165 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Bai Jin composed herself, adopting a serious tone: "Tell me." She stood before Ren Qingyue, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. "Must you leave? There are still so many beautiful places in Qingqiu I haven't had the chance to show you." Ren Qingyue contemplated before responding, "Yan Zhao still needs to handle some important matters in the human world." Calculating the timing, she knew that by the time they left Qingqiu and returned to the human world, the sect disciples' assembly would be about to commence. Even though the rumor of using the sword once wielded by Yan Yuanqing as the top prize was just that—rumor—Ren Qingyue still felt it was worth seeing for herself. Bai Jin looked downcast, her brows furrowing as she murmured, "The human world is so dangerous, always with fighting and killing. Every time I go there, I end up getting hurt. It would be so much better if you stayed in Qingqiu. Here, there are no conflicts, no feuds between sects and races—only eternal happiness." "But I grew up in the human world," Ren Qingyue explained calmly. "Without my master, I wouldn't be who I am today. I need to help Yan Zhao find a way to control the power in her bloodline." Bai Jin anxiously suggested, "We can figure something out in Qingqiu too!" She continued to persuade, "There are several knowledgeable elders in Qingqiu. I can take you to see them." Ren Qingyue hesitated for a moment, but quickly dismissed the proposal. At this stage, Yan Zhao's identity was still a secret, and the conflict between Qingqiu and the demon clan remained unresolved. Rashly introducing Yan Zhao to these Qingqiu elders posed too great a risk. Instead, reviving Yan Yuanqing’s primordial spirit was of greater urgency. Seeing Bai Jin's persistence, Ren Qingyue interrupted her before she could continue, "Miss Bai, if there's nothing else, I shall take my leave." With that, she turned to leave. But after taking a few steps, Bai Jin suddenly shouted, "Cousin, I like you!" Public confessions were quite common among the demon folk, so passersby merely cast curious glances without causing a commotion. Ren Qingyue's eyes flickered as she glanced in the direction Yan Zhao and the Fox Empress had left. Though hidden among the crowd, their figures were unmistakable to her. Behind her, Bai Jin's confession continued. "That time in the Medicine God Sect when I was ambushed, if you hadn't appeared in time and given me a demon pearl, I might have died. Later, in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, you saved my life multiple times, and again at the Mist Demon Ravine..." "You are meticulous and gentle, always taking care of me. My heart races every time I see you. I like you too much, and I can't suppress my feelings for you." Bai Jin poured out her feelings in one breath, ending with a plea: "If possible, cousin, would you be willing to try being with me? I can go to the human world with you!" Her words were sincere, her eyes filled with hope. But at the same time, she spoke quickly, afraid that if she slowed down, Ren Qingyue wouldn't listen until the end. "I've spoken to my aunt; if you agree, she won't stop us from being together." Ren Qingyue closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly reopened them. In the distance, as if sensing something, Yan Zhao suddenly turned back, locking eyes with Ren Qingyue from afar. Her eyes lit up instantly, and without caring that the Fox Empress was beside her, she sprinted in Ren Qingyue's direction. Ren Qingyue's furrowed brows relaxed in response. At this moment, a nameless emotion crept up from within, revealing itself under the bright moonlight. Despite a sense of helplessness, Ren Qingyue spoke clearly and concisely. "I'm sorry, Bai Jin." "I already have someone I like." Chapter 178 A voice echoed directly in Bai Jin's mind. Bai Jin froze, instinctively wanting to ask: Who? But Yan Zhao had already run over, waving her arm and shouting from afar: "Senior Sister!" Ren Qingyue didn’t hesitate, walking to meet Yan Zhao, her tone as usual: "Why did you run so far all of a sudden?" Panting, Yan Zhao stopped in front of her, replying, "I don't know either." The area around the bonfire was heated, and by the time Yan Zhao reached Ren Qingyue, a fine sheen of sweat covered her forehead. With the firelight reflecting off her, Yan Zhao's forehead glistened, her bangs damp with sweat, messily clinging to her forehead. Instinctively, Ren Qingyue raised her sleeve, gently wiping away the sweat from Yan Zhao’s brow. "You didn't have to run so fast." Yan Zhao chuckled, saying straightforwardly, "I want to be near Senior Sister; I don't want to be too far from you." Ren Qingyue felt her heart skip a beat. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Fox Empress also approaching them. Feeling a mix of anxiety, she lowered her eyes, feigning calmness, choosing not to respond to Yan Zhao's words. Meanwhile, she chided herself inwardly for being hopeless. She couldn't help but interpret Yan Zhao's every word with a different meaning due to her own impure thoughts. As the Fox Empress approached, her gaze moved past Yan Zhao and Ren Qingyue, focusing on Bai Jin behind them. Bai Jin stood silently, her expression dejected. It was clear her attempt had failed; perhaps she hadn't conveyed her thoughts clearly, or maybe she had been rejected by Zi Er. Throughout the trip back to the demon palace, Bai Jin remained silent. Even Yan Zhao noticed something was off with Bai Jin’s mood, often glancing her way with concern. Once they returned to the main hall, Ren Qingyue and Yan Zhao went to rest in the side hall, leaving the Fox Empress to sigh softly. Bai Jin's unusually low spirits indicated that her private conversation with Ren Qingyue had dealt a significant blow. Leading Bai Jin into the inner palace, the Fox Empress asked, "How did your chat with Zi Er go? Would you like to tell me?" Before she could finish, Bai Jin's lips quivered, and unable to hold back, large tears began to fall, streaming down her cheeks. Seeing this, the Fox Empress's heart was as clear as a mirror, already guessing the outcome. Bai Jin whimpered through her tears, briefly stating, "I confessed to cousin, and she rejected me." The Fox Empress had anticipated this answer. "Life is unpredictable, and your time together has been short. It's normal that you don't know each other well enough yet," the Fox Empress comforted her, gently patting Bai Jin's head. "After all, she is your cousin." "Whimper..." Bai Jin couldn't stop crying, tears and sniffles flowing freely. Although she had expected the result, and it was good to have things clear to avoid future complications, witnessing Bai Jin like this still tugged at the Fox Empress's heart. They were, after all, family—loved equally. But feelings cannot be forced. Still, the Fox Empress wasn't overly worried. Bai Jin, with her simple and kind heart, would eventually come to terms with it. She patted Bai Jin's shoulder, "Go get some rest, have a good night’s sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up." "Okay." Bai Jin sniffled, obediently turning back. As she reached the entrance of the palace, she suddenly halted. "Aunt," Bai Jin's voice choked with emotion, "Cousin said she already has someone she likes." This was truly unexpected. The Fox Empress raised her eyebrows, intrigued: "Oh?" · The next day, Ren Qingyue, Yan Zhao, and Elder Chen gathered at the demon palace gates. The Fox Empress personally came to see them off. Yan Zhao curiously peered around her, asking, "Where's Bai Jin? Why didn't she come?" Bai Jin adored her senior sister, so traditionally she would have come to bid farewell. The little red fox had been so attached to them; her absence felt strange. Ren Qingyue, keeping her composure, told her, "Don't concern yourself with that." Yan Zhao, not fully understanding but not prioritizing the matter, replied, "Oh." Ren Qingyue said her goodbyes to the Fox Empress, and left the demon palace with Yan Zhao and Elder Chen. Before leaving, she glanced back. The demon palace, largely set into the mountain, was both grand and solemn, exuding a sense of historical majesty. She thought: With the Fox Empress in Qingqiu, surely she would return someday. From start to finish, neither the Fox Emperor nor Tu Shan Yu made an appearance. It wasn't until Yan Zhao and her companions had vanished from sight that the Fox Empress, smoothing her sleeves, let her smile fade. The air around her chilled suddenly, a silent frost settling atop the grass and plants. The Fox Empress turned to the guards following her, inquiring, "Where is the Fox Emperor now?" The guards bowed respectfully, "The Emperor and the Crown Prince are in the study, discussing matters." She scoffed inwardly, amazed they still found time for such matters. The Fox Empress proceeded back into the demon palace. In the study, Tu Shan Yu was expressing his dissatisfaction to the Fox Emperor: "Little sister has only been back in Qingqiu for half a month, and Mother allowed her to leave without permitting me to visit. Why is that?" The Fox Emperor held a small booklet the Fox Empress had thrown at him, its contents causing him sleepless nights. Hearing Tu Shan Yu's endless complaints, the Fox Emperor put down the booklet with a sigh, "Your mother has foresight, she has her own plans. You know well enough how Zi Er feels about the two of us, so why trouble her further?" Tu Shan Yu fell silent but remained dissatisfied. "Little sister has stayed in the human world for too long, she's not aligned with us anymore. She trusts Nan Gong Yin over me, but doesn't she realize I'm her brother? How could I ever harm her?" "This is my fault," Tu Shan Xun said painfully, closing his eyes. "If I hadn't agreed to your request to take Zi Er to the human world, she wouldn't have gone missing." Mentioning the past, Tu Shan Yu's expression shifted subtly. The fault was not with the Fox Emperor, but with himself. The recollection of past mistakes struck him like a blow, rendering him speechless. Just then, a steady set of footsteps sounded outside the study door. A demon official at the door announced inside, "Your Majesty, the Fox Empress has arrived." A moment later, the Fox Empress entered the study. The Fox Emperor rose, with Tu Shan Yu immediately standing upright and bowing to the Fox Empress, "Greetings, Mother." The Fox Empress glanced at him coolly. The conversation between father and son had not been quiet; she had overheard some complaints on her way. Tu Shan Yu was truly "outshining the master," surpassing the Fox Emperor in foolishness. "Yao Er, you're here." The Fox Emperor attentively moved the chair he had been sitting on to the front for the Fox Empress to take a seat. The Fox Empress accepted, sitting back casually and relaxing as she gestured slightly to the Fox Emperor, "You two, come forward and stand properly." Tu Shan Yu and the Fox Emperor exchanged glances, sensing an unusual atmosphere. Although the Fox Empress showed no outward signs of anger, there was a tense and oppressive feeling in the study. Neither father nor son dared to utter a word, stepping back a few paces to stand side by side in the center of the room. The Fox Empress crossed her right leg over her left, one hand resting on the armrest and the other supporting her chin. Her demeanor was relaxed, quite different from her usual composed and dignified self. She cast a sidelong glance at the father and son, speaking in a detached tone: "You have half an hour to recount the events that occurred in the human world in detail." The Fox Emperor's throat tightened, and Tu Shan Yu lowered his head, not daring to make a sound. They exchanged looks again, neither willing to start speaking until the Fox Empress impatiently tapped the armrest, prompting the Fox Emperor to set the example and admit the truth. "After crossing the Mist Demon Ravine, I first went to the Medicine God Sect, where I learned that Zi Er had gone to train with Yan Zhao." The Fox Emperor continued his search, discovering that the Xuanhuang Secret Realm was about to open. "Human cultivators gathered at the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, and perhaps I could catch a trace of Zi Er's whereabouts." He was fortunate enough to encounter Ren Qingyue shortly after arriving at Misty Sea Immortal Mountain. At that time, Ren Qingyue was alone, not accompanied by Yan Zhao. However, Ren Qingyue was highly vigilant, declining the Fox Emperor's invitation to accompany her. With no other option, the Fox Emperor transformed into his true form, following Ren Qingyue to ensure her safety while she explored the misty forest. Up to this point, the Fox Empress seemed mildly satisfied, prompting, "And then?" He continued with the unfolding events: Nan Gong Yin opened the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, leading to a joint battle by the various sect cultivators. During this time, the Revival Sect's corpse puppets caused chaos, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries among the sect cultivators. The Fox Empress's expression grew heavy as she listened.