258 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Upon entering the room, Ren Qingyue was immediately struck by the sight of blood splattered across the table. Yanzhao's mouth foamed with blood, a glaring and stark sight. She closed her eyes and fell backward; Ren Qingyue's pupils contracted instantly. "Ah Zhao!" She rushed forward, catching Yanzhao in her arms. The front of Yanzhao's clothing was soaked with sprayed blood, her breathing weak and her condition uncertain. On the table, a green-tinted object wrapped in runes was shrinking and condensing, finally forming into a walnut-sized seal, returning to its original state. Ren Qingyue had no time to worry about the seal on the table. She held Yanzhao tightly, quickly transmitting her power into Yanzhao's body. Yanzhao's eyelids fluttered, as if wanting to open, but ultimately they remained closed, unable to regain consciousness. Su Zijun and Yaoshenzi, among others, hurried into the room. The situation clearly implied what the result of the unsealing attempt was. Dongfang Cixin quickly approached Yanzhao, taking her wrist. After a moment, she said to Ren Qingyue, "She's not in danger. The blood she spat was due to a disruption in her magic, causing a reverse flow of energy. The injury isn't serious. With her constitution, she should regain consciousness in half an incense stick's time." Hearing this, Ren Qingyue felt slightly relieved, but worry still lingered in her heart. "I was careless. I shouldn't have let her attempt this directly." When Yanzhao used to learn alchemy, she accidentally blew up countless furnaces before mastering the techniques. Recently, her growth has been so rapid that Ren Qingyue had almost forgotten those past trials. Dongfang Cixin glanced at her and said, "You shouldn't blame yourself. This wasn't your fault. She wanted to do this herself, and stopping her could have been even more dangerous. Moreover, the unsealing failed not because of Yanzhao's lack of skill." "What?" Ren Qingyue looked up in surprise, "Then what was the reason?" Su Zijun, standing by the table, picked up the seal to examine it carefully and answered on Dongfang Cixin's behalf, "It was Ayin who voluntarily interrupted the unsealing process." Yaoshenzi peered curiously for a moment and speculated, "There are two possibilities. First, Nangong Yin is too severely injured, and remaining within the seal helps her recover. Second, there might be another mystery hidden within this seal set by someone from the Celestial Realm." Dongfang Cixin continued, "For instance, if there's a soul seal inside, forcefully breaking it would cause great backlash to the one attempting to unseal it." So, after Nangong Yin awoke, realizing Yanzhao would try to unseal it, she cut off the process herself to protect Yanzhao. Whichever the case, after this ordeal, attempting another unsealing so soon seemed unlikely. Su Zijun sighed, "Fate can be cruel." With mixed feelings, Ren Qingyue gently wiped away the blood from Yanzhao's lips. If Yanzhao awoke to learn this outcome, how heartbroken would she be? Just when Yanyuan Qing's spirit roused and taught her the way to break the seal, everything seemed to head toward a joyful conclusion. Yet, it all turned out to be a fleeting illusion. Holding Yanzhao in her arms, she carried her to a nearby guest room and laid her down neatly on a bed to rest. Even in her unconsciousness, Yanzhao's brows were furrowed, indicating the unrest in her heart. Ren Qingyue was truly worried, but there was little else she could do but gently hold Yanzhao's hand, silently keeping her company. At the moment the spell broke, Yanzhao's consciousness plunged into darkness. It felt as if she had fallen from the sky, with an abyssal vortex at her feet extending ever outward. This weightless descent lasted for about ten breaths, then suddenly the sky brightened, and she found herself landing with a thud in a flowerbed. Yanzhao grimaced in pain, the impact leaving her momentarily stunned. The flowerbed beneath her body formed a person-shaped indent. "This seems to be Mother’s cave." Yanzhao concluded. As her memory slowly returned, she recalled trying to release Nangong Yin’s seal but encountered an unforeseen mishap, causing her to awaken back in Yanyuan Qing’s cave. Dressed in white, Yanyuan Qing appeared before Yanzhao like a gust of wind, helping her up from the ground. It was unusual for Yanyuan Qing not to make a quirky entrance, which caught Yanzhao a bit off guard. Aware of the unexpected nature of the unsealing event, Yanzhao was unsure if it had been successful. Her heart was restless, so she asked straightforwardly, "Mother, did I succeed?" Although Yanyuan Qing’s body hadn't awakened, her soul remained formidable despite its damage, and Yanzhao believed she was aware of everything occurring in Nian Qing Mountain. Otherwise, Yanzhao wouldn’t have appeared in Yanyuan Qing’s cave the moment she regained consciousness. Even as she asked, Yanzhao had a vague premonition in her heart. Yanyuan Qing, not sparing the answer, shook her head succinctly, "No." "Ah..." Despite anticipating this, Yanzhao still felt a twinge of disappointment hearing her mother confirm it. "I guess I'm just too weak." Sensitive to Nangong Yin’s plight, Yanyuan Qing set aside her prior capriciousness, revealing a calm and steady demeanor. Seeing Yanzhao's dejected face, she stroked her daughter's head gently, speaking softly, "It's not your fault. You did quite well. You almost had the chance to break the seal." Puzzled, Yanzhao asked, "Then why didn't it work?" "It was my oversight," Yanyuan Qing admitted, resignedly acknowledging her slip, "I only gave the seal's structure a cursory look and failed to notice the presence of a Zhengqing Seal within it." Still confused, Yanzhao probed further, "What is a Zhengqing Seal?" "It's a talisman commonly used in the Celestial Realm to ward off evil spirits," Yanyuan Qing patiently explained to Yanzhao. "While not exceedingly powerful, it poses a substantial threat to someone of your current level. Ayin sensed this danger and severed the unsealing process, thus you failed." Realizing the situation, Yanzhao understood, "So that's how it was." For her protection, Nangong Yin chose to isolate herself within the seal rather than allow Yanzhao to get hurt. Blinking several times, Yanzhao pondered, her little face knitted in concern, "But does this mean the seal can't be broken?" If unbroken, Nangong Yin would remain trapped indefinitely. "Not at all," Yanyuan Qing raised a finger, waving it before Yanzhao with a defiant glint in her eye, "In all the three realms, there's no seal your mother cannot break." Yanzhao's eyes lit up instantly, "What should I do then?" Gently brushing off the dirt and leaves on Yanzhao, Yanyuan Qing reassured her with patience, "No rush. Let me explain it to you step by step." With those words, she helped Yanzhao to her feet. The surrounding scenery shifted abruptly, bringing them back to the front courtyard. The pavilion's table was laden with fruits and pastries. Yanyuan Qing guided Yanzhao to sit, handing her a slice of watermelon. As Yanzhao ate, she listened to Yanyuan Qing's explanation, "The Zhengqing Seal is an emblem of pure yang energy. It harbors a sliver of celestial Zhengqing energy inside, and there's no pure yin energy in the human realm powerful enough to counteract it. Therefore, you must take Ayin elsewhere." "Elsewhere?" Like a little squirrel, Yanzhao munched the watermelon to a bare rind, her mouth round and full, her face sticky with juice, a lone seed clinging to the corner of her lips. Smiling softly at this childlike display, Yanyuan Qing confirmed, "Yes, there's a place brimming with pure yin energy that can suppress the Zhengqing Seal, aiding you in unlocking the seal on Ayin." Curious, Yanzhao paused her devouring of the watermelon and asked, "There's such a place? Where is it?" Perching her chin on her hand, Yanyuan Qing replied with unmasked pride, "The Demon Realm, the Abyss." --- Chapter 281 The Demon Realm, The Abyss? Yanzhao’s lashes fluttered in surprise. "What is that?" Yanyuan Qing began to narrate softly, "The Abyss, you could say, is Ayin's hometown." "Wow." Yanzhao expressed her astonishment so much that the watermelon rind slipped from her hands. Yanyuan Qing shrugged and offered a new slice. "Although she probably doesn't like to think of it that way." Taking a bite directly from Yanyuan Qing’s hand before accepting it, Yanzhao questioned, "Why?" "This story goes way back." With a nostalgic glint, Yanyuan Qing continued, "Perhaps around seventy thousand years ago." The Abyss is the heart of darkness in the Demon Realm; its pure yin energy is so potent that even the demon tribes struggle to refine it. Hence, it becomes a haven—a slum if you will—for lesser demon spirits. To the mortal world, it’s akin to the poverty-stricken quarters in a human city. Nangong Yin was born amidst the blood spirits of the Abyss, conjoined with the Shadow Blood Spear. She absorbed the extreme yin energy of the Abyss for cultivation, taking millennia to manifest a corporeal form and fighting through a bloody path from the depths of the Abyss. Her origins typically invited disdain, yet the Demon Realm is a land where might prevails above all. So long as one’s fists are strong enough, they wield the power to speak. Despite the challenges, Nangong Yin rose from a lowly blood spirit to the supreme position in the Demon Realm, a journey fraught with perils and hardships too numerous to detail. Yanyuan Qing first encountered Nangong Yin amidst the ruins littered with corpses. At the time, she was traveling in the Demon Realm, collecting rare materials for her crafts. By chance, she stumbled across Nangong Yin, severely wounded and lying among the dead, yet clinging to life, and decided on a whim to save her. Little did she know that this choice would entangle her with a formidable hassle, leading to thousands of years of entanglement. Nangong Yin, born from the Abyss, found that the pervasive extreme yin energy that troubled others was nurturing to her spirit, aiding her recovery. As Yanzhao ate her watermelon, she responded with little exclamations of interest and, at a critical juncture, couldn't help but ask, "And then? Tell me more in detail?" Yanyuan Qing flushed slightly, but being thick-skinned, she playfully teased, "To know what happens next, you'll have to wait for the next chapter!" "Hey!" protested Yanzhao, having finished all the watermelon but still craving more of the story. Yanyuan Qing patted her on the head. "That's enough for now. You've been here long enough. It's time to go back. Yue'er must be worried sick by now. Can you bear that?" Yanzhao recalled she had coughed up blood before passing out, which surely must have frightened her senior sister. Though Yanyuan Qing hadn’t provided the full details about how she and Ayin became an inseparable pair, Yanzhao had her fill of stories today. She intended to return and reassure her senior sister, report the progress to her godmother, and come back someday to hear more tales. Dropping the last watermelon rind, she bid her mother farewell, then, with a thought, emerged from the cave. Upon returning to her body, Yanzhao, with her eyes still closed, let her spiritual senses explore her surroundings, realizing she was lying in bed with someone vigilantly by her side. There was no need for guessing. Yanzhao instinctively recognized the person. It had to be her senior sister, Ren Qingyue. No one other than her senior would stay by her side so devotedly, not even her master or godmother. Yanzhao's eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes, immediately spotting her senior sister. Meeting Ren Qingyue's gaze, Yanzhao's eyes were clear and pure, and she couldn't help but smile sweetly, greeting, "Senior Sister." Momentarily stunned, Ren Qingyue then realized Yanzhao had woken up. In her anxious concern, she hurriedly asked, "Do you feel unwell anywhere?" Yanzhao shook her head, "No." No matter how severe the injuries, her body always managed to heal itself. Ren Qingyue finally breathed a true sigh of relief. Though she knew Yanzhao's remarkable recuperative abilities meant there should be no grave threats, as Dongfang Cixin had said, without seeing Yanzhao awake, she couldn’t fully ease her mind. "Good, as long as you're okay," Ren Qingyue touched Yanzhao’s cheek, "You should sleep a bit more." However, Yanzhao looked wide awake and pulled back the covers, getting ready to rise. "I'm not tired. I just dreamt of Mother again. She gave me a new idea, and I need to tell this to my godmother." Ren Qingyue was surprised, "You saw Master again?" She had been hesitating on how to break the bad news of the failed unsealing to Yanzhao, only to find that Yanzhao had already discovered a potential solution before she even had the chance. "Yes!" Yanzhao nodded vigorously. She deftly got up from the bed, grasped Ren Qingyue's hand, and together they made their way to the door.