The bargain

"Ah?"

The little fox tilted its head, its black button-like eyes staring blankly at Xu Qi'an.

A few seconds later, it exclaimed happily, "How did you know my nickname is 'Little Cutie'? That's what all my older sisters call me!"

That's not the point!! Xu Qi'an mentally criticized himself sternly, but his smile remained kind:

"So, is there any way to contact her?"

The little white fox nodded, then shook its head, its dark eyes revealing wariness, and said:

"The Empress's whereabouts are kept secret; I cannot contact her without permission."

"Your Majesty? Princess? Who are they talking about?" Li Lingsu, who was listening in, was taken aback.

Although he knew that the Hun Tian Divine Mirror was a relic of the King of Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, he did not know that Bai Ji was a member of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan, nor did he know Xu Qi'an's plans.

Xu Qi'an turned his head to look at Li Lingsu and Miao Youfang, and frowned:

"What are you standing there for? Have you been ignoring all the tasks I've assigned you? Get to work! I don't keep useless people here."

Miao Youfang, carrying the knife, scurried away.

The sorceress and her son deserved to die, and their subordinates, who aided and abetted the tyrant, were doing the same thing—oppressing the people.

If they think that escaping the City God will erase all the bad things they've done in the past, they're being too optimistic.

Li Lingsu's task was to treat the middle-aged man's wife to prevent her from dying from a terminal illness.

Xu Qian, no, Xu Qi'an, ever since he revealed his identity, he stopped pretending. Occasionally, I still miss the old Senior Xu; at least he wouldn't curse and swear like Xu Qi'an, who has no manners whatsoever. He's such a crude and vulgar brute.

Xu Qian has a more senior demeanor.

While inwardly criticizing Xu Qi'an, Li Lingsu also missed Xu Qian.

Xu Qi'an closed the temple door, took the little white fox from Mu Nanzhi's arms, lifted it high, and revealed a gentle, sunny smile:

"Help me contact the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, and I'll buy you lots and lots of delicious food."

Unmoved by the temptation of getting something for free, Bai Ji spoke seriously in her soft, childlike voice:

"No, rules are rules."

If it were Xu Lingyin, her whole family would have been sold off by now. Indeed, human cubs and fox cubs are incomparable. Xu Qi'an added:

Do you know about the Celestial Mirror?

The little white fox honestly replied, "I don't know."

It was a newborn cub of the fox clan. The events of five hundred years ago were too distant for her. She only knew the general details from word of mouth and could not pinpoint the exact Law Treasure that had disappeared hundreds of years ago.

Xu Qi'an recounted the story of the Hun Tian Divine Mirror.

"Therefore, you must contact her; this is very important."

Xu Qi'an adopted an adult's demeanor, making it seem like this was a serious matter.

Generally speaking, when children see this kind of situation, they will mostly hesitate and feel lost, because they do not yet have the habit or awareness of making decisions.

Of course, this trick won't work on Xu Lingyin. She'll listen to you seriously, then ignore you completely.

However, Bai Ji is delicate, prone to crying, has a soft temper, and is proud, just like a little girl from a wealthy family, yet she is also mature for her age and understands things clearly.

"Okay, alright."

It tilted its head and thought for a long time before giving a soft reply.

Because Xu Yinluo spoke of it so solemnly, and it was a relic of the former king, Bai Ji believed it was indeed a significant matter.

Who knows, the Empress might really need it; I can't ruin things.

It immediately kicked its hind legs, signaling Xu Qi'an to put it down.

Xu Baipiao did as instructed. Bai Ji, her fluffy fox tail twitching, ran to the toppled sculpture, glanced at the tall pedestal, and then looked back:

"Can you put it up for me?"

"Can't you jump yourself?" Xu Qi'an retorted.

The little white fox's beautiful eyes seemed to moisten slightly, and she said with a wronged expression:

I can't jump up there.

"The arrival of the Empress should be grand; I must go there."

Xu Qi'an picked it up and placed it on the base where the temple god sculpture had originally stood.

The little white fox curled up, tucked its tail in, and closed its eyes, as if it were asleep.

Xu Qi'an and Mu Nanzhi waited patiently.

About fifteen minutes later, a vast and boundless will descended, or rather, it awakened from within Bai Ji's body.

A second tail grew from its back, then a third, then a fourth, until nine tails appeared, resembling a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

It opened its eyes, and its dark, round pupils were replaced by a clear light that seemed to overflow its sockets.

A melodious, bell-like laugh echoed within the temple, possessing an alluring charm that could bewitch all beings.

Here

Princess of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, a nine-tailed celestial fox, and one of the world's strongest beings.

Xu Qi'an had met her once before, but he still didn't dare to underestimate her. His body tensed slightly, and he clasped his hands in greeting:

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Bai Ji walked over, swaying her nine fox tails, stepping lightly through the air. She stopped in front of Xu Qi'an, looked him straight in the eye, and smiled:

"What do you want with me, you little silver gong?"

She adopted the demeanor of an older sister. Xu Qi'an thought to herself, not getting straight to the point, but scrutinizing the little white fox, and said:

"Is Bai Ji your bloodline?"

The way the nine-tailed celestial fox appeared was rather strange; it didn't descend with its will, but rather appeared as if it had awakened.

In other words, Bai Ji can be seen as a sleeping nine-tailed celestial fox, and she can directly take over this body if she so desires.

Xu Qi'an is now quite knowledgeable and understands that such operations require not only specific Secret Method, but also a suitable vessel for the consciousness, which is usually a direct descendant.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox chuckled:

"Let's take a guess."

Xu Qi'an was at a loss for words.

The nine-tailed celestial fox tilted its head and glanced at Mu Nanzhi, who immediately glared at it.

What are you looking at!

She casually looked away, then turned her gaze to the pagoda.

"Now that you've found Shen Shu's other arm, why don't you release it?" The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox asked in a soft, seductive voice.

"Is this an interrogation?" Xu Qi'an calmly replied, "Releasing it requires being able to control it, and besides, the Tower Spirit is unwilling to release Shen Shu."

"Madness!"

Even when she's swearing, she gives off a coquettish vibe, like lovers teasing each other. Xu Qi'an thinks this is probably the highest level of allure.

"If the tower spirit is unwilling, forcibly destroy it. What use is Law Treasure that doesn't obey? Shen Shu's severed arm is full of malice, but from another perspective, it is the best means to defeat the enemy."

"If used properly, it can help you defeat enemies of higher levels. You've spent time with it, so you should know that it can communicate and negotiate, rather than being a purely instinctive evil creature."

The little white fox walked and talked, and when it stopped, it was almost face to face with Xu Qi'an.

Despite being a fox cub, she exudes an extremely strong mature and assertive aura.

Xu Qi'an frowned and took a step back.

The nine-tailed celestial fox was taken aback, scrutinized him for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, teasingly saying:

"Beast Gu."

Beast Gu is the same as Heart Gu.

The nine-tailed celestial fox smiled and said:

"The fox clan has no shortage of beauties—seductive and unrestrained, innocent and charming, alluring and passionate, cold and aloof. I can bestow upon Xu Yinluo a group of fox beauties for your cultivation of the Heart Gu."

"Your Majesty, our fox clan values its word above all else," Xu Qi'an said in a deep voice.

"Thank you for your kindness, but this silver gong is not a lecherous man."

Mu Nanzhi kept a straight face the whole time, feeling quite annoyed inside.

As a woman, she instinctively resisted the alluring nine-tailed celestial fox. What made her even more wary was that Xu Qi'an, who was usually adept at navigating relationships with women, seemed to be at a disadvantage in front of her, and was even subtly suppressed.

This isn't a suppression based on cultivation level, but rather a suppression based on the host/guest position.

Xu Qi'an took a deep breath. "I invited Her Majesty here today because it is an important matter."

The nine-tailed celestial fox smiled silently, waiting for him to continue.

"I found a fragment of the Hun Tian Divine Mirror." Xu Qi'an didn't keep them in suspense and went straight to the point.

The little white fox's gentle stroking of its nine tails paused abruptly. After a few seconds, the nine-tailed celestial fox's soft, alluring voice rang out, tinged with a hint of longing and delight:

Are you sure it's the Heavenly Mirror?

Without wasting words, Xu Qi'an beckoned to the Floating Pagoda and communicated with its spirit.

The gate to the first level of the Floating Pagoda opened, and golden light enveloped the Hun Tian Divine Mirror, which flew out and landed in Xu Qi'an's palm.

The Heavenly Mirror seemed to have fallen asleep; the eye without eyelashes was no longer visible on its surface.

The nine-tailed celestial fox followed its gaze. The clear light in her eyes slowly faded, revealing a pair of dark, glistening eyes. It was the same pair of eyes, but in Xu Qi'an's eyes, its charm was completely different from that of the little white fox.

Bai Ji's eyes are bright and innocent, the purest eyes of a child.

These eyes now hold so many complex emotions: remembrance, sorrow, joy, and melancholy. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and the emotions they carry are so intricate.

"Is the Heavenly Mirror the dressing mirror of the former ruler of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons?"

Xu Qi'an fiddled with the bronze mirror and asked.

"Every Law Treasure has its unique abilities, but on ordinary days, my mother did indeed place it on the table as a dressing mirror."

The complex emotions in the nine-tailed celestial fox's eyes subsided, and a clear light once again overflowed, filling her eyes.

Xu Qi'an smiled and said, "Then, what does Your Highness intend to use for the transaction?"

With the roles reversed, Xu Qi'an gained the upper hand.

The nine-tailed celestial fox sighed and said reproachfully:

"You heartless and ungrateful man, isn't it enough that I gave you Bai Ji as your child bride? You are so greedy. Fine, since Ye Ji is your former lover anyway, I will give you both Bai Ji and Ye Ji."

Mu Nanzhi's brow twitched.

You want to get something for nothing? Xu Qi'an scoffed.

"Your Majesty, please don't joke like that."

"Law Treasure are extremely rare. Although the Hun Tian Divine Mirror is broken, I can nurture it with dragon energy and keep it by my side to defend against enemies."

If you are not sincere, then I will take my leave.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox laughed:

"Mother is right. When men get ruthless, they really show no mercy whatsoever."

"Very well, since Xu Yinluo looks down on the Bai Ji and Ye Ji sisters, then I can only think of another way."

She seemed to have prepared her speech beforehand, and spoke without hesitation:

"Two Demon-Sealing Nails!"

Xu Qi'an's eyes lit up, and he said, "Four!"

The nine-tailed celestial fox said angrily:

"You might as well let me help you remove all the seals."

"Although I have a method, I can only remove two at most, and I am powerless to remove any more. You should already know that the Demon-Sealing Nails are magical Law Artifact crafted by the Buddha, and only Bodhisattvas besides Him can remove them all."

"Furthermore, I am currently overseas and unable to return to the Nine Provinces Continent, so removing the Demon-Sealing Nails will take some time."

Trading a damaged Law Treasure for two Demon-Sealing Nails would be a huge profit for me. In the current situation, nothing is more worthwhile than breaking the seal. Xu Qi'an frowned.

"How long?"

"Three months!" she said.

"No, I'm only giving you one month. After that, the transaction is void." Xu Qi'an was quite assertive.

Three months is too late.

"Can!"

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox agreed.

After the deal was struck, Xu Qi'an asked, "What is Your Highness going overseas for?"

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox laughed, "Let's search for any possible members of our clan."

Xu Qi'an didn't quite understand, or perhaps he didn't realize the importance of the information contained in those words.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox explained:

"After the end of the era of gods and Gods and Devils, the human and demon races rose to power. Among the descendants of Gods and Devils, some went overseas and never returned."

While traveling overseas, Xu Qi'an suddenly thought of the legendary "White Emperor" beast from Yunzhou, a strange beast that was suspected to be a descendant of the Qilin.

It came from overseas and stayed in Yunzhou, a coastal area, for a long time. This beast could exhale and turn into wind and inhale and turn into thunder. When it appeared, it was accompanied by wind, rain, thunder and lightning, which just happened to solve the drought in Yunzhou at that time.

"The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox is a descendant of Gods and Devils, possessing unique spiritual essence, but its clan has always been few in number. Now, I am the only one left in the entire Nine Provinces."

The nine-tailed celestial fox sighed, lamenting to herself, "Even a virgin like me, who has lived for hundreds of years, thinks about getting married, so I've set sail to find my future husband."

Xu Qi'an couldn't tell whether she was telling the truth or lying.

To be honest, the nine-tailed celestial fox's personality was a bit too much for him to handle. In older martial arts novels, she would be a quirky, unpredictable enchantress.

Yes, she was a demoness to begin with.

"Why must we find someone of our own kind? Wouldn't it be better to find someone from another race?" Xu Qi'an said.

"I think the Heart Gu suits you."

The nine-tailed celestial fox choked for a moment, then stared at him with a chilling gaze:

Your provocation was spot on.

Xu Qi'an chuckled dryly and changed the subject:

Why did the Celestial Mirror end up in the Central Plains?

"In the past, the Demon Race suffered a great defeat, and the remnants scattered and fled, hiding in various parts of the Nine Provinces. After I rose to power, I subdued most of the remnants of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, but a small number of Demon Race were still terrified by Buddhist School."

"They choose to integrate into the human race and live a peaceful life, or retreat to the mountains and forests, no longer participating in the affairs of the two races. And they all possess, to varying degrees, the legacies of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, treasures lost and undiscovered, not just the Hun Tian Divine Mirror."

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Dao.

"Your Majesty, please don't leave yet. I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

As he put the Heavenly Mirror into the pagoda, he asked:

What was the real reason that Buddhist School destroyed the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons back then?

Historical records say that this was because the Demon Race was causing chaos and harming the people, and the Buddhist School's extermination of the demons was for the sake of humanity.

But after everything he's been through, it would be foolish for him to still believe what's written in books.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox remained silent for a long while, then her mature and alluring female voice, tinged with a hint of coldness, asked in return:

Why does Buddhist School covet the Central Plains?

"If you could know the truth behind this matter, you would naturally understand why Buddhist School wanted to destroy the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons."

"If I knew, would I be asking you?" Xu Qi'an said.

Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.

The nine-tailed celestial fox pouted and snorted, "The value of this information isn't even enough to buy you outright. Dream on, you stinky man."

Her tone was soft and coquettish, almost like she was pleading.

"You're just making a ruckus like a widow at night!" Xu Qi'an muttered angrily, failing to get an answer, and then asked:

"What is Your Majesty's view on the situation in the Central Plains? As far as I know, Xu Pingfeng has joined forces with the Buddhist School to invade and conquer the Central Plains."

The Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons and the Buddhist School are mortal enemies. If Xu Pingfeng joins forces with the Buddhist School, then he will naturally also be an enemy of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons.

I will offer some assistance.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox stated her position bluntly. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"At what age do you foxes reach adulthood?" Xu Qi'an shook his head. "No one."

As Bai Ji flew back to the base, her tail gradually diminished, and the clear light in her eyes dimmed.

Just as the four short legs landed on the base, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox had just left.

"Has the Empress left?"

Knowing nothing, it looked around cautiously, walked to the edge of the base, looked down, estimated the height, and then carefully jumped down.

I tripped and fell.