Chapter 396: Bai Meier

What am I thinking? I could never have any relationship with Young Master Jun…

Bai Meier touched her own face.

She was a descendant of the Ancient Wang Clan, a celestial fox maiden.

And Jun Xiaoyao was the divine son of the Primordial Jun Clan.

Their factions were inherently opposed.

Moreover, she stood on Long Ao's side.

Yet sometimes, Bai Meier couldn't help recalling Jun Xiaoyao's gentle, faint smile.

In comparison, the current Long Ao was truly heartless.

Bai Meier even felt a flicker of relief that, due to her cultivation technique, she had never had any physical contact with Long Ao.

She hadn't even let him hold her hand.

In the blink of an eye, a day passed.

Long Ao arrived before Bai Meier.

"Where is that woman?" Bai Meier said coolly.

"Her injuries are likely no longer serious; she's in meditation," Long Ao said.

He noticed her cold tone, yet a smug smile curled his lips: "Meier, you're not jealous, are you?"

"How could I be?" Bai Meier replied.

"Hehe, there's no need. I saved Ao Luan because she's useful to me."

"Just now, she told me that in this region lies the Immortal Ancient Dao Lake, a great opportunity—and her Dragon-People clan controls the core area within it."

"And the Immortal Ancient Dao Lake is likely to erupt soon; when it does, many valuable treasures will emerge from the core zone."

"With Ao Luan's help, we can enter that core zone."

Long Ao spoke rapidly, his eyes brimming with excitement.

He had heard rumors of the Immortal Ancient Dao Lake's opportunity.

He had planned to go investigate anyway—yet he never expected the Dragon-People clan, to which Ao Luan belonged, already controlled the lake's core.

It was as if fortune had dropped a pie right into his lap.

Yet Bai Meier's face showed not a trace of joy upon hearing this.

Instead, she spoke with icy indifference: "Long Ao, you saved that woman only to exploit her for gain?"

Bai Meier's words caused Long Ao's smile to vanish.

"Meier, what do you mean? I'm thinking of you too," Long Ao explained.

"Was your mindset when you saved me the same as your mindset now in saving this Dragon-People woman?" Bai Meier's beautiful eyes lost all their luster.

"This… how could it be? Am I really such a person?" Long Ao continued to defend himself, though his expression grew slightly unnatural.

"You keep claiming you're thinking of me, yet you still only want me as a concubine, while making Long Ji the primary wife—what does that mean?" Bai Meier's voice turned frosty.

Long Ao had nothing left to say.

What could he possibly say?

To simply play with a fox spirit?

Or to use her to gain the influence of the Celestial Fox Clan?

Or both?

But how could he voice such things?

"You're speechless, at a loss for words, hehe—Long Ao, so in your eyes, I'm nothing but a plaything, right?"

Bai Meier's suppressed emotions erupted fully.

Since she broke through her cultivation barrier, she had followed Long Ao's every step.

She had adored him with fervor and devotion.

Yet now, she finally saw his true face.

His so-called rescue of her was merely a calculated scheme, entirely self-serving.

Just like his rescue of Ao Luan this time.

Her wholehearted sincerity had been fed to dogs.

At this moment, Bai Meier's gaze toward Long Ao was lifeless, utterly devoid of light.

She never imagined Long Ao could be such a person.

"Meier, you misunderstand me!" Long Ao stepped forward, reaching out to embrace her.

"Don't touch me!" Bai Meier cried sharply, stepping back several paces, revulsion welling in her beautiful eyes.

Now that she fully understood Long Ao's true nature, she felt only nausea and disgust.

Long Ao cared nothing for her—he merely coveted her body.

Perhaps even because of the influence of her Celestial Fox Clan behind her.

Would Long Ao have saved her without any benefit?

Clearly not.

Thus, Bai Meier had seen through him completely.

With deep hatred in her eyes, she turned and floated away on lotus steps.

Her heart was dead.

"Meier!"

Watching Bai Meier's distant silhouette, Long Ao's expression darkened.

"Damn it, I got screwed. I should've just taken her by force—I never even touched her hand." Long Ao cursed inwardly.

When he saved Bai Meier before, he couldn't touch her body due to her cultivation technique.

So he pretended to be a gentleman and never forced her.

Now, the duck had flown away.

"It's fine—it's just another tantrum. She'll come back," Long Ao shook his head, not overly concerned.

He would never abandon Ao Luan for Bai Meier.

"With Ao Luan, I can enter the core zone of the Immortal Ancient Dao Lake. With my fortune, I'll surely obtain a supreme treasure—then, once my cultivation advances, I'll kill Jun Xiaoyao and conquer Long Ji." Long Ao's lips curled into a smile.

He had already planned everything that followed; now he only needed to execute it step by step.

I must admit, Long Ao's dreams were beautiful.

If not for Jun Xiaoyao, his plan might have succeeded.

But unfortunately…

On the other side.

Bai Meier's mind was blank, drifting aimlessly across the sky.

She didn't know where to go or what to do next.

The dark, negative seeds planted in her heart had taken root and grown fully.

Love runs deep, hatred cuts sharper.

Especially for a woman like Bai Meier, who carried a touch of yandere tendencies, it was easy to swing to the opposite extreme.

"Long Ao, to toy with my feelings—you're despicable!" Deep hatred spilled from Bai Meier's hollow, beautiful eyes.

She even wanted to grab a hatchet and split open Long Ao's chest to see if his heart was red or black!

"What should I do now… where should I go…"

Bai Meier was utterly lost, and without realizing it, she found herself near the valley maze where she had once been trapped.

"Young Master Jun… I sensed Young Master Jun's aura…"

The Celestial Fox Clan possessed innate perceptiveness; Bai Meier detected Jun Xiaoyao's aura, not far from here.

Recalling the scenes when Jun Xiaoyao saved her, her heart fluttered.

Unlike Long Ao, Jun Xiaoyao had saved her without seeking any return or benefit.

After all, given his faction and stance, he had no reason to save her.

Yet Jun Xiaoyao saved her anyway—and asked for nothing in return.

Compared to Long Ao, the difference between them was clear.

"Young Master Jun… Young Master Jun…" Bai Meier repeated his name endlessly; her hollow eyes slowly regained their glow.

For Bai Meier, whose heart was now filled with despair and emptiness,

Jun Xiaoyao was the only ray of light.

That ray of light was brighter, warmer—by a hundredfold—than Long Ao had ever been.

Bai Meier moved her lotus steps gently, chasing after Jun Xiaoyao's aura.