Su Qingyi was tossing and turning within the cave.
Jiang Huai remembered the pain of the fourth level of the Overlord Art, where flames ignited the skin. He initially wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
Scorching flames erupted from Su Qingyi’s skin. These flames did not burn her, but they consumed her dress entirely. Jiang Huai smelled the scent of burning but remained motionless, huddled in a corner, quietly watching her, helpless.
He suddenly felt an indescribable sorrow, as if he was beginning to understand Su Qingyi’s predicament. Who would be born with a penchant for pain? A craving for pain was merely a form of self-protection, a struggle against powerlessness. The Monster Clan suffered Heavenly Punishment, their situation fraught with danger. Under internal and external threats, she had to strive to the utmost to protect her clan and become their future. Not only did she have to lead the clan through internal strife, but she also had to contend with the Heavenly Way.
Jiang Huai sat in the corner of the cave, quietly watching Su Qingyi weep, her body convulsing. The scorching flames gradually extinguished from her skin. She lay prostrate on the bluestone of the cave, her snow-white skin occasionally trembling slightly.
Jiang Huai had initially thought that seeing the naked Fox Girl before him would stir some desire within him. However, at this moment, his heart felt inexplicably calm. Perhaps it was because he had also cultivated the Overlord Art; he empathized with her pain.
Jiang Huai stood up and walked over to Su Qingyi, extending his hand towards her.
“I… have no strength.”
But Su Qingyi couldn’t even lift her hand. Crystal clear water stains flowed from the corner of her mouth. So, Jiang Huai leaned down and gently picked her up, carrying her to the cold pool within the cave. He placed her into the frigid water. The girl’s skin was smooth and tender. He dared to do this because he understood that Su Qingyi likely wouldn’t mind.
Su Qingyi indeed didn’t seem to mind. Her body was submerged in the cold pool, only her head above the collarbone. The icy water of the cold pool slightly cooled the lingering heat in her body. Jiang Huai returned to the edge of the cave, covered himself with the quilt, and said nothing.
Her hair spread out in the water like seaweed. The cave became incredibly quiet, so still that only the sound of their breathing and heartbeats could be heard.
“The cold pool is so comfortable,” Su Qingyi said softly as she gradually regained her strength.
Jiang Huai didn’t know how to respond, so he remained silent.
“Do you want to come down and soak for a while?” Su Qingyi asked him softly.
Jiang Huai shook his head and replied in a low voice, “You soak. After you’re done, get some rest. I’ll keep watch tonight. With the Overlord Art, I don’t need to sleep for a whole night.”
“No need,” Su Qingyi shook her head.
“There’s no room for negotiation.”
Jiang Huai wouldn’t say things like “be good” or “listen” to coax children at a time like this, so his tone became a little firmer. Su Qingyi was slightly taken aback. Her cold, aloof eyes looked at him for a second, two, three seconds. After a moment, she suddenly chuckled softly.
“Alright then.”
She rose from the cold pool, her snow-white, slender body covered in water droplets. Her full, plump breasts swayed slightly. She shook off the water droplets from her fox tail. Jiang Huai emerged from the quilt, and Su Qingyi looked at him. “I didn’t bring any bedding.”
“If you don’t mind, you can use mine.”
“What’s there to mind?” Su Qingyi swayed her body lightly, shaking off the water droplets. The wind slightly blew into the cave. She stood there quietly, waiting for the wind to evaporate the water droplets on her skin. Jiang Huai closed his eyes, and darkness filled his vision.
“Why aren’t you looking at me?”
“This isn’t good.”
“What isn’t good?”
“Nothing is good.”
Su Qingyi’s soft laughter echoed in the cave. “I’ll let you look then.”
“I don’t want to look,” Jiang Huai replied firmly, closing his eyes and proudly turning his face away. But Su Qingyi moved closer to him. She leaned forward, approaching Jiang Huai. Looking at the closed-eyed Jiang Huai, she asked, “Do you dislike me because I’m not good-looking?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then look at me.”
“I won’t look,” Jiang Huai replied resolutely.
Su Qingyi couldn’t do anything about him. Seeing Jiang Huai like this, she playfully swished her fluffy fox tail across his face. Then, she snatched the quilt beside him, wrapped herself in it, and slept on the bedding Jiang Huai had prepared. She lay on her side. Jiang Huai went to the cave entrance, enjoying the gentle breeze, his gaze directed towards the deep darkness in the distance.
“Speaking of which, you’re teaching me to cultivate the Overlord Art. Then, with the competition between the Snake Clan and the Fox Clan, Bai Li will have no chance of winning against me.”
Su Qingyi was referring to the battle between the two clans a few days later. The two clans had a long-standing enmity, standing in opposition within the Monster Clan. However, because their two Ninth Realm cultivators were the last reliance of the Monster Clan, they naturally couldn’t engage in a full-scale war that would severely weaken the entire Monster Clan. Therefore, they decided that the younger generation would compete to determine the ownership of many resources within the Monster Clan.
“I will… also fight for the Snake Clan,” Jiang Huai said softly after a moment of hesitation.
This was something Bai Jin had asked him before. Since he was already engaged to Bai Li, he naturally became a part of the Snake Clan, which was somewhat justifiable under the rules. If the Fox Clan were to object, claiming he didn’t have monster blood and couldn’t participate in the competition… Jiang Huai actually had a way. His system had an uncompleted mission: [Obtain cultivation materials for the sixth level of the Overlord Art from Bai Jin]. Upon obtaining it, he would also gain a Dragon Clan bloodline, even purer than Bai Jin’s. At that time, he could transform into a half-snake, half-dragon demon.
Bai Jin had also obtained a trace of Dragon Clan bloodline through an opportunity.
“But even with you, I won’t hold back. For the Fox Clan, I can’t do that,” Su Qingyi said softly.
“Mhm, just use your full strength.”
Su Qingyi suddenly chuckled. Jiang Huai turned his head and looked at her cheek. “What are you laughing at?”
Su Qingyi guiltily averted her gaze. “Nothing.”
Jiang Huai knew what she was laughing about. It was likely that she was laughing at his overestimation of his abilities. However, it seemed that was the truth. He was currently only at the fifth level of the Overlord Art. But if Su Qingyi took another fifth-level Overlord Art pill, she would immediately reach the fifth level. At that time, even if he used all his Experience Scrolls, his cultivation level would still be a whole major realm lower than Su Qingyi’s. How could he win?
If he used that soul secret technique and the Water Moon technique, he might have a few chances of winning. But Jiang Huai didn’t want to use them on Su Qingyi. The disgusting nature of the soul secret technique was still fresh in his memory, and the Water Moon… was a sword move that he sometimes couldn’t control himself. He worried that this sword move might lead to consequences he couldn’t possibly foresee.
“I wasn’t planning on winning against you, but I might be able to defeat a couple of younger Fox Clan members and secure more resources for the Snake Clan.”
“I see,” Su Qingyi nodded gently.
As they discussed this topic, Su Qingyi suddenly realized that although she and Jiang Huai were currently in the same cave as allies exploring the secret realm, they were essentially strangers. She knew that Jiang Huai was already engaged to Princess Bai Li of the Snake Clan, and the Fox Clan and Snake Clan were like fire and water. It was likely that after leaving the secret realm, they wouldn’t be able to talk as friends like they were now.
Su Qingyi had never had friends before; Jiang Huai was the first.
“After leaving the secret realm… we won’t be able to talk like this anymore, right?” Su Qingyi suddenly murmured softly.
Jiang Huai paused slightly and looked back at her, puzzled.
“Because the Fox Clan and the Snake Clan are incompatible, we are too. So, I can’t be close to you anymore.”
“So, we are already considered close?” Jiang Huai looked at her trembling eyelashes.
Su Qingyi smiled cunningly. “You held me, naked, in your arms yesterday. Does that not count as being close?”
“Yesterday was a necessary action. Also, it seems you don’t really not mind.”
“I am from the Fox Clan, but I’m not a fool,” Su Qingyi said, tilting her chin slightly. “I understand humans quite well. I’ve read many books about humans and know a fair bit about them. I’ve always admired you humans.”
“Admired?”
“Yes,” Su Qingyi nodded gently. “Most demons admire humans because you don’t have to suffer from various natural disasters and you’re not as bloodthirsty. Often, when there are grievances, you prefer to reason things out, unlike demons who hold grudges to the death. I envy that you know various forms of alchemy, talismans, formations, and various Daoist magic. Demons don’t have much time to ponder these things; sometimes, just surviving requires all our effort.”
Jiang Huai was suddenly at a loss for words. Looking into Su Qingyi’s eyes, he said softly, “One day, you can come to the Human Clan to see. Perhaps the Human Clan isn’t as good as you imagine.”
“That will be a long, long, long, long time from now,” Su Qingyi said, repeating ‘long’ four times with a hint of helplessness. “I have to stay with the Fox Clan for a long time. Only if the Fox Clan is no longer subject to Heavenly Punishment will I have a chance to catch my breath.”
“You said ‘catch my breath’ just now?”
Su Qingyi paused for a moment, then nodded gently, giving Jiang Huai a bitter smile. “Being the Grand Princess of the Fox Clan is also very tiring.”
“I can sense that.”
“Mhm?”
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have a penchant for pain.”
“That’s true… I thought you were going to advise me not to be like this.”
“If I told you, would you listen?”
“Of course not.”
“So, it’s better not to say anything,” Jiang Huai said, looking at her with a helpless smile. Her fox tail emerged from the quilt, wagging playfully. Jiang Huai asked curiously, “What does it feel like to have your tail pinched? I remember your eyes welled up last time.”
“Because of humiliation,” Su Qingyi replied softly. “Having a stranger pinch my tail is a very humiliating thing. But if you pinch my tail now, I won’t feel wronged anymore.”
“Do you want me to pinch it?” Su Qingyi blinked at him.
“What does it feel like?”
“Last time was too humiliating, I forgot. I’ll only know after you pinch it.”
Jiang Huai looked at her fluffy, snow-white fox tail and moved closer, sitting down cross-legged. He looked at her slightly swaying tail, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and lightly grasped it. Su Qingyi’s tail stopped wagging. Her snow-white fox ears perked up high, and her body seemed to freeze for an instant.
Her tail was fluffy and soft, but now it had become incredibly stiff. Jiang Huai looked at her slightly flushed cheeks and her white and tender little feet exposed from under the quilt, her toes curled slightly. Jiang Huai asked softly, “Is it uncomfortable?”
“Not really… I’ll only know if you pinch it for a while longer. It’s strange. Let me feel it.” Su Qingyi’s voice trembled slightly. Jiang Huai had always had a low resistance to fluffy things, so he stroked down her tail a few more times, back and forth, up and down. The fluffy sensation was transmitted to his palm. He watched Su Qingyi’s now upright and stiff tail, having a great time playing with it, unaware that Su Qingyi, hidden beneath the quilt, had arched her back, her snow-white legs pressed tightly together.
By the time Jiang Huai realized it, Su Qingyi’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazy, and her expression was one he had seen countless times on Wanwan and Qingyu when they were aroused. It seemed as though if he didn’t restrain himself at this moment and thrust a few more times, a clear spring would burst forth.
He let go as if electrocuted. However, Su Qingyi’s tail intruded again, looking into his eyes. “Continue… playing with my tail. Don’t stop.”
Her voice at this moment carried a hint of spoiled pleading, but Jiang Huai felt more strongly the arrogant command in her eyes. These two emotions clashed, and Jiang Huai recoiled. “No.”
“Didn’t you… have fun just now…?”
“I, I didn’t notice your reaction…”
“Play for a little longer, I’m almost…” Su Qingyi brought her fingertips to her lips, biting them gently with her snow-white teeth. Her eyes were now glistening with a watery sheen as she looked at his face. “Just a little bit more…”
Her legs were clamped tightly together, and she squirmed restlessly.
“Then, can’t you just pinch your own tail?”
“Pinching myself and having someone else pinch it… are naturally different,” Su Qingyi looked at Jiang Huai’s timid appearance. “You’re unwilling?”
“Unwilling,” Jiang Huai shook his head, as the situation was heading in a more bizarre direction.
“I won’t force you,” Su Qingyi bit her lip tightly, trying to pull herself out of her desire. She slowly sat up, leaning against the edge of the cave. She lifted the quilt and took out that sharp silver awl again. She was already unclothed, her snow-white back pressed against the cool stone wall of the cave. Just as she was about to stab the silver awl into the snow-white, tender flesh of her thigh, seeking a moment of pleasure through pain, Jiang Huai grabbed her wrist.
“Go back to the quilt.”
Su Qingyi didn’t hesitate. She climbed back into the quilt, her back to Jiang Huai. Only her fluffy, snow-white fox tail peeked out from behind the bedding. Jiang Huai grasped her fluffy tail again and suddenly froze for a moment.
Hiss.
This scene, this situation, how did it feel as if he were the one being coaxed and tricked by the Fox Girl into helping her with some private act?
Was he being toyed with by the Fox Girl?
