Sect Leader Is Under Great Pressure CH 078 The Hearts Of Humans And Spirit Demons, Are Both As Deep As The Sea
The fox’s injuries were too severe, and Qingnu had little experience treating such external wounds. First, she scraped the fur off the fox skin, then soaked and washed it in a specially prepared medicinal liquid. After examining the condition of the skin, Qingnu and Guan Yuli exchanged a glance and both nodded.
"A thousand-year-old fox's skin is indeed different. If it were an ordinary fox, the skin would have dried out by now. This skin still retains its vitality even after nearly two hours," Qingnu said, picking up the clean fox skin and pondering. "Do you think large patches or small patches are better? Grafting small patches can lead to wrinkles, but if large patches shrink in the middle, we would need to clean it again. However, large patches have their advantages..."
"Small patches are safer, but you clearly want to graft large patches, don't you?" Guan Yuli said indifferently. "Go ahead, I'll help you."
Qingnu smiled with satisfaction and nodded. "Your precision in controlling blood flow is far superior to mine. Let's begin."
They had collaborated countless times before, but it had been a while since they last worked together as their skills had advanced. Their Qingque spiritual technique involved fine control, with spiritual energy condensed into threads that could be both tangible and intangible, capable of penetrating the finest meridians of the patient, and even controlling the blood flow externally to force the heart to beat again. Therefore, grafting the skin back was not too difficult.
It was just very tedious. After all, the fox was about a meter long, skinned from head to tail. Every tiny blood vessel in the skin needed to be reconnected and activated with spiritual energy, and its supply and recovery had to be maintained with spiritual liquid. Qingnu alone couldn't handle the operation.
Not far away, Feng Qingxiu was watching anxiously. After all, this big fox was Su Wan's mate.
She was a great sage, and it would be unwise to provoke her here.
A snake and a bird were also watching nearby.
"Su Wan, that thousand-year-old fox, has found another mate," the black snake flicked its tongue, coiled around a pillar, and watched the fox closely. "Do you see that bloody fox?"
"Eh, what are you thinking?" The nightingale glanced at him, sensing something off. "We killed her mate back then, and you want to kill another one? I advise you to let it go. If she turns into a beauty and seduces some high-ranking Kun-Lai member, we'll be the ones getting skinned."
"True, but this fox is so tender and well-proportioned. If it had fur, it would look quite attractive." The black snake flicked its tongue, stretching its body almost to touch the purification ward set by Qingnu. "Looks like it's barely older than a thousand years old."
In spirit demon cultivation, it takes hundreds of years to take human form, so a thousand-year-old fox isn't considered old.
"Su Wan, that ten-thousand-year-old fox, sleeping with young foxes," the nightingale sneered. "And making them work to support the family."
"I heard there are fox cubs, too." The black snake lowered its head in disappointment. "Feels like we are such failures now."
Feng Qingxiu listened silently, waiting on the side. Over two hours later, Qingnu and Guan Yuli simultaneously released the ward. The fox looked like a torn rag doll, with several stitches on its body, soaking in a blue-green liquid, appearing almost dead.
"There's nothing particularly unusual. The flaying was done professionally," Qingnu answered Feng Qingxiu's unasked question. "This fox shows signs of being drugged, with no significant struggle marks, suggesting it was skinned while under control. The professional technique allowed it to escape with a breath of life."
"We have no idea when the skin was slipped into the stall. There were too many coming and going today," You Jia added. "So now, we just have to wait for the fox to wake up, though I doubt it knows much. It looks like a pawn being used."
"Not necessarily. The fox tribe is known for their intelligence. It might have noticed something," Feng Qingxiu sighed and asked Qingnu, "How long until it wakes up?"
"Three days," Qingnu confidently replied, fully trusting her skills.
"Then we'll wait." Feng Qingxiu walked over to the fox, quietly leaving an invisible sword energy.
If the person who hurt the fox came to silence it, his sword energy would leave a trace, revealing any intruders.
He stationed himself on a nearby cliff, watching the mountain below.
At the foot of the flying peak, the trading with Qingqiu continued. Various foxes carried different items, exchanging them for what they desired.
The awakened Senior Sister Tu also came to find Feng Qingxiu, saying she had found her pouch.
The pouch had been on her all along; she hadn't noticed it during her frantic search and naturally assumed the fox had taken it.
She hadn't anticipated such danger. If Feng Qingxiu hadn't been with her, and if Su Wan hadn't controlled her instincts, she might have been devoured by the big fox.
"Turns out Big Fox really has a wife and kids," Senior Sister Tu said dejectedly, looking at the injured big fox. "And it's Great Sage Su Wan. He hadn't gone back for a hundred years and always used having a wife as an excuse to turn down other spirit demons. I thought it was just an excuse so I followed him to see for myself. Now I'm truly heartbroken."
"Senior Sister, you're a rabbit. Why do you like raising snakes and dating foxes?" Feng Qingxiu asked, unable to understand.
"Well..." Senior Sister Tu blushed, covering her face as her long ears drooped. "Isn't it impressive? I have money..."
So Senior Sister Tu, flaunting her wealth, started pampering snakes and foxes as a sugar mama. Such an idea... truly arrogant!
"I didn't expect this from you, Senior Sister," Feng Qingxiu felt his worldview collapsing.
"But that fox was so kind and gentle, good at making money and supporting the family," Senior Sister Tu defended weakly. "But since he has kids, I won't look for him again. Next time, I'll try finding a wolf. Rabbit men are too lazy and soft! I want a man who stands out and can be taken out proudly. Actually, you’re not bad either, Junior Brother. How about we try it?"
"Get lost!" Feng Qingxiu turned and left.
Back in his room, Feng Qingxiu took out his master's paper figurine and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Today had been too intense: Great Sage Su Wan, a skinned fox case, and his senior sister causing trouble. He desperately needed to seek comfort from his master.
Having his master was enough; he didn't need those little demons! The paper figure of his master would occasionally turn red as it nuzzled, and after a while, it would return to its white color.
Feng Qingxiu played with it for a while before carefully placing his master back inside his clothes. He started to transmit today's events to his master over the network and check for his master's messages.
His master reminded him to be cautious, not to stray too far from the flying peak, and to stay safe.
Then, his master also mentioned that he missed him very much and suggested developing a recording function so that Xiao Qing could share recordings with him at any time.
Feng Qingxiu felt a warm sensation in his heart, thinking that no one could be better to him than his master.
"If only Master were here," Feng Qingxiu muttered as he took out the paper figure and nuzzled it against his face. He thought that if his master were here, he would certainly throw himself into his arms to express his excitement.
Out of Feng Qingxiu's sight, the paper figure shifted its head a bit unnaturally.
The little apprentice was too enthusiastic, almost overwhelming.
But I still like it...
***
Below the flying peak, the fluffy, highly attractive foxes continued to bargain with the Kun-Lai cultivators. Everywhere, there were foxes rolling around, wagging their tails, and looking pitifully at people. Many female cultivators fell for it, and even some male cultivators were charmed into giving discounts.
Su Wan listened to the countless voices outside from within the cave, breathing a slight sigh of relief.
She turned back to lick the wound on her lower back. Hidden under her white fur was a deep, bone-revealing injury that had never healed.
It was a wound inflicted by the Supreme Nine Heavens Calamity Sword when she entered the Western Continent centuries ago. She still remembered the other's casual strike that directly severed her body doubles, which her nine tails had transformed into. During the Great Xuan Twelve Immortal expedition, she had only lost three tails, meaning three lives. But that strike took all nine lives!
For centuries, she had been severely weakened. The tails that regrew couldn't act as extra lives anymore, only used to confuse others into thinking she still had nine lives.
The Xing Dao Master Ji Yunlai—High Priest, just what kind of monster have you unleashed?
His Celestial Demon Sword energy will one day cut you down.
But thinking about today's events ignited anger within her. If it weren't for sensing the clear trace of divine consciousness in that young man, she might have devoured the two Kun-Lai disciples who came to her in her fury.
Given how well the High Priest knew her character, today's events were surely due to his machinations.
If she had eaten that Xing Dao Master's disciple, it would certainly have enraged him, prompting him to come personally. With his abilities, it would be hard for her to escape.
Even if she did escape, she would be gravely injured, unable to harm him. His power was far beyond what a Human Immortal should possess.
The High Priest didn't set this up to have her and the Xing Dao Master mutually harm each other but to draw the Xing Dao Master out.
Could it be that the High Priest had something he needed from the Xing Dao Master?
Very likely. She clearly remembered when she was a consort in the Great Xuan harem, she tried every way to persuade the Xuan Emperor to expel the ever-intrusive High Priest.
But the Xuan Emperor trusted him completely, saying that the High Priest had the endless fortune and karma of the Great Xuan as a natural shackle and blade. If he rebelled against the royal family, he would surely meet a terrible end.
Eventually, she persuaded the Xuan Emperor to poison the High Priest, but the High Priest endured the backlash of the human race's fortune, killing the Xuan Emperor and using secret techniques to delay the curse that should have fallen on him, almost killing her as well—if not for her nine lives.
The ancient curse of the Great Xuan was intricate. The High Priest was destined to die by the hands of the royal family. He must have done something to transfer the curse to the then-weak Ji Yunlai, ending the vendetta and karma between the Great Xuan and himself.
Since then, no one pursued him for the destruction of the Great Xuan.
How he transferred the curse remained a mystery. That was the curse formed by the fortune of the Great Xuan amassed over ten thousand years—it must be something special. Now, he's targeting the Xing Dao Master with various schemes. If this attempt fails, there will surely be more!
I must not let him succeed! She suddenly stood up and paced around the cave. If she could protect the Xing Dao Master's disciple and thwart the High Priest's plot, perhaps the Xing Dao Master would spare her, heal the Supreme Nine Heavens Calamity Sword wound, and provide resources for the Qingqiu Fox clan to recuperate.
...That's it!
"Xiao Mi," Su Wan gently licked her child and called softly.
"En?" The little fox looked up at her.
"I need to do something. Stay home and don't run around," Su Wan said gently.
The little fox nodded obediently, indicating it would listen.
Su Wan glanced at her, then ran out of the cave.
At dusk, Su Wan leaped into the air, landing as a stunningly beautiful little fox. She walked up to a human unaffiliated cultivator (those without Kun-Lai uniforms were unaffiliated cultivators) and tilted her head curiously, "Human, can you take me to the flying peak? I'll give you spiritual fruits."
Yan Ling looked down at the extraordinarily lovely little fox, clearly a high-level cub, and felt a surge of excitement. "Of course, but let's sign a contract first so I can take you up."
"Sure, sure!" With a glint in her eyes, Su Wan, in her little fox form, nodded eagerly, her three fluffy tails swaying adorably.
Yan Ling quickly bit his finger and drew a blood contract on the fox's head. "Alright, let's go."
The little fox happily jumped onto his shoulder. "Human, you're so nice."
"Call me master!" Yan Ling said proudly.
"En, master, you're so nice!"