235 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Yan Zhao turned her head toward the sound. Nan Gong Yin's figure swayed slightly, struggling to steady herself with the Blood Shadow Spear. Yet, in the next moment, she opened her mouth and spat out a large mouthful of dark red blood, with shards of internal organs mixed in. "A Yin!" Yan Zhao was taken aback, and without hesitation, she dashed over. Nan Gong Yin's injuries flared up, leaving her completely drained. The Blood Shadow Spear slipped from her hand, clattering onto the ground. Her body slumped down slowly, but before she could hit the earth, Yan Zhao lunged forward, catching her securely. A small fox timely leaped onto Yan Zhao's shoulder, its emerald eyes showing a hint of concern. Yan Zhao cradled Nan Gong Yin, noting her pale complexion and the persistent blood foam oozing from her lips. Even though her consciousness was still intact, her body was too weak to muster any strength. Facing old injuries worsened by new ones, Nan Gong Yin was visibly weakening. Locking eyes with Yan Zhao's anxious gaze, she weakly shook her head, whispering, "...I'm fine." How could this be considered fine? Amidst the chaos, a shadow suddenly fell over them. Yan Zhao looked up to see an unfamiliar face, pausing only to recognize it as Dong Fang Ci Xin, the head of Huang Yin Feng. Dong Fang Ci Xin cast a glance at Nan Gong Yin and was about to speak, but murmurs rose from the crowd. "Just now, that young disciple of Huang Yin Feng nearly died because of Yan Zhao. Is Peak Master Dong Fang here to seek revenge?" "Fuyun Sect has a deep grudge against the demons, and now that the Cang Li Demon Lord is gravely injured, this is a golden opportunity!" "But Yan Zhao isn't to be trifled with; she even slew an ancient dragon!" Various discussions floated from the crowd, causing Yan Zhao's expression to turn solemn. Instinctively, she held Nan Gong Yin closer and looked at Dong Fang Ci Xin with a wary gaze. Dong Fang Ci Xin lowered her eyes, meeting Yan Zhao's gaze, and said calmly, "If you want to save her, come with me." Yan Zhao pressed her lips together without responding. Not lingering for any length of conversation, Dong Fang Ci Xin turned and left after speaking. She had only taken a few steps when Zuo Xuan staggered over to Yan Zhao's side. "If you trust my peak master, she might have a slim chance." Yan Zhao turned to Zuo Xuan, who was also injured, with blood seeping through his hair and dried blood on his forehead. She had noticed earlier at the Mirror Platform that Zuo Xuan, though appearing to have a bad temper, was actually quite warm-hearted. "Thank you," Yan Zhao said. Zuo Xuan gave her a glance and awkwardly turned his head to the side. "I’m just doing Peak Master’s bidding. You shouldn’t thank me." With that, he rapidly turned and hurried after Dong Fang Ci Xin. Yan Zhao lowered her head to check on Nan Gong Yin’s injuries. While she herself could recover quickly, she was completely ignorant of the healing arts. Watching helplessly as Nan Gong Yin's breaths grew weaker, Yan Zhao felt at a loss. Recalling Su Zi Jun’s words that Dong Fang Ci Xin was known as the Poison Saint, who could both take and save lives with poison, Yan Zhao steeled herself, picked up Nan Gong Yin, and stood up. With a single teleportation spell, she crossed several meters of space to catch up with Dong Fang Ci Xin. "I humbly request the elder to save A Yin!" Su Zi Jun furrowed her brows, hesitating whether to step forward, when she overheard Medicine Sage muttering beside her, "Could it be that Nan Gong Yin is my precious disciple’s real mother? No wonder she’s been so eager to please Zhao'er!" First, Su Zi Jun had become Yan Zhao’s adoptive mother, and now seemingly appearing as a biological mother in the picture. Didn’t that push him further aside as the master? Lacking any advantage in terms of status and unable to defeat them, Medicine Sage felt bitter. Unlike Medicine Sage's wandering thoughts, Yuan Hai Zhen Ren was standing beside them with a stern face and a displeased expression. She cast a glance at Su Zi Jun, coldly questioning, "Did you know all along?" Who would have thought Yan Zhao was the child of Nan Gong Yin and Yan Yuan Qing? The changes happened too suddenly, and by the time they realized, everything was settled. Su Zi Jun sighed inwardly and nodded helplessly, "To be frank, I did know some connections, but please trust that I never intended to hide anything." Yuan Hai Zhen Ren's expression did not improve. Su Zi Jun hadn’t informed Yan Zhao of her lineage in advance and didn’t openly disclose that Fuyun Sect and the Immortal Alliance were after the God Source Fruit. Since the God Source Fruit appeared with Yan Zhao, it solidified the rumors that Yan Yuan Qing stole a treasure from the Immortal World; she held no bias against the demons, but she was ashamed to ally with petty thieves. Su Zi Jun's mindset had touched her bottom line. "No need to say more," Yuan Hai Zhen Ren waved it off, "Regardless of your intentions, today's act is merely repaying the favor for saving my disciple in the previous tournament, and I will not partake further." After speaking, she flicked her dust whisk, her figure dissipating like a breeze. Seeing this, Su Zi Jun felt a tinge of regret but knew there was nothing she could do. Yuan Hai Zhen Ren was unwaveringly principled and would want to grasp the full picture before engaging in any situation. Moreover, with Yan Zhao possessing the God Source Fruit, those from the Immortal World wouldn’t spare her, and getting involved wouldn’t be beneficial at this point. What had started as a grand ceremony ended in sudden upheaval—with deaths and injuries among participants, the main peak of Fuyun Sect left devastated. People exchanged glances, somewhat at a loss. The battle seemed to have subsided, but whether traps remained was uncertain. Just then, someone exclaimed from the crowd, "Looks like there's a fire over there!" Following the direction of the pointing finger, the crowd noticed flames lighting up midway up the mountain behind the collapsed main hall of the sect. A disciple of Fuyun Sect recognized it: "That seems to be the ancestral hall!" The disciples present gasped in shock. The ancestral hall didn't only honor ancestors; it housed the identity soul plaques of all the disciples. If the ancestral hall were destroyed and the soul plaques shattered, even if they left Fuyun Sect, no one could trace their whereabouts. Su Zi Jun gazed at the distant flames, contemplating for a moment before speaking, "With Yun Dao Zi's demise due to his cultivation of forbidden arts and Bu Dong Hou now dead, the destruction of the ancestral hall renders Fuyun Sect virtually defunct. You might consider seeking opportunities elsewhere." Fuyun Sect had faced repeated blows, prompting the disciples to waver. With the prevalent belief that backing is lost, enemies wouldn't hold back now. Amidst this, other sects' cultivators present, bearing gratitude towards Su Zi Jun and Medicine Sage, opted to express thanks and leave. Su Zi Jun, having no intention to urge their stay, noted the crowd thinning as most disciples chose to pack and leave before dawn. Some more cautious individuals sneaked to the ancestral hall’s vicinity to ensure their soul plaques had indeed been consumed by fire. In the dim jungle, several elders of the Fuyun Sect fled. Pursuing them were a few ghostly silhouettes. Suddenly, a flash of lightning glowed in the dark. After the crackling sound of thunder, one of them collapsed, revealing a charred handprint on their back. Meanwhile, several leaf blades whistled past over the corpse, and two leading figures stumbled, collapsing as quills of leaves embedded themselves into their bodies. A graceful figure emerged from the shadows between the trees, inspecting each fallen body for life. Jiang Ying unfurled a scroll, marking off the names of the three with a brush dipped in red ink. A stroke for those she killed outright and a circle at the end for those slain by Lei Shuang. With about a hundred names on the list, the number circled was less than half of those marked off. Upon completing her notation, Jiang Ying calmly declared, "At this rate, I'm bound to win." Behind her, the tree branches rustled lightly as Lei Shuang appeared up high, grumbling, "Your attack range is too wide; it's cheating! And you keep stealing my kills!" Before their mission, they had made a bet. Whoever claimed more targets would have the loser serve them for a year. An hour ago, Lei Shuang was confident, believing her skills left no room for doubt in the wager’s outcome. Now, with the mission halfway through, she was anxious. Jiang Ying glanced at her amusedly, "Can't handle losing?" "Who's afraid of losing?" Lei Shuang stubbornly protested, "Your techniques clearly have the advantage. We should change the terms!" Jiang Ying didn't argue with her. After inspecting the last corpse, she stood up and dusted off her hands. "So, how do you propose we change it?" Lei Shuang propped her chin and thought briefly, "Given your advantage in techniques, your kill count should be at least double mine to count as a win for you. No, make that triple!" "..." Jiang Ying was speechless. "Do you have any shame?" Lei Shuang looked up at the sky. "Shame? What's that?" Jiang Ying couldn't help but laugh, and Lei Shuang quickly added, "If you think it's unfair, we could always call off the bet." "Who said anything about calling it off?" Jiang Ying replied calmly. "Triple it is, but I have one condition." Lei Shuang raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" A knowing smile curled at Jiang Ying's lips. "If I win, you have to dance for me—without clothes." Chapter 255 Lei Shuang was stunned. First, she looked blank, then bewildered, and suddenly her face turned red from cheeks to neck. "You, you, you!" Lei Shuang stammered, too shocked or embarrassed to form another word, her face a mixture of panic and confusion. Jiang Ying met her gaze without flinching, hinting at a smile. "What about me?" "You shameless!" Lei Shuang was so furious that her hair seemed to bristle, appearing as if she wanted to devour someone. Jiang Ying raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly. "Is this really all you consider shameless? Not sure I’m as bad as you." Think of the terms Lei Shuang just suggested—were those reasonable? Given the obvious tilt in fairness, why not add a little more to the stakes? Lei Shuang was rendered speechless. Jiang Ying gave her a sidelong glance, the amusement in her eyes unyielding. "So what do you think of my proposal?" "Nothing of it!" Lei Shuang exclaimed, jumping three feet high, firmly defending her own interests. "There's no reason for only me to strip; if you lose, you have to dance for me too!" Jiang Ying seemed to have anticipated this response, nodding as soon as Lei Shuang finished speaking. "Alright, if I lose, I’ll dance for you." Lei Shuang: "???" Wow, that was a little too decisive! She immediately wondered if her conditions were too mild for Jiang Ying to be so fearless. But then, she thought again—there were over a hundred targets. By the three-to-one rule, she needed only thirty to win. So far, with the mission not even halfway through, she had claimed more than fifteen targets already. Victory seemed within easy reach. Threefold! There's no way Jiang Ying could win! Lei Shuang's meticulous calculation led her to predict the outcome confidently, allowing her to quickly shake off her earlier anxieties. She subtly studied Jiang Ying's composed demeanor, inwardly huffing: Don't be fooled by her outward calm; inside, she's probably a nervous wreck. You won't trick me—I see through everything! In a flash, Lei Shuang swept past her, her swift movement lifting Jiang Ying’s hair and clothes. Suddenly, her palm was empty—Nan Gong Yin’s roster ended up snatched by Lei Shuang. With quick agility, Lei Shuang returned to the treetop, toying with the scroll as she shot Jiang Ying a challenging grin. "I'll keep the list from now on, to prevent you from tampering with it out of fear of losing." Jiang Ying shrugged indifferently. Who was really thinking of cheating was yet to be seen. Lei Shuang tucked the roster away and whistled. "Let's split up and act separately, so you stop stealing my targets!"