Volume 1, Chapter 83 – Lingxiao Sword Sect’s True Purpose

The day the Fox Monarch wed off her daughter.

The entire Fox Palace seemed to bustle with activity.

Song Shiyuan could often see fox demon maidservants hurrying about busily outside, completely different from their previous leisurely demeanor.

Song Shiyuan could sense that the atmosphere throughout the Fox Palace had undergone some changes.

However, Song Shiyuan didn’t have the leisure to pay attention to such matters now.

The Fox Monarch’s daughter was being married off. The plan would soon begin.

Song Shiyuan was staying by the little fox demon’s side.

Helping her change clothes.

Applying her makeup.

Placing the phoenix crown on her head, inserting the vermillion hairpins.

The little fox demon truly didn’t know how to dress herself up.

Song Shiyuan was unwilling to entrust this task to anyone else.

“Shiyuan, are your hands trembling?” The little fox demon raised her hand and gently grasped Song Shiyuan’s wrist.

Song Shiyuan froze.

Was she trembling?

Song Shiyuan herself hadn’t noticed.

Personally draping wedding clothes on someone she liked, personally helping someone she liked with their grooming and makeup,

This should have been a happy and joyful thing.

But if after all this, she still had to personally send the person she liked into someone else’s wedding sedan, watching her enter someone else’s bridal chamber—

No one could possibly be happy about that.

“Shiyuan, smile.” The little fox demon cupped Song Shiyuan’s face.

She wore a gentle smile on her face, as if trying to infect Song Shiyuan with her own smile.

“You have very important things to do today. How can you keep wearing such a mournful face?”

“Emotions will influence your judgment and cloud your reason.”

The little fox demon stood up, gently pressing her forehead against Song Shiyuan’s.

“Think of happy things. Think of what we’ll do afterward.”

A sweet, fresh fragrance slowly dispersed through the small room.

Song Shiyuan lowered her eyes.

The little fox demon was using her pheromones to comfort her.

Song Shiyuan felt that no matter what happened in the future, she could never forget this scent.

This was her little fox demon.

Clearly she was the one who needed to face the most dangerous situation in this plan, yet she could still comfort Song Shiyuan instead.

Song Shiyuan pressed her lips together slightly. She reached out and pulled the little fox demon in her bright red wedding dress into her embrace.

The elaborate and gorgeous phoenix crown jingled and rang.

Song Shiyuan lowered her head, looking at the small, delicate person in her arms.

Her gaze lingered on the moist vermillion lips she had personally painted.

Song Shiyuan’s lips moved slightly. She felt her throat inexplicably dry, wanting to taste the tempting nectar before her.

The little fox demon saw through her thoughts. She hurriedly raised her hand and gently pressed it against Song Shiyuan’s lips.

Stopping this yellow-lit female protagonist’s dangerous idea.

If given the chance, Song Shiyuan would really go for it.

In this regard, she was remarkably similar to that unrelated brother of hers.

This sometimes made Lu Zhuxin wonder if she’d written her character settings wrong.

The little fox demon panted slightly. She kept one hand pressed against Song Shiyuan’s lips that wanted to misbehave, while pushing against her chest with the other.

“Don’t…”

“If the makeup gets smudged, I’ll have to redo it. There isn’t that much time to waste.”

Song Shiyuan’s eyes dimmed slightly. She naturally knew now wasn’t the time to be willful.

But thinking about what would happen next, thinking about how she would personally send the little fox demon out to bow in ceremony with someone else, she felt unable to control herself.

She was clearly her little fox demon. Why should she have to bow in ceremony with someone else?

And that someone was a shameless man, a despicable traitor.

“Axi… are you ready?” The urging voice of a fox demon maidservant came from outside. “The appointed time is almost here.”

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Song Shiyuan sighed and reluctantly released the little fox demon from her embrace.

She draped the xiapei over the little fox demon.

Then, after more dawdling, she covered the little fox demon with the wedding veil.

The little fox demon didn’t speak, only raised her hand.

Song Shiyuan looked at her, wiped her palms with a silk handkerchief, then held the little fox demon’s hand and gripped it tightly.

The wedding sedan to receive the bride had been waiting outside for a long time.

Song Shiyuan discovered that although the fox clan were demons, their marriage customs were roughly the same as humans.

She just didn’t know if this was because the one marrying a fox clan woman this time was human, or if the fox clan’s customs were naturally like this.

Under everyone’s gaze, Song Shiyuan held the little fox demon’s hand and walked out of the bridal chamber step by step.

The wedding sedan to receive the bride had already stopped at the courtyard entrance.

Carrying the sedan were eight powerful beings from other clans, not fox clan members.

The fox clan were delicate and not good at brute strength.

The task of carrying the sedan naturally wouldn’t be undertaken by fox clan powerhouses.

Song Shiyuan’s female consort collar had been unlocked. To avoid arousing suspicion, she didn’t dare casually use her spiritual consciousness to probe these powerhouses’ abilities.

But based on intuition alone, she could sense that these sedan-carrying powerhouses all had strength above her own.

However, the Fox Palace was the fox clan’s headquarters after all. Having such foundations was quite normal.

Powerhouses carrying the sedan was also a display of the fox clan’s authority.

Song Shiyuan raised her eyes slightly, casually sweeping a glance at these foreign clan powerhouses, paying them no mind.

Her attention could only be on her little fox demon now.

Originally, Song Shiyuan thought she had mentally prepared herself and could smoothly wait until the plan began.

But when she was about to send the little fox demon onto the wedding sedan, she discovered what kind of torture the decision to “personally send the little fox demon onto the wedding sedan” was for her.

The short distance of just a few dozen steps felt like an execution ground to Song Shiyuan.

With each step she led the little fox demon closer to the wedding sedan, Song Shiyuan felt as if she were personally pushing the little fox demon away bit by bit.

Yes… personally sending the little fox demon onto the wedding sedan meant Song Shiyuan was personally pushing her beloved toward a dangerous fire pit.

This was torture.

Song Shiyuan knew this was punishment she should endure.

She wanted to carefully memorize the pain of this moment, never forgetting it in the future.

Two fox clan beauties opened the sedan curtain for the little fox demon in front of Song Shiyuan.

Song Shiyuan felt a soft sensation in her palm. The little fox demon was gently scratching Song Shiyuan’s palm.

Only then did Song Shiyuan realize she had led the little fox demon before the wedding sedan, yet her hand still tightly clutched the little fox demon’s hand, unwilling to let go.

How could she be willing to let go?

If she let go now, she would board someone else’s wedding sedan!

One of the tiger clan powerhouses receiving the bride noticed Song Shiyuan’s abnormal state and spoke up to inquire.

“Miss escorting the bride? Are you unclear about the process?”

This tiger clan powerhouse should have just come from outside the Fox Palace. She probably didn’t recognize Song Shiyuan.

And that phrase “miss escorting the bride” dealt Song Shiyuan another vicious blow.

Song Shiyuan’s grip on the little fox demon’s hand tightened again and again before she finally, helplessly, let go.

Song Shiyuan ultimately still helped the little fox demon board the wedding sedan.

Then she stood at the courtyard entrance, watching the bride-receiving procession leave.

Only after that red procession completely disappeared from sight did Song Shiyuan discover her limbs were weak and her body was soaked with cold sweat.

Song Shiyuan gave a bitter laugh.

For the first time, she discovered she was this weak and timid.

She was afraid. Not of the dangers and crises in the upcoming plan, but afraid of losing that little fox demon.

Song Shiyuan clenched her fist.

The little fox demon was willing to calmly face danger for her. Song Shiyuan naturally didn’t want to disappoint the little fox demon either.

According to the plan, she now had to wait patiently. Wait for the procession to return. Wait until the powerhouses all left the Fox Palace.

According to the intelligence Lingxiao Sword Sect members had obtained, the Fox Monarch had ostentatiously announced to all factions the news of her adopted daughter’s marriage.

Such a grand wedding would necessarily take place in Mingzhao City.

And according to the schedule Hu Xian’er had arranged for the little fox demon, after it ended, they would ultimately be sent back to the Fox Palace.

The bridal chamber rites would take place in the Fox Palace.

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And the timing Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples and Song Shiyuan had agreed upon for the plan was after the bridal chamber began.

Because at that time, the fox clan powerhouses would necessarily leave the Fox Palace and return to Mingzhao City.

The Fox Monarch would also remain in Mingzhao City, entertaining guests.

Even the Fox Palace steward Hu Xian’er would stay in Mingzhao City.

This would be when the Fox Palace interior was most vulnerable.

Rescuing people at this time, the biggest problem they needed to face was only the formations and restrictions the Fox Monarch took pride in.

And how to drill a small loophole in the Fox Palace’s formations without alerting the Fox Monarch and fox clan, to rescue everyone out, this was the greatest difficulty they needed to solve.

And Song Shiyuan knew that this greatest difficulty had been easily solved after Lingxiao Sword Sect obtained the Fox Palace’s formation defense diagram.

Senior Brother Lu was indeed a formation grandmaster. In just a few short days, he was able to crack the formation restrictions the Fox Palace had relied on for a thousand years.

Song Shiyuan sighed lightly in her heart.

Now according to the plan, what Song Shiyuan needed to do was return to her own room and quietly wait for the opportunity to arrive.

Wait until the powerhouses escorting the newlyweds returned to Mingzhao City.

Then Song Shiyuan would rush at top speed to the location previously agreed upon with Lingxiao Sword Sect, coordinate from inside and outside, and through the Fox Palace’s formation loophole, open a passage through the Fox Palace’s numerous formation restrictions.

“Little fox demon…” Song Shiyuan pressed her lips lightly. “Wait for me. Once I finish the plan on this end, I’ll come rescue you immediately.”

…

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Not long after the bride-receiving procession left the Fox Palace, it was completely enveloped by an invisible formation.

If outsiders looked from a distance toward this location, they would still see this red procession continuing to move slowly along its original route.

In Mingzhao City, at the Fox Monarch’s feet, no one dared use spiritual consciousness to recklessly probe fox clan members.

Only those within this formation could see the true scene concealed by the formation.

The bride-receiving wedding sedan had already stopped on the road.

The Fox Palace’s two stewards, Hu Mei’er and Hu Xian’er, already stood respectfully before the wedding sedan.

“Your Majesty.”

Behind them also stood a female sword cultivator with a gentle temperament.

From her appearance, the female sword cultivator looked like a woman only in her twenties or thirties, wearing a married woman’s hairstyle.

The sword she held was an ancient, simple-styled golden longsword.

Though she appeared to be a gentle and charming beautiful matron, the sword qi emanating from the sword in her hand was surging and sharp, making people not dare look directly at it with their naked eyes.

Lu Zhuxin lifted the curtain before her and stepped down from the wedding sedan.

She surveyed her surroundings, looking at the formation that had been constructed in just a few days.

Though Lu Zhuxin didn’t understand formations, being familiar with the novel’s settings, she could understand this formation’s extraordinary nature through feeling alone.

“You’ve done well.”

Lu Zhuxin had always been very satisfied with these two loyal, beautiful, and capable fox demon maidservants beside her.

Recently, even without Lu Zhuxin’s participation, these two capable fox demon stewards had done everything very well.

This was actually also an open scheme Lu Zhuxin had directed at the mole she suspected.

Lu Zhuxin knew Hu Xian’er had made a series of preparations and arrangements for today.

And she never inquired about any of Hu Xian’er’s arrangements and plans.

However, even so, without needing to say it explicitly, Lu Zhuxin could deduce and know what the other party would do. This was Lu Zhuxin’s trust in and tacit understanding with Hu Xian’er.

Then, could the “Miss Mole” Lu Zhuxin suspected also deduce Hu Xian’er’s specific plans and actual arrangements like Lu Zhuxin could?

And after learning Hu Xian’er might be making moves, would “Miss Mole” leak this plan that was completely shrouded in fog?

This was actually a high-stakes gamble.

Lu Zhuxin was gambling that “Miss Mole” couldn’t be so unbridled.

Of course, Lu Zhuxin’s gamble wasn’t without basis.

That night when she conquered little Shiyuan, little Shiyuan was like she’d suddenly been given spoilers, but in the end was very easily corrected by Lu Zhuxin.

This meant “Miss Mole” hadn’t been able to convince Song Shiyuan.

Why couldn’t she convince her? Was it because she couldn’t find sufficient evidence? Or was the information she could reveal limited?

And during these days when Song Shiyuan contacted Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples, Lu Zhuxin could easily know one thing from observation.

Those Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples knew the Fox Monarch’s heat period was approaching and knew the Fox Palace’s formation defenses. After learning these two extremely important pieces of intelligence, they completely didn’t know little Shiyuan had been “turned” by Lu Zhuxin.

Why was this?

Did “Miss Mole” mercifully spare Lu Zhuxin? Or was she unable to reveal this matter?

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Or had Lu Zhuxin thought wrong. Was there was no so-called “Miss Mole” at all?

Lu Zhuxin couldn’t be certain of this point.

However, this didn’t prevent her from beginning this gamble.

Anyway, even if Lu Zhuxin lost the bet, it would only mean Lingxiao Sword Sect people knew in advance that Hu Xian’er had made preparations.

In that case, given those sword cultivators’ caution, without being able to know Hu Xian’er’s specific arrangements, they shouldn’t dare rashly take risks.

In that case, Lu Zhuxin would still be temporarily safe.

But what if those sword cultivators were completely unaware of Hu Xian’er’s secret arrangements?

Then these lecherous hooligans spying on a girl’s heat period would have to pay a price for it.

Thinking of this, Lu Zhuxin turned her gaze to the sword cultivator matron behind the two fox demons.

Upon seeing the golden ancient sword in her hand, Lu Zhuxin had already guessed her identity.

Lingxu Sword Sect Master, Huang Xifeng.

An Eighth Realm sword cultivator.

A married woman.

“Sect Master Huang, you know what to do next, right?” Lu Zhuxin said.

“I know.” Huang Xifeng said, “Right now, I’m just a pitiful mother desperate to save her daughter.”

Lu Zhuxin was very satisfied.

A handsome-looking, gentle beauty with a build similar to Lu Zhuxin’s walked out.

He wore the exact same red wedding dress as Lu Zhuxin and the same phoenix crown.

Even the makeup on his face was identical.

He bowed respectfully to Lu Zhuxin, then took her place sitting in the wedding sedan.

Lu Zhuxin glanced at him, raised her hand, and a small silver-white sword pellet spun in her palm.

This was Song Shiyuan’s natal sword, Chengxin.

After lowering her eyes slightly, Lu Zhuxin still put the sword pellet away.

This thing was a bit dangerous. It was safer to keep it in Lu Zhuxin’s own hands.

“Then now, proceed according to plan.” Lu Zhuxin said softly.

“Let’s see how many big fish we can catch tonight.”

…

Mingzhao City today was exceptionally lively.

Even more lively than the previous Flower Festival.

The fox clan’s nine-tailed Fox Monarch, who hadn’t appeared in a thousand years, would personally send off her adopted daughter in marriage today.

Although most fox clan members didn’t know who this Fox Monarch’s adopted daughter actually was, or when the Fox Monarch had gained such an adopted daughter,

This didn’t prevent the fox clan’s people from revering the Fox Monarch.

A thousand years ago, it was this Fox Monarch who led the fox clan out of the mire and carved out this territory belonging to the fox clan in the chaotic times.

The Fox Monarch marrying off her daughter was extremely grand.

The long bride-receiving procession circled around the entirety Mingzhao City.

Such an ostentatious display was like announcing this joyous event to the entire city.

The Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples occupying the inn in the western part of the city coldly observed this scene.

They were waiting. According to the plan, waiting for the best opportunity to rescue people.

To rescue Young Sect Master Song Shixuan, they had to wait until there were no more fox clan powerhouses guarding Song Shixuan.

That would be when Song Shixuan and that Fox Monarch’s adopted daughter returned to the Fox Palace for the bridal chamber.

That time was Lingxiao Sword Sect’s opportunity to rescue people.

…

This wedding began in the morning and remained lively until evening.

It was just unfortunate that most people had no chance to see the true appearances of this pair of newlyweds.

The bride sat in the wedding sedan the entire time, while the groom had been waiting in the City Lord’s Manor since early on.

The wedding ultimately took place at Mingzhao City’s City Lord’s Manor.

Because the Fox Monarch’s Fox Palace never received outside guests.

But the City Lord’s Manor wasn’t the Fox Monarch’s residence after all, so after the two newlyweds bowed in ceremony, they still had to return to the Fox Palace along the original route to perform the bridal chamber rites.

And after the two newlyweds returned to the Fox Palace, there would be a night-long feast.

At such a great joyous occasion, that Fox Monarch who hadn’t appeared in a thousand years now ostentatiously appeared in Mingzhao City, drinking heartily with the guests who came to offer congratulations.

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When that red-clothed Fox Monarch, wearing that ancient red and white mask, appeared in Mingzhao City and showed herself under everyone’s gaze, the entire Mingzhao City seemed to boil at that moment.

“Fox Monarch!”

“Fox Monarch! Fox Monarch!!”

“Fox Monarch! Fox Monarch!! Fox Monarch!!!”

The entire city seemed to cheer for the Fox Monarch’s first appearance in a thousand years.

A stubbled man wearing a straw hat quietly stood in the crowd, casting an inscrutable gaze at that Fox Monarch.

“World-Ending Fox Monarch, the fox clan’s guardian deity.”

The stubbled man’s lips curved into a sinister smile.

“With your heat period approaching, you still dare appear publicly.”

“I wonder if this is a bluff or you’re just big breasts without a brain?”

The Demon Realm’s four great powerful clans.

Dragon, Tiger, Wolf, Fox.

The dragon clan was powerful but few in number.

The tiger clan was mighty but brave without strategy.

The wolf clan was united and good at group combat, but willingly stationed themselves in the Northern Frozen Wastes, guarding the Demon Venerable’s Nether Abyss Demon Palace.

Aside from the three clans with the strongest combat power, the fox clan was indeed the weakest in battle strength, yet was the clan that gave the entire righteous path the greatest headache.

The fox clan excelled at disguise. Fox clan spies infiltrated everywhere.

The fox clan excelled at management. The fox nation was prosperous, propping up half of the Demon Realm’s prestige.

The fox clan excelled at scheming. In various demon clan armies fighting the righteous alliance, one could almost always see fox clan strategists’ figures.

The fox clan excelled at seduction. Human powerhouses turned by the fox clan’s honey trap had been countless since ancient times.

In almost every righteous sect, there were one or two sect rules prohibiting disciples from approaching the fox clan.

This clan weak in combat but peerless in beauty had unknowingly become a thorn in the side of the entire righteous alliance.

Sect masters everywhere gnashed their teeth in hatred toward these fox demons.

And the World-Ending Fox Monarch was the pillar of this detestable fox demon clan.

The idea of targeting the Fox Monarch had long taken root in various sect masters’ hearts, but the Fox Monarch hadn’t emerged in a thousand years, making it impossible for righteous sects to find an opportunity.

But this time, the Fox Monarch’s heat period was approaching. It would be her weakest moment.

And yet, at such a critical time, this Fox Monarch hadn’t secretly hidden somewhere. Instead, she appeared so ostentatiously.

Simply courting death.

“Could this fox really think that by appearing when her heat period approaches, she can conceal the timing of her heat period?”

Jiang Hongliang chuckled softly. If he hadn’t known in advance the Fox Monarch’s heat period was approaching, perhaps he really would have been deceived by this Fox Monarch.

Unfortunately, once he knew this secret, there was no reason to pass up this opportunity.

At this moment, the wedding had already ended. Young Sect Master Song Shixuan had also been sent back to the Fox Palace by fox clan powerhouses.

Lu Guan should have already led Lingxiao Sword Sect disciples to infiltrate near the Fox Palace by now.

Now, Jiang Hongliang could act in Mingzhao City without restraint.

Before infiltrating fox territory, Jiang Hongliang had never revealed to anyone—

That rescue elite team was just a decoy Jiang Hongliang had deliberately thrown out.

Rescuing people was just incidental. If they couldn’t be rescued, it was just those disciples’ fate.

Jiang Hongliang’s purpose from the beginning had been the Fox Monarch whose heat period was approaching.

“Fox Monarch…!” Jiang Hongliang whispered in his heart. The natal sword hidden in his dantian was secretly accumulating sharp, aggressive sword intent.

This position, this distance. This was the best opportunity for a sword cultivator to launch a sneak attack.

Jiang Hongliang’s gaze locked onto that red-clothed, masked graceful figure. A savage smile hung at the corner of his mouth.

An Eighth Realm sword cultivator launching a sneak attack at such close range; How could a fox demon with a delicate body dodge it?

Just as Jiang Hongliang’s lethal Lingxiao sword qi was about to reach its peak, a furious shout accompanied by an earth-shattering golden sword intent suddenly tore through Mingzhao City’s night sky.

“Fox Monarch! Return my daughter!!”

Jiang Hongliang immediately sensed that sword intent.

Astonishment flashed through his eyes.

“Huang Xifeng?”

“Alerting the enemy and ruining my timing!”

No time to fully build up the Lingxiao sword qi in his natal sword. Jiang Hongliang directly summoned his natal sword from his dantian and thrust it toward that graceful red figure ahead.