When Hu Li heard Xu Yan's words, he nearly spat up a mouthful of blood. Damn it, there really was a newly opened roast chicken shop on that street, and it really was giving away roast chicken?
If he'd known, he would've gone to eat a few pieces of roast chicken too.
But now, all he could do was leave quickly without a word, not answering Xu Yan.
Seeing the black-clothed person hurry off, Xu Yan carried the roast chicken into the shop himself.
He'd just cut the roast chicken in half, intending to share it with Su Jiuer as usual, half for each of them.
"Mmm, that smells delicious. What is it?"
Just then, a woman's voice rang out from the inner room. A moment later, she came out, her gaze fixed on the roast chicken on the table.
Su Jiuer glanced at the woman, then hurriedly sank her teeth into her half of the roast chicken, afraid someone would snatch it away.
She didn't want to share the roast chicken with this woman. It was bad enough that the woman had appeared out of nowhere; even though she was almost healed, she was still lazing about in the inner room instead of leaving, leaving Su Jiuer without a bed to sleep in for the past two days.
Still, sleeping in Xu Yan's arms hadn't been bad.
"That roast chicken smells wonderful. Is it for me?" The woman walked over, grabbed Xu Yan's half of the roast chicken, and bit off a small piece.
The next moment, delight spread across her face, and she began eating the roast chicken faster.
Xu Yan stared at her, dumbfounded. Miss, I haven't even answered you yet. Why'd you just start eating on your own?
And it was obviously not meant for you!
"This roast chicken is so delicious. I've never eaten anything this good," the woman said, looking satisfied as she ate.
For the past two days, she'd been drinking porridge and taking medicine. Now that she was eating such delicious roast chicken, it felt like she'd reached paradise.
Xu Yan was at a loss for words. This woman really didn't treat herself like a stranger.
He looked at Su Jiuer and the woman, both eating big mouthfuls of roast chicken, and said, "I'll go buy another one. Stay here and don't wander off."
The woman called after him, "Buy two more. Half a chicken isn't enough for me."
Then she carried on eating her roast chicken.
Lin Yansheng left the shop, thoroughly displeased, and continued toward the neighboring street.
Even though the roast chicken was no longer free, buying one wasn't expensive; it cost the same as at Old Wang's place.
After Xu Yan left, the woman sat in a chair, chewing her roast chicken slowly as she regarded Su Jiuer with an indifferent gaze. "A Fox Demon pretending to be an ordinary fox and living as a pet in a human household."
At a glance, she'd seen that Su Jiuer was of the Demon Race, not an ordinary little fox.
Su Jiuer's heart tightened, but she kept eating her roast chicken, ignoring the woman.
In the Southern Domain, the Demon Race and the human race were on terrible terms and often fought to the death. So whenever members of the Demon Race entered human settlements, they disguised themselves. Otherwise, if they were discovered, they could very well be beaten to death with clubs.
"Stop pretending, little fox of the Sky Fox Clan." A faint smile appeared on the woman's face.
How could a mere Fox Demon in the Spiritual Consciousness Realm possibly hide her identity from her?
Seeing that she couldn't keep it hidden, Su Jiuer glared at the woman and spoke in a human voice. "You're a woman of unknown origins. Xu Yan will definitely kick you out."
She already disliked this woman intensely. Especially after the woman had so easily seen through her identity, Su Jiuer didn't want to spend another moment with her.
The woman smiled. "You have such a lovely voice. Why hide it from Xu Yan? If you stayed with him in human form, he might be even happier."
In this world, Fox Demons were always the most beloved members of the Demon Race among humans.
Plenty of people longed for a chance encounter with a beautiful Fox Demon; even cultivators were no exception.
In fact, at some slave auctions for the Demon Race, female Fox Demons often sold for many times the price of other members of the Demon Race.
"What's it to you? This is my home, not yours!" Su Jiuer said angrily, glaring at the woman.
This woman carried herself with such authority, as though she were the owner of the place and Su Jiuer were just some fox spirit who'd wandered in.
A meaningful smile appeared on the woman's face. "Is this your home? Not necessarily. Not unless you tell Xu Yan who you are and he still agrees to keep you."
With that, she continued eating the roast chicken, her eyes full of confidence that everything was under her control.
When Xu Yan came back, he had two roast chickens in his hands. Seeing Su Jiuer lying on the table looking glum, he was completely baffled.
Su Jiuer hadn't even finished her half of the roast chicken, which was especially strange. Normally, she could finish half a chicken in no time.
Xu Yan looked at the woman and asked, "Did you bully the little fox?"
The woman had been the only one here while he was away. Now Su Jiuer was acting strangely, so the most likely explanation was that the woman had done something to her.
The woman had already finished her half of the roast chicken. Wiping her hands and lips with a handkerchief, she said, "I didn't bully the little fox. She's just worried you won't want her anymore."
How could she not know that her words had made Su Jiuer worry and feel upset?
After all, it was hard enough for a little Fox Demon to live in a human city. If her owner abandoned her one day, the abyss might be all that awaited her.
There were cultivators in Tianren City, after all. If one caught her, what might happen to a female Fox Demon was easy to imagine.
"What nonsense. How could I possibly not want the little fox?" As he spoke, Xu Yan set the roast chicken aside and lifted Su Jiuer off the table.
He gently stroked Su Hu'er's fur, finding it hard to stop.
Su Hu'er's fur was exceptionally soft to the touch. No wonder people liked fur coats.
Watching Xu Yan hold Su Jiuer and stroke her, the woman asked, "Xu Yan, what do you think of the Demon Race?"
She was curious what Xu Yan would do if he knew that the one in his arms wasn't an ordinary fox, but a Fox Demon.
Su Jiuer's body trembled slightly, as though she was very afraid of the woman's question.
Or perhaps, as a member of the Demon Race, what she feared was Xu Yan's answer.
Xu Yan raised an eyebrow. "I don't really have an opinion about the Demon Race. They're just another race besides humans, and it seems they can all cultivate."
He had no prejudice against the Demon Race. Whether it was the Demon Race or cultivators, neither had much to do with him.
"If a member of the Demon Race came to Tianren City, what would you do?" The woman didn't seem satisfied with Xu Yan's answer, and asked another question.
Her gaze fell on Su Jiuer, curled up in Xu Yan's arms. Her smile held a meaning that invited speculation.
Xu Yan thought the woman's question was baffling. "What could I do? I'd go on living as usual. If one came to buy something from me, I'd sell it just the same. They'd only have to avoid hurting people on purpose."
He was just a mortal. In his eyes, cultivators and the Demon Race were the same: beings capable of cultivation, on a completely different level of life from mortals.