It was slightly past noon when LongFei returned. He hovered above BaiXue frowning. "Why are you here?"
BaiXue ignored him to stay focused on her cultivation. She could feel that it still had the same effect of increasing her power. Perhaps this was what unsettled LongFei's ancestor, even though he already had the crown.
LongFei sighed. "You better rest up for a fierce fight. That nine tailed fox is no challenge for me but it is different for you."
BaiXue opened her eyes in surprise. "How did you know that she was a nine tailed fox?"
"Nine tailed foxes specialise in magic instead of combat. I made a guess when I saw the standard of magic she had cast over an entire village."
"How do you know? I don't see any records detailing such useful information."
"They're all passed down knowledge."
"You've been talking about knowledge passed down through generations. But aren't mystical beings born by chance and rare?"
"That's only mystical beings born from normal or mixed couples. If a mystical being couple with another mystical being, they are sure to give birth to a mystical being too. So other pure families should have the same knowledge as me."
"Interesting... So what is the situation like at FenFang's dwelling?"
"There were countless dead bodies littered all around her dwelling. However, the wounds on most of their bodies seemed to be inflicted by their own kind instead of a nine tailed fox. My guess is that she used her illusory magic and enchantments to fight. It's possible she's hardly injured, but she is likely worn out after using so much magic. If you rest and recover fast enough, you would be able to catch her during her down time."
"I'll have to get stronger as well."
"The herb I used for you is the strongest and of the best quality. Your speed of recovery will be hastened. Be patient."
BaiXue kept quiet. She had been hoping that it was because of her transformation and cultivation that made her body more hardy like in the previous world.
"Your body isn't as weak anymore. Your wounds will heal fast." LongFei continued to urge her.
BaiXue obediently changed back into her human form so LongFei did so as well.
"What am I supposed to do then?" BaiXue asked.
"Sleep. Go." LongFei told her while he took the jar of salve, that he had prepared for her, off the shelf in the kitchen. They entered the room together, then he helped her clean up the messed up salve, before re-applying a new layer.
This time LongFei was able to do so without having any stray thoughts. It was easier to control his thoughts after being aware of his attraction to her.
Once he was done, he gave her a peach to eat, before tucking her in bed again. She laid on her uninjured side and closed her eyes. However, she knew that it was going to be hard to doze off. This would be the first time she had ever napped in all her lifetimes.
LongFei noticed how her breathing was still strong and steady. He guessed that it was probably hard for someone as obsessively hardworking as her to take a break. He reached out and started stroking her head gently.
BaiXue turned even stiffer than she already was.
"It's hard for you to rest, isn't it? Relax. Slow down your breathing."
BaiXue decided to try out his suggestions because it sounded like he understood how she felt. Under his guidance, she really started to doze off. Once her breathing became soft and steady, he left her side to start preparing dinner.
For the next two days, LongFei took great care of BaiXue, to BaoBao's satisfaction. If not for the promise that her healing rate would be maximised, she would not have obediently accepted being waited on hand and foot like she was bedridden.
LongFei would keep BaiXue occupied by sharing with her whatever he knew about nine-tailed foxes' skills. Their combat ability may be low but they were highly skilled in illusions, charm, and seduction. Their tails could extend longer and be used as extra limbs. Essentially, they won by trickery and schemes.
Besides being fed with information and food, she would be forced to nap for the rest of the day. She still experienced difficulty falling asleep for her naps but, each time, LongFei would patiently sit by her bedside and stroke her head until she fell asleep. Eventually, it became such that it was able to calm her. It gave her a sensation to focus on. The slow speed of it with its gentleness worked like a lullaby.
By the night of the second day, BaiXue was bathing, when she studied her wounds. The smaller wounds had all healed. The deeper ones had completely scabbed over.
/ How amazing. This is the fastest I've ever recovered. /
Since she had already slept so much for the past two days, she wanted to spend the night cultivating, then look for FenFang before the sun rose. When she conveyed her plan to LongFei, he supported her.
"Now I just need her location..." BaiXue wondered aloud.
"I know where she is. I've been tracking her since yesterday." LongFei said.
"You have?"
LongFei nodded. "She was hanging around FengJiao's village but seeing how FengJiao has not blown the whistle I gave her and seeing how calm the village still is, I don't think anything happened."
BaiXue raised an eyebrow. / He sounds so nonchalant about it. /
"Aren't you worried?"
LongFei blinked in surprise. "Of course I am. You should already know that if I could choose, I'd rather kill her off for you."
/ For me? / BaiXue got confused for a moment until she realised in the next moment that he has likely misunderstood her question. "I was referring to FengJiao."
LongFei's eyes widened slightly. He realised that he had not thought of FengJiao for a while. However, he believed that FengJiao would be fine. At least she was a mystical being. Although BaiXue had achieved far greater feats than FengJiao did, BaiXue's nature was still weaker than FengJiao's. So, BaiXue's situation was far more worrisome.
"She will be fine." He said dismissively.
/ He's so confident in FengJiao. A pity that led to his lack in proactiveness thus losing out to the male lead. / BaiXue concluded in her head.
BaoBao immediately checked with the story in his database and realised that LongFei was significant in the story, but really only contributed during the times when FengJiao needed help. MengYao had a greater impact and presence in FengJiao's life in that sense.
[How interesting!]
/ Got more data on human emotions? /
[Yes! Ideally, LongFei is really helping her grow yet she chose someone else to be with. How illogical!] BaoBao said chirpily.
BaoBao took this chance to hold a discussion with BaiXue. He could not understand how and why different actions that resulted from the same feelings would be valued differently. LongFei did not find her lack of reply strange and simply continued to eat with her in silence.
Ever since her declaration about her next course of action, LongFei seemed to stick even more closely to her. He stayed outside with her, and sat right by her side, in the backyard to watch her cultivate.
LongFei's heart grew increasingly unsettled as the time to confront FenFang drew closer. There was also the discomforting and nagging feeling that he had to pay a visit to FengJiao's village.
On the other hand, BaiXue was absolutely focused on her task. She did not pay much attention to his actions and cultivated as much as she could before they took off.
It was a starless night and the moon was hidden behind the clouds. The sun would be rising in a little more than an hour.
LongFei hovered above where FenFang was. He was patiently waiting for BaiXue's instructions, who seemed deep in thought at the moment.
/ Staying in such an obvious place... ... ... BaoBao, what's the probability that FengJiao has been poisoned already? /
[According to the book, there is a 100% chance that she is poisoned by now. You'd have poisoned her yesterday or the day before that. But this time, you aren't involved... Based on the effect you have on the plot in this and the previous worlds, there is still a high chance that FengJiao has been poisoned.]
/ ... And the fault will still somehow be on me. I need to be wary. Especially since being with FenFang may be the trigger for the story to progress on. /
[Mm!]
"LongFei, after you let me down, come back up here where you have the bird's eye view of everything."
"No." LongFei said adamantly.
"I'll be fine even if you aren't close by."
"Not keeping you in sight is already a strain for me. Much less... being that far from you..." LongFei admitted in a strained voice. He felt like he was fighting against every fiber of his being that burned with the desire to take her far away from this place. His guts were telling him that this would not end well.
"... LongFei. There's a high chance MengYao will cause trouble for me. I need you up here to be on the lookout." BaiXue would definitely not take her chances with LongFei interfering in her fight for whatever reason but she wanted to get any leeway and help she could get since she was about to go against the plot, so she judged that placing him this distance away from her would be the best decision.
"MengYao?"
"The black phoenix."
"...You sound familiar with each other. You even have his flute. Why would he cause trouble for you?" LongFei said gruffly.
The thought about her being close to and familiar with MengYao felt really weird to BaiXue. "... We're not close or familiar. The flute's just a means of communication."
/ Wait, why am I even explaining myself to him? /
Just as she considered giving up on getting LongFei's cooperation, he resolutely said, "I'll keep him away then."
/ Oh? That's it? / BaiXue hid her surprise while he slowly brought her down to the ground.
BaiXue was deposited a distance away from the random small hut that was built out of nowhere. Everything about the hut screamed that it was a trap.
[Humph! The male lead really underestimates you.]
/ Well, he would be right. I'm quite certain that the original soul would fall for it. /
BaiXue took sure and calm steps towards the hut, while LongFei did as he promised and returned up to the sky.
BaiXue approached the window and looked in the hut to find FenFang calmly sipping tea at the only table in the dimly lit room. She put the cup down then looked straight at BaiXue. BaiXue was not surprised that FenFang would know of her arrival. She had already guessed that FenFang would probably put an enchantment around the hut.
While BaiXue cautiously climbed into the hut, while looking out for any traps and signs of attack, FenFang asked in a soft and solemn voice, "I've been waiting for you. You're here to take my life, aren't you?"
"... No."
"I'm already aware of all of your lies. The length of time taken to travel across the mountains and that you were the mastermind behind the raid on my dwelling."
"You're really calm about it."
"It's probably for revenge, isn't it? A victim of the raid on your home village?"
"That's right."
"Humph... So, this is what it means to nourish a snake in one's bosom. To think I was starting to like and trust you..."
/ The original soul did too... / "Enough about me. You're held captive here by MengYao, aren't you?"
FenFang's body visibly stiffened.
"You were trying to keep me here, weren't you?"
"..."
"How sad. For all the years of adoration, he only made you a bait in the end. Is he perhaps on the way now?" BaiXue walked towards FenFang, while she carelessly waved her black flute in her hand to indicate that she knew how FenFang had alerted MengYao.
"..."
Upon reaching the table, she smashed the flute into smithereens onto the table. "We have no time to waste then."
FenFang finally frowned and changed into her nine-tailed fox form, anticipating a fight. In her fit of anger and anxiety, she momentarily forgot about the restriction MengYao placed on her. Black chains appeared all over her body. One end led to a collar around her neck. The other ends all seemed to disappear into the ground below FenFang, restricting her movements. She felt utterly humiliated to be seen in such a state but was not willing to back off without a fight. Just as BaiXue lifted a hand towards FenFang, LongFei entered through the front door in his human form. A black cage appeared out of nowhere above him and dropped down. He frowned in annoyance but reacted fast. He overbearingly swung his hand above him like he was simply swatting a fly away and the cage flew to the side easily. This thoroughly shocked FenFang who still had no idea who this intruder was. On the other hand, BaiXue's lips twitched at his show of power that she would never have, whi
LongFei could easily sense MengYao's bloodlust directed at BaiXue. It made his heart thump wildly and uncontrollably in urgency. However, he could not seem to break out of the obsessive thoughts about FengJiao in his mind that held him there. His face scrunched up in annoyance and agony. His mind compelled him to fly back to tend to FengJiao and give her the cure-all antidote. His heart warned him that there was something else far more important than FengJiao that he had to attend to right now. All of a sudden, the softest yet most significant cry of pain in his life reached his ears, and struck a chord within him. It snapped him back to the present and he looked towards the source of it. The sight of a maroon rabbit all curled up into a ball and shivering uncontrollably with a black phoenix nearing dangerously close to her made him see red and lose his mind in a panic. He flew at the fastest speed he could go and the sound was like cutting through wind itself.
The impact of BaiXue's jump created yet another crater in the ground. LongFei kept up with her movement to keep himself between MengYao and BaiXue, and he fired the largest fire he could manage. BaiXue had already made her body as streamlined as possible, so that she would go faster. However, MengYao and LongFei were still faster. In that short distance she covered between her position to FenFang's writhing body, they had exchanged enough blows to cover the forest in black and blue flames. A sudden burst of speed boosted MengYao and he finally appeared by BaiXue's side just as she spun in mid-air to land on her hind legs. LongFei spat out even stronger flames to force MengYao to take a detour, then speedily positioned himself between MengYao and BaiXue once again. LongFei swung his tail and the strong gale threw MengYao back into the trees. This time MengYao was driven deeper into the ground as compared to before. SPLAT! The sound of a body being squash
Luna opened her eyes and found herself back in the same dark black space. "Luna?" "..." "Luna? Are you okay?" BaoBao was worried that being impaled reminded her of the way she died in the second world. "Mm." Luna did not feel like talking and simply floated in space with a spaced out look. "Luna? You can sleep like the last time if you need to." BaoBao remembered that she did not have much rest in the night before the final showdown with FenFang. Luna finally noticed BaoBao's worries so she reassured him, "I'm fine BaoBao. That death was nothing compared to the second world's. Also, it was more torturous fighting the fake LongFei. This death is really not too bad." "Then... What's wrong?" BaoBao looked at her with worried eyes and gently touched her forearm. Luna blinked her eyes in surprise. Although she was not thinking about anything in particular and had told him that she was fine, BaoBao was now a
Luna opened her eyes to find herself in complete darkness. If not for the intense ravenous hunger she was feeling, she would have thought that she was still in the same space from before. This hunger, unlike the previous world's, drove her crazy. She clenched her jaw and fists hard. It took up all the self control she had to prevent herself from going berserk and going on a rampage. What made matters worse was that she smelt a tantalizing meal nearby. Feeling it odd, she wanted to know what she was dealing with first before she did anything. /BaoBao!/ BaoBao immediately knew that she was ready to receive the information and so stimulated the memories of this body. The original soul of this body was a human named Vanora. An only child born to a poor but happy couple. Her parents did all they could to provide her the best but that did not mean they spoilt her. She had to earn it by helping out with the household and work. Her father was a
While Luna processed the memories, the golden specks in her eyes started to glow, making her irises look golden instead of grey. Her round pupils turned into sharp slits. Her breathing became irregular. [Lu- Luna?] BaoBao called out worriedly. However, he did not get a reply. [Luna!] Just as he yelled out her name again, he heard Luna's thoughts and saw the flashback she experienced. It was the eve of a new year. She was only 12 years old then. Just as they did so every year, her family was gathered in her father's study where her parents would review their results for the whole year. Luna knew without needing to be told that she was the only one who made no improvements in any aspect of herself whatsoever. Like she anticipated, her siblings were commended for doing well even in areas that were not their talents. Although her parents also commended Luna for being the most earnest, sincere
/For now, we can be sure that my body statistics seems enhanced. Strength, agility, speed, and all of my senses except for touch./ [And your appetite.] BaoBao added on. /What? Why?/ [... You finished an entire deer. In one sitting. Without a break!] /I did?/ Vanora looked beside her and stared speechlessly at the pile of bones. Before she knew it, she was already cooking what was left of the deer. /Oh dear./ In all the previous worlds, she would have preserved it and the deer would have lasted her days. /You're right./ [Not like you'd have a problem hunting anyway.] /... True. It's not that time consuming./ She was about to take another bite into the blue-rare meat when she heard a strange sound of air churning and warping in itself above her. She looked up warily. A man with short raven black hair and blood red ey
Her eyes glowed golden and her irises became sharp slits in the instant before she would die at his hands. Something told her to punch her hardest down into the ground at a specific spot. She followed her gut instinct and did so. The ground cracked and broke then flew upwards towards all his apparitions while she fell into the resulting crater. All of his apparitions got pierced or hit, except one. The remaining one dodged everything and easily made use of the debris to make his way towards her. She gritted her teeth hard and growled. Acting purely on instinct, she prepared to meet his attack head on. She habitually brought forth the spiritual energy in her body not knowing if the bodies of this world had it or not. Indigo flames suddenly covered her body but she felt no pain. Without a pause in her actions, she manipulated the flames to flare out and jump out around her randomly then build their way towards him. His eyes slightly widened in surprise but he soo