277 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Upon considering this point, Lian Xiang found himself unable to sit still. "Why are you so anxious?" The shadow behind the black mist flickered once more. "Nangong Yin is indeed formidable, but she has only unsealed the barrier, not fully recovered. Even if she were to appear right now, what could she possibly do? She might not even be a match for you." Hearing this, Lian Xiang was thoughtful and began to concede that the shadow had a valid point. The shadow continued, "Haven't you always wanted to overpower Nangong Yin and replace her? Isn't this the perfect opportunity?" "Nangong Yin is gravely injured this time, like a spent arrow at the end of its flight. This is a rare opportunity. If you can kill her, you will become the new demon lord. All the promises I made to you before still stand." As Lian Xiang slowly quelled his fear, temptation tugged at him. Just as he was about to bite the bullet and utter an agreement, a cold, merciless woman's voice floated from a vortex that suddenly spun into existence behind him: "Oh? I'm quite curious. What did you promise him?" Both individuals in the room froze. Lian Xiang's mind went blank, yet his instincts took over and he dropped to his knees with a thud. Before him, not far away, the mass of black mist also swirled with sudden panic. The person behind the mist didn't hesitate to use a space manipulation technique, but just as the spell was about to be completed, a blood-red spear pierced through his chest. Nangong Yin questioned him, "Speak. Who is your master?" --- After Nangong Yin departed, Yan Zhao and Ren Qingyue waited by the Sea of the Netherworld. About an hour later, several demon clan envoys appeared along the coast of the Sea of the Netherworld, carrying orders from Lord Hanli to escort the fleeing demonfolk from the Fog Demon Abyss. Many of the demonfolk refugees, still uncertain of the situation, were somewhat convinced by Bai Jin's reassurance to trust the demon clan, choosing to follow the envoys to the demon camp. Not long after, these people returned with good news, informing their hesitant kin: Lord Hanli has established a temporary camp on the border of his domain and Hanming Hill, where they could purchase food and supplies with spirit crystals from the designated envoys. Ren Qingyue helped Bai Jin persuade the demonfolk refugees to temporarily reside at Hanming Hill. Although Hanming Hill’s climate was harsher than Green Hill, it was at least free from war and could guarantee basic safety. However, most of the demonfolk refugees remained cautious. They were ordinary demonfolk without real power; while the demon realm might be peaceful for now, who could guarantee that the demon clan wouldn’t suddenly change their attitude? These individuals couldn't entirely trust the demons and wanted to follow Bai Jin and Ren Qingyue. Ren Qingyue then suggested to Bai Jin, "You should take them to the demon realm." Bai Jin, however, made her stance clear: "I intend to return to Green Hill with my cousin." Even though Green Hill was still in turmoil, and Tu Shan Yu seemed like a rabid dog, suspecting everyone of being allied with the Fox Queen. He even sent people to hunt down Bai Jin, indicating how deeply paranoid he was. On the flip side, this suggested that Tu Shan Yu's current situation was as unstable as drifting duckweed; any disturbance could affect his judgment, leading to the loss of his position, thus making him overly suspicious of everything. Ren Qingyue advised Bai Jin, "The situation in Green Hill is indeed important, but these demonfolk refugees also matter greatly. Right now, they need a leader, and no one is more suitable than you." Bai Jin, hearing this, was momentarily at a loss for words. In the past, she always sought more attention from her cousin, doing many laughable things in the process. When she learned that her cousin already had someone in her heart, she experienced a complete breakdown followed by a transformation. The chaos in Green Hill came suddenly, and even now, she felt as if she were dreaming. Though having been entrusted by the Fox Queen to escape from the demon realm to find Ren Qingyue, she was not confident she could truly meet the Fox Queen's expectations to find reinforcements for Green Hill. Now, Ren Qingyue's words nonchalantly swept away the fragile self-pity that lay within her. Not only did the Fox Queen trust her, but Ren Qingyue also entrusted her with great responsibility simply because she was Bai Jin. "No one is more suited than you." Tears welled up in Bai Jin’s eyes, her nose stinging with emotion. Ren Qingyue patted her on the shoulder. "Bai Jin, I entrust these people to you." Bai Jin took a deep breath, stood up straight, and promised Ren Qingyue, "I understand, cousin. As long as I'm here, I won't let anyone bully our demonfolk in the demon realm." Ren Qingyue sensed at that moment an intrinsic change in Bai Jin. Her eyes no longer held the innocence they once did; a strength had risen from within, giving her an air of maturity. And this transformation was palpable to Ren Qingyue. This growth was enough to reinvent Bai Jin. Not delaying further, Bai Jin made plans with Ren Qingyue to return to assist her in Green Hill after settling the demonfolk, then led them to the demon realm. By that time, Ren Qingyue intended to have already rescued the Fox Queen. As Bai Jin departed with the demonfolk, Ren Qingyue watched her leave and then found a quiet place with Yan Zhao to wait for Nangong Yin. Lei Shuang, Feng Jin, and Jiang Ying combined their energies to heal Ren Qingyue, and after two days and nights, a fierce figure appeared on the coast as the turbulent winds rose above the Sea of the Netherworld. Yan Zhao was the first to notice and her eyes lit up: "Ayin!" Nangong Yin regrouped with Yan Zhao and the others, glanced at Ren Qingyue, noted her improved condition, and nodded, "Let's go, to the demon realm." With a slight twist of her fingers, a giant golden-winged roc descended from the skies. Yan Zhao and the others boarded the roc's back. With a flap of its wings, it soared high, then sped like lightning across the Fog Demon Abyss. During the journey, Lei Shuang inquired about Nangong Yin's injury, to which she responded, "Recovered thirty percent, it's no longer a serious concern." Reassured, Lei Shuang and the others felt at ease. With Nangong Yin’s power restored by thirty percent, they were confident that even if this trip faced unexpected challenges, she had the means to pull off daring escapes. Ren Qingyue seized the opportunity to meditate, while Yan Zhao’s heart held Nangong Yin’s previous words. This journey to the demon realm was to propose on her behalf, to marry the Fox Tribe's imperial maiden. Essentially, her senior sister. Yan Zhao glanced surreptitiously at Ren Qingyue, who was meditating with spiritual energy swirling around her, gathering towards her. Ren Qingyue’s aura was steady, fully concentrated. At other times, such overt cultivation would not be possible, but Nangong Yin had specified that before reaching the demon realm, Ren Qingyue needed to recover as much strength as possible. She would be responsible for infiltrating the demon palace to rescue the Fox Queen. Ren Qingyue dared not slack off, and was reassured by Nangong Yin's presence. What petty troublemaker would dare interrupt her training? Traveling from the Sea of the Netherworld to Green Hill usually took about a month. But riding the golden-winged roc, they halved the time, reaching the border between the demon realm and Fog Demon Abyss within half a month. "Once we reach Green Hill, we'll split up and take action," Nangong Yin instructed. "Feng Jin, you're tasked with scouting out where the Fox Queen is being held." Feng Jin accepted her orders, bowing with clasped hands. "Understood." Nangong Yin continued, "Lei Shuang, Jiang Ying, you two will go to the demon palace gates and challenge Tou Shan Yu, drawing him out." Yan Zhao looked on curiously, her eyes sparkling at Nangong Yin: "Ayin, what about me?" Nangong Yin affectionately patted Yan Zhao's head. "You will use the Projection of Heaven Scroll to transport us directly to the demon palace. Once Feng Jin has gathered precise information and Lei Shuang and Jiang Ying have lured the others away, then you can sneak in and rescue her. Understood?" Yan Zhao nodded obediently. "Understood." "Great, proceed according to plan." Nangong Yin concluded, storing the golden-winged roc in a secluded area and cloaking their presence. Yan Zhao retrieved the Projection of Heaven Scroll, ready to inscribe, when Ren Qingyue spoke to her: "Ah Zhao, we'll go to the Moon Court Palace." Other places might be heavily guarded, but the Moon Court Palace was her former residence, long abandoned and unlikely patrolled specifically by Tou Shan Yu. He would never suspect them of infiltrating the demon palace undetected, planning to dismantle his forces from within. Yan Zhao, always heeding her senior sister, hesitated only to ensure, "Senior sister, how do you write the characters for Moon Court Palace?" Ren Qingyue guided Yan Zhao on writing the three characters for Moon Court Palace. Yan Zhao pricked her finger and seriously inscribed "Moon Court Palace" onto the Projection of Heaven Scroll before channeling her magic into it. The scroll radiated with brilliance, encompassing everyone present within its glow. As a dazzling golden light flashed, the surroundings rapidly changed. When their vision cleared, they found themselves standing in a deserted courtyard. The Moon Court Palace was quite large and appeared particularly forlorn due to its long-term disuse. However, for over a thousand years, the Fox Queen had ensured that people maintained and cleaned the courtyard, so it was not cluttered, nor was the interior dusty. But it had been over three months since Tu Shan Yu poisoned and confined the Fox Queen. The tables and chairs in the Moon Court Palace inevitably gathered some dust. Nangong Yin scanned her surroundings. It had been a long time since she had sneaked into a place like a thief—the last time was when she went to Fog Cloud Sect to find out from Yan Yuan Yi the whereabouts of the Soul-Congealing Pearl. Lei Shuang, Jiang Ying, and Feng Jin moved simultaneously. Lei Shuang and Jiang Ying were responsible for distracting the palace guards, facilitating Feng Jin’s infiltration to gather intelligence. Once Tu Shan Yu realized there were intruders, it would be Nangong Yin's turn to act. Ren Qingyue speculated, "If we can directly subdue Tu Shan Yu, all problems would be solved." But that was the best-case scenario. They also needed a backup plan since Nangong Yin’s strength had only recovered by thirty percent. Who knew how many mysterious experts were lurking around Tu Shan Yu, making this venture as perilous as a dragon’s lair or tiger’s den? If Nangong Yin were encircled by enemies, Yan Zhao and Ren Qingyue would need to collaborate with Feng Jin to rescue her while Nangong Yin would buy them time. Soon after the guardians left, commotion arose from within the palace. Yan Zhao frequently peered outside, while Ren Qingyue nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, fearing that Feng Jin might return with unbearable news. She took several deep breaths to adjust her emotions, using logic to suppress her worries. The disturbance outside grew more chaotic, with cries of surprise and anger traveling through the palace walls. However, the situation remained under control. Lei Shuang and the team had not encountered any formidable enemies yet, but they had stirred the waters of the demon palace, causing Tu Shan Yu's forces to flood in pursuit, attempting to capture them alive. Nearly half an hour passed when an arrow suddenly flew into the courtyard, embedding itself in the beam of the Moon Court Palace with a thud. Feng Jin, who fired the arrow, quickly fled, pursued by the shadow guards of the demon palace. Now and then she released a burst of arrow energy; the arrow seemed to have been shot in haste during the chase and did not draw the shadow guards' attention. Once their figures disappeared into the distance, Nangong Yin reached out her hand. The arrow energy dissipated, and the item pinned to the beam sensed Nangong Yin's call, flying into her hand on its own. It was a small piece of calfskin parchment, no larger than a thumb. Its color matched the beam closely, making it almost invisible unless viewed up close. Nangong Yin unrolled the parchment and saw three characters written on it: "Qing Yao Palace." "Qing Yao Palace." Nangong Yin read the words aloud, then turned to Ren Qingyue. "Do you know where Qing Yao Palace is?" Learning that the Fox Queen was at Qing Yao Palace and presumably safe, Ren Qingyue’s ever-tense heart finally eased a bit, and she replied, "I do." Qing Yao Palace was not far from Moon Court Palace. The thought of the Fox Queen's current situation made Ren Qingyue feel sorrowful. "Next, you and Zhao’er will go to Qing Yao Palace to rescue her," Nangong Yin instructed, rising and heading out. As she walked, she added, "Lei Shuang and the others must be reaching their limits; now it's up to me." As she was about to leave Moon Court Palace, she suddenly stopped and, with her back to Yan Zhao, called gently, "Zhao’er."