Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

The air in the private room was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, but it couldn't mask the rich aroma of aged osmanthus wine.

Tianpeng leaned against the soft couch, toying with a lustrous jade cup between his fingertips.

She didn't use her divine sense to explore her surroundings. At her level, constantly being on edge would be a disadvantage. Since she was there to drink, she would simply be an ordinary drinker.

Indra sat at the lower end, peeling peanuts with practiced ease, unlike the emperor who ruled over billions of demons.

"Senior Sister," Di Shitian patted the crumbs off his hands, "Where do you think that old monkey Taoist is hiding now? Back then, he really tricked us all for that game of chess."

Tianpeng chuckled softly, the wine in his cup swaying slightly.

"Hide? This world is vast, but there aren't many places where he can hide." She tilted her head back and finished her drink. "That old fellow has been scheming his whole life, saying he wanted to outwit fate, but in the end, he schemed himself into becoming a lonely figure. The other day, I played chess with him, and he said he was betting his future on his disciple."

Indra paused, his expression becoming more serious.

"West Continent? Isn't that..."

"It belongs to that little tiger from Yunmengze." Tianpeng put down his wine cup, refilled it, and a strange light flashed in his eyes. "That old Taoist priest was very protective of his own, and taught all his killing skills to that little tiger. It's just a pity that the child is too bloodthirsty. If he can't overcome his attachment to love, he will eventually be a broken blade."

"Love and affection?" Di Shitian scoffed. "The demon race cultivates physical immortality and believes in the survival of the fittest. They don't have much time for romance. In my opinion, that old Taoist is just bored."

Tianpeng glanced at him but didn't reply.

She turned her gaze to the window, looking at the imperial edict posted on the city wall, her tone tinged with a hint of bewilderment.

"Your imperial edict has shaken the entire land. If that nine-tailed celestial fox truly possessed a spirit, it would have long since fled into the deep mountains and forests. Do you really believe that dream?"

"I believe you." Di Shitian's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Senior sister, you know my abilities. That wasn't a dream; it was karma. That fox holds the key to completing the Heavenly Dao. As long as we find her, Master's Dao injury can be healed, and our demon race's ten-thousand-year fortune can be extended once more."

"Nine-tailed Celestial Fox..." Tianpeng murmured to himself, "The Qingqiu lineage disappeared long ago. If there is truly an orphan who has survived, then that is defying the heavens. Such an existence is often accompanied by great calamities."

Tianpeng shook her head and didn't reply. She recalled the figure she had glimpsed outside the Guanghan Palace years ago, the woman who made all the gods and Buddhas pale in comparison.

The Great Dao is ruthless, but if it is ruthless, what kind of Dao is it that one cultivates?

……

Separated by a wall.

Bai Yin abruptly stopped what he was doing.

He was holding a freshly peeled crab claw in his hand. The hard crab shell should have shattered at his fingertips, but instead, he crushed it into powder.

Grayish-white powder trickled down between his fingers and landed on the table in front of him.

Su Xiaojiu was resting her chin on her hand, waiting to be fed.

Seeing that Bai Yin suddenly stopped moving, she lazily raised her eyelids, a hint of confusion in her peach blossom eyes.

"What? Is the crab meat too hot to handle?"

Bai Yin remained silent.

His eyes, which were once filled with doting affection, were now gradually turning cold, until they froze into ice that would never melt.

Although the sound from next door wasn't loud, it was like a thunderclap in the ears of the demon race, whose five senses were highly acute.

Nine-tailed Celestial Fox.

Yunmeng Marsh.

These two words together are like two red-hot steel needles, piercing Bai Yin's most sensitive nerves.

These past few days, imperial edicts have been posted, and the whole city is busy catching foxes.

He originally thought that as long as he didn't reveal his true identity, he would be more than capable of protecting Xiao Jiu.

But now it seems that this is no ordinary bounty; it is clearly someone plotting behind the scenes, and they even know his background.

They want to capture Xiao Jiu.

Once this thought arose, Bai Yin could no longer suppress the murderous aura surrounding him.

The stench of blood, reminiscent of something rolling out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, instantly filled the entire private room.

The bowls and plates on the table began to tremble, and the wine in the glasses rippled.

Su Xiaojiu raised an eyebrow.

She naturally overheard the conversation next door.

The auras of those two were unfathomable, especially that of the woman, who gave her an extremely dangerous feeling.

I intended to cast an illusion to calm this silly tiger down.

After all, it's better to avoid trouble; her current health can't withstand any more stress.

But before she could even raise her hand, Bai Yin had already moved.

"court death."

The two words were squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a chilling intent.

next moment.

boom!

The carved mahogany wall was as fragile as paper under Bai Yin's palm strike.

Wood chips flew everywhere, and dust rose in all directions.

The loud noise startled the entire Drunken Flower Pavilion. The music downstairs stopped abruptly, followed by gasps and screams from the diners.

Before the smoke and dust had cleared, Bai Yin had already stepped over the ruins and stood in the private room next door.

He was dressed in white, as white as snow, but it couldn't hide the fierce aura emanating from him.

Those vertical pupils stared intently at the two people inside the room, and the gray Geng metal aura around him pulsed erratically, making the air hiss as it cut through it.

Su Xiaojiu sighed helplessly.

This silly tiger is being way too possessive of its food.

She slowly stood up, patted off non-existent dust from her skirt, and followed Bai Yin.

Inside the private room.

Tianpeng and Di Shitian were not alarmed.

Even as the wall collapsed, Tianpeng did not change his sitting posture.

She merely raised her eyes slightly, her gaze piercing through the swirling dust and landing on the intruder.

First, they saw Bai Yin, who exuded a murderous aura.

Then, looking past Bai Yin's broad shoulders, I saw the woman behind him.

That instant.

Tianpeng's fingers, which were holding the wine glass, trembled almost imperceptibly.

The woman wore no makeup, only a simple moon-white long gown, and her hair was loosely styled.

But just by standing there so casually, he made all the luxury in the room look like a vulgar backdrop.

Those eyebrows and eyes, that charm.

She bears a striking resemblance to the aloof and solitary fairy in the Moon Palace.

No.

She possessed an even more indescribable allure than the other woman, a captivating charm etched into her very bones, yet also exuding an aura of sacred and inviolable majesty.

Tianpeng felt a moment of disorientation.

She subconsciously activated her profound inner power, trying to deduce the woman's fate.

But the moment the divine sense touched it, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

The woman's fate was a complete mystery, as if some supreme being had forcibly erased all traces of it, leaving even the Heavenly Dao unable to glimpse it.

"Who are you?"

Tianpeng blurted it out.

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

Bai Yin's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

In his view, such a direct inquiry was nothing short of blatant covetousness.

Since this woman knows the secrets of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, and is staring at Xiao Jiu like this now, she must have ill intentions.

"You think you can ask her name?"

Bai Yin snorted coldly.

Without uttering a single word, he formed his right hand into a claw and swung it forward with a sudden motion.

laugh!

Five gray energy blasts shot out, accompanied by a shrill whistling sound that tore through the void, heading straight for Tianpeng's face.

This is the innate divine power of the Geng Metal White Tiger clan, which governs killing and is indestructible.

Even an iron mountain would be shredded into pieces under the force of these five claw-like winds.

Emperor Shitian's expression changed, and he was about to get up to protect the emperor, but Tianpeng stopped him by raising his hand.

Tianpeng remained seated.

Faced with the terrifying claw wind that was enough to kill a cultivator at the Casting Cauldron Realm, she simply extended a slender white finger and gently tapped it in the void.

Ding.

A crisp sound of impact rang out.

The five sharp and incomparable Geng metal energies stopped three inches away from her brow.

It was as if it had crashed into an invisible wall, which then crumbled inch by inch, turning into specks of light and dissipating.

Bai Yin's pupils suddenly contracted.

A true expert's skill is immediately apparent upon their first move.

Although he didn't use his full strength in this attack, he still used 70% of his cultivation.

The fact that the other party could accept it so casually shows that their cultivation level is unfathomable.

"The killing energy of Geng metal leads to the path of slaughter."

Tianpeng withdrew his finger, his gaze falling on Bai Yin with a mixture of scrutiny and understanding.

"Who is that old Taoist priest to you?"

Bai Yin did not answer.

His body was tense, like a fully drawn bow.

The demon core within his body circulated wildly, and a gigantic white tiger image faintly appeared in the void behind him, roaring towards the sky.

He regretted it.

It wasn't that he regretted provoking a powerful enemy, but rather that he regretted putting Xiao Jiu in danger.

The woman in green in front of him was incredibly intimidating.

The feeling was like facing a vast and boundless starry sky; no matter how much he roared, he couldn't shake the other side in the slightest.

If a fight really breaks out, he might fight to the death, but what about Xiao Jiu?

She is currently weak and her cultivation has not recovered. Even the slightest aftershock of a battle could injure her.

Cold sweat trickled down Bai Yin's temples.

He took a half step back without making a sound, using his body to completely block Su Xiaojiu.

At this moment, Indra also stood up.

As a demon emperor, if someone comes knocking on my door and I don't offer any response, where will I put my face?

Golden light surged around him, and the phantoms of nine lion heads loomed behind him, instantly enveloping the entire private room with a terrifying imperial aura.

"Insolence! How dare you speak to..."

"Shut up."

Tianpeng interrupted him calmly.

She gave Su Xiaojiu, who was hiding behind Bai Yin, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes.

I can't see through it.

It's completely unfathomable.

In this world, the only people she can't see through are those few reclusive old monsters and those who possess great karma.

If we force our way in today, we risk incurring karmic entanglements that are difficult to resolve.

Besides, this little tiger is the old Taoist's disciple. Even if we don't respect the monk, we should respect the Buddha. If we really kill him, that crazy old man will go berserk, and the Heavenly Demon Dynasty will probably be turned upside down.

"Walk."

Tianpeng stood up and straightened his skirt.

Emperor Shitian was taken aback, and his aura instantly dissipated by more than half.

"Senior sister, this..."

I said let's go.

Tianpeng's voice remained calm, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.

She glanced at Bai Yin one last time, then at Su Xiaojiu, a meaningful smile curving her lips.

"The green hills remain unchanged, the clear waters flow on. Little tiger, protect those behind you. The storms of this land have only just begun."

Before he could finish speaking...

The space inside the private room was slightly distorted.

The two figures swayed like reflections in water for a moment, then vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the aroma of wine and a mess.

Bai Yin maintained his defensive posture for a full dozen breaths.

Only after confirming that the two terrifying auras had completely disappeared did he breathe a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had been pulled out of the water, his back already soaked in cold sweat.

"It's alright now."

A cool hand touched his back.

Su Xiaojiu peeked out from behind him, looking at the empty room with a thoughtful expression in her eyes.

Bai Yin turned around, grabbed her hand, and the force was so strong it hurt a little.

He looked Su Xiaojiu up and down, making sure she wasn't missing a single hair, before asking in a trembling voice, "Were you scared?"

Seeing his still-shaken appearance, Su Xiaojiu's heart melted completely.

He was terrified just now, his legs were trembling when facing a powerhouse of that level, but he still stood in front of her immediately.

That silly tiger.

"I wasn't scared."

Su Xiaojiu pulled her hand away, then grabbed his rough, large hand in return, gently scratching his palm with her fingertips.

"It's a pity that we didn't finish that pot of fine wine."

Bai Yin was stunned for a moment.

Seeing her carefree smile, his tense nerves finally relaxed.

"I'll go buy some more."

He said in a muffled voice, his tone carrying a hint of relief at surviving a close call.

"Buy this restaurant, and you can drink as much as you want."

Su Xiaojiu burst out laughing.

She tiptoed and reached out to ruffle Bai Yin's messy white hair.

"Okay, then I'll stick with you from now on. Don't cry if I eat you out of house and home."

Bai Yin let her wreak havoc on his head; his fierce eyes now held only a gentle reflection.

"You won't go broke from eating too much."

He said it seriously.

"I'll catch lots of fish and lots of wild boars. If that's still not enough..."

He glanced in the direction where the two men had disappeared, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"I'll go and rob it."

Su Xiaojiu laughed even harder.

She knew that the silly tiger was serious.

The wind blowing in from outside the window dispersed the smoke and dust inside the room.

The night in the demon city seemed even deeper that day.