Heartbeat

“She’s so annoying,” Qi Xianqing said.

The little fox, Yan Jue, was sitting on the table. Hearing the faint edge in Qi Xianqing’s voice, she couldn’t help twitching her eyelids.

“I was going to use my looks to fool her, but she turned the tables on me instead.”

“I thought it would take her at least ten days or so to finish learning Shuaituo, but I never expected her to master it so quickly.” Qi Xianqing stared out the window and muttered to herself.

The little fox had grown again recently; she was a whole head taller than before and could barely still get onto the table.

Qi Xianqing rested her chin in her hand and said in confusion, “She learned it too fast... seven days faster than I did back then.”

And that’s all thanks to your notes.

Yan Jue idly flicked her two fiery red tails back and forth.

Qi Xianqing still didn’t know that she had already memorized every word of those notes in secret, did she?

Qi Xianqing: “The notes I prepared didn’t even come in handy.”

Yan Jue: “...”

Well.

So that’s what this is about; you were actually expecting me to look grateful and awed.

Qi Xianqing pulled the little booklet with “Yan Jue” written on the cover from the bookshelf again, ground some ink, and wrote on it.

Spirit Communication Art.

Qi Xianqing frowned slightly and said thoughtfully, “The first move of the Spirit Communication Art is very difficult. If I teach it to her all at once today, she probably won’t remember it.”

“Last time I learned the first move, it took me ten days. This time, I’ll give her a month; she shouldn’t be able to finish it that quickly.”

“If she goes over time, I’ll give her this page of notes.”

Qi Xianqing muttered, “By rights, she shouldn’t have learned it this fast.”

For some reason, Yan Jue couldn’t hear the slightest pride or happiness in Qi Xianqing’s tone.

Instead, there was a faint sense of frustration.

Like a top student who had always done well in school, only to suddenly be overtaken by a dark horse charging up from behind, leaving them doubting themselves.

Yan Jue looked at Qi Xianqing and silently scrunched up her nose.

Qi Xianqing only then came back to herself and looked at her. “And you.”

She picked the little fox up and carried her to the bed.

The little fox seemed to sense something. The moment they got close to the bed, she began struggling frantically, making pitiful little whimpering sounds.

Qi Xianqing pinned her down on the floor and asked in a deep voice, “Did you do this?”

Yan Jue lay on the floor and slowly raised her eyelids.

Right in front of her was one of the bedposts; one side of it had been bitten off.

“..."

Of course Yan Jue remembered that bedpost.

That night, when her teeth had been itching, she’d been gnawing on it right there.

Qi Xianqing had cleaned up the debris on the floor.

But the bedpost with a chunk missing still looked as if it could snap at any moment, an alarming sight.

Qi Xianqing pressed both hands on her rump, and Yan Jue felt an almost terrifying sense of being dominated; she began twisting wildly, making little whimpering sounds.

Qi Xianqing let go. Yan Jue rolled over and sat up at once, looking up at her and desperately tilting her head, her face full of confusion.

A little fox couldn’t understand what you were saying.

Qi Xianqing tapped the little fox’s wet nose. “If you wreck the house again next time, you won’t get anything to eat.”

Even when she was lecturing, her voice couldn’t turn hard.

Yan Jue couldn’t help thinking of how fierce Qi Xianqing had looked during the day.

At times, Yan Jue felt that Qi Xianqing must have given all the tenderness in her to small animals.

How enviable, this little fox.

Yan Jue rolled on the floor and exposed her snow-white belly again, four black paws pointed toward the sky, trying to cheer Qi Xianqing up.

Qi Xianqing pressed her lips together.

She was adorable again.

A soft palm covered her belly, sending wave after wave of pleasant sensation through her. The little fox narrowed her eyes and kicked her legs around indiscriminately.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from over there.

Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing both turned to look.

At the doorway, when had a black silhouette appeared?

A little wild boar with light brown fur, covered in watermelon-like stripes, wearing a cape woven from dried straw, poked its head in from the door. Seeing Qi Xianqing, it called out obediently, its tiny ears flopping back and forth.

So familiar...

Yan Jue froze for a moment.

This little wild boar was exactly the one she had seen that day on the slope leading to Qiwu Peak, sitting beside the mountain god statue!

Qi Xianqing: “You’re here. Come in.”

The little wild boar trotted in with tiny steps, happily nuzzling around beside Qi Xianqing.

Yan Jue’s expression instantly darkened; she bared her teeth.

The little wild boar also glanced at her and huffed threateningly, revealing a row of tiny milk teeth.

Yan Jue’s chest heated up. This thing actually dared to be fierce with her? Did it even know whose territory this was? One black paw swiped over at once.

The little wild boar was slapped, and three streaks instantly appeared on its left cheek. It opened its mouth full of little milk teeth and rolled on the ground in pain, squealing and whining nonstop.

Qi Xianqing patted Yan Jue on the head. “All right, stop bullying it.”

Then Yan Jue hid up on the bed. Sure enough, this woman wasn’t just messing around with one fox; she was also getting involved with other animals. Who knew who she’d been with during those seven days she’d disappeared before!

Qi Xianqing seemed to pour that little wild boar a bowl of milk. The boar rooted around in the bowl happily, and the whole room was filled with the patter of little sounds.

Yan Jue was about to explode from anger. Her little ears stood straight up, her mouth opened, and she started chewing on Qi Xianqing’s quilt.

“..."

By the time Yan Jue reacted, the soft brocade quilt had already been bitten through by her!

The originally neat pale-blue quilt had been torn open at one corner; stuffing flew everywhere, a complete mess.

Cold sweat broke out all over Yan Jue. Then she suddenly realized that the sound of drinking milk in the room had stopped at some point.

The little wild boar seemed to have left.

Footsteps suddenly sounded outside the gauze curtains. Yan Jue’s fur all stood on end at once.

Qi Xianqing walked over and drew back the curtain.

She had somehow taken off her outer robe. Her thin inner garment was slightly open at the collar, faintly outlining a lovely figure. She was scented all over, seemingly with the cool, elegant fragrance of plum blossoms; her crow-feather black hair draped over her shoulders, carrying a trace of damp moisture.

Qi Xianqing looked at the gnawed-up quilt. The hand holding the curtain hung in the air.

“..."

Yan Jue lowered her head and slowly backed away. Maybe she should find a chance to slip off now; she had just bitten up Qi Xianqing’s bedpost, and now she’d gnawed her quilt to pieces too.

Qi Xianqing: “Little fox baby.”

Yan Jue: “Jii?”

Qi Xianqing: “Tell me, shouldn’t you be punished?”

The light was dim. Qi Xianqing’s gaze felt almost tangible. Yan Jue’s eyes darted around, and both tails tucked tightly behind her; she didn’t dare meet the girl’s black peach-blossom eyes at all.

No one knew how long passed before Qi Xianqing finally sighed, leaned down, and held her in her arms. “Forget it. Not tonight.”

She blew out the lamp by the bed, and the surroundings fell into complete darkness.

The girl’s body was warm and soft, carrying a hint of indescribable allure.

Yan Jue felt her heart pounding so hard it was almost about to leap out of her chest.

Her skin began to burn, starting from her cheeks.

Qi Xianqing hugged her from behind, her soft palm stroking over the fox’s belly inch by inch; Yan Jue felt as if her entire body were about to melt.

Qi Xianqing: “Sometimes I feel like little fox baby is very much like a person. Why is that?”

In the darkness, her voice was very light, carrying a faint nasal tone.

Yan Jue curled up, instinctively wanting to struggle.

But the instincts of a canid made her bury her head in Qi Xianqing’s arms instead.

Someone like this.

Would she one day take an immortal sword and stab it into her chest?

At times Yan Jue really did cling to a sliver of hope: what if, by then, Qi Xianqing wouldn’t do that?

But she knew the plot of the novel would not change.

As a cannon fodder, she had no right to interfere in the feelings between the male and female leads.

The night was quiet. Qi Xianqing stroked her for a while, then lay down, turning onto her side to face her.

“You saved my life. How could I like anyone else? Hmm? How many more times do I have to say it?”

A spirit beast’s body was very clean.

Because all things in heaven and earth could cultivate, a spirit beast with a certain level of power could use spiritual qi from heaven and earth to wash away all filth from its body.

Even when the little fox was lying on the bed, she smelled sweet, her whole body carrying the milky fragrance of a young beast.

After Qi Xianqing finished coaxing her, Yan Jue felt inexplicably much better. She stretched out all four paws and awkwardly shrank toward the corner of the bed.

Qi Xianqing curved her lips and pulled her back into her arms.

For some reason, the scent on the little fox made her feel at ease.

Qi Xianqing really liked sleeping with the little fox.

Yan Jue closed her eyes, her heart pounding so hard it seemed ready to burst from her chest. She waited a long time, finally waiting until Qi Xianqing fell asleep, then hooked her claws on the bed, afraid of waking her, and crawled out softly.

When Yan Jue left the room, the whole fox felt terrible; she even tripped on the threshold and almost fell.

...

Yan Jue walked out the door and hurried in the direction of Watercloud Sect.

Unconsciously, she had come again to the slope leading to Watercloud Sect.

Yan Jue suddenly noticed something and stopped in her tracks.

That same little wild boar from before was crouching beside the mountain god statue.

Just like the last time she saw it, all four of its short hooves were pressed against the ground.

Yan Jue froze, then suddenly realized.

It was worshiping the gods.

-

It was early morning.

The courtyard of Yun Zhen, the Sect Master of Thunderflame Sect, had always been full of poetic charm.

As soon as Qi Xianqing stepped through the gate, she saw a lake as clear as a mirror; two immortal cranes were chasing and playing over the water, and from time to time a koi would leap up from the surface.

She crossed the creaking wooden bridge and arrived at Yun Zhen’s residence.

Yun Zhen was wearing a wide-sleeved, flowing green gown. She was reclining on a beauty couch in the most languid and elegant manner, head lowered as she read a cultivation manual.

Qi Xianqing only glanced once before kneeling and saying blankly, “Master.”

Yun Zhen lifted her head and lazily yawned. “You’re here?”

“You returned this time right when I was in seclusion, so I didn’t have a chance to pick you up,” Yun Zhen said with a smile. “I heard from Zhou Leng that you were injured.”

“It’s only a minor injury; it hardly merits Master’s concern.” Qi Xianqing smiled faintly, cool and distant. “Has Martial Uncle, the Sect Master, finished seclusion?”

As the highly regarded first disciple of Thunderflame Sect within Five Dragons Sect, Qi Xianqing had always been extremely respectful toward her sect.

Especially toward Five Dragons Sect’s Sect Master Mu Zhongzi; her respect for him was even greater than for her own master.

Because eighteen years ago, it was Martial Uncle Sect Master who had brought her from the Northwest to Five Dragons Sect.

If it hadn’t been for Sect Master Mu Zhongzi, she would probably have long since become food in a monster’s belly.

Yun Zhen smiled. “Not yet. When has he ever come out of seclusion in less than a year or two? After all, he’s about to break through to the Seventh Realm. And you? Did you have any new insights during this trip down the mountain? Have you made any progress?”

Qi Xianqing: “This disciple is currently trying to break through the early stage of the Fusion Realm.”

Naturally, without success.

Breaking through a realm only got harder the farther one went.

The fourth realm, the Fusion Realm, was already far beyond Foundation Establishment and Enlightenment; it wasn’t something that could be broken through lightly.

Yun Zhen: “That pace is quite good, but don’t rush it too much. If you need any materials, just tell me. Earning a golden core early on will help shut those endless mouths.”

Qi Xianqing’s family was not from a cultivation household, so her initiation into the path of cultivation had started relatively late.

She had only officially begun her immortal-arts initiation at eight years old, and she had seen far too many people more talented than herself.

So she had understood one principle from a very young age.

If she wanted her status to remain secure, she had to become stronger.

That was why Qi Xianqing had never dared slack off even a little when it came to cultivation.

Yun Zhen tossed the cultivation manual to the ground and suddenly grew serious. “Xianqing, I called you here this time because there’s something I want to tell you.”

Seeing Yun Zhen’s expression turn solemn all at once, Qi Xianqing unconsciously became more serious too. She knelt on the ground and lowered her head slightly.

Yun Zhen: “I’ve already gotten some leads on the heretic cultivators in Qingyu Taoist Temple that you mentioned that day.”

“Qingyu Taoist Temple is a small temple in the Northwest. It was originally registered among the righteous immortal sects, and it hasn’t stirred up any trouble over the years. But for some reason, they’re refining pills using women’s yin essence; it’s an utterly sinister pill-refining method.”

“This method hasn’t been seen for a thousand years. Or rather, ever since the Immortal-Devil War a thousand years ago, when the two Demon Lords fell, no one has used it.”

“A few months ago, when I sent you to the Northern Frontier to investigate the massacre of an entire small fishing village, we already suspected that the Demonic Cult might be active again. But after all, that was only speculation; we had no concrete evidence. If this pill-refining activity at Qingyu Taoist Temple is also connected to the Demonic Cult, then we have reason to believe the Demonic Cult is about to return.”

Qi Xianqing looked up. “Then does Master know whether Qingyu Taoist Temple’s pill refining is related to the Demonic Cult?”

Yun Zhen: “I don’t know, which is why I want you to investigate. According to reliable information brought back by our spies, this Qingyu Taoist Temple actually has an activity base in Xiaoxing Village in the southwest, near Five Dragons Mountain.”

Qi Xianqing frowned slightly. A Qingyu Taoist Temple based in the Northwest had actually run all the way to the southwest border...

Qi Xianqing: “What exactly are they doing in Xiaoxing Village?”

Yun Zhen picked up the command talisman beside her, cleared her throat, and said loudly, “Xiaoxing Village begs Heavenly Master Su Yang for protection~ Every year, it offers up boys and girls as tribute to the Heavenly Master, hoping that the Heavenly Master will forever bless us with peace.”

Qi Xianqing listened quietly as Yun Zhen finished, her expression killingly cold.

In a valley fifty li outside the area of Five Dragons Sect, there was a village called Xiaoxing Village.

For five years, the village had been haunted, and no one knew how many people had died.

Then one day, an old immortal suddenly came to the village, with the dao name Su Yang. He said he had passed by this place and found the mountain’s feng shui excellent, so he planned to choose a cave dwelling here for quiet cultivation. He also said that the reason Xiaoxing Village was overrun with vengeful ghosts was because the local residents had committed too many evils, inciting the wrath of the heavenly gods.

Heavenly Master Su Yang said he could exorcise the ghosts, but on the condition that Xiaoxing Village must send a pair of boys and girls to his cave dwelling every year as boy and girl attendants.

Heavenly Master Su Yang’s cultivation was very high; serving as his attendant could make one into an immortal, and this was supposedly the only way to cleanse Xiaoxing Village of its filth. The villagers didn’t think there was anything wrong with that, so every year people sent their own children to Heavenly Master Su Yang’s secluded cave.

As for whether those boys and girls had become blessed child attendants, no one knew.

After investigation, the sect suspected that Heavenly Master Su Yang was a demonic cultivator.

Qi Xianqing lifted her eyes slightly after hearing Yun Zhen’s explanation.

Yun Zhen: “It’s said that Heavenly Master Su Yang’s cultivation isn’t very high, probably only at the level of the fourth realm. With your ability, Xianqing, you could deal with him with some effort.”

Her expression grew grave. “As for who’s behind them, we’ll still need to obtain some useful information. Killing him is easy, but finding out who is behind him is very difficult. It depends on how you handle it.”

Qi Xianqing had only just returned from Jiangnan after finishing a mission a few days ago, and now another mission had come down in the blink of an eye. She had long since gotten used to it; as the chief disciple, she had the chief disciple’s duties and responsibilities. Whenever she wasn’t in seclusion, she was basically running all over the mountain and down into the world below.

Qi Xianqing had done many tasks like this before. After hearing Yun Zhen’s account, she already had a rough idea in her heart. “Mm.”

Yun Zhen’s tone suddenly changed, and she smiled. “This time, you can find a helper for the trip. I’ve already picked out a few very outstanding people for you.”

Qi Xianqing: “Who?”

Yun Zhen: “For example, Qin Heng from Muyin Sect. Your junior brother Wu Hao from Thunderflame Sect. And the talented new disciple Sun Xudong from Jingang Sect. These people all have their own specialties; they could become useful assistants for you down the mountain. Of course, Watercloud Sect isn’t without anyone either; their arts have always been gentle.”

Hearing the three words Watercloud Sect, Qi Xianqing’s brow moved slightly, and she suddenly grew interested for no apparent reason.

Yun Zhen: “Outer sect reserve disciple Chu Fu has ranked first in the evaluation for two consecutive years. In such a short time, he has already broken through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, so he can be considered a talented young man. He can also be one of the choices.”

Qi Xianqing fell silent: “..."

Looking at her disciple’s impassive face, Yun Zhen had always understood her very well. Knowing that none of the people she had just named had stirred her heart, she asked, “Or perhaps you want to choose for yourself? Then go ahead. Didn’t Jing Ke fail to kill the King of Qin because he didn’t choose the right companion, resulting in a single misstep that became an everlasting regret? Whoever you think is useful, choose them.”

“Once you’ve chosen, just report it.”