65 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

Although it was essential to maintain their reputation externally, internally Ji Wunian still had to face punishment as necessary: Qi Yunfeng was placed under confinement and could only be released once the demonic aura dissipated. On the very day that the lecture by a solitary cultivator concluded, before the crowd had fully dispersed, a golden talisman shot straight towards Ji Wunian. With a swift swipe of a fox claw, it was torn into several pieces. Elder Wen Zheng stormed in on a cloud, visibly enraged. At the fall of one talisman, nine others appeared, descending like a golden shield with the force of ten thousand pounds. Yue Bai was pushed out of the battlefield by Ji Wunian, while the six-tailed fire fox leaped skyward. Its fox claws slashed, leaving five red streaks that shredded four of the talismans like sharp blades, darting forward with unrivaled precision. Gold clashed with red, causing fiery marks to scorch and extend onwards. Seeing the fire marks were about to fall onto the green mountains, a melody rose from the sky, as if casting an invisible curtain that blocked the flames. Ouyang arrived carrying a qin, standing beside the solitary cultivator. From a distance, Yue Bai observed Ouyang conversing with the cultivator, eventually persuading them to leave. Meanwhile, Elder Wen Zheng threw another golden talisman forward, gathering the blazing curtain into an enormous, brilliant orb. With a slight movement of his fingers, the fireball plunged as if to engulf the fire fox. With tails outspread, the fire fox steadied itself in the sky, anchoring its stance. With sharp claws, it pierced the giant fireball, forcibly catching it. The intense heat in her palms caused Ji Wunian to bare her fangs viciously, emitting two strands of hot breath from her mouth. The fire fox coldly sneered, looking directly at the blazing light. With fingers tensed and demon spirits intertwined, the fire fox ripped the fireball apart instantly, exploding it into countless fire meteors that crashed to the ground. Suddenly, thousands of vines arose, covering the sky and blocking the fire rain before quickly retreating, no longer obstructing the dazzling red light. Elder Wen Zheng at the edge of the scene sighed and walked away. Yue Bai frowned slightly, sensing something amiss. Although many disciples dodged the chaos, they didn't appear panicked. Some even seemed pleased, while others sighed. Just then, Zhao Qi came over, and Yue Bai asked what was going on. "This was before you came up the mountain," Zhao Qi responded while watching the battle from afar. "Ji Xianzhang often causes trouble and is punished with book copying and confinement. I've heard the elders have a betting pool on how long she can behave..." She glanced at Yue Bai and laughed, "Elder Ouyang is the least confident she can behave and has been waiting to see... Elder Qi Yue thought she'd settle down for your sake... but apparently..." In the field, Elder Wen Zheng switched talismans, throwing three purple ones that conjured wind and thunder instantly. The fire fox glanced at her claws, flicking her tail dismissively, paying no heed to the looming storm clouds. "The disciples have even made a betting game," Zhao Qi whispered to Yue Bai, "See those who are happy now? They cried when you first came up the mountain." Jiu Yi found too many points to criticize, clapping her hands, “Impressive.” “Boom!” A bolt of lightning struck the fire fox's remnant shadow. Three more followed, evaded by the fire fox with agile jumps. Five consecutive bolts cornered the fire fox, and as Elder Wen Zheng smiled, he released three more purple talismans, bringing down thunderous lightning that engulfed the fox's shadow entirely. Just when he was feeling pleased, a sudden red gleam forced Elder Wen Zheng to hastily dodge. Steadying himself, he lifted his sleeve, which bore a large tear, almost severing it completely. The fire fox emerged unscathed, her long sword slicing a white arc. “Yue Bai,” Zhao Qi said, “but if this fight continues…” “Don’t worry,” Zhao Qi patted her shoulder, “They won’t fight for much longer…” At this moment, the thunderclouds resembled spilled ink, and lightning flashed like golden dragons. Elder Wen Zheng held his talisman, while the fire fox had her sword ready. As the moment approached, talisman and sword clashed. They awaited the collision of the golden light and the white gleam to see who would prevail. "Ji Wunian!" A sudden shout echoed. The long sword swiftly returned to its sheath, and Ji Wunian turned to flee. "Senior brother, good day! I'm off to my confinement at Qi Yunfeng!" Demons excelled in courage, and with a few leaps, the fire fox vanished into the clouds. In the air, Elder Wen Zheng dispersed the fire and thunder, returning to a bright sunny day. Below, disciples patted each other's shoulders, resuming their respective tasks. Zhao Qi saw Yue Bai remain silent and embraced her, “Elder Wen Zheng said we'd get used to these occurrences over time.” Despite knowing Ji Wunian was notorious for causing trouble, witnessing such a grand spectacle firsthand... Left her speechless. *** That night, Yue Bai pondered and decided to project her spirit and soul, taking a trip to Baicao Peak. The reason behind Elder Wen Zheng’s fury was that a certain fire fox had brazenly intruded Baicao Peak in broad daylight, taking many medicinal herbs and "accidentally" destroying a beast house. This had released several Bifang Birds, resulting in a disciple’s house being burned down. Elder Wen Zheng was in the midst of refining pills and couldn’t be interrupted. Upon seeing the devastation, he was enraged and immediately went to capture the perpetrator. The beast house belonged to Jiang and another disciple, while the burned-down house was also Jiang's residence. Ji Wunian happened to go there when Jiang was present, reportedly facing each other. Due to the destruction of his house, Jiang and his roommate had to relocate temporarily. When Yue Bai went to find him, Jiang was not in his room. She eventually found him kneeling in a bamboo grove. Three incense sticks released a faint fragrance as he clasped his hands together in prayer. Raindrops on bamboo branches swayed with the gentle mountain breeze, and the bright moon failed to penetrate, revealing only three red shadows. “…Like a ghost movie,” Jiu Yi disliked the eerie atmosphere, “Is an evil spirit going to pop out?” Yue Bai floated beside him, but he remained unaware of her presence. Oh, correction, her host was the invisible ghost. …It felt like Yue Bai was accumulating more points of criticism… Jiu Yi sighed deeply at the increasing difficulty of the commentary for her ever-disintegrating character setup. While her suddenly nostalgic system was ignored, Yue Bai quickly scanned Jiang's consciousness, roughly understanding what had happened. The Jiang and Ning families were minor yet notable cultivation clans, not comparable to the great clans of Mingyun but still producing a few Jindan level cultivators. Jiang and Ning's parents, not the top talents in their families, were used for an alliance, yet they fell in love and had a child named after both clans. Jiang and Ning’s parents had a harmonious relationship, but when he was fifteen, calamity struck his family. A horde of demons massacred the Jiang family and the Ning family suffered the same fate, leaving him as the sole survivor. Elder Wen Zheng happened to pass by days later and brought him to the Three Purities Sect. The grudge against demons was deep-seated; for Jiang and Ning, demons equated to evil. Yue Er, stained with demonic aura, evoked his hatred even if it wasn't her fault. Yue Er, protected by Ji Wunian, couldn't be harmed by Jiang and Ning, so he acted in revolting ways to vent his frustration. He also targeted Yue Er's soft demeanor, believing he wouldn't be punished. Unexpectedly, Ji Xianzhang, transformed into a fox, descended from the sky, shattering the roof of his beast house. Her eyes blazed red, claws at his throat, "If you have any grudge, take it out on me." Her sharp claws controlled precisely, broke the skin without severing veins, “Touch my disciple…” Ji Xianzhang smiled, seemingly dragging him back to his family's massacre, filling him with bloodshed memories. The one who had killed the most during his family's massacre was also a fire fox. “…Could it be her doing again…” Jiu Yi's mouth twitched, “Is she involved everywhere…” Yue Bai knew it was indeed Ji Wunian again. Similar scenes had occurred with A Shan and other small demons, except the villain on the opposing side. The action was to rescue the weak demons being slaughtered by the Jiang and Ning families. Knowing their ordinary talents, those families resorted to using creatures with spiritual essence to enhance their defenses, imprisoning countless small demons who had developed spiritual awareness. Ling Zhou had provided this information, complete with layouts and underground prison locations; A Shan led the rescue, while Ling Zhou neither participated nor appeared. Initially unsure, A Shan's group was aided by a sudden appearance of a three-tailed demon fox, slashing through the defenses. With the three-tailed fox's entrance, Jiang and Ning's families were engulfed in flames, allowing the rescue group to break in. The "bunny-eared girl" Tu Xiao, who had startled Jiu Yi, was also rescued then. Afterward, the three-tailed demon fox vanished without a trace. A Shan had asked Ling Zhou if he knew the fire fox. Ling Zhou claimed ignorance, guessing it was a good-hearted demon. Ji Wunian certainly lived up to her reputation for interfering everywhere. Reflecting on A Shan’s account and observing Jiang's memory, that fire fox was indeed ruthless, sparing no one. It's puzzling how Jiang survived. “…Is this the script for a villain…” Jiu Yi trembled. Previously just hindering Mingyun, now she directly acted… Yue Bai didn’t believe Ji Wunian was bloodthirsty, thinking her vision was clouded by inner demon. “…Don’t be blinded by beauty,” Jiu Yi warned her, “That was a massacre; some innocents must have been involved. What wrong did they do…” Yue Bai asked, “So, don’t help her?” “…We need to correct this perspective,” the Social Harmony System Jiu Yi made a point, “We should strive to be good people.” Good people seldom live long, but Yue Bai didn't argue. One Jiang couldn’t stir much trouble; if he tried, Yue Bai would have numerous ways to stop him. Jiu Yi calmly observed Yue Bai imprinting something into Jiang’s consciousness before heading to Qi Yunfeng with a chilling remark, “Do you recall vowing not to seek her out just this afternoon…?” ...It was just a soul projection, nothing serious. Jiu Yi sighed deeply, resigning herself to the tragic reality that her host would inevitably be manipulated by that troublesome fox. At this moment, a certain fox, with its ears and six tails prominently displayed, sat at Jiusi Cliff of Qi Yunfeng, enjoying the cold wind. Spotting Yue Bai’s spirit form, she flashed a sweet smile. Yue Bai didn’t approach her, instead turning to a stone monument inscribed with the words: “Reflect deeply on nine thoughts, so as to not go astray.” The fire fox strolled over, patting a corner of the monument, “I used to cause so much trouble that I was often confined here. My master specifically inscribed this monument to remind me to reflect more often.” It was said that the former sect master was gentle and kind, which was evident in the smooth, rounded strokes of these characters. To have driven such a highly esteemed celestial being to the point of setting up a monument to reprimand her, Ji Wunian must indeed possess extraordinary talent in causing trouble. And she seemed rather proud of it. Yue Bai, disinterested, extended her hand, “Paw.” Ji Wunian placed her right paw in Yue Bai’s hand, intentionally retracting her claws. Jiu Yi quipped, “Are you training a dog?” Seasoned at dealing with canines, the compliant Ji Wunian allowed Yue Bai to inspect her paw without complaint, but couldn't help gasping when her palm was pressed. Releasing her paw, Yue Bai spun her around and delivered a hearty slap to her back, causing all six tails to fluff out. Elder Wen Zheng had been preparing for a major breakthrough, and Ji Wunian was a whole realm lower in cultivation, making it impossible to come out unscathed no matter how impressive her performance. The fire fox drooped her ears, on the verge of tears, “It hurts…” Serves her right. Elder Wen Zheng undoubtedly intended to discipline her, and the fire and lightning he used inflicted more than superficial wounds to ensure Ji Wunian learned her lesson. Curing ointment wasn’t necessary; Yue Bai summoned the same golden light she had used to heal Ji Wunian before, and with a gentle touch, the wounds vanished. Ji Wunian flexed her hand, the burning sensation gone, and smiled at Yue Bai, “You’re amazing.” No wonder; Yue Bai had previously mended such a large wound for her. Yue Bai’s skills were consistently remarkable, and such compliments held little interest for her. She turned to leave but was held back by the wrist. Turning around, Yue Bai saw the canine-like creature trembling its ears, displaying a face full of grievance, “Aren’t you going to pat me?” ...Did she not even compare to that chubby furball in the palace??? She couldn’t resist patting that one just this afternoon!! Unaware of the barrage of remarks from Jiu Yi that Yue Bai had just endured, Ji Wunian genuinely sought some attention. Consequently, Yue Bai, determined not to give her the upper hand, resisted giving in despite finding herself increasingly flustered whenever around Ji Wunian. ...But, but… The ears looked irresistibly soft, the tail swayed like a playful wave, and her eyes shone with innocent vulnerability akin to a puppy’s… Yue Bai, a clandestine fur-lover, feigned reluctance but ended up patting the fox ears twice anyway. Jiu Yi, exasperated, remarked, “You truly are hopeless.” Yue Bai responded curtly, “Shut up.” Her cold expression softened slightly as she stroked the ears, finding it harder to maintain her composure, especially under Ji Wunian’s playful and perceptive gaze. Yet, Yue Bai, possessing immense psychological fortitude, managed to keep her face stoic… Until she found herself pressed against the monument, being kissed. The fox, having learned her lesson, cushioned her left arm behind Yue Bai. With their lips and teeth entwined, she even guided Yue Bai's hand to her waist, teasing her with her tail. Yue Bai frowned slightly, pulling her forward to avoid grabbing her tail out of reflex. The kisser’s lips curled into a smile. When Ji Wunian released Yue Bai, Yue Bai’s hand remained around her waist. As Ji Wunian’s tongue grazed her sharp canine teeth, she could see Yue Bai’s displeased expression and darkening eyes. The smug little fox arched an eyebrow in triumph. Having been flustered by Yue Bai lately, she finally felt like she regained the upper hand. Of course, Yue Bai wouldn’t forget this moment; she had come to know Yue Bai's meticulous and petty nature. Yue Bai released her, her soul form showing no blush, but internally she had already made a note and silently added, “Just wait.” Jiu Yi slapped her forehead, “That’s called feeling humiliated and angered.” Yue Bai ignored Jiu Yi, gazing at the mountain cliffs, viewing the rolling sea of clouds. She spoke softly, “I’ll come back in a few days.” “Suit yourself.” Ji Wunian laughed, standing beside Yue Bai, “The elders won’t suddenly change places.” Yue Bai glanced sideways at her, seeing her bright, cheerful smile devoid of any gloom. Then, she looked at the billowing clouds before them, feeling that even a full moon couldn’t illuminate the deep ravines below. With nothing more to say, Yue Bai turned and dissipated into countless motes of dust.