With laughter and playful banter, the evening found them at Jade Hill for a banquet. Unfortunately, the Jade-faced Fairy of Jade Hill was in seclusion and did not make an appearance.
The next day, led by several Jade-faced Foxes, the group visited so scenic spots and strolled through the tribes under Jade Hill’s domain. Shen Ying even bought several local wood carvings as souvenirs.
"Hiss hiss hiss—"
By dusk, the group arrived by a riverside, hunted a horned deer and so wild chickens for barbecue, when suddenly, a Water Python slithered from the river onto the bank, winding its way toward them.
A Jade-faced Fox nad Su Lin glanced at the Water Python and flicked a burst of magical power toward it.
"Boom!"
With a light sound, the Water Python winced in pain and coiled its body instantly, its head turning towards them, flicking its tongue, poised to attack.
"Hiss!"
Su Lin grinned at it, his head transforming swiftly into a massive fox head with eyes as red as blood, revealing sharp teeth. His expression turned ghostly, greenish like a Fierce Ghost.
Terrified, the Water Python recoiled imdiately and dashed back into the water, fleeing swiftly.
Su Lin laughed heartily, turned around, and reverted back into a graceful, elegant scholar.
Lu Zheng clicked his tongue, impressed. With that transformation, Su Lin should probably be called a Ghost-faced Fox instead of a Jade-faced Fox.
"Just past this river is the territory of the Double Star Snakes," Su Lin explained with a smile, "so there are more snakes around here."
Liu Qingyan asked, "That python just now, could it be a Double Star Snake?"
She had noticed star-like spots on the Water Python’s body.
Su Lin shook his head, "No, it’s a rcury Python, probably with a trace of Double Star Snake bloodline. Occasionally, so cultivate enough to serve in Ten Thousand Stars Creek."
"I see," Liu Qingyan nodded in understanding, "I sensed a faint Demon Qi on it, but it hasn’t gained intelligence yet and remains muddled."
"Double Star Snakes themselves aren’t very smart," Su Lin chuckled, "and snakes are inherently promiscuous, often reverting to their original form and mating with various snakes, making Ten Thousand Stars Creek infested with snakes."
Tu Yujiao pouted, "But the Double Star Tribe is quite powerful, often bullying your Jade Hill Tribe."
Several Jade-faced Foxes remained speechless.
Since the Double Star Tribe worships the Double Star Snake, they have mastered the Snake Taming Technique, allowing them to control ordinary snakes for assistance, giving them a slight edge in conflicts among Northern Domain mortal tribes.
"However, recently, those mindless folks seem to have quieted down a bit?" a Jade-faced Fox comnted hesitantly.
"Got smarter? Or has the Double Star Ancestor reached the end of his life?" another Jade-faced Fox joked.
"Impossible. Probably the Double Star Ancestor instructed them before going into seclusion; it’s happened frequently before," Su Lin said matter-of-factly.
"But they haven’t been this quiet for so long in the past," a Jade-faced Fox remarked, "as if they’ve changed completely."
Just as they were discussing this, Lu Zheng and Tu Yuya noticed sothing, turning their gaze to one side, followed by a stir in the woods.
In the next mont, a murky-faced man flew out from the forest, tall and slender with pallid skin and eyes like cold stars, dressed in black, form-fitting silver-trimd attire, with silver stars patterned on the cuffs, looking every bit the villain.
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, spotting the Water Python Su Lin had scared off earlier, now coiled around the man, resting its head on his shoulder, its snake eyes coldly fixing on them, tongue flicking lightly.
"Where does this rascal co from, daring to hurt my companion..."
Then, the man noticed Su Lin and the others.
Three Jade-faced Foxes and a few others, whose depths he couldn’t fathom, were seated around a campfire, gazing at him collectively.
The man paused mid-sentence, his cheek twitching, and he quickly assessed the aura of the three Jade-faced Foxes, hesitating not a bit before turning to leave.
Once the man vanished, the Jade-faced Foxes erupted with laughter.
"Haha, storming in and fleeing with tail between legs."
"I thought he’d fight us!"
"Scared out of my wits, hahaha!"
"Who’d have thought he’d be so timid!"
"What do you think, what’s his relationship with that snake?"
"Honestly, did you notice if the rcury Python was male or female?"
"Probably female, right?"
"Are you sure? What if it’s..."
"Hiss—"
"Can’t bear to watch, could it be?"
The Jade-faced Foxes laughed heartily, glancing toward the woods, certain that the snake hadn’t gone far.
Although the man’s cultivation seed similar to theirs, they had three on their side!
If he’s up for it, he can co fight us!
Shen Ying shook her head with amusent, smiling at Tu Yuya, "Your Northern Domain Demon Race sure has complex neighborly relations."
Tu Yuya shrugged, "Every tribe needs to eat."
Liu Qingyan covered Liu Qingquan’s ears, then put her hands down, casting the Jade-faced Foxes a speechless glance before handing out roast chicken, one each, to shut their mouths.
Tu Yuqing noticed Lu Zheng still staring at the spot where the man had vanished, "What are you watching for, worried he’ll call reinforcents?"
Su Lin returned to his senses, waving reassuringly to Lu Zheng, "Don’t worry, sir, such encounters between us and the Double Star Snakes are frequent, it’s fine."
"Exactly, just indulge in the barbecue!" another Jade-faced Fox chid in.
Lu Zheng nodded, then withdrew his gaze, chuckling, as he turned to ask Su Lin, "What did you an that the Double Star Snake clan has quieted down recently?"
"Unlike Gold and Silver Snakes, Double Star Snakes are irritable, constantly looking for trouble, often challenging us to magical combat," Su Lin explained, "but such confrontations have significantly decreased over the past half-year."
Another Jade-faced Fox laughed, "So we assu they’ve changed, focusing all energy perhaps on mating with other snakes."
"Hahaha!"
Shen Ying leaned near Lu Zheng, "Lu Lang, did you notice anything?"
Lu Zheng nodded, "We might have encountered an old friend."
"Who?"
Lu Zheng shook his head, but didn’t elaborate.
...
Night falls on Jade Hill.
Liu Qingyan accompanies Liu Qingquan, while Lu Zheng and Shen Ying are in another room.
They set up a Sound Insulation Array and Qi Concealnt Array, and Lu Zheng lit a cluster of Phoenix Divine Fire with a touch of his fingertip.
Within the flas appeared Si Lingxi’s silhouette, "Lu Lang, did you seek for sothing?"
"Did you find the Chaotic Heart Demon?" Lu Zheng asked.
Si Lingxi, thinking Lu Zheng was missing her, smiled gently, "Found them, and I’ve killed him. I’ve also obtained a wisp of the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor’s Qi. However, that Old Fiend is indeed no longer in the Southern Border, even when I used the Cloud Palace Treasure Mirror, I couldn’t locate him."
Lu Zheng nodded, "Co to Northern Domain Tuyan Country Jade Hill, I’ve made a discovery."
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