179 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

"Remember, there are no private fights allowed at the Mirror Platform. If any elder on duty discovers someone deliberately disturbing the order, their qualification to participate in the assembly will be revoked. Please keep this in mind." After this announcement, he fell silent. The disciples from the immortal sects began to depart from the teleportation array. Yan Zhao and Bi Lan also casually found a more secluded and quiet spot to stand. Bi Lan looked around, speaking with a sense of wonder, "There's still two months before it officially starts, yet so many people have already arrived." Yan Zhao shared her surprise. When the station manager mentioned there would be a crowd, she didn't have a clear idea of what that meant. But now, seeing the actual number of unfamiliar faces flooding the scene, it was undeniable. Though it wasn't quite a sea of people, the platform below them was no more than ten zhang across, with over a hundred people squeezed together densely. Beyond the temporary platform where they rested lay an expansive space. This area served as a transitional place, like an isolated pier, separate from the archipelago. More people would arrive soon, and it could reach a point where even meditating would disturb those nearby. Yan Zhao gazed into the distance, noticing more majestic buildings at the other end of the clouds. That must be the real location for the assembly. Yet, the floating islands in this area prohibited flying. Approaching rashly could be mistaken for an unauthorized intrusion, possibly leading to being instantly dispatched by the divine beasts guarding the Mirror Platform. As the clouds parted slightly, the view broadened. "Look, is that a dragon?" someone whispered among the crowd. Hearing this, everyone turned to follow the finger pointing in that direction, spotting an enormous floating island in the distance, with a massive, peculiar-looking dragon coiled underneath it. This dragon was different from the five-clawed golden dragons depicted in ancient texts. It had wings and sharp horns on its head, appearing rather menacing. At that moment, its gigantic body was suspended motionless beneath the floating island. Yan Zhao instantly thought of Xiao Jin upon seeing it. However, the differences were stark; Xiao Jin had three heads, while this dragon was short two. Moreover, its physique was significantly larger, perhaps ten times that of Xiao Jin’s original mountain-like form. People watched for a while but did not see the dragon move, even slightly. Those who had arrived earlier and witnessed the dragon answered, “It’s a statue.” At first glance, the dragon appeared strikingly real, with detailed scale patterns. But its body shared the same color as the surrounding rocks, and there was no movement whatsoever. It was more plausible that it was a statue crafted by immortal sect members when constructing the floating island, rather than a real dragon. The statue served to awe-inspire and dispel evil. Once everyone realized the dragon was not real but merely a sculpture, the disciples' interest diminished greatly. “Nian, my dear,” Bi Lan’s gentle voice whispered beside her, “This place overflows with spiritual energy. Would you like to sit and rest a while?” Yan Zhao was about to reply but suddenly paused. For a fleeting moment, she thought she had seen the dragon’s eyes open. But upon closer inspection, the dragon's eyes remained closed — perhaps it was just her imagination. When Yan Zhao remained silent for a while, Bi Lan softly called her again, "Nian?" Yan Zhao snapped back from her thoughts, deciding not to dwell further on whether the dragon statue was real or not, and nodded, finding a spot to sit down. The spiritual energy here truly was abundant, and Yan Zhao quickly entered a meditative state with her eyes closed. Bi Lan watched her discreetly, curious and studying Yan Zhao. Though meeting this fellow cultivator from the Beast Mastery sect for the first time, and despite Yan Zhao's aloof demeanor, Bi Lan felt an inexplicable closeness and familiarity, prompting her to initiate conversation. Seeing the little fox resting naturally on Yan Zhao's lap, its eyes caught her gaze with an assessing and guarded look. Bi Lan suddenly realized what felt so familiar and close. Not only did Fellow Daoist Nian, like her sister Yan, keep a spirit fox, but her aura was also quite similar to that of Yan. Except the Yan sister Bi Lan knew would sleep as soon as she was idle, never before had she seen her so diligently cultivating. Previously, Yan Zhao had mentioned she wouldn’t attend the Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly. Did she really mean it? Time flew during meditation and cultivation. Days passed swiftly, the teleportation array activating several times, bringing dozens of immortal disciples led by guiding deacons to the floating island. Yan Zhao sensed the fox in her arms stirring and heard the jingling of its bell, prompting her to end her meditation and open her eyes. The little fox had its ears perked, gazing warily towards the large floating island in the distance. Following the fox’s gaze, Yan Zhao saw no change from the previous grand buildings. The dragon, too, looked just as it did days ago. “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly. The fox appeared skeptical. Moments ago, a few fleeting presences passed by, one of which triggered a reaction from the Demon-Slaying Sword. --- Chapter 193 At the Mirror Platform, atop nine stone pillars, three emitted a faint white glow. Each of the three pillars manifested a different phantom figure. From the top of the leftmost pillar, a burly man surveyed the area, speaking with surprise, "The Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly is about to begin, yet none of those old-timers have shown up?" A slender shadow on the right shifted slightly, seemingly glancing to the other side, calmly saying, "What’s the rush? There’s still over a month left.” Invitations had already been sent out. Whether or not these powerful figures attended, the Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly would proceed as planned. The man in the middle remained silent for a long time. The others prompted him, "Leader Ying, what is it?" Ying Xiao, pulling his gaze back from the distant floating dock, replied calmly, "The elders have their airs. They won’t arrive this early." "The leader is right," the man on the left concurred. "But soon," Ying Xiao murmured, "I’ve received confirmed reports that the Abyss Ocean's Realist will emerge from seclusion and will attend with her disciple. The Medicine God’s son and Master Su are also en route." Inviting powerful figures ensured the Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly's prestige and fairness. "The Abyss Ocean Realist?" the woman on the right was astonished. "Before her last seclusion, she had already reached the grand completion of the Great Ascension Stage. Emerging now, she must have advanced further—might she soon ascend?" "It's not so simple to ascend!" the man on the left immediately scoffed. "In the past, Yan Yuanqing was as strong, if not stronger, than the Abyss Ocean Realist and did not succeed in ascending." Unconvinced, the woman retorted, “Immortal Yan Yuanqing chose not to, rather than being unable. Get your facts straight." “In the end, it’s the same,” the man chuckled dismissively. “Besides, claiming she simply chose not to, and yet, why steal treasures from the Immortal Realm, pulling the Human Realm into the spotlight?” The right-sided woman, now angry, protested, “That’s sophistry! You accuse Immortal Yan Yuanqing of theft without any evidence, spreading baseless rumors!” “Enough squabbling.” Noticing the escalating dispute, Ying Xiao interjected, "She’s been dead for three hundred years. What’s the point of debating this now?" Both quieted instantly. Ying Xiao continued, "The Abyss Ocean Realist and her cherished disciple will join the assembly. We should treat them respectfully. This Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly will also be observed by envoys from the Immortal Realm. I will not tolerate any missteps from you." His companions took a moment before nodding in agreement, “Understood.” --- In the days that followed, Ye Yan Ran and Xuan Yuan Mu arrived among the crowd gradually crowding the island. Ye Yan Ran, a disciple from the Ten Thousand Treasures Palace with a rank higher than Le An, found himself immediately surrounded and revered by other disciples eager to befriend him, receiving treatment equal to Wu Ying Ying. In contrast, Xuan Yuan Mu remained much more low-key. Dressed in plain attire, unadorned and humble, she drew little attention after landing on the island, except for a select few such as Bi Lan beside Yan Zhao. Bi Lan, who naturally realized that Xuan Yuan Mu’s actions were meant to avoid unnecessary attention, controlled her excitement to refrain from disturbing her. Xuan Yuan Mu, after a brief glance toward them upon arrival, focused on meditating alone in the farthest secluded corner, maintaining a quiet presence. Yan Zhao seemed indifferent to her surroundings, but the little fox in her arms was constantly looking around, trying to gather as much information as possible. Before the assembly officially commenced, Ren Qingyue recognized a familiar figure. Though this person wore a wide-brimmed hat to conceal his identity, and his face was covered with stubble, she could still identify him as Luo Qi. Over the past few years, who knows what had happened to Luo Qi? His changes were significant, and he seemed hesitant to show himself openly, yet here he was, attending the Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly. As the assembly was about to begin, the floating island buzzed with excitement from the numerous disciples eager to participate. Recently, fewer new disciples had joined the island, indicating that most who intended to be part of the assembly had likely arrived. "Everyone! Everyone! I have something to say!" A loud shout rose from the crowd. Yan Zhao looked towards the source of the voice and saw Le An from the Ten Thousand Treasures Palace standing in the center, clapping his hands to draw attention. Once he had gathered everyone's focus, he began to speak loudly: "Although this is our first time at the Mirror Platform, I have a senior brother who participated in the last Immortal Sects Disciples Assembly. I’m willing to share the information I know with you all, as a reference for fellow friends!" His offer was met with widespread approval, and someone shouted from the crowd, "Brother Qiu is generous!" The floating island filled with chatter and praise directed at Le An. Although Chen Er hadn’t arrived yet, Ye Yan Ran and Xuan Yuan Mu stood together. Observing the scene, Ye Yan Ran glanced at the noisy crowd and then heard Xuan Yuan Mu beside her ask, "What do you think?" Ye Yan Ran pondered for a moment and replied, "There's no harm in it." Not every cultivator attending the assembly had access to information about previous events. While the rules would be explained when it started, knowing the process in advance wouldn't significantly impact the competition’s outcome. Le An mainly aimed to win favor and gain some notoriety; meanwhile, the crowd could enjoy the show. Xuan Yuan Mu lowered her gaze. "From your tone, it seems you're not particularly concerned about this grand competition?" "I'm open to anything," Ye Yan Ran admitted. "The path of cultivation is quite dull. Having an opportunity for some experience is not easy, but I’m not really concerned about the rankings." Xuan Yuan Mu sighed, "But I can’t be so indifferent." She had to give it her all to reach a higher rank. Some people needed to see that she could thrive without relying on her family. Ye Yan Ran turned to look at her. The situation within Xuan Yuan Mu’s family was something Ye Yan Ran only vaguely understood, so she remained silent rather than judge. Meanwhile, Le An continued speaking with enthusiasm: "From what I know, the assembly's process is divided into three stages, and alas, the first stage is the hardest!" Someone immediately asked, "Why?" Le An sighed, "In just this one stage, ninety percent of the participants will be eliminated!" This revelation caused an uproar among the crowd. "What?! Ninety percent!" People murmured, looking around in disbelief, "There aren’t that many of us. With such a huge cut, does that mean only twenty or thirty will make it to the second round?" Le An nodded, "Exactly!" Another voice from the crowd asked, “How is success determined in the first stage?” "My brother said the first stage involves exploring a secret realm to find objects. Only a limited number of these tokens exist, and the skilled will claim them. Once the time in the secret realm ends, only those with tokens will be transported to the main venue." In other words, those without tokens would be entirely out of the competition. --- I don't long for the moon, but for our encounter. Consider supporting our website Without ad revenue, this site is non-profit, and donations go toward server costs! Afraid you’ll get lost? Go to the donation page to add your contact information! Click here to donate >>