200 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Under the arena, the crowd's attention was collectively drawn to the battle. Zuo Xun glanced at the opponents faced by Yan Zhao and her team, eyebrows knitting tightly together. The restless agitation from the sleeve-dwelling insect mother reflected his own thoughts: this opponent was not easy. Xuan Yuan Mu and his two companions had also stepped down from the arena, taking a moment to rest. They too directed part of their attention towards the ongoing fight. At that moment, Chen Er exclaimed in surprise, "Is that him?" Ye Yan Ran asked her, "You know him?" "No, I don't," Chen Er replied decisively, "I just ran into him on the way here. He seemed strange somehow, giving me the creeps." Xuan Yuan Mu's expression turned serious, his gaze heavy with concern. Ye Yan Ran didn't inquire further, instead shifting her gaze towards the stage. Both teams took their positions with Yan Zhao's team and Song Pi's team standing several feet apart, eyeing each other. The overseeing elder rose and loudly announced, "Let the match begin! Stop at first contact!" As soon as his words fell, neither side moved. Yan Zhao gently stroked the small fox in her arms and set it on her shoulder. Then, drawing the sword at her waist, she poised herself for an attack. Wu Ying Ying took out a handful of elixirs, distributing them generously to Yan Zhao and Bi Lan, patting her chest in assurance, "Don't hold back. I might not have much else, but there's plenty of elixirs!" Yan Zhao, seeing no reason to refuse, accepted them happily. Bi Lan, noticing this, felt it inappropriate to decline as well. On the opposite side, the sword cultivator also unsheathed his sword, looking towards Song Pi for a nod before launching himself at Yan Zhao. Since Yan Zhao also wielded a sword, it was assumed she could exchange a few blows, giving him the chance to gauge their strength. The sound of slicing air accompanied a fierce rush towards her. In a blink, the opponent was upon Yan Zhao, sword aimed at her throat. Wow, Yan Zhao thought, do sword cultivators move this fast? Noticing Yan Zhao standing still, Wu Ying Ying called out in alarm, "Miss Yan!" Clang— The fox's tail struck the spiritual sword, altering its trajectory. Simultaneously, a force emanated from the sword tip, and his blade, as if caught in a vortex, diverted past Yan Zhao, continuing unstoppably beyond her shoulder. The sword cultivator found himself propelled forward. At the same moment, a chilling cold swept in. Alarm bells rang in the sword cultivator's mind as he prepared to withdraw, only to hear a crackling sound. Frost crept along his sleeve, rapidly forming and spreading until it encased her entire arm. The ice bound his hand to his sword. Had he not retreated quickly, half of his body might have been frozen! Finally realizing the situation, Yan Zhao made a finishing strike. With his arm encased in ice, breaking free required time. Forced to quickly retreat, he erected a protective aura against the incoming sword Qi, barely managing to withstand it. Effortlessly, the sword Qi dissipated against the protective field, not powerful enough to cause harm. The sword cultivator stumbled back several steps, astonishment overtaking his features. He wasn't shaken by the mystical fox's ability to wield ice magic, but rather by how unexpectedly weak Yan Zhao's strike had been. Anyone with a modicum of strength could tell that her sluggish response earlier was a perfect opening to counter him. Nonetheless, Yan Zhao's delayed reaction and feeble swing rendered her non-threatening. The sword cultivator concluded: she was nothing to worry about! His internal energy circulated, with a quick shudder of his arm shattering the ice, allowing him to resume wielding his sword. Song Pi frowned, mentally conveying, "Be cautious." A chill climbed up the sword cultivator's spine, immediately burdened by a heavy pressure. If he could conclude this battle without Song Pi needing to step in, it might earn Song Pi's admiration. With this goal in mind, the sword cultivator altered his stance and attacked again. The spirit fox was trouble, so this time he targeted Wu Ying Ying, the weakest among them. Wu Ying Ying was startled, instinctively raising her hands to shield her head, praying her protective artifact would work. Clang— The sound of metal echoed as a barrier opened from her compass, deflecting the sword Qi, while several vines emerged from the ground, binding the sword cultivator's legs like serpents. As the vines constricted, the sword cultivator's legs were forced together, unbalancing him and nearly toppling him over. Reacting swiftly, he cut through the vines with a reverse stroke, flipping in mid-air before landing closer to his opponents rather than further away. Bi Lan's brows furrowed deeply, anxiety weighing heavily on her. Though they had yet to take action, even one sword cultivator alone exerted overwhelming pressure on them. Wu Ying Ying, unaccustomed to combat, was encountering such a scenario for the first time. It turned out fighting a sword cultivator was thrillingly dangerous. If not for Yan Zhao and Bi Lan by her side, she would've likely been sliced apart already. The sword cultivator lunged again, and Bi Lan drew her sword to meet his advance. However, his prowess exceeded hers significantly, showcasing far superior swordsmanship. Within mere exchanges, her sword was disarmed. Wu Ying Ying paled, "Miss Bi!" Seeing the deadly arc approaching, Bi Lan's expression turned resigned. Unlucky with a too-powerful opponent, it seemed they could go no further, halting their progress here. Her hopes to face Xuan Yuan Mu directly were dashed. Missing this chance, reconciliation with Xuan Yuan Mu later seemed impossible, and Bi Lan felt a pang of regret. Just as the sword closed in on Bi Lan, her chance of salvation appeared. Yan Zhao darted like lightning, interposing herself between the sword cultivator and Bi Lan. The sword cultivator's pupils contracted. Given her early stunted reaction, how did this Golden Core early-stage cultivator suddenly move so fast! Yet his sword showed no sign of stopping. With a muted thud like cutting through tofu, the sword stabbed into Yan Zhao's body, halted by her ribs, piercing merely an inch. Despite being impaled, Yan Zhao remained unfazed, pressing her body forward. The harrowing sound continued as she forced the blade deeper, and the sword cultivator gasped, "Are you insane?" Yan Zhao said nothing, seizing the opportunity of his momentary stupor to grab his arm, immobilizing him, while calling out to the fox, "Go!" The little fox suppressed its urge to glance at Yan Zhao's wound, using the opportunity she provided to leap, landing on the sword cultivator's shoulder from hers. Then its tail swung, striking the sword cultivator's forehead with a thud like a hammer blow. His eyes rolled back as he slumped, releasing his sword before collapsing. To be safe, they tossed the sword cultivator to Bi Lan, who secured him with vines. Not yet reassured, Wu Ying Ying nervously approached, stuffing a toxin pill into his mouth to ensure ten days and nights of unconsciousness. Both arena and spectators were stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Song Pi scowled, and the fa xi behind him roused themselves. No one was more shocked than the seasoned masters observing. Senior Ying Xiao clicked his tongue in wonder, "This girl's cultivation isn't high, her skills middling, yet her actions constantly defy expectations." Whether discovering a hidden chamber, taming a tri-headed dragon publicly, or this—a self-harm tactic to deliver a crucial blow. Still impaled, her demeanor exuded calm. Su Zi Jun's brows furrowed slightly, Yao Shen Zi pursed his lips in silence, and Yuan Hai Zhen Ren cast a thoughtful look towards Yan Zhao. "What's it called again?" Yan Zhao pondered aloud, a glimmer of inspiration lighting her eyes, "Divide and conquer!" Bi Lan didn't respond to her comment. Her concern over Yan Zhao's injuries took precedence over strategy considerations. Hurrying to Yan Zhao's side, Bi Lan saw the blood-soaked front of her clothes and worriedly knitted her brow. "You're seriously injured, are you alright?" "No big deal," Yan Zhao replied, yanking the sword from her chest, causing a spurt of blood. Bi Lan: "..." Wu Ying Ying was terrified, "Miss Yan! Quick, take an elixir! Stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding!" The little fox returned to Yan Zhao's shoulder, its tail sweeping to coat the wound in thin ice, staunching the blood flow with a layer of frost. Across the stage, Song Pi remained expressionless while the fa xi behind him hesitated. Glancing at the unconscious sword cultivator, Song Pi remarked dismissively, "Useless." He had no choice but to take action himself. The temperature around them plummeted as the fa xi felt the biting chill, his throat moving slightly, "Senior Brother Song, I'll cover you." Song Pi responded, "No need." With that, he began walking towards Yan Zhao and her team. Behind him, the fa xi hesitated momentarily, not daring to take a step forward. Since Song Pi said there was no need for assistance, acting rashly would only provoke his anger. Yan Zhao's ears twitched as she heard the sound of slow, approaching footsteps. She looked up to see the emotionless expression of the man approaching her. The oppressive atmosphere rolled in like a tide, causing droplets of blood to splatter across her face as well as Bi Lan and Wu Ying Ying, who gasped in shock. What just happened?! They turned their heads in unison, only to witness Yan Zhao enveloped in a mist of blood, seemingly struck by invisible blades. Her body wavered violently. Though she managed to stay standing, her consciousness had already slipped away. A light breeze swept by, and Yan Zhao slowly crumbled to the ground. With a thud, blood splattered. "Miss Yan!" Wu Ying Ying's face turned ashen, and Bi Lan inhaled sharply. Beyond the pool of blood, the man stood silently, like a grim reaper guiding lost souls. Blood droplets sprayed near his feet, yet his shoes remained pristine, unstained. Bi Lan's pupils constricted, shock coursing through her: how can this be!? Two slicing sounds echoed as unseen blades slashed them, landing without the slightest warning. Bi Lan and Wu Ying Ying swayed and collapsed to the ground. Hearing the noise, Yan Zhao turned to see Bi Lan and Wu Ying Ying suddenly fall over. "?" Yan Zhao was perplexed. There was no sign, how could they have both just collapsed like that? Their expressions were filled with terror as if they'd seen something vile before passing out. Upon Yan Zhao's shoulder, the little fox's internal alarms blared: it's coming! It tentatively flicked its tail, alerting Yan Zhao to the danger. Yan Zhao turned and found Song Pi already standing before her. She met a gaze as deep as an abyss. He was looking at her too, the cold demeanor displaying a slowly forming frown. Twice now, and still she remained unaffected. At the same time, Yan Zhao thought: this was supposed to be a three-on-three match, so how did it end up being just her fighting alone? In Chapter 216, the audience beneath the arena erupted in disbelief. The two standing behind Yan Zhao had collapsed without any warning. Was it an illusion? But when was this enchantment cast? A shadow crossed Zuo Xun's eyes as he tapped his finger on the hidden insect in his sleeve. All around the floating islands, Yao Shen Zi's face was deeply furrowed with concern, Su Zi Jun's expression became frosty as she instinctively straightened up, projecting a weighty presence. Even the typically slow-witted Yan Zhao sensed something was off. Her face gradually tightened, expression growing serious: "Did you do something to them?" Song Pi raised an eyebrow, a teasing hint in his tone, "What do you think I did?" "..." Yan Zhao felt communicating with him was futile. If she knew, she wouldn’t have asked. But that didn’t matter; she needed to win this match regardless. Exhaling deeply, she adjusted the grip on her sword hilt and addressed Song Pi, "Bring it on." Song Pi narrowed his eyes. Despite her mediocre cultivation level, her movements were strange, and regular illusions seemed ineffective on her. Still, she wasn't worth the effort to set up a full illusionary array.