151 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

A moment later, she halted. "First, I won't be going to Qingqiu for the time being; second, don't use A Zhao to threaten me." Chapter 164 After speaking, Ren Qingyue greeted Elder Wu and found a mat to sit and rest on. Tu Shan Xun: "..." Following swiftly behind Ren Qingyue, Bai Jin was startled by the turn of events, cringing in disbelief. Elder Wu, feeling awkward, cleared his throat and attempted to diffuse the tension with a cheerful tone: "So it turns out that Miss Ren is from the Qingqiu fox tribe. Congratulations to you both for reuniting as father and daughter—this truly is a joyous occasion." He turned to address the Fox Emperor: "I've heard that during your recent escapade in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, you managed to escape in large part thanks to Miss Ren." The Fox Emperor lowered his gaze, a hint of sadness in his eyes, but nodded in response: "Indeed, it was fortunate that Yu'er brought the Divine Scroll in time to rescue me; otherwise, I might have perished on the battlefield beyond the realm." Ren Qingyue sat silently, her gaze cast downwards as she listened. Elder Wu shifted the topic to discuss the day's grand pill alchemy competition, while Ren Qingyue pulled out a small book to pass the time. Before long, lively voices echoed from outside the grand hall. Wu Yingying was leading Yan Zhao inside to find some peace, only to discover quite a few people in the side hall already. Upon seeing Ren Qingyue, Yan Zhao's eyes lit up, and she ran over to her senior sister's side. She was about to sit directly on the floor when Ren Qingyue closed her book and, from somewhere, promptly whisked a mat underneath Yan Zhao just before she bent her knees, allowing her to sit comfortably. Yan Zhao settled firmly on the mat. Recalling a matter yet accomplished, Yan Zhao, upon spotting the Fox Emperor, said to Ren Qingyue: "By the way, senior sister. When Senior Sister Wu and I encountered the Fox Emperor in the mountains, he asked me to convey his thanks to you." "Mm," Ren Qingyue responded coolly. However, her demeanor softened noticeably around Yan Zhao, with her tightly furrowed brows easing for a moment. Yan Zhao pulled a few items from her bosom—some special confections and fruits from the grand event—and pushed them toward Ren Qingyue, urging her to try them as well. Noticing Yan Zhao's collar was flipped, Ren Qingyue casually helped her smooth it out. Nearby, the Fox Emperor's attention flickered between the two, deep in thought. Bai Jin sidled up to Ren Qingyue, trying to cozy up to her, when Yan Zhao suddenly blurted: "Senior sister, this fox bit me the day before yesterday!" Ren Qingyue's eyes turned cold, and Bai Jin bristled: "You actually tattled!!" Yan Zhao stuck out her tongue at Bai Jin, pulling a face: "Bleh bleh bleh!" Ren Qingyue lightly tapped Yan Zhao's face: "Enough, compose yourself. You're behaving childishly." Yan Zhao gave a half-hearted "Oh" and ceased her dispute with Bai Jin, returning to her fruit. At that moment, a gentle call came from not far away: "Miss Yan." Yan Zhao looked toward the voice, seeing the handsome, dignified yet frail Fox Emperor. Ren Qingyue's eyes immediately filled with caution, secretly on guard. Should he hint at Yan Zhao about her true identity, Ren Qingyue was ready to whisk Yan Zhao away. Unexpectedly, the Fox Emperor merely said: "Qingqiu boasts beautiful sceneries, delectable foods, and fine wine. If you find the time, Miss Yan, you should visit. I'll have Jin'er show you around." The mention of delicious food and wine struck a chord with Yan Zhao, and she eagerly nodded: "Alright!" Ren Qingyue: "..." The Fox Emperor uttered no more after that, nor did Yan Zhao dwell on it, as she continued to chat with Ren Qingyue about the day's events at the grand ceremony. Before nightfall, the Fox Emperor stood to take his leave. That evening, despite sitting cross-legged to meditate, Ren Qingyue found herself unable to focus. Abruptly, she opened her eyes and looked at Yan Zhao on the bed. Yan Zhao, however, was deeply immersed in her breathing exercises, circulating her qi effortlessly through several cycles. Ren Qingyue frowned, an unexplainable sense of unease and apprehension gnawing at her, a foreboding premonition lingering in her heart. This feeling persisted for several days until, on one occasion, as Yan Zhao was bent over practicing calligraphy, Yaoshenzi suddenly appeared in the room, his expression grave: "Zhao'er, I need to borrow the Divine Scroll." Yan Zhao was stunned, momentarily unable to respond. "Master!" Ren Qingyue quickly stood up, urgently asking, "Did something happen?" Yaoshenzi looked at her, a fleeting struggle in his eyes, contemplating whether to divulge the truth or not. Ren Qingyue, perceptive as ever, swiftly discerned the reason for Yaoshenzi's hesitation. "Is it... did something happen to the Fox Emperor?" Yaoshenzi pressed his lips together, a sigh of helplessness escaping: "Yes, they've been attacked at Mist Devil Crag. Yu'er used a thousand-mile sound transmission to call for help, yet there's been no word from the elder escorting the Fox Emperor." When the Fox Emperor aimed to seal the Void Gate, Yaoshenzi sensed potential trouble. It wasn't that the Fox Emperor's actions were wrong—sealing the Void Gate was a meritorious service to the three realms—but precisely because of the Fox Emperor's integrity, he was easily exploited. After leaving the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, they thought this matter had come to a temporary end, never imagining the persistent opponent would attempt another strike. Yaoshenzi was quite vexed, muttering deeply: "Who could be causing such mischief, stirring unrest?" Should the Fox Emperor perish, peace across the three realms would be at stake. Ren Qingyue felt a sharp contraction in her heart, closing her eyes, drawing in a deep breath, then swiftly opening them again: "Time is of the essence, Elder Yaoshenzi, please allow me to accompany you." At this moment, Yan Zhao suddenly interjected: "I want to go too!" Yaoshenzi considered, while Ren Qingyue instinctively furrowed her brow: "What would you do? It's far too dangerous!" "Precisely because it's dangerous, I need to be there." Yan Zhao spoke with resolute determination, openly declaring her intentions, "I want to protect my senior sister!" Ren Qingyue was taken aback, while Yaoshenzi recalled the protective little bell on Yan Zhao and stated: "Fine, but you must stay close to your senior sister and don't wander off." Yan Zhao agreed emphatically. Thus, Yan Zhao retrieved the Divine Scroll, and Yaoshenzi began his incantations. As the scroll unfurled, a golden light enveloped the three of them in the room. In an instant, the surroundings changed violently, the scenery turning dim and murky. Yan Zhao looked around, puzzled: "Where are we?" It was Ren Qingyue's first time here, and turning to Yaoshenzi, she confirmed: "Is this Mist Devil Crag?" "Indeed, this is Mist Devil Crag." With that, Yaoshenzi focused carefully, pinpointing a location, "The thousand-mile transmission mark is nearby. Let's move quickly!" Without further ado, he placed his left hand on Ren Qingyue's shoulder, his right holding onto Yan Zhao's collar. Swish— The trio moved swiftly, shrinking the distance toward their destination. The terrain within Mist Devil Crag was intricate, with dense miasma obscuring vision; getting lost was easy once inside. But with the marked location guiding them, Yaoshenzi pressed on, grey trees flying past until they soon reached a precipitous cliff. Jagged rocks littered the cliff, pockmarked and bearing scars of sharp objects. Clearly, a fierce battle had recently taken place here. However, there was not a person in sight upon the cliff, and Yaoshenzi's efforts to sense and apply divination techniques were thwarted by the miasma, rendering them ineffective. Suddenly, Yan Zhao's ears picked up a faint noise. She looked toward where it seemed to originate, somewhere at the severed edge of the cliff. Tugging on Yaoshenzi's sleeve, she said, "Master, someone is down there." Yaoshenzi paused, recalling the strong spiritual sensitivity Yan Zhao had previously demonstrated. He quickly moved to the cliff's edge to peer down. Below the cliff, rolling mists diminished visibility significantly. Yet closer now, the faint sound grew clearer, and this time, even Ren Qingyue heard it: "There really is someone!" Yaoshenzi waved his sleeve to part the thick fog, revealing the scene beneath ten meters away. A withered tree jutted from a crevice in the cliff, extending outwards, with a small red fox precariously perched on its branches, swaying back and forth. The branch was on the verge of snapping, and the small fox dared not move, fearing that even a slight error might cause it to tumble from the heights. The distance was too great to simply reach out, and the cliff directly led into a deep gorge, offering no foothold. Ren Qingyue hesitated not at all and was about to summon her flying sword: "I'll go!" "Wait!" Yaoshenzi stopped Ren Qingyue, "This cliff blocks spiritual energy, making it impossible to ride a sword." Impossible to ride a sword?! Ren Qingyue grew anxious: "What should we do then?" Yan Zhao pulled out Little Black, unveiling it to summon Xiao Jin. "Xiao Jin can go," Yan Zhao declared. Ren Qingyue was uncertain: "But..." Xiao Jin's strength was only at thirty percent, and it couldn't transform into its original form. Could it really rescue Bai Jin? "It's alright." Yan Zhao assured her senior sister, "He says he can do it." The small red fox lay rigidly among the withered branches, trembling with fear. Despite its cautiousness, the sensation of teetering on the brink never left it. The dry branch beneath it occasionally emitted faint cracking sounds, each one causing its heart to shudder. As the sounds grew louder, indicating the branches could no longer support its weight, Bai Jin's heart twisted into a knot. Blood from its wounds stained the branches and soiled its once beautiful fur, leaving it dirty and scrunched. It wasn't clear if the wind in the valley was too fierce or if its blood loss was too great, but it felt cold, so cold that even if it managed not to fall from the cliff, it might freeze to death against the mountainside. The last time it suffered such agony, it encountered its fox fairy sister. But this time, it seemed no one would come to its rescue. Bai Jin felt a flood of sadness from within, an emptiness in its heart. Perhaps dying this way was a relief, freeing it from the pain of separation, fear, and suffering. It was just a pity that it would never see its cousin again. The small red fox despairingly closed its eyes. With a sharp crack, the withered branch broke, and its body plummeted downward. The sudden weightlessness caused its fur to stand on end, instinctively spreading its limbs in a desperate attempt to grasp hold of something. Miraculously clutching onto a remaining part of the broken branch, Bai Jin let out a silent scream internally. Never mind, I don't want to die yet. I haven't reconciled with my cousin. I'm not willing to give up! Cousin, where are you?! Waaah, someone, please save me! Just then, a gust from above drew its attention, and the small red fox laboriously lifted its head, eyes suddenly glinting with hope. It saw several figures appearing over the cliff. The mighty Yao Shenzi! And its cousin! Is this a dream? It can't be! Bai Jin was overwhelmed with excitement, a newfound hope blossoming in its heart. Worried that they might not see it, it clung tightly to the branch and raised its head, letting out a pitiful howl. With a sharp snap, the branch completely gave way beneath it. Hope transformed back into despair in an instant. The small red fox stiffened as it momentarily hung in the air, before plummeting uncontrollably. Ahhhhhh, save me! Swish— A golden streak flew in from the side, seizing its tail with lightning speed. The descent halted briefly, giving Bai Jin a moment to catch its breath, though its heart still pounded with residual fear. It kept its limbs outstretched, too terrified to move, even though the claws clutching its tail were causing significant pain. The little bat flapped its wings with all its might, gradually lifting them upward. However, it wasn't very stable. A fox of Bai Jin's size dangled precariously from the tiny bat's claws, causing it to sway and wobble. Swaying left, then rocking right. Thud— Crashing into the mountain wall. Bai Jin's face contorted in silent agony, as it let out a noiseless scream. Ahhhhhh! Fly straighter! Are you sure we won't fall?! Chapter 165 Having endured endless hardships below the cliff, Bai Jin's plight left the three individuals above equally trembling with fear. Thankfully, despite Xiao Jin's precarious appearance, it was remarkably resilient, stubbornly holding onto the small red fox's tail and dragging it up from below the cliff. Once finally on top of the cliff, Xiao Jin released its grasp, leaving Bai Jin to tumble to the ground with a wretched cry. Landing dangerously close to the cliff edge, the small red fox curled up instinctively from the pain, nearly sliding over the edge. Ren Qingyue, with swift reflexes, threw her sword just before Yaoshenzi could intervene, preventing further disaster.