Volume 2, Chapter 126 – A Play with Four Women

“No… that can’t be…”

“How is this possible?!”

Song Shiyuan’s eyes were full of disbelief.

She suspected something was wrong with her nose.

Was she hallucinating because she missed the little fox demon too much?

Why… did she seem to smell the little fox demon’s pheromones?

That faint, sweet scent like bamboo, she was far too familiar with it. How could she possibly mistake it?

“But… the little fox demon is already dead…”

Pheromones were the hallmark of fox demons. Each fox demon’s pheromones were unique.

From ancient times to now, there had never been two fox demons with completely identical pheromones.

“What… is going on?”

Song Shiyuan looked toward the direction the pheromones came from.

Although the scent was very faint, so faint it was almost imperceptible…

Song Shiyuan was certain she wouldn’t mistake the pheromones of her beloved fox.

She had indeed smelled the pheromones of a deceased fox.

“Did I make a mistake? Or what’s happening?”

Song Shiyuan’s gaze deepened.

The direction the pheromones came from seemed to be toward the Fox Palace’s central courtyard.

Because the scent was too faint and dissipated quickly, Song Shiyuan couldn’t accurately determine the direction the pheromones came from.

In fact, the scent was so faint it seemed like a sudden hallucination.

Appearing without a trace, disappearing without a mark.

Even Song Shiyuan herself felt it might be an illusion.

“She’s already dead… how could I still smell her pheromones?”

Yet Song Shiyuan didn’t want this to be a hallucination.

The pheromones might have come from the central courtyard. The Fox Palace’s central courtyard was where the Fox Monarch resided.

That was the most dangerous place in the entire Fox Palace.

Even when the little fox demon was still alive, she didn’t dare bring Song Shiyuan near the Fox Palace’s central courtyard.

“What should I do… should I go?” Song Shiyuan quietly asked herself.

Reason told her the little fox demon was no longer in this world.

The faint pheromone scent she just smelled was a hallucination born from missing the little fox demon too much.

Casually approaching the Fox Palace’s central courtyard could bring danger.

However, matters of the heart were never rational.

Song Shiyuan’s body had already made the decision one step ahead.

Whether the pheromone scent she just smelled was her mistake or not, whether there was something in the direction of the Fox Palace’s central courtyard, she had to go look.

Otherwise, tonight’s events would become a nightmare in her heart, impossible to dispel.

…

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“Your Majesty… how are you? Are you feeling better?” Hu Mei’er stood in place, offering her body as support for Lu Zhuxin.

She gently pressed the acupoints on Lu Zhuxin’s head, wanting to help alleviate the strange sensations brought by the heat period.

At this moment, Lu Zhuxin’s chaotic aura had mostly calmed down.

However, she still felt heat throughout her body.

Her entire body was weak and powerless. Without Hu Mei’er’s support, her legs would have given way and she would have collapsed to the ground.

Not only that, she also felt her demonic power had sunk like a stone into the sea.

The powerful demonic power that normally surged abundantly now seemed to have lost connection with her, completely unresponsive to her commands.

This was a situation she had never experienced before.

Lu Zhuxin couldn’t understand. She hadn’t mentioned anything like this in the original text.

In the original text, it was indeed mentioned that fox demons during their heat period would have greatly reduced strength due to its influence.

But the fox demons in the original text never experienced situations where they couldn’t use their demonic power during their heat period.

Lu Zhuxin felt as if her entire cultivation had been sealed.

However, the only fortunate thing was that the heat period hadn’t completely erupted yet, and Lu Zhuxin had successfully controlled the escaping pheromones.

“Thank you… Mei’er.” Lu Zhuxin curled up in Hu Mei’er’s embrace, slowly recovering her strength.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, her cheeks flushed red.

If Hu Mei’er hadn’t been guarding by her side, Lu Zhuxin would have had great difficulty dealing with those leaked pheromones.

“As long as Your Majesty is alright.” Hu Mei’er held Lu Zhuxin, speaking gently.

Lu Zhuxin gripped Hu Mei’er’s sleeve, still clinging tightly to her without letting go.

She lightly bit her lower lip with her silver teeth, burying her face against Hu Mei’er’s body in silence.

Although the pheromones had been successfully controlled, the heat within her body hadn’t completely subsided.

Not only that, the wicked fire in her lower abdomen seemed to be burning even more fiercely, blazing hotter and stronger.

Burning until she felt unbearably hot, burning until her body became drenched.

Lu Zhuxin didn’t know what would happen next.

This feeling of losing control made her inexplicably panicked.

Made her urgently want to find something to rely on.

At this moment, she was like a pitiful little beast with no home to return to.

“I’ll take you back to rest, Your Majesty.” Hu Mei’er rubbed Lu Zhuxin’s brow, speaking gently. “After resting for a while, you’ll be fine.”

“Mm…” Lu Zhuxin responded softly. “Carry me back.”

This obedient and adorable appearance made Hu Mei’er feel her heart would melt.

Hu Mei’er was just about to pick up Lu Zhuxin and take her back to the sleeping quarters.

“Not good, someone’s coming.” Hu Mei’er’s movements suddenly froze.

The other person’s speed wasn’t slow. It was a sword cultivator.

Moreover, they had just been nearby, which was why they arrived so quickly.

Before Hu Mei’er could react, a graceful figure appeared at the courtyard entrance.

Song Shiyuan looked at the red-clothed woman before her with a face full of confusion.

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She hadn’t expected that following the pheromones would lead her to encounter the woman she least wanted and could least afford to meet.

Song Shiyuan pressed her dry lips together and spoke. “Fox Monarch?”

Hearing this, Hu Mei’er felt even her fox ears tremble.

She faced away from Song Shiyuan and couldn’t see her face, but she recognized that voice.

Right now, Lu Zhuxin was in her embrace.

The person they could least afford to encounter was standing right behind them.

What should they do?

Hu Mei’er felt her fox brain was about to overload.

But now, with Her Majesty’s physical condition poor, Hu Mei’er could only figure out a solution herself.

What to do? What to do?

If this sword cultivator saw Her Majesty’s face, then everything Her Majesty had done before would be known to her.

Although Hu Mei’er didn’t know what this young sword cultivator meant to Her Majesty, judging from all the arrangements Her Majesty had made for her, she should be very important to Her Majesty.

They absolutely couldn’t let her know Her Majesty’s identity.

Hu Mei’er felt somewhat fortunate, fortunate that the dress she changed into today was relatively loose.

Her Majesty had a petite frame. Curled up in her embrace, she could be completely hidden.

Looking from behind, one shouldn’t be able to tell she was holding another person in her arms.

This young sword cultivator still regarded Mei’er as the Fox Monarch. So what should Mei’er do now?

Hu Mei’er activated her nearly overheating brain.

She recalled the key points Lu Zhuxin had told her when she had her pretend to be the Fox Monarch.

That’s right! She just needed to put on a noble and aloof appearance, no dialogue required.

Hu Mei’er remembered and followed this guideline.

She simply raised her head slightly, gazing at the full moon hanging high in the sky, making no response.

Her wide sleeves lifted slightly, concealing Lu Zhuxin in her embrace completely.

Song Shiyuan received no response. Looking at the cold and beautiful fox woman admiring the moon before her, she felt something was strange.

Had she mistaken her for someone else?

But although she could only see her back, she could recognize that the alluring red-clothed fox demon before her was indeed the Fox Clan’s Fox Monarch she had seen before.

With this appearance, did she not want to speak with her?

So… should she tactfully leave now?

Song Shiyuan bit her silver teeth lightly.

She was unwilling.

She hadn’t found the answer she wanted. How could she be willing to just leave like this?

Thinking this, Song Shiyuan moved her dry throat.

“Fox Monarch… may I ask, are you alone here?” Song Shiyuan gathered her courage and spoke. “Just now, outside, I caught the scent of an old friend…”

Song Shiyuan didn’t know where she found the courage. She actually wanted to ask that cruel and merciless World-Ending Fox Monarch about the little fox demon.

But Song Shiyuan knew that if she really retreated here, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

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No matter what the final result would be, she wanted to seek this answer.

“Her name is Axi. You should know her…” Song Shiyuan continued. “In my memory, she should no longer be with us, but just now I really smelled her pheromones…”

“I wouldn’t mistake her pheromone scent… never.” Song Shiyuan’s eyes dimmed, yet her gaze was exceptionally firm.

“Fox Monarch… can you tell me what’s going on?”

Hearing this, Hu Mei’er felt her fox brain overload, her scalp tingling.

This girl, she smelled it!

She actually smelled Her Majesty’s out-of-control pheromone scent!

Hu Mei’er’s actions to clear the pheromones had already been very fast. She hadn’t expected someone would still discover it.

Were all these sword cultivators bloodhounds?! How could they track the scent and find their way here?!

The only fortunate thing was that it wasn’t a sect master who came.

If that were the case, Hu Mei’er truly would have had no way to cover it up.

But… the current situation didn’t seem much better either.

What was with this girl? Couldn’t she tell that the Fox Monarch in her eyes didn’t want to speak with her?

Hu Mei’er had already worked so hard to present an unapproachable attitude. Why wouldn’t she leave?

Wuu wuu! What should I do, Your Majesty!

Mei’er has no other options!

“Fox Monarch?” Song Shiyuan looked at the cold and beautiful fox woman before her with confusion.

She felt something was strange.

She had imagined many scenarios. The Fox Monarch might disdain to communicate with a young sword cultivator like her, or might become angry at her presumptuous attempt at conversation.

However, the cold beauty before her acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, simply looking up at the moon.

This reaction wasn’t quite right, was it?

Moreover… there seemed to be something in front of that Fox Monarch?

Song Shiyuan furrowed her brows. She boldly took a step forward.

Hu Mei’er’s entire heart leapt to her throat.

Pretending to be Her Majesty was already difficult enough for her. Now that young sword cultivator wasn’t following convention at all.

What to do? What to do?

Her Majesty’s secret was about to be exposed!

Wuu wuu! It’s all Mei’er’s fault!

Your Majesty, think of something quickly!

Just as Lu Zhuxin’s figure was about to be exposed before Song Shiyuan’s eyes, Hu Mei’er suddenly felt Lu Zhuxin move in her embrace.

Lu Zhuxin grasped Hu Mei’er’s lapel.

A low voice entered Hu Mei’er’s ear.

“Say, stop.”

Her voice was very weak, as if suppressing some unspeakable impulse.

Hu Mei’er understood Lu Zhuxin’s instruction.

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“Stop!” Hu Mei’er coldly shouted.

Song Shiyuan’s heart jumped in alarm, and she stopped in her tracks.

“Fox Monarch…” Song Shiyuan bit her teeth. “I only want to know her whereabouts, want to know if she’s still alive, want to obtain… an answer…”

“Get out.” Hu Mei’er spoke coldly again.

She was speaking exactly according to Lu Zhuxin’s words, without any alterations.

Song Shiyuan froze.

In the Fox Monarch’s eyes, did a young sword cultivator like herself lack even the qualification to converse with her?

Song Shiyuan’s heart stung.

However, this alone wasn’t enough to make her retreat.

“I beseech the Fox Monarch… to answer this junior’s questions.” Song Shiyuan spoke, preparing to walk forward again, approaching the Fox Monarch.

She knew this was dangerous.

The one who also felt the danger was Hu Mei’er.

Her heart had also leapt to her throat.

She hadn’t expected that even in this situation, this girl would still have the courage to walk forward.

One more step, and she would be able to see Her Majesty in Mei’er’s embrace!

“I said, get out. Can’t you understand?!”

The cold beauty shouted again.

This time was different from before.

A terrifying pressure instantly erupted.

Song Shiyuan felt as if heaven and earth were inverting, the universe collapsing.

This was the pressure from an Eighth Realm great demon.

“Fox Monarch…” Song Shiyuan gritted her teeth.

Hu Mei’er felt she was about to cry.

Lu Zhuxin was in her embrace. That aura erupted directly from within her arms.

The one bearing the brunt was Hu Mei’er, who was holding Lu Zhuxin.

The aura impact from an Eighth Realm great demon was not pleasant to bear at all.

However, what Hu Mei’er hadn’t expected was that Song Shiyuan still wouldn’t give up.

Even while enduring the terrifying pressure of an Eighth Realm great demon, she still spoke with difficulty, her eyes bloodshot.

“I beseech… the Fox Monarch…”

Had this young sword cultivator gone mad?

Did she not want her life anymore?

Just at this moment, a woman’s voice came from outside the courtyard again.

“Little Shiyuan, what’s happened?”

“What are you all doing?”

Qu Qingtang stepped lightly on lotus feet, entering the courtyard.