Wh-What Did You Feed Me?!

He Ange already knew where Xia Ranyue’s dungeon cell was, thanks to those helpful (and desperate) Fox Clan elders.

His main goal in coming to the Fox Clan was, honestly, just to pick up his little fox and take her home. Fox Clan politics? The war? Ehhh, He Ange wasn’t really interested. He wasn’t an empress with territory to manage.

Plus, he was a master of illusion magic himself. And not only that, he’d brought Xuan Que along, who was even better at it. Poof! Swish! Just by using illusions to cloak their movements, He Ange and An Luo Yi easily slipped past numerous patrolling cultivators, avoiding a ton of hassle.

Getting into the dungeon, however… well, that required a bit more… direct action.

He Ange didn’t have any beef with the Fox Clan, so he wasn’t about to start slaughtering random guards. He and Xuan Que coordinated their illusion magic—vwoom vwoom—and then let An Luo Yi use the flat of her sword—THWACK! BONK!—to neatly knock out the guards. Easy peasy.

Soon enough, He Ange reached the deepest part of the dungeon.

Considering Xia Ranyue’s… special circumstances, He Ange paused, stopping the others with a faint smile. “You guys wait here, don’t wander off. I’ll just pop down, check things out, and bring Ranyue right back.”

“Understood.” Xuan Que bowed her head slightly—nod—then turned, leaped lightly, and vanished into thin air like a wisp of green smoke, hidden within the illusions. Poof!

An Luo Yi nodded too, not particularly bothered. After all, she’d just… ahem… thoroughly drained He Ange’s vitality earlier. Right now, she felt surprisingly trusting towards him.

“Husband… be careful…” An Luo Yi offered a gentle, elegant smile, her brow slightly furrowed with concern.

But… bathed in the dim, flickering light of the dungeon, combined with the faint, dark gold glow emanating from the Phoenix Mark hidden beneath the fairy’s clothes on her lower abdomen… He Ange couldn’t help but feel it was all… strangely alluring. Mmm… The Phoenix Mark glowed mainly because it was busy converting He Ange’s abyssal essence.

“Mn.” He Ange simply grunted in acknowledgment and turned to leave.

Deep within the dungeon, a single cell.

Darkness clung to everything here. It was cold, damp, and the only sound was the incessant drip… drip… drip… of water echoing off the stones.

Huddled in a corner, knees pulled tightly to her chest, sat a nine-tailed fox demon.

It was too dark to make out her face or features clearly, but a pair of mesmerizing eyes, hooked and glowing with a deep, abyssal crimson, stood out starkly, captivating and unnerving in the gloom.

Tap, tap, tap…

Footsteps approached. The fox demon’s twin pairs of ears twitched and perked up. Swivel!

She stared fixedly towards the source of the sound, her gaze locked. Silence stretched… then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, her crimson lips curled upwards. Heh… The demonic light in her abyssal eyes flared, brighter and more mischievous.

Before she knew it, a source of light reached her cell.

The fox demon girl looked up. There stood a young man dressed in sacred robes of moon-white, embroidered with intricate mountains and rivers. He held an oil lamp, its flickering flame casting long shadows, and he stood pensively before the cell bars, observing the nine-tailed fox within.

Their eyes met.

Instantly, the fox girl’s mesmerizing crimson eyes changed. Flicker! The emptiness, the coldness, the demonic strangeness… vanished. Replaced now by hope, a flushed radiance, and an emotion as deep and complex as the Abyss itself.

The young man’s expression shifted too.

He looked at her.
She looked up at him.

Finally, He Ange spoke first, his voice soft. “Xia Ranyue. Did you miss me?”

“…” His smile was gentle, but the fox demon in the cell didn’t return it.

Staring at the young man she called ‘Master’, Xia Ranyue’s mesmerizing eyes remained chillingly cold, a hint of frost within them. Her small, sharp canine teeth bit gently into her lower lip, as if suppressing something. Grrr…

“You’re late… by thirteen days… nine hours… forty-seven minutes… and twenty-three seconds…” Her voice was flat, cold.

She shifted her position, still hugging her knees, wrapping her nine fluffy tails around herself tightly, as if seeking warmth against a deep inner chill. Bathed in the dim lamplight, alone in the cell, she looked utterly pitiful.

He Ange certainly felt it. Sigh… He sighed, knowing he was indeed at fault, and didn’t offer any excuses. “Sorry. I’ll get you out right now.”

He raised his hand, forming a sword mantra with two fingers—shink!—and with two light flicks, twin cross-shaped slashes of sword intent appeared on the iron bars of the cell. ZZZZZT! The razor-sharp intent sliced through the metal as if it were mud. Clang! Crash!

He Ange pushed aside the ruined bars and walked towards the little fox huddled in the corner, clutching her tails for warmth.

He stopped right in front of Xia Ranyue, holding out his hand, offering a reassuring smile. “Ranyue, I was wrong. Come home with me. I’ll make it up to you properly, okay?” His voice was laced with sincerity.

Xia Ranyue looked up at him, their eyes locking.

By the dim glow of the oil lamp, He Ange could clearly see the crimson fox girl’s cool, beautiful face. No smile, no happiness… just the endless, abyssal crimson darkness reflected in her mesmerizing eyes.

For a young girl, Xia Ranyue might not have An Luo Yi’s tall, regal bearing, but she possessed a unique blend of pure innocence and demonic allure. She was stunningly cute, and just meeting her gaze could bewitch one’s soul, stirring a man’s protective instincts, making him want to cherish her.

And seeing her like this… sitting alone in a dark, damp dungeon cell… A Nine-Tailed Princess of the Fox Clan reduced to this… It tugged at He Ange’s heartstrings, filling him with even more guilt and pity.

“He Ange… you want to take me home? That’s… not impossible…” Xia Ranyue finally spoke.

She stared intently into his eyes, her expression serious. But as she spoke, she slowly, languidly, licked her crimson lips— mlem —and a strange, bewitching, yet cold smile curled her lips upwards. Hehehe…

Then, in the next second— WHOOSH!!! —everything changed!

SHLICK!!!

A razor-sharp tail, like a bone spike, suddenly shot out from Xia Ranyue’s side! Caught completely off guard, it pierced straight through He Ange’s abdomen— SQUELCH! —and even poked a hole clean through his back!

“Pfft—!” He Ange coughed up blood, his cool eyes widening in disbelief.

A wave of weakness washed over him, and his body involuntarily slumped forward.

Xia Ranyue caught him, holding him close. Her delicate jade-like hands caressed her ‘Master’, the sick, obsessive glow in her abyssal crimson eyes now completely undisguised. “He Ange… you betrayed me first. You don’t deserve to be my Master anymore. You should be my pet, to atone for your sins.” Heh heh… Mine…

SHLK!

With that, the fox girl yanked her razor-sharp tail back out of He Ange’s abdomen. Splat. She extended her tongue, delicately licking the dark blood from the tip of her tail—mlem mlem—her smile growing wider, more excited, more pathologically possessive.

He Ange didn’t struggle or resist.

He simply shifted slightly, leaning back against the ‘blackened’ fox demon girl holding him, exhaling softly. “What… cultivation level are you now?” His voice was surprisingly calm.

The girl cupped his face, her eyes filled with adoration and possessiveness. Her lips curved into a smug grin, like a child who got a perfect score just to spite their parents. “Late-stage Nascent Soul~ ♡”

“Only Late Nascent Soul… and you’re already this cocky?” He Ange raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips. He lifted his own hand and, in turn, gently pinched the little fox demon’s soft cheek. Squish~

Right now, He Ange was cradled against Xia Ranyue’s surprisingly ample chest, the back of his head resting comfortably despite the gaping hole in his stomach. He felt weak, a dull ache pulsing from the wound, but… strangely, not angry at all.

His calm reaction, however, made Xia Ranyue’s triumphant smile falter slightly, a flicker of apprehension entering her eyes. Hmm? She puffed out her cheeks, pursing her lips as if gathering something in her mouth. Mmmph…

Then, before He Ange could react— MMPH! —she grabbed his face firmly and pressed her lips against his in a deep kiss.

It felt like she was forcing some kind of liquid from her mouth into his.

He Ange initially tried to resist— “Hnn?! Ngh—!” —but he felt incredibly weak. Staring into Xia Ranyue’s hypnotic, cherry-pink mesmerizing eyes felt like being trapped in an illusion. His muscles refused to obey, and the fox girl easily pried his mouth open…

Gulp.

Helpless, his mouth filled with too much of the strange liquid, He Ange couldn’t help but swallow it down.

After a long moment, Xia Ranyue finally broke the kiss, a thin, silvery strand connecting their lips. Snap.

“Wh-What did you feed me?” He Ange gasped, breathing heavily, clearly affected.

Seeing this, the fox demon girl looked even more pleased with herself. Hehehe~ She leaned close, pressing her pink lips against his ear, her voice a seductive, breathy whisper. “Among the Nine-Tailed bloodline… this is a sacred liquid, rivaling even Dragon Saliva~ ♡ Although Ranyue isn’t a Saintess yet… its aphrodisiac effects aren’t that much weaker than sister’s~”

“More than enough… to seduce Master!” Mine… all mine… ♡

—

—

“Hehehe~ Master’s body feels soooo good~ ♡”

“Ah~! N-Not there~~ Ngh~!”

“Mmm-ah~ Th-That feels amazing~~ ♡”

In the dim, flickering candlelight of the dungeon cell, shadows danced on the wall, depicting a scene of intense… action.

In the dominant position was a bewitchingly beautiful girl. Her dress was pulled off her shoulders, hanging loosely around her waist, revealing an elegant, porcelain-white back. Nine slender, crimson fox tails swayed rhythmically behind her, occasionally straightening out stiffly, trembling slightly, as if experiencing waves of ecstatic pleasure. Flicker… twitch…

Beneath the mesmerizing fox demon’s silhouette was the shadow of a tall young man, leaning back against the wall.

The two figures were entwined, the scene steeped in suggestive ambiguity.

Clack, clack, clack… Suddenly, the crisp sound of high heels echoed from the corridor outside.

At the corner of the passage, the owner of the silver-white heels—An Luo Yi—stopped dead in her tracks. Gasp! She froze, staring at the flickering, pleasure-filled silhouettes on the cell wall, utterly speechless.

From An Luo Yi’s angled viewpoint, she couldn’t see everything clearly on the wall, but just glimpsing through the gaps… seeing those nine tails swaying back and forth in the shadowed scene… An Luo Yi could easily imagine the blissful happiness of the tails’ owner.

“…You home-wrecking cat…!” Her voice was a low, cold whisper, teeth biting her lip. I KNEW IT! It was almost as if she’d expected this.

SHIIIIINK!

A sharp ring of steel! An Luo Yi already had the Silver Phoenix Sword gripped tightly in her hand, its edge gleaming, radiating pure killing intent. VWOOSH! Right now, the fairy’s cold eyes were clouded, completely overwhelmed by humiliation and fury.

Without a second thought, An Luo Yi launched herself forward— FWOOOSH! —flying through the air at top speed, giving the two… occupied …figures inside no time to react. She raised her sword—

CRASH!!! BANG!!!

—and sliced the cell door clean off its hinges!

“He Ange! What are you TWO DOING?!?!” The silver-haired fairy’s face was flushed crimson with rage, the accusation flying out without thinking.

She had seen the shadow of the nine-tailed fox demon writhing in pleasure! She had smelled the scent of that man-stealing vixen! She was certain a fox demon was ‘snacking’ on He Ange!

But now… the scene before her eyes was… just a white-robed young man leaning casually against the corner wall. And nestled innocently in his arms… was an adorable little spirit fox, playfully nuzzling its Master.

Other than that… there was absolutely no suspicious evidence of any illicit activities! Huh?!

Meanwhile, He Ange looked up at the suddenly barging-in silver-haired fairy. His expression went from brief confusion— Huh? —to faint nervousness, a few beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead. Uh oh. But he quickly regained his composure, raising an eyebrow with feigned calmness. “Luo Yi? Is… something wrong?” He asked, feigning innocent curiosity.

“Ying…?” Sensing the killing intent radiating from the sword-wielding fairy, the little spirit fox nestled in He Ange’s arms tilted its head, its spirit eyes wide with apparent curiosity and innocence. Blink blink?

It looked up guilelessly at the furious fairy. Then, meeting her complex, conflicted gaze, the little spirit fox suddenly trembled— shiver shiver —and quickly hid behind He Ange, its nine little tails bunching together for comfort. “Ying~ Ying ying ying~” It whined pitifully, tugging at He Ange’s sleeve with a tiny paw, its small, soft body trembling, as if telling its Master, That scary lady with the sword is mean!

Watching this… An Luo Yi froze again, completely bewildered, the word ‘HUH?!’ practically written across her face. W-Wait… what?

That couldn’t be right! Just moments ago, An Luo Yi had clearly seen two human figures on the wall in the candlelight, engaged in… that kind of shameful activity! How… how could she burst in to catch them red-handed, only for the nine-tailed vixen riding He Ange to instantly transform into a harmless little spirit fox?! Did… Did I imagine it?!

“Luo Yi, look, you’re scaring Yue’er…” As the tense standoff continued, He Ange gently stroked the fur of the little spirit fox in his arms, sighing with apparent helplessness.

The little fox played along perfectly, its eyes welling up with fake tears— sniffle sniffle —whimpering pitifully, putting on a masterclass performance of wronged innocence.

An Luo Yi stood in the doorway, watching them. She wanted to be angry, but… she had no solid reason now. She wanted to feel wronged, but she couldn’t possibly compete with the little spirit fox’s devastatingly effective ‘pitiful act’… Grrr…

The fairy crossed her arms, puffed out her cheeks, and spoke, her tone laced with reluctant suspicion. “You call it Yue’er? So… this spirit fox… is Xia Ranyue?”

“Yeah. Luo Yi, you should know… with everything that’s happened in the Fox Clan recently… Princess Ranyue, with her Nine-Tailed bloodline, ended up imprisoned by her own clan…” He Ange’s expression turned melancholic as he spoke.

He gently stroked the single tuft of fur sticking up adorably on the little spirit fox’s head, sighing with regret. “Aigh… I only just managed to rescue Ranyue from the dungeon, you know?” His voice was heavy with simulated sadness. “She’s been through so much tragedy and misfortune here… Seeing her so pitiful after being rescued… I was just holding her, comforting her, that’s all…”

“O-Oh… Is… is that really how it was…?” Hearing He Ange’s earnest, heartfelt explanation, the grip An Luo Yi had on her sword loosened— clink —and the icy killing intent in her phoenix eyes softened, replaced by sympathy for the little spirit fox hiding in He Ange’s arms.

Even though she was ‘fallen’, An Luo Yi still retained her humanity. She knew what it was like… Besieged by enemies, betrayed by fellow sect members, thrown into a dungeon, hovering between life and death, consumed by despair… Back then, it was He Ange who had appeared like a hero, rescuing her from the depths, becoming the greatest figure in her heart… even her husband.

Now, thinking that Xia Ranyue had suffered a similarly tragic fate within her own clan… and seeing the seemingly heartwarming scene of the little fox seeking comfort in He Ange’s arms… An Luo Yi couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of empathy. We… we really are kindred spirits, suffering similar misfortunes…

He Ange was her husband. And seeing her husband perform a good deed, rescuing someone, earning the gratitude and affection of this little spirit fox… An Luo Yi naturally felt pleased for him.

However… empathy aside… Something still felt… not quite right? Hmmmm…

Seeing the lingering trace of doubt in the silver-haired fairy’s eyes, He Ange lifted the little spirit fox from his lap, stood up, and brushed the dust off his robes. Pat pat.

“How about it, Senior Sister? Want to hold Yue’er too?” He smiled and walked forward, holding the small, adorable nine-tailed spirit fox out towards An Luo Yi.

But before An Luo Yi could even respond, the little spirit fox started shaking its head violently—no no no!—its eyes looking at An Luo Yi as if gazing upon a wicked stepmother, filled with pure fear and reluctance. Eek! Yipe!

This reaction made the silver-haired fairy’s cheek twitch involuntarily. Twitch! Why is she acting like I’m the bad guy?! Am I really that unlikeable? She increasingly suspected Xia Ranyue was doing this deliberately just to annoy her… Grrrr!

But… An Luo Yi had no proof, and morally, she didn’t have a leg to stand on. Sigh… She took a deep breath, forcing herself to ignore the little spirit fox’s look of utter disdain.

“Forget it.” Her voice was clipped. “Since it’s Husband’s spirit pet… Husband can just hold it himself.” She sheathed her sword— Shk! —her anger mostly subsided. She crossed her arms again, pouting slightly, looking vaguely bored. So that’s why… No wonder He Ange had dragged her straight to the Fox Clan Secret Realm right after they finished ‘recuperating’ in the Abyss. So, he just came to pick up his pet…

Still… when did Xia Ranyue become so… tame? This little spirit fox clinging to He Ange, acting all cute and obedient, letting him pet and cuddle her… It was nothing like the arrogant, prideful junior sister she remembered from the immortal sects.

Thinking about it, An Luo Yi felt another pang of insecurity. Is… is the little fox acting more obedient than me? And He Ange was clearly doting on it, holding it so tenderly… Compared to An Luo Yi, he definitely seemed more affectionate towards the ‘tragic, pitiful’ little spirit fox right now…

An Luo Yi felt her emotions were getting weird again. Am I really getting jealous… of a fox stealing my man? But then she remembered Xia Ranyue was a humanoid fox demon… and watching that little fox snuggle so intimately in He Ange’s arms… it just didn’t sit right. It felt like her husband was being stolen by a fox…

Is it possible… An Luo Yi thought, …that Xia Ranyue is deliberately using her cute spirit fox appearance… to secretly take advantage of He Ange while pretending to be an innocent pet?

“Aigh… Maybe I’m just being too sensitive…” An Luo Yi sighed, rubbing her temples, trying hard not to overthink. After all, before they came, He Ange had specifically told her to be good and obedient. She wasn’t some lovesick teenager anymore. As a wife, An Luo Yi needed to be magnanimous. Always acting like a jealous little girl would just displease He Ange.

Meanwhile, seeing the fairy finally relent, the little spirit fox in He Ange’s arms smirked internally. Heh. It turned its head, meeting He Ange’s gaze with a look of smug pride, wagging its tails slightly, as if showing off its brilliant acting skills and quick thinking. Wag wag! See? Aren’t I clever?~

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You win this round. He Ange gave a helpless mental shrug, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

Honestly, when He Ange sensed An Luo Yi rushing over, he had panicked internally. He didn’t think he could clean up the… mess… quickly enough, and he knew that would trigger An Luo Yi’s sensitive nerves. If An Luo Yi saw him and Xia Ranyue messing around in such a state of undress… there would definitely be a huge fight tonight. Not that He Ange worried about subduing An Luo Yi… but causing a commotion and attracting the other Dragon Dynasty attendants would be extremely troublesome…

But, at the critical moment, He Ange never expected the nine-tailed fox girl, completely naked one second, could instantly transform into a harmless little spirit fox the next. Poof! The intimate scene between a man and a woman instantly became a heartwarming moment between He Ange and a cute little animal.

Xia Ranyue’s timing and technique… yeah, gotta admit, it was pretty slick. Not only that, her acting was top-notch. Facing An Luo Yi, she showed none of her earlier seductiveness, instantly switching into ‘innocent little spirit fox’ mode, utterly charming and disarming. No matter how furious An Luo Yi was initially, it was hard to stay mad at such an adorable little creature. If An Luo Yi had gotten jealous and angry, that would have played right into Xia Ranyue’s hands!

Just now, Xia Ranyue deliberately snuggled against He Ange right in front of An Luo Yi precisely to provoke her. Xia Ranyue knew An Luo Yi’s temper. As a Woman Blessed by Fate, An Luo Yi was known for her pride and arrogance. When she lost her temper, things inevitably got loud and messy, which would undoubtedly cause big problems for He Ange. Then, He Ange might resent An Luo Yi, seeing her as narrow-minded and incapable of handling important situations. That was Xia Ranyue’s spur-of-the-moment little scheme.

But, surprisingly, while An Luo Yi was clearly provoked, she held back her grievance. She didn’t lash out. Instead, for the sake of maintaining stability, she magnanimously chose to swallow her anger… Huh? Weird. Xia Ranyue found this very strange. She’d assumed the ‘Woman Blessed by Fate’ would have zero tolerance for her boyfriend fooling around. Does this mean… between He Ange and An Luo Yi… He Ange actually holds the higher status? Interesting…

Thinking this, Xia Ranyue looked back up at the sacred-robed young man holding her.

Mlem~

In An Luo Yi’s blind spot, Xia Ranyue suddenly darted out her small tongue and gave He Ange’s cheek a quick lick.

When He Ange glanced down, her spirit eyes were no longer innocent and cute, but held a mischievous, seductive glimmer. Hehe~ ♡ Like a little devil playing a trick.

Then, just as quickly, when An Luo Yi looked back, the little spirit fox instantly reverted to its cute and obedient appearance, sitting primly in He Ange’s arms and wagging its tails. Wag wag~

“…?” An Luo Yi felt that strange suspicion again. Something is definitely fishy here…

By now, even He Ange raised an eyebrow, feeling a mixture of exasperation and grudging admiration. Xia Ranyue really lives up to her Nine-Tailed Fox Demon heritage… Seducing men… it’s practically a racial talent. Comes completely naturally.

“Hmph hmph~~” A soft nasal sound. The little spirit fox looked even smugger now, clearly reveling in the thrill of ‘stealing snacks’ right under An Luo Yi’s nose.

“Husband, what should we do next?” asked An Luo Yi, walking beside him down the dungeon corridor. Now that He Ange had rescued Xia Ranyue, his main objective in the Fox Clan Secret Realm was complete. He had two choices: stay and help the Fox Clan fight, or just take Xia Ranyue and leave.

“Ranyue,” He Ange asked softly, walking ahead of the silver-haired fairy, hands behind his back, “do you know where your sister—the Saintess whose cultivation was crippled—is?” Perched on his shoulder, the little spirit fox wagged its tails, looking perfectly content.

“If I remember correctly… sister should be in seclusion at the altar in the Cherry Sea Secret Realm.” The little fox suddenly spoke in human language!

Hearing Xia Ranyue’s clear, sweet voice, An Luo Yi’s eyebrows shot up, her expression a mixture of surprise and complexity. Wha—?! She could talk all along?! Then why didn’t she say anything earlier?! When An Luo Yi had burst in accusingly, Ranyue had just whimpered ‘ying ying ying’ in He Ange’s arms like a helpless little animal! Looking so pitiful and innocent that An Luo Yi couldn’t even stay mad… Turns out she could talk, she was just pretending to be a dumb animal! That little actress!

Meanwhile, Xia Ranyue continued murmuring, “Half a month ago… sister was gravely injured by the Blood Refining Sect’s demonic cultivators… Unfortunately, I was still in closed-door cultivation then. By the time I heard the news, sister’s cultivation was already completely destroyed…” Her voice trailed off. “I… I couldn’t help her at all…” At the end, the little spirit fox’s ears drooped, her mood turning genuinely somber. “Master… is there any way you can save her?” Her voice held a pleading, earnest tone.

Although she and her sister Xia Zhiyue didn’t always get along, they were still family, sharing the same father’s bloodline. They grew up together; a deep sisterly bond existed between them. Now that Xia Zhiyue was crippled, Xia Ranyue naturally couldn’t bear to watch her sister be bartered off in a political marriage by the clan elders.

“You want to save your sister? Of course, I have ways,” He Ange replied calmly. Beneath the moonlight filtering into the dungeon corridor, a faint smile touched his lips, radiating apparent kindness.

After a moment, he added softly, “But… while saving her is possible… it depends on whether your sister is willing to pay the corresponding price.”

Later that night.

He Ange sat casually on a long bench, one leg crossed nonchalantly over the other.

Before him knelt a snow-white fox immortal. Elegant posture, stunning beauty, long slender legs… noble, tragic, yet utterly tempting.

“Saintess. Do you want revenge?”

“I… do!” A trembling, desperate voice.

“Kneel properly. Lick me.”

“?!”