Chapter 102: First Volume_Chapter 102 Demon Lord x Nine-Tailed Fox x Orthodox Sect Leader (7)

First Volume_Chapter 102 Demon Lord x Nine-Tailed Fox x Orthodox Sect Leader (7)

Huo Xiu Bai lowered his eyes, using voice transmission to order the altar master to return to the sect.

The Riding Sword Sect is the foremost sect, located among the forests of Yunxia Gorge; besides the countless peaks near the main peak, the spiritual energy is rich, and countless sword spirit mechanisms hang above the peak tops—once outsiders intrude, they will be attacked by sword energy.

It inspires fear.

The carriage stopped in front of the main peak's hall; the altar master gave no second glance to Jiang Zhi appearing in the carriage, and after they disembarked, he drove the carriage away.

Not a single disciple of the sect could be seen on the entire mountain, not even a menial servant.

It appeared empty and desolate.

Jiang Zhi had slept for ten years, and with her demon core damaged, even if she took human form she would retain fox demon traits; therefore she simply appeared as a fox demon.

She stepped on the jade stone floor, looked around, was attracted by the scenery before her, and her nine tails swayed involuntarily behind her.

"Come along." Huo Xiu Bai strode forward with steady steps toward the hall, his silver-blue robes rippling like a galaxy.

Jiang Zhi could only withdraw her gaze and follow him into the main hall.

She thought she would see the female lead, but after looking around, there was no one in the hall.

That shouldn't be—over half the world's plot has passed, the male and female leads should be living together, seeing each other daily.

The youth's voice interrupted her thoughts: "Come over."

Jiang Zhi walked to his feet, and he embraced her in his arms.

The sudden intimacy left her flustered; her limbs instinctively struggled, and a hand fell onto her head, gently rubbing to soothe.

"Don't move." Huo Xiu Bai's sensation between his fingers was as he imagined—soft and smooth, the warmth of the fur seeping into his fingertips.

Jiang Zhi lifted her head, meeting the youth's eyes, engrossed in stroking the fox, unable to pull away; her heart tightened.

"Brother Seven… is this male lead still a fur fetishist?"

777 was also somewhat surprised: "He's already unable to let go of you."

Jiang Zhi: "……"

She stopped struggling, letting the youth rub her like a dead fish.

After who knows how long, he finally released his grip and set her down on a chair.

Huo Xiu Bai's eyes were full of restraint; he lowered his gaze, glanced at the long sword at his waist, and told her: "You will rest here."

Jiang Zhi licked the tousled fur on her body, didn't lift her head, and gave a perfunctory hum.

After the youth left, she went limp, slumped on the chair, lazily swaying her nine fox tails behind her.

The clear, cold moonlight fell onto the hall's interior floor, casting a faint shimmer on her scarlet fox tail.

After sleeping until midnight, she rose, swayed as she walked out of the palace gate, and saw the youth training under the silver moon.

The male lead Huo Xiu Bai is a complete sword fanatic, cultivating the Path of Severed Emotions; consequently, most of the romantic scenes in the plot are tragic love.

Severed emotions, severed emotions—destined to cut off desire, renouncing worldly troubles.

Jiang Zhi watched for a while, then began cultivating, absorbing heavenly and earthly spiritual energy to repair her demon core.

When she entered meditation, Huo Xiu Bai sheathed his life-bound sword, walked over unhurriedly, reached out, and embraced her.

Seated on the jade stone steps beside her, he rubbed the fox in his arms intermittently.

——

After accompanying the male lead in cultivation for over two months, the plot finally arrived.

The centennial trial tournament hosted by the Riding Sword Sect saw all sects and clans gather, arriving on their swords, as elders and sect representatives discussed the venue for this tournament's secret realm trial.

As the schedule of Huo Xiu Bai, the sect leader of the Riding Sword Sect, was busy, the red fox he held in his arms became a topic of discussion in the cultivation world.

Huo Xiu Bai used a spell to conceal her nine tails, revealing only one; to outsiders, she appeared merely an ordinary fox demon, not a nine-tailed fox demon.

"Brother Huo." Finally seeing the youth's face, the female lead Gu Yan'er's cheeks flushed with shy red, she stood nervously, bit her lip, and said: "May I bring Yan'er along to the secret realm?"

Huo Xiu Bai's attitude was aloof and indifferent: "No."

Gu Yan'er heard this, her heart tightened, she couldn't think of anything else, anxiously asking: "Why?"

After speaking, she realized she had overstepped, quickly apologized, her long lashes trembling, the corners of her eyes reddening.

If it were an ordinary person, seeing a beauty shed tears would likely break their heart.

But the male lead is not so.

The youth acted as if he hadn't seen, without a trace of pity, saying: "You are too weak."

As blunt as a straight steel man.

Gu Yan'er paused, then immediately covered her face and ran away.

The surrounding sect disciples, as if accustomed or not, lowered their heads, daring not to look further.

Everyone knows Senior Sister Gu Yan'er's thoughts; she has admired the sect leader for years, yet never received a response.

The sect leader cultivates the Path of Severed Emotions, forever devoid of feeling. Thus, Senior Sister Yan'er's affection can only go to waste.

——Alas.

Not only the sect disciples, but even Jiang Zhi nestled in Huo Xiu Bai's arms couldn't help sighing.

In the previous world I never even saw the female lead's face; with difficulty I could stand as an onlooker watching the male and female leads fall in love, yet the male lead has no feelings.

She couldn't help but think of something, quickly asking the system: "Brother Seven, there shouldn't be any evil doppelgängers in this world, right?"

777: "No hostile doppelgänger has been detected yet; host, rest assured."

Jiang Zhi felt relieved.

The trial's secret realm is extremely dangerous; most of those following Huo Xiu Bai are elder-level figures, using Huo Xiu Bai's life-bound sword to open the secret realm, descending from their flying swords, and stepping inside.

The more perilous the secret realm, the greater its treasures, cultivating countless rare spiritual plants and high-level demonic beasts.

Jiang Zhi poked her head out from the collar of Huo Xiu Bai's chest, curiously looking outside.

As they went deeper, demonic beasts grew fewer, and the secret realm fell into an eerie silence.

"You wait here." Huo Xiu Bai slightly furrowed his brows.

We must slay the lord-level demonic beast in the secret realm; otherwise, we cannot hold the trial assembly here.

With these elders guarding the formation, he will fare much more smoothly.

The elders all responded.

Huo Xiu Bai directly stored the fox demon in his Cosmic Sack and immediately flew into the depths of the secret realm.

Jiang Zhi, who had just entered the Cosmic Sack, hadn't even gotten to say two sentences before her surroundings fell into darkness.

She just recalled this plot: in the secret realm there was a lord-level demonic beast that had just entered the early Nascent Soul stage; the male lead almost died in this secret realm, gravely injured and on the brink of death, while the elders who followed him all died under the claws of that lord-level demonic beast.

This lord-level demonic beast is the mount of the Demonic Venerable Fu Xue; its strength goes without saying.

After who knows how long in the Cosmic Sack, as soon as Jiang Zhi felt the binding force weaken, she hurriedly crawled out of the light‑less bag.

In her fox form, she fell into the youth's embrace, and a rich scent of blood assailed her.

She scouted the surroundings, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see that demonic beast.

Before her, the youth was covered in wounds; his silver‑blue Daoist robe was soaked with dark blood that dripped down the hem to the ground.

In the plot, he could survive because he ate the ten‑thousand‑year Scarlet Sky Grass, reforged his spiritual roots, and after a nine‑deaths‑one‑life ordeal managed to live.

But now, where should we go to find the Scarlet Sky Grass for him?

Jiang Zhi took human form, her cloud‑brocade red dress swaying magnificently as it lightly brushed the youth's lowered, pallid fingertips.

As she turned to go fetch the Scarlet Sky Grass, the youth leaning against the tree trunk slowly opened his eyes, barely moving his finger, and gazed intently at her retreating figure.