A Chance Encounter with the Marriage Fruit Tree

"Fellow Daoist, I'm not threatening you. I'm just afraid you'll get yourselves into trouble. The Fox Clan has nothing to do with you. Why stand up for them? They're just a bunch of seductive foxes."

The Bear Clan Leader helplessly explained himself to Xuan Qing, afraid that Xuan Qing would see him as an enemy.

"Master, how about saving them? I'll listen to you from now on and stop running around. Please, save them."

Qing Ling pitifully grabbed Xuan Qing's hand and shook it back and forth.

Seeing Qing Ling like this, Xuan Qing felt helpless too. How had she run into something like this after being let out? If he did not save them today, Qing Ling's Dao Heart might suffer problems later. He might as well indulge her this once.

"Alright~_~ alright! Stop shaking me. Keep it up and I'll fall apart. I'll do as you say this time, but when we get back, listen properly to your sister."

The lesson this time had already been harsh enough. Saving them was only a matter of convenience anyway.

Hearing Xuan Qing's promise, the Fox Clan Woman was overjoyed. She had actually survived this time, and immediately thanked him, "Thank you, Senior, and thank you as well, Fellow Daoist Qing Ling. The Fox Clan owes you and Senior a great debt. Should you have any orders in the future, the Fox Clan will spare no effort."

"A small matter, a small matter. Thank Qing Ling if you must. I have no orders for you, so leave that favor for Qing Ling."

Xuan Qing then turned to the Bear Clan Leader. "Bear Clan Fellow Daoist, I'll be protecting these Fox Clan members. What do you have to say about that?"

The Bear Clan Leader's face twisted with conflict. He did not know whether making an enemy of Xuan Qing was worth it.

"Clan Leader, Clan Leader, you have to avenge me! I won't be able to cultivate ever again."

That Earth Bear hurriedly spoke up, unwilling to let the Fox Clan off so easily.

Seeing him like this, the Bear Clan Leader could not simply do nothing. Would that not damage his dignity as Clan Leader? He then said to Xuan Qing, "Fellow Daoist, how about this? Since the Fox Clan destroyed my clansman's Path of Dao, I'll return the favor once. Then neither side loses out, and this matter will be settled."

"You're courting death!"

Xuan Qing flew into a rage at once. He did not care what had happened between them. Besides, by reason, That Earth Bear was in the wrong; by force, his own fist was harder.

In an instant, he flashed before the Bear Clan Leader and stomped him into the earth. Staring down at him, he said, "Do you still want to cripple them? I'll give you one chance. Beat me."

"No need. We'll leave at once."

Feeling the pressure radiating from Xuan Qing, the Bear Clan Leader immediately backed down. Rather than make an enemy for his clan, he chose to give up and left directly with that ball of Primordial Spirit.

Xuan Qing turned to Qing Ling and asked, "Well? After this experience, you understand that without strength, you don't even have the right to watch the show. Will you still be so reckless in the future?"

"Master, I was wrong. I'll cultivate diligently from now on and won't make you intervene again."

Sigh, it seemed she had not truly been scared this time. Still, it had motivated her to cultivate harder. It looked like watching drama could improve one's cultivation too.

"Two Seniors and several Fellow Daoists, would you care to visit the Fox Clan? It is not far from here, and we can properly express our gratitude for saving our lives."

The Fox Clan Woman sincerely invited Xuan Qing and the others. If they had not encountered Qing Ling's group this time, the Fox Clan truly would have been finished.

Hearing the invitation, Xuan Qing looked toward the others. Qing Ya and Han Xi both seemed curious, so Xuan Qing nodded.

Qing Ya was also curious about That Earth Bear's behavior. Rather than properly eating honey, a bear had started stealing foxes.

"Fellow Daoist of the Fox Clan, may I ask your name? I am Qing Ling's sister. Could you tell me why That Earth Bear came to abduct women of your Fox Clan?"

"Fellow Daoist Qing Ya, this Little Fox is Su Mei. As for why he abducted women of my clan, it is because other living beings can increase their cultivation by dual cultivating with our clan's women. But this causes our women's Origin to plummet, leaving their cultivation unable to advance. Once they have been used up, they are directly killed.

"That Earth Bear came to our Fox Clan again and again to steal women in order to increase his cultivation quickly. He was originally only a Mid-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal, but after abducting so many over the years, he was nearly at perfection."

Su Mei's face was filled with grief and fury. She wished she could tear that fellow into ten thousand pieces.

"Ah, there's actually a cultivation method like that?" Several people were stunned. If cultivation could be raised so quickly, who would still cultivate earnestly?

"Don't envy that kind of cultivation method. Taking shortcuts comes at a price," Xuan Qing kindly explained.

Though it could raise cultivation quickly, it only increased Magic Power, and it did so by devouring another's Origin. The Magic Power would be impure, control over it far too weak, and it could not raise one's realm. Its effects were not even as good as the fruit of a High-Grade Innate Spiritual Root.

Once Heavenly Dao emerged, those who did this would be judged by Heavenly Dao. Karmic Sin would entangle them, their cultivation would halt at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, and they would never break through to Daluo in this lifetime. Without a steadfast Dao Heart, one could not become a great power.

Like That Earth Bear's Clan Leader just now—though he was also a Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal, his foundation was surely poor. Otherwise, he would not have indulged his clansmen in cultivating this way. He was cutting off his own clansmen's futures.

Han Xi's displayed strength this time made Xuan Qing see her in a new light. Three Flowers Twelve Grades—her standing combat strength seemed close to the Late Daluo stage as well. His younger sister would become a top-tier great power in the future too.

"Master, will That Earth Bear take revenge on us later? How about we kill him first?"

Bai Yu suddenly spoke up. His words even stunned Xuan Qing. This fellow had thoroughly absorbed the stories he had told and was already becoming like those novel protagonists. He actually knew to nip danger in the bud.

"Is that really so? That Earth Bear doesn't look like any sort of good thing. Killing him would not be bad. Bai Yu is right. That suits my tastes perfectly. From now on, your sister will have your back."

Han Xi also thought Bai Yu made sense. He had such meticulous thoughts. From now on, she would treat Bai Yu as her Little Follower.

"Don't think about such things. That bear's Dao Heart is too poor. Even if he were uninjured, he would have no future. Su Mei, however, is different. She may have a chance to avenge herself in the future."

Su Mei's Dao Heart was steadfast, and her foundation was not bad either. She was a fine leader. After this incident, she might break through to Grand Luo Golden Immortal very soon. That Earth Bear would likely suffer in the future.

"Thank you for your praise, Senior. This Little Fox will certainly break through as soon as possible, just as Senior said, and personally take revenge in the future."

Su Mei bowed to Xuan Qing. She had not expected to receive the recognition of such a great figure.

"Don't be in such a hurry. That Earth Bear no longer dares to attack you. If you wish to defeat him, you cannot rush your breakthrough. The worse your foundation, the poorer your Three Flowers will be, just like that bear. His future is plain to see."

Xuan Qing still did not want Little Fox to ruin her own future for revenge. Judging by her Root Origin, she might, like Bai Yu, have a chance at Three Flowers Nine Grades in the future.

"I heard this place is called Qing Qiu. That is a fine name, quite fitting for the Fox Clan. Let's go. I'm curious to see what Qing Qiu is like."

After Xuan Qing spoke, Su Mei quickly led the way, bringing everyone toward Qing Qiu.

Other than Qing Yue, Bai Yu and the others had usually heard Xuan Qing tell stories about the Qing Qiu Tushan Fox Clan. They too were curious whether the Fox Clan truly possessed the ability to bind marriage fates.

Qing Qiu truly was very close. At the cultivation of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, they arrived in a few hundred years. Watching groups of foxes playing on the mountains, Qing Ling felt that the Fox Clan was indeed quite fun.

Upon arriving at Qing Qiu, Xuan Qing discovered that Auspicious Qi was beginning to gather here. The Fox Clan's recent ordeal had greatly damaged the clan's Auspicious Qi, yet it showed no sign of fully dissipating. It seemed that even without him, the Fox Clan would not have been exterminated. He had encountered two groups of Earth Bears, after all.

Qing Qiu was truly miraculous. It could actually suppress the Fox Clan's Auspicious Qi. It seemed to be the Fox Clan's natural place of origin. So long as they did not lose Qing Qiu, the Fox Clan's future would be promising. Thinking of how only a few Fox Clan members from the Prehistoric Era of his past life had become famous, and all for bad reputations, Xuan Qing felt they might have lost Qing Qiu.

"Senior, this is Qing Qiu. An Innate Spiritual Root, the Marriage Fruit Tree, grows here. However, I have no way to offer it to Senior. Its connection to the earth vein is too close, and it cannot be taken away."

"Take us to see it. A High-Grade Innate Spiritual Root is not something I care much about, but the name does make me curious."

Xuan Qing had not expected the Marriage Fruit Tree to appear in Qing Qiu. It seemed the connection between the Fox Clan and marriage was not without basis. He had told Qing Ya and the others far too many stories about Fox Clan romances.

Soon, they arrived at the location of the Marriage Fruit Tree. A small pink tree grew steadily at the center of Qing Qiu's earth vein.

"Huh, this tree has no fruit?"

The moment Qing Ling saw the bare tree, she was greatly disappointed. Had Master not said there was something called Marriage Fruit?

Xuan Qing also felt something was off. He sent his Divine Sense into the Marriage Fruit Tree and examined it carefully. Only after a long while did he understand.

It was not that the Marriage Fruit Tree did not bear fruit. Rather, Heavenly Marriage had not yet appeared in the Prehistoric Era, nor had the Marriage Dao manifested. The Marriage Fruit Tree could not sense the corresponding laws, so naturally it would not bear fruit.

How fascinating. The leaves of this Marriage Fruit Tree could actually connect the Auspicious Qi between two living beings. It seemed Old Man Under the Moon's red thread was made from the leaves of the Marriage Fruit Tree. He had been curious about that in his previous life.

"Guard Qing Qiu well. Your Fox Clan will have a great opportunity in the future."

Xuan Qing turned back and told Little Fox this. Once the Marriage Dao emerged, anyone in the Prehistoric Era with descendants would likely not dare offend Little Fox lightly.

"Thank you for informing me, Senior. This Little Fox will remember it firmly."

Su Mei was intelligent and perceptive. At Xuan Qing's words, she understood how important this tree would be to the Fox Clan in the future.