The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 93

Chapter 93

The Grand Profound Sect’s dungeon had not held a prisoner for a long time. Shallow brown moss grew on the stone walls, and only Huazhao was held inside the chilly, desolate space.

Cang Ran took down the orange-yellow sconce hanging nearby, carrying a food box, and walked toward the depths of the dungeon.

Huazhao’s cell was the best one. Room Number One, the innermost one, which was easy to find.

Usually, one could hear the clanking sound of Huazhao pecking at the iron lock, attempting to escape, but today it was strangely quiet.

Damp water dripped down the stone wall. Cang Ran’s fox ear was struck by a cold droplet, wetting a small patch of her fur.

Her heart felt as if the icy water had seeped in. Could Huazhao have been silenced?

Cang Ran couldn’t help but quicken her pace, stopping right at the cell door.

Huazhao was chained from head to toe. Pale daylight streamed through the narrow skylight onto her body.

She hung her head, and several whip marks had appeared on her body, with fresh blood seeping through her clothes.

After all, they had been friends for a long time, and Cang Ran hadn’t intended for Huazhao to die such a miserable death.

She breathed a sigh of relief, walking around to the neighboring cell, “Huazhao, I’m here to see you.”

Huazhao’s breathing was weak. After a long pause, she raised her head, looking like a bird on the brink of death.

Her face was haggard, and she spoke weakly, “Why did you take so long? Song Zhen is going to whip me to death.”

Cang Ran noticed her cracked lips and quickly passed the yellow wine through the narrow cell door, urging her to take a couple of sips, “She was using you to test poison before. Why would she suddenly whip you?”

Huazhao was shackled with iron chains on her hands and feet and was injured. The motion of picking up the wine pot tore at her flesh with pain, and she was terribly thirsty.

She held the wine pot with both hands, gulping down the entire pot of wine in one breath. Most of the wine spilled onto her neck, which had been previously constricted red.

She drank too quickly and almost choked on the wine. Her eyes were bloodshot. She leaned against the iron bar, taking several deep breaths.

“I called her ‘Zhen Zhen’ a few times, and she wouldn’t let me, so she picked up the whip and started lashing me! She never brought a whip before. Today, she used a bone-stripping whip specifically for beasts. She drew blood from me.”

Huazhao shook her body, shedding a floor full of blood-stained white feathers, and looked about to cry.

“She comes every night before going to sleep. After cursing me out, she even plucks my feathers, saying it’s stress-relieving.”

Cang Ran hadn’t realized Song Zhen hated birds so much and was very sympathetic, “I’ve been raising some chickens and ducks recently. They shed a lot of feathers too.”

Huazhao was extremely touched, “Are you going to stew some soup for me?”

Cang Ran, “If you need it, I can collect them and make some fake feathers for you to implant into your sparse ones.”

Huazhao, “No need. Let me stay bald. Maybe she’ll be more pleased and I’ll get beaten less.”

Cang Ran couldn’t hold back a laugh. She took two crabs from the food box and handed them to Huazhao, “Eat something. I brought these especially for you. Crabs are the plumpest this season. Eat to regain your strength.”

“They have shells. Eating them won’t make my feathers grow.” Huazhao said so, but she took the crabs, cracked the shells, and started gnawing on them. After chewing, “Secretly let me go.”

She took two more bites of the sweet crab roe, “If Zhen Zhen keeps tormenting me like this, I won’t be able to hold on.”

Cang Ran, “The key is with Song Zhen, not me. Why haven’t you explained things between you and Song Zhen after all this time?”

Huazhao, “She won’t listen to me. As soon as I call her name, she gags my mouth, looks at me with murderous intent, either poisons me or whips me. How am I supposed to talk?”

While speaking, she spit out a crab shell, extending her hand towards Cang Ran, “One more. I’m so hungry. These human cultivators practice bigu (abstention from grain) and don’t care if we demon cultivators live or die. No one even delivers food. It’s too cruel to a bird.”

Cang Ran stacked up the remaining seven or eight crabs on the plate and passed them to her through the prison bars, asking, “So what exactly happened back then? Who is the person behind you? Who set up this whole situation?”

Huazhao realized that Song Zhen was playing the bad cop, and Cang Ran was here to play the good cop.

Although Cang Ran currently had cultivation close to the completion of the Soul Condensing Stage, and had awakened the nine-tailed fox bloodline, even with the Demon Emperor Seal, a single fox like Cang Ran facing those people would be like a mayfly shaking a giant tree.

She had managed to control the bird demons of the Penglai Mountain Range all these years, but the Great Demons of the three remaining mountain ranges wouldn’t willingly submit. The demon race itself wasn’t united, let alone the long-standing resentment between the human and demon races.

If all the demons knew that the future Demon Emperor was with the Venerable Qingxuan of the Immortal Sect and had a child, it would likely provoke not just a siege from the demons, but also a collective attack from human cultivators. Compared to the issue between her and Song Zhen, Cang Ran’s situation would likely be much worse.

Huazhao ate the crab, “You should focus on cultivating well and pray for your own good fortune. Someone else interfering won’t help the matter between Zhen Zhen and me.”

Cang Ran didn’t expect to extract the truth from the bird, “It seems you really enjoy playing ‘imprisonment’ with Song Zhen. Then continue to stay here.”

She picked up the food box, ready to leave the dungeon.

Huazhao asked her from behind, “Will you bring me food tomorrow?”

Cang Ran didn’t look back, her fox ear twitched, “If I don’t come, will you starve to death?”

Huazhao knew Cang Ran would come tomorrow. She was not like the others she had encountered before who, after capturing her, refused to give her meat and deliberately starved her.

Zhen Zhen used to be a good person, but she had turned bad now, starving the little bird. The little bird had lost all its feathers, was cold and hungry, and no one cared.

Cang Ran left the dungeon. Huazhao had been given medicine this time, making escape impossible. Confessing early would benefit everyone, and they could all have a good New Year. However, judging by the current situation, Huazhao seemed to want to stay in the Grand Profound Sect for the New Year.

Cang Ran also decided to cultivate diligently to quickly catch up to Tan Qingxuan’s cultivation level. She didn’t want a situation where Tan Qingxuan might suddenly ascend one day, leaving her and the little fox cub below, unable to reunite as a family.

After the seal on her body was broken, cultivating the nine-tailed fox bloodline became effortless. With the help of the top-tier cultivation technique on the Demon Emperor Seal, spiritual energy automatically surged into her body. Cang Ran’s speed of breaking through ranks became faster and faster. She successfully passed the thunder tribulation and stepped into the Void Refining Stage ($Lianxu Qi$), acquiring the strength to contend for the demon world.

After Cang Ran became the Master of the Demon God Hall, the Ancient Demon Emperor’s Relic became the internal space of the Demon Emperor Seal. She could also release the Ancient Demon Emperor’s Relic. There was a large barren land right next to the Grand Profound Sect.

However, Tan Qingxuan said that before the child was born, they should maintain a low profile, so Cang Ran didn’t bring up the matter of releasing the Ancient Demon Emperor’s Relic again.

The spiritual energy inside the Ancient Demon Emperor’s Relic was abundant, which was also beneficial for the little fox cub in Tan Qingxuan’s belly. Cang Ran often cultivated there with Tan Qingxuan.

During the first snow of early winter, Tan Qingxuan held her hand, and they went together to the top floor of the Grand Profound Sect’s library pavilion.

Cang Ran and Tan Qingxuan first watched the sweeping snowscape together. It was extremely cold at that height.

As it grew colder, Cang Ran worried that Tan Qingxuan might catch a cold. When she woke up in the morning, she still wrapped her in a soft, warm crane fur cloak.

It was icy and snowy outside, but the little fox cub in her belly seemed to sense the external temperature, continuously radiating warmth. With a warm large fox by her side and a small one tucked in her belly, Tan Qingxuan felt as warm as spring this winter.

Tan Qingxuan held Cang Ran’s hand and led her to the portraits of the Grand Profound Sect’s past patriarchs. She said gently, “After this winter, the child will be born. We should have completed the Dao Companion ceremony before the child’s birth, but I worry that someone might harbor malicious intentions. I want to be more secure and hold the ceremony after the child is born.”

Cang Ran squeezed Tan Qingxuan’s hand, her eyes full of affection, and said seriously, “I don’t care about that. As long as I have you and the baby by my side, being Dao Companions or not is the same. No matter what, I will love you and the baby forever.”

Tan Qingxuan’s heart was already entirely filled with the fox. A smile played on her brow. She took out new offerings from her storage artifact and presented a plate of Cold Jade Watermelon, placing it specifically before the portrait of Master Fuqing.

She picked up three sticks of incense from the nearby altar table, lit them, and handed them to Cang Ran. She also took three sticks of incense herself, “Although we can’t have the Dao Companion ceremony yet, I still want to inform Master and the patriarchs that I have found the Dao Companion I will spend my life with, and I am carrying her child.”

Tan Qingxuan’s face was like a painting, her temperament cool and clear. She was quiet and respectful before the portraits of the patriarchs. Snow was falling outside at this moment. The swirling snowflakes flew in through the window lattice, melting quickly between the two of them, turning into cool droplets of water.

Cang Ran looked at Tan Qingxuan from the side: her black-jade eyes, her high-bridged nose, her well-shaped thin lips, and her thick, long eyelashes, which were dusted with snowflakes. She was utterly serene and reserved.

This beautiful person was her wife and was going to give birth to her equally beautiful little fox cub.

Cang Ran’s heart felt like a small stove, bubbling with happy bubbles. She also hoped that she and Tan Qingxuan could be together for all eternity.

Tan Qingxuan finished offering the incense to the patriarchs, turning to look at Cang Ran. Cang Ran’s clear eyes were filled entirely with her reflection. Her normally swaying fox tail was motionless, like a little wooden fox.

Tan Qingxuan’s eyes were full of doting affection, and the corners of her mouth slightly curved, “Why are you staring at me? Offer the incense to the patriarchs.”

Cang Ran suddenly felt a bit shy. Her fox ears twitched twice, feeling a little embarrassed to make eye contact with Tan Qingxuan, but her fiery red fox tail started wagging happily non-stop.

She bowed several times to the circle of patriarchs’ portraits, inserted the incense into the censer, and said devoutly, “Thank you, patriarchs, for sending Qingqing to me. I love her very much and will take good care of her and the child in the future.”

The wind and snow outside seemed to pause for a moment. Soon, the wind picked up violently, and large flakes of goose-down snow began to fall. The portraits of the patriarchs inside the room rattled loudly in the wind.

Cang Ran quickly shielded the newly lit incense and looked nervously at Tan Qingxuan, “Are the patriarchs showing a sign? Do they not want us to be together?”

Tan Qingxuan closed the window, comforting her, “The patriarchs ascended many years ago. They must approve of us being together.”

Cang Ran was relieved. If the patriarchs didn’t agree, she would come every day to offer incense until they did.

Tan Qingxuan then took out wine cups from her storage artifact and, with Cang Ran, toasted the heavens and earth spirits. A red thread connected their wrists, flashing briefly before disappearing. Heaven and Earth had borne witness, and they were now Dao Companions.

The two drank together. As the wine went down, both their faces couldn’t help but be dusted with a light flush.

Cang Ran instinctively embraced Tan Qingxuan, gently kissing her lips. The lips, stained with wine, had a sweet, boozy scent.

The kiss between the two ended quickly. Tan Qingxuan’s eyes were slightly annoyed, “Next time, don’t be so rude in this place.”

Cang Ran nodded obediently, “I know, but you are so beautiful, I couldn’t resist kissing you.”

She took Tan Qingxuan’s hand and led her away from the library pavilion. The wind and snow grew stronger, and the swirling goose-down snow covered the ground in pure white.

Cang Ran pinned Tan Qingxuan against a tall pine tree, their lips and tongues entwining, savoring the boozy scent she hadn’t gotten enough of earlier.

She shielded Tan Qingxuan beneath her, kissing her so unrestrainedly that, amid the falling snow, she was gradually covered in snow, looking like a little snow fox.

Tan Qingxuan’s cool eyes were tinged with a hint of allure. Several red marks appeared on her pale neck from the kisses, and her clothes were rumpled by Cang Ran. Her long, slender fingers also stroked Cang Ran’s back.

After the kiss ended, Cang Ran helped Tan Qingxuan tidy her robes, pulling her crane fur cloak tighter, “Today is such a good day for our ceremony. This place isn’t far from where the capybaras farm. Let’s go get some fresh vegetables. The little hedgehog delivered the bronze pot a few days ago. We can invite everyone to eat hot pot to celebrate.”

The fluffy red fox in front of her was covered in snow, turning her into a white fox, like soft, delicious pastry dusted with a layer of frosting.

Tan Qingxuan gently brushed the snow from her hair, then moved the white snow from her fox ears, “Mm, I wonder what they’ve planted recently. It’s a good idea to go and see.”

Cang Ran shook her body like a small animal, shedding the accumulated snow from her fluffy fox tail. She took Tan Qingxuan’s hand, and they walked toward the capybaras’ vegetable patch.

The capybaras were settled on an immortal mountain near the Rising Phoenix Palace. Cang Ran moved the land they were farming over as well. Soon after harvesting, she discovered that besides the Cold Jade Watermelons, the watermelon field also contained ordinary watermelons. The ordinary watermelons were planted by the cha (a type of demon beast) on Quicksand Island, and she had accidentally collected them.

The Grand Profound Sect was ten thousand li away from Quicksand Island. Even if Cang Ran wanted to return the watermelons, she couldn’t. She could only pick all the ordinary watermelons from the field to prevent them from rotting in the ground.

The winter watermelons became out-of-season produce. Cang Ran distributed some to the little hedgehog and the little yellow dog, and some to Yun Muyu and Cuiwei Palace, leaving only a few.

Before leaving, Sect Master Zuo signed an order with her to reserve Cold Jade Watermelons from the Grand Profound Sect every year. After the cooperation was completed next year, Cang Ran would also share a portion of the spirit stones with the capybaras. These capybaras already loved farming. Hearing that the fox Great King would also share spirit stones with them, they farmed even more happily.

When Cang Ran and Tan Qingxuan arrived, the capybaras were fertilizing and watering the Azure Jade Cabbages and Crystal Radishes. Patches of green vegetable fields beautifully adorned the vast immortal mountain.

The two largest capybaras in the group had learned to speak some simple human language under the ample spiritual energy during this time. Cang Ran named them Kapi and Bala, respectively.

Cang Ran remembered that the grayer large capybara was named Kapi. From a distance, she waved at Kapi, “Kapi, come over here for a moment.”

That large capybara heard the fox Great King calling it and quickly scurried over, “Great King, I am not Kapi. I am Bala.”

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