Rāhu Xiaoming and Gu Yanying both looked at Xiao An. She was completely calm. Her face was not twisted at all, and she did not give off even a hint of murderousness as if she was merely talking about something ordinary. Only Li Qingshan existed in her eyes.

  Li Qingshan was taken aback as well, rather surprised by this. From a certain perspective, that was almost no different from his destruction of the world.

  However, he had made the space-devouring beast devour the nine provinces to force Si Long into revealing an opening. It caused a lot of destruction, but it was basically all barren land. There were basically no living creatures involved.

  If he could kill Si Long here and now, then all of it would just end like that. He possessed resolve, but he still did his best to avoid pointless slaughter.

  “I disagree! That’s going too far!”


  Li Fengyuan could no longer care about his fear for Xiao An, leaping to his feet abruptly. The phoenix was still a bird of benevolence at the end of the day.

  Li Qingshan ignored him. He asked with a smile, “What do you think?”


  Rāhu Xiaoming took a sip of alcohol and glanced at Li Qingshan. He said nothing.

  Gu Yanying played around with the alcohol cup with her slender fingers. “Even if we support that idea, are you really going to just back down like this today? We might as well wait until after today. We can talk about this if you fail to take down Si Long today and still survive somehow!”


  “Yanying be the one who knows me!”


  Li Qingshan laughed aloud. His voice shook up the mountains.

  Having reached this point, if he still backed down, his influence and momentum would definitely decline. He was better off simply leaving the nine provinces instead of dragging all the living creatures down with him.

  Xiao An lowered her head, rather dejected.

  “I understand. You’re concerned for my safety. You don’t want me to take the risk. As a result, despite knowing my decision, you still mentioned it.”

  Li Qingshan pulled her into his arms and planted a heavy kiss on her tender cheek.

  Xiao An smiled with a slight blush; it was like the melting of glaciers, the glorious bloom of flowers in spring.

  “In other words… I’m just the idiot?” Li Fengyuan pointed at himself and asked in disbelief.

  “My foolish son, just stick with cooking your meat!”


  Li Fengyuan sat down in dejection. Once again, he felt like he was rather undeserving of the title of the Meat-stewing Heavenly King.

  Li Qingshan waved his hand and formed a barrier with the Spirit Turtle’s Profound Shell. He became serious.

  “Today is indeed a fine opportunity. When the Clam King of Mirage Sea ascended, she specially left behind a clone to deal with Si Long. She went to the Dragon province many years ago. Originally, I thought she would make a mess in the imperial court of Great Xia, but I’ve never heard any news about her since then. She was probably waiting for Si Long to return in person. She visited me in my dreams a few days ago and specially reminded me to come today…”


  He described the various details of the dream, especially the final sight he saw.

  “No wonder you’re so determined, but I feel rather perplexed. The Jade palace is the Nine-tailed Fox Empress’s territory after all. Can a mere clone of the Clam King of Mirage Sea really set up a powerful ambush there? Even if she’s actually after Si Long, she’s not a particularly powerful source of help. The Heavenly Frost Wolf King failed to even withstand a single strike from you. As a result, could that be a trap to specially lure you here?”


  Gu Yanying’s hawk eyes narrowed slightly and gazed at the Jade palace in the distance.

  “The person with the umbrella you saw at the end of your dream is most likely the Nine-tailed Fox Empress. It’s said that she carries an umbrella like that with her all the time.”


  Li Qingshan shrugged. He was unconcerned. “Perhaps she managed to persuade the Nine-tailed Fox Empress to help us out.” He licked his lips. “Have you seen the Nine-tailed Fox Empress before? I heard she’s the greatest beauty in the world. I wonder if that’s true or not.”


  Gu Yanying said in exasperation, “When Si Long became acquainted with the Nine-tailed Fox Empress, your eightieth ancestor hadn’t even been born yet! She might not have held a formal wedding with Si Long, but she actually became the empress of Great Xia a long time ago. For the past five thousand years, she’s been constantly enjoying everything that the Great Xia empire can provide to her, so why would she turn against Si Long to help you? If the Clam King of Mirage Sea really has a plan, why didn’t she make it clear with you so that we could coordinate with her appropriately?”


  Li Qingshan said, “Probably because she’s afraid that Si Long would sense it, which is why she can’t make it clear, just in case it’s given away. Speaking of which, why’re you so worked up?”


  “It’s also possible that they’re afraid you might sense it. Don’t tell me you’ve been bewitched?” Sparks flew from Gu Yanying’s eyes as she observed Li Qingshan. “How am I worked up?”


  “Tell me, Xiao An. Is she worked up?”


  “Yes.” Xiao An nodded seriously.

  “Look, and you still don’t admit it.” Li Qingshan smiled complacently.

  “Oi, is this the time to discuss how I feel? Li Qingshan, I’m very concerned about your mental state right now.”


  “How’s that possible? It’s not like I haven’t seen women before.”


  Li Qingshan could not help but think of the smile under the umbrella in the golden fields of wheat. He clearly had not seen her entire appearance, yet that sight happened to be so clear. Had he really been bewitched? He shook his head and discarded these thoughts.

  “Speaking of which, why would the Clam King of Mirage Sea ever assist Si Long against me?”


  Rāhu Xiaoming said, “Hold on, I have a question. Is the Nine-tailed Fox Empress you speak of a regular fox daemon blowing her own horn or an actual nine-tailed fox from the Kingdom of Green Hills?”


  Li Qingshan said, “What’s… the difference? They’re all fox daemons anyway!”


  “There’s a great difference alright, like a snake to a dragon. If she’s a true nine-tailed fox, then it would not be strange at all if you were bewitched. Even the Clam King of Mirage Sea you speak of might very well be bewitched.”


  Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow. “They’re that impressive?”


  “Nine-tailed foxes are a species even rarer than dragons and phoenixes. They’re born with the delicate beauty of the world, blessed with great beauty among all. Even gods and immortals struggle to resist their charms. It can even affect far more than just sentient living creatures. Legend has it that the techniques nine-tailed foxes cast are through their charms, not their powers.”


  “The wife of king Yu the Great, Tushan, was a nine-tailed fox. This Si Long claims to be a descendant of Yu the Great, which might just be a farfetched conclusion. However, he’s definitely been bewitched as well. It’s no wonder that he has split this world into nine provinces and established some Great Xia. He must be trying to please her.”


  TL: Yu the Great is a legendary king in Chinese mythology who split the land into nine provinces. You can read more about him here.

  Gu Yanying said, “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. How can a regular fox daemon leave Si Long so enamoured? If the two of them strike together, I don’t think anyone can stand a chance. Why don’t we just go and slaughter the living instead?”


  Rāhu Xiaoming said, “Though, if she really is a nine-tailed fox, it would be far too strange. They are different from dragons and phoenixes. Most of their species gather in the Kingdom of Green Hills. They rarely wander outside. And according to what you said, she already underwent the third heavenly tribulation five thousand years ago, so how has she still not ascended even now?”


  There were originally many divine and exotic beasts in the world. The world had even been ruled by the Dragon clan for a very long time. However, these clans and species of great talent all cultivated extremely quickly. Whether they ascended or perished in the tribulation lightning, none of them could remain in a world like this. Nine-tailed foxes were no different.

  Gu Yanying said, “Probably because she doesn’t want to ascend to the Daemonic Beast realm, so she’s been waiting the entire time for Si Long to return.”


  “Nine-tailed foxes can proactively choose their partners, but they aren’t known for their loyalty. Will she really waste five thousand years in a place like this just for the sake of a measly Si Long?”


  Whether it was a trap or an opportunity, all of the mysteries gathered on the Nine-tailed Fox Empress, affecting the end result of this battle. Even with Gu Yanying’s insight and Rāhu Xiaoming’s knowledge, they struggled to make an immediate judgement.

  Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up. “Very well then! The Nine-tailed Fox Empress is mine!”


  Gu Yanying shook her head in disbelief and sighed. “Oi, little bro Qingshan, did you hear what we said or not?”


  “Of course I did. Looks like the Nine-tailed Fox Empress really is the greatest beauty in the nine provinces! Hmph, how dare that measly Si Long provoke me! He better watch as I eat his dog, butcher his family, and fuck his wife!”


  It was clear from Li Qingshan’s expression that he was up to no good. He had already begun fantasising the taste of victory.

  “Xiao An, this bastard must have been bewitched, right? He must have been bewitched!”


  “Yeah!” Xiao An nodded seriously.

  The east lit up slightly. Li Qingshan stood up and gazed over. “Thank you for your fascinating analysis, everyone. You’ve given me a whole new perspective on the situation, but I still have to make a choice in the end. Either I retreat out of fear and slaughter the living, or I give it my all in an attempt to kill Si Long. I choose the latter. So what if I’m bewitched? So what if it’s a trap? Si Long would have never just sat there and waited for me to kill him in the first place! Anyway, I feel like a battle is possible!”


  Rāhu Xiaoming lifted up the cauldron and drank all the soup in one stroke. “Then let’s battle!”


  “Alright. I really have no idea how you got to where you are right now.”


  Gu Yanying was powerless. As someone who thought long and deep about everything, she had only ever acted on impulse for the sake of the kunpeng’s feather. She really was unaccustomed to his brainless charges.

  “Xiao An has always been coming up with plans for me. Of course, I have my sharp instincts as well—here he comes!”


  Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up. The sun rose up in the east, and a colossal dragon leapt out from the horizon, splitting open the clouds with its head.

  At a closer glance, that was not a true dragon, but a fleet of ships. The ship in the lead was far larger than any one he had ever seen.

  Si Long stood on the nose of the ship, shining brilliantly.

  “It’s Great Xia’s Sovereign Dragon King!”