What?
The fifth Qiankun cauldron?
Ye Qiu froze, his gaze sharpening as he stared at the little white fox. “Are you telling the truth?”
The little white fox spoke with the airs of an old sage. “Why would I lie to you about something like this?”
“Where is the fifth Qiankun cauldron?” Ye Qiu asked.
The little white fox giggled. “Ye Changsheng, I can tell you, but only if you…”
SLAP!
Ye Qiu landed a hard smack on the little white fox’s body.
“Oh, that feels amazing!” the little white fox said with satisfaction. “Ye Changsheng, you really understand me.”
“Cut the nonsense. Where is the fifth Qiankun cauldron?” Ye Qiu demanded.
The little white fox answered, “It’s with our demon race.”
The demon race?
Ye Qiu frowned.
He knew nothing about the demon race and had no connections there. Obtaining the fifth Qiankun cauldron would not be easy.
The little white fox continued, “The fifth Qiankun cauldron has been kept in our demon race’s forbidden ground for tens of thousands of years. Over all that time, countless great demon powers have tried to claim this divine artefact, but none succeeded in gaining its recognition.”
“Clearly, it has been waiting for its fated owner.”
“Since you already possess four Qiankun cauldrons, the fifth will surely acknowledge you as well.”
“Ye Changsheng, come with me to the demon race. I’ll help you get that cauldron.”
Ye Qiu’s frown deepened.
“According to you, the fifth cauldron is in the demon race’s forbidden ground. A place like that… do you even have the right to enter?”
“With your current weak cultivation, how can you guarantee you’ll help me obtain it?”
Ye Qiu looked at the little white fox and said, “Why do I feel as though you’re trying to lure me to the demon race?”
“You’re not…”
Ye Qiu’s pupils suddenly widened in horror. “You perverted fox, don’t tell me you’re after my body?”
“I see! I treated you as a friend, yet you’ve been coveting my body all along.”
“Shameless!”
“Pah! Ye Changsheng, you’re the shameless one!” the little white fox retorted. “I just want to help you obtain the fifth Qiankun cauldron.”
“Don’t worry. Not only can I enter the demon race’s forbidden ground, I can strut right in.”
“Because I am…”
The little white fox suddenly stopped.
“Because you are what?” Ye Qiu pressed.
“Because I am a Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox!” the little white fox declared proudly. “Nine-Tailed Heavenly Foxes hold supreme, unrivalled status among the demon race.”
That reminder jogged Ye Qiu’s memory. Yun Xi had once told him that within the demon race, the fox clan reigned supreme, and the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox possessed the purest bloodline.
“Maybe this little fox really can help me get the fifth cauldron.”
Ye Qiu’s heart began to stir.
After all, a Qiankun cauldron was a supreme divine artefact.
“Ye Changsheng, do you want the Qiankun cauldron or not?” the little white fox tempted. “If you do, come with me to the demon race.”
After a moment’s thought, Ye Qiu replied, “We’ll discuss this after we leave the mountain.”
“It’s just a small matter, and you want to wait until we leave the mountain? Ye Changsheng, are you even a man? Why hesitate so much?” the little white fox goaded. “Let me tell you, our demon race has plenty of peerless beauties.”
“Especially among us foxes, there are even more stunning women.”
“When the time comes, I’ll find a few hundred for you and have them take turns serving you. I’m just worried your body won’t be able to handle it, hee hee~”
Ye Qiu remained unmoved. “Little fox, stop trying to tempt me. We’ll talk about going to the demon race after we leave the mountain.”
“I wonder how Xi’er and Hu Zi are doing right now.”
“Come on, let’s head back.”
With that, Ye Qiu turned and left the area, using his movement technique to cover a hundred li with each step as he retraced his path.
After travelling several hundred li, Ye Qiu spotted Yun Xi.
She looked travel-worn, clearly having been rushing about searching for him.
“Xi’er!” Ye Qiu called out and quickly appeared before her.
Seeing Ye Qiu safe, Yun Xi’s face lit up with joy. She was about to throw herself into his arms, but then noticed the little white fox nestled in his embrace and instead asked with concern, “Changsheng, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Ye Qiu smiled.
“What about that golden coffin?” Yun Xi asked.
Ye Qiu recounted everything that had happened afterwards. When he finished, Yun Xi looked utterly astonished.
“It actually went inside your eye? That’s unbelievable.”
“Who would ever imagine there’s a coffin hidden inside your eye?”
“Changsheng, that coffin won’t harm you, will it? What if it suddenly goes berserk? And…”
Before Yun Xi could finish, the little white fox interrupted.
The little white fox said disdainfully, “That golden coffin is a supreme opportunity. Since it chose Ye Changsheng, how could it possibly harm him?”
“The Holy Maiden of the Qingyun Sword Sect, heh…”
“Long hair, short wits!”
Yun Xi flew into a rage. “Who are you calling short-witted?”
“I’m talking about you. What, not happy?” the little white fox shot back. “If you’re not happy, bite me!”
“I’ll kill you!” Yun Xi raised her palm, only to see the little white fox burrow deeper into Ye Qiu’s arms and whine coquettishly, “Ye Changsheng, she wants to kill me. Protect me quickly.”
Yun Xi fumed, “Changsheng, put that beast down so I can kill it.”
“Who are you calling a beast!” the little white fox roared.
“I’m calling…” Yun Xi started, but her words caught in her throat. She suddenly realised the little white fox was staring at her with cold, emotionless emerald eyes that sent chills down her spine. Yun Xi froze on the spot.
Moreover, she sensed an aura of absolute, contemptuous majesty in its gaze, as though it were a sovereign looking down on all creation.
She had only ever felt such majesty from her own father.
“How is this possible? It’s just a fox…”
While Yun Xi stood stunned, Ye Qiu spoke up. “Xi’er, don’t lower yourself to its level.”
THUNK!
Ye Qiu flicked the little white fox hard on the forehead, making it grimace in pain.
“Although you helped a lot this time in obtaining the supreme opportunity, if you dare upset Xi’er again, I won’t let you off.”
Hmph~
The little white fox glared at Ye Qiu indignantly and thought to itself, “You’re only protecting her because she’s pretty. Hmph, just wait until this princess takes human form. Then you’ll see what true heavenly beauty really is.”
Afterwards, Ye Qiu said, “Xi’er, let’s head back.”
“Mm.” Yun Xi nodded obediently, glanced at the little white fox, and hesitated as if wanting to say something but holding back.
“Let’s go see how Hu Zi and the others are doing!” Ye Qiu took Yun Xi’s hand and left the area.
A quarter of an hour later, they returned to the vicinity of the broken cliff, yet there was no sign of Hu Zi or the others.
“Strange. Earlier we split up and fled, the golden coffin chased me, so why haven’t Hu Zi and the rest returned here?”
Ye Qiu felt puzzled.
Yun Xi said, “They probably didn’t go far. Let’s look for them.”
“Alright.” Ye Qiu nodded and prepared to search for Hu Zi and the others with Yun Xi.
At that very moment, billowing demonic qi surged from the forest in the distance, accompanied by a sky-piercing killing intent.
