Hearing Xiaoxiao’s words, Qin Lingxiao laughed coldly.

This was the third-rate sect his good senior brother Tang Youshu had established! His disciples were so unambitious – no wonder Tang Youshu could only die of old age in the end.

Could this cultivation method of indulging in appetite yield any results?

Thinking this, he ignored Cui Xiaoxiao and closed his eyes again, breathing and cultivating his primordial spirit with an immortal bearing.

Seeing she couldn’t get answers from him, Xiaoxiao returned to the carriage and nudged her chin toward Yu Ling’er: “Did you hear? If you go to Lingyun Pavilion, forget about eating chicken – you’ll be lucky to fill up on water.”

Yu Ling’er was also hungry, but she didn’t dare clamor for cold noodles with toppings like Xiaoxiao, lest she earn Qin Lingxiao’s contempt for lacking cultivation dedication.

Thinking this, Yu Ling’er picked two flowers and pitifully stuffed them in her mouth.

The flower petals were bitter and terrible – Yu Ling’er was so miserable her fox ears popped out.

Xiaoxiao wouldn’t compromise herself. She looked around and spotted a tree with bright red berries that looked edible, so she tried climbing up to pick them.

Qin Lingxiao slowly opened his eyes, quietly watching Xiaoxiao climb like an agile little monkey. Her limbs were slender and long, her ponytail swaying as she moved quite gracefully.

He felt contempt again – this stubborn girl had drunk his spiritual spring-infused blood and should theoretically be at the qi-condensing, core-forming stage.

Unfortunately, she had the wrong master and didn’t know proper cultivation methods. She was like an ignorant strongman with great strength but no idea how to use it in techniques.

So Cui Xiaoxiao couldn’t even manage basic lightness skills that ordinary disciples could handle, only relying on clumsy tree-climbing…

Just as he was thinking this, the girl suddenly stepped on wet moss, slipped, and cried out as she fell from the tree.

Qin Lingxiao still smiled coldly. Though he stood up, he intended to catch Xiaoxiao only just before she hit the ground, teaching her a lesson.

Just as he was about to catch her, he discovered that the precious sword “Yu Tiandou” on her back had automatically sprung from its sheath, arcing through the air before settling horizontally beneath Xiaoxiao.

Xiaoxiao’s toes lightly touched the sword body, actually stabilizing herself in mid-air. The delicate, beautiful girl suspended in air with her skirt and long hair gently swaying in the wind – she had the completely carefree bearing of a sword immortal.

She waved her fingers to guide qi, making the precious sword slowly lift her higher to pick the full berries from the tree’s upper branches.

This ability to achieve perfect unity between person and sword in crisis moments was truly beyond what a girl of Cui Xiaoxiao’s limited cultivation should master.

But… she had mastered it anyway!

This again made Young Pavilion Master Qin, who had never achieved this technique, jealous to the point of red eyes.

After Xiaoxiao picked the fruit and shared some with Yu Ling’er, she held up a few berries to Qin Lingxiao in a gesture of goodwill: “Mm, I tried them – they’re very sweet. Do you want some?”

The immortal-like young pavilion master just glared at her fiercely and coldly mocked: “Such showing off – be careful not to break your leg!”

Having said this, he turned and knocked the berries from Xiaoxiao’s hand, then strode away.

Xiaoxiao was stunned by Qin Lingxiao’s rudeness and could only glare after him, gesturing as if to knock that arrogant youth’s skull!

Of course, being watched by many Lingyun Pavilion disciples, she only gestured to vent her anger, then bent to pick up the fruit and wash it at the stream. After all, food was scarce and shouldn’t be wasted.

Yu Ling’er still wasn’t full. This time she went exploring herself and found some bird eggs to roast with Xiaoxiao.

While peeling the cooked eggs, the little fox said wistfully: “If only Wei Jie and Tang Youshu were here – they’d never let us go hungry… I wonder what they’re doing now, if they’ll come looking for us…”

Xiaoxiao said nothing, suddenly losing her appetite for the bird eggs. She got up and sat by the stream, staring blankly at the flowing water.

She also wanted to know what the situation was in Luoyi City. Would that person whose life trajectory had gone astray correct his course and return to his destined path?

What worried her more was whether Wei Jie would be injured and able to escape unharmed with such great changes in world events…

It seemed she wasn’t as carefree as she appeared before Yu Ling’er. This bleeding-heart problem of hers had been despised by her adoptive father many times – she wondered if she could ever change it…

With her thoughts in turmoil and nowhere to confide them, she could only sigh softly at the flowing stream.

Though Xiaoxiao wanted to delay, Qin Lingxiao still found the journey too slow.

Unwilling to waste too much time on mundane matters, he single-mindedly wanted to bring Cui Xiaoxiao back to Lingyun Pavilion quickly.

So he devised a method: having several disciples remove the carriage wheels, then lift the carriage body and use lightness skills to leap forward rapidly.

As for Cui Xiaoxiao, if she got motion sick again, she could vomit to her heart’s content in the carriage. He couldn’t let a whole group of disciples crawl along with her.

When the carriage body became an aerial sedan chair, Xiaoxiao was too lazy to pretend sickness anymore.

She knew Qin Lingxiao’s calculation, but didn’t hope for Wei Jie and the others to rescue her.

How clever was Wei Jie? When he saw the letter she had Tang Youshu deliver, he would naturally understand everything.

If he understood she had deliberately ditched him, Wei Jie’s pride would prevent him from chasing after her.

Their master-disciple relationship was originally more of a joke anyway – neither took it too seriously.

He had many abilities, none of which she had taught him. Why should she drag him along to care for her?

However, she still needed to settle Yu Ling’er. After all, with this burden, she couldn’t easily escape.

Thinking this, she poked her head out and called to Qin Lingxiao: “Hey, we need to go to Tuyun Mountain first.”

This time, Qin Lingxiao did have them stop. He knew Cui Xiaoxiao wanted to send Yu Ling’er back first.

Though he didn’t want to delay, a demon like Yu Ling’er indeed couldn’t remain in Lingyun Pavilion.

Hearing Cui Xiaoxiao’s meaning, Yu Ling’er had made a poisonous oath to stay with Cui Xiaoxiao or lose all her cultivation. Only by returning to Tuyun Mountain could the oath be dissolved.

Qin Lingxiao knew that if he refused, he’d surely earn Cui Xiaoxiao’s contemptuous looks and cold mockery about prestigious sects being all show. Since the route passed Tuyun Mountain anyway, a brief stop wouldn’t matter. He finally nodded reluctantly.

But Yu Ling’er was nearly in tears, thinking Cui Xiaoxiao was too mean to want to separate her from Qin Lingxiao.

Taking advantage of washing by the stream while the disciples kept their distance, Xiaoxiao said seriously: “You saw how your Young Pavilion Master Qin clings to me. With me around, he definitely won’t put you in his heart. If you help me escape, I won’t interfere with your situation! Anyway, once you’re at Tuyun Mountain and dissolve your oath before your mother, you can follow whoever you want.”

These words greatly tempted Yu Ling’er. If she could change her oath before her mother, she’d naturally most want to follow Qin Lingxiao.

Seeing the little fox’s hesitation, Xiaoxiao knew there was hope and whispered more details in her ear…

Now, for Qin Lingxiao, when he reached the pond below Tuyun Mountain, he was greatly shocked.

Though he knew this place had suffered heavenly punishment, he hadn’t expected the mountain to be completely transformed in just a few days. One could imagine heavenly punishment.

Qin Lingxiao couldn’t help but glance at Cui Xiaoxiao, who was stretching lazily as she jumped down from the carriage. She… had survived unharmed in that world-destroying heavenly punishment…

Yu Ling’er walked ahead as a guide while Xiaoxiao moved to follow, but Qin Lingxiao blocked her with his hand.

“Yu Ling’er has reached home. How she dissolves her oath with her mother is her business. We must return to Lingyun Pavilion immediately.”

Xiaoxiao quickly said: “But if Yu Ling’er hasn’t dissolved her oath and separates from me, she’ll…”

Qin Lingxiao said impatiently: “Whatever happens to her has nothing to do with you! Don’t tell me you’re looking for an excuse to escape?”

Xiaoxiao smiled slightly, tilting her head: “You’re watching me so closely – where could I escape to? By the way, what’s for lunch? If I eat more flower petals, I’ll starve to death. There are many villages nearby, and Ling’er has money. Could we eat our fill before going up the mountain? Otherwise, Ling’er won’t get another chance.”

Qin Lingxiao smiled coldly, looking at the nearby village with curling smoke, then back at Xiaoxiao’s upturned face. Her large eyes were full of pitiful expression, constantly pursing her red lips…

Qin Lingxiao was silent for a moment, then said slowly: “You rest at the mountain base. I’ll be right back.”

Having said this, he flew toward the village.

Xiaoxiao didn’t know what Qin Lingxiao was up to, but she was waiting for just such an opportunity!

When Qin Lingxiao disappeared, she and Yu Ling’er exchanged meaningful looks, then both suddenly ran up the mountain.

The disciples had grown accustomed to these two girls crying with hunger at every meal. Usually in such situations, they’d pick wild fruits or find bird eggs.

They were too lazy to supervise their foraging nearby, but who knew that today, without warning, the two would just run off.

After a moment’s shock, they reacted and hurriedly gave chase.

Originally, they were only a dozen steps behind the two girls and could easily catch up. But somehow, when the Lingyun Pavilion disciples pursued, Xiaoxiao’s figure flickered and suddenly vanished.

They quickly ran several more steps, but when they leaped up and landed, they found themselves back where they started…

After circling in this ghost-wall maze several times, they reluctantly descended the mountain.

The dizzy, disoriented disciples had just emerged from the barrier when they saw their young pavilion master returning with a large food box.

They all knelt in shame, begging their young pavilion master’s forgiveness.

Hearing the two girls had run up the mountain, Qin Lingxiao immediately set down the food box and flew in pursuit.

But after entering the mountain, he too was spinning in circles. Terrible! He… seemed caught in a “ghost wall” maze.

When Qin Lingxiao had previously climbed Tuyun Mountain with Yu Ling’er guiding him, the journey was smooth without experiencing Tuyun Mountain’s “ghost wall.”

By the time he finally found his way out, Qin Lingxiao’s handsome, dignified face was livid with anger.

Still claiming to be hungry? Damn female fraud – truly nothing but lies!

He raised his leg and kicked the food box on the ground into pieces.

Besides several small dishes, the box contained a large bowl of cold jelly noodles. The spicy oil and sauce splattered everywhere, staining Qin Lingxiao’s snow-white, worldly-clean robes with spots.

Cui Xiaoxiao! Just wait! See if I’ll be soft-hearted toward you again!

…

As for Yu Ling’er, though she had used the “ghost wall” to help Cui Xiaoxiao shake off Qin Lingxiao and the others, she said with lingering fear: “What if Young Pavilion Master Qin blames me?”

Xiaoxiao thought her worry came rather late after the deed was done.

But seeing the little fox’s mournful expression, Xiaoxiao comforted Yu Ling’er: “The fox clan barrier has always existed – it’s not like you deliberately set it for him. If he blames you, he’d be unable to distinguish right from wrong! You owe him a life debt and can find opportunities to repay him later. Gratitude is gratitude, but he’s not suitable as your good man. Don’t waste your affections and end up with nothing!”

Yu Ling’er was quite unconvinced: “How is he not suitable? Isn’t he more reliable than your disciple Wei Jie?”

Xiaoxiao looked at her meaningfully, thinking: In your previous life, you loved that unreliable Wei Jie to death…

She was curious – if the one who had accidentally saved the little fox had been a wrinkled, dried-up old man, would this little fox also have fallen for him and refused to marry anyone else?

If that were the case, she’d truly have nothing to say but offer Ling’er her knees in respect!

Seeing Xiaoxiao’s strange look, Yu Ling’er sighed quietly: “You fickle humans wouldn’t understand fox clan devotion… Come on, let’s find Mother.”

Though Tuyun Mountain had been bombed beyond recognition, walking within the fox clan’s barrier, it still appeared as green mountains and clear waters.

After just a few steps, two tall young men suddenly jumped out from the roadside, blocking the two girls’ path.

Yu Ling’er recognized them – both were playmates from the fox clan she’d grown up with.

Seeing them, Yu Ling’er said happily: “A’Sheng, A’Mu, how did you know I was back?”

A’Sheng and A’Mu looked somewhat shy. Seeing the outsider Cui Xiaoxiao present, they just looked at each other, then remained expressionless and silent.

Having left home for the first time for so long, Yu Ling’er was naturally eager to see her mother.

But when she turned to call Xiaoxiao, she saw her staring blankly at the two fox clan youths.

Fox clan members, regardless of gender, were all very beautiful. These two youths were also tall, muscular, and well-developed.

Seeing Xiaoxiao’s unblinking, up-and-down examination, Yu Ling’er suspected the Talismonger Sect’s female leader was about to change her banner to practice Hehuan Sect methods.

Thinking this, Yu Ling’er couldn’t help glaring at her and saying loudly: “Let’s go! It’s not like you haven’t seen handsome men before!”

Cui Xiaoxiao said nothing and stood behind Yu Ling’er without continuing forward.

She looked down at her wrist, wearing the silver ring Wei Jie had previously removed from his whip.

According to Wei Jie, the silver was mined from the Underworld entrance and would have special reactions to yin-attributed evil objects.

Just now, when she approached those two fox clan youths, the silver ring on her wrist… moved.

Xiaoxiao knew this silver ring had Wei family demon-subduing seal blessings and wouldn’t move without cause.

Those two youths ahead definitely had something suspicious about them.

Thinking this, Xiaoxiao said to Yu Ling’er: “I’m tired and can’t walk anymore.”

Yu Ling’er had grown accustomed to Xiaoxiao’s tendency to feel faint at any moment, so she helplessly called A’Sheng over to crouch down and carry Xiaoxiao up the mountain.

When A’Sheng approached Xiaoxiao, the silver ring on her wrist vibrated again, and more intensely the closer he came.

Xiaoxiao remembered Wei Jie’s words – those deeply infected with puppet parasites that had reached the heart would develop double pupils in their eyes.

When A’Sheng came close, Xiaoxiao saw his eyes… indeed had two pupils.

Just as Xiaoxiao was observing the fox clan youth, his hand suddenly transformed into sharp fox claws, stabbing straight toward Xiaoxiao’s heart.

Though his movement was fast, Xiaoxiao was already prepared. She drew her precious sword and severed the youth’s claw tips, simultaneously throwing out a Soul-Controlling Talisman to immobilize the attacking fox youth.

The other youth, A’Mu, then grabbed Yu Ling’er’s neck and said woodenly to Xiaoxiao: “Don’t move, or I’ll break her neck!”

Yu Ling’er never expected her clansmen to suddenly turn against her. She stared at Xiaoxiao in shock, feeling thunderstruck.

Knowing she couldn’t count on Yu Ling’er, Xiaoxiao lightly moved her fingers.

No matter how fast A’Mu moved, he couldn’t match “Yu Tiandou.”

The demon-subduing sword reversed its handle and struck hard, making A’Mu’s eyes roll back as he fell backward.

Xiaoxiao quickly went over and stuck a Soul-Controlling Talisman on A’Mu’s forehead, then said to the still-stunned Yu Ling’er: “They should be infected with puppet parasites… Something’s wrong with this mountain!”

Unable to directly touch the silver ring, she had Ling’er help remove it from her hand and tried to extract the puppet parasites using Wei Jie’s method for removing parasites from his mother, Siling.

Unfortunately, these two had large parasites that had likely reached their hearts. Wei Jie’s method couldn’t extract them, and the two began bleeding from their noses, looking quite bad.

Xiaoxiao didn’t dare continue, fearing she’d kill the two fox clan youths.

Just then, Yu Ling’er’s fox ears twitched alertly: “Someone’s coming!”

Both girls dragged the two youths into nearby bushes.

Then they saw two more fox clan youths whose ears couldn’t be hidden, leading three to five burly men up the mountain with blank expressions.

One of the men seemed irritated and viciously kicked the fox youth leading the way: “Damn! Useless! If we’d succeeded, why would I have to climb this mountain? This place was recently struck by lightning – we’re not leading ourselves to another lightning strike, are we?”

One of his companions replied: “How’s that possible? These little fox spirits are all infected with puppet parasites and are very obedient. It’s just those old foxes are too cunning and hid the spirit stones. But fortunately, big brother, you got Kaiming Beast’s urine. With it, those old foxes can’t get close. After finishing this job, we can report to Lord Can. Otherwise, we’d have to return the deposit the hunter king received, and we’d lose everything!”

Xiaoxiao caught the gist and understood the sequence of events.

These mountain climbers were subordinates of the dead hunter king.

Though the hunter king had died in the ghost alley, his subordinates didn’t want to return the prince’s mansion deposit. They had somehow bewitched some young foxes with puppet curses, then planned to sneak up the mountain to steal spirit stones.

Yu Ling’er also heard this and, seeing those men freely humiliating her clansmen, became so angry that fox fur sprouted on her face and sharp fox fangs emerged, looking quite fierce.

At this moment, her fox king bloodline seemed to finally awaken, showing some beast ferocity.

But Xiaoxiao patted her back, signaling her to remain calm.

These people mentioned having Kaiming Beast urine – that tiger-like, strange beast should be foxes’ natural enemy. She didn’t know what effect its urine would have on the fox clan.

Moreover, those men were numerous. If they acted rashly now, they might be at a disadvantage. Better to observe and wait for an opportunity to counterattack.

Just then, fox calls echoed from all directions. Yu Ling’er couldn’t help but want to stretch her neck and call back, but fortunately, Xiaoxiao slapped an Immobilization Talisman on her to prevent exposure.

Then, fox clan members with deep cultivation blocked the path ahead. A beautiful woman said coldly, “A’Shui, A’Li, how dare you privately lead outsiders up the mountain? What are you trying to do?”

The two leading youths remained motionless, while the men behind them exchanged glances before suddenly jumping up and smashing ceramic bottles toward the fox group!

The bottles should have contained Kaiming Beast urine. When they smashed and shattered on the ground, the liquid splashed out, and the ancient, strange beast’s scent spread.

Just as Xiaoxiao had guessed, the fox clan seemed to react strongly to this tiger-like beast’s scent. Like frogs mesmerized by snake eyes, they were stunned into trembling where they stood, unable to move at all.

The beast hunters laughed heartily and drew their bows, shooting arrows like rain at the motionless fox clan!

Given this hunter king branch’s nature, those arrows were poisoned and would kill on contact.

Xiaoxiao, who had been prepared, cast a Water-Summoning Charm, drawing stream water to form a water shield like a great bell covering the fox clan.

The arrows couldn’t penetrate this spiritually-charged water shield and fell away.

The men discovered someone was interfering and shouted: “Who’s there!”

Xiaoxiao removed the Soul-Controlling Talisman from Yu Ling’er, preparing to emerge together. But Yu Ling’er still couldn’t move, her body shaking like chaff.

Helplessly, Xiaoxiao pulled some wild grass, rolled it into balls, and stuffed them in Yu Ling’er’s nose.

This method worked – Yu Ling’er, no longer affected by the scent, could finally move.

When the two girls appeared, the men were startled. One said menacingly: “How can you move?”

Seeing Xiaoxiao’s ethereal, beautiful appearance, the men mistook her for a fox spirit, too.

Xiaoxiao was too lazy to waste words with these people and guided “Yu Tiandou” to charge at them.

Yu Ling’er, following Xiaoxiao’s instructions, quickly used grass balls to plug the clansmen’s nostrils.

When the fox clan members recovered one by one, those men had already been beaten helplessly by Xiaoxiao!

Though they had methods for capturing strange beasts, facing a cultivator like Xiaoxiao with a solid foundation, they were completely outmatched!

At this time, the beautiful fox woman also led her clansmen, revealing fox claws as they rushed toward the beast hunters!

Unlike Xiaoxiao’s restraint to avoid killing karma, they showed no mercy to these lawless intruders who dared invade their territory – they could only tear them apart!

The men knew well the consequences of provoking the fox clan. One quickly blew a bamboo whistle hanging from his chest.

When the fox-call-like whistle sounded, a young fox behind the woman suddenly became glassy-eyed, then sharp fox claws stabbed toward the leading woman’s back.