Volume 1, Chapter 64 – The Crossed-Out Name

Song Shixuan had been locked up in the Fox Palace for several more days.

He was confined for so long that he almost suspected that when Lu Zhuxin invited him to the Flower Festival that day, she had been lying to him.

It wasn’t until the afternoon of the seventh day of the month that Song Shixuan was finally released from the Fox Palace.

However, Song Shixuan still didn’t get to see Lu Zhuxin.

The ones who brought him out were the two fox demon maidservants at Lu Zhuxin’s side.

One seven-tailed, one six-tailed.

Although they were fox demons, their realms were far too high above his, so they weren’t opponents he could deal with right now.

Moreover, for some reason, these two fox demons seemed extremely guarded against him.

The way they looked at him was like they were looking at something dirty. They didn’t even have the slightest interest in talking to him.

Song Shixuan had wanted to tell a few jokes to amuse these two fox demons who constantly wore icy expressions.

The result was that the two fox demons stared back at him with incomparably cold gazes, making Song Shixuan feel like he’d brought this on himself.

The journey was silent. Song Shixuan felt like a prisoner being escorted to the execution ground.

Fortunately, this feeling didn’t last too long.

Song Shixuan discovered he was being led away from the Fox Palace. With no one watching along the way, he arrived at the shores of Zhaoxi Lake.

After waiting so long, he finally saw that World-Ending Fox Monarch again.

What a series of twists and turns.

Lu Zhuxin was currently wearing a blue light silk dress.

Pure and elegant, cool and otherworldly. It was hard to imagine she would be a seductive fox demon.

“Young Master Song,” Lu Zhuxin smiled. “These past days, have you been living comfortably in the Fox Palace?”

“The Fox Palace is beautiful, with beauties like scenery. These days, this Song has been quite pleased,” Song Shixuan said respectfully.

When an Eighth Realm great demon asked him such a question, could he really say he wasn’t living well?

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Lu Zhuxin smiled, not minding Song Shixuan’s hypocritical platitudes.

“These past few days, this sovereign has also been reflecting,” Lu Zhuxin said. “Because of this sovereign’s nature, I have been cold toward Young Master Song.”

“The Fox Palace is cold and lonely. Young Master Song is in the prime of youth. Living here for a long time, it’s natural that you would feel lonely.”

“So that’s why that incident happened the other day,”

“It is this sovereign’s fault.”

Song Shixuan frowned. He couldn’t quite understand what this fox demon was trying to say.

“Therefore, this sovereign inviting Young Master Song out today is to apologize to you.”

“Your Majesty, you speak too seriously,” Song Shixuan said.

“Of course, it’s also to compensate Young Master Song. I have prepared a gift for you,” Lu Zhuxin said. “Let that girl come up.”

Song Shixuan was somewhat surprised.

He saw a pretty young woman in a pink dress walk forward.

Her features were beautiful. Though she clearly looked like a sixteen-year-old maiden, there was a trace of heroic spirit between her brows, adding a unique charm to her.

Her face was like exquisite porcelain, fair and delicate. Her slightly upturned lips revealed a faint gentle beauty.

In her hair was inserted a lustrous white jade hairpin.

For some reason, that hairpin always made Song Shixuan feel vaguely familiar.

But regardless, this was a beautiful woman who perfectly matched Song Shixuan’s aesthetic.

She walked forward with graceful steps, her waist like a willow, and gave a soft bow. “This servant greets Your Majesty, greets Young Master Song.”

Her voice was clear as bells.

Hearing this voice in his ears made Song Shixuan’s heart feel itchy.

She seemed to glance at Song Shixuan. In her pair of beautiful fox eyes, rippling waves of water shimmered.

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Just one glance perfectly embodied a woman’s gentle grace and allure.

This was completely a woman who struck straight at Song Shixuan’s heart!

He was electrified.

Moreover, Song Shixuan felt that the woman before him bore a sixty to seventy percent resemblance to the Fox Monarch Lu Zhuxin.

If one ignored the front view and height, looking from behind, it would be very difficult to tell them apart.

Song Shixuan’s throat moved imperceptibly. “Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?”

He couldn’t understand what this fox demon was trying to do.

Sending him a woman, and one who looked very similar to the Fox Monarch herself.

Unfortunately, that detached, cold pride on the Fox Monarch couldn’t be imitated by a mere servant.

Similar, yet not quite.

“This sovereign’s nature is cold and indifferent, which I fear displeases Young Master Song.”

“Therefore, I’m having this servant replace this sovereign to accompany Young Master Song,” Lu Zhuxin said with a slight smile.

These words were spoken very ambiguously and intimately.

Song Shixuan’s heart stirred.

This was a substitute? A dowry maid?

Was it to monitor him? Or to test him?

“Your Majesty’s kindness, this Song…”

Song Shixuan was about to speak.

The young woman in the pink dress, however, softly clung to him. “Young Master Song, do you disdain this servant’s humble appearance?”

She gently tugged at Song Shixuan’s sleeve, tilting her head up slightly. Her eyes were like water, full of allure.

Song Shixuan had the illusion that the Nine-Tailed Fox Monarch and the young woman before him overlapped.

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As if that world-dominating World-Ending Fox Monarch had now transformed into a gentle maiden, lowering herself before him, seeking his affection.

A tempting fragrance like honey peach began to slowly emanate.

It caused Song Shixuan’s natal sword within his dantian to tremble slightly, and the sword outside his dantian also raised its head a bit.

The honey-peach-flavored fox demon before him was releasing pheromones at him.

Ugh…

Whether Song Shixuan actively accepted or sternly refused this beauty the Nine-Tailed Fox Monarch was offering, both were extremely dangerous matters.

Song Shixuan instinctively felt uneasy and wanted to refuse.

But his little brother didn’t seem to want to listen to him.

“It seems Young Master Song is very pleased with the Flower Festival gift this sovereign has given,” Lu Zhuxin wasn’t planning to give him a chance to refuse.

“Then today, let her serve Young Master Song well.”

“This sovereign wishes Young Master Song an enjoyable Flower Festival in advance.”

The Fox Monarch had already said this much. If Song Shixuan continued to refuse, it would be impolite.

The other party clearly intended to force this on him.

As long as he was a bit careful, a bit more attentive, there should be no problems.

Song Shixuan thought this way, and so he said, “The Fox Monarch’s kindness, this Song would be disrespectful to refuse.”

Lu Zhuxin smiled with satisfaction.

Hu Ling had done very well, even better than she had imagined.

“Oh, Young Master Song.”

“This girl’s name.”

“She’s called Ming Zhaoxi.”

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[Wait what?!!]

[Host, isn’t this a bit too much?!!]

What answered the System was Lu Zhuxin’s extremely cold “Hmph.”

…

Song Shiyuan didn’t know how she left the shores of Zhaoxi Lake.

When she came back to her senses, she had already returned to beneath the fox clan’s ancient tree where she had kissed the little fox demon earlier.

Song Shiyuan stiffly raised her head. With one glance, she saw the small wooden plaque she had personally hung on the ancient tree.

She reached out and took the small plaque down.

Her heart suddenly wrenched.

As if someone had viciously stabbed a knife into it.

Piercing, twisting pain assaulted her again.

She saw that on the wooden plaque carved with both her and Ming Zhaoxi’s names, someone had scratched several marks.

Song Shiyuan’s name was fine, but Ming Zhaoxi’s name had been maliciously crossed out.

The fox clan’s ancient tree had stood here for a thousand years. The custom of hanging marriage plaques had existed since ancient times. Who would specifically do something so malicious in such a place?

“Was it you… Ming Zhaoxi?”

Song Shiyuan hugged her trembling body tightly. That wooden marriage plaque was casually tossed aside by her.

She crouched on the ground, allowing the boundless coldness to envelop her.

What Song Shiyuan didn’t notice was that on the marriage plaque she had thrown away, where Ming Zhaoxi’s name had been crossed out, someone had carved an exquisite bamboo pattern with demonic power.

This pattern wasn’t obvious. It could only be seen with the help of sunlight.