“Oh, you’re Big Brother’s friend…” The little one’s innocent face lit up with a pure smile. “Hello, Uncle! What’s your surname?”
“You can call me Uncle Chen,” Chen Xiao replied with a kindly smile. “I’ve heard that Xu Yinluo has two younger sisters.”
He instinctively reached for his pocket, only to remember he was in full military attire and had nothing to give the child.
“Is there something you need?” Li Na placed a hand on her disciple’s head, shaking her head slightly. Children were just children, without guile or suspicion.
In her experience traveling from the Southern Borderlands to Da Feng, men who approached uninvited were usually the most dangerous, typically harboring ill intentions. Yet she couldn’t quite figure out what Chen Xiao’s motives might be.
“Where are you two headed on this journey?” Chen Xiao inquired.
“That’s none of your business,” Li Na replied loudly.
The sudden volume startled Chen Xiao. An observer might have thought he’d done something untoward. After glancing around, he said resignedly, “If you need anything, you can find me. Though of course, Master Xu can handle most troubles himself.”
Sensing the Southern Borderlands girl’s wariness and displeasure, he gave the little one a warm smile before returning to his cabin.
[…]
“What?” Hong Ying’s voice changed, nearly a shriek. “Xu Yinluo slew two Vajra Masters?”
Truth be told when Miao Youfang had first mentioned slaying two Vajra Masters, he’d assumed it was mere boasting. But directly exposing such claims would be foolish—something only the truly stupid would do. It didn’t match his style of dealing with people, so he’d maintained a fascinated and admiring attitude.
He hadn’t expected the story might actually be true. A liar couldn’t describe such detailed specifics of supernatural combat—it was beyond what ordinary people could imagine without witnessing it firsthand.
The two female demons covered their mouths in shock.
“Indeed! But even Xu Yinluo struggled against the combined assault of the Vajra Master and the Rain Shaman of the Witch-God Cult. Fortunately, he had me by his side,” Miao Youfang continued. His roasted bird had grown cold, forgotten in favor of his tale.
“Quick as lightning, I mounted my sword and drew forth the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror. One flash was enough to stun the enemy, giving Xu Yinluo the opening he needed. He displayed tremendous power, forcing the enemy to retreat step by step…”
“But you’re a martial artist,” the demon woman on the left suddenly interjected. “How could you fly on a sword?”
Ah… Miao Youfang froze in embarrassment, momentarily unable to explain. But Hong Ying came to his rescue, scolding the demon woman: “What do you know? Someone of Brother Miao’s caliber naturally possesses the appropriate magical treasures and flying swords. A mere minor demon like you shouldn’t interrupt.”
The demon woman quickly lowered her head, ashamed of questioning Master Miao’s abilities with her limited knowledge.
[…]
In the cave, Night Princess brought out a bronze incense burner cast in the shape of a fox and inserted black incense. As she lit it, sandalwood fragrance wafted upward.
As Night Princess inhaled deeply, her left eye began emanating a misty, ethereal light that floated out of its socket. A powerful presence descended.
“Tsk tsk, old lovers reunite, and instead of seizing the moment for intimacy, you call for me?” The Nine-Tailed Fox’s coquettish laughter rang out. “Night Princess” covered her mouth and giggled, “Perhaps you want me to watch? That won’t do—I’m still an innocent maiden.”
Your manner of speaking certainly doesn’t suggest innocence, you’re quite the experienced fox… Xu Qi’an silently quipped to himself.
Night Princess respectfully said, “Your Highness, your servant has learned an enormous secret from Xu Yinluo. The matter is of great importance. I wasn’t sure if you were already aware, so I had to risk disturbing you. Please forgive the intrusion.”
“Night Princess” turned to look at Xu Qi’an with a seductive smile. “Secret intelligence? You’ve only been cultivating for a year and a half—where did you get such classified information?”
Xu Qi’an remained silent, glancing at Night Princess’s right eye.
Night Princess immediately said, “The Buddha was sealed by the Confucian Sage over a thousand years ago.”
The ethereal light in Night Princess’s left eye trembled violently. After a few seconds, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox’s voice emerged from her mouth, more serious than ever before: “No, impossible. Five hundred years ago, the Buddha intervened—I witnessed that battle myself. There can be no mistake.”
Xu Qi’an frowned, speaking with certainty: “Zhao Shou, the headmaster of the Cloud Deer Academy, told me personally. The Confucian Sage sealed all the beyond-tier experts of that era, except for the Dao Sovereign who had already vanished.”
The Confucian Sage sealed all beyond-tier experts except the Dao Sovereign… Night Princess’s heart pounded like a drum as she struggled to process this revelation.
The two pieces of information contradicted each other.
Xu Qi’an shared his three earlier theories.
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox spoke gravely: “Do you know how one achieves Buddhahood?”
Her tone was unprecedentedly serious, all traces of her usual flirtatious manner gone.
Xu Qi’an shook his head.
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox continued deliberately: “When the Nine Great Dharma Bodies unite, that is the fruit of Buddha-hood. I saw the Nine Great Dharma Bodies manifest with my own eyes back then—it could only have been the Buddha. There cannot be a second Buddha in this world. Shen Shu walked the paths of Chan Master, Vajra, and martial artists. But at most, he only mastered the Vajra Dharma Body.”
If that’s the case, the one who intervened back then couldn’t have been another beyond-tier expert or Shen Shu—it directly disproves my latter two theories. The one who acted was the Buddha… Xu Qi’an drew in a sharp breath: “So the Buddha had completely broken free from the seal five hundred years ago?”
“Don’t rush to conclusions. To understand everything, we need only unlock all of Shen Shu’s seals. Hmm, each piece of Shen Shu’s dismembered body contains fragments of his soul. How much does the Shen Shu within the Pagoda remember?” the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox said.
“Ah, you remind me…” Xu Qi’an stroked his chin. “He once said something offhandedly: ‘Buddha, you faithless villain!'”
This… Night Princess’s heart stirred as she seemed to grasp something.
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox within her was similarly silent for a while.
After a moment, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox spoke slowly: “Clearly, Shen Shu and the Buddha made some sort of deal—one known only between them.”
“The clues are too sparse for us to deduce the truth,” Xu Qi’an concluded, then continued: “We lack sufficient information to speculate further. Your Highness, sharing this secret with you isn’t without cost.”
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox immediately resumed her playful demeanor, controlling Night Princess to run her tongue across her lips with an alluring expression.
I won’t be sleeping tonight… Xu Qi’an maintained a serious expression: “Your Highness, this constable is a proper gentleman, not to be swayed by feminine wiles. We’ll settle the accounts later. First, I have an urgent business—Asura, the young son of the King of Asuras, has taken his position. He’s currently at the Southern Dharma Temple, and with my current battle prowess, I cannot defeat him.”
Two plus one, equivalent to a Luohan working with a Vajra Master—Xu Qi’an knew his limits well.
“Therefore, I need you to fulfill your promise early and remove two Demon-Sealing Nails. This will give me better odds.”
The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox pondered: “Removing the Demon-Sealing Nails will ensure victory?”
Xu Qi’an smiled: “I’ll find allies.”
“Very well, I’ll have Night Princess take you to see that part of Shen Shu’s body.”
The Nine-Tailed Fox agreed readily, then asked: “Anything else?”
Xu Qi’an gazed at Night Princess’s right eye:
“Fu Xiang… no, Night Princess is my person now. I won’t force her to leave, but I hope you understand this going forward. She’s no longer your servant. You may command her, but you don’t own her.”
The Nine-Tailed Fox laughed: “Actually, I wouldn’t object if you took her. I could even give you Bai Ji.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Ji whimpered: “No, I don’t want to!”
…Xu Qi’an glanced at the young fox, thinking to himself, Am I really that disagreeable?
“One last request—the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror is still of great use to me. I hope to wield it for a while longer. No more than three months. If I need an extension, I’ll pay additional compensation or do some tasks for you.”
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror was crucial for one of his plans; he couldn’t return it to the Nine-Tailed Fox yet.
“Outrageous!”
The Nine-Tailed Fox protested coquettishly: “It’s my mother’s keepsake, a treasure I’ve played with since childhood. It carries many of my memories. I cannot grant this request.”
Xu Qi’an was unexpectedly forceful: “No, I need it. If we can’t agree on this point, our cooperation ends.”
Night Princess’s left eye narrowed as she spoke coolly: “Then let it end. I won’t be threatened.”
They stared at each other expressionlessly, neither willing to yield.
Night Princess was caught in the middle, torn between both sides.
“Even without removing the Demon-Sealing Nails, I’m still Third Rank. There’s much I can do. Worst case, I’ll continue hunting Luohans—given enough time, I’ll break the seals anyway. But can you pass up this once-in-a-millennium opportunity?”
Xu Qi’an, well-versed in negotiation tactics, refused to compromise and pressed on: “Chaos is coming to the Central Plains. The Buddhist Sect will surely send reinforcements. Alanda has never been more vulnerable.”
The Nine-Tailed Fox smiled sweetly: “Without breaking the seals, you not only can’t restore your power but also can’t break through to Second Rank. Your role in this struggle for orthodoxy will be limited. Cooperation benefits us both; non-cooperation hurts us both. Think it through carefully.”
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror’s abilities were equally vital to her; she couldn’t easily give it to Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an smiled: “In that case, why don’t we both take a step back?”
The Nine-Tailed Fox spoke flatly: “How so?”
“The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror has its consciousness—it’s not just an object. Let it choose for itself,” Xu Qi’an said.
“Fine by me!”
The Nine-Tailed Fox’s tone oozed confidence.
Xu Qi’an immediately took out the Earth Book fragment. Before the Nine-Tailed Fox, he did not need to hide his identity as a member of the Heaven and Earth Society—not out of trust, but because she already knew.
He tapped the mirror’s surface lightly. With a clang, half of the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror fell out onto the table.
“I’m blind, I’m blind, I’m blind! My injuries haven’t healed—I can’t work anymore!”
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror immediately cried out.
Night Princess—no, the Nine-Tailed Fox—was visibly startled, as if the mirror seemed somewhat unfamiliar. But she quickly composed herself and said sweetly:
“You naughty mirror, it’s been five hundred years. Did you miss me?”
Her voice shifted from sensual and alluring to a clear, girlish tone.
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror immediately fell silent. Its surface displayed a single eye without eyelashes, the eyeball rotating to look at Night Princess.
It was momentarily stunned, then began trembling violently, its voice high and sharp:
“Princess! Princess, is it you!?”
That day at the City God Temple, when Xu Qi’an had handed it over to the Nine-Tailed Fox, it had just been sealed by the Pagoda Spirit monk and knew nothing of outside affairs.
Only later had it learned of that transaction from Xu Qi’an.
The Nine-Tailed Fox picked up the mirror and humphed: “Back then, I always asked you who was the most beautiful fox in the world, and you always answered it was Mother. Now I ask you again—who is the most beautiful fox in the world?”
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror shouted: “It’s you, it’s you…”
In an excited voice thick with tears: “I’ve finally seen you again. After being lost for five hundred years, I never thought I’d reunite with the Princess. Even if I were to vanish into ash this moment, I’d die content.”
What a touching reunion between master and servant… Xu Qi’an rolled his eyes.
The Nine-Tailed Fox glanced at him and said charmingly: “This fellow hopes you’ll stay with him a while longer, but I’m unwilling. After all, we haven’t seen each other for so many years—I can’t bear to part with you.”
Xu Qi’an didn’t let her control the narrative, adding: “So we decided to let you choose whether to stay with me longer.”
“Ah, this, this…” The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror’s voice suddenly changed. After an intense internal struggle, it said solemnly:
“Meeting the Princess again is this old servant’s blessing—a blessing worth dying for.
“But I choose to stay with the Xu fellow.”
The smile that had just appeared on the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox’s face suddenly froze.
She stared at the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror, saying in a tone seeking confirmation: “What did you say?”
“This, this… Meeting the Princess again is this old servant’s blessing—a blessing worth dying for,” the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror repeated.
“But it chooses to stay with me,” Xu Qi’an said with a smile.
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror weakly added: “Yes…”
“Night Princess’s” mouth twitched slightly as she said plaintively:
“Mirror, do you know how hard this Princess searched for you? I traversed the mountains and rivers of all nine provinces looking for you. Yet you’d abandon me for a man you barely know?”
“The Princess has worked hard. This old servant thanks the Princess for remembering me,” the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror immediately proclaimed.
“But it chooses to stay with me,” Xu Qi’an repeated with a smile.
“Y-yes…” the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror said weakly.
Then it quickly pledged its loyalty: “But Princess, rest assured! This old servant’s heart belongs to you—I’m staying with the Xu fellow as your spy!”
“Bang!”
The Nine-Tailed Fox forcefully slammed the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror face-down, veins throbbing on her smooth forehead. She gave Xu Qi’an an icy look as the ethereal light in her left eye slowly dissipated.
Night Princess regained control of her body and said carefully: “Her Highness is angry. In hundreds of years, I’ve never seen her angry.”
So much for the bonds between master and servant when faced with benefits… Xu Qi’an snorted, not at all surprised by this outcome.
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror’s spirit was incomplete and desperately needed dragon qi to nurture and complete itself.
This was a living being’s most basic desire.
“Hurry up and put me away! Pah, you’re nothing but trouble!”
The Heaven-Encompassing Mirror turned its anger on Xu Qi’an, flying up to slap his face.
Xu Qi’an caught it and said: “I have a task for you later. It might take a while and involve some trouble.”
“Don’t even think about it!”
It refused outright.
“Once your spirit is restored, I’ll have the Supervisor complete your missing half,” Xu Qi’an said.
He meant completing its physical form, not just its spirit—something the Supervisor, with his expertise in artifact crafting, could certainly accomplish.
“Master Xu, please feel free to command me as you wish,” the Heaven-Encompassing Mirror said sincerely.
With preliminary matters settled, Xu Qi’an licked his lips and smiled: “Now for the main event.”
Fu Xiang, having shared countless “exchanges” with him, immediately understood his meaning, her cheeks flushing slightly.
[…]
At the borders of Yun Province, sixty thousand armored troops had assembled.
They were arranged in six orderly rectangular formations, ten thousand men in each formation. Each formation contained a thousand heavy cavalry, a thousand gunners, two thousand light cavalry, five thousand infantry, five hundred artillery units, and five hundred divine crossbow units.
Behind the sixty thousand troops were thirty thousand militia formed from displaced civilians.
Before Da Feng’s reinforcements could arrive, the Yun Province rebels had already completed their assembly, preparing to march north to attack Qing Province.