The woman looked back at her son lying on the ground in disbelief.

Xiaoxiao saw this and thought, “Oh no!” She no longer held back, and with one swift strike of her sword, she severed the hand of the whistler, causing him such pain that he could no longer blow his whistle.

However, the parasitic insects in the dozen or so little foxes on the mountain who had been poisoned with the curse were all awakened, and the fox clan began to turn on each other in brutal combat.

Facing the young foxes of their clan, even though the elder foxes possessed great abilities, they couldn’t bear to strike them down!

Xiaoxiao used her Soul-controlling Talismans to subdue several of them, but unfortunately, she had used up all her talismans and didn’t have time to draw new ones.

Seeing those little foxes growing increasingly frenzied, Xiaoxiao knew that these young foxes had been forcibly induced with the parasitic poison, and after this episode, they would likely die as the parasitic insects pierced their hearts…

At this critical moment, melodious singing suddenly resonated through the forest.

The song was enchanting and extremely penetrating. Whether fox clan or human clan, all couldn’t help but stop their fighting and freeze in place.

However, those little foxes who had been cursed seemed unmoved and continued to swipe their claws fiercely.

Just then, the highly penetrating song seemed to change frequency, becoming increasingly sharp and high-pitched.

This piercing sound seemed to penetrate people’s hearts, and everyone couldn’t help but cover their ears.

At this moment, all the cursed little foxes clutched their chests and spat out mouthfuls of black blood, then looked around in confusion, as if awakening from a great dream.

Meanwhile, those dozen or so burly men had been shaken by the song until blood flowed from their seven orifices, convulsing on the ground. Their meridians seemed shattered, and they all perished!

This turn of events was obviously beyond the fox clan’s expectations. They looked at each other and then vigilantly scanned their surroundings, trying to find the source of the voice.

Just then, the grass beside the mountain path seemed to rustle.

Everyone turned to look and saw a bald fox emerging from the bushes.

Although it had no fur, it still held its tail high, and the former Fox King’s majesty was still faintly visible.

Yu Ling’er cried out joyfully: “Mother!”

However, Xiaoxiao grabbed her and carefully examined the fox’s eyes.

Only when she saw that the fox’s pupils showed no signs of being cursed, and the silver ring she wore remained still, did she allow the mother fox to approach them.

This bald fox was the Fox King who had failed her tribulation last time. Her vital energy was severely damaged, and she could no longer return to human form.

Having lost her cultivation, she could no longer lead the fox clan. According to the Fox clan tradition, a new Fox King should be selected.

The old Fox King felt that her daughter couldn’t command respect from the clan, so when she sent her daughter away, she hoped her daughter could gain experience by Cui Xiaoxiao’s side and then return to lead the fox clan.

However, before Yu Ling’er returned, the fox clan would select a new Fox King through competition to lead the clan members.

If this old Fox King hadn’t wisely abdicated, she would only face being torn apart and driven away by her clan members.

So after letting her daughter leave with Cui Xiaoxiao, she retreated to a cave in the back mountain of Tuyun Mountain to live in solitude and await death.

Unexpectedly, the old Fox King’s isolation led her to discover suspicious activities around the spiritual spring in the back mountain.

Now, seeing her daughter return, the old Fox King finally appeared to meet her.

However, the old Fox King’s fox language could only be understood by Yu Ling’er, who translated sentence by sentence for Cui Xiaoxiao.

It turned out that shortly after Cui Xiaoxiao and the others left, many beast hunters came to the foot of Tuyun Mountain, reportedly helping Lord Can capture strange beasts.

They all said that the foxes on Tuyun Mountain were spiritual, so occasionally, there would be bold and reckless people who wanted to venture into the mountains.

Originally, with the “ghost wall” barrier that the fox clan had maintained for thousands of years, these people couldn’t climb the mountain.

But those hunters had no intention of climbing the mountain at all. They simply used a flute to imitate a mother fox’s seductive call, which lured the young male foxes on the mountain with low cultivation to follow the flute sound and descend the mountain themselves.

However, those people were strange – they didn’t hunt and kill these foxes who had walked into their trap, but instead released them back.

These little foxes, fearing punishment from the new clan leader, conspired together and concealed the fact that they had been captured.

After some time passed without incident, the little foxes gradually let their guard down.

But the old Fox King, who was living in seclusion in the back mountain, discovered something was wrong.

After all, she was an old fox demon who had almost ascended, so naturally she was well-experienced. When she heard the imitation fox calls from the foot of the mountain, she sensed something amiss. When she saw these little foxes return, she tried to warn the new Fox King.

However, the new Fox King – that woman who was later stabbed in the back by her son – was somewhat stubborn and obstinate. She refused to see the old Fox King and wouldn’t let her approach the area where the clan members lived.

The old Fox King knew there was deception, but no one would listen to her words, which made her extremely anxious.

What worried her even more was what exactly had been done to these little foxes who were released.

For several days, she dragged her frail and sickly body to observe secretly, and finally discovered the trick.

These little foxes gradually began to develop double pupils in their eyes. The Fox King recognized this as puppet poison, but this was something from the Underworld – why would it suddenly appear in the mortal realm?

And these little foxes with parasitic insects in their hearts were targeting the spiritual spring of Fox Mountain!

Although the spiritual spring of Fox Mountain had strict time limitations for its emergence, it wasn’t that the spring had dried up and couldn’t be used.

The fox clan feared draining the spiritual energy of the spring source. From their ancestral teachings passed down, before the proper time each year, no one could take the clear spring water without permission.

But these cursed fox clan members secretly went to the spiritual spring more than a month after it had just gushed forth and been collected.

And the mastermind controlling them didn’t simply want to take water, but wanted to scoop up all the spring water and then dig out the spirit stone embedded deep in the spring source.

That spirit stone was another sacred object bestowed upon the fox clan by Goddess Nuwa, originally a spiritual treasure given to her by her brother Fuxi.

It was precisely because of the protection of the spiritual spring nourished by the spirit stone that the fox clan of Tuyun Mountain could achieve enlightenment generation after generation.

Now, someone was using these cursed little foxes to steal the spirit stone – this was simply undermining the foundation of the fox clan!

If the fox clan, which had already suffered heavenly punishment and become withered, suffered such a loss again, wouldn’t they completely decline and eventually become indistinguishable from ordinary foxes?

So the old Fox King would rather die than let these little foxes succeed.

Fortunately, at this time, an old friend came to seek refuge with her, lending her assistance and snatching the spirit stone from those little foxes.

When those hunters learned that the little foxes on the mountain had failed, they were forced to call two little foxes to guide them up the mountain.

Cui Xiaoxiao and Yu Ling’er unfortunately encountered two little foxes who were preparing to meet those beast hunters halfway, and at the same time exposed their conspiracy. They acted in time, raising water shields to save the fox clan from disaster.

However… who was the old Fox King’s old friend? Could it be the one who emitted that deadly song, capable of shattering the parasitic insects in the little foxes’ hearts?

Xiaoxiao had a candidate in mind, but… how could she possibly appear on Fox Mountain?

Just then, a clear and gentle voice sounded behind Xiaoxiao: “Miss Cui, we meet again…”

This voice, gentle as silk, made Xiaoxiao’s heart tremble violently. When she turned around, she found Numei Siling standing behind her with a gentle smile.

The former flower courtesan of Luoyi, who had once enchanted the entire city, had now shed her golden hairpins and brocade robes, wearing only practical black attire, her full head of black hair neatly pinned up.

But even so, it couldn’t conceal her stunning beauty. Her enchanting eyes were filled with seductive charm.

Xiaoxiao hadn’t expected that the old friend the old Fox King mentioned was Numei, whom she had guessed!

No wonder the earlier song could be so domineering. If her dantian hadn’t already condensed into a core, she would probably have ended up like those hunters with shallow foundations, having her meridians completely shattered and dying from blood loss.

It turned out that when Siling had said she was seeking refuge with an old friend, she meant the bald Fox King.

Xiaoxiao understood the cause and effect of Siling’s appearance here, and when she thought back to the reasons for these beast hunters appearing here, her heart couldn’t help but sink.

Now, whenever she heard the words “beast hunters” and “puppet poison,” she could guess that the conspiracy here was again related to Lord Can of Luoyi City. Those beast hunters said that if they obtained the spirit stone, they could make up for their crimes.

It seemed that Lord Can was extremely eager to achieve immortality. After consecutive failures in capturing spirit beasts and controlling Numei, he still wouldn’t give up and continued to search everywhere for precious treasures and spiritual objects.

What made Xiaoxiao’s heart tighten even more was that Siling had wandered around and come to Fox Mountain – wouldn’t Lord Can track down her whereabouts again?

If that happened, wouldn’t all her and Wei Jie’s efforts to persuade Siling to leave Luoyi City be in vain?

Thinking of this, Xiaoxiao said urgently: “Madam, there may still be Lord Can’s spies at the foot of Fox Mountain. You should leave here as soon as possible.”

Siling just smiled and looked at her longtime close friend, who could no longer take human form.

“My good friend is in trouble and entrusted me to help her guard the spirit stone. How could I abandon her? But what about you two? How did you end up here? Did A’Jie come too?”

Well… this…

Before Xiaoxiao could think of the right words, Yu Ling’er had already recovered from the shock of seeing Siling’s beauty and bluntly replied: “She doesn’t want her disciple anymore. She abandoned Wei Jie and brought me back.”

When Siling was shocked to hear that her son had become an abandoned disciple of the Talisman Sect, her autumn wave eyes were filled with worry as they looked over.

Before this mother could even ask, Xiaoxiao already felt the pressure of being an irresponsible master who had wronged someone else’s child.

“That… don’t listen to Ling’er’s nonsense. I hope Wei Jie can train independently for a while. This is also a form of cultivation!”

Siling slowly let out a breath: “I see. I thought you didn’t want A’Jie anymore! He’s a good child. Although he can be stubborn sometimes, he’s really good to people. Since he has become your disciple, he should respect you as a mother for life… well, although you are a bit young, he will respect you.”

Siling probably also felt it was somewhat absurd to have her son acknowledge a girl younger than him as his mother, so she quickly changed her words.

After the polite pleasantries between the teaching master and the abandoned disciple’s mother, they needed to discuss their next strategy.

These fox clan members had been cursed for varying lengths of time. Some who weren’t poisoned too deeply had already had their parasitic insects shattered by Siling’s song. After spitting out black blood, they could recover to normal with some care.

Unfortunately, there were still several who, although they spat out black blood, had been cursed too deeply. They choked back tears and spoke some apologetic words, regretting that they shouldn’t have concealed being captured, and then died convulsing.

The fox clan had already lost many members after the heavenly tribulation, and now, watching another four or five young foxes in their prime die miserably, the remaining fox clan members all bared their fangs in hatred.

Such a blood feud must be repaid with blood!

The new Fox King, severely wounded, knelt before the bald old Fox King with a face full of guilt.

She had been too stubborn and obstinate, refusing to listen to the old Fox King’s loyal words.

If she hadn’t been so suspicious and had seen the old Fox King and patiently listened to her words, these dead little foxes wouldn’t have been beyond saving.

Having made such a grave mistake, she was unfit to be king, and those clan members whose young foxes had died would no longer obey her.

So, who would take command in this crisis and become the new Fox King was an urgent matter for the fox clan to resolve.

Although the old Fox King couldn’t take human form, her heroic actions this time in turning the tide and once again saving her clan members from danger had given her even more prestige among the fox clan than before.

Moreover, the old King’s connections were incomparable – she had both the song-killing Numei as an old friend and the help of the Lingshan Talismonger Sect’s leader. For a time, everyone was quite convinced by her.

Unfortunately, she knew her days were numbered, so the Fox King position finally fell to Yu Ling’er, who had just returned.

Yu Ling’er was very surprised by her mother’s decision. She knew her cultivation was not high, and she lacked her mother’s shrewdness – how could she lead the clan members?

The old Fox King was indeed cunning and experienced. Although her daughter was timid and had low cultivation, she was now at least half a disciple of Cui Xiaoxiao.

Moreover, her old friend Siling, who had always lived in seclusion in the mountains, actually had a son with the Wei family, and that child was Wei Jie, whom she had met before.

So then and there, she had her daughter Yu Ling’er bow to Siling and acknowledge her as an adoptive mother!

This way, worldly relationships were handled completely and thoroughly.

Yu Ling’er was now Wei Jie’s half-sister with different fathers and mothers. How could he, as an elder brother, not take care of his sister?

The old fox led her daughter to bow to the entire mountain before making her daughter the new Fox King – truly well-intentioned.

As for her daughter’s low cultivation, that was easily solved. Since the spirit stone was coveted by others, it could no longer be placed on the mountain.

The old fox took the spirit stone and led a group of elders, bringing her daughter into the back mountain stone cave.

When they emerged again, Xiaoxiao was surprised to find that Yu Ling’er’s appearance seemed to have suddenly matured considerably, her eyes becoming more charming and alluring.

It turned out the old Fox King had used a secret method to hide the spirit stone at Yu Ling’er’s navel, temporarily sealing the spirit stone with the fox’s true form.

Only after eliminating the hidden danger would they take out the spirit stone again, find a place with abundant spring water to nourish and support it, and revitalize the fox clan.

This Tuyun Mountain had been coveted by evil people, and they could no longer stay here.

Affected by the spirit stone’s spiritual power, Yu Ling’er’s magical power greatly increased, and her appearance matured considerably.

Unfortunately, no matter how mature her appearance, it couldn’t change a person’s nature. When no one was around, Yu Ling’er hugged Xiaoxiao’s neck and burst into tears.

Xiaoxiao was confused by the crying and could only helplessly pat her back: “What’s wrong? Didn’t the old Fox King agree to release you from your oath? You don’t have to follow me anymore and have regained your freedom. You should be happy!”

Yu Ling’er cried through one side of Xiaoxiao’s shoulder before choking out: “Happy… happy about what? Now I bear the mission of protecting the spirit stone. My… my mother said that as long as the spirit stone is in my body, I can’t have intimate contact with men, and I can’t leave the clan members. I must always accept their supervision and protection… My young master… when will I be able to be with him?”

Only then did Xiaoxiao understand the little fox’s grief.

It turned out that with this spirit stone in her body, even if she had a beloved, she couldn’t be intimate with him, or it would pollute the spirit stone.

Yu Ling’er was now like a fox-shaped box containing a stone – worse off than when she was Xiaoxiao’s maid!

The thousand-year-old fox’s method of preventing her daughter from wrongly entrusting herself to a man was indeed unique and innovative…

However, Xiaoxiao felt a trace of relief. At least she had finally completed her mission and could leave alone.

But unexpectedly, as soon as she proposed leaving, the ground was once again covered with a mass of kneeling foxes.

The old Fox King said that Tuyun Mountain was no longer habitable. But if they left Tuyun Mountain, they would be homeless.

Now they could only follow Cui Xiaoxiao, who had twice saved the fox clan from danger, seeking the protection of the blessed Sect Leader Cui.

For such great kindness, their fox clan would remember it in their hearts and regard Cui Xiaoxiao as another parent of rebirth for the fox clan after Goddess Nuwa.

This time, their benefactor absolutely could not refuse. Their entire fox clan would dedicate their lives and serve Sect Leader Cui faithfully unto death!

Xiaoxiao knew that according to the original trajectory, Wei Jie should have taken away the fox clan and the spiritual spring stone after the heavenly punishment.

And in the turmoil of Luoyi City, it was also with the great assistance of the fox clan that Wei Jie escaped the Four Great Sects and went to Ghost Stone Cliff to establish a generation of demon cult, becoming the Demonic Path Master.

Because of Yu Ling’er’s loyal following, Wei Jie’s demonic nature grew rapidly with the spirit stone’s enhancement, and the domineering great demon head was born…

She never expected that this trajectory would circle back around again.

These homeless fox clan members were like dog-skin plasters, insisting on following the master of “Yu Tiandou” and couldn’t be shaken off!

Wouldn’t her plan to live in seclusion for three years fall through?

Xiaoxiao sighed deeply. She also understood that the current siege of Tuyun Mountain was something that didn’t exist in the original trajectory two hundred years ago.

At that time, Yu Ling’er and the others should have left early with Wei Jie.

However, in the later Battle of Luoyi, the fox clan seemed to have lost quite a few people. She wondered if they were these little foxes who died from the poison.

Xiaoxiao now held some reverence for “fate.” She discovered that in the mysterious workings of destiny, everything seemed to circle back to how it should originally be.

But what her own “fate” would be, she had no way of knowing.

Since all changes started because of her, she couldn’t just abandon her responsibilities and leave. She had to settle the fox clan properly first.

Thinking of this, she finally nodded reluctantly: “Alright… but I’m planning to live in seclusion for a few years. If you’re willing, you can come with me to find a quiet place to live in seclusion… Madam, you should come with us too.”

Xiaoxiao’s last sentence was directed at Numei Siling.

Lord Can’s claws reached too far, plotting against Tuyun Mountain. Siling’s song just now had already exposed her presence here, and who knew if there were still Lord Can’s people at the foot of the mountain providing support.

That Lord Can had too many capable people and strange talents under his command, and there must be those who could restrain Numei.

She couldn’t leave Siling alone. At the very least, she had to find Wei Jie and let him settle his mother first.

Hearing Xiaoxiao’s suggestion, Siling paused slightly and didn’t immediately agree, only saying: “Let’s go down the mountain first.”

Xiaoxiao had originally gone up the mountain to get rid of one burden, but when she came down the mountain, she was followed by a large group of people.

At this time, those beast hunters with ulterior motives had already scattered, but there was still a group of people persistently waiting at the foot of the mountain.

When Qin Lingxiao caught sight of Xiaoxiao coming down the mountain, he truly ground his silver teeth to powder, gritting his teeth: “Cui Xiaoxiao, you finally deign to come down! Men, seize her!”

This time, he absolutely wouldn’t be polite with her anymore! He’d just tie her up with rope to Lingyun Pavilion!

Unfortunately, when the Lingyun Pavilion disciples flew forward elegantly and gracefully this time, Xiaoxiao didn’t even move a finger, and three to five fox clan members rushed out from behind her to fight with them.

Only then did Qin Lingxiao discover that a large group of fox clan members had come down from the mountain path. Looking at them, they seemed to honor Xiaoxiao and were quite protective of her.

Sect Leader Cui, considering her past and future two hundred years, finally felt somewhat like a great sect leader at this moment.

She waved her sleeves, tossed her long hair, took the water bottle Yu Ling’er handed her and took a sip, then gave instructions with cloud-light composure: “Stop when appropriate. Just teach them a lesson. Don’t damage the delicate skin of the Lingyun Pavilion disciples.”

In the time it took to speak, the Lingyun Pavilion disciples’ elegant immortal robes had already been torn to shreds by fox claws, and each one was in disarray like beggar sect disciples.

Qin Lingxiao’s face completely darkened. He looked at Yu Ling’er and asked in a deep voice: “You… if you remember my life-saving grace to you, don’t involve your clan members in this. This is a private grudge between me and Cui Xiaoxiao, and has nothing to do with the fox clan!”

Yu Ling’er was holding her mother in her arms and didn’t dare openly side with Qin Lingxiao. She could only say dejectedly, learning what Cui Xiaoxiao had once said to her: “Young Master Qin, Ling’er dare not forget your great kindness and will surely find an opportunity to repay your grace in the future. But now our fox clan honors Sect Leader Cui, and the entire clan is at Sect Leader Cui’s disposal. You… please don’t make things difficult for Xiaoxiao. The food at your Lingyun Pavilion isn’t good either, she definitely wouldn’t be used to it…”

The new Fox King went off track as she spoke.

Qin Lingxiao was too lazy to listen to her nonsense. Knowing Yu Ling’er was unreliable, he glared hatefully at Xiaoxiao: “I just heard Numei’s song from the mountain, and that song killed people, surely committing murderous sins. You, as a member of the human race, yet consorting with these demonic paths, Cui Xiaoxiao! Righteousness and evil cannot coexist. Don’t blame us, righteous sects, for being unable to tolerate you when we encounter you in the future!”

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao realized he was preparing to pin the big black pot of the evil path on her!

She immediately snorted coldly: “You don’t even ask about the cause and effect, just blindly convict people. Fortunately, you’re a cultivator and didn’t become an official in the mortal world; otherwise, the wronged souls who died under your executioner’s blade would be countless. By then, forget about immortal cultivation – you wouldn’t even be worthy of entering hell!”

After speaking, Yu Ling’er couldn’t wait to tell about Lord Can’s indulgence of beast hunters searching everywhere for rare treasures, and using puppet poison to sow discord among the fox clan while attempting to steal the fox clan’s treasure.

Qin Lingxiao listened with a deep frown.

Regarding this, Lord Can, in the previous two hundred years, Qin Lingxiao had only met him three times.

Once, Lingyun Pavilion received information that a Numei was plotting chaos in Luoyi City, so he accompanied his father Qinhe and the other three great sects to surround and kill the Numei.

However, Qin Lingxiao and his father arrived a step late. By the time they got there, Lord Can’s birthday banquet had already been disrupted.

At the chaotic birthday banquet, Qin Lingxiao first met the legendary worthy king.

It was said that when the birthday banquet began, Lord Can treated the Four Great Sects with great courtesy, and was greatly shocked when the Four Great Sects pointed out that the singing girl in his mansion was an Underworld Numei.

However, he was loyal and righteous, or perhaps his mind was bewitched by Numei’s beauty. He secretly released the Numei and her son Wei Jie behind the Four Great Sects’ backs.

As a result, the Four Great Sects came up empty-handed. Later, the Tianxin Sect leader chased them to the forest by Autumn Water Pool, but unfortunately was killed by Wei Jie, bleeding from all seven orifices.

After learning the whole story, Father Qinhe pointed at Lord Can’s nose and scolded him for being muddled and confused, actually letting that evil mother and son escape and causing the death of the Tianxin Sect leader.

Lord Can was extremely ashamed and cried aloud in front of the entire Lingyun Pavilion sect, looking like he was consumed by guilt over someone dying because of him.