《My Evil Wife Is a Nine-Tailed Fox》


 Chapter 1 - Little Human, I Hear You... (1)

    Footsteps could be heard in the middle of the night. In the remote area of Qingqiu, seeing men in hiking uniforms around wasn''t out of ce at all.


    Pain spread throughout his body and the intense pain caused him to heave for breath.


    Zhao Yichen had no idea what time it was, but given how dark the ce was, he assumed that it was around midnight. The coldness of the night seeped through his bloody clothes, as his feet sunk into the mud, fully aware that he was being dragged while he struggled to keep his consciousness.


    He could taste the metallic blood in his mouth as he took a deep breath. His sides were aching terribly, no doubt that they managed to break his ribs.


    He could hear theughter of the men who had kidnapped him as they dragged his badly beaten body through the forest in the middle of nowhere. He just got back from the States a week ago and he couldn''t believe his luck when the car he was in was hijacked along the way.


    Ha. Zhao Yichen had no doubt that this was arranged by his second uncle and his other cousins. To think that they would target him as soon as he stepped back into Jiang City.


    Were they really that desperate to eliminate theirpetition for the session of the next heir of the family?


    Ah, he was about to die miserably anyway. What was the point in wondering who the perpetrator of this crime against him was?


    His whole body was aching and Zhao Yichen was sure that his right shoulder had been dislocated after a week of full torture in the hands of these men.


    "Don''t worry, Fourth Master. We are about to arrive at our destination soon." Zhao Yichen heard one of his kidnappers say with a malicious tone in his voice.


    "If you were really that smart as some people im you to be, you shouldn''t havee back to Jiang City and offend our boss." Another one followed withughter. There was no doubt that they were truly looking down on him.


    Zhao Yichen sneered in his heart and cursed his second uncle and his devious cousins to the heavens. Wasn''t it enough that they instigated and killed his father twenty years ago and now they want to kill him too?


    It wasn''t like he wasn''t aware of the danger that awaits his return when he decided toe back from abroad. But with his ailing grandfather''s delicate condition, how could he ignore the old man''s wish?


    He had decided toe a week early before his estimated arrival but who would have thought that there was a rat in his group who dared to sell the information of his whereabouts.


    There were only a few people who knew that he woulde early. This only happened because he lowered his guard and trusted the wrong person, but who could it be?


    Zhao Yichen didn''t have many followers, in fact, he only had a couple of men serving under him. He had treated everyone with respect and equally so for someone to betray him like this, what could be the reason?


    Still, Zhao Yichen swore that if there was a chance that he survived today, he would make them pay for their sins and betrayal. However, with his right eye swollen, he could barely see where they were going and he didn''t have enough strength to even lift a finger.


    His whole body ached so much that he was at the point of almost losing his consciousness anytime soon. This was the first time he was subjected to this kind of torture and he briefly wondered if this was the same thing they had done to his father decades ago. His father''s remains were never found and he was presumed dead by everyone since his disappearance.


    "We are here." He heard one of them say before his whole body was thrown forward. Zhao Yichen grunted but refused to admit defeat as his eyes shed with determination and defiance.


    He refused to ept that he would die like this. Never like this. Not until he imed justice for his father''s death.


    "Fourth Master, you can only me yourself for being stupid." Theyughed at him. "Do you really think that the Old Master is still capable of protecting you? Aren''t you just stupid?"


    Zhao Yichen pressed his lips into a thin line, forcing himself to sit up. His eyes burned with intense hate and despair. He knew, of course. He also knew the danger that awaited his return. It was just that he didn''t expect someone close to him would betray him and sell him to his enemies.


    "It''s alright, Fourth Master. You won''t have to suffer for too long. Our master was quite pleased already." Zhao Yichen heard before a single gunshot could be heard, breaking the silence of the night.


    His body dropped on the ground as he started to bleed to death. The four men who kidnapped him seemed pleased with the current state as they casually sat on the boulders surrounding the ground he slumped on.


    Their constant chatter andughter reached his ears, but their voices started to tune down as his consciousness started to slip from his grasp.


    To die like this¡­ he couldn''t ept it at all! There were so many things he had yet to aplish. He cannot die just yet!


    ''If there''re any deities out there who could hear me, please help me this once. I''ll give everything that I have in return!'' He screamed in his head, knowing that it was impossible. There couldn''t be anyone who could save him from death anymore.


    ''Little human, I hear you¡­'' A voice of a woman echoed in mind, which made Zhao Yichen wonder that he was losing his mind. ''I''m not a deity. At least, not yet, but I can help you¡­"


    ''Tell me you agree, Contractor and I shall grant your wish.'' The woman''s voice had a seductive tonecing it.. It was like she was just next to him, whispering sweet words right in his ear.

 Chapter 2 - Little Human, I Hear You... (2)

    Not a deity, she said, but did Zhao Yichen have any other choice at the moment? The possibility of entering a contract with a demon crossed his mind but what else could he do to save himself in this situation?


    ''I agree.'' Zhao Yichen replied mentally. ''So please, save me.''


    Since it had already turned out this way, he could only ept the consequences of his action by making a deal with the devil.


    A sinisterughter was followed, as if she was deeply pleased with his answer.


    "Then bleed more for me, my sweet human and I shall grant you your wish."


    F*ck. What did she mean he had to bleed more? Couldn''t she see that he was already dying from blood loss? She was really a devil, wasn''t she?


    As his blood seeped into the ground below him, the ancient seal, where he happened to lie on started to crack. An earthquake followed, startling the four men who kidnapped Zhao Yichen. They struggled to keep standing and held onto the boulders for support.


    "What''s going on?! Why''s the ground shaking?"


    This wasn''t the first time they were here. In fact, they were already ustomed to the mountainous terrain as people rarely came to this ce. Many travelers were lost here, unable to return home. That was why it was normal to see dead bodies and skeletons in this area.


    What better ce to hide Zhao Yichen''s remains? This ce was perfect.


    A gust of wind followed, with the blurry fog, they could hardly see a fox spirit emerging from the ground where Zhao Yichen''s limp body lies. Zhao Yichen struggled to open his eyes but with his remaining energy finally depleted, he allowed himself to sumb into the darkness.


    So in the end, he would die? He shouldn''t have put his faith in a demon. How naive he was to fall under such a trick again? Shouldn''t he have learned his lesson the first time he was betrayed, leading him into this situation?


    As if weeping for his impending death, the dark sky allowed the heavy rain to pour down, drenching everyone and everything in its wake.


    On the other side of the Qingqiu mountain, the fox spirit possessed the dead body of an eighteen year old woman who was pushed to death by her cousins. Her eyes suddenly opened and the fox spirit found herself lying on some rock below the cliff.


    How many centuries had it been since she was sealed by those hateful members of the Li family? The fox spirit wasn''t sure, but she didn''t want to think of the past at this moment.


    Her legs were fractured, even her right arm was broken. Using the faint magic the fox spirit had left, she healed the wounds and injuries of her host. This body will do for now. So long as this body wouldn''t reject her, there shouldn''t be any problem with her mingling with humans.


    She slowly stood up and looked at the clothes she was wearing as she tried to delve into the memories of the poor girl who had recently lost her life. Suddenly, foreign memories that didn''t belong to her flooded her mind. The fox spirit then realized that the world this woman lived in was far from the life she had in the past.


    The dead woman''s name was Shen Minyao. As the rain soaked her entire body wet, a sinister smile crossed on the lips of the gentle girl who was considered by everyone as trash.


    Ah, this girl was so stupid. How can she allow other people to bully her, leading to her death? The fox spirit thought. Since she had now possessed Shen Minyao''s body, she would make sure to get even with all the people who hurt and bullied the girl in the past.


    Thankfully, Shen Minyao''s body was untouched and because she had just breathed herst breath before the fox spirit possessed her body, it was easier for the fox to ingrain herself into this human body. The fox had a snippet of how to live in this modern world and was curious to see it with her own eyes.


    ''Interesting,'' she chuckled inwardly. ''It seems like this olddy needs to learn more about this world.''


    However, before anything else, she should return to that ce to save the human who made the contract with her. She might not be a benevolent spirit like the other mountain guardians, but since the man released her from the seal, she owed him her freedom.


    "Ah, I probably should head back to my new Contractor." She mumbled to herself, a little surprised that Shen Minyao had a nice voice.


    "Well then. Let''s see if this body could keep up with my pace." Shen Minyao flexed her right hand until long nails were unsheathed. A foxy smile crossed her lips and she leaped from one branch to another, making her way back to the ce where her fox spirit was sealed.


    When she returned, she saw the same four men hovering over Zhao Yichen''s half dead body, trying to see if he was truly dead this time.


    "He''s dead right? Boss won''t be pleased if we don''t make sure he''s dead."


    "Well, we can just put another bullet through his head to make sure." The other oneughed, kicking the side of Zhao Yichen''s body but thetter didn''t respond. His eyes were nk, slowly slipping to his death.


    "Now, now. I can''t allow you to do that to my Contractor." The fox spirit in Shen Minyao''s body said, revealing her presence to the four men.


    The four men were confused to see a young woman here and couldn''t understand what she was saying. Was she one of those who lost their minds and went crazy because they couldn''t find the way out of Mountain Qingqiu?

 Chapter 3 - Do You Mind If I Get A Quick Snack? (1)

    "Little girl, are you lost? Do you need help?" One of the men asked her, striding towards her with the intention to seize her. Since she had seen what they had done to Zhao Yichen, then they couldn''t allow her to continue living.


    Who knew what she would say to the police once they helped her get out of this maze-like mountain range of Qingqiu. It was better for them to silence her for good than give her a chance to jeopardize their mission. It was a pity that her beautiful face would be put to waste, but she could only me herself for sticking her nose into someone else''s business.


    The fox spirit, who now possessed the body of the dead girl, Shen Minyao, looked at him through her eyshes. The rain continued to pour, causing her clothes to clung tight on her body.


    As a fox spirit who had lived for centuries, she could sense the malintent aura swirling around the four men near her Contractor. Ah, as expected, humans were as fickle as she remembered. They were stupid beings with great ability of self-destruction.


    "You are mistaken. I''m here for that man, mister." Shen Minyao lifted a finger and pointed to the almost lifeless body of the man who broke her seal. "That little one is mine."


    The man stopped on his tracks and looked at her with contempt.


    "You want me dead?" Her seductive, alluring voice reached their ears. "Then let me see if you are capable of killing me." The young woman licked her lips, her eyes turning golden yellow with vertically slit pupils.


    She flexed her right hand again, showing her sharp, long nails to her willing prey. The men froze still, finally sensing danger emanating from the young woman in front of them.


    "Hmm, Contractor. Do you mind if I get a quick snack? I promise this will be a quick one." She told Zhao Yichen, who was almost at his limit now. He couldn''t possibly hear what she was saying as he had already passed out from too much blood loss. A few more minutes and he would surely depart from the world of the living.


    Since the fox spirit had been sealed for ages, her hunger for human''s life essence was at its peak. While others of her kind preferred to consume infants'' and priests'' livers, this fox spirit wouldn''t mind preying on this kind of scumbags.


    Their livers might not have the quality of taste she was ustomed to, but it should be safe enough to satiate her hunger for now.


    "M-monster!" The nearest man in front of her stuttered and stepped back, but it was toote for him as Shen Minyao leapt forward, shing her sharp w through his middle section in one move.


    Blood spurt from his stomach as he fell unconscious on the wet ground. The three other men watched with wide eyes, that had an obvious sense of terror, as Shen Minyao dug her right hand into therge wound on his stomach and fished out hisrge liver from it.


    She took a bite from it and her beautiful face contorted with disappointment. What kind of lifestyle do people have these days? His liver tasted terrible. Although she had eaten livers of alcoholic men in the past, she had no idea that people''s quality of life would degenerate over time.


    The three remaining men wondered if they were hallucinating or not. The person who should be dead tonight was supposed to be Zhao Yichen, but why did they feel that they were the ones being hunted instead?


    No matter what, they cannot allow themselves to suffer the same fate of their fallenrade. They took their guns and fired, aiming at the young woman, but she was too fast¡­ way too fast for their human eyes!


    Shen Minyao''s body was like every human''s, but because it was now being possessed by the fox spirit, her basal instinct as well as her physical attributes were heightened. She easily dodged the bullets and leapt forward to attack the remaining men.


    Once they realized that they had run out of ammunition, they threw their useless guns and ran for their lives. They never thought that they would encounter such a dangerous creature in these woods. They all thought that the legend surrounding the area was just a trick to keep people away from the mountain.


    "Oh, do you want to y hide and seek? Now, that''s more like it!" Shen Minyao''s face broke into a wide grin as she chased the three men in the thick jungle of Qingqiu. She had to admit these men were good as they knew where to go. They certainly did not run like headless chickens.


    Too bad though, she knew Qingqiu like the back of her hand. There''s no ce here that she was unaware of. Every trail, every cave, even the stream that ran through the mountain range, she knew them all by heart. As the mountain''s guardian, how can she not know the secret passages to reach certain areas?


    So how could they think that they could outrun and outwit her? They must be deluding themselves to think that they could get away from her so easily. Anyway, since they brought her Contractor here, allowing his blood to break the seal that had trapped her for ages, she should at least give them some credit.


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes and caught a slight movement to her right. Even if the rain was able to wash away their scent, she was still able to find out where they were hiding.


    She shed her w behind the thick bushes, impaling the second man''s chest with it. A shrill scream echoed within the forest, informing his otherrades that he was found and killed. His lifeless body hit the ground as the young woman pulled out her second meal of the night.


    She then found the other two just as fast as she did the second one.. Sighing to herself, Shen Minyao finished her snack swiftly, knowing that her Contractor was waiting for her return.

 Chapter 4 - Do You Mind If I Get A Quick Snack? (2)

    When Shen Minyao came back to the ce where she had left her new contractor, the rain had finally stopped. His bodyid on the cold, wet ground with his eyes opened. The young woman knelt beside him and gently pushed his body, making himy on his back.


    Shen Minyao wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. This man was on the brink of death and if she wasn''t desperate to free herself, she wouldn''t have to make a deal with him.


    While his blood was able to break the seal that was ced on her centuries ago, her spirit was contained in a round stone. She wouldn''t be able to break free and get her freedom unless she made a contract with a human.


    ''Oh, how troublesome.'' The fox spirit thought.


    If she doesn''t fulfill her part of their deal, she would be cursed by the heavens for a thousand years. That wasn''t something the fox spirit wanted to happen. Their existence and long life was envied by some, but for the fox spirit, it was a curse that burdened her.


    Anyway, since she had already made a deal with him, there''s no time to waste anymore. His injuries were more severe than Shen Minyao''s body and the life essence she''d gotten from the livers of the four men weren''t enough to sustain them.


    This man was as good as dead. However, as Shen Minyao hovered over him, pressing her lips to his, a red fox orb that contained the spirit energy she had obtained over her long years of living came out of her and directly entered him.


    Once she parted her lips from him, she watched as his whole body was slowly engulfed by a golden light, slowly healing the wounds on his body until there wasn''t a trace of injury on it.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Yichen had slowly regained his consciousness. The coldness of the night was slowly reced by a warmth that spread throughout his body. Had he died?


    After being tortured over a week, was this warm and rxing feeling his final sce on earth?


    As he opened his eyes, he found an unknown woman kneeling next to him. Who was she? He wondered. She couldn''t possibly be a local here, given her style of clothes. Zhao Yichen also didn''t think that meeting her was just a coincidence.


    "It''s good that you are finally awake, Contractor." The woman said before standing up, checking her soaking wet clothes. "Might as well find a change of clothes before this body gets sick." She told herself.


    Zhao Yichen pulled himself up and sat straight. He looked curiously at the woman in front of him, wondering if this was the same demon who offered to form a contract with him before he passed out. There was something about her that he couldn''t point out.


    The young woman was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a hoodie with a white shirt underneath. She was also looking curiously at the pair of white sneakers she was donning, as if it was her first time to see such footwear in her life.


    "Who are you?" He asked. "What are you?"


    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow after hearing his questions. Did he really want to know the answers for such questions?


    She fell on one knee, cupping his chin, forcing him to look at her face.


    "Contactor, are you sure you want to know? To bind your soul with mine to continue living, are you regretting it now?" She said with a mischievous smile.


    "Contractor, do you know, our names are sacred and important for creatures like us? For you to know our names would mean that you are binding us to you for submission. That''s not going to happen, human." The woman chuckled.


    "But if you insist, you may call me Shen Minyao, since I now own this human body and identity."


    "You are a demon?" He couldn''t think of anything else to describe her. Looking a few meters behind her, he spotted one of his kidnappers with an opened midsection, as if he was mangled by a wolf.


    Zhao Yichen furrowed his brows and tried to release himself from her grip but failed. This woman had such inhuman strength! To think that he made a deal with a demon! Oh Lord, what has he done to himself?


    "Demon? Monster? What''s the difference?" She said before releasing his chin. She stood up and Zhao Yichen could clearly see the nine long white tails behind her.


    "I''ve been called worse."


    He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He wasn''t that oblivious not to recognize the kind of creature this woman was. He had heard several folklore and legends of her kind, but Zhao Yichen had never thought that he would see and meet one in his lifetime.


    In this fast paced, modern world, it was almost impossible to believe such creatures still existed.


    "Ah, you can see my tails? Interesting." The fox woman smiled, her eyes shing with mischief. She had heard tales of spirits like her entering a contract with a human, but she had never heard of a human being able to heighten his physical attributes after receiving her spirit core.


    Perhaps because this man had her energy core, it allowed him to see past her magic. Normal humans wouldn''t be able to see her tails and golden eyes, but her Contractor did.


    Zhao Yichen tried to stand up, but the overwhelming pain that shot through him was enough to bring him to his knees. He gasped for breath as he broke into sweat. It felt like his insides were being stabbed repeatedly.


    "Only the superficial wounds have healed so far. Do you really think that it''s possible to fully recover in a few seconds? My, my, how silly." He heard the fox woman say.


    Zhao Yichen looked at her as if she had grown another head over her shoulder. She could have told him earlier! Why did she wait for him to feel pain before informing him? Such a wicked fox she was!


    If he had a choice, he wouldn''t have made a contract with this fox woman!

 Chapter 5 - This One Isn’t Strong Enough (1)

    To be bound to this woman, what did it truly mean? Zhao Yichen wondered. She said that he was only alive because he was bound to her.


    Seeing the confused expression on his face, Shen Minyao arched a brow. This man had a handsome face, but it wasn''t the first time she had seen one anyway. She had seen a good share of men in her past life.


    However, what made this man different from the others she had seen and met in the past was the fact that he didn''t have a corrupt soul. In fact, he was one of the rare humans who were able to keep his human soul intact and unblemished by worldly sins.


    The only reason this man was able to enter a contract with her was his despair to live not only for himself but also for the loved ones he needed to protect. If it was another man who was as corrupted as those four men she devoured earlier, no matter how much blood they bleed tonight, it wouldn''t be enough to break the seal that had trapped her for ages.


    Perhaps it was the fox spirit''s luck that she was able to get her freedom because of this man''s misfortune. Even the taste of his blood let her know that he was untouched, which was surprising since she didn''t think any man would be able to keep their innocence for so long.


    "What?" Zhao Yichen raised a brow at her once he noticed her staring at him.


    The fox woman shrugged and ced a hand on her hip as she held her hair up, frowning as she noticed how unmanageable Shen Minyao''s wet hair was. Back in her days, women took so much time and attention to keep up with their appearances. Was it because people nowadays preferred convenience? Perhaps, she had been sealed for too long that many things have changed during her slumber. It would take some time for her to get used to her new life as Shen Minyao.


    "What do you mean that I am bound to your soul?" Zhao Yichen held his aching side, hissing in pain as he wondered how to free himself from the contract he made with this devious creature. Just by looking at the dead body behind her was enough to raise red gs about her. There was no doubt that this nine-tailed fox was up to no good. Or so he thought.


    "Oh, about that." Shen Minyao looked down at him. "It only means that your soul endured and stayed in your body in spite of how bad your condition is. I didn''t need to say this, do I, human? The amount of damage those people inflicted on your body is enough to kill you."


    Zhao Yichen pressed his lips into a thin line, knowing what she said was right. He was good as dead.


    "And this contract wouldst until when?" He asked in a soft voice but was still loud enough for Shen Minyao to hear, given her heightened senses.


    Shen Minyao stared at his conflicted expression. Did he really abhor the idea of being indebted to her? Well, she couldn''t really me him. It wasn''t the first time that people looked at her this way. The moment they found out she wasn''t a human, they either wanted to flee for their life or kill her to consume her flesh that was believed to give any human who devoured it a long life.


    Humans. Still stupid and inferior no matter how many years have passed. In the end, they were only concerned about themselves and would forsake everything just to protect their own interests. The fox spirit had enough experiences to know better than believing or getting attached to any human, for they would only bring her troubles.


    "I see you couldn''t wait to get rid of me, huh, human? Too bad, this contract is a lifelong one and would only end either if I took back my energy core that''s keeping you alive or if I ended up dead. So, human, if you really want to get rid of me, start thinking of a way to kill me."


    There was something about her smile that brought shivers down Zhao Yichen''s spine. A lifelong contract? Did this mean that he was bound to her as long as he lived? As for her energy core, why did she give up such an important thing to save him?


    "Now, Contractor. Should we get going? We need to meet someone before we could return to our lives," Shen Minyao said before turning around, walking leisurely towards the eastern direction of Qingqiu Mountain.


    Zhao Yichen forced himself to stand up, his knees trembling as he hissed for the pain that shot through his body. Clutching his chest, he found the gunshot wound¡ªthat should be there¡ªwas gone without a trace. How amazing this woman''s energy was!


    "Why couldn''t you heal my internal injuries?" He asked her as they walked into a trail that was obviously not used for a long time.


    Shen Minyao waved her hand in front of them, a gust of wind clearing their path as small branches fell on the ground.


    "Obviously, because this one isn''t strong enough." She was talking about the body she had now. Her powers were almost depleted to the limit when she possessed this dead body of Shen Minyao. Even though she had eaten four human livers tonight, it wasn''t enough to heal this host''s injuries as well as her human contractor.


    "So where are we going?" Zhao Yichen looked around, amazed that even though it was dark, he was able to see clearly in front of him. Was this also an effect of the fox''s energy core?


    "You talk too much, human. Just do what I say." The fox woman said before lifting her gaze once she found what she was looking for.


    Zhao Yichen followed her gaze and saw an abandoned shrine, but what did she want from here?

 Chapter 6 - This One Isn’t Strong Enough (2)

    He looked around the shrine, but there wasn''t anything suspicious about the ce. The shrine was small and made of wood. The ce was deserted like it hadn''t been cleaned and maintained for a long time. Well, Zhao Yichen wasn''t surprised at all, but he wondered why this fox woman went to a ce like this instead of leaving Qingqiu Mountain with him.


    Shen Minyao raised a hand and was about to open the small wooden shrine in front of her, but even before she was able to touch the two doors, a spark of electricity cackled midair before burning her hand.


    "Ah! So I see you were also sealed by those wretched shamans!" She pulled her burned hand, clutching it against her chest as she hissed in pain.


    Zhao Yichen was stunned by what he had witnessed. He didn''t know how many times he would find himself surprised by the supernatural events that happened today.


    Well, it wasn''t really the first time for him to encounter such a supernatural phenomenon, but he had never met a mythical creature such as a nine-tailed fox that had been known in legends for ages.


    When he was younger, he could only see a faint figure of spirits roaming around their old house, as well as hear their voices and understand what they were talking about.


    For the first time in his life, Zhao Yichen felt that he wasn''t the weird one this time. Other people would have freaked out seeing a dangerous creature like this fox spirit who possessed a human woman, but he wasn''t.


    "Mydy, is that you? Is that really you?" A feminine voice reached his ears, as well as Shen Minyao''s. Her tone was gentle and sweet to the ears.


    "What? Is that really our arrogant mistress? I can''t believe this!" which was followed by a male voice that sounded like a teenager in Zhao Yichen''s opinion.


    "Xiao Bai, Yu Yan, it''s really me." Shen Minyao replied, slightly wincing at the pain on her hand.


    The burn was still apparent and hadn''t healed yet. If her power was at peak and if she had her energy orb, an injury like this would only take seconds to heal. s, who knew when Zhao Yichen''s body would have a full recovery?


    "Mydy, please hurry and release us! I don''t want to stay here anymore." The feminine voice wept and begged Shen Minyao.


    "Hurry, you sly fox! Haven''t you left us here for a long time already?" The other one huffed as if he couldn''t wait to see the world outside. "You smell like a human. You managed to find a decent host so soon?"


    "Continue talking like that, Xiao Bai, and I would make sure to only take Yu Yan out? Don''t test my patience." The fox spirit''s tone dropped to a dangerous level, enough to give Zhao Yichen shivers down his spine.


    "..." The arrogant male voice belonging to someone called Xiao Bai fell silent.


    "Xiao Bai, you stupid! Don''t make mdy mad! If she doesn''t let us out tonight, I''ll do my best to kill you!" the female voiceined.


    "Who sealed you here?" Shen Minyao asked as she gave her burned hand a good look.


    "Who else but those Li shamans." This time, Xiao Bai''s tone was a little calmerpared to earlier. "When you left us to find the Little Jiu, Yu Yan and I were caught by a trap set by those shamans and sealed us here."


    A sudden sadness shed on Shen Minyao''s eyes upon the mention of the Little Jiu, but she immediately wore her cold mask back in ce, making Zhao Yichen wonder if the sadness was even there in the first ce.


    "I see," Shen Minyao replied, "but it seems I''m not able to remove your seals myself."


    "What''s that even supposed to mean?"


    "It means that even if mdy is able to possess a human body, she couldn''t remove the seals around this shrine," Xiao Bai exined.


    Shen Minyao crossed her arms over her chest and regarded the man standing next to him.


    "Contractor, would you mind doing thisdy a favor? If you could just remove these annoying ropes around the shrine, we would be able to release the little ones at once."


    Zhao Yichen looked around and noticed the old thick ropes that were indeed surrounding the area. There were also paper seals ced on the poles that kept the ropes in ce. Was this the reason why the fox woman burned her hand?


    "Ah, I wouldn''t get burned when touching it?" He asked curiously. He was already in pain alright, so why would he allow another injury to be inflicted on him?


    "Oh? You are using your head properly now? Why wouldn''t you have done so when I offered the life contract to you?" The fox woman taunted him.


    Zhao Yichen gritted his teeth as he held his aching sides. For someone asking him for a favor, this woman surely didn''t know how to say please properly. He should have known better that nine-tailed foxes were mischievous and full of tricks under their sleeves. He didn''t even know her real intention for entering a contract with him.


    "Fine, but you have to promise that we will leave this ce once we''re done here." He spat out before forcing his legs to move, intending to rip the paper seal on the first pole and then followed it up with the next one.


    The fox woman watched his every move, not surprised that the seals to keep supernatural creatures like her away didn''t have any effect on him since he was a human, but something about this human was suspicious.


    Unlike other humans she had encountered in the past who''d seen her real form, aside from the initial shock of seeing her tails, this human didn''t scamper away in fear.. Well, if he did, it would be unfortunate because she would need to get rid of him herself.

 Chapter 7 - She Loved The Wrong Person (1)

    Zhao Yichen endured the pain he was in and trudged around the shrine, ripping the paper seal from the wooden post that held the thick ropes in ce. For a small shrine like this, he wondered what kinds of spirits were sealed inside. If there were another nine-tailed fox like this woman, he wasn''t certain he would be able to keep his sanity at this rate.


    While working on it, he took the opportunity to gauge the shrine. The wooden shrine was three feet in height and had a simple altar ced in front of it where travelers leave their offerings, which was rare given the state Qingqiu Mountain was in. Once he was done, Shen Minyao tried to reach out her hand again; this time, there wasn''t a protection seal that stopped her from opening the doors of the shrine.


    Shen Minyao pushed the small doors open, and Zhao Yichen took a peek over her shoulder, only to see the darkness within. A gust of wind soon came from the inside, forcing Zhao Yichen to cover his face with both arms and wonder what it would be this time, while Shen Minyao didn''t bat an eyelid with her long hair yed behind her.


    A momentter, silence befell on them, but Zhao Yichen did have any idea what just happened. He lowered his arms and looked around, but he didn''t see anyone except him and Shen Minyao.


    "Ah! It''s really good to be free!" He heard Xiao Bai''s voice from somewhere, but where could he be?


    "Mdy, are you alright? You don''t look good at all," Yu Yan asked Shen Minyao who suddenly leaned against the nearest post on her left.


    Zhao Yichen turned to look at her, only to see that Shen Minyao was deadly pale. It was clear that he wasn''t the one feeling unwell at that moment.


    Thinking about where the voices wereing from, he looked down on the ground, only to see a pair of cats staring at him with wide clear eyes. Just like Shen Minyao''s, their eyes had the same golden hue color on them, with horizontal pupils. One was a white fatty cat while the other was a cat whose fur was as ck as the night.


    As Zhao Yichen looked at the pair of cats, he suddenly felt that these two were trying to probe right through his soul. Was it because he was a human?


    No. There was something in the way they looked at him that didn''t sit well with him.


    "Cats?" He furrowed his brows in confusion. He initially thought that these two were shrine guardians, but it seemed that, just like the fox woman, they''d been sealed here for ages.


    "Don''t let their forms deceive you." Shen Minyao warned him.


    "Mdy! How can you give your energy core to a human?" The ck cat gasped before turning to Shen Minyao. No wonder her master didn''t look good at all. If she still had her fox''s core, she would be able to give her new host a full recovery from its injuries.


    "How do you think I managed to get freed from that seal? If it wasn''t for this little one, your aunt won''t be able to see the world again," Shen Minyao replied with a matter-of-fact tone.


    "But¡ªMdy!" Yu Yan looked at her master with a troubled expression. After being sealed for centuries, it was expected that the fox woman''s energy was almost depleted. If it was in the past, her prowess and strength would beparable to a deity.


    Xiao Bao only stared at his master and didn''t say anything. It wasn''t their ce to question the fox woman''s decision, and he knew what this entailed between his master and this mortal human. A life contract.


    Obviously, a contract made with a human was a dangerous one for the fox spirit. If the other creatures found out that this human was keeping her fox''s core, it would be easier for them to kill the fox woman.


    ''Ah, how troublesome!'' Xiao Bao thought. This only meant that he and Yu Yan would need to work hard until the fox woman regained her strength without relying on her fox''s orb. Still, the fox woman should recover soon before the Li family found out that she managed to escape from the seal.


    They weren''t sure if the Li family continued to exist to this day, but it would be better for them to be cautious¡­ as some would eventually discover that the nine-tailed fox woman¡ªwho had caused the downfall of the Shun Empire¡ªhad survived.


    Shen Minyao stared at her familiars, especially the white fatty cat.


    "What happened to you?" She raised a slender brow to Xiao Bai, making him shiver.


    "He had eaten all the offerings the old man left every day," Yu Yan answered for him.


    "Old man?" Shen Minyao hummed.


    "We heard he''s living on the foot of the mountain on his own. He''s been paying respects here and leaving offerings for decades," the ck cat exined.


    "Then, we should start calling you ''Xiao Pang'' instead of Xiao Bai. You only knew how to eat and get drunk," the fox woman made a remark.


    Shen Minyao made a move to leave the ce, and Zhao Yichen decided to follow closely. It was obvious this woman knew where they were going, and it only took an hour before they reached the foot of the mountain, seeing a road rarely taken by people.


    "So where are we going?" Zhao Yichen asked. By now, he was drenched with sweat, and the pain rattling his body was starting to get unbearable.


    "We wait until someonees to save us," Shen Minyao said before gesturing at him to take a seat on the sidewalk of the road. They could only wait for now.


    Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure whether to believe this woman or not, but considering that they were on the same boat¡ªtrying to survive in this wilderness, he didn''t really have any choice but to rely on her.

 Chapter 8 - She Loved The Wrong Person (2)

    The next thing Shen Minyao knew, she was already inside a private room of the hospital. When she opened her eyes, she wasn''t sure how long time had passed since she trekked down the Qingqiu Mountain, along with her human contractor. She tried to make sense of her new surroundings, trying to figure out if there was impending danger waiting to strike at her.


    "Miss! You are finally awake!"


    Miss? The fox woman blinked. This was far from the title she was ustomed to. Her past servants had called her Niangniang, but since she was now in a new host, the fox woman supposed that she needed to get ustomed to the new era.


    In her past life, wasn''t she an imperial noble consort of an emperor? One rank lower than the queen of the empire? Still, with her charisma and prowess, even the official wife of the emperor couldn''t outwit her.


    Her previous host had been long gone, and right now, she had to live as Shen Minyao, taking over the identity of her newest host. As the fox woman forced herself to sit up on the hospital bed, memories of the original Shen Minyao entered her mind, reminding her of the grievances and heartaches she endured in this life.


    "Miss! You shouldn''t force yourself to move!" The same young woman she heard earlier panic next to her bed, but the fox woman ignored her as she focused herself on sorting the events that happened throughout Shen Minyao''s life.


    Ha? Did Shen Minyao really believe the lies of her cousin, Shen Qing?


    The fox woman rubbed the area between her eyebrows and sighed. Her host''s body was so skinny, and it would take her some time before she could transform this body once she took care of her body a bit more.


    "Miss, are you hurt somewhere? Should I call the doctor to see you?" the young woman asked her nervously.


    The fox woman lifted her head to finally acknowledge the human apanying her. ording to her host''s memories, this young woman''s name was Fu Xiyan. She was a daughter of a maid of the Shen family and had been Shen Minyao''s closestpanion for a long time.


    She then looked around her surroundings, noticing a distinct scent of disinfectant wafting through the air. It was enough for her to scrunch her nose in disgust.


    "Miss, don''t think about that cheating bastard anymore. If he so wanted to be with Shen Qing, let him be. For you to try to take your own life at Qingqiu Mountain¡­ wuuu¡­ Miss Yao was really unfair to me." Fu Xiyan wailed next to Shen Minyao''s bed.


    The fox woman didn''t say anything but understood what had happened¡­ except for the fact that Fu Xiyan was wrong, assuming that Shen Minyao wanted to kill herself. In fact, it was Shen Qing and her older brother who had forced the young woman to death.


    "How long have I been here?" She asked Fu Xiyan, noticing how weird her clothing was. The fox woman then reminded herself that she was now living in a totally different era, far from what she''d been ustomed to in the past.


    "You were found with another man on the road near Qingqiu Mountain three days ago, Miss. You''ve been unconscious since then." Fu Xiyan exined, still a little worried that her miss would dare to hurt herself again.


    "I see¡­" Shen Minyao whispered.


    The fox woman heard footsteps outside the hallway and could feel the aura of hatred and disgusting her way. The corner of her lips lifted. By now, she was sure that Shen Qing had already informed her father about what happened and told him lies to ruin Shen Minyao''s reputation.


    There was a loud knock on the door before the doorknob shook. The person on the other side of the door tried to step inside in such a hurry, and the fox woman couldn''t wait to see the drama unfold in front of her. She wanted to see how petty and horrendous these people who dared to bully her host. Since she was now living as Shen Minyao, she promised to the original soul that she would seek justice in her stead.


    Fu Xiyan shivered and gave her miss a worried look before she hurriedly unlocked the door to see who it was. Since they were younger, Shen Minyao had a habit of locking her doors in a failed attempt to avoid her abusive stepmother and her half-sister, and so Fu Xiyan had also done the same thing if it could give her miss a sense of security.


    "What took you so long to open the door? Do you really want to anger me to death?" A loud voice said. It was General Shen, the cold-hearted father of Shen Minyao that she rarely saw growing up. The man was tall and had a domineering aura around him.


    Ah, Shen Qing had really done a good job in fueling her father''s anger with a few words. The fox woman thought.


    As soon as General Shen saw her daughter, he red at her furiously.


    "Have you really no shame at all? You don''t even pay respect to me as your father and want to keep me out?" He yelled at his sick daughter angrily.


    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow and sat regally on her bed like a queen that had just woken up from her deep slumber. It didn''t matter if she was dressed in a flimsy hospital gown with her hair unkempt; her whole demeanor spoke volumes to everyone who saw her. Her eyes swept at everyone before settling her gaze towards her estranged father.


    "General Shen, do you expect a sickly patient to wee you warmly and open the door for you? Have you ever seen a patient forcing her way to wee a guest? I''m sick and weak, and yet my father would rather raise his voice without asking how I''m faring? You disappoint me, General Shen."

 Chapter 9 - She Loved The Wrong Person (3)

    Everyone was stunned by Shen Minyao''s words, especially General Shen. Although he and Shen Minyao had an estranged rtionship since her mother left without notice when she was merely five years old, this was the first time he heard his daughter talk back to him.


    They never thought that the usually submissive and quiet young woman would be able to speak like that, especially towards her father. What''s more, Shen Minyao clearly drew a line between her and her father by addressing him using his title and not as her dad.


    General Shen''s face darkened while his second wife, Cheng Lifan, covered her mouth in shock while looking at her stepdaughter''s face confusedly. Why did she feel that Shen Minyao had just got aplete 180-degree change?


    "Ridiculous!" General Shen sneered at his daughter. "Don''t make this sound about me, Yao''er. What are you thinking about¡ªgoing to Qingqiu Mountain without informing anyone about it? You were even found on the road unconscious with a man by a stranger. Do you really not care about your reputation anymore?!" He barked at her.


    The fox woman looked at the old man like she was looking at a clown making foolish assumptions. In the corner of her eyes, she saw a woman of the same age as Shen Minyao and the man her host held such special feelings for, Su Yin.


    Su Yin stood behind Cheng Lifan and next to Shen Qing. The man was Shen Minyao''s fianc¨¦, and yet this same person betrayed her and had an affair with Shen Qing. Even when Shen Minyao stumbled and walked in on the cheating couple, she had been mum about it. However, deep down, she was weeping in pain.


    Shen Minyao liked Su Yin for years. She and her Brother Yin had known each other for a long time and were betrothed to each other by their families. It wasn''t until Su Yin met Shen Qing that his treatment changed, soon giving her a cold shoulder.


    The fox woman realized that, just like her, Shen Minyao loved the wrong person. In her past life, didn''t she also fall in love with a man that could never be hers? He was destined to be a hero while she, to die by his own hands.


    Thest memories of him shed in her mind as he ruthlessly stabbed her in the belly with the same sword she gifted him before his journey. If only she foresaw that betrayal was the only thing he would return in the end¡­


    Ha! How foolish! The fox woman thought. Whether she was talking about herself or Shen Minyao, it didn''t matter. Both of them had been blinded by the love which eventually caused their lives to perish.


    "General Shen, how can you say that?" This time, Shen Minyao turned pitiful. Her jaws hardened, eyes peering at her father as if he just struck her.


    "I''m pretty sure it was Qing Jie and Qiu Gege who invited me to join them." She then nced at Shen Qing whose face was visibly pale when her name was mentioned.


    "Qing Jie, how could you do this to me? Wuuuuu¡­" Shen Minyao suddenly cried much to everyone''s shock. One minute, she was being arrogant; now, she was wailing like a baby.


    "How could you leave me there on my own, knowing I fear being left in the dark?"


    Everyone within the family knew well that Shen Minyao had a great fear of being in the dark, and it was the reason why she was frequently bullied by her cousins and other children when she was younger.


    It was just too bad that the Shen Minyao that returned to them was now a creature of the dark.


    Shen Qing looked at her cousin in disbelief. Actually, she was shocked to hear it when she first heard the news that Shen Minyao had been found. She was sure that Shen Minyao died that night when she and her brother pushed Shen Minyao to her death. However, Shen Minyao survived.


    So imagine their shock when they heard about it. She and Shen Qiu feared that Shen Minyao would tell on them.


    The fox woman hid her sneer behind her hand as she lowered her head.


    ''Shen Qing, Shen Qiu. Do you think I''ll allow you to live happily after you murdered Shen Minyao?'' Since she was now living as Shen Minyao, there was no way in hell she would allow these pigs to continue harassing her.


    "What are you¡­?" General Shen almost exploded in anger right then and there, but seeing his daughter cry for the first time had somewhat bothered him.


    "Why is it my fault now? I''m your daughter, but you would rather believe outsiders? General Shen, aren''t you being unfair to your own daughter? Where is your face when I need it?"


    The fox woman refused to acknowledge this bastard as her father. The sadness her host had kept over the years as Shen Xin ignored her was something Shen Minyao continued to endure until herst breath. Even if Shen Xin had a change of heartter, it was already toote for him to regret now. He had allowed other people to kill his daughter just because he was being indifferent to her.


    "It''s my fault, Yaoyao. It was me who wronged you." Shen Qing fell to her knees, her whole body trembling from fear. She wasn''t sure why Shen Minyao hadn''t snitched on her yet. Shen Minyao only said that they had left her, but Shen Qing wasn''t certain what her cousin would say once Shen Minyao was left alone with her Uncle Xin.


    "Qing, get up. You don''t have to do this. It''s not your fault you''ve lost sight of Yaoyao that day." Su Yin helped Shen Qing to get back on her feet and nced in Shen Minyao''s direction.. This was the woman he had wronged, but he couldn''t help it if his heart was stolen by her cousin.

 Chapter 10 - Haunted By Her Own Ghost (1)

    "Yaoyao, please don''t me Qing. Indeed, she was the one who invited you toe with them, but weren''t you the one who lost your way and parted from theirpany? But it''s a good thing someone found you. Else, Qing and Uncle would be worried about your safety," Su Yin told Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman was so disgusted by this cheating couple. In her eyes, Su Yin and Shen Qing were both shameless for even showing up together in front of the person they both wronged. Weren''t they the reason why her host lost her life? Yet, Shen Qing dared toe here, ying her role as a white lotus very well.


    "I see, Brother Yin is still very kind towards my Qing Jie. What about me, Brother Yin? Are you forgetting that I''m still your fianc¨¦e, not her? Why aren''t you good to me? Could it be that the Su family look down on my Shen family now that my father is facing a problem?"


    Su Yin flinched at that while Shen Xin''s face darkened at the thought of being looked down on by the Su family. While it''s true that he was having some issues at work and his younger brother''s influence was flourishing within the Jiang City, the second son of the Su family was still betrothed to his first daughter, Shen Minyao.


    "It''s not that I''m favoring her, Yaoyao. I''m also worried about your safety."


    Su Yin was a little confused. He felt like something was wrong with Shen Minyao. He thought it might be because he came with Shen Qing, and Shen Minyao was being jealous of her. Furthermore, he revealed an understanding smile and said in a gentle tone.


    "Yaoyao, no matter how angry you are, you shouldn''t make false usations."


    "False usations? Brother Yin, it is true that Qing Jie was the one who picked me up from my dormitory¡ªeveryone had seen her. She also knew about my fear of being left alone in the dark, and yet she was the one who purposely let go of my hand. So tell me, Brother Yin, tell me why would Qing Jie do such a thing?"


    Su Yin opened his mouth, but no words came out. He wasn''t sure of what he had seen. Shen Minyao, who had always been obedient to him¡ªwho always looked at him with admiration and longing, was now looking at him with unconcealed disgust but also hatred.


    Shen Minyao looked at him as if she wanted to strangle him to death!


    The fox woman refused to admit defeat though and continued her impable acting. Although she despised looking weak in front of other people, she cannot let this white lotus to let of her crime easily.


    She looked at Shen Qing with the same expression Shen Minyao had when she was still alive, far from the arrogant facade she showed to General Shen. For those who could see her right now, it looked like she had suffered grievances and had broken down in tears as helplessness washed through her.


    ''Shen Qing, do you think you are the only one who knows how to deceive people?''


    Shen Qing might have able to bully Shen Minyao in the past, but it didn''t mean she would be able to do the same to the fox woman. The two had different personas, and it was Shen Qing''s misfortune for the fox woman to possess the person she had just killed.


    Shen Minyao would never return; even on herst breath, she was filled with so much resentment in her life. For the fox woman who died unjustly at the hands of her beloved, how could she not understand her host''s past grievances?


    Abandoned by her birth mother, rejected by her father. The only people who truly cared about Shen Minyao weren''t even blood-rted to her. Unlike other stepmothers who were vilified by people, Cheng Lifan took care of her as if she was hers.


    Cheng Lifan didn''t dare to hide her anger towards Shen Qing when she heard what her stepdaughter said. She pulled Shen Minyao into her arms and red at Shen Qing and Su Yin. How could she not know what these two doing behind her stepdaughter''s back?


    She had warned Shen Minyao about Su Yin, but the young woman waspletely smitten by him so Cheng Lifan couldn''t do anything.


    "Shen Qing, you know our Yao''er is afraid of the dark. Why did you force her to join you for hiking? What were you thinking?" She scolded the scheming young woman, upset that she wasn''t able to protect Shen Minyao this time. There was no way Shen Minyao would apany her cousin if she knew where they were going.


    "A-Auntie, that''s not my intention at all. It''s my fault that I didn''t pay more attention to Yaoyao and lost her." Shen Qing wept pitifully, much to the fox woman''s disgust.


    "Enough of this. Lifan, you look after Yao''er, and you better make sure to remind her not to cause trouble next time." General Shen huffed and shot Su Yin and Shen Qing a fierce re before storming out of his daughter''s room. He was aware that his daughter was wronged this time, but he wouldn''t even protect her from the outsiders. Sadly, Shen Minyao was already used to it.


    The fox woman had seen from her host''s memories what kind of life and childhood she had growing up. Shen Minyao was not close with her father, and while it was true that Cheng Lifan became her stepmother due to some arrangements the Cheng family insisted on her, she had been Shen Minyao''s mother figure.


    "Auntie, I really didn''t¡­" Shen Qing continued her act and clung to Su Yin''s arm.


    Shen Minyao grabbed the pillow on her bed and threw it right on her cousin''s face.


    "Get out! I don''t want to see you! This pair of cheating couple!" She yelled, much to Shen Qing and Su Yin''s shock. Both wondering since when did she know. "I will let Grandfather what you did to me and tell him to cancel our engagement!"


    Su Yin''s face nched while Shen Qing cursed Shen Minyao repeatedly in her heart.. It wasn''t a secret that Grandfather Shen doted on Shen Minyao the most.

 Chapter 11 - Haunted By Her Own Ghost (2)

    "But Yaoyao¡­" Shen Qing couldn''t allow Shen Minyao to ruin her. She didn''t even understand how Shen Minyao was able to survive without sustaining injuries. She and her brother made sure she would never make it back alive after getting pushed down the cliff. One could only imagine how much of a shock it was when Shen Minyao surfaced again.


    How did Shen Minyao survive that fall? Shen Qing was sure that it was impossible for a person to fall from such a height and only sleep for three days. There was simply no way it could happen. Unless the person she pushed to death wasn''t the same Shen Minyao that was in front of her now.


    "Auntie, I really didn''t mean for it to happen. Please¡­" Her eyes shimmered with tears as if she was the one wronged by Shen Minyao. It made Shen Minyao look like she was the unreasonable one between them.


    However, Cheng Lifan would hear none of it. In her age and career, she had met a lot of different kinds of people, and she could tell that this Shen Qing was up to no good.


    "Your Uncle already left; why are you still here? Hurry and go back first. I will speak to Yao''er alone." She dismissed the cheating couple away, not wanting Shen Minyao to be upset any further by seeing them together.


    Shen Qing wanted to argue but chose to keep her silence and leave with Su Yin. Meanwhile, Su Yin looked at Shen Minyao, confused as to why he felt like she wanted him to drop dead at that very instance. After not seeing her for a week, how could she change so much in a short span of time?


    They were puzzled, and yet they knew they had no choice but to leave. Shen Qing had been obedient to Cheng Lifan because of the older woman''s influence, and she didn''t want to offend the Cheng family because of Shen Minyao.


    Once they were gone, the fox woman checked the memory of her host regarding Cheng Lifan and was surprised to know how much this woman was willing to do for the sake of her host. Perhaps, if the real Shen Minyao had been obedient and listened well to Cheng Lifan''s advice, she wouldn''t meet her untimely death by Shen Qing''s hands.


    Cheng Lifan was the second wife of Shen Xin, Shen Minyao''s father. While the union between the two was only due to the business arrangements of two families, Chen Lifan hadn''t maltreated the young Shen Minyao since she joined the Shen family.


    In fact, the reason was that Cheng Lifan saw her younger self in Shen Minyao. Because she was born as a daughter, her parents treated her brothers better than her. As she saw how her husband treated his own child, Cheng Lifan couldn''t help but feel sympathy for the young girl.


    As a fox spirit who''d lived for centuries and spent a lifetime as a human, the fox woman didn''t have any experience when it came to maternal ties. Her previous host only had an older brother and a grandfather to raise her, and as a fox spirit, she only had an older brother to look up to.


    So having a mother holding her affectionately like this¡­ felt surreal for the nine-tailed fox.


    "M-Mama?" The fox spirit tested the word and felt it was too foreign on her tongue. However, she tried to imitate Shen Minyao''s tone and facial expression as well as she could.


    "Mama, are you angry?" She asked with a slight hint in her voice. When it came to Cheng Lifan, Shen Minyao would always use a gentle voice.


    Cheng Lifan was taken aback by her question and furrowed her brows.


    "Why would I be angry at you, Yao''er?"


    The fox woman had to keep up with her acting and lowered her eyes as if she was ashamed of what she''d done. She had to be careful in front of Cheng Lifan.


    "Yao''er is my daughter. Why would I let an outsider bully my child in front of me?" The older woman chuckled, pushing the stray strands of Shen Minyao''s hair away from her face. Her stepdaughter was a meek and gentle child so it was no wonder she was easily deceived and bullied by Shen Qing.


    Of course, Cheng Lifan understood her stepdaughter better than anyone else as she was practically the one who raised this young woman. She understood why Shen Minyao had acted like that earlier in front of her father.


    "But I must say that I''m disappointed, Yao''er. You shouldn''t have talked to your father like that, no matter how upset you are," she said worriedly.


    The fox woman fought the urge to roll her eyes. Just taking a peek at Shen Minyao''s memory and Shen Xin''s reaction today were enough to tell her that the man didn''t care about his daughter one bit.


    However, she was also aware that what she did earlier was far from the Shen Minyao everyone was ustomed to. The fox woman realized that it would confuse everyone as if she was not the Shen Minyao that had left.


    Moreover, it wouldn''t be good if the Li family caught wind of the news that Shen Minyao was in the vicinity of the Qingqiu Mountain when the fox spirit was released from its seal.


    Sighing to herself, the fox woman resigned to the need of being wary of her actions in the future. She hugged Cheng Lifan awkwardly and trembled in the mother''s arms.


    "I''m sorry, Mama. I was just upset, hearing him speak to me like that. Does Dad hate me that much, Mama? Why does he speak as if he isn''t worried about me?" she spoke in a low tone, hinting her host''s grievances at her stepmother.


    Cheng Lifan''s heart ached upon hearing her stepdaughter speak like this, but she understood that the young woman had truly been deprived of affection from her father.

 Chapter 12 - Night Hunt (1)

    "It''s not your fault, Yao''er." Cheng Lifan would never understand why her husband could treat his own daughter like this. It wasn''t Shen Minyao''s fault that his first wife had abandoned them anyway.


    "Next time, don''t be so impulsive, Yao''er. If Shen Qing tries to seek you out next time, you should inform me at once."


    The fear she felt after she heard that Shen Minyao got lost at the Qingqiu Mountain was almost unbearable. She wanted to confront Shen Qing about what that woman had done to her stepdaughter, but seeing thetter in tears only made the situation worse for her. At least, Shen Minyao''splexion and mental state were good. Cheng Lifan only sighed in relief.


    "I''ll listen to you from now on, Mama. I won''t let Brother Yin and Qing Jie bully me again," the fox woman responded.


    "That''s right. It''s good that you know. Our Yao''er shouldn''t let anyone bully her," Cheng Lifan agreed. It was enough for her that Shen Minyao would grow sensible of how people treated her. Cheng Lifan then turned to look at Fu Xiyan.


    "Yanyan, can you please take the things I brought with us? I made some lotus congee for Yao''er."


    Fu Xiyan moved at once, bringing the things her mistress asked from her. She then took out the toiletries from the other bag Cheng Lifan brought with her while Shen Minyao went to the small bathroom connected to her hospital room to wash up before eating.


    When the fox woman came back, she looked at the small thermos that held the congee and a te of sliced apples on the table. She ate slowly, allowing herself to get used to this mundane habit of the humans. It wasn''t like she hadn''t done this in her past life, but she was never fond of eating human foods except for meat.


    While she ate, Cheng Lifan opened up all the windows within the room, allowing several scents to overwhelm the fox woman. Shen Minyao momentarily paused as her nose picked up some familiar scents and other presences she thought she wouldn''t encounter in this era.


    The stench of death and blood was so strong it almost made the fox woman salivate. Her eyes turned amber with slit pupils, her fangs growing longer in her mouth. She was so tempted to jump out of the window and feed on the life energy swarming around the ce.


    Even the overwhelming despair and fear of the sick patients reached her. No wonder many creatures of the dark were dwelling in this ce. The hospital was the perfect ce to feed on vulnerable humans, slurping their negative life forces until they sumbed to death.


    Ah, this would be hard. For a fox spirit who had been sealed for centuries, the scent was like a banquet she needed to be indulged on. Her hunger became prominent that not even these human foods would be able to satiate it.


    "Miss, are you okay? Isn''t it to your liking?"


    Fu Xiyan''s voice was enough for the fox woman to break from her trance. She blinked, and the color of her eyes returned to normal while her fangs retracted.


    "It''s good," Shen Minyao replied. The congee in her mouth was too sweet for her liking. Perhaps it was because the Shen Minyao in the past was known to have a sweet tooth, something that the fox woman abhorred.


    "Yanyan, do you know what happened to the man who found me in the mountain? I want to thank him for saving me," she asked her personal attendant. She almost forgot about Zhao Yichen.


    If she hadn''t sensed the presence of those lowly creatures, shamelessly making the hospital a feeding ground; she might havepletely forgotten about her contractor who held her fox''s orb.


    As for her contractor, she was sure that Zhao Yichen was also in the same hospital she was in.


    "Oh¡­ that¡­" Fu Xiyan was visibly confused and didn''t know how to answer her. Of all people, she couldn''t understand why her miss met a person from the Zhao family.


    Cheng Lifan sat next to the fox woman and took her hand.


    "Yao''er, do you know the man who saved you? Have you met him in the past?" she asked in a curious tone.


    Shen Minyao shook her head.


    "No, Mama. I''m sure that I haven''t met him until that day. I wasn''t even sure what he was doing in that ce since he didn''t look like he was hiking like me and Qing Jie¡­"¡ªwhich was true. The fox woman had never seen her contractor meeting her host in Shen Minyao''s memories.


    "I see." Cheng Lifan''s face had conflicting emotions on it that made the fox woman wonder what was going on.


    Did something bad happen to her contractor? No, that couldn''t be. If he was in danger, she would be able to sense it. Also, Xiao Bai and Yu Yan wouldn''t let him sumb to death easily. Those two know how important it was to keep Zhao Yichen alive. If her contractor were to die, her life would be put in danger.


    "Yao''er, that man¡­ I heard that, from the outside, he looked okay, but his internal organs were severely damaged. The doctors had no choice but to put him in a medically induceda, so he could heal without suffering from the pain." Cheng Lifan exined, which the fox woman easily understood. "So if you want to thank him, we have to wait until he regains his consciousness, but I''m sure his family wouldn''t mind if you visit him once in a while."


    Her fox''s orb wasn''t strong enough to heal her contractor fully, but it was able to heal the gunshot that almost took his life that fateful night. Still, this meant that she could not leave her contractor on his own, given that dark creatures lurked around.


    "Thank you, Mama. I''ll make sure to pay him a visit soon.." Shen Minyao smiled.

 Chapter 13 - Night Hunt (2)

    Shen Minyao needed to wait for the nighttime toe before checking what was going on in this hospital. It was surprising, even for her, that no one hade after her in the previous days, considering that it wasn''t easy to hide from other creatures of the night that she was like them. Her unspoken question was soon answered when the sun finally set.


    After leaving her daughter with a string of reminders, Cheng Lifan left the hospital with Fu Xiyan. Xiao Bai then appeared on her windowsill, still in his white cat form. Xiao Bai scratched his ear with his hind leg, while Shen Minyao made sure that the two women hadpletely gone away before acknowledging Xiao Bai''s presence.


    "It took you three days to wake up from your long slumber. Yu Yan and I were starting to get worried that you wouldn''t wake up and just die in your sleep. I haven''t seen you this weak for such a long time, mdy," the fat catmented once Shen Minyao closed the door behind her. She wasn''t allowed to lock it this time, as Cheng Lifan reminded her that nurses and doctors might see her during their rounds even if she''s notfortable with it.


    "Three days," the fox woman repeated. "Where''s Yu Yan? Howe you came here on your own?" She asked. It was rare to see the two not together. Although they always argued, Xiao Bai and Yu Yan understood each other more than anyone else.


    "Where else but with your human contractor? You do realize how dangerous this ce could be for you and your contractor, mdy, right?" Xiao Bai replied. His tone might be disrespectful to someone''s ears, but the fox woman had grown used to his way of speaking a long time ago.


    "This ce reeks with negative energy. No wonder so many havee here and swarmed around," he added. "Yu Yan and I think you should get out of this ce as soon as possible, so you wouldn''t attract unwanted attention."


    "I see." Shen Minyao nodded. If Yu Yan was with Zhao Yichen, then she didn''t need to worry too much. Xiao Bai and Yu Yan might look harmless in their cat-like form, but they were certainly more powerful than the low-level demons here.


    With her current situation, the fox woman knew that it would be troublesome if she encountered a high-level creature like her. Thankfully, Cheng Lifan had already arranged her discharge request, so she would be able to go home in two days.


    "Do you have a n?" Xiao Bai asked in return. "Yu Yan might be able to fend off some lower demons, but if a powerful onees to steal your fox orb, then we would have no choice but to unleash our power."


    Of course, the fox woman knew what her familiar was trying to imply. If the two were to use their powers, it would attract attention from other creatures dwelling within the city. What''s more, they might even attract the ursed Li family that had sealed them for centuries. That was something the fox woman wanted to avoid right now.


    She was so weak that she needed to rely on Xiao Bai and Yu Yan to protect her and her human contractor for the time being. If the Li family came to her doorstep right now, the fox woman wasn''t certain that she would be able to beat them at the current state she was in.


    Furthermore, if they knew that her fox orb was inside a human, wouldn''t it mean that Zhao Yichen''s life would be in danger? Surely, the Li family or any shaman and exorcist that knew about it would hunt him down for being acquainted with her.


    "I want to see my human contractor," she said after a long silence between them. She needed to understand the situation they were in and know how dangerous the other demons were. This ce looked basically like a feeding ground for creatures like them, and while it''s normal to see low-level demons here, the fox woman was certain that there must be a high-level demon overseeing the area.


    "He''s not far from here. Should I inform Yu Yan that you woulde over to see them?" Xiao Bai asked. Since he and Yu Yan were partners, they were able tomunicate using telepathy.


    "There''s no need for that. Yu Yan should be able to sense my presence, no matter how faint it is." The fox woman declined his suggestion at once. "But I would need your assistance tonight. I should see what''s lurking behind the shadows with my own eyes."


    The fox woman would be able to hide her identity with her human host, but it didn''t mean that other demons wouldn''t notice her strange scent. With Xiao Bai around, she would be able to roam around the ce under his protection. Moreover, if there was a high-level demon somewhere, Xiao Bai could easily sense it from the crowd.


    The fox woman never thought that there would be a day when she would need to rely on their help to protect herself. If it was in the past, regardless of who tried to oppose her, they would surely meet their impending death.


    Nine-tailed foxes like her were highly territorial and liked being on their own. Unlike the other creatures of the night, they were solitary creatures. They preferred to hunt and sleep alone, except when they''re busy dealing with arger problem. Their greatest joy was to hear people cry in their physical suffering and despair.


    Shen Minyao needed to wait for the nurse toe and check up on her by eleven in the evening before she could go outside for a night hunt. Once the clock hit midnight, there was a sudden change in the atmosphere within the hospital premises.


    "It''s time.." Shen Minyao rose from her bed, her eyes turning amber momentarily as she tried to sense all presence around them.

 Chapter 14 - Night Hunt (3)

    The hospital felt eerie and ufortable at night. One could almost hear a pin drop in the stillness of the night. Shen Minyao stepped out of her hospital room and could barely see a human under twenty feet radius. Most humans were already fast asleep at this time, and only those nurses and doctors on duty could be heard speaking in low voices.


    The hallways were well-lit, but they were empty, not that Shen Minyao expected that she would see them as soon as she stepped out.


    "Can you sense past my private zone?" Shen Minyao asked the white cat that chose to cling over her left shoulder.


    "There are low-level demons on the other end of the building, but they pose no harm to us." Xiao Bai narrowed his eyes and rubbed his right paw on his snout.


    "Don''t lower your guard." Shen Minyao reminded him as they continued their walk. They were able to meet humans ahead and exchange greetings with them, with the fox woman stering an awkward smile on her face. When asked why she was outside her room thatte, Shen Minyao could only make up excuses like fetching water or taking a stroll.


    Her new host''s personality was quite hard to keep up with. Unlike her past host which had a domineering personality, Shen Minyao''s meek personality irritated the fox woman to no end. It would surely be hard for her to change Shen Minyao''s ways without causing suspicion to the surrounding humans.


    "Why''s the ICU too far from here anyway?" She grumbled to herself. The fox woman could have just used her heightened senses and abilities to get to their destination faster, but she didn''t want people to suspect Shen Minyao. It also didn''t help that there were CCTVs installed at every corner of the hallways.


    Before they could reach the ICU, the two needed to pass the NICU where premature newborn infants were being taken care of. The scent of the newborns was enticing to demons like the fox woman. Aside from monks and priestesses, newborn babies were known to have pure life sources that demons covet to eat. It was also believed that eating an infant''s liver provided strength equivalent to one hundred spirits.


    "Hmm¡­ can you see what I''m seeing right now?" Shen Minyao asked herpanion. They stopped in front of the huge ss wall from where they could clearly see the babies in their incubators, fighting for their lives.


    "They surely know where to find good food," Xiao Baimented, his feline eyes narrowing as they looked at the seemingly delicate nurse tending to one of the babies inside the NICU.


    She was looking at one of the weak infants inside its incubator. Her body was emitting such a nauseous scent that reached the fox woman''s nose.


    Something about her was suspicious. When she snapped her head to look at Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai, they could see the emptiness in her eyes, and half of her face had weird violet veins covering it starting from her left ear. She couldn''t be just a harmless human.


    At the sight of them, the nurse fled in a hurry, but she didn''t give any indication that she was afraid of Shen Minyao or Xiao Bai.


    "Should we go after her?" The fox woman crossed her arms and followed the retreating figure of the nurse with her eyes. It was obvious to her that the human was possessed by a demon. She wasn''t sure what kind of demon it was since many types of demons could possess humans to control them.


    "Surely, she wille back," Xiao Bai replied, "but aren''t you worried that she woulde after your human contractor?"


    The fox woman might be able to confuse some demons that she was but a human, but if her identity as a nine-tailed fox was revealed, surely, some higher-ranking demons would seek after her. If it wasn''t for her fox orb, they mighte after her to kill her. After all, killing a high-level demon like her would make any demon advance in ranking and power.


    ''Heh,'' she scoffed inwardly. As if she would allow something like that to happen. They must be dreaming. No demon was able to beat her in the past; what made them think they would be able to subdue her in her second life? If anything, they would need to collude with the shamans to suppress her. If it wasn''t for her trusting a mortal human, she would never lose her life by his own hands.


    Shen Minyao considered her options. While Xiao Bai was right, she didn''t think any low- or mid-level demon would be able to get her fox orb from Zhao Yichen. Still, if that demon was under the influence of a more powerful one, that would certainly pose danger not only to her human contractor but also to herself.


    Sighing to herself, she ran her fingers through her long locks. It would be better if she could get rid of the other demons that''d seen her and Xiao Bai. She should have pretended not to see the possessed nurse earlier and went on her way to see her human contractor.


    "How troublesome," She muttered to herself. "Xiao Bai, use your enchantment to cover our tracks." She told the white fat cat before stretching her arms up to her head, her legs taking position for a sprint.


    "Alright." Xiao Bao''s obsidian eyes glowed, disturbing the CCTVs around the area.


    In the surveince room of the hospital, there was a slight static at the monitors showing the NICU and the hallways nearby. The person in charge of the CCTVs hadn''t noticed the sudden change as he was preupied with his food. Once he turned back his attention to the monitors, it only showed an empty hallway near the NICU where Shen Minyao was previously standing.


    Shen Minyao''s eyes changed into amber ones, her sense of scent heightened as she tried to follow the track of the possessed nurse they''d seen earlier.

 Chapter 15 - You Are Really Heartless, Milady! (1)

    Shen Minyao moved twice as fast as the possessed nurse. The humans the nurse met on the hallways weren''t able to see her run past them. Her movements weren''t seen by a naked eye, only felt like a strange draft blowing along the path. The other low-level demons scampered away in fear once they sensed a murderous auraing from the fox woman.


    If it wasn''t for Shen Minyao''s heightened senses, she would have lost track of the possessed human. She was slightly annoyed that she needed to go after this one, but it would be better if she cut the buds even before it posed a danger to her in the future.


    Initially, she didn''t want to pique the attention of the other demons inhabiting the ce, but that was just impossible to avoid right now.


    "Don''t let her get away," Xiao Bai said as Shen Minyao chased after the nurse.


    "Would it be better if I just kill her on the spot?" The fox woman gritted her teeth in annoyance. She didn''t care about these weak demons at all, but she knew she needed to protect her human contractor to protect her interest.


    "Don''t be silly, mdy. You can''t kill the human it possessed, but you can devour the demon if you want," Xiao Bai said in response.


    In her weakened state, it would be better if the fox woman gathered enough strength while waiting for her human contractor to fully recover. The faster she gained strength, the better for her and Zhao Yichen. Being in a contract with her would put his life in danger, whether from pesky humans or from demons like them.


    "Eating a demon like that is like eating garbage. You want me to devour that trash? To hell with it!" The fox woman grimaced.


    While it''s true that a higher demon like her could devour weaker ones to get stronger, she abhorred the idea. She would rather eat the liver of an animal than eat fellow demons.


    The possessed human led them to the emergency exit of the hospital, where the cameras wouldn''t be able to capture their confrontation. The nurse stopped at the top of the stairs and snarled at Shen Minyao once the door behind her shut. It immediately pounced at her.


    Shen Minyao easily dodged and leaped to the left. Her right hand flexed as she unsheathed her ws, ready to defend herself from another attacking from the human. It was obvious that the demon that possessed the nurse was agitated.


    "Ahh, you are mad." The fox woman chuckled, stating the obvious. "Are you mad because we disturbed your feeding? Poor infant humans. They would never know how they would die from your hands if I leave you be."


    The possessed human growled back at her. The violet veins protruding on her face spread even more and became more apparent as the demon tried to increase its influence on its host. Her eyes turned bloody red, and Xiao Bai realized what kind of demon they were facing at that moment.


    "I understand now, mdy. This kind of demon is called a ''rotten de1''. It is a small parasitic demon who preys on both demons and humans," the fat white cat exined. Many demons could possess humans, but the mark this demon left on its human host''s face was enough for him to recognize what kind of demon it was.


    "It can also prey on demons?" The fox woman chuckled. "Then, you have to be careful not to be possessed by that."


    "Mdy! I''m kind enough to warn you. It doesn''t matter if the demon is strong or not. The rotten de can possess anyone, even high-ranking demons. You have to avoid being possessed by it at any cost." He paused as if something crossed his mind. Xiao Bai''s eyes turned into slits. "You aren''t nning to use me as bait, aren''t you?!"


    It wouldn''t be the first time the fox woman would use him as bait. In their past lives, Xiao Bai could remember being tortured by this woman repeatedly by letting him deal with the annoying little demons.


    "Aiya? Am I really that obvious?" Shen Minyao grinned mischievously at herpanion.


    Xiao Bai cried inwardly. This fox woman was really hateful! So hateful! If it wasn''t because she was his and Yu Yan''s master, he would have abandoned this devious woman a long time ago.


    The fox woman dodged another attack andnded on the handrails of the stairs with ease. Her movements were so lithe, so graceful; the possessed human was having trouble keeping up with her speed.


    "You are worrying too much. This host is neither a human nor a demon. How could it possibly possess this body if I''m already upying it?" She retorted.


    Hypothetically speaking, it would be impossible for the rotten de to possess Shen Minyao. It would need a human soul to bind itself to its prey. With the nine-tailed fox upying Shen Minyao''s human body, how would it be able to take control of it?


    "Still, don''t lower your guard, mdy!" Xiao Bai insisted. Who knew what could happen if the rotten de tried to possess her. It might be a low-level demon, but it could prove to be a handful if it possessed a high-level demon like the nine-tailed fox.


    Shen Minyao hadn''t retaliated and only dodged the attacksing from the possessed human. Since she wasn''t allowed to kill the human, the fox woman could only restrain herself and force the little demon out of its host''s system.


    She raised her hand and hit the back of the nurse''s head, making the host fall unconscious on the cold floor. Poor human beings were discarded like trash once they served their purpose.


    "Let''s see what we have here." The fox woman waited for the little demon to abandon the nurse''s body. She and Xiao Bai waited until something came out of the woman''s ear, which looked like a slimy pitch-ck mass of a ball. This is just a fictional demon in this novel.. It has nothing to do with the other demons portrayed in mythology or sort, albeit they might share some abilities like possession of a human.

 Chapter 16 - You Are Really Heartless, Milady! (2)

    "Urgh, disgusting." Shen Minyao made a face of disgust as she looked at the demon sprouting out of the human''s body. She never liked these kinds of demons at all. For a narcissistic creature like a nine-tailed fox, she avoided dealing with demons who emitted disgusting scents and appeared like the rotten de.


    The rotten de sensed her presence and made an attempt on possessing Shen Minyao. However, even before it touched her body, the fox woman snapped her fingers, and her blue fox fire burned the demon midair. It made a howling sound as it was consumed by the inextinguishable fox fire.


    The fox woman watched, her brows furrowing in disappointment. Listening to humans'' sufferings was better than listening to the rotten de''s cries as it burned into ashes. Hearing the humans cry in agony was like music to her ears.


    "How brave," Shen Minyaomented as she gave the ashes of the rotten de onest look before ncing at the human who lost consciousness.


    "Will she be alright?" She asked Xiao Bai, who was busy grooming himself, licking his paws and legs like a real cat. He knew that the rotten de was vulnerable once it was out of its host that was protecting it from other demons like them. It would be easy for Shen Minyao to kill it in its current state as long as it wouldn''t find another nearby host.


    "She''ll be fine after having a good rest. Since the rotten de wasn''t able to feed on the infants earlier, it consumed her energy instead," the fat white cat replied nonchntly.


    All of those running the rotten de did had exhausted the human. It only made sense if the nurse woke up feeling like she''d been hit by a dump truck.


    "That''s good to hear. Let''s keep going then." Shen Minyao brushed off the invisible dirt from her sleeping pajamas. Thank goodness, Cheng Lifan had brought her some clothes, or else she wouldn''t be able to walk outside with the flimsy hospital gown she was wearing earlier.


    "Aren''t you going to help her?" Xiao Bai leaped back to her shoulder and eyed the unconscious nurse lying on the floor.


    "Why should I? It''s her fault for being easily possessed by a demon. Demons don''t have a magnanimous heart." Shen Minyao opened the door leading to the hallway. She looked around to make sure no one had seen here in from the fire exit.


    "You are really heartless, mdy," the fat white catmented, but he should have known his master better than anyone else. There were only two humans who mattered to the fox woman. The rest of the humans could go to hell on their own.


    Anyway, since Xiao Bai said the woman would be able to recover, then she would be fine on her own. Whether she lived or not, it had nothing to do with the fox woman anymore.


    Shen Minyao resumed walking as if nothing happened earlier. With the cameras being enchanted by her familiar, they wouldn''t be able to see her walking towards the ICU where Zhao Yichen was staying with Yu Yan.


    She had not seen any demons so far aside from the rotten de. If it was because of Xiao Bao''s presence that made the low-level demons run away or because they sensed her fox fire earlier, the fox woman wasn''t sure.


    However, the fox woman was aware of the pair of eyes watching her from afar. Whoever that creature was, it wouldn''t dare to attack her hastily. The scent told the fox woman that it wasn''t a human or a demon, but a grim reaper who collected the souls of the departed humans.


    Heh, no wonder some demons chose to hide. Even a high-ranking demon like her would have a hard time dealing with a grim reaper. Their presence meant death. If a demon chose to confront them, they would perish from this world without knowing what killed them.


    It hadn''t bothered Shen Minyao at all. She''d been used to being on the receiving end of the insults and hatred, regardless if it came from humans or demons alike.


    ''I should have known that this ce is being frequented by grim reapers, too,'' Xiao Bai said using telepathy to Shen Minyao.


    ''Hn. He must be wondering why a human shell is walking around without its human soul,'' Shen Minyao replied.


    The current Shen Minyao would be an anomaly. An ursed being that shouldn''t walk in the face of the earth. She had the body of a human but a soul of a demon. Technically speaking, it shouldn''t be possible as mortal humans wouldn''t be able to cater to the overwhelming presence of a demon soul, but for a nine-tailed fox like her, they were able to ingrain their soul in a human body as long as that its soul had left it.


    "Aren''t you worried that he would kill you?" Xiao Bai asked.


    It was rare for grim reapers to get involved with demons like them as they were only ountable for collecting the souls of the dead humans and weren''t allowed to interfere with the demon world. However, that wouldn''t mean they wouldn''t pose a threat to the demons who preyed on humans.


    "Well, if he has the capability, he can try." Shen Minyao yawned. She wasn''t worried about that grim reaper. If he wanted something from her, he would have shown himself the moment he sensed their presence.


    There should be a powerful demon overseeing the other weak demons they''d seen so far, but where could it possibly be? For a ce like this, the fox woman refused to believe that the demons juste and go just to feed.


    Her questions were answered once Shen Minyao stepped into the ICU room of the hospital. So many demons were haunting the ce, their presence almost suffocating the patients within the area and making them weaker each passing day.. It was as if they were in a feast of demons.

 Chapter 17 - Soulless Creature (1)

    The scent of death and despair within the ICU was so strong; it almost made Shen Minyao back out from what she intended to do. It wasn''t like she disliked this scent, but it surely attracted creatures tempted by the negative life force umting around the ce. She disliked being surrounded by fellow demons because it only brought her trouble.


    ''So much for deciding to keep a low profile¡­''


    "Should we go back, or do you want to proceed, mdy?" Xiao Bai asked, knowing the dangers these demons posed to them. It wasn''t like he wasn''t capable of protecting Shen Minyao, but they had no idea what they were dealing with right now.


    Several mid-level demons were haunting the ce, but none of them were able to enter the room where Zhao Yichen was. Yu Yan was strong enough to im her territory, not allowing anyone to get close to the fox woman''s human contractor.


    The light in the hallway flickered, and the nurses on duty stopped whatever they were doing, wondering if there was another power shortage again. It wasn''t the first time it happened anyway, and so they didn''t suspect anything was wrong. They were more concerned about the power outage as the ICU had patients that relied on the machines attached to them to keep them alive.


    With Xiao Bai''s concealing enchantment, not only were they invisible to the CCTVs, but they also remained unnoticed by the humans thate and go. They were oblivious of the danger looming around them if they continued to stay within the ICU. Sooner orter, these nurses would eventually fall sick one by one without knowing what had hit them.


    "We''re already here. Don''t tell me you''re afraid, Xiao Pang?" The fox woman scoffed.


    A vein almost popped in the white cat''s head.


    "Who are you calling fatty here?" This woman only knew how to annoy people around her. It was no wonder many humans and demons alike hated her in her past life!


    "Who else but you? Why would I call myself a fatty?" Shen Minyao said in return.


    Shrugging off the angry cat, Shen Minyao had to think of ways to reach the room where Zhao Yichen was without taking the attention of the demons haunting the ce. Like Yu Yan, Xiao Bai''s spiritual presence wasn''t easily ignored by the lower demons.


    Amongst the supernatural entities inside the ICU, something piqued the fox woman''s curiosity. It was something she never expected to encounter in her second life as a human. Inside one of the ICU rooms was a ghost-like figure that was almost like a ck smoke hovering over one of the patients in a vegetative state.


    It appeared as a sinister, spectral figure robed in darkness. It had no facial features or appendages, except for its glowing red eyes.


    This entity wasn''t particrly a demon but acted like one. It was one of the most annoying creatures the fox woman encountered so far. The other demons obviously stay out of its way, just like how they avoid Yu Yan who was currently protecting Zhao Yichen.


    "Can''t this day get any better?" Shen Minyao groaned upon realizing what it was.


    In the shadows of the night, a creature emerged. The temperature dropped, the atmosphere darkened, and an eerie chill descended over the ce. It was then followed by an overwhelming feeling of despair and hatred. This only meant that a wraith1 was nearby.


    First, they encountered a rotten de that possessed humans to be able to feed on infants; now, they needed to deal with a Wraith? The fox woman had encountered one of these creatures in her past life once, and she knew that this creature was almost invincible and had only a few weaknesses¡­ aside from sunlight. She didn''t forget that it could only be defeated by a holy presence.


    It was rare to find these creatures here as locals of this country had forbidden the practice of ck magic and alchemy for hundreds of years. That''s why there hadn''t been a lot of sightings of these creatures until today. Perhaps humans in this era held grudges and hatred morepared to their ancestors who were wise enough to let it go.


    "The man is obviously half-dead, but why does his spirit immediately turn into a wraith?" Xiao Baimented, which made the fox woman aware of the situation.


    "Did he have such intense hatred and anger that he couldn''t let go even in death? How foolish," the fox woman said, "Imagine being angered to death by your enemy, only for your soul to turn into a wraith. Humans surely knew how to ruin themselves. He rather chose to hold onto that anger than allow himself to move on to the Underworld and be judged for his soul''s reincarnation."


    Wraiths were known to be human in their past lives before they turned into these nefarious, soulless creatures that only feel devastating emotions like hatred and despair. The fox woman knew there could only be two scenarios why a human spirit would turn into a wraith.


    One, the old man lying on the bed had been practicing ck magic. He tried to defy thew of life by trying to extend his life and miserably failed. It was a tragic end, but he should know better that no one could cheat death.


    In some weird way, the wish of those who did had been fulfilled. They had turned into immortal beings with incredible powers. It was just too bad that they had to pay it with their humanity and their ticket to the spirit realm where they could get a chance to be reincarnated in their next lives. They were condemned to stay like this for eternity and were forced to wander aimlessly in the mortal world.


    The other scenario could be the possibility that this man had intense hatred or anger that eventually corrupted his soul. These grudges he held onto dearly had be his sole purpose to exist.  Wraiths on this novel shared some simrities with Dementors from the Harry Potter Series.

 Chapter 18 - Soulless Creature (2)

    The wraith seemingly noticed their presence just outside the door and made a loud wailing sound that resonated in the ICU. Not only did it distract the demons that infested the ce, but it also sent the humans on such turbulence of despair and hatred out of nowhere.


    "He''s mad." Shen Minyao knitted her brows as Xiao Bai cast a protective spell around them, effectively dispelling the attack of the wraith. "You think you can vanquish it?"


    If they wanted to reach where Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan were, they needed to get past these demons first and then deal with this wraith that obstructed their way. One fact that annoyed Shen Minyao was that wraiths could also feed on demons and ghosts who harbored strong negative forces. She would be doomed if the wraith targeted her.


    Xiao Bai frowned. Although he and Yu Yan were a pair of mythical and powerful creatures that could ward off evil spirits and resist both demons and ghosts, it wouldn''t be easy for them to deal with a wraith.


    "Move." A voice of a man reached their ears, and a blinding light almost hit them. However, Shen Minyao managed to jump to the side to avoid it, barely missing by a beat. It immediately killed the low-level demons that weren''t able to run away from the attack, while the wraith wailed again and fled in fright.


    "Ah, it ran away," the man said in disappointment.


    The fox woman frowned in annoyance. The grim reaper they sensed earlier had revealed himself,unching a sneak attack from behind them. However, his miscalction not only chased the wraith away, but it also harmed the fox woman in the process. Xiao Bai might survive the st with just a scratch, but the nine-tailed fox would surely perish if she was hit by that light.


    "What the hell was that?" She asked Xiao Bai.


    "How should I know?" He said in response. It was a bright light but not sacred or holy enough to kill the wraith¡ªthat''s for sure.


    Shen Minyao turned her attention to the grim reaper who appeared out of nowhere. It was a young, tall man with a fair, extremely handsome in a devilish way and a countenance that reminded the fox woman of fine jade. He had skin as white as snow and hair as ck as ink that reached his waist.


    Unlike the other grim reapers in this modern era that were wearing modern ck suits, he was wearing a traditional ck robe with a white shirt and pants underneath,pleted with ck boots. His long hair was loosely braided on the right side of his head, while a ck eye patch was covering his right eye, giving him a more mysterious look.


    This grim reaper looked proud andposed at the same time, but his facial expression was too stiff, not giving anyone an idea of what he was even thinking about. Well, this characteristic was universal to grim reapers, making all of them look the same in the fox woman''s eyes.


    Despite his young appearance, the fox woman was sure that he was at least over three hundred years old in human years. Grim reapers like him needed at least a hundred years in training before they were allowed to roam around the earth to collect the souls of the departed humans.


    Before they became grim reapers, they were humans like the wraith in their past lives. Humans who hadmitted grave sins and had tarnished their human souls were forbidden to stay in the spirit realm and get reincarnated.


    However, unlike the wraiths that were destined to roam for eternity, grim reapers were given a chance to redeem for their sins by working under the lord of theherworld. Once they did enough good deeds and collected souls from the mortal world, they would eventually be awarded with another reincarnation at the end of their service.


    "What was that for?" Shen Minyao asked him with a frown on her face, wondering why he had chosen to reveal himself at that moment when he obviously chose to keep his distance from her earlier. He didn''te here to kill her, right? Grim reapers didn''t have any obligation to send demons like her to the spirit realm.


    The grim reaper eyed her for a moment and put his sword with a dragon handle back to its scabbard that was tied firmly on his waist. His movements told Shen Minyao that he might have been a swordmaster in his past life as a human, for his mannerisms showed great respect and discipline while holding his sword.


    "Who are you?" He asked in return, "What are you doing here?"


    "I should be the one asking you that, Mr. Grim Reaper? Were you nning to kill me just now?" Shen Minyao didn''t bother to hide her annoyance towards the grim reaper.


    Who cared if he was powerful? What he did earlier was a reckless move! She could have died without being able to protect herself or retrieve her fox orb if she didn''t manage to evade his attack earlier!


    "A demon with a human shell. You should be thanking me for not killing you on the spot." He then proceeded and entered the room where the old man and the wraith were.


    "Oh, thank you very much, Sir Grim Reaper. I appreciate your kindness towards this subject of yours." Shen Minyao spat venomously but followed him inside, seeing the traces of the wraith left within the room.


    "He''ll be back," the grim reaper said before checking outside the window of the room.


    "Well, good luck on your wraith-hunting then." Shen Minyao waved a hand to bid goodbye. Since she wouldn''t be able to beat the wraith on her own, might as well allow this arrogant grim reaper to deal with it himself.


    "I think you are mistaken here, demoness.. The wraith wouldn''te back for its source but to you¡­ to collect your soul as its first prey."

 Chapter 19 - No Way Out (1)

    "What did you say? Are you cursing me to death?" Shen Minyao shot the grim reaper a scathing look. If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead with the way the fox woman red.


    "Your mere presence made it agitated and angry." He pointed out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    "But I wasn''t the one who chased it away. It was you." The fox woman frowned, crossing her arms over her chest as she paid attention to the grim reaper. What was she doing here with him anyway? Shouldn''t she go and check on her human contractor rather than wasting her time here?


    The grim reaper examined the traces left on the old man before pulling out an old pocket watch, the ticking sound effectively taking Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai''s attention. Once the minute hand struck 01:25, the old man sucked in a deep breath for thest time before he allowed himself to sumb to death.


    "Lord Hell, is this why you are here?" Unlike the fox woman, Xiao Bao talked to the grim reaper politely. It wasn''t like he was afraid of this grim reaper, but he would rather avoid making an enemy out of him while warding other demons by keeping him by their side. Wouldn''t killing two birds with one stone be considered solving their problems?


    "Hn." The grim reaper only nced at Xiao Bai but didn''t say anything in return. His cold, indifferent expression was something both the fox woman and Xiao Bai expected from a grim reaper like him.


    Meanwhile, it was obvious that Shen Minyao was not only pissed off by this grim reaper but also with the possibility of being chasedter by the wraith. This only meant that she would have to deal with it first before she could see Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan that were waiting for them.


    As the machine beeped and was followed with a t line showing that the old man''s had expired, the nurses and a doctor outside came in a hurry and checked on the patient, while the grim reaper and Shen Minyao stood aside, both invisible to the human eyes.


    They watched as the humans tried to resuscitate the patient in vain. Its spirit hadpletely left its body and turned into a soulless wraith filled with hatred and despair. While the humans shook their heads and gave the grandson a pitiful look for being left on his own without any rtives to look after him, Shen Minyao and the grim reaper had nk expressions on their faces.


    Obviously, this wasn''t the first time they saw someone die, especially the grim reaper. Even in emotion-evoking situations like this, they didn''t appear moved in the least. Both hadn''t felt any sympathy for the humans as they watched the teenager wail over his grandfather''s death. They were more curious as to the reason why the old man''s spirit had turned into a wraith.


    "I don''t know what''s more appalling about humans. Is it their greed, or is it their inability to let go of the reasons that are pinning them down?" Shen Minyao muttered next to the grim reaper that hadn''t said a word since the old man died.


    The young man continued to weep next to his grandfather, muttering words on how the old man left him on his own this early.


    "You shouldn''t have confronted them, old man. Even if they cheated us¡ªeven if they took everything from us¡­ you shouldn''t have been reckless in putting your own life in danger," He said in between his tears, which gave Shen Minyao and the grim reaper a gist of what could have happened.


    It seemed that the intense hatred and anger this old man had was caused by his own rtives who undermined and schemed against him and took over theirpany under his nose.


    "Is there no other way to kill the wraith?" Shen Minyao questioned the fat white cat on her shoulder. With how huge and heavy this fat cat was, if the fox woman''s new host hadn''t acquired her inhumane strength, Shen Minyao would never be able to withstand Xiao Bai''s weight.


    "Well, wraiths are very powerful creatures and are, therefore, extremely difficult to ovee." The fat white cat exined. "They can only be defeated by a holy presence or weapon. As they are beings of pure evil, they are not able to withstand holiness of any kind and will either be forced to retreat or be destroyed by the opposing force."


    "So that means even Mr. Grim Reaper here has no chance of winning against that wraith?" Shen Minyao chuckled and gave the grim reaper an arrogant look.


    Grim reapers weren''t holy creatures. They were more like minions of theherworld that could only follow the duties given to them until they redeemed themselves, enough to enter the spirit realm. This grim reaper might be able to chase it, but it could not really annihte it unless he had a holy weapon that couldpletely obliterate it.


    "At least I''m not the one huntedter by that same wraith," the grim reaper said with a straight face, which made the frown on Shen Minyao''s face deepen. She didn''t expect that he would talk back to her, given how stiff and cold he was standing next to her.


    "If it is the mostmon wraith we know, then you are in trouble, demoness. It won''t stop until he captures your soul, and you''ll wander for eternity just like it." He added, clearly reminding her of the situation.


    The fox woman hummed and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. While it was true that she had encountered a wraith in the past, her knowledge about them was quite limited because of its rarity.. For someone like Xiao Bai and Yu Yan who had a vast understanding of how the human and spirit realm worked, it was only natural that they knew more about a wraith than her.

 Chapter 20 - No Way Out (2)

    "Mdy, it''s imperative that we know what kind of wraith we are dealing with." Xiao Bai agreed with the grim reaper. "If it''s the mostmon wraith we are dealing with, it would be vexing for us as it won''t stop until it gets what it wants from you."


    "How unfortunate." The grim reaper crossed his arms, the long sleeve of his ck robe hanging in front of him.


    Shen Minyao furrowed her brows and pressed her lips into a thin line. Indeed, how unfortunate that she was the first one targeted by that wraith. Was it because her spiritual presence was more prominent than the rest of the demons haunting the ICU area? She wondered.


    "What do you mean ''what kind of wraith it was''? Aren''t they all inherently evil?" She asked. Wraiths did not only pose danger to the humans but also to demons who feed on negative life force.


    "That''s true, but there are some instances that wraiths could be considered as ''good''." Xiao Bai pointed out. "Just like Lord Hell mentioned earlier, if what we encountered earlier is amon wraith, it only meant trouble."


    "So you mean to say that there are several types of this creature?" The fox woman arched her brow. In her eyes, they were all the same.


    Perhaps the reason why there weren''t many wraiths in the past was that humans back then had high paragons of virtues that they had enough self-control and awareness not to fall into the deep pit of hatred.


    "En. There are actually three types of wraith known, mdy. The first one is the mostmon kind of wraith Lord Hell and I described earlier. It has an extreme rage that motivates its actions. Some variations of this first type of wraith are incredibly intelligent and capable of holding grudges while in their undead state. They will target an individual that they perceive has wronged them until they have captured its soul and can force it to wander outside the spirit realm for eternity.


    "The second kind of wraith is described as being a parasitic kind of ghost-demon. These creatures are the type of wraiths that inhabit any type of empty space until they find a human to meld with. However, unlike most creatures capable of possession, these wraiths do not make their presence known to the victim. It is unlikely that the affected person will ever know that they have been possessed by this demon."


    The fox woman nodded in understanding. In her long life, she had only encountered this kind of creature once in her past life, and to think that this modern era was able to make a rare wraith to be amon urrence had surely surprised her. Humans in this era surely had no idea what kind of monsters they were breeding.


    "So the rare instances you mentioned earlier¡ªthe good wraiths, is it?" She still couldn''t believe that a wraith could be ssified as good as Xiao Bai imed. From the strength and prowess the wraith showed earlier, it was impossible for Shen Minyao not to sense its intense hatred.


    There was no way it was a good wraith.


    "It''s extremely rare, mdy. This type of wraith follows the soul of a person from the time they are born until the time they die," Xiao Bai replied, tuning out of the wailing of the human who had just lost his beloved grandfather, not aware that the spirit had turned into a malevolent wraith.


    "Extremely rare that I haven''t encountered one," the grim reaper said in a matter-of-fact tone. He had received a task to collect this old man''s soul tonight. However, the moment he stepped into the hospital, he encountered a human shell with a demon soul inhabiting it.


    The grim reaper knew that he shouldn''t meddle with the demons unless they gave him troubles. However, he couldn''t help but be curious about this demon who was able to possess a human body. The human soul had already departed from this mortal world, yet her own body still functioned as if it was still alive and well with a demon possessing it.


    "Well, he surely wouldn''t fall under the third type, given how agitated and angry he was." The fox womanmented, pinching the bridge of her nose and taking a deep breath. This wraith proved to be problematic. It was enough to give her a headache while thinking about how they should deal with it.


    "Since neither of us could defeat it, why don''t you go and find a shaman that could exorcise it?" He told Shen Minyao. He was a person working for theherworld, and while he was strong enough to defend himself from its attacks, he wasn''t the right person to deal with it.


    "Me, asking for a shaman for help?" She huffed and red at him. "I see you really want me to push for my own death."


    There was no doubt that once those shamans saw her, they would realize what she was and would try to exorcise her soul from her body.


    "Your human host''s soul has been long gone and has already crossed the spirit realm. Are you afraid that they will exorcise you instead of the wraith?" The grim reaper asked in return. "If you don''t want to seek a shaman for help, then go and find a priest or a priestess."


    "Since you were the one who thought of that idea, why don''t you do it yourself, oh dear Mr. Grim Reaper? I like to see how you would deal with them." The fox woman spat venomously.


    This grim reaper was really hateful! He kept pushing the wrong buttons to annoy her!


    Anyway, that was the only option they could do to kill the wraith since neither of them was capable of doing it on their own.. If they failed to kill the wraith, it would surely haunt the ce, causing more mortality to the humans and would put Zhao Yichen''s life in danger by being close to it.

 Chapter 21 - Li Feier (1)

    Shen Minyao had no other choice but to retreat that night and return to her quarters on the other side of the hospital. Since it was impossible for her and the grim reaper to kill it and they faced the possibility of the wraithing back for her, it was better for her to stay away from her human contractor for the meantime.


    She sat on the bed and looked outside the window, waiting for the sun to rise; while Xiao Bai chose to doze off next to her, snoring lightly. A demon like her didn''t need to sleep, unlike humans. For them, sleeping was an act of leisure they enjoyed once In a while though they could never dream like humans.


    As she waited for the morning toe, the fox woman was left bored. It would have been better if she knew more about the wraiths like Xiao Bai and the grim reaper. Things like this should be taken seriously. Surely, this wouldn''t be thest time a wraith woulde to life because the humans now hold grudges against each other till they sumb to death.


    The fox woman was then reminded of the new mobile phone Cheng Lifan left for her. Since the real Shen Minyao had lost her phone to the wilderness, her stepmother made sure she would be able to contact her stepdaughter if another problem arises.


    Shen Minyao took the phone from the drawer of the nightstand and swiped up to unlock it. Thankfully, with the memories of her human host, it was easy for the fox woman to get used to the fast-paced technology of the modern world.


    She was amused at how convenient the lives of the humans were right now. If it was before, she would need to spend the night in a massive library, reading scrolls one after another to find what she was looking for. She opened the search engine on her phone and looked up the details she could read about wraiths, and the result had given her so much information about its origins and abilities.


    "Hmm¡­ most of these are already mentioned by Xiao Bai and that grim reaper. Is that all?" Shen Minyao muttered to herself and continued to scroll down on the screen. Most of them imed that it could only be killed by holy weapons.


    They really didn''t have a choice but to find a shaman or a priest to exorcise it. The fox woman was displeased that she couldn''t just have a break from dealing with demons and ghosts alike as soon as she woke up. Perhaps she should have listened to Xiao Bai when he suggested that she should devour that rotten de to strengthen her energy. However, it was toote now, and it wasn''t like her pride would allow her to do so.


    When morning came, Fu Xiyan found her Miss ying games on her mobile phone, the breakfast given by the hospital staff was left untouched. The young woman frowned and brought down the bag she was holding. Thankfully, Cheng Lifan had asked her to bring the Miss some food before she went back to their school dormitory.


    "Miss, you haven''t eaten yet?" She asked Shen Minyao.


    "I''m not in the mood to eat," the fox woman replied, who was still engrossed with her game.


    "Is there something else you want to eat today?" Fu Xiyan felt hopeless, seeing disinterest on Shen Minyao''s face.


    She and Cheng Lifan had noticed that Shen Minyao barely ate anything yesterday, and she didn''t eat anything today. They were both worried that she would continue to lose her appetite after the incident that happened between her and Shen Qing.


    Shen Minyao lifted her gaze and regarded the human who had just arrived before giving her attention back to the game. She didn''t need to worry about Fu Xiyan seeing Xiao Bai, who was snoring next to her, since Fu Xiyan''s spiritual aptitude to notice supernatural creatures around her was below average than the other humans.


    "Can I have anything that is meat? Medium raw if you could find one," she answered Fu Xiyan''s question. They might find it suspicious if she suddenly stopped eating altogether because she didn''t like human food.


    She would have asked Fu Xiyan to bring her a fresh liver of a cow, but the fox woman had no doubt that this poor human would shiver in fear from her request. Eating demons was out of the question for the fox woman, but since she needed to recover soon, she would either suck the life force of a human or eat the liver of an animal to satiate her growing hunger.


    Fu Xiyan blinked at her miss''s unusual request. Although Shen Minyao loved to eat, she wasn''t one to favor foods that were barely cooked, in fear that she might suffer indigestion and stomach ache. However, since that was what Shen Minyao wanted to eat, Fu Xiyan could only try to feed her with it.


    "Alright, but please try to eat more, Miss. You don''t know how worried your mother was."


    If Cheng Lifan wasn''t needed at thepany today, she would havee here and look after her stepdaughter herself. s, as a businesswoman who ran the Cheng family''s business, she was barely at home due to her busy work, leaving Shen Minyao and her young son under the care of their nannies and housekeepers.


    "I''m fine, Xiyan. I just didn''t like the food they brought for me today." The fox womany back on her bed, her phone up above her face as she continued to y.


    "I just asked the doctor. You are allowed to go home tomorrow," she informed Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman''s hand momentarily stopped, and she frowned. That meant that she only had this day left to see Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan before she gets discharged from the hospital. However, she had no doubt that when nighttimees, the wraith would surely seek her.

 Chapter 22 - Li Feier (2)

    Meanwhile, at Qingqiu Mountain, a group of shamans looked around the area where the legendary nine-tailed fox was known to be sealed. They were the Li family, a family of shamans who''d been keeping an eye on the seals of the nine-tailed fox at Qingqiu Mountain.


    The scene that greeted them was horrifying. A man with a torso ripped open with a missing livery dead on the muddy ground, while the seal that was keeping the fox spirit trapped had been broken by human blood. Blood scattered on the ground, and there were several footprints left around the area, which made them wonder what just happened here four days ago.


    "I thought it was just bad weather. Who would have thought that after centuries of being trapped here, she was able to break free and escape?" A man in histe forties knelt down on the ground and examined the seal closely, with his brows knitted together.


    The old man, who was standing behind him, remained silent as he pondered how the nine-tailed fox their ancestors sealed here managed to break free from its prison. He was the head of the Li family and was in charge of making sure that the seals that bound the demons within Qingqiu Mountain were intact.


    However, over the years, the Li family''s powers were starting to dwindle each generation. It had been a while since a prodigy had been born from them.


    The seal could only be broken with a bloodpact, and seeing that there wasn''t any dead body around except for the man lying a few meters away from the seal¡­ meant that there was someone who entered a demon contract with the nine-tailed fox.


    Still, even if the nine-tailed fox managed to initiate a contract, its spirit would need a body to possess, just like how she took over the identity of the young daughter of a minister several centuries ago. It would need a decent host that would be able to cater to its overwhelming demonic powers.


    "Master, three more dead men are found in the forest. It seemed that it hunted for food first before leaving the mountain." Another man came and reported what he and his followers found after surveying the area.


    The old man nodded in understanding. He touched his long beard and sighed to himself. The fox spirit hadn''t had any attempt to interact with any human since it was sealed centuries ago. His forefathers had thought that it was because it entered an eternal slumber, giving up on seeing the world after her first host had died.


    "We need to find her. Who knows what she would do now that she has joined the human world again?" The only thing they knew about the nine-tailed fox were notes left in the ounts of their ancestors. If she was really a malevolent demon like their ancestors imed her to be, then she would pose a great danger against humanity.


    "Do you think she possessed someone again?" Another member of the Li family asked.


    "I think so. That''s the only possible reason why she was able to leave the mountain without alerting us of her escape."


    "We''ve only dealt with ghosts and mid-level demons so far. I''m not certain if we would be able to seal her for the second time."


    They fell silent after hearing those words. Indeed, a fox spirit was a high-level demon that only Li Yun, thest prodigy the Li family produced in their long lineage, was able to seal away. His ability to defeat demons and exorcise ghosts that were haunting and possessing humans was outstanding and highly praised during his generation.


    It was just too bad that after Li Yun, no one from the following generation was able to follow in his footsteps.


    "Where''s Xiao Fei?" The old man then noticed that someone was missing from their team. "Didn''t she say she would join us today?" He asked the man who was previously examining the seal of the fox spirit.


    "She left without a word this morning, Father." Li Xiaoyao scratched his neck awkwardly. His daughter had juste back from her training in the north and was about to transfer to her new school in a few days.


    The youngsters of their family were obliged to live their earliest years up north, away from the city, so they would be able to be in tune with the nature that cultivated their ability to deal with demons and ghosts. It also lessened their exposure to worldly temptations that could derail them from their quest to be high-level shamans in the future.


    The old manughed and shook his head. He had already expected this to happen. His granddaughter was an entric one but, nheless, a good person. It didn''t surprise him at all that Li Fei''er decided to ditch them today in favor of wandering around the city. She was, after all, still young at seventeen years old, so it was only natural that her attention was piqued by worldly possessions.


    "Would she be alright on her own? She got used to living in the remote vige with her cousins in the north. Xiao Fei might feel overwhelmed now that she''s back in the city." The head of the Li family asked his eldest son worriedly after realizing something.


    He understood well that youngdies, such as his granddaughter, needed closepanions she could rely on. In his opinion, Li Fei''er didn''t need to follow in their footsteps as a shaman and should live the life girls her age had. He would rather see her enjoy her youth than face the dangers of the other side of the world that was unknown to the public.


    "Don''t worry, Father." Li Xiaoyao assured him. "I think Fei''er would do just fine. She said she couldn''t wait to see and meet her new ssmates soon. With her bubbly personality, I don''t think anyone wouldn''t like to befriend her.. She''s quite persistent."

 Chapter 23 - Li Feier (3)

    The girl, whose family was currently looking for her, found herself standing in front of Jiang City Medical Center where she saw an overwhelming dark aura surrounding the ce. Li Fei''er stood in front of the gate, her brows furrowing as she wondered how the hospital became a massive feeding ground of several demons and ghosts.


    "What just happened here?" She muttered to herself and stepped inside, feeling a little suffocated by the amount of demonic miasma around the ce.


    Not only that, but she could also sense a heavy feeling of despair and hatred at the western side of the building where the ICU was. In her seventeen years of living, Li Fei''er had never seen a ce as infested as this hospital.


    The sun was about to set, and it only meant that more low-level demons would crawl out from their hiding ces and join the others in feeding on the negative life forces seeping out from their willing prey, the sick patients of the hospital.


    Li Fei''er stopped walking and bit her lip. If she didn''t do anything to stop these demons, more humans would eventually lose their lives without knowing what had killed them. She might not be able to save them all, but it was better to try saving some than ignoring everything altogether.


    "Are you also here to visit someone?" A child''s voice startled Li Fei''er and made her snap out of her deep thoughts.


    Howe she never sensed this child''s presenceing towards her? She thought.


    As she stared at the young girl standing next to her, Li Fei''er realized that the girl was wearing a hospital gown for young children and that she was ghastly pale. There was no doubt that the girl was a ghost.


    "What are you doing here outside? Should you be in your room?" Li Fei''er wasn''t sure what the girl''s motive for reaching out to her was.


    "I''m waiting for my mommy toe back," she said in response, "I''ve been waiting for her toe and visit me for too long. Miss, do you think she had forgotten about me?"


    "I-I''m not sure." Li Fei''er hesitated to answer. Did this girl even realize that she was already dead? "Why don''t you go inside? It''s starting to get chilly now," she suggested.


    It also would be weird if someone saw her talking by herself in public like this.


    The girl frowned and shook her head defiantly.


    "But I don''t want to! There are so many scary monsters inside."


    Li Fei''er rubbed her neck awkwardly. What should she do now?


    "Is that why you are here?" she questioned the girl.


    The ghost nodded and rubbed her hands together.


    "I came here to wait for my mommy. I know she''lle and see me easily if I wait for her here," she told Li Fei''er. "Those scary monsters won''t chase me if I stay outside."


    "I see." Since the ghost put it that way, it only meant her spirit hadn''t been tainted yet. If the girl continued to stay in a ce like this and not cross the border to the spirit realm, she would be trapped here for eternity as a malevolent ghost.


    "But still, this isn''t a ce a child like you should be. Say, what if I go inside with you? Will youe?"


    The girl fell silent and hesitated to answer Li Fei''er. She nced at the hospital, sensing the dark miasma spreading throughout it. She gave Li Fei''er a confused look and nodded. Most of the humans she''d seen so far ignored her, and this young miss was the only one who took notice of her.


    "Okay."


    "Lead the way then." Li Fei''er smiled at her. "I''ll stay behind you to make sure those monsters won''t chase you." It would also give her a chance to know what was truly happening inside the hospital.


    As the girl walked back inside, Li Fei''er took notice of the surroundings. With her protective spell activated, she and the child ghost were protected from the affliction of the miasma swirling around them like a thick ck fog.


    "Miss, they areing." The girl started to worry, wanting to run back outside for safety.


    "It''s alright. No one will dare toe after you while I''m here." Li Fei''er assured her, hoping they wouldn''t encounter a high-level demon on their way, as she wouldn''t be able to deal with it by herself.


    The most important thing for her right now was to find the source of the despair and hatred taking territory in the ICU area. The other demons could wait, as she would make sure the other members of the Li family would exorcise themter.


    As the night approached, the lower demons came to cling to the unsuspecting humans to slurp their life force slowly but surely. The moment they sensed Li Fei''er, they ran away in fear. These kinds of demons loved to feast on a human''s life force, but they were cowardly enough to run away from trouble to preserve their lives.


    It didn''t take long before they reached the children''s ward. The ghost girl led Li Fei''er to an empty room, only proving her initial assumption that the girl had died without seeing her mother for thest time.


    A nurse came and saw Li Fei''er standing outside the door, staring out nkly with knitted brows. The ghost beside her disappeared without a trace.


    "Miss, it''s almost past visiting hours. You might need toe back again tomorrow." She tapped Li Fei''er shoulder to get her attention.


    Li Fei''er blinked twice before facing the nurse, making sure that it wasn''t another ghost approaching her for help again. Since she was young, ghosts sought after her to help them resolve their unfinished business in the mortal realm or to possess her body. Seeing that the nurse was a living human, she sighed in relief.


    "I''m actually looking for someone.. I heard she was confined here, but I might havee toote."

 Chapter 24 - Li Feier (4)

    "Oh, I don''t know if I can help you, Miss. You see, many children have been admitted here, so I don''t know which child you are looking for." The nurse gave Li Fei''er a wistful smile. Tending to sick children was harder than dealing with adults who had lived enough years to understand and enjoy the world.


    Li Fei''er then understood that it wouldn''t be easy for the nurse to identify the young ghost. She then tried to remember any distinct features the girl had.


    "Little sister, has a birthmark on her right forearm. Have you seen or met her before?" She asked. It was the most notable feature the girl had, which Li Fei''er remembered.


    "Oh, you mean, Jin Qian?" The nurse seemed to know who the girl was. "Unfortunately, she died three winters ago."


    Li Fei''er bit her lower lip, feeling bad about the child. Something must have happened to the mother that kept her froming and seeing her child at the hospital.


    "I see, then her mother¡­ had shee and met the little girl before she passed away?"


    However, the pitiful look the nurse had on her face let Li Fei''er know that the mother hadn''t. The nurse shook her head and sighed deeply.


    "She never came back. The management had decided to host the final rights for Xiao Qian," she told Li Fei''er with a solemn expression. "We''ve tried to reach her, but no one knew where she went or where she was."


    "I see." Li Fei''er couldn''t help but pity the dead child. The girl had been long gone, but she was stuck here waiting for her mother toe back.


    The nurse left her after telling her where the girl''s body wasid to rest, just in case Li Fei''er was interested to visit Jin Qian at the local cemetery.


    Once the nurse left, Li Fei''er opened the door of the room, only to find the girl seated by the windowsill, looking outside. She wanted to ask the girl if she knew she was already dead but decided not to. The girl might have known it already and was only having trouble epting the truth.


    "I have to go now, but I will leave something here to make sure the scary monster won''te here. Is that okay with you?" She asked.


    Jin Qian only nodded and stared nkly outside, letting Li Fei''er ce a talisman on the door to ward off evil spirits and demons from entering the room. Once done, Li Fei''er was about to leave when she heard the ghost ask her.


    "Jiejie, are you going to visit me again soon?"


    Li Fei''er knew that she shouldn''t meddle with the girl''s affairs. She mighte from a long line of shamans, but if she didn''t learn how to say no to wandering spirits, she would be left exhausted as she catered to their every demand.


    "I''m a little busy right now, but tell you what, once I''m done, I''ll make sure to see you and help you find your mommy."


    She kicked and chastised herself mentally. She could have just turned her back and let the child wonder about her answer, but why did she take pity on the child?


    Jin Qian seemingly improved her mood and smiled at Li Fei''er.


    "Then, I would wait here for Jiejie toe back. Please don''t forget me like what my mommy did to me."


    "I''ll surelye back for you! But you have to promise me not to step outside this room, or else those scary monsters would go after you again. I wouldn''t be able to help you if that happens." Li Fei''er reminded Jin Qian. She wasn''t sure if she would be able to exorcise the demon that was causing great havoc at the ICU area, but she wouldn''t dare to turn back on her words and forget Jin Qian.


    Darn it, she should have ignored the girl when she had a chance. Had her father known that she came here to the hospital to hunt a malevolent spirit on her own, Li Fei''er was sure she wouldn''t hear the end of it. She might be too kind to be a shaman, but as a person who couldn''t ignore another creature in need of her help, Li Fei''er didn''t have the conscience to turn a blind eye to Jin Qian after knowing her story.


    Anyway, back to the problem at hand, Li Fei''er continued walking towards the ICU. There were still humans roaming around, oblivious to the fact that many small demons had clung to them to feed on their life source. The hospital was supposed to treat humans'' health back to its peak, but with demons swelling around to feed on them, Li Fei''er wouldn''t be surprised if more people would sumb to death if the problem persisted.


    It didn''t take long before Li Fei''er reached the ICU and realized the kind of entity she would be dealing with. Among the demons, a creature that Li Fei''er never imagined encountering showed up as soon as she came back from her training. There weren''t many urrences of wraith sightings around the country.


    "Howe it''s a wraith?" She muttered to herself confusedly. Of course, she had learned about wraiths before during her training as a shaman, but this was actually the first time she was going to see one. ording to her master, it was one of the hardest entities to deal with.


    However, aside from the wraith, she also sensed an oddity in a room located at the end of the hallway. Li Fei''er sensed a human under the protection of a powerful creature that demons wouldn''t dare to offend.


    ''How odd.. Just what kind of human is he to be able to get such protection?'' Li Fei''er thought before making her way to the source of the wraith''s traces that it left the day before, not noticing the two pairs of eyes watching her actions from afar.

 Chapter 25 - Little One (1)

    Xiao Bai couldn''t believe what they were seeing right then and there. Even the fox woman had fallen silent the moment their eyes caught a familiar figure walking towards the ICU where Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan were.


    They had decided to lure out the wraith tonight to leave the hospital with them, tricking it toe into a sacred shrine that was located five hundred meters away from the hospital.


    However, the moment they saw the young woman, Shen Minyao had been rooted to her ce and didn''t dare to take a step towards the ICU. Her eyes were fixed on the oblivious young woman busy surveying the area.


    "I''m pretty sure I''m not hallucinating, but mdy, are you seeing what I''m seeing right now?" The white cat resting on Shen Minyao''s shoulder asked. Howe a person that had been dead for several hundred years was now in the flesh, standing a few meters away from them?


    Was this a trap to lure the nine-tailed fox woman? This young woman reeked with the scent of the shamans. What was the Li family up to now? Had they found out that the nine-tailed fox had managed to escape from its seal?


    "What do you think?" The fox woman scoffed, but her eyes had an unfathomable glint on them. "Heavens must be reallyughing at me right now. How dare they use Little Jiu to spite me like this," she said with a bitter tone.


    Whoever that young woman was had a striking resemnce to the human the fox woman had taken in as her ward in her previous life. Little Jiu was an orphan the fox woman saved from being sold to a brothel at the young age of thirteen.


    Since then, Little Jiu had be the personal attendant of Su Daji, the fox woman''s previous host, apanying her even at the imperial pce when Su Daji was forced to serve the emperor. Little Jiu had been the second human the fox woman deeply cared for in her long life, treating the human girl like her little sister.


    Eventually, Little Jiu grew up and fell in love with the fox woman''s elder brother who was also a nine-tailed fox, a forbidden love between a demon and a mortal.


    It wasn''t until Su Daji was hunted not only by the rebels but also the shamans did Little Jiu lose her life by protecting Su Daji from the series of onught the rebels and the shamans made against them. Little Jiu''s sudden death had caused the fox woman to go berserk, going into a killing spree and leaving a single human alive within the thousand li radius.


    No wonder the humans made the name Su Daji synonymous with a malevolent spirit who caused the demise of an old kingdom. Since then, her name was known to men and women of history forever for her great beauty and ''eternal infamy''.


    To lose Little Jiu¡­ was to lose a part of the fox woman''s self. So for her to see a young woman walking with the same face as the human ward she came to care for in her previous life, it felt like an insult to the fox woman.


    Of all the familiar faces she needed to see again, why did it have to be Little Jiu?


    She had never cared about what humans and fellow demons said about her, but the moment they colluded to harm her¡ªkilling her human ward in the process¡ªhad made her unleash the wrath and viciousness that had never been seen before by any humans.


    "Mdy, what should we do now? The wraith is about to show up now. If that girl remained here, even if she''s a shaman, I don''t think she would be able to exorcise the wraith on her own," Xiao Bai reminded his mistress of the situation they were in.


    However, the fox woman remained unperturbed with their problem. This young woman might have shared the face and the scent with their Little Jiu, but how much did she retain from her past incarnation? Moreover, she was reborn as a shaman that would clearly pose a threat not only towards the fox woman in the future but to Zhao Yichen as well.


    "Mdy¡­" Xiao Bai called after her again.


    "Let''s wait and see what she''s up to," Shen Minyao replied. If this woman came here because of the demons taking control of the ce, then she was a fool to face them on her own.


    Only an experienced shaman who had faced demons and ghosts for years and decades would be able to ward them. Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai were sure that this girl didn''t have enough experience under her belt to exorcise these demons, so what the hell was she doing here?


    Xiao Bai sighed inwardly. If his mistress wouldn''t intervene, he had no doubt that this foolish little girl would lose her life if the demons decided toe after her at once.


    "You know it woulde after you, and yet you willingly came on your own? I must say you surely don''t know what''s good for you." The two heard a familiar voice and saw the same grim reaper they met yesterday. He was leaning near the wide windows of the hospital with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "Can''t wait to see me die, huh?" Shen Minyao chuckled. "But not today, dear. Not today."


    The grim reaper only raised a brow, and then his attention turned to Li Fei''er.


    "I thought you said you don''t like being associated with shamans, and yet you brought one today," he told Shen Minyao.


    "What made you think that she is with me?" The fox woman frowned. "She foolishly came on her own. You think I would ask her for help? What are you doing here anyway? I thought you can''t deal with wraiths¡­"


    The grim reaper shrugged.. "I have to see it for myself¡­ how this problem will end."

 Chapter 26 - Little One (2)

    Li Fei''er pondered if she should call for help. Dealing with a wraith would be hard for someone like her who''d never encountered one. It was one of the most dangerous ghosts a shaman like her could encounter; no wonder the other demons had run away from the fear of being devoured by this wraith.


    However, it was toote for her to back out now¡­ as the wraith finally showed up and noticed her presence. Instead of running away from Li Fei''er, it screamed out loud enough for Li Fei''er to stagger back from the intensity of its spiritual attack against her. If she was a normal person, she would have fainted from the shock, receiving the full-blown attack of this wraith.


    Li Fei''er had no choice but to turn her back and lead the wraith away from the ICU. The recent attack by the wraith would have a detrimental effect on the humans hit by it. She had no doubt that her presence was unwee here, and the wraith was eager to get rid of her as soon as possible.


    She ran in the hallways, receiving warnings from the nurses along the way not to run, but Li Fei''er apologized awkwardly, saying she was in a hurry. Then, she took turns at the empty hallway leading to the emergency stairs which were barely used by the humans.


    Not only did her body run at full speed, but also her mind; trying to figure out where she could lure the wraith away from the humans. Since she was already on the emergency stairs, Li Fei''er decided to run up and lead it toward the part of the hospital building where the final rites were being held to the souls of the departed ones.


    With the sun finally setting, the sky had already sumbed to the darkness of the night. More and more demons came out from their hiding ce and went to feed on their unsuspecting prey.


    She was supposed to only take a look at what was causing a disturbance within the hospital, but she had never thought she would encounter a wraith in the process. The wraith was stilling after her, and it was oblivious to the fact that they were about to enter the hallway where the recital rooms were.


    Once Li Fei''er was certain that they were in the same ce, she pulled out her paper talisman, throwing it around the wraith to trap it inside. Sparks of electricity immediately surrounded the wraith, forbidding it to move outside the sacred area.


    Thankfully, the ce wasn''t being used by now as it was under repairs, forbidding the other humans to step inside and giving Li Fei''er enough time to immobilize the wraith until she figured out how she should deal with it.


    Several meters away from where she was, Shen Minyao, Xiao Bai, and the grim reaper watched the human struggle to keep hold of the powerful wraith with her meager spiritual power.


    "What''s taking her so long?" The grim reaper narrowed his eyes and watched as Li Fei''er struggled to keep her focus on limiting the wraith''s movements. Shouldn''t she be exorcising it right now?


    "She''s thinking whether she should exorcise it or purify it instead," Shen Minyao replied, her eyes not leaving the human who shared the same face with their Little Jiu.


    If she was right, this human would be a perfect reincarnation of their Little Jiu. From her personality down to her way of thinking, the fox woman wanted to see if this was the same human ward she had looked after a long time ago.


    As she stared at Li Fei''er''s conflicting expression, the fox woman knew right then and there that Li Fei''er was pondering if there was still a chance to save this wraith and allow itself to be purified instead. Once purified, it would return to its human form, allowing it to be reincarnated once it let go of its hatred.


    "Foolish little girl," Shen Minyaomented, which piqued the interest of the grim reaper.


    He looked at Shen Minyao and then at the young shaman dealing with the wraith right now. Had she known that human from somewhere? He could see the familiarity in this demon next to him. It might sound that she was mocking this young shaman, but her eyes betrayed and revealed her thoughts.


    It confused the grim reaper why this demoness cared too much about this human when she hadn''t shown the same sympathy for the nurse possessed by the rotten de yesterday.


    "You could help her instead of standing there, watching her suffer," he suggested.


    Shen Minyao blinked, and the worried glint in her eyes vanished without a trace. It made the grim reaper think that he wouldn''t have believed her words had he not seen how this demoness looked at the girl.


    "I''ll have to decline, Mr. Grim Reaper. I''m not eager to die yet, or have you forgotten that the wraith is also after me?" She reminded him.


    Being trapped and suppressed by the young shaman, the wraith could only let its hatred rise to another level. Li Fei''er had been pushed back by its force as it struggled to break free from her grasp. The binding spell was clearly consuming a lot of her spiritual force, but it still wasn''t enough to stop the wraith.


    The wraith howled loudly once more, managing to break free from Li Fei''er and sending her small body straight to the ss window behind her, which broke from the impact of her body against it.


    Li Fei''er was aware of the mistake she had made and shut her eyes close, knowing that she was about to fall thirty feet above the ground. However, a hand reached out and pulled her back inside the hospital, much to her shock.


    How¡­? She was sure that she''d already fallen before she shut her eyes.


    "Little one, do you really n on letting me witness your second death?"

 Chapter 27 - She Would Never Forsake Her (1)

    Li Fei''er shot her eyes open in shock, not expecting someone to be here and for them to manage to save her from the fall. She took in the appearance of her savior and noticed how the young woman''s hair was long and as dark as the night, her brown eyes glinting even in the darkness.


    Her face was cold as ice, not showing any expression on it as she held Li Fei''er close. Her skin was smooth, pale, and free from any blemishes; which made Li Fei''er wonder if this woman was a celebrity, given how good her appearance was.


    The wraith made a howl again, and the ss window on the hallway was smashed into smithereens. The shattered pieces of ss were about to hit them, making Li Fei''er worried about the woman in front of her. However, the young woman seemed unperturbed as she pulled Li Fei''er back to her feet and covered her eyes with one hand to protect her from the shards of broken ss.


    This also gave Shen Minyao a chance to deflect the other shards by waving her arm, effectively crushing the pieces of sses that were about to hit them. Her amber eyes glowed, face contorting into a frown as she regarded the wraith several meters away from them.


    When Li Fei''er pulled away from her and saw what happened, Shen Minyao''s eyes already turned back to normal, so she didn''t suspect that the woman in front of her wasn''t really a human after all.


    "T-thank you." Li Fei''er stuttered, but she knew she had to thank this stranger who came to help. However, she was confused by what the woman said earlier, but it didn''t seem like the woman was going to exin it to her given the circumstances they were in right now.


    "Do you realize your mistake now? A moment of hesitation on your part could result in your death," Shen Minyao said, her eyes fixed on the wraith, who grew more agitated because of Li Fei''er''s previous action. If Li Fei''er had decided to perform an exorcism earlier when the wraith was under her binding spell, she would have a chance to kill it.


    Li Fei''er chewed her lower lip and looked away. Of course, she knew that. However, the thought that, perhaps, there was still a chance to purify this wraith back to its human soul state had crossed her mind. If she exorcised this wraith, that only meant the human soul that it was before would never have a chance to reincarnate.


    "I know, but¡­"


    "It''s not your fault he turned out this way." Shen Minyao cut her off as she pulled Li Fei''er''s wrist to run away from the wraith. "It was him who couldn''t let go."


    Li Fei''er was still confused about the identity of this woman and wondered if she was also a shaman like her. Howe she never sensed another human''s presence while she was dealing with the wraith earlier? When she lured the wraith here, she was sure there wasn''t any human near the vicinity.


    Unless this woman was strong enough to hide her spiritual presence from anyone, including shamans like her, Li Fei''er thought. If this woman was a ghost like the kid she''d met earlier, there was no way this woman would be able to touch her. If the woman was a demon, she shouldn''t be able to get in this ce without getting affected.


    "Make up your mind or get killed by it." Shen Minyao told her once they reached the dead end. They reached the center of the ceremonial hall, which was also ideal for Li Fei''er to exorcise the wraith for once and for all.


    Li Fei''er knew that she didn''t have enough time to think and decide what to do with the wraith, but if she couldn''t deal with it, the wraith would surelye after the innocent humans dwelling around the hospital.


    Gritting her teeth in frustration, Li Fei''er pulled out her paper talismans again to bind the wraith in ce. Although it pained her to think that she wouldn''t be able the human soul to get reincarnated, the fact that the wraith would cause more damage in the future was enough reason for her to exorcise it.


    Shen Minyao stepped aside, and Xiao Bai leaped back on her shoulder, both watching Li Fei''er perform an exorcism ritual once the wraith had been trapped with her binding spell.


    "Is she strong enough to kill it?" Shen Minyao asked the white cat.


    "Her spiritual energy is depleting fast because of the binding spell she''s using." This only meant that Li Fei''er would need to exorcise the wraith before her spiritual energy ran out.


    The fox woman had aplex expression written all over her face. A part of her wanted to stay out and not get involved with Little Jiu''s current incarnation, wanting her to lead a happy and peaceful life that the fox woman couldn''t give to the girl when they were together in their previous lives.


    However, seeing Li Fei''er struggle to keep a hold on the wraith as she started chanting the spell to exorcise it made Shen Minyao ufortable seeing her in such a state.


    "Give me your talisman and focus on your chants." She demanded Li Fei''er who was shocked by the woman''s sudden appearance behind her. Since when did shee next to the shaman? She was almost like a ghost.


    Meanwhile, the grim reaper had just arrived after following them. He didn''t bother making a move to help both women and decided to be a spectator of this fight.


    The odd demoness said she didn''t care about the human shaman, but her action said otherwise the moment the young shaman hit the window and was about to fall off from it.


    A human might be able to survive a thirty-foot fall, but she would surely suffer serious injuries from it.. There was no doubt that the demoness knew who the girl was.

 Chapter 28 - She Would Never Forsake Her (2)

    "Hurry! What are you waiting for?" Shen Minyao furrowed her brows as she waited for Li Fei''er to do something.


    "But mdy¡­" Xiao Bai was about toin, but the fox woman shot him a look that told him to keep hisments to himself.


    This was one of the rare times Xiao Bai couldn''t argue with his mistress. Shen Minyao had that look on her face that told him that she would do what she wanted to do, regardless of the consequences of her actions.


    No matter if it was past or the present, the fox woman would never have forsaken Little Jiu. Wasn''t this the same reason shemitted a massive genocide, killing numerous humans in her wake?


    If her enemies didn''t harm her little human ward, would the nine-tailed fox woman earn her infamous reputation of torturing humans, regardless of whether they were her enemies or not?


    Li Fei''er snapped out of her daze and nodded to Shen Minyao. This wasn''t the time for hesitation.


    "The talismans are in the inner pocket of my jacket." She told the fox woman. Now that the possibility that this woman could be a ghost was out of the question, Li Fei''er had to make sure she wasn''t dealing with some kind of demon.


    She then thought that if Shen Minyao was a demon, the woman wouldn''t be able to touch the talisman she had on her. Demons and ghosts should at least get electrified even from a brush with it.


    Shen Minyao immediately stepped forward, invading Li Fei''er''s private space. With Shen Minyao standing close to her, Li Fei''er realized that she was a bit tad shorterpared to the woman in front of her. They might be in the same age range, but Shen Minyao''s height was almost reaching 170 centimeters while she was only 159 centimeters inparison.


    "How do I use this?" She heard Shen Minyao ask sternly. These talismans could hurt her, so she better make sure to get rid of it as soon as she could.


    "You just need to throw it as close as possible around the wraith. The talismans would connect automatically to each other, trapping the wraith inside the circle it would create." Li Fei''er exined, hoping that she was clear enough for the other woman to understand her.


    "Alright." The fox woman nodded in understanding. If it lessened the burden on Little Jiu''s shoulder, then she was willing to trouble herself for a while.


    Knowing that she had someone to watch her back and help her deal with the wraith, Li Fei''er continued her chanting with her eyes closed. Her hands swiftly move to make hand signs. It didn''t take long as a bright light emerged from the floor, a circle forming below where the wraith was.


    It struggled to break free, but Shen Minyao made sure it wouldn''t escape this time as she used enough talismans to keep it in ce. Once done, she stood and looked at Li Fei''er''s way, wondering if she would be able to kill the wraith at one shot because Shen Minyao doubted that they would be able to trap the wraith for the third time.


    Li Fei''er only had one chance to make this work, or else the fox woman would have to think of another way to kill the wraith before she could meet her human contractor. She flinched and looked down at her hands that were currently inmed from touching the talismans.


    If she had her fox orb with her, touching a talisman shouldn''t be able to injure her like this. However, since her fox orb was still with Zhao Yichen, it would take time for her to recover from this injury.


    Xiao Bai noticed the dilemma on his mistress''s face. He really didn''t know why she entered a contract with a human and gave Zhao Yichen her fox orb to keep. It was just not his mistress''s personality to rely on someone for help. If she wasn''t desperate to get free from her seal, Xiao Bai had no doubt that his mistress would never allow herself to get acquainted with another human.


    Only the loud howlinging from the wraith could be heard, and a gust of wind surrounded the area as Li Fei''er continued her chanting, effectively exorcising the wraith. Her shoulder-length hair fluttered behind her violently, while the wraith was trying to resist from its binds, forcing her to stagger back using its spiritual presence.


    However, even before it managed to hit Li Fei''er, the grim reaper unsheathed his sword from its scabbard, sending a st to counter its spiritual attack towards the young shaman. He might not be able to kill a wraith, but it didn''t mean he wouldn''t be able to withstand its attacks.


    As Li Fei''er reached the end of her chant, she opened her eyes, pulled out the bells hanging on her belt, and rang them with vigor. A blinding light shot up beneath the wraith, consuming it. As its body disintegrated within the column of light that surrounded it, Shen Minyao made sure she was at a safe distance from it. She would suffer serious injuries if she was caught up with that sacred light.


    To think that Little Jiu''s incarnation had the same spirit aptitude as her was already impressive in Shen Minyao''s opinion. It was too bad that Li Fei''er was inexperienced, wasting a lot of spiritual energy in the process. Moreover, if it was in the past, Little Jiu wouldn''t hesitate in a crucial moment, putting her life in danger.


    They watched as the wraith struggled to break free from the sacred light, but with the talismans Shen Minyao put around it, its attempts were futile. The three only sighed in relief when thest remnants of the wraith finally vanished into thin air, leaving nothing in its wake.


    "Well, that was surprising.. I would have never thought you could be this lucky," the grim reaper told the nine-tailed fox.

 Chapter 29 - Am I Not Supposed To See You? (1)

    The fox woman shot him a deadly re. Were all grim reapers so annoying like him? She couldn''t remember a time when this man didn''t try to get on her nerves every time she met him. Did he really want to see her dead?


    "Heh, and here I thought you were useless." She spat back, remembering how he saved the little human who dealt with the wraith earlier. If he didn''t intervene, Shen Minyao was sure that the young human wouldn''t be able to exorcise the wraith at all.


    "I didn''t do it to save anyone." The grim reaper ced his sword back in its scabbard. "Killing the wraith only means that I wouldn''t have to deal with it again in the future," he said nonchntly.


    Shen Minyao could feel a vein popping on her forehead. She should have known this arrogant bastard only did it for himself! Humans say that demons like her were heartless, but clearly, they were no match against grim reapers like him!


    "Why don''t you go back to the hellhole you came from, or do you perhaps need my help to send you there?" She narrowed her eyes at him.


    "No thanks. I could perfectly go there whenever I want," he said in response.


    Anyway, since the wraith had already been killed by Li Fei''er, that only meant that one less problem had been dealt with. Shen Minyao was about to turn to leave to see Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan when Li Fei''er came running to her.


    "Thank you so much for saving me earlier." The young woman smiled brightly at the nine-tailed fox, reminding the demon of how her young ward used to run like this to greet her whenever they met. The young ward even smiled like seeing her mistress'' return was the best thing that happened to her day.


    Shen Minyao eyed the girl for a moment and looked away with a straight face.


    "Go home. This is not a ce a girl like you should be in."


    Li Fei''er pouted back. Why was everyone still treating her like a child? Couldn''t they see that she was old enough to look after herself?


    "But you are the same age as me, right? Why can''t I be here, while you can?" She questioned Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman almost rolled her eyes from the absurdity of it. She might look physically young in her new host''s body, but obviously, a demon like her exceeded the life span of any human she encountered so far.


    "It''s because I''m a patient here, and you are not," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Other people wouldn''t suspect her being here in the hospital, but if they see Li Fei''er roaming around, the girl would surely get into trouble given how much damage her fight with the wraith had given this ce.


    "What about him?" Li Fei''er pointed her forefinger towards the grim reaper curiously.


    "Is he with you?" she asked, ncing between the nine-tailed fox and the grim reaper. The man looked so out of ce, wearing a ck traditional robe with a sword hanging from his waist. Just what kind of people were they? Li Fei''er wondered.


    "Oh? You can see me?" The grim reaper seemed surprised, being regarded by the young shaman.


    A normal human wouldn''t be able to see a creature like him. Even the shaman he''d encountered in the past could only be counted on his fingers, and they were the more experienced onespared to Li Fei''er.


    "Uhm¡­ am I not supposed to see you?" Li Fei''er couldn''t understand what he meant by his words earlier. Was he some kind of ghost?


    "Of course. If you are a human, thest person you would like to see is a grim reaper that''s about to collect your soul." Shen Minyao scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.


    Li Fei''er gasped and clung to Shen Minyao''s arm, looking at the grim reaper worriedly. Was she supposed to die earlier? If this woman hadn''t saved her life, would that mean that the grim reaper would bring her to the afterlife?


    "You didn''te here to take me, right? I''m too young to die, Mr. Grim Reaper. Please don''t take me away." She begged him, which sounded ridiculous for the fox woman. As if she would allow the grim reaper to take away Little Jiu''s current incarnation that easily¡­


    "Don''t be silly. If you were to die earlier, he would have stopped me from saving your life," the fox woman said, pulling away her arm from Li Fei''er''s grasp.


    Shen Minyao walked away past the human, leaving Li Fei''er with the grim reaper. Visiting her human contractor was long overdue, and with her being discharged tomorrow, she wouldn''t have a chance to see Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan except for tonight.


    "Wait! I want to know who¡­" Li Fei''er was about to follow Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai, but she suddenly lost consciousness once her body realized that it ran out of spiritual energy. Before she managed to hit the cold floor, the grim reaper zoomed to her side, holding her midsection with one arm.


    "Hey! Aren''t you going to help her?" He called out to Shen Minyao who didn''t bother to turn around to see what had just happened. Instead, she raised a hand, waving a finger at him.


    "I''m busy. I don''te here to babysit. You can just drop her to the nearest lost and found for humans," she said before she disappeared into the darkness of the hallways.


    The grim reaper sighed to himself and then nced at the unconscious human in his arm.


    "She''s really something, don''t you think?" He mumbled to himself. "I guess she doesn''t care enough to bring you to a safe ce."


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao took the emergency stairs that Li Fei''er used earlier.. She stopped and raised her hands, slightly hissing in pain as she allowed her spiritual energy to heal her human body.

 Chapter 30 - Am I Not Supposed To See You? (2)

    Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai finally reached the end of the hallway within the ICU. However, before they could enter, they saw several men in ck suits escorting an old man with grey, long hair, dressed in robes walking towards the room where her human contractor was.


    The old man stopped in his tracks and looked at her curiously, wondering what she was doing there, standing outside his grandson''s room. He wasn''t expecting anyone to visit Zhao Yichen as he had recentlye back from the states and had been greeted with an ambush since his return. Obviously, the bodyguards stationed outside the room had forbidden the young woman from seeing Zhao Yichen.


    "What happened here?" The old man''s gruff voice asked the bodyguards he left to look after his grandson.


    "Master Zhao, this woman here wanted to see the fourth young master," one of the bodyguards exined. They gave Shen Minyao a suspicious look, wondering why she was visiting Zhao Yichente at night while wearing pink pajamas.


    "Miss, are you Xiao Chen''s friend?" He asked Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman knew that these humans see her as a threat to Zhao Yichen at the moment. How foolish. They probably didn''t know that she was the one who saved that little boy on the verge of death, so why would she kill him?


    Anyway, even if she needed to retrieve her fox orb from her human contractor, she would be doomed by the heavens if she dared to end his life.


    "Grandpa, I was the one who helped him get down the mountain¡­" she said sheepishly, attempting to mimic Shen Minyao''s shy personality to the best of her ability.


    "You see, I''m about to get discharged tomorrow and was allowed by the doctor to go home. But I wanted to see how he''s doing before I go," she said in a gentle voice. The fox woman tried her best not to wrinkle her nose as the scent of sicknessing from the old man reached her.


    The fox woman thought that this old man would¡ªno doubt¡ªdie first before Zhao Yichen, given how serious his illness was.


    The old man regarded Shen Minyao and gave her a good look. Of course, he had asked someone to run a background check on the girl who was found along with Zhao Yichen at the foot of the Qingqiu Mountain. It was just, of all people, he''d never thought that his grandson would get acquainted with a Shen family member.


    The possibility that she was involved in assassinating his grandson dissipated when reports came back that she was left alone in the wilderness by her cousin¡­ the same night Zhao Yichen was brought to the mountain to be killed.


    "You are Shen Minyao?" He asked with a stern voice that held authority, something that would never be enough to intimidate the fox woman in front of him.


    "I am." The fox woman replied, blinking her round eyes innocently. "Howe Grandpa Zhao knows my name? Have we met before?" She asked curiously. Thinking about it, even Cheng Lifan was acting suspicious when she talked about Zhao Yichen, asking her if she had met the man before.


    Just what was going on between the Shen family and the Zhao family? She wondered.


    The fox woman tried to peek into the memory her human host left for her to use, and there was no indication that she had gotten involved with any of the Zhao family¡­ prior to her meeting with Zhao Yichen at the Qingqiu Mountain.


    The old man smiled while touching his long beard thoughtfully, but Shen Minyao knew better than to trust him. She had met a lot of old men in the past that hid their true nature behind a mask and a smile. This was one of the kinds of humans she hated dealing with the most.


    "I''m acquainted with your grandfather," Old Man Zhao said in response, "Unfortunately, Xiao Yao, I don''t think you would be able to talk with Yichen right now." He added, before gesturing to the guards to open the door for him, letting her step inside with him.


    Inside, the fox woman found her human contractor bound to several machines to aid him breathe properly and to keep him alive. If she hadn''t witnessed herself how brutally those hired killers tortured Zhao Yichen, she wouldn''t believe that the man lying on the bed was seriously ill.


    "The doctors found it odd that he didn''t have any external injuries. Not a scratch could be seen on his skin, but his internal organs were badly injured." He sighed. "How did you cross paths with him anyway?"


    The fox woman then relied on the story that she and Zhao Yichen came up with as they made their way to the foot of the mountain. Each of them knew that they needed to be consistent with their stories, so people would only find it coincidental that they met each other at the mountain.


    One had escaped from his kidnappers, while the other had gotten lost and parted from the party she came with at the mountain. Since Shen Minyao had never met Zhao Yichen before, others wouldn''t suspect that the woman who came back with him wasn''t a human anymore.


    "He only told me that he was running from someone, and he looked like he was in pain." She told that old man whose eyes remained fixated on Zhao Yichen.


    "I see," he replied and said nothing more.


    "If it''s okay, can I still visit him some other day? I would really like to thank him personally for other things, Grandpa." She asked. However, it didn''t matter if this old man agreed or not because Zhao Yichen''s life was bound to her until she retrieved her fox orb from him.


    The old man gave her a weak smile and nodded.


    "Please do. He didn''t have many friends here.. I think Yichen would be pleased to know you paid him a visit."

 Chapter 31 - I Learned My Lesson The Hard Way (1)

    The old man''s attention was taken away when he received an important phone call he needed to answer. He left Shen Minyao inside the room, apanied by two guards. Because there were humans that may overhear her conversation with Yu Yan, the fox woman used her telepathy to converse with the ck cat currently curledfortably next to Zhao Yichen.


    "Miss, are you really leaving tomorrow? But he hasn''t woken up yet," Yu Yan asked worriedly.


    Although she was strong enough to fend off some lower demons, she could sense a high-level one lurking somewhere within the hospital. Perhaps Xiao Bai wasn''t able to sense it yet, but after four days of keeping Zhao Yichen''spany, Yu Yan was certain that a powerful demon wasing to the ICUte at night to feed on the other patients.


    "You found something?" Shen Minyao lowered her eyes, pretending to be in deep thought, while the humans paid attention to her closely. In their eyes, she was probably just a clueless girl, oblivious to what was happening to Zhao Yichen.


    Yu Yan hesitated for a moment, but it would be better if Shen Minyao knew what was happening for Zhao Yichen''s sake. If Shen Minyao lost her fox orb, it would be easy for anyone to kill her in her weakest state.


    "There''s a high-level demoning to the ICU around the hour of the tiger.1 It would alwayse here but stop just outside the door, doing nothing. I think it is attracted by the energying from your human contractor," she exined.


    "You weren''t able to tell what it was?" Xiao Bai jumped from Shen Minyao''s shoulder and joined the ck cat on the bed next to Zhao Yichen.


    The ck cat sat on its hind legs and shook her head. It was hard for her to identify a demon, especially if it was a shapeshifter. There were many kinds of demons that had the ability to change their appearance and pretend to be a human.


    "It has the face of a human, but I''m sure it is a demon." She informed them. Unless the demon revealed more about itself, she wouldn''t be able to find out what kind of demon they were dealing with.


    Shen Minyao remained silent. Aside from nine-tailed foxes like her, there were other demons with the ability to shape-shift and copy a human''s appearance. However, this only meant that they were dealing with a troublesome demon.


    "I will leave Xiao Bai here with you." If that was the case, Yu Yan wouldn''t be able to keep up with protecting Zhao Yichen on her own. She would need Xiao Bai''s assistance to protect her human contractor, just in case it was a powerful demon.


    "But mdy!" Xiao Bai eximed. If he was to stay here with Yu Yan, then who would protect Shen Minyao once she was left on her own. She was almost at her limit, and her spiritual powers were quite low. The fox woman would need to eat a fresh liver soon or consume another demon''s life force to recover.


    "It''s alright. Zhao Yichen should be able to recover his consciousness in the next seven days. Until then, you two should stay by his side and protect him from any demons that woulde after my fox orb."


    A fox orb of a nine-tailed fox could be considered a vessel that could hold unlimited demonic powers. Due to their long life and how they cultivate, nine-tailed foxes could store a lot of energy using their orbs. This was why many demons vie for a chance to get their hands on it.


    However, it was hard for other demons to use it as a nine-tailed fox could ruin its own fox orb at will. The only way to extract it was to use a human as their medium, which Zhao Yichen was in a perfect ce and circumstances.


    Even humans believed that consuming the liver of a nine-tailed fox could heal their illnesses and live a long life because of it. Not that Shen Minyao had ever heard a human sessfully consuming one of her kind without losing their life first.


    A nine-tailed fox without its fox orb was in its weakest state; this was why Xiao Bai couldn''t help but worry about his mistress. She must have chosen to enter a contract with Zhao Yichen in an attempt to divert the shamans from tracking her whereabouts.


    So long that she pretended to be Shen Minyao, most shamans would assume she got her strong spiritual powers from an old ancestor who was rted to a powerful demon. The strongest exorcist during her past life was rumored to be a child of a powerful demon with a human, so it wouldn''t be far-fetched if she also disyed a little spiritual sensitivity towards the humans and supernatural creatures around her.


    Since the fox woman had been sealed for centuries, her demonic energy had depleted over time. The fox woman could barely remember how long she''d been trapped inside that seal alone as she sumbed into a long slumber until Zhao Yichen''s blood smeared and ruined the seal that caged her.


    Her fox orb was strong enough to fix Shen Minyao''s broken body and heal the superficial wounds on Zhao Yichen. The remaining demonic energy inside her fox orb was what attracted the other demons towards Zhao Yichen. They were probably wondering why a human like him was emitting such monstrous demonic energy.


    "I''lle to visit him frequently," she told the two cats, making up her mind. If she stayed here for too long, the other demons might suspect her real identity and go after her instead, but visiting Zhao Yichen would be a good alibi to look around the hospital while Xiao Bai and Yu Yan were looking after her human contractor.


    Anyway, there were other things she needed to deal with, and that included getting used to the life Shen Minyao had before she''d been ruthlessly killed by her cousin.  3:00 AM to 5:00 AM is the hour of the Tiger.

 Chapter 32 - I Learned My Lesson The Hard Way (2)

    The news about the mess and wreckage found at the ceremonial hall of the hospital spread throughout the premises the next day. Everyone was wondering who had caused the damage as the shards of broken ss not only covered the hallway but also fell out of the windows. The current hazard forced the hospital staff to clean the bushes beneath to make sure no one would get hurt by it.


    Fu Xiyan helped Shen Minyao pack her things into her bags, while they waited for Cheng Lifan to bring the discharge paper that would allow Shen Minyao to go home now.


    "Miss, do you know what happenedst night? Didn''t you hear anything suspicious?" Fu Xiyan went to Shen Minyao who was leaning next to the windowsill, staring outside.


    "Last night? Didn''t you tell me to go to sleep early and not waste my time ying on my phone?" Shen Minyao replied, feigning innocence of her involvement in what transpiredst night. Xiao Bai was able to hide her using his enchantment, so there was no way the humans could know that she left her room after the nurse''s rounds to check on her.


    Fu Xiyan pouted but didn''t press her miss with any more questions. Indeed, she had asked Shen Minyao not to stay upte as she noticed that her miss hadn''t let go of her phone ever since that morning Fu Xiyan came to check on her.


    "I wonder what happened. All the nurses and doctors have been wondering who caused the ruckusst night," she mumbled to herself.


    "You keep mentioning what happenedst night; what the hell has just happened?" Shen Minyao went to her bed and flopped onto itzily.


    Humans tended to be gossipy when it came to circumstances that weren''t directly rted to them. As long as it wasn''t about them, they wouldn''t care how the story would be twisted into different versions.


    Fu Xiyan took a seat next to Shen Minyao on the bed, ready to spill whatever rumors she heard beforeing here.


    "Miss, do you believe in evil ghosts? The nurses who were on dutyst night could swear that the temperaturest night dropped too low, especially at the ICU. They tried to adjust the ACs but to no avail. Some nurses have also lost consciousness without any reason."


    "A ghost, huh." Shen Minyao chuckled.


    Well, a wraith could be considered as a ghost anyway, so these humans weren''t far from the truth. As for those nurses who lost their consciousness, it was because the wraith had gone past them that their spiritual force wasn''t strong enough to repel its overwhelming negative energy, causing their minds to fall into a deep sleep instead.


    "Then, I''m lucky I don''t have to stay here for another night, don''t you think, Xiyan?"


    "Yes, yes. I wouldn''t want you to stay in a haunted ce like this, Miss." Fu Xiyan easily agreed with her. "But Miss, are you sure you want to go back to school? The headmistress allowed you to stay at home for a few more days to recover."


    "That''s unnecessary, Xiyan. I''m perfectly aware of my condition now. I would miss a lot of things if I stay at home doing nothing."


    Moreover, she was starting to get sick of this ce anyway. Now that she had regained her freedom, how could she miss her chance to look around and see what kind of life humans had these days? The fox woman wanted to see it with her own eyes and not just peeking into the memory of the human that had long parted from this mortal realm.


    "Alright. Then, you woulde with me back to the dormitory, right? You aren''t nning to stay with Miss Qing and her friends?" Fu Xiyan was aware that Shen Qing was up to no good when it came to her miss; however, Miss Yao was just too oblivious that her cousin was holding a grudge against her.


    "Xiyan, don''t ever mention that disgusting name to me ever again. I''ve already learned my lesson the hard way, and I''m not going to allow anyone to bully me anymore. This, I promise to you."


    Unlike the real Shen Minyao, it was easy for the fox woman to sense if a person wanted to harm her. She would wee Shen Qing to try and scheme again against her, but thetter shouldn''t me the fox womanter if she was the one who would drop dead the next time.


    In Shen Minyao''s memory, the reason why she tried to get along with Shen Qing was that the other woman imed to know who her mother was and why she left. Speaking of Shen Minyao''s mother had be a taboo within the Shen Estate, and no one would have dared to mention her aside from Shen Qing.


    ''Silly girl.'' The fox woman tried not to roll her eyes as she peeked into one particr memory her host had with Shen Qing. ''Can''t you tell that she''s lying with a straight face?''


    Shen Minyao was probably hoping her evil cousin would take pity on her and tell her the truth about her mother, oblivious to the fact that Shen Qing was just fooling her.


    "Okay, I''ll inform the headmistress, then¡­ that you''ll resume attending sses soon."


    Fu Xiyan sighed in relief after hearing Shen Minyao''s words. It was good that her miss knew better now. There had been times she had warned Shen Minyao to not easily believe Shen Qing''s words, but her miss was adamant in listening to her cousin and her scumbag fianc¨¦.


    She couldn''t help but be somewhat grateful that her miss hade to her senses now. It wasn''t toote, or so she thought.. Fu Xiyan would never have imagined that thest time she had seen the real Shen Minyao was exactly five days ago, and the young miss she had been apanying for years had been dead for days.

 Chapter 33 - Silly Little Girl (1)

    Shen Minyao was immediately discharged from the hospital that morning. Since there wasn''t anything wrong with her body, the doctors deemed it safe for her to go home. Although Cheng Lifan was still worried about her stepdaughter''s condition, she sighed in relief when she was assured by the doctor that there was nothing wrong with Shen Minyao and that she only needed a few days of rest to fully recover.


    The first thing the fox woman did after arriving at the Shen residence was to check Shen Minyao''s room, making sure that no demon or ghost was residing at the ce. Although she had seen lower demons the moment she stepped outside Cheng Lifan''s car, they were harmless inanimate objects1 that had reached their first century, making them aware of their surroundings.


    These kinds of demons were known to protect the house and its inhabitants. They were usually harmless, though they tended to y small pranks. Still, they had the capacity to get angry and could group up to take revenge against those who threw them away or didn''t treat them well.


    If there was a cmity about to hit the family, these kinds of demons tended to take the hit to save the family. s, even if they could all sacrifice their lives to save the real Shen Minyao, they wouldn''t be able to stop Shen Qing from killing her cousin outside the residence.


    Since the Shen residence was quite old already and had been inhabited by three generations of the family, the fox woman wasn''t surprised to see these kinds of demons upying the ce.


    Grandfather Shen was also living with them while Shen Qing and her family lived at the house across from the main house, which the head of the family gave to Shen Minyao''s uncle when he got married decades ago. Meanwhile, Shen Xin¡ªalong with Cheng Lifan and their children¡ªlived at the main house since Shen Xin was to seed his father in the future, leaving Shen Minyao and her younger half-brother, Shen Qingyuan, as his sessors.


    "Xiao Yao, if you feel that you aren''t ready to go back to school, you can tell me, okay?" Cheng Lifan appeared outside her door and knocked to get Shen Minyao''s attention.


    "It''s okay, Mama. My head is clear now. Missing a few more sses would make it hard for me to catch up with the lessons." Shen Minyao gave her stepmother a weak smile. The fox woman doubted she would get used to acting like a spoiled child in front of Cheng Lifan. She wondered how long it would take for this woman to realize that the Shen Minyao in front of her wasn''t her real stepdaughter.


    "Alright. Just tell me if you need anything. I''ve already exined your situation to your father, so please don''t quarrel with him anymore," Cheng Lifan said worriedly. Her husband and her stepdaughter rarely saw and talked to each other, and their rtionship turned sour from theirst meeting at the hospital.


    The fox woman pressed her lips into a thin line. She was really tempted to tell Cheng Lifan about her short temper when it came to dealing with idiots like Shen Xin, but she had chosen to hold her tongue instead. It would be too abrupt to change Shen Minyao''s personality this early.


    "Actually, I want to ask you a favor, Mama¡­ if that''s okay with you."


    Hearing her stepdaughter seek her for help made Cheng Lifan''s face light up. Shen Minyao rarely asked her for anything.


    "If that''s something I could do, then I don''t see why not." She walked towards her stepdaughter and took Shen Minyao''s hands into hers. "Yao''er, if you are still worried about Shen Qing, let me deal with her instead."


    The fox woman shook her head and smiled genuinely this time. Shen Qing wasn''t something worth her airtime at all.


    "No, Mama. It''s alright. Uncle and Auntie might say something bad about you again if you intervene. As I said, I intend to end the engagement I have with Brother Yin. I think Qing Jie only did it because she wanted to be with him."


    A bitch and a trash? Why would she stop them from being together? If anything, she would rather not see their disgusting faces anymore as they only fouled her mood.


    Cheng Lifan obviously wanted to say more, but she only sighed and patted Shen Minyao''s arm in understanding. Perhaps, it would be for the better if her stepdaughter and Su Yin part ways if that meant her Yao''er would lead a happier and peaceful life.


    "Then, what kind of favor do you need, Yao''er?" She asked Shen Minyao gently. Cheng Lifan was set to give anything Shen Minyao would ask of her.


    "Mama, I want to get stronger. Can I get some physical training?" The fox woman asked Cheng Lifan. This host''s body was too weak and would easily tire from the stunts she was pulling. Even with her heightened senses, Shen Minyao''s body wasn''t able to keep up with her speed and agility.


    Cheng Lifan blinked in surprise from her stepdaughter''s unusual requests. She had never thought that Shen Minyao would consider something like this.


    "I can arrange that if you want. Yuan''er was also thinking to do the same because Grandpa has been asking him to take some training."


    "Great! I''ll be d to join him in his training." The fox woman smiled. The faster her body improved, the better.


    The real Shen Minyao had a lot of memories with her younger brother. Although Shen Qingyuan could be arrogant and mean at times, he listened well to his older sister. Shen Minyao was eight years older than Shen Qingyuan, so the young boy of ten would still look at the fox woman as his older sister.


    The fox woman wasn''t looking forward to seeing the boy. She had never been fond of children and only tolerated Little Jiu''s presence in her past life. So dealing with Shen Qingyuan would prove to be a headache she had to endure in the future.  Commonly known as Tsukumogami, they are inanimate objects that once they have served their owner/s for 100 years, they receive a soul and therefore be alive and self-aware.

 Chapter 34 - Silly Little Girl (2)

    Shen Minyao took a long bath after Cheng Lifan left her alone in her room. The fox woman was impressed by how the humans managed to make their lives better by creating ingenious things that people in her past era would surely find spectacr and miraculous, as if bestowed by the heavens, at the same time.


    She enjoyed her long soak in the bathtub, and she didn''t have to wait for too long just to get the water warm enough to be bathed in. Walking back inside Shen Minyao''s room, she stood in front of arge mirror and gave her host''s body a good look.


    Shen Minyao was obviously a little taller than Li Fei''er who was only a year younger than she was. Her hands were pale and smooth, contrary to the previous host the fox woman had, who had slight calluses on her hands because of rigorous sword fighting she had done for years.


    The only thing that the fox woman didn''t like about her new host was her weak body. It was obvious that Shen Minyao had been pampered and spoiled by Cheng Lifan since childhood, and she didn''t like to do some exercises. With her insane attraction to sweet food, it was surprising that she hadn''t gained too much weight over the years.


    She opened her host''s wardrobe and took notice of different clothing inside. The choice of clothes was something the fox woman found odd though. The skirts were shorter and the tops were looser, but they allowed more movement as they were less restrictive. The materials used weren''t as expensive as silks, but humans had opted for convenience and practicality nowadays.


    If it was in the past, people would raise their brows for the amount of skin being exposed to the public by the women. However, it didn''t matter to the fox woman, as long as it would befortable and wouldn''t be easily torn when she moves.


    "I guess I''ll need to change her styleter." The fox woman muttered to herself. Shen Minyao''s choice of clothes was rather nd and boring in her opinion¡­pared to Shen Qing whose dresses were always in style. No wonder Su Yin found her more appealing than Shen Minyao.


    She pulled out simple house clothes and donned them. After that, she resumed looking around Shen Minyao''s bedroom. The floor was made with hardwood, and there was a white soft rug ced next to arge bed which was more than enough for a person to sleep in.


    White thin drapes hung above the bed, the bedsheet was light pink, and the quilt was purple ion with white bunny design on it. All of these the fox woman found a little girly for an eighteen-year-old woman like Shen Minyao. It wasn''t like she was ridiculing her host''s taste, but rather, she would have preferred if Shen Minyao had learned to be mature enough to protect herself.


    After drying her hair and pulling it into a ponytail, Shen Minyao went down to join the rest of the family for lunch. Shen Xin, who was speaking andughing with Shen Qingyuan, pulled a long face and frowned upon seeing his daughter.


    Cheng Lifan''s eyes narrowed at her husband before softening as soon as she saw Shen Minyao. She immediately asked the aunties to serve the dishes, but Shen Xin stopped her.


    "We aren''t in a hurry. First, Xiao Yao, I have something to say to you." Shen Xin spoke to his daughter with a cold face.


    Grandpa Shen, who was seated at the head of the table, nced between his son and granddaughter, thetter seemingly nonchnt and unusually calm today. If it was in the past, Shen Minyao would lower her head, fidget where she stood, and refuse to look at her father at all.


    Shen Minyao had just joined them at the dining table and cordially greeted him and her stepmother. She then pulled a chair next to her brother and slightly tilted her head to look at her father.


    For a man who was already over forty years old, the fox woman had to admit time seemed to be good towards this old man. Shen Xin looked like he was only in histe thirties and didn''t seem like he already had a child for eighteen years.


    Shen Xin was slightly displeased and confused at the same time, seeing his daughter give him an observant look. It seemed to him that ever since Shen Minyao came back from Qingqiu Mountain, she wasn''t the same foolish little girl they perceived her to be. He had to admit that he was also caught off-guard upon hearing her sharp tongue questioned him the other day.


    Was it possible for a person to have aplete one-eighty-degree change in their personality overnight? The girl in front of them still looked like his daughter, yet something about her made Shen Xin think that she was someone not to be reckoned with.


    Just what had happened to Shen Minyao back at the Qingqiu Mountain for her to return to them like this? Just what kind of hardship did she suffer from for her to have a sudden change of heart?


    As a person who''d been raised in a military family and been working in the army for years, it was impossible for Shen Xin''s instinct not to be wary of his daughter''s change in personality and attitude.


    "I''m sorry, Papa, but I really made up my mind. Can''t you please support my decision, as your daughter? I really don''t want to be with Brother Yin in the future¡ªif that means I''ll receive Qing Jie''s ire and jealousy," she said as if Shen Xin had just wronged her and taken Shen Qing''s side.


    Hearing what his granddaughter had just said, Grandpa Shen''s face hardened, his hand pping the table and making the utensils shake from their ces.


    "Shen Xin! How could you let this happen to our Xiao Yao?!" He roared in anger.

 Chapter 35 - Silly Little Girl (3)

    Grandpa Shen was clearly displeased at what he''d heard. When he received the news that his granddaughter, Shen Minyao, had lost her way in the wilderness while being on Shen Qing''s party, he refused to believe it. After all, he was the one who had looked after Shen Minyao for five long years after her mother had left without a word and before Shen Xin had his second marriage with Cheng Lifan.


    The young Shen Minyao had been taught how to do basic survival skills during her childhood years as part of her training. She was versed on finding the right way just in case she got lost¡­ so for Grandpa Shen, it was impossible for their Xiao Yao to get lost at Qingqiu Mountain.


    He would have believed if it was Shen Qing who got lost instead of Shen Minyao, for that girl had been spoiled rotten by her parents. Shen Qing had never received the same education given to a young miss like her by the Shen family.


    Shen Xin gave his daughter a fierce re, but he wouldn''t dare to reprimand her in front of his father. Why was she even calling him ''Papa'' now? Hadn''t she made sure to call him ''Father'', clearly distancing herself from him for over the years?


    "It''s nothing serious, Father. Nothing we can''t deal with on our own," he told Grandpa Shen.


    "It''s a serious matter, Papa. We are talking about my future, right?" Shen Minyao contested. "How can you say it was nothing serious?"


    "Right! That Su Yin isn''t worthy of my Yao Jie anyway. Why should she marry someone like him?" Unexpectedly, Shen Qingyuan took his sister''s side, surprising the fox woman. Taking a look at his handsome, arrogant face; the fox woman knew that this mischievous child would surely make a lot of women chase after him once he grew up.


    "Xiao Yao, if you aren''t happy being with Su Yin, then you don''t have to marry him in the future," Grandpa Shen said with a gentle tone towards Shen Minyao before he regarded Shen Xin.


    "Do you see it now? I told you it was a bad idea to get your daughter engaged with the second young master of the Su family. What were you thinking¡ªagreeing to such an arrangement? Go and cancel Xiao Yao''s engagement. How could you allow Qing''er to bully your own child?"


    Everyone aside from Shen Xin wanted the engagement to be canceled. Cheng Lifan was already displeased by what Shen Qing and Shen Qiu did to her stepdaughter. The fox woman paid attention to her host''s father, and she could tell why Shen Xin was treating his own daughter like this.


    She couldn''t sense any love or careing from this man. If anything, Shen Xin only felt disappointment whenever he looked at his own daughter. Perhaps he''d never gotten over the fact that his first wife, Shen Minyao''s biological mother, had abandoned the two of them, and the mere sight of his daughter was enough for Shen Xin to remember her.


    Shen Xin was taken aback. He didn''t expect his daughter would raise the issue about her engagement with Su Yin. Initially, he wanted to cancel the engagement as soon as he heard that Su Yin had gotten involved with his niece, Shen Qing.


    However, just the thought of what he could lose in the future¡ªalong with his connection with the Su family; Shen Xin wasn''t willing to do it anymore. He thought that it might just be a misunderstanding between his daughter and his niece. He had never thought Shen Qing''s scheme towards his daughter had caused her to lose her life so early.


    "Papa shouldn''t worry too much. If anything, the Su family needs us more than we need them." He heard his daughter speak meaningfully. Something about how she spoke and drank her tea in a regal way made Shen Xin wonder just how much his daughter changed since her return.


    Furthermore, what Shen Minyao said made sense. The Su family was among the four most influential families in Jiang City, but they didn''t have many financial resourcespared to the other three families. If Su Yin ended up marrying Shen Minyao, wouldn''t that mean the Su family would not only gain financially¡­ but also uplift their influence within the society?


    "Fine. If that''s what you want. I would arrange a meeting with the Su family to discuss it. You better not regret this decision of yours, Yao''er." He conceded. The Su family''s weakness was money, and the Shen family wasn''t willing to churn out just because a Shen daughter married into their family. If the Su family thought of taking advantage of them by proposing the engagement between Su Yin and his daughter before, they must be dreaming!


    The end of Shen Minyao''s lips curled into an evil smile which she hid behind her teacup. Looking at everyone''s expression, she understood the dynamics of this family. She lowered her eyes and smirked. Except for her idiotic father, Shen Minyao was obviously adored by the rest of the family.


    "I would never regret it, Papa. I''ll make sure of it," she spoke with a soft voice, assuring Shen Xin and the rest of the family.


    It was only after that the dishes had been served. The dishes were visually appealing, but the fox woman knew that it would never be enough to satiate her growing hunger. She had been awake and freed for days now, and the only time she had eaten a decent meal was when she devoured the nd livers of the three hired killers who attempted to assassinate her human contractor.


    Ah, she would need to hunt for her own food soon! She needed to regain her strength as soon as possible.


    "Xiao Yao, I asked the housekeepers to prepare your favorite foods since you rarelye home and join us on meals," Grandpa Shen said dotingly, while Shen Qingyuan grinned back at his elder sister.

 Chapter 36 - Shen Minyao Returns (1)

    After enduring the whole afternoon and dinner apanying Shen Qingyuan and answering his incessant chattering, the fox woman felt more exhausted than usual. She had never thought that dealing with young children could be this tiresome.


    She might have been the one who practically raised Little Jiu like an older sister would do to her young sibling, but the fox woman could swear that Shen Minyao''s younger brother was more talkative than her Little Jiu.


    Since Shen Minyao didn''t need to sleep at night, she spent the whole night surfing the inte, familiarizing herself with how humans lived their lives these days. So much information flooded her mind, making it hard to know where to start. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. With her growing hunger, it would surely affect her senses and ability to concentrate if the problem persisted.


    Perhaps she should have agreed with Xiao Bai when he suggested for her to hunt lower demons to eat. Without her fox orb, it would be hard for her to control the manifestation of her demonic features for a long time. She needed to hunt or eat the fresh liver of an animal sooner orter.


    The fox woman forced to divert her attention from her hunger to Shen Minyao''s schedule pinned on a corkboard on top of her study table. Ah, she remembered now. Her new host was attending high school and was in her final year.


    While her schoolmates were busy dating their boyfriends and girlfriends, the former Shen Minyao had been racking her brain to think of the best course for her to take after high school, which only meant that it was the fox woman''s problem now.


    Perhaps she should seek Grandpa Shen or Cheng Lifan''s opinion about itter. Anyway, she still had enough months to think about it until her graduation. There''s no need to rush about making a decision right now.


    Since it was the weekend, Shen Minyao had enough time to rest and think of what she should do while waiting for Zhao Yichen to recover. Her contract with him was bound for a limited time, but it still posed some risks to them. Unless one of them died, none of them could break away from the contract. If she forcefully retrieved her fox orb, Zhao Yichen''s body wouldn''t be able to take it, and he would die.


    Also, as the source of the fox orb, if someone killed her now; it would also affect Zhao Yichen.


    This was the first time the fox woman entered a contract with a mortal human¡­ as it was forbidden by thews of the demon world. It was for this sole reason that she wasn''t allowed to harm or kill her human contractor in an attempt to free herself from their contract¡­ for fear that she might be found out.


    Monday came too fast to her liking, and Cheng Lifan drove her to the high school Shen Minyao was currently attending along with Fu Xiyan and her cousins. Shen Minyao was wearing her school uniform, with a backpack hanging loosely on her right shoulder.


    She had a mixed feeling about going inside as her nose picked up a lot of scents, bothing from the humans attending and teaching at school and the demons and ghosts lurking around the ce.


    "Yao''er, if you don''t feel good, you can go and rest at your dormitory for a while." Cheng Lifan, who lowered her window, called after her.


    Shen Minyao smiled awkwardly and waved her hand towards the older woman. Today, she styled her hair, a little different from what her host used to have on a normal day like this.


    "Mama should go now, or you''ll bete for work. Didn''t you say you have an important meeting this morning?" She said in return.


    After hearing what her stepdaughter said, Cheng Lifan hurriedly left and drove towards thepany, leaving Shen Minyao standing right outside the main gate of Spring Hill High School, a renowned school known to have the best teaching standards within Jiang City.


    Following her host''s memories, the fox woman sauntered inside the school premises¡ªignoring the chatter of the other students around her¡ªand went straight to her first ss, earning a lot of curious gazes from her ssmates once she stepped inside the ssroom.


    They believed Shen Minyao shouldn''t even be in this school because she got in through the back door, earning a spiteful look from those who had taken their entrance exams to get in. She wasn''t the only one who got in without taking an exam anyway, so why weren''t they going after Shen Qing, too?


    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow at them, refusing to back down from their stares. If they thought that they could intimidate and bully her like what they did to her host before, then they were in for a surprise.


    A group of girls decided to block her path, halting her steps.


    "Hey, Shen Minyao. I heard you got lost in the mountain and some handsome guy came to rescue you. Are you sure you didn''t go there with Shen Qing just to meet him in secret?" It was clear that they were trying to stir up trouble.


    "I do not have time to y with clowns. Move." Shen Minyao pushed her out of the way, refusing to give them another nce. She strode towards her assigned spot and took a seat.


    "Huh? So she really came back? I thought Shen Qing managed to leave her at the mountain," one of the studentsmented, clearly letting Shen Minyao find out that what happenedst week had spread throughout the school.


    "Why do I feel like something is different with Shen Minyao? Do you think she was possessed by a ghost?" another boy snickered, noticing the noble air that surrounded Shen Minyao. She was only seated, but why did she emit an imposing aura of a queen seated on her golden throne?

 Chapter 37 - Shen Minyao Returns (2)

    Shen Minyao wanted to roll her eyes at the absurdity of these humans around them. They talked in low voices, attempting to speak to themselves without knowing that she could hear them perfectly clear. But, hey, one of them almost got it right. It was too bad this body wasn''t possessed by a ghost, but a demon instead. They would have run for their lives and left her alone if they knew what Shen Minyao was now.


    The guys wereughing behind her back, while the girls shot her a disgusting look. They all thought that Shen Minyao shouldn''t be attending the same school as them, as she only got in through the backdoor. However, what they didn''t know was that Shen Minyao was supposed to take the same entrance exam that they had, but she had fallen sick that day and failed to show up on her assigned date three years ago.


    Shen Minyao had taken the entrance exam in private two dayster and had aced her exam with a perfect score. This was something that rarely happened at Spring Hill High. It was just that she never made it clear to everyone that she had taken an exam, as opposed to what they imed. She didn''t want them to think that she was showing off not only her family''s influence but also her record-breaking score.


    The school only announced that someone topped the chart, but they never announced who it was¡ªdue to Shen Minyao''s insistence. She had also made sure not to get everyone''s attention by notpeting academically with her peers.


    As for her cousin, well, one had to say that Shen Qing was the one who hadn''t really taken any exam to attend the school and relied on her father''s influence.


    However, despite her earlier warning, the same group of women refused to let Shen Minyao off the hook.


    "Shen Minyao, how rude could you be?" The one leading the group came towards the fox woman and arrogantly looked down on Shen Minyao with her arms crossed over her chest.


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes, and the temperature in the room dropped to the freezing point. Most students noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere and wondered if the AC within the room had malfunctioned.


    The fox stared up at her ssmate, meeting the girl''s stare. Then, her lips curled into a smile, one that was horrifying enough; a shiver ran down their spines upon seeing it. Her ssmates stared at her in shock, but some of them couldn''t help but notice that Shen Minyao looked better today.


    Her brows were shaped elegantly and not as messy-looking as before. Her lips were thin and slightly pouty, and the thick eyesses she usually sported were missing on her face, allowing everyone to see her clean and alluring face clearly.


    With that cool andid-back look of hers, paired with a devilish smile, she looked more appealing to one''s eyes. Most of them were awestruck upon noticing it. Howe they never thought that Shen Minyao was also a beauty like her cousin?


    She looked in and boring before, but howe a little change on her hairstyle and the way she dressed almost turned her into a sexy White Bone Spirit1 who could charm both men and women by a mere smile.


    Shen Minyao stood from her seat and regarded her ssmate.


    "Then, you think obstructing one''s way isn''t rude?" She then leaned forward, her lips hovering next to her ssmate''s ear, with her eyes shing with mischief.


    "I suggest you think twice before acting like a fool in front of us, or do you mean to say that I wouldn''t dare to reveal your affair with an older man? His scent reeks,ing from you. You should have taken a bath beforeing here."


    The woman stepped back away from Shen Minyao and stared at her with bewilderment. Indeed, she was having an affair with a married man to help her sustain hervish lifestyle, but how did Shen Minyao manage to find out about her secret? Whenever she was with her lover, she made sure to dress up and disguise herself, so people wouldn''t easily recognize her.


    "Y-you¡­ how did you¡­?" She stuttered and was able to stop herself from saying more than she shouldn''t have.


    However, her face nched from what she heard from Shen Minyao''s lips. If it was a different person, she would have threatened that person and bullied her mercilessly, but not Shen Minyao.


    Who amongst them didn''t know that Shen Minyao came from the prominent military family of the Shen? If she dared to assault Shen Minyao in public, wouldn''t it be like shooting her own foot, causing her own demise?


    "Oh, so you do admit." Shen Minyao returned to her seat gracefully, crossing her arms and propping an arm to support her chin with one hand. "Oh, dear. You need to be more careful next time." She gave the other a meaningful smile.


    It was purely a coincidence that she had smelled that same scent at the hospital before. A man in his thirties joined her and Cheng Lifan at the elevator, his overwhelming scent filling the tight space. Because it hadn''t been too long since that happened, the fox woman was able to recognize the scent.


    No matter if humans used the same soaps or perfumes, they all smelled differently to the demons. Each scent was uniquely specific to a person. If humans used fingerprints to prove their identities, their scents were what was used to differentiate them from each other when it came to the demons.


    How could this woman dare to bully someone like her? She had lived for centuries and met a lot of humans and demons in her long life¡­ how could she allow a young girl of eighteen to bully and humiliate her? They wouldn''t even be able to hold a candle against the concubines she had dealt with in the past.  Baigujing is a demon from the novel Journey to the West.. She is a shapeshifting demoness, and in her true form she is depicted as a skeleton.

 Chapter 38 - Shen Minyao Returns (3)

    While Shen Minyao was busy dealing with her ssmates, Li Fei''er found herself standing just outside the faculty room, waiting for her homeroom teacher to give her the ss schedule she would follow for this school year. Since she transferred to Spring Hill High a little toote, she already missed a lot of lessons. She could only hope that she would get along with her new ssmates, and they wouldn''t find her weird.


    Anyway, thinking of what happened at the hospitalst week, she felt bad that she wasn''t able to find out the name of the young woman who saved her life. Li Fei''er didn''t know why, but there was something about that woman that drew the shaman to her, enough to wish for closeness. However, it didn''t seem like that person wanted to be friends with Li Fei''er.


    After the three of them managed to kill the wraith, thest thing she remembered was that she was trying to run after that same woman before she lost consciousness. When she woke up, Li Fei''er found herself on a vacant bed within the recovery ward. One of the nurses imed that someone found her unconscious in the hallway and brought her there.


    Ah, she really wanted to see and befriend that person! She had tried toe back to the hospital, hoping that she would meet the woman again. Li Fei''er tried looking for her, not knowing that Shen Minyao had already been discharged that morning.


    The door of the faculty room slid open, and the homeroom teacher found her standing outside, looking somewhere through the windows of the hallway. Li Fei''er stood stiffly as if she was caught off-guard and waited for whatever the teacher would tell her.


    "Miss Li, here''s your ss schedule. Let''s go, so I can introduce you to your new ssmates."


    Li Fei''er followed her closely behind while ncing around the ce, noticing small demons along their way. Seeing demons in a ce like this wasn''t new to her, as they were almost everywhere without humans knowing they coexist in the same ce.


    She could also sense a strong resentment of ghosts at the scienceboratory, but she wouldn''t dare to face it for now, not unless it brought harm to the other students. There were so many students at Spring Hill High, so it was only natural that they would also attract some demons that could feed on the vulnerable minds of these teenagers.


    When they arrived at the designated ssroom, Li Fei''er had stopped just outside the door and allowed the teacher to regard her newest ssmates.


    "Why is it so noisy? Didn''t you hear the bell? Go back to your seats." The teacher''s voice rang within the ssroom, taking everyone''s attention.


    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow at her ssmates who remained standing in front of her desk. She rested her chin on her right hand and looked at them indifferently.


    "Are you deaf, or you didn''t hear what Miss Cang said? F*ck off."


    They were momentarily stunned but dispersed at once, with their leader eyeing Shen Minyao suspiciously and wondering how thetter managed to find out her secret. Her face ckened at the thought that Shen Minyao¡ªwho always had an idiotic expression on her face, who easily cowered over someone''s provocation¡ªwas now ckmailing her.


    How could this be possible? They hadn''t seen Shen Minyao for a week, and she came backpletely different from what she was before. The Shen Minyao they knew wouldn''t be able to look at them with contempt like this and wouldn''t even dare to talk back to them.


    Something must have happened during those days for Shen Minyao to change like this. As for the ckmailing, she would make sure Shen Minyao knew whom she was dealing withter.


    A sinister smile crossed her lips, and her aura reached the fox woman''s senses. Shen Minyao couldn''t wait to see what this woman had for her.


    "We have a new transfer student joining us today." The homeroom teacher informed them as she stood behind her desk and nced at the door. "Come here and introduce yourself to your ssmates."


    Li Fei''er took a deep breath to calm her nerves and stepped inside the ssroom. She then stood next to the teacher and faced her new ssmates. As her eyes swept around, she caught a familiar face in the crowd, instantly lifting her mood at that very moment.


    "Hello! I''m Li Fei''er. My dad and I have just moved back here. Let''s get along well," she introduced herself enthusiastically.


    Meanwhile, the fox woman had already caught Li Fei''er''s scent even before she stepped inside the ssroom. To think that their paths had crossed once again in this lifetime, Shen Minyao found it odd that Little Jiu''s incarnation was still seeking after her even in the ward''s current life.


    She also had suspected that Little Jiu might be rted to the Li family that had managed to seal her for centuries, but to think that her Little Jiu was reborn as a Li Shaman, the fox womanughed at the absurdity of their situation.


    Li Fei''er was obviously pleased to see her, but Shen Minyao wasn''t sure whether she should get acquainted with Little Jiu''s incarnation or leave her be. Little Jiu had lost her life in the past because of Su Daji. If she hadn''t been so selfish, she should have let Little Jiu return to the humans after reaching her sixteenth year.


    Little Jiu also didn''t like to part with her and knew the dangers the child would face if she stayed beside a demon like her, but Little Jiu stayed nevertheless. The fox woman didn''t want the same end to happen to Li Fei''er in this lifetime, so it would have been better if the girl didn''t associate with her this time.


    "Go take a seat at the back, Li Fei''er.." The teacher gestured to Li Fei''er to thest row of the ss.

 Chapter 39 - Remind You Of Your Rightful Place (1)

    Li Fei''er was ecstatic when she found out that the young woman who saved her and helped her kill the wraithst week, ended up being her new ssmate. She couldn''t contain her happiness upon seeing Shen Minyao who had chosen to ignore her throughout their lessons and paid attention to their teacher.


    Shen Minyao was, of course, aware of the staring Li Fei''er was throwing her way. She couldn''t understand why this girl still wanted to be with her, even in this lifetime. Was Little Jiu''s connection towards the fox woman ingrained itself on her soul that she couldn''t help but be drawn to the fox?


    Thinking about it, the fox woman wondered if her stupid older brother¡ªLittle Jiu''s lover¡ªstill existed to this day. Had he perished somehow during her long slumber, or was he living amongst the humans till this day? If Qin Zhi was alive, she wondered if he med her for Little Jiu''s death or how he was faring these days.


    The bell rang once again, indicating that it was break time. Since Shen Minyao didn''t need to eat human food, she was nning to take a short ''nap'' to clear her mind. However, her ssmates didn''t allow her to do so. She had just stepped out of the ssroom when the same group of girls surrounded her, their eyes showing hostility towards her.


    "How could the great Shen family produce such a wimp girl like you? How disgusting!" Xu Shenshen, the same girl who Shen Minyao threatened earlier with her indecent affair, spoke with a tone filled with disgust towards Shen Minyao.


    The bored nine-tailed fox stopped in her tracks, her eyes turning cold. After hearing their mockery, a cold smile curled her lips. Hadn''t she given this stupid girl a clear warning earlier? They better not try to provoke her, or else she would let them experience what the word ''vicious'' truly meant!


    With that smile, those girls and the spectators who''d seen Shen Minyao felt like their hearts had been struck by something, and their heartbeats started to race. The girls currently giving her trouble were slightly confused by the sudden change of Shen Minyao''s demeanor, but not Xu Shenshen. She still couldn''t ept that Shen Minyao had grown some backbone and dared to talk back to them earlier.


    She narrowed her eyes and looked at Shen Minyao with deep disdain towards thetter. In the past, this coward girl wouldn''t even dare to meet her gaze, so how dare this chicken look down on her now?


    "Shen Minyao, have you forgotten the lessons I taught you before?" She sneered at Shen Minyao. "Or do I need to remind you of your rightful ce?"


    Shen Minyao tucked the stray lock of her hair behind her ear. ording to her host''s memories, Xu Shenshen was one of the famous bullies at school, but no matter what she did, no one would dare to report her. She bullied people she didn''t like out of boredom, and she liked being the center of attention.


    The previous Shen Minyao was one of her favorite people to bully, not only because Shen Minyao looked ridiculous with her tasteless and old-fashioned styles, but also because Xu Shenshen was envious of her social status as a young miss of a wealthy family. Unlike Shen Qing, Shen Minyao had never had the courage to stand up for herself until now.


    In her host''s memories, the fox woman saw the snippets of when Xu Shenshen and her friends trapped Shen Minyao inside thedies'' room and beat her up. The fox woman frowned at the scene that yed on her mind. She couldn''t understand how her host remained silent during the abuse and never sought anyone''s help to stop the bullying.


    Seeing the arrogant smirk on Xu Shenshen''s face, Shen Minyao''s eyes narrowed dangerously. Xu Shenshen might be able to bully Shen Minyao¡­ but not her. Striding towards the imposing, arrogant girl; Shen Minyao surprised everyone by punching Xu Shenshen right on her stomach.


    Xu Shenshen couldn''t understand what was happening and only felt the pain in her midsection. She then found herself on her knees, writhing in pain. Howe a thin and weak girl like Shen Minyao had the strength of a grown-up man?


    Her stomach churned, and she vomited on the floor, much to everyone''s disgust. They pinched their noses and looked at her in disgust.


    Shen Minyao looked down at her with a cold gaze. As if it wasn''t enough, she snatched the orange drink from the hand of a guy near them, twisted the cap to open, and poured the contents over Xu Shenshen''s head¡ªmuch to everyone''s shock.


    "ssmate Xu, the things you have done to me in the past¡­ I haven''t forgotten any of it," she said calmly, her eyes filled with killing intent.


    Even the people watching them could feel their knees shaking from just watching Shen Minyao. It was hard to believe that the Shen Minyao in front of them was capable of doing such a thing.


    Xu Shenshen''s eyes were stung with tears. She lifted her head up and red furiously at Shen Minyao.


    "Shen Minyao! How dare you?! Do you think I would easily let you off? You wish! Don''t you know that everyone here is disgusted by you? An outsider who hasn''t taken an entrance exam shouldn''t be here! If it wasn''t for you using the influence of your family, you wouldn''t be here!"


    The students of Spring Hill High nced at Shen Minyao. It wasn''t easy for them to get admitted to this school, given how hard the examinations they had to pass before they could attend this ce. Of course, everyone was aware of the rumors of her skipping the entrance exam and was given a special pass by the headmistress of Spring Hill High.


    "Hey, stupid. Who told you I didn''t get the entrance exams to get admitted here? Should we go to the faculty room to find out who''s lying between the two of us?"

 Chapter 40 - Remind You Of Your Rightful Place (2)

    Xu Shenshen looked at Shen Minyao as if she had grown another head over her shoulder. Even the students crowding around them were speechless of what Shen Minyao said. Since when did the bully be the victim? Why did it seem that Xu Shenshen was clearly no match against Shen Minyao right now?


    "Not because I didn''t say anything before does it mean those ridiculous rumors are true." She continued, her eyes sweeping around, watching as the other students avoided her gaze in shame. The past Shen Minyao was foolish enough to keep her silence, allowing other people to tarnish her reputation using a baseless usation.


    She then returned her attention back to Xu Shenshen who was still stunned by her revtion.


    "All of you are free to go to the faculty room or to the headmistress to see whether I have really taken the examination or not. Perhaps, you might also finally figure out who had recently broken the record and aced the entrance exam years ago."


    "Shen Minyao, you liar!" Xu Shenshen roared in anger. She refused to believe Shen Minyao''s im, but her opinion didn''t matter to Shen Minyao anymore. Someone would surely try to check if her im was correct, and she was just being falsely used by everyone.


    Hearing Xu Shenshen''s spiteful words, Shen Minyao smiled coldly. She bent her waist forward and gripped Xu Shenshen''s face harshly with one hand, her long nails digging painfully on Xu Shenshen''s fragile skin.


    "Stupid girl. You want to bully me with this level of skill? Xu Shenshen, your older sister¡ªI, Shen Minyao¡ªam deeply disappointed in you," Shen Minyao whispered next to Xu Shenshen''s ear before pushing her face away.


    "Anyway, where were we again?" Shen Minyao asked amusedly. "Oh? Didn''t you say you want to teach me again a lesson and remind me of my ce? ssmate Xu, too bad. Today, it was me who''s going to teach you a good lesson. Please try to remember what I will show you today."


    "You!" Xu Shenshen''s anger towards Shen Minyao reached another level, but it only made the fox woman amused at her pitiful attempt to intimidate the other.


    The fox woman pressed her forefinger on Xu Shenshen''s lips and made a hushed sound. The more she knew about her host''s past life, the more she got irritated by it. Why was Shen Minyao trying to please everyone at her own expense anyway?


    No wonder people thought that she was a doormat they could easily step on and forgetter. Shen Minyao could not control how the surrounding people would act, but she certainly could change and improve her life by changing the way she lived. No matter what a person did, how they wanted to live was up to them and not for another person to decide.


    "ssmate Xu, do you know? I was just pretending to be nice all this time. Actually, I am a horrible person who loves to see other people in a miserable state like you. I also like to see people pretend how strong and powerful they are when, in fact, they are nothing but insignificant insects in my eyes. You want me to remind me of my ce? Oh, ssmate Xu, I should be the one who should remind you where people like you should be."


    After saying those words, Shen Minyao didn''t waste time and pulled Xu Shenshen''s long hair, dragging her to the nearestdies'' room where thetter used to beat up the old Shen Minyao. It was time for this bully to taste her own medicine and experience the pain and humiliation she inflicted on other people.


    Xu Shenshen''s cries echoed in the hallway as she struggled to free herself from Shen Minyao. However, no one dared to step forward to save her. Because she was a known bully within Spring Hill High, she had offended many students in the past. So seeing her being beaten by her own victim before made the others feel that she was only getting what she deserved.


    "AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! LET GO OF ME, YOU BITCH!" Xu Shenshen screamed on top of her lungs, holding onto Shen Minyao''s wrist as thetter pulled her hair.


    Cries of pain could be heard inside thedies'' room, and those could hear it were still in disbelief at the sudden turn of events between Shen Minyao and Xu Shenshen. It was as if Shen Minyao had be a demoness after her return.


    While the humans outside wondered why Shen Minyao suddenly changed, the fox woman''s mood brightened up as she abused Xu Shenshen within one of the cubicles of the restroom, pushing her face down the toilet water.


    Ha. Several times, Shen Minyao wished she would drop dead, so people stopped bullying her and nagging at her for the things she never did. Since everyone seemed to hate her so much, perhaps should be better off dead. This was what she used to think before.


    "Just one punch from me, and you are already writhing in pain. Didn''t your parents give you a good upbringing? Usually, I don''t want to tarnish my hand and hit imbecile insects like you, but you keep getting on my way today." Shen Minyao pulled Xu Shenshen''s hair forcefully, looking at her badly beaten face with blood dripping on the corner of her lips.


    "Oh my. How can your lover like you anymore if you look like shit? Anyway, a shit like you belongs to the toilet, don''t you think?" She released Xu Shenshen''s hair, the girl dropping weakly to the floor with a swollen face.


    Shen Minyao stepped on the side of Xu Shenshen''s face and pulled out her new mobile phone, taking a few photos of her ything.


    "Little girl, make sure you don''t forget today''s lesson, okay?"


    "Shen Minyao, I will kill you!" Xu Shenshen red despite her current condition.


    "Oh? You want to kill me? There''s a long line waiting for you then, but sure, I''ll be waiting for you.. Please don''t disappoint me next time."

 Chapter 41 - Faceslapping Left And Right (1)

    After all, she was the infamous nine-tailed fox, hated by many in her past life. The fox woman was already used to being on the receiving end of everyone''s enmity and hatred, but she liked it nevertheless. Seeing them cursing her in their hearts, looking at her with disdain until they vomited blood, was what the fox woman liked the most.


    Xu Shenshen could only swear at Shen Minyao in her heart. This sudden change on Shen Minyao¡­ was this the real Shen Minyao all along? Was she pretending to be a weakling and a pushover before? Impossible!


    Shen Minyao looked rxed and amused as she bullied Xu Shenshen, while thetter trembled in fear.


    "What? Are you finally scared now? Do you understand now that I am not a person you should offend?" The fox woman smiled coldly. "Didn''t you say you want to teach me a lesson? But how could that be?"


    Xu Shenshen could only re back at the fox woman who was still stepping on her swollen face. She had never been humiliated like this before, and she swore that she would get even with Shen Minyao someday.


    "What? Do you feel angry and humiliated right now?" Shen Minyao mocked her, her brows furrowing at the disgusting image of Xu Shenshen on her mobile phone. "Urgh, such an eyesore, but this should do."


    Her eyes met the fierce re Xu Shenshen was giving her at that moment and scoffed. Humans like her that acted like the world owed them something¡­ really had loose nuts in their heads. Naturally, as a fox spirit, she had a lot of mischiefs hidden under her sleeve, but she would never hurt or bully an innocent person out of boredom.


    "When you bullied people like us before, have you ever thought about what they would feel about your actions? When you humiliated us¡ªmade fun of us for your own entertainment; did you ever consider the effects of your actions?" She questioned Xu Shenshen, albeit she already knew the answers to her questions.


    "ssmate Xu, I''m not a magnanimous person, but I''m kind enough to let you experience the struggle and pain you inflicted on other people," the fox woman said with a mischievous smile. "You should thank me for giving you such a wonderful experience, don''t you think?"


    Ah, the cries of despair and resentment¡­ such melodious music to the nine-tailed fox''s ears. It surely had been a while since she tortured someone like this. However, she also knew that Xu Shenshen wouldn''t let her off easily after this as the strong scent of hatred emanated from her body. Xu Shenshen would surely try to get even with her in the future.


    Heh. As if a demon like her would be easily threatened by a mere human.


    Xu Shenshen would need to upgrade her scheming abilities if she really dreamed of humiliating Shen Minyao in the future. She was subparpared to the women and scheming concubines Su Daji had dealt with in the past.


    Ah, humans. Couldn''t they lead a happier and peaceful life, considering how short their time was in the mortal realm? They surely didn''t know how to cherish their limited time on earth and rather cultivate their hateful feelings toward each other. Shen Minyao thought.


    Having spent most of her lunchtime beating up Xu Shenshen, hearing her pitiful cries made Shen Minyao''s day a little better. Her weekend was unproductive and boring, and without Xiao Bai and Yu Yan around, she had no one to talk to.


    Shen Minyao thought that she had enough, leaving Xu Shenshen lying on the filthy floor of thedies'' room with her school uniform in tatters and skin full of bruises. The fox woman stepped out casually as if she had done nothing horrendous to the human she left ck and blue behind her.


    Once she stepped out, her slender brow rose as she saw Li Fei''er seated on the first step of the stairs, waiting for her. The younger woman immediately got to her feet as soon as she heard the door of thedies'' room open.


    Li Fei''er had a conflicted expression written on her face, and Shen Minyao only scoffed and walked away. She didn''t need to exin anything to anyone, and if it still wasn''t clear to Li Fei''er that she wasn''t a good person, this girl only needed to see for herself what Shen Minyao had done to Xu Shenshen in thedies'' room.


    "ssmate Shen, wait!" Li Fei''er called after her, which made the fox woman stop in her tracks. Li Fei''er wasn''t sure of what she should tell Shen Minyao, but seeing her retreating figure brought pain to the girl''s heart.


    But why? Li Fei''er wondered. Why was she even drawn to this young woman who was clearly not a good person? Everyone was saying Shen Minyao was now a demon in disguise.


    Shen Minyao eyed Li Fei''er over her shoulder, waiting to hear what the girl needed from her. When Li Fei''er said nothing, the corner of her lips curled up. It was clear that Li Fei''er was confused by what she had witnessed today, but it would be best if she knew how wicked and vicious Shen Minyao was from the start.


    "ssmate Li, I suggest you be careful of whom you befriend unless you want to end up like ssmate Xu," Shen Minyao said before leaving Li Fei''er on her own.


    What Li Fei''er witnessed today should be enough for her to realize that she shouldn''t associate herself with someone like Shen Minyao. Whether she was Su Daji or Shen Minyao, she would never allow Little Jiu and this current incarnation to get harmed because of her.


    Since she had failed to protect Little Jiu in the past, it would be better for Li Fei''er to keep her distance from Shen Minyao, so the girl wouldn''t be dragged into her problems in the future.. No matter how much she missed her human ward, Little Jiu''s safety and happiness were her utmost priority.

 Chapter 42 - Faceslapping Left And Right (2)

    Shen Minyao went to the cafeteria and bought something to drink. Although she didn''t need to eat human food, drinking refreshing, cool water was something she could never say no to. The other students fell silent upon her arrival, murmuring words about her in hushed tones, but those were still clear enough for the fox woman to hear no matter how far they were.


    She scoffed to herself and swept her gaze around the cafeteria. Those busybodies avoided and lowered their gazes in fear that they would pique her attention, but there were guys shameless enough to grin at Shen Minyao and wink at her.


    It was at that moment when Fu Xiyan came running towards her, her face filled with worry. Once she stopped in front of Shen Minyao, she gasped for breath.


    "Miss, are you alright? Did Xu Shenshen hurt you again?" She asked her miss.


    When she heard from the other students that Xu Shenshen was making amotion again by harassing Shen Minyao, Fu Xiyan hurriedly finished her tasks and tried to find her miss''s whereabouts. It certainly was not the first time Xu Shenshen bullied her miss, and Shen Minyao had insisted before not to inform her stepmother about what happened.


    Shen Minyao twisted the cap of her water bottle and scoffed at Fu Xiyan''s words.


    "Xiyan, I told you I would never allow anyone to bully me again, right? I hit her back. It''s ssmate Xu''s fault that she kept getting on my nerves. Isn''t it surprising how the human body has seven trillion nerves, and some people manage to get on every single one of them?" She said with sarcasm.


    Fu Xiyan stared at her in disbelief. What? Shen Minyao beat Xu Shenshen up and not the other way around?


    Seeing the expression on Fu Xiyan''s face, Shen Minyao lifted a brow. "What? Do I really look like someone that could easily be bullied by anyone?"


    ''But Miss, you were the one being bullied before!'' Fu Xiyan thought to herself as she wasn''t brave enough to voice out her thoughts to Shen Minyao. She had noticed that her young miss had been different ever since she woke up from her three-daya.


    Even right now, Shen Minyao was wearing her usual school uniform, but her graded eyesses were nowhere to be found. Moreover, a noble air emitted around her, making other people unable to resist staring at her. For her to have a sudden change of heart, Fu Xiyan wondered what kind of horrible things Shen Qing did to her miss at the Qingqiu Mountain, which drove her miss to turn over a new leaf?


    "Miss, aren''t you going to get into trouble because you beat her? Xu Shenshen would surely give you trouble in the future."


    Xu Shenshen was known as a big bully in school, and no one had dared to hit her back until today. Fu Xiyan could only imagine how hateful and angry Xu Shenshen was towards her young miss now.


    "Then, she could try. I would like to see what ssmate Xu is capable of," the fox woman nonchntly replied. If Xu Shenshen wanted to seek revenge from her, then Xu Shenshen was free to do so.


    Shen Minyao then noticed the troubled expression on Fu Xiyan''s face and shook her head.


    "You worry too much, Xiyan. I can protect myself now."


    She waved her hand as if bidding goodbye and chose to find a ce where she could be alone, far from these annoying humans.


    Since the fox spirit took over Shen Minyao and her life, how could she allow someone to continue bullying her? Humans should be the ones who needed to be scared and wary of her, not the other way around. Since when did the demons need to bow down to these fickle humans? The fox woman thought.


    All the difficulties Shen Minyao suffered from in the past, she was partly responsible for it. If she had only stood up for herself, other people wouldn''t dare to step on her and take advantage of her weaknesses. No wonder she lost her life in Shen Qing''s hand.


    Anyway, the fox woman would deal with Shen Qingter. Since her engagement with Su Yin was about to be canceled, that woman would be overjoyed by the news, but that didn''t mean Shen Minyao would let them off easily.


    The fox woman chose to go to the back of the school premises, where high trees stood tall. The branches were quite high, and normal humans wouldn''t be able to climb up easily if they relied on their physical strength. They would need some assistance to be able to get up on the high tree, but Shen Minyao didn''t think they would bother to exert an effort to do so.


    Shen Minyao looked around¡ªmaking sure that there was no human in the vicinity¡ªbefore leaping in the air, her foot easilynding at the lowest branch of the tree with ease. For a demon like her, something like this wasn''t hard to do.


    She decided to hide and took a rest there, far from the noisy humans that have irritated her ears since that morning. Peace atst. She needed not deal with the humans for the next thirty minutes until her next ss started. At least she hadn''t seen the white lotus that had killed her host.


    When she returned to their ssroom half an hourter, her ssmates obviously avoided her, much to her delight. At least they were smart enough not to trouble her for now. Xu Shenshen was nowhere to be found, and Shen Minyao didn''t care one bit what happened to her.


    If Xu Shenshen had a good head over her shoulder, she should know by now that the woman here wasn''t the same weak Shen Minyao she used to bully in the past.. s, remembering the intense hatred shed on Xu Shenshen''s eyes earlier, Shen Minyao was certain that this wouldn''t be thest encounter she would have with that human.

 Chapter 43 - UserFriendly (1)

    Although Shen Minyao excelled in academics because she didn''t want to get the unwanted attention of her ssmates and peers; she made sure that she wouldn''t ace her exams and avoidpeting with them. She would only make sure that her scores in exams were sufficient for her to pass, and she didn''t dare to answer all the questions.


    However, the fox woman didn''t share her host''s opinions and decided to live her life ording to her will and not for other people''s convenience. In the past, during her time as Su Daji, women who dared to study were frowned upon. So being here in a school where she could learn more about humans and their culture, how could Shen Minyao ignore the lectures of their teachers?


    Once her sses were done, Shen Minyao didn''t pay attention to her ssmates and went to the dormitory building where she stayed. Since she asked Fu Xiyan to get her a private room of her own, she needed to get her new keys at the reception area and move her things to her new room.


    The old Shen Minyao used to share the room with three other upants. As she opened the room she shared with others, her nose caught the familiar scent of body wash and lotion from where she stood. Wasn''t this the same brand her host was using back at the Shen residence?


    The door of the bathroom suddenly opened, revealing a girl the same age as Shen Minyao. She had a towel over her wet hair and was dressed casually. Obviously, she had just finished taking a bath, and the strong scent came out of the bathroom and spread within the room.


    The fox ignored the young woman. Of course, she already knew what kind of roommates Shen Minyao had and how they treated her. She sauntered towards her closet and pulled out her clothes. Thankfully, her host didn''t bring a lot of clothes here and only kept her books, so she wouldn''t need to bring them with her every day.


    Their two other roommates arrived as they were also done with their sses. They found Shen Minyao pulling her empty luggage and throwing her clothes inside.


    "Yaoyao, you are back!" The girl¡ªwho had juste out of the bathroom¡ªsmiled brightly at Shen Minyao, but thetter chose to focus on packing her things. "I heard you got lost in the mountains and were hospitalized."


    Shen Minyao frowned. If they were really concerned about the real Shen Minyao, they would have gone and visited her during her stay in the hospital. It was pointless for them to pretend that they cared about her as they were only taking advantage of her kindness towards them.


    Because the real Shen Minyao was a young miss from a wealthy family, it was only natural that the foods and the things she had were way better than her peers. Cheng Lifan had spoiled her rotten, not having the heart to allow her stepdaughter to experience hardship in life.


    "Are you going somewhere, Yaoyao? Why are you packing up your things?" Ming Shu asked curiously.


    Of these three, only Ming Shu was the only one who treated Shen Minyao well. Although Ming Shu was the poorest amongst them, she never took advantage of the real Shen Minyao''s kindness, unlike the other two roommates they had.


    They ate the foods Fu Xiyan brought for Shen Minyao without asking her permission. The two also used Shen Minyao''s things and designer brand clothes at will, never caring whether she agreed to it or not. The real Shen Minyao had been kind and generous towards them, helping them as she knew that their family''s circumstances weren''t as good as hers.


    s, what she forgot was that when one extended one''s hand to help someone, one better made sure they wouldn''t devour one''s whole arm in return. Did they just think that because Shen Minyao didn''t say anything, she was alright with their treatment of her?


    Whenever her mother sent food through Fu Xiyan, she would share all of it with her roommates. Whenever they werecking something, she extended a hand to help them pay for it. They ate her food, used her things, and wore her expensive clothes; only for them to talk behind her back to other people.


    Did they really think the real Shen Minyao was oblivious of it? She was not, but she would rather not make a scene out of it. Shen Minyao didn''t have many friends at school and thought that these two were her good friends. That''s why she was generous to them, so imagine her shock when she heard about the two spreading rumors about her, helping Shen Qing ruin her reputation within the school.


    After all that she had done for them, Shen Minyao felt betrayed, but she could only me herself for her stupidity. Because she blindly trusted these two, she had never thought that they were the first ones to stab her in the back when she wasn''t looking.


    The pain of betrayal from the people that were close to her was painful for Shen Minyao. She didn''t care what strangers spoke about her, but it hurt to know that the people she cherished were the ones to persecute her.


    Since then, she made sure to eat out with Fu Xiyan and never came back to the dormitory with her snacks on her. Weeks prior to her death, Shen Minyao always came backte after staying at the library to avoid them.


    "Ming Shu, my mom has signed me up for training. Since I will need to wake up early ande homete at night, it will be inconvenient for the three of you to get disturbed with your well-deserved sleep, so I''m moving out," Shen Minyao exined.


    Her eyes then turned to Tang Xuan who was clearly surprised by Shen Minyao''s sudden decision to move.. They were aware of the implications of this sudden change towards them.

 Chapter 44 - UserFriendly (2)

    "Tang Xuan, I know that you are still short with money, but could you please pay the amount you owe me by the end of the week? You don''t have to pay any interest as long as you can give it back. My mom has been questioning me where the money went, and I''ve told her I lent it to you, so could you please return the money ASAP?"


    A vein on Shen Minyao''s head was about to pop from irritation as she spoke with her gentle tone towards Tang Xuan. If it wasn''t for the hefty amount of money Tang Xuan owed her during their second year, the real Shen Minyao wouldn''t have lied to Cheng Lifan.


    Tang Xuan was stunned by her sudden demand. She had never thought that Shen Minyao would still remember the money she owed her roommatest year. With how wealthy the Shen family was and how Shen Minyao''s mother spoiled her rotten, Tang Xuan thought that the money she owed would be forgotten.


    "I¡ª" She didn''t know how to respond to Shen Minyao. The money she owed Shen Minyao was worth half a year of her rent on this dormitory, and her family wasn''t faring well these days, so how was she supposed to pay up on such short notice?


    The fox woman grinned inwardly, seeing the shocked reaction of Tang Xuan.


    ''You didn''t go easy on Shen Minyao when you said unbearable and shameful things about her, so why should I go easy on you?'' She thought.


    "But, Yaoyao, I don''t have money¡­" Tang Xuan snapped out of her daze and tried to coax Shen Minyao to dy it, hoping that she would forget it eventually. Why was Shen Minyao asking her for the money now when the rich girl wasn''t evencking? Tang Xuan sneered inwardly.


    Shen Minyao slightly nodded her head in understanding, closing her luggage and regarding Tang Xuan. Acting pitiful but cursing her in heart, what kind of friend this Tang Xuan was?


    "But it''s been a year since then, Tang Xuan, and it''s not a small amount of money, don''t you think? My mama worked hard to earn it to give it to me, so why should I give it freely to you?" She countered. "I''m still young to have a daughter to raise, especially one at your age."


    Tang Xuan was rendered speechless by that. Then, her face turned white and then ckened as she realized that Shen Minyao had just insulted her. She had never thought Shen Minyao was capable of countering her words. If it was in the past, the rich girl would avoid this confrontation and not argue with her. So what just happened? Was this the same Shen Minyao they knew since their freshman years?


    "Didn''t you say you don''t have sses anymore in the afternoons? Why don''t you take a part-time job to earn your spending money and pay me? If you don''t, I''ll ask my mom to send your parents a notice, so they will pay on your behalf," Shen Minyao suggested with a wicked glint in her eyes.


    Dare to suck Shen Minyao''s resources dry like parasites and stab her behind her back? Heh, then watch her make them experience a living hell.


    While it was true that Shen Minyao came from a wealthy family and she had more moneypared to her peers, the monthly allowance she received from Cheng Lifan was more than enough to cover for her expenses. The excess money she got from it was what she kept in her savings as she didn''t dare to ask her stepmother for more just in case she wanted to buy something.


    "No!!!" Tang Xuan eximed, her face nched at Shen Minyao''s tant words. If her parents found out she owed Shen Minyao a great amount of money, Tang Xuan would never hear the end of it.


    "I''ll pay you! I''ll pay you, but give me time, Yaoyao!" She said helplessly. She could not allow her parents to know that she offended the Shen family, but why was Shen Minyao asking her for the money so suddenly, anyway?


    "Tang Xuan, a year is more than enough to save and pay me up, right? Don''t you think you are being unreasonable for asking me for an extension? I could only give you a week. It''s not my fault that you aren''t responsible enough to pay on time," Shen Minyao said before taking her books and pens from her study table. She then dragged her luggage out the door, leaving her roommates shocked by her words.


    "Yaoyao, let me help you with your luggage!" Ming Shu followed her out and took the luggage in her hand, apanying her as they walked to Shen Minyao''s new room.


    "Are you sure you would be fine on your own?" She asked Shen Minyao after a long silence between them, ncing at the corner of her eyes to look at her friend.


    "I''m already used to it, Ming Shu. Don''t worry about me," the fox woman replied with a slight smile on her face. Before she met Xiao Bai and Yu Yan and before taking Little Jiu under her wing, she had been on her own.


    At least the real Shen Minyao had one good friend among these fickle humans who only knew how to hurt each other. As for those two people, they could only me themselves for the problem they started. If they hadn''t betrayed Shen Minyao in the past, would the fox woman even waste her precious time on them?


    As long as they didn''t wrong the real Shen Minyao in the past, the fox woman would leave them unscathed from her revenge. As for those people who wronged her host¡­ heh, they should be very prepared for what wasing to them.


    Beating Xu Shenshen up was just a start.. In the future, those who would dare to scheme against her wouldn''t only receive twin ps on their faces because Shen Minyao would beat them up or let them experience hell on earth.

 Chapter 45 - Mirror Mirror On The Wall (1)

    Shen Minyao continued to ignore Li Fei''er for the rest of the week. She never bothered to nce the girl''s way to know that Li Fei''er was staring at her. However, the young woman also never dared to seek after her ever since Li Fei''er witnessed how Shen Minyao beat up Xu Shenshen. It wasn''t like she was afraid of the fox woman because she also knew that if Shen Minyao didn''t stand up for herself that day, no one would.


    Li Fei''er heard the murmurs and gossips about Shen Minyao and Xu Shenshen, while the two were inside the lockeddies'' room. Their ssmates had imed that Xu Shenshen had finally found her match, only for it to be the newly ''awakened'' Shen Minyao.


    Shen Minyao even spoke in an old-fashioned way. Her eyes revealed some mockery and disdain for other people, which Li Fei''er hadn''t failed to notice. It was as if Shen Minyao was looking down on others with contempt and superiority.


    Others say that Shen Minyao had grown a backbone and turned over a new leaf ever since she returned, but Li Fei''er thought that any people subjected to high pressure would eventually change over time. She knew that what Shen Minyao did to Xu Shenshen was wrong, but she wished she was in the position to defend Shen Minyao and imed that what she did was right.


    Still, Li Fei''er felt that she was drawn towards Shen Minyao. It was as if her need to be by Shen Minyao''s side was clouding her mind. Was it because she had never met someone outside their family with the spiritual ability to see both demons and ghosts like her? She wondered.


    Shen Minyao looked normal on the surface, acting like a good student and listening well to their teacher''s lecture; while their other ssmates were struggling not to doze off, including her. However, Li Fei''er sometimes saw Shen Minyao stop walking in the hallway all of a sudden, while the smaller demons ran for their lives upon seeing her.


    Li Fei''er had never met any human being feared by demons in the past, so she wondered how strong Shen Minyao was to be able to instill fear into demons like this. When she mentioned it to her father, he only said that it only meant that Shen Minyao''s spiritual aptitude was so strong that demons acknowledged her strength. As such, she might be a witch in the making or a powerful exorcist that had the ability to drive demons into servitude.


    Li Fei''er didn''t think that Shen Minyao was a witch; neither was she an exorcist¡ªgiven how she wasn''t able to kill the wraith on her own and had to rely on Li Fei''er and the grim reaper''s help. Just remembering that night when she met the two was enough for Li Fei''er''s blood to boil in excitement.


    After being a shaman apprentice for years, she was certain that even she couldn''t defeat the powerful wraith on her own. If Shen Minyao hadn''t helped her ce the talismans around the wraith and with the grim reaper deflecting its mental attack, Li Fei''er knew that she would have been dead that night¡­ if it wasn''t for those two.


    From Shen Minyao''sst words towards Li Fei''er, it was clear that she was giving the girl a warning to stay away. If it was because of their schoolmates that might go after her for bullying Xu Shenshen or because of the demons that she might attract in the future, Li Fei''er didn''t know.


    "ssmate Shen!" Li Fei''er rushed towards Shen Minyao and gasped for breath upon reaching her. She rested both hands on her knees as she heaved for breath.


    It was alreadyte in the afternoon, and the sun was about to set. The ray of light hit the side of Shen Minyao''s cold face, giving her a more menacing look. She was about to go and check theboratory because the disturbance she sensed there was growing at an abnormal pace. She could swear that the demon she sensed therest week was still weak.


    "You don''t know how to take a warning seriously, are you?" She told Li Fei''er who grinned at her in return.


    "I know where you are going, and I want to help." She was a shaman after all, and she knew well of the dangers that the creatures at theboratory pose towards their schoolmates. Whatever it was, they needed to stop it from feeding on the humans.


    "It''s dangerous. You have to go back," Shen Minyao told her as she continued walking up the stairs to get where theboratory was.


    "I''m not that weak!" Li Fei''erined, "I''m a shaman now. If I don''t face dangers like whatever it is, I would never be strong enough to protect my loved ones."


    ''Protect your loved ones?'' The fox woman repeated the words in her head. She was unbelievably strong in her past life, so why did she fail to protect her human ward and even ended up getting killed by a human? Did that mean she wasn''t strong enough?


    Little Jiu was strong enough to protect herself from any human and lower demons as she had trained the girl herself, but it still wasn''t enough to keep Little Jiu alive.


    "What on earth¡­.?"


    As they stood outside theboratories, Li Fei''er was shocked to see so many ghosts inside the room. She had never seen so many ghosts at the same ce. They could go inside, but once they realized what attracted them, they weren''t able to step out of the room no matter how hard they tried. Surely, something was stopping them from leaving the ce.


    "What''s going on?" She asked Shen Minyao who was staring past the ghosts and at therge mirror hanging at the corner of the room.


    "The entity inside the mirror is keeping them inside," the fox woman exined, her eyes narrowing towards the cursed item.

 Chapter 46 - Mirror Mirror On The Wall (2)

    Li Fei''er followed Shen Minyao''s eyes and sensed great negative energying from the mirror itself. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Were they dealing with some kind of demon, or was it a curse?


    There were many legends and superstitions surrounding mirrors. Mirrors were said to be a reflection of the soul. They were traditionally perceived as gateways to the spirits or a threshold between the spirit and the mortal realm. They also served as boundaries and as portals ofmunication for some people. Some could use mirrors to connect to the spirit realm as desired.


    Furthermore, mirrors were also considered tools to trap or banish spirits. That was why some human customs covered the mirrors within the house of departed ones, to avoid having their spirits trapped inside the mirrors.


    It was also said that mirrors could not lie. They could show only the truth, so it was a bad omen to see something in a mirror, which should not be there. Also, there was a legend that a newborn child should not see a mirror until its first birthday as its soul is still developing. If the child saw their reflection, it was said that it would die.


    Since there were so many superstitions involving mirrors, Li Fei''er had no idea what kind of entity she and Shen Minyao were dealing with right now.


    It wasn''t the first time she had encountered a haunted mirror. During her apprenticeship with her master, they received a case of a girl who loved collecting mirrors. At a yard sale, she bought one that could cover space from the floor to the ceiling.


    Unfortunately, the mirror started to cause bad luck for her and her family. The entity inside the mirror was making everyone around it sick, including their pets. So she hired Li Fei''er''s master to find out what was wrong with her house, only to realize that it was caused by the gigantic mirror she bought at a yard sale.


    "What do we do now? Do you know what it is?" She asked Shen Minyao. If they didn''t know what kind of entity they were dealing with, they wouldn''t know how to deal with the problem.


    "No," the fox woman admitted. Whenever she thought about mystical or cursed mirrors, she couldn''t help but remember the magical mirror that her husband, the emperor, used to reveal her true identity as a nine-tailed fox demon in the past.


    Her face stiffened at that thought. Why was she even thinking about that useless and selfish man?


    "I could only tell that it is a kind of demon that is trapped inside the mirror," she informed Li Fei''er. If they could defeat this demon, perhaps she would be able to feed on its demon core and recover her strength.


    Since retrieving her fox core from Zhao Yichen could kill him, perhaps she needed to consider making another fox orb and cultivate her own energy. But first, she needed to defeat this demon while keeping its demon core away from Li Fei''er.


    "A demon, huh?" Li Fei''er focused her senses towards the mirror, but she couldn''t identify what it truly was.


    How could Shen Minyao tell that it was a demon, while she couldn''t? Were Shen Minyao''s spiritual powers that strong to be able to distinguish the difference between demons and ghosts?


    "So this is where they go, huh." A familiar voice reached Shen Minyao, and she couldn''t stop herself from groaning. She turned around and saw the same arrogant grim reaper in his usual ck robes, leaning against the wall next to the open window of the hallway.


    "And here I thought I won''t be seeing you ever again." She rolled her eyes at the grim reaper. What was he doing here anyway?


    "Well, it''s not like I want to see you, too," the grim reaper replied and then nced at Li Fei''er. He then spoke politely towards her, "It''s good to know that you recover well."


    Shen Minyao rolled her eyes again. So he could be polite and friendly towards Li Fei''er, but not her? Was it because she was a demon?


    "So what brings you here, Lord Hell? Do you know what kind of demon we''re dealing with?" She asked him. Since her energy was depleting too fast, it would be better if she could consume this demon to stabilize her body''s host.


    It was only then the grim reaper noticed Xiao Bai''s absence. This was the third time he and this demoness met, but howe every time they saw each other, she was weaker than their previous encounter?


    "Your fatty cat isn''t with you?" He asked in return.


    That fatty white cat was strong enough to protect her from otherworldly creatures that could harm her, so why was she on her own with this young shaman of all people? Wasn''t she afraid of being exorcised by this shaman?


    "What fatty cat?" Li Fei''er turned her head to face Shen Minyao in confusion. What were these two were talking about?


    "No, he isn''t with me. I wouldn''t bother to ask you what kind of demon it is if he is here with me," Shen Minyao ignored Li Fei''er''s question and answered the grim reaper''s question.


    "Sorry. I don''t know what kind of demon it is, either. I thought you would know better." He shot her a knowing look, keeping her secret from Li Fei''er.


    Shen Minyao scoffed and looked away. With Li Fei''er''s current ability, she was still too weak to sense the slight demonic auraing from Shen Minyao''s body. If she found out that the woman standing next to her was a demon, the fox woman wondered what Little Jiu''s incarnation would think of her.


    Would the girl try to kill her or exorcise her spirit from her host''s body? The fox woman wondered.


    No. She shook her head.. Even Li Yun had struggled to separate her spirit from Su Daji''s body in the past, and he was the strongest shaman during that era.

 Chapter 47 - Disturbance (1)

    "So what are you doing here then, Lord Hell?" Shen Minyao asked the grim reaper with sarcasm. She already knew the answer to her question, but she wanted to hear his reason from his own mouth.


    The grim reaper raised a slender brow at her, wondering why she was even asking him such a question when it was obvious why he came here.


    "There''s a disturbance among the spirits of the departed ones we, grim reapers, have to collect. The spirits of the deading from the city hospital were missing, and we''re wondering where they went," he answered her nevertheless.


    "So it led you here?" Li Fei''er was the one who asked him another question, only for her eyes to catch a familiar ghost inside theboratory room. It made sense to her why a grim reaper like him would appear so suddenly in their school, given how much ghosts had umted inside.


    Wait. Wasn''t that Jin Qian? How did she end up here in their schoolboratory?


    The ghost girl was visibly confused herself, looking around the room and wondering where she was and why she was here. Seeing her troubled face, it reminded Li Fei''er of the promise she made with the child. She was nning to visit Jin Qian this weekend and would help her find her mother as promised, but Li Fei''er didn''t expect that she would see Jin Qian here in school aside from the hospital.


    "The demon inside the mirror lured them here. It''s currently hibernating, but that doesn''t mean it couldn''t sense our presence," Shen Minyao stated the obvious, "I don''t know what kind of demon it is, but it feeds on the spirits of the dead that refused to cross the mortal realm."


    She then wondered if the other demon could sense her¡­


    No wonder Jin Qian and the newly deceased spirits were here. Since they felt that they had unfinished business here on earth, they refused to cross the boundaries and go to the spirit realm.


    The grim reaper walked towards the door of theboratory and attempted to open it to free the ghosts¡­ but failed. No matter how hard he tried to break the spell that trapped the ghosts, he was being repelled by it. He narrowed his eyes and red towards the mirror on the wall.


    "Such a troublesome demon," he muttered to himself. At least the demoness next to him wasn''t as irritating as the other demons he had met in the past.


    Shen Minyao knew that she was too weak in her current condition to even attempt to break the spell of the other demon inside theboratory room. She might even die if she forced herself to face it head-on. Ah, she wasn''t that stupid. If only Xiao Bai and Yu Yan were with her, they would easily defeat whatever demon it was.


    Li Fei''er also attempted to help him break the spell. She then called out to Jin Qian. The ghost girl hurriedly went to the ss window and pressed her palms against it. As a spirit, she should be able to get through it with ease, but she couldn''t do it right now.


    "Jiejie! Please help me!" The girl looked like she was about to burst into tears upon seeing Li Fei''er. She hadn''t seen her mommy yet and was still waiting inside her hospital room where Li Fei''er left her, but the demon inside the mirror managed to drag her here.


    "We''ll do our best to save you, Jin Qian, but can you tell us what you are doing here?" Li Fei''er asked her in return. They needed to know more about the demon they were facing.


    Jin Qian looked at her and then to the odd girl wearing the same outfit as Li Fei''er and the strikingly handsome man wearing ck robes, standing next to the other woman. As a ghost, she could feel the tremendous spiritual presenceing from the two. She didn''t dare to ask Li Fei''er who these two monsters were.


    "I don''t really know, Jiejie. Someone removed the papers you stuck on my doorst night, so the demons came back to bully me," the girl started to exin, "The next thing I knew¡­ I was here."


    Her eyes sought Li Fei''er in despair. "Jiejie, what''s going on? Why am I here? Is that demon going to eat me?"


    "That sounds right." Shen Minyao rubbed her chin with one hand, eyes watching the mirror several meters from where she stood.


    Jin Qian gasped in shock. She must not perish like this! Not when she hadn''t seen her mother yet!


    "Jiejie, please help me!" This time, she broke into tears, her hands rubbing her eyes. "I still want to see my mommy. What if shees back to the hospital and does not see me there?"


    Well, technically, if her mother was still alive; she wouldn''t be able to see the ghost of her dead child. However, Shen Minyao bit her inner cheek to stop her from voicing out her thoughts.


    As if the grim reaper knew what she was thinking, he threw her an using look to which she answered with a scoff. What? It wasn''t like she was wrong, though. Did they really expect a demon like her to have apassionate heart and feel sympathy for other creatures?


    The demon in the mirror attracted a lot of spirits toe here, but it wasn''t nning to consume them immediately. What was it even doing in a ce like this anyway? Shen Minyao thought.


    "I guess we''ll have to wait and ask people around what they know about that mirror," she told Li Fei''er. If Little Jiu''s incarnation insisted on helping her and the grim reaper again, she needed to make sure that Little Jiu wouldn''t sustain any injury from the other demon, or she might kill it herself.


    "Oh, I remember we''ll have a ss here tomorrow," Li Fei''er replied.


    "Then, you better not look at your reflection in the mirror," Shen Minyao reminded her.

 Chapter 48 - Disturbance (2)

    Of course, Li Fei''er knew the reason why Shen Minyao warned her not to look at it. She wasn''t that dumb not to know that her soul might get trapped by the demon residing inside the mirror if she did. Also, she might see something in the mirror that could get her into more trouble.


    Ghosts, and sometimes other spirits, manifest themselves in the mirrors. Since they could trap one''s soul if one stared at one''s reflection for too long, who knew what kind of image would the demon show the humans that dared to look at themselves in front of the mirror?


    "Then, I''ll go back to the hospital and see what caused the sudden spike in the mortality of the humans," the grim reaper said, which surprised the fox woman. She didn''t expect that after the issue with the wraith, more humans still lost their lives at the hospital.


    "What did you say?" She demanded him to repeat himself. "More humans are still dying although we already killed that wraith?"


    If that was the case, the demon that Yu Yan had mentioned to her before she left the hospital was quite a powerful one. It was a good thing that she''d left Xiao Bai with Yu Yan and Zhao Yichen, or else that demon might have killed her human contractor already.


    The grim reaper slightly nodded his head, answering the fox woman''s question. "I suppose you know what caused it, but what I don''t understand is why it is helping another demon feed when he could have it all."


    Shen Minyao fell silent as she considered the options and answers to the grim reaper''s question. Indeed, demons like her were naturally selfish by nature. They wouldn''t help another creature if they couldn''t get something in return. Perhaps, the demon in the hospital had connections to the other strong demons and made a deal with them.


    "It doesn''t matter what their motive is. The important thing is for us to stop them from killing more humans," she told the grim reaper. Shen Minyao felt that they were just touching the tip of the iceberg, and a deeper problem was waiting for them in the future.


    Demons rarely got along with each other unless they had amon goal. She knew this herself. There was no way these demons could coborate if they weren''t up to something. Something bad must be going on at the hospital¡ªno, in Jiang City if the grim reaper said the mortality rate was rising.


    The man looked at Shen Minyao with curiosity. She spoke as if she was concerned with the humans, but he knew better. Whoever the man at the ICU was important to this demoness. If he wasn''t then, why would she leave her guardians to protect that man than to have them serve her instead?


    Jin Qian''s ghost suddenly turned into a spirit orb, losing her consciousness of her surroundings once again. Li Fei''er bit her lower lip and clenched her hands on her side, feeling helpless as she looked at Jin Qian''s spirit being trapped inside, waiting to be devoured by the demon in the mirror.


    "It seems we have no choice but to work with you again, Lord Hell." She heard Shen Minyao tell the grim reaper. Yes, Li Fei''er agreed with Shen Minyao. They would need the grim reaper''s help to deal with this demon.


    "Do as you wish," the grim reaper said coldly before turning on his back to leave, jumping outside the window and disappearing into the darkness of the night.


    "Oh? He left just like that? So much for asking for his help," the fox woman muttered once the grim reaper was out of her sight.


    Anyway, thest thing they wanted to have was a school popted with malevolent spirits because of the demon in the mirror. It might sound favorable to the fox woman because she would be able to cultivate a new fox orb using their negative forces, but it would surely affect the surrounding humans.


    Shen Minyao looked at Li Fei''er''s troubled expression and sighed inwardly. This girl¡­ whether she was Feng Jiu or Li Fei''er, she remained the same. She could not easily ignore anyone who needed her help, regardless if they were human or a demon.


    The fox woman thought the girl was being reckless by helping them, but she also knew that it was one of the reasons how the human girl managed to have space in her selfish demon heart.


    "You''ll encounter stronger demons like this in the future since you are a shaman," she told Li Fei''er.


    "I know¡­" Li Fei''er lowered her gaze and swore in her heart that she would save Jin Qian whatever happens. "I need to get stronger."


    With the level of her skills, Li Fei''er feared that she would only burden Shen Minyao and the grim reaper. Shen Minyao might know this herself; that was why Shen Minyao warned her to keep her distance earlier. If she was stronger, then perhaps Shen Minyao would rely on her help and dared not to chase her away.


    Then, a thought crossed her mind. How could she forget about it? If the demon in the mirror could be exorcised from its vessel, she could use her divination mirror to kill it. Mirrors, in general, had two sides. One was the one reflecting the images, while the other was the dull side which was considered a window to the spirit realm.


    Of course, unlike normal humans, shamans like Li Fei''er could use both sides for divination. They could also use mirrors to trap and vanquish evil spirits, sending them back to the spirit realm or killing them for good.


    Shen Minyao sensed the sudden change in Li Fei''er''s mood and sighed to herself. Humans were so fickle.. One moment, Li Fei''er was brooding over the fact that she couldn''t help the ghost girl; then, the next thing the fox woman knew, she was grinning from ear to ear.

 Chapter 49 - Who Are You? (1)

    The next day, Li Fei''er brought her divination mirror with her to the school. She got it as a gift from her grandfather. Each shaman owned and received one once they finished their apprenticeship, allowing them to use the item as a tool for exorcising evil spirits.


    Li Fei''er was excited to tell Shen Minyao about her n, but thetter ignored her as usual and focused on their lessons. Shen Minyao didn''t make any indication that she was interested in what their ssmates were talking about even during their break time in between their subjects.


    When lunchtime came, Shen Minyao was nowhere to be found, and Li Fei''er looked around the school but failed to find her. It couldn''t be that she had gone to theboratory on her own, right? She thought so, but she checked the ce nheless. However, she didn''t manage to find Shen Minyao there.


    "Huh? Where has she gone?" She asked confusedly.


    Meanwhile, the fox woman she was looking for was on the same tree Shen Minyao found during their first day at school. She was able to get some peace and break from troublesome humans here, just for a moment. With her growing hunger and weakening body, she also feared that she might identally hurt Li Fei''er if the human insisted on staying close to her.


    That wasn''t something the fox woman wanted to happen at all. Thest thing she wanted was to hurt Little Jiu''s current incarnation. Others could go to hell for all she cared, but not her Little Jiu.


    When the time came when their ss needed to go to theboratory room, Li Fei''er asked their teacher about the weird mirror hanging on the wall. It wasn''t like she hadn''t seen mirrors inside aboratory before, but the mirror was quite out of ce in a schoolboratory like this.


    This time, a white cloth was draped over the mirror. Up this close, Li Fei''er was able to sense a demonic presenceing from it. It came to her as a surprise that Shen Minyao was really correct with her assumptions that it was a demon.


    The demonic aura was very faint, but Shen Minyao managed to distinguish it? Li Fei''er couldn''t help but be impressed by Shen Minyao''s ability, not knowing that the girl was possessed by a demon.


    "That mirror? I only knew that a science teacher, who used to work here, was the one who brought it here three months ago. Actually, we wanted to get rid of it because it is giving us and the other students an eerie feeling. Those who attempted to remove the mirror also fell sick after attempting to do so. That''s why, most of the time, we just cover it whenever we have ss here, so the students don''t get distracted by it."


    Li Fei''er nodded in understanding, while Shen Minyao pretended not to hear the exnation and continued whatever she was doing in front of her. The teacher''s exnation only proved that the mirror was possessed by a demon, but what piqued her curiosity was the previous teacher who brought the mirror here.


    What could be her motive in bringing such a dangerous item here? She wondered. It was impossible for that teacher not to know that this mirror was dangerous, but why bring it here when she knew of the danger it would impose on the students?


    "Teacher Xia, then what happened to the previous science teacher? Why did she leave Spring Hill High?" Thankfully, her Little Jiu''s current incarnation was smart enough to ask the right questions. They needed every detail they could get about the cursed mirror that was trapping spirits of the departed ones, soon to be consumed by a demon.


    "Oh. She died from a sudden heart attack at her homest month. We were shocked when we heard about it because she never told us she was sick. She was found dead by the police when she was reported missing for three days."


    That didn''t make sense to Shen Minyao at all. If that teacher brought this mirror three moons ago, would she end up dead so suddenly? Unless¡­ she had already served her purpose. Was she being manipted by the demon in the mirror?


    Something glittering at the window of theboratory caught Shen Minyao''s attention. She brought her pen down and stood up from her seat, while her ssmates were chattering about nonsense things. She picked up a silvery thread from the window.


    "What is it?" Li Fei''er appeared next to her, looking over her shoulder to see what Shen Minyao was holding, but there was none. She spotted Shen Minyao looking outside the window earlier as if she had seen something.


    Although Li Fei''er was a shaman, her skills weren''t strong enough to see whatever the fox woman was holding, so it was natural that she couldn''t see the spider web thread glittering on Shen Minyao''s hand. Only a demon or an experienced shaman or exorcist would be able to see it.


    "A spider web thread." Shen Minyao told Li Fei''er. Compared to normal spider web threads, this was thicker and sturdier, like a thick rope used by humans. The fox woman hadn''t seen it for ages but knew what it was at first sight.


    "A spider web?" Li Fei''er repeated, but no matter how hard her eyes squinted to find what was on Shen Minyao''s hand, she couldn''t see anything. "I don''t see it."


    "It''s a spider web from a demon." The fox woman furrowed her brows. The clues were starting to fall in ce, and she had a gist of what kind of demon they were facing back at the hospital.


    "How troublesome." She said her favorite line. If she was correct with her assumptions, the demon back at the hospital would probably kill Zhao Yichen to gain her fox orb once the demon realized what it was. The fox woman needed to kill it as soon as possible, but the question would be¡­ how?

 Chapter 50 - Who Are You? (2)

    When the sses for the day ended, Shen Minyao didn''t return to the dormitory and stayed in the hallway near theboratory room with Li Fei''er. Thetter was exining her n to force the demon out of the mirror and kill it using her divination mirror.


    Shen Minyao listened carefully and paid attention to Li Fei''er''s n, but she deemed it too dangerous even for a demon like her. There was no telling that the demon in the mirror wouldn''t dare to strike them back once it freed itself from the cursed vessel.


    "What if it is just waiting for someone to set it free, and it was sealed in the mirror for a reason?" Shen Minyao suddenly blurted out, much to Li Fei''er''s shock. She started at Shen Minyao with wide eyes.


    Li Fei''er had never considered that possibility, and she fell silent next to Shen Minyao. If that was the case, then surely, the demon sealed in the mirror wasn''t something they could easily deal with if she failed to kill it with her divination mirror.


    "Don''t lose hope. There must be another way to kill it," Shen Minyao assured her, seeing the distressed expression on her face. The fox woman didn''t hold any expectations towards Li Fei''er right now, but she knew that in due time, when the girl gained enough experience, she would be a formidable shaman in the future, given how much potential she currently had.


    "I-I haven''t thought of that¡­'''' Li Fei''er was ashamed of herself. If Shen Minyao hadn''t mentioned it, she would have never thought of the consequences if her ns had failed.


    Thinking about it, howe when their ss was inside theboratory room, she and Shen Minyao didn''t sense the ghosts they saw yesterday? Were they already eaten by that demon? How about Jin Qian?


    "So what do we do now?" She looked at Shen Minyao whose face was already half-dimmed by the growing darkness around them. Sooner, the ghosts trapped inside theboratory should appear once again.


    "We go inside the room before the demon seals the entrance and exits again." The grim reaper''s baritone voice reached their ears. As always, he had arrivedst, although the three of them hadn''t really agreed to meet today.


    Shen Minyao nced to her right, looking at him who was walking towards them in a regal manner. Something about the way he walked reminded the fox woman of the old days when men walked like this. Just who was this grim reaper for him to have this gait anyway? Why did their paths always cross?


    "Ah, Mr. Grim Reaper!" Li Fei''er was d that he came just in time. She was a little worried earlier that she and Shen Minyao would deal with the demon on their own. With the strong grim reaper protecting them from behind, the chances of killing that demon would rise.


    "Who are you?" Shen Minyao suddenly asked, shocking not only the grim reaper from her question¡­ but also Li Fei''er.


    "ssmate Shen, I thought you know each other¡­" Li Fei''er''s question trailed off. By the way the two speak to each other, she really thought they were friends!


    "He''s just a grim reaper that keeps popping up out of nowhere. I don''t know who he is," Shen Minyao exined before eyeing the arrogant, handsome grim reaper. "So¡­ who are you?"


    The grim reaper blinked at her question. "Don''t you think it''s toote for this introduction?"


    He was wearing the colors of death, yet his face had these otherworldly features women would surely fall in love with. With his long ck silky hair that seemed soft to touch, his face chiseled into perfection, the deep set of obsidian eyes that give one a nonchnt, cold gaze¡­ one would be surprised that they would associate beauty with death.


    Shen Minyao shrugged and then checked her well-manicured nails. With the money Tang Xuan had just returned to her, she got some money to splurge thising weekend, and having her nails done was just the start.


    "I am called Mu Qing." The grim reaper introduced himself to the two young women, aware that this might not be thest time he would encounter this odd pair. In his long life as a grim reaper who roamed the earth for a hundred years, it was the first time he''d seen a demon and a shaman team up like this.


    Well, it was most likely that this demoness hadn''t revealed her true identity to the young shaman, but he was in no ce to get involved with that problem. He could sense the aversion of this demoness towards the shaman, but regardless of what the demoness imed, her actions proved that she cared about this human instead.


    "I''m Li Fei''er," Li Fei''er introduced herself with a smile, "And this is my ssmate, Shen Minyao."


    "You don''t need to say our names anymore. He''s already aware of them," Shen Minyao said, pulling herself away from the wall and started to walk towards theboratory room. It was almost time; she could sense that the demon in the mirror was about to wake up soon.


    "Huh? How so? Li Fei''er asked, hurrying next to Shen Minyao''s side; while Mu Qing followed behind the two from a safe distance, listening to them.


    "He''s a grim reaper, remember? They have the ability to see basic details about the humans they encounter. They could also see the HP gauge of most humans and calcte when they were about to die."


    Mu Qing stared nkly at Shen Minyao''s back. HP gauge? What the hell was that?


    "Oh? I know Lord Hell is strong, but his abilities seemed to be scary," Li Fei''ermented, "I don''t think I would have the heart to tell another human if their time is running out¡ªthat they are about to die!"


    "Well, then, it''s good that you are a shaman, and he''s a grim reaper.. Let''s leave it that way," Shen Minyao said.

 Chapter 51 - No Escape (1)

    A grim reaper wasn''t something any human would want to be. Because theymitted heinous crimes in their past lives as humans, the grim reapers had no choice but to witness the deaths of everyone, regardless of their circumstances. No sane human would be able to withstand the hundred years of solitude and punishment.


    Back to their problem at hand, the three stepped inside theboratory room that seemed normal at first. However, as soon as they did, the door behind them suddenly closed with a loud bang, trapping them inside.


    Slowly, the spirit orbs of the departed ones showed up one by one as the darkness of the night covered the school premises. Shen Minyao ignored the spirits and focused on the demon in the mirror. She had to figure out a way to retrieve its demon core without Li Fei''er discovering her real identity.


    Li Fei''er might be Little Jiu''s incarnation, but she was now part of the family that persecuted Su Daji in the past. If Li Fei''er found out that she was the nine-tailed fox that was freed by Zhao Yichen at Qingqiu Mountain, Shen Minyao was sure that the girl would be caught between two parties.


    Li Fei''er moved to the closest windows towards them and noticed that she couldn''t see anything outside. Howe Jin Qian was able to see them yesterday from the hallway?


    "We are trapped; that''s why you can''t see anything outside," Mu Qing exined.


    He tried to slide the door open, but it was stuck and wouldn''t budge no matter how much he tried to open it. He was physically stronger than normal humans, so if he couldn''t open it, there''s no way Li Fei''er or any other human would be able to open it from the outside.


    The three of them had no chances of escaping even if they wanted to leave and free the spirits. It''s impossible for them to get away without breaking the spell of the demon first.


    "Well, what''s the n?" Mu Qing asked the two. Of course, he overheard what Li Fei''er said to Shen Minyao earlier, and he agreed with the demoness'' opinion over the matter. If that demon was really at fault, they should get rid of it.


    "There was no n." Shen Minyao snorted. "What''s that?"


    Mu Qing stared at her in disbelief. So she and Li Fei''er came here without knowing how to deal with the demon? How could they be this reckless? Didn''t they realize how dangerous this situation was right now?


    The demon obviously knew about their presence because it purposely allowed them to enter and join the other spirits it lured from other ces. The three had seen Jin Qian in her spirit form with her eyes closed, not aware of her surroundings.


    Suddenly, a loud wailing could be heard as the spirits were being sucked inside the mirror one by one. Li Fei''er staggered back and hid behind Shen Minyao as they watched the demon snack on the unfortunate souls. She was very worried that Jin Qian''s soul would be eaten by the demon.


    "Stay away from it, especially you, Lady Li," Mu Qing said.


    "What? Why?" Li Fei''er asked confusedly. She then suggested, "If we couldn''t exorcise it from the mirror, should we break it instead?"


    Shen Minyao already considered it. If they were to break the mirror itself, the demon inside it wouldn''t be able to get out and lure more spirits here to devour, but that also meant the fox woman would also lose her chance to get its demon core to replenish her powers.


    "It seems we have no other choice but to do that." She conceded, aware that the chance of her taking its demon core¡ªwithout revealing her identity towards Li Fei''er¡ªwas quite slim.


    As if the demon knew what they were nning, three figures came out from the mirror which perfectly resembled Shen Minyao, Li Fei''er, and Mu Qing. However, their appearances were quite different from the original as their eyes were just ck, and one couldn''t see anything from it.


    The fox woman then realized what kind of demon it was.


    "I was wrong. It isn''t trapped inside. The mirror is the demon itself." She informed the two. How could she not know this kind of demon? She and Qin Zhi had encountered a demon like this in the past!


    "A mirror demon?" Mu Qing asked upon ncing at Shen Minyao, "I''ve never known a demon like this exists. So what does it do?"


    "The mirror demon has the ability to copy the image of those people caught by its reflective side," Shen Minyao exined, which left Li Fei''er confused, "That''s not all. They shared our strength and powers, so dealing with them would be a headache."


    "But we''ve never dared to look at it¡ªmuch less look at our reflection in the mirror¡ªso howe it was able to copy our appearance perfectly?" She asked Shen Minyao before pulling out the talismans she brought with her today.


    Shen Minyao also had no idea how the mirror demon was able to obtain their reflections if she and Li Fei''er had nevere close to it since the beginning. It was also able to catch Mu Qing''s reflection.


    The doppelg?ngers attack the three of them at once with the fake Mu Qing unsheathing his dragon sword and attacking the grim reaper first. Mu Qing was able to pull out his own sword to block its attack in time.


    Shen Minyao stood unmoving in her ce, while Li Fei''er chanted a spell to protect the two of them from the attacks, but it proved to be hard, especially for someone as inexperienced as her. Just as her spiritual barrier around them was about to break, Shen Minyao dragged Li Fei''er by leaping away from the fake copies of themselves.


    "So what do we now?" Li Fei''er unconsciously tightened her hold on Shen Minyao''s arm and looked at Mu Qing, who was struggling against his doppelg?nger.

 Chapter 52 - No Escape (2)

    "There''s no way but to break that mirror," Shen Minyao replied, "They are one of those demons that possess items and manipte any humans who''d seen their reflections in it."


    "Is that why the previous teacher brought it here? She was possessed?" Li Fei''er then realized that the science teacher might have been manipted by the demon itself. She might have not realized what she had done even on her death.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" The other two doppelg?ngers attacked them again, but Shen Minyao managed to block the attack of the fake Shen Minyao easily. She struck the back of its head, effectively beating it in one hit, while Li Fei''er looked at her in shock.


    Wait. Didn''t Shen Minyao say that these doppelg?ngers copied their strengths and abilities? How could Shen Minyao beat her own doppelg?nger in one hit?


    Shen Minyao watched as the copy of her host shattered into smithereens. It seemed that this fake didn''t inherit her inhumane strength.


    As she expected, like how the previous mirror demon she encountered in the past, they were only able to replicate the fox woman''s original host and not the demoness herself. It would be troublesome if the mirror demon was able to replicate her.


    "Hey, Mu Qing," she called after the grim reaper that was busy fighting with his own copy. "Do you think you can hit the mirror demon from where you are?"


    The grim reaper shot her a re as if telling her ''can''t you see I''m busy here?'' before pushing the doppelg?nger out of his way.


    "I can, but I would rather not attack it from here. If the spirits get caught in my attack, you do realize that the damage will implicate me and my profession, don''t you?"


    His attacks could kill the spirits that he needed to guide towards theherworld. Even if he was capable of killing the mirror demon, it wouldn''t be easy because of the number of spirits trapped along with them. If he forced his way recklessly and the spirits got hit by his spiritual power, they would disintegrate into nothingness.


    "How useless." The fox woman scoffed, while Li Fei''er cast Mu Qing an apologetic look. How could she be rude to Mr. Mu?


    "ssmate Shen, that isn''t nice to say," she told Shen Minyao, a deep frown etched on her face.


    Shen Minyao tried not to roll her eyes and pulled out the fan she was keeping in her pocket. It was one of the things she found while strolling around the city with Fu Xiyan yesterday. Unlike the rounded, stiff fans she had used in her previous life, the fan she brought could be folded and was portable. The ribs were deep ebony, while the panels were made using lined cotton with a beautiful painting of the scenery of a mountain on it.


    The fox woman opened her fan and swished it in midair, forcing the spirits to make way for the three of them. Meanwhile, the fake Li Fei''er assaulted her original from behind, catching her off-guard. A pair of hands found her neck and squeezed her throat painfully.


    Li Fei''er struggled to break free. She couldn''t believe how strong this fake Li Fei''er was. Her doppelganger tried to strangle her to death, but Shen Minyao instantly appeared behind it, grasping its nape and breaking its neck in the process.


    Li Fei''er might have a hard time beating herself, but for the fox woman, killing a human was as easy as breaking one''s neck with her bare hands. However, she would have a hard time beating Mu Qing''s doppelganger though, as the grim reaper''s physical strength wasparable to a demon like the nine-tailed fox.


    After coughing behind her hand and heaving for breath, Li Fei''er looked at Shen Minyao with teary eyes. This was the second time Shen Minyao had saved her life.


    "T-thank you," she said in a raspy voice.


    "Don''t lower your guard. Don''t let anyonee close to you." The fox woman refused to meet Li Fei''er''s gaze. Instead, she turned her attention towards the grim reaper.


    "Mu Qing, I''ll deal with the spirits. You better make sure you break the mirror!"


    "Can''t you see I''m quite busy right here?" He snapped back at the nine-tailed demoness. He would if he could, but this fake Mu Qing was starting to be a pain in his ass. How could one beat their own self anyway when everything about the person was also the same as the opponent?


    Shen Minyao had the urge to roll her eyes again. How could Mu Qing forget that although the fake grim reaper was a perfect replica of himself, it was still part of the mirror demon? She faced Li Fei''er who had just got back to her feet.


    "ssmate Li, do you still have those binding talismans? I think Lord Hell needs a hand in kicking his own ass," she told Li Fei''er.


    Li Fei''er immediately pulled out her talisman and threw it towards the fake Mu Qing. The moment the talismans hit its head and the other parts of its body, it was immediately electrified as it was being exorcised by Li Fei''er. This time, she was able to finish her chanting and defeat the fake Mu Qing on her own.


    "You sure know about mirror demons and how to deal with them¡­" Mu Qing gave Shen Minyao an using look. If she did know how to defeat it, why didn''t she say anything earlier?


    The nine-tailed demoness only quirked her lips. Mu Qing should have known better. She was a demon after all, albeit possessing a human body. How could she waste the opportunity to see Mu Qing struggle? Seeing him fight his own self, racking his own brain to defeat it, had somehow entertained her.


    "You have a n now?" Mu Qing ced his sword back on its sheath.


    Shen Minyao only hummed, her eyes glinting as her mind formted a n to her advantage.

 Chapter 53 - Don’t You Trust Her? (1)

    Breaking the mirror wasn''t the only way to kill the demon itself¡ªShen Minyao knew this. If it was in the past, she wouldn''t have a hard time beating this mirror demon into submission by merely emanating her overwhelming presence. s, with her current state, she couldn''t even withstand the demonic force thatpelled the three of them to back away from the mirror demon.


    It might have known what their intention was this time, and it would do its best to protect itself. The mirror demon conjured another copy of the three. This time, it was to protect itself from being destroyed by the grim reaper since he currently had the strongest spiritual presence among the three of them.


    "Oh, not again," Li Fei''er muttered in annoyance.


    It was really hard to fight someone, especially if that someone was sharing the same face as the attacker. She really wasn''t nning to beat the shit out of her doppelg?nger, but hey, no sane person would like to beat their own face, right?


    It also didn''t help that she heard the rumors that meeting her doppelg?nger face to face would lead to her own death.


    This time, the three doppelg?ngers looked like they were as agitated as the mirror demon. It wouldn''t be easy for them to subdue the copies as these were now focused on eliminating the threat towards the demon than devouring the wandering spirits lured here to be eaten.


    "So what''s your great n?" Mu Qing asked Shen Minyao as he pulled out his sword again. He wasn''t really looking forward to another spar with his doppelg?nger.


    It had never urred to him that he couldn''t be a handful when it came to fighting as he rarely got into one. He was supposed to lead the souls of the dead to theherworld, not to get involved with demon affairs.


    Meeting this demoness surely wasn''t just a coincidence. Whether they were fated to meet each other or not, Mu Qing was certain that the demon possessing Shen Minyao''s body would eventually leave it someday. Like a dry husk that served its purpose, the demoness would find another host once her human shell met its limit.


    Mu Qing nced at Shen Minyao at the corner of his eye, wondering what kind of demon she was and how she was able to possess a human body with absolute control.


    The three of them were being pushed back by the demonic auraing from the mirror itself, while the spirit orbs continued to roam around theboratory room, trying to find a way to escape from the mirror demon.


    Their cries of despair reached the fox woman''s ears, and she couldn''t help but appreciate the melodious tune they were making.


    Anyway, the faster they could defeat the mirror demon, the better. The fox woman didn''t like it whenever other entities tried to deceive her with her host''s and Little Jiu''s appearance, and while there weren''t many mirror demons, they sure knew how to be annoying in Shen Minyao''s opinion.


    "You''ll deal with these doppelg?ngers, while I''ll make sure to push back the spirits and break the mirror," Shen Minyao told them before leaping forward, her fan deflecting the sword of the fake grim reaper that attacked her.


    With her ability to reinforce the things she was holding, the fox woman was able to strengthen the seemingly ordinary foldable fan in her hand. It would surely have been shattered into pieces at the impact if she hadn''t.


    Now finally aware of the difference between her and her doppelg?nger, Li Fei''er confidently used her talismans to stop its movements and used the same mantra to exorcise her doppelg?nger.


    Ha! The fake Li Fei''er might be able to copy her physical appearance and strength, but that didn''t mean it would be able to replicate her spiritual aptitude and powers. Li Fei''er easily subdued her impersonator as it broke into several pieces. With an agonizing scream, it tried to get its hands on Li Fei''er''s neck to no avail until it disappeared into nothingness.


    Shen Minyao saw what Li Fei''er did and smirked, her eyes brimming with pride. Of course, their Little Jiu wasn''t a weakling. There was no way a simple conjured being by a mirror demon would be able to defeat her easily.


    Meanwhile, Mu Qing stabbed the fake Shen Minyao in her midsection with his sword, watching the doppelganger disintegrate in front of him. Since it wasn''t the real Shen Minyao, he didn''t hesitate to stab the unknown entity.


    "Move!" He and Li Fei''er heard Shen Minyao yell before a gust of strong spiritual aura pushed back the wandering spirits to make way for her.


    The fox woman knew that she only had one chance to consume the energy of the mirror demon to replenish her strength. She had no doubt that the demon lurking back at the hospital was stronger than this mirror demon they were dealing with.


    With calcted moves, Shen Minyao forced her way towards the mirror demon, luring it into her trap. Mirror demons were practically useless when it came to closebat and could only rely on the images it conjured to protect itself from looming danger. It would try its best to create distance between the two of them, but the fox woman knew better.


    No matter how many doppelgangers the demon conjured, the fox woman easily pushed them towards Mu Qing and Li Fei''er''s direction. The closer every step took her towards her target, the more agitated the mirror demon became.


    She wouldn''t be this daring if Mu Qing wasn''t with them. Grim reapers and demons like them shouldn''t meddle with each other''s affairs, but Shen Minyao couldn''t help but feel that their encounters might mean more than a coincidence.


    Just as she went too close to the mirror, a blinding light suddenly engulfed Shen Minyao, while her twopanions witnessed her whole body vanish along with the light.


    "NO!!!!!" Li Fei''er''s scream resounded within the room.

 Chapter 54 - Don’t You Trust Her? (2)

    Li Fei''er wasn''t sure of what just happened. Was this Shen Minyao''s n all along? Was she nning to use herself as bait? No, this couldn''t be! How could Shen Minyao allow herself to be taken by the mirror demon? What was she and Lord Hell supposed to do to help her?


    Once the blinding light vanished along with her ssmate, silence ensued within the room, leaving her with Mu Qing and the spirit orbs inpanionable silence. It was as if nothing had happened with the mirror returning to normal after taking Shen Minyao.


    "W-what¡­?"


    "She went inside," Mu Qing stated the obvious, "This is what she has been nning from the start.


    "You realized that, but you didn''t bother to stop her? Why?"


    To break the mirror from the inside would surely kill the demon, but that also meant that Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able toe back if that happened. She had no idea Shen Minyao could be reckless like this.


    Li Fei''er stepped forward, intending to exorcise the demon while hoping for a possibility of being able to extract Shen Minyao from the mirror. Her eyes shone with determination to save Shen Minyao this time. However, Mu Qing held her wrist, stopping her.


    "No, it''s not safe yet." The grim reaper shook his head, while his right hand gripped the hilt of his word with anticipation. Of course, he knew what Shen Minyao''s real intention was this time.


    "But we need to save my ssmate!" Li Fei''er argued with him. Shen Minyao had saved her life twice now, and she felt the need to return the favor at any cost.


    "You worry too much. Don''t you trust your friend? She was aware of the consequences of her actions, yet she chose to go inside. If you want to help her, you better make sure to pull her out of the mirror before it breakspletely," Mu Qing replied before releasing his hold on her wrist after making sure that she wouldn''t blindly attack the mirror demon this time.


    "You mean to say¡­ she nned this?" Li Fei''er''s eyes went wide upon seeing how calm the grim reaper was. Why would Shen Minyao want to be trapped inside the mirror?


    The grim reaper sighed and looked around the spirit orbs around them. He should be leading them to theherworld, but he chose to stay for now. He was curious as to how Shen Minyao nned to defeat the other demon on her own.


    Shen Minyao''s demonic energy had been dwindling. It wouldn''t be too long before she sumbed to her instincts to protect herself by consuming human livers, killing them in the process.


    Mu Qing was aware that she wasn''t a low-ranking demoness, considering how she was able to possess a human body. It would be troublesome if she lost control and killed humans in blind hunger.


    Shen Minyao might have been aware of her circumstances; hence, she allowed herself to be taken by the mirror demon. She hoped to replenish her strength by absorbing its power from the inside. Still, how confident was she, to be sure that she would be able to ovee the mirror demon on her own?


    "You have to trust her. She''s not that weak to begin with," he assured Li Fei''er before giving her a reminder, "What''s important now is for us to break the spell that keeps the spirits here."


    Li Fei''er stared at the mirror for a moment before nodding in agreement. She had a feeling that Shen Minyao wasn''t a normal human since the first time she''d seen this ssmate. A normal human wouldn''t be able to ovee the negative energy of the wraith they dealt with before, but Shen Minyao was able to withstand it without breaking a sweat.


    "Then, what should we do?" She asked the grim reaper who was now busy testing the barrier keeping them from the outside world.


    "The barrier is weakening," he told Li Fei''er. "I will break it, but you have to keep an eye on the mirror¡­ as we need to exorcise it as soon as possible."


    "But what about Shen Minyao?" She questioned him.


    There was no way Li Fei''er would abandon Shen Minyao like this.


    Mu Qing didn''t want to tell her the truth about her ssmate, but they should give Shen Minyao enough time to devour the energy of the demon before they could exorcise it.


    "She''ll weaken the demon from the inside. Until then, we should wait for her to finish before we could start exorcising it," he exined.


    As soon as Mu Qing broke the barrier, the spirit orbs vanished, returning to the ces where they were bound. He continued to sense the mirror demon weakening and wondered what was going on the other side of the mirror.


    Once the spirits had been freed, he and Li Fei''er stood at a safe distance. Earlier, Li Fei''er ced her protective spells around the room to make sure the demon wouldn''t be able to escape once she started the exorcism.


    Still, she couldn''t help but feel worried about Shen Minyao. The ssmate had been inside the mirror for over ten minutes now, and neither he nor Li Fei''er could sense her presence. It was as if she had never been with them since their arrival.


    "What''s taking her so long?" Li Fei''er asked worriedly while holding her bells. She kept them in her hand in preparation for the exorcism to force the demon outside the mirror.


    Everything was ready for her exorcism ritual, but Shen Minyao and the mirror demon remained silent. Every passing second made Li Fei''er worry about her ssmate. If only she was smart and strong enough, she would be able to help Shen Minyao and Mu Qing defeat the demon.


    As a shaman, she should be able to cast away the demon without Shen Minyao putting her life in danger. Li Fei''er started to think about it: if Shen Minyao was not a shaman or an exorcist, then what was she?

 Chapter 55 - So Sorry, Milord (1)

    While herpanions were left in the mortal realm, Shen Minyao found herself in apletely different ce inside the mirror. In itsst resort to protect itself, the mirror demon chose to absorb her and trap her in a fake reality.


    As soon as she opened her eyes, the fox woman felt like she had returned to the past, to the days when she was still possessing Su Daji''s body and living in the imperial harem along with Little Jiu.


    In this concocted reality, she was still a noble consort that had risen through the ranks by gaining favors and without sleeping with the emperor. She had gained arger courtyard that many consorts envied and coveted to have, which meant more hatred and animosity were sent her way¡ªmuch to her delight.


    She looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing a ck and white robe, with a red sash keeping her clothes in ce. It was the same outfit she sported in the past, its colors contrasting against her pale, smooth skin. Her hands had the familiar slight calluses on them, which amused her. Aside from her face, her past host felt insecure with her hands.


    The fox woman wasn''t sure what the mirror wanted to depict this time, but it would be foolish for it to assume that it would be able to trap her here for eternity.


    This was one of the other skills of a mirror demon. Aside from replicating anyone who''d seen their reflection in the mirror, the mirror demon could trap its victim inside an illusion¡ªan illusion where it would show the victim the world and life their heart sought.


    No humans would be able to break free from it easily as they would never suspect that they had been bewitched by a demon in the first ce, given how realistic this world was to the naked eye. But not the fox woman¡­ never her.


    Everything here felt too real. The coolness of the wind as it touched her skin; the crunching leaves under her feet as she walked in the vast garden of her courtyard; the fragrance of flowers that reached her nose¡­ if she was a human, the fox woman would surely sumb to this illusion.


    It waste afternoon, and she observed the sun set behind the mountains. She was then reminded of the old days she spent with her young ward before she rose into power and was eventually betrayed by her lord husband as he faced rebellions one after another.


    "Miss!" A familiar voice reached her ears, and the fox woman turned her head in the direction where it came from. As if she was in a trance, her eyes slightly widened upon seeing Little Jiu running towards her with a bright smile that she always sported. The human she came to care for¡­ the person who she treated with utmost importance¡­ was right in front of her.


    The young woman running towards her with glee was like a scene frozen in time that the fox woman could vividly remember. However, it wouldn''t change the fact that all of these were just an illusion the mirror demon conjured to trick her.


    No matter how hard it tried to convince her that the woman in front of her was Feng Jiu, the fox woman was aware that Li Fei''er must be worriedly waiting for her in the real world by this time.


    As soon as the fake Little Jiu reached her, her right hand immediately grasped the imitation''s neck and lifted it midair with ease. Little Jiu wed at her hands, attempting to break free from the fox woman''s hold.


    "M-Miss¡­ why¡­ how could you do this to me?" She asked the demoness pitifully with teary eyes as she struggled to break free from the fox woman''s grasp.


    The fox woman''s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the smooth, vulnerable neck of the fake Little Jiu. Little Jiu had never looked at her like this, never doubted her¡ªnot even once.


    "You''re asking me why?" Her lips curled into a vicious smile, eyes narrowing with disgust as she stared at the abomination that the mirror demon tried to use to fool her.


    "How dare you trick me using my Little Jiu''s face?" Her tone was filled with menace. If anything, this illusion only made her aware of her failures and how she lost Little Jiu miserably in the past.


    The fox woman hated it when her enemies opted to use Little Jiu and deemed the girl as her one weakness. It certainly wasn''t the first time Little Jiu was used against her by another demon, but in the end, those who offended her lost their lives.


    She broke the fake Little Jiu''s neck easily and discarded its dead body to the ground before wiping her hand clean with a white cloth. The fact that the mirror demon had dared to use her ward''s identity to fool her was enough to make her blood boil in rage.


    The scenery around her started to distort as if the world began to fade. The once dreamy atmosphere of the sweet, waning sunset had been eaten by darkness, like a showing movie suddenly running out of filmstrips. The concocted reality soon broke down into pieces. Because this was one of the memories she cherished the most in her long life, the fox woman wasn''t pleased with the mirror demon''s impertinence to taint it.


    Her demonic aura swirled around her, a cacophony of cracking noises resounding within the confined space she was in. It was then followed by a loud wailing sound as cracks appeared around her,pletely ruining the illusion of the demon cast upon her.


    The fox woman needed not locate the energy orb of the mirror demon as she started to absorb the energy around her. She stood unmoving in her ce, her appearance morphing into her demon form.. Her long hair turned white while her eyes turned into smoldering amber.

 Chapter 56 - So Sorry, Milord (2)

    After the long silence within theboratory room, strong demonic energy surged from the mirror. It was as if the mirror demon was trying to escape. A loud wailing sound followed, which forced Li Fei''er to cover her ears and kneel down¡ªand the windows to shatter around her.


    It reminded her of how the wraith did the same when it chased her. However, this time, the strong demonic presenceing from the mirror startled her.


    "What''s going on?" Li Fei''er questioned the grim reaper. It felt like the peacefulness earlier was just a warning for an uing storm that was about to hit them.


    "She''s forcing the demon to flee from the mirror." Mu Qing''s gaze was fixated on the mirror. Was the demoness able to absorb the mirror demon''s energy to replenish her strength?


    "Get ready. Shen Minyao wille out soon." Li Fei''er heard Mu Qing say, the grim reaper seemingly unaffected by the demonic energy that contradicted with her spiritual force.


    How could he tell? She wondered. What had Shen Minyao done to make the demon react like this? Just what kind of person was she to be able to face a dangerous wraith and a demon on her own?


    However, there was no time to waste since they needed to make sure Shen Minyao would be able to get out of the mirror before itpletely shattered. Li Fei''er forced herself back on her feet and made a mad dash behind Mu Qing, just as they nned earlier.


    The n was for her to start her exorcism ritual, while he protected her from the demon itself. Actually, Mu Qing had alsoe up with this n because he was certain that Shen Minyao wouldn''t want Li Fei''er to see her in her demon form.


    Using his sword, he made a barrier that could protect them from the demonic energy that wasing from the mirror. Mu Qing knew that the moment Shen Minyao entered the mirror, she was nning to absorb its demonic energy. However, she wouldn''t be able to suck it dry as she would also perish with it if the mirror demon dies even before she could get out.


    The mirror demon continued to struggle to leave the mirror and find another item to possess, but Shen Minyao was able to pin it down. Mu Qing could sense the demon weakening with every passing second. Could the demonesse back in time?


    Humans wouldn''t be able to stay alive for too long if they were trapped in a different realm, and Shen Minyao had been inside for some time now. This reckless n of Shen Minyao was too dangerous! If only she knew that Shen Minyao was nning to get trapped inside the mirror, she would vehemently go against the n!


    Therge mirror had a crack on its upper right side, indicating that the mirror demon was about to make an escape any time soon.


    "Miss Li, you should start the ritual," Mu Qing told Li Fei''er at once.


    With the talismans in ce, Li Fei''er shut her eyes closed and started her mantra. She could only hope that Shen Minyao would be able to get out in time before the mirror demon was exorcisedpletely.


    Because Li Fei''er''s eyes were shut, she wasn''t able to witness a woman stumbling out of therge mirror with long white silky hair and sharp ws. As the woman lifted her face, Mu Qing was given a clear picture of what Shen Minyao looked like in her demon form.


    Something about her was familiar, but he couldn''t pinpoint what it was. It wasn''t like he had seen her in the past because Mu Qing was certain he had never encountered the human Shen Minyao before.


    With her amber eyes glowering at the darkness of the night like a predator that she was and with her fangs elongated in her mouth, there was no doubt that she was a creature of the night. A powerful one on top of that.


    Mu Qing could not read the expression on her face as she was always serious whenever he saw her. Perhaps, she had perfected the art of deadpanning long ago.


    Then, she caught his stare and quirked her lips in obvious amusement upon seeing him. Mu Qing frowned in return. He didn''t like how this demoness was taking advantage of the situation they were in.


    The grim reaper raised an eyebrow in return. He knew well that even if dared to ask her a question, the demoness wouldn''t answer him truthfully.


    Had they met before? He wanted to ask, but in his memories as a grim reaper, Mu Qing couldn''t remember meeting this arrogant demon before.


    "What took you so long?" He muttered lowly but was loud enough for Shen Minyao to hear him clearly. He''d rather not disturb Li Fei''er with her ritual.


    "So sorry, milord. The feast took so long to finish, but I''m satisfied for now," Shen Minyao replied before forcing herself back on her feet as her appearance slowly returned into her human form.


    She stepped aside and allowed Li Fei''er to finish the exorcism ritual. She was fortunate that the younger woman wasn''t able to see her demonic form. There''s no doubt Li Fei''er would be scared of her.


    Shen Minyao watched Li Fei''er with a nk expression on her face. Indeed, this was the real Little Jiu she''d failed to protect in her past life, but not this time. Even if that meant they would need to part ways after this.


    The demon inside the mirror finally showed up and struggled to escape the broken mirror, but it failed because of Li Fei''er binding spell. Because the fox woman had consumed most of its energy, it wasn''t able to resist Li Fei''er''s spell and vanished as soon as she finished her ritual.


    As the mirror brokepletely came the end of the demon.. Without its demon core, it stood no chance against Li Fei''er.

 Chapter 57 - The NineTailed Fox (1)

    When Li Fei''er opened her eyes, Shen Minyao''s figure was the first thing she noticed. She immediately dropped the bells she was holding and threw herself towards Shen Minyao who was caught off-guard with her sudden actions. She was really relieved to see that Shen Minyao managed toe back before she exorcised the demonpletely.


    "You came back!" She wound her arms around Shen Minyao, her eyes filled with tears of joy.


    "You doubted me?" The fox woman raised a brow and then nced at the grim reaper who sheathed his sword back on its scabbard.


    "Of course not! I know you can do it!" Li Fei''er was now sure that Shen Minyao wasn''t a person she should underestimate. Anyway, she needed to know how Shen Minyao managed to weaken the demon on her own.


    However, even before she could voice out her question, Li Fei''er cked out, her whole body''s weight pressing against the fox woman. Performing exorcisms like this still bore some pressure on her mental strength. While her spiritual prowess was innate, her mind wasn''t strong enough to keep up with it.


    "I am not going to take her back home." Mu Qing gave the fox woman a pointed re before turning his back to leave. His work for today wasn''t done yet.


    "Wait," the fox woman called after him and asked, "the demon at the hospital, do you know what it is?"


    Now that they had already dealt with the mirror demon, the only one left was the demon who turned the hospital into its turf for the past few days. There was no doubt that the two demons were rted to each other.


    "A spider demon," Mu Qing replied, "You don''t happen to know how to dispose of it, do you?"


    Just as expected, Shen Minyao thought. She then held onto Li Fei''er''s midsection to support her.


    "No, I don''t think it would be easy to defeat that one," she said with honesty, "Spider demons aren''t as weak as this mirror demon anyway."


    Mu Qing''s expression hardened. Since this demoness acknowledged the prowess of the spider demon, then it proved to be a handful to deal with on his own.


    As if sensing his troubles, Shen Minyao''s lips curled up evilly.


    "Do you need some assistance?" She taunted him.


    Mu Qing nced at Li Fei''er and took a deep breath. Was he really that obvious?


    "En, but it would be better if we leave her out of it. You know well how dangerous it could be," he said before he disappeared into nothingness, leaving Shen Minyao with the unconscious Li Fei''er in her arms.


    "You don''t have to tell me what I already know." She frowned.


    Sighing to herself, Shen Minyao looked down at Li Fei''er and the mess the ritual left in its wake. No doubt humans would make an issue out of it once morning arrived, but she didn''t care anyway.


    There was a more pressing matter she needed to deal with right now. How could she take Li Fei''er home without revealing her real identity to the Li family? She was able to devour the energy core of the mirror demon, but she was still far from recovering fully. Surely, she wouldn''t be able to protect herself if the Li family decided toe after her.


    The phone in her pocket beeped, notifying her of a new message. As soon as she saw who it was, her lips quirked up. How could she forget that Shen Minyao had avable resources she could use at her disposal? With Fu Xiyan, she wouldn''t have to face the Li family at all.


    She dragged Li Fei''er''s unconscious body and left the school premises, making sure no humans were to see them leaving. The fox woman would rather avoid suspicion about their involvement in the mess that was left in the school''sboratory room.


    "Miss?! What happened?" Fu Xiyan asked once she met Shen Minyao outside the gates of the school. Her eyes then caught Li Fei''er''s unconscious form behind her miss. "Who is she?"


    "I need a ride, Xiyan. Help me drop her home." Shen Minyao ignored her personal attendant''s question.


    Fu Xiyan blinked twice before she immediately dialed and called the driver. It didn''t take long before a ck sedan car stopped in front of them, with a man dressed in a ck suit greeting them.


    "Miss Yao." He gave Shen Minyao a curt nod before eyeing the woman slumped on her back. He didn''t think that their miss was strong enough to support another person''s weight without breaking a sweat.


    He then opened the door of the backseat, while Fu Xiyan took the spot next to the driver''s seat.


    "Help me take her home," Shen Minyao told him and entered the car with Li Fei''er shifted in her arms.


    Fu Xiyan and her driver-sh-bodyguard found it difficult that their miss was holding an unknown person like this.


    "Is she your ssmate, Miss?" Fu Xiyan couldn''t stop herself from questioning her miss. Shen Minyao wasn''t nning to kidnap this person, right?


    "En. She fell asleep while we''re doing our project at the library," Shen Minyao said with a straight face. "Take us to this address." She then passed Li Fei''er''s phone towards the driver.


    Fu Xiyan and the driver could only look at each other in confusion before following Shen Minyao''s order. The drive towards Li Fei''er''s home was filled with silence. Neither of the humanpanions of the fox woman dared to utter a word about her sudden changetely, but since nothing bad had happened so far, they supposed it was alright for the meantime.


    Shen Minyao didn''t alight from the car and left Li Fei''er to Fu Xiyan and the driver''s care as they brought her to her home. The fox woman shut her eyes and could sense the shamans from the ancestral home of the Li family.. She really had made the right choice to stay in the car.

 Chapter 58 - The NineTailed Fox (2)

    It was already the next morning when Li Fei''er woke up. The moment she jolted up on her bed, a splitting headache greeted her.


    "Oww, my head!" She grimaced as she cradled her head with both of her hands. What the heck just happenedst night? How did she end up in her room anyway?


    "Ah, that''s what you get when you try to exorcise demons consecutively." Her father''sughter reached her ears. How could he find entertainment in her current condition? Li Fei''er thought.


    Li Xiaoyao brought down the tray he was holding on her study table before regarding her. Last night, it came as a surprise when Li Fei''er returned home unconscious.


    "You just came back from your training, and you are hunting demons already?" He asked his daughter. "You are lucky a friend of yours dropped you off here this time."


    Li Fei''er scratched her head, with her messy hair tumbling down behind her back. No. More like, she was lucky that she had Shen Minyao and Mu Qing beside her when she performed the exorcisms.


    "It''s not like I nned it at all, Dad," she muttered her reasoning, "I just didn''t think I would pass out as soon as I''m done with the ritual."


    "You just earned your title to be a shaman. Xiao Fei, there''s no need for you to exorcise every demon you encounter." Li Xiaoyao took a seat on her armchair and crossed his legs. For a man in his early forties, he looked more like an older brother to his seventeen-year-old daughter.


    Li Fei''er sighed and dropped back to herfy bed, her eyes staring at the ceiling of her room. Indeed, ever since she came back home, she never had a peaceful day to enjoy. However, she would never regret what she had done so far. By exorcising the wraith at the hospital and breaking the mirror demon, it only meant that they had saved yet another human this time.


    "Anyway, you can''t continue like this, Xiao Fei. You know how dangerous those demons and malevolent spirits could be," her father reminded her. Li Xiaoyao''s tone grew serious. "Not when the nine-tailed fox had escaped from its confinement."


    "The what?" Li Fei''er sat up and stared at her father in shock. Of course, she knew what he was talking about, but how was it possible? The nine-tailed fox that their ancestors had sealed at the Qingqiu Mountain had never made any attempt to break free for a hundred years. What could have happened?


    "You heard me right, Xiao Fei." Li Xiaoyao sped his hands together. "You better be careful whenever you are out. If you feel that the demon you are facing is too strong for you to handle, there''s no need to be ashamed if you run away."


    "But the nine-tailed fox¡­" Li Fei''er should feel a little worried because of the news, but the thought of meeting the legendary demon face-to-face made her heart race with excitement instead of fear.


    "We''re still not sure how she managed to escape, but Father and I think that she''d be left in a weakened state. She would surely hunt humans to restore her strength. Weak she may be, but Xiao Fei, don''t ever underestimate the nine-tailed fox. It''s known for its trickery."


    "I know that, but¡­" Li Fei''er''s words trailed off. Ultimately, her father was right. The nine-tailed fox was one of the most dangerous demons known to human history, and there was no doubt that she was no match against it.


    "I understand, Dad. I''ll be more careful this time," she assured him. She wasn''t that dumb to go against the nine-tailed fox on her own. Even her great ancestor, Li Yun, had a hard time dealing with the nine-tailed fox that it almost cost his own life.


    Li Xiaoyao seemed satisfied with his daughter''s answer and sighed in relief. With the fox demon lurking around the city, thest thing he wanted was for the fox demon toe after her to seek revenge towards their family.


    "Then, that''s good to hear. If you ever encounter the fox demon, flee at once and then call me." The important thing was to keep her from harm, and the elders would try their best to seal the fox demon once again.


    "By the way, Dad. Who brought me home?" Li Fei''er wondered if Shen Minyao met her father. He should be able to know what kind of ability Shen Minyao had.


    "Ah, it''s one of your schoolmates named Fu Xiyan. Are you in the same ss? It''s good that you''ve already made friends this early."


    Fu Xiyan? Li Fei''er furrowed her brows. She never knew anyone with the name Fu Xiyan. Shouldn''t it be Shen Minyao who brought her homest night?


    Either way, she should ask Shen Minyao herself whether she was a psychic, an exorcist, or a medium. However, she doubted that Shen Minyao would tell her; given how Shen Minyao''s monotonous expression forbade people to know what she was even thinking.


    "I see." She lowered her gaze, hiding her disappointment. She thought Shen Minyao was the one who brought her home.


    This was the second time Shen Minyao pushed her to another person''s care. Did Shen Minyao really abhor herpany that much? Li Fei''er couldn''t understand why Shen Minyao didn''t want them to be associated.


    "Why? Is there something wrong?" Li Xiaoyao sensed the sudden change in his daughter''s mood. His overly energetic and full-of-sunshine daughter rarely had moments like this. When his wife died while Li Fei''er was just six years of age, Li Xiaoyao had made sure to pour his love and attention towards his child.


    "Oh? I was just wondering if any students were harmed during the exorcism. I haven''t secured the area and seen the damages left." Her face flushed from embarrassment.. She would be in trouble if people found out that she and Shen Minyao had caused the mess in theboratory room.

 Chapter 59 - She Was A Monster (1)

    It''s been a week since Shen Minyao returned to school, and the drastic change in her demeanor and personality had been the talk of her ssmates. Far from the mousy Shen Minyao who avoided meeting everyone''s gazes, the Shen Minyao that returned had easily earned everyone''s attention without doing anything.


    The fox woman walked casually in the hallways of the school building. The top two buttons of her blouse were left undone, revealing her smooth and pale corbones; while her school coat was wrapped securely on her hips, giving her a more carefree look.


    She was drinking a strawberry yogurt drink, with her right hand buried inside the side pocket of her skirt. The fox woman still found it odd how women used less fabric to dress these days. She supposed that it couldn''t be helped as humans constantly encountered change and easily sumbed to it.


    As she made her way to her new favorite spot to take a short nap, she was obstructed by a group of students with Xu Shenshen leading them. Shen Minyao arched a brow and looked at Xu Shenshen nkly. She hadn''t seen this stupid girl ever since theirst encounter at thedies'' room.


    With the way Xu Shenshen acted smug around her, the fox woman was slightly disappointed that Xu Shenshen could only think of seeking revenge towards her like this. Did this girl really think asking a local gang to beat her would suffice? Xu Shenshen must be dreaming.


    "Shen Minyao, I''m here to settle the score between us!" Xu Shenshen crossed her arms over her chest and gave Shen Minyao a dirty look. Someone informed her earlier that Shen Minyao had been going to this deserted part of the school during lunch break. How could she waste such an opportunity to corner Shen Minyao?


    The fox woman only stared and continued sipping her newest favorite drink. She had never tasted such delicacy made by the humans in her past life. This was the only innovation of the humans she encountered since her awakening.


    As for Xu Shenshen, she must be deluding herself if she thought that a bunch of clowns pretending to be grown-ups was enough to intimidate Shen Minyao.


    "Ah, ssmate Xu." Shen Minyao chuckled before taunting with a wicked smile gracing her lips. "And here I thought you learned your lessons already. Must be hard to teach an old dog a new trick."


    Xu Shenshen was caught off-guard by Shen Minyao''s reaction. Shouldn''t she tremble in fear now? Had she somehow lost her mind? Since when did Shen Minyao be so fearless?


    Xu Shenshen scoffed. It didn''t matter if Shen Minyao changed because she wouldn''t be able to escape this time.


    "You still have the nerve to be cocky?" She sneered. "Shen Minyao, today, I''ll let you know what despair and fear feel like."


    Shen Minyao finished her drink and regretted not asking Fu Xiyan to buy her more. Anyway, with her appetite temporarily satiated, there''s no need for her to hold back.


    "Despair and fear, you say?" She pulled her right hand from her pocket and hid her amused smile behind it while looking at Xu Shenshen like thetter had just told her a joke. Humans. They really didn''t know their limitations.


    The men Xu Shenshen brought with her looked brutal and arrogant, nothing that the fox woman hadn''t seen in her long life. Even if Xu Shenshen brought more, it wouldn''t be enough to subdue Shen Minyao. They then surrounded her, with wide grins on their faces. Some were holding bats, while the others were getting ready to pounce on her.


    From the corner of her eye, Shen Minyao could see the excitement on Xu Shenshen''s face. Ah, she couldn''t wait to see what kind of expression Xu Shenshen would make once she witnessed how useless her attempt was.


    "Eh? Then, let''s see if you are capable." Shen Minyao snickered, her eyes gleaming with amusement.


    The other two girls apanying Xu Shenshenughed, waiting for the fun to start.


    "Oh, don''t go too hard on ssmate Shen. You might ruin her pretty face~" One of them sang out.


    "Oh, no. ssmate Shen must be thinking it''s unfair," the other one replied.


    "Calm down, girls. It was ssmate Shen who asked for it. How can I ignore her request?" Xu Shenshenughed as she watched Shen Minyao be surrounded by the men she hired to assault her. Shen Minyao would pay dearly for what she had done.


    Still, Shen Minyao remained unperturbed. Instead, she looked as calm and collected as if none of these bothered her at all.


    "Well? You are wasting my time by standing like fools there." She eyed the humans surrounding her. None of them smelled like a demon. They were merely humans that took pleasure in making fun of another.


    "She''s quite feisty." The leader of the gangughed out loud toward hispanions. "Perhaps, she really needed a good beating to know her right ce."


    "A trash talking about the right ce?" Shen Minyao hummed and rubbed her chin as she gave it a thought. "The trash bin is over there." She then pointed her forefinger at the nearest bin she''d seen earlier.


    "Why, you!" The leader was infuriated by Shen Minyao''s nonchnt attitude. "You dare to look down on us?!" He lifted the steel pipe he was holding, his eyes blinded with rage.


    Xu Shenshen''s eyes widened in anticipation, wanting to see Shen Minyao fail miserably. She couldn''t wait to hear Shen Minyao beg for her life, to admit that she was wrong to offend such a person like Xu Shenshen. As her eyes focused on the steel pipe that was about to hit Shen Minyao''s head, something happened that none of them expected.


    As the steel pipe neared Shen Minyao''s head, she lifted her left hand and caught it in midair, shocking everyone who witnessed the scene.. Her long hair fluttered behind her as the impact of the steel reached her bare hand.

 Chapter 60 - She Was A Monster (2)

    Those who witnessed what Shen Minyao did stared wide-eyed, in disbelief of what they had just seen. Had they seen it correctly? Did Shen Minyao just catch the steel pipe barehanded? How¡­ how was it possible?


    Suddenly, Shen Minyao tilted her head to one side, staring at them with a nk, murderous re towards them that was enough to send shivers down their spine. There was only one thing that resounded in their minds as they looked at her.


    She was a monster.


    Shen Minyao was a monster. She was certainly not a human by the way she looked at them.


    "Hey, is that all you''ve got?" She said in a cold, vicious tone that was enough to make the humans tremble in fear towards her.


    The air then got heavier and denser around them. The sun was still up in the sky, yet the humans felt like the coldness of the harsh winter had just bitten them.


    "What was it that you said? Didn''t you say you''ll let me feel what despair and fear feel like?" The fox woman asked again, this time her attention zeroing in on Xu Shenshen who had fallen to her knees from what she had witnessed.


    "ssmate Xu, I think you don''t know what despair is in the first ce. Allow me to show you what it feels like then." Her smile turned devilish as she regarded the pitiful humans trembling in fear in front of her.


    The hand that was holding the steel pipe tightened its hold, soon crumpling the steel like paper in the fox demon''s hand. She then pulled the pipe from the guy who was too stunned to realize that Shen Minyao had already disarmed him. It was only when she pushed him roughly to the ground did he be aware of what was happening.


    "W-what¡­?" But his words were instantly stuck in his throat upon meeting at Shen Minyao''s terrifying gaze. He had never encountered any person as intimidating and frightening as Shen Minyao. There was something about her that made his instinct tell him to run away from this person.


    The stare that Shen Minyao gave him was enough to render him speechless. She then tested the steel pipe in her hand by effortlessly swishing it in the air as if she wasn''t bothered by its weight. An eighteen-year-old young woman with a delicate body like her shouldn''t be able to lift it easily.


    Didn''t Xu Shenshen say that this Shen Minyao was a spineless, cowardly fool? So howe that the young woman in front of them was emitting such a dangerous impression, enough for him and his friends to cower in fear from her stare alone?


    That girl was lying! That was the only reason he could think of at that moment. It''s impossible for Xu Shenshen not to know what kind of person this Shen Minyao was. She was so insanely strong that she could crush steel without breaking a sweat.


    "Now. Where were we?" The fox woman''s sadistic voice brought all of them out of their trance.


    "Ah, right. It seems like ssmate Xu doesn''t like being taught all alone and brought you to apany her for her lessons." The smile that she shed then promised a pain that they would never forget for the rest of their lives.


    "Such a great day you''ve given me. Now, if you could please start crying out of despair and agony, that would be better."


    The following events only proved that Shen Minyao was truly ruthless and unforgiving when it came to her ythings. She beat the thugs along with Xu Shenshen and her femalepanions, making sure that they wouldn''t forget what transpired today. All the things they brought to beat her were used to beat them instead.


    They crawled on the ground with their whole body covered in dirt and face too swollen to be recognized. Xu Shenshen couldn''t believe that Shen Minyao beat her for the second time, and she was too weak to even fight back. It had taken her three days before she could leave the hospitalst time, and with this recent beating, Shen Minyao didn''t bother sparing her pretty face once more.


    "Trying to escape?" Shen Minyao suddenly appeared on Xu Shenshen''s side with a vicious smile spread on her lips. Xu Shenshen shivered and tried to scamper away from the monster. Her friends, along with those useless thugs she paid to beat Shen Minyao,y on the ground, ck and blue beyond recognition.


    "You¡­ g-get away from me!" She stuttered in fear. "Shen Minyao, don''t cross the line! We are still at school!"


    The fox woman chuckled and shook her head.


    "Oh? So what? If I beat you, it''s bullying¡­ but when you beat me and the others, it was nothing but your entertainment? ssmate Xu, this way of thinking¡­"¡ªher voice trailed off as her usual cold mask came back to her face¡ª"¡­.is kind of bullshit."


    Shen Minyao was starting to wonder if she had hit Xu Shenshen''s head so hardst time that it made her dumber than theirst encounter. Were humans really this persistent?


    "Anyway, you can try andin to the disciplinarymittee, but you better make sure they''ll take your side because if you don''t¡­" Shen Minyao then dropped the pipe she was holding to the ground, leaving a loud ng that echoed deeply within Xu Shenshen''s soul. "You will disappoint me again for the third time."


    The fox woman turned her back and waved her hand as she left them writhing on the ground in pain. When she turned around the corner, she saw Li Fei''er running towards her with a smile. The girl was holding some sweet bread she bought from their cafeteria.


    "ssmate Shen! I''ve been looking everywhere for you. Where did you go?" Li Fei''er asked her, apanying her back to the school building.


    Shen Minyao shrugged. "Nothing.. I just picked up litter and ced it in its rightful ce."

 Chapter 61 - Classmate Shen, What Are You? (1)

    The following days, Xu Shenshen and her friends hadn''t shown up to cause trouble to the fox woman again. This gave her enough time to focus on her new morning routine which was the training she started along with Shen Minyao''s little brother.


    Friday came, and before daybreak, Shen Minyao left the dormitory and went to the private grounds that the Shen family owned near her school. As expected of Cheng Lifan, she was able to prepare the training the fox woman asked for under such short notice.


    Shen Qingyuan looked more mature than his actual age, making the fox woman wonder if he''d taken after his mother, Cheng Lifan. Shen Xin didn''t share the same eagerness to amodate his daughter''s needs and left everything to his second wife.


    "Yao Jie, Shen Qing didn''t try to bully you again, right?" Shen Qingyuan asked her during their break. He was panting for breath, with his hands resting on his knees as he bent down.


    The fox woman drank from her water bottle and eyed the young boy. It was silly for him to think that Shen Qing would be able to harm Shen Minyao again now that she had possessed this body. Shen Qing should be the one who needed to be wary of her, not the other way around.


    "I haven''t seen her yet ever since I was discharged from the hospital," she answered the boy, "¡­but tell you what. I''ll make sure to return the favor she has done for me so far." She smiled and ruffled his hair.


    Shen Minyao''s life wasn''t truly that miserable, considering that she still had people that were concerned about her welfare. If only she was strong enough to stand up for herself, Shen Minyao wouldn''t lose her life so early. Her IQ was quite high, yet she failed toprehend her circumstances clearly.


    "Right. Don''t let her win against you next time." Shen Qingyuan agreed with her.


    "She would never have a chance," the fox woman told him before they resumed their training. As a demon, this wasn''t necessary for her, but her host''s body was just too weak.


    When her training with Shen Minyao''s brother ended, she decided to head back to the dormitory to freshen up before attending her sses. Li Fei''er came to see her once Shen Minyao was seated on her spot.


    "ssmate Shen, are you free this weekend?" She asked the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao regarded Li Fei''er for a moment and shook her head. It was almost time for her to meet Zhao Yichen and see how he was faring since herst visit. Also, she and Mu Qing would need to deal with the spider demon. He had specifically asked her not to allow Li Fei''er to get involved.


    "No, I already have ns," she replied, trying to ignore how Li Fei''er''s face fell from her answer.


    "I see¡­ next time then?" She asked Shen Minyao with a weak smile.


    "En, but not this weekend," the demoness said in response, avoiding Li Fei''er gaze. Even now, she was having a hard time declining Little Jiu''s requests.


    Li Fei''er seemed satisfied with Shen Minyao''s answer and then chattered animatedly next to her as they waited for their teacher to arrive.


    As the hours passed by, Shen Minyao suddenly felt a change in the air. She stared outside the window of the hallway, seeing the setting sun on the horizon. The buildings before her bathed in its orange hue and in the shadows the soft light conjured.


    "Is there something wrong?" Li Fei''er asked her, worryced in her tone. Ever since they beat the mirror demon, Little Jiu''s current incarnation chose to stick to the fox woman''s side.


    "No," Shen Minyao replied. It was better for Li Fei''er not to realize anything. Else, Shen Minyao might fail to keep her away.


    Seeing that Shen Minyao refused to give her a clear answer again, always keeping her from a safe distance; Li Fei''er chose to confront her right then and there.


    "I''ve been meaning to ask, ssmate Shen. I hope you won''t be offended¡­" She paid attention to Shen Minyao''s face, but it remained to be impassive as they continued to walk away from their ssroom.


    "What are you?" She asked, aware of how fast her heart beat inside her chest.


    At that question, Shen Minyao stopped on her track and turned to face the visibly nervous Li Fei''er.


    "What am I?" The corner of the fox woman''s lips curled up.


    Did Li Fei''er finally realize what kind of creature she was? No. Shen Minyao thought. Li Fei''er wouldn''t have tried to befriend her¡ªstick to her like this¡ªhad this girl known that the young woman in front of her was the devious nine-tailed fox the Li family sealed at the Qingqiu Mountain.


    "What am I? Are you sure you want to know?" She stepped forward, invading Li Fei''er''s private space, the girl slightly startled by her actions. "ssmate Li, shouldn''t you know the answer by now?"


    Li Fei''er stepped back, her eyes widening in confusion. There were many usible answers that crossed her mind, but she couldn''t find the right term to describe Shen Minyao.


    Not only was this woman unafraid of facing a wraith, but she also used herself as bait to lure the demon inside the mirror. Li Fei''er knew that even she could be reckless at times, but she had never met anyone as fearless as Shen Minyao.


    "I-I don''t know, ssmate Shen," she answered truthfully. "I don''t want to assume wrongly, so could you please answer my question?"


    The Little Jiu saved by the fox woman in her past life also looked at her in the same way that Li Fei''er did just now. She could smell the nervousness and hear the loud beating of Li Fei''er''s heart; still, she willingly faced the fox woman and confronted her.


    "You don''t know? What if I tell you I''m a demon?" Shen Minyao whispered in Li Fei''er''s ear, "What will you do then?"

 Chapter 62 - Classmate Shen, What Are You? (2)

    There, she said it. Her eyes never left Li Fei''er''s face, paying attention to her reaction.


    Others might think that she was being silly for disclosing such detail to a shaman like Li Fei''er, but the fox woman had never lied to Little Jiu in their previous lives, and she wouldn''t dare to do it now. It was up to Li Fei''er now, whether she believed it or not.


    Li Fei''er was stunned for a moment and looked at Shen Minyao as if she had grown another head over her shoulder. Many answers were considered in her head, but she had never imagined she would hear Shen Minyao say that she was a demon.


    How could it be possible? She would have sensed it from the start if Shen Minyao was truly a demon. Then again, because of her inexperience and young mind, she failed to realize that there were several ways for a human to be a demon.


    In fact, most of the demons that attack the humans were the kind of demons that were once a human in their past life. However, most of them had already forgotten their memories, unaware of what they had be.


    Just take the wraith from the other week as an example: it lost any resemnce to what he was before he turned into a soulless creature filled with intense bitterness and hatred. A human that became a demon was an abomination that was deemed dangerous by many because they had defied thew of nature by sumbing to darkness.


    "ssmate Shen must be joking," Li Fei''er said with an awkwardugh. She couldn''t think of a reason why Shen Minyao was telling her this¡ªaside from an attempt to push her away. Shen Minyao might look odd, but that didn''t mean she held ill intent towards Li Fei''er, right? Given that Shen Minyao had saved her life twice already.


    There were many kinds of demons that could pretend and pose as humans, but for a shaman like her, she should be able to easily see past their pretense. Even if they pretended to be human, there would be hints of their identity that couldn''t be concealed by a mere spell.


    "You think I''m joking?" Shen Minyao pulled back and smirked. She then resumed walking, leaving Li Fei''er behind. It wasn''t like she wanted to lie to Li Fei''er. While it''s true that some demons could possess and pretend as humans, none was able to rece its human soul from its body like the fox demons.


    Li Fei''er hurriedly ran to catch up with her. "You could have just told me you don''t want to answer my question." She giggled behind her hand. If Shen Minyao didn''t want to tell her, then she could only respect Shen Minyao''s decision.


    Shen Minyao sighed and ran her fingers through her messy hair. Well, at least she didn''t lie to Li Fei''er. If the day when she finds out the truth about Shen Minyao''s real identity came, she couldn''t use the fox of deceiving her.


    "Hmph. Don''t me me for not believing my answer." The fox woman yawned in boredom. Waiting for the weekend toe felt too long for her liking. Was it because she had nothing interesting to do these days aside from the physical training with Shen Minyao''s brother?


    With Xu Shenshen and the other bullies not around, the days felt longer these past days. Even the mobile games she was ying a week ago were now too easy and not challenging any longer. At this rate, the only entertainment she could get was to hunt lower demons and kill them.


    Ah, then she would have no other choice but prepare herself for tomorrow. She was to visit Zhao Yichen tomorrow and didn''t doubt the possibility of facing the irritating spider demon, along with Mu Qing. Just the mere thought that her contractor was being held hostage by another demon annoyed the fox woman.


    Once she came back to her private room at the dormitory, she found Fu Xiyan cleaning the ce, while a steaming hot pot was served on her table.


    "Ah! Miss! You are back. Madam sent these for you since she heard that you have done well on your first week of training," Fu Xiyan said excitedly, storing the books Shen Minyao was readingst night on the corner before she pulled her miss to the table to eat.


    "Young Master isn''tining how hard the training is, but he looks horrible every time hees home," Fu Xiyanmented, "Howe you don''t look as miserable as him?"


    The fox woman grimaced and stared down at the food being served to her. For a normal human, this looked like a feast, but for her, it was nothing but a waste of human resources.


    Who was going to eat all of it if she couldn''t finish it? If only Xiao Bai was here to help her finish all of these dishes¡­


    "I''m not a wimp. Why do I need to grovel just because of some training?" She scoffed, only to thank Fu Xiyan for passing the chopsticks so she could start eating.


    The intensive training that her previous host had done in the past was harder than what she was doing now. The main difference between her two hosts was that Su Daji had admirable strength and a strong personality, while Shen Minyao was more fickle-minded and physically weaker. It was really such a pain to have a weak host.


    Anyway, at least the fox woman didn''t need to deal with any romantic interests of her host this time. Aside from those useless suitors, Su Daji had also really given her a hard time looking after her old father and protecting the state from the invaders as a young general.


    She heard Fu Xiyan giggled at her words. At least, her miss was starting to look after herself for good this time.


    "All right. I believe you, Miss.. You are strong now."

 Chapter 63 - Zhao Yichen Awakens (1)

    Despite Fu Xiyan''s insistence to apany her, Shen Minyao decided toe to the city hospital on her own, not wanting to gather unwanted attention by seeing Zhao Yichen. It was enough that Cheng Lifan and Fu Xiyan knew that she was there to visit this man. If they found out what her other purpose for this visit was, they would surely not allow her toe back to see him.


    As soon as she arrived at the hospital, spider webs were everywhere, but they were unseen by the human naked eye. Shen Minyao''s jaws hardened. Only two weeks had passed from thest time she was here, yet the ce was now fully infested with demons.


    Still, demons rarely got along with one another and considereding here and making a hospital a feeding ground, with humans as their willing prey. They woulde and go from the hospital, unaware that lower demons were clinging to their bodies and feeding on them.


    She stepped inside the hospital premises, forcing the other demons¡ªalong with the ghosts¡ªto make way for her. The humans working at the hospital look paler than usual, unaware of what had hit them. If this persisted, there was no doubt that the mortality rate of humans would rise significantly.


    When she reached the ICU, the horrendous stench of the other demons reached her nose. Thankfully, the two cats she left with her contractor had managed to repel them. By now, those demons must have realized what he was to her.


    The two bodyguards that saw her before during her first visit greeted her, now both fully aware of her identity as the first miss of the Shen family.


    "Miss Shen, we are expecting you today. Please¡­" One of them opened the door and let her in. She raised a slender brow but didn''t utter a word in response before stepping inside.


    Her gaze then met the eyes of the man she hadn''t seen or talked to for almost two weeks. Zhao Yichen was finally awoken after days of waiting.


    "Mdy, you are back!" The ck cat leaped in midair,ing from Zhao Yichen''sp towards Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman easily caught her with one hand before she took a seat next to Zhao Yichen''s bed and brought down the supplements Cheng Lifan asked her to give him.


    "Did you sleep well?" She asked, eyeing the fat white cat that was snoring loudly next to the patient. It wasn''t surprising that Xiao Bai could remain calm despite the situation they were in.


    "I feel better," Zhao Yichen replied, still in disbelief that meeting this demoness before he passed out wasn''t just a figment of his imagination. He had truly made a life contract with a demon to escape the brink of death.


    Still, even if he had taken the fox''s orb, the internal injuries he sustained from the week-long torture he got from his captors remained. The doctors had put him into a medically induceda to help his internal organs to heal better and for him not to experience the unbearable pain.


    "Xiao Bai and Yu Yan exined to me what had just happened. Are you sure you are alright?"


    These weird cats had informed him of the looming wraith the fox woman encountered during her first visit and why she was forced to leave her guardians to protect him. Whether it was because of the fox orb inside his body or that she cared about him, Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure.


    Shen Minyao smirked and crossed her legs, looking at her contractor with the same arrogant expression she always gave him.


    "I just consumed an annoying demon before I came here. What do you think?" She said in response.


    "Y-you have eaten¡ª?" Zhao Yichen''s eyes widened like saucers. "But how?"


    "Are you sure you want to know how I eat my prey?" The fox woman cackled. "My, my. You are really an odd human, Zhao Yichen."


    As if he was ashamed of himself, Zhao Yichen turned his gaze away. If people knew what kind of rtionship he had with this demoness, there was no doubt that he would earn those smiles and looks that were filled with mockery.


    It wasn''t the first time it happened anyway, but Zhao Yichen would rather not remember. His peers had made fun of him when he was younger just because he could see things and creatures other human beings couldn''t see. They had called him names, bullied him, and talked behind his back as if he couldn''t hear what they were saying about him.


    Now that he was bound to a contract with a formidable demon, it only proved that he wasn''t a normal human after all. This time, he could not pretend that he wasn''t aware of the existence of demons and ghosts like he used to.


    "You can''t leave the hospital yet. Did they tell you this?" Shen Minyao questioned him. It would be better if her contractor understood the danger that was looming around him to keep him safe, or he might end up dead.


    He nodded and then turned his gaze outside. Yu Yan informed him that a spider demon had decided to turn the hospital into a nest, infesting it with lower demons. It was dangerous for him to step outside his hospital room.


    "Are you nning to kill it?" He asked in return, but with the way the fox woman was smiling at him, Zhao Yichen knew that he got it right.


    "Why, of course. How dare a filthy eight-legged demon dare to covet after my orb?" She then leaned forward and ran her long fingers gently on one side of his face, making Zhao Yichen freeze in his ce.


    Shen Minyao was possessing the body of a dead girl, but howe her touch was so warm? He wondered.


    "How could I let another demon kill you and reward them with your flesh?" Shen Minyao''s smile reminded him what kind of creature she was.

 Chapter 64 - Zhao Yichen Awakens (2)

    As for Mu Qing, Shen Minyao wasn''t sure where he was and what he was doing, for she couldn''t sense his spiritual presence within the city hospital. It was too dangerous for her to step outside now; she could tell someone must be waiting for her toe out to test and see if she was the demon that was bound to Zhao Yichen.


    She had seen so many tiny spiders on her way here, and it would be impossible for the spider demon not to keep an eye on Zhao Yichen. Not when he had a demon orb inside his human body. While it wasn''t unheard of a human making a contract with a demon, most of the time, these humans were at a disadvantage.


    Many demons abandoned their contractors after a while had passed; they gained a new demon orb to sustain themselves over time. These demons weren''t allowed to kill their contractors, but that didn''t mean others and external factors couldn''t kill these humans.


    It was only forbidden for them to kill the human when the contract was still new and while their demon orb hadn''t been reced by a new one that their body regenerated. Lower demons had a very tiny orb inside them; hence, it was easier for them to rece it¡­ but not for a nine-tailed fox.


    The orb that had been inside Zhao Yichen''s body was the first orb the fox woman had ever since she infiltrated human society using Su Daji''s body. Cultivating for a hundred years before taking over her host''s identity had turned her into a formidable opponent against the shamans and exorcists in the past.


    However, after her final battle against Jiang Mo and Li Yun, she was considerably weakened by the two before she was sealed at Qingqiu Mountain. Coupled with the fact that she spent a hundred years in confinement, her fox orb naturally weakened.


    "Is there something I could help you with?" She then heard Zhao Yichen ask. "Are you sure you can take down that demon in your current condition?"


    "Mdy, that''s a spider demon after all. A high-level demon." Yu Yan agreed with Zhao Yichen, which came with a reminder. "Although you recently fed on another demon, you haven''t recovered most of your strength."


    "It''s not like I have a choice to avoid it," the fox woman muttered lowly. She then lifted her head and looked at her vulnerable human contractor, still oblivious to the fact that both of them might be standing on the door leading to their deaths.


    "If you want to help me, then listen well and do not step out of this room whatever you see or hear outside. Are we clear?" Shen Minyao told him. She needed not be constantly worried about him, while she and Mu Qing were dealing with the spider demon.


    Zhao Yichen could sense that the fox demoness was quite serious this time. Of course, he knew well how dangerous the current situation outside was. Even from where he was lying, he could see the spider webs glittering outside his window when the sunlight hit them.


    Furthermore, ever since he woke up the other day, every three in the morning; footsteps could be heard walking in the hallway outside his room and would stop at the same spot¡ªin front of his door¡ªfor some time before the owner walked away.


    That demon was after him. So for Zhao Yichen''s safety, he needed to trust the fox woman that would protect him from any danger. She had managed to chase away a wraith, but ording to Xiao Bai, a spider demon was something Shen Minyao wouldn''t dare to look down on because spider demons were known to be silent hunters.


    They struck their prey when they least expected, not knowing that they had sprung an intricate trapid by a spider demon. Even now that Shen Minyao knew what could be waiting here in the hospital, she had stille for him.


    "If that''s what you want, your will would be done," he answered her. Zhao Yichen was aware that he would only get in Shen Minyao''s way should he force himself to join her on her night hunt.


    "Good." The fox woman was pleased with his answer. At least her human contractor wasn''t too dumb not to know what was best for him. "I''ll take Xiao Bai with me tonight. You''ll stay here with Yu Yan. She would tell you what to do in case we couldn''t stop the other demons from pursuing after you."


    Yu Yan seemed to get along better with Zhao Yichen than Xiao Bai, so she left them together. Shen Minyao could easilymunicate with them through telepathy after all.


    As for how strong the spider demon was, the fox woman needed to know what kind she and the grim reaper were dealing with.


    There were many kinds of spider demons, and they differed by how they hunted and how they killed their prey. Some were able to manipte humans to do their bidding; others may use poison to stun their prey, forbidding them from running away. There were also spider demons who liked toy traps for their prey and cocooned these humans with their spider webs until it was time to suck them dry, until the only thing left was their dry and ky skin.


    The nurse came to check on Zhao Yichen''s vital signs, and Shen Minyao eyed the woman from the corner of her eye. There was no filthy scent of a demoning from the nurse, but it didn''t mean other humans tending to Zhao Yichen''s medical needs weren''t influenced by the spider demon.


    Meanwhile, somewhere at the hospital, a dark room filled with spider webs housed a half-naked man with long ck hair, a pair of purple eyes, and impossibly white skin as if he was carved from marble.


    "Ah, she''s finally here. I''ve been waiting to try to taste the liver of a fox for some time now.." He grinned.

 Chapter 65 - You Better Come Back To Us (1)

    Shen Minyao focused on her senses before using her spatial awareness ability to see and hear both humans and supernatural entities within the ten-kilometer radius from where she was. As she did this, her eyes'' color turned to bright amber which surprised Zhao Yichen who was staring at her intently.


    "What is she doing?" he whispered his question to Yu Yan who was now back onhisp.


    "Young Master shouldn''t worry," the ck cat replied, her green eyes shining brightly as she exined, "Mdy is merely sensing what kind of demons havee to this ce. She''s also trying to locate the spider demon."


    "But wouldn''t that mean that the spider demon would also sense her and know that she was here with us?" Zhao Yichen asked curiously.


    Yu Yan shook her small head and allowed Zhao Yichen to scratch the back of her ear.


    "No," Yu Yan corrected him. "This ability wouldn''t disturb the other demons as they would be oblivious of it."


    Since the nine-tailed fox was a high-level demon, not many would be able to sense her presence¡ªnot unless she had let it known. Her spatial awareness ability was something the fox woman deemed valuable, especially during her past life at the imperial harem where everyone wanted her dead.


    Shen Minyao stared nkly at the wall across her, but her gaze roamed every nook and cranny of the hospital. Several kinds of demons hade to the hospital, and everywhere she looked, there were spider webs that clung to anyone who passed through each of them.


    Since so many creatures hade to this ce at the same time, Shen Minyao was having a hard time locating the spider demon. Its aura was scattered all over as it hid its presence among the patches of its webs. She also couldn''t sense Mu Qing within the vicinity and wondered what was taking him so long to arrive.


    She snapped out of her daze and looked at her human contractor.


    "So? What now?" He asked. From the look on her face, he could tell that whatever she had seen outside wasn''t favorable to them. Shen Minyao had a slight pout on her face whenever things didn''t go the way she expected them to be.


    "What else is there but to wait?" The fox woman sighed, rubbing her temple as she pondered. They were practically trapped inside Zhao Yichen''s hospital until she and Mu Qing defeated the spider demon.


    Ah. This was really annoying. A fox demon like her hated being bound and trapped in a ce for too long. The spider demon should better make sure it had a powerful demon orb for her to consume. Else, she had wasted her time.


    It wasn''t like she was expecting the spider demon to reveal itself anytime soon. Mu Qing should better show up, or else she wouldn''t be able to deal with that demon on her own. If she wasn''t concerned about Zhao Yichen''s safety, she wouldn''t have agreed to help the grim reaper in his mission to eliminate the threat.


    Hours passed, and Elder Zhao came to see his grandson, only for Zhao Yichen to be busy conversing with Shen Minyao. He was slightly surprised to see howfortable Zhao Yichen was in Shen Minyao''spany. He initially thought that Shen Minyao came here a few weeks ago out of courtesy.


    Ever since his grandson was a child, he was acting peculiar and odd around people. He didn''t like other people''spany and preferred to be left on his own, so seeing him unguarded in front of the first miss of the Shen family was something new for Elder Zhao.


    "Miss Shen, I heard that you came here today. I hope I wasn''t disturbing you." He made his presence known to the two, but Shen Minyao was already aware of it even before he spoke to them. Because her spatial awareness ability was still on, she could monitor who came and went to the hospital.


    Shen Minyao''s eye twitched, but she decided to rise to her feet and greeted the old man. She could not lose face in front of this dying man, or else she would put the Shen family to shame. Although she didn''t like it, she''d rather avoid confrontations with Shen Xin in the future.


    "Elder Zhao, it''s been a while." She greeted him. "I hope you are faring well." How funny, considering the stench of his illness got worse since thest time she had seen him.


    Elder Zhao gave her a wry smile and nodded. Ah, who knew how many days he had left? With his health quickly deteriorating, he wasn''t sure how long he would be able to keep Zhao Yichen safe from his uncles and cousins waiting for him to die, like vultures.


    Hisst will and testament was already prepared, but there was no telling if his sons wouldn''t dare to murder Zhao Yichen once he was gone. Right now, more than ever, his vulnerable grandson needed someone who could protect him from danger, but it was hard to find a decent one these days.


    Who would protect Zhao Yichen once his time in this world ran out? This child would be on his own once the old man perished from this world.


    Shen Minyao moved from the couch to give the old man time to talk to her human contractor. After all, she could hear what was spoken between the two loud and clear. It seemed that this old man was nning to move Zhao Yichen and let him live far from the main house to protect him from their rtives.


    It wasn''t the first time the fox woman heard about family feuds, and they were all the same in her opinion. Human greed and pride knew no end and could drive them insane.. It came to a point where it wasughable for these big families to im that demons like her posed more danger when the wars they started had imed millions of innocent lives.

 Chapter 66 - You Better Come Back To Us (2)

    Finally, nighttime came. The old geezer finally went home, leaving Shen Minyao alone again with Zhao Yichen. She stood up from her seat once she sensed the grim reaper she had been waiting for all day long. To think that Mu Qing only showed himself at night, what was he doing during the day? The fox woman thought in annoyance.


    "It''s time," she told her human contractor, allowing Xiao Bai to rest against her shoulder again. She then gave a reminder: "You better not forget what you promised tonight."


    "I know. Be careful. You bettere back to us." Zhao Yichen bit his lower lip. He knew well that Shen Minyao didn''t like him to interfere with her n tonight, lest they would end up dead before daybreak. He could only rely on and trust that this fox woman wouldn''t forsake him tonight.


    The fox woman eyed him for a moment and chuckled. Zhao Yichen tried to hide his nervousness, but his scent already gave it away. It amused her that he was trying his best to calm down, so she wouldn''t worry about him while she was gone.


    "Rx. We will be back before you know it." She then stepped out of his private room to see and meet Mu Qing outside.


    "Mdy, although you''ve recently fed on another demon, you do realize it''s not enough, right?" Xiao Bai asked as Shen Minyao walked in the hallways, not telling him where she nned to go. Just like thest time, Xiao Bai had activated his concealment enchantment to hide them from the humans that they passed by. The humans were so oblivious that they weren''t aware that the two were even there.


    "What''s your point in reminding me of this?" the fox woman bit back. She was already annoyed that she needed to rely on Mu Qing''s help. There''s no need for Xiao Bai to remind her of her current state because she was perfectly aware of it.


    Thankfully, she needed not worry about Li Fei''er this time as she was oblivious to what was happening in the hospital. Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to assure her safety after all.


    "You''rete. What are you up to?" She asked Mu Qing as soon as she saw the man, dressed in traditional ck robes and waiting for her at the NICU area of the hospital. "What are you doing here?"


    "I just killed a couple of demons before you arrived," Mu Qing replied. It seemed like he was also invisible to the naked eye as humans ignored him when they passed in front of him. "They''ve be bolder these days and try to feed on human infants."


    The fox woman narrowed her eyes but didn''tment on it. It still baffled her that many demons chose toe to this ce and work together, and she had yet to understand why the spider demon chose toe to a ce like this.


    Spider demons, like fox demons like her, prefer istion and residing on mountains. They fed on unsuspecting humans that got lost in their hiking trips and were known to be quite territorial, so why¡­? What changed?


    There must be a variable out there that forced these demons to go down from their usual spots and infested the city filled with humans. Had the shamans of today fallen so weak they couldn''t drive these demons away?


    "When did the spider demone here?" She questioned the grim reaper as she watched him dispose of the remaining lower demons attempting to get inside the NICU to feed on the poor human babies. They were already fighting for their lives, yet these demons weren''t giving them a chance to survive.


    "We''ve received a report of a strange urrence in this hospital a month ago as more humans lost their lives even if it wasn''t their time to leave the mortal realm yet," Mu Qing answered.


    It really messed up the grim reapers'' records as they had to work double-time to retrieve the poor souls of these humans. At this rate, the mortality rate in Jiang City would overshadow the other cities surrounding it.


    "We also got several reports of more demons going astray and hunting humans, wanting their presence to be known to the modern age. So Jiang City is not an isted case."


    "A month, huh," This only proved Shen Minyao''s suspicion that this was just the tip of an iceberg and there was a bigger picture they had yet to see. The problem was starting to spiral out of the grim reaper''s control that Mu Qing had to seek her help to dispose of a spider demon.


    Wait. What did she have to do with it, anyway? So what if humans drop dead one by one¡ªwhat did it have to do with her? Didn''t humans deem her kind evil and devious? Why should she bother if they perished in this world? Humans were far better than demons at ruining good things anyway.


    "We are guessing it''s a more powerful demon than this spider demon, and this spider was just part of a group that does its bidding," the grim reaper said, his brows furrowing in displeasure as he thought of how these demons made their jobs harder than it already was.


    Suddenly, the lights in the hallways started to flicker¡ªtaking both of their attention¡ªuntil darkness engulfed the whole hospital, while the humans dropped unconscious on the ground simultaneously. Shen Minyao and Mu Qing kept their guards up, knowing that the spider demon was now finally aware of their presence. By now, it must be screeching of how they trespassed in its territory.


    "The lower demons are running away." Xiao Bai informed them in a low voice, noticing the fear that washed through these demons as they ran for their lives. It was like what happened during their encounter with the wraith before, but this was more serious.


    "More like it was expecting us to be here," Shen Minyaomented with a snort.

 Chapter 67 - Can’t You Be Serious? (1)

    Mu Qing stood still while Shen Minyao waited for what would happen next. Even without lights around her, the fox woman could see perfectly. Her amber eyes glowed brightly in the dark. The grim reaper behind her also didn''t have a problem with the darkness that suddenly surrounded them.


    The fox woman increased the level of her spatial awareness ability and filtered out the humans. By now, only demons and ghosts could be seen moving within the vicinity, but there was something else that caught Shen Minyao''s attention that she failed to see earlier.


    At the neurology department, several cocoons with humans in them were hanging from the ceiling, and at one of the rooms, a strong presence of a demon was finally detected. Spider web threads came out from the room, spreading throughout the hospital and clinging to unconscious humans on the floor.


    "Found it," Shen Minyao said before sprinting at full speed in the direction of the spider demon.


    Mu Qing followed her and was able to keep up with her fast pace, his steps so silent that Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to notice him if she didn''t have heightened senses. However, as soon as they arrived at their destination, humans started to move on by one, obstructing them from reaching the spider demon.


    "What now?" The grim reaper said. Unlike the nine-tailed fox, he couldn''t see the thin spider threads around them. In fact, he wouldn''t have known they were dealing with a spider demon if he hadn''t read the report given to him.


    "Be careful. They are being manipted by the demon," Shen Minyao replied as she dodged the attacks of the humans holding sharp scalpels and scissors in their hands. They looked more like mindless puppets, not aware of what they were doing at the moment.


    She easily unarmed them and cut the silver threads attached in their arms and limbs using her sharp ws. However, as soon as she freed one human, another one came around to attack her. They moved so fast that if Shen Minyao was a human, she would have been dead before she knew what hit her from behind.


    The fox woman then decided to keep a safe distance from them and pulled out her fan, unleashing a strong wind that was able to snap the silver threads clinging to the humans. As expected, spider demons were master puppeteers. They were able to force anything to do their bidding.


    Mu Qing held his sword in front of him and focused on the spiritual flows around him instead. Since he wasn''t able to see the spider threads, he could only rely on his other senses to map out the demonic energy around them until he was able to see them in his mind clearly.


    "Dodge it," he told Shen Minyao as he released an attack to cut the spider threads all at once. For a demon like her, she would sustain grave injuries if she was hit by it.


    Shen Minyao leaped back, making sure she was far from the st that the grim reaper sent forward. She saw the silver threads snap into several pieces, releasing the humans from the spider demon''s maniption.


    "Is that all?" Mu Qing asked the demoness to confirm whether he had missed something or not since he couldn''t see them.


    "En." Shen Minyao nodded her head and dusted off the spider threads that fell on her head and clothes. She didn''t like another demon''s scent clinging to her body. With her keen sense of smell, it reeked like she was sshed with sewer waters.


    "Let''s keep going. I wanted to finish this as soon as possible," she told Mu Qing. Since she made a promise to Zhao Yichen that she woulde back, she had no other choice but to fulfill it. Heh, since when did she get attached to that human anyway?


    Mu Qing nodded in agreement, and this time, the two walked side by side; their senses in tune with every sound that was being made in the darkness. Because Shen Minyao''s senses were sharper than the grim reaper''s beside her, she walked ahead of him, with her fan in her right hand.


    "What do you know about spider demons?" She heard Mu Qing''s question, breaking the unwanted tension between them. As a grim reaper, his knowledge about the demons wasn''t much.


    "Do you really have to ask me at this time?" The fox woman chuckled before asking in return. "Aren''t you curious if it could hear what was being said between us?"


    The grim reaper fell silent at once. He never considered that possibility. Did spider demons really have that ability? Wait, he didn''t even know what kind of demon Shen Minyao was!


    "Rx. It can''t hear us, but it can sense where we are at the moment." Shen Minyao let out a devilishugh, seeing Mu Qing''s annoyed expression. It was really amusing to see him acting annoyed like this after all the things he did and said during their past encounters.


    "Can''t you be serious? Shen Minyao, this isn''t the time to joke around." He red fiercely at her. He didn''t want to admit it, but the two of them had a better understanding when it came to dealing with their enemies¡­ although this demoness'' attitude could be infuriating most of the time.


    "In case you are forgetting, I''m a demon. We love seeing others in misery." Shen Minyao shed her fang towards him in a cocky smile.


    "Ha. Thank you for reminding me, Shen Minyao. I will make sure not to forget it." Mu Qing huffed and moved past ahead of her, his toneced with irritation towards the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao shook her head and followed him, but the smile on her face fell once she saw what was about to hit them.


    "Mu Qing, stop!" She yelled, but it was toote.. The blind grim reaper was wrapped with ck spider threads in an instant.

 Chapter 68 - Can’t You Be Serious? (2)

    "What?!" The grim reaper was surprised when an invisible force hit him, constricting his torso tightly while forbidding him to use his sword to break free. He struggled to loosen the hold, but even with his remarkable strength as a grim reaper, he couldn''t escape from his constraints.


    "What''s happening? What is it?" He asked Shen Minyao whose smile wiped off from her pretty face.


    "It''s a ck spider thread this time." She informed him. It was obvious that this thread was stronger and thicker than the silver spider thread they cut earlier.


    Xiao Bai, who had been watching the interaction between the two in silence, decided to join their conversation. He''d only been away from his mistress for two weeks, but why did he feel like he missed a lot of things between the two. Since when did they be amiable to each other?


    "Lord Hell, you better not resist too much, or it would constrict tight enough to crush you." Xiao Bai''s words stopped Mu Qing from moving too much.


    "And?" Mu Qing arched a brow and red at Shen Minyao. "So what if it was a ck spider thread?"


    "Ah, I see. You don''t really don''t know much about spider demons." Shen Minyao was reminded of his questions earlier. "They can use three kinds of spider webs. The first one is the mostmon, the one we''ve seen earlier. The second one is the ck thread which is stronger than the first one. The spider demons also use this to bind their targets into puppets."


    That sounded bad in Mu Qing''s opinion if Shen Minyao put it that way. As if proving his assumption, the ck thread around him loosened its hold and attached itself to different parts of his body, forcing him to step away from Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai.


    "Crap." He hissed as he realized what was happening. The spider demon had sessfully controlled him. He couldn''t move his body at will at all! His arms and legs moved on their own, assuming a fighting stance in front of Shen Minyao.


    "Mu Qing, you fool! What were you thinking by walking ahead of me?" Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes at Mu Qing. This was why she insisted on going first earlier! If Mu Qing had remained behind her, he wouldn''t have fallen into the spider demon''s trap.


    Xiao Bai jumped from her shoulder, intending to keep himself safe. Even though he knew that the grim reaper was being manipted, one hit of his sword could injure him and Shen Minyao.


    Insidiousughter resounded from somewhere, giving away the spider demon''s proximity to the fox woman.


    "Oh? You''d rather see us kill each other than fight us yourself?" Shen Minyao snorted, which was so udylike of her. "I can''t wait to see you die as I step on your filthy body, eight-legged monkey."


    The spider demon chuckled darkly. "Why would I waste my energy fighting you when I got a better doll to defeat you, fox?"


    That caught Mu Qing''s attention. Did it say Shen Minyao was a fox? As in fox demon?


    However, weren''t the fox demons rare to find these days? There weren''t many fox demons because most of them were easily killed by humans even before they reached their first one hundred years. They were hunted and had the tendency to fail breaking through and attaining a perfect human form.


    He gave Shen Minyao a good look. If she was really a fox demon, she should have a part that was distinctly belonging to the fox demons. However, there was none. Everything about her looks and scent screamed ''human'', except when she willingly transformed into her demon form with sharp long ws and beautiful, silky white hair.


    "You speak too much, spider. Wait for me to sh your disgusting mouth myself." Shen Minyao sneered as she blocked the first assaulting from Mu Qing. He could only watch helplessly as the spider demon forced his body to move and attack Shen Minyao.


    "Lord Hell, if I identally ruined your pretty face, you wouldn''t me me, right?" The fox woman said as she used her fan to deflect the de of his sword.


    "You dare?" He red at her. There was no hope for this demoness, he thought. Shen Minyao didn''t know how to read the atmosphere between them. How could she say that so casually, while he was being manipted by that spider demon?


    "Calm down, you already lost one of your eyes. Why would I want to add more ws to your face?" She chuckled in response, forcing the grim reaper to step back from her. This proximity between them was starting to bother her. She never liked anyone getting too close to her, except her human ward.


    "I didn''t know you were concerned about me." He grumbled. "But can you please release me from these binds already? It''s starting to get painful."


    Because he was trying to fight the binds forcing him to attack Shen Minyao, the ck threads on his body were starting to dig painfully against his skin.


    "Say it like you mean it." Shen Minyaoughed and stepped to her right, dodging the de attempting to cut her head clean.


    "Shen Minyao!" The grim reaper felt like this demon was testing his patience today. Were all fox demons as irritating as her?


    Even Xiao Bai sweat-dropped because of his mistress''s attitude. She could easily free Lord Hell, but why was she wasting time fighting against him like this?


    "Aiya? You wanted to die by my hands?" The fox woman''s expression was one filled with amusement. "You should have told me earlier."


    She then unfolded her fan and swished it midair, summoning her wind des to cut the ck threads on Mu Qing''s body before her eyes shed with the brightest golden color. Bursting into a sprint, she followed the ck threads summoned back by the spider demon.


    Sensing her intention, Mu Qing and Xiao Bai followed her.

 Chapter 69 - How Unsightly You Are (1)

    The scent of the spider demon became more distinct as they reached the other end of the neurology department. The nauseating stench of rotten flesh almost made Shen Minyao scrunched her nose in disgust.


    Spider demons were one of the demons she never liked in the past¡ªand no doubt¡ªin the present and in the future. They were cowardly creatures that kept trespassing into other demon''s territories and stealing their prey.


    Even now, if she had a chance, she would rather not be here to confront a spider demon. s, she had no other choice but to dispose of it¡ªnot only to protect Zhao Yichen but also to replenish her strength by consuming its demon orb.


    Shen Minyao stopped in front of the massive doors of the operating room. Mu Qing and Xiao Bai then arrived shortly, joining her outside the room.


    "It''s here." Xiao Bai turned to his mistress, wondering if she was even strong enough to fight it. If the fox woman was at her peak, he wouldn''t have to worry about a mere spider demon daring to offend his mistress. However, with Shen Minyao''s current state, stepping inside the operating room was suicidal for the nine-tailed fox.


    "Mdy¡­" The fat white cat called Shen Minyao, but with the look on her face, it was obvious that she wouldn''t back down from this.


    Shen Minyao pushed the door open, and they were greeted by a huge mass of spider webs and threads inside. A sinisterugh echoed within the room, and their attention was then focused on the half-man, half-spider that was seated on a mass of spider silk as if it was his bed.


    His eyes were deep purple, in contrast to his long ck hair and extremely pale skin. His upper torso was that of a man; however, his limbs were that of a spider. He was looking at Shen Minyao with interest, but he scoffed when he spotted the grim reaper standing next to her.


    "How the mighty have fallen." He regarded the fox woman. "To think that I would encounter the great and infamous nine-tailed fox that led to the destruction of a kingdom several centuries ago, I should say I am pleased."


    "Unfortunately, I don''t share the same sentiment, vermin," Shen Minyao replied with a straight face.


    The spider demon cackled at her expression. "And yet, you are here, fox."


    "Begrudgingly. How unsightly you are." The fox woman furrowed her brows in annoyance.


    Meanwhile, Mu Qing looked at the demoness next to him and then at the spider demon. The two didn''t seem like they were acquainted with each other, as Shen Minyao still had that sense of aversion towards other demons.


    Unexpectedly, instead of fighting them again, the spider demon was more interested in conversing with the fox woman. This was bad in Mu Qing''s opinion¡­ because he would need to kill Shen Minyao, too, if she chose to coborate with these demons.


    "I don''t understand why you are helping a grim reaper. Fox, why don''t you join our quest instead? I know that you are bound to a human until you are able to rece your fox orb. By joining us, it would be easy for you to gain what you''ve lost in the past centuries."


    When the fox woman didn''t reply, the spider continued with his offer.


    "Don''t you want to seek revenge from those humans that sealed you? If you were to join us, you wouldn''t have to worry about where to get your next meal. Master will give you the finest humans he has to offer. Soon, this mortal realm will be ours, and the humans will have no choice but to sumb to our will!"


    Shen Minyao remained silent throughout the spider demon''s bbering. If she only had her magical sword with her, she would have shed this monster''s filthy mouth already.


    How irritating! Who was he to tell her what to do with her life? To serve another demon? Ha! He must be joking, for this fox demon wouldn''t yield to anyone¡ªnot even to the deities above.


    "You dare to look down on me, spider? You must be really seeking death to offend me this time," she said with annoyance.


    Mu Qing sighed inwardly, thinking that he wouldn''t have to face and kill Shen Minyao. Although they only knew each other for a while now, the fox woman wasn''t someone he would willingly kill¡ªnot unless she started to pose a threat to humanity.


    The spider demon burst intoughter upon hearing Shen Minyao''s reply.


    "Fox, you don''t know what you are missing." The spider then snorted.


    "I''m not interested in your quest for world domination. You are asking the wrong person here."


    Just looking at this spider demon''s face was enough for Shen Minyao to realize that more humans would die if he was telling her the truth. This also proved her suspicion that the birth of the wraith, the appearance of the mirror demon at their school, and this spider demon''s invasion were all part of the intricate n of another demon.


    Just what was happening in Jiang City and nearby areas? It wasn''t normal for demons to make such appearances and activities that could tip the bnce between them and the humans.


    "Then, you leave me no other choice, fox. You have to die here by my own hands, but do not worry¡­ I would make sure that your human contractor would follow you shortly once I retrieve your fox orb from his body." The spider demonughed again.


    Why was it that whenever heughed, it only made Shen Minyao hate him more? Perhaps because his face was as bad as his scent. It was revolting to look at.


    "You want to kill me? Ha! Do you have the ability to do so?" The fox woman responded arrogantly.


    As if enraged by her belittling, the spider demon attacked them at once¡ªwith his threads that were as sharp as a de and strong as steel.

 Chapter 70 - How Unsightly You Are (2)

    It was hard for Shen Minyao and Mu Qing to avoid the threads as they wereing from all sides. Using his sword and her fan, they cut the threads with difficulty. The sound of shing filled the room as they attempted to get close to the spider demon.


    Shen Minyao was annoyed that they were being trapped inside with very little room for movement. Because of this, she destroyed the opposite wall and ran outside, with the grim reaper tailing her.


    "What are you doing? You''ll attract more attention from humans!" Mu Qing chided her, but she ignored him.


    The important thing right now was for them to subdue the spider demon, so she would be able to extract its demon core. Curse the humans! She would have to just kill them on the spot and devour their livers if they dared to interfere with their fight.


    If only she had enough energy to cast a spell to keep humans froming here. Anyway, she and Mu Qing were currently invisible, and there weren''t many humans that had the ability to see demons and ghosts.


    "Forget it. That isn''t the time for that," she said before sprinting forward and charged towards the spider demon on her own, but it was hard even for her to get close to it. It seemed like it knew what she was nning to do; hence, it kept on creating distance between them.


    Shen Minyao knew that her energy was limited, and they needed to defeat the spider demon as soon as possible. The more she wasted time here, the faster her spiritual energy dwindled. She needed to figure out the spider''s weak point, so she and Mu Qing could destroy it at once.


    Well, usually that weak point was where its demon orb was located. It was why most demons protect it with their lives. A severed part of their flesh or their body could be regenerated, but they would die once their orb was forcibly taken from them.


    "Lord Hell, in exchange for helping you eradicate this filthy thing, I want you to repay me," she spoke when she was pushed back by the spider demon once again as it emerged from the hole she created in the wall.


    "Shen Minyao, don''t go overboard." Mu Qing shot her a fierce re. "Don''t tell me you only agreed toe here to feed?"


    The fox woman snorted and rolled her eyes. "Why would I be here if not because of that?"


    More than anything, it was most important for her to recover her strength as soon as possible. She wouldn''t have to worry about pests like this spider demon popping out of nowhere or hiding from the Li shamans, only if she was strong enough to protect herself and Zhao Yichen.


    "Don''t make the asking price outrageously high. What do you want in return, then?" He furrowed his brows, his eyes never leaving the demon that followed them outside.


    "What nonsense are you talking about? I just want to eat, so you have to feed me well tonight."


    Sighing to himself, Mu Qing supposed that he could not deny what the fox woman said. He knew how dangerous it was for Shen Minyao to be here.


    "Alright. Alright. They are correct. Women are really so troublesome." There was no way he could have thest word against this conniving fox demon.


    Mu Qing felt that things were starting to get out of hand. Shen Minyao and the spider demon fought and disregarded the damage they were doing to the hospital. While all the humans had either dropped dead or unconscious, there were still humans outside that could notice what was happening here.


    Explosion sounds filled the area as Shen Minyao and the spider demon attacked each other, with the fox woman testing to hit several parts of the demon''s body¡ªin an attempt to find its weak spot. Mu Qing remained calm and activated his spiritual mapping ability to locate the demon orb they were looking for.


    As long as Shen Minyao was able to pull it out and consume it, the spider demon should start to perish on its own. His eyes shed with a red color like a sparkling pair of rubies, and he was able to see the spiritual flow within the demon''s body. It was only then he realized where the demonic energy wasing from.


    ''It''s in his abdomen, Shen Minyao!'' He telepathicallymunicated to the fox woman, much to Shen Minyao''s shock.


    She stood frozen on one side and stared at him with wide eyes. She had never thought that grim reapers like Mu Qing had this kind of ability. She thought they were just some good-looking dudes who were unlucky to be punished by the heavens, forcing them to be redeemed for the sins they did in their past lives.


    ''I guess I truly don''t know much about grim reapers after all,'' she thought.


    ''What? You think only demons and humans can do telepathy?''


    Shen Minyao shook her head and avoided strings of sharp spider threadsing towards her. Since Mu Qing told her that it was in its abdomen, she needed to catch it off-guard and slice the delicate part under its torso.


    How would she be able to sh it open? She needed to find a perfect time to sneak an attack, but even Mu Qing was having a hard time getting close as the spider demon summoned some humans from the hospital to block their way.


    Mu Qing tried to fend off the humans by himself, while Shen Minyao used her spatial ability to know the best path to avoid the obstacles to reach her target. The fox woman surged forward, avoiding the humans that dared to attack her, but the moment she was about to stab the spider demon, something came from behind her and went through her abdomen.


    The next thing Shen Minyao heard was Mu Qing shouting her name from the distance.

 Chapter 71 - Die, Vermin (1)

    The scent of blood filled the fox woman''s nostrils. What had just happened? Why was that arrogant grim reaper calling out her name? Couldn''t he see she was quite busy here?


    Only when she felt something left her body did Shen Minyao realize that it was her own blood. The red liquid seeped out and stained her blouse. She was impaled by the spider demon, using its strongest tinum-colored spider threads.


    Her eyes widened in shock, not expecting that the spider demon was able to injure her even before she couldnd a heavy blow to extract its demon orb. Shen Minyao then saw a long clump of spider threads that was dripping with her human blood. She was soon forcibly thrown away by the spider demon, his face contorted with a vicious smile.


    Suddenly, her eyes shed red. Her long hair, which turned silvery-white, fluttered behind her back as rage consumed her. With her earlier ns forgotten, the only thing the fox woman had in her mind was to kill the spider.


    "You dare?" Shen Minyao sneered, her fangs elongating inside her mouth. Her whole appearance morphed into her demon form, but the difference this time was that she let her nine tails out and several demon marks resurfaced on her face, arms, and legs.


    She was obviously agitated by a sneak attack she received from the other demon as if her pride had been trampled.


    "What''s happening?" Mu Qing asked Xiao Bai. "Should we stop her?"


    The fox woman and the spider demon already left huge damage in the hospital, and it wouldn''t be easy to hide it from the humans that would no doubt try to find out what happened hereter.


    Xiao Bai watched his mistress from a safe distance. Because the spider demon didn''t consider him as a threat, its human dolls ignored him and didn''t attack him. What the demon didn''t realize was that for every human that the grim reaper freed from its maniption, Xiao Bai cast a spell to forbid the spider threads from clinging to them again.


    "Uhh, I don''t think we should. Unless you want her to inflict pain upon you," he replied, knowing the implication of his mistress''s sudden change.


    The fox woman was a very conceited and prideful creature, so it was only natural that she was offended that the spider demon managed to injure her. Ah, she must be really angry right now. Xiao Bai thought. He rarely saw his mistress annoyed and angry, but he had learned a long time ago not to stop her whenever she was like this.


    Shen Minyao pounced forward, intending to dig her sharp ws at the demon that dared to hurt her. She didn''t dare to dodge the spider threads that wereing her way, only to use her fan and ws to disintegrate it instead.


    Sensing the sudden change in the fox woman''s demeanor, the spider demon felt a murderous auraing from her. His instincts were telling him to back off as soon as possible, but it was toote for him to do so. zing fox fire started to spread and burn his spider threads, turning them into ashes.


    "Lord Hell, you must hurry and release the humans from the threads!" Xiao Bai called after the grim reaper. "Their souls would perish, and they would never be able to be reborn if they were burned by the fox fire."


    Mu Qing''s lips were pressed into a thin line. He sought Shen Minyao''s help to kill the spider demon, not to make more problems that he needed to patch upter. At the rate she was going against the spider demon, not only would she put the humans in danger, but she might also leave traces of paranormal activity that would surely garner unwanted attention.


    With no other choice left, he hurriedly freed the humans with Xiao Bai''s help, while Shen Minyao continued her incessant attacks on the spider demon. This time, she was faster, giving the spider demon a hard time avoiding the spiritual energy that shed his threads. One particr sh hit one of his legs, rendering him immobile for a moment.


    Shouldn''t the fox demon be weak by now? He grew frustrated. Then, why was she able to corner him like this?


    The spider demon was aware that this demoness was still in her weakened state. When he heard the rumors about the legendary fox that escape her hundred-year-old seal in Qingqiu Mountain recently, he thought that he would be able to use the severely injured fox woman to raise his position and please his master.


    Su Daji should be considerably weakened by her long confinement, and her strength should beparable to a mid-rank demon. So why¡­ why couldn''t he deflect the fox demoness''s attacks this time? He was so overwhelmed by her strength that she was able to cut several of his legs.


    It looked like the fox woman had disregarded her logical mind in favor of killing him. Between the two of them, she looked more like a true demon right now. She was able to push him back using her inhuman strength that exceeded even his.


    If she was strong like this at her weakened state, just how formidable would she be if she was at her peak?


    The spider demon vomited blood as Shen Minyao pierced his chest with her sharp w. Her red eyes were not showing any signs that she would stop this torture she started to inflict on him.


    "What? I thought you said you would kill me." Shen Minyao punched him straight in his face with a murderous glimmer in her eyes.


    "You already wasted enough of my time. Now, die!" She said before using her nine tails to stab his vital points.


    How dare this vermin look down on her? He must be tired of living!


    As the blood stained her pristine white tails, one of them retrieved the demon orb it dug from its abdomen.

 Chapter 72 - Die, Vermin (2)

    The spider demon witnessed his demon orb being taken away by the fox woman, failing to notice that Mu Qing managed to decapitate him from behind. Only when his head rolled onto the ground did he realize what had just happened.


    Where did he go wrong? He wondered. This wasn''t supposed to happen. He should be able to ovee the fox demon, eat her liver, and retrieve its fox orb for his masteer.


    ''I¡­ I lost?'' He thought in disbelief. He purposely lured her here back at the hospital to consume her liver and retrieve her fox orb. So how did he end up being killed by her instead?


    If he hadn''t underestimated Su Daji and decided to keep the news of the escaped nine-tailed fox from his master, none of these would happen.


    Impossible! Really impossible! Su Daji shouldn''t be able to defeat him like this, given how weak her spiritual presence was right now. Just as soon as she tapped on her meager spiritual energy, she went berserk and didn''t give him a single chance to retaliate at all.


    However, it couldn''t be helped now. The spider demon could only watch as Shen Minyao devoured the demon orb she fished out from him before his body disintegrated into nothingness.


    Shen Minyao didn''t waste any more time. She took the demon orb in her mouth and swallowed it whole. Although she didn''t like its disgusting scent, there''s nothing she could do about it.


    Even if she had devoured the orb of the mirror demon a week ago, it wasn''t enough to satiate her hunger. More. She needed more. Shen Minyao was half-tempted to eat the humans around her, but with Mu Qing next to her, it was better for her to not make an enemy out of him.


    As the demon orb settled inside her body, Shen Minyao felt its energy spreading throughout her veins. However, along with it, the scorching sensation of pain as if she was being on fire spread throughout every cell in her body.


    She dropped to her knees and screamed in pain as she curled on the ground, writhing in pain. Red veins appeared almost in patches on her jade-like skin as the foreign demonic energy vigorously mixed with hers.


    Mu Qing and Xiao Bai could only watch her helplessly on the side. Neither of them wasn''t sure what to do while seeing her in this condition.


    "Is this normal?" The grim reaper was slightly disturbed, seeing Shen Minyao like this. He only knew that it was already a norm for powerful demons to devour the lesser ones.


    "It''s normal. Because mdy is considerably weaker than the spider demon, she will need to get used to the overwhelming energy she consumed. She won''t have to suffer like this if she has consumed a lower demon," the white cat exined.


    It took several minutes before Shen Minyao''s body calmed down and stopped writhing in pain. As she forced herself back to her feet, her appearance slowly returned to her human form, butsteam and heat were emanating from her body.


    Shen Minyao didn''t suffer like this when she consumed the mirror demon before because it was weaker than her current state, but it couldn''t be said for the spider demon.


    She was only able to defeat it because she had more experience in fighting than this spider demon that was only two hundred years old. It didn''t matter if it was physically stronger than her because she would be able to exploit its weakness during their fight.


    "Mdy, you''re now reached the lower mid-rank," Xiao Bai told her.


    Shen Minyao opened her palm and could feel her energy surging, confirming what her guardian had just said. The injury that the spider demon inflicted on her closed the moment her body absorbed the demon orb, making use of its power to heal.


    "We''ve already killed the demon as nned. Is there something else you need?" She asked Mu Qing, simply ignoring the fact that the grim reaper had just seen her in apromising state.


    The grim reaper sighed and scratched his head. Indeed, they were able to dispose of the spider demon, but it cost them several human lives this time.


    "You two should leave. The other grim reapers would be here soon to collect the souls of the dead humans. We would tamper with the memories of the surviving humans and make it look like there was a fire here," he informed the fox woman.


    Thinking about what the spider demon said earlier, did this mean that the demon that possessed Shen Minyao''s dead body was the same infamous fox demon that was sealed at Qingqiu Mountain?


    He would hate to face Shen Minyao as an enemy, but if the spiritual realm deemed her as a threat to humanity, Mu Qing knew he would have no other choice but to follow their orders¡­ even if they ask him to kill the fox woman.


    "I see." The fox woman nodded and picked up her fan that fell on the ground. "Xiao Bai, we''re going."


    Xiao Bai didn''t waste time and jumped back on her shoulder and then left the ce without bidding goodbye to Mu Qing.


    "Demons. So prideful, so annoying," the grim reaper muttered to himself before casting a spell over the hospital, waking the humans one by one, and altering their memories of what had just transpired here.


    As expected, Shen Minyao didn''t care about the aftermath of her berserk earlier, leaving Mu Qing to clean up the mess she left in her wake.


    He then put the whole neurology department on fire, burning the evidence he and Shen Minyao left during their confrontation with the spider demon. However, he knew well that he wouldn''t be able to eliminate some of it, and some humans would still be able to sense the lingering paranormal activity that happened here.


    Just what he had said earlier, the other grim reaper dressed in ck suits and pants¡ªin contrast with his ck robes¡ªarrived and collected the souls of the departed ones.

 Chapter 73 - Die, Vermin (3)

    Shen Minyao hurriedly went back to where she left her human contractor. She didn''t forget that Zhao Yichen was moved ever since he woke up from hisa. Once she arrived, she found that his bodyguards were busy discussing over the phone. When they both saw Shen Minyao in bloodied clothes, they stared at her in shock.


    "Miss Shen?! You are still here? We thought you already left," one of them asked, checking if she had sustained a grave injury, given the amount of blood that drenched her clothes.


    They sighed in relief, seeing that she wasn''t hurt anywhere. They both knew they would be in trouble if the Shen family found out their first miss had been injured under their watch, especially when neither of them escorted Shen Minyao out to make sure that she would leave the hospital safely.


    "I was about to leave, but I was caught up with the explosion," the fox woman lied as she acted like a weak and fragile young miss in front of them. "Thankfully, I wasn''t hit with the st. I struggled toe back to check on Young Master Zhao. Is he alright?"


    "Don''t worry, Miss Shen. We were notified that there was a fire at the other side of the hospital, and they were already working hard to extinguish it," the man replied and then paused, "Please, Miss Shen, allow me to drive you home. It would be dangerous for you if you stay here."


    The fox woman considered her options, and she decided that it would be best to leave the scene to lessen the chances of being caught by the Li shamans or other exorcists.


    "Alright, but please allow me to bid goodbye to Young Master Zhao first," she requested, which was easily epted by Zhao Yichen''s bodyguards.


    "Mdy! You are back!" Yu Yan was deeply pleased to see that her mistress was able toe back safely.


    "Shen Minyao, you really did it?" Zhao Yichen asked. His eyes then caught the massive stain of blood on her clothes. "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    He had been worried sick of her earlier, given how eerie the ce became after she stepped out of his hospital room. Because of the fox orb that was in his body, Zhao Yichen''s spiritual perception around him had risen and made him more sensitive to the changes in his surroundings.


    He had never thought he would be able to sense how strong the spider demon and Shen Minyao were from where he was, considering they were both on the other end of the hospital''s premises.


    "I''m fine. Nothing to worry about, but I need to leave with Xiao Bai as soon as possible. Would you be fine being left in Yu Yan''spany? I needed to wait and allow the issue to cool off before I see you again." Shen Minyao asked him, giving him a nonchnt stare that meant that he had no other choice but to agree with her.


    "Will you be gone for too long?" Zhao Yichen asked in return, which made the fox woman chuckle lowly from his response.


    "Heh. I didn''t know you are such a scaredy cat? Don''t worry. With Yu Yan around, none of those exorcists would be able to find you." She assured him.


    Shen Minyao should have known that humans tended to be clingy when it came to their survival.


    Zhao Yichen smiled at the ck cat and patted its head. He had to admit that he came to like Yu Yan''spany these days.


    "I guess you are stuck with me again, huh."


    "This is just temporary. Just in case someone investigates here," Shen Minyao added, "We''re taking our leave then."


    She then paused as she remembered something. She went to his bedside table and scribbled her number on a piece of paper.


    "Call me if anything happens. I''ll be able to find you wherever you are, whenever you need me¡­ because you have my fox orb inside you."


    "I see. That''s very reassuring." Zhao Yichen sweat-dropped. Wasn''t that like a built-in GPS? So even if he wanted to run away from this demoness, he wouldn''t be able to do so because she would be able to locate him anywhere.


    With that, Shen Minyao allowed his bodyguard to bring her to her dormitory. She decided that it would be safer there than to cause unnecessary drama at the Shen residence if she came home at her current state.


    No doubt the Shen family would make a big deal out of it and might force her never to see the Young Master Zhao ever again.


    "Miss Shen, we''re here." The bodyguard broke her trance.


    Shen Minyao didn''t even notice that they just arrived in front of her dormitory. She thanked the man and alighted from the car, making sure to hide the bloodied part of her clothes.


    To avoid being seen by other humans, she decided to take the emergency stairs rather than the elevator. However, as she made her way up, she wasn''t able to avoid Ming Shu¡­ although she smelled the human even before Ming Shu appeared in front of her.


    Ming Shu was also surprised to meet Shen Minyao at the emergency stairs. Because she couldn''t wait for the elevator to go up, she chose to use the stairs instead. Her gaze swept to Shen Minyao''s form and saw the bloodstain in her clothes.


    She gasped and worriedly went near Shen Minyao, invading her private space to check for an injury.


    "Shen Minyao, what happened to you? Should we get to the infirmary and let the doctors check your wound?" Ming Shu asked the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao immediately removed Ming Shu''s hand from her shoulder. She really disliked being touched by any person, especially humans. "There''s no need for that, Ming Shu. I just helped someone who was injured earlier. I didn''t notice that their blood seeped into my clothes.. It''s not my blood so I''m fine."

 Chapter 74 - Curse Of A Romance Novel (1)

    The following days were filled with the news about the tragedy that befell at the city hospital. Several humans had lost their lives due to the spider demon, but they were reported as casualties of the great fire that startedter after Shen Minyao and Mu Qing managed to kill the real culprit.


    While humans were preupied with the recent events at the hospital, several ghost stories started to circte around the school. Anyway, this meant that Shen Minyao also needed to lie low as the nine-tailed fox¡­ because the shamans would be proactively searching for her no doubt.


    Because the weather today wasn''t good as it had been raining, Shen Minyao had no choice but to stay in the ssroom. She was there when Li Fei''er took a seat and sighed dejectedly during their lunchtime.


    "I wonder what just happened at the City Hospital. I have yet to fulfill my promise to Jin Qian, but the authorities have decided to close the hospital for non-visitors."


    "You better give it some time. It''s not safe at the hospital right now. You''ll be overwhelmed by the ghosts," Shen Minyao replied, her eyes glued to the screen of her phone.


    "What are you doing? You''ve been busy looking at your phone these days," Li Fei''er asked and took a peek at what''s on Shen Minyao''s screen.


    "I''m reading webnovels to kill time." Shen Minyao yawned behind her hand,zilymenting as Li Fei''er looked on. "I have enough romance webnovels. It seems like they are all following the same format."


    "And that is?" Li Fei''er blinked. She was more of a reader ofics than webnovels.


    "Support him at his lowest and watch him cheat on you at his best." The fox woman scoffed. "Please. Don''t tell me women these days are dumb like that. How people treat you depends on how you tolerate their actions."


    Li Fei''erughed awkwardly, but she couldn''t help but agree with Shen Minyao''s opinion. Most of the romance novels andics she had read so far had the same theme: a pitiful woman was being cheated on by her fiance with her sister or best friend, whom she had built up in the past. Even if the female lead delivered retribution, she was still blinded by love.


    "I guess you could say a popr trope with female readers." She paused as she remembered something. "Hey, you can''t possibly read the web novel entitled ''The CEO''s Moonlight Love'', right?"


    Shen Minyao ced down her phone and stared at Li Fei''er nkly. Couldn''t Li Fei''er tell that wasn''t her cup of tea?"


    "No," she said with disgust, "I can''t tolerate reading novels like that."


    Who would have thought the literary arts of this era had sunk so low?


    "Oh, then that''s good to hear. Actually, rumors are circting about that webnovel. Readers say it is cursed because many had fallen ill and lost their lives once they read the content of that webnovel." Li Fei''er tapped her chin, wondering if it was even possible.


    She had read several cases where a book had been cursed by its owner, but this was the first time she heard a cursed webnovel that was capable of killing its readers.


    "What about its author? Shouldn''t she be in the hot seat if that''s the case with her book?" Shen Minyao inquired curiously.


    "Well, that''s made the story weirder, Shen Minyao. Apparently, the author killed herself three months ago, and the curse started to affect her readers. It is as if she cursed her readers to die with her."


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes at that. Authors were weird humans by nature; that was why most of them felt isted from society, but for them, readers were precious and held importance in their hearts.


    It was hard to believe that a human like that would curse their readers, not unless the author felt betrayed and hurt by them. One''s passionate love could easily turn into an intense hatred anyway.


    The fox woman picked up her phone again and searched for that particr title.


    Seeing what she was doing, Li Fei''er gasped and held onto Shen Minyao''s arm.


    "No, ssmate Shen! Don''t read it!" She begged Shen Minyao.


    "Who says I''m going to read it? I only want to check the reviews and the reader''s feedback on her book." The fox woman furrowed her brows and freed herself from Li Fei''er''s hold.


    "Oh. Thank goodness." The young shaman sighed in relief. She certainly didn''t want Shen Minyao to be affected by the curse of the web-novel if it really existed. "Let me see it, too."


    As Shen Minyao scrolled at the reviews section of the book, she noticed that many readers had been attacking the author below the belt. Apparently, the said author had so many anti-fans that were attacking her maliciously online.


    ''Utter trash! Such a waste of words and space here. You should give up on writing!''


    ''Hahaha. Author, did you forget your brain somewhere? Did you leave your logic at our front door? Anyway, my friends and I have a good time dissing your book on how badly you''ve written it!''


    ''I don''t know how many times this plot has been written here, but Author, you made the plot more cliche than it already was. That''s some kind of rare talent you have there.''


    "Oh, wow. How could they be mean to the author? If they didn''t like the plot and the way it was written, they could have just moved on to another one rather than dissing the author herself!" Li Fei''er was deeply disturbed over the hateful words that were being left in the book.


    "You think they care what the author would feel? Don''t be so naive, ssmate Li. It was easy for them to say such malicious words because it made them feel good about themselves. They don''t feel the need to be ountable for what they have said online because they are hiding behind their keyboards.. Even if the author kills herself, they would only push the me to her."

 Chapter 75 - Curse Of A Romance Novel (2)

    It couldn''t be helped. The fox woman thought. As long as those readers weren''t directly affected by the curse, they could wash their hands of their sins and me the author for her untimely demise. Not that the author didn''t do wrong, but she was still at fault formitting the crime of killing herself, forbidding her soul from entering the spiritual realm and soon facing tribtion to pay for it.


    After all, killing oneself was considered a great crime in the spiritual realm, and most humans that killed themselves ended up as grim reapers until they earned redemption along with their rights to be reborn in their next life.


    As for whether the novel was indeed cursed or not, it was really hard to tell if it was merely based on testimonies. Not that it was impossible for such a curse to exist, but the important thing for a curse to get activated was for someone to fulfill the rules it set.


    It was just hard to confirm even for the nine-tailed fox whether such a curse was true or not. As long as it wouldn''t directly affect her or Li Fei''er in the future, Shen Minyao didn''t care if humans started to drop dead around them from reading a mere novel.


    Li Fei''er''s face fell. She knew that Shen Minyao was right, but she couldn''t help but feel pity for the author who had chosen to end her life rather than to ovee the difficulties she was facing. This was one of the rare times Li Fei''er hated being reminded of human greed and malice, not caring if they ruined someone in the process of making themselves feel good.


    "Anyway, it''s just a rumor. Unless the author herself left a curse on her own work, I don''t think it would pose a problem to her readers. It might have been a coincidence, and her readers have chronic illnesses before the rumors about the curse started," Shen Minyaomented before returning to the book she was reading before Li Fei''er disturbed her earlier.


    "I guess you are right." Li Fei''er sighed and rested her head on her folded arms at the table. Her mood was almost the same as the bad weather outside. Although she was already a shaman, her father and her grandfather didn''t allow her to join their investigation at the city hospital.


    They sensed an anomaly and spiritual disturbance the night the fire took ce, and her family believed that it wasn''t just a simple ident that caused several deaths of humans. There was no indication that the missing nine-tailed fox demon was involved, but there was a residue of demonic presence found at the burned neurology department.


    She wanted to join them, but her father deemed that it wasn''t safe for her at the moment and forbade her to participate. Li Fei''er supposed that her family didn''t want her to encounter the nine-tailed fox demon in fear that it would seek revenge on them.


    Anyway, her mind still went back to the cursed novel that was rumored to be killing its readers. Was it even possible? She wondered. In this modern age, were curses able to transcend into the digital space to affect others?


    Shen Minyao nced at the human in the corner of her eye and could tell that Li Fei''er was still bothered by the cursed novel. Even if it was true, neither of them had anything to do with it. The only way for the novel to stop killing humans was to end the curse¡­ either by exorcising it or letting it umte enough lives to pacify the anger of the person who made it.


    However, what made it dangerous was how easily humans could stumble on the said novel and read it. It was so easy for the curse to prey on unsuspecting humans, but the real question was¡­ did the author really curse her readers with death to get even with them?


    No. The fox woman didn''t think so. It could be that the grudge the author held wasn''t directed to her readers¡­ but to a particr person. The deaths of the readers might have to do with the influence of the curse itself.


    Hah. Shen Minyao lost her mood to continue reading and set her phone aside. The rain had poured down so hard because of a storm, which led to the suspension of their sses. Other students were in the hallways, calling their drivers and family to pick them up; while the students staying in the dormitory only needed to wait for the rain to subside before they could return to their designated rooms.


    One by one, students left the school premises, leaving a couple of students waiting for the rides at the school entrance. Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er left their ssroom, intending to take their leave, too. However, their attention was taken by a young woman¡ªa schoolmate of theirs¡ªin the hallway, asking another person weird questions. What made the fox woman curious was the man standing next to that young woman.


    He was certainly not a student of their school, given the way he was dressed in ck attire. Everything he was wearing was ck, and if Shen Minyao wasn''t a demon with a keen sense of smell, she could have mistaken him for a grim reaper like Mu Qing.


    The said man turned his head, and their eyes met. His eyes narrowed at her image and looked at her menacingly as if she had just murdered his whole family. The young woman¡ªwho noticed the change in his mood¡ªstopped asking questions and followed his gaze, only to find Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er staring at them suspiciously.


    She was taken aback as if they were caught red-handed by asking questions around.


    "Ah¡­ I¡­ We¡­" the young woman stuttered, wanting to clear the misunderstanding and awkwardness around them.


    "You don''t have to be bothered, Lu Anqi." The man cut her off.. "We are just doing our job."

 Chapter 76 - Curse Of A Romance Novel (3)

    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow at that, but she didn''t utter any word in response. She didn''t have the time to poke on someone else''s business. However, the same couldn''t be said about Li Fei''er who had just heard the question of the young woman called Lu Anqi to their schoolmate.


    Apparently, a student from the sophomore year hadmitted suicide, and Lu Anqi and the unknown man wanted to know what the dead girl was doing before she died.


    "Someone took their life?" Li Fei''er asked and then covered her mouth in shock. "I''m so sorry! We didn''t mean to overhear your conversation!" She blurted out once she realized her mistake. It wasn''t her ce to get involved in someone''s business, but her attention was piqued upon overhearing Lu Anqi''s questions.


    "ssmate Shen, you must also apologize." She nudged the fox woman, but Shen Minyao scoffed.


    "Why do I have to apologize to these psychics? I didn''t know our school''s security was socking that they allowed strangers toe and go as they pleased." Shen Minyao flipped her hair to her back and looked nonchntly at the pair in front of her.


    "Oh, no. I''m not a psychic! I''m merely just an assistant to Mr. Jiang." Lu Anqi waved both of her hands and gave the man apanying her a pleading look, telling him to help her exin.


    "Oh?" The fox woman blinked at Lu Anqi''s response, and then her eyes shifted back to the man standing next to Lu Anqi.


    Through his gaze, Shen Minyao had the gist of the situation between the two. It seemed that the young woman hadn''t realized that she had hertent ESP, unlike Zhao Yichen who was still denying his ability to see demons and ghosts alike. If he hadn''t been attuned to the supernatural things around him, Zhao Yichen wouldn''t be able to wake her up from her deep slumber and enter a contract with her a few weeks ago.


    Ah, how irritating. If he was concerned about his little assistant, then he should give better training to her, not attract the spirits wherever she went. Didn''t he know how dangerous it would be for hispanion if she didn''t know how to control her ability?


    Lu Anqi would be targeted by the spirits roaming around, regardless of whether they were good or not. It would do no good if he kept her ability a secret from her for too long, or else her life would face greater danger.


    "Are you psychics as well? Howe I never heard there''s a psychic in our school?" Lu Anqi asked Li Fei''er awkwardly.


    "Because you keep missing school, dimwit," the man next to her answered with a scoff, "I told you to finish high school first before joining our team."


    "Hey! You don''t have to tell me that in front of everyone!" Lu Anqi scolded him. It wasn''t her fault that she found ghost-hunting more exciting than doing her school work. This was one of the rare times Lu Anqi couldn''t wait to graduate from high school, so she could focus on work along with Jiang Chen.


    "Oh, we are not psychics," Li Fei''er finally answered and then nced at Shen Minyao. Her ssmate still refused to tell her what her ssmate was ever since she questioned Shen Minyao about it before, so she had no idea about Shen Minyao''s real identity yet.


    "I''m Li Fei''er, and this is my friend, Shen Minyao. I''m a shaman, and I do exorcism rituals and divination to clear some areas infested with demons and ghosts," she introduced themselves.


    "Are you really disclosing such a secret to these two?" Shen Minyao asked her in disbelief, "What if they weren''t real psychics and scammers instead? What would you do?"


    Li Fei''er only nodded and smiled at the fox woman. Shen Minyao might pretend she didn''t care, but Li Fei''er knew that her ssmate would never let here close to danger. Despite Shen Minyao''s harsh words and tone, she was just looking out for Li Fei''er.


    "I don''t think so. ssmate Shen would have pulled me out from here if you deemed them dangerous. If they were scammers, you would have kicked them out on the spot," she said confidently, leaving the fox woman speechless. To think that Little Jiu''s current incarnation was still bound to her, trusting her like this¡­


    "Are you really a psychic?" The girl talking with Lu Anqi earlier asked the man in ck. She then said almost pleadingly, "Then, could you really help me find out why Ranran killed herself?"


    "En." He nodded and then responded, "Liang Sisi, it would be better if you could cooperate with us to find the truth about your friend''s death and clear the rumors of the so-called cursed webnovel."


    "Wait. Are you talking about the author of the cursed webnovel, Yu Lai?" Li Fei''er couldn''t believe the author could have been her schoolmate¡­ if only Yu Lai didn''t kill herself three months ago.


    "Ah, so you already heard about those rumors?" Lu Anqi then turned to Li Fei''er. "I''m actually quite surprised that she was a student here."


    "Soon, others woulde here to question you about Bai Xinran''s death." Jiang Chen reminded her. "Although we don''t know what caused her readers'' deaths, there''s no denying that the instances started following her death."


    Liang Sisi chewed her lower lip and fiddled the hem of her blouse. The death of Bai Xinran had shocked not only her but also those who were close to the Bai family. Although Bai Xinran preferred being on her own and had suicidal thoughts once in a while, ever since she started writing her books online, her mood had considerably grown better.


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao rubbed her head. She never thought that that cursed webnovel would somehow be able to find her and Li Fei''er to get involved with the case.. Just when she thought she would be able to get a short break after all the ruckus she faced earlier.

 Chapter 77 - Scent Of Betrayal (1)

    Since the sses had been suspended and most of the students had returned home, the group of four had the floor for themselves, letting them talk to Liang Sisi. Bai Xinran''s sudden death was about three months ago, but it seemed to be still connected to the ongoing rumors about her book being cursed over the inte.


    They decided to conduct the interview inside the vacated homeroom of Liang Sisi. Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er sat in front of Liang Sisi, while Shen Minyao leaned at the windowsill, watching the raindrop flow down the ss window panels outside.


    Although she appeared nonchnt, her senses were attuned to listen to the conversation of the surrounding humans. She was once again drinking her favorite strawberry yogurt drink that she bought earlier before they met Lu Anqi and Jiang Chen.


    "Can you tell us everything from the start? How did Miss Bai end up writing novels online, and what was she like before?" Lu Anqi asked once she pressed the button on her phone to start filming Liang Sisi. The video only showed Liang Sisi, but Lu Anqi''s voice could also be heard from it.


    Liang Sisi fidgeted in her seat and nced at Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er before lowering her misty eyes as she recalled what her friend was like before her death.


    "Ranran had been living on her own ever since her parents went on separate ways," Liang Sisi started, "Actually, she recently found out that the marriage between her parents was null and invalid because her father had married another woman even before he met Ranran''s mother."


    "You said she was living alone." Lu Anqi asked. "Did she hate her parents because of it?"


    Liang Sisi nodded. "En. Her mother bought her own ce, and she''d been living there on her own. She also received monthly allowances from both of her parents, but she refused to meet any of them, no matter how much Auntie begged her to allow her to exin.


    "Apparently, her mother found out about the first wife a bit earlier, but she never disclosed it to Ranran. Ranran took it as betrayal and decided to cut off ties with her parents, never talking to them again. You see, Ranran loved them very much and was proud of having such loving parents¡­ until her perfect world was shattered by their lies.


    "Since then, Ranran''s attitude has changed. We knew each other for over eight years now, but it was the first time I saw her dejected and hopeless at the same time. I was afraid that she would continue to iste herself from everyone, and her depression would get the best of her. However, a few monthster, she came to me with a wide smile, telling me she had just started writing a book, and it was garnering positive feedback from its readers."


    "She must be really thrilled and happy by then." Li Fei''ermented, which Liang Sisi easily agreed to.


    "En. I''ve never seen her happy like that. I know Ranran loved to write short stories when we were younger, and when her book started to get recognized over the inte, I was happy that I was able to see her happy again¡­ after all that she went through," Liang Sisi said with sadness in her tone. She sniffed and wiped her tears dry, forcing herself to focus on the interview.


    "She wasn''t making money with her book at first, but it wasn''t what motivated her to write anyway. She loved whenever her readers leavements on her book, telling her they enjoyed reading it and how they couldn''t wait to read more. Ranran then made sure she would be able to write every day once she got home from school. Her early days were filled with happiness, but she suddenly fell back into depression when she was diagnosed to have leukemia."


    "Leukemia?" Lu Anqi gasped. "Did everyone know she was sick?"


    This time, Liang Sisi couldn''t stop her tears from flowing.


    "I was with her when she got checked at the hospital. I convinced Ranran to get checked because she said she''d been getting a lot of nosebleeds and getting easily bruised. Ranran also felt pain in her bones and joints, so I insisted that we should go to the hospital a week after her eighteenth birthday to make sure nothing''s wrong with her. However, the doctor said that her chances of survival were quite low, that her body was deteriorating fast. After that, I convinced her to tell her mother at least¡­ because I know Auntie had been worried sick about her, but Auntie''s busy work schedule forbade her to be at Ranran''s side."


    "Do you think that''s the reason why she killed herself?" Jiang Chen decided to join the questioning.


    Liang Sisi hesitantly shook her head, not sure if that was enough reason for Bai Xinran to kill herself. She knew that Bai Xinran was upset about her sickness, but Liang Sisi didn''t think it was enough reason for her to kill herself.


    "No, I don''t think so. I think things started to get out of control when she had a bad argument with her fellow authors online, and then harshments massively flooded her novelter on. I think that what had pushed Ranran to kill herself, but I don''t believe one bit¡­ that her writing was cursed. Ranran would never hate her readers, no matter how mean they became towards her."


    "It''s not even her readers that were soiling her novel." Shen Minyao''sment surprised not only Lu Anqi but Li Fei''er as well. "It''s more like a water army was sent her way to bash her. It''s amon thing over the inte. Even the top-ranking novels are rumored to be boosted by a water army to gain poprity among real readers."


    Ah, how could she not know of it? Since a demon like her didn''t need to sleep, where else would she spend her sleepless nights but to study how humans became these days.

 Chapter 78 - Scent Of Betrayal (2)

    "I suppose you are right. That makes so much sense to me now," Liang Sisi said, "I wonder if Ranran knew about it."


    "Then, about the curse¡­" Li Fei''er brought the issue up once more. If Liang Sisi believed that it wasn''t Bai Xinran who cursed her writing, would that mean the curse itself was just a rumor maliciously spreading around to nder her and her novel?


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if it''s also fake. There must be someone pulling the strings behind to nder her name and keep the readers from supporting her work," Shen Minyao replied.


    "But that''s terrible! Why would they do that?" Liang Sisi eximed. "Our Ranran is already gone, and yet they wouldn''t stop bullying her even after her death? She doesn''t deserve it! She didn''t do anything wrong but write her book!"


    Liang Sisi was visibly upset by now, prompting Lu Anqi to stop the recording as thetter started to cry, covering her face with both hands. However, something in the way she cried and smelled made Shen Minyao look at her suspiciously. She certainly knew something that she refused to disclose with them.


    Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi helped Liang Sisi calm down, and Jiang Chen took this chance to saunter towards Shen Minyao.


    "What do you think?" He asked curiously.


    Shen Minyao gave him a pointed look and threw the empty carton of her strawberry yogurt drink at a nearby trash bin.


    "Why are you asking me? Aren''t you the paranormal investigator here?" She cackled with amusement.


    "En, and I''m also someone surprised to see a demon parading herself as a human in this school. What are you doing here anyway?" Jiang Chen buried his hands in his side pockets and looked at her suspiciously.


    "Oh, my. You''re good, Little One." Shen Minyao smirked and rubbed her chin, giving Jiang Chen a good look. She had to give credit to Jiang Chen for being able to sense her faint demonic energy that even the shaman standing next to her couldn''t sense. "You are able to tell what I am from a single look, and yet Li Fei''er refused to believe me when I told her I''m a demon."


    "Miss Li probably hasn''t mastered her ability to distinguish spiritual energies around her," Jiang Chen replied, his eyes returning to the three women.


    "So¡­ what do you think of her statement?" He asked her once again.


    "Why are you insisting that I even know the answer to that question?" The fox woman retorted back.


    "I''m under the impression that demons can tell when a creature in front of them is lying or not. So I want to know if Miss Liang was lying on her earlier statement," he replied.


    "So you don''t believe her words, huh? Smart human." The fox womanughed behind her hand.


    "You can say it''s my intuition telling me that Miss Liang is hiding something." Jiang Chen shrugged. There was no point in lying in front of a demon like Shen Minyao. She could easily tell if he was up to no good, and he''d rather not offend the demoness next to him, in fear that Lu Anqi would be hurt in the process.


    "Rx, Mr. Jiang. I have no intention of devouring your little assistant''s liver. In fact, yours would be much more enticing to eat than hers." Shen Minyao grinned at him as if she knew what was going on in his mind.


    Jiang Chen stiffened at that and red at Shen Minyao. It was really his bad luck to have an unfortunate chance meeting with this demoness at a ce like this.


    "What? Are you scared now? Wanna try to see if you can exorcise me?" She taunted him.


    "Unfortunately, I have no time for that, Miss Shen," he spoke in defense, "I merely asked your opinion because you would have known whether Miss Liang was lying or not."


    What exorcise? In his current state, Jiang Chen knew he wouldn''t be able to beat this demoness. If it wasn''t for his sensitive perception ability as a paranormal investigator, he wouldn''t be able to tell that his young woman in front of them wasn''t a human.


    Also, aside from eating infants'', priests'', and shrine maidens'' livers; it was said that the demons also like to feast on humans who were able to unlock their sixth sense.


    "She wasn''t lying when she said that Bai Xinran was sick, but her scent changed the moment I mentioned the water army that attacked her friend." Shen Minyao decided to answer his question, her eyes paying attention to Liang Sisi''s pitiful look.


    "What kind of scent was it?" Jiang Chen knew that Shen Minyao wouldn''t fail to notice it.


    "Liang Sisi''s scent changed at the same time as her outburst earlier. In fact, her scent was weird from the beginning. Although she was telling us the truth, she was purposely leaving some details. There''s something else that she isn''t telling us."


    "I''ve noticed it, too, but it''s better not to jump to conclusions." Jiang Chen agreed with Shen Minyao''s observation. "I''m not sure if Bai Xinran''s spirit is still at the ce where shemitted suicide, but she''s the only one who could give us some answers."


    Actually, the moment he and Lu Anqi asked Liang Sisi about her knowledge about Bai Xinran''s identity as Yu Lai, Jiang Chen already found her suspicious. There was something about the way her eyes felt off whenever she spoke of her dead friend. At one instance, he could almost swear that he''d seen Liang Sisi''s lips curled up as she tried to cover her face with both hands earlier.


    That wasn''t the kind of friend that truly cared about someone. His suspicion was only cemented when he heard Shen Minyao''s opinion.


    "Well, you better see and check if her spirit hasn''t turned into a malevolent spirit then," Shen Minyao suggested, "Be very careful if I were you; your little assistant isn''t strong enough yet."

 Chapter 79 - Like What You Used To Call Me (1)

    Shen Minyao thought that she would be able to return to her dormitory room and spend the rest of her day reading webnovels in peace. How did she end up at the backseat of Jiang Chen''s car, with Li Fei''er seated next to her?


    With Jiang Chen working as a paranormal investigator, Shen Minyao had the inkling that he was loaded with money at a young age. She had seen the high-tech devices he and Lu Anqi were using earlier. It seemed Jiang Chen was a reliable psychic, unlike those wannabes Shen Minyao had seen in the mainstream media.


    The heavy rain had finally ceased, but everywhere the fox woman looked were soaking wet. As Jiang Chen pulled the car up at a stop in the parking lot of an apartmentplex, she briefly wondered why she even agreed to apany the three for an ocr inspection of Bai Xinran''s apartment.


    As she alighted from the car with the rest of the humans, Xiao Bai rested on her shoulder again while looking around. This time, Li Fei''er couldn''t stop herself from questioning the fox woman.


    "ssmate Shen, I''ve been meaning to ask. Is that your familiar?" Li Fei''er pointed towards the fat white cat.


    Shen Minyao raised a brow and lifted her hand to touch Xiao Bai''s head.


    "Oh? You can see me now, Young Lady?" Xiao Baimented, which made Li Fei''er gasped in surprise.


    "Ah! It could speak human tongue!" She eximed, garnering the attention of both Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi.


    "Is there something wrong, Miss Li?" Lu Anqi asked.


    "You can''t see ssmate Shen''s familiar?" Li Fei''er asked in return.


    Lu Anqi shook her head and turned to look at her partner. "Can you see it, Mr. Jiang?"


    If Li Fei''er could see it, it''s possible that Jiang Chen had already seen it.


    Jiang Chen gave Shen Minyao a questioning look, but the fox woman only shrugged. A demon having a familiar? Actually, it wasn''t unheard of. Some high-ranking demons had lesser demons to serve them, but Shen Minyao''s familiar wasn''t even a demon. It was a mythical creature.


    How did this demoness manage to get a mythical creature as her familiar? The more Jiang Chen thought about Shen Minyao, the more questions arose in his mind.


    "You mean the white fatty cat on her shoulder? I saw it the moment we met them," he responded. Of course, he had seen it. Shen Minyao probably allowed the white cat to follow her anywhere because normal humans wouldn''t be able to see it.


    "What? A white fatty cat?! I wanna see it, too!" Lu Anqi, who loved collecting cute items, turned her eyes into slits as she tried to look at the white cat on Shen Minyao''s shoulder. However, no matter how hard she focused on it, she couldn''t see anything.


    "I can''t see it, but why? I wanna see it, too." Her face fell when she realized she was the only one who couldn''t see Shen Minyao''s familiar.


    "Don''t be sad, Schoolmate Lu. Actually, I couldn''t see it clearlyst week." Li Fei''er immediately exined. "I could only sense a presence next to ssmate Shen before. Then, as the days passed, I started to see a faint figure next to her as if it was almost a ghost. Then, today, I can see it clearly."


    "And it actually speaks to you? Waahhh! I''m so envious of you, Miss Li!"


    To think that she was the only one who wasn''t able to see Shen Minyao''s familiar, did this mean she was the weakest of them all?


    "You don''t have to be envious of her, Lu Anqi. Miss Li is a young shaman after all. The more she has experience dealing with demons and ghosts alike, the stronger she would be," Shen Minyao exined while giving Jiang Chen a pointed look, "Seeing spirits and demons isn''t all sunshine. For some humans, it''s a curse to have this sight."


    Jiang Chen should know better¡­ the danger Lu Anqi would face once her sixth sense was totally functioning.


    "Yes, that only means you are getting stronger, Young Lady." Xiao Bai rubbed his face with his paw. Just like in her past life, Little Jiu was able to see him and Yu Yan in such a short span of time after spending some time next to Su Daji.


    If it was because Li Fei''er was close to Shen Minyao that made her more in tune with spirits, the fat white cat wasn''t certain. After all, humans were able to unlock and master their sixth sense the more they used it.


    "Really? Do you really mean it?" Li Fei''er beamed a smile at Xiao Bai. Her eyes shone with excitement, in contrast to the gloomy weather outside.


    "The fact that you can also hear my voice is already an indication that you''re getting stronger, Young Lady. Not many humans have the ability to see us," Xiao Bai added.


    "Ah, that''s great to hear! Thank you, Mr. Cat!"


    "Don''t call me a cat! I''m not a cat!" Xiao Bai hissed. "You should call me Little Master!" He said in annoyance. Although he and Yu Yan looked like cats, they were nothing like those feline creatures!


    ''Like what you used to call me before,'' he added mentally.


    Little Jiu''s smiling face whenever she called him ''Little Master'' crossed his mind. Xiao Bai couldn''t believe that the little human hisdy chose to take under her wing had managed to earn a soft spot on him and on Yu Yan.


    "Okay, Little Master. I will listen to you, so please don''t be mad at me anymore, will you?" Li Fei''er''s mood was too good; she almost forgot the reason why she and Shen Minyao came here.


    "Let''s not waste another second here." Shen Minyao grumbled. She supposed she needed to learn to say ''no'' when ites to Li Fei''er''s request next time.


    "Let''s go." Jiang Chen nodded.. "Bai Xinran''s mother is expecting us tonight."

 Chapter 80 - Like What You Used To Call Me (2)

    When the four arrived and stood outside an apartment unit on the seventeenth floor, the door opened to reveal a woman in herte thirties, holding a baby boy in her arms. She looked at them with a slight smile on her face. However, it was obvious that she hadn''t been faring well these days, given how pale her face looked.


    The moment the mother weed them, a scream only Shen Minyao, Jiang Chen, and Li Fei''er heard came from the inside. They were greeted by a heavy atmosphere that almost suffocated Li Fei''er, so much that she needed to dry-heave and stood behind Shen Minyao.


    "Miss Xia, thank you for epting our request for the interview," Jiang Chen said in a professional tone. "These are my assistant, Lu Anqi, and my fellow consultants, Miss Shen and Miss Li."


    "I didn''t expect that your team would consist of young people," the woman called Miss Xia spoke, looking at the three women wearing the same school uniform her deceased daughter used to wear.


    "Miss Xia, although they are young, they are capable," Jiang Chen nonchntly exined, "For instance, Miss Li here came from a long line of a shaman family that is known to protect Jiang City for generations, while Miss Shen here has the ability to distinguish demons and spirits and can drive them away."


    "Oh, dear me. Forgive me for doubting you. Pleasee inside. You must be feeling cold with this bad weather," Miss Xia said and allowed them to get inside. She then led them to the small living area.


    As they entered Bai Xinran''s apartment, the intense hatred they sensed became more prominent. Jiang Chen, Li Fei''er, and Lu Anqi sat with Miss Xia; while Shen Minyao looked around. Then, her eyes stopped at the closed bedroom door, the room where she assumed Bai Xinran took her own life.


    "Should we start the interview?" Miss Xia asked, looking worriedly at her son who chose to y on his own on the floor with his toys.


    Although her rtionship with her deceased daughter hadn''t been good, Bai Xinran adored her little half-brother and tried to spoil him whenever she and her son paid her daughter a visit.


    Lu Anqi set up a video recorder on top of the ss coffee table and hit the recording button. This time, it would be Jiang Chen who would conduct the interview.


    "Miss Xia, could you tell us what kind of daughter Bai Xinran was?"


    "Ranran was a happy child, full of sunshine when she was growing up. She loved making friends, and she always excelled in school even at a young age. However, when she found out the truth¡­ that my marriage with her father is fake, she started to distance herself from us. She refused to talk to me and to her father, giving us a cold shoulder."


    By this time, Miss Xia broke into tears as she remembered the past. As much as she loved her daughter, she felt like she had failed Bai Xinran when she was still alive. If it wasn''t for Miss Xia''s guilt and grief over her daughter''s death, she wouldn''t consider epting Jiang Chen''s interview.


    Jiang Chen introduced himself as a paranormal investigator who stumbled upon the cursed webnovel case, the material known to kill its readers around the world.


    When she heard from him that it was her deceased daughter that wrote the said webnovel, Miss Xia was in disbelief. She refused to believe that her daughter would think of bringing harm to others, no matter how upset Ranran was.


    "When her father and I decided to separate three years ago, Ranran refused to live with either of us. That was why we decided to buy this apartment and allowed her to live on her own, but I made sure to visit her every three days to check if she was faring well. Then, I got married to my new husband and gave birth to Ranran''s brother."


    "What do you know about her writing hobby, Miss Xia? Did Bai Xinran mention anything to you?" Jiang Chen asked, but his eyes followed Shen Minyao who had been checking every nook of the apartment shamelessly.


    What was the demon up to? He wondered, but he pushed this thought aside in favor of focusing on the interview with Bai Xinran''s mother.


    "I''m actually surprised when you told me our Ranran is the author of that cursed webnovel. She never told me about it," Miss Xia answered truthfully, "Wait¡­ I think Ranran said that Xiao Si is the one writing novels online, not her. I remember her telling me she wanted to ask Xiao Si for a signed copy of her book."


    "Miss Xia, do you mean Liang Sisi? Bai Xinran''s childhood friend?" Lu Anqi asked in shock. She then turned to face Li Fei''er who had the same reaction as her.


    Howe Liang Sisi never told them this piece of information earlier? Did she hide it purposely? They wondered.


    "Yes, that''s her. Ranran and Xiao Si have known each other since fourth grade. I actually feel bad for that child. It must be traumatic for her to see our Ranran hanging from the ceiling." Miss Xia wiped her tears dry and smiled when she felt her son touch her knee.


    "I''m fine, darling," she murmured to the child and kissed the top of his head. "I''m just missing your Jiejie terribly."


    Jiang Chen hardened his jaws. His eyes then met Shen Minyao''s, the girl looking at him with understanding. He knew from the police record that it was indeed Liang Sisi who found Bai Xinran''s body first. She also called Miss Xia to inform the mother of what she had seen.


    However, the fact that Liang Sisi purposely hid some details during their interview made them very suspicious of her right now.


    "Mr.. Jiang, did Miss Bai''s body get an autopsy?" Shen Minyao asked and pushed the bedroom door open with a slight creaking sound.

 Chapter 81 - Appropriate Vessel (1)

    Jiang Chen wasn''t sure why Shen Minyao was asking him about this, but even before he could answer her, Miss Xia already beat him to it.


    "No, we didn''t." She shook her head. "Because it was painful for all of us, we decided that it might be best not to and decided to hold her funeral as soon as possible."


    Shen Minyao stood wordlessly in front of Bai Xinran''s bedroom, and the scent of despair and helplessness soon reached her. Furthermore, there was a slight hint of pain from betrayal and anger thatced theplex emotional residue that was left by the deceased Bai Xinran.


    "Madam, forgive me for being blunt, but I think you made a grave mistake for not getting your daughter an autopsy," the fox woman said, watching as Bai Xinran''s little brother ran inside the bedroom with a loud squeal, dispelling the heavy atmosphere in it.


    It seemed like what Miss Xia said earlier was true. Bai Xinran adored her little brother so much that even in her death, she wouldn''t dare to harm him.


    "Miss Shen¡­" Jiang Chen warned the fox woman. They only came here to confirm Bai Xinran''s involvement over the cursed webnovel. It wasn''t their ce to meddle whether Bai Xinran killed herself or was murdered.


    "Miss Shen, do you mean¡­?" Miss Xia''s face nched upon realizing what Shen Minyao meant by her words. The mother then stared at the young woman in shock.


    Did this mean that her daughter didn''t kill herself? Was there foul y in her death? Someone killed her daughter and tried to hide the crime by setting it up as a suicide?


    "Miss Xia, your daughter¡­ although she was young, she hade to terms with forgiving you and reuniting with you¡­ because she knew that her time was already limited. She loved you and her little brother," Shen Minyao added, "Do you really think your daughter is capable of killing herself when all she wanted was to get better soon and start a new life with you?"


    Shen Minyao flicked the light switch inside the room to give it a good look. Photos of Bai Xinran, along with her mother and her little brother, were neatly framed and ced on top of the shelves. The room was clean and looked like a typical room expected of a youngdy.


    "What happened then? If our Ranran didn''t kill herself, then who? Who would want to hurt my daughter?"


    This time, Miss Xia broke into tears. The memory of seeing her young daughter hanging from the ceiling still haunted her to this day.


    "Only Bai Xinran and the person responsible for this know the answers to your questions, Miss Xia." Since Shen Minyao had opened a can of worms in front of their client, Jiang Chen had no other choice but to find out the truth this time.


    The issue about the cursed webnovel seemed like just a rumor being spread to nder Bai Xinran''s name, and the more pressing issue right now was to find out the truth about her sudden death.


    "Mr. Jiang, I know that we''ve only agreed for an interview, but please¡­ please can you consider helping us find the truth?" Miss Xia asked Jiang Chen helplessly, "I''m not sure if the police would believe me if I suddenly report to them that our Ranran was murdered. Is there a way for us to know what really happened?"


    "But, Madam, are you sure you are ready to hear the nasty truth? Are you prepared to face the consequences of your decision?" Shen Minyao leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms on her midsection. "If you know the person responsible for your daughter''s death, will you be able to seek justice for it?"


    Bai Xinran''s mother fell silent, but her tears continued to stream down her face. She had failed as a mother towards her daughter when she decided not to disclose the truth about her marriage with Bai Xinran''s father; she even failed her daughter again when she agreed not to autopsy her daughter''s body upon death. If she insisted on having it back then, perhaps they would have known from the start that their Ranran didn''tmit suicide¡­ but had been brutally murdered instead.


    "I failed her as a mother. Ranran, Mommy is sorry for being an ipetent mother to you," Miss Xia wailed helplessly as she thought of how Bai Xinran felt and the thoughts in her daughter''s head during herst moments before she died.


    Li Fei''er looked at Miss Xia with sympathy. She might have known what it felt like to have a mother, but she could see how much Miss Xia regretted not being around when her daughter was murdered by someone. When they came here to conduct an interview and an ocr inspection, they never expected that they would encounter such a depressing auraing from Bai Xinran''s room.


    "Miss Xia, please don''t me yourself." She held the older woman''s hands gently. "I don''t think that your daughter despises you at all. Just like what Miss Shen said, your daughter agreed to undergo treatment for her leukemia to get better, right? She has done it because of you."


    "Then, what do I do now, Miss Li? My daughter¡­ what happened to her? As her mother, I want to know the truth, even if it pains me," Miss Xia told Li Fei''er.


    "Did the police manage to find out her time of death?" Shen Minyao asked nonchntly.


    "Since her body didn''t undergo an autopsy, they couldn''t tell the exact time of her death, but it''s most probably around eleven in the evening," Jiang Chen said.


    "Miss Xia, would you allow us to stay here for the night¡­ to see if we would be able to confirm if your daughter is still bound to this ce?" Shen Minyao asked.


    "Will you be able to talk to Ranran? Is it possible for me to see and talk to her, too?" Miss Xia asked desperately.

 Chapter 82 - Appropriate Vessel (2)

    "Unfortunately, Miss Xia, we can''t promise you anything." Lu Anqi joined their conversation. "Unless we find a medium, you wouldn''t be able to talk to your daughter."


    Shen Minyao wanted to say that there''s a good vessel amongst them, but Jiang Chen gave her a fierce re to stop her from spouting nonsense in front of their client. The fox woman rolled her eyes. If he didn''t want Lu Anqi to get involved, then he shouldn''t have dragged her with them tonight.


    "Actually, there''s another way, Miss Xia," Li Fei''er said; however, her tone wascking excitement in it. It broke her heart to see a mother desperately trying to seek her daughter onest time. "There''s no need for a medium, but we will need your cooperation. You wouldn''t be able to see Bai Xinran''s spirit, but you would be able to talk to her. You would be able to hear her voice."


    Miss Xia sped her hands together and pursed her lips.


    "It''s fine. That''s more than enough for me, Miss Li," she said in despair. If this was the only way for her to apologize to her daughter, she would do so.


    "There''s one more thing, Miss Xia. We are going to exorcise her spirit from this ce, sending her to the right ce she should be," Li Fei''er added. "We need to send her off. Else, she would be a malevolent spirit if she remained here for too long."


    The four of them knew the moment they stepped inside that they needed to find a way to cast out Bai Xinran''s spirit. It was important that they would be able to cate her spirit to let go of her grievances, so she would be able to cross to the spirit realm peacefully.


    "I understand," Miss Xia agreed with them. If this was the only thing she could do to atone for her mistakes towards her daughter, she would help her daughter leave the mortal realm peacefully without regrets on her part.


    An hourter, Miss Xia''s husband came to pick her up along with their son. She kept their n secret from her husband, assuring him that all would be fine soon.


    "Miss Xia is lucky to have an understanding husband," Lu Anqi said as they pushed the furniture aside. The four of them were nning to sleep in the living area for the night.


    "I don''t sense any lies or maliceing from him, so he couldn''t be the person responsible for Bai Xinran''s death," Shen Minyao said. She was the only one who didn''t bother to help set up a bed for her to sleep in. She didn''t need to sleep anyway.


    "Miss Shen can tell that much?" Lu Anqi looked at the fox woman in surprise.


    "That''s because she''s more in tune with the spirits and energies around us, so it''s easy for her to know who''s telling the truth or not," Jiang Chen exined, which made the fox woman give him an inquisitive gaze.


    Was he trying to help her by concealing her real identity? Didn''t Jiang Chen know that they were bound to find the truth sooner orter?


    When Lu Anqi managed to master her sixth sense and when Li Fei''er garnered enough experience and knowledge as a shaman, the two would eventually find out that Shen Minyao wasn''t a human¡­ but a demon possessing a human shell instead.


    Anyway, she didn''t lie to Li Fei''er when thetter asked her about what she was. It wasn''t her fault that Li Fei''er refused to believe her answer.


    It was already nine in the evening when they called it a night. Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi chose to lie down and took a short nap, while Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen¡ªalong with Xiao Bai¡ªmoved to the small kitchen and conversed lowly.


    "I''m impressed that you are able to connect the webnovel author Yu Lai with Bai Xinran. Say, Mr. Jiang, you do have connections, right?" The nine-tailed fox woman asked.


    "It''s easy for me to request such information. If you still haven''t noticed, my surname is Jiang. I came from the Jiang family who founded this city decades ago."


    "Oh, so you are a big shot, I see. Don''t tell me you know Miss Xia personally. From the way she speaks to you, I assumed that you two are somewhat rted to each other." Shen Minyao didn''t miss the familiarity Jiang Chen showed towards the older woman earlier. It was also suspicious that he was able to convince her to do an interview and allow Li Fei''er to do a divination ritual for her daughter so easily.


    "You can say that." Jiang Chen shrugged. "In fact, Miss Xia is one of our family doctors. I was also surprised when I found out Yu Lai was her daughter."


    "So it''s clear now that the cursed webnovel is nothing but a baseless rumor. Why are you so curious about it, anyway?"


    "Because one of the parents of Yu Lai''s readers came to our office to check if there''s a way to break the curse," the man exined as they waited for the clock to strike eleven in the evening, "Apparently, her daughter was one of the readers of ''The CEO''s Moonlight Love'', who had fallen sick.


    "When I found out that Miss Xia''s daughter was involved, I couldn''t bear to ignore the issue. I know I have to prove that the curse doesn''t exist and kill people."


    "Well, it''s pointless to prove it at this state. Whoever started the rumors, he or she certainly held grudges against Bai Xinran," Xiao Baimented, his attention then turned to the closed bedroom. He informed the two, "It''s almost time. Her spirit hase."


    Jiang Chen rose to his feet and was about to check the bedroom when the door suddenly flew open. If it wasn''t for Shen Minyao who held his arm, he would have fallen on the ground.


    "I told you it will find a vessel."

 Chapter 83 - You Need To Wake Up (1)

    Lu Anqi remembered falling asleep next to Li Fei''er as she was too exhausted from today''s events. When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was in someone''s bedroom, her hands hovering over the keyboard as her fingers flew swiftly over it. Words appeared on the monitor in front of her, but it didn''t make any sense to her what she was even writing.


    ''What''s happening? Where am I?'' She thought. What was this? Was she in someone else''s body?!


    Lu Anqi was panicking inside because she neither knew where she was nor what the hell was happening around her. It seemed like she had no control of the situation as her body moved on her own, and she could only watch like a spectator on one side.


    It was only by then did she realize that this wasn''t her body, this wasn''t her home, and certainly, this wasn''t her life. Was she dreaming of someone else''s life instead? She wondered. How did she end up dreaming of this anyway?


    Lu Anqi watched as the person finished writing on herputer. The person left the room to go to the small kitchen to have a drink. She was slightly perturbed when she realized that the ce seemed familiar to her.


    Wait. Wasn''t this Bai Xinran''s ce? Did this mean she was seeing a glimpse of Bai Xinran''s memory before she died?


    Lu Anqi couldn''t be mistaken this time. She was dreaming inside the same apartment after all, but why was she dreaming about being another person though?


    The dream continued, and the person came back inside the bedroom and resumed writing on her PC. A few momentster, there was a loud banging sounding from her door, followed by the incessant ringing of her doorbell.


    Bai Xinran''s hands stopped typing over the keyboard and frowned. Lu Anqi could sense that Bai Xinran was a little upset, but she had no idea why. She could only watch as Bai Xinran made her way to her front door and harshly opened the door, revealing Liang Sisi''s infuriated face.


    The two were then trapped in a heated argument that Lu Anqi couldn''t hear. Somehow, the words spoken between the two were lost to Lu Anqi, but with the way the two young women were arguing, she assumed that it was serious.


    Bai Xinran stalked inside, turning her back to her friend. However, Liang Sisi followed her inside and continued saying her piece. It was as if she was oblivious that Bai Xinran had enough of her already and didn''t want to argue anymore.


    If only she could hear what the two were talking about, Lu Anqi would have an idea of what went wrong between the two. Was this the reason why Liang Sisi chose not to divulge some information to them because they might suspect her as the person responsible for Bai Xinran''s death?


    Lu Anqi could only watch in confusion, wondering if there was a chance for the two friends to make it up to each other before Bai Xinran''s death. However, the next scenes were enough to crush her hope into pieces all at once.


    She witnessed how Liang Sisi tackled Bai Xinran to the floor, her eyes still burning in rage. Bai Xinran tried to struggle free, but she failed because Liang Sisi had straddled her, forbidding her to move from her assant.


    Lu Anqi was so shocked when she realized she could also feel the pain of being choked to death by another person. Was this how Bai Xinran really lost her life? To think that it was her childhood friend who killed her, Lu Anqi couldn''t believe it.


    ''Please! If this is a nightmare, someone, please wake me up!'' She cried.


    Bai Xinran forced Liang Sisi away from her by grabbing her attacker''s hair harshly. She heaved for breath as her neck was released from Liang Sisi''s hands.


    Lu Anqi then heard Liang Sisi cry in pain, with her long hair ying on her back as her long red silk hair tie released it from its constraints. The next thing Lu Anqi knew, Liang Sisi was using the same hair tie to strangle Bai Xinran.


    It seemed that Liang Sisi had truly lost her mind right then. Her eyes showed no signs of awareness of what she was doing to her childhood friend. She had thrown away her logic out of the window as she pulled her hair tie around Bai Xinran''s neck tighter¡­ until tears rolled down Bai Xinran''s cheek. Bai Xinran''s hands then fell down to her sides as she lost consciousness.


    When Bai Xinran finally stopped struggling and moving, it was only by then did Liang Sisi realize what she had done. She hurriedly released her hold on her hair tie and looked at Bai Xinran''s unconscious state.


    "W-what¡­?" She couldn''t believe what she had done to Bai Xinran. Her mind seemed to have short-circuited upon realizing the horrible thing she had done to her friend.


    At the same time, Lu Anqi was plunged into never-ending darkness, while Bai Xinran''s feelings washed through her. She had no idea what had happened to Bai Xinran next, but she was certain that the girl was still alive and only lost consciousness.


    She couldn''t understand what had just happened or why she felt like she had experienced what happened to Bai Xinran first-hand. It felt too real in her opinion as the pain of being strangled still lingered on her neck.


    "Please¡­" She sobbed and looked around, but she was only greeted with endless darkness around her. However, no matter how much she begged and prayed, no one was able to pull her out from that darkness that engulfed her.


    "Miss Lu, you need to wake up." Lu Anqi heard a familiar voice.


    "How?" She asked, "How do I wake up? Please help me, Miss Shen!"


    Lu Anqi looked around her, trying to find where the sound wasing from. It was only by then did she hear Jiang Chen''s voice.


    "Lu Anqi! Wake up! You better wake up!"

 Chapter 84 - You Need To Wake Up (2)

    The moment Lu Anqi''s eyes flew open, she realized that she had been crying. Jiang Chen was holding onto her, looking worried sick about her; while Li Fei''er looked at her just the same.


    "Lu Anqi, are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?" Jiang Chen asked as he helped her sit up and gave her something to drink to calm down.


    Behind the three, Shen Minyao''s eyes were glowing with a golden hue, but none of the three humans were able to witness it.


    "I had a horrible nightmare. I thought I would never be able to wake up," she said, her hands still trembling in fear as she held a cup of water. "If I haven''t heard Miss Shen''s and your voices, I don''t think I would be able to do it."


    "It''s not just a nightmare, Schoolmate Lu. Bai Xinran''s spirit showed up and chose to possess you," Shen Minyao told her before eyeing the man kneeling beside Lu Anqi. "I already said this before, Mr. Jiang. You are only putting her life in danger by parading her around. Do you know how attractive she is right now in the eyes of ghosts and demons? She''s like a free meal, enticing everyone to get a piece of her."


    Lu Anqi looked at Shen Minyao in confusion and then at Jiang Chen who had fallen silent from the fox woman''s reminder.


    "Mr. Jiang, what does Miss Shen mean? Why would I be in danger?" She asked her boss.


    Jiang Chen lowered his head in shame and held Lu Anqi on both shoulders.


    "I''m sorry, Lu Anqi. This time, it''s really my fault." He admitted.


    At this confession, Li Fei''er felt like it was unfair for Lu Anqi to be left in the dark for too long.


    "They only mean that your sixth sense is activated," she chose to exin, "What ssmate Shen is saying is that you are inviting the ghosts to possess you¡­ because you cannot control your ability to disconnect from the spiritual world yet, making you easy prey."


    Lu Anqi''s jaws dropped. She couldn''t believe what she had heard, but it made sense to her now.


    "So the dream I just had¡­ does that mean it was Bai Xinran''sst moment before her death for real?" She asked. She was briefly aware that her heartbeat was starting to slow down to normal.


    "Not really," Shen Minyao replied. "In fact, she was able to regain her consciousness a little, but it was toote. Liang Sisi had already wrapped a rope around her neck and forced her to die from strangtion instead while destroying evidence."


    A cold shiver ran down Lu Anqi''s spine as she stared wide-eyed at Shen Minyao. So it was true¡­ it was really Liang Sisi who had killed Bai Xinran after all.


    "Liang Sisi might have failed to notice that Bai Xinran was still alive when she did the deed out of shock. Still, what she had done to her so-called best friend was attempted murder that turned into a full-blown one.


    "I could imagine the shock and disappointment Bai Xinran felt upon knowing that her best friend was the one to harm her," Li Fei''ermented. The tragedy of the friendship between the two had made her wonder: what made Liang Sisi turn her back on Bai Xinran and betray her?


    "Yes, she couldn''t understand," Lu Anqi agreed with her, "In fact, she was too confused, wondering why Liang Sisi was even doing those things to her. Why was she angry at Bai Xinran? I couldn''t hear what was said between them, but I saw how Liang Sisi grew mad at Bai Xinran and how she strangled her friend using her hair tie. Bai Xinran was devastated. What''s worse, she felt like the friendship between them meant nothing to Liang Sisi."


    Shen Minyao wanted to say that humans were cowardly creatures in nature. In fact, unlike demons, humans needed one another to survive and couldn''t stay on their own for too long. Else, they would lose themselves to insanity.


    There were so many reasons why a person would betray a friend, and it was Bai Xinran''s mistake to trust Liang Sisi in the first ce. Greed, jealousy, anger¡­ Liang Sisi''s issues towards Bai Xinran must have piled up until she couldn''t take it anymore and snapped at her friend.


    However, Shen Minyao understood better. It was one of the frailties of being a human, not that demons like her couldn''tmit betrayal as well. However, at least, most demons were fairly clear from the start what they expected to receive and to have in the end.


    Meanwhile, most humans were fickle-minded. As long as it was in their favor, some would be willing to disregard the bond they shared with another. Even close and loving friends could betray one another¡ªsometimes intentionally, but sometimes without meaning or even an awareness of what they''ve done.


    "What do we do then? If Liang Sisi is really the one who killed Bai Xinran, should we tell her mother and the police?" Lu Anqi asked.


    "Unless we can find solid evidence that it is really her thatmitted the crime or shees out and surrenders herself to the police, we can''t do anything," Jiang Chen replied, feeling guilty that he had been too arrogant and had failed Lu Anqi earlier.


    "It''s unlikely that she will surrender." Shen Minyao nodded. "This also means that Bai Xinran won''t be able to cross to the spirit realm unless she gets the justice she deserves. I can still sense the overwhelming resentment and grievance she felt for ending up dead. Despite her sickness, Bai Xinran had a strong will to live."


    "I don''t know how we should tell this to her mother.. I''m sure Miss Xia would also be shocked if she heard who murdered her daughter," Li Fei''er added, "I might be able to convince Bai Xinran to let go of her hatred for Liang Sisi, so she can cross realms¡­ but we need to make sure she won''t have any regrets before that."

 Chapter 85 - Best Friend (1)

    Shen Minyao considered seeing her human contractor, but given how the media was still covering the fire that had taken several lives at the city hospital, she supposed that she didn''t have a choice but to dy their meeting. She was able to check up on him through phone calls anyway, and it seemed like he would need to stay at the hospital for another month until the doctors deemed that he''d partially recovered from his injuries.


    Today, the sun was finally up. It had been two days since she¡ªalong with Li Fei''er, Lu Anqi, and Jiang Chen¡ªmet Bai Xinran''s mother and encountered her spirit. They all decided that Li Fei''er should perform the ritual on the one-hundredth day of Bai Xinran''s death.


    Still, it left the question about how they should deal with Liang Sisi. The CCTV footage at Bai Xinran''s apartment showed that Liang Sisi had never arrived on the same day her best friend died. However, Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen believed that Liang Sisi found a way to avoid the cameras aftering there repeatedly. The ce had several blind spots that could only be checked by the roaming guards after all.


    Anyway, it would be dangerous for the four of them if they yed detectives this time, and without conclusive evidence to prove that Liang Sisi had murdered her best friend, their usation would be pointless.


    Li Fei''er sighed next to Shen Minyao at the cafeteria, while she poked her half-eaten lunch with a fork. She was still troubled over the fact that at this rate, they could do nothing to help Bai Xinran let go of her grievances.


    Shen Minyao sipped her yogurt, her eyes sweeping around while tuning out the unnecessary noises that hurt her ears. Humans tended to be loud whenever they were together, and it only brought displeasure to the fox woman who liked being left in peace. If it wasn''t for Li Fei''er''s insistence to join her and Lu Anqi for lunchtime, she would rather hide somewhere no one would be able to disturb her.


    "Did Mr. Jiang already talk to Miss Xia?" LI Fei''er asked Lu Anqi in a hushed tone, "Can''t we really do something else to help them?"


    "It''s not our fight to begin with," Shen Minyao said coldly, "You might be able to protect yourself from malevolent spirits, but isn''t a living person also a dangerous one? Don''t act hastily, or else you might end up dead like her."


    "Right," Lu Anqi said with a pale expression on her face. Ever since that night when Bai Xinran trapped her in a nightmare, she couldn''t fall asleep peacefully. She would rather not have Liang Sisie to her front door and kill her for being a busybody.


    Although Jiang Chen took it upon himself to train her and help her control her ability with Li Fei''er''s help, Lu Anqi was having a hard time ignoring the ghosts that were starting to notice her. There was even one instance where she met a pair of twin young girls, only to discover from their mother that they were already dead.


    Shen Minyao could smell her fear, but she supposed that Li Fei''er and Jiang Chen had yet to train Lu Anqi how to rein in her ability. A slight falter of her will could easily be taken advantage of by the ghosts roaming near her.


    Li Fei''er looked among them and sighed. Shen Minyao''s word mighte off as blunt anyway. In fact, at first nce, the way Shen Minyao treated others may seem condescending, but if one could take a close look, they could tell that she''s just being considerate. Or so Li Fei''er thought.


    Anyway, she got their point and knew how dangerous it was if they stepped up and revealed the truth about Bai Xinran''s death. Even now, Li Fei''er couldn''t believe that Liang Sisimitted such a crime against the person she imed to be her best friend. To think that she could easily discard the years she and Bai Xinran had together, it made Li Fei''er wonder what drove Liang Sisi to do it.


    "Aren''t you going to eat, ssmate Shen?" She then asked, noticing that although she had known Shen Minyao for some time now, she never saw this ssmate eat anything. Shen Minyao was always drinking yogurt drink every day without a miss though.


    "Not hungry," the fox woman replied. Ever since she devoured the spider demon''s orb, the pang of hunger hadn''t bothered her for days now. However, she would eventually need to hunt demons for their orbs or humans to eat their livers.


    "Are you on a diet?" Lu Anqi asked. Thinking about it, neither did she see Shen Minyao eat since she started hanging out with them.


    "You can say that," Shen Minyao replied, "Though it''s more like me being too much of a picky eater."


    "Is that so? I was thinking of inviting you to eat out with us tonight. Schoolmate Li already agreed toe," Lu Anqi said.


    "Depends where you''re going and who''s included," the fox woman said before eyeing Li Fei''er. At least, the young woman was being distracted by Lu Anqi''s presence and wasn''t as clingy to her as before.


    "It''s just me and Mr. Jiang. We''re hoping you could join us, Schoolmate Shen. Mr. Jiang said that you''ve been a great help to usst time," Lu Anqi exined before getting excited, "So, would you join us?"


    Li Fei''er didn''t say anything, but the way she looked at Shen Minyao was enough for the fox woman to know what the young shaman was thinking.


    Sighing inwardly, Shen Minyao didn''t know why she was being dragged into this paranormal investigation. Perhaps for Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er, this was exciting, but for Shen Minyao, it wasn''t.


    Demon she may be, but associating herself with Jiang Chen''s group might only lead to trust issues of the other humans included in his team in the future.

 Chapter 86 - Best Friend (2)

    "Do you have ns tonight? Are you sure you aren''t going to join us?" Li Fei''er asked Shen Minyao as they stepped out of their ssroom, ready to go home.


    "I''m expecting my mother''s visit today. I''m not sure if I would be able to join you," the fox woman replied.


    Since she had moved and stayed at the dormitory, her meetings with the Shen family grew very rare even if she possessed Shen Minyao''s body. Still, that didn''t mean she would be able to avoid meeting them in the future.


    "I see¡­" Li Fei''er''s expression fell. She was hoping Shen Minyao woulde and spend time with them since she could sense that her ssmate had been avoiding making friends.


    Ever since that day Shen Minyao beat Xu Shenshen, it became apparent that their ssmates had kept a safe distance away from her.


    "You worry too much, ssmate Li. I''m fine," Shen Minyao said, "It isn''t like I don''t want to join you every time. I would havee if it was some other day."


    "But can you try toe? I would be morefortable if you were there with me," Li Fei''er said, almost pleadingly.


    "I''ll see what I can do, but I won''t promise you anything."


    Aside from meeting Cheng Lifan today, Shen Minyao also wanted to finish her homework before nighttime came. She decided to spend her sleep time catching up, learning the ways of the humans these days.


    So when Li Fei''er arrived at the restaurant where she was going to meet Lu Anqi and Jiang Chen, she was on her own. She was hoping that Shen Minyao would be there as well, but the fox woman wasn''t.


    "Hey," She greeted them and took a seat next to Lu Anqi.


    "Miss Shen didn''te with you?" Jiang Chen asked curiously. He was hoping that he could have a word with the demoness in helping Lu Anqi.


    Also, he wanted to know what kind of demon she was and how she ended up pretending as a human. Although this wasn''t the first time he had seen and met demons, there were no others like Shen Minyao who were able to blend well with the humans.


    "She said that she has a prior appointment to meet her mother. She isn''t sure if she will be able toe on time," Li Fei''er replied as she helped Lu Anqi cut the meat on the te, while Jiang Chen took over the grilling of the barbecue.


    "You two seemed really close, almost like best friends," Liu Anqimented.


    Li Fei''er wanted to say that she only just met Shen Minyao, and they barely knew anything about each other. However, remembering how many times Shen Minyao saved her life, she felt that those made them closer.


    The three enjoyed the meal without mentioning the issue about Bai Xinran''s case. An hourter, the chimes on the door clunk together, indicating a neer.


    When Li Fei''er lifted her head, she was immediately drawn to the front door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted Shen Minyao standing there with a middle-aged woman.


    She couldn''t see any resemnce between the two, but the way the old woman clung to Shen Minyao''s arm, Li Fei''er assumed that it was the mother her ssmate was nning to meet today.


    "ssmate Shen!" She waved her hand to get Shen Minyao''s attention.


    Even before Li Fei''er had called her, she already knew that the girl was there. The stench of humans wasn''t enough to hide her familiar scent from the fox demon.


    "Xiao Yao, why don''t you greet your ssmate first?" Cheng Lifan nudged at her daughter.


    "Are you sure, Mama? Shouldn''t we pick up Yuan from school first?" Shen Minyao asked. She didn''t expect that the ce Jiang Chen and the others met would be where her mother made a reservation.


    Because Shen Xin was on a business trip and wouldn''t be home for some time, Cheng Lifan had decided to take their children to eat out, which they hadn''t done for some time now.


    "It''s fine, Xiao Yao. I already asked the driver to pick him up. He will be here soon, so why don''t you take this time to greet your friends?" The older woman smiled.


    This was actually the first time she heard and saw her stepdaughter hanging out with her friends in public. Shen Minyao had never brought home or introduced a friend to her even when the stepdaughter was younger.


    Most of the time, her stepdaughter was content being in Fu Xiyan''spany and rarely interacted with kids around her age, which made Cheng Lifan worried about her.


    "Alright, Mama. I will be with you shortly," Shen Minyao replied.


    "Take your time, darling. There''s no need to rush." Cheng Lifan smiled back before allowing her daughter to make her way to her friends.


    "I thought you wouldn''t be able to make it?" Jiang Chen asked once the fox woman reached them.


    The fox woman didn''t bother to take a seat as she wasn''t nning to stay for too long.


    "Good evening to you, too, Mr. Jiang. No, I didn''te here to join you. It''s just a coincidence that my mother decided toe here," Shen Minyao retorted.


    "Then, would you be able toe with us thising weekend? Miss Xia agreed that we should send her daughter off as soon as possible," the psychic gave her a curious look.


    Shen Minyao nced at hispanions and nodded. She was curious about how the case would end.


    "Fine. As long as you promised not to involve Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er with Liang Sisi ever again. I''m not nning to clean up someone else''s mess."


    "Fine with me. So do we have a deal?" Jiang Chen asked. He couldn''t believe that he needed to rely on a demon this time to help them, but that couldn''t be helped.. His raw power was too dangerous to be used around normal humans.

 Chapter 87 - In Our Next Lives (1)

    The weekend came too fast for the fox woman''s liking. However, since she had promised to join Jiang Chen''s team in closing the case of Bai Xinran without getting involved with apprehending Liang Sisi for her crime, Shen Minyao had no other choice but to appear at their meeting ce ahead of time.


    It was Saturday afternoon, and waiting for their call time had been a pain for the fox woman who had been bored the whole day.


    "You''re here early," she heard Li Fei''er say, who had just arrived in a casual red blouse and a white skirt, paired with white sneakers. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, with a few locks framing her face.


    Meanwhile, she noticed that Shen Minyao''s style of clothing was a little stylish, as expected from a young miss of a prominent family. She was wearing a white loose shirt matched with a pair of capri pants that reached her knees. Her hair was being kept away with a loose braid hanging over her shoulder.


    Shen Minyao removed the headphones on her ears and nodded at her. She was only wearing these headphones because it somehow helped her tune out the annoying sounds of cars and human voices around her, not because she was fond of listening to music.


    "I woke up early. I have nothing else to do anyway." She lied, knowing full well that her nights were spent on either watching several TV shows to study humans or binge-reading the books andics she had recently followed.


    "Ah, same here. Dad refused to let me apany them today." She heard Li Fei''er huffed with annoyance.


    "They''re going somewhere?" Shen Minyao asked with slight curiosity. She didn''t mean to pry on the Li family, but it wouldn''t hurt to know what they were up to these days.


    "They are trying to track a powerful demon that has recently escaped from our family seal." This time, Li Fei''er sighed. "Dad said it will be dangerous for me to meet the demon face to face as it bears immense hatred towards our family. He fears that the demon would hunt me down if it finds out I''m from the Li family."


    "Ohh?" The fox woman raised a slender brow. Truth to be told, she would have done that and exact revenge on the family that sealed her for years if she hadn''t met Little Jiu''s reincarnation.


    If their Little Jiu wasn''t born to the Li family, the fox woman would surelye after them and kill them without hesitation. Initially, she wanted to hunt the Li shamans and eat their livers to replenish her strength, but all her ns went down the drain because of Li Fei''er''s existence.


    "Is it really alright for you to tell me this family secret of yours? Aren''t you afraid that I might betray you one day?"


    "I think it''s better that you know," the young shaman exined, "My Dad said that the demon loves to eat the livers of humans with exceptional spiritual awareness. So humans with psychic abilities and the ability to see demons and ghosts are susceptible to bing the demon''s prey."


    "Are you afraid of being devoured by a demon?" Shen Minyao found it amusing that Li Fei''er was more worried about her friends bing prey to a nine-tailed fox than about her who was born to the ursed family of the shamans that sealed the said demon.


    "Don''t worry, Little One. As long as I¡ªyour big sister¡ªis here, no one would be able to touch even a strand of your hair." This was a vow the nine-tailed fox swore in her heart.


    She wasn''t sure why she needed to cross paths with Feng Jiu''s reincarnation, but if she could preserve her ward''s life this time, she would protect Li Fei''er with her life. After all, if it wasn''t for her, Feng Jiu wouldn''t have lost her life, and her older brother wouldn''t have lost his beloved wife.


    Just as they were about to start their lives in each other''s arms, the fox woman felt like she robbed the two of the happiness they both deserved.


    Thinking about Qin Zhi made Shen Minyao ashamed of herself.


    ''Brother, are you still alive somewhere? Do you know that Little Jiu is now standing right in front of me? Are you even aware that she was reborn?''


    Shen Minyao wasn''t sure if she should try to find her older brother in this era. It had been centuries since Little Jiu died, while she had been sealed for ages. Who knew if Qin Zhi still existed to this day or not?


    Even if he was, wouldn''t that mean that he also suffered and mourned over the death of his wife?


    Li Fei''er smiled and hooked her arm with Shen Minyao, pulling away thetter from her reverie.


    "Then, ssmate Shen, please take good care of me."


    "You trust me that much? Aren''t you afraid that I might hurt you instead?"


    Because Shen Minyao was considerably a little taller than Li Fei''er, she had to look down on the younger woman.


    "You are being weird right now, ssmate Shen. Why are you even thinking that you would betray me one day¡­ when all you''ve done so far was to save me from being harmed?" Li Fei''er countered.


    The fox woman considered her words. She was half-tempted to say that it had been her reflexes and instincts that made her do so. Because Li Fei''er was their Little Jiu in their past lives, the fox woman had this overwhelming urge to keep Li Fei''er from harm¡­ even from herself.


    "Li Fei''er! Shen Minyao!" The two heard Lu Anqi''s voice calling after them.


    Jiang Chen had pulled up the ck minivan he was driving at the parking spot before Lu Anqi alighted from it to greet her schoolmates.


    "Have you been waiting for us for too long?" She asked.


    "No.. We just arrived here, too, right, ssmate Shen?" Li Fei''er winked at her ssmate.

 Chapter 88 - In Our Next Lives (2)

    Two hourster, Shen Minyao found herself again inside Bai Xinran''s apartment, waiting for Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er to finish preparing the set-up for the ritual. With Lu Anqi''s help, Li Fei''er drew a ritual circle within Bai Xinran''s bedroom. Jiang Chen spoke to Miss Xia on the other side of the house about what she should expect that day, leaving Shen Minyao to Xiao Bai''spany.


    "Howe you onlye back now?" Shen Minyao asked the white fatty cat who chose to curl up on herp as she sat on Bai Xinran''s chair.


    "Mdy might be forgetting that you are the one who asked me to check up on Zhao Yichen''s condition personally," Xiao Bai replied, "Also, Young Master has fed me some good stuff, while you couldn''t even give me anything to eat."


    "What? Do you think Shen Minyao is as filthy rich as Su Daji who could feed you gold? Even if I have a single gold coin right now, I wouldn''t give it to you." The fox woman huffed.


    In her past life, she was lucky that Su Daji had a huge collection of jewelry on hand, even though she was a sword practitioner before her untimely death. The gold mine that the Su family had was enough for the fox woman to feed her two mythical guardians.


    "What gold, mdy? I already expected that I wouldn''t be able to taste such delicacies in today''s world. I could smell a faint scent of it everywhere, but they were too diluted for me to consider eating any of them." The fat cat yawned and stretched his limbs.


    Shen Minyao hummed. She understood what Xiao Bai meant. Even Cheng Lifan owned a few 24-karat gold items, but there was no way she would feed it to her ''cats''.


    "So troublesome. Where will I find gold to feed you and Yu Yan in this age? Might as well rob some jewelry stores to get you some snacks."


    "Mdy, shouldn''t do something illegal. It will surely bring shame to the Shen family," Xiao Bai reminded her.


    "Then, what do I do then? Hunt greedy humans who own gold bars for you to feast on?"


    "Won''t that make them your enemies, mdy? They will surelye after you if you do so."


    The fox woman scoffed and rested her chin on the back of her hands. She had never deemed humans as a threat to her safety, not unless they were those wretched shamans who kept messing with her.


    "I practically have enemies everywhere. Do you think I will be bothered if I add more to the list? If you are worried that they will hunt me down, might as well nip the bud before it blooms." She would rather annihte those pesky humans topletely get rid of them.


    Xiao Bai eyed his mistress and shut his eyes. As always, his mistress would rather choose to see a bloodbath than deal with the problem peacefully.


    "We are done here!" They heard Li Fei''er call out from the bedroom.


    All of them moved to where the two young women were and were greeted by the intricate shapes and lines on the floor, which was obviously made with the finest grade of salt.


    "I see. Even the salt suppliers these days are still raking monies just as they were before," Shen Minyaomented when she realized the amount of salt Li Fei''er used to make this ritual circle.


    In her past life, salt was considered as valuable as gold. Not only was it important to prolong food preservation in the past, but it was a good way to fend off evil spirits from taking refuge or affecting the household of the humans.


    "Should we get started then?" Jiang Chen asked, seeing that everything was in ce now.


    Shen Minyao stood aside and leaned against the wall. She had nothing to do but to oversee Li Fei''er''s safety during the ritual. Also, she needed to be at a safe distance to not get affected by the divination the young shaman had to performter.


    "Miss Xia, could you please stand inside this circle?" Li Fei''er asked, with a blindfold in one hand. "I need to cover your eyes. Please, whatever you hear, do not step away from the circle for your daughter''s sake."


    Miss Xia stared at the blindfold Li Fei''er was holding and nodded.


    "Then, I would be able to talk to Ranran?" She inquired.


    "En, but only for a limited time, Miss Xia. I cannot promise you how long it will be, so please use the time wisely."


    "Miss Li, thank you," the older woman said before she allowed Li Fei''er to cover her eyes with the blindfold.


    "Then, I will summon Bai Xinran''s spirit now," Jiang Chen said before giving Shen Minyao a knowing look.


    The fox woman nodded in return. She then looked at the small vial that Jiang Chen handed her earlier. If things turned for the worse, she would seal Bai Xinran''s spirit inside the vial temporarily. Bai Xinran might not have turned into a malevolent ghost yet, but that didn''t mean she wouldn''t pose a threat towards Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi.


    Jiang Chen started to do his part and summoned the spirit of the dead Bai Xinran inside the room. The lights started to flicker, and the temperature inside the house dropped into astonishing numbers.


    Miss Xia and Lu Anqi visibly shivered from the sudden change in the atmosphere. Meanwhile, Li Fei''er stood on the other side of the perimeter and paid attention to her surroundings. As soon as Bai Xinran''s spirit arrived, she should be able to trap her inside the circle to forbid her from possessing Lu Anqi again.


    Jiang Chen''s way to summon a spirit made Shen Minyao curious. To think that the humans were able to evolve and change their ways of dealing with malevolent ghosts and demons tremendously was amazing in her opinion.


    "Come forth, Bai Xinran¡­ and heed my words!"

 Chapter 89 - Set You Free (1)

    Howls of pain could be heard inside the room. The light continued to flicker a few more times before darkness remained to apany them. Miss Xia turned her head, trying to figure out what was happening around her. Was it her daughter?


    Did Ranran hate them that much for her to make this terrifying sound? Was it toote for them to save her from being a malevolent ghost?


    The spirit of Bai Xinran slowly appeared inside the circle that Li Fei''er made earlier, effectively trapping it inside. Bai Xinran was slightly confused, finding herself inside her room with people she had never seen before. Even her mother was there, but she was blindfolded.


    "Mom?" She called out, but her mother couldn''t hear her.


    Her mother was here but couldn''t she hear her daughter? Who were these people anyway? What had they done to her mother?


    "She can''t hear you," Jiang Chen informed Bai Xinran, "Are you even aware that ghosts like you can''t be seen or heard by most humans?"


    "I¡­" Bai Xinran hesitated first before answering: "Yes. I''m dead, right? It was because of Sisi that I am like this!"


    Her calm expression morphed into one filled with rage. How could she forget that the one responsible for her death was none other than her childhood friend, Liang Sisi, whom she had treated like her own sister for years!


    "Liang Sisi! How could you?! How could you do this to me?!"


    She was her best friend, the one person she trusted the most.


    All she wanted right now was to find that traitor and let her experience the same pain she suffered from. She wasn''t supposed to die like this¡ªnever like this. She had thought that her illness would be the one taking her life. Never in a million years would she think that it would be her best friend instead.


    "Do you know what will happen to you if you continue to cultivate and hold onto your grudge?" Jiang Chen asked her, "Not only will your chance to get reborn be forfeited, but you will turn into a malevolent ghost that will only exist mindlessly. Do you really want to see your mother grieve for you for the rest of her life?"


    "Mom¡­" Bai Xinran''s rage faltered when she was reminded of her mother''s presence.


    As she turned her head to look at her mother, Jiang Chen and Li Fei''er could see the ck veins starting to spread on the left side of Bai Xinran''s face, which only meant that she was on the verge of turning into a malevolent ghost already.


    If they came a little toote, they might not be able to save Bai Xinran in time, leaving Li Fei''er no choice but to exorcise Bai Xinran''s spirit for good.


    "She knows?" Bai Xinran asked in disbelief. "Does she know that I am here?"


    "She even knows what truly happened to you, and she has begged us to help set you free." This time, it was Li Fei''er who answered Bai Xinran.


    Bai Xinran looked at her mother who was visibly trembling on her spot. She knew her mother was scared, but not of her.


    "Mom¡­"


    "When she heard of the possibility of you turning into a restless spirit if you didn''t let go of your grudge, she asked us to help you." Jiang Chen eyed Li Fei''er, reminding her to not let her guard down.


    "Schoolmate Bai, I know what Liang Sisi did to you was despicable, but if you chose to continue holding a grudge against her, you and your mother would pay the price for it," Li Fei''er said.


    "We''re not asking you to forgive her¡­ because it''s clear that she hasn''t regretted what she has done yet. Even if she has escaped thews of men, there will be a day she would have to face the consequences of her sins," Jiang Chen added.


    It was imperative that they convince Bai Xinran to let go of her grudge, for her to be able to cross realms. As for Liang Sisi, as long as she was alive, she could either atone for her sin or wait until it was her turn to face death and retribution.


    Bai Xinran didn''t say anything in response and only stared at her mother pitifully. Aside from the grudge she strongly held towards Liang Sisi, the regret she felt towards her mother was overwhelming.


    She hadn''t been a good daughter to her mother. Growing up as a child, Bai Xinran was really close to her mother. However, their rtionship took a turn for the worse when she discovered that her parents were in a fake marriage, effectively ruining the perfect family image in Bai Xinran''s mind.


    Because of it, she despised both of her parents for deceiving her and constantly pushed away her crying mother who kept on apologizing to her. When her mother remarried, this time for real; it made Bai Xinran feel like she was abandoned by everyone.


    She didn''t care about Liang Sisi anymore. Seeing her mother shed tears for her, even though the mother was blindfolded, broke Bai Xinran''s heart. There were so many things she wanted to tell her mother, so many things she regretted not saying when she was still alive and human enough to have the chance to say it herself.


    Now, she could only watch as her mother cried for her, not being able to see her or talk to her. She was the cause of all the tears streaming down her mother''s face.


    If she were to be a restless spirit like Jiang Chen and Li Fei''er said she would be, wouldn''t that mean that her mother would also bear the grief of losing her and the regret for not being able to help her for the rest of her life?


    Bai Xinran then knew she would do anything to see her mother happy again.. If letting go of her hatred and grievances would make her mother happy once more, she was willing to do it.

 Chapter 90 - Set You Free (2)

    "Then, what do I need to do?" She asked Jiang Chen. "Why did you blindfold her? What''s happening?"


    "There''s something we need to confirm first, Miss Bai." Shen Minyao''s voice surprised Bai Xinran.


    As she looked in Shen Minyao''s direction, it was only by then did she realize how dangerous this ce was right now. This unknown woman was looking at her with the pair of eyes of a predator. She flinched under Shen Minyao''s gaze and stepped back, but the salt forbade her to escape.


    "You¡­ what do you want? Please stay away from me," Bai Xinran said in fear. Her instincts were telling her to get away from this person as fast as possible, but she didn''t know the reason why.


    "We just want to confirm that you didn''t curse your novel that caused the massive mortality of your readers. You didn''t curse them to death, right?" Shen Minyao knew why Bai Xinran was wary of her, but that was pretty normal for a demon like her. Because Bai Xinran was already dead, she was now more sensitive to the presence of the other spirits and demons around her.


    "What curse? I would never do such a thing to my readers, no matter how mean they were to me." Bai Xinran furrowed her brows in confusion.


    What curse was this woman talking about? Were they also aware of the attacks and meanments she was receiving over her book?


    "Schoolmate Bai, since you don''t seem to be aware, after your death; there are rumors circting around that you have cursed your readers to death. Several of them were reported to either die from an ident or be stricken with a serious illness after reading your book," Li Fei''er exined.


    "H-how¡­ how could that be?!" Bai Xinran eximed. "I know those authors only targeted me because I didn''t share their views. Those meanments left for me were ridiculous and borderline insane. I know for a fact that they are just fake ounts intended to nder me!"


    "Is Liang Sisi involved with this group of authors you are talking about?" Shen Minyao questioned her.


    Bai Xinran''s expression changed, and she fell silent for a moment before she nodded her head in affirmation.


    "At first, I couldn''t believe that she was part of that group because I was very vocal about how I disagreed with their ways." Her tone was filled with disappointment. "As it turned out, Liang Sisi was the one who ratted me out and threw the first stone to persecute me. If I hadn''t met that man who informed me that Sisi was part of it, I would be oblivious of what she had done against me."


    Although she was still mad at her friend, a part of Bai Xinran wanted to know why her friend betrayed her.


    "I confronted her over the phone, but she kept on denying that she was part of it. Of course, I couldn''t believe her¡­ because the man I met before presented some evidence to me. He told me things that made me angry towards Liang Sisi."


    "This man you are talking about¡­ who is he?" Shen Minyao asked. She had a bad feeling about this. She found it suspicious that someone would seek Bai Xinran, sowing discord between her and Liang Sisi that led to the author''s death.


    "I don''t know his name. He refused to give me one. I''m not sure how, but he was able to sway me easily with words to hate Liang Sisi. He told me things I could do to get even with her, but I didn''t do any. He looked creepy and suspicious at the same time, so I decided to leave and never met him again."


    Shen Minyao nced at Jiang Chen, who knew that they also needed to check Bai Xinran''s imter. It was suspicious indeed.


    "I see. I believe you, then," the fox woman replied.


    "You do?" Bai Xinran was surprised at how easily this woman trusted her words. If it was in the past, she would have a hard time convincing anyone.


    "I''ve read your book," Shen Minyao said with a straight face, "Although there were some mistakes on the technicality of how you''ve written it, it''s not a bad book like everyone imed it to be. How could I call it a trash when all I''ve seen is how you put your heart and soul into writing it?"


    Bai Xinran would have cried right then and there¡ªif she was still alive. It''s been a while since she heard someone praise her work and respect it despite the massive ws it had. Before she died, her book was flooded with hatefulments, demeaning not only her work but also her as a person.


    "So I believe you when you say you didn''t," Shen Minyao added.


    Bai Xinran would be lying if she said that she wasn''t moved by this stranger''s words.


    "Thank you." For the first time since she died, Bai Xinran felt overwhelming happiness, dispelling the heavy atmosphere within the room. "It''s reassuring to know that you''ve liked my work."


    Meanwhile, Li Fei''er couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Although they were certain that the curse about Yu Lai''s webnovel was just a baseless rumor, she didn''t expect that Shen Minyao would read the said work, considering she once imed that the webnovel wasn''t her cup of tea.


    "Now that the issue is clear, Miss Bai, would you like to talk to your mother? She wants a word with you before you transcend to another realm," Jiang Chen reminded them of their purpose for this visit.


    "Is that true? You''ll allow me to bid goodbye to my mother?" Bai Xinran asked in surprise. She thought that she hadpletely lost her chance to apologize to her mother, for all the mean and foolish things she had said in the past.


    "En," Li Fei''er said, "She wouldn''t be able to see you, but please use this time to free yourself this time."

 Chapter 91 - Goodbye, Mom (1)

    By this time, Shen Minyao looked away. She could already sense the next scenes would be an emotional parting between mother and child. It wasn''t like she found it distasteful, but it kept on being a rude awakening about how short human lives were and how foolish they were not to cherish the time they had with one another. It was only when they realized what they lost would these humans know and regret what they''d missed.


    Of course, the fox woman also understood how painful it was to lose someone helplessly. As she took a quick nce at Li Fei''er, the fox woman wondered if she was given a chance to rectify her mistakes in her past life by preserving Feng Jiu''s life this time.


    The sound of a belling from Li Fei''er resonated within the room, and Bai Xinran immediately found herself being constricted by a blinding chain. However, she didn''t dare to struggle to break free this time. She was more eager to have a word with her mother.


    Li Fei''er continued with her ritual, while Jiang Chen started his chant, allowing Bai Xinran tomunicate with her mother.


    "Miss Bai, it''s time¡­" He informed her.


    "Mom, can you hear me?" Bai Xinran tried to call her mother once again. Unlike her earlier attempts, her mother reacted to hearing her voice this time.


    "Ranran? Is that really you?" Miss Xia tried to follow her daughter''s voice, stepping forward.


    "Mom, you shouldn''t step out of the circle. I don''t want to hurt you," Bai Xinran reminded her mother. She was now a ghost after all, and she didn''t trust herself at that moment.


    "Mom, I''m so sorry. Sorry for the hurtful words I said to you in the past. I was wrong. I realized I should have tried to listen to you, to understand you."


    Miss Xia broke down in tears upon hearing her daughter''s apology. She fell down on her knees and cried helplessly. If she had doubts earlier that she was truly hearing her dead daughter''s voice, she couldn''t be mistaken this time. This was really her firstborn child, her beloved daughter.


    "No, honey. It''s not your fault," she said between her sobs, "It''s Mom who failed you, darling. I failed to protect your heart, and now, I lost you for good. There''s nothing to apologize for, honey. I should be the one apologizing to you, Ranran. I was never there when you needed me."


    If she hade to see her daughter that day, would she be able to change the course of events that led to her daughter''s death? Would she be able to stop Liang Sisi from harming their Ranran?


    Bai Xinran''s heart broke, seeing her mother like this. To think that she was the reason why her mother was suffering¡­ made her feel guilty. If it was in the past, she might have med her mother for it. Right now, the ring truth that she was the one who failed her mother and made her wallow in tears made Bai Xinran realize what she had taken for granted in the past.


    "Mom, please don''t cry. Both of us know that neither of us wants this to happen, but you have to let me go now. They already exined to me what could happen if I remained here for too long."


    Miss Xia lifted her face and extended her hand as if she was trying to feel her daughter''s presence. She knew what her Ranran said was right, but as a mother, it was truly hard for her to let go of her child.


    The pain of knowing her child had died¡­ it felt like someone had stabbed her right in her chest. Watching in silence as her daughter''s remains were buried before her¡­ there were no words to describe how painful it was for Miss Xia.


    Then again, she couldn''t let her daughter''s spirit stay here for too long. She might not be able to save her daughter''s life, but she would preserve her daughter''s humanity until the end. If thest thing she could do for her Ranran was to send the girl off peacefully, then she would do it, no matter how hard for her to eptter that her daughter was truly gone.


    "Mom, I''ll be going now," Bai Xinran said as she noticed that her whole body was being devoured by blinding light, "Please take care of yourself and Little Yun."


    "Ranran!" Her mother cried out, wanting to see her for thest time.


    The fox woman took pity on her and cut off the blindfold that was stopping Miss Xia from seeing her daughter for thest time.


    Miss Xia opened her eyes widely, only to see her daughter slowly disappearing into thin air with a smile on her lips.


    "Ranran." She covered her mouth and cried more.


    "Goodbye, Mom. If there''s a next life, I hope I will be your child again. I will surely be a better daughter by then," Bai Xinran said before she disappeared into nothingness.


    Seeing that the ritual was sessful, Shen Minyao stepped out of the bedroom. Although she was a strong demon, being exposed to divination still took a toll on her body. Ah, it seemed that Li Fei''er was growing stronger these days. At this rate, it wouldn''t take long for Li Fei''er to know that she was a demon, the nine-tailed fox demon her whole family was looking for.


    "I know it was hard for you to stay inside. I''m sorry." Jiang Chen followed her outside and apologized at once.


    Other demons would have perished at once after being exposed to the divination and cleansing ritual Li Fei''er performed, but not Shen Minyao. If that was the case, then what kind of powerful demon was this woman? Jiang Chen wondered.


    "Hn. You think a simple ritual like that would be able to kill me? You must be underestimating me, Mr. Jiang.." She gave him a pointed re.

 Chapter 92 - Goodbye, Mom (2)

    It took some time before Miss Xia finally calmed down. The lights within the room shone brightly as if nothing had happened earlier. With Bai Xinran finally crossing over peacefully, a heavy weight had been lifted off Miss Xia''s heart.


    "Did she really go peacefully?" She clung onto Li Fei''er arm, her eyes filled with tears.


    "En," Li Fei''er assured her. "Bai Xinran is in a better ce now. In due time, if Heaven permits, she will be reborn in the future."


    "Then, I hope she leads a happy life next time." Miss Xia wiped her tears dry and smiled. "I''m her mom. The only thing I want is her happiness."


    "What about yours?" Shen Minyao asked curiously.


    "My child''s happiness is also mine''s," Miss Xia said with a smile.


    The fox woman furrowed her brows, but she refused to say more. What an odd woman, she thought.


    Lu Anqi felt that the ce had been truly freed from the strong spiritual presence that greeted them the first time they came here. Now that Bai Xinran was free and the truth about the curse had be clear, the only issue left was to see how things would end for Liang Sisi.


    "Can''t we really do anything to clear the rumors about her webnovel? We knew, for sure, that it''s not Yu Lai," Lu Anqi asked Jiang Chen as they started to clean up the mess they left at Bai Xinran''s room during the ritual.


    "Do you think those people will easily believe us if wee out and im that Yu Lai didn''t curse her readers? It will be just like speaking to the wall. So useless." Jiang Chen huffed. He and the demoness shared the same view about the cursed webnovel.


    "Curses work through psychological principles. If you believe that you are cursed for whatever reason, you will be distracted. Your paranoia will affect your quality of life¡ªincluding your sleep. You will be vulnerable to the self-fulfilling prophecy effect," he added.


    Most people were afraid of the unknown. Because the rumors had started to spread around, those readers¡ªwho were sick in the first ce¡ªmed it on reading Yu Lai''s book. People were familiar with the cebo effect on humans, but its counterpart¡ªthe nocebo effect¡ªalso bears the same damage to their minds and bodies.


    Both cebo and nocebo effects were presumably psychogenic, but they could induce measurable changes in the body.


    "It''s pointless to exin. They needed someone to me for their misfortune," Shen Minyao agreed with him.


    "Ah, I just remembered. I thought I told you not to read her novel until we are certain, but you still read it anyway. Why?" Li Fei''er asked the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao stared at the young shaman for a moment and chuckled. She wanted to say that even if the webnovel was truly cursed by its author, it wouldn''t have an effect on a demon like her.


    Humans might be able to hex and bring harm to one another, but they wouldn''t be able to harm demons of her caliber easily. Unless they were blessed with divine powers such as shamans, mere words wouldn''t be able to hurt the demons.


    "But it''s good that we are certain that Bai Xinran didn''t curse her readers. Despite that, in most cases, you must know that words are powerful. Once spoken, it can never be retrieved, so you better watch your words when you are feeling angry or happy," Shen Minyao said.


    "Even if we''re happy?" Li Fei''er was confused. She could understand why they should be careful when being angry, but why was being happy also included?


    "En, don''t you people love to make promises whenever you''re happy?" The fox woman asked.


    Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi looked at each other and then realized that what Shen Minyao said made sense after all. There were some things that they might have carelessly said out of their blissful states.


    "I understand now." Li Fei''er nodded. "I hope more people would be aware of things like this."


    Shen Minyao shut her eyes and leaned on her seat. Would humans be aware of it without thinking about themselves first? Humans were naturally greedy and selfish in nature. It was normal for them to think of themselves first before anyone.


    "So this is the end of it, right?" Lu Anqi asked. "I hope there won''t be any more disturbances here."


    She certainly didn''t want to experience the same nightmare all over again. Anyway, if Shen Minyao hadn''t revealed that she had an ability to get in touch with the spirits, Lu Anqi would still be oblivious until now.


    She was now starting to train with Jiang Chen every day, and she would work asionally with Li Fei''er to stop the spirits from bothering her with her daily life.


    "We close our case here," Jiang Chen said, "We don''t need to get involved with Liang Sisi as Miss Xia and her husband said they would need to review matters if they could find sufficient evidence that could prove that Liang Sisi hade here at the time of Bai Xinran''s murder."


    "Then, if we''re done here, could I ask you a favor?" Li Fei''er almost forgot that Jin Qian was still waiting for her at the hospital. She still had no idea where to start in finding the child''s missing mother.


    "A favor?" Jiang Chen raised a brow. "Okay. Considering you and Miss Shen have been a great help to us today, I suppose there''s nothing wrong in returning that favor."


    Li Fei''er''s face lit up. She then ryed the events to them, how she met Jin Qian at the hospital during the infestation of the wraith at the ICU department.


    Jiang Chen listened carefully to her story, while Lu Anqi took down notes. It was a good thing they knew little information about the kid, so they could have a starting point to know more about her parents.


    "Alright. If that''s the case, then we''ll try to find information about her mother first.." Jiang Chen decided.

 Chapter 93 - Not A Trash Like You (1)

    Monday came, and there was a new rumor circting about Yu Lai''s cursed webnovel. The meanments on her book were mass-deleted by the administrators, and it was obvious that someone was pulling the strings from behind, doing damage control.


    Whether it was to protect Yu Lai''s reputation or the site''s, it only meant that those who maliciously ndered her would eventually face the consequences of their actions.


    Bai Xinran''s family released a statement by then, disiming the rumors around Yu Lai''s death. They wanted her readers to remember the joy it brought to her when she was just starting writing her webnovel. For those who ndered her, Yu Lai had forgiven them before her death, but that didn''t mean they wouldn''t have to face thewsuits.


    By this time, Liang Sisi was visibly shaking in fear and anxiety. She was afraid that her heinous actions against Bai Xinran would eventuallye to light anytime soon. It didn''t help that Miss Xia, Bai Xinran''s mother, refused to pick up her calls ever since she made that interview.


    ''I shouldn''t have done that interview,'' she thought as she bit her nails nervously, ''Did they find out something about that night? That''s impossible.''


    Liang Sisi managed to find Lu Anqi, together with Li Fei''er and Shen Minyao. Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er didn''t seem like they suspected something about her involvement. However, as Liang Sisi stared at Shen Minyao, she felt like the fox woman''s clear eyes could see right through her soul and unearth the sins she hadmitted.


    "Is there progress in your investigation? Is there something else I could help you with?" She asked the three, hoping that she could gain some information about the case.


    Shen Minyao snorted, which was so udylike of her status. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, while the other two young women beside her smiled awkwardly at her reaction, knowing well that Shen Minyao was displeased with Liang Sisi''s presence.


    "About that, we decided to drop the case, Miss Liang. Bai Xinran''s mother said that we''ve done enough already, and we wished not to get involved with the proper investigation anymore," Lu Anqi said. Since she was technically Jiang Chen''s assistant, there''s no need for Liang Sisi toe after Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er.


    "Proper investigation? What do you mean, Miss Lu?" The smile on Liang Sisi''s face faltered. Was this to mean that the rumors about the investigation andwsuits were all true? This meant trouble for her then!


    "Well¡­" Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er shared a knowing look. "It means that Bai Xinran''s family doesn''t believe that she took her own life, so they wish for the authorities to reopen her case and find a probable cause to start the investigation."


    Liang Sisi''s face nched upon hearing those words, but she pretended to be only shocked.


    "Is that true? Does that mean someone murdered her?"


    "How did you know she was murdered? It looks like you are certain that Bai Xinran was murdered, Miss Liang." This time, it was Shen Minyao who questioned her.


    "I¡ªI¡­ I just made a guess, Miss Shen," Liang Sisi stuttered, but it was already toote. The three women before her were already aware of the heinous crime shemitted.


    Before Shen Minyao could say more, Liang Sisi immediately excused herself and fled from the scene as if she was running for her life.


    "Look at her. She couldn''t even keep her act together," the fox womanmented.


    Lu Anqi shook her head. It might not be obvious, but she was really nervous while speaking with Liang Sisi earlier. The fact that a young woman like Liang Sisi was able tomit murder baffled her.


    Jiang Chen might have decided to close the case for their sake, but it didn''t mean Lu Anqi was okay with meeting a murderer on the loose, face to face.


    "Mdy sure knows how to bully someone," Xiao Bai, who was seated on her right shoulder,mented.


    "Little Master shouldn''t call ssmate Shen a bully. It was Liang Sisi who dared to bully her best friend anyway." Li Fei''er pouted and disagreed with the fat white cat.


    Lu Anqi nced at Li Fei''er and then at Shen Minyao. She still couldn''t see Shen Minyao''s familiar and wondered what it looked like.


    "I''m jealous. I want to see Miss Shen''s familiar, too." She smiled at the two.


    "Ohh, Lu Anqi. Little Master is the cutest cat you''ll ever see!" Li Fei''er bragged happily. "He''s this round and so soft." She then reached a hand in an attempt to touch Xiao Bai''s head.


    "Don''t touch me, Little Jiu!" Xiao Bai bristled in annoyance at her. Ever since Li Fei''er started seeing him, she had always attempted to engulf her into a hug, which annoyed him to death. No matter if it was in the past or today, Feng Jiu remained the same towards him.


    "Aww, don''t be so angry, Little Master. I just want Lu Anqi to know how good-looking you are." Li Fei''erughed at him.


    "I always look good in any form I take. You don''t have to tell me the obvious thing." Xiao Bai huffed.


    "Conceited pig cat." The fox woman scoffed, earning a re from the cat on her shoulder.


    "Hey! Who are you calling a pig cat, mdy?! I''m not a fatty cat!" Xiao Baiined.


    Shen Minyao rolled her eyes and looked outside the window in the hallway. She needed to see and check on her human contractor soon. Although she could sense that Zhao Yichen''s health was recovering fast from his injuries, there''s no telling if another demon woulde after him.


    Just as they stepped into the third floor, they were stopped by a group of women again. Shen Minyao raised a slender brow when she saw Xu Shenshen, but this time, Shen Qing was with her.


    "Hello, Cousin.. It''s been a while since west met, don''t you think?" Shen Qing said with a mischievous smile.

 Chapter 94 - Not A Trash Like You (2)

    Shen Minyao''s body shivered hard just from hearing Shen Qing''s voice, and that made the fox woman wonder how much her host feared her cousin. From her host''s memories, the fox woman knew that they two never got along well, no matter how the real Shen Minyao tried to befriend her cousin.


    What the real Shen Minyao didn''t know was that Shen Qing''s jealousy and hatred towards her was deep-seated and wouldn''t change at all. The scent of animositying from Shen Qing was enough for the fox woman to know that she was up to no good. After all, wasn''t this person responsible for her host''s untimely death?


    The fox woman''s lips quirked up. She wanted to know what Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen were up to now. To think that Xu Shenshen would seek Shen Qing''s help to get even with her, she couldn''t believe that this woman was really stupid.


    "Indeed, it''s been a while, dear cousin. Did you enjoy hooking up with my foolish fianc¨¦ behind my back?" She said with a mocking tone.


    The smile on Shen Qing''s face faltered as she wasn''t prepared to hear such a p back from her cousin she used to bully for years.


    People around them snickered at Shen Qing and murmured words behind their hands as they mocked her for being a slut who seduced her cousin''s fianc¨¦. This was certainly a juicy rumor they hadn''t heard for some time now.


    Who hadn''t heard about Shen Minyao turning over a new leaf since her return and beating Xu Shenshen and her gang into pulp with her own hands? This was why many students made sure not to cross paths with Shen Minyao, in fear that they would offend her in the process.


    However, Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen still believed that they could still suppress Shen Minyao and that thetter was still no match against them. Oh, how much the fox woman loved to burst their bubbles and crush their hopes.


    "Yaoyao, please don''t say that. It''s true that I have fallen in love with Brother Yin, but if you are angry, please me me instead. You don''t have to hold it against him." Shen Qing''s tone suddenly changed into a pitiful one, which enraged Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er at the same time.


    "You!" Li Fei''er couldn''t believe that Shen Minyao had such a two-faced cousin. Shen Qing made it sound like Shen Minyao was the one who couldn''t let go of her fiance.


    Shen Minyao blocked Li Fei''er using her arm and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were silently telling them that it wasn''t something they needed to get involved with.


    The fox woman gave her attention back to Shen Qing and smirked devilishly.


    "Who said I still want to keep that filthy, cheating man? You can keep him for yourself. Why would I like a person like that? A bitch and a bastard, how very fitting to be together, don''t you think?"


    The colors on Shen Qing''s face changed upon hearing Shen Minyao''s taunting. Indeed, her cousin had really changed. If it was in the past, Shen Minyao would have already cowered in fear and scampered away from fear from her. However, this time, this cousin not only dared to look down on her arrogantly but also shamed her in public.


    "Since you keep on bragging about your nauseous love for him, please keep him and don''t allow your stench to reach my nose ever again. It''s quite disgusting, to be honest. There''s no need for you to pretend that you care about me, Qing Jie." Shen Minyao taunted her. "I''m giving the two of you my blessings, so you can be together forever. Now that''s a happy ending, right?"


    Shen Qing was too stunned from hearing the fox woman''s words. She had never heard Shen Minyao speak like this before. She didn''t know why, but a cold shiver ran down her spine as she looked at her cousin.


    Was this really the same Shen Minyao that they knew? She didn''t just turn into a new leaf¡­ because Shen Qing felt like she was totally a different person!


    "If you aren''t going to say something meaningful, scram! You are obstructing our way." Shen Minyao sneered at them. They were all talk. If Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen thought that they could easily beat her with these petty talks, they were gravely mistaken.


    This elder sister had no time to y a children''s game with them. She had enough experience from the scheming concubines in the past, and no matter how hard they pretended to be teenage master maniptors, it would never be enough for them to have thest words.


    "Wait!" Xu Shenshen stopped them from leaving. How could she forget the purpose of this meeting with Shen Minyao? There''s no way she would let this woman go without a fight!


    Shen Minyao regarded her with a cold stare, but she didn''t say anything.


    "You once imed that you were the one who broke the recent record. Do you have any proof of that, Shen Minyao?" Xu Shenshen asked. Forget Shen Qing¡ªshe was quite useless! If she had known that even Shen Qing had no match against Shen Minyao, she shouldn''t have sought the cousin''s help at all.


    "Proof? Why do I need to prove something that should have been obvious in the first ce? It''s like trying to prove you''re a fool¡­ when everyone knows how stupid you are, ssmate Xu," Shen Minyao said in return.


    Shen Qing, who just recovered from her shock, remembered what they came for. It was to bring Shen Minyao down by ruining her reputation.


    "That isn''t nice to say, Yaoyao."


    "And it isn''t nice to spread your legs for someone else''s fianc¨¦, Qing Jie," the fox woman retorted, "I know that you''ve always been jealous of me for being the first miss of the family and you covet after what I have, but it''s not nice to get in between me and Su Yin, no matter if we get along or not."

 Chapter 95 - Breaking Ties With Su Yin (1)

    "Shen Minyao, we aren''t here to discuss what you thought about your cousin''s rtionship with your fiance." Xu Shenshen had enough of this. At this rate, they wouldn''t be able to lure Shen Minyao to their trap if this persisted.


    Shen Minyao snorted and tucked her stray hair behind her ears. Of course, she knew why they were bothering her like this. If it wasn''t for a trap to humiliate her, why else would these two need to coborate at all?


    "Oh, then, do you need something?" She asked. "Right, you did mention that record-breaking score of mine. It seems you still don''t believe that I did it."


    "I sure don''t," Xu Shenshen easily admitted because even the faculty refused to make ament about it when she confronted them. She dove in without knowing that they only needed to have Shen Minyao''s consent to disclose it to the public since she was the one who requested to keep it as a secret anyway.


    Shen Minyao shrugged. "Then, I have nothing else to tell you. If you want to see proof, you could only ask the school management to have a look at my records.


    "Then, why don''t we have a bet, ssmate Shen?" Xu Shenshen said with a wicked smile. Her scent of scheming reached Shen Minyao''s nose.


    Ah, now that''s more like it. If Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing hadn''te here to scheme against her, the fox woman would be disappointed in the two.


    "A bet, huh?" She smirked, her eyes shining with amusement. She then taunted Xu Shenshen, "Do tell, ssmate Xu. What do you have in mind?"


    Xu Shenshen took it as Shen Minyao wanting to prove her im, no matter what. She grinned and tapped her chin thoughtfully.


    "ssmate Shen, since our midterm exams are fast approaching next month, why don''t you prove to us once more that you are an ''intellectual''?" She said with a mocking tone.


    "And why would I have to do that?" Shen Minyao rubbed her chin.


    "Didn''t you want to prove your im? I''m sure everyone here is curious if you were really that unknown record-breaking student," Xu Shenshen replied, "It would be the perfect opportunity for you to clear your name.


    The fox woman sighed in disappointment as she looked at Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing who couldn''t even hide their excitement over their bet.


    ''Oh, Xu Shenshen, you dimwit. This is the best you and Shen Qing coulde up with? You are really such a disgrace,'' Shen Minyao thought.


    "Nah, I''ll pass." She waved a hand at the two nonchntly. "I don''t give a damn if people believe me or not. I thought you woulde up with a better excuse, ssmate Xu." She added with disappointment.


    Xu Shenshen''s face paled when she realized that Shen Minyao was about to decline the bet. She and Shen Qing thought that Shen Minyao would easily agree to it.


    "You really should give it a good thought, ssmate Shen." She tried to convince the fox woman, not knowing that Shen Minyao was fully aware of what they were up to.


    "You said it''s a bet. What are you meaning to gain if I fail?" The fox woman gave the two a knowing look.


    Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing grinned inwardly as they both imagined Shen Minyao in her shameful state.


    "Ah, don''t be like that, ssmate Shen. I only want you to kneel down and apologize to me," Xu Shenshen said with a wicked smile, "If you lose, you should admit that you cheated in the admission exam and that you''ve been lying to us all this time."


    "And what does my dear cousin want?" Shen Minyao asked Shen Qing.


    "It''s not like I don''t believe you, cousin, but such a im needs solid proof. Not only are you inviting everyone to ridicule you, but you are also putting the name of the Shen family to shame¡­"


    "Cut the crap, Shen Qing. A bitch like you is thest person who needs to tell me what shame is." Shen Minyao cut her words off.


    Shen Qing glowered at her cousin and clenched her fist tight on her side. Bitch? Who was Shen Minyao calling a bitch? Su Yin met her first; why should she give way to Shen Minyao and watch the man she loved marry her idiot cousin?


    "Fine, if you lose, I want you to break ties with Brother Yin." She demanded Shen Minyao.


    "Urgh, this Shen Qing is really disgusting," Lu Anqi whispered to Li Fei''er, "Who is she to demand Sister Shen to dissolve her betrothal with her fianc¨¦?"


    "But wouldn''t be the best for Shen Minyao?" Li Fei''er said, "If ssmate Shen has to marry a man, he should be an outstanding man fit for our Shen Minyao."


    Lu Anqi blinked and then grinned. Right. What Li Fei''er said was right. Shen Minyao didn''t need a cheating bastard as her future husband. If Shen Qing wanted them to break up so badly, Shen Minyao should just let them be. It wasn''t worth fighting for a man who didn''t want her in the first ce.


    Shen Minyao looked at Shen Qing as if the other woman had just lost her mind. Didn''t Shen Qing know that Shen Minyao already requested their grandfather to dissolve her engagement with Su Yin? She certainly didn''t want to marry such a disgusting human being.


    "And if I win?" Her voice was so low that Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing almost missed it.


    They were both momentarily stunned, and they looked at Shen Minyao as if she had grown another head over her shoulder. Did Shen Minyao really think that she could win? She must be dreaming!


    Xu Shenshen looked arrogantly at Shen Minyao.


    "Alright, let''s hear what she wanted," she whispered to Shen Qing.


    "What do you want in return, then?" Shen Qing asked.


    "Nothing much.. I just want to p the two of you to my heart''s content."

 Chapter 96 - Breaking Ties With Su Yin (2)

    They dared to humiliate her without facing a consequence? These two dimwits must be dreaming! Shen Minyao thought. If they were brave enough to offend her like this, they must be prepared to face the consequences of such impertinence.


    Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing were both shocked by Shen Minyao''s demands. To p them to her heart''s content? Was she serious?


    However, as they looked at Shen Minyao''s resting bitch face, they knew then that she wasn''t joking at all.


    "Cousin must be joking, right? You intend to p us?" Shen Qing asked with an awkward smile on her face.


    "Oh, do I look joking to you, dear cousin? Then, you must ask ssmate Xu. She knew firsthand how it was to be beaten by me. I''m sure she wouldn''t mind reliving the same scenario again."


    Xu Shenshen nched and stepped back. Those memories of Shen Minyao forcing her face down the toilet water would still haunt her to this day. The shame and humiliation she suffered because of this person made her aughingstock in front of everyone.


    So how could she forgive and forget about Shen Minyao? Even if she wanted to, there''s no way Xu Shenshen would be able to let Shen Minyao have it her way again.


    "Cousin shouldn''t be this arrogant. You know how hard the midterms exam would be," Shen Qing said.


    ''Shen Minyao, you fool! You think you can just get away unscathed after offending us?''


    Right. Xu Shenshen thought. It''s impossible for Shen Minyao to ace the exams without cheating. The proctors were strict during the exams, and it would be hard for Shen Minyao to cheat even if she wanted to.


    The thought somehow calmed Xu Shenshen down. There was no way Shen Minyao would be able to win this bet with them anyway. Their win would be certain this time.


    "Fine, but you better agree to our demands, Shen Minyao. All of them are our witnesses to this bet," she told Shen Minyao with an arrogant smile. This time, she would make sure to return the favor Shen Minyao did to her a hundred times!


    Since there were so many students who witnessed their confrontation, it was only a matter of time before the news about their bet spread to everyone. It would be impossible for Shen Minyao to avoid facing her punishmentter once she lost in their bet.


    Meanwhile, Shen Qing thought that after this, Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to use her engagement to Su Yin and would admit defeat to her cousinter. Shen Qing couldn''t wait to see Shen Minyao''s pitiful state once she realized that she was still the useless, dumb person from the past.


    Since Shen Minyao had somehow forgotten her ce since her return, Shen Qing didn''t mind reminding her of her rightful ce¡ªwhich was below Shen Qing''s feet!


    "Then, let''s see who''ll win this time. I expect that you wouldn''t back out from your words, ssmate Xu, Qing Jie," Shen Minyao said before turning her back to the two scheming women and leaving with Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi in tow.


    "ssmate Shen, are you sure it''s alright to make a bet with them?" Li Fei''er asked. She feared that Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing would go overboard once they win the bet against Shen Minyao.


    "You worry too much. I still have a month to prepare for the midterm exams," the fox woman replied. Why were they so worried about her bet when they had nothing to do with it?


    "I hope I can help you, but I''m your junior, so I don''t have an idea how I can assist you with your studies," Lu Anqimented with a dejected sigh. After all the things Shen Minyao did to help her and Jiang Chen, how could she not be worried?


    Shen Minyao nced at Lu Anqi, but she didn''t say anything in response. Why were they so worried about this bet? She had all the time she needed to catch up with their lessons and do an advanced reading at night.


    With her host''s superb memory, there''s no way she would fail to ace their midterms exams. It should be Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing who needed to be wary of her once the results came out. She would let them know how vicious she could be.


    When she said that she would p them to her heart''s content, it only meant that she intended for their face to get swollen beyond recognition. After all, there was no way her hand would get hurt after literally pping their faces one after another. Just wait and see who''s going to begter.


    "Now that you mention it, Lu Anqi, I think I should be ssmate Shen''s study partner from now on," Li Fei''er made up her mind to help Shen Minyao, whether thetter asked for it or not.


    "I won''t go to your ce for a home study," Shen Minyao blurted out, surprising Li Fei''er. It couldn''t be helped because there was no fucking way she would step into the enemies''ir willingly. That would be like asking for a quick death at this point.


    "Oh, you don''t want to study at my ce? Your ce then." Li Fei''er grinned at the fox woman. She thought that this would be a perfect chance to deepen her friendship with Shen Minyao and get to know her better. What''s more, it would be a good reason for her to see Xiao Bai once in a while.


    "Do as you wish." Shen Minyao said, knowing that she wouldn''t be able to deny Li Fei''er''s wish, as long as her family wouldn''te knocking on her door.


    Meanwhile, Xiao Bai remained silent and stared at his mistress.. Why did he feel that his mistress was lowering her guard down recently? Not only did she allow Li Fei''er to stay close with her, but she had also gotten involved with two psychics that may pose a threat to her in the future.

 Chapter 97 - The Perfect Place To Hide (1)

    Meanwhile, somewhere in Jiang City¡­


    He sighed as the jet finallynded at the airport. This unnned trip really soured his mood right at the beginning. Other than traveling these days, Qin Zhi hadn''t done anything interesting or worthwhile the entire month.


    It would have been better if his meetings ceased reproducing like bunnies under the influence of an aphrodisiac, so he could have a moment of peace for himself¡­ even for just a day. He had been pretending to be a human for the past centuries, hiding his existence from their probing eyes.


    He leaned back in his seat and forced himself to rx, which he had truly done for centuries¡ªever since his younger sister and his mortal wife perished from this world. Even to this day, Qin Zhi wondered why he hadn''t died along with those two, forcing him to live alone miserably in this world.


    He wanted to me someone for his misfortune, but he knew himself too well to lie. Qin Zhi had med himself for not being strong enough to protect the two most important people in his life. If he had a choice, he would have followed Feng Jiu into the afterlife. However, knowing that his sister was still sealed at that remote mountain for ages, he wondered if a day woulde when he would be able to meet her once again.


    ''What will you tell her if she awakens, knowing you''ve failed her?'' Qin Zhi asked himself.


    Nothing. He answered himself¡­ because there were no words to exin his failure upon losing her and Feng Jiu.


    Qin Zhi pulled his phone out and saw several calls from a number he recognized,ing from his personal retainer and butler, Qin Zhihao. Qin Zhihao wouldn''t persistently call him like this if it wasn''t important.


    He dialed his butler''s number, and it was picked up even before the first ring ended.


    "Milord! I have been calling you since morning!" Qin Zhihao was already in histe seventies and had been the seventh retainer of the Qin family. He was a human who was born to the Qin family that acted as Qin Zhi''s human assistant, managing his mortal affairs for decades until Qin Zhihao passed the baton to his son or his grandson before his death.


    "I''m here now. What''s the matter this time?" Qin Zhi rubbed his temple and shut his eyes, wondering what made the old man agitated like this.


    "I''ve just received news from Qingqiu Mountain. Apparently, the seal on Young Miss''s remains has been lifted. The Li family is hunting her down as we speak," Qin Zhihao said, immediately garnering his master''s attention at once.


    Qin Zhi''s eyes shot open in surprise. He was just wondering a moment earlier what he would tell Daji if she awakened. What kind of coincidence was this?


    "Are you certain?" He asked. He needed to make sure that no shamans or psychics were able to find his sister in her weakened state.


    "I''ve sent people to confirm the news, but it might take some time to confirm it, milord," the old man replied.


    "I see." Qin Zhi knew then that he couldn''t wait and needed to see the site himself, but he would need to go back to his mansion first before anything else.


    In this era, he was known as Qin Zhi, the current CEO of EIR Group, which was established to protect the demons and allow them to mingle with the humans in secret. As a demon lord who would protect his subordinates, he oversaw the demonic activities in Jiang City, making sure that it wouldn''t affect the other demons that had chosen to step back and live in peace.


    Physically, Qin Zhi looked like a man in his mid-twenties, and no one would assume that he had surpassed most humans in age and outlived them for several centuries already.


    "Since Daji is finally awake, the most important thing right now is to find her before anyone else does," he told Qin Zhihao, "Go and send more people to snoop around to find a lead about her whereabouts."


    If she was still the demoness he knew from the past, Daji would surely try to hide from the humans by being among them. For Daji, the perfect ce to hide was in in sight, something the humans wouldn''t consider at first. Things that were hidden out in the open were often the most difficult to see.


    "Yes, milord. I''ll do it right away!" Qin Zhihao replied.


    He ended the call and rubbed his face. It waste now, but he would still make time to travel and see if the news about his sister''s escape was true. Qin Zhi wondered how Daji managed to free herself, considering how very faint her energy was thest time he paid her a visit.


    Her long slumber had eventually weakened her over the centuries that had passed. It would be impossible to escape and break her seal on her own, so how¡­ how did she manage to get free when even he, the great demon lord, couldn''t break the seal Li Yun cast on her?


    Qin Zhi shook his head and made a small sound of annoyance. He had waited for such a long time for Su Daji to wake up, only for her to hide; giving him a hard time finding her in a sea of humans. However, knowing that she was finally back managed to soothe his frayed nerves.


    Still thinking about his sister''s whereabouts, Qin Zhi tapped the armrest of his chair impatiently. There must be a clue along the way. Daji should have left some clues about what happened to her at Qingqiu Mountain.


    ''Get a grip.'' Qin Zhi told himself. He started to look ridiculous for being so worried about the sudden change of events after his return. The shock of knowing Daji had risen must have thrown him off more than he thought, nothing more.


    ''I will not fail you this time.. Not this time.''

 Chapter 98 - The Perfect Place To Hide (2)

    The moment Qin Zhi arrived at the Qin family mansion, he was greeted by Qin Zhihao who had been anticipating his return ever since the news about Su Daji''s escape from Qingqiu Mountain spread around.


    As of now, there weren''t a lot of humans who were aware of her escape, and only the Li family was on the move to hunt the infamous nine-tailed fox demon, whose ancestor had sealed it for a hundred years.


    "Wee back, milord," Qin Zhihao said with a polite bow, "I''ve prepared the things you might need tonight. The preliminary reports are on your desk."


    Qin Zhi nodded at him and walked past him as the master ascended the stairs in a hurry.


    "You better make sure no one would disturb me tonight. Reject all phone calls, whoever it is," Qin Zhimanded before he disappeared to the dark hallways of his vast mansion.


    Tonight was the first time he would do a night hunt in his demon form, something that he hadn''t done for a while now. As he entered his room and closed the door behind him, Qin Zhi sauntered towards his desk and read the reports about his sister''s disappearance from Qingqiu Mountain.


    Three mutted bodies of humans were found around the scene, each missing livers that had no doubt been eaten by Su Daji in her attempt to satiate her immeasurable hunger.


    For his sister, who he knew to be a picky eater, to eat a human liver in such a state¡­ it only meant that she was desperate. However, three human livers would never be enough for her in such a pitiful state.


    Unless she devoured another demon''s orb or hunted a hundred humans to eat their high-quality livers, it would never be enough. His poor sister who had been kept inside a seal for hundreds of years¡­ it was only natural that she would be too hungry once she woke up.


    ''Daji, where are you now?'' Qin Zhi thought.


    The mutted humans who fell victim to Daji''s hands were identified as hired killers. They did a lot of dirty work for several businessmen not only in Jiang City but also in neighboring cities and towns around.


    Having read the file, Qin Zhi changed his clothes from his dark business suits to a traditional white robe he used to sport centuries ago. As he stood before the mirror, he watched as his short ck hair slowly grew past his shoulders, down to his waist; while his obsidian human eyes turned into golden orbs with slits on them.


    If a human would take a look at him now, they would never believe that he was the same CEO Qin that everyone was praising. With his elongated fangs and sharp ws, it would be impossible not to think that this devilishly handsome man was a demon after all.


    However, unlike his younger sister who had silvery, silky hair; Qin Zhi''s long hair had a slightly golden hue, a touch of being unruly, and sharp edges at the ends. Still, it was undeniable that he had otherworldly features that would leave so many people in a trance upon seeing him.


    Once fully transformed in his demon form, Qin Zhi shut his eyes and used his spatial awareness ability that covered the entire Jiang City. Every nook and crevice of the city was scanned, not missing even the dead ends and hidden alleys to find demons lurking within his territory.


    However, he couldn''t find a single hint of Daji''s whereabouts. However, he noticed that the demon that took over the city hospital¡ªwhich Qin Zhihao reported about¡ªwas nowhere to be found anymore. Instead, the demon was reced by two presences Qin Zhi couldn''t fully identify as demons or not.


    The city hospital was just too far from where he was, so he would need to see up close to know what they were. However, he had no time for that as he needed to check the seal at the Qingqiu Mountain where his sister used to be for hundreds of years.


    Qin Zhi cracked his eyes open, and he slowly vanished into thin air. Since he had been on Qingqiu Mountain hundreds of times ever since Su Daji was sealed in it, it was easy for him to travel back and forth without notifying the Li shamans of histe-night visits.


    "You really know how to hide yourself well, dear sister, but I will find you nheless," he muttered to himself, aware that it wouldn''t be easy for him to find someone who didn''t want to be found in the first ce.


    The moon was already high up above the sky when he arrived at Qingqiu Mountain. The wind was a bit chilly, but not for a nine-tailed fox demon like Qin Zhi who was able to withstand the harsh weather of the seasons.


    As he descended at the ce where his sister was sealed, he was greeted by the faint scents of human blood that permeated around the area.


    The rain wasn''t able to totally wash away the blood that seeped through the soil and the cracks of the rocks where the seal was seated.


    Instead of only three distinct scents of human blood, Qin Zhi was able to pick up four different scents¡­ which meant that there were four humans within the vicinity when Daji awakened. If the three humans were hired killers, wouldn''t that mean the fourth one was with them?


    No. Qin Zhi shook his head. Daji would have obliterated them allpletely if they were all hired killers, which only left him with the possibility that the fourth person was the victim. It was the man the three hired killers were supposed to dispose of that day. For Daji to allow that fourth human to live, it should mean something.


    It seemed that he had no other choice but to start investigating those hired killers to find theirst target before Daji killed them, saving their victim in the process.

 Chapter 99 - I’ll Be Your Woman (1)

    Finally, the weekend arrived, much to the fox woman''s delight. She nned to spend the whole day with her human contractor rather than returning home to the Shen estate, much to Fu Xiyan''s disappointment. She had been wondering why Shen Minyao had chosen to avoid meeting her family these days.


    It wasn''t that Shen Minyao was avoiding meeting the Shen family. It was just that she didn''t have the patience to y filial daughtertely. Was this the reason why even the real Shen Minyao chose to stay at the dormitory rather than return home every day?


    "Mdy is finally here." Yu Yan rubbed her head on Shen Minyao''s hand as the fox woman took a seat next to Zhao Yichen''s bed.


    "It seems you are recovering well," she stated the obvious once she gave him a good look.


    Zhao Yichen hummed and smiled as Yu Yan returned to hisp, watching the ck cat curl up in her cefortably.


    "I''ll be going home soon," he replied, "I was told I only need to stay for another week before I can go home."


    "Wouldn''t that mean I don''t have a reason to see you anymore?" The fox woman rubbed her chin as she thought about her options in the future. It was important that she and Zhao Yichen needed to be close to each other, no matter where the other one was.


    "Is that a problem?" Zhao Yichen asked curiously.


    "Of course, Young Master!" Xiao Bai eximed. "Since you are bound to our mistress through a contract, it''s important to keep you protected until she deems it safe enough to leave you on your own."


    "Ah, is that so? Then, what do we do?"


    What could they possibly use as an excuse for them to keep seeing each other? He wondered. An idea crossed his mind, but he immediately shook his head and berated himself for even considering such an idea.


    As if knowing what he was thinking, Shen Minyao voiced out the excuse Zhao Yichen came up with as well.


    "Should we pretend to date?" She suggested, "Since my engagement to Su Yin is about to dissolve, dating you would be a perfect excuse for me to get rid of him for good."


    "You were engaged?" Zhao Yichen blinked twice in disbelief. Wait, why was he even bothered after hearing that she was engaged to someone else? He and Shen Minyao were only bound together because of the contract he had with her.


    "Not me." The fox woman scoffed. "This host sure is a handful sometimes." She corrected him. It was her host''s misfortune to like a shallow man like Su Yin in the first ce.


    "Ohh¡­" Zhao Yichen then smiled awkwardly. How could he forget that this demoness had just possessed this human body out of nowhere? Technically, it was her host that was betrothed to some guy, not the fox woman.


    "So, what do you think?"


    "What do I think about what?" He really wasn''t sure if this was a good idea, but he couldn''te up with another excuse to use for him to see Shen Minyao¡ªother than this idea.


    "Of me bing your woman," the fox woman nonchntly replied, "I''ll be your woman, so I can stay by your side from now on."


    Thankfully, Zhao Yichen wasn''t drinking anything at that moment, or else if he would have choked at how confident Shen Minyao spoke while proposing the idea of bing his woman. His face flushed red from her suggestion.


    "If that''s what you want¡­"


    "Then, that''s settled." Shen Minyao nodded, wondering if she also needed to study how humans court these days. She ignored how Zhao Yichen''s face had a deep blush on it.


    Since the problem had been settled, it would be easier for her to see Zhao Yichen wherever he would be staying after he left the hospital. It would also be better if Elder Zhao and her family were made aware of them being together, so there wouldn''t be any reasons for them to suspect why Shen Minyao came to constantly check and see Zhao Yichen.


    Heh, at any rate, getting rid of Su Yin would be easier this way, and Shen Minyao didn''t think that her family would disapprove of her seeing the fourth young master of the Zhao family. Considering that the Shens and the Zhaos were on the same level in society, while the Su family was falling behind them¡­


    Thinking about it, the fox woman realized that even in these modern days, one''s surname was still important¡ªjust like in the past. She was lucky that Shen Minyao came from a prominent family like her previous host, or else she would have a hard time dealing with these pesky problems.


    "What''s wrong?" Zhao Yichen''s question brought the fox woman back to reality. She was making that kind of face again, which was making him nervous. Shen Minyao had this expression before she confronted the spider demon during herst visit.


    "Nothing. Just wondering how we should break the news that we''re dating to everyone."


    Zhao Yichenughed, seeing how serious she was. Was this because she was a demon that she tended to overthink things that were simple in human terms?


    "It''s not that hard, Shen Minyao. Just make a few phone calls every now and then. I don''t think they won''t believe you if you say you are seeing someone."


    Who would dare to suspect that she was lying? With that pretty face that she had, it''s only natural that some men would be attracted to her.


    "Is that so?" The fox woman rubbed her chin in understanding. So it was like that. She didn''t know that it was that simple. Courting back then was a huge thing in the past and was treated with importance.


    "I''ll also tell my grandfather to allow you to visit me freely once I am home," Zhao Yichen informed her.. Since he trusted no one but Shen Minyao, it would be best if he could keep herpany.

 Chapter 100 - I’ll Be Your Woman (2)

    It seemed that the fox woman couldn''t avoid meeting the Shen family altogether. The moment she stepped out of the city hospital, a butler from the Shen estate came to pick her up.


    "Miss, your grandfather wants a word with you," the butler informed her, and Shen Minyao only heaved a sigh. She was hoping to have the rest of her day for herself, to study for the uing midterms exams. There was no way she would allow Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing to beat her on the bet they started.


    "Alright, take me home," she replied and thanked the man as he opened the door of the backseat for her.


    Shen Minyao cupped her chin and looked outside. She needed to n for her future. If the day came that Li Fei''er and the others found out the truth about her identity, she would need to leave Jiang City for her own good.


    There was no doubt that more people woulde to hunt her down, either to exorcise her for good or to kill her. She needed to keep her presence from being exposed until she was strong enough to protect herself and her human contractor.


    When she arrived at the Shen estate, she found the rest of the family waiting for her in the dining area. Cheng Lifan and Shen Qingyuan smiled at her, but her father only scoffed and ignored her presence¡ªnot that it bothered the fox woman anyway.


    His real daughter had long been dead. There was no point in him trying to mend his rtionship with Shen Minyao because it was already toote to make up for the lost time with her.


    The fox woman took a seat next to Cheng Lifan and greeted her elders, purposely ignoring Shen Xin who scowled upon realizing that his daughter had once again treated him with indifference.


    Not that this was the first time it happened, but he couldn''t help but notice that his aloof daughter had changed dramatically ever since he met her at the hospital again.


    "Xiao Yao, you haven''te home recently. Is something the matter?" Grandpa Shen asked. Since he was practically the one who raised Shen Minyao when her father cast her aside when she was younger, the old man had a special spot for his granddaughter.


    As for Shen Qing, the old man could only scowl at how spoiled that girl had be over the years. It was because his second son and his daughter-inw had no time to spare for their children that both Shen Qiu and Shen Qing developed bad habits and attitudes.


    Thankfully, Shen Minyao had matured exceptionally well and didn''t give them problems growing up. He knew well how upset she was when her birth mother disappeared without a word, and he thought that she would be the problem child in the future if left unsupervised.


    "No, Grandpa. I''m just busytely since the midterm exams are approaching. I''m preparing for it, so I won''t fall behind in my ss," the fox woman said as she picked up a dumpling and chewed it slowly.


    This was one of the reasons why she was hesitant toe here. Cheng Lifan and the old man always found a way to force her to eat human food. At least by staying at the dormitory, whatever Fu Xiyan brought for her could be given to someone else.


    "I see, then you should take care of yourself more, Xiao Yao. I heard from Xiyan that you missed your meals whenever she wasn''t around to look after you. Look at how skinny you''ve be," the old manmented, his brows furrowing together.


    "That''s from our training, Grandpa." Shen Qingyuan decided to pounce and brag to protect his elder sister. "Jiejie is always on time during our training, and I never heard herin even once no matter how hard the training was."


    "Then, that''s good to hear." The old manughed and looked at his children proudly. "The Shens aren''t weaklings in the first ce. We are known for our tenacity not to sumb to weaknesses."


    The fox woman tried her best not to roll her eyes. Apparently, the real Shen Minyao didn''t share the same values. She allowed her own cousin to trample her over and over again, which led to her untimely death.


    "I heard that you went to see Young Master Zhao again. How is he?" This time, it was Cheng Lifan who questioned her.


    Shen Minyao hummed and then remembered the agreement she and Zhao Yichen had earlier. It''s important that the Shen family would know that she was getting acquainted well with the fourth young master of the Zhao family.


    "He''s recovering well, Mama. In fact, Brother Yichen promised to take me out for dinner once he fully recovered."


    Cheng Lifan was momentarily stunned by her stepdaughter''s words, but she easily snapped out of it. It seemed that their Xiao Yao had finally moved on from Su Yin and was now willing to divert her attention to another man.


    She hadn''t met Zhao Yichen yet, but ording to Fu Xiyan, the young man treated her stepdaughter well during theirst visit. As long as Zhao Yichen treated their Xiao Yao well, Cheng Lifan didn''t mind them seeing each other.


    "Xiao Yao,"¡ªCheng Lifan ced her hand gently on top of Shen Minyao''s hand¡ª"you are at the right age to see and meet someone, but please don''t forget to focus on your studies, alright? It''s important that you finish your studies, so Mama and all of us wouldn''t be worried about your future."


    Shen Minyao''s right eye twitched. Why was this woman speaking as if she intended to marry Zhao Yichen when they were just pretending to date?


    "En, I understand, Mama. I will listen to you," she said in response. At least now, the Shen family was now aware of her growing rtionship with Zhao Yichen.. It wouldn''t be weird and suspicious if people see them together in the future.

 Chapter 101 - It’s Not My Fault (1)

    Shen Minyao had been frequently visiting Zhao Yichen since then, not bothering to hide the fact that she was meeting him anymore. Since she needed to establish her acquaintance with Zhao Yichen to escte the impending nullification of her engagement to Su Yin, the fox woman made sure that she had been since visiting Zhao Yichen.


    "ssmate Shen, who are you visiting at the city hospital?" Li Fei''er asked the fox woman as they made their way to the hospital, along with Lu Anqi, after school.


    Since Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi had decided to pick up Jin Qian''s case, they needed to gather more information about the girl and her missing mother.


    "I''m visiting my boyfriend," Shen Minyao said without batting an eyelid, "He''s still recovering from his surgery, so I made sure to drop by to see him once in a while."


    Li Fei''er would have tripped and nted her own face on the road if Lu Anqi didn''t manage to hold her arm to keep her from falling. She then stared wide-eyed at Shen Minyao.


    "You have a boyfriend?" She blinked twice, not sure if she heard Shen Minyao right.


    The fox woman furrowed her brows upon seeing Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi''s reaction.


    "Why are you so surprised? Is it really far-fetched to believe that I got myself a boyfriend?"


    "No, it''s not that." Li Fei''er realized that she might have overreacted. "You''ve never mentioned him before, so we were surprised."


    Shen Minyao hummed but remained silent. It''s only natural for them not to know Zhao Yichen as she hadn''t thought of how she would exin how they met each other. What''s more, they might suspect her identity if they found out that she and Zhao Yichen were at the same ce and time of the nine-tailed fox''s disappearance.


    "We just want to keep it private, considering how nosy people could be when ites to my affairs." She was talking about how Shen Qing still annoyed her to this day.


    "Could you introduce him to us sometimeter then?" Lu Anqi grinned.


    "I''ll have to ask for his opinion first. He''s quite a private and shy person," the fox woman replied before they realized that they arrived at the city hospital.


    One part of the hospital was under construction, which was ruined by the fire Mu Qing started after they managed to kill the spider demon. Guest and unauthorized personnel weren''t allowed to get into that part of the hospital, and most of the patients were moved to the other vacant rooms, while the reconstruction of the neurology department was still ongoing.


    Shen Minyao parted ways with Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi as she went to the private recovery ward where Zhao Yichen was currently staying. She wasn''t interested in getting involved with Jin Qian''s case since she had nothing to gain from it in the first ce.


    She found Zhao Yichen standing next to the window of his room, while Yu Yan was curled in the bed, sleeping peacefully. Now that his life was out of danger, Zhao Yichen felt better these days.


    "You know, you don''t have to drop by to see me every day," he said once he spotted the fox woman standing in the doorway, still dressed in her school uniform.


    "I''m bored. There''s nothing else for me to do except to study for the exams." Shen Minyao dropped her school bag on the nearby couch and pierced the strawberry yogurt drink with the straw in her other hand.


    "Are you waiting for another demon to show up?" He asked. This time, he faced her.


    Zhao Yichen was still dressed in a hospital gown, and he hoped that the bodyguard he sent away earlier woulde back soon, with more appropriate clothes he could wear other than this.


    "It would have been better if a demon came my way. The faster I regain my strength, the better." The fox woman shrugged.


    "But what if the demon is too strong for you to deal with?"


    Zhao Yichen was worried that she would sustain another injury again. Shen Minyao didn''t tell him, but Xiao Bai and Yu Yan had made it known to him that she had almost lost her life thest time she hunted a demon. If she didn''t defeat that spider demon, they had no doubt that she could have died from her injuries.


    Shen Minyao gave him a nk look. She wondered if he was truly concerned about her safety. Other humans would choose to break ties with a demon like her out of fear, but why was Zhao Yichen too calm in her presence? Wasn''t he afraid of her anymore?


    The fox woman rose to her feet and sauntered towards her human contractor, invading his private space. She took a good sniff of his scent, but aside from confusion, she couldn''t catch the scent of fear and terror on him.


    How odd, she thought. Aside from Little Jiu, Zhao Yichen was the second human being that didn''t have any hint of fear on his scent when it came to her.


    "W-what is it?" Zhao Yichen asked, wondering what was going on in her mind this time. Shen Minyao had never been this close to him before.


    The fox woman stepped back and returned to her previous seat, waving a hand on her contractor''s question. Zhao Yichen might have a misconception about him being her human contractor. However, soon enough, he would realize how wrong he was for letting his guard down, especially around her.


    "Are you worried that you will also die once I perish? You worry too much."


    Zhao Yichen cocked his head to one side, wondering if she had somehow misunderstood his concern towards her.. Were all demons as prideful as the nine-tailed fox in front of him? However, what Shen Minyao said made sense to him. How could he forget that their lives were connected for a limited time until the fox woman was able to recreate another orb?

 Chapter 102 - It’s Not My Fault (2)

    It was already past seven in the evening when Shen Minyao arrived at the gates of the dormitory where she was staying. There were still people walking around as the curfew hours had yet to arrive. As she walked alone along the pathway leading to the dormitory, she met Liang Sisi who had obviously been waiting for her return.


    "Miss Shen, can I have a word with you?" The foolish mortal asked.


    The fox woman narrowed her eyes and looked around them, noticing that there wasn''t a single human in sight. She could also smell a strong scent of fear and anticipationing from Liang Sisi.


    What did this human want from her anyway? She didn''t have anything to do with Jiang Chen and the police''s investigation. Moreover, to think that Liang Sisi took the chance to seek her when there were no other humans around¡­ only made this fool look suspicious under the fox woman''s eyes.


    Shen Minyao stared at Liang Sisi nkly, not saying anything; which only made the human more nervous than she already was. Was Liang Sisi trying to sound her out if they knew what she had done to Bai Xinran?


    "Hmm? At this time of the day?" She finally responded. "Couldn''t this wait for tomorrow?"


    "I don''t think so, Miss Shen. I really need your help," Liang Sisi replied. She then walked past the fox woman, gesturing for Shen Minyao to follow her outside the premises of the dormitory.


    Shen Minyao could now sense the strong murderous intent in the air, something she hadn''t sensed from a human ever since her awakening. Did Liang Sisi want her dead? The corner of her lips curled up.


    Did this mean that Liang Sisi was a wolf in sheep''s clothing? Liang Sisi pretended that she was weak and innocent, but she was hiding such a vicious and jealous heart.


    "Fine," the fox woman said, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she followed Liang Sisi back to the school premises wordlessly.


    As Liang Sisi led her to the school''s rooftop that was rarely used by the students, she could already assume what this human was nning to do.


    ''Foolish human,'' Shen Minyao thought, ''Since you brought me here, let me y with you.''


    "Schoolmate Liang, why did you bring me here?" She asked with an arrogant smirk on her face.


    Liang Sisi crossed her arms on her midsection, her facial expression changing to one with indifference. She had automatically shed her pretentious mask in front of Shen Minyao.


    "This is all your fault. If you didn''t poke your nose in someone''s business, none of this would happen." She sneered towards the fox woman.


    "What does your so-called best friend have to do with us?" Shen Minyao hummed.


    Liang Sisi''s face contorted with anger right then and there. The moment she met Shen Minyao, she had this ufortable feeling in her gut. Her instincts were telling her that Shen Minyao knew things others didn''t, and that made her ufortable in her presence.


    "So you did know!" She eximed, "And so did the others¡­"


    Shen Minyao scoffed, trying to keep her expression nonchnt as she realized that this crazy girl might alsoe after Li Fei''er and the other one if she left Liang Sisi unscathed tonight. Her eyes turned cold instantly. She would need to dispose of Liang Sisi and nip the bud before it could go out of hand.


    "You believe those fake psychics would know? Ha. You''re really such a stupid girl, Schoolmate Liang."


    Liang Sisi looked at her with confusion, wondering if she was telling the truth or not. Was Shen Minyao the only one aware of the truth behind Bai Xinran''s death?


    "They are fakes?" She asked.


    "Don''t misunderstand and group me with those people," Shen Minyao said, "But, Schoolmate Liang, I have to say that you really fucked up this time, don''t you think? Are theying too close to your liking?"


    Liang Sisi''s jaws hardened. That afternoon, the police came knocking on her door to question her. She almost lost herself right then and there. She thought that it was Jing Chen''s team that sent the authorities to arrest her.


    In her distracted state, Shen Minyao fiddled her phone inside her pocket and hit the record button. No matter what happened tonight, she would make sure that Bai Xinran''s name would be cleared in public.


    "It''s not my fault," Liang Sisi said in her crazy state as she held the sides of her head, eyes losing focus on Shen Minyao.


    "I didn''t mean to kill her, but she was just too annoying¡ªso self-righteous! She kept on saying that she supported me, but what did she do? She started her own novel and surpassed me! And then she dared to make fun of my work? Bai Xinran was really something!"


    The fox woman let Liang Sisi say whatever she wanted to say. Shen Minyao didn''t dare to cut her off; neither was she questioned. It was obvious that Liang Sisi had deep-seated animosity against Bai Xinran and hadn''t regretted what she did to her best friend.


    "Then, she had the audacity to criticize me? Just who did she think she was?!" Liang Sisi continued. These were the things she had been keeping to herself since Bai Xinran''s death. "I didn''t mean to kill her. It just happened. As for the rumors about her novel, she certainly brought it upon herself for making enemies out of others! Was it also my fault that she was so stupid? If she didn''t poke her nose in someone''s business, we wouldn''te after her!"


    Shen Minyao silently fed on the negative energy Liang Sisi was emitting at that moment. Aside from eating another demon''s orb and human livers, another way for a demon to feed was to consume the pure and intense energy around them.. Consuming negative energy such as hatred, grief, and despair surely gave demons like her a boost, but if it was consumed excessively, they might lose self-control.

 Chapter 103 - Afraid Of One’s Own Shadow (1)

    However, it had never been an issue for the fox woman before. Although it was faster to get stronger by consuming another demon''s orb, feeding on the negative energy humans naturally emit was more essible and easier to umte.


    The more intense the hatred was, the more energy a demon like her could consume. It was for this reason that many demons chose to mingle with the humans, instigating them to do something to hate one another.


    However, being fed on by a demon had some detrimental effects on a human. Not only would they sumb to the hatred they''d been culminating for some time, but the demon would also intensify such emotions to squeeze out more energy from them.


    Because of it, many humans fell sick after making such an outburst and sumbed to death without knowing what hit them.


    Shen Minyao fed on Liang Sisi without thetter noticing it. For the first time since she had woken up, the fox woman had encountered a human who held enough grudges for her to feed on.


    "She was so hateful!" Liang Sisi continued, "If it wasn''t for her¡­ If she hadn''t been so arrogant, none of these would happen. So why was it that it was my fault now?"


    Right now, Shen Minyao could already see that this human had already lost not only her conscience but also her rational mind. Liang Sisi was blinded by so much hatred and jealousy that she didn''t feel any remorse for what she did to her best friend.


    Liang Sisi continued to break down in front of the fox woman. She fell to her knees and clutched her head as she continued to mumble how Bai Xinran ruined everything for her.


    ''Pathetic,'' Shen Minyao thought as she stared down at the human that was still in denial.


    While Bai Xinran truly cared about Liang Sisi, thetter was only aware of the shorings and mistakes of her best friend. How could she even im that she was Bai Xinran''s best friend when all she had for the girl was envy and jealousy? She was jealous of the things Bai Xinran had and hated her for being sympathetic and pitying her for being poor.


    "It''s not my fault¡­" Liang Sisi kept on repeating like a mantra. She extended a hand towards the fox woman, but the cut of Shen Minyao''s eyes was almost so visceral she had no choice but to bring the offending hand away.


    A passing breeze rustled the fox woman''s hair and clothing. Shen Minyao was looking down at the pathetic human who still refused to admit her wrongdoings. To Liang Sisi, everything was Bai Xinran''s fault¡ªnever hers.


    Shen Minyao pressed the button to stop recording. She then bent down on her knees and harshly pulled Liang Sisi''s face towards her.


    "Your hands are tainted with her blood, and yet your mouth kept spouting nonsense? Who are you trying to convince here? Me or yourself?" She questioned the trembling woman.


    "Weren''t you nning to kill me, too?"


    Her next question caught Liang Sisi off-guard. She had totally forgotten the purpose of this meeting with Shen Minyao. She was stunned into silence.


    "Then, is it going to be my fault, too, if I die tonight?" Shen Minyao asked, and the sudden change of color of her eyes terrified Liang Sisi.


    Her initial ns were thrown in the wind as she realized how dangerous Shen Minyao was. She couldn''t possibly be just a human like her! No human would be able to change their eye color that easily. In contrast to their original brown color, Liang Sisi was now staring straight at the bright golden eyes of the fox demon.


    "You¡­ what are you?" She tried to pull back away from Shen Minyao, but she realized that her legs wouldn''t budge at all.


    Her tears reamed on her eyes as she stared wide-eyed at the fox woman. Just who was this person?


    "My, my. You''ve already forgotten my name? Don''t worry, Schoolmate Liang. I''m still the Shen Minyao you know." Shen Minyao chuckled darkly next to Liang Sisi''s ear.


    Now that Shen Minyao had consumed a decent amount of negative energy from her, it was enough for her mental state to deteriorate on its own. If Liang Sisi wouldn''t kill herself willingly, meeting a demon should be enough to drive her to insanity.


    "You¡­ get away from me! Get away from me!"


    By this time, Liang Sisi was panicking already. She was able to take away her chin from Shen Minyao''s hold, but she couldn''t muster enough courage to get awaypletely.


    The fox woman''s eyes glowed in the darkness, which only made Liang Sisi fear for her life. This wasn''t what she had in mind when she decided to meet Shen Minyao. How did it end up this way?!


    "Hey, now. Weren''t you nning to kill me like what you did to Bai Xinran? Are you chickening out?" Shen Minyao mocked her.


    "No, no, that''s not true!" Liang Sisi denied the fox woman''s usation, but Shen Minyao knew better.


    There was no way the scent she smelled earlier was a figment of her imagination. It''s impossible for Liang Sisi to deny her wicked n when she reeked of murderous intent as she sought Shen Minyao earlier.


    "Really? So you weren''t nning to push me on the edge to make it look like I alsomitted suicide?"


    Liang Sisi trembled and continued to shake her head. She had already lost herposure as she looked shabby with her unkempt appearance. Her mental stability had truly been shaken by the demoness in front of her.


    "No, no, that''s not true. I didn''t kill anyone. I wasn''t nning to kill anyone," she cried hysterically and forced herself to stand up. Once she was back on her feet, she stumbled yet again as saw Shen Minyao''s fang protruding from her lips.


    Her scream resounded through the area as she ran for life away from the fox demon.

 Chapter 104 - Afraid Of One’s Own Shadow (2)

    Shen Minyao did expect that Liang Sisi would react this way. However, she wasn''t worried that Liang Sisi would reveal what she had seen that night. After all, Shen Minyao was able to reappear in front of the dormitory in a mere second, allowing some people to see her entering the building.


    It was Liang Sisi''s fault that she had schemed against the fox woman. If she didn''t dare to harm Shen Minyao and threatened Li Fei''er''s and the other''s lives, Shen Minyao wouldn''t resort to pushing her to insanity. She was able to use her powers to manipte Liang Sisi''s mind now, after all.


    By now, Liang Sisi should start hallucinating, seeing her dead best friend and hearing voices that weren''t there in the first ce. So it didn''te as a surprise to Shen Minyao when she heard from Li Fei''er that Liang Sisi had confessed about the crime against Bai Xinran shemitted, but it was obvious that she was also not in the right state of mind.


    "I wonder what had happened to her. Do you think she was stricken with her guilt, and that''s why she came clean and confessed?" Li Fei''er asked her during their lunch break.


    Shen Minyao shrugged as she sat on the windowsill next to Li Fei''er''s seat in the ssroom while sipping her favorite drink.


    "Who knows? Maybe she was gued with a nightmare. People who knew they have done wrong tend to make their own ghosts," the fox woman replied.


    "But the recordings that came after it. Just who was able to record such a confession from her?" Li Fei''er still couldn''t believe the sudden turn of events in Bai Xinran''s case. Perhaps it was a good thing that Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi had chosen to close the case early.


    A recording of Liang Sisi''s confession about Yu Lai''s cursed webnovel and her involvement with Bai Xinran''s death had been spread all over the inte. It was in the headlines of the mainstream news these days, putting Spring Hill High School under the spotlight.


    There had been media men and reporters camping outside their school, hoping to get a scoop or an exclusive.


    Many were surprised at how young Liang Sisi was, and most were appalled after hearing her reasons why she had killed her best friend. This made the investigation of the authorities easier. However, they doubted that they would be able to convict Liang Sisi because of the state of mind she currently had.


    "I thought you would be happy to hear that Liang Sisi was exposed. Wouldn''t this mean that Bai Xinran is finally able to get the justice she was seeking?" Shen Minyao asked in return.


    "I don''t know¡­" Li Fei''er sighed. "Maybe, you are right. I just didn''t expect this to happen."


    She was in the middle of helping Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi regarding Jin Qian''s case, and the thoughts of Bai Xinran''s case had been pushed aside in her mind. So the news about Liang Sisi had somehow surprised her.


    "You worry too much. Liang Sisi should have seen iting. There''s no way she would be able to hide the truth for too long¡­ since the authorities have already started another official investigation on Bai Xinran''s death.


    "What would happen to Liang Sisi, then?" Li Fei''er asked, "If they won''t be able to convict her for her crime, then what will happen?"


    "Most likely, she would be put in a mental facility," Shen Minyao said, "That is if they will be able to prove that she wasn''t in the right state of mind when shemitted the crime. Enough of her, is there any progress with your investigationtely?"


    Li Fei''er shook her head. "We''re still waiting for Mr. Jiang''s report. Lu Anqi and I have already got all the details we could get from Jin Qian and the nurses."


    "You really can''t ignore people who need help," the fox womanmented, watching as Li Fei''er finished her packed lunch.


    "I can''t seem to ignore them, especially when I know I can do something to help them." The young shamanughed awkwardly. "Jin Qian was the first person I met when I came back here to Jiang City, and I promised to help her find her mother, anyway."


    "Then, you should learn to say ''no'' from now on, or else everyone woulde to seek you for help." This was another thing that remained the same with Feng Jiu''s current incarnation. Regardless of whether the person was good or bad, she wouldn''t hesitate to help.


    "I know, I know." Li Fei''er groaned as she rested her head on her desk once she put aside her empty lunchbox. "Dad also keeps reminding me to be wary of whom I decide to help."


    "He''s right. You can''t just be avable 24/7 for anyone. It''s for your own good, so you better listen to your father."


    "But I don''t like that they still treat me like a kid." Li Fei''er was upset that she was being left out by her family on their quest to track down the missing nine-tailed fox from Qingqiu Mountain.


    "Well, aren''t you still seventeen? A few months more, and you''ll be nearing of age." The fox woman could sense Li Fei''er''s irritation about something.


    "Still, I''m already a full-fledged shaman, right? So why can''t I help them find the demon they were looking for?!" The younger woman huffed in annoyance.


    "Oh? They''re doing some demon hunting?" Shen Minyao gently probed. Had the Li family somehow found a trace that would lead to her and Zhao Yichen?


    "En." Li Fei''er then straightened her back and looked around, making sure that they were outside everyone else''s earshot.


    "They are still looking for the infamous nine-tailed fox that recently escaped from Qingqiu Mountain. No one knew how she was able to do it, considering the seals our ancestors put around the mountain should be strong enough to contain her and forbid her to step outside."

 Chapter 105 - Ghost Girl (1)

    Indeed, the seals Li Yun had ced around the Qingqiu Mountain were strong enough to contain her from leaving. However, what the great shaman didn''t anticipate was the possibility of her possessing yet another host to escape the mountain.


    Also, because she was also bound to a contract with Zhao Yichen, the seals failed to recognize her as an escaping entity and alert the Li family about the matter.


    "Perhaps they are worried that the demon woulde after you since you are part of their family. ssmate Li, I would be wary if I were you. Demons like a nine-tailed fox are vengeful creatures. You should have known, by now, just how many humans have lost their lives because of that fox demon."


    Li Fei''er hummed and looked at Shen Minyao with amusement.


    "So even ssmate Shen has already heard about the nine-tailed fox, huh?"


    Shen Minyao scoffed and looked away. How could she not know when she was that demon Li Fei''er was looking for?


    "I have read several myths about the nine-tailed fox. It''s quite fascinating, to be honest."


    When she was still at the hospital, she spent the night reading about what the humans knew about fox demons like her. She didn''t really think that her life as Su Daji was known as a legend. The fox woman was amused by how the humans painted her as a vicious and horrible demon that enchanted the emperor.


    If only they knew that a woman was forbidden to get involved in political affairs during those eras. There was no such thing as equal rights for women. Humans were giving her too much credit for the downfall of that dynasty.


    "I understand how dangerous the fox woman is,"¡ªshe heard Li Fei''er said¡ª"but they can''t just leave me out like that."


    "What will you do, then? If the nine-tailed foxes after you? Surely, you know you can''t win against it." Shen Minyao''s half-lidded eyes made Li Fei''er shiver in her seat.


    Well, to be honest. Li Fei''er hadn''t considered that yet. If she were toe face to face with the fox demon, then there was no doubt that she would lose against it at her current state. Her father said that the fox woman had weakened over the years of its confinement, but still¡­


    She let out a dejected sigh and buried her face in her folded arms. She didn''t like being secluded like this. Of course, she knew what her family was dealing with right now was dangerous, but wouldn''t that be enough reason for her to help them out?


    "You are right. I''m still not strong enough to defeat a powerful demon like that," She admitted.


    Still, Li Fei''er thought that she might be able to help her family without going to the frontline to fight the fox demon. She might be young and inexperienced, but she wasn''t totally useless.


    "Why do you sound so upset? There''s no need for you to fight the fox demon." Shen Minyao cackled. The fox demon would never dare toy a hand on and hurt Li Fei''er, not when she was the incarnation of the fox woman''s human ward.


    Even the human records didn''t mention anything about Feng Jiu''s existence and her involvement with the fox demon, so Shen Minyao wouldn''t be surprised if the Li family wasn''t aware of Feng Jiu being reborn into their family.


    The fox woman supposed that it was for the better. Feng Jiu''s previous life, before meeting her, was one filled with hardships. The orphan child lost her whole family after their city was conquered by a neighboring kingdom. If the fox woman hadn''t saved the child from being sold to a brothel, she had no doubt that Feng Jiu''s life would be a pitiful one until herst breath.


    It was for that sole reason that the fox woman chose to give everything she could to the young child. Feng Jiu''s innocence, not marred by the atrocities of human greed, had made the child dear to her.


    "I guess you are right¡­" the young shaman mumbled to herself, but it was loud enough for the fox woman to hear.


    "I am right," Shen Minyao said with confidence. Because there was no way she would kill Li Fei''er even though the girl came from that family that entrapped her.


    "So would you be able to help us find Jin Qian''s mother this time?" Li Fei''er changed their topic, much to the fox woman''s delight. She didn''t want the young woman to talk about the nine-tailed fox anymore.


    "Why? I thought you and Lu Anqi have already done your part. Mr. Jiang should be able to find the identity of the child''s mother based on the hospital records," she replied.


    "Well, we have a suspicion that Jin Qian''s mother isn''t in this world anymore." Li Fei''er fiddled with the end of her hair and looked up at Shen Minyao with such worry in her eyes.


    "Is that so?" The fox woman had also thought of such a possibility. It was even surprising for her that the child hadn''t turned into a malevolent spirit yet, despite being dead for years and exposed to the demons'' presence during the spider demon''s infiltration in the city hospital.


    "I''m just worried that Jin Qian would be upset if she heard it."


    "Wouldn''t it be the best scenario for them? Why are you trying to decide whether one would be happy or not based on your mere assumptions?" The fox woman asked in response.


    "What do you mean?" Li Fei''er wasn''t sure about what her ssmate meant, but as she gave it a good thought, she couldn''t deny that both mother and child would at least be together in the afterlife without worrying about each other.


    "I don''t know¡­" She sighed and shut her eyes. However, she did understand now that she shouldn''t jump into conclusions about someone''s happiness. Whether Jin Qian would be satisfied learning the truth or not, she was the only one who could answer that question.

 Chapter 106 - Ghost Girl (2)

    It didn''te as a surprise when Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er found out that their assumptions were right. Jin Qian''s mother was confirmed to be long dead when they met Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi again. It was Saturday afternoon, and the three high school students finally had the free time to deal with Jin Qian''s case, along with Jiang Chen.


    Apparently, during the time Jin Qian was confined in the hospital, her mother had gone to work several jobs at once. She worked to earn enough money for her daughter''s treatment, only for her to get involved in an ident that took her life.


    "This¡­ how do we tell her then that her mother has died?" Li Fei''er asked, ncing at them worriedly. She didn''t think she had the heart to tell Jin Qian that the reason her mother had never returned was that she already died before her child.


    Jiang Chen shrugged. He wasn''t really bothered how the ghost girl would react once she knew the truth. He already did his part and had fulfilled the favor Li Fei''er asked him.


    "Just tell her the truth, Li Fei''er. There''s no other way to sugarcoat what truly happened," Lu Anqi said.


    "But didn''t you say that her mother''s soul is still trapped where the ident happened? She became a restless soul because she knew Jin Qian was still waiting for her return." Li Fei''er probed. Couldn''t they really do something to help the mother and child reunite?


    Shen Minyao looked outside the restaurant where they were in. There''s a way, but only a few psychics were able to move a ghost from one ce to another.


    "Mr. Jiang should be able to seal her soul in an ornament and bring her to the ghost girl," she suggested to the three, much to the young man''s irritation.


    "It''s not that simple," Jiang Chen said, "There''s a demonic presence in where she is, and I can''t deal with demons right now. They are more handful than vengeful spirits."


    The young man was clearly annoyed that Shen Minyao raised the issue. Well, he would have done the sealing if only there wasn''t a demon blocking his way to reach the dead woman''s ghost at the intersection.


    "Mr. Jiang could also deal with demons?" Li Fei''er asked in surprise. Would it be possible for her to seek his help in finding the missing nine-tailed fox demon?


    "A demon, you say?" This time, Shen Minyao''s tone was one with interest.


    "Do you want to help?" Jiang Chen asked, knowing what she was thinking at that moment.


    "Depends on what I could get out of it. Have you identified what kind of demon it was?"


    "No." The man shook his head. "But I might need your assistance, once again, to deal with it if we want to save Jin Qian''s mother."


    "Should we help, too?" Li Fei''er asked. She was the one who promised Jin Qian to help in the first ce, but most of the job had already been dealt with by Jiang Chen.


    "There''s no need for that. Mr. Jiang and I should be enough to deal with it." Shen Minyao turned away Li Fei''er''s help this time. Since they had no idea what kind of demon they would be dealing with this time, it was better to keep Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi away from it.


    "Alright. Then, we shouldn''t waste our time here and do an inspection. What do you think, Miss Shen?" Jiang Chen stood from his seat and slipped his arms back in his ck long coat.


    "Fine by me." Shen Minyao followed his lead and took her coat before regarding Li Fei''er who was seated next to her. "I suppose it''s time for you to deliver the news to the ghost girl. We''ll see you soon after Mr. Jiang and I collect the soul of her mother."


    "Okay." The young shaman was clearly displeased that Shen Minyao wouldn''t allow her to tag along with them. She then took something from her purse and ced it on Shen Minyao''s hand. It was the talismans she always had on her, just in case she encountered demons.


    "Bring these with you. I''ll be happy if it can help you defeat the demon and save Jin Qian''s mother," she said.


    Shen Minyao red at the papers in her hand, while Jiang Chen looked at her with curiosity. If Shen Minyao was a lesser demon, she would have burned the moment the talisman touched her skin. However, she didn''t.


    ''Interesting,'' Jiang Chen thought. Until now, he had no idea what kind of demon Shen Minyao was, and he was curious to know the answer.


    Shen Minyao ced the talisman in the pocket of her coat and nodded.


    "I''ll surely make good use of it," she told Li Fei''er, ignoring the way Jiang Chen looked at her with amusement. Did he just think that she would reveal herself as a demon in front of Li Fei''er? Ridiculous!


    "Then, please be careful." Lu Anqi told the fox woman and her young boss. She understood why Jiang Chen didn''t want her to tag along with them as they had once encountered a demon before, which almost killed her.


    Jiang Chen nodded at her and left the restaurant, with Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai following behind him.


    "You wouldn''t bother to cooperate with us in Jin Qian''s case if you haven''t heard about the demon," he told the fox woman.


    "The ghost girl doesn''t interest me at all," Shen Minyao admitted. If it wasn''t for the demon he mentioned earlier, she wouldn''t waste her time to help them at all.


    "How heartless of you, Miss Shen," Jiang Chen said with a mocking tone, but the fox woman wasn''t least bothered by his words. She had heard worse insults than that.


    She watched as Jiang Chen unlocked his ck sedan car and allowed her to get inside. She then buckled her seat belt and looked at the road as the car left.

 Chapter 107 - Demons At Fourth District (1)

    "I visited Liang Sisi yesterday," Jiang Chen said out of the blue, his eyes never leaving the road.


    "And you are telling me this because?" The fox woman asked.


    "I sensed a trace of demonic aura on her. You met her, didn''t you?" His voice had an using tone to it.


    "Oh? You can tell?" Shen Minyao chuckled in amusement. She hadn''t met an interesting person like Jiang Chen ever since she woke up. In the past, it was Li Yun whom she usually nagged to no end.


    Jiang Chen frowned at her words. "You aren''t going to deny it?"


    The fox woman shrugged and looked outside the window of the passenger seat.


    "Unlike you humans, demons don''t need to give excuses to save our faces. We do what we want, regardless of what others think of it," she told him.


    What''s the point of making excuses? Whether she fed on Liang Sisi''s weakness or not, Jiang Chen and the others wouldn''t be able to stop her.


    "You shouldn''t have fed on her," he said, "She lost her mind."


    "Oh, I assure you. The screws on her head were already loose when she came to confront me," the fox woman said in defense.


    "She came to see you?" Jiang Chen gave her a quick nce. That was something no one was aware of.


    Shen Minyao hummed. She wasn''t the only one responsible for Liang Sisi''s current state. If she hadn''te to the fox woman, Liang Sisi wouldn''t have ended the way she was today.


    "She suspected that we knew about what she did to Bai Xinran and threatened my life. Anyway, I couldn''t let her go unscathed, knowing that she would go after Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi. It was either I feed on her so she could leave¡­ or kill her to silence her for good."


    Jiang Chen had no words for that. He wasn''t aware that Liang Sisi was suspicious of them, but if she was to harm Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi because of their involvement with the case, he would never be able to forgive himself for dragging the two into the problem.


    Still, he disapproved of what this demoness did to Liang Sisi. She shouldn''t have forced Liang Sisi into insanity. A human being fed on by a demon like Shen Minyao wouldn''t survive for too long as they would eventually fall sick until they sumbed to death.


    That''s why Jiang Chen wouldn''t be surprised if, one of these days, the news of Liang Sisi''s death reached his ears. Shen Minyao must have done a good feeding on Liang Sisi to leave her in such a pitiful state.


    "So do you have any idea what kind of demon we have to deal with now?" He heard Shen Minyao ask.


    "No, and that''s basically the problem. We won''t know how to cast it off if we don''t know what it is," he admitted.


    "Hmm, Li Fei''er would be the best person for this job, but I doubt if she''s strong enough to exorcise it," the fox womanmented.


    Jiang Chen drove outside Jiang City, and it took them at least one and a half hours to reach the neighboring town where Jin Qian''s mother lost her life.


    The moment they reached the fourth district, Shen Minyao immediately sensed the sudden change in the atmosphere. There was no doubt that there was a demonic presence in this area.


    "Stop the car. Hurry!" She told Jiang Chen who immediately stepped on the brakes, forcing the car into a hard stop at the roadside. Just what had just gotten to this woman all of a sudden?


    "What''s wrong? We are still three blocks away from the intersection." He asked confusedly, but as he looked at the seriousness on her face, Jiang Chen wondered if he had underestimated the demoness beside him.


    "No, it''s fine. We don''t have to go there to confirm that there''s a demon in here," she answered, but her eyes were looking everywhere.


    Even from this distance, she and Xiao Bai could already sense the traces the demon left in the area. To think that it had chosen this busy and noisy district of all ces, surely, this demon was fearless!


    Since most demons were solitary creatures, they rarely interacted and mingled with humans unless they were making a feeding ground. The fourth district of this town was surrounded by high residential buildings and shops that most humans frequent. Wherever the fox woman cast her gaze, she could see humans.


    Shen Minyao looked around them, trying to tune out the noises made by the humans around them. It was really irritating, especially for a demon with heightened senses like the fox demon.


    Didn''t humans realize that they were doing a lot of noise pollution these days? If only they could just shut up for just one damn minute, she wouldn''t have to filter out so many noises at once.


    Xiao Bai also leaped down from her shoulder, his eyes glowing as he tried to locate the demon they were looking for.


    "Its traces are everywhere, but I can''t find its exact location."


    "So annoying. It seems we aren''t dealing with just one demon." Shen Minyao used her spatial awareness ability to scan the crowd, but it only confirmed what Xiao Bai said earlier.


    "You mean there''s more?" Jiang Chen was shocked by the revtion. Wouldn''t this mean that it would be harder to retrieve Jin Qian''s mother? One demon alone was already hard to deal with¡ªwhat more if it was an infestation of demons?!


    "Yes," the fox woman affirmed, "they are of the same kind. Nheless, it seems they have taken an interest to make this ce their feeding ground."


    Not only could she sense demonic presence on the highway, but she could see wandering spirits of humans that were seemingly moving in an endless loop. If Jin Qian''s mother was here, then it was no wonder she couldn''t leave the ce to see her deceased daughter in the city hospital.

 Chapter 108 - Demons At Fourth District (2)

    "Then, can you see it?" Shen Minyao pointed her forefinger at the adjacent building across where they were standing.


    Jiang Chen frowned, but he followed where she was pointing at and could faintly see spirits swarming the third floor of the building like they were falling in line for something. The line then continued to the empty alley until his human eyes couldn''t see where the spirits were going anymore.


    What the hell was that? He thought. He didn''t sense that thing when he first came here. Had it always been there? He had totally missed it the first time?


    "What''s happening there? Why are the spirits acting that way?"


    "Oh, that? They are getting in line to get eaten by the demons," Shen Minyao replied before she started walking along with Xiao Bai.


    Jiang Chen had no other choice but to follow her lead. Since they were already here, it wouldn''t hurt to see what was truly going on in this area.


    "Tell me the details about this case. I''m pretty sure you are already aware of it even before Li Fei''er mentioned the ghost girl''s case to you," the fox woman demanded.


    The young man walking next to her sighed and rubbed his temple. It seemed that he couldn''t really hide the truth from this demoness, after all.


    "Just as you said, we''ve been hearing reports about the fourth district for years now,"¡ªhe started¡ª"but since no one came forward to make a formal request to investigate it, the paranormal teams stayed away from it. I cannot investigate it myself because my hands are already filled with cases back at Jiang City.


    "Many idents happen in this ce. From construction idents to road traffic idents, many humans have lost their lives here. There have also been sightings of ghosts reported by some civilians¡­ although we cannot confirm their authenticity."


    He would have taken the case earlier if only he wasn''t too busy with the othermitments he had back at Jiang City. Anyway, if Li Fei''er hadn''t requested their help to investigate Jin Qian''s case, he would have never assumed that it was connected to the issue that had been guing the fourth district for years.


    "Did you know when the infestation of demons started? With the number of human spirits trapped in here, I suppose it has been going on for some time now," Shen Minyao asked.


    However, instead of Jiang Chen, a familiar masculine voice Shen Minyao hadn''t heard for some time answered her inquiry.


    "It started five years ago. The humans were the ones who invaded the demons'' territory unknowingly, which led to the untimely deaths of some of them."


    Shen Minyao stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Mu Qing walking towards them. Oh, she should have known that grim reapers would also be involved in this case.


    "Oh, it''s Lord Hell!" Xiao Bai eximed upon seeing Mu Qing. He looked the same as always. His face, however, hardened with a nk expression as he looked at Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen.


    "Lord Hell, what a surprise. I wasn''t expecting to see you here tonight," she said with sarcasm, "What are you doing here?"


    "I should be the one asking you such a question, fox demon." The grim reaper then nced at Jiang Chen who couldn''t see him or hear what he was saying.


    "And you got yet another odd human with you. What happened to the man you''ve been protecting before?" He said as he regarded Jiang Chen.


    "Don''t misunderstand. I''m not here to help him. As for the man you were talking about, he''s still in the hospital where I left him," Shen Minyao said in defense, "I''m here to hunt demons."


    Seeing that Shen Minyao had started talking to herself, Jiang Chen wondered if she was talking to a spiritual entity that he couldn''t see. With so many spiritual presences surrounding the area, he was having a hard time getting in tune with Shen Minyao.


    "Miss Shen, who are you talking to?" He asked curiously.


    Shen Minyao shifted her gaze to him and then immediately turned back in Mu Qing''s direction. How could she forget that grim reapers were practically invisible to a human''s naked eye?


    "Ah, you can''t see him? I''m actually talking to a grim reaper right here." She then pointed in Mu Qing''s direction.


    However, Jiang Chen couldn''t sense or see the grim reaper''s presence. His jaws dropped in surprise. Was she telling the truth? Was she really talking to a real grim reaper?


    "That''s weird. Howe Little Fei could see you, but a psychic couldn''t?" The fox woman hummed as she rubbed her chin.


    "It''s because shamans like Li Fei''er are more in tune with spiritual presence around them than humans who unlock their sixth sense," Mu Qing replied.


    Shen Minyao patted Jiang Chen''s shoulder and shook her head.


    "Tsk. Lucky you, you couldn''t see him. If I were a human, I would never wish to see a grim reaper in front of me. No matter how good-looking he is. If only I was a human like you, then I wouldn''t have to see his annoying face at all."


    Mu Qing shot her a fierce re at that. This demoness surely loved picking fights with him. Heaven forbid, there wouldn''t be a day when this demoness wouldn''t dare to purposely annoy him whenever they saw each other.


    "Ha. It''s not like I wanted to see you, too."


    "So, do you know where we could find their of the demons? Have they made a nest somewhere here?" Shen Minyao asked, getting serious. No matter how many times she used her spatial awareness ability, she couldn''t seem to spot the demons that had been feeding on the poor human souls.


    "I''m not sure about that. I only came here because I received an order to make an inspection as to how severe the problem is as the local grim reapers here weren''t able to deal with it."

 Chapter 109 - Demons At Fourth District (3)

    "It''s been years, and yet neither you, the humans, nor the grim reapers made an effort to get to the bottom of this?" Shen Minyao snorted. "If I wasn''t hunting a demon, I suppose you would need to deal with it on your own, Mu Qing."


    The grim reaper nced at her and huffed.


    "You bring more problems than help. Don''t you know how much work I had to deal with after you killed that spider demon? Because of you, we were forced to do overtime." He red at her, as he remembered the clean-up he had to do along with his fellow grim reapers.


    The fox woman waved her hand and resumed walking along with Jiang Chen, who was visibly confused next to her. Sheughed at his reaction and shook her head. He was probably not sure if she was indeed talking to a grim reaper like she said, but there''s no reason for her to lie, anyway.


    "Since it has been years, it only made sense that the infestation here is worse than the city hospital," Shen Minyaomented.


    "Did you also investigate the city hospital?" Jiang Chen asked. The news about the fire that consumed one part of the city hospital and how it took several lives had filled the mainstream news for the past weeks.


    Shen Minyao made a nomittal sound. She would rather not disclose things this early with Jiang Chen and the others. The less they knew about the nine-tailed fox, the better. It would be a pity if they end up dying by her own hands.


    "Mu Qing was doing an inspection there. After all, it''s his job to collect souls of the departed, right?" She answered.


    Jiang Chen nodded, but he could feel that there was more to it. At that, he didn''t dare to probe any further. If Shen Minyao wasn''t willing to say things, he would rather not poke into her business and lose his life in the process.


    The fact that she was able to withstand holding Li Fei''er''s talisman without getting hurt and that this demoness was able to have absolute possession of Shen Minyao''s body only meant that she was a high-level demon.


    "Then, what do we know about the demons that reside here?" The fox woman asked once they reached the wide intersection of the highway. There was a pedestrianne that allowed people to cross the roads. Because the fourth district never slept, people and motorists could be seen everywhere.


    "There weren''t any reported sightings of the demons," Jiang Chen answered her, "In fact, we''ve onlye to the conclusion that it was a demon that caused havoc here because of the amount of negative energy being umted."


    "There''s something odd about it, though," Mu Qing joined their conversation. "Remember the mirror demon at your school?"


    "What about it?" Shen Minyao asked. What did it have to do with their current case?


    "There are some spirits who were able to resist the influence of the demons, but they can''t seem to leave the ce."


    "So spirits were bound to stay here, huh." The fox woman couldn''t help but wonder how many simrities the two cases had.


    The spirits during the mirror demon''s case were lured into the ce, trapping them in the process; while the demons here at the fourth district had killed humans for them to be able to extract the souls from the dead bodies to feed onter.


    "Should we take a look and see what kind of barrier is stopping the spirits from leaving this ce?" Shen Minyao asked the two men.


    "I''ll go and see howrge the barrier covering the district is. I''ll see you here in an hour," Mu Qing said before he vanished into thin air.


    "Ah, he left already without waiting for my answer." The fox woman frowned. This wasn''t the first time that happened, and perhaps she should get used to it by now.


    "We should also need to get going, mdy," Xiao Bai suggested as he leaped back onto Shen Minyao''s shoulder.


    "What should we do then?" Jiang Chen questioned her. As he looked at the fat cat on Shen Minyao''s shoulder, he wondered how she was able to withstand its weight.


    Since he could only hear Shen Minyao''s response and not the grim reaper''s voice, it was hard for him toe up with a conclusion based on what could have been spoken between the two.


    "Mu Qing left to see how big the barrier is. We should also see and check if it is ced by a human or a demon." She sighed.


    Her words only confused the young psychic further. Nevertheless, Jiang Chen followed her as they continued their stroll.


    Since it was almost six in the evening, more people hade out to meet their friends and loved ones over dinner. The two easily avoided the crowd, but Jiang Chen was having a hard time keeping up with the fox woman''s pace. Shen Minyao easily avoided the humans they encountered along their way, as she could sense their presence even before she was able to see them.


    "Do you mean to say a human can also set such a barrier? But why would they do that?" Jiang Chen asked once he caught up with Shen Minyao and her guardian.


    "You are asking the wrong person here, Mr. Jiang," Xiao Bai replied, instead of his mistress, "But yes. Humans with enough spiritual presence such as shamans, priests, and witches can set barriers to fend off demons. However, those barriers can also be used to trap them and other spiritual entities inside if they want."


    Jiang Chen nodded in understanding. What the fatty cat said made sense to him. It wasn''t impossible for a human toe up with such a deadly trap, especially if demons were involved in it.


    After walking for about fifteen minutes, the two reached one end of the barrier. Shen Minyao touched it, and the barrier sparked upon contact.

 Chapter 110 - Demons At Fourth District (4)

    It managed to leave a slight burn on the fox woman''s hand, unlike Li Fei''er''s talismans. The fox woman didn''t even show any indication that she was hurt by it, though.


    "A human." Shen Minyao chuckled in amusement before adding: "An exorcist on top of that."


    "What did you say?" Jiang Chen''s frown was only deepened by the fox woman''s words. "Are you certain?"


    "Mr. Jiang shouldn''t doubt Mdy''s words. It''s indeed the doing of an exorcist," Xiao Bai exined, as they watched the burn on Shen Minyao''s hand disappear without a trace.


    "I don''t understand¡­" Jiang Chen''s words trailed off. Exorcists were supposed to help cast away demons, not to help them feed on humans.


    So why would an exorcist set up a barrier to help the demons trap the human souls they collected from the road idents they instigated?


    "Who knows?" Shen Minyao shrugged. "Unless we meet the person responsible for this barrier, we would never know the reasons behind it."


    They both decided to go back to the intersection to meet with Mu Qing again.


    "I feel like the psychic teams that are deployed here have failed to do their jobs," Jiang Chen said as he looked heavenward. The night had engulfed the whole town. The temperature in the city got colder, as their breaths started to fog.


    "Hn, I suppose they know for a fact that they are too weak to deal with it, but you are right. This wouldn''t get out of hand if they managed to stop it earlier," Shen Minyao agreed with him.


    As she walked next to Jiang Chen, she didn''t look like a high school student at all. Some human men couldn''t help but turn their heads to give her a second and third look. It was impossible for them not to notice Shen Minyao''s face in the crowd.


    However, because she was seen with Jiang Chen, none of those men attempted to strike up a conversation with her. They could only sigh and walk away in disappointment.


    They happened on a nearby bus stop at the intersection of the highways, and the two took a seat while they waited for Mu Qing''s return. Several buses had already made their stops, unloading their passengers. However, neither of them made a move to get on board.


    "The ident cases here are quite high. The traffic lights keep on malfunctioning, leading to some drivers not being able to stop and hit their brakes, only to hit the crowd at the pedestrianne. It was either that, or some motorists reported how their brakes stopped functioning, forcing them to turn their wheels on the side of the road."


    Jiang Chen couldn''t believe that his fellow psychics had allowed this problem to persist. They could have reported what was truly going on in here, and he would drop some cases in his hands to amodate the fourth district case.


    "Psychics can''t do much against demons, you know," Shen Minyao said as if she knew what he was thinking.


    "Like I said, the person perfect for this job is a shaman like Li Fei''er or another exorcist who could destroy the demons for good. We aren''t just talking about a single demon, Mr. Jiang. It wouldn''t be that simple. Psychics like you could deal with malevolent spirits, not demons."


    "But they could have at least tried to lessen the casualties if they couldn''t defeat the demons. I should have gotten here sooner."


    Shen Minyao could smell regreting from Jiang Chen. While it''s true that he had been aware of the sightings of the ghosts here, if he came here too early; it could only lead Jiang Chen to his own death.


    She looked at the passing cars in front of them. Demons were naturally solitary creatures, but the ones who tended to move in groups were the lower-level ones. It was their way to survive this wicked world, where the weaker ones were fated to be devoured by the stronger ones.


    Even for a fox demon like her, it would be impossible for her to identify what kind of demons they were dealing with due to the camouge given by their mixed scents.


    Exactly an hour since Mu Qing vanished, he reappeared next at Shen Minyao''s side with the same impassive handsome face that he had. With his tall height and regal posture, paired with a cold beauty; it was a shame that only the fox woman and the fat white cat could see him.


    "How was it?" Shen Minyao asked in a low voice, her gaze never leaving the highway.


    "It''s hard to tell how big the barrier is. It covers the whole fourth district and a third of the neighboring district to the northeast."


    "Hey, that''s huge already, Lord Hell," Xiao Baimented, his eyes turning into slits, "So the demons here have the fourth district under their influence, and now they are spreading northeast?"


    "Miss Shen, I''m wondering¡­ since the demons here have the fourth district in their hands, did it mean they could decide who cane and go? Are all demons aggressive towards someone who trespasses in their territories or challenges their authorities?" Jiang Chen asked.


    "Depends what kind of demons they are," Shen Minyao replied, considering her next words so they could easily be understood by a human like Jiang Chen.


    "Mdy, please let me exin it to Mr. Jiang."


    Thankfully, Xiao Bai was with her, so she wouldn''t have to do the hard work in educating this human about the way of the demons.


    "Lower demons don''t usually have critical thinking skills, as they only know and prioritize how to survive and avoid stronger demons. Mid-level demons mostly have awareness around them and could think for themselves. However, some are territorial and would never allow other demons to trespass. Both usuallye in groups or packs."


    "The way of the demons isn''t that tooplicated. It''s more like we used our basic instincts to survive. It''s ingrained in our psyche," Shen Minyao added.

 Chapter 111 - The Rogue Exorcist (1)

    "So you mean to say demons are like humans in some ways?" Jiang Chen asked, while Mu Qing remained silent and stood next to the fox woman.


    "You can say that." Shen Minyao hummed. However, not many demons were able to develop critical thinking skills. She even had to wait fifty long years before she became conscious of her surroundings and gained a mind like that of a five-year-old kid.


    "Why are you asking, anyway? Are you nning to switch career paths now and want to be an exorcist instead?" She asked curiously.


    Well, it wouldn''t be unnatural if Jiang Chen suddenly wanted to learn how to exorcise demons. Most psychics were able to tap into the souls of the dead, but not many were able to overpower the demons they encountered.


    "I''m considering, but I am not sure yet," Jiang Chen answered truthfully. It''s not like he could lie in front of this demoness, anyway.


    He might be able to help some ghosts and humans rekindle peace and let go of their regrets, but he was fully aware that he was no match against a demon, especially if they were as strong as Shen Minyao.


    Most ghosts he encountered only remembered how they died, though there were some cases where they remembered their names¡ªand it was always a good thing.


    However, whenever he encountered demons, Jiang Chen was always forced to withdraw the case prematurely. Psychics like him couldn''t do anything to ward demons off or exorcise them for good. It was bad enough that Lu Anqi almost lost her life during theirst encounter with a demon.


    "Is there any other way to identify what kind of demons they are? Also, were you able to find out how to break the barriers?" Mu Qing suddenly asked, reminding them of the case they had in their hands.


    He needed to find out how to break the barriers and collect the human souls that were killed untimely by the demons. It was a pity they died early and hadn''t lived long enough.


    This was one of the reasons Mu Qing didn''t have high opinions regarding demons. They kept on breaking the natural flow andws of nature.


    "Hmm, Xiao Bai and I checked the demonic traces left, but it wasn''t enough for us to identify any. You have to understand¡­ some demons like me don''t want to be found. You can''t easily find someone who doesn''t want to be found in the first ce."


    "But one thing we are sure of, Lord Hell." Xiao Bai interrupted their conversation. "We are certain that the barriers were made by an exorcist. A powerful one at that."


    "An exorcist?" The grim reaper was slightly startled by the news.


    Now, that wasn''t something Mu Qing was expecting to hear from Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai. After all, why would a human instigate murders and help the demons make the ce a feeding ground? It didn''t make sense to him at all.


    "I''ll see if I could ask my colleagues to respond if they notice suspicious humans wandering around. There aren''t many psychics and exorcists residing in this area."


    "So sorry to tell you this, Lord Hell, but I don''t think the exorcist hailed from this district," Shen Minyao said thoughtfully, "The barriers have the same patterns like the ones we encountered in the past, but we have yet to find out whether it''s just a coincidence or not."


    "Heh. I thought you are a person who doesn''t believe in such nonsense, Shen Minyao." Mu Qing scoffed. "If anything, this only means that someone is purposely killing humans and forcing them to turn into ghosts to feed the demons."


    Still an exorcist? He pondered. Exorcists were supposed to drive the demons away, not build feeding grounds for them.


    Shen Minyao''s lips curled up. Ah, she found it amusing that Mu Qing was able to understand her well after just having a few encounters with her. He was right, anyway. She was a creature who didn''t believe in coincidences. Whether it was fated to happen, or someone was purposely pulling the strings from the shadows.


    The patterns used in the barriers were simr to the one she had seen during the mirror demon''s case. She initially thought that it was the mirror demon who conjured it, but thinking about it now, the mirror demon back then wasn''t strong enough to establish such a strong barrier to keep the ghost from leaving.


    Had she misunderstood things, then? Were the cases of the mirror and spider demons connected with the demons here at the fourth district and the unknown exorcists?


    "Then, I regret to tell you, Mr. Jiang. I don''t think we would be able to settle this case tonight. However, it''s better for us not to let Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi get involved this time," Shen Minyao told Jiang Chen, "However, I guess this grim reaper right here would be able to join our boat to find the root cause of these problems."


    "You are right. We can''t let them get involved with this," Jiang Chen surprisingly agreed with her.


    Not only were they dealing with demons, but the unknown exorcist would also pose a threat to those young women. Thest thing he and Shen Minyao wanted was for those two girls to get killed.


    "I''ll leave you, then. I would see you once I gathered enough information about the exorcist and the demons we are looking for," Mu Qing told the fox woman before he vanished into the thin air once again, leaving Shen Minyao with Xiao Bai and Jiang Chen.


    "We should get going. Mu Qing has already left to dig more information about the demons and the exorcist," she reminded him, "I also need to give Little Fei a call to let them know that we wouldn''t finish the task here."


    Jiang Chen nodded, and the two started to walk back to where they parked his car. There was nothing they could do for now.

 Chapter 112 - The Rogue Exorcist (2)

    "Is the infestation really serious? Are you sure you don''t need my help?" Li Fei''er asked Shen Minyao worriedly when Monday came. She had been waiting for this moment to ask her ssmate about what they found in the fourth district.


    "No, Jiang Chen and Mu Qing are dealing with it. Unless it is truly needed, let''s not interrupt with their work," the fox woman replied.


    "But you are helping them." Li Fei''er frowned and released Shen Minyao''s sleeve, while Xiao Bai paid attention to her reaction wordlessly.


    Shen Minyao eyed Li Fei''er. This was why she didn''t want to talk about the case to this young woman. Li Fei''er couldn''t help but be curious about what was happening around her. Still, since she swore that she would protect Li Fei''er in this lifetime, she wouldn''t allow the young shaman to get involved with the case at the fourth district.


    "I''m helping them because they asked me. Of course, my assistance isn''t free."


    "Are they going to pay you?" Li Fei''er then suddenly paused, as she pondered how Mu Qing would be able to pay Shen Minyao. Were grim reapers allowed to possess materials assets like humans do?


    "Yes, they are going to pay a heavy price for it. It would be a win-win situation for us if we are able to deal with the problem," the fox woman assented.


    Not only would the grim reapers be able to retrieve the souls of the departed ones and help Jiang Chen close the case at the fourth district, but Shen Minyao would also be able to feed on those demons without interference from both parties should they seed.


    "Is that so?" Li Fei''er sighed. "Then, that leaves me no other choice but to focus on preparations for the midterm exam. Don''t worry, ssmate Shen. Once the case is over, let''s have an all-nighter over your ce and study together."


    This time, Shen Minyao could sense that Li Fei''er was in a better mood now. At least Li Fei''er wasn''t forcing herself to join the case.


    "Alright. Then, I''ll be in your care, ssmate Li. Please do not disappoint me." She chuckled.


    "By the way, have you already delivered the news to the ghost girl?" Shen Minyao asked. How could she forget that Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi had gone to the hospital to see the ghost girl the other day?


    "Yeah, about that¡­ Jin Qian grew upset and mourned for her mother for a long time. It took me and Lu Anqi some time before we managed to calm her down. Now, she couldn''t wait to be reunited with her mother." Li Fei''er sighed.


    "I''m sorry, ssmate Shen, I know I was wrong when I told her you and Mr. Jiang were going to pick up her mother for them to meet again. I shouldn''t have made that promise without an assurance they would really meet."


    "You are right. You shouldn''t carelessly make a promise when you are in no position to fulfill it. Imagine if we failed, Jin Qian would be heartbroken for the third time when she found out that she was waiting for nothing."


    "Yes, I was wrong. I admit my mistake and promise not to do it again." Li Fei''er felt bad about what she had done. She realized her mistake toote, and she didn''t have an option to rectify it.


    "Enough of that. I''m sure everything will be fine. It''s pointless to worry about a problem that isn''t there in the first ce," Shen Minyao said in an attempt to calm the young shaman''s nerves.


    "Okay. I will listen to you, ssmate Shen." Li Fei''er could only hope that Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen would be able to save Jin Qian''s mother from the demons, or else she wouldn''t have a face to tell Jin Qian that she had been wrong.


    The following days went by without Shen Minyao encountering any problems. However, when Thursday came, Mu Qing appeared in front of her out of the blue during her history ss.


    He stood right in front of Shen Minyao''s desk, which surprised not only the fox woman but also Li Fei''er, who was seated a couple of chairs behind Shen Minyao.


    "I have gathered some news. You better give your psychic friend a call and meet me at the fourth district tonight. Don''t bete. I''ll be waiting for you," he told Shen Minyao before he disappeared into thin air.


    Li Fei''er didn''t get to hear what Mu Qing said to Shen Minyao, and she wondered what the purpose of his sudden visit was. He had also left in a hurry as soon as he told Shen Minyao what he wanted from her.


    "Is everything alright, ssmate Shen? Why did Lord Helle to see you? He seems like he''s in a hurry," Li Fei''er asked the fox woman once their ss for the day finally ended.


    Shen Minyao shrugged. There was no way she would tell Li Fei''er that she and Jiang Chen would meet Mu Qing tonight. She was just making sure this young woman wouldn''t dare to sneak into the fourth district and cause more troubles rather than help them with the case. She already messaged Jiang Chen about their meeting tonight, anyway.


    "Nothing much. He''s just reminding me to pay attention to what''s happening around Jiang City. It seems like there''s an exorcist that went astray and is causing a lot of trouble to them these days."


    "An exorcist?" Li Fei''er furrowed her brows in confusion. "Just what has happened here in Jiang City for Lord Hell to suddenlye and warn you?"


    Ah, the fox woman eximed. She hadn''t mentioned what she and Jiang Chen discovered about the barriers they checked, so Li Fei''er had no idea that there was an exorcist involved in the paranormal activity that was happening at the fourth district.


    "We don''t know the details yet, but it''s better for us to be careful than to be sorryter."

 Chapter 113 - You Cannot Stay Here (1)

    Li Fei''er knew that she shouldn''t be upset and could only respect Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen''s decision to not get her and Lu Anqi involved in the case they had at the fourth district. However, she couldn''t help but wonder if there was something else she could do to help anyone.


    Her family had cast her aside and told her to focus on her studies instead. She needed not to worry about the missing nine-tailed fox they were looking for. Moreover, her friends¡ªwhether they treated her as one or not¡ªwere also not willing to ask for her help at all.


    At sunset, as she made her way home once their sses ended, Li Fei''er saw that the road leading to the train station was filled with students like her, as they raced to get home.


    Since Shen Minyao was staying at the dormitory next to the school premises, Li Fei''er would leave school with Lu Anqi until they parted ways at the train station where thetter alighted.


    Today, however, Lu Anqi had to stayte with her ssmates, in preparation for a ss project they were doing. Li Fei''er was left on her own. When she reached a residential area that she needed to cross before she reached the nearest train station near Spring Hill High, she spotted a dog barking loudly next to a pile of trash and amp post.


    Upon a closer look, Li Fei''er realized that it was barking at a ghost woman seated in the corner while hugging her knees to her chest. It was one of those wandering spirits she had seen during her stroll around the city before. The ghost didn''t seem to care about the dog and continued muttering to herself.


    "Ah, so you can see it, too?" Li Fei''er turned her back and saw a young man in his early twenties, looking at the same pitiful ghost woman. He was dressed in a white shirt, dark-blue denim pants, and deep-red jacket. He looked youthful and handsome at the same time.


    "Yes, it''s a pity that she cannot let go of her grievances and cross to the spirit world," Li Fei''er replied. She didn''t find it too weird that there were some people other than her who could see ghosts like this one.


    "It seems you have knowledge about ghosts like this. Are you a psychic, perhaps?" He asked back. "Ah, how rude of me. I haven''t introduced myself, have I? I''m Zhuang Yun. I''m living in a nearby apartment building. Although I have to confess, I didn''t expect it to be infested by ghosts."


    By this time, heughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek with his forefinger.


    "I''m Li Fei''er. I''m a third-year student at Spring Hill High," she said in return.


    "I was hoping you could help me ward off those ghosts that disturb my apartment. It''s alreadyte, though. Perhaps some other time?" He suggested, but Li Fei''er only stared at him nkly.


    "No, it''s fine. I suppose I can have a quick look to see if we can ward off the spirits," she said after a long silence between them. She couldn''t possibly miss this chance to gain experience as a shaman.


    If what Zhuang Yun said was true, then she would be able to send more spirits to the spiritual realm. The more she gained experience in being a shaman, the more she could assist Shen Minyao in the future¡­ or so she thought.


    "Ah? Are you sure? I don''t want to impose, though. A young woman like you shouldn''te to a stranger''s ce. I was hoping you can bring someone to apany you," Zhuang Yun said.


    "No, it''s okay," Li Fei''er said. There was no need for her to be wary of Zhuang Yun because¡­


    "Okay, if you say so. Then, let me apany you, Miss Li. If you can spare an hour of your time, then I think I can apany you back to the train station.


    "Should we get going then?" Li Fei''er suggested, "The faster I can check the ce, the earlier I can leave."


    Zhuang Yun then led her to the next block of the residential area where an old apartment building was located. Li Fei''er looked up at the old building, and she could already sense a lot of spirits roaming around the ce.


    "I thought I just got a good deal when I rented an apartment nearby the technical college. You see, Miss Li, I''m in my second year already, and I decided to move closer here. I would rather help my family save than have memute every school day¡ªwhich costs them a fortune."


    "So you live on your own?" Li Fei''er said as they entered the reception area of the apartment building.


    "Yes, but my Mother stops by once in a while to make sure I''m not missing my meals and I have been taking my meds on time," Zhuang Yun responded.


    As soon as Li Fei''er stepped inside the building, she immediately saw the ghost of the humans who had burned to death. Their flesh had already receded, shrunk, and clung to their bones like the melted wax of a used candle.


    "You could see them, right? I heard from another tenant here that there was a massive fire that happened here a decade ago, but the building owner refused to demolish the ce and chose to fix the damaged part of the building instead. I suppose those ghosts were the people who had died during that fire," Zhuang Yun informed her as he followed her gaze.


    "They couldn''t leave even if they wanted to," Li Fei''er said, as they passed by, "Perhaps they didn''t even know what to do and realized it toote, that they became spirits bound to this ce."


    "There''s only one elevator that''s working right now, and the management only allows elderly, the sick, and mothers with children to use it. We have to take the stairs if you don''t mind."

 Chapter 114 - You Cannot Stay Here (2)

    Li Fei''er tilted her head on one side, looking at Zhuang Yun with curiosity in her eyes.


    "Didn''t you say you are sick? Then, let''s go and use the elevator."


    Zhuang Yunughed at her, but he chose not to argue and just followed her to the elevator.


    "I don''t look sick to you, right? I don''t want people to misunderstand. I also don''t mind using the stairs to burn some calories," he said in defense.


    Li Fei''er hummed and waited for him to press the button to the floor where his unit was. Because of the time, they were the only ones inside the elevator. The doors closed, and the elevator moved up.


    "Sickness doesn''t need to manifest in one''s appearance. There are many illnesses that can''t be seen with a naked eye, Mr. Zhuang. Some people don''t have any noticeable symptoms," she corrected him, "If you don''t mind me asking, what kind of illness do you have?"


    "Ah, I have a certain type of diabetes," he told Li Fei''er, "I need to inject myself in case my blood sugar is too low, and I cannot take any sugar by mouth."


    "I see." Li Fei''er''s expression hardened, and she didn''t ask more.


    When the doors opened again and they stepped out of the elevator, Li Fei''er saw a pair of twin girls running in the hallways. They looked like they were ying a game of tag, as theirughter resounded in the hallway.


    "Here, Miss Li. Please forgive me if I haven''t tidied up my ce. I barely have enough time to clean these days," Zhuang Yun said as he unlocked the door of his unit.


    As he opened the door, the lighting from the setting sun illuminated the ce. Li Fei''er then heard a sobbing sounding from the bathroom. She and Zhuang Yun shared a knowing look then.


    "When I first moved here, I thought I had a neighbor being abused by her husband. I could hear her sobbing at night, and there were times I could hear shouting and fighting in the middle of the night. Once I turned on the lights, all the sounds would vanish," Zhuang Yun exined before opening the door of the bathroom, only for them to see a figure of a woman crying. Her whole body was immersed in bloodied water in a small old bathtub with a shower hovering over it.


    "Since when did you know that she''s here?" Li Fei''er asked.


    "It was during the third month of my stay here. I came homete at night because I had a night out with my friends and came home around midnight. I was about to brush my teeth when I saw her drowning in the bathtub." He paused and sighed. "So, Miss Li, do you think you could ward them off, so I could live peacefully here? I don''t want to disappoint my parents by moving back home and worrying them."


    "How long have you been living here, anyway?" Li Fei''er didn''t give him an answer yet.


    "About half a year now. My contract lease would end in another six months, and I don''t want to forfeit it until I can move to a safer ce."


    "I see." Li Fei''er understood the situation by then. "Unfortunately, I can only exorcise her by now. Meaning, if I exorcise her, she wouldn''t be able to reincarnate. She already became an earthbound spirit after she was murdered by her husband."


    "She was what?" Zhuang Yun blinked at that. He didn''t expect that Li Fei''er was able to find out that much in a short while.


    "This unit¡­ she used to live here with her abusive husband before you. I suppose the reason why the lease was so cheap was that there have been sightings and haunting since her death, and no one was able to stay here for too long until you came here."


    "Ah, that''s so unfortunate. Do you mean she wouldn''t be able to cross over unless she gets the justice she deserves?"


    "Yes," Li Fei''er affirmed, "Also, if she could let go of that grudge she''s holding, but it''s impossible now¡­ since she has already lost awareness of what she has be. Some ghosts aren''t willing to ept their fate and refuse to cross the boundaries between the living and the dead. Some even aren''t aware that they''ve already died and remained in the same ce, acting as if they are still alive."


    "Hmm¡­ that makes sense, then. So it''s really pitiful to be an earthbound spirit because you would have lost your humanity eventually," Zhuang Yun nodded in understanding.


    "That''s why you cannot also stay here, Mr. Zhuang." Li Fei''er gave him a meaningful look, speaking with a sympathetic look on her face. "I could tell that you are a good person, but your time here on earth has already ceased a long time ago."


    "I-I am already dead?" Zhuang Yun looked at Li Fei''er in disbelief. "Is this why I am able to see ghosts when I wasn''t even aware of their existence before?"


    "It''s rare for a ghost to be aware of another''s presence in the vicinity, but yes. Unfortunately, Mr. Zhuang, you''ve already died three months ago." Li Fei''er hated that she had to break this news to him.


    Zhuang Yun seemed to be a good person, but it was just what it was. She couldn''t allow him to stay here in the mortal realm because he would eventually lose his humanity and logical mind if he stayed here for too long.


    Zhuang Yun fell silent, but he knew he couldn''t me Li Fei''er.


    "Then¡­ could you tell me what happened and how I died?" He asked in a low voice.


    Li Fei''er focused her spiritual energy and let it umte in her eyes. With this ability, she was able to see a sneak peek at what had happened.


    "You died in your sleep, Mr. Zhuang. Your mother found you dead the next morning."

 Chapter 115 - You Cannot Stay Here (3)

    "So I really died, huh?" Zhuang Yun sighed in disbelief, but he couldn''t find it in himself not to take Li Fei''er''s words for it. "Have you already known I''m a ghost the moment you''ve seen me earlier?" He asked.


    "Yes." Li Fei''er nodded. "From the moment Iid my eyes on you. I''m sorry."


    "No, please don''t be sorry. It''s not your fault that I wasn''t even aware of what I''ve be." There was a mncholic tone in Zhuang Yun''s voice. "I should have known better, but howe I don''t remember how I died?"


    "Most ghosts retain thest memories they had as a human, which are most likely theirst moments on earth and how they died. However, since you died in your sleep, unless you saw your own body the moment you regained consciousness as a ghost; it''s understandable you don''t remember anything."


    "So in the end, I''m also a wandering spirit like them¡­"


    "No. Not yet, but you will be if you choose to remain here. I wouldn''t wish that for you, Mr. Zhuang. I''m sure your family would also be sad if they found out that you weren''t able to cross peacefully."


    "You are right. Mom would surely worry about me if she knew I''m still here." He then fell silent. "How do I cross, though? Should I find the bright light everyone used to talk about when they were about to die?"


    Li Fei''er hummed and tapped her chin with her forefinger. There were so many ways for a soul to cross the boundary between mortal and spirit realms.


    "Sometimes, you can go and vanish on your own¡­ so long as you are satisfied and don''t have any unfinished business here. Others would be picked up by a grim reaper, but I think it''s best if you go on your own."


    "I see¡­" Zhuang Yun nodded.


    Still, he couldn''t believe that he had died without knowing it. It must have been hard for his mother to find him dead on his own bed. She must have panicked when she couldn''t wake him up, no matter how hard she tried.


    When he first moved to this ce, he thought that ce was weird. However, he never imagined that there would be a day that he would be able to see the spirits that were causing themotion and annoying sounds at night.


    However, thinking about it, why was every passing day repetitive? He would always wake up at the same time, brew his coffee in the morning, and have his breakfast. He would then proceed to study until past lunchtime, and the rest of the day would be a blur in his memories.


    Zhuang Yun realized that he also lost track of time. He neither knew what day today was nor what he was expecting on the following days. Normal humans tend to have a n or look forward to the next few days, but he didn''t. It was like living in a loop, forever going¡­ forever repeating the same routines over and over again.


    "It''s a pity I couldn''t say goodbye to Mom and Dad. I hope they are faring well without me by their side," he said.


    Li Fei''er looked away. She thought that she would at least be able to exorcise a few spirits today, but knowing Zhuang Yun''s story made her lose interest in pursuing her n.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''m going, Mr. Zhuang. I suggest you leave this ce as soon as possible. It''s for the best."


    "Then, let me apany you to the train station as I promised." He sighed.


    This time, Li Fei''er also realized that the twin girls that had been ying in the hallway were also ghosts. It was obvious that not only the tenants were living in this apartment building. There were so many spiritual entities, and Li Fei''er could sense them all around her.


    The infestation of the ghosts here was so bad that if she dared to exorcise one spirit, Li Fei''er had no doubt that the other ghosts would be agitated and attack her. That would be a reckless move on her part if she did so, and this time, Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to save her life if she foolishly angered this mob of these wandering spirits.


    Not only might she end up as dead, but her body could also be possessed by another spirit. That was something a shaman like her should avoid the most.


    Many ghosts still wanted to live on, and being a human with an active sixth sense could be dangerous as they were more at risk of being possessed. It was for that reason that she and Jiang Chen were helping Lu Anqi train.


    The two left the apartment building and walked inpanionable silence. Li Fei''er noticed that the young man was slowly vanishing into thin air. It seemed that he had already let go of the reasons that were keeping him here.


    "I decided to leave," he told her before asking, "Miss Li, what happened to spirits who crossed the border?"


    "Humans who had done enough good deeds in their previous life are given a chance to be reborn. As for those whomitted grave sins such as murder, they would face tribtion. They would also need to redeem themselves before they were allowed to be reincarnated."


    "I see, so eventually, karma will catch up to anyone, regardless of the time."


    Li Fei''er shrugged. "Everything we think and say and do has consequences for ourselves and for others. Like ripples on a pond, our actions spread out and affect others because everything is interconnected. And we need to remember that our actions are irreversible."


    The sun was about to set, and Li Fei''er was just in time as the next train arrived. As she stepped inside the cabin, she gave Zhuang Yun a slight smile and whispered¡­


    "Goodbye, Mr. Zhuang. I hope, in your next life, you will be happy and healthy."

 Chapter 116 - Never Trust A Demon Like Me (1)

    While Li Fei''er was on her way home, Shen Minyao had changed her school uniform to casual attire and then waited for Jiang Chen to pick her up in front of the gates of the dormitory. When Mu Qing appeared in front of her earlier during her ss, she knew that he had only manifested himself, and he wasn''t truly there to see her in person.


    By now, that grim reaper should be in the fourth district, waiting for their arrival. For him to summon them in a hurry, Shen Minyao wondered what he and the other grim reapers found out.


    Five minutes before their meeting time, Jiang Chen''s car pulled up to a stop in front of the fox woman and lowered the window to call her.


    "You called me at such short notice. You better make sure that this is important." He was clearly displeased that Shen Minyao had notified him toote.


    "It''s about the case in the fourth district. Don''t tell me it''s not important?" Shen Minyao opened the door of the passenger seat and took a seat beside him.


    Jiang Chen waited for her to buckle her seat belt before resuming driving.


    "I was in the middle of an important case." He frowned. Because Lu Anqi was busy catching up with her studies this week, Jiang Chen and his other assistant were left to do everything on their own.


    "Ah, don''t me me," Shen Minyao replied as she allowed Xiao Bai to curl on herp. She petted him behind his ear. "It''s Mu Qing who asked us to go there."


    "You mean the grim reaper you were talking to before? Do you trust him?" Jiang Chen questioned her. He had never heard of a demon being acquainted with a grim reaper. If he could be honest, he thought that they were a weird pair.


    Shen Minyao scoffed and gave him a mocking look.


    "You don''t trust me, and yet I am here with you," she responded, "We''re only working together because our interests don''t conflict with each other. I kill demons, while he retrieves the souls of the humans and leads them to their rightful ce."


    Jiang Chen''s grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened. His thoughts rippled the calmness in him now that he finally worked out Shen Minyao''s true identity.


    "You are the infamous nine-tailed fox demon that has just escaped from Qingqiu Mountain, aren''t you?"


    "Ah, so you do know. How amusing." The fox woman chuckled.


    Jiang Chen gave her a quick nce and took his eyes back on the road. She wasn''t even denying it? If that''s the case, then the demoness seated beside him was truly a dangerous creature.


    It made sense to him now why Shen Minyao was acting this way, and why her views on humans weren''t demeaning. She looked at them as if they were bugs she could easily crush with her own hands, which she could easily do even in her current weakened state.


    Shen Minyao rested her chin on her propped hand and stared at him. She crossed her legs and smirked as she breathed in uncertainty and confusioning from Jiang Chen.


    "Are you thinking of reporting me to the shamans and exorcists, then?" She asked him.


    Jiang Chen remained silent, but he was aware of her eyes set upon him, which only made him ufortable in his seat. Of course, he now knew of Shen Minyao''s motive for helping him in this case.


    With the Li family and the other exorcists hunting the whereabouts of the nine-tailed fox, Jiang Chen knew that this was the perfect time to alert them of Shen Minyao''s existence.


    Because she was still weak and hadn''t fully recovered, the chance of them defeating the nine-tailed fox was quite high. However, after adding Lu Anqi to the equation, Jiang Chen knew that if he offended the fox woman who was known to be a vindictive creature, she would annihte those who dared to harm her regardless of who they were.


    "And then what? You will kill me and harm Lu Anqi?" He retorted.


    The fox woman snorted at that. "Ah, so that''s the kind of person I am in your eyes."


    "Su Daji, the infamous imperial noble consort of the emperor. The woman who caused the downfall of the kingdom, leading to the death of thousands of humans during that era. It would be so foolish of me to think that you have changed."


    If Shen Minyao wanted to, she could easily end his life right now, so Jiang Chen needed to tread carefully in her presence. Dealing with a high-level demon wasn''t a walk in the park. She was unpredictable and known to be scheming and loved to torture her subjects.


    "You are giving me too much credit, Mr. Jiang, but you are right. You should never put your trust and loyalty on a demon like me. You would surely regret it."


    An hourter, the two arrived at the intersection where they parted with Mu Qing before. This time, though, Jiang Chen was able to see him clearly.


    "Hey. You sure you found something interesting? Mr. Jiang said meeting you tonight should be worth it," Shen Minyao said as soon as she saw Mu Qing standing at the bus stop.


    The grim reaper only gave her a nk look before ncing at Jiang Chen who was standing at a safe distance from the fox demon. He didn''t need to ask how this human was able to see him now and if he knew Shen Minyao''s identity by now.


    The first thing Jiang Chen thought upon seeing the grim reaper was¡­ this man was devilishly handsome. With one eye covered with an eye patch and his long hair reaching his waist, it was impossible for someone to forget about him because of his striking features.


    "Ah, you can see him now? That''s good. At least I wouldn''t look like an idiot talking to myself in front of others."

 Chapter 117 - Never Trust A Demon Like Me (2)

    "You probably know who he is, so I don''t need to introduce him, right?" Shen Minyao told Mu Qing nonchntly. Since grim reapers like him could identify any human however they could do such a thing, Mu Qing would have known by now who and what Jiang Chen was.


    Mu Qing only hummed and didn''t say anything in response. It didn''t matter to him with whom this demoness got involved, so long as she wouldn''t cause troubles to him.


    "Can you fly?" He suddenly asked, surprising not only Shen Minyao but also Jiang Chen.


    The fox woman tilted her head to one side and gave him an inquisitive look. Why would he ask her such a question?


    "I want to show you something, but we have to move to a higher ce for you to understand the situation clearly," Mu Qing exined.


    "Very well," the fox woman replied, but Jiang Chen''s presence reminded her that she could not take him with them if she was to levitate in the air along with Mu Qing.


    "Mr. Jiang, do you happen to know where we could find the highest building here in the fourth district?" She asked the sole human in their seemingly odd team.


    A human, a demon, and a grim reaper. Who would believe that they all came here for the same reason?


    "Give me a moment." Jiang Chen pulled out his phone and searched for the information they needed.


    "That building is owned by ZX Entertainment in the northeast direction, but we can''t go there."


    It was a private property anyway, and what would they say if they were asked why they wanted to see the rooftop? If they were back in Jiang City, Jiang Chen might be able to pull some strings in their favor, but not here in the fourth district.


    "Heh. Who said we need to ask for permission?" The fox woman scoffed arrogantly. "It''s not like we are taking something from them. We only need to see what could be seen up there."


    She would not have bothered to ask and just fly with Mu Qing from where they were if Jiang Chen wasn''t here with them.


    "Then, let''s go." Mu Qing started walking ahead of them, not bothering to check if they were even following him. However, his expression was enough for the fox woman to sense that whatever was happening here at the fourth district wasn''t favorable to the grim reaper.


    "Lord Hell, you are really an impatient one, I see," Shen Minyaomented. Still, she followed his lead, along with Jiang Chen, who was still a little wary of the presence of the grim reaper.


    Jiang Chen felt it was really weird for a demoness like Shen Minyao to not avoid a psychic like him, much less a grim reaper like Mu Qing. From the looks of it, it seemed that the two knew each other for a while now.


    The three reached their destination, but as Jiang Chen expected, ZX Entertainment was under tight security. How would they get to the rooftop if they couldn''t find their way in first?


    "So¡­ what''s the n?" He asked Shen Minyao. If they insisted oning here, they''d better have a n. What was it that Mu Qing wanted for them to see, really?


    "Xiao Bai," Shen Minyao called her familiar, and at once, the white fat cat''s eyes shone brightly until the three of them were engulfed by the light.


    Jiang Chen was forced to close his eyes. The light that surrounded them was enough to blind him momentarily. He had no idea what was happening and what n Shen Minyao had in mind.


    When it dissipated, Jiang Chen opened his eyes and noticed that another spiritual presence was covering his body. He looked down at his hands and thought that his body was almost like a ghost.


    "We are practically invisible to a human eye now. Unless they are psychics or they have their sixth sense opened, they wouldn''t be able to see us," Shen Minyao exined, "Let''s not waste our time here, then."


    Her feet lifted from the ground as she levitated in the air. Shen Minyao grabbed onto Jiang Chen''s arm, and they soared into the sky, with Mu Qing following them this time. He had no time to react as he was already pulled up in the air by the fox woman.


    Jiang Chen shut his eyes closed, feeling the coldness of the evening air touching his whole body. To think that the fox woman would drag him like this¡­ was she nning to kill him on the spot to get rid of him?


    Was she afraid that he would report her whereabouts to those people who were hunting her down? If he was killed by Shen Minyao now, would Mu Qing send his soul to the afterlife immediately?


    His whole body trembled not only from the coldness of the night but also from fear for his life. He realized right then that his life was practically in Shen Minyao''s hands right now, and she could easily kill him without leaving a trace for anyone to see his remains.


    "How long are you nning to shut your eyes? You are missing the good scenery right now, Mr. Jiang." Jiang Chen heard the fox woman''s voice. Only by then did he dare to open his eyes, only to find himself standing so close to the edge of the rooftop.


    Mu Qing and Shen Minyao stood without a problem next to him. Their long hairs fluttered behind them; they stood unbothered by the harshness of the cold wind. It only made Jiang Chen totally different from these two.


    "So, what do you want to show us?" Shen Minyao asked the grim reaper.


    Her question immediately reminded Jiang Chen of the reason why they came here.


    "See it for yourself and tell me what you could see from here," Mu Qing replied.


    Shen Minyao furrowed her brows but did as she was told.

 Chapter 118 - Never Trust A Demon Like Me (3)

    Her eyes focused on the scenery in front of her. From where they were standing, several lightsing from the road, as well as the dwellings of the human, could be seen. The noise was also tuned out because they were several feet away from the main roads, but it was still loud and clear to Shen Minyao''s heightened senses.


    What was Mu Qing trying to show her, anyway, that she needed toe up all the way here to see it herself?


    With her human eyes, she couldn''t see anything suspicious. Did she need to enhance her sight, too? While posing as a human, Shen Minyao could only rely on her nose and ears to sense the presence of demons, ghosts, and other creatures around her.


    Shen Minyao just did that. Her brown eyes turned into golden orbs, the hair fluttering behind her also turned into its snowy and silky white color. The change caught the attention of the two men standing near her.


    If Jiang Chen had still doubts about Shen Minyao''s identity as the nine-tailed fox demon, all of them had vanished now as he looked at the fox woman. How could that be if she was standing so majestic in her demon form next to him?


    "Miss, I can see it now. Can you?" Xiao Bai asked his mistress, his attention focused somewhere.


    "Hn?" Shen Minyao followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing upon recognition. She understood now why she couldn''t see the demons on the ground. They were all up here.


    They looked like a regr murder of crows, watching the humans below. However, their eyes¡ªshining red like rubies¡ªwere a clear indication that they were demons. There were so many of them that they outnumbered the biggest flock of bird demons the fox demon encountered in her past life.


    After considering the years of their residence in the fourth district, it only made sense that there were so many of these ck bird demons now. Like regr crows, crow demons were known to be intelligent. They like observing humans, studying their habits before preying on them.


    "This is weird. Crow demons are known to stay in their territories and only build nests far from areas where the human dwellings were to protect their young," Shen Minyao said, "They usually do not migrate to mingle with humans for too long."


    "So, what do you think?" Jiang Chen asked, "Why would theye here to the fourth district, then?"


    "A regr supply of resources, I guess." Mu Qing interrupted their conversation. "With the continued increase in their numbers, they would need a sustainable ce where they could feed regrly."


    "Can the humans see them then? Were they the ones responsible for the idents here?" Jiang Chen asked again.


    "It''s possible," Xiao Bao replied, "Crow demons are intelligent low-mid-rank demons. Unlike other demons, crow demons prefer to devour human souls and not feed on their life energy while they are alive. Perhaps, crow demons found out that instigating idents on humans, especially on the road, proved to be the easiest way for them to feed on human souls."


    "Then, what do we do now? Would you be able to kill them?" Jiang Chen asked Shen Minyao. Wasn''t this the reason why she agreed toe here and help them?


    Shen Minyao didn''t utter a word in response. Her eyes swept around the huge murder of crow demons that surrounded them, watching them intently.


    "Mdy, you don''t need to fight all of them at your current state¡­" Xiao Bai told her.


    The fox woman scoffed at that. Was he telling her this because she had the same rank as one crow demon? To think that she would bepared to a lower kind of demon such as these birds¡­ infuriated Shen Minyao.


    "Do you need help?" Mu Qing asked, sensing the annoyance drawn on her face.


    "No need for that. I have my way of dealing with them."


    For her to rely on a grim reaper''s help? Ha! She may be weak right now, but she wouldn''t lower her pride and rely on someone''s help to get what she wanted.


    "In this murder of crows, we have to find their leader," she told Mu Qing instead, "If we are able to kill it, I suppose the barriers around the district would shatter at once, freeing the trapped human souls."


    "But you have to be careful, Lord Hell, Mr. Jiang," Xiao Bai added, "You better make sure you won''t stare at their eyes for too long, or you will fall under their spell and do their bidding. It''s one of the reasons why it''s easy for them to initiate an ''ident''. Those who fell under their spell would be subjected to hallucinations."


    "I see. Then, how do we know if it''s the leader or not?" The grim reaper asked.


    "Usually, they are thergest one in the murder and obviously the strongest. They can manifest themselves as humans and can talk if needed, something the other crow demons aren''t capable of," the fat white cat continued to exin. After all, Shen Minyao was obviously displeased that she needed to deal with all these crow demons and then devour their demonic orbs all at once.


    "I''ll lure it out. Kill it as soon as you see it," Shen Minyao said as she pulled her fan from her coat and flipped it open. She hadn''t used her fan since theirst encounter with the spider demon.


    "You do know that it''s easier said than done, right?"


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Jiang should be able to help you filter out the demons around you." The fox woman nced at the confused mortal human in theirpany. "You can at least differentiate a demon''s rank, right?"


    Jiang Chen stared at her as if she had grown another head over her shoulder. Was she overestimating his skills, or was simply asking for the impossible? There were over hundreds of crow demons surrounding them. How could he possibly do it?

 Chapter 119 - Daji, Is It Really You? (1)

    Shen Minyao leaped into the air, her eyes glowing. She attacked the murder of crow demons using her wind sh that came from her enchanted fan. Gusts of wind hit some of the crow demons and killed them in an instant. It didn''t matter if she had the same rank as these lowly demons because her vast experience and abilities were enough to overwhelm them.


    "Die, birdbrains!"


    Those who were able to avoid the fox woman''s attacks shook their feathers and made a shrill, terrifying call, informing the other birds that there were trespassers in their territory.


    Jiang Chen was forced to cover his ears from the loud noiseing from the crow demons. Did Shen Minyao fail to realize that what she had done only made their situation turn for the worse by alerting the demons within the vicinity?


    "She really doesn''t know how to be considerate to herpanions, huh," Mu Qingmented next to Jiang Chen, "Anyway, let''s take this time to differentiate the demons around us."


    Jiang Chen wanted toin. He really had no idea how to do it, and Mu Qing and Shen Minyao weren''t giving him a clue at all. Did they expect him to do as he was told? As if differentiating among a lot of demons at once was that easy!


    Following the fox woman''s lead, Mu Qing unsheathed his sword and swung it into the air, killing several demons in the process. The crow demons scattered away from them, while Xiao Bai collected demonic orbs, the small beads that fell from the fallen birds.


    "Heh, do you think you were the only one capable of making barriers? You can''t get away from me!" Shen Minyao then cast a spell to forbid the crow demons from escaping from them, setting up a strong barrier around the four-kilometer radius.


    The crow demons tried to force it to break, but they failed. Their shrill cries continued as their number continued to dwindle, while Shen Minyao and Mu Qing continued their incessant attacks to their murder.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Chen looked around, trying to focus on finding the leader of the murder. However, they were all the same in his eyes. He could only sense a stronger presence and demonic auraing from this murder of crow demons.


    "I can''t sense anything." He grimaced inwardly.


    At this rate, he would be useless for not being able to assist the fox demon and the grim reaper. What was the point of being here if he couldn''t do anything to solve the problem?


    Suddenly, he sensed a great surge of demonic presenceing from a direction at full speed. Was this the leader of the crow demons they were looking for?


    Jiang Chen chose to step down from where he was standing. He didn''t want to get dragged into the fight that was about to take ce between the two demons.


    "It''sing! It''sing from nine o''clock!" He yelled to his twopanions, who were both busy annihting the demons around them.


    Shen Minyao stopped and turned her head in the direction within Jiang Chen''s warning, while her familiar was busy collecting the demonic orbs they harvested during their kills.


    "Xiao Bai, give me the orbs. Hurry."


    She needed to boost her strength before the leader came, as she was certain she wouldn''t be able to kill it in her current state.


    The white cat handed her the small bag containing the demonic orbs. Shen Minyao didn''t waste time and devoured it like candies, as she waited for the arrival of the leader of the murder. Her strength continued to surge upon consuming the demon orbs they collected at such an insane speed. The actions were so swift that even Mu Qing had to halt his movements just to check on her.


    "How dare you?!" A loud, booming sound reached their ears, as the leader of the murder came rushing towards Shen Minyao. The fox woman easily blocked his de using her fan, a wicked grin curling her lips.


    The leader of the murder appeared half-human, half-bird; unlike the other crow demons around him. He had the body of a human, but his arms served as his wings. His whole body, aside from his face that was so pale, was also covered with ck feathers.


    His eyes were like red rubies, sparkling brightly in the darkness of the night. In his right hand, he was holding a spear with a de on top of it. In Shen Minyao''s rough estimate, this demon was about at least three hundred years old.


    The fox woman pushed him away with her inhuman strength, despite the fact that this crow demon was several times higher than her current rank. It was necessary that she also devoured his orb to regain her strength faster.


    "Ah, you are finally here. What took you so long?" Shen Minyao taunted him, fueling his anger further. She was d that he had willingly shown up and didn''t waste their time looking for him.


    "I see. You really have a death wish to dare to feed on my kind!" He sneered back at her. He had been scouting the other parts of their newly acquired territory when he heard the shrill cry of his kind from where he was.


    "Heh. It''s your fault for not being here to protect them. Why is it my fault now?" The fox woman chuckled in response, pleased to see the crow demon''s annoyed expression.


    As a well-known, infamous fox demon, how could Shen Minyao not find amusement in another creature''s frustration and suffering? She was known to be able to twist the truth and reasons in her favor shamelessly. Was he expecting her to spare them from the verbal insults?


    His eyes bled red, as he sneered at Shen Minyao, clearly agitated by her taunting. They had been living in this urban area for years now, and this was the first time that another demon hade to their territory.

 Chapter 120 - Daji, Is It Really You? (2)

    Qin Zhi had checked Jiang City for his sister''s whereabouts and thought of looking for a trace that would lead him to her, but there was none. It was clear to him that his sister didn''t want anyone to find her, lest she would be killed even before she recovered her strength.


    When he checked at the hospital where he sensed the weird presences he hadn''t sensed before, they were already nowhere to be found. It was strange for him to keep on bumping into presences that hoped to remain unfound as if reminding him of his inability to find his sister.


    Right now, he was on his way back to Jiang City,ing from a business trip he couldn''t miss. However, before they could reach the city, they would need to pass this small town where the famous fourth district was located.


    He was driving the car tonight. Qin Zhihao sat in his passenger seat, apanying him on this trip. Pretending to be a human¡ªand a CEO on top of it¡ªwas quite taxing for Qin Zhi, but for the sake of the demons under his protection, he should better make sure that their living arrangements wouldn''t bepromised by other demons who still chose to feed on humans.


    Just as they reached the infamous intersection that killed hundreds of humans in thest five years, Qin Zhi pulled the car into the stop. He sensed crow demons fleeing in a hurry. He had heard rumors that this ce was infested with demons that caused several idents in the area, but he had never thought that there was a huge murder of crow demons that inhabited this ce.


    "Milord, is there something wrong?" The old man asked, curious as to what made his immortal master stop, "Why did we stop?"


    "Demons. So many of them," Qin Zhi replied and alighted from the car at once. He had never sensed the presence of so many demons in one ce for a long time until today. They were clearly agitated and desperate to flee for their lives.


    Qin Zhihao had no choice but to follow his master. He found Qin Zhi staring up at the sky, looking at something. The old man looked around, but his old and blurry eyes couldn''t see any demons. Even his poor ears couldn''t pick up the sounds the bird demons were doing as they fled from the scene.


    "I''ll check on what''s happening here. Go call your grandson to pick you up, Zhihao. If anything bad happens, I don''t want you to die here," Qin Zhi told him before he marched away from Qin Zhihao.


    "Yes, Milord. I will await your return to Jiang City," the old man replied before Qin Zhi vanished into nothingness.


    Qin Zhi had made himself invisible to the human eyes and made his way to the direction where the crow demons came from. His short ck hair slowly changed to long, pale blonde that reached past his waist, while his eyes changed into golden ones.


    He leaped into the air and flew towards the northeast direction where he could sense a presence of a stronger demon. Aside from the crow demons, a familiar spiritual presence he hadn''t sensed for a hundred years reached him.


    ''Daji.'' Qin Zhi couldn''t be mistaken this time. Although her spiritual presence was very weak, there was no doubt that it was his sister that he hadn''t seen alive or talked to for ages. She was obviously fighting with a demon stronger than her.


    ''Daji, is it really you?'' He asked inwardly, his eyes never leaving Shen Minyao''s grinning face. ''Did youe here to hunt other demons?''


    The scent and the spiritual presence should be enough for him to confirm her identity, but Qin Zhi was still a little shocked to see a young woman possessing the soul of his sister, fighting a crow demon.


    However, what was she doing here of all ces? Did she escape Jiang City, knowing she was being hunted by the shamans? Until now, the Li shamans and the other exorcists¡ªwho wanted to kill her¡ªwere still trying to hunt her down. Qin Zhi had been paying attention to their movements to make sure that his sister wouldn''t fall into their hands.


    There''s no time for him to figure out the answers. He needed to see it for himself if it was truly his sister. He rushed to the ce, hoping he would be able to help her this time. There was no way he would allow a weak demon to kill his sister!


    When he arrived at the scene, Qin Zhi wasn''t expecting that a grim reaper was fighting the crow demon alongside his sister. He stood at a safe distance where he could see the ongoing battle clearly. He narrowed his eyes and spotted a human being enchanted by Xiao Bai''s aura.


    If Xiao Bai was really here, then the young woman fighting with the leader of the crow demons was none other than his younger sister. Xiao Bai and Yu Yan were his sister''s familiars, and they were always next to her.


    Qin Zhi stared at Shen Minyao''s face and realized that she had gained another host to escape Qingqiu Mountain. She got a new face, a new identity that allowed her to hide and mingle amongst the humans. No wonder no one was able to find her easily.


    Qin Zhi had to give it to his sister for always finding a good way to turn the tides to her advantage. Those shamans probably didn''t consider that she had gained another host in this era and was able to escape from Li Yun''s seals at Qingqiu Mountain.


    He considered showing himself to his sister, but as he watched her y with her food, Qin Zhi wondered if she was strong enough to ovee her opponent in her current state.


    No. Qin Zhi decided. He knew well how arrogant and prideful his sister was, and she certainly wouldn''t appreciate it if he came unannounced and killed her prey.

 Chapter 121 - Easier Said Than Done (1)

    Shen Minyao and Mu Qing were obviously having a hard time dealing with the leader of the crow demons. He was just so fast that it was difficult even for the fox woman to keep up with his pace. She couldn''t do anything but block his attacks using her fan.


    Still, the grin on her face remained, as if she was enjoying this battle. As for how she could find such entertainment in this situation, Jiang Chen had no idea. Still, he had to admit that the barrier she made earlier was strong enough to keep the other crow demons from leaving. Was she nning to devour these demons all at once?


    Because of his mere human eye, Jiang Chen found it hard to see what was happening in the battle. He could barely see Shen Minyao''s movements at all. Was there even a sliver of hope that they would win this battle?


    Suddenly, Shen Minyao and Mu Qing were hit at the same time by the powerful st sent by the crow demon. The two were sent crashing to the ss windows of the building underneath them, making the humans scream from the sudden impact that shocked them.


    "What''s happening? Are we under attack or something?" One of the humans asked as they took the emergency exit to save themselves. The windows continued to break, and the whole floor was crushed by an invisible force none of them could see.


    "Stop asking questions and hurry!" Another one eximed.


    Thankfully, it was already past working hours, so there weren''t many humans in the business district where ZX Entertainment was. The battle continued as Shen Minyao refused to back down and ept defeat.


    The fox woman spat out the blood from her mouth and wiped her lips with the back of her hand as she stood up.


    "How annoying." She muttered to herself, as she brushed off the dirt from her clothes. The crow demon was too fast; she couldn''t evennd a blow on this person.


    Mu Qing also easily got back on his feet without any injury. Not even a speck of dirt was on his person.


    "We should end this as soon as possible," she told the fox woman.


    "I know, but that''s easier said than done." Shen Minyao hummed as she closed the fan in her hands.


    The crow demon hovered in the air and looked down at the two with contempt in his eyes. He hadn''t fought with other demons for a long time and wondered if these two hade to destroy their future ns.


    His eyes then shifted to the fox woman standing next to the grim reaper. Was this the infamous nine-tailed fox demon his new master was looking for? If she was, then there was no way he would be allowed to kill her. His master wanted to capture the escaped fox demon alive.


    He gritted his teeth in annoyance. He wanted to avenge the death of his fellow crow demons, but he could not kill this fox woman? Ha! That didn''t mean he wasn''t allowed to torture her, right? His eyes were set aze, his hatred towards the fox demon continuing to rise.


    Shen Minyao chuckled as she sensed such hatreding from the crow demon. He was angry, and yet something was stopping him from killing her. What could it possibly be?


    ''Hmm. This kind of look. Why does this remind me of that spider demon?''


    Ah, what could this possibly mean? Were they somehow rted to each other?


    However, this was no time to ponder about such a possibility. There was nothing more important now, aside from killing this demon to gain his powerful orb. Ah, thinking about it, his demon orb would be worth as many as a thousand crow demons at once. If she was to devour it, then her rank would surely rise significantly.


    Now, now, how was she supposed to do that? This crow demon was just too strong for her. It wouldn''t be easy to defeat him, given how weak she was right now.


    "Let''s find its weakness. I suppose crow demons have one?" Mu Qing asked her.


    The fox demon hummed as she considered his question. There wasn''t much known about the crow demons, except for them sticking to their murder and hunting together. As for its weaknesses, Shen Minyao had an idea of what it would be, but she needed to prove it first.


    "I don''t know¡­" Shen Minyao said in response, walking towards the pile of ruins that was made during their collision against the building.


    "Detestable fox. You will pay the price for killing myrades." The leader of the crow demons sneered at Shen Minyao.


    "Enchant." The fox woman flicked her fan open, her golden eyes shone brighter than ever.


    Suddenly, the time seemed to stop within the barrier the fox woman made, the humans stood unmoving in their ces. They all looked up at where she was standing as if they were revering her as their god. Only Jiang Chen wasn''t affected by her enchantment spell.


    "W-what''s happening now?" Jiang Chen braced himself, trying his best to resist the fox woman''s spell.


    "Come forth, my little ones, and serve your master to the fullest." Shen Minyao snickered behind her fan. She hadn''t done this for a long time, as it consumed a lot of her spiritual powers. Still, it wouldn''t hurt to try and see how the crow demon would react to her n.


    This spell was a reason why the nine-tailed fox woman earned her spot as one of the most dangerous demons. No demons in history had killed so many humans at once other than ''Su Daji''. Would she do so again, just like what she had done in the past?


    "Shen Minyao! Don''t go overboard! If you kill these humans, you will pay a price!" Mu Qing yelled at her.. If she was to start another massacre, he wouldn''t be able to cover for her for once and for all.

 Chapter 122 - Easier Said Than Done (2)

    Qin Zhi clenched his fists on his side, but he knew that it wasn''t his time to interfere yet. However, if she were to shed human blood yet again, there''s no doubt that all the shamans and the exorcists in the world would hunt her down for a kill.


    If that was supposed to happen, then he would have no other choice but to vanquish the humans who would dare to hurt his sister.


    This enchantment spell would weaken her, though. In her current state, his sister could only control a handful of humans in a limited time.


    His sister was able to enchant things around her, regardless of what it was made of. She could amplify its strength and constitution at will. So it didn''t matter if her weapon was made from the weakest material on earth. Even the thinnest silk thread would be as sharp as a de if she enchanted it.


    However, enchanting humans to be her puppets was a high-level skill that not even Qin Zhi was capable of using.


    The humans mindlessly moved below the crow demon, wandering to the nearest light source they could find and turning it on. Suddenly, all the establishments and buildings that surrounded Shen Minyao and the crow demons were engulfed in a blinding light.


    "W-what? What is this?" The crow demon tried to protect his eyes with his arm and wing from it. He tried to fly away, but the barrier Shen Minyao set earlier forbade him to escape.


    "Heh. Just like what I thought." Shen Minyao chuckled amusedly. "Like your fellow crows, you can''t tolerate too much light, huh?"


    "Damn you, fox!" The crow demon yelled at her. Not many demons knew the weaknesses of their kind, but to think that this woman would take advantage of it¡­? It would be impossible for him to stay in the spotlight without being killed.


    "Heh, don''t think you can escape from me this time. I didn''te all the way here just to have my precious dinner spoiled by you," Shen Minyao said, closing her fan as she looked at the other demon with amusement.


    "I''ll kill you!" This time, the crow demon threw away the idea of taking her to his master and decided to kill the fox woman himself, regardless of what his master would think of it.


    "Eh? What changed your mind?" The fox woman continued to taunt him. "You aren''t willing to deliver me to your master?" Her half-lidded eyes looked at him, filled with mockery.


    The crow demon was taken aback by her words, but his expression was enough for Shen Minyao to know what he was even thinking.


    "So I was right." The fox womanughed uncontrobly and held her stomach, wary of falling from the high ce she was standing on. "A demon like you hase to sumb to the will of a pathetic human. Hahahaha!"


    "What did you say?" Mu Qing narrowed his eyes on that. "Do you mean they are being used by that wretched exorcist?"


    "Hmm, who knows?" The fox woman shrugged as the effect of her enchantment to the hundreds of humans below then started to weaken. As expected of her current state, even her mind control over these weak humans was limited.


    However, her words were enough for Mu Qing to know what was happening. A human exorcist was attempting to force the demons into submission by allowing them to feed freely on the humans?


    The infestation of the demons at the city hospital and Spring Hill High¡­ couldn''t be just a coincidence that both cases had amon denominator. The barriers, the number of human souls that had been lost from both cases¡­ Mu Qing found it suspicious how the demonic activity rose significantly in the past years.


    "You wretched fox! I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!" The crow demon''s eyes shed red in rage, his hands tightening on his spear. He surged forward, intending to kill Shen Minyao in one strike. However, she was able to stop his de with her bare hands.


    "Hey, now. Don''t tell me this is all you''ve got." Shen Minyao arched a slender brow, her expression one void of any emotion.


    "Enchant." Her word flowed out, and the de resting between her two fingers snapped into smithereens. She then kicked the crow demon in its guts, sending it away from her.


    His body collided with the opposite building, leaving destruction in his wake. As the humans slowly recovered their consciousness, some were unlucky enough that they perished from the ruins the crow demon created.


    Seeing her like this, Mu Qing then realized that he knew nothing about this woman after all. She was an unpredictable creature, one that couldn''t be easily swayed by anyone. She looked down on human lives and took amusement from their despair and sufferings.


    This¡­ knowing that an ouw exorcist was causing them trouble, was it really alright to get involved with this fox woman?


    Shen Minyao huffed and flicked the small demonic orbs on her mouth one by one, allowing her strength to replenish.


    ''I need more,'' she thought. She then flicked her fan open and killed the other crow demons with her wind sh ability.


    The shrill cry of the birds resounded around them, with Shen Minyao raising her hand to umte the demon orbs that she needed.


    "ept your fate, vermin. You are destined to be devoured by me." Sheughed wickedly, waiting for the crow demon leader to get back on his feet.


    ''Get angrier¡­ hate me. The demon orb tastes better when it''s full of animosity.''


    The crow demon slowly rose to his feet and discarded his broken weapon. This time, Shen Minyao and Mu Qing felt the sudden change in his demonic aura. Deep-red demonic energy surged through his body, engulfing him wholly. The fangs in his mouth grew longer, as he took on a crouch, preparing tounch his body at Shen Minyao.


    "Die! Die! Die!"

 Chapter 123 - Miscalculation (1)

    Mu Qing thought that taunting the crow demon would only make it agitated, but why was Shen Minyao doing this? He couldn''t understand, not that the fox woman would exin her actions to him if he asked.


    Her familiar made it clear that this crow demon was in a higher rankpared to the fox demoness, so wouldn''t it be more dangerous for them, after Shen Minyao''s taunting? Or was she angering the crow demon for a reason?


    The crow demon''s power continued to surge at an rming rate, making the ss windows of the surrounding buildings shatter at the mere touch of his aura.


    So strong. Jiang Chen thought as he kept himself hidden from the demons. What was Shen Minyao thinking for her to anger the crow demon like this? Wasn''t she afraid of getting killed by the other demon?


    Shen Minyao then surged to the air, going head to head with the leader of the crow demons. Her wind shes collided with his sharp ws as he forced his way towards the fox demon. If he was already fast earlier, he was insanely faster now.


    Neither Mu Qing nor Jiang Chen could see what was happening between the two demons, aside from the sparks in the air upon the collision of their respective attacks. They were just too fast for their naked eyes.


    Qin Zhi remained rooted in his ce, paying attention to the battle ahead of him. Unlike the human and the grim reaper, he knew the purpose of his sister''s taunting. However, this was dangerous, especially in her current state. If the crow demon overpowered herpletely, she might end up dead tonight.


    Qin Zhi considered his options again. Of course, for him who had lived for millennia, it was easy for him to get rid of the leader of the crow demons and annihte his kind. However, his sister would take it seriously if he dared to interfere with her. His sister never had much patience in the first ce, and she hated it when others sullied her n.


    Shen Minyao attacked the crow demon from an aerial position with strong forces of wind. Since she had an affinity with fire and wind, it was easier for her to manipte these elements in her favor. However, with her current level, it wasn''t enough for her to use high-level spells and skills to easily kill her opponent.


    Their sh continued midair, each sending waves of impact to the surrounding buildings and making the humans flee for their lives. They were confused as to what was happening and if there was a terrorist attack in the area. The buildings around them continued to explode for unknown reasons.


    "Die! Die! Die!" The crow demon kept on saying it like a mantra. His eyes set aze with anger as he continued to assault Shen Minyao midair.


    "Is that your lifelong wish? Don''t worry, I will make sure to fulfill it tonight." The fox woman burst into a round of maniacalughter as she continued to taunt her opponent.


    However, it was clear that she was losing a lot of spiritual power. Her power was depleting so fast. Since she needed to keep up with the crow demon''s speed while keeping herself safe from his assaults, Shen Minyao had to use more than she could generate.


    She leaped backward, forcing a safe distance between her and the crow demon. She needed to consume the demonic orbs all at once, and the remaining weaker crow demons around her should suffice to give her an energy boost.


    During their encounter with the spider demon, it reminded her of one of the skills she used to have in her past life. This ability allowed her to kill several humans and demons alike at the same time, and she wanted to test it to see if her new host could bear it.


    "Enchant." She spread her fingers on the sides of her body as she stood still with her eyes glowing red, her long, white hair fluttering wildly behind her as she forced out a st of spiritual power from her both hands.


    Just like being shot by the arrow all at once, the cry of the fallen crow demons filled the barrier. Their red demonic orbs were all forced out of their bodies at the same time.


    Jiang Chen''s jaws dropped upon seeing it. He had never thought that Shen Minyao was capable of sting her own spiritual powers at other creatures. It was like firing ammunition all at once, at different angles at the same time. He briefly wondered what could happen if a human like him was hit by such power. He made a mental note to ask the fox woman or her familiarter.


    Even Mu Qing was surprised to witness what the fox woman had just done. She was able to st her spiritual power at a high speed, killing her targets with precision. Was it her own skill, or did she derive it from the ability of the spider demon they defeated a few weeks ago?


    Qin Zhi crossed his arms and hummed to himself. He wasn''t surprised by what his sister had done at all. She had done this in the past, so there was nothing new about it. Only that she had killed lesser demons this time.


    What Shen Minyao did was the quickest way to kill all the lower crow demons at once, saving her time and replenishing her energy faster as she fought their leader.


    As the demonic orbs flew towards her, Shen Minyao didn''t need to open her mouth to devour it. As soon as it touched her spiritual aura, the orbs disintegrated into nothingness. Their energy was fully absorbed by her body.


    She could feel her spiritual power exceeding her limit, forcing her to level up her current rank. However, hertest action only infuriated her opponent further.. It was as if he had lost his logical mind upon witnessing his kind being annihted by the fox woman.

 Chapter 124 - Miscalculation (2)

    He didn''t care about it anymore, what his master would think if he killed the nine-tailed fox demon right now and failed to present her demonic orb. It wasn''t like she had it right now anyway. He couldn''t sense her orb from her mortal body. Wasn''t it for this reason she shamelessly killed his kind and devoured their orbs?


    It didn''t matter what her reasons were. He would kill this fox demon regardless of what could happen to him in the future.


    Shen Minyao had already expected this reaction from him, and she was pleased that he was now blinded with rage. Indeed, it would be dangerous for her to get head to head against a mid-rank demon, but if she didn''t force him to go all-out against her, she wouldn''t be able to extract his powers to the fullest.


    The crow demon attacked her once again, this time allowing his instincts to ovee him. He managed to hit Shen Minyao with a powerful attack and sent her body flying to one of the buildings once again. She tried to lessen the impact to protect her body, but she didn''t have enough time as the crow demon continued its incessant attacks.


    She was hit once again, and her body left arge crater as her back hit the concrete wall. Shen Minyao coughed out blood, her eyes losing focus on what was in front of her.


    Too strong. The leader of the crow demons was too strong for her to defeat. Despite the fact that she had devoured over a hundred orbs tonight, she was still weakpared to this crow demon.


    "Oh, no. She cannot defeat him at this rate!" Xiao Bai eximed as he considered releasing the seal the fox woman ced on him to unleash his true form and powers. However, before he coulde up with a decision, Mu Qing surged forward and joined the battle once again.


    The grim reaper forced the crow demon away from Shen Minyao as she continued to vomit blood behind him.


    "I don''t need your help," she said, her eyes shing red as she looked at Mu Qing. She even growled. "Do not interfere, Mu Qing."


    "I''m not helping you, fox." Mu Qing was having a hard time keeping up with the crow demon, as thetter''s immense raw spiritual power as a mid-rank demon was just too strong. "It''s my job to dispose of demons that break thew of life. I shouldn''t let another demon do the job for me."


    "Get out of my way!" The crow demon yelled, his spiritual force pushing Mu Qing away from him. "Fox, you would regret stepping in our territory. You should have hidden yourself in your den below the ground!"


    During this time, Shen Minyao used the energy she collected to heal the internal injuries the crow demon inflicted on her body.


    ''Damn it.'' She cursed inwardly. Just how many demon orbs did she need to consume for her to defeat this crow demon? She thought. Did she miscalcte the true power of this demon?


    Once Mu Qing was thrown out of the way, Shen Minyao grew shocked. She didn''t realize that she had been pinned on the ground by the crow demon. The cars on the street were forced to make a stop as the humans alighted to see what had caused a massive crater on the road.


    Her human body was caving in under the foot of the crow demon, her bones cracking from the intense pressure. There was simply no way for her to break free.


    "I have enough of you, fox. Your life ends today!"


    "Enchant!" With a breaking voice, the fox yelled. She could only enchant her host''s body to mitigate the damages from the slow, crushing pressure brought by the crow demon.


    Not only could she enchant inanimate objects and humans around her, but the fox woman could also give her host''s body a boost to withstand the outside forces that were being inflicted on her.


    If Shen Minyao''s body was destroyed beyond saving, she would need to force her soul out of this body and find another appropriate host in the area. However, that was easier said than done. The fox woman only got lucky in possessing Su Daji''s and Shen Minyao''s bodies. Most of the time, the other human bodies she tried to possess had turned into ashes because they couldn''t withstand the demon soul inside them.


    "Shen Minyao!" Mu Qing released a bright powerful st towards the crow demon, but thetter easily dispelled it with its own power midair, causing a loud explosion. The terrifying, booming noise made the humans run away from the area.


    ''Curse it.'' The fox woman''s eyes continued to bleed red as she held onto his leg with both hands, trying to lessen the pressure he had on her body. She had never been humiliated like this before, and she couldn''t wait to sh his throat with her own hands.


    No. She refused to die like this. Never like this. The thought of Zhao Yichen waiting for her return crossed her mind, and she didn''t want to break her promise to him this early.


    She had also promised Li Fei''er that she woulde back safe earlier before they parted ways.


    It was only by then did Shen Minyao remember the talismans Li Fei''er had given her the other day. They were still untouched inside her coat.


    With difficulty, she reached into the side pocket of her coat with her right hand, while the other was keeping the foot on her chest from crushing her body entirely. Her hand made a hissing sound upon contact with the talismans, but she immediately threw them at the unsuspecting crow demon when he was slightly distracted by Mu Qing''s attacks.


    The crow demon screamed in pain as the talismans touched his body, causing him to stagger away from the fox woman.


    ''Li Fei''er, I have to thank you for this.''

 Chapter 125 - Ruthless Demon (1)

    Xiao Bai had followed them to the streets, dragging Jiang Chen with him. As soon as Jiang Chen''s feet touched the ground, the spell that the white cat cast on him had disappeared. They were a couple of meters away from the battle and couldn''t see where Shen Minyao had gone with the crow demon.


    Screams could be heard from somewhere. Jiang Chen ran towards the ce where Shen Minyao and Mu Qing were, and he found the fox woman pinned on the broken road. The crow demon''s foot drove on her torso, and she had been screaming in pain.


    He broke into a cold sweat when he realized that not even the infamous nine-tailed fox demon could outmatch the demon that took over the fourth district. He wouldn''t be able to bear the guilt if Shen Minyao lost her life tonight, just because he had dragged her with him in this case.


    Suddenly, the crow demon staggered back. Shen Minyao had thrown the familiar talismans he had seen Li Fei''er gave to the fox woman a few days ago. The crow demons screamed in pain upon contact with the talismans on his body and cursed the fox woman more.


    He didn''t expect that she had kept those on her all this time. He then noticed that Shen Minyao''s right hand had a burn on it after touching Li Fei''er''s talismans.


    "I don''t understand¡­ she didn''t get the same reaction when Li Fei''er gave it to her before."


    "That''s because Mdy is good at suppressing her spiritual powers and hiding her presence to other demons, but not when she is in demon form," Xiao Bai, who had taken a spot on his shoulder, said in response.


    Shen Minyao sat up and held her aching sides. She then started to heal her broken bones and put them back in their rightful ces. She couldn''t believe that she was this weak against a mid-rank crow demon.


    Had her arrogance gotten the best of her? She seemed to fail to understand the difference between their current ranks. To think that there would be a day that she would find herself weak and pathetic had left a bad taste in the fox woman''s mouth.


    She had epted her defeat against Li Yun and Jiang Mo in her past life because they were incredibly strong humans. However, her pride wouldn''t allow her to admit that a mere mid-rank crow demon was able to overwhelm her.


    She vomited blood again, and it only made her aware of how helpless she was right then and there. Even Mu Qing was having a hard time dealing with the crow demon; he couldn''t keep up with its pace at all.


    As she looked at the crow demon, Shen Minyao staggered to get herself back on her feet. Her internal injuries slowly healed, but she wasn''t certain if she had enough time to recover fully before the crow demon attacked her again.


    She couldn''t use any special abilities now, except for her enchantment and flight. Even if she flew away now to escape, the crow demon would be able to catch up with her in no time. It didn''t help that the barrier she had set earlier had disappeared.


    ''Mu Qing, can you buy me some time? Can you distract the crow demon for a moment?'' She asked the grim reaper using telepathy.


    Mu Qing''s face remained impassive as ever as he nced her way.


    ''I can set another barrier, but I''m not sure how long I would be able to keep it up,'' he said in response.


    ''That''s fine. I only need to heal this body before I can cast another spell.''


    ''Then, let''s not waste any more time here. Do whatever you need to do.''


    Just as the crow demon finally broke free from the talismans that burned his raven feathers, Mu Qing raised his sword in front of him and cast a barrier to entrap the crow demon again. The barrier grim reapers like him could make was specifically designed to entrap souls and forbid them from leaving. However, Mu Qing was uncertain as to how durable it would be against such a powerful crow demon.


    Shen Minyao took a deep breath, focusing her spiritual life force to regenerate and heal her injuries faster than usual. As the wounds on her skin closed, her body had also undergone some transformation.


    Her human ears were nowhere to be seen. instead, there was a pair of fox ears that sat on top of her white head. Her ws elongated, and several demon marks appeared on her pale skin. Her nine tails swished behind her back.


    This wasn''t the first time Mu Qing saw her like this, but witnessing her transformation left Jiang Chen speechless. He had never seen a human transform into a full-fledged demon without losing its consciousness and humanity. Well, not that the fox woman was a human in the first ce, as she only possessed an empty shell of a human.


    The crow demon tried to break the barrier that stopped him from attacking the fox demon, and Mu Qing gritted at the blows, not giving up restraining him. Still, he did his best to buy Shen Minyao more time. A minute felt forever as every second passed that he waited for the fox woman to recover.


    ''What''s taking you so long?'' He asked Shen Minyao through telepathy. The barrier he set was about to be cracked open by the crow demon, and he wouldn''t be able to protect the healing Shen Minyao anymore if that happened.


    ''Just a little more¡­'' He heard the fox woman say in a raspy voice.


    But how long? He wanted to ask. One more minute? He was restraining the crow demon for over three minutes, and the barrier was about to reach its limit.


    "Shen Minyao!" Mu Qing gritted his teeth as he held on the hilt of his sword tightly.. The crack on the barrier began to visibly show until the barrier broke apart.

 Chapter 126 - Ruthless Demon (2)

    "Enchant!"


    The fox woman''s voice rang, and the moment the word left her mouth, the crow demon had lost control of his body. His red eyes bored into the white-haired woman who had cast a spell on him.


    This was the first time the fox woman used her enchant spell to try to manipte another demon. Unlike the human puppets she had earlier, it was hard to have absolute control over them. Just like this crow demon that had stronger willpower, who could easily reject her influence over him.


    Two pairs of red eyes red daggers at each other. One was trying to dominate the other, while the other was resisting the spell that was cast on him.


    Shen Minyao flicked her fingers, and a blue fox fire burned the crow demon alive. He yelled in pain as he resisted the bind that the fox woman had on his body.


    Why? He wondered. Why couldn''t he break free, even though he was obviously physically stronger than the fox demon?


    However, he would never understand that it was their mental age and experience that set them apart. The fox woman had lived for over nine hundred years, and he had only been in this world for a few centuries. He was nothing but a child in the fox woman''s eyes.


    From afar, Qin Zhi thought that his sister had done a good job. If she had to fight the crow demon head to head, there was no doubt that she would be overwhelmed with his inhuman strength, something that she wascking right now.


    She would use her advantage to cast magic. An enchantment spell was one of the high-level abilities of the fox demons. The stronger the spiritual power and mental strength, the stronger the enchantment could be.


    However, not many fox demons were able to utilize the enchantment spell to its fullest potential, unlike his sister. At their young age, even before he and Daji were able to manifest their human forms, his sister was way ahead of him when it came to using magic. It was for this reason that they were able to protect themselves from being killed by humans before they reached their first century.


    Furthermore, with the crow demon''s body being restrained by her enchantment spell, the only thing that would pose a problem would be how long she would be able to keep up with it. Time would be crucial for her to win. If she suddenly lost her control over the crow demon, he would be able to escape and heal his injuries. By then, she wouldn''t have any other ways to defeat him.


    Shen Minyao flexed her ws as the crow demon screamed from being burned alive. No other magic could extinguish her fox fire. She might be physically weaker than the crow demon, but she would never admit defeat that easily.


    "This is the price for humiliating me earlier." Her half-lidded eyes couldn''t hide the mischief in them. She was immensely pleased to see the crow demon howling in pain as her fire continued to consume him. Unless he was able to break from her enchantment spell, there was no way he could get away from her fox fire.


    Jiang Chen hardened his jaws, hands clenching on his side, as he watched the crow demon roast in the heat of the impossible me. It didn''t matter if it was a demon; Jiang Chen still had a hard time stomaching the torture Shen Minyao had done to her opponent. She was truly a ruthless demon!


    The ck feathers clinging to the crow demon''s body had been burned until there was only flesh scalded red by the fire. It took Jiang Chen a while to believe that this was still the same demon they had seen earlier.


    Jiang Chen couldn''t bear to watch it anymore and looked away. He couldn''t even look at Shen Minyao whose clothes were drenched in her own blood. Thank goodness neither Li Fei''er nor Lu Anqi was here, or else they wouldn''t be able to sleep at night after these.


    This was inhumane in his opinion. Couldn''t Shen Minyao kill the other demon in the quickest way¡­ and not torture him to death like this? It might be the way of the demons, but that didn''t mean Jiang Chen agreed with it.


    The crow demon continued to howl¡­ until his voice slowly weakened as he struggled in futility. With Shen Minyao''s enchantment spell and fox fire, the spiritual powers she gained earlier were starting to deplete. The crow demon should die first, or else she wouldn''t be able to survive this battle any further if it regenerated its missing limbs.


    It seemed that Mu Qing also shared the same sentiment Jiang Chen had in this predicament. He then raced to the ce where the crow demon was and stabbed him straight in his heart, killing it. Mu Qing didn''t think that there''s a need for them to watch the crow demon being incinerated to death by the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao blinked, and the fox fire around the crow demon slowly dissipated, his body falling lifelessly on the ground.


    "What have you done, Mu Qing?!" She growled at him.


    "Killed him. What else. Don''t worry, I didn''t break his demon orb. Isn''t that what you wanted in the first ce?" Mu Qing said in response as he sheathed his sword back to its scabbard. He looked at the half-burned body of the crow demon and looked away.


    Shen Minyao''s demonic features slowly faded until her white, silky hair turned ck, with the fangs receding to their previous state. She then walked towards the crow demon and impaled its chest with her sharp ws. She dug its demonic orb that was soaked in its blood.


    "Ha. Finally." She smirked as she fished out thergest demonic orb she got since her awakening.. She then ced it in her mouth and swallowed it whole, not wasting another time to absorb its energy.

 Chapter 127 - We Are Both Lucky (1)

    The moment Shen Minyao swallowed the demon orb, she felt like her whole body was on fire. The pain she had at the moment was iparable to the one she was subjected to when she devoured the spider demon''s orb before.


    She clutched her chest painfully and shut her eyes as her energy surged stronger. Xiao Bai ran towards his mistress and tried to stabilize the demonic powers that were emitting from her body. Shen Minyao needed to control the power inside her, or else not only would she kill the humans near the area, but it would also make the people looking for her find out her whereabouts.


    "Mdy, you should focus. I know it''s painful, but you need to stay conscious, or else you would reveal yourself to everyone," he reminded his mistress.


    Shen Minyao struggled to stay conscious as pain engulfed her entirety. Of course, she knew that she had to remain conscious until the demonic power inside her finally calmed down. If not, she would wreak havoc to where she was at the moment.


    However, consuming an orb of a mid-rank demon proved to be challenging for the fox woman. It surely wasn''t easy to stabilize the new powers she had now. The pain was almost unbearable even for a demon like her.


    Damn it. She wouldn''t have stooped so low to this level hadn''t she given up her demon orb to save Zhao Yichen''s life. Then again, she had no other choice during their first meeting and could only ept the consequences of her actions.


    Mu Qing watched as the fox woman''s whole body was being covered with red, fiery veins protruding on her smooth, pale skin. He now knew that this was a natural urrence for Shen Minyao to undergo whenever she consumed a demon orb, but seeing her like this made him feel ufortable.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Chen was confused as to what was happening to the fox woman, as Xiao Bao had already left his side, in favor of helping his mistress.


    Xiao Bai looked worriedly at his mistress. Perhaps the orb of a mid-rank demon was too much for her to handle. At the rate it was going, his mistress might lose control of herself any time soon.


    Suddenly, a sword came flying at Shen Minyao at a fast speed. The de pierced the ground next to her, absorbing the excess demonic powers that were seeping out from her body.


    Shen Minyao''s red eyes widened in shock. She hadn''t seen this de for ages and had never thought that she would see it again. It was the sword she used to own in her past life as Su Daji. But how did it manage to survive until this day, given that this sword also needed to frequently feed on life force?


    "How?" She stared at her sword with bewilderment.


    It was only when she sensed another demon''s presence did she turn her head where it wasing from. A man dressed in a ck business suit with long pale-blonde hair and golden eyes flew down from the sky. Their gazes met, and Shen Minyao understood it by then¡ªhow her demonic sword managed to stay in its pristine condition until this day.


    Mu Qing held the hilt of his sword when he saw another demoning after Shen Minyao. His energy had been almost drained by his fight with the crow demon earlier, and the appearance of another demon was something he hadn''t anticipated. He briefly wondered if this new demon was rted to the crow demon they killed earlier.


    "So you are here." Qin Zhi''s familiar voice unexpectedly brought so much relief to Shen Minyao. If there was anyone she could trust with her life, it would be her elder brother. She didn''t expect that the two of them would also be reunited in this life, aside from her meeting Little Jiu''s present incarnation.


    The fox woman allowed herself to fall on the ground next to her sword. The pain on her body was drastically lessened as the de absorbed the excess power in her system. She was lucky that she was reunited with her sword again, or else she would have a hard time absorbing the energy efficiently.


    "It''s been a long time, dear brother. What brings you here?" She said in a low voice.


    Mu Qing, with his senses strongerpared to a human, was shocked to find out that this fox demoness was rted to this new demon in front of them. Would this mean they didn''t need to fight this demon?


    "I''ve been looking for you. I''ve only gotten lucky that I ended up seeing you here when I decided to check what was happening to the crow demons," Qin Zhi replied, his eyes softening upon seeing the sister he''d been looking for.


    "Then, I''ll say that we are both lucky this time." Shen Minyao chuckled.


    "Lord Qin, it''s been a while," Xiao Bai regarded his mistress''s older brother. Although Qin Zhi''s clothes had changed from the white robes he used to wear centuries ago, Xiao Bai thought that he barely aged at all since theirst meeting.


    Qin Zhi nodded at him.


    "I see that you have chosen to stay with her. Where''s Yu Yan?" He asked when he noticed that the ck cat that was always next to Xiao Bai was missing.


    Xiao Bai looked at his mistress. "Somewhere she needs to be."


    "Enough of this." Shen Minyao forced herself to stand up. "We are leaving."


    However, as soon as she said that, she suddenly passed out. Her body motioned to hit the ground again, but Qin Zhi appeared in front of her, allowing her to fall on his left arm.


    It was by then did he choose to regard the grim reaper and the psychic human that hade here with his sister.


    "I''ll be taking things from here," he told them before he, along with Xiao Bai, vanished into thin air without a trace.

 Chapter 128 - We Are Both Lucky (2)

    Jiang Chen wasn''t sure what had just happened. The police cars and ambnce had finallye to rescue the humans that had gotten hurt during the battle of the two demons and a grim reaper earlier. He wondered what he should do then. He felt useless and helpless at the same time, knowing he couldn''t do anything to help Shen Minyao and Mu Qing earlier.


    He stayed rooted at where he was, oblivious to the humans that were rushing left and right around them to rescue those who needed help. The fourth district that was known as the ce that never sleeps grew buzzing with people trying to check the aftermath of the unknown event that took ce in the area.


    No one knew what truly happened. Some assumed that there was a terrorist attack, while the others wondered if the ground shaking was an indication of a natural cmity that was about to hit them. However, there were rare humans who were able to sense the abnormality of the ce and put it under a paranormal case that needed to be reviewedter.


    Mu Qing had walked away from the ground zero of the battle. He eyed Jiang Chen for a moment, but he didn''t utter a word to exin who the other demon was and why he had taken Shen Minyao away with him.


    Now that the demonic barrier was gone, it was time for him to perform his duties as a grim reaper and collect their souls. He sighed to himself. Shen Minyao had left a lot of mess again for him to clean up after. He was starting to wonder if he had lost his mind somehow by allowing himself to be associated with that fox demon and helping her feed on the other demons.


    The deities and theherworld had yet to give him an order on what to do with the infamous nine-tailed fox, but they were made aware of her existence in a human shell and her involvement with his recent cases.


    If theherworld asked him to dispose of Shen Minyao, he wondered if he woulde out victorious against the fox woman. However, just the mere thought that they would sh swords against each other didn''t sit well with the grim reaper.


    As if on cue, the other grim reapers had arrived at the scene to help him collect the souls of the departed ones. Mu Qing''s lips pressed into a thin line, wondering why he always needed to cover for these ipetent grim reapers. The fourth district wasn''t under his jurisdiction, and yet he was sent here begrudgingly to help eliminate the demon and save the trapped human souls.


    "Collect as many souls as you can. That''s over five years of work we needed to get done tonight," he said with a hint of annoyance in his tone.


    Jiang Chen felt confused and frustrated at the same time. He walked back to his car and sat in the driver''s seat for a long time, trying to digest the revtions he had witnessed today. He had seen it with his own eyes, proving that Shen Minyao was truly a demon¡ªthe infamous nine-tailed fox demoness on top of that.


    As a human and a psychic, he knew the dangers that Shen Minyao posed against humanity, that he should report her to the shamans that had sealed her centuries ago. Records had imed that she had killed a lot of humans centuries ago, and her name ''Su Daji'' had been vilified for centuries.


    Only when his phone rang for an iing call from his assistant, Lu Anqi, did Jiang Chen snap out of his trance and pick up the call. He didn''t even realize that he had several unread messages on his phone that he hadn''t noticed earlier.


    "Mr. Jiang, how is it? Is everything okay?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice.


    "Yes." Then, his eyes widened in shock. He hurriedly alighted from his car and ran towards the loop of spirits that had been trapped here in the fourth area.


    He almost forgot his purpose ofing here! If Lu Anqi hadn''t called him earlier, he would have mindlessly driven back to Jiang City without retrieving the soul of Jin Qian''s mother. Damn it! He was so distracted by the demons that he almost forgot about it.


    "Miss Shen and herpanion have dealt with the demons already. I''m on my way to retrieve Jin Qian''s mother," he told Lu Anqi over the phone while pulling out the necessary items he needed to temporarily bind a human soul in an inanimate vessel.


    "Then, that''s great!" He heard Lu Anqi squealed. "I won''t disturb you then and will inform Li Fei''er of the good news!" She said before hanging up the phone call.


    Jiang Chen pushed his thoughts about Shen Minyao aside and forced himself to focus on his task. Once done, he went back inside his car and secured the wooden charm that held Jin Qian''s mother''s soul before deciding to drive back alone to Jiang City.


    He had no idea where Shen Minyao and the other demon had gone; even the white fatty cat had gone missing. He didn''t have the chance to see the face of the other demon, aside from seeing it dressed in a business suit and sporting long, spiky pale-blonde hair.


    That only strengthened his belief that demons were able to mingle among the humans like him undetected, and Jiang Chen wasn''t sure what to think of it.


    When he first met the fox woman, he was surprised at how perfect her disguise was as not many demons could perfectly pretend as a human, not knowing that it was merely a shell of a human that the demoness was using.


    It was only after he found out that inside Shen Minyao''s body was a nine-tailed fox did he realize how strong the demoness could be, for her to be able to have absolute control over Shen Minyao''s human body.

 Chapter 129 - Temporary Hibernation (1)

    Li Fei''er heard about the good newsst night. Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen were able to retrieve Jin Qian''s soul. However, she didn''t expect that Shen Minyao wouldn''t show up for their ss the next day. She supposed that her ssmate wanted to rest afterst night''s event at the fourth district, but Shen Minyao wasn''t picking up her calls nor answering her messages.


    Did something wrong happenst night? Was Shen Minyao gravely injured during their fight with the demons at the fourth district?


    Li Fei''er bit her lip in frustration. It didn''t help that her whole family had gone to the fourth district before dawn when they received a report of the traces of the nine-tailed fox woman at that ce.


    What if Shen Minyao and Jiang Chen encountered the fox demon on their way there, and they didn''t inform her and Lu Anqi for them not to get worried? If that was the case, then the matter was really more dangerous than what they perceived it to be.


    Jiang Chen hadn''t given Lu Anqi any details about what had happened, but they were supposed to meet on Sunday, so they could help Jin Qian and her mother cross to the spirit realm. Should she wait until Sunday for her to know what truly happenedst night?


    The sses were dragging on for too long without Shen Minyao here, in Li Fei''er''s opinion. This had been the first time Shen Minyao had missed their ss ever since Li Fei''er transferred here at Spring Hill High.


    As the day reached its end, Li Fei''er found herself standing outside the front gate of the school, waiting for Lu Anqi. However, her thoughts were still preupied with worry, for not having certainty.


    "Hey. Have you been waiting for too long?" Lu Anqi soon appeared next to her.


    Li Fei''er shook her head and gave the younger woman a small smile. She didn''t need to make Lu Anqi worry, either.


    "Have you finished your project with your ssmates?" She asked as they made their way towards the train station.


    "Yep. Finally, I have spare time to help Mr. Jiang and Mr. Lin at work. I''ve been busytely, too. I have no doubt that the office is in a mess right now." Lu Anqi grinned. Those two could not function well without her help, but of course, they wouldn''t admit it.


    "Oh, now that you''ve mentioned it. How did you end up working as Mr. Jiang''s assistant?" Li Fei''er asked curiously. She briefly wondered if Lu Anqi''s abilities were unlocked because she had been exposed to several paranormal activities she and Jiang Chen worked on before.


    "Ah, about that. It was just a coincidence, to be honest. Mr. Jiang and Mr. Lin had an ident during one of the cases they were working on because of me, so I have no choice but to help them. After all, it was my fault. They both got hurt because of my interference. Since then, I''ve been working with them."


    "Aren''t your parents worried about you? You have yet to reach legal age." The young shaman pointed out. She could get away with dealing with the ghosts and demons because her family had been in that business for several generations, but Lu Anqi was different.


    "My parents have been long gone, Li Fei''er." This time, Lu Anqi''s tone had a slight bitterness to it.


    "I''m sorry to hear that." Li Fei''er kicked herself mentally. She wouldn''t have asked that question had she known Lu Anqi''s circumstances. Then again, she didn''t know much about Lu Anqi and Shen Minyao in the first ce, and she had never talked to them aside from their paranormal cases.


    "No, please don''t apologize. You didn''t know, after all." Lu Anqi brushed off her apology. "I''m currently staying at my aunt''s ce, but I''m nning to move to my own ce once I turn eighteen. Besides, all they knew was that I have a part-time job. Nothing about anything paranormal, though."


    "I see." Li Fei''er nodded in understanding. "But for how long would you stay? Don''t you like to live a normal, peaceful life?"


    "Of course, I want to, but just like what Mr. Jiang told me before, it would be my choice whether I should be happy with this or not. Having activated my sixth sense, I knew that I would never be able to pretend not to see the wandering spirits around me, who couldn''t find peace."


    "And there are also malevolent spirits that would try to possess you."


    Lu Anqi was like a bright star in a seemingly dark world the ghosts were in, so it was only natural that they were drawn to her presence ever since her sixth sense was opened.


    "Right." Lu Anqi nodded. "That''s why I want to work hard, so I can utilize my abilities to help Mr. Jiang and Mr. Lin in the future. I wouldn''t want them to worry about me every time spirits try to possess my body.


    "I know my friend can do it. Mr. Jiang told me you were doing well during your practices."


    Yes, friend. Aside from Shen Minyao, Li Fei''er considered Lu Anqi a friend now. In the past, she was having a hard time making friends with other people because they found her weird. It couldn''t be helped since ghosts and spirits kept on pestering her whenever she went.


    Lu Anqi giggled at that. She wasn''t expecting to hear that Jiang Chen hadplimented her while talking to others when he made noment about her training so far.


    "Is that so? I thought he and Mr. Lin found it annoying to teach me how to strengthen my mental resilience."


    "Maybe he just didn''t want you to lose focus. I know some men could be like that." Li Fei''er winked at her.


    "Really?"


    "Yep. My father is just like that. He''s a worrywart, though; he just wouldn''t admit it."


    With Lu Anqi''spany, Li Fei''er''s worry had subsided for a moment.

 Chapter 130 - Temporary Hibernation (2)

    It''s been three days ever since Shen Minyao defeated the crow demon and devoured its demonic orb, yet she was still unconscious. The energy that she had recently consumed had finally stabilized with her demonic sword''s help. However, she still remained unresponsive. Xiao Bai couldn''t do anything but stay next to his mistress''s side, hoping that she would wake up soon.


    "Lord Qin, what''s happening? Why''s Mdy not waking up yet?" He asked Qin Zhi when he paid them a visit that evening.


    Qin Zhi looked down at his sister and sighed. It''s only natural for her body to enter a temporary hibernation to heal itself.


    "It seems she sustained grave injuries during her fight with the crow demon. Her mortal body needed to heavily recuperate," he exined.


    "I see." The white cat hummed in response. Then, he had no other choice but to wait for his mistress to wake up on her own.


    Qin Zhi took a seat on the armchair near the bed where his sister was lying.


    "So, Xiao Bai, would you like to exin why Daji doesn''t have her orb with her?" He questioned the white fatty cat.


    Xiao Bai knew that he wouldn''t be able to lie to the nine-tailed fox seated across them. He could only exin how his mistress was woken up by a mortal man''s blood that eventually freed her from her hundred years of confinement.


    "So you mean to say that Daji entered a contract with a human¡­ to hide her presence and identity from the Li shamans?" Qin Zhi cupped the side of his face, with his legs crossed at his seat.


    "En, Lord Qin." Xiao Bai nced at his mistress. "I''m not sure how she managed to possess this human body, though. When she and her human contractor came to retrieve me and Yu Yan, she was already in possession of this body.


    Qin Zhi, of course, understood what Xiao Bai meant. For fox demons like him and Daji, it was hard to find an appropriate human body that they could possess. Even for him, it took a long time before he was able to possess this body of the young general that had perished during the warring state.


    "Is this why Yu Yan isn''t with you?" He asked.


    "En. Since Mdy''s human contractor was also severely injured during their encounter, Yu Yan had to stay with him to protect him from other demons that might seek after Mdy''s fox orb."


    "Is Daji nning to retrieve her fox orb, then?"


    When Xiao Bai didn''t respond, Qin Zhi understood the underlying reason for his sister''s action.


    "Then, who''s this human contractor she entered a deal with?"


    He needed to know the mortal man to whom the fox orb was given.


    "He goes by the name Zhao Yichen, Lord Qin."


    "A member of the Zhao family, huh." Qin Zhi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    He was aware of the internal struggles the Zhao family had, just like those of the other wealthy human families. However, now that his sister''s life was also bound to this Zhao Yichen, he needed to keep an eye on that man to make sure the mortal wouldn''t perish until Daji regained her strength to make a new orb.


    Xiao Bai remained silent as he stared at his mistress''s elder brother. Now that he thought about it, was Qin Zhi even aware that his wife had been reborn in this area? Had he seen or met Li Fei''er already?


    However, from the looks of it, this fox demon didn''t seem like he had met his wife''s reincarnation. Else, Li Fei''er would have been here. In the past, when the two met and eventually fell in love, there was nothing that could set them apart, aside from Su Daji. They had always been together.


    "Alright. I''ll see what I can do to help him," Qin Zhi said after a long silence between them.


    To keep Zhao Yichen safe was to keep his sister alive.


    Suddenly, Shen Minyao stirred on the bed and cracked her eyes open. She looked around, realizing she was in an unfamiliar ce. Her mind was trying to remember what had just happened. She then sat up and held her head.


    The memories of her battle against the crow demon rushed through her mind, reminding her of what had transpired back at the fourth district.


    Shen Minyao felt that her awareness of the humans around her rose. Not only could she sense their presence, but she could also hear their thoughts now. Was this the aftereffect of her consuming a mid-rank demon orb?


    "I see that you are awake. That''s reassuring to know." A familiar voice she hadn''t heard for a long time reached her ears.


    As she turned her head to her left, she found Qin Zhi seated near the window of the dark room she was in. The curtain fluttered behind him, and the moonlight illuminated half of his handsome face.


    "Qin Zhi."


    "It was a good thing we left the fourth district on time because the shamans that are looking for you have gone there to investigate," he told her.


    Shen Minyao sighed and ran her fingers on her long mane. Seeing her brother had somewhat eased the worry she had ever since her awakening.


    "Then, that''s good. I don''t like them trying to sniff where I am in Jiang City. Where are we, and how long have I been out?" She asked. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious because demons like her and Qin Zhi didn''t have to sleep.


    "It''s already Sunday. You''ve been out since Thursday night," Qin Zhi replied.


    "You are already at a mid-rank level.. I know you wanted to regain your previous strength for you to be able to create a new fox orb, but you need to be careful," Qin Zhi reminded her after hearing from Xiao Bai that it wasn''t the first time she consumed a demon orb higher than her current level.

 Chapter 131 - Even Without Me (1)

    "I know. You don''t have to remind me, but it couldn''t be helped." Shen Minyao pushed her messy, long hair away from her face. As she looked down at her body, she realized that she was dressed in sleepwear, with her bloody clothes nowhere to be seen.


    Just who dared to touch her in her unconscious state?


    "Don''t worry. A demoness has tended to you earlier," Qin Zhi said as if he knew what she was thinking at that moment. He knew well that his sister didn''t like anyone touching her.


    If it was in modern terms, he would say that his sister was a germaphobe. Only the blood of her enemies would be tolerated to cling to her body.


    "A demoness?" Shen Minyao raised a brow. "You employ other demons now?"


    "You can consider it that way." Qin Zhi nodded. "I run apany where only demons can work."


    Shen Minyao let out a low whistle in return. "So you''re still a big shot even to this day, huh."


    Well, even in the past, Qin Zhi never had a problem mingling with the humans and other demons. One could say that he could easily instill fear and respect from others, unlike the fox woman who rather be on her own.


    "I''ve lived for hundreds of years. We have to ept that we have to coexist with humans in this world," her brother said in response.


    "And yet I see more humans roaming the streets than our kind. Us, demons, are being forced to hide among these humans."


    "It has always been like that. Are you telling me that you''ve forgotten already?"


    Shen Minyao slipped out of the bed and looked around the room they were in.


    "This is your ce?" She questioned her brother.


    "En. The Qin Mansion has been here for ages now."


    Shen Minyao nodded, and with her spatial awareness ability, she tried to scan the premises for hidden threats. However, there was none. Just like Qin Zhi imed, he only employed demons like them, but there was still one human within the vicinity.


    Her golden eyes returned to normal once she was satisfied with what she had seen so far. Her demonic sword then called out to her. After hundreds of years of separation, this little de still considered her as its master.


    "Thanks for keeping this little one for me." She picked up the sword from the nightstand and conjured a spell to shift its appearance to a more favorable one.


    The sword changed into a thin fashionable bracelet on Shen Minyao''s wrist, with its red crystal shining despite the darkness around it. No one would suspect that it was a sword, but those with high spiritual awareness might sense dangering from it.


    For some, it might just be a sword, but this sword also fed on both demonic energy and life energy of humans. In the past, before the nine-tailed fox obtained it, this demonic sword had been passed from one human to another. It gave its wielder unbelievable strength in sword fighting, but this demonic sword possessed its wielder and fed on their energy.


    The fox woman was able to peek at the memory of the sword and found out that it was a sword used during a war for over five decades. Hence, it developed sentience and had be bloodthirsty after killing thousands of humans, with their blood tainting its de.


    Those who wield the sword would be overwhelmed with an uncontroble urge to kill someone, and it only wanted to be wielded by the strongest demons or humans nearby. The weak ones who dared to pick it up were killed on the spot and had their life energy consumed by it, while it continued to wait for a strong creature.


    "You are just like me¡­" The nine-tailed fox woman spoke as she picked up the demonic sword for the first time. "It''s just too bad that you aren''t strong enough to break through my mental barrier."


    Since then, the demonic sword had been in the fox woman''s possession, feeding on her demonic energy while protecting her from her enemies. It had been a win-win situation between the two parties anyway, and the sword had somewhat formed an attachment with the fox demon over time.


    "Did it feed on you?" Shen Minyao asked. This sword wasn''t picky with what it ate, but it certainly liked to consume energies from stronger demons like her and Qin Zhi.


    "No. I kept it for other purposes. It feeds on the demons who refuse to cooperate with us and those who bring harm to humans."


    "I see. So you haven''tin low and continue to feed on demons, huh." Shen Minyao raised her wrist and looked at her silver bracelet.


    "Are you still nning to live here in Jiang City despite the fact that the Li family is looking for you?" She heard Qin Zhi ask.


    She nced at him, noticing the hint of worry in his eyes. He was still the same¡ªa little older though.


    "I thank you for saving my life, but I can''t leave yet." Shen Minyao shrugged. She was reminded of Zhao Yichen and Li Fei''er that were both waiting for her return. "Even if I want to, that''s not possible, dear brother."


    Until she could cut ties with Zhao Yichen¡­ until Li Fei''er didn''t need her anymore¡­ she wouldn''t be able to leave this ce.


    Shen Minyao berated herself. Did she just form an attachment with those two? She, the wicked and legendary nine-tailed fox demon who mercilessly annihted a whole kingdom centuries ago? A part of her wanted to get rid of Zhao Yichen and Li Fei''er to free herself, while the other wanted to keep them safe from harm.


    How troublesome. She frowned. She guessed she would stay until she gained enough strength as a demon¡­ to cut her ties and attachment with those weak humans.


    "I''m hungry.. Is there something here I could eat?" She asked, changing the subject.

 Chapter 132 - Even Without Me (2)

    Qin Zhi led his sister out of the room and down the stairs, where Qin Zhihao was waiting for them.


    "Milord," he politely greeted his master before regarding Shen Minyao. "Mistress Daji."


    "I go by the name Shen Minyao now. The Daji you all know has been long dead," Shen Minyao corrected him.


    "Miss Shen." Qin Zhihao nodded at her.


    "Bring her a fresh liver she could eat." Qin Zhi told the old man before leading his sister to the dining area of his huge mansion. "Also some human food the white cat could eat."


    Xiao Bai''s eyes sparkled in delight upon hearing it. "Thank you, Lord Qin! You are the best!


    "Wow, Lord Qin surely has a lot of money to burn." Xiao Bai thenmented when they passed thevish decorations in the hallway.


    "He has lived a long life. It''s impossible for him not to gain wealth from all those years." Shen Minyao eyed the back of her brother. There was something she had been itching to ask since they met.


    "So have you found your wife in this era?" She asked, wanting to see if Qin Zhi was aware of Li Fei''er''s existence.


    Qin Zhi''s steps faltered, his whole body stiffening for a moment before he resumed walking ahead of them.


    "Don''t be ridiculous. Feng Jiu has been long gone, like Su Daji," he replied without looking back at her.


    He said no more, and Shen Minyao remained silent while Xiao Bai nced between the fox demon siblings. Of course, he knew his mistress''s motive for asking Qin Zhi such a question. The two might seem cold to each other as siblings, but they trusted each other more than anyone else.


    "What if she is reborn as a human and lives in this era? What will you do?" Shen Minyao then continued her questioning.


    "What will I do?" Qin Zhi chuckled, half of his face covered by darkness. "What can I do? I wasn''t able to protect my mortal wife back then. If she was alive today, I wish she would lead a happy and normal life this time."


    "Even without you?"


    "Even without me." Qin Zhi''s answer shocked Shen Minyao.


    "How could you say that? Isn''t she your wife? I thought you would want to find her if ever she gets reborn in this world." Her tone was one filled with disappointment towards her brother. She initially thought that he would be happy to know that their Little Jiu was alive again.


    "She''s still a human, and I''m still a demon; what changed then? Our paths might have crossed, but our future together would only lead to disaster. Haven''t you said it yourself? We, demons, live in a different world from humans. If Jiu is alive, then that''s good. I can only hope she will be happy in this lifetime."


    Shen Minyao huffed in annoyance. While it was true that she said those words before, Qin Zhi and Feng Jiu''s situation had always been different. Because they were two important persons in her life, how could she not wish for them to be happy? However, she supposed what Qin Zhi said was right.


    If there was a chance that Li Fei''er wouldn''t be dragged in a war between demons and humans, then perhaps she could lead a happy life¡­ without them.


    "You still love her, huh." She chuckled.


    "She''s my wife. Whether it was in the past or present, I love her." He affirmed.


    "So what if she was reborn as a man instead?" Shen Minyao hid her grin behind her hand as she took a seat across from her brother. She liked the way Qin Zhi stiffened in his seat as he considered her question.


    "Stop messing up with my thoughts already." He groaned, but he had to admit he had never considered such a possibility. "And before you say more, I''m not nning to look after her if she was reborn."


    Shen Minyao hummed and hid her smile behind her cup as she drank water.


    ''Oh, dear brother. Even if you say you won''t look for her, you will eventually find and meet her again.'' She thought, and she was certain of that. So long as the two were in the same city and connected to Shen Minyao, there was no way that the husband and wife wouldn''t meet in this lifetime.


    However, should she let them meet? The fox woman pondered. If she wanted Li Fei''er to lead a happy life, then she should disappear and never let the young woman meet her older brother.


    The old human came back with a trolley in tow. He then served Shen Minyao a te of fresh liver.


    "You keep a cow''s liver in stock? At least it''s fresh." The fox woman said as she picked up the silverware and started taking her meal. Ever since her awakening, she had only eaten livers once, and that never urred again. "Aren''t you going to eat?"


    "I told you, I keep the other demons under my protection. It''s only natural for me to be ready for guests. We only feed on animal livers, though. Human livers are not on the menu," Qin Zhi said. "And don''t worry about me. I don''t need to feed for some time."


    He had fed on some demons before he met Shen Minyao back at the fourth district, so unlike her, he wasn''t feeling any pang of hunger at the moment. Shen Minyao needed it more than him, anyway.


    "So¡­ what do you n now?" He questioned her.


    "Collect more demon orbs. What else?"


    "And your human contractor?" He arched a slender brow at her.


    Shen Minyao stopped eating and red daggers at the white fatty cat that was eating nonstop next to her.


    "You told him?"


    "I''m sorry, Mdy, but I couldn''t lie to Lord Qin," Xiao Bai said in defense. Why was his mistress trying to hide Zhao Yichen''s identity, anyway? It wouldn''t be that she didn''t want others to perceive him as her weakness, right?

 Chapter 133 - My First Love Is A Demon (1)

    While the fox woman was reunited with her older brother, Zhao Yichen had just returned home to the ce where he used to live with his parents. He just couldn''t live with his grandfather at the Zhao Estate without earning the ire of his second uncle and his cousins that had no doubt held enmity against him.


    Since his mother''s death and his father''s sudden disappearance, he had lived at the Zhao Estate with his grandfather. It had been a long time since hest came to this ce.


    As he stepped inside the house, he was reminded of his childhood that he''d been trying to forget but couldn''t. Ever since he was young, Zhao Yichen was able to see entities that normal people couldn''t see.


    There were times that he could see and hear them clearly, but there were also instances that he could barely acknowledge their presence. Zhao Yichen hated this ability he gained after he recovered from an illness that almost took his life when he was just a child.


    When he was six years old, he escaped death. The doctor had pronounced him dead, much to his parents'' devastation. However, he miraculously came back from the brink of death and survived. It''s just that since then, he gained a new set of eyes that could see things that normal human beings couldn''t.


    The school he was attending was filled with ghosts that disturbed him, and he always came home with bruises and wounds on his body, much to other''s bewilderment. From the head of a woman floating in the hallways of their school building to the young boy haunting their gymnasium¡­


    For wandering spirits, Zhao Yichen was like a bright light that they couldn''t ignore.


    Perhaps it was for this reason that he wasn''t surprised too much when he met the nine-tailed fox demoness for the first time. Whether Shen Minyao was aware of his ability or not, Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure.


    "Fourth Master, your things had been prepared ahead. I''m Lu Cheng. I will be your personal butler to serve you from now on." The old man introduced himself as he greeted Zhao Yichen. Aside from the old butler, his grandfather had given Zhao Yichen a team of bodyguards of his own.


    "Then, Mr. Lu, I''ll be in your care," Zhao Yichen replied.


    He took out his phone and checked for new messages. There was none from Shen Minyao, which made him frown in disappointment. It had been a week, and he hadn''t heard a single word from her.


    Did something happen to her that he wasn''t aware of? Yu Yan, however, assured him that her mistress was still alive, but she was currently busy dealing with her demon hunts.


    Zhao Yichen couldn''t help but worry, despite knowing that she was also a demon. After he sensed the threatening presence of the spider demon, he feared that she might sustain another grave injury.


    As he entered his room, he allowed Yu Yan to wander around the ce to familiarize herself. Yu Yan only sprinted out of the room, not saying a word to Zhao Yichen.


    Zhao Yichen, who had never seen the ck cat act like this before, decided to follow her. Did she sense something wrong in their house? Because he hadn''t fully recovered from his injuries yet, he struggled to chase the ck cat.


    It was only when he reached the patio did he find Yu Yan staring at the familiar person Zhao Yichen hadn''t seen for ages.


    "Fourth Master, it''s been a while, isn''t it?" The man grinned at him. He had a pair of sses on his face and dressed like a doctor.


    "Gu Liuxian, what are you doing here?" Zhao Yichen asked.


    Gu Liuxian was his childhood friend, whom he hadn''t met nor talked to ever since he migrated overseas. They had attended the same schools and only parted when they graduated from high school. Zhao Yichen didn''t expect that he would meet his friend again after what he went through as soon as he came back from abroad.


    "Huh? Your grandfather didn''t tell you?" Gu Liuxian frowned at him. "I''m a doctor now. Your family employed me as your personal physician. I just came here straight from the graveyard shift. How are you feeling?"


    "Grandpa sure is overreacting. Not only did he give me a butler and a team of bodyguards, but he even sent you to look after me?" Zhao Yichen smiled and patted Gu Liuxian''s shoulder. "Come, tell me how you''ve been for the past years."


    He led the man inside before ncing at Yu Yan who was staring into nothingness.


    Zhao Yichen narrowed his eyes and focused on the direction where the ck cat was looking. Slowly, an apparition of a woman started to form midair. She had long hair that was parted in the middle and was dressed in traditional robes.


    He stared in shock when the woman nced his way and then back to Yu Yan. If Yu Yan wasn''t here with him, Zhao Yichen wouldn''t know what to do by then. He had seen and run away from spirits in the past, but none of them was a demon.


    "What''s wrong?" Gu Liuxian asked. "Are you expecting another guest?"


    He was looking at Zhao Yichen with confusion, trying to see what Zhao Yichen was looking at. However, he couldn''t see anything.


    Zhao Yichen shook his head andughed awkwardly. How could he tell Gu Liuxian that a demoness was following him? Zhao Yichen didn''t want to scare his friend. He also doubted that Gu Liuxian would believe him if he told the friend what he''d seen.


    "No. It''s nothing. Let''s go inside," he replied, pretending to ignore the look the woman was giving him.


    The woman wasn''t a ghost. He was sure of that.. She might be a demon like Shen Minyao, but he wasn''t sure what kind. However, what confused Zhao Yichen was why she was following Gu Liuxian? Was she nning to feed on him?

 Chapter 134 - My First Love Is A Demon (2)

    Zhao Yichen listened to Gu Liuxian''s story. Thetter told him tales and his experience when he was still at med school and when he started working as a doctor. He tried his best to focus on what his friend was saying, but he couldn''t ignore the fact that the same demoness who arrived with Gu Liuxian today¡­ was in the same room with them, ring at Yu Yan.


    The woman hadn''t said anything, only looking at them in confusion. No doubt, she was curious why Zhao Yichen could see her and how the ck cat managed to set a barrier to protect him from sneak attacks.


    "Yichen, do you remember when we were younger?" Gu Liuxian suddenly asked, taking Zhao Yichen''s mind out of trance.


    Zhao Yichen stiffened at that question. Most people found him peculiar and creepy when he was young. Hence, he didn''t have a lot of friends in the past.


    "What about it?" He asked in return, sensing that his friend wanted to ask him something, only to find Gu Liuxian hesitating.


    "When we were younger, there had been talks that you could see something that we couldn''t. Our schoolmates kept talking about how you would always be on your own, not making friends with anyone. Some even imed that they''d seen you running in the hallways in fear and talking to yourself.


    "You are my friend, and I didn''t want to believe them¡­ though I did find you peculiar at times but never questioned you, but¡­" Gu Liuxian''s words trailed off as he took a deep sigh. He then mustered all the courage he had to confront Zhao Yichen.


    "Zhao Yichen, can you really see them? If you do, can you help me just this once?" He asked.


    There. He said it. He wasn''t sure whether Zhao Yichen would help him or not, but he didn''t have anything to lose by lowering his pride and asking Zhao Yichen for this favor.


    "What is this about, Gu Liuxian? If you are here to mock me for what happened in the past, I think you should leave now," Zhao Yichen replied and rose to his feet, intending to leave. However, Gu Liuxian held his wrist, stopping him from leaving.


    "No. No. No. It''s not like that! If you were upset with me because I chose to keep my distance from you during our high-school days, then I''m sorry. I was really foolish back then. I should have believed you the first time you said you could see them!" Gu Liuxian eximed.


    Zhao Yichen stared at his friend and then at the demoness whose expression had changed after witnessing Gu Liuxian''s sudden outburst. Truth to be told, he didn''t hold it against Gu Liuxian when thetter stopped hanging out with him and chose their schoolmates instead.


    Because of his unwanted ability to see ghosts, Zhao Yichen was forced to iste himself from other people. He was frequently bullied and hurt intentionally by the malevolent ghosts he encountered as well, and so Zhao Yichen would rather keep everyone away than have someone hurt because of him.


    He took a deep breath and came back to his seat. Something must have been on Gu Liuxian''s mind for him to ask for help.


    "Then, tell me what is it about? Is there a malevolent spirit harming you?" He asked, gauging Gu Liuxian''s reaction. There was something about the way his friend spoke that bothered him. If this demoness following Gu Liuxian was feeding on his life force, then he would ask Yu Yan if she could deal with it.


    Gu Liuxian shook his head, his hands tightening around the cup he was holding.


    "No. In fact, I want to see someone. I want to see her again." He lowered his head as he remembered the old days.


    ''Her?'' Zhao Yichen thought and then nced at the demoness who was staring at his friend.


    "Fourth Master, would you mind hearing a story?" Gu Liuxian said in a tone with such helplessness Zhao Yichen had never heard from him before.


    Gu Liuxian was a chatty person. He could easily befriend someone and get along with others without a problem, unlike Zhao Yichen.


    Zhao Yichen nodded, while Yu Yan leaped on the ss coffee table in front of them and stared at Gu Liuxian''s face as if she was also interested to hear his story. The demoness hadn''t done anything suspicious nor tried to attack Zhao Yichen, but that didn''t mean the ck cat had lowered her guard just because she wanted to listen to his narrative.


    "When I was still in my freshman years at med school, I met this young, beautiful woman during a heavy rainfall at a local park." Gu Liuxian started, "Do you know the first thing I thought of when I saw her? I thought: ''Damn, she''s a real beauty. Even the stars would fail inparison to her.''


    "She was dressed in a pink robe, the one you''ve seen on historical dramas. I initially thought that she was an actress and there was an ongoing shooting in the area, but there was none."


    He then left out a chuckle as his mind took a trip down the memoryne, the first time he met her. Meanwhile, Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan were getting a hint that the woman Gu Liuxian was talking about¡­ was the demoness that hade with him today.


    "I asked her what she was doing in the middle of a rainstorm, and she said with a cold tone: ''I''m here to protect these flowers. They wouldn''t survive this storm if I left them on their own.''


    "I thought that she was speaking nonsense and offered to share my umbre, but she declined. She insisted on staying at that ce, covering the bushes with the sleeves of her robes.. In the end, I had no other choice but to give her my umbre and leave as fast as possible, hoping I wouldn''t miss the train."

 Chapter 135 - My First Love Is A Demon (3)

    "To be honest, I wasn''t expecting that I would see her again. After all, I rarely took that route going home as I''d always left the schoolte, but I couldn''t help but see if I would be able to meet her again." Gu Liuxian continued, while Zhao Yichen remained silent as he observed his friend and the demoness standing behind him.


    To think that his friend would also encounter something paranormal while he wasn''t around¡­ Zhao Yichen didn''t expect it at all. Anyway, he was aware that he wasn''t the only human who could see these creatures. Gu Liuxian was two years older than him, so Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure if Gu Liuxian was acquainted with another.


    "So I visited the ce again after my midterm exams, and I found her seated on a nearby bench, looking after the flowers that were yet to bloom that season. I''d always found her in the same ce around the same time."


    "Is she still dressed in a pink robe?" It was the first inquiry Zhao Yichen made since his friend opened up this story to him. No doubt Gu Liuxian never told a single soul about his encounter with the demoness.


    "En," Gu Liuxian affirmed.. "In fact, ever since our first meeting, I''ve never seen her dressed in a different outfit. I thought that she might be a priestess or a follower of some weird sect and that''s why she was dressed like that."


    "Did she tell you her name and what she was doing there?" Zhao Yichen continued to probe again. If he and Yu Yan were to cast this demon out, they better knew first what kind of creature they were dealing with.


    "She called herself Yn, and I''m not even sure if it was her real name. You see, unlike other women I''ve met in the past, she barely talks, but she''s a great listener. I was drawn to her, and I admit that I enjoyed herpany, so our meetings never ceased. She became a good friend with whom I can open up my troubles, and she never judged me for my shorings."


    It was obvious to Zhao Yichen that his friend was enamored with the mysterious woman he met in the past. The helplessness in Gu Liuxian''s tone as he talked about the woman somewhat made Zhao Yichen feel sympathy for him. Even the demoness behind Gu Liuxian looked pitiful as thetter talked about their encounter.


    "I trusted her, but I felt like she wasn''t honest with me. As I get older, she remains the same, as if time has no effects on her appearance. Whenever I met her, she would always avoid being seen by other people. I realized something wasn''t right and that I knew nothing about her, but I couldn''t muster the courage to confront her about it."


    "Do you think she''s a ghost, then?" Zhao Yichen asked.


    "Yeah, I think so. There''s something else that I noticed during our encounters."


    "What is it?"


    "She doesn''t eat. Well, to be clear, I have never seen her eat nor drink anything, and we''ve known each other for over five years. She always declined my offer whenever I asked her to eat out," Gu Liuxian exined. "I know something was wrong with her. I didn''t know what happened, but one day, she stopped showing up."


    "Don''t tell me you two had a fight?"


    Gu Liuxian shook his head. "No. That''s not it. We rarely had disagreements, but Yn would never leave without a word. She wasn''t like that."


    The demoness behind him shook her head and shut her eyes. It looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself midway.


    "Then, why do you think that happened?" Zhao Yichen probed. He could clearly see the demoness with Gu Liuxian, but why couldn''t thetter see her?


    "I''m not sure. We were supposed to meet before I started my residency, but that never happened. She just disappeared without a word. Sometimes, I wonder if all our encounters were just figments of my imagination, and Yn had never been there in the first ce."


    However, obviously, that wasn''t the case¡­ because the woman he''d been yearning to see and talk to again was just standing next to him.


    "But, Brother Xian, why are you telling me this?" Zhao Yichen didn''t beat around the bush and confronted the older man. He needed to know.


    "To be honest, I was hoping that the rumors about you seeing ghosts were true. If only that meant that you could help me see her again. However, I realized that this is so selfish of me.


    "I want to know what happened and why we never met again. I wasn''t able to tell her how much she meant to me and how happy I was to meet her. I don''t know who she really is, but the time I spent with her is precious to me."


    Zhao Yichen didn''t know what to tell his friend. Should he tell Gu Liuxian that the woman he was looking for had been with them all this time? That she didn''t go missing? That somehow, it was Gu Liuxian who lost the ability to see her?


    "Forget it. It has been years since I saw her. If she really wanted to see me, she would have done it already," Gu Liuxian said. "Why don''t you tell me how you feel now, so I can report something to your grandfather?" He added as he attempted to change the topic between them.


    Zhao Yichen nodded and allowed Gu Liuxian to ask a few questions and check his blood pressure. The older man also reminded him to take his medicines on time and to call anytime he felt any pain and difort.


    He could only watch as Gu Liuxian left his home, the demoness staying behind.


    "Why are you still here? Aren''t you going to follow him?" Zhao Yichen asked the woman, whose eyes were fixed on Gu Liuxian''s retreating figure.

 Chapter 136 - StarCrossed Lovers (1)

    "It''s fine," Yn replied, with a hint of bitterness in her tone. She then added before her figure slowly vanished into thin air, "Maybe our paths should have never crossed in the first ce."


    Zhao Yichen returned to his room to rest and brought Yu Yan with him. He was a little worried about Gu Liuxian. The older man hadid out his worries in front of Zhao Yichen, hoping that he could shed some light on some problems.


    "Yu Yan, was that woman a demon like your master?" He asked curiously.


    Unlike Shen Minyao who had a noticeable white, silky hair and sharp ws on her demon form; the woman they met earlier looked like a human with unusually pale skin. So Zhao Yichen wondered how Gu Liuxian mistook her for a human.


    "Hmm, not exactly, Master Yichen," Yu Yan replied. "In human terms, she would be a flower fairy, though their origin isn''t so different from other demons. There are so many flower fairies all over the world, and their purpose is to make sure that the flowers will bloom in the right season.. Moreover, they also helped humans avoid famine by making sure the trees that bear fruits."


    Zhao Yichen sat up and leaned against the headboard of hisrge bed.


    "I see." He nodded. "But I wonder how Gu Liuxian was able to see her in the past."


    "You might not know this, Master Yichen, but there are humans who were not shamans but were gifted with the eyes that could see past the facade," the ck cat exined. "Just like you before my mistress passed her fox orb to keep you alive."


    Zhao Yichen pressed his lips into a thin line, his hands balling on his side.


    "Is that why she was able to enter a contract with me?"


    Was it because of his ability to see ghosts and demons? If so, then Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure whether he was fortunate or not to stumble upon the ce where the infamous nine-tailed fox was sealed.


    "I''m not sure about that, Master. You would have to ask Mdy once she returns." Yu Yan replied. "As for your friend, I supposed he was able to meet that flower fairy for some reasons we don''t know yet. Mdy would know for sure if she was here with us."


    "Then, we couldn''t help him on our own?"


    He was hoping that he could at least do something to help Gu Liuxian. Since he was capable of seeing and talking to the flower fairy, shouldn''t he be able to mediate between the two?


    "You aren''t asking the right question, Master Yichen. The one you should ask is whether the flower fairy wants to meet your friend or not, especially now that her life force is dwindling fast."


    The ck cat''s words caught Zhao Yichen off-guard.


    "What do you mean?" He asked in surprise.


    "She would perish from this world soon, Master. I supposed that she hadn''t fed on any humans for the past years, which led to her losing most of her strength. I understand why she chose to not follow your friend. It would be dangerous if she lost her sanity because of hunger and attacked him blindly." Yu Yan looked heavenward as she sat on the windowsill of Zhao Yichen''s room. She hoped that Shen Minyao would return to them soon.


    "Such things could happen? She would feed on him based on instinct?"


    "Of course, Master Yichen. Flower fairies might be good by nature, but like humans and other demons, it is also important for them to feed. If you suppress her hunger for a long time, can you imagine the pain she''ll be in, Master Yichen? Even a human won''tst long if they don''t eat or drink. The same thing could happen with demons."


    Zhao Yichen fell silent. How could he not know? When he was kidnapped the moment he came back from overseas, his captors didn''t bother giving him any decent meal, and he had to suffer for days without food. Not a single drop of water had passed his lips, and the hunger he experienced was hellish.


    It now made sense to him why the fox woman acted like that during their first encounter. She must be so hungry that the first thing she did after breaking from her confinement was to eat human livers.


    "Then, what do I do? I can''t leave Brother Xian like that," he muttered to himself. "I''m not even sure whether I should tell him that she wasn''t missing or not."


    The expression Gu Liuxian had when he talked about Yn remained on Zhao Yichen''s mind. Gu Liuxian must have fallen hard for a woman he didn''t even know was a demon in the first ce.


    "It''s better for us not to get involved, Master. The flower fairy still has her sanity intact and has chosen to keep her distance from your friend. However, if she has dared to harm you and your friend earlier, I cannot promise that she''ll be able to survive after today."


    The reason why she didn''t kill the flower demon readily¡­ was that she didn''t want Zhao Yichen to witness a bloody scene. Yu Yan could tell that her mistress''s human contractor had suffered from the past, and seeing her kill another demon today would surely put a heavy weight on his mind.


    Not only had his body not stabilized yet, but also his mind hadn''t gained enough strength to ward off the spirits that wereing his way. If Yu Yan wasn''t with him, all those spirits and demons would have already found him and fed on him.


    Zhao Yichen wanted to disagree with her. Wasn''t it like telling him to turn a blind eye to someone who is in need of help? However, what could he do in this state? If the flower demon''s days were already numbered, then he should help her and Gu Liuxian to patch up things before she dies, but how?

 Chapter 137 - StarCrossed Lovers (2)

    Monday came, and Li Fei''er''s worries were forgotten when she saw Shen Minyao present for their ss. However, she had to wait for their physical education ss before she could ask her friend what happened during their inspection at the fourth district. The moment Shen Minyao stepped out of the dressing room, Li Fei''er sought her.


    "ssmate Shen, are you alright? You didn''te to ssst Friday," she asked.


    "I''m fine," Shen Minyao replied as they waited for their teacher toe. She was a little ufortable with her clothes. Perhaps because in the past, showing this much skin was forbidden by society and considered atrocious. .


    "ssmate Shen, you have to be careful. I''m not sure if it was just a coincidence, but I heard from my father that the nine-tailed fox demon was spotted in the fourth district," Li Fei''er informed her. "We don''t know what she was doing there, but we have yet to confirm if the demons at the fourth district were connected to her."


    "You should be the one wary of the fox demon, ssmate Li, not me." The fox woman gave her a small smile. "But thanks for the warning. I''ll keep that in mind."


    She didn''t mean to make a fool of Li Fei''er, but it was hard for her to keep her distance from the young woman. If the day came and Li Fei''er found out who she really was, Shen Minyao wouldn''t be surprised if the young woman came to hate her.


    "How was yourst visit with the ghost girl? I assume Mr. Jiang helped you?" She spoke again, changing the topic between them.


    "Hmm¡­" Li Fei''er nodded. "We helped them leave the mortal realm together, and it was a heartfelt reunion between Jin Qian and her mother."


    Then, it was a good thing that she ended up noting with them, Shen Minyao thought. She didn''t want to witness such a thing between humans.


    After all, she just woke up the night before and had used the time to catch up with her elder brother, Qin Zhi. Qin Zhi also offered her protection, but she declined.


    They might be siblings, but that didn''t mean the fox woman liked to rely on her brother. Her pride wouldn''t allow her to do so.


    As she looked at Li Fei''er''s face, she realized she wasn''t sure if her brother would really ignore Li Fei''er''s existence.


    The ss continued too slowly for the fox woman''s liking. She was also nning to see Zhao Yichen today since they hadn''t talked for a week now. ording to thest message he sent yesterday, he had already left the city hospital and returned home. He also didn''t forget to send his current address, just in case she wanted to pay him a visit.


    "We only have two weeks until the midterm exams. Have you started reviewing our lessons?" Li Fei''er said, reminding Shen Minyao of the bet she made with Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing.


    "Ah, now that you mention it." Shen Minyao hummed as she pondered about her options. Although the memories of her host remained in her mind, there were just some details that the fox woman hadn''t fully understood.


    "I think I can manage. There''s no way I would lose to those two."


    Shen Minyao couldn''t wait to p those two nipoops to her heart''s content. She was getting bored with ying with those two and would want to win the bet as soon as possible.


    Perhaps she could ask Zhao Yichen for help. Since he wouldn''t be doing anything soon, he had the free time to tutor her on some subjects that proved to be challenging for the fox woman. She had only been posing as Shen Minyao for a few weeks, and she admitted that there''s still more for her to learn to be able to mingle amongst humans without a problem.


    There were times that she was struggling to understand her lessons and needed to rely on her host memories frequently. However, she didn''t like that. If she was to beat Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing, she didn''t want to rely on Shen Minyao''s memories.


    "Then, if you have time, why don''t we study together? Since I transferred a little toote, I have missed some of the lessons," Li Fei''er suggested.


    "Okay. I''ll ask thendyter, so I can get you a visitor''s pass for the dormitory."


    It''s not a bad idea anyway, since Li Fei''er wasn''t a bad student and could easily follow their lessons without a problem.


    "Sounds like a n," the young shaman replied. "I haven''t seen Xu Shenshen for some time now."


    "Who cares what she is up to? They were the ones who asked for the bet, but she and Shen Qing frequently missed their sses." The fox woman scoffed.


    "It seems they are confident that you would lose the bet," Li Fei''er agreed with her. "Don''t you think they are nning to cheat?"


    "We could only wait and see," Shen Minyao replied. "Let''s go. The teacher is here."


    Li Fei''er groaned as she followed the fox woman. She hated physical education sses as she wasn''t really athletic. She envied Shen Minyao who could easily pull a stunt and the activities their teacher asked for.


    "I hate this ss. Why can''t I just sit on the bench while you y with others?" She muttered next to Shen Minyao. "I don''t mind spending an hour with Little Master while you do."


    Today, they were supposed to have a volleyball game with their ssmates. Their ss was divided into four teams, with Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er being on the same team. With her newly consumed energy, Shen Minyao felt better today.


    "Don''t worry, if you think you can''t hit the ball, just leave it to me." The fox woman chuckled at Li Fei''er''s annoyance. Even in her past life, Little Jiu hated long walks with her and would rather choose to wait for her mistress''s return.

 Chapter 138 - StarCrossed Lovers (3)

    When Shen Minyao arrived at the house where Zhao Yichen currently resided, his bodyguards weren''t surprised at all. Two of them had already seen and met Shen Minyao when Zhao Yichen was still confined at the hospital, and they''d been informed to allow her to enter anytime without asking him for permission.


    "Good afternoon, Miss Shen. Fourth Master is expecting you today. Please follow me," the old butler greeted the fox woman and Xiao Bai, with the white fatty cat visible to the human eyes as his mistress held him with two hands in front of her.


    "Thank you," Shen Minyao replied and followed the old man as he led them to the garden where Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan were. The old man left upon announcing her arrival to Zhao Yichen.


    "Xiao Bai, you are heavy. Can I drop you now?" The fox woman nonchntly said and dropped the fat cat on the ground without waiting for his permission nheless. "You should eat less. People wouldn''t believe me if I told them you are a cat. A little more, and you''ll be a midget pig in my eyes.."


    "I don''t need to hide from humans now," Xiao Baiined. "If those humans hear what you are saying, they might assume that you are bullying your pet, Mdy."


    "I do not care what humans think of me." The fox woman scoffed before eyeing her human contractor.


    "You look better now," she told Zhao Yichen. "Anything happened while we weren''t around?"


    "Not really." However, Shen Minyao raised a slender brow as she sensed confusion and hesitationing from him.


    Zhao Yichen sighed, knowing he couldn''t really lie to this fox demon.


    "Alright, there is, but it''s not really about me," he admitted.


    "So what happened?" The fox woman asked as she took a seat across from him, ignoring the freshly baked goodies at the table. Just seeing those sweets was enough to make her feel sick.


    It was Yu Yan who exined the situation to her mistress, while Shen Minyao listened attentively to her other guardian.


    "A flower fairy, you say." She then licked her lips, wondering if this would be easy prey that dared toe around her.


    "You can''t eat her." Zhao Yichen red at her with defiance. "I won''t allow you to feed on her."


    "And why not?" The fox woman countered.


    "Just no. Please. Just feed on other bad demons," he insisted. This was the first time he encountered a demon who meant no harm to a human.


    "Don''t be ridiculous. Don''t tell me you wanted to mediate between your friend and that flower fairy." Shen Minyao scoffed as she crossed her legs and stared at her human contractor like he was a foolish man¡ªthat he was. He was so easy to read.


    "Wouldn''t it be the best thing to do? To help them both?"


    "You are really foolish if you think that a human and a demon could be together. What were you thinking? If she continued to follow your friend, his scent would torture her. If her instincts get the best of her, your friend would die¡ªand she knows it.


    "However, I don''t know who among them is more foolish. Your friend, for him to catch feelings for a demon, or her, who refused to feed on humans because of him."


    Zhao Yichen furrowed his brows in confusion. This was something he had never considered. Thinking about it, Yu Yan never told him the reason why the flower fairy refused to feed on humans. She only informed him that Yn was dying from hunger.


    "You mean to say that the reason why she refused to feed was because of Gu Liuxian? I thought¡­ I thought demons don''t know the concept of love."


    What was the first thing humans thought when someone mentioned a demon? Weren''t they bloodthirsty monsters who loved to kill and feed on vulnerable humans?


    Zhao Yichen thought that love couldn''t be associated with the demons at all. This was the first time for him to see a demon like Yn who would choose to die rather than harm a human.


    Shen Minyao stared at him for a moment¡­ before looking heavenward, as if the sky and the clouds were more interesting than her human contractor. It wasn''t like demons like her were capable of love, but instead, because of their long lives, their feelings ran deeper than that of most humans.


    However, these affections could easily turn into jealous obsessions. Their loyalty, though, was perfect; by the way they devoted themselves to their partners. Wasn''t this why, even though several centuries had passed, her older brother couldn''t forget his love and devotion for his dead wife?


    "Tell your friend to move on. It''s better for him to forget the flower fairy for good," she told Zhao Yichen after a long silence. Since the flower fairy had already made a decision to cut ties with Gu Liuxian, matters would be better that way.


    Zhao Yichen frowned and wanted to argue that it wouldn''t solve the problem. He still thought that it would be nice if the two had the closure they deserved. Why were Shen Minyao and Yu Yan insisting on him not meddling with the problem?


    "No matter how hard they try, they are never meant to be. I suppose the flower fairy knew this, yet she had chosen her own path to destruction. Humans. What is so lovable about them? They are greedy and fickle-minded creatures," Shen Minyao said with such disdain in her tone. It made Zhao Yichen wonder what made the fox woman hate his kind with such intensity.


    "Then, do you have any idea why Gu Liuxian couldn''t see her anymore? Was it because she made herself invisible?" He asked.


    This was something else that Zhao Yichen was curious about.


    "Hn. Newborn infants and toddlers are more perceptive than human adults. While some were able to retain this ability, most of them would lose it when they reached a certain age."

 Chapter 139 - Cease This Foolishness (1)

    Zhao Yichen still couldn''t ignore the problem his friend had. He disagreed with Shen Minyao and Yu Yan''s opinion. Perhaps they thought that it would be inconvenient if they went out of their way and extended help towards Gu Liuxian and Yn.


    He had been pondering whether he should talk about it with Gu Liuxian and inform him of what he''d found about Yn or not, but he decided to wait and observe before making a decision. He needed to know what Gu Liuxian felt about it first and if he could talk to the flower fairy to hear her side.


    In the meantime, he needed to cooperate with the fox woman. The fox woman had forced him to tutor her with her homework and lessons as she couldn''t understand the ways of the human. Even knowing and learning science had surprised the fox woman.


    Something about how the nts made their own food and how the ecosystem worked, minus the demons in the picture, piqued Shen Minyao''s curiosity. It was normal for her to get confused. It had been centuries since shest mingled amongst the humans, and even the way she spoke was slightly different from her ssmates and peers. This was something Li Fei''er had once pointed out to her..


    Who would have thought that humans hade a long way, and they found out simple things such as this? In the past, not only were women forbidden to get involved in politics and state issues, but they were also limited to handling and managing their household matters. The difference was huge!


    Shen Minyao had been visiting him in the guise of seeking his help for her uing exam, but Zhao Yichen knew better. The fox woman was just making sure that no other demons were stalking him, aside from the flower fairy that he met previously.


    Zhao Yichen felt that something had changed with the fox woman, but he couldn''t pinpoint what it was. Xiao Bai and Yu Yan had assured him that their mistress was now strong enough not only to protect herself from other demons, but she was also capable of using some of her abilities that she couldn''t use since her awakening.


    Wouldn''t this mean that she had devoured yet another demon orb during her absence? That was possible. She had been gone for some days, without him knowing her whereabouts or what she was doing.


    He was busy teaching Shen Minyao algebra when Gu Liuxian arrived and found them together in the living area of Zhao Yichen''s home.


    "Sorry foring unannounced, I didn''t know you havepany today," Gu Liuxian said, giving Zhao Yichen and Shen Minyao an awkward smile.


    Zhao Yichen rose to his feet. "No, it''s okay."


    "Brother Yichen, who is he?" The fox woman asked, although she already knew who this human was. The scent of the flower fairy reeked from Gu Liuxian''s body.


    "Ah, this is my childhood friend, Gu Liuxian," Zhao Yichen introduced the other man. "Brother Xian, this is Shen Minyao."


    "Shen Minyao?" Gu Liuxian blinked. "You mean the first miss of the Shen family?" He then looked at Shen Minyao in surprise.


    The meeting of Zhao Yichen and Shen Minyao had been kept a secret from everyone. Only a handful of people knew about it. Yu Yan told him that shamans and exorcists were hunting the fox woman down, so it would be better if they kept their meeting a secret from other people.


    "Yes, that''s me. Is there a problem?" Shen Minyao asked, feigning innocence in front of another human.


    "Oh, no, Miss Shen. I''m just a little surprised. Nice to meet you, by the way. This is the first time Yichen introduced a girl to me." He grinned at Zhao Yichen.


    Zhao Yichen rolled his eyes. If only Gu Liuxian was aware that this girl wasn''t the real Shen Minyao, but a demoness¡­


    As he turned his attention back to the fox woman, he noticed that she was distracted.


    "Please excuse me. I need to find Butler Lu to ask something." Shen Minyao suddenly stood up.


    The two cats, who were taking a nap earlier, were now both awake. Zhao Yichen even failed to notice that the two had awakened as soon as Gu Liuxian arrived.


    Zhao Yichen gave her an inquisitive look, but the fox woman only shrugged and left with her cat guardians without a word. He didn''t think that something was up at that moment and let her be.


    "Since when did you start seeing Miss Shen? I didn''t know you were acquainted with her." Gu Liuxian teased him once Shen Minyao was gone. He wasn''t sure how Zhao Yichen met Shen Minyao, but this also meant that his other rtives wouldn''t dare toy a finger on him anytime soon.


    "Don''t think too much. My grandfather might not have disclosed the details of my disappearance, but it was Shen Minyao who saved my life," Zhao Yichen said without narrating how he met the fox woman.


    "My second uncle must have known by now, too, but I''m not sure if he would take the news lightly," he added.


    "Right. After all, she''s a Shen, and that family isn''t something they could afford to offend," Gu Liuxianmented. "Anyway, let''s not waste time. We should be done before your little darlinges back."


    Zhao Yichen grunted and allowed Gu Liuxian to do his work while Shen Minyao wasn''t around. His eyes grew fixed on the clock, watching its second hand. It only had been five minutes since Shen Minyao left with the cats, but why did he feel like something was wrong?


    "What''s wrong? Worried about your little girlfriend?" Gu Liuxian asked when he noticed Zhao Yichen in a daze.


    Zhao Yichen huffed and pulled his arm away once his friend was done checking his blood pressure. It wasn''t like he was worried about Shen Minyao. If anything, humans like them should be the ones who needed to be wary of her.

 Chapter 140 - Cease This Foolishness (2)

    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao wasn''t nning to see the old butler. She only used that as an excuse to leave Zhao Yichen with his mortal friend. She knew she was right when the scent of the flower fairy had reached her. Contrary to Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan''s assumptions, Yn was still keeping an eye on Gu Liuxian.


    Shen Minyao''s feet silently stepped into the rooftop of Zhao Yichen''s home, confronting the flower fairy. The two cats arrived shortly, but they sat on the edge of the fence, staring at the two demonesses in front of them.


    "Have youe here to finally feed on your human?" The fox woman asked, looking at the flower fairy who was obviously dying from hunger for years.


    "You¡­ fox, what are you doing here?" The flower fairy named Yn asked in return.


    When Gu Liuxian arrived at this ce, Yn suddenly felt a demonic presence near him. It didn''t matter if she wasn''t with him because she had imprinted a part of her in his person, allowing her to sense whenever his life was in danger. .


    Far from the image she had the first time Zhao Yichen and Yu Yan saw her, she looked terrible at the moment. Up close, Shen Minyao could see that the other demoness''s body had undergone a lot of change in the past years.


    Flower fairies, just like what humans portrayed them to be, were extremely beautiful demons. They took pride in their physical attributes and used their charms to prey on unsuspecting humans. It was hard to tell that they were demons, given how good-looking they were. What set them apart from other demons was the short span of their lives.


    Just like the flowers where they came from, their lives were fleeting andparable to the years a human could have in this world. However, now, as Shen Minyao looked at Yn; she could see a pathetic demoness who''d fallen in love with her prey.


    How foolish, the fox woman thought.


    What made this flower fairy refuse to feed on Gu Liuxian¡­ she would never understand. If things got worse and she was in the flower fairy''s shoes, she would kill Zhao Yichen without hesitation. He was just a mortal human who happened to be bound to her with a contract, anyway.


    "My human lives here," she responded, crossing her arms over her chest as she told off the flower fairy. "You are not wee here."


    "Give him to me." Yn said, "I cannot feed on Gu Liuxian, so give your human to me!" The flower fairy demanded¡­ as she assaulted Shen Minyao.


    However, her sharp ws never managed to hit Shen Minyao''s beautiful and youthful face as her nine tails sprouted behind her. She had one hand in midair as she stopped Yn''s hand with a single finger.


    "Deflect," she chanted, and Yn was sent several meters away from the fox woman. Although the flower fairy had an awareness of her surroundings, she was a low-rank demon. She was no match to the recently promoted fox demoness, who was now mid-rank.


    Yn coughed blood as she knelt on the ground in shock. Too strong, she thought. She didn''t expect that this fox woman was so powerful that it only needed to lift a forefinger to stop her attack.


    "You want to feed on my human?" Shen Minyao''s eyes turned amber with slits as she stared down at the weak demoness. "Do you think you can kill him without going against me, huh?"


    Yn said nothing more. She lifted her head and pushed the stray locks away from her face. The once glorious hair she was proud of had lost its vibrancy and shine.


    "You must be really courting death to even consider such an option. Why don''t you just drop dead right now instead? Don''t worry, I will make sure to inform your human about your death and what has caused it." She evilly smiled at the flower fairy, knowing well that Gu Liuxian was her weakness.


    The flower fairy struggled to get back on her feet, and she wiped the blood on her mouth with her sleeve.


    "You still want to protect him? You are a fool!" Shen Minyao hissed in annoyance.


    "You still care for him, although he already betrayed you?" She continued to taunt the flower demon who chose to remain silent. "How could you believe the empty words of a mortal? If it''s not for his fickleness as a human, he wouldn''t have lost his ability to see and talk to you, but perhaps the two of you are the same."


    The fox woman couldn''t understand this foolishness. Just as she thought she was foolish for entering a contract with Zhao Yichen and involving herself with a shaman, she was iparable to the stupidity of this flower fairy.


    The thought was enough to piss her off. Why would the flower fairy rather choose to die from hunger than to kill Gu Liuxian? He didn''t even deserve her affection and sympathy.


    "Why don''t I kill you right now to solve the problem?" Her eyes turned murderous. She lifted her right wrist, her silver bracelet turning into a long sword as she stepped forward towards the flower fairy.


    "If I kill you, right here, right now; you wouldn''t suffer anymore. You fear that your instincts would drive you to feed on your human? Let''s cease your foolishness once and for all, okay?"


    Yn stepped back. Her face nched with fear as she grew suffocated by Shen Minyao''s presence and aura. She had never encountered a demon as strong as the fox demon before, and she doubted that she would meet another one in the future. Yn could only resign to her fate and ept her death in the fox woman''s hands.


    However, just as Shen Minyao was about to sh her de to decapitate the flower demon, Zhao Yichen''s voice rang in the area.


    "Shen Minyao!" He yelled at the fox woman, hoping to get her attention.

 Chapter 141 - You Are A Fool (1)

    Zhao Yichen knew something was wrong when Butler Lu came. The butler served him and Gu Liuxian refreshments and told them that he''d never seen Shen Minyao at all. Gu Liuxian assumed that she might have gone to the restroom instead. Knowing the fox demoness, Zhao Yichen figured something might have caught her attention, and she decided to look into it.


    It was for this reason that he excused himself from his butler and his friend, to look for Shen Minyao. Imagine his surprise when he found her on the rooftop with the flower fairy he''d seen over the weekend. Shen Minyao had even unleashed a sword he''d never seen before, intending to end the life of Yn, who looked so different from thest time she''d shown up.


    "Stop," he repeated. "Please don''t kill her, Shen Minyao."


    If he wanted to help Gu Liuxian, he needed to save Yn from the threat of the fox woman''s de first.


    "Move.. Return into safety." The fox woman didn''t budge from her position and didn''t sheath her sword. Her eyes never left the weak flower fairy.


    "She''s already dying. What''s the point of doing this, Shen Minyao?" He asked, refusing to follow the fox demon''s order. Was Shen Minyao nning to devour the flower fairy''s orb?


    No, he thought. Shen Minyao might have seen Yn as a threat towards him; hence, she was acting like this. However, he didn''t think Yn would hurt him if he told her about his intention to make things right between her and Gu Liuxian.


    "Don''t make me repeat myself, human," she spat venomously, but Zhao Yichen didn''t have the heart to allow her to kill Yn.


    If Gu Liuxian found out that Yn died in Shen Minyao''s hands and he didn''t do anything to stop her, Zhao Yichen wouldn''t have the face to look his friend directly in the eyes.


    "Master Yichen, you should go back. This ce isn''t safe for someone like you." Yu Yan''s gentle voice reached his ears.


    Xiao Bai only stared at his mistress''s contractor. Whether he liked it or not, he would also need to protect Zhao Yichen from other demons like the flower fairy.


    "No." Zhao Yichen shook his head in defiance. Since things hade to this, how could he allow Shen Minyao to kill the flower fairy in front of him? "Let her go, Shen Minyao."


    "You don''t know what you are talking about, human," the fox woman said dangerously. "I suggest you listen to Yu Yan if you still value your life."


    Zhao Yichen never felt this kind of irritation towards the fox demon. How could she be so stubborn in killing something that couldn''t stand a chance against her? Couldn''t she understand that the least they could do was to let Yn say a proper goodbye?


    Yn hadn''t made a move since his arrival. She looked unusually calm, even though there was a human with a sustained demon orb that could satiate her hunger.


    Zhao Yichen had no idea that his presence alone was enough to push the hungry flower demon to the edge of her sanity.


    The flower fairy lost herself to her basal instincts and surged forward to attack Zhao Yichen. Her beautiful face morphed into a terrifying one, her skin filled with protruding red veins while her eyes had yellow orbs with a ck sclera.


    Shen Minyao, who had been expecting the attack to happen, blocked Yn''s way. She swished her sword forward, but the flower fairy stumbled back with ease and avoided the de from shing her head.


    Zhao Yichen was stunned upon witnessing what had just happened. His legs refused to move from where he was standing, his eyes wide as he followed the movements of the fighting demons in front of him.


    "Leave!" Shen Minyao yelled at him, but even if Zhao Yichen wanted to do so, his body wouldn''t budge at all.


    Shit, Shen Minyao thought. She didn''t think that the flower fairy was still strong enough to enchant Zhao Yichen without her noticing.


    So annoying. If Zhao Yichen had only listened to her earlier, none of these would happen. Didn''t he realize that he was like prime meat to a starving demon? This was one of the reasons why the fox demon wanted to get strong as soon as possible. The moment a stronger demon came for Zhao Yichen, there was no doubt that the two of them would perish.


    The fight between the two demons continued, and Zhao Yichen broke into a cold sweat as he forced his whole body to move. He had no idea that he had fallen to the flower demon''s enchantment, forbidding him to run away; just like what she usually did to her prey.


    Yu Yan sighed in disappointment and broke the enchantment that was cast towards her mistress''s contractor. She then leaped from the ground and sat next to Zhao Yichen, who had fallen on his knees and gasped for breath.


    His whole body was trembling without him noticing. Was this why Shen Minyao wanted him to leave?


    "Master Yichen, don''t look at the flower fairy, alright?" The ck cat exined. "You didn''t even notice that you''ve fallen under her enchantment when you were looking at her earlier. Flower fairies knew how to invoke pity and sympathy from their prey, and they could use their enchantment abilities to stun them."


    Zhao Yichen nodded and didn''t dare to look at the two demons who were still fighting.


    "Then, would Shen Minyao be okay? Won''t she fall under the spell of the flower fairy?" He asked Yu Yan.


    "She''s stronger now. Moreover, those spells and enchantments wouldn''t work on her because flower fairies only fed on vulnerable human males." Xiao Bai appeared next to Yu Yan and made a protective barrier around them.


    "They only feed on human males?" Zhao Yichen gaped. This was something Yu Yan never told him before.


    "En. It made sense why she lured your friend," Xiao Bai confirmed. "You better be careful."

 Chapter 142 - You Are A Fool (2)

    The flower fairy escaped the moment Shen Minyao got distracted. Perhaps Yn knew that she was no match against the fox demon and chose to retreat for her safety. Still, she had marked Gu Liuxian a long time ago. Shen Minyao had no doubt that the flower fairy would return the moment she lost to her basal instinct once again.


    Shen Minyao turned her sword back into its previous state as a harmless bracelet. She then turned around and strode towards Zhao Yichen. She then harshly pulled on his cor and gave him a good punch right on his face.


    Zhao Yichen grunted when he fell to the ground.. Shen Minyao''s punch was strong enough to knock him out as he felt dizzy from the impact.


    "Have you lost your mind? Do you really want to die so badly that you would use your own scent to lure the demon towards you?" Shen Minyao red at him, something Zhao Yichen had never seen before.


    "You aren''t allowed to die on me yet, human. If you wanted to die so badly, then you better wait until I can sink my ws right at your chest. I''ll give you a swift death if you like."


    Zhao Yichen couldn''t say a word. How could he cate a furious demon like her?


    "I told you to go back to safety and stay hidden. What did you do? You dare to defy my words instead. Do you really think you are in the right ce to question me, human?" She continued to reprimand him.


    "She seemed nice¡­" He stuttered.


    "You are a fool! You put the two of us in danger. I cannot protect you if you do not obey my words! You are to stay hidden and protected until I make sure it''s safe for you to roam around. "


    Shen Minyao stood over him, with her jaws set and her eyes sharp.


    "This should never happen again. Do you understand, Zhao Yichen?"


    "E-en. I wouldn''t defy your orders again." Zhao Yichen felt so stupid. Shen Minyao had the right to scold him like this for his foolishness. He should know better not to trust a demon, and yet here he was, putting himself in danger.


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t think¡ª"


    "No, you did not." Shen Minyao cut him off, and with that, the fox demon turned around and walked away silently.


    "Ah, she''s really mad," Xiao Baimented, but he already anticipated that this would happen. Their mistress was a person who didn''t like being told ''no'', and Zhao Yichen had sessfully pushed the wrong buttons consecutively.


    Yu Yan remained silent. It had been a while since they saw their mistress getting mad like this, but Zhao Yichen must understand how dangerous other demons could be to him, especially when he was vulnerable to their attacks.


    Zhao Yichen washed his face in the restroom before returning to the living room where he left Gu Liuxian. When he arrived, Shen Minyao and her things were nowhere to be found. Even Xiao Bai was missing.


    "Miss Shen has excused herself and left, Fourth Master. She said that she would call you once she was free," Butler Lu informed Zhao Yichen before leaving him with Gu Liuxian.


    Zhao Yichen nodded. He understood what Shen Minyao meant. She wouldn''t see him for some time until she calmed down. Not that he med her. What he did earlier was extremely foolish on his side.


    "Did you have an argument with Miss Shen? She came back with a sour mood," Gu Liuxian asked.


    "It''s alright. Nothing we couldn''t talk aboutter. It''s my fault, anyway," Zhao Yichen said as he rubbed his temple. He couldn''t even tell Gu Liuxian that the reason why he and Shen Minyao argued was that the flower fairy his friend got involved with years ago.


    "Ah, you should make up with her as soon as possible. Don''t drag the problem, or else you might regret itter," Gu Liuxian meaningfully said.


    "Did you say that to yourself after Yn stopped showing up?" Zhao Yichen asked in return.


    The older man shrugged.


    "I guess I did. Ever since that day, I''ve always wondered if I have said something that disappointed her. Was I so full of myself that I didn''t even notice that I hurt her? If only I was kinder¡ªmore understanding, perhaps she wouldn''t disappear without a word. I just wished that she could at least tell me where I went wrong and why she was suddenly gone from my life."


    Now that Gu Liuxian mentioned it, it reminded Zhao Yichen of what he overheard when he arrived at the rooftop earlier. Didn''t Shen Minyao say that Gu Liuxian betrayed Yn? Didn''t the fox woman say something between the lines¡­ like why did the flower fairy believe in the words of a human?


    Because Shen Minyao had gone so soon, he wasn''t able to ask her about it. Maybe he could ask Yu Yanter once Gu Liuxian left. Certainly, the ck cat knew what her mistress was talking about earlier.


    "So did you think that you''ve done something that might hurt her?" He questioned his friend. Something must have happened that triggered Gu Liuxian''s loss of the ability to see Yn.


    Zhao Yichen then pondered if something simr could happen to him in the future. Would there be a day that he wouldn''t be able to see and hear Shen Minyao? He couldn''t imagine such a thing could happen, considering that their lives were deeply intertwined with that of each other since their meeting.


    Gu Liuxian remained silent for a moment as if considering what to tell Zhao Yichen.


    "When I realized that I might be smitten by a ghost or whatever she was, I couldn''t help but get freaked out. I didn''t want to believe it at first and started hanging out with my friends. We had gone on several blind dates with random girls. But whatever I did, my thoughts would alwayse back to her every night."

 Chapter 143 - I Will Make Sure To Enjoy My Prize (1)

    Shen Minyao didn''t look for her human contractor since theirst argument and chose to home-study with Li Fei''er in her dorm instead. The younger woman seemed to notice that Shen Minyao was in a foul mood.


    "Little Master, did something happen recently?" She asked Xiao Bai, who was resting on herp, as she scratched the back of his ears.


    "She had a quarrel with Master Yichen," the white cat replied as he purred from being petted by Li Fei''er.


    "Oh, is that so? No wonder she isn''t in a good moodtely," Li Fei''er said in return.


    Shen Minyao, who could hear their conversation clearly with her heightened senses, scoffed and chose to focus on her notes. Zhao Yichen should know how wrong he was for lowering his guard in front of another demon by now. Anyway, with only a week left before their midterm exams, she couldn''t waste time wondering what her contractor was up to.


    The bet she had with Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen was still on. She couldn''t possibly lose to those idiots, right? Thankfully, Li Fei''er and Fu Xiyan were willing to help her with some parts of the lessons she couldn''t understand, much to the two humans'' confusion..


    The things Shen Minyao was asking about were too easy to understand in human terms. Was Shen Minyao teasing them or what? However, as they looked at Shen Minyao''s serious expression, they yielded and still answered her questions willingly.


    Shen Minyao didn''t take a break from studying even after Fu Xiyan and Li Fei''er went home. Even the nights were spent reading and reviewing the notes the real Shen Minyao had written. Thankfully, the notes she had written were easy for the fox woman to understand. The words were very concise and straightforward, unlike the other textbooks she was reading.


    A week had passed, and the midterm exams would be taking ce today. Afterpleting the exams, it would be another weekend the fox woman was looking to enjoy.


    Upon going to schooling from her dorm, Shen Minyao paused in her tracks when she met Shen Qing''s hateful gaze, to which the fox woman answered by shing an evil smile at the other woman.


    Shen Qing''s heart skipped a beat. What could Shen Minyao''s smile mean?


    Something really changed about this cousin of hers. How could Shen Minyao be so daring like this?


    "Good luck on your exam today, Cousin," Shen Qing said with a mocking tone.


    "Hn. Dear cousin should prepare ice packs and ointments once the results are out. I will make sure to enjoy my prizeter."


    Shen Minyao went straight to their ssroom and found Xu Shenshen looking at her smugly. The moment the fox woman saw Xu Shenshen''s face, she had this itch to find the woman in her pitiful state for the third time.


    The fox woman scoffed and tucked a few stray locks behind her ear as she took a seat, ignoring the unkind gaze Xu Shenshen was sending her way. The young woman could re all she wanted, but it wouldn''t change the fact that she and Shen Qing were destined to lose to Shen Minyao in the future. In the meantime, the fox woman could only wait and do her best on her exams to ace it.


    "Heh, are you ready for the exam, ssmate Shen? Please don''t disappoint us, okay?" She taunted Shen Minyao.


    How could she not use this time to insult Shen Minyao? After all the humiliation she suffered from because of this woman, she couldn''t wait to see Shen Minyao''s pitiful expressionter once she lost their bet.


    "Hn. It seems ssmate Xu is certain she will win because she had spent some time with a man rather than reviewing her notes," the fox woman said with a mocking tone, which made Xu Shenshen pull a long face.


    The rest of the ss was paying attention to them, so Xu Shenshen could only sneer at Shen Minyao and return to her seat. She had no idea how her ssmate found out about her private affairs, and it''s not like spending time with a man was a luxury.


    The jealousy on Xu Shenshen''s face intensified upon receiving Shen Minyao''s nonchnt attitude. She had always been confident in her beauty since she was a child, butpared to Shen Minyao, her face wascking and boring.


    Shen Minyao''s appearance made her realize that she was never the most beautiful or even outstanding. Her hatred towards Shen Minyao only intensified when the other woman gained so much admiration from their schoolmates while Shen Minyao repeatedly humiliated her at the same time.


    What was the deal with Shen Minyao, anyway? How could a meek and gentle person like her turn over a new leaf in such a short time?


    Xu Shenshen had to admit that the Shen Minyao they were seeing now was so frightening. No matter how she schemed in the past, this girl could easily outwit her and beat her in her own game.


    "Yaoyao, are you ready for today?" Li Fei''er suddenly appeared next to Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman raised a brow, noticing how this human shed the formalities between them and acknowledged her intimately. What was their rtionship aside from being ssmates? Who gave Li Fei''er the right to call her Yaoyao?


    "I think I''m ready," she admitted.


    Heck, she spent days studying nonstop to catch up with the lessons she wasn''t able to learn before she took over Shen Minyao''s body. She couldn''t allow those two sluts to win the bet. Her pride wouldn''t allow her to do so.


    "Then, that''s good. Dad has been nagging at me for days, and I barely have time to sleep," Li Fei''erined.


    The corners of Shen Minyao''s lips curled up.


    "Don''t take it to heart, ssmate Li. I''m sure your father only wants the best for you."


    Li Fei''er huffed at that. "You always take my father''s side. Yaoyao. Why can''t you be on my side?"

 Chapter 144 - I Will Make Sure To Enjoy My Prize (2)

    Once everyone had taken their seats, the teacher arrived. The test papers were passed around, and Shen Minyao shed a wicked smile in Xu Shenshen''s direction, the girl just a few seats to her right. She then started working on her paper as soon as she received the exam.


    Xu Shenshen felt disturbed by Shen Minyao''s smile, which she found rather unusual and irritating at the same time. She felt an ominous feeling as silence fell within the room, with only the ticking of the clock heard around her.


    Was she worried that Shen Minyao would truly win the bet against her and Shen Qing? No, impossible!


    Shen Minyao would be very conceited if she thought she could!


    Xu Shenshen cursed Shen Minyao on her heart.. The look in her eyes was filled with sarcasm as she looked towards Shen Minyao. While it was true that Shen Minyao hade from a wealthy family and a good background, it wouldn''t be enough for her to stomp down on someone like Xu Shenshen. Or so she thought.


    A person like Shen Minyao wanted to bully her and humiliate Shen Qing at the same time? That was absolutely ridiculous!


    Was Shen Minyao not afraid of being disowned by her own family if she dared toy a hand on Shen Qing?


    Xu Shenshen didn''t think so. If Shen Minyao lost her family''s support, then she would be nothing but amoner without a title, like the rest of them.


    "Focus on your paper and do not look around!"


    The teacher''s voice rang within the room, pulling Xu Shenshen back to reality. She hurriedly pushed her thoughts about Shen Minyao aside and answered her papers. Although she didn''t have a good reputation among her peers, her scores weren''tcking and could even be considered good.


    Shen Minyao had no idea about the disgusting thoughts Xu Shenshen had against her, but she wouldn''t care even if she knew, anyway. She was currently focused on the paper, as this would be the first time for her to take an exam in her long years as a demon.


    As far as she was concerned, the questions on her test papers weren''t that difficult to begin with. They were the same questions from the notes and textbooks she read earlier, just phrased differently to confuse her and the rest of the students.


    As for the history and essays, it was a piece of cake for the fox woman. Considering she had been alive for a long time, it was normal for her to be familiar with poems that humans usually make. She only had a slight difficulty in mathematics, something that she had already expected to happen.


    Even with Zhao Yichen and Li Fei''er''s assistance, she still failed to have a grasp on the forms and equations she''d been trying to understand for days. Perhaps, Qin Zhi would be able to teach her some, considering that he was now working as a CEO of apany. It wouldn''t be hard for him since he was the smarter one between them.


    Shen Minyaopleted today''s exams in less than two hours, much to everyone''s shock and surprise.


    Xu Shenshen was slightly startled when she saw Shen Minyao submitting the papers ahead of them, but she then sneered with sarcasm. It would be impossible for anyone to finish that fast, unless they just made random guesses about the question or that they didn''t pay attention to them.


    Xu Shenshen assumed that Shen Minyao passed the papers because she couldn''t answer them and chose to submit the papers early to avoid humiliation.


    Of course, that wasn''t really the case. Shen Minyao felt like she was worrying about nothing once she finished answering her papers. Fu Xiyan and Li Fei''er made it sound that their lives depended on it and that they couldn''t afford to fail.


    With her powerful memory, the fox woman managed to soak all the information in the books she had read for the past week in her mind. It was impossible for her to forget the details she had recently read. Although reading it once was enough for her to remember, Shen Minyao had read the same books thrice to make sure that she wouldn''t easily forget them.


    For the questions she knew the answer to, Shen Minyao didn''t waste time and wrote her answers. As for those tricky questions that were obviously prepared by the teacher, she only needed to read them twice and a moment to understand each before she jotted down words.


    In the past, when she was still an imperial noble consort, she used to read several scrolls as a pastime; while Feng Jiu managed the household expenses of her house. This was why she never really gave the numbers some thought until she started living as Shen Minyao in this era.


    She could easily learn the basics using the currency of this nation. Everything in here was being controlled by money, that even influence and morals could be brought. However, that was for another matter. The fox woman only painstakingly studied how it worked.


    Shen Minyao then had to learn to speak foreignnguages. Had it not been for her host''s memories, the fox woman had no doubt that she would have a hard time learning it. Cheng Lifan was managing apany, and the woman had wanted Shen Minyao to follow in her footsteps and seed in thepany in the future. Not only did she need to learn mathematics and business management, but she also needed to speak foreignnguages.


    Upon stepping out of the ssroom, Shen Minyao paused and did a rough estimate of her score for the exams. Aside from the essay that would be graded at the discretion of the teacher, the fox woman was certain she had gotten full marks on the others.


    Her score should be enough to beat Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen at the same time, and she would be able to hear and witness their pitiful criester.

 Chapter 145 - Never Ending Loneliness (1)

    After the exams, Shen Minyao waited for Fu Xiyan to finish her own test before returning together to the Shen Estate. Since it had been a while since shest showed her face to her ''parents'', only meeting Shen Qingyuan frequently during their morning exercises; Cheng Lifan had requested Shen Minyao toe home for the weekend.


    Shen Minyao returned that afternoon, but she had chosen to rest in her room and avoid meeting the other Shen family members. Now that her midterm exams were done, she needed to focus on hunting other demons to collect their orbs.


    She pondered if she could ask for Qin Zhi''s help this time. Didn''t he say that he was hunting troublesome demons that dared to break the peace in other demons'' lives? It wouldn''t be a bad idea to apany him and dispose of those demons herself.


    Well, that could wait. She was nning to rx in peace in the meantime. As for Zhao Yichen, she would give him some time to reflect on his actions. The fox woman chose to meditate that afternoon, while Xiao Bai chose to take a nap.


    When evening came, Fu Xiyan knocked on her door to inform her that it was time for dinner. Shen Minyao thanked her and heaved a sigh. She would need to endure yet another meal with these humans.


    As usual, when she came downstairs and joined the others for dinner, Shen Xin was treating her like she was invisible; while Cheng Lifan and Old Shen were fawning over her, asking her questions about her exams.


    "Don''t worry, Mama. I''m pretty sure I will excel again this time, though I admit I missed some sleep because of it," she told Shen Minyao''s stepmother.


    "Then, you need to catch up with your sleep." Cheng Lifan patted Shen Minyao''s hand gently. "You''ve been studying so hard. We wouldn''t want you to fall sick because of it."


    "Okay, Mama. I will listen to you." Shen Minyao didn''t dare to say more; neither did she mention the bet she had with Shen Qing. They would eventually find out about itter, so there was no need to rush.


    The fox woman had to wait before everyone within the Shen household was asleep before slipping out of the estate. Even the bodyguards of the family weren''t aware that their young miss was able to slip out under their noses due to Xiao Bai''s enchantment.


    "Where are we going, Mdy?" The white fat cat inquired while Shen Minyao was busy with her phone.


    "Hunting demons with my brother, what else?"


    Xiao Bai blinked at that, but he didn''t dare to ask. Their mistress had always been like this, even in the past. It mighte as random, but there was always a reason for her actions.


    As midnight approached, the pitter-patter of the drizzle continued. ck clouds hung heavily in the sky as if they were about to destroy the entire Jiang City. There was a chill in the air, but Shen Minyao was immune to it.


    Her phone beeped, receiving a new message. It was a response from her older brother. The corner of her lips curled up before she put back her phone in the inside pocket of her red jacket. Tonight, she had tied her long hair in a high ponytail, keeping it away from her pretty face.


    Underneath her red jacket, she was wearing a white printed shirt paired with high-waist ck shorts. On her feet was a pair of ck boots that added a few centimeters to her already tall figure.


    She was smiling, but upon a closer look, one would notice that it had yet to reach the depths of the fox woman''s amber eyes. It was her insolent pride that wouldn''t allow her to admit that she was worried about Zhao Yichen''s condition.


    As the fox woman ran speedily to the location Qin Zhi had sent her, her amber eyes glowed in the darkness. Because of her recent feeding, she was able to utilize and heighten her human body beyond its limitations.


    She wasn''t running at her full speed, but she was already faster than the cars that humans were driving next to her. Shen Minyao had this confidence because there was no one who could see her, except for the fellow demons and ghosts she encountered along the way.


    The coolness of the night touched her skin, but it only made her excited to see what was waiting for her at her destination.


    Qin Zhi said that they were hunting a demon that took over a kindergarten south of Jiang City. Many children had suddenly fallen sick without a reason. Doctors couldn''t find what caused their high fevers, and none of them could recover from the sickness.


    When Shen Minyao arrived at the school grounds, she found Qin Zhi still dressed in a ck business suit, silently waiting for her arrival. He still had those listless eyes Shen Minyao remembered when she first saw him after centuries of separation. She didn''t need to think hard to tell that even to this day, Qin Zhi was still missing his deceased wife.


    As she looked at her brother, it only reminded her that a union between a demon and a human would only cause cmity and hardship in the future. Zhao Yichen thought that it would be that simple?


    However, once that flower fairy perished from this world, if Gu Liuxian found out the real reason why their connection had been severed; wouldn''t this mean that he would bear the guilt for the rest of his life?


    While it was painful for the other party to leave, the person left behind was destined to suffer.


    Just look at her brother''s current predicament now. Although it was true that Feng Jiu had been reborn as Li Fei''er to a family of shamans, she was still a human that would perish after a few decades. The departure of one would always leave the other miserable.

 Chapter 146 - Never Ending Loneliness (2)

    Shen Minyao nced around. She could sense several demons of the same rank as her hiding in the darkness. By now, the drizzle had finally stopped, but neither the fox woman nor her brother was soaking wet¡ªnot even damp or moist.


    "Don''t worry about them. They are my people," Qin Zhi said as if he knew what was going on in her mind.


    "And I am the wanted nine-tailed fox everyone is wary about. Are you sure they won''t betray you?" Shen Minyao challenged.


    "They swore absolute allegiance to me. If they dare to betray me, a single word or thought was enough to kill them on the spot," her brother replied nonchntly.


    Shen Minyao chuckled, sensing the disturbance caused by her brother''s reminder to other demons. .


    "How frightening~" she sang out, "but I like it."


    Ruthless, but it would sure save her brother some headaches in the future. It was good that he knew how to deal with his subordinates. Unlike her who used her enchantment spell to force other demons and humans to do her bidding, Qin Zhi''s way was still gentle inparison.


    "Stop spouting nonsense. Don''t tell me you are bored, so you decided toe along?"


    "Elder Brother knows me well." Shen Minyao grinned. "I have enough of wasting time, studying human rtions and their ways."


    "It''s important that you study well if you are nning to live with these humans. Be careful not to make them suspicious of you," Qin Zhi reminded her.


    "Ah, you are worrying too much, dear brother. I can simply alter their memory if that happens."


    "You can do such a thing now?" The man, walking alongside her, raised a slender brow.


    "I might not have recovered fully, but I am able to do a few things now. Of course, there are still some side effectster."


    Qin Zhi nodded, but he didn''t say more. Such ability was even rare for high-ranking demons like them. To alter and remove someone''s memories was a dangerous spell a demon could cast on others. One would need high willpower and magic to sessfully pull off such an intricate yet deadly skill.


    For Shen Minyao to be able to use such a spell, Qin Zhi wasn''t certain what kind of side effects she was talking about. He might need to speak about thister with his sister''s guardians.


    "Do you usually do ocr inspections like this on your own?" Shen Minyao asked as she noticed some traces of demonic activity around the area.


    "No. My people have already cleared the scene to make sure no humans would be able to witness our activity," Qin Zhi replied.


    "Then, you finish the demons by taking their orbs on your own?"


    The elder fox demon hummed and said no more. There were things that needed not to be voiced out, as they understood each other''s silence well. As such, the two fox demons just proceeded to check the school premises to see if the traces could lead them to where the demon was hiding.


    Half an hourter, the two siblings met in the front yard of the school.


    "What do you think?" Qin Zhi asked as they stared at the dark kindergarten that was usually filled with energy and joy during the daytime.


    "It''s hard to tell what kind of demon it is." Shen Minyao shrugged, "But I can think of a couple of demons that feed on toddlers and young children."


    Many demons like to feed on infants'' and children''s livers and life energy, due to the fact that their essences were pure and untainted by human frailties. Shen Minyao could only surmise that this demon was able to infiltrate the school premises by posing as a staff to take care of children.


    A demon needed sufficient time to imprint themselves on their human prey, but this depended on how strong the demon was. For instances, Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi were able to imprint a small part of their energy on Zhao Yichen and Feng Jiu¡ªwhen she was still alive¡ªto find out their whereabouts and sense if they were in danger.


    This was also the same method that flower fairy did on Gu Liuxian, which allowed Yn to sense Shen Minyao''s presence when she visited Zhao Yichen''s home before.


    "Then, we should see and check the conditions of the victims. Who knows, whoever that demon is, it will show up to drain the children''s life essences," Qin Zhi suggested.


    "Very well." The fox woman easily yielded to her brother''s suggestion. "But I will not run to the hospital this time."


    Hey, Qin Zhi could have picked her up from the Shen Estate, but he made her run to this location without offering a ride!


    Qin Zhi scoffed and motioned to his people to prepare the car. His sister might be a hundred years in age, but sometimes, he thought that she was acting like a spoiled teenage woman.


    As they sat in the backseat of the car Qin Zhi brought in, Shen Minyao couldn''t help but look at the high buildings and shy billboards along the way. Human lives surely evolved a lot from thest time she mingled along with their kind centuries ago.


    There was no more war, and if there was, it was for the same reason as those of their ancestors. The resources and wealth could be obtained through righteous and humanitarian reasons; this was still ingrained deeply amongst the humans.


    Yet that human¡­ even though he was subjected to torture and suffered grievances, she couldn''t understand why he was able to keep his soul unmarred.


    "What are you thinking about?" Qin Zhi suddenly asked, breaking the silence between them.


    "Nothing important," Shen Minyao replied as she rested her chin at the back of her hand. "Just curious as to what kind of demon we are dealing with."


    Qin Zhi eyed her from the corner of his eyes. It didn''t matter if she wouldn''t tell him; one way or another, he would find out what bothered her.

 Chapter 147 - Still The Same (1)

    Half an hourter, the two fox demons arrived at the metropolitan hospital, where the young pupils were admitted. They sneaked inside using Xiao Bai''s invisibility enchantment, so the humans that they met in the hallways weren''t aware of their presence.


    The young children were all underatose, with their parents crying outside the ICU room and wondering what kind of sickness had turned them into this. While the nurses on duty looked at them with pity, Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi did not. It wasn''t new for these two demons to witness death amongst the humans, so it was natural that they were unperturbed by the scene in front of them.


    Shen Minyao''s nose curled, with her brows furrowing. The scent of disinfectant was so strong in this area that it was making it hard for her and Qin Zhi to catch the trace of the demon on the children.


    All the children were showing the same symptoms, just like what Qin Zhi said earlier. Theirplexions were extremely pale as if their life essences were being drainedpletely from their body; leaving them like empty husks by the demon.


    ''When did it start?'' Shen Minyao asked her brother using telepathy. .


    They stood in the hallway of the ICU, checking the patients'' conditions one by one.


    ''About three months or so,'' Qin Zhi replied. ''At first, the school thought that they caught some kind of flu. One by one, the kids started to fall sick, which forced the school to close their doors temporarily until the doctors found out the reason for their sickness.''


    ''They might have assumed that this sickness is contagious,'' Shen Minyaomented as soon as they were done inspecting the young children. ''Is there anything else I should know?''


    ''I sent someone to investigate what has been happening at the kindergarten. The school had hired several new teachers and aides to look after the students. The first case happened just two weeks after that.''


    ''So you assume that one of those people is possessed by that demon?''


    It would make sense, based on Shen Minyao''s opinion. Not only would it give the demon a perfect way to stealthily feed on these children, but they could also get away without leaving an obvious trace that could lead to them.


    ''Hn. It''s just a possibility. I suppose we could check those humans to make sure they aren''t possessed,'' Qin Zhi said.


    Shen Minyao frowned at her brother''s words. This only meant that they would need to stalk and observe those humans.


    ''Shouldn''t your people know by now whether those humans are possessed or not?'' She questioned.


    ''They checked, but all those humans under suspicion smelled like demons. It was hard for my people to know which one of them has a direct connection to the demon, so we would need to see them ourselves. It''s important we solve this problem as soon as possible before humans take notice."


    The fox woman scoffed at that, but she refused toment on it.


    Demons who fed on vulnerable children were one of the things she disliked the most. She might be a devious demon in everyone''s eyes, but she wasn''t that evil to feed on human infants and children. She preferred to feed on fickle, greedy, and murderous humans as they emitted stronger negative energy.


    She understood that she and Qin Zhi weren''t the only demons capable of hiding their presence, suppressing their energies to mingle among the humans; so it''s not impossible that Qin Zhi''s subordinates weren''t certain which humans should be dealt with.


    ''So how many humans are we talking about here?'' She asked.


    ''Six humans. All females,'' Qin Zhi answered. ''That is thest child that fell sick before the school decided to close.'' He then pointed at the young boy inside one of the ICU rooms.


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes and gauged the life essence that remained on the young boy, who she assumed was around six years of age. Like the rest of the children that were fed on by the demon, the boy still had a little color in hisplexion, but it was obvious that he was in difort. The boy kept mumbling incoherent sounds as he slept.


    ''Do you know thest person in the school that he encountered?'' The fox woman suddenly asked. The sooner they could find the demon, the better.


    ''That''s hard to answer, Daji. All those six humans have interactions with those children, so it''s hard to pinpoint who caused all of these.''


    "How troublesome," Shen Minyao muttered as she burrowed her hands in her side pockets and walked away from the ICU room. She thought that she would be able to feed on another demon tonight, but it seemed like she still needed to wait.


    Qin Zhi followed her without a word until they stepped outside the hospital. Taking advantage of the blind spots of the CCTV cameras of the hospital, Xiao Bai dispelled his enchantment. The two fox demons were now visible to human eyes as they stepped out of the premises and met Qin Zhi''s bodyguards at the parking space.


    "Are you free tomorrow? We could see and meet those six humans personally," Qin Zhi asked her as soon as they sat at both ends of the backseat of his car.


    "My midterms exam is over. I won''t have any prior engagement for this weekend," Shen Minyao answered him, her expression one with boredom. Just when she thought she could have action tonight¡­ she was deeply disappointed.


    Qin Zhi nodded in understanding. When Shen Minyao didn''t reach out to him after she left his mansion, he had been restless, only to find out that she was a student at Spring Hill High, a popr academy for wealthy families.


    The moment he found out that his sister possessed and took over Shen Minyao''s body and identity, he made a background check about her human host. It turned out that she was still a high school student in her senior year.

 Chapter 148 - Still The Same (2)

    The next day, Qin Zhi picked up his sister a few blocks away from the Shen Estate.


    "Quick. Drive away," Shen Minyao demanded once she settled next to her brother.


    Today, she was wearing a ck jacket, white shirt, and fitted denim jeans. Her long hair was covered with a brown shoulder-length wig.


    "Why are you in a hurry?" Qin Zhi arched a brow towards his sister, the work on hisptop forgotten. He noticed that she was wearing a pair of colored contact lenses today, and her style was a little different from usual. "Is that a wig?"


    "Hn. Didn''t you tell me to disguise myself? Don''t you know how hard it is for me to do this?"


    Ah, thankfully, the real Shen Minyao liked to dress up once in a while, and she found a few clothes and wigs in her closet. She had been racking her brains on how to disguise when Qin Zhi only gave her short noticest night..


    "Alright, we should go. Hurry!" She told the driver, who she scented to be a demon as well.


    Shen Minyao had told Cheng Lifan that she would do a little shopping on her own and insisted not to be apanied by Fu Xiyan and her bodyguards. After wasting some time convincing the human, the fox woman left in a hurry, not giving Cheng Lifan the time to change her mind.


    "Just making sure that none of those humans would know where I''m going today."


    "You''re still the same. You will never change, will you?" Qin Zhi sighed.


    He should have known that Daji wouldn''t change her ways, even in this era. Even in the past, not even the emperor could stop his sister if she wanted to step out of the pce. So it shouldn''t be surprising to see her acting like this.


    The car left, and Shen Minyao yed on her phone, while her brother continued working on hisptop. She hadn''t questioned him about what he was doing; neither was she curious about how he ran apany filled with demons without being suspected by humans around them. She never dared to question him unless it was rted to her or Feng Jiu.


    "I heard that you are breaking Shen Minyao''s engagement with the second young master of the Su family. It''s better for you to cut ties with him as soon as possible," Qin Zhi suddenly said out of the blue, taking Shen Minyao''s attention from the mobile game she was ying.


    "Why? What''s going on?" She turned her head to look at her brother, whose attention remained on his work.


    "The Su family is in trouble. They might not have noticed it yet, but sooner orter, trouble woulde knocking on their door. It''s impossible for them to resist the cmity that has to hit them."


    Shen Minyao suddenly burst out inughter. She didn''t expect that the Su family was in such a predicament. Now, she couldn''t wait to see how Shen Qing would react after hearing such news. Oh, well. It was foolish on her part to cling unto Su Yin in the first ce, but a bitch and a bastard surely were a match made in hell.


    Anyway, Qin Zhi passed a folder to his sister for her to check.


    "These are the information we are able topile about those six humans. See if you find something suspicious," he told her.


    "Wait. Let me finish this round before seeing it," the fox woman said before the soundsing from her phone were the only things that could be heard inside the car.


    Once she was done, she found six profiles of the humans that the school had recently hired.


    "How sure are you that the demon isn''t one of the regrs of the school?" She suddenly asked.


    "I also considered that, but none of those humans had traces of the demon left on their person," Qin Zhi replied. "We should start with those six. If we encounter a dead end after this, then we''ll add the other staff to investigate."


    An hourter, Shen Minyao found themselves in a residential area of Jiang City. She alighted from the car and saw one of the six humans walking along the street with a young girl holding her hand.


    Shen Minyao nced at her brother before leaving.


    "Xiao An, don''t let go of mommy''s hand, okay? There are so many people at the supermarket," the woman named Xie Yan told her seven-year-old daughter, Qiao An, with a smile.


    "En. I will not let go of Mommy''s hand!" The young girl squealed, almost making the fox woman winced from it.


    The fox woman watched them from a far distance, waiting for the right time to introduce herself. As she expected, the girl had let go of her mother''s hand and gotten lost in the crowd. It was only by then did Shen Minyao kneel in front of the child and try to coax her to stop crying.


    "Jiejie, please help me find my mommy! Waaah!"


    Shen Minyao''s eye twitched, but she didn''t allow the young girl to see her irritation. Wasn''t this why she hated children and kept away from them as much as possible? They were little demons pretending to be angels with such cute, adorable faces they had.


    "Sure. I''ll help you look around. You tell me if you see your mommy, okay?" Shen Minyao said in a gentle voice that almost made Xiao Bai puked from her acting.


    ''Miss surely knows how to act,'' he told her through telepathy.


    ''You jest.'' Shen Minyao could feel a vein on her head about to explode from annoyance. She really had to give it to Shen Qing for pretending innocence so easily. Aiya, with a pretty face, it was so easy to scam these superficial humans.


    Thankfully, Qiao An finally stopped her crying and held Shen Minyao''s hand as they walked around the aisles of the huge supermarket to find her mother.

 Chapter 149 - In Seclusion (1)

    Of course, Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai knew where Xie Yan was, but they took their time walking around the huge supermarket with a flustered young girl next to them. The young girl worriedly looked around, wondering where her mother had gone.


    "Why don''t I take you to the lost-and-found area and ask for help?" Shen Minyao asked Qiao An with a gentle smile.


    "Okay." The young girl agreed, her hold tightening on Shen Minyao''s hand.


    In no time, they spotted Xie Yan frantically looking around for her missing daughter. When their eyes met, Shen Minyao braced herself for another round of crying she had to endure.


    "Xiao An!" Xie Yan burst into tears upon seeing her daughter. She had been scared to death when she noticed that her daughter had slipped from her hold. How could she easily lose Qiao An like that?!


    "Mommy!" Qiao An released Shen Minyao''s hand and ran towards her mother as tears spilled from her eyes..


    The fox woman inwardly winced from the scene, but she kept the gentle smile on her face. She needed to get a favorable impression on Xie Yan for her to earn the mother''s trust.


    Xie Yan knelt down and hugged her daughter tightly. She then looked up to see Shen Minyao smiling at the two of them.


    "Thank you for helping my daughter, and I''m sorry for the trouble. It''s my fault for not paying attention and losing her," she said once Qiao An calmed down and wiped away her tears.


    "It''s no trouble, Madam. My heart couldn''t help to feel hurt when I saw her crying for her mother," Shen Minyao replied politely.


    ''Ah, Mdy surely isn''t afraid to be struck by lightning,'' Xiao Bai thought as he watched Shen Minyao lie right in front of this human. Anyway, they needed to find a lead to find that demon.


    Aside from schools and hospitals, there were other ces where negative energying from these humans would umte over time, and it wasn''t surprising that a crowded ce like this was also inhabited by such negative forces.


    Shen Minyao helped the two with their shopping and carried some bags herself, much to Xie Yan''s embarrassment.


    "Miss has already helped us find Xiao An. You don''t need to send us home," Xie Yan said, while Shen Minyao was busy on her phone, calling her older brother.


    "It''s fine, Miss Xie. My brother is about to arrive, and your home is in the same direction as our destination."


    It didn''t take long before Qin Zhi came, driving a car himself. He pulled up into a stop near Shen Minyao and the mother-and-daughter pair.


    "Get in," he told Shen Minyao once he lowered the window of the front passenger seat.


    "Not even offering some help here?" Shen Minyao frowned. She was already ying her role; did he really have to impose on her kindness?


    Qin Zhi shrugged. "It''s not like you can''t lift any of it." It was true for a fox demon like them.


    Shen Minyao could only sigh and allow the mother and child to take their seats inside as she loaded their supplies in the trunk. Once they were settled, Qin Zhi asked Xie Yan for the address, although he already knew about it.


    "If you don''t mind, you aren''t from this ce, right? May I know where you are going?" Xie Yan asked curiously.


    "Ah, my brother and I came here to investigate the case at the kindergarten," Shen Minyao said nonchntly, while Qin Zhi remained silent.


    "The case at the kindergarten?" Xie Yan frowned. Of course, she knew what Shen Minyao was talking about. "I''m not sure what happened. It''s only been weeks since I started working there, but those poor children¡­"


    "Miss Xie, actually, my brother and I are working on paranormal cases. We wanted to check whether it is a rare case of an outbreak or a paranormal case," the fox woman said.


    Xie Yan remained silent, but the way she chewed her lower lip grew apparent, rooting from her anxiousness that filled the car. The fox demon nced at her, waiting for her to spill something. She must know something for her to act like this.


    Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi helped with the shopping bags, while Xie Yan held her daughter''s hand and pressed the button of the elevator to where her apartment was. The two demons looked around Xie Yan''s ce and could sense a hint of demonic trace in her home. It was the same one they had felt at the hospital and the school premises.


    "Thank you for your assistance today," Xie Yan said as she served each a cup of newly brewed tea that neither of the two demons touched.


    "It must have been hard for you to suddenly getid off from work just as soon as you were employed," Qin Zhimented, the sound of his voice feeling like a calming breeze on a spring day.


    Xie Yan sighed, taking a seat across them and then nodding. She then nced at her young daughter. She was busy ying with her toys on the couch where the three adults could clearly see her.


    "To be honest, I thought that I was lucky that I got epted for the job. Ever since Xiao An started attending school, it allowed me to have spare time to get a part-time job."


    Shen Minyao hummed. ording to Qin Zhi''s investigation, Xie Yan was a single mother raising her daughter alone. This was why Xie Yan was having a hard time finding another job after the school decided to suspend the ss in fear that the number of pupils affected by the unknown illness would increase.


    "Well, it couldn''t be helped. They could have told us that this wasn''t the first time it happened."


    Her next words were enough to stun the two fox demons in front of her by surprise. None of them had expected that this was what they would hear today.

 Chapter 150 - In Seclusion (2)

    "What did you just say, Miss Xie?" Shen Minyao asked. She gave her brother a fierce look.


    It''s impossible for Qin Zhi to miss these details if he ran a deep background check on all the people involved with the kindergarten.


    Qin Zhi ignored her questioning gaze, keeping his silence.


    "It''s just some rumors I heard before, Miss Shen. Had I known there was something really going on, I wouldn''t have applied for that ce." Xie Yan''s hand tightened on her cup as she remembered hearing that scary rumor from her colleague.


    "Can you tell us what these rumors are?" Shen Minyao asked with a sour mood that Xie Yan couldn''t sense.


    Xie Yan brought down her cup and looked at her daughter worriedly. .


    "Miss Lan, a colleague of mine at the kindergarten, once told me that it also happened thirty years ago," Xie yen informed the two. "The school was still under construction by then. The children in the nearby residential area around the school started to fall sick one by one. I''m not sure if it''s true, though, but Miss Lan had been working in the kindergarten for over a decade. That''s all I know."


    Of course, she was worried about the pupils who had fallen sick, but she realized that any possibility that could harm her or her daughter wouldn''t be worth sacrificing her life to keep her job.


    "I''m sorry. This is all I know," She murmured.


    "There''s nothing to apologize for, Miss Xie," Qin Zhi answered her this time. "But in case you are still looking for a job, I know a ce where you can work part-time," he added before cing a calling card on top of the table that separated them.


    Shen Minyao took a nce at the card and wondered if her brother was nning to hire a human in his demon-infestedpany. However, she saw a business card of a pastry shop that she had seen near Xie Yan''s ce earlier instead.


    "This¡­" Xie Yan was caught off-guard. She was only twenty-five this year, with a seven-year-old daughter. She had struggled to find a job because she got pregnant early, and she was even abandoned by the father of her child.


    Since then, she had had a hard time trusting strangers. She had also grown afraid of leaving her young daughter to anyone.


    She wasn''t expecting to receive help from strangers like this. For the past years, she had only relied on her parents'' help to keep herself afloat. Even the apartment where she was living with Qiao An was an inheritance she received from her parents.


    "Rest assured that I know the person that could help you get good employment. This is merely a rmendation, so you would still need to work hard to prove yourself," Qin Zhi assured her.


    "Miss Xie, I think you should ept this. Think about your daughter''s welfare," Shen Minyao added.


    Xie Yan knew that, but she was afraid of uncertainty. This was why she was afraid of what people thought of her and her daughter. She feared that her Little An would eventuallye to hate her in the future because of the mistakes she had done in the past.


    "I don''t know why you are so anxious, Miss Xie. You have a beautiful daughter that loves you dearly. If you are worried about being in debt because of my brother''s help, you don''t have to. It''s enough that you know the truth, and you are willing to work hard for your daughter''s future."


    These were Shen Minyao''s parting words before she stood up and politely thanked Xie Yan for help.


    Qin Zhi followed her shortly and thanked Xie Yan as well. As the elevator descended, Shen Minyao broke the silence between them.


    "So there''s some kind of history about that ce, huh."


    "If it happened thirty years ago, then I wasn''t here yet back then," Qin Zhi replied. He would have known if he was here, especially if a demon was involved in that particr case that happened before.


    "You aren''t here?" Shen Minyao thought that she had no idea what her brother was up to for the past centuries. "Oh? Then, what have you been doing during that time?"


    Qin Zhi didn''t bother to answer this time and only stared at the light at the elevator, indicating the floor they were currently in. He couldn''t tell that because of Feng Jiu''s and her death centuries ago, his grief had been trying to release his grasp on his basal instincts and making him follow his mate to the afterlife.


    Qin Zhi had gone into seclusion for more than fifty years, leaving the Eir Group in Qin Zhihao''s care during his absence. If he hadn''t forced himself to be detained in a remote mountain far from Qingqiu Mountain where his sister and his wife died, he could have lost it.


    "So when did youe back?" His sister asked.


    "Fifteen years ago." He replied, but he said nothing more to exin whatever he was doing.


    "Fine. You don''t have to tell me," Shen Minyao said, noticing the sudden change in her brother''s expression. He must be thinking about his dead wife again. He had this same expression in the past whenever he was thinking of Feng Jiu; how could she not know?


    "I''ll ask my assistant to check the history of thatnd. We might find some clues then," Qin Zhi said nonchntly, trying to avoid his sister''s prying gaze.


    "They better make sure not to overlook things this time," the fox woman replied. They must be dealing with a curse if what Xie Yan said was true, but the traces the demon left on the children also couldn''t be denied either.


    "I hate it when others waste my precious time."


    Qin Zhi only scoffed at that. As demons, they had longer lifespanspared to the humans. His sister had been the one who easily got bored with her ythings and continued to seek entertainment from anyone around her.

 Chapter 151 - Husband And Wife (1)

    Qin Zhi and his men needed to re-investigate the history of the ce where the kindergarten was built, and so Shen Minyao spent the whole Sunday catching up with the webnovels andics she had purposely ignored for the past two weeks.


    Ah, this was the life she should be enjoying while she wasn''t hunting other demons and devouring orbs. Also, she didn''t need to waste time spending it with the other Shen family members. They were currently out of the house, doing business the fox woman had no idea about. Not that she cared, anyway.


    Zhao Yichen had called her that morning, but Shen Minyao didn''t bother to pick up. Unless he admitted to his mistakes and changed for the better, she wasn''t willing to see him anytime soon. He should understand how serious the situation was, and he shouldn''t meddle with others'' affairs..


    So what if Gu Liuxian died because of the flower fairy? It was his fault for being involved with a demon. He should have run away from Yn and never sought after her again. Now, it was only a matter of time before the flower fairy would sumb to her instincts and kill Gu Liuxian.


    "Mdy, are you sure you don''t want to see Young Master Zhao?" Xiao Bai asked curiously while he devoured the sweet lotus cakes Fu Xiyan brought for Shen Minyao earlier. It was a pity that his mistress didn''t like to eat sweets, unlike the real Shen Minyao. However, Fu Xiyan and Cheng Lifan still frequently sent her sweets, which ended up being consumed by the white fat cat.


    "There''s no need to foul my mood. He''s in a safe ce, anyway. With Yu Yan around, there''s no need for us to worry about lesser demons," Shen Minyao replied.


    With her strength rising, her influence towards Zhao Yichen had also risen. It wouldn''t be easy for any demon to sense the fox orb in Zhao Yichen''s body unless a high-ranking demon focused its attention on her human contractor.


    As for the demon that was feeding at the kindergarten, she could only wait for Qin Zhi''s call. However, waiting like this only made her feel bored. She wondered what the others were doing now¡­ and if Jiang Chen had an interesting case for her to pry on.


    Shen Minyao had just finished catching up on one of theics she was following when her phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, she saw that it was Li Fei''er calling her.


    "What is it?"


    "Lu Anqi and I are nning to see Dr. Monster 2, would you like toe?"


    Oh, so they were nning to see a movie? Shen Minyao thought as she nced at the clock on top of the study table. It was only two in the afternoon, and she still had time to waste until her brother gave her a call about the update of the case they were handling.


    "Fine. Give me the location, and I''ll ask my driver to bring me there."


    An hourter, Shen Minyao found herself standing outside a movie theater. Since her awakening, she hadn''t gone to a lot of ces, and this would be her first time seeing a movie with the others.


    "I''ve already bought our tickets. Hurry, the movie is about to start!" Lu Anqi said before hooking her arm with that of Li Fei''er and dragging them inside.


    Shen Minyao thought that the human mind was amusing. For them to find these nefarious horror films scary was appalling in her opinion. Nevertheless, it was enough for her to forget her boredom. Qin Zhi hadn''t called her yet, and she wondered how long it would take for them to find the information they needed.


    After the movie ended, she apanied Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er to shop in a nearby shopping mall. The real Shen Minyao had saved a lot of money, but she didn''t dare to splurge and buy things for herself.


    This was why, even though she could afford it, she never bought designer clothes like those Shen Qing usually wore. Looking at the two of them, it was only natural for others to assume that Shen Qing was the eldest miss.


    "Aren''t you going to buy anything?" Lu Anqi asked the fox woman as she took a bite at the cotton candy she bought from a nearby stall. They were waiting for Li Fei''er to get her milkshake.


    "No, I''m on a strict diet." Shen Minyao lied, although using her morning exercises to strengthen her body was a good reason for her to skip meals.


    "Oh, your loss, then¡­ but you really shouldn''t be too hard on yourself, Schoolmate Shen. There''s nothing wrong about having a cheat day once in a while and eating anything you want to your heart''s content," the younger woman said.


    "To eat to my heart''s content, huh?" Shen Minyao chuckled in amusement.


    The idea of devouring so many human livers and demonic orbs sounded so enticing to the fox woman. However, she knew that it would be impossible without getting the attention of those shamans who were still looking for her.


    It didn''t take long before Li Fei''er returned to them with her milkshake in one of her hands. The three continued to walk around the shopping mall.


    Shen Minyao frowned when her nose picked up a familiar scent. What was Cheng Lifan doing here? She wasn''t informed that her stepmother would be here in all ces. However, it was toote for her to call out Li Fei''er''s and Lu Anqi''s attention as she spotted Cheng Lifan taking the corner and meeting the three of them.


    Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Qin Zhi standing next to Cheng Lifan, and by the looks of it, he also wasn''t expecting to see her today. s, the moment Qin Zhi''s eyes turned to Li Fei''er standing next to Shen Minyao, thetter knew that she had a lot to exinter.

 Chapter 152 - Husband And Wife (2)

    Qin Zhi was also surprised to see his sister today, but he wasn''t prepared to see the person standing next to her. Ever since Shen Minyao devoured the orb of the crow demon, not only could she hide her presence really well from other demons, but she could also neutralize her scent. None of those demons could easily track her down by using shikigami to follow the scent she left on her previous trails.


    Perhaps it was for that reason that Shen Minyao also neutralized Li Fei''er''s scent, concealing what was familiar to Qin Zhi. He remained frozen where he was standing as he stared with bewilderment at the young woman¡­ who looked exactly like his deceased wife.


    This¡­ how could this be possible? He wondered.


    However, after remembering Shen Minyao''s previous questions pertaining to Feng Jiu before, it made sense to him why his sister was trying to sound him out. Shen Minyao was aware that Feng Jiu had been reborn in this era, and she was trying to see how he would react to the idea of seeing his wife alive again.


    "Yaoyao? What are you doing here?" It was Cheng Lifan who broke the awkward atmosphere between them. "I thought you said you weren''t feeling good today." .


    She wasn''t willing to leave today when she heard that her stepdaughter wasn''t feeling well. Shen Minyao was rarely home, and who knew how she lived alone at the dormitory? If it was her choice, she didn''t mind sending and picking up Shen Minyao from her school. s, with her unpredictable schedule, there was no way she could do it.


    "I feel better now, Mama. Yuan gave me some tonic this morning after you left," Shen Minyao said and affectionately hooked her arm with that of Cheng Lifan, acting like a spoiled child, much to Qin Zhi''s amusement.


    "Then, you should have rested more." Cheng Lifan sighed and patted her daughter''s head gently before eyeing Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi. She then asked, "Are those your friends, Yaoyao?"


    "En. This is my ssmate, Li Fei''er." She introduced Li Fei''er first for Qin Zhi''s sake. "Lu Anqi is a sophomore we made friends with. What are you doing here, Mama? I thought you said you are meeting something important today."


    Shen Minyao then gave her older brother a suspicious look. Didn''t he say investigating the kindergarten was their utmost priority? So what was he doing here with Cheng Lifan instead?


    Her eyes narrowed. He didn''t leave that investigation to his subordinates, right? This was one of the reasons why she never took anyone under her wing.


    Behind Cheng Lifan and Qin Zhi were two groups of their own bodyguards following them around. It made them look like VIPs, which earned the curiosity of those who''d seen them.


    "I have a meeting with CEO Qin, Yaoyao," Cheng Lifan said before turning to Qin Zhi. "Yaoyao, why don''t you greet him?"


    Shen Minyao inwardly scoffed, but she still decided to y her role as a filial stepdaughter. While it''s true that she didn''t want to deceive Li Fei''er, that didn''t mean she could lower her guard and allow anyone to suspect her identity as Shen Minyao.


    "Hello, Mr. Qin. I wasn''t expecting to see my mother here. Forgive us if we disturb your important meeting," she told Qin Zhi with a wicked glint in her eyes that wasn''t lost to her brother.


    Qin Zhi frowned, but he refused to y her game. Whether in the past or in the present, his sister would always find ways to annoy him. Now, it was obvious that she was using Li Fei''er to see if she could get under his skin and annoy him.


    "It''s alright. Our meeting has ended already. We are just on our way to have dinner. Why don''t you join us, Miss Shen?" He offered. "Of course, you can also bring your friends with you. The bill is on our tab."


    "Ah, CEO Qin, you don''t have to do this¡­" Cheng Lifan wasn''t sure why Qin Zhi was extending his invitation to her daughter and her friends.


    "Really? Then, we''ll be troubling you today, Mr. Qin. Mom, let''s go. I''m quite hungry." She nudged Cheng Lifan like a spoiled child.


    Qin Zhi knew why Shen Minyao easily agreed to his invitation. There was no doubt she wanted to observe him and Li Fei''er who shared the same face as his wife. Shen Minyao knew that Feng Jiu had been reborn, but why didn''t she tell him sooner?


    "Huh? Schoolmate Shen, I thought you said you are on a strict diet~" Lu Anqi teased Shen Minyao and grinned. So it turned out that Shen Minyao was just like everyone else. No one could easily say ''no'' to free food, especially if it was from a hottie like this CEO Qin.


    Meanwhile, Li Fei''er wasn''t sure what to think of this invitation. She didn''t expect that she would meet Shen Minyao''s mother today. Thinking about it, Shen Minyao never told her anything about herself nor her family. If she hadn''t seen how Cheng Lifan treated Shen Minyao today, she would suspect that neither of Shen Minyao''s parents cared about their daughter.


    However, as she looked at CEO Qin, she felt a sudden tide that washed over her whole body. Her soul suddenly felt restless when their eyes met. Something about him made her heart pound harder as if her soul knew this person and yearned to be close to him.


    Li Fei''er couldn''t understand why she was reacting like this in front of this man. She focused her eyes around Qin Zhi and couldn''t see any ghost nor demon that could affect her like this. So what was it then?


    "What do you think, Fei''er?" Shen Minyao''s question pulled her back to reality.


    Li Fei''er blinked twice. Did she hear Shen Minyao right? In the past, she always called her ''ssmate Shen''. Even when she started calling her Yaoyao, Shen Minyao remained the same.

 Chapter 153 - Winning The Bet (1)

    Shen Minyao inwardly smiled as she looked at her elder brother, who kept talking with Cheng Lifan nheless. She and Lu Anqi ordered several dishes, while Li Fei''er was obviously preupied and could only watch them eat heartily.


    "Ah, I didn''t know that Mr. Qin also owned this shopping mall. Mama, are we going to open a branch here?" The fox woman asked Cheng Lifan with curiosity. What else would be the reason why Cheng Lifan and Qin Zhi were meeting if it wasn''t for that?


    "En," the older woman replied. Actually, even she was a little bit surprised that Qin Zhi changed his mind regarding this. Herpany had been long waiting for the Eir Group to allow them to open several branches in the shopping malls the Eir Group owned.


    Cheng Lifan had long given up on earning Qin Zhi''s attention when suddenly, out of the blue, her assistant received a call about the Eir Group epting their proposal and asking for a meeting. It was for this reason that she had to meet Qin Zhi on such short notice.


    "That''s great.. Shouldn''t we celebrate, then?" Shen Minyao grinned while trying to piss off her older brother.


    How could she not notice that Qin Zhi was trying to ignore Li Fei''er''s presence, the girl currently seated next to her? Shen Minyao had to give it to Qin Zhi for remaining calm and collected upon seeing the reincarnation of his deceased wife.


    "Isn''t this why we are here, Schoolmate Shen? No wonder Mr. Qin invited us to join them for dinner." Lu Anqi was thrilled upon seeing the delicious dishes in front of her. These were the ones she couldn''t afford to buy on her own.


    Who would have thought that her luck was really good today, after they met Shen Minyao''s mother and her business partner? She had never thought that the rumors about Shen Minyao being the eldest miss of a wealthy family were true at all.


    How could Lu Anqi believe that when she never saw Shen Minyao spendvishly whenever they were together? Shen Minyao simply dressed herself well, without screaming the worth of her clothes, unlike her cousin Shen Qing.


    "Right. Right. We shouldn''t forget to thank CEO Qin for his treat." Shen Minyao''s lips curled up. "Fei''er, do you like something else to eat? Why are you not eating with us?" She suddenly asked Li Fei''er.


    Her brother was unusually silent today; the same with Li Fei''er. The moment they met Cheng Lifan and Qin Zhi earlier, Shen Minyao noticed that Li Fei''er was somewhat distracted. Could it be that Li Fei''er still felt the connection she had with Qin Zhi even to this day? The fox woman wondered.


    "Oh, no. It''s alright. You and Lu Anqi have already ordered enough food for us to eat. Let''s not waste CEO Qin''s generosity," Li Fei''er replied as she picked up her chopsticks and started eating. She ignored Shen Minyao''s inquisitive look and decided to hold a conversation with Lu Anqi instead.


    Shen Minyao smiled inwardly. Ah, she didn''t mean to have the two meet like this, especially now that Feng Jiu was reborn as a shaman. Certainly, she and Qin Zhi could never be together for this reason. She was reborn as a natural enemy of demons like them.


    For Li Fei''er to fall in love again with Qin Zhi in this lifetime would also be a tragedy. If only she could enchant Li Fei''er to forget about meeting Qin Zhi today¡­ but s, Shen Minyao wasn''t willing to die for such a reason.


    Their meal continued in peace. An hourter, Qin Zhi was sending off Shen Minyao and her mother while he arranged another car to take Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi to their respective homes. Of course, as a preventive measure, Qin Zhi arranged a human driver this time. After all, Shen Minyao had purposely messaged him during their dinner that Li Fei''er was born to a family of shamans.


    Qin Zhi should clearly understand the situation he and Li Fei''er were in now, and he shouldn''t make a reckless move to lure the shamans to his doorstep.


    "CEO Qin, thank you for your treat again. I hope your coboration with my mother works well," Shen Minyao said those as parting words, but Qin Zhi understood her underlying meaning.


    Qin Zhi only nodded in response and watched as the car drove away. He made a mental note to interrogate Shen Minyao for answerster.


    He sighed inwardly. Such a troublesome sister that he had¡­


    Meanwhile, as the car for Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er drove away, Li Fei''er still remained preupied with her thoughts. She couldn''t understand why she was bothered upon meeting CEO Qin for the first time. Had they met before? She wondered.


    No. That was impossible. With such a handsome face that CEO Qin had, it was impossible for Li Fei''er to forget him if they indeed met in the past.


    "Sister Fei, are you alright? You look pale," Lu Anqi asked worriedly. She could feel that something was troubling Li Fei''er. "You didn''t see any ghosts nor demons earlier, did you?"


    Now that Lu Anqi could control her third eye, she could easily ignore and tune out the voices of the ghosts that wereing after her. What''s more, she also noticed that whenever she was with Li Fei''er and Shen Minyao, none of those spirits would dare to bother her.


    "Yes, I did, but they were harmless spirits. Some of them couldn''t let go of their regret, so they kept wandering around endlessly," Li Fei''er replied.


    "It must have been hard for you to see them and realize that you cannot help." Lu Anqi sighed.


    "I''ve learned a long time ago that I can never help and exorcise all spirits, regardless of their situation," Li Fei''er replied as she looked down at her hands.


    "Well, at least, we could help them one at a time." Lu Anqi smiled at her.

 Chapter 154 - Winning The Bet (2)

    It took three days before Shen Minyao received a call from Qin Zhi, informing her that they needed to meet that night. The fox woman also received a message from Zhao Yichen that morning, the young man apologizing for his recklessness during her visit and updating her with the changes in Gu Liuxian''s condition.


    Just like what Shen Minyao had expected during herst visit to Zhao Yichen, the flower fairy had eventually lost to her instincts and started to feed on Gu Liuxian. The man''s health had started to deteriorate, and he had fallen sick suddenly.


    Shen Minyao scoffed and locked her phone. What was it to her if Gu Liuxian died? It was the consequence of his involvement with a demon. As for Yn, she should know better: her attachment to a human would only lead to her own death. She could not change the fact that she was a demon who fed on humans.


    "You''ve been spending more time here at school. Don''t tell me Mr. Jiang has already fired you," Shen Minyao thenmented on Lu Anqi during their lunchtime.


    .


    Lu Anqi gasped and shook her head.


    "Of course not! They are not allowed to fire me! If they do, who will clean up the mess they always leave at the office," she muttered.


    "Then, did something happen?" Now that Shen Minyao said it, Li Fei''er also wondered why Lu Anqi had been spending more time with them these days.


    Lu Anqi huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.


    "Mr. Jiang said that they can deal with the cases without me. He said that I only need to keep the office tidy and answer the calls whenever they aren''t in."


    Shen Minyao cupped her chin. She asked Lu Anqi this question in hopes that she could pry on Jiang Chen, whom she hadn''t seen nor talked to for about two weeks now. She wondered if Jiang Chen was already aware of the case at the kindergarten.


    This would be easy for her and Qin Zhi if they could get Jiang Chen''s cooperation in this case. It was obvious that Qin Zhi''s people weren''t that proficient in doing research. Ha. Thinking about it, wouldn''t this mean that they were being beaten by the humans in this aspect? Humans were naturally curious creatures, anyway.


    "Well, that''s better. So long as you couldn''t increase your willpower to reject the spirits, I think Mr. Jiang wouldn''t allow you to tag along with them," she told Lu Anqi. Because Lu Anqi was so in tune with the spirits, a moment of weakness on her part could be exploited by the malevolent spirits who wanted to possess her body.


    "So I''m still not strong enough?" Lu Anqi frowned.


    "It''s not like they don''t want you to join them, Lu Anqi, but I think they are trying to protect you from harm. You know how dangerous it could be for you." Li Fei''er gave her a sympathetic look before turning to Shen Minyao.


    "Yaoyao, I heard that the results would be out today. Wanna join me to see if we passed the exam?"


    "Oh? Is it today?" Shen Minyao almost forgot about it. The corner of her lips curled up. "Okay, let''s see if I win the bet."


    Before the three could reach the bulletin board where the scores were posted, someone in front of it eximed in shock.


    "Gosh! Am I seeing things? Did Shen Minyao just topple the other honor students and take the number-one spot?"


    "Hey, wouldn''t this mean that she won the bet she had against Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing? I couldn''t wait to see how those two would react once they knew they''d lost to Shen Minyao."


    A young woman snickered with contempt.


    "I would have never thought that there would be a day I would see those campus belles fall from their high horses."


    "Look, even the transfer student, Li Fei''er, managed to secure the fifth ce! I think there will be massive changes to the rankings this year!"


    "Ah, so I did win. As expected." Shen Minyao''s cold voice made everyone freeze.


    They suddenly turned their heads to look at her and scrutinized her from head to toe. Shen Minyao used to be in the middle rankings before, but since her return this school year, they all felt that she had changed so much. Suddenly, she was acing the ranking!


    When Shen Qing heard about the results, obviously, she was in a bad mood. She stared at the photo of the results sent by one of her cohorts. Seeing Shen Minyao''s name on top of the ranking list made her extremely unhappy.


    Shen Minyao!


    She cursed her cousin repeatedly in her heart. Why couldn''t she get rid of that useless person? She was sure that after Shen Minyao fell from that cliff, she thought that she had already won. Who would have thought that Shen Minyao would return from the dead and make Shen Qing''s life a living hell?


    Everyone kept onparing her to the beautiful and elegant eldest miss of the Shen family, and of course, people liked to nitpick the inferior one¡ªwhich was Shen Qing. In everything she did, Shen Minyao was bound to be better. To be repeatedlypared to Shen Minyao, how could Shen Qing not be annoyed with it?


    All the things Shen Minyao was enjoying now should be hers! If Shen Minyao only died at Qingqiu Mountain, everything she had would eventually fall to Shen Qing''s hands.


    Xu Shenshen, who was seated next to her at the cafeteria, was also indignant upon seeing the results. Shen Minyao didn''t get a perfect score, but the difference between her score to the second cer was so big that everyone could notice it.


    "Shen Minyao has gone too far! She''s so shameless! She must have been cheated to ace the exams!"


    Of course, how could she admit defeat against Shen Minyao? However, it wouldn''t change the fact that she and Shen Qing had lost the bet.

 Chapter 155 - Winning The Bet (3)

    Xu Shenshen felt that Shen Minyao must have cheated to get such a high score.


    Shen Minyao used to be in the middle ranks during their previous examinations. For her to suddenly jump to the top, how could Xu Shenshen believe that she had lost? She refused to believe Shen Minyao''s previous im that she was the one who broke the previous record.


    "Weren''t you in the same ss?" Shen Qing frowned, realizing that she had once again lost to her cousin, Shen Minyao.


    Xu Shenshen fell silent. Because she was busy taking their exam, she failed to keep an eye on Shen Minyao. Also, it was unlikely that the teacher and the proctors wouldn''t notice if Shen Minyao was cheating.


    "I didn''t pay attention to her. Of course, I need to focus on my own exam." She grumbled.


    Shen Qing shouldn''t fault her for this, right? Shen Qing should know Shen Minyao better as her cousin, so howe she wasn''t aware that Shen Minyao was the smart one between them? Would this mean that Shen Minyao wasn''t lying about her previous ims?


    "That must be it." Xu Shenshen scoffed. "She must have cheated for her to score that high."


    Shen Qing smiled slightly, but her eyes grew sharp. She was seething in anger, but her pride wouldn''t allow her to ruin her gentle and docile reputation in front of everyone. However, she was already cursing Shen Minyao repeatedly in her heart.


    "It would be hard for us to prove that she cheated," she told Xu Shenshen. She also couldn''t believe that the cousin she thought was useless and idiotic would be able to ace the exams this time.


    "If there isn''t any evidence of her cheating, why don''t we make one? Her cheating doesn''t have to be true. We just need to make it look like it," Shen Qing replied.


    ording to her cohorts who followed Shen Minyao during school days, Shen Minyao had been spending more time with Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi, and they never saw Shen Minyao study and review for their lessons at the library.


    However, what they didn''t know was that the fox woman was aware that she was being tailed by those people. She purposely pretended to be cking off on her studies to not make Shen Qing suspicious of her.


    "Then, what are we going to do?" Xu Shenshen frowned. She didn''t want Shen Minyao to torture her again. She was starting to think that it was a bad idea to get involved with that monster.


    "Try to avoid confronting Shen Minyao in the next few days. So long as we won''t meet her, she won''t actively pursue the bet," Shen Qing said without knowing that she was wrong with her assumptions.


    "Oh, to think that my dear cousin would purposely run away to avoid our bet." A familiar voice came from the doorway of the ssroom where Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen stayed. Behind her stood Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi with a grin on their faces.


    It seemed that everyone was now aware of the results of the midterm exams, which made them aware that she and Xu Shenshen had lost the bet they made with Shen Minyao.


    Both of them shuddered once they saw the mocking smile gracing Shen Minyao''s lips. They couldn''t help but feel the shiver that ran down their spines, especially Xu Shenshen who wasn''t willing to relieve the torture she suffered under Shen Minyao''s hands previously. After that, how could she not fear this woman?


    "Cousin¡­" Shen Qing was rendered speechless. She didn''t expect that Shen Minyao was shameless enough to seek after them as soon as the results were out.


    She thought that Shen Minyao would still be basking in the glory she recently received hours after the announcements. Who would have thought that as soon as the results were out, Shen Minyao would want to get her reward on the spot?


    "So you aren''t nning to honor your words, huh?" Shen Minyao ignored the curious gazes of other people and strode towards Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen.


    "Cousin, what are you doing here? Don''t think that you can bully me and Xu Shenshen. The sses aren''t over yet, and we could still report you to the faculty if you dare toy a hand on us!" Shen Qing threatened Shen Minyao.


    "Oh? Qing Jie, weren''t you the ones who suggested having a bet with me? And now you are telling me to fuck off¡­ just because you wouldn''t want me to sully your beautiful face?" The fox woman retorted. "Qing Jie, if I was the one who lost the bet right now, I''m pretty sure you and ssmate Xu would have already dragged me away and beaten me up for good."


    Those who were listening to their conversation agreed with Shen Minyao''s words. Knowing Xu Shenshen''s history as a school bully, despite being a campus belle like Shen Qing, she would certainly not waste her time and get even with Shen Minyao immediately.


    Xu Shenshen wouldn''t waste her time and would get even with Shen Minyao if thetter had truly lost the bet between them. After all, she had suffered humiliation recently because of Shen Minyao''s beating.


    "You!" Xu Shenshen red daggers at Shen Minyao. Ever since this woman''s return, Shen Minyao had made her life a living hell just from her mere presence.


    Xu Shenshen didn''t know how Shen Minyao grew aware of her affairs? She thought that she''d been doing well, keeping everything under the wraps.


    Was Shen Minyao a demon, then? If she wasn''t, how did she know about the details?


    "What about me, ssmate Xu? I wasn''t the one who forced you to make this bet, right? Why do you act like I was the one who''s at fault here?" The fox woman looked at Xu Shenshen with amusement in her eyes.


    It was as if she couldn''t wait to p these two and enjoy her reward. Some students never thought that Shen Minyao had this side to her, but they didn''t worry about Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen.


    "Ah, there are really some people who are shameless enough to pretend to be the victim," someonemented, making Shen Qing inwardly sneer at it.


    "Right. They were the ones who forced this bet on Shen Minyao, so howe they would shamelessly act like this?"


    "Dear, what are you expecting? Our precious campus belle Shen Qing surely couldn''t afford to have her face ruined by her cousin."


    "But do you think Shen Minyao would dare to p them?" Someone asked.


    Xu Shenshen may be known as a campus belle at Spring Hill High, but it also couldn''t be denied that there were female students who hated her guts. That woman purposely seduced some of their boyfriends and made those boys cheat on them.


    So, in those young women''s eyes, Shen Qing was nothing but a two-faced slut who knew how to use her beautiful face to her advantage. They were also not surprised when they heard that Shen Qing wanted her cousin to dissolve her engagement to Su Yin, so Shen Qing could unt their rtionship in public.


    "Well, don''t think that I would easily let you off, Qing Jie, but since you remind me that sses are still being held, let''s do this some other time." Shen Minyao grinned as she checked her well-manicured hands, making Shen Qing hate her more for her arrogance.


    Since Shen Minyao''s return, Shen Qing had to endure hearing praises to her cousin and how beautiful Shen Minyao had be. So how could she not hate her cousin when she once caught Su Yin looking at Shen Minyao from afar?


    "Shen Minyao¡­" Shen Qing clenched her fists below her desk and red at her cousin.


    Shen Minyao chuckled and swayed her hand in goodbye. Her eyes were mocking the two women, knowing that Shen Qing wouldn''t stay still and do nothing now that they were aware


    "I''ll see you some other time then~" she sang out, "but don''t think you and ssmate Xu can avoid giving me my sweet reward for too long."


    When she and her friends left Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen, the other students started another round of rumors about them. They were about Shen Qing and Xu Shenshen not willing to honor their words as soon as the results of the exams were out.


    The more Shen Qing listened, the more she cursed Shen Minyao in her heart. If this persisted, her reputation at school would grow worse. Perhaps, she should seek Su Yin''s help this time to avoid being beaten by Shen Minyao in the future.


    "Schoolmate Shen, are you sure you are just going to let them go unscathed like that?" Lu Anqi asked while Shen Minyao was ignoring the curious gazes the other students threw their way as they walked in the hallways.


    "There''s no need to rush, Lu Anqi.. I know Shen Qing would easily yield and admit things."

 Chapter 156 - Child-Eating Monsters (1)

    Shen Minyao raised her head and casually popped the bubblegum on her lips as she stood right outside the kindergarten, watching the dark clouds umting in the sky. The unfavorable weather today made the ce look deserted and haunted at the same time, in contrast to the liveliness it had when the young pupils were ying around.


    It was deep into the night, and the moon could be seen faintly in the sky, covered by thin clouds.


    The fox woman pressed her lips into a thin line and frowned. She hade alone today since she sent Xiao Bai to apany and check on Zhao Yichen''s situation. Ah, being summoned here by her older brother and waiting for him to arrive were starting to get into her nerves. Qin Zhi was the one who asked her toe here on time, yet he was the one that couldn''t be seen anywhere.


    She then checked the watch on her wrist and sighed. Well, she came a little earlier than their agreed time. She supposed she would need to wait some more¡­ until she made a call to ask about his whereabouts.


    Ten minutester, Qin Zhi''s car pulled up to a stop, and he alighted from the backseat.


    "I hope you didn''t wait for too long," he nonchntly said as he buttoned up his coat to protect him from the wind.


    Shen Minyao shrugged. He was just on time. It was her who arrived an hour earlier.


    "So what did you find?" She asked instead.


    Since Qin Zhi called her to meet up, he probably got some answers from the rumors they heard from Xie Yan''s mouth a few days ago.


    "Indeed, there have been simr cases that have happened here before," Qin Zhi started. "What''s more, there was a massive fire within the area a week before the first child fell ill."


    "What happened?" The two surveyed the area while staying invisible by human''s eyes again.


    "The residents of the nearby developed area refused to sell their properties. While their cases were being held at court, a massive fire took ce and killed a lot around the area."


    "You mean it gave birth to that ''curse''?" Shen Minyao arched a slender brow.


    "More like the scent of death ''lured'' it here and decided to stay here." Qin Zhi easily leaped past the wall to enter the school premises, with Shen Minyao following him shortly.


    "Ah, so we are dealing with that kind of demon, huh?" The fox woman frowned. "But it''s weird. Don''t they usually leave the ce once they had their fill? A demon like that should only be able to eat one soul of a child every ten years."


    "We are probably dealing with a group of that kind," Qin Zhi replied.


    Shen Minyao halted her steps and looked at her brother in disbelief.


    "Oh, not again." She groaned, feeling that something about this case was familiar to her.


    "What do you mean?" Qin Zhi asked.


    They entered the faculty room where the lesson ns and the papers with the children''s drawings and doodles were still left unchecked on the tables. It was still uncertain when the children would be able to return to school. Perhaps some of them were already transferred by their parents and would nevere back, Shen Minyao thought.


    Shen Minyao then ryed things to her brother, about the kind of demons she encountered since her awakening and how they were connected to each other. Qin Zhi remained silent as he considered the information his sister shared with him. He didn''t expect that it was Shen Minyao and a grim reaper who killed the spider demon he had yet to vanquish.


    "So you think this rogue exorcist you were talking about is colluding with the other demons to settle them into the cities in groups and feed on humans?" Qin Zhi asked.


    "Something like that, but we aren''t sure yet. I thought you would know since you are the demon lord here in Jiang City," Shen Minyao said.


    Qin Zhi scoffed at that. He doubted that he was the only high-ranking demon in Jiang City.


    "You are giving me too much credit, dear sister," he said in defense. "Jiang City had over thirteen million human inhabitants. I can''t keep an eye on every demon who enters that city, especially if they are mid-rank and high-ranking demons."


    Shen Minyao scoffed at that, but she didn''t dare to make ament. Qin Zhi was doing enough by killing harmful demons to protect the human citizens of the city, but she felt like he should have left them be. She wasn''t even sure why he needed to protect the other demons and allow them to live peacefully with humans.


    So what if the humans lose their lives to the demons? It had always been this way since ancient times. While she understood the demon for them to hide themselves from the fickle humans, Shen Minyao didn''t share the same idea Qin Zhi had about them.


    Unlike him who somewhat became sentimental because his wife was a human, the fox woman didn''t care about the rest of the humans around her. Had she not taken in Feng Jiu and entered a contract with Zhao Yichen, she would have stayed away from these humans.


    "It sounds like a problem. We''ll need to identify that exorcist as soon as possible." She heard what Qin Zhi said.


    "Why?" Shen Minyao asked. Did her brother know something that she didn''t?


    "It''s just a guess, but you know the tale about the night parade of a hundred demons, right?"


    Shen Minyao gave her brother a nk stare, wondering if he had somehow lost his mind.


    It was just a legend humans hade up with. For one hundred demons toe together for amon goal was unheard of. Because unlike humans who neededpanions and validation to be part of a group to prove their worth, demons were mostly dependent on themselves.


    "How sure are you that this is the case?" She questioned back, still in disbelief that it was possible.


    A procession of different demonsing as one?


    Ha. It sounded like a banquet to satisfy her hunger to her ears. If there was such a thing as a night parade of a hundred demons, she would surely not miss her chance to see it for herself.


    "It''s just a hunch, Daji. I''m not certain that it was the case." Qin Zhi deflected her questioning gaze.


    Regardless, he would need to investigate what Shen Minyao told him today. If there was really such a human that could entice demons to make a pack with him, it would be dangerous not only for mankind but also for the other demons like them.


    Suddenly, the lights within the faculty room flickered a few times and died. The two fox demons weren''t bothered by the sudden darkness because they were ustomed to seeing without light.


    "Ah, you are right. So it''s not just one demon."


    Unexpectedly, Shen Minyao sounded so excited, despite knowing the serious situation they were in.


    "Hellreaver!" She called out, and suddenly, the silver bracelet on her wrist shone brightly and turned back into its original sword form.


    Sensing a growing demonic presence around them, the sword on her hand vibrated, informing Shen Minyao of its need to feed on the demons.


    "Don''t worry. Be good and cooperate. Then, perhaps we could have a feast tonight." Shen Minyao told her sword with a wicked grin on her face. She licked her lips in anticipation. "Please let this be good, or else¡­"


    She had waited for weeks just so she could hunt demons to feed on.


    "Don''t lower your guard down," Qin Zhi reminded her, knowing that one trait that could be Shen Minyao''s weakness was her impatience.


    "I know. Just have my back."


    There he was, the older brother who was always worrying about her. Well, she supposed it couldn''t be helped. Qin Zhi was probably trying to keep her alive this time.


    They stepped outside the hallway. They weren''t surprised to see women-like figures headed their way. Their faces looked horrendous and unrecognizable as they appeared to be humans whose faces had melted, making their skin sink and leaving their eye sockets empty.


    They were walking towards Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi at a slow pace, but the two didn''t dare to lower their guard in case of a sneak attack.


    "Ghosts?" Shen Minyao frowned, but she shook her head. Her nose wouldn''t deceive her. These were previously humans, but they turned into demons! She reminded herself.


    These were the kind of demons who were humans in the past and had lost their children. In their attempt to find their missing children, they wandered around until they eventually turned into mindless demons that usually preyed on pregnant women and young children.


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes. These kinds of demons wander on their own, so how was it possible that they appeared altogether?

 Chapter 157 - Child-Eating Monsters (2)

    There was something Shen Minyao couldn''t understand, though. These child-eating demons were known to be solitary creatures and didn''t get along well with other demons. So how was it possible that there were more than a dozen of them in this area?


    What''s more, the first time she and Qin Zhi hade here, they didn''t show up like this. It was as if these demons were anticipating their arrival today. Since these demons were mindless and only moved based on instincts, it made Shen Minyao wonder how they could move uniformly.


    Two demons surged forward, attacking Shen Minyao. She was able to avoid the sharp ws of the first demon that was targeting her midsection, while she swished her de to force the second one to back off.


    Meanwhile, Qin Zhi easily deflected the attacks of the other three demons that came for Shen Minyao. He shared the same thoughts with his sister and wondered where these demons came from.


    To be a child-eating demon, a woman must recently give birth and lose her child before her death. She would then wander around mindlessly for a certain amount of time before her soul grew tainted with her deep desire to find her missing child.


    For this reason, they continued to roam around as demons, feeding on the life essences of the young children they encountered along their way. They were harmless when encountered, but if they were triggered, they were pretty dangerous as an opponent since they attacked recklessly.


    Just as the fox demons thought they saw the demons they were looking for, they sensed the presence of other demonsing from the outside.


    Qin Zhi narrowed his eyes as he lifted his right arm. A sh of light then blinded the other demons. Once the light dissipated, a naginata appeared(1) on his hand. He was proficient in sword fighting, but using naginata was his favorite to use, as he could use it while horseback riding or dealing with several enemies all at once.


    With a length of over two meters, the naginata was an extremely effective weapon on the battlefield.


    He used his spatial awareness ability, and his eyes shed at once. In an instant, he was able to sense over a hundred lower demonsing their way. At this discovery, Qin Zhi realized that they might have fallen into someone''s trap.


    He gave his sister a side nce. He got a feeling that this case was connected to the previous one Daji had told him earlier. As for the demons that wereing their way, they might havee for her.


    Giving it a good thought, the problem seemed to start when Daji escaped from the Qingqiu Mountain. Whoever was targeting his sister must be aware that she was still in Jiang City, and they wanted to y a game with her.


    A rogue exorcist, she said, but Qin Zhi thought of the probability that the exorcist was merely a vessel of an equally powerful demon like Su Daji.


    "You have a lot of guests outside," he told his sister with a knowing look in his eyes.


    Shen Minyao scoffed. So many demons were swarming around the ce¡­ she surmised that they were lured out, and someone was expecting their arrival tonight.


    Was it the rogue exorcist? She wondered. However, that exorcist was a human. It''s impossible for a human to control demons of such a high caliber.


    "The more, the better," she said as her de impaled the first child-eating demon in front of her. Coming here meant they were willing prey for her to devour.


    The demon howled in pain, which forced the others to still their movements. The de of the Hellreaver on the fox woman''s hand turned pitch-ck as it broke the demonic orb inside its prey before absorbing the power within.


    Shen Minyao could feel the essenceing from her sword flowing in her body. Her senses heightened, allowing her to track the movements of the other demons outside the school. In a few minutes, they would be here.


    Qin Zhi''s subordinates might not be able to stop the horde of lower demons that were about to arrive, given how many demons hade with this swarm.


    The other child-eating demons pounced towards her in an attempt to kill her at once, but Shen Minyao pulled out her de, her body twisting in midair. She barely evaded the striking ws that were about to hit her. The long braid of her hair pped on her small back as shended a couple of feet away from the demons.


    "Seventeen child-eating demons and unidentified lower demons outside. Daji, just who did you offend this time?" Qin Zhi asked as he whisked his naginata in the air. He didn''t fail to notice that these demons zeroed in their attention on his sister and barely noticed his presence at all.


    Why did the demons suddenlye for his sister?


    The child-eating demons only attacked Shen Minyao, so naturally, Qin Zhi tried to hold back the others, giving his sister ample time to devour their orb one by one.


    Suddenly, all the ss windows at the school shattered¡ªwhich confused Qin Zhi. The low-ranking demons outside shouldn''t be able to do such damage, considering how weak their willpower was to affect physical objects around them.


    "Something is wrong," Qin Zhi said. "They are usually stronger than usual."


    "Hn. It seems like it."


    Child-eating demons were mostly at lower and mid-rank levels, but Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi found themselves having a hard time deflecting powerful strikes from these demons when they should be able to counter these creatures with their speed.


    As he looked at these demons, he somewhat found it weird that they seemed to be observing the foxes with their eyeless sockets.


    "They are being controlled," he said after observing the demons'' unusual behavior and actions. "He or she must be a master enchanter to be able to control this herd of demons on our way!"

 Chapter 158 - Child-Eating Monsters (3)

    "Utter foolishness! That''s impossible!" Shen Minyao replied as she deflected one w aiming at her face again and exerted more force on her sword, shing her enemy into two. She then stabbed her de on its head, allowing her Hellreaver to absorb its essence.


    The fox woman was a master enchanter herself, and she had never encountered a demon nor a human that was able to enchant so many demons all at once. In the past, Daji was able to control humans to kill each other as her pastime, but forcing her will on other demons needed a lot of energypared to controlling weak humans.


    "Follow me outside," Qin Zhi told her before he sprinted to the nearest open window and leaped out.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t sure what her brother was nning, but she followed his lead. She took back her de from the remains of the demon she killed earlier and ran outside. The child-eating demons saw that she was escaping and chased after her in a hurry.


    None of them noticed the moonlight that dimmed for a moment and then brightened once more after the dark cloud passed. The fox siblings were too preupied with the child-eating demons, while Qin Zhi''s men obstructed the lower demons that were about to join the battle at the yard of the kindergarten.


    The ce used to be filled with children running around and ying with each other, but tonight, demons had invaded their yground and turned it into a battlefield, leaving destruction in its wake.


    "Are they being controlled?" Shen Minyao asked her brother, wanting to make sure she heard him right. Who could have possessed such power to force so many demons to do their bidding?


    Instead of answering her question, Qin Zhi''s form returned to his original appearance. Under the pale moonlight, his pale-blonde hair was almost eye-catching. He was taller than Shen Minyao who was standing next to him, with his face handsome, giving an aristocratic aura around him. He had a face that could make most women stop even if he was a demon, and he was trained to keep his cool in intense situations.


    "Stand down!" Qin Zhimanded his people. Not only did these demons look suspicious, but the scents they were emitting also disturbed him on the most primitive levels.


    He then whisked his naginata above his head, and its de released a powerful spiritual st to the lower demons that his subordinates failed to kill, getting rid of most of them in one hit. His long hair wildly fluttered behind his back as he made sure not to get his subordinates caught up in his attack.


    Shen Minyao whistled, her eyes sparkling with amusement as the other demons were killed by him. Her brother barely changed after centuries of them not seeing each other. His eyes were devoid of emotion during a fight, his movements graceful and calcted. His long mane reached past his waist and looked as manly as before her confinement.


    Qin Zhi had be a demon lord without and, worthy of Shen Minyao''s praise. While other high-ranking demons preferred to utilize their subordinates, Qin Zhi stood with his men on the field. No wonder his name was known in the demon world. With one sh of his de, hundreds of demons disintegrated into nothingness.


    "There''s another wave of demons approaching," he told his sister.


    "There''s more?" Shen Minyao frowned. If she wouldn''t be able to devour their orbs, then what''s the point of theming here?


    "How annoying." She grimaced as she continued to fight with the other child-eating demons. Looking at them made Shen Minyao feel disgusted by their appearance.


    Humans, she thought. Was their inability to ept their death and the loss of their children enough reason for them to be demons who snatched another human mother''s child?


    Their heads were almost bald, with only a few strands of hair left on each. Theirplexions were pale but wrinkly, and they emitted this kind of scent that was revolting to the fox demon''s sensitive nose. These demons would leave such a faint scent on their prey until the child sumbed to its own death.


    "Tell me something I don''t know," Qin Zhi responded, tight-lipped. It would be pointless to keep killing these demons if he couldn''t locate their master. He was sure that it was nearby, watching him and his sister fight with these demons.


    Just like he said, this time, flying demons covered the sky above them and attacked the two fox demons at once.


    Qin Zhi''s men lifted their heads and stood frozen as they watched another wave of demonsing towards them. Flying demons were harder to deal with as they could not stay still, and the flying vermin could easily evade their attacks.


    Shen Minyao was already busy dealing with the child-eating demons, and she had already killed five so far. However, she needed to give her sword enough time to steal their energies before they perishedpletely, leaving her weaponless once in a while.


    Qin Zhi''s eyes shed again. He pointed the tip of his de up the sky. Shen Minyao stood closely behind him, in an attempt not to be hit by the lightning strikes he was about to unleash.


    "Rain of Thunder!" He yelled, and several lightning bolts struck down from the dark clouds to the area where Qin Zhi was. Screams of demons zapped dead resounded in the air until there were no traces of their bodies left.


    While Daji''s affinity was with fire and wind, Qin Zhi was with thunder and poisons. Flying demons and poisonous ones had no match against him. However, he would surely have a hard time dealing with a high-ranking demon whose affinity was earth.


    "Sweet~" Shen Minyao sang out as she pulled her de out from her sixth victim. Only eleven child-eating demons left.


    Her brother had used two skills that require high spiritual powers, but she couldn''t sense that his strength had weakened.. Not one bit.

 Chapter 159 - I Have Waited Hundreds Of Years (1)

    Unlike other demons whose dream was the supreme conquest of bing the strongest demon of them all, Qin Zhi had a docile temperament and refused to get involved with fights among the demons since he took Feng Jiu as his wife centuries ago. Still, it didn''t change the fact that he would be a formidable opponent for other high-ranking demons such as Daji.


    Shen Minyao wondered if they could spar anytime soon. She grew curious about just how strong her brother became over the centuries of their separation. It was hard to tell if he got stronger or if he''d reached a bottleneck since her confinement at Qingqiu Mountain.


    The fox woman was aware that her confinement and Feng Jiu''s death had affected her brother somehow. She just wasn''t sure how he coped up with the loss, and she doubted that he''d been well on his own for the past centuries.


    Her thoughts were pulled back to reality when she noticed that her sword had consumed enough energy for the day. Ah, as expected, Hellreaver still had such a huge appetite. Now that its hunger had been satisfied, it wanted to witness some more bloodshed.


    Shen Minyao scoffed. Such a demanding weapon, it was. Anyway, it was fine. She also felt the same. She still hadn''t seen enough blood for today, and she hadn''t consumed enough demon orbs as well.


    The demoness swished her de again, decapitating her enemy before piercing its chest to retrieve a small red orb with her sharp ws. As soon as the fallen demon touched the ground, it started to disintegrate into nothingness without a trace.


    Because they were originally humans, their souls would never reincarnate and be reborn as a human again. This was why it was a shame that some humans couldn''t let go of their grievances and regrets, forbidding them to move forward.


    "I don''t like this," Qin Zhimented while his sister continued to fight with the remaining child-eating demons on her own. He could sense several eyes set on them, but he couldn''t pinpoint their exact location.


    If it was a demon, it was doing a good job suppressing its presence, even against Qin Zhi''s high-level spatial awareness ability.


    "What do you mean?" Shen Minyao replied, enjoying the way these demons were trying to overwhelm her by attacking her all at once.


    "We are being watched. Someone has anticipated that we will be here."


    Whoever was controlling these demons and hoping that the trap was enough to subdue her¡­ was gravely mistaken. Shen Minyao wasn''t sure about the intention of that person, but she wouldn''t easily sumb to these lesser demons. Even a fellow demon, who had the same rank as she had right now, would have a hard time defeating her.


    Was this person testing her? She could feel a shiver up her spine as if someone was watching her with undivided attention. Her eyes then glowed in the darkness, heightening her senses to scan the ce. However, it was clear that the watcher had no intention of revealing itself. She couldn''t sense any demons in the four-kilometer radius of the school premises, aside from the child-eating monsters she was dealing with.


    ''Coward,'' Shen Minyao thought as she sneered inwardly. She felt like she was being looked down upon at the moment. How dare they look down on a mighty demon such as herself?!


    She didn''t like being the center of attention. She would rather be the one watching in amusement, not the other way around. Shen Minyao swore that once she found out who it was, she would return this ''favor'' a hundred times!


    Qin Zhi remained silent at the sidelines as he gave it a good thought. Why did he feel like someone lured them here? Did that person know that he and Daji would willinglye here on their own?


    The probability was high¡­ if that person was the one responsible for the sudden spike of demonic activities at Jiang City and the neighboring cities around it. However, why would it target his younger sister?


    He would need to review all the active demonic cases in Jiang City to see if they were somehow connected to each other, as his sister imed it to be. He initially thought that the case at the kindergarten was an isted case that could easily be solved if they eliminated the demon who caused it.


    He stared at his sister. Daji''s enemies from the past had been long gone. Her lord husband, the emperor, had died a year after her first host fell under Jiang Mo''s de, with her spirit being sealed by Li Yun. Qin Zhi wasn''t sure if she had made enemies with other high-ranking demons, as he never heard her speak about her personal affairs and problems in the past.


    From afar, three figures were watching on top of a high building. One person, whose face was covered by the hood, was seated on the edge of the roof while the two stood idly behind him. Half of his face was hidden in the shadow, but it was clear that he was smirking. His eyes had never left the woman fighting with the child-eating demons he was manipting.


    "Ah, I see. She still has the same temper as before." He chuckled with amusement.


    Hispanions remained silent as if they hadn''t heard what the man said and kept their gazes at Shen Minyao.


    "I have waited hundreds of years for her to return. Damn that Jiang Mo for killing her. If he was here, I would have stabbed him a thousand times for his impertinence."


    Still, no one responded to his words. It made it look like he was talking out loud to himself.


    Suddenly, Shen Minyao stood still and slowly suppressed her demonic presence. A deep scowl appeared on her face.


    Qin Zhi furrowed his brows in confusion¡­ before his nose caught a familiar scent of a humaning towards them.. It was the same human who apanied his sister to the Fourth District.

 Chapter 160 - I Have Waited Hundreds Of Years (2)

    "Jiang Chen and the others areing. Hurry and return to your human form," Shen Minyao told him.


    What were they doing here? She wondered. She had never mentioned anything to Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi, so why did Jiang Chen bring the two with him?


    Foolish human. Hadn''t he seen how dangerous it would be for Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi if they were exposed to these demons? Although these child-eating demons like to feed on young children and infants, they could still harm a grown-up human.


    There were five child-eating monsters left for her to deal with, and she had no doubt that those two psychics would have no chance of winning against them, but it was a different matter if it was Li Fei''er. Since she was a shaman, she would have a higher chance to win against these demons.


    Shen Minyao huffed in annoyance. She should have killed these demons earlier. If Li Fei''er exorcised these demons, then she would also lose her chance to devour their orbs.


    Qin Zhi wasn''t sure what kind of rtionship his sister had with these humans for her to act this way, but he followed her words, anyway. Just before his demonic presence disappeared, he caught the faint scent of Li Fei''er, and then he understood why his sister behaved differently.


    To think that, even in this era, his little wife was still involved with supernatural urrences surprised Qin Zhi. Why was fate so cruel to his beloved? Why couldn''t they allow his Feng Jiu to lead a normal, happy life as a human?


    He raised his hand at his subordinates, wordlessly telling them to retreat and hide from the humans that were about to arrive. He pondered if he should leave with them as well, but it was toote for him to make a decision. The three humans came running towards them as soon as they alighted from the car Jiang Chen was driving.


    Lu Anqi shrieked and staggered back behind Jiang Chen as they saw demons approaching Shen Minyao.


    Jiang Chen''s eyes narrowed as he looked at Shen Minyao and the same man he saw at the Fourth District. He had no doubts now that Shen Minyao was affiliated with this demon.


    Qin Zhi watched as Li Fei''er came to his sight and pulled out an amulet from her side pocket. He watched as she summoned tworge, ferocious beast wolves that were bigger than a human. One was white; the other was ck.


    He could see that the two wolves had red markings on their foreheads and below their red eyes. Their paws were twice asrge as a human''s feet, and their ws were sharp as razors.


    They growled, baring their sharp teeth before pouncing at one of the child-eating demons that his sister had yet to defeat. Like a pair of real wolves, they sank their sharp fangs on the throats of the demons and forcefully ripped them apart.


    These kinds of shikigamis were hard to control as they consumed a lot of spiritual powers from their masters, but Qin Zhi was impressed that Li Fei''er seemed to have absolute control over these beasts. The more shikigami a shaman could control, the stronger they were.


    Li Fei''er hurriedly ran towards Shen Minyao and threw her binding talismans in the air, forcing the other demons away from her ssmate. She hade with Lu Anqi to help Jiang Chen do an inspection of this kindergarten tonight. Imagine her shock when they saw a huge swarm of demonsing towards their destination.


    Jiang Chen had told them about the possibility of a demon being involved in this case, but neither of them thought that it would be that much!


    What''s more, Li Fei''er didn''t expect to see Shen Minyao in the area; neither did she spot Xiao Bai anywhere. Ever since she started seeing Xiao Bai, she had never seen Shen Minyao without the white fat cat around.


    No wonder she couldn''t reach her ssmate through the phone call earlier; Shen Minyao was too busy dealing with these demons.


    "Yaoyao, are you okay? What are you doing here?" She asked and gave Shen Minyao a good look, making sure that thetter wasn''t injured. Her eyes then caught a familiar person standing on one side.


    "CEO Qin?" She was surprised to see him here with Shen Minyao. What was he doing here? And why was he holding a long, weird weapon?


    "What''s going on?" She asked Shen Minyao. "Why''s CEO Qin here with you?"


    "He''s just like me," Shen Minyao said with a straight face as if that was enough to exin the rtionship she had with Qin Zhi. "I should be the one asking you why you''re all here."


    "Mr. Jiang called me to ask for help. I tried to call you, but I couldn''t seem to reach you," Li Fei''er replied, not aware that Qin Zhi was staring at her.


    "Ah, no wonder my phone was vibrating in my pocket nonstop earlier," Shen Minyao replied as she lowered her guard and pulled out her phone, confirming that Li Fei''er had indeed tried to reach her earlier.


    "Would you excuse me, then? I need to finish my work here," The fox demoness then spoke again before she walked past Li Fei''er and swung her sword as if testing its weight on her hands.


    Li Fei''er stared at Shen Minyao''s back before her eyes were drawn to the sword her friend was holding. She could sense a dark auraing from Shen Minyao''s sword, and she was curious as to how her friend was able to repel it.


    If an ordinary human was exposed to such a sinister auraing from the sword, Li Fei''er had no doubt that the person would lose their rational mind at once.. For Shen Minyao to be able to resist such influence, Li Fei''er thought that her friend might have strong willpower to ovee the corruptioning from the sword.

 Chapter 161 - Poisonous Miasma (1)

    Li Fei''er still had no idea what kind of ability Shen Minyao had and what she was. Li Fei''er would be lying if she said that she wasn''t curious about Shen Minyao, but she wasn''t certain that Shen Minyao would disclose the truth.


    Shen Minyao was, no doubt, not an ordinary human. From the moment Li Fei''er met her, Shen Minyao was able to face dangerous spirits and demons without showing fear in her visage.


    As Li Fei''er watched her swing her sword towards the demons, the shaman could see that her friend was somewhat enjoying it. It baffled her how Shen Minyao could remain calm in front of these dangerous demons.


    She had never seen Shen Minyao look any enthusiastic¡ªdespite her emotionless face¡ªwhen ughtering spirits and demons, nor was she aware that Shen Minyao was proficient in sword-fighting.


    "Miss Shen, another wave of demons ising from above."


    Suddenly, Qin Zhi''s cold voice made Li Fei''er shiver. She lifted her head in the sky and saw a thick mass of demons approaching them. This wasrger than the first two swarms of demons they had seen earlier.


    She had never seen such a number of demons gathering in the same ce before, and she was briefly reminded by Jiang Chen earlier that the city would be in danger if they decided to invade and live with the humans.


    Wait. Just who killed those demons earlier? She and Jiang Chen sensed two powerful demons in the area, and now that they were here, Li Fei''er couldn''t find a trace of them.


    Just what had happened?


    They had seen lightning strikes up above the sky when the demons first arrived, effectively killing them altogether. Li Fei''er had never encountered a demon as powerful as that. She had no doubt that they were no match against that demon.


    Li Fei''er summoned another one of her shikigamis, and this time, a huge eagle appeared beside her. It was at least three heads taller than her and was looking at the approaching demons with contempt.


    Fear was apparent on Lu Anqi''s face, while Jiang Chen was a little uncertain about what he could do next. It was understandable for the fox demons because it wasn''t every day that humans got to see such an overwhelming number of demons flocking in the same ce.


    While Li Fei''er was distracted, Shen Minyao killed the remaining child-eating demons, took their meager demon orbs, and hid them with the intention to devour themter. Now, the only pressing issue that they needed to solve was how to get rid of the iing demons.


    "What do we do now?" Li Fei''er asked once thest child-eating demon fell by Shen Minyao''s de. "We need to do something before the demons decide to settle in the city."


    Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi joined the three once he deemed it safe enough for Lu Anqi to stand next to Li Fei''er. He didn''t expect to see Shen Minyao here with another demon, but he was more shocked to see demons arriving in the city like this.


    This only made his resolve to learn demon exorcism stronger than before. He could not leave this kind of exorcism to Li Fei''er, especially to Shen Minyao. Who knew what this fox demon was thinking and why she was pretending to be ''Shen Minyao'' and living among the humans?


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao gave Qin Zhi a knowing look. Because they were forced to suppress their demonic presence, none of them would be able to kill those demons just from the minuscule power left in their bodies.


    Then, what should they do? It would have been better if these humans hadn''te and gotten involved in this case, especially now that it was clear that someone was targeting Shen Minyao.


    "There''s a way, but I don''t have enough spiritual powers to trap all the demons."


    Qin Zhi''s next words took everyone''s attention. The three humans found it so out of ce to see a businessman like him standing on the school grounds with a weapon in his hand.


    "What do you mean, Mr. Qin?" Li Fei''er asked, ignoring how her heartbeat sped up the moment her eyesy on this man. She couldn''t understand this invisible pull between them and wondered if she was the only one who could feel it.


    "These are low-level demons. Miss Shen and I could eradicate them, but with their numbers right now, they are quite overwhelming. You are a shaman, are you not?" He asked in return.


    Li Fei''er nodded as a response. Did Shen Minyao tell him about her family business?


    "Then, you are capable of making a barrier, I assume?" Qin Zhi then nced at Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi who were practically useless at this moment. These psychics were no match against these demons, after all.


    "I see. So you n to set a barrier and trap all of those demons within the school grounds. Not bad, Mr. Qin," Shen Minyaomented once she realized what her brother''s n was.


    "But wouldn''t that be dangerous for you and Yaoyao?" Li Fei''er frowned.


    They might be low-level demons, but it wouldn''t change the fact that they were demons and that they could hurt Shen Minyao and CEO Qin. Li Fei''er forced himself to set aside her confusion and curiosity towards Qin Zhi and Shen Minyao for the meantime.


    "It''s alright, Miss Li," Qin Zhi reassured her. There was a subtle gentleness in his tone that made Shen Minyao arch a slender brow at him.


    So it turned out that whether it was in the past or in the future, Feng Jiu was still a pearl in his hand.


    In contrast, Li Fei''er wondered why she was having a weird reaction when facing Qin Zhi like this.


    "So long as you would be able to keep up with the barrier, Miss Shen and I would be able to deal with the problem. It''s important that we kill every one of them. Please make sure none of you would step inside the barrier, we wouldn''t be able to assure your safety if you ended up trapped inside with us."


    Li Fei''er nced at Shen Minyao''s way as if she was seeking thetter''s opinion. If Shen Minyao said ''no'' and did not trust Qin Zhi''s suggestion, then she wouldn''t do it.


    Shen Minyao nodded with her ever impassive face. She understood that she and Qin Zhi had to rely on physical attacks to kill these demons, without catching the attention of other psychics and exorcists nearby.


    However, there were three waves of demonic invasion in this area. There was no doubt that this ce would attract people to do paranormal investigations. The ss windows had shattered all at the same time, the yground beyond recognition as if it was demolished by some unknown entity.


    What''s more, the fact that children had fallen sick and that the doctors failed to diagnose what made them ill would be suspicious and eerie for humans.


    "It''s alright, ssmate Li," Shen Minyao told her. "Please keep the barrier up as long as you can or until Mr. Qin and I were done with them."


    She lifted her de, and it shone under the moonlight. However, with the demon horde fast approaching, the collective shadow cast over them, hiding the moon from their eyes.


    Li Fei''er pondered if there was no other way. Of course, there was, but the two fox demons weren''t willing to disclose their identities yet, especially Shen Minyao who was still being hunted by Li Fei''er''s family.


    "It''s almost time. Hurry," Qin Zhi told Li Fei''er, wanting her to leave and stay in a safe ce with her friends, while he and Shen Minyao dealt with these demons.


    "Mr. Jiang, Lu Anqi, I will be troubling you to set these talismans around the perimeter." Li Fei''er pulled a handful of talismans for the two to collect¡­ before giving Shen Minyao onest look. "We''ll be waiting for you at the front gates."


    Shen Minyao nodded and watched as the three humans moved all at once and scattered the talismans just so Li Fei''er could set up the barrier. Once done, Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi met with Li Fei''er at the front gates. The shaman then waited for the demons to move closer down to the earth before she erected the barriers, forbidding them to escape.


    "Ah, she ignored you, dear brother." She chuckled once the three were out of sight. "If I was born a male, do you think Feng Jiu would have fallen for me instead of you?"


    How could she let this chance to annoy her brother slip by? Of course, she was aware of the subtle change in Li Fei''er''s expression whenever she looked at Qin Zhi earlier.


    "You are speaking such nonsense again.." Qin Zhi scowled and turned his back on her, shing a couple of demons that attacked him from midair, earning a grin from Shen Minyao.

 Chapter 162 - Poisonous Miasma (2)

    As soon as the demons were within the vicinity, Li Fei''er summoned her shikigamis back to preserve her spiritual powers and erected the barrier at once. She could only hope that Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi would be able to defeat those demons without getting injured.


    The three of them waited outside the barrier and watched as the demons tried to break the barrier, only for the demons to be electrified upon contact.


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi didn''t waste time and eradicated the demons once they were assured that the three humans wouldn''t be able to interfere by then. Qin Zhi returned to his original form as a fox demon, with his long pale-blond hair standing out amongst the horde of ck.


    Shen Minyao remained in her human form and only heightened her speed as she shed with the other demons. Just like Qin Zhi said earlier, these demons were weak, but because they came as a crowd, they proved to be a handful to deal with.


    They were more agitated than the first two that arrived. Their eyes were zing red and behavior more primal, something that Qin Zhi and Shen Minyao didn''t fail to notice. A normal low-level demon would have run away to save themselves if they sensed Qin Zhi''s presence, but these demons showed no terror as they attacked the fox demons mindlessly.


    It also didn''t help that they could sense the same eyes from afar, watching the two of them.


    ''Whoever it is, I will kill them with my own hands.'' Shen Minyao grimaced, a little annoyed that she was being used as a source of entertainment. If she had the same power she had in her past life as a high-level demon, she wouldn''t have a hard time locating that insolent being.


    ''Darn it. So troublesome!'' The fox woman cursed inwardly. Still, she continued to kill and shed her enemies with her de.


    "Ah, she''s upset now." The man watching the fox womanughed to himself and cupped his chin. "She remained the same. So prideful and yet so arrogant. Do you think she''s upset because I don''t want to meet her yet?"


    As expected, hispanions remained silent. They stood unmoving behind him as if they didn''t care what he was doing to Shen Minyao at all.


    "Let''s spice up this game and see if they would be able to defeat these demons," the man said and snapped his fingers. "Imperial Consort Su, what would you do now?"


    Suddenly, the demons that fell because of Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi''s des emitted a thick ck fog from their bodies, forcing the two fox demons to step back from each of them.


    "What is it now?" Shen Minyao asked in annoyance before covering her nose in disgust.


    "Miasma," Qin Zhi replied. He didn''t need to cover his nose and mouth as he had high resistance from any poison and venom, unlike Shen Minyao. He gave a reminder: "Be careful not to inhale it. Your human host wouldn''t be able to tolerate it."


    "I know," Shen Minyao answered. She would be able to hold her breath for a few minutes, but this also meant that she and Qin Zhi needed to eliminate the demons and stop the poisonous miasma from going outside the barrier.


    Only then did she realize the purpose of this scheme towards them. The fox woman''s hold on her sword tightened, her eyes narrowing dangerously. The more they killed these demons, the more the miasma in the air would be potent.


    If she and Qin Zhi killed these demons with their des and allowed Li Fei''er to bring down the barrier, the miasma would spread through the surrounding areas, killing innocent humans in the process. This would be a conundrum they needed to solve as soon as possible.


    The fox woman sneered. She had enough of this already. She didn''t care about the safety of the humans living near the area. Shen Minyao was more than upset; someone had the audacity to taunt her like this?!


    She lifted her left hand and summoned a wisp of fox fire, effectively burning alive the demons that were caught by it. Their howls of pain as they rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire on their bodies, filled the area. s, it was impossible for any demon to extinguish it unless they were also a fellow fox demon who had the ability to summon fox fire.


    Their bodies burned until there was nothing left; be it flesh or bones. The miasma emitting from their ashes wereparatively lower than what their blood produced if they were killed using the fox demons'' des instead.


    Seeing that Shen Minyao had effectively lessened the miasma around them by burning the corpses, Qin Zhi cast a spell and electrified the remaining demons until no one remained standing, leaving a thick fog of miasma inside the barrier.


    Meanwhile, the three humans waiting outside the front gaze noticed a dark fog inside the barrier Li Fei''er had set up. Sweat trickled along the side of her face when she realized what it was.


    "What is that?" Lu Anqi asked. She could see the ck fog getting thicker inside the barrier, but she had no idea what it was.


    "A miasma. A poisonous one," Li Fei''er replied. She was worried about Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi that were left inside the barrier. Had she known this would happen, she wouldn''t agree easily with Qin Zhi''s suggestion. Now, it only put him and Shen Minyao at risk by getting them exposed to this miasma.


    Of course, as a shaman, Li Fei''er was capable of purifying the ce, but that would mean she had to remove the barrier first. However, doing that meant that the miasma would spread around unhindered by anything. Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi might even drop dead the moment they inhaled the miasma.


    "What should I do?" She chewed her lower lip, aware of her spiritual powers running out so fast. Using her three shikigamis earlier had already consumed a lot of her strength earlier.


    However, if she kept the barrier up, Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi would die from the poisonous miasma.


    "Lady Li, you can leave the barrier to me. You can focus on purifying the ce instead."


    A familiar voice reached Li Fei''er''s ears, and she couldn''t believe her luck when Mu Qing had arrived just in time to save them from the trouble.


    She turned her head, her lips breaking into a wide smile as soon as she saw Mu Qing standing near them.


    "Lord Hell, it''s been a while!" She greeted him.


    Mu Qing only nodded in response before his eyes bored into the thick ck miasma that umted within the barrier Li Fei''er was currently supporting.


    "Let me set another barrier first," he said before casting a spell overhead.


    Lu Anqi questioned her boss if he knew this person who suddenly showed up to help them.


    Jiang Chen only shrugged. How was he supposed to exin that a demon like Shen Minyao and a shaman like Li Fei''er were involved with a grim reaper like Mu Qing?


    "You can see him?" He raised a brow at his young assistant.


    Lu Anqi frowned at that. Why would Jiang Chen doubt her now?


    "Why wouldn''t I? Is he a ghost or something?" She frowned at him.


    They then lifted their heads as soon as a grayish veil slowly descended around the school grounds. It was visiblyrger than the barrier Li Fei''er made, dwarfing it in the process. When it was done, it looked like the whole ce was encased in a huge dome instead.


    Li Fei''er released a breath she didn''t know she was holding upon seeing what Mu Qing had done. She immediately lowered the barrier she made and wondered how Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi were faring inside the dome.


    "Shen Minyao is inside?" Mu Qing asked as he noticed the worried expression Li Fei''er had.


    Li Fei''er nodded and bit her lip.


    "She went inside, along with Mr. Qin, to kill the demons that suddenly appeared in this area. I''m not sure what they were doing here when they didn''te here with us. They asked me to set a barrier to forbid the demons from fleeing around the city, but we didn''t expect that they would produce such a powerful miasma."


    "Don''t worry about her. She can take care of herself," Mu Qing said nonchntly, but it wasn''t enough for Li Fei''er to calm her nerves.


    Whether Mu Qing believed in Shen Minyao''s abilities or that he just didn''t care about her welfare, Li Fei''er wasn''t sure.


    "You should start purifying the ce, Lady Li," Mu Qing reminded her. "While I can assure you that not a hint of miasma would be able to leave this ce, I can only hold it for at least ten minutes."


    "It''s okay, Lord Hell.. It''s more than enough for me."

 Chapter 163 - Mu Qings Intention (1)

    The moment another barrier appeared above them, Shen Minyao had realized that Mu Qing appeared nearby. Li Fei''er also brought down the one she made earlier, allowing Mu Qing to take over the protection, keeping the miasma from spreading around the residential area where the humans lived.


    "A grim reaper?" Qin Zhi looked at his sister with curiosity. He understood her need to pretend as a human, for her to be able to hide from the other shamans and exorcists. However, he didn''t think she would involve herself with an odd group of people.


    "Hn. I didn''t expect that he would be here," Shen Minyao replied, ignoring her brother''s unspoken question.


    What could she say? She and Mu Qing were only acquainted with each other because their interests somewhat aligned with their goals. It wasn''t like she was willing to lend a hand to Mu Qing casually. It wouldn''t go on for too long, though. Shen Minyao was sure that they would oppose each other eventually.


    Suddenly, they sensed that the miasma was being purified from the outside. Sparks of electricity appeared around Shen Minyao. It was only natural for Li Fei''er''s purifying skill to affect every demon in the vicinity, including Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi.


    "She''s purifying the ce. Should we get going?" She asked Qin Zhi.


    Qin Zhi''s naginata disappeared from his hand, while Shen Minyao''s Hellreaver returned to its previous state as a bracelet. It vibrated, violently trying to reject the purification that Li Fei''er was giving to the ce from outside the barrier.


    "Should I break the grim reaper''s barrier, then?" Qin Zhi asked in return, but by doing that, the humans outside would realize that it was broken by a demon.


    Shen Minyao didn''t respond and pondered at her choices. Qin Zhi wouldn''t be affected by Li Fei''er''s purifying skill, but it would hurt her and her Hellreaver if they decided to stay.


    ''Damn you, Mu Qing. What are you trying to y now?'' She thought.


    Li Fei''er wouldn''t dare to lower her barrier and start purifying the ce if Mu Qing hadn''t shown up unannounced. Was he trying to kill her now? Shen Minyao wondered. After all, the king of theherworld and the deities would surely try to punish her for her crimes in her past life.


    ''You should take your leave before Lady Li kills you.''


    Suddenly, Mu Qing''s voice reached the fox woman. Shen Minyao blinked, trying to ascertain whether she was hearing things or Mu Qing was actually giving her a way out.


    ''Why are you doing this?'' She asked in return.


    Shen Minyao narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Why would Mu Qing offer help at a time like this? If Mu Qing had the intention to kill her, this was the best way for him to eliminate her: using Li Fei''er''s help.


    ''I''m not someone who likes to borrow a person''s dagger to kill someone else,'' Mu Qing replied as if knowing what she was thinking at that moment. ''I also have no interest in killing you.''


    ''Is that so?'' Shen Minyao replied. She sensed that Mu Qing was not lying, but she wasn''t certain of what his intention was¡ªextending an olive branch to her this time.


    ''There''s a weak spot at the back of the kindergarten where you could easily slip out along with yourpanion. Lady Li wouldn''t sense that you''d left,'' Mu Qing told her.


    Shen Minyao didn''t respond and fell silent. Her arm got a slight burn when another spark of electricity appeared. Li Fei''er''s purification began to touch her demonic aura. If this persisted, it would cause an injury to her human host.


    Sighing to herself, Shen Minyao knew by then that she had no other choice but to ept Mu Qing''s help. It was either that, or she could reveal her identity as the nine-tailed fox demon to Li Fei''er.


    Since Qin Zhi couldn''t hear the conversation between her and Mu Qing, he had no idea that words were spoken to her sister. He frowned when Shen Minyao started to walk away without a word, forcing him to follow after her.


    When they reached the backyard of the kindergarten, Shen Minyao used a small burst of her demonic power and punched a hole in the barrier. It wasn''t thatrge, but it was enough for Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi to leave the ce and avoid being purified by Li Fei''er''s powers.


    "How did you know about this?" Qin Zhi voiced out his curiosity.


    "That certain grim reaper wants me alive. It makes me wonder if he''s in cohorts with that person trying to annoy me to death earlier," Shen Minyao replied.


    She couldn''t sense that presence anymore as if it wasn''t there in the first ce, but the fox woman knew better. She might not be able to pinpoint their location, but they hadn''t hidden their presence altogether. They were purposely trying to annoy her, knowing that she would sense their presence from afar.


    "You should be careful with whom you are getting involved. I''m not sure how you ended up being acquainted with a grim reaper, butpared to a shaman and an exorcist, they are more capable of killing you if their superior told them so," Qin Zhi reminded her.


    "I know. You don''t have to tell me." Shen Minyao waited and watched as the burn on her right arm slowly healed on its own. If a human witnessed such a scene, there was no doubt that they would suspect that she was possessed or a demon.


    Qin Zhi nodded and didn''t say more. It was enough that his sister understood all of these. He didn''t like her to encounter another betrayal in this lifetime. It was enough that he had lost her once; he wouldn''t allow her to get hurt under his watch now that they''re together.


    "It''s a pity that Feng Jiu has been reborn as a shaman this time. I wonder what she will say if she finds out that she has unwillingly injured the two of us today." The fox woman chuckled as they made their way to meet the three humans and Mu Qing at the front gates of the school.


    It should give her enough time to heal her external injuries and repel the scent of the demons that clung to her body during their battle earlier.


    "She will be mortified," Qin Zhi replied. He wanted to correct his sister and say that he wasn''t injured at all, but he decided to keep it to himself. "Jiu hates it whenever you get hurt because of her."


    "Well, she wouldn''t know this time." Shen Minyao shrugged. "But I bet Li Fei''er is worried sick about me."


    Qin Zhi decided not to reply. Her tone was clearly teasing him again. For Li Fei''er to not remember him nor care about him¡­ it didn''t matter anyway. Li Fei''er might be his wife''s reincarnation, but it didn''t mean that she needed to be swayed and return to his arms in this state.


    The fact that she was now a shaman while he was still a demon wouldn''t allow them to reforge their bonds as husband and wife. Also, because Li Fei''er was still a human, Qin Zhi would still outlive her.


    When Li Fei''er saw Shen Minyao walking towards them along with Qin Zhi, she released a deep sigh. She was d that Shen Minyao managed toe back to them without any injuries, not knowing that she had burned Shen Minyao earlier because of her purification spell.


    The miasma inside the dome was also starting to get thinner, much to her relief.


    "Shen Minyao, are you alright?" Lu Anqi voiced Li Fei''er''s question. Because she needed to focus on purifying the ce, she couldn''t leave her ce and question Shen Minyao herself.


    "Thank you for your concern, Schoolmate Lu, but I''m perfectly fine. Mr. Qin managed to protect me from stronger demons."


    "What are you doing here, Mr. Qin?" This time, Lu Anqi questioned Qin Zhi. Of course, she and the others were surprised when they saw him apanying Shen Minyao earlier. Lu Anqi and Li Fei''er thought that Shen Minyao only met him back at their meeting at the shopping mall a few days ago.


    "I sensed a disturbance in this ce. It''s merely a coincidence that I met Miss Shen here." Qin Zhi only smiled.


    "Lord Hell, you are quitete," Shen Minyao told the grim reaper. "Did youe, expecting to collect more human souls tonight?"


    "En. I was asked to intervene," Mu Qing replied nonchntly. "The miasma that umted inside was enough to kill hundreds of humans in one night."


    Shen Minyao hummed and rubbed her chin. "Is that so?"


    She gave him a knowing look as if she was telling him: ''I thought you came here to kill me for good.''


    With her powers slowly arising since her awakening, it would only take a matter of time before Mu Qing''s superiors deemed her as a threat to humanity once more.

 Chapter 164 - Mu Qings Intention (2)

    They waited until Li Fei''er finished purifying the ce before they decided to leave. None of them uttered a single word as Shen Minyao joined her brother and Li Fei''er in his car, while Jiang Chen, Lu Anqi, and Mu Qing followed them shortly.


    Once Qin Zhi deemed it was safe for them to talk and have some privacy, he pulled the car to a stop and allowed the two young women to alight from it.


    They drove to the outskirts of the city, allowing them to see the scenery the city offered to them from a high altitude.


    Li Fei''er pulled her ssmate away from Qin Zhi, not knowing that her attempt was futile. Qin Zhi would still be able to hear their conversation clearly even from a safe distance to a human''s perspective.


    "Yaoyao, can you tell us what you are doing here with Mr. Qin?" Li Fei''er couldn''t stop herself from questioning Shen Minyao. It wasn''t like she didn''t trust Qin Zhi, but they had just recently met the man.


    It didn''t matter if Cheng Lifan knew him as a business partner, but it was suspicious to see a prominent bachelor hanging out with Shen Minyao.


    "Don''t misunderstand, Li Fei''er. Just like what Mr. Qin said earlier, our meeting tonight was just a coincidence. I was also surprised to find out that he''s there for the same reason."


    Li Fei''er furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"


    "I came here to investigate. I suppose the reason you also came with Mr. Jiang and Lu Anqi is that you heard the news?"


    "Right. We weren''t aware that you''de on your own. Why didn''t you bring Little Master with you?" Li Fei''er asked when she noticed that Xiao Bai was missing, which was unusual to see.


    "He''s with Brother Yichen right now. I heard that there was a demon haunting his home, so I decided to leave Xiao Bai to live with him temporarily."


    This time, Li Fei''er''s face broke into a smile. Shen Minyao rarely talked about her boyfriend, but it was obvious to her that Shen Minyao cared deeply about that man.


    "So Mr. Qin¡­?"


    Shen Minyao gave her an annoyed look. Did Li Fei''er just assume that she was attracted to her own brother?


    "Mr. Qin? I assure you he''s like a big brother to me. You should have seen how protective he was earlier. He must be worried I''ll be killed by the demons earlier."


    "Then, you should have told us rather than going there on your own."


    "I know what I''m doing, Li Fei''er. I''m aware of my limitations."


    "It''s not that I doubt you, Shen Minyao. Although you are still keeping things from me, I know you can handle yourself very well. I just hope you''ll try to rely on us and not bear all the trouble on your own."


    Shen Minyao stared at Li Fei''er nkly. She knew it was toote to distance herself from Li Fei''er, but she didn''t want to lead this woman anymore.


    "I''m perfectly fine, Li Fei''er. If you want to y detective with Mr. Jiang and Lu Anqi, you don''t have to tag me along."


    "But as humans who got special gifts, shouldn''t we use it to save the ones who need help?" Li Fei''er argued.


    Shen Minyao sneered as she faced the shaman.


    "You call that a ''gift''? Do you know how many psychics would rather choose to be normal than bear these curses? And what human? How dare youpare me to lowly humans like you?"


    Li Fei''er was taken aback. She had never seen Shen Minyao angry like this, but she didn''t mean to offend her friend with her words at all. She was merely concerned about Shen Minyao''s welfare.


    "Li Fei''er, I already told you what I am. Don''t me meter if you are proven wrong," she said and turned around, ready to leave.


    She had only taken a couple of steps away from Li Fei''er when she heard Li Fei''er calling out to her.


    "Shen Minyao, you were really telling the truth that you are a demon?!"


    Lu Anqi gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes nced at Li Fei''er and Shen Minyao whose face hardened at Li Fei''er''s question.


    Qin Zhi stood silently next to his car and watched them from afar. So it turned out his sister already told Li Fei''er the truth about her being a demon, but Li Fei''er didn''t take her words seriously.


    The tension in the air was so thick the humans felt a chilling wind pass them.


    "En," Shen Minyao replied as she looked at Li Fei''er over her shoulder. "The Shen Minyao that everyone knew has long been gone. This body is mine now."


    When Li Fei''er only answered her with silence, the fox woman hardened her jaws.


    "You don''t believe me?" She asked, but it sounded more like a statement on everyone''s ears.


    "H-how is that possible? A demon has no ability to exercise absolute control on a human during possession," Li Fei''er said in disbelief.


    How could she believe Shen Minyao''s im if she couldn''t even sense a hint of demonic possession on Shen Minyao''s body? She would have sensed it a long time ago if Shen Minyao''s body was being possessed by a demon.


    Too bad her young mind hadn''t considered the fact that the real Shen Minyao''s soul had already crossed boundaries, allowing the fox demon to possess her body.


    "You couldn''t tell? So howe Lord Hell and Mr. Jiang were able to?" Shen Minyao bit back. She was starting to feel annoyance over this conversation with Li Fei''er.


    She briefly remembered that Little Jiu wasn''t this clingy towards them, and after her awakening, didn''t the fox woman know better than building the same bond she had with Feng Jiu with Li Fei''er?


    Li Fei''er stared at Shen Minyao in shock. Her eyes then turned to Jiang Chen who avoided meeting her gaze. When her eyes met Mu Qing, he only nodded to confirm Shen Minyao''s im.


    "I apologize, Lady Li. It''s not my intention to lie to you, but Shen Minyao is correct."


    Li Fei''er''s whole body shivered, but not from the coldness of the night. It was from mistaking Shen Minyao for something else


    If Shen Minyao was really a demon, then what was she supposed to do? As she met Shen Minyao''s gaze, she could tell that Shen Minyao was also thinking the same thing.


    "So what if I am a demon? Would that mean we don''t deserve to walk the earth and lead a peaceful life like you humans? In your mind, demons¡­ regardless of their past and reasons, we are creatures you need to annihte, isn''t it?"


    Li Fei''er had no words for that. To be honest, she had never met a demon who had the ability to discern humannguage, but she had to admit that like the rest of the humans, she also had a prejudice towards the demons.


    "I don''t know¡­" This time, Li Fei''er''s tears rolled down uncontrobly. She then told Shen Minyao, "I don''t know much about demons, but I know I cannot kill you."


    "You are saying that now, but in the future, your family would pressure you to stand against me. You cannot avoid it," Shen Minyao said and resumed walking towards her brother.


    However, before she could take a seat on the passenger seat, Mu Qing arrived next to her side. He had such an imposing aura that she couldn''t ignore even if she wanted to. For him to seek her at a time like this, did something happen?


    "I need a word with you," he told her sternly. "I already found a lead about the exorcist."


    Li Fei''er wiped her tears dry and rushed to their side. Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi followed when they heard what Mu Qing said to Shen Minyao.


    "Lord Hell, do you really know who it is? What is his intention in helping the demons?" She asked Mu Qing.


    If the sudden spike of demonic activity in the city was truly caused by the rogue exorcist, then they should do something to capture it.


    Shen Minyao didn''t respond. There was no telling if the person who toyed with her and Qin Zhi earlier was the same rogue exorcist who made contact with the demons she''d killed so far.


    "Lord Hell, do I really need to hear this? What is to me?" She questioned Mu Qing.


    Instead of answering her verbally, Mu Qing used telepathy to answer her question. Li Fei''er and the other two humans didn''t need to know.


    ''The exorcist is like the real Shen Minyao. He has long left this ne. His body was possessed by another entity."


    ''And this concerns me because?''


    ''Because the person who possessed his body is rted to you.''


    When Shen Minyao said nothing, Mu Qing continued.


    ''That man was your Lord Husband, the Emperor, and he wants you back.''


    [Aren''t you doing Li Fei''er dirty a bit? Lol


    Sorry, I just feel like her important points in the story were a little anticlimactic.. Not only did she meet Qin Zhi without any wow-ness, but Shen Minyao''s reveal also felt like it could have been better? Especially after she just brushed it off like she didn''t doubt her life when Mu Qing spoke again.]

 Chapter 165 - Lord Husband (1)

    Shen Minyao stared at Mu Qing as if he had grown another head over his shoulder. Did she hear him right? Did he just say that the one who was toying with her earlier was none other than that spineless and excuse for a man? The insolent creature who dared to look down on her was her ex-husband?


    She ignored the inquisitive gazes thrown their way and looked at Mu Qing''s face. She couldn''t sense deceiting from him and wondered how he managed to find out such information in a short while.


    ''Are you certain?''


    ''Yes,'' Mu Qing replied with a straight face. It was pointless for him to lie in front of a demon who could sense deceit from a person.


    "¡­Li Fei''er, didn''t I tell you not to get involved anymore?" Shen Minyao shot the younger woman a cold look.


    Li Fei''er shook her head in defiance. She had always felt that Shen Minyao was trying to keep a distance from her for some reason. For Shen Minyao to be a demon, Li Fei''er was having a hard time epting it.


    How could a person who saved her from the brink of death several times be a demon? Although Shen Minyao treated everyone with indifference, Li Fei''er could tell that Shen Minyao cared about her in the demon''s own way.


    Li Fei''er didn''t want to be Shen Minyao''s enemy, and if she needed to keep the demon''s identity a secret from others, then so be it!


    "So what if you are a demon?" She clenched her fists on her sides, her nails painfully digging on her palms. "You haven''t done anything wrong so far, so why should I kill you? Regardless of what you are, you are my friend, so please don''t make me hate you."


    She suddenly burst into tears, making Qin Zhi feel ufortable. He knew the reason why his sister was doing this, but he couldn''t help but feel pain when he saw Li Fei''er shed tears in front of him, making him want to console her and stop her from crying.


    "¡­what about it?" Shen Minyao voiced out after ignoring Li Fei''er, knowing that everyone wanted to hear Mu Qing''s exnation instead.


    Mu Qing then shifted his gaze to Jiang Chen, aware that thetter would be able to confirm the information he gathered so far.


    "It seemed that there''s an exorcist who tried to visit the forbiddennd twenty years ago. His name is Peng Weijin. He wasn''t supposed to die early, but our records showed that his soul had been broken and had failed to transcend to the spirit realm."


    The forbiddennd was the ce where the imperial pce was built centuries ago. However, the pce had fallen into ruins after the emperor''s death, and the center of the new dynasty was moved into another province after that.


    What was left of the imperial pce was being conserved by the national government and was made to be a tourist spot.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t sure how she should take this news. She had no doubt that thete emperor, Xuan Yanrui, hated her. As to why his soul hadn''t left the mortal world, she had no idea. To think about it, the man didn''t fall by her de, much to her regret in her past life.


    The fox woman hadn''t seen a human emitting so much negative energy, such as Xuan Yanrui. He was such an ambitious person who wanted to dominate the world. If it wasn''t for this reason, the fox woman wouldn''t willingly agree to enter the imperial harem.


    Xuan Yanrui had taken a liking to Su Daji the moment he had seen her during his first visit to Su Province. The human Su Daji refused to be his woman and ept her defeat against his kingdom that invaded theirnds. She, who was known as a lily on the battlefield, couldn''t live down the shame of bing a lowlyfort woman of an emperor.


    It also didn''t help that she couldn''t let go of her feelings towards Jiang Mo, who had left the Su province for years. Because of this, on the eve of her departure to the imperial capital, Su Daji had chosen to forfeit her life. This had given the fox woman a chance to possess her body that very night.


    The one who arrived at the capital and presented herself as Su Daji was the fox woman. The one who defeated and schemed against the other concubines was none other than her.


    Imperial Consort Su watched amusedly how humans fought each other to earn the favor of the emperor, not knowing that Xuan Yanrui was merely ying them in the palm of his hands.


    However, as a human, how could he not be swayed by Su Daji''s enchanting beauty? He had spoiled her, pampered her, and doted on her more than on any concubines and wives he already had. By staying on his side, Su Daji intensified his greed for power and made him more ruthless than before.


    The fox woman only needed to feed his ego with a few words, and Xuan Yanrui would be easily swayed to do her bidding. However, the fox woman thought that humans shouldn''t me her for Xuan Yanrui''s brash actions. It''s as the saying went: ''You can lead a horse to water, but you can''t make him drink.''


    "Are you sure it was Peng Weijin?" Jiang Chen asked. He wasn''t sure if the Peng Weijin that he knew was the same person Mu Qing was talking about.


    "You know him?" Shen Minyao asked.


    Jiang Chen nodded, but his face was one with confusion. He hadn''t heard that name for some time now, and he certainly didn''t expect to hear it from a grim reaper.


    "Peng Weijin has been reported missing after his attempt on exorcising the malevolent spirit that was causing idents at the forbidden ce.. However, the paranormal activities also ceased at the same time of his disappearance."

 Chapter 166 - Lord Husband (2)

    It had be big news in the paranormalmunity back then, and even now that twenty years had passed since Peng Weijin''s disappearance, his case was still one of the oddest cases that hadn''t been resolved yet.


    Since it was an odd case, Jiang Chen had heard about Peng Weijin, of course.


    "So how did you find out that it was Peng Weijin then?" Shen Minyao asked Mu Qing.


    "The reports about the fourth district''s case came back," Mu Qing replied. "It said that there were sightings of him over the years, and the most recent sighting was a month before the crow demons invaded the fourth district."


    "So is it possible that this Peng Weijin was possessed by that malevolent spirit?" Qin Zhi asked the grim reaper. "Are we dealing with a ghost or a demon?"


    They had to make sure what kind of entity they were dealing with. Qin Zhi didn''t know what Mu Qing said to Shen Minyao earlier, but the fact that his sister''s aura changed for a moment told Qin Zhi that Shen Minyao was involved with the exorcist somehow.


    "A human soul that has turned into a demon," Mu Qing answered him truthfully.


    "Then, it must have umted enough negative energy to be one. The only question left is whether he retained his consciousness or not," Qin Zhimented.


    "I think he retained his consciousness and awareness," the grim reaper replied, giving the fox woman a knowing look that Qin Zhi didn''t miss.


    Li Fei''er furrowed her brows and thought about it.


    "I thought the case in the fourth district was rted to the missing nine-tailed fox. Lord Hell, have you heard about the whereabouts of Su Daji?"


    Mu Qing raised a slender brow at her.


    "She''s here in Jiang City. That''s all I could say."


    Although Shen Minyao already told Li Fei''er that she was a demon, Mu Qing wondered why she kept her identity as the missing nine-tailed fox from the young shaman. Was Shen Minyao trying to spare Li Fei''er from the trouble in the future?


    Once Li Fei''er found out that Shen Minyao was the nine-tailed fox, he had no doubt that she would be torn between her duty as a shaman and her friendship with Shen Minyao.


    "I see." Li Fei''er pressed her lips into a thin line.


    If Mu Qing had no idea where the nine-tailed fox exactly was, then it only meant that the fox demon was still hiding. Her father had confirmed that traces of demonic energying from the fourth district had been found.


    If the nine-tailed fox was involved with the case in the fourth district, then it would be impossible for Mu Qing not to hear about her. Then, was the nine-tailed fox stalling seeking revenge on her family in favor of gaining her powers first?


    "Is that all?" Shen Minyao asked Mu Qing. He was purposely leaving some information with these humans, so what was he up to?


    "I wish to ask for your cooperation," the grim reaper replied with all seriousness.


    ''Since he''s after you, we need to keep an eye on you,'' he added telepathically.


    Shen Minyao frowned. Wouldn''t this mean that she was the walking bait? She didn''t like how the sudden turn of events was against her. However, she understood that the best thing Mu Qing could do was to follow her around until this ''Peng Weijin'' appeared in front of her.


    ''He would know for sure that you are after him,'' she told Mu Qing.


    ''It doesn''t matter. Since we know that he''s after you, we don''t have other leads to use to lure him out."


    The fox woman scoffed at that. Since Xuan Yanrui wanted her back so much, she could only surmise what could happen once he captured her. As to why he was manipting the other demons and helping them to feed on humans, Shen Minyao had no idea. They would need to question the man himself to get answers.


    "Is there something we could do to help?" Li Fei''er asked.


    Shen Minyao shot Mu Qing a dangerous look, telling him not to ept the young woman''s help. It was better for Li Fei''er not to get involved if Xuan Yanrui was after her. The fox woman wasn''t strong enough to protect Li Fei''er''s life if Xuan Yanrui decided toe after Li Fei''er and use thetter against her once again.


    The memory of Feng Jiu''s death yed on her mind, reminding the fox woman what could happen to Li Fei''er if she allowed the young woman to stay beside her.


    No. She refused to allow Li Fei''er to die in front of her for the second time.


    "I''m not sure if you should get involved with this, Lady Li, but if your family could extend help and find a way to exorcise this demon, then that would be great," Mu Qing said politely, but his eyes shone a hint of guilt.


    "I''ll review the case file about Peng Weijin. There must be something we could use to track his whereabouts and see what kind of demon possessed him. I''ll contact Miss Shen if I find anything." Jiang Chen joined their conversation. He gave Shen Minyao a suspicious look, but he didn''t voice out his opinions.


    Mu Qing nodded. The sudden spike of human deaths for the past years grew so high that their records had been messed up by this demon. They needed to find a way to exorcise it and bring peace to the city and its neighboring towns.


    "Is he a high-ranking demon?" Shen Minyao tilted her head on one side, wondering how strong Xuan Yanrui had be over the years since his possession of Peng Weijin''s body.


    An ordinary human wouldn''t be able to contain such a powerful demon inside their body. It would disintegrate on its own as its flesh would rot inside and out.. For Xuan Yanrui to be able to possess Peng Weijin, it only meant that thetter had such high willpower and a perfect vessel like Shen Minyao.

 Chapter 167 - Lower Demon (1)

    "Unfortunately, we don''t have the information about that yet," Mu Qing replied.


    Until they were able to meet Xuan Yanrui face to face, they wouldn''t be able to know what his other capabilities might be. If only they got first-hand information from the demons he got involved with¡­ but unfortunately, they all had fallen by the hands of Shen Minyao even before they could get the answer they needed.


    However, this only proved that the recent demonic activities around the city were caused by Xuan Yanrui''s interference with the other demons. As to how he was able to convince the other demons to do his bidding, it was still a mystery to Mu Qing.


    "I see." Shen Minyao nodded, clearly understanding that they could only wait and see what would happen next before they could make a move against Xuan Yanrui.


    "If that''s all, we will be on our way now," Qin Zhi said before taking his spot at the driver''s seat, closing the door next to him.


    "You know where to find me if you need me," Shen Minyao told Mu Qing.


    She ignored the three humans who were listening intently to their conversation. It seemed that she had made up her mind not to get involved with them anymore, which pained Li Fei''er.


    Qin Zhi gave Li Fei''er onest look from the dashboard mirror of his car before they drove away, leaving the four behind. Once they were at a safe distance, far from everyone''s earshot; he confronted his sister.


    "Mind telling me what the grim reaper told you earlier?" He asked Shen Minyao, his eyes never leaving the road. "If you are worried about being exposed, you need not worry about it."


    Qin Zhi surmised that whatever Mu Qing had told her earlier had somewhat disturbed her. She was still on the run. If the Li family found out about her whereabouts, she would have no chance to fight against them.


    By this time, his subordinates should have cleaned the traces he and Shen Minyao left at the kindergarten to confuse the humans who might check the ceter. It should be enough to derail them from finding Shen Minyao, and yet, she had purposely revealed it to Li Fei''er¡ªabout her being a demon; which was reckless in Qin Zhi''s opinion.


    "No, that''s not it." His sister shook her head and decided to keep her gaze out of the window.


    "Then, what is it?" He probed. It couldn''t be ''nothing'', considering how bothered she was after having a word with that grim reaper.


    "Mu Qing said that the spirit that possessed Peng Weijin could be Xuan Yanrui." Shen Minyao chuckled. "I didn''t expect that his spirit had been roaming the earth, waiting for my awakening."


    Qin Zhi almost lost his cool upon hearing what his sister said. Of course, he knew who Xuan Yanrui was. He was thete emperor, the man his sister married in her past life as Su Daji. So how could Qin Zhi not know how dangerous Xuan Yanrui could be?


    "He''s after you?" He questioned. Qin Zhi knew the answer already, but he wanted to hear it from Shen Minyao''s mouth.


    "It seems like it." Shen Minyao hummed as if she couldn''t be bothered with it.


    "You should be careful. You know how he held so many grudges against you," Qin Zhi reminded her.


    He hadn''t forgotten how much Xuan Yanrui hated his sister after finding out that she had bewitched him and used him against the other humans like a ything that he was.


    "I''ll be troubling you to find out everything that has happened to him since my passing," Shen Minyao told him calmly.


    "I should have paid more attention to what happened after you and Jiu left." Qin Zhi''s grip on the steering wheel tightened. His sister shouldn''t be dealing with this problem now, had he made sure that Xuan Yanrui had crossed the border and entered the spirit realm after his death.


    The rebellion against his kingdom led by Jiang Mo had caused Xuan Yanrui to lose his power over the empire. He was killed in the war by Jiang Mo himself.


    "He must have hated me that much to refuse to leave the mortal realm and wander around as a malevolent spirit until he became a demon." Shen Minyao''s next word brought Qin Zhi back to reality.


    "He possessed a human body for twenty years. How was he able to do that?" Qin Zhi frowned. Not many demons were able to possess a human for so long. Most of the time, death was inevitable after a few years.


    The longer the demon possessed a human body, the more damage it would leave on its host. This was why many humans, who were previously possessed by demons, lost their minds and didn''t live long after the possession.


    Since Xuan Yanrui forced Peng Weijin''s soul out of his body and broke it beyond repair, it was surprising¡ªeven for Qin Zhi¡ªto hear that Xuan Yanrui was able to preserve Peng Weijin''s body for all those years.


    "Who knows what kind of sorcery he''d learned over the centuries?" Shen Minyao shrugged. "He''s quite persistent, if I may say so."


    "So, what''s the n now?" Qin Zhi didn''t like what this information entailed for his sister. It only meant she would need to avoid not only the shamans hunting her but also confronting Xuan Yanrui anytime soon.


    "What else could I do? He knows who I am and where I live. Such a foolish man. He thought we are on the same level, now that he''s also a demon." She scoffed.


    Shen Minyao didn''t want to admit it, but she was annoyed by the fact that the one trying to toy with her was Xuan Yanrui. She knew well how Xuan Yanrui yed with his victims first before giving them a cruel death. Now that he became a demon, she had no doubt that it only made him more dangerous than ever.


    Many humans he''d killed in the past were left with their bodies severely mutted and beyond recognition. These were the reasons his negative energy was so strong that the fox woman couldn''t help but feed on him.


    ''The audacity of that bastard!'' She sneered inwardly. Jiang Mo might have killed him in their past lives, but the fox woman would make sure to send Xuan Yanrui''s spirit to the deepest part of hell herself.


    "Is this why you didn''t want Li Fei''er to get involved?" Qin Zhi''s voice made Shen Minyao turn her head to him.


    She could sense his concern towards Li Fei''er even though he was keeping his distance from her from the start.


    "You do know it''s for the best. Unless you want her to lose her life the same way we lost her in the past," she retorted. "You better make sure she won''t sneak in and try to exorcise Xuan Yanrui on her own."


    "Do I really have to?" Qin Zhi didn''t think that he had enough influence on Li Fei''er for the young woman to listen to him.


    "Isn''t she your wife? You should know better: she would defy my words even though I told her to keep her distance. If she doesn''t listen to me, chances are¡­ she would do things on her own, regardless of what I told her."


    Qin Zhi had no words to refute her im. Even if Li Fei''er didn''t remember her past life, she was still their Feng Jiu. He could see the same defiance in Li Fei''er''s eyes when she said earlier that she wouldn''t keep her distance from Shen Minyao.


    To be fair, he understood that Li Fei''er''s attachment towards Shen Minyao was only because of her past loyalty towards her mistress, the one who saved her life in the past. However, Qin Zhi was also aware why Shen Minyao had to keep her distance from Li Fei''er, and he would have done the same thing if he was in her shoes.


    "You are forgetting that she isn''t my wife anymore. I might be able to protect her from harm, but I wouldn''t be able to convince her to listen to you. You are giving me too much credit."


    "Heh. You are saying that because you haven''t seen what I''ve seen." The fox woman shook her head and decided to look outside and watch the scenery the busy city offered to her.


    "And what do you mean by that?" Qin Zhi asked. Did he miss something?


    "You''ll have to see it yourself for you to be able to understand. I won''t spoil it for you." His younger sister grinned mischievously.


    Qin Zhi could only sigh and shook his head.. How could she act like this when she knew that her life was in danger now that Xuan Yanrui was around to spite her? However, thinking about it, it would be out of her character if she suddenly started to act worried upon knowing that her ex-husband was after her.

 Chapter 168 - Lower Demon (2)

    The next day, Shen Minyao had avoided meeting Li Fei''er and instead decided to confront Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing to get the rewards they both owed to her.


    Li Fei''er could only look at Shen Minyao with a worried expression on her face. Of course, she was aware why Shen Minyao was now keeping her distance. The young shaman could only watch Shen Minyao as she walked out of the ssroom.


    "You''re really letting her go just like that, mdy?" Xiao Bai asked Shen Minyao. He didn''t expect that as soon as he came back from checking on Zhao Yichen the other day, things had degraded between his mistress and the former ward.


    "Hn, she already knows that I am indeed a demon. It would be foolish of her to stay next by my side after knowing that fact," Shen Minyao replied.


    Her nose picked up the scent of Xu Shenshen from where she was hiding. The prey must have known of Shen Minyao''s intention of looking after her. Heh, no matter where she hid within the school premises, her scent would lead the fox woman to the exact location of where she was hiding.


    "I see." Xiao Bai didn''t dare to ask more, but he had to admit that he would miss Li Fei''er''spany.


    However, he was also aware that it wouldn''t be good for Li Fei''er to stay with them, now that they knew who their enemy was. Knowing Xuan Yanrui''s ruthlessness, the fox woman wouldn''t give him a chance to use Li Fei''er against her.


    Shen Minyao ignored the other humans she met in the hallway and casually went to the rooftop, where the students barely went to pass time. The doors of the rooftop were usually locked up by the school management to lessen the chances of studentsmitting suicide from jumping from such a high ce.


    However, that didn''t mean that some students wouldn''t try to get up to that ce. Xu Shenshen had a following of her, with whom she had got along by earning their favors. This was why, no matter how reckless she had been in the past, none of the other students dared to get even with her until Shen Minyao came.


    Xu Shenshen was walking back and forth, wondering why Shen Minyao would decide to seek her at this time. That crazy girl was bing more unpredictable these days, and there were times Xu Shenshen felt that Shen Minyao was looking at her as if she was a ything.


    ''Damn you, Shen Minyao. Ever since you came back, it''s been hell for me.'' She cursed Shen Minyao in her heart.


    "Ah, cursing me again, aren''t you, ssmate Xu?" Shen Minyao''s voice startled Xu Shenshen, pulling her out from her deep thoughts.


    She turned around, only to see Shen Minyao sitting on top of the roof of the door that was the only entrance unlocked to reach the rooftop. She was seated with her legs crossed, her eyes looking down at Xu Shenshen with a glint of amusement in her eyes.


    Xu Shenshen''s eyes widened. How could she not hear Shen Minyao arriving? Also, she had made sure to lock the door from the outside, so other students shouldn''t be able toe here.


    She would never suspect that Shen Minyao had used her flight ability while using Xiao Bai''s concealment spell to hide her from human eyes.


    "What? Please don''t look at me like that. You don''t know how long I''ve been looking for you everywhere." Shen Minyao leaped down from where she was seated andnded a few meters away from where Xu Shenshen was standing.


    Xu Shenshen took a couple of steps away from Shen Minyao, looking around to find a way to escape. However, Shen Minyao had blocked the only entrance and exit for her to use.


    ''Shit,'' she cursed inwardly. She was aware that she could not defeat Shen Minyao physically.


    "Don''t be like this, ssmate Xu. You should be d that I''m not iming my reward in front of everyone," Shen Minyao reminded the girl as she nonchntly checked her well-manicured hand while ncing at Xu Shenshen''s ashen face.


    Did Xu Shenshen and Shen Qing think she would forget the bet she won earlier? These two might be thinking she had such a magnanimous heart to let them go so easily?


    "Y-you¡­ what do you want?" Xu Shenshen shivered in fear. If Shen Minyao beat her once again, she wouldn''t be able to have a face to show to everyone next time.


    "Don''t you worry, ssmate Xu. I assure you, this time, I will only p you and not break your bones."


    The coldness in Shen Minyao''s tone made Xu Shenshen lose herposure. She lunged at Shen Minyao in an attempt to distract the other, but the fox woman had already anticipated her attack and stepped to her right with ease.


    "Now, now, why are you in such a rush, ssmate Xu?" The fox womanughed, her hands reaching out towards Xu Shenshen and grabbing a fistful of her hair.


    Xu Shenshen yelped in pain, her hands reaching out to free her hair from Shen Minyao''s grasp. However, thetter wouldn''t budge at all, no matter how hard she tried.


    "Shen Minyao!" She screamed, but she was stunned into silence when a pnded on her face. She wasn''t sure what had just happened, but the second p that hit her cheek was enough to bring her back to reality.


    Xu Shenshen couldn''t utter a single word as Shen Minyao continued to hit her face left and right, not stopping even for a second. The only sound that could be heard from the rooftop was the continuous sound of pping.


    Shen Minyao continued to p Xu Shenshen until her face was too swollen to be recognized by anyone. She didn''t stop as if her hands never got hurt from all of it. Once she had deemed that she had enough, she let go of Xu Shenshen''s face.


    "Ah, it''s no fun when you aren''t struggling." Shen Minyao frowned and let go of the girl''s face.


    Xu Shenshen passed out from too much pain and failed to see Shen Minyao''s eyes turning amber for a moment.


    "Aiya, she passed out. Do you think she would still seek revenge after this?" Xiao Bai asked his mistress.


    "If she''s really such a fool, then she would." Shen Minyao pulled a wet tissue from her pocket and wiped her hand clean.


    "Now, where were we?" She hummed. "Oh, it''s time to find my stupid cousin."


    "Do you know where she is?" Xiao Bai jumped back to his usual ce on Shen Minyao''s shoulder before leaving the unconscious Xu Shenshen lying on the floor.


    "Where else would she be but next to Su Yin? She must have thought that I wouldn''t seek her and p her in front of her lover," the fox woman replied.


    Since everyone was busy with the uing school festival, the sses were suspended to allow the students to make the final preparations. Shen Minyao walked to the other side of the school building, where Shen Qing and Su Yin were. The moment she stopped right outside the ssroom, Shen Qing''s cohorts obstructed her way.


    "Schoolmate Shen, unfortunately, we cannot allow you to see Shen Qing today," one of them told Shen Minyao with a mocking smile.


    Shen Minyao leaned forward, her lips barely touching the young woman''s ear. She whispered something to the girl that the other spectators failed to hear. The young woman''s face turned pale, and she ran away in fear after hearing what Shen Minyao said.


    "What happened to her?" Someone asked.


    ''Who knows?" Another one shrugged. "Do you think Shen Minyao threatened her?"


    "So what if I threatened her? What will you do about it?" Shen Minyao snickered and crossed her arms over her chest. "Each of us has a secret that we don''t want to reveal or let anyone know. It''s just a pity that I know about those dark secrets you are hiding behind your masks."


    She walked past these foolish students and entered the ssroom. She wasn''t surprised to see how Shen Qing hid behind Su Yin who was looking at Shen Minyao with contempt.


    "Shen Minyao! Don''t go overboard! I won''t let you hurt Shen Qing! You would need to go through me before you cany a hand on her!" Su Yin sneered towards the fox woman.


    Shen Minyao tilted her head on one side and looked at the man in front of her with disgust. She couldn''t understand what the previous Shen Minyao saw in this person at all.


    "Is that all?" She said nonchntly as her one hand buried in the side pocket of her skirt. "Then, scram, you fool!"


    No one had anticipated that Shen Minyao would raise her right leg before kicking Su Yin right on his face.. The foot''s bridge met his cheek, and his whole body was sent crashing towards the desks.

 Chapter 169 - Tainted (1)

    Shen Qing screamed and hurriedly went to check on him, while everyone was stunned to see what had just happened. How could the usually weak and gentle Shen Minyao manage to kick the stronger and taller Su Yin so easily?


    Although there had been rumors about Shen Minyao turning over a new leaf since her return, no one was able to tell how much she changed. The rumors about her beating Xu Shenshen a month ago had been the talk of the school for days. The notorious bully of Spring Hill High had sumbed to Shen Minyao.


    Su Yin sat up on the floor with Shen Qing''s help. He held the side of his face that was hit by Shen Minyao and winced in pain. He then lifted his gaze and red furiously at Shen Minyao.


    However, he was momentarily startled when he met her gaze. He had to admit that ever since her return, Shen Minyao''s looks had be pleasing to one''s eyes. Her face looked charming up close, her eyes bright, clear, and a bit mischievous.


    Howe he never knew that Shen Minyao could be beautiful like this? If he was topare Shen Qing with Shen Minyao now, it made sense why the other young men in their school named Shen Minyao as their newest campus belle.


    "Cousin Yaoyao, why do you have to do this? If you hate me this much, you shouldn''t have taken out your anger on Brother Yin. It''s me who you should me." Shen Qing''s eyes turned misty as she looked at Shen Minyao who was looking down at her and Su Yin with apparent disgust in her eyes.


    "Oh, Qing Jie. What are you talking about? Wasn''t it Su Yin who said that I needed to get past him before I couldy a hand on you?" The fox womanughed as she made her way towards the two.


    Shen Qing felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked at her cousin. Something about Shen Minyao was different. She felt like the woman who was standing in front of them wasn''t the same person she pushed off a cliff to die.


    ''You should have made sure I was dead before leaving me behind, dearest cousin.''


    Suddenly, she heard Shen Minyao''s voice in her head. Shen Qing stared at her cousin with wide eyes, wondering whether it was merely a figment of her imagination¡­ or did Shen Minyao just speak to her?


    The way Shen Minyao looked at her and smiled only made Shen Qing question her reality.


    The fox woman knew how to manipte Shen Qing''s emotions. This young woman''s hands were tainted with her cousin''s blood at such a young age. How could Shen Qing pretend and live her life as if she hadn''t done anything wrong towards the real Shen Minyao? Shen Qing had no idea about the gravity of her actions, and it amused the fox woman to know that Shen Qing didn''t bother to think of the consequences.


    "Y-you¡­ who are you?" Shen Qing fell on her butt and tried to move away from the fox woman.


    Her instincts were telling her that she needed to flee from Shen Minyao, but she couldn''t understand the reason for it. It didn''t ur to her that the Shen Minyao that returned to the Shen family wasn''t the cousin she just killed.


    If Shen Qing had seen the horrible situation that her cousin ended up in after hitting the ground several feet below the cliff from where she pushed her cousin to death, the fox woman had no doubt that she would celebrate and wouldn''t feel remorse for one bit over it.


    "Qing Jie, how could you say that? Am I not your cousin? How could you forget about me? Hasn''t it only been weeks since you brought me to go hiking with your brother?"


    Shen Qing''s face nched upon hearing it. She didn''t miss the tone of Shen Minyao''s voice, reminding her of the horrible crime shemitted that night. Shen Minyao was tantly threatening her.


    If the authorities knew what she had done that night, Shen Qing was sure that her future wouldn''t look so bright anymore. All the things she had done so far would be for naught if she was sent behind the bars and if Old Shen disowned her because of just one discovery.


    Su Yin moved to get between the two of them and pushed Shen Qing behind him.


    "Shen Minyao, what do you think you are doing?" He wasn''t sure what Shen Minyao was talking about, but he couldn''t let her bully Shen Qing in front of him.


    "Seriously? I thought I am the fianc¨¦e, and yet here you are ying as the hero while saving my cousin, the damsel in distress." Shen Minyao scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest.


    "Anyway, I only came here to get the part of the deal I''ve won from the bet. You are really making this hard and tooplicated for me."


    The other students around them murmured in low voices, talking about how shameless both Shen Qing and Su Yin were for showing up in front of Shen Minyao like this. Shen Qing knew that Su Yin was her cousin''s fianc¨¦, but she decided to get involved with him regardless of it.


    Shen Minyao sighed and shook her head.


    "Fine. I''ll see you at home instead. Qing Jie, I hope that you wouldn''t me me for this, but since you haven''t seen our grandfathertely, I guess I would have to break the good news to you¡­ that he has agreed to dissolve my engagement to Su Yin."


    "W-what?" Su Yin stuttered, his eyes never leaving Shen Minyao.


    Those words were enough to shock Su Yin. He stared wide-eyed at Shen Minyao in disbelief.. There was a reason why his family insisted on having him betrothed to Shen Minyao, and if they found out that she insisted on breaking their engagement, then he would be in big trouble.

 Chapter 170 - Tainted (2)

    "You heard me right, Brother Yin. Since our grandfather has agreed, of course, it''s only a matter of time, and it will be final," Shen Minyao said before turning around, leaving the two in shock.


    Su Yin was momentarily stunned, and it took him a moment before he got back to his feet and chased after Shen Minyao in a hurry, much to Shen Qing''s shock.


    "Wait!" He yelled to get Shen Minyao''s attention, but she didn''t even bother to spare him a nce at all.


    Shen Qing couldn''t even utter a single word as she stared at Su Yin''s back as he rushed to follow Shen Minyao. Hadn''t he already chosen her instead of Shen Minyao? So why was he chasing after that woman?!


    She cursed her cousin repeatedly in her heart. Even to this day, Shen Minyao proved that she was still an obstacle Shen Qing had yet to dispose of. Everything that she wanted¡­ why could they fall easily into Shen Minyao''s hands? Shen Minyao didn''t even cherish the things she had and didn''t care about them, so why couldn''t she have them instead?


    Su Yin couldn''t believe that he easily lost Shen Minyao. It was as if she disappeared into thin air without anyone noticing. He just spotted her and took a turn, but the moment he was distracted, he already lost track of her whereabouts. How could a person vanish so soon like that?


    From the building opposite where Su Yin was looking frantically for her, Shen Minyao stood at the top of the school building, watching him like a chicken running without a head.


    "Are you sure you can tell him that?" Xiao Bai didn''t pity Su Yin one bit, but because Su Yin was one of the reasons why the real Shen Minyao lost her life, the fox woman wouldn''t make it easy for him and Shen Qing to live happily.


    "He should have known what would happen after I showed up here. Did he just expect that I would like to be the same stupid Shen Minyao who would look at him with adoration in her eyes? He must be really stupid, then," the fox woman replied. "Anyway, we should get going. I wish to see the mess that flower fairy has made for her very stupid human."


    Shen Minyao and Xiao Bai then teleported a block away from where Zhao Yichen lived. From where the fox woman was standing, she could smell the nauseating scent of the flower fairy, which enshrouded the whole house.


    When she stepped inside the premises, Shen Minyao easily repelled the other demon''s negative force and broke the barrier it set around the house. She then spotted Zhao Yichen''s bodyguards starting to lose their strength since their life essences were being sucked out by the flower fairy''s influence.


    "Dispel," Shen Minyao chanted, and the scent and the mark the flower fairy left vanished.


    She was weed by the old butler and led to where Zhao Yichen was. She found him in the study with Yu Yan where he and Gu Luxian must be safe from the flower fairy. Apparently, Yn had totally lost her logical mind, and her instincts were telling her to find Gu Luxian.


    Yu Yan lowered her barrier and let her mistress in, allowing Shen Minyao to see Zhao Yichen pacing around while Gu Luxian was lying on the couch, looking terriblepared to thest time the fox woman saw him.


    "Heh, I knew this day woulde." Shen Minyao chuckled and took a seat on the vacant armchair.


    "Is there something else we could do to help or save him?" Zhao Yichen asked her,bing his hair with his fingers.


    "Have you made the choice, then? Does he know the truth?" The fox woman asked in return.


    Zhao Yichen fell silent for a moment, and Shen Minyao didn''t need verbal confirmation because she already knew.


    "Don''t you think he needs to know, or are you just ying safe all this time?" Shen Minyao shot him a re.


    "What do I need to know?" Gu Luxian chose to open his eyes that moment and overheard the conversation between the two.


    "Oh, it''s good that you are finally awake now." The fox woman chuckled, but she already knew that he was awake when she stepped inside the room. His energy was almost depleted because of the mark of the flower fairy on his body.


    Gu Luxian forced himself to sit up, and Zhao Yichen rushed to his side to help.


    "Miss Shen, can you tell me what''s wrong?" Gu Luxian asked the fox woman again.


    "Dr. Gu, when you stopped seeing Yn, did you sleep with another woman?" Shen Minyao asked without batting an eyelid, much to Zhao Yichen''s surprise.


    Gu Luxian stared at her as if she grew another head over her shoulder. He blinked twice and nodded.


    "H-how did you know?" He asked in return.


    "So you did." Shen Minyao was only confirming what she already knew ahead of time. "Dr. Gu, do you know a man''s body naturally has a lot of yang energy while that of a woman has yin energy?"


    "Then, what did it have to do with it?" Gu Luxian couldn''t understand what Shen Minyao was talking about, but it was clear that she knew something and could exin his situation better.


    "Are you sure you want to hear the truth?"


    Gu Luxian nodded.


    "Some humans have the ability to see spirits and demons. Mostly, they were infants, toddlers, and young men who weren''t tainted by yin energy. You see, because you were born with a rare ability to see what themon couldn''t, you were able to see lower demons and few spirits which naturally have yin energy aside from the women. Men are born with yang energy. This is why you were able to see Yn until the day you slept with another woman.. Sharing your yang with a woman would give you their yin energy."

 Chapter 171 - Forgotten Memories (1)

    Gu Luxian fell silent after hearing Shen Minyao''s exnation, while Zhao Yichen stared at the fox woman in disbelief. He had never thought that she would say these words towards his friend without sugarcoating it.


    "So that is why¡­" Gu Luxian lowered his head, his eyes listless as he looked at his clenched fists on hisp.


    "Shen Minyao, you¡­" Zhao Yichen wanted to chide the fox woman for being careless with her words, but Gu Luxian held his arm and shook his head.


    "Is there any other way to remove the yin energy in my body, then?" He asked Shen Minyao. It had been years since thest time he saw Yn, and her face was starting to fade from his memories.


    "No. In your case as a person who was born with a hint of ability to see spirits, once they are tainted; they can never be restored to their previous state. This is also why, when some children grow up, they also lose their sixth sense."


    Gu Luxian shut his eyes and rested his forehead in one hand. What Shen Minyao said made sense, and considering that she was right after asking him about the course of events that led him to not seeing Yn anymore, he knew that he had betrayed Yn.


    Zhao Yichen gave his friend a sympathetic look. There was no reason for Shen Minyao to lie about this, and now, he understood why she was adamant about him not getting involved with Gu Luxian and Yn''s problem. She might have known that Gu Luxian would me himself had he known the truth.


    "So it''s my fault all this time. She wasn''t the one who abandoned me¡­ I was the one who turned away from her," Gu Luxian said helplessly. If he could turn back time, he wouldn''t let it happen at all.


    If it wasn''t for the insistence of his peers to join them for a night out, leading to him having a one-night stand with an unknown woman; he wouldn''t lose his ability to see Yn. Now, it was toote to regret what he had done.


    If it wasn''t for his hesitation to ept that Yn was a spirit and that he had already fallen for her, he wouldn''t have tried to ignore seeing her that day. s, it was toote for regret now. Yn was probably feeling betrayed and angry towards him, and he couldn''t me her for that.


    Yn had every right to be upset with him, and if this was his punishment, then so be it. His only regret was he wasn''t able to apologize to her for what he''d done to her. She probably knew why he couldn''t see her after that, and she was aware of what happened.


    "Then¡­ is there something we could do to cate her anger? She''s mad at me, right? Perhaps you should have left me alone."


    The fox womanughed behind her hand and gave Gu Luxian a mocking smile.


    "Yn isn''t just a mere spirit. You humans call them fairies, but they are no different from demons. She didn''te here for revenge. She came here to feed on your life essence. Why do you think your body fell into such a pitiful and pathetic state if she hasn''t marked you as her human?"


    Gu Luxian was stunned by the revtion. After spending days and months with Yn, he had suspected that she might not be a normal human¡­ or perhaps not a human at all.


    He thought that Yn was perhaps a lost soul who couldn''t cross over when they first met. He had never suspected that she was a demon instead, considering how beautiful she was.


    "S-she''s a demon?" He stuttered.


    "Why else would shee here to feed on you? Her kind is the kind of demons who lured humans using their beauty and enchanted some to stay with them. These unsuspecting humans would never know what hit them until their deaths."


    For the fox woman, staying ignorant was tantamount tomitting a sin. Gu Luxian knew that there''s something wrong, but he didn''t attempt to do anything to change the situation¡ªas far as Shen Minyao could see.


    However, what else could she expect from these humans? The world they created had be quite jarring. This world was so loud, crowded, shy, and smelly that it was enough to overwhelm her senses the first time she woke up at the hospital as Shen Minyao.


    There were so many lights, even in the middle of the night, that one wouldn''t be able to enjoy watching the moon and the stars above the darkened sky like what she used to do centuries ago. The modern world of humans didn''t impress the fox woman at all.


    As for the flower fairy, since she had sumbed to her basic instincts to find Gu Luxian, she was already at the brink of death. Shen Minyao already expected this to happen, but she didn''t expect it to be too soon.


    "She wants to kill me then¡­" Gu Luxian muttered to himself.


    "Then, is there something we could do to make her stop?" Zhao Yichen asked the fox woman.


    Since they already knew the reason why Gu Luxian couldn''t see Yn anymore and that thetter had sumbed to her instincts to survive, then the pressing matter right now was how to deal with Yn.


    "She''s dying. She hasn''t fed on other humans since meeting you," Shen Minyao told Gu Luxian. "A demon can go for days and months without eating, but not years. The only way to stop her now is either to let her die on her own or to kill her."


    The humans in front of her fell silent, each deep in their own thoughts. Shen Minyao knew that Gu Luxian was still feeling guilty and thinking of giving up his life so that Yn could survive, but that would be a foolish choice for him.


    Even if Yn fed on him and other humans, she would never gain her rational mind again. Moreover, if there was a chance that she did, it would be mortifying for her to stay alive, knowing that she had killed Gu Luxian.


    "There''s no other way?" Zhao Yichen asked in his friend''s stead. It was obvious that Gu Luxian was still shocked by the revtions he had tonight.


    "She has already lost her rational mind, and her instincts only allowed her to think of feeding and survival." She then nced at Gu Luxian. "She also knew that this would happen, so she decided to keep her distance from you."


    Zhao Yichen wanted to ask why Yn decided toe back by then, but thinking about it, Yu Yan mentioned that it was probably the fox orb inside his body that triggered Yn toe and check on Gu Luxian. It was probably the same day when he met Gu Luxian for the first time, after years of not seeing each other.


    "I could deal with her, but I''m not sure your Brother Xian would like me after this," Shen Minyao told her human contractor, who was still busy trying to make Gu Luxian calm down.


    "You are going to kill her?" Zhao Yichen already knew the answer to his question, but he couldn''t stop himself from blurting it out.


    "It''s either we let her kill us here or we kill her¡ªyou choose." The fox woman didn''t dare to give them any other options.


    Actually, there was a third option: she could channel some of her demonic energy to Yn. However, it would still pose a threat to surrounding humans if Yn failed to grasp control of her newfound demonic energy.


    Shen Minyao wouldn''t dare to give people any chance of connecting her with Zhao Yichen, especially now that Xuan Yanrui was after her. If Xuan Yanrui found out about Zhao Yichen''s existence, Shen Minyao had no doubt that he would use the human to torment her.


    ''Troublesome demons.'' She muttered to herself as she rose from her seat and gave the two humans a good look. She then added, ''No. Not only demons but humans as well.''


    "Please¡­ if you are going to kill her, can you make it quick that she won''t suffer?" Gu Luxian suddenly asked just as the fox woman was about to leave the room. "She has suffered enough because of me. I wouldn''t want her to suffer any longer."


    Shen Minyao didn''t utter a word in response, but she didn''t dare to make a promise. She was a demon herself, and she knew that Yn had done her best before losing her sanity.


    As for Gu Luxian, wasn''t he just pushing the responsibility to others? Now that he knew that Yn was a demon, he was suddenly distancing himself from her. He was the one who turned his back first; how could he pretend like he was the victim here?


    ''Pathetic,'' Shen Minyao thought.. As always, humans didn''t fail to disappoint her yet again.

 Chapter 172 - Forgotten Memories (2)

    Because she dispelled the mark Yn left around Zhao Yichen''s home, Shen Minyao had expected that the flower fairy would rush to see who had trespassed in her territory. The fox woman returned to the rooftop where shest met the flower fairy, intending to end thetter''s pathetic life once and for all.


    The cold breeze made her long hair flutter behind her as she confronted the other demon who appeared a couple of feet away from her. Xiao Bai chose to stay on the safe side, not wanting to be part of the coteral damage brought by this fight between two demonesses.


    He wasn''t worried about his mistress, as he knew that Shen Minyao would be able to defeat the other with her current rank. Moreover, the flower fairy was about to die, so the fox woman didn''t need to retrieve her demon orb for consumption. Even an egoistic demon like her wouldn''t prey on the weakest demon around.


    Yn looked worsepared to thest time Shen Minyao had seen her. Her demonic features were more prominent, and her skin had already shrunk, clinging to her bones. Her charming and seductive beauty was no more as she looked nothing but a monster waiting for someone to end her life.


    Furthermore, her eyes had bright yellow orbs on them, surrounded by pitch-ck sclerae. The red veins protruding on the skin of her face had reached down to her neck and covered her whole face. Shen Minyao also spotted that those veins had already spread through Yn''s arms, indicating that she had consumed most of her energy already. She needed to feed as soon as possible, or the flower fairy would die from hunger.


    Even if Yn wanted to feed on another human, her instincts drove her to seek Gu Luxian first and make use of the mark she had left on him years ago.


    "I don''t know who''s more pathetic between you and your human," Shen Minyaomented, crossing her arms over her chest as her eyes turned amber with slits on them. Her ws elongated as her fangs became more prominent in her mouth.


    She didn''t need to use her Hellreaver to kill this flower fairy. It would be overkill for her to use such a dangerous de towards Yn. If anything, Shen Minyao wanted to end the other woman''s life using her own hands and not relying on anyone.


    Yn snarled back at the fox woman, clearly showing her inability to respond to Shen Minyao''s taunting. She had onlye here to confront the fox woman out of instinct and not to protect Gu Luxian, which was her reason for meeting Shen Minyao before.


    She lurched forward and attacked Shen Minyao, but given the fox woman''s heightened speed and senses during herst feeding, it was clear that she was stronger nowpared to theirst meeting.


    Shen Minyao easily avoided Yn''s ws and overpowered the spiritual st the fairy sent her way. The fox woman had to admit that for a flower fairy, Yn was persistent enough to stop herself from feeding on humans in her state for years. Not any demon had such an ability to suppress their instincts for too long, as most would rely on it for their survival.


    Unlike their first meeting, Yn wasn''t cowering in fear right now. If anything, she was more primal than usual, intending to defeat Shen Minyao, regardless if she was too weak to even leave a bruise.


    Shen Minyao shed her sharp ws at Yn''s midsection, and the flower fairy screamed in pain. It was impossible for the flower fairy to heal her own wounds by this time, considering how she had already depleted her demonic energy.


    Of course, the fox woman wasn''t happy with this encounter. She didn''t like dealing with any weaker demon who was clearly no match against her. If it was in the past, she wouldn''t spare Yn a nce at all.


    "You should have killed that human when you got the chance." She scoffed and looked at her bloody right hand.


    "I-I can''t¡­"


    The words that came out from Yn''s lips surprised not only the fox woman but also Xiao Bai who was watching them fight.


    Yn heaved a deep breath, but it seemed that even simple breathing was too painful for her.


    "Please¡­ Lady Daji¡­ please end my life before I end up killing him." The flower fairy lifted her face, only for Shen Minyao to see tears flowing down her cheeks.


    The fox woman didn''t know what to feel or think of it. Why was this flower fairy insisting on saving Gu Luxian''s life after the betrayal he had done to her? Shen Minyao couldn''t understand.


    "You still want to save him despite what happened?"


    Shen Minyao lowered her head, her eyes hiding the irritation she was feeling at the moment.


    "Y-yes¡­" Yn took another breath again and staggered back. "Please, Lady Daji, I know you can help me¡­ you can help us¡­"


    "What makes you think I would help a pathetic demon like you and that traitorous man who betrayed you?" The fox woman spat in return.


    "It''s not his fault¡­ I was the one who pushed him to see another human. I''m deeply aware that we couldn''t be together. Just as you said before, humans and demons live in different worlds." Yn struggled to cling to her sanity, but the pain radiating on her whole body was too much.


    "Please keep the truth from him. I don''t want him to bear the guilt for the rest of his life. It''s enough that I bear the consequences of the foolishness of my actions," She added while Shen Minyao remained silent, staring at her nkly.


    Xiao Bai nced between the two women and wondered what his mistress would do next. If he was asked, he would assume that Shen Minyao would decline Yn''s request and end thetter''s life painlessly. This was the only favor the fox woman could do for the flower fairy.


    However, considering that his mistress had been unpredictable, it was hard to tell now¡ªeven for Xiao Bai and Yu Yan¡ªwhat Shen Minyao would do next.


    "I refuse," Shen Minyao said. "You are a fool if you think he would be able to forget his sins against you."


    "But you can make him," Yn argued, her face was one of despair. She wasn''t sure how long she would be able to keep her sanity this time.


    Shen Minyao had no response to that¡­ because what Yn said was true.


    The fox woman had the ability to erase someone''s memories, but it came with a price. This was one of the forbidden demonic arts that most demons avoided at all cost.


    Memories were one of the foundations of one''s identity, regardless of whether they were human or demon. If Shen Minyao were to alter Gu Luxian''s memories, it might backfire on her.


    "You are asking too much, flower fairy. Do you know the steep price for erasing one''s memories? You should be grateful that I''m not going to kill your human for Zhao Yichen''s sake."


    A single tear rolled down on Yn''s face as she shut her eyes. Of course, she was aware of that. Shen Minyao had no obligation or whatsoever to grant her dying wish. If anything, it was more logical to ept her death by Shen Minyao''s hand because she had threatened Zhao Yichen''s life for the past week.


    "Then, in return, I will give you my memories." The flower fairy offered. "I briefly remembered that I encountered demons looking for you, Lady Daji. Something about the impending war between the northern demon lord and the rogue exorcist. I couldn''t remember the details, but I''m sure you would be able to take a peek at my memories before I die."


    Shen Minyao stared at the other demon and shook her head. She could feel another headacheing her way. She supposed that Zhao Yichen was influencing her to be soft and sympathetic, but if Yn was willing to give her some answers she needed, she supposed it wasn''t a bad deal at all.


    ''The northern demon lord, huh? I haven''t seen him for centuries.''


    "Fine, then let''s finish this once and for all. Come to me, and I shall give you the final blow," she told Yn.


    The flower fairy broke into a wide smile before she allowed herself to lose to her instincts. In a moment, she lurched towards Shen Minyao; while thetter stayed still, waiting for the other woman.


    Before Yn could hit Shen Minyao''s body, a painful blow surged through her chest. She then found Hellreaver''s de seeping with her blood.


    "T-thank you, Lady Daji." Yn''s eyes returned to normal as she gave the fox woman onest smile.


    Shen Minyao watched as Yn''s body leaned forwards and rested her head on the fox''s shoulder.. Yn''s body slowly disintegrated into pink petals that were taken away by the breeze.

 Chapter 173 - Forgotten Memories (3)

    The fox woman knew that she had a nasty personality and even those who knew her called her the worst things that a normal woman wouldn''t be able to retaliate.


    However, if someone hit her or offended her, she tended to retaliate, but she always made sure not go overboard except that one time when humans used Feng Jiu that made her lose her sanity.


    Still, it was hard even for her to understand why Yn chose to die like this, leaving her death wish on another demon''s hands. How sure this flower fairy was that the fox woman would grant her wish?


    If Shen Minyao decided to overlook Yn''s dying wish to erase Gu Luxian''s memories of her, it was only a matter of time before he followed the flower fairy to the afterlife.


    Shen Minyao stared at Yn''s peaceful and smiling face as she disintegrated to nothingness. It irked her that she wasn''t to fullyprehend what Yn''s stupid reason.


    Anyway, a fool was a fool. No matter how much others try to convince them, Shen Minyao wouldn''t be surprised if they jump into death with their head first.


    Suddenly, memories that didn''t belong to her started flooding her mind. Shen Minyao understood then that this was Yn''s memories leaving her body.


    First, the memories that shed in her mind were the memories from the first time Yn met Gu Luxian and how they became acquainted with each other. The fox woman''s mood turned sour as she was forced to watch it on the sidelines.


    Then, it shifted to the day when Gu Luxian came to their meeting ce, frantically looking around for Yn, not knowing she was standing right beside him.


    Yn''s expression was the giveaway to tell the fox woman that the flower fairy knew what transpired the night before and why Gu Luxian couldn''t see her anymore.


    The next scenes then showed Shen Minyao what happened to Yn for the next years without meeting nor talking to Gu Luxian.


    Shen Minyao then finally realized why she was annoyed with Yn''s love stricken expression. It was the same expression the human Su Daji had for Jiang Mo when she was still alive and before the fox woman possessed her body centuries ago.


    The next memories yed were something that caught Shen Minyao''s attention. This was what Yn was talking about earlier. The memories she had about Xuan Yanrui''s minions.


    A group of demons questioning her- No, Yn since she was merely watching the memories in Yn''s perspective, of information about the nine-tailed fox who had recently escaped the Qingqiu mountain. Demons that could actually converse in a humannguage and awareness of their surroundings.


    If Shen Minyao was correct, these demons were at least at the same rank as she had right now. If she were to confront these demons and fight them at her current state, Shen Minyao knew that she wouldn''t be able to win against them.


    "Speak. Have you heard anything about the fox demon that escaped from Li Yun''s binding spells?" One of them harshly pulled Yn''s hair, who was currently out of her mind and wasn''t able toprehend what they were saying.


    Shen Minyao inwardly scoffed. Why wasn''t she not surprised that Xuan Yanrui''s cohorts weren''t that smart at all?


    These demons might have awarenes, but they surely weren''t the brightest demon she had seen in her long life. Didn''t they know it was pointless to torture Yn, who was clearly driven by her instincts to insanity?


    They were talking about the human exorcist that they served, which Shen Minyao knew by now as Xuan Yanrui who''d possessed Pei Weijun''s body and how they nned to annihte the other Night Parade of the Hundred Demons led by the high-rank wolf demon, Lord Lang.


    Demons, although prefer solitary in nature, most of them tend to be part of a faction that could fit their needs and aspiration, as the Southern Lord, Qin Zhi oversee the demons who had pledge allegiance on him centuries ago after the war between the humans and demon huntings once Xuan Yanrui and Su Daji perished.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t sure what to think of that. She didn''t think Lord Lang would appreciate it if she and Qin Zhi got involved with his dispute against Xuan Yanrui, but if thetter indeed managed to invade the Northern Lands, it was only a matter of time before her ex-husband came to dere to the Southern Lands to apprehend her.


    Did the fox woman worry about the other demons being killed because of her? No. She was merely annoyed that in Xuan Yanrui''s eyes, she was a possession he needed to get hand into.


    He was still the same shameless man who only knew how to invade someone''s territory and not care of the mess the war left afterwards.


    In the past living as Su Daji, of course she had met Long Lang of the Northern Lands along with her brother. Both parties had agreed to keep a treaty to keep the demons safe on their territories as long as neither from both parties won''t dare to step on each other''sir.


    "The Lord of the Northern Lands is already dying. This wouldn''t be a war but a massacre." The other one replied, and he went to exin what transpired at the Northern Lands.


    Once Yn''s remains disappearedpletely, she allowed the Hellreaver to shift back to its previous form.


    Xiao Bai went to her side and watched as the remaining petals were blown away by the gust of wind. It was such a dramatic scene for a flower fairy''s departure to the afterlife. Well, if there was one for the likes of her and Shen Minyao.


    "And she died just like that." He heard his mistress say with a deep frown on her face. He had no doubt that she was annoyed again, by this sudden wish from the flower demon.


    As for whether his mistress grants such a wish or not, no one would be able to tell except for the fox woman.


    "Let''s go." Shen Minyao said as she got a better understanding of what Xuan Yanrui was nning, she needed to discuss the next n with Qin Zhi.


    When she returned to the study where Zhao Yichen and Gu Luxian were waiting for her return. Yu Yan had brought down her barriers and slowly dispeling the remaining demonic energy the flower fairy left around Zhao Yichen''s home.


    She didn''t need to ask what happened to the flower fairy, because the fact that she couldn''t sense Yn anymore proved that Shen Minyao had already ended her life to protect Zhao Yichen''s.


    Shen Minyao went back and sat on the same spot she vacated earlier. She sighed to herself and shut her eyes, not saying a word to her human contractor who was staring at her with confusion.


    Zhao Yichen nced at Yu Yan to exin what happened but she only shook her head, telepathically telling him to wait until her mistress was calm enough.


    He nodded in understanding and looked at Gu Luxian whose color was starting toe back on his face and hisplexion seemed better after Shen Minyao''s return.


    Did this mean that Shen Minyao had sessfully killed Yn? If so, then it would make sense why Gu Luxian looked better, but Zhao Yichen didn''t have the heart to tell his friend that Yn was already dead.


    It took an hour before Shen Minyao cracked her eyes open and asked Zhao Yichen for a drink. Butler Lu came and served them some refreshment with the fox woman a little surprised to see three cold strawberry yogurt drinks on the tray.


    So Zhao Yichen was now aware of her preferences, but was he smart enough not to oppose her this time?


    She had already revealed the truth about the disappearance of Gu Luxian''s ability and had taken care of eliminating Yn''s life with her own hands. Wouldn''t this mean that she had taken care of most of the problems and dealt with them?


    The fox woman sighed. This was why she rather not get involved with human''s fleeting and unpredictable feelings.


    However, now that she had already dealt with the danger that was looming around Zhao Yichen, she was certain that it would give her enough time to deal with her problem about Xuan Yanrui.


    She excused herself for a moment and gave Qin Zhi a call, informing him of what she had discovered from the flower fairy''s memories.


    "If he''s making a move to the Northern Lands, this means that he hasn''t gained enough power and influence to the other demons." Qin Zhimented.


    Shen Minyao scoffed at that and sat at the windowsill as she looked heavenward seeing the sky had turned dark already.


    "Even if he became a demon, it still didn''t change the fact that he was once a human.. It only makes sense why the other demons deem him still unworthy and below them."

 Chapter 174 - Kiss Of Death (1)

    Unedited.


    "You better be careful then. We are still not sure what Xuan Yanrui was nning." Qin Zhi reminded her. Since she was being tracked down by Xuan Yanrui''s henchmen, this also meant that not only she should be wary of the Li family now.


    Shen Minyao scoffed at that. What else would Xuan Yanrui want from her but to seek revenge? Other than that, she couldn''t think of any reasons why her ex-husband would seek her.


    Xuan Yanrui''s pride wouldn''t allow him to forget and forgive her, considering she had indirectly manipted him, fooled him to do things ording to her bidding. However, it didn''t surprise her when he heard that he was colluding with the other demons, forcing them to enter allegiance with him.


    Xuan Yanrui was an ambitious human in the past. His life goal was to have the supreme conquest, proving everyone that he was the best and others should bow down and submit to him. Him, being a demon now would, only heighten his desire for power and influence.


    "Then what do we do then? Do you know what''s the current situation in the Northern Lands?" Shen Minyao asked her. She needed to confirm if what she overheard from Yn was true or not.


    "There are rumors that Lord Lang is dying, but we cannot confirm this, as the Northern Lands never released any news or deny the rumors circting around." Her elder brother replied.


    It had been centuries since he received a word from the Northern Lord himself, and that was after three centuries since his sister was sealed away by Li Yun at the Qingqiu Mountain. At the time, Lord Lang had extended his gratitude over Qin Zhi''s help to protect the borders from the shamans and exorcists hunting for the demons.


    "Hn, but knowing Xuan Yanrui, he wouldn''t invade Lord Lang''s territory if he wasn''t sure if he would win or not." Shen Minyaomented.


    Because she had spent good years next to Xuan Yanrui, the fox woman was aware of how his twisted mind works. He wouldn''t go and attack an enemy if his chances of winning were low. He might have received a report that these rumors about Lord Lang and the demons at the Northern Lands were stalling their activities.


    "Even if it''s true, it wouldn''t be easy for us to step on the Northern Lands."


    As much as Qin Zhi wanted to see for himself the situation at the north, he cannot easily leave his territory, not when more unknown demons had suddenly entered Jiang City. He also cannot just step into the Northern Lands without considering the pact that they made with Lord Liang''s faction.


    "You can''t go, but I could." Shen Minyao insisted. She wanted to see with her own eyes if the war between demons was about to erupt, disturbing the power bnce between different demon factions in the country.


    She heard her older brother sighed at the other line, clearly not happy with her decision, but it couldn''t be helped. They cannot just stay and wait at Jiang City without doing anything.


    "You don''t have to rush there. Let me send my people to verify the information first. I don''t want you to fall into someone''s trap, just in case."


    The fox woman pressed her lips together in annoyance, but didn''t dare to oppose Qin Zhi''s suggestion. Now that every demon in the country was aware of her escape at the Qingqiu Mountain, it was only natural that her old enemies would resurface to try to seek revenge on her. More reason for her to keep her distance away from Li Fei''er.


    "Fine." Shen Minyao conceded, but she wasn''t hopeful of what her brother''s men could do considering how they failed to impress her the first time. "By the way, what happened at the kindergarten?"


    She almost forgot what happened next after they left the area. Given how many demons hade to attack them, effectively gaining the attention of those who were able to sense demons, Shen Minyao expected that humans were conducting an investigation around the area.


    Mu Qing hadn''t told her anything yet, but she could sense his presence nearby, letting her know that he was keeping an eye on her just what he told earlier.


    "The children who recently fell sick survived. They are stable now, but the few children who had been fed on by the child-eating demons are dered brain-dead. There''s nothing else we could do to help them." Qin Zhi said.


    Shen Minyao remained silent. Who told her brother that she intended to help those humans? If anything, it was their ignorance about the demons that made them oblivious to the reason for the deaths of those poor children.


    Anyway, the only way to help those children was to kill the child-eating demons who fed on them, effectively freeing them from their marks. Those children who survived the feeding would be bedridden for a few months, as it would take them for them to recover.


    "Call me anytime if something happens." Qin Zhi said before hanging up on their call.


    Shen Minyao stared at the screen of her phone and shook her head. What else could happen? She was bound to meet other demons anyway, whether she likes it or not.


    When she returned to where she left her human contractor, Gu Luxian was nowhere to be found while her two cat guardians dozed off on the couch.


    "I asked Butler Lu to move him to a private quarters now that he''s safe." Zhao Yichen informed her. He suddenly felt exhausted after struggling for the past few days, keeping an eye on his friend''s welfare.


    Wehen Gu Luxian went to see him a week ago, Zhao Yichen knew that something was wrong given how pale he was and how strong the demon scent reek around him. Yu Yan had informed him that the flower fairy had truly lost her mind this time.


    He hadn''t expected that Shen Minyao would arrive just in time, only to save their asses once again from impending danger.. Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure if he should ask the fox woman what had happened to Yn, and what he should tell Gu Luxian once he woke up.

 Chapter 175 - Kiss Of Death (2)

    The fox woman only nodded in response. She had yet to decide whether she should allow Zhao Yichen to tag along with her, or she should keep him hidden. However, she was also aware that Xuan Yanrui would be able to get word about Zhao Yichen''s existence soon.


    No matter how hard she tries to keep him from everyone, there would always be someone who would be able to trace her back to him. The fox orb inside Zhao Yichen''s body would surely react when there''s a demon nearby, but it would also attract the other demon''s attention in the same vicinity.


    Fine. Since she can''t possibly hide him like a dirty secret, she supposed that she should keep hispany at all times until the time she needed to leave for the Northern Lands. For the meantime, she would also deal with the mundane problems the real Shen Minyao left before her passing.


    "Do you have ns for the following days?" She questioned Zhao Yichen.


    "I do." Her human contractor replied. "Since the doctors have given me a go signal, grandpa wants me to join thepany as soon as possible."


    Zhao Yichen knew the implication of him joining the Zhao Corporation. His grandfather was trying to establish his name at thepany, effectively putting him once again in the spotlight.


    His uncles and other cousins would surely treat him as a threat to seed the old man, and Zhao Yichen was obviously not looking forward to meeting the people who were responsible for his kidnapping a few weeks ago.


    "Is that so?" Shen Minyao hummed and rubbed her chin. "Do you think you would be able to bring me to thepany to see if there are demons lurking around?" She asked.


    ``Why would you think that there''s a demon waiting for me there?" Zhao Yichen asked in confusion.


    "What do you know? You think that I am the only demon that could mingle among the humans? Don''t be naive. There are many demons who were forced to adapt to the fast-paced lives of the humans. While it''s true that it is hard to keep a low profile, they wouldn''t be able to resist the need to feed on humans like you."


    Zhao Yichen considered her opinion and nodded. Considering how he attracted the spider demon unknowingly back at the city hospital, the possibility of encountering other demons in public was now high, given that he would need to interact with more humans soon.


    "Alright. I''ll see what I can do, but I need to settle first before I can invite you in." He paused as a sudden thought crossed his mind. "Do other demons need to be invited in before they could enter a household or a ce?"


    Shen Minyao raised a slender brow on him. What was he up to this time?


    "No. There''s no such thing as a demon, but you should be careful being touched by them." She answered. "Why do you ask?"


    "Because my knowledge about demons are limited." Zhao Yichen exined. "But why do you mean I should be careful with their touch?"


    "A mere touch of a demon could enchant you or cursed you. They also be able to mark you as their prey if you were exposed to their demonic aura. This is why some exorcist make sure to purify a ce that was recently infested by a demon to make sure that no humans would be tainted or influenced by the demons who once took shelter on that ce."


    "Then, do you also mean to say that they could pretend to be humans like you? Do they need to possess a human to do so?"


    "No." The fox woman fiddled on her bracelet, that was her Hellreaver. "There are many kinds of demons but not all are able to possess a human, but there are such as high-ranking demons who could shape-shift to a human form to trick humans."


    Zhao Yichen nodded in understanding. It seemed that he still had a lot to learn about demons and how should he adjust on being bound to a powerful one. Shen Minyao had once told him that he was bound to him, perhaps until thest years of his short human life, and she would be stuck with him until then.


    He knew that she was keeping some information about their contract, and neither Yu Yan or Xiao Bai would tell him willingly what it was.


    "Are you sure you have no reasons for asking these?" Shen Minyao stared at him nkly.


    Zhao Yichen hesitated for a moment before releasing a sigh.


    "The recent news just made me think of it." He confessed. Why did he even bother to lie to a fox demon who can scent his intentions?


    "What news?" Shen Minyao had no idea what he was talking about.


    There was a reason why she rarely watched the television and check the news. If it wasn''t about the gossips between cheating couples in the showbiz industry, she found the entertainment of the humans nowadays so tasteless.


    Her human contractor took the remote of the television and turned it on. He then change the channel to the evening news, were the presenters were talking about the recent deaths of some male office workers at Jiang City.


    Seven men ages between twenty-five and thirty years old were found dead at their homes. What made the news be sensational was all of them were found dead without a single drop of blood in their bodies, with a deep bite marks on their throats.


    Many spected that there was a vampire targeting young male office workers, seducing them to feed on their blood. Those who were vampire-myth enthusiasts were obviously unto it and tried to hype the issue on the socialworks.


    "Do you think this is a work of a demon?" Zhao Yichen asked her once the news was done.


    "Definitely." The fox woman replied.. She couldn''t be mistaken this time for she had once encountered a demon like this.

 Chapter 176 - Shameless Little Girl (1)

    Shen Minyao decided to return to her dorm before the curfew. Even if she had decided to keep close to her human contractor, it would be inappropriate for a young woman like her to spend the night with Zhao Yichen. Her two cat guardians were left to make sure that Zhao Yichen and Gu Luxian would be fine for the night.


    As she stepped out of the cab she hailed earlier, Mu Qing appeared in her hindsight.


    "What is it now?" The fox woman asked in boredom. Her fight with Yn earlier was too easy for her liking. She preferred to have a fight with strong demons who would prove to be challenging enough for her to waste her time.


    "The news Zhao Yichen was telling you earlier¡­ was it really a demon?"


    "What do you think?" She arched a slender brow at him. "You didn''t think that a normal human would be able to suck another person''s blood until he was a dry husk, right?"


    "I have never encountered such a demon before," Mu Qing admitted.


    "It isn''t like you''ve met another fox demon before meeting me," the fox woman countered before she started walking towards the dormitory.


    When she felt Mu Qing was still following her, she shot him a re. She didn''t think that he was really serious when he said he would keep an eye on her. Shen Minyao wasn''t certain that she would enjoy thepany of a grim reaper. Since their meeting, they were only in each other''spany for a few hours.


    "Do you really have to be here?" She asked under her breath. Humans wouldn''t be able to hear her say anything; only Mu Qing would.


    "You think I want to be here? I am merely following my superiors'' orders." The grim reaper scowled at her.


    Shen Minyao scoffed, but she didn''t say anything. She went upstairs and unlocked her room, letting Mu Qing inside. Had any other human spotted her allowing a man inside her room, it would have caused an uproar. The fox woman was certain of that.


    At least, she wouldn''t be alone for tonight. Moreover, she could ck down a little, knowing Mu Qing would look after their safety.


    "About that demon¡­" Mu Qing started, indicating he wanted to discuss the recent demon terrorizing the citizens of Jiang City.


    "It''s a woman. A very beautiful one," Shen Minyao as she took a seat on her bed while Mu Qing moved next to the windowsill, watching the crescent moon above the darkened sky.


    "A vampire?" She heard Mu Qing ask curiously.


    Did he really have to ask?!


    The fox woman let out a lowugh and shook her head. What was this fascination about vampires that these humans had? Did they find it romantic to be bitten by a dangerous creature of the night?


    Humans indeed had such a weird taste that she would never understand. Anyway, the demon she was talking about was far from the vampires the humans had been romanticizing for decades.


    "Then, what kind of demon is it?" Mu Qing continued to probe. He found it odd that demons could easily trick humans like this.


    "Hn. There isn''t an actual name for them. They are known by several names, I believe," She exined. "They are just demons who prey on vulnerable men. Some trick married men to spend a fortune on them, leaving them broke; while the others seduce younger males to feed on their virility and life essence through sexual interactions."


    "Are they strong?"


    "Depends on the kind of demoness you will encounter. If you are a man, it will be hard for you to resist their enchantment. Once you fall under their spell, you will be obsessed with them; always wanting to be with them regardless of what others say. It will be toote for a man to notice what he has done once the spell fades off."


    They were such annoying demons that the fox woman would rather not meet again. They proved to be a handful at times and irritating at the same time.


    "I see¡­" Mu Qing didn''t dare to ask more, noticing how the fox demon decided to shut her eyes and dozed off.


    The next morning, when Shen Minyao opened her eyes, Mu Qing was nowhere to be found. Not that she was worried about him, anyway. Though she was a demon that didn''t need to sleep, she decided to use the night before to hibernate and give her host''s body a chance to heal from physical stress.


    The sun wasn''t up yet, so she washed her face and picked up the book she had yet to finish; while waiting for something toe up. It was Saturday, and she won''t have to attend sses for the day.


    The fox woman didn''t grow disappointed when Fu Xiyan came knocking on her door, asking her toe home to the Shen Residence.


    "Why are you in a rush? Something happened?" She asked the human.


    It was clear to Shen Minyao that Fu Xiyan wanted to say something, and her scent was reeking with worry and fear at the same time.


    Fu Xiyan bit her lower lip and nced at her miss''s face with hesitation.


    "You are being summoned back by your grandfather. I heard that Shen Qing hade yesterday andined to him," the poor human exined. "I think it is about the bet she made with you."


    The fox woman scoffed and patted Fu Xiyan''s head.


    "You are worrying too much, Xiyan," she told the human.


    "But Miss! I think Miss Qing''s parents won''t let this problem go away so easily. They are also waiting for your return." Fu Xiyan shot her a worried look.


    Ah, no wonder she was worried about Shen Minyao. Shen Qing''s parents used to bully her, making her feel useless and worthless at the same time.


    However, how could they think that the niece that was about to face them today was far from the Shen Minyao they were acquainted with in the past?


    "Give me a minute. Let me take a shower and dress up," Shen Minyao replied, leaving her personal attendant in her room. She couldn''t possibly miss this chance to know more about her host''s atrocious rtives. She hadn''t met people who were shameless enough to bully her in this era. Not to mention capable.


    Fu Xiyan was a few months older than Shen Minyao was. Since their ages were close to each other, the Shen family thought that it was the best way for their Little Yaoyao to have a friend and apanion at the same time.


    However, since Shen Minyao''s return from Qingqiu Mountain and her confinement in the hospital, the poor girl thought that Shen Minyao was drifting away from everyone. Her eyes had such coldness on them that Fu Xiyan had never seen on Shen Minyao before.


    She also started to speak differently with such confidence and arrogance. It made Fu Xiyan wonder if her miss''s sudden change was triggered by Shen Qing''s attempt on her life at the mountain.


    It was just too bad that neither Fu Xiyan nor the Shen family would ever find out that the Shen Minyao they knew and cared about was gone already. No matter how hard they wished to see her or talk to her, it would never happen.


    Half an hourter, the fox woman emerged from the ensuite bathroom, dressed casually in a halter white shirt, a dark-gray coat, a pair of ck denim pants, and white sneakers. Her arms were inside the coat''s sleeves, but the cor was hanging loosely behind her, as Shen Minyao didn''t bother to wear it properly on her shoulders.


    She then called out Fu Xiyan to lead the way out of her dorm.


    Fu Xiyan noticed that her miss''s hair was still slightly damp. She was about to ask if Shen Minyao needed help with drying her long hair, but she already opened the door, not giving Fu Xiyan a chance to speak at all.


    Outside the gate of the dormitory, Shen Minyao spotted the same car owned by the Shen family that usually retrieved and dropped her off for the past weeks. A man in a ck suit opened the door of the backseat for her and let her inside, along with Fu Xiyan.


    They drove towards the Shen Residence, where the old man and Shen Qing''s parents were waiting. Inside the car, Shen Minyao''s nose twitched as Fu Xiyan''s scent assaulted her senses.


    "Stop it, Xiyan. It isn''t you whom Uncle and Aunt would meter. It was me that they wanted to bully," she told the young woman seated next to her.


    "B-but¡­" Fu Xiyan wanted to argue. Regardless of whether the bet was only between her and Shen Qing or not, the elder would still me her for not stopping the two.


    "No buts, Xiyan. Let me deal with this.. You don''t have to protect me."

 Chapter 177 - Shameless Little Girl (2)

    The car finally arrived at the Shen residence. Shen Minyao had just entered the living room when she heard a heated argument inside. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Shen Qing in distress, seated at the couch with both of her parents on her sides; while Cheng Lifan was on the opposite couch, with a furious expression on her face.


    The fox woman hummed and nced at Elder Shen''s face, seeing his same stoic disposition and cold countenance as he listened to his son and his daughters-inw''s arguments.


    It seemed that the only person who truly cared about Shen Minyao inside this room was none other than her stepmother. Shen Xin didn''t even bother to make an appearance to show support towards his daughter; not that the fox woman expected to see him today, anyway.


    "I see you are here." Elder Shen was the first one to regard her. "Take a seat next to your mother, Xiao Yao."


    "Grandpa," she greeted the old man.


    Shen Minyao didn''t need to be told twice and took a seat next to Cheng Lifan who held her hand the moment she sat down.


    "Mom." She then gave Cheng Lifan a slight smile, but she wasn''t really in the mood to y as a filial and kind daughter today. Not when Shen Qing''s arrogant gaze was set on her at that moment.


    "Yaoyao, are you alright?" Cheng Lifan asked, checking if Shen Minyao was hurt anywhere. However, there were no pains to speak of.


    "I''m fine, Mama, but why would you think that I''m not okay?" The fox woman asked, feigning innocence as to why she was suddenly summoned home by the old man.


    "Qing''er imed that you hit Second Young Master Su when he was only trying to protect her." Cheng Lifan wasn''t sure if she should believe Shen Qing''s im, considering that this wasn''t the first time the girl tried to nder Xiao Yao''s reputation.


    "I did," Shen Minyao admitted without batting an eyelid, which made Elder Shen frown at her assent. "That''s because Qing Jie and Su Yin were making a fool of me at school."


    "You lie!" Shen Qing eximed. "You just kicked him because you wanted to hit me!"


    "You shameless girl!" Meng Ling, Shen Qing''s mother, sneered at the fox woman. "You wanted to bully our Xiao Qing? If Su Yin wasn''t there to protect her, you would have beaten up your cousin!"


    "So what if I beat her? Didn''t the Shen family take pride in their words and would never back down from their promises?" Shen Minyao nced at her grandfather, gauging his reaction. However, he showed nothing.


    At this point, there was no reason for her to care about what others think of her. Shen Qing''s parents might have known that their excessive doting towards their daughter drove the real Shen Minyao to lose her life in Shen Qing''s hands.


    Shen Qing''s hands were already tainted with blood, and the fox woman was certain that she would be able to do it again. After all, Shen Qing felt neither remorse nor guilt when she killed her cousin out of jealousy.


    "Qing Jie shouldn''t have made that bet with me if she isn''t nning to honor her words. As for me being shameless, isn''t the person who flirted and slept with her cousin''s fiance more shameless than me?"


    How could the fox woman not exploit Elder Shen''s prideful stand when it came to morals? The fact that Shen Qing had already slept with Su Yin was the very reason why he agreed to Shen Minyao''s request, to preserve her pride and reputation.


    Shen Minyao then recounted another fact to be revealed. "Also, you have lots to gain upon winning that bet with me, forcing me to annul my engagement with him."


    "Xiao Qing! Is this true?!" Elder Shen red at his other granddaughter. He knew that Shen Qing could be overbearing and excessive sometimes, but he never thought that she could be as outrageous as forcing Shen Minyao into this.


    pping Shen Qing in return might be Shen Minyao''s failed attempt to dissuade her cousin from forcing the bet between them. After all, Shen Qing was quite proud of her physical appearance.


    "But Grandpa¡­"


    "Why can''t you understand that it''s not your ce to force such arrangements, Xiao Qing?" The old man red at his granddaughter, forcing Shen Qing to bite down whatever retort she was about to say.


    "Do you even know the kind of losses that your involvement with Su Yin has brought to us?" He added.


    Elder Shen didn''t think that this selfish granddaughter of his understood the gravity of her actions. Why couldn''t Shen Qing be as kind and sensible as their Xiao Yao?


    Shen Qing lowered her head. After all, she didn''t care about their losses at all. If the Su family truly wanted to be rted to their family, then it''s no different if Su Yin married her instead of Shen Minyao, anyway. Or so she thought.


    The reason behind Shen Minyao''s betrothal to Su Yin was to make sure that they would gain the financial support of the Su family, while the Su family would get their influence in the society.


    The fox woman wasn''t surprised at all, finding out about this from her host''s memories. She didn''t think that humans still used their unmarried daughters as a bargaining chip to strengthen their ties with other families. She supposed it was hard, even for humans, to shed old habits that stayed for decades.


    "Anyway, since it already happened, we could onlyply with Xiao Yao''s request to dissolve their betrothal," Elder Shen announced, which brightened up Shen Qing''s mood.


    "Does this mean that I would be marrying Brother Su instead?" She asked excitedly.


    Shen Minyao crossed her legs and watched the other girl make a fool out of herself. Shen Qing must be ecstatic, knowing that Shen Minyao wasn''t engaged to Su Yin anymore. They wouldn''t have to be worried about what other people would say when she was seen with Su Yin in the future.


    "Don''t be ridiculous, Xiao Qing. The Su family never made such an announcement nor voiced out their intention of having you rece Xiao Yao as Su Yin''s future wife." The old man didn''t bother to sugarcoat his words as he scowled at the younger Shen.


    Shen Qing''s smile faltered at that, and it was reced with confusion. She expected that Su Yin would push for the notion of being engaged to her instead. Didn''t he im that he loved her and felt nothing towards her useless cousin?


    "Y-you''re lying!" She blurted out, much to her parents'' shock.


    "You are calling your elder a liar?" Elder Shen had enough of Shen Qing''s impertinence as it only proved hopeless even for him to dream that she would change for the better.


    All these years, his son and his daughter-inw tried to close their eyes to Shen Qing''s outrageous actions. They kept on iming that they were nothing but harmless idents. However, they would never believe it if someone imed that their precious daughter had already experienced killing a person.


    In the end, the real Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to have the justice she deserved after getting killed by her cousin. It would be so unless Shen Qing came clean about what she had done herself, which was seemingly impossible at the moment.


    "Enough." Cheng Lifan''s firm tone caught everyone''s attention. "Wasn''t it enough for you to nder and malign my daughter''s name in front of me?"


    She told Shen Qing''s parents, "My husband and I tried to be reasonable. We tried our best to meet Dad''s requests even though we aren''t happy with it, but you all are pushing our limits!"


    Elder Shen slightly nodded his head, agreeing with her. He also felt that his second son''s family was getting unreasonable these days, not to mention Shen Qing tried to humiliate Shen Minyao in public. This would only put their family name to shame.


    He nced at Shen Minyao and saw that she had a sorry expression on her face. It also must have been hard for their Xiao Yao, trying to understand her cousin over the years.


    "If you want to ask Su Yin to take responsibility for Xiao Qing, then you are on your own. I will not give them their blessing for what they have done to Xiao Yao," he decided.


    If it appeared that he was letting Shen Qing off this time, he would never be able to face Shen Xin''s family. Also, Shen Minyao had persisted for so long. Moreover, he was not that blind to know that Shen Minyao''s disappearance was caused by his other granddaughter.


    Shen Qing''s face nched. She didn''t expect that her grandfather would disregard her like this.. This only meant that her marriage with Su Yin in the future wouldn''t be acknowledged by the Shen family, and she wouldn''t receive her inheritance in the process.

 Chapter 178 - Fox Demon’s Humans (1)

    The next few days were too mundane and boring for Shen Minyao''s liking. Although her engagement with Su Yin had been finally dissolved by the Shen family, Su Yin had been persistently trying to talk to her. However, how could she allow that man to ruin her day by making her look at his face? The fox woman made sure that Su Yin wouldn''t be able to find her anywhere she went within the school premises.


    Meanwhile, Li Fei''er didn''t dare toe and speak to her, but the fox woman could sense the lingering stare the young woman was giving her. The thick scent of confusion and despair wasing from Li Fei''er, and Shen Minyao briefly thought of why Li Fei''er couldn''t ept that she had already burned the bridge between them.


    Li Fei''er was a human and a shaman, a natural enemy of a demon like her. If Li Fei''er chose to stay by her side once again, there was no assurance that Li Fei''er wouldn''t lose her life because of the fox woman again.


    "Aren''t you bored by following me around like a puppy?" She asked Mu Qing, who had taken it upon himself to make sure that wherever they went, demons were at a constant distance from them.


    Right now, he was up the tree with Shen Minyao. Mu Qing had taken a seat on one of the lower branches, while the fox woman admired the clear sky from another that she took.


    If someone managed to see them right now, they would think that they were such an odd pair.


    "I''m annoyed to see you cking. You think I want to watch over you?" His handsome face contorted with a hint of annoyance. "Even if you have nothing else to do, don''t pick a fight with me."


    Mu Qing realized that the fox woman was waiting for something; as to what it was, he had no idea. However, he could only surmise that Xuan Yanrui was rted to it. He knew that the fox woman didn''t like being threatened. Her pride wouldn''t allow her to do so.


    If anything, Mu Qing wouldn''t be surprised if she was already conceiving several ways to kill the man with her own hands. It made him wonder just what kind of person Xuan Yanrui was before the man turned into a demon like what the report said.


    He nced at Shen Minyao''s face, and immediately, he figured out no one knew Xuan Yanrui the best, if not this fox demon.


    "You want to ask something?" Shen Minyao broke the silence between them.


    Mu Qing raised a slender brow at her, but he reckoned that it was pointless to lie to her.


    "Xuan Yanrui¡­ what kind of person is he?" He asked.


    "An annoying person, what else? If you want to know more about him, why don''t you pick up history books and read them instead of annoying me like this." Shen Minyao brushed off the invisible dirt on her skirt before jumping down to the ground.


    Xuan Yanrui was enough to piss her off. To think that, even to this day, the man could annoy her just from the thought of him. This was enough for the fox woman to think of several ways to get even with him.


    As she took a turn at the next corner to return to the ssroom, she found Li Fei''er still standing in the same ce where she had seen the human earlier. Shen Minyao met her gaze, while Li Fei''er''s remained troubled. It seemed that the human still didn''t have the courage to say anything.


    "W-wait!" Li Fei''er called after her when Shen Minyao walked past and ignored her.


    The fox woman turned around and faced her.


    "You want to tell me something?" She crossed her arms over her chest and noticed that Li Fei''er wasn''t wearing her outer coat on such a windy day. Li Fei''er looked distracted these days, but Shen Minyao didn''t want to think that she was the reason behind it.


    Shen Minyao saw that Li Fei''er''s lips quivered as she tried to gather all the courage she had to say whatever she wanted.


    "If you aren''t going to say anything, I''m leaving." The fox woman sighed.


    "No, wait. I just want¡­"


    "You just want what?" Shen Minyao questioned her, not daring to look away.


    "Can''t we really be friends?" Li Fei''er was almost at the point of crying.


    "Despite the fact that I''m a demon?" Shen Minyao didn''t dare to hide her curiosity over Li Fei''er''s choice.


    Li Fei''er took a deep breath and looked Shen Minyao straight in the eyes. This was ''now or never''. She didn''t think Shen Minyao would give her another chance like this to clear up the situation between them.


    "Yes, I don''t care." She decided. So what if Shen Minyao was a demon?


    Even if she was a demon, Shen Minyao had clearly taken priority of her safety right from their very first meeting. How could Li Fei''er think lowly of her friend? Moreover, Shen Minyao was the first person she befriended sinceing back to Jiang City.


    "I still don''t know what kind of person¡ªno, demon you are, but I would like it if I learn more about you." She paused. "Shen Minyao, I thought we were best friends."


    "Aren''t you afraid of me?" Shen Minyao continued to probe. She wondered if she was once again failing to take control of the situation. Heck, she would be lying if she said she didn''t enjoy Li Fei''er''spany at all.


    "I''m sure I''m not. There''s no doubt about it." The human let out an awkwardugh. If Shen Minyao was truly a demon, then she would really be in grave danger if she stayed close to Shen Minyao. It''s just¡­ so what?


    She didn''t want to be a sanctimonious person, but how could she judge Shen Minyao? It wasn''t her ce to tell and judge the demon''s way, since she barely knew anything about how the demons live their lives.


    "Do you mind?" She asked the fox demon in return. She had no idea why Shen Minyao was keeping her distance¡­ when it was clear that the demoness was also concerned about her wellbeing.


    Was this Shen Minyao''s way of protecting her?


    "Do you really think I care what people and you, humans, think about me?" Shen Minyao scoffed, resuming her stroll. She was also aware that Li Fei''er followed her back inside the school building, where they would be protected from the biting coldness of the wind outside.


    "No, I guess not," Li Fei''er replied, finally rxing a bit upon hearing Shen Minyao''s answer. She suddenly felt that it had been a long time since she and Shen Minyao had a conversation like this.


    Seeing the way that Shen Minyao''s expression softened a bit, Li Fei''er tried to suppress the smile that was about to spread on her lips. However, the fox demon already knew it from her scent.


    "So, does this mean I can still be your friend?" Li Fei''er felt her chest tighten a bit from nervousness as she did a side nce at Shen Minyao.


    The fox woman remained silent. She also couldn''t tell what the right answer to that question was. The only thing that was stopping her from letting Li Fei''er stay in her life and get involved with her¡­ was her fear that she wouldmit the same mistake she made in her past life.


    But, heck¡­ she was a pompous, arrogant demon. Since when did she care about others'' opinions over her choices? If she wanted it, she wanted it. However, keeping Li Fei''er next to her would mean that she needed to get stronger to be able to protect this weak human.


    Those humans and demons who insulted Feng Jiu in the past had met their untimely deaths anyway. If someone dared to harm Li Fei''er again, then she only needed to make them silent forever, right?


    Li Fei''er had no idea that Shen Minyao was having such a dangerous thought. It was better for it to stay that way anyway. The fox woman wasn''t sure how the human next to her would take it if Li Fei''er knew how wicked and dark she was. She was a demon through and through, and it wouldn''t change anything.


    Shen Minyao took a deep breath for the umpteenth time. Why were Mu Qing and Li Fei''er so determined to annoy her today with their questions? Couldn''t they just leave her alone for a moment?


    "Do whatever you want. I don''t care." Shen Minyao shrugged and entered the ssroom, leaving Li Fei''er behind. She needed not to exin more of her answer, as she was sure that Li Fei''er wasn''t that dumb not to know.


    Li Fei''er''s face brightened up as she understood what Shen Minyao''s words meant.. She was being given the chance to decide for herself, without anyone forcing her into it.

 Chapter 179 - Fox Demon’s Humans (2)

    While the fox woman had been reunited with her human ward for the second time, Zhao Yichen was preparing himself as it was his first day at work. He knew the kind of danger he would be subjected to when he appeared in public once again. He needed to be wary not only of his rtives but also of demons hiding in the crowd.


    If Shen Minyao was correct, a demon was mingling among the working ss, feeding on vulnerable young males like him. What were the odds that he would be targeted by that demon?


    "Calm down, Milord. So long as I am with you, no demons would be able to catch the scent of Mdy on you." Yu Yan''s reassuring words somewhat calmed his nerves.


    "That sounds music to my ears, Yu Yan." Zhao Yichen smiled as he buttoned his cufflinks and gave his reflection in the mirror onest nce.


    "You know, I still don''t know anything about you and Xiao Bai. How did you end up next to a fox demon?" He asked the ck cat.


    While Xiao Bai liked to devour food in his waking hours, Yu Yan spent time observing the humans Zhao Yichen encountered so far.


    "It''s a long story, Milord. I''m afraid I might bore you to death," Yu Yan said with a gentle tone. However, it was clear to Zhao Yichen that she wasn''t willing to disclose such important details to him, and he respected that.


    It wasn''t his ce to question the fox woman and the cat guardians'' personal matters. Neither of them asked him about his past and how he managed to see creatures a normal human could not. Moreover, he wasn''t even sure how to exin it in the first ce.


    Butler Lu knocked on his door, letting him know that the car that would bring him to Zhao Corporation was ready. Zhao Yichen nodded and took a deep breath, preparing himself to ept that he couldn''t avoid this meeting with his rtives.


    Xiao Bai decided to wake up at that moment and followed Yu Yan and Zhao Yichen out of thetter''s room. He then joined them in the car that was waiting for them outside.


    Tall skyscrapers greeted Zhao Yichen''s eyes when they reached the business district of Jiang City. Many popr and prominentpanies stationed their headquarters here, so there was no wonder many people gathered in this ce, emitting such intense energies Xiao Bai and Yu Yan foundparable to what the city hospital had.


    "Are the other demons or spirits able to sense you?" Zhao Yichen asked in a low voice.


    "Some of them can," Yu Yan replied. "Lower demons will be repelled by us through the invisible force we have that will stop them going forward. It''s different for stronger demons. Not only will they be able to sense us, but they will also see our forms, depending on how powerful they are."


    "What about humans?" Zhao Yichen continued. It was important for him to assess the situation they were in properly this time, just so he wouldn''t cause trouble for Shen Minyao like what he did before.


    "If they are anything like you and Li Fei''er, of course, they would be able to see us." Xiao Bai scoffed, not impressed by the many changes the humans did to their world.


    "Li Fei''er?" Zhao Yichen had heard that name before from Xiao Bai, but neither he nor Yu Yan exined who this woman was and what Shen Minyao thought of her.


    "You will know more about her soon," the white cat replied, knowing that as one of the fox demon''s humans, Zhao Yichen was destined to meet the young Li Fei''er in the future.


    The stench of horrid odors of the pollution had grown quite thick; it was surprising that humans could still live in such a state. Demons would have to adjust if they wished to live among the humans, and they chose to weaken their senses to tune out the overwhelming scents and sounds that could potentially harm them.


    The car then pulled up to a stop at the private parking space of the Zhao Corporation. Just so they could apany him, Xiao Bai and Yu Yan further lessened their sizes. This also allowed them to settle on Zhao Yichen''s shoulders without asking him to bear the weight of their previous forms.


    An assistant greeted them at the entrance of the private elevator, giving Zhao Yichen a brief introduction and a peek at what he should expect for today. Zhao Yichen only nodded, imitating Shen Minyao''s cold countenance that forbade anyone to know what he was thinking.


    He supposed that by doing this, he wouldn''t be easily tricked by anyone this time. He might be relying on Xiao Bai and Yu Yan for protection against demons and spirits, but they couldn''t protect him from physical attacks and schemes from other humans.


    They entered the elevator, and Assistant Han pressed the button of the floor where they were expected to be. Zhao Yichen''s eyes fixated on the disy above the elevator buttons, watching the numbers ascend.


    Once the doors opened, Zhao Yichen straightened his back and followed Assistant Han. Thetter led him to a conference room where his grandfather and his uncles, as well as his cousins, were waiting for them.


    His uncles¡ªZhao Ling and Zhao Fang, brothers of his deceased father¡ªlooked at him with disgust, while his three males cousins gave him a curious look. One woman was with them, which Zhao Yichen recognized as Xia Mei, daughter of the Xia family¡­ who was also Zhao Yichen''s childhood friend, along with Gu Luxian.


    He had heard from Gu Luxian that Xia Mei had be a career-oriented woman. However, Zhao Yichen never expected that she would truly follow her family''s ns, for her to seed their family business in the future. What''s more, he wasn''t even sure what Xia Mei was doing here.


    They all got to their feet, following Elder Zhao''s lead; while Zhao Yichen stood next to the old man, forcing his nerves to calm down. Xia Mei joined them, only looking at him nkly. It wasn''t the same sunny and smiling expression Zhao Yichen was ustomed to seeing on this childhood friend of his.


    "Today, Yichen will join us as Director of Marketing. I expect each of you will get along with him and not give him unnecessary troubles." Elder Zhao started, giving his other sons a meaningful look as if he was warning them not to go overboard this time.


    None of them dared to challenge the old man, not in front of him, anyway. Now that the old man found out that there was an attempt on Zhao Yichen''s life, all of them knew they would be treated as suspects. However, that wouldn''t mean they wouldn''t try to get their hands on Zhao Yichen again.


    "I sense intense murderous intenting from your uncles," Yu Yan told Zhao Yichen, but the man didn''t make any sign that he had heard what she said.


    Zhao Yichen didn''t need to be told, though. He could see it in their eyes that they were already nning their next move to eradicate himpletely, without earning the ire of their old man.


    It made sense to Zhao Yichen now why Shen Minyao said that humans were not so innocent and different from demons like her. In fact, humans were more fueled by their greed and interests that they were willing to burn bridges to save their own selves.


    "I guess wee to the board, cousin." Zhao Yichen''s cousin, Zhao Xun, broke the silence around them.


    "Thanks." Zhao Yichen nodded but didn''t say more in return.


    The next thing that happened was just pleasantries. Then, Zhao Yichen was given a tour by his new assistant to the marketing department where he would be working. He was greeted by his new subordinates and then led to his private office at the end of the hallway.


    Zhao Yichen was given a good view of Jiang City from where his office was. It was his first day, but reports were already sent to his office, which needed his immediate attention.


    "Do you think you can manage to invite and bring Mdy here?" Yu Yan asked once they were out of everyone''s earshot, reminding him of Shen Minyao''s request.


    "I should ask her toe on Friday instead. People might misunderstand if I brought her here so suddenly." He paused as if he remembered something. "Did you sense any demons in the vicinity?"


    Xiao Bai leaped from his shoulder and settled on the leather seat behind the desk, while Zhao Yichen stood next to the ss window, watching the scenery in front of him.


    "There are at least fifteen demons within the building, away from one another," the white cat answered Zhao Yichen''s inquiry.


    "Don''t worry, Milord," Yu Yan added.. "They are harmless and won''t pose a danger towards you unless they are cornered."

 Chapter 180 - Blood Sucking Demoness (1)

    It was just the first day of work for Zhao Yichen, but he didn''t expect to feel exhausted so soon. The clock indicated that there was still an hour left before it was time to clock out. However, considering how many files and reports that needed to be reviewed by him were on his desk, there was no doubt that he wouldn''t be able to finish everything today.


    At least, Assistant Han was ready to help him with his tasks for today, making sure the files were sorted out based on urgency and importance.


    After being idle for weeks, this was the first time that Zhao Yichen had been busy with something else aside from worrying about Shen Minyao''s whereabouts. It was enough to keep him preupied, from overthinking things.


    He continued to work, while Xiao Bai left his office to wander around and make sure there was no demon nearby. Yu Yan chose to stare at the nothingness outside the window, but upon seeing her eyes glowing, Zhao Yichen figured she was also surveying the area, like Xiao Bai.


    Yu Yan was the stark contrast of Xiao Bai. She was silent and gentle, but she knew when to take action. She was also very caring towards Zhao Yichen, something that he didn''t observe from the white cat.


    It seemed that the white cat guardian preferred the fox woman''spany to his, but that was fine with Zhao Yichen. With Xiao Bai''s chatty personality, Zhao Yichen was afraid that he might say things that he shouldn''t.


    When Xiao Bai came back, he went to curl on the couch and dozed off, which surprised neither Zhao Yichen nor Yu Yan.


    "There are so many demons and wandering spirits outside." Zhao Yichen heard Yu Yan say.


    "I''m not hearing about the spirits, but it''s hard to believe that humans weren''t the only ones who live in this city," Zhao Yichen admitted.


    "That''s because humans like you won''t readily believe that demons indeed exist."


    "That''s true. If I hadn''t met your mistress that fateful night, I wouldn''t believe that demons are among us."


    "But, Milord, you have to be careful. I sense great demonic energy five hundred meters from where we are." The ck cat warned him.


    "Do you know what kind of demon it is?"


    Yu Yan shook her head in response. It was hard for her to know the kind of demon it was based on their spiritual presence alone. If Shen Minyao were here, perhaps the fox woman would be able to identify that powerful demon Yu Yan sensed earlier.


    Zhao Yichen hummed and ced down his pen on his desk before twining his fingers together. With the continuous attacksunched by demons these days, he wondered if there was something bigger that humans were about to face. Shen Minyao wasn''t telling him anything, but he could vaguely sense something was happening on the side of the demons¡­ as if there was a conflict he had yet to discover.


    "Do not fret, Milord. So long as you stay away from that demon, your life won''t be in danger." Yu Yan''s voice reached his ears, but oddly, this time, it wasn''t able to calm his nerves.


    Zhao Yichen felt something was wrong, but he couldn''t pinpoint what it was. If only the fox woman could confide to him about what was happening, he could better understand the situation. s, asking Shen Minyao to exin things wasn''t something Zhao Yichen deemed to be fruitful, given how she reacted thest time they had a heated argument about Yn.


    Finally, the working hours were done, allowing Zhao Yichen to rx in his seat. By then, Assistant Han coted the files that he managed to finish on time. Tomorrow, another set of paperwork was waiting for him to be worked on, and Zhao Yichen wasn''t looking forward to it.


    "Director Zhao, would you be able to join us tonight? We are nning to give you a wee party." Zhao Yichen''s new secretary emerged from the door and beamed a wide smile at him.


    "Well¡­" Zhao Yichen hesitated. Yu Yan had warned him about the demons in the vicinity. On the other hand, he should not distance himself from his colleagues, or else they might suspect him of something.


    "Please?" His secretary persisted.


    Zhao Yichen nced at the two cat guardians who were seated next to each other on the couch, looking at him nkly.


    "You can go," Xiao Bai said.


    "En. We are with you, but I suggest that you don''t stay outte tonight¡ªjust to be sure," Yu Yan agreed with her partner.


    "Fine." He conceded, facing his secretary. "But only this time. I don''t want any of you getting drunk tonight, or it might affect your performance at work tomorrow."


    "Great! I will inform the others, then." The woman hurriedly left his office in glee.


    An hourter, Zhao Yichen found himself inside a private booth of a popr club in Jiang City. His subordinates were having a good time, talking and drinking together. He politely answered all of their questions and grew relieved when he noticed something. None of them was aware of the kidnapping that happened to him as soon as he came back from abroad.


    Perhaps, the Zhao family was keeping it a secret. If other people knew that there was a feud inside the Zhao family, someone might take advantage of it and use it to snatch thepany from the Zhao family.


    "It must be nice living and studying in a foreign ce. I''m envious of you, Director Zhao," one of themmented.


    "I would rather live and study here. The ces might be nice overseas, but I suffered from severe homesickness when I was living there," Zhao Yichen replied with a small smile. People might envy him, but they had no idea about the kind of problems he was dealing with privately. He briefly wondered if being oblivious to the truth was better than facing the dangers it brought every single day.


    "Well, didn''t that man from the finance department also studied abroad? He only came back three months ago, and now, he''s dead." Another one of his subordinates raised the issue that Zhao Yichen had heardst weekend.


    Xiao Bai and Yu Yan were now seated on top of the table. They were next to Zhao Yichen, listening to the humans'' conversation. They eyed each other and nodded, not hinting Zhao Yichen anything about what they were even thinking.


    "Indeed." Assistant Han, who was seated next to Zhao Yichen, nodded. "It''s truly a pity that he suddenly died. I heard that his manager was considering giving him a promotion before his death."


    Others nodded their heads in agreement. Right now, the smiles on their faces had vanished and been reced with curiosity.


    "Do you think that woman he''d taken homest time was the killer? Police have been looking around for that woman, but they couldn''t seem to identify her and find her whereabouts."


    "Urgh, don''t speak anymore. Just the thought of how the police found him dead in his apartment is horrifying enough."


    The office worker that they were talking about was one of the victims in the series of deaths the news reported recently. Apparently, this young man met an extremely seductive woman during one of the night outs he had with his colleagues.


    The young man was found syed naked on his bed, his skin shrunk and clung to his bones. All the while, his muscles, internal organs, and eyeballs were found missing. He was the third victim of the said woman preying on young professional males working in the business district of Jiang City.


    "Can you sense that demon around?" Zhao Yichen asked in a low voice, aware that the two cats would be able to hear him clearly nevertheless.


    "En, but not so close. She might be able to sense Yu Yan''s and my barrier, but she isn''t doing anything to step inside the territory," Xiao Bai answered.


    Zhao Yichen fell silent at that. If that was the case, he and his colleagues at work should be better off not meeting like this in the meantime¡­ for their safety. He also needed to stay away from ces like this, in hopes that whoever that demon was wouldn''te after him while Shen Minyao wasn''t around.


    Their small party finally ended, much to Zhao Yichen''s relief. As he sat in the backseat of the car, the cats started talking.


    "A woman and a blood-sucking demon at that. Why do I feel like we already encountered something like this in the past?" Xiao Bai asked his partner.


    "You don''t remember Consort Yan? Wasn''t she also a demoness who joined the harem before Mdy did?" Yu Yan replied.


    "Oh! Now, I remember! Humans had grown terrified when maids and guards started disappearing in her courtyard one by one.. If Mdy hadn''t shown up and killed the demoness herself, the whole imperial harem would be fed on by her."

 Chapter 181 - Blood Sucking Demoness (2)

    When Li Fei''er parted with Lu Anqi at the train station, she wasn''t expecting to see a familiar person who joined her in the same car. She lifted her gaze and saw Qin Zhi also looking in her direction. The rain was falling hard outside, so many people chose to dy their trips and wait for it to let up. This notion lessened passengers in the train station.


    "Mr. Qin." She gave the man a customary greeting, not sure why a person like him wouldmute like the rest of the humans.


    He was standing near the doors, dressed in casual ck attire that reminded the young shaman of Mu Qing, the grim reaper. In one of Qin Zhi''s hands was an umbre that was dripping wet from the heavy rain outside.


    Li Fei''er hadn''t forgotten that Qin Zhi was the CEO of a poprpany in Jiang City, and¡ªif she was right¡ªa demon like Shen Minyao. She still had no idea what kind of demon Shen Minyao was, but she supposed she would eventually find out in the future.


    "Miss Li." Qin Zhi gave her a curt nod and chose to stand next to the pole, holding onto one of the straps hanging above him.


    The awkward silence between them that followed was palpable, and it made Li Fei''er more aware of Qin Zhi''s presence near her.


    "Are you going somewhere?" It was the fox demon who chose to initiate the conversation.


    Qin Zhi wasn''t sure about the state of his sister''s rtionship with Li Fei''er now, but he wouldn''t be surprised if Li Fei''er insisted on befriending her still, despite their differences.


    The young shaman blinked in surprise and turned her head to regard the demon. It felt strange for her to be talking to another possible demon like him¡­until the truth that Shen Minyao was a demon sunk in.


    "Ah, I''m going home early. Ourst ss has been canceled." Li Fei''er smiled at him. She was not sure why her heart raced a bit after hearing him talk to her. She only assumed it was because she didn''t have many interactions with men and had very few male friends.


    "I see."


    "What about you, Mr. Qin? You''re going somewhere?" She returned the question, wondering why a CEO like him was wandering around on his own like this. Wasn''t he afraid of encountering a shaman that wouldn''t tolerate a demon like him?


    "I''m on an errand. Everyone''s busy dealing with the demons that have entered the city," Qin Zhi said in a low voice.


    That wasn''t what Li Fei''er was expecting to hear from him, but upon looking at his handsome face, she couldn''t sense deceit at all.


    "How many?" She asked with her voice almost a whisper, but it was still loud enough for Qin Zhi to hear her clearly.


    "Enough for you to find one on every street here in the city." The demon lord didn''t dare to lie to her. "Although most of them had been terminated already, some mid-rank demons are still lurking around."


    Li Fei''er hummed and nodded her head. Her father had discussed this with her the other night. He warned her not to exorcise every demon she encountered while she was out, for fear that the demons would attack her all at once.


    "So I''ve heard, but why are you doing this? Aren''t they¡­ like you?"


    "If someonemitted a crime, wouldn''t you humans also try to stop them from wreaking havoc?" Qin Zhi reasoned out.


    "That made sense." Li Fei''er nodded. "Mr. Qin, do you mind if I tag along? I want to help you." She then offered, much to the demon lord''s surprise.


    "And why would you willingly help someone like me?"


    "I dunno." She shrugged. "I feel like everyone is getting their share of action, and here I am being useless to them."


    "Don''t say that. They are just worried about your safety."


    At those words, Li Fei''er couldn''t help but huff in annoyance.


    "Everyone keeps telling me that, but I know they just don''t want me to mess up their missions."


    Even now, she could tell that Shen Minyao had another case at hand, but the fox demon wasn''t willing to tell her. Li Fei''er could only try to convince herself that Shen Minyao wasn''t nning to let her tag along in the meantime.


    Of course, she knew that, but she didn''t like how everyone treated her like a child. She was already a full-fledged shaman, and in a few months, she would turn eighteen, a legal person by human standards. That''s why it was pointless for them to keep her in the dark for too long.


    "I thought Shen Minyao would be apanying me today. She left in a hurry," she told Qin Zhi, who was busy typing on his phone and sending his orders to other demons working under him.


    "She must have something important to deal with, and I''m not that weak to rely on a weaker demon for assistance," he said without breaking his gaze on his phone.


    "Eh? I disagree with you, Mr. Qin. Regardless of how weak or strong yourpanion is, he or she can still make a difference."


    It was only by then did Qin Zhi stop whatever he was doing to look at her. Seeing her smiling face, he couldn''t help but wonder how much of Feng Jiu was retained in this young woman in front of him.


    Only Feng Jiu would argue with him like this, without worrying about offending him or facing repercussions for her actions. Not that Qin Zhi wouldy a hand on her when she was merely voicing out her opinion in front of him.


    "Is that so?"


    "I know so," Li Fei''er said confidently. She didn''t know where she got this confidence in conversing with a demon, but oddly enough, she couldn''t sense any danger from Qin Zhi''s presence.


    Just how strong should this demon be to repelmon ghosts and demons that usually dwell in such a busy ce like this? Li Fei''er had no idea.


    Shen Minyao was the one with him when they fought the swarm of demons before, and Li Fei''er regretted that she couldn''t do much to help them back then. This was why she was eager to help Qin Zhi now, although he didn''t necessarily need her help at all.


    Perhaps demons thought that they didn''t need help from others when they''re strong enough to do everything on their own. For humans, however, it could change everything.


    "Aren''t you afraid? We are facing demons. I couldn''t guarantee your safety at all."


    Lie. Qin Zhi mocked himself inwardly. If things went from bad to worse, he would do everything in his ability to save Li Fei''er, even if it meant death for him. Qin Zhi was sure that his sister wouldn''t be pleased if she knew what he was thinking at that moment.


    "I''m not afraid. I trust that you''ll have my back, Mr. Qin."


    Qin Zhi''s expression softened, and he turned his attention outside, watching as the rain started to dwindle. The sky looked a little brighter now, just like his mood. However, he didn''t dare to sully this rare moment he shared with Li Fei''er.


    "Where do you think Shen Minyao is right now? I hope she isn''t dealing with another problem on her own again." He heard Li Fei''er muttered under her breath.


    So even in this lifetime, Li Fei''er was still bound to meet and befriend his sister? If that was the case, then the spiritual connection between the two was so strong that it could transcend through time and personalities.


    "I think she''s dealing with the blood-sucking demon that was in the news these days."


    Li Fei''er gasped and covered her mouth in shock. She had also suspected that the culprit behind those deaths was also a demon, but she didn''t expect Qin Zhi to confirm it himself.


    "Would she be alright on her own?" She murmured a question.


    "She''s not a weak woman. She can take care of herself."


    Unless Shen Minyao was facing a high-rank demon like him, then she would be able to deal with lower-ranked demons and could even go head-to-head with the same rank as hers.


    "That''s also true," LI Fei''er agreed with him. If only she was as brave and strong as Shen Minyao was, perhaps her family would at least give her some credit as a shaman.


    "I can take you with me, but you have to promise that you will listen to what I say. If I deem the situation too dangerous, you should leave at once without a question. This won''t take long," Qin Zhi reminded her of the task at hand.


    "En. I could do that."


    Finally! Li Fei''er rejoiced.. While Shen Minyao was dealing with whatever vampire there was, lurking in the business district; she would have a chance to utilize her skills as a shaman with Qin Zhi''s help.

 Chapter 182 - Utterly Smitten (1)

    Li Fei''er had to admit that she was impressed by how efficient and strong Qin Zhi was. When he used a concealment spell to make them invisible to human eyes, Li Fei''er was speechless and shocked at the same time. This only proved that she still had a lot of things to learn about demons like him and Shen Minyao.


    "Wow. I never thought that this was possible." She looked down at her hand before checking her whole body. She then tested it out by going to a female passerby to ask her a question, but she was ignored as if she didn''t exist in the first ce.


    "Not all demons can do this. A demon needs a high spiritual power to be able to sustain it," Qin Zhi exined.


    "So you are not only a big shot by human standards, but also one in the demon world, huh?" Li Fei''er shot him a teasing smirk, amused that he was able to mingle among humans without alerting her fellow shamans over the years.


    Qin Zhi said nothing, and a naginata then appeared on his right hand. In an instant, he wordlessly ran towards their first target.


    Li Fei''er followed after him shortly, and she found herself on an almost deserted yground where small demons prey on the young children that have yet to leave the ce.


    "Don''t forget about our agreement earlier." She heard Qin Zhi say.


    Li Fei''er opened her mouth, her eyes widening upon seeing these demons feed on their unsuspecting prey. They were clinging to every child at the yground, ignoring one another as they sucked on the delicious life essence of the children.


    In the corner of her eye, she saw Qin Zhi surging forward, killing a demon that was clinging to the back of a young boy. Li Fei''er surmised that the boy was at least six years old. A scream of pain then resounded in the area as his de hit the demon.


    The child turned around after sensing something behind him, but he found nothing of interest. His mother called out his name and asked if it was time for them to go home. At this, he ran towards her.


    Li Fei''er smiled at the scene where Qin Zhi continued to kill the rest of the demons, making sure that the children wouldn''t be harmed in the process. Her impression of him became better after witnessing such action from him.


    He was obviously a demon, but he held onto such a trivial detail of not hurting the children from his attacks. She was oblivious that Qin Zhi was merely taking measures so that she wouldn''t witness him kill a human with her own eyes.


    In the past, Qin Zhi had been careful about killing in front of his wife. Feng Jiu was already ustomed to it, though, considering the amount of killing she had witnessed in thepany of Su Daji. He was very careful about matters that would traumatize her, despite her telling him that she knew of his true nature and what he was capable of.


    Li Fei''er might not be able to remember the past, but Qin Zhi remembered all of it. From the moment she hid the weakened him inside a temple to protect him from his pursuing enemies, to the time she finally epted him as herwful husband, up to the day sheid in his arms as nothing but a lifeless body¡­


    How could he even begin to forget about her?


    As he killed the remaining demons, his mind couldn''t help but wonder why his wife''s incarnation was with him and how he earned the fortune to meet her again. Like in the past, it was his sister who found Feng Jiu first; in this lifetime, Shen Minyao met Li Fei''er before he did again.


    "Ah, you killed them all, Mr. Qin. You didn''t even give me a chance to help you." Li Fei''er''s words brought him back to reality.


    "I have allowed you to apany me so that we can purify this ce. Although I have eliminated their presence, their stench is still here to attract the other demons nearby. Will you be able to do it?" He replied, swishing his de a few times in midair in an attempt to lessen the blood that the demons left on it.


    "I can do it! Leave this to me, Mr. Qin!" Li Fei''er stepped forward, pulling out the talismans from her side pocket. Qin Zhi was right. Although there were no more demons in sight, this ce was still polluted by a thick demonic aura in the air, which would result in children falling sick if they were exposed to it.


    "Please step aside, Mr. Qin. I wouldn''t want you to be caught up in it."


    Qin Zhi simply did what was told and stepped aside, allowing Li Fei''er to perform a purifying ritual on the yground. He watched intently, paying attention to the spiritual power Li Fei''er currently possessed. He didn''t get to watch her thest time she had done something simr, but he had to admit that she wasn''t the weakling other humans deemed her to be.


    For other shamans, purifying and dispelling the demonic aura left in a ce as huge as this yground would at least take them an hour to finish. On the contrary, Li Fei''er managed to cleanse the ce in under half an hour, surprisingly faster than normal.


    Shen Minyao told him that Li Fei''er was born into the Li family, a family of shamans. This made Li Yun, the shaman prodigy, Li Fei''er''s ancestor. This discovery made Qin Zhi unsure whether this was a coincidence or not¡­ because he could swear Li Fei''er''s spiritual presence was almost the same as that of Li Yun.


    If this was the case, was this to mean that Li Fei''er was born with a higher innate spiritual power thanmon humans and shamans? Qin Zhi had no doubt that with enough experience and proper guidance, Li Fei''er would be a formidable shaman in the future.


    Perhaps she would be able to fight head-on against him and Shen Minyao in the future, which wouldn''t be so bad at all. He and Shen Minyao wouldn''t be worried about her safety had she be capable of protecting herself on her own.


    In the past, while the fox woman had taught her how to defend herself from physical attacks from humans, Feng Jiu could only handle lower demons and fend off stronger ones. If Li Fei''er could manage to strengthen her body, she would be able to bnce her defenses against both races.


    "I don''t understand. What caused them to suddenly appear here in the city? Do you think that Peng Weijin summoned them here to invade us?" She asked Qin Zhi now that they were certain that no more demons were lurking in the shadows within the area.


    "We''re still not sure what he''s up to. Until then, we can only keep the demons at bay to lessen the damage they might cause to unsuspecting humans."


    "Dad told me that when he was younger, the forbidden ce used to have a malevolent spirit that no one can exorcize." Li Fei''er started. "Many exorcists and shamans went to that ce, hoping they would be able to send it away as soon as possible¡­ only for them to fail. It became such a challenge to anyone that whoever could defeat the spirit would be deemed as the strongest shaman in the world."


    "Howughable," Qin Zhi said in a t tone. It didn''t surprise him one bit. He wasn''t aware of the situation back then because of self-hibernation. If he knew that Xuan Yanrui''s spirit remained after his passing, the fox demon would have killed and exterminated that person himself.


    s, all of these could have been prevented if he hadn''t sumbed to depression. Centuries after his wife''s death and his sister''s confinement, his resolve to continue living had weakened.


    "Indeed. They could have just worked together to solve the problem rather than making it apetition. Look at what happened now." He heard Li Fei''er huffed as they continued to walk. Around them, humans hurriedly rushed towards the train station to get home before the rain would start to fall again.


    "I assure you, some demons also make mistakes like that. You would have thought they knew better because of our longer lifespan, but some prove to be ignorant when ites to important matters."


    "So, Mr. Qin, do you also have regrets in your long life?" Li Fei''er grinned, liking how easy it was for her to speak to Qin Zhi now. The first time they met, she felt troubled and confused why she felt some connection to him. However, she supposed she might just be overthinking things again¡­ like how she tended to do so.


    "I do.. Mistakes that I could have prevented if I paid more attention," Qin Zhi admitted, remembering his wife''s sudden death centuries ago.

 Chapter 183 - Utterly Smitten (2)

    If only he wasn''t a fool for being distracted by their enemies, he wouldn''t have left Feng Jiu on her own. He had thought that since his sister was around, no one could easilyy a hand on his mortal wife. How wrong Qin Zhi was when he and Su Daji learned that Feng Jiu was kidnapped by Xuan Yanrui''s men, only to be killed in the middle of the battlefield.


    It was Su Daji who found Feng Jiu first, trapped in a magic circle ced by humans to forbid the fox woman from reaching her. Su Daji was forced to unleash her nine tails and use her whole strength to break the barrier that locked her out from Feng Jiu.


    Qin Zhi knew how dangerous it was for his sister to reveal her real form in front of everyone then and there to save his wife, but he couldn''t fault her one bit. He would have done the same if he was in her shoes back then.


    Soon, Qin Zhi and Li Fei''er eradicated other demons they encountered along the way, but none of them were prepared to meet a blood-sucking demoness with her twopanions. They were feeding on a pair of drunkards that they had dragged in a deserted alley away from humans'' eyes.


    They immediately stopped whatever they were doing, their red eyes meeting the bright amber ones of Qin Zhi and Li Fei''er''s alert stance.


    "My, my, what do we have here?" The leader of the brood stood up and gave the two a good look. "If it isn''t our Southern Demon Lord himself¡­ I couldn''t believe I''m seeing him with my own eyes."


    Her blood-tainted lips curled into a smile when she recognized Qin Zhi. She didn''t expect that she would meet the demon lord as soon as she arrived at Jiang City.


    The woman had such a voluptuous body and looks that could entice any man to do her bidding just so he could possess such beauty. However, the two men apanying her looked menacing and grew impatient to attack Qin Zhi and Li Fei''er.


    Li Fei''er nced at herpanion, wondering what the blood-sucking demoness meant. The woman called Qin Zhi the Southern Demon Lord. She wasn''t that dumb not to know that Qin Zhi was a powerful demon, but she had never surmised that he was a demon lord that had a territory to protect.


    Qin Zhi ignored her questioning look and wondered just how many blood-sucking demonesses have gone to Jiang City. He didn''t think that there would be a brood of theming here. Shen Minyao wouldn''t be able to defeat the brood on her own if it was the case.


    "You are in the wrong ce, woman," he said in response, not giving them a hint of what he had on mind.


    The woman then nced in Li Fei''er''s way with an amused smile, making Qin Zhi squint his eyes in suspicion. Did they know something about Li Fei''er?


    No, they couldn''t possibly find out that Li Fei''er was the incarnation of his wife. Not many demons were aware of what Feng Jiu looked like when she was still alive centuries ago, and even if someone knew it, they wouldn''t be that foolish to aggravate him, the Southern Demon Lord.


    "My, my, Lord Qin, you have such an odd taste in women, I see. Your deceased wife was a human, and yet again, you are being acquainted with another one just like her." The demoness mocked Qin Zhi.


    The shock in Li Fei''er was written all over her face when she heard what the demoness said. Qin Zhi''s previous wife was a human? Was it even possible? She had never heard of a demon taking a human as a bride before. However¡­


    "I''m not just a human, filthy demon. I can kick your ass if I want to." Li Fei''er refused to be intimidated by the demoness. It was one thing to look down on her, but to provoke Qin Zhi using his dead wife was something she could not forgive.


    Regardless of their races, if Qin Zhi had indeed taken a human woman as his wife, wouldn''t this mean he had forsaken a lot of things just to be with her?


    Li Fei''er wasn''t a romantic and idealistic person. She wasn''t sure what kind of situation Qin Zhi had before, but no one had the right to talk badly about his wife in front of him. It might not be obvious to everyone, but she could tell that there was a hint of remorse in his eyes when the demon mentioned his wife.


    Her spiritual presence intensified, surprising not only the three demons in front of them but also Qin Zhi. Qin Zhi didn''t expect that she would be sensitive like this. Just how many simrities did she share with Feng Jiu? It almost made him think that aside from their names and spiritual power, everything Feng Jiu was had been retained on Li Fei''er.


    Feng Jiu was the kind of person everyone could get along with because of her sunny and gentle personality. However, not many were aware that she grew short-tempered when it came to people who disrespect those close to her heart.


    "A shaman?" The demoness was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. She looked at Qin Zhi with suspicion.


    Why would a high-ranking demon like Qin Zhi be apanied by a shaman? One didn''t need half a brain to know that shamans were the natural enemies of demons like them. What could be the reason for this demon lord to keep a young shaman with him?


    "Demoness, you know the consequences of trespassing into my territory," Qin Zhi said, pointing his naginata against the three demons.


    The demoness chuckled and lifted her sharp ws to cup her chin.


    "Lord Qin, you are such a bad host, don''t you think? I wasn''t expecting that this was the hospitality that awaits us here." She taunted the demon lord. Her twopanions could sense the murderous intenting from her and stood next to her.


    In the blink of an eye, both parties moved forward in an offensive position. The demoness, along with herpanions, tried to overwhelm Qin Zhi. However, with Li Fei''er by his side, they weren''t able tond a hit on his body because of the spell Li Fei''er put around him.


    Sparks of electricity appeared around Qin Zhi''s body at every hit, their demonic power being purified by Li Fei''er''s spell. What was odd was that Qin Zhi wasn''t affected by such a purifying spell himself.


    ''How is this possible?'' The blood-sucking woman thought. ''Don''t tell me he was once again smitten by a human?''


    It was weird for her to see a demon getting along with a shaman that even their stances were in sync with each other. It was as if they had been hunting demons together for a long time.


    She was then slightly startled when the de of Qin Zhi''s naginata left a shallow wound on her beautiful face.


    "You¡­"


    This clearly agitated the demoness, and her attacks became stronger and unpredictable. The more she attacked Qin Zhi, the more her senses blurred, not knowing that she had already fallen into Li Fei''er''s eternal sleep spell along with herpanions.


    In reality, Qin Zhi had already stopped his attacks when he deemed it safe to step back, watching the three demons relentlessly attack one another without recognizing who was in front of them. He took a side nce at Li Fei''er. Clearly, she wasn''t used to casting such an advanced spell to trap demons in an illusion.


    ''Such a dangerous spell,'' he thought. If Li Fei''er was able to master it, her illusion and enchantment could beparable to what Shen Minyao had.


    Li Fei''er focused her attention on her binding spell. The Eternal Sleep spell was a high-level enchantment spell that not many shamans could use, considering how much willpower was required from its caster.


    "Mr. Qin, can you please kill them swiftly? I don''t think I would be able to hold onto it any longer," she asked Qin Zhi with a weak smile.


    Qin Zhi didn''t need to be told twice and beheaded the three demons, taking their demon orbs in the process.


    Once he was done, Li Fei''er slowly deactivated her spell and fell to her knees. She then held her breath as the remains of the demons Qin Zhi killed slowly disintegrated into nothingness.


    "I think that''s all for today," Qin Zhi said as he helped her get back on her feet. "Shen Minyao wouldn''t be pleased if she found out you were harmed under my watch."


    Li Fei''erughed at that. Oddly, she felt satisfied with how her day went today. As a shaman being coddled by her family, she longed to experience encounters against demons like this.


    "No, Mr. Qin.. Thank you for trusting me to apany you today."

 Chapter 184 - Fox Demon’s Human Contractor (1)

    It was a Saturday morning when she came. Just as they agreed, Zhao Yichen allowed Shen Minyao to visit him at his office in Zhao Corporation to eliminate the possibility of having demons near his workce. ording to her brother, he and Li Fei''er had encountered a few blood-sucking demons during their hunt a few days ago.


    The fox woman scoffed at that. She knew his brother wouldn''t be able to resist pursuing Li Fei''er once he knew of her existence. Who was Qin Zhi trying to fool, anyway? It was obvious that he was still head over heels in love with his wife, not that Li Fei''er was aware of who she was in her past life.


    Anyway, who was she to criticize Qin Zhi? He was old enough to make decisions for himself and face their consequences. He and Li Fei''er had been spending more time with each other under the pretense that they were hunting demons within the city.


    "Are you sure it''s okay for me to apany you?" Mu Qing''s voice brought Shen Minyao''s mind to reality.


    Having him apanying her for the past week, the fox woman thought that hispany wasn''t as bad as she thought it would be, unlike the first time.


    She saw him from the corner of her eye and realized he was still seated on the same spot next to her window. If she didn''t know better, she would assume that the grim reaper had decided that he owned the ce, considering how he went in and out of her dorm while only giving her a quick warning of his presence.


    "You should stop doing that, you know." She brushed her hair and styled her long hair into a loose braid. "What if I was walking around naked? Are you sure you would be able to look at me without feeling awkward?"


    "What else have I not seen yet?" The grim reaper refused to look her way, choosing to watch outside her window as if whatever was out there was more interesting than the fox woman was. "You assume I haven''t seen a naked woman before?"


    "Oh, so you had?" The corner of Shen Minyao''s lips curled up in a slight smile. "So even grim reapers like you don''t pay attention to proprietary, huh?"


    "It''s not like that." Mu Qing replied, "It''s just I have seen worse, something that normal humans wouldn''t be able to take. You should know better as a demon." He added, giving Shen Minyao a knowing look.


    Shen Minyao hummed at that. Demons like her and grim reapers like Mu Qing obviously had stronger willpower than humans. Many sumbed to traumatic disorders after witnessing or experiencing unspeakable events. She wouldn''t be surprised by the amount of blood and gore he, a grim reaper, had seen over the centuries.


    "Fine. Let''s stop stalling. He''s waiting for us." Shen Minyao stood up, giving her reflection onest look before she picked up her purse and stepped out of the room.


    Mu Qing followed after her shortly and apanied her inside the car waiting for the fox woman in front of the dormitory building. After all, the Shen and the Zhao families were now both aware of the budding rtionship between her and Zhao Yichen. Both parties could only watch and see how serious their rtionship would be.


    When they reached their destination, Shen Minyao was greeted by Zhao Yichen''s assistant on the first floor of the office building. There were a few employees who stopped on their tracks to wonder about the beautiful young woman with Assistant Han. Of course, by now, most of them were aware that Assistant Han was working for Zhao Yichen.


    "Who''s that?" One of them was brave enough toe to the reception desk and ask the clerk about the mysterious woman''s identity. It was rare for them to spot such an alluring beauty that could earn everyone''s attention.


    "Ah, she''s listed as Director Zhao''s guest," the woman behind the reception said. "Her name is listed here as Shen Minyao."


    "A Shen, huh? Don''t you suppose that she''s ady from that Shen family?"


    The receptionist shrugged. It wasn''t her ce to probe their bosses'' private affairs, and it was surely not the first time she had weed such a guest of the Zhao family.


    Once the elevator doors closed, Shen Minyao and Mu Qing conversed with each other using telepathy.


    "I''m surprised that you would let me see your human contractor,'' the grim reapermented while sensing different kinds of spirits within the building.


    On the eighth floor, he could sense a malevolent spirit messing with the customer service department. While on the eleventh floor, there was a low-level demon clinging to one of the staff of the finance department.


    When they reached the level where Zhao Yichen was located, he could sense a strong barrier that was keeping demons from entering the floor. Those weaker demons who would attempt to cross the barrier were bound to die instantaneously the moment their bodies touched it.


    It made Mu Qing wonder just what kind of mythical creatures Shen Minyao''s guardians were. He had never encountered anything like them in the past, and obviously, like their evil mistress, the two hadn''t unleashed their full power so far.


    "It''s not like I could hide him from you forever." The fox woman scoffed. It was also clear that the grim reaper was curious about the contract she entered with Zhao Yichen. After all, she messed up Zhao Yichen''s lifespan by allowing him to keep her original fox orb in his body.


    Mu Qing didn''t deny her words. His superiors were aware of Zhao Yichen''s lifespan being tampered with by the fox woman''s emergence from her long confinement. However, none of them made any indication that they wanted to retrieve Zhao Yichen''s soul.


    This gave Mu Qing a bad feeling, but he couldn''t put a finger on it. If it was a normal case of disruption, his superiors would want the human soul collected under any circumstances. So what made Zhao Yichen special?


    The door of the office was then opened, revealing a young man in his mid-twenties. Unlike other humans he encountered in the past, Zhao Yichen''s soul wasn''t tainted by worldly negative energy one bit. To think that this young man was able to keep a fox orb in his body without perishing like other humans would, it surprised Mu Qing.


    Zhao Yichen lifted his head the moment the door opened, seeing Shen Minyao with an unknown man apanying her. His assistant immediately excused himself to give them some privacy.


    "Mdy, you are here," Yu Yan called after her mistress, "and Lord Hell, too."


    Zhao Yichen rose from his seat and regarded his guests. He didn''t expect Shen Minyao would bring someone with her today.


    "Miss Shen¡­" He nodded at the fox woman. "And this gentleman is?"


    Mu Qing remained silent as his eyes shed red, trying to see the status of the human in front of him. Oddly enough, the gauge of Zhao Yichen''s lifespan was marked ''undetermined''. This did not surprise the grim reaper one bit, but seeing that Zhao Yichen''s spiritual level was also undetermined, this made Mu Qing more curious about the fox woman''s human contractor.


    "He''s Mu Qing. You can call him Lord Hell, like how everyone does," Shen Minyao nonchntly said as she flopped down the couch next to Yu Yan and picked the ck cat up to her eye level.


    "I see that you are getting stronger now, Yu Yan."


    "It''s because my mistress gave me and Xiao Bai a good quality of gold the other day."


    Zhao Yichen almost choked at that. Just where did Shen Minyao get the gold to feed these two cats? He didn''t think that a young miss like Shen Minyao would have gold in her possession.


    "Gold?" He blurted out in shock.


    "What else do you think Xiao Bai and Yu Yan eat? They feed on high-quality gold and not on humans. The more they consume gold, the better for you and me." Shen Minyao gave him a pointed look.


    "I-I don''t understand¡­" Her human contractor admitted, while Mu Qing now had an idea what these guardians were.


    He thought that those creatures were just a part of a legend since no one had been able to spot one of their kind for over a millennium. How did the fox woman gain such powerful guardians that could defy the rules of both realms?


    "You don''t need to understand." The fox woman allowed Yu Yan to curl on her bosom as she held the cat. "If you really want to show gratitude to my guardians, you need to feed them gold bars."


    "Gold bars!" Zhao Yichen eximed. Even if he turned out to be the wealthiest human on Earth, feeding gold bars to these guardians wouldn''t be easypeasy.


    "You don''t have gold? Then, silver would suffice, but of course, they wouldn''t be as satisfied as having gold."

 Chapter 185 - Fox Demon’s Human Contractor (2)

    Still, Zhao Yichen thought that it was such a waste. First and foremost, why would these two guardians need to consume valuable things like gold and silver to satiate their appetite? Just what kind of demons were they? He wondered, sharing the same thought Mu Qing had earlier.


    He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. This wasn''t the reason why Shen Minyao had visited him today. Looking at her calm face, he briefly wondered if she wasn''t upset with him anymore. What he did during her confrontation with Yn had been an eye-opener for him.


    "So¡­ why is a grim reaper with you?" He asked, almost forgetting the identity of this mysterious man that was apanying the fox woman.


    "He''s my unwilling bodyguard for now." Shen Minyao shrugged.


    When she saw Zhao Yichen raise a slender brow, waiting for her to continue exining; she sighed in annoyance.


    "Someone''s after my life," she grumbled.


    "You mean the shamans?" Zhao Yichen guessed.


    "Of course not! They don''t pose a threat to me, only if they have someone as strong as Li Yun on their side." The fox woman scoffed.


    "Then, who?"


    It seemed to Shen Minyao that Zhao Yichen wouldn''t stop his questioning until he got the answer he wanted to hear.


    "My ex-husband¡­" She said in a low voice that Zhao Yichen almost missed it.


    "Your what?!" He eximed in shock. Why did the two cat guardians never mention to him that their mistress was married in the past?


    "What? I thought Yu Yan had already informed you who I was centuries ago." Shen Minyao shot him a scathing look.


    "Well¡­ yeah, she did say that you possessed a human named Su Daji," Zhao Yichen admitted.


    "Then, you should know by now what kind of history entails the mention of Su Daji."


    Zhao Yichen fell silent at that. Indeed, how could he forget the legend that catapulted Su Daji''s name and infamy into books? Su Daji was known to be the favorite consort of the emperor centuries ago. Wait¡­ when she said her husband wanted her dead, did Shen Minyao mean the fourth emperor, Xuan Yanrui?


    "So do you have your answer now?" He heard Shen Minyao ask.


    "En." He nodded in affirmation. "But why would he want you dead? Wait¡­ before that, wasn''t the emperor human? Howe his spirit is still here in the mortal realm?"


    "It''s because his spirit evolved into a demon after being a malevolent spirit for centuries. He recently gained a human body to possess." It was Mu Qing who answered his questions towards Shen Minyao.


    "Decades can''t be considered recent, Lord Hell. You must be forgetting that decades for demons and grim reapers like us are just like the blink of an eye. It has already passed before you know it," the fox womanmented, rubbing the ears of the ck cat on her bosom.


    Mu Qing couldn''t refute her words because he knew Shen Minyao was right. Time worked differently for immortals like them.


    "So about the blood-sucking demons¡­" Zhao Yichen decided to change their topic, hoping to lighten the mood between them. He noticed Shen Minyao getting irritated when he mentioned her husband, the lord emperor.


    "Bad news," Shen Minyao replied. "It seems like a brood of blood-sucking demons invaded the city. You should be more careful. Those demons are able to conceal their presence from other demons just so they could mingle with the humans without leaving suspicion in their wake."


    If she wasn''t bothered by the fact that Xuan Yanrui was trying to get his hands on her, she would have hunted those demonesses herself¡­ instead of leaving them in Qin Zhi and Li Fei''er''s care.


    The more Shen Minyao thought about him, the more she got annoyed.


    ''Lord Husband, please wait for a while. I''ll make sure you''ll die by my own hands this time.'' She sneered inwardly.


    "You aren''t nning to hunt them, are you?" Zhao Yichen threw another question.


    Shen Minyao lifted her gaze and looked at Zhao Yichen then at Mu Qing. These two¡­ she could tell that they were expecting her toe after those demons.


    "No." She denied their unvoiced usation.


    "Are you sure?" Zhao Yichen smiled at her, while Mu Qing chuckled.


    "I bet she would have gone and hunted them down herself if I wasn''t here," the grim reapermented.


    The fox woman gritted her teeth in annoyance. Damn these two. They only just met, but howe they were now ganging up against her? So what if she wanted to hunt those blood-sucking demons herself? They were merely nothing but a resource for her to satiate her need for more demon orbs.


    Before Xuan Yanrui could muster enough power to subdue the other demons, Shen Minyao needed to recover her lost strength for her to defeat the cursed man.


    ''So annoying,'' she thought.


    However, she had to admit that Xuan Yanrui had the right grasp on how to turn the tables to his advantage. Of course, a human spirit that turned into a demon would be looked down upon by demons like her and deemed unworthy of their respect.


    Just as the silence befell between the three, a knock on the door took their attention. Soon, a familiar woman entered the room to join them.


    "Ah, Xia Mei. What brings you here?" Zhao Yichen asked, gesturing to his friend to take a seat across that of Shen Minyao.


    Xia Mei nced in Shen Minyao''s way, wondering who she was and why she was with Zhao Yichen. She gave the fox woman a curt nod and passed the documents she was holding to Zhao Yichen.


    "This is the proposal ourpany wants to present to the board. I want to ask your opinion about it before I formally file them," she told him.


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao watched the interaction between them, and she could tell that Xia Mei adored Zhao Yichen for a long time. She smiled at herself as she realized that Zhao Yichen was oblivious to it. Not that she could me him because Zhao Yichen could be clueless at times; nevertheless, he truly cared about those people close to his heart.


    Xia Mei gave the fox woman a side nce. She had never seen this pretty young woman before and thought about every woman she knew that could match this woman''s face.


    "But¡­ I think I came at the wrong time. I didn''t know you were expecting a guest today."


    Zhao Yichen blinked and stared at Shen Minyao and then at Mu Qing. Right. He remembered that normal humans couldn''t see the cat guardians and Shen Minyao''spanion unless their sixth sense was open.


    "I''m just dropping by to say ''hi'' to Brother Yichen. I''m Shen Minyao." Shen Minyao stood up and extended a hand towards Xia Mei. She paid attention to Xia Mei''s reaction, wondering how the older woman would react after finding out who she was to Zhao Yichen.


    When she saw Xia Mei furrow her brows, hesitating to ept the hand; Shen Minyao wondered if she learned human customs and greetings wrongly. Before she was able toe up with a conclusion, Xia Mei shook her hand firmly¡­ but released it at once.


    "I''m Xia Mei. I''m also Brother Yichen''s friend." Xia Mei''s smile faltered as if she wasn''t pleased to see Zhao Yichen getting close with another woman¡ªa beautiful young woman at that.


    Xia Mei wasn''t bad herself. In fact, she looked stunning by human standards. She would surely attract a lot of attention from the opposite sex from her looks alone. However, it seemed like she decided to be with Zhao Yichen now that he was back from abroad.


    "Oh, I''m not his friend, by the way." Shen Minyao gave her a grin. "I''m his girlfriend. I''m happy to make an acquaintance with you, Miss Xia."


    The smile on Xia Mei''s face vanished, immediately reced by shock. She had never heard that Zhao Yichen was already in a rtionship.


    Zhao Yichen pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply, wondering what was going on in Shen Minyao''s mind this time.


    "Please don''t mind me. Had I known that Brother Yichen has an important meeting today, I wouldn''t havee unannounced," she said before bowing her head, gesturing for Mu Qing to follow her outside.


    "You''re leaving already?" Zhao Yichen asked, failing to notice the atmosphere between the two women.


    "En. We will see each otherter anyway." Shen Minyao picked up her purse and smiled at him. "Don''t forget to pick me up once your meeting with Miss Xia is finished."


    Zhao Yichen nodded and opened the door for her and Mu Qing. In a low voice, he leaned forward and whispered to Shen Minyao''s ear.


    "I don''t know why you are doing this, but don''t mess with Xia Mei, okay?"


    Shen Minyao only gave him an amused look before she left with Mu Qing to wander around the building.

 Chapter 186 - Cursed Magic (1)

    "You are clearly trying to bully that young woman," Mu Qingmented behind Shen Minyao as they wandered around the building of Zhao Corporation. They were trying to see if they could find more demons that were lurking in the shadows.


    "So what if I am? What would you or Zhao Yichen do?" The fox woman scoffed. They met other humans in the hallway, but those humans couldn''t see the two because of Shen Minyao''s concealment spell.


    "It''s her fault foring here unannounced, anyway¡­ so why shouldn''t I be impolite?" She added.


    Mu Qing shook his head, thinking that it was one of her wicked ways to amuse herself at the expense of another person. This shouldn''t be surprising, knowing the fox woman''s attitude.


    "What?" Shen Minyao asked once she sensed that Mu Qing was not impressed by her recent actions.


    "Nothing," the grim reaper murmured, knowing that he wouldn''t win against the fox woman if he decided to continue this conversation.


    From the level where Zhao Yichen''s office was, they decided to take the stairs to get to the next floor. What greeted them was a cold and eerie atmosphere that startled both the fox woman and the grim reaper. It wasn''t a demon that they could sense¡­ but a curse.


    "Do you know what this is?" Mu Qing questioned her.


    "No, I''m not sure what this is and what it is doing here, but there''s something familiar about its scent," Shen Minyao admitted. She swore she had smelled that scent before, but she couldn''t remember where she encountered it.


    "Let''s take a look. It seems like wandering spirits are being attracted to this presence," the grim reaper suggested.


    Shen Minyao didn''t say a word, but she followed Mu Qing''s lead nevertheless. Just what kind of curse could easily attract such malevolent, wandering spirits to this level, and why didn''t they sense it earlier?


    They ended up standing right outside the Chairman''s office. It was only by then did ite to the fox woman¡­ the source of the familiar scent that she caught before. There was a lingering scent of it on Zhao Yichen''s grandfather.


    Mu Qing lifted a hand, intending to open the door in front of them. However, something invisible repelled him from touching the knob. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, while Shen Minyao cupped her chin and gave it a good thought.


    "What kind of curse is this, that it can protect itself from possible threats?" Mu Qing retrieved his slightly burned hand. Such a strong barrier that even a grim reaper like him couldn''t bypass.


    "Step aside and let me see what it is," Shen Minyao said.


    Mu Qing did what was told and allowed the fox woman to see if she could identify it.


    This time, Shen Minyao reached out her hand and touched the door. However, unlike the grim reaper, the barrier didn''t repel her. In fact, it was like the curse was luring her inside the room. Shen Minyao realized that her hand even went through the door, indicating that she didn''t have to use the door for entry.


    "Wait here," she told Mu Qing before she stepped inside the room. It didn''t surprise her that it was filled with a nauseating scent of miasma and the screams of pain from the spirits that were trapped in the room.


    Shen Minyao held her breath as she now had an idea about the kind of curse they were dealing with at the moment. She looked around, trying to find the source of the nauseating miasma¡­ until her gazended on a seemingly antique vase at the corner of the room.


    When she came back outside, Mu Qing was waiting for her at the same spot where she left him.


    "So? Did you figure out what it is?" He asked, seeing that she managed toe out unscathed. "Wait¡­ is that miasma?"


    "Well, there are many names for that, but for immortals like us, it''s known as the poisonous magic," Shen Minyao answered his question. She heaved a breath, disliking how the scent of miasma tried to permeate through her skin.


    "You mean the Gu poison?" He grimaced.


    "Gu poison, kodoku, ck magic¡­ whatever you want to call it. I don''t need to exin what kind of ck magic is this, right?"


    Mu Qing nodded. The Gu poison involved sealing several venomous creatures, but the recipe could also make use of demons like Shen Minyao. It made sense why the Gu repelled him earlier¡­ as it only wanted to take creatures with strong yin energy, such as demons and wandering spirits who couldn''t let go of their grievances.


    In making themon Gu poison, the sorcerers would mix several insects in a jar; in this case, they went for demons and spirits. This practice would force the creatures to kill one another until only one survived. The remaining demon or spirit would then grant its owner a wish¡­ which was to curse someone to death.


    The remaining demon could also be used as some sort of ''luck charm'', granting great wealth to the one who performed the ritual.


    In return, the owner was supposed to feed the demon. Neglecting to do so would enrage it. Moreover, if the owner did not equivalently repay the demon by cing all his or her riches beside a road, plus interest in gold and silver; the demon would devour the homeowner. Therefore, this ritual could also be used as a death curse by giving the cursed riches to an ignorant individual.


    As to why there was such a Gu inside the Zhao Corporation, wouldn''t this mean that someone was trying to curse the old man to death while granting the owner great wealthter?


    "You don''t want to be part of the Gu?" Mu Qing asked Shen Minyao who immediately shot him a scathing look as if he had offended her.


    "And then what? Kill the other demons and spirits inside that old pot and grant a greedy human massive fortune? No way."


    The fox woman would never lower herself into serving a human, a greedy one on top of that. She was curious though¡­ how strong the demon inside that Gu pot was. She even wondered if she had a chance to defeat it herself. s, she also knew that Qin Zhi wouldn''t allow her to do such a reckless thing without knowing the kind of demon that woulde out of itter.


    "Also, it''s toote now. I could sense that the fight inside that pot was already done, and the owner only intended to feed it with spirits before it could grant him his wish," Shen Minyao exined.


    "So, it''s still in the feeding stage?" Mu Qing asked, only to hurriedly follow Shen Minyao as she turned to leave the ce.


    "En, the demons and spirits being summoned here are nothing but food to the winning demon. If I were to get stuck inside the pot, there''s no telling if I woulde out victorious¡­ or alive," the fox woman admitted.


    However, she had no doubt that the demon inside was growing stronger each day. The more the demon got stronger, the more dangerous it would be for Zhao Yichen''s grandfather.


    When they returned to his office, Zhao Yichen was alone, and Xia Mei was nowhere to be found. He gave Shen Minyao and Mu Qing a confused look when they came back too soon.


    "I thought you said we are to meetter."


    "Change of ns. Lord Hell and I found something that needs your cooperation." The fox woman crossed her legs and allowed Yu Yan to curl on herp.


    "And that is?"


    "We found a demon¡­ well, to be exact, a curse on your grandfather''s office. I want you to find out the details of where he got the blue vase ."


    "A what?" Zhao Yichen was beyond shocked. Howe Xiao Bai and Yu Yan didn''t sense it, considering the two had been with him for over a week now?


    Shen Minyao then proceeded to exin the kind of curse she had found inside the chairman''s office and why his grandfather''s health continued to deteriorate, despite having the best healthcare one could receive in this era.


    Zhao Yichen curled his hands into fists, wondering who would dare to do such a vicious thing to his grandfather. It now made sense why Elder Zhao''s health wasn''t improving at all.


    "So you mean to say that once the demon has been fed with enough spirits, it will grant the owner their wish and immeasurable fortune?" He questioned the fox woman.


    "En." Shen Minyao nodded. "Zhao Yichen, you also need to understand that your life is also at stake here. Whoever owned that Gu¡­ once it killed your grandfather, surely, you would be the next one."


    Zhao Yichen fell silent at that. He wasn''t worried about himself¡­ but about his grandfather''s wellbeing.. If the owner of the Gu was one of his rtives, then he would never forgive them for plotting against his grandfather.

 Chapter 187 - Cursed Magic (2)

    Zhao Yichen didn''t manage to focus at work ever since Shen Minyao and Mu Qing informed him about the cursed Gu in his grandfather''s possession. How could he not worry when it''s his grandfather''s life at stake. Who could have done something vicious towards his grandfather?


    Whoever it was, not only it would end his grandfather''s life, but the culprit would also receive a great amount of wealth from the demon. Just the thought of it was enough to leave Zhao Yichen distraught over the fact that his grandfather needed to die to fulfill someone''s greedy wish.


    "Can I see it? I mean, this Gu that you are talking about?" He asked Shen Minyao.


    "You can, but I won''t assure you that you can sense the demon inside. It hasn''t received sufficient feeding from its owner, so it is luring wandering spirits and low-level demons to this area. No wonder most demons within the vicinity are avoiding this ce. They must have known what awaits them if they decide toe and see what has summoned them to your grandfather''s office."


    "Is it possible to break this curse? Is there a way for me to save my grandfather''s life?"


    By now, it was obvious that Zhao Yichen was frantically raking his head to think about how he could help his grandfather.


    Mu Qing remained silent. Since this was a spiritual Gu, it would also affect the human spirits that grim reapers like him had yet to collect. These malevolent spirits obviously were giving them a headache by resisting crossing the borders of two realms willingly. These spirits would leave the reapers with no other choice but to consider exorcising their souls, forbidding them to be reincarnated.


    ''I need to report this and ask our superiors for advice,'' he thought.


    "There are ways to break it, but all methods pose a certain risk," Shen Minyao answered. "One could purify it, killing the growing demon in the process. For humans like you, you would need to offerpensation to break the curse."


    "Compensation? What kind ofpensation?"


    If Zhao Yichen could do it, then he would willingly give anything to save his grandfather''s life.


    "That is to kill fellow humans and offer their souls to the surviving demon. Can you do this?" Shen Minyao eyed him with curiosity.


    Zhao Yichen fell silent at that and clenched his fists at his sides. No¡­ of course, he couldn''t do it.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t surprised at all. She knew Zhao Yichen could do such a terrible thing in his books. It wasn''t in his personality to harm innocent people just to get what he wanted.


    "There''s another way." She offered, not sure if she should be telling this to Zhao Yichen and Mu Qing.


    "And that is?"


    "Hmm¡­ what do humans like you call it?" Shen Minyao pondered. "It''s like overriding the curse, forcing it to change its owner. The curse was created by cing arge number of spirits and demons in a pot-like tool and were made to kill each other until thest one remaining grew the strongest. The surviving demon is used to perform the curse, namely the sacrifice to serve as the vessel. By infusing it with the magical energy of the curse¡ªthat is to say the spiritual power of negative emotions and resentment; it would be a shikigami."


    "Wait, would this mean that you would try to infuse your magical power with it and force the surviving demon to be your shikigami?" Mu Qing could clearly see why the fox woman would consider such a solution. Not only would it be beneficial to Zhao Yichen, but she would also gain a powerful shikigami that would do her bidding.


    The grim reaper narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought. Shen Minyao already had a demonic sword that could devour the spirits of other demons, and now, she was considering taking a Gu demon to be her shikigami?


    If that happened, the fox woman''s power would surely escte, and she would be more dangerous and formidable as an opponent in the future. Such a thing¡­ Mu Qing wasn''t sure if he should allow it to happen under his watch.


    s, with Xuan Yanrui''s growing influence within the demon world, Shen Minyao had no other choice but to get stronger for her to protect not only herself but also those people dear to her.


    "Can you do it?" Zhao Yichen asked, but he was worried that Shen Minyao might get hurt in the process.


    "Mdy, you know how dangerous this would be," Yu Yan reminded her mistress, which startled Zhao Yichen.


    "But, Yu Yan, I think it is a good opportunity for our mistress to gain a useful shikigami she could utilize in the future." Xiao Bai argued with his partner.


    "I am merely concerned about our mistress''s safety. I know how valuable a shikigami might be¡­ but not at our mistress''s expense," the ck cat exined.


    Hearing the two guardians'' opinions, how could Zhao Yichen ask Shen Minyao to deal with the Gu demon herself? Shen Minyao was already making sure that he would be safe from the threat of other demons; he didn''t think he had the heart to ask her to help him with this problem, regardless if it would be beneficial for the two of them.


    Shen Minyao eyed him, waiting for Zhao Yichen to make a decision.


    "The choice is in your hands. As for me dealing with the Gu demon¡­ of course, I''m more than willing to have it in my possession."


    Ah, if she would be able to override the rule and turn herself into its owner, wouldn''t that mean that the Gu would also give her an enormous amount of wealth, giving her an advantage in the human world.


    "If you choose to do it, does it mean that you would also need to curse another person to death?" Zhao Yichen asked.


    "Not necessarily," Shen Minyao replied. "It only applies when the owner of the Gu gifted the vase to its intended target. If one performed the Gu curse and sent the pot or vase to someone they hate, along with some gold or silver¡ªI suppose humans of this era could use money instead¡­


    "Regardless, the receiver won''t understand what it means, failing to feed the bug¡­ which would lead to them getting chewed to death." The fox woman also found it weird that someone had made this Gu curse using demons and spirits, instead of using the usual venomous insects to perform the curse.


    "¡­but you said that the surviving demon is still attracting demons and spirits nearby, right?" Zhao Yichen was clearly agitated with the current situation.


    "It''s still growing. Of course, it needs nourishment first before it could grant the owner''s wish."


    The fox woman could only surmise that the vase was gifted to the old man not so long ago. Perhaps, it had been with him for only about three months now. No wonder that the old man''s health continued to deteriorate every time she met him.


    The room became silent as Shen Minyao gave Zhao Yichen some time on his own to sort out his thoughts before making a decision. Since he couldn''t bring himself to kill humans to break the curse, obviously, he could only rely on the fox woman''s help this time.


    "Shen Minyao, I ask of you¡­ please help me this time. I would be indebted to you if you could help me," he said in a low voice, but it was enough for the fox woman and the grim reaper to hear his decision.


    "Your life has also been in my hands for some time now, don''t you agree, Zhao Yichen?" Shen Minyao crossed her legs and cupped her chin, looking at Zhao Yichen''s worried reaction. He must really like¡ªno, love his grandfather for him to seek her assistance desperately like this.


    "I know that. I also know that I could only rely on you to survive. So if you could¡­ please¡­" His words trailed off, but he needed not to exin more. The bond between him and Shen Minyao was enough for the fox demon to know what he was feeling right now.


    ''Such an annoying bond,'' Shen Minyao thought to herself. She briefly wondered if Zhao Yichen was aware of the existence of the bond between them created by their contract.


    "Fine. Since you ask nicely, how could I deny my contractor his first wish?" She replied.


    "But, Mdy¡­" Yu Yan still thought that this was a bad idea. If only her mistress was already in a high-ranking level as a demon, she wouldn''t bother to stop Shen Minyao like this.


    "It''s fine, Yu Yan. I will ask Li Fei''er''s assistance to purify the umted miasma. This should also put restraints on the Gu demon, forbidding him to escape using its master''s order," the fox woman exined¡­ before eyeing Mu Qing.


    "Lord Hell, do you have something on your mind?"


    "Nothing.. Do as you wish."

 Chapter 188 - Cursed Magic (3)

    That evening, Shen Minyao called in her older brother and Li Fei''er to discuss the issue about the Gu poison inside of Zhao Corporation. By then, Zhao Yichen took the initiative to book a private booth at one of the popr restaurants near theirpany.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t surprised when her brother arrived in avish and modern sports car, with Li Fei''er in his passenger seat. She raised a brow at Qin Zhi with a questioning look, while Li Fei''er took a seat across from him and next to Shen Minyao.


    "Are you sure of what you have seen?" Qin Zhi ignored her inquisitive gaze, but Li Fei''er looked flustered for arriving with Qin Zhi.


    "En. I haven''t seen such a curse for a long time. It traps both demons and spirits for it to consume. Considering that the ce is also spiritually isted, whoever stepped inside the room and got sucked in by the pot wouldn''t be able to escape alive."


    "But you did?"


    "I didn''t get too close, but I know what I''ve seen." Shen Minyao shrugged her shoulders and cupped her chin with her left hand, her eyes sweeping at the raw cut of meat being served to them.


    Qin Zhi helped Li Fei''er grill a few strips of meat, while Zhao Yichen busied himself with cutting the grilled meat into smaller pieces for the two cat guardians. Shen Minyao picked up her chopsticks and ced a raw slice of meat in her mouth nonchntly.


    Li Fei''er was momentarily stunned by what she had seen, but she supposed it was normal for Shen Minyao to eat raw meat. Moreover, she had never seen her friend eat any normal human food before. Oddly enough, Shen Minyao liked the taste of that strawberry yogurt drink at their cafeteria.


    "Shen Minyao nned to override the rule and take over as its new contractor. I have no idea how to break a Gu curse, but if it''s stealing spirits around the area, it would surely pose a problem to us grim reapers." Mu Qing vouched for Shen Minyao''s im, which was surprising for the fox woman.


    She never thought Mu Qing could be this agreeable. She then decided to change topics.


    "So what about the brood of blood-sucking demons you and Li Fei''er found?"


    "We are still hunting the rest of them, but I believe their leader is still on the run, considering that a new victim appeared in the news this morning," Qin Zhi replied before giving his sister a pointed look. "Don''t go around hunting them on your own. I have an impression that they will work with Xuan Yanrui this time."


    "Wouldn''t it be a better reason for me to get involved?" Shen Minyao retorted. "I mean, surely, they knew they needed to catch me to please him immensely. I could sense that whatever Xuan Yanrui promised them was enough to make them swallow their pride to follow him."


    "Yaoyao, I think Mr. Qin is right this time." Li Fei''er joined their conversation, giving Shen Minyao a worried look. "Actually, we encountered smaller groups during our hunt. I''m not sure why they seemed to work separately around the city. If it wasn''t for Mr. Qin''s heightened senses, even I couldn''t sense their exact location."


    Li Fei''er had to admit that ever since she started hunting demons with Qin Zhi for the past few days, she learned more about demons than what she did from textbooks and during her apprenticeship as a shaman.


    Like humans, demons wereplicated creatures. While everyone viewed them as an arrogant and selfish bunch, Li Fei''er also found something unique about these demons.


    A human lifespan was just a short moment for demons,pared to the almost eternal life of theirs. Unfortunately, when it came to trauma, loss, and agony; such emotions were amplified and could be eternal for a demon.


    It made sense to Li Fei''er why most demons had this arrogant streak on them as they put a mask on to hide such suffering inside, while others were consumed with great negative emotions, driving them to insanity.


    She took a quick nce at Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi. Did it mean that they were the same?


    The fox woman sighed inwardly.


    "I intend to make the Gu demon my shikigami. Is it possible?"


    Qin Zhi paused and looked at his sister. "Technically, it is possible. So long as the demon that it would be bound to is stronger than the Gu demon itself. If you failed, you would be devoured by it. You should know this by now."


    "I know," his sister replied, only to continue eating as if dealing with a Gu demon wouldn''t pose a threat to her.


    "And you are still going to do it?"


    "Isn''t it that why I called Li Fei''er here?"


    At those words, Qin Zhi shot her a fierce re.


    ''What? Don''t look at me like that. I wasn''t the one who said he would leave her be but still met her behind my back,'' the fox woman told him through telepathy.


    The fox demon siblings red at each other, which made everyone around them wary. They might end up starting a fight, but none of that happened.


    Shen Minyao scoffed and continued with her meal, while Qin Zhi looked away and decided to focus on grilling meat.


    "Lord Hell, are they always like this?" Li Fei''er asked the grim reaper, which made Zhao Yichen curious about the identity of this other man in front of them.


    Was he also a demon like Shen Minyao? If so, it was surprising to know that she could get along with another demon.


    Mu Qing nced at the two fox demons in front of him and shrugged. How could he answer that question when, clearly, this was only the third time he met Qin Zhi personally?


    "This¡­ I don''t know the answer. I think her cats would be able to give you a better answer than me," he said.


    "Oh, right!" Li Fei''er nodded in agreement and turned to Xiao Bai, who was seated on the corner of the table near her. "Little Master, do you know the answer? You are the most knowledgeable one here."


    "Of course, I do! Who do you think I am?!"


    If Zhao Yichen didn''t know better, he would have imagined Xiao Bai''s nose growing long for easily falling for Li Fei''er''s teasing.


    "Then?"


    "Mdy and Lord Qin are brothers and sisters. It''s only natural for them to argue like this from time to time," Xiao Bai responded.


    "Right, totally normal. However, just in case you are forgetting, Xiao Bai¡­ they ttened a mountain range a couple of centuries ago during theirst fight," Yu Yanmented with a nonchnt tone.


    The two humans looked at Qin Zhi in bewilderment, while Mu Qing was able to keep his poker face in ce after finding out the real rtionship between the two demons.


    "They are siblings?!" The young shaman gasped slowly as if the two demons apanying them couldn''t hear what they were talking about.


    "Who''s older between the two?" Zhao Yichen asked curiously. This was the first time he found out that the fox woman had familial ties with another demon.


    "Lord Qin," Xiao Bai answered at once.


    "So, how old is he?" The fox woman''s human contractor continued with his barrage of questions to her cat guardians.


    "Hmm, let''s see¡­" Xiao Bai pondered for a moment. "If I am not mistaken, Lord Qin is over a millennium at this age. Mdy should be the same, but a century younger now since she went into a long hibernation."


    It was only natural for Xiao Bai to twist his words. Although Li Fei''er was aware that Shen Minyao was a demon, she still had no idea that the nine-tailed fox demon that her whole family had been looking for was none other than Shen Minyao.


    Li Fei''er gave the siblings a good look and smiled.


    "They must have missed each other so much that they couldn''t wait to argue with each other like this."


    Shen Minyao scowled at that and shot her older brother a scathing look.


    "Who would miss an idiot like him?" She spat out venomously.


    "You ungrateful witch! After all the things I have done for your sake?" Qin Zhi returned her annoyed look, which made Li Fei''erugh at them.


    "Right. They really missed each other." She grinned at them.


    "So¡­ when do you n to do it?" Qin Zhi decided to ignore Li Fei''er''s teasing and asked his sister about her n.


    "There''s no n yet. This is why I called the two of you," Shen Minyao replied.


    "What about tomorrow?" At Zhao Yichen''s suggestion, everyone''s eyes turned to him. "I mean, there would only be security personnel at the building tomorrow since it is Sunday."


    "I agree with Zhao Yichen," Mu Qingmented, "If we prolong the wait, the Gu demon might mature before we know it."

 Chapter 189 - Inside The Gu Poison Jar (1)

    Everyone decided to meet at Zhao Yichen''s home the next day. Shen Minyao wasn''t sure how, but her human contractor was able to provide them with a blueprint of thepany building. She gave him an inquisitive gaze, but Zhao Yichen was too preupied and failed to notice her stare.


    Qin Zhi and Mu Qing studied the floor n, along with Li Fei''er. It was important for them to ce a seal on all possible entrances and exits that the Gu demon could use to escape from Shen Minyao.


    "We have to make sure the humans in the vicinity will be evacuated. A Gu demon like this could kill them on the spot by merely touching them," Qin Zhi said with all seriousness.


    "I brought a sufficient number of more advanced talismans with me. These should be able to stop the demon from leaving the ce. We might also need to ce some of them at the ss windows to make sure that it wouldn''t break those to escape," Li Fei''er chimed in.


    The demon lord looked at her, his brows furrowing together.


    "But that would mean you would need to exert more effort and spiritual power to make sure that demon wouldn''t break those talismans," he told her.


    "It''s alright. I think I can manage." The young shaman tried to assure him, but Qin Zhi wouldn''t let the issue off easily.


    "It also means that Lady Li would be vulnerable to attacks towards her." Mu Qing could sense why the demon lord was hesitant in letting Li Fei''er join them in this case. Zhao Yichen would be protected by the fox woman''s cat guardians, but Li Fei''er would be left defenseless once she started her chanting to keep the barrier intact.


    "That''s not a problem. I''m sure Mr. Qin is more than willing to protect her." The fox woman chuckled, earning a fierce re from her older brother.


    "But who will protect you if Mr. Qin stays with me?" Li Fei''er questioned Shen Minyao.


    "I''ll be with her, Lady Li. Though, Shen Minyao isn''t a weakling who needs to rely on others for protection." The grim reaper was the one to answer her.


    Of course, Li Fei''er knew that, but she still couldn''t help but worry about Shen Minyao. Did she really have to face danger on her own?


    En. As a demon, Shen Minyao¡­ no, this unnamed demoness that she came to care about had surely faced so many struggles and dangerous encounters in the past. This demoness wouldn''t be like this had she not experienced such hardships in her long demon life.


    Even now that she was going to face a dangerous demon, She didn''t show any hint of weakness or hesitation in her eyes. It was more like she couldn''t wait to defeat the Gu demon herself.


    Night fell, and the group sneaked inside thepany building. As they went, Xiao Bai enchanted the CCTV cameras to make sure no one would be able to catch what was going on at the level where Chairman Zhao''s office was located.


    While Zhao Yichen stayed inside his office with Xiao Bai and Yu Yan, Li Fei''er¡ªwith Qin Zhi''s assistance¡ªced the talismans she had with her around the vicinity to trap the Gu demon inside, forbidding it to escape from Shen Minyao.


    As soon as she was done, they headed to Zhao Yichen''s office, where Li Fei''er would perform the ritual to raise the barriers.


    Qin Zhi then informed his sister and Mu Qing that they were ready.


    Shen Minyao unsheathed her Hellreaver, sensing that it was reacting to the demon inside the Chairman''s office. Whether it was responding to the Gu demon''s call or craving to devour it, it didn''t matter to the fox woman.


    "Sorry, you can''t have it this time, little one. It will belong to me no matter what," the fox woman murmured, and immediately, the Hellreaver in her hand stopped responding to the Gu demon.


    Mu Qing removed the eye patch that was covering his right eye, revealing his zing red eyes in the darkness of the night. With this, he was able to sense the presence of the Gu demon clearly. He could also hear the suppressed cries of the spirits as they were being devoured by the demon.


    He was supposed to look after Shen Minyao''s back and make sure that the Gu demon, no matter how strong it was, wouldn''t leave the floor they were in. If Shen Minyao failed her quest, many lives would be lost tonight. This tragedy would surely tip the bnce on the scales of the world of the living and spirit realm.


    "Let me know if you can''t defeat it. I will immediately perform a spell to ce it back inside the vase," he told Shen Minyao, who remained unfazed by the demon she was about to face.


    Like the first time, the barrier on the Chairman''s office door repelled Mu Qing, forbidding him to enter with the fox woman. Shen Minyao only gave him a nce before nodding in understanding.


    This time, she entered the room without hesitation. Inside, she was then greeted by the sight of a white snake with bluish eyes, devouring the human souls that fell into its trap. Oh? So the one who came out victorious in this Gu curse was none other than this hatching white snake?


    White snakes with icy-blue eyes were extremely rare. They were rarer than fox demons like Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi within the demon world since their hatchling snakes rarely survived and grew up into adulthood. They were also extremely delicate yet terrifyingly venomous at the same time.


    Shen Minyao didn''t bat an eye as screams of pain and despair filled the entire room. If a normal human were to witness such a scene, there was no doubt that they would be trembling in fear and begging to be let out of the room¡­


    But not Shen Minyao.


    The room then morphed into another dimension, for the fox woman could only see darkness and the remains of the fallen demons at her feet. Did the Gu demon pull her into the world inside the ursed vase?


    Once the huge white snake devoured thest spirit, it turned its attention to the fox woman that entered its turf. Their eyes met; one stared with a pair of icy-blue eyes, the other with amber ones. Shen Minyao was aware of what the Gu demon was trying to do to her, but it was just too bad that a demon of her caliber wouldn''t easily fall for someone''s illusion.


    The snake hissed and uncoiled its long body, surrounding Shen Minyao and trapping her in a loose constriction. However, she remained unmoving on her spot.


    Was the Gu demon nning to devour her, too, considering that she was now a mid-rank demon? Perhaps, the fox woman thought. The Gu demon was merely three months old, but during its incubation inside this dimension, it already managed to level up into the mid-rank like her.


    If Qin Zhi was the one who faced this young demon, Shen Minyao had no doubt that he would be able to overpower and kill this Gu demon easily, considering how strong he was. s, Shen Minyao''s end goal was to force this Gu demon to be her shikigami, for her to be able to utilize its strength once she got into a face-to-face encounter with Xuan Yanrui in the future.


    Its icy-blue eyes never left her form, and Shen Minyao realized that her nose wasn''t functioning properly. She couldn''t smell the intenting from the white snake. She narrowed her eyes, her whole body morphing into her demon form.


    Her long midnight hair turned silvery-white, human hands turning into sharp ws. Her human ears disappeared and were reced with a pair of silver fox ears on top of her head. The nine tails behind her swished open as if they had been waiting to be released for a long time.


    The snake revealed its sharp fangs, which were dripping with its potent venom, and struck at Shen Minyao. However, she was able to avoid its attack by using her flight skill, resisting the rules the Gu demon set in this dimension. Her feet then stepped back on the ground, making a loud crunch as she stepped on the carcass and bones under her feet.


    Shen Minyao didn''t like that its scent was starting to stick to her and summoned her fox fire to burn it into ashes. The white snake was forced to stagger back, sensing the dangers of the fox fire should it be caught in the ze.


    Realizing that it wouldn''t be able to restrict its newest prey, the white snake released a poisonous fog around itself, a kind of poison that would cause hallucinations to those who would get in contact with it.


    "Is this all that you can manage?" The nine-tailed woman burst intoughter, startling the huge white snake.

 Chapter 190 - Inside The Gu Poison Jar (2)

    The moment Shen Minyao entered the office, Mu Qing and the rest sensed great demonic power being unleashed from the inside. They all knew that the fight between the two demons hadmenced, and there was no way they could meddle to stop it and help Shen Minyao.


    If she truly wanted to subdue the Gu demon and turn it into her shikigami, she would need to force it into submission. However, if she failed, Qin Zhi and Mu Qing would be forced to enter the Gu demon''s dimension to kill it themselves.


    Back to the fox woman¡­


    Shen Minyao held her breath as thick ck miasma permeated around her. As a demon that lived for several centuries, she had built resistance against certain types of toxins and demons. She might not be as resistant as her brother was, but at least,mon poisons wouldn''t easily affect her.


    However, from what she could see, the white snake possessed such a potent kind of toxin that it could kill a human with a single drop of it or upon direct contact. Such a powerful demon although very youngpared to her. Still, Shen Minyao felt that it wouldn''t hurt to have the snake as her shikigami.


    Her mind was trying to think of ways she could protect herself from the white snake''s attacks. She could conveniently avoid the miasma if she kept a safe distance, but it was obvious that if she dared tounch an attack, venom would surely await her.


    Shen Minyao watched as the white snake''s venom fell on the bones on the ground when it hissed at her. The skull of another demon melted upon the contact. She narrowed her eyes and enchanted her whole body, her red demonic energy slowly morphing into a thick armor that covered her torso and arms. Her Hellreaver''s de color even turned into a bloody red.


    The miasma that tried to reach her was immediately repelled by her wind spell, forbidding it from touching her body. However, she could not fully make another barrier to protect herself. Such a thing would limit her actions, and she wouldn''t be able to take an offensive stance against the Gu demon.


    Seeing that she wasn''t making an effort tounch another attack soon, the Gu demon realized that it had already overpowered the fox demon that entered itsir.


    Shen Minyao''s eyes widened upon witnessing how fast this hatchling snake demon could move. It could easily follow her movements and speed without a problem, making it look like she was dancing to a tune the white snake demon had set for the two of them.


    Instead of getting annoyed, the fox woman''s lips curled in amusement. How could she be upset when this white snake demon proved that it was worthy enough to be her shikigami?


    Suddenly, Shen Minyao stopped and stood straight, her eyes meeting the cold gaze of the blue-eyed white snake demon. She then flicked her fingers together, immediately summoning wisps of that inextinguishable fox fire of hers which wildly spread around them.


    Due to the poison and venom shrouding the air all over, it only served as fuel for her fox fire. The white snake demon had then recoiled itself in an attempt to protect itself from being caught in the fire. It looked distressed as it couldn''t find a way to save itself.


    Shen Minyao was thinking earlier. The Gu demon was strong enough to lure and consume other demons and spirits here, but the young demon itself couldn''t get out of this dimension on its own.


    ''Pitiful being,'' she thought.


    As long as the Gu demon remained inside the vase, it was still bound to reward the human who owned it. High demons like Shen Minyao abhorred the idea of serving a human, despite thepensation the service could give in return.


    "Little Gu, I have a proposition for you," she said after the long silence between them, while her fox fire continued to burn the carcasses of dead demons around them.


    The white snake demon stared at her nkly, which made Shen Minyao wonder about the progress of its mental growth in human terms.


    The fox woman herself was already at least nine centuries old by now, but in human terms, her mind and maturity could bepared to a twenty-year-old young woman. As for the hatchling snake in front of her, it could be said that it was only at least three months old. Its mental age was still young, and it didn''t have the willpower to withstand high-ranking demons.


    A bright light covered the huge white snake demon, and for a split second, it took on its humanoid form. It turned into a young boy with snow-white hair and skin, with a pair of icy-blue eyes with slit pupils on them. He wasn''t wearing anything, which meant that he didn''t know propriety yet and was too innocent to know the ways of the humans and demons alike.


    "Who are you?" The young boy asked. If Shen Minyao was topare him to other human kids, he looked like he was around the age of ten, with a hint of shyness and innocence on his face.


    "Oh? You are asking for my real name? Sorry, I can''t give that to you, but my human host is called Shen Minyao," the fox woman replied with an amused smile on her lips. At least this hatchling snake demon knew how to speak.


    "S-Shen Minyao?" He uttered her name, testing it on his tongue.


    "How about you? Do you have a name?" She asked in return.


    "Name? My name?" The young boy furrowed his brows in confusion.


    "Yes. What do they call you?" Shen Minyao replied.


    "Nothing¡­"


    As expected, while the white snake demon had immense demonic power, its mind hadn''t matured enough to form an identity of its own.


    The boy just dropped theplicated matter, his blue eyes never leaving Shen Minyao. "What is this proposition you have?"


    The fox woman lowered her defenses by dispelling the demonic armor protecting her body. Her long silvery-white hair was thrown behind her back, while her nine tails moved in sync.


    "Swear your allegiance to me, and I will show you the world beyond this darkness," she said without batting an eyelid.


    "You do not own me. I cannot go out with you," the boy replied with a face void of any expression.


    From the looks of it, this snake demon was only following his instincts as a Gu demon. In his mind, he was bound to a contract with a human.


    "I can be your new owner," Shen Minyao offered.


    "How?" The boy challenged her.


    "Does it matter how? Don''t you want to see the world outside? Do you really want to be with a human?" She retorted.


    "But I''m just a Gu demon now¡­"


    "You are you before anything else. You are a white snake demon that came out victorious over other venomous demons that challenged you in this world."


    "¡­you aren''t nning to kill me?" His sudden question surprised Shen Minyao.


    "Did you really think I came here to kill you? When you first lured me into this dimension, I could have killed you right then and there if I wanted your life."


    The white snake demon fell silent. He never considered the kind of life other demons had outside this confining, dark world he was trapped in.


    "I can really go out? I can eat anything I want?" He asked after a long silence between them.


    "Of course not." The fox woman chuckled, knowing that the young demon had already fallen for her trap. Young demons like him were naturally too curious and reckless for their own good.


    "You can''t eat anything you want without my permission, but I will feed you with demons to your heart''s content."


    Ah, thinking about it, didn''t her Hellreaver already have such a huge appetite for demons? If she was to take this young snake demon under her wing, it only meant she needed to work hard to continuously feed these two. That or they would devour her themselves.


    Shen Minyao sighed inwardly and wondered how many demons Xuan Yanrui deployed to go after her. She nned to use those demons as feed for these two demons that seemed to have bottomless pits.


    The young boy tilted his head to one side as he thought about it. Would that mean that he wouldn''t need to hunt food for himself?


    "So, what do you think? I will only ask you once. There are no second chances."


    "What if I decline?" He asked, his icy blue eyes not leaving those of hers.


    "Obviously, you would need to die here in this pathetic, dark world you are in. I can''t let you go on a rampage and kill humans around you." The fox woman didn''t dare to lie to him.. It may sound that she was giving him a choice, but whatever he picked, Shen Minyao would gain something from it.

 Chapter 191 - Overrule (1)

    "Alright, but if you want my allegiance, you will need to break the contract that binds me to my owner." The young white-haired boy agreed. "You should already know what to do and what could happen if you choose to do it."


    "Of course. You don''t need to worry about me, but if you must know¡­ if you dare to betray your pact with me, I will kill you myself."


    As the fox woman said this, the young white snake demon felt sudden murderous intent wafting around him. It was suffocating and threatening at the same time, promising him indescribable pain and suffering if he truly decided to break the rules he had assented.


    "You have my word," he conceded. "Please bestow me a name."


    "Are you sure?" Shen Minyao asked. "A name is a powerful tool for demons like us. This is why most demons decide to keep their name to themselves¡­ because anyone who knows and uses their real name could force them into servitude."


    The young hatchling snake fell silent at that. It took him a moment before he responded to Shen Minyao''s words.


    "It''s fine. With you being my master, there can''t possibly be another demon that could defeat you, right?"


    He could sense that this fox demon''s spiritual energy had not reached its true potential yet. This fox woman was way stronger than the demons he encountered so far. She was already this strong; what could possibly happen once she reached the pinnacle of her potential?


    "There are many demons that are way stronger than me now, but they would need to defeat me first before they would dare to take you away." Shen Minyao didn''t dare to lie to him.


    Compared to her older brother''s strength, hers was stillcking. She still had a long way to go before regaining her previous status as one of the strongest demons in the world. Even now, if she came face to face with Xuan Yanrui, Shen Minyao knew that she had no chance of winning against him.


    ''Damn him,'' she thought. Just when she thought she could lead a peaceful and carefree life in this era, her ex-husband hade to terrorize the world again.


    "Alright. I will leave the contract in your care," the white demon snake replied before expelling Shen Minyao out of his dimension.


    The next thing Shen Minyao saw¡­ she was standing inside the office of Zhao Yichen''s grandfather, and in front of her was the vase that trapped the Gu demon. She smirked to herself, a little impressed that the white snake demon dared to trick her into dealing with his owner herself.


    To be honest, the Gu demon could easily revoke the contract between him and his human owner if he demanded morepensation in return. The hatchling snake demon must be testing her, wanting to see how strong she really was.


    ''I''m going to break the pot now,'' she told her old brother through telepathy, knowing that everyone was waiting for her next actions.


    ''Okay. We''ll get ready then,'' Qin Zhi replied.


    There weren''t many demons who epted being a shikigami and in the servitude of a higher or more powerful demon¡­ as their power would be connected to the spiritual force of their masters. This was why Li Fei''er herself was having a hard time keeping her control over her own shikigamis while she was in a battle with demons.


    Qin Zhi had no doubts about his sister''s capability. More than once, his sister was able to make the impossible possible, leaving everyone speechless; which led to them viewing her as a threat not only to humanity but also to the demons.


    Aside from this, demon shikigamis were harder to please and control than their spirit counterparts that were bound to humans. Shen Minyao should know that a Gu demon would demand her to provide stronger spiritual powers andpensation to fulfill its contract with her as her shikigami.


    "Mu Qing, I know you can hear me," Shen Minyao spoke in a low voice, her eyes never leaving the cursed vase in front of her.


    "En," the grim reaper responded.


    "I''m about to reverse the curse of the Gu demon. I''m nning to set him free from the cursed pot. Do you think you can help me keep the miasma from going out of this room?"


    "Are you asking me to set up a barrier again?" Mu Qing asked.


    "Yes. The same one you used during the invasion of the demonsst time." The fox demon affirmed.


    "Fine, but what do you n to do with the miasma?" He asked, knowing that there was no way Shen Minyao would be able to purify it.


    "Don''t worry about it. I have one of Li Fei''er''s talismans with me. I figured this could happen." Shen Minyao then pulled out the talismans she received earlier from Li Fei''er.


    "Then¡­ I''m ready when you are." Mu Qing then started his incantations, trapping Shen Minyao and the Gu demon in a barrier that no demon could easily break. Since his defeat in theirst joint battle against the crow demon, he had been working hard to strengthen his power as a grim reaper. His pride would never allow him to experience such humiliation again.


    The other grim reapers thought that he was quite obsessed with dealing with demons¡­ when their only purpose in the mortal realm was to collect the souls of the departed ones. However, after meeting the fox demoness and getting acquainted with Li Fei''er, Mu Qing realized that the issues with the demons directly affected their job as grim reapers.


    For one, Mu Qing hated doing overtime at work. Unless he was notified by his superiors, he wouldn''t move past his working hours. He had only worked as a grim reaper for centuries, so what''s the need for him to collect souls more than the asked requirement for his input?


    The moment Shen Minyao sensed the barrier set by Mu Qing, she used her demonic powers to break the cursed pot. It immediately reacted to her power, trying to repel her influence at once.


    It emitted such a strong demonic aura that caused a ripple, and it shook the wholepany building, not only startling Shen Minyao''spanions but also the humans that were still inside.


    "Mr. Qin! What''s happening?!" Li Fei''er blurted out as she looked at Qin Zhi with widened eyes. She was still kneeling on the circle she set up earlier to keep the binding talismans in ce.


    The sudden surge of great demonic power made her and Zhao Yichen shiver in fear, but not Qin Zhi. Li Fei''er couldn''t tell if it was Shen Minyao or the Gu demon that she was trying to oppress. Since her apprenticeship as a shaman, she had never sensed such a strong demonic presence¡­ until now.


    "Shen Minyao is fine. It is just that the curse itself is reacting to her demonic influence." The demon lord assured her, but he also couldn''t help but worry about his sister. Shen Minyao wasn''t trying to break the curse¡­ she was trying to overrule its rules to transfer the ownership of the Gu demon to her.


    If she seeded, the human bound to the contract with the Gu curse would immediately die from poisoning and multiple organ failure. After all, each of the organs would swell and burst from inside out.


    However, if she failed, Shen Minyao would be left with life-threatening injuries that could lead to her death. The curse was unforgiving to those who would dare to challenge its rules. It didn''t matter if the demon was powerful¡­ because the curse would only stick to its rules and protect itself from other potential threats.


    "She could make it, right?" Zhao Yichen looked at the older fox demon, now aware of the danger Shen Minyao was facing because of him. He took a nce at Shen Minyao''s guardians, but they were both silent and focused on helping strengthen the barriers Li Fei''er set earlier.


    ***


    Shen Minyao sucked in a deep breath as she continued to inject more of her demonic powers into the cursed pot, forcing it to repel the previous ownership for her to overtake the role. A thick amount of miasma permeated inside the room, a sign that the white snake demon was about to break out from its confinements.


    Her eyes turned red, forcing more of her power to overrule the ownership of the Gu curse. She vomited blood, but Shen Minyao remained unfazed. She needed to establish her dominance on the contract now that she had proven that she was way stronger than the remaining demon inside the Gu curse.


    The whole building continued to shake at its foundation, making the surrounding humans wonder if there was an earthquake. Zhao Yichen braced himself as the tremors were quite strong and couldn''t be easily ignored.. Li Fei''er was d that Qin Zhi was standing near her and giving her the stability she needed.

 Chapter 192 - Overrule (2)

    Mu Qing was able to open the door, but he couldn''t enter the room. The barrier inside was containing the thick, dark miasma that filled the room, keeping everything outside froming closer. Even with his heightened senses, it was hard for him to recognize the strong demonic presence inside the barrier. Was it Shen Minyao or the Gu demon?


    He heard Shen Minyao hiss in pain, but he couldn''t see what was happening within the dark mass. The building continued to shake tremendously, causing some fragile things to fall on the floor and break. The tremors sent the humans in full panic as they wondered why there was suddenly an earthquake.


    Another suspicious sound of something breaking followed the hiss, and the miasma suddenly dissipated inside the barrier, clearing his view. He then saw a blur of a figure thrown his way, and immediately, Mu Qing lowered the barrier. The grim reaper braced himself from the impact of Shen Minyao''s body hitting him.


    Mu Qing groaned as the fox woman''s body crashed against him painfully. However, he looked at the woman in his embrace beforeining, and he saw how badly injured she was. A trail of blood could be seen on her lips, while her shirt was painted red with her own flesh. The left sleeve of her sweater had been ruined, revealing a severely broken arm of hers.


    She was still in her demon form, but her regenerative skills were too slow to heal her wounds. Mu Qing had no doubt that she''d forced herself past her limit yet again.


    "Shen Minyao!" He tried to see if she was still conscious enough to face the young demon that suddenly appeared in front of them.


    The vase that housed the Gu demon was now left in smithereens on the floor. The paper at the bottom that contained the name of the previous owner of the pot was then burned by the fox fire that appeared out of nowhere.


    Such a young demon and yet a very powerful one. This time, the young snake demon appeared in front of Shen Minyao, dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt and deep-gray shorts that reached his knees. A symbol of a fox then engraved itself on the right side of his neck, announcing his allegiance to the nine-tailed fox demoness.


    "You¡­" Mu Qing stared at the young boy in disbelief. Shen Minyao had really managed to bind this demon to her?


    Shen Minyao then pushed herself away from Mu Qing''s hold to regard her new shikigami.


    "Mistress, you''ve done it." The young boy looked down at himself and grew impressed by how strong his new master was. He had never thought that he would be able to see the outside world with his own eyes.


    "Now,e here and receive your new name." The fox woman raised her uninjured right hand and waited for the snake demon to kneel in front of her.


    "You are now part of my fox demon n." She ced her hand on top of his silvery-white hair that reached his shoulders. Baiyu¡­ you will be called with this name from this day onwards."


    "Thanking my mistress for bestowing such grace onto this lowly servant." Baiyu held the same hand that touched his head and ced a gentle kiss on it.


    "How was it? Did you like your new look? Take a look around you and see the world." Shen Minyao looked at her newest shikigami with such unconcealed interest.


    Mu Qing could only look at the two demons in front of him. It was hard to believe that Shen Minyao was able to subdue this kind of dangerous demon into servitude. Xuan Yanrui wouldn''t be able to easily defeat her this time now that she had a powerful demon shikigami with her.


    The young snake demon slowly got back to his feet. He turned around to see the wide cityscape the ss window walls offered to them. His eyes then widened in surprise, impressed by how bright the ce was. There were so many colors that lightened up the city despite the darkness that shrouded the sky above it.


    However, it also overwhelmed his senses¡­ the amount of noise and disturbing scents that reached him. Baiyu curled his nose in disgust and realized that he needed to learn how to lower his senses. It was necessary to tune out the annoying noise pollution and the nauseous scents of humans around him.


    Still, this was way better than being trapped inside that dark world from where he came. From the moment he gained consciousness, Baiyu only knew how to defeat other demons that appeared inside the pot. It became his second nature to devour them whole.


    It made sense to him why the fox demoness proposed such a deal to him earlier. It didn''t matter if he was bound to her. After all, the only thing that changed was that his cage was now the mortal realm, not just an old pot.


    Baiyu turned his attention back to his mistress, but he found her unconscious in another man''s arms. This man didn''t seem like a demon like them, but he could sense dangering from this person. Just who was this oddpanion of the mistress, and why was he here with her?


    "You areing with us," the unknown man told him with a cold voice.


    Mu Qing could not let Shen Minyao stay in this ce any longer, or her identity as Su Daji would be revealed. Thankfully, her form already morphed back to her human one, only leaving the nasty injury on her left arm.


    "Where?" Baiyu asked, but he knew better. He wasn''t allowed to leave his new mistress to a stranger. Who knew what they would do to Shen Minyao if he left her alone with them?


    "Outside. The rest are waiting for us," Mu Qing said before stepping out of the room, not waiting for the white snake demon''s response.


    Baiyu followed after him shortly, looking around and wondering why he felt restricted, even if he had already broken out of the ursed pot. The talismans released an electric spark, and he realized how dangerous it would be for him if he came into contact with those talismans.


    "Don''t worry, they are bringing down the barriers now. You should be able to walk freely without constraints soon." He heard the mysterious man holding his mistress exin, and Baiyu didn''t dare to ask more.


    Once they stood in the hallway, the talismans Li Fei''er was keeping for some time immediately vanished into thin air. The three were then free to leave the current floor they were on to meet the rest at Zhao Yichen''s office.


    Soon, Qin Zhi opened the door for them and allowed them to step inside, his brows frowning as he nced at the injuries his sister got from transferring the ownership of the curse to her name.


    Mu Qingid Shen Minyao on the couch, while Yu Yan immediately started her healing spell to aid the fox woman''s regenerative ability to deal with her mistress''s injuries.


    "Will she be alright?" Li Fei''er asked nervously next to Qin Zhi. She had never seen Shen Minyao sustain an injury like this before.


    "She''ll be fine," Qin Zhi replied. "She''s lucky that these were the only injuries she sustained. It could be worse if she was below mid-rank level."


    "I''m not the one who hurt her." Baiyu''s voice suddenly took everyone''s attention. "I wasn''t able tond a hit on her when we were fighting."


    Baiyu feared that they would all me him for his mistress''s current condition. The demon lord with them right now was way stronger than his mistress, and the white snake wouldn''t possibly win against him if Qin Zhi decided to seek vengeance for his sister''s sake.


    "We know." Qin Zhi assured the young demon that the me wasn''t on him. "Shen Minyao knew what could happen to her if she challenged the authority of the curse that made you, and she paid dearly for its price."


    "I see¡­" Baiyu replied. Still, he didn''t expect that Shen Minyao would be willing to face repercussions for him, just so he could get free from that used pot.


    Even Zhao Yichen was feeling guilty now that he himself could see how his request badly affected Shen Minyao''s well-being. It didn''t matter if the white snake demon harmed her or not; Shen Minyao was injured because of his request that drove her to take over the ownership of the pot.


    "What would happen to the previous owner of the pot?"


    "The curse would return the hex to its previous owner. Your grandfather would be saved, but the previous owner would die in his stead," the demon lord replied.


    Zhao Yichen didn''t know why, but the worry on his heart subsided a little, knowing that his grandfather''s life would be spared this time. As for that previous owner who dared to curse his grandfather to death, he couldn''t feel pity for them at all.. That person should know how to face the consequences of their actions.

 Chapter 193 - Going North (1)

    Once everyone deemed that Shen Minyao was ready to be moved, Qin Zhi suggested that everyone should stay at his ce in the meantime; while they waited for what could happen next. A certain someone rted to Zhao Yichen would die tonight, and they expected to hear about his identity very soon.


    "Do we really have to go?" Zhao Yichen asked, looking at the still unconscious demoness in Qin Zhi''s arms. Qin Zhi didn''t even look bothered by his sister''s current disheveled look.


    "What happened here would surely attract a lot of attention from everyone. We need to leave as soon as possible, or else some might suspect our involvement in this case," the demon lord replied, giving Zhao Yichen no choice but to agree with him.


    "Just like what happened to the kindergarten a month ago?" Li Fei''er asked.


    "En, and it would be worse than that." The grim reaper was the one who answered her question. He had witnessed himself that not only humans would gather around the ce¡­ but also demons who wanted to know what transpired there and why a strong purification aura was lingering around.


    A couple of blocks away from where Zhao Corporation was, the group was picked up by Qin Zhi''s men, bringing two cars with them.


    When they arrived at the Qin Estate, they were greeted by his human butler, Qin Zhihao. He had prepared everything ready, ording to the demon lord''s orders. When the old man saw Li Fei''er standing next to Qin Zhi, he was momentarily stunned, but he recovered from his shock easily.


    How could Qin Zhihao not be shocked when the young woman in front of him was exactly the same woman whom his master painted decades ago? Everything, from her facial features to the gentleness in her eyes, was just the same. From what his immortal master told him, the woman in the painting was none other than his human wife that had died as a casualty in a war centuries ago.


    As if sensing what the butler was thinking at that moment, Qin Zhi shot him a look that told him to hold his tongue and not to mention it in front of his guests.


    Shen Minyao wasid down on the same bed in the same room that she upied during her first visit here; while Zhao Yichen and Li Fei''er had been led to the other guest rooms where they could spend the night.


    The two cat demons decided to apany Zhao Yichen through the night, leaving their mistress in her brother''s care.


    Qin Zhi, Mu Qing, and Baiyu stayed in Shen Minyao''s room, waiting for her to wake up. Yu Yan had done her share of helping treat her mistress, and the rest should be done by the fox demoness herself.


    "Xuan Yanrui has been spotted making his way to the Northern Lands," Mu Qing said, breaking the awkward silence around them.


    "En. It seems he decided to invade the Northern Lands and challenge Lord Lang''s authority, but I''m afraid that the old demon lord would only lose," Qin Zhi confirmed what the grim reaper had just said.


    "So it''s true that he had grown weak over the centuries?" Mu Qing asked curiously. He knew that the demon realm was separated into five majornds, with Qin Zhi being the Southern Lord and the wolf demon Lord Lang dominating the Northern Lands.


    The three other demon lords must have been aware of Xuan Yanrui''s intention. However, none of them had shown a sign nor intent to cooperate with the Southern Lord to defeat the disgusting demon-turned human emperor.


    "It''s only natural for a demon like us to weaken over time, but it depends on several factors. Even myself¡­ I know I wasn''t as strong as I used to be." Qin Zhi lowered his gaze to his human hands, wondering how long it had been since he felt thrilled by fighting on a battlefield. Ever since Feng Jiu''s death and his sister''s confinement, he had never been the same.


    "Is it the same for her? With all the atrocities she had done in her past life, theherworld would perceive her as a threat to humanity once again," Mu Qing exined, his eyes ncing at Shen Minyao''s unconscious form.


    "Her hands were tainted with the blood of over a hundred thousand centuries ago."


    "Is that why you are hanging out with my sister? Are you waiting for a chance to strike her down?" Qin Zhi gave the other man a cold look, his demonic aura threatening thetter.


    Baiyu, who was silently listening to their conversation, wasn''t dumb. With little information, he was able to understand the kind of demon his mistress was, and it only made him feel satisfied that he had chosen a better master this time.


    However, as Qin Zhi''s demonic presence swirled around, the young snake demon was rooted in ce and didn''t dare to make a move. He had only been recently released by his mistress, and he certainly wasn''t nning to die this early!


    "Calm down. I was assigned to apany her on a mission. My mission is to assist the female nine-tailed fox to kill Xuan Yanrui. The spirit realm, along with theherworld, decided that Xuan Yanrui posed a greater danger to humanity than your sister."


    Qin Zhi scoffed at that. Aside from the Li family, the spirit realm and theherworld were also wary of his sister''s presence.


    "She wouldn''t be pleased to find out that your superiors want her to do the dirty job for them. You should know this by now."


    Qin Zhi still found it weird that his sister was being surrounded by odd acquaintances. Though, he wasn''t surprised that Shen Minyao was with his wife''s reincarnation, considering their strong bond in the past.


    What surprised him the most was that Shen Minyao allowed this grim reaper to get close to her. Even if they didn''t admit it, Qin Zhi could tell that they held mutual respect and understanding as if friends or close acquaintances.


    "The spirit realm offered her a clean te in return, for eliminating Xuan Yanrui," Mu Qing announced, which didn''t surprise the demon lord one bit.


    "Your superiors must be thinking I am stupid." Shen Minyao''s voice startled Mu Qing, but not her brother. Qin Zhi was aware that she was about to wake up, considering the change in her breathing and heartbeat.


    She forced herself to sit up, aware that her left arm was still injured. Although the broken bones were now healed by Yu Yan, the pain that shot through her was enough to make the fox woman hissed in pain.


    "Mistress!" Baiyu jolted from his seat and stared at her young miss worriedly.


    Shen Minyao tucked her long hair behind her ear and gestured at the boy toe to her.


    Baiyu looked at the two men before crawling up on Shen Minyao''s bed, taking a seat next to her.


    "Bite my left arm and release your numbing poison onto it," she told him.


    Baiyu stared at her with wide eyes. Even if the poison he had was only enough to numb a person, a poison was still a poison, right?


    "Don''t worry. You only need to inject a little. Your poison would never be strong enough to kill me yet." Shen Minyao chuckled once she saw the hesitation on his face.


    Baiyu nodded and could only do what he was told. He gave Shen Minyao a nce before sinking his little fangs into her left arm. It only took him three seconds to release Shen Minyao''s arm. He watched as her pale skin turned slightly red once the numbing poison he injected started to spread throughout her whole arm. However, what he didn''t expect was for his mistress to iste his poison, forbidding it to leave her arm and affect the rest of her body.


    "Ah, that feels so much better. Thank you, Baiyu," Shen Minyao said before ruffling Baiyu''s long silvery-white hair.


    Baiyu lowered his head to hide his blush for being praised for the first time by his new mistress.


    "I-It''s nothing," he mumbled, earning an amused smile from Shen Minyao.


    "So¡­ do we extend some assistance to Lord Lang, or has he denied our involvement this time?" She then asked her brother, now aware that the two were discussing Xuan Yanrui while she was unconscious. How dare they opt her out of their conversation when everything they talked about was rted to her?


    "He hasn''t made a decision yet, but I have received an official letter from his eldest son asking for cooperation," Qin Zhi replied. "Lord Lang''s son might know of the situation there better than his father."


    "Then, let''s go there as soon as we eliminate all the blood-sucking demons that entered Jiang City," Shen Minyao suggested, but Qin Zhi didn''t respond immediately as he considered his options.. It wouldn''t be easy for him to leave the city unattended.

 Chapter 194 - Going North (2)

    The breaking news of the sudden death of Zhao Yichen''s second uncle, Zhao Fang, reached the headlines and front pages of all media outlets. Zhao Yichen also woke up to this news as soon as the next day came.


    The report didn''t reveal the cause of his uncle''s death, but Zhao Yichen already knew what it was. He was already notified of what could happen before Shen Minyao went inside his grandfather''s office to overrule the ownership of the Gu curse.


    He was saddened by the news, but he was also conflicted. Why would his own uncle plot against his grandfather''s life? Regardless of their disagreements, his uncle was still his grandfather''s child. How could Zhao Fang curse his own father just to get immense wealth from the Gu demon?


    Everyone was gathered in Qin Zhi''s spacious living area, watching the news about the sudden death of the second master of the Zhao family and the supernatural incident that happened at Zhao Corporationst night.


    It baffled many scientists and experts as to why there was an earthquake in the business district, with its epicenter underneath the Zhao Corporation building. They couldn''t find any logical reason why it happened. Unless there was a bombing, it didn''t make sense why an intense earthquake urred in the areast night. However, the building remained the same.


    "Are you going home?" Li Fei''er asked, feeling bad that Zhao Yichen had to deal with aplicated issue with his family. However, she wasn''t faring better¡­ as she was keeping her association with the demons from her own family.


    Li Fei''er had to admit that she was surprised to find out that the boyfriend Shen Minyao was talking to before was a human. After finding out that Shen Minyao was a demon, she thought that Shen Minyao must be seeing another demon like her. Imagine Li Fei''er''s surprise the moment she met Zhao Yichen for the first time.


    The man was well-mannered and soft-spoken, unlike Shen Minyao who had an air of arrogance and confidence around her. Li Fei''er wasn''t sure if the two were in love with each other or if there was something more to tell about their rtionship.


    "Grandfather would like me to be there," Zhao Yichen replied, as he pondered if he should disclose the real reason for his uncle''s death to his grandfather. The old man was probably heartbroken over the news of one of his son''s sudden passing.


    "Don''t tell him," Shen Minyao said as if she could read what was going on in his mind. "He wouldn''t believe you, and it''s better to keep it a secret¡­ just in case someone close to your uncle is aware of the Gu curse."


    Zhao Yichen sighed, knowing that the fox woman was right. He didn''t want to receive the attention of those eyes who mocked him in the past, using him of lying. He knew well that people wouldn''t take his word seriously, and they would even im that he might have a loose screw in his head if he insisted.


    "I''ll go with you, but let''s wait for the night before we make a visit. I also want to see if your grandfather''s illness stopped progressing." Shen Minyao offered, which made Zhao Yichen feel gratitude towards her. He knew why she was asking him to dy their visit. After all, her left arm hadn''t fully healed fromst night''s event.


    "Okay." He agreed. There''s no telling what kind of danger would await him in his return. Also, if Shen Minyao was able to find the person who instigated his uncle to curse his grandfather, that would be great.


    Meanwhile, Li Fei''er grew distracted the longer she stared at the young boy seated next to Shen Minyao. She was aware that the young boy was the Gu demon, a young white snake demon who was able to defeat the other demons inside the pot. It was just¡­ she didn''t expect that the demon was this young and this adorable at the same time.


    Now, who said that all demons were ugly and disgusting? Just look at these three demons in front of her. Their beauty was just mesmerizing and breathtaking at the same time, that even the celestial beings would get jealous of their appearance. Those who imed that demons were ugly probably didn''t know what devilish beauty meant.


    If one wasn''t aware that Baiyu was a demon, they would mistake him for a foreigner¡ªa child from a noble family with such beautiful silvery-white hair that reached his shoulders, pale white skin, and a pair of icy-blue eyes.


    As if sensing her stare, Baiyu scooted closer to Shen Minyao and hid his face behind her uninjured right arm. He didn''t like how Li Fei''er was looking at him, as if she couldn''t wait to touch him.


    "What''s wrong, Baiyu?" Shen Minyao asked when she noticed her newest shikigami cowering in fear next to her. She then followed his gaze and found Li Fei''er looking at him with starry eyes. She chuckled as she found itughable to see a shaman getting starstruck over a young demon like this.


    "I don''t like her," Baiyu mumbled next to her. "That human¡­ she''s dangerous."


    Baiyu was sure that the young woman was a human, but why did she have such a threatening aura around her? Just what kind of human could easily scare a demon like him, and why didn''t Shen Minyao and Lord Qin deem the human a threat at all?


    "That''s because she''s a shaman. In the future, if you think you can''t defeat someone like her, don''t confront them in a battle, okay?" Shen Minyao exined before ying with his long hair.


    "You have such long hair. Should we cut it short, so it won''t get in the way?" She asked. Regr shikigamis were at the beck and call of their masters, willing to wait at the other dimension until they were summoned. However, Shen Minyao preferred to keep Baiyu close, so he wouldn''t feel trapped at all.


    "Don''t let your mistress butcher your hair. She doesn''t know how to cut someone else''s hair properly." Qin Zhi warned the young demon, earning a fierce re for it.


    "Somehow, I agree with Lord Qin. The cuts Shen Minyao made during her battles weren''t done properly." Mu Qing agreed with him.


    Shen Minyao''s eyes twitched, wanting to know why these two were ganging up on her now. Since when did her brother be amicable towards Mu Qing? They''d only met a few times, and now, they got along?


    "Young Master, if you allow it¡­ this old man knows how to do a haircut. Shall this old man cut your hair to the Lady''s preference?" Qin Zhihao asked Baiyu politely.


    Baiyu took a peek from his mistress''s arm and met the gaze of the old male human looking at him expectantly.


    "Go. He won''t hurt you. It shouldn''t take long." Shen Minyao assured him.


    Baiyu gave the old man onest look and then turned to his mistress. Why did his mistress allow herself to get involved with humans? Weren''t they¡­ food? As a demon, his instincts obviously categorized humans as their prey, and he hadn''t met any demon that wouldn''t feed on humans so far¡­ until he met Shen Minyao.


    Shen Minyao imed that unless she was starving, she wouldn''t eat a human. She imed that their taste wasn''t delectable to her liking, and if she was to eat them, she would only consume their livers. No more, no less.


    However, the humans that hung out with his mistress weren''t normal ones. One had such a strong purification aura that made him wary of her, while the other one called Zhao Yichen had a strong demonic aura deeply engraved in his body. If Baiyu were to smell it, he would realize that it had the same scent as his mistress, Shen Minyao.


    Baiyu stood up and followed the lead of the old man, who was the mere human in this group. The old man brought him to the next room and gestured for him to take a seat in front of a vanity table. The old man then left for a moment to find shears and a long cloth he could use while cutting Baiyu''s long hair.


    Baiyu took this moment to think about the conversation they hadst night. His mistress decided to go North, regardless of whether Lord Qin would apany her or not. The grim reaper voiced his intention to go with Shen Minyao, and obviously, as the fox woman''s shikigami, Baiyu was also set to follow.


    The Northern Lands had been under the authority of the wolf demons. Their kind was a native to the highest peaks of these very Northern Lands. Baiyu wasn''t sure how he ended up inside the Gu pot, only to be released in a city in the South.. He briefly wondered if he would be able to find his origins once they arrived at the Northern Lands.

 Chapter 195 - Consort Yan (1)

    By the time Zhao Yichen and Shen Minyao arrived at the funeral home where the remains of Zhao Fangy, people were already crowding at the reception area. It seemed that his uncle''s sudden passing was big news. Tons of people had arrived to give their condolences to the Zhao family, filling the hall even if it was already evening.


    "Stay close. I can sense a demon nearby. I repeat, do not leave my side whatever happens." Shen Minyao held onto her human contractor''s arm and whispered slowly to him.


    Zhao Yichen broke into a cold sweat, realizing that the fox woman''s assumptions earlier were right. There was definitely a demon involved in the Gu cursing of his grandfather, and it came tonight.


    The guests who''d seen the two arriving together were intrigued by the identity of the young woman next to Zhao Yichen. They had never seen the fourth young master of the Zhao family bringing a woman along with him before.


    "Do you know who that girl is?" Someone asked in the crowd.


    "Never seen her. She looks like she''s from a well-off family, too," another one responded.


    "Well, what do we know? I guess we could only wait and see until they announce the engagement between the two."


    Zhao Yichen and Shen Minyao gave their customary greetings to their elders and then their condolences. The fox woman remained silent and allowed Zhao Yichen to speak on their behalf while keeping her defenses up, trying to figure out where the scent of the demon wasing from.


    "Did you find it?" Zhao Yichen lowered his head to ask Shen Minyao.


    "No, not yet," Shen Minyao replied. Her eyes swept around the crowd, but the scent of the demon mingling around them was faint, and its source was hard to pinpoint.


    ''Darn. Such a sneaky demon." The fox woman gritted her teeth, hands clenching on her sides. There was something familiar about this demon, and that somewhat annoyed her.


    Ah, if it was connected to Xuan Yanrui, then she could think of several demons that would convene with that wretched excuse of a man.


    The two remained with the guests at the receiving area, while the Zhao family entertained the other guests that had just arrived. Shen Minyao yed her role well as Zhao Yichen''s well-mannered girlfriend. She also took this chance to let the public know that she wasn''t involved with the second young master of the Su family anymore.


    This would only mean that she wasn''t giving Su Yin and the rest of the Su family any face by showing up in public next to Zhao Yichen. Of course, who else would they me for this but Shen Qing herself? If Shen Qing hadn''t gotten involved with Su Yin, they wouldn''t have lost such a valuable chance to get close with the Shen family.


    From this moment onward, Shen Qing would face their ire and wouldn''t have time to look for Shen Minyao to cause trouble. She might be able to get Su Yin dancing to the palm of her hands, but she wouldn''t be able to change the fact that their union was nothing to the Su family. She would be disregarded for the rest of her life.


    Shen Minyao grew still when she noticed the scent getting strong as if it was luring her toe after the source.


    ''Stupid, really stupid.'' The fox woman chuckled inwardly. It was a mistake for the other demon to think that she could be easily lured out away from her human contractor¡­ since they couldn''t lure him instead.


    From the very beginning, she had already ced a spell to protect Zhao Yichen from any demonic influence. It would be hard for the other demon to put him under their control and make him leave her behind.


    ''It''s close. Don''t look around, or it would know that you are aware of its existence.'' The sudden voice that resounded in Zhao Yichen''s head startled him a bit, but he recovered easily. This was the first time that Shen Minyao had talked to him through telepathy.


    ''Then, is there something we should do?'' He asked, hoping that his words would reach the fox woman.


    ''Nothing, but be careful not to be touched by anyone, especially women at this point,'' Shen Minyao replied. It would be bad if a demon touched Zhao Yichen directly, as it could easily challenge her influence on her human contractor. The worst scenario was him falling under a spell and doing the other demon''s bidding.


    Zhao Yichen agreed, already aware of what Shen Minyao meant. Yu Yan had once given him a lesson on how demons affect the human mind in different ways. Touching a human was one of the methods to put them under a spell or a curse.


    The demon''s presence became apparent the more it got closer to Zhao Yichen and Shen Minyao. The fox woman''s eyes slightly widened when she caught a good scent of it. Familiar indeed.


    She would have forgotten about it had she not smelled that disgusting scent of ironing from the demon. A blood-sucking demon, even one that was on the verge of attaining a high rank. If she appeared a month or two earlier, Shen Minyao had no doubt that she would lose to this demon. However, it was different now.


    Shen Minyao''s eyes darkened as she remained seated on Zhao Yichen''s side. It was simr to the scent of Consort Yan, a demoness that joined Xuan Yanrui''s harem before her. During her time at the imperial harem as Su Daji, Consort Yan wasn''t one of the emperor''s favorites, and she usually spent her time torturing the poor humans that were serving in her pce.


    However, the fox woman was certain that she had already killed that blood-sucking demoness with her own de. Consort Yan was the first mid-rank demon that she had fed to her Hellreaver, and there was no way that her sword¡ªwith such a huge appetite¡ªwould allow Consort Yan to survive.


    Who was this demon, then? A demon that had the same scent as Consort Yan, huh.


    For another demon to have an almost identical scent with another meant they were close kin, but this one was almost identical¡­ as if she and the Consort Yan that the fox woman killed were the same demon.


    ''A twin.'' The fox demon concluded. This was the only possible reason Shen Minyao could think of to exin the oddity of the situation. If they were merely siblings, like her and Qin Zhi; then their scents would have amon base but different intensities.


    ''Ah, would that mean that she came here knowing who I am?'' Shen Minyao ced her chin on the back of her hand and gave it a good thought.


    If this demon was really Consort Yan''s twin, then the chances of hering here to seek revenge for her deceased sister were high. Well, would she be capable enough to kill the fox demon at her current level?


    Shen Minyao might be a mid-rank level demon right now, but it still didn''t change the fact that she was once the strongest demoness in history. Even if the other demoness was in a bottleneck, she couldn''t rely on her powers alone to defeat the nine-tailed fox demoness.


    Zhao Yichen remained seated with her, conversing with other guests. He kept on answering trivial questions about his studies abroad and if he was aware if Zhao Fang had an incurable disease that he had not disclosed to anyone.


    "No." He shook his head. "Uncle and I haven''t talked much since my return. Perhaps my cousins would know the answers to your questions."


    That forced them to shut their mouths and ask him no more about his uncle''s sudden death.


    Shen Minyao then spotted a beautiful woman entering the reception area, and immediately, the corner of her lips curled up.


    The woman who just stepped in was a perfect replica of Consort Yan, albeit wearing a modern skimpy dress that left human males drooling over the sight. As for attending a funeral, this woman surely didn''t know propriety and respect for the dead.


    "Ah, I didn''t know Yan Lin, my goddess, would be here!"


    "I didn''t even know she was acquainted with the Zhao family."


    The conversation kept going, giving the fox woman enough information as to what kind of facade the other demoness was ying.


    Apparently, Consort Yan''s twin was a popr actress these days, something Shen Minyao felt was a little bold.


    Not many demons liked to be put on the center stage and at the receiving end of everyone''s attention. For Yan Lin to parade amongst the humans as an actress, the fox demon could only surmise that it only gave the blood-sucking demon an advantage to sleep with many men.. Those foolish men who only think with their smaller heads would throw themselves willingly to Yan Lin, only to end up dead or severely ill from her intense feeding.

 Chapter 196 - Consort Yan (2)

    Surprisingly, Zhao Yichen wasn''t aware that Yan Lin was a popr actress these days, but he could sense dangering from the said woman. He wanted to ask Shen Minyao if this was the demon she was talking about earlier, but he didn''t know if he would be able to initiate a telepathic conversation between them.


    As men came and greeted Yan Lin, Shen Minyao remained seated on her chair, nonchntly drinking the newly brewed coffee that was served to the guests of the Zhao family.


    The fox woman had to admit that this coffee was way better than the artificially sweetened coffee drinks and instant coffee she had seen being sold in the market.


    It bothered Zhao Yichen that she was too calm for this, but after feeling her grasp tightening on his hand a little, he decided to understand her need to remain silent and for him to trust her judgment.


    The blood-sucking demoness turned her gaze to the couple, and the corner of her lips turned up. Yan Lin wanted to go and meet the fox woman personally, but these disgusting men wouldn''t allow her to pass through the wall they created.


    "We should get going," Shen Minyao told her human contractor and motioned for him to stand up to leave with her discreetly.


    Yan Lin''s eyes followed their retreating figures as Zhao Yichen bid goodbye to his uncle''s family and his grandfather, telling them he needed to take Shen Minyao back home before midnight.


    "Is she following us?" Zhao Yichen said as they leisurely walked hand-in-hand in the hallway where the other guests waited for their turn to give respects to the Zhao family.


    "Oh? You can tell that she''s a demon?" Shen Minyao smiled at him, sending a teasing message to his mind. She reopened the telepathy between them, so they could speak privately in the presence of other humans around them.


    "I''m not sure how, but I could sense that she''s not a human." Zhao Yichen didn''t know how to exin it clearly to her.


    "When I was a kid, I used to see spirits and monsters, and they always caused trouble for me. They tried to hurt me and threatened to take over my body. I suppose meeting you and spending time with Yu Yan have made me sensitive to those creatures."


    "It''s good to trust one''s instincts, especially if it''s for your own survival." The fox woman hummed her approval.


    It''s good that Zhao Yichen could sense spirits and demons near him, but she realized that his ability was limited to a short range. This meant he had a low chance of possibly escaping demons that would hunt him down.


    Shen Minyao didn''t expect him to be able to fend demons away on his own, but it would be better if he could expand the range of his awareness. It''s best if he could make use of it like how her spatial ability gave her the advantage to locate her target.


    "Yan Lin''s target is me, but that doesn''t mean she won''t go after you. She probably knows by now that I have some kind of demon contract with you, and she would try to use it to threaten me."


    "But it would be suspicious to other people if you''re always with me." Zhao Yichen frowned.


    "Then, wouldn''t it be better for us to live together?" She suggested.


    Zhao Yichen almost tripped on his own foot when he heard that, but Shen Minyao was able to stop him from nting his face on the cold floor.


    He looked at her in disbelief, wondering if she wasn''t really bothered by what people would say about her.


    "What? If we appear in public looking head over heels in love, I suppose they wouldn''t be surprised if they found out we moved in together," the fox woman reasoned out.


    "But aren''t you still too young for that?"


    "Indeed, this human body is only eighteen years old, but we both know that I''m not that young anymore. I heard that your grandfather had shown Shen Xin his intention for us to get engaged and married. Why don''t you ask my old man to allow you to marry me after my graduation? This way, we could always be together."


    Zhao Yichen was aware that she was telling him this for his sake, but he didn''t want her to sacrifice her future just to keep him safe.


    "You don''t mind being married to me?" He asked with a slight blush on his face. Thankfully, they were already outside, and there''s no one to see him in his flustered state right now.


    The fox woman shrugged, feeling the night breeze touch her face.


    "I don''t mind. It''s not like it''s my first time getting married. Su Daji married Xuan Yanrui. There''s no harm if Shen Minyao marries Zhao Yichen in this lifetime."


    Zhao Yichen wasn''t sure what to feel about that. He almost forgot that the fox woman next to him used to be an imperial noble consort of ate emperor. How could hepare to Xuan Yanrui?


    Shen Minyao was oblivious to what he was thinking at that moment as she was preupied with the idea that they should be living together.


    "Are you worried that we''ll only be married on paper?" The fox woman teased him. "Don''t worry, I''ll be your wife in all aspects. I could even bear you a child or two if you want."


    Zhao Yichen''s face burned red upon hearing her suggestion. He hated that he was the only one feeling flustered when they were talking about their marriage and future together.


    A future together¡­ somehow, Zhao Yichen wasn''t against the idea of being married to Shen Minyao, but why was she talking as if she was only fulfilling a part of a deal with him?


    Shen Minyao took a good sniff around them, as they waited for the cars to arrive and take them home. She would be staying at Zhao Yichen''s ce tonight, just to be sure no demons woulde after him.


    Before they entered the car, Shen Minyao used a spell to hide their scent and presence from other demons. They decided to take a longer route, in an attempt to lose anyone who might have attempted to follow them. The ride to Zhao Yichen''s home that should have been over in one hour¡­ ended up taking two and half hours on the road.


    By the time they reached his home, Zhao Yichen was exhausted from the long day that they had, with Shen Minyao still recovering from the injuries she sustainedst night.


    He slumped on the couch next to Baiyu, whose snake form hid under Shen Minyao''s right sleeve all this time.


    The short, white-haired boy sat next to Zhao Yichen and questioned his mistress. Being with them, he naturally sensed the strong presence of another demon at the reception area earlier.


    "Mistress, the demoness we sensed earlier¡­ I think she''s the leader of the brood of blood-sucking demons that invaded the city. Are we going to hunt her?"


    "No need. She would willinglye to us herself. Her thirst for vengeance will force her to see me again. Now that she has found out who I am and where I stay, she will make a move anytime soon," the fox woman replied with a nk expression on her face. At least, she didn''t need to hunt the leader of the brood. Yan Lin already revealed herself to the fox.


    "Do you know that demoness?" Zhao Yichen asked. "Why would she try to seek revenge on you?"


    "Yan Lin used to have a twin sister. I''m not certain who''s older between the two, but Consort Yan died inside the imperial harem because of me. It''s only natural for Yan Lin to bear such grudges against me for killing her sister."


    Shen Minyao purposely omitted the part where she tortured Consort Yan for ny days, allowing the demon to heal her wounds and injuries¡­ only to repeat the same torture all over again. At that time, humans were oblivious that some beauties sent to the imperial harem were demons.


    During her stay at the imperial pce, Su Daji met several demons andpeted with them to earn the emperor''s favor. Consort Yan was one of those who lost against her, forfeiting not only the favor of the emperor but also their lives to the infamous nine-tailed fox demoness.


    The imperial harem was a dangerous battlefield for women during that era, where even human women tend to lose their humanity to escte their schemes against the other women in the pce.


    The fox woman found it oddly amusing that these women were willing to lose apart from themselves to win the favor of a mortal man whose credibility and worth were questionable.. After all, she didn''t enter the imperial harem for such trivialities, but to test how long it would take for the stupid human emperor to realize that he had been yed by her.

 Chapter 197 - Kidnapped (1)

    Three dayster, Zhao Yichen''s uncle''s remains were put to rest. Shen Minyao stood next to him at a safe distance, watching the funeral in boredom. Although she had lived two lives as a human, this was the first time she attended a funeral held by humans. They were all yapping on how good the old man was, without knowing the reason behind his death.


    "Humans. They only knew how to be kind and appreciate one''s kindness when the person is already dead. What a bunch of ingrates." She scoffed next to Zhao Yichen. Humans never failed to disappoint her, whether in the past or in this current era she was living in. Their greed and selfishness knew no bounds.


    Zhao Yichen gave her a weak smile, but he didn''t dare to defend his race from the fox woman. What Shen Minyao said was true, anyway. Where''s the lie? Most humans like him didn''t know how to cherish something or someone until it was toote.


    This was why he wanted to cherish his time in the world, making sure to live without regrets¡­ now that he was given a second chance. When he thought about it, he had always been waiting for death toe knocking on his door willingly before he met the fox woman.


    It was only after he experienced standing at death''s door that he realized how wrong he was for not taking his life seriously. Since human life was fleeting, it was more reason for him to live to the fullest.


    "I can''t see Miss Yan anywhere," hemented once he noticed that the beautiful actress didn''t show up to his uncle''s funeral this time.


    "Why would she? She already got the information she needs. Now, she only needs to find a perfect time to strike at me," the fox woman replied coolly as if the threat the other demons posed towards her didn''t bother her one bit.


    "Then, you should be more careful this time. Are you sure you aren''t going to take Xiao Bai and Yu Yan with you?" He asked. Those two guardians were keeping himpany for the past week, leaving Shen Minyao on her own. It was only recently that Mu Qing appeared and apanied her.


    Speaking of the grim reaper, Zhao Yichen realized that he hadn''t seen the man since they left Qin Zhi''s mansion. Why was he missing when Shen Minyao needed help in protecting herself from a possible assault?


    "Is Lord Hell still not with you?" He asked the fox woman. It would have been better if Mu Qing returned soon, so he wouldn''t worry too much about Shen Minyao''s safety.


    "He said he needed to report with his superiors. He should be back soon." Shen Minyao tried her best to suppress yawning out of boredom. Even if she wasn''t really a human, doing such an action would put the Shen family in a precarious situation.


    An hourter, the funeral was finally done. One by one, the people left the site. Zhao Yichen made his way towards his grandfather, but he bumped into one of their guests as he went. The older man apologized to him and walked away as if nothing happened.


    Shen Minyao stood rooted in her ce, though; her eyes following the unknown man who bumped into her human contractor. The man scented like a normal human, but she had this inkling that something was amiss with that human.


    Anyway, what mattered was that Zhao Yichen was safe. Her gaze swept back to him and saw him exchange a few words with the old man. Soon, the two of them came walking in her direction.


    Shen Minyao straightened her back and stered a polite smile on her face now that she was in front of Elder Zhao.


    "Miss Shen, thank you for being here with us. I apologize if your engagement ceremony with Yichen would be dyed for a few weeks. I didn''t see this misfortuneing," the old man told her.


    "It''s not a problem to me, Elder Zhao. Brother Yichen and I could wait. Family is more important than anything else," the fox woman replied with a smile.


    The old man sighed and patted her shoulder before reminding his grandson to take care of her, making sure she would return safely to her dormitory.


    As the two left the funeral, leaving Zhao Yichen''s family behind; they could sense the eyes of the rtives ring their way as if those humans couldn''t wait for them to leave.


    "The scent of disgust and hatreding from your rtives is too strong. Are you sure you are rted to them?" Shen Minyao asked as soon as she took a seat in the backseat of his car, next to Zhao Yichen.


    "They only view me and my father as a threat andpetition for the inheritance," he exined. "As far as I know, my father never got along with his brothers because they were born from different mothers."


    "Ah, now that makes sense. They don''t view you as their family; hence, they don''t feel any remorse for whatever they did to you a few months ago."


    Zhao Yichen fell silent at that. Perhaps it was his father''s and his misfortune to be born to a family with such greedy and hateful rtives. It would have been better if he was born in a simple family, where he would be surrounded by people who love him unconditionally¡­ rather than livevishly but alone.


    "¡­I heard from Yu Yan that you are nning to go north soon. Is it true?" he asked, purposely changing the topic between them.


    "En. Our semester break ising soon, so I intend to use that free two weeks to see what is going on in the North for myself," Shen Minyao replied. Qin Zhi might not be joining us, though."


    "Well, isn''t he the CEO of apany? If he delegates the important tasks to his subordinates, a two-week vacation is a long time for someone like him. Unless, of course, he has a deputy CEO to assist him while he is gone." Zhao Yichen understood why Qin Zhi was hesitant to leave with her. Running apany wasn''t a walk in a park, after all.


    "He''d been doing it for years. Do you think Qin Zhi would manage thepany on his own? He had a human family that worked as his caretaker.


    "The reason why he couldn''t leave is that a threat may arise. There might be another demon invasion at his doorstep once the enemies found out he left his territory. The whole Jiang City and the smaller towns below belong to him; if he left for the North with us, he might leave the region vulnerable in his absence."


    Zhao Yichen blinked at that. He wasn''t aware that Qin Zhi had such an important role in the demon society. No wonder he was revered as Lord Qin and held in such high respect by the other demons they met during their stay at Qin Zhi''s mansion.


    "Unless Li Fei''er decided toe with us, he would never change his mind."


    "Are they really that close?" Zhao Yichen asked. He had to admit¡­ he was surprised at how a shaman and a demon lord could get along with each other. He had never heard the twoin about each other. Instead, they worked together to eliminate the rogue demons that terrorized the city.


    "You wouldn''t be surprised if you knew what they were centuries ago." Shen Minyao chuckled, but she didn''t dare to exin more to her human contractor.


    Zhao Yichen didn''t ask some more, either. He supposed that it wasn''t his ce to question Shen Minyao about Lord Qin''s private affairs. Still, he was curious about what she had said. Did she mean that Li Fei''er was alive centuries ago?


    When they arrived in front of Shen Minyao''s dormitory, they found Mu Qing standing outside the gates, waiting for her return.


    "Got their approval?" Shen Minyao asked him, while Zhao Yichen stood silently next to her.


    The grim reaper nodded.


    "En. I am to make sure that his soul will bepletely eradicated," Mu Qing replied.


    "Then, let''s n and make preparations. We need all the information we could get about what''s happening in the northernnds.


    "¡­Shen Minyao, I wouldn''t be able to apany you, so you better take care of yourself," Zhao Yichen told her with all seriousness. He knew that Shen Minyao was a strong demon, but it didn''t change the fact that their lives were bound to each other¡­ until such a time that she could sever that tie to free both of them.


    The fox woman stared at him for a moment and ruffled his thick hair. Was he always this much of a worrywart about her? As a demon that was contracted to him, he should at least ce some faith in her.


    "This one wouldn''t easily lose. I''lle back as soon as possible.." She assured him.

 Chapter 198 - Kidnapped (2)

    Shen Minyao had to patiently wait for Yan Lin to make a move. She had expected that the blood-sucking demoness would stay still for so long, doing nothing now that she had located her target.


    The fox woman didn''t intend to feed on Yan Lin because she didn''t want the other woman''s essence to be in her person. Baiyu would surely enjoy devouring the demoness though, considering that he hadn''t reached full maturity yet.


    At that moment, Baiyu was taking a nap on Shen Minyao''sp while she was talking to the grim reaper.


    "Wouldn''t it be better if you bring Zhao Yichen with you?" He asked.


    "There''s no need for that," the fox woman replied. "Bringing him with me would be like parading to every demon in the world that he''s my human contractor, my one weakness."


    Mu Qing didn''t dare to question her anymore with regard to Zhao Yichen. She knew what''s best for her human contractor, anyway.


    "I think we''ll need Lady Li''s assistance this time, though. We are dealing with a lot of demons, after all," he suggested.


    Shen Minyao remained silent as her hands continued to brush the hair of the little snake demon on herp. She was aware of that, but was Li Fei''er ready to get involved in such a dangerous quest?


    The fox woman knew that the young shaman''s powers and abilities had greatly improved from the past weeks because of Qin Zhi''s unintentional training. However, she had yet to see how powerful Li Fei''er was now that she had progressed.


    "I''ll talk to her, but it''s better to keep our party small just in case," she answered Mu Qing.


    That night, while the fox woman was busy considering her options regarding their impending departure to the northernnds, a group of demons sneaked into Zhao Yichen''s home. They managed to dispel Yu Yan''s barrier around the property.


    There were only a few guards roaming around the ce, but these demons were able to hide. They soon found Zhao Yichen sleeping inside his bedroom, unaware of the danger that came for him.


    In just under ten minutes, this group of demons seeded in kidnapping Zhao Yichen without leaving any trace behind.


    However, the moment Zhao Yichen''s unconscious body left his home, Shen Minyao already felt it. The corner of her lips rose into a sinister smile, her eyes shing red; much to Mu Qing''s surprise.


    Mu Qing couldn''t tell whether she was angry or excited, but one thing was for sure¡­ her bloodlust was too strong tonight.


    "Aiya, she finally made a move. Just as I was starting to get bored from waiting¡­" Shen Minyao said with a menacing tone.


    By this time, Baiyu had also woken up from his short nap. He sat up on the bed and found his mistress slightly morphed into her demon form. He wasn''t bothered by it one bit, but he was curious as to what made Shen Minyao act like this.


    "Mistress?" He called out.


    "Get ready, Baiyu. We are going to hunt for your first meal," Shen Minyao told him, which made his icy blue eyes glint with excitement.


    Mu Qing could only watch the two demons leap out of Shen Minyao''s window in excitement, one after another. He would never have understood what made them so enthusiastic about hunting another demon.


    The scent of Zhao Yichen led Shen Minyao, Baiyu, and Mu Qing to one of the five-star hotels in Jiang City. The fox woman wasn''t surprised at all, but if Yan Lin thought she wouldn''t be able to get past these humans, then the inferior demoness was gravely mistaken.


    With her enchantment ability, it was now so easy for her to manipte humans on her own ord. Since she was already at the mid-rank level, Shen Minyao didn''t need Xiao Bai''s assistance for his concealment spell. She could now cast the same spell herself.


    Mu Qing followed the fox woman as they strolled leisurely in the hallways of the hotel, while Baiyu was amused by all the things he was seeing for the first time. He never thought that humans livedvishly like this, way better than what he heard from the other demons who ended up inside the Gu pot.


    The three arrived in the presidential suite, where Yan Lin was waiting with the rest of her brood of blood-sucking demons. The doors behind them were shut in an instant. The rest of Yan Lin''s brood bared their sharp fangs at Shen Minyao''s group, but they didn''t attack. They waited for Yan Lin''s orders.


    Mu Qing had noticed that all of them were males and deceased. The only reason they were moving was that they were all under the curse of the blood-sucking demoness.


    "Ah, Imperial Noble Consort Su, you came so soon." Yan Lin''s sultry words greeted the three upon entering the presidential suite. She was standing near the ss window wall, overseeing the city. The ce offered a good view of thete-night cityscape of Jiang City.


    The blood-sucking demoness was wearing such a skimpy red evening dress that highlighted her huge chest and feminine curves, looking like the seductive temptress that she was.


    Shen Minyao didn''t utter a single word in response; she only waited for what the other demoness had to say. She was aware of Yan Lin''s intention, but she only came here for a definite reason.


    "Ah, my fault. You aren''t Su Daji anymore, right? I should be calling you Young Miss Shen. Aren''t you going to ask me where your precious human is?" Yan Lin lifted the wine ss with a rich red liquid in it and took a sip.


    Shen Minyao and Mu Qing knew that the demoness was not drinking wine at all; it was nothing else but fresh human blood. The scent of blood was so thick inside the room that it almost overwhelmed the fox woman''s senses.


    "I think Lady Yan is mistaken. I didn''te here to rescue my human." Shen Minyao strode to the middle of the room and took a seat casually at one of the armchairs that faced Yan Lin. She crossed her legs and rested her chin on her hand, looking at the other demoness as if Yan Lin was her subject.


    This infuriated Yan Lin. ording to her twin sister, Su Daji always forced her to kneel in front of the fox woman to pay her respects as the lower concubine in the harem. Yan Lin now understood the humiliation her sister had to endure after facing this nine-tailed fox woman. Shen Minyao was looking down on her!


    "Miss Yan, aren''t you curious about how your twin sister lost her life?" Shen Minyao asked arrogantly, her eyes shining amber now.


    "Y-you!" This was clearly a provocation made by the nine-tailed fox woman.


    "Baiyu," Shen Minyao called after her newest shikigami.


    "Yes, Mistress?" The young white snake demon stepped forward and waited for his mistress''s orders.


    "Kill all the pests in here. Leave no one alive." The fox woman''s eyes shone with mischief.


    "As you wish," Baiyu replied.


    Yan Lin suddenly sensed a great scent of bloodlusting from this pair of master and servant. She immediately made her puppets attack the seemingly harmless little demon that apanied Shen Minyao.


    Those puppets were all the men she had preyed on and controlled as her minions, while her other ''sisters'' terrorized the city. Of course, by now, Yan Lin was aware that the Southern Demon Lord had been hunting her ''sisters'', killing them one after another. This forced Yan Lin to make a move herself.


    "Miss Yan, it would be your fault for underestimating this little demon."


    As soon as the fox woman said this, the brainless men under Yan Lin''s control bit Baiyu along his arms and legs, only for them to drop on the floor. They coughed ck blood as their bodies started to deteriorate in an instant, not leaving anything in the process but their ashes.


    "W-what in the world¡­?" Yan Lin stared with wide eyes. Just what kind of demon was this little demon for him to turn her monsters into ashes so easily?


    "What? You can''t recognize him? Weren''t you the one who taught Zhao Fang how to do a Gu curse on his old man, giving him a pot filled with venomous young demons? The young boy, whom you are looking at right now, is the one who emerged victorious through all those battles inside the pot. He''s still young, though, so I need to feed him more demons. After all, he needs to reach his full potential.


    Yan Lin shivered in fear like that. She knew that someone attempted to break the Gu curse that led to Zhao Fang''s sudden death, but she''d never thought that the fox demoness was involved in it.


    Moreover, to think that Shen Minyao was able to convince this Gu demon to be at her service¡­? Just how strong-willed was this fox woman? allnovelfull

 Chapter 199 - Touching Her Bottomline (1)

    Themon Gu curse wasn''t something anyone could easily break. However, this fox demon managed to overrule its owner and gain ownership of the Gu demon, the most powerful venomous demon that survived inside the pot. It was unbelievable that Shen Minyao managed to pull it off at her current state.


    The fox demon wasn''t even at a high-ranking level by then, but she was able to make such an impossible task possible.


    Yan Lin could only watch in disbelief how easy it was for the young snake demon to defeat her men. As her minions fell under Baiyu''s poisonous blood the moment they tasted it, Yan Lin knew that she was in trouble. She hadn''t even made a move yet, but this fox demon was already able to turn the situation in her favor.


    "What now? Is there something else you want to discuss with me?" Shen Minyao asked her arrogantly. She then chuckled. "If you don''t have any, then allow me to let you experience what your dear sister had gone through before she died in my hands."


    The moment Yan Lin met the fox demoness''s red eyes, she had fallen under Shen Minyao''s spell. In an instant, everything around her changed from the modern scene to what one could see inside the imperial harem.


    Yan Lin looked upon herself and noticed that she was wearing a traditional red robe¡ªno, it was more like¡­ it was her twin sister''s favorite robe to wear when she was still alive.


    Yan Lin gritted her teeth in rage, but she was too helpless to free herself from the fox woman''s spell. She could only force herself to witness the events that unfolded in front of her. None of these memories were familiar to her, as she had never been inside the huge cage of many beautiful women. However, that was the imperial harem.


    She watched her own bodyugh amongst the other concubines as they bullied their maids and servants as a pastime. Rather than seeing them improve their skills, Yan Lin witnessed how her twin sister forced the other lower concubines to cooperate with her torture.


    It was only after a certain Su Daji entered and joined the imperial harem that the tides turned against her twin sister. The fox demoness took a liking to her sister and tortured her in every way possible.


    Yan Lin screamed at the pain she felt as her sister was forced to dance on a horizontal pole thered with oil that was turning around over a hot, burning coal pit underneath it. So, this was what Shen Minyao meant when she said that she wanted Yan Lin to live thest moments of her sister''s death.


    The more intense the pain grew, the more Yan Lin cursed the fox demoness in her heart. The stories about Su Daji were pale inparison to what she truly was, and Yan Lin had never met any demon as vicious and ruthless as this fox demoness.


    "So how was it, Consort Yan? How does it feel to be the one subjected to torture for someone else''s entertainment?"


    Yan Lin watched as the Imperial Noble Consort, Su Daji, mocked her severely injured twin sister. Her sister''s whole body was covered withshes from the whips with thorns that cracked against her a hundred times, the soles of her feet were burned, and her fingernails were missing from her once beautiful hands.


    "Why do you care?" The sister sneered menacingly at Su Daji, who was seated leisurely on her throne, with a young human fanning her to relieve the heat.


    "They are just humans." She nced at the young Feng Jiu. If she didn''t plot to kidnap and torture this fox demoness''s human, Su Daji wouldn''t havee after her and cause trouble at all.


    "Their lives are fleeting and useless. They are just livestock for us demons to feed on." She reasoned out. "Don''t tell me you sympathize with these humans now!"


    "My, my, how could youpare me to those tailless monkeys?" Su Dajiughed behind her hand. Her long, sharp nails that were painted with red glinted under the light. "I was merely curious. Have you never wondered how long could a demon survive torturepared to a human? Since you still look fine and haven''t broken down yet, I would need to change my tactics."


    And so, the fox woman did. She ordered for Consort Yan to be thrown in the deepest and darkest dungeon, where one couldn''t use their five senses within. No light could permeate inside, no sound was made nor could be heard¡­ no scent indicated what was around her. The ce was neither hot nor cold, and Consort Yan''s mind was then pushed to the brink of insanity.


    Consort Yan screamed at the top of her lungs, insulted Su Daji, called her unthinkable names¡ªshe even begged after three months of being kept inside without a visitor. It was too much for her. She wasn''t sure what the fox woman did to her beforehand, but her injuries weren''t healing at their normal speed.


    In fact, Consort Yan felt like she had be human. The wounds she sustained months ago still remained and didn''t even begin to heal yet. Her throat ached from dryness and hunger at the same time. She needed to feed on a human soon, to drink and feast on their blood.


    Three months turned into half a year, and it was only by then that Consort Yan was dragged out of that dungeon. The moment she was taken outside, the brightness of the sky was enough to blind the blood-sucking demoness. Her pitiful cries reached Su Daji''s ears, which only made the fox woman smile in amusement.


    "Ah, didn''t you beg each day for me to let you out of that dungeon? Why are you screaming like a pig being ughtered by a human now?" Imperial Consort Su questioned Consort Yan who now looked nothing like the temptress that she was before.


    If anyone familiar with Consort Yan from before saw her in such a horrible state, they would never have believed that this was the same beautiful woman who used to terrorize her maids and servants for entertainment.


    Some had said that she was only swallowing the bitterness of her own medicine, while others thought that their new Imperial Noble Consort was just too frightening to be offended. Even the empress was helpless against Imperial Noble Consort Su and couldn''t do anything against her.


    "Hmm¡­ you are still alive after half a year without feeding." Su Daji sighed, feigning helplessness because of the scene in front of her, "Then, I would have no choice but to watch how long you could stay alive while burning at the stake."


    This was the most horrible thing Yan Lin witnessed in her long life as a demon. She had heard a few details about how her sister died in Su Daji''s hands. However, she had never thought that the fox demoness would even push her to tread the same path her sister had gone through.


    She hated the fox demoness the more sheid her eyes on the terrible situation her twin sister suffered. No wonder her sister didn''t make it back alive after entering the imperial harem. It was precisely because her dear sister had fallen into this fox demoness''s hands!


    If she didn''t avenge her sister''s death, then she couldn''t face her sister in the afterlife!


    Being burned alive as a demon, Consort Yan would obviously not die as fast as a human would. Consort Yan struggled to break free from the ties that bound her, but she couldn''t escape despite her inhuman strength.


    Just what kind of material did Su Daji use for her to get a hold on a demon like the blood-sucking demoness? Consort Yan, even Yan Lin, was certain that there were only a very few things that could stop a demon like this. At that time, it was impossible for a human to bind a strong demoness just as Su Daji had.


    The Imperial Noble Consort watched bemusedly as her human servant poured her a cup of tea. Consort Yan''s screams instilled fear on those who had heard it, the unfortunate souls wondering just what kind of pain she was in for her to howl like that. It was enough to leave the humans to suffer from sleepless nights and nightmares after her death because of it.


    As Shen Minyao released Yan Lin from her spell, the blood-sucking demoness fell to her knees¡­ with her face contorted in so much murderous intent towards the fox woman.


    "Su Daji! I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!" Yan Lin yelled at Shen Minyao, who remained unperturbed in her seat upon seeing the other demoness''s reaction.


    "Oh? You want to kill me? Then do tell, Miss Yan, do you have the capability? If not, you are justing after me to end your own life instead."

 Chapter 200 - Touching Her Bottomline (2)

    Right. Did she have the capability to defeat this nine-tailed fox demon? Yan Lin was forced to think.


    Even though Shen Minyao''s current rank was still in mid-rank, she should not underestimate this demoness. Her twin sister used to be the strongest in their brood. However, even she turned out to be no match against this sinister fox demoness when Su Daji entered the imperial harem centuries ago.


    For a mid-rank demon, it was already surprising that Shen Minyao was able to put Yan Lin under a powerful spell. It was even one that not only consumed a lot of demonic power but also required a strong will to keep up with it.


    There weren''t many demons that could do such a thing, for it was hard to sustain such a powerful spell and keep one''s sanity at the same time. The danger of falling into the same spell as your prey wasn''t something any demon would be able to tolerate.


    Baiyu changed into his real demon form as a huge white snake and killed the rest of the minions of the blood-sucking demoness. While the boy was at it, Mu Qing looked around to find Zhao Yichen. He didn''t need to get involved in this one-sided fight against Yan Lin. Baiyu alone could easily deal with her.


    No wonder the fox demoness wasn''t bothered nor worried at all, knowing that victory would be hers.


    He found the human still asleep in one of the bedrooms of the presidential suite they were in. It seemed that Zhao Yichen wasn''t even aware that he''d been kidnapped while being in his peaceful slumber.


    Mu Qing stood next to the ss window that spanned from the ceiling down to the floor, giving him the perfect cityscape view of Jiang City at night. From where he stood, he could sense that the number of demons that invaded the city had dramatically lessened thanks to thebined efforts of Lord Qin and Li Fei''er.


    If this was in the past, many would frown upon the tandem of those two. Who would have thought that a demon lord like Qin Zhi would get along really well with their arch nemesis, a shaman like Li Fei''er?


    Perhaps, even if immortals like him tried not to admit it, change was inevitable. Witnessing such an odd pair working together would be normal in the future.


    Zhao Yichen stirred in his sleep, but he didn''t wake up¡­ even at the horrified shriek Yan Lin made in the main room of the suite.


    ''She must be facing the snake demon by now,'' Mu Qing thought.


    His mind then drifted to the order he recently received from his superiors. While he was given the order to keep an eye on the infamous nine-tailed fox and help her eradicate Xuan Yanrui, the other part of the order made him feel conflicted about it.


    ''Kill the nine-tailed fox woman if you have a chance, and we will clear the remaining number of the souls you still need to collect¡­ for you to be able to reincarnate.''


    That didn''t sit well for someone as prideful as Mu Qing. He wasn''t sure about the kind of atrocities and crimes he had done in his past life as a human, but killing Shen Minyao or Su Daji¡­ whatever name she had¡ªfelt like a dick move to someone like him. Still, he should not openly defy his superior''s orders.


    Everyone perceived the nine-tailed fox woman as a dangerous demon, but wasn''t it easy to say that the crimes shemitted in the past were because someone dared to touch her bottom line?


    Mu Qing had heard about the human ward that Su Daji kept by her side and protected with her life. It was the same human that the emperor of the imperial dynasty killed to provoke and spite the nine-tailed fox woman.


    However, what the stupid human didn''t expect was that it would unleash the beast within the demon. Thousands of humans were killed in the process, regardless of whether they were innocent or not of killing her human ward.


    No matter whether she was a demon or not, Mu Qing thought that everyone had a bottom line that no one should dare to touch. In his opinion, he would rather spend a few more centuries collecting human souls than betray Shen Minyao''s mutual trust and respect that she had for him.


    By now, she probably knew the reason why he was by her side, but the fox woman didn''t make any indication that she was bothered by it. Shen Minyao probably trusted him to the extent that she was willing to let him stay next to her, even after knowing that there''s a possibility that he would kill her himself.


    Back to the three demons in the lounge of the presidential suite¡­


    Yan Lin found herself speechless as a huge white snake demon appeared in ce of the young boy and killed the remaining men that fell under her curse.


    Aside from putting her in a spell to relive thest moments of her twin sister, Shen Minyao had yet to make another move against her. Was the fox woman confident that the young snake demon was more than enough to kill her?


    ''Shit,'' Yan Lin cursed inwardly. Did she underestimate Shen Minyao for being a mid-rank level demon like her?


    If she defeated this fox demoness, surely, she would be promoted to a high-ranking demon. However, such a dream seemed impossible at the moment¡­ as she now faced the powerful Gu demon she helped cultivate with a human.


    This young demon shouldn''t be older than three months, but he was able to reach the middle rank in such a short amount of time. As to why he ended up being in the service of the fox demoness, Yan Lin had no idea.


    Anyone who dared to tamper with the Gu curse should have paid with their own life for breaking the rules, but how did Shen Minyao manage to do it?


    "If I were you, I would rather think of a way to save myself than waste my time wondering what led me into this mess," Shen Minyao suddenly said, as if she knew what turned the gears in Yan Lin''s mind.


    Yan Lin sneered at the nine-tailed fox woman and used her telepathy to summon the remaining members of her brood, but no one came to answer her.


    ''What''s going on?'' She thought confusedly.


    She arrived here in Jiang City with hundreds of her sisters in tow, intending to hunt this very same nine-tailed fox woman in front of her. Where were they now?


    Shen Minyao suddenly burst into a fit ofughter as she remained seated on the single couch like a queen.


    Yan Lin was startled upon seeing the arrogant and mocking look that Shen Minyao had, but she refused to show that she was intimidated.


    "You are probably wondering why no one''s answering your call, right? Too bad, Miss Yan. Lord Qin despised demons who caused unnecessary trouble in his territory. All of them should be dead by now." The fox demoness smirked.


    ''No! Impossible!'' Yan Lin thought. All of her sisters were just like her. They were all mid-rank demons. Even if Qin Zhi¡ªLord of the South¡ªwas a high-ranking demon, he shouldn''t be able to so easily defeat her sisters like this.


    Yan Lin had no idea that Li Fei''er had contributed greatly to the fall of her sisters. Indeed, Qin Zhi would have a hard time defeating all those hundreds of blood-sucking demons on his own, considering that they used their charms to put men like him under their spell. However, they had no idea that he suddenly became immune to it.


    How could Qin Zhi fall under such a scheme when the young woman next to him looked exactly like his deceased wife?


    "Do you see now, Miss Yan? You came here thinking that you would be able to kill me using the Gu demon you procured for Zhao Yichen''s uncle. Too bad that he gave his loyalty to me. I suppose I need to thank you for giving me such a wonderful shikigami I could use." Shen Minyao chuckled as Baiyu''s body curled around her seat. He then rested his massive head on the fox woman''s shoulder, nudging her to pet his head as she did.


    Yan Lin stared at them in disbelief. Indeed, she had given the Gu pot filled with venomous demons to Zhao Fang for him to cultivate. Actually, she was just using the old man to feed the pot, but she was nning to kill him to snatch the ownership of the Gu demon that woulde out victorious in the end.


    It was just¡­ she didn''t expect Shen Minyao to meddle and snatch her thunder!


    Yan Lin wanted to use the Gu demon to torture the nine-tailed fox woman, knowing that Shen Minyao wasn''t immune to toxin, unlike Lord Qin.. In the end, she had given the fox woman her own de to kill her.

 Chapter 201 - You Can Try To Kill Me (1)

    Yan Lin felt utterly helpless at the moment. On one side, if she dared to escape, she would once again fall into one of the fox woman''s enchantment spells. On the other side, the venomous Gu demon was staring at her, waiting for her next move. She didn''t anticipate that something like this would happen when she lured the nine-tailed fox demoness by kidnapping her human contractor.


    It was a mistake for her to underestimate Shen Minyao, who had yet to reach the high rank. Only now did Yan Lin realize that she''d only given the nine-tailed fox demoness a reason to seek her in the pretense of saving her human contractor.


    The trap to kill her and her brood, wiping out their very existence, had beenid out not only by Shen Minyao but also Lord Qing some time ago. Yan Lin wasn''t even aware of it until now.


    Still, how could Yan Lin admit defeat now that she faced the person responsible for her twin sister''s death? Even if she had to die today, she needed to take Shen Minyao along with her, no matter what!


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao yawned behind her hand, realizing that she''d grown worried about nothing earlier. Yan Lin wasn''t enough to pose a threat towards her, nor to Zhao Yichen. Of course, she was the one who set the trap.


    The man who bumped into Zhao Yichen during his uncle''s funeral was a human, but his scent reeked of something else. Shen Minyao didn''t need to rack her brain to know what that meant. There was only one person who would want to use Zhao Yichen to lure her out like this, and it was none other than Yan Lin.


    It was for this reason that she''d asked her two guardians to weaken the barrier at Zhao Yichen''s home. She allowed Yan Lin''s people to think that they had tricked her through discreetly marking Zhao Yichen earlier.


    Xiao Bai and Yu Yan were both confused, but they followed her orders anyway. They could only watch in wonder as demons sneaked into Zhao Yichen''s home and took him away. Even now, Zhao Yichen was still sleeping soundly, unaware of themotion that was happening while he was out.


    Shen Minyao stared at the other demoness with boredom. She knew that if she were to devour Yan Lin''s demon orb, there''s a chance she would break into the high rank, but she didn''t have any intention to feed on this vile creature. Instead, she would feed the demoness to her very young shikigami that still needed a lot of nourishment before he reached maturity.


    "Baiyu, I''m giving you your first meal. Do not waste nor leave a single trace of it." She patted the side of the head of the huge white snake next to her, her eyes shing red as she looked at Yan Lin, who was now visibly trembling from fear.


    ''Idiot,'' the fox woman thought. In the demon world, showing fear was as good as waving a white g towards the enemy. She was a little disappointed that Yan Lin was nothing but a lesser demonpared to Consort Yan who resisted showing fear, her eyes still filled with defiance even while she was being tortured.


    ''Want to kill me with this level of disappointing strength? What she was even thinking, bringing her brood to death along with her? So stupid.'' Shen Minyao frowned.


    She stood up and decided to leave the blood-sucking demoness to Baiyu and check on her human contractor. She lifted a hand and enchanted the whole room, so Yan Lin wouldn''t be able to escape by breaking the ss window behind her. Yan Lin would need to defeat Baiyu first if she wanted to leave this room.


    Shen Minyao had enough of this farce already. She might be weaker when it came to power ranking, but Yan Lin would still need to train for several centuries to defeat her. Well, it wasn''t like this weakling was going to live through that night.


    "Wait! Shen Minyao! Where do you think you are going?!" Yan Lin yelled when she noticed that the nine-tailed fox woman was dismissing her right on the bat.


    However, Baiyu obstructed the way and hissed. He bared his fangs that were dripping with venom, waiting for the perfect chance to strike.


    "I seek nothing but to fight only the strongest demons in the world. Dealing with such a weakling is a waste of my time. Be d that at least, I''m allowing you to be part of the Gu demon you''ve cultivated and raised from the very start," Shen Minyao said before entering the bedroom where Zhao Yichen and Mu Qing were.


    She found the grim reaper deep in his own thoughts, and she didn''t dare to question him what transpired in his meeting with his superiors. It was obvious that he was given the task to eliminate her himself if things got worse after they dealt with Xuan Yanrui.


    Such a cowardly move from theherworld¡­ the fox woman thought as shey on the bed next to Zhao Yichen. Her hand reached out to y with his hair, while her arm propped under to support her head. His breathing was still even, indicating that he was in a deep slumber.


    Perhaps an after effect of the mark Yan Lin left on him earlier¡­ Shen Minyao thought. It''s better this way, so Zhao Yichen wouldn''t have an idea what could happen to her in the future.


    Although she and Mu Qing argued and had disagreements sometimes, she held respect towards this odd grim reaper. He was the only grim reaper she''d been acquainted with in her long life as a demon.


    "I don''t mind if you want to kill me," she whispered under her breath. She knew Mu Qing would be able to hear her clearly, regardless of how soft she said those words.


    "I''m not one to kill someone I am acquainted with," Mu Qing replied, still keeping his attention to the cityscape in front of him.


    "But you need to understand that I''m still a threat to humanity. While I''m sure that it''s not your responsibility to kill a demon like me, it would lessen the burden you need to pay to be reborn again." Shen Minyao reasoned out, but Mu Qing already knew of this. She was only confirming what he already knew.


    "No. I refused to be used in such an underhanded way to eliminate you. I would rather spend some more centuries collecting human souls than kill you with my own hands. No matter what crime I did in my past life, having your blood on my hands would be worse." The grim reaper was clearly upset with the current orders he received.


    How could they ask him to do something like that?


    "No, you don''t have to do this to protect me, but if the dayes, and I lose myself again in an insane killing spree¡­ Mu Qing, I want you to kill me. I''m sure my brother and Li Fei''er wouldn''t be willing to do the job, but you are."


    This time, Lord Hell turned around to face her. Half of his face was covered in shadows.


    "Do you trust me this much?" He questioned her, wondering if he''d heard her right.


    "Yes," the fox woman replied without batting an eyelid.


    "I''m not saying this because I grew fond of these humans¡­ I only want to avoid a cmity if I were to lose myself again," she said, not breaking her eye contact with him.


    Mu Qing fell silent at that. So, Shen Minyao knew¡­ and yet, she''s still asking him to kill her if that happens.


    "Fine. I give you my word. I would not hesitate to turn my de against you if that timees," he replied. Perhaps this was the answer she needed to hear all this time.


    The corner of Shen Minyao''s lips broke into a smile. She was pleased to hear Mu Qing''s answer.


    "But what about him?" Mu Qing was referring to Zhao Yichen, who was still oblivious to the problem Shen Minyao was facing.


    "He would live so long as my previous fox orb is still in his body," Shen Minyao exined, "but I doubt his life would be an easy one, considering no one would protect him once I perished in this world."


    "Someone like you isn''t easy to eliminate."


    "I suppose you are right." The fox woman chuckled at that. "Even Li Yun and Jiang Mo weren''t able to kill me centuries ago. Ah, if they didn''t have such an attachment to Su Daji, they could have killed me easily."


    "Perhaps you are mistaken, then. The one whom they couldn''t bear to kill wasn''t the human Su Daji but you."


    Shen Minyao hummed, but she didn''t say anything in response. It wasn''t like Mu Qing was wrong with his assumptions.. In fact, he might have stated a fact that she''d been trying to ignore for some time now.

 Chapter 202 - You Can Try To Kill Me (2)

    When Shen Minyao and Mu Qing stepped out with the sleeping Zhao Yichen carried by the grim reaper, Baiyu had already returned to his human-like form. He looked the same, but Shen Minyao could sense the difference in his demonic powers that were still unstable after devouring Yan Lin''s core.


    The fox woman looked around and couldn''t find the blood-sucking woman and her minions. Only the tattered pieces of clothes remained on the scene, leaving no traces as to where those people had gone.


    "Let''s go. We are done here. Turn yourself into a small snake, and I will take you home with me," she told the young demon, who was struggling to keep his consciousness. She didn''t miss the fact that he kept himself from entering the mandatory hibernation he needed to fully absorb the demon core he''d recently eaten.


    "En." Baiyu dared not to dilly-dally and did what he was told. He wrapped himself along Shen Minyao''s arm before giving in to the hibernation he needed.


    Once he was settled, Shen Minyao and Mu Qing vanished into thin air. They then reappeared inside Zhao Yichen''s room, where the two cat guardians were waiting for their return. The barrier that they purposely lowered to lure the demons in was now back in its ce. Even the scent of the demons was already cleared from Zhao Yichen''s home.


    Mu Qing ced the human on his bed, while Shen Minyao tucked her human contractor properly.


    Xiao Bai and Yu Yan could sense that something had changed between their mistress and the grim reaper, but they had no idea what it was. Even now that Zhao Yichen was returned that dawn, Mu Qing stayed with them. However, he didn''t utter a single word as he sat silently on the couch, with his eyes closed.


    ''Yu Yan, do you think they had a fight?'' Xiao Bai asked his partner using telepathy.


    ''Who knows?'' The ck cat replied. ''It doesn''t seem like the mistress is bothered by it, anyway.''


    Xiao Bai could agree to that. He couldn''t sense any confusion nor rageing from the fox woman, but the grim reaper had a strong scent of indecisiveness and confusion on his part. Whatever it was, it must be somehow rted to Shen Minyao.


    When Zhao Yichen woke up from his deep slumber, he oddly felt refreshed¡­ as if he just had a perfect good night''s sleep. However, he was shocked to find Shen Minyao curled next to him, with her eyes shut and her body lying next to him on his bed. Moreover, Mu Qing was seated on the corner as if he was also asleep.


    ''Did something happen while I''m asleep?'' He pondered. His eyes sought the cat guardians of the nine-tailed fox, only to find them dozing off on the couch.


    Something must have happened. After all, Shen Minyao wouldn''te unannounced like this, bringing Mu Qing with her, if nothing happenedst night.


    "Sleep a little more. It''s still early." He heard Shen Minyao say, but her eyes were still closed. "Let everyone sleep more. We all had a long night. I know you have questions, but those can wait."


    So, he was right. Zhao Yichen frowned. Then again, why didn''t they wake him up if that was the case?


    Since the sky outside was still dark just as Shen Minyao said, hey down on the bed, making sure there''s a distance between him and Shen Minyao. Although they were pretending that they were dating, it was just a facade to hide their true rtionship with each other.


    He shut his eyes, and it didn''t take long before he returned to a peaceful slumber, but not without making a mental note to ask Shen Minyaoter about what happenedst night. If she was here, it only meant that he was somewhat involved in it. Surely, he didn''t want to be left in the dark.


    The next time he woke up, he only found the cat guardians and Baiyu sleeping on the couch, but he could sense Shen Minyao''s presence nearby. Ever since he received her fox orb, he could sense when she was near. He also grew sensitive towards the entities that weren''t human.


    Baiyu was indeed asleep, but Xiao Bai and Yu Yan immediately cracked their eyes open. They then followed him outside when he stepped out of the room to find Shen Minyao. He found her sparring with the grim reaper on the rooftop of his home, where his guards rarely came and checked.


    "The space between your feet is toorge. Bnce your weight on both feet. Try not to stand still. Move around to avoid being hit and spot possible openings for attacks." Mu Qing corrected Shen Minyao''s fighting stance for her to utilize her Hellreaver better.


    Shen Minyao did as she was told, without questioning Mu Qing. In terms of sword fighting, she had no doubt that Mu Qing had more experience in it than her, despite her being chronologically older than him.


    "What are you two doing?" Zhao Yichen asked, making sure he was keeping a safe distance, so he wouldn''t get identally hurt by Shen Minyao''s sharp sword. He could sense a sinister auraing from the de and wondered just what kind of sword it was.


    "Preparing for our departure to the North," the fox woman said nonchntly, reminding Zhao Yichen of her n to leave for the North, along with Mu Qing.


    "Right¡­" Zhao Yichen was still a little uncertain about Shen Minyao''s n to go there. He felt like it was too dangerous for her to go, as a trap might be waiting for her to spring it.


    "Open your body at a 45-degree angle, your left foot ahead of your right." Mu Qing continued his lessons, showing Shen Minyao the right stance for her to imitate. "This position gives you a firm base of support to attack from. It will also provide you a stable stance against your opponent''s moves. Makes it more difficult for them to knock you over as well."


    "I''m going to strike now. Show me how you would block my attack," he said. In the blink of an eye, Zhao Yichen saw Mu Qinge after Shen Minyao.


    Shen Minyao raised her sword, and a loud ng could be heard on the rooftop as she tried not to be overpowered by Mu Qing''s strike.


    "When defending yourself, you shouldn''t stand still. Step away from your opponent''s attack. The easiest defensive move in sword fighting is the simple step away. When your opponent brings their sword towards you, take arge step back to avoid their attack."


    Mu Qing struck her again. This time, Shen Minyao staggered back. However, she didn''t anticipate that he would jab his sword and strike her on her side, a move she barely avoided in time.


    "That move will work best when your opponent is trying to cut across your body. Be aware, though, that there are drawbacks to the step away. If your opponent is fast or skilled, they might take the chance to jab you with their sword after you step back like this¡­"


    "I see. That''s my mistake. I should have paid more attention." Shen Minyao conceded.


    Their lesson continued as Mu Qing taught her how to use parry to deflect her opponent''s attack. She also learned how to use counter cut; doing it would significantly weaken her opponent if she managed to injure their fighting arm.


    Zhao Yichen was impressed by what he was seeing. He''d never thought that a grim reaper like Mu Qing was a master swordsman. As to how Mu Qing ended up bing a grim reaper, he still had no idea to this day. Even Shen Minyao and the cat guardians barely knew anything personal about Mu Qing.


    "I think that''s enough for now," Mu Qing said as he ced his sword back in its scabbard. "We''ll tackle the different techniques on how to initiate an attack on the following days before our departure."


    "Sounds good to me." Shen Minyao nodded and allowed her Hellreaver to return to her wrist as a bracelet. She then turned her attention to her human contractor and raised a slender brow at him. "You want to ask something?"


    "En." Zhao Yichen remembered the reason why he sought her in the first ce. "I want to know what happenedst night and why you and Lord Hell came here."


    "Ah, so you noticed¡­" The fox woman chuckled amusedly.


    "I''m not that dumb, Shen Minyao." Zhao Yichen frowned. Did she really think so lowly of him? "I know you came here for a reason."


    "Indeed, something had happenedst night. You were enchanted in your sleep by the blood-sucking demoness, and she kidnapped you. This is why I told you not to allow anyone to touch you, regardless of who they are. You''ve fallen into a spell, Zhao Yichen."


    Zhao Yichen flinched on that. He supposed she was right.. He should be warier of people around him.

 Chapter 203 - Li Feiers Resolve (1)

    Li Xiaoyao, Li Fei''er''s father, could sense that something had changed in his daughter. Ever since she returned here to Jiang City, her powers had grown tremendously at such an rming rate. It had only been three months since she came home, and yet her powers had risen in this short period, faster than any of them in the family had done before.


    He and his father had considered Li Fei''er as a once-in-a-century prodigy in their family when she was born with such a powerful innate aura. However, no matter whether she was a prodigy or not, she was still his precious daughter, a treasure he kept close to his heart after his wife died in childbirth.


    "Xiao Fei, aren''t you going out with your friends today?" He asked one afternoon when he found Li Fei''er sweeping the dried leaves around their shrine. His daughter remained at home, which was rare to see.


    "No, Dad." Li Fei''er smiled at him. "My friends and I don''t have any ns for this weekend, so I''d rather stay at home for today."


    "That''s good." Li Xiaoyao nodded. "Xiao Fei, please bring your friends here some time. I would like to meet them if it''s possible."


    This was also one of the surprising facts he''d learn about his daughter. His daughter, who had been reclusive to everyone, was now iming to have friends. Li Xiaoyao was aware that because of her powers, she naturally attracted certain demons and ghosts since her childhood. This had forbidden her from establishing bonds such as friendship with other kids her age.


    "I-I''ll ask themter, but I can''t promise you, Dad. They might find it weird that I''m living in a shrine with old men." Li Fei''erughed awkwardly. She figured that she wouldn''t be able to bring any of her friends to their home, except for Lu Anqi and Mr. Jiang.


    Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi were both demons, and Mu Qing was a grim reaper. Li Fei''er was certain that if her father knew that she was being friendly with them, he might not approve of theirpany. It was already hard for her to purify herself to remove the stench or trace of demons that clung to her body whenever she left their home.


    Li Fei''er didn''t mean to fool her father and the rest of their family, but she knew how they view demons like Shen Minyao and Mr. Qin. There was no way she would allow them to hurt her friends, regardless of whether they were demons or not.


    "Alright,"¡ªshe heard her father agree¡ª"but you have to be careful when you go outside, okay? We still couldn''t find that nine-tailed fox demoness''s whereabouts, and I fear that she''s slowly recovering her strength and powers that she has lost after centuries of confinement."


    "Dad, is she really that strong? I mean, you have never told me anything about that demon yet." Li Fei''er stopped whatever she was doing to ask her father.


    "A demon that could annihte hundreds of thousands in just one strike. I personally hadn''t witnessed her prowess with my own eyes, but our records show that she''s one of the most formidable and dangerous demons that ever existed in the world.


    "She might bear some resentment towards our family for confining her at Qingqiu Mountain, but our ancestor, Li Yun, had no choice but to do it. It was impossible even for him to exorcise her, so he had chosen to seal her instead."


    "I see¡­" Li Fei''er fell silent at that. If that nine-tailed fox was really after their family, that fox would have already made a move on them by now. She didn''t think that the nine-tailed fox demoness saw their family through their eyes at all.


    "Alright. Finish your cleaning here, and then go and see your grandfather. He said he wanted to see the progress on your shikigami training so far," Li Xiaoyao said before leaving his daughter.


    "Okay!" Li Fei''er replied, but she wasn''t truly looking forward to this meeting with her grandfather.


    She wasn''t sure why, but since her apprenticeship as a shaman, her family never allowed her to take high-level missions. They would deal with the other demons while forcing her to stick with the sutras and study matters based on books alone.


    Of course, this wasn''t enough for a person like Li Fei''er, who wanted to apply her learning in real life by facing demons.


    For the past two weeks she spent hunting the blood-sucking demons around Jiang City with Qin Zhi, Li Fei''er noticed that she had learned more from himpared to what she had from her previous lessons at home. He even went as far as teaching her how to control her powers efficiently without making her tired and sick after their fight with the demons. That was something no one had taught her during her training as a shaman.


    Perhaps, because Qin Zhi had lived for centuries and experienced a lot from battling with other demons, he was able to impart some of his knowledge to her. It didn''t matter if she was a shaman, an arch-nemesis of demons like him.


    Li Fei''er didn''t find it weird that he was helping her, but she now understood Shen Minyao''s opinion about their right to live as demons.


    For shamans like Li Fei''er, it was ingrained in them from their younger years that demons were bad and needed to be annihted. However, after meeting Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi, Li Fei''er realized that demons like them were also just trying to survive and live just like what humans had done.


    Once she was done cleaning the yard, Li Fei''er went to see her grandfather at the training ground of their shrine. She found him checking the records about the nine-tailed fox and trying to see if they could find a hint they could use to track the fox demon.


    "Grandpa, Dad said you want to see me." Li Fei''er stood, waiting for her grandfather to say something.


    The old man brushed his long white beard, brows furrowing as he gave Li Fei''er a good look. Indeed, what his son said earlier about his granddaughter was right. Something had changed in Li Fei''er, and her spiritual powers were steadier and calmer these days.


    "Xiao Fei, can you please show this old man all of your shikigami at once? I want to see the current level you are in, in terms of controlling your shikigamis."


    Li Fei''er bit her lower lip and nodded. She knew she could not hide her progress from her family for too long, but they might question her as to where she learned her newly acquired skills. She did what she was told and summoned all the shikigamis working under her.


    Tworge, ferocious wolves and an eagle appeared from nowhere. If it was in the past, Li Fei''er would have broken into a cold sweat after summoning the three at the same time. However, she was now able to conserve her energy way better than she could before.


    The old man looked at the three shikigamis of his granddaughter, examining them slowly but surely. These three were high-level spiritual shikigamis that consumed a lot of spiritual power from their owners. For Li Fei''er to be able to summon them at this rate, without gasping for breath or passing out from exhaustion, was already admirable.


    "Do you know how long you can keep them in this state?" He questioned his granddaughter. He wanted to see for himself the kind of change his son was talking about earlier.


    Li Fei''er hummed and rubbed her chin as she gave it a good thought.


    "More or less an hour, Grandpa, but that still depends on their use of spiritual attacks," she answered.


    The old man nodded, but he didn''t say more. One hour was already hard enough for young shamans like her to keep these shikigamis materialized next to her and sustain their attacks. Did Li Fei''er realize how strong she was nowpared to other shamans her age?


    If she was able to master controlling her shikigamis in such a short while, then they shouldn''t be surprised if Li Fei''er surpassed her elders'' strength soon enough.


    "You''ve been hunting demons by yourself, haven''t you?" He asked Li Fei''er.


    Li Fei''er was taken aback, feeling caught red-handed for doing something wrong by her grandfather. However, if he was able to see past her expression, then she had no other choice but toe clean.


    "E-en. I''m sorry, Grandpa. I know you and Dad told me to be careful whenever I am out, but these demons came to me.. You know I can''t just run away with my tail between my legs, right? My pride as a shaman of the Li family wouldn''t allow me to ignore the innocent humans who need help," she spoke in a low voice, feeling guilty that she had to lie and hide the fact that she was also acquainted with powerful demons now.

 Chapter 204 - Li Feiers Resolve (2)

    The next school day, Li Fei''er wasn''t in her usual cheery mood, which Shen Minyao noticed as soon as she took a seat next to the shaman.


    "What''s up? Did something happenst weekend?" The fox woman asked.


    "It''s nothing." Li Fei''er sighed, knowing keeping a secret would mean she could protect Shen Minyao and Qin Zhi from being exorcised by her own family.


    "By the way, do you have a n for thising semester break?" Shen Minyao asked. Li Fei''er''s expertise in exorcism and purification would be a great help for them if she decided toe with them to the North.


    "Nothing so far. Why?" Li Fei''er replied, blinking in surprise, as Shen Minyao never initiated asking her about something like this.


    "Lord Hell and I are nning to go up north to hunt demons. We got a tip that Peng Weijin was recently spotted there."


    Li Fei''er''s eyes lit up, her mood changing in an instant. Demon hunting? Of course, she was in! How could she miss such an opportunity to hunt other demons, along with Shen Minyao and Mu Qing?


    "Only the two of you?" She then asked Shen Minyao in surprise. "Is Lord Qin not going with you?"


    Shen Minyao arched a slender brow at the younger woman. She didn''t think that Li Fei''er would be attached to her brother like this too soon, but¡­ what if they suffered from the same fate as they had centuries ago?


    "No. I don''t think he would be able to leave Jiang City, especially now that more demons are appearing out of nowhere" she said in response.


    "Ohh¡­" Li Fei''er''s smile slightly faltered upon hearing it, but she understood that Qin Zhi had a responsibility here, that he could not just leave without enough preparation ahead of time.


    "Are you disappointed? Do you want me to convince him to join us instead?" Shen Minyao cupped her chin, her tone teasing Li Fei''er.


    "No, no. There''s no need for that. If Lord Qin is busy, then we don''t need to disturb him." Li Fei''er waved her hands, wondering why Shen Minyao was teasing her like this. There''s certainly nothing between her and Qin Zhi, after all.


    The fox woman chuckled. It didn''t matter if Li Fei''er tried to deny it because her scent had already given her away. The young shaman was already attracted to the Southern Demon Lord.


    "Well, I don''t mind joining you and Lord Hell, but I would need to ask for my dad''s permission. Of course, I wouldn''t tell him the reason why we''re going there," Li Fei''er said.


    "Li Fei''er, you don''t need to strain your rtionship towards your family just because of us," the fox woman said nonchntly, looking straight into Li Fei''er''s eyes. "Also, you have to know that this trip is extremely dangerous. The demons you have encountered so far were way weaker than the demons that await us in the North."


    Li Fei''er sighed in resignation and shook her head before resting it on her folded arms on top of her desk. Of course, she knew that!


    "Even if I don''t want to lie to my family, there''s no other way but to keep it a secret. Dad won''t approve of me being acquainted with demons. He would assume I have been bewitched by you if he found out."


    Also, Li Fei''er felt this inkling that her family was also hiding something important from her. Whenever she looked at them, they had this look of mutual understanding, making her feel like she was left out.


    She also found it suspicious that her grandfather and Dad wouldn''t allow her to read the scriptures and records about the nine-tailed fox demoness that their ancestors trapped at the Qingqiu Mountain.


    "So¡­ you don''t think you are bewitched by us?" The fox woman questioned her. Well, it''s not like she wasn''t able to do it. However, because Li Fei''er had a strong innate spiritual power, it was hard even for a strong demon like Shen Minyao to break the young shaman''s willpower.


    "No. I don''t think so. It''s not in your character to do such an underhanded trick to anyone. Your pride wouldn''t allow you to do so," Li Fei''er said with all honesty, catching Shen Minyao off-guard.


    "I suppose you are right." Shen Minyao nodded in agreement. At least, Li Fei''er didn''t think she was bewitched by them.


    Li Fei''er shut her eyes and took a nap, knowing that she wouldn''t have to worry about their next ss. After all, it was already canceled by their teacher to give way to the preparation of the uing school festival.


    Shen Minyao wasn''t interested in such festivities, although it was obvious that most of their ssmates were excited about it. They had already gone to the auditorium to attend the nning ceremony of the school festival before the semester break.


    While the two were spending their spare time taking a much-needed rest after dealing with pesky demons for the past week, Mu Qing appeared in their ssroom. His ck robe looked so out of ce in the modern world they currently lived in.


    Shen Minyao raised her gaze from her phone to give him a quick nce, while Li Fei''er remained oblivious to his arrival as she continued to nap peacefully on her desk. Li Fei''er must have really been exhausted from her demon hunting with Qin Zhi these past weeks, the fox woman thought.


    ''I just received news from the North. Arge group of demons was spotted making their way towards Lord Lang''s territory,'' Mu Qing told the fox woman through telepathy, not wanting to disturb Li Fei''er''s peaceful nap.


    ''It''s probably Xuan Yanrui''s people,'' Shen Minyao replied, piercing her strawberry yogurt drink with a straw. ''Did you know what rank they are in?''


    ''Most are low-ranking demons, but ording to the report, thirteen high-ranking demons are leading smaller groups like they have formed factions.''


    Shen Minyao hummed. That''s certainly Xuan Yanrui''s way, so she wasn''t surprised at all. It seemed that the wretched man was truly serious about conquering the demon world this time.


    ''How annoying,'' she mumbled to herself. Even to this day, Xuan Yanrui was able to annoy her to this extent without exerting too much effort.


    ''How about the news about Lord Lang?'' She asked Mu Qing. If the other demons knew that Long Lang was already weak, this would also pose a problem. After all, other demon lords¡ªaside from Xuan Yanrui''s group¡ªmight take this chance to start a war and invade his territory.


    ''It''s not good.'' The grim reaper sighed. ''It seems the news about his weakened state has already spread throughout the country, and his eldest son is now taking the front line to protect their territory.''


    ''I see.'' The fox woman wasn''t surprised at all. There would be no smoke if there wasn''t a fire in the first ce.


    No matter how hard the North tried to keep Lord Lang''s condition a secret, it would eventually be known to everyone as time went by. They had enemies waiting for the right time to strike them at their lowest point.


    ''Do you think they would lose to Xuan Yanrui?''


    ''There''s no doubt about it. There are only a couple of high-ranking demons in the North, and I''m not sure if they would manage to take on the demons Xuan Yanrui brought with him,'' Shen Minyao replied truthfully. It was no wonder that the young lord of the North was seeking Qin Zhi''s assistance to help them deal with the invasion of Xuan Yanrui''s troops.


    ''It would take Xuan Yanrui''s men at least two weeks to arrive at their camp.'' Mu Qing informed her. ''We will bete by then."


    ''Then, we could only wait and see how the young lord of the North could protect his tribe on his own,'' The fox woman replied, tapping her fingers silently on her desk. She then considered the young lord''s options to fend off the invaders before her arrival with Mu Qing and Li Fei''er at their side.


    Ah, this was why she never believed that demons should group themselves and rely on each other. Even in her past life as Su Daji, her strength wasparable to the other demon lords. However, she never took anyone under her wing except for two demons and a fragile human which was Feng Jiu.


    She didn''t want to be responsible for the protection and welfare of another person. That''s why she mostly left Feng Jiu to fend on her own and find her own food and supplies, allowing the girl to make her own choices and decisions in life.


    ''Is Lady Li going to join us for this trip then?'' Mu Qing asked. He and the fox woman had been doing some training these days, and it wouldn''t hurt if Li Fei''er could join them one of these days.


    ''En, but she would need to deal with her own family first,'' Shen Minyao answered.

 Chapter 205 - The Case Of The Body Thief (1)

    The school bell rang, a signal that the students were allowed to go home. Since there was no news of another demon invasion in the citytely, Shen Minyao and Li Fei''er didn''t feel the need to do anything for now. The fox woman only needed to spar with the grim reaper that was apanying her recently, instead of her cat guardians.


    The three stood on the rooftop, where students rarely visited. The locks had been enchanted by Shen Minyao, so they were able to stay there while keeping the other humans from entering the ce to disturb them. Shen Minyao and Mu Qing decided to take a break from their training to have a word with Li Fei''er for the preparation of their uing departure to the north.


    From above, they could see the students chattering among their friends as they left the school premises, one after another.


    "I can spar with you, but I don''t think I could be any help for Lady Li. I''m not as knowledgeable as Lord Qin when ites to utilizing one''s power," Mu Qingmented.


    "Oh, no, Lord Hell. You really don''t need to bother. I know that you''re already busy with Yaoyao''s training. I can just review my notes while waiting." Li Fei''er waved a hand and smiled awkwardly. Unlike Shen Minyao, she couldn''t wield any weapon to protect herself and had only relied on her shikigamis for protection and to attack the other demons.


    "It wouldn''t hurt if you consider wielding a weapon, just in case you run out of spiritual powers. First, you need to find an appropriate weapon to use. No matter how good you are, you will lose on the battlefield if you don''t possess a good weapon and cannot utilize it to the fullest." Shen Minyao opened her fan and used it to cool herself as she sat on top of the door leading back to the floors below them.


    There was no doubt that as a young shaman, Li Fei''er''s skills were way better than those old farts the fox woman had encountered in the past. It was a pity, though¡­ that she wasn''t as skilled in weapons unlike Feng Jiu, her predecessor.


    Feng Jiu, although a human and didn''t have the spiritual skills as a shaman, was able to fend off lower demons on her own. She didn''t rely on Su Daji and other demons in their group to protect herself. She could certainly beat them without any help, so long as she wasn''t facing a hundred of them at once.


    "Hmm¡­ I''ll ask my dad about it, then. Maybe he would have something that I could use." Li Fei''er hummed in agreement.


    "Right. It would be better if you can also infuse your spiritual power on your weapon," Mu Qing added.


    "Eh? I could do that?" The young shaman blinked upon hearing the grim reaper''s words.


    "Technically speaking, it is possible." Shen Minyao yawned behind her hand. "Think of it like an enchantment spell, the same thing demons like us do."


    Li Fei''er gave it a good thought and nodded. She had witnessed Shen Minyao and Lord Hell fight with other demons before, and she noticed that their weapons weren''t easily damaged in the middle of the battle. It would also make sense why Qin Zhi''s naginata was also able to retain its sharpness after killing so many demons during their hunt.


    "I didn''t consider that it''s possible," Li Fei''er admitted, "but, thanks! I would surely discuss this with my father."


    She already had an idea she wished to do with her possible weapon. She needed a weapon that could purify the demons upon contact, forbidding them to regenerate and heal their affected body parts in the process.


    "It''s good that you have options other than using spells and your shikigamis. I heard from Lord Qin that you''ve gotten a lot stronger these days. We will be relying on your help once we reach the northernnds," Shen Minyao said.


    Li Fei''er''s face lit up. "En! You can rely on me for help!"


    It was rare for Shen Minyao to ask for her help, after all. She wouldn''t feel so useless this time around.


    She felt bad that she needed to lie to her family about the short trip she was making with Shen Minyao and Mu Qing, Still, Li Fei''er knew how important it was for them to stop Peng Weijin from gaining traction and getting more demons to his side.


    This was the first time she had encountered a vengeful spirit that was able to turn itself into a full-fledged demon. Just how long had it taken before it reached its current state as a demon?


    From where Shen Minyao was seated, she then spotted two familiar figures making their way out of the school grounds. Shen Qing was following Su Yin, trying to get his attention. However, he pushed her hands away from him. He looked around as if he was looking for someone, and his face fell when he didn''t find the person in the crowd.


    Ever since she had dumped Su Yin, the young man had been frantically looking for her. However, the fox woman always made sure to hide herself from the annoying human.


    Did Su Yin just realize the consequences of his actions of hurting the real Shen Minyao''s feelings? However, the fox woman thought that it still wasn''t enough. Even if Su Yin cried with blood in front of her now, the real Shen Minyao would never return after what Shen Qing had done to her.


    As for Shen Qing, the fox woman wasn''t quite done with her yet. She was only allowing Shen Qing to experience helplessness and how it felt to be ignored by the person she cherished the most.


    ''Let''s see how you would deal with it.'' Shen Minyao snickered, fanning herself as she looked at Shen Qing''s pained expression when Su Yin disregarded her. The fox woman had no doubt that this selfish little girl would once again push the me to her.


    Her eyes shed red as Shen Minyao tried to read Shen Qing''s thoughts. She had only realizedtely that when Baiyu''s power rose, it would also somehow affect that of hers. This ability was one of those. The fox woman could read a human''s mind for a limited time.


    ''Shen Minyao is the reason why Su Yin is giving me the cold shoulder. Damn her!''


    Shen Minyaoughed, making Li Fei''er and Mu Qing wonder what she found amusing just now.


    "Lord Hell, humans are really amusing, don''t you think? They are so prideful and greedy. They waste a lot of time on trivial things that aren''t fulfilling in the first ce. In the end, once they realize that their days are already outnumbered, the regret and realization woulde to them toote." She clicked her tongue and shook her head.


    Mu Qing didn''t respond. Unlike the fox woman, who was openly cynical with her thoughts about humans; he didn''t have much opinion on the atrocities humans wouldmit every single day.


    Their lives were fleeting. For immortals like him and Shen Minyao, these fleeting lives could be lost in the blink of an eye. However, wasn''t that what made human lives precious?


    In his long life as a grim reaper, he had encountered several kinds of humans. Some refused to be taken to the afterlife, begging him to allow them to stay in the mortal realm; while others willingly followed him without a word. However, what Mu Qing hated the most was collecting the lives of young children and infants. These souls were untainted and had yet tomit a sin, but their lives still perished too soon for his liking.


    As for Shen Minyao being cynical, he had already expected this from a demon like her. Her long life as one should have allowed her to witness the way of the humans and howcking they were.


    While Mu Qing was preupied with his own thoughts, Shen Minyao suddenly stood up from where she was seated, her eyes narrowing.


    "Li Fei''er, you bettere with me. Now!" She demanded as she leaped from where she stood.


    "What? Why? Where are we going?" Li Fei''er asked as she collected Shen Minyao''s and her school bag on the floor.


    "Lu Anqi is in trouble," the fox woman replied as she enchanted the locks, allowing them to leave the rooftop.


    "She''s in trouble? What happened? I haven''t seen her today. I thought she missed school again."


    "She''s here, and she''s probably looking for us. We need to hurry as she is being chased." Shen Minyao didn''t waste her time and ran down the stairs, with Li Fei''er and Mu Qing following after her.


    When they reached the front gates of the school, Li Fei''er sensed a lot of ghostsing their way.


    "What''s going on?" She asked, but even before Shen Minyao could answer, they spotted Lu Anqi running towards them in her spirit form, shocking Li Fei''er.

 Chapter 206 - The Case Of The Body Thief (2)

    When Li Fei''er heard from Shen Minyao that Lu Anqi was in trouble, this wasn''t what she was expecting to see. Did Lu Anqi just die? Had she be a ghost? Why was she being chased by the other ghosts and malevolent spirits, then?


    However, Li Fei''er had no time to think about the answers to these questions. She needed to save Lu Anqi regardless of whether she was a ghost or not. As soon as Lu Anqi reached them, Li Fei''er dispelled and exorcised all the ghosts and spirits at once.


    "Begone!" Once she uttered her mantra, the spirits cried in pain. They then vanished into thin air, leaving no traces of theiring.


    Li Fei''er rested her trembling hands on her thighs. She kept on gasping for breath, her body drained from the amount of spiritual powers she had used to exorcise those malevolent spirits that were after Lu Anqi.


    Lu Anqi was in a crying mess as she clung to Shen Minyao''s arm, leaving the nine-tailed fox demon helpless about what she could do to console the crying human. She nced at Mu Qing for help, but the grim reaper had no idea how to do so.


    It took some time for Lu Anqi to calm down, and they returned to the rooftop, where they could have the privacy they needed.


    "Lu Anqi, what happened to you? Did you die?" Li Fei''er looked at her friend, baffled as to why Lu Anqi was in this state. She couldn''t hug the other girl even if she wanted to, since Lu Anqi was like a ghost to her. She even doubted that Shen Minyao was able to touch Lu Anqi at all.


    "I''m not dead. No, I can''t be dead, right?" Lu Anqi sniffed as she looked at Li Fei''er and Shen Minyao in confusion.


    "Tell us what happened first, from the very beginning," Shen Minyao said with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at Lu Anqi with her ever impassive face.


    Lu Anqi calmed herself and sat on the floor, next to Li Fei''er; while Shen Minyao and Mu Qing remained standing.


    "I came homest night, exhausted from a long day I had with Mr. Jiang. We just finished a case yesterday, and I went to bed and slept without changing out my outside clothes. I was just too tired. When I woke up, I realized that I had be a ghost¡­ and someone else was using my body! She trashed my whole ce, looking for money!"


    Li Fei''er''s brows shot up. She had heard of some cases like this in the past, but usually, the person would eventually return to their body and wake up. She had never heard of a case where the ghost snatched the body of the living. However, thinking about it, wasn''t Lu Anqi a medium?


    Shen Minyao pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, thinking how Jiang Chen could allow this to happen to Lu Anqi. Just what kind of training was that man giving to his subordinate for her to lose her own body to another wandering spirit?


    "Lu Anqi, you do realize that you need to return to your body as soon as possible, right?" She asked the young human.


    Lu Anqi''s lips quivered, and she nodded her head. "But I have no idea how to return to my body. Whoever possesses my body can''t see nor hear me, and I have no idea how to repel her spirit out of it."


    "That sounds like a problem," Mu Qingmented.


    Lu Anqi nced at him, wondering who he was and why he looked familiar and close to Shen Minyao. If she was in her normal state, she would have been in awe at how good-looking this man was, but that wasn''t the case for now.


    "How long will it take before Lu Anqi dies?" Shen Minyao''s question towards Mu Qing startled not only Lu Anqi but also Li Fei''er.


    "I-I''m going to die?" Lu Anqi stuttered in shock.


    "What else do you think will happen to your body? Ever wonder why many humans who get possessed by demons and ghosts don''t live long? Your body will eventually reject the spirit that has possessed it, but once that happens, your body would have already received irreversible damage. You''ll be as good as dead, then." Shen Minyao didn''t bother to sugarcoat her words and told Lu Anqi the truth.


    "Her body is safe for now unless the spirit does something reckless to it," the grim reaper exined. "It hasn''t been twenty-four hours since the possession, but Lady Lu should return to her body in three days. Else, her own body will think that it has already served its purpose and will deteriorate on its own."


    "I didn''t know that a human body could do such a thing. How about those people ina and the brain-dead?" Li Fei''er asked curiously.


    "They aren''t totally dead, Lady Li," Mu Qing replied. "Unlike Lady Lu, their body is still their own as their spirit is still somehow bound to it. That''s why, in some rare cases, patients who were in a deepa could wake up and continue living."


    "Then, what about Shen Minyao¡­?" Li Fei''er couldn''t stop herself from questioning Shen Minyao''s¡ªthe demoness''s origin. She was a demon with a human body, so howe her human body wasn''t rejecting her?


    "This body has a rare constitution that allows my spirit to bind unto it without facing such consequences that Lu Anqi is facing now. The real Shen Minyao is what immortals like us call ''a perfect vessel''. Although rare, the real Shen Minyao isn''t the only one who possessed a body like this." The fox woman was the one to answer Li Fei''er''s question. This was the first time that Li Fei''er voiced out her curiosity about Shen Minyao''s origin and why she was able to mingle and live as a human among them.


    "I see¡­" Li Fei''er nodded in understanding. "Then, what can we do to help Lu Anqi?"


    "We should find her body and force the spirit out of it," Mu Qing responded, eyeing the young shaman. "Is Lady Li proficient enough to expel a spirit from one''s body?"


    Li Fei''er pressed her lips into a thin line and shook her head.


    "I know the basics and how to do it, but I haven''t really tried or done it in real life," she admitted.


    "Well, don''t you humans say there''s first in everything? Might as well treat this as your chance to do it," Shen Minyaomented.


    "If I do it, we only have one shot, though." Li Fei''er looked at the three of them before her eyesnded on Lu Anqi. "Sorry, Anqi. I''m not strong enough yet, so I could only do the ritual once. I wouldn''t know what to do if I fail." She told her friend, a little guilty that she couldn''t assure Lu Anqi that everything would be fine. This was one of those rare times that she hated herself for not being strong enough to do something.


    She might have innate strong spiritual powerspared to other shamans. She was able to improve her strength faster, but her inexperience held her back in reaching her full potential as a shaman.


    Meanwhile, Shen Minyao thought that she was capable of kicking out the spirit from Lu Anqi''s body. However, she wasn''t willing topromise her human body and leave it vulnerable for other spirits to possess. She could only sigh inwardly and ept that she was reduced to helping in different ways.


    "So, what''s the n?" She asked the three, but none of them knew what to do at the moment.


    Since they couldn''te up with any solution to back up Li Fei''er''s one-shot exorcism on a human, Shen Minyao decided to give Jiang Chen a call.


    "Hey, Mr. Psychic, do you happen to be in town today?" She said, without waiting for Jiang Chen to say hello.


    "Shen Minyao? Do you need something?" Jiang Chen asked from the other line, surprised that she was calling him.


    "Oh, no. I''m not the one who needs your professional help. It''s just that there''s this very young medium who has lost her own body to another spirit, and now she''s wandering around like a ghost," Shen Minyao said with a cold tone as she checked her well-manicured hand nonchntly. "I suppose you know her. A seventeen-year-old girl with shoulder-length hair and a cute, pretty face. She''s still dressed in her high school uniform that she wore yesterday."


    The fox woman heard a loud screeching sound. Jiang Chen was probably driving when she called him.


    "Where are you? I''ll be on my way now." Jiang Chen''s tone sounded so serious.


    "School''s rooftop. Don''t bete." The fox woman replied.


    Shen Minyao scoffed and eyed the distressed girl in front of her.. She knew Jiang Chen wouldn''t be able to stay still if he knew what happened to this girl.

 Chapter 207 - The Case Of The Body Thief (3)

    Jiang Chen arrived in a hurry half an hourter. The sun had already set, and the sky had grown dark when he met Shen Minyao, Li Fei''er, and Mu Qing outside the school grounds. His eyes slightly widened upon seeing Lu Anqi''s spirit out of her body, and he was terribly confused.


    "How could this happen?" He frowned.


    He had made sure to teach Lu Anqi the necessary things to avoid being possessed by a spirit; however, he had never considered that something like this would happen instead.


    "How could this happen?" Shen Minyao repeated what he had just said and scoffed, clearly mocking him.


    "You know well that Lu Anqi is a medium, and her body is a perfect vessel for many spirits and demons like Shen Minyao. You''ve taught her how not to be possessed by a malevolent spirit, but you''ve never taught her how to keep her spirit from leaving her body willingly. Don''t tell me you''ve never thought something like this could happen to her," the nine-tailed fox woman questioned him.


    By the way Jiang Chen avoided her gaze, Shen Minyao found out that she was right. Jiang Chen had really failed Lu Anqi this time.


    Jiang Chen grimaced. What Shen Minyao just said was right. He was now aware of his foolishness and mistake this time. He looked at Lu Anqi with worried eyes, and then he sighed. Since he was the one responsible for dragging her to this kind of life, it was only right that he should help her retrieve her body.


    "Tell me what you remembered before you noticed that you were out of your body," he told Lu Anqi.


    The poor young woman narrated the same thing she had told Shen Minyao earlier and how she woke up aware that her spirit was out of her body and that another spirit was possessing it.


    "I see¡­" His expression darkened as he realized how serious the problem was. So¡­ they needed to help Lu Anqi return to her body in three days and also establish the bond between her spirit and her body before thetter started to deteriorate on its own.


    "Li Fei''er said that she only has one shot to expel the spirit from my body. I need to upy it as soon as she expels it," Lu Anqi said in a low voice.


    "She''s right, or else, your body would be taken over by another spirit if you failed." Jiang Chen nodded.


    Perhaps Lu Anqi was lucky to be acquainted with a shaman like Li Fei''er that could help her this time.


    "I''ll help. Just tell me what I need to do." He offered to the young shaman. He could not just pretend that he hadn''t done anything wrong towards Lu Anqi¡­ when he knew full well what kind of danger was waiting for her when she became a medium because of her association with his team.


    Li Fei''er nced at Shen Minyao for help, but the demoness didn''t make any indication that she had a n unlike before.


    "Actually, Mr. Jiang, we don''t have a n yet. That''s why Yaoyao decided to call you," she confessed to Jiang Chen.


    Jiang Chen nced at the fox woman and wondered if that was true. As his eyes met hers, he then realized that Shen Minyao wasn''t willing to help Lu Anqi. She wanted him to deal with the problem instead.


    He couldn''t fault her for that. How could he forget that she was a demon that held such cynical thoughts towards humans like them? Since he was responsible for Lu Anqi, Shen Minyao wasn''t willing to proactively help her unless there was no other choice.


    "Then, we need to find your body first and then find out what kind of spirit possessed it," he told Lu Anqi. "Do you know where your body is now?"


    Lu Anqi shook her head. "I''m not sure. I''ve been running around, trying to avoid the other spirits when theye after me."


    Spiritsing after her meant they were aware that they wouldn''t have a chance to possess her body once she returned to it. They wanted to stop her for this very reason.


    "Why don''t we check your home to see if it is there?" Li Fei''er suggested.


    The three women sat at the backseat of Jiang Chen''s car, while Mu Qing was next to the driver''s seat, with his eyes closed. He didn''t need to get involved in this case, but he was curious as to what could happen. He didn''t think that Lu Anqi''s time had been done yet, considering he could still see her remaining lifespan in the mortal realm.


    When they arrived at the apartment where Lu Anqi lived, they found the whole ce trashed. It was as if a thief had just gone through her belongings, trying to find her valuable things while she was away.


    Lu Anqi frowned as she realized that she would need to do a lot of cleaning once she returned to her body. She would be in a lot of trouble if thendy found out what happened to this ce today.


    "Can you smell a trace of demonic aura here?" She heard Mu Qing ask Shen Minyao.


    "There''s none. Only a strong stench of malevolent spirits lingered in this ce." Shen Minyao scrunched her nose in disgust. "Perhaps, Li Fei''er could help Lu Anqi dispel the scent, so the other spirits wouldn''t be attracted to the house."


    "I should do that." Li Fei''er agreed with Shen Minyao. Even she could smell the disgusting and nauseous stench that the malevolent spirits left in Lu Anqi''s ce. "But her body isn''t here. Where could the spirit possibly take it?"


    "Can''t you just track her scent to find her body''s whereabouts?" The grim reaper asked the fox woman again. This time, he earned such a fierce and scathing re from her.


    "Lord Hell, do you think I''m a dog? You dare topare me to those mutts?"


    "Hey, I said no such thing. I only asked because I got the impression you and Lord Qin have heightened senses, far better than mine," Mu Qing said in defense. However, he had to admit, only to himself, that what Shen Minyao just said was amusing. He hadn''t really thought about it.


    "Yaoyao, can you please try to find her body? You''re the only one who could find a lead about Lu Anqi''s whereabouts." Li Fei''er asked the fox woman with a worried expression on her face.


    Shen Minyao pinched the bridge of her nose again, wondering why she should clean after someone else''s mistake. She gave Jiang Chen a knowing look, but she didn''t say anything to him.


    "Fine, but just this once¡­ and don''t me me if her body isn''t found within Jiang City. You have to consider also that the spirit took her body and might have left the city." She conceded, knowing she really couldn''t deny Li Fei''er if the friend asked for her help like this.


    Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi nodded in understanding, but they hoped in their hearts that it wouldn''t be the case this time.


    The fox woman used her spatial awareness ability within Jiang City, scanning every nook and corner of the vast metropolitan city that housed millions of humans and hundreds of demons mingling in the crowd.


    Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi were both speechless when she shut her eyes, focusing on scanning the whole city with her spatial awareness ability. Shen Minyao''s ck hair turned silvery-white, and demonic marks appeared on the sides of her face and arms.


    Even Qin Zhi had sensed it as it reached him at the top floor of hispany building, wondering what caused her to use it.


    It took Shen Minyao a full five minutes to be able to finish her scan.


    "Found it. It is moving fast. I''m guessing she had taken the train and was nning to go somewhere towards the east," she said as her features returned to normal, much to Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi''s disappointment. The two humans were both in awe of her partial transformation.


    Jiang Chen pulled out his phone and checked the schedule of the train rides that were going in the direction Shen Minyao mentioned. He found one that was currently on its way to the east and what station it was going to stop at soon.


    They hurriedly went back inside his car and drove towards the same route the train had taken.


    "Would you be able to tell if she stopped and alighted from the train, Yaoyao?" Li Fei''er asked Shen Minyao.


    "En. Once she was found by my ability, it would be easy for me to track her movements," Shen Minyao replied.


    Jiang Chen and Lu Anqi sighed in relief upon hearing that.. It only meant that they wouldn''t be able to lose Lu Anqi''s body again, now that Shen Minyao was able to locate it without a problem.

 Chapter 208 - The Case Of The Body Thief (4)

    None of them talked as Jiang Chen''s car drove in the direction of the train Lu Anqi''s body had gone. Jiang Chen nced at the map on his phone, predicting the arrival of the train cabin at every station where it would make a stop.


    Shen Minyao remained silent throughout the ride. They were catching up fast to the public transportation, avoiding the build-up of traffic in the process. Meanwhile, Mu Qing also kept to himself as if he was only a spectator for this case. He wasn''t nning to offer any help to these humans.


    This was one of the rare cases he heard that a live human being''s soul was expelled from its own body and snatched by a different spirit. Obviously, the grim reaper grew curious and wanted to know how it was even possible.


    Lu Anqi still looked worried and distressed, while Li Fei''er was trying to calm her down.


    "It''s going to be alright, Xiao Qi. We won''t allow you to die like this."


    Lu Anqi sniffed and tried to contain her tears, not wanting to cause any more trouble than she already had. Moreover, she could sense that Jiang Chen was upset with the sudden turn of events. She even knew that he was trying to distance himself from Shen Minyao for some reason.


    Initially, she thought that perhaps, she might be overthinking things between them. However, now that she was able to witness them speak to each other again, she felt like something had happened that made Jiang Chen wary of Shen Minyao.


    Why did they suddenly give each other the cold shoulder? Even when the group met Shen Minyao and CEO Qin at the kindergarten where the hoard of demons appeared, Jiang Chen was a little hesitant to work with them.


    "There are only two days left before my body starts to notice that I''m out of it. What if I don''t make it in time?" She asked Li Fei''er.


    "What if you trust yourpanions that we would be able to retrieve your body back?" The fox woman frowned. "Please don''t waste our time and effort being here if you only n to cry like this and do nothing."


    "Yaoyao¡­"


    "What? I''m merely stating the truth. Obviously, people who get exposed enough to paranormal things like this would face repercussions." Shen Minyao then nced at Jiang Chen, who was trying hard to ignore her using stare.


    "It''s okay, Xiao Fei." Lu Anqi shook her head, telling Li Fei''er not to argue with Shen Minyao, anymore. "Shen Minyao is right. I can''t just sulk here and pity myself, knowing that my body is out there being used by someone else.


    It didn''t take long before they reached the fourth station, where the train was about to make a stop.


    "She''s moving." Shen Minyao''s voice broke the unwanted tension within the car. "I could sense her presence more profoundly now."


    This only meant that Lu Anqi''s scent was now stronger, that it confirmed her body''s presence within the vicinity of where they were.


    Jiang Chen nodded and hurriedly went to the north exit of the train station. He lowered the window next to him and watched as the passengers came out from the ce. His eyes looked frantically for Lu Anqi''s body in the crowd.


    Li Fei''er did the same. She lowered the window to check the southern exit of the station and followed Jiang Chen''s lead. At this, Shen Minyao scrunched her nose at the amount of scent that assaulted her senses the moment Li Fei''er opened the window of the car next to her.


    It was already seven in the evening. Many employees were on their way home now, so the roads and most public transportation routes were filled with them. Even with Shen Minyao''s heightened senses, Lu Anqi''s scent could be overwhelmed by other humans that wore stronger scents. After all, that could weaken the fox woman''s ability to ascertain her whereabouts.


    "I see her!" Li Fei''er eximed as she spotted Lu Anqi''s body step out of the southern exit, taking a turn to look around as if she was afraid of being followed.


    Jiang Chen drove his car to follow Lu Anqi''s body from a safe distance. He had to make sure not to give way in case it ran away.


    "I think she''s suspecting that we are following her," Li Fei''ermented.


    "Don''t worry. The entity that snatched Lu Anqi''s body is a wandering ghost, not a demon. It would be easier for you to exorcise it from her body without leaving damage on it," Shen Minyao told her.


    "That''s very reassuring." The young shaman released a breath she didn''t know she was holding until that moment. Li Fei''er was worried that although she might exorcise the spirit out of Lu Anqi''s body, she would be the one to leave possible injuries on it.


    "Where is she going?" Lu Anqi took a peek over Li Fei''er''s shoulder to see what was happening.


    "I think she''s trying to open one of the lockers nearby," Jiang Chen said.


    Some locker stations allowed people to leave their belongings in one of the lockers for a long time. It could keep the belongings for days or months, depending on what rate the owner chose.


    Whoever was possessing Lu Anqi''s body, she was able to unlock one of the lockers using a pin. She then fished out an old blue and white sports bag that had seen better days. She looked around, making sure no one''s paying attention to her before discreetly leaving the ce.


    Lu Anqi felt disturbed, seeing herself being used by another spirit like this. She had never thought that after months of working as Jiang Chen''s assistant, she would also experience something paranormal like this. Moreover, she would be able to experience what it felt to be a wandering ghost like the ones they encountered in the past.


    Jiang Chen had to park his car at the nearby parking space as they couldn''t follow Lu Anqi''s body through the sedan anymore.


    Using Lu Anqi''s distinct scent, Shen Minyao led the way and kept a few meters of distance between their group and the body. The spirit who possessed Lu Anqi''s body seemed to be aware of the possibility of her being followed. It was apparent by how she asionally looked around her and made sure no suspicious person followed her tracks.


    "What could be the worst-case scenario in this case?" Mu Qing asked the fox woman through telepathy.


    The white snake that was still coiled on Shen Minyao''s right arm made a slight movement, but he remained asleep. Ever since Baiyu''s first feeding on the blood-sucking demoness, he had been in hibernation and had yet to wake up from it.


    ''What else could it be?'' Shen Minyao hummed. "She''s already lucky that what possessed her body wasn''t a demon. However, if it was a malevolent spirit, then I fear that it wouldn''t care if it hurt Lu Anqi''s body¡­ or worse, sexually assault her by touching her inappropriately."


    Mu Qing pressed his lips into a thin line, realizing it was a mistake to ask the fox woman such questions. He was starting to wonder if she had always been so straightforward like this. Well, at least she wasn''t like the other demonesses he''d met in his long life as a grim reaper¡­ those who liked to show more skin and dress less, barely showing propriety at all.


    When Lu Anqi''s body went to a dark area of the local park, Shen Minyao and Mu Qing leaped up to the highest tree in the area to have a good look at what the spirit was up to.


    "Yaoyao, what could you see from there?" Li Fei''er asked while Lu Anqi furrowed her brows in confusion.


    She was aware that her body was at least thirty meters ahead of them, but why was Li Fei''er asking Shen Minyao a strange question? How could Shen Minyao have a good look at what was happening, considering how dark the ce was and how far her body had gone from where they were.


    "She''s opening the bag she took from the local locker," Shen Minyao replied as she stood on the sturdy branch next to Mu Qing.


    Seeing them up there, Lu Anqi thought that those two were weightless. After all, the branch they were standing on didn''t even make a creaking sound the moment their feet touched it.


    "Can you see what was inside the bag?" It was Jiang Chen who asked the fox woman this time. Until now, they have no idea of the identity that snatched Lu Anqi''s body and what she was doing in a ce like this.


    Shen Minyao waited for the dark cloud that covered the moonlight to pass before she could see clearly what was inside the sports bag. As Lu Anqi''s hands pulled something from the bag, the fox woman''s brows shot up.


    "Money.. Tons of it," she answered Jiang Chen.

 Chapter 209 - Compensation (1)

    "Huh? Why would she bring a lot of money to a ce like this?" Li Fei''er asked confusedly. What kind of spirit possessed Lu Anqi''s body? She had a bad feeling about this.


    Shen Minyao leaped down from the branch she and Mu Qing were standing on, and she faced Jiang Chen.


    Jiang Chen looked at her with a conflicted expression on his face, as if he was having a hard timeing up with a decision.


    "We should hurry. I can sense great murderous intenting from her. She mightmit murder anytime soon," she spoke without batting an eyelid.


    Li Fei''er shivered and nced at Mu Qing to ask for confirmation when he appeared behind Shen Minyao, but he remained silent. He must have known something, but why wasn''t he saying anything about it?


    "S-she''s going tomit murder using my body?" Lu Anqi trembled in fear. She would be in a lot of trouble if that happened. No one would believe her if she imed to not be the person whomitted it, as she was possessed by a ghost.


    "What do we do?" She asked worriedly, with tears streaming down her face.


    "We''ll stop her, whatever happens. You must calm down, Lu Anqi." Jiang Chen tried to console her, but he was also feeling helpless at the moment.


    Did he really have to rely on Shen Minyao''s help now?


    Ever since he found out that Shen Minyao was the infamous nine-tailed fox hunted by many shamans and exorcists, Jiang Chen had tried to keep a distance from her. It wasn''t like he was afraid of her, but he was confused as to how he should deal with her.


    While her personality and attitude were what someone could expect from a powerful demon, Jiang Chen couldn''t believe that the fox woman hadmitted a genocide a hundred years ago. Although he was wary of her because she was a demon, it was hard for him to imagine that she hadmitted such a heinous crime against humanity. One could easily see that she was arrogant and held cynical beliefs towards humans like him, but she wouldn''t kill any mortal human unless she needed to.


    However, Jiang Chen''s circumstances never let him freely act on this thought. He didn''t like the other exorcists to suspect him for being acquainted with the nine-tailed fox demoness. Neither would he give them a reason to use him of betraying humanity by keeping Shen Minyao''s whereabouts a secret.


    Jiang Chen was aware of how dangerous it would be, not only for Shen Minyao, if other humans found out about her identity. Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi would also be dragged into the problem.


    "Shen Minyao, can I have a word with you in private?"


    "Ah, finally. I thought you''ll continue to pretend that I don''t exist in your eyes, Mr. Jiang," Shen Minyao replied with a mocking tone in her voice.


    "Fine. Come and follow me," she told him before giving Mu Qing a nce. "Lord Hell, can you please keep an eye here for a moment?"


    The grim reaper only nodded and didn''t utter a single word.


    Shen Minyao turned around and left with Jiang Chen. Once she deemed that they were outside everyone''s earshot, she faced him.


    "What is it now? I suppose you still haven''t reported my new identity, given that no exorcists havee to see me these days."


    "I decided not to report you," Jiang Chen said. When the fox woman raised a brow at him, he continued: "I decided to know and confirm some things about you first and not jump to conclusions. As to why I chose not to report you, it is for Miss Li and Lu Anqi''s safety."


    The fox woman chuckled at that. As expected, Jiang Chen would try not to implicate those two young women if things took a turn for the worse.


    "You do realize that it would only be a matter of time before they find out my secret," she told him.


    "Don''t underestimate them, Shen Minyao. They may be young, but those women know how to make a decision for themselves."


    "Are you expecting them to forgive me for deceiving them because they develop some attachment to me? Mr. Jiang, I thought you were smart. You know well what could happen in the future once my identity is found out. Li Fei''er would face some repercussions from her family, and you and Lu Anqi would be deemed traitors by others for protecting me. Say, Mr. Jiang, do you think I''m worth it?"


    Jiang Chen couldn''t refute her words, knowing well that what she said made sense to him. It seemed like the fox woman had already thought that far.


    "What about Peng Weijin? You know something, right?"


    "Hn. He was possessed by my previous lord husband. You understand why he hates me, right?" Shen Minyao didn''t dare to hide the truth from him, but she was surprised he hadn''t figured it out, considering where the hunt and possession happened.


    Could humans really be so oblivious to such things that they needed someone to spell it out for them to understand? The fox woman didn''t know what to expect from them anymore.


    "Then, that only meant¡­ he''s more of a threat to humanity than you are now?" Jiang Chen muttered.


    "Oh? I''m offended, Mr. Jiang. You think I can''tmit the same genocide in this era?" She chuckled at him, amused. "To think that I am the demon here, and yet you dare topare me to that tailless monkey now parading himself as the new king of the demons."


    "It seems that you and Lord Hell know what''s happening these days more than us humans."


    "Why, of course. Xuan Yanrui''s emergence as a demon had caused such a bigmotion within the demon world. It would only be a matter of time before he makes a move on humans after sessfully creating his band of demons that suited his principles," the fox woman said before giving him a serious look.


    "Mr. Jiang, I suggest you should make a n B or C now. I understand that you still have some reservations, but it would be better if you take a stance before another war starts among demons. After all, humans like you would surely be coteral damage from all of it.


    "What does he want then? What''s his endgame?" He asked.


    "What else but world domination? Now that he turned into a demon and gained some supernatural abilities, he would surely find a way to force everyone to ept his will. Everyone who opposed him would surely be killed."


    Jiang Chen hardened his jaws at that. If Shen Minyao was this bothered by the war that was about to start, then perhaps he really needed to make some preparations ahead of time. He had to protect not only himself but also everyone in their small group, regardless of whether they were a human, a demon, or a grim reaper.


    "Enough of that. You didn''te here to discuss things about Xuan Yanrui, right?" Shen Minyao asked him.


    "En." He nodded, snapping back to reality. "I was wondering¡­ I''m wondering if you could find out the identity of the spirit that possessed Li Fei''er''s body. We would be able to stop it from killing someone if we knew the ghost''s identity¡­ or their motive."


    "I see¡­"


    Well, she had already expected this would happen, and she was only waiting for Jiang Chen to swallow his pride and ask her for help.


    "I can read their mind for a limited time, but would that be enough?"


    "Anything that could give us any clue about their identity and what they did before they died," Jiang Chen replied. "So long as we have enough clues, I might be able to find their identity. We need to act fast."


    His family had vast connections within Jiang City and neighboring towns and cities. He might be able to identify the spirit and stop them frommitting a crime using Lu Anqi''s body.


    "I''ll help you, but I need something in return." Shen Minyao had this thought that she had been trying to ignore for weeks now, ever since she noticed a pattern in the strange simrities among the real Shen Minyao, Li Fei''er, and Lu Anqi.


    "If it''s something within my capacity and wouldn''t harm anyone."


    "Li Fei''er''s mother was said to have died in childbirth, but her remains went missing even before she was buried by her family. Lu Anqi''s parents got involved in an ident, but her mother''s remains went missing from the car they were in. Shen Minyao''s mother disappeared even before her daughter reached six years of age."


    "Why are you telling me this?" Jiang Chen couldn''t understand Shen Minyao''s concern about those.


    "I tried to check the news about missing persons from the year Li Fei''er was born, and there had been sixty reported cases of mothers that had gone missing."

 Chapter 210 - Compensation (2)

    "Are you saying that it wasn''t a coincidence?" Jiang Chen questioned the fox woman.


    "Do you mean to tell me, Mr. Jiang, that you didn''t find the circumstances suspicious?" Shen Minyao challenged him.


    Jiang Chen wasn''t sure what to think about it, as he had only been made aware of this. He didn''t know that Shen Minyao''s and Li Fei''er''s mothers had gone missing during their childhood as well. He only heard about the mystery shrouding Lu Anqi''s mother''s remains not being found at the scene of the ident. The authorities considered Lu Anqi''s mother officially dead after years of not being able to find her whereabouts.


    "So, what do you want me to do, then?" He asked the nine-tailed fox woman.


    Jiang Chen didn''t expect that a demoness like her would want to find out the reason behind the disappearances of those women. It had nothing to do with her, and even if it was rted to her host, what could the fox woman possibly gain from looking for the woman who gave birth to her host?


    "Didn''t you say you got a lot of resources here in Jiang City? You should be able to find out how those women were rted to one another and the possible reason why their bodies had all disappeared," Shen Minyao reasoned out. She wasn''t willing to do such a menial job, anyway, even if she could do it by herself.


    The man in front of her was silent for a moment as if considering his options. Jiang Chen eventually agreed to her request, convincing himself that he was only doing this because they needed to save Lu Anqi more than anything else at the moment.


    "Fine. You have my word, but don''t expect too much from me."


    "Then, that''s a deal." Shen Minyao shrugged as she buried her hands in the side pockets of her school jacket. She then went back to where the others were waiting for their return.


    Li Fei''er hurried to her side and nced at Jiang Chen, who appeared behind Shen Minyao. Lu Anqi remained standing a few meters away from them, trying to see if she could have a clear look at what the spirit was doing with her body from afar.


    "Do we have a n?" The young shaman asked Shen Minyao, hoping that she and Jiang Chen had figured out something.


    "Mr. Jiang needs to identify the spirit first before anything else," the fox woman replied.


    "Then, how do we do that?" Li Fei''er asked.


    "I will try to read her mind." Shen Minyao ran her fingers on her thick hair, pushing it away from her face. She was starting to get annoyed at how long her hair was and how she needed a lot of time to keep it in ce on her own.


    As a daughter of a high-ranking official and a noble consort in her previous life as Su Daji, the fox woman didn''t need to worry about grooming herself. After all, she always had attendants at the ready to do it for her.


    Waking up in a modern world where servants and ves were nowmonly known as employees, she didn''t have the heart to force Fu Xiyan to continue working as her attendant without making the young woman suspicious of her identity. For this reason, she rarely called the young woman for help unless she was required to.


    "You can do that?" Li Fei''er''s eyes widened in surprise. She had heard that some demons could influence how humans think, but she had never heard about demons who were capable of reading a human''s mind like Shen Minyao.


    Shen Minyao hummed. She wasn''t sure if it was because Baiyu somehow inherited some of Yan Lin''s abilities as a blood-sucking demon, and they were passed onto her as his owner.


    "It''s limited. I cannot use it for a long time," she replied. If she was already a high-ranking demon like Qin Zhi, she would be able to use this ability without worrying about getting exhausted too soon.


    "Then, you might have to start now, Shen Minyao. I think she will be on the move soon," Mu Qing reminded her.


    Shen Minyao sighed, went to the highest tree in the park, and leaped to the top. Only Mu Qing was able to spot her, as the other humans apanying them weren''t able to see her within the darkness shrouding them.


    Her dark eyes turned into a pair of bright amber ones, giving her a clearer sight in the night. They then changed into a blood-red color as she tried to peek into the mind of the possessed Lu Anqi.


    Shen Minyao could hear his thoughts. Yes, it was a man who possessed Lu Anqi''s body. ording to his thoughts, he had died five years ago after he and hispanions robbed a local bank, taking hundreds of thousands with them in the process.


    However, internal strife within their group ended his life. He was killed before he could even enjoy his share of the crime theymitted. As for possessing Lu Anqi, the man had found her a month ago. After all, she was like a bright light that was too hard to resist for any wandering spirits like him.


    When he found out that she was a medium, he waited for a perfect time to snatch her body. He was never willing to die and cross to the afterlife, anyway. Finally, his patience had paid off when Lu Anqi''s soul left her body willingly, and he was able to enter it without any resistanceing from it.


    Shen Minyao closed her eyes, and they returned to their normal hue once she opened it again. She had only taken a peek for a full three minutes, but she could already feel her energy being sapped out of her body.


    "How was it? Did you find anything?" Jiang Chen asked her the moment she returned to them on the ground.


    "Something about robbing a bank five years ago," the fox woman exined what she was able to gather from her mind-reading. "He was thinking about killing the person who betrayed him in his past life and then leaving the city as soon as he''s done with it. It seemed like the money he was keeping at the locker was his own share from that robbery.


    "I could only hear his thoughts. It would have been better if I were able to take a peek at his memory."


    "No, I think what you''ve heard is more than enough for now," Jiang Chen said before he pulled out his phone and tried to find all the bank robberies that happened in the city five years ago. From those, he might be able to identify the ghost that possessed Lu Anqi''s body and stop him from harming another human, putting Lu Anqi''s life and future in jeopardy.


    "I''ll leave the rest on you, then," Shen Minyao said.


    Jiang Chen nodded and excused himself to make a phone call. The current police chief of Jiang City should be knowledgeable about that particr robbery, especially when the culprits weren''t caught.


    "Yaoyao, are you okay? You don''t look good at all," Li Fei''ermented.


    "I just need some rest," the fox woman replied, ignoring how Lu Anqi looked at her with worry and a hint of guilt. She was the one who willingly agreed with Jiang Chen''s request, so there was no need for Lu Anqi to feel guilty about this.


    The man who possessed Lu Anqi seemed pleased that he was able to experience being alive again. He left the local park without knowing that he was being followed by Shen Minyao''s small group. He decided to order a lot of food from a nearby restaurant and eat to his heart''s content.


    Lu Anqi frowned as she watched her own body being disrespected by the ghost. Although she wasn''t born from a well-off family, she took pride in taking care of her body and didn''t indulge in sweets and eating too much. Since she had no parents to rely on nor to take care of her, she could only do it by herself.


    Soon, the clock hit midnight. It was only by then did Jiang Chene back to them with the information he was able to find out from his colleagues and acquaintances.


    "You are right. There''s a bank robbery that happened five years ago," he confirmed. "The robbers weren''t apprehended soon, but the police were able to arrest most of them a yearter. By then, the criminals reported that there were five in their team, but one of them had already died because of a feud."


    "They were never able to find his body, were they?" Shen Minyao asked, surprising the three humans around them. Did they miss anything strange in the case? Was she implying something?


    "No, they couldn''t," Jiang Chen affirmed her suspicion.


    "Then, we would have to find his body and force him to leave Lu Anqi," Shen Minyao dered.

 Chapter 211 - To Regain What She Had Lost (1)

    One of the things that bound a ghost to the mortal realm, aside from its belongings, was its own body. The ghost who possessed Lu Anqi''s body would be forced to abandon it if he knew that his remains were in danger.


    Jiang Chen soon left to see the police chief and get the information they needed. As for Lu Anqi, it was important for her to keep her body close, just in case the spirit left her body, so she could go back to it at once.


    "He''lle back soon," Shen Minyao told Lu Anqi as they continued to stalk her body. "You mustn''t worry too much. Strengthen your willpower. The more decided you are to retrieve your body, the harder it would be for other wandering spirits to take over it. You should remember this to avoid having your body being possessed like this."


    Li Fei''er allowed a small smile to cross her lips as she looked at Shen Minyao. This friend might seem like she was cold and unfeeling, but she truly cared about people who were close to her. She wouldn''t say these words toward Lu Anqi if she didn''t care at all.


    "O-okay¡­" Lu Anqi responded, knowing full well that the ghost wouldn''t be able to possess her body if only she had taken the things Jiang Chen was teaching her before seriously. None of these would happen if she didn''t disregard his words.


    "It''s good that you know. In the future, you should be aware of your surroundings. If you feel tired, take a rest and inform Jiang Chen."


    "What would Mr. Jiang do, then? Once he found its body?" Lu Anqi asked, amazed that Shen Minyao seemed versed in the ways of the spirits and demons alike.


    "Burn it with everything that the spirit owns. Including that one." She pointed using her head.


    The two young women and the grim reaper followed her gaze and noticed the sports bag next to Lu Anqi''s body, the one filled with money.


    "Once Jiang Chen burned his remains, his spirit would vanish from the mortal realm and then be immediately sent to the afterlife," Mu Qing exined further, following Shen Minyao''s lead.


    "But Li Fei''er needed to expel that spirit first before he could burn it," the fox woman corrected him.


    "Ah, too bad that all those monies would be put to waste." Li Fei''er sighed. "But it''s not technically his in the first ce."


    "A person like him, who''s capable of doing hard work, would rather steal money than seek employment to earn it. I really couldn''t believe how greedy humans are." Shen Minyao scoffed. Whether it was in the past or in the modern world, some things remained the same for these humans.


    Did they really think money was everything in life, so much that the spirit who possessed Lu Anqi''s body couldn''t let go of it even after death?


    They continued to follow Lu Anqi''s body and watched as he spoiled himself by buying several things. It''s just that he couldn''t purchase alcohol due to Lu Anqi being a minor. Obviously, since her body and her overall aura were still that of a minor, the stores weren''t willing to sell her alcoholic drinks.


    Even without it, Lu Anqi was already upset, seeing her body exposed to things it wouldn''t be otherwise. She didn''t know how much longer would she be able to watch herself be treated like this by another spirit.


    "It would have been better if she could have an alcoholic drink soon," Shen Minyaomented, while Mu Qing nodded beside her.


    "Huh? But why?" Lu Anqi asked in confusion.


    "Getting drunk would lessen one''s willpower. Since it''s not his real body, he would partially lose his senses and the grasp he has over your body. Also, by putting your body in a drunk state, I would be able to expel his spirit easily." Li Fei''er was the one to exin, as she understood what Shen Minyao and Lord Hell were trying to imply.


    "I see¡­" Lu Anqi nodded in understanding. No wonder, some humans possessed by other entities were drunkard men who had lost their consciousness from drinking too much. They would be violent and cause so much of a ruckus, only for them to wake up without remembering what they had done.


    Jiang Chen had once dealt with a simr case with a simr scenario before. Had Lu Anqi not seen it with her own eyes¡ªhow a malevolent spirit entered the body of a drunkard man that copsed on the road; she would have assumed that the man''s next actions were caused by the alcohol.


    Now that they put it that way, Lu Anqi had no choice but to hope that her body would get drunk soon. She couldn''t believe she was wishing for the spirit to find a way to purchase alcohol and allow himself to get drunk.


    "If that was the case, then I would be able to get inside my body, right?" She asked Shen Minyao.


    "En, but I don''t think you will enjoy what awaits you once you wake up. You''ll be in a lot of difort and headache," the fox woman said.


    "That''s better than watching your own body getting used by another spirit." Lu Anqi would rather endure headaches and body pain, so long as she could have her body back.


    As they continued to follow the spirit and watch her enter one store after another, Lu Anqi started to cheer on herself. It was as if she could teach the spirit how to trick the seller into selling her some booze.


    "He''s hopeless." She smacked her forehead once she realized that the spirit had no idea how to pretend to be a short, mature woman. It was normal to find an adult woman with such a small stature these days, so howe he couldn''t y one?


    "He''s been dead for over five years now. It''s not surprising that he doesn''t know the trend, Lu Anqi. Don''t be upset. As soon as Mr. Jiang finds his body, we will be able to expel and exorcise him once and for all," Li Fei''er replied as she struggled to remain awake.


    Finally, someone was stupid enough to sell Lu Anqi some bottles of liquor. At this, the spirit decided to return to the local park where he had gone earlier.


    "Can''t go back to her little ce, eh. Who knows who''s waiting for my return," the spirit muttered to himself, but it was loud enough for the fox woman and the grim reaper to hear him clearly.


    "Oh, my, it seems he has retained a brain cell or two." Shen Minyao chuckled, while Mu Qing remained silent.


    "Urgh, Mr. Jiang hasn''t sent any messages yet," Li Fei''ermented as she yawned big behind her hand for the umpteenth time that night. The four of them were seated on the branches of one of the trees inside the park, watching Lu Anqi make a camp on the ground.


    Shen Minyao was sandwiched between Li Fei''er and Lu Anqi, while Mu Qing waszily seated across them on another tree, with his back leaning against the sturdy trunk behind him.


    Midnight was already approaching, and it was only normal for Li Fei''er to feel tired and sleepy at this time. Usually, she was already snoozing on herfy bed and in deep sleep at this ungodly hour. She wasn''t a night owl, but an early bird instead.


    "Do you want to take a nap first? I''ll wake you up if something happens," Shen Minyao asked in a low voice next to Li Fei''er. Unlike Lu Anqi, who was now in spirit form; Li Fei''er would naturally feel the need to sleep.


    Li Fei''er shook her head and forced herself to remain awake. She was the one who was required to expel the spirit from Lu Anqi''s body. What would she do if she failed because she''d fallen asleep?


    "But I can''t sleep at this crucial moment. We wouldn''t be able to help Lu Anqi if I missed my chance!" She argued.


    "That''s more reason for you to take a rest and regain your strength. Lord Hell and I don''t need to sleep, so we will keep an eye on him." Shen Minyao gave her a pointed re.


    Li Fei''er wanted to argue more, but Shen Minyao was right. Her mind needed to be in a good state when performing the exorcism ritual on Lu Anqi''s body.


    "Fine, but promise me that you would wake me up at once when Mr. Jiang called you to confirm the body''s whereabouts and if he''s ready to burn it." She conceded, knowing she wouldn''t be able to win an argument against Shen Minyao when it came to her welfare.


    "You have my word. Now, go and take a nap before I force you into it.." The fox woman gave her a pointed re, promising that she would knock Li Fei''er herself if the shaman kept arguing with her.

 Chapter 212 - To Regain What She Had Lost (2)

    Waiting for the spirit to lower its guard was painstakingly taking too long, in Lu Anqi''s opinion. Even theck of update from Jiang Chen''s end was enough to drive her insane.


    Meanwhile, Li Fei''er leaned her back on the trunk of the tree behind her, and she rested her head on Shen Minyao''s arm as she took a nap. It had only been an hour, but her slow and steady breathing was the only thing the fox woman and the grim reaper could hear¡­ aside from the sloppy eating and drinking sounds Lu Anqi''s body was doing from afar.


    "How long will it take before he gets drunk?" Lu Anqi asked in a low voice, not wanting to wake up Li Fei''er too soon. She understood how important it was for Li Fei''er to get a decent rest before the exorcism would start.


    Shen Minyao blinked. "Who knows."


    Lu Anqi nibbled at her lower lip. This long wait was already killing her. She had been away from her own body for over twenty-four hours now, and the longer she remained as a spirit, the more her body would assume that it was dying.


    Was there anything else they could do for now, aside from waiting?


    This prompted Lu Anqi to contemte instead. At first, she couldn''t believe Shen Minyao imed that she was a demon. However, the more Lu Anqi interacted with her, the more the human felt that this might be the reason why Shen Minyao was capable of doing things a human cannot.


    What kind of human could leap so high¡ªto the branch of a tree¡ªlike Shen Minyao? If Shen Minyao was a human with such great feats, she would be able to win all the gold medals in the Olympics!


    "I know it''s hard to remain still and calm, but we really can''t do anything but wait," Shen Minyao said, giving her an annoyed look. "If Jiang Chen failed to find the spirit''s body on time, then we would have no other choice but force him out of your body ourselves, unless you are willing to cease living now."


    The scent of anxiousnessing from Lu Anqi was so strong that it was starting to affect her senses, and the fox woman didn''t like it. It was understandable that Lu Anqi was anxious to get back to her body, but at this rate, it was hard to know how much control the spirit had over it.


    Unlike him, the fox woman was able to have absolute control of Shen Minyao''s body. After all, she was able to possess it the moment Shen Minyao''s human soul naturally separated from her body, only leaving fragments of her memories for the fox woman to utilize as she lived amongst the mortals.


    However, in Lu Anqi''s case, Mu Qing confirmed to Shen Minyao that the young woman''s life wasn''t up yet. In short, it wasn''t time for Lu Anqi to leave for the afterlife. This meant that her soul still had a lingering connection with her body that she could use to reconnect her spirit unto it.


    It also depended on the kind of entity or spirit that possessed her body. If it was a demon, obviously, Li Fei''er would have a hard time dealing with it, and it might leave some injuries on Lu Anqi as well. However, since it was a wandering spirit that upied her body, the only factor they had to consider was the strength of his willpower to possess her body.


    Alcohol could weaken the grasp of his control, but if he was decisive enough to take over her body, it would be hard for Li Fei''er to expel him from the flesh.


    As the night deepened, Shen Minyao could only rely on her senses to check on the changes in Lu Anqi''s body. Thankfully, it wasn''t a demon who took over, or else it wouldn''t be easy to stalk the unsuspecting spirit like this.


    The hour of the tiger was about to start when Shen Minyao started to notice that Lu Anqi''s body was now reeking with the scent of alcohol. Moreover, the spirit had started bbering things as if he was really drunk.


    She gently nudged Li Fei''er to wake up, and she whispered in the shaman''s ear: it was almost time.


    Li Fei''er cracked her eyes open and rubbed one with her knuckle. She blinked a few more times to adjust her sight before epting Shen Minyao''s help to stand up on the branch where they were seated.


    "He''s drunk. I''m not sure if we should wait for Jiang Chen or do it ourselves," Shen Minyao informed her of the situation.


    "I could manage to expel his spirit with one shot, but Lu Anqi should get her body back at once. We need to keep the other spirits in the area away from her body," Li Fei''er replied.


    "I think I could set up barriers to keep her body in ce and forbid any spirit to reach her, but Lady Lu''s spirit should also be inside the barrier along with her body," Mu Qing finally suggested.


    "Well, I don''t think the spirit is able to see Lu Anqi while he''s inside her body." Shen Minyao nced in Lu Anqi''s direction and reminded the young woman. "You should be able to get close to your body¡­ and stay close as much as possible, but be careful not to get repelled by other spirits in the process of exorcism. The crucial part depends on you."


    "Okay." Lu Anqi nodded in agreement. No matter how afraid she grew, against other ghosts and wandering spirits, she needed to muster all the courage she could to face her fears just to get inside her body.


    As they were talking about what to do, Li Fei''er''s phone vibrated. A call from Jiang Chen just came. Shen Minyao was the one to answer his call, regardless.


    "How was it?" She asked, not bothering to greet him.


    "We are able to identify the man as Han Song. He was part of the robbery group that targeted smaller banks that not many people visited. However, ording to records, his remains had been cremated a long time ago, so there''s nothing for me to burn anymore," Jiang Chen exined over the phone.


    "Then, did you manage to find something else that he owned? Any trinkets he valued when he was still alive?" Shen Minyao questioned, as her eyes followed the movement of Lu Anqi''s body. It had stood up from its seated position with wobbly legs.


    "An expensive luxury watch that he obtained after his group robbed a luxury brand store a year before his death. It seemed that he had some attachment to it since he refused to sell it nor give it up to others when he was still alive. I saw the photos of his body when it was found dead; this watch was even drenched in his blood. I''m on my way back to meet you there. Is he still on the move?"


    "En. Stupid man just got Lu Anqi''s body drunk, which is good in our opinion. Li Fei''er and Mu Qing are nning to set up a barrier to keep her body from being exposed to other spirits during the exorcism, but it''s critical that Lu Anqi is able to get hold of control of her body before anything bad happens."


    "I understand. I''m on my way now. Keep me posted if anything happens. I''ll leave Lu Anqi in your care."


    Shen Minyao chuckled at that. She found it amusing that Jiang Chen was willing to reach apromise with her when it came to Lu Anqi''s welfare.


    "Are you sure about that, Mr. Jiang? Do you really think it''s a good idea to leave the life of your precious assistant to me?"


    Jiang Chen wasn''t able to respond immediately, as he was trying toe up with the right words to express himself towards this dangerous nine-tailed fox demon.


    "Look, I know you have a reason why you killed so many humans in your past life, and I''m not saying that you shouldn''t be held ountable for it." He started. "But I believe that an arrogant and prideful demon like you wouldn''t do such a rash action, had nothing triggered you to do it. Shen Minyao, if there''s a chance, after this case¡­ could you tell me what happened to you in the past and why the Li family was forced to confine your spirit at the Qingqiu Mountain for eternity rather than exorcising you for good?"


    It was Shen Minyao''s turn to fall silent upon hearing his request. Not many, never a human, had questioned her about what happened in the past and why she acted the way that she did in her previous life as Su Daji.


    "Fine. I will tell you, but first, let''s see if you are a capable psychic and if you are strong enough to protect Lu Anqi. I''ll be waiting for your return, Mr.. Jiang."

 Chapter 213 - The Fox Demons Secret (1)

    Li Fei''er assumed Lu Anqi''s body was moving, but it was unclear whether the spirit decided to leave the local park or to only change spots. With Jiang Chen returning, Shen Minyao and the rest had to stop him from leaving either way. They needed to make sure that Lu Anqi''s body would be isted from other humans, or else they would have a hard time expelling the spirit from her body.


    "Is he leaving?" Li Fei''er asked Shen Minyao. It was difficult for her to tell what the spirit was doing with Lu Anqi''s body.


    "No, he''s just spouting nonsense, but be ready just in case he decides to leave," Shen Minyao replied as soon as she hung up on Jiang Chen. "Mr. Jiang will be here soon. Might as well set traps and barriers, so Lu Anqi''s body wouldn''t attract the other wandering spirits nearby."


    She then nced at Lu Anqi.


    "You need to go and stay close to your body. Don''t worry, the spirit won''t be able to see nor hear you as long as he''s inside your body," she said.


    "Don''t worry, Xiao Qi. Yaoyao and I will protect you from the other spirits." Li Fei''er assured her, giving the younger woman a thumbs-up.


    Lu Anqi trusted them, of course, but she couldn''t help but be nervous. They only had one shot, and they couldn''t afford to make a mistake during the process.


    "O-okay. I''ll go now, then." She gave Li Fei''er onest look and took a deep breath before walking towards where her body was.


    "So, what''s the n?" Mu Qing¡ªwho was leaning against a tree, with his arms crossed over his chest¡ªasked the fox woman.


    "How about leading it somewhere while expelling the spirit in the process? You set the trap while Li Fei''er prepares the ritual to exorcise the spirit from Lu Anqi''s body," Shen Minyao suggested.


    "What would you do then?" Li Fei''er asked curiously.


    "Obviously, I''m going to be the bait and lead it to where you two are," the fox woman said as if it was the most obvious thing right now. What else could she do? Stay still and do nothing? That wasn''t her style, at all.


    Since it hade to this, she wondered if Lu Anqi''s spirit was strong enough to bind itself to her own body. If Jiang Chen couldn''te in time, there would be no one to help the young woman with stabilizing her spirit. Neither Li Fei''er and Mu Qing were versed with the ways of dealing with the souls of the living.


    "By the way, did Mr. Jiang give you the name of the spirit?" Mu Qing asked her.


    There were so many wandering human spirits in the mortal realm, and the grim reapers like him were obviously too outnumbered to take care of everyone. That''s why once a soul of the departed became corrupted, grim reapers would usually leave them alone. Human exorcists and shamans like Li Fei''er were allowed to deal with them unless the reapers were given an order by their superiors to deal with a particr spirit¡­ like Xuan Yanrui.


    "I believe the name he gave was Han Song. He used to be part of a robbery group, but he lost his life because of a heated argument with his acquaintance," Shen Minyao replied. "Why? You think you can capture him?"


    "I can, but if his name isn''t on the list, then I have no qualms if you and Lady Li decide to exorcise it. You know what this means for him, right?"


    Both young women in front of him nodded. Mu Qing didn''t need to spell it out, as they were smart enough to understand what he was trying to say.


    The trio started to move, with Shen Minyao watching over Lu Anqi and her body. Li Fei''er and Mu Qing went to the part of the local park where it would be difficult for humans to find their way, given how thick the bushes and how close the trees were to one another.


    Even if the spirit dared to run away from them, he would have a hard time seeing the path, given how dark this ce was. If it wasn''t for Mu Qing''s assistance, Li Fei''er didn''t think she would be able to reach this part of the park.


    Jiang Chen was still nowhere to be found. Now that the spirit inside of Lu Anqi''s body was starting to show restlessness, a sign that he nned to move to another ce; Shen Minyao reached Mu Qing through telepathy to confirm if he and Li Fei''er were both ready.


    ''Ready when you are,'' the grim reaper replied, which gave Shen Minyao a go-ahead tomence their n.


    "Baiyu, are you awake?" Shen Minyao called after her shikigami.


    The white snake that coiled inside her sleeve revealed itself and transformed into his humanoid form.


    "Is there something you require from me, Mdy?" The young boy politely asked.


    "En. I''m going to hunt a wandering spirit. Do you think you would be able to paralyze it?"


    Baiyu furrowed his brows together as he gave it a good thought. He didn''t think he was able to inject his venom into a spirit unless it had a body of its own, but he had a method to stun it without the need for physical contact.


    "I can stun it for a few minutes, so long as it would meet my eyes," he answered his mistress''s question.


    "Then, that''s more than enough. Follow the scent where Li Fei''er is and wait for my signal." Shen Minyao gave her order as her whole body grew filled with light. She shape-shifted into a white fox with golden eyes.


    This was the first time the fox woman transformed herself into this form ever since she assumed Shen Minyao''s identity. In her past life as Su Daji, this form was very useful to her, as she was able to stalk and infiltrate her enemies'' camp with it. However, it would be now dangerous for her to be spotted as a wild fox in this modern era, where her kind had dwindled even in the wilderness.


    It wasn''t just Baiyu who was able to gain enough demonic energy to level up. After all, when shest met with her brother, Qin Zhi had just bestowed her a few demonic orbs he collected during his hunt.


    Initially, the fox woman didn''t want to ept it, but her older brother insisted. If she decided to go up North with the grim reaper, she should at least try to gain enough strength to break into the high rank.


    With her current rank and strength, it would be impossible for her to face and defeat the demon generals Xuan Yanrui was able to recruit. Even with Mu Qing''s assistance, it would be hard to know if she would be able to return from the North unscathed, together with Li Fei''er and Mu Qing.


    The fox leaped and hurriedly ran towards Lu Anqi''s body. She then snatched the sports bag that was filled with money. The spirit possessing Lu Anqi''s body immediately noticed that his belonging was suddenly taken away by a wild animal and hurriedly chased after it.


    "Hey! Give it back! It''s mine!" Lu Anqi''s voice resounded in the area as her body chased after the white fox.


    Lu Anqi wasn''t sure where the white fox came from, but she ran after her body and made sure that the distance between them wouldn''t grow. She remembered Shen Minyao''s words to make sure not to part with her body, whatever happens¡­ but damn, she never thought her body was able to run that fast. She was usually clumsy and would easily trip on her own foot, after all.


    Thankfully, she was currently a spirit, or else she had no doubt that she would be running out of breath already.


    The white fox led them to the part of the park where Li Fei''er and Mu Qing were waiting. Shen Minyao was able to sense the invisible barrier the grim reaper had set up around the area, while Li Fei''er''s familiar scent was getting stronger. Those were signs that they were almost at the area where the spirit was to be exorcised.


    The white fox jumped into a tall bush and transformed back into Shen Minyao''s body before rushing to Li Fei''er''s side, the girl patiently waiting for her arrival.


    Li Fei''er was momentarily stunned to find Shen Minyao by her side, but she immediately reminded herself that her friend was capable of such an inhuman feat. After all, her friend was a demon.


    The sound of footsteps came their way, alerting Li Fei''er. She should pay attention to what she was about to do now. She couldn''t see where Mu Qing had gone, but she could sense his presence nearby, probably making sure that no spirit would disturb them.


    As soon as Lu Anqi''s body stepped inside the circle Li Fei''er prepared, a blinding light appeared, forcing it into a stop.

 Chapter 214 - The Fox Demons Secret (2)

    Chapter 214 ¨C The Fox Demon¡¯s Secret (2)


    Han Song had been a wandering ghost for years now, and he thought he had seen enough frightening creatures ever since he became one. However, seeing a huge white snake in front of him was enough for him to freeze where he stood. He didn''t even notice that he had fallen into the trap Li Fei''er and Mu Qing had set up for him.


    The snake was asrge as those anacondas one could see from those Hollywood movies. Although this snake was pristine white, the fangs it bared at him were dripping with venom. Han Song tried to run out of fear, but the body''s legs trembled and refused to budge at all.


    Even Lu Anqi, who was following close behind him, trembled in fear upon seeing a huge white snake in front of them. She wasn''t sure if she was hallucinating, or this was just an illusion Shen Minyao cast to trap her body. However, as soon as she heard Li Fei''er''s familiar voice, she somehow sighed in relief.


    The moment the body stepped inside the circle, Li Fei''er started her chant, forcibly trying to expel his spirit out of Lu Anqi''s body. The spirit must have noticed what was happening, and he started to resist getting pulled away from the mortal body he possessed.


    "No! No! No! I don''t want to be a ghost again! I need to kill that man before I perish in this world!" He screamed, but it came through as the voice of a young woman.


    Lu Anqi''s whole body shook, and it fell on its knees as Li Fei''er continued her chant. She resisted the urge to open her eyes to see what was happening. She trusted that Shen Minyao and Mu Qing would be there to help her if something unforeseen would happen.


    The pain of separation and resistance that spread throughout Lu Anqi''s body was bing unbearable for Han Song. He wasn''t sure what was happening and why this body started to reject his control. It was as if he was being expelled from the inside as if the body knew he wasn''t the spirit it should be housing.


    As this happened, many spirits sensed the disturbance in the area and came to see what was happening. However, they couldn''t get past the barriers Mu Qing had set up earlier, forbidding them toe close to where Lu Anqi''s body and spirit were.


    ''The other spirits are here. I also sense lower-ranking demons in the area,'' Mu Qing told Shen Minyao through telepathy.


    ''Leave them to Baiyu.'' As she said this, Shen Minyao gave her next order to the white snake demon.


    ''As you wish, Mdy.''


    Baiyu returned to his humanoid form, revealing a young boy with silvery-white hair and icy blue eyes. He left without a word as he went outside the barrier to deal with the pesky demons that were nning to disturb his mistress and her group''s work for the night.


    Despite the fact that it was a chilly night, Li Fei''er could feel herself breaking into a cold sweat. She didn''t expect the man''s willpower to be this strong, enough to resist parting with Lu Anqi''s body. She wasn''t sure how long she had been chanting, but it felt like forever, trying to repel the ghost out of it.


    However, something happened that neither she nor Shen Minyao had expected. It had only been two minutes since Baiyu left, but Han Song was freed from the spell. The spirit sprinted away from the circle.


    "After him!"


    The fox woman wasn''t able to move from her position, as her transformation had caused a slight disturbance on her soul within Shen Minyao''s body. It seemed that her human body wasn''t fully ustomed to the fox spirit inside it yet.


    Mu Qing was the one who ran after Lu Anqi''s body, and he frowned once he realized where it was heading. There was a highway on the other side of the local park. Now that the spirit was aware of their n to exorcise him from Lu Anqi''s body, Mu Qing had no doubt that he was already agitated by now. He would be harder to repel.


    When Mu Qing caught up with Lu Anqi''s body, it was about to leap on the iing car. A loud beeping sound then red in the area, disturbing the peacefulness of the night.


    Before Lu Anqi''s body could suffer an injury from being hit by a car, a hand reached out and pulled it to the side, forcing Han Song''s spirit out of the body.


    "Hey! If you''re nning tomit suicide, don''t drag innocent people into your problems!" The driver of the car yelled at them before speeding away.


    "Lu Anqi!" Jiang Chen yelled, and immediately, the young woman in her spirit form jumped out the bushes. She slowly descended to her unconscious body, while Han Song''s spirit was being held down by Mu Qing, with the tip of the grim reaper''s sword pointed on his neck.


    "You think I can''t kill you because you are a ghost? You''re mistaken. Soul collectors like me can end you right here, forbidding you to enter reincarnation." Mu Qing''s cold baritone voice reached everyone''s ears.


    Li Fei''er appeared with Shen Minyao, the young shaman helping the fox woman to stay on her feet. They were relieved to see that they were able to apprehend the spirit in time. Moreover, Lu Anqi had just returned to her body, albeit with some difficulty.


    "Not like you are going to reincarnate that easily. Considering the numerous counts of murder and rape on your record during your time as a human, it would be impossible for you to be reborn without paying for the consequences of your crimes," The grim reaper continued, earning a gasp from Li Fei''er. Shen Minyao''s eyes even narrowed at Jiang Chen for daring not to mention how dangerous this ghost could have been.


    However, instead of exining himself, Jiang Chen threw the expensive luxury watch at Shen Minyao''s feet, giving her a knowing look. He wanted her to kill Han Song''s spirit for good. He wanted to deny the spirit the chance of being reborn.


    Shen Minyao snapped her thumb and forefinger together, not daring to break her gaze with Jiang Chen. Immediately, her fox fire appeared, burning the luxury watch in the process. By then, Han Song''s spirit wailed in pain as he felt like he was burning along with his possession.


    This continued until the watch was burned beyond recognition and that Han Song''s spirit dissipated into the thin air. Now that the spirit had been dealt with, they needed to make sure that Lu Anqi managed to safely return to her body.


    When Lu Anqi didn''t make a move while in Jiang Chen''s arms, Li Fei''er wondered if Lu Anqi''s body was rejecting her now. After all, it had been more than twenty-four hours since she was out of her body. Should this be happening?


    "Is she alright?" Li Fei''er asked Jiang Chen.


    "Her spirit is slowly stabilizing inside her body. It might take some time," Jiang Chen said as he stood up with the unconscious Lu Anqi in his arms.


    "I cannot thank you enough for looking after and helping her. In the future, if there''s something I can help you with, I will return this favor," he told the trio.


    Li Fei''er waved a hand and smiled awkwardly.


    "Mr. Jiang shouldn''t take this too seriously. I helped Xiao Qi because she''s my friend, and I cannot ignore someone who needs my help."


    Jiang Chen nced at Shen Minyao, who remained silent. However, seeing her eyes were enough for him to know what she was thinking.


    Would she be willing to tell him her secrets from the past by then?


    Humans were the ones who recorded the past events centuries ago. They were the same people who painted her as the infamous bloodthirsty demoness that caused one of the old kingdoms to perish from this world. However, Jiang Chen knew that a coin would always have two sides. What the humans had written must be far different from the fox woman''s version.


    Lu Anqi then softly groaned in pain in his arms, pulling him out of his deep thoughts.


    "I will be taking her to the hospital. Miss Li, Miss Shen, perhaps you should go home for now. Let''s meetter when Lu Anqi regains consciousness," he told the two young women. Only the two of them¡­ as he wasn''t certain about the grim reaper apanying them at the moment.


    Jiang Chen couldn''t help but think that Shen Minyao had such an oddpany with her, despite her being a powerful demon.


    Li Fei''er yawned behind her hand and rubbed her eye, reminding her of howte the night was.


    "Sounds like a n, but Dad would skin me alive if I go home thiste," she muttered.


    "Stay and sleep in my ce for now, then," Shen Minyao suggested.

 Chapter 215 - The Young Miss Su (1)

    Chapter 215 ¨C The Young Miss Su (1)


    Shen Minyao sneaked into her room at the dormitory where she was staying, along with Li Fei''er and Mu Qing.


    Because she shared the room with no one, it lookedrger than the other rooms upied by other students. Not only did it give the fox woman some privacy, but it also became her hiding ce. She was so cooped up in here that others grew curious why she was not going home to the Shen family.


    "Wow. Your ce is really nice. It makes my room feel like a shoebox." Li Fei''er gave the room a quick nce, seeing several books neatly stacked in a small bookshelf to her left. She also saw a small dresser housing Shen Minyao''s school uniforms and casual wear.


    On her right, there was a bed with ck and gray pillows and aforter. A study table could be found next to it, where Li Fei''er saw a few notebooks and aptop on top of it. Shen Minyao even had an ensuite bathroom connected to her room, so she wouldn''t have to use the public one.


    Well, it wasn''t surprising. The Shen family could afford to give Shen Minyao such a room, anyway, Li Fei''er thought. She would have done the same thing if her home was far from their school.


    "Go to bed and sleep. I supposed you already informed your father that you are here." She heard Shen Minyao say, the fox woman dropping her school bag at the stool at the corner. She then went to wash her hands and face in the bathroom.


    "I already did before we arrived," Li Fei''er answered, knowing that Shen Minyao could hear her clearly, despite them being in different rooms.


    She flopped on Shen Minyao''s bed and immediately felt her sleepiness returning at full force. She intended to rest her eyes only for a moment, but she ended up snoozing on Shen Minyao''s bed just as fast.


    When the fox woman returned, she raised a slender brow upon seeing Li Fei''er sleeping on her bed. Moreover, Mu Qing had taken his usual spot next to her windowsill. She just tucked Li Fei''er and allowed Baiyu to sleep next to her under the nkets before she dimmed the light inside her room.


    Being left with Mu Qing, Shen Minyao decided to do her nightly routine and ignored the grim reaper, who had been acting like her bodyguard-sh-captor that had been apanying her for some time now. She just finished doing her skincare when his voice rang.


    "Will you really tell Mr. Jiang what happened to your past life as a human?" Mu Qing''s question came unexpectedly, taking Shen Minyao''s attention away from her phone.


    She lifted her gaze and cocked her head to one side. Why was everyone eager to know her past, anyway?


    "Who knows. I''m not really sure what Jiang Chen wanted to know," she replied.


    "Why did you end up possessing Su Daji''s body, anyway?" Mu Qing asked.


    The fox woman''s lips curled into a slight smile as she looked at Mu Qing.


    "Oh? I didn''t know Lord Hell had been growing curious about my origin all this time." She grinned at him.


    "I''m merely curious¡­ because not many demons like you and Lord Qin can possess a human and live amongst them."


    The fox woman remained silent. No matter how many centuries had passed, the scenes of how she met the young Su Daji were still clear in her memory.


    The days when she and her older brother lived as fox spirits felt too long ago and were almost forgotten. She had been spending centuries in the wilderness by watching humans from afar¡­ before she met the real Su Daji for the first time.


    She was hunting that certain winter day. The snow on the ground had grown thick, while the humans were inside their dwellings, keeping themselves warm from the harsh weather outside. She had identally hurt herself when the youngdy of the Su family came into her view.


    Su Daji was only thirteen at that time, and her father was still governing the province that they had for ten years. Despite her young age, she already promised great beauty in the future. It was no wonder that yearster, many men would fall under her charm without her knowing. She would even pique the attention of the prince invading their neighboringnds.


    "Miss, it''s a fox. Don''t touch it!" The maidservant of the young woman said in a worried voice. They then tried to keep a distance from a white fox that had one of her paws caught in a trap, her wound dripping with blood.


    "Nonsense." The young woman pulled her silk handkerchief and slowly reached the injured fox. "Whether it''s a wild animal or not, it''s injured and in need of help."


    She then knelt down and extended a hand, but the fox bared her sharp fangs towards the girl. She was clearly in pain and yet agitated upon being faced with a young human.


    "It''s alright. I''m here to release you. You don''t need to worry," Young Su Daji said with a gentle smile, her eyes bright as she looked at the white fox.


    The white fox retracted her hostility and looked at the young girl with curiosity. She allowed the young girl to release her foot from the trap, watching as the girl easily dislodged the metal trap using a dagger she had in her hand.


    The Su province had been on the defensive for years due to the invaders. It wasn''t surprising to know that a girl her age was versed in these as if she had grown up on a battlefield.


    "See. I would have released you earlier if only you''d calmed down sooner." Su Daji''s voice was warm and gentle, in contrast to the harsh, frigid weather around them. She treated and wrapped the white fox''s wound, even allowing the fox to stay in her private courtyard at the resthouse.


    Even when the white fox had recovered, she remained by Su Daji''s side. Some thought that Su Daji had taken her in as a pet, but the young woman never treated the fox as an animal nor as a pet. Su Daji would always be found talking to the wild white fox with respect as if it could understand what she was saying.


    "What are you talking about? The white fox is an intelligent creature. You just assumed it doesn''t understand, but it does." Su Daji smiled at her maidservants, while the fox stared at the full moon above the darkened sky.


    The white fox had always been watching her, whether she was on the training grounds practicing her sword or rxing on her courtyard, eating the best fruit of the season. The two had been inseparable since then.


    At first, her maidservants were wary of the fox, as they deemed her dangerous for their young miss. However, there was one time that the white fox repaid the favor Su Daji had given her. She saved the girl from a group of bandits nning to abduct her to force her father to surrender.


    This effectively changed others'' views towards the white fox, letting them grow fonder of her than usual. They started to get used to the fox''s presence next to Su Daji and viewed the fox as her guardian that protected her from harm.


    As Su Daji grew up, it was usual to spot her with a white fox apanying her anywhere she went. Sometimes, the white fox would disappear, leaving Su Daji''s side. However, she would alwayse back before dawn.


    "Did you meet your friends?" Su Daji would tease the white fox, leaving a te of meat jerky for the fox. It remained untouched in her presence but would disappear in the middle of the night.


    The fox would only huff and rest her muzzle on her front legs as she took a short nap, ignoring the young woman''s question. It had been like this for a long time¡­ until the invaders reached the border of the Su province, forcing Su Daji''s adoptive brother, Jiang Mo, to leave to defend it with his troops.


    The fox who had been watching Su Daji for years was aware that the young woman was in love with her brother, something that many humans would find taboo between them. From the looks of it, the young, dashing man was oblivious of the feelings his little sister harbored for him.


    His departure had caused turbulence within the Su household and had put the by-then sixteen-year-old Su Daji in depression. She would sit alone in the training room of their estate, doing nothing but to stare at the inscription of their family name hanging up at the small altar.


    "Miss, we have to prepare." One of her maidservants came with a worried expression on her face.. It wasn''t a secret that the battle on the borders was fierce, and Jiang Mo would need a miracle toe back alive.

 Chapter 216 - The Young Miss Su (2)

    Chapter 216 ¨C The Young Miss Su (2)


    Regardless of what was happening in the province''s borders, Su Daji was more concerned about the safety of her father and her adoptive brother. She knew that even if she wanted to follow them to the battlefield, she would only inconvenience them with her unnecessary presence. She also couldn''t abandon their people who sought refuge to get away from the impending bloody war should the borders get breached.


    Su Daji did her responsibilities to their estate, making sure that their people were provided with their basic needs such as temporary shelter and food. Still, the white fox remained by her side, apanying the youngdy wherever she went.


    The threat of war and invasion had made life harder for the people in Su province. It also didn''t help that the people at the capital were torn between the battle for the inheritance of the golden throne, which left the other provinces to fend for themselves.


    "Miss, you have to slow down. You''ve been on the road even before the sun rose." Su Daji''s maidservant followed after her in a hurry.


    "We can''t slow down now. Many people are waiting for us." The youngdy insisted, snugging her coat tighter around her. The temperature outside continued to plummet down, and so she was left to fend it off, despite her chattering teeth.


    The white fox remained calm next to her, watching the young woman tend to the sick elderly. She also entertained young children missing their fathers and brothers that joined the troops to defend their homnd from the invaders.


    Weeks turned into months, and Su Daji continued living like this. She worked to keep herself busy, so she would forget her worries about her absent father and her dear brother. Another year passed, and the Young Miss Su eventually fell sick from the rigorous routine she''d done in the past months.


    "I knew this would happen." One of her maidservants dipped the washcloth in the basin with water and wiped Su Daji''s forehead, hoping that her fever would subside soon.


    "Calm down. You know our Miss''s circumstances. It''s not like she can just sulk here at home while waiting for her family toe home," another one replied, taking the basin to rece the water in it.


    Their young miss had been running a fever for at least three days straight now. Moreover, the doctor had deemed that Su Daji had overworked herself to the point of taking a toll on her body. She had also terribly thinned down over time. After all, she always missed having her meals on time, in favor of preparing the needs of their constituents that were under her care.


    "Should we write to the master about her condition, then?"


    "No. Let''s wait and see if her condition will get better. The doctor prescribed some tonics and medicines she needs to take on time, but I fear that we wouldn''t be able to gather the medicinal herbs in this harsh weather."


    The white fox had been listening to the conversation. She then nced at the young woman heaving for breath because of her high fever.


    That night, the white fox left the youngdy''s side and disappeared, leaving the maidservants wondering where she went this time. The snowstorm had gotten stronger than what they had in the past days, and it was hard to see around in this unfavorable weather.


    However, the next morning, Su Daji''s maidservants were shocked when they found the white fox curled up next to their miss. With her were the medicinal herbs that they''d been talking about yesterday, piled on top of the table inside theirdy''s room.


    "I can now brew Miss''s medicine! This is amazing!"


    "Miss is right all this time. The white fox really is a smart creature."


    The maidservants continued to hold the white fox in higher regard, asionally leaving meat jerky for her to snack on. However, she was not to be watched or convinced to eat, ording to Su Daji''s instructions earlier.


    After the medicine had been brewed and given to Su Daji, her condition grew better. Her fever finally subsided, much to her maidservants'' relief. The doctor, however, forbade Su Daji to leave her courtyard and ordered her to recuperate without stressing herself. The young woman had no choice but to stay in bed.


    Su Daji was finally able to leave her bed after another week had passed, but not the Su Estate. She was constantly worrying about the people that were waiting for her return, but her maidservants insisted on asking her to stay home and take a rest.


    The youngdy sighed as she took a stroll around her private garden with the white fox.


    "I want to go out." She muttered, "They''ve been trying to keep me here for days now."


    She knew that they were only doing it out of concern towards her while her family was in the front lines, defending their hometown. After all, it had been more than a year since she''d seen her father and her brother.


    Even though she had the chance to talk to them through a correspondence of letters, it wasn''t enough for her.


    "Do you think they wille home soon?" She asked the white fox. However, as expected, the fox only gave her a cold look before looking away, as if telling her that she was foolish for even daring to ask a fox such a question.


    "Right. They won''t be home for much longer." Su Daji sighed for the umpteenth time that day. There was no assurance when her father and Jiang Mo would return home, considering how bad and long the war had be since their departure.


    However, each day, Su Daji was on the edge, hoping that she wouldn''t receive bad news about her family. She dreaded that a day woulde when she would receive the news of their deaths. Such a thing would surely put everyone in a more helpless state than they already were.


    "I should calm down. The war took longer than expected, but at least, they are fine."


    Thest she heard from them was that Jiang Mo decided to separate from her father''s troop. He led his own to protect the small vige next to the mountain range that the enemies could use to infiltrate theirnd. Since then, she hadn''t heard anything directly from him, which made her worry with each passing day.


    As her health finally improved, the weather also grew favorable for the citizens of theirnd. They could now work on cleaning the roads to allow easy travel for merchants and delegates from the capital, who were about to pay tribute to Su Daji as her father''s representative.


    At the age of seventeen, Su Daji''s beauty became renowned, and news of it was quickly spread throughout thends. Many young men and lords went to seek her hand for marriage, but she continued to decline their proposals through the excuse that she was waiting for her father and her brother''s return from the war first.


    "She''s already seventeen and yet unmarried. Soon, no matter how beautiful she is, it will fade over time. Moreover, great men like us would prefer a youngerdy''s hand for marriage."


    As some people mocked the Young Miss Su, the white fox would bare her sharp fangs, snarling towards the repulsive suitors whom Su Daji had turned down. Even her maidservants shot them a disgusted look as the maidservants deemed those men unworthy of their young miss.


    "Even if Young Miss grows older, she will only be more beautiful than the others!"


    "En! They are spouting nonsense. In front of our miss, they dare to say sweet words and promise her the world, but once she turns her back, they''ll be running their mouths, trying to ruin our miss''s reputation!"


    Su Daji only smiled while her maidservants voiced out their opinions over the suitors she declined. She couldn''t tell them that the reason why she wasn''t willing to marry anyone¡­ was that her heart had already been stolen by her adoptive brother.


    She knew it was wrong, and yet how could one teach their own heart to unlove the person it chose a long time ago? It didn''t matter to Su Daji if she grew old without a husband¡­ as she was willing to spend the rest of her life on her own while serving the people who needed her help.


    The white fox''s bright amber eyes looked at Su Daji with curiosity, as if she knew what the young woman was thinking at that very moment. As the young woman met her curious gaze, Su Daji gave the fox a warm smile before resting her chin on top of the fox''s head, soon wounding her arms around the fox''s fluffy neck.


    "You must be thinking about how pathetic I am, aren''t you?" She whispered next to the fox''s pristine white fur, her tone filled with sadness.. "Sadly, I couldn''t force myself to forget about him¡­ no matter how hard I try."

 Chapter 217 - You Will Be Mine, Milady (1)

    Chapter 217 ¨C You Will Be Mine, Mdy (1)


    Finally, the news about Jiang Mo sessfully defending the northern part of the Su province started to spread around. Many people hailed him as a hero, singing praises about him.


    Still, Su Daji knew that the news about her family''s arrival was impossible at the moment.


    As she looked at the full moon overhead from her quarters, she wondered how much longer she would need to wait until she could see her family whole again.


    "Miss, it''s alreadyte, and it''s freezing cold." Su Daji''s attendant came to her, feeling the cool breeze that blew past their figures.


    Autumn was almost there, turning the weather colder for each passing day. It made the people of the Su province think that spring and summer hade and gone too fast for their liking.


    Su Daji nodded and followed her attendant back inside her quarters. She took a seat on the couch, with the white fox curled next to her. She then picked up a book she was reading earlier, while her maidservant poured her a cup of newly brewed tea.


    Ever since she recovered from her illness, her attendants made sure that she wouldn''t stay outside for too long. They also gave reminders for her to have her meals on time, so she wouldn''t fall sick under their watch again.


    Bai Ting, one of Su Daji''s attendants, nced at her youngdy, wondering if her miss was alright. She had been serving her youngdy for about five years, and she noticed that Su Daji had been on her own for so long. Su Daji had been keeping her silence ever since her father and her adopted brother went to the borders.


    She apanied Su Daji for another hour, not moving in her ce. When she realized that Su Daji wasn''t nning to retire for the night, Bai Ting voiced her concern.


    "Miss, it seems that the time is no longer early, and we are expected to pay a visit to the pavilion tomorrow. It would be best to rest early."


    Su Daji shook her head. She already expected that this would be another sleepless night for her.


    "Go ahead and rest first, Bai Ting. I will read until I finish this book."


    It''s just that¡­ how could Bai Ting leave her youngdy unattended? Obviously, until Su Daji decided she had enough for the night, the attendant needed to stay in her ce. She couldn''t refute her young miss''s word norin about howte it had be.


    The white fox cracked her eyes open, ncing at Su Daji''s face and then at Bai Ting, who was standing next to the doorway. The scent of anxietying from Su Daji was too strong these days.


    Another week passed, and Su Daji received a letter that came from her father, informing her that Jiang Mo needed supplies and medicinal herbs for his troop. Her father requested that she would make time to travel and assist her brother at such a crucial juncture to keep the bandits away from the vige.


    Immediately, Su Daji arranged for their journey to the North to deliver the supplies Jiang Mo required. She wasn''t sure what she should expect from their meeting, as it had been over a year since they''d seen each other.


    "I will be gone for months." Su Daji told the white fox, "Would you like to join me on my travels?"


    The white fox stared at thedy with her clear amber eyes and nodded. They had been together¡ªapanying each other¡ªfor years now. Even if the fox couldn''t respond to her words, Su Daji understood the wild fox better than anyone.


    The white fox was like her guardian, her best friend to listen to her and a shoulder she could lean on while her family wasn''t around. The young Su Daji would seek the fox''spany whenever she wanted to be left on her own, leaving her attendants behind.


    As the two made their way up North, they witnessed the effects the war had left on the other part of the province. Su Daji regretted being incapable of doing anything to help.


    When they reached the vige where Jiang Mo and his troop were temporarily staying, Su Daji and herpanions had already spent six weeks on the road. They were then weed by the deputymander of the troop and led to the shelter where they would be staying.


    "Lady Su, forgive themander if he couldn''t meet you today. He''s doing an inspection at the mountain," he said as hisrades helped to unload the luggage and the supplies thedy brought with them.


    The man was startled when he saw a huge white fox apanying the Young Miss Su. He had never seen a fox as huge as this. He had no doubt that it could easily kill a human with its sharp fangs and huge ws.


    Seeing his hesitation towards herpanion, Su Daji smiled. It wasn''t the first time she''d seen someone being wary of the white fox next to her.


    "It''s alright. She won''t hurt you as long as she deems that you aren''t posing a danger to us," she assured him.


    "Alright. Please follow us." The man gave the white fox onest look and decided to ignore it. If Su Daji said that it was fine, then they only needed to keep their distance from the wild fox.


    Unlike the other young misses with the same status as Su Daji, she had gotten used to the ways of the soldiers on the battlefield and knew that she had no right to criticize their nomadic ways. As she helped her people to settle down and prepare dinner for the troops when the sun started to set, Su Daji only hoped that she could see her brother in good condition.


    s, she had waited for nothing as midnight approached. It was clear that Jiang Mo wouldn''t be back until dawn or early in the morning.


    "Let''s go and clean up. We should retire early for the night," Su Daji told her maidservants, and she passed the food she reserved for her brother. She wasn''t sure what time he would be back, but she found it odd. He knew she wasing, but why would he leave at thest minute?


    Morning soon came, and Su Daji only managed to catch up on a few hours of sleepst night. Her thoughts were filled with worry about her brother and her father, whom she was yearning to see for some time now.


    Although they regrly wrote to each other, it wasn''t enough for Su Daji who had gotten used to growing up with them by her side. She longed to see them and to be with them, and this war was the longest time they hadn''t seen one another.


    It took Jiang Mo three days toe back. The moment Su Daji heard the news, she hurriedly asked Bai Ting to dress her up and fix her hair as she intended to meet him that night. She hurriedly picked up the basket filled with foods and medicines she prepared for him and left her shelter, with the white fox stretching her legs before following after Su Daji shortly.


    However, even before Su Daji could announce her arrival, she was caught rooted in her ce. She had heard the voice of a woman from inside her brother''s tent. They were talking in low voices, but as Su Daji listened to their conversation, she realized they were close to each other, almost intimate.


    Her eyes were stung with tears, hands tightening at the handle of the woven basket she was holding. She knew that her feelings for him weren''t right, and yet being faced with the reality that he could never be hers¡­ was heart-wrenching for the youngdy.


    A man came and saw Su Daji standing right outside theirmander''s tent. After realizing who she was, he greeted her.


    Su Daji blinked her tears away and smiled politely at her brother''s subordinate.


    "Brother Mo must be tired from his long journey. Would it be alright if I ask the esteemed brother to deliver this food basket on my behalf?"


    "Mdy, you''ve been waiting for themander for days now. Aren''t you going to go inside and meet him?"


    Su Daji shook her head, keeping the smile on her face to hide the pain in her heart.


    "No. Not now. Perhaps tomorrow, when my brother gets a good rest tonight," she replied before passing the basket to the man, leaving in a hurry.


    The man only scratched his head and left.


    As Su Daji went back to her temporary shelter, there was a slight change in the white fox.


    ''Such an odd woman. She knows that her feelings cannot be, and yet she couldn''t let him go,'' the fox thought as she looked up at the darkened sky. She then squinted, looking at the distance.


    A strong scent of death was approaching.

 Chapter 218 - You Will Be Mine, Milady (2)

    Chapter 218 ¨C You Will Be Mine, Mdy (2)


    Whether it was a premonition or someone with such a strong murderous intent was approaching, the white fox wasn''t sure. Although she had lived for centuries and despite her huge form that wasrger than any normal fox, the white fox could still be considered a young cub by her n. Her experience wascking.


    There weren''t many fox demons living in this world, and it could be said that their poption was dwindlingpared to the other demons. The young fox was sure that her elder brother must have been looking for her everywhere by now. However, if Qin Zhi was smart enough, she supposed that the young man had already heard the rumors about the Young Miss Su having a rare white fox as herpanion.


    She ignored Su Daji''s weeping and went deep into the forest, intending to hunt for something to eat. Ever since they left the Su household, the fox would asionally leave at night once she deemed that Su Daji was safe.


    As to why she decided to stick with the young woman, it was merely her curiosity about this human that piqued her interest. Su Daji''s scent was very pleasing,pared to the other humans the white fox had encountered in her long life.


    Unlike other young misses of her status, the youngdy didn''t emit such a nauseous scent of greed and jealousy. The young woman had the light smell of the delicate fragrance of a flower. Just like herself, both were pure and untainted, making one want to protect her at all costs. It was as if she was born with a natural air of gracefulness and gentleness that could move one''s heart, even that of a demon.


    Su Daji didn''t speak flowery words to gain favors and approval from others. In fact, if the white fox would be blunt, she would say that the youngdy''s soul was pure¡­ except for the feelings she harbored towards her brother.


    The white fox had seen and encountered thousands of humans before, but not one human managed to keep her calm and not disgusted, except Su Daji. It was then that the fox decided to stay close to the young woman.


    Compared to her long life, that of Lady Su was fleeting like a chrysanthemum flower, so spending some years with her didn''t sound so bad for the white fox at all. She wanted to see how long her curiosity would be piqued by this young woman.


    Would there be a day that Su Daji''s soul would be tainted? The white fox wondered.


    And so, she decided to wait and see the end of Su Daji''s life with her own eyes. Whether Su Daji remained untainted or not, the white fox wouldn''t miss it.


    As the fox hunted deep in the mountains, Su Daji had sneaked out of their camp in an attempt to take a stroll and clear her mind. There weren''t enough people to guard the camp, so she was able to sneak away, with the intention of going back as soon as she calmed herself. However, she wandered around aimlessly without any particr means to mark the path she took.


    When she came to and couldn''t recognize the sight before her anymore, the Young Miss Su started to panic. It was only when she realized that she might have strolled too far from the camp did she decide to retrace her steps in futility.


    The weather of the northern part of the Su province was harsher than what they had back at home. Su Daji was sure that she hadn''t walked that long, but the snow had already buried the footsteps she made. She continued to look around, hoping to find a hint that could lead her back to the camp.


    However, she reached a clear spot that she couldn''t recognize at all. There, she met a man in a ck and white robe and had two swords tied on his side. The lower part of his face was concealed, but his dark obsidian eyes were limitless, staring coldly at Su Daji''s form.


    "W-who are you?" The young woman asked as she clutched her coat, seeking warmth from the coldness that struck her.


    The man didn''t reply but stepped forward, invading Su Daji''s private space. He harshly grabbed her chin and turned her head sideways as if he was scrutinizing her like a precious gem.


    "Who would have thought that Minister Su would have such great beauty as his daughter?" He spoke his mind, which immediately made a cold shiver run down Su Daji''s spine. Despite their proximity, she couldn''t feel any warmth from this person at all.


    This man knew her and her father. Would this mean that he was an enemy of the other party? However, what was he doing here? Who was he?


    The mysterious man was almost as tall as Jiang Mo and shared a simr build with him, but one could easily sense a bloodthirsty auraing from this man. His mere presence could almost choke Su Daji, her legs trembling in fear.


    She shouldn''t have left the camp on her own, especially without the aid of her friend, the white fox. If only the white fox was with her, she wouldn''t have gotten lost. She wouldn''t have encountered such a dangerous man.


    "Y-you¡­ what do you want from me?"


    "Such an interesting question, Mdy." His thumb ran over her pale lower lip, his eyes hooded as he admired her otherworldly beauty. "Even the most beautiful flower in the capital couldn''t bepared to you."


    Su Daji didn''t know what he meant by that, but what she knew was that he desired her like the rest of the men who previously sought her for marriage. She wanted to scream and run away, but her body refused to move even by an inch.


    "Brother Mo, please save me.'' She prayed in her heart, but she doubted that Jiang Mo was aware that she was missing by now. He must be so preupied and busy with his femalepanion that he had forgotten about her presence at his own camp.


    "Who are you?" She asked in a low, trembling voice.


    The man chuckled as the calloused pads of his fingertips touched her smooth cheek.


    "I''m known as Prince Rui. You might have heard about me, Mdy."


    Su Daji gasped. Of course, she had. How could she not hear about the leader of the invaders that her province''s defenders were trying to resist?


    Xuan Yanrui¡­ wasmonly known as Prince Rui, the ninth prince.


    Three men dressed in the same fashion appeared behind the man, and they looked at Su Daji with curiosity.


    "Master, should we hold her hostage?" One of them asked.


    "No. There''s no need for that. After being in a stalemate with Minister Su and Jiang Mo, I think I found a better one than the Su province," the man said with such a baritone voice with a dangerous note.


    The three looked at one another, baffled as to why their master suddenly changed his mind. Of course, they knew how valuable Su Daji was for Minister Su and Jiang Mo. Their troop was having a hard time exterminating Jiang Mo as he was too strong for the men they previously sent to kill the man.


    Although Jiang Mo was only twenty years old, he already managed to make a name for himself. Many knew that his civil and military skills were good as if he was innate with it. He had led a troop of his own, and despite their small numbers, they were able to secure their win.


    If this persisted, Jiang Mo would be a huge thorn on Xuan Yanrui''s side. The three believed that one must nip the bud before it could bloom.


    "Master, please exin, this lowly servant doesn''t understand."


    "The fate of the Su province and its constituents will be decided by Lady Su," the mysterious man answered, lowering his mask to allow Su Daji to have a look at his face.


    Su Daji could see that this man was in his early twenties, and although he was handsome, she couldn''t help but feel his oppressive eyes on her. It was like her instincts were telling her that this man was bad news, and he was up to no good.


    "W-what?" She gasped in shock.


    "Lady Su has had enough of this war and bloodshed, right? If you surrender yourself to me and be my woman, I would leave yournds alone. You wouldn''t have to worry about innocent lives being lost on the battlefield¡­ so long as you are willing to take a step forward and give yourself to me."


    Su Daji''s mind went nk.


    However, as soon as the mysterious man said these words, a low but threatening growl of an animal resounded in the area. The three men that were apanying Xuan Yanrui entered their stances.


    The prince released Su Daji as his eyes caught a huge white fox with glowing eyes, leaping out of nowhere.

 Chapter 219 - You Will Be Mine, Milady (3)

    Chapter 219 ¨C You Will Be Mine, Mdy (3)


    "Master!" One of Xuan Yanrui''s guards stepped forward to protect him from the huge white fox. They had never seen such a majestic creature in the past. They thought that the rumors about Young Miss Su having a wild fox as a pet were an understatement. None of them mentioned how huge and vicious the fox was.


    Even if the three of them came to Prince Rui''s defense, there was no telling if they coulde back alive after fighting such a ferocious beast. At this, the three guards even shuddered as the fox revealed its sharp, long fangs to them.


    The moment Su Daji saw the white fox, she hurriedly ran towards her protector and wrapped her arm around the neck, avoiding Xuan Yanrui''s curious gaze. She would rather be in the fox''spany than stay with these humans who wanted nothing but to terrorize her. After all, she could still feel Prince Rui''s gaze boring into her.


    Xuan Yanrui merely chuckled and raised his hand, gesturing his guards to lower their swords. The fox was just trying to protect Su Daji. If they didn''ty a hand on the young woman, he was certain that the fox wouldn''t attack them blindly.


    "There''s no need for Lady Su to witness violence tonight. I know, more than anyone else, how she loves and cares for her people. Yet, it was surprising to know that she had this wild side to her¡­ keeping a fox as her pet."


    Su Daji raised her head and red furiously at Xuan Yanrui. This fox was her guardian, herpanion. Such a regal and magnificent creature couldn''t be anyone''s pet! She hated when people thought lowly of this white fox.


    "Calm down, Mdy. There''s no use in being angry right now. However, I suggest that you consider my proposition. Unless, of course, Lady Su doesn''t mind more people losing their lives because of her," Xuan Yanrui said with amusement.


    "But¡­ why me?" Su Daji asked in a trembling voice. She had never thought that being a woman with such an exceptional beauty would put her in this precarious situation, where the lives of her loved ones and constituents would depend on her decision.


    "Why not?" The ninth prince countered. "Although it''s impossible for me to crown you as my empress, your ce as my noble imperial consort is secured."


    Damn that title! She didn''t need it at all!


    Who cared about that title? She didn''t have the intention of bing his woman at all!


    Su Daji was miserably in love with her Brother Mo. Ever since she realized that, she had decided to spend the rest of her days in a monastery once she had served her purpose to her family. She wasn''t nning on bing someone''s wife, especially to one as violent and deadly as the ninth prince!


    "I would rather die than to be your woman!"


    The smile on Xuan Yanrui''s face vanished. His eyes were then filled with such coldness that promised death. However¡­


    "Unfortunately, death is not an option for you, Mdy. You should really give it a good thought," he replied, his cold, dark eyes never leaving hers. "Else, you might receive packages in the future¡­ ones that contain your father''s and your brother''s heads."


    Su Daji shivered hard, but not from the coldness of the night¡­ but from his warning. He was clearly giving her a warning that she couldn''t have an easy way out now that he had seen her.


    She bit her lower lip and said no more.


    With the white fox next to her, Su Daji was sure that these people wouldn''t dare toy a hand on her¡­ kidnap her. Still, she could not lower her guard, just in case they decided to do something to harm her and the fox.


    "I''ll give you a month to decide, Lady Su. I suggest you not to waste your time trying to escape me. No matter where you hide, I will surely find you¡­" were Xuan Yanrui''s parting words before he disappeared with his guards soundlessly, leaving the trembling young woman next to the huge fox.


    The fox calmed down and gave her a quick sniff, trying to see if she had sustained any injuries. Fortunately, there were none. However, the fox''s nose slightly scrunched as she detected a curse on the left side of Su Daji''s neck.


    The ninth prince had marked the young woman. No wonder he was confident that he would be able to find Su Daji anywhere she went. The fox knew that some humans could use ck magic, but she had never assumed that a prince was associated with a person capable of doing it.


    ''Must be one of his people,'' the fox thought before nudging Su Daji to stand up for them to start making their way back to the camp.


    Su Daji forced herself to stand up, and with the fox''s assistance, she managed to return to the camp without encountering any problem. She must have been gone for at least a shichen now.


    "I was sure that I didn''t walk too far from the camp, so how did I end up on that clearing?" she muttered as she realized how close the camp was from where she encountered the ninth prince and his bodyguards.


    The fox grunted as she sensed a spell that had just recently dissipated. That prince must have been waiting for a chance to infiltrate the camp, not expecting Su Daji toe out on her own without even bringing a guard with her.


    When they reached the camp, a man in his early twenties ran towards them, pulling Su Daji in a tight hug. Following him were Su Daji''s maidservants, who had been frantically looking for her when she didn''t return from her stroll.


    "I heard that you went missing. Where have you gone?" The voice of the man had a hint of worry on it. This man¡­ he was Jiang Mo, Su Daji''s adoptive brother.


    Unlike other noblemen whom Su Daji had seen and met before, Jiang Mo preferred to keep his midnight hair short. It had been trimmed during one of his sparrings with Su Daji before he left to protect the borders.


    Su Daji was momentarily stunned, being engulfed in a hug from her brother. She shut her eyes and allowed a single tear to roll down her cheek.


    Since there was no way they could be together, at least she had a chance to save his life.


    However, if Jiang Mo and her father found out about Xuan Yanrui''s proposition, Su Daji had no doubts that it would only infuriate them. It would only make them more determined to crush their enemies with their own hands.


    "I just took a stroll for fresh air. This one didn''t intend to make everyone worry." She apologized to her brother once he released her. She avoided meeting his gaze, worried that he might be able to see past her lie.


    "I see¡­" Jiang Mo replied as he looked at her. "Don''t ever do that again. If you really need to take a stroll, bring someone with you."


    "It won''t happen again, Da Ge." Su Daji forced a smile on her face. She couldn''t tell him that she had just met Xuan Yanrui, who made a proposition to her.


    He didn''t say more to her, but he instructed her maidservants to bring her back to their tent.


    As Su Daji walked with her maidservants, Jiang Mo remained rooted to his spot, looking at her retreating figure withplex emotions in his eyes.


    Since the white fox remained, she was able to sense a disturbanceing from the young man. The fox wondered briefly if Jiang Mo was aware of the feelings Su Daji had for him and if he reciprocated them. Was it regret that she was seeing, or was it something else?


    Humans¡­ couldn''t they at least be honest about their feelings? s, she was a demon, and she couldn''t rte or have sympathy when it came to love.


    She also heard what the ninth prince told Su Daji even before she decided to show up to save the young woman. She knew Su Daji would surely consider that proposition. With the kind of emotional attachment she had with Jiang Mo and her father, it would be easy for Xuan Yanrui to force her to make such a decision, by harming either one of them.


    The white fox''s amber eyes glowed in the darkness of the night. Xuan Yanrui was forcing Su Daji to make a mistake, which would eventually taint her soul¡­ turning her into something simr to the rest of the humans.


    While it''s true that she had apanied Su Daji for years now, the fox wasn''t sure if she should intervene.. Her purpose was to stay by Su Daji''s side to see her end, but if she was to lose herself without fighting for what she wanted and what she believed in, the fox would be disappointed with her.

 Chapter 220 - Su Dajis Choice (1)

    Chapter 220 ¨C Su Daji¡¯s Choice (1)


    The following days, Su Daji remained in her tent. She had been burning with fever ever since she met the ninth prince at the clearing. Her fever refused to break, aided by the nightmares she was suffering from time to time.


    Not only her maidservants had grown worried about her condition, but also Jiang Mo. He refused to leave the camp, knowing that she was sick and unwell. No matter what kind of medicinal herb they used, it seemed to be not working against the youngdy''s sickness.


    Her fever started just one day after she went missing that night. Jiang Mo had this feeling that something happened by then that Su Daji wasn''t telling him. He found it odd that his adopted sister would keep her silence about it, considering how she used to tell him everything that worried her when they were younger.


    When Jiang Mo entered the tent, he saw how the gasmp warmly illuminated the spot where his sister was sleeping. The huge white fox curled at the foot of her bed, not leaving the ce since Su Daji had fallen sick yet again.


    As he sat next to her bed, he reced the washcloth on her forehead with a damp one. For some reason, he wondered where he went wrong. They hadn''t seen nor talked to each other for almost one and a half years, and he couldn''t me her for distancing herself from him.


    ''Perhaps this is for the better,'' Jiang Mo told himself as he looked at Su Daji''s reddened face.


    He thought that since the fox had been apanying his sister for years now, Daji must have confided something in her. s, even if his sister did, there was no way this fox would be able to share that knowledge with him.


    He and Su Daji weren''t blood-rted. In fact, his real parents were retainers of the Su family. When he was five, his parents were killed in an ambush. Since then, Minister Su took it upon himself to raise Jiang Mo like his own son.


    A yearter, Su Daji was born, but Su Furen tragically lost her life due to theplications of childbirth. It broke the heart of Minister Su, but he instantly fell in love with how beautiful the child was.


    Because Minister Su hadn''t taken in any concubines nor remarried, it was only natural that everyone in the household treated Su Daji like a treasure. From delicious food to clothes and even education, her father would only want to provide the best for her.


    While Su Daji was growing up, Jiang Mo could only watch from the sidelines. Although Minister Su was raising Jiang Mo like his own child, it still wouldn''t change the fact that the boy was a stranger to the Su family.


    When he heard that the little miss was born, he became curious. However, he didn''t dare to see the girl. Instead, he spent most of his time helping Minister Su''s manservant with mundane work.


    Every time that there was an asion at the Su household, Jiang Mo would rather choose to stay inside his quarters, refusing to meet anyone. Ever since his parents'' death, he had grown suspicious of the adults he encountered, except for Master Su.


    s, he could not avoid the impending meeting with their young miss. When Jiang Mo saw the child for the first time, Su Daji was already four years old, ying in the garden with her Gu Momo and her maidservants. She was the most beautiful child Jiang Mo had ever seen.


    Paired with round, clear eyes that remind him of the finest crystals, Su Daji''s pale skin was smooth and plump. She gleefully yed with her maidservants as she ran after butterflies that wandered the garden of her courtyard.


    Jiang Mo was hiding at one of the branches up above the tree, watching the young girl. When Su Daji tripped on her own foot, her eyes widened as she realized she was falling. By then, the young boy hurriedly left his hiding ce to save the girl.


    The girl''s round eyes blinked when someone held onto her. She was surprised to find another child in their household, instead of meeting the hard ground. She beamed him a bright, wide smile and then asked him to y with her.


    Because of her status, the young Su Daji didn''t have anyone to y with, except for her maidservants. She yearned for others''pany, and it was Jiang Mo who became her unwillingpanion.


    Although he was deemed to be the adoptive son of the Su family, Jiang Mo''s rtionship with Su Daji was more like a personal guard than a brother to her. Growing up, he was the one who made sure that she wouldn''t miss her sses, dragging her from thefort of her bed to the quarters where her tutors were waiting. He also ascertained that none of her ssmates in the academy would bully her when they started attending it.


    The Su province was close to two neighboring nations, so it was important to keep their military troops ready at any given moment. When she grew older, Su Daji also trained to protect herself. She learned how to wield swords and bow and arrows properly. She might not be as proficient as Jiang Mo, but it was proven that she''s way better than other young women.


    Jiang Mo found it suspicious. He''d been with her for most of her life, and yet she was having recurring nightmares about someone. She was mumbling incoherent words in her sleep. It didn''t make any sense to him.


    As he thought about this, one of his subordinates announced his presence to deliver a report.


    "Enter." Jiang Mo said, and the man stepped inside at once, refusing to nce at Su Daji''s form. He could sense that hismander was very frightened at the moment, that even a slight mistake might cause someone''s death in an instant.


    "Master, there are traces of the ninth prince''s troop on the other side of the mountain. Should we evacuate our troops and the rest of the vigers?"


    "These traces¡­ can you tell how long they have been there?" Jiang Mo asked in return. He didn''t know why, but he felt that Daji''s current condition had something to do with the ninth prince''s sudden appearance.


    "Not so recent. About five to seven days if you were to see it."


    Jiang Mo''s expression worsened upon hearing that. What were the odds that Su Daji had met Xuan Yanrui during her short walk?


    "Alright. Tell the rest that we are going to scout the mountain tomorrow morning. If Xuan Yanrui is nearby, we can''t allow him to get closer to the camp," he told his subordinate before dismissing him.


    "Daji, did he do something to you?" He asked, after a moment of silence.


    Still, the youngdy remained asleep on her bed. He really wasn''tfortable seeing Su Daji like this, even when they were younger. Su Daji rarely got sick, but when she did, it was always a serious one, leaving everyone in the Su household in great panic.


    As they grew up, his feelings towards her gradually changed until it bothered him. At first, he was in denial, but as months went by, his feelings remained. Soon, he could only be pped by the reality that they could never be.


    Society would never ept it, knowing that they grew up as siblings. He felt that he needed to prove something first before asking for her hand in marriage. Perhaps, by then, they would lead a peaceful and simple life, away from judgmental eyes.


    The fox cracked her eyes open and stared at Jiang Mo with her clear, mysterious eyes. Even if the ninth prince had done something, would he be able to save Su Daji from the further despair she was in?


    Right now, the reason for Su Daji''s sickness was the ck magic cast on her body. The longer she resisted Xuan Yanrui, the more pain she would be subjected to¡­ until she had no other choice but to surrender.


    Such an odd human, the fox thought. She had never scented any humans as wicked and vicious as the ninth prince. While Su Daji''s soul was untainted, Xuan Yanrui''s was as ck as the crows. They were the exact opposites, and the fox wondered if this was the reason why Xuan Yanrui took a liking to this young woman.


    Did he want to know how much she could take before she broke down? The fox decided to watch the events unravel in front of her eyes, not daring to lend a hand to save Su Daji. Her fate was in her own hands.


    Whether she failed or not, the fox would see the end of her.


    In the end, would Su Daji sacrifice herself, or would she and Jiang Mo find a way topletely obliterate Xuan Yanrui once and for all?

 Chapter 221 - Su Dajis Choice (2)

    Chapter 221 ¨C Su Daji¡¯s Choice (2)


    The next moment Su Daji opened her eyes, Jiang Mo had already left with a special group from his troop formed to find other traces that would lead to the ninth prince. She turned her head and noticed that the sun was already high in the sky. The white fox was also seated next to her, looking at the young woman with a nk expression on her face.


    "You must have gotten bored, looking after me. Thanking the great white fox for staying by my side," she politely spoke to the wild fox, who only cocked her head on one side. She wondered if the young woman managed to free herself from the ck magic''s hallucination.


    For the past few days that Su Daji was burning with fever, the fox could scent ck magic emitting from her body. Unless the human had a strong spiritual awareness, it would be hard for themon ones to sense that ck magic affecting the young woman.


    Bai Ting, one of her maidservants, entered her tent. The maidservant then gasped when she saw that Su Daji was awake and seated on her bed, her color looking healthierpared to the past days when she was sick.


    "Miss!" She hurriedly went and checked on Su Daji''splexion.


    "Bai Ting, I''m hungry. Can you please bring me something to eat?" Su Daji smiled at her.


    "Also, is it possible for you to draw me a bath?" She asked again, although she knew that it would be hard for her maidservants to collect water from where they were.


    "Leave it to me, Miss! I would make sure to prepare your meal and bath in no time," Bai Ting said before she hurriedly left to find the other maidservants to help her prepare Su Daji''s requests.


    Su Daji waited and enjoyed the momentary peace she was given, while the fox used her spatial awareness spell to sense if there was danger lurking nearby.


    With Jiang Mo gone from the camp, there might be a chance that enemies would infiltrate and cause trouble to everyone. It was a usual tactic that the fox had witnessed in her long life, and some humans were starting to be predictable to her.


    As for Su Daji, the fox could sense that it was only a matter of time for the youngdy. Soon, she would make a decision that would affect not only her life but those of everyone around her.


    "He only wanted to own me because of the face I have," Su Daji said in a low voice. "You know, sometimes, I wish that I wasn''t born too beautiful by human standards. No one takes my words seriously. Everyone thinks that I am merely trying to get their attention, especially young men."


    Whenever she was upset, she would impart her feelings to the white fox, knowing that it wouldn''t change anything. However, she noticed that the beast apanying her was a smart one.


    Even now, as the white fox scoffed from her words, Su Daji wondered how much this great white fox was able to understand from her.


    "If you didn''te to save me that day, I''m not sure what could have happened to me. So, allow me to thank you again for saving my life. I cannot thank you enough for all the things you''ve done for me ever since we''ve met. You don''t need to stay with me after you repay the favor I did for you the first time, but I''m really d that you are here with me."


    The young woman then beamed a smile to the white fox, one that could be as bright as the sun outside.


    The fox stared and wondered if she could get rid of the ck magic that wasing from Su Daji''s neck.


    ''You don''t need to thank me,'' the fox thought, but the youngdy heard it somehow.


    Su Daji''s eyes widened in shock. Even the fox stared nkly at the young woman as she realized that the young woman managed to hear what she had just said.


    "Y-you can speak?" Su Daji asked once she recovered from her shock. They had been together for over a year now, and this was the first time she heard the fox reply to her.


    The white fox cocked her head on one side and looked at Su Daji.


    ''No, but it seems you can hear my inner thoughts now,'' the fox replied through telepathy. She made a mental note to remind herself to be careful with her thoughts whenever Su Daji was with her.


    "Ah! Then, howe I can hear you now? I was right. You really are a smart one, great fox." The youngdy smiled again as if she wasn''t bothered that she was now talking to a huge white fox that she knew for some time now.


    "And you have these amazing marks on your body. Howe I wasn''t able to see it before?" She asked.


    Red marks had appeared on the white fox''s limbs, and its eyes seemed to be sharper and more menacing at the same time.


    The fox didn''t reply, but she supposed that the ck magic had somewhat allowed Su Daji to be sensitive to the spiritual presence around her. Moreover, because the fox was the closest to her, she had managed to connect with the beast. Su Daji could also see her demonic markings that no other humans were able to see.


    Or it could be that being subjected to ck magic had opened her ability to see and connect with the world of the unknown to the humans like her.


    Wait. This could also mean that Su Daji had be susceptible to other demons like the fox. It would be dangerous for Su Daji to leave the fox''s side and venture on her own like thest time. Who knew what could happen if she encountered a powerful demon that might take a liking to her?


    It was already problematic that she had managed to pique the ninth prince''s attention. Su Daji shouldn''t add more by attracting the other demons nearby.


    "What are you?"


    "I''m a fox spirit." The fox didn''t dare to lie about her origin.


    "A fox spirit? Wouldn''t that mean you''re a demon?"


    Su Daji had read a lot about demons and malevolent spirits during her free time at the academy. It made her wonder if spirits, such as the fox, really did exist. Now that she was facing one, she was happy to know that she was acquainted with it.


    "Then, do you have a name, great fox? I wonder if demons like you also have a name like humans."


    "Of course, we do, but a demon''s name is as important as its life. For a human to know or utter our name means we are putting our lives at stake." The fox scoffed, refusing to give her name to the youngdy.


    "But¡­ it''s only a name. Why would you put so much significance to it?" Su Daji argued.


    Since she was now able to talk with her odd friend, she wanted to know how the fox viewed her as a human.


    "A name is your identity. When you were born into the world, your parents would immediately bestow you one, but that isn''t the case for demons like us. It would take at least a century before we became conscious of our surroundings, and that could bepared to a babe who just only learned how to walk and talk. Our name is our life, and whoever human has knowledge of it¡­ we are bound to them for eternity."


    "That sounds soplicated. What should I call you, then?" Su Daji asked.


    "Whatever you like. It doesn''t matter." The fox replied, "However, since you are able to see me and talk to me like this, it also means you are prone to see others, even by ident. I have to warn you, demons are selfish and vindictive in nature. When you encounter one, you should pretend not to see nor hear it. Else, you would only attract death on your door."


    Su Daji fell silent at that. The fox had just dropped a massive amount of information on her that she was still trying toprehend. She briefly wondered if she was hallucinating or dreaming and that none of this was happening.


    "¡­so other demons would also try to seek me now? What should I do? Except for you, I don''t want to have anything to do with them. I want to lead a peaceful life. Would it be too much to ask?" She spoke after a long silence between them.


    "The ninth prince has cursed you. This might be the side effect of that."


    Su Daji turned her attention back to the fox, looking at her in disbelief.


    "What did you say? Prince Rui cursed me?" Her normalplexion nched upon the realization that she couldn''t easily avoid the man, after all.

 Chapter 222 - Su Dajis Choice (3)

    Chapter 222 ¨C Su Daji¡¯s Choice (3)


    It didn''t really ur to Su Daji that the reason why she suddenly felt sick after meeting the ninth prince was that he had cast a powerful ck magic spell on her. He knew her condition and whereabouts through this magic spell, making it easy for him to track the young woman.


    Su Daji looked at the white fox in shock, trying to see if she was lying. However, she remained calm and unmoving. Su Daji stayed quiet, only for the truth to sink into her mind. The ninth prince had really had put something on her.


    "Is there something we could do to remove it?"


    She didn''t want to be bound to the ninth prince and, in turn, cause trouble to her father and Jiang Mo.


    The fox could easily remove the curse, but she would have to suffer from some side effects upon doing it.


    "There are some possible ways, but it would be better if he removes it himself¡­ to make sure it won''t return."


    "Then¡­ what should I do?" Su Daji bit her lip.


    Even before the fox could respond, Bai Ting came back with the other two maidservants, bringing in trays with food and tonics for their youngdy.


    The food was served at the nearby table, while Bai Ting assisted her youngdy in standing up and led her to her seat.


    "Miss, please have some. We will draw your bath once you''re done with your meal," Bai Ting said as she scooped some lotus soup they had cooked earlier, which was already considered a luxury within the impoverished viges suffering because of the war.


    Su Daji smiled and thanked Bai Ting before taking her first sip, with her mind still on the conversation she had with the fox.


    When she nced at her bed, she realized that the fox had disappeared.


    "It left just now, Miss. It''s probably hungry, too. The fox hasn''t left your side since you have fallen sick," Bai Ting exined when she noticed that Su Daji was looking for her foxpanion.


    "Is that so?" She smiled slightly.


    "En, but this time, it didn''t leave to find medicinal herbs for you," Bai Ting confirmed.


    Su Daji then realized that medicinal herbs might not be able to heal her this time. She could only wait for the fox to return, so they could resume the conversation they had earlier.


    After all, it seemed that the fox knew more, and she wasn''t telling Su Daji everything.


    "Is my Brother Mo here at the camp?" Su Daji asked once she finished her meal. She wasn''t sure how many days had passed since she fell ill and hadn''t heard from her brother since then.


    Bai Ting hesitated; thus, Su Daji felt something was wrong.


    "W-where is he?" She asked again.


    Seeing that she couldn''t lie to her young miss, Bai Ting took a deep breath.


    "Young Master has left with his special group before dawn. I think they are nning to return to the mountain. I''m not sure what the reason is, though¡­ as they left in a hurry after receiving a reportst night," she exined to her young miss.


    Su Daji felt a slight panic. Something about her brother''s sudden departure made her worry. Jiang Mo could have found out about her meeting with Xuan Yanrui.


    The ninth prince was known to be infamous and merciless throughout thend. She feared that if Jiang Mo confronted Xuan Yanrui, he might lose his life in the process. She wouldn''t know what to do if that happened.


    Just remembering the ninth prince''s face made Su Daji''s heart tremble with fear. Although she was aware of how proficient her brother was, she couldn''t help but be worried that Jiang Mo would fall into Xuan Yanrui''s hands.


    Su Daji allowed her maidservants to bathe her and then dress her in a morefortable set of clean clothes. She could only patiently wait for her brother and the fox to return. Who knew what could happen at the dangerous mountain at the northern border, after all.


    Night came, and no one had caught sight of the two still. Su Daji heaved a sigh and wondered where the fox went. This was the first time she had disappeared for a whole day.


    "Miss, why don''t you return to your tent first and rest? This servant would stay here and wait for their return," Bai Ting suggested.


    Su Daji nodded and slowly stood up from where she was seated with the help of her other maidservant. However, just as they were about to leave, the sounds of galloping horses reached their ears, stopping them in their tracks.


    The youngdy hurriedly went to the entrance of the camp to see if it was her brother. The smile on her face was quickly reced by pure terror when she realized that something was wrong.


    When the thick clouds passed, the bright moonlight showed the iing figures. Instead of a military unit, it was a group of banditsing their way.


    A loud gong resounded within the camp, alerting civilians to flee for their lives and urging the remaining soldiers to fight and buy time for the others to escape.


    "Miss! We really should go now! We can''t stay here any longer!" Su Daji heard her maidservant exim before they were given their own horses to use.


    Bai Ting forcefully pushed her onto a horse and gave the reins to Su Daji.


    "Miss, run away first! This servant will hold them back for you!" Bai Ting said with a pair of solemn eyes. The young woman knew what was waiting for her if she remained at the camp.


    "Nonsense! I won''t leave you here!" Su Daji finally snapped out of her shock. She then demanded a bow and arrow from a soldier, who then passed a set to her.


    After saying so, she pulled Bai Ting up to take a seat behind her and kicked the horse''s side to make it run. The night breeze, however, felt too cold upon her skin. Su Daji started sweating again. Her fever came back in full force, startling Bai Ting.


    "Miss¡­" The maidservant whispered, but she was ignored.


    Su Daji focused on where they were going. Since they had ridden to the east, they managed to lead the other bandits away from the camp. The fewer they were, the more chances for the remaining soldiers to deal with them.


    This young miss purposely used herself as bait.


    "Bai Ting, if we lose our lives today, I have to apologize for being an ipetent mistress," Su Daji said as her grip on the reins tightened.


    "Miss is starting to talk nonsense again," Bai Ting said with teary eyes. "I hope this is just her sickness talking, not the Miss. I must be wrong to sense that she wishes to perish with this lowly servant."


    "How could that be? You''ve been serving me since I was ten, and you are the maidservant who knows me too well," Su Daji replied.


    She then nced behind her. A gasp came out as she saw that they were being chased, forcing her to make the horse run faster. She could feel Bai Ting tightening her embrace around her waist, her heart beating so fast. Their speed was too dangerous, and the maidservant realized this.


    Even if they somehow managed to escape the bandits, they might lose their lives after falling from a horse running at such a speed!


    When Su Daji had nced behind her, she saw how the bandits were gaining on them.


    A cold shiver ran down her spine. The bandits were aware of her identity, and that''s why they were chasing after her. Su Daji knew that she wouldn''t meet a good end in the hands of these bandits if they managed to catch her. She could only wish that the others managed to flee on time.


    She forced herself to calm down and stop thinking of the horrible things that could happen to her and her maidservant. The only thing she could do now was her best to at least prolong the chase. If she''s lucky, she might find a ce where she could hide with Bai Ting.


    The winds beat on her face, and her vision began to tunnel the farther they strayed from the camp. Su Daji could barely hear the gibberish noises of the bandits yelling at her, while all that she felt was the arrhythmic pounding on her head.


    Seeing that she wasn''t willing to stop, one of the bandits pulled out the bow he was carrying on his back and drew a sharp arrow from his quiver. He then notched it on the bow and aimed at Su Daji''s back.


    Bai Ting, who had just seen this, pulled her body up to shield her young miss from the arrow.


    "Miss, if this one dies tonight¡­ she regrets nothing," she said to Su Daji, allowing a tear to roll down her cheek.


    The arrow was set loose, and Bai Ting screamed in pain¡­

 Chapter 223 - Great White Fox (1)

    Chapter 223 ¨C Great White Fox (1)


    Su Daji held the reins in her hands with great difficulty. Her eyes were now brimming with tears. She just realized that her favorite maidservant had just used her own body to shield her miss from being hit by the arrow.


    It was just a wound through the left shoulder, but was her maidservant a soldier? Bai Ting was already heavily injured at this rate, and it was because of her.


    Bai Ting shut her eyes in fright. Even though she was afraid, she was still worried about her young miss more. She could only pray for the gods to protect her young miss.


    Both of them thought that this would be the end of their lives. The only sound they could hear was the galloping horses of the bandits that continued to chase after them.


    Meanwhile, back at the camp, the other soldiers indeed bought the others some time to escape.


    When Jiang Mo''s group finally returned from their survey, they could hear the sounds of shing metals ringing out loudly, immediately making them realize that enemies had infiltrated the camp.


    Jiang Mo and the rest of his subordinates grew agitated, killing the remaining bandits as fast as they could. As soon as Jiang Mo stabbed thest one with his sword, he questioned one of the badly injured soldiers.


    "Where''s Su Daji?" He demanded, his voiceced with fear and distress at the same time.


    The man cracked his eyes open and heaved a deep breath. He didn''t expect that he would survive tonight. Thankfully, theirmander returned with the elite soldiers in time. Jiang Mo''s troop was considerably smaller than others; they naturally were at a disadvantage when facing a lot of enemies.


    "S-she left the camp with one of her maidservants on a horse¡­ to the east¡­"


    Right after the soldier said those words, Jiang Mo pulled the reins of his horse and darted in the direction Su Daji took.


    By the time Jiang Mo left the camp, he grew aware of how painfully his heart was thumping against his chest. As the cold wind touched half of his face, he could only hope in his heart that he hadn''t arrived toote and that Su Daji was yet to be captured by those bandits.


    Their trip to the mountain earlier was unproductive, aside from discovering that the local bandits might have colluded with the ninth prince''s troop to invade Su province. His eyes turned cold, deep with nothingness. He gritted his teeth, his hands itching to kill every bandit he could find.


    If they dared to harm or even touch Su Daji, he would make sure they would experience what living in hell on earth felt like.


    Jiang Mo gripped his reins even tighter and whipped his poor ck horse to run faster.


    Even though he was normally calm in the middle of the battlefield, it couldn''t be said when Su Daji''s safety was involved.


    His heart was filled with worry and regret. He shouldn''t have left her to her own devices when she was sick. He would never forgive himself nor face Minister Su if something bad happened to Su Daji while she was under his care.


    If only he knew this would happen, he would have insisted for her to return home as soon as she delivered the supplies they needed. If he didn''t be a little selfish and kept Su Daji by his side, she wouldn''t be exposed to threats like this.


    Jiang Mo was more experienced than Su Daji in horseback riding. Using the fastest steed he could get, Jiang Mo caught up with the bandits, who were now only thirty meters ahead of him.


    His heart almost sank when he briefly noticed Su Daji''s maidservant bleeding from behind. Then, he saw a bandit drawing yet another arrow, aiming at Su Daji this time.


    His face nched at the thought. Jiang Mo took hisnce from his back and threw it at full force towards the bandit who wanted to harm his adoptive sister. His eyes grew filled with hatred as the strong scent of murderous intent emitted from his body.


    In the next instant, another howl of pain pierced through the peacefulness of the night. By then, the bandits realized that it came from one of them and that someone was on their tail. However, there were still eight of them, while Jiang Mo was the only one chasing after them. Moreover, two vulnerable young women were already in their sights.


    They decided to split into two groups with equal numbers. Four of them continued to chase after Su Daji, while the other half slowed down to prevent Jiang Mo from saving the youngdy. They specifically attacked tonight to catch the famous great beauty, Su Daji of the Su province, after all.


    Jiang Mo drew his brows together. Judging by their actions, he had no doubt that someone had employed these bandits to kidnap Su Daji.


    However, it didn''t matter who the mastermind was at this time. He would never allow anyone toy a hand on their precious youngdy. He drew the sword from his waist and charged forward.


    The bandits clearly knew who he was, and so they didn''t dare to underestimate him. Around the northern borders, who hadn''t heard the name Jiang Mo?


    He was a one-man army. He was versed on battle arrays, mountedbat, and tactics for both short- and long-distance engagement. If he waspared to an imperial soldier, he could already be considered a high-ranking military officer. It was for this reason that the bandits didn''t dare to underestimate him.


    Moreover, if they could kill Jiang Mo, they all thought that they would receive a hefty amount of money from the other party that hired them, with capturing Lady Su as a cherry on top.


    The four bandits charged with their swords toward Jiang Mo at full speed, while the other group continued to chase after Su Daji. Jiang Mo decided to end his battle with these men as soon as possible for him to be able to catch up with his sister.


    He charged towards the enemies, swinging his sword midair. The first man fell from his horse and dropped to the ground with his throat cut open by Jiang Mo. The second one came soon after, and he was slightly startled by how fast Jiang Mo could move. He was riding so fast that it was almost impossible to see him at such a speed.


    The next moment he knew, he was thrown to the ground with a loud thud, his bones breaking upon impact. Because his body flew off of his horse that was running at full speed, his injuries were enough to knock him out for good.


    The third and the fourth ones nced at each other. They didn''t expect Jiang Mo to be this fierce. It was as if he was dead himself, collecting the souls of the humans he came upon.


    When they saw how easily theirpanions fell by Jiang Mo''s de, they had this silent agreement to abandon their mission and join the others in chasing the youngdy.


    However, how could Jiang Mo let that happen? Since they willingly came after him, they should already know what would happen. He immediately came after them and bathed his sharp sword with their foul blood.


    As Jiang Mo hurriedly ran to catch up with the others, his heart sank when he noticed the endless cliff in front of them. Two young women were on the ground. With the other four bandits drawing closer towards them, he swore inwardly.


    ''Daji¡­!''


    After running for some time at full speed, the horse she was using slowed down. It also didn''t help that she was starting to lose her focus and her eyesight. She briefly thought that if she died tonight, at least Xuan Yanrui couldn''t threaten her and even use her against her father and Jiang Mo. It was just a pity that she wasn''t able to reunite with them and live happily instead.


    However, the horse suddenly reared on two legs when it noticed a cliff ahead of them. Su Daji and Bai Ting fell to the ground, with thetter already losing consciousness because of her injury.


    "Miss¡­ hurry. You should run away," Bai Ting spoke with half-lidded eyes. It was getting hard for her to keep herself awake.


    However, even if Su Daji wanted to, she had no more strength to run. She could feel her whole body burning as if she was on fire. She looked up at the clear sky and saw the crescent moon above them as theyy on their backs, waiting for their own deaths.


    At least, she wouldn''t be leaving this world alone. If she had more regrets, it would be that she wasn''t able to bid goodbye to her special friend, the great white fox.


    "The moon is beautiful tonight.. Dear great fox, where are you?" Su Daji whispered¡­ before a huge form came to cover their bodies.

 Chapter 224 - Great White Fox (2)

    Chapter 224 ¨C Great White Fox (2)


    Su Daji and Bai Ting had lost their consciousness, but the four bandits and Jiang Mo were left shocked upon seeing a huge white fox. It descended from the dark sky, covering the two young women with its own body.


    Jiang Mo''s heart almost jumped out of his chest when he saw what had just fallen on top of his sister. He was somewhat familiar to the fox in front of them, but he had never paid much attention to his sister''s oddpanion. However, he had never thought that it wasn''t just a simple wild fox that Su Daji had taken a liking to.


    Did the foxe here to save Su Daji? He wondered.


    The fox took a defensive stance and bared its sharp fangs towards them. Under the bleak and faint moonlight, one could see its amber eyes glowing ferociously.


    The four bandits pulled the reins of their horses, forcing them into a stop. However, the same couldn''t be said for Jiang Mo, who decided to race forward, He didn''t wish to leave Daji''s life to the wild fox.


    His face got the darkest it could get. He might have looked agitated at the moment, but he was scared about his sister''s safety. While the bandits were stupefied by the sudden appearance of the wild fox, Jiang Mo seized his chance and killed them swiftly.


    Their cries of pain resounded in the area, piercing through the stillness of the night. Once done, Jiang Mo heaved a sigh and nced at the fox, who had returned to its normal size. He found it hovering next to Su Daji, with its muzzle pressed against her slender neck.


    Jiang Mo stood still, his eyes widening and the grip on the hilt of his sword tightening. His warning gaze never left the fox and Su Daji. Just what was the fox trying to do with his sister?


    ''Calm down, human. I''m not going to harm her.'' The fox raised her head and met his gaze.


    "Y-you can speak humannguage?" He asked in shock.


    Was he hallucinating? No. It couldn''t be just a figment of his imagination.


    ''Since you can hear me, I suppose you have also killed enough humans. It would only take another five thousand lives before you turn into a demon.''


    "What did you say?" Jiang Mo eximed. He couldn''t understand what this fox was talking about.


    ''You might not know it, but humans whomitted a grave sin and reaped ten thousand human lives would change as a person,'' the fox nonchntly answered through telepathy. ''They would suffer constant pain and lose their logical mind as they approach that milestone.''


    Jiang Mo shivered at that. He wasn''t sure why, but he felt like this wild fox was trying to tell him something. Did the fox mean that he was getting close to bing a demon himself?


    "¡­w-what are you trying to do with Daji?" He asked, purposely ignoring what the fox had just said about him.


    ''Removing the remnants of a ck magic spell ced on her neck. You are lucky I managed to arrive on time, or else she had already be a soulless puppet of the ninth prince.''


    The ninth prince?! Jiang Mo''s eyes widened. Just what had his sister got to do with that vicious and violent man?


    The night when Su Daji disappeared came into his mind, and he shivered. He then cursed himself inwardly for not questioning Su Daji about what had truly happened that night. Right now, this unknown creature was telling him that the ninth prince had ced a mark on his sister.


    ''Both of them are still alive, but they need medical intervention.'' The fox''s words brought Jiang Mo to reality as he gently picked up Su Daji''s and Bai Ting''s bodies from the ground. He then used an emergency firework he had on him to inform his subordinates of their whereabouts.


    They should be able to reach and find them in half a sichen, considering the distance they had crossed from the camp.


    Jiang Mo applied pressure on Bai Ting''s acupoints to stop her bleeding after he made sure that Su Daji wasn''t hurt anywhere.


    While they waited for rescue, Jiang Mo took the chance to question the fox.


    "What are you? And why are you staying next to Daji?" He narrowed his eyes on the beast with suspicion.


    The fox scoffed and turned her attention to the crescent moon above them.


    "I am what your kind called¡­ a ''fox spirit''."


    "Then, you are a demon?"


    "You can say that, but there are actually many kinds of demons that exist in this world."


    "Then, why Daji? What do you want from her?" Jiang Mo asked again.


    "Just curious to see how long she would be able to keep her soul clean. Unlike you, Su Daji''s soul was pure and clean, unmarred with any taints or sins most humans like you have," the fox replied, not bothering to look at the young man. She didn''t care whether he believed her or not.


    "Then¡­ what about Daji and the ninth prince?" He questioned.


    "You''ll have to ask her about that. I merely removed the mark because I didn''t want her to die so soon."


    Jiang Mo had no words to refute those words. He could only stare at the unconscious young woman next to him. He should have let her go when he had a chance. However, now that Xuan Yanrui knew about her existence, he feared that the ninth prince would take a liking to her and snatch her away.


    It didn''t take long before his troop found them. There weren''t many casualties from the sudden attack of the bandits, as most had managed to flee for refuge. That night, no one dared to sleep, not that they could after just what happened earlier. They waited for dawn to arrive, but none dared to lower their guards.


    A piercing ray of sunlight caused Su Daji to wake up. The moment she opened her eyes, she felt sore all over her body. She wasn''t even sure whether she was dead or alive, as she tried to remember what had happened.


    She stiffened when the glimpses ofst night came back.


    The attack, the pursuit, and the arrival of the white fox¡­


    Su Daji remembered that she and Bai Ting were being chased by the bandits. When they reached the cliff, she and her maidservant had willingly epted their deaths by then. Who would have thought that she survived the ordeal of the night and managed toe back alive?


    Wait. Where was she, anyway? If she was caught by the bandits, then she would be in deep trouble; if her brother''s troop managed to save her, then that meant that she was extremely lucky.


    Su Daji was leaning to believe that she had been captured. For this, she was expecting heavy torture from these bandits.


    ''Calm down, woman. You are back in the camp.'' The familiar voice of the great white fox made Su Daji snap her eyes open and sit up. The fear she was nursing in her heart vanished, and it was reced by great relief.


    "I-I''m alive?" She asked, staring wide-eyed at the white fox in front of her.


    "Very much so, I believe, if you can act like this. You have been unconscious for three days. I was half-tempted to eat you if you weren''t nning to wake up soon." The fox scoffed, but Su Daji knew that herpanion didn''t have any intention to eat her at all.


    "Then, what about Bai Ting? Did she¡­?"


    However, Su Daji wasn''t able to finish her question. Although Bai Ting was just a maidservant of hers for some, the young woman was close to her heart.


    "Your human is alive, too. She''s still recovering from her injuries, though." The fox informed her.


    Su Daji released a breath she didn''t know she was holding. Knowing that not only she survived, but also did Bai Ting, brought so much relief to her. She didn''t know what she would do if her maidservant''s life perished just so Bai Ting could protect her.


    "That''s good to hear."


    "What''s so good to hear?" Jiang Mo''s familiar voice reached Su Daji''s ears, and she turned her gaze towards him.


    "Great fox, would you please give me and Lady Daji some privacy to talk?"


    Weirdly enough, Jiang Mo spoke to her foxpanion. Did something happen that she had no idea about?


    The fox stood up and left without a word, despite Su Daji''s wordless begging for herpany. The young miss had this feeling that Jiang Mo was angry at her about something.


    "I''m so sorry for causing you trouble. Daji knows she was wrong this time." She lowered her head, not daring to look at her brother.


    Jiang Mo remained silent and only stared at Su Daji''s lithe body. He had almost lost her that night.. If it wasn''t for the fox''s interference, the bandits might have captured and made off with her already.

 Chapter 225 - Mu Yue (1)

    Chapter 225 ¨C Mu Yue (1)


    Su Daji could sense that her brother was upset about something. However, she wasn''t certain whether it was because of her or the fact that she had almost lost her life three nights ago. She wouldn''t be able to fault Jiang Mo if he felt that she had been reckless during that time, but what else could she do but run?


    Jiang Mo''s silence made her ufortable. Even after she apologized, he still remained quiet in his seat. The longer he remained like this, the more Su Daji felt unsettled because of it. He was looking at her with hesitation on his face as if he wasn''t sure if he should be here at all, anyway.


    "You''ve met the ninth prince that night, am I right?" Jiang Mo spoke, breaking the silence between them.


    Su Daji was startled at that. So, he knew¡­ but how?


    Seeing his serious expression, she knew that she couldn''t really hide the truth from him. It''s just that Su Daji thought that there was no need for Jiang Mo to know about the proposition the ninth prince was trying to impose on her. Su Daji knew how he would react if he knew that she was being used as a bargaining chip in this war.


    "E-en. I didn''t tell you because I''m worried that you would do something reckless. You just came back, and you were injured at that time," she said in a low voice, refusing to meet his cold gaze.


    "You should have told me. Regardless of whether I was injured or not, you shouldn''t have kept your meeting with him a secret." He chastised her. "Did he say something to you?"


    Su Daji shivered at getting scolded, but she shook her head.


    "He knew who I was, but he said that¡­ there was no need for him to take me away by then." She bit her lip as her heart painfully thumped in her chest. "I didn''t know he ced a mark on me."


    "So, you knew, and yet you still didn''t tell me?" Jiang Mo frowned.


    She used to tell him everything when they were younger. They had only been separated from each other for over a year, and yet Su Daji had changed. It was so much that Jiang Mo felt like he was starting to lose her.


    "You were gone when I woke up!" Su Daji countered. "Also, it was the great fox that told me about it. How would I know that the ninth prince cursed me during our first encounter?"


    She was trembling in fear back then, and her mind was muddled because of their proximity. Also, she was nothing but a simple human who didn''t have any idea about ck magic. How was she supposed to know that she was under such influence?


    "Good thing that the fox had managed to remove it from you. You might be able to survive from the bandits, but you would have lost your life due to the curse he cast on you."


    Jiang Mo felt intense hatred towards Xuan Yanrui. For the ninth prince to actually dare toy a hand on their Daji, he was really seeking death, then. The next time Jiang Mo encountered the man, he would make sure to arrest Xuan Yanrui for daring to harm Su Daji.


    Anyway, before that¡­ he would need to make sure of her safety.


    "Daji, perhaps you should return home now. I wouldn''t be at peace, knowing that the ninth prince has found you," he told his sister.


    Su Daji fell silent at that. She knew what he said was right, but a part of her wasn''t willing to leave him just yet. Still, how could she stay, knowing that she would only cause a distraction to her brother and his mission? She had been here for over three weeks now, and she obviously overstayed her wee.


    "Alright. I''ll instruct my maidservants to prepare our journey home, then," she said with a slight smile, forcing herself not to get upset with Jiang Mo''s words.


    Jiang Mo nodded and left her tent, giving her onest look.


    When the fox returned, the strong scent of tears assaulted her senses. She soon found the youngdy crying in silence. Of course, the fox heard the conversation between the two, considering that she hadn''t really gone that far.


    The moment Su Daji spotted the fox, she immediately dried her tears.


    "Forgive this one, great fox. Don''t worry, you will be returning home soon. That is¡­ if you are still willing to apany this one, after all the troubles she has caused you." She smiled warmly at the white fox.


    ''I''ll return with you,'' the fox replied. She also needed to send a message to her older brother. Perhaps it was also time for her to gain a human body, for her to be able to move freely amongst the humans.


    s, finding a perfect vessel wouldn''t be easy. Actually, during her stay at Su Daji''s courtyard, she had tried to enchant herself into one of the youngdy''s maidservants. It was the one she found trying to poison Daji, but the body couldn''t contain her spiritual form. The maidservant died in an instant.


    ''I actually want to seek your assistance,'' she then told Su Daji.


    Su Daji straightened her back and faced the huge white fox. If there was something she could do to repay the favors she owed the fox, then she wouldn''t mind¡­ so long as she would be able to handle it.


    "If it''s something within my capability, then sure. What is it, Great Fox?"


    "Stop calling me ''great fox''," the fox said with annoyance.


    "What should I call you, then? Didn''t you say that the name of the demons is as important as their lives?"


    "That''s not it. For a human to call out our name means being bound to follow them. For arrogant creatures like us¡­ obviously, we aren''t willing to be on a human''s servitude."


    "Then, what should I call you if I''m not allowed to say your name?"


    The fox fell silent and stared at Su Daji''s face. Actually, there was a workaround to forbid the other humans to know her name and stop Su Daji from saying it. She only needed to ce a rule on Su Daji¡­ that every time she would dare to utter the fox''s name, only unintelligible noises woulde out from her lips.


    "I suppose you may know my name," the fox said after so much deliberation.


    Su Daji''s eyes widened in surprise. She had always respected this amazing creature, and she would never dare to use the sacred name against the fox.


    "Are you certain? Wouldn''t it be dangerous for you?" She asked, making sure that the fox wouldn''t regret it. For the fox to allow her to know its name, did this mean that it trusted her, too?


    The fox scoffed and sat on its hind legs.


    "What is there to worry about? I''m going to ce a curse on you. Every time you dare to speak my name, only gibberish words would be heard by others. With this, they would think that you are losing your mind and speaking nonsense."


    As the fox said this, Su Daji noticed the mischievous glint in its amber eyes.


    "Oh, my, I didn''t know I was being apanied by such a wicked and yful fox all this time." She giggled. "It''s a pity that it took me years to be able to talk to you like this."


    The fox hummed and raised her head arrogantly.


    "You don''t mind that I would curse you?"


    "Should I be worried? I don''t think you mean me any harm. There are many chances for you to sh my throat while I sleep, many encounters where you may leave and not be bothered by me anymore. Still, you remain next to me." Su Daji smiled this time. She really felt safe being in the fox''spany.


    "You may curse me, Great Fox. Not only for your peace of mind, but also mine."


    "Fine. Then, you must also know that¡­ once you die, your soul will also forget my name. Even if you are reborn, you will have no memories of me."


    "This one understands." She had no reason to betray the fox, anyway.


    It was only by then was Su Daji''s whole body engulfed by the golden light. However, it onlysted for a split second, making her wonder if it was there in the first ce.


    "What just happened?" She questioned the white fox.


    "I just left a part of my magic inside you to make sure you wouldn''t be able to utter my name in front of another human."


    "Then, your name is¡­?"


    "Mu Yue," the fox replied. Immediately, Su Daji''s eyes shed red, a sure sign that the fox magic was now activated.


    "Mu Yue¡­ what a fitting name for you.. Doesn''t that mean ''admire the moon''?" The youngdy beamed a wide smile, pleased that she now felt closer with the great white fox.

 Chapter 226 - Mu Yue (2)

    Chapter 226 ¨C Mu Yue (2)


    Su Daji felt that she was somewhat special for being acquainted with a powerful fox spirit¡­ with Mu Yue. Although she was certain that the fox would deny it, she figured that theirpanionship had already transcended into them being friends.


    "So, only I could be allowed to call you that?"


    "En," the fox affirmed. "If you feel like your life is in danger, you only need to call my name, and I wille to you immediately."


    Su Daji smiled and tested the name on her lips again. "Mu Yue¡­"


    The fox only huffed. It was also for this reason that she could arrive at the cliff that night. Mu Yue had left a part of her magic on Su Daji''s body to stabilize the effects of the spell the ninth prince left on her body. Because of that sliver, the fox had pinpointed the youngdy''s location.


    That day, she had left Su Daji''s side to eliminate the growing presence of the demons at the peak of the mountain. Mu Yue didn''t expect that during her absence, the ck magic would stream at full force, causing Su Daji''s body to fall under the ninth prince''s absolute control.


    If the fox was a minutete, Mu Yue was sure that this youngdy would be brain-dead by now, with her body under the care of the ninth prince.


    No. She didn''t save Su Daji''s life because she hade to care for the youngdy, but she felt like Xuan Yanrui was ying dirty by forcing Su Daji to leave the camp and ''willingly''e to him.


    This kind of end didn''t suit Su Daji one bit, so how could the fox allow this youngdy to perish like that?


    Now that Su Daji was aware of what happened to her that night, the youngdy would only feel repulsive towards him. Obviously, the more Xuan Yanrui tried to force her, the harder Su Daji would reject him.


    It was no wonder that Su Daji had agreed easily with Jiang Mo''s request for her to return home. s, Mu Yue was certain that the ninth prince wouldn''t let Su Daji off the hook that easily. With the ck magic spell removed from Su Daji, the fox could only wait and see how Xuan Yanrui would proceed after this.


    "You said that you need some assistance. Is there something I could do for you?" Su Daji''s clear and soft voice pulled Mu Yue back to reality.


    "En. I''m looking for a human body I could possess. I cannot stay in this form for too long if I intend to mingle among humans like you," she told the youngdy.


    Su Daji was startled at that. She wasn''t expecting to hear such a request from the fox spirit.


    "I''m afraid¡­ that isn''t something we could easily obtain¡­" She whispered. Mu Yue''s request only reminded Su Daji that this fox was truly a demon.


    "I know that. I have tried to possess young women at the brink of their deaths, but their bodies somewhat repelled my spirit," Mu Yue replied. She didn''t dare to tell this young woman about the ending of those bodies.


    Su Daji blinked in understanding. She wasn''t that dumb not to understand that the fox had some criteria for finding a host.


    "Then, is there something I could do?" She asked Mu Yue. "Are there any requirements to look out for?"


    "It''s easier to possess a dying person for us demons, but because of my origin, it wouldn''t be easy to find a perfect host that could contain my spirit." Mu Yue started. "Most probably, those young women who had high spiritual awareness would be ideal, but it has be a chore to find one these days."


    "That''s true." Su Daji agreed with her. It would also be hard for the youngdy to find a suitable person who would fit the requirements. People might also suspect that she was involved in ck magic if she proactively sought dying young women within the Su province.


    "Then, how do you want me to assist you?" She asked the fox. "Can you only possess women?"


    "Women naturally contain Yin energy just like demons like us, so it''s natural for us to choose them. That''s why many are used of being bewitched by a demon through association. We can also possess a child or an infant if their soul has just recently perished¡­ and that their bodies haven''t started dposing yet. Of course, for stronger demons, so long as a body is a fit; it didn''t matter if it was a male or a female."


    "Oh, that makes a lot of sense." Su Daji nodded. "Then, shouldn''t you easily find one, considering that we''re in a midst of war?"


    The fox sighed dejectedly. She wouldn''t be in this predicament if any of those vessels managed to contain her soul.


    "It''s not that easy. Actually, I was hoping to possess that maidservant of yours if she didn''t manage to survive that night. s, luck is clearly on her side."


    The youngdy blinked at that. She wasn''t sure what to feel about it.


    Mu Yue was amused by her reaction.


    "You really don''t know how to be mad, do you?" The fox asked.


    The youngdy smiled bashfully.


    "I tried not to." Su Daji tried to exin. "Father said that many times, humans wouldmit mistakes that they would regret for a long time¡­ just because they allowed themselves to get carried away by their emotions.


    "But it''s not true that I can''t get mad. I feel upset sometimes, but I would rather keep silent thansh out on others."


    Perhaps, this was one of the reasons why Su Daji''s soul remained untainted. She would always try to find logical reasoning behind every disagreement. Still, she identified as a fickle human that was vulnerable to the matters of the heart. Soon enough, her heart¡ªas a woman in love¡ªwould test her resolve.


    It didn''t take too long for Su Daji''s people to prepare for their journey back home. By the next morning, their small group was ready to leave the northern border, with Su Daji bidding goodbye to her brother.


    However, before that, Jiang Mo requested to speak with the white fox in private.


    "I cannot thank you enough for looking after Daji during our absence. I heard that it was not the first time you saved her life from harm. I know this sounds unfair, but I hope you will continue to look after Daji for years toe. Furthermore, I''m not sure how long this war will take before it ends."


    "Are you going to ask for her hand by then?"


    It took some time for Jiang Mo to recover from his shock, but he still nodded. He didn''t expect that this fox spirit was aware of those indecent feelings he harbored towards his sister.


    Wasn''t this one of the reasons why he followed Minister Su to protect the borders? He thought that if he was away from her, he would be able to clear his mind and forget about her. However, a year and monthster, he was proved to be wrong.


    "En. I hope it wouldn''t be toote for the two of us, then," he answered the fox truthfully. "However, I''m deeply aware that with her current age, she should have already received a lot of marriage proposals from others."


    Just from looking at its clear amber eyes, Jiang Mo could sense that this fox spirit could scent a lie from humans like him. This fox was sensitive and had a stronger instinct than any wild animal he encountered so far.


    "She did receive a lot of marriage proposals, but she politely turned them all down because of you. I hope you also know what the two of you would face if you decided to be together."


    Jiang Mo''s jaws hardened at that. First and foremost, he needed to drive the invaders away and defeat Xuan Yanrui for him to ensure Daji''s safety. Since he would stay here, fighting was tantamount to assuring that she would lead a happy and safe life even if she wasn''t with him.


    "I know. I appreciate your concern. I hope I will be able to be properly acquainted with you once this war ends," Jiang Mo said before bidding goodbye.


    Once he deemed the roads safe for passage, he led Su Daji''s small caravan to the south until he eventually parted from her group.


    As the carriage continued without Jiang Mo''s assistance, Su Daji chose to look out the window to seek him from afar. Her hopeful eyes met his determined gaze as he remained saddled up on his horse at the same spot where they parted.


    Su Daji''s eyes were stung with tears, and she grieved in her heart. Perhaps, this was for the best. If she remained any longer, she feared that she might only lead him to death, with Xuan Yanrui sessfully acquiring their province through war.

 Chapter 227 - Li Yun, The Head Shaman (1)

    Chapter 227 ¨C Li Yun, The Head Shaman (1)


    Jiang Mo thought that by making Su Daji return home with the fox spirit, she would be spared from the difficulties of the war they were in. He didn''t realize that since the ninth prince took notice of her, it would be impossible for Su Daji to remain safe.


    Since their luggage had considerably lessened during their journey back home, Su Daji''s group''s travel time to the province''s capital was shorter than when they left for the northern border. Still, the youngdy was obviously tired from their long journey. However, she didn''t forget to visit the small clinic she started a year ago. She came to see how they fare without her.


    "Miss! You are back!"


    A familiar voice reached Su Daji''s ears when she reached the entrance of the clinic. She turned her head and saw a young girl rushing towards her.


    Xiao Nai, the little girl whom Su Daji nursed into good health before her departure, greeted her the moment she arrived with Mu Yue. It seemed that the girl had finally recovered from her illness, as she looked healthier than thest time Su Daji had seen her.


    Xiao Nai was holding a small basket filled with medicinal herbs. She had just arrived from the small garden behind the clinic, where they grewmon medicinal herbs that they could use on their patients.


    A man in his early forties then came out with a middle-aged woman. They were a couple, with the man practicing as a wandering doctor and treating patients as they traveled. It was only a year ago that they decided to stay in the Su province. They heard that many innocent citizens were affected by the war at the borders.


    "Miss Su, it''s good that you are back. We weren''t notified that you would arrive today." Dong Lin gave Su Daji a smile, while his wife, Jin Zhi, politely bowed her head in a greeting.


    Su Daji returned the smile and allowed them to lead her inside the clinic. She and Mu Yue noticed that it was unusually silent today.


    "Did something happen while we were gone?" The youngdy said as she took a seat across the couple, while the young girl worked on the herbs she had collected from the garden.


    Dong Lin shook his head.


    "Everything has been settled after your departure. Most injured patients recovered in time and left, promising to give a hand to our small clinic someday to repay their debts."


    They had been busy when Su Daji left to travel North, but they managed to keep up with their work without relying on Su Daji all this time. The youngdy was unlike other young misses they met in the past; she didn''t turn a blind eye to anyone who needed help. Naturally, Dong Lin and his wife took a liking to Young Miss Su and stayed here.


    Su Daji smiled at that, pleased that nothing serious had happened while she wasn''t around.


    "There''s nothing to settle. So long as they could live freely and healthily, that is enough."


    "Then, what brought Miss Daji here?" Jin Zhi asked as she served their young miss some refreshments.


    "I came here to ask Lady Jin to see and check on Bai Ting''s injuries. She got badly hurt during our stay at the northern border," the youngdy exined her sudden visit.


    Dong Lin and his wife nced at each other and understood what could have possibly happened. The ce must have been so dangerous that Young Miss Su was forced to cut her trip short and return home. No wonder Su Daji came here with only the white fox apanying her.


    "Actually, there''s something else I want to discuss." She gave the couple a hesitant look. She then nced at Xiao Nai, who was humming a song to herself.


    Jin Zhi understood at once and called after the young girl.


    "Xiao Nai, you have worked well today. Why don''t you leave these herbs to me and have a snack in the kitchen first?" She said in a gentle voice.


    Xiao Nai lifted her head and beamed a wide smile, before thanking Jin Zhi and excusing herself from Su Daji.


    "She looks energetic now," Su Dajimented as she watched the young girl take her leave.


    "She''s surprisingly smart, to be honest. Xiao Nai could easily remember the herbs and their uses. She also knows how to differentiate medicine, so I decided to turn her into my apprentice." Dong Linughed. One could see the proud glint in his eyes as he talked about the young girl he and his wife had just taken in.


    He and Jin Zhi couldn''t conceive a child together. Jin Zhi''s womb had suffered from an illness she endured in her teenage years, forbidding her to bear a child. Now that they had adopted Xiao Nai, the couple was satisfied with their life.


    "That''s reassuring to know." Su Daji nodded. She knew both the couple''s and Xiao Nai''s circumstances, and she was happy to know that they would be fine from now on.


    "Then, what is it that Miss wants to discuss with us?" Dong Lin''s question reminded Su Daji of her concerns.


    "Actually, Doctor, I was cursed with ck magic while staying at the northern border. The curse has been removed by a demon, and this is also why I returned home sooner than expected, without notifying any of you."


    This startled the couple as they looked at the youngdy with worry in their eyes.


    "Miss Su, are you certain that it was ck magic?" Dong Lin asked.


    As far as he knew, anyone subjected to ck magic rarely came back alive or with a logical mind. Most of them lost their rationality, until there was nothing left but a body without a mind; making them a perfect puppet. It was impossible for doctors like Dong Lin who practice medicine to treat the victims of ck magic.


    So, for Su Daji to be able toe back here alive, talking to them normally¡­ it was surprising for Dong Lin and Jin Zhi.


    Wait. Didn''t Su Daji say she was saved by a demon? Their eyes widened in realization.


    They didn''t know why, but the couple nced at the huge white fox napping next to Su Daji. Both then held their breaths in disbelief.


    No. There was no need to question the youngdy for confirmation. The demon she was talking about was no other than the unusually huge white fox that had been apanying her.


    "En, Brother Mo and I couldn''t be wrong. It was really a curse from someone who practices ck magic," Su Daji answered Dong Lin''s question.


    The man fell silent as he gave it a good thought. He wasn''t versed with anything about magic and demons, but he knew a person that might help their young miss.


    "Things like this¡­ Miss Su, why don''t you seek Li Yun''s advice? He recently came back from his three-year expedition, a week after your departure," Dong Lin said. As much as he wanted to help Su Daji, he didn''t have enough knowledge about it.


    Su Daji blinked twice and stared at the man in front of her, ignoring the drink that was starting to get cold in between them.


    "Brother Yun finally came back?"


    Of course, she was happy to know that her good friend, Li Yun, was back. However, she was worried that he would chase Mu Yue away once he figured that she was being apanied by a fox demon.


    "En. He paid us a visit the other day and brought a lot of goods for us to use here in the clinic. He said he couldn''t wait for your return, as it has been years since you''ve seen each other."


    "That''s true¡­"


    Li Yun was Jiang Mo''s and her childhood friend. In the past, they spent a lot of time together. Li Yun was the same age as Jiang Mo, and it could be said that the three of them were really close to one another. It was only when Jiang Mo started his official training as a soldier, at the same time that Li Yun entered the apprenticeship to be a shaman, did the three separate.


    "I guess I should pay him a visit one of these days." Su Daji agreed before excusing herself, intending to go home.


    Dong Lin and Jin Zhi could sense that something was bothering the young woman, but they didn''t dare to question her. After all, she already promised to meet Li Yun soon.


    "Who''s this Li Yun?" Mu Yue asked through telepathy as they walked towards the Su Residence.


    "He''s our childhood friend, but he''s a powerful shaman," Su Daji replied. "I fear that he would harm you if he finds out about your being with me. He''s like Brother Mo at times; he could be overbearing and overprotective when ites to me."


    Mu Yue hummed.. Then, she needed to know how strong this Li Yun truly was.

 Chapter 228 - Li Yun, The Head Shaman (2)

    Chapter 228 ¨C Li Yun, The Head Shaman (2)


    It was obvious that Su Daji hesitated to meet Li Yun. After all, she still hadn''t made any intentions of leaving the estate to visit the man at the Li family shrine. She was afraid that Li Yun wouldn''t bother listening to her exnation as to why she was keeping a fox spirit with her. Even when Mu Yue assured her that there was nothing to worry about her encounter with a shaman like Li Yun, Su Daji still remained a little stubborn and refused to leave her courtyard.


    Mu Yue could only stare at the impossible youngdy and shake her head. What was there to worry about? If Li Yun was really that strong, then the fox wanted to see it for herself.


    "I think you are worrying too much," Mu Yue told Su Daji one unproductive afternoon.


    "It''s because Brother Yun is considered a prodigy in his family. They said that he was born with innate strong spiritual powers that no human had ever witnessed before. I fear that he won''t listen to my words and harm you."


    The fox chuckled bemusedly at that. Su Daji was really amusing sometimes.


    "It''s my first time hearing a human get worried and protective of a demon."


    Su Daji frowned and harrumphed, turning her head to avoid the fox''s amber eyes that were looking at her.


    "You''re not just some demon I met. You are important to me," she bashfully told the fox. They had been together for some time now, so how could she not worry about her oddpanion?


    "I cannot easily be killed by a mere human," Mu Yue said, but Su Daji insisted on staying in their estate, with the excuse of resting because of the long travel from the northern borders.


    s, avoiding her meeting with Li Yun proved to be futile¡­ as the man had chosen to pay a visit himself, catching the Young Miss Su off-guard.


    When Su Daji heard that Li Yun had arrived to see her, she frantically walked inside her quarters, biting her lower lips. She racked her brain about what to do, while the fox nonchntly lounged on the couch as if she couldn''t be bothered even when a shaman entered the Su Household.


    Actually, Mu Yue had already sensed Li Yun''s presence even before he stepped inside the household. She had purposely lowered her guard and allowed the shaman to enter her turf to test him. Surprisingly, just what Su Daji had told her earlier, this shaman was indeed far different from his colleagues and predecessors.


    He had this pure spiritual power that was threatening to burst from his body at any given moment. He was nothing short of a walking spiritual bomb that could affect not only the humans around him, but also spirits and demons like the fox.


    Still, despite of this, Li Yun could keep this force inside his body, which made Mu Yue wonder how he managed to suppress it. Any human born with such power was destined to die early should they choose to contain it. Due to this, she was really looking forward to meeting this man.


    "Miss¡­ it''s about time." Bai Ting, who was still recovering from her wound, came to call her youngdy. She refused to stay in bed any longer and insisted that she could help with easy household chores.


    Su Daji looked at her with a conflicted expression¡­ and sighed.


    "I guess there''s no other choice but to meet him," she muttered to herself before walking out of her quarters, leaving the fox behind.


    When she met Li Yun at the main hall, Su Daji found him seated alone, taking a sip from his drink. He then paused midway and frowned upon taking a look at her as if he found something distasteful about her person.


    "Brother Yun, I heard that you''ve returned. I didn''t know that your expedition would end early." Su Daji beamed him a smile as she took a seat across from him.


    Li Yun was now older and more mature-lookingpared to what Su Daji could remember. He used to be a skinny youngd who tried to annoy her Brother Mo most of the time. However, yearster, he had grown taller than her and didn''t look as weak as he was before.


    When they were younger, many of their peers thought that Li Yun was an odd child. Some found him talking when no one else was around as if he was speaking to himself. Sometimes, he was seen running for his dear life, seemingly escaping from something fearful that others couldn''t see.


    Only when she and Jiang Mo befriended Li Yun did thetter stop being isted by others. He was rather kind and patient for others. It was rare to see him angry at anything.


    Li Yun lowered his teacup and gave a nce at the youngdy across from him. He wanted to give her a good look, but it was improper for him to do such a thing.


    "You''ve grown so well, Daji," he started with a frown, "but where have you been all this time, allowing different scents to cling onto your body?"


    Su Daji gave him an awkwardugh, wondering if he had noticed something. He couldn''t possibly know about the fox, right?


    "You reek of a scent of a demon, and I could also sense a faint hint of ck magic on you."


    Su Daji instinctively straightened her back at that. She wasn''t sure which part should have bothered her a lot. Was it the fact that Li Yun could sense the fox spirit''s scenting from her¡­ or the fact that she was still under the influence of the ninth prince''s ck magic? Didn''t Mu Yue say that she had already dispelled the curse?


    "I-I was cursed by a ck magic practitioner during my visit at the northern border¡­"


    "And the scent of the demon?" Li Yun arched a slender brow at her, gesturing for her to continue.


    Su Daji wasn''t sure whether tough or cry. It seemed that she could onlye clean to her Brother Yun.


    "It''s¡­ I have apanion that is a fox. You must have heard of this already," she replied, gauging his reaction. It was hard for her to know what he was thinking at the moment.


    "I did hear of such news." He slowly nodded his head before giving her a pointed look. "You know it''s a demon¡­ and yet you allowed it to remain by your side?"


    The youngdy lowered her gaze and fiddled with her hands.


    "When Father and Brother Mo left for war, I was left with no one but my maidservants to apany me. During that lonely time, I encountered the injured fox in the wilderness and nursed it back to health," she exined to Li Yun.


    "At first, I never suspected that she''s a demon, and so I allowed her to stay with me for months. For so many times, the fox had also saved my life without asking anything in return. It was only recently that I found out what she is."


    Li Yun wasn''t dumb. This prolonged meeting of theirs was because of Su Daji''s hesitation to meet him. Obviously, she was trying to protect that fox from being killed by him.


    He had heard of the rumors about the oddpanion of his childhood friend. Just from the details alone, Li Yun knew that Su Daji hadn''t taken in a simple fox at all. He had assumptions that she had let a demon stay with her, but what baffled Li Yun was the fox''s intention.


    The fox had saved Su Daji''s life when she was in danger several times, and many people could prove this. If the fox spirit intended to feed on Su Daji, the youngdy would have perished a long time ago.


    Fox spirits were considered as one of the strongest demon races known; however, they were extremely rare. He didn''t expect that his childhood friend would be acquainted with one.


    "May I meet her, then?" He asked Su Daji.


    "I will not harm her." Li Yun added when he saw Su Daji flinch in her seat.


    Su Daji grew too nervous, clutching her skirt on herp tightly¡­ until she heard Mu Yue''s familiar voice in her head.


    "Agree with his request. I will be there in a moment."


    "Then, you should hold onto your word, Brother Yun."


    It didn''t take long for the great white fox to arrive at the main hall without grandiose. She stopped right next to Su Daji and then tilted her head to one side to regard their guest.


    Li Yun was momentarily speechless upon seeing the fox. Not only was it thrice asrge as themon fox, but its pristine white fur almost glimmered under the light, giving it an impression of being soft and silky at the same time.


    Truly, Su Daji had picked up a magnificent creature.

 Chapter 229 - Impending Death (1)

    Chapter 229 ¨C Impending Death (1)


    Seeing a fox spirit in person wasn''t something Li Yun expected to happen when he decided to meet Su Daji after years of being separated from each other. It''s one thing to hear about fox spirits, but meeting one was not certainly something many would experience in their lifetime.


    Li Yun considered himself lucky to encounter one right now. If he was a normal shaman or a human, he might have scampered away in fear once he sensed the great presence of the fox spirit. He had seen and encountered so many demons in the past, but none of them looked as majestic and yet intimidating as this fox spirit before him.


    "Daji¡­ this¡­" He gave the youngdy a questioning look.


    "You promised me, Brother Yun, so please don''t hurt mypanion." Su Daji reminded him of the words he had spoken earlier.


    Li Yun fell silent at that. Should he go face-to-face with this demon, he knew that it wouldn''t end well for him, even if he was one of the strongest shamans around. In the end, he let out an awkwardugh.


    "Lady Daji, surely, you jest? It should be me who needs to be wary of yourpanion and not the other way around."


    Su Daji furrowed her brows in confusion, but Li Yun didn''t dare to say more in front of the fox spirit.


    Li Yun thought that his childhood friend truly had no idea about the kind of demon she had taken interest in.


    Meanwhile, the fox''s amber eyes bore into him as if gauging his reaction. What Su Daji had told her earlier seemed to have a basis. Although high-ranking demons like her rarely faced shamans in battle or just simple fateful encounters, it could be said that this Li Yun was vastly different from his peers when it came to spiritual power.


    Still, he was inexperienced. He would need to practice a lot more before he could even muster the confidence to oppose the fox. At least, he was level-headed¡­pared to the shamans whom she had met in the past. They would dare to exorcise her, only for them to perish without a trace from her foxfire.


    "You said that I have a faint trace of ck magic on me¡­ Brother Yun, what''s going on?" Su Daji asked, her tone had a hint of worry in it. She thought that when Mu Yue removed the curse on her, saving her life in the process; she waspletely free from the ninth prince''s influence.


    It hadn''t been a month since her return from the borders. If Li Yun could still sense it, was it possible that Mu Yue also knew about it?


    As if sensing the whirlwind thoughts, Mu Yue answered the youngdy''s question:


    ''Although I hadpletely removed the curse on you, it seems the ninth prince got a hold on a piece of yourself during your meeting,'' the fox exined, which only could be heard by Su Daji. ''Anything that is your personal belonging, or a few strands of your hair, is enough for the ck magic practitioner to keep an eye on you.''


    "Then, what should I do?" Su Daji said frantically, her gaze pacing back and forth between the fox and her childhood friend. "It seems that the ninth prince has decided to use me against Father and Brother Mo."


    This time, her eyes were stung with tears. She couldn''t help but me herself. If she knew this would happen, she wouldn''t have left the camp. She wouldn''t have encountered the vicious ninth prince.


    "Cease your crying, Daji. I would make you an amulet that could dispel the effects of the ck magic on you. However, you have to promise that you won''t remove it until we find a solution." Li Yun didn''t like seeing his childhood friend like this.


    Jiang Mo probably knew this, so he sent Daji home just moments after Li Yun notified Jiang Mo of his arrival.


    Su Daji nodded and wiped her tears dry. She repeatedly apologized to Li Yun for troubling him as soon as he returned from his expedition.


    "It''s no trouble, Daji, if I could help you." The young shaman smiled.


    Su Daji was then called by her as one of the maidservants. She was worried to leave Li Yun and Mu Yue alone on their own, but looking at the two, she could only sigh and hope that they wouldn''t start arguing during her absence.


    "I''ll be back soon." She promised and hurriedly went to follow her maidservant, leaving Li Yun with the white fox.


    "So¡­ would the great fox exin why she''s hanging out with a human?" Li Yun took a sip from his drink before giving the white fox a slight smile.


    ''Out of curiosity,'' Mu Yue replied through telepathy, catching Li Yun off-guard.


    "You are versed in humannguage, I see."


    The white fox scoffed at that.


    ''If I could not learn such a skill after living for centuries, I should have allowed others to kill me,'' she said with mockery.


    Oddly enough, Li Yunughed along with her. It seemed that Su Daji was worrying about nothing.


    "Although I have to admit, I was surprised when Daji said you removed the curse for her. I didn''t know demons were capable of that."


    ''There are many things that humans still don''t know about spirits and demons like us,'' Mu Yue said nonchntly. It only proved her assumptions that Li Yun still hadn''t reached his peak as a shaman yet, but he was already showing great potential to be a formidable one in the future.


    "That''s true. I think there are many wonders of the world that humans couldn''t understand just yet, but we might be doing a good job in learning one step at a time." The young shaman agreed with the fox.


    When Su Daji returned, she was bbergasted to find that the two were engrossed in a conversation. Li Yun would even asionallyugh about something Mu Yue just said.


    ''What''s going on?'' She frowned. These two spoke to each other as if they had known each other for a long time. Was she really worrying about nothing for the past days?


    "Ah, Daji, you are back." Li Yun beamed a wide smile at her. "What took you so long?"


    "We''re preparing tonight''s dinner." Su Daji exined, "Brother Yun should join me. I haven''t had a decent meal with someone for a long time."


    "Oh! Finally! Decent human food!" The shamanmented. "Daji, you have no idea how this brother of yours lived for the past years, only eating nd rations."


    The youngdy giggled at that and gestured at her maidservant to start serving the dinner. For the first time, Su Daji shared a meal with someone. This was one of the things she missed ever since her father and her brother left to protect the borders. Somehow, she had a way to forget her worries, as she spent a good meal with a good friend.


    Once the dinner was done, Li Yun bid goodbye and promised to return with the amulet after two weeks. After all, he needed some time toplete it. However, before he left, Li Yun had a private word with the fox spirit.


    "Making the amulet would take me some time. I know that it''s not your responsibility to protect Daji, but you are strong enough to repel the ck magic that would umte in this ce. I could only lower my pride¡­ and request for you to please protect Daji until I return," he said helplessly.


    It was really weird for a shaman like him to ask a demon like Mu Yue a favor. It''s just that Su Daji''s life was at stake. He supposed swallowing one''s pride was needed.


    "The amulet would only stop the ck magic from harming her body, right? Shamans like you are versed in purifying stenches such as that. Wouldn''t it be feasible if you just purified Daji''s body instead?" Mu Yue questioned him.


    Li Yun shook his head, taking a deep breath. Thankfully, Su Daji was not around to hear their conversation.


    "It''s not that easy. I think the ck magic has been ingrained deeply in her body already. Perhaps the ninth prince had already predicted that someone would be able to remove the first curse that he cast on her. So, by removing it, a seed has managed to ingrain itself into her body."


    Mu Yue scoffed. She was starting to get annoyed with the ninth prince''s underhanded tricks. Even her heightened senses weren''t able to detect that seed from Su Daji''s body.


    "So, what would happen to her?"


    "Her body would start to deteriorate soon, with the seed feeding on her life essence," Li Yun exined grimly. He somewhat regretted that he hadn''t paid Su Daji a visit much earlier.


    "Do you think you¡­ could take it away from her body?" He asked the white fox, but her ck stare was the only answer Li Yun received from her.

 Chapter 230 - Impending Death (2)

    Chapter 230 ¨C Impending Death (2)


    It wouldn''t be that easy. Li Yun was aware of this. Even a powerful, high-ranking demon like the fox spirit wouldn''t be able to remove the ck magic spell on Su Daji without spending a considerable amount of energy.


    Sighing to himself, he bid goodbye and promised to return as soon as possible.


    Su Daji resumed her life, pushing the thoughts about the curse''s aftereffects out of her mind. She was afraid of what could happen to her, but she could only put on a brave mask and pretend that she was alright, for the people around her not to worry.


    The days went by too slowly for her liking as she waited for Li Yun''s return. Every day that he didn''te to see her felt too long for Su Daji. Her anxiousness remained even when Mu Yue was by her side.


    "Calm down. Your anxiety is filling my senses." Mu Yue scowled as she nced at Su Daji, who was trying to preupy her mind by reading a book inside her quarters.


    Su Daji sighed and lowered the book to herp. Clearly, her mind wasn''t on the book she was reading, and none of the words on it made sense to her.


    "Sorry. I can''t help but worry. Do you think the amulet would be enough to stop the curse from getting worse?" She asked the white fox.


    "Depends on his strength and capability to repel the effects of ck magic. The longer you wait for him, the stronger that seed grows within your body," Mu Yue replied.


    "Then, what would happen to me if we wouldn''t be able to get rid of it on time?"


    When the white fox didn''t answer immediately, Su Daji knew then that she could only wait for her impending death by then. The next possible solution to get rid of the ck magic seed was for the ninth prince topletely remove it from her.


    s, she and Mu Yue knew that it would never happen¡­ unless Su Daji conceded and epted the ninth prince''s proposition.


    Finally, on the tenth day of waiting, Li Yun came back and arrived at the Su Estatete at night. Others would have denied and frowned upon histe-night visit, but not Su Daji. The moment she heard that Li Yun had arrived, she immediately asked her maidservants to dress her up and allow their guest to wait for her at the main hall.


    Li Yun didn''t wait for too long before Su Daji arrived and met him together with the white fox. He looked exhausted, with the bags under his eyes darkening; as if he hadn''t had a good night''s sleep for some time now.


    Seeing him like this made Su Daji feel guilty. He wouldn''t be in this situation if not for her.


    "Brother Yun, whye thiste? You should have dyed this meeting," she said as soon as she had taken a seat across from him.


    Li Yun shook his head and passed an amulet to her.


    "How could I choose to dy this meeting? Your life is in danger. I can''t possibly sleep peacefully at night, knowing that you are waiting for my return." He smiled, but it quite didn''t reach his eyes due to exhaustion.


    Su Daji fiddled with the amulet and could feel a sudden change in her body as soon as she did. She felt warm and cold at the same time.


    "Thanking Brother Yun for this amulet," she replied. "How do I use this anyway?"


    "Just wear it like a normal ne and keep it close to your body," Li Yun exined. "This should prevent the ck magic seed from growing inside your body further. In the meantime, try to limit your encounters with other people. Don''t allow anyone to touch you, or else your body might get a reaction.


    "I have yet to identify what kind of ck magic was ced on you, but I promise¡­ I will find a long-term solution to this problem, Daji."


    Su Daji''s eyes were rimmed with tears, and she nodded. What Li Yun had done for her was already enough for her to feel grateful for his help.


    Meanwhile, the white fox telepathically conversed with the young shaman.


    "The seed has already ingrained itself into Daji''s heart. I''m afraid that it wouldn''t be easy to remove it now without killing her." The white fox didn''t dare to lie about the youngdy''s current condition.


    The smile on Li Yun''s face faltered as he turned his head to look at the white fox. He was shocked by the revtion, but he recovered from it immediately, hiding his thoughts from the youngdy in front of him.


    "Since it''s already toote, why don''t you spend the night here, Brother Yun? I''ll ask my maidservants to prepare a quarter for you," Su Daji suggested.


    Li Yun nodded in agreement. He would need some time to have a private conversation with the white foxter, out of Su Daji''s earshot. He must know how serious the problem had be¡­ and if he still could do anything to save the young woman''s life.


    An hourter, Mu Yue went to the private courtyard where Li Yun would be staying until the morning came. He had already taken a bath and was donned in clean robes, getting ready to retire for the night. The white fox appeared in the garden, which he immediately sensed.


    He had taken a seat by the porch and looked at the crescent moon above them. He let out a deep breath and rubbed his temple.


    "I didn''t know that it would proceed so fast. I should havee back sooner," he murmured, but it was loud enough for Mu Yue to hear.


    "It can''t be helped. The ck magic curse left on her is quite persistent, to be honest. Even I would have a hard time dealing with it. I have never encountered this kind of ck magic in my long life." The fox admitted.


    "Then¡­ can''t we do anything to stop it from growing?" Li Yun questioned her.


    "You should know the answer to this question better, Little Shaman. Pulling out the seed could also put a strain on her heart, which could lead to death."


    The young shaman frowned.


    If even the fox couldn''t help Su Daji, then this left them with no other choice¡­ but for him to extract the seed from the youngdy''s body himself. s, it was easier said than done. After all, extracting such a seed filled with concentrated magic would require a lot of spiritual energy from him.


    While it''s true that he was born with innate strong spiritual powers, it was like a ticking bomb waiting to explode. One mistake during the ritual could lead not only him, but also Su Daji, to their own deaths.


    "Then, what does the ninth prince want from her? How did she end up meeting such a devious person?"


    "The ninth prince has taken a liking to her and wants to take her as his concubine. In return, he promised to leave the Su province and wouldn''t dare to step on thisnd ever again. You should know by now what kind of life is waiting for her if she agrees."


    Li Yun frowned deeper. Of course, he knew.


    It wouldn''t be easy for Su Daji to lead such a kind of life. Moreover, he also knew that her heart was already set for another man she could never be with. Although Su Daji hadn''t voiced it out, it was clear that her adoptive brother, Jiang Mo, would be the only one for her.


    "This ninth prince wouldn''t be able to threaten Daji easily. If there''s something one should know about her, she could be stubborn at times, refusing to listen to anyone once she had made up her mind.


    "But using peace and the lives of her constituents against her is really too low of the ninth prince. I didn''t expect that he could be this repulsive."


    "Daji is fighting his influence as much as she can. I could tell by the way she refused to let him invade her dreamste at night. He is subtly trying to ce her under his control, but I have to say this youngdy has a strong willpower."


    The fox then focused on listening to Su Daji''s breathing. She could tell that the youngdy was deep asleep in her quarters.


    Li Yun chuckled upon hearing her words. He couldn''t agree more with her.


    "That''s something I admire about her. Actually, I knew that she was sensitive to this kind of mental attack, but I have to say I was quite shocked that she couldmunicate with you. Perhaps she has been too exposed to your great power¡­ that she developed the power to resist the ninth prince''s influence for so long."


    Suddenly, the white fox turned her head to the east, sensing a new person with great spiritual power.. A grim reaper had just arrived.

 Chapter 231 - Impending Death (3)

    Chapter 231 ¨C Impending Death (3)


    The sudden appearance of a grim reaper near the Su Household was bad news for Mu Yue. This only meant that someone close to Su Daji, or the youngdy herself, was destined to lose their life very soon.


    Thinking about this, the white fox wondered if this was really the end for Su Daji. She could not prolong the youngdy''s life any longer. The mere fact that a grim reaper was nearby meant that a human was destined to lose their life, with no chance of escaping it.


    "Is there something wrong?" Li Yun asked her when he noticed that she was looking in a direction.


    "No. I just thought of something." The white fox lied. Even if she told Li Yun about the possibility of Su Daji''s death, there was no other way to stop it.


    "I''m leaving. You should take a rest. The spell you''ve ced on your body is weakening. You should know by now what could happen if this persists," she said before leaving Li Yun on his own as she returned to Su Daji''s courtyard.


    Mu Yue scented all the things she could from the young woman, but she couldn''t scent death. Perhaps the strong scent of the ck magic spell was masking it, dulling her senses.


    How many moons had she already spent with the youngdy? Mu Yue had no idea. She had lost count of it. Initially, she had only stayed next to Su Daji out of curiosity; now, she wasn''t sure why anymore. Had she made an attachment towards the young woman?


    The white fox scoffed to herself. Wouldn''t that mean that Su Daji would be her weakness? Mu Yue didn''t think so. Su Daji didn''t have such importance in her life, and she had only saved the youngdy a couple of times out of courtesy.


    Even if Su Daji died, she was a human. Their lives were fleeting, and she had already expected that Su Daji would lose her life¡­ just not too soon.


    The white fox couldn''t interfere with the youngdy''s fate now, and whether Su Daji died or not, it wouldn''t be the end for Mu Yue. She would only return to her brother''s side and wait for a chance to gain a host that could house her spirit.


    Days passed, and Su Daji returned to her normal self. Her days had be filled with assisting the couple at the clinic, only returning home with her trusted maidservants and bodyguardte at night.


    From the outside, she looked good and healthy, but Li Yun and Mu Yue knew better. Her constitution was starting to deteriorate each passing day, leaving the young shaman frustrated at the matter.


    Li Yun felt helpless. He had sought several scrolls to find out the kind of ck magic spell used on Su Daji, but he still couldn''t find answers. He wouldn''t be able to treat her properly if he couldn''t even identify what the spell was.


    Li Yun was aware that Su Daji''s life was in danger, but he had no idea that death was lurking much closer than what he expected.


    In the ninth month of the year, massive news reached the Su province. The ninth prince was named the new emperor, sessfully winning the battle to obtain the dragon throne against his other brothers.


    Just as Su Daji thought that she had heard the worst, the next piece of news had left a massive blow on her person. Her father was captured by the nine prince''s people, and he was awaiting trial.


    The moment Su Daji heard the news, she copsed.


    It took three days before she regained her consciousness, but at the same time as she woke up, the effects of the amulet she was wearing vanished. It was reced by a strong scent of ck magicing from her body.


    By this time, the signs of death started emanating all over her person, which only confirmed Mu Yue''s guess that the grim reaper was waiting for Su Daji''s death. It wasn''t hard to see that the youngdy was already reaching her end.


    If it wasn''t for the fox''s intervention, Bai Ting and the rest of Su Daji''s maidservants would have died due to the effects of the ck magic spell oozing from the young miss. It was so potent that the flowers that Su Daji cultivated in her garden for years had wilted upon contact.


    It was only when Li Yun arrived in a hurry after receiving the news of what happened¡­ did they contain the terrifying and deathly effects from everyonepletely by purifying the ce.


    "Daji is dying," Mu Yue told Li Yun, not daring to lie to him this time. It was obvious, anyway. "If this persists, she only has a week to stay alive. It was either Xuan Yanrui lifts the curse himself or Daji surrounds herself unto him."


    "It''s the same. What other choice do we have, then?" Li Yun hated himself for being ipetent. He had found a lead that the ck magic spell had originated from the westernnds, and ironically, the healer working for the ninth prince hade from that ce.


    There was no known counteract measure to remove the curse, except for the caster to remove it. Now that Su Daji was on her deathbed, the clock was ticking fast. Her days were already numbered, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.


    There came a ceasefire as the troops of the ninth prince left the borders of the Su province, while Jiang Mo rushed to return home after receiving the news about Minister Su and that of Su Daji''s predicament.


    ''Daji only has a week or so. You must hurry.''


    The words he had read from Li Yun''s letter were enough reason for Jiang Mo to keep his travel at the fastest speed he could manage. His steed was strong, but it proved to be a challenge to arrive at the center of the province in under a week.


    Jiang Mo arrived at the threshold of the Su Estate, the ce where he and Su Daji grew up, on the fifth day of his journey. Without waiting for the manservant to wee him, he rushed and asked one of the maids to bring him to Su Daji''s courtyard.


    "Master, Lord Li said that we can''t enter Miss''s courtyard until he deemed that it was safe for us." The middle-aged woman informed him, but she stopped in her tracks the moment they reached the entrance of Su Daji''s courtyard.


    At once, Jiang Mo understood why his childhood friend gave this order. The nts, as well as the huge tree in Su Daji''s courtyard, seemed to have wilted and lost their vitality.


    "It''s fine. You don''t have to apany me inside," he told the servants and entered the courtyard alone.


    As if sensing his presence, Li Yun appeared and greeted him.


    "How is she?" Jiang Mo immediately asked, not wasting time with propriety.


    Li Yun shook his head and led him inside Su Daji''s quarter. The stench of dark miasma filled the room, and Jiang Mo immediately held his breath to keep it out.


    The young shaman performed a purifying ritual to dispel the miasma for the third time on that very same day.


    "It''s not good. Daji has already sent word to the newly crowned emperor, and they have yet to lift the curse from her," Li Yun exined.


    Jiang Mo grasped the cor of Li Yun''s robes harshly and pulled him.


    "You mean to say that you allowed Daji to give up herself to the ninth prince? What were you thinking?!"


    "I tried to convince her not to, but you should know your sister better than me," Li Yun said in defense. "Daji was convinced that the ninth prince wouldn''t spare the Su province. He won''t allow your father to leave either if she doesn''t surrender herself.


    "Do you think this is easy for her? It wasn''t!"


    Jiang Mo was momentarily stunned by his friend''s words. He slowly released his hold on Li Yun.


    "I have failed her," he said after a long silence between them as they looked at Su Daji, who was now unconscious on her bed. Herplexion was extremely pale, and her colors disappeared altogether.


    "No. We failed her," Li Yun said next to Jiang Mo.


    While the two men were ming themselves for not being able to protect Su Daji, the fox rose from her spot and went to the porch next to the youngdy''s quarters.


    A man dressed in a ck robe and hat stepped out of the shadows to meet her.


    "Demon, this has nothing to do with you," he told Mu Yue.


    Mu Yue narrowed her eyes and made a frightening howl, resonating within the area. Jiang Mo and Li Yun were both rmed, and they came towards her to see what happened.


    "Grim reaper, you have the audacity to tell this one what to do? Su Daji is still alive.. You shouldn''t be here."

 Chapter 232 - Rebirth As A Human (1)

    Chapter 232 ¨C Rebirth As A Human (1)


    Jiang Mo and Li Yun were both startled upon hearing what the white fox just said. As they looked at the man dressed in ck, they couldn''t sense dangering from it¡­ but a forbearance for something neither of them couldn''t exin.


    The white fox regarded this man as a grim reaper. Was this to mean that he came here to take Su Daji''s soul?


    "No, no, no! Daji won''t die!" Jiang Mo almost lost his cool right then and there. It was only now that he realized that he was truly losing the only woman that mattered in his life.


    How foolish of him. If he knew that Su Daji would lose her life this early, he shouldn''t have wasted months away from her. He should have epted what he''d been trying to deny all this time. Now that he was losing her, Jiang Mo was willing to give up everything¡ªeven his feelings for her¡ªso long as she would continue to live.


    Li Yun could only look at his friend with pity. After all, he couldn''t do anything to save Su Daji now. No matter how many times he attempted to purify the ck magic spell and forced it out of her body, it would alwayse back with a vengeance. Stronger than it previously was.


    The grim reaper looked at the three and shook his head, half of his face still hidden in the darkness.


    "Su Daji only has a sichen to live. Demon, you better not try to keep her soul in her body by forcibly binding the two together. You''ll know what will happen to you if you defy thews of nature," The grim reaper told Mu Yue before he vanished into thin air.


    "Only a sichen?!" Li Yun and Jiang Mo eximed at the same time. They immediately rushed and returned to Su Daji''s side at once.


    The two men sat next to her bed, watching Su Daji slowly wither. Both of them had bloodshot eyes, hands trembling on top of their legs as they tried to digest what was happening¡­ and why Su Daji needed to lose her life tonight.


    Meanwhile, the white fox epted that this must be truly the end of the youngdy''s life. Although her body was tainted with the ck magic, her soul remained clear from any taint on her person; which left Mu Yue baffled. The white fox couldn''t understand the reason for it to happen.


    Half a sichenter, Li Yun sensed that the miasmaing from Su Daji''s body was fading. It seemed that the curse had been lifted by the caster.


    "The ninth prince finally released her from the curse¡­"


    "What''s the use of it? The curse has left Daji in her weakest state. She would die at this rate," Jiang Mo spat out venomously. His hatred toward the ninth price rose to another level. He swore in his heart that he would be the one to kill Xuan Yanrui if Daji had really died tonight.


    Su Daji cracked her eyes open and found her brother and Li Yun next to her bed. She forced a smile for them, knowing that she had made them worry too much. Perhaps, the young woman knew that she had reached her limit and didn''t dare to make a fuss out of it.


    She then raised her hand and touched that of Jiang Mo.


    "Brother Mo¡­" She called out.


    Jiang Mo took her hand into his tightly once he realized that she had gained consciousness.


    "Daji." His tone was filled with despair at the moment. He wasn''t ready to ept that this might have been thest time he would be able to talk to her¡­ to hold her.


    "It''s not your fault." She told her brother, "It''s my choice to ept the ninth prince''s proposition, but I''m afraid that after I die tonight, they will kill Father and invade ournds."


    "Shh¡­ don''t worry about this," Jiang Mo assured her. "This brother of yours will do his best to protect everyone. If I fail, at least. I have no regrets. I will not fall without doing everything that I can."


    Tears were already rolling down Su Daji''s cheeks, causing her sight to grow blurry. There were so many things that she still wanted to do, but she couldn''t anymore. As much as she wanted to see her father for thest time, it seemed impossible at the moment.


    "No, it would be hard for you to protect everyone. That is why I decided to give my body to the Great Fox for her to use."


    "Daji!" Li Yun was the one who eximed this time. "Do you even know what you are saying? If the Great Fox possesses your body¡­ if this body cannot contain the fox spirit, your body will instantly turn into ashes!"


    How could he not know what might happen if a high-ranking demon decided to possess a human body? The great fox had a highly concentrated demonic power that could easily ruin a human body. This was why not many high-ranking demons like her could own a human vessel. It''s very rare to find one that was strong enough.


    "I know, but I''m willing to take the risk," Su Daji retorted. "The Great Fox and I had already made an agreement. She would be able to have my body so long as she would protect the citizens of this province from the emperor. I don''t believe Xuan Yanrui would ignore this ce now that he has secured his ce at the throne."


    Li Yun nced at the white fox, who didn''t say a word throughout their conversation. Actually, Su Daji had regained her consciousness after the grim reaper vanished. The youngdy hadmunicated with her through telepathy and begged her to save the youngdy''s old man from the ninth prince.


    Xuan Yanrui might have lifted the curse from Su Daji, but he miscalcted that the youngdy would die tonight. However, the youngdy had already predicted the events if Xuan Yanrui found out that she had died, even before he could make her his concubine. It would surely not end well for her father and everyone whom she would leave tonight.


    This was why Su Daji begged the white fox to ept her body as the next host. After all, she had nothing to lose now that she was dying. It took a lot of convincing for the youngdy to make Mu Yue agree to her request until the fox epted it.


    Jiang Mo hardened his jaws. Even at the end of her life, Su Daji was willing to do everything to protect everyone from the ninth prince. This only made him feel ashamed of himself. There was nothing else he could do to share Su Daji''s burden.


    "If my body turned into ashes, then that only meant that I had already exhausted all efforts to help everyone." Su Daji shut her eyes as if speaking hurt her. She couldn''t even lift a single finger now and felt extremely exhausted.


    "I''ll give you some time, Daji." Mu Yue''s words resounded in both Jiang Mo''s and Li Yun''s minds. "If I were to possess her body, I would need to enter as soon as her soul departed from it."


    The fox went outside and remained on the porch. Mu Yue looked heavenward and noticed that it was the new moon. Was this a coincidence? The fox spirit wondered.


    For some, the new moon symbolized new beginnings. While Su Daji''s life was about to end, Mu Yue''s life as a demon living within a human host would start. Mu Yue briefly regretted not asking her older brother how the possession went for his case, but she supposed she could only wait and see if Su Daji''s body was a fit to be her host.


    Li Yun had also stepped out of Su Daji''s quarters, giving Jiang Mo a chance to say his parting words with Su Daji. The young man knew that after tonight, Jiang Mo would never be the same again. No¡ªin fact, even he wouldn''t be the same, too.


    Mu Yue could hear the words spoken between the two star-crossed lovers and how they prayed that in their next lives, they would be able to meet and be together. The fox wasn''t sure what to think of it. Love and adoration seemed to be a foreign concept for her.


    When the second half of the sichen approached, the same grim reaper appeared at Su Daji''s courtyard.


    "It is time," he told the white fox and Li Yun. As he said this, Su Daji''s spirit slowly materialized next to the grim reaper. This time, the youngdy had a bitter smile on her face.


    Li Yun clenched his fists on his sides, but he didn''t say anything. Seeing Daji in spirit form only meant that her time finally ran out.


    ''I will leave everything to you, Mu Yue.. Forgive this one for giving you such a big problem.''

 Chapter 233 - Rebirth As A Human (2)

    Chapter 233 ¨C Rebirth As A Human (2)


    After Su Daji spoke to the fox, she then mouthed ''thank you'' to Li Yun. Soon, she and the grim reaper next to her dissipated in thin air. Although she regretted many things, Su Daji willingly let go of her grievances and crossed from the world of the living to the afterlife.


    Su Daji''s death only meant that the white fox now had the chance to possess her body before it started to deteriorate on its own. The fox and Li Yun then found Jiang Mo standing a couple of steps away from Su Daji''s bed.


    Li Yun took pity on his friend, knowing that Jiang Mo couldn''t even properly grieve over Su Daji''s passing. He wouldn''t be able to put her body to rest as well. However, it couldn''t be helped. Only the two of them knew about what truly happened to Su Daji tonight.


    "It''s time." The white fox was then covered with a golden light. Her form changed in front of the two humans and entered Su Daji''s body.


    Li Yun, at the same time, set up a barrier to stop other entities from sensing the great disturbance inside the Su Estate. With the fox spirit''s great power, it would be problematic if they attracted unwanted attention from others.


    However, the young shaman didn''t expect the fox to have tremendous demon power. Never in his life had he encountered such a demon with such a power that was as strong and intimidating as this.


    It was like the fox could destroy the whole Su province at will. It was truly frightening, in Li Yun''s opinion. This disy had shown him a grim possibility. If his family was to face such a strong demon that was in the same league as the fox spirit, then they would have no chance of winning.


    Jiang Mo didn''t say a word and only stared nkly before him. Su Daji''s body began to glow in response, indicating that the process of possession had started. Perhaps the shock of knowing Su Daji had just died didn''t sink in yet, and the man could only watch mindlessly as things unfold in his eyes.


    Initially, Li Yun was worried that the moment the white fox entered Su Daji''s body, her concentrated power would turn it into dust like how other human bodies suffered. However, it didn''t.


    Surprisingly, aside from the fact that her dead body was glowing, he couldn''t see any damage on Su Daji so far.


    Her colors were even starting to return as if Su Daji wasing back to life. What the two humans couldn''t see was that the fox spirit was also healing the internal damages the ck magic spell left on this body.


    Her fingers twitched slightly before the two humans. At this, they knew that the fox spirit had sessfully fused itself with the remnant of Su Daji. It didn''t take long before she opened her eyes, but her irises had changed into an amber hue. She then blinked, trying to focus her sight.


    When she sat up, one could easily mistake her as the real Su Daji, but Jiang Mo and Li Yun knew better. Their Daji had already gone and wouldn''t being back anymore. The young woman in front of them wasn''t the same young woman they grew up with.


    Her long dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, and she lifted her head to look at the men standing next to her. The fox spirit was sessfully reborn as a human.


    "It''s surprisingly easy to possess her body," the young woman spoke softly, her voice a little hoarse and unfamiliar.


    The fox spirit ran her hand on her thick mane, pushing it out of her face. She then tried to wiggle her toes, amused that Su Daji''s human body wasn''t resisting her. Instead, it willingly allowed her to be ingrained within it, giving the fox spirit absolute control


    Same face, same voice¡­ but Jiang Mo and Li Yun could tell that she was a totally different person. This new Su Daji had the air of arrogance around her visage and a glint of mischief in her eyes.


    "Since Daji willingly gave you her body as your host, please take care of it."


    The fox woman slightly cocked her head in acknowledgment. "Naturally."


    Jiang Mo didn''t need to tell her what she should do. So long as the fox spirit was alive, so was Su Daji''s body. She would be immune tomon illnesses humans like the original suffered from. Even physical attacks and trauma would have no effect on her body anymore. What''s more, with her heightened senses, she would be able to perceive danger much easier than normal humans.


    "What else did Daji ask you to do?" Li Yun asked the fox woman. It felt weird for him to talk to such a majestic creature upying Su Daji''s body. He was used to speaking with her in her white fox form for the past few days.


    "She asked me to save her father whatever happens and not inform him of her death. Su Daji didn''t say it directly, but it seems she also wants me to ruin the ninth prince if I get a chance."


    Jiang Mo frowned at that. "The imperial harem isn''t a safe ce. You should know this."


    It was one of the ces on earth that were filled with malice and never-ending schemes from others. Even if the real Su Daji chose to go to that golden cage, Jiang Mo would never allow her. He would stop her at any cost.


    "Oh? That''s much better, then. There''s no such thing as joy and peace at the imperial pce. It''s filled with romance, jealousy, and every kind of human affair that is incredibly loathsome. Appropriate for a demon, such as me." The fox woman wore a bemused smile, far different from the warm one Su Daji usually had on her pretty face.


    Jiang Mo could only sigh before flopping down on a nearby seat. The exhaustion he endured from his long journey from the north to back home was starting to catch up with him.


    "I don''t care what you are up to, but you have to promise me that you will take care of her body. Don''t let anyone, especially the ninth prince, defile her."


    "Fine. You have my word." The fox woman tucked some stray locks behind her ear. "Is there something else?"


    "Don''t let anyone know that you aren''t the real Su Daji," Li Yun reminded her. "It would be a huge problem if they found out that you are a demon."


    The fox spirit chuckled at that. "And why should I be afraid of them?"


    "We aren''t concerned about you. We are concerned about Daji''s body," Jiang Mo corrected her. "It doesn''t matter whether she has died or not; this body is hers. Since you are using her body, you have to protect not only her reputation but also her name."


    The fox woman gave him a good look. It seemed that Jiang Mo had changed tremendously since thest time she and Su Daji visited him at the northern borders a few weeks ago.


    Who would have thought that the youngdy would lose her life like this, allowing the fox spirit to take over her body?


    Su Daji looked healthy a few weeks ago. No one would believe them if they said that Su Daji had just died. Wasn''t it only recently that she and Su Daji had left to see Jiang Mo?


    "You would also be my eyes and ears within the imperial pce." Jiang Mo clenched his fist as he thought about the newly crowned emperor. He couldn''t wait for Xuan Yanrui to lose his head through his own de.


    "Xiao Mo, I don''t think this is a good idea¡­" Li Yun said worriedly. However, it seemed that the only reason for Jiang Mo to keep going was to kill the ninth prince, who caused Su Daji to lose her life so early.


    If the ninth prince hadn''t taken an interest in her¡­


    The young shaman shut his eyes and sighed. There was no need to think of ''what-ifs'' because it wouldn''t change the fact that Su Daji had already died tonight. The maiden had just died at a critical time when Minister Su was imprisoned by the new emperor and when Su Daji was called to join the imperial harem at the capital.


    "You intend to kill the emperor?" The fox woman questioned Jiang Mo. "With your current ability, do you think you have a chance to kill him? Human, I think you are overestimating yourself. At this rate, not only would you lose tremendously, but you''re also putting Su Daji''s effort into naught."


    Jiang Mo didn''t take her words as an insult, but instead, he epted her criticism. He was aware of his strength and limitations. This was why he decided to get stronger.


    "I know that," he admitted. "But one day, I would have Xuan Yanrui''s head.. I will wait for that day to arrive, no matter how long I must."


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