295 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

In the midst of her pensive reflections, a sudden pinch on her waist's soft flesh caught Yan Yuanqing off guard. "?!" Her waist softened in an instant, the world spinning around her. When her vision cleared, Yan Yuanqing widened her eyes in surprise. She and Nangong Yin had switched positions! Nangong Yin's hand was cushioned under her head, while the other supported her waist, fingers pressing skillfully. "Ah, hey! Stop it!" Yan Yuanqing exclaimed, unable to control her laughter. "How dare you ambush me—hahaha—it’s ticklish! Cut it out! Hahaha!" With the tables turned, Nangong Yin seized the opportunity without letting go. Just like Yan Yuanqing understood her, Nangong Yin knew Yan Yuanqing equally well. After a brief struggle, amidst their playful laughter, Yan Yuanqing's initial outcry transformed into intimate murmurs. "Mmm... Ah Yin..." A hand gently covered Yan Yuanqing's lips, as a moist tongue grazed her earlobe, accompanied by a playful whisper, "Keep your voice down, unless you want Zhaor to hear us." Yan Yuanqing: "..." Her first battle post-revival ended in unexpected defeat, backfiring spectacularly. Determined, she wrapped her arms around Nangong Yin's shoulders, pulling her closer until their bodies were flush against each other, feeling the warmth even through their clothes. Let's see who pleads for mercy first. * In the main house of the bamboo courtyard, Yan Zhao sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the little fox and deep in thought. The little fox lay unconscious in her arms. Even after being fed soul-nourishing pills, there was no visible effect. During the day, the surrounding noise sometimes distracted her, keeping her worries at bay. Yet, as night deepened and silence reigned, time dragged on unbearably long. Her senior sister had been injured protecting her—an event that had occurred many times before. Yan Zhao gently stroked the little fox’s soft fur. Its body temperature was normal, and its breath was steady, as if it were simply asleep. Yet, Yan Zhao found herself sleepless. If the little fox never woke up, would it never return to its senior sister form? Images of her senior sister, pallid and weary after shielding her from countless swords, replayed in her mind, making her heart twinge painfully. Yan Zhao couldn't understand what this pain meant—perhaps a residual sword energy had left an invisible scar on her heart. She longed for her senior sister to wake up. It didn’t matter if she refused to become her bondmate; she just wanted her to be well—to tug her ear, slap her hand, or have the little fox jump and nip at her. To tell her that her senior sister was vibrantly alive, not silent and still, like her once-deceased mother. The deeper the night, the more fear seeped into Yan Zhao’s heart. Her mother had just revived, and her senior sister had fallen. She didn't want her sister to end up like her mother. "Right, the technique..." Yan Zhao muttered to herself. Nangong Yin had taught her a method to restore spirit essence. Although her mother advised against using it, sitting idly by in distress was unbearable for Yan Zhao. After much pondering, Yan Zhao decided it was worth a try. Even if her mother said she was too young to safely use the technique, she had advanced to a Golden Core stage cultivator—not the same novice from years ago who couldn't cultivate. Though the technique could harm her body, if it could save her senior sister, she was willing to try. Steeling her resolve, Yan Zhao stood, closed the doors and windows, shutting out the outside noises to clear her mind. As she closed the door, her sharp hearing caught something—sounds, perhaps, from the adjacent room, sporadic and unclear. Her mother and Nangong Yin were still awake so late, likely immersed in endless conversations after such a long time apart. Yan Zhao had her own urgent matter and wasn't interested in their nightly discussions. She quietly latched the door. Returning to her room, Yan Zhao held the little fox, sat cross-legged on the bed, and carefully recalled the teachings Nangong Yin imparted. While practicing the technique, she searched for corresponding acupoints on the little fox. As Yan Zhao's understanding of cultivation deepened, her knowledge expanded significantly. Applying the technique after so many years felt smoother and her acupoint judgment more precise. Unfortunately, the little fox was far more severely injured this time. Touching its acupoints, it remained motionless, lacking its previous resistant reactions. This discovery darkened Yan Zhao’s mood, yet made her more resolute in applying the healing technique. Focused and calm, Yan Zhao entered a profound state of clarity unknowingly. In this state, her spiritual awareness became sharper, feeling the flow of spiritual energy in the little fox’s meridians just by touching its fur. Its blood circulation quickened, body temperature rose, even its heartbeat became irregular. At a certain moment, something rippled in Yan Zhao’s soul, as a strand of soul power flowed through their contract. Jingle. A bell rang, jolting Yan Zhao awake. As she focused, the little fox’s eyes blinked open. "!" Yan Zhao was overjoyed. Nangong Yin's technique worked! And so effectively—one attempt and her senior sister was awake. Yan Zhao's happiness overshadowed any concern over potential harm from the technique. Overjoyed, she held the newly awakened little fox, exclaiming, "Snowball!" The little fox indeed awoke, its thick tail swaying gently. Yet soon, Yan Zhao sensed something amiss. Held in her hands, the little fox gazed at her through hazy, confused eyes, slower than usual. Even when called, it didn’t respond. "Snowball?" Yan Zhao called out again hesitantly. Blinking its jewel-like green eyes, its response was sluggish rather than its usual lively spark. Feeling as if doused with cold water, Yan Zhao’s initial thrill faded, though she reluctantly whispered, "Senior Sister?" The little fox wiggled out of her grasp, falling onto the bed. Yan Zhao pursed her lips, feeling a sting of disappointment, knowing her sister's severe injuries wouldn't allow immediate recovery. She took a deep breath, reassuring herself: with her spirit essence wounded, her sister waking was fortunate amidst misfortune; full recovery would take time, and she mustn't rush. As Yan Zhao pondered, dazed, she felt a wet sensation on her hand. The little fox was nuzzling her hand with its nose softly. Yan Zhao looked down at it. It nudged her palm with its muzzle, indicating for her to touch it. It toppled over, showing its soft, delicate belly fur, inviting her to rub its belly. Yan Zhao paused. Seeing her hesitate, not petting it, the little fox whined anxiously, nudging Yan Zhao's hand with its head. At the same time, its fluffy tail curled suggestively around Yan Zhao’s wrist. Chapter 323 Yan Yuanqing and Nangong Yin were locked in a passionate clash, engaging in a battle of wit and will for three hundred rounds. Clothes lay scattered across the floor, signalling that Yan Yuanqing had slightly outperformed Nangong Yin in the end. Nangong Yin lay with one hand covering her eyes, her cheeks flushed, appearing exhausted and on the verge of sleep. Her uncovered skin was speckled with red marks, and there were several scratches from nails accentuating those marks. However, Yan Yuanqing, lying beside her, wasn’t any better off. Despite her fatigue, Yan Yuanqing was more spirited than Nangong Yin. Though still eager for more, she acknowledged Nangong Yin's injuries were yet to heal, and they'd overexerted themselves enough. "Why has the formidable Demon Lord become so delicate?" Yan Yuanqing teased, seizing the chance to voice her jest. "We barely started, and you’re already this spent?" Even turning was a struggle for Nangong Yin, feeling as if her bones were about to fall apart from Yan Yuanqing's playful torture. She gave a weak glare, too drained to counter and instead closed her eyes to sleep. Yan Yuanqing's triumphant return allowed her to have her moment for now. After all... their future together was boundless. Thinking this, a sense of peace warmed Nangong Yin’s heart, and sleep naturally followed. "Eh?!" Yan Yuanqing suddenly raised her voice. Nangong Yin, startled by the outburst, fluttered her eyelids and slowly opened them, looking puzzled. "Why are you so jumpy?" Yan Yuanqing held up a mirror, bringing it close to her with excitement. "Look, look!" Nangong Yin glanced at the mirror's surface but before she could fully comprehend the reflection, she noticed something else. "Isn’t this the mirror that was broken?" She recalled the great battle at Fuyun Sect, where Su Zijun had used this very bronze mirror, which Ying Xiao had shattered. When did Yan Yuanqing manage to repair the mirror? "Is that the point?" Yan Yuanqing retorted, glaring at her. "I have dozens more of these mirrors if needed, just look inside!" Nangong Yin: “…” She turned her gaze to the mirror, focusing where Yan Yuanqing pointed. The surface rippled like water, revealing a familiar room—the adjacent one. On the bed—the figure was none other than Yan Zhao. Nangong Yin frowned. "Zhaor? What are you doing up so late watching Zhaor?" "What's wrong with a mother checking on her daughter?" Yan Yuanqing said without any sense of invading privacy, tapping on the mirror. "See for yourself what your daughter is doing so late instead of sleeping or cultivating!" Nangong Yin thought: As if she isn't your daughter too. Despite her fatigue, Nangong Yin forced herself to look closely, curious about what had made Yan Yuanqing react so vehemently. In the reflection, Yan Zhao was tending to the little fox. From her movements, it seemed she was applying the healing technique Nangong Yin had taught her previously. Nangong Yin found nothing strange and asked Yan Yuanqing, "What’s wrong with that?" "You still dare ask!" Yan Yuanqing was furious. "Zhaor is so young and you were teaching her these things. She's only three hundred years old and keeps talking about having little baby foxes. Isn't that absurd!" Nangong Yin was unfazed. "How is it my fault? You were the one who broke the natural order and came up with a method for women to have children together. Otherwise, why would Zhaor be so absorbed with the little fox?" Yan Yuanqing was briefly at a loss, having initially been the one angry, yet finding a certain truth in Nangong Yin’s words. "But it still isn’t right!" Yan Yuanqing stood her ground. "You have to stop her!" Nangong Yin was bemused. "You’re the one objecting, why don’t you go?" Yan Yuanqing argued unreasonably, "Because you taught her this technique! I've tried to stop her, but she doesn't listen to me—you have to do it!" While they bickered, something caught the corner of Nangong Yin's eye in the mirror; the little fox was awakening. Surprised, she exclaimed, "It woke up so quickly—Zhaor’s soul power is indeed formidable!" Seeing this, Yan Yuanqing felt even more exasperated. "Now it’s all a mess." The technique would surely help restore Ren Qingyue’s spirit essence, and Yan Zhao, having tasted success, would be even less likely to heed Yan Yuanqing's warnings. Just then, the mirror showed the little fox turning over, presenting its belly to Yan Zhao in invitation. “!” Yan Yuanqing urgently severed the mirror’s connection. "How can Zhaor do this?" Yan Yuanqing muttered in disbelief after snapping the mirror shut. "She’s taking advantage of the situation!" With that, Yan Yuanqing hastily got out of bed. "No, I have to stop her. How will we explain this to Qingyue once she wakes up like this?!"