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

The bell of the Supreme Forgetfulness Sect rang nine times.

The square was already packed with people. Thousands of outer disciples, a dark mass, were all eager to fight, their eyes wide open, staring at the old men on the high platform.

Today is a big day.

Inner selection.

Once you enter the inner sect, it's like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. You'll have plenty of pills and can choose any cultivation technique you want. When you go out, just announcing your name will scare several rogue cultivators to death.

Chen Xuan stood at the very back of the crowd, a white woolen dumpling tucked into his arms.

Su Chang'an was still asleep, its head nestled in Chen Xuan's arms, its tail tip occasionally brushing against the back of Chen Xuan's hand.

"quiet."

On the high platform, the Grand Elder took a step forward.

The sound wasn't loud, but it made everyone's eardrums buzz.

The square fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

"This selection process consists of two stages."

Without further ado, the Grand Elder waved his hand, and a huge light screen map appeared in mid-air.

"The first stage, the Floating Pagoda Secret Realm. It lasts for three days. Hunt demonic beasts, collect spiritual herbs, and rank participants according to their contribution points. The top one hundred will advance."

"The second stage is the Ascension Platform. One hundred people will compete, and the winner will be baptized in the Supreme Dragon Transformation Pool and formally become an inner disciple."

The crowd erupted in a frenzy.

"The Floating Pagoda Secret Realm? Isn't that where demonic cultivators used to be imprisoned?"

"I heard the monsters inside have mutated and are incredibly ferocious!"

"What's there to be afraid of! Fortune favors the bold. If I could get my hands on a hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Grass, I'd be set for life!"

Su Chang'an was woken up by the noise.

She poked her head out, her two paws gripping Chen Xuan's collar, squinting at the light screen in the sky.

"The Floating Pagoda Secret Realm..."

She muttered something.

This name sounds unlucky.

Just then, the mechanical voice that had been feigning death in my mind suddenly came back to life.

[Ding! Special energy fluctuation detected.]

[Target Location: Deep within the Floating Pagoda Realm.]

[Target Item: Fragments of the remnant soul of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan.]

[Mission issued: Recover remnant souls.]

[Reward: Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox's essence restored by 30%, unlocking permanent humanoid form (not a trial card).]

Su Chang'an's previously dazed eyes widened instantly.

Permanent humanoid form!

No more being used as a ball? No more being grabbed by the scruff of the neck and thrown around? No more having to rely on gnawing to get chicken dinners?

"go!"

Su Chang'an slapped Chen Xuan's chest with his paw, almost jumping up in excitement, "Chen Xuan, we absolutely have to go to this secret realm! Anyone who tries to stop us will be furious!"

Chen Xuan glanced down at her and pressed her flailing hand back down.

"I was going anyway."

He came here to enter the inner sect, for the sake of the Supreme Dragon Transformation Pool.

It is said that the pool water can cleanse the body, so it's perfect for this fox to take a bath and get rid of its laziness.

"No, I mean, we have to get first place! We have to take all the good stuff inside!" Su Chang'an's eyes lit up, and he was practically drooling. "There's a treasure inside that's very important to me... to us!"

Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow.

What has that greedy fox smelled this time?

"it is good."

He agreed readily.

Take it if she wants it.

Even if it were a star in the sky, he would find a way to pluck it down for her to use as a ball.

(Your uncle spoils her, doesn't he?)

"Portal open!"

The elder shouted loudly, his hands changing into hand seals.

In the center of the square, space violently distorted, tearing open a huge black rift.

A cold wind blew out from inside, carrying a smell of blood and decay.

Many of the more timid disciples turned pale and their calves began to cramp.

"Those who are afraid of dying can still back out now!"

Nobody moved.

Cultivating immortality is a dangerous business that involves risking your life. If you don't even have that awareness, what kind of immortality are you trying to achieve?

"Charge!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd surged toward the crack like a tidal wave.

Chen Xuan didn't rush to make a move.

He slowly tightened the cloak around his neck, wrapping Su Chang'an up completely, leaving only his eyes exposed.

"pay close attention."

He whispered something in Su Chang'an's ear.

Then, touch the ground with your toes.

He transformed into a blur, leaping over the crowded people ahead and plunging headfirst into the dark crevice.

The feeling of weightlessness hits instantly.

Everything was pitch black, and all I could hear was the howling wind.

Chen Xuan kept his hand on Su Chang'an's head, holding her tightly in his arms.

"Bang!"

Both feet landed on the ground.

The ground was soft and damp.

Before Chen Xuan could even get a good look at his surroundings, a foul stench hit him.

"roar--"

Three black wolves, each the size of a calf, were surrounding him, baring their fangs and drool dripping from their mouths.

The Iron-Backed Gray Wolf is a demonic beast at the peak of the Knocking Gate Realm.

This monster has thick skin and poisonous claws, and it prefers to hunt in groups.

Such a generous gift right after landing?

Chen Xuan didn't even lift his eyelids.

He didn't even draw his sword.

With his left hand still firmly holding Su Chang'an, he casually flicked his right index and middle fingers forward.

"laugh--"

An invisible sword aura shot out.

The wolf at the very front, which had just pounced into the air, was still charging forward, but its head had already been severed.

Blood gushed out and splattered all over the ground.

The remaining two wolves were stunned for a moment, clearly not realizing how their companion had suddenly died.

In that moment of distraction...

Chen Xuan took a step forward.

This step landed squarely on the nose of the wolf on the left.

"Click."

The sound of bones breaking is crisp and pleasant.

The wolf didn't even have time to howl before its head was stomped into the mud. Its body twitched twice and then went still.

The last wolf finally got scared.

It tucked its tail between its legs and tried to run away.

Chen Xuan beckoned with his finger.

A dead branch flew up from the ground like an arrow, instantly piercing the wolf's throat.

The three-headed knocking-at-the-door demon beast.

In the blink of an eye, they were all wiped out.

Chen Xuan patted off non-existent dust from his clothes, his expression as calm as if he had just casually swatted a few flies.

"Come out, it's alright now."

He released his hand that was protecting Su Chang'an.

Su Chang'an emerged from his cloak, looked at the three wolf carcasses on the ground, and clicked his tongue twice.

"What a waste of money!"

She jumped to the ground and circled the wolves. "These wolf pelts are still intact; they could fetch a good price. Couldn't you have been a little gentler? Why did you have to make them all bloody?"

As she spoke, she skillfully pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from somewhere and started cracking them open.

"Click, click."

In this blood-soaked wasteland, the sound seemed particularly abrupt.

Chen Xuan ignored her complaints, bent down to dig out the demon cores, and casually tossed them into his storage bag.

"Let's go."

He scooped Su Chang'an up again and tucked him back into his arms. "The smell of blood here is too strong and will cause more trouble."

Su Chang'an found a comfortable position in his arms, cracking sunflower seeds while mumbling a lecture:

"Son, I'm not trying to be mean, but your swordsmanship is too violent; it has no beauty whatsoever."

"Look at the sword immortals in those folk tales, aren't they all dressed in flowing white robes, their swords flashing like the wind, killing without drawing blood?"

"With your constant threats of beheading and stomping on faces, what girl would dare marry you?"

"Even though we're poor, we still need to maintain a certain air about us, understand?"

Chen Xuan paused in his steps.

He looked down at the chattering fox in his arms.

She still had sunflower seed shells stuck to her lips, her eyes were bright and sparkling, and her face was full of "I'm thinking of you" expressions.

married?

girl?

Chen Xuan sneered inwardly.

This woman really never forgets to find him another woman.

Is he really that unpopular with her?

Chen Xuan suddenly didn't want to leave.

He turned around and pressed Su Chang'an against the trunk of a dead tree next to him.

The movement was a bit too forceful, and Su Chang'an scattered the melon seeds all over the ground.

"Oh no! My sunflower seeds!"

Just as Su Chang'an was about to call out, he looked up and met Chen Xuan's dark and deep eyes.

There was none of the usual submissiveness, nor the feigned obedience in it.

There was only one kind of aggressiveness that made her uneasy.

"What...what are you doing?"

Su Chang'an shrank back, his back pressed against the rough tree bark. "In broad daylight, you want to kill your father?"

Chen Xuan remained silent.

He slowly moved closer until their noses were almost touching.

Su Chang'an could even feel his warm breath spraying on his face.

"Can't find a wife?"

Chen Xuan repeated her words, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a hint of barely perceptible danger.

Su Chang'an blinked, a little confused.

How come this kid suddenly got it?

Something's off about this vibe!

"Well... well, that's not what I meant..." Su Chang'an chuckled awkwardly, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. "What I meant was, you should smile more, don't always have that long face, like someone owes you a fortune..."

"Can't find it."

Chen Xuan interrupted her rambling.

He reached out a hand and gently pinched Su Chang'an's furry ear, kneading it with his fingertips.

Su Chang'an trembled all over, and half of his body went limp.

That unfilial son!

Don't you know you shouldn't touch a fox's ears?

"Never mind if you can't find it."

Chen Xuan looked at her flushed cheeks, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

That smile contained three parts playfulness and seven parts seriousness.

"What if we really can't find it..."

He leaned close to Su Chang'an's ear, his voice as soft as a feather brushing against her heart.

"Just give me one."

Su Chang'an's mind exploded with a "boom".

Compensation...compensation for one?

What are you going to compensate?

daughter in law?

Is this guy flirting with her?

Is this still the same silly boy who would follow her around calling her "Dad" and be completely fooled by her?

Before she could react, Chen Xuan had already straightened up and resumed his cold and aloof demeanor.

He tucked the stunned Su Chang'an back into his arms and strode forward.

"Hold on tight."

"There's something big ahead."

Su Chang'an huddled inside the cloak, covering his burning ears with his paws, his heart pounding wildly.

It’s over.

This rebellious son seems to have really gone astray.

And it's way too crooked.

That look in his eyes just now clearly meant he wanted to devour her!

"System! System!"

Su Chang'an screamed inwardly, "Has this kid been possessed? This isn't how the script is going! What happened to the loving father and filial son?"

The system didn't respond at all; it was completely playing dead.

Su Chang'an sighed and secretly peeked at Chen Xuan's chin through the gap in his cloak.

The lines are strong and the angles are distinct.

He is indeed a man now.

"You'll pay me back my ass!"

Su Chang'an cursed under his breath, grabbed a nut, and took a big bite.

It was as if they were treating Chen Xuan like a nut, biting into it with a crunchy sound.

Hearing the sounds from his arms, Chen Xuan's smile deepened.

Will they compensate or not?

It's not up to you.

Since we've provoked him, and since we've raised him, that's all.

Then you have to take full responsibility.

In this life and the next, you can't escape.

"roar--"

A deafening roar came from afar, and the ground trembled slightly.

Chen Xuan raised his head and looked into the depths of the wasteland.

A beam of red light shot into the sky.

That was the aura of the remnant soul of the nine-tailed fox.

"Walk."

Chen Xuan gripped the broken sword in his hand, his figure flashing like lightning as he rushed towards the red light.

No matter what kind of den of dragons and tigers lies ahead.

Anything she wants.

He will kill any god or Buddha who stands in his way.

"Breaking the Formation: The Broken Sword Protects the Spirit Fox in the Wasteland"

Blood stains the desolate altar, leaving it empty; a broken sword lies across the autumn sky, slaying the demon's trace.

Red powder and skulls are all illusions, only the white fox remains in my arms.

The rebellious disciple domineeringly protects his beloved, angrily pointing his sword at his fellow disciples.

Do not say that the path to immortality is lonely, for the sound of one’s ancestors carries boundless meaning.