202 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

In the first half, she was ruthlessly overwhelmed by Song Pi, and in the second half, her own spirit pet pinned her down repeatedly. For the first time, Yan Zhao truly felt weak and powerless. Her chest burned with fierce determination, and a dark red glimmer flickered in her eyes. She wasn't without opportunities to counterattack; she had turned the tide in life-and-death situations before. If only... If she could seize control and make the Nine-Tailed Fox submit to her. But as Song Pi had said, did she really have to kill the Nine-Tailed Fox to break free from the illusion array and win this competition? What meaning would a victory hold if it required the sacrifice of her little fox? Yan Zhao retreated a foot, yet the Nine-Tailed Fox advanced a yard, pushing her to the ring's edge where she could retreat no further. The cold wind howled, and the biting chill was everywhere, leaving a mark like a knife wound below her eye. Nine tails cut off all her paths, and the shadow covered her head, as if victory and defeat had already been decided. Below the arena, Chen Er looked regretful for Yan Zhao and commented sorrowfully, "Who would have guessed her fox was a Nine-Tailed Fox? If it weren't for this man, she could have easily made it into the top three!" Ye Yan Ran, rarely, agreed with Chen Er's judgment and sighed, "Misfortune indeed, but the significance of the Immortal Gate disciples' tournament varies. With Young Miss Yan's aptitude, her future prospects are bright." Only Xuan Yuan Mu kept his focus on the ongoing battle, not distracted by the conversation around him. As the fight neared its end, everyone held their breath for Yan Zhao. Although her personal strength was somewhat lacking, being backstabbed by her spirit pet, a humiliating engagement, evoked sympathy. If the same thing happened to them, few would remain as composed as Yan Zhao. And few could endure being dominated for this long. On the arena, Yan Zhao was cornered by the Nine-Tailed Fox. Her heels were nearly at the stone edge, and beyond it was the protective array of the arena. If she fell out, the battle would end. But if she failed, her mother's keepsake would be taken. And if she failed, would her little fox ever awaken? Questions raced through her mind as the red light in her eyes gleamed and the flames of anger roared more fiercely. What should she do? Yan Zhao's hands clenched into fists, her shoulders trembled uncontrollably. She was engulfed in wrath, the redness in her eyes grew intense. Song Pi, who was watching the show from a distance, seemed to sense something and frowned. The Nine-Tailed Fox sensed the overwhelming energy radiating from Yan Zhao, a cold glint passed through its eyes, and it attacked without hesitation, nine long tails lunging towards Yan Zhao. Yan Zhao silently recited the incantation for the divine movement spell and appeared before the fox in a flash, reaching out to touch its head. This little fox yearned for freedom and wouldn’t willingly contract with her, so the only way to turn the tables was using her innate secret art to forcibly control the Nine-Tailed Fox. But when she touched the fox's forehead, feeling the warmth of its fur, Yan Zhao was taken aback. The redness in her eyes cleared momentarily. Forcing the little fox like this—how was it any different from the man manipulating it now? Nan Gong Yin’s cautions rang in her ears: don't use your bloodline powers; fight using your wisdom and skills. Even if she had been slow to understand, the series of events had slowly made her realize that the power sealed within her was a taboo not meant for the open. If she used such an eerie spell under the watchful eyes of so many, she would face irreversible consequences. She wasn’t afraid of incurring hatred or contempt, but she feared that if her identity was exposed, she wouldn’t be able to retrieve her mother's keepsake, hindering her plan to resurrect her mother. Therefore, she absolutely couldn't do it. In a flash of clarity, Yan Zhao returned to her senses. She pressed down on the fox’s head with force and leapt over its back. The Nine-Tailed Fox, head held high and menacing, froze. Its fierce eyes revealed a hint of bewilderment. A small warmth spread from its brow, stirring memories. As it hesitated, blood shadows from all around rushed in. The fox’s neck was trapped by the tail of a blood shadow, choking it, struggling helplessly as the peculiar sensation quickly vanished, instinctively twisting its body to continue fighting the shadows. Yan Zhao hadn’t expected to smoothly pass through the gaps between the Nine Tails. Upon landing, with no concern for the fox possibly pursuing her, she used the divine movement spell without hesitation, charging straight towards Song Pi. Song Pi, by the copper lamp, raised an eyebrow and sneered, "What, think defeating me will break the illusion array?" Her logic wasn’t wrong, yet even with the help of her spirit pet, she hadn’t managed to defeat him before. What more could she do now, especially when exhausted by the Nine-Tailed Fox? Besides, there was still a formidable beast with a muddled mind. Song Pi remained composed, waiting for Yan Zhao. As she dashed forward, her wrist flipped, drawing her sword and slashing several strikes at him. The feeble sword strikes were easily dismissed with a flick of his sleeve. Yan Zhao didn’t stop moving; she could hear the Nine-Tailed Fox turning, chasing after her. Song Pi clearly had no intent to engage fully with her; he balanced the copper lamp in one hand, parrying her with the other, shifting his stance repeatedly. Yan Zhao couldn’t even touch his hem. Song Pi, like a cat toying with a mouse, made Yan Zhao spin in circles while he used the least effort to not only enjoy a good show but also easily clinch a victory. Everything was under his control. Thunk— A metallic ringing startled Song Pi. Yan Zhao's sword thrust was a feigned move; instead, her true intention was abandoning her sword to swiftly slip past him, targeting the copper lamp he held. Her bloodied hand grasped the adjacent handle, blood covering the lamp's surface, and her soul force seeped in, making the flame inside flicker violently. At this moment, Song Pi’s expression changed. Yan Zhao tightened her grip, smearing more blood on the lamp. Song Pi's mind was disrupted, his head buzzing; he could feel a force colliding with him. Yan Zhao was trying to sever his bond with the artifact! How could this be possible?! It’s a preposterous notion! Unless her soul force was ten times stronger than his! Sensing her intention, Song Pi smirked coldly and firmly grasped the other side of the lamp. The Nine-Tailed Fox was nearly upon her. In less than three heartbeats, this battle would conclude. Three. Two… Boom. In a violent clash, Song Pi’s vision blacked out, his body swayed. What? His head echoed loudly, thoughts sluggish and unclear about what happened. When his senses returned, he saw the flickering flame atop the copper lamp extinguish with a puff. The nine tails halted less than an inch from Yan Zhao's back. The Nine-Tailed Fox’s jade green eyes showed confusion. Moments later, an overwhelming fury surged, and the nine tails coiled around Song Pi like a vice. Song Pi was stunned, first puzzled, then swiftly shifting to shock and then fear. Before him, not far away, Yan Zhao was examining the large copper lamp, nearly taller than herself. She tapped its column, "How do you use this thing?" She executed a small ignition spell towards the lamp's core. The flame ignited. Song Pi's pupils shrank. The scene around abruptly changed, finding himself entwined and suspended by vines. Below, a swarming mass of black serpents slithered. The snakes climbed the tree trunk. Branches creaked under the weight. "Ahhhhhh!!!" · Song Pi lay on the ground, paralyzed with fear, screaming wretchedly. Finding it irritating, Yan Zhao kicked his temple, silencing him. Everyone stood in shock, speechless. Yao Shen Zi relaxed his shoulders, only then realizing the pain in his jaw. He glanced down, clutching a handful of his own pulled-out beard. "......" Already sparse, his beard lost yet another tuft. Not far from Yao Shen Zi, Su Zi Jun showed no overt reaction, yet her eyebrows slightly relaxed, an indication of her relief. Below the arena, Chen Er gasped, "What a twist! Young Miss Yan is truly impressive! I underestimated her!" On the platform, after incapacitating Song Pi with a kick, Yan Zhao turned her gaze to the lone remaining female spellcaster across from her. With the Nine-Tailed Fox at her back, she asked nonchalantly, "Still want to fight?" Chapter 218 Fight? What fight! If Song Pi couldn’t handle Yan Zhao, what chance did she stand? Was she going to throw her life away? Moreover, behind Yan Zhao, the Nine-Tailed Fox glared menacingly, its eerie green eyes were enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. The spellcaster immediately waved her hands in refusal, "No, no more fighting!" As she spoke, she stepped back, missing her footing, and tumbled off the edge of the platform. The supervising elder announced, "In the fourth match, Team Wu Earth is victorious!" The outcome was truly unexpected, proving that until the very last moment, no one could predict the final result. Magical transmission arrays lit up on the ground, whisking away Song Pi’s team from the Mirror Platform, but the copper lamp remained in Yan Zhao's possession. Understanding its usage, Yan Zhao extinguished the flame at the lamp’s core with a sleeve, publicly stowing the lamp into her storage pouch. She couldn’t fathom why such a hefty object wasn’t stored in a pouch by Song Pi, instead of being lugged around everywhere. Her blatant act of appropriation wasn’t against the competition rules, so the elders turned a blind eye. Once the dust settled, the supervising elders addressed the twelve remaining Immortal Gate disciples around the ring, "The second round is over. Please rest for a while." Behind Yan Zhao, the Nine-Tailed Fox swished its tails, transforming into a smaller, familiar form. A fluffy ball no larger than her two palms. With a tinkle of a bell, the little fox leaped into Yan Zhao's embrace. Her arm sank slightly as she felt the warm mass burrow against her. The fox nestled its head close to her heart, its little face buried deep in the crook of her arm, perhaps ashamed of being controlled by another’s illusion. Holding back a chuckle, Yan Zhao reached out to ruffle the little fox’s head. Its small, sharp ears folded under her touch, only to spring back through her fingers. As the battle-induced fury waned, a gentle and soothing calm enveloped Yan Zhao's heart. Like roots planted firmly in the earth, she felt a newfound resilience against sudden adversities, gaining deeper insight into life’s uncertainties. She sensed she was no longer mindlessly swept along by fate; despite her limited ability to defy it, she began to form her own thoughts and perceptions, taking active steps in making choices. With the illusions dissipated, Bi Lan and Wu Ying Ying gradually awoke to find the arena empty except for Yan Zhao standing quietly alone. They hadn’t yet grasped what had transpired. Wu Ying Ying, recalling the last moments before she fainted, let out a startled cry, "Young Miss Yan!" Hearing her, Yan Zhao turned, seeing Bi Lan and Wu Ying Ying getting back on their feet. Her expression softened into a smile, "You’re awake."