257 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

任青悦 was clearly in contention with her mentor for the affection of the mentor's daughter. Whether it was Yan Yuanqing's attitude that gave her a bit of encouragement or she had long harbored ulterior motives filled with selfish desires, at that moment, a sudden surge of reckless courage swept through her heart, prompting her to hurl the question at Yan Zhao. Yan Zhao was startled. Her brows knitted together as she became deeply embroiled in a complex thought process. She remained silent for a long time, allowing Ren Qingyue's impulsiveness to gradually subside. After the rush of emotions, regret began to set in. How could she have forced Yan Zhao to choose between her and their mentor? Moreover, their mentor supported her relationship with Yan Zhao, and yet, she was urging Yan Zhao not to heed their mentor's words. This very action was already markedly rebellious. Ren Qingyue once again recognized the deep-seated pettiness within her heart. She felt ashamed of her mentor's affection for her and unworthy of Yan Zhao's fondness. "I shouldn't have asked you that," Ren Qingyue said, taking the initiative to apologize. "You don't have to answer. It was selfish of me." Yan Zhao disagreed with Ren Qingyue's self-assessment and retorted, "Senior sister isn't selfish." Ren Qingyue shook her head, her initial emotional turmoil cooling down to a point where her mood sank into dejection. "You don't understand." "You always tell me I don't understand," Yan Zhao said, a hint of dissatisfaction creeping into her voice. "Mother's right, senior sister, you're really stubborn and overthink things, always keeping everything bottled up and not speaking openly." Ren Qingyue remained silent. She also knew that her personality was exceedingly awkward, but it had been that way for centuries and she found it hard to change. Before Yan Yuanqing encountered his mishap, she had her mentor to confide in occasionally. Even if she was unwilling to speak, Yan Yuanqing had this way of breaking down her walls without her noticing, and by the time she realized it, their mentor had already solved her problems. Her mentor treated her exceedingly well, with grace as vast as mountains, yet she always wanted to monopolize Yan Zhao a little more. No matter the angle she reflected from, it was her own fault. Ren Qingyue sank into silence once more, making Yan Zhao slightly regret the harsh tone she had used earlier. Yan Zhao softly walked up to Ren Qingyue: "Even though you said I shouldn't answer, I still hope you'll listen to my answer." Ren Qingyue lifted her gaze to meet Yan Zhao's eyes. In a trance, she realized that Yan Zhao had reached her own height. "You treat me well, and so does Mother. I'm willing to listen to both of you. If what you say differs from what Mother says, then I'll think for myself about which one is right." Yan Zhao responded earnestly, trying to be as comprehensive as possible. She continued, "Maybe there's no right or wrong, because both you and Mother want the best for me. If I put more effort into thinking it over, I'm sure I can find a better solution." Ren Qingyue found herself somewhat lost. In just three years, Yan Zhao had changed immensely, and now she could even guide Ren Qingyue in return. The original intention she and her mentor had was to see Yan Zhao grow up well. Their ideals might differ, but their goals were aligned, presenting no situation of stark black and white choice. Ren Qingyue realized she had been too stubborn, failing to see clearly. Yet Yan Zhao, appearing simple, possessed the wisdom of an unassuming child, earning Ren Qingyue's renewed respect. She claimed she would treat Yan Zhao as an equal, but she couldn't help seeing her as a child. Ren Qingyue felt ashamed of her own narrowness. Agreeing with Yan Zhao's perspective, she acknowledged with sincerity, "You're right." Yan Zhao tilted her head playfully. "Senior sister says I'm right, but why won't you praise me?" In the past, if she answered Ren Qingyue's questions correctly, the senior sister always praised her for being smart. Ren Qingyue pursed her lips, deliberating before replying, "Because you've grown, the way of praising has to change too." Yan Zhao's eyes lit up. Was there praise after all, only in a different form? "What's the praise this time?" she asked. Ren Qingyue beckoned Yan Zhao closer with a gesture. Yan Zhao's heart fluttered with anticipation. Did senior sister mean to reward her with a kiss? A similar scenario had occurred before, and the more Yan Zhao thought about it, the more she considered it very likely, which unexpectedly stirred a budding sense of anticipation within her. She turned her face sideways, waiting nervously yet excitedly. However, the anticipated kiss did not arrive. Anxious, she was about to speak when Ren Qingyue's voice softly reached her ear. "You were quite charming just now," came Ren Qingyue's soft voice, a warm breath grazing Yan Zhao's temple, sending a tingling sensation dancing across her skin. It felt as if soft lips brushed against her ear. "I seem to like you even more now." After speaking, Ren Qingyue quickly stepped back. Avoiding eye contact with Yan Zhao, she feigned indifference and walked ahead, tossing casually over her shoulder, "Let's go, don't dawdle." Yan Zhao snapped back to reality, her heart racing wildly, feeling as if her ears were on fire. Ren Qingyue's strides were swift. By the time Yan Zhao caught on, she was already a good distance ahead. Yan Zhao exclaimed softly, picking up her pace to catch up, calling out as she ran, "Senior sister, wait for me!" Ren Qingyue appeared not to hear and kept her pace unchanged. Yan Zhao chased tightly behind. A breeze met her, fluttering her loose hair softly. Unintentionally, she caught a glimpse of her senior sister's flowing hair, revealing a pair of distinctly red ears. · Su Zijun and Yao Shenzi were senior figures, whose breathing could influence each other during meditation, hence they were housed some distance apart. Yao Shenzi chose the eastern slope of Nianqing Mountain, while Su Zijun resided in the southern hills and Dongfang Cixin in a small house nestled by the mountains and waters on the western side. Delivering messages to the three elders typically took no more than the time it took a stick of incense to burn, but with a delay along the way, it took Ren Qingyue and Yan Zhao half an hour to accomplish the task. After half an hour, everyone gathered at Yan Zhao's residence, with Yao Shenzi and Su Zijun agreeing to protect Yan Zhao from behind. Before Yan Zhao cast the unsealing spell, Dongfang Cixin took Yan Yuanqing's pulse once more. "He has a pulse," Dongfang Cixin announced cheerily to everyone. "It seems Yan Yuanqing's soul recovery is proceeding smoothly." Yao Shenzi stroked one of the few remaining hairs on his chin, remarking sentimentally, "Heaven, earth, and humanity, the gods themselves refuse to let her die." "Yuanqing truly is blessed with great fortune," Su Zijun echoed with emotion, "the heavens cannot bear it; she is not destined to perish." Only Ren Qingyue withheld her opinion. Su Zijun noticed an oddity, subtly observing Ren Qingyue's face. Her countenance was calm as she stood off to the side, seemingly nothing amiss at first glance. But upon closer inspection, it was clear her eyes were unfocused, deep in thought. Su Zijun raised an eyebrow. What could leave Ren Qingyue so lost in thought under such circumstances? In the center of the room, Yan Zhao sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, the table before her cleared except for the seal suppressing Nangong Yin. Exchanging glances, Su Zijun and the others silently withdrew from the room, granting Yan Zhao a quiet space. However, Yan Zhao had already expressed skepticism about successfully unsealing. Despite Yan Yuanqing having imparted the unsealing spell to her, she hadn't yet mastered it proficiently, and her ability only stood at the core formation stage, leading to a failure probability exceeding ninety percent. Yet Su Zijun and Yao Shenzi jointly agreed that no matter how small the chance, it was worth attempting. Ren Qingyue returned to her senses, noticing everyone exiting the room while she trailed behind. Turning, she unintentionally met Yan Zhao's curious, probing gaze, which burned with intensity. Flustered, she hastily stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Yan Zhao rested her chin on her hand, her mind deep in thought. It appeared she had encountered a new dilemma: Senior sister was far too easily flustered, evading her whenever embarrassed. But the crux of the matter was, she hadn't actually done anything. The ninety-nine secret techniques of pursuit her mother taught her hadn't even been put to use. Yan Zhao poked the dark emerald sphere before her, though she could hear a gentle, warm breeze blow into her heart along with her senior sister's soft voice. ——I seem to like you even more now. Hmm. Yan Zhao leaned on the table with her elbows, hands clasped together. "Ayin, I'm sorry. I need a little more time to prepare." Her mind simply refused to settle. Chapter 280 Yan Zhao's hands remained clasped together for quite some time, though she hadn't paid attention to exactly how long it was. Finally, her heart's erratic rhythm began to steady. Clearing her mind of wandering thoughts had taken considerable effort, and now, with a deep breath, Yan Zhao steadied herself and calmed her spirit. She reminded herself not to let her mind wander, especially about her senior sister. Otherwise, all efforts would be for naught. Settling her heart, Yan Zhao focused entirely, directing all her attention to the seal before her. The dark emerald glow of the sphere seemed almost intangible at first glance, but within it was a core, the size of a walnut, composed of spell characters and spiritual aura. These spell characters were arranged in a specific pattern; to unseal it meant deciphering how these tightly woven spells were arrayed, patiently unraveling it from its weak points. For Yan Zhao, this was her first encounter with a seal, and initially, she was at a complete loss, much like a novice monk confronted with a profound mystery, observing it for a long time without grasping its structure. However, she possessed great patience, meticulously adhering to the method Yan Yuanqing had taught her, examining each detail for any potential breakthrough points. Yan Zhao had always been focused on singular tasks, and once she immersed herself deeply into something, outside distractions rarely caught her attention. Thus, she sat persistently for nearly half a month, leaving those standing guard outside her room to speculate on her progress due to the prolonged lack of noise within. Yao Shenzi pondered, "Why hasn't my diligent little disciple begun yet?" "Perhaps she hasn't yet figured out the intricacies of the seal," Su Zijun speculated reasonably. "Should we go in and check?" Ren Qingyue suggested. But just as she spoke, a sudden surge of magical energy rippled from within the room. "She's starting!" Yao Shenzi exclaimed. Su Zijun quickly stopped Ren Qingyue as she moved to intervene, saying, "Entering now might disturb her, let's wait a bit longer." Ren Qingyue clenched her fists nervously, silently rooting for Yan Zhao's success. Unsealing a seal wasn't a straightforward task, and failure could lead to backlash. Despite Yan Zhao's unique constitution, she still couldn't help but worry. The commotion from the unsealing attempt intensified over time, indicating a stable process with potential for success. Observing the situation, Dongfang Cixin couldn't help but express surprise, remarking, "Like breeds like, and the grape doesn't fall far from the vine. This girl's talent in sealing technique is remarkable; she indeed is Yan Yuanqing's daughter." Yao Shenzi couldn't resist a bit of self-praise, adding, "Our Zhaozhao is my disciple, after all!" Su Zijun smiled brightly, not as shamelessly as Yao Shenzi, but without hiding her pride. Dongfang Cixin glanced at the two of them and smirked, "Tsk." The magical energy within the room grew stronger, gradually spreading outside, with a tendency to expand further. The disturbance was so widespread that it even summoned Jiang Ying, who broke off her healing session in haste and rushed over from her place of rest. Su Zijun and the others stood ready outside, prepared to handle any sudden developments. The magical fluctuations inside grew stronger, akin to the surface of the sea on a stormy night, where the waves have yet to break, but beneath the surface, the tides were swirling, ready to unleash themselves. At the peak of this energy buildup, everyone felt a sudden ringing in their ears. In the blink of an eye, the spiritual energy fluctuations in the room vanished as if they had never existed, returning everything to silence. Su Zijun and the others exchanged puzzled glances, momentarily unsure: Had the unsealing been a success or a failure? Ren Qingyue was the first to recover from the shock. Making a decisive move, she dashed forward, urgently pushing the door open without hesitation.