219 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

"Ms. Mu Xiao, this way, please." Bi Lan was taken aback, while Xuan Yuan Mu's eyes flickered with emotion. She knew this person; she'd grown up in the Xuan Yuan family under their gaze. Who would have thought that the vicissitudes of life would change their relationship so drastically? She guided Yan Zhao and the Nine-tailed Fox through the crowd, leaving behind a final piece of advice: "A wise bird chooses a good tree to nest in. The Xuan Yuan tree has fallen; find a new path for yourselves." With that, she departed without further hesitation, not caring whether those behind heeded her words. Upon leaving the Xuan Yuan territory, the Nine-tailed Fox transformed back into a Little Fox, nestling in Yan Zhao's embrace. Yan Zhao felt the damp blood on its tail and was distressed. "I clearly gave you a protective tool, why didn't you use it?" The Little Fox thought to itself: It wasn’t a life-and-death situation; using it would have been wasteful. Who knows if an even greater crisis lies just around the corner? It pulled its tail back forcefully, avoiding Yan Zhao's attempts to tend to its wound. With the slightest movement, the little bell at its ankle jingled softly. Bi Lan and Xuan Yuan Mu walked ahead, their ears pricking at the sound, and they subtly turned to glance behind them. Yan Zhao, while admonishing the fox for causing worry, retrieved some precious dragon saliva to apply to its injured tail. The Little Fox, recognizing the familiar small bottle, bristled with anxiety. Before Yan Zhao could unscrew the cap, it leaped deftly from her arms. "Hey! Why are you running away?" Yan Zhao called after it, "Come back for your medicine!" The Little Fox paid no heed, preferring discomfort over having that "medicine" applied to its tail. Without a backward glance, it darted off, hopping onto Bi Lan's shoulder in just a few bounds. Bi Lan was startled, stopping in her tracks. Yan Zhao, fuming and holding the small bottle, caught up with them, shouting, "You ungrateful smelly fox!" The Little Fox bared its teeth, quarreling with Yan Zhao from the safety of Bi Lan’s shoulder: You're calling me smelly? You’re the one who’s smelly, carrying a bottle of spit around! Yan Zhao halted suddenly, her gaze snapping elsewhere. "Hey, what's that?" Bi Lan, Xuan Yuan Mu, and the Little Fox turned simultaneously. There was nothing but empty space. The Little Fox hesitated briefly before a hand reached over, grabbing its scruff and pulling it off Bi Lan's shoulder. Then it found itself firmly pinned in Yan Zhao's embrace. No matter its struggles, Yan Zhao managed to coat its entire tail in a thick layer of dragon saliva, matting its white fur into clumps that emitted a noxious odor. The Little Fox, utterly defeated, feigned death by closing its eyes. Bi Lan and Xuan Yuan Mu watched silently: "..." "Done." Yan Zhao clapped her hands, parted the matted fur to inspect the tail, and, upon confirming the wound was visibly healing, looked relieved. Bi Lan and Xuan Yuan Mu turned away in unison, pretending nothing had occurred. Late that night, Yan Zhao and her companions returned to the Brilliant Treasure Hall. Surprisingly, the hall remained brightly lit, though it should have been dark by this hour. As soon as they crossed its threshold, Yan Zhao felt an overwhelming pressure. Darkness briefly clouded her vision, and in an instant, she found herself magically transported to the grand hall of the sect. Seated prominently was Su Zi Jun, her expression stern, while beside her, Yao Shen Zi appeared troubled. Even Yuan Hai Zhen Ren was present, his usually placid demeanor tinged with mild displeasure. Caught off guard, Yan Zhao stood bewildered. Xuan Yuan Mu and Bi Lan immediately sensed something was amiss. They knew Yao Shen Zi was Yan Zhao's master, and Su Zi Jun her godmother. The two stepped forward simultaneously, shielding Yan Zhao as they respectfully greeted their elders. Xuan Yuan Mu spoke in a respectful tone, "Taking Yan here without permission was a lapse in my judgment, for which I sincerely apologize. Please forgive my oversight." Concerned Su Zi Jun might truly blame Xuan Yuan Mu, Bi Lan added hurriedly, "Sister Mu and Sister Yan left to rescue me from my predicament. If blame is due, blame me!" Su Zi Jun said nothing, peering past Bi Lan and Xuan Yuan Mu to focus on Yan Zhao. Yan Zhao was evidently clueless about the gravity of the situation, her demeanor completely unaffected by any sense of wrongdoing. "Zhao'er," Su Zi Jun called out sharply. Yan Zhao snapped to attention, cheerfully responding, "I'm here!" Su Zi Jun's tone was stern. "At this late hour, where are you returning from?" Yan Zhao replied truthfully, "The Xuan Yuan estate." Su Zi Jun inquired further, "When did you leave?" "Around sunset... should be youshi," Yan Zhao pondered for a moment before answering. Su Zi Jun's expression grew complex. She had arrived in a fury, intent on admonishment, yet Yan Zhao's seamless candor left her questioning her own intentions. Yao Shen Zi's eyebrows twitched, unable to suppress a smile, while Yuan Hai Zhen Ren’s furrowed brow relaxed. Observing the exchange, he recalled moments reprimanding his own disciple, Chen Er, finding the experience akin to punching cotton—utterly inefficacious. Sympathy for Su Zi Jun's helplessness washed over him. Su Zi Jun sighed, letting go of her inner agitation as her voice softened. "Why did you leave Brilliant Treasure Hall so suddenly without informing me?" Yan Zhao replied honestly, "It happened so fast, I simply forgot." Without embellishing, she admitted to forgetting, rather than claiming a lack of time. Realizing the need for directness with Yan Zhao, Su Zi Jun paused, choosing her words carefully. "Zhao'er, many covet the Qing Shuang Sword you acquired at the competition. Leaving unexpectedly puts you at risk of being targeted by evildoers." Yan Zhao, still reeling from her Xuan Yuan escapade, found herself agreeing with Su Zi Jun's logic and nodded in acknowledgment. "Godmother, you’re absolutely right." However, she couldn’t remain in Brilliant Treasure Hall indefinitely. Once Ah Yin returned, she intended to venture to Nian Qing Mountain. As Yan Zhao pondered voicing her thoughts, Su Zi Jun continued, "I'm not limiting your movement or forbidding you from leaving Brilliant Treasure Hall. I'm merely saying, if anything happens to you, I will worry." "Really?" Yan Zhao's eyes widened in surprise. Su Zi Jun found herself slightly ill-at-ease under Yan Zhao's unwavering gaze. For Su Zi Jun, being a godmother was a new, somewhat awkward experience. Especially in front of an audience that included Yuan Hai Zhen Ren and the observing Yao Shen Zi. She thus turned aside, adding, "Your master is naturally concerned as well, isn’t that right, Yao Shen Zi?" Yao Shen Zi nodded enthusiastically, "Indeed, indeed." Su Zi Jun: "..." "Ahem," Su Zi Jun cleared her throat, "In short, before deciding to go anywhere, I hope you notify me first, rather than leave Brilliant Treasure Hall on a whim." Yan Zhao's eyes sparkled, and Su Zi Jun's previously stern visage appeared to glow with wisdom. Eager to comply, Yan Zhao agreed, "I understand, godmother." Xuan Yuan Mu and Bi Lan exchanged a glance, mutually reassured: their worries were unfounded. Moments earlier, the hall seethed with an undercurrent of tension. But now, calmness prevailed. As Su Zi Jun regained her composure, she shifted topics, "Why did you go to the Xuan Yuan estate?" Yan Zhao eagerly responded, "I asked Bi Lan about breaking the Spirit Sealing Nails, and she suggested consulting ancient texts at the Xuan Yuan estate, arranging to meet in three days. But when she didn’t show, Xuan Yuan Mu said she was in trouble, so we went to check—and she truly was!" Bi Lan elaborated, "The head of the family confined me, forbidding my departure." Xuan Yuan Mu glanced at her sideways, perceiving Bi Lan’s words as a diplomatic effort to protect the Xuan Yuan family's reputation despite the circumstances. Su Zi Jun showed little interest in the reason behind Bi Lan's captivity, but another phrase caught her attention. Thus, she asked, "Did you find a method to counter the Spirit Sealing Nails?" "Yes." Bi Lan produced a jade slip from her storage pouch. Fortunately, Xuan Yuan Kai had merely detained her without confiscating her belongings. Su Zi Jun requested, "May I see it?" Bi Lan glanced at Yan Zhao, who nodded without hesitation. With a confirmed method in hand, the chances of healing Little Jin's injury increased significantly. Bi Lan respectfully offered the jade slip with both hands. With a slight gesture, Su Zi Jun summoned the slip into her grasp. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. Shortly thereafter, she trembled and her eyes flew open, a cold glint briefly visible within them. Yao Shen Zi and Yuan Hai Zhen Ren both noticed the change in her demeanor and realized something was amiss. They turned to her, their eyes questioning. Yan Zhao craned her neck, inquiring eagerly, "Godmother, how is it?" Su Zi Jun, her breath heavy with suppressed emotions, did not answer Yan Zhao. Instead, she turned to Bi Lan, asking, "What is your interpretation?" Bi Lan replied, "I've encountered the Xuan Mountain Jade Bone Mine mentioned in the ancient texts." "The Xuan Mountain Jade Bone Mine?" Xuan Yuan Mu echoed, surprise evident, "Isn't that type of mineral found only in the southern reaches of Tianchen?" The term 'Xuan Mountain Jade Bone' originated from the fact that the soil and rocks where this mineral is found are primarily black, while the mineral itself is jade-like in texture, resembling the bones of the earth when buried underground. The formation of this mineral is complex, requiring specific balanced climatic conditions. Legend has it that the Xuan Mountain Jade Bone forms in places where numerous people have died together, their intense yin energy converging, with their flesh and bones refining over eons. Outside of the southern region of Tianchen, Xuan Mountain Jade Bone does not occur naturally. Moreover, in recent years, high-quality samples have become increasingly rare, making this material extremely valuable and coveted. Bi Lan nodded, "Indeed." She flipped her palm and produced a palm-sized piece of jade-like mineral from her storage pouch, offering it to Su Zi Jun. "Please, have a look." Su Zi Jun took the small piece of Xuan Mountain Jade Bone. It was neither metal nor jade; its surface was smooth yet hard as iron. Despite her strength, she couldn’t easily crush it. After careful observation, Su Zi Jun confirmed that the mineral contained energy similar to that within the Spirit Sealing Nails. It seemed the Spirit Sealing Nails embedded in Little Jin's body were indeed crafted from Xuan Mountain Jade Bone. Throwing the jade bone back to Bi Lan, she asked, "Where did you acquire this mineral?" Bi Lan took a deep breath, sensing the approaching storm. Only after exhaling did she speak with resignation. "From the southern Tianchen, at the foot of Fuyun Sect's mountain." Chapter 237 "Fuyun Sect!" Su Zi Jun's face grew cold. It was as she suspected. When she read in the ancient texts that Spirit Sealing Nails were forged from Xuan Mountain Jade Bone, she connected the dots, deducing the mineral's origin. Xuan Yuan Mu also grasped the gravity of the situation with a stern expression. Recently, Fuyun Sect had been mired in incident after incident. Not long ago, they barely quelled the Walking Corpse disaster, only for someone to secretly release video recordings during the Immortal Sect Disciple Conference, dredging up past events. Now, the issue of the Spirit Sealing Nails pointed toward Fuyun Sect as well. If true, then the black-clad figures who ambushed the Fox Emperor's entourage in the Xuan Huang Secret Realm were likely connected to Fuyun Sect. Each singular event might have been shrouded in mystery, but collectively, they hinted at a single conclusion: the critical clue lies within Fuyun Sect. Yan Zhao, full of curiosity, peered at them. "What are you talking about?" From the moment Su Zi Jun mentioned "Xuan Mountain Jade Bone," the conversation veered into topics she couldn't follow. Wasn't the discussion supposed to be about the Spirit Sealing Nails earlier? Su Zi Jun glanced at Yan Zhao, reminding her, "Zhao'er, remember when I told you, 'To unseal a bell, you must find the one who tied it'? To resolve the Spirit Sealing Nails, we must first locate the creator." Yan Zhao nodded, "I remember." Su Zi Jun tossed the jade slip to Yan Zhao, stating succinctly, "The one who forged the Spirit Sealing Nails is likely within Fuyun Sect." "What?" Yan Zhao was astonished, "In Fuyun Sect?" But Fuyun Sect’s domain was vast, and its elders and disciples numbered in the thousands. How could she possibly identify the culprit? Yan Zhao voiced her concern honestly, and Yuan Hai Zhen Ren then spoke. "Using such a special artifact to suppress your spirit pet, instead of killing it outright, suggests ulterior motives." Su Zi Jun nodded. "Indeed, when you were in the Xuan Huang Secret Realm wearing the Thousand Illusion Mask, they likely didn’t recognize you as Yan Zhao. However, at the recent Immortal Sect Disciple Conference, your identity has probably been exposed."