"They seemed to have waited for this day for a very, very long time. To them, those sinister formations had once been unacceptable. You didn't see their expressions then—I saw disgust in their eyes, and helplessness too."
"Lady Charming Fox wanted to run. She gripped my arm tightly then. Even now, it feels as though the hand clutching my arm is still trembling."
"She pulled me along, and together we knelt before the Emperor, begging him for mercy."
"You know Lady Charming Fox had never thought highly of the human race, not even Great Vehicle cultivators."
"That day, all she received was the Emperor's smile. The Emperor smiled at every immortal that way, with loving kindness, but he had not reserved much genuine sincerity for us. We had no other recourse. We realized that our lives were, in truth, held in the hands of the Li Family. I didn't understand it. Even if we fell, it would only be another descent into ruin. There was no need for us to be afraid."
"But Lady Charming Fox merely stared at that great formation. She said the aura of the Li Family was wrong, and so was that formation. Even if she were to awaken again, she never wanted to see those people again, never wanted to become enemies with the Li Family."
"She crawled and crawled, until she reached Li Dalong's feet."
"We submit. We swear that, for all eternity, we will never betray you again. Even if we descend into ruin countless times, we will remain loyal to the Li Family and the Emperor... Hah—"
Forest Child's laughter was harsh and heavy.
"So, we too could feel fear. We watched creatures like the Spirit Lord with our own eyes—when it came down to it, they were no different from livestock.