Xu Qing simply wanted this woman to stop pestering her! Even if she had transformed into a little fox, being constantly eyed by someone wanting to claim her as a spirit pet without being able to fight back was truly beginning to grate on her nerves. Thus, she had jumped onto Bai Muyao and acted affectionately.
It was purely a tactic to make the woman back off. It meant nothing more!
Ji Rao, still holding the meat bun, froze in place at the sight. She hadn’t expected the little fox to ignore her so completely. Not one to give up easily, she pulled a variety of delicacies from her storage ring: beef jerky, fresh fruit, and even a whole roasted chicken.
“Come to big sister, and you’ll have all this delicious food!” she coaxed.
Ji Rao had already considered that the fox might not like meat buns and had specifically researched the preferences of foxes. Yet, despite her efforts, the little fox remained lazily draped over Bai Muyao, showing no sign of moving.
Bai Muyao, for her part, hardly dared to breathe.
After trying for a long while, Ji Rao finally grit her teeth and asked, “Did you cast some kind of spell to make it unable to see me?”
“That… there is no such thing!” Bai Muyao hurriedly denied.
In her frustration, Ji Rao had spoken without thinking. Once she calmed down, she realized how absurd her question was. Even if Bai Muyao had cast such a spell, the meat bun had been held directly under the fox’s nose; it would be impossible not to notice.
Does this little fox really dislike me? Ji Rao wondered. She had been charmed by its adorable appearance from the moment she first saw it. Still unwilling to let go, she lowered her tone and asked, “Just… how exactly did you make it like you so much?”
The little fox’s ears twitched slightly. She wanted to refute Ji Rao’s words—she wasn’t lying on Bai Muyao because of “liking”! She just didn’t want to be annoyed. Yet, Xu Qing herself hadn’t realized that she had grown accustomed to the feeling of resting on Bai Muyao. Even her silver tail was swaying leisurely, betraying a sense of contentment.
Faced with Ji Rao’s persistent questioning, Bai Muyao felt awkward and could only say, “Senior’s preferences are not something I can control.”
“What have you fed it?” Ji Rao pressed.
“Meat buns… and some dry rations from dinner…”
During dinner that evening, Bai Muyao had only prepared some simple dry rations and shared a portion with the fox.
“Then what did you do to make it like you?”
“I… I took an afternoon nap?” Bai Muyao ventured. “Senior” had indeed napped on her shoulder, but other than that, there was nothing else.
Ji Rao took out a pen and paper to record this, then said, “It’s a deal, then. Once it grows to like me, you must not stop me from claiming it as my spirit pet.”
Bai Muyao nodded. “Naturally.”
After Ji Rao said her goodbyes and left, Bai Muyao noticed the little fox staring at her with a look of clear dissatisfaction.
“Senior…?”
The little fox used a paw to pat her on the head, as if scolding her. Why couldn’t you just refuse her firmly! You actually wanted me to be claimed by her as a pet? What on earth is going on inside that head of yours!
Bai Muyao was patted several times in succession. Then, the little fox leaped down from her and crawled into the tent. Bai Muyao rubbed her head helplessly and followed her inside.
In the middle of the night, Bai Muyao didn’t go to sleep immediately. Instead, she stayed up in the tent studying the scroll Shi Shuyan had given her. No one knew what kind of monster beasts they would encounter tomorrow, so she had a lot to memorize. She calculated that according to the team’s route, they would reach the place where the fragment was located on the third day—the day after tomorrow.
By late night, Bai Muyao had only managed to flip through half of the scroll. She noticed that the little fox hadn’t fallen asleep yet; she was curled up in a corner, staring intently at her.
“Is the light too bright?” Bai Muyao asked, referring to the glowing talisman placed beside her. She intended to dim its brightness.
However, the little fox walked over, fixed her gaze on the scroll, and used a paw to flip to a specific page. Then, she nudged the monster beast depicted on that page with her nose.
“Does Senior want me to memorize this one?” Bai Muyao asked.
The little fox turned her head away, unwilling to answer, and curled back up in her original spot. Bai Muyao understood the hint and began to seriously memorize the information about that specific beast.
The night grew deeper, and she extinguished the light to prepare for bed. After lying down, her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the fox. The creature was facing away from her, and she couldn’t tell if she was asleep. Bai Muyao didn’t dare disturb her.
The scene inexplicably reminded her of the times she had shared a bed with Xu Qing. Shaking off those stray thoughts, she gradually drifted off to sleep. Once she was out, the little fox quietly turned her head. She stared at Bai Muyao’s sleeping face, let out a soft sigh, and finally closed her eyes.
The next day.
When the team encountered another monster beast, Shi Shuyan organized an attack. Bai Muyao recognized it instantly it was the very beast she had studied carefully the night before. She handled the encounter with ease. After several hours of intense fighting, the beast was finally defeated.
After sorting through the spoils, Shi Shuyan specifically sought out Bai Muyao. “I was worried you wouldn’t adapt well and was prepared to help you out, but I didn’t expect you to perform so skillfully today,” she praised warmly.
Bai Muyao didn’t dare take all the credit. “It was all thanks to Senior’s guidance.” Her eyes drifted toward the little fox.
Shi Shuyan was confused. “Thanks to that fox?”
The little fox ran over and jumped onto Bai Muyao’s shoulder, puffing out her chest as if accepting an award. Hmph, teaching Bai Muyao was my doing; of course I can teach her better. Xu Qing didn’t even realize she was secretly competing with Shi Shuyan.
Regardless, Shi Shuyan was very satisfied with Bai Muyao’s performance. She then asked, “Bai Muyao, what are your plans after the journey through the mountains is over?”
The sudden question left Bai Muyao unsure of how to answer.
Shi Shuyan continued, “I plan on going to Lingxiao City next. If it’s on your way, we can travel together for a while longer.”
Lingxiao City? [Inside the Treasure Pavilion of the Xuanyuan Family in Lingxiao City.]
That was exactly where the next fragment was located. Shi Shuyan wasn’t in a hurry for an answer. “Think about it. If it doesn’t work out, I won’t mind.” Having said her piece, she went to check on the other members.
Together with Senior Shi? The sudden invitation sent Bai Muyao into deep thought; whether to refuse or accept required careful consideration. She failed to notice the gloomy expression that once again crossed the fox’s face.
“Junior Sister, not bad!”
Someone suddenly bumped into Bai Muyao, causing her to stagger and sending the little fox flying. Luckily, Bai Muyao was quick and caught the fox, pulling her tightly into her arms.
The little fox was irritated. Without being able to use spiritual energy, relying solely on a physical body was extremely inconvenient in many situations.
Once Bai Muyao saw who it was, she said, “Sister Shi, you flatter me.” She assumed Shi Hua was praising her performance against the monster beast.
Instead, Shi Hua said, “You’ve ‘conquered’ Shi Shuyan so quickly! Don’t hesitate—go to Lingxiao City with her. Maybe the two of you will actually happen!”
Only then did Bai Muyao realize that Shi Hua was concerned with her conversation with Shi Shuyan. She knew Shi Hua’s intention: to record her deeds and report them to Senior Sister Xu Qing. Unfortunately for Shi Hua, this would have no effect on Bai Muyao. In her eyes, Shi Hua’s efforts were in vain. Even if she tells Xu Qing, it’ll probably just annoy her, she thought.
The little fox stared at Bai Muyao, thinking: Hurry up and refute her!
But Bai Muyao only answered frankly, “I will seriously consider Senior Shi’s invitation.” She would give Shi Shuyan a clear answer later.
The little fox was even more frustrated!!! How could she have held such expectations, thinking that Bai Muyao would actually refute Shi Hua! This person seemed like she would never get angry about anything!
However, the little fox soon shook her head. Bai Muyao can travel with whoever she wants. Once she leaves the mountains, I might not even keep following her! Frustratingly, as a fox, she could only stew in her own anger without any way to vent it.
At that moment, Zhuang Youbai wandered over. Upon seeing Bai Muyao, she became incredibly excited. “Sister Bai, how do you manage to get cooler every day!”
“You flatter me, Youbai,” Bai Muyao replied.
“Why so humble, Sister Bai? By the way, want to join us for dinner?”
Cultivators only needed a small amount of food to sustain themselves. But who would refuse a chance to eat something savory? Bai Muyao had intended to continue studying the monster information, but given the invitation, she found it hard to say no.
Shi Hua joined them as well. The three of them found a clearing and set up a grill to start a barbecue. Zhuang Youbai pulled fresh ingredients from her storage ring, clearly well-prepared.
“It’s so strange. Tell me, why is this fox so close to you?” Shi Hua held a fragrant roasted chicken leg in front of the fox, but she was ignored completely. Only when Bai Muyao shredded the meat and held it out in her palm did the little fox frown and eat it slowly.
The question about the fox seemed to be one that many people had asked over the past two days. But Bai Muyao really couldn’t answer it. And since the fox wouldn’t explain, Bai Muyao had to face those questions alone.
The conversation naturally shifted to the monster beasts. Bai Muyao couldn’t memorize everything from the scroll. Although the fox had helped her once, she couldn’t rely on others for everything. She didn’t like being dependent.
Zhuang Youbai suddenly smiled faintly and said mysteriously, “Do you all know? There’s a legend about these mountains a Demon Sovereign General is sleeping here!”
Shi Hua raised an eyebrow. “A Demon Sovereign General? That would be at least a Great Awakening stage powerhouse.”
Zhuang Youbai nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! If we were to encounter them suddenly, it would be a disaster!”
Xu Qing heard this and didn’t care at all. These mountains had long been scouted; there was no way a Great Awakening stage demon could exist here. Zhuang Youbai was most likely making things up.
Sure enough, Zhuang Youbai continued, “That Demon Sovereign General possesses a forbidden technique that can control the minds of others and turn them into slaves! Once controlled, one’s life and death are in their hands, serving them for all eternity!”
As she listened, Shi Hua also began to think Zhuang Youbai was talking nonsense. How could such a bizarre spell exist in this world?
Zhuang Youbai, however, continued with a straight face, “If you want to break this forbidden technique, you have to know a certain incantation. Do you want to know it?”
“What incantation?” Shi Hua asked nonchalantly.
“If you want to know, then hold out your hands!” A flash of cunning crossed Zhuang Youbai’s eyes.
Shi Hua and Bai Muyao exchanged a glance, then both held out their hands.
“Hehehe, such fair and tender little hands!” Zhuang Youbai giggled. “Ahem. Now, in my great mercy, I shall tell you the incantation!”
She then proceeded to write an incantation on each of their palms.
The little fox, watching from the side, was fuming with rage. What kind of new scam is this! How could Bai Muyao be so easily fooled! She wanted to rush over and knock Zhuang Youbai away but felt it would be inappropriate. She paced around anxiously for two laps until Zhuang Youbai finally finished.
Zhuang Youbai had a look of total satisfaction. Bai Muyao stared at her palm, deep in thought.
Xu Qing felt that Bai Muyao was simply too easy to deceive. If she traveled with that Shi Shuyan, she would likely be tricked all over again. The little fox began to hesitate once the business in the Monster Beast Mountains was over, should she really continue following her?