182 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

The disciples from smaller sects were envious of the scene. However, with two vacant spots on the floating island, Ying Xiao frowned slightly as he observed. At that moment, a streak of cold light sliced through the sky, and a surge of overwhelming pressure rolled in like a massive wave. In the next instant, a figure appeared out of nowhere on the empty island. It was a Daoist nun, clad in a gray-blue robe, holding a whisk, with a face as frosty as ice. From below, upon seeing her face clearly, Yan Zhao's brow twitched. Why was this fierce Daoist nun here as well? The floating island where the nun appeared was positioned at the center of the archipelago, indicating her exalted status. But she was unfamiliar to many. The disciples of the various immortal sects did not recognize her upon meeting, and they couldn't help but whisper among themselves, curious about the identity of this elder. Their confusion didn't last long, as the leader of the Immortal Alliance addressed them. Ying Xiao cupped his hands respectfully, making a remote bow toward the nun. "It's an honor for Ying to welcome Senior Yuanhai to the Mirror Stage." Yuanhai? The disciples on the Mirror Stage were taken aback. Yuanhai Zhenren?! Oh my, this was a figure second only to Immortal Lord Yuanqing in terms of power! Only Yan Zhao was bewildered, Yuanhai Zhenren? Could this nun actually be such a formidable elder? Yuanhai Zhenren waved her whisk, her expression indifferent. "Hmm." Ying Xiao discreetly wiped the sweat from his palms. Su Zijun glanced up, Yaoshenzi appeared more serious, and the other two nearby, along with the eight Alliance leaders, adjusted their postures. This person was indeed worthy of being the foremost legal cultivator in the human realm. Those disciples with lower cultivation levels couldn't sense it, but those like him, who were in the Great Ascension stage, felt a prickling unease. "Ahem." Ying Xiao cleared his throat and glanced at the sole remaining empty island. Originally, it was meant for the Fuyun Sect, but it was evident that Bu Donghou hadn't come. Matters involving the private refinement of corpse puppets had not yet been resolved, and for the Fuyun Sect to so blatantly disregard the Immortal Alliance's courtesy indicated that they were perhaps too comfortable and needed a wake-up call. Ying Xiao was about to proceed with the assembly's agenda when a flash of golden light appeared before him. An elderly Daoist manifested upon the vacant island. The Daoist, with clouded hair and snow-white eyebrows, calmly dusted his robes and apologized to Ying Xiao: "This old man, much advanced in years, seldom leaves his mountain, and has forgotten the way to the Mirror Stage. I beg your understanding and forgiveness, everyone." Ying Xiao's pupils shrank, and Yaoshenzi, Su Zijun, and others also furrowed their brows. Among the crowd below, the little fox, previously lounging lazily in Yan Zhao's arms, suddenly perked up its ears, lifted its head, and a look of shock crossed its eyes. Yundaozi! --- This individual was the supreme elder of the Fuyun Sect, nominally the master of Immortal Lord Yuanqing. Yundaozi was older than Yaoshenzi, having ceded his position to Bu Donghou thousands of years ago, and subsequently went into secluded life-and-death meditation within the forbidden grounds at the back of the Fuyun Sect. For a cultivator in such meditation, there are typically two outcomes: ascension or death. It was unexpected that he would emerge before time. Presumably, the recent troubles involving the Fuyun Sect compelled him to intervene, unwilling to watch as Bu Donghou led the sect toward repeated errors and potential downfall. He was the most senior among the numerous powerful figures present; in front of Yundaozi, even with the authority of being the Immortal Alliance leader, Ying Xiao's name alone could not grace the stage. "Not at all, not at all. Senior Yundaozi's gracious attendance at the Mirror Stage to observe is already a boon for our Alliance!" Ying Xiao quickly gathered his thoughts, his throat moved, letting the sweat at his brow drip past his chin, and hurriedly continued the conversation with Yundaozi. For the disciples attending the Assembly of Immortal Disciples, hailing from various sects, titles like "Yuanhai Zhenren" were known only because of their association with Yan Yuanqing. The name "Yundaozi," on the other hand, was unfamiliar to them. "Who is this senior?" someone in the crowd whispered. The position allocated for this individual by the Immortal Alliance was not particularly conspicuous. Yet, with his sudden appearance and Ying Xiao’s altered expression, along with the varied reactions of other elders, anyone observant could sense something amiss. Consequently, several gazes turned toward Yue An. After the previous assembly procedures on the floating island, Yue An had left an impression of being both righteous and well-informed. Faced with questions, people instinctively sought answers from him. Bearing the expectations of many, Yue An had no choice but to explain for everyone's benefit. The teacher of Immortal Lord Yuanqing! These mere six words were enough to highlight the significance of this person's status. The crowd of disciples from the immortal sects was abuzz. How fortuitous they were to witness in their lifetime so many venerable figures capable of shaking the three realms with a single stride! Although Fuyun Sect's reputation had severely declined under Bu Donghou's leadership, these incidents occurred during his tenure as sect master and had no relation to the elder who had long retired. Moreover, Yundaozi must surely be frustrated yet compassionate, prompting him to leave his intended serenity in later life to clean up the sect's messes for the younger generation. Yan Zhao sensed the little fox's body tensing and followed everyone's gaze to Yundaozi on the floating island. She had never seen this old man before, yet for some reason, instinctively didn't like him. However, the other disciples around her were engaged in animated discussions, openly excited about a teacher who could produce a disciple as legendary as Yan Yuanqing, and inferred that this master must also be extraordinary. Yuanqing’s master was also, after all, her mother's master. As Yundaozi was to Yan Yuanqing, so Yaoshenzi was to her. With this in mind, Yan Zhao's tightly furrowed brows eased a little. She thought to herself that he might not be a bad person, after all. In a corner of the crowd, Luo Qi anxiously lowered his hat. The Immortal Alliance's invitation was supposed to be for the sect master, Bu Donghou; how did it end up being Yundaozi? With Yundaozi emerging, the Immortal Alliance might bypass the usual channels out of respect for his seniority, potentially disrupting Luo Qi's plan to undermine the Fuyun Sect's foundations. Luo Qi gritted his teeth silently, drawing a deep breath, suppressing his vengeful gaze to avoid catching Yundaozi's notice. None of his plots had yet unfolded, and their outcomes were uncertain. No matter what, he had to give it his all. Yundaozi took his seat to observe the proceedings, exuding an aura of transcendent grace, while those remaining on the floating islands each harbored their own thoughts. The disciples on the Mirror Stage eagerly anticipated the upcoming assembly. Ying Xiao stood up straight, turned to the crowd of disciples, and declared loudly, "The time has come, with all guests present, the Assembly of Immortal Disciples officially begins!" With that, he casually formed a spell and flicked his fingers. A rain of spiritual energy descended upon the floating islands, invigorating the disciples, sweeping away their fatigue from the journey. Indeed, the power of a Great Ascension elder was remarkable, able to summon the wind and rain with a mere gesture. After the spiritual rain, the other eight leaders seated on the pillars began to act. Different attributes and colors of spiritual energy converged in the air, forming a large net that enveloped the entirety of the Mirror Stage. A buzzing sound was heard, and suddenly the platform beneath everyone's feet began to sink. The surroundings shifted rapidly, and they all found themselves in a boundless maze-like secret realm. The sky was obscured by gray fog, with only Ying Xiao's sonorous voice resonating from the clouds above: "Within this secret realm, there are thirty-six tokens of passage. If a token appears within a hundred feet, the Immortal Order will respond." "The competition is set for three days, and those holding a token at the end will be deemed successful." His voice echoed through the secret realm's expanse, lingering long after it had been voiced. As the last echoes faded, the secret realm fell into a silence so profound one could hear a pin drop. The crowd exchanged looks; they now stood on a hundred-foot-wide platform, surrounded by passageways leading in various directions, with the intricate terrain of the paths rendering the true size of the secret realm unpredictable. The competition had begun, and those who reacted swiftly took immediate action, with several people breaking away and entering the maze through different entrances. "Let's move." Zuo Xun, decisive and purposeful, set off at once. Behind her, Wu Yingtian hesitated only a moment before realizing what was happening, then anxiously called out, "Senior Sister Zuo, wait for me!" Earlier, after failing to team up with Ye Yanran, Yue An agreed readily when approached by a few other sect disciples seeking cooperation, and set off with his new allies to explore. Xuan Yuan Zheng, proud and ambitious, did not team up with Yue An, instead leading a few juniors down a separate path. Afraid the frontrunners might seize an advantage, the rest quickly made their decisions. Soon, most of the people on the platform dispersed, leaving only a handful behind. Chen Er, Ye Yanran, and Xuan Yuan Mu hadn’t suggested forming a team, yet cooperatively chose to proceed together. Before leaving, Chen Er looked back, noticing Bi Lan and her newly-made acquaintance, Dao-you, still standing in place, seeming in no hurry to venture forth. Most of the others had already departed, leaving Yan Zhao standing still. Bi Lan waited for a while without seeing any decision from her and hesitantly asked, "Miss Nian, which path should we choose?" Yan Zhao raised an eye, glanced at her, and said plainly, "You decide." Bi Lan was momentarily speechless. She had thought Yan Zhao's calm demeanor was because she had a solid plan, but it turned out she was waiting for Bi Lan to speak up. "In that case," Bi Lan said, taking out a compass, "let's try to determine a suitable direction for us to head towards." Though divination wasn’t entirely prohibited in the labyrinthine secret realm, it still affected the results, with the compass only providing a rough location. Navigating the winding paths and possibly impassable walls largely depended on luck. Everyone’s fortune was different, meaning the compass would show varied outcomes. Bi Lan performed a spell, allowing fate to choose their path. The compass spun continuously, refusing to stop. This sight reminded Bi Lan of her experience years ago in an immortal’s abode. Could this maze also prevent the use of divination? The delay meant they were the last ones remaining on the platform. All other participating disciples had long since set off, while her compass spun endlessly, leaving them rooted in place. Bi Lan discreetly studied Yan Zhao. Her serene face showed no signs of irritation, exuding a calm sureness that even surpassed Bi Lan's. The needle kept spinning, and Bi Lan secretly broke into a sweat, considering whether to just pick a random direction. Just then, the compass needle, its energy spent, slowly came to a stop. Bi Lan let out a relieved breath. “Southeast,” Bi Lan pointed to one of the passage entrances and told Yan Zhao, “Let's go this way.” Yan Zhao voiced no objection and began walking into the passage the moment Bi Lan finished speaking. It was dim within the passage, and after only a few steps, the path split again. Yan Zhao turned to look at Bi Lan. Bi Lan remained silent. If she had to calculate their direction at every fork, the time spent on the road would be several times more than others’. “This is too draining and gains us nothing,” Bi Lan said to Yan Zhao. "Since the rules allow battles for seizing tokens, it's likely that the paths connect within; choosing any path towards the southeast should suffice." Yan Zhao found Bi Lan’s reasoning sound, so she looked down at the little fox in her arms. "Which way do you want to go?" The fox extended a paw, pointing to one of the routes. "This way." Without hesitation, Yan Zhao proceeded in that direction. Bi Lan was left at a loss. Were they not entrusting their fate first to the compass, and now to a fox? Bi Lan gradually began to feel a touch of uncertainty. But it was she who had chosen her companion in this journey, leaving her with little room to be picky, so she quickly followed Yan Zhao. From then on, every time they reached a fork, Yan Zhao would consult the little fox. Occasionally, it would lift a paw to the left, or raise a paw to the right, or sometimes, when too lazy to lift a paw, it would just swish its tail casually. Yet Yan Zhao could immediately grasp its intent, progressing through the maze at a steady pace. After who knew how many bends and intersections, Bi Lan felt they were almost lost in the repetitive scenery, when suddenly, the Immortal Orders hanging from their waists emitted a faint golden glow. Yan Zhao paused, and Bi Lan's eyes widened in surprise, exclaiming, "There's a reaction!" The Immortal Order's response signified a passage token was within a hundred feet radius.