Volume 2, Chapter 141 – Don’t Let Me Catch You

“Little liar… where exactly did you hide yourself?”

“You really did deceive me quite thoroughly.”

Song Shiyuan twisted the strand of fox fur between her fingers and brought it close to her nose, sniffing it gently.

She could smell an extremely faint sweet fragrance.

It was indeed the little fox demon’s pheromone.

The exact same scent Song Shiyuan had detected last night.

As expected, the scent she’d caught last night wasn’t Song Shiyuan’s imagination.

This was fox fur from the little fox demon’s body.

Song Shiyuan took out a beautiful silk pouch and placed the strand of fox fur she held inside, tying it carefully.

Then she tucked it against her chest, keeping it close to her heart.

She pressed her palm to her chest, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.

Yet within this smile lurked a hint of suppression and sinister charm.

“Little liar…”

She murmured softly.

“Why is your fox fur stuck to Master’s clothes?”

Song Shiyuan took out the two talismans Qu Qingtang had given her.

Though these two talismans appeared unremarkable on the surface, they had extremely powerful spiritual energy sealed within them.

“Master…”

“Immortal Venerable Qingzhi…”

“Qu Qingtang… what exactly is she trying to do?”

“Why is she also deceiving me?”

Song Shiyuan’s eyes flashed with a sharp gleam.

A wave of grief and indignation welled up inexplicably from her heart.

Inside her body, within those mysteriously opened meridians, spiritual power that didn’t belong to Song Shiyuan began circulating rapidly.

Song Shiyuan felt her chest growing somewhat stuffy.

She felt her entire life was a failure.

The elder brother she’d admired for over ten years was scum among sword cultivators, colluding with foreign races, betraying humanity, betraying the sect.

The gentle master she trusted completely was also hiding an unknown side behind the scenes.

The lover she deeply adored was a little liar full of lies.

“It seems I… truly have no ability to judge people.”

“And…”

“Little liar, even though I already know you’ve been deceiving me…”

“Then why, when I learned you were still alive, did I feel so happy?”

Song Shiyuan pressed her hand to her chest.

“Heh heh…”

“I understand now…”

“Because this way, I can catch you, this little liar, all over again.”

Now Song Shiyuan could confirm the little fox was within Fox Palace.

Song Shiyuan had lived in Fox Palace for quite some time and was fairly familiar with it.

In all of Fox Palace, the only place she’d never approached was the central courtyard where the Fox Monarch resided.

“Little liar… are you hiding there?”

“What’s your relationship with the Fox Monarch?”

“What’s your relationship with Qu Qingtang?”

Thinking about how this strand of fox fur had come from Qu Qingtang’s body, Song Shiyuan felt incredibly irritated.

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She didn’t want that little liar to have any connection with Qu Qingtang.

Provoking a Venerable Saint of a sword sect was hardly a wise thing to do.

That little liar could deceive sword sect disciples like herself all she wanted, but if she deceived a Venerable Saint, that would be far too dangerous.

Song Shiyuan didn’t want her little liar to actually be caught by a Venerable Saint.

“Last night, I followed the pheromone scent and saw the World-Ending Fox Monarch.”

“And Qu Qingtang appeared shortly after.”

“By rights, last night Qu Qingtang was together with the Fox Monarch Lu Zhuxin.”

“Why would the little liar’s fox fur be stuck to Qu Qingtang’s body?”

“What exactly is the little liar’s relationship with Lu Zhuxin?”

Song Shiyuan raised her head to look toward Fox Palace’s central courtyard.

That was Fox Monarch Lu Zhuxin’s residence.

Ever since Song Shiyuan had been selected as one of the female consorts by Lu Zhuxin, she’d always been very resistant to that place. Even when going out for activities, she would subconsciously avoid that area.

Now it seemed that regardless of the reason, Song Shiyuan had to go investigate the central courtyard.

Song Shiyuan lightly clenched her palm into a fist.

A cultivator’s aura transformed into a whirlwind that swept through the courtyard.

“Fifth Realm cultivator… mid Deity Transformation stage.”

Just a few days ago, Song Shiyuan’s cultivation level had still been early Deity Transformation.

She’d been able to enter Deity Transformation stage because after her previous qi deviation, she’d inexplicably broken through the Fifth Realm’s shackles.

Qu Qingtang said her cultivation had progressed so quickly because of the high-grade pills Huang Shangshang had fed her.

“But merely the Fifth Realm is still far too inferior compared to the Eighth Realm Fox Monarch.”

To go to the central courtyard, the first problem she’d have to face was the Fox Monarch.

She rubbed the talismans in her hand.

An aura-concealing talisman made by a Venerable Saint should have a chance of fooling that Eighth Realm Fox Monarch if she was careful enough, right?

Qu Qingtang, this Venerable Saint, wouldn’t use her spiritual consciousness to monitor Fox Palace every single moment.

As for the other talisman.

“An attack talisman sealed with an Eighth Realm sword sect master’s sword qi.”

Song Shiyuan held the sword talisman, recalling what Qu Qingtang had instructed her earlier.

“Why did she emphasize that I can’t use this talisman before encountering Hu Xian’er?”

“Is there something wrong with this talisman?”

Song Shiyuan put away the sword talisman in her hand.

She decided to find a place to hide this sword talisman.

Qu Qingtang was full of lies. When she’d urged Song Shiyuan to confront Hu Xian’er, Song Shiyuan had already sensed her intentions.

Qu Qingtang wanted to kill Hu Xian’er.

But she couldn’t act personally, so she wanted to use Song Shiyuan’s hand.

Did Hu Xian’er have a grudge against her?

Song Shiyuan didn’t understand.

But precisely because of this, Song Shiyuan couldn’t keep this dangerous sword talisman on her person.

As for the other aura-concealing talisman.

If Song Shiyuan really wanted to go see the central courtyard of Fox Palace, she’d have no choice but to take a risky gamble.

However, support-type talismans weren’t as dangerous as attack talismans.

Song Shiyuan had also studied talisman arts a bit, so naturally she understood this.

“Qu Qingtang wants me to leave Fox Palace before tonight…”

“Then I’ll investigate the central courtyard tonight.”

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Song Shiyuan looked at that towering palace in Fox Palace’s central courtyard, her eyes revealing a dangerous gleam.

“Little liar.”

“Don’t let me catch you.”

…

“Qingtang, have you already handled Song Shiyuan’s matter?”

Lu Zhuxin sat on a flower bed, swinging her bare little feet.

Qu Qingtang noticed that as this little fox’s feet swayed, the fluffy big tail behind her also gently swished left and right.

Like an oversized ball of cherry-pink cotton.

She lightly pressed the tip of her tongue against her teeth, walked over and embraced that fluffy tail.

“Hm?” Lu Zhuxin looked at Qu Qingtang in confusion.

Qu Qingtang held the tail in her arms, gently smoothing out the disheveled fox fur.

“Your tail, don’t get it dirty.”

As she stroked the little fox’s fluffy big tail, she said, “I’ve already explained things clearly to Song Shiyuan. She said she’ll leave Fox Palace today.”

“I see.” Lu Zhuxin turned her head slightly to the side. “She didn’t ask anything else?”

“She did.” Qu Qingtang said, “She asked if there was any way for a single-tailed fox demon to escape from an Eighth Realm sword cultivator’s hands alive.”

Lu Zhuxin’s tail stiffened. She let out a sigh.

“She still remembers that.”

“And then? How did you answer her?”

“No low-level fox demon could escape alive from an Eighth Realm sword cultivator’s killing strike.” Qu Qingtang said helplessly, “She looked very disappointed, very heartbroken. I told her to return to Lingxiao Sword Sect to cultivate diligently, to temporarily not think about these things.”

“I don’t know how much she’ll actually take to heart.”

“Oh…”

The little fox’s mood seemed somewhat poor.

Qu Qingtang comforted her, “Don’t think about these things. This matter isn’t your fault. I know you have your difficulties.”

“I understand your pain.”

“Mm…” The little fox tugged at the corner of her mouth.

“No, you don’t understand. You don’t understand anything.”

The little fox kept her head lowered.

“You don’t even understand that when I previously approached you, actively kissed you, even gave you a chance…”

“It was for the same reason as when I approached Song Shiyuan.”

The same reason as Song Shiyuan?

Qu Qingtang narrowed her eyes.

Of course she knew this.

The first time this little fox actively kissed her was because of a custom quest issued by the System.

However, the little fox later being willing to date her was because she was also a fated female lead who needed to be conquered?

Qu Qingtang let out a soft laugh.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t.

Or rather, she once was.

But Awakeners had no connection to Heavenly Fate.

A puppet freed from its strings would no longer receive the ‘Divine Lord’s’ attention.

No… she was originally a child abandoned by her ‘Father.’

That’s why she was here, appearing before this ‘Divine Lord.’

Her goal was this ‘Divine Lord’s’ heart.

“Zhuxin, I don’t care what reason you had before for being willing to let me accept you.” Qu Qingtang said, “None of that matters to me.”

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“What matters is now.”

“What matters is… whether you’re willing to truly open your heart to me.”

“Not because of any reason, but because you yourself are willing to accept me.”

Qu Qingtang saw the little fox’s small hands unconsciously clenching tight.

Even the tail she held showed its bright red tip swaying back and forth involuntarily.

The little fox’s heart was far from calm.

Qu Qingtang knew her earlier words had gotten through to the little fox.

Precisely because of this, her heart was in such turmoil.

The little fox had said more than once that “love” was built on mutual trust between both parties.

Without opening one’s heart, without trust, how could one speak of “love”?

She had a “secret” in her heart, yet had never been able to speak it aloud.

Qu Qingtang naturally didn’t mind, because she knew what that secret was.

Actually, during this time, the little fox had wanted to reveal this secret more than once, hadn’t she?

Of course, Qu Qingtang wouldn’t force the little fox to make a decision.

Forceful coercion would only scare her away. She didn’t like that approach.

So Qu Qingtang had long since thought of another method.

Pure Yang marking.

She wanted to naturally obtain this little fox’s first time.

While she was conscious.

Rather than like before.

That had been merely the little fox’s one-sided release.

Qu Qingtang felt like an oversized glow stick. The kind with no experience whatsoever.

“Zhuxin.” She rubbed the little fox’s big tail. “Behind Fox Palace, isn’t there a hot spring bath pool?”

“Hot spring bath pool?” Lu Zhuxin recalled.

There was indeed a bath pool, but it wasn’t a hot spring.

The pool was heated using magic techniques.

In the original novel, Lu Zhuxin had written some erotic scenes set at that pool.

Recalling the passages described in the book, her face became somewhat unnatural.

“Why are you… suddenly bringing this up?” Lu Zhuxin asked.

Qu Qingtang stroked the little fox’s fluffy big tail and said, “I think your tail needs to be properly maintained with a spiritual bath.”

“The condition of the tail fur isn’t very good.”

“If the fur were a bit more smooth… it would feel more comfortable to touch.”

Qu Qingtang spoke with complete seriousness.

Lu Zhuxin looked at her with a strange expression. “Do you really like my tail that much?”

Qu Qingtang smiled. “I do. I like every part of you, from head to toe.”

Actually, compared to the little fox’s pair of bunnies hidden under her clothes whose growth prospects were worrying, Qu Qingtang did indeed prefer her big tail.

It felt good no matter what she did with it.

What was so fun about bunnies?

But for some reason, the little fox was particularly fond of bunnies.

Lu Zhuxin’s eyes were now full of suspicion.

This woman harbored improper intentions toward her tail!

“Besides, after what we did last night, you still haven’t properly bathed yet.” Qu Qingtang said, “Although cultivators’ bodies are clean and you can use cleansing spells to wash away dirt from your body…”

“But using cleansing spells, how can that compare to soaking in hot water?”

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Qu Qingtang laughed softly.

Lu Zhuxin felt she couldn’t take it anymore.

She still maintained ordinary people’s living habits.

Yesterday’s indulgence was because she’d been too tired.

Qu Qingtang not bringing this up would have been fine, but now that she mentioned it again, Lu Zhuxin suddenly felt that wet, hot, sticky sensation return to her body.

…

Not long after.

Lu Zhuxin hadn’t expected she would actually come to soak in Fox Palace’s hot spring bath pool together with Qu Qingtang.

The water in the pool had already been heated and was rising with hazy steam.

The water pool was filled with flower petals brimming with spiritual energy, their fragrance filling the air.

Lu Zhuxin knew Fox Palace had such a place.

But this was actually her first time coming here.

Usually when bathing, she’d just have Hu Mei’er prepare a bucket of hot water, solving things very simply.

Before she transmigrated, he’d lived even more simply than this.

In that cramped dwelling, having a shower stall was already quite comfortable.

“Do we really… have to bathe?”

Lu Zhuxin looked toward the woman beside her, her face showing hesitation.

She stood at the edge of the steaming bath pool, her steps uncertain.

She’d never taken a bath in her entire life, let alone bathed together with someone else.

And this person was even a stunning beauty with a proud figure.

Qu Qingtang was already removing her clothes.

The clothes on the Immortal Venerable’s body were themselves magical artifacts imbued with spiritual power and spells.

With a mere thought, magical artifacts could be stored away, but Qu Qingtang didn’t choose to do so.

She walked in front of Lu Zhuxin and slowly untied her own sash with her hands.

Soon, the tightly wrapped white sword cultivator dress on her body fell away piece by piece along her form.

Like peeling away layer after layer of bamboo leaves wrapping a rice dumpling, revealing the soft, fragrant glutinous rice within.

This woman was doing it on purpose!

Lu Zhuxin instinctively averted her gaze.

A rosy flush flew across her delicate face, the corners of her lips pressed tightly together.

A little fox in heat couldn’t look at this sort of thing!

Just seeing that glimpse of rounded snowy whiteness made her involuntarily recall last night’s absurdity.

Her fluffy big tail trembled and drooped down, unconsciously clamped between her legs.

“Zhuxin, if you don’t undress, your outer garment will get soaked by the spring water.”

“Bathing wrapped in wet outer garments wouldn’t be comfortable.”

Qu Qingtang hadn’t completely undressed. At some point, she’d draped a layer of thin gauze over her body.

Lu Zhuxin merely glanced with her peripheral vision and, as if scorched, hurriedly shifted her gaze away.

Having written many similar passages in her novel, she immediately understood this woman’s intentions.

That thin gauze, once wet, would cling tightly to the body.

White tinged with red.

Pink, tender, and soft.

Chinese people emphasized the subtle beauty of holding a pipa while half-concealing one’s face.

This kind of wet sensation while wearing gauze could excite a fox in heat even more easily than being completely exposed.