184 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Zuo Xun spoke, "Then let's go." "Wait a moment!" Yan Zhao interjected just in time. The other three turned to her in unison. Yan Zhao crouched down and began inspecting Xuan Yuan Zhen's pockets. "Of course!" Wu Yingying understood Yan Zhao's intention. "We should check if they have any extra tokens on them!" Zuo Xun and Bi Lan agreed with this point. Thus, the four of them divided the task, thoroughly searching through Xuan Yuan Zhen and his three comrades’ pockets for anything they could find. "No tokens to pass," Wu Yingying said, her tone tinged with regret. Bi Lan also finished her check and shook her head. "Nothing." Zuo Xun remained expressionless. "As expected." Yan Zhao was also at a loss, puzzled by how Xuan Yuan Zhen, who appeared to be a wealthy young lord, had pockets as empty as can be—just filled with some worthless trinkets and barely a few spirit stones. She casually ripped off a few pendants from Xuan Yuan Zhen’s waist and kicked him as she stood up, muttering, “Useless.” The other three echoed in agreement, "Indeed, useless." Chapter 198 Around the Mirror Platform, the floating islands were silent. Once the disciples of the Immortal Sect fell into the secret realm, the spacious and flat stone platform transformed into a mirror. Every scene within the labyrinth was reflected in this mirror, revealing all movements without exception. These fledgling young disciples were mostly cautious in their actions, exploring the maze with such prudence that few got noticed for any remarkable feats. Veterans present had seen much of the world, so the overly conservative state failed to pique their interest. The Medicine Master even yawned multiple times within the first half-hour of the competition. Suddenly, something caught his eye, and he perked up. In the corner of the mirror, two groups had converged upon the same token. One group was larger and stronger, but the other managed to snatch the token first through quicker movements, instantly heightening the tension. The struggle and sudden shifts were truly eye-catching, and all the powerful figures noticed this sudden clash over the token. Notably, were Xuan Yuan Kai, the head of the Xuan Yuan family, and the Medicine Master, head of the Medicine God Sect. The fact that Bi Lan was the adopted daughter of the Xuan Yuan family was no secret, and when Xuan Yuan Zhen mentioned Bi Lan's affiliation with the Fuyun Sect, it piqued the interest of many, including some like the aloof Zhen Ren of Yuanhai who remained detached. Even the leaders of the Immortal Alliance exchanged knowing glances directed at Xuan Yuan Kai. Xuan Yuan Kai's brows furrowed, his expression dark. Though Bi Lan was his adopted daughter, she wasn't truly of the Xuan Yuan family, and therefore held little importance within the family. When there was no conflict between Xuan Yuan Mu and the family, she used to train alongside Bi Lan, even letting her learn the art of crafting. They turned a blind eye to this. Unexpectedly, later on, Xuan Yuan Mu rebelled against the Xuan Yuan family, resulting in a complete breakdown with her parents. Xuan Yuan Kai publicly disowned this daughter, and Xuan Yuan Mu's unwavering stubbornness caused continued estrangement without reconciliation. Having already failed her as a biological daughter, Xuan Yuan Kai held no hope for her. Still, the heritage of the Xuan Yuan family needed to carry on, putting his trust in Xuan Yuan Zhen, the most promising among the collateral branches. The Xuan Yuan family was a family clan, not a sect, with only one spot for the conference, which Xuan Yuan Kai gave to Xuan Yuan Zhen. Therefore, when Bi Lan appeared on the Mirror Platform, he was quite astonished. It turned out that Bi Lan had secretly joined the Fuyun Sect and gained a spot to participate in the conference through them. This wouldn't have been a big issue, except that the Fuyun Sect was already infamous due to the private crafting of corpse puppets, making it easy for people to hold this against the Xuan Yuan family and cause them embarrassment. Thus, he did not see any fault in Xuan Yuan Zhen verbally attacking Bi Lan. But regardless of how unwelcome Bi Lan might be, she remained the adopted daughter of the main house. It was somewhat acceptable for Xuan Yuan Zhen and Bi Lan to have private conflicts, but now they were clashing openly at the conference, escalating their internal strife in front of all the veteran cultivators was akin to publicly slapping Xuan Yuan Kai in the face. Xuan Yuan Kai's complexion alternated between blue and white, feeling as though everyone present was mocking him. The Xuan Yuan family was renowned as a major family known for its crafting skills, yet the family's disciples were gradually declining. It was bad enough that they couldn't unite against external threats, but they even resorted to infighting. The scene of Xuan Yuan Zhen capturing Bi Lan to threaten Yan Zhao was displayed on the Mirror Platform. While the powerful ones on the floating islands showed no significant emotional change, their eyes revealed indifference and contempt. But the humiliation didn't end there. Even more ludicrous was how Xuan Yuan Zhen, despite trying to use Bi Lan to threaten the disciple from the Beast Controlling Sect, ended up being beaten by the crowd instead. Yan Zhao's derisive remark of "useless" after rifling through Xuan Yuan Zhen's pockets made the veins on Xuan Yuan Kai's forehead throb violently. By his side, the Medicine Master commented, "These little fellows are quite interesting." The Medicine Master had noticed Yan Zhao, who was traveling with Bi Lan, early on. This young woman attended the conference as a disciple of the Beast Controlling Sect, but the fox in her arms and the bells on her feet were all too familiar to him. Hiding the flash of understanding in his eyes, he maintained an unaffected and leisurely demeanor. Xuan Yuan Kai burned with anger but couldn't take it out on the Medicine Master. After all, the Medicine Master had done him a favor in the past, and the disciples from the Medicine God Sect, including Wu Yingying, hadn't participated in the struggle. "The Fuyun Sect still seems to have such a talented bug cultivator," remarked Su Zijun, the Lord of the Wanbao Palace. "It seems that Huang Yinfeng of the Fuyun Sect has indeed found a gem." The Alliance Master of the Immortal Alliance, Ying Xiao, immediately echoed with enthusiasm, "The Fuyun Sect is truly a land of talented individuals, worthy of being the place that cultivates the world's top sword practitioners." Yundaozi, his old face wrinkled with a smile, humbly replied, "You two are too kind, it's all just a matter of chance." Xuan Yuan Kai suppressed his rage. Rather than being angry over something he couldn't change, it was better to keep an eye on what was happening inside the labyrinth. After Yan Zhao's group left, over an hour passed before Xuan Yuan Zhen felt someone shaking his shoulders vigorously, making his head spin and stomach churn with nausea. He tried to push away the person shaking him, seeking relief from his uncomfortable state, but his limbs felt heavy and limp, unable to move. Pain—his whole body ached, as if his bones were being crushed. Particularly the back of his neck, it hurt as if a piece of flesh had been carved out with a knife. Someone seemed to be calling him, but the voice was distant and unclear. After some time, the hazy voice finally reached his ears, "Brother Zhen! Wake up!" Xuan Yuan Zhen struggled to open his eyes, seeing a face full of urgency and concern. It looked familiar, but he couldn't immediately recall who it was. "Brother Zhen!" The person relaxed as soon as Xuan Yuan Zhen opened his eyes, stopping the shaking. "Thank goodness you're awake!" Xuan Yuan Zhen was confused and wanted to ask questions, but as soon as he opened his mouth... "Ugh—" Just as he felt the urge to vomit, the arms supporting him suddenly loosened their grip. Xuan Yuan Zhen fell back hard, his head hitting the cold ground, causing his brain to buzz and rendering him unconscious once more. Beside him, the three comrades circled around, each showing an amusing expression. "Brother Qiu, Brother Qiu..." One of them mustered up the courage to speak, "Our leader has passed out again." "I know." Qiu Le'an shook out his sleeves, relieved. That was a close call; he nearly got vomited on. The first one to awaken among the comrades muttered, "What should we do now?" He was the first to be knocked out by Yan Zhao. Due to the unexpectedness, and Yan Zhao’s improvisation, he was the least injured. Once he gathered himself and got up, he realized Xuan Yuan Zhen and the other three were all still downed, motionless. If Qiu Le'an hadn't appeared suddenly, he wouldn't have known how to handle the situation. "We'll wait for him to wake again," Qiu Le'an sighed, "You guys go look for more tokens. Leave him to me; I'll take care of him." Although they were worried about their leader's wellbeing, the three were also concerned that if they delayed any longer, they'd lose even the chance to compete and be eliminated. Hearing Qiu Le'an's words, they noticeably relaxed and nodded in unison, "That's a relief, thank you, Brother Qiu!" Qiu Le'an waved it off, magnanimously saying, "We're all brothers, no need for such formality." After the three left, Qiu Le'an looked down at the unconscious Xuan Yuan Zhen and was silent for a moment. He clasped his hands, formed a spell with his fingers, and tapped Xuan Yuan Zhen's forehead. Moments later, Xuan Yuan Zhen regained consciousness, his eyes cloudy, and felt that more areas of his body ached than before. This time, Xuan Yuan Zhen managed to regain consciousness without anyone shaking him. With some effort, he realized it was Qiu Le'an who had come to his rescue. "Brother Qiu," Xuan Yuan Zhen said as he laboriously sat up. "Was it you who saved me?" He looked around, puzzled not to see his three followers. "Where are the others?" he asked. Qiu Le'an replied, "I sent them to search for the tokens." Xuan Yuan Zhen gave a simple "Oh" as he touched the painful spots on his head and neck, where he now had two large bumps. "…" He was heavily injured, uncertain how long he had been unconscious. On his own, clearing even the first stage seemed unlikely. Recollecting his previous misfortunate encounter, Xuan Yuan Zhen felt a sense of discontentment. "Brother Zhen, look at this," Qiu Le'an said, flipping his hand to reveal a faint golden glow in his palm. At the same time, the token at their waists began to react. Xuan Yuan Zhen was momentarily stunned, then suddenly understood, eyes widening: "A token?!" Qiu Le'an smiled, "I happened upon two of these, so I'll share one with you." "Really?" Xuan Yuan Zhen asked, incredulously. "Of course," Qiu Le'an reassured him with a gentle expression, though he quickly added, "But I need you to agree to one condition." Xuan Yuan Zhen responded without hesitation, "Deal!" Watching from the Mirror Platform, the Medicine Master laughed heartily. "A dramatic turn of events! Master Su, your Wanbao Palace disciples are indeed generous." "Not at all," Su Zijun replied modestly, waving her hand. "Our Wanbao Palace disciples might not have many great virtues, but they are open-minded and eager to help." With each of her words, Xuan Yuan Kai's expression darkened further. While the younger participants of the Immortal Sect conference were unaware, the experienced figures present knew well that Wanbao Palace and the Xuan Yuan family, though seemingly at peace, engaged in subtle rivalries due to their similar paths of cultivation. Xuan Yuan Kai always held a disdainful view of Su Zijun, considering her too worldly and more of a merchant than a fitting leader of a sect. Yet before everyone's eyes, the contrasting conduct between Qiu Le'an and Xuan Yuan Zhen was stark. Sensing the gaze of those around him, Xuan Yuan Kai felt tense, desperately maintaining a composed facade. "Master Su is humble and teaches well, no wonder her disciples are outstanding." Su Zijun smiled, her demeanor unflustered, "Indeed, I believe so myself." Xuan Yuan Kai: "..." He was so frustrated, it made his chest hurt. · Yan Zhao and her group continued exploring the labyrinth after leaving the stone platform. Wu Yingying, unable to contain her curiosity, glanced at the fox in Yan Zhao's arms and asked Zuo Xun, "Is the Beast Controlling technique that Miss Yan uses with her spirit fox similar to the way Senior Sister Zuo trains her little pets?" Zuo Xun explained, "There are naturally differences." Beast Controlling involves forming a direct contract with a spirit beast, and the number of such bonds one can form varies depending on the strength of their soul. Historical records state that the maximum number of contracted spirit companions a powerful beast controller can have is three. Typically, however, ninety-nine percent of beast controllers only have the soul strength to contract with one spirit companion. Insect cultivation involves nurturing a mother insect that recognizes its master, thereby controlling the worker insects under it. Information gathered by the worker insects is first received by the mother insect before being relayed to the master. Although this process is complicated, there can be as many worker insects as needed, and losing them does not cause distress. Zuo Xun, rarely so verbose, found herself talking extensively when it concerned her field of practice, naturally opening up the conversation.