231 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

High above the clouds, Ying Xiao's expression changed drastically as he stared in the direction of the golden light. "Divine Source Fruit?!" With a roar, the ancient dragon spread its wings and charged towards the dark silhouette before it. Nan Gong Yin swung her bloodshadow spear in a wide arc, striking the neck of the ancient dragon with unerring precision. The dragon’s grayish-white scales were cracked and mottled, stained with blood. Nan Gong Yin wasn’t unscathed either; although her mystical robe appeared intact, she had suffered several internal injuries. As Ying Xiao had mentioned, the harm left by the Demon-Slayer Sword hadn’t fully healed. Being a demon in the human realm had already diminished her powers. Facing off alone against a formidable extraterrestrial being seemed like a mutual loss on the surface, but internally, she was at the brink of her hidden injuries erupting, her situation precarious. Just then, an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy surged from the earth. Ying Xiao’s desperate shout reached her ears. Su Zi Jun retreated with severe injuries, while Yao Shen Zi spat out blood, leaving only Yuan Hai Zhen Ren with lighter wounds, but he too was left powerless after being repelled by Yun Dao Zi’s strike. Yun Dao Zi, with tattered clothes but a maniacal look, kept his mismatched black and red eyes fixed on Yan Zhao. "Divine Source Fruit!" Of all the calculations, they never accounted for the seal breaking prematurely. The scent of the Divine Source Fruit dispersed between heaven and earth, and every eye simultaneously converged upon the glowing golden light. Ren Qing Yue etched a contract symbol on Yan Zhao’s forehead, and the last shred of Yan Zhao’s consciousness did not resist. In the next instant, the contract was sealed, binding their souls together. Simultaneously, an unending flow of vitality surged from her, channeling through the contract to Yan Zhao. Resting in Ren Qing Yue’s arms, Yan Zhao’s pale face visibly regained a hint of color. Ren Qing Yue gently caressed Yan Zhao’s serene, slumber-like features, wiping away the blood foam from her lips with her thumb. Breathing in Yan Zhao's thick iron scent, Ren Qing Yue lowered her eyes, grief-stricken. A warm drop fell, landing with a soft drip at the corner of Yan Zhao’s eye. Ren Qing Yue softly called, "Ah Zhao, don't sleep, wake up." Yan Zhao’s eyelashes fluttered, as if truly hearing her call, a narrow slit slowly peeled open. She opened her eyes, a faint golden radiance flickering within them. The hand on her face froze abruptly. Yan Zhao looked up, meeting Ren Qing Yue’s stunned gaze. A bloodied hand shot forth like lightning, threatening venomous harm upon someone. Yet, just as it was about to strike its target, the hand abruptly halted, suspended mid-air, unable to move further. Yan Zhao lifted her torso to shield Ren Qing Yue, blocking her eyes with her body while covering her ears with a reverse grip. In an instant, a red glimmer flashed in her eyes as she locked gazes with Yun Dao Zi, who was extremely close. "Get lost." Chapter 250 Her calm voice drifted into Yun Dao Zi’s ears. It pierced with the sharpness of an arrow, accompanied by a resonant buzzing. The rules of the world seemed to warp at that moment, as if a heavy hammer struck Yun Dao Zi. Under immense pressure, the creaking of bones resounded through his body, and in the next instant, an unstoppable torrent devoured him. As his body went weightless, he was hurled backwards like a ragdoll. Boom— Yun Dao Zi’s back crashed against the forbidden array, and the immense force ricocheted through him, shaking his internal organs. In a flash, his organs shifted, and his vitals shattered. A bitter taste rose in his throat, and he coughed up a mist of blood. His swollen eyes widened in disbelief, staring down at the damp bloodstain on his chest. Suspended momentarily in mid-air, he fell along the boundary of the forbidding array. With his remaining strength, he struck a palm before landing, avoiding a careless death by impact. Not far away, Yuan Hai Zhen Ren watched in shock, hearing the sequential cries of Yun Dao Zi and Ying Xiao, his face displaying undisguised surprise and doubt. "Divine Source Fruit?" Yao Shen Zi was no stranger to witnessing Yan Zhao’s prowess, initially thinking it was some formidable bloodline power. Only now did he realize that it was the might of the Divine Source Fruit. Did Yan Yuan Qing indeed steal it from the celestial realm and hide it in Yan Zhao? Or perhaps, Yan Zhao herself was that fruit? Su Zi Jun, having seen the power of the Divine Source Fruit for the first time, was left shaken, but also finally understood. No wonder the celestial realm's people went to great lengths to obtain the Divine Source Fruit. Truly, this power from beyond the realms was extraordinary—prolonging life for a hundred thousand years, turning words into laws, and becoming a rule unto itself. It resembled a monster even more than her mother, Yan Yuan Qing. Ying Xiao froze just as he was about to act, watching as Yan Zhao's words alone left Yun Dao Zi severely injured. Ying Xiao stopped dead in his tracks, thoughts racing. He turned his gaze towards the ancient dragon, which had pushed Nan Gong Yin to the brink. With the Divine Source Fruit now revealed, Nan Gong Yin's life seemed insignificant. Ying Xiao changed the hand sign he was forming, and the roar from the ancient dragon echoed. The three heads of the dragon aimed separately, their disjointed movements causing them to clash, struggling for a moment before realigning. The dragon's roar split the air; Nan Gong Yin, with her old wounds still unhealed and new ones added, felt as though her organs were roasting over a fire. Thinking the giant dragon would press further, she didn’t expect it to suddenly turn away just when it was about to win. The ancient dragon’s wings flapped, and it flew like lightning toward its new target—Yan Zhao. After driving away Yun Dao Zi with a commanding shout, Yan Zhao released her grip on Ren Qing Yue’s ears. She was about to step back when her vision darkened, an immense shadow falling from the sky, enveloping her and Ren Qing Yue. Yan Zhao had no time for words; she wrapped her arms around Ren Qing Yue and leaped away with her. The dragon breath turned into a fiery column, sweeping the ground, forcing Yan Zhao back time and again as it trailed relentlessly. Shielding Ren Qing Yue with her durable body, Yan Zhao remained unharmed, unlike the disciples of the Yun Sect, who found no refuge on the battlefield and became collateral damage. Dozens of Yun Sect disciples couldn’t evade the dragon breath and those in the core of the fiery column, where temperatures peaked, evaporated on the spot with mere contact. A moment prior, it had been a joyous occasion for celebration; now, it had devolved into an earthly hell. The flames continued to spread, threatening to consume more lives. Yuan Hai Zhen Ren, with a sweep of his dust whisk, summoned water energy from the heavens, creating a cascade of ice. Snow met fire and melted instantly, smothering the blaze that had claimed hundreds of innocents. Yao Shen Zi, regaining his composure, pulled out bottles of medicine, distributing pills freely to the injured. Seeing this, it was unclear who first initiated it, but both Yun Sect disciples and visiting cultivators from other sects began to converge on Yuan Hai Zhen Ren and Yao Shen Zi. Su Zi Jun glanced over the desperate faces and sighed. With Yan Zhao and Ren Qing Yue’s contract sealed and the Divine Source Fruit’s seal broken, it seemed they required no further worry. Thus, Su Zi Jun raised her voice and asked, "Among you, how many can set arrays?!" A ripple of agitation passed through the crowd, and soon three individuals stepped forward. Bi Lan, an inner disciple of Tianzhu Peak, was among them. Bi Lan felt distraught internally. Ever since her parents cast her out, she was raised by the Xuanyuan family. Not long ago, a devastating fire razed their estate, leaving the Xuanyuan family in ruins, making Yun Sect her only refuge. Now, with the Yun Sect’s grand ceremony turning into chaos, witnessing countless deaths and devastation, she pondered her own fate as Yun Sect faced annihilation. If it wasn't for fate, Bi Lan could almost believe she was cursed, creating disaster wherever she went. Su Zi Jun’s call brought her back to reality. She then heard Su Zi Jun proclaim loudly, "The Immortal Alliance and Yun Sect, by trapping you here with disregard for your lives, have truly committed an outrage against both man and heaven!" That statement incited indignation among the crowd. They had been caught unprepared by the sudden turn of events. By the time they realized it, they were already ensnared in peril, each misstep threatening their very lives. Ying Xiao and Yun Dao Zi, in their constant cries of capturing demonic spies, showed little regard for innocent lives. Neither the ordinary disciples of Yun Sect nor the visiting cultivators cared about the outcome between the Immortal Alliance and the demons. With their lives at risk, the distinctions between demons and celestials, or other mystical beings, held no meaning. They merely wished to escape and survive. Su Zi Jun declared, "I have an array technique that requires ten skilled in array setting to serve as cores. Will any of you step forward?" Without hesitation, Bi Lan responded, "I can!" Yet, apart from the three led by Bi Lan, no one else stepped forward. People murmured anxiously within the crowd, but few were willing to stand out and take responsibility. The mediocrity of ordinary people often lies in their eagerness to vie for gains and their instinct to protect themselves in crisis. This is true for most humans. However, it is also this part of their mindset that is most susceptible to change. Su Zi Jun, understanding the genuine thoughts of these people amidst their panic, firmly guided them: "The more people that unite for this array, the stronger its defensive power. It can rival the protective great arrays of top-notch sects. In these chaotic times, only by uniting willingly can you save yourselves!" The murmuring within the crowd grew louder, and this time, more people stepped forward, willing to work with Su Zi Jun to set up the array. Su Zi Jun gathered these ten individuals to one spot and unfurled the array diagram for all to see. After succinctly explaining the intricacies of the array setup, Su Zi Jun looked up at everyone, her gaze circling around before resting on Bi Lan. "Do you understand?" Bi Lan nodded. "Understood." The others, though still somewhat unclear, had their doubts addressed as Su Zi Jun suddenly pointed to Bi Lan, tossing the array diagram to her. "You explain it to them." Bi Lan was momentarily stunned, caught off guard as Su Zi Jun had already begun organizing the rest, starting the array setup. Faced with several pairs of eyes watching, Bi Lan felt slightly uneasy. But time was ticking, and the situation in the square was growing more chaotic by the moment. The ancient dragon relentlessly chased Yan Zhao, indiscriminately attacking any humans that leapt into its view, and only the relentless efforts of Yuan Hai Zhen Ren and Yao Shen Zi were holding the creature at bay. She couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. So, in front of the group, Bi Lan opened the diagram and started explaining their doubts. Moments later, Su Zi Jun finished arranging the teams and approached Bi Lan and the others. "Are you ready?" Bi Lan put away the diagram, and the group responded in unison, "Ready." A flicker of appreciation appeared in Su Zi Jun's eyes as she looked at Bi Lan. After posing a few simple questions to confirm their understanding of the core principles of the array, she declared, "Let’s begin." Bi Lan and her group were tasked with handling the eastern side of the grand array, while Su Zi Jun personally oversaw the remaining three directions. The array was methodically arranged, with each of the ten individuals Su Zi Jun had chosen responsible for a portion of the talismans. When all the talismans joined end to end, forming a ring that enveloped everyone within, Su Zi Jun gave a command, prompting everyone in the array to exert their power simultaneously. The array lit up, establishing a new protective barrier within the forbidden formation set by the Immortal Alliance. As the protective formation solidified, the three-headed dragon unleashed a fiery breath toward the heavens, flames coalescing into meteor-like fireballs that rained down. The engulfing fireballs spread over a vast area, causing those within the array to instinctively panic. Some even closed their eyes in fear. Among them, except for a few elders of the Yun Sect with slight capabilities, most lacked high cultivation. Hundreds of outer disciples, having survived previous crises, were already wounded and weak. Bi Lan felt a growing sense of bewilderment. Could they really rely on just themselves to withstand the ancient dragon's assault? Amid her confusion and hesitation, a stern shout echoed: "Concentrate!" This voice, imbued with robust magical power, traveled far and wide, clearing the minds of all who heard it.