152 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Ding— The sword, still sheathed, embedded itself into the ground, stopping the little red fox in its tracks. Little Jin, exhausted, wobbled and fell into Yan Zhao's embrace. She gently patted its head, cleared the fox fur clinging to its tiny paws, and sent it to rest inside Little Hei. Ren Qing Yue relocated the little red fox to a slightly safer spot. Bai Jin's wounds stung, making it tremble, but for the first time in its life, nestled in its cousin's embrace, it felt the warmth radiating from Ren Qing Yue. The sensation moved it to tears. Once again, her cousin had saved her life. Its life was now its cousin's—to serve her wholeheartedly, unflinchingly... Before these thoughts could fully take root, Ren Qing Yue set it down. Oh, her cousin's heart was as cold and unyielding as the ground below. "What happened?" Ren Qing Yue asked, her voice reaching it, "Where are the Fox Emperor and Tu Shan Yu?" The little red fox came back to its senses. Badly injured and depleted of magic, it couldn't transform back into its human form, so it communicated with Ren Qing Yue through pitiful fox sounds. A moment later, Ren Qing Yue understood and turned to Yao Shen Zi, "They fell off the cliff." Yan Zhao was surprised. "Senior Sister, you understand its speech?" Ren Qing Yue paused briefly, clearing her throat. "I can manage to guess a thing or two." Yan Zhao, not suspecting anything amiss, exclaimed, "Oh, you're so smart, Senior Sister. I can't guess at all." Silent, Ren Qing Yue quickly gave Bai Jin a fire attribute demon pill, then handed it over to Yao Shen Zi. Yao Shen Zi set the little red fox on his shoulder, cautioning it, "Little one, cling tightly and don’t move around." With heartfelt agreement, Bai Jin obediently settled down. Its injuries hadn’t healed yet. During their journey, it remained in its fox form alongside Tu Shan Yu. They were ambushed midway, and the Fox Emperor and Tu Shan Yu, along with the elders from the Medicine God Sect, were all forced down the cliff. The black-clad pursuers chased them, declaring they must capture them dead or alive. During the fall, Tu Shan Yu had tossed it upwards, instructing it to wait for Yao Shen Zi's rescue. As a result, he himself accelerated downward, quickly vanishing into the misty sea below. His fate remained unknown. After ensuring Bai Jin's safety, Yao Shen Zi, just as upon arrival, firmly grasped the shoulders of Yan Zhao and Ren Qing Yue, leaping with them off the cliff. The descent was swift, with swirling fog blurring their vision and the sound of wind constantly brushing past their ears, so much so that Yan Zhao couldn't keep her eyes open. Soon, they slowed down, and the three of them, plus one fox, landed steadily. At the bottom of the cliff, the miasma thickened, severely hindering their visibility and disrupting any attempt at divination or magic, making progress difficult. Yao Shen Zi marked Yan Zhao, Ren Qing Yue, and the little red fox to prevent them from getting separated along the way. The area was fraught with danger; the most rampant threats in the Mist Demon Ravine were not beasts but the wandering demonic spirits and beast souls. The Mist Demon Ravine, an extreme yin site, was the burial ground for countless beings, thus spawning many powerful vengeful spirits. These spirits roamed the ravine, forming a natural barrier that thwarted connections between the human realm and the demon realm. The entrance to the demon realm was hidden within the depths of the Mist Demon Ravine. If they could traverse it and reach Qing Qiu, entering the demon tribe's territory, these relentless pursuers could only watch in frustration. Predicting the importance of this path to the Fox Emperor, Yao Shen Zi had dispatched ample escorts. Yet, the inevitable came to pass; now, the Fox Emperor's whereabouts were unknown, his fate uncertain, and Yao Shen Zi wasn't sure if they'd make it in time. During their exploration at the bottom of the cliff, they occasionally encountered demonic spirits or powerful beast souls. To save time, Yao Shen Zi mostly chose to evade rather than confront them. Ren Qing Yue and Yan Zhao were not idle either; as they closely followed Yao Shen Zi, they kept a keen eye on their surroundings and communicated any findings immediately. However, this method was inefficient. Half an hour had gone by since their descent, and despite discovering traces of battles, including blood and torn fabric, they found no sign of the Fox Emperor or Tu Shan Yu. At this point, Bai Jin remembered something and whimpered telepathically to Ren Qing Yue. Ren Qing Yue halted abruptly, her expression changing. Noticing her shift, Yao Shen Zi asked, "Qing Yue, what is it? Did you discover something?" Though reluctant to believe Bai Jin's hypothesis, the lack of progress forced her to relay its thoughts to Yao Shen Zi: "We've only found bloodstains along our path, with no bodies. Could it be..." Yao Shen Zi's expression grew grave. He grasped the implication. Recently, the Fu Yun Sect's corpse puppet incidents had created much commotion. Entire families of several small sects' disciples and elders had disappeared. Could the assassins attacking the Fox Emperor be from Fu Yun Sect too? If so, their inability to find any corpses could omen grave misfortune. "But didn't Dao Ling already die?" Yao Shen Zi was filled with complex emotions. If their suspicions were correct, there might be an even larger conspiracy, with Dao Ling Immortal, a human expert of the Mahayana realm, being merely a discarded pawn. This prompted Yan Zhao to question, "What are you all discussing?" Ren Qing Yue and Yao Shen Zi weren't sure how to explain it to Yan Zhao. However, Yan Zhao didn't press further. Instead, she suddenly raised an arm, pointing. "Let's check over there." Yao Shen Zi looked in the direction she indicated, puzzled. "Why over there?" "I'm not sure," Yan Zhao replied, "but I feel there's something there." Ren Qing Yue cast a gentle glance at Yan Zhao, and said to Yao Shen Zi, "A Zhao's intuitive sense is exceptional; perhaps she's truly found something." Yao Shen Zi had the same thought and proceeded without hesitation in the direction Yan Zhao had pointed. Soon, a pile of rocks appeared in their view, with ravines crisscrossing between them, and large patches of blood scattered around. Beneath the crevice, a corpse lay wedged. The corpse had a badge from the Medicine God Sect around its waist. Yao Shen Zi turned it over, revealing a pale face with twisted features. His expression turned somber. He closed the man's eyes, murmuring, "The fact that this corpse remains suggests there's still hope." Ren Qing Yue lowered her gaze, sighing softly, "Senior is right." Yao Shen Zi glanced at Yan Zhao, asking, "Disciple, do you have any other discoveries?" "Uh-huh." Yan Zhao tilted her head, sensing carefully. Her intuitive perception detected bizarre, shadow-like forms converging in a specific direction. She pointed, "They're all going that way." Yao Shen Zi, puzzled, inquired, "They?" Yan Zhao couldn't articulate it further, nor did Yao Shen Zi probe deeper. Having a lead was better than aimlessly wandering, so they decided to investigate. Yao Shen Zi removed the identity token from the corpse, casually flipped a piece of earth, and buried it along with the body. Following Yan Zhao's guidance, they delved deeper into the bottom of the ravine. The further they went, the darker it became. In the miasma-dense region, fire could not be used for illumination, and all they could rely on were their ears and intuitive senses to perceive their surroundings. Before long, a splash of water was heard. Yao Shen Zi glanced down to find his foot submerged in a puddle. Moving forward a bit more, they encountered a stone wall blocking their path. Ren Qing Yue furrowed her brow. "There's no way ahead." With a sigh, Yao Shen Zi acknowledged. After all, Yan Zhao's cultivation was still lacking, and they couldn't fully trust her judgment. "Let's search elsewhere," Yao Shen Zi suggested, turning to leave. Yet Yan Zhao remained fixed on the spot. Ren Qing Yue, always keeping Yan Zhao in her sight for fear of losing her, called out softly, "A Zhao." Yan Zhao turned at the sound, suggesting to Ren Qing Yue, "Senior Sister, shall we check beneath the pond?" "The water?" Ren Qing Yue followed Yan Zhao's gaze to the pitch-black pond ahead and pondered, "Here, the miasma is rampant, inhospitable to life, and surely the water isn't clean. Besides, visibility underwater would be even worse; should anything happen, it’s too risky." Her reasoning was sound, but Yan Zhao wasn't afraid of the dark or dirt. To her intuitive perception, bizarre dark shadows floated above the small pond, blocking out sunlight and turning the area bleakly dark. They repeatedly attempted to penetrate the water but were repelled by an unseen force. Failing to submerge, the shadows amassed above the water, forming a dense cluster. Thus the surrounding area grew progressively darker, the breeze moving through the area chillingly cold. Yan Zhao shared her observations with Ren Qing Yue and Yao Shen Zi, and the two shared a look of shock. Yao Shen Zi blurted, "Disciple, you can see the demonic spirits?" In the unique environment of the Mist Demon Ravine, even skilled practitioners' intuitive perception could be compromised, and even someone of Yao Shen Zi's calibre couldn't pinpoint the demonic spirits’ movements clearly. His cultivation level was high, and his soul power strong, making him unafraid of these malevolent entities getting close. However, he hadn't expected Yan Zhao's sensitivity of spirit to remain unaffected in such a harsh environment. "In that case, let's go and see," Yao Shen Zi decided. Ren Qing Yue suggested, "Let me go. Bai Jin is severely injured and might not withstand the cold of the water. Senior, you and Yan Zhao wait here on the bank." Having said that, she was about to step into the water. But as she barely took half a step, Yan Zhao seized her wrist. Ren Qing Yue turned back to see Yan Zhao's burning gaze. "I'll go," Yan Zhao insisted firmly, "You can't see those shadows, and besides..." Her expression was resolute. "I need to protect you, Senior Sister!" Ever since being reprimanded by Ren Qing Yue a few days prior for being ungrateful, Yan Zhao had been particularly adamant about protecting her senior sister. Ren Qing Yue was contemplating how to persuade Yan Zhao not to be reckless when Yao Shen Zi interjected, "Let her go; it's good for her to gain some experience. I'll watch and ensure nothing happens to her." With those words, Yao Shen Zi flicked his fingers, materializing his magic into a rope, which he tied around Yan Zhao's waist. This way, if anything happened within several meters, he could react immediately. With Yao Shen Zi having spoken, Ren Qing Yue said no more, though her brows remained furrowed. She kept a silent watch, staying alert and ready to respond to any sign of trouble with Yan Zhao. Unconcerned, Yan Zhao dashed to the water's edge and with a leap, plunged in with a splash. The sound made Ren Qing Yue's heart leap in her chest, worrying for Yan Zhao's safety. The sound of water continued as the other end of the magic rope followed Yan Zhao into the depths, quickly descending. Then, the water grew still, and the ripples on the surface gradually faded. The extended silence only heightened Ren Qing Yue's anxiety. Had the magic rope not been in Yao Shen Zi's steady grip, with his expression unchanged, she would have already called out to check on Yan Zhao. After who knows how long, a splash echoed as Yan Zhao surfaced. "Yan Zhao!" Ren Qing Yue hurried to the bank, extending a hand to pull Yan Zhao up. "Are you alright?" As Yan Zhao climbed ashore, she shook off the water clinging to her and candidly replied, "There's a cave down there, but no one is inside." Ren Qing Yue wasn't disheartened by this and quickly cast a cleansing spell on Yan Zhao, checking for any unnoticed injuries. Yao Shen Zi sighed as well. "Looks like we still need to search elsewhere." Holding Ren Qing Yue's hand, Yan Zhao said as they returned to dry land, "There wasn't anyone, but I think I saw a furry ball of something. I couldn't see clearly from a distance. But how could a small creature be underwater? Maybe I just saw wrong." Ren Qing Yue halted, stunned. Yao Shen Zi exclaimed, "Oh dear!" Bai Jin suddenly sprang off his shoulder, its fur bristling with alarm. Yan Zhao looked puzzled. "Did I say something wrong?" Chapter 166 Before Yan Zhao could react, Yao Shen Zi swiftly took the little red fox from his shoulder and placed it in her arms, then leaped into the pool. With a splash from behind, Yan Zhao turned to see only rings of water spreading out. Curious, Yan Zhao asked, "Why did Master go down there?" Ren Qing Yue patted her on the head. "You'll understand soon."