The memory returned to a chilling autumn morning veiled in a hundred years of fine drizzle, thinning the ranks of the usual boisterous morning exercisers in the park to just a sparse few. Zhou Ying ambled slowly along the edge of the small woods bordering the artificial lake; his daily pilgrimage here had become habit over the years. Even though the rain prevented his cultivation today, he still made his way to the little lake for his customary stroll. Huo'er flitted above him, pausing now and then to land on Zhou Ying’s head or shoulder, chirping a few words before spreading its wings and soaring away.

In the curtain of rain, the lakeside was deserted of any strollers, leaving only the sound of the fine, dense rain mingling with the lapping water—a rare moment of tranquility in the city. Zhou Ying carried no rain gear, letting the downpour drench him completely, water streaming from his hair down to the hem of his clothes. In truth, he didn't dislike the feeling of being soaked, so he had no intention of using magic to ward off the rain. The flames encircling Huo'er’s body evaporated the raindrops before they could even touch it, turning the water into vapor. As Huo’er flew, this vapor formed delicate, wispy white smoke that drifted among the treetops, crafting an ethereal scene. Huo’er clearly relished the spectacle it created, deliberately intensifying the flames around its body and weaving erratically through the trees, plunging the entire grove into a dense, milky fog. The wind caught this mist, spreading it further until even the lake’s surface took on a hazy, insubstantial appearance.

"Hoo... hoo..." Huo'er provided sound effects for its own flight, using the trailing vapor to write English letters in the air. It knew at least ten alphabet characters and seven or eight whole words, a display it considered quite learned.

Zhou Ying suddenly halted his steps, turning to face the small grove shrouded in rain. Huo'er likewise hovered in mid-air, leaving the unfinished letter "H" to slowly dissolve in the mist.

"Huo'er," Zhou Ying called out, summoning it back. Huo'er zipped over and landed on his head, then spread its wings, joining Zhou Ying in staring toward the direction where the mist was thickest. The fog there was incredibly dense, as if all the surrounding vapor was converging on that single spot, forming a thick, opaque white cloud. Zhou Ying and Huo'er stood fixed, gazing into that impenetrable haze.

After a long silence, a muffled voice drifted from within the fog: "Ying Mei, you made me search so hard."

Zhou Ying offered no reply, remaining vigilant.

"The debt of Feng Wenyuan must be repaid..." the voice hissed through gritted teeth, though the last syllable dissolved into a deep sigh.

Zhou Ying remained silent, waiting for the other to approach.

"Ten days from now, a fight to the death in this very spot!" The challenger said no more, delivering the declaration of war outright.

"If you have the guts, fight now! Don't run!" Before Zhou Ying could respond, Huo'er lunged forward. The flames rising from its body blasted the mist apart, but it only caught a glimpse of several white tails whipping through the fog before they vanished instantly. "Coward, come back here!" it shrieked for a time, but to no effect; the opponent had already disappeared. "He got away. I was almost looking forward to breakfast," Huo'er grumbled, flying back to perch.

Zhou Ying frowned, staring at the spot where the "person" had vanished.

"Someone challenged you to a duel? This is practically ignoring Huo'er's existence," Liu Di drawled lazily from his reclined position on the sofa, commenting on the challenge Zhou Ying had received.

"Yes! They totally disregarded me!" Huo'er declared indignantly. "Ying, in ten days I will go to the duel for you and let them know my might! Hahaha..."

"They asked for Zhou Ying," Liu Di gently reminded the creature.

Huo'er flapped its wings dismissively. "It's all the same! Haven't you heard of 'Father and son fighting side-by-side'? Challenging Ying is challenging me. If I win, Ying wins. There's no difference." Zhou Ying seemed to agree with this reasoning; he and Huo'er were inseparable in combat. Whether the challenge was issued to one or both of them, they always fought as a unit.

Liu Di picked up a string of grapes from the table, popped the entire bunch into his mouth, chewed a few times, and then spat the seeds and skins out with a soft pffft sound, asking indistinctly, "Who is it this time, coming after you? How did you manage to provoke retaliation?"

Both Zhou Ying and Huo'er shook their heads. "Didn't see clearly."

"He fled right after he spoke... Oh, wait! I saw lots of big tails..." Huo'er stroked its chin. "They looked a lot like fox tails. I'm going to ask him if his fake daddy is here again." Without waiting to see if it was past Lin Rui's class time, it shot out the window, heading straight for the school.

"Big tails? Lin Rui's relative?" Liu Di also took notice. "A Nine-Tailed Fox? Did you run afoul of a Nine-Tailed Fox?"

Zhou Ying shook his head. "I don't know."

"Why would a Nine-Tailed Fox come to this city? Honestly, not even giving me, a Low-Headed Wolf, a greeting—they really don't respect me..." Liu Di muttered, leaving without even touching the meal Gui'er had prepared.

When Gui'er emerged carrying the dishes, she was surprised to find only Zhou Ying in the living room. Huo'er and Liu Di, usually already waiting by the table with wide-open mouths, were nowhere in sight. "Did they go off to fight again? Why start the brawl away from home this time?"

"They aren't fighting."

"Then why aren't they here for dinner?" Gui'er looked around the room, finding no trace of Huo'er or Liu Di.

"Huo'er went to find Lin Rui, and Liu Di probably went to find the Nine-Tailed Fox."

"A Nine-Tailed Fox? Is Lin Rui having relatives visit?"

"No, they came to demand a duel from me."

Crash! Gui'er dropped the plate she was holding onto the floor. "You're going to duel a Nine-Tailed Fox? That's completely unfair! The opponent is a Nine-Tailed Fox! A Nine-Tailed Fox!"

Zhou Ying considered this. "Since it's a duel, it's all the same."

"No, I need to talk to Nan Yu about this." With that, Gui'er tossed aside her apron and hurried out the door, leaving Zhou Ying sitting there, deep in thought.

"Hi, hello there."

"Hello there."

"My name is Feng Wenyuan..."

"Name."

"Feng Wenyuan."

"That was just a joke a moment ago, why be so hostile?"

"..."

"He said his name was Feng Wenyuan..." Zhou Ying murmured to himself. That was a lifetime ago; his memories were hazy, though he could vaguely recall the brightness of the other's smile.

The fierce battle concluded, and the jungle once again returned to silence. Ying Mei rose from the heap of crisscrossed corpses, retrieved a body from the ground, and offered it toward Bi Fang, perched on his shoulder. Bi Fang was already quite exhausted, ate a few bites casually, and quickly drifted into a deep sleep. Ying Mei carefully gathered the bodies one by one; this amount of food should last Bi Fang several days. Opportunities to acquire such a bounty at once were rare and often accompanied by immense danger, so Ying Mei meticulously piled the provisions together. Bi Fang would likely be unable to fight for the next few days, and Ying Mei intended to find a secluded spot to hide until Bi Fang was well-fed and rested.

A figure suddenly lunged out from behind a thicket, targeting the Bi Fang on Ying Mei's shoulder. Ying Mei was long accustomed to handling such "accidents." Before the attacker could make contact, he dissolved like mist, and the Bi Fang on his shoulder soared into the air, preparing to deliver a heavy blow. Ying Mei knew Bi Fang had very little strength left, but it had to hold on until this immediate opponent was eliminated. Judging by the attacker's speed, he couldn't win this fight alone. However, after enduring two strikes from Bi Fang, the attacker abruptly stopped, smiling cheerfully as he called out, "Hi, hello there."

Ying Mei mechanically repeated, "Hello there." Language was still a laborious task for him, unlike Bi Fang, who could chatter fluently after hearing other spirits speak just once.

"My name is Feng Wenyuan. And yours?" The opponent held up his hands in a gesture of complete harmlessness.

"Name." This word was rather unfamiliar to Ying Mei, as no one had ever told him his name, nor had anyone ever asked.

"I am Feng Wenyuan."

"Feng Wenyuan." Bi Fang maintained its vigilance, staring intently at the stranger.

"That was just a joke a moment ago, why be so hostile?"

"..."

"I just saw Bi Fang here and got a sudden impulse to tease you both. Look at me now—I truly have no ill will. I'm new here, with no kin in these mountains. Meeting you is fate; shall we become friends?"

"Friend." Ying Mei repeated the unfamiliar term, though he barely grasped its meaning.

"Yes, let's be friends." Feng Wenyuan took a step forward, extending a hand toward Ying Mei. Having secured enough food for Bi Fang, Ying Mei had no intention of fighting further. He retreated quickly with Bi Fang, vanishing into the undergrowth in moments. Feng Wenyuan watched them leave, a persistent smile fixed on his lips. "To think there's a Bi Fang in the mortal realm... I certainly picked the right place to visit this time..."

Ying Mei took Bi Fang deep into the marshlands to hide for three days. He only emerged when the collected food was nearly consumed by Bi Fang. He disliked coming here, as every visit meant witnessing the process of countless Ying Mei being formed or perishing. Ying Mei was always perplexed by such scenes: Was he truly an Ying Mei? If so, why was he different from them? If not, why did all the spirits call him Ying Mei? If not that, then what was he? Why did those Ying Mei vanish and die? They didn't eat; they were consumed by other creatures, so why did they perish? These questions always occupied his thoughts for long periods, yet he never found an answer. That was why he disliked visiting this place, where sights that sparked such introspection arose.

The marsh, however, was an excellent hiding spot. Its dampness and pervasive, strange odors meant almost no spirits cared to venture here, so the past few days had passed without incident. Bi Fang recovered quickly, and its appetite seemed stimulated by the recovery. The moment it touched solid ground, it began clamoring for food. Ying Mei walked the edge of the marsh, hoping to encounter an animal coming for a drink.

"Hi, hello there! We meet again," Feng Wenyuan’s cheerful voice carried from a distance. "Want to join me for breakfast?"

Ying Mei stopped. He could no longer recall who this speaking spirit was, and Bi Fang on his shoulder regarded the newcomer with equal wariness.

"I hunted an antelope today," Feng Wenyuan said, gesturing toward the prey sizzling invitingly over a fire. "Would you two like a taste?" Antelope were scarce in this stretch of forest, so even though Bi Fang would eat anything, such food was a rare treat. Its belly immediately rumbled, and its eyes widened. Feng Wenyuan backed away a few paces, putting distance between himself and the breakfast he’d been roasting for a long time. Bi Fang’s gaze flickered between him and the food, and finally, unable to resist, it pounced, seizing the meat in the fire and beginning to devour it ravenously. Seeing Ying Mei still standing there watching him, Feng Wenyuan made a gesture of invitation. "Don't be shy, eat up. I couldn't possibly finish an entire sheep myself."

Ying Mei shook his head. He required no food, and in the past, there had been several instances where spirits had ambushed Bi Fang while it ate. Therefore, whenever Bi Fang ate, Ying Mei remained completely focused, guarding against any movement in the vicinity. Seeing Feng Wenyuan begin to approach, he immediately blocked his path. Feng Wenyuan pointed at the rapidly chewing Bi Fang. "But I haven't eaten yet—it can't finish all of it." Ying Mei remained expressionless; his gaze made it perfectly clear that if Feng Wenyuan advanced further, he would strike without hesitation.

"I caught that prey," Feng Wenyuan declared, swallowing hard as he watched the food diminish rapidly.

However, Ying Mei cared little for ownership; his only goal was to ensure Bi Fang was full. And so, Feng Wenyuan watched helplessly as the antelope—which he had spent half the morning pursuing over a hundred miles and roasting to perfection—was devoured by Bi Fang's tiny body, leaving behind nothing but a skeletal frame. Then, after consuming so much without any visible change in size, Bi Fang patted its stomach and declared, "Full." With that, Ying Mei picked it up and drifted away, leaving Feng Wenyuan alone with a scattering of bones.

Feng Wenyuan watched their elegant departure and shook his head in resignation.

The next morning, Feng Wenyuan’s voice sounded again near Ying Mei and Bi Fang. "Want to join breakfast? I caught an elephant today." Having learned from yesterday, Bi Fang didn't even glance at Feng Wenyuan this time, instantly darting forward to embrace the elephant carcass and begin gnawing. During Bi Fang's meal, Ying Mei stood guard nearby, maintaining a watchful stance to prevent Feng Wenyuan from approaching. That morning, Feng Wenyuan discovered the secret that a pigeon-sized Bi Fang could consume an elephant, and similarly, the hunter of the elephant went hungry, watching his breakfast vanish into a pile of bones.

"I hunted two deer today. Want to share breakfast?"

"Are you free for breakfast today? I caught a tiger."

"Today..."

"..."

Accustomed to their meals being served, Ying Mei and Bi Fang found no sign of Feng Wenyuan's roasting station that morning. After searching around, they reluctantly decided to hunt for themselves. Bi Fang kept looking back wistfully as they walked; having grown accustomed to free meals daily, it felt a genuine sense of loss at the sudden absence.

The dense forest teemed with all manner of living things, vibrant beneath the stillness, but finding prey that Bi Fang liked and was capable of overpowering was not easy. Ying Mei circled the woods a few times but couldn't locate suitable quarry: the spirits had become fully aware of this pair. The weak ones steered clear, while the strong ones had no need to fear them, as the pair were self-aware enough not to provoke opponents they knew to be stronger. This was the time when larger animals usually emerged; Bi Fang found the smaller creatures insufficient and was too lazy to bother with them.

As Ying Mei passed through a sparse grove of trees, he suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from behind a thicket—it sounded like something substantial was making the noise. He left Bi Fang where it was and drifted forward, melting silently into the shadows of the trees. To his surprise, what he found there was not a large animal or a lurking spirit attempting an ambush, but Feng Wenyuan, covered head to toe in blood.

One of Feng Wenyuan's arms was broken, and a long gash across his waist was still weeping blood. His face was smeared with dirt, and he was curled up in a thorny bush. When Ying Mei materialized suddenly beside him, Feng Wenyuan panicked and tried to leap up, but Bi Fang, descending from the air, laid him back down with a single wing blow.

"Is this today's breakfast?" Bi Fang eyed Feng Wenyuan critically. "I don't really like eating foxes; they always have a strange smell."

Feng Wenyuan’s consciousness was fading; he barely registered Bi Fang's words. His fortnight-long campaign of food offerings had yielded nothing. Today, he had intended to risk capturing a spirit to appease Bi Fang. Who knew that the seemingly weak prey possessed strength beyond his estimation? He was the one who ended up beaten like this. If the other party hadn't been injured as well, he would have become the meal. Even worse, he was an outsider here. That spirit might have injuries or a family to seek aid from, but he had nowhere to go. Perhaps that spirit's kin were already searching for him, but even if they weren't, in his current state, any spirit or beast that saw him would view him as an easy meal.

"I can't die here... Rong Huan is waiting for me... I will go back, Rong Huan, I will return..." Drowsily, Feng Wenyuan sensed something approaching him, but the presence was instantly overwhelming, forcing him down. He muttered to himself, resigned to whatever fate awaited him.

"This is Feng Wenyuan, the one who grills things every day." Ying Mei’s memory was better than Bi Fang’s; he actually recognized him before Feng Wenyuan was roasted.

"Should we eat him?" Bi Fang hesitated. Eating him would save them the trouble of hunting this morning, but then Feng Wenyuan’s barbecue stall would be permanently closed, forcing them to hunt every morning instead. Should they hunt once now, or save themselves many hunts later? This was a complex question that made its mind fuzzy. Ying Mei always deferred to Bi Fang's judgment regarding food; he had no personal opinion on whether Feng Wenyuan was edible. However, as Feng Wenyuan struggled weakly toward the edge of the thicket, Ying Mei stepped forward and dragged him back.

"Ying Mei, we have no grudge..." In his delirium, Feng Wenyuan recognized who was dragging him and summoned his last reserves of strength. His primal desire to live compelled him to beg, even though he knew Ying Mei possessed no sentimentality for old acquaintances. "Don't eat me. I want to go home. Someone is waiting for me. I swore I would return to her side, I must go back..."

Ying Mei held him down with one hand and looked up at a point not far away. Beneath a large tree nearby, several figures in yellow robes were approaching at a leisurely pace. Seeing their eyes fixed on Feng Wenyuan, Bi Fang immediately shook its head, clearing the weighty deliberation from its mind, and flew up to let out a threatening cry toward the newcomers.

"Didn't expect this guy to still be alive. Tough one."

"Too bad his luck ran out. He ran into that pair of omnivorous father and son."

"I promised the child I’d bring this fox back for soup to get revenge, but it looks like that won't happen now. Anything that goes into their stomachs takes a crowbar to remove."

"Forget it, forget it. Once a person dies, their light goes out. Let's not hold a grudge."

"Right, right. He’s dead now, no point holding onto resentment."

They showed no sign of wanting to snatch the food from Bi Fang; they discussed among themselves, acting entirely as if Feng Wenyuan were already dead. As they finally departed, they made a gesture of reverence toward the fallen Feng Wenyuan. Bi Fang watched them go, then looked at Feng Wenyuan, who had now lapsed into unconsciousness, and resumed its agonizing contemplation. Eat? Not eat? Eat? Not eat? It snapped a small branch off a tree, systematically plucking the leaves one by one to calculate the outcome...

Feng Wenyuan experienced a very long dream. In it, he relived the stunning awe of first seeing Rong Huan, the thrill and excitement of their first conversation, the elation of discovering she watched him in secret, the sweetness of walking hand-in-hand through the woods for the first time, the first... But when he opened his eyes, neither Rong Huan's beautiful face nor the familiar scenery of his homeland greeted him. Before him was only a ceiling of cold, night sky covered by countless thorny branches, and even the patterns of the stars looked strange and unfriendly.

"Rong Huan..." Feng Wenyuan groaned in pain as he accidentally touched his wounds. The pain brought his mind back into clearer focus, and he was astonished to find himself alive. The process of crawling out of the thorny bush had inflicted many new cuts, but compared to the existing injuries, they were insignificant. As long as he was alive, there was hope of seeing Rong Huan again; just being alive was enough.

"Too bad you're not dead yet," Bi Fang's figure suddenly illuminated an area several feet around it. It swooped down, landing on a branch above Feng Wenyuan, and said, "I was hoping you'd be dead so I could eat you."

Feng Wenyuan suddenly recalled that the last things he saw before losing consciousness were Bi Fang and Shadow Demon. The fact that he hadn't been eaten by them sent a surge of immense joy through him. Didn't this mean his plan had succeeded? It meant he could now approach them without being seen as mere food.

"Now, should I eat you or not?" Bi Fang had actually eaten a very satisfying dinner, but passing up food right in front of it was simply not in its nature.

"Why would you want to eat me?" Though Feng Wenyuan’s wounds pained him terribly, he tried to keep his voice steady as he asked Bi Fang.

"Because you're edible," Bi Fang replied with absolute certainty.

"But I’ve given you so many things to eat; how can you turn around and eat me?"

"That was your choice," Bi Fang scoffed. "Even if you hadn't been willing, I could have taken it anyway."

"Then why didn't you eat me just now?"

"Why didn't I eat you? Why?" Bi Fang began to ponder deeply, and after a long moment of thought, it surprisingly drifted off to sleep.

Feng Wenyuan watched Bi Fang sleeping so unguardedly before him, his heart racing with uncertainty about what to do. He glanced at the crimson form resting on the branch. Just as he supported himself by bracing against the tree trunk, attempting to move closer to touch it, he felt Shadow Demon’s icy gaze upon him. In this pitch-black night, Feng Wenyuan couldn't pinpoint Shadow Demon’s exact lurking spot, but he knew the demon was certainly not asleep like Bi Fang and could launch an attack at any moment. Feng Wenyuan feigned a painful groan: "Ouch... Ouch... It hurts so much... Please, could you heal my injuries?"

After a long silence, Shadow Demon’s voice drifted in with the night breeze: "I cannot."

"..." Feng Wenyuan had been closely observing this pair recently and had witnessed Shadow Demon’s abilities numerous times. If a single Shadow Demon having such power was surprising, the fact that it now claimed to be unable to cast healing spells was even more astonishing. Based on his recent observations, if Shadow Demon didn't want to heal him, it wouldn't bother with excuses; it wouldn't even deign to answer. Could it truly not know even the most basic spells? "I can teach you, then you can heal me... Oof... It’s killing me..." Feng Wenyuan said tentatively.

The shadow of the branch shifted slightly, coalescing into Shadow Demon standing before him. It turned out he had been right beside Bi Fang all along. Feng Wenyuan was relieved he hadn't touched Bi Fang earlier. Shadow Demon stared at Feng Wenyuan, holding his gaze before speaking. Feng Wenyuan had only casually suggested teaching Shadow Demon magic, never expecting the demon would actually emerge to learn from him. After all, ordinary demons wouldn't easily pass on their magic to a stranger, much less learn from someone they perceived as weaker. Feng Wenyuan's original intent was merely to distract Shadow Demon and prevent him from suspecting his movements. If Shadow Demon had already formed the intention to heal him, the probability of it deciding to eat him later would be significantly lower. Now that the words were out and Shadow Demon waited before him, he had no choice but to follow through. He quickly recited the incantations for several healing spells. Since he had no intention of actually teaching Shadow Demon, he merely recited the hand seals, omitting any explanations, and then pretended to fall into a deep, wounded sleep.

In his dream, Feng Wenyuan vaguely recalled his childhood, returning to the time when he was learning under the tutelage of his Master and Mistress. The first spell he ever mastered was a healing charm. His Mistress took his hand, guiding him to place it over a scratch on her arm, inflicted by a branch during his mischievous play. A cool, soothing sensation spread over the fiery wound, and he watched as the bloodied gashes closed and scabbed over. He was so exhilarated—not because the wound healed, but because he had finally mastered magic, finally proving he wasn't just a useless wild fox, but a genuine Fox Spirit... That cooling sensation and that excited feeling seemed palpable even now...

Feng Wenyuan felt that refreshing coolness enveloping him, comforting his battered body. When he dimly realized it was Shadow Demon healing him, he sat up in shock.

Shadow Demon looked at his expression, then at the hand placed on him. Perhaps the healing method was wrong, causing the pain that made him sit up? Shadow Demon thought for a long time, then tried another approach. This time, Feng Wenyuan shrieked as if stabbed: "Wrong, wrong! The first time you did it perfectly, don't change the incantation arbitrarily!" The spell had deepened his wounds, and the pain made Feng Wenyuan realize he was about to become Shadow Demon's test subject for learning magic. His previous casual attitude instantly vanished, and he was forced to seriously start instructing Shadow Demon.

Although Shadow Demon managed to learn the incomplete spell Feng Wenyuan taught, his aptitude wasn't as high as Feng Wenyuan had anticipated; in fact, he was somewhat dull, with particularly low comprehension skills. However, he studied with intense seriousness, and the relentless perseverance to achieve his goal even sparked a hint of jealousy in Feng Wenyuan. After repeated practice and failures, finally, when Feng Wenyuan, the teacher and patient, was exhausted and the sky was beginning to lighten, Shadow Demon had skillfully mastered the few spells and treated all of Feng Wenyuan’s injuries.

Shadow Demon vanished back into the shadows. Feng Wenyuan lay in the thicket, looking up at the sky, letting out a long sigh.

As dawn broke, Shadow Demon led Bi Fang out to hunt.

Despite his injuries, Feng Wenyuan forced himself to stay awake, terrified of sleeping amidst the forest where countless hungry mouths awaited flesh and blood. To sleep now would surely be preparing a fine meal for someone else. He desperately tried to stir his numb mind, forcing himself to recall happy memories: running and playing freely in the mountains under his parents’ protection in his youth; later, the lively life with his many senior and junior brothers and sisters near his Master and Mistress; and then, meeting Rong Huan... Rong Huan, oh Rong Huan, I must return to your side in glory. I must make everyone acknowledge that your judgment was correct. I must prove it to them all...

Something seemed to be peeking from behind a nearby tree, and faint whispers reached his ears, seemingly discussing whether his immunity to Bi Fang's appetite meant he might be poisonous.

Feng Wenyuan simply collapsed onto the ground, as he had already spotted a fiery red figure descending towards him through the gaps in the branches.

"This herb should only be applied externally, but crushing it together with these other two will have a better effect on the wound." Feng Wenyuan seriously explained the uses of several herbs to Shadow Demon and Bi Fang. The memory of Bi Fang bravely volunteering to gather herbs for him that morning, only to forcibly shove handfuls of crushed herbs down his throat, still gave him lingering fright, so he taught with extra diligence. Yet, while Shadow Demon listened intently, Bi Fang shook its head and fidgeted. Feng Wenyuan, seasoned by rich experience in dealing with students who drift off, knew just by its look that the words were going in one ear and out the other. Sure enough, as soon as Feng Wenyuan finished speaking, Bi Fang snatched the herbs and mashed them with its wings, then slapped the pulp onto the wounds on Feng Wenyuan’s face: "You treat it like this, right? Why spend so much time talking about such a simple thing."

Shadow Demon leaned closer, quietly observing the steaming herbal paste on Feng Wenyuan's face. He seemed to mistakenly believe that treating with herbs would yield immediate results, just like using magic.

"Even if that Bi Fang can't understand, didn't you listen carefully to my instructions either!" Feng Wenyuan finally couldn't help but shout.

Ever since Feng Wenyuan began teaching Shadow Demon magic, the pair seemed to treat healing Feng Wenyuan as an interesting activity, conducting all sorts of experiments on his wounds. Initially, it was manageable with only Shadow Demon "administering treatment," but once Bi Fang joined in, Feng Wenyuan profoundly understood the feelings of the little dog he had once used to practice his healing arts on. To ensure he didn't inflict further harm upon himself, he had no choice but to teach them everything he knew about healing methods. Shadow Demon and Bi Fang unceremoniously treated him like that little dog, practicing their treatments all over him. Even now, with his injuries nearly healed, Bi Fang still seemed unsatisfied, practically wishing it could beat him up again just for another chance to treat him.

However, for Feng Wenyuan, the gains over these few days far outweighed the minor torment he endured. Firstly, Bi Fang and Shadow Demon no longer intended to eat him; his life safety was secured. Secondly, by teaching them some simple spells, he had unexpectedly earned Shadow Demon's respect. It was evident that Shadow Demon was paying increasing attention to what Feng Wenyuan said. Feng Wenyuan secretly gloated over these developments. He stretched, looking at Bi Fang's sleeping posture, and couldn't help but chuckle. Now, even Bi Fang dared to doze off in front of him when Shadow Demon wasn't around. But he didn't want to get close to or touch Bi Fang now; rushing things would spoil the affair.

Feng Wenyuan slowly circled the edge of the shrubbery a few times. The injuries on his legs were mostly healed, but walking was still awkward. He slowly moved his body and spotted Shadow Demon in the distance, returning with two dead deer slung over its shoulder.

Shadow Demon stopped not far from Feng Wenyuan, observing the demon before him. In his memory over the past few days, this creature hadn't eaten anything, had he? A demon like him, needing sustenance, would surely die if he went without food for too long, especially since Shadow Demon had only managed to hunt this easily by using the spells he was taught. Shadow Demon didn't want his lessons to end yet, so he didn't wish for Feng Wenyuan to starve to death. Before Feng Wenyuan taught him magic, Shadow Demon had always hunted for Bi Fang instinctively. He had often heard the word 'magic' spoken by prey, but he never quite understood what it meant. He had always assumed it referred to the skills Bi Fang naturally acquired as it grew older. Bi Fang couldn't clearly explain the things it knew how to do, so Shadow Demon assumed magic was innate, something the low-born and dull Shadow Demon could never possess. Only after Feng Wenyuan's instruction did he understand what magic truly was—something that could be learned through teaching.

With magic, hunting was indeed much quicker. Shadow Demon looked at the prey in his hands, then at Feng Wenyuan, and decided to share some. Shadow Demon looked down at the kill, pondering seriously: which part should he give him? Leg, belly, intestines... He was reluctant to part with the sections Bi Fang preferred. After much thought, he finally walked up to Feng Wenyuan and set down four deer ears for him.

Under the sunlight, Feng Wenyuan lay on the soft grass, gazing up at the sky. Amidst the clouds drifting by like flowing water, he unconsciously drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, Bi Fang was asleep not far from him, wings spread and belly facing the sky. Beneath its wings were the leftovers from its morning meal, supposedly guarded against Feng Wenyuan stealing any while it slept. Above them, Shadow Demon sat on a high branch, cultivating with his eyes closed in the sunlight.

His method of cultivation was somewhat peculiar, Feng Wenyuan thought, before the soreness of his injuries sent him drifting back into a heavy slumber.

Not long after the dismissal bell rang, a flock of students resembling small birds released from a cage swarmed out, quickly occupying the entire sidewalk. Lin Rui was among them, walking along the road home, chatting and laughing with a few classmates. He now had several close friends; although he constantly voiced his disdain for humans, his school life was actually quite happy and carefree.

Lin Rui was enthusiastically describing a game to his companions when a figure suddenly blocked his path.

Lin Rui looked up at the woman blocking him, frowned, and after a moment of thought, calmly told his classmates, "You all go ahead. I've met an auntie, I just need to say a few words to her." After his classmates agreed and walked away, he hardened his expression toward the woman: "What do you want?"

The woman smiled lightly: "You don't need to be so nervous. We are, after all, of the same clan; I won't do anything to you."

Lin Rui shrugged. Knowing this woman was one of his own only made him more tense. The Nine-Tailed Fox race was relatively united; even if there were disagreements, they wouldn't easily provoke their own kin. Conversely, if they made a move against a fellow clan member, it usually meant a serious matter. He had certainly offended plenty of people by leveraging Fox-Bi Fang's authority, but none of them were from his own clan. So why was this woman looking for him?

The woman smiled slightly: "Because you are kin, I sought you out first. Rest assured, your father's line and mine are distantly related; I absolutely will not harm you."

"Tell me, what do you want me to do?" Her repeated assurances that she wouldn't harm Lin Rui implicitly suggested her target was Lin Qingping, which was exactly what Lin Rui could not tolerate.

"Go tell Shadow Demon one thing: tell him not to forget Feng Wenyuan..." With these words, the woman drifted away.

"Damn fox!" Lin Rui cursed viciously, disregarding his own status for a moment. After a thought, he quickly ran towards Zhou Ying’s house.

"Tell me, who is Feng Wenyuan? What did you do to him? When did you offend the Nine-Tailed Foxes!" Lin Rui slammed the table, fiercely grilling Zhou Ying. Just what kind of trouble had this Zhou Ying stirred up? Why hadn't she found a way for Huo'er to eat the person, instead implicating his mother in threats?

Zhou Ying looked at Lin Rui, whose aggressive interruption was breaking her concentration, and said helplessly, "Feng Wenyuan is a demon I met in the mountains. I’m still trying to remember what I ultimately did to him..."

"What's there to think about? He must have been eaten by Huo'er, and now someone has come to settle the score! I don't care if it's a Nine-Tailed Fox or not, hurry up and have Huo'er eat her! If you can't fight her head-on, ask Liu Di for some devious trick; he's the best at that!" Lin Rui ran angrily into the house to discuss countermeasures with Huo'er.

"Has he been eaten by Huo'er..." Zhou Ying mumbled to herself, sinking back into contemplation.

Just then, the door was violently pushed open, and Gui'er rushed in, looking frantic. Her body was covered in black ash, and a long gash marked her face, with blood staining her collar. She leaned against the door, clearly shaken: "That... that woman... she hit Jiang Rong." Her panicked entrance brought Lin Rui and Huo'er rushing out of the room. Hearing her words, Lin Rui was the first to demand, "What woman? Was it that Nine-Tailed Fox? What happened to your face?"

"I don't know who she is... What happened to my face!" Gui'er shrieked and rushed to a mirror, looking over her body and touching her face. The blood had already congealed; the wound wasn't deep, and with her self-healing abilities, it shouldn't cause disfigurement. Only then did she relax and recount the entire ordeal: Gui'er was conducting her usual business at the flower shop when Zhou Ying received another challenge for a duel. A woman pushed open the door and entered. Gui'er didn't notice anything amiss at first and greeted her like any regular customer. But just as Jiang Rong recklessly floated closer to examine a ring on the woman’s hand, the woman suddenly snapped, "Insolent!" and slapped Jiang Rong, sending the spirit flying. Jiang Rong was merely a weak spirit with little power and was instantly knocked to the verge of dissipation.

Gui'er, greatly alarmed, rushed to shield Jiang Rong and scolded the woman, "What are you doing? She just got near you; you don't have to be so vicious." At this point, she still assumed the visitor was just some demon who wandered into the shop unintentionally.

"Hmph..." The woman sneered at Gui'er. "So you are the woman relying on the backing of Shadow Demon and Bi Fang? A rare race, yet you forgot your roots and fled to a human city. Has even your clan degenerated to this extent?" Her expression was cold and malicious, looking at Gui'er as if she were a mortal enemy she deeply loathed.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Gui'er felt a chill run through her from the woman's gaze and grew instantly tense, raising a flower vase with both hands defensively.

The woman flicked her finger, and the vase exploded into pieces in Gui'er’s hands: "I have no quarrel with you; hate Zhou Ying for it." Saying this, she stepped forward and brought her hand down toward Gui'er’s head. Gui'er couldn't dodge in time and felt a searing pain on her face. Amidst Jiang Rong's cries, she felt blood trickling down her cheek.

It turned out she was the Nine-Tailed Fox who had come to challenge Zhou Ying.

Gui'er was a girl who wasn't naturally bold, but in this moment of crisis, she calmed down. Raising her chin, she spoke to the woman: "I don't care why you came to find me, but you must remember, I may be powerless, but our Mountain Ghost clan is not to be bullied like this! So what if you're a Nine-Tailed Fox? Aren't the Mountain Gods of your Qing Qiu Kingdom held by the Mountain Ghost clan? I refuse to believe your clansmen would stand by and let you provoke us like this!" These words might not pose much of a threat to wandering demons like Liu Di or Zhou Ying, but they meant something different to the settled Nine-Tailed Foxes. After all, the Mountain Ghost clan held the positions of Mountain Gods for many ranges, and any race living on their surface land, no matter how powerful, had to show respect to the local authorities—otherwise, even causing minor earthquakes every few days could be a serious headache. Thus, those settled races held the Mountain Ghost clan in high regard (at least superficially). Gui'er knew they wouldn't allow a clan member to harm an uninvolved Mountain Ghost over a personal matter.

"Hahahaha..." The woman burst into laughter upon hearing her words. "Clan? Where are my clansmen! After what happened to him, I severed all ties with them long ago!" She grabbed Gui'er by the neck and hissed, "Don't talk to me about that; nothing you say matters to me. I won't kill you today, but you must remember to go back and tell Shadow Demon not to forget Feng Wenyuan!" With that, she released Gui'er and walked out.

Gui'er covered her throat and squatted on the ground, coughing for a long time before struggling to check on Jiang Rong. Jiang Rong was better off than expected; at least he could pat his chest and cry, "So scared, so scared." Just as they settled down and were discussing going to find Zhou Ying and Huo'er, the flower shop was suddenly enveloped in flames that appeared out of thin air. By the time Gui'er reacted, grabbing Jiang Rong and fleeing the door, the fire had already reached the roof. She stared blankly at the crowds fighting the fire and those watching the spectacle, an intense cold suddenly gripping her heart. She barely held on until the fire trucks arrived and extinguished the blaze, and all she wanted was to rush home. Thus, she fled back in a sorry state.

Jiang Rong was merely a small spirit; after being struck by the Nine-Tailed Fox and then carried by Gui'er under the sunlight for so long, his spiritual energy was almost completely dissipated. He roared fiercely at Zhou Ying, "This is all trouble you caused! If you have the guts, go fight her one-on-one; don't let her harm innocent people!" With that, he found a corner to curl up in and entered hibernation.

"Insolent!" Huo'er roared first. "How dare she be so arrogant! I’m going to eat her!" This Nine-Tailed Fox seeking out Lin Rui and Gui'er was clearly a tactic to distract Huo'er during the duel. Since she resorted to such underhanded methods, Huo'er decided to abandon any pretense of a fair duel and went to devour her ahead of the agreed time.

Lin Rui said with a solemn expression, "Since this vixen managed to find us, it means she's already figured out your situation. It's better not to rush off to find her recklessly, lest we fall into some trap. It would be better to send Liu Di over to gauge the opponent's depth first. Zhou Ying, who exactly is that Feng Wenyuan? Haven't you remembered yet?"

Ying Mei swept over the treetop, while Bi Fang soared in the sky above him, occasionally circling down to attack the pursuing group, disturbing their formation before ascending again to spit at them. Ying Mei was carrying several food items, so his speed was severely hampered, and his attempts to shake off the pursuers failed again and again. Finally, in a clearing within the forest, he was surrounded by the pursuing demons.

"Ying Mei, you are so ruthless, killing two of my sons at once! I'll fight you to the death!"

"Ying Mei, relying on Bi Fang, you've done countless wicked deeds and harmed so many innocents. Today, old scores and new must be settled with you!"

"Right, today you must pay with your life!"

"Blood debts must be repaid in blood! Ying Mei, your doomsday has arrived!"

"Surrender obediently, and I'll grant you a quick death!"

"..."

The demons shouted, but none dared to be the first to charge forward, because Bi Fang had already landed on Ying Mei's shoulder, scrutinizing them with the look of a hungry predator. Seeing Bi Fang like this now, more than one demon inwardly regretted why they hadn't united to deal with it when it was young. If they had been united then, the young Bi Fang plus the almost negligible Ying Mei could have been captured with ease. But at that time, every demon who discovered Bi Fang’s existence in the forest kept absolute silence, wishing desperately that no one else knew, so they could hoard the secret and eventually monopolize Bi Fang, dominating the world thereafter. They racked their brains devising ways to subdue Bi Fang, and while implementing their capture plans, they simultaneously tried their best to sabotage others. It was precisely because of this infighting that Ying Mei and Bi Fang were given room to breathe, allowing Bi Fang to grow slowly, and allowing Ying Mei to become stronger through constant struggle, leading to the current situation where they were so difficult to handle.

If everyone's initial thought was to monopolize Bi Fang, now their thought was to subdue Bi Fang first, and whoever got it in the end could then fight it out amongst themselves. As for the accompanying Ying Mei, no one wanted him; many demons had been eaten by Bi Fang over the years, so this blood debt would be settled on Ying Mei's account.

Seeing the encirclement tighten, Bi Fang suddenly transformed into flames and lunged toward the demons directly ahead. None of them wanted to confront Bi Fang's flames head-on and were preparing to dodge, when suddenly Ying Mei wheeled around and charged in the opposite direction, and Bi Fang instantly reverted to normal, turning to flee with Ying Mei. The demons in that direction hadn't expected this maneuver at all; they watched them brush past and vanish into the woods in an instant.

"Damn it, when did they learn feints?" the surprised voices of the demons echoed from behind.

Such a petty trick as feinting was nothing to the ancient, seasoned demons. However, after sparring with Ying Mei and Bi Fang for so many years, they had grown accustomed to the singular methods of their opponents' attacks. Seeing the scene before them, it was no wonder they couldn't accept it immediately. Even Ying Mei had learned cunning?

While running, Ying Mei gradually felt the food in his hands growing heavy. Life in the mountains for many years had taught him clearly that when opponents were numerous, one should not think about hunting for food, but rather about escaping. So, as he passed Feng Wenyuan, who was resting under a tree, he casually tossed the food, which had become a burden to him, into Feng Wenyuan’s arms. Operating under the principle that Bi Fang's needs came first, Ying Mei had developed the good habit of never wasting food. Therefore, he was reluctant to throw the food away for nothing, hoping to leave it with Feng Wenyuan so that some might remain for Bi Fang later.

A few seconds later, Feng Wenyuan's desperate, fleeing figure appeared beside Ying Mei.

"You bastard!" he roared, waving his fist, revealing unconcealed anger in his eyes as he looked at Ying Mei. Throwing a corpse at him was clearly announcing to the pursuers that he was an accomplice! Ying Mei looked at him in confusion—why did he start running after the food was thrown away? Did he also want to hunt them down? But Feng Wenyuan didn't do as Ying Mei expected; instead, he continuously increased his speed, soon running ahead of Ying Mei. Watching his retreating back, Ying Mei’s eyes grew more bewildered.

This strange chasing party sped through the forest, causing a commotion. Occasionally, pursuers were struck by attacks from Ying Mei or Bi Fang and fell behind, but many more demons joined the chase along the way, so the pursuing group behind them showed no sign of shrinking. "If this continues, we'll be caught eventually! Think of something!" Feng Wenyuan yelled frantically at Ying Mei.

Ying Mei replied based on past experience, "They'll stop chasing after a while."

His calm demeanor gave Feng Wenyuan some confidence, so he asked another question, "Are you often hunted? How long does it take for them to give up?"

Ying Mei pondered for a moment and replied, "We were chased once last month, twice the month before, and twice the month before that..."

Feng Wenyuan didn't know how far back his recollection would go, so he interrupted, "How long do they usually chase?"

"Two or three days at most," Ying Mei's voice remained placid.

Feng Wenyuan let out a low curse. Now it was impossible to distance himself from Ying Mei and Bi Fang. He hoped the pursuers would give up soon, otherwise he didn't have the stamina to run for two or three days. "Why don't you just turn back and fight them?" he suggested to Ying Mei. "They don't seem very united. As long as you can injure some of them, perhaps they'll retreat in the face of adversity." He didn't care whether Ying Mei could defeat them; as long as a chaotic battle broke out, he would find a way to slip away. Of course, this true intention couldn't be spoken aloud.

Before Ying Mei could respond, Bi Fang chirped loudly, "Yes, yes! I'll go fight them!" With that, it turned around and swooped toward the crowd chasing behind. The pursuers hadn't expected that they, who always employed the tactic of fleeing when the opponents were numerous, would suddenly turn back. Caught completely off guard, the young demon at the very front was struck squarely on the head by Bi Fang and immediately knocked unconscious. Bi Fang originally intended to pursue and secure the food, but seeing that Ying Mei hadn't stopped, it chased after him again. Its flying speed was faster than that of ordinary demons, and the pursuers behind could only quicken their pace as they watched it injure someone and fly away without being able to stop it.

"Feng Wenyuan, your idea isn't bad!" Bi Fang highly praised Feng Wenyuan.

Feng Wenyuan immediately felt murderous gazes directed at him from the pursuers behind, sharp as hidden weapons. It turned out that Ying Mei and Bi Fang had more tricks today than usual, and the culprit was this outsider. This fellow, since arriving here, had stuck close to Bi Fang and Ying Mei, seemingly giving them plenty of bad advice. No wonder Ying Mei had become increasingly difficult to deal with lately. If this fellow, whose entire race was known for cunning, continued to teach them, Ying Mei and Bi Fang would eventually become unmanageable.

"Kill that vixen!"

"That vixen is with them! Don't let him escape!"

"If we take out that military advisor Ying Mei first, dealing with the others will be easy!"

"..."

Listening to the cries, Feng Wenyuan knew that his days in this forest would henceforth be lived on thin ice. He glared fiercely at the culprit, Ying Mei, once more.

After implementing this battle plan a few times, Huo'er discovered that it was too exhausting and had to abandon the attack, landing on Ying Mei's shoulder to be carried along.

"Bi Fang is out of strength, everyone push harder!"

"Chase quickly, Bi Fang is failing!"

"It's almost ours, everyone, don't lose heart!"

"Bi Fang will be ours, hahahaha!"

"..."

The shouts from behind rose again. Feng Wenyuan thought to himself that he knew they weren't motivated by revenge; they spoke nicely, but their hearts were set on Bi Fang. "Bi Fang..." he whispered to it, "Wait for my command. When I say attack, you immediately turn back and attack. I guarantee you can defeat them. Ying Mei, slow down a bit, and if possible, pretend you can't run anymore."

"What do you mean, pretend?" Ying Mei asked.

"...Never mind, just run a bit slower..."

Feng Wenyuan hadn't expected Ying Mei and Bi Fang to follow his instructions without any suspicion. "I knew they trusted me so much... Do they really trust me that much..." Amidst his murmuring, the pursuers behind caught up. The assumption that Bi Fang was exhausted spurred their fighting spirit, making them forget their original intention of having others take the lead, and they rushed forward desperately.

"Now is the time! Attack them!" Feng Wenyuan said excitedly to Bi Fang.

Bi Fang immediately turned around and lunged at the closest demon. This demon was rushing forward while vividly imagining himself roaming the forest and soaring across the world with a Bi Fang. Snapping back to reality, he saw Bi Fang's fiery eyes right before him. With no time left to resist, Bi Fang pinned him down and gave him a thorough beating.

"Go! Keep running!" Feng Wenyuan shouted loudly before the pursuers behind could catch up. Bi Fang considered it for a moment, then turned to continue fleeing. "I was just about to kill him, why are you rushing me away!" Bi Fang complained to Feng Wenyuan.

Feng Wenyuan, buoyant from successfully commanding Bi Fang in an attack, smiled and said, "No need to rush. If you listen to me, they'll be fooled again. Come on, let's run harder this time!"

Under Feng Wenyuan's direction, Bi Fang and Ying Mei sometimes sped up their escape, and sometimes slowed down as if completely exhausted. When the pursuers got close, sometimes they suddenly accelerated, and sometimes Bi Fang would suddenly turn and attack. The demons, accustomed over the years to Ying Mei and Bi Fang only fleeing when chased by numerically superior foes, never expected them to change their strategy so abruptly. They had no time to devise countermeasures and suffered greatly after several repeated attempts. Later on, they stopped rushing to chase fiercely, but they were unwilling to give up either, so they followed them at a distance that wasn't too close or too far.

Ying Mei and Bi Fang were long used to such situations, but Feng Wenyuan had never been chased for so long. After the initial excitement wore off, he began to feel his body growing heavier, his magic nearly depleted, and his legs almost unable to lift. There were still quite a few pursuers behind; how long would they chase? Feng Wenyuan's patience began to wear thin, but since he was already considered their accomplice, he couldn't explain himself even if he had a hundred mouths. He complained bitterly about Ying Mei in his heart and was contemplating instigating Bi Fang and Ying Mei to fight back so he could slip away in the ensuing chaos, when the pursuers, having chased for quite a while, seemed to have given up out of weariness and began to disperse gradually. Once someone started to lead the way, the remaining pursuers scattered even faster, and soon all were gone.

Feng Wenyuan collapsed onto the ground under a tree, panting heavily. Although he was too exhausted to speak, he glared at Ying Mei, whose eyes looked ready to shoot sparks; the indignation in his heart was palpable. Bi Fang also landed heavily on the grass beside him, panting with its wings spread, yelling, "I'm exhausted, exhausted! They really know how to chase! I'm almost unable to fly!" Feng Wenyuan thought to himself that even this usually overly energetic creature was this tired; yet, he had actually managed to keep up. Perhaps his potential was truly limitless. As for Ying Mei, Feng Wenyuan glanced sideways at him, appearing completely unfazed, truly a strange species. No wonder an Ying Mei could cultivate into a demon.

"I'm hungry, I'm hungry! Feed me!" Bi Fang began to writhe on the ground, demanding food after catching its breath.

"Feng Wenyuan threw away those catches. I'll go find some more," Ying Mei said, transforming into smoke and vanishing into the woods.

Feng Wenyuan suddenly realized that in his entire life, besides his Master, the only person he truly admired was an Ying Mei. After being hunted by dozens of demons for two days and two nights, when both he and Bi Fang could barely move, this one could still go hunting. If Feng Wenyuan didn't know Ying Mei's magic wasn't strong, he would have assumed he was some other demon disguised as an Ying Mei. While he was lost in thought, Bi Fang suddenly barreled into him: "How dare you throw away my prey! How dare you throw away my prey!"

"And you still have the nerve to talk about it? This had nothing to do with me, but because of you I got dragged into it! I'm the wronged one!" Feng Wenyuan, full of repressed anger, shouted back.

"Compensate me for the food! Compensate!"

"You have only yourselves to blame!"

Since neither of them had much strength left, Feng Wenyuan wasn't afraid of Bi Fang suddenly pouncing on him, and he casually argued with it. Bi Fang had only learned broken words from "food," so it was no match for Feng Wenyuan's glib tongue. Soon, it was left with nothing but angry squawks. Feng Wenyuan, triumphant, sped up his speech, rambling endlessly. Bi Fang fell silent angrily for a moment, then suddenly had an idea. It began to listen intently to whatever Feng Wenyuan said and then repeated every word verbatim, saying whatever Feng Wenyuan said while looking at him with a smug, clever smile.

"This matter was your fault to begin with. Knowing your mistake and amending it is the greatest virtue..."

"Why are you learning to talk like that? If you don't know how to speak, I can teach you if you humbly ask. What you know, you know; what you don't know, you don't know..."

"Ying Mei is an idiot."

"Bi Fang is also an idiot."

"Bi Fang... You're the idiot!" Bi Fang snapped to awareness in time and kicked Feng Wenyuan on the head.

"Hahahaha..." Feng Wenyuan lay on the ground laughing loudly, while Bi Fang relentlessly jumped on him, shouting, "How dare you trick me! How dare you trick me!" Feng Wenyuan laughed even louder, discovering for the first time that this Bi Fang was quite endearing.

When Ying Mei returned, Bi Fang was chattering away, mimicking Feng Wenyuan's speech. It shook its head back and forth with a serious look. Ying Mei shook his own head, finally dividing the prey he had intended to give entirely to Bi Fang into two unequal portions, placing them beside Bi Fang and Feng Wenyuan respectively. He sat down a short distance away, letting the sunlight warm him, which was the best 'nourishment' for him.

Bi Fang looked at Feng Wenyuan's food, then at its own, and complained dissatisfiedly, "Why is yours more!"

Feng Wenyuan looked at the two rabbit tails and pair of wild boar ears at his feet, then at the wild rabbit and boar beside Bi Fang: "Are you sure yours is less?"

"I only have three, but you have four!" Bi Fang said indignantly.

"Then let's switch," Feng Wenyuan suggested good-naturedly.

"Absolutely not!" Bi Fang was more cunning than expected. It snatched the wild boar tail from Feng Wenyuan's hand and said, "Give this to me, and it will be fair!" With that, it flew over to Ying Mei's side and started eating, piling the rest next to Ying Mei's knees, spreading its wings to guard the pile, and soon began to snore.

Feng Wenyuan slowly ate his portion and soon drifted off to sleep as well. Wandering alone outside, danger could lurk anywhere. Having run for so long today, he was truly exhausted. At least Ying Mei wouldn't move against him right now, so he might as well sleep soundly under his watch.

Sensing someone behind him, Liu Di slowed his pace, and the woman behind him caught up, stepping past him to stand in front. "Truly shortsighted!" Liu Di sighed loudly, looking at the woman before him. "You should have come to me first. Why did you go to Gui'er and that little fox first? A few days ago, the fire at the pig farm, Officer Sun Jian's car accident, and you even turned a cat like Hei Bing into a mouse—and you didn't think of the number one heartthrob of Lixin City? Such poor judgment doesn't match your appearance; you don't seem so brainless."

The woman smiled lightly, "Didn't I come now?"

Liu Di leaned in and asked, "I know a great bar... Or do you prefer the movies?"

The woman took half a step back and asked, "What if I have other suggestions?"

Liu Di shrugged, "I always respect a woman's opinion. How about that inn up ahead? The facilities there are first-rate, and..."

The woman tilted her head, "It's not impossible to go with you, on one condition."

Liu Di counted on his fingers, "Beat up Zhou Ying, beat up Zhou Ying and his son together, kidnap Huo'er and demand ransom from Zhou Ying, destroy Zhou Ying's relationship with Gui'er or Nan Yu, wreck his car, burn down his house—I don't suggest the last one; his house gets burned down every other day anyway. I can serve you thoroughly."

The woman frowned, "You really are slippery. I have only one condition: if you let him know you betrayed him before my duel with Zhou Ying, I will be your woman."

"Tch." Liu Di waved his hand dismissively. "Then I'm doomed. You'll definitely be turned into roast meat by Huo'er. Would someone as handsome and dashing as me choose a pile of roast meat for a girlfriend?"

"How do you know I'll lose?" The woman raised her eyebrows confidently.

Liu Di appraised her from top to bottom, then bottom to top, a few times, then burst out laughing. "Do you know that your face is screaming the word 'lie'? If I really agreed and you managed to kill Zhou Ying, the next one you'd have to eliminate would be your 'boyfriend,' me, right? Rest assured, you will lose. Because in terms of skill, you can't beat Zhou Ying plus Huo'er, and in terms of cunning, you can't beat me. If you leave Lixin City now, we won't pursue what you've done these past few days. Otherwise, you can just wait to become roast meat..."

"That woman named Zhang Qian..."

Liu Di raised his hand to stop the woman as soon as she spoke, "Don't try to scare me with her! She's right there. Do whatever you want to try, but I'm a person who yields to both hard and soft tactics, just not threats! You can ask around if you're the first, or ask about the fate of those who brought her up before. You have your freedom, but remember, whatever you do, the consequences are your own responsibility!" With that, he didn't spare the woman another glance, humming a little tune as he walked away.

The woman clenched her fists and glared at his retreating back, grinding her teeth until they clicked. She almost wanted to rush out immediately to find that human named Zhang Qian and control her to see if this Earth Wolf would still dare to be so arrogant. But her rationality held her back. She had waited and prepared for so long for revenge; the closer she got to the goal, the more cautious she needed to be, lest a moment of impulse ruin the grand plan. Liu Di wasn't a mere local snake for nothing; if he dared to speak like that, he definitely wasn't bluffing. Her own hotheadedness would only lead her into his trap.

"Ying Mei, Earth Wolf... You wait..." the woman murmured under her breath and disappeared onto the street as well.