The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Captured the Villainous Demon Venerable - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Don’t You Dare Be Mean to My Master!

But how did they awaken? Are artifact spirits that easy to nurture?

“When did you all awaken?” Mo Xun asked curiously.

“I don’t remember,” the black bird, which was the Black Feather Fan, replied. Midway through, it used its long beak to preen its soft feathers, then continued, “I woke up and found myself in a place with lots of spirit stones and demonic crystals. Later, I learned it was Master’s storage brocade pouch. Little Eighteen would occasionally slip in to play with me.”

Mo Xun: ?

Mo Xun: Magic artifacts can slip into and out of the storage brocade pouch by themselves?

As if to answer her question, one of the beads on the Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades flew up by itself, then suddenly seemed to recall something and returned to its original position. Then, it spoke in its adorable loli voice: “Master, Master, take me off! This form isn’t very convenient for talking.”

Mo Xun: You have other forms too?

Surprised and curious, Mo Xun took the Bone Bracelet Eighteen Blades off her left wrist and placed it on Yun Wushang’s bed.

It transformed almost immediately after being set down.

First, it swelled into a palm-sized ball, then gradually formed the head and torso of a feline creature. Two triangular ears stood up on its head, and a slender tail grew out behind it. Finally, soft white fur covered its entire body.

Mo Xun screamed internally, forcefully restraining the urge to pick up and cuddle this cat.

The little white cat opened a pair of cyan eyes, a color similar to the beads on the bracelet, but with a more transparent and moist luster.

It opened its mouth and spoke in human language, its voice crisp and lovely like a loli: “Actually, I had consciousness when I was just born! But I couldn’t speak then, nor did I know what I could do for Master. Thankfully, Master’s spiritual power provided guidance. Now I’ve grown up! Even without Master’s spiritual guidance, I know what I should do.”

“What should you do?” Mo Xun asked, feeling a little concerned.

Eighteen: “Kill everyone Master finds displeasing!”

Mo Xun: “…No problem there.”

Darn it, this adorable little cat is saying such terrifying things… but she loves it even more! So reliable, Little Eighteen!

Yun Wushang curiously reached out and approached Eighteen, pinching its scruff between her thumb and index finger to lift it up.

Eighteen let out a small “Meow,” its four paws scrambling helplessly in the air, and its tail curled into a mosquito coil shape.

After a moment, it regained its human voice: “…It’s Master’s Madam! You startled me!”

Yun Wushang was noncommittal about the title. She lifted it onto her folded arm and scratched its head: “Why a cat?”

“What is a cat?” Eighteen didn’t know.

Yun Wushang understood, looking up at Mo Xun, signaling with her eyes for her to explain.

Mo Xun pointed at herself in astonishment: “…Is it because I like cats?”

Magic artifacts can actually take forms based on the preferences of the refiner?

If so, did the Black Feather Fan turn into a crow because Senior Sister Jiuqu likes birds?

No, it should be because of the Dark Phoenix bloodline.

In any case, Mo Xun had now inexplicably started a life with both a cat and a bird.

Perhaps because artifact refining had become second nature, and half of the functions on the Aura Restraint Bracelet had been refined many times before, Mo Xun did not gain much insight from successfully refining another ninth-grade artifact.

Without insights, her cultivation progress was minimal. At this rate, neither she nor Yun Wushang would be able to break through to the Tribulation stage and True Demon Realm before the incident at the City of Shadows occurred.

They had to go out and gain experience.

Explore a secret realm? Or…

Mo Xun thought for a while and made a decision: “I want to go to the immortal cultivation world and investigate the seven Great Ascension stage cultivators who instigated Yun Qianchong to start the Immortal-Demon War. Perhaps we can find some clues pointing to the City of Shadows.”

“I’ll go with you,” Yun Wushang said, flicking the Aura Restraint Bracelet on her left wrist with her fingertip, making it spin around her jade-like wrist.

Yun Wushang: “Since you’ve refined such a convenient artifact for me, wouldn’t it be a waste of your efforts if I didn’t wear it and take a trip through the immortal cultivation world?”

Mo Xun had intended to act with Yun Wushang anyway. Hearing this, she responded happily: “Then let’s go together. I want to visit Senior Wen Yuchan at the World-Saving Immortal Gate first and ask her what she knows about those seven Great Ascension stage cultivators.”

Yun Wushang: “Why are you still calling her Senior?”

Mo Xun blinked in confusion: “Because she is my Senior?”

Yun Wushang: “Then I’m also your Senior.”

“You’re different,” Mo Xun smiled. “You’re my wife.”

Yun Wushang’s lips curved up with her, but her eyes still held some frustration.

Mo Xun knew what she was frustrated about. Her generational seniority should be similar to Wen Yuchan’s, and for her, as Yun Wushang’s wife, to call Wen Yuchan “Senior” sounded somewhat jarring to Yun Wushang.

Moreover, cultivators can freely choose the age they present. If Mo Xun wanted, she could appear as a teenage girl. Therefore, unless they grew up together, cultivators couldn’t judge age by appearance. They usually referred to the one with the higher realm as “Senior.”

Mo Xun’s current realm was already higher than Wen Yuchan’s.

“I will refer to Wen Yuchan as ‘Fellow Daoist’ from now on,” Mo Xun said.

“Just call her Yuchan,” Yun Wushang corrected again.

“Okay,” Mo Xun readily agreed.

These were minor details to her. On minor issues, whatever Yun Wushang said, went. Whatever Yun Wushang told her to do, she did.

Why should the opinions of outsiders matter more than the feelings of her own wife?

Thus, after five years, upon seeing Wen Yuchan again, Mo Xun skipped the formal bow and greeted her with a smile: “Sister Yuchan, how have you been?”

Wen Yuchan raised an eyebrow, not minding the form of address, and gestured for the two to sit: “Have a seat.”

The three sat around a tea table. The little white cat, which Yun Wushang had carried all the way, jumped onto the tea table and walked around like it was patrolling.

Wen Yuchan’s gaze fixed on it: “This is…”

Before she could finish, the crow standing on Mo Xun’s shoulder suddenly spoke in human language: “Little Eighteen, this is someone else’s home. You shouldn’t wander around.”

Wen Yuchan looked up in surprise, meeting the crow’s red eyes for a while, before finally finding her voice: “Artifact spirit…”

“Mm, this one is an artifact I refined,” Mo Xun said, pointing to the cat on the table, then she stroked the crow perched on her shoulder. “This one was refined by my Senior Sister. I don’t know why they suddenly all awakened artifact spirits.”

“Perhaps it’s because…” Wen Yuchan hesitated for a moment before saying, “You possess Immortal Qi.”

“Huh?” Mo Xun looked astonished.

Yun Wushang raised an eyebrow curiously: “How so?”

“It’s my guess; it might not be accurate,” Wen Yuchan said tentatively. “Actually, I can see more than just ghost energy; there are other energies, but I’m not sure what they are.”

“Ever since you broke through to the Great Ascension stage, I’ve sensed an energy on you that others don’t have. After five years, this energy, distinct from spiritual energy, has become much denser. Now it seems it not only helps you resist the erosion of demonic energy but also nurtures spirits.”

“Have you gained any special opportunities? Or…” Wen Yuchan stopped abruptly here.

Mo Xun waited patiently for a while. Seeing her delay, she urged: “Or what?”

Wen Yuchan pursed her lips, then spoke these six words: “Heavenly secrets must not be divulged.”

Mo Xun: “…”

Mo Xun thought: I thought you were going to say I was the reincarnation of Ancestor Xunji.

Mo Xun couldn’t confirm her relationship with Ancestor Xunji yet, so she suppressed that thought and asked about something else: “Actually, every time I face a breakthrough, the intensity of my Heavenly Tribulation is one major realm higher than my own strength. Do you have any insight into this?”

Wen Yuchan was silent for a moment, then repeated the same phrase: “Heavenly secrets must not be divulged.”

Mo Xun: …Fine.

However, just as Mo Xun gave up asking questions related to her identity and was about to ask about the identities and backgrounds of those seven Great Ascension stage cultivators, Wen Yuchan spoke again, saying this: “If the energy on you truly is Immortal Qi… then an ascended Immortal returning to this realm must pay a price.”

Mo Xun froze.

Before she could delve into the thought, Wen Yuchan abruptly changed the subject: “Did you two come to find me about the City of Shadows?”

“…Yes.” Mo Xun knew she didn’t want to talk more about her identity, so she smoothly returned to the main topic. “If the Immortal-Demon War five years ago, instigated by Yun Qianchong, was indeed intentionally incited, then the most suspicious parties are the seven Great Ascension stage cultivators besides you and Yun Qianchong. I want to know their identities and backgrounds so we can investigate. Perhaps we can uncover some clues pointing to the City of Shadows.”

“Your thoughts align with mine,” Wen Yuchan responded. “To be honest, I already investigated them five years ago, but my strength was insufficient to go deep. I only uncovered a few superficial details.”

“The Great Ascension stage cultivators who participated in the Immortal-Demon War, including Yun Qianchong and me, totaled nine. Among them, one from the Heavenly Mountain Immortal Gate, one from the World-Saving Immortal Gate, two from the Spiritual Sword Immortal Gate, and the remaining five were from the Red Refinement Immortal Gate of the Fiery Burning Mountain, the Corpse Refining Immortal Gate of the Ice-Bound Sea, the Beast Taming Immortal Gate of the Joyous Woods, and one person claimed to be a rogue cultivator with no sect.”

Mo Xun: “At first glance, that rogue cultivator feels the most suspicious.”

Wen Yuchan: “Yes. She disappeared without a trace after the Immortal-Demon War. There’s no way to investigate her.”

“In that case…” Mo Xun looked at Yun Wushang, asking for her opinion, “We’ll save the three Great Immortal Gates for last. Which of the remaining three Immortal Gates should we investigate first?”

Yun Wushang thought for a moment and said: “The Red Refinement Immortal Gate.” Her reason: “It sounds familiar.”

Mo Xun couldn’t help but smile, then replied: “Alright, we’ll go to the Red Refinement Immortal Gate first.”

Wen Yuchan offered to go with them, so Mo Xun summoned the Dual-Polarity Nest. The three traveled in the Dual-Polarity Nest, and with one spatial folding technique, they appeared directly above the main gate of the Red Refinement Immortal Gate. They left the Dual-Polarity Nest and hovered in the sky, looking down.

The scale of the Red Refinement Immortal Gate was comparable to the Water Moon Immortal Gate—not a particularly large sect. It only accepted disciples with Fire Spiritual Roots.

Since they were there to investigate, not to challenge the sect, Mo Xun flew down to the main entrance. Facing the approaching cultivators, she spoke in a gentle manner: “We need to speak with your Sect Master. Could you please notify them?”

“Who are you people?” one of the Red Refinement cultivators frowned, scrutinizing Mo Xun for a while, then turned to look at Yun Wushang and Wen Yuchan, but was finally drawn to the little white cat in Yun Wushang’s arms.

He didn’t know how the three had appeared at the main gate of the Red Refinement Immortal Gate. He only knew that the three of them had no spiritual energy whatsoever, making them no different from mortals.

What were mortals doing at an immortal cultivation sect? And carrying a cat? Could they be royalty or nobility from a nearby country, seeking refuge after an assassination attempt?

His master had said that cultivators must not get involved in disputes between the royal families, so he should shoo them away.

With this thought, the cultivator said: “Our Sect Master is not someone you mere mortals can meet. Hurry up and take your cat and leave. Don’t disturb the purity of this place of cultivation!”

Mo Xun: Good heavens, is their realm too low to perceive the spiritual energy of a Great Ascension stage cultivator?

“Don’t you dare be mean to my Master!” Eighteen let out a loud “Aww” and lunged, slapping the cultivator across the face with a paw. The force was so great that the cultivator was lifted into the air and slammed into the stone pillar next to the main gate of the Red Refinement Immortal Gate with lightning speed!

The nearby Red Refinement cultivators stared wide-eyed, unable to react for a long time.

The little white cat, having done its mischievous deed, floated up and perched on Mo Xun’s head, saying proudly: “Master, was I right to do that? Hurry and praise me!”

Mo Xun: “…You were amazing, Little Eighteen.” So amazing I’m tearing up.

Yun Wushang burst into laughter beside her, then directly infused her demonic energy into her voice: “Where is the Sect Master of the Red Refinement Immortal Gate? Get out here, or die!”

Mo Xun: “…”