Chapter 552: More Beautiful than Fairy Fengya?

Fox King had started out as a demonic beast. However, through a twist of fate, he began to cultivate. Eventually, he became the ruler of an entire continent, commanding power great enough to shake the realm. Even humans grew fearful of him.

However, as the demons flourished, a foreign race appeared to disrupt this balance.

This foreign race existed beyond the constraints of the Wuxing. Unable to stand against them, the demons became like fish on a chopping block. In the end, Fox King made the difficult decision to relocate his people to another continent in pursuit of peace.

Yet, refusing to leave them be, the foreign race frequently opened portals to launch invasions against the demons. They had wandered to various places before ultimately settling in Liu City.

That was when Fox King met the kitsune, Luo Mo. However, he was a shadow of his former self—half-mad, half-senile. When he would regain moments of clarity, he would only speak about matters of the throne.

Fox King’s true heir, Liu Yansheng, had long been missing. The second heir, the red kitsune, was locked in an unending rivalry with Luo Mo.

Ye Wenxin thought finding Liu Yansheng should be a piece of cake. However, given Fox King’s tightly controlled rule, even if the Heavenly Book knew Liu Yansheng’s whereabouts, she wouldn’t disclose it for Luo Mo’s sake.

This realization answered many of Ye Wenxin’s questions. She wanted to ask, “Well, what the hell’s going on with the academy, then?” but Fox King addressed her as Luo Mo again.

“So, have you found a partner yet?” he asked, like any regular elder. The surrounding demons exchanged forced smiles, well accustomed to Fox King’s routine inquiries.

“How have you been lately?”

“Are there any demons you’re interested in… Oh, did I already ask that?” It was troublesome when he couldn’t remember the questions he had just asked. Ye Wenxin had not responded once, yet Fox King would ask the same questions over ten times.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this,” Luo Mo sighed apologetically from beside her. Meanwhile, the bear demon tried to make an impression, but Fox King kept forgetting about him. From start to finish, he stubbornly held onto the belief that Ye Wenxin was Luo Mo, recognizing no one else.

After the meal, the old city lord prepared to take Fox King for a walk. However, Fox King insisted on having “Luo Mo” accompany him, saying he hadn’t seen her in ages.

Ye Wenxin got dragged into another of Fox King’s rambles about family matters and daily life.

The number of attendants following behind them dwindled until they were alone. Fox King stood atop the city wall, gazing at the view below.

“Luo Mo, what do you think of the scenery in Liu City?”

As far as Ye Wenxin’s eyes could perceive, endless black mist blanketed the land, obscuring any glimpse of what Liu City might actually look like. However, local legends described it as a beautiful and fertile land. Finally, she answered, “I can’t see anything.”

Fox King’s face softened with a hint of regret. “It’s a shame we have not preserved the beauty that once belonged here.”

Ye Wenxin glanced at him, curious if he was lucid. Her suspicions were confirmed as Fox King continued, “Cultivator, would you be willing to help us one more time?”

It seemed he’d merely been pretending to remain in his daze, unwilling to confront the sorrows of the world around him.

“No,” Ye Wenxin answered bluntly.

Fox King chuckled, facing forward head. Either he was looking at something, or he wanted to avoid the awkwardness of her rejection.

“If you’re willing, I could reward you the most beautiful of our kitsune.” The kitsune clan was well-known to have many beautiful women. However, Ye Wenxin had too many enchanting figures in her life to be tempted by such an offer.

“No need. Haven’t you seen the unmatched beauty by my side?” Ye Wenxin gestured toward Fairy Fengya in the distance, her long hair flowing gracefully in the wind.

Fox King sniffed the air and remarked, “Her looks are lethal indeed, but still a bit lacking compared to her.”

Ye Wenxin found Fox King’s claim a bit boastful. Before becoming Demon Lord Gu Qingcheng, Ye Wenxin’s favorite pastime had been traveling far and wide to see the most beautiful men and women. She had never encountered anyone who surpassed Fairy Fengya’s beauty. Fox King was probably talking big because he couldn’t see what Fairy Fengya looked like.

“Who exactly are you talking about, Fox King?” Ye Wenxin patiently humored him.

Fox King chuckled slyly. “You met her earlier—the woman in the crimson palanquin. Just one glimpse of her cost me my sight.”

Ye Wenxin initially held a slight favor for Fox King. After hearing this, however, she realized he was just a dirty old fox. She couldn’t help but curse at him in her mind. However, she couldn’t deny her intrigue for that woman in the palanquin.

“And who is the woman in the palanquin?”

“She is called Lieyan (raging flames). In our lands, she’s known as Red Yama¹.”

Ye Wenxin couldn’t resist chuckling at Fox King’s explanation. “Yama? Someone has the guts to take on this title?”

But Fox King’s face grew stern, stopping her from dismissing it so lightly.

“You cultivators may be strong, but Red Yama’s cultivation techniques are formidable. She controls forces beyond the Wuxing and already conquered our continent. Now, she seems set on exterminating us demons before invading your land as well.”

Fox King’s face showed deep worry. Red Yama’s power surpassed anything their entire continent had ever faced.

Even Ye Wenxin, the strongest on her continent, had felt a vague sense of danger in Red Yama’s presence. Had she known how much of a threat Red Yama was, she would have checked her luck when she had the chance.

“So, Cultivator Ye, would you consider helping us just once? Only once is all I ask. If the Heavenly Book awakens, we surely can…” Fox King clenched his fists, his voice carrying a tinge of pleading.

Ye Wenxin shifted her gaze to Fairy Fengya, suddenly envying her detachment. Fairy Fengya’s lack of emotion allowed her to face any situation without being affected. Ye Wenxin, however, was different. The moment she formed connections with others, allowing herself to care, it would soften her heart.

Ye Wenxin was neither a good person nor a complete villain. Yet, this issue involved the fate of the entire continent. If the demons were annihilated, this continent would suffer external threats on top of internal strife.

After thinking it over, Ye Wenxin said, “Fine, but let’s change the terms.”

Fox King’s face lit up with joy. “Please name them.” Even his tone had become more respectful. Maybe he sensed something unique about Ye Wenxin compared to others he had met.

That unique quality was why Fox King was willing to entrust the fate of the kitsune clan to her.

“I don’t want to eat raw meat anymore. So, I’d like my food fully cooked from now on.” Ye Wenxin brought up the current most bothersome thing she had to endure.

Fox King froze before breaking out in laughter. Patting the spot over his heart, he exclaimed, “You had me going there for a moment! I thought you’d ask to be king over demons.”

---

Footnotes:

1. 1. 阎王(yan wang), Yama, is the King of Hell in Buddhism. It can also be figurative for a cruel, tyrannical person. ↩︎