Talulah, I'm still a child.

"Please allow me to leave the city."

"reason."

The imperial astronomer raised his head, his eyes filled with unwavering determination that left no room for doubt.

"When a natural disaster strikes, if we could predict its location, speed, and scale in advance, the people could evacuate to the safest place in time. However, the observation center in Yumen is already too late. Please allow me to go out of the city to collect data."

"I won't allow it."

Zuo Xuanliao knew exactly what the other party was thinking: investigate the natural disaster? It was indeed feasible, but the messenger team he had sent out had not yet replied. Everyone knew that danger lurked outside. Even if he could send the message back remotely, Yumen would be closed immediately. It would never be opened just because of him. If the natural disaster struck, he would have no chance of survival.

"General!"

"Stop talking. I know what you mean, but we'll still need your help when natural disasters strike. Go down."

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zuo Le wanted to ease the tension but didn't know how to start. The matter was actually quite simple, because Mei Xue was there. To put it bluntly, even natural disasters were nothing special in front of him.

They had agreed that if it weren't for the people and the land of Great Yan, the fox spirit wouldn't interfere too much in the development of Great Yan, and wouldn't let Great Yan remain a child in its cradle.

Yumen's attitude toward this matter determined Meixue's view of Da Yan.

"General!"

Just as everyone was deep in thought, a centurion rushed over, not even bothering to greet the Grand Tutor and Wei Yanwu.

"What's the matter that's causing such a panic?"

"Heroine! Heroine is back!"

Which female knight-errant?

Zuo Xuanliao was deep in thought and couldn't think of a few female warriors for the time being.

"She was the heroine who guarded the frontier with you, Master, Master Meng, and our brothers twenty years ago!"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Xuanliao dropped the document in his hand to the ground, and the centurion quickly continued speaking.

"The heroine brought quite a few people with her this time, including all the messengers we sent out, not one of them is missing!!"

There's always a way out. Zuo Xuanliao suddenly understood the meaning of this saying, and his eyes suddenly became a little moist. But it wasn't just because he heard that the messenger team was safe and sound; there was also a sense of joy at the reunion with an old friend.

Chapter 42 Mei Xue's renewed urging to get married

Ordinary fortune telling, predicting marriage.

The words were written on a strip of cloth, and a handsome but aloof man sat in front of a fortune-telling stall. Business was slow; there was no one else there except Eureka.

“The young lady’s fate is truly rare. Hiss… Three evil stars have gathered in the cauldron, and she is shrouded in black energy. Unless a fox spirit intervenes, there is no cure for her.”

The fortune teller was also terrified by Eureka's bad luck. She drew the worst lot eight times in a row. He even watched as Eureka's wallet casually fell out and into the sewer. Then the girl gave him a "I knew it would happen again" look and said seriously that there was nothing in the wallet. She had learned from her bad luck.

"I heard you even joined the Fox Spirit Cult, but even that didn't help..."

The Fox Fairy Cult is the largest religion in the Great Yan Kingdom. Over the past thousand years, the Great Yan Kingdom has bestowed many divine titles upon Mei Xue, so much so that almost every business can be associated with the little fox. Naturally, it has a large number of believers. In fact, many students have joined the Fox Fairy Cult to increase their chances of guessing the right answer on multiple-choice questions. This has even forced the Great Yan government to consider removing multiple-choice questions from the national exam papers.

"Then sir, does this mean I'm doomed to be unlucky for the rest of my life?"

"Well... I can't say."

Even this expressionless face couldn't hold back anymore. Where did this cursed star come from? No, how did this girl even survive until now?

"Okay, actually I pretty much know that it's a miracle I'm still alive. Sir, could you please tell me about my career and marriage?"

Eureka couldn't help but rub her hands together. Needless to say, she had changed jobs countless times, and she had a feeling that she might lose this job as well.

As for marriage, needless to say, Eureka herself felt it was unfair. She had a great figure, was strong and beautiful. Although she couldn't be called a gentle and virtuous wife, she was definitely a very charming person. Just because she was unlucky and often embarrassed herself, no one wanted her.

"Hmm, judging from the young lady's appearance, she must have frequent job changes. As for marriage... as far as I can see, the only way for her to overcome her misfortune is to find a person with strong luck to marry and rely on that person's luck to wash away her bad luck."

"really?"

Eureka was almost stunned by the news; it was truly a blessing from heaven. However, the fortune teller waved his hand, indicating that it wasn't that simple.

"But in doing so, the other party's originally strong fortune will also be damaged, for example, they will go from being royalty to ordinary commoners."

"Ah, this..."

"But it's different if it's with a fox spirit."

"...Is it possible to marry a fox spirit?"

Although she had only been in Da Yan for a short time, Eureka herself was a member of the Fox Spirit Cult. She knew best the status of the Fox Spirits in the hearts of the people of Da Yan. If you said something bad about the imperial court or some official on the street, people would at most think you were cynical or had encountered some unpleasantness. But if you dared to speak ill of the Fox Spirits, you would be arrested the next second. First, they would check if you were a foreigner, and then conduct a series of tests to determine if you had any mental problems.

If neither of these applies, the Great Yan government will investigate your background to see if you are a bandit or something, and the people will absolutely cooperate with the investigation.

Is it even possible to marry a fox spirit like this?

"Of course, it is possible. In fact, every five hundred years, the Great Yan Dynasty will select a bride for the fox spirit. Adhering to the principle of voluntary participation, the selected bride will not be granted an official title or rank, but she will enjoy considerable fame and status in the Great Yan Dynasty and will have no worries about food and clothing. Of course, as the bride of the fox spirit, she will receive blessings and her good fortune will far surpass that of ordinary people. Moreover, this is not a real marriage. The bride is still free and can go wherever she wants. However, she cannot remarry from then on."

"Where can I register?"

Eureka's eyes lit up. Where else could she find such a good thing? It could improve her luck and she wouldn't have to worry about being bound to someone for life.

"What bad luck! It's said that the fox fairy bride has already been chosen. You're late, Miss."

Perhaps this is just a sign of bad luck; Eureka was almost in tears. What kind of situation is this?

"Boss, do you accept orders here?"

Unbeknownst to the two, a delicate, fair hand gently rested on the fortune-telling stall, holding a wine cup containing a piece of jet-black jade.

Upon seeing them and the owner of that hand, the fortune teller's expression changed repeatedly before finally turning cold again.

Eureka certainly saw Mei Xue too, but she remembered that the last time she saw the little fox, he didn't have so many tails. How come he suddenly... damn it!

Mei Xue's face gradually overlapped with the statue enshrined in the fox spirit temple in her memory. Eureka was so surprised that she almost fell to the ground, but luckily Mei Xue caught her in time.

"It's been a long time, Sister Eureka."

"Fox...Fox Fairy."

One second she was planning to be someone's bride, but now Eureka seemed to be stuttering a bit. As a follower of the Fox Fairy Cult, when she joined the cult, they gave her a copy of the latest edition of "The Legend of the Fox Fairy". After reading it, she felt that a lot of it was made up, but some of it clearly stated at the end that it was based on a true story and even listed the people involved, such as a certain tutor from many years ago.

"Excuse me, I'd like to have a chat with this fortune teller. As for Sister Eureka... well, we're quite destined to meet. Sister, please wait for me at the Jade Gate Inn."

Upon hearing this, Eureka felt that his bad luck was about to be saved. His eyes lit up and he ran towards the Jade Gate Inn. Mei Xue pulled over a small stool and sat down. The passersby seemed to ignore them, but subconsciously chose to avoid this corner.

"I thought you would hide from me."

With her tail wagging gently, Mei Xue's pose, resting her chin on her hand, was undeniably adorable and heart-melting. However, for the fortune teller in front of him, the last thing he wanted was to confront Mei Xue right now.

"What, Liu'er doesn't want to see me?"

Jiang Liuer was a name the little fox casually gave to the other person. Mei Xue remembered that when she named him, she had told him too many stories about Go prodigies, so he insisted on having this name. As for the one that Jie got, it was used later.

“It’s been a long time, Father.”

The second agent of the Year Beast, Yi, at least that's how he refers to himself now, not using the name given by Mei Xue, nor the courtesy name given by his sister.

He was arrogant, conceited, and even conceited, but like Chongyue and others, he had an innate fear of Mei Xue, not intense, but definitely profound.

Moreover, he had calculated everything under heaven, except for Mei Xue, who was a variable. If the mundane world were a game of chess, he would be the chess player, idly betting against the Grand Tutor. He didn't really care who the opponent was, since he would always be the one to win in the end.

But all of this is based on Mei Xue not interfering. It's like a child playing games outside. No matter how accurately he throws the beanbag or how well he climbs trees, when his mother comes over with a thin branch or bamboo stick, he will still understand who is the real master.

"Divide yourself into more than a hundred parts... Should I not have told you the story of Voldemort? Honestly, why did I have so many strange stories in my head back then?"

Mei Xue felt that this child was a major failure in her educational career, but oh well, he's already so old, she couldn't just hit him directly, she had to save him some face.

"That period was the happiest time of my life in over a thousand years."

"That's good. I've always been worried that I'm not a good enough parent."

“Apart from your height, you are perfect as a guardian.”

"...I suddenly feel that it would be better to eliminate you here."

The little fox pulled a Destruction Mushroom from its tail, seemingly with an urge to destroy this stain on its life. Of course, this was just a joke; Mei Xue still had to consider the common people.

“Yi, that’s your name now, but I remember you’re not just someone who inherited the art of chess.”

The Year Beast manifests as twelve people, each representing a aspect of the Great Yan culture: Year's forging, Xi's painting, Jie's calligraphy, Ling's poetry, and Chongyue's martial arts, but Yi and the others are slightly different.

"You told me back then that you would ask me which one I would choose."

"Yes, I remember you saying, 'Kids make choices, adults want it all,' and then you chose to study."

Learning, constantly learning from failures, and drawing on the strengths of many sources—only through continuous learning can one become stronger. As for the time required for learning? Yi has no shortage of time.

"I found it strange from the start. Sister Ya Zi is seriously injured and usually falls into a deep sleep to recuperate. It seems that you were the one who woke her up. Are you also involved with the Mountain and Sea Clan?"

"It's all just a game of chess."

"I see, then okay."

Seeing that Mei Xue seemed unwilling to get involved in the matter, Yi felt a little relieved. Even though he had been by Mei Xue's side since childhood, he dared not say that he could definitely guess what she was thinking. The little fox's thoughts were not complicated, but extremely changeable.

Looking at Yi's cold face and slightly arrogant eyes, Mei Xue couldn't help but worry about a problem.

When are you going to find a partner?

This sudden pressure to get married left Yi at a loss. What the heck?

"My older brother..."

"I've got this jade in my hands now, what do you think?"

Mei Xue rolled her eyes, causing Yi to break down for the first time. His expression turned very strange. It really felt really weird to be pressured to get married by Mei Xue.

Meanwhile, Chongyue on the other side had a similar feeling. Reuniting with old friends should have been a joyous occasion, and the fact that the messenger team from the Jade Gate Disaster was safe and sound made it even more joyous. How did it turn out like this?

"Oh dear, Chongyue, why do you still look so carefree? I thought you had found a partner after all these years."

Most people in Yumen have heard of this female knight-errant who guarded the frontier with the Grandmaster and others more than 20 years ago, but they don't know her name. Her surname is Bai and her given name is Ruoshui. It's a nice-sounding but common name, so it's normal not to remember it.

Chongyue remembered it, as did Zuo Xuanliao and Meng Tieyi. But they never expected that more than 20 years later, the other party was not only alive and kicking, but also looked exactly the same.

"How about it, why don't you just settle for me?"

Bai Ruoshui's words completely drowned out Ling's toasting, silencing everyone, including Nian and the Grand Tutor.

What did that female knight just say?

"Over the past twenty years, I have helped them settle down in a place outside, intending to watch them grow up. I never expected that I would be saved by the fox spirit and live to this day. The thought that I have never been married makes me feel somewhat resentful."

Despite her name suggesting a delicate girl, Bai Ruoshui is more forthright and outspoken than most people in the martial arts world, always expressing her true feelings.