262 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

The moment Jiang Ying finished speaking, she continued, "However, I suggest Miss Ren conceals herself. The young master has demonic lineage, which won't attract too much attention, but if Miss Ren appears in the Demon World with this appearance, she might find it difficult to move even a step." The relations between the Demon and the Spirit clans have been strained, mainly due to the growing hostility of the Spirit clan towards the Demon clan over the past few centuries. This hostility often manifested in deliberate provocations, which in turn led to resentment from the Demon clan. Those from the Spirit clan who appear in the Demon territory might be deliberately obstructed. "Sister should hide?" Yan Zhao was surprised and a little puzzled, "But how?" Before she could finish her sentence, a clear light suddenly flashed beside her. The breeze swept through, dispersing the dense fog, and Ren Qing Yue disappeared into thin air, transforming into a white silhouette that darted gracefully towards Yan Zhao. With a crisp jingle, Yan Zhao blinked, her eyes widening in surprise as her body instinctively reacted, raising her arms. The next moment, a soft, furry little snow fox nestled comfortably into her embrace. Chapter 285 "Oh my!" Yan Zhao's eyes sparkled as she realized, "Snowball!" Since learning that the little fox was indeed her sister in disguise, Yan Zhao hadn't seen Snowball in a while. Cradling the ball of fur in her arms, her hand instinctively reached for its fluffy tail. The little fox, who was actually her sister, twitched its ears. With its identity now revealed, actions that once seemed routine now felt awkward. It tried to withdraw its tail from Yan Zhao's hold, but she held on tight, refusing to let go. During their playful tug-of-war, the bell on its hind ankle chimed again. Looking down, Yan Zhao noticed the little fox’s tiny paws. Little Fox: "..." It tucked its little paws beneath its belly. Compared to having its tail pulled, having its paws played with like toys was less acceptable. Thinking this, it decided that since it had already jumped into Yan Zhao’s lap, any further struggle would make the situation even more awkward—it was better to simply go with the flow. Resigned, Ren Qing Yue convinced herself to give in, letting Yan Zhao hold its tail. Yan Zhao contentedly toyed with the fox tail, thoroughly satisfied. Though she adored her sister in human form, Yan Zhao constantly reminded herself of her mother’s advice not to be inappropriate or to do anything that might annoy her sister. However, with the little fox, she had no such reservations and could pet it to her heart's content. Both Feng Jin and Jiang Ying turned their heads away, while only Lei Shuang clicked her tongue in wonder, "A Spirit clan member, and a nine-tailed fox at that, willing to become someone's spirit pet is indeed a first." Her tone carried the unmistakable astonishment that their demon lord's daughter was truly extraordinary. The little fox rolled its eyes at Lei Shuang, and Jiang Ying timely remarked, "It's time to go." Lei Shuang regained her focus, joining Jiang Ying to lead the way for Yan Zhao. Beyond the Fog Demon Ravine lay the portal connecting the Demon World and the Human World, known as the Sea of Ghostly Despair. Within the depths of this sea lay a massive vortex, whose bottom connected to another space—the Demon World, twin to the Spirit World. Reaching the Sea of Ghostly Despair marked the entrance to the Demon World, making Lei Shuang more cautious as she warned Yan Zhao, "The landing is uncertain after passing through the whirlpool. Stay where you are and wait for us to find you." Yan Zhao recalled the past incident when she got separated from the little fox after teleportation and frowned, "Will I be separated from my sister again?" The little fox looked at Yan Zhao and nudged her with its black nose, shaking its head side to side to indicate that it wouldn’t happen. Having established a contract with Yan Zhao, their connection was akin to being one entity, ensuring they wouldn't be separated by the void vortex. Yan Zhao was delighted, "Really?" The little fox nodded firmly. Relieved, Yan Zhao boldly jumped into the vortex with the little fox in her arms. Within her embrace, the little fox’s fluffy tail twitched powerfully, as ethereal white energy coalesced around Yan Zhao, forming a protective shield to lessen the impact of the surrounding water currents. With a splash, Yan Zhao and the little fox submerged into the water, disappearing from sight. Lei Shuang and Jiang Ying also cast their spells, quickly following into the swirling giant vortex. Through the shield, as the water currents battered them, Yan Zhao felt the massive pull, and then, with a swift motion, she was dragged into a kaleidoscope-like tunnel filled with flickering starlight and the magical glow formed by distorted void space. This experience was starkly different from her previous journey to the Spirit World, prompting Yan Zhao to feel curious about the Demon World. The sensation of traversing through space persisted for around the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea before the relentless pressure of the turbulent flow suddenly lifted, and the surroundings rapidly transformed. A downpour crashed down on Yan Zhao, catching her off guard as she found herself rapidly falling from the sky. Amidst the convulsive flashes of lightning and rolling thunder, she pierced through two thick clouds layers, surrounded by swirling electric light, transforming into a sizeable thunder serpent lunging at her. Yan Zhao was taken aback by the sudden turn of events, thoroughly unprepared for the unexpected danger. The thunder serpent was wreathed in electric light, descending faster than she did, and she was still several hundred feet above the ground. If struck by the lightning, Lei Shuang might find her as nothing more than charred remains. She realized she didn’t possess any artifact to ward off a lightning strike. In a split second, Yan Zhao's mind raced with thoughts, the clearest of which was: I underestimated, why didn’t I think to ask Master and my foster mother for protection against such dangers? Too late for regrets, Lei Shuang hadn't mentioned post-vortex lightning either. Without hesitation, Yan Zhao released her hold, flinging the little fox downward with force. Ren Qing Yue: "?!" The little fox accelerated its descent, freeing Yan Zhao to briefly hover, maintaining some distance between them. That instant, the thunder light caught up, and with a loud crash, she was struck like a cannonball, veering off to the side. Ren Qing Yue's heart nearly stopped from fright; the sudden event was shocking and entirely unanticipated. The lightning serpent that struck Yan Zhao was akin to a lightning tribulation in the God Transformation realm. The little fox swiftly expanded in size mid-air, transforming into a majestic nine-tailed fox, whose tails shot out like lightning to grasp Yan Zhao before she hit the ground, wrapping her securely. The lightning strike left Yan Zhao on the verge of unconsciousness, with her body scorched but not severely injured, her tissue healing rapidly. It was her ears that bore the brunt of the impact. When the lightning struck, her ears abruptly failed to register any sound, and even after her sister caught her, the ringing wouldn't cease. The nine-tailed fox transformed back into human form cradling Yan Zhao, but she couldn’t hear a word Ren Qing Yue was saying as her crimson lips moved silently. This persisted for about ten breaths until Yan Zhao’s ears recovered, and the shrouded sensation faded away. The first sound to pierce the silence was the crisp jingling of silver bells. Ren Qing Yue was still speaking, anxiety written on her face, yet Yan Zhao remained unresponsive. When Yan Zhao's focus drifted downwards, she spotted her sister's bare feet and the pair of bells joyfully clinking on her right ankle. She had heard this bell's sound many times before, but usually, it was mixed with other noises, never as clear as it was now. In a world of silence, only the bell's sound penetrated the heavy mist, drawing more attention to her sister's pristine feet. "A Zhao? A Zhao!" Ren Qing Yue urgently shook Yan Zhao's shoulders. After an uncertain period, Yan Zhao finally snapped back to reality, hearing her sister’s voice ask, "Are you alright?" Yan Zhao hesitated momentarily before responding, "I am." Hearing Yan Zhao’s reply, Ren Qing Yue breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, you scared me to death." But then, her former worry transformed into anger as she smacked Yan Zhao’s forehead lightly, "Do you realize what you did wrong?" When faced with danger, Yan Zhao didn't hesitate to throw her down and take the hit herself, which truly terrified her. Luckily, Yan Zhao was tough, and the lightning wasn’t as powerful as it could have been, but what if it had been stronger? Could Yan Zhao have survived? Ren Qing Yue realized she needed to address Yan Zhao's habit of acting impulsively. Yan Zhao remained silent under her sister's reprimand, her eyes trailing downwards again, focusing on the little bells on her sister's ankle. As the small bells softly jingled, her sister's voice drowned out their ringing, replacing the ethereal chime with its urgency. "Yan Zhao!" Ren Qing Yue raised her voice. Yan Zhao obediently looked up, unexpectedly meeting a pair of furious eyes. "Are you even listening to me? What on earth are you staring at? Did that lightning fry your brains?" "My ankle," Yan Zhao replied honestly. Ren Qing Yue was momentarily taken aback, unable to react. "What ankle?" Pointing at her sister's feet, Yan Zhao explained with unaffected straightforwardness, "I was looking at Sister's ankle. The bells are beautiful on Sister, but isn't it uncomfortable walking without shoes?" Ren Qing Yue: "..." Her face suddenly flushed bright red. "Wh-what are you worrying about that for!" Utterly embarrassed, Ren Qing Yue was flustered and frustrated. Especially as Yan Zhao's frank gaze swept over her ankle, her sense of overheated scrutiny made even her toes redden with embarrassment. She attempted to hide the bells, shifting her right foot back only for the left to become exposed instead. But the movement caused the small bells to jingle again. Caught in a dilemma, Ren Qing Yue could only scold Yan Zhao, "Stop looking, turn around." Yan Zhao made an affirmative noise, unsure why her sister was reacting so strongly. Though a bit reluctant, she obediently turned her back. Once the gaze focused on her ankle vanished, Ren Qing Yue calmed down slightly. Reflecting on Yan Zhao's earlier words, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Yan Zhao had brought this up voluntarily, and despite her inner discomfort, it was a rare opportunity. Suppressing her overwhelming shame, Ren Qing Yue mustered the courage to say to Yan Zhao, "You're right, wearing bells does make wearing shoes uncomfortable. Help me take the bells off." After her words faded, Yan Zhao fell silent. She genuinely believed those bells had a beautiful sound and appearance. They suited her sister particularly well. If her sister were to wear shoes, much of the charm would be lost. When Yan Zhao didn't respond, Ren Qing Yue turned her back around, urging, "Hurry up!" But where Yan Zhao was usually compliant, she now averted her gaze, refusing to meet Ren Qing Yue's eyes. Speaking with notable firmness, she declared, "No." Chapter 286 Ren Qing Yue fell silent. Yan Zhao's eyes whirled with mischief, and from their shared understanding, Ren Qing Yue recognized that her mind was swimming with cunning thoughts. Yan Zhao had matured, gaining schemes and tactics, not only negotiating but now also plotting. Ren Qing Yue felt a playful, itch of frustration, lightly pinching Yan Zhao's ear, "Are you not listening to your sister now?" Yan Zhao's eyes returned, shaking her head earnestly, "No, that's not it." Ren Qing Yue pressed further, "Then why?" Yan Zhao’s thoughts raced until she found an absolutely reliable answer, "This is a gift from me to Sister. If Sister doesn’t want to wear it and wants it removed, is it because you don’t like it?" Ren Qing Yue was indeed speechless, words of genuine sentiment escaping unwittingly in her rush, "Of course I like it. How could I dislike something you gave me? But..." Having it around her ankle was truly bothersome. But before she could continue beyond those two words, Yan Zhao interjected, pouting, "If you like it but want to take it off, I don't understand. I suspect Sister is trying to fool me, planning to sneakily throw it away while I'm not paying attention."