Further Refinement

Three days later, the fox cubs began emerging from the pool one after another. They gathered around Three-Tailed Fox and followed close at her heels, afraid she would leave them behind.

At first, Three-Tailed Fox kept reassuring them that she wouldn't abandon them. But when she noticed Luo Yunji crouching nearby with the Monster Beasts from Two Mountains, watching the fox cubs, she understood why they felt so insecure.

When He Dazhi found out, he gloomily told Zhang Xiaofan to lead the Monster Beasts away. The beasts were soon dispersed.

Little Gray had stayed by Zhang Xiaofan's side these past few days instead of leaving with Big Yellow. It watched the weakened foxes, looking as if it really wanted to go over and pet them.

"Looks like secret realms aren't such great places after all!" Luo Yunji said, glancing at Big Flower Cat beside him.

He'd assumed that a secret realm would surely be no worse than the Cave Dwelling on Big Bamboo Peak. Who would've thought it was just like an ordinary cave, without a single thing special about it?

"It wasn't like this before! I imagine the secret realm was affected by the barrenness of the Huqi Mountains over the years, so it became barren too," Big Flower Cat explained.

"Good thing we got there in time!" Big Flower Cat muttered, still shaken.

After rescuing the Fox Clan survivors, Wu Dayi and the others discussed going to the Imperial City again. In the end, they decided that Wu Dayi and Du Bishu would stay behind to hold down Two Mountains, while He Dazhi would take Zhang Xiaofan and Luo Yunji to the Imperial City to find Zhou Yixian.

"Oh, right!" Wu Dayi said, turning to Luo Yunji. "Li Li came back with the soldiers who went to Black