Questioning

A pair of large ears had emerged from Yan Jue’s jet-black hair at some point.

They really were large ears—black as ink, with a soft pink lining inside.

Qi Xianqing was pressed very close to Yan Jue. Her warm breath brushed over the top of Yan Jue’s head, and the ears folded and twitched in response.

In an instant, a thick wave of demonic aura surged through the air.

Qi Xianqing almost reflexively tightened her grip on the sword in her hand.

She had personally sent too many demons on their way over the years; the moment she smelled demonic aura, her hand would go to her sword almost on instinct.

The demonic aura filled the air, growing stronger and stronger.

Even the hand Qi Xianqing held the sword with had gone a little unsteady.

Clang—

Qi Xianqing slid the sword back into its scabbard.

Yan Jue’s clear amber eyes widened slightly. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, and then she immediately stood up and stumbled as she tried to run.

Qi Xianqing came back to her senses and grabbed her hand at once. Yan Jue, caught off guard, lurched backward and was pulled straight into Qi Xianqing’s arms.

In a hoarse voice, Qi Xianqing asked, “Where do you think you’re running off to?”

The little fox demon reeked of alcohol.

Yan Jue was held from behind in Qi Xianqing’s arms. She struggled once, then gave up and slowly lowered her hands. Even she wasn’t quite sure anymore as she hesitated, “You won’t kill me, right?”

Qi Xianqing glanced at the red at the roots of her ears and drawled, “But you heard so many of my secrets.”

Her tone suddenly sharpened. “Do you think I should silence you?”

Yan Jue was plainly frightened. “But I didn’t mean to…”

Qi Xianqing understood everything from her tone.

Now it was very clear.

This little troublemaker had confessed without being asked and walked straight into the trap on her own.

Yan Jue was pinned so tightly by Qi Xianqing that she couldn’t move; almost unconsciously, she clenched the hem of her clothes.

She really was afraid of dying. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have wanted to run in the first place.

In the quiet room.

Yan Jue swallowed hard again, her throat bobbing, both hands hanging by her sides.

Qi Xianqing realized she might have frightened her badly. After a long silence, she said, “Then tell me, what would it take for me not to kill you?”

Half-joking, half-serious.

Yan Jue tilted her head and thought blankly for a moment. Then she suddenly tensed all over; her big ears pressed tightly against the back of her head as she bared her front teeth and said, “Then I can only fight you to the death!”

Qi Xianqing: “……”

Looking at Yan Jue like this, Qi Xianqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. For some reason, she was reminded again of that little fox baby by the Cold Pool.

Suddenly, a strange crackling sound came from the air.

Yan Jue abruptly curled in on herself, bending at the waist with a painful muffled groan.

Cold sweat slid down her cheeks.

The spiritual energy contained in the “Sea Heart Fragrance” from just now was too pure; she was actually breaking through now.

Her head was spinning, and every bone in her body ached fiercely, as if it were about to melt.

The process of advancement for demonkind was completely different from that of humans.

This was the breakthrough from the demon race’s fourth realm, Bone Refining; from this point on, a demon’s bones became precious, stronger, and imbued with greater spiritual sensitivity.

And from there began the fifth realm, the Demon Core Realm.

In the quiet air, a series of popping sounds began to ring out.

With each crack, Yan Jue felt her body becoming more supple and more solid.

It hurt so much…

Yan Jue’s face had gone green.

Qi Xianqing took a deep breath, stepped forward slowly, and pressed her fingertips against Yan Jue’s black ears, gently rubbing them.

Yan Jue was very sensitive; the moment Qi Xianqing touched her, her whole body stiffened.

Qi Xianqing bent to look at her, her gaze complicated. The thick demonic aura spread all around them, continuously stinging her nerves until her head throbbed.

Perhaps it was the shadow left by her childhood. For as long as she could remember, whenever she smelled demonic aura, she would feel this discomfort.

But Qi Xianqing could tell that the scent on Yan Jue was different from any demon she had ever smelled before.

Other demons smelled mixed and fishy, rancid.

But even when Yan Jue released every trace of demonic aura without restraint, it was still a faint, heart-warming milk scent.

Qi Xianqing had known Yan Jue for a long time. Though she had already begun to suspect it during the Five Dragons banquet, the idea that this person was actually a demon mixed in among the Five Dragons Sect was simply too unbelievable.

Yan Jue felt a little hot. She raised a hand and scratched at her neck, shifting uneasily on the bed, but Qi Xianqing pressed down on her wrist.

Qi Xianqing frowned slightly and slowly sent spiritual energy into her body, silently helping her.

A weak, cool current of spiritual energy gradually flowed into Yan Jue’s body, easing the heat in her.

She was helping Yan Jue through the breakthrough.

Before she knew it, the Bone Refining stage had already finished.

In her sleep, Yan Jue’s brow smoothed out. Her fair little face tilted slightly upward, occasionally rubbing against Qi Xianqing as if she were deeply attached to her touch.

Qi Xianqing stroked Yan Jue’s soft little face. She knew very clearly that she liked the person in front of her.

That much could be confirmed by the fact that she had repeatedly handed over her own life and future to her.

What was deeply ironic was that she had spent her whole life killing demons, taking exorcising evil and slaying demons as her creed, and had never had the time to like anyone. After finally falling for someone, it turned out to be a demon.

Qi Xianqing rubbed Yan Jue’s head for a while, then helped her tuck in the blanket.

“……”

Looking down at her, Qi Xianqing’s voice was hesitant. “What am I supposed to do with you, little fox baby?”

The room was quiet; Qi Xianqing’s voice sounded especially soft.

Yan Jue rolled over and smacked her lips in comfort.

-

The few of them rested in the Merfolk royal palace for the night, and the next day they prepared to take their leave.

Jiang Mengchu had drunk the Sea Heart Fragrance last night; when she woke up today, her head was pounding terribly, and she stood listlessly at the back, still not quite recovered as she held her forehead.

Yan Jue walked in front, her head still a little dizzy and her temples aching badly.

The spiritual energy in the fine wine, Sea Heart Fragrance, was not ordinarily strong.

This morning, when Yan Jue woke in her room, she discovered that she had actually broken through.

She had completely passed the Bone Refining stage.

She was now at the fifth demon realm, the Demon Core Realm.

Yan Jue also found that the Northern Sea Black Iron, which had always obediently stayed around her neck, had somehow slipped off and ended up coiling around the pot of Sea Heart Fragrance on the table, as though it particularly liked the wine’s scent.

When Yan Jue touched the top of her head, she discovered that she had somehow grown a pair of fluffy black ears.

And her tail had come out too.

Sitting on the bed, Yan Jue had felt a chill run down her spine. She hurriedly called back the lazy Northern Sea Black Iron, then tucked her ears and tail away.

It should be… no one saw, right?

Yan Jue remembered that Qi Xianqing had sent her back to her room last night.

If Qi Xianqing had noticed anything last night, would she still be seeing the sun this morning?

Qi Xianqing definitely hadn’t seen.

How annoying… she couldn’t remember anything that happened last night at all.

Maybe the spiritual energy in Sea Heart Fragrance was too abundant, and the few of them, as mere mortals, had all been unable to handle it for a while.

Too strange.

Yan Jue’s head was splitting.

…

The Merfolk imperial palace was truly enormous; Yan Jue wasn’t very good at finding her way, and had just been about to turn left when someone suddenly pinched the back of her neck.

Yan Jue stiffened all over and turned to look, only to see Qi Xianqing standing beside her at some point.

Qi Xianqing was still dressed in white, her frost-cold face showing a trace of fatigue.

She lifted her chin slightly. “It should be the right side.”

Yan Jue: “Oh.”

Yan Jue immediately shook off Qi Xianqing’s hand and walked to the right.

She was petty as hell; she still remembered what happened last night in the Deep Sea Valley, and she did not want to pay any attention to Qi Xianqing.

Qi Xianqing: “……”

When the three of them arrived at the main hall, the first person they saw was Jiang Yu, who had just come out from inside.

Seeing Qi Xianqing and Yan Jue, Jiang Yu immediately stepped forward and bowed to the two of them. “Encountering Lord Meng Heng during this trip to Yuxu Sea is truly a blessing beyond my wildest dreams.”

Qi Xianqing smiled faintly. “Daoist Jiang, there’s no need to be so modest. I only saw the Gentle Breeze Valley manual for the first time yesterday as well; I truly feel inadequate in comparison.”

Though Qi Xianqing was usually cold, she was exceptionally skilled at handling people when the situation called for it.

Jiang Yu’s face reddened slightly, and then she turned to Yan Jue. “Daoist Yan is very impressive too.”

Yan Jue: “Heh heh.”

After Jiang Yu left, Qi Xianqing and Yan Jue entered the palace together.

The old merfolk king was already waiting for them there.

Qi Xianqing stepped forward and saluted. “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. Today we must take our leave.”

The old merfolk: “It was only thanks to the help of several immortals that I was able to find my daughter and let that evil serpent sink into the abyss and stop harming others. All of you have shown immense kindness to the Merfolk clan; this old man is truly grateful beyond words.”

Qi Xianqing said absentmindedly, “It was nothing more than what we should do.”

The old merfolk waved a hand, and a maid came over carrying a silk brocade pouch.

He: “I have no way to repay the immortals’ kindness. This is the most precious item of the Merfolk clan; I give it to the immortal as a keepsake.”

The maid held the pouch up to Qi Xianqing and took something out of it.

Yan Jue was slightly taken aback.

It was a night pearl glowing with a clear, luminous sheen.

There was obviously more than one night pearl in the pouch. After the maid showed it to Qi Xianqing, she put the pearl back inside and handed the pouch over.

Qi Xianqing’s brow moved slightly. “Thank you.”

The old merfolk smiled. “Does the immortal know what this is?”

Qi Xianqing: “I am ignorant. I assume this is the most precious night pearl among the Merfolk.”

The old merfolk nodded slightly. “Indeed, this is a night pearl condensed from Merfolk tears, but it is not ordinary tears.”

“It is also called a Comprehension Pearl. Whenever a Merfolk gains insight into the great principles of heaven and earth, tears fall in profusion; we collect these pearls so our clansmen may better comprehend the Dao of heaven and earth.”

“This is the true Merfolk Pearl.”

Yan Jue watched and suddenly understood.

Although the old merfolk had lived in the sea for many years, how could he not know about the black-clad men from Gentle Breeze Valley stealing Merfolk Pearls?

If they had simply taken the Merfolk Pearl from that black-clad man’s pouch back then, the old merfolk probably would not have given them the true Merfolk Pearl.

Qi Xianqing was meticulous to the smallest detail; so from that moment on, she had already thought that far ahead.

-

After the few of them left Yuxu Sea, Yan Jue suggested making another trip to the fishing village.

Qi Xianqing was slightly surprised.

If they headed north from Yuxu Sea, they could reach Five Dragons Mountain in less than two hours.

She didn’t know what Yan Jue wanted to go back for.

Curious, Qi Xianqing nodded.

When Yan Jue returned to the spot where the fishing village had been, there was no village there anymore.

The fishing village had long since been swept away by the storm, leaving no trace behind. Yan Jue looked up and could see dense black dots standing on the hillside.

Those should be the men from before, hard at work gathering materials to build a new village.

But from here, every man looked miserable, as though they were on the verge of crying out to heaven and earth, and their number had clearly dropped as well.

It seemed last night’s massive tidal wave had truly dealt these people a heavy blow.

Yan Jue opened the Cloudvoid Umbrella and went up the mountain; it could increase her speed, and in the blink of an eye she was already in front of the men.

It was noon. Several men were gathered around a cauldron, making fire and cooking.

Yan Jue walked leisurely through the crowd with the umbrella in hand and quickly found the little girl waiting for her mother.

The girl was sitting alone there, hugging a steamed bun and gnawing on it.

Someone suddenly poked her in the back.

The girl froze and turned back abruptly, but saw no one at all.

“……”

Someone nearby shouted at her, “Second girl, what are you spacing out for? Go serve the soup.”

“Why are you looking behind you? There’s no one back there!”

The little girl stared blankly behind her and somehow felt that the scene was familiar.

She stood up, ran to the cauldron to ladle out some soup, then shrank back into a corner and quickly drank it.

After finishing the soup, the little girl wiped her mouth and walked down the mountain as if nothing had happened.

Only after she had wandered to a sparsely populated patch of grass did she raise her head and look at the air beside her, a little uncertainly. “Sister?”

“Smart.” Yan Jue put away the umbrella and appeared in front of the little girl.

The little girl bit her lip. “Last night, there was a huge rainstorm, and the village was flooded.”

“We don’t have anywhere to live now.”

“Dad said the village chief is organizing everyone to build a new village, and the new one will be on the mountain.”

“What if Mom comes back and can’t find us?”

The little girl chattered on and on at Yan Jue. It seemed the Spirit Candle Fruit from that day had made the little girl completely trust her.

Yan Jue crouched down to look at her. “You want to be with your mother, don’t you?”

The little girl nodded hard.

Yan Jue: “Actually, last night I went to your mother’s home.”

The little girl’s eyes widened as she stared at her blankly, as if she could hardly believe it.

Yan Jue took something out of her Qiankun bag and handed it to the girl.

It was a pitch-black pearl.

A water-avoiding pearl.

Yan Jue: “Your mother misses you very much too. Take this pearl to the other side of the sea and keep going down, and you’ll be able to see where your mother lives.”

The little girl held the cold pearl tightly and couldn’t help staring at it in a daze.

Yan Jue hesitated. “Do you want to go into the sea, or…”

The little girl shook her head hard. “I want to go into the sea.”

In truth, the little girl still retained some childhood memories.

It was as if her mother had once held her gently in the water when she was little.

Wherever her mother was, there would be water.

And every time she looked toward the sea, she would feel a stirring of longing and yearning.

Yan Jue brought the little girl to the shore.

Yan Jue: “No matter what, you have to keep this pearl with you. Understand?”

The girl nodded. “Thank you, sister.”

Yan Jue: “Then go on.”

The little girl pressed her lips together nervously and slowly moved her legs forward, gradually walking into the sea.

What surprised her immensely was that she had once come to the shore to play before, but every time, the seawater would soak her through…

Yet now that she was holding the elder sister’s pearl, the water actually flowed away from her.

The pitch-black water-avoiding pearl glowed faintly in her hand, forming a circular barrier around her to protect her.

All around her was the sound of flowing water.

Yan Jue’s voice came from behind her. “Come on; keep going. Your mother is waiting for you below.”

The girl gritted her teeth and walked step by step down into the sea.

At first, everything around her was pitch-black; then the seawater gradually turned a clear blue.

The girl looked up and suddenly froze.

Not far away stood a woman.

To be precise, not a woman, but a Merfolk from legend with a tail. She had golden hair, a blue fish tail, and skin as white as snow; she was standing there looking at her, her eyes red.

The girl had never seen her mother before, but at that moment she instinctively ran toward the woman.

The two of them embraced tightly.

-

Yan Jue stood by the sea and watched for a long time. Only after confirming that the girl had safely reached her destination did she turn around.

Then she unexpectedly saw Qi Xianqing standing behind her, watching her.

Sunlight scattered across the girl’s fair face; Qi Xianqing seemed a little dazed.

Yan Jue: “What are you looking at, Senior Sister?”

Qi Xianqing withdrew her gaze and shook her head. “Nothing.”

Yan Jue didn’t ask further.

After just breaking through, she was full of energy, refreshed and invigorated as she summoned her immortal sword, Drifting Ice, and silently recited the sword incantation.

Now she could already control Drifting Ice very skillfully.

Drifting Ice radiated a faint blue glow in the sky, instantly broadening and lengthening until it formed a flat surface she could stand on.

Yan Jue jumped onto Drifting Ice.

Qi Xianqing watched from behind as she moved so skillfully, a faint trace of relief rising in her heart. Then she also summoned her immortal sword, Zhuying.

The few of them thus left Yuxu Sea and began the journey back to Five Dragons Mountain.

-

As soon as Yan Jue returned to Five Dragons Mountain, she saw Bai Ying waiting early at the entrance to her quarters.

This time when Yan Jue went down the mountain, she hadn’t taken Bai Ying with her. First, Bai Ying’s injuries had not yet healed; second, leaving Bai Ying in Five Dragons Mountain naturally meant there were more important things for it to do.

After Yan Jue returned to her room and closed the door, Bai Ying finally started speaking with a bitter look on its face.

Bai Ying: “While Master was away, that Demon Lord was already plotting some other unspeakable scheme.”

Before Yan Jue went down the mountain, she had ordered Bai Ying to keep hidden in Mu Zhongzi’s hall for twelve hours a day.

Ever since Mu Zhongzi had his home raided by Yan Jue last time, he had become extremely wary; both his residence and the courtyard were filled with formations.

But Bai Ying, as an old fox demon, was naturally not someone to be trifled with. It had long since studied the forms of the formations and how to counter them.

No matter how powerful Mu Zhongzi’s formations were, they could not block every living thing.

There would always be birds and insects slipping in…

And Bai Ying was innately skilled in transformation arts, so naturally it had a way to blend in with them.

In short, there would be no more situations like last time, when Yan Jue had to take the field personally.

Yan Jue had absolute trust in Bai Ying’s ability to handle things.

Her expression turned a little serious. “What did he do?”

Bai Ying: “I saw him receive… the demon race.”

“The demon race’s envoy.”

Yan Jue frowned. “Did he say anything?”

Bai Ying: “I was afraid of being discovered, so I kept my distance and couldn’t hear what he said.”

Yan Jue sighed and asked, “Did he mention the elixir of immortality?”

Bai Ying: “He didn’t really mention it much. I only know he seems to have poured his heart and soul into refining this elixir, and if it succeeds, it will greatly enhance Five Dragons Sect’s prestige among the six immortal sects.”

Yan Jue rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.

This elixir of immortality definitely hadn’t been developed specifically for Five Dragons Sect.

How could the Demon Lord be so kind?

Chances were, it wasn’t even an elixir of immortality; it was most likely some kind of pill that would allow him to fully match Mu Zhongzi’s body.

For example, the Demon Lord could use the materials they had painstakingly gathered to refine a pill, then publicly announce that the elixir of immortality had failed to be completed…

If she looked at it that way, all of the Demon Lord’s actions made sense.

She just still hadn’t figured out why the Demon Lord would receive an envoy from the demon race.

What connection did that have to Qi Xianqing being hunted at the foot of the mountain by the people from Cliff of Severed Malice?

Ever since the day she drew her sword in Sword Tomb Valley, the Demon Lord had also not come looking for trouble. Could it be that he was afraid…

Yan Jue suddenly remembered something and frowned slightly.

Drifting Ice reacted especially strongly to people covered in blood aura or demonic aura…

Could it be that the Demon Lord was afraid of Drifting Ice…

-

Yan Jue sat in her room for a long while. After sorting through her thoughts, she stretched and lay down on the bed, taking on the form of her little red fox self.

After this trip down the mountain, she had completely finished her long and painful period; now she was a proper fox again.

Yan Jue once more nimbly jumped down from the windowsill, walked along the dense mountain path, and crossed the grass to reach the Cold Pool.

It had been several days since she’d last been here, and the scenery around the Cold Pool felt much more familiar and affectionate now.

Under the moonlight, a layer of hazy white mist floated over the crystal-clear water. The air carried the scent of moisture mixed with grass.

Yan Jue flicked her five long tails behind her and felt light all over.

Maybe this was how the fox race improved their cultivation through a long cycle like a period; along the way, Yan Jue kept feeling like she wanted to let loose completely, running into the flower bushes over there to chase a butterfly, hopping around without any control at all.

As she walked and played, she unknowingly arrived at Frozen Peach Haven.

The moment Yan Jue approached the entrance, she heard strange sounds coming from inside.

Yan Jue pressed her little paws tightly to the ground and peeked her head out from the entrance to look.

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion came from inside, startling Yan Jue so badly that all the fur on her body stood on end.

Qi Xianqing was holding the immortal sword Zhuying and repeatedly hacking at a huge rock in front of her. Yan Jue could faintly see that the rainbow snow-rock, with its thousand-year foundation, was already covered in countless slashes.

Qi Xianqing’s expression was as cold as frost and snow. She suddenly flung Zhuying high into the sky, and another deafening sound followed; a tremendous vortex surged behind Zhuying’s blade and shot straight toward the giant rock.

The explosive power of a Heart-Stirring Realm cultivator was already terrifying.

The rock shattered instantly.

Qi Xianqing turned around with Zhuying in hand, and her gaze seemed a little off.

Yan Jue instinctively took a step back, only to find Qi Xianqing’s clear peach blossom eyes had already lifted to look at her.

Yan Jue’s five tails instantly tucked between her legs.

At the sight of the little fox, Qi Xianqing closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh in her heart.

She sheathed Zhuying and walked over, crouching down in front of the little fox.

Then Yan Jue was scooped into a ball.

Qi Xianqing’s voice was very soft. “Little fox baby, you’re here again.”

The little fox wrinkled its nose and swished its five big tails, making a few pitiful little sounds.

Yan Jue suddenly stiffened all over.

Qi Xianqing lifted its two paws with her hands, then touched her own nose to the fox’s wet little nose.

Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing stared at each other, rigidly swishing her five tails.

Qi Xianqing: “I’m annoyed right now.”

Then she let go of her and slowly walked into the bedroom.

The little fox hesitated and followed behind her.

Back in the room, Qi Xianqing sat down listlessly at the table and stared fixedly at the ancient book before her.

Yan Jue looked at her for a long while, then slowly wrinkled her nose.

In the quiet room, Qi Xianqing rested her chin on one hand and looked half-heartedly at the book in front of her.

This was the first time Yan Jue had seen Qi Xianqing so quiet, because in the past Qi Xianqing would always talk to her a lot at night.

Qi Xianqing would tell her some of her thoughts, but now she had suddenly said nothing at all, and Yan Jue was actually a little unaccustomed to it; even those five tails the color of blazing fire had drooped down.

Qi Xianqing was unhappy.

The bedroom in Frozen Peach Haven was always spotless.

Qi Xianqing was an extremely clean person and could always keep this place immaculate.

But when Yan Jue looked around now, she discovered that perhaps because she had not been here for too long, even the floor had already been covered in dust.

This only made Yan Jue more certain of her guess that Qi Xianqing was in a bad mood.

Yan Jue extended two fluffy little paws and gently pressed them to the ground; immediately, two shallow fox paw prints appeared.

Using her left paw, Yan Jue lightly scratched once; a line appeared right away.

As Qi Xianqing flipped through the book, she gradually drifted off. Suddenly realizing she had paid too little attention to the little fox baby, she looked down and froze.

On the floor that had just been covered in dust, she did not know when, a very beautiful orchid had appeared.

The orchid blooming in the dust stood slender and graceful, its strokes delicate and precise.

The little fox was hiding shyly under the table, lifting its eyes to watch every move Qi Xianqing made, its five big tails still tightly tucked behind it.

Creak—

A chair suddenly dragged across the floor above.

Qi Xianqing stood up, then crouched down to stare deeply at the orchid drawn in dust. Only then did she realize that this person was using this method to cheer her up.

A trace of a smile finally appeared in the corner of Qi Xianqing’s eyes.

She dipped a brush in water and carefully outlined it stroke by stroke on the floor, quickly drawing a small fox next to the orchid.

Yan Jue’s heart was pounding wildly. When she saw Qi Xianqing lift her head to look at her with a gentle smile, she was stunned.

Then Yan Jue was picked up by Qi Xianqing.

The little fox went rigid all over, all four paws dangling in the air, and was placed on the desk by Qi Xianqing.

Yan Jue looked up at her fixedly.

Qi Xianqing sighed and asked, “If the person you like happens to be the kind of person you usually hate most, what should you do?”

Yan Jue froze.

For a moment, Yan Jue couldn’t quite tell what Qi Xianqing meant, and could only stare at her blankly with her head raised.

Qi Xianqing glanced at Yan Jue, then leaned back in her chair. “I once read a story.”

“A heroine who spent her whole life following the path of slaying demons and vanquishing evil discovered by accident that she had fallen in love with a snake demon. The snake demon committed all kinds of evil deeds and was one of the four great fiends of this world. She liked her, but she did not like snake demons… If it were you and you encountered this kind of thing, what would you do?”

The little fox stared at Qi Xianqing for a long while in a daze. Why did this story sound… so familiar?

It opened its mouth and made a few “awoo awoo” sounds, while its five big tails whipped madly, striking the inkstone behind it with bang after bang.

Qi Xianqing frowned slightly. “You mean I should follow my heart and trust what I’ve seen?”

Yan Jue: “……”

Though Qi Xianqing said this, that wasn’t actually what the little fox demon had told her.

It was Qi Xianqing’s own true thought.

Qi Xianqing silently looked at the little fox’s clear amber eyes, lost in her own thoughts.

Fox demons were among the five demon races and were also considered infamous in this human world.

Qi Xianqing hated demons and evil spirits across the world, but in truth, she only loathed those demons who committed every imaginable evil.

But was the little fox demon bad?

The immortal sword Drifting Ice was a divine sword that had once severely wounded the two Demon Lords of Soul-Severing Mountain and Valley of Death; its nature was to abhor evil with absolute fervor.

In truth, whether Yan Jue carried blood-evil aura had already been evident the last time she drew the sword in Sword Tomb Valley.

If Yan Jue had ever harmed a human life, there would have been no way she could draw the immortal sword Drifting Ice.

But Qi Xianqing knew.

Whether she minded that Yan Jue was a demon or not; the answer had already been there long before she drew her sword.