190 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Ye Yanran remained silent as she quickly cast a Purification Spell, followed by a Healing Spell. Chen Er felt the pain ease slightly, though complete recovery would take time. The temporary treatment ensured she could still move without much hindrance. Exhaling a long breath, she rested her chin on Ye Yanran's shoulder and exclaimed with admiration, "You're so reliable!" The warmth of Chen Er's breath against her neck caused Ye Yanran's heart to flutter with a tingling sensation. The heartbeat she had managed to calm surged again. "Get up if you're feeling better," Ye Yanran urged Chen Er, pushing her slightly to conceal the thundering of her heart. With a reluctant murmur, Chen Er slowly climbed to her feet, brushing the dirt from her clothes as she inspected her surroundings. Suddenly, her eyes gleamed with interest. But as she tried to take a larger step, a sharp pain in her sore backside caused her body to lurch unexpectedly, nearly sending her tumbling to the ground. Ye Yanran swiftly caught her, steadying her with ease. "Where are you going?" Chen Er winced and took a sharp breath, teeth gritted against the pain. Once it subsided, she clutched Ye Yanran's sleeve and pointed to a nearby unconscious disciple from the Immortal Sect. "To get his key." Xuan Yuanmu had moved the disciple to safety and now, seeing him still unconscious, slapped him twice. The male cultivator's cheeks reddened swiftly, and he groggily regained consciousness. His mind was muddled as he blinked up at Xuan Yuanmu, eyes blank and confused, trying to recall the preceding events. "Benefactor, did you save me?" "It was us," Xuan Yuanmu clarified succinctly, extending his hand. "The key." Realizing he was still alive and that the tree spirit had been reduced to ashes, the male cultivator quickly produced the key and handed it to Xuan Yuanmu. Supporting Chen Er, Ye Yanran approached just in time to hear Xuan Yuanmu ask, "Earlier you mentioned another key nearby. Where is it?" The male cultivator was forthright. "There’s a mountain wall not far from here with a cave. I sensed the presence of the Immortal Talisman there when I passed, but I was captured by the tree spirit before I could retrieve it." Initially, he thought his luck was good—securing the first key without competition. But falling into a trap while exploring a cavern, and then discovering the glowing talisman, he should have been more cautious and chosen safety over risking his neck. "Alright," Xuan Yuanmu stood, gesturing to Chen Er and Ye Yanran. "Let's go." The male cultivator, noting their numbers, pleaded, "Could I come with you? It’s so dark here. I’m frightened!" Another tree spirit might appear, and he doubted he'd be so fortunate to escape again. Xuan Yuanmu glanced at him but didn't answer immediately. Since Chen Er was injured, she felt like a burden and restrained from imposing on Ye Yanran and Xuan Yuanmu, opting to remain silent. Then, Ye Yanran spoke firmly, "No." The male cultivator grew anxious. "I can lead you to the cave!" Ye Yanran remained unyielding. Understanding Ye Yanran's aggravation stemmed from Chen Er's injury while saving him, Xuan Yuanmu addressed the male cultivator, "My friend got hurt saving you. We've done more than enough." Left with no choice, the male cultivator didn't press further. "We’re leaving," Ye Yanran said, guiding Chen Er past the man. Xuan Yuanmu took the lead. After a few steps, Chen Er found it harder to walk, the pain in her backside persistent. She suggested to Ye Yanran, "This is hard... maybe I should..." Ye Yanran halted. "What do you mean?" "Uh," Chen Er hesitated, feeling guilty for dragging them down. She'd proposed needing a piggyback ride but lost her nerve, feeling too embarrassed. Ye Yanran, usually carefree, was bewildered by this rare hesitance. "What’s wrong? Is there a specific pain?" she asked. "Just say it, don't hold back. That’s not like you." Finally, clearing her throat awkwardly, Chen Er admitted, "I thought maybe you could... give me a piggyback... but never mind, I’ll—ah!" Before she could finish, Ye Yanran released her grip, crouching down in front of her. Staring at Ye Yanran's back, a strange sensation surged through Chen Er. Uncertain about its nature—perhaps the severity of her injury—she felt a mix of confusion and breathlessness. Ye Yanran turned her head, puzzled by the delay. "Hop on. Why are you hesitating?" "…" Cheek flushing, Chen Er hung her head low, attempting a few more steps. The pain was too much. She gave in, setting aside embarrassment for practicality, and clambered onto Ye Yanran's back. "Hold tight and don’t let go," Ye Yanran instructed. Chen Er’s ears burned as she nestled her face into Ye Yanran's neck, muttering, "Okay." Nearby, Xuan Yuanmu contemplated deeply. Was there anyone who noticed her yet? · "Hahaha, well played, my friend!" Sikong Xuan laughed heartily, while Xuan Yuankai’s expression darkened. The more he thought about it, the odder it seemed—that Sikong Xuan had suddenly challenged him to a wager. Had he foreseen Xuan Yuanmu had another trick up his sleeve? If so, he’s been played by Sikong Xuan. It’s likely Sikong Xuan had been confident from the start. By presenting the Demon Suppression Banner blueprints, he forced Xuan Yuankai to counter with a Ten-Thousand Mechanisms Wheel, on a bet with a predetermined outcome. How could he lose? A truly cunning and crafty old fox! Ying Xiao stood up, formally declaring the result of the gamble and asking if Xuan Yuankai had any objections. Despite his seething anger, Xuan Yuankai forced a smile, resignedly saying, "No, I accept defeat." Sikong Xuan beamed. "Generous of you, brother Xuan Yuan!" Ying Xiao then handed both sets of blueprints to Sikong Xuan with congratulations, "Congratulations, Senior Sikong!" Sikong Xuan accepted them, nodding his thanks to Xuan Yuankai. Xuan Yuankai turned away, eyes glinting coldly. · In another corner of the secret realm. Yan Zhao clutched the little fox as she entered a narrow passageway, Bi Lan trailing closely behind. Their pace was cautious, wary of lurking monsters. They hadn’t gone far when a voice called from behind, "Miss Bi, Miss Nian! Wait!" Yan Zhao and Bi Lan paused and turned. Quickly, Wu Yingying raced towards them, her round cheeks flushed from exertion. Nearing them, she tripped over some stones, falling face-first with a startled yelp. Yan Zhao's eyes widened in surprise, and Bi Lan reached out instinctively to catch her. But they were too far away to prevent Wu Yingying’s tumble, watching her hit the ground with a thud. "…" The scene was silent, until Wu Yingying slowly got up, dusted herself off as though nothing happened, and muttered, "The ground is really hard." Her voice was childlike, eyes rimmed with tears, and a swollen bump visible on her forehead. Bi Lan stifled a laugh, clearing her throat before apologizing, "Miss Wu, are you alright?" "Fine, I’m totally fine," Wu Yingying assured, pressing a finger with a gentle glow against the bump, diminishing it instantly. Apart from glistening eyes, she seemed unscathed. Relieved, Bi Lan looked behind Wu Yingying. "Isn’t Sister Zuo with you?" At the mention, Wu Yingying's mood dimmed. She shook her head, unwilling to elaborate, and simply said, "Sister Zuo has her own things to do. I don’t want to be a burden." Uncertain, Yan Zhao merely offered, "You can stay with us." Bi Lan was surprised, discreetly glancing at Yan Zhao, doubting her sudden change in demeanor. Could two years really alter someone this much? Yan Zhao had never shown this kind of kindness to a mere acquaintance before. Wu Yingying brightened, grinned, "You're really nice!" Yan Zhao didn’t dwell, turning to continue. Wu Yingying then inquired of Bi Lan, "Have you encountered any monsters since entering?" Bi Lan shook her head, "Not yet." "I see," Wu Yingying replied, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment. She was quite curious about what those monsters looked like. The passage wasn't long, and they soon reached the end. Their view suddenly broadened to reveal a dim expanse of wilderness. A cold wind howled across the barren landscape, stretching into endless darkness with no signs of life in sight. Wu Yingying held a luminous stone above her head, its pale light radiating only about ten paces out. Bi Lan asked Yan Zhao, "Which way should we go?" Without consulting the little fox this time, Yan Zhao listened to Xiao Jin’s anxious murmurs and decisively headed deeper into the wilderness. Bi Lan and Wu Yingying hurried to follow her. All of a sudden, the ground not far ahead collapsed, emitting strange crunching noises from below. Monstrous creatures with hideous features burst forth from the earth, lunging at the trio. Bi Lan and Wu Yingying both started, alarmed and scrambling to respond. Yan Zhao frowned in silence. Extralensional spirits? Aren’t these fiends only supposed to appear in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm? Bi Lan summoned verdant vines to bind the beasts, but the creatures seemed immune to pain. Even with limbs torn off, they remained vigorous. One monster fell apart, its torso and limbs scattered, yet somehow it kept moving, limbs twitching across the ground. A dismembered hand flopped towards Wu Yingying, startling her into tossing several talismans meant to exorcise and purify. Though the monster was suppressed within a small area, it stubbornly refused to die. Suddenly, two flashes of sword energy sliced through the air, striking the monster's head. With a sharp crack, its skull shattered, and the body fell lifeless. Bi Lan and Wu Yingying turned to see Yan Zhao calmly sheathe her sword. Imitating the teaching from Nangong Yin, Yan Zhao informed the two, "The weak spot of these monsters is the head." Chapter 205 Though these monsters resembled extralensional spirits, they were far less formidable. Yan Zhao, at the early stage of the Golden Core, dispatched them effortlessly with a flick of her sword, indicating their weakness—they were at most comparable to the early stage of the Body Refinement Realm. Wu Yingying clapped her hands and cheered, "Miss Nian, you're amazing!" Embarrassed by the praise, Yan Zhao couldn’t help but smile back at Wu Yingying's bright and infectious grin, inadvertently softening her demeanor. Her smile dispelled the icy stiffness in her aura, rendering her more approachable. Bi Lan watched Yan Zhao handle the sword, secretly impressed and once again questioning her judgment. This young woman from the Beast Taming Sect, though she kept a white spirit fox like the Yan Zhao she remembered, bore little else in common with her former junior sister aside from the occasional similarity in manner and temperament. Just then, a clear jingle emanated from the bundle in Yan Zhao’s arms. Looking down, Yan Zhao noticed the little fox holding up their Immortal Talisman. The golden token glowed faintly. "A clearing key!" Bi Lan and Wu Yingying exclaimed in unison. The Immortal Talisman sensed the direction of the clearing key, aligning with Xiao Jin's instincts. Bi Lan was rather astonished. Could Yan Zhao have known all along? Wu Yingying was excited, "Quick, let's go! We’re really lucky; we need to get it before someone else does!" "I'm not looking forward to the moon, but the encounter with you." If you choose to donate, please note the website is non-profit and supports server costs. To avoid getting lost, visit the donation page for contact information! 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