obliviousness. They knew that not only would she have no time to beg for resignation, but the blood sucking parasol would drain her dry before she''d even be able to take a step back!

 Chapter 326: I Promise It Wont Kill You

    Liu Jiayu''s eyes curved beautifully as she aimed the Blood Sucking Parasol at Li Meirong. "Don''t worry sister, I know how to control my weapon. I promise, it won''t kill you."

    After all, even if Li Meirong were to coincidentally perish, Liu Jiayu could easily justify the death as a mere accident of an overconfident apprentice disciple. Thus, she would not be blamed for harming or killing her junior sister in battle.

    "What a generous lady you are." Li Meirong answered politely with a subtle smile. Her dark eyes held a subtle trace of mockery as they peered at Liu Jiayu.

    Liu Jiayu tightened her grip on the parasol''s petite handle, pursing her lips in irritation. She couldn''t wait to wipe out that conceited look off of this trashy junior''s face.

    The Armament Division''s Grandmaster silently watched Liu Jiayu''s display from the tower, keeping his thoughts to himself. He conjured a staff and struck the floor with it, signalling for the match to start.

    In response, a disciple approached the gong drum and struck it with a mallet. The sound was deep, reverberating around the arena.

    "Begin!"

    As soon as the match commenced, whatever shred of courtesy Li Meirong had shown earlier instantly vanished. Her eyes cruelly swept across the stage, a glint of interest shining from the dark depths of her pupils, as she caught the quivering shape of the former gallant Wei Qi, who was swinging his axes in preparation against any oncoming attack.

    "One." Li Meirong slowly began to count. She remained unmoving and appeared to be completely at ease, her spiritual blade remained sheathed at her hip.

    Liu Jiayu let out a peal of scornful laughter as she revealed a handful of sharp needles in her hand. This trash girl was apparently too dumb to condense her spiritual energy for protection. Therefore, if Li Meirong were to die, it would be because of her own sheer stupidity!

    "Two," Li Meirong casually kept counting. "Three"

    The crowd watched in horror as Liu Jiayu unleashed her needles across the stage, directly at her opponent.

    The needles pierced through Li Meirong''s clothes, embedding themselves into her flesh.

    Yet Li Meirong kept her leisurely manner, standing carefree and unmoving. Her bright blue robe was blinding in the sunlight, yet not a drop of blood could be seen upon it.

    "Four," Li Meirong coldly continued to count.

    Liu Jiayu stared aghast at the arrogant girl before her who did not know the meaning of fear.

    "How is this possible?" whispered Liu Jiayu. She immediately grabbed double the needles from before, flinging them with an intense force driven by the surge of her profound qi.

    The needles flew out in every direction, but as they came to pierce Li Meirong''s flesh once more, a strange event occurred. The needles were deflected and changed direction, piercing Wei Qi who huddled in the back corner.

    "Five. Six. Seven." The corners of Li Meirong''s lips drew into a vicious arc.

    Wei Qi raised a shaking hand to his cheekbone as he felt the graze of one of the needles slice across his face. Fresh blood coated his fingertips as he drew them back.

    "Stop. Miss Liu, please stop. I resign!" Wei Qi frantically called out, throwing his battle axes to the ground. He waved his hand, hoping for the judges to notice and cease the fight.

    However, neither the judges, nor Liu Jiayu, paid him any heed.

    Liu Jiayu narrowed her sharp eyes and carefully assessed Li Meirong. Despite being stabbed in the forehead, chest, and stomach, she hadn''t flinched nor made a single step back.

    The unmoving Li Meirong was pierced by over a hundred needles. It was impossible for her to avoid bleeding, even if the god of luck himself was on her side!

    The needles Liu Jiayu launched weren''t just regular needles. They were deadly instruments infused with a paralyzing poison and a spiritual essence that drew blood from its victims.

    She had worked very hard to forge those needles, and specifically created them as a complimenting addition to the Blood Sucking Parasol.

    The needles craved the taste of blood, seeking it out and drinking it like leeches, much like the parasol.

    Li Meirong sneered, "Eight. Nine¡­ Are you going to fight or are you planning to keep tossing your toys around?"

    "Just you wait!" Liu Jiayu gritted her teeth and finally invoked the parasol''s terrible power.

    A bolt of grey smoke emitted from the tip of the parasol, but instead of seeping into Li Meirong''s wounds, it redirected to the back corner of the stage.

    "S-ssstop¡­ resign..."

    The agonizing words of a dying man drawing his last breath could be heard as Wei Qi''s blood was absorbed into the parasol.

    Wei Qi stood stiffly, unable to move due to the paralyzing poison contained within the needles. Only his wide, terrified eyes were able to reflect the horror he was feeling at that exact moment, as the last essence of his life was leached away.

    The parasol''s white embroidery took on a deep crimson shade with Wei Qi''s blood.

    What was once a man had been turned into a dehydrated and mummified figure. The robust disciple of the Sword Bearer''s division was shrivelled into a pile of skin and bones.

    Liu Jiayu turned back to stare accusingly at Li Meirong. "What have you done?"

    "Senior Sister, whatever do you mean? Wasn''t it your weapon that murdered the disciple, Wei Qi? Why are you blaming the innocent?" Li Meirong asked deliberately.

    "That''s not possible! I aimed my parasol at you!" Liu Jiayu snapped, emphasizing each syllable.

    Liu Jiayu gradually stepped away from Wei Qi''s corpse, still aiming the Blood Sucking Parasol at Li Meirong, yet the damned thing refused to work against the wretched girl.

    Li Meirong drew an excited breath and unsheathed her blade. "Nevermind that. I suppose it''s my turn now. Stay in place, would you?"

 Chapter 327: A Switch Flipped

    A gentle breeze flapped Li Meirong''s wide sleeves as she grabbed her spiritually made blade.

    On the other side of the stage, Liu Jiayu''s eyes were filled with a cold light. Wei Qi''s accidental death had thrown her a bit off balance, but not enough for an armament master such as herself to back away from the fight ahead.

    Liu Jiayu was not sure what kind of magic Li Meirong possessed that she did not bleed, but she did not intend to lose to a newly recruited junior.

    When it came to martial arts, Liu Jiayu was the one with the superior experience and training, and so she was not overly concerned about the outcome of the battle. All she had to do was make the tiniest slice on Li Meirong''s skin, and the Bloodsucking Parasol would activate its powers.

    She carefully placed the Bloodsucking Parasol at her feet, and then manifested a thin, elegant looking sword from her spatial bag.

    Without any further delay, Liu Jiayu furiously sprang up while shouting a battle cry. She charged at Li Meirong with a powerful leap.

    As Liu Jiayu leapt towards Li Meirong with a skillful jump, she raised her sword high above her shoulders, only to drive it downwards with every intention to kill.

    Her strike, however, was easily blocked by the tiny spectral blade Li Meirong held.

    Their weapons clashed in a furious dance, but in spite of Liu Jiayu''s aggressive onslaught, Li Meirong managed to expertly counter every single strike.

    Li Meirong sighed as she continued parrying Liu Jiayu''s blows, her blade held vertically.

    Although she kept blocking each oncoming attack, she made no further move to counterstrike Liu Jiayu.

    Li Meirong seemed to be, for lack of a better word, quite bored. It was as if this whole tournament was nothing more than a bothersome waste of time to her.

    "I planned to spare you if you would have kept your word and stood in place. Alas¡­" Li Meirong''s voice filled up with emotion, as if the prospect of retaliating made her despair. "I have no choice but to punish you for your insolence."

    ''What is this girl playing at?!'' Liu Jiayu thought, mouth hanging slightly open in astonishment at Li Meirong''s audacity. At this point, she became uncertain as to who, exactly, the master of pretense was, between the two of them¡­

    Right now, though, Liu Jiayu had no time to ponder over Li Meirong''s pretend righteousness, as her own strength was depleting rapidly.

    She started panting between each strike.

    "Do you honestly think you''re in a position to discipline me?" Liu Jiayu spat out as she drove her sword forward, only to be blocked once more by Li Meirong''s spectral blade.

    Li Meirong smiled smugly, her bright eyes sparkled with amusement. "If not me, then who else?"

    "You arrogant little slut! Do you even know who I am? I''m the succeeding disciple of the Armament Division! I¡ª"

    PAH!

    Li Meirong dropped her blade and caught Liu Jiayu''s sword with her bare hand. She then turned and used her other hand to slap Liu Jiayu hard across the face.

    The sound of the impact was crisp and shocking.

    "How dare you swear at me!" Li Meirong roared. The aura surrounding her grew pitch black.

    The force of her slap was so great that several of Liu Jiayu''s teeth were knocked out.

    Liu Jiayu had no time to comprehend what had just occurred before she was thrown several feet by the powerful strike.

    Blood poured from the gash on Li Meirong''s palm, caused when she had held back Liu Jiayu''s blade, but it did not seem to bother her at all. She strode forward, a terrifying amount of malevolent energy sizzling around her.

    She looked like Death personified.

    No one was sure what, exactly, had brought about the sudden, fierce change to Li Meirong''s attitude. She had seemed almost nonchalant up until that moment, as if the battle had been nothing more than a child''s play.

    Yet as soon as Liu Jiayu had cursed at her, a switch seemed to have flipped inside Li Meirong.

 Chapter 328: Cease The Battle At Once!

    "My face¡­" Liu Jiayu whimpered, both appalled and aghast.

    The pain was agonizing; Liu Jiayu felt as if her flesh had been peeled away, and as she opened her mouth to speak, she felt a breeze blow into her throat, but it didn''t enter from her parted lips.

    It felt like the air came in sideways¡­

    Several sharp intakes of breath could suddenly be heard from the spectators in the front row.

    "How terribly grotesque¡­"

    Liu Jiayu overheard them whispering.

    It was not just a feeling, Liu Jiayu realized then and there, terror seizing her heart.

    Li Meirong had actually torn the skin from her face!

    To the spectators, the left side of Liu Jiayu''s mouth was visible through her cheek. Her bloodied gums and teeth gaped through the newly-formed hole in her face.

    Li Meirong reached Liu Jiayu and grasped a fistful of her hair, a cruel smile curving her lips as she observed her handiwork.

    "I personally think you look much better with a permanent smile. At least this time it does not seem too fake."

    Liu Jaiyu''s chest rose and fell rapidly with her panicked breaths. She glared at Li Meirong, feeling as though she was staring the devil in the face.

    "This daring tongue no longer seems necessary," Li Meirong continued, voice cold. "Since you appear to have no good use for it, shall I pluck it out for you?"

    "Stay away from me!"

    Unfazed by her opponent''s cries, Li Meirong ruthlessly clamped her fingers down on Liu Jiayu''s jaw until the latter''s lips were forcibly pried open.

    "No! Let go! Let go of me!" Liu Jiayu was helplessly rooted to the spot. Her eyes nervously darted from side to side as Li Meirong slowly began to curl her fingers.

    From the corner of her eye, Liu Jiayu discovered her salvation, glimpsing her last hope. The Blood Sucking Parasol was there, near her feet!

    In spite of Li Meirong''s hold limiting her movement, Liu Jiayu reached out to grab the parasol, fighting against Li Meirong''s painful grip with all her strength.

    Against all odds, the edges of Liu Jiayu''s fingertips scraped the parasol''s handle.

    Yet fate refused to lend Liu Jiayu a helping hand. Li Meirong''s inhuman strength kept squeezing her jaw, in a single-minded pursuit to tear out the tongue which dared speak ill of her.

    Li Meirong held Liu Jiayu just far enough away that Liu Jiayu could not make the extra little push to properly grasp the parasol.

    Finally, Li Meirong pried Liu Jiayu''s mouth wide open, dug her fingers inside, and then began to viciously tear her tongue out.

    Liu Jiayu tried to cry for help, but her anguished screams were muffled by the hand shoved in her mouth and partially down her throat. Tears welled up and spilled over, an involuntary reaction to the agony she was suffering.

    The salty liquid dripped into the open wounds of Liu Jiayu''s cheek and mouth, adding to the stinging, burning pain.

    The Grandmaster of the Armament Division felt his heart contract in his chest as he watched the violent display. Although the tournament rules forbade ending the battle before the announcement of a winner, he nevertheless rushed to his feet at the torture his disciple was undergoing.

    An intense loathing burned through the Armament Division Grandmaster as he glared at Li Meirong. There was a saying that a person''s true character was revealed in the face of adversity, and after all the years he spent taking care of Liu Jiayu, the Armament Division''s Grandmaster was well aware of his succeeding disciple''s personal flaws.

    However, he hadn''t expected that junior, Li Meirong, to be an opponent so bold, so fearless, that she would not be willing to give a grandmaster at the nascent soul stage any face!

    This vicious girl dared torture his own succeeding disciple in front of his very eyes!

    "Cease the battle at once!" The Armament Division Grandmaster shouted. His bellowing voice invoked paralyzing fear among almost all individuals present.

    "I think not!" Li Meirong countered without ever shifting her gaze. She persisted in her self-assigned task of tearing Liu Jiayu''s tongue out.

    ''This loathsome girl!'' The Armament Division''s Grandmaster gnashed his teeth. He regretted listening to the Sword Bearer''s Grandmaster. Because of him, his precious student had been humiliated in front of everybody!

    "I announce Li Meirong as the winner!" The Armament Division''s Grandmaster immediately called out, gritting out the words.

    Even though the Armament Division''s Grandmaster knew he broke the rules, he nevertheless interfered with the battle in order to save his disciple. The moment a winner was announced, the participants were forced to cease fighting.

    "Oh, very well¡­" Li Meirong muttered, obviously unsatisfied by the outcome.

    She slowly withdrew her hand from Liu Jiayu''s mouth, having released her grip on the other woman''s tongue. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as she produced a handkerchief with which she could wipe the saliva and blood from her hand.

    Liu Jiayu''s eyes locked onto the loathsome girl before her. She forced herself to ignore the crippling pain of her torn tongue and ripped cheek, and used the exact moment Li Meirong was distracted to direct the Blood Sucking Parasol at her open wound.

    "Die!" bawled Liu Jiayu.

 Chapter 329: Keep A Civil Tongue In Your Head

    Scarlet spilled from Li Meirong''s hand in a steady stream. The blood streaked through the air, devoured by the parasol''s endless thirst.

    Li Meirong snickered quietly, completely unperturbed by the parasol''s consumption of her blood. She turned slightly, tossing Liu Jiayu a meaningful look.

    "You will regret this," she said. Her voice was dark, foreboding.

    "What do you mean by that, ah?" Liu Jiayu spluttered through her shredded cheek and aching tongue. Her grip on the Bloodsucking Parasol tightened.

    She was met with pointed silence.

    The Bloodsucking Parasol kept consuming Li Meirong''s blood, unceasing, yet she showed no sign of weakness.

    The Armament Division''s succeeding disciple was not one to scare easily, but at that moment, a choking fear began to consume her. Li Meirong''s laughter was incredibly ominous, her dark aura almost immobilizing in its intensity.

    Liu Jiayu could not understand it. Had she not gained the upper hand in combat? Why, then, was she so afraid, when it was the loathsome girl in front of her whom should be shriveling into naught but skin and bones at any moment?

    Yet, as the battle progressed, no harm came to Li Meirong.

    "What''s going on¡­?" whispered Liu Jiayu, her voice quavering.

    Li Meirong lifted her hands and gave an exaggerated shrug.

    Just as Liu Jiayu was about to respond, the Bloodsucking Parasol began to spasm violently in her grip.

    The parasol shook, as if it had consumed too much and could no longer continue.

    The entire audience looked on in avid fascination.

    "The Bloodsucking Parasol does not harm her¡­ how can it be?" The onlookers began to mumble amongst themselves.

    "What kind of monster are you?" Liu Jiayu voiced the question everyone else was thinking but dared not ask. Dread blanched her face pure white as she locked eyes with Li Meirong.

    At that moment, Li Meirong''s dark, fathomless pupils kindled terrifying thoughts. To Liu Jiayu, she became the stuff of nightmares.

    Li Meirong ignored the question, narrowing her eyes in a cold yet lazy manner.

    "Keep a civil tongue in your head, while it is still attached."

    Liu Jiayu involuntarily gulped back the additional questions lingering on her tongue. The parasol''s handle began to heat up, searing her fingers.

    Despite the constant pain, Liu Jiayu held back her tears. She refused to cry any more. Even after taking so much damage, pride stopped her from showing any further signs of weakness.

    The only visible trace of struggle was the sweat dripping down her forehead.

    Liu Jiayu gnashed her teeth as she silently stared Li Meirong down. ''If I bow before her, my junior, then I will lose all face! She is at the Foundation Building stage at most¡­ not only will I lose face, I will lose my position as succeeding disciple!''

    Liu Jiayu would rather die than admit defeat. She had suffered enough humiliation already.

    The parasol''s unusual spasms began to sting Liu Jiayu''s palm, yet she kept a persistent grip on the blistering handle, unwilling to let go. Unwilling to concede.

 Chapter 330: You Expect A Lot of Me

    The fine, sunny day no longer seemed pleasant. The weather had turned stifling, and the blinding sun radiated its heat like a lash.

    "I will not surrender! Do you hear me?!" Liu Jiayu managed to grit out through her clenched teeth.

    "I know." The corners of Li Meirong''s lips curved upwards. Her smile carried a certain degree of mischief, as though this had all been part of her plan.

    While this had happened, the Armament Division''s Grandmaster had silently spectated from afar. The uncomfortable feeling in his stomach had sharpened to a dull ache, as if he was facing some great evil. Initially, he had hoped to see the outcome fall in his disciple''s favour, as she had, albeit somewhat unscrupulously, gained the upper hand.

    As he continued to observe Li Meirong and her reactions, though, the knot in his stomach tightened. The wretched girl had laid a trap for his unsuspecting disciple.

    Whatever sort of blood coursed through Li Meirong''s veins, it was evidently clear that the Bloodsucking Parasol was unable to ingest it.

    Moreover, the Armament Grandmaster was certain that, this time, Liu Jiayu would be unable to escape unscathed. Her only chance would be for him to make a move of his own, and quickly, even though a Grandmaster''s interference was a huge breach of decorum.

    He cared deeply for his disciple, whom he had taken care of for many years. He had nurtured Liu Jiayu, and had treated her as his own child.

    What right would he have to call himself her master if he stood by and watched as his disciple perished?

    Thus, without regard for the consequences of his actions, the Armament Grandmaster descended directly to the stage from the tower. He imbued his staff with his spiritual essence and hurled it forward, breaking through the carefully-constructed barrier.

    It instantly cracked, shattering a moment later, at the forceful impact of his qi.

    Tiny, see-through shards scattered across the stage as the array collapsed.

    The Armament Grandmaster came to stand behind Liu Jiayu, ripping the parasol from her hands and casting it as far from her as he could.

    "Foolish child!" he scolded, glaring daggers at Liu Jiayu. He raised his arm in preparation to strike his disciple, who had no time for any reaction but a yelp of surprise.

    His arm was left hanging, however, when there came the deafening roar of an explosion.

    The Bloodsucking Parasol, as soon as it was thrown away, had inflated to the point it could no longer retain its shape, and it had burst with a crimson fountain.

    Half the concrete stage collapsed from the force of the parasol''s explosion. The entire place was stained red.

    "Master, this¡­ this¡­ I was about to¡­" Liu Jiayu mumbled, almost incomprehensibly.

    The whites of her eyes became more noticeable to onlookers as she stared at the remnants of her master-class weapon.

    If she had held onto the parasol for a second longer, then she surely would have been scattered to the winds!

    Liu Jiayu suddenly felt her head pushed down as her Master forced her to bow.

    The Armament Division''s Grandmaster bowed down as well. "On behalf of my disciple, for her obvious display of foolishness, I offer my sincerest apologies. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive this grandmaster''s interference and my disciple''s discourteous behaviour."

    "You expect a lot of me," Li Meirong said, indifferent. She bobbed her head and turned to step down from the stage.

    Following her dramatic exit, the hushed crowd came back to life and roared its approval.

    Never in their wildest imaginations had they expected this kind of outcome from the battle!

    Unbeknownst to Li Meirong, on that day, she gained the reputation of a merciless female warrior.

 Chapter 331: A Being Made of Smoke And Shadows

    Bai Qingyue gracefully and silently stepped out of the arena, still maintaining his disguise as he masked his immortal aura once more. It was simple to impersonate Li Meirong; it was as easy as breathing for the Fox Lord, for not only was he a Sovereign Lord of the Heavenly Realm, but also a Celestial Huli Jing.

    Though the Celestial Huli Jing belonged to the Heavenly pantheon, and therefore were not at all like common animals or demons, most fox spirit deities retained many of their kind''s ancestral traits ¨C such as being prolific shapeshifters.

    With such a skill, not even a single cultivator in the swarming crowd held the ability to discover Bai Qingyue''s true identity.

    Hushed, awed whispers and cheerful applause echoed from the passersby and drifte to Bai Qingyue''s sensitive ears. His brows furrowed in thought, assessing the situation.

    A sly, mischievous smile spread across his face, dimpling his cheeks and giving the impression of complete innocence ¨C as though he had not just torn off part of a woman''s face with a single slap.

    The crowd parted to let him through.

    He strolled through the stalls surrounding the arena, varied and numerous. As he distanced himself from the stage, the crowd thinned until it was more like the sect''s bustling marketplace.

    Bai Qingyue stiffened suddenly, attention drawn by an individual hiding behind one of the nearby stalls, their form cloaked in shadows.

    He stopped in his tracks, eyeing the being critically.

    The individual was quite short, head looking almost too wide for his narrow shoulders to carry. The slick skin, peeking out from inside the cloak, shone in a way that was unquestionably inhuman, resembling the slimy skin usually possessed by creatures of the deep. Walking appeared to be difficult, as he clumsily skipped from side to side, pretending to be mortal as he mingled with the masses.

    This show of clumsiness, however, did not make Bai Qingyue drop his guard. The unmistakable aura of an immortal surrounded the stranger, and that only made the Fox Lord more cautious.Bai Qingyue was well aware of how looks could be deceiving. He was certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that this immortal was a powerful and ancient one.

    Bai Qingyue''s fingernails slowly elongated into ivory claws as he stepped towards the being. His gaze turned sharp, his eyes holding a chaos that just barely hid the ocean of wickedness beneath.

    The strange immortal, however, did not appear at all perturbed at having his presence discovered. Despite his inability to accurately discern the immortal''s identity, Bai Qingyue''s heightened senses allowed him to perceive the stranger''s gaze fixing right back on him in turn.

    The immortal sized up Bai Qingyue with a great deal of concentration. A knowing smile stretched his broad face from ear to ear.

    When he opened his lipless mouth, a set of razor-sharp teeth were revealed.

    Bai Qingyue''s gaze shifted from side to side, observing the resident cultivators'' obliviousness. They appeared to be entirely unaware of the immortal''s presence in their midst.

    He must be concealing himself from everyone, as none but Bai Qingyue took any notice of him. It was as though he did not exist at all.

    The immortal disappeared, reappearing an inch from Bai Qingyue''s feet just as the Sovereign Lord refocused on him. Bai Qingyue just barely refrained from wrinkling his nose. A strong fishy odor was exuding from the immortal as he levitated up to eye-level and peered deliberately into Bai Qingyue''s eyes.

    "What a stoic face you have. A statue would show more expression," the immortal said.

    Bai Qingyue merely stared at him, unperturbed, back remaining ramrod straight. In one precise movement, he unsheathed the blade he had conjured in the arena and aimed it at the immortal''s chest.

    The nearby cultivators parted in fright and confusion.

    The cloaked immortal leaned forward, showing no sign of fear at the unspoken threat. His small, pebble-like eyes stuck out from his broad head as he stared back in fascination, completely lacking any appearance of anger or fear. He seemed strangely calm, almost all-knowing.

    Without a trace of hesitation, Bai Qingyue drove the blade home. It sunk into the immortal''s heart as easily as slicing through a chunk of tofu.

    Yet, despite the deadly strike, the immortal floated unaffected in the air.

    "I am a being of smoke and shadows, and cannot be cut with a sword," the immortal explained in a croaky, elderly voice.

 Chapter 332: Wrong Answer!

    "It was worth an attempt," Bai Qingyue replied, tone flat and lacking any emotion. He withdrew his blade slowly, body upright and expression indifferent.

    The immortal chuckled amusedly. He lowered himself to the ground, wobbling slightly on his feet.

    His words, when he spoke, were archaic and heavy with an unfamiliar accent.

    "What a grand greeting! The Lord of the Huli Jing certainly lives up to his reputation. Had I been anyone else, I would have perished instantly!" He rose into the air again and gripped the tip of Bai Qingyue''s blade with long, webbed fingers. "Tell me, have you grown tired of playing with humans, Sovereign Lord? What would your unsuspecting wife say if she saw you now?" the immortal asked, cackling with his brittle voice. "It would be quite entertaining to see her reaction to a perfect imitation of herself. What a dangerous skill shapeshifting is."

    Bai Qingyue''s expressionless face twisted suddenly.

    "I see you have come to court death," he snarled. Narrowing his eyes, he drove the blade''s sharp edge towards the immortal''s throat in a slicing motion.

    The immortal squawked at the near impact, and instantly vanished as though never there.

    His presence remained, the strong, fishy smell still lingering in the air.

    Cackling laughter echoed a moment later, as the immortal rematerialized a few steps away. One webbed hand rubbed at his neck.

    "Ooh, close call! How did you find my weak spot so easily?"

    Bai Qingyue did not answer, instead making to strike again.

    The immortal once again vanished and reappeared a short distance away.

    His fishlike mouth stretched into a crafty smile. "How about you answer a riddle? Guess if you can. Guess correctly, and win a prize! What does every man have plenty, gods have few, but you have none?"

    Bai Qingyue''s answer was another slash towards the immortal''s neck, this time almost connecting with the pale, slimy skin.

    The immortal gasped and leapt back, eyeing Bai Qingyue from afar. He made a great show of shaking his head tiredly, as though dealing with a petulant child.

    "Very well, this old man understands. The irate fox does not wish to indulge in proper conversation," the immortal grumbled, narrowly avoiding another slash. "I came to see the Fox Lord, came to see what the fuss is about. I bethought myself a moment, recalling fond memories of times long past when a young fox once ventured to the Tree of Life''s Banquet¡­ was that chance encounter your fortune or misfortune, I wonder?"

    "Patience," Bai Qingyue said suddenly, apparently without reason. The corners of his red lips curled up into a vicious smile. He thrust the blade into the hood of the immortal''s cloak, successfully pinning him to a stall.

    The disoriented seller, previously peddling his wares, shrieked and promptly fled his own stall.

    In a short moment, the bustling marketplace became deserted as the rest of the sect''s inhabitants scurried away.

    "P-pardon?" The immortal''s pebble eyes widened at the underhanded move, and the sudden speech left him even more puzzled.

    "This ''irate fox'' has answered your riddle. My prize will be your death," Bai Qingyue announced coolly, slowly approaching the pinned immortal. Despite still using Li Meirong''s oval face as a disguise, his eyes changed colour and glowed bright yellow.

    Bai Qingyue charged the immortal, ready to tear out his jugular, but the immortal snorted loudly.

    "Wrong answer!" he declared, and vanished, leaving only his cloak behind.

    Bai Qingyue bided his time, blade in hand.

    He did not need to wait long. After a short period of silence, the immortal materialized once more. When he did so, he stood stark naked and scowling. Holding a hand to each side of his thick, protruding belly, the immortal''s good mood appeared to have dampened.

 Chapter 333: Ill Tempered Fox

    The immortal wriggled his now visible webbed feet. Upon closer inspection, he seemed to possess the strangest physique: not exactly a man, yet not exactly a fish.

    A catfish, to be exact.

    A pair of long whiskers, formed of glossy skin, sprouted from above the immortal''s nearly nonexistent mouth, floating as if underwater.

    "This is most unseemly," Bai Qingyue said with a smirk, crossing his arms as he raised his eyebrows condescendingly.

    "Ah, so you do know how to smile!" the immortal harrumphed loudly, clearly annoyed, as he grabbed an empty bowl from the nearest food stall to cover his shame.

    "Only when there is reason to."

    "Ill-tempered, mannerless fox!" grumbled the immortal. "The answer to the riddle is ''an equal'', you fool. Equal!"

    "I tire of this," Bai Qingyue sighed dramatically. He suddenly turned on his heel and walked away.

    "Wait!" the immortal cried out.

    Bai Qingyue kept walking, clearly disinterested, sweeping his jet-black hair away from his face.

    "Do you not wish to ask me anything about yourself?" the immortal queried, following closely behind.

    "Leave me be." Bai Qingyue waved a hand at him, as if to shoo him off.

    The fishlike immortal floated persistently at Bai Qingyue''s side. He was cloaked once more, hiding his part-humanoid part-aquatic frame.

    "Are you not curious about your past, Sovereign Lord? This old man has all the answers."

    "What has happened in the past cannot be changed or reversed. I only look forward to the future."

    "Ill-tempered fox, this old man is not your enemy," the immortal said, voice calm once more. He sounded almost solemn now. "I must only make certain everything falls into its proper place."

    Bai Qingyue headed towards the stables, remaining tight-lipped as he did so.

    "Hear ye, this old man be the sage your father seeks," declared the immortal.

    At that, Bai Qingyue stilled, but as soon as he glanced sideways, the immortal disappeared entirely.

    The Fox Lord''s sharp eyes swept about the marketplace, but he found no sign of the Immortal Sage. His steps quickened in haste, following the Sage''s lingering fishy stench.

    Instead of finding him, however, the presence of another immortal halted his footsteps. He spotted Lang Ju, waiting at his intended destination: the stables.

    "Welcome back, Sire." Grey fox Lang Ju, the senior servant of the Bai Clan''s palace, shapeshifted into his handsome humanoid form and bowed deeply before Bai Qingyue.

    "Dispense with the formalities," Bai Qingyue said dismissively, and then signaled for Lang Ju to rise.

    "Thank you, My Lord." Lang Ju slowly raised his eyes to meet Bai Qingyue''s. Although it was not an easy task to discern the Fox Lord''s mindset, Lang Ju had known him since he was a young cub, and could immediately tell his Lord was agitated.

    As to the reason for the current mood, though, Lang Ju was not certain.

    "Is everything well, My Lord?" Lang Ju asked, concerned.

    "Have you sensed the presence of another immortal in the vicinity?"

    "No, Sire, not at all. I did witness your battle, though. It was most impressive, Sire."

    "Hm." Bai Qingyue breathed in deeply, thoughts unfathomable to his servant.

    Bai Qingyue, after making sure no one else was in sight, relinquished his disguise. The illusion of his wife''s feminine grace melted away, and he reverted back to his own, more masculine appearance.

    "What did you think of my performance?" Bai Qingyue inquired. He straightened his sleeves and tied his gossamer hair back loosely, as he often did whilst in the guise of Zhu Qingyue.

    Lang Ju blinked, his expression quickly shifting to something more uncertain. It was rare for his Lord to ask for another''s opinion, and so the senior servant was caught off-guard. The current sly look on the Fox Lord''s chiseled countenance was a beautiful, if slightly unnerving sight for the senior servant.

    Lang Ju had lived in the Bai Clan''s palace all his life, and knew from experience he had to tread with caution with the Sovereign Lord. One wrong word, or a right word in the wrong place, could bode ill. Sometimes, it could even mean death.

    He gulped, and bowed his head again. Receiving such a direct question from the Sovereign Lord was a heavy burden to bear, but was also a great compliment.

    However¡­

    Why was his Lord so sure of himself? His performance was absolutely awful!

 Chapter 334: Manipulating Everyone In Sigh

    His Lord had seemingly endeavoured, in the beginning at least, to stay true to his wife''s character. Yet, as soon as the first battle had begun, he had appeared to forget about his disguise, and had instead allowed his true nature to unleash itself mercilessly upon the unsuspecting humans.

    His Lord had been brutal and savage, manipulating everyone in sight. And, as a result, he had left Her Ladyship with a terrible reputation!

    The Fox Lord''s face grew stern as Lang Ju contemplated how to answer the question.

    "Have you become mute?" Bai Qingyue demanded.

    "Not at all, Sire! It is merely¡­ this servant is unworthy to answer such a question¡­" Lang Ju muttered finally, after what seemed like half a day.

    How could Lang Ju dare to speak his mind? He was not suicidal, not like Bai Yu. That fool was all brawn and no brains, repeatingly testing the Sovereign Lord''s temper.

    No, Lang Ju was no fool. He wished to preserve his precious life!

    "Then, you refuse to answer?" Bai Qingyue tapped a foot impatiently. Lang Ju chuckled nervously.

    "Of course not, Sire. It is a great honor for this servant to have his opinion considered. This servant is overwhelmed, and unsure how to express himself."

    The Fox Lord fixed his cold gaze upon Lang Ju, narrowing his long slanted eyes. "Speak plainly. I dislike riddles."

    Lang Ju took in a deep breath, and then offered his carefully calculated explanation.

    "Sire, Her Ladyship has a very calm disposition, and a very forgiving nature. She is not prone to gruesome acts of violence¡­"

    Bai Qingyue''s eyebrows knitted into a frown. "I was very calm, and very forgiving. Everybody lived, did they not?"

    Lang Ju stared at him incredulously, eyes wide, trying to see into Bai Qingyue''s innermost thoughts.

    Of course the Fox Lord would consider himself forgiving and merciful, simply for keeping everyone alive. Of course he would!

    "That axe-wielding boy died, M''lord," Lang Ju pointed out.

    Bai Qingyue shrugged elegantly.

    "What business is it of mine to interfere? It was that Liu girl who killed the boy."

    ''My Lord, was it not your doing?! You were the one who manipulated the attack to ricochet off you and stab the boy, but to claim innocence of any wrongdoing¡­ And then you allowed the girl to absorb your blood, knowing she would soon die, because a simple mortal-made weapon could not possibly contain a god''s essence!'' Lang Ju thought to himself, frowning. He refrained from acting upon his growing urge to rub his temples in frustration.

 Chapter 335: What Else Could Be The Reason?

    Finally, Lang Ju cleared his throat and spoke again.

    "As for the Armament Division''s disciple, was it quite necessary to maim her?"

    Once he finished speaking, Lang Ju brought a hand to cover his mouth. He shuddered as he recalled the remains of the girl''s permanent smile, carved onto her flesh.

    Bai Qingyue''s golden eyes flashed with a fierce light. "That vermin dared speak ill of my wife. The fact she is alive right now is her good fortune."

    A look of comprehension gradually dawned on Lang Ju''s ever-youthful visage.

    So that was what had pressed His Lordship''s buttons, for him to behave as he had done...

    "Besides," Bai Qingyue flapped his sleeves as he mounted a crane, "I will not allow anyone to step all over my wife. If everyone fears her, they will all think twice before disrespecting her."

    "My Lord is wise," Lang Ju agreed, after giving it some thought.

    At first, he had not understood the reasons for the Fox Lord''s actions, but after being given an explanation, he could not fault him.

    Now that he had learned that Her Ladyship was treated badly by others in the sect, Lang Ju was no longer surprised by the Fox Lord''s gruesome display of cruelty.

    Bai Qingyue turned back to face Lang Ju one last time, pausing for a moment. The silvery strands of his hair flowed down over his wide shoulders like spiderwebs.

    "If you sense the aura of an unfamiliar immortal presence, alert me at once."

    "Yes, Sire!"

    "... It is no enemy of ours, so there is no need to be on guard." Bai Qingyue added after some time. Turning back around, he took off.

    Thunder roared in the distance as the lonely view of Bai Qingyue''s broad back slowly disappeared behind the clouds.

    Now that the coast was clear, Lang Ju released a breath of relief.

    The Senior Servant had seen plenty of the Bai Clan members lose their minds over their fated partners, but the Sovereign Lord was on a whole different level!

    Impersonating Li Meirong was one thing, but surely, the Sovereign Lord could have told his own wife about his plans first¡­

    Now that his life wasn''t at stake for speaking out of turn, Lang Ju gained enough courage to mumble his true thoughts aloud.

    "Shouldn''t the Sovereign Lord be consulting Her Ladyship upon these matters first?"

    Lang Ju rubbed his chin and wondered. ''Also, why does the Sovereign Lord refuse to make it publicly known that Her Ladyship is his rightful consort? Could it be that His Lordship is ashamed of Her Ladyship''s mortality, thus he waits for her to ascend? Or does he wish to officially keep Her Ladyship as a concubine, and bestow the title of Honourable Wife upon the Red Fox Princess, his childhood companion¡­?''

    What else could be the reason?

    No matter how long Lang Ju pondered over the matter, no logical explanation came to mind.

    It was not as though the Sovereign Fox Lord feared the rejection of any female.

    No one would dare oppose the Sovereign Lord''s decisions, much less his own mortal wife.

    Lang Ju tiredly rubbed his chin. Bai Qingyue''s ways could never be understood by the likes of him.

    The Fox Lord''s thoughts were indeed deep and unfathomable.

 Chapter 336: I Cant Find Him Anywhere

    Meanwhile, at Li Meirong''s residence...

    The sunlight was strong. The white clouds above were fluffy and looked as if pasted to the bright blue canvas of the sky. Their puffiness was reflected in the clear pool of water below.

    The small, clear pond encircled the orchard Li Meirong had established with Chou, marking out a barrier. The garden leading to the cabin was mostly comprised of trees, branches heavy with ripe fruit just begging to be picked.

    Bees and butterflies were frequent visions in the garden, buzzing and fluttering from flower to flower as they gathered pollen and nectar.

    Outside, everything appeared tranquil and harmonious. Inside, however, was another matter.

    Li Meirong sat by the window, jade-like fingers clenched lightly in the curtain as she gazed at the pastoral landscape. Her brows drew together slightly in a subtle frown. Her current appearance, fraught with worry as she was, only served to heighten her charming appeal.

    "I can''t find him anywhere," she murmured, after a prolonged silence.

    "Find whom, My Lady?" Xiao An Fei asked, her care evident in her tone. She placed a cup of honeyed water on the stool by Li Meirong''s side. "Do you mean His Lordship? Could it be that My Lady is fretting over His Lordship''s wellbeing?"

    Li Meirong pressed her lips together into a flat line, giving Xiao An Fei a sidelong glance at the hint of eagerness in the girl''s tone.

    "Not him¡­ didn''t you say Senior Zhu Qingyue appointed someone to attend the preliminaries in my stead, and that he''s supervising the competition?"

    Xia An Fei nodded her head rapidly. "Yes, My Lady. Lord Zhu Qingyue is overseeing the tournament. All he requires of you is to relax and be at peace."

    Li Meirong''s fingers tightened on the curtain. "Humph! I worried myself sick over that guy for so many months, then he barges back into my life and starts telling me what to do, keeps me at home, prevents me from going to the tournament¡­"

    "My Lord''s demands for My Lady to remain safe at home are his way of showing how much he cares."

    Li Meirong turned to fix her limpid eyes on Xiao An Fei. "It''s also too controlling. Your lord once told me he had a terminal illness¡­ how could he be terminally ill at one moment and fit as a horse the next? He bullied me all night! And here I thought he was meek and gentle¡­ what a fraud!"

    Xiao An Fei''s cheeks went bright pink, and she looked to the side to dodge Li Meirong''s pointed stare. "My Lady, this kind of talk should be reserved for husband and wife."

    "What?" Li Meirong asked, confused, before her eyes widened."What did you think I meant? I didn''t mean it that way¡­" she stammered in embarrassment.

    "Then what did you mean, My Lady?" Xiao An Fei asked, calm once more. She curiously blinked her large almond eyes at Li Meirong''s sudden change in attitude.

    Li Meirong released the curtain a few moments later, beginning to twiddle her thumbs instead.

    "That is¡­ maybe you''re right; I shouldn''t complain about this to you. I''m sorry I snapped. This isn''t your fault in any way."

    "Please do not apologize, My Lady! It is true, though: Lord Zhu Qingyue has never been better. This servant has never seen him in such high spirits. Please find it in your heart to forgive him. This servant is certain that My Lord holds My Lady in high esteem. The last thing he would wish is to make My Lady dissatisfied."

    Li Meirong blushed and quickly refocused her gaze back outside.

    "I never said I was dissatisfied," she said softly.

    Xiao An Fei came to stand beside her, giving her a conspiratorial smile. "Is that so?"

    Now it was Li Meirong''s turn to awkwardly dodge Xiao An Fei''s pointed stare. Her hair tumbled down like waves of black ink on each side of her scarred face.

    The wooden floor suddenly became a very fascinating place to stare at.

    "I''m just¡­ confused, that''s all. I can''t figure him out," she mumbled finally.

    ''Ah, Her Ladyship is so pitiful. I don''t think she will ever be able to overcome this plight¡­ It''s too late for you, My Lady; you have already been caught in the Sovereign Lord''s intricate web without ever knowing it existed,'' thought Xiao An Fei. She refrained from reaching out and patting Li Meirong''s head.

 Chapter 337: Snowball is A Big Fatty

    "As for the effects of the illness¡­" Xiao An Fei said, "A cure was, luckily, found. Is this not a joyous event, My Lady? Are you not happy?"

    "Yes, I''m ecstatic," Li Meirong answered dryly. She wasn''t sure who or what to believe anymore.

    "And in the upcoming match, My Lady will surely be participating!" Xai An Fei''s voice grew louder with excitement, and Li Meirong sighed.

    "That''d be nice."

    It wasn''t that she was upset about being replaced with another competitor for the first match ¨C in all honesty, she would rather not be hassled about the tournament at all, and she preferred staying home.

    It was Zhu Qingyue, after all, who had coerced her into being in the tournament in the first place.

    But she had practiced so hard! All the time and effort she had spent training would be for nothing if she didn''t at least try.

    "If it isn''t His Lordship," Xiao An Fei began quickly, seeing Li Meirong''s troubled expression, "then who is it that My Lady cannot find?"

    "My fox spirit!" Li Meirong exclaimed, rising abruptly from her chair. "I can''t find him anywhere!"

    "..." Xiao An Fei pursed her lips, but kept her mouth shut and her words locked behind her teeth.

    The Sovereign Lord''s ways of tricking his own wife were sure to bite him back one day, and likely one day soon...

    Li Meirong raised the cup of honeyed water and downed it in one large, unladylike gulp; she then bent quickly to put on her shoes.

    Xiao An Fei leaned forward to do the task for her, and Li Meirong politely refused her assistance.

    "But My Lady, that is my job," Xiao An Fei whined pitifully.

    "I can do this much," Li Meirong rebuffed. "I might be a bit lazy, but I''m not disabled."

    "My Lady, that is not¡­ a woman in your position should not¡­" Xiao An Fei could not find the words to finish her explanation.

    It didn''t matter, as Li Meirong wasn''t waiting around for her to finish.

    "I''m going to look for my fox spirit," Li Meirong said decisively, and headed for the door. "I think I know where he might be. Snowball is a big fatty; he always goes where his stomach leads him."

    Once again, Xiao An Fei turned speechless from shock.

    ''My Lord, your wife thinks you are a big fatty¡­'' Xiao An Fei silently mourned for the Sovereign Lord''s long-lost dignity.

    "As you wish, My Lady," she murmured, and then silently followed close behind Li Meirong. ''I just have to make sure she does not reach the tournament grounds until the Sovereign Lord returns,'' she thought.

    It didn''t take Li Meirong long to reach Bao Li''s quarters, which was the first place she thought to find her ever-disappearing fox spirit. Unfortunately, it was yet another fruitless attempt to discover where Snowball kept disappearing to.

    Bao Li claimed she had no idea where the fox cub was, saying she had not seen him in quite some time.

    It happened to be Bao Li''s day off, and, as she had nothing else to do, she volunteered herself to accompany her distraught friend in her search, with a bottle of plum wine in hand.

    And so, after a long while of searching, Bao Li, Li Meirong, and Xiao An Fei gathered around the table outside Li Meirong''s cabin, gazing at the lush scenery.

    Bao Li''s cheeks were already flushed from drinking too much, even though it was only the middle of the day.

    "The little furball will come back soon, do not worry," Bao Li said, pouring some of the plum wine into a cup for her friend in the hope of helping ease her worries. "It is not the first time he has vanished on you," she added, and gestured for Li Meirong to drink.

    Li Meirong refused the cup shyly.

    "Don''t hold it against me, Sister Li, but I think I need to stay away from wine for a while. I end up doing stupid things if I drink too much. Let me join you with a cup of tea instead."

    Xiao An Fei, who was in the middle of taking a sip of the wine, suddenly started coughing madly.

 Chapter 338: Ardent Expectation

    "Fine, fine, all the more for me!" Bao Li gave Li Meirong the evil eye as she emptied the contents of Li Meirong''s cup into her own. Yet Bao Li didn''t stop there.

    After her third consecutive drink, Li Meirong grabbed the wine bottle and hid it in her dimension.

    "No more wine for you, either," Li Meirong said sternly. "You''ve picked up a bad habit."

    Bao Li''s large, childlike eyes glimmered with unshed tears. Her pitiful expression was capable of melting the coldest of hearts.

    "Li Meirong, do you even have a heart?" Bao Li asked, pointing a shaking, accusing finger across the table when Li Meirong remained unaffected. "Are you truly my friend?"

    Unaffected by Bao Li''s dramatic performance, Li Meirong slowly took a sip of her tea.

    "Drinking too much is bad for you," she countered calmly. "I will be a bad friend if I don''t take care of you."

    Bao Li''s expression quickly shifted from pleading to irritation, and she switched tactics. If her first strategy of garnering sympathy was not going to work, then she would need to go for something else.

    She harrumphed loudly and waved a fist in the air. "Whether or not you take good care of me, you would know the answer to that very well. I am still your senior, even if I am, unlike you, an outer sect disciple."

    "Yes, you are," Li Meirong agreed, smiling helplessly and nodding her head. "Head Chef Bao Li, what can I do to make you feel better that does not include allowing you to continue drinking?"

    The question seemed to appease Bao Li''s temper, for she relaxed her pose once more. She placed her small hands back on her lap as a rare little smile spread across her plump, rosy cheeks.

    Across the table, Xiao An Fei allowed herself to take another sip from her cup now that the situation had finally calmed down. ''Humans are difficult creatures to comprehend,'' she mused silently.

    Bao Li cleared her throat a few times. "This morning, I traveled from Healer''s Peak over to our division''s kitchens. As I came back, I happened to pass by your house¡­"

    As she trailed off, Bao Li eyed Li Meirong with an ardently expectant look.

    Li Meirong merely raised one brow questioningly. Her crystal-clear eyes were tinged with perplexion.

    "Oh?" she queried.

    "You¡­ you do not have anything else you wish to say?" Bao Li asked, annoyed.

    "I¡­ I really don''t know what you want from me." Li Meirong''s confusion was clearly shown in her face.

    From Bao Li''s tone, it seemed to Li Meirong as though her friend expected her to confess to something. But, for the life of her, she couldn''t figure out what.

    Usually, Bao Li would not beat around the bush for long. The chef was a rather upfront sort of person. The main subject she seemed to whine over was about acquiring Snowball...

    Li Meirong dearly hoped Bao Li wouldn''t ask for him again. There was no way she would give up her fox spirit, even if he was an unruly little thing.

    Xiao An Fei, sitting demure and silent across the table, was still as a statue. Her dainty hand, gripping the cup close to her lips, froze mid-air as her eyes widened slightly in understanding.

    This very morning, she and her sister had presented Bai Yu before the Sovereign Lord in this garden. Could it be that this Bao Li girl had overheard their conversation from afar and came to inform Her Ladyship?

    If so, then Xiao An Fei had to find an appropriate time to intervene, and silence Bao Li before it was too late!

    She chose to remain tactfully silent for the moment, to continue assessing the situation. Xiao An Fei was not fully certain of the chef''s motives, and so she would restrain herself for now. Her jaw clenched, and she hoped she would not need to take any drastic measures.

 Chapter 339: Bao Li Had Seen Them!

    When Li Meirong gave no further response, Bao Li began to sob loudly. Her glossy eyes filled with tears, which lingered and remained unshed.

    "It seems that for this disciple, our friendship no longer matters! I am merely a servant in the sect, so making a promise to me is of no consequence to an inner sect disciple such as yourself!"

    "Such nonsense!" Li Meirong rose from her seat and went to kneel by Bao Li''s side. She tenderly cupped her friend''s cheeks, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with her thumbs. "I truly have no idea what you''re talking about," she admitted, "but if I upset you in any way, then I apologize deeply. How about you tell me the full story first, so we can solve this issue together, hm?"

    Witnessing all this from the outside, Xiao An Fei''s mouth hung open slightly. Her Ladyship, Li Meirong, was being far too softhearted!

    This Bao Li was obviously shedding crocodile tears; how could Her Ladyship fall for such a simple trick?

    ''Worse yet is her kneeling; for the Sovereign Lord''s wife to kneel before others is most inappropriate!'' Xiao An Fei thought in disapproval as she rounded the table, following Li Meirong''s steps.

    "My Lady, please, it is beneath your station to kneel," she stated, reaching towards Li Meirong''s elbow. "Please conduct yourself accordingly."

    "All this talk of position and station¡­" Li Meirong threw Xiao An Fei a pointed look. "We will be discussing it later."

    "But, My Lady, this¡ª"

    "Later." Li Meirong''s tone was firm, her decision final as she shook Xiao An Fei off. She immediately turned back to Bao Li, locking eyes with the other girl and grasping her hands gently. "Please don''t cry. Tell me what''s wrong. How can I make it better?"

    Bao Li, who had been making a huge fuss all this while, suddenly stopped crying. She lifted her teary eyes to give Li Meirong a pitiful look. In her heart, however, she was only joyful at the worry her friend was showing for her sake.

    It was obvious to all of them that Li Meirong planned on doing whatever she could to please Bao Li, so the odds of Bao Li''s request being approved were very high.

    Bao Li let none of her inner joy show on her face. Instead, she huffed. "You know I would have liked to adopt Snowball, but you are my friend and I would never steal him from you. I was fine with waiting for a future litter, waiting for the chance to raise one cub. But then today! Today I saw it with my own eyes! Not one, but a twin pair of fox spirits roaming your garden! How many fox spirits do you actually own, and why can you not share a single one with me?"

    Xiao An Fei took a stumbling step back, feeling as if she had just been stung. Her hands clenched into small fists, hiding the claws which extended from her fingers like tiny, pale knives.

    This damned Bao Li had indeed seen her and her sister!

 Chapter 340: I Know What I Saw, Okay?

    A few steps behind Li Meirong, Xiao An Fei leaned forward to perceive Her Ladyship''s reaction to Bao Li''s account.

    Her anxiety lessened slightly when she saw the flicker of doubt in Li Meirong''s eyes.

    At the same time, Li Meirong stood in front of Xiao An Fei, her wary gaze directed at Bao Li, and so didn''t notice anything out of the ordinary with her distressed maid.

    "You say you saw fox spirits in my garden, but you also said you haven''t seen Snowball in a while¡­ that makes this a little difficult to believe," Li Meirong said, lips pursing as she finished speaking.

    Bao Li bristled. "Well, I do not think it was Snowball. These fox spirits looked older than him, and I think I know Snowball well enough to recognize him when I see him."

    Li Meirong opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words came out.

    Xiao An Fei crept closer while Li Meirong was deep in thought.

    "My Lady, may I have permission to speak?"

    "Go ahead." Li Meirong said as she sat down in the nearest chair with a loud thump, rubbing her temples tiredly.

    Xiao An Fei immediately turned to scowl at Bao Li.

    "You, girl, from where was it that you saw the fox spirits? Did you step inside the grounds of My Lady''s residence?"

    Bao Li was caught off-guard by Xiao An Fei''s sudden show of animosity, but answered all the same.

    "Not exactly," she admitted. "I was mounted upon a crane at that time, flying above the garden."

    Xiao An Fei breathed out harshly through her nostrils and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked down her nose at Bao Li.

    "So, it is to this humble servant''s understanding that from so high up, anybody could be mistaken as to what they saw, not to mention a muddle-headed girl like you. For all we know, you might have seen a few rabbits munching on herbs in the field¡­"

    Bao Li''s youthful looking face twisted; she was completely affronted by Xiao An Fei''s slyly-insulting remarks. She puffed out her cheeks and shifted her gaze between Li Meirong and Xiao An Fei.

    "What is this, are you guys putting on a show for me? I may drink a lot, but I''m not blind!" Bao Li said, banging her fist on the table. "I know what I saw! Those were fox spirits!"

    Thinking that Li Meirong was simply unwilling to give away one of her hidden fox cubs, the Head Chef resumed with her complaints. "Junior Sister Meirong, I just want one fox! Surely you can share just one with your friend when you already have so many?"

    Li Meirong didn''t have time to respond before Xiao An Fei butted in on the conversation once again.

    Xiao An Fei bowed deeply and averted her gaze as she spoke.

    "My Lady, I assure you that whatever your friend might think she saw, it was not fox spirits. As you recall, I was waiting for your orders right outside your residence. If there were any fox spirits around, I would know."

    Li Meirong''s expression kept changing continuously. It began with confusion, then transformed to suspicion, worry, and then, finally reverted back to confusion.

    How many fox spirits did she own? Obviously, there was only one, Snowball!

    Fox spirits were very rare spirit beasts, and were equally difficult to acquire. The odds of having a pair of random fox spirits visiting the garden were minuscule.

    But what if they weren''t just any random fox spirits? If Bao Li really had seen fox spirits, what if they were Snowball''s family members, coming to whisk him away?

    That was the first thing that came to Li Meirong''s mind, and it troubled her most of all options. Her heart clenched in her chest at the thought of Snowball being kidnapped, especially by his no-good family.

    If such a thing did happen, how would she ever find him again?

    Then again, as Xiao An Fei had wisely mentioned, Bao Li could have just misunderstood what she saw. It wouldn''t be the first time it happened, either, especially with Bao Li''s recent hobby of getting drunk whenever possible.

    "You believe me, don''t you, Sister Meirong?" Bao Li''s heartfelt plea made Li Meirong regain focus once more.

    She quickly recovered, gripped Bao Li''s shoulders with sudden urgency. "Are you certain not even one of the foxes was Snowball?"

    "I do not think so. It did not seem so, from what I saw. There were two fox spirits, and each of them had multiple tails. It looked like they were carrying a sack, too," Bao Li added as an afterthought. "It was a rather interesting sight to behold."

    "Did you notice which way they were heading?"

    Bao Li rubbed her chin in thought. "The crane kept flying ahead, so I did not have enough time to properly inspect."

    Li Meirong''s eyes lost all signs of tenderness. She cupped her hands before Bao Li and bowed politely.

    "Senior Sister Li, I apologize for being rude, but I must go. You know your way out. I''ll see you another time, and we''ll talk more about this."

    Bao Li''s brow furrowed. "But what about giving me a fox cub?"

    She was met with a chilling glare as a response.

    "Next time," Bao Li said hastily, laughing nervously. She backed away, swaying slightly from side to side. "We will talk about it next time."

    Bao Li may have been considered persistent by some, but she also knew to relent before getting into trouble.

 Chapter 341: No Good Reason

    Li Meirong intended to resume her search for Snowball the instant Bao Li left. But just as she was about to stand, Xiao An Fei dropped to her knees before Li Meirong, and clutched at the hem of her dress.

    "My Lady, this servant deserves to be punished!" Xiao An Fei cried out.

    "Whatever for?" Li Meirong queried, bewildered. There must be something in the air today, she thought, because everyone around her kept acting overly dramatic.

    Xiao An Fei lightly tugged on the hem of her dress. "My Ladyship being ill at ease is all this servant''s fault! This foolish servant just recalled that the young fox spirit left to see the tournament with His Lordship. If you give me the chance, I shall fetch him for you right away."

    "..." Li Meirong was too stunned to respond.

    She couldn''t help but feel like she had just suffered a massive headache for no good reason...

    Xiao An Fei bobbed her head and rose to her feet.

    "I''ll bring him right away. Stay here and rest, My Lady! Don''t go anywhere."

    Li Meirong gave her a weary smile and spoke at length. "Please do, and thank you."

    Without another word, Xiao An Fei departed.

    Alone at last, Li Meirong leaned back against the chair and idly stared at the scenery around her.

    She considered herself a rather simple person: as long as Snowball was safe, then the rest didn''t matter to her.

    However, she couldn''t help but feel a growing need to keep a closer watch over her fox cub, at least until she''d discover the identity of those other fox spirits Bao Li spoke of.

    With no one else around, the only sounds to be heard were the tweeting of birds and the leaves rustling in the whispering breeze. The warm weather was perfect for enjoying the autumn scenery.

    Li Meirong, having finally acquired a small measure of peace and quiet, allowed her eyes to close slowly. Hopefully she would be able to rest for the remainder of the day.

    The tall fruit trees shaded the entire balcony with their withering, sun-kissed leaves. The young woman, relaxing beneath the shade, used her forearm to cover her eyes. Her sleeve folded back as she raised her arm, revealing pale, tender skin.

    A cool breeze, carrying the scent of the sea, brushed across her warm, scarred cheeks and swept over her exposed neck.

    Slowly but surely, a pungent smell invaded Li Meirong''s nose, stirring her back into full wakefulness.

    Li Meirong''s dark lashes fluttered open at the sudden feel of a slight chill. A small gasp escaped her lips ¨C a peculiar-looking, elderly man with a thin grey beard that reached the ground had appeared from nowhere, and now sat opposite her.

    The elderly man seemed relaxed, happy even. His eyes were small yet sharp, and wrinkles formed at their corners as he smiled.

    "It has not been easy for this old man to find some time to meet with you. You have become quite the busy lady, have you not?" the elderly man said, chuckling deeply.

 Chapter 342: Who Are You?

    Li Meirong made no effort to confront the elderly man, or to run away, but her alarmed expression betrayed her emotions all the same.

    The Elder stroked his long beard and watched her, his manner similar to the way people observed animals held captive in a zoo.

    The two of them sat facing each other, still on the balcony, for what felt like an infinite time.

    "How very fascinating you are," the elderly man remarked suddenly, his voice full of awe.

    Li Meirong straightened her posture slowly, sitting stiffly as she stared cautiously at the elderly man. "Who are you?"

    The elderly man barked out a laugh, then poured himself a cup of the leftover tea, mumbling something about the water''s temperature.

    "It is not easy to find a fellow skilled in the art of brewing tea," he said.

    Li Meirong felt her headache coming on again. She really wanted to kick this strange elder out of her house, but the aura surrounding him seemed too powerful for her to risk provoking him.

    Also, what was the point of him mentioning the tea? Did this unfamiliar elder expect her to serve him or something? He was the one who showed up out of nowhere, uninvited!

    In addition to that, he hadn''t even bothered to introduce himself. She had no idea who this person was.

    After dealing with a temperamental love interest, backstabbing friends, and lunatic Grandmasters, Li Meirong didn''t lose her calm so easily anymore. She had already acquired a measure of experience when it came to dealing with eccentric individuals.

    She took a deep breath, and calmly asked again, "This respectable elder is¡­?"

    The Elder purposefully avoided her stare, turning away to gaze up at the clouds. It was a dismissal, no doubt.

    "This younger generation, ah¡­ lacking manners, as usual."

    Li Meirong didn''t respond to his remark. She neatly poured herself a cup as well, and drank a small mouthful of liquid. The tea was cold and tasted bitter.

    She set her cup aside and coolly addressed the elder once more. "Sir, you barged into my house, sampled my tea without invitation, and it seems like you already know my identity. Wouldn''t it be right and proper for you to introduce yourself first?"

    The Elder stared back at Li Meirong from the corner of his eyes without turning his face in her direction. His lips curved upwards into a mysterious smile.

    "Hn. So this one has kind eyes, likes to talk, and lacks any killing intent. The complete opposite of each other. No wonder. No wonder."

    "..."

    If Li Meirong wasn''t stumped before, then she certainly was now!

 Chapter 343: Stop

    "Oh, wait a moment." Suddenly, the elderly man turned around and craned his neck in her direction. "Your auras have already merged, I see. You must have experienced many aggressive inclinations as of late, have you not?"

    Seeing him get so close caused Li Meirong to scoot backward, nearly dropping from the chair. The elderly man grabbed her by the wrists just as her chair started to tip, teetering on its back two legs.

    "Careful, child," the Elder warned, pulling her forward and adjusting her seat.

    He inclined his head, giving Li Meirong a wide, toothy grin, full of sharp teeth. "You may call me Wise Sage."

    The elderly man didn''t seem even remotely close to what Li Meirong would have imagined a Wise Sage to be.

    Nevertheless, addressing the elder in the way he wished to be called wasn''t that big of a deal for her.

    Feeling slightly shaken by their skin contact, Li Meirong spoke haltingly. "Thank you, Wise Sage. Please tell me, have we met before?"

    The elder man''s hands on her wrist felt strangely slimy, and the texture of his skin made her shudder involuntarily. His thin, sharp teeth didn''t seem like anything that should be peeking out of an old man''s smiling mouth.

    The Wise Sage regarded Li Meirong with amusement. "You do not know me, silly child. But I know you. I know everything about you. I know about who you were before you even knew who you were!"

    His words sounded like a bunch of lies to Li Meirong, falling from his slippery tongue with perfect ease.

    Li Meirong pursed her lips in disdain. For a second there, she had thought this person might have some relation to the previous owner of this body. But the more he spoke, the more it seemed clear to her that this "Wise Sage" was a charlatan. She wondered if he was like one of those phony priests from her world, trying to sell fake talismans and snake oil.

    The Wise Sage seemed to have noticed Li Meirong''s subtle change of expression.

    He narrowed his all-knowing eyes and rubbed his beard as he calmly explained. "Child, there is much you do not know. You reside in the lower realm, and your knowledge and exposure has been very limited. I am an immortal from the Heavens who has been blessed with divine omniscience. One could say you are quite lucky, for there are only a few beings in existence who can sit and have a chat with me."

    Li Meirong laughed. "The Heavens? You''re a fairy from the Heavens?"

    To further prove his point, the Sage abruptly disappeared for but a short moment, only to reappear directly beside her. His unusually long fingers tapped rhythmically on the corner of the table as he peered into her lucid eyes.

    "You, child, are not originally from this world. You come from a different realm of existence, one which has has been deserted by the gods. It is a place filled with flying machines and small trinkets that can transfer your voice across long distances. You have a history of failed romantic affairs, and you are afraid of commitment due to your childhood emotional neglect. You owned several cats whose names were¨C"

    "Stop! Stop¡­" Li Meirong froze; the laughter instantly died in her throat.

    The fact she was from another world and that her soul had transferred into a different person was a secret she had kept well guarded. Not even her own spirit beasts were aware of this particular knowledge.

    Since Li Meirong feared being regarded as an evil apparition that possessed someone else''s body, she never revealed her origins to anyone. Yet this old man already knew everything about her, even the embarrassing parts of her past life were somehow known to him.

    She stared at the Sage in wide-eyed amazement. "How could you possibly know all this?"

    The Wise Sage chuckled. "Oh, this be nothing. I know far more!" He retrieved a folded paper from within his cloak and spread it flat on the table. It was an old ink painting of an ancient-looking tree.

    "This here is the secret to your identity. Find this tree, find your roots."

 Chapter 344: Do Not Stray From The Path

    Li Meirong tentatively glimpsed downward to inspect the painting, but couldn''t find any special clue hidden within it. All she saw was just the simple shape of a wide tree bearing a few round fruits, nothing more.

    Also, why did she even need to find this tree to discover her identity? She already knew who she was.

    She raised her head and gazed at the Sage warily. "Why are you telling me all this? Is there a purpose for your visit?"

    "What if I were to say that I am merely curious about your existence?"

    "Then I would wonder if there is a reason for you to deceive me." replied Li Meirong curtly.

    The Wise Sage smiled wistfully, but unlike before, it seemed genuine. "Child, your shoulders may be narrow, but a heavy weight rests upon them. Your nature is ideal for cultivating slowly and peacefully. In fact, I would have liked to take you in as my disciple, were the circumstances different. However, that is not to be your way. Your destiny''s path has already been paved."

    ''He makes it sound like I''m somehow responsible for the fate of the world¡­'' Li Meirong reflected, feeling apprehensive.

    "So you''re telling me it was my destiny to die and come here?" Her voice had picked up a frantic note. "Can you tell me the reason why I''m here?"

    "Nay." The Wise Sage slowly shook his head. His expression turned grave, his round eyes solemn. "Your existence in this world might be coincidental, but it is certainly unparalleled. You must remember what I tell you, Child. No matter what happens, do not abandon the fox. I fear the consequences might be disastrous should you choose to do so. Do not stray from the path the universe bestowed upon you."

    "Wise Sage, do you mean my fox spirit, Snowball? If so, then don''t worry, I have no intention of abandoning him. But what sort of path is it that I''m supposed to follow?" Li Meirong asked, bowing her head. "Please explain everything properly."

    The Wise Sage blinked in surprise. "Snowball? This¡­ who is this ''Snowball''? How come I do not know?"

    "I thought you knew everything..."

    The Wise Sage''s lips stretched thin in his annoyance. "Well, I do not know anything about a ''Snowball''."

    Li Meirong''s expression turned gloomy. Could this Wise Sage be anymore confusing?

    Thunder suddenly roared in the background like a dark omen.

    The Wise Sage nearly yelped uncharacteristically. He got up and paced back and forth, rubbing his neck in a repetitive motion. "Child, I shall not stay for long. Remember what I told you."

    Li Meirong likewise rose from her seat and spread her arms wide as if to block his path from leaving. "You aren''t going to just leave now, are you? You barely gave me any information! Can you¨C"

    The weather became strangely fickle. Even though it was the middle of a sunny day, clouds unexpectedly gathered into a coat of grey, and a rumbling thunder soon followed.

    The heavens expressed their rage like an enraged beast who had woken from its slumber to roar once more.

    The Wise Sage nervously glanced into the distance before turning back and signaling Li Meirong to stay quiet.

    His short, wobbly figure gradually became more and more transparent as he replied, "Silly child, what you need to know, you already know. What must happen is bound to happen. Perhaps one day, we shall meet again under better circumstances." his voice faded into a whisper. "Remember not to stray from the path."

    The rest of Li Meirong''s words died in her throat as the self-proclaimed Wise Sage disappeared in a cloud of smoke and shadow.

 Chapter 345: My Home Is Wherever You Are

    Bai Qingyue returned from the tournament and came in search of his wife, only to be met with the sight of Li Meirong standing stiffly with her hands outstretched. A troubled expression darkened her face.

    He dismounted the crane, and hastily stepped towards Li Meirong, his usual calm had been replaced by a deep sense of unease. Grasping her small hands and cradling them gently; his hands were so much larger than hers and they completely engulfed her palms.

    "Wife, is there something troubling you? Are you unwell?" Bai Qingyue asked, his sonorous voice filled with anxiety.

    After what felt like forever, Li Meirong focused her gaze on Bai Qingyue. Her cheeks warmed at the sight of him standing so close to her.

    "I''m perfectly fine," Li Meirong stammered, "and you''re way too close." She turned her face away to avoid his molten stare.

    When Bai Qingyue realized she had not shown any sign of pain or discomfort, he released a breath he was not even aware of holding.

    Li Meirong squeezed her hands out of his grasp and rested them on his chest instead, attempting to push him away, but he remained as solid and unmoving as a mountain.

    After several unsuccessful attempts, she let out an exasperated huff.

    Bai Qingyue''s cold yet charming eyes filled with tenderness. He restrained the urge to chuckle at his wife''s adorable antics. ''This silly girl is so small and frail, yet still attempts to push me away¡­''

    At first, Bai Qingyue had been gripped by the terrible fear that the Immortal Sage had done something to Li Meirong, perhaps acting on the orders of Hong Meigui¡­ his mother.

    The Immortal Sage and the Matron of the Huli Jing had been seen traveling together when they escaped the Heavenly Realm. As such, it would not be unimaginable for the Sage to act upon Hong Meigui''s orders, even if he had originally claimed neutrality.

    Just before Bai Qingyue had descended to the island, he had detected the presence of the Sage, but the crafty fish had been quick on his feet and had managed to escape right before his arrival.

    Luckily for the continuing life of the Immortal Sage, Bai Qingyue concluded that his little wife had not been harmed in any way. If she had been, the Sovereign Lord would have reluctantly foregone the promise made to his father about capturing the Sage, and would have served a plate of seafood to his wife instead.

    Bai Qingyue observed Li Meirong, his long lashes shading his golden eyes like a pair of intricate fans. She was wearing a thin white dress with long sleeves, a blue sash wrapped around her waist. Her skin held a healthy glow beneath the sunlight. With her lack of accessories, Li Meirong''s appearance held a simple elegance.

    "Wife, I have returned," he announced with a small smile, after looking her up and down. He bent down to gently kiss the top of her head.

    Li Meirong glanced up at him and let out a short teasing laugh. "Isn''t it a little too late to say that now?"

    "Does it matter? I wish to say it all the same," Bai Qingyue declared as he lightly pinched the tip of Li Meirong''s small nose. "You have a lot of nerve to laugh at your husband. You are the only one to possess such privilege."

    Li Meirong raised her arm to lightly smack his hand away from her nose. "We haven''t yet¡­ oh, never mind. Welcome back, Zhu Qingyue."

    Bai Qingyue froze momentarily, then slowly leaned forward to stare at her attentively. "I wish to hear this every day."

    "Hear what?" Li Meirong squinted at him in confusion.

    "Your laughter. Your words, greeting me as I return home." Bai Qingyue answered, wrapping Li Meirong in a tight embrace.

    Li Meirong''s face flushed, and she looked up at him incredulously. "This is now your home?"

    "My home is wherever you are."

 Chapter 346: Mention Anything About Me?

    Zhu Qingyue accompanied Li Meirong back into the cabin, and helped her settle onto the bed. He sat on the small stool facing the mattress, his watchful eyes never leaving hers. He stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to tell him what had occurred in his absence without asking her outright.

    Li Meirong couldn''t help but feel slightly unnerved by the intensity of his attentiveness.

    She kept her head down, avoiding his gaze.

    "I shouldn''t be surprised by anything at this point, really," she uttered weakly, "but right before you arrived, a visitor calling himself a ''Wise Sage'' appeared out of nowhere. He told me¡­ many things which made no sense."

    Zhu Qingyue grasped Li Meirong''s wrist, his touch tentative. He trailed his fingers up and down her arm lightly. His caress was so feather soft that it almost tickled, and his fingers were warm, slightly sweaty.

    "Did this Wise Sage mention anything about me?" he asked.

    The question caught Li Meirong by surprise. She raised her head slowly to assess the man before her. Though his shoulders seemed to be held a little stiffer than usual, his expressionless face and enigmatic eyes gave nothing away.

    "He did nothing of the sort," Li Meirong answered eventually. She eyed Zhu Qingyue with a hint of suspicion, but then quickly looked away once more.

    Even now, despite her mixed feelings for him, she couldn''t help the way she was affected by his sheer presence. Looking directly at him made her feel dazed.

    She was embarrassed to admit it, even to herself, but he was simply too handsome. Zhu Qingyue was the type of man that made it impossible for others to admire him for only a moment. A reserved and elegant bearing complemented his refined and unparalleled face, and the simple attire he wore couldn''t mask the noble aura radiating from his body. His looks were of the like that caused people to stare and forget their thoughts. She knew this because shamefully; it had already happened to her on more than one occasion.

    However, whether or not he noticed her reaction to him, Li Meirong wasn''t able to tell, and could only hope that he didn''t.

    Li Meirong heard rather than saw Zhu Qingyue stand and move closer. She felt his overwhelming presence settle onto the bed beside her. He shifted, then wrapped his arms around her and pressed her back into his embrace, her back to his chest as he resettled them both.

    She could hear her own heart beating as she sank into his arms, a special sort of warmth engulfed her. It was a type of heat that made her feel cared for and protected. In the recesses of her mind, she found herself craving this welcoming, fuzzy feeling.

    His tender embrace gradually managed to make her relax. Whatever apprehension she felt towards Zhu Qingyue vanished quickly in the wake of his gentle touch.

    A low rumbling sounded from the man behind her and she felt him crane his neck forward, his chin pressing lightly on her head.

    "Wife, what did the Sage tell you?" he inquired softly, his breath brushing against her ear as his deep voice sounded.

    The words spilled from Li Meirong before she could stop herself. "He showed me a painting of a tree and told me to find it. ''Find the tree, find your roots,'' he said."

 Chapter 347: How About Every Second Night?

    "Did he mention anything else?" Zhu Qingyue casually asked.

    "He knew about me. He knew everything about¡­ I couldn''t make sense of more than half of it, but he said my path has already been paved, and that I shouldn''t stray from it."

    Li Meirong felt Zhu Qingyue''s lips press against the top of her head again.

    "It seems like sound advice. What else did the Old Sage say to you?" Zhu Qingyue persisted.

    "The fox¡­" Li Meirong''s eyes snapped open with a sudden realization. ''Snowball still hasn''t returned!''

    For some odd reason, whenever Zhu Qingyue was around, she didn''t feel like she was missing her fox spirit at all. But now that she remembered the Wise Sage''s words, her worries resurfaced.

    "He said not to abandon the fox. Speaking of, I thought you were supposed to be with Snowball? The girl you assigned as my maid said Snowball accompanied you today. Why isn''t he back?" Li Meirong asked.

    Zhu Qingyue gently stroked Li Meirong''s long black hair. "Oh, the fox spirit joined me for a while, but we parted ways. I can only assume it is because your servant picked him up. Perhaps they made a little detour."

    Li Meirong nodded in agreement. With the way Snowball constantly kept disappearing, it made sense that he''d take a detour before returning home. She only hoped the little fox spirit wouldn''t get into any sort of trouble on the way.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Li Meirong cuddled against Zhu Qingyue and mumbled, "Zhu Qingyue?"

    "Hn?" he answered lazily.

    "Were you really ill all this while?"

    Zhu Qingyue paused for a moment before answering. "I was terribly ill. One could say that you were my cure. Without you, I would have had no reason to continue living."

    "H-how can you say these kinds of things with a straight face¡­"

    Li Meirong raised Zhu Qingyue''s arm and ducked her head beneath his sleeve, hiding her flustered cheeks with the fabric. She hadn''t noticed Zhu Qingyue''s eyes which glittered with his amusement.

    "So, you''re really fine now?" she finally managed to ask, stealing a peek at him.

    Zhu Qingyue''s lips opened in mock surprise. "What, do you not believe me? Do I need to prove my physical prowess repeatedly? If you are so forgetful, I do not mind demonstrating my capabilities every night to refresh your memory."

    "No need! There''s no need!" Li Meirong squeaked out, and then pursed her lips tightly.

    She earned a deep, masculine chuckle in response.

    "How about every second night?" he asked.

    "Do you ever stop teasing?" Li Meirong demanded, annoyed.

    The corners of Zhu Qingyue''s lips hooked up, golden eyes twinkling with humor.

    "I do not do this thing you call teasing," he countered.

    A furious blush consumed Li Meirong''s face. "You are such a fiend!"

    She wriggled around to face Zhu Qingyue and angrily hit her fists against his ridiculously broad chest.

    "How am I the fiend when you are the one hitting me?" Zhu Qingyue''s voice rumbled with his chuckles.

    Li Meirong leveled a fierce glare at him as she hit his chest again. "It''s because you deserve a beating!"

    Zhu Qingyue spread his arms as if to surrender, his voice going completely solemn. "My wife is right. This husband wronged his wife, and lives to regret it."

    "Big brute." Li Meirong said, narrowing her eyes accusingly and pursing her lips. She wrapped her arms around Zhu Qingyue and held him tight.

    Zhu Qingyue smiled helplessly, tucking a stray hair behind Li Meirong''s ear. "I will do better next time."

    Li Meirong jerked her head back to glare up at him and snorted. "What ''next time''?"

    With that said, she buried her head back into his chest, and proceeded to tap her little fists against his back. Although it appeared as though she wished to hit him non-stop, she didn''t put any force into her blows.

    The silver-haired man''s lips curved upwards into a rare smile. From an outsider''s perspective, it would be difficult to perceive his exact mood, but someone who knew him well would be able to discern a never before seen expression of contentment gracing his pale features.

 Chapter 348: Caging This Bird

    Bai Qingyue may never admit it, but he loved seeing Li Meirong act like a spoiled girl in his arms. The less formal and reserved Li Meirong became, the better his mood.

    Gradually, Li Meirong''s feisty attitude was doused by her growing tiredness.

    "Do you wish to rest?" Bai Qingyue asked. He leaned backwards so Li Meirong could lie on top of him, his arms still strong around her.

    "Just for a bit," she mumbled drowsily. "I don''t know what came over me¡­ after you gave me that drink, I felt energized, but now I just feel tired all over again."

    "Then rest. Do not worry about anything else." Bai Qingyue said, his voice soft and lulling.

    His answer seemed to be what Li Meirong needed, for she soon - sooner than Bai Qingyue had expected ¨C narrowed her eyes drowsily and laid her head on his chest.

    It did not take her long to doze off, the steady rise and fall of his broad chest and the strong, steady beat of his heart quickly soothed her to sleep. Li Meirong''s eyes closed peacefully, her breathing coming evenly. Black hair coiled about her narrow frame like trails of dark seagrass.

    Bai Qingyue continued holding Li Meirong for a while longer, until her breathing had slowed and she entered a deep sleep. He carefully tucked her beneath the covers and extracted himself from her hold.

    A twinge of guilt pricked him at the sight of her small, delicate frame. He must have truly exhausted her, considering that she had become tired enough to sleep in the middle of the day, even though he had transferred enough of his internal energy for her to recuperate.

    She seemed incredibly frail, as if the slightest breeze could break her apart.

    Bai Qingyue sat silently by his wife''s side, musing over the Immortal Sage''s words and Li Meirong''s reaction to them.

    It appeared as though there were still a few secrets about his little wife which he remained unaware of.

    The warning the Sage had given Li Meirong troubled the Fox Lord greatly. If the Immortal Sage told Li Meirong to not abandon a fox¡­ That sort of prediction meant that, at some point in the future, such an event could potentially occur.

    Bai Qingyue''s pupils thinned to sharp, vicious slits. His irises glowed brightly in the shadows.

    A bird, once caged, would fly away the moment the opportunity presented itself, but a bird that willingly stayed by your side would not even consider leaving.

    Bai Qingyue preferred to keep his wife happy and content, willing to stay with him of her own free will.

    His hand reached out to grasp her small chin possessively, and his thumb gently brushed across her skin.

    If he had no other choice, however, then caging this bird would be the next-best option.

    A burst of rapid footsteps were followed shortly by Xiao An Fei, Xiao An Hua, and Bai Yu''s appearance.

    Xiao An Fei bowed. "My Lord, I had no choice but to bring Bai Yu out of punishment in order to appease Her Ladyship."

    Bai Qingyue barely spared the trio a glance, still lost in thought. "It is fine."

    "I deeply apologize for acting out of turn, My Lord!" Xiao An Fei cried.

    Xiao An Hua glared at her twin sister, smacking her over the back of her head. "Didn''t you hear His Lordship''s words? He said it is fine."

    Xiao An Fei''s eyes widened. "Truly? I thought I imagined him saying that." her mouth hung open for a moment, then she smiled graciously and bobbed her head. "Thank you, My Lord!"

    "Quiet!" Bai Qingyue hissed.

    Xiao An Fei hurriedly stepped outside, holding Bai Yu''s snow cub form in her arms, just as Xiao An Hua took a step forward.

    "Sire¡­" Xiao An Hua began cautiously, "This servant heard a few whispering words claiming Her Ladyship to be a merciless fighter. The majority of the disciples fear her now."

    Bai Qingyue directed his sharp gaze at his subordinate, his entire body radiating a fearsome aura that made him hard to read.

    "Good. Very good," Bai Qingyue said, and then waved her away. "Step outside for now. My consort needs uninterrupted rest."

    "Yes, My Lord." Xiao An Hua''s brows scrunched as she left the wooden house. ''Would His Lordship''s presence not be the biggest obstacle to Her Ladyship''s rest?'' The servent puzzled out.

 Chapter 349: Dont Be Mad At Snowball

    By the time Li Meirong next woke, the sun had traded places with the moon twice.

    The morning of the following day, Li Meirong stirred awake to the feel of soft fur brushing against her neck.

    She groggily opened her eyes, and was greeted with the sight of Snowball, curled on her chest. His fluffy tail covered her neck like a luxurious scarf.

    "You came back?" she asked, voice hoarse. Her throat felt a little too dry.

    Snowball''s unusually large ears twitched a few times before he opened his big, luminous eyes to stare at her.

    "Snowball stayed by Master''s side all night," the fox spirit confessed, and adjusted his position to nuzzle at her neck.

    All the tension in Li Meirong''s body disappeared at once. She had been concerned about her fox spirit before, but she had become especially worried after what the Wise Sage told her.

    Gazing at Snowball''s round, fluffy form brought instant relief. However, she let none of her inner feelings show on her face. Instead, Li Meirong pinched the fox spirit''s nose in admonishment.

    "Silly fox. Do you want to give your master a heart attack? I was so worried about you!"

    Snowball''s voice became nasal, his ears drooping backward. "Snowball was wrong."

    "In the future, you must tell me where you plan to go before disappearing off to god knows where."

    "Do not be mad at Snowball," the fox spirit sobbed.

    Seeing his reaction, Li Meirong''s heart melted into a puddle and her tone softened. "I''m just concerned about you. The way you disappear all the time makes me feel ill at ease."

    Snowball nuzzled her neck again and said, "Even if I disappear, I will not ever leave. Promise."

    Li Meirong gave the fox spirit a short, tight hug. She scanned the room for Zhu Qingyue''s whereabouts, but besides the fox, there was no one else around. She felt a twinge of disappointment to discover that her self proclaimed husband was gone, yet again.

    There was a soft knock on the door, followed by Xiao An Fei and Xiao An Hua''s arrival. One sister carried a jug of water, while the other brought in a tray of food.

    "Good morning, My Lady. Lord Zhu Qingyue went to attend to his duties. He left us with instructions to deliver this bowl of nourishing soup as soon as you wake up. He said to conserve your energy for tomorrow''s battle, and that he would return two days hence." Xiao An Fei explained as she placed the tray by the bedside, warily eyeing the fox spirit lying comfortably in Li Meirong''s arms.

    "Zhu Qingyue did?" Li Meirong asked. ''So he hasn''t forgotten me¡­''

    Xiao An Fei sat by the bed, scooped up a spoonful of broth, and blew her breath on it. "Of course he did, My Lady. Are you well rested? It has been over a day and a half since you went to sleep."

    "I feel good enough, thank you." Li Meirong said, feeling exceptionally refreshed. Every time Zhu Qingyue was around, she always felt like someone was looking out for her. In this strange world where she had no one else to depend on, besides her pets, this feeling of being protected was genuinely comforting.

    She gave the Xiao twins a friendly smile and tilted her head. "Thank you for attending to me. I''m very grateful."

    "My Lady is being too polite," replied Xiao An Hua with a tone filled with disapproval, her brows scrunched into a frown. She poured a cup of lukewarm water, and brought it directly to Li Meirong''s hands.

    Snowball turned to gaze directly at Li Meirong, with a look of contemplation as she sipped the water. "Why do you thank them?"

 Chapter 350: That is Their Honor

    Li Meirong set the cup aside and lightly stroked Snowball''s fur in an endearing manner.

    "Because they have been kind enough to deliver food and drink for me." she quietly replied.

    "That is their honor."

    "But-"

    Snowball hushed Li Meirong by pressing his paw against her lips.

    "Master, your words are supreme and far more precious than gold. Do not offer your gratitude so carelessly in the future." As he spoke his eyes glowed yellow, sharp and scorching.

    The Xiao twins both nodded solemnly in agreement.

    "The fox spirit is right, My Lady. Take care with your words."

    Li Meirong unconsciously bit her lip. She couldn''t help but feel a bit wronged. She never thought she''d be reprimanded for saying something as simple as ''thank you''. She had never been scolded for being polite to someone before.

    At first, she wanted to disprove Snowball''s claim. Yet the solemn look the fox spirit gave her, and the way he explained his reasoning, left her tongue tied.

    In her previous life, just as in her current one, Li Meirong had always catered to other people''s whims.

    At home, she had been quiet and obedient. At school, she had been shy and reserved. At her job, she had worked with her head low. And, in her previous relationships, she had always been the one to compromise.

    Even though her soul had transferred into another world, her fundamental traits hadn''t changed in the slightest. Her soul was still hers, despite being in a different body. Thus her personality remained the same.

    It was only after continuous betrayals, and repeated life threatening encounters, that she had felt herself change slightly. That change stemmed from a will to survive, and her refusal to be stepped on by anyone ever again. But it wasn''t as though she had transformed her personality overnight. At the end of the day, she was still the same person. She wasn''t heroic, nor hardworking. She wasn''t particularly charming, or the type who was able to tackle problems head-on.

    Li Meirong knew she was a little meek and reserved in comparison to others. She was raised to show respect to those around her, and she never had any problem doing just that.

    However, the way Snowball described her words as ''supreme, and more precious than gold'' gave her pause. The fox spirit''s explanation was so unlike anything Li Meirong had ever heard before. It made her feel undeniably special, as if she was some lady of great importance. As if even the words she spoke were some sort of privilege to bestow.

    Xiao An Fei went to sit beside Li Meirong, bringing the soup for her to drink.

    "My Lady, there is nothing wrong with expressing gratitude, but if you say it all the time, it makes us servants feel we are not doing our job very well. Our mistress should hold her head high as an important lady whom others look up to."

    "I suppose¡­" said Li Meirong, a tad uncertain. Despite her affirmation, she never understood the significance that came with becoming a direct disciple to the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster, in addition to her budding relationship with the grandmaster''s sole successor, Zhu Qingyue.

    Xiao An Fei sighed wistfully.

    "It is good that you know this, My Lady," she said, yet couldn''t help but ponder in concern. ''Especially once we return to court, Her Ladyship''s attitude must undergo a drastic change, at least in front of the other prominent deities of the Heavenly Realm. Her Ladyship''s softhearted nature would make her an easy target for the other celestial foxes. It is a good thing our Sovereign Lord has kept his distance from all the available royal goddesses, and solely dotes on his wife. Were he to build a harem for political reasons, the results could be devastating for Her Ladyship...''

    Snowball nudged the nourishing soup bowl towards Li Meirong.

    "Do not forget to drink while it is still warm."

    "Alright, I''ll listen to my little Snowball." Li Meirong''s clear eyes curved into crescents at the fox spirit''s words. She obediently finished drinking the entire bowl.

    Snowball tapped on Li Meirong''s wrist with his pink paw pad, his large almond eyes overflowing with tenderness. "Good girl."

 Chapter 351: As You Wish...

    At the same time, Xiao An Hua quietly shoved aside the window curtains and busied herself with fixing the crowded little one room residence.

    The sun''s rays filtered through the window and chased away the shadows, filling the room with light.

    While her twin, Xiao An Fei, was more friendly and, at times, a tad dimwitted, Xiao An Hua was a little more down to Earth.

    After fussing over the leftover dishes, Xiao An Hua turned towards Li Meirong with a grave expression. "Let us concentrate on the matter at hand. Tomorrow, the second round of the sect''s tournament will begin, and My Lady should be well prepared. Rumour has it your opponent is also from the Bestiary Division. Does My Lady have a plan in mind?"

    Li Meirong glanced at Snowball, resting in her arms, and considered her options. A disciple from the Bestiary Division would most likely use a spirit beast to compete. However, she did not wish to harm her precious pets by sending them off to battle. She didn''t adopt her pets so she could use them for fighting. That wasn''t the reason she made them her companions.

    Before she could speak her mind, however, Snowball''s squeaky voice proudly announced, "I shall fight in the arena!"

    Li Meirong glared at the cub in her arms. "You will do no such thing! You''re such a tiny little thing. You''d easily get tossed right off the stage."

    How could she bear to send Snowball into the arena? He was but a young, troublesome cub who could barely take care of himself!

    "..." Snowball''s long snout hung wide open, his pride taking yet another devastating blow.

    The disguised Fox Lord had half a mind to push down the infuriating woman, just to show her how little and tiny he really was!

    Both Xiao An Fei and Xiao An Hua stayed tactfully quiet, clearing their throats. They gave Li Meirong a strange look that went unnoticed.

    Snowball growled in dissatisfaction, scowling at Li Meirong. "Then what do you propose?"

    "If I must bring a spirit beast to fight, then I''d bring Chou." Li Meirong decided after careful consideration, squeezing her cheeks together. The Plant Spirit might have been younger than the Turtle Demoness, but he had a lot more experience in combat and had also protected her for many years now. Of everybody she knew, Chou was the one she could depend on the most.

    Resignation washed over Snowball, and he smacked his furry forehead while saying, "As you wish¡­"

 Chapter 352: This is Good Enough For Me

    The rest of the day passed uneventfully for Li Meirong - just the way she liked it. There were no strange guests suddenly appearing from nowhere, and no overbearing lord causing her heart to palpitate with nerves or, more often than not, burst into a fit of anger.

    Snowball stayed unusually close to her the entire time, seemingly attached at the hip. As the sun began to fall from the sky, the fox spirit nestled himself in her arms with a contented sigh, preparing his sleeping arrangements early on.

    Once every so often, Li Meirong had found herself glancing at the door, wondering if the silver haired Senior would suddenly make another one of his dramatic entrances, as he tended to do. But, just as the twin maids had announced, Zhu Qingyue was occupied with the duties that he had to attend to, and hadn''t shown up even once throughout the entire day.

    Whatever Zhu Qingyue had to do when she wasn''t around, Li Meirong had no clue. He never once spoke of his position or his duties.

    Now that Li Meirong had the time to think things over, there was very little that she truly knew about Zhu Qingyue¡­

    The man always kept an air of mystery about him, as if surrounded by an invisible veil of mist that none could penetrate. On those rare occasions when she did question him about his position and obligations, Zhu Qingyue always seemed to successfully evade providing direct answers.

    Li Meirong sat on the edge of the bed and slowly stroked Snowball''s fur as Xiao An Fei lit several wax candles. The already cozy atmosphere became ever warmer and more inviting.

    "This servant must admit that at first, this shabby house did not seem all that appealing. It is a little too small for what I''m used to, but I am beginning to see the charm hidden within it," Xiao An Fei stated as she finished lighting the final candle.

    Li Meirong was so deep in thought it took her several moments to respond. "I don''t need a big house to be satisfied. This is good enough for me. When a house is small, everybody can gather together as a family should. When you live in a big house, everybody might live together, and yet still rarely find time to interact with each other."

    Xiao An Fei crossed her arms together as she contemplated Li Meirong''s words. A great pity for Her Ladyship suddenly welled in her. ''So the reason My Lady collects spirit beasts is to compensate for her lack of family relations¡­''

    Truth be told, Xiao An Fei had never remained on her own, so she could not easily identify with Li Meirong''s feelings. From the moment the fox goddess had left her mother''s womb, she had had a companion at her side: her twin sister. She might not have always gotten along with Xiao An Hua, but living all these centuries without her sister might have been a very bitter way to spend her immortality.

    Loneliness was a terrible plague from which many immortals in the Heavenly realm suffered. The immortals who spent their lives cultivating had found ways to let go of attachments, and some even emotions. But even the strongest and wisest of cultivators had a breaking point.

    It was not unheard of for some primordial deities to lose their minds and succumb to spiritual corruption after living in solitude since time immemorial. It was no wonder that only so few of those ancient deities had managed to survive to this day.

    The bells attached to Xiao An Fei''s hair buns jingled faintly as she went to sit behind Li Meirong, holding a fine toothed comb in hand.

    Xiao An Fei took a handful of Li Meirong''s locks in one palm and slowly began to comb the tips. She gave Bai Qingyue, who disguised himself as a small fox cub, a short knowing look, and said, "Rest assured, My Lady, I do not think you will be left alone, even if you were to wish for it."

 Chapter 353: Snap Her Body In Two!

    "It would be nice to think so." Li Meirong sighed, a sad sort of wistfulness in her words. Still, she sat motionless as Xiao An Fei continued to comb her hair. Absentmindedly, she lowered her eyes and murmured, "Can you tell me a bit about Zhu Qingyue?"

    "Of course! What would you like to know?" Xiao An Fei asked, smiling brightly. ''Finally, Her Ladyship is showing interest in our Sovereign Lord!''

    Li Meirong took a deep breath and asked, "You keep referring to Senior Zhu as a lord. Since he is the Grandmaster''s son, does that mean that he has a royal title? And what are those duties he must always attend to?"

    As she asked, Li Meirong felt Snowball''s form turn noticeably stiff. Thinking that Snowball may have become startled by Xiao An Fei''s proximity, she began to stroke his fur a little more gently, hoping to calm him down.

    Xiao An Fei was glad she sat behind Li Meirong so her current expression could not be seen. The fox servant''s face had paled considerably, and her eyes widened in shock.

    How, exactly, was she supposed to answer?!

    Following several breaths of silence, Xiao An Fei cleared her throat uncomfortably, her face returning to its original cheery look. "In regards to His Lordship''s occupation, this question would be most suitable to be answered by him. As for his title, His Lordship is¡­ he is indeed a lord! He inherited a vast amount of land, and holds a noble position in the cultivation world."

    Li Meirong turned back to gaze at Xiao An Fei, her clear eyes fixated upon hers. "For a man of noble station, he doesn''t seem to behave in a very orthodox fashion."

    "That¡­" Xiao An Fei gulped hard. ''That is something we both can definitely agree on¡­'' she thought.

    "Furthermore, nobles often end up having several wives. Does that mean I will be one among many?" Li Meirong continued with her questions, eyes opening as she clutched a hand to her chest.

    If that were the case, thought Li Meirong, then their relationship was bound to be doomed. Because there was no way she would be willing to compete with other women in a harem for the affections of a man, no matter what sort of traditions and regulations the ancient customs of this world dictated.

    Behind Li Meirong, Xiao An Fei''s expression remained bright and cheerful, but inwardly, it was the complete opposite. If the Fox Lord''s subordinate didn''t feel nervous before, then she surely felt herself diving straight into the abyss now!

    What to do? If Xiao An Fei answered truthfully to Li Meirong, then the Fox Lord, who was currently overhearing the whole conversation, might snap her little body in two like a twig!

 Chapter 354: Please The Both Of Them

    Additionally, if she answered in a manner which displeased Her Ladyship, the Fox Lord might just decide to chop her into pieces anyway...

    Xiao An Fei stole a peek at the fox cub, and felt her heart instantly drop into her stomach. The Fox Lord was giving her a fierce stare, one that could only mean that he was envisioning her untimely death.

    Pursing her lips, she came to a decision after careful consideration. Xiao An Fei knew she had to find a middle ground between telling the truth, and elevating Li Meirong''s opinion of the Fox Lord. That way, both parties should feel satisfied enough for her to keep her limbs intact.

    Her hand trembled lightly as she kept combing Li Meirong''s hair. "When it comes to cultivating romantic relations between men and women, His Lordship has never been very fond of it. My Lady is the first person to ever enter his heart. This servant is absolutely certain that in the future, even if His Lordship were to take a few concubines, you will always hold the highest position for his affections."

    That was the truth, after all, was it not? Since the Sovereign Lord carried the Bai Clan''s curse, he wasn''t capable of willingly copulating with any other female anyway, but that wasn''t to say that the elders of the Bai Clan would not try to attach more females to him for the sake of strengthening ties with other members of the Huli Jing.

    Xiao An Fei sighed deeply as soon as she finished her explanation. ''This should please the both of them, right?''

    Li Meirong''s gaze dropped. Her tone gained a fierceness that wasn''t there before. "If this is really the case, then it''s good that you told me. If I marry, I don''t plan on sharing my husband with anyone else."

    Li Meirong''s hand clenched into a tight fist. She already knew how terrible it was to find the person she held feelings for in the arms of another. There was no way she''d willingly relive this sort of experience ever again.

    "But My Lady, it is very common for a man of high station to select more than one spouse." Xiao An Fei mumbled, doubtful. She wasn''t sure why Li Meirong was so opposed to the idea. Human males commonly married at least four wives, especially those males with royal titles, that much she knew.

 Chapter 355: That Went South

    "That may be the case, but I am not obligated to marry anyone. I am a cultivator, living outside the confines of the secular world, and I might as well live outside the confines of marriage as well." Li Meirong raised her chin high and answered firmly. She knew she liked Zhu Qingyue, but if she had to choose between sharing him to living without him, then she would choose the latter in an instant. Maybe she wouldn''t have a man in her life in the future, but she hadn''t planned on having one anyway. Her spirit beasts were good enough companions; she didn''t need anyone else.

    "If My Lady says so¡­" Xiao An Fei softly replied as she braided Li Meirong''s hair. It was not as if she could properly explain the history of the Bai Clan in a few mere words. Not to mention that Her Ladyship still thought she had some choice in the matter of who she''d be marrying.

    The Bai Clan was once large and prosperous, but thousands of centuries ago the clan came under a curse that caused it to dwindle to very few members. Marriage by alliance to other Huli Jing clans was practically a paramount condition that a Sovereign Lord must abide by while searching for his or her fated soulmate.

    Although the Bai Clan governed the rest of the celestial fox tribes, every other clan had its own rulers and hierarchy, as each tribe was a nation onto itself. If it wasn''t for the Bai bloodline''s superior spiritual strength, they would have already been dethroned simply due to the sheer difference in numbers, for although their clan dwindled, the rest of the Huli Jing had prospered.

    Xiao An Fei took notice of Li Meirong''s gloomy expression and wisely kept her mouth shut. Meanwhile, the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably. ''Well, that went south¡­''

    Her Ladyship was clearly not pleased with the response, but perhaps the Fox Lord was a little appeased? Xiao An Fei thought hopefully.

    Slowly, Xiao An Fei''s gaze traveled back down to assess the Fox Lord, only to discover that his stare turned from a cold glare to a freezing tundra. Her expression became petrified, and the tremble in her hands intensified. ''How did I manage to upset them both?!''

    All the candles suddenly and simultaneously died. The room immediately turned chill and dark.

    "There will be no concubines." Snowball gritted out snappishly. His fluffy white tail whipped to and fro in quick successions.

 Chapter 356: Ill Never Abandon You

    Li Meirong''s eyes were full of emotion as she affectionately stroked Snowball''s fur. "In the end, Snowball is the only one for me." She murmured to the little fox spirit, picking him up and burying her face deep into his dense, soft fur. It tickled her nose but also comforted her heart as well.

    "Master finally understands." Snowball huffed loudly, his tail still twitching.

    Xiao An Fei, meanwhile, rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. ''Would that Her Ladyship know who she is coddling on her lap¡­''

    "What happened to the candles?" Li Meirong suddenly asked, looking left and right. It was dark, but she could still perceive Xiao An Fei''s alarmed expression.

    "Oh¡­ ah! It must have been a strong gust of wind. I will light them again in a moment, My Lady," Xiao An Fei said, backing as far away from the fox spirit as she possibly could.

    Li Meirong waved a hand to dismiss her. "There''s no need. I should go to sleep soon anyway. Tomorrow I have to wake up early for the tournament," she said as she squeezed Snowball to her side and settled more comfortably on the bed, stifling a yawn.

    "Wise decision, My Lady. Sleep well. I will come to wake you as soon as the sun rises!" Xiao An Fei announced as she quickly stepped back towards the doorway. Li Meirong''s answer brightened up Xiao An Fei''s expression in an instant. ''Her Ladyship is my dearest savior! Please take care of His Lordship''s awful temper so I may yet live to see another day!''

    Faster than Li Meirong could blink, Xiao An Fei disappeared from sight.

    ''I didn''t even get a chance to bid Xiao An Fei goodnight. She must have been in a hurry to finally leave,'' thought Li Meirong, staring at the door with a pondering look on her face.

    Meanwhile, Snowball crawled his way up the mattress and rested his paws on his favorite pair of soft pillows. Leaning forward, he reached with his small snout to give the milk white neck displayed before him a few tender licks, thus successfully seizing his wife''s attention once more.

    As soon as Li Meirong felt Snowball''s warm and slightly rough tongue lapping at her neck, she gasped in surprise and glanced affectionately at the Celestial Fox God in disguise.

    "For Snowball, there is only one important person. Li Meirong." The fox spirit locked eyes with Li Meirong and stated in a serious tone.

    Hearing those words, Li Meirong felt like her heart was suffused with honey. She hugged Snowball to her chest once again, amazed by how attached she had become to the little cub in such a short amount of time.

    "Don''t worry Snowball, I will never abandon you." She breathed out the words over the top of the fox spirit''s head, remembering the Wise Sage''s warning.

    The coldness in the room dissipated at once.

    Snowball affectionately nuzzled his head against Li Meirong''s chin. "Snowball will join Master tomorrow," he added in a matter-of-fact tone that left no room for argument.

    Slightly amused by the fox spirit''s overly affectionate attitude, Li Meirong snickered, giving the fox spirit a light peck on his silvery forehead in return. "Alright, alright," she said. Pausing a moment, she hastily grabbed each side of the fox spirit''s furry cheeks, giving him a stern look. "But you''re not allowed to fight."

    "..."

    Slack jawed, the Fox Lord carried a look of disbelief on his furry face. ''Do I look that incompetent?'' he mused quietly.

    Li Meirong settled down with Snowball at her side. She was blissfully unaware of the fox cub in her arms shapeshifting into the form of a man as soon as she entered a deep sleep. His strong arms embraced her throughout the night.

    ***

    A few hours after dawn broke upon the horizon, Bai Qingyue transformed back into ''Snowball''. His fox eyes filled with an endless amount of tenderness as he gazed at the woman who had slept soundly in his arms all night.

    No matter how often he gazed upon Li Meirong, he could not seem to look his fill of her small, oval face. He could not bear to rouse her from her deep slumber, despite knowing the rest of the tournament''s participants would have been awake for several hours already. His wife truly enjoyed her sleep, it seemed.

    A short, pointed cough alerted Bai Qingyue to the presence of one of his subjects standing by the bed.

    "My Lord, if you do not wake Her Ladyship, she will not arrive on time," Xiao An Hua pointedly remarked, having observed the Sovereign Lord''s smitten expression. She could no longer remain silent and watch from the side, as Bai Qingyue had not moved nor said a word for what seemed like half a day.

    If this continued, then Li Meirong would definitely sleep through the entire tournament!

    "And so, what of it? Why would that be a problem?" Bai Qingyue''s tone was haughty as he caressed Li Meirong''s cheek with one paw, soft pads lightly tracing along the burn scars on her skin. The scars sent daggers into his soul, clear evidence and a constant reminder of his failure to protect his wife.

    These scars were his fault; he had not been there when she needed him most.

    Her disfigurement was due to his incompetence. He, unlike his father, had never bothered to seek out his fated partner. Having a wife had always seemed too much of a burden to bother himself with, and so he had not searched for this supposed ''soulmate''.

    Before meeting Li Meirong, Bai Qingyue had not minded the engagement his mother wished to impose upon him. He had been willing to marry for the sake of the clan, as long as his spouse understood her boundaries and knew to keep well out of his way.

    Those had been his thoughts back then, at least.

    None of that mattered now, as from the moment he saw Li Meirong, he knew she was his. The moment he saw her, he had known he would do anything to possess her.

    If that meant stealing her away from everything she knew and locking her away from the world, then he would. If it meant giving up his title, then he would hand it over without hesitation. Even if it meant falling from grace and becoming a devil, he was willing to endure. He would personally descend to the netherworld and barge through the gates of the damned if that was what he had to do to keep her.

    None but Bai Qingyue knew his deep thoughts. His sharp golden eyes swirled with a cacophony of emotion.

 Chapter 357: This Lord Is Afraid For Himself?!

    Xiao An Hua was at a complete loss. She raised her hands helplessly. "But, My Lord, it was you who wanted Her Ladyship to battle. What was the point of all her hard work and rigorous training if she will not ascend to immortality? She will not be able to reach the Heavenly Realm if she does not."

    Bai Qingyue turned his white furred snout towards Xiao An Hua, a solemn look evident there. "There are plenty of paths by which to attain immortality. It was I who was selfish in my desires. If my wife wishes to remain in the mortal realm, then stay we shall."

    It was rare, but even a Sovereign Lord could change his mind. Why did his little wife have to battle her way to ascending her cultivation? Would she not be in constant danger that way? Did it matter if he had to wait thousands of years for her to ascend?

    As long as Bai Qingyue could stay by Li Meirong''s side, then he did not mind waiting one bit.

    Previously, when he had proposed his plan to have Li Meirong ascend faster, he had chosen the quickest route possible for two main reasons. The first was that the sooner she became an immortal, the sooner he would feel at ease with knowing that he did not have to seek her reincarnations each time she passed away. The second was that he could not be gone from the palace for too long. His duties could not be postponed indefinitely, and there was only so much he could do from outside the Heavenly Realm.

    Yet, having spent so much time with his wife, the thought of her being harmed in any way was far worse than any consequence he might experience by remaining in the mortal realm. What was a few more thousand years to a deity? Absolutely nothing.

    As for the clan¡­ now that he had found his long-forgotten father, Bai Zhang, Bai Qingyue could leave him to deal with the mess that the man had left behind in the first place.

    Bai Qingyue leaned down and nuzzled Li Meirong''s neck affectionately, inhaling her soothingly sweet scent.

    Xiao An Hua was no mind reader, but she could tell that the Sovereign Lord was willing to let his wife sleep for as long as she desired, even if the world burned down in flames in the meantime. ''For Her Ladyship to affect the ruthless Sovereign Lord to this degree is beyond my expectations... I must make sure to always stay on her good side.''

    Just as Xiao An Hua was about to tear out her hair in frustration, the sleeping beauty woke.

    Li Meirong rubbed her eyes tiredly and let out a loud yawn. She stretched her arms and then patted Snowball''s head; the fox licked her face excitedly and wagged his tail in a manner more befitting a common dog than a fox spirit.

    "My Lady!" Xiao An Hua cried, silently thanking the Heavens.

    "Good morning," Li Meirong said, and then her lips parted in a small ''o'' at the sight of Xiao An Hua''s distraught expression. "What''s the matter?" she asked, concerned.

    "My Lady, it is good that you are awake," Xiao An Hua practically sobbed, "It is very good." The Fox Lord''s subordinate could not handle the Sovereign Lord''s erratic behavior on her own. ''Please stay awake and handle your husband!'' she thought desperately.

    ''This crazy girl is acting like I''ve already won the competition, just for waking up¡­'' Li Meirong thought, raising an eyebrow silently as she turned to look out the window. She jumped out of bed upon seeing the sun high in the sky.

    "It''s already this late?! Why didn''t you wake me sooner?" she squeaked, fumbling to find her clothes.

    Snowball blinked innocently and remained silent.

    Xiao An Hua also began rushing about, trying to help Li Meirong dress even as she cried silent tears at the injustice.

    ***

    Li Meirong managed to organize herself in record time with Xiao An Hua''s assistance. In spite of the servant''s insistence that she''d wear more elegant clothing, Li Meirong had won the short lived argument with the declaration that her comfort far outweighed the necessity of appearing charming within the arena.

    She dressed as simply as usual, with only a sash wrapped around her willowy waist.

    "At least permit this servant to fix your hair, My Lady," Xiao An Hua insisted, obviously unsatisfied with how lacking her mistress''s attire was.

    "Then make it neat and plain, so it won''t get in the way," Li Meirong said, reluctantly sitting in front of Xiao An Hua. The sunlight, directly illuminating the contours of her face, gave her a unique and charming appeal.

    "My Lady, as you chose to dress humbly, I highly recommend an elegant hairstyle," Xiao An Hua suggested, grabbing several pins and gems with which to adorn Li Meirong''s hair.

    Li Meirong''s delicate eyebrows drew down into a frown, and she shook her head. "Impractical. Please just help me tie it up."

    She had no interest in looking appealing. Not to mention, the one whose opinion she did care for wasn''t even around...

    Xiao An Hua momentarily eyed the fox spirit perched on the mattress, silently pleading for help in persuading Her Ladyship. ''Snowball'' just shrugged indifferently in response, though, and so she sighed and unwillingly followed through with Li Meirong''s request. ''The wife is just as stubborn as the husband¡­''

    The fox spirit hopped onto Li Meirong''s lap as Xiao An Hua fixed her hair. His long tail curled around her slight frame possessively.

    "If you do not wish to go, then you should stay," Snowball mumbled guiltily as Xiao An Hua styled Li Meirong''s long hair into a topknot.

    Li Meirong smiled dotingly, perceiving his speech to come from the fear that grew before confronting a scary experience.

    "Don''t be afraid, my little Snowball. You just need to stay off the stage and wait for me to finish. I''ll handle myself well enough, and I won''t let anything happen to you," she explained patiently. She took the comb from Xiao An Hua, and began to brush Snowball''s soft white fur.

    Snowball''s face darkened, his entire aura turning gloomy as he suppressed his urge to respond. He did not wish to risk saying something he should not. ''Who is afraid? This stupid wife thinks this lord is afraid for himself?!''

 Chapter 358: Most Certainly Will Not!

    Once outside, Li Meirong didn''t delay a moment longer.

    She passed through the array and stepped into the arena, leaving Snowball in Xiao An Fei''s capable hands just outside the stage. Along the way, she noticed some peculiar gazes shooting her way from the spectators.

    The reactions she received from everyone around her left her completely and utterly baffled. They weren''t the kinds of stares she was used to receiving, especially now that she had left her scars visible. She had honestly expected at least a few scathing remarks regarding her ''unseemly'' appearance.

    Yet, instead of scorn, she received¡­ admiration. In complete contradiction to her expectations, she was met with applause instead of insults.

    The crowd behind her cheered as she hesitantly stepped onto the stage,

    ''What the hell is going on¡­? it almost looks like they''re cheering for me.'' Li Meirong''s eyes widened as she glanced back at the applauding crowd. Her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment.

    Since Li Meirong had joined the sect, she had never been well-liked by her peers, especially after the poor reputation she gained solely for being a furnace Therefore, the crowd''s cheers and applause were even more shocking, to say the least.

    Sadly, she had little time to speculate on the reasons behind this oddity, as her opponent was already waiting for her at the stage.

    The opponent for this battle happened to be a senior disciple from her division, and Li Meirong knew him as Senior Brother Wei. He was a lanky youth, dressed in an orderly fashion. His long chin and deadpan stare made him a tad intimidating, but the part of him that stood out the most was his eyes. A pair of deep, dark pools gave away the impression of high intelligence.

    Li Meirong remembered Senior Wei, if only because she had taken a few classes together with him, and he had always known the answers to every question the teacher asked.

    As soon as her eyes locked with his, she knew that this battle wouldn''t be an easy one, despite her recent progress in cultivation.

    "Junior Sister," Senior Wei greeted, tilting his head. "I have heard many rumors about you, but one, in particular, piqued my curiosity. There are those who have said you have somehow managed to conceal your spiritual growth. Sure enough, the rumors were true; I am unable to detect your aura at all."

    Li Meirong bobbed her head in greeting, her lips curving into a polite but uneasy smile. "I have no reason to lie. It''s not a false rumor, Senior Brother Wei."

    Senior Wei chuckled lightly. "I appreciate a direct answer," he replied with a tight-lipped smile. "I value honesty above all else."

    As soon as his words registered in her mind, Li Meirong relaxed. She stopped faking her formalities and offered him a genuine smile ¨C her eyelashes cast crescent shadows beneath her eyes, and her small lips parted ever so slightly, reminding all who viewed her of an enchanting flower in bloom, albeit an added blemish here and there.

    "In that case," Li Meirong said, cupping her hands together, "I am glad to have the opportunity to battle you, the genius disciple of my division, as we share similar sentiments."

    Unaware of the effects of her own charm, Li Meirong''s current expression was capable of causing the most composed and emotional of men to lose their common sense.

    Despite Senior Wei''s level-headed nature and sensibility, he unconsciously became enraptured by her smile as much as any other.

    Senior Wei''s dark eyes widened slightly, as though surprised by his own unconscious reaction. He took a step back to regain himself and bowed back at her.

    "L-likewise," he replied, a little flustered. "Though there is no need to invent a grand title for me. We are all disciples within the same sect and we follow the same path, hoping to be enlightened by the Dao." Senior Wei pointedly averted his eyes from Li Meirong''s enchanting expression as he spoke.

    Li Meirong''s polite demeanor and gentle smile were entirely beyond his expectations.

    He had expected to face an arrogant woman who would not hesitate to show her superiority as a direct disciple to the Grandmaster, especially after her staggering victory in the preliminaries. Even if she did not display her arrogance outright, he had expected to be met with a snake: charming on the outside, cunning on the inside.

    Yet he was met with a gentle lady of refined temperament. He hated coquettish ladies who flirted with men and used their beauty to get their way, as he valued wit and intellect. But despite his better judgment, when Li Meirong smiled at him, his heart began to beat erratically.

    Senior Wei cleared his throat and loosened the collar of his robe.

    "Regardless of the outcome of this battle, should you permit me to become an acquaintance of yours, I would be most honored."

    To say Li Meirong was shocked would be nothing short of an understatement. Who was Senior Wei? He was the genius of the Bestiary Division! There was no problem he could not solve, no verse of mantra he was unable to recite. He was the type of youth who could learn a fighting technique to the point of mastery in record time ¨C that was the level of his talent. To be acknowledged by a distinguished peer such as him overjoyed her.

    Moreover, he seemed to be a sincere and honest man, without an ounce of haughtiness despite his illustrious reputation. He was the sort of person she would have liked to make friends with.

    When Senior Wei had greeted her, she had expected to receive a barrage of accusations from him, perhaps even a demand to drop the shield which veiled her aura ¨C yet once again today she had been surprised by the response she received from those around her.

    Li Meirong had learned long ago to keep her guard up in Forgotten Waters. More often than not, she found herself in a situation akin to diving into a pit of snakes, simply by engaging in conversation with the wrong person at the wrong time.

    Thus, she had learned to bow her head, fake a smile, and keep a low profile. She didn''t want any more trouble than she already had. She knew that even if she could defend herself, there was no guarantee she would not end up ostracized again.

    Li Meirong nodded and was glad to accept Senior Wei''s offer of friendship. The joy she felt at being acknowledged by a fellow apprentice was evident in her eyes. Yet, before she could so much as utter a single word, a furious fox roared its displeasure from outside the stage.

    "She most certainly will not!"

 Chapter 359: Just One More Kick

    Li Meirong spun around, only to be met with the sight of Snowball flailing a snowy paw high in the air while he wiggled in Xiao An Fei''s arms. His expression was one of righteous indignation.

    The sight of Snowball looking so troubled by Senior Wei''s words made her brows scrunch together in confusion. She couldn''t help but toss her hands up, and shook her head helplessly at the mischievous little fox spirit before turning back to Senior Wei to offer her apologies.

    "I''m sorry for my fox spirit''s sudden outburst," said Li Meirong. "He''s usually very sweet and friendly¡­" She cast her eyes downwards somewhat guiltily.

    Senior Wei smiled at her reassuringly. "There is no need to apologize," he said, "I take no offense, and will think nothing of it."

    At that moment, the barks of the so called fox spirit reverberated from outside the barrier.

    "Are my words no better than empty air? Very well! I would like to see you try to court my wi- master, again! I dare you to try - we shall see what happens then!"

    Snowball hopped down from Xiao An Fei''s arms as he spoke, and struck viciously at the barrier surrounding the stage. With every strike of his furry hind legs, the force-field developed visible cracks.

    Senior Wei paled as he glanced over at Snowball, growing paler still with each frantic kick at the barrier. The whites of his eyes showed a tad too much more than usual. He knew all too well what kind of high-level barrier surrounded the stage. The defensive mechanism of the array was far superior to any other he had ever encountered and was completely impenetrable - unless a force imbued with divine power was determined to destroy it.

    This meant that only the grandmasters of the sect were capable of breaking it or building it to begin with. Only a nascent soul stage user or a spirit beast of the highest rank would or should be capable of tearing down the arena''s array.

    And yet, this harmless looking fox spirit merely had to kick against a small section of the barrier for it to crack under his tiny feet!

    Senior Wei suddenly grew tense, staring at the little fox in trepidation. ''Just what kind of monster is he, exactly?!''

    Li Meirong, upon hearing Snowball''s latest announcement, looked back to lock gazes with Xiao An Fei, hoping to convey her desire for An Fei to deal with the little furry rascal, lest he take it upon himself to barge through the barrier!

    "Xiao An Fei, how about you take Snowball for a short walk?" Li Meirong said. "He must be feeling anxious and needs to calm down for a moment."

    "Take¡­ take Snowball away, My Lady?" Xiao An Fei stammered out nervously. She did not miss His Lordship''s vicious glare at the order, and once again found herself stuck between a rock and a hard place.

    "Yes. Right away, please," Li Meirong answered, her voice a little more stern this time despite the politeness of her words. It seemed to her as though all her spirit pets were determined to have a temper tantrum at one point or another...

    She was completely unaware of the dilemma she had just imposed upon her pitiful subordinate, or what a tremendous task this particular order invoked.

    Xiao An Fei gulped hard, wondering if she had, perhaps, committed a terrible crime in one of her previous lives. She must have done so, to be placed in such a predicament. She was not a fool, however. When required to choose between whose orders to follow - those of the doting husband or the magnanimous wife - she knew exactly whose orders she needed to obey.

    ''If I defy the Sovereign Lord, Her Ladyship will protect me from his ire. But if I anger Her Ladyship, then the Sovereign Lord will permanently remove me from service!'' Xiao An Fei considered the matter at hand, and made her decision as swiftly as possible.

    Despite knowing her choice and understanding the consequences, she still did not wish to follow through. Purposefully standing in the Sovereign Lord''s path was something Xiao An Fei did not wish to do! She could not recall a single instance in which someone from the clan - or anywhere else, for that matter - came away unscathed from an altercation with the wrathful Fox Lord.

    As if able to hear her thoughts and taking them as his cue, Snowball viciously kicked at the barrier once more, causing an almost visible line to zigzag halfway across the array''s perimeter. The barrier shaped like a transparent cap atop the stage was gradually fracturing beneath Snowball''s assault.

    Just one more kick, and the array would almost certainly shatter entirely.

    There was no doubt in Xiao An Fei''s mind that the Sovereign Lord planned to single handedly massacre the oblivious human boy, if she did not use every ounce of her bravery to whisk His Lordship away. All hell would break loose should he succeed in murdering that Senior Wei.

    ''I must be the one to save the day!'' she thought, her fingers clenching into fists. Gulping down the fear, Xiao An Fei gathered the courage to face an adversary much more powerful than herself. She did not allow herself to hesitate any longer, rushing towards the disguised Fox Lord from behind and scooping him up into her arms.

    For a moment, Xiao An Fei appeared to be deeply troubled, holding the venerable deity of her clan as if he were actually the little cub he pretended to be. Despite her fear and worry, she held His Lordship in her arms and recovered her bearings swiftly. She bobbed her head respectfully towards Li Meirong.

    "Right away, My Lady," Xiao An Fei said while drawing Snowball farther away from the stage.

    The Sovereign Lord''s expressionless countenance and unexpectedly docile behavior did not match the bloodthirsty aura emanating from his tiny frame. That frightened Xiao An Fei even more than the resistance she had been expecting.

    Once Xiao An Fei had successfully managed to drag the supposed fox spirit away from the tournament stage, into a secluded area that was a fair distance from all the hustle and bustle, a pair of scorching eyes directed the full measure of their wrath upon her.

    Bai Qingyue''s irises glowed like a pair of wrathful twin suns.

 Chapter 360: The Great Hero Bao Li

    Xiao An Fei set the Fox Lord down and hurriedly kowtowed before him.

    "P-please be understanding, My Lord! This servant had no other choice!"

    Bai Qingyue glowered at Xiao An Fei''s shivering form on the ground before him. As he approached her, she felt the surrounding air grow colder and colder.

    Xiao An Fei''s breath became visible before her as small puffs of opaque mist.

    "I can do nothing but reflect upon my failure as a ruler when it comes to the disobedience of my own subjects," Bai Qingyue finally murmured at length.

    Too frightened to argue, Xiao An Fei kneeled in utter silence.

    Bai Qingyue''s voice, although soft, turned laden with malice. "I must have been far too benevolent in recent times, for it seems it has taken only a few days for my servants to forget exactly whose orders they should be following."

    Xiao An Fei''s mouth fell open slightly as he spoke. She felt as if her life could not be any less fair if the King of Hell himself had written it! Was it not His Lordship''s very own orders for her to serve Her Ladyship, Li Meirong?

    Bai Qingyue stepped forward, placed his paw atop Xiao An Fei''s head, and pressed down. The servant yelped in fright as she endured a tremendous pressure pressing on her skull.

    That one little motion, almost a pat on the head, that the Sovereign Lord had bestowed upon Xiao An Fei was almost enough to crack her skull in two!

    Was His Lordship planning to send her to the Netherworld in order to vent his rage?!

    Xiao An Fei prayed silently for Her Ladyship to finish her battle swiftly, and to be quick to rescue her from the Fox Lord''s vengeful wrath!

    In her current state of despair, she could do nothing but let go of her pride and plead for dear life.

    "This pitiable servant begs His Lordship to show mercy. This servant was merely following Her Ladyship''s orders." Xiao An Fei found her voice, groveling at his feet.

    With the Sovereign Lord in his current form, disguised as a fox spirit, the torturous scene could only be described as comical from an outsider''s perspective: a grown girl cowering before a cute, tiny fox spirit.

    Unfortunately, the tragic truth of the scene was anything but comical.

    The Fox Lord stared down at her silently, his face a mask of cruel indifference. He drove his paw into her head a little harder.

    As Xiao An Fei''s face plummeted into the soil, the bitter taste and crunchy texture of dirt almost caused her to choke. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears.

    "Ah, is that Snowball?" A high-pitched voice came suddenly, crying from far away. It was as a beacon of light in a sea of darkness to poor Xiao An Fei.

    Xiao An Fei heard Bai Qingyue''s groan of obvious displeasure, and the excruciating pressure pounding on her brain instantly faded away.

    Contrary to any expectations Xiao An Fei had, salvation came swiftly and surely from the most unlikely source: Bao Li.

    Slowly and cautiously, Xiao An Fei lifted her head to assess her surroundings. Li Meirong''s mortal friend was bouncing over to greet them.

    In haste, Xiao An Fei rose to her feet. She coughed out the remaining dirt and dusted off the hem of her dress to ensure she looked presentable.

    Regaining her composure, she adjusted herself as if nothing had ever happened.

    When Bao Li came a little closer, her small lips spread into a bright smile at seeing her suspicions had been confirmed.

    "It is Snowball!" she announced, casual steps shifting into more of a stride.

    A short distance beyond Bao Li, the shadow of Lang Ju perched on a tree branch did not go unnoticed from Xiao An Fei''s keen vision.

    Lang Ju''s back straightened, appearing a little rattled at being discovered.

    Surprised, Xiao An Fei''s eyes locked with his briefly before Lang Ju shapeshifted back into a lean, grey fox, and swiftly vanished from sight.

    She was not the only one to notice Lang Ju''s unexpected presence, however. When she glanced sideways at Bai Qingyue, Xiao An Fei noticed his narrowed golden eyes observing the exact same location.

    "Playing the hero, saving the beauty? Ridiculous," Bai Qingyue growled in contempt, tail swishing left and right in his irritation.

    ''Irritation at not being able to kill me, surely.'' Xiao An Fei thought, rubbing tenderly at the sore and abused part of her head.

    Almost unintentionally, she looked back at the tall tree one last time, but Lang Ju was no longer there. Her heart began to beat a little faster. ''Lang Ju must have lured Bao Li over here in order to protect me¡­''

    In a matter of moments, "the great hero" Bao Li crossed the remaining distance to reach Snowball and unknowingly saved Xiao An Fei from certain death.

    Having successfully captured her target, Bao Li secured Snowball within her tight hold. She was oblivious to the hostility surrounding the little fox spirit in her arm. His furious expression and threatening growl likewise went unnoticed.

    Happily oblivious, Bao Li smiled warmly at Xiao An Fei. "You are Li Meirong''s maid, are you not? Is she not currently in the midst of battle?"

    Except for nodding her head, Xiao An Fei had no time to respond before Bao Li spoke once more.

    "What are you waiting for? Let us go cheer her on!"

    ***

    Back at the arena, the battle was only just beginning. Senior Wei dug his hand into one of his pockets, and when he drew it back out, he appeared to be hiding something in his fist.

    He uncurled his fingers slowly, one at a time, until two pairs of powdery, bug-like wings unfurled atop his palm.

    A shimmering, miniature girl, with glowing skin and a matching dress made of spider silk, emerged, sitting neatly in the palm of Senior Wei''s hand. Her powdery yet iridescent wings, far larger than herself, folded around her delicate frame and cast a shade over her luminous blonde curls. She held a wooden flute against her lips, the instrument as small as a needle.

    "Her name is Lucidity. She is a pixie spirit of the tenth rank," Senior Wei announced proudly, gently patting the pixie''s head with the tip of his finger.

    Lucidity turned and gazed at her master with clear adoration. She spread the hem of her dress with one hand and performed an elegant bow. "Master, I am honored to have been summoned."

    The crowd breathed out amazed sighs as they watched the enchanting pixie address Senior Wei.

    "I never thought I would get to see a pixie in this tournament," a spectator called out. "I have heard they come from a faraway continent to the west."

    "How beautiful and rare¡­"

    Although Senior Wei stayed silent, he was pleased by the crowd''s reactions. The corners of his lips curved into a smug, subtle smile. ''This is one of the pixie''s strengths, to bewitch the mind with their loveliness and make one forget how deadly they can be,'' he thought.

    Senior Wei had researched spirit beasts for many years, particularly about pixies, before he had actually formed a contract with one. While tiny in size, pixies were extremely powerful creatures.

    Their abilities were, more often than not, beyond that of the average spirit, and their strengths lay in bewitching spells, particularly relating to the art of illusion.

    A powerful pixie could bewitch their opponents with illusions so horrendous that they would often end up killing themselves to end their suffering.

    Furthermore, very few cultivators knew of the deadliness of a pixie''s skills, mostly due to their rarity. This made it even easier for Senior Wei to win against his opponents so far. His enemies did not know what to expect and often did not realize what was happening until it was far too late for them to recognize the error of their ways.

    Senior Wei stared at Li Meirong with a triumphant expression. ''This battle will end very shortly.''

    Lei Meirong''s attention was meanwhile too occupied to notice Senior Wei''s reaction. She sighed wistfully at the sight of the pixie''s reaction to Senior Wei. She couldn''t help but feel a slight pang of bitterness at how charming and obedient other spirit beasts seemed to be for their masters.

    As for her, she would consider it a good day if her spirits beasts didn''t bicker with her or throw temper tantrums.

    Li Meirong closed her eyes in preparation to summon forth Chou from her dimension.

    A chubby boy with perfectly smooth skin and a riotous nest of seaweed curls atop his head manifested himself at the center of the stage. A leaf, big enough to cover his privates, was tied around his waist like a loincloth.

    However, what was more interesting than his unusual appearance was definitely his choice of weapon.

    In his hand, he held a large, glittering lobster.

 Chapter 361: Dead To The World

    Even though Lucidity, the pixie, was small in size and stature, her appearance on stage still dazzled the entire audience.

    Chou, on the other hand¡­

    Suffice to say, he managed to cause more than a few of the astonished spectators to gossip aloud.

    Their tones were heavy with ridicule.

    "At first I assumed we would be granted another glorious battle, like the previous one," a mocking voice called from the crowd. "But look at this. What is this that shows up? A young spirit beast that looks as though it should still be suckling at its mother''s breast! I''d wager a bet that the girl''s previous victory was nothing but a fluke."

    "What manner of creature is this which the spirit boy holds in his hand?" another spectator spoke up with confusion clear on his face as he gawked at the lobster on the stage.

    The murmurs and hushed comments grew louder and louder, and suddenly it seemed as if the giant red lobster had become the focus of the tournament. Lucidity and Chou had been all but forgotten.

    "I believe I have seen something like this beast once before. It is a sea creature, I think. My great uncle, who traveled throughout the entire world, says that the tail of this particular animal is very juicy and quite scrumptious¡­"

    The culinary debate and mockery amongst the spectators only continued.

    "Hah! Do you mean to say this spirit beast brought a meal to the stage? The direct disciple of the Bestiary Division must be quite the powerful cultivator, to allow her spirit beast to busy himself with a snack while confronting an enemy."

    Chou''s round face darkened, expression stormy as a thundercloud.

    "Who are you calling a spirit beast? Your mother is a spirit beast!" he screeched in insult, pointing his finger at the crowd. "Chou is a dignified and high ranked pitcher plant, and if Master allowed it, then you''d be Chou''s dinner tonight!"

    His infuriated expression, plastered as it was on his adorable baby face, only heightened the boisterous jeering of the men in the crowd.

    Li Meirong ignored the insults coming their way, and instead bent down in front of Chou to stare him in the eye at his own level. She squeezed his radish-like arms gently to gain his attention.

    "Ignore their silly taunts, Little Chou," she said, and then continued a little more anxiously, "Tell me now, why are you holding a lobster?"

    Truth be told, Li Meirong was as flabbergasted by the lobster just as much as the crowd was. She didn''t mind the ridicule, but she needed Chou to focus on the battle at hand, and bringing a lobster to the arena... well, it proved that the little pitcher plant''s mind was not in the right place for this.

    Chou directed his large, glittering gaze her way, wide-eyed and innocent as if he could do no wrong. His chubby white cheeks puffed out indignantly.

    "Chou was busy training the new recruits when Master summoned Chou to battle," he explained. He raised his small hand above his head, arrogantly displaying the lobster to the entire crowd. "This one shows great promise. Chou named him Zhu Zhi. Master, look how big and fat Zhu Zhi became. He is twice the size of the other red bugs!"

    Zhu Zhi squirmed in Chou''s grip, snapping his big claws twice as if to proudly acknowledge the declaration.

    "..." Li Meirong wordlessly stared at Chou, her expression a mixture of concern and helplessness.

    She gulped down her grievances and remained silent. In this current situation, it wouldn''t help to reproach Chou, anyway...

    Not to mention, she just couldn''t bring herself to scold the little pitcher plant when he gazed at her with such an innocent expression.

    How could she bear to shatter her little one''s dreams and explain that they are now making a mockery of themselves on stage? If Li Meirong had a better reputation to uphold, she might have been a bit more bothered by this, but as things were - she had little to lose by letting Chou just be himself.

    However, Chou bringing a lobster to a battle stage - and in front of the whole sect, too - was something she knew she''d never be able to live down.

    The battle hadn''t even started and she already wished to forfeit!

    Li Meirong pinched the space between her brows and took a deep, calming breath.

    "Chou, as helpful as¡­ Zhu Zhi is... let''s leave him aside for now. I need you to focus on the fight, and to concentrate on protecting yourself. I would like to win, but not at your expense. If you get injured, I will immediately resign."

    Chou''s expression became solemn in thought, staring fixedly at Li Meirong.

    In a situation such as this, if it were another opportunistic cultivator, he or she might chastise him, or throw him straight into battle without consideration for his well being. Chou knew his silly master had worked hard for this opportunity to achieve what she had in this tournament; he knew that much. Yet she was willing to relinquish her position, her win, for his sake, and would do so without hesitation.

    His master was always looking out for his best interest, and that both touched and satisfied him greatly.

    Chou kept his feelings bottled deep inside, though. He refused to show any form of weakness in front of such a large audience. When all was said and done, he had a reputation to uphold, after all!

    He stretched his neck and raised his head high in an attempt to seem more imposing, his smooth forehead wrinkling slightly in disapproval. "Master is such a weakling still! Why is my Master still so weak of heart, even after becoming so powerful?"

    Shaking his head, as if to lament his troubled fate, Chou added, "It is a good thing Master has Chou, or Master would accomplish nothing in this life."

    Li Meirong pursed her lips, and her eyes squinted to glare at Chou. She had to hold herself back from smacking him over the head in punishment for his words. ''This brat needs to get his booty spanked!''

    How was it that her genuine concern for his health suddenly labeled her as being weak of heart? And how did that make her unable to accomplish anything in life?

    Before Li Meirong had any chance to react, however, Chou set aside his lobster at the edge of the stage and prepared his vines for battle. "Do not worry, Master. With Zhu Zhi and Chou around, nothing bad will happen to you!"

    Senior Wei stared amusedly at the entire exchange between Li Meirong and Chou. Lucidity remained dutifully seated on his palm, gazing up at him expectantly as she waited for his signal to act.

    "Please set your worries at ease, Junior Sister," Senior Wei said, giving a deep bow. "I will be sure to finish this battle as swiftly and harmlessly as possible."

    Li Meirong turned from Chou and eyed her opponent with concealed suspicion. Senior Wei had been the very image of decorum and modest manners from the very start, yet the way he spoke made it clear that he expected to be the victor.

    She knew this particular Senior was one of the stronger cultivators in her division, and she appreciated his talent and knowledge, but his cocky attitude bothered her.

    The desire to prove him wrong grew within her.

    Li Meirong bowed back, glancing back at Chou as she did so, and gave a subtle nod. "Thank you for treating me well, Senior Wei," she answered calmly.

    Chou saw the cautionary look from Li Meirong, and tilted his head slightly. He then silently pounced upon Senior Wei, swinging a multitude of vines at him from every possible direction.

    Senior Wei straightened in a leisurely fashion and let out a bitter chuckle. He showed not even a hint of concern, despite the dozens of constricting vines being hurled his way. He let his pixie loose to fly into the air.

    "A sneak attack?" Senior Wei spat the words, his smile died and his eyes hardened. "That is not very courteous of you, Junior Sister."

    "I never said I was courteous," Li Meirong replied calmly, even as she mentally coordinated the best possible locations to strike with Chou. She intended to shatter Senior Wei''s illusion of her, and his overconfidence in being able to best her, by the end of their battle.

    She had made a promise to take part in this tournament, and she intended to battle in earnest, as long as no harm came to her or hers.

    Li Meirong had wished to avoid a fight altogether by having Chou conduct a sneak attack. She had hoped to immobilize her opponent with the first strike. She would rather gain the upper hand by unscrupulous means than risk her or Chou being harmed in any way.

    Unfortunately, the pixie responded immediately to the sneak attack. Lucidity pressed her tiny fingers to the holes in the flute, mouthpiece still pressed to her rosebud lips, and played a short, pleasant tune. As she played, her little fingers were moving expertly over the instrument, and her entire being started to glow.

    On the stage, the pixie appeared like a bright star, twinkling in the distance.

    Just as Chou''s vines were about to constrict around both Senior Wei and his pixie, Lucidity finished playing her short tune.

    Chou immediately froze in place, completely immobile, and his vines wilted. They fell limp, collapsing all around him as he dropped to the ground.

    The little plant spirit looked dead to the world, lying on the cold concrete floor of the stage with his eyes closed.

    Li Meirong''s heart clenched in her chest as she witnessed Chou''s sudden collapse. Her lungs constricted, and she opened her mouth to speak Chou''s name, but could not utter a single word.

    The only sound that left her lips was the screech of a banshee''s wail.

    The deafening scream reverberated throughout the arena where the pitcher plant boy lay dead on the ground.

    Li Meirong sank to her knees and crawled the short distance to Chou''s side, dragging his pale, feeble frame into her arms.

 Chapter 362: Suffocating Silence

    Chou''s death was just too swift, too sudden.

    The sight of the plant spirit''s lifeless little body sprawled on the ground was incomprehensible to Li Meirong.

    His death had come so suddenly and unexpectedly that she could barely even begin to digest what had just happened. Only a few seconds ago, his high-pitched voice and pouty lips had been directed at her. Chou''s creeping vines had hovered beautifully in the air, like ropes tumbling down from the heavens. And then, suddenly, without warning, he had dropped dead!

    She couldn''t believe he died. She refused to believe he died.

    Hot tears slowly trailed down Li Meirong''s cheeks, dripping from her chin and falling like gentle rain, soaking Chou''s dark curls.

    She felt utterly useless. Her slowly built confidence shattered in an instant. All the years of accumulating strength meant nothing in the end. It meant nothing if she couldn''t even take care of the one friend that stayed by her side from the very beginning.

    The truth was, that she was just like everybody else had said, a failure. She once again turned into the same useless and lonely girl, who could do nothing but suffer each blow life threw her way.

    Li Meirong could do nothing but stare at the Chou''s blood-drained face and weep.

    She roughly shook him by his narrow shoulders, as if to force him to respond to her. But the pitcher plant spirit flailed limply in her arms, a reaction to the gesture and nothing more.

    Chou couldn''t be dead, not so soon. Not so easily. He couldn''t possibly be dead - she still tried to deny it.

    There had been no fatal blow, nor any hidden move. All she''d seen was that damned pixie tapping her tiny fingers on her stupidly small flute!

    So much for making sure that nobody would be harmed! So much for wishing to make friends with her opponent¡­

    There was no measure accurate enough to describe how deeply she regretted her previous decision - to consider this battle nothing more than a friendly match. Like the fool she was, her pathetic heart had been swayed by Senior Wei''s courteous behavior and lofty reputation.

    The hidden desire to be accepted by her peers, which had lurked in the small corner of Li Meirong''s heart, had clouded her judgment until the damage had been done. And it had not been her who had suffered, but her little Chou...

    On the grounds of a battlefield there was no place for compassion or understanding. The arena was no different.

    Li Meirong''s eyes were bloodshot now from her tears, her slender frame trembled like a fallen leaf tossed about in the breeze. A sense of desperation was consuming her, fueling her need to somehow avenge Chou''s senseless death.

    She really wanted to kill Senior Wei and shred his pixie into tiny pieces right before his eyes!

    "What have you done?" Li Meirong finally found her voice, forced out between ragged breaths. She quivered with despair. "What have you done to my plant spirit?!"

    Bitterness welled up inside her, almost choking her up before it could fall from her lips.

    Her question was not met with an answer.

    In fact, there was no sound of any sort to be heard.

    She looked up to demand an explanation, but was met with an empty stage and a dark, suffocating silence.

    Senior Wei and his pixie had vanished. The audience in the arena''s stands had disappeared without a trace. The entire island had become barren of any living entity except Li Meirong, and the corpse in her arms.

    She sat in the middle of the stage at a complete loss. Her only company was the corpse of the plant spirit that lay dead across her lap.

    Chou''s damp black hair brushed across her thighs, the shift of it resembling seaweed dancing along the ocean''s surface. She caressed his head softly, brushing her fingers through his murky curls.

    She wasn''t entirely sure what was happening, but sitting here and crying over her stupid decision to participate in this tournament wouldn''t bring the dead back to life. So what if Zhu Qingyue had urged her to join? So what if the lunatic Grandmaster had threatened to strip her bare of all her cultivation? What was the point in becoming strong if she lost everyone who mattered to her in the process?

    Initially, she hadn''t wanted any part of this. She wanted nothing to do with fighting. She wasn''t certain what part of her had changed, or what exactly had changed her mind about training for this event. What had made her become excited at the prospect of rising in the ranks to become a formidable force in this sect? All she knew now was that it all left the bitter taste of regret in her mouth.

    She bent down to kiss Chou gently on the forehead.

    "I will avenge you, I promise," she murmured, and then sent his lifeless corpse back into her dimension.

    She was now alone in the darkness, without a single soul in sight.

    As Li Meirong slowly rose to her feet once more, she suddenly noticed from the corner of her eye a tall, shadowed figure approach from afar.

    The figure emerged from the shadows and broke through the array as easily as a hot knife sliced through butter.

    The silhouette of a man gradually became more visible, framed by loose pale hair fluttering in the breeze. He walked towards her slowly, yet with infinite confidence in his bearing.

    Li Meirong ran towards the man as soon as the bewitching contours of his face came into the light, the familiarity of his features buoying her flagging spirits. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely.

    "Zhu Qingyue!"

    "I am here perhaps a tad too late, it seems," he murmured in her ear, having bent down slightly to accept her embrace. His large palms rested upon her waist, as unyielding as a pair of shackles.

    Zhu Qingyue''s low, soothing voice helped Li Meirong relearn how to breathe. The knowledge that she had someone to depend on, that he was by her side during her time of need, filled her heart with endless warmth.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A/N; Thank you for all the support! It means a lot! Since there has been such a long hiatus with AMAFG''s updates, the novel fell off the ranking and is no longer receiving any sort of exposure. If you could support this story by offering powerstones, or sharing it out on social media, Moon would be most grateful! ?????

 Chapter 363: Anything

    ''It''s not the same as it was before,'' Li Meirong thought. ''I''m not alone anymore. I''ve got Zhu Qingyue here to help me.'' Her legs suddenly gave way beneath her with the intensity of the relief flooding through her.

    Yet instead of collapsing to the hard concrete, Zhu Qingyue caught her. His arms hooked beneath her thighs and back as he lifted her bridal style.

    Li Meirong pressed her tear-stained face against his neck, finding the sensation unusually chill as she leaned further into his hold.

    It was strange for him to feel so cold, but it mattered little to her. She knew she could rely on him and was glad for it. She needed Zhu Qingyue''s support to help her avenge Chou.

    As he was such a prominent figure in the sect, Li Meirong was certain that Zhu Qingyue could be a pillar of support against Senior Wei. Surely, with a word from the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster, or his son, Chou''s death wouldn''t go unpunished.

    "Zhu Qingyue, I''m so glad you''re here." Li Meirong confessed softly, a gentle blush rising to her cheeks.

    There was no response from Zhu Qingyue. He remained unexpectedly silent.

    "Zhu Qingyue, can I depend on you to help me?" Li Meirong asked as she craned her neck slightly to stare into his eyes.

    She held her breath in anticipation, not exactly sure what to expect from his reaction. She always preferred to solve matters on her own, but wouldn''t mind abasing herself if she had no other choice.

    Zhu Qingyue''s pupils turned slit and sharp like the edge of a blade as they stared soullessly at her.

    She unconsciously flinched at the harsh, freezing stare she was met with.

    All her plans dissipated with a single look from his indifferent gaze.

    Zhu Qingyue''s warm and intimate golden eyes which had always looked at her with the utmost affection, had noticeably changed. His stare made her shiver with fright.

    He stared at her with complete indifference, his appearance contrasting harshly with his caring embrace.

    The hue of his irises shifted to an icy lavender, so intense that a single look could have frozen over hell itself.

    This was not the first occasion in which Li Meirong had felt genuine fear because of Zhu Qingyue. But she knew that this did not mean that he was the ruthless man she had sometimes thought him to be, despite her impressions.

    On the contrary, he proved himself by being there for her, caring for her and supporting her when no one else did.

    Zhu Qingyue stood deathly still and seemed entirely unresponsive, almost like a statue. He looked devoid of any emotion.

    In spite of his sudden change, and in spite of her own growing apprehension towards him, Li Meirong chose to ignore her fears and place her trust in him.

    She wanted to trust Zhu Qingyue.

    After several moments of awkward silence, Li Meirong let go of the tugging wariness gnawing at her insides and begged him again for assistance.

    "Senior Wei¡­ he killed my plant spirit, Chou. Will you help me avenge his death?"

    The corners of Zhu Qingyue''s thin lips curved upwards into an icy smile; his distant, lackluster eyes glinted with malice.

    "It is not in my nature to assist that which is not mine," he replied.

    Li Meirong frowned at his words. She fully intended to give him a piece of her mind, but a long ivory finger pressed tightly against her lips, silencing her.

    "... Unless, of course," Zhu Qingyue drawled, tracing his finger across her lips. "You will offer me something worthy in return, a thing which I have not yet taken. I will even go so far as to bring the plant spirit back to life."

    His whispers were full of unspoken suggestions, his tone laced with undisguised contempt.

    The inside of Li Meirong''s mouth suddenly tasted sour. Her mind was reeling with Zhu Qingyue''s words echoing in her ears.

    What could she offer him that he had not already taken?

    A sense of dread crept into her heart, coiling itself into a tight knot.

    Li Meirong anxiously pushed away from Zhu Qingyue the instant she felt herself regain control of her legs again. Her sense of fright gave more force to her shove than she had actually possessed, but it didn''t faze him in the least.

    She immediately knelt before him, slamming her forehead down on the cold concrete. Her skin bruised upon impact, but she didn''t care. She preferred to avoid seeing him, and bowed low to avoid the harsh, discomforting look on his face.

    From above her head, she heard him chuckle darkly, as if her panic was awfully entertaining to him.

    "Is begging your only talent?" He asked amusedly.

    His scornful response pained her in ways she hadn''t experienced before, but if groveling before Zhu Qingyue could bring Chou back for her, then she would be more than willing to let go of her pride and do so.

    She kept her forehead pressed to the ground, struggling to remain calm. "I will be forever grateful if you lend me your assistance this one time, Senior Zhu. I would do anything to bring him back. Please don''t let my plant spirit die in vain."

    "You would do anything?" Zhu Qingyue''s grin stretched wide. He appeared all too pleased by her response.

    The world appeared to stand still, as if it was waiting with bated breath for an answer to that question, as the silver-haired man''s appearance gradually shifted.

    Throughout their entire interaction, his deadpan gaze never strayed from Li Meirong''s quivering form on the ground.

    He assessed her with a look of long-awaited expectation, like a snake waiting for its prey to stumble so it could strike.

    "Anything." Li Meirong repeated the word, clenching her fists. She was desperate enough to swear upon it.

    "What a good girl," Zhu Qingyue murmured. "An eye for an eye, they say. A life for a life."

    Zhu Qingyue''s teeth stretched out into sharp fangs, his face growing more bestial.

    He bent down and grasped Li Meirong''s chin, tilting her face up so she would look straight at him.

    What she saw caused her to let out a sharp gasp. From one breath of time to the next, Li Meirong stared in horror as she saw Zhu Qingyue''s appearance gradually alter itself.

    His mouth slowly stretched impossibly wide. A thin trail of saliva glistened from an endless row of razor-sharp fangs. His pure-as-jade appearance had reshaped itself into the stuff of nightmares.

    Li Meirong''s clenched fists started trembling, as she dared to stare at the man who no longer seemed to be a man at all.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Preview to chapter 364

    This¡­ creature, with whom she had shared her most intimate moments, this man who had asked her to marry him nearly every single day, was scrutinizing her in a way that made her feel as if he were demanding a pound of flesh for his assistance.

    Her pound of flesh.

    The same sense of hopelessness consumed her once more. She didn''t want to cry anymore, but she was so frustrated that her eyes burned with unshed tears again.

    Nothing made sense at all. It was like a horrible, neverending nightmare she couldn''t wake up from.

    This Zhu Qingyue was someone she couldn''t recognize. The monster before her looked at her as though she were a piece of meat. A tender morsel just waiting to be devoured.

    Worse yet, she was immobilized to the spot, unable to fight him, and unable to retreat.

    Everything around them was pitch black. Only she and this monstrous version of Zhu Qingyue existed in this endless abyss.

    She tried to keep her calm mask, hiding the terror she felt inside. She stared unblinkingly, at Zhu Qingyue instead of showing her fear, her breath coming out ragged and shallow.

    "What do you want from me?" she pressed. "Just tell me!"

    Zhu Qingyue''s bestial head dipped down and forwards until his lipless mouth grazed hers, and then he exhaled. His breath felt scorchingly hot. His sharp teeth sliced her skin and cut her lip.

    "You offered anything," he said. "What you offered, I shall take."

 Chapter 364: I Love You

    This¡­ creature, with whom she had shared her most intimate moments, this man who had asked her to marry him nearly every single day, was scrutinizing her in a way that made her feel as if he were demanding a pound of flesh.

    Her pound of flesh.

    The same sense of hopelessness consumed her again. She didn''t want to cry anymore, but she was so frustrated that her eyes burned with unshed tears.

    Nothing made sense at all. It was like a horrible, neverending nightmare she couldn''t wake up from.

    This Zhu Qingyue was someone she couldn''t recognize. The monster before her looked at her as though she were a tender morsel just waiting to be devoured.

    Worse yet, she was immobilized to the spot, unable to fight him, and unable to retreat.

    Everything around them was pitch black. Only she and this monstrous version of Zhu Qingyue existed in this endless abyss.

    She tried to keep her calm mask, hiding the terror she felt inside. She stared unblinkingly, at Zhu Qingyue instead of showing her fear, her breath coming out ragged and shallow.

    "What do you want from me?" she pressed. "Just tell me!"

    Zhu Qingyue''s bestial head dipped down and forward until his lipless mouth grazed hers, and then exhaled. His breath felt scorchingly hot. His sharp teeth sliced through tender flesh, cutting her lip.

    "You offered anything," he said. "What you offered, I shall take."

    "I thought you cared about me." She choked out as a trail of blood spilled down from the cut on her lip to her chin, dripping onto her neck.

    "You are a foolish human, so easily deceived... " Zhu Qingyue whispered almost lovingly, his sharp teeth grinding in a sound frightfully similar to bones crushing.

    Li Meirong let out a bitter laugh. She slowly reached out to cup each side of Zhu Qingyue''s unrecognizable face with the palm of her hands, questioning her own sanity as she caressed the harsh lines beneath her fingers.

    Zhu Qingyue flicked a long, slippery tongue and hissed. He pushed her to the ground and dug his claws deep into her.

    Unable to move, Li Meirong could do nothing but cry out as she felt him tear right into her stomach.

    "Everything you told me before¡­ was it all fake? Did your words ever mean anything at all?" Li Meirong''s stomach twisted and churned with pain, but her voice came out as a soft whimper.

    She suspected she knew the answer to that question, but her stubbornness led her to ask it all the same. She hoped for a different answer than the one she dreaded was coming.

    "All lies."

    A pain filled laugh escaped her lips as she felt her insides being crushed.

    Worse than the physical torture was the pain in her heart.

    She felt as if her heart had just been crushed into pieces.

    At one point she had been so sure that Zhu Qingyue was the man she would devote herself to, and that they might actually work things out despite their ups and downs.

    Third time''s the charm, they say, but still, she repeated the same mistake over and over, giving her heart to those who would ruthlessly trample upon it.

    A small part of her had always suspected that Zhu Qingyue was lying to her, but she had never thought the deception would extend this far, or be this thorough.

    ''Why go through all this trouble, and why me of all people?'' she wanted to ask. But at this point, it didn''t really matter to her anymore.

    Her expression cooled, and she schooled her features into as cold a mask as she could manage.

    "Let us part ways then, never to meet again."

    She tried to gather every ounce of strength she could muster to crawl away from his excruciating grip, intending to distance herself from him even if just a little bit. Yet, just as she managed to stumble one step backward, she suddenly felt his long fingers leaving her midsection and wrapping around her neck, squeezing so hard that she couldn''t even choke out a single breath.

    The force of his grip was such that she felt like even a fraction tighter would snap her bones.

    Zhu Qingyue cackled menacingly, his tone plummeting down into a monstrous growl.

    "Oh, no, wife," he said mockingly, "After I am done with you, we will be forever entwined."

    Li Meirong suffocated under his grip, her feet dangling helplessly beneath her as he lifted her high into the air.

    During their conversation, she had tried to maintain her composure and prevent herself from panicking. She attempted, time and time again, to summon her powers, but it was as if she was rendered useless. Not even a speck of blue flame materialized.

    She felt as weak as she had the first time she''d opened her eyes in this world, sold to the highest bidder in a brothel. As wretched as she had the moment she had almost been choked to death by the Bestiary Division''s Grandmaster. She wondered, briefly, if her circumstances from then to now had ever truly changed.

    In her heart, she was still the same, still the scared little girl from several years ago. Still the same helpless girl who had first arrived in this world.

    Zhu Qingyue''s jaw dislocated and stretched further, abnormally wide. His face sprouted fur, and his nose gradually elongated into the shape of a beast.

    Li Meirong''s eyes remained wide open. She was struggling to breathe as she witnessed the entire transformation.

    "Since you are mine, then I will take everything from you." Zhu Qingyue''s demonic eyes curved in wicked amusement.

    With that final statement, the bestial creature wrapped one hand around Li Meirong''s neck, and moved the other back into the wound he had previously pierced into her stomach. His claws sliced into her flesh, tearing and digging inside her gut, like he was searching for something.

    Finally, after an excruciatingly painful time, Li Meirong stifled a scream as she felt a piece of her being torn out. She saw what she could only assume was her liver getting crunched between Zhu Qingyue''s sharp fangs.

    Blood splattered across Zhu Qingyue''s white snout, his appearance becoming even more gruesome with the splash of red.

    Suffocating on her own bodily fluids. Li Meirong''s eyes pooled with bloody tears. She attempted to gurgle out some kind of response, but it was too incomprehensible to be understood.

    Her lips curled into a subtle, hopeless, smile. She traced her thumb across Zhu Qingyue''s furred cheek once again.

    She felt like she had nothing left to lose in the face of death. Her dark irises filled with momentary tenderness as she realized that she really must be stupid, just like Chou kept saying. Even when she was being betrayed, even when she was about to be killed by this man, the feelings she had for him did not waver.

    Li Meirong closed her eyes, let her lips part, and whispered three words under her breath.

    "I love you."

 Chapter 365: A Mountain of White Fur

    ''I love you.''

    The words echoed in the eerily silent air around the pair long after falling from Li Meirong''s lips.

    Zhu Qingyue''s snarl shifted into a clear and rather puzzled frown, his hold on her gradually loosened.

    Slowly, bit by bit, his grip eased away.

    To Li Meirong, it felt like she was fighting a losing battle to remain awake and focused. After having confessed her feelings in such a way, however, she was determined to see his reaction no matter what. With that in mind, she continued her struggle against the numbing pain and light-headedness that hastened her towards unconsciousness.

    Through heavily lidded eyes, she bore witness to Zhu Qingyue''s humanity slowly resurfacing, his sense of reason not entirely quenched.

    Li Meirong''s grim expression softened. Her fingers, trembling from blood loss, traced slowly along his bloodied jaw, all the way down his long snout.

    As her fingers tapped the very tip of his dark nose, she heard him let out a low, rumbling growl.

    Where only a second ago he seemed as if he was about to shred her into tiny pieces, he now appeared visibly and obviously confused. She thought, a little hysterically, that he looked a bit funny at the moment; it was as if he wasn''t sure whether to keep torturing her or cradle her in his embrace.

    The corners of her lips tilted upwards into a soft, brief smile as she gazed up at him.

    If someone had asked Li Meirong - in that moment or any other - what love meant to her, they would be sorely disappointed with the answer she would give them.

    Frankly speaking, when it came to love as when it was shared between a man and a woman, she no longer held a very favourable opinion on the matter.

    She used to long for the budding warmth that would engulf her whenever she was around the person she held feelings for. She used to think that being able to love someone and finding your other half was a blessing. She used to think it was a connection that could transcend time, space, and age.

    Love should be, she once thought, a pure and selfless emotion. But fate had, for better or worse, taught her otherwise.

    If she was to really spend some time thinking on what it meant to love somebody, to sit and ponder on the matter, then she could only come to one conclusion: this emotion was only ever a weakness.

    To her, love was heartache. Love was longing. Love was, perhaps, just an endless series of disappointments concocted by the chemicals going haywire in the brain.

    All in all, she knew for certain that the terrible feeling had clouded her judgment more times than she could count. She knew that to be true now, and she also knew that right now she must not be thinking straight at all.

    Still, if she was bound and fated to die at Zhu Qingyue''s hand, then she might as well be honest with herself in her final moments.

    Although she still didn''t want to admit it, she had - somehow - still managed to fall in love with this absolute bastard of a man.

    So the question remaining was: what was she so afraid of?

    She wasn''t so sure what the answer to that would be. Even if this man was a monstrous beast, it was still the man she loved. And, as foolish as it might have been given her current circumstances, she had instinctively felt that she had to confess her feelings before she died, to show him that she trusted him.

    "Zhu Qingyue¡­I despise you." Li Meirong murmured again, gurgling a little on her own blood as she glared at him, "and I despise myself for loving you."

    She stared at him accusingly, unsure if it was because of his despicable betrayal or if it was instead fuelled by the knowledge that she had, in the end, opened up her heart to him. ''How dare you make me fall in love with you?!'' she thought furiously.

    The bestial version of Zhu Qingyue stilled entirely at her words, as if frozen. The rage had vanished from his face altogether, only to be replaced by an obvious look of embarrassment which was most unbefitting of his current monstrous visage.

    The silly, flustered look he possessed caused a tiny bit of comfort to unfurl within her. From the odd expression she could decipher from his furry muzzle, Zhu Qingyue appeared to be so terribly perturbed that he could no longer even tell his left from right anymore.

    That made her laugh aloud. It was a laugh like that which a person gave when relieved of all stress and heartache, leaving them with a rare moment of clarity. The laughter of a person who had discovered something true to themselves.

    It was then she realised, suddenly and clearly, that she no longer felt any pain - nor did she have any trouble breathing.

    ''How is this possible?'' Li Meirong thought as she squirmed under Zhu Qingyue''s hold on her neck. She looked down at her stomach, finding no cuts nor tears giving evidence of her wounds.

    She seemed to be perfectly fine, like nothing had ever happened and as though no harm had come to her at all.

    Any other traces of the violence that had just occurred were also missing, gone as if they had never happened despite only a few moments having passed.

    ''Wait a minute¡­ this can''t be real.'' Li Meirong''s mind became numb with realization.

    This world wasn''t without its fair share of crazy situations, but the crowd disappearing so suddenly, the world dissolving into complete darkness, and Zhu Qingyue turning into a huge furred beast - this was just a little too much to believe.

    Thereafter, the gates to the fatigue she continuously fought against opened up once more.

    As she turned back around, the bestial Zhu Qingyue was no longer in sight. Finding herself all alone in complete and utter darkness, a wave of dizziness washed over her and she fell, paralyzed, to the ground.

    When Li Meirong regained consciousness, she was lying flat on her back on the familiar stage of the arena. The suffocating silence which had filled the air was suddenly abuzz with the voices of hundreds of spectators.

    Before being able to peel her eyes open and look at anything, she could already hear the all-too-familiar racket coming from the sect''s disciples who had come to see the battle.

    A collective gasp sounded through the crowd as Li Meirong wearily rubbed at her eyes and squinted them open. Various disciples within the crowd began discussing the shocking turn of events amongst themselves.

    "She broke out of the illusion all on her own¡­ Sister Meirong truly is an impressive young lady."

    "Impossible! Did you not hear Senior Wei''s explanation? Only his pixie can break the spell! ¡­ Where did that pixie disappear to, anyway?"

    "At this point, does it even matter? The fight is as good as over! That huge fox spirit standing over there belongs to Junior Sister Meirong, and he tore through the array surrounding the stage! Breaking the rules like that means the battle ends immediately."

    "Tsk, tsk. Instead of doing a counter-attack, she got herself disqualified. This is a sham!"

    The discussion took a turn to the negative, switching from murmurs of shock and awe to boos and chants of disappointment and disapproval.

    Disoriented by her entire ordeal, Li Meirong stifled a groan as she tried to collect herself and regain her bearing. She began to hoist herself up from the stone cold floor, using her elbows for support, feeling shaky and sore.

    Her plan was instantly thwarted, however, as a mountain of white fur pressing against her face blocked the attempt.

 Chapter 366: Stop Staring At Me

    Li Meirong coughed tufts of fur out of her mouth and proceeded to examine her surroundings best she could.

    Since she was still lying flat on the floor, all she could see was a wall of fluffy white fur concealing everything else from sight. No Senior Wei, no pixie, no audience of various disciples - just fur.

    Looking sideways, she noted her current situation - imprisonment by four long, white legs.

    "Stay down," the so called jailer growled from behind a wall of fluffy white fur.

    Li Meirong stifled a gasp of her own. She was lying underneath a giant fox whose voice she recognized all too well!

    While she could not say for certain, she was positive that her little fox spirit must have come to her rescue while she was being tricked by the nasty little pixie and knocked out cold!

    It had to be her Snowball, but she felt like she had to ask in order to confirm her suspicions. The last time she had seen him in this form was a long while ago, when she had had her encounter with that crazy lunatic Sheng Jing Wu at the top of the volcano.

    "Snowball, is that you?"

    The giant fox''s wide mouth parted slightly, a grumble rumbling out of from deep within his throat in a conveyance of acknowledgment.

    Li Meirong reached up to grasp the fur above her, wrapping her arms around Snowball''s warm belly as she released a deep sigh of relief.

    ''None of that was real,'' she silently assured herself. ''Chou can''t be dead, and Zhu Qingyue didn''t try to kill me. Everything I just experienced must have been an illusion concocted by the pixie so she could trap me in a nightmare¡­''

    The giant fox spirit reluctantly shifted out of his protective stance above her, snout turning left and right as he glared at the audience - trying to shake her off.

    More so, he avoided looking at her at all, looking anywhere else but at her.

    As Snowball moved about, Li Meirong noticed how his golden gaze never came close to her, but was glaring at everyone else instead.

    Strangely, the tips of his pointy ears seemed awfully red beneath the soft white fur.

    She took the initiative and crawled determinedly forward from underneath the massive wall of fur until she finally managed to peer right at his furry face.

    When their eyes finally met, his strange condition worsened; his furry cheeks gained a pink tint as well.

    ''Is he blushing? That can''t be.'' Li Meirong raised a single delicate eyebrow in inquiry as she stared at the fox spirit, confused as to the reason for this odd behavior. If little Snowball had been a girl, then she may have pointed out that he looked like a blushing maiden in front of her secret crush. But, seeing as he was a fox, this obviously wasn''t the case here.

    Before Li Meirong had the chance to inquire as to the reason for his odd behavior, Snowball let out an awkward little cough and proceeded to wrap his awfully long tail around her narrow waist in an almost possessive gesture.

    "Stop staring at me," Snowball grumbled while using his tail to maneuver her up into a sitting position behind him. He directed his sharp gaze straight ahead, breaking eye contact with Li Meirong and avoiding the possibility of it recurring in the near future.

    In an attempt to somehow appease the obviously irritated fox, Li Meirong stood and reached out to give him another hug, but he pointedly stepped aside to escape her reach.

    The movement nearly caused her to tumble backward, but as she drew closer, she noticed his face had become redder and redder still. Her expression darkened.

    "Since you are evidently mad at me, don''t you think you should at least let me know what I''ve done wrong?" she hissed, keeping her voice low so as to keep the conversation as private as possible despite their location. "How can we resolve our issues if you keep pushing me away like this?"

    Snowball''s tail swished furiously back and forth, but the fox spirit remained unusually quiet.

    ''This rascal really is going out of his way to avoid me,'' Li Meirong was unwilling to bother concealing her own disdainful smile. She wasn''t some sort of detective - it wasn''t like she could figure out what ailed this silly fox if he refused to speak to her!

    "You may rise, but do not leave my side," Snowball stated finally, his second speech since his appearance being a quietly barked command.

    Li Meirong gritted her teeth, and decided to take control over the situation before it could get any more out of hand.

    She marched forward one more time to stand right in front of the grouchy fox; between the two of them, who was the master and who was the pet? Who was the one who was supposed to be making the decisions here, huh?

    Even though there were more pressing matters to take care of, she felt like she had to confront Snowball on this issue and stand her ground immediately, or else she might end up finding out that Snowball had taken it unto himself to become the master and boss her around!

    Holding the sides of his furry cheeks in her palms, she forced his attention back to her.

    "Didn''t I tell Xiao An Fei to take you away from the arena? How come you''re back here again?"

    Her question seemed to cause the fox spirit''s emotions to shift and tumble about all over. His fur bristled as he flashed his fangs in a silent warning.

    "Why?" he repeated, snarling the word. "Do you wish I would have left so you could spend more quality time with this mongrel?"

    Li Meirong blinked in confusion, processing his response for a few breaths of time before the meaning behind his remark dawned on her.

    ''Ah, so that was it¡­ now it all makes sense!'' Finally, she was given an answer to her question.

    Connecting the dots with the clues she had been given, Li Meirong concluded that Snowball must have been jealous of Chou, since the latter was the one she picked for the battle instead of him.

    ''This silly fox,'' Li Meirong thought fondly, shaking her head helplessly.

    Sometimes she truly did wonder what was going on inside Snowball''s furry head. Didn''t he know that it wasn''t a matter of her preferring Chou over him - which she didn''t - but that she simply wished for him to say safe and sound, as far as possible from harm''s way?

    She wanted to explain herself and her reasoning properly to the fox, but now was not the time for that. First, she had to find Chou and step off the stage - and, if possible, she would strangle a certain pixie along the way. She considered her situation for a moment longer, and decided that it was indeed the best option for her to delay the conversation for a different, and better, time.

    "You misunderstood my intent," she answered, pinching the space between her eyebrows. "Let''s discuss this later on, alright? Right now I need to find Chou and settle things with Senior Wei and his familiar."

    "Agreed." Snowball''s sharp almond-shaped eyes remained fixed upon Senior Wei, who still stood across from them on the other side of the stage.

    His golden gaze was murderous.

 Chapter 367: Let The Pixie Go

    Just as Li Meirong opened her mouth to speak again, Senior Wei shouted at her from across the stage.

    "The battle has already ended! Since there is no reason for us to fight any longer, can you please hurry to do something about your familiar? Before he kills mine, if possible!" The final few words of his sentence came out in something similar to a croak, his anxiety evident.

    Li Meirong focused her attention on Senior Wei after shifting her gaze away from the irate fox spirit by her side. He looked distraught, to say the least.

    Although no apparent harm had been done to him, his face appeared worn and aged, as if he had become a middle-aged man in the space of an instant.

    She gave him an unfriendly look. "You have a lot of nerve to make demands of me when you just made me live out my worst nightmare!"

    Senior Wei flushed red.

    "But you are fine and unharmed! Why make a big deal out of this? It was just an illusion, after all¡­" he trailed off as Li Meirong''s expression darkened further, pointing a finger to the far right and hurriedly continuing, "Listen, I put you under a spell, that is true, but nothing really happened to you. My method of using illusions in battle is one of the most remarkable. Is this not for the best? This way, none of us were harmed. However, I cannot say the same for your conniving tactics! Seeing as how my pixie is about to perish in the most ridiculous of ways!"

    Li Meirong shuddered involuntarily, her mind still in turmoil from the so-called ''harmless'' illusion.

    None of them were harmed, he said? Everything she had experienced felt far too real to be a simple, vivid dream! She could still clearly recall the feeling of cradling Chou''s corpse in her arms; she could still remember the sensation of her body being torn in half and of Zhu Qingyue devouring her organs while she still lived.

    "We''ll see. Whether or not I decide to retaliate for your harmless illusion depends on how well my plant spirit is doing." Li Meirong glared at Senior Wei, and turned in the direction he had pointed as slowly and unhurriedly as she possibly could. If, in the process, his pixie should drop dead? Well, nobody would see her crying about it.

    She froze as her gaze settled on the tableau to her right.

    "Am I seeing what I think I''m seeing?" Li Meirong whispered to Snowball, her mouth hanging slightly open.

    Snowball stared in the same direction and let out a small sound that was reminiscent of an awkward cough.

    He then remained silent for a prolonged moment.

    "I do not say this often," he replied finally, "but I, too, am at a loss for words."

    Before their astounded eyes, Chou was busying himself by clapping his little hands together and laughing boisterously.

    He was perfectly unharmed and as utterly cheerful as ever.

    Judging by that alone, one might say that the situation was not so abnormal after all.

    It was the other aspect of the scene, however, that caused not only Li Meirong to become speechless, but the rest of the spectators as well. At Chou''s side was the red lobster he had brought along with him from Li Meirong''s dimension.

    The lobster was squeezing a little pixie between one set of sharp pincers, and with Chou''s friendly urging the lobster was closing its claw tighter and tighter around the pixie''s dainty waist.

    The tearful, pained cries of the pixie reverberated throughout the arena.

    Chou finally noticed his master''s presence and turned towards Li Meirong with a bright smile plastered on his chubby face.

    "Master, it took you so long to wake up!" he said cheerfully. "Look, Master, didn''t Chou say Zhu Zhi shows great promise? Chou knows what he is talking about¡­ Zhu Zhi saved the day!"

    "I-is that so¡­?" Li Meirong responded faintly.

    "Zhu Zhi''s success was, of course, all because of Chou''s careful instructions!" Chou declared with an eager nod as he thumped his bare chest proudly. "While Chou and Master were under a spell, Zhu Zhi snuck behind the vile pixie and went ''snap snap'' on her, successfully breaking the spell and saving us!"

    "..." Li Meirong blinked a few times as she processed the new information, at a loss for words.

    ''So the lobster saved the day?'' she thought incredulously.

    She turned to Snowball, rubbing her forehead and heaving a sigh. "If the lobster broke the spell, then what are you doing up here on the stage?"

    Snowball blinked enormous, innocent golden eyes up at her.

    "I wanted to get rid of the boy, but the pixie threatened to keep you locked inside her illusion should he be harmed, so I protected you until you opened your eyes," he simply replied.

    "Well, that explains the mountain of fur on my face when I woke up¡­" Li Meirong muttered.

    Instead of responding, Snowball pointedly avoided looking at her face once again.

    The tips of his ears were ever so faintly stained pink.

    A grunt of pain diverted Li Meirong''s attention once more, this time back to Senior Wei who was now lying flat on the stage floor.

    While Li Meirong had been conversing with Snowball, Senior Wei had rushed to rescue Lucidity, the pixie, from the clutches of the lobster''s claws.

    Unfortunately for Senior Wei and his familiar, the senior cultivator had never opted to practice martial arts, and so it took Chou nothing more than a single flinging motion with one of his vines for the senior to be tossed away yet again.

    "Tsk, tsk." Chou clicked his tongue in disappointment as he stared down his nose at the sprawled figure of Senior Wei. "Without your familiar, what are you good for? At least my Master knows how to defend herself!"

    Turning his attention back to his favourite lobster, Chou kept urging Zhu Zhi to snap the pixie in half.

    "Squeeze harder, Zhu Zhi! You have to work those claws to get better at snapping things in two!"

    Li Meirong felt a cold line of sweat trickle down her spine.

    She had forgotten just how sadistic Chou actually was under the facade of his adorable, boyish appearance.

    Despite Chou''s sadism, Li Meirong was not so righteous nor forgiving as to wish the best for Senior Wei or his pixie. The way that illusion had messed with her mind seemed far worse than any cuts or bruises she had received in previous battles or would have received in a proper fight against Senior Wei. However, reluctant as she was to admit it, Senior Wei had raised a valid point: neither she nor Chou had actually been harmed¡­

    "Chou, tell Zhu Zhi to let the pixie go," she said finally. In the end, she decided to choose to forgive. She had enough enemies in the sect as it was, and killing the pixie would just add yet another person to the long list of those who hated her for her mere existence.

    "No can do, Master. If Zhu Zhi will not practice snapping his claws, how is he supposed to become a better fighter?" Chou asked, his tone very matter-of-fact.

    The pitcher plant spirit made it sound as if this were an obvious and rather huge matter of importance that must take precedence before all else. Even the lives of other familiars.

    Li Meirong exhaled deeply; a nerve on her forehead twitched.

    "We can argue about this later," she told the pitcher plant. "Do as I ask, alright?"

    "Hmph!" Chou folded his arms and sulked like the petulant child he appeared to be.

 Chapter 368: Waiting For An Explanation

    After a short interlude consisting of only bickering between Chou and Li Meirong, the pitcher plant spirit grabbed the pixie from Zhu Zhi''s claws and hurled her right into Senior Wei''s face. Luckily, the senior managed to catch Lucidity right before she was almost splattered across his nose.

    Chou spread his hands wide and said to Li Meirong, "There we go; is Master happy now?"

    Shaking her head in wordless disbelief, Li Meirong shoved Chou and Zhu Zhi back into her dimension before they could cause any more problems.

    ''I''ll deal with him later¡­'' she thought tiredly. There were much more pressing matters to attend to at this moment.

    Senior Wei rose to his knees, cradling his pixie in his cupped hands as if she were the most precious little being in the entire world. His eyes were reddened with tears as he offered his apologies to his familiar.

    "I should have never risked your life in such a way¡­" he muttered to her woefully. "I never would have dreamt that a brainless red animal such as that would come and attack you."

    "Master Wei¡­" Lucidity called his name softly as she wrapped her tiny arms around his pinky, wincing slightly in pain as she manoeuvred herself to embrace his littlest finger.

    Senior Wei choked back a sob; he was in anguish at seeing his familiar suffer so. Truly, it was a most heartbreaking scene.

    "Master Wei," Lucidity repeated, her voice feeble, "Allow me to speak to the lady."

    Senior Wei was very clearly hesitant. After having his familiar tortured so ruthlessly by that red creature, the last thing he wanted to do at this moment was let Lucidity anywhere near Li Meirong or any of her entourage.

    The pixie smiled meekly up at him and hugged his finger tighter in an attempt at reassurance despite the pain the movement caused her.

    "My life was spared by her kindness, Master, and if there is one thing pixies hate, it is to owe a debt. Allow me the honour to repay her the same grace she has given to me."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    At the distance which she stood from Senior Wei, Li Meirong could just barely make out the senior cultivator''s conversation with his pixie familiar. She did not have the patience to stick around and observe their tearful reunion, however, and turned to head towards the exit with Snowball by her side. The little fox spirit was being unusually quiet as he trotted along at her side.

    "Junior Sister!" Li Meirong heard Senior Wei''s voice calling out to her as he chased after her, but after all she had been put through at the hands of his familiar, she had no intention of listening to him. "Junior Sister, please!" She ignored him and strode forward, in a hurry to leave and avoid being in his presence.

    For some reason she felt compelled to meet with Zhu Qingyue as soon as possible, if only to set her own mind at ease by dispelling the horrendous images that had been concocted by the illusion. She wished to be reassured that it was nothing more than a figment of her own unduly influenced imagination.

    Senior Wei followed close behind Li Meirong until they had both reached the exit of the stage. As he came closer and closer, she could increasingly discern the pixie''s feeble voice calling out to her from the palm of his hand.

    "Lady Meirong, I have information concerning your safety," Lucidity said seriously. "Please allow me to repay you for sparing my life."

    Li Meirong kept walking, pretending not to hear.

    "It is about what you saw when I placed you under my illusion spell."

    This time the pixie''s words stopped Li Meirong dead in her tracks. The spell she had been put under did bother her greatly; it bothered her so greatly that she couldn''t stop thinking about it. She turned towards the pixie with a mask of feigned calmness, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

    "What is it you wish to tell me?" she asked.

    Lucidity glanced at Snowball and then glanced sideways, looking away. "We need to speak of it in privacy."

    "Out of the question," Snowball growled immediately.

    Li Meirong had hoped she would not need to argue with two of her spirit companions in a single day, but it appeared her hope was in vain and had just been ruthlessly crushed.

    She smiled at hearing Snowball''s words, having expected exactly the response he gave, and with a careful touch she caressed the top of his head. Her fingers acted as a gentle brush while slowly cascading down and massaging the back of his neck.

    "Do you think it right that I should be arguing with my bonded spirits about every single decision I make?" she asked Snowball. Her tone, unlike her touch, was far from gentle. She sounded calm, yes, but there was a warning in her tone.

    Snowball opened his mouth to retort, but then narrowed his eyes as if he thought better of it. He mumbled something incomprehensible about punishing wives who disrespect their husbands and then trailed off in discontent, his tail swishing left and right in agitation. In the end, he conceded.

    "Do not take too long, or I will come back, and I will drag you away if I have to," he announced without so much as a single glance back at Li Meirong, and then jumped down from the edge of the platform.

    ''How does this grumpy little fox manage to sound so domineering even when following orders?'' Li Meirong balled her hand into fists as she thought to herself in frustration. She had to concede that she had a serious hierarchy issue she needed to settle sooner rather than later.

    Senior Wei passed Lucidity into Li Meirong''s hands and backed away to a corner, allowing them the privacy the pixie had requested.

    Alone at last with the little spirit, Li Meirong cupped Lucidity in her palms and gazed at her quizzically.

    "I''m still waiting for an explanation," she prompted. Lucidity''s blonde curls covered her face and concealed her features. Small as she was, that little bit of cover was enough to make it almost impossible to tell what she was thinking.

    Several breaths passed in silence before the pixie spoke again.

    "My power is sought by many," she murmured, "and not only because it can ensorcell mortals and lure them to their deaths. It is also sought after because I do not solely invent the illusions I create."

    "Do you project a person''s worst nightmares with your illusions?" This was what Li Meirong had first assumed the pixie''s power did.

    "Not exactly." Lucidity slowly shook her head, blond curls bobbing. Her insect-like wings swayed and fluttered behind her back.

    "Then what do you mean?" Li Meirong asked. Her skin paled considerably. She didn''t know why, but she was dreading the pixie''s answer. ''It was an illusion, that''s all. It can''t be real¡­''

    As if she had suddenly made up her mind to speak openly and clearly, the pixie neatly tucked her hair behind her ears and took a deep breath as she stared up at Li Meirong in trepidation.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Preview of chapter 369

    "You must understand," Lucidity whispered, "that I have been a witness to many awful illusions and am not fully responsible for what might occur when one is placed under my spell. However, I can tell that what you saw, what you went through, was most gruesome." She hesitated again, rubbing her arms nervously. "Which is why I must confess the truth to you, since you have been so generous towards me. My illusions are a mix of possible future events. You could even consider it a premonition of sorts; one you should take heed of."

    "No," Li Meirong whispered, goosebumps crawling over her skin. "No, you''re lying," she protested vehemently. She refused to believe the pixie''s words.

    At Li Meirong''s response, the pixie''s worried eyes turned cold and hard, and she shook her fist at Li Meirong in a manner that suggested she had just been offended most grievously.

    "Foolish girl!" Lucidity chastised. "Pixies cannot tell lies!"

 Chapter 369: Pixies Dont Tell Lies!

    "You must understand," Lucidity whispered, "that I have been a witness to many awful illusions and am not fully responsible for what might occur when one is placed under my spell. However, I can tell that what you saw, what you went through, was most gruesome." She hesitated again, rubbing her arms nervously. "Which is why I must confess the truth to you, since you have been so generous towards me. My illusions are a mix of possible future events. You could even consider it a premonition of sorts; one you should take heed of."

    "No," Li Meirong whispered, goosebumps crawling over her skin. "No, you''re lying," she protested vehemently. She refused to believe the pixie''s words.

    At Li Meirong''s response, the pixie''s worried eyes turned cold and hard, and she shook her fist at Li Meirong in a manner that suggested she had been offended most grievously.

    "Foolish girl!" Lucidity chastised. "Pixies cannot tell lies!"

    Unwilling to show how much the pixie''s brief outburst had shaken her, Li Meirong simply stared at the little spirit in silence whilst pursing her lips in a show of disbelief. ''As if I can simply take her at her word. I cannot trust a spirit who just bewitched me¡­''

    She had, after all, been lied to repeatedly over the years, and her hard-learned life lessons had made her cautious about believing in others so easily. Yet despite all that, she still managed to put her trust in those who proved their sincerity to her. Those such as her spirit companions, Bao Li¡­ and even Zhu Qingyue, eventually.

    The pixie groaned aloud in abject frustration.

    "This is the problem with you humans," she complained. "You cannot understand the mindset of other beings, especially those so different from yourselves. Unfortunately for you, I am not deceiving you or trying to trick you. My kind truly cannot tell a lie, even if we want to! We may twist the truth here and there, but we are completely incapable of telling an outright lie."

    Li Meirong shook her head dismissively; her long hair, tied up as it was, swayed softly from side to side.

    "So if I am to believe your words, that illusion you showed me is a glimpse of the future?" she asked. "My plant spirit will soon die, and my boyfriend will turn into some enormous beast and eat me?"

    Instead of responding, the pixie pursed her tiny red lips; she stood up on Li Meirong''s palm and started flapping her wings.

    Slowly but surely, she gathered enough strength to lift herself off Li Meirong''s palm. With some visible struggle, she elevated herself high enough to look Li Meirong directly in the face.

    Lucidity placed her dainty little hands on Li Meirong''s cheeks and tilted her face to meet her eyes. Her tiny features were set in a stern expression.

    "What is true and what is false is not something I can vouch for," she said firmly. "My only warning to you is that some of what you have seen might not have been merely a figment of your imagination. It might be part of your foreseeable future, but that is not guaranteed. This is all I have to say on the matter. Do with this information what you will."

    Li Meirong frowned, confused. How was it that she always ended up encountering the most cryptic type of people bearing cryptic messages foretelling the future?

    "But Zhu Qingyue is human, like me. Why would he eat me? How would he change in such a way? Not to mention the fact my plant spirit is unharmed. The illusion makes no sense if I take it as truth," she protested. Lucidity gave a careless shrug.

    "How should I know how to interpret it or what meaning might be gained from it? It is your life, not mine."

    Before Li Meirong had the chance to ask any further questions, their private conversation was cut short by the return of Senior Wei. The senior was followed by Snowball and the three judges who had been overseeing the tournament.

    Lucidity, upon noticing Snowball''s arrival, squealed nervously and fled into Senior Wei''s arms with no further explanation. She then fumbled with his sleeves until she had hidden herself well away from sight.

    The pixie was not the only one stressed out by the fox spirit''s imposing presence. The three judges were huddled together as they approached Li Meirong, casting wary and nervous glances to their sides; specifically, they were glancing fearfully at Snowball.

    The judges could clearly remember how the fox spirit had shattered their carefully constructed array, before he had grown to a size comparable to that of a pony. For a spirit beast to achieve such a feat, they had to be at the same calibre as a saint beast. The thought that this little fox might possess such power¡­ it scared them.

    How could a disciple who had only lived in the sect for a few short years - and who was not even close to being a nascent soul stage cultivator - manage to acquire a bond with a saint beast? The very thought was beyond the judges'' level of comprehension.

    As if on cue, Snowball went to sit dutifully by Li Meirong''s feet, all while giving the judges what could only be dubbed the ''evil eye''. He sat there, like a lion guardian statue outside a sacred shrine, daring anyone to step closer to his Master at their own peril.

    The judges did not dare risk his ire and kept their distance, pausing two yards away from Li Meirong.

    It was no wonder that this young lady had been accepted as a direct disciple by Grandmaster Zhu Zhang, the judges thought. The bestiary division grandmaster possessed an exceptional insight and must have been able to tell exactly how rare a gem this lady truly was.

    It was a pity that they themselves had not noticed sooner...

    One judge brought his fist up before his mouth and let out a short, loud cough; as he had intended, it drew everyone''s attention to him.

    "This battle has been very illuminating," the judge said. He was an elderly man with a gruff voice and stern eyes who carried himself with an air of refinement. "Disciples, you have done very well." The other two judges then shared their own sentiments, praising both contenders.

    Li Meirong and Senior We bowed in unison, as was customary. The judge who had spoken first then continued his speech.

    "It is very unfortunate that this battle was cut so short." He dared a glance at the fox spirit and went still for several moments. Unbeknownst to the others, that judge cupped his hands together behind his back, concealing the involuntary tremors that shuddered through him. "Unfortunately, in lieu of the rules for the tournament, Junior Li Meirong has been disqualified due to the assistance of an outside s-source during the b-battle¡­" he trailed off, stammering slightly, as he was interrupted by Snowball.

    The fox stood up on his hind legs, a low growl rumbling forth from deep within his chest. It was a threatening, monstrous sound; it was far louder and deeper than a creature of Snowball''s size should be able to produce.

    The judge took a large step back immediately upon feeling the full measure of the violent beast''s rage directed at him.

    Li Meirong, on the other hand, displayed neither joy nor anger on her face at the revelation. She masked herself, as she had learned to do over the years; instead of calming the judges, however, her lack of expression only caused all three to become even more nervous.

 Chapter 370: I Donâ€™t Want It

    "It is not my wish to make such a decision!" The judge said hastily. "It is merely part of our predetermined protocols. But, of course, since the destruction of the array is partly due to our negligence, we may be permitted to make an exception."

    He eyed Senior Wei. "We may be permitted to offer you a place in the finals, provided Disciple Wei forfeits his position in your favor."

    The three judges nodded in agreement once the speaker had finished. When it came to choosing which disciple would advance, the end result did not truly matter. Both disciples showed great promise. However, as Li Meirong was the direct disciple of a grandmaster, in addition to being the owner of such a rare, and powerful spirit beast, they would naturally favor her.

    As only one competitor could come out of this battle as the victor, it was only natural that she should advance to the finals.

    The fox spirit''s growling came to a sudden halt at the judge''s words, showing his clear satisfaction at the proffered resolution.

    Meanwhile, Senior Wei kept his head bowed; his shoulders slumped forward in resignation.

    "Then I shall forfeit," he said grimly. He looked worn out, as though he no longer cared about losing his position in the tournament. To him, it felt like he had been cast aside by the judges due to bullying from his opponent, whom the judges seemed to favor.

    ''In the end,'' Senior Wei thought bitterly, ''my initial assumption of Li Meirong appears to be entirely correct. She is the same as all those other disciples, those who ruthlessly step on everyone else with their superior rank and position in the sect. They ignore the rules and regulations they are supposed to adhere to, while everyone else is forced to cater to their will. Even the lofty grandmasters who are supposed to judge this tournament with the utmost righteousness will bend and turn crooked.''

    "I don''t want it," Li Meirong said suddenly.

    Her words broke through Senior Wei''s line of thought before it could spiral further into bitterness. The judges gasped.

    "Junior Disciple, do you realise what you are saying?" one of the judges asked, clearly flabbergasted by her words.

    Senior Wei could not believe his own ears. Out of everyone present, he was shocked the most by Li Meirong''s sudden declaration. ''Did she¡­ just refuse the judge''s offer?'' he thought in bewilderment. He adjusted his posture, his shoulders uncurling from his slouch, and lifted his gaze to stare at her.

    She paid him no heed, however, the full measure of her gaze still directed at the judges.

    At that moment, Li Meirong suddenly seemed quite brave and noble in Senior Wei''s eyes. He swallowed the sudden excess saliva in his mouth and continued to stare at her in silence.

    Li Meirong unhurriedly lifted her chin, her tone haughty as she said, "This offer for a position in the finals. I don''t want it."

    Snowball''s ears perked up. He glanced at Li Meirong wordlessly, evidently curious as he blinked his golden eyes at her. It was as if he was trying to understand what was going through her mind.

    "T-then, that is to say, Junior Disciple¡­ do you not wish to take part in the tournament?" The judge who spoke felt he could not fully trust his sense of hearing, because the girl''s words made absolutely no sense to him! He had to ask again, to clarify. Just to be certain.

    The elder judge had just offered this girl, Li Meirong, a free ticket to the finals, hoping to wiggle his way out of the somewhat dangerous predicament he had found himself in, and she had flatly refused the offer!

    Li Meirong was, on the other hand, quietly enjoying everyone''s hilarious reactions. She had never seen the sect''s pompous elders look so very shocked!

    "That is exactly what I wish," she said firmly. "If you have nothing further to say, then pardon me for not keeping you company."

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    After what seemed like forever, Li Meirong finally strode across the stage and descend from it once more. It felt like it had been years since she stepped on it in the first place. Before she had a chance to do more than take a single step, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her neck in a strangling hug.

    "Oh, I thought you would never come out of there!" Bao Li exclaimed. "We all saw you get knocked out cold, and then Snowball just leapt out of my arms and transformed into an enormous fox and hid you from view. I could not see what happened at all! Tell me, what was the strange red animal your plant spirit had with it?"

    "C-can''t breathe¡­" Li Meirong wheezed.

    "My Lady!" Xiao An Fei and Xiao An Hua, who had both returned to wait at the bottom of the stage, called out in fright at the same time. They simultaneously unsheathed their weapons in preparation to attack Bao Li for assaulting their Mistress.

    "Oh, sorry! Dear me, I did not know I was that strong!" Bao Li exclaimed, hurriedly loosening her hold on Li Meirong''s neck and laughing nervously. She was completely, obliviously unaware of the fact that her life could have been ended only moments ago¡­

    "I''m fine, don''t worry," Li Meirong said. She narrowed her eyes slightly at Bao Li, rubbing at her sore neck. It seemed as though her near-death experiences for the day had not yet ended.

    Xiao An Fei and Xiao An Hua sighed in relief and relaxed their alert postures, sheathed their weapons again, and resumed their previous positions of pretending to be normal, harmless maids in waiting.

    "So what happened in the end?" Bao Li asked excitedly, quickly jumping to change the topic. "Did you win the match?"

    Li Meirong''s attitude shifted, and she finally allowed herself to show her emotions again now that she was in familiar company. Her long lashes left shadows over her eyes as she stared down towards the ground.

    "I lost the match," she admitted quietly.

    Bao Li also fell silent and gently patted Li Meirong''s shoulder.

    "Never mind this stupid tournament!" she declared brashly, hoping to raise Li Meirong''s mood. "What matters is how brilliantly you shone up there. It was very impressive, you know," she added in a conspiratorial fashion. "Well, at least while you were awake¡­" She trailed off and laughed again. "I am sure everyone will see you in a new light from now on."

    Li Meirong placed her hand over Bao Li''s and shook her head, her lips curving into a tiny, almost hidden smile.

    "You are a good friend, Bao Li," she murmured.

    A few moments later, Snowball jumped from the stage with precision and elegance, capturing everyone''s attention with ease. When he was in the form of a small cub, he appeared harmless and utterly adorable. But as an adult fox, he was downright dazzling. His silvery coat was thick and artfully shaggy, and his tail was long and cloud-like in its fluffiness.

    Xiao An Hua and Xiao An Fei covertly bowed to their Sovereign Lord, who responded with a small shake of his snout. It would not do for his wife to question why the twins were bowing to ''Snowball''.

    Bao Li, meanwhile, simply stared at Snowball with undisguised awe. She curled her fingers together to prevent herself from reaching out and touching the almost sparkling fur in front of her.

    "Li Meirong! Ah, Li Meirong, you are one very lucky lady!" she exclaimed. Unable to hold back her desire for long, she eventually reached out to touch the luxurious fur that tempted her, hoping to discover if it was truly as soft as it looked.

    Before she could make contact, however, the fox spirit''s fur bristled and he growled at Bao Li in a clear, wordless warning: ''hands off!''

 Chapter 371: Compliments Were The Way To Go

    "This fox is like a dog," Bao Li grumbled quietly, "only loyal to one master¡­" She hastily drew back the offending appendage as she spoke. Her pouting capabilities were on a par with Chou''s. Li Meirong turned to Snowball and gently patted his head. Even though he was being rude, a tiny, hidden part of her relished that he would only allow her to touch him like this.

    "He''s just a little shy around other people, aren''t you, Snowball?" She asked her spirit fox in a lighthearted tone. Her eyes shone with unabashed pride as she spoke. "You eat at Bao Li''s place so often, the least you could do is let her touch your fur, no?"

    Snowball scoffed loudly, the bright gold of his irises darkening to amber as he seethed silently at her presumption. ''Does this silly wife of mine think it so easy to allow others to lay their hands on me?'' he thought irritably. ''Because this venerable deity must pretend to be a harmless fox, there are those foolish enough to think themselves capable of taking liberties with my person!''

    Li Meirong laughed at the reaction from Snowball, the sound of her laughter echoing brightly like tiny bells. She was none the wiser to the true thought pattern of the fox spirit and was equally unaware of how far from the truth her perception of him really was.

    She had always considered him to be a ''tsundere'' kind of character - someone with a cold and hostile outer persona who used it to conceal their true, shy, caring nature.

    Truth be told, Li Meirong knew she was being a little hypocritical. She didn''t mind so much how he behaved towards others, despite scolding him repeatedly for his temperamental attitude. Perhaps it was because it made her feel like she was more special in his eyes.

    In a way, it kind of felt similar to raising a cat. Unlike dogs who showered their love on every single person who was a little nice to them, cats were rather picky with who they favored, and who they liked being affectionate with.

    Being surrounded by her dear ones slowly made Li Meirong''s sorrows fade away into the background. Regarding the matter of the tournament¡­ she had truly done her best to fight in earnest from the start, but she refused to stoop so low as to steal someone else''s rightful place in the competition. She could only hope that Zhu Qingyue would not be too disappointed in her, as he was the one who had been urging her to fight in the first place.

    "Why is my Snowball so grumpy today? Snowball is so beautiful and impressive; how can he be grumpy?" She started scratching under his ears and around his jaw while showering the irritated fox spirit with compliments that didn''t make much sense, as one might do to their pets.

    Despite his obvious sour mood, Snowball reflexively leaned into her tender touch, bending slightly so Li Meirong could gain better access to the sensitive spot right where his jaw met the base of his ear.

    Oh, the Fox Lord was no fool. He knew all too well how ridiculous he must seem in the eyes of his subordinates, but he knew they would not dare to mention it. He was being treated like a mundane little pet, but he did not have the heart to get mad at Li Meirong for the rather untoward behaviour she was demonstrating. His little wife had some kind of magic in her fingers, he would swear to it.

    With only a touch of her delicate hand, all his anger faded away as if it had never existed.

    Swishing his furry tail left and right, Snowball involuntarily uttered a sound not so dissimilar to a purr. He did quite enjoy being showered with praise and affection by his lovely wife.

    So what if he had to suffer some unjust humiliation that was unbefitting of his godly rank or station to do so? He could also, at times, be magnanimous, and allow a few unintended insults to slide for his wife''s sake¡­

    Li Meirong brought the fingertips of her free hand to her lips, concealing a knowing little smile as Snowball veritably melted beneath her attention. Her currently-not-so-little fox spirit might act all tough and grumpy, but she knew just how much he really loved being doted upon.

    With grumpy fellows such as him, compliments were the way to go!

    She stared thoughtfully at Snowball as she continued lavishing him with affection, paying close attention to the changes he had undergone while shapeshifting from cub form to this disguise of an adult fox. She could recognize that he really was a beautiful fox spirit, even for his own kind.

    Seeing him as an adult had her recalling the mama fox she had once rescued from the pet shop and how beautiful she had been; yet when comparing that fox to Snowball, the little rascal would easily outshine the beautiful vixen and, she assumed, other females of his kind.

    One stray thought led to another, and suddenly Li Meirong remembered the mama fox''s little cubs. Seeing her own Snowball disguise himself as an adult once again had made her determined to renew her future efforts to find him a suitable lady fox once he was grown, so she could gain the benefit of raising a whole litter of adorable fox spirit cubs.

    Bao Li suddenly nudged her with her elbow, giving an all-knowing wink when Li Meirong looked at her.

    "Don''t forget what you promised me!" she reminded cheerily.

    Li Meirong went rigid, her mouth forming a perfect ''o'' shape. She belatedly and unwittingly recalled the foolish promise she had made to her friend. ''That''s right,'' she thought, ''I told Bao Li to adopt one of the cubs from Snowball''s future litter¡­ Peh! Peh, peh, peh!''

    She seriously wanted to slap herself for letting her silly mouth make such wild promises! What on Earth had she been thinking? When Snowball grew big enough to become a daddy, he would likely be furious if she chose to deliver his cubs to whoever she wished. She always tried to treat her spirit pets as the sentient beings they truly were, rather than as common pets; she tried to treat them with the same honour and respect as one would give their companions and close friends. However, sometimes her narrow-sighted mind could only see them as adorable animals (or plants, in Chou''s case) and unintentionally let her grasp on her own principles slip.

    She deeply regretted the promise she had made on a careless impulse.

    The disguised Fox Lord in question suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. A terrible premonition came over him; someone was harbouring ill intentions towards him and his own. He shrewdly scanned the vicinity, taking note of how most spectators had already left the premises by the time Li Meirong''s battle with Senior Wei had concluded. He could see no sign of any potential enemy.

    ''How odd,'' he thought. His instincts had never failed him before...

    Snowball nudged his dark nose against Li Meirong''s arm. He had decided not to risk exposing his wife to a danger he could not pinpoint.

    "Master, time to go home," he murmured under his breath to her, gently pushing her to leave.

    Li Meirong hummed in agreement and said her goodbyes; she was delayed briefly by explaining what a lobster was to Bao Li. She dusted the sides of her robe absently and then headed for the stables at a brisk stride. Snowball remained where he was.

    "Master, where are you going?" he asked.

    Li Meirong turned and gave him a questioning look.

    "You said we should head back home, no? So I''m going home," she said, as if it were obvious.

    Snowball sighed and bent forward slightly, stretching his front legs out in front of him until his shoulders were low enough in height for Li Meirong to hop on without a struggle.

    "Come back here and hop on my back," he said.

    Her eyes widened. "You want me to climb up on you?"

    Snowball simply nodded his head at her. He kind of liked how she phrased that question...

 Chapter 372: You Can Fly?

    Li Meirong rubbed her chin between thumb and index finger, then tapped a finger against her lips thoughtfully.

    "Did you forget that our house is situated on another floating island?" she asked him. "It''s not like you can suddenly sprout a pair of wings." She paused for a moment, considering, then did something akin to a double-take as she looked him up and down whilst raising an eyebrow. "Or can you? Do your shapeshifting abilities extend to that level of transformation?"

    "Obviously not," Snowball scoffed. "Do I look like a bird to you?" He stared at her with an icy stare; his glacial glare let her know exactly how unimpressed he was by the assumption.

    Li Meirong threw her hands in the air in an exasperated fashion.

    "I guess I was wrong," she admitted with a little huff. Could anybody truly blame her for asking?

    She did raise a pitcher plant that could run as fast as a cheetah and transform into the likeness of a little boy. Not to mention the sassy, floating turtle that could create shields so powerful that not even lava could seep through. Or what about a flying cat, or a horned tiger?

    In this kind of wondrous and magical world, a fox sprouting a pair of wings seemed like it could be entirely possible and maybe even common, for all she knew!

    "Hn." Snowball grumbled, but did not say anything further on the matter. "Climb on."

    She obediently followed the instruction, climbing carefully onto his back and settling herself as comfortably as she could manage. His fur was very soft and silky to the touch.

    "Now what?" she asked, tapping him lightly on the head. She just barely held back the urge to laugh cynically.

    Snowball was a fox spirit, and as such he didn''t really smile, but for a moment he turned his furry snout to the side and revealed his long canine mouth to be curving in a way that made his expression seem awfully similar to a smirk. And a very devious smirk at that.

    He puffed his chest, kicked his hind legs hard against the ground - and took to the skies!

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The very sudden, very unexpected upwards leap tore a sharp yelp from Li Meirong''s lips, and she hurriedly grabbed fistfuls of Snowball''s fur in both hands. Much to her shock, they did not descend after the leap, but continued to zigzag up into the air as she held on for dear life.

    "You can fly?!" she exclaimed breathily.

    She didn''t actually need an answer or confirmation, as it was quite obvious that Snowball was indeed flying, but she was stunned that she had never learned of this fact before. What else did she not know about her beloved Snowball?

    "Of course, Master," Snowball responded in a rather condescending manner. He sounded slightly offended, as though her prior question still irked him. And it did; as if he would need to form wings to fly!

    Snowball continued to climb higher and higher in the sky, soaring up through the wispy low-flying clouds without a moment''s hesitation. As he did so, Li Meirong peeked nervously down at the island from which they''d come.

    As she watched, it reduced in size until it seemed like a mere speck. It was joined by several other specks which were most likely the nearby islands.

    The sight was akin to a painting; the ocean surrounded the specks in a cobalt blue frame. It was beautiful; her breath caught briefly. A moment later she inhaled deeply and looked up once more, only to discover a smoky haze enveloping Snowball and herself.

    They were now quite literally dashing through the clouds.

    The air at this altitude was fresh and cold; as they flew, the wind caressed Li Meirong''s fair skin and turned her cheeks pink as her hair unfurled and flowed behind her.

    Brilliant golden sunlight shone through endless hues of white. The clouds in the distance congregated lazily, looking like the softest silk.

    In contrast to the sect''s cranes that flew nearby at a steady pace, Snowball made flying a form of entertainment rather than just a means of transportation. He skidded and sped, dived under clouds, and dashed above them. Li Meirong gulped and hunkered down, pressing her entire upper body to his back in the hopes of gaining more stability.

    She simply wished to enjoy the breathtaking moment, but she was still not used to flying on a spirit beast, even after years in this realm, and so she could not relax.

    It was alarming to know that with one simple push to the side, she could plummet to the ground and into an inevitable death. Whatever survived the impact would surely be nothing more than a flattened meat patty.

    "Nervous?" Snowball asked her; his ears perked up attentively.

    "No," Li Meirong replied immediately.

    She didn''t want to ruin this special moment with her silly fright, and she trusted Snowball enough to know he would catch her should she fall. Her response, as reflexive as it had been, was not entirely false, but neither was it entirely true. She couldn''t help her fear, despite trusting Snowball with her life - literally.

    Snowball let out a low chuckle; the sound only just reached Li Meirong''s ears before the wind whipped it away.

    He didn''t say a word, but his pace slowed down significantly.

    Li Meirong''s ashen face regained a bit of colour, and her tense expression relaxed.

    "Snowball is the best," she murmured.

    He didn''t answer her, but the tips of his ears reddened for the second time that day.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Back at the arena grounds, Xiao An Fei and Xiao An Hua remained in place as they had been instructed. Their Sovereign Lord had ordered them to stay put until Her Ladyship''s acquaintance, Bao Li, would go back home safe and sound. Since Bao Li did not return to her residence as soon as the twins'' lord and lady had left them, they had no choice but to stay there and supervise the mortal.

    The grounds were filled with cultivators waiting for the time between each battle to pass. There were many stalls to keep them occupied between battles, and the place grew crowded once more as the upcoming round neared. Customers packed the area and crowded the stalls as the air filled with boisterous laughter and chatter.

    Discussions about fights and glory were the primary focus of the day''s conversations.

    Xiao An Hua purchased a bag of roasted seeds from a nearby vendor and returned to her sister, hips swaying casually, as she cracked a seed between her sharp teeth.

    "Want some?" she asked, choosing a second seed and repeating the action of cracking it between her teeth. Xiao An Fei appeared to ignore the question but shoved her hand into the bag to grab a handful nonetheless.

    The sisters turned when they heard the sound of approaching footsteps, and spied the human disciple, Senior Wei, finally stepping down from the arena. Or perhaps limping down would be a more accurate way of describing his movements.

    As Senior Wei had won against Her Ladyship, he was required to win two more rounds to succeed in making it to the finals, which he had done. He won his battles with ease and in the process had gathered quite an impressive crowd of fans.

    Yet for all his good fortune and success, he looked utterly miserable.

    The battles had been relatively easy from what the Xiao twins could guess. What, then, was the reason the young man looked so haggard? He looked as if his very soul had been taken from him.

    In the Xiao twins'' private opinions, the disciple''s awful appearance most definitely had something to do with the wrath of the Sovereign Fox Lord. There must have been a reason their Lord took a little longer to descend from the stage. He could have stepped down with Her Ladyship, after all, and so the twins suspected he had done something rather dreadful to the mortal man.

 Chapter 373: Perhaps Threatened Him?

    One would need to be absolutely blind to fail to see how this Senior Wei youth had become so easily infatuated with Her Ladyship. It was a sad fate to befall him; Her Ladyship''s husband was a very possessive type of god. It was not unheard of for him to inflict painful retribution upon those who coveted what was his.

    "What do you suppose he did to the poor mortal boy?" Xiao An Hua wondered aloud, cracking another seed.

    "I cannot tell for certain¡­ Perhaps he threatened him?" Xiao An Fei examined Senior Wei from head to toe, scratching her chin as she thought. She had initially expected to see the youth missing a limb or two, or to have possibly started balding prematurely, but he seemed physically well...

    "You truly believe our black-bellied Sovereign Lord would simply let what happened slide with only a warning?" Xiao An Hua raised an eyebrow at her sister incredulously, as if to ridicule her sister''s suggestion. The idea that their Lord would have merely threatened the human verbally was preposterous. "I think not. Even if no physical harm was done to Her Ladyship, that damned pixie tormented her mentally and emotionally. And, correct me if I am wrong, forgiving and forgetting is not something any of us do."

    "You will not find me arguing with you on that, sister, but His Lordship''s mood was not entirely sour after the battle ended," Xiao An Fei responded pointedly, deftly stealing the bag of seeds from Xiao An Hua.

    "Hey, give that back!" Xiao An Hua exclaimed. "I bought that!" She practically growled, pouncing at her sister, but Xiao An Fei evaded her attack with a skillful somersault and a giggle.

    "Sharing is caring," she said in a singsong, mischievous tone. "Have you not heard that before?"

    "I am willing to share, but you just took the entire bag!" Xiao An Hua vehemently protested. "Just buy your own, you big meanie."

    "I suppose the feeling of possessiveness can apply to food, too," Xiao An Fei commented with a grin. She dangled the bag of seeds playfully in front of her sister''s face. Xiao An Hua snatched the bag back with a triumphant snort, shaking a fist at her twin.

    "Hmph! See if I ever share with you again," she grumbled.

    Xiao An Fei simply smiled and shook her head as she stared off into the distance.

    "Back to the matter at hand. What I mean to say is that his mood could not have been all that bad. Think about it for a moment. If we both heard Her Ladyship''s confession, then surely His Lordship must have heard it as well. Even though Her Ladyship was under the effects of the illusion, her words of passion were clearly aimed at His Lordship, albeit his human disguise for the sect. Zhu Qingyue, I believe is the name being used."

    "You mean when Her Ladyship professed her love whilst on the battle stage?" Xiao An Hua asked around another seed. At her sister''s nod, she continued, "Her Ladyship was knocked out at the time, and her words were no more than a whisper. Considering how His Lordship was crouched right over her, though, I am certain he heard it!"

    The twins stared at each other silently for a moment before Xiao An Hua broke into laughter.

    "Did you see how embarrassed he was?" she snickered. "He could not look at Her Ladyship in the face for so long!"

    Xiao An Fei''s eyes curved up in amusement, and she stifled her own giggles as she covered her sister''s mouth with her palm.

    "Shh!" she scolded, "You are being far too loud." She kept her voice low, nearly a whisper, as she continued speaking. "For all His Lordship''s excellent breeding and education, he has little to no understanding when it comes to matters of the heart. Imagine! What is one supposed to do when the object of their affections professes their love so suddenly? Especially if one had been chasing them as long as our Lord has pursued Her Ladyship! I know I would be very flustered, and I am not so ignorant about love as he."

    They were talking about their own Sovereign Lord, and so there had to be respect given, even whilst gossiping.

    Xiao An Hua sobered up and gently moved her twin''s hand away from her mouth.

    "I guess so," she agreed reluctantly, "But I cannot imagine such a situation since pursuing someone else is beneath me."

    Xiao An Fei eyed her sister with skepticism. "When you fall in love," she said, "I will remember these words and throw them right back at you."

    "People fall in love with me, not the other way around! I would not succumb to this silly emotion."

    "Dummy!" Xiao An Fei chided, smacking her twin lightly over the back of the head and glaring. "When foxes love, it lasts us a lifetime. In the future, if you end up eating your own words, it shall make you cry a river." She narrowed her eyes to intensify her glare. "A lifetime can last a very long time for us, you know."

    Xiao An Hua raised her chin defiantly and placed her hands on her hips.

    "That is to say, if I am ever unlucky enough to find my supposed ''soulmate''," she replied haughtily. "If we take into consideration the fact that our clan is cursed, then the idea of liking anyone so intensely becomes almost entirely fantastical. If anything, it would be nothing but a forced obsession. Our will would have no effect on the matter."

    "Then what do you call that feeling which His Lordship has for his wife? Does it not look like fate has allowed them to meet from thousands of miles away?" Xiao An Fei persisted.

    "That feeling is named ''obsession'', dear sister, and what you call fate may as well be a matter of sheer coincidence."

    "Sister¡­ Do you even know what this curse does or is about?" Xiao An Fei asked suddenly, surprised by her twin''s words.

    She suspected that Xiao An Hua did not actually know the true implications of the curse.

    "The curse forces us to obsess over a single soul." Xiao An Hua raised her gaze to the skies above as she pondered her answer. "But that does not mean we will fall in love with whoever possesses this soul."

    "You really are a dummy!" Xiao An Fei lightly knocked her twin around the back of the head again. "Our clan members stay true to only our single soulmate, the only one who we are destined to be with, our heart''s desire! Isn''t that romantic?"

    As she finished speaking, the image of a certain grey-coated fox, perched on a tree branch, popped into her mind. Xiao An Fei quickly shook her head to dispel the image before she could become distracted.

    "Romantic my furry ass," Xiao An Hua grumbled, glaring at her sister and rubbing at the sore spot on her head. "Have you not heard that people with only love in their heads tend to go insane? Do not fall for such a trap, sister. I, for one, will not let myself fall prey to my own false, invented feelings," she stated with finality firming her tone.

    "Fine, then you keep thinking that way," Xiao An Fei retorted. Exasperated, she decided to drop the subject.

    Just in time, too, for as their conversation had reached its natural end, Bao Li had decided to at long last leave the premises. She went to mount a crane, carrying a large assortment of groceries with her, and the twin fox sisters followed suit.

 Chapter 374: Gone Mad

    The clouds were thick and heavy. Even though the afternoon was, in general, quite sunny, rain was still threatening to make its imminent appearance with an evident display of grey, looming clouds.

    Just as Li Meirong was able to spot her cabin in the distance, a voice rang out in the increasingly foggy air, calling her name.

    The dense mist scattered across the landscape, shrouding the cabin and everything surrounding it.

    Snowball landed with great precision right in front of the cabin''s door, his fur bristling as his bright eyes bore into the person concealing themselves in the mist. Li Meirong dismounted Snowball''s back and lifted a hand to her forehead to shade her eyes from the afternoon sun as she visually scouted the area.

    With her wind-tossed hair draped down her back and coiling about her shoulders, a threatening beast at her side, and her body adorned with battle garments, Li Meirong made for a fierce sight. She resembled a feral huntress, appearing ready to leap into the forest at any moment and disappear into the wilderness.

    "Sister Meirong, it is I, Mo Jing," Mo Jing called out as he emerged from the fog. He bowed politely once within her sight.

    Snowball let out a low, threatening growl.

    Mo Jing looked up at the sound, his face growing pale. "If my presence is unwanted, or if I have come at a bad time, then we can speak at a later date."

    "Brother Mo," Li Meirong interrupted, before he could ramble on any longer. "What brings you here?"

    Mo Jing opened his mouth, only to close it again almost immediately without speaking a single word. He cast his gaze downwards, clearly hesitant. LI Meirong waited patiently for him to speak while she patted Snowball''s back, stroking firmly over his raised fur to brush it down to its usual appearance.

    The growling quieted, but did not vanish entirely.

    "It was not my intention to bother you, particularly not after how our last encounter ended," he said, finally. "But my brother¡­ he is not doing well."

    Mo Jing sounded as though the words were being dragged out of him, like an unwilling confession.

    Li Meirong eyed him with heavy skepticism.

    "I hope you don''t take offense to my words, but I don''t see what Brother Mo''s condition has to do with me, or with your visit today?" she asked, frowning slightly.

    "If possible, I would like to speak to you on this matter within a secluded area," Mo Jing hedged.

    "Hmph! You and your kin are not welcome here! Foolish little-" Snowball''s clenched-teeth roar was interrupted by Li Meirong''s firm but light voice.

    "Alright, then. Follow me," she said. She had issues with Mo Cheng, that much was true, but Mo Jing had always been good to her. He had helped her many times over in the past, and it would be both unkind and against her morals to turn him away without listening to him at the very least.

    Unnoticed by her went the cold, deadly stare Snowball sent her way.

    The look was filled with a promise of retribution, but Li Meirong missed the expression entirely.

    ''Inviting other men into our residence?'' Snowball thought furiously. ''My wife most definitely needs to be punished for this.''

    As the three entered the cabin, Snowball "accidentally" brushed against Mo Jing, bumping into him hard enough to make him stumble slightly. He turned to look at the spirit beast, and Snowball turned his head to return the stare, flashing a very sharp set of teeth in a clear threat.

    Feeling the intense hostility radiating from the oversized spirit beast, Mo Jing gulped heavily and had to force himself to continue walking, despite his better judgement.

    Once inside, Li Meirong offered Mo Jing a seat, but he refused the offer politely.

    For his own safety, he kept himself stationed by the doorway, ready to flee should the spirit fox make any physically threatening move towards him.

    "I hope you will forgive me for not standing on ceremony," Li Meirong stated tiredly, bringing forth a stool and seating herself a yard or so from Mo Jing''s stiff, still-standing figure.

    "Please do not mind me," Mo Jing assured her hastily, clasping his hands together in front of himself. "Make yourself comfortable, and do not feel the need to adhere to formalities. I am glad to see you doing well for yourself lately," he added with an awkward little smile. "Winning as you have done in this tournament is quite the impressive accomplishment."

    Snowball shrank down to his cub-sized form and jumped up onto the bed. He lounged there in a snit, making a displeased snort as his tail swished angrily.

    Li Meirong''s eyes were a pair of clear pools, matching her calm demeanor, but her tone was as sardonic as ever.

    "Sometimes it''s terrible and sometimes it''s grand, but my reputation in the sect always manages to precede me, no matter how farfetched the tales about me may be."

    Even though Mo Jing appeared to be made greatly uncomfortable by her words and tone, his soft smile showed only kindness. He regarded Li Meirong carefully before speaking up in answer.

    "I have known you since before we joined this sect, and never once have I thought the rumors about you to be true. In my eyes, you are and have always been virtuous. Even when I behaved in a spiteful manner towards you, it was at your hands that my life was saved. You have ever repaid my enmity with extraordinary grace."

    Mo Jing''s heartfelt words gave Li Meirong pause. She looked at him with a strange sort of wonder building inside her, her heart growing softer at his sincerity. She had thought that whatever bridges she had built with the three companions she had once befriended at the sect''s opening ceremony had been long since burnt, but it appeared that Mo Jing''s friendship remained loyal and true.

    She couldn''t help but tear up a bit at her friend''s declaration, and could not find the words to properly express her appreciation. Instead, she covered her eyes and wiped at them roughly with the back of her wrist to prevent her tears from falling.

    "Thank you," she said quietly. It was a short and simple declaration of gratitude, but his words had struck her deeply. Mo Jing''s good opinion of her meant a great deal more than she could ever hope to convey, or wished to have him know.

    As Li Meirong became emotional, Mo Jing felt his own set of waterworks begin to form in the corners of his eyes. He knew all too about the prejudiced treatment Li Meirong had suffered in the sect, all due to a fact that was far beyond her control: her metaphysical disposition. It was no fault of hers that she was a furnace, but she suffered ill treatment and ridicule for her condition.

    He reached out one hand to give her a gentle, comforting pat on the back, but before he could do more than begin to reach out, the little fox spirit beast appeared out of nowhere to block his path. He stood on Li Meirong''s lap, fur bristling, and hissed at him like a feral kitten.

    The fox spirit swiped at Mo Jing''s reaching hand with an outstretched paw, his claws bared, and then proceeded to rub the top of his white-furred head beneath Li Meirong''s chin.

    ''When did this little beast even get the chance or time to jump from the bed to her lap¡­?'' Mo Jing thought to himself in bewilderment, clasping his arm to his chest to keep it well out of harm''s reach.

    "What is it you came here to speak to me about?" Li Meirong asked quietly after recovering her composure. She cradled her fox spirit beast in her arms, holding him close. Seeing her calm expression, Mo Jing relaxed a little.

    "My brother''s master has confined him to his residence," he told her. "My brother officially may not leave his abode until the last round of the tournament. It is a good thing, too," he added, "for otherwise I fear he would have come here himself."

    Li Meirong had little interest in Mo Cheng or in hearing about his affairs, but at Mo Jing''s declaration, she straightened her spine and focused on what he was saying.

    Who in the sect remained unaware of the fact that Mo Cheng was the pride and joy of the Sword Bearers'' division? The Sword Bearers'' Grandmaster doted on him excessively, bestowing upon him everything he wished for and more.

    Besides, for the Sword Bearer Grandmaster to confine Mo Cheng to his residence surely meant that Mo Cheng had done something horrifically, terribly wrong.

    Mo Jing turned away from Li Meirong''s gaze in shame.

    "You see," he said quietly, sadly, "my brother has gone mad."

 Chapter 375: He Does Sound Pretty Crazy

    "Gone mad?" Li Meirong echoed Mo Jing''s words in utter disbelief.

    Mo Jing appeared too ashamed to meet her gaze.

    "A lot of what he has to say recently relates¡­" he trailed off and paused for a moment before he continued as if about to confess a great sin, "Well, he speaks a great deal about you."

    Li Meirong surged up from her seat in a bout of anger, dropping Snowball unceremoniously to the floor.

    "What does he still want with me?" she demanded. "Just because I didn''t agree to be part of his ever-growing harem, I must now be ridiculed?!"

    Mo Jing met her gaze in shock and shook his head, crossing his hands quickly in front of him repeatedly.

    "No, no, no, it is nothing of the sort!" he hurried to reassure her. "It is definitely not what you think."

    The shape of his face, despite being quite similar to his brother''s chiselled features, gave off a completely different aura to his arrogant brother, which was unique only to himself. He projected nothing but earnestness.

    Li Meirong pressed her lips into a thin line as she assessed him shrewdly. She found nothing but sincerity in him, and calmed herself once more.

    "Then what is the matter with your brother?" she inquired calmly, once again picking up Snowball and cradling him in her arms.

    The fox spirit beast looked most aggrieved by being dropped so unceremoniously from his rightful position due to the discussion, and Li Meirong felt obligated to placate him. She hugged him close and patted his head softly and, seeming appeased, Snowball nuzzled his snout into her chest and closed his eyes.

    Mo Jing gave a light, embarrassed cough, his cheeks reddening.

    "My brother''s circumstances are far worse than you can imagine," he admitted, attempting to stay focused on the topic. He could not help but think that the fox spirit was attempting to, for lack of a better phrase, assert some form of dominance over Sister Meirong right in front of him.

    "Oh?" Li Meirong uttered, completely oblivious to any subtext as she continued appeasing her attention-seeking spirit fox with her nimble fingers, gently brushing through his fur. Snowball snuggled deeper into Li Meirong''s embrace, completely inseparable from her bosom and utterly content to be there.

    Mo Jing swiftly looked down again, feeling rather awkward.

    ''Is it normal for spirit beasts to act in such a way with their masters?'' Mo Jing pondered. He thought the fox was being very improper, cuddling up to Li Meirong in such a way, but he could not know for certain as he was only an herbalist, and had never owned a spirit beast of his own.

    "Brother Jing, what do you mean by ''it''s far worse''?" Li Meirong asked, her use of his name bringing his attention back to the subject at hand.

    "I am ashamed to admit to my brother''s unusual and unseemly behaviour," Mo Jing said finally, getting back to the crux of the matter as he glanced to the side. "He speaks, these days, like a raving lunatic, and his condition worsened exponentially after he met the Bestiary Division Grandmaster''s long-lost son, Zhu Qingyue."

    Li Meirong''s brows rose higher and higher on her forehead in bewilderment as Mo Jing explained what had been happening.

    Mo Jing did not seem to notice, and instead continued speaking.

    "When my brother heard of your growing relationship with Zhu Qingyue, he seemed to lose all sense of reason he had left."

    "..." At this point, Li Meirong was rendered speechless by Mo Jing''s words. She was truly unable to make sense of what he was telling her.

    ''How is my relationship with Zhu Qingyue in any way related to Mo Cheng''s mental stability? Or lack of,'' she thought with a hint of whimsy.

    Even with his expressive golden eyes shut tight, Snowball managed to radiate a sense of delight. He seemed strangely overjoyed by this new information. Li Meirong could feel his small furry body rumble with satisfaction at the prospective truth to Mo Jing''s tale.

    "Strange, is it not?" Mo Jing asked, but he didn''t seem to want an answer as he continued immediately. "My brother has been saying very strange things as of late. It is as if this entire world is, in his eyes, some sort of fictional tale or child''s game, and he and you are the only "real" people in this invented reality." Mo Jing let out a discontented laugh, his words having spilled from his lips in a babbling rush.

    It was as if he couldn''t bear to hear the words leaving his mouth.

    "You have yet to explain why my relationship with Senior Zhu seems to bother him so greatly," Li Meirong said with a frown.

    "To answer that, all I can say is that my brother has expressed on multiple occasions how wrong and misplaced this match is fated to be. He believes Zhu Qingyue is the villain of this story he believes the world to be, and that it is his duty to save you and the world from Zhu Qingyue''s evil."

    Snowball''s satisfied rumbling ceased. He grew deathly still and hung limply in Li Meirong''s arms, his attention now solely directed to Mo Jing, much as Li Meirong''s was.

    "Yes, that does make him sound rather crazy to me," Li Meirong acknowledged. She exhaled audibly after wholeheartedly reaffirming Mo Jing''s opinion on his brother''s mental state. She looked to him, her eyes narrowing slowly. "But again, I ask, what are you expecting of me? What do you want me to do with this information now that I have it?"

    Mo Jing''s demeanor took a sudden shift. He grew serious and sat on the spare stool opposite her, his face set into a somber expression.

    "Li Meirong, the primary reason I came here is for your sake and safety, first and foremost." he confessed, his tone grave. "My brother sent me with an urgent message: you must not, under any circumstances, advance to the tournament finals."

    "And the reason for this request is¡­?" she trailed off leadingly, giving him a skeptical look. Her small yet full lips pursed into a cherry-like shape.

    "You are, of course, aware of how haughty Sister Qianqian truly is when my brother is not around to witness her true colours. Since your last visit to brother''s residence, she has been plotting to end your life. She has planned it out to the tiniest detail. Her obsession has grown so fearsome that she did not even attempt to disguise her hatred of you from my brother."

    To Mo Jing''s surprise, instead of showing fear at the knowledge that someone was plotting her demise, Li Meirong looked at him calmly and then slowly broke into a smile. He was started by the sudden, unpredictable change in her demeanor as he met her eyes.

    She bore a look of ease, her entire being portraying lazy, charming confidence. Her clear dark eyes possessed a carefree light borne not from ignorance, but from experience fraught with danger. The look in her eyes said, "I have seen the worst and survived, and I have grown stronger from it."

 Chapter 376: White Tea

    Despite all that Mo Jing knew about Li Meirong''s suffering due to her accursed nature as a furnace, he did not know that his knowledge barely scratched the surface regarding her exposure to danger. For all he knew, she had simply lived her life in unfavorable circumstances as an outer sect disciple until a fortuitous encounter had elevated her to the rank of direct disciple to a Grandmaster. That, too, was also not achieved without the prodigal son of said grandmaster.

    As a result, Mo Jing could not fully understand the reason for her peculiar response to his warning. He worried she was not taking the matter seriously enough, or would disregard his warning entirely.

    "You may consider everything else I have said to be rubbish if you must," he exclaimed hastily, "but on this matter I must insist that you listen!" He regained his composure to explain a little more thoroughly, in the hopes that his somber attitude would emphasize the reality of the approaching danger.

    "In the arena," he explained, "extinguishing your opponent''s life is forbidden under the sect''s rules. But in the course of battle, Sister Meirong, accidents are possible¡­" He looked at her as he finished speaking, and was shocked to see her more amused than disturbed.

    The corners of her lips twitched, showing a glimpse of the cute dimples that were visible when she smiled properly.

    He stared at her, dumbfounded by her lack of seriosity. He thought, ''If she sees this warning as a mere joke, then perhaps she too has gone somewhat crazy...''

    Li Meirong burst into bright, hearty laughter.

    "You can put your mind at ease, then, Brother Jing," she giggled, wiping at the tears that formed due to her laughter. "I have lost today''s battle and have willingly stepped down from the tournament. I will not be facing Shu Qianqian in battle."

    Mo Jing''s face turned slightly red as Li Meirong began to laugh, and he opened his mouth to scold her and further attempt to impress the importance of the matter upon her, but then her response actually registered with him and he blinked a few times in shock.

    "You lost your battle?" he stammered.

    "I have," she replied easily.

    He stared at her with clear disbelief, and she simply smiled. "Truly, I did. Right before I got here, I stepped down from the tournament. The opponent I faced today was too strong for me."

    This statement was a complete shock for Mo Jing to hear. He had seen Li Meirong''s prowess in the first round. Her strength had been highly impressive, and she had been a most fearsome thing to behold in battle. What kind of monstrously strong cultivator had she fought against that someone of her caliber had already lost, before even stepping up to the plate for the finals.

    As bizarre as Mo Cheng''s behavior had been as of late, Mo Jing would still have sworn that his brother was the strongest disciple in the sect. With this in mind, he had fully expected Li Meirong''s showdown to be with either Mo Cheng or Shi Qianqian.

    "And you do not wish to contest for another opportunity?" He could not help but ask, genuinely curious as to her answer.

    With an air of carelessness about her, Li Meirong shook her head and sat back down. She wrapped an arm around Snowball''s soft belly and used her other hand to fix her rumpled clothing.

    As she rearranged herself, she explained to Mo Jing.

    "I did not join the tournament for my own sake, so quitting was not a substantial loss for me."

    She smiled again and watched Mo Jing''s face. He was gaping at her like she''d told him something entirely different - or perhaps something utterly shocking. "When it comes to my likes or dislikes¡­ well, I enjoy relaxing in a quiet atmosphere with those I care about. I do not enjoy fighting or putting my spirit pets or myself in danger. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how unsuitable it was for me and how horrible it could have been for me to proceed. So I refused the chance when the judges offered me a position."

    Mo Jing heaved a relieved sigh and grasped at his chest after hearing her words, settling back down on his stool properly.

    "That is good," he murmured. "That is very good. I thought you might oppose my warning, and insist on battling Sister Qianqian to the death." He almost toppled backwards as he spoke, for the stool offered no back support, but he managed to regain his balance before he fell right off and made a complete fool of himself.

    Relief came upon him as if he had been freed of a sackful of stones weighing him down. His concern had been a heavy burden to carry, and to know that Li Meirong would be safely out of the tournament was enough to ease the tension that had formed. Li Meirong did notice some of the stressed tension melt away from Mo Jing, and realised that his concern had indeed been genuine, if unnecessary.

    Still, she couldn''t help but to suspect that he had yet to be fully honest with her. His nervous gestures were enough of a clue for her.

    "Forgive my lack of manners," she said, standing suddenly and causing Mo Jing to flinch. "I haven''t offered you anything to drink." She carefully placed Snowball back on the bed in an unhurried manner and went to brew some tea.

    "There really is no need," she heard Mo Jing say behind her back. "I did arrive uninvited and unannounced to speak of this embarrassing topic¡­"

    "Since you are aware of how inappropriate your arrival was, why do you linger?" Snowball''s spite-filled voice demanded.

    "I¡­ that is¡­ Sister Meirong needs to know all this," Mo Jing stammered. Snowball scoffed.

    "Master does not require nor care for your opinion."

    "It would not be right or proper to withhold this information from her," Mo Jing insisted.

    Li Meirong kept her back turned to the two males, but she listened attentively to the conversation taking place. She knew that the embarrassing topic Mo Jing referred to was solely regarding his brother, and not about Shu Qiaanqian''s threat to her life.

    She did not offer her opinion on the subject, though, instead keeping her mouth shut and offering only silence.

    There was one thing she was sure of, however: Mo Jing had not told her everything. He seemed too nervous, as if he was still holding something close to his chest.

    The focus of his interest revolved around his brother''s condition more than anything else, and he still hadn''t told her why he had revealed Mo Cheng''s condition in the first place.

    When the water had been heated and the tea had brewed for the perfect length of time, Li Meirong poured a cup for Mo Jing and another for herself.

    The teapot was set upon the table beside him, ready for refills, and the rest of the matching cups were stacked beside the teapot.

    "It smells wonderful," Mo Jing said, lightly tapping his finger on the table. Despite his complimentary words, he had yet to touch the cup.

    Li Meirong nodded and lifted her own cup to just below her nose, inhaling the delicate scent that wafted up from the surface of the drink.

    "It is white tea, infused with dried mandarin peel and ginger," she informed him.

    The fox spirit observed his wife enjoying the fragrance of her tea in the company of another man and was hard pressed to keep his claws from tearing the bed''s linens beneath his paws.

    Was it not the case that he was her husband?

    He sulked silently. Why had he never been offered this white tea before?

 Chapter 377: See Him Just Once

    After what felt like hours, Mo Jing took a reluctant sip, and Li Meirong echoed his action with a sip of her own.

    "It is very good," Mo Jing exclaimed with a smile. "No wonder my Grandmaster has been asking for your recipes. Perhaps you would have done even better for yourself in my division."

    "Perhaps." Li Meirong laughed softly. "But then I would not have been so fortunate as to encounter my familiars. I trust them with my life, you know? I agree with those who dare say spirit beasts are better companions than men, as they are loyal to a fault and would never betray their masters."

    Mo Jing was quiet, staring at the steam wafting up from his cup with the utmost fascination.

    "What do I know of familiars?" he muttered finally. "My affinity is with plants. My companions are the herbs and flowers in my garden. If I have shown you my garden, then I have shown you my wealth."

    "Oh, you know that''s not fair," Li Meirong complained lightly, going along with the line of conversation that Mo Jing seemed to be aiming for. "I can''t argue with that; your garden is perfect to a fault." As she spoke, she carefully observed him through slightly-narrowed eyes.

    "Speaking of which," Mo Jing began, "there is a special garden on my division''s island that produces flowers so rare they only bloom once every few hundred years. It is a sight you would not soon forget, I guarantee you." He stared out the window as he spoke, as if envisioning the garden he spoke of. "Since you have invited me into your home so hospitably, it would only be right for me to reciprocate. We could go view that garden today, if you are otherwise unoccupied."

    It was very subtle of him, but Li Meirong was not so unelightened anymore. She noticed immediately how expertly Mo Jing had navigated the course of the conversation to a different subject.

    She did not answer him immediately, blowing gently on the surface of her tea and making it ripple.

    "Will any other spectacles await me in this garden?" she asked casually, tucking a loose lock of hair behind her ear innocently. She had yet to change her robe or brush her hair, and in her own opinion looked no better than a wild woman. Yet Li Meirong''s unkempt appearance didn''t seem to bother Mo Jing in the slightest; he was more concerned by and focused on her reaction.

    "Of course not," he protested. "It would just be the garden. What kind of interesting event could possibly happen at the herbalists'' island?" He raised his chin and barked a sharp, sudden laugh.

    It sounded false to Li Meirong, though. Her eyes hardened. ''Let''s see what will he come up with next.''

    "I will have to decline your invitation," she said, tone calm but firm. "It is not appropriate for me to visit this garden. It is a well known fact among the disciples of other divisions that no intruders are permitted. No one is allowed to step foot there except for your fellow herbalist disciples."

    Mo Jing''s false laughter died away. He banged his fist on the table, making the teacups and teapot shake.

    "As a disciple responsible for the care and maintenance of the herbs and flowers in the sect, I am allowed to extend an invitation!"

    Li Meirong simply stared at him, disappointed that he had been so easily and swiftly riled up.

    "When you tell only half the truth, you tell a whole new lie," she said softly, and lowered her gaze to her knees. Snowball stepped between her shoes and gazed up at her from below, golden gaze searching. She offered him a halfhearted smile.

    In the end, it was just as she had said: spirit beasts were far more reliable than men...

    Snowball hopped up on the table as if enacting a plan of his own, somehow managing to avoid knocking either teapot or cups off the small table with careful placement of his tiny paws. He had observed Li Meirong''s reaction closely, and now turned to stare silently at Mo Jing.

    Unsuppressed rage was visible in their golden depths.

    Mo Jing stilled in his seat; he was entirely unmoving, as if frozen, cup still in hand.

    The fox spirit did not say a word, but Mo Jing could clearly understand what he meant to convey by his fierce stare. ''You made her sad; now you need to fix the situation or I will make sure you regret it'', his eyes seemed to say.

    Mo Jing was not an expert fighter, and actively sought solitude, avoiding confrontations whenever possible. So when he suddenly experienced the strangest feeling of looming danger, all lurking in the fox spirit''s ominous aura, he had an immediate change of heart.

    Goosebumps covered his arms; he had a strong feeling that if he did not speak up, this spirit beast would find a way to torture him when he least expected it.

    With a deep sigh of defeat, Mo Jing placed his cup down and closed his eyes momentarily.

    "It is a regrettable fact that I have never and will never be as clever as my brother," he admitted. "I did try, but I am not so sneaky as to be able to trick you into cooperating with me."

    Li Meirong''s head lifted and she blinked twice, a look of obvious surprise covering her face.

    "Whatever do you mean?" she asked him.

    "There is no further need for a roundabout story between us. The reason I came here today was not only because of Shu Qianqian''s plots." Mo Jing could not meet her eyes as he confessed the truth. "Throughout my whole life, I have looked up to my brother. I have always been proud of his accomplishments, even more so than my own. My brother was the pillar of support for our entire clan." He took a sip of tea as if to calm his nerves. "Now everything has gone awry. My brother speaks nonsense and destroys his own abode in fits of rage. I cannot bear how much he has changed."

    Mo Jing sounded defeated as he continued to speak. "But he has promised me that everything will go back to normal if only I bring you to his side."

    The cup still in Li Meirong''s hands shook briefly before she tightened her grip. Mo Jing hurriedly continued his speech, words falling from his lips in a rush.

    "He also banished Shu Qianqian from his residence, and promised that everything would be explained if you went to see him, just once."

 Chapter 378: Meet Mo Cheng

    Li Meirong''s mouth dropped open slightly as realization struck. ''So that''s the piece I was missing from his tale! He was assigned to deliver me to Mo Cheng.''

    The light filtering through the window reflected in her clear, dark eyes. Hands shaking again, Li Meirong placed her cup down. She didn''t trust her nerves to stay steady enough to keep from spilling her tea.

    She didn''t want to have another encounter with Mo Cheng, especially not so soon, but it seemed like she would have no choice in the matter. Even if she avoided him to the best of her ability, he still managed to sneak back into her life. He''d managed it now, even under the restriction of house arrest.

    Furthermore, all this talk about another world and a game being played hit a little too close to home for Li Meirong''s comfort. What if - and this was a big ''if'' - Mo Cheng''s soul had also transmigrated, and he was also a person from her world?

    Or, worse yet, what if this wasn''t a different world as she had initially presumed, but was instead what Mo Cheng apparently kept babbling on about: a novel or a game with a set script and storyline?

    Could it make any sense? Could she have been sucked into some fictional story?

    Li Meirong''s heart grew heavy at the thought of such a possibility. She stood again, rubbing her arms, and then began to pace back and forth across the room.

    It took her a few moments to realise that she wasn''t nearly as bothered by Mo Jing''s badly formulated method to trick her into meeting with Mo Cheng as she was by the consequences of what knowledge might be gained from a conversation with him.

    No matter how reluctant she was to do so, it seemed inevitable that she would need to meet with Mo Cheng, even if only to find out if he truly was as crazy as his brother''s words made him seem.

    Or, as unlikely as it was, find out if he shared her origins; it would link them much more closely than just being accepted into the same sect.

    So lost was she in her musings that she didn''t notice Mo Jing call her name repeatedly. She took no note of him at all until he stood and used his own body to physically bar her way.

    She stopped just in time to avoid crashing into him, only an inch or so away from him.

    "I know the way I went about asking you to come with me to see him was not honorable nor straightforward¡­" Mo Jing spoke seriously, a grim cast to his deep-set eyes.

    On the table, unnoticed by either disciple, Snowball rolled his eyes at the attempted explanation.

    "But I will make a vow to you now. I will ensure no harm comes to you. The way my brother pleaded for me to help him meet with you has put me in quite a difficult position. Nevertheless, he made it seem as if it is his greatest wish in the world, and that is something I cannot refuse."

    Li Meirong stared at Mo Jing, assessing; this time, she really looked at him. He was obviously distraught, and she knew it was genuine, for he was an incredibly bad liar.

    The awkward way he stood, and the way his legs had jittered while they were sitting, were easily betraying his nerves. He seemed worried about her response, or the possible scolding he might get from her.

    She hoped her feelings did not show on her face as she considered Mo Jing. She had practically watched him and his brother, and even Shu Qianqian, grow from childhood to adulthood over the years she had been in this world.

    As a result, she felt she was a lot more lenient with their faults than she was with others.

    Even though she was physically around their age, her soul was that of a grown up and had been the entire time she''d known them. She had always drawn a sort of barrier between them, much as a caretaker would around the children they supervised. When they acted poorly or rashly, she couldn''t help but consider their behavior to be little more than a child''s error.

    It had only been when she realized that Shu Qianqian was ruthless enough to try and kill her that her perspective on the matter had drastically changed.

    Or so she had thought. Now, however, seeing Mo Jing look so very miserable and agitated, her heart swelled with tender pity towards him. She raised her hand and patted his shoulder in a gesture she hoped would be comforting but not considered too forward.

    "Even though I would have preferred you to be more upfront about this, I now know that confronting your brother is something I must do. I will meet with him, but you must keep in mind that if he truly is crazy, I won''t be able to magically cure him. All I can do is listen," she said in a gentler tone of voice.

    Then she gestured towards the door with one pale hand and added, "Go ahead of me and inform Mo Cheng that I''ll be arriving shortly. I need a few moments to arrange my thoughts."

    Mo Jing''s lower lip trembled before he pressed his lips together; his eyes shined a little brighter than normal as he tried to suppress his relief. He silently bowed his head, and then turned to leave in a rush.

    With Mo Jing now gone, the silence of the cabin felt louder to Li Meirong than the hustle and bustle of the tournament had done. She felt drained, but her day was still not over.

    Still on the table, Snowball''s large ears perked up as he observed Li Meirong curiously for the second time that day. Every time he thought he had managed to figure her out, she would go ahead and do something that completely defied his expectations.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Preview to the next chapter:

    "Are you really going, Master?" he asked after the silence had dragged on for several long minutes. Li Meirong slouched onto her bed, exhaling loudly as she did so; she no longer had to keep up pretenses, and she was glad for the moment to relax.

    "I have to," she replied.

    "Why must you go?"

    "It''s a little too complicated to explain easily¡­" she trailed off, seeming unsure of how to continue. "I have to find out if Mo Cheng is related to my past like I think he might be."

    Her tone was strange, and the fox spirit''s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

    ''What, exactly, does she mean by that?'' he wondered, wary.

 Chapter 379: Leave Me Behind

    "Are you really going, Master?" Snowball asked after the silence had dragged on for several long minutes. Li Meirong slouched onto her bed, exhaling loudly as she did so; she no longer had to keep up pretenses, and she was glad for the moment to relax.

    "I have to," she replied.

    "Why must you go?"

    "It''s a little too complicated to explain easily¡­" she trailed off, seeming unsure of how to continue. "I have to find out if Mo Cheng is related to my past like I think he might be."

    Her tone was strange, and the fox spirit''s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

    ''What, exactly, does she mean by that?'' he wondered, wary.

    Bai Qingyue had sent spies to search into his wife''s past outside the sect. He felt like he needed to know everything about Li Meirong, even the tiniest detail, and since she was not the type of person to eagerly share her history, he had no other choice than to take matters into his own hands.

    As such, he had conducted his own investigation, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for answers.

    His subordinates had discovered that prior to his meeting with her, his wife had been a concubine-born girl of no particular importance within an established household in a nearby kingdom. In order to gain prestige, her father had offered her to a favored consort of the emperor at a very young age, in the hopes of gaining connections within the royal palace.

    Fate had not been kind to Li Meirong, as she had spent her childhood as a maid, being tossed from one master to another throughout the palace. Eventually she had drawn the ire of a concubine she had been ordered to serve, and had thus ended up scarred, abused, and sold off to a brothel.

    Bai Qingyue gritted his teeth as he thought of all the terrible hardships his wife had suffered when she was but a mere child, and blamed himself for being so indifferent to the search for his soulmate.

    Only one thing did not add up in all of this, though, and that was the boy, Mo Cheng. He was not related to Li Meirong''s past in any way, shape, or form. In fact, he had come to the sect from a completely different kingdom.

    So why did his silly wife think this boy was somehow related to her past?

    The Fox Lord''s instincts cautioned him that there was something major Li Meirong had yet to tell him - something important.

    Whatever it was, she had shown no hint of it, and that revelation must still be looming in the future. That thought disturbed him greatly.

    While Snowball pondered, Li Meirong tidied the room and cleared the tea paraphernalia from the table. As her home was so small, the kitchen cabinets stored more than cutlery and crockery; it also served to house a collection of ornaments and grooming supplies. She searched for her hairbrush amongst the clutter inside the cabinets, and let out a sound of frustration when she couldn''t find it.

    Right at that moment, Snowball nudged his small nose against her calf, drawing her attention away from her futile search.

    She turned to find him holding a fine-toothed comb in his small mouth, and relaxed. She patted the top of his furry head in thanks, grabbed the comb from him, and then proceeded to brush her hair in rhythmic, even strokes while sitting on the edge of her bed.

    Li Meirong''s face remained deathly pale and devoid of expression the entire time.

    Her eyes were worried yet distant; she seemed lost in thought.

    Snowball jumped up onto her lap, rose up on his hind legs, and placed his front paws on her shoulders. He shook her once, twice.

    "Master is like a fish throwing herself into the net. Just stay here and avoid the boy," he said.

    The corners of Li Meirong''s lips tilted upwards into a tiny smile at the cutely stubborn behaviour. Whether it was his intent or not, he had drawn her attention to focus solely on him.

    She feared what revelations might be brought about by her upcoming conversation with Mo Cheng, but delaying it further wouldn''t change anything. She forced herself to stop thinking of all the possible future ''what if'' scenarios and gathered her wits about her.

    Snowball was right. This could be a trap, and she had to stay sharp and be prepared for anything.

    As he stared back at her, scowling, the disguised Fox Lord thought that his little wife''s eyes held some kind of power that drew him to them; once he fell prey to those eyes of hers, it became physically impossible to look away.

    She looked down at his little snout and smiled in amusement, unknowingly making the Fox Lord''s heart beat erratically in his chest.

    "Little Snowball, I already told you, I have to go."

    "Going to meet with him is not allowed," Snowball refused staunchly, tapping on her shoulders again for emphasis as he spoke. He was even more determined to keep her away from the mortal boy - or any other male, for that matter.

    ''How many of these insignificant vermin must I squish before she is satisfied?'' Bai Qingyue grumbled silently to himself.

    Anyone would fall in love with her if they saw her look at them with those beautiful eyes, or smile in the particular way she did. He thought she should be thankful he had even allowed the younger brother the chance to enter the house!

    He was not, after all, so magnanimous as to willingly provide vermin with the opportunity to squeeze themselves into his wife''s company, and yet he had allowed it to happen not only once today, but twice!

    Bai Qingyue felt he was a very magnanimous god, indeed.

    Li Meirong, on the other hand, did not seem to share his opinion. She shook her head slowly and gave his dark nose a playful tap.

    "I have already made up my mind to go see Mo Cheng," she said firmly. "And besides, I have questions of my own that need to be answered. You stay here and don''t cause any trouble, alright?"

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Preview to the next chapter:

    Although Li Meirong greatly appreciated that Snowball was so protective of her, she knew she wouldn''t have been disqualified from the match if he hadn''t barged into the arena with utter disregard for the rules.

    Furthermore, he hadn''t been too keen on listening to her requests as of late, and he always spoke back to her nowadays. He made a fuss about every little decision she made!

    Snowball was supposedly her familiar, but he did pretty much whatever he pleased.

    "You intend to leave me here while you meet that boy alone?" Snowball snarled, an enraged edge to his voice.

    Li Meirong pressed her lips together tightly in disapproval. His response only further confirmed her opinion on his recent attitude.

 Chapter 380: Beep Beep Beep

    Although Li Meirong greatly appreciated that Snowball was so protective of her, she knew she wouldn''t have been disqualified from the match if he hadn''t barged into the arena with utter disregard for the rules.

    Furthermore, he hadn''t been too keen on listening to her requests as of late, and he always spoke back to her nowadays. He made a fuss about every little decision she made!

    Snowball was supposedly her familiar, but he did pretty much whatever he pleased.

    "You intend to leave me here while you meet that boy alone?" Snowball snarled, an enraged edge to his voice.

    Li Meirong pressed her lips together tightly in disapproval. His response only further confirmed her opinion on his recent attitude.

    Upon seeing her silent, stern expression directed his way, Bai Qingyue grew even more agitated. Had she not already encountered proof, today, that not keeping him at her side was a terrible idea?

    If he knew what Li Meirong was thinking at that moment, Bai Qingyue''s control would have most likely snapped. It was entirely possible he would have chained her to the bed.

    "I don''t expect there to be any kind of physical conflict, but I can''t say for certain that my meeting will run smoothly, and since you like causing mischief so much, I''d rather you stay home. If any problems do arise, I still have Chou and Feng Huang to depend on, and possibly Zhu Zhi too," Li Meirong added, rolling her eyes at the mention of the last.

    Snowball let out a hissing sound that was not very foxlike at all. His bright eyes narrowed into angry gold slits.

    "Very well," he muttered finally.

    Li Meirong''s eyebrows rose in surprise at his response.

    To her, the fox spirit''s abrupt agreement was almost as shocking as the revelation about Mo Cheng. She knew this little fox of hers was stubborn to a fault, so his quick change of mind was quite shocking. It was not unwelcome, though, and she bent to give him a swift peck to the top of his head.

    "Good boy, you''ve finally learned to listen and behave." With that being said, she rushed off and was out the door before he could utter another word.

    The fox spirit kept his eyes glued to the door, glaring at it as if he could bring Li Meirong back and change her mind with the strength of his righteous anger alone.

    The room then filled with mist as he transformed into his human disguise.

    "After creating an excuse to leave me behind yet again, I wonder what excuse this unruly wife might provide when her husband catches her with another man?" Bai Qingyue murmured to the empty room. His molten gold eyes gleamed with anticipation as he covertly followed Li Meirong''s path.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The garden of which Mo Jing had spoken was a field coated with green blankets of various mosses and grasses, garnished with a variety of vibrant and exotic flowers.

    As he had promised, to be permitted to behold such a spectacular view was a privilege, and it was a sight none could soon forget.

    It was blooming season, and even though the rain poured down, flickers of sunlight pierced through the thick clouds and illuminated the flowers in the garden. Nature''s design created a dancing rainbow of flowers, formed through a combination of color and light.

    Amongst this breathtaking scenery stood the lone, haggard-looking figure of a man, dressed in white. At a first glance, he seemed noble and regal, completely aloof to his surroundings. He appeared as an additional ornament to the beautiful scenery.

    However, if one looked a little closer, it became clear that the man was not even slightly as flawless as he initially appeared.

    The handsome man gazed off into the far distance with a lost expression. His eyes were almost closed, his mind elsewhere.

    Surrounded by so many flowers, standing there all alone, he almost seemed pitiful.

    A brief flurry of rapid footsteps announced the arrival of another. Mo Jing ran into the garden, coming to a halt near his brother and pausing to wipe a trail of sweat from his forehead.

    "Brother, I have fulfilled my promise. Sister Meirong said she will arrive shortly," he briefed between heavy breaths. Pressing his hands to his knees, he bent over as he panted heavily. He was not made for such exercise!

    Mo Cheng did not offer any response; his ramrod-straight back was still turned, and he offered no sign of acknowledging his younger brother''s words or presence.

    Concerned, Mo Jing stepped forward to stand before him, face-to-face with his seemingly absent brother.

    "Brother Cheng, it is me, your little brother. Remember me?" He kept his voice as even as possible, biting back the tears. Mo Cheng simply stared straight ahead, which troubled Mo Jing even more.

    "Brother?" he called again, waving a hand in front of Mo Cheng''s face.

    "I want no more shots," Mo Cheng said out of the blue. His mouth twitched and brows contorted as if in pain.

    Mo Jing did not know what to make of his brother''s peculiar response, but he was no longer surprised by it. He did not know what to say in response, however.

    From time to time, Mo Cheng would sink into an imaginary world and start speaking of things that made very little sense. It appeared that this was one of those times.

    Disheartened, Mo Jing grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him to sit on a nearby bench. It was like manipulating a doll, as his brother was awake yet acted as if he was completely dead to the world.

    Mo Jing had no clue what was happening to his brother, or what was going on regarding Mo Cheng''s state of mind. Had his brother truly lost his wits? Had he become addle-brained?

    It broke his heart to see his once strong and fearless elder brother behave this way, and he prayed there was some method to save his brother from wasting away both physically and mentally. He hoped that Li Meirong would somehow be able to shed some light on Mo Cheng''s troubling condition, which worsened with each passing day.

    In the deep recesses of Mo Cheng''s mind, a sound he hated echoed in a repetitive pattern. It sounded over and over again, consuming everything else that surrounded him and leaving him with nothing but the noise.

    ''Beep¡­ beep¡­ beep¡­''

    It was the sound of his heartbeat. How he loathed that sound, and yet he had been forced to hear it every single day of his life, for as long as he could remember.

    ''Beep¡­ beep¡­ beep¡­''

 Chapter 381: Really Like This Book

    The astringent scent of disinfectant filled the air in the hospital in which Mo Cheng envisioned himself. It was a crisp white ward, lined with a row of beds on each side of the long room.

    The only sources of decoration, if they could be called that, were several cardiac monitors, oxygen tanks, and a small TV that hung from the ceiling. The beds, like everything else, were white, covered in freshly-laundered cotton sheets, matching the sickly pale shade of the walls; everything was lifeless and dull.

    There were a few others in the room, children around his age, but he did not recognise their faces. They mattered little to him.

    In his mind''s eye, he saw the image of his younger self - a bony, frail slip of a child. He peered around from his semi-reclined position on his bed before letting his head fall back onto the pillow with a heavy thump.

    Even this small movement was done under extreme hardship, and used more of his energy than it should. He always felt tired and sluggish, and - worse yet - everything just hurt.

    A nurse opened the door and slipped quietly into the room. She approached his bedside, pushing a small cart carrying an assortment of syringes, oxygen masks, and other medical equipment. She looked tired and weary, yet still smiled kindly at him.

    "How are you feeling today, sweetie?" she asked as she eyed the heart monitor beside his bed.

    "Absolutely amazing," Mo Cheng answered, as he did every day. "I think I''m ready to go back home."

    The monitor beeped with a slightly inconsistent rhythm. He was doing his best to control his breathing, but his lungs were never willing to cooperate with his wishes, and his heart struggled to keep its strength.

    "That''s good," the nurse said. "You''re getting better, slowly but surely." She smiled at him, but her eyes were filled with pity when she looked at him.

    Despite knowing that she meant well, Mo Cheng didn''t like the nurse one bit. He did not like being pitied, and he didn''t enjoy having his blood taken, and he absolutely hated oxygen masks.

    This nurse, through no fault of her own, raised his hackles and irked him to no end.

    Propped on his knees was an old, worn-out book; he held it in place, the pages laid open. He was in the middle of reading it before the nurse entered the room.

    "You really like this book, don''t you?" the nurse asked as she eyed the book on his lap. She connected a plastic tube to one of the syringes and brought it over.

    "Yeah, it''s a really good story," Mo Cheng answered absentmindedly. He looked around the room, trying to focus on anything but the syringe in the nurse''s hand.

    The monitor beeped louder and a little faster as his heartbeat sped up.

    Mo Cheng was the type of child who didn''t have many hobbies. He couldn''t go to school with his health the way it was; he couldn''t play with the kids outside, and he was obviously too weak for sports as well. Even watching television made him fall asleep. His sole passion was reading, and ever since his uncle gave him this book, it was all he could think about.

    How could he lose interest in it so soon? The protagonist of this story had the same name as him!

    That was, however, where their similarities came to a soul-crushing end. While Mo Cheng needed to use a piss bucket because he was too weak to walk to the bathroom on his own, the Mo Cheng in the book travelled to a different country, studied martial arts, and battled monsters on a daily basis!

    Except for their names, the Mo Cheng in the book was nothing like him. The protagonist was born to a wealthy family, adored by his siblings, fawned over by all the girls and, best of all, he was extremely talented and powerful. Mo Cheng envied him.

    "What is this book about, anyway?" the nurse asked, clearly trying to keep him distracted while she drew blood from his skinny arm.

    Mo Cheng''s small hands were frail and shook like those of an old man, but his eyes brightened with youthful enthusiasm at the prospect of telling someone about his favorite story.

    "It''s a story about a hero who joins a sect to practise immortality! He makes lots of friends and battles monsters, and triumphs over evil and saves the world from destruction!" he babbled.

    "I can see why you''d enjoy a story like that. That sounds like an action type of book. Does the hero also save a damsel in distress?" the nurse asked.

    "Oh, he saves a bunch of them, and they all like him, too! It''s because he''s really handsome, you see." His words made the nurse laugh.

    "Now this hero sounds like a troublesome sort of fella," she noted.

    Mo Cheng grinned; he found the nurse a little less distasteful now that she was showing interest in the story he loved so much.

    "And guess what else?" he asked excitedly. He rushed to explain without waiting for an answer. "He also has the same name as me!"

    "Wow, the odds of that happening¡­ what a coincidence!" the nurse wondered, faking enthusiasm as she pressed a cotton pad to his wrist. "Now, we''re all done! That didn''t hurt at all, did it?"

    While Mo Cheng had been talking about his favorite story, the nurse had finished drawing his blood. Mo Cheng had felt the pinprick of the needle, but because he was so engrossed in what he was talking about, he''d barely felt any pain.

    "I didn''t feel a thing." Mo Cheng attempted to smile. His response seemed to please the nurse, and she gave him a piece of candy for his good behavior. Before leaving, she connected the nearest oxygen tank to a mask and placed the mask over his face, instructing him to leave it on and breathe through it until she returned.

    Mo Cheng let out a deep breath through the mask, obeying despite how much he hated it. It always made so much noise, and that disrupted his concentration while he was reading.

    Time passed slowly this way, always with the same old routine, day after day.

    A year later, his uncle came to visit him in the hospital for his birthday, bringing him a laptop as a birthday present.

    "Remember that book I gave you last year?" his uncle asked as he sat beside Mo Cheng and downloaded a program onto the desktop. "It turns out that old book made a comeback in recent years, and a famous game developer took interest in it. A few months ago they released a computer game based on it. It''s an RPG-style game with multiple choice endings."

    "RPG with multiple endings?" Mo Cheng repeated, his brows scrunched in confusion. What did his uncle mean by that?

 Chapter 382: Its Not A Girl

    Unlike Mo Cheng, who had rarely touched a computer in his life, his uncle was a self-proclaimed gamer who knew all about the latest and coolest games on the market. As soon as he''d heard about the release of a game based on his sickly nephew''s favorite story, he started saving up to buy Mo Cheng a laptop for his birthday.

    It was his hope that he could give his nephew the chance to experience the joy of computer gaming.

    The invalid boy''s uncle felt like there was very little he could do for his nephew, who was incapable of leaving the hospital.

    He dearly wished to give his nephew as many good memories as he could in the little time Mo Cheng had left in this world.

    Now that same uncle laughed kindly at his response, placing the laptop on Mo Cheng''s lap.

    "You will love it," he promised. "You''ll see." He left his promise hanging in the air as he clicked on the game icon.

    As a new screen flashed up on the laptop, the image of a handsome youth with tanned skin, wearing a light blue robe, suddenly appeared on the screen.

    The young man looked cool and handsome. His lean, muscular arms were adorned with leather cuffs, and one of his long legs kicked high into the air. What was even more impressive than his valiant posture was the polished sword he held in one hand, pointing towards the viewer.

    "He looks really cool, doesn''t he?" Mo Cheng''s uncle boasted. "The graphics have been really well done." He was glad to see the way his nephew''s attention was riveted on the screen.

    Mo Cheng just nodded dumbly. The graphics mesmerized him. The character design looked so amazing! His uncle had no need to try to convince him to play, because he couldn''t wait to start!

    His focus then shifted away from the centre of the screen, staring at the rest of the characters displayed around and behind the main character - Mo Cheng. The other characters were no less impressive than the main one.

    Beautiful girls surrounded the protagonist, each one more captivating than the next. The girls were highlighted in the painting-like image and framed the youth in the middle as if surrounding him in a golden halo.

    The images of the girls brought a faint blush to Mo Cheng''s pale cheeks. He was just a shy little boy, and his sole interaction with the fairer sex was the old nurses who took care of him. The nurses looked nothing like the pretty girls in the picture on the screen.

    "You see this guy," his uncle said, pointing to the youth in the centre. "You play as Mo Cheng, the protagonist, just like in the book." He smiled proudly at seeing how captivated his nephew was by the game. "This girl here is my favorite," he added, pointing to a beautiful girl on the left side of the screen. "Do you remember Shu Qianqian from the book? That''s her. I like her because she loves the protagonist the most. Oh, and this one is¡­" His uncle kept talking, introducing each of the characters.

    As they compared the beautiful girls from book to game, Mo Cheng noticed a mysterious-looking character in one corner of the game screen.

    He could not recognise this person, and wondered who it was.

    The character''s back was turned to the viewer so that anyone looking could only see long white hair falling to the character''s knees, and their side profile as they eyed the protagonist with undisguised malice.

    "Who''s this person?" Mo Cheng asked, squinting at the screen and moving the mouse to hover over the white haired character in order to point them out to his uncle. "Is this a girl too?"

    It was difficult for Mo Cheng to tell if the character was a boy or a girl, because they were drawn really prettily.

    In fact, the white-haired character looked prettier than all the other girls in the picture!

    His uncle facepalmed and grimaced.

    "No, you goofball! Well, I can see why you''d think that, but still¡­" he trailed off, muttering a little under his breath.

    Mo Cheng caught a few words, like ''embarrassing'' and ''mistake'', but then his uncle cleared his throat and spoke more clearly. "It''s not your fault. They designed this character to look a little too androgynous, in my opinion."

    "Androgynous?" Mo Cheng echoed, blinking up at him. "What''s that?"

    "It''s¡­ uh¡­ it''s a trap for guys."

    Mo Cheng raised a single eyebrow, as that made even less sense. His uncle was good with computers, but wasn''t very good at explaining other things. With that kind of answer, Mo Cheng would only get more confused.

    His uncle nervously scratched the back of his neck. This conversation was not heading where he wanted it to, not at all.

    "Never mind that now," he said as he lightly pushed Mo Cheng''s hand aside, taking control of the mouse to navigate the cursor around the screen. With one light tap, he pressed the play button on the screen.

    Another picture of the white-haired character appeared on the screen as the game buffered; this time, the character was shown a little bigger, and it became obvious that it was not a female.

    "Oh," Mo Cheng mumbled, embarrassed. "That''s not a girl¡­"

    "Do you remember who it is now?" his uncle asked. Mo Cheng examined the picture.

    The white-haired man had very bright eyes; with their slit pupils, those eyes reminded Mo Cheng of a demon rather than a human. However, he still could not quite recognise the character.

    "Remember the villain of the story?" his uncle prompted, exasperated. "That''s him."

    Mo Cheng''s eyes widened.

    "This white-haired person is the bad guy?" he asked, his tone uncertain. He had to confirm, just to make sure he heard his uncle correctly.

    "Yeah." His uncle ruffled his hair. "He''s the final boss in the game, just like in the story. You have to fight him so he doesn''t destroy the world."

    Although the villain was the most powerful character in the book, he barely ever made an appearance in it.

    The story itself ended in a showdown between the protagonist and the white-haired villain, but this part was very briefly written and was not very memorable.

    The white-haired villain''s sequence reached its grand finale with the villain being sealed away in an immortal''s cell.

    The focus then shifted to the protagonist''s cultivation and his ascension to the heavens, and the story''s ending was finalised with a happy conclusion.

    When Mo Cheng had first read the book, he''d not understood why the villain had been so determined to destroy the world. Then again, it wasn''t like an evil character really needed a reason to do bad deeds.

    After being briefly introduced to the game, Mo Cheng wasted absolutely no time. He finished playing it within two days.

    The seasons changed, and the kids who stayed in the ward had all gone, switched out with another set of unfamiliar faces.

    Only Mo Cheng remained, a static presence in an ever changing environment.

    Unlike the others, who had come and gone, he felt like just another piece of the furniture.

    His uncle was right about one thing: Mo Cheng loved his birthday present very much. It was the best memory he had of his previous life, and it was the last birthday present he had received before he passed away.

 Chapter 383: Came To See Me

    Mo Cheng woke to a young lady''s worried voice. He kept his eyes shut despite having regained consciousness; he could feel the back of his head resting on something soft and warm.

    Was his head resting on her lap, maybe?

    As he considered his current circumstances, he wondered if this lady had taken care of him while his consciousness drifted away again.

    "Is there anything that can be done to treat his condition?" the young lady asked.

    Mo Cheng thought her voice sounded very familiar, now he could hear her more clearly.

    "If only I knew what his particular ailment was," his younger brother, Mo Jing, sighed as he answered. "It would be much easier to find a way to treat him if I did. Alas, I am as clueless as you are."

    The way they were discussing him made it sound like he was going to die at any given moment, and if he were being honest with himself, then perhaps he was¡­ Mo Cheng was not sure how long he had left to live his life anymore.

    "You say his mind drifts away every so often, almost as if his soul separates from his body," he heard the young lady say softly. "But physically he is in perfect shape and shows no sign of injury. This sounds, to me at least, like it is his spirit being harmed, and that is definitely not something that a healer can simply cure like a common stomach ache."

    "Sister Meirong, what should I do to save my brother?" Mo Jing asked, his voice trembling. "He spoke as if you would know." His final word ended in a sound similar to a sob.

    "I am not certain how I could be of any help," Li Meirong confessed. "I do not possess much knowledge on how to treat spiritual injuries."

    As soon as Mo Cheng heard Li Meirong''s name, his eyes snapped wide open.

    The sun was setting to the west, radiating gentle golden light across the greenery and casting a silhouette about Mo Jing''s trembling shoulders. The first sight to greet Mo Cheng''s eyes was that of his young brother''s tear-stained face. He was a sobbing mess.

    As for the lap upon which his head was resting, who else would it belong to but his faithful brother? There was a hint of bitter resentment to that realisation, but Mo Cheng pushed it aside for the moment.

    Mo Jing must have placed Mo Cheng on the bench while he was unconscious, to let him rest off the cool, damp ground, and had then further accommodated Mo Cheng by sitting beside him and letting his head rest upon his lap.

    Meanwhile, Li Meirong stood a few feet from them, staring at Mo Cheng with large, clear eyes that perfectly conveyed the pity she felt towards him.

    Mo Cheng gritted his teeth as he spied the pity directed at him by Li Meirong. Shame welled up inside him; he hated being pitied. The look on her face made him feel like he was being stabbed all over by invisible needles.

    In order to preserve whatever shreds remained of his dignity, Mo Cheng slowly pushed himself up off his brother''s lap and arranged himself into a proper sitting posture.

    "Sister Meirong," he greeted, his voice sounding rough and pained. "You really came to see me." He felt like he had not spoken in weeks, or had gargled pebbles.

    "Yes, I''m here, as you asked," she replied. Her delicate hands fiddled with a storage pouch, and she fetched a flask of water from within it. She passed it to Mo Jing, who was closer. "Let him drink, he sounds parched."

    "You are kind," Mo Jing responded with a nod of thanks. He held the flask as if to assist Mo Cheng to drink, but the latter snatched it from him.

    "Brother, I am aware you mean well, but I would be more appreciative if you allowed me to save some face," he snapped. "I can drink well enough on my own. I am not yet handicapped." He chugged down the water without assistance.

    "Apologies, Brother," Mo Jing said, looking slightly hurt. "I meant no disrespect." He quickly stood and gave a low bow, avoiding eye contact with Mo Cheng and Li Meirong both. "I will let you speak alone. Please call me when you need me."

    "There is no need for you to be called upon. Just go," Mo Cheng said coldly, waving a hand to shoo Mo Jing away.

    Li Meirong watched Mo Jing''s hurriedly retreating back, concealing her own emotions as she turned back to face Mo Cheng.

    Watching Mo Cheng behaving so cruelly and disrespectfully towards his younger brother, who was willing to do just about anything for him, made Li Meirong''s gaze grow cold and hard as distaste welled within her. She could not stand to see such blatant disrespect, and she could not bring herself to offer even a vaguely amiable smile to Mo Cheng. Her small lips pressed into a thin line in disapproval.

    "Brother Cheng," she began, hands on her hips, "When we face hardship, it is easy for us to lash out at those around us, but don''t you think your anger is misplaced?" she scolded. "Your little brother loves you dearly and cares for you more than he does anything else in this world."

    Mo Cheng slouched on the bench, tilting his head back to stare up at the sky. He gave a contemptuous little laugh.

    "Of course you would say such a thing. Of course you would think like this¡­"

    His view of the sky was obscured suddenly by Li Meirong''s small, oval face. She had moved forward, and now looked down at him, casting a shadow over him.

    "I believe you to be clear-minded enough to answer me in a straightforward fashion," she said harshly. "Mo Jing told me you needed to speak with me, so here I am. Now, talk."

    As she spoke, her face - unadorned by blush or rouge - looked calm and pure. She appeared as though she had outgrown any worldly values, and her expression did not match her youthful appearance. Nor did it display the frustration in her voice.

    Mo Cheng looked at Li Meirong in bewilderment. After a long moment of silence, he finally replied with a simple "Alright." He thought that, for a girl who had supposedly come from the same world as him, Li Meirong was a very peculiar person.

    It had been very difficult for him to understand the type of person she was. Li Meirong did not relish the lifestyle given to her in this world, and did not seek out the lavish luxuries available to them. That wasn''t to say that her mind was instead focused on advancing in cultivation to attain spiritual power. No, it was as if nothing truly interested her, and she didn''t care about anything in particular. She seemed to enjoy living aimlessly and without any goals larger than ''live''.

    That was the case, at least, until that Zhu Qingyue fellow came along¡­

    With that final thought in mind, Mo Cheng glared at Li Meirong with renewed ire. His voice was accusatory as he spoke.

    "I know you are not from this world."