Volume 3, Chapter 327 – Tell Her!

A soreness spread through her chest.

Bu Lianshuang said bitterly, “No… that’s not your fault.”

“Xin’er… the one who is truly at fault here is me.”

“I have always known the fox clan’s circumstances. I have always known that the fox clan has been working to infiltrate human power structures and gather intelligence for our Demon Territory.”

“And yet, knowing all of that, I went ahead and drew close to you of my own accord.”

“Went ahead and tried to hold you to my own sense of morality.”

“I am such an idiot!” Bu Lianshuang cursed herself aloud.

“A stubborn, selfish fool!”

“And when I couldn’t get the response I wanted from you anymore, I threw a tantrum all by myself.”

“I really am awful!”

If not for the searing pain her back kept sending through her, Bu Lianshuang would have leapt up and slapped herself across the face.

“I am terrible!”

“Xin’er, compared to you, I am the mud.”

Bu Lianshuang bit down hard, her face a tangle of grief and fury.

“Xin’er, I am the one who should be apologizing to you!”

“I have been dragging you down with my own petty temper this whole time!”

Bu Lianshuang looked at Lu Zhuxin, her eyes full of remorse.

[…]

Watching Bu Lianshuang, Lu Zhuxin laughed quietly to herself.

System, are you satisfied now?

Haven’t you been pushing me to win Bu Lianshuang over this whole time?

See, it worked out on its own.

Without even any real effort on my part.

[…]

The system remained silent, without any response at all.

It gave Lu Zhuxin the peculiar sensation of throwing a punch into cotton.

“ Tch. “

Lu Zhuxin clicked her tongue softly.

This was no fun at all.

She pulled her attention away from the system within her and brought her focus back to Bu Lianshuang’s face.

“Your Highness…” Lu Zhuxin said softly, her eyes brimming with tenderness.

A perfect illustration of what it meant to look at someone with every ounce of feeling one possessed.

“Your Highness, you are so good.” Lu Zhuxin raised a hand and dabbed at the corner of her eye, where no moisture actually existed.

“What could Xin’er possibly have done to deserve Your Highness’s affection?”

Bu Lianshuang grabbed Lu Zhuxin’s hand.

“Xin’er, don’t say such things!”

“You deserve everyone’s affection!”

“ Hss …”

That movement had been too sudden, and it yanked at the wounds on her back.

The pain made Bu Lianshuang bare her teeth, but she forced her face into a twisted, strained attempt at a smile.

It looked a little unfortunate.

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“Pfft.” Lu Zhuxin covered her mouth with a laugh.

And as she laughed, the faintest sheen of moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“What are you laughing at?” Bu Lianshuang said, unamused.

“Your Highness looks so beautiful when you smile.” Lu Zhuxin said warmly. “Even more beautiful than the sacred cherry blossoms in the Fox Palace.”

“Mm…”

Watching the little fox’s beautiful smile, listening to those soft, gentle words of praise, Bu Lianshuang felt her heart hammering against her ribs.

Even her cheeks had begun to burn.

She could not take it.

How was anyone supposed to take this?

Now that everything had been laid bare, the little fox’s unguarded, direct words left Bu Lianshuang feeling thoroughly outmatched.

She was beginning to understand what it felt like to be someone who had caught the fox clan’s eye.

Never mind those humans with weaker resolve.

Even she, a proper wolf clan princess, could not withstand this kind of trial.

Bu Lianshuang felt that if the little fox said two more words, she would be ready to tear out her own heart and hand it over.

She wrenched her head away, her mouth suddenly dry.

An unruly heat surged up through her nose before she could stop it.

Disaster.

She was going to embarrass herself.

Bu Lianshuang clapped a hand over her nose in a hurry.

Lu Zhuxin looked over with concern. “Your Highness, are you all right?”

“I… I’m fine…” Bu Lianshuang said quickly.

A dignified wolf clan princess, undone by a fox demon’s few words to the point of a nosebleed.

What a humiliating thing that would be to admit.

Fortunately, Bu Lianshuang was a martial practitioner, and she had strong command over her own qi and blood. She managed to rein herself in before disaster fully struck.

“Your Highness… your injuries…” Lu Zhuxin looked again at Bu Lianshuang’s back.

“My injuries are fine.” Bu Lianshuang said. “That old scoundrel hit hard. If it were a human martial practitioner, they’d probably be bedridden for months.”

Demon clan physiques were far superior to humans as a general rule.

The fox clan being the exception.

“But for a wolf clan member, wounds like these are nothing!”

“Xin’er, let me tell you, back on the Far Northern Ice Plains, I’ve had injuries far worse than this… hss !”

Bu Lianshuang yelped in pain.

Lu Zhuxin had reached over and given the fabric at Bu Lianshuang’s back a light tug with two fingers.

Lu Zhuxin had little interest in hearing Bu Lianshuang recount her battle record.

Though on the surface, she put on a convincingly flustered expression.

“I’m sorry! Your Highness, I’ve hurt you again by accident.”

Faced with the little fox’s wide, tearful, devastated eyes, what could Bu Lianshuang possibly say?

She hissed through her teeth and managed, “It’s fine, it’s fine. It doesn’t even hurt that much.”

“But…” Bu Lianshuang shifted her tone. “Xin’er, that old scoundrel knows I’ve been concealing my cultivation level!”

“The force behind that thunder rod punishment was nothing a third realm martial practitioner could survive.”

Lu Zhuxin bowed her head and took Bu Lianshuang’s hand in hers. “I know.”

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Chi Jingwen had used Bu Lianshuang’s punishment to send a warning. How could Lu Zhuxin not have known?

That crafty old fox had never believed Lu Zhuxin’s cover from the start.

He had likely already guessed at her true origins.

This punishment was a signal Chi Jingwen had sent to Lu Zhuxin.

He could tolerate her continued presence in the Chi residence, but he would not allow her to cross his bottom line.

Lu Zhuxin suddenly found the whole thing faintly amusing.

Chi Jingwen actually thought he could establish some sort of unspoken understanding with her through a move like that?

Ha.

Old and cunning as he was, he was still far too naive.

What Lu Zhuxin chose to do was her own business. Not even the Human Empress herself could keep her in check, let alone one Chi Jingwen.

He has the nerve to hit my person and then expect me to follow his rules. Ha.

Bu Lianshuang looked at her, puzzled. “Xin’er, have you already thought of something?”

“Yes.” Lu Zhuxin said. “Anyone who has wronged us, I will collect every last bit of it back.”

“But, Your Highness… I will need you to endure a little longer.”

Bu Lianshuang shook her head. “Xin’er, I’m fine. Don’t act rashly.”

“Don’t let me be the reason your plans fall apart.”

“They won’t, Your Highness.” Lu Zhuxin said. “Watching them bully you hurts me too.”

“Mm…” Bu Lianshuang turned her face away, already feeling outmatched again.

Lu Zhuxin glanced at the sky outside. “Your Highness, would you like some revenge?”

“Hm?” Bu Lianshuang’s eyes formed a question mark.

Lu Zhuxin smiled. “The Chi residence itself can’t be touched just yet, but that doesn’t mean the same applies to everyone else.”

Bu Lianshuang caught a thread of coldness running beneath the little fox’s gentle voice.

She asked quickly, “Xin’er, what are you planning?”

“I want to take Your Highness to exact some vengeance on a certain group of humans.”

Surprise crossed Bu Lianshuang’s face.

She had not been mistaken. She had genuinely seen a killing intent in the warm, soft eyes of the little fox before her.

Is the little fox angry on my behalf?

Is this what it feels like to be cared for by the person you love?

Can receiving a response from the one you love truly bring this much joy?

Bu Lianshuang covered her face, her heart singing quietly to itself.

“Your Highness, bear with me a moment. I’ll help you up.”

Lu Zhuxin stepped forward and helped Bu Lianshuang to her feet.

Bu Lianshuang winced sharply, her brow furrowing all at once.

But the moment she saw Lu Zhuxin steadying her at her side, she swallowed every sound back down.

Just then, a clean, sweet fragrance drifted into Bu Lianshuang’s nose.

That soul-soothing, layered scent settled over her pain like a salve, smoothing it away.

Bu Lianshuang’s eyes widened.

She recognized this. It was the pheromones unique to the fox demon clan.

Pheromones had countless applications, but Bu Lianshuang had never imagined that the little fox could use them to ease physical pain.

The scent was deeply pleasant.

And being held close by the person she loved was more pleasant still.

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Bu Lianshuang was tall, considerably more so than Lu Zhuxin, who barely reached one hundred and sixty centimeters. With only a slight tilt of her head, she could see the little fox’s delicate profile.

She was truly beautiful.

“Xin’er, where are you taking me? The Chi family’s abandoned courtyard is covered in restrictive seals. Without breaking them, we have no way out.”

“It’s all right, Your Highness.” Lu Zhuxin said.

“The seals here are far weaker than those on the main residence. They won’t hold me.”

As she spoke, Lu Zhuxin kept one hand supporting Bu Lianshuang and produced her formation plate with the other.

She channeled her energy into it, and two streams of mysterious light shot outward from the plate, carving a narrow opening through the Chi family’s formation array, just wide enough for a person to pass through.

Bu Lianshuang watched with unconcealed wonder.

She had never imagined the fox clan possessed a technique like this.

So this was how the little fox had found her way in.

“Xin’er… if we just walk out like this and someone notices, what then?”

“They won’t.” Lu Zhuxin said. “The abandoned courtyard is completely sealed by the formation. Unless the array’s master, Chi Jingwen himself, comes to inspect it personally, no one will know we slipped out.”

Bu Lianshuang opened her mouth. “That still sounds dangerous!”

“It won’t be, Your Highness. I’m confident.” Lu Zhuxin said. “And even if Chi Jingwen does find out, it doesn’t matter.”

“As long as Your Highness is happy.”

Hearing those words, Bu Lianshuang finally let herself relax.

She let Lu Zhuxin guide her out through the formation-sealed Chi Family Grand Mansion.

…

She lost track of how long they walked, but eventually Bu Lianshuang realized they had left the Chi family’s estate entirely.

“Is this… a new base?” Bu Lianshuang looked around with curiosity.

The fox clan’s holdings in Beihe Commandery were far greater than she had imagined.

Lu Zhuxin led Bu Lianshuang to a richly appointed manor and pushed the doors open.

“My L… ahem…”

A yellow fox clan girl was the first to spot Lu Zhuxin and nearly called out her true title on the spot.

But the girl recovered quickly. The moment she saw Bu Lianshuang being supported at Lu Zhuxin’s side, she caught herself and changed course.

“Lady Xin’er!”

Bu Lianshuang looked inside and found that a considerable number of people had already gathered within the manor. Fox demons and humans alike. Upon seeing Lu Zhuxin, every one of them bowed in respectful greeting.

“My Lady!”

Lu Zhuxin was more than satisfied with the reception. Her gaze swept across the assembled group.

“Well? Is everything ready?”

“Yes, my Lady!” A yellow fox clan girl stepped forward.

“The locations of every sword sect disciple currently dispersed throughout Beihe Commandery’s city have been confirmed!”

“We await your order.”

Bu Lianshuang, listening in, felt a jolt of shock. “Xin’er, is this why you borrowed my people?”

“You want to root out every sword sect disciple in Beihe Commandery?”

“That’s far too dangerous!”

Lu Zhuxin gave a light laugh. “Nothing of the sort, Your Highness.”

“I am not so extreme.”

“I only want to give those sword sect disciples a small lesson.”

“Confirming their whereabouts and positions was not for the purpose of eliminating them.”

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“Sword cultivation disciples are as numerous as blades of grass within the human empire.”

“Kill one batch, and another will spring up before long.”

“Killing them all is a waste of time and accomplishes nothing.”

“Knowing their positions is to ensure that our next steps are not interrupted.”

“Oh!” Bu Lianshuang nodded, partially understanding.

So the little fox truly did have her own plan.

She had not told Bu Lianshuang what that plan was directly, but she had brought her along. She was willing to let her take part, no longer pushing her to the outside as she had before.

That alone was more than enough to make Bu Lianshuang happy.

The wounds on her body still ached. But she felt glad, even so.

That thunder rod punishment today had been worth it.

“Xin’er, is there anything you need me to do?” Bu Lianshuang asked.

“Nothing.” Lu Zhuxin steadied her gently and said, “Your Highness is injured. You need only watch.”

“I brought Your Highness out here so you could see something satisfying and vent a little.”

“Mm.” Bu Lianshuang gave a small nod.

She did not know yet what the little fox intended to do, but she found herself growing more and more eager.

“My Lady!” A male fox demon came jogging over and bowed respectfully before Lu Zhuxin.

“Word has just arrived. The sword cultivator you marked with your qi has left the Chi residence!”

“He is moving fast and heading in the direction of the city gate!”

“From the look of it, he intends to leave the city outright!”

“ Tch . In such a hurry.” Lu Zhuxin smiled faintly. “He did not leave the Chi residence yesterday, so I had almost thought Song Shutao would manage to keep her mouth shut a little longer.”

“But if he is this rushed, then the answer is clear. Song Shutao has already told him.”

Bu Lianshuang asked, puzzled, “Xin’er, who are you talking about?”

Lu Zhuxin said, “Someone who must die here today.”

“Your Highness will see soon enough.”

She turned to address the assembled group. “Have the elders intercept him. He cannot be allowed to leave the city.”

…

Inside the Chi residence.

Song Shutao remained in her room, outwardly composed, but unable to sit or stand without restlessness gnawing at her.

Her chest was pounding.

A creeping unease had been spreading through her and would not stop.

“Hah…”

She drew a long breath.

“What do I do… what do I do…”

She looked toward the door.

Senior Brother Lu knows Muxue’s true identity.

Should I… should I tell Xiyan about this?

She had made a promise to Chi Xiyan to keep the secret.

She had not kept it.

Even if it had not been her intention.

I have to tell her. There is no other way.