The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 56

Chapter 56

After writing the letter, Cang Ran pressed a paw print at the end and sent it to Tan Qingxuan.

A jade arm suddenly wrapped around her shoulder. The floral scent of camellia from the little bird demon wafted over.

Hua Chao looked over curiously: “What are you doing?”

Cang Ran waved her arm away: “The scenery is beautiful. I’m recording the mountains and rivers.”

Hua Chao gave an “oh” and returned the wine gourd to her, asking: “The spiritual artifact on you looks so pretty. How many spirit stones did you buy it for?”

Cang Ran put the wine gourd into her storage artifact, lay down like a fox pancake, her head resting on her arm, and looked at the flowing clouds in the sky: “My older sister gave it to me.”

Hua Chao was full of envy: “Your sister is very good to you. I wish I had such a nice sister too.”

Cang Ran turned to look at her, asking curiously: “What exactly did your Great Demon King send you to do? You’ve been delayed here for so long and even built a temple. Won’t the Great Demon King blame you?”

Hua Chao said carelessly: “I have a very good relationship with our Great Demon King. The mission can be done slowly, no rush. A secret realm isn’t available all the time. Let’s rest for a while and then go out to play.”

Cang Ran nodded: “Your Great Demon King is quite kind. Are you related?”

Hua Chao said seriously: “What are you thinking? That’s the Great Demon King. I’m just a small fry. How could I aspire to that? Small demons like us are responsible for running errands and doing things. The little hedgehog said you’re a Great King. Are you the Great Demon King of the Canglan Mountain Range?”

Cang Ran rolled over and narrowed her eyes: “I’m not. I’m a Little Demon King who runs errands and is managed by others.”

Hua Chao saw that Cang Ran was about to rest and also started to feel sleepy. She yawned and said casually: “If only I could be a Great Demon King too. Then I could sleep in a beautiful palace every day, eat and drink to my heart’s content, and have no worries.”

Cang Ran’s ears twitched. Seeing the little bird demon scooting over to sleep next to her, she moved aside and squeezed next to the little hedgehog.

Tan Qingxuan received the letter from Cang Ran when she was at the Tianjian Sect, ten thousand miles away from the Taixuan Sect.

The Demon Lord Leng Qiushuang had reached an agreement with an unknown Great Demon King. The demons, after consuming the demonic elixir refined by the Demon Race, had greatly increased their cultivation. They continuously encroached upon dozens of cities under the jurisdiction of the Tianjian Sect, committing all kinds of evil and injuring many cultivators.

The demon invasion was fierce. The Tianjian Sect was overwhelmed. Half of their sect array was broken, and they could only ask major sects for aid. The Taixuan Sect also sent some of its elders, but the combined strength of the demons and the Demon Race this time was too formidable. After attacking the Tianjian Sect, they proceeded to strike the Wanyao Gate.

The Wanyao Gate was already slightly weaker among the Five Great Immortal Sects. Coupled with the fact that their Sect Master had been seriously injured previously, once the war was ignited, the cities near the Wanyao Gate quickly fell. Thus, the Wanyao Gate Master personally came to ask for help, requesting Tan Qingxuan to oversee the situation.

Tan Qingxuan was originally going to the Wanyao Gate, but the location shown by Cang Ran’s positioning talisman was near the Tianjian Sect, and the situation at the Tianjian Sect was more severe. So, she sent the majority of the personnel to the Wanyao Gate to stabilize the situation, leaving only a few elders of her sect to manage the sect. She and her Junior Sister personally went to the Tianjian Sect with some disciples.

“These demons are extremely difficult to kill. After drinking the demonic elixir, the demon soldiers’ bodies are strengthened, and ordinary spiritual swords simply cannot pierce them. Little demons who were originally at the Bone Refining stage can instantly reach the Demon Core stage of cultivation. These demon soldiers are more bloodthirsty than the Demon Race. Many innocent cultivators have been massacred. More than half of the disciples sent out to battle have been lost. If the demon and devil beast tide does not retreat within three months, our sect may be destroyed.”

The Tianjian Sect Master was extremely anxious. After hastily greeting Tan Qingxuan, she immediately said: “Some time ago, the demon cultivators attacked, and demon beasts wreaked havoc in the mortal world. Just as the major sects extinguished the fire of the demon beasts, the demon race attacked. These demons have strong bodies and are harder to deal with than demon cultivators. If they know that our human cultivators are weak, I’m afraid all the demons will try to take a bite out of the cultivation world.”

Tan Qingxuan frowned and mused: “It must be related to that demonic elixir. Have you captured any demons and asked about the source of the elixir? My Junior Sister, True Person Yuheng, is highly skilled in medicine. If we can get our hands on the elixir, perhaps we can resolve this crisis.”

The Tianjian Sect Master sighed: “I feel relieved to hear that you and True Person Yuheng came together, but the demons captured recently have been searched thoroughly without finding anything, so we have been unable to proceed. If we could get the demonic elixir and give it to True Person Yuheng, the problem would be much easier to handle.”

Tan Qingxuan considered briefly: “Perhaps the elixir is not called ‘demonic elixir’ on the demon side. Capture some more demons and ask about their daily preferences. We should be able to find a breakthrough.”

The Tianjian Sect Master immediately bowed upon hearing this: “Immortal Venerable is absolutely right. I will arrange for people to ask right away. Please, Immortal Venerable and True Person Yuheng, stay temporarily in the Wenjian Pavilion. Thank you for your care these days, Immortal Venerable.”

Tan Qingxuan nodded slightly: “It’s alright.”

After the Tianjian Sect Master left, someone led Tan Qingxuan, Song Zhen, and their disciples to the Wenjian Pavilion.

Everything here had been tidied up early. Tan Qingxuan sat in the main seat, opened her communication artifact, and checked Cang Ran’s letter.

Recently, her work had been busy, and she occasionally felt fatigued. She only felt slightly relaxed when she read the letters sent by Cang Ran every day.

Today, upon receiving Cang Ran’s letter, Tan Qingxuan read it carefully. She noticed that the drawing Cang Ran made, though simple in strokes, was full of life and wit.

Learning that the little fox was pitifully hungry made her feel pity. She had prepared some Nourishment Pills for the little fox, but the little fox had never mentioned taking the pill in any of her letters, so she must not like them.

She should have prepared some of her favorite dried meat for the little fox to take along.

And she said she missed her. If she truly missed her, she shouldn’t have left her side and made her worry every day. Cang Ran didn’t need to prepare any other gifts. The little fox by her side was the best gift.

Song Zhen saw the fatigue in Tan Qingxuan’s eyes instantly disappear, replaced by a slight smile after reading the letter. She knew it was a letter from the fox demon. This fox demon not only had charm but also had means to capture hearts. After more than half a month, she still made her Senior Sister yearn for her.

Fortunately, she could also bring some comfort to her Senior Sister. As long as she didn’t cling to her Senior Sister for a Dao Companion ceremony and ruin her reputation, she could be considered a sensible and polite fox demon.

Song Zhen saw Tan Qingxuan finish reading the letter, then copy the content onto a jade slip as usual. She stepped forward and said: “Senior Sister, I see you are quite tired these days. Why don’t you return to the sect to manage the rear, and I will stay here to help deal with the situation? I already have Void Comprehension stage cultivation and should have some chance against ordinary Demon Kings.”

Because of Cang Ran, Tan Qingxuan and Song Zhen had not seen each other in private for several days. Hearing her concern, Tan Qingxuan stopped what she was doing: “Although you are at the Void Comprehension stage, you are primarily skilled in medical arts and weaker in other spells. Moreover, these demons have consumed the demonic elixir, strengthening their physique. Even the sword cultivators of the Tianjian Sect find them difficult to handle, let alone you.”

Song Zhen frowned: “I don’t know how the Demon Race suddenly managed to develop such a powerful demonic elixir. A thousand years ago, the Demon Race relied on the invasion of demonic energy. I also sent people to scout the Demon Race’s movements, but never heard of any formidable alchemist on their side.”

Tan Qingxuan lowered her eyes and said: “Since it is a collaboration between demons and the Demon Race, it’s possible the demons provided it. There might even be human cultivators from the Five Great Sects secretly helping. The most urgent task is to find the source of the demonic elixir first and find a way to repel the demons back to the Demon Realm.”

Song Zhen nodded: “Senior Sister is absolutely right. However, I think the Demon Race is always cunning. If a demon is involved in the demonic elixir matter, it must have been plotted for a long time.”

As Tan Qingxuan and Song Zhen talked, Tan Qingxuan suddenly recalled the bird demon mentioned in Cang Ran’s letter and the improper wine. The majority of the demons attacking with the demon cultivators this time were bird demons. The bird demon Cang Ran met was likely not a benevolent being either.

Could that improper wine be the demonic elixir? Tan Qingxuan couldn’t help but clench her fingertips. Fortunately, Cang Ran was alert and hadn’t drunk it. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. She needed to reply quickly, urging Cang Ran to be more cautious.

Tan Qingxuan wrote the letter while telling Song Zhen: “Junior Sister, go tell the Tianjian Sect Master to ask them to investigate the wine the demonized demons frequently drink.”

Song Zhen asked doubtfully: “How did Senior Sister suddenly think of wine?”

Tan Qingxuan briefly explained the content of Cang Ran’s letter to Song Zhen: “Cang Ran encountered a bird demon on the road who offered her wine. Cang Ran was vigilant and didn’t drink it. Perhaps the demonic elixir is related to wine.”

Song Zhen was surprised upon hearing this: “So that’s it. Since the bird demon offered a bottle to Cang Ran, she might offer a second. The matter is urgent. Senior Sister, can you ask Cang Ran to find a way to send the wine to the Tianjian Sect first? I can take it and research it.”

Tan Qingxuan nodded slightly, a hint of worry surfacing in her eyes: “I will write back to her first, telling her to be careful. However, the round trip will take two days. I wonder if Cang Ran might fall for the trick.”

The fox demon used all her wits and even took advantage of her Senior Sister’s purity. She couldn’t be a fool. It was only her Senior Sister, inexperienced in love, who thought the fox demon was pure and harmless.

Song Zhen comforted her: “Cang Ran was already quite troublesome in the sect. The Millennium Carp complained to me many times. She’s probably not the type to be easily manipulated by others. Senior Sister, you don’t need to worry too much about her.”

Tan Qingxuan recalled the incident and smiled faintly: “That carp has cultivated for a thousand years and still hasn’t reached the Transformation stage. I didn’t expect it to be so petty.”

Song Zhen was silent for a moment, then sighed: “After all, she is the Master’s spiritual pet. Senior Sister, you are being too biased.”

Tan Qingxuan raised an eyebrow: “Cang Ran is worth it. Junior Sister, you have always been too prejudiced against her. She is kinder and more earnest than most of the demons we have met. Now, aren’t you also asking her for the wine?”

Song Zhen’s face was slightly warm. She quickly said: “She does have some means. We’ll see if she can bring it. Senior Sister, I will go tell the Tianjian Sect Master about this first.”

After Song Zhen left, Tan Qingxuan finished writing the reply. She picked up the copied jade slip and flipped through it page by page. She had collected every letter Cang Ran had written to her these days. Though the letters were short, the love was deep. Although only a little more than half a month had passed, it felt like years to her.

Recently, she didn’t know why, but she greatly craved the scent of Cang Ran. Even during her meditative cultivation, she had to keep the pillow Cang Ran gave her nearby, otherwise, she would feel uneasy.

Tan Qingxuan massaged her temples, placed the pillow on the soft couch, and leaned on it. The fox fur filling the pillow was very warm, and it carried Cang Ran’s scent, which smelled very comfortable. Her mind gradually became calmer.

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