250 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Yan Zhao couldn't understand why Yan Yuanqing and Nangong Yin had to endure such hardships, and she felt a surge of anger: "Why do these people insist on doing this?" "Power, wealth, resources, even simply because they themselves are so powerful and free, living unrestrainedly, unbound by worldly conventions—it’s enough to incite envy and hatred." This topic weighed heavily on Ren Qingyue’s heart, but she knew she had to tell Yan Zhao the truth; the time to avoid it had passed. "Ah Zhao, people are complex. There are good people and bad people. For every person willing to do good, there’s another willing to do evil. A good person can become bad, and even a bad person might sometimes have a change of heart and seek redemption." "That’s why, in a world blinded by greed, kindness isn’t just a quality; it becomes a choice only available to those strong enough to afford it. Most people are merely swept along by the tides, hiding their true selves for the sake of survival." The words were too convoluted for Yan Zhao, leaving her with a look of bewilderment. Ren Qingyue pondered for a moment, carefully choosing her words before giving an example: “Like… Elder Dongfang.” Yan Zhao blinked in confusion: “Elder Dongfang?” “Though Elder Dongfang lent a hand in secret before Shifu’s death, she never let it be known. She even participated in the operation against Nangong Yin later. Do you think she's a bad person or a good person?” Yan Zhao found herself unable to answer. Her intuition leaned towards believing that Elder Dongfang had a kind heart, yet she had undeniably taken part in persecuting her mother. Yan Zhao shared her doubts with Ren Qingyue: “Why did Elder Dongfang do that?” “Because she wanted to stay alive,” Ren Qingyue said coldly. “When everyone at Fu Yun Sect believed Shifu deserved to die, Elder Dongfang didn’t have the strength to oppose others. Had she not hidden her kindness, she would have been branded an ‘outcast’ like Shifu, and expelled, or even risked her life like Shifu did.” Yan Zhao was silent, and after a long while, she spoke again: “But my mother, she was the strongest in the world. Can one say she didn’t have enough strength?” “What is ‘the strongest in the world’?” Ren Qingyue lowered her gaze. “As long as someone is human, they'll have weaknesses. Confronting everyone alone is a path fraught with hardship, where even the slightest misstep leads to ruin.” Yan Zhao, intrigued, asked directly, “What was my mother's weakness?” “…” Ren Qingyue pressed her lips together, a struggle evident in her expression. She couldn’t bear to answer Yan Zhao’s question. But Yan Zhao didn't relent. Seeing that Ren Qingyue stayed silent for a long time, she called again: “Sister?” Ren Qingyue let out a long sigh before speaking, her tone helpless and melancholic: “Shifu's weakness was you.” Yan Zhao’s eyes lifted sharply, surprise evident: “Me?” “Yes.” Ren Qingyue steeled herself and once she began, she did not hesitate, “When Shifu was pregnant with you, his health deteriorated and his strength greatly waned, almost becoming like a mortal. This gave lowlifes like Dao Ling the opportunity to strike.” Yan Zhao was stunned for a long time. This truth was something she had never imagined. To think her arrival was what led Yan Yuanqing to such tribulations. Yet, even so, her mother, in order to ensure she lived, placed the precious Soul Condensing Pearl on her. Without the Soul Condensing Pearl, she might have died long ago. Looking at Yan Zhao's silence, Ren Qingyue feared she might overthink things and reassured her: “Ah Zhao, you need not feel guilty. Shifu chose you; you're not responsible for the ordeals they went through.” Yan Zhao was lost in thought, yet while Ren Qingyue spoke, her mind was occupied with a different concern. Clearly, the suffering of her mothers had not ended. The world still refused to acknowledge their love, let alone accept her existence. They sought any means to erase her, as if proving her mothers were wrong. Yan Yuanqing was the foremost swordsman of the human realm, and Nangong Yin the lord of the demon realm. Yet these two at the peak were still engulfed by the masses. They were strong, but even that was not enough to protect them. But if being stronger didn’t resolve the issue, were they destined to be in perpetual subjection to others' judgment? Yan Zhao was filled with questions. Is it a crime to differ from others? If one never dares to make "unconventional" choices, what’s the point of being the best in the world? If her mothers did no wrong, then who was at fault? It was everyone who wanted to persecute them; it was the entire world. “No, that’s not right.” Yan Zhao found her conclusion. Ren Qingyue noticed her abnormal expression and asked, “What’s not right?” “This world is not right. The 'default' and 'shoulds' of most people are not right.” Yan Zhao asserted, her voice resolute. “It’s the system that's wrong, the people's hearts are wrong, the rules are wrong.” Her mothers, though mighty, had not been powerful enough. Even though they were already figures who could summon the wind and rain, it still wasn’t enough, far from enough. They needed to be stronger—strong enough to set the rules by themselves, enough to subdue the hearts of all under heaven. A flicker of resolve sparked in Yan Zhao's eyes. She had made her decision. To address a problem, one must first identify its root. Now that the problem was clear, she couldn’t let it continue just because it seemed daunting, like an insurmountable burden unyielding to change. Yan Zhao thought, perhaps if she solved this issue, her senior sister would agree to become Dao companions with her. As the child of her two mothers, she would carry on and complete what her mothers had left unfinished, continuing their will. Just then, a knock came on the door. Yan Zhao and Ren Qingyue both turned their heads upon hearing Su Zijun’s voice from outside: “Miss Ren, could you please step out for a moment?” Ren Qingyue was momentarily taken aback and then realized: “Oh dear.” Since entering the room with Yan Zhao, caught up in emotion, she had forgotten there were three others in the courtyard, leaving the seniors outside for quite some time. The conversation between her and Yan Zhao indoors had likely been overheard by those seniors. Ren Qingyue tapped her forehead, full of regret. She gave Yan Zhao a glance: “Stay here, alright? I’ll be back soon.” Yan Zhao, feeling low, realized that it was an unexpected chance for a reunion among the family. Let her stay with her mothers a while longer. With that, Ren Qingyue went to the door, opened it, and went outside. “Qingyue apologizes to the seniors,” Ren Qingyue began earnest apologies, bowing to Su Zijun and the others, “I will escort the seniors to the guest rooms for rest.” Su Zijun waved her hand: “No need, there’s no rush. We didn’t call you out for that reason.” Ren Qingyue was surprised at this. While she didn’t speak, her eyes clearly betrayed her thoughts: Then what is it for? Su Zijun was direct: “Just now, the three of us discussed that the priority now is to gather Yuanqing’s soul fragments and find a way to awaken Yuanqing.” Ren Qingyue’s expression turned troubled, and she furrowed her brow: “This is as difficult as ascending to the heavens.” Nangong Yin had spent three hundred years retrieving just a single wisp of Yan Yuanqing’s spirit. Although Yan Zhao had quickly aided the restoration of Yan Yuanqing’s spirit significantly, it didn’t mean the remaining fragments would be easy to find. But Su Zijun reassured her: “Don’t lose heart. I suspect Ying Xiao knows of the whereabouts of one fragment.” Ren Qingyue was taken aback: “The Immortal Alliance?” “Indeed, when Zhao’er became the champion of the Immortal Sect Disciple Conference and received the Qing Shuang Sword from Ying Xiao, though there was a sword spirit within, it wasn’t attached to Yuanqing’s soul,” Su Zijun said coldly. “Ying Xiao must have tampered with it when he gave her the sword.” Hearing this, Ren Qingyue’s energy fluctuated fiercely, her cold expression filled with anger: “How preposterous!” It was outrageous to deceive a junior by using Yan Zhao as bait, but to also steal fragments of Yan Yuanqing’s soul! Ren Qingyue had encountered malicious people before, but never someone so despicably shameless. No wonder the immortal world looked down on human realm cultivators. Take a look at this world and see how inherently corrupted it has become. Instead of focusing on cultivating due to lack of strength, they spent days on infighting. When enemies reached their doorstep, they didn’t fight back but rather shattered their own resolve. This has been the routine conduct of human cultivators under the leadership of the Immortal Alliance. The very existence of the Immortal Alliance has already become the greatest tumor in the cultivation world. They are a festering wound, deep and painful. Unless completely excised, it would continue to ail endlessly. Inside the room, Yan Zhao stood silently behind the door. She lowered her eyes, her expression indifferent as she clenched her fists. "The Immortal Alliance." Chapter 272 The conversation in the courtyard continued for half an hour. Once it concluded, Ren Qingyue escorted the three seniors to a nearby courtyard to rest. When she returned, she knocked on the door and only entered after hearing Yan Zhao’s voice from inside. Yan Zhao was still sitting by the bedside, staying with Yan Yuanqing. Ren Qingyue approached Yan Zhao, gently placing a hand on her shoulder: "You should rest soon; it’s getting late." Yan Zhao replied sullenly, "I’m not tired." She wasn’t tired, nor was she sleepy, but feared that if she closed her eyes, the person lying there might disappear once more. Ren Qingyue looked up and noticed how Yan Zhao held onto Yan Yuanqing’s hands, reluctant to let go. The icy chill that enveloped Yan Yuanqing had dissipated somewhat, and she was no longer as rigid as she had been when Yan Zhao first embraced her. Her hands, though still cool, had regained their softness. The gradual signs of improvement gave Yan Zhao hope that in time, her mother would awaken. Ren Qingyue also felt grief and sorrow in her heart, but she managed a bit better than Yan Zhao. “Even if you’re not tired, you must rest. Don’t exhaust yourself,” Ren Qingyue advised with a firmness in her tone, gently tapping Yan Zhao’s head. “Go to sleep or meditate for a while; I’ll watch over here.” Yan Zhao glanced up at Ren Qingyue, meeting her sister’s concerned gaze. The obstinance in her heart melted under Ren Qingyue's eyes, and Yan Zhao didn't persist further. She listened to her senior sister, rose to her feet, and sat down on a nearby meditation mat. True to her word, Ren Qingyue took Yan Zhao’s place by the bedside to look after the unconscious Yan Yuanqing. “Shifu,” she whispered, her voice so soft it was nearly inaudible. Three hundred years ago, when she learned of Yan Yuanqing's death, Ren Qingyue felt as if the sky had darkened, the sun and moon lost their light, mountains toppled—everything crashed down upon her like a flood. She rushed back to Fu Yun Sect and went straight to find Yan Yuan Yi, only to hear that Shifu’s funeral had already concluded. Unable to see Shifu one last time, Ren Qingyue kept vigil at the grave for a month. Since then, she remained at the sect, rarely going out to train. Whenever she had free time, she would visit Shifu’s grave, deep in contemplation and repentance. To her fellow disciples at Tianzhu Peak, their senior sister was still an elusive figure, appearing and disappearing like a dragon. However, compared to the past, her appearances had increased, assisting Yan Yuan Yi in managing Tianzhu Peak. Simultaneously, she became colder and more distant, causing fear among the disciples. Believing she would never get another chance to remedy her regrets, Ren Qingyue experienced immense anguish during that time. Later, by a twist of fate, she learned that Yan Zhao was actually Yan Yuanqing's daughter, like a ray of light piercing the gloom of her life. With mixed emotions, she transferred her guilt over Shifu onto Yan Zhao. Even though she once thought Yan Zhao indirectly caused Shifu's death and felt conflicted about her existence, she could not bring herself to abandon Yan Zhao, transforming into a little fox to always stay by her side. Not long afterwards, one day the Soul Condensing Pearl activated on its own, leading her to reunite with Shifu in a different realm. From that day on, she prayed in her heart each moment, hoping for Shifu’s return. She once thought this was nearly impossible, perhaps requiring an unimaginable price. Although she prayed earnestly, Ren Qingyue felt lost about how to resurrect Yan Yuanqing. Yet unexpectedly, in just three short years, Yan Zhao had found Yan Yuanqing. Now, with Yan Yuanqing lying on the bed as if merely asleep, Ren Qingyue’s inner wounds and guilt gradually began to heal with time.