Black Fox

Although Yan Jue thought that, she also knew it was unlikely.

Not to mention that she had hidden so frantically she hadn’t had time to conceal her aura.

There were still several living, breathing people standing in the courtyard who had not yet reacted.

Besides, even if she didn’t hand over the Buddha hand, if she wanted to get the red bean and the next clue, she would still have to reinstall the Buddha hand beside the ancient Buddha.

The people who came later would eventually see the next clue.

This secret realm group contest really worked that way. Everyone could obtain the materials; it was only a matter of timing.

What they were competing over was speed.

Whoever collected the red bean, green bean, and yellow bean materials first would be the winner.

Zhou Leng looked at the few people standing dazed beneath the red bean tree and was momentarily stunned. She asked stiffly, “What are you all doing?”

Duan Luxi: “Nothing.”

Du Ying stood in the pit and gave an awkward laugh. “Hahahahaha.”

Qi Xianqing’s team also had quite a few outstanding sect disciples. One tall female disciple immediately spotted the key point and came to the red bean tree, resting her chin in her hand as she studied the red beans on the branches with the same expression Wang Wei had when writing about longing.

Very quickly, she also noticed the thing beneath the beam.

“Zijin.” Qi Xianqing said lightly, “What’s written on the beam?”

Xie Zijin smiled. “There should be a broken Buddha hand under this red bean tree, but this place has already been dug up. It must have been taken away.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her narrow phoenix eyes swept over the area; her expression turned hostile as she glared at the four people present.

With only a casual sweep of divine sense, Qi Xianqing immediately located Yan Jue.

Her lips curved. “Since we’ve found this clue too, then please hand over the Buddha hand and share it with us, junior sisters.”

Yan Jue could no longer hide. She jumped down from the beam and coughed once. “First come, first served. The Buddha hand has already been taken by us.”

Xie Zijin snapped, “Then I’ll just have to take it by force.”

She flashed forward, fingers hooked like claws, reaching for Yan Jue.

Yan Jue clasped her hands behind her back and sidestepped the attack.

Xie Zijin opened her palm; faint green lightning flickered in the center of her hand.

With a sharp wave, she hurled a mass of thunderous lightning straight at Yan Jue, carrying tremendous explosive force.

Yan Jue slashed her right hand, and a massive wall of ice instantly rose in front of her. With a deafening boom, Drifting Ice left its sheath with a dragon’s roar and collided with Xie Zijin’s immortal sword.

Yan Jue was already at the peak of the fifth realm; her strikes were no weaker. Every clash erupted with thunderous force, as though even the entire temple were trembling.

Zhou Leng was sweating profusely, sneaking glances at Qi Xianqing from the corner of her eye; she found that Qi Xianqing’s lips carried a faint trace of amusement.

Xie Zijin was forced back by the soft sword Drifting Ice in Yan Jue’s hand. Just as she was about to launch another attack, Qi Xianqing suddenly raised her hand to stop her.

Xie Zijin turned in disbelief to look at her. “Senior Sister…”

Qi Xianqing lifted her eyes and asked, “Then what would Junior Sister need for you to be willing to hand over the clue to us?”

For some reason, her temper was exceptionally good.

Yan Jue formed a hand seal with one hand; the soil that had been fully dug up returned to its place at once, and the ground beneath the red bean tree regained its original appearance.

Yan Jue lifted her chin. “Dig it up again.”

Qi Xianqing arched a brow.

Xie Zijin was practically livid. “This is outrageous!”

“Why aren’t you helping?”

The air around them fell into silence. Zhou Leng looked at Qi Xianqing, cold sweat trickling uncontrollably down her forehead.

Yan Jue’s actions were no different from digging up trouble under the Grand Tutor’s nose.

Too terrifying…

Just as Zhou Leng was wondering whether Qi Xianqing would slash Yan Jue to death or beat her to death, Qi Xianqing slowly raised her eyes and said in a mild tone, “Fine. Dig it up again, and Junior Sister can give us the Buddha hand.”

Zhou Leng: “……”

It really was a little hotter over here by the temple.

What’s more, the soil in front of the red bean tree seemed to have been reinforced with some special material; it was especially difficult to dig.

The people there all took out their magical tools. After digging only a short while under the blazing sun, they were soon drenched in sweat.

Yan Jue stood in the shade, laughing uproariously.

Xie Zijin nearly ground her silver teeth to pieces. “Wait until I’m done digging; I’ll make you pay!”

At long last, they dug down two chi.

Qi Xianqing turned back to look at Yan Jue, only to find that the girl who had been lively just moments ago was somehow now leaning under the corridor with her arms folded and fast asleep.

Zhou Leng: “No way, Senior Sister. She’s got such a huge heart; she can even sleep while supervising.”

Qi Xianqing picked up a stone from the ground and flicked it toward the sleeping Yan Jue.

Whoosh—

The girl’s body was pierced by the stone and then vanished directly into thin air, leaving behind a cloud of monkey fur floating in the air.

Everyone: “……”

-

While Qi Xianqing’s group was still digging, Yan Jue had long since sent Sheming Xu out to keep watch in her place; as for herself, she had already gone into the temple.

She had secretly given the Buddha hand to Duan Luxi, and the four of them had already installed it on the ancient Buddha inside the temple.

By the time Yan Jue arrived, she saw that the ancient Buddha had already been moved aside.

That Buddha hand really was a mechanism; as long as it was fitted onto the ancient Buddha’s severed arm, the statue would shift away and reveal the hidden workings beneath.

Twenty red beans made of spirit stones were arranged neatly beneath the ancient Buddha.

The rules of this round were that each team only needed to obtain one red bean; the competition was not about quantity but speed.

So even if some teams had not obtained a red bean yet, they would still get one later.

What mattered was being the first to obtain the newest clue and handing the three collected beans to the sect elders.

Yan Jue picked up a dark red red bean and tucked it into her sleeve, then let her gaze fall on the huge taiji diagram.

Along with the red bean came the clue for the next bean.

The taiji diagram.

One side was black; one side was white.

One side was yang; one side was yin.

On the yin side of the taiji diagram sat a single soybean. It was nothing more than an ordinary soybean, not the material they were looking for, but it seemed to be an important hint.

Yan Jue stared at the taiji diagram, lost in thought.

Duan Luxi suddenly noticed something and said softly, “Look.”

Beneath the taiji diagram lay an old, yellowed sheet of paper.

Yan Jue picked it up and found there was nothing written on it at all.

Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from over there. “You tricked me!”

Xie Zijin stormed over in a rage.

Yan Jue spun around and smiled. “Sorry, but we still got here first.”

Xie Zijin immediately drew her sword and followed; with a whoosh, Yan Jue’s long sword Drifting Ice flew out behind her and dissolved the attack in midair.

Yan Jue had already spent some time with Drifting Ice, and now their coordination was seamless. Sharp sword light flickered through the air, not attacking but forming an impenetrable defense.

Xie Zijin’s assault was fierce, yet she could not take a single step forward.

Qi Xianqing looked at the smile in Yan Jue’s phoenix eyes; the curve of her lips pressed down slightly.

Xie Zijin wanted to attack again, but Qi Xianqing suddenly spoke to stop her.

Qi Xianqing: “How does Junior Sister want to give us the clue?”

There was no helping it; first come, first served.

If the one standing here was not Yan Jue but another team, refusing to hand it over would mean cutting off their chance of winning.

Yan Jue had made a deal with Qi Xianqing before; if she lost, she would have to agree to one thing Qi Xianqing asked of her.

She certainly wasn’t willing to hand over the clue to Qi Xianqing that easily.

Yan Jue smiled faintly. “You want the clue? That works too.”

She held up a number with her fingers and said leisurely, “Bring me a hundred Spirit-Nurturing Pills.”

Xie Zijin froze.

Qi Xianqing looked at Yan Jue, her gaze flickering.

The black lump that had hatched from the beast egg only ate Spirit-Nurturing Pills. But the gourd of Spirit-Nurturing Pills they had found in the Demon Lord’s treasure bag would only last ten days; after those ten days, they would still have to find Spirit-Nurturing Pills on their own.

Unfortunately, Spirit-Nurturing Pills were one of the few kinds of pills in this world used to feed divine beasts. If they went to Alchemy Hall to buy them, it would inevitably attract attention.

Neither Qi Xianqing nor Yan Jue studied alchemy, and neither of them could refine top-grade Spirit-Nurturing Pills.

The only ones who could refine top-grade Spirit-Nurturing Pills were disciples of Alchemy Hall.

But in this situation, Yan Jue asking for Spirit-Nurturing Pills did not seem abrupt; at most, it was just a deliberate demand meant to make things difficult.

Xie Zijin happened to be the direct eldest disciple of an Alchemy Hall elder, so of course she had learned how to refine Spirit-Nurturing Pills.

This task of a hundred Spirit-Nurturing Pills naturally fell to Xie Zijin.

Xie Zijin rolled up her sleeves. “I might as well go get them myself.”

“If you fight her, who knows how long that’ll take.” Qi Xianqing stopped her. “Fine. First come, first served. Just give them a hundred Spirit-Nurturing Pills.”

Xie Zijin pouted, her face full of displeasure. “Senior Sister!”

“I’ll prepare the materials,” Qi Xianqing said. “You only need to refine the pills.”

At the same time, footsteps sounded from outside; it seemed someone had already discovered something was wrong and rushed over.

The temple door was suddenly pushed open, and what came into view was Yun Jie’s frost-cold face.

Yan Jue stuffed the sheet of yellow paper into her sleeve and took one more look at the soybean placed on the taiji diagram before slipping out through the back courtyard.

-

The secret realm only opened for three hours each time; after three hours, whether everyone had found clues or not, they had to come out.

Yan Jue returned to the dormitory and examined the paper she had found in the secret realm over and over, but she still could not see any useful clues.

It was just a blank sheet of paper.

Yan Jue frowned slightly and lit a candle, then held the yellow paper over the flame and gently heated the underside with the rising warmth.

Still no words.

She sat at the table and tried every method she could think of, but nothing worked.

Yan Jue knew that perhaps at night, when viewed through candlelight, this paper might reveal something different.

She would have to wait until nightfall to try again.

Yan Jue put the paper back into her sleeve, poured herself a cup of tea, then sat at the table and pulled several red hemp cords from the chest to start weaving.

-

Yan Jue did not know how long she had been busy at the table. By the time she finished weaving what she had in her hands, the sky was already close to dusk.

She looked up at the window, then at the linked-knot in her hands.

The two deep-red cords were woven with fine, tight patterns; under the setting sun they gave off a faint sheen.

This was the method Yan Jue had learned from the books in Library Pavilion over the past few days for weaving a linked-knot.

Ever since she and Qi Xianqing got together, Yan Jue had never given Qi Xianqing anything before.

This was the most sincere thing Yan Jue could think of giving her.

Yan Jue put the linked-knot into her Qiankun bag, stood up and stretched, then walked into the courtyard. There she saw Zhu He, dressed in a cloak, sitting on a long bench with a blue jade pot in her hands, staring blankly at it.

Yan Jue froze and walked over. “Zhu He, what is this?”

Zhu He looked up. “This was given at yesterday’s cooking contest!”

She handed the jade pot over. “Sister, it’s for you.”

Yan Jue: “This is your competition prize; you earned it. You don’t need to give it to me. Just keep it yourself.”

Zhu He’s eyes curved with delight as she hugged the jade pot, looking very happy.

Yan Jue crouched down and studied the pot. “But what is this pot for?”

Zhu He: “The elders said to put the lid on the pot, then place three strands of Praying Fortune Incense into the hole in front of the pot. Close your eyes and think about what you want to eat, and the kitchen goblin inside the pot will make it for you.”

Little Pig had memorized the elders’ words very carefully.

Yan Jue found it novel. “Do you have any Praying Fortune Incense?”

Zhu He took out three incense sticks from her bosom. “Senior Sister Du Ying gave these to me.”

Yan Jue closed the jade pot’s lid, then inserted the Praying Fortune Incense into the hole in the pot. She formed a seal to light it, closed her eyes, and prayed for a while.

A faint fragrance of incense drifted through the air.

Yan Jue’s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly lifted the lid.

Somehow, a steaming, fragrant chicken leg had appeared inside the pot!

This…

Zhu He held the chicken leg and said with a smile, “The elders said that this jade pot houses a food goblin. As long as you nourish it with incense, no matter what you want to eat, it can make it!”

This thing was actually pretty good; in the future, Little Pig wouldn’t have to pitifully eat spirit-lantern fruit at home anymore.

Yan Jue discussed the pot with Zhu He for a while longer, then stood up and prepared to leave.

She had only taken two steps forward when she suddenly paused.

Beneath the big tree over there, someone had appeared at some point and was looking at her.

Yun Jie.

Seeing Yan Jue come out, Yun Jie walked over.

Perhaps because of the subtle relationship between Yun Jie and Qi Xianqing, the moment Yan Jue saw her approaching, she instantly became wary.

Yun Jie bowed to Yan Jue. “Junior Sister Yan.”

Yan Jue responded and looked at her in surprise.

Other than going on one mission together last time, she and Yun Jie had basically no interaction at all in ordinary days.

Yan Jue did not know what Yun Jie had suddenly come looking for her about.

Yun Jie did not beat around the bush either. She went straight to the point: “I heard your team obtained the latest yellow bean clue.”

Yan Jue: “……”

Yun Jie had only found out by chance that the latest clue had been taken by Yan Jue.

Today she had first led her team toward the south, but after quickly sensing something was wrong, she rushed to the temple.

After fighting Xie Zijin once, she learned from the other woman’s indignant complaints that the clue had already been taken by Yan Jue.

Originally, Yun Jie had estimated that her only real rival in this competition was Qi Xianqing; she had simply forgotten that there was also such a rising star.

Yan Jue was a potential threat.

After a long silence, Yan Jue did not deny it. “Yes, our team did take the latest yellow bean clue.”

Yan Jue had originally thought Yun Jie might make things difficult for her, but unexpectedly, Yun Jie’s gaze on her suddenly carried a trace of heat.

Yun Jie stepped forward. “I want to discuss the current competition situation with Junior Sister.”

Yan Jue: “?”

Yan Jue smiled politely. “Please go ahead, Senior Sister.”

Yun Jie: “In this group contest, the team that poses the greatest threat to us both is the Thunderflame Sect’s team led by Lord Meng Heng.”

“Junior Sister may not know this, but the members of Lord Meng Heng’s team are all extremely strong. If it’s only me, or only Junior Sister, neither of us can win.”

Yun Jie flicked her sleeve. “The best way now is for the two of us to join forces and work together against Qi Xianqing!”

Yan Jue: “……”

Now Yan Jue understood what Yun Jie meant.

So she had come to form an alliance with her. As long as she allied with Yan Jue, she could obtain the latest first-hand clue.

What a scheme…

Yan Jue naturally would not refuse Yun Jie outright; she only smiled faintly and said modestly, “Sorry, Senior Sister Yun. This time our team was just lucky enough to obtain the latest clue.”

“Actually, we… don’t have that much ambition, and we don’t intend to take first place, so winning isn’t absolutely necessary.”

“As for forming an alliance, the responsibility that comes with it is too great. We can’t bear it.”

Yun Jie stared at Yan Jue, her expression darkening.

Anyone could hear that Yan Jue was tactfully refusing her by speaking this way.

Just as Yun Jie was about to speak, Yan Jue suddenly changed tack and gestured at her. “We can sell the clue to you.”

What?

Sell it?

Yun Jie had never expected to hear such a vulgar thing within Five Dragons Sect and was momentarily at a loss.

Yan Jue looked innocent. “Two hundred Spirit-Nurturing Pills in exchange for the latest clue; that should be fine, right?”

-

That night, Yan Jue still went to Cold Pool to find Qi Xianqing.

When Yan Jue arrived at Frozen Peach Haven, she happened to see Qi Xianqing seated at the table, writing with a brush.

Under the dim candlelight, the girl wore a plain white inner robe; her features were like a painting, so beautiful it was enough to bring ruin to a nation.

Yan Jue lazily greeted her and walked over. Just as she reached Qi Xianqing’s side, she was pulled into a hold.

Her waist pressed lightly against the table; Yan Jue could feel the clear, faintly oppressive aura of the Immortal Spirit Physique, and her scalp went numb.

She looked up, timidly glancing at Qi Xianqing.

Qi Xianqing kissed her ear and said in a low voice, “You were quite bold today.”

The scorching breath brushed over Yan Jue’s ear; when Qi Xianqing’s lips touched her, the soft sensation spread into a prickling numbness all over her body.

Yan Jue braced herself against the table, her legs going weak. “Wasn’t it just because I wanted to get a few more Spirit-Nurturing Pills for the black lump to eat? Senior Sister probably didn’t find it easy to ask either, so I might as well be the villain this time.”

Qi Xianqing held her, the bridge of her nose brushing absently against Yan Jue’s red ear. She murmured, “Can you not get so close to other people? Seeing you that close to someone else makes me a little unhappy.”

Qi Xianqing was used to chatting with the little fox cub, so when she spoke to Yan Jue, she used the same tone.

“She came to find me first.” Yan Jue laughed and snorted coquettishly. “Senior Sister Yun also came to look for me just now.”

Qi Xianqing froze. “She came to find you for what?”

Yan Jue: “She asked me if I was willing to form an alliance.”

Qi Xianqing’s lips pressed down a little. “And then?”

Yan Jue replied, “Then I told her we wouldn’t ally. But I could sell her the clue.”

Yan Jue paused. “Two hundred Spirit-Nurturing Pills.”

Qi Xianqing: “……”

Qi Xianqing could not help laughing; the corners of her mouth lifted.

Yan Jue lifted a knee and lightly bumped her. “What are you laughing at?”

Qi Xianqing laughed for a while, then gently patted Yan Jue’s back, still trying to hold it in. “You’re pretty clever.”

Yan Jue was soft as water in her arms.

Qi Xianqing suddenly thought of how Yan Jue had been playfully sparring and laughing with Xie Zijin today, and something inside her suddenly surfaced.

Perhaps the longer she stayed with Yan Jue, the stronger her possessiveness toward Yan Jue became.

Qi Xianqing asked in a low voice, “Does it still hurt today?”

Yan Jue went, “Ah?” It took her a moment before she realized Qi Xianqing was asking whether her period still hurt. Such an intimate question left Yan Jue dazed, and her legs went soft; she collapsed straight onto the table.

Suddenly, a burst of footsteps sounded outside.

Qi Xianqing’s awareness of her surroundings had always been sharp; though the footsteps were light, she still caught them.

Qi Xianqing looked up and saw a black fox standing outside.

Its fur was glossy and lustrous; its two large ears stood straight up.

Its eyes were wide open, staring fixedly at Yan Jue.