234 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Yan Zhao and Ren Qing Yue observed the scene briefly. Seeing Xiao Jin being relentlessly attacked by its opponent but only managing cries and not retaliating, Yan Zhao's expression turned grave, her brow furrowing gradually. Throughout the battle, Xiao Jin primarily relied on defense and evasion, accompanied by its fierce roars and howls. Despite its recent recovery, and seemingly being larger than its opponent, the gray three-headed dragon from the Xian Meng showed signs of wear; it was often subjected to torture such as electrocution and bone penetration, resulting in its dull scales with missing patches and fragmentation. Logically, the two ancient dragons should have been evenly matched. However, the current situation was clearly one-sided. Xiao Jin stayed on the defensive and didn't counterattack, and its seemingly angry roars seemed to have another underlying cause. "It's trying to mediate," Ren Qing Yue suddenly said, informing Yan Zhao. "Xiao Jin wants the other ancient dragon to stop." A servant-master bond existed between Yan Zhao and Xiao Jin, while Ren Qing Yue and Yan Zhao were closely connected through a newly formed soul bond. Emotions could be conveyed through these bonds, though somewhat diluted through the layers. Even so, Ren Qing Yue could vaguely sense Xiao Jin's imminent urgency and anxiety. Yan Zhao could also feel Xiao Jin's emotions but couldn't interpret them as clearly as Ren Qing Yue. "So, that's it," Yan Zhao realized after Ren Qing Yue explained. However, the three-headed dragon was already under the influence of the Xian Meng, driven to a state of madness without rational thought. No matter how bloodily Xiao Jin pleaded, it was futile. Yan Zhao recalled the sights when she left the Ming Jing Altar earlier, feeling a wave of sorrow well up inside her. The gray giant dragon's eyes were blood-red, and the more Xiao Jin tried to stop it, the more enraged it became. Suddenly, its central massive head lunged forward, biting into Xiao Jin's right neck, tearing its flesh apart. Xiao Jin's cries of pain filled the air. Nan Gong Yin's grip tightened on her blood-red spear, ready to assist, but before she could move, a sharp pain struck her chest, and she felt the metallic taste of blood force its way up her throat, unable to resist vomiting a mouthful of blood. Yuan Hai Zhen Ren, Su Zi Jun, and Yao Shen Zi were protecting the group of innocent cultivators caught in the turmoil. Over time, the array set up by Su Zi Jun began to weaken, and the residual shockwaves from the dragon battle had become lethal, keeping them unable to extricate themselves. Dong Fang Ci Xin was busy healing Zuo Xun and couldn't spare any attention elsewhere. Ren Qing Yue gripped the Exorcist Sword tightly, intending to strike down the ancient dragon. Yan Zhao restrained her with a hand, prompting a slight frown from Ren Qing Yue: "If we continue like this, Xiao Jin will die!" This giant dragon, enslaved by the Xian Meng, had turned into a monstrous beast, killing countless innocents. Death was not a punishment for it, but liberation. Yan Zhao remained silent, but her actions spoke her resolve. She tapped the ground with the tip of her toes, propelling herself into the air and gracefully landing on Xiao Jin's back. The gray ancient dragon, seeing her approach, flashed crimson in its eyes. It quickly released Xiao Jin and opened its three large mouths wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Yan Zhao's stature wasn't exactly formidable among humans, and against these two mountain-like ancient dragons, she appeared minuscule, like a sesame seed. A single dragon breath could pulverize her into oblivion. Yet she stood tall atop Xiao Jin, fearless, immovable as a mountain. Yan Zhao's bloodstained clothes billowed in the fierce wind, making a resounding noise, exuding an aura of fearless determination. Nan Gong Yin felt a momentary distraction. At that moment, she perceived a familiar quality from Yan Zhao. No matter the overwhelming forces, she was there, breaking through with a single sword. Nan Gong Yin's eyes moistened, her lips trembling softly, involuntarily whispering, "Yuan Qing." Our child has grown remarkably. Even though mother and daughter were separated for three hundred years, forcing Yan Zhao to grow up alone, Yan Zhao wasn't crushed by Fu Yun Sect. Instead, she developed an indomitable spirit even more resilient than others. A legacy passed down, unyielding and enduring. The dragon's breath poured down like a torrential rain, but Yan Zhao sprang into the air, stepping on her flying sword, and skillfully executed a travel spell, her offensive stance flowing smoothly. Her blood-stained hand pressed down on the dragon's towering head, and from her core, the divine essence fruit radiated a golden brilliance. The dragon tried to resist, its side heads turning towards Yan Zhao, its crimson eyes fixing on her. Behind Xiao Jin, its wings flapped, and its bull-like body rammed forward with force, pushing those two heads aside, preventing them from nearing Yan Zhao. In mid-air not far away, Ren Qing Yue held the Exorcist Sword, keeping a watchful eye on the situation, ready to intervene without hesitation if Yan Zhao was in danger. Yan Zhao pressed one hand on the dragon, her eyes glinting with gold, and uttered a series of strange notes. It was a language that didn't belong to the three realms. As the sound reached the dragon's ears, it coalesced into a clear command: "Kneel down, submit!" The dragon's consciousness detached from its body, its massive flesh yielding to the command, unable to resist this verbal force. With a thunderous crash, the ancient giant dragon collapsed to the ground, but from the spectator's view, it seemed as if Yan Zhao had forced it down with a single palm. Above the array outside, in the towering sky, Ying Xiao's expression changed dramatically. Yan Zhao's soul sense, through the blood hand seal, contended with the dragon's spirit. The divine essence fruit's pressure was unstoppable, leading to the dragon's spirit's complete collapse. It wasn't long before Yan Zhao found the mark inscribed by the Xian Meng within the ancient dragon's body. It wasn't even a proper contract, just a method to forcibly enrage the controlled subject, drive it to madness, and then exploit it. Yan Zhao, being a being born from the absorption of the divine essence fruit's power, inherently mastered the rules of power. With a single thought, the mark within the dragon was destroyed instantly. The dragon let out a long wail, its struggling force diminishing, as the blood-red shadow in its eyes slowly faded. When its consciousness finally cleared and it looked at Yan Zhao, there was no trace of ferocity left. Xiao Jin cheered and rushed to it, eager to communicate with it using the language of their bloodline heritage. The ancient dragon lay motionless on the ground, all six eyes still open, but its breath became fainter and fainter. Xiao Jin chatted away for a moment before sensing something was amiss and paused. Yan Zhao's hand remained on the dragon's head as her expression grew somber. The moment she came into contact with this dragon, she knew, despite this battle's outcome, whether victory or defeat, it wouldn't survive—it had been imprisoned and tortured for hundreds of thousands of years, its light nearing its end. Xiao Jin fell silent in despair. The ancient dragon's clear golden eyes looked at Yan Zhao, its mouth opening to speak in ancient and intricate language. After speaking, golden light shimmered from its mouth. A dark-gold core flew out from its body and swiftly entered Yan Zhao's chest. Surprised, Yan Zhao looked down, feeling the surge of warmth flowing through her meridians, eventually converging in her dantian. The dragon's core nourished the divine essence fruit while entrusting its blood legacy, along with its centuries of painful experiences, to Yan Zhao. Yan Zhao's vital energy surged, her divine power rapidly ascending. The ancient dragon closed its eyes for good. In grief, Xiao Jin lay over the dragon's body. Once the venerable body, weathered and worn, lost its life force, it dissipated into the wind, turning to ash. The surrounding barriers crumbled in an instant, and high above in the sky, Ying Xiao and his companions vanished without a trace. Silence enveloped the scene. Yan Zhao too felt the weight of resignation, and seeing the scene, could only remain silent. At that moment, she suddenly heard a jingling sound. The crisp chime was not a novel sound to her; she had grown accustomed to it. It was only now, as the smoke of battle slowly cleared and everything settled, that Yan Zhao finally realized something was amiss. Turning around, she saw a figure in azure approaching slowly. Her gaze followed the sound to its source. Two small bells dangled on Ren Qing Yue's ankles. Astonishingly, Ren Qing Yue was barefoot, her anklets clinking with each step, producing a melodic chime. Yan Zhao couldn't help but become distracted. These bells, she had once personally tied around the feet of a little fox. And now they adorned her senior elder sister's feet. Yan Zhao's mind drifted, recalling what she had said to Bi Lan not long ago, "I like Senior Elder Sister," suddenly feeling flustered and disoriented. Though she had once fantasized about her fox sprouting into a human, now that this "dream" had come true, it all felt surreal, almost as if she was in a dream. Ren Qing Yue approached, noticing the fresh wounds on Yan Zhao's face, causing her to frown slightly. Yan Zhao dared not meet Ren Qing Yue's gaze. In her fluster, she awkwardly asked, "Um, Senior Sister, where's my little fox?" Ren Qing Yue shot her an exasperated glare. At this point, what was there left to question? Did Yan Zhao really need her to admit it outright? She gently stroked the wounds on Yan Zhao's face, casting a cleansing spell to wipe away the grime and blood. Perhaps it was because the truth was now undeniable, realizing that anxiety and nervousness were pointless, Ren Qing Yue regained a sense of calm. She even summoned the courage to bluntly ask Yan Zhao, "Am I not better than your fox?" "That's... different..." Yan Zhao's eyes darted around evasively. Her tiny fox suddenly turning into such a grand Senior Sister was quite a shock; she needed time to process. Ren Qing Yue, with a stern expression, grasped Yan Zhao's face, not permitting her to look away, demanding coldly, "Then tell me, how is it different?" "..." Yan Zhao's mind blanked. After a brief thought, she couldn't find a valid reason. Under Ren Qing Yue's silent scrutiny, Yan Zhao's forehead broke into a cold sweat. Finally, after a few moments, inspiration struck. In a moment of ingenuity, Yan Zhao replied, "The fox's tail is nice to touch." Ren Qing Yue: "..." The two hundred and fifty-fourth chapter Yan Zhao confessed the fox tail was nice to touch, but then lowered her voice, mumbling what she assumed others wouldn’t hear: "Senior Sister's tail isn’t something you can touch freely." Ren Qing Yue was left speechless. So livid was she that a cold smile emerged from her pursed lips. Feeling the looming fearsome pressure, Yan Zhao shivered as she scrunched up her neck. Whenever she felt this way, her ears were usually in for trouble. Fearing Ren Qing Yue was angry and about to twist her ear again, Yan Zhao immediately shut her eyes, mentally strategizing how to plead for mercy so her Senior Sister might be gentler. Yet, the painful, twisted-ear feeling never came. Opening her eyes slightly, she peered out to observe covertly. Her Senior Sister was gone. In a sudden shock, Yan Zhao's eyes widened, "Senior Sister?!" Before the words finished leaving her mouth, a small bell jingled, and a fluffy, white ball dove into her arms. Utterly surprised, Yan Zhao wrapped her hands around the little fox, reveling in the soft, furry texture. The little fox filled the vacancy in her embrace completely, leaving Yan Zhao stunned. As she touched the bell on its leg, she was momentarily doubtful: could the Senior Sister she’d seen earlier have been an illusion? Was she so injured she started hallucinating? Thinking this seemed reasonable but slightly disappointing. Yan Zhao remained silent for a moment, then cautiously looked at the little fox in her arms, unwilling to give up. She gently probed, "Senior Sister?" Impatiently, the fox's tail swayed back and forth, pulling its little paw from Yan Zhao's hand, and with a strong flick, the fluffy tail rested in Yan Zhao's palm. Considering Yan Zhao had drawn too much attention during today's fight, rather than prolonging their awkwardness, it was better this way for now. Escaping was a bit shameful, but it granted temporary relief. The thick fur on the tail, previously injured, had healed. It felt soft and springy in her grip. Yan Zhao contemplated: the fox's tail was indeed nice to touch. As her thoughts wandered, a peculiar sound drew Yan Zhao’s attention.