Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 104

At Tuzan Clan’s Buzeqiu, in the guest hall.

Qin Suoliu calmly waited for the decision of the old clan leader, meanwhile scanning the surroundings carefully.

This was a territory that didn’t exist in the later era, with very little available information. Whether she wanted to negotiate terms or facilitate smoother developments later, she needed a thorough understanding of the place.

She also planned an escape route for herself, in case the Tuzan fox clan turned hostile, she could retreat without wasting divine power on teleportation.

“Ni Wangshu, your ideas are interesting, but you are not of the fox race, and you don’t understand our covenants and rules,” the old clan leader finally spoke slowly after a long pause.

“I must speak frankly: neither I nor my clan can hand over a territory we’ve lived in for hundreds or even thousands of years to your control. Moreover, your intent to establish a force involves human cultivators—how can you guarantee that those sly humans won’t seize the opportunity to take more land from the foxes and expand their influence?”

“Honestly, old fox, I advise you to abandon Buzeqiu and negotiate for territory from other fox clans instead,” he continued, his tone measured yet firm, tinged with disdain.

Every word implied, “You, an outsider, are unworthy.”

“Is that so? What a pity,” Qin Suoliu smiled faintly. “But I can roughly guess Tuzan’s ambition—once a suitable opportunity arises, you will attempt to eradicate nearby human forces. For that, your whole clan will unite, doing whatever it takes, no matter how ruthless.”

“You speak harshly,” the old leader frowned. “We only wish to protect Buzeqiu, live in peace, and cultivate safely.”

What a web of lies.

“Then what about ten-plus years ago, when the young Tuzan master, Tuzan Jinglan, entered Qingxiao City to attack humans? Or the recent disappearances of gifted human infants and children near Buzeqiu—found dead or eaten by foxes… have these nothing to do with Tuzan?” Qin Suoliu narrowed her eyes.

She had closed some system functions years ago to conserve divine power, so she hadn’t noticed these incidents in real-time. Only when she went down the mountain with Yue Tingxi to punish the wicked did she hear the harrowing tales from grieving women and children, secretly traced the clues, and even caught foxes in the act—confirming Tuzan clan’s deeds.

“Ni Wangshu, you came to discuss a new territory, not to criticize us, correct?” the old leader raised his eyes to her. “Humans have done the same things. How many of our young and adult foxes fell to them? Ultimately, we only retaliate—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!”

The world is complex, and evildoers—human or fox—always cloak their actions in righteous justification.

“I’m not here to criticize. I only kill the wicked, whether human or fox,” Qin Suoliu said lightly.

“Every cause has its effect. If a force is wiped out because of this, isn’t it just retribution?”

Before the old leader could speak further, she drew her blade and struck his neck, ending his life instantly.

Chaos erupted. Red hostile indicators flooded Qin Suoliu’s vision—he hadn’t intended to leave her alive and had laid ambushes during their conversation.

No matter. She had already predicted that a battle would occur.

There was also one other person whose stance needed to be clarified in this battle.

“Make your choice, young Tuzan master,” Qin Suoliu said, flicking blood from her knife, expressionless, to Tuzan Jinglan, who had rushed in and froze. “I killed your father. I will now kill your clan’s wrongdoers. Whether you try to stop me is up to you.”

When Yue Tingxi teleported beside Qin Suoliu, Buzeqiu had already been blood-soaked.

Qin Suoliu’s red attire was now dark, her pair of divine knives drenched in fox blood.

Tuzan Jinglan stood beside her, trapped behind a silver-gray barrier. Within it, she could neither see nor hear the outside world.

“What’s her situation?” Yue Tingxi asked, pointing at the fox.

“She’s temporarily on our side,” Qin Suoliu said, quickly casting a purification spell to clean herself and her knives. “I calculated the probability of her becoming a trustworthy ally in the future—43%. Probability of hostility—89%.”

“Oh, planning to keep the grudge and reverse-kill us someday,” Yue Tingxi said matter-of-factly. “Since it’s calculated, you haven’t killed her outright—is that because you were waiting for me, the fox, to decide?”

“She is a major fox we captured and spared together,” Qin Suoliu said. “It can’t be my decision alone.”

“Sync me with her memory from just now,” Yue Tingxi said. “I need to see where the conversation broke down.”

After reviewing the memory, Yue Tingxi thought for a long time, then removed the barrier from Tuzan Jinglan.

She was a bit surprised—the fox, always clamoring to make humans pay, wavered when her most treasured clan member was killed.

Qin Suoliu had already pointed out the history, and Yue Tingxi didn’t think Tuzan Jinglan, as the young master, was unaware of it.

But as a clan leader’s heir, she was powerless against a full-scale human massacre, realizing “this is wrong,” yet unable to change it.

“You’ve followed us for years; you should know we only kill the wicked,” Yue Tingxi said. “The innocent Tuzan members are still safe.”

“But the innocents have lost their loved ones,” Tuzan Jinglan said steadily. “From now on, Tuzan will hate humans more… If you don’t want this, I advise you to leave no survivors.”

“Including you?” Yue Tingxi asked.

Tuzan Jinglan turned her eyes away, silent.

She recalled the children at Kongming Villa, laughing and playing, pampering her, giving birthday gifts, even drawing on her fox body.

Then she remembered learning after returning home that her clan had killed human infants and young cultivators, earning respect and adoration.

Yet a fox who never ate humans was mocked and deemed a traitor, attacked by all.

Her first raid to destroy a human city was only to rescue captured clan members. Seeing them battered, she became furious, wanting revenge on those responsible—accidentally causing the innocents’ suffering.

Honestly, she didn’t know what to do.

She had grown up in this environment; without divine intervention, she would likely become a leader just like her father.

“…Hatred is invisible and intangible. I can’t guarantee anything,” she murmured. “But… if I truly have a chance…”

If she could survive, her tasks would be difficult—but better than death.

“The disease has been removed. Long-standing illness is hard to cure, but it’s not inevitably fatal,” Qin Suoliu said. “We can spare your life. This is your last chance.”

Tuzan Jinglan quietly agreed, then lifted her hands in the air, manifesting three snow-white tails. Her breath faltered, barely able to stand.

“I know you need power. This is my… sincerity,” she explained haltingly. “Three hundred years of cultivation… should suffice for some time?”

Neither Yue Tingxi nor Qin Suoliu refused.

The Tuzan foxes’ corpses were then gathered. To outsiders, it was said they had been punished by heaven. The survivors willingly handed over Buzeqiu as a bond to maintain peace and coexistence between the two races.

The following year, a new organization was established atop Buzeqiu: the Bai Chuan Alliance.

The first leader was Chuiyin, who, after stepping down in Qingning City, came as promised “to repay her debt.”

With her occasionally dispersing divine power to prevent unintentionally ascending, the alliance attracted interest from both races’ forces.

The screening process included several checkpoints. The first, the most puzzling, was guarded by a newly Out-of-Body jade spirit named Qingwu, capable of judging a person’s soul at a glance. Those rejected could not proceed.

Beside her was a bronze-haired, golden-eyed, orange-clothed girl with a friendly smile. No one could gauge her cultivation, so they dared not act rashly at the first checkpoint.

Xie Zhi thought dual cultivation was a shortcut to improving relations. Qingwu, focused solely on cultivation, willingly approached after one experience. Though it was just for her spiritual power, it was consensual—mutual benefit.

“Didn’t expect your daughter to take Buzeqiu,” Xie Zhi said to Qingwu at sunset. “Those harmful foxes now obey, and don’t damage our fox reputation anymore.”

Much of the animosity between the races stemmed from their wicked members’ actions.

Now, the truly innocent live safer lives.

Qingwu frowned, remaining silent until they returned home.

“Their souls were originally pure, now burdened with karma,” she said.

“Dirty in your eyes?” Xie Zhi asked.

“Clear as a mirror,” Qingwu replied. “But that’s why they suffer more.”

They are still young, yet must stain their hands to ensure the world’s safety, arranging everything swiftly to prevent a disastrous future.

“When Tingxi returns to Xishan, I’ll teach her to relax,” Qingwu sighed. “Cultivation doesn’t matter—just living comfortably. I’ll handle everything.”

“I can help too,” Xie Zhi said earnestly.

“Promise me,” Qingwu looked at her. “Protect Yue Tingxi and Qin Suoliu, no matter what, even with your life.”

This sounded familiar. Xie Zhi’s mind flashed with fragmented memories of Qingwu speaking the same words before, but with deep hatred.

She sensed the meaning, but couldn’t grasp the visions.

“Can’t promise?” Qingwu’s tone deepened.

“Of course!” Xie Zhi quickly nodded. “It’s my duty anyway.”

Ten years after Bai Chuan Alliance’s founding, human and fox cultivators gathered at the foot of Buzeqiu.

They attacked the protective array maintained by Qingwu, shouting that the true mastermind behind Bai Chuan Alliance should appear to die, accusing them of killing indiscriminately.

“You presumptuous fools!” Qingwu scolded. “The dead are always the wicked!”

“My Daoist partner just visited pleasure spots—why should she die?!”

“My mother cared for me since birth. She never abandoned me. How could she be evil? Why must you kill her?!”

“The quack doctor caused my daughter-in-law to be infertile, leaving only one girl! Why not kill the quack, or my son?!”

Voices assailed from all directions, pointing at Qingwu and the children she protected.

She shook her head in disappointment, reinforcing the protective array.

“We’ve investigated the instigators,” Chuhan said.

Half a day later, Xie Zhi teleported beside her, taking over the protective array. She gazed at the cultivators outside.

“We won’t intervene this time. Otherwise, rumors of indiscriminate killing will spread.”

“Then let’s slowly wear them out,” Qingwu said, her arms numb. “Someone’s stirring trouble—don’t fall for it.”

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