Early morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.
Deep within the Crimson Flame Fox Clan's territory, inside the bedroom at the top of an exquisite pavilion.
The bedroom's roof was not completely sealed. Instead, translucent crystals had been artfully hollowed out and carved into an intricate pattern of nine-tailed foxes playing beneath the moon.
At that moment, wisps of pale gold dawnlight filtered gently through those hollow patterns, illuminating the broad bed spread with soft snow-white fur.
Su Bai reclined halfway against a pile of brocade pillows, a rare trace of laziness on his face.
His fingers idly stroked the nine fluffy tails draped across his chest and beside his cheek.
The tails were soft and full, warm to the touch.
Their fur faded from deep crimson at the roots to a gleaming white at the tips, flowing with a silken sheen beneath the morning light.
At times, they curled up obediently; at others, they swayed mischievously. The tuft of white fur at each tip brushed across Su Bai's jaw and neck, bringing a faint tickle along with the warm fragrance of the Crimson Flame Fox Clan.
Nine Tails—or rather, the entire fox—lay languidly across Su Bai's abdomen like a satisfied great cat, her face buried against his chest.
Only her smooth forehead and waterfall-like black hair were visible.
She seemed to enjoy his caresses immensely. From time to time, an almost inaudible hum escaped her throat, while her nine tails trembled faintly with Su Bai's movements.
Throughout Su Bai's long years of cultivation, Nine Tails was the being who had carried "beauty" and "seduction" to their utmost extreme.
It was not merely her flawless face and figure, but also the allure that came naturally to her, seeped into her very bones, and her grasp of proper measure.