The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 17

Chapter  17

A weasel paying a New Year’s visit to a fox usually suggests malicious intent.

Cang Ran’s cultivation was one stage higher than the Yellow Weasel, so naturally, she had nothing to fear.

She had no good impression of this Yellow Weasel, who usually resorted to stealing and deception. Furthermore, the “difficulties” she referred to were clearly about the mating season.

The Yellow Weasel narrowed her slender eyes and said coyly, “Little fox sister is such a tease. I have always been sincere towards you. My invitation today is simply to bury the hatchet.”

Cang Ran directly refused. “I don’t have time to bury the hatchet with you right now. I need to buy some things and return to my cave dwelling early. Let’s talk when I have free time next.”

The Yellow Weasel was persistent. “If you don’t want to attend the banquet today, you must at least listen to the performance. Just consider it supporting me. It won’t take much of your time, anyway.”

The Yellow Weasel had a mind to cause trouble and wanted to drag Mountain-Suppressing Leopard into it. This performance was certainly not a good one, but Cang Ran was curious to see what stage she was setting up.

A thought crossed Cang Ran’s mind. She quietly transmitted a message to Tan Qingxuan’s consciousness: “This is the demon who lives next door to me, a Yellow Weasel spirit. Her cultivation is beneath mine. I can protect you.”

Tan Qingxuan instantly saw through the Yellow Weasel—a sixth-stage Transformation Period Yellow Weasel spirit. She had a bloody, murderous aura, indicating she had several human lives on her conscience.

From the Yellow Weasel’s fan-waving motion, she smelled a familiar cosmetic fragrance—the same scent the little fox returned with that day.

If they are demons mutually pleased with and close to each other, why bother avoiding her?

A strange feeling rose in Tan Qingxuan’s heart, which she quickly suppressed. Her eyes were calm. “You go with her. I’ll wait here for your return.”

Cang Ran’s eyes showed confusion. This is Luofeng City, a gathering place for demon cultivators! Qingqing is a mortal here. She could easily be eaten by a demon.

Cang Ran frowned and had to transmit another message to Tan Qingxuan’s consciousness: “No, this place is very dangerous. Some demon cultivators eat people. Stay close to me and don’t wander off anywhere.”

She held Tan Qingxuan’s hand tightly and said to the Yellow Weasel, “Since this is your first time setting up a stage, I’ll only watch this once.”

The Yellow Weasel had long seen Cang Ran’s pleasant demeanor towards Tan Qingxuan. She didn’t know what was so good about this human. She was sickly. How could she compare to the stunning demon cultivators?

If she didn’t know Cang Ran was the fox spirit, she would truly think this human was a mesmerizing temptress who gave Cang Ran mind-bewitching drugs.

Jealousy flared in the Yellow Weasel’s heart. Her fan-waving became quicker. Her magenta-purple dress swayed and twirled as she led the way. “Let’s go, we’ll go to the tea house together. I’ve booked a private room. There’s a good show to watch today.”

The tea house in Luofeng City was the demons’ favorite haunt. Besides storytelling, they often invited opera troupes to perform songs.

The lives of demon cultivators were long and monotonous, and they were very curious about the human world’s way of life. Some great demons also needed to learn about human social etiquette.

Therefore, novels and storytelling were the best sellers. The tea house was the place demon cultivators frequented most often. They could order two pots of tea and some melon seeds to pass half a day.

The Yellow Weasel was a regular at the tea house and often dealt with human cultivators. With seven or eight hundred years of accumulation, she was quite wealthy.

To set up this good show today, she chose the best view private room in the tea house and ordered the waiter to bring several pots of fine wine.

“Little fox sister, come quickly and try these red bean paste dumplings and rose shortbread. They are the signature snacks of this tea house. And this perch soup and roasted rabbit meat were specially made by a human chef.”

Cang Ran glanced at the food, then guided Tan Qingxuan to sit in a far corner, raising an eyebrow. “You just said the good show was about to start, but why is there no sound of gongs or drums?”

The Yellow Weasel laughed carelessly. “The show has already started, little fox sister. Why are you always in such a hurry? Haste makes waste.”

Tan Qingxuan reached out her slender finger, parted a light green gauze curtain, and looked down at the tea house floor.

The tea house had surging demonic energy. Besides some low-level little demons, there were two slightly stronger blue demonic energies and one slightly weaker white demonic energy in the opposite private room.

Through divine sense, it could be perceived that they were a wolf demon, a leopard spirit, and a white rabbit spirit.

Tan Qingxuan’s gaze shifted, and she gestured for Cang Ran to look over.

The Yellow Weasel’s motion of holding the wine pot paused. She subtly glanced at Tan Qingxuan. This mortal actually has some vision, instantly helping Cang Ran locate the stage.

But perhaps it was just a coincidence. Cang Ran will tire of her sooner or later. Then she can taste the blood and flesh of a human heart again.

Cang Ran followed the gaze and immediately saw the demons in the opposite private room. The wolf demon was Han Jinzhi, the younger sister of Ice Wolf. The leopard spirit was Dongming, the youngest and most beloved daughter of Mountain-Suppressing Leopard. And the white rabbit spirit was Qu Youran, the top-rated qin player of this tea house.

Han Jinzhi was Ice Wolf’s younger sister, whom she grew up with. Because her sister was favored by Lone-Armed Ape, she was very arrogant, surrounded by fawning demons, and acted wildly.

Cang Ran had met Han Jinzhi once. This person was extremely self-conceited, narrow-minded, and vengeful. Getting involved with her was difficult to shake off, and no one usually dared to cross her.

And this Dongming was no pushover either. She was the youngest daughter of Mountain-Suppressing Leopard. Because her fur was the rare white color, she had a capricious personality from a young age and was not a forgiving person.

Han Jinzhi and Dongming were two demons who would absolutely never sit at the same table. They were sitting together likely because of Qu Youran.

Qu Youran’s qin skills were superb, and her temperament was noble and pure. She had once infiltrated an immortal sect as a rabbit demon and learned to play the qin from True Lord Nanhua, who specialized in music. Her performance was priceless.

But others didn’t know, while Cang Ran, who had been a close neighbor of the Yellow Weasel for half a year, knew that Qu Youran was the Yellow Weasel’s paramour.

Demons and humans are different; they are always indiscriminate in their tastes. The Yellow Weasel was the most promiscuous demon in the area. She had secretly brought Qu Youran back to Yellow Ridge Mountain Cave several times, which Cang Ran had inadvertently witnessed.

However, the two demons were not very close, and very few demons knew about it. Of course, Cang Ran knew because they lived close by and the Yellow Weasel never concealed it.

Leaving that aside, since the white rabbit spirit was the Yellow Weasel’s demon, the show should be quite obvious: as long as the clam and the sandpiper fight, the fisherman profits.

Sure enough, with the trickling sound of the Yellow Weasel pouring wine, the sound of a qin abruptly stopped. The good show opposite had already begun.

Han Jinzhi knew Qu Youran was hard to invite. She had heard rumors and specifically came to appreciate her qin music today, inviting a group of flattering little demons with her.

She never expected to arrive one step too late. Qu Youran had actually been booked by another demon.

Han Jinzhi had been spoiled by her sister for years and was lawless. Naturally, she was unwilling to accept this. Upon inquiring, the opponent was merely a Bone Refining Period leopard spirit. She immediately rushed over, wanting to tear up the leopard’s face.

And Dongming was not to be trifled with. No one had ever managed to snatch anything from her. Her leopard fists swung fiercely. She didn’t care who Han Jinzhi’s sister was and ordered her subordinate leopard demons to beat her to death.

Han Jinzhi was quickly beaten down by Dongming. She reverted to her original form and was kicked ten feet away by Dongming.

The huge wolf body crashed into the second-floor railing of the tea house, shattering more than ten crossbars and covering everything in dust.

The patrons drinking tea downstairs were instantly frightened by the commotion and scattered.

Cang Ran retracted her gaze and looked at the Yellow Weasel, who was pouring wine for herself. “Ice Wolf isn’t an idiot. If she knew you orchestrated this to injure her sister, Han Jinzhi, do you think she’d let you off easily?”

The Yellow Weasel slowly finished pouring a cup of wine and handed it to Cang Ran. “If you don’t tell, and I don’t tell, who will know it was me? You need evidence to make such claims, little fox sister.”

Cang Ran didn’t take the wine. “Can’t Ice Wolf handle a mere white rabbit spirit? Are you not afraid the white rabbit spirit will die?”

The Yellow Weasel’s smile faded. “Since I dare to do this, I have a way for the white rabbit spirit to get away unscathed. It won’t involve me. Just watch.”

Cang Ran frowned tightly. She saw Han Jinzhi crawl up at some point. The wolf body fiercely shook off the dust, her eyes bloodshot. She suddenly brought out a magical treasure glowing entirely red.

Tan Qingxuan immediately recognized this magical treasure. It was the Demon-Binding Vine, specially refined for unruly spirit beasts within a sect.

The Demon-Binding Vine was about ten feet long, shaped like a venomous snake. When released toward an enemy, the magical treasure would automatically track them.

Once it coiled around the opponent’s neck, the more they struggled, the tighter it would become. Even a Core Formation stage demon cultivator could be strangled to death.

Such an action was utterly vicious. No matter how powerful the little leopard in the Bone Refining Period was, she would likely be unable to resist.

Several small leopard demons rushed forward to protect their master but were all whipped away by the Demon-Binding Vine.

The Demon-Binding Vine, like a sharp, venomous snake, tightly locked onto Dongming. Dongming circled the pillars, unable to dodge it multiple times. Her cultivation was limited. Even using her sharp claws, she couldn’t tear an opening in the Vine.

The vine wildly snaked like a serpent. Han Jinzhi suddenly lunged at Dongming, shattering all of Dongming’s defenses. The vine instantly tightened around Dongming’s fragile neck like a snake.

The loss of fresh air quickly made Dongming’s face flush red. The temporary effect of the transformation pill disappeared, and she reverted to her original form. The small white leopard was tied up mid-air by the Demon-Binding Vine, tethered like a dog.

Cang Ran’s heart turned cold seeing this. If she were to encounter such a strange and more powerful magical treasure one day, would she have the strength to fight?

Seeing that she had succeeded, Han Jinzhi immediately gripped the other end of the Demon-Binding Vine, wrapping it several times around her wrist. Her eyes were ferocious, and she suddenly tightened the vine.

“Heh heh, Dongming, don’t think I can’t beat you just because your cultivation is two stages higher than mine. I have the self-defense treasure my sister prepared for me. Let’s see you dare to fight me now!”

“If you know you’re wrong, hurry up and kneel down to beg me. If you beg me, I’ll spare your life!”

The sudden tightening of the vine made the small leopard’s head change from red to dark blue. Coupled with Han Jinzhi’s insults and mockery, her four paws thrashed desperately in the air in anger.

The power of the magical treasure was too strong. The small leopard gradually turned gray and white, breathing out more than she took in. Soon, she wouldn’t even have the strength to struggle.

This Han Jinzhi was truly aiming for the kill. She had no intention of letting Dongming go. She planned to strangle her directly!

Seeing the dire situation, Cang Ran spoke up, questioning, “Yellow Weasel, did you set up this scheme intending for Dongming to die?”

The Yellow Weasel seemed detached. “Only if she dies can Mountain-Suppressing Leopard completely break with Ice Wolf. She can only blame herself for being too weak.”

The Yellow Weasel noticed Cang Ran’s displeasure and said with a half-smile, “Little fox sister, how long have you been in the Azure Ocean Mountain Range? I advise you not to intervene at this time. Just pretend you didn’t see it. Do you think if you help Dongming, Mountain-Suppressing Leopard will appreciate your kindness, and Ice Wolf won’t hold a grudge against you? Humans have a saying, ‘Self-preservation is the best policy.’ You’d better listen to your sister and stay out of it.”

Support The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub