The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Cang Ran, Tan Qingxuan, and the little hedgehog went to Luofeng City together. It was already dusk when they arrived at the teleportation array in Luofeng City. There were a few demons already queuing there.

This kind of large-scale teleportation array was expensive to construct. One trip covered tens of thousands of miles and required a large number of spiritual stones to activate. The advantage was that it didn’t discriminate between the grades of spiritual stones. Usually, it was activated only when enough demons had gathered to share the ride.

Of course, if one had deep pockets, they could buy a flying magical artifact. However, a cloud-piercing shuttle that could travel tens of thousands of miles a day could only run on mid-grade spiritual stones or higher. The actual cost far exceeded the expense of the array.

Aside from major sects with profound heritage that could support flying magical artifacts, most demon cultivators were rogue cultivators who simply couldn’t afford them. Therefore, demon cultivators usually traveled to the cultivation world using the array.

Few demons from the demon world traveled to the cultivation world. Among this group of demons, Cang Ran saw a familiar demon cultivator: Ruxue Spider, the sister of the Bloodthirsty Spider.

Ruxue Spider ran the Mingxia Workshop in Luofeng City. Ruxue Spider looked very similar to the Bloodthirsty Spider. Perhaps due to being of the same clan, both had long, narrow eyeliner and large, cat-like eyes. Her hair was coiled up, with two slightly curled strands of hair hanging by her temples.

Her upper body was human, but below her abdomen was the swollen abdomen of her original spider form. She was wearing a beautiful, scallion-green long skirt, which had been cut into a short skirt, deliberately exposing many of her original spider legs.

Ruxue Spider enthusiastically asked: “Little Fox, why did you come to the teleportation array too? Are you going to the cultivation world?”

Cang Ran engaged in conversation with Ruxue Spider: “Yes, I’m going to the cultivation world for a trip. Are there enough demons today to activate the array to the cultivation world? And you, Sister Ru, are you going to procure goods?”

Ruxue Spider smiled: “Yes, I need to procure a batch of goods. I also opened a shop in the cultivation world recently and need to get things organized. Originally, there weren’t enough to activate it today, but with the three of you here, we have exactly twenty demons. I’ll take you.

I’m familiar with the manager of the teleportation array. Other demons pay five hundred low-grade spiritual stones per ride. If I speak to her, it’ll only be three hundred low-grade spiritual stones per demon for you.”

Cang Ran quickly nodded in agreement. She took the little hedgehog demon and Tan Qingxuan to the manager, paying a total of nine hundred low-grade spiritual stones.

Ruxue Spider grabbed a handful of melon seeds from the manager and handed them to Cang Ran: “You can snack on these to pass the time on the journey.”

Ruxue Spider’s gaze skimmed over the little hedgehog demon and landed on Tan Qingxuan to Cang Ran’s right. A flicker of amazement crossed her eyes as she carefully sniffed Tan Qingxuan’s scent.

Her cultivation was at the first stage of the Shape-Shifting phase. Aside from the faint scent Cang Ran had marked on Tan Qingxuan today, she easily smelled the human scent.

She had wondered why there was such an extraordinary figure among the demons. It turned out this person was a mortal. Yet, the rogue human cultivators she had encountered were all arrogant and unwilling to associate with the demon race.

Ruxue Spider’s gaze fell on the mark on Tan Qingxuan’s forehead. Her pupils suddenly contracted into a vertical line. She quickly pulled Cang Ran’s hand and whispered: “Little Fox, the origin of this mortal of yours is not simple. You should stay away from her. I heard that many human cultivators are looking for her, and I even saw a notice in the city.”

Cang Ran was a little nervous and frowned, asking: “What is it? What does the notice say?”

Ruxue Spider sighed: “I can’t read, so I don’t know if it’s a warrant or a missing person notice. Don’t tell that human cultivator next to you about this. Be careful and on guard when you reach the city. Human cultivators are very cunning and wicked.”

Cang Ran nodded: “Okay, I understand. Thank you, Sister Ru, for reminding me.”

Cang Ran immediately told Tan Qingxuan about this. Worried that Tan Qingxuan might encounter danger upon return, she said seriously: “Ruxue Spider just told me that someone is looking for you. Should we be careful? Maybe we shouldn’t go to the cultivation world yet?”

Tan Qingxuan’s expression was calm: “It’s fine. It should be some people from the sect looking for my whereabouts. There’s no need to worry.”

How could Cang Ran not worry? She was worried sick!

Would these sect people be taking Qingqing back for questioning? Qingqing said the sect called her back for urgent matters. Could it be to summon her back for punishment?

Suddenly, a mechanical clunking sound came from the surroundings. The ground in front shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck. A deep blue, translucent, Eight Trigrams-shaped teleportation array rose up, emitting an extremely dazzling and blinding light.

The little hedgehog demon’s eyes were sharp. Seeing the teleportation array open, it quickly said to the Great King: “Great King, the teleportation array is open! Let’s hurry and get in! Let’s find a good spot.”

Cang Ran didn’t have time to ask questions. She was pushed by the surrounding demons into the teleportation array. She had no choice but to firmly hold the little hedgehog demon with one hand and Tan Qingxuan with the other, entering the array together.

The inside of the teleportation array was quite spacious, about twenty square meters, with complex runes reinforcing the four walls. It was also chilly. With all the demons squeezed together, the air was instantly filled with a mixture of demon scents.

Cang Ran was used to it and could tolerate the discomfort, but she thought Tan Qingxuan, who had always lived comfortably on Fox Fox Mountain, might not be able to stand it.

As soon as the array started, she took out the Illusory Bell Orchid from her storage ring and presented it to Tan Qingxuan.

Tan Qingxuan was slightly frowning due to the thick demonic energy, but suddenly a sweet floral scent, mixed with the faint, enchanting peach-blossom fragrance from Cang Ran’s body, wafted towards her, feeling very soothing.

“Smell it. This flower is quite fragrant. I felt very happy the last time I smelled it,” Cang Ran’s soft voice sounded in her ear.

This Illusory Bell Orchid was a spiritual flower that lasted a long time, unlike the peach and begonia flowers she had given Tan Qingxuan before, which withered after a few days without spiritual energy to maintain them.

A faint smile appeared in Tan Qingxuan’s eyes: “Mmm, it smells very nice.”

A nearby Frog Demon, which was in the Demon Core stage, croaked and whispered to its Frog Demon companion: “Couple demons these days are too sweet! One has to watch others’ affection to feel it.”

The Frog Demon, which had just reached the Shape-Shifting phase, croaked louder than its companion: “What’s sweet about them? One is human, and one is a fox spirit. Storybooks say that love between humans and demons never ends well. I’m not jealous.”

The pressure of the sixth stage of the Soul Condensation phase erupted. The two Frog Demons instantly failed to maintain their human forms and hopped away, croaking and croaking in their original forms.

Cang Ran’s face darkened. Her cold gaze swept around. The demons who were whispering immediately fell silent, all instinctively moving further away, automatically clearing a space.

Although Cang Ran knew the path of love with Qingqing might be bumpy, she was uncomfortable hearing other demons say it so bluntly.

Tan Qingxuan’s finger lightly stroked the hot mark on her forehead. The closer they got to the cultivation world, the more frequently this mark flashed with golden light, reminding her of her responsibility as an Immortal Venerable.

The teleportation array’s speed was very fast. Cang Ran felt the surroundings spin continuously. In about one quarter of an hour, they had already arrived in the cultivation world.

This city was the connection point between the demon world and the cultivation world. When the demon cultivators emerged from the teleportation array and stepped into the brightly lit Chaoci City, it was like a drop of water merging into the sea.

Ruxue Spider, like the other demon cultivators, took a pill to conceal her demon scent. She also only kept two of her spider legs transformed, hiding the rest.

She took out a white porcelain pill bottle, poured out two pills, and handed them to Cang Ran and the little hedgehog: “This is called the Hundred Flowers Pill. Take it to conceal your demon scent. Others won’t know we are demon cultivators.”

Cang Ran took the pill and silently looked at the three spider legs that were poorly concealed under Ruxue Spider’s skirt and were wiggling around.

Ruxue Spider gave an awkward smile and stuffed the spider legs back into her skirt: “Oh dear, the cat’s out of the bag. It is indeed sometimes hard to hide them.”

Cang Ran touched her fox ears, retracted them, and asked in confusion: “Why do we need to hide the demon scent? Is there some rule?”

Ruxue Spider covered her mouth with her hand and whispered: “That’s because the demon race of the Azure Mist Mountain Range has a fierce reputation. Human cultivators know we have bad tempers and dare not do business with us, so we still have to pretend a little. Hurry and take the pill.”

Cang Ran sniffed the Hundred Flowers Pill at her nose. It had a faint floral scent. She swallowed it in one gulp and found that her enchanting peach-blossom fragrance had indeed faded somewhat: “Thank you, Sister Ru.”

The little hedgehog ate much slower than her, crunching it with its sharp teeth like a sugar pill.

Tan Qingxuan glanced at the Hundred Flowers Pill. Knowing that the pill was harmless, made of spiritual flowers and grasses, and of very low grade—the medicinal effect would only last a day or two—she didn’t stop them from taking it.

Seeing that they were newcomers, Ruxue Spider asked with concern: “Do you want to go to the city first and rest at my shop? It’s dark now. Human cultivators here don’t open the teleportation array at night; it only opens during the day.”

Cang Ran nodded and smiled: “That’s fine. I just happen to need to buy a couple of new spiritual robes. Sister Ru, help me pick out a few nice ones.”

Ruxue Spider immediately linked arms with Cang Ran and said with a chuckle: “Let’s go then! I know the fabrics most favored by cultivators in the cultivation world!”

Cang Ran felt a feeling like daggers in her back and stiffened instantly. She pulled her arm out of Ruxue Spider’s arm: “We can just walk normally. It should be quick to get there.”

Ruxue Spider didn’t quite understand why the little fox was suddenly so reserved, so she conceded. The group quickly arrived at the Mingxia Workshop clothing store in the city.

Ruxue Spider pulled out a key from her hairpin, opened the shop door, and lit the candles inside. The entire shop instantly became brightly lit.

Fashionable dresses were displayed on the counter. Cang Ran touched the fabrics and began to seriously select items, intending to buy several sets for both her and Tan Qingxuan.

Ruxue Spider enthusiastically introduced them: “This is woven with gold-flowing spiritual silk. My five little white spiders worked non-stop on the loom for seven days to weave it! Look how fine this fabric is! Wearing this, you will definitely be the most beautiful woman in the cultivation world!”

Cang Ran didn’t think she would be the most beautiful woman in the cultivation world, but seeing that the fabric was indeed nice, she chose six sets of robes for Tan Qingxuan and six sets for herself.

Cang Ran chose robes that were mostly brightly colored, with different flowers embroidered on the hem. She also picked out matching sachets for each robe. The robes she chose for Tan Qingxuan were simpler and more subdued.

Ruxue Spider took the spiritual stones and happily ran to wrap all the robes at the counter, even giving Cang Ran an extra bolt of dark purple fine silk.

Cang Ran was sitting with Tan Qingxuan, drinking tea and waiting, when she suddenly heard footsteps outside.

She turned her head. The three people who arrived possessed the grace of immortals and the posture of the Dao. Each held a spiritual sword, their white robes flowing, and a mark of three red lotus petals on their forehead.

“Is anyone here? We are inner-sect cultivators of the Taixuan Sect and need to ask some questions.”

The woman leading the group held the City Lord’s Talisman. Before lifting her eyes, she felt the sect token at her waist trembling violently.

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