Jiang Huai was about to depart.
In the hazy, drizzling early morning, he had made preparations to pilot his Spirit Boat to the Fox Clan. However, Bai Jin felt a bit uneasy, so she and Bai Li boarded the Spirit Boat together with Jiang Huai, heading to the Fox Clan’s territory.
Half a day later, the scorching sun of the Fox Clan made Jiang Huai feel dizzy. He had already arrived above the Fox Clan. Bai Jin then led him directly through the Fox Clan’s Imperial City and into the imperial palace.
At this moment, the Fox Emperor Su Qiang was overseeing the refining of Spirit Medicine using Pill Formations. The pills were clearly effective, dispelling the gloom that had clouded her brow for days. In the sweltering weather, she wore a long, deep red, belted dress that accentuated her slender waist, making her appear graceful and alluring. Beneath the skirt hem, her delicate lotus feet rested on the ground, unstained by dust.
Sensing Bai Jin’s aura, she raised her eyes to look at her.
Jiang Huai took out the letter of introduction that Jiang Zhi had given him. Su Qiang raised her hand, and the letter flew into her palm. After sensing the familiar spiritual energy imprint within the envelope and reading the words on it, her eyes looked at Jiang Huai with surprise.
“Why do you know that Senior?”
“It’s fate,” Jiang Huai replied softly.
Bai Jin turned her gaze to Su Qiang. Su Qiang glanced at her calmly, knowing what she was about to say. So, she spoke first, “Rest assured, I bear no ill will towards him, nor would I be so petty as to harm him in the Secret Realm. Since he is acquainted with that Senior, I will naturally do my best to protect him. There’s no need for you to speak.”
Su Qiang’s tone was indifferent, yet her words were convincing. Bai Jin said no more. She retracted her previous coldness and pride, her voice softening considerably, “Thank you for your trouble.”
“You’re welcome,” Su Qiang waved her hand, then issued a polite dismissal. The two clans had always been at odds, and Bai Jin naturally had no reason to linger. Before parting, Bai Li leaned in and nuzzled against Jiang Huai. Standing on tiptoes, Jiang Huai obediently lowered his head, allowing her to gently kiss his forehead.
The figures of the two women soon disappeared from sight. Jiang Huai turned around and looked at the Fox Emperor Su Qiang, who was overseeing the operation of the Pill Formations.
The method of operating Pill Formations was very simple. Jiang Huai’s original intention in developing it was for convenience and speed, allowing for automated pill refining, suitable for lazy people like himself who preferred to reap without sowing.
Most ordinary alchemists improved their understanding of pills, their precise control of Pill Fire, and their proficiency through repeated trials. Jiang Huai seemed to have a talent for alchemy, so he didn’t pay much attention to these aspects.
At this moment, the Pill Formations were suspended in mid-air, along with the tempered Spirit Medicine. Pills tumbled out, falling into a bamboo basket beside them. Su Qiang turned around, her eyes gazing at him with a cool clarity.
Initially, Jiang Huai felt an inexplicable unease. After all, their meeting at the Snake Clan a few days prior had not been pleasant. But upon reflection, Jiang Huai felt he hadn’t done anything wrong, so he straightened his back, no longer feeling guilty.
After a moment of eye contact, a hint of astonishment and clarity suddenly appeared in Su Qiang’s eyes, as if she had suddenly understood something. She looked directly at Jiang Huai, “The Heavenly Punishment on the Monster Clan has disappeared, is it related to you?”
Jiang Huai shook his head.
But a moment later, Su Qiang figured it out herself and said, “That Senior took action, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“She has no ties to the Snake Clan, so there was no reason for her to act on their behalf. Even for someone of her stature, resolving the Heavenly Punishment would not be difficult… Why was she willing to act for you?”
Jiang Huai did not answer.
Su Qiang’s reasoning was simple. She knew that Bai Jin could not have suddenly gained the ability to resolve the Snake Clan’s Heavenly Punishment. She had been in the Ninth Realm for much longer than Bai Jin and had found no solution until now. However, ever since Jiang Huai arrived at the Snake Clan, the Heavenly Punishment had disappeared. Therefore, she naturally linked it to Jiang Huai. But Jiang Huai was merely a junior cultivating the Overlord Art. However, he had obtained that Senior’s letter of introduction. If he had asked that Senior to act… then everything made sense.
She knew that Senior because she owed her a favor when she was breaking through to the Ninth Realm. But that Senior had never asked her for anything. Only recently had she finally had an opportunity to repay the favor, and she dared not be negligent. But thinking about all this now, Su Qiang suddenly became somewhat agitated.
If she could get him to ask that Senior to act again, to seek a chance of survival for the Fox Clan as well… She didn’t greedily ask for the Heavenly Punishment to be completely resolved, just to temporarily alleviate the current drought for a while. But looking at Jiang Huai, she didn’t know how to ask.
Su Qiang had lived for many, many years. She hadn’t just lived in the Western Region’s Fox Clan; she had also traveled in the human world for a hundred years and had some understanding of humans. They were mostly insidious and cunning, but there were also fools who were willing to rush forward to uphold so-called morality and customs. Was the Jiang Huai before her one of them?
To understand a person’s habits is to comprehend their weaknesses. To comprehend their weaknesses is to be able to exploit them at will.
She turned to a stone table nearby, sat on a wooden chair, and after a moment, used her spiritual energy to move another chair to face him. Looking at the still-standing Jiang Huai, she said softly, “Sit.”
Jiang Huai approached the wooden chair and sat down properly.
Across from him, Su Qiang crossed her legs beneath her skirt. Her calves under the skirt were shapely and fair, her ankles slender, and her white and tender little feet were slightly raised. From Jiang Huai’s perspective, he could clearly see the smooth, tender soles of her feet, appearing soft and smooth as if coated in pearl powder, enticing.
However, eyes are the most revealing of one’s heart.
As Little Huai, who had secretly gazed at Chu Xianning’s white and tender little feet for many years, Jiang Huai had long learned how to properly conceal his gaze, appearing to be a gentleman. He sat upright, his posture proper and obedient, his eyes showing no signs of straying.
The Fox Emperor Su Qiang’s eyes were no longer as cold as they had been. Instead, a hint of softness inexplicably appeared. The reason for this softness was obvious. Jiang Huai hesitated for a moment, then softly said, “I happen to have some connection with that Senior, so she was able to help me this time. But there will be no next opportunity.”
Jiang Huai clearly noticed Su Qiang’s sudden change in expression. He could guess what she was about to say, so he had to distance himself quickly. Occasionally, he would let his saintly heart run wild. Thinking of the many demons in the Fox Clan suffering in dire straits, he would feel a little pity. If it only meant being humiliated by Jiang Zhi’s white and tender little feet a dozen times, Jiang Huai wouldn’t mind too much.
After all, after only two days of rest, his Super Overlord Art had restored his vitality. But what truly worried Jiang Huai was not being humiliated by Jiang Zhi, but… he and Jiang Zhi were not related, so why would Jiang Zhi be so kind to him? This inexplicable goodwill, besides making Jiang Huai genuinely feel indebted, also gave him a sense of unease.
After all, the unknown was the most terrifying.
And it was clear that Jiang Zhi did not want him to trouble her again, so Jiang Huai could only answer this way.
Su Qiang seemed to vaguely sense that Jiang Huai’s words were not as firm as they sounded.
“Is that so?” Su Qiang replied thoughtfully, with a hint of regret in her eyes. In Jiang Huai’s sight, her white and tender little feet seemed to unconsciously sway slightly. A moment later, it drew Jiang Huai’s gaze to shift for a second before she asked, as if chatting about everyday matters, “As a human from the Eastern Region, why are you in the Western Region with the Fox Clan and engaged to the Grand Princess of the Snake Clan?”
Jiang Huai explained his encounter with Bai Li concisely and informed Fox Emperor Su Qiang of what he was looking for in the Fan Hua Secret Realm: the Snow Lotus.
The Fan Hua Secret Realm was the tomb of an ancient demon. It happened to be within the territory of the Western Region’s Fox Clan. It opened periodically, and the Fox Clan would send cultivators under sixty years old to explore it. It was a high-level secret realm with abundant resources, but also considerable dangers.
“With your cultivation of the fifth level of the Overlord Art, you might not be enough in the Fan Hua Secret Realm.”
“I will be very careful,” Jiang Huai replied softly.
“Bai Jin is in the Ninth Realm. Her Primordial Milk should have nurtured some development. Why hasn’t she personally fed it to you to improve your cultivation?”
Each level of the Overlord Art’s progression represented a qualitative leap for a cultivator.
“This…” Jiang Huai hesitated for a moment, then replied obediently, “As a human from the Eastern Region, I find it a bit difficult to accept.”
“She will be half your mother in the future. How can you not accept it?”
“Personal reasons,” Jiang Huai replied. Su Qiang didn’t press further, merely saying softly, “You have no cultivation, relying solely on the fifth level of the Overlord Art to venture alone in the Fan Hua Secret Realm. You have clearly underestimated the dangers within. I will have my daughter, Qingyi, accompany you to protect you.”
Jiang Huai was suddenly flattered.
This time, he didn’t intend to refuse. He wasn’t so arrogant as to believe he would be absolutely safe in the secret realm. If he had a companion with far higher cultivation to explore with, the two of them would naturally be much safer than one. Moreover, Su Qingyi was from the Fox Clan and clearly knew more about the Fan Hua Secret Realm than he did. However, this sudden kindness made Jiang Huai hesitate again.
Where do so many good things that fall from the sky come from?
Su Qiang naturally noticed the hesitation in Jiang Huai’s eyes. After a moment, she said softly, “I have some connection with that Senior, and it can be considered a favor I owe her. You don’t need to worry about it. Later, I will summon Qingyi, and you can get acquainted. I only ask that when you see that Senior again, you speak a few good words for my Fox Clan in front of her.”
Jiang Huai nodded, “Then thank you, Senior.”
Su Qiang tilted her chin slightly, and her eyes truly looked into his, asking softly, “I haven’t yet asked your name?”
“Junior Jiang Huai, mentored by Chu Xianning.”
